Notes on the text課文注釋
1 read about (=of)…, 作“讀到……”講。
2 it is extremely doubtful whether…ourselves.
it是先行主語，替代以whether引導(dǎo)的主語從句。
3 act on…, 根據(jù)……行動(dòng)。
4 bring about, 帶來。
5 South Dakota, 南達(dá)科他，美國中北部的一個(gè)州。面積77，047平方英里（約200，000平方公里）。這個(gè)州以糧食生產(chǎn)和礦產(chǎn)著稱。
6 struggle against… odds, 與惡運(yùn)搏斗。
7 If they had only had one more child, the fact would have passed unnoticed. 如果他們只是添了1個(gè)孩子，這件事本來就不會(huì)引起任何人注意。這是虛擬語氣，用來表示與過去的事實(shí)相反的假設(shè)。unnoticed是過去分詞作方式狀語，修飾passed。
8 The rise to fame was swift. 出名太快了。
to fame作rise的定語。
9 the exclusive rights to publish, 報(bào)道（出版）權(quán)。
10 pour in, 作“大量流入”、“源源而來”解。
11 press for…, 作“迫切要求……”講。
參考譯文
在民主國家里，任何限制新聞自由的企圖都理所當(dāng)然地受到譴責(zé)。然而，這種自由很容易被濫用。常人軼事往往比政治事件更能引起公眾注意。我們都喜歡看關(guān)于別人生活的報(bào)道，但是否同樣喜歡看關(guān)于自己生活的報(bào)道，就很難說了。記者按事實(shí)至上的論點(diǎn)行事，發(fā)表有關(guān)別人私生活的細(xì)節(jié)，有時(shí)會(huì)給當(dāng)事人造成極大的痛苦。新聞具有巨大的威力。它們不僅可以給尋常人家的生活帶來重大的變化，甚至還能*一個(gè)政府。
下面這戶窮人一夜之間出名發(fā)財(cái)?shù)墓适聭騽⌒缘卣f明了新聞報(bào)道的威力。這戶人家住在南達(dá)科他州一個(gè)人口為23，000的小鎮(zhèn)上，鎮(zhèn)名為阿拜丁。家里已有5個(gè)孩子，全家人常年在貧困中掙扎。第6個(gè)孩子即將問世，他們面臨著更為嚴(yán)峻的經(jīng)濟(jì)問題。如果他們只是添了1個(gè)孩子，這件事本來就不會(huì)引起任何人的注意。這家人會(huì)繼續(xù)為克服經(jīng)濟(jì)上的拮據(jù)而奮斗，并默默無聞地活下去。但是他們出人意料地生了個(gè)五胞胎，4女1男。這事使他們的生活發(fā)生了根本的變化。五胞胎降生第二天，一架飛機(jī)飛抵阿拜丁，隨機(jī)帶來60名記者與攝影師。
這一家迅速出了名。電視攝像機(jī)和報(bào)紙把消息傳送到全國。報(bào)紙、雜志出高價(jià)向他們購買文字、圖片的報(bào)道權(quán)。不但素昧平生的人寄來了大量的禮物，而且嬰兒食品、嬰兒肥皂制造廠商為了替自己產(chǎn)品做廣告也寄來了大量的禮物。這家人住的舊農(nóng)舍將由一座價(jià)值50萬美元的新住宅所取代。由于記者紛紛要求會(huì)見，他們不得不請(qǐng)了律師充當(dāng)他們家的發(fā)言人舉行記者招待會(huì)。眼下，五胞胎還靜靜地躺在醫(yī)院嬰兒室的氧氣帳里，他們的父母卻為這名聲付出了代價(jià)，他們?cè)僖矡o法過正常的生活。他們成了商業(yè)化的受害者，因?yàn)樗麄兊拿志哂辛耸袌?chǎng)價(jià)值。這些孩子立即成了商品，而不是5個(gè)新的家庭成員。
Multiple choice questions 多項(xiàng)選擇題
Choose the correct answers to the following questions.
Comprehension 理解
1 The Press will argue that they have the right to publish a story, although it may seriously affect the individual concerned, because ______ .
a．in a democracy, the individual deserves more attention than politics
b．facts in themselves, however unpleasant they may be, must be respected
c．people not only enjoy reading about others but about themselves as well
d．they only use their power to influence events of national importance
2 News editors and reporters wanted to publish the story because ______ .
a．they always defend the freedom of the Press
b．they know that stories about people sell a lot of newspapers
c．they wanted to change the lives of these poor people
d．they believed it was the right thing to do
3 The interest that was taken in the family was ______ .
a．of national importance because of the rise in the birth rate
b．charitable, for people of all kinds were concerned about their poverty
c．so overwhelming that even lawyers attended their press conferences
d．mainly from commercial organizations who wanted to promote their sales Structure 結(jié)構(gòu)
4 The public are often far more interested ______ political events. (11. 3-4)
a．in people's stories than
b．in stories about people than in
c．with stories about people than
d．by people's stories than by
5 The influence of newspapers is ______ bring about major changes in the lives of ordinary people but they can even overthrow a government. (11. 8-9)
a．such that not only can they
b．so that not only they can
c．such that they cannot only
d．so that not only can they
6 A sixth child ______ expected so they were faced… (11. 12-13)
a．was
b．being
c．having
d．had been
7 While the five babies ______ in oxygen tents… (11. 23-24)
a．were remaining quietly sleeping
b．remained quietly sleeping
c．remained to sleep quietly
d．remaining were quietly sleeping
Vocabulary 詞匯
8 Stories about people are often ______ (1. 3)
a．of great interest to everyone
b．in the public interest
c．a(chǎn) matter of publicity
d．publicly attended
9 Newspapers ______ tremendous influence over the lives of ordinary people. (1. 8)
a．press
b．invoke
c．impose
d．wield
10 Reporters ______ interviews… (1. 22)
a．went on strike for
b．went on printing
c．made repeated requests for
d．were continually hurrying to
11 Lawyers were employed to act as spokesmen ______ the family. (11. 22-23)
a．on account of
b．instead of
c．on behalf of
d．for the sake of
12 Instead of being five new family members, these children had become ______ (1. 26)
a．victims of commercialization
b．something to be bought and sold
c．a(chǎn) public convenience
d．a(chǎn) product of the market
1 read about (=of)…, 作“讀到……”講。
2 it is extremely doubtful whether…ourselves.
it是先行主語，替代以whether引導(dǎo)的主語從句。
3 act on…, 根據(jù)……行動(dòng)。
4 bring about, 帶來。
5 South Dakota, 南達(dá)科他，美國中北部的一個(gè)州。面積77，047平方英里（約200，000平方公里）。這個(gè)州以糧食生產(chǎn)和礦產(chǎn)著稱。
6 struggle against… odds, 與惡運(yùn)搏斗。
7 If they had only had one more child, the fact would have passed unnoticed. 如果他們只是添了1個(gè)孩子，這件事本來就不會(huì)引起任何人注意。這是虛擬語氣，用來表示與過去的事實(shí)相反的假設(shè)。unnoticed是過去分詞作方式狀語，修飾passed。
8 The rise to fame was swift. 出名太快了。
to fame作rise的定語。
9 the exclusive rights to publish, 報(bào)道（出版）權(quán)。
10 pour in, 作“大量流入”、“源源而來”解。
11 press for…, 作“迫切要求……”講。
參考譯文
在民主國家里，任何限制新聞自由的企圖都理所當(dāng)然地受到譴責(zé)。然而，這種自由很容易被濫用。常人軼事往往比政治事件更能引起公眾注意。我們都喜歡看關(guān)于別人生活的報(bào)道，但是否同樣喜歡看關(guān)于自己生活的報(bào)道，就很難說了。記者按事實(shí)至上的論點(diǎn)行事，發(fā)表有關(guān)別人私生活的細(xì)節(jié)，有時(shí)會(huì)給當(dāng)事人造成極大的痛苦。新聞具有巨大的威力。它們不僅可以給尋常人家的生活帶來重大的變化，甚至還能*一個(gè)政府。
下面這戶窮人一夜之間出名發(fā)財(cái)?shù)墓适聭騽⌒缘卣f明了新聞報(bào)道的威力。這戶人家住在南達(dá)科他州一個(gè)人口為23，000的小鎮(zhèn)上，鎮(zhèn)名為阿拜丁。家里已有5個(gè)孩子，全家人常年在貧困中掙扎。第6個(gè)孩子即將問世，他們面臨著更為嚴(yán)峻的經(jīng)濟(jì)問題。如果他們只是添了1個(gè)孩子，這件事本來就不會(huì)引起任何人的注意。這家人會(huì)繼續(xù)為克服經(jīng)濟(jì)上的拮據(jù)而奮斗，并默默無聞地活下去。但是他們出人意料地生了個(gè)五胞胎，4女1男。這事使他們的生活發(fā)生了根本的變化。五胞胎降生第二天，一架飛機(jī)飛抵阿拜丁，隨機(jī)帶來60名記者與攝影師。
這一家迅速出了名。電視攝像機(jī)和報(bào)紙把消息傳送到全國。報(bào)紙、雜志出高價(jià)向他們購買文字、圖片的報(bào)道權(quán)。不但素昧平生的人寄來了大量的禮物，而且嬰兒食品、嬰兒肥皂制造廠商為了替自己產(chǎn)品做廣告也寄來了大量的禮物。這家人住的舊農(nóng)舍將由一座價(jià)值50萬美元的新住宅所取代。由于記者紛紛要求會(huì)見，他們不得不請(qǐng)了律師充當(dāng)他們家的發(fā)言人舉行記者招待會(huì)。眼下，五胞胎還靜靜地躺在醫(yī)院嬰兒室的氧氣帳里，他們的父母卻為這名聲付出了代價(jià)，他們?cè)僖矡o法過正常的生活。他們成了商業(yè)化的受害者，因?yàn)樗麄兊拿志哂辛耸袌?chǎng)價(jià)值。這些孩子立即成了商品，而不是5個(gè)新的家庭成員。
Multiple choice questions 多項(xiàng)選擇題
Choose the correct answers to the following questions.
Comprehension 理解
1 The Press will argue that they have the right to publish a story, although it may seriously affect the individual concerned, because ______ .
a．in a democracy, the individual deserves more attention than politics
b．facts in themselves, however unpleasant they may be, must be respected
c．people not only enjoy reading about others but about themselves as well
d．they only use their power to influence events of national importance
2 News editors and reporters wanted to publish the story because ______ .
a．they always defend the freedom of the Press
b．they know that stories about people sell a lot of newspapers
c．they wanted to change the lives of these poor people
d．they believed it was the right thing to do
3 The interest that was taken in the family was ______ .
a．of national importance because of the rise in the birth rate
b．charitable, for people of all kinds were concerned about their poverty
c．so overwhelming that even lawyers attended their press conferences
d．mainly from commercial organizations who wanted to promote their sales Structure 結(jié)構(gòu)
4 The public are often far more interested ______ political events. (11. 3-4)
a．in people's stories than
b．in stories about people than in
c．with stories about people than
d．by people's stories than by
5 The influence of newspapers is ______ bring about major changes in the lives of ordinary people but they can even overthrow a government. (11. 8-9)
a．such that not only can they
b．so that not only they can
c．such that they cannot only
d．so that not only can they
6 A sixth child ______ expected so they were faced… (11. 12-13)
a．was
b．being
c．having
d．had been
7 While the five babies ______ in oxygen tents… (11. 23-24)
a．were remaining quietly sleeping
b．remained quietly sleeping
c．remained to sleep quietly
d．remaining were quietly sleeping
Vocabulary 詞匯
8 Stories about people are often ______ (1. 3)
a．of great interest to everyone
b．in the public interest
c．a(chǎn) matter of publicity
d．publicly attended
9 Newspapers ______ tremendous influence over the lives of ordinary people. (1. 8)
a．press
b．invoke
c．impose
d．wield
10 Reporters ______ interviews… (1. 22)
a．went on strike for
b．went on printing
c．made repeated requests for
d．were continually hurrying to
11 Lawyers were employed to act as spokesmen ______ the family. (11. 22-23)
a．on account of
b．instead of
c．on behalf of
d．for the sake of
12 Instead of being five new family members, these children had become ______ (1. 26)
a．victims of commercialization
b．something to be bought and sold
c．a(chǎn) public convenience
d．a(chǎn) product of the market