Chapter I
Basic Knowledge on English Newspapers and
Newspaper-reading
Discuss
1. Why should we have this subject? What do you expect from this subject? How
could news-reading help us in English study?
2. Have you ever tried to read any English newspaper or magazine? Can you
understand it easily? What are the difficulties? How can we get a better
understanding? What are the necessary preparations we must make for newspaper
reading?
Do you know …?
1. The most famous newspapers in the United States.
2. The most famous magazines in the United States.
3. The most famous newspapers in Britain.
4. The most famous magazines in Britain.
5. The most famous news agencies in the world.
Reading materials
Passage I
Common News Stories
The news remains much the same year after year. The people and places in the news
may change rapidly, but the events that we consider to be newsworthy do not. Wars,
strikes, scientific discoveries, elections, natural disasters, trade agreements, the deaths
of world leaders; all these events and many more will find their way onto the pages of
newspapers no matter what year it may be, so you can learn to read them relatively
quickly.
Each topic has certain consistencies, it is likely to have a set of frequently-used
vocabulary, for example. Thus, you could expect to see words like flames, gut, and
char in a fire story and candidate, poll, and ballot in a story about an election. Most
stories typically follow familiar sequences of events. A crime story might go
something like this: crime, arrest, trial, verdict (decision) and sentencing
(announcement of punishment). And it will take place in familiar settings (the crime
scene, a police station, a courtroom, a prison, etc.) and will involve people playing
familiar roles (defendants, defence attorneys, prosecutors, judges, etc.).
Let’s take one of the clearest examples of a topic with consistent content: a storm.
Tropical storms generally follow a sequence similar to many other types of storms.
Below we will follow this sequence and use some of the vocabulary most likely to be
found in each stage of the sequence:
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A tropical storm
Storm warnings
Thanks to modern science, meteorologists are now usually able
to predict tropical storms early enough so that people in the storm’s path can be
warned in advance. If it looks like the storm could be a serious one, people can take
precautions like boarding up their houses or evacuating low-lying coastal areas.
The storm hits Severe tropical storms plough through the countryside, leaving a
path of devastation in their wakes. Winds lash coastal communities, uprooting trees,
ripping off roofs and collapsing buildings in the process. A storm may abate
temporarily as it moves inland only to regain its full fury as it hits open water again.
Torrential rains accompanying the storm swell rivers and the surging waters then
overflow river banks, submerging the surrounding area, and isolating communities
until the flood waters recede.
Rescue work begins
Rescue workers begin looking for victims as soon as the
storm subsides enough to make it safe for them to do so. They comb the debris for
survivors, assist the injured and, if necessary, dispose of the bodies of those who
perish to prevent epidemics. Emergency hospitals and temporary morgues are set up.
Appeals for blood donations are made through the media.
Casualty tolls and damage estimates
The first statistics concern the number of
dead and injured. In the confused aftermath of a storm, however, the first casualty
tolls are usually inaccurate, and it may be days, even weeks before the true figures are
known. The same is true of damage estimates.
Future consequences
If there has been serious loss of life and property, people
naturally turn their attention to how to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
While there is little they can do to prevent tropical storms, they can minimise their
effects. Warning systems can be improved, emergency shelters provided, flood walls
built or strengthened, pumps installed, storm insurance plans introduced, and, most
importantly, people can be educated on how to deal with disasters when they happen.
When a major storm hits in your area, you can expect to see stories on each stage of
the sequence outlined above. And if you follow the story over the days and weeks that
it remains in the news, you will have built an excellent background for the many
future stories on this subject that are bound to occur.
Notes:
1. consistency: n. Agreement or logical coherence among things or parts: 连贯; 各事物或各部
分之间的一致性或逻辑上的连贯性：
2. gut: v. To destroy the interior of: 毁坏内部
3. char: v. To burn the surface of; scorch. 烧烧…的表面；烤炙
4. poll: n. The casting and registering of votes in an election. 投票; 在选举中投票或登记选票
5. ballot: n. A sheet of paper or a card used to cast or register a vote, especially a secret one. 投
票; 用纸选举中用于投票或登记的一张纸或卡片，尤指无记名投票的
6. trial: n. Examination of evidence and applicable law by a competent tribunal to determine the
issue of specified charges or claims. 审判; 由一个有管辖权的仲裁机关对证据和可适用的
法律进行的检查，用以确定特定的指控或请求
7. verdict: n. The finding of a jury in a trial. 裁定; 审判中陪审团的裁决
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8. defendant: n. The party against which an action is brought. 被告; 被提出诉讼控告的当事
人
9. defence attorney: n. 辩护律师
10. prosecutor: n. One that initiates and carries out a legal action, especially criminal
proceedings. 起诉者; 发起和执行一项法律行为，尤指刑法起诉程序的人
11. meteorologist: n. scientist who studies the weather 气象学者
12. precaution : n. preventative measure; action taken to prevent something unpleasant from
happening. 预防, 警惕, 防范
13. board up: v. protect a building by putting thin pieces of wood (boards) across windows, doors,
etc.
14. evacuate: v. leave an area 疏散, 撤出, 排泄
15. plough: v. move through with damaging force 费力穿过, 艰苦前进
16. wake: n. aftermath; period after a storm 尾迹,; (人, 车等经过的)痕迹
17. lash: v. hit hard--like a whip 鞭打, 冲击, 猛击
18. rip off: v. forcefully pull off 撕, 裂开, 撕裂
19. abate: v. weaken; subside abate 减少, 减轻, 失效, 缓和, (法令等)被废除
20. temporarily: adv. 临时
21. torrential: adj. extremely heavy 奔流的
22. submerge: v. flood; cover with water; inundate 浸没, 淹没, 掩没
23. recede: v. To move back or away from a limit, point, or mark: 倒退，后退从某限定中、某点
或某记号处向后移动或离开
24. comb: v. search very carefully 梳(发), 搜索
25. debris: n. damaged remains; broken pieces of things 碎片, 残骸
26. epidemic: n. widespread disease 时疫, 疫疾流行, 流行病
27. morgue: n. place where dead bodies are kept 太平间,停尸房
28. casualty: n. dead or injured person 伤亡
Question:
What do you learn about newspaper reading from this passage?
Passage II
A definition of news is rather elusive. The stock answer is easy: news is when man
bites dog; news is something you haven’t heard before; news is what editors and
reporters say it is.
News is information that is published in newspapers and broadcast on radio and
television about recent events in the country or world or in a particular area of activity.
One thing is clear: news is different things to different people. Certainly, geography
plays a role. News of unemployment in the steel industry will be on the front page in
Pittsburgh but might not receive a mention in a local newspaper in a small town in
Texas.
People always have been hungry for news. Colonial Americans scurried to arriving
ships to pick up letters and newspapers from the mother country, The first attempt to
publish a colonial newspaper was on Sept. 25, 1690, when Benjamin Harries of
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Boston issued Public Occurrences Both Foreign and Domestick. His unauthorized
paper was shut down by Massachusetts Bay officials after the first issue ---- and the
next newspaper in the colonies was not printed until 1704 ---- but Public Occurrences
began a wave of American newspaper that over the last three centuries have brought
readers news of diverse happenings.
There are usually five basic elements in news: who, what, why, when and where,
which the public is mostly concerned of, and which the reporters stick to in writing
the news. An additional element may be “ how”, which gives people some detailed
information about the process of the event.
News value refers to the importance of the facts and details in the news that can
satisfy the public’s interest in news. Public interest means the degree of attention the
readers pay to the news reports. News reporters always try their best to cover the
happenings at home and abroad in great details, and newspaper editors determine the
newsworthiness of a report by the following principles:
Timeliness
Is it a recent development or is it old news? Freshness strengthens a
news story. For example, when a storm hits, readers need to know immediately its
effects.
Proximity
Is the story relevant to local readers? Close-to-home events naturally
are of interest to media outlets.
Conflict
Is the issue developing, has it been resolved or does anybody care?
Whether it involves people, governmental bodies, or sports teams, conflict is
considered newsworthy.
Eminence or prominence
Are noteworthy people involved? If so, that makes the
story more important. Some happenings simply are more newsworthy when
well-known people are involved.
Consequence or impact
What effect will the story have on readers? Few
developments hit a community as hard ---- economically as well as emotionally ---- as
mass layoffs by major employers. It is not surprising, then, that media give prominent
play to these occurrences.
Human interest
Even though it might not be an earthshaking event, does it
contain unique, interesting elements? Human interest stories often appeal to the
emotions of readers, pulling them into the lives of others or into subjects of broad
concern.
There are other factors that may influence whether a story should be done and
published. These include:
Instincts of editors and reporters
They are very sensitive to news, and their
intuition, developed out of their careers, often decides what events should be covered.
The audience
Different kinds of newspapers appeal to different readerships.
The news hole
Depending on available space, some stories could make the paper
one day, but be left out on another.
Availability of news
Depending on what is happening locally and in the world,
there simply are more stories to choose from on some days. On slow news days,
editors and reporters will scratch for stories of borderline value. On fast news days,
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relatively good stories don’t merit dissemination.
Philosophy of the media outlet
The business-oriented Wall Street Journal, for
example, selects stories based on criteria different from those of a metropolitan arts
and entertainment publication.
Pressure from publishers
Most publishers try not to interfere openly with the
news process, but most editors and reporters are aware of the political and social
leanings of ownership.
Influence of advertisers
Usually it is a subtle consideration, but some editors
might think twice, for example, about giving prominent space to the formation of a
“committee for decency in movies” if local theaters are major advertisers.
The news mix
Media outlets often strive to balance hard news with soft news and
to provide a local, national and international smattering of stories.
Competition among media
To an extent, morning and afternoon newspaper
supplement each other, as so the print and electronic media. But most media try to
keep one step ahead of the competition and this sometimes affects handling of news.
Notes:
1. stock: adj. 普通的
2. scurry: vi. 急赶, 急跑, 急转
3. issue：n.（报刊的）一期; vi.发行 4. unauthorized: adj.未被授权的, 未经认可的
5. diverse: adj.不同的, 变化多的
6. timeliness：n.时效性
7. proximity：n.接近性
8. relevant: adj.有关的, 相应的
9. conflict: n.斗争, 冲突
10. eminence: n.出众, 显赫, 崇高
11. prominence 突出性
12. consequence: n.结果
13. impact: n.冲击, 影响, 效果
14. layoff: n.解雇
14. prominent: adj.卓越的, 显著的, 突出的
16. occurrence: n.发生, 出现, 事件
17. Human interest： 人情味
18. unique: adj.唯一的, 独特的
19. appeal to: v. 有吸引力
20. intuition: n.直觉, 直觉的知识
21 .availability: n.可用性, 有效性, 实用性
22. scratch : v. 四处寻找
23. borderline: adj.边缘的
24. merit: vt. 应得；应受；值得
25. philosophy: n.主导思想
26. outlet n.出口, 出路
27. orient: n.定向
28. criteria: n.标准
29. metropolitan: adj.大城市的
30. interfere: vi.干涉, 干预
31. leaning: n.倾斜, 倾向, 爱好
32. smatter: v. 充内行, 一知半解
Questions:
1. What is news value? What are some basic elements of news value?
2. Can the news reports in a newspaper be truly “ fair and objective”? Why?
3. What are the other factors that determine whether a news story is pursued and
finally published in a local newspaper?
Passage III
Newspaper English
“ Learning a language is not merely an academic exercise. Students of English want
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to be able to use the language they have acquired in the same way as English people
use it. They not only want to understand spoken English and to make themselves
understood; they also want to be able to appreciate English television and radio
programmes, to laugh at English jokes, to sing English songs and to read English
newspapers. This last wish often gives rise to some disappointment, when for example,
the student who has passed his exams with top marks and has earned the
commendation of his teacher finds that he is quite unable to understand the
newspapers which he knows English people read every day. He realizes that he lacks
something.
“ The deficiency is not entirely his fault. The difficulty lies in the fact that British
newspapers have a style all of their own; or rather each paper has its own individual
style forming part of a general journalistic pattern which we may loosely classify as
“ Newspaper English”. The more popular dailies use a chatty, slangy,
up-to-the-moment way of writing, which, as often as not, leaves the foreign reader
very bewildered, if not under a totally false impression. Here is a typical piece of such
reporting:
Curvaceous Patricia Potts, the girl with the smashing silhouette
who was Scunthorpe’s Dish of the Month in October ---- the
dishiest dish in the area ---- was dished up with a dish of trouble
on her way home from bingo last night. Two would-be muggers
tried in on in Dark street near her home, but she sent them
packing with handbag awhirling, nails a-scratching and platform
clogs a-kicking.
“ Even the most conscientious student might be forgiven for giving up at this point.
And yet it must be realized that this style carries no problems for the millions that
read every day.
“ Headlines are another problem. The English reader scans the headlines to find out
what the news stories are about; the foreign student has to read the stories to find out
what the headlines mean.
“ The popular press, in order to print as much information in as small a space as
possible, had developed a content-packed sentence, very often crammed with
compound words of a highly complicated nature, that needs to be treated warily at
first. For example:
Warwickshire police announced late last night that Arthur
Prentice, a 35-year-old lorry driver of Babblesthorpe,
Cambridgeshire, wanted in connection with the disappearance of
17-year-old Glenys Dennis from her home in Cambridge last
March, had been arrested in the Solihull area of Brimingham and
was helping police with their enquiries.
“There are at least 15 facts in this one sentence. Such has to be digested slowly. If the
student of English attempts to absorb a lot of this sort of thing at speed, he will
understand very little of what he has read……”
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Notes:
1. academic: adj.学院的, 理论的
2. commendation: n. 赞扬；称赞
3. deficiency: n.缺乏, 不足
5. slangy: adj.俚语的, 好用俚语的
4. chatty: adj.轻松的、不正式的
6. conscientious: adj.负责的周全的,勤勉的
7. content-packed: adj. 塞满了内容的
8. crammed with: 塞满
9. warily: adv.留心地, 小心地, 警惕地
Questions:
1. What are the characteristics of “ Newspaper English ”?
2. What trouble did Patricia Potts meet with? How did she get rid with her trouble?
3. The second news item is a single content-packed sentence crammed with lots of
information about Arthur Prentice. Make a list of things the news report mentions
about and underline the main structure of the sentence.
Passage IV
English By Newspaper
There are several advantages to using a newspaper to teach reading. A paper is
inexpensive, easily obtained, and authentic in the sense that the English is
unsimplified and intended for native speakers. It is also true that a great many foreign
students who come to the United States in university programs want to be able to read
the papers, if only because they are already newspaper readers in their own countries.
There are, however, other considerations. For one thing, newspapers are easy to read.
We have become so used to journalistic style as it appears in wire service stories or in
locally written news copy that we sometimes lose sight of the fact that newspapers
rely on a highly specific and colloquial vocabulary and a complex, highly embedded
sentence structure. For another, foreign students frequently want to read newspapers
because they are interested in news from their own countries ---- news that is often
not included in American newspapers. Moreover, much of the news that is included
relies heavily on the reader’s knowledge of social and cultural institutions that visitors
to our country cannot be reasonably expected to possess. Just as a university
newspaper reflects the particular campus on which it is published, or a local paper
identifies itself with a particular community, our English language newspapers mirror
our national values, habits and preferences. Newspaper reading, rather than being
simply the acquisition of new information, is a kind of passive participation in the life
of the national community. Any student or foreign visitor willing to spend the time
necessary to understand the social and cultural context of what appears in the papers
will probably find the effort rewarding.
There are certain things about newspapers that favor their use in ESL classes. Though
they often use complex sentences, the actual number of these structures is relatively
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small, and their use is consistent from story to story and in the day-to-day coverage of
continuing stories. Finally, they provide an up-to-the-minute source of public
language, the English of most of our business and social transactions.
The lead ---- the first paragraph of a news story ---- is crucial to the understanding of
the entire story. It is, in effect, a one-or-two-sentence summary of the particular event
being reported. Because so much information must be compressed into a small space,
multiple-embedded sentences are the rule.
Headlines are approached as abbreviated forms of complete statements, and students
are asked to reconstruct complete statements from sample headlines and to identify
the general subject of a story on the basis of its headline.
The two chapters on reading the body of the news story and on other types of
newspaper writing are principally content-oriented, and the exercises are
straightforward comprehension questions. The chapter on words-in-context and
scanning use conventional approaches. Teachers should note that the chapter on
scanning is placed first in the book. For use, scanning has always been as much as a
matter of discarding irrelevant material as of recognizing the relevant. Consequently,
it is difficult to scan something that contains unfamiliar vocabulary and sentence
patterns. In my own reading, I seldom “scan” a newspaper story, since the headline
and first paragraph effectively summarize its content.
The only chapter about which I have major reservations is Chapter Six, “ Reading a
Story Critically.” I very much like the idea of teaching students to assess the
reliability of a story based on information about its source, but some of the examples
offered in the book are unconvincing. For example, “ U.S. intelligence sources” are
considered more reliable than “ Brazilian intelligence sources” when discussing aerial
reconnaissance flights over Cuba by U.S. planes. While it is true that U.S. sources
may have better access to the information, they might also have more reason to
conceal or alter that information. We should remember that in this chapter, as in other
sections of the book, the concept of news reporting is approached from the viewpoint
of the Western democracies, and may not reflect the experience of those who might be
using the book. Discussions of the credibility of news reporting should certainly have
a place in book like this, but I think the issue is more involved than it is presented in
Chapter Six.
One final point ought to be made for those who are contemplating using newspaper
material in a class. Reading a newspaper is not a sociologically “ neutral ” activity.
Newspapers, because they are an integral part of the “ real ” world, often involve us
in matters about which we feel strongly. They can delight us, but can also frustrate
and anger us. If your classroom has enough room in it for frustration, anger, and
delight as well as verbs and participles, then English by Newspaper may be a
welcome addition to your syllabus.
Notes：
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1．authentic: adj.真的；真正的
2. colloquial: Characteristic of or appropriate to the spoken language or to writing
that seeks the effect of speech; informal. adj.口语的, 通俗的
3. identify: Identify is a way to describe something to make sure it is what you think it
is. vt.识别, 鉴别, 把...和...看成一样 v.确定
4. acquisition: The act of acquiring. n.获得, 获得物
5. consistent: Being in agreement with itself; coherent and uniform: adj.一致的
6. transaction: n. The act of transacting or the fact of being transacted.事务
7. crucial: adj. Extremely significant or important. 至关紧要的
8. compress: vt. To pack or to make smaller. 压缩
9. multiple-embedded: adj. 多重内含的
10. abbreviate: To reduce (a word or phrase) to a shorter form intended to represent
the full form.缩略：将（单词或短语）缩到较短的形式来代表完整的形式
11. principally: adv. Mainly. 主要地
12. orient: To make familiar with or adjusted to facts, principles, or a situation.
使熟悉或适应：使熟悉于或适应于事实、原则或者情况
13. straightforward: . adj.直率的：不模棱两可或不掩饰的；直接而公开的
14. conventional: adj. Based on or in accordance with general agreement, use, or
practice; customary:传统的：根据或符合一致意见、用法或惯常做法的；习惯的.
15. discard: v. To throw away; reject.丢弃，抛弃
16. irrelevant: adj. Unrelated to the matter at hand.不相干的，离题的：与所讨论的
问题不相关的
17. consequently: adv. As a result; therefore.结果；因此
18. reservation: n. A limiting qualification, condition, or exception:限制：有限制的条
件、情况或例外
19. assess: v. To determine the value, significance, or extent of; appraise.评价：评估
某事物的价值，意义或程度
20. reliability: n. 可靠性
21. unconvincing: adj. Not convincing:不可信的
22. intelligence: n. Secret information, especially about an actual or potential enemy.
情报：秘密消息，尤其指有关真正或潜在的敌人的消息
23. aerial: adj. Of, for, or by means of aircraft:航空的：飞机的
24. reconnaissance: n. An inspection or exploration of an area, especially one made
to gather military information.侦察；勘察：对某块地区进行的视察或探察，尤指
为收集军事信息而进行的这种活动
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25. democracy: n. A political or social unit that has such a government.民主国家：具
有民主政府的政治或社会单位
26. credibility：n. A capacity for belief:可信程度
27. issue：n. A point or matter of discussion, debate, or dispute:争议，辩论：争议、
争论、争执的要点或事件.
28. contemplate： v. To have in mind as an intention or possibility:打算：在心里盘
算或认为…有可能性
29. sociologically：adv.在社会学上地.
30. neutral: adj. Belonging to neither side in a controversy:中间的：不属于论战中任
何一方的
31. integral: adj. Possessing everything essential; entire.完整的：具有全部要素的
32. frustrate: v. To cause feelings of discouragement or bafflement in.丧气
33. participle: n.分词
34. syllabus: n. An outline or a summary of the main points of a text, lecture, or
course of study. 课程提纲
Questions:
1.
Do you think it advisable to learn English by reading newspapers published in
English-speaking countries? Please give reasons for your answers.
2.
There are many difficulties for us to overcome in reading English language
newspapers. What are they? How are you going to overcome them?
Passage V
Journalism is the collection and periodical publishing of news. It includes writing for,
editing, and managing such media as the newspaper and the periodical. In other words,
it means gathering, evaluating, and disseminating facts of current interest.
Journalism includes the writing and editing of newspapers and periodicals. Although
this is the basic definition, various tasks and processes intimately connected with the
production of serial publications are commonly classified as journalistic. Thus the
gathering and transmission of news, business management of journals, and
advertising in all its phases are often thought of as coming within the fields of
journalism. And following the advent of radio and television, there was a trend toward
including all communication dealing with current affairs in the term of journalism.
Development of journalism in the West.
The first newspapers in the American
colonies consisted of foreign news reports, because home news was prohibited. The
first English news-sheet was published in 1622. By the early 18th century, however,
journalism was largely political in nature. It was during this periods that the great
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English journalists flourished, among them Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift, Joseph
Addison, and Sir Richard Steele. Reviews were unsigned, partly to ensure greater
freedom to express opinion. Also at this time the long struggle for freedom of the
press began.
Journalism in the 19th century was affected by the industrial revolution and spread of
public education. In the United States, Joseph Pulitzer, Edward Wyllis Scripps, and
William Randolph Hearst established newspapers appealing to the growing
populations of the big cities. Wire services, such as Reuters, exploiting the invention
of the telegraph, facilitated rapid gathering and dissemination of world news. In
Britain, Alfred Harmsworth, later Lord Northcliffe, founded the Daily Mail in 1896
and within three years built its circulation to over half a million; he then launched the
Daily Mirror as the first tabloid newspaper in 1903. At the same time, new popular
magazines were made possible by new technology and the emergence of national
brands of consumer goods that required national media in which to advertise.
Radio stations in the United States started to report current events in the 1920s, and by
World War II had amassed a huge audience. In Britain the “British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC), founded in 1922, became responsible for the control of radio and
television frequencies. Television became commercially viable in the 1950s. The
Cable News Network, operating in a news-only format 24 hours a day, reached about
54 million households in the United States by 1900, and its broadcast were relayed by
satellite to more than 80 other countries.
From the 19yh century, newspapers and magazines began to campaign for social and
political reforms. Crusading journalists, the so-called muckrakers, named because of
their manner of exposing corruption in the decade 1902 – 1912, were a powerful
force.
In the 1960s, reporters covering the Vietnam War were instrumental in turning public
opinion against the war. In 1972 and 1973, the press exposed links between the
administration of US President Nixon and a burglary of the Democratic Party national
headquarters ( known as the Watergate scandal ). However, press attacks on
government and on various social conditions persuaded some people that investigative
journalists had pressed their watchdog role too far.
Notes:
1. journalism：n.新闻业；新闻工作
2. periodical：adj.周期的, 定期的
3. evaluate: v.评价, 估计
4. disseminate: vt.散布, 传播（消息、观念等）
5. current: adj.当前的, 通用的,现在的
6. process: n.过程, 方法, 程序, 步骤
7 .intimately: adv.密切地
8. serial: adj.连续的
9.journalistic: adj.新闻事业的, 新闻从业员的,新闻工作者的
10. transmission: n.播送, , 传送, , 转播
11. journal: n.定期刊物, 杂志
12. phase: n.阶段, 状态,
13. advent: n.(尤指不寻常的人或事)出现, 到来
15. prohibit: vt.禁止, 阻止
15. flourish: vi.繁荣,, 兴旺, 处于旺盛时期
16. ensure: vt.保证, 担保
17.affect: vt.影响
18. facilitate: vt.（不以人作主语的）使容易, 使便利, 推动, , 促进
11
dissemination: n. 分发
20. circulation：n.发行量
tabloid：n.小报
22. emergence: n.出现
amass: vt.收集, 积聚(尤指财富)
24. frequency: n.频率, 发生次数
viable: adj.可行的；可实施的
26. format: n.形式, 格式
relay: v.(消息, 货物等)分程传递,, 转播
28. crusade: vi.加入十字军, 投身正义运动
muckraker: n.搜集并揭发丑事的人(尤指新闻记者)
30. expose: v.揭露
corruption: n.腐败, 贪污, 堕落
32. instrumental: to be instrumental 有助于…
burglary: v.入室行窃
34. scandal: n.丑行,丑闻,
investigative: 好调查的以调查为特征的或忙于做调查的；专于揭示或报告隐藏信息的：
investigative journalism 调查新闻业
36. watchdog: 监督者 （个人或集体）
19.
21.
23.
25.
27.
29.
31.
33.
35.
Questions
1. What is journalism?
2. Please give a short statement of the development of journalism in the west.
Homework
I. Read the following lists of newspapers and magazines. Remember five names in
each list:
American newspapers:
1. The New York Times
2. The Washington Post
3. Los Angles Times
4. USA Today
5. The Wall Street Journal
6. The Christian Science Monitor
7. International Herald Tribune
8. Washington Times
9. Baltimore Sun
10. Boston Globe
11. Chicago Daily Tribune
American magazines:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Time ( weekly )
Newsweek
U.S. News &. World Report( weekly )
Reader’s Digest (monthly )
Fortune (monthly )
Business Week
Playboy( weekly )
Life ( weekly )
New Yorker ( weekly )
12
10. American Observer &Weekly News Review ( weekly )
11. American and Statesman (monthly )
12. American Child (monthly )
13. American Economic Review (bimonthly )
14. American Home (monthly )
15. American Journal of Science (monthly )
16. American Review (monthly )
17. Cosmopolitan (monthly )
18. Harper’s Magazine (monthly )
19. National Geographic (monthly )
British newspapers:
1. The Times
2. Financial Times
3. The Guardian
4. The Daily Telegraphy
5. Daily Mirror
6. The Sun
7. Daily Express
8. Daily Mail
9. Daily Star
10. Daily Record
11. Morning Star
12. Observer
British Magazines:
1. The Economist ( weekly )
2. The Spectator ( weekly )
3. New Statesman ( weekly )
4. New Scientist ( weekly )
5. New Society ( weekly )
6. Tribune ( weekly )
7. Punch ( weekly )
8. World Today (monthly )
9. World View (monthly )
10. Observer Review (bimonthly )
News Agencies:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
AP -------- Associated Press ( America )
UPI -------- United Press International ( America )
Reuters -------- Reuter’s News Agency ( Britain )
PA -------- Press Association ( Britain )
AFP ------ Agence France Presse ( France )
13
6. DPA ---------------( Germen )
7. ANSA ------------ ( Italy )
8. Tass -------------- Russia
9. Press Trust of India ---------- ( India )
10. Kuydo News Service ---------- Japan
11. Xinhua News Agency --------- China
CNN --------- Cable News Network
II. Read the following passages and try to make out your own plan on English
newspaper reading and vocabulary development:
Passage 1
Tips for Students
Our first tip is that you look carefully through the information in this passage.
There are a number of steps you can take to learn to read the English newspapers
more effectively — and to improve your English at the same time. Here are some of
the most useful:
Read frequently,
even if it is only
for a short time.
Twenty or thirty minutes four or more times a
week is generally better than reading for
several hours once a week.
Follow stories for Most major news stories continue for more than
one day. Some — like the upheavals in
several days.
Yugoslavia and Indonesia, for example — may
continue for years. At first these stories may
seem difficult, but they will become much
easier and more interesting as you become
familiar with them. You will quickly notice, for
example, that certain key words are repeated
almost every day, making them easy to learn
and difficult to forget.
Read news
stories even if
you are not
especially
interested in the
news.
News stories are by far the easiest to read
because of their unique style.
Read certain
columns
regularly.
It’s a kind of enjoyment to follow your favorite
columnist.
14
For longer
stories, first look
to see how they
are organized.
Features, for example, usually have several
distinct parts. This will save you from getting
lost and it will allow you to read them as
several short sections rather than one long story
Passage 2
Dealing with Vocabulary
For many students—and some teachers as well—their first exposure to an authentic
text such as the Washington Post is a bit of a shock. At first glance, it appears full of
unfamiliar and difficult vocabulary. In reality, the situation is far less severe and with
a systematic approach, vocabulary in the newspaper is not a problem, but a significant
opportunity for language growth and development.
A newspaper like the Washington Post, with its many different sections, is an
excellent vocabulary resource. The main news section is a good source of basic
vocabulary on topics ranging from elections to AIDS. And with its special style of
writing, it is one of the best places anywhere to look for examples for
vocabulary-from-context exercises. For descriptive adjectives, the feature section is a
good place to look—particularly in its many travel-related stories. The hardest-hitting
language in the newspaper is found in the opinion section, both in the editorials and
the letters to the editor. Movie and book reviews can be quite lively as well. As for
informal, conversational language, try the advice columns or the comics section. For
specialized language, the sports, business and classified sections are obvious choices.
Dealing with unfamiliar vocabulary:
·Learning vocabulary through context and on a topic by topic basis.
·The style of the news story: for the important concept of getting three or more
chances to understand the main ideas.
·The headline: for an introduction to the specialized vocabulary used in news
headlines.
·Common news stories: for high frequency vocabulary on a series of topics.
·Opinion writing: for an introduction to the hard-hitting, no-holds-barred language of
the editorial.
Too often, the carefully-controlled vocabulary from context exercises found in
EFL/ESL classes don’t seem to carry over to the real-world of authentic texts. In that
environment it is not so easy to guess the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The
newspaper, however—particularly the main news section—is a context-friendly
environment and all of the methods on guessing the meaning of the new words you
learned in reading class can be applied here. The most useful of the techniques will be
the search for synonyms as well as for superordinates and hyponyms.
Synonyms are especially common across the headline and the lead since the writer
must repeat the main idea and may use a synonym to avoid sounding repetitious. And
15
since news stories move from the general to the specific, it is quite common to find a
superordinate at the top and one or more hyponyms later in the story.
III. Read the following passages and try to know more about the most famous
English newspapers ( for your reference ) :
Passage 1
Publications released at regular intervals are often called journals, or periodicals.
There are different kinds of periodicals, catering to different readerships. Those that
have colorful covers, plenty of photos, pages of advertisements and readings on
various subjects of common interests, from news reports to fashion shows and
cosmetics, are called popular magazines, while those that devote much of their space
to news and current events are news magazines.
The top daily newspapers in the United States by circulation are, respectively, The
Wall Street Journal, the New York Daily News, the Los Angeles Times, The New York
Times, and the Chicago Tribune. Other newspapers high in circulation and prestige in
the print-media arena include The Christian Science Monitor and the Washington
Post.
Passage 2
The Wall Street Journal
This is an influential international daily newspaper published in New York City, New
York which specialized in the coverage of business but also includes summaries of
important national and international news and other features. For many years it had
the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, although it is currently
second to USA Today. Published by Sow Jones& Co., it was founded by Charles H.
Dow and Edward T. Jones as a financial news service for private clients in 1882 and
in 1889 this was enlarged, improved, and turned into a newspaper.
It was essentially a financial newspaper until about 1940 when it broadened its
concept of business news, or what constitutes news of importance to its readers. The
new concept defined business news to embrace all topics that somehow relate to
making a living. Lucid summarizes of major news were included, and in-depth trend
stories about business and related matters were emphasized.
Nicknamed The Journal, this newspaper primarily covers U.S. and international
business and financial news and issues. It has been printed continuously since July 8,
1889. The newspaper has won the Pulitzer Prize twenty-six times.
The Journal enjoys the reputation of being a generally reliable source of news. The
editorial position of the Journal typically leans towards the conservative interpretation
of social issues and events.
Passage 3
The New York Times
16
This is an influential international daily newspaper published in New York City, New
York. This highly regarded newspaper seeks to provide complete and thorough
coverage of national and international affairs without neglecting its responsibilities to
its city and state of publication. It has often been ranked first among American dailies
and is considered a national and world leader in the area of journalism. Because of its
thorough coverage, The New York Times has been regarded as a principal newspaper
of record in the United States.
Nicknamed "The Old Gray Lady" or The Times, this newspaper was founded as The
New-York Daily Times in 1851 by Henry J. Raymond and George Jones as a sober
alternative to the more partisan newspapers that dominated the New York journalism
of the time. The paper's current slogan is "All The News That's Fit To Print."
The Times enjoys the reputation of being a generally reliable source of news. The
editorial position of the Times is often regarded as liberal in its interpretation of social
issues and events. However, it does have a mix of editorial columnists, ranging in
approximate political position (left to right).
Passage 4
USA Today
It is a national American newspaper published by the Gannett Corporation. The paper
has the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States (over 2,000,000
copies daily), and is distributed to all 50 states.
Colorful and bold, with many large diagrams, charts, and photographs, USA Today
was founded in the 1980s with the goal of providing an alternative to colorless and
wordy papers of the time such as The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times.
Though the paper is a consumer success, some critics have accused it of having a
patronizing tone with a tendency to trivialize news stories. It has a distinct prose style,
which infrequently uses subordinate clauses in sentences, and tends to have no more
than three brief sentences per paragraph. This style has been imitated in other printed
newspapers and magazines. It has frequently been referred to as 'McPaper', especially
by more established publications.
USA Today is also well-known for its national polls on public sentiment.
Passage 5
The Christian Science Monitor
This is an international daily newspaper published by the Christian Science
Publishing Society in Boston, Massachusetts Monday through Friday. Unlike other
American dailies, the Monitor does not rely entirely on wire services like the
Associated Press or Reuters for its news coverage. Currently, the paper itself has
writers based in eleven countries around the world.
17
Since its founding in 1908, it has sought to provide a constructive, solution-oriented
journalism for the nation and its people. In a sense, it was founded as a protest against
the sensationalism of some early twentieth-century American newspapers and the
emphasis which many gave to news of crimes, accidents, and disasters. But it has
been more concerned with the unfolding of good and of progress in human experience,
a policy that probably reduces the breadth of its appeal.
Despite the name, the editors of the periodical insist that the Monitor is not a
religious-themed paper, nor does it seek to promote a certain creed or doctrine.
When compared to other major newspapers and journalistic magazines, the Monitor
chooses to take a steadied and slightly upbeat approach to national and world news.
Some of its readers prefer the Monitor because it avoids the sensationalism sometimes
seen in other news media, particularly with respect to tragedies and other evil
happenings.
The Christian Science Monitor (or "CSM" as it is known in the intelligence
community) is widely read by CIA and other intelligence agency analysts because of
its particular focus on accuracy and objectivity.
Passage 6
In Britain, the newspaper scene is dominated by nine London-based papers that are
distributed throughout the entire country on the day of publication. These make up
Britain’s so-called national press.
Some of the nine are among the best papers in the world; whereas some, the
sensational tabloids, deserved to be ranked among the worst, even though from a
technical standpoint they are extremely well edited and put together. The quality
papers include two that are on almost everyone’s list of great newspapers of the world
------ The Times and The Guardian. The Times, which in the past has often seemed to
be the voice of Britain itself, sells about 294,000 copies daily. The Guardian, which is
also independent but liberal-leaning, is larger, with a circulation of more than 400,000.
The four most famous quality papers are included in the following statement:
The Times is read by the people who run the country. The Guardian
is read by the people who like to run the country. The Financial
Times is read by the people who own the country. The Daily
Telegraphy is read by the country who remember the country as it
used to be.
Passage 7
The Sun
It was created out of the Daily Herald in 1964 and sold to Murdoch and made into a
tabloid size in 1969.
18
By reputation, the quality of the newspaper's journalism is subordinate to the copious
pictures of scantily clad young women in its pages. Its editorial line is markedly
Conservative and anti-European Union. Its "page three girls" are famous, but the
paper has made efforts to reduce their presence. It often publishes vulgar slurs and
jokes about foreign countries, the favourites being France and Germany, or the
European Union in general; as an example, it printed a special edition to be
distributed in France depicting president Jacques Chirac as a worm on the first page.
As of 2002 it is the most circulated English language newspaper in the world, with a
circulation of over 3,500,000 copies daily.
Passage 8
News agencies
News agencies are bodies established to supply news to newspapers, magazines and
radio and television broadcasters. News agencies can be either corporations that sell
news (e.g. Reuters), cooperatives composed of newspapers that share their articles
with each other, or government agencies (especially in Communist countries and
other one-party states).
News agencies generally prepare articles that can be used by other news organizations
with little or no modification, and then sell them to other news organizations. They
provide these articles in bulk electronically through wire services (originally they
used telegraphy; today they frequently use the Internet). Corporations, individuals,
analysts and intelligence agencies often also subscribe to news agencies as sources of
information.
America’s two major wire service, the Associated Press and United Press International,
transmit news of local, regional, national and international importance. Perhaps what
Mark Twain said is right: “ There are only two forces that can carry light to all corners
of the globe, the sun in the heavens and the Associated Press down here.”
The Associated Press (AP) claims to be the world's oldest and largest news agency.
The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, who both contribute
stories to it and use material written by its staffers. As of 2003, AP consists of 1,523
daily newspapers.
Reuters is a company supplying global financial markets and news media with a
range of information products and transactional solutions, including real-time and
historical market data, research and analytics, financial trading platforms, investment
data and analytics plus news in text, video, graphics and photographs. Baron Paul
Julius von Reuter established the pioneer British news agency, Reuters, in 1851.
Today Reuters is one of the largest European press agencies, with subscribers in such
countries as Australia and New Zealand.
19
The Xinhua News Agency is the official press agency of the government of the
People's Republic of China and the biggest center for collecting information and press
conferences in the PRC with a rank of class A among the world wide news agencies.
It is an institution of the State Council of China. Now it distributes its news in Asia,
Middle East, Latin America, Africa where run the superior offices; in Hong Kong,
Macau and many foreign countries and districts. It has more than one hundred
Xinhua’s filiales. Today, Xinhua News Agency delivers its news across the world in 7
languages including Chinese, English, French, Russia, Spanish, Arab, etc., as well as
news pictures and other kinds of news. It has made contracts to exchange news and
news pictures with more than eighty foreign news agency or political news
department.
IV. Following are some useful websites. Make good use of them.
1. http://www.latimes.com ------ Los Angeles Times ( free register )
2. http:// www.csmonitor.com ------ The Christian Science ( free )
3. http://www.timesonline.co.uk ------ Times ( charged )
4. http://www.dailymail.co.uk ------- Daily Mail ( free )
5. http://www.telegraph.co.uk ------- The Daily Telegraphy ( free register )
6. http://www.nytimes.com ------- New York Times ( free register )
7. http://www.WSJ.com ------ Wall Street Journal ( charged )
8. http://www.washingtonpost.com ------ Washington Post ( free )
9. http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk ------ Guardian ( free )
10. http://www.mirror.co.uk ------ Mirror ( free )
11. http://www.thesun.co.uk ------ Sun ( free )
12. http://www.newstatesman.co.uk ------ New Statesman (charged, but with a free section )
13. http://www.english.peopledaily.com.cn ------ 人民日报 ( free )
14. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/ ------ BBC on-line broadcast
15. 沪江语林 ------- listening
16 http://www.putclub ------listening
17. http://www.m-w.com/ ------ Merriam-Webster Online ( on-line dictionary )
What you should learn from this chapter:
1. The correct method for newspaper-reading;
2. A general knowledge on the most famous newspapers and magazines in Britain
and the USA; the most famous news agencies in the world.
Language study:
1. Vocabulary study: dispose of; be bound to; orient; current; advent
2. Translation:
The Times is read by the people who run the country. The Guardian
is read by the people who like to run the country. The Financial
Times is read by the people who own the country. The Daily
Telegraphy is read by the country who remember the country as it
used to be.
20
Appendix
Vocabulary on Journalism
Accuracy: n.精确性, 正确度
Brevity: n.(时间)短暂, (讲话, 文章等)简短
Broad sheet paper / Quality newspaper:大报
Censorship：n.审查、检查（制度）
Circulation：n.发行量
Clarity：n.清楚
Correspondent：n.记者
Editor：n.编辑
Electronic media：n.电子媒体
Extra：n.特刊；增刊
Eye-catching：adj.抢眼的
Feeding frenzy：n.轰炸式宣传
Human interest： 人情味
Issue：n.（报刊的）一期
Journalist：n.新闻记者
Journalism：n.新闻业；新闻工作
Mass communication：大众传播
Media / mass media：大众传媒
News value：新闻价值
Objectivity：n.客观性
Periodical：n.期刊
Press：n.新闻界
Press conference：新闻发布会
Press release：新闻稿
Prominence of the people or things concerning an event：人物或事件的突出性
Proximity：n.接近性
Readability：n.可读性
Selectivity：n.选择性
Sensationalism：n.追求轰动效应的题材
Sunday supplement：周日增刊
Tabloid：n.小报
Timeliness：n.时效性
Trade journal：专业杂志；行业杂志
Underground press：地下报刊
Update：最新报道
Wire service：电讯社（= 通讯社）
Uniqueness of an event：事件的奇特性
Yellow journalism：耸人听闻的新闻作风 5 Ws
Tabloid 小报
这个字原来是一种药品的品牌，自 1901 年以来才被用来指“小报”
。这种报纸规格大约
只有一般报纸的一半（28*38 公分）
，内容方面则极尽煽动之能事。版面上大量使用照片，
文字风格不严谨，对暴力、性、灾难、绯闻等等以大幅报道以吸引读者。知识分子对其不屑
一顾，可是市井小民往往趋之若骛，所以销路不恶。
小报的创始人公推英国人 Alfred Harmsworth。他在 1903 年开办《伦敦每日镜报》London
Daily Mirror，以小报的形态经营，到了 1914 年发行量已经有 100 万份，而且引起许多同
行模仿。一直到今天《每日镜报》还是小报中的翘楚，尤其是对英国王室点滴的捕风捉影，
常常还被国际通讯社引用。
美国小报首推《纽约每日新闻》New York Daily News，由 Joseph Patterson 于 1919
年创办，以耸人听闻的报道与大量的图片达到高销售量。因为小巧玲珑，适合在纽约地铁上
阅读。另一份有名的小报是周报形态的 National Inquirer，创刊于 1926 年，主要在超市
和书报摊贩售，内容以传统大报不登的消息为主，也有 400 万份以上的发行量。至于电视新
闻节目模仿小报风格者，则称为 tabloid television。
21
Chapter 2
Layout, Content, Classification and Structure
Discuss
1. If you were given a copy of New York Times now, how would you begin your
reading?
2. What may be the content of the newspapers? Why?
Do you know?
1. How many different kinds of news writings do you know? What are they?
2. What is the most commonly used structure of news reports? Why?
Reading materials
Passage I
Newspaper formats
A modern daily newspaper is generally printed on large sheets of paper, usually on a
thin, somewhat rough paper known as newsprint. Since the 1980s, many newpapers
have been printed with three-color process photography and graphics. This highlights
the fact that the layout of the newspaper is of prime importance in getting attention so
that large sections of the newspaper will be seen and enjoyed by the persons in whose
hands it ends up in.
Content
United States
U.S. dailies commonly separate the physical newspaper into sections, wherein content
is group by topic. Therefore, most major American cities will have sections covering
a few of the following topics:




National News
Local News (called the Metro section in many large cities papers” –
sometimes this contains news grouped by community, and each subscription
site will have newspapers with local news particular to the local section of
the large metro area distributed from there.
Sports (Always)
Arts / Home furnishing (Occasionally - often leading into the home
classifieds)
22




Weekend (Many ads for upcoming entertainment events which occur
usually on the weekend; this section always appears on a Friday, or the last
newspaper printed before the weekend.)
Classified ads (Almost always)
Comics (Only on Sundays – daily comics used to always appear at the back
of the sports section, then were moved into a section that usually contained
fluff pieces, such as the stories on arts, exhibits, advice columnists
Opinion (Sundays – normally opinion (also called op-ed) appears in the
back of the national, regional, metro, or local news sections.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, newspapers can be classified by distribution as local or
national and by page size as tabloids and broadsheets. There is often an implication
that tabloids cater for more vulgar tastes than broadsheets. Within the tabloid
category some titles are classed as red-tops because of the design of their front pages.
This term is often used deprecatingly by newspapers that consider themselves more
serious.
Most areas also typically have one or more free local papers, with extensive classified
advertising.
Notes:
1. format: n. The material form or layout of a publication. 开本; 出版物的版式或
开本
2. photography: n. The art, practice, or occupation of taking and printing
photographs. 摄影术; 拍摄和洗印照片的技术、专业或职业
3. graphic: n. A pictorial device used for illustration, as in a lecture. 图一种用于
说明的图示手段，如在讲座中用的
4. highlight: v. To make prominent; emphasize. 使…显得重要；强调的
5. layout: n. The art or process of arranging printed or graphic matter on a page.
版面设计, 在书页上布置印刷品或图表的行为或过程
6. subscription: n. A purchase made by signed order, as for a periodical for a
specified period of time or for a series of performances. 订阅, 通过签订购单来
买东西，如在某一段时期订阅一期刊，或者订购一系列演出之戏票
7. upcoming: adj. Occurring soon; forthcoming. 很快会出现的；即将到来的
8. classified ads.: n. 分类广告
9. comics: n. Comic strips. 连环画，漫画书
10. fluff: n. Light or superficial entertainment: 浮浅的娱乐, 轻浮或浮浅的娱乐
11. op-ed: n. 专栏文章
12. cater for: v. 供应伙食, 迎合
13. deprecatingly: adv. 不赞成地, 恳求地
23
Question
What is the fomat of newspaper and what are the common contents of American and
English newspapers?
Passage II
News style is the prose style of short, front-page newspaper stories and the news
bulletins that air on radio and television. It encompasses not only vocabulary and
sentence structure, but the order in which stories present information, their tone and
the readers or interests to which they cater.
Specifically, news writing strives to be intelligible to the vast majority of potential
readers, as well as to be fair, balanced, engaging and succinct. Within the limits
created by these goals, news stories also aim for a kind of comprehensiveness. They
attempt to answer all the 5 W’s: Who? What? When? Where? and Why? The point
is not comprehensiveness per se, but to satisfy reader’s curiosity. Journalists try to
anticipate readers’ likely questions and answer them.
Language
Journalistic prose is explicit and precise, but it does not rely on jargon. As a rule,
journalists will not use a long word when a short one will do. They use
subject-verb-object construction and vivid, active prose. They offer anecdotes,
examples and metaphors, and they rarely depend on colorless generalizations or
abstract ideas. News writers avoid using the same word more than once in a paragraph
(called an “echo”). Most importantly, they use neutral or nonjudgemental language.
Journalists view non-neutral words and unattributed statements of opinion as
“editorializing” or failures of objectivity.
Angles
In news writing the angle is the approach taken in presenting a story. For example, in
the story of Cinderella there are many possible angles for a story:






Prince meets love of life
Stepsister treated brutally
SPCA looks into maltreatment of mice
Survey of citizens’ shoe sizes has strange results
Rags to riches story
Palace Footmen’s Union strike about overtime rates.
Intros
The intro or introduction is the first sentence of a news story. The basic requirements
of the intro are that it should:
Grab the reader’s attention
24




Concentrate on the main news point (the ‘what’)
Be short - no longer than 25 words
Use active (Dog kills rat) not passive (Rat killed by dog) verbs
Be specific and clear, use simple language
Structure
Teachers often describe the organization or structure of a news story as an inverted
pyramid. In essence, a journalist top loads the essential and most interesting elements
of his or her story. Supporting information then follows in order of diminishing
importance.
The most important structural element of a story is its lead (or sometimes spelled
lede), which may in fact be all of a story that many people will read. The lead is the
first sentence, or in special cases the first two sentences. The top-loading principle
applies especially to leads, but the unreadability of long sentences constrains the size
of the load. This makes writing a lead an optimization problem, in which the goal is to
articulate the most encompassing and interesting statement that a writer can make in
one sentence, given the material he or she has to work with.
While a rule of thumb says the lead should answer most or all of the 5 W’s, few leads
fit all of these in. If they did they would either be tedious, opaque with jargon or too
long.
The second paragraph is a fine place for vital information that does not appear in the
first. At the very end comes the non-vital material.
This structure enables readers to quit at any point and still come away with the
essence of a story. It allows individuals to enter a topic to the depth that their curiosity
takes them, and without the imposition of details or nuances that they would consider
irrelevant.
Newsroom practicalities represent another rationale. The inverted pyramid structure
enables editors and other news staff to quickly create space for ads and late-breaking
news simply by cutting paragraphs from the bottom (“cutting” literally, at the papers
that still use traditional paste-up techniques). The structure frees editors to truncate
stories at almost any length that suits their needs for space.
Poor structure typically begins with a faulty lead. Steeped in the raw material of their
interviews and research, apprentice news writers often fail to anticipate what readers
will find most interesting. These elements of their story they present only after their
lead and in an article’s later paragraphs. This is the reason for the popular news room
admonition: “Don’t bury the lead!”
Feature style
25
In fact, news stories aren’t the only stories that appear in newspapers and magazines.
Longer articles, such as magazine cover articles and the pieces that lead the inside
sections of a newspaper, are known as features. Feature stories differ from straight
news in several ways. Foremost is the absence of a straight-news lead, at least most of
the time. Instead of offering the essence of a story up front, feature writers typically
attempt to lure readers in.
A feature’s first paragraphs often relate an intriguing moment or event. From the
particulars of a person or episode its view quickly broadens to generalities about the
story’s subject. The section that signals what a feature is about is called the nut graf
or billboard. Billboards appear as the third or fourth paragraph from the top, and may
be up to two paragraphs long. Unlike a lead, a billboard rarely gives everything away.
This reflects the fact that feature writers aim to hold their readers to the end, which
requires engendering curiosity and offering a “payoff.” Feature paragraphs tend to be
longer than those of news stories, with smoother transitions between them. Feature
writers use the active-verb construction and concrete explanations of straight news,
but often they put more personality in their prose. Feature stories close with a
“kicker.” In feature writing it’s always a mistake to end by simply petering out... like
this.
Notes:
1. bulletin: n. A brief update or summary of current news, as on television or radio
or in a newspaper. 新闻快报; 电视，广播或报纸上的热门新闻的简短报导
2. encompass: v. To constitute or include: 构成，包括
3. intelligible: adj. Capable of being understood: 能被理解的
4. succinct: adj. Characterized by clear, precise expression in few words; concise
and terse: 简明的，简炼的以简短的言词表达清晰准确的意思为特征的；简明
扼要的
5. per se: adv. Of, in, or by itself or oneself; intrinsically. 亲身，切身; 它自己或某
人自己的，以或通过自己的；原有地
6. jargon: n. The specialized or technical language of a trade, profession, or similar
group. 行话一个行业、职业或类似的团体中使用的专业的或技术的语言
7. anecdote: n. A short account of an interesting or humorous incident. 轶事，趣闻;
对有趣或幽默事件的短述
8. editorialize: v. To present an opinion in the guise of an objective report. 发表评
论意见; 在客观报道的背后加入主观意见
9. SPCA: abbr. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals 英国动物保护协会
10. maltreatment: n. 虐待, 粗暴对待
11. footman: n. A man employed as a servant to wait at table, attend the door, and
run various errands, as in a palace. 男仆; 被雇作为侍候饮食、招待客人以及
跑腿干杂事的仆人的男人，如在宫中
12. optimization: n. The procedure or procedures used to make a system or design as
effective or functional as possible, especially the mathematical techniques
26
involved. 最佳化; 使一个系统或一项设计尽可能有效或有用的方法或步骤，
尤指包含有复杂的数学技术
13. articulate: v. To speak clearly and distinctly. 清楚地和清晰地讲
14. rule of thumb: n. 单凭经验的方法
15. tedious: adj. Tiresome by reason of length, slowness, or dullness; boring. 单调乏
味的;由于时间长、缓慢或呆滞而令人厌倦的；令人厌烦的
16. opaque: adj. So obscure as to be unintelligible: 晦涩以至于难以理解的
17. imposition: n. A burdensome or unfair demand, as upon someone's time: 强迫接
受，过分要求造成负担的或不公平的要求，如对某人时间的要求
18. nuance: n. A subtle or slight degree of difference, as in meaning, feeling, or tone;
a gradation. 细微差别; 意义、感情或音调等的细微差别；程度上的差异
19. irrelevant: adj. Unrelated to the matter at hand. 不相干的，离题的; 与所讨论的
问题不相关的
20. practicality: n. 实用性
21. rationale: n. Fundamental reasons; the basis.根本原因；最基本的原因；基础
22. truncate: v. To shorten by or as if by cutting off. 缩短，剪短
23. steep: v. To infuse or subject thoroughly to. 使渗透或沉溺
24. apprentice: n. A beginner; a learner. 初学者；学员
25. admonition: n. Cautionary advice or warning. 劝告，警告; 劝人谨慎的建议或
警告
26. foremost: adj. First in time or place. 最初的，最前面的; 时间或空间上最前面
的
27. intriguing: adj. 迷人的, 有迷惑力的, 引起兴趣(或好奇心)的
28. episode: n. A portion of a narrative that relates an event or a series of connected
events and forms a coherent story in itself; an incident: 插曲; 讲述一个事件或
一系列相关事件的叙述的一部分，本身可成为连贯的故事； 一个事件
29. generality: n. An observation or a principle having general application; a
generalization. 一般原则具有一般用途的观察结果或原则；一种概说
30. billboard: n. An introductory list of highlights from the program or text that
follows, as in a broadcast or magazine. 插播; 节目或文章之前的一段介绍性
目录的要点，如在广播或杂志中
31. engender: v. To bring into existence; give rise to: 产生；引起
32. payoff: n. The climax of a narrative or sequence of events. 高潮; 故事或一系
列事件的高潮
33. kicker: n. A sudden, surprising turn of events or ending; a twist. 意外转折; 突然
的、令人吃惊的转折或结局；突然的变化
34. peter: v. To diminish slowly and come to an end; dwindle. Often used with out:
逐渐耗尽，逐渐枯竭，消失慢慢地减少直到完结；使减少。常与 out 连用
Question
What do you know about news writing from this passage?
27
Passage III
Joseph Pulitzer
Columbia University in New York City has awarded the Pulitzer Prizes since
nineteen-seventeen. The newspaper publisher Joseph Pulitzer established the prize.
Mister Pulitzer was born in Hungary in eighteen-forty-seven. He moved to the United
States and settled in Saint Louis, Missouri. He became a newspaper reporter.
In eighteen-eighty-three, Joseph Pulitzer bought the New York World. Soon it sold
more copies than any other newspaper in the country.
Mister Pulitzer died in nineteen-eleven. He left two-million dollars to Columbia
University. Part of this money was to establish a graduate school of journalism to train
reporters. He wanted the rest of the money to be used as prizes for the best writing in
the United States.
Each year, judges from around the country choose the best American journalism. They
also recognize the best books, drama, poetry and music. This year’s winners were
announced two weeks ago. They were honored for work done during
two-thousand-three.
Anthony Shadid of the Washington Post newspaper was in Baghdad, Iraq when he
heard that he had won a Pulitzer Prize. Mister Shadid won the international reporting
award for his work in Iraq before, during and after the war. The Pulitzer Prize judges
praised his ability to describe the conditions and feelings of Iraqis. They noted that he
did so while he himself was in danger.
The Los Angeles Times newspaper, in California, won five Pulitzer Prizes. That was
the second largest number ever won by a newspaper. The New York Times holds the
record for Pulitzer Prizes. It won seven of these awards in two-thousand-two. The
awards mainly honored reporting about the attacks against the United States on
September eleventh, two-thousand-one.
More than ninety reporters at the Los Angeles Times earned a Pulitzer Prize for timely
news reporting. Their stories were about wildfires that struck a large area of southern
California last year. The deadly fires caused millions of dollars in damage.
The Los Angeles Times also won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting. Four of its
reporters wrote about Wal-Mart. This company has become the largest in the world.
Its stores sell many kinds of goods at reduced prices. The stories told about
Wal-Mart’s effects on American communities and developing nations. Abigail
Goldman, Nancy Cleeland, Evelyn Iritani and Tyler Marshall wrote the stories.
Los Angeles Times writer Daniel Neil became the first automobile writer ever to win
the Pulitzer Prize for criticism. He was honored for his reporting and commentary
about cars. Pulitzer officials said Mister Neil’s stories made interesting observations
about human nature and American culture.
William Stall of the Los Angeles Times won the Pulitzer Prize for editorial writing.
28
Mister Stall writes opinion pieces for the newspaper. His work included editorials
about the problems of the state government of California. Mister Stall also proposed
possible solutions. His editorials appeared after California voters removed former
Governor Gray Davis from office and replaced him with current Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger.
Pictures of the war in Liberia earned the feature photography prize for Carolyn Cole
of the Los Angeles Times. Mizz Cole’s photographs especially showed the suffering of
innocent civilians.
Photography during armed conflict also brought a Pulitzer Prize to David Leeson and
Cheryl Diaz Meyer. They work for the Dallas Morning News in Texas. Judges
honored them for pictures they took during the war in Iraq. The judges said they
succeeded in capturing both the war’s violence and sadness.
The Wall Street Journal newspaper in New York City won two Pulitzer Prizes. The
judges honored Wall Street Journal reporters Kevin Helliker and Thomas M. Burton.
They won the Pulitzer Prize for explanatory reporting. They wrote ten stories
explaining aneurysms. A problem in a blood vessel wall causes this serious medical
condition. Last year, many Americans suffered from aneurysms including reporter
Kevin Helliker. He survived the sometimes deadly problem to write about it.
Education writer Daniel Golden of the Wall Street Journal won the Pulitzer Prize for
continued excellent reporting about one subject. Mister Golden told how some
American colleges choose students. He reported that these colleges are more likely to
accept students whose parents graduated from the college. He also wrote that the
children of people who give money to the colleges are also more likely to be accepted.
The New York Times won the Pulitzer Prize for public service. Reporters David
Barstow and Lowell Bergman told of harmful conditions in the nation’s factories.
Their stories showed how some employers violated safety rules. The reporters said the
employers did not fear punishment for violations that led to deaths and injuries. The
newspaper and Times Television cooperated with American and Canadian public
television for one series of stories on the subject. It was called Dangerous Business.
Mister Bergman wrote a second series called When Workers Die.
Three writers for The Blade newspaper in Toledo, Ohio were awarded Pulitzer Prizes
for investigative reporting. Mitch Weiss, Michael D. Sallah and Joe Mahr wrote about
a United States Army group during the Vietnam War. They produced evidence that
some Tiger Force members killed many unarmed civilians during that war.
Leonard Pitts won the commentary prize. He was honored for his stories in the Miami
Herald newspaper in Florida. Mister Pitts wrote about subjects including marriages
between people of the same sex and rap music.
Matt Davies of The Journal News in White Plains, New York was honored for his
editorial cartoon drawings. Mister Davies winning drawings targeted political events.
For the first time, no Pulitzer Prize was awarded for feature writing this year. The
judges could not agree on a winner.
29
Judges for the Pulitzer Prize gave seven awards for the arts. Anne Applebaum won for
a general nonfiction book. It tells about punishment labor camps in the former Soviet
Union.
Question
How did Pulitzer Prize come into being? And please make a list of the awards of this
year’s Pulitzer Prize.
Passage IV
Here is the Summary of New York Times on August 29, 2004, read it carefully and
answer the questions:
Bush Takes On Direct Role in Shaping Election Tactics
By ADAM NAGOURNEY and ELISABETH BUMILLER
Mixed in with daily updates on national security, President Bush receives a quick
campaign overview from Karl Rove.
Rove Banks on a Victory and Debunks the Myths
By ADAM NAGOURNEY
Karl Rove declared in an interview that he is not the brains behind an intellectually
challenged president.
With 9/11 as G.O.P. Backdrop, Families Express Raw Emotions
By JAMES BARRON and MARJORIE CONNELLY
A survey by The New York Times shows that those who lost a loved one in the 9/11
attacks differ from the public at large on some political and national issues.
Who Can Claim to Know A City of 8 Million?
By DAN BARRY
This is how New Yorkers cope with living in a roar of humanity and commerce: They
cling to moorings of the familiar so as not to be swept away in the swirling urban sea.
Protesters Are Anti-G.O.P., but Democrats Don’t Claim Them
By DIANE CARDWELL
The leadership of the protest effort is deeply fractured, and the many groups are
poorly coordinated and under no central control.
In Western Iraq, Fundamentalists Hold U.S. at Bay
By JOHN F. BURNS and ERIK ECKHOLM
Falluja and Ramadi, and much of Anbar Province, are now controlled by militias, with
U.S. troops confined to outside bases.
Israel Denies Spying Against U.S.
By STEVEN ERLANGER
Israeli officials are rushing to assure the U.S. of its friendship a day after news of a
suspected Israeli spy in the Pentagon.
30
F.B.I. Said to Reach Official Suspected of Passing Secrets
By JAMES RISEN
The F.B.I. is in communication with a Pentagon official suspected of passing secrets
to Israel and is seeking to gain his cooperation in their espionage investigation.
Chechens Look to Election With Fear and Resignation
By C. J. CHIVERS
The date of Chechnya’s elections has assumed a local significance the Kremlin would
no doubt prefer to avoid: a masquerade of democracy, and a dangerous one.
Powell Cancels a Visit to Athens to Attend Closing of Olympics
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN and SUSAN SACHS
Secretary of State Colin Powell, citing urgent business at home, has canceled his visit
to Athens to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games.
Canada Reinforces Its Disputed Claims in the Arctic
By CLIFFORD KRAUSS
Canada’s shows of force, coupled with efforts to win over local people, reveal the
country’s desire to strengthen its claim to an increasingly valued region.
‘African-American’ Becomes a Term for Debate
By RACHEL L. SWARNS
A growing number of foreign-born blacks have inspired a quiet debate over who can
claim the term “African-American.”
Where Prosecutors Say Votes Are Sold
By JAMES DAO
The days of brazenly trading votes for whiskey may be gone in Kentucky, but
prosecutors say people seeking to buy elections have simply become more artful.
2 Charged With Plotting to Bomb Train Station
By ALAN FEUER and WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM
Two New York City men were charged with conspiring to set off a bomb in the
subway station at Herald Square.
Coming Soon: The Vanishing Work Force
By EDUARDO PORTER
Despite the hand-wringing over the slow pace of job creation, there may not be
enough workers to go around in the not-too-distant future.
U.S. Women Win Another Gold Medal
By DAMON HACK
After entering these Games as heavy favorites, the United States left as champions
after defeating Australia, 74-63.
With Drug-Tainted Past, Few Track Records Fall
By LYNN ZINSER
Suspicion of performance-enhancing drug use circles the sport now, but the evidence
of past doping remains in black and white.
31
Questions:
1. If a person is interested in Olympic Games, which news he may read in details?
2. If a person wants to get some information about the election, which news he may
read?
3. Which news contain(s) some information on the Middle East?
Passage V
Analyze the structures of the following passages:
1.
Bank Robbers Make First Portuguese Euro Heist: Report
LISBON, Dec 29 (AFP ) ---- Three armed men wearing wigs held up a Portuguese
bank and made off with an undisclosed sum in escudos and euros, the country’s first
such robbery, the daily 24 Horas ( 24 hours ) said on Saturday.
The robbers tied up employees and clients at a bank in the small town of Barroselas
on Friday and got away with crisp euro due to be stocked in cash machines for the
single currency’s launch on January 1.
“They left with three full sacks”, said a bank customer who witnessed the heist, which
24 Horas said was the first euro bank robbery in Portugal.
In early December, Portuguese authorities arrested two men who were charged with
stealing 1,795 one-euro coins from the national mint in Lisbon.
Euros have already been stolen in heists, in Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, and
on Friday France joined the list when an armed man fled with euro notes after
robbing a bank in the southern town of Mougins.
Notes:
1) wig: n. 假发
2) escudo: n. A basic unit of currency in Cape Verde and Portugal. 埃斯库多;
维德海角和葡萄牙的基本货币单位
3) euro: n. 欧元
4) crisp: adj. Conspicuously clean or new: 崭新的, 明显干净的或新的
5) heist: n. A robbery; a burglary. 抢劫；偷窃
6) mint: n. A place where the coins of a country are manufactured by authority of
the government. 铸币厂； 在政府的授权之下铸造一国所使用的硬币的地
方
2.
Small Boy’s Big Loss to Drug
Johnny B.,6, awoke at a pre-dawn hour yesterday and saw his fully-clothed mother
lying on the floor next to the bed they shared in the Royan Hotel at 405 Vilencia
street.
Her nose was bleeding badly. Johnny got up, found some tissue, and wiped her face
clean. Then he went back to sleep.
32
When he awoke again at 8:30 a.m., Anne B., 25, was still on the floor. Her face was
covered by new blood.
Johnny dressed himself neatly ---- as usual ---- and groomed his Dutch boy hair-cut
before going downstairs to tell the hotel clerk about his “sick” mother.
The coroner’s office later determined that she had died from an overdose of an
undetermined drug.
Johnny recounted that the night before, some men had visited the studio apartment in
the Inner Mission District. He said he asked one man why he was using a rubber cord
to make his arm vein bulge, and the man responded that he was taking a blood test.
The men left some time after Johnny went to bed.
Notes:
1) groom: v. To clean and brush (an animal). 使（动物）清洁，给（动物）刷毛
2) coroner: n. A public officer whose primary function is to investigate by inquest
any death thought to be of other than natural causes. 验尸官,主要职责是对被
认为是死于非命的死者的死因作验尸调查的公职人员
详细叙述, 讲叙……的事件
或细节
4) bulge: v. To cause to curve outward. 使向外膨胀
3) recount: v. To narrate the facts or particulars of.
3.
“ Not fit for man or beast” ---- bitter cold grips Northeast
By Jonathan Ewing, Associated Press Writer
Noses dripped. Cars wouldn’t start. Dogs barked at a trip outside. And at one place in
upstate New York, it was too frigid even to make ice.
New Englanders and Northeasterners who went outside in T-shirts just two weeks ago
to play golf in 60-degree Fahrenheit ( 16-degree Celsius ) weather got a bitter reality
check as the week began.
Winter, once a distant memory, was back. Forecasters say the cold weather has settled
in until at least late this week, and record lows were predicted Tuesday in Boston and
Providence, Rhode Island.
The Olympic Regional Development Authority at Lake Placid, New York, was forced
to delay icing its new mile-long luge track Monday. The elements simply wouldn’t
cooperate.
“ Water has frozen up in the lines and we can’t wet the track,” said Sandy Caligiore,
the authority’s director of communications.
At the summit of Whiteface Mountain, a ski area not far from Lake Placid, it was 33
degrees below zero ( -36℃ ), with an estimated wind chill a mind-numbing –100.
High winds forced the closure of six of the 11 ski lifts and Caligiore was surprised to
see customers. “ They were 512 more people than I expected to find on the
mountain,” she said.
33
The Martin Luther King Day parade in Albany, New York, was canceled because of
the cold weather, and those who did show up beat a hasty retreat to the warm
underground concourse of the Empire State Plaza.
In Torrington, Connecticut, the wind chill Monday morning hovered around 50
degrees below zero ( -45.5 Celsius ). At Borlas’ Service Station, customers only
pumped what they absolutely needed, said manager Elizabeth Hosford.
“ I’ve noticed people who normally fill up are only putting in a few dollars today
because they can’t stand being out of their cars that long,” she said.
In Syracuse, New York, the Rescue Mission sent workers out into the streets to bring
homeless people out of the cold. By midday, the shelter had filled 65 of its 67 beds
and officials said they were adding accommodations for another 90.
“ We are busy,” said Stephen Larmer, a Rescue Mission spokesman, “ Our real goal is
to make sure people out there are safe and warm.”
The National Weather Service issued wind warnings and advisories from northern
Maine to southeastern New York, advising people to protect bare flesh and to make
sure children and the elderly were well dressed.
Below-zero wind chill readings were common across Massachusetts, Vermont,
Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and upstate New York, where Saranac, New
York, also had the coldest thermometer reading in the continental United States on
Monday at –20 ( -28.89 Celsius).
Nasty weather also struck parts of the Midwest on Monday: 2 inches of snow and icy
rain in Illinois were blamed for accidents and airport delays. Hotels found the icy
roads an unexpected boon.
High atop New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, which regularly records some of the
worst weather in the continental United States. Monday’s low was 29 below zero and
the wind gusted to 80 mph.
At Baltimore-Washington International airport, where it was 09 degrees on Sunday,
the high Monday afternoon was 29( -2℃). Jockeys at Maryland’s Laurel Park voted to
cancel the day’s last seven horse races because the weather was “ not fit for man or
beast,” track spokeswoman Ann Taylor said.
Hopping on a horse, she said, would be like taking out a convertible with no
windshield. “ Going 40 miles an hour on a horse ---- wearing little more than
underwear ---- is the scene I’m setting for you,” Taylor said.
Notes:
1) drip: v. To fall in drops:滴落，滴下
2) frigid: adj. Extremely cold. 寒冷的, 特别的冷
3) Fahrenheit: adj. abbr: Fabbr; Fahr. Of or relating to a temperature scale that
registers the freezing point of water as 32=F and the boiling point as 212=F at
34
one atmosphere of pressure. 华氏温标; 一种温标，或与其有关的。其规定水在
1 大气压下的凝固点为 32=F，而沸点为 212=F
4) Celsius: adj. abbr: C Of or relating to a temperature scale that registers the
freezing point of water as 0= and the boiling point as 100= under normal
atmospheric pressure. 摄氏的, 将正常大气压下水的冰点作为 0=C、沸点作为
100=C 的一种温标的，或与之相关的
5) concourse: n. A large open space for the gathering or passage of crowds, as in an
airport. 中央大厅, 一个大的用于聚会或作人行通道的露天场所，例如飞机场
6) plaza: n. A public square or similar open area in a town or city. 广场, 城镇或城
市中的公众广场或类似的开阔的区域
7) hover: v. To remain floating, suspended, or fluttering in the air:（在空中）滑翔，
悬浮，盘旋：
8) advisory: n. A report giving information, especially a warning: 提供信息的报
告，特指警告
9) jockey: n.
One who rides horses in races, especially as a profession. 赛马骑师,
在赛马中骑马的人，尤指以此作为职业的人
10) hop: v. To move with light bounding skips or leaps. 跳, 轻快而富有弹性地跳跃
着移动
11) convertible: n. A convertible automobile. 敞篷汽车, 车顶可以折卸的汽车
12) windshield: n.〈汽车〉风挡玻璃
What you should learn from this chapter:
Layout and content of the newspapers; classification of the news; analysis the
structure of the news.
Language study:
3. Vocabulary study: subscription; cater for; encompass; peter out; hover
4. Translation:
While a rule of thumb says the lead should answer most or all of the 5 W’s, few leads
fit all of these in. If they did they would either be tedious, opaque with jargon or too
long.
Homework:
Read the following news and name the different parts as well as analyze its structure:
Leaders Lacking Disaster Experience
'Brain Drain' At Agency Cited
By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Five of eight top Federal Emergency Management Agency officials came to their
posts with virtually no experience in handling disasters and now lead an agency
35
whose ranks of seasoned crisis managers have thinned dramatically since the Sept. 11,
2001, attacks.
FEMA's top three leaders -- Director Michael D. Brown, Chief of Staff Patrick J.
Rhode and Deputy Chief of Staff Brooks D. Altshuler -- arrived with ties to President
Bush's 2000 campaign or to the White House advance operation, according to the
agency. Two other senior operational jobs are filled by a former Republican lieutenant
governor of Nebraska and a U.S. Chamber of Commerce official who was once a
political operative.
Meanwhile, veterans such as U.S. hurricane specialist Eric Tolbert and World Trade
Center disaster managers Laurence W. Zensinger and Bruce P. Baughman -- who led
FEMA's offices of response, recovery and preparedness, respectively -- have left since
2003, taking jobs as consultants or state emergency managers, according to current
and former officials.
Because of the turnover, three of the five FEMA chiefs for natural-disaster-related
operations and nine of 10 regional directors are working in an acting capacity, agency
officials said.
Patronage appointments to the crisis-response agency are nothing new to Washington
administrations. But inexperience in FEMA's top ranks is emerging as a key concern
of local, state and federal leaders as investigators begin to sift through what the
government has admitted was a bungled response to Hurricane Katrina.
"FEMA requires strong leadership and experience because state and local
governments rely on them," said Trina Sheets, executive director of the National
Emergency Management Association. "When you don't have trained, qualified people
in those positions, the program suffers as a whole."
Last week's greatest foe was, of course, a storm of such magnitude that it
"overwhelmed" all levels of government, according to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine).
And several top FEMA officials are well-regarded by state and private counterparts in
disaster preparedness and response.
They include Edward G. Buikema, acting director of response since February, and
Kenneth O. Burris, acting chief of operations, a career firefighter and former Marietta,
Ga., fire chief.
But scorching criticism has been aimed at FEMA, and it starts at the top with Brown,
who has admitted to errors in responding to Hurricane Katrina and the flooding in
New Orleans. The Oklahoma native, 50, was hired to the agency after a rocky tenure
as commissioner of a horse sporting group by former FEMA director Joe M. Allbaugh,
the 2000 Bush campaign manager and a college friend of Brown's.
Rhode, Brown's chief of staff, is a former television reporter who came to Washington
as advance deputy director for Bush's Austin-based 2000 campaign and then the
White House. He joined FEMA in April 2003 after stints at the Commerce
Department and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Altshuler is a former presidential advance man. His predecessor, Scott Morris, was a
media strategist for Bush with the Austin firm Maverick Media.
David I. Maurstad, who stepped down as Nebraska lieutenant governor in 2001 to join
FEMA, has served as acting director for risk reduction and federal insurance
36
administrator since June 2004. Daniel A. Craig, a onetime political fundraiser and
campaign adviser, came to FEMA in 2001 from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce,
where he directed the eastern regional office, after working as a lobbyist for the
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.
Department of Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said Brown has managed
more than 160 natural disasters as FEMA general counsel and deputy director since
2001, "hands-on experience [that] cannot be understated. Other leadership at FEMA
brings particular skill sets -- policy management leadership, for example."
The agency has a deep bench of career professionals, said FEMA spokeswoman Nicol
Andrews, including two dozen senior field coordinators and Gil Jamieson, director of
the National Incident Management System. "Simply because folks who have left the
agency have a disagreement with how it's being run doesn't necessarily indicate that
there is a lack of experience leading it," she said.
Andrews said the "acting" designation for regional officials is a designation that
signifies that they are FEMA civil servants -- not political appointees.
Touring the wrecked Gulf Coast with Secretary of Homeland Security Michael
Chertoff yesterday, Vice President Cheney also defended FEMA leaders, saying,
"We're always trying to strike the right balance" between political appointees and
"career professionals that fill the jobs underneath them."
But experts inside and out of government said a "brain drain" of experienced disaster
hands throughout the agency, hastened in part by the appointment of leaders without
backgrounds in emergency management, has weakened the agency's ability to respond
to natural disasters. Some security experts and congressional critics say the exodus
was fueled by a bureaucratic reshuffling in Washington in 2003, when FEMA was
stripped of its independent Cabinet-level status and folded into the Department of
Homeland Security.
Emergency preparedness has atrophied as a result, some analysts said, extending from
Washington to localities.
FEMA "has gone downhill within the department, drained of resources and
leadership," said I.M. "Mac" Destler, a professor at the University of Maryland
School of Public Policy. "The crippling of FEMA was one important reason why it
failed."
Richard A. Andrews, former emergency services director for the state of California
and a member of the president's Homeland Security Advisory Council, said state and
local failures were critical in the Katrina response, but competence, funding and
political will in Washington were also lacking.
"I do not think fundamentally this is an organizational issue," Andrews said. "You
need people in there who have both experience and the confidence of the president,
who are able to fight and articulate what FEMA's mission and role is, and who
understand how emergency management works."
The agency's troubles are no secret. The Partnership for Public Service, a nonprofit
group that promotes careers in federal government, ranked FEMA last of 28 agencies
studied in 2003.
37
In its list of best places to work in the government, a 2004 survey by the American
Federation of Government Employees found that of 84 career FEMA professionals
who responded, only 10 people ranked agency leaders excellent or good.
An additional 28 said the leadership was fair and 33 called it poor.
More than 50 said they would move to another agency if they could remain at the
same pay grade, and 67 ranked the agency as poorer since its merger into the
Department of Homeland Security.
新闻的种类很多，按照不同的分类标准，有各种不同的分类方法。按传播工
具，可分为报纸新闻（newspaper coverages ）、杂志新闻（magazine coverages）、
广播新闻（radio news）、电视新闻（TV news）、有线电视新闻（cable news）
和通讯社新闻（news agency
despatches）。按照新闻事实发生的地域和范围，又有国际新闻（world news）、
国内新闻（home news）和地方新闻（local news）之分。若按报道的内容，新
闻则可分为：政治新闻（political news ）、经济新闻（economic news）、科技
新闻（technological news ）、文化新闻（cultural
news）、体育新闻（sports news）、暴力与犯罪新闻（violence and crime news）、
灾难新闻（disaster news）、天气新闻（weather news）、讣告（obituary）和
娱乐（entertainment）等若干大类。
如按照事件的性质，新闻又可分为“硬新闻” （hard news）和“软新闻”
（soft
news）两大类。硬新闻亦称：“纯消息报道”（spot news or straight news），
指题材比较严肃、具有一定时新性的客观事实报道。软新闻是指人情味较浓、写
法轻松活泼的社会新闻，其题材可能会显得陈旧或无关紧要，但决非枯燥乏味。
软新闻能引起读者情感上的波动，使读者既想笑又想哭，既爱又恨，既妒又怜。
尽管新闻的种类繁多，分类的标准各异，但是，它们都必须通过记者按不同的报
道形式即新闻体裁（news style）予以采写。就我国读者阅读英语报刊的基本情
况而言，新闻体裁主要可分为四大类：消息报道（news reportings）、特写
（features）、社论（editorials）和广告（advertisements）。
消息是以简要的文字迅速报道新闻事实的一种体裁，也是最广泛、最经常
采用的新闻体裁。虽然消息通常由三个部分构成，即标题、导语（lead，常为全
文的第一段）和正文（body），但文无定法,消息的写作结构灵活多样。特写与消
息的区别在于报道的范围与目的不同。消息主要告诉读者发生了什么事情。为了
把某件新闻事件交代清楚，消息往往需要写出新闻的各个要素，也就是说，消息
所报道的范围一般具有全面性和完整性。特写则不需照顾全面，而是侧重于某个
方面，注重再现生活的画面，将新闻事实诸要素中最有意义、最有情趣和影响的
一两个要素或片段，像电影中的特写镜头一样，既形象又突出地把它们再现出来，
使读者如身临其境，如耳闻其声，如目睹其人其事，从而获得深刻的印象和强烈
的感染。由此可见，消息报道勾勒出新闻内容的一幅全景画面，而特写报道则展
现给读者新闻内容的片断或一组特写镜头的画面。因此，特写比消息读来更感集
中、细腻、绘声绘色，所得到的信息更多，也更为详尽。
特写的种类很多，不论是哪一种性质的特写，它们一般没有特定的规律或格
式可循。读者在阅读英文报纸时，可看到各种不同结构的文章，别开生面。有的
略提一下整个会议程序和会场情景，专写一个问题的讨论，一个提案的提出，一
38
次独特的会面等等。还有的抓住时间过程中的某一个富有情趣或人情味浓厚的细
节层层开掘，溯前追后，写出立体化的新闻。
总的说来，由于将写文章的篇幅比消息长得多，为了要引起读者兴趣，吸引
他们一直往下看，作者常以细腻的笔触，挥洒自如的笔调突出表现事件的精髓内
容。就语言修辞而言，特写的文笔要比消息报道高深、讲究些，才能最恰如其分
地把新闻内容栩栩如生地再现出来。可见，阅读特写文章不失为读者提高英文水
平、丰富词汇的有效途径之一。
特写的结构虽无定格，但是英文报刊上众多的特写文章通常以一个概括性
的导语或引言开头，点出部分事实要点；或从生动的情节、场面和引语入笔，但
不透露大多，真正最重要、最精彩的东西，放在后面。此乃一宕一跌，首尾呼应，
文义完美，使人读完终篇后产生一种“满足感”，从而兴趣愈浓，印象愈深。
就新闻价值而言，英语报刊上的特写可分为新闻性特写和趣味性特写。当
然，将英语特写简单分为两大类，难免带有较大的武断性，因为有不少特写往往
介乎于两者之间，算哪一类都可以。因此，较普遍能接受的方法是，将英语特写
按采写题材或范围划分成十余种具体的类别，其中最常见的主要有人物特写、事
件特写和风光特写等。
社论是报纸的灵魂。它代表着报社的言论，最集中地体现某种立场、观点，
常常及时地评述当前社会上的重大事件或问题，以言辞明快犀利，论理深刻、透
辟的特点来吸引和影响读者，起到感染读者的号召性作用。现代英语报刊常聘请
资历深、声望高的老记者和名记者担任专栏作家（columnist），在言论版上辟一
个专栏，每天或定期刊登他们的署名评论性文章。这些专栏作家不仅具有丰富的
新闻工作经验、渊博的知识和相当的专业修养，而且还具备敏锐的分析能力和深
湛的驾驭文字的功底。因此，他们笔下的言论，往往富有巨大的吸引力。如美国
著名专栏作家沃尔特·李普曼（Walter Lippman，1889-1974），就曾经接受《纽
约先驱论坛报》（The New York Herald-Tribune）的聘请，撰写“今日和明日”
（Today and Tomorrow）的专栏，每周两次，持续 30 多年之久，曾在资本主义
世界产生过重大的影响。作为新闻体裁中的一个大类，社论不同于以叙述新闻事
实为主的消息与特写。英语社论的篇幅一般较长，文字比较正式，语气较为严肃，
语法结构繁琐的长句、难句也较常见，故初读英语报刊的读者常常会对大块大块
黑压压的文字望而生畏，不敢问津。
其实，以发表议论、阐明事理的社论文章，主要运用逻辑思维去说服读
者。在篇章结构上，社论不同于消息或特写，却与一般的议论文颇为相似，即通
常由“引论”——“论证”——“结论”三部分组成。读者在实际阅读中，不妨
先看一下社论开头的引论部分，了解一下全文的论点，然后浏览一下对引论逐段
进行论证的部分，最后，在结尾部分再细看一下全文的结论。结论部分一般都会
回答引论所提出的问题或重申一下全文的观点。若照此方法阅读，读者就容易抓
住要点，消除“畏惧”心理，久而久之，便会觉得社论并不是过于高深难懂的。
当然，读报习惯与方法因人而异，不宜机械效仿。
Chapter 3
39
Byline, dateline and lead
Do you know?
1. The dateline tells readers when and where the story is written while the byline
gives credit to the writer.
2. Leads, which are often the first one or two paragraphs of a news story, must
capture the essence of the event and lure readers into the story. There are two
kinds of leads: direct and delayed.
3. A direct lead tells readers the most important aspect of the story in a direct and
straightforward way, and is often used in hard news. A delayed lead entices
readers by hinting the content of the story. It is usually found in features and other
soft stories that put more emphasis on human interest rather than timeliness of an
event.
4. The most frequently used structure for hard news is the single element story, often
put in inverted pyramid structure, which is ordered as follows:
1) Lead
2) Explanation of the lead and amplifying material
3) Further explanation (details) to the five Ws
4) Background or relevant events
Discuss
1. Read the following dateline and try to list the standard form of datelines and
analyze the function of each part:
Los Angeles, Aug.27 (AP) ---- A tentative agreement was reached
today to end a 10-day strike against Continental Airlines by its
flight attendants, the airlines announced.
2. What is byline? What’s the function of it?
3. We know there are two kinds of leads: direct lead and delayed lead. Read the
following examples and analyze them ( try to tell what type it is, what’s
characteristics it has, what’s the function, and so on.)
1. Eg.1
PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, June 27 (AP) ---- Prime Minister Sir
Seewoosagur Ramgoolam announced today that he will renew
claims for the return to Mauritius of Diego Garcia, the Indian Ocean
island leased by Britain to the United States for use as a military
base.
Eg.2
TEHRAN ---- An Iranian journalist, Simon Farzami, has been
executed in Tehran for spying for the U.S. Embassy and working for
40
the late Shah’s secret police, friends said Friday.
Eg.3
Hans Blix, the former director general of the International Atomic
Energy Agency in Vienna, yesterday was the unanimous choice of
the UN Security Council to head the new arms inspection
commission for Iraq, ending weeks of wrangling.
Eg.4
Washington, April 30 ---- House and Senate negotiators tentatively
agreed today on a measure that would eventually require states to
begin mandatory testing of new-borns for H.I.V., the virus that
caused AIDS, if health officials cannot reduce the number of
infected infants, people involved in the talks said tonight.
Eg.5
Chicago (AP) ---- The Chicago Mercantile Exchange has expelled
and levied a fine of $100,000 against a member who the police
believe was associated with a multimillion-dollar commodity scam
in the Northwest.
2. Eg.1
The man she loved slapped her face. Furious, she says she told him
never, ever to do that again. “ What are you going to do, kill me?” he
asked, and handed her a gun. “ Here, kill me,” he challenged. She
did.
Eg.2
LOS ANGELES, March 17 ( Reuters ) ---- It sounds like the plot of
a Hollywood thriller but it’s true: Just nine days before this year’s
Academy Awards, Oscar has disappeared, the FBI is hunting for him
and a reward of $50,000 has been offered for his return.
Eg.3
When Buster Jones took over the little bar on Main Street in
Wellston, his hair was the color sometimes referred to as “ fire in the
woodshed”.
Now there’s “ snow on the rooftop ”, and next January Buster will
celebrate his 40th year in business at the same little bar. He took a
little time Wednesday to reflect on some of the changes in Buster’s
Old Inn since Jan. 1, 1946, when he went into business for himself.
Eg.4
Moscow (AP) ---- For more than half a century the Nazi massacre of
Jews at Palmnicken, on a wind-swept and icy Baltic Sea beach, went
unmarked and unremembered.
But 55 years after the killing, a Jewish group and some local officials
41
have unveiled a Holocaust monument, the first in Kaliningrad, a
Russian enclave between Poland and Lithuania.
Eg.5
SABTUAGO ---- Half a millennium ago, Spanish conquistadors swept
across a great southern swath of the New World, plundering,
colonizing and fattening royal coffers with native gold. Now, more
than 100 years after the last of their colonies won independence, Spain
is back in Latin America ---- doing with mergers and acquisitions what
it once did with swords and gunpowder.
Eg.6 ( staccato )
“ Sherman McCoy,816 Park Avenue.”
At the instant the detective on the other end of the line, Martin,
mentioned the name and the address, Larry Kramer happened to be
leaning back in his swivel chair looking at a plastic cup of coffee on
Ray Andrew’s desk.
Eg.7
MIAMI ---- Your corner gas station ---- and the entire U.S. oil industry
---- is about to change more dramatically than ever in the 100-year
history of the car, experts say.
Gas price, which have been creeping up, are on the way to a nearly
20-cent jump, a leading oil analyst said. A sizable number of oil
refineries face extinction, according to the federal government. Spot
gas shortages are likely. And some motorists will start hearing their
engines knock annoyingly.
Eg.8
As Yogi Berth would say: “ It ain’t over till it’s over.” But yesterday it
was over ---- at least for now.
“ Dumb jocks are not being born, they are being systematically
created.” Dr. Harry Edwards said at a lecture Tuesday night in Gore
Auditorium.
Reading materials
Passage I
Something Happened
One reason news stories are easier to understand than most other kinds of reading
material is that they almost always tell basically the same story. Our news stories are
essentially “something happened” stories. There are a few variations, of course, but
not that many. This list covers most of them:

Something happened.
42







Something is happening.
Something is going to/is expected to/might happen.
Someone said something happened.
Someone said something is happening.
Someone said something is going to happen, etc.
Someone said something should happen.
Someone said something should not have happened.
Look at some news stories in the newspapers and try this idea out. You can
usually tell what kind of a story it is just by reading the headline and the lead
(first one or two paragraphs).
Not in chronological order
News stories seldom describe events in the order in which they happened
(chronological order). News writers know their readers have limited time and they
want the latest or most significant developments (the news) first. Thus, news stories
are the direct opposite of fairy tales. Compare, for example, the opening of a typical
children's story with how the newspaper might tell the same story.
A big advantage with the news story is that you don’t have to read very much of it to
43
find out what it is about. Thus, you can decide very quickly if you want to read it.
At least three chances to understand
There is still another reason why news stories are easy to understand. Most new
stories have three distinct sections: the headline, lead and body. They give the main
points at the top in the headline and the lead paragraph(s). The body of the story then
adds details, statements and comments from people involved in the story, plus any
background the writer feels is necessary. Since each of these sections repeat or expand
upon the story's main points, you get at least three chances to understand them. We
say “at least” because some stories have accompanying pictures and captions (text
explaining the pictures) as well.
Notes:
1. chronological: adj. Arranged in order of time of occurrence. 按时间发生顺序排
列的
2. caption: n. A title, short explanation, or description accompanying an illustration
or a photograph. 标题，说明文字为插图或照片配的标题、短小说明或描述
Question
Why did the author say it was easier to understand news stories? Do you agree with
the opinion?
Passage II
The News Lead
Finding out what happened
The lead refers to the first (and occasionally the second)
paragraph of a news
story. It is usually one information-packed sentence which
expands on the story’s
main point as introduced in the headline. As we know, news
stories are basically
variations of “something happened”. The lead will usually tell
you what the
44
“something happened” is. That information is generally found in
the subject and
the main verb of the lead sentence, so a little knowledge of the
grammar of the
lead can be very useful.
The grammar of the lead
We will focus on single-sentence leads because they are by far the most common. The
majority of the leads are simple subject-verb-object sentences with the subject and the
main verb appearing together at or near the beginning of the sentence. The problem
for the reader usually begins when the subject and the main verb are either delayed or
separated from each other. Notice how the following lead becomes more complicated
as the writer adds information:
Thousands of Thai students are learning to read the Bangkok Post.
Thousands of Thai students, most of whom attend some of the country’s best-known
schools, are learning to read the Bangkok Post.
In an innovative programme sponsored by the Post Publishing Public Company
Limited, thousands of Thai students, most of whom attend some of the country’s
best-known schools, are learning to read the Bangkok Post.
To understand each of the above, you must be able to find the subject and main verb.
The above examples illustrate three of the most common positions for these key
elements. In the first, the subject and verb are together at the beginning of the
sentence. In the second, the subject and verb are separated. In the third, the sentence
opens with an introductory phrase, delaying the appearance of the subject and verb.
The introductory phrases are not common except when the story is an especially
important one—like the ending of a war.
A common misunderstanding
(a real-life example)
One of the reasons people sometimes misunderstand the lead is that they find the
wrong subject or, more commonly, the wrong main verb. This is especially true when
the subject and verb is separated by a phrase or clause. Here is an amusing and true
example:
45
One day a Thai student came to me. She was having trouble understanding the
following sentence:
A woman said to be despondent over her husband’s heavy drinking
jumped into a canal Friday night with her three children.
To me the sentence was totally clear, so I asked her to translate it to find out how she
understood it. Here is her translation:
A woman confessed that she and her three children pushed her
husband into a canal Friday night because he was a heavy drinker.
How was that possible? Look at the first three words: A woman said. That was the
source of her problem. She thought the main verb was “said” instead of “jumped”.
One reason she made this mistake was because the writer omitted who was from the
sentence. The long form would have begun: “A woman who was said (by a witness)
to be despondent...” This is a common technique in news writing so watch for it.
Adding the source
One of the most common variations of the “something happened” story is the
“someone said something happened” story. In this case the lead sentence will usually
include the source (the person who gave the information). If the source is very well
known and important, it will come at the beginning of the sentence:
The head of the US military, General John Shalikashvil, said
Thursday that China, despite its military might, would fail if it tried to
invade Taiwan.
More often, however, the source will come at the end:
A Thai family who were sent the wrong body when a relative died in
Singapore, has ended a month-long standoff by agreeing to return the
body in exchange for US$6,000 in damages, the Thai Embassy said
yesterday.
The news body
The headline and the lead tell the main ideas of the news story, but they do so in a
very shortened form. They give you enough information, however, to allow you to
make an important decision. They allow you to decide whether you want to read the
story to skip it and move on to another more interesting story.
If you decide to continue reading
The body of the story is where you find detailed information. Basically, the body will
give you three kinds of information: details, comments from people involved in the
46
story, and background information to help you understand the story more deeply. The
following short story has all of these elements.
Headline
Earthquake jolts Japan capital
Dateline
Tokyo, Reuters
Lead
A SLIGHT earthquake jolted the Japanese capital last night but
authorities said there were no immediate reports of casualties or
damage.
Statement
A spokesman for the Japan meteorological agency said: “An earth
tremor was registered in Tokyo but there are nor reports of casualties
or damage.”
Details
The earth tremor struck shortly after midnight Tokyo time—just after
midnight Bangkok time.
Background Residents of central Tokyo said the tremor was the strongest for
several months in the capital.
Answering your questions
The headline and lead usually raise more questions than they answer. You generally
find out what happened and one or two prominent details, but if you are interested in
the subject you will want to know much more, questions such as: when? where? why?
how? what effects? what significance? That is the function of the body of the story.
Questions:
1. What’s the function of the news lead? What’s the common misunderstanding of
the lead?
2. What can you get from the body of the news?
What you should learn from this chapter:
3. The form and function of byline, dateline.
4. The different types of leads and their functions.
Language study:
5. Vocabulary study: give credit to; amplify; chronological; casualty; register
6. Translation:
a) Once upon a time in a faraway land, there lived a beautiful but lonely
princess high in her hilltop castle.
b)
Dragon slayer weds princess
Sir Raymond, conqueror of the fearsome Merlin Island Dragon, married Princess
Melanie yesterday in a joyous ceremony attended by thousands.
Homework
1. We’ve learned that telling the source is one of the main
47
characteristics of news writing. Please read the following
sentences and underline the parts that indicate the sources of
news.
1) Washington, March 12 ------- U.S. President Bush announced on
Thursday he will allow U.S. companies to sell photographs and
other images from space.
2) Paris, June 8 (AFP) ------ French External relations Minister
Claude Cheysson said last night on his return from Washington
that……
3) Washington ( Agencies via Xinhua) ------ Just days ahead of
President Bush’s historic Africa tour, the House of
Representatives approved on Wednesday a new policy toward the
continent that would “move from aid to trade,” according to one
backer.
4) Washington, September 10 ------ A large UFO appeared low in the
sky at 8 o’clock Friday night, startling the citizens, witnesses
said.
5) “Make no mistake ------ the United States will hunt down and
punish those responsible for these cowardly acts,” Bush said.
6) State Department Spokesman John Hughes issued a polite but
justified scolding: “ The tradition had been not to criticize the U.S.
from foreign platforms ---- particularly from countries hostile to
the U.S.”
7) Post Executive Editor Ben Bradles was more upbeat: “ We are
delighted our reporting was vindicated. It is a great day for
newspaper.”
8) But according to a top white House official, “ Until Jim Baker
and his legislative strategic group took the thing over, we didn’t
have a very good idea of whether or how we could win.”
9) A young woman ( spoke) at a rally: “ Ferraro is wonderful……
We’ll get millions who might otherwise have stayed at home.
10) Mr. Hintor said the arrest of opposition leader was “one of the
unfortunate aspects of the election.”
11) Sylvia Corvo, 81, was retirted for seven years after a secretarial
career at the Travelers Corporation: “ Very bored,” she came back
to work part time in this year……
12) Peter Kopf, director of information technology at USA Today, was
stalled in traffic near the Pentagon about 9:30 a.m. when the jet
hit the Pentagon, creating a “huge fireball.”
48
2. Now please have a look at the following list with lots of expressions that indicate
the sourse of news. When you meet them in the news, can you judge which are more
reliable? Please give your reason.
An unidentified source
authoritative sources
analysts
diplomatic sources
sources close to…
( military ) experts
defence analysts
financial quarters
industrial quarters
military sources
( diplomatic ) observers
official sources
police
reliable sources
the sources close to the authorities said
spokesman/spokesperson for
according to unconfirmed reports
Foreign radios announced
Foreign wire services were quoted as saying
according to commercial quarters
according to the data made available here
according to witnesses
Backgrounder
Not for attribution
Off the record
On lobby terms
According to
said
revealed
announced
quoted
it is learnt/reported that
it was disclosed by diplomatic/political circles that
it was learned from a reliable source by a Reuters/AP correspondent today
it was officially learned/announced that
it was released/revealed by
diplomatic/political circles that
it was widely rumoured here today that
It affords no small surprise to find that…
It can be safely said that…
It has been calculated / found / illustrated / proved / shown / viewed that…
It is alleged / announced / arranged / asserted / assumed / believed / claimed /
considered / decided / declaired / demonstrated / enumerated / established / estimated
/ expected / found / generally agreed / generally recognized / hoped / hypothesized /
incontestable / learned / mentioned / noted / noticed / outlined / pointed out / predicted
/ preferred / proposed / recommended / regarded / reputed / said / stated / stressed /
suggested / supposed / taken / thought / undeniable / understood / weighed /
well-known /that…
It is sometimes asked that…
It is quite contrary to our expectation.
It is still to be hoped that…
It is striking to note that…
It is universally accepted that…
It is usually considered that…
It should be pointed out that …
It leaves little doubt as…
It may be argued / recalled / safely said that…
It was described / felt / first intended / noted above that …
It will be said / seen/ seen from this that…
It cannot be denied that…
It must be admitted that…
It must first be known/ understood…
3. Read the following news leads and analyze them: direct lead or delayed lead?
What’s the function?
1) Washington ( Agencies via Xinhua ) ---- President Bush gave UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan a cordial welcome here on Wednesday while
warning that the United States remains vigilant toward Iraq.
2) Most of the guests in Brighton’s Grand Hotel were asleep. Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher, however, was still at work in the Napoleon Suite at 3 a.m.,
preparing her keynote address to the annual party conference of Britain’s
49
Conservative Party. “ I just turned to do one final paper”, she said later. “ And
then it went off.” A deadly bomb, planted by the Irish Republican Army,
ripped through the upper floors of the Victorian-era hotel. Thatcher was not
injured, but the toll of the attack was steep: 4 people killed and 34 injured.
3) Shell Gets Rich by Beating Risk
Sir Peter Holmes, has a way of brushing death aside. He stepped on a land
mine while serving with the British Army in Korea 40 year ago but escaped
with minor injuries. Last Summer he walked away from the crash of a small
plane on a riverbank, in Zambia, then fended off crocodiles and lions by
lightning fires until help came 16 hours later. A good resume for a stunt man?
Sir Peter, 58, is in an even more dangerous business ---- oil.
One of the six managing directors who run Royal Dutch/Shell Group, he is heir
apparent to Chairman Lodewjk van Wachem, 60, who plans to retire next year.
Skill at keeping wild animals away and surviving a walk through mine fields
comes in handy. Imagine running a business where the price of raw materials
see-saws between $4 and $40 per unit, where you are vulnerable to the whims
of tyrants, where a single human error ( an accidental spill ) can cost your
company $3 billion or more.
4) New Haven, April 24 ---- Fifty years ago, Yale students, dressed in jackets
and ties, were served dinner on fine china by waiters and waitresses in
majestic Gothic dining halls. A typical menu in 1937 featured broiled loin
lamb chops and tenderloin steak.
Now the university wants to open a food court with cuisine by Taco Bell,
Pizza Hut and Subway.
While Yale and its dining hall workers have been grappling over the
revamping of the school’s food services ---- a month long strike just ended
with no agreement ---- both sides acknowledge that students are dissatisfied
with the current cafeteria program.
4. Read the following news and analyze it: write out the name of each part and tell
what you can get from each part.
Palestinians Pour Into Settlements
Some Seek Souvenirs of Israeli Withdrawal; Others Vandalize Abandoned
Synagogues
By Scott Wilson
Washington Post Foreign Service
GAZA CITY, Sept. 12 -- Thousands of Palestinians rushed into the former Jewish
settlements of the Gaza Strip on Monday in a mood of elation and opportunism. Some
scavenged for items of potential value or souvenirs of Israel's departure, while others
trashed abandoned synagogues that had been left standing when settlers departed.
Israeli troops had left overnight, ending a 38-year military hold on the Gaza Strip and
the 21 former Jewish communities. The Israeli government had razed many of the
buildings after settlers departed.
50
Men and women, young and old, descended on the settlements soon after the last
Israeli soldier passed through the Kissufim crossing a little before 7 a.m.
"The children want to know what happened to the trees," said Yasser Nawas, 36, an
engineer from the Nusseirat refugee camp, who took his four small children Monday
morning to get an early glimpse.
Nawas walked in with his small phalanx of children, under skies filled with acrid
black smoke, along roads lined with uprooted pine trees. Amid piles of rubble that last
month were comfortable homes, Palestinian men collected coils of cable, aluminum
window frames, plastic water tanks and streetlights, loading them onto donkey-drawn
carts.
"I brought them to know the place they have been deprived of," Nawas said of the
children. "I'm not surprised by the destruction I've seen. But I am shocked by these
uncivilized acts. I was expecting celebrations, something for the kids to see."
Although abandoning the territory, Israel will maintain control over its border with
Gaza, and Palestinian officials say that means the occupation has not ended. But
settlement streets were taken over by various armed militias, all claiming a share of
credit for the unilateral Israeli departure from land it occupied in the 1967 Middle
East war.
Egyptian troops, meanwhile, have deployed along Gaza's southern border. Palestinian
officials said Egyptian border guards shot and killed a Palestinian man identified as
Nafiz Ateyah, 34. Officials said the shooting occurred while Egyptian police were
trying to control crowds along the Gaza side of the border in the city of Rafah, where
dozens of Palestinians managed to cross Monday after months of being prevented
from doing so. Egypt denied that its border guards shot the man, according to the
Reuters news agency.
In some of the former settlements, Palestinians scuffled occasionally amid the rubble,
prompting police to intervene with batons and warning shots. Although the day was
largely free of violence, the synagogue buildings that the Israeli government decided
to leave intact were vandalized, and at least four of about two dozen were set ablaze.
Palestinian authorities later bulldozed some of the synagogue buildings, symbols to
many Palestinians of the Israeli occupation. Israeli officials criticized the Palestinian
Authority for failing to protect the buildings, including the one in the largest former
settlement, Neve Dekalim, where the interior walls bore scorch marks from fires set
early in the day.
In the early afternoon, a noisy convoy carrying Mahmoud Zahar, a senior official of
the Islamic Resistance Movement, or Hamas, rolled through the settlement's torched
gatehouse. Zahar's pickup truck was filled with Hamas gunmen and was followed by
a truck blaring martial anthems and announcing Zahar's arrival to thousands of
Palestinians.
Shattered glass crunched under the feet of Zahar's entourage as he entered the
synagogue building. Few Palestinians paused from prying electrical cord from the
walls or smashing free an air-conditioning unit as Zahar passed. Someone handed him
a hammer, which he swung vigorously against a wall. "Our resistance has succeeded
in ending the . . . resistance in Gaza," Zahar said, referring to Israel. "This means that
51
this first step will be followed by a second step." The next step, he said, was to rebuild
Gaza and wage "an effective armed resistance in the West Bank," the heartland of
what has been designated as a future Palestinian state.
Across the strip, lines of cars clogged roads blocked for years by Israeli checkpoints
and barricades. Palestinians pushed aside cement blocks and coils of razor wire to
open up old roads and make new ones through dunes and marshy valleys.
In the former settlement of Kfar Darom, Palestinian soldiers watched over the
abandoned synagogue, the scene of a dramatic stand by Israeli settlers last month.
Holes had been punched in its walls, and insulation dangled from the ceiling from the
work of vandals earlier in the day.
Soldiers guarded about 4,000 greenhouses that form the backbone of the strip's
agricultural industry, but the large salad factory in Kfar Darom stood unwatched.
Scores of Palestinians ransacked the large building, which once employed many Kfar
Darom residents and supplied salad to dozens of Israeli restaurants.
For the first time in decades, the dirt road leading from the coastal highway to the
former central settlement of Netzarim filled with Palestinians, who made a raucous
parade on foot and by donkey cart and SUV into the former settlement. "This is
subhuman," one man grumbled as he watched scores of people sift through ashes and
scrap heaps.
Mohammed Siam pinched a 7.62mm shell casing from an Israeli machine gun
between his fingers. "I will make a medal of it," said Siam, 27, of Gaza City. "I'll tell
everyone I took it out of Netzarim."
Mohammed Jadili, an interior designer from the Gaza City neighborhood of Zeitun,
clutched a small rosebush flecked with pink buds as he watched a group of Palestinian
youth scale the dome of the synagogue building. Hours later, it was demolished by
Palestinian bulldozers.
"In my house, I will plant this," Jadili said. "And remember the occupation."
Appendix
Terms on News
front page （报纸的）第一页
cover （杂志的）封面
headline 标题
sub-headline /sub head 副标题
highlight 提要
caption 图片说明，小标题
by-line 署名行
dateline 电头
slug line 提示行
lead 导语
direct lead 直接导语
delayed lead 延缓式导语
body 新闻主体
end 结尾
layout 版面
cover story 封面故事
flash 快讯
follow-up story 后续报道
interpretative reporting 解释性报道
investigative reporting 调查性报道
hard news 硬新闻
soft news 软新闻
spot news 现场新闻
breaking news 突发新闻
英语栏目名称&中文栏目名称
AD/ADVERTISEMENT 广告
AGONY COLUMN 答读者问专栏；私事广告专栏
ANECDOTE 趣闻轶事
AROUND NATION 国内新闻
AROUND THE COUNTRY 国内新闻版
AROUND THE WORLD 国际新闻版
52
BACKGROUNDING 新闻背景
BLURB 商品信息
BOOK PAGE 书评专页
BOOK REVIEW 书评
BOOKS 书评
BRIEF 简讯；简明新闻
BRIEFING 简报
BUDGET 要闻索引
BULLETIN 新闻简报
BUSINESS/TRADE 商业/贸易
BUSINESS 商业版
CAMPUS LIFE 校园生活
CANDID CAMERA 抓拍镜头；有照为凭
CARICATURE 漫画；讽刺画
CARTOON 漫画
CHITCHAT COLUMN 闲话栏
CITY 本市新闻版
CITY EDITION 本埠新闻版；地方新闻版
CITY PAGE 金融和商业新闻版 CLASSIFIED ADS/CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING 分类广告
COLUMN 专栏；栏目
COMIC STRIP 连环画
CONTINUED STORY 连载故事
CORRESPONDENCE COLUMN 读者来信栏
COVER STORY（杂志）封面报道
CRITIQUE 评论
CROSSWORD 猜字游戏；纵横填字字谜
CULTURE/SCIENCE 文化/科技
DIGEST 文摘
DOCUMENT 文件摘要
DOMESTIC 国内新闻
DOMESTIC NEWS 国内新闻
DOUBLE DAYOFF SUPPLEMENT 双休特刊
ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS 经贸版
EDITOR'S NOTE 编者按
EDITORIAL PAGE/EDITORIALS 社论版；言论版
EMPOLYMENT ADVERTISING 招聘广告
ENTERTAINMENT 娱乐版
ESSAY 杂文；随笔；小品文
EVENING DIGEST 晚报文摘
EVENTS/TRENDS 事件/动向
EXCLUSIVE 独家新闻
EXPOSE 新闻曝光
FEATURE/ FEATUREARTICLE/ FEATURES/ FEATURE STORY 特写/专稿/特稿
FILMS AROUND THE WORLD 环球影视
FOCUS 新闻焦点
FROM THE CHINESE FRESS 中国报刊摘要
CLOBAL 国际新闻
GOING OUT GUIDE 旅游指南
GOSSIP 社会新闻
HOME NEWS 国内新闻
HOT NEWS 热点新闻；新闻热点
IDIOMS AND THEIR STORIES 成语典故
IN BRIEF 简讯；简明新闻
INDEX/INDEX TO SUBJECTS 内容索引；要目索引
IN HISTORY 历史掌故
INSIDE/INSIDE TODAY 今日要目；今日要闻；今日各版
INTERNATIONAL NEWS 国际新闻
INTERVIEW 采访记；访问记；访谈录
IN THE CHINESE PRESS 中国报刊摘要
ISSUES IN THE NEWS 新闻热点
KALEIDOSCOPE 万花筒
LAST-MINUTE NEWS 最后消息
LATEST NEWS 最新消息
LEADER 社论
LETTER FROM OVERSEAS 海外来信
LETTER TO THE EDITOR 读者来信
LIFE/LIFESTYLE 生活版
LIGHT LITERATURE 通俗文学；通俗文艺
LOCAL 本埠新闻；地方新闻
MINI-STORY 微型新闻；微型消息；微型报道
MINI-TORIAL 短评
NATIONAL/NATIONAL NEWS 国内新闻版
NEWS 消息；新闻报道
NEWS BRIEF 简讯；简明新闻
NEWS BULLETIN 新闻简报；新闻公告
NEWS COMMENTARY 新闻评论
NEWS FEATURE 新闻特写
NEWS IN BRIEF 简明新闻
NEWSLINE 时事经纬
NOTE 随笔
NOTES FROM THE EDITORS 编辑评论
NOTICE 启事
OBIT 讣告
OPINION 言论版
OUR LETTER 读者来信
PEGGING 新闻背景
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS 新闻人物
53
PEOPLE OF THE WEEK 本周风云人物
PERSONAL / PERSONAL COLUMN 私人广告；人事要闻
PHOTO NEWS 新闻图片报道
PICTORIAL 画刊；画报
PONY EDITION 浓缩版
PONY REPORT 每日要闻报道；每日新闻摘要
PRESS DIGEST 报刊文摘；新闻简讯
PRESS NOTICE 短评
PRESS RELEASE 新闻公告
PROFILE 人物专访
READERS WRITE 习作园地
READERS’ FORUM 读者论坛
RECAP 简明新闻
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISING 招聘广告
REVIEW 评论
ROUND-UP 综合报道；综述
RUNNING STORY 连载故事
SCIENCE/MEDICINE 科学/医学版
SECTION 专栏；栏目
SERIALS 连载故事
SHIRTTAIL 社论栏；附注
SIDE STORY 花絮新闻；趣闻
SIDEBAR / SIDELIGHT 花絮新闻；趣闻
SITUATIONS VACANT 招聘广告
SITUATIONER 新闻综述
SOCIETY COLUMN 社交新闻栏
SOCIETY 社交版
SPONSORED SECTION 特约专版
SPORTS 体育版
SPORTS ARENA 体育大世界
SPORTS PAGE 体育版
SPORTS SECTION 体育专栏
SQUIB 小品文；随笔
STAGE AND SCREEN 舞台荧屏
STOCKS 股市版
STRIP CARTOON 连环漫画
STRIP 连环画
SUMMARY 新闻摘要；内容提要
SUPPLEMENT 增刊；副刊
TELEPHOTO（GRAPH）传真照片
THINK PIECE 时事短评
THIS WEEK 一周要闻
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK 本周思考
TITBIT 花絮；趣闻
TODAY'S CONTENTS / TODAY'S SECTION 今日要目；今日要闻；今日各版
TODAY’S WORLD 环球采风
TO OUR READERS 致读者；告读者
TOURISM 旅游
TRAVELOGUE / TRAVELS 游记
UPDATE 最新消息；最后消息
WEEKEND SUPPLEMENT 周末增刊
WEEKLY EVENTS /WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS 一周要闻；一周大事
WHAT'S ON 影视指南
WISE SAYING 至理名言
WORLD GLIMPSE 海外掠影
WORLD NEWS 国际新闻
YOUR ENGLISH TUTOR 英语辅导
YOUR LETTER 读者来信
Chapter 4
Headline
Discuss
Read the following passage and then discuss: why is it difficult to understand
headlines? What are the different types? What are the characteristics of headlines in
grammar and vocabulary?
Headline
We must know that news stories which should be important, timely, unique and
interesting must also be written concisely and clearly. At a time when the pace of
54
life is getting faster and faster, everything seems to be bidding for people’s attention,
and newspapers are no exception. So a headline must lure its readers to spend
enough time for the lead, if not the whole story. Even on the same and single
newspaper, a better headline is likely to draw more attention to the specific story
from among the many on the same page. So we say that a headline, if effective,
must meet two requirements -------- to capture the essence of the event and to
attract readers’ attention.
To better serve the two functions, newspaper or magazine editors also write subhead
along with the main headlines ( usually for long stories). Subheads are written
generally to give the main headline a further explanation for the cause, result, or
background of an event. In Chinese, we even pinpoint subheads into “meiti” and
“jianti”. Whatever the names, subheads are used for the same function ----- to
further support the headline
A news story needs to be concise and brief, as news-writing teachers would often
say: “ Don’t waste space! Never use two words when one is enough!” And the
limited space demands that headlines be even more concise and brief, and therefore
they have developed their own grammatical style and word-choice system. An
efficient reader can scan the headlines and know the news for the day. But it all
depends on how well he or she can understand headlines.
Two types
There are two types of headlines. Most news stories use sentence headlines although
they may be shortened by omitting certain words as you will see later. Many feature
stories and some very short news stories use phrase headlines or titles which leave out
the verb. Here are some examples of both:
Sentence
headlines
Police rescue 12 divers as launch sinks off Phi
Phi
Pen manufacturers still see good future for
luxury pens
Phrase
headlines
Getting in touch with the spirits
Heroism and cowardice at the “Top of the
World”
Reward for tracing suspect
The grammar of sentence headlines
Almost all sentence headlines use the present tense—despite the fact that they
generally describe past events. The present tense gives the subject a sense of freshness
and immediacy, making it more interesting to read.
Headlines pack a great deal of information into a limited space, so it is not surprising
that writers use several methods to conserve space. One obvious example is to use
abbreviations (“PM” for “Prime Minister”, etc. Please refer to the list at the end of
55
this chapter.). But they also use a special grammar, omitting articles (“a” and “the”)
and the verb “to be” wherever possible.
Cooperation agreement signed
(A cooperation agreement is signed)
Australian ex-judge sworn in to represent UK queen
(An Australian ex-judge is sworn in to represent the United
Kingdom queen)
Be sure to notice that the omission of the verb “to be” can make the headline appear
to be in the past tense when it is actually present tense, passive voice.
Headline vocabulary
Another way to conserve space in headlines is to use short words instead of long ones.
In the example below notice the various ways the headline writer can shorten the
headline “MP criticizes dishonest election plan”. It can be “MP flays / hit / rap
dishonest election plan”.
56
There are about one hundred easily-learned short words in news headlines. We
have a list at the end of this chapter for your reference.
Notes:
1. bid: v. 出价, 投标, 祝愿, 命令, 吩咐
2. capture: To gain possession or control of, as in a game or contest: 赢得，夺取
赢得对…的占有或控制，如在游戏或竞赛中
3. essence: n. The most important ingredient; the crucial element. 要素
4. pinpoint: v. To locate or identify with precision. 精确地定位或确认
5. immediacy: n. Lack of an intervening or mediating agency; directness: 直观
性; 没有插入或介入中介；直接
6. flay: v. To assail with stinging criticism; excoriate. 痛责; 以尖刻的批评攻
击；严厉地批评
Classroom exercise:
1. Use complete sentences to explain the following headlines, pay attention to
the tense, omission and the punctuation:
1) Girl Die in Blaze
2) Taiwan Recognizes Mainland Currency
3) Kyrgyz Troops Free 4 U.S. Hostages
4) Italian Ex-Mayor Murdered
5) Married Women to Get Care Allowance
6) Rail Chaos Getting Worse
7) No Survivors in Gulf Air Crash
8) Alaskan Oil for Japan
9) 13 Die as Crowed Van Crosses M4
10) Schools Ask Parents for Money Toward Books
11) Swedish Oil Deliveries Halt as Strike Spreads
12) EU Plans to Boost France’s Recovery
13) Peking to Fire Test Rocket to South Pacific
14) U.S. Car Makers Viewed as Threat by Europeans
15) Colombian Sent to U.S. for Drug Trial
16) Brazil Elite Forced to Make Loans
17) Petrol Bomb Found Outside Cardiff Conservative Club
18) Top Pakistan Judge Dismissed After Refusing to Take Oath
19) Thailand, Malaysia Ink Sea Treaty
20) Woman Kills Husband, Self
21) V olunteer, Terrorist Killed in an Ambush
22) Chinese Cooks: Masters at Turning a Turnip into a Flower
23) Health Survey: New Yorkers Fitter, Slimmer
24) Di’s Driver did Drink, Ritz Bartender Says
25) Emerson Tells: Robson Neigh Can Do!
26) Owen: Watch Me Get Better
27) Koreans: Grumpy Toward America
28) Vietnam: US Planning Another War
29) Impervious to Scandal, New Yorkers Keen on Clinton for Mayor: Poll
57
30) “ We Won’t Quit”
31) “ We Owe Our Lives to Our Pilot”
32) UN Chief: Talks Here “Positive”
33) Norse “ Invasion”
34) Tornado Hits Jamaica ---- 6 Die
35) German Summit Urgent ---- Schmidt
36) Oil Price to Rise?
37) Korea Unity in Five Years?
38) A Europe “ With One Voice”?
39) Murder on Campus: Can It Be Averted?
40) It Must Be a Victory Which Peace Can Be Build
41) Heavy Losses Are Reported in Fighting In South Lebanon and Along the
Coast
2. In order to make the headlines more attractive, a lot of rhetorical devices are
applied to them. Try to understand the following headlines and appreciate
the beauty of language:
1) Battle for Brains
2) A Dove Taking Wing
3) Global Warming Has Bush on the Hot Seat
4) Carlo Ponti in Hot Water Again
5) Refugees in Dire Straits
6) West Point Makes a Comeback
7) Killing in the Name of God
8) Head Beats Red Tape to Invite Di
9) Thatcher’s Style Wars
10) Needy or Greedy?
11) Soldiers Salaries Soar
12) Woes of the Weekend Jock
13) Hookers Getting The Hook
14) Rich Man, Poor Man
15) Capital Rich, Revenue Poor
16) A House in Two Parts
17) African Statesman Still Sowing Seeds for Future
18) Whitewater May Drown Democrats
19) Sockers Kick Off with Violence
20) A New Harvest of Troubles
21) US weather forecasters caught out by storm
22) Local Man Finds Picasso Drawing in Shed
23) 10-YEAR-OLD SUSPENDED BY HEAD
24) Fan Kills Wife
25) Slim Hopes for the Fat of the Land
26) Ice Cream Stands out
27) Cook’s View of Humanitarian Intervention
28) Venus Rising
58
29)
30)
31)
32)
33)
34)
35)
36)
37)
38)
39)
40)
41)
42)
43)
44)
45)
46)
47)
WHO Ranks France First In Providing Health Care
A Bosnian Sort of Peace
Chappaquiddick the Still Unanswered Questions
New Industrial Strategies for the Gang of Four
The Old Man and the Economic Sea
Pride and Prejudice---- Film Location
A Tale of Two Hearts
Liberty is the True Mother of Invention
A Law by Any Other Name
The Peace Corps, Charity Begins Abroad
Crying Over Unsold Milk
Oil’s Well That Ends Well, Hopes Rig Chef
Anything But Beef
Rare Plants Win RHS Gold Medal
Booming Internet Splits Haves and Have-nots
Doing Business as The Dot-Com Way
Now the New New Europe
Shotgun Death Riddle Drama
TORY MP FOUND DEAD IN STOCKINGS AND SUSPENDERS
( The Sun )
48)
MP’s Death Shocks Tories
Fears of fresh scandal after senior party sources talk of “ murder ”
( Guardian )
49)
Nightmare for Major in tragedy of Tory high flier
MP’s MACABRE DEATH SCANDAL
3. Compared with the headlines above, the following ones are much easier to
understand. Please pay special attention to the subheads.
1)
Farewell to Arms
Gun Swaps: Amnesty programs ---- and outright bribery ---- are gaining popularity
and pulling some of America’s 211 million firearms off the street.
2)
Battle of the Binge
A fatal night of boozing at a Louisiana University stirs up the debate over the
drinking culture in America’s college. Are they doing enough to change it?
3)
Crops Under Fire
Their adversaries are more heavily armed and more arrogant than ever. Their allies
include an army of second-guessers. Their job can’t get much tougher.
4)
AIDS: A Spreading Scourge
Incurable and lethal, the disease is taking a mounting toll
5)
The Killing of Carl Stuart
An implausible story
6)
The War Over “ Family Values”
How much effect do middle-class mores have in the ghetto?
7)
It Isn’t the Cow That Are Mad
59
It’s the People That Are Going Mad
8)
Contagion, then Complacency
World leaders at the Davos forum must join the G20’s efforts to reform the
international financial system, says Paul Martin
9)
Bush Heads to Michigan in Glow of Big Victory
McCain Licks Wounds After South Carolina Rejects His Candidacy
10) Brussels Sets Urgent Agenda to Pass E-commerce Laws
End-of-year deadline could help EU match US on Internet economy
11)
BMW’s Problem Child
Rover’s losses raised questions about its parent’s commitment to the UK group,
say Tim Burt and John Griffiths
12)
Business groups say move to ban discrimination on basis of race,
gender and disability is bureaucratic threat to free enterprise
South Africa National Assembly Backs “ Equality Bill ”
13)
U.S. Attacked
Hijacked Jets Destroy Twin Towers And Hit Pentagon in Day of Terror
14)
Playing the Market
A Wall Street CEO’s alleged affairs with a porn star leads to charges of insider
trading
15)
Candidate in the Wind
How a wavering Hillary Rodham Clinton finally decided to declare
16)
Fed Expected to Make a Half-point Cut in Rates
Central band move would bring key rate to lowest level since early 1960s
17)
Government Web Sited Invaded
Computer Hackers Have Invaded the Home Pages of Two Japanese Ministries
18)
“ Win Some and Lose Some ”
Muhammad Ali’s daughter talks about girl power, being pretty and slugging it
out in China
19)
In Search of “ Enemies”
Violence over the farm invasions intensifies and the president mounts a fierce
fight for his political survival
20)
Hype and Hope for a Royal Baby
The media go manic over rumors of an imperial pregnancy
Could an heir revive the dynasty?
60
4. One important function of the headline is to beautify the layout. Now
appreciate the following headlines:
1)
U.N. agency
Warns of
Upsurge
Of Deaths
2)
Many New York Clubs
And Office Buildings
Violate the Fire Laws
3)
A Special Summer and Forecast
Of Federal and State Tax
Developments
4)
Death Gap Widens
Between Cities
And the Country
Homework
1. Try to find out the meanings of the following headlines, pay special attention
to the underlined words:
1) Dole’s Bid for Presidency Heads into Crucial Period
2) Clinton Backs China on Taiwan, Loud and Clear
3) Gates Still Tops List of World’s Richest
4) TV Airs “Facts” on Arms Delivery
5) Senate Trims Budget
6) Peace Drive Succeeds
7) American Envoy Taken Hostage
8) Jail Ordeal Ends
9) Israel Softens Line
10) New Stance Toward Power Cuts
2. Try to find out the meanings of the following headlines, pay special attention
to the underlined parts:
1) EU’S Future: The Vision and the Slog
2) The Great Superpower Spy War: KGB vs CIA
3) NATO: Who, What, Why
4) OPEC to Raise Production
5) MIT’s Leader Shape Program
6) World Bank, IMF ---- Do They Help or Hurt Third World
7) No Hope’ for 118 Crew of Russian Sub
8) University Entry Hard for Would-be Vets
3. Read the following news and try to add a headline to it.
61
EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Aug. 9 -- Safe and sound, the Space Shuttle
Discovery touched down smoothly at 8:11 a.m. EDT Tuesday at Edwards Air Force
Base in California after a glowing re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere followed by a
5,000-mile glide through the still-darkened dawn sky.
"Houston," said Discovery Commander Eileen Collins, "we are stopped."
"Happy to be back," she added.
The uneventful descent and picture-perfect landing in the Mojave Desert concluded
an eventful 14-day journey, a voyage of 5.8 million miles, 214 sunsets, a rendezvous
with the International Space Station and lots of worries about tiles and filler and a
first-ever spacewalk repair.
At a meeting with reporters at his ranch in Texas, President Bush congratulated the
Discovery crew, saying the flight "was a great achievement," the Associated Press
reported. "It was an important step for NASA as it regains the confidence of the
American people and begins to transition to the new mission we've set out for
NASA."
Mission controllers had diverted Discovery and its seven-member crew from the
preferred landing site at Kennedy Space Center earlier Tuesday because of unstable
weather in Florida. That will cost NASA more than a million dollars, but nobody was
worrying about that Tuesday.
"How do you feel about a beautiful clear night with a breeze down the runway in the
high desert of California?" Mission Control radioed.
"We are ready for whatever we need to do," replied Collins.
Discovery is the first shuttle to return to orbit since Columbia's catastrophic re-entry
in 2003 that destroyed that shuttle and killed the crew. So its journey was watched
with unusual intensity across the globe.
At 5:06 EDT, over the Indian Ocean, Discovery fired the engines that liberated it from
orbit for exactly two minutes and 42 seconds.
"Discovery is on its way home," said Mission Control.
Then, in free fall from 200 miles up, it headed toward the most hazardous leg of its
return, its fiery encounter with the Earth's atmosphere, called "entry interface," about
75 miles above the Cook Islands in the Pacific.
Breaking through to the sky, transformed from spacecraft to aircraft, it then glided
5,000 miles, banking four times along the route to slow the hurtle, to the runway at
62
Edwards reducing speed gradually from 17,000 mph, to 14,000 mph to 3,000 mph and
then on final approach to Edwards, where 50 previous shuttle flights have landed.
The angle of descent is about 20 times steeper than a conventional jet aircraft.
"Discovery. Houston. We see you," said the controller at the space center at Houston.
Discovery then touched down on runway 22.
The crew later emerged and walked around the craft to inspect it, and Collins later
told reporters that "it looks fantastic."
She thanked the support crew for the flight and said, "We have had a fantastic mission.
We are so glad to be able to be able to come back and say it has been successful."
But Discovery's launch and flight to the international space station could be the last
for a long while because the shuttle has been grounded.
NASA grounded the shuttle fleet after a nearly 1-pound chunk of insulating foam
broke off Discovery's external fuel tank during its July 26 liftoff -- the very thing that
doomed Columbia and was supposed to have been corrected.
NASA had hoped to land in Florida to save money and the long, slow trip back from
California atop a modified Boeing 747.
4. Read the following passage and try to guess the ambiguous newspaper
headlines ( for entertainment ):
Ambiguous Newspaper Headlines
Anything that is said to be ambiguous is open to more than one interpretation. There
are many types of ambiguity. For example, in the following sentence the word bank
could mean the edge of a river, or a financial institution: John went to the bank.
This is called lexical ambiguity because it is the result of one of the words having
more than one possible meaning. This next sentence is syntactically ambiguous (the
syntax, or grammar, can be understood in more than one way): Put the box on the
table in the kitchen.
It could mean any of the following:



Put the box onto the table that is by the window in the kitchen.
Take the box that is on the table and put it by the window in the kitchen.
Take the box off the table that is by the window and put it in the kitchen.
To understand the first and third meanings, it may be helpful to imagine that in the
kitchen there are two tables: one by the window and one not.
Try reading the following sentences. They are called garden path sentences because
they are easily misunderstood (they lead you down the garden path) even though
63
they are all grammatical! Don't worry if some of these sentences seem like nonsense
at first (you have been garden pathed); they will be explained below.
1. The prime number few.
2. Fat people eat accumulates.
3. The cotton clothing is usually made of grows in Mississippi.
4. Until the police arrest the drug dealers control the street.
5. The man who hunts ducks out on weekends.
6. When Fred eats food gets thrown.
7. Mary gave the child the dog bit a bandaid.
8. The girl told the story cried.
9. I convinced her children are noisy.
10. Helen is expecting tomorrow to be a bad day.
11. The horse raced past the barn fell.
12. I know the words to that song about the queen don't rhyme.
13. She told me a little white lie will come back to haunt me.
14. The dog that I had really loved bones.
15. That Jill is never here hurts.
16. The man who whistles tunes pianos.
17. The old man the boat.
18. Have the students who failed the exam take the supplementary.
19. The raft floated down the river sank.
20. We painted the wall with cracks.
21. The tycoon sold the offshore oil tracts for a lot of money wanted to kill
JR.
All of these sentences are grammatical. Did you understand them all? Unless you are
a linguist who has studied syntax and garden path sentences, the answer is probably
"no".
Here the sentences are clarified by adding some extra words:
1. The prime (people) number few.
2. (The) fat (that) people eat accumulates (in their bodies).
3. The cotton (that) clothing is usually made of grows in Mississippi.
4. Until the police (make the) arrest, the drug dealers control the street.
5. The man, who hunts (animals), ducks out on weekends.
6. When Fred eats (his dinner) food gets thrown.
7. Mary gave the child (that) the dog bit a bandaid.
8. The girl (who was) told the story, cried.
9. I convinced her (that) children are noisy.
10. Helen is expecting (for) tomorrow to be a bad day.
11. The horse (which was) raced past the barn, fell (down).
12. I know (that) the words to that song about the queen don't rhyme.
13. She told me (that) a little white lie will come back to haunt me.
14. The dog that I had (as a pet) really loved bones.
64
15. (The fact) that Jill is never here hurts (me).
16. The man who whistles (all the time) tunes pianos (for a living).
17. The old (people) man the boat.
18. (Please) have the students who failed the exam take the supplementary.
19. The raft (that was) floated down the river, sank.
20. We painted the wall (that was covered) with cracks.
21. The tycoon, (who was) sold the offshore oil tracts for a lot of money,
wanted to kill JR.
Notice that there are two types of ambiguous sentence: either there is a local
ambiguity (one that is cleared up once you have heard the whole sentence) or it is a
global ambiguity (one that remains even after the entire sentence has been heard).
Garden Path sentences normally have local ambiguity.


Locally ambiguous: The old train...
"Train" could be a noun ("The old train left the station") or a verb ("The old
train the young").
Globally ambiguous: I know more beautiful women than Julia Roberts.
This could mean "I know women more beautiful than Julia Roberts" or "I
know more beautiful women than Julia Roberts does".
Newspaper headlines need to be as short as possible, so whilst they obey grammatical
rules, they tend to omit little, unimportant words like the and is. But are these words
unimportant? The result of leaving them out can result in highly ambiguous
sentences, which are often quite amusing.
These real newspaper headlines – gathered from local, national, and international
newspapers across the globe – are ambiguous; you can see what the journalist meant
to say, but in each case there is a more amusing interpretation of the headline.
EYE DROPS OFF SHELF
PROSTITUTES APPEAL TO POPE
KIDS MAKE NUTRITIOUS SNACKS
STOLEN PAINTING FOUND BY TREE
LUNG CANCER IN WOMEN MUSHROOMS
QUEEN MARY HAVING BOTTOM SCRAPED
DEALERS WILL HEAR CAR TALK AT NOON
MINERS REFUSE TO WORK AFTER DEATH
MILK DRINKERS ARE TURNING TO POWDER
DRUNK GETS NINE MONTHS IN VIOLIN CASE
JUVENILE COURT TO TRY SHOOTING DEFENDANT
COMPLAINTS ABOUT NBA REFEREES GROWING UGLY
PANDA MATING FAILS; VETERINARIAN TAKES OVER
POLICE BEGIN CAMPAIGN TO RUN DOWN JAYWALKERS
12 ON THEIR WAY TO CRUISE AMONG DEAD IN PLANE CRASH
KILLER SENTENCED TO DIE FOR SECOND TIME IN 10 YEARS
65
SAFETY EXPERTS SAY SCHOOL BUS PASSENGERS SHOULD BE
BELTED
2 SISTERS REUNITED AFTER 18 YEARS AT CHECKOUT COUNTER
MAN EATING PIRANHA MISTAKENLY SOLD AS PET FISH
ASTRONAUT TAKES BLAME FOR GAS IN SPACECRAFT
QUARTER OF A MILLION CHINESE LIVE ON WATER
INCLUDE YOUR CHILDREN WHEN BAKING COOKIES
OLD SCHOOL PILLARS ARE REPLACED BY ALUMNI
GRANDMOTHER OF EIGHT MAKES HOLE IN ONE
HOSPITALS ARE SUED BY 7 FOOT DOCTORS
LAWMEN FROM MEXICO BARBECUE GUESTS
TWO SOVIET SHIPS COLLIDE, ONE DIES
ENRAGED COW INJURES FARMER WITH AX
LACK OF BRAINS HINDERS RESEARCH
RED TAPE HOLDS UP NEW BRIDGE
SQUAD HELPS DOG BITE VICTIM
IRAQI HEAD SEEKS ARMS
HERSHEY BARS PROTEST
Appendix 1
Alphabetism and Acoronym
1. AID ----- Agency for International Development
2. AIDS ------ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
3. APEC ------ Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum
4. ATM ------ Automatic Teller Machine
5. BBC ------ British Broadcasting Corporation
6. CD ------ Compact Disk
7. CEO ----- Chief Executive Officer
8. CIA ---- Central Intelligence Agency
9. CIS ----- Commonwealth of Independent States
10. DNA -------deoxyribonucleic acid
11. Dink ------ Dual income, no kids
12. DIY ------ do it yourself
13. DJ ----- disk jockey
Dow Jones & Co.
14. DVD ------ digital video disc
15. EU ------ European Union
16. FAQ ----- Frequently Asked Questions
17. FBI ------ Federal Bureau of Investigation
18. GMT ----- Greenwich Mean Time
19. GNP ---- Gross National Product
20. GATT ------ General Agreement on Tariff and Trade
21. IMF ------ International Monetary Fund
66
22. IBM ------ Inter-continental Ballistic Missile
23. IBM ------ International Business Machines
24. IDD ------ International Direct Dial
25. IOU ------ I own you
26. IP ------ Internet Protocol
27. IT ------ information technology
28. KIA ------ Killed in Action
29. LCD ------- Liquid Crystal Display
30. LA ------ Los Angeles
31. M&A ------ Merge and Acquisition
32. MIA ------ Missing In Action
33. M.P ------ Member of Parliament
34. NASA ------ National Aeronautics and Space Administration
35. NATO ------ North Atlantic Treaty Organization
36. NBA ------ National Basketball Association
37. NY ------ New York
38. Nasdaq ------ National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations
39. NYSE ------ New York Stock Exchange
40. Opec ------ Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries
41. POW ------ Prisoner Of War
42. ROM ------ Read Only Memory
43. SEZ ------ Special Economic Zone
44. SIM ------ Subscribers’ Identification Module
45. Sonar ------ Sound navigation ranging
46. UFO ------ Unidentified Flying Object
47. VCD ------ video compact disc
48. VIP ------ Very Important Persons
49. WHO ------ World Health Organization
50. WTO ------ World Trade Organization
Appendix 2
Abbreviations
1. ad ------advertizement
2. agro ------ agricultural
3. brunch ------ breakfast lunch
4. copter ------ helicopter
5. dorm ------ dormitory
6. expo ------ exposition
7. ecopolitics ------ economic politics
8. econotrade ------ economic trade
9. flu ------ influenza
10. frige ------ refrigerator
11. gym ------ gymnasium
12. Interpol ------ International Police
13. L. America ------ Latin America
14. lab ------ laboratory
15. medicare ------ medical care
16. motel ------ motor hotel
17. N-test ------ nuclear test
18. paratrooper ------ parachute trooper
19. telecast ------- television broadcast
20. slurb ------ slum suburb
21. smog ------ smoke fog
22. sci-fi film ------science-fiction film
23. S. Africa ------ South Africa
24. teleconference ------ telephone conference
67
Appendix 3
Midget words
1. accord ---- agree, reconcile
2. ace ---- person who is first rate or expert at sth.
3. aid ---- assist
4. air ---- to make known
5. aide ---- high-level assistant or official
6. aim ---- purpose, object, design, intention
7. alter ---- change or modify
8. ask ---- inquire
9. assail ---- to criticize strongly
10. axe ---- cancel (lation) ,dismiss (al), to dismiss from a job, to cut, destroy
11. back ---- to support
12. balk ---- to refuse to accept
13. ban ---- prohibition
14. bar ---- not to allow, exclude
15. bare ---- expose or reveal
16. beef up ---- strengthen, enhance
17. begin ---- commence
18. bid ---- offer, attempt, proposal
19. bilk ---- cheat
20. blast ---- explosion, criticize strongly
21. blaze ---- fire, conflagration
22. blow ---- setback, unexpected difficulty
23. body ---- committee／commission
24. bolt ---- desert or abandon
25. boost ---- raise, promote
26. chief, head ---- governor, manager, director, commander, leader
27. check ---- examine
28. clash ---- disagree strong1y, conflict, skirmish
29. claim ---- to declare to be true
30. crash ---- collision
31. curb ---- check, control, restriction
32. cut ----- reduce, reduction
33. deal ---- agreement
34. dems ---- democrats
35. dip ---- decline or decrease
36. drama ---- event
37. drive ---- campaign, effort
38. ease ---- lessen
39. end ----terminate
40. envoy ---- diplomat
41. eye ---- to watch with interest
68
42. face ---- have to undergo
43. fete ---- festival, entertainment
44. fire ---- dismiss
45. flay ---- criticize
46. flout ---- insult
47. fake ---- counterfeit
48. feud ---- strong dispute
49. flop ---- failure
50. freeze ---- stabilization
51. foil ---- prevent from
52. glut ---- oversupply
53. grab ---- seize, win
54. grill ---- investigate
55. gunman ---- man with a gun
56. gut ---- destroy
57. head ---- direct
58. heist ---- theft
59. hit ---- criticize, affect badly .
60. hold ---- detain, arrest
61. ink ---- to sign
62. irk ---- anger
63. job ---- employment, profession
64. jobless ---- unemployment, out of work
65. key ---- important, vital
66. lash out ---- criticize
67. laud ---- to praise
68. line ---- position; demand
69. lop ---- diminish
70. man ---- representative
71. map ---- work out
72. mark ---- celebration
73. meet ---- meeting, assembly, conference, convention
74. mission ---- delegation
75. moot ---- discuss
76. mull ---- study, consider
77. name ---- appoint／nominate
78. nab ---- arrest
79. nip ---- defeat
80. nix ---- deny／disapprove
81. nod ---- approval
82. OK ---- accept, adopt, approve
83. opt ---- choose
84. ordeal ---- painful experience, drama
85. oust ---- expel, replace, drive out
69
86. pact ---- treaty, agreement
87. pay ---- wage, salary
88. peril ---- endanger
89. pit ---- coal mine
90. pledge ---- determine
91. plot ---- conspire
92. plunge ---- plummet
93. poise ---- ready for action
94. poll ---- election, public opinion survey; voting station
95. probe ---- inquiry, investigation, examination, interrogation
96. prove ---- investigation
97. pullout ---- withdrawal
98. push ---- encourage, support
99. quiz ---- question, interrogate
100.
raid ---- search, attack, robbery
101.
rally ---- a mass assembly, a big meeting
102.
rap ---- blame, criticize
103.
rebuke ----criticize
104.
rift ---- separation, split
105.
rout ---- defeat completely
106.
row ---- dispute, discord, conflict, squabble, argument
107.
sack ---- dismiss from a job
108.
sack ( from “ransack” ) ---- to search thoroughly and rob
109.
seek ---- look for, try to obtain
110.
slam ---- criticize
111.
slash ---- reduce, criticize
112.
slate ---- criticize harshly
113.
slay ---- murder, kill
114.
smash ---- defeat
115.
snag ---- hidden or unknown difficulty, unexpected
116.
set ---- ready
117.
stance ---- attitude; way of thinking
118.
statement ---- dispute that cannot be settled
119.
stem ---- to prevent or stop
120.
step ---- progress
121.
strife ---- conflict
122.
spark ---- cause, initiate
123.
split ---- divide
124.
spur ---- encourage, stimulate
125.
soar ---- skyrocket
126.
sway ---- influence
127.
swap ---- exchange, trade
128.
swoop ---- sudden attack or raid
129.
talks ---- discussions
70
130.
131.
132.
133.
134.
135.
136.
137.
138.
139.
ties ---- diplomatic relations
top ---- to exceed
trim ---- reduce
urge ---- insist, strongly request
vow ---- pledge, declare, promise
voice ---- utter, express
vie ---- compete
walkout---- strike ( often unofficial )
weigh ---- to consider
woo ---- seek, try to win
What you should learn from this chapter:
5. The function and types of headlines;
6. The language characteristics of headlines;
7. The rhetorical skills used in headlines;
8. Try to understand the headlines.
Language study:
7. Vocabulary study: bid, capture, divert, catastrophic, ambiguous
8. Translation:
The uneventful descent and picture-perfect landing in the Mojave Desert concluded an eventful
14-day journey, a voyage of 5.8 million miles, 214 sunsets, a rendezvous with the International
Space Station and lots of worries about tiles and filler and a first-ever spacewalk repair.
The Last Word
In these excerpts from memorable wills, the authors couldn’t resist the chance to
throw one final zinger from the grave:
“ I give to Lieutenant-General Cromwell one of my words, which he must want, seeing
that he hath never kept any of his own.” ---- Philip, fifth earl of Pembroke, 17th
century.
“ To the worst of women, Clause Charlotte de Grammont, unfortunately my wife, I
leave five-and –forty brass halfpence, which will buy a pullet for her supper.” ---Henry, earl of Stafford, 1648-1719
“ To my monkey [I have] the sum of 10 pounds sterling per annum. To my faithful dog
Shock, and my well-beloved cat Tibb, a pension of 5 pounds sterling. On the death of
all three the sum appropriated to this purpose shall become the property of my
daughter Gertude, to whom I give this preference among my children, because of the
large family she has and the difficulty she finds in bringing them up.” ---- Mr.
Garland, 1828
“ I leave Parson Chavasse ( Maggy’s husband ) the snuff box I got from the Sarnia
71
Militia, as a small token of my gratitude for the service he has done the family in
taking a sister that no man of taste would have taken.”----William Dunlop, Canada,
1842
“ Before anything else is done fifty cents [is to] be paid to my son-in-law to enable
him to buy for himself a food stout rope with which to hang himself.” ---- Garvey B.
White, 1908
-----JEFF FTRYKER in New York Times
Chapter 5
Characteristics of English News Writing
and Journalistic English
Discuss
1. Characteristics of sentences
Go through the following sentences and try to compare them with the common
English sentences and to find out the differences:
1) More than 30 Ukrainians coal miners trapped below ground after a methane gas
explosion were found dead yesterday, raising the final death toll at the pit in
Donestsk to 63.
2) Jordan has signed a debt rescheduling agreement with the Danish government
postponing payment due between 1999 and 2002 by at least five years.
3) New Delhi ------ Railway accidents registered an alarming increase in India in the
first seven months of this year, claiming 455 lives and leaving 737 passengers
maimed or injured. India has Asia’s largest and the world’s fourth largest railway
system, totalling nearly 61,000 kilometers.
4) Fiat, struggling with a weak European car market, has been restoring to temporary
layoffs of workers every month for more than a year to reduce its production.
5) Wainwright died after being in a coma for 24 hours.
6) An out-of-control charter bus, carrying a group of mentally-retarded and
handicapped people home from a theatre outing, hurtled into a lake near Montreal
yesterday, killing 41 of the 48 persons aboard.
7) Floods leaves thousands homeless.
8) The upper floors of the eighty-story building collapsed, leaving a U-shaped gash
in the façade.
9) A strike by power workers threatened to cut off all electricity in the State of
Queensland yesterday, leaving its 2.5 million residents in the dark.
10) Injured in saving their baby from an oncoming automobile, a young man and his
wife are in critical condition in City-County Hospital today.
11) British Broadcasting Corp., government-chartered but supported by license fees
paid by owners of television sets,…
72
12) Born in a village near Hamburg during the war, Sander left Germany after high
school and went to the United States.
13) Mr. Fernandez, the law professor, cites his hometown, San Fabian, a small
community south of Manila, as an example.
14) Among the mourners in Picasso’s Mansion, Notre Dame de Vie, were his wife,
Jacqueline, 47, and his son, Paolo, 52, only child of his first marriage to Russian
dancer Olga Kolkova.
15) One was Maria Antonietta Berna, 22 years old, daughter of the railroad
stationmaster of Thiene, a city of 20,000 northwest of Venice.
16) The group of five Senators, led by Frank Church, Democrat of Idaho, the
committee chairman, is on a six-day visit to China.
17) Norway’s leading Government ministers were called together for an emergency
meeting Thursday-night to discuss several recent leaks of secret material
concerning relations with the Russian government.
18) The bank, which recently moved into its new building on Avenue E, plans to hold
open house Tuesday.
19) With one vote to spare, the Senate ratified the Panama Canal Treaty Tuesday,
paving the way for return of the 40-mile waterway to the Republic of Panama.
20) Single mum Michell Brinham is at (the) center of sex and drug claims.
21) Mullen took over Delta after 33-year Delta veteran Ron Allen resigned (on) July
31 following a clash with the company’s board.
22) Pepsi announced (that) it would use Sunett sweetener in a new one-calorie drink.
23) An army of black leather-and-denim wearing bikers rumbled through the streets of
Milwaukee ( Wisconsin), (on) Saturday.
24) He said (that ) he intended to keep fighting if ( he is ) elected.
25) Absolutely necessary; gather together; at the present time; cancel out; necessary
requirement; cooperate together; redo again; refer back; small in size; true facts
2. Characteristics of vocabulary
Try to find out the meaning of the following words and tell why they are favoured in
English news.
a) Loanwords
Persona non grata
attache
glasnost
judo
per annum
karate
laissez-faire
lebensraum
per capita
rapport
rendezvous
sumo
tai chi chuan
tsunami
tycoon
b) Compound words
The wait-and-see attitude
the
life-and-death issue
73
the hit-and-run tactics
the
in-the-classroom teaching materials
the talk-talk, fight-fight strategy
state-owned
enterprise
the
the deficit-ridden
do-what-you-can
take-what-you-need policy
ready-to-eat food
after-sales service
after-school activity
hide-and-seek
a
game
and
round-the-clock
a
service
a by-no-means negligible role
a never-to-be-forgotten film
a
corruption-free society
a
terror-stricken country
a
no-cover-up analysis
a
heart-in-the-mouth situation
a
23-day,18-city European tour
an
all-talk-no-action craven
a
search-and-rescue
mission
know-it-all television
19-member panel
long-fiber food
a
12-member
baseball
team
a dead-end job
of
15-and-16-year-olds
a stand-up meeting
start-up costs
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drive-by shooting
decade-long
a go-with-the-stream person
shortage
fire-proof materials
war-weary
burnt-out teacher
citizens
fail-safe system
on-the-job problem
under-the-counter
a
on-site service
dealings
turned-on
audience
a Papa-knows-best family
a seeing-is-believing attitude
c) -er words
two termer
high-achiever
globe-trotter
tax evader/dodger
old-timer
third placer
pro-lifer
face-saver
attention-getter
third-ager
think-tanker
pro-reformer
a third-rater
peace keeper
part-timer
9-to-5er
middle-of-the-roader
second guesser
scene-stealer
speed-reader
globe-shrinker
hard liner
hip-hugger
gloom-and-doomer
in-and-outer
left-winger
small-towner
fast-trackers
d) n. + n.
emergency treatment = emergent treatment
luxury hotel = luxurious hotel
atom bomb = atomic bomb
race hatred = racial hatred
price rise = rise in price
government delegation = governmental delegation
freedom fighters = fighters for freedom
rebel army = rebellious army
chicken farm = farm for raising chicken
work day = working day
sex harassment = sexual harassment
guest speaker = speaker who is a guest
statistics expert = expert in statistics
contingency fund = contingent fund
war story = story about the war
discount shop
bankruptcy lawyer
bankrupt businessman
economy measure
economic measure
efficiency measure
efficient worker
obesity specialist
obese specialist
riot police
riotous police
affluence society
fire department
drug tsar
e) Changing part of speech
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He mouthed fine words about friendship.
The White House press secretary is once more backgrounding newsmen for
the president.
Like today’s haves and havenots, we still have a society of the knows and
knowsnots.
Undesirables
unemployables
valuables
perishables
unreachables
pin-ups
variables
unreadables
gays
undecides
never-marrieds
retireds
unwanteds
the young marrieds
f) Oral English vocabulary and slangs
Get a bad rap
buck
bust
cool
ego trip
green
buddy
nerd
quick-fix
nuts
goody-goody
binge
savvy
muckraking
go-go
pro
poor mouth
mugger
pink slip
sobstuff
nab
goof
odds-on
fence straddler
g) New words
BBS ( Bulletin Board System )
DN ( domain name )
FTP ( file transfer protocol )
HTML ( Hyper Text Makeup Language )
http ( Hyper Text Transfer Protocol )
IE ( Internet Explorer )
IP ( Internet Protocol )
WWW ( World Wide Web )
log in cybernetics cyberland cybercommunity cybercafe
cyberspeak
virtual +reality/newsland/institution/ surgery/doctor
Nanometer/nano-scale technology
Watergate
Irangate
Richgate /Pardongate
Babyboom Generation
Me generation
Generation E (entrepreneur)
Generation XXL
debategate
Whitewatergate
Camillagate
Beat Generation
sandwich generation
generation gag
Generation Y
Koreagate
Monicagate/Zippergate
lost generation
Stolen Generation
Generation X
h) Euphemism
Poor ------ the culturally disadvantaged / the deprived / the disadvantaged / the
havenots / the indigent / the needy / the culturally deprived / the
underprivileged
The poor nations ------ the South / the Third World / the developing nations / the
Fourth World / the underdeveloped nations
(the) old ------ the graying Army / the senior citizens / the aged / the aging / the
sunset years / getting on in years / past one’s prime / feeling one’s
age / the second childhood / stricken in years
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dismiss/sack/fire------ ease out/ get the walking ticket (papers) / lay off / select
out / show sb. the door / slim
military prostitute ------ comfort woman
military brothel ------ comfort station
prostitute ------- call girl / street walker
venereal disease ------ social disease
prostitution ------ the oldest profession in the world
aggression ------ preemptive action/ preventive strike/ preventive war/ police action /
protective reaction
bombing ------ pacification / air support
civilian casualities ------ collateral damage
rout/heavy defeat ------ phrased withdrawal / strategic withdrawal
atom (ic ) bomb ------ atom (ic ) device
suicidal attack ------ one-way mission
tax increase ------ revenue enhancement
jobless mother ------ welfare mother
3. Metonymy
Try to find out what do the following words represent in news. ( eg. White House
represents for American government )
Capitol Hill
Buckingham
Downing Street
Scotland Yard
London
Westminster
Moscow
Zhongnanhai
Windsor
Lanley
Elysee
Kremlin
Wall Street
Broadway
Hollywood
Silicon Valley
Fleet Street
Madison Avenue
Carey Street
Oval Office
Pentagon
Foggy Bottom
White Hall
White House
East
West
Motor City
Dice City
Lion
the bear
Donkey
Elephant
dove
hawk
John Bull
John Doe
Evan
Wang
Kuwait
Vietnam
McDonald’s
Big Apple
Uncle Sam
Homework
1. Read the following news and try to underline the sentence or words that illustrate
the characteristics of news writing:
Britain Offering to Pay Off 10% of Third World Debt
LONDON, Sept. 25 - Britain is planning a new effort to help
poor countries reduce their huge debts by offering to pay off 10
percent of the total owed to international agencies and
challenging other nations to follow suit, said Gordon Brown, the
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chancellor of the Exchequer.
In an address on Sunday to an advocacy group called the Trade Justice Movement, Mr.
Brown also plans to repeat an earlier proposal that the International Monetary Fund
should revalue its vast gold reserves, currently priced at a tenth of their market value,
and use the proceeds to cancel some third world debt, according to a text of his
remarks published Saturday in The Guardian and later confirmed by the Treasury.
The issue is rising once more on the international agenda
because a previous mechanism for debt relief, set up in 1996 by
the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, is to be
renewed in December for two years. James D. Wolfensohn, the
president of the World Bank, said Friday in Washington that the
White House had devised a plan to cancel some third world debt,
Reuters reported. Senator John Kerry, the Democratic
presidential challenger, has also promised to lead efforts to
cancel the debts of impoverished countries if he is elected.
Mr. Brown's proposal is significant because it comes just days before the annual
meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Washington. The
finance ministers of the Group of 7 major industrial nations, including Mr. Brown, are
also to meet just before those gatherings.
"What we hope is that this will break the logjam that has been there for some time,"
said Brendan Cox, a spokesman for Oxfam, a nonprofit group that has urged
accelerated moves to cancel third world debt. "If others follow suit it will be a
massive turning point in efforts to end the burden of international debt."
Mr. Brown plans to tell the meeting of anti-debt campaigners on Sunday that Britain
will set aside the equivalent of $180 million a year to pay off 10 percent of the money
owed by 32 countries to international lenders, notably the World Bank and the
African Development Bank. Poor nations contend that they often must choose
between paying these debts and meeting urgent needs of their people, or making
expenditures that would strengthen their economies.
"Because the poor cannot wait, we intend to lead by example by paying our share of
their payments to the World Bank and the African Development Bank," Mr. Brown is
planning to say. "We do this alone today, but we urge you to use your moral authority
78
to urge other countries to follow suit so that poor countries can look forward to a
future free from the shackles of debt."
Mr. Brown will also argue that the debt owed to the International Monetary Fund
could be cut by a revaluation of the fund's gold stocks, currently worth $8.5 billion
when valued at $40 per ounce. The market price for gold is now over $400 an ounce.
"Because we cannot bury the hopes of half of humanity in the lifeless vaults of gold,
the cancellation of debt owed to the I.M.F. should be paid for by the better use of
I.M.F. gold," Mr. Brown plans to say. His speech will be given as part of the
preparations for the annual conference of the governing Labor Party in Brighton, in
southern England.
Hilary Benn, the minister responsible for British overseas aid, said the British move
"throws down a challenge to the rest of the world." Some estimates put the total debt
owed by the poorest countries at around $200 billion.
Romilly Greenhill, a spokeswoman for the Action Aid debt relief advocacy group,
said the sum of $180 million mentioned by Mr. Brown was apparently part of
Britain's annual budget for development, currently totaling about $7 billion. "It is not
strictly new money in the sense that it has already been included in the aid budget,"
she said.
2. Go through the following passage and go over the skills of learning vocabulary
through news reading; try to use them in your own practice.
Dealing with unfamiliar vocabulary
Whenever we ask readers, teachers and students what seems to be their biggest
problem in reading the English newspaper, almost everyone immediately answers
“vocabulary!”. It is true that inexperienced readers are likely to find a great deal of
unfamiliar vocabulary in the news stories, but that is not really a “problem”. As we
hope to show you, it is really an “opportunity” for you to increase your vocabulary to
a level where you can use English effectively in school or at work.
One way to do this is, of course, to make a serious effort to learn new vocabulary by
using your dictionary to look up the large number of the unfamiliar words you run
across in our newspaper. That is not the method we are going to recommend, however.
Besides being rather boring, overuse of the dictionary can actually interfere with your
understanding of the stories you read. It slows down your reading speed so much that
it is difficult to see how ideas fit together. Instead, we are going to suggest two
extremely useful strategies for increasing your vocabulary and your reading
comprehension at the same time. We strongly suggest you begin with the section on
context.
Using context to understand unfamiliar words
If you are learning English as a second language, meeting unfamiliar words is a
regular experience, especially if you try to read a daily newspaper.
With proper reading skills, this is not a problem, but an excellent opportunity to
rapidly increase your vocabulary. The most important skill for this purpose is your
ability to use context — the words and sentences which surround an unfamiliar word.
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The English newspaper is an ideal resource for developing this essential skill. It is
designed to be understood easily. Stories are written for a general audience, not for
experts, so technical words are often explained. News writers use a style that gives
you several chances to understand key concepts. And feature stories are often
accompanied by several photographs which allow you to see exactly what unfamiliar
words mean.
There are a number of different techniques for guessing an unfamiliar word's meaning
from context and we have illustrated some of the most useful of them in the exercise
below.
Test your context skills
Here is an exercise to help you develop your ability to understand unfamiliar words
from context. Each problem illustrates a different method for doing so. The short
passages below all contain one highlighted word. Hopefully, this word will be
unfamiliar to you, but you can still do the exercise even if you know the word.
1. Read each passage and try to guess the meaning of the highlighted word.
2. Explain what part of the context surrounding the word allowed you to make
your guess.
3. Check the answer. We suggest you do this even if you are confident you know
the answers.
The crowd gathered at the city gates and at ten o’ clock it began to move. Reaching
the church a half hour later, the throng stopped and waited patiently for the priests.
Before the meeting the President appeared calm, yet we all knew he was extremely
agitated.
They marvelled at our dishwasher and dish-dryer. They fell in love with the automatic
coffee maker, the microwave oven, and the food blender. They wanted to take our rice
cooker and toaster home with them. They had never seen such appliances before.
The Federal Aviation Administration concluded yesterday that the DC-10 pylon, the
structure that attaches the engine to the wings, is fundamentally sound and does not
need any major design changes.
The enemy soldiers were able to cow the villagers by threatening to shoot anyone who
refused to give them food.
By the time the boy reached the hospital, he was suffering from hypothermia.
Using context — the explanations
Using synonyms
The crowd gathered at the city gates and at ten o'clock it began to move. Reaching the
church a half hour later, the throng stopped and waited patiently for the priests.
The words crowd and throng are synonyms (words with the same or very similar
meanings). Writers often use synonyms to avoid repeating words and boring their
readers. The ability to recognise synonyms is one of the most important skills
involved in using context effectively. If you know one word in a synonym pair, you
also know the other without having to use a dictionary.
This skill is especially useful in reading news stories. As you will remember, news
stories give you three or more chances to understand their main ideas. Because there
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is so much repetition in news stories, synonyms are extremely common, especially
between the headline and lead. Here are two examples:
Pacts to be signed with Egypt on cooperation, double taxation
AGREEMENTS to avoid double taxation and on technical cooperation
will be signed with Egypt to enhance bilateral ties, Cairo’s Foreign
Minister Amre Moussa said yesterday.
Watch for antonyms
Before the meeting the President appeared calm, yet we all knew he was extremely
agitated.
Recognising antonyms (words with the opposite meanings) can be just as useful as
synonyms for understanding unfamiliar words from context. Antonyms will often be
contained in clauses or phrases that signal contrasts (yet, but, whereas, etc.).
Watch for “group words” and “members”
They marvelled at our dishwasher and dish-dryer. They fell in love with the
automatic coffee maker, the microwave oven, and the food blender. They wanted to
take our rice cooker and toaster home with them. They had never seen such
appliances before.
In the above example, it is clear that appliance is a more general word than the other
words we have italicised. In fact, it could be called a “group word” whose
“members” include the dishwasher, dish-dryer, automatic coffee maker, microwave
oven, and food blender mentioned above. Knowing any of the members can help you
understand the group word. Similarly, knowing the group word can help you
understand a previously unknown member. For example, in the above it is easy to see
that a food blender must be some type of appliance (household electrical equipment).
* If you prefer, the technical term for group word is superordinate and for a specific
member of the group it is hyponym.
Given the style of the news story, group words and their members are extremely
common. Expect to find group words at the top in the headline and lead and member
words in the body as the writer adds specific details.
Watch for explanations
The Federal Aviation Administration concluded yesterday that the DC-10 pylon, the
structure that attaches the engine to the wings, is fundamentally sound and does not
need any major design changes.
Since news writer know that many of their readers are not experts on the topic of the
story, they tend to explain technical terms. Watching for such explanations will
obviously save you time with your dictionary.
Sometimes the whole context is necessary
The enemy soldiers were able to cow the villagers by threatening to shoot anyone who
refused to give them food.
First of all, we hope you saw immediately that the word "cow" in the above example
doesn't refer to the animal you normally see on a farm. It is a verb, not a noun, and it
clearly has a very different meaning. To understand what it means without a dictionary,
81
you need to build a picture in your mind of the whole situation. Enemy soldiers are
doing the "cowing" and they are doing it by threatening to shoot villagers who refuse
to give them food. It is not hard to see that the soldiers are frightening (or intimidating)
the villagers into obeying them.
In the above example, there was no single clue to give away the meaning of the word.
Instead you needed to look at the context as a whole. This is a common situation and
one that requires you to be a good detective while you read.
Look inside the word as well
By the time the boy reached the hospital, he was suffering from hypothermia.
Actually, we are changing the subject here. Context has its limits. In this case, context
allows us to see that hypothermia must be something bad, probably a medical
condition of some kind.
However, we can sometimes get a more precise understanding by looking inside the
word to the parts which make it up. This is very helpful with the word hypothermia:
Hypo: under, less than
Therm: heat
Hypothermia: abnormally low body temperature
3. Read the following news, analyze its language characteristics and try to guess the
meaning of the underlined words:
NASA Succeeds In Crashing Craft Into Comet
Debris May Give Insights On Birth of Solar System
By Guy Gugliotta
Washington Post Staff Writer
PASADENA, Calif., July 4 -- NASA's Deep Impact spacecraft completed a flawless
journey to oblivion early Monday, slamming into an onrushing comet to vaporize
itself in an Independence Day blaze of glory.
Scientists and engineers here at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory cheered as
spectacular images taken by a second flyby spacecraft positioned nearby confirmed
that the "impactor" had scored a perfect bull's-eye, smacking into comet Tempel 1 at
its lower edge at 1:52 a.m. Eastern time, spewing a column of debris that lighted up
the heavens.
"Oh, my God, look at that!" JPL astronomer Donald Yeomans shouted as the first
images were posted. "There's considerably more material [debris] than I thought. It
looks enormous."
By assessing the shape and size of the crater and chemically analyzing the debris that
belched from it, scientists hope to gain new insights into the composition of the solar
system at the time of its formation 4.5 billion years ago.
The flyby spacecraft, stationed 5,350 miles from the comet at impact, used two
cameras and an infrared spectrometer to record the event and its aftermath for 13
minutes, then turned away in "shield mode" as the comet passed it only 310 miles
away, traveling at a relative speed of 23,000 mph.
In addition, the impactor itself carried a camera that sent back crystal-clear pictures of
ridgelike features, apparent craters and sinkholes, and other pockmarks that grew to
82
dominate its field of vision as the spacecraft closed on the comet at 6.4 miles per
second. The last image was sent only three seconds before the crash.
"It was just phenomenal. We didn't have to exercise one contingency plan," said the
project manager, Rick Grammier of JPL. "We're minus one spacecraft: The impactor
has been totally vaporized." But the flyby spacecraft emerged 40 minutes after impact
none the worse for its close encounter with the comet.
Twelve hours after the explosion, the comet continued to spew a plume of debris
thousands of miles into space. University of Maryland astronomer Michael A'Hearn,
the project's lead scientist, said "the outgassing could last for weeks," as carbon
dioxide and carbon monoxide ices within the comet vaporize in the sun.
Brown University crater specialist Peter Schultz said early analysis of the collision
suggested an effect much like an armor-piercing artillery shell, with the impactor
piercing a hard crust or thick sheet of surface dust and then diving into the comet,
throwing up an almost vertical plume of debris.
Heat and pressure built as the impactor plunged deeper into the comet, finally causing
the 820-pound projectile to explode, tossing an additional, much larger fan of debris
into space. Project scientists have speculated about what the crater will look like once
photo technicians subtract the debris from the images, but Schultz said final results
will not be known for a week.
"I think it's big," Schultz said. "I think it's bigger than house-sized." But he would not
guess about the prediction of many scientists: that it could reach the size of the Rose
Bowl, the stadium only a few miles up the road from JPL.
Besides the spacecraft images, a network of about 60 Earth- and space-based
telescopes and thousands of amateur astronomers were standing by to participate in
the first-ever globally coordinated effort to watch an object dig a crater in a comet.
Early results showed that the impact had caused the comet to brighten fivefold.
Comets, made mostly of dust and ice, periodically migrate from deep space, their
outer layers burning away as they approach the sun. To get to the ancient material
within, Deep Impact needed to punch through the boiling crust.
Deep Impact, with the impactor attached to the flyby spacecraft, was launched Jan. 12
for an Independence Day rendezvous with Tempel 1, about 83 million miles away and
hurtling through space at 66,000 mph.
At 2:07 a.m. Eastern time Sunday, and with the comet 547,000 miles away, the flyby
spacecraft released the impactor and then did a 14-minute "divert burn" both to move
itself out of harm's way and get into position below the comet so it could watch its
erstwhile companion be obliterated 24 hours later.
The released impactor locked on to Tempel 1. Grammier said both the impactor and
the flyby spacecraft were only a little more than half a mile from their preferred tracks,
"phenomenal" accuracy after nearly six months in space. The spacecraft were
traveling at 43,000 mph, with the comet overtaking them at a relative speed of 23,000
mph.
Throughout Sunday, the flyby spacecraft relayed the impactor's position and its own
to JPL via the Deep Space Network. At JPL, two teams of engineers (red shirts for the
impactor, blue shirts for the flyby spacecraft) evaluated the information and saw no
83
problems: "It's an understatement to say that the flight team is excited," Grammier
said.
Two hours before impact, the spacecraft took control of their own destinies, using
"autonavigation" to make the mission's final decisions. Ground-based engineers
needed 7 1/2 minutes to send and receive signals from the spacecraft -- too long to
wait as the time to collision dwindled.
Ninety minutes away, the impactor made the first of three scheduled course
corrections, using its camera to point at the comet's brightest spot. Thirty-five minutes
away, the impactor made a second correction.
"The first correction actually pulled it off the comet," Yeomans said. "The second one
put it back where it started."
And the third, with only 12 1/2 minutes left, aimed the impactor at the lower right
corner of the comet, a bright spot with plenty of sunlight for the flyby spacecraft's
imagers. The flyby spacecraft focused on the same spot.
The comet grew in the impactor's camera. It looked like a giant potato, pockmarked
and gouged, but also had what appeared to be broad, smooth undulating surfaces.
Cross hairs in the camera focused on a smooth spot between two craters with what
looked like squiggly ridges above it and to the right.
"The comet is very different in shape from other comets we've seen," A'Hearn said.
"This is the first time we've seen things that look like impact craters, and we don't
understand what produces the flat surfaces."
Ten minutes out, controllers announced that the last course change had brought the
impactor on target with an error of only 0.23 percent.
Twenty seconds to impact, then the time had passed.
The impactor's radio signal was lost, but there would be no confirmation that the
spacecraft had fulfilled its mission until the flyby cameras produced a picture of the
event.
During the wait, images from the impactor continued to transmit: "Our spacecraft's
doing remarkably well for something that's about to be vaporized," said Yeomans,
providing commentary as events unfolded. "Our brave little spacecraft is in a very
hostile environment."
Five minutes later, the first flyby picture appeared. The comet's lower right quadrant
had blossomed in a brilliant, unmistakable explosion of light. Cheers erupted in the
JPL control room as picture after picture flashed onto screens lining the walls, each
more spectacular than the one before.
"That's plenty of confirmation, no question about that," exulted Yeomans. "I can't
believe they pay us to have this much fun."
4. Read the following news and try to remember the vocabulary on weather.
Reading about the weather
The weather tends to change slowly on the day basis, you will see the same
vocabulary day after day. This makes it easy to learn and easy to remember. In fact
you can learn to read in one or two days.
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Below is a list of weather-related vocabulary found in such reports. Learn this
vocabulary and you can understand weather report almost any day of the year.
minimum
the lowest or least possible
maximum
the highest or greatest possible
humidity
the amount of water vapour in the air
relative
humidity
the amount of water vapour in the air expressed as a percentage of the
total amount of water vapour that could possibly be present
fog
a thick mist, similar to a cloud that has touched the ground
patch (of fog) a small area (of fog)
fair
bright and not raining; pleasant
cool
cold but not cold enough to require a jacket
shower
a short period of light rain or snow
thunder
a loud noise that follows a flash of lightning
widespread covering a large area
isolated
far away from any others
scattered
small and far apart; widely and irregularly separated
The weather report also gives information about the sea and here are the key words:
tide
slight
the rise and fall of the sea caused by the pull of the moon
small in degree
moderate neither large nor small; towards the middle in degree
rough
stormy; not smooth
What you should learn from this chapter:
9. The characteristics of English news writing;
10. The characteristics of sentences and vocabulary in news writing.
Language study:
9. Vocabulary study: postpone, claim, charter, harassment, contingent
10. Translation:
"Because the poor cannot wait, we intend to lead by example by paying our share of
their payments to the World Bank and the African Development Bank," Mr. Brown is
planning to say. "We do this alone today, but we urge you to use your moral authority
to urge other countries to follow suit so that poor countries can look forward to a
future free from the shackles of debt."
For Your Enjoyment
阅读新闻中必须了解的职业委婉语
生活中有一种有趣的现象，人们往往避免直言社会地位低下、被人瞧不起的职业。在提及这
些职业的从业者时，人们用一种含蓄委婉的方式来表达。委婉语是一种语言艺术。英语中委
婉语一词是 euphemism，它源于希腊语，词头"eu-"的意思是"good"(好)，词干"phemism"的
85
意思是"speech"(言语)，整个字面意义是"word of good omen"(吉言，好的说法)。所谓委
婉语，就是用好听的、使人感到愉快的说法代替令人不悦的或不敬的表达方法。
英语中有很多职业委婉语。使用职业委婉语的主要目的是为了将传统意义的“低下”职业“体
面化”
。委婉表达职业的方式多种多样，其中一种是将职业地位人为地拔高。例如：将餐厅
中的 waiter 或 waitress(服务员)称为"dining-room attendants(餐厅管理员)"时，服务员
的地位被提升为管理员。又如：operator(接线员)被称为"communication monitor(通讯监
察人员)"时，接线员的地位被抬高至监察员。再如：cook 被称为"chef"时，其地位立刻由
厨子变成了烹饪大师，同样运用这种委婉方式，
“灭鼠者”变成了“清理工程师(exterminating
engineer)”
；"dog catcher(捕野狗者)"被尊称为"animal control warden(动物控制人员)"。
另一种委婉表达职业的方式是将难听、刺耳的职业美化。例如："undertaker(焚尸工)"美其
名曰"funeral service practitioner(殡葬服务承办人)"；"maid(女仆，女佣人)"被美化为
"domestic help(家政助理)"；连无职业的家庭主妇也被美称为"domestic engineer(室内工
程师，内务工程师)"。
还有一种委婉表达职业的方法就是采用类比修饰法。地位低微、受人歧视的职业通过往上类
比 ， 马 上 变 得 身 价 倍 增 。 比 如 ： 将 landscape worker( 园 林 工 人 ) 类 比 成 "landscape
architect(园林建筑师)"，"狱卒"通过类比变成"长官(prison officer)"，连 butter(屠夫)
也借"meat technologist(肉类技术专家)"之名聊以自慰。
以下列举一些职业委婉语，借此我们可以领略到更多的委婉表达方法。
secretary(秘书)--administrative assistant(行政助理)；
shoe maker(修鞋匠)--shoe rebuilder(重整鞋者)；
garbage man(垃圾工人)--sanitation engineer(清洁工程师)；
dishwasher(洗盘子的人)--utensil maintenance man(餐具维护者)；
washwoman(洗衣女工)--clothing re- fresher(清理衣服者)；
salesman(销售员)--manufacturer's representative(生产商代表)；
bus boy(餐厅打杂工)--sanitarian(卫生员)；
hairdresser(理发师)--beautician，cosmetologist(美容师)；
janitor(看门人)--security officer(安全官员)，maintenance engineer(维护工程师)；
ditcher(挖沟工人)--excavation technician(挖掘技术员)。
有时，职业委婉语也用于某些地位并不低下的职业，使其在某些场合听上去更庄重、更得体。
如：把 singer 或 dancer 称为"culture worker(文化工作者)"，把"migrant worker(打工仔，
民 工 )" 称 为 "seasonal employee( 季 节 性 雇 员 )" ， 把 "priest( 牧 师 )" 称 为 "religious
worker(宗教工作者)"。
在阅读英文报刊中了解委婉语这种语言艺术，有助于我们更好把握文章所传达的意思。
Chapter 6
American Election
Discuss
1. Read the following news and do the reading comprehension exercise, then discuss
the following questions:
1) How much do you know about American election?
86
2) How could Gore get more votes while lost the election?
Decision: It’s Bush
Gore Suspends Recount Effort as Texas Governor
Savors His Victory
By Brian Knowlton
International Herald Tribune
Washington ------ On the 36th day after they had voted, Americans finally learned
Wednesday who would be their next president: Governor George W. Bush of Texas.
Vice President Al Gore, his last realistic avenue for legal challenge closed by a U.S.
Supreme Court decision late Tuesday, planned to end the contest formally in a
televised evening speech of perhaps 10 minutes, advisers said.
They said that Senator Joseph Lieberman, his vice presidential running mate, would
first make brief comments. The men would speak from a ceremonial chamber of the
Old Executive Office Building, to the west of the White House.
The dozens of political workers and lawyers who had helped lead Mr. Gore’s
unprecedented fight to claw a come-from-behind electoral victory in the pivotal state
of Florida were thanked Wednesday and asked to stand down.
“ The vice president had directed the recount committee to suspend activities,”
William Daley, the Gore campaign chairman, said in a written statement.
Mr. Gore authorized that statement after meeting with his wife, Tipper, and with top
advisers including Mr. Daley.
He was expected to telephone Mr. Bush during the day. The Bush campaign kept a
low profile and moved gingerly, as if to leave space for Mr. Gore to contemplate his
next steps.
Yet, at the end of a trying and tumultuous process that had focused world attention on
sleepless vote-counters across Florida, and on courtrooms from Miami to Tallahassee
to Atlanta to Washington, the Texas governor was set to become the 43rd U.S.
president.
The news of Mr. Gore’s plans followed the longest and most rancorous dispute over a
U.S. presidential election in more than a century, one certain to leave scars in a badly
divided country.
It was a bitter ending for Mr. Gore, who had outpolled Mr. Bush nationwide by some
300,000 voters, but, without Florida, fell short in the Electoral College by 271 votes to
267 ---- the narrowest Electoral College victory since the turbulent election of 1876.
Mr. Gore was said to be distressed by what he and many Democratic activists felt was
a partisan decision from the nation’s highest court.
The 5-to-4 decision of the Supreme Court held, in essence, that while a vote recount
in Florida could be conducted in legal and constitutional fashion, as Mr. Gore had
sought, this could not be done by the Dec. 12 deadline for states to select their
president electors.
James Baker 3d, the former secretary of state who represented Mr. Bush in the Florida
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dispute, issued a short statement after the U.S. high court ruling, saying that the
governor was “ very pleased and gratified.”
Mr. Bush was planning a nationwide speech aimed at trying to begin to heal the
country’s deep, aching and varied divisions. He then was expected to meet with
congressional leaders, including Democrats. Dick Cheney, Mr. Bush’s running mate,
was meeting with congressmen Wednesday in Washington.
When Mr. Bush, who is 54, is sworn into office on Jan.20, he will be only the second
son of a president to follow his father to the White House, after John Adams and John
Quincy Adams in the early 19th century.
Mr. Gore, in his speech, was expected to thank his supporters, defend his five-week
battle as an effort to ensure, as a matter of principle, that every vote be counted, and
call for the nation to join behind the new president. He was described by an aide as
“ resolved and resigned.”
While some constitutional experts had said they believed states could present electors
as late as Dec. 18, the U.S. high court made clear that it saw no such leeway.
The U.S. court sent back “ for revision” to the Florida court its order allowing
recounts but made clear that for all practical purposes the election was over.
The Bush team welcomed the news with an outward show of restraint and aplomb.
The governor’s hopes had risen and fallen so many times since Election night, and the
legal warriors of each side suffered through so many dramatic reversals, that there
was little energy left for celebration.
And the task and challenges facing the incoming Bush administration will be
daunting.
Having received fewer popular votes than his opponent, Mr. Bush will face doubts
and resentments about his legitimacy; he will have to deal with a narrowly divided
Congress; he will be presiding over an economy that he himself has said appears to be
on the cusp of a possible recession, and overseas, he may face some initial skepticism
from leaders aware of his limited foreign policy experience.
Mr. Bush holds some important trump cards, however.
An acute awareness of his challenges may force him to work harder to overcome them,
some analysts said.
“ It will force him to work in a meaningful way with Democrats and Republicans,”
said Stephen Hess of the Brookings Institution in Washington.
It will be the first time since the first term of Dwight Eisenhower, in the early 1950s,
that the same party will control both White House and both houses of Congress.
Republicans narrowly retained control of the House in November. The new Senate will be split
50-50, and will include Mr. Lieberman. But any ties will be broken by the new vice president, Mr.
Cheney.
Many of those likely to advise Mr. Bush in or out of the cabinet members are people
with long and serious experience in Washington.
Foremost among them is Mr. Cheney, who was defense secretary under Mr. Bush’s father, chief of
staff to President Gerald Ford, and served in Congress. As a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, Mr. Bush’s likely secretary of state, Colin Powell, helped Mr. Cheney successfully
prosecute the Gulf War and enjoys wide respect.
88
Mr. Bush, who as a candidate called himself “ a uniter, not a divider,” will enter the
White House without the residue of bitterness over the previous administration that
had attached itself, despite his best efforts, to Mr. Gore.
Indeed, Mr. Gore’s loss ---- coming after his eight years as vice president in an administration that
had presided over peace and an unprecedented stretch of vigorous economic growth ---- can be
laid in some measure to the scandals that marred the Clinton administration. Significant numbers
of voters said those scandals affected their decision.
Mr. Gore, who has been in public life for nearly a quarter-century, first as a Tennessee
congressman, then as a senator, and for the past eight years as vice president, will be
left jobless on Jan.20, when the new administration takes office.
His political prospects for 2004 are unclear. Normally a president in the position Mr.
Bush will occupy ---- elected narrowly, and with a divided Congress ---- faces a tough
re-election challenge. Mr. Gore, having outpolled Mr. Bush in the popular vote, and
with undisputed experience and expertise, would seem a shoe-in for the Democratic
nomination.
The legal battle of the past five weeks clearly has tarnished his image in the eyes of
many Americans, however. Republicans mocked his “ Gore/ Lieberman” campaign
signs by printing up “ Sore/ Loserman” signs. How quickly such memories fade from
the public memory will depend on many unknowables.
On the other hand, the Republicans’ slim lead in Congress leaves Democrats in an
exceptionally strong position for the 2002 midterm election; such elections usually
favor the party out of power.
Democrats may also seize on anger in their ranks ---- particularly sharp among blacks,
who say many of their votes were those that went uncounted in Florida ---- to
mobilize support in 2004.
( From International Herald Tribune, December 14, 2000 )
Notes:
1. suspend vt.吊, 悬挂 v.延缓
2. savor n.滋味, 气味, 食欲 vi.有...的滋味 vt.加调味品于, 使有风味, 尝到或闻到, 尽情享受
3. pivotal adj.枢轴的, 关键的
4. low profile 低姿态
5. gingerly adv.小心翼翼地, 谨慎的, 极为小心地, 慎重地 adj.慎重的, 谨慎的
6. contemplate v.凝视, 沉思, 预期, 企图
7. trying adj.难受的, 费劲的, 令人厌烦的
8. tumultuous adj.喧嚣的
9. rancorous adj.深恨的, 怀恶意的
10. turbulent adj.狂暴的, 吵闹的
11. partisan n.党人；党徒；帮伙
12. ruling adj.统治的, 支配的, 主导的, 流行的 n.统治, 支配, 裁决, 划线
13. leeway n.[航海]风压差,可允许的误差, 退路, <喻>落后, <口语>回旋余地
14. aplomb n.沉着, 泰然, 垂直
15. daunting adj.使人畏缩的
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16. legitimacy n.合法(性), 正统(性), 正确(性), 合理(性)
17. presiding adj.主持会议的, 指挥的
18. cusp n.尖头, 尖端
19. skepticism n.怀疑论
20. trump n.王牌, 法宝, 最后大的手段, 喇叭 vt.打出王牌赢, 胜过
21. Secretary of State n. 1.部长，国务秘书 2.(AmE.)国务卿
22. prosecute vt.实行, 从事, 告发, 起诉 vi.告发, 起诉, 作检察官
23. residue n.残余, 渣滓, 滤渣, 残数, 剩余物
24. expertise n.专家的意见, 专门技术
25. tarnish v.失去光泽
26. mobilize v.动员
Exercise: True or False:
1). It’s a common practice to announce the result on the 36th day after vote.
(
)
2). George W. Bush will be the 43rd President while Al Gore will be vice president.
(
)
3). Mr. Gore got 300,000 more vote than Bush.
(
)
4). Bush got 271 Electoral College votes while Gore got 267.
(
)
5). The similar case occurred in 1876: the person got more popular votes yet less
Electoral College votes lost the campaign.
(
)
6). The Supreme Court made the ruling to meet the Dec.12 deadline for states to
select their president electors.
(
)
7). John Adams and John Quincy Adams were both American Presidents in the early
19th century and they were brothers.
(
)
8). The Bush team made a great celebration for the Supreme Court ruling.
(
)
9). A possible recession is one of the challenges Bush may face.
(
)
10). A trump for Bush is that the Republican Party will control both White House and
both houses of Congress.
(
)
11). The vice president Mr. Cheney is a senator.
(
)
12). One reason for Mr. Gore’s failure is the scandals that marred the Clinton
administration.
(
)
13). Mr. Gore’s political prospects for 2004 may be affected by the legal battle.(
)
14). It’s likely Republican would win the 2002 midterm election.
(
)
2. Read the following passage and answer the questions:
How the Electoral College Works
The current workings of the Electoral College are the result of both design and experience. As it
now operates:
Each State is allocated a number of Electors equal to the number of its U.S. Senators
(always 2) plus the number of its U.S. Representatives (which may change each
decade according to the size of each State’s population as determined in the Census).
The political parties (or independent candidates) in each State submit to the State’s
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chief election official a list of individuals pledged to their candidate for president and
equal in number to the State’s electoral vote. Usually, the major political parties select
these individuals either in their State party conventions or through appointment by
their State party leaders while third parties and independent candidates merely
designate theirs. Members of Congress and employees of the federal government are
prohibited from serving as an Elector in order to maintain the balance between the
legislative and executive branches of the federal government. After their caucuses and
primaries, the major parties nominate their candidates for president and vice president
in their national conventions traditionally held in the summer preceding the election.
(Third parties and independent candidates follow different procedures according to
the individual State laws). The names of the duly nominated candidates are then
officially submitted to each State’s chief election official so that they might appear on
the general election ballot.
On the Tuesday following the first Monday of November in years divisible by four,
the people in each State cast their ballots for the party slate of Electors representing
their choice for president and vice president (although as a matter of practice, general
election ballots normally say “Electors for” each set of candidates rather than list the
individual Electors on each slate).
Whichever party slate wins the most popular votes in the State becomes that State’s
Electors-so that, in effect, whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes in
a State wins all the Electors of that State. [The two exceptions to this are Maine and
Nebraska where two Electors are chosen by statewide popular vote and the remainder
by the popular vote within each Congressional district].
On the Monday following the second Wednesday of December (as established in
federal law) each State’s Electors meet in their respective State capitals and cast their
electoral votes-one for president and one for vice president. In order to prevent
Electors from voting only for “favorite sons” of their home State, at least one of their
votes must be for a person from outside their State (though this is seldom a problem
since the parties have consistently nominated presidential and vice presidential
candidates from different States).
The electoral votes are then sealed and transmitted from each State to the President of
the Senate who, on the following January 6, opens and reads them before both houses
of the Congress.
The candidate for president with the most electoral votes, provided that it is an
absolute majority (one over half of the total), is declared president. Similarly, the
vice presidential candidate with the absolute majority of electoral votes is declared
vice president.
In the event no one obtains an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the
U.S. House of Representatives (as the chamber closest to the people) selects the
president from among the top three contenders with each State casting only one vote
and an absolute majority of the States being required to elect. Similarly, if no one
obtains an absolute majority for vice president, then the U.S. Senate makes the
91
selection from among the top two contenders for that office.
At noon on January 20, the duly elected president and vice president are sworn into
office.
Notes:
1. designate vt.指明, 指出, 任命, 指派 v.指定, 指派
2. duly adv.适时地
3. ballot n.选举票, 投票, 票数 vi.投票
4. slate n.板岩, 石板, 石片, 蓝色 adj.暗蓝灰色的, 含板岩的 v.铺石板
Exercise: Fill in the blanks:
1) The number of the Electoral College is _______; it is made up of
__________________________________________________________________
_______ .
2) _____________________________________ are prohibited from serving as an
Elector in order to maintain the balance between the legislative and executive
branches of the federal government.
3) The time for people in each State cast their ballots for the party slate of Electors
representing their choice for president and vice president is
_______________________________.
4) The two exceptions for the “ Winner gets all ” principle are ___________ and
_____________.
5) The time for the State Electors to cast their electoral votes is
_______________________________________________.
6) If no one obtain an absolute majority of electoral votes for president,
__________________ selects the president from among the top_____ contenders
with each State casting only _____ vote and an absolute majority of the States
being required to elect.
7) The time for the duly elected president swore into office is _____________.
3. Read the following passages and then illustrate the procedure of American
President election:
How a President Gets Elected
Candidate announces plan to run for office. This announcement launches the
candidate’s official campaign. Speeches, debates, and baby-kissing begin in full force.
Candidate campaigns to win delegate support. The first stage of a presidential
campaign is the nomination campaign. At this time the candidate is competing with
other candidates in the same party, hoping to get the party’s nomination. The
candidate works to win delegates (representatives who pledge to support the
candidate’s nomination at the national party convention); and to persuade potential
voters in general. Caucuses and primary elections take place in the states.
Caucuses and primaries are ways for the general public to take part in nominating
presidential candidates. Before the 20th century, only the party leaders in each state
92
could nominate presidential candidates.
At a caucus, local party members gather to nominate a candidate. A caucus is a lively
event at which party leaders and activists debate issues, consider candidates, choose
delegates, and discuss the party platform, or statement of principles. The rules
governing caucus procedures vary by party and by state.
A primary is more like a general election. Voters go to the polls to cast their votes for
a presidential candidate (or delegates who will represent that candidate at the party
convention). Primary elections are the main way for voters to choose a nominee.
Nominee for president is announced at national party conventions. The main goal of a
national party convention is to unify party members behind the party’s platform and
nominees. Thousands of delegates gather to rally support for the platform and to
nominate candidates for president and vice-president.
From the 1820s until the 1930s, party conventions were boisterous events in which
determining a nominee could spark hot debate. By the mid-20th century, however,
primary elections had become the main way of selecting a nominee.
After the convention, the second stage of the presidential campaign begins: the
election campaign. In this stage, presidential candidates from different parties
compete against each other. Citizens cast their votes. Presidential elections are held
every four years on the Tuesday after the first Monday of November. This was
decided long ago, when many voters had to make a long, slow journey to the polling
place. By early November crops were in but the weather was usually not too cold for
travel. And because Sunday was a day of rest, voters would begin the trip on Monday.
Many Americans think that when they cast their ballot, they are voting for their
chosen candidate. In actuality they are selecting groups of electors in the electoral
college.
The electoral college casts its votes. Some of the founding fathers wanted Congress to
elect the president. Others wanted the president to be elected by popular vote. The
electoral college represents a compromise between these ideas.
Every state has a number of electors equal to its number of congresspersons. In
addition, there are three electors for the District of Columbia. At the last presidential
election there were 538 electors. Although laws vary by state, electors are usually
chosen by popular vote. An elector may not be a senator, representative, or other
person holding a U.S. office.
All the electoral votes from a particular state go to the candidate who leads the
popular vote in that state. A candidate can therefore win millions of popular votes
but no electoral votes. This “winner takes all” system can produce seemingly uneven
results; in the elections of 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000, for instance, the candidate who
had the greatest popular vote did not win the greatest electoral college vote, and so
lost the presidency.
On the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December, the electors cast their
ballots. Nothing in the Constitution or federal law requires that the electors vote along
93
with their state’s popular vote, though an elector who did not would likely not be
reelected. At least 270 electoral votes are required to elect a president. If this majority
is not reached, the House of Representatives will elect the president. (This has never
happened.)
The president is inaugurated. On January 20, the president enters office in a formal
ceremony know as the inauguration. He takes the presidential oath: “I do solemnly
swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United
States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution
of the United States.”
In accordance with the Constitution, the inauguration used to take place on March 4,
because transportation and communication were so slow that it took time to collect
election results and allow winning candidates to travel to Washington, D.C. With the
20th Amendment in 1933, however, the inauguration date was changed to January 20.
Notes:
1. nominee n.被提名的人, 被任命者
2. boisterous adj.狂暴的, 喧闹的
3. inaugurate vt.举行就职典礼, 创新, 开辟, 举行开幕(落成、成立)典礼.
4. execute vt.执行, 实行, 完成, 处死, 制成, [律]经签名盖章等手续使(证书)生效
5. amendment n.改善, 改正
4. Read the following passage and answer the questions:
Presidential Debates
Debates among candidates are rare in most countries. But they have become a staple
of American politics, particularly during the last 25 years. Americans like debates
because the candidates can be compared in an unscripted, live performance. The
candidates don't know what questions will be asked, nor what their opponent might
say. History indicates that a bad performance, particularly a telling gaffe, can badly
damage a candidate in the polls. The debates are a " key test" of the strength and
abilities of the candidates, says CNN analyst Jeff Greenfield. A candidate cannot
package himself in debates the way he can in party advertisements but must be quick
on his feet to respond to unanticipated questions and criticisms, he adds.
The unforgettable debate quip that can deflate a candidacy is the worst nightmare of
any presidential hopeful." There you go again" , Ronald Reagan's memorable retort to
President Jimmy Carter, was a line that stuck with both viewers and commentators in
the l980 presidential campaign. Carter went on to lose the election, polls showed
mostly because of the economy. But Carter's debate performance didn't help. Another
example was Vice President Walter Mondale's deadly question to Senator Gary Hart,
his main competitor in the 1984 Democratic primaries, " Where's the beef?" Mondale
borrowed the line from a hamburger commercial that had used the phrase to suggest
that competing products shortchanged the consumer. Mondale, in effect, suggested
that Hart's ideas were short on substance.
The unforgettable debate quip that can deflate a candidacy is the worst nightmare of
94
any presidential hopeful.; and the fewer debate rules there are, the less control the
candidates have. But broadcast presidential debates, both in the primaries and in the
general election, are now routine and expected by the American people.
It was not always so. Face--to--face presidential debates began their broadcast history
in 1948 when Republicans Thomas Dewey and Harold Stassen faced each other in a
radio debate during the Oregon Republican presidential primary. The first broadcast
television debates between the two major party nominees were in 1960 when Senator
John F. Kennedy faced Vice President Richard Nixon. The debates were considered
crucial to Kennedy' s narrow11 victory. Interestingly, Americans who heard the debate
on radio thought Nixon had won. But the far larger television audience applauded
Kennedy's performance, testimony to the importance--in the television age --of image
as well as substance. The point is Americans are concerned not just with a leader's
policies and ideology, but also with his character and temperament. In the contentious
atmosphere of a debate, such personal attributes are easier for voters to judge than in
pre packaged campaign commercials or formal speeches. Because television debates
were deemed so crucial to the outcome of the 1960 election--dooming Richard Nixon
to a narrow loss in the opinion of many analysts -- the presidential nominees in the
subsequent three presidential elections shield away from debates, feeling the risks
were too great. Not until 1976 when Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter confronted
President Gerald Ford was there another presidential debate. Since then, there have
been debates in each of the presidential election years. The American people now
expect them and it is doubtful a candidate could refuse to participate, analysts say.
Since 1987, the presidential debates have been organized by the bipartisan
organization, the Commission on Presidential Debates. Its purpose is to sponsor and
produce debates for the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the two major
parties. In Election 2000, the commission set a threshold for the participation of third
party candidates in the debates. They must show they have the support--as evidenced
in a number of opinion polls --of at least 15 percent of the population.
Whatever the quality of the debates in Election 2000, they are unlikely to equal the
most famous political debates in American history which occurred long before the
invention of radio and television. In 1858, Stephen Douglas debated Abraham Lincoln
for a U.S. Senate seat. The debates were held at seven sites throughout Illinois, one
for each of the seven congressional districts. Douglas, a pro-slavery Democrat, was
the incumbent. Lincoln was anti-slavery. " Honest Abe," as he was endearingly called,
lost the Senate race, but two years later was elected the first Republican president of
the United States. The Lincoln& Douglas debates are still heralded for the quality of
the discourse at a crucial time in the nation's history.
Notes:
1. staple n. A basic or principal element or feature. 主要成分, 基本特征
2. unscripted adj.不用稿子的, 不用剧本的
3. gaffe n.过失, 出丑, 失态
4. quip n.讽刺，妙语，双关语 v.说讽刺的话, 嘲弄, 说托辞
95
5. deflate v. To reduce or lessen the size or importance of: 缩小；降低…的重要性
6. candidacy n.候选人的地位, 候选资格
7. commentator n.评论员,讲解员
8. shortchange vt.(找钱时故意)少找零头, 欺骗
9. substance n.物质, 实质, 主旨
10. vulnerable adj.易受攻击的, 易受...的攻击
11. ideology n.意识形态
12. temperament n.气质, 性情, 易激动, 急躁
13. contentious adj.好争吵的, 争论的, 有异议的
14. incumbent n. Currently holding a specified office: 在职的当前任某一特定职位的
15. herald n.使者, 传令官, 通报者, 先驱, 预兆 vt.预报, 宣布, 传达, 欢呼
16. discourse n.演讲, 论述, 论文, 讲道, 谈话, 谈论 vi.谈论, 演说
Questions:
1. Why did Americans like the candidates to have debates?
2. Why were the candidates reluctant to take the debates?
3. When was the first broadcast presidential debate? When was the first television
debate? When did the debate become a routine?
Reading materials
1. Read the following news and answer the questions:
Bush Wins Second Term
Kerry Concedes Defeat; Both Speak of Need for Unity
An elated President Bush claimed a reelection victory yesterday after a tumultuous
night of vote counting and a gracious concession by challenger John F. Kerry, and he
pledged that he would seek to earn the trust of those who did not back him during the
long, contentious campaign.
In an explicit appeal to those Americans who voted for Kerry, Bush said: "To make
this nation stronger and better, I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I
will do all I can do to deserve your trust. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out
to the whole nation."
Bush spoke to jubilant supporters at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington,
where he had planned to go for a pre-dawn victory speech after he had won Florida's
27 electoral votes and appeared to have locked up Ohio's 20 votes. He postponed that
event when Kerry declined to concede the election overnight and signaled a possible
fight over the vote totals in Ohio.
96
But an hour before Bush's appearance, an emotional Kerry took the stage at Boston's
historic Faneuil Hall to offer Bush his congratulations and a formal concession. The
Massachusetts senator had called Bush earlier to convey the same message privately.
Kerry snuffed out the hopes of many Democrats who were eager to keep the fight for
the White House alive by declaring, "We cannot win this election."
Bush will begin his second term with strengthened majorities in the House and Senate.
With GOP candidates picking off a string of Democratic open seats, Republicans
expanded their Senate caucus from 51 to 55 members -- a significant gain but still not
a filibuster-proof margin. Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (S.D.) lost his
reelection bid to former congressman John Thune (R). In the House, the GOP added
three seats and could emerge with a 29-seat majority once all the races are concluded.
With the second term that eluded his father secured, Bush pivoted to the task of trying
to heal a nation that appeared on Tuesday as culturally and geographically divided as
the country that produced the disputed presidential election in 2000. Vice President
Cheney said that Bush had run on a clear agenda and that "the nation resounded by
giving him a mandate."
Bush's speech offered an olive branch to the opposition, but he provided no hint of
policy concessions to the Democrats. He outlined a domestic agenda that included
broad tax reform and a proposal to allow younger workers to establish personal
accounts with some of their Social Security payroll taxes. Many Democrats oppose
his Social Security plans, and he may face partisan opposition on tax reform.
The president also vowed to continue to put the fight against terrorism at the forefront
of his agenda, saying, "With good allies at our side, we will fight this war on terror
with every resource of our national power so our children can live in freedom and in
peace."
His stance on terrorism proved to be a significant political asset on Tuesday, but Bush
faces enormous problems in trying to stabilize Iraq and pull off elections there
scheduled for early next year. In his speech, the president did not mention the frayed
international relationships that also will occupy him now that the election is over.
Bush claimed 51 percent of the popular vote to Kerry's 48 percent, with a margin of
about 3.5 million votes, removing the label of minority president that he had carried
since 2000. Four years ago, Bush lost the popular vote to Vice President Al Gore, but
on Tuesday he became the first president since his father in 1988 to be elected with a
majority of all votes cast. Independent Ralph Nader proved to be a non-factor,
winning less than 1 percent.
With Ohio in his column, Bush won 30 states and 279 electoral votes. Kerry won 19
states and the District for 252 electoral votes. Iowa and its seven electoral votes
remain in doubt. Bush was leading there with 100 percent of precincts reporting, and
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while counties were still tabulating absentee and provisional ballots, officials in the
state said they did not expect a change in the lead.
Two states -- New Hampshire, which went for Kerry, and New Mexico, which went
for Bush -- switched sides from 2000, despite efforts by both sides to take the
campaigns into each other's territory.
Nearly 120 million Americans voted, or about 60 percent of those eligible, the highest
number since 1968, according to the Associated Press. Many strategists believed an
increase of that magnitude would favor Kerry, but the Bush campaign proved more
than equal to the task of getting supporters to vote.
The swift and courteous end to the campaign came in marked contrast to the
emotional roller coaster that played out overnight and that provided eerie similarities
to the triggering events that produced the 36-day recount in Florida four years ago.
The battle for Ohio turned out to be short and conclusive. By the time more than 90
percent of the precincts there had reported, Bush strategists were certain there was no
way for Kerry to win the state, and they chafed that the challenger would not concede.
Kerry aides originally believed there might be enough provisional ballots -- those cast
by voters whose eligibility was in doubt -- to win Ohio. At that point, Kerry's running
mate, Sen. John Edwards (N.C.), made a speech at Boston's Copley Plaza in which he
vowed that "every vote would be counted," a thinly veiled warning that the Democrats
were prepared to begin legal action to contest the state. At the time, Kerry aides said,
there was pandemonium inside the campaign.
Overnight, the Kerry campaign's senior staff, in a series of calls with the boiler-room
leadership in Washington and political and legal advisers in Ohio, analyzed the
situation. They concluded that the estimated 150,000 provisional ballots were not
enough to overcome Bush's margin of 136,000 votes in Ohio, even if Kerry were to
win the lion's share of them.
Some lawyers argued that Kerry had a good legal argument to make and said that if
the campaign was serious about a possible challenge, it needed to move immediately
to force the state's counties to adopt uniform rules for counting the provisional ballots.
Eventually, senior adviser Tad Devine said, the Kerry high command presented the
candidate with a unanimous recommendation not to fight the count. "It's fair to say the
unanimous recommendation was that this would not succeed," he said.
Kerry further discussed the situation with Edwards, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy
(D-Mass.) and campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill, eventually agreeing that it was
time to concede. At 11 a.m. yesterday, Kerry called Bush in the Oval Office to
concede the election and pledge to bridge the nation's divisions. Three hours later,
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accompanied by his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, he left his home in Boston's Beacon
Hill area for the short drive to Faneuil Hall.
There, he found a hall packed with campaign staff members and supporters, many of
them trying to hold back tears over a loss that they never dreamed possible as they
heard results of the first wave of exit polls Tuesday afternoon.
Kerry wasted no time in ending any talk of contesting the election. "In America, it is
vital that every vote count and that every vote be counted," he said, in a nod to the
exhortation that Edwards had invoked almost 12 hours earlier and that the two had
used to rouse the Democratic base throughout the campaign. "But the outcome should
be decided by voters, not a protracted legal process."
Kerry choked back tears and his voice broke as he recalled the experiences of his
two-year campaign and talked about the need for unity in the election's aftermath,
citing his conversation with the president. "We talked about the danger of division in
our country and the need, the desperate need, for unity and for finding the common
ground, coming together," he said.
Kerry advisers fully expected to win the election, based on their final polls, their
analysis of Bush's weaknesses, their belief that the country hungered for change and
their confidence that they would do a better job than the Republicans of getting their
supporters to vote. Instead, they were swamped by a huge outpouring of votes in
Republican-leaning areas of battleground states, particularly rural and small-town
counties in Florida and the Midwest.
"We had [vote] goals that we set out that we thought were very realistic, that we
thought could achieve victory," Devine said. "But a lot of people in rural areas
participated in this process at levels that we have not seen before."
Another Kerry strategist said the campaign may have miscalculated the power of
incumbency, especially during a time of heightened concern about terrorism. "It's easy
to underestimate the reluctance in general that the American public would have in
throwing out an incumbent president," the strategist said. "It's even more of a
challenge when the country's perceived to be in some level of a war. That was an
overriding backdrop that some of us tended to underestimate."
The Kerry camp also may have misjudged the power of Bush's appeal to social and
cultural conservatives, even though White House senior adviser Karl Rove had
explicitly set about to expand turnout among Christian conservatives.
Led by Rove, campaign manager Ken Mehlman, chief strategist Matthew Dowd and
others, Bush's reelection team ran a disciplined operation that rarely deviated from the
plan that was set from the start. Bush paid tribute to his team in his remarks yesterday,
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describing Rove, who has been at his side as he ascended through the Texas
governorship to the presidency and now to a second term, as "the chief architect."
Bush's advisers, often second-guessed over their strategic decisions, took satisfaction
not only from the victory but from the size of Bush's margin, which they said would
end questions of legitimacy that had dogged him after 2000. Dowd, in a final strategy
memo before returning to Texas, said the president had won more votes -- more than
59 million -- than any other candidate in history and that the campaign had succeeded
in changing the shape of the electorate, raising Republicans to parity with Democrats.
"The other side did a very good job identifying their voters and getting them out to
vote," Devine said. "It's just that simple."
Questions:
1. What did Bush and Kerry when the election campaign was over?
2. What situation was Bush in for the second term?
3. Will Bush change his policy? What will he do after his second election?
4. Why did Kerry concede?
5. Try to find out the reasons for Bush’s victory.
6. Guess the meaning of the underlined words.
2. The lead of the following news has been taken away. Please write one after you finish reading
the news story.
An Ambitious President Advances His Idealism
By John F. Harris
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 21, 2005; Page A01
His pledges to promote liberty and aid the oppressed, along with predictions of the
United States leading the world to the ultimate triumph of democracy over tyranny in
every land, were issued with some of the most expansive and lyrical language Bush
has summoned. Several times he invoked God, and he regularly borrowed ideas,
imagery and phrases from such looming predecessors as Abraham Lincoln, Franklin
D. Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan.
The immediate question, presidential scholars and foreign policy experts say, is the
same in Washington as it is in other capitals around the world: What to make of such
idealistic and uncompromising language from an incumbent president?
If taken at face value, Bush's words would imply nearly limitless obligations to
confront all manner of autocrats around the planet, even in cases in which
anti-democratic governments in the Middle East and elsewhere support U.S. interests.
He made scant acknowledgment of the trade-offs he has regularly made, such as
supporting repressive regimes in Asia as payback for their support in Afghanistan.
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More plausibly, most of the president's supporters maintained, he was intending not
so much to describe a road map for the next four years as to make a provocative
statement about the nation's long-term mission over the next several decades -- the
"concentrated work of generations," as Bush put it.
The implications of the speech were uncertain because the celebration of democratic
values was harnessed to almost no specifics. Though dominated by foreign affairs, the
address did not mention Iraq, Iran, North Korea -- or indeed any country, friend or foe,
occupying his second-term agenda. Sept. 11, 2001, was mentioned once obliquely as a
"day of fire," but the word "terrorism" did not appear, nor was there mention of the al
Qaeda terrorists whose attack altered history and transformed Bush's presidency.
Rather than terrorism, Bush spoke of a much broader struggle against "tyranny." And
with a single rhetorical stroke, he declared moot the long-standing tension between
universal human rights and narrow national interests -- the balance of "idealism"
versus "realism" -- that has been perceived by several generations of his White House
predecessors.
"America's vital interests and our deepest beliefs are now one," Bush declared.
John Lewis Gaddis, a Yale University historian who has written influential critiques
of Bush's first-term policies abroad, predicted the address would echo for years. "It's
very much in the tradition of great speeches of the past," he said, adding that the
speech says: "This is where we want to be some distance from now. We understand
we can't get there tomorrow. But it's important to have that destination described."
Samuel R. "Sandy" Berger, President Bill Clinton's national security adviser in his
second term and a leading strategist on the Democratic side, said Bush has set "the
right lodestar" for U.S. policy in celebrating democracy, but cautioned that "he's set
up a very high bar" for himself.
"What happens when he meets with Putin next month?" asked Berger, referring to
Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose government has ruthlessly crushed
separatists in Chechnya and has sought to stifle internal dissent across a range of
fronts. The Chinese government, Berger added, continues to repress political liberty
but also has a critical role in helping the United States contain North Korea's nuclear
ambitions. "The rubber's going to hit the road," he said.
Despite the speech's the lack of detailed references, many listeners heard clear
implications for Bush's most pressing foreign policy problem: Iraq. There has been
considerable speculation that Bush will try to extract U.S. forces from a dangerous
and unstable mission in that country as quickly as possible after the Jan. 30 elections.
But withdrawal while Iraq is mired in violence would be hard to square with
yesterday's rhetoric, supporters of a continued U.S. commitment say.
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"He is signaling basically victory or bust, I think -- no backing down," said Max Boot,
a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. "For anyone looking for hints of
scuttle, they'll look in vain."
By this light, the speech was another in a long line of markers showing how far Bush
and top foreign policy advisers such as Secretary of State-designate Condoleezza Rice
have migrated from the self-restrained, interests-driven approach to the world they
advocated in the 2000 campaign.
In 2003, Bush announced that promoting democracy in the authoritarian governments
of the Middle East was his long-term goal. He has increasingly described the mission
in Iraq as liberating oppressed people, in part because the original main rationale -stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction -- has been undermined by
the failure to find such weapons.
The speech thrilled neoconservatives, who took it as evidence that Bush is not
retreating, as some predicted he would, to a more conventional Republican brand of
foreign policy with a lesser emphasis on values and robust intervention abroad.
"This was a historic speech," said William Kristol, a leading neoconservative voice
and editor of the Weekly Standard. "The generality makes it more powerful, not less."
By Kristol's reckoning, this was Bush's first major address describing an ambitious
foreign policy in terms that did not emphasize responding to the Sept. 11 attacks, but
instead put the struggle in a broader context. The statement of values, and the
challenge Bush is setting for himself, is of more consequence than the unavoidable
instances in which these values give way to other foreign policy priorities, he argued.
"The real world is the real world, and inevitably there will be a thousand
compromises," Kristol said. "Bush knows what he's doing, and the directness of these
words give them real punch."
Alex Moens, a political scientist at Canada's Simon Fraser University, who has
recently written a book on Bush's foreign policy, said people in his country and
elsewhere in the world will read the speech and ask: "How many code words are in
there? If you're talking about tyranny these days, you're talking about North Korea
and Iran," both of which have nascent nuclear programs and represent near-term
challenges for Bush, he said.
Steven Schier, a Carleton College political scientist who has edited academic volumes
on the Clinton and Bush presidencies, said Bush's speech will take concrete meaning
only when it is paired with the State of the Union address next month. "I don't think
the speech was written in a way to be taken literally," he said. "If it was, you'd have to
have more policy detail, but it's written at such a high level of abstraction it's hard to
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take issue with it. It's an attempt to link up with the great speeches and great concepts
of the American past."
Indeed, the speech was replete with historical echoes. Forty-four years ago, President
John F. Kennedy pledged to "pay any price, bear any burden" on behalf of liberty. But
even that address sought peaceful competition with the Soviet Union, rather than a
pledge to roll it back.
Bush cited Lincoln's admonition that "those who deny freedom to others deserve it
not for themselves." And, in an line that hinted at Lincoln's view that "the Almighty
has His own purposes," Bush said he takes inspiration from God but recognizes that
"God moves and chooses as he wills."
What you should learn from this chapte:r
11. The procedure of president election in America;
12. The function of the Electoral College;
13. A general knowledge on election vocabulary.
Language study:
11. Vocabulary study: low profile; turbulent; preside; designate; pledge
12. Translation:
Having received fewer popular votes than his opponent, Mr. Bush will face doubts
and resentments about his legitimacy; he will have to deal with a narrowly divided
Congress; he will be presiding over an economy that he himself has said appears to be
on the cusp of a possible recession, and overseas, he may face some initial skepticism
from leaders aware of his limited foreign policy experience.
Homework
For the 2004 election, Bush and Kerry had debate on the
following topics: Abortion; Death Penalty; Economy; Education;
Environment; Foreign Policy; Gay Marriage; Gun Control;
Health Care; Homeland Security and Defense; Social Security.
Choose any topic you are interested in, surf on the internet to get
the opinions of both sides and prepare a debate within 5
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minutes.
Appendix 1
Vocabulary on Election
Absentee Voting: A way people can vote when they can't get to their polling place.
They vote on a special form and mail it in.
Balanced Budget: A balanced budget occurs when total revenues equal total outlays
for a fiscal year.
Ballot Box: A receptacle for voters' ballots.
Bias: A leaning in favor of or against something or someone; partiality or prejudice.
Campaign: Competition by rival political candidates and organizations for public office.
Campaign Chest: Money collected and set aside for use in a political campaign.
Candidate: A person running for office in an election.
Caucus: Meetings of party members within a legislative body to select leaders and
determine strategy.
Citizen: A native or naturalized member of a state or nation who owes allegiance to its
government and is entitled to its protection.
Closed Primary: A primary in which voters can only vote for candidates in the party they are
registered in. Prevents members of other parties from "crossing over" to influence the nomination
of an opposing party's candidate.
Congressional Districts (CD): A political subdivision in which the nation is divided
for the purposes of elected U.S. Representatives. Each district contains about 570,000
people.
Constituency: All of the voters in a particular district.
Constituent: A person having the right to vote or elect; any of the voters represented by a
particular official.
Debate: Face-to-face discussion of candidates' views on issues.
Delegate: An individual who is appointed to represent others.
Democracy: A government by the people, through free and frequent elections.
Early Money: Money given to a campaign before or during the early presidential primaries. This
money helps propel a campaign.
Election Day: The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November, national
elections are held for the President and Vice President in years evenly divisible by
four. On even years, voters elect members of the House of Representatives for
two-year terms and one-third of the Senate for six-year terms.
Electoral College: A body of electors chosen by the voters in each state to elect the President and
Vice President of the U.S. The number of electors in each state is equal to its number of
representatives in both houses of the U.S. Congress.
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Exit Poll: A poll taken of a small percentage of voters as they leave the polls, used to forecast the
outcome of an election or determine the reasons for voting decisions.
Federal: A union of states under a central government distinct from the individual
governments of the separate states.
Federal Election Commission (F.E.C.): A commission that oversees federal campaigns, founded
in 1974.
Franchise: The constitutional right to vote.
General Elections: A regularly scheduled local, state, or national election in which voters elect
officeholders.
Gerrymander: The dividing of a state, county, etc., into election districts so as to
give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting
strength of the other party into as few districts as possible.
G.O.P.: The Republican party, formerly known as the Grand Old Party.
Grassroots: The involvement of common citizens in an issue or campaign.
Gubernatorial Election: The selection of a governor by a state's voters.
Hype: Slang for political ads (e.g. slick short TV commercials).
Incumbent: A person currently in office.
Independent: A voter or candidate who does not belong to a political party.
Initiative: A procedure by which a specified number of voters may propose a statute,
constitutional amendment, or ordinance, and compel a popular vote on its adoption.
Issue: A point, matter, or dispute, the decision of which is of special or public importance.
Landslide: An election in which a particular victorious candidate or party receives an
overwhelming mass or majority of votes.
Machine: An organized group of persons that conducts or controls the activities of a
political party or organization.
Matching Funds: Primary presidential candidates are eligible to receive
dollar-for-dollar funds from the federal government that match the amount they have
raised through their own efforts. They can receive matching funds only if they agree
to limit their spending to $37 million during the primaries.
Media: The means of communication, such as radio, television, newspapers, and
magazines, that reaches or influences people widely. Media coverage can be slanted in
favor of a particular candidate.
Mudslinging: Negative, often personal, frequently inaccurate, or exaggerated attacks
of the opposition.
National Conventions: A meeting held every four years by each of the major
political parties to nominate a presidential candidate.
Nominee: The person chosen by a political party to serve as its representative in a
general election.
Non-partisan: An idea or person that does not support a specific party, cause, or
candidate.
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Office-Block Ballot: A ballot on which the candidates are listed alphabetically, with
or without their party designations, in columns under the office for which they were
nominated. Also called a “Massachusetts” ballot.
Open Primary: A primary in which voters can vote for either party, regardless of
which party they are registered in.
Partisan: A supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, especially a person who
shows a biased, emotional allegiance.
Party: A group of persons with common political opinions and purposes, organized
for gaining political influence and governmental control, and for directing
government policy.
Party-Column Ballot: A ballot listing all candidates of a certain party for different
offices under the name of that party.
Platform: A public statement of the principles, objectives, and policy of a political
party, especially as put forth by the representatives of the party in a convention to
nominate candidates for an election.
Political Action Committee (PAC): An organization of 50 or more people that is
created to raise money for favored political candidates and is registered with the
Federal Election Commission (FEC). A PAC may be formed by any group, including
businesses, labor unions, and special interest bodies, and can donate up to $5,000 per
candidate per election.
Poll: A sampling or collection of opinions on a subject. Also, the place where people
vote.
Pollster: A person whose occupation is the taking of public-opinion polls.
Precinct: Also called election district. One of a fixed number of districts, each
containing one polling place, into which a city, town, etc. is divided for voting
purposes.
Presidential Primary: A primary used to pick delegates to the presidential
nominating conventions of the major parties.
Primary: A meeting of the voters of a political party in an election district for
nominating candidates for office and choosing delegates for a convention.
Runoff Primary: If no candidate gets a majority of the votes, a runoff is held to
decide who should win.
Rhetoric: The ability to use language well, through the practice of exaggeration, to
influence others.
Running Mate: A presidential candidate will choose another individual to run for
vice-president. This person is the candidate’s running mate.
Soft Money: Funds raised by political parties directed toward party building and not
directed toward supporting federal candidates.
Spin: The presentation of information that is biased to favor the candidates. Advisors to the
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candidates may engage in 'spin' in their communications to the media.
Split-Ticket Voting: Voting for candidates of different parties for various offices in the same
election. For example, voting for a republican for senator and a democrat for president.
Straight-Ticket Voting: Voting for candidates who are all of the same party. For
example, voting for republican candidates for senator, representative, and president.
Straw Poll: A nonofficial, nonscientific study of voter preferences in a presidential
election.
Stump Speech: A political campaign speech, especially one made on a campaign tour.
War Chest: Money set aside or scheduled for a particular purpose or activity, like a
campaign.
Whistle Stop: Campaigning for political office by traveling around the country,
originally by train, stopping at small communities to address voters.
Appendix 2
President Bush Thanks Americans in Wednesday Acceptance Speech
Thank you all. Thank you all for coming. We had a long night -- and a great night.
(Applause.) The voters turned out in record numbers and delivered an historic victory.
(Applause.)
Earlier today, Senator Kerry called with his congratulations. We had a really good
phone call, he was very gracious. Senator Kerry waged a spirited campaign, and he
and his supporters can be proud of their efforts. (Applause.) Laura and I wish Senator
Kerry and Teresa and their whole family all our best wishes.
America has spoken, and I'm humbled by the trust and the confidence of my fellow
citizens. With that trust comes a duty to serve all Americans, and I will do my best to
fulfill that duty every day as your President. (Applause.)
There are many people to thank, and my family comes first. (Applause.) Laura is the
love of my life. (Applause.) I'm glad you love her, too. (Laughter.) I want to thank our
daughters, who joined their dad for his last campaign. (Applause.) I appreciate the
hard work of my sister and my brothers. I especially want to thank my parents for
their loving support. (Applause.)
I'm grateful to the Vice President and Lynne and their daughters, who have worked so
hard and been such a vital part of our team. (Applause.) The Vice President serves
America with wisdom and honor, and I'm proud to serve beside him. (Applause.)
I want to thank my superb campaign team. I want to thank you all for your hard work.
(Applause.) I was impressed every day by how hard and how skillful our team was. I
want to thank Marc -- Chairman Marc Racicot and -- (applause) -- the Campaign
107
Manager, Ken Mehlman. (Applause.) And the architect, Karl Rove. (Applause.) I
want to thank Ed Gillespie for leading our Party so well. (Applause.)
I want to thank the thousands of our supporters across our country. I want to thank
you for your hugs on the rope lines; I want to thank you for your prayers on the rope
lines; I want to thank you for your kind words on the rope lines. I want to thank you
for everything you did to make the calls and to put up the signs, to talk to your
neighbors and to get out the vote. (Applause.) And because you did the incredible
work, we are celebrating today. (Applause.)
There's an old saying, "Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers; pray for powers
equal to your tasks." In four historic years, America has been given great tasks, and
faced them with strength and courage. Our people have restored the vigor of this
economy, and shown resolve and patience in a new kind of war. Our military has
brought justice to the enemy, and honor to America. (Applause.) Our nation has
defended itself, and served the freedom of all mankind. I'm proud to lead such an
amazing country, and I'm proud to lead it forward. (Applause.)
Because we have done the hard work, we are entering a season of hope. We'll
continue our economic progress. We'll reform our outdated tax code. We'll strengthen
the Social Security for the next generation. We'll make public schools all they can be.
And we will uphold our deepest values of family and faith.
We will help the emerging democracies of Iraq and Afghanistan -- (applause) -- so
they can grow in strength and defend their freedom. And then our servicemen and
women will come home with the honor they have earned. (Applause.) With good
allies at our side, we will fight this war on terror with every resource of our national
power so our children can live in freedom and in peace. (Applause.)
Reaching these goals will require the broad support of Americans. So today I want to
speak to every person who voted for my opponent: To make this nation stronger and
better I will need your support, and I will work to earn it. I will do all I can do to
deserve your trust. A new term is a new opportunity to reach out to the whole nation.
We have one country, one Constitution and one future that binds us. And when we
come together and work together, there is no limit to the greatness of America.
(Applause.)
Let me close with a word to the people of the state of Texas. (Applause.) We have
known each other the longest, and you started me on this journey. On the open plains
of Texas, I first learned the character of our country: sturdy and honest, and as
hopeful as the break of day. I will always be grateful to the good people of my state.
And whatever the road that lies ahead, that road will take me home.
The campaign has ended, and the United States of America goes forward with
confidence and faith. I see a great day coming for our country and I am eager for the
work ahead. God bless you, and may God bless America. (Applause.)
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Appendix 3
Kerry’s Address to Supporters at
Fanueil Hall
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. You just have no idea how warming and
how generous that welcome is, your love is, your affection, and I'm gratified by it. I'm
sorry that we got here a little bit late and a bit short.
Earlier today, I spoke to President Bush, and I offered him and Laura our
congratulations on their victory. We had a good conversation and we talked about the
danger of division in our country and the need – the desperate need – for unity, for
finding the common ground, coming together. Today, I hope that we can begin the
healing. In America it is vital that every vote count, and that every vote be counted.
But the outcome should be decided by voters, not a protracted legal process.
I would not give up this fight if there was a chance that we would prevail. But it is
now clear that even when all the provisional ballots are counted, which they will be,
there won't be enough outstanding votes for us to be able to win Ohio. And therefore,
we can not win this election.
My friends, it was here that we began our campaign for the presidency. And all we
had was hope and a vision for a better America. It was a privilege and a gift to spend
two years traveling this country, coming to know so many of you. I wish that I could
just wrap you in my arms and embrace each and every one of you individually all
across this nation. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you.
Audience member: We still got your back!
Thank you, man. And I assure you – you watch – I'll still have yours.
I will always be particularly grateful to the colleague that you just heard from who
became my partner, my very close friend, an extraordinary leader, John Edwards. And
I thank him for everything he did. John and I would be the first to tell you that we owe
so much to our families. They're here with us today. They were with us every single
step of the way. They sustained us. They went out on their own and they multiplied
our campaign, all across this country.
No one did this more with grace and with courage and candor. For that, I love to
thank my wife, Teresa. And I thank her. Thank you. And our children were there
every single step of the way. It was unbelievable. Vanessa, Alex, Chris, Andre and
John, from my family, and Elizabeth Edwards who is so remarkable and so strong and
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so smart. And Johnny and Cate who went out there on her own just like my daughters
did. And also Emma Claire and Jack who were up beyond their bedtime last night,
like a lot of us.
I want to thank my crewmates and my friends from 35 years ago. That great ‘band of
brothers’ who crisscrossed this country on my behalf through 2004. Thank you. They
had the courage to speak the truth back then, and they spoke it again this year, and for
that, I will forever be grateful.
And thanks also as I look around here to friends and family of a lifetime. Some from
college, friends made all across the years, and then all across the miles of this
campaign. You are so special. You brought the gift of your passion for our country
and the possibilities of change, and that will stay with us, and with this country
forever.
Thanks to Democrats and Republicans and independents who stood with us, and
everyone who voted no matter who their candidate was.
And thanks to my absolutely unbelievable, dedicated staff, led by a wonderful
campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill, who did an extraordinary job. There's so much
written about campaigns, and there's so much that Americans never get to see. I wish
they could all spend a day on a campaign and see how hard these folks work to make
America better. It is its own unbelievable contribution to our democracy, and it's a gift
to everybody. But especially to me. And I'm grateful to each and every one of you,
and I thank your families, and I thank you for the sacrifices you've made.
And to all the volunteers, all across this country who gave so much of themselves.
You know, thanks to William Field, a six-year-old who collected $680, a quarter and
a dollar at a time selling bracelets during the summer to help change America. Thanks
to Michael Benson from Florida who I spied in a rope line holding a container of
money, and turned out he raided his piggy bank and wanted to contribute. And thanks
to Alana Wexler who is 11 years old and started kids for Kerry all across our country.
I think of the brigades of students and people, young and old, who took time to travel,
time off from work, their own vacation time to work in states far and wide. They
braved the hot days of summer and the cold days of the fall and the winter to knock
on doors because they were determined to open the doors of opportunity to all
Americans. They worked their hearts out, and I wish… you don't know how much
they, could have brought this race home for you for them, and I say to them now,
don't lose faith.
What you did made a difference, and building on itself -- building on itself, we go on
to make a difference another day. I promise you, that time will come. The time will
come, the election will come when your work and your ballots will change the world,
and it's worth fighting for.
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I want to especially say to the American people in this journey, you have given me
honor and the gift of listening and learning from you. I have visited your homes. I
have visited your churches. I've visited your union halls. I've heard your stories, I
know your struggles, I know your hopes. They're part of me now, and I will never
forget you, and I'll never stop fighting for you.
You may not understand completely in what ways, but it is true when I say to you that
you have taught me and you've tested me and you've lifted me up, and you made me
stronger, I did my best to express my vision and my hopes for America. We worked
hard, and we fought hard, and I wish that things had turned out a little differently.
But in an American election, there are no losers, because whether or not our
candidates are successful, the next morning we all wake up as Americans. And that -that is the greatest privilege and the most remarkable good fortune that can come to us
on earth.
With that gift also comes obligation. We are required now to work together for the
good of our country. In the days ahead, we must find common cause. We must join in
common effort without remorse or recrimination, without anger or rancor. America is
in need of unity and longing for a larger measure of compassion.
I hope President Bush will advance those values in the coming years. I pledge to do
my part to try to bridge the partisan divide. I know this is a difficult time for my
supporters, but I ask them, all of you, to join me in doing that.
Now, more than ever, with our soldiers in harm's way, we must stand together and
succeed in Iraq and win the war on terror. I will also do everything in my power to
ensure that my party, a proud Democratic Party, stands true to our best hopes and
ideals.
I believe that what we started in this campaign will not end here. And I know our fight
goes on to put America back to work and make our economy a great engine of job
growth. Our fight goes on to make affordable health care an accessible right for all
Americans, not a privilege. Our fight goes on to protect the environment, to achieve
equality, to push the frontiers of science and discovery, and to restore America's
reputation in the world. I believe that all of this will happen -- and sooner than we
may think -- because we're America. And America always moves forward.
I've been honored to represent the citizens of this commonwealth in the United States
Senate now for 20 years. And I pledge to them that in the years ahead, I'm going to
fight on for the people and for the principles that I've learned and lived with here in
Massachusetts.
I'm proud of what we stood for in this campaign, and of what we accomplished. When
we began, no one thought it was possible to even make this a close race. But we stood
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for real change, change that would make a real difference in the life of our nation, the
lives of our families. And we defined that choice to America.
I'll never forget the wonderful people who came to our rallies, who stood in our rope
lines, who put their hopes in our hands, who invested in each and every one of us. I
saw in them the truth that America is not only great, but it is good.
So here -- so with a grateful heart -- I leave this campaign with a prayer that has even
greater meaning to me now that I've come to know our vast country so much better.
Thanks to all of you and what a privilege it has been. And that prayer is very simple:
God bless America. Thank you.
Chapter 7
Political and International News
Discuss
1. What may be the content of political and international news?
2. What do you think are the main difficulties in understanding the political and
international news? What can we do to overcome the difficulties?
Do you know the meaning of the following expressions?
1. abolish the system of life-long tenure in leading post
abortive coup attempt
absolute monarchy
abuse of power for personal gain
acting president
administrative authorities
anarchy
anti-corruption
anti-government rally
anti-porn campaign
apartheid
arm-chair politician
arm-twisting
assassination
ASEAN ( Association of Southeast Asian Nations )
assistant secretary
assistant secretary of state
assistant contribution
attaché
alternate representative
authoritative information
autonomy
backstage talk
balance of power
barred to the press
be sworn in as new prime minister
be honest in performing
one’s official duties
bed time story
behind-the-scene maneuvering
behind-the-scene negotiation
big gun
big lie
bipartisan diplomacy
bloodless coup
both Houses of Congress
brain trust
build a clean and honest government
bureaucracy
bureaucrat profiteering
bureaucrat racketeering
cabinet lineup
cabinet meeting
cabinet shake-up / shuffle / reshuffle / reorganization
cadre
campaign against porns
campaign against waste
caretaker government
central government
China hand
China’s actual conditions
China watcher
citizen group
civil servant
civilian
government closed-door meeting / session
coalition government
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comfortably-off level
conditional approval
confidential paper
confiscate
Congressional hearing
consensus
conservatism
conservative party
constitutional government
consultative committee
deep-rooted social problem
delegate power to the lower levels
democracy demonstration
demonstrator
dine and drink extravagantly at public expense
disciplinary committee
discrimination
disguised unemployment
dissident
dissolution of parliament
dissolve
endless haggling / wrangling
enlarged meeting
executive committee
executive secretary
exiled government / government in exile
external interference
extraordinary cabinet meeting
far-left-winger
far-reaching significance
far-right-winger
federal government
four cardinal principles
frantic negotiation
general election
glasnost
go out of office
go out of power
government party
government shakeup
hard line
hard line posture head of state
high-ranking official
illegitimate government
impeachment
implement
impose/lift ban on
incumbent mayor
initial stage of socialism
inside information
internal strife
intra-group fight
keyhole report
keyman
keynote policy
kitchen cabinet
leave the leading post
left/right-wing regime
letter reporting on illegal activities
life(long) tenure
long-standing issue
man of mark
man of parts
man of wheel
mastermind
material progress
middle-of-the-road policy
middle-of-the-roadism
military government / junta
misuse of power for private interest
motion
news blackout
non-confidence motion
non-government party
offstage manoeuvring
one-country-two-system policy
one- man government
opening session
opinion poll
opposition party
ousted president
parliament
parliamentary election
parliamentary session
parliamentary speech
permanent member of the UN Security Council
pick up 50 seats in the parliament
policy-making body
politburo
political asylum
political commissar
political rift / split
political temper
political viewpoint
preferential policy
premier
prime minister
problem of adequate food and clothing
problems left over from the past
provisional / interim government
public servant
puppet regime
purge
race riot
racial discrimination
racism
radical reform
red-hot news
red-hot political campaign
reform and opening up
regime
remain in office
remain in power
remove from office
resign / quit as Minister of Finance ruling party
salt of the earth
supreme body of state power
senate
senator
simplification of the administrative system
soapbox oratory
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soapbox politics
soft line
sovereignty
standing committee
state banquet in honor of
state of emergency
summit meeting
tenure of office
territory
terrorism
the Bush Administration
think tank
top political gun
top political opponent
underline the basic policy
undersecretary
walk the plank
well-off level
win a confidence vote / a vote of confidence
sole legal government
State Guest House
stopgap cabinet
territorial waters
terrorist
third house
touch-and-go affair
unhealthy tendencies
well-to-do level
2. Aid-giving agency
alien domination
all-embracing agreement
alliance
allied powers
ambassador-at-large
ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary
ambassadorial level talk
amicable relations
analyst
arch-foe
armed intervention
arms reduction talk
assimilate
assistant contribution
bad-neighbor policy
beggar-my-neighbor policy
big stick policy
bilateral agreement
bilateral negotiation
bilateral relation
binding arbitration
blood and iron
blood-cemented friendship
bluff diplomacy
border conflict
boundary dispute
career diplomat
common ground
communiqué
comprehensive negotiation
compromise
conclusive round of talks
congratulatory address / message / telegram
consul
consulate general
consul-general
counterpart
courtesy call
cultural exchange
delegate plenipotentiary
dignitary
diplomatic channel
diplomatic code
diplomatic corps / mission
diplomatic envoy / immunity / jargon / manoeuvres /normalization / quarters /
recognition / skills /sources / ties
embargo
embassy
entourage
envoy
equality and mutual benefit
established international practice
good-neighborly and friendly relations
good-neighbour policy
guest of honour
gun salute
hands-off foreign policy
haves and have-nots
hold rounds of talks
honor guard
hot issue / news / topics
humanitarian aid
joint communiqué / declaration / statement
long-standing issue master diplomat
military intervention
ministerial talk
most-favoured-nation treatment
multilateral diplomacy
mutual benefit and equality
mutual non-aggression treaty
mutual reciprocity
mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity
non-aligned country/ policy
non-interference in each other’s internal affairs
normalization of diplomatic relations
peaceful co-existence
peace-keeping force
persona non grata
reaffirm
reciprocal visits
red-carpet treatment/ welcome
regional conflict
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repatriate
restoration of diplomatic relations
roving ambassador
royal welcome
seek political asylum
severance of diplomatic relations
shuttle diplomacy
signatory nation
silver-tongued diplomat
Sino-US relationships
sole legal government
sovereignty
spirit of give and take
state visit
strict neutrality
summit meeting
tall talk
territorial waters
territory
treaty of peace and amity
treaty revision
tried and true friendship
truce
ultimatum
untied aid
vote a go-ahead
vote by acclamation
vote by raising hands
vote down
waiting game
wall-eyed foreign policy
Passage I
Read the following news and answer the questions:
Lobbyists Out of Shadows Into The Spotlight
Lawyers and public-relations consultants have replaced the shady
operators of the past, but the game has not changed
By John W. Mashek
From U.S. News & World Report, Feb.25,1985
The Reagan administration’s tax-reform proposal is only the latest prime target of the
fast-expanding army of lobbyists who make up Washington’s hottest growth industry.
Recent years have seen an explosion in the number of advocates hired by corporations,
labor unions, individuals and other special interests who want to influence actions of
the White House, Congress and regulatory agencies. Experts estimate that more than
15,000 permanent or part-time lobbyists are now operating in the capital, double the
number of 10 years ago.
Who are these people? How do they earn their pay? How effective are they?
Lobbying, a practice as old as the nation’s government, got its name from the cozy
relationship struck up in lobbies of the Capitol and nearby hotels between members of
Congress and those seeking favor. In the early days, companies often seal the vote of
a politician by simply putting him on retainer.
Shady reputation. Lobbyists quickly developed an unsavory reputation of being
bagmen who conducted the people’s business around the poker table. Despite periodic
scandals and demands for reform, Congress has been reluctant to tamper with laws
guaranteeing the right of citizens to petition their government.
There are still reports of lobbyists engaging in underhanded practices or charging
clients fat fees ---- $50 for a telephone call whether the subject answers or not, or
$4,000 for a brief meeting with an official.
Yet lobbyists insist the sinister image of their occupation has faded over the years,
and they have even formed their own association ---- the American League of
Lobbyists.
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Says one veteran operator: “ Booze and broads don’t work any more and haven’t for a
long time. It is a professional undertaking now.”
Lobbyists come in a variety of guises, but lawyers, trade-association representatives
and public-relations consultants dominate the field. Many women have invaded a
profession once restricted largely to men.
A number of lobbyists previously served in key government posts. The roster
included more than 300 former members of Congress, cabinet and White House
officials and congressional aides.
Says an ex-congressman who represents a trade association, “ Knowing your way
around town and having access to important people is critical to someone who has a
problem and is bewildered about the intricacies of government.”
A Buyer’s Market. Lobby firms come in all sizes. There are the jumbo outfits such as
the 100-number Gray & Company, headed by Robert gray, who is well connect in the
Republican Party. Gray’s firm, like most in the field today, is carefully bipartisan and
includes prominent Democrats in order to influence public officials from both
political parties.
For every large lobbying firm doing business out of a plush down-town building,
there are scores of tiny operations that often deal in specialized issues. Stanley Brand,
a lawyer who once served as counsel to the House of Representatives, says of his
small outfit: “ We can be a lot more efficient than the large firms, and some clients
aren’t always interested in the big hitters.”
Lobbying is big money. A high-powered organization will charge an annual retainer
of $200,000 or more. Hourly fees range up to $400 for the superlobbyists. To put a
premium on winning, some contracts include “ success bonus ” clauses.
With millions or even billions of dollars on the line in bills before Congress, the
stakes run high. In some major battles, such as the 1979 proposal to bail out the
financially ailing Chrysler Corporation, more than one firm is hired to persuade
lawmakers.
Gary Hymel, a lobbyist who used to work for House Speaker Thomas “Tip” O’Neill,
explains: “ The other side is going to be organized to fight in what is basically an
adversarial system. So your prospective client had better be organized, too.”
Lobbyists often are hired not so much to influence officials as to find out what is
going on in Washington that could affect a client. Says Howard Liebengood, who
worked for former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker before opening his own
firm last year: “ We’re primarily intelligence gatherers. Our credibility is the most
important thing we’ve got.”
Some firms, such as one headed by Nancy Reynolds, a friend of the Reagans, and
Anne Wexler, a former key aide in the Carter White House, specialize in coalition
building and grassroots lobbying. Mounting a drive to get voters to work on members
of Congress through letters, telephone calls and personal visits can have enormous
impact.
Charls Walker, a leading tax lobbyist, notes: “ First, last and always ---- it’s the
people at home that are nearest and dearest to the hearts of congressmen.”
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Example: In 1983, banks and savings institutions touched off a flood of 13 million
postcards and letters that helped persuade legislators to repeal a law withholding taxes
on interest payments. While the maneuver was successful, it angered some members,
including Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole of Kansas, who has a reputation for
having a long memory.
“ For every winner in the business, remember there’s a loser,” says one influential
lobbyist. “ You just hear a lot more about the winner.”
No 9-to-5 job. Lobbying is a two-way street. When they are not busy trying to sway
the views of politicians, the lobbyists are engaged in raising campaign money for
those same politicians. It is a rare night in Washington that does not see several
fund-raising cocktail parties and other events where lobbyists make up a big share of
the donors to incumbents in Congress. Clients, of course, pay most of the tab.
Lobbyists, like members of most professions, have their intramural quarrels. Maurice
Rosenblatt, who has lobbied causes for nearly four decades, complains: “ The
professional lobbyist is being pushed aside by the lawyers.”
Where lobbyists used to avoid notoriety and preferred to work behind the scenes,
many today seek publicity as a useful tool. Fred Wertheimer, president of Common
Cause and a registered lobbyist, says the Watergate era “put a stop to all the
underground games being played, so they came out of the closet.”
Whether they work offstage or in the spotlight, lobbyists promise to continue exerting
a powerful influence as long as there’s a Washington.
Notes:
1. lobbyist n.活动议案通过者, 说客
2. spotlight n.聚光灯
3. consultant n.顾问, 商议者, 咨询者
4. regulatory adj.调整的
5. strike up v.开始演奏, 建立起, 使开始
6. retainer n. The act of engaging the services of a professional adviser, such as an
attorney, a counselor, or a consultant. 职业顾问者; 从事职业顾问服务的行为，如
律师、法律顾问或咨询医生
7. unsavory adj. Unpleasant or unacceptable in moral values 令人讨厌的
8. bagman n. a person who collects money for racketeers; an agent who collects or
distributes the proceeds. 敲诈勒索者； 获取非法收入者
9. tamper vi.干预, 玩弄, 贿赂, 损害, 削弱, 篡改 vt.篡改
10. underhanded adj.秘密的
11. sinister adj.险恶的
12. veteran n.老兵, 老手, 富有经验的人, 退伍军人 adj.老兵的, 经验丰富的
13. booze vi.<俗>豪饮 n.酒, 酒宴
14. broad n. a girl or woman that emphasizes her sexual nature
15. undertaking n.事业, 企业, 承诺, 保证, 殡仪业
16. roster n.(军队等的)值勤人, 名簿, 花名册, 逐项登记表
17. jumbo n.<美> 庞然大物 adj.<美> 巨大的
18. outfit n.用具, 配备, 机构, 全套装配 vt.配备, 装备 vi.得到装备
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19. plush adj.长毛绒做的, 豪华的, 舒服的
20. high-powered: adj. aggressive; competitive.
21. premium n.额外费用, 奖金, 奖赏, 保险费, (货币兑现的)贴水
22. on the line adv.与观者的眼睛相平, 模棱两可, 处于危险中, 立即
23. bail vt.（与 out 连用）付保释金，保释; 付钱使免遭失败
24. prospective adj.预期的
25. grassroots adj. of or having to do with society at local level esp. in rural areas, as
distinguished from the centers of political leadership; of voters
n. Voters at congressional districts
26. touch off v.触发, 使炸裂, 激起, 勾划出
27. repeal v.废止, 撤销, 否定, 放弃, 废除 n.废除, 撤销
28. withholding 扣交
29. tab n. a bill; a statement of money owed
30. intramural adj.校内的, 内部的
31. notoriety n.恶名, 丑名, 声名狼藉, 远扬的名声
Questions:
1. Who are lobbyists usually hired by? What for?
2. What is the relationship between lobbyists and legislators?
3. Why do some of the former senior officials choose lobbying as their profession?
4. How do lobbyists earn their pay? How effective are they?
Passage II
Read the following passages on America political systems and answer the questions:
American Government
I. The Executive Branch: Powers of the Presidency
1. Introduction
"THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE DERIVES ALL HIS AUTHORITY FROM THE
PEOPLE..."
ABRAHAM LINCOLN -- First Inaugural Address, 1861
At a time when all the major European states had hereditary monarchs, the idea of a
president with a limited term of office was itself revolutionary. The Constitution vests
the executive power in the president. It also provides for the election of a vice
president who succeeds to the presidency in case of the death, resignation or
incapacitation of the president. While the Constitution spells out in some detail the
duties and powers of the president, it does not delegate any specific executive powers
to the vice president or to members of the presidential Cabinet or to other federal
officials.
In addition to a right of succession, the vice president was made the presiding officer
of the Senate. A constitutional amendment adopted in 1967 amplifies the process of
presidential succession. It describes the specific conditions under which the vice
president is empowered to take over the office of president if the president should
become incapacitated. It also provides for resumption of the office by the president in
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the event of his or her recovery. In addition, the amendment enables the president to
name a vice president, with congressional approval, when the second office is vacated.
This 25th Amendment to the Constitution was put into practice twice in 1974: when
Vice President Spiro T. Agnew resigned and was replaced by Gerald R. Ford; and
when, after President Richard Nixon's resignation, President Ford nominated and
Congress confirmed former New York governor Nelson A. Rockefeller as vice
president.
The Constitution requires the president to be a native-born American citizen at least
35 years of age. Candidates for the presidency are chosen by political parties several
months before the presidential election, which is held every four years (in years
divisible evenly by four) on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
The method of electing the president is peculiar to the American system. Although the
names of the candidates appear on the ballots, technically the people of each state do
not vote directly for the president (and vice president). Instead, they select a slate of
presidential electors, equal to the number of senators and representatives each state
has in Congress. The candidate with the highest number of votes in each state wins all
the electoral votes of that state.
The electors of all 50 states and the District of Columbia -- a total of 538 persons -compose what is known as the Electoral College. Under the terms of the Constitution,
the College never meets as a body. Instead, the electors gather in the state capitals
shortly after the election and cast their votes for the candidate with the largest number
of popular votes in their respective states. To be successful, a candidate for the
presidency must receive 270 votes. The Constitution stipulates that if no candidate has
a majority, the decision shall be made by the House of Representatives, with all
members from a state voting as a unit. In this event, each state and the District of
Columbia would be allotted one vote only.
The presidential term of four years begins on January 20 (it was changed from March
by the 20th Amendment, ratified in 1933) following a November election. The
president starts his or her official duties with an inauguration ceremony, traditionally
held on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, where Congress meets. The president publicly
takes an oath of office, which is traditionally administered by the chief justice of the
United States. The words are prescribed in Article II of the Constitution:
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office
of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability,
preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.
The oath-taking ceremony is usually followed by an inaugural address in which the
new president outlines the policies and plans of his or her administration.
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The office of President of the United States is one of the most powerful in the world.
The president, the Constitution says, must "take care that the laws be faithfully
executed." To carry out this responsibility, he or she presides over the executive
branch of the federal government -- a vast organization numbering several million
people -- and in addition has important legislative and judicial powers.
2. Legislative Powers
Despite the Constitutional provision that "all legislative powers" shall be vested in the
Congress, the president, as the chief formulator of public policy, has a major
legislative role. The president can veto any bill passed by Congress and, unless
two-thirds in each house vote to override the veto, the bill does not become law.
Much of the legislation dealt with by Congress is drafted at the initiative of the
executive branch. In an annual and special messages to Congress, the president may
propose legislation he or she believes is necessary. If Congress should adjourn
without acting on those proposals, the president has the power to call it into special
session. But, beyond all this, the president, as head of a political party and as principal
executive officer of the U.S. government, is in a position to influence public opinion
and thereby to influence the course of legislation in Congress. To improve their
working relationships with Congress, presidents in recent years have set up a
Congressional Liaison Office in the White House. Presidential aides keep abreast of
all important legislative activities and try to persuade senators and representatives of
both parties to support administration policies.
3. Judicial Powers
Among the president's constitutional powers is that of appointing important public
officials; presidential nomination of federal judges, including members of the
Supreme Court, is subject to confirmation by the Senate. Another significant power is
that of granting a full or conditional pardon to anyone convicted of breaking a federal
law -- except in a case of impeachment. The pardoning power has come to embrace
the power to shorten prison terms and reduce fines.
4. Executive Powers
Within the executive branch itself, the president has broad powers to manage national
affairs and the workings of the federal government. The president can issue rules,
regulations and instructions called executive orders, which have the binding force of
law upon federal agencies. As commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the United
States, the president may also call into federal service the state units of the National
Guard. In times of war or national emergency, the Congress may grant the president
even broader powers to manage the national economy and protect the security of the
United States.
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The president chooses the heads of all executive departments and agencies, together
with hundreds of other high-ranking federal officials. The large majority of federal
workers, however, are selected through the Civil Service system, in which
appointment and promotion are based on ability and experience.
5. Powers In Foreign Affairs
Under the Constitution, the president is the federal official primarily responsible for
the relations of the United States with foreign nations. Presidents appoint
ambassadors, ministers and consuls -- subject to confirmation by the Senate -- and
receive foreign ambassadors and other public officials. With the secretary of state, the
president manages all official contacts with foreign governments. On occasion, the
president may personally participate in summit conferences where chiefs of state meet
for direct consultation. Thus, President Woodrow Wilson headed the American
delegation to the Paris conference at the end of World War I; President Franklin D.
Roosevelt conferred with Allied leaders at sea, in Africa and in Asia during World
War II; and every president since Roosevelt has met with world statesmen to discuss
economic and political issues, and to reach bilateral and multilateral agreements.
Through the Department of State, the president is responsible for the protection of
Americans abroad and of foreign nationals in the United States. Presidents decide
whether to recognize new nations and new governments, and negotiate treaties with
other nations, which are binding on the United States when approved by two-thirds of
the Senate. The president may also negotiate "executive agreements" with foreign
powers that are not subject to Senate confirmation.
The Constitution makes no provision for a presidential Cabinet. The Cabinet
developed outside the Constitution as a matter of practical necessity, for even in
George Washington's day it was an absolute impossibility for the president to
discharge his duties without advice and assistance. Cabinets are what any particular
president makes them. Some presidents have relied heavily on them for advice, others
lightly, and some few have largely ignored them. Whether or not Cabinet members
act as advisers, they retain the responsibility for directing the activities of the
government in specific areas of concern.
II. Democratic Process
American self-government is founded on a set of basic principles. Some grow out of
the organic characteristics of the nation, and others have evolved from the practical
application of the fundamental theses expressed in the preamble to the Constitution.
The judicial system is premised on a belief in the equality of all individuals, in the
inviolability of human rights and in the supremacy of the law. No individual or group,
regardless of wealth, power or position, may defy these principles. No person, for any
reason, may be denied the protection of the law.
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The incorporation of these and other fundamentals into an efficient and practicable
pattern of self-government required the formulation of certain working principles. The
nation's physical size and its large population made literal self-government an
impossibility. In its place, the Founding Fathers elaborated the principle of
representative government.
At regular intervals, the voters choose public officials to represent them in
government. The voters delegate their authority to these officials, and to
administrators appointed by them.
Public officials exercise the power given them by the people only so long as the
people are satisfied with their conduct and management of public affairs. The people
have a number of ways of expressing their will and of reminding officials that they
are really public servants as well as leaders of the nation.
The essential control mechanism is the periodic election of the principal officers of
the legislative and executive branches. Candidates for public office submit their
platforms, or programs, to the voters for their scrutiny and approval. Elected officials
can never forget they must face a day of reckoning at regular intervals.
The dialogue between the voters and their elected representatives is a continuing one.
It includes the daily flow of mail, telegrams, telephone calls and face-to-face contact
to which every elected official must respond. American voters are vocal about their
views on public issues and do not hesitate to bring their opinions to the attention of
their representatives. One study found that the average member of the U.S. House of
Representatives received 521 pieces of mail per week, most of it from constituents.
Some U.S. senators have reported receiving up to 10,000 separate communications in
a one-week period.
It is also common for voters to visit their congressmen individually or in delegations
to press for action on specific issues. When the legislature is not in session, it is a rare
representative who does not return to his home district to sound out voters on
upcoming legislative issues.
In these ways the voters maintain their control of the governmental process. In
addition, the government is structured to prevent abuse of power by any single branch
or public official. As has been noted previously, the three branches of the federal
government -- legislative, executive and judicial -- are semiautonomous. Yet each has
certain authority over the others. The pattern of checks and balances, implicit in the
division of authority, guards against undue concentration of power in any one sector
of the government at any level.
There is a price to be paid for maintaining these safeguards. A democratic government
inevitably moves more slowly -- and sometimes less efficiently -- than a government
where power is concentrated in the hands of one individual or a small group. But the
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American experience throughout history has been that hasty government action is
often ill-considered and harmful. If the price of full public debate on all major issues
is a relative loss of efficiency, it is a fair price and one the American people willingly
pay. Moreover, in times of national emergency the government has proved it can
move swiftly and effectively to defend the national interest.
III. The U.S. Parties
Political parties are the basis of the American political system. Curiously, the
Constitution makes no provisions for political parties nor for their role as the vehicle
by which candidates for public office are proposed to the voters.
At the national level, the United States employs a two-party system that has remained
remarkably durable throughout the nation's history, even though rival national parties
have appeared and disappeared from the political scene. The Federalists, for example,
who rallied around President George Washington, disappeared slowly after 1800; and
the Whig Party, which arose in the 1830s in opposition to President Andrew Jackson,
a Democrat, collapsed two decades later. Today, the Democratic Party, which traces
its origins back to the nation's third president, Thomas Jefferson, and the Republican
Party, founded in 1854, continue to dominate politics at the federal, state and local
levels.
One explanation for the longevity of the Republican and Democratic parties is that
they are not tight ideological organizations, but loose alliances of state and local
parties that unite every four years for the presidential election. Both parties compete
for the same broad center of the American electorate, and although Republicans are
generally more conservative than Democrats, both parties contain relatively liberal
and conservative wings that continually vie for influence.
Nevertheless, other parties are also active, and particularly at the state and local levels,
they may succeed in electing candidates to office and in exercising considerable
influence.
The Republican and Democratic parties contest public office at every level of political
life including town councils, mayoralties, state governorships, Congress and the
presidency. The selection of these officials is a two-part process, first, to win the party
nomination, and second, to defeat the opposing party's candidate in the general
election.
The electoral process culminates in the quadrennial election of the president of the
United States. Party candidates are selected in nominating conventions held several
months before the general election. Delegates to these conventions, chosen within
each state, are generally pledged to vote for a particular candidate, at least on the first
ballot.
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General elections pit the candidates of the political parties against each other. In most
cases, the party candidates for all offices -- federal, state and local -- run as a block or
slate, although voters cast their ballots for each office individually. In addition, each
party draws up a statement of its position on various issues, called a platform. Voters
thus make their decisions on the basis of the individuals running for office, and the
political, economic and social philosophies of the parties they represent.
Notes:
1. magistrate n.文职官员, 地方官员
2. vest v.. To place (authority, property, or rights, for example) in the control of a
person or group, especially to give someone an immediate right to present or future
possession or enjoyment of (an estate, for example). Used with in: 授权给某人或者
群体权威、财产或者权利，特别是给某人对当前或者将来财产或者享乐（如地产）
的权利。与 in 一起用.
3. incapacitation n.无能力, 使无能力, 使无资格
4. amplify vt.放大, 增强 v.扩大
5. resumption n.取回, 恢复, 再开始, 重获, (中断后)再继续
6. vacate v.腾出, 空出,离(职),退(位)
7. Amendment: n. Formal revision of, addition to, or change, as in a bill or a
constitution. 修正案，修正条款对法案、宪法的正式修改、增补或改变
8. formulator n. 配方设计师
9. veto n.否决, 禁止, 否决权 vt.否决, 禁止
10. adjourn vi.延期, 休会, 换另一 个地方 vt.使中止, 推迟
11. liaison n.联络, (语音)连音
12. keep abreast of v.保持与...并列
13. impeachment n.弹劾, 指摘
14. commander-in-chief n.总司令
15. ambassador n.大使
16. consul n.领事
17. Secretary of State n. 1.部长，国务秘书 2.(AmE.)国务卿
18. confer vt.授予(称号、学位等), 赠与, 把...赠与, 协议 v.协商, 交换意见
19. discharge vt.卸下, 放出, 清偿(债务), 履行(义务), 解雇, 开(炮), 放(枪)
20. preamble n. 导言
21. premise n.[逻][法] 前提 vt.提论, 预述, 假定
22. reckoning n.计算, 帐单, 算帐, 结帐, 清算, 估计
23. abuse n.滥用, 虐待, 辱骂, 陋习, 弊端 v.滥用, 虐待, 辱骂
24. semiautonomous adj.半自治的
25. provision n.供应, (一批)供应品, 预备, 防备, 规定
26. longevity n.长命, 寿命，供职期限，资历
27. ideological adj.意识形态的
28. vie v.竞争
29. mayoralty n.市长职位
30. culminate v.达到顶点
31. quadrennial adj.继续四年的, 每四年一次的
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Questions:
1. What’s the executive power of the vice president?
2. What are the requirements for the qualification of a person who wants to be
American President?
3. How is a president elected?
4. Please describe an inauguration ceremony.
5. What power does the President have in legislative, judicial and executive
branches as well as in foreign affairs?
6. What is Cabinet?
7. How is democracy guaranteed in America?
8. What are the main parties in America? How do they influence American political
life?
Passage III
Read the following passages on British political systems and answer the questions:
The British Government
I. A Brief Overview
Britain is a parliamentary democracy with a constitutional monarch, Queen Elizabeth
II, as head of the State. The British constitution, unlike those of most countries, is not
set out in a single document. Instead it is made up of a combination of laws and
practices which are not legally enforceable, but which are regarded as vital to the
working of government.
The Monarchy
The stability of the British government owes much to the monarchy. Its continuity has
been interrupted only once (the republic of 1649-60) in over a thousand years.
Today the Queen is not only the head of State, but also an important symbol of
national unity. Her complete official royal title is 'Elizabeth the Second, by the Grace
of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other
Realms and Territories Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith',
but she is usually referred to as Her Royal Highness or Queen Elizabeth.
According to the law the Queen is head of the executive branch of the government, an
integral part of the legislature, head of the judiciary, the commander-in-chief of all
the armed forces of the Crown and the 'supreme governor' of the established Church
of England. While that sounds like a lot of responsibility, the real power of the
monarchy has been steadily reduced over the years to the point where the Queen is
uninvolved in the day-to-day operation of the government. She is impartial and acts
only on the advice of her ministers.
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The Queen, the Queen Mother, Prince Charles and the other members of the royal
family take part in traditional ceremonies, visit different parts of Britain and many
other countries and are closely involved in the work of many charities.
Parliament
Parliament, Britain's legislature, is made up of the House of Commons, the House of
Lords and the Queen in her constitutional role.
The Commons has 651 elected Members of Parliament (MPs),
who represent local constituencies. The House of Lords is made
up of 1,185 hereditary and life peers and peeresses, and the two
archbishops and the 24 most senior bishops of the established
Church of England.
The center of parliamentary power is the House of Commons. Limitations on the
power of the Lords (it rarely uses it power to delay passage of most laws for a year) is
based on the principle that the Lords, as a revising chamber, should complement the
Commons and not rival it. Once passed through both Houses, legislation requires the
Royal Assent to become law.
Parliament has a number of ways to exert control over the executive branch.
Parliamentary committees question ministers and civil servants before preparing
reports on matters of public policy and issues can be debated before decisions are
reached. However, ultimate power rests in the ability of the House of Commons to
force the government to resign by passing a resolution of 'no confidence'. The
government must also resign if the House rejects a proposal so vital to its policy that it
has made it a matter of confidence. The proceedings of both Houses of Parliament are
broadcast on television and radio, sometimes live or more usually in recorded and
edited form.
General elections to choose MPs must be held at least every five
years. Voting, which is not compulsory, is by secret ballot and is
from the age of 18. The simple majority system of voting is used.
Candidates are elected if they have more votes than any of the
other candidates, although not necessarily an absolute majority
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over all candidates.
Political Party System
The political party system is essential to the working of the constitution. Although the
parties are not registered or formally recognized in law, most candidates for election
belong to one of the main parties. Since 1945 eight general elections have been won
by the Conservative Party and six by the Labour Party. A number of smaller parties
have national and local organizations outside Parliament, and are also represented in
local government.
The Government is formed by the party with majority support in the Commons. The
Queen appoints its leader as Prime Minister. As head of the Government the Prime
Minister appoints about 100 ministers. About 20 ministers make up the Cabinet, the
senior group making the major policy decisions. Ministers are collectively responsible
for government decisions and individually responsible for their own departments. The
second largest party forms the official Opposition, with its own leader and 'shadow
cabinet'. The Opposition has a duty to challenge government policies and to present
an alternative program.
Policies are carried out by government departments and executive agencies staffed by
politically neutral civil servants. Over half the Civil Service, about 295,000 civil
servants, work in over 75 executive agencies. Agencies perform many of the
executive functions of the government, such as the payment of social security benefits
and the issuing of passports and drivers' licenses. Agencies are headed by chief
executives responsible for their performance and who enjoy considerable freedom on
financial, pay and personnel matters.
Britain's Legal System
England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all have their own legal systems,
with minor differences in law, organization and practice.
Criminal Justice
Law enforcement is carried out by 52 locally based police departments with about
160,000 police officers. The police are normally unarmed and there are strict limits to
police powers of arrest and detention. Firearms must be licensed and their possession
is regulated.
In British criminal trials the accused in presumed innocent until proven guilty. Trials
are in open court and the accused is represented by a lawyer. Most cases are tried
before lay justices sitting without a jury. The more serious cases are tried in the higher
courts before a jury of 12 (15 in Scotland) which decides guilt or innocence.
Civil Justice
The civil law of England, Wales and Northern Ireland covers business related to the
family, property, contracts and torts (non-contractual wrongful acts suffered by one
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person at the hands of another). Actions brought to court are usually tried without a
jury. Higher courts deal with more complicated civil cases. Most judgments are for
sums of money, and the costs of an action are generally paid by the losing party.
Administration of the Law
The Lord Chancellor is the head of the judiciary branch of government. The
administration of the law rests with him, the Home Secretary, the Attorney General
and the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland. The courts of the
United Kingdom are the Queen's Courts, the Crown being the historic source of all
judicial power.
Judges are appointed from among practicing lawyers. Barristers or advocates advise on legal
problems and present cases in the lay justices' and jury courts. Solicitors represent individual and
corporate clients and appear in the lay justices' courts. Lay justices need no legal qualifications but
are trained to give them sufficient knowledge of the law. A person in need of legal council may
qualify for public funds assistance.
II. The Structure of Her Majesty's Government
Her Majesty's Government is the body of ministers responsible for the conduct of
national affairs. The Prime Minister is appointed by the Queen, and all other ministers
are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Prime Minister. Most
ministers are members of the Commons, although the Government is also fully
represented by ministers in the Lords. The Lord Chancellor is always a member of the
House of Lords.
The composition of governments can vary both in the number of ministers and in the
titles of some offices. New ministerial offices may be created, others may be
abolished, and functions may be transferred from one minister to another.
The Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is also, by tradition, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for
the Civil Service. The Prime Minister's unique position of authority derives from
majority support in the House of Commons and from the power to appoint and
dismiss ministers. By modern convention, the Prime Minister always sits in the House
of Commons.
The Prime Minister presides over the Cabinet, is responsible for the allocation of
functions among ministers and informs the Queen at regular meetings of the general
business of the Government. The Prime Minister's other responsibilities include
recommending a number of appointments to the Queen. These include:
1. Church of England archbishops, bishops and ears and other Church appointments;
2. senior judges, such as the Lord Chief Justice;
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3. Privy Counsellors; and
4. Lord-Lieutenants.
They also include certain civil appointments, such as Lord High Commissioner to the
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, Poet Laureate, Constable of the Tower,
and some university posts; and appointments to various public boards and institutions,
such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), as well as various royal and
statutory commissions. The Prime Minister also makes recommendations for the
award of many civil honors and distinctions.
The Prime Minister's Office at 10 Downing Street, the official residence in London,
has a staff of civil servants who assist the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister may
also appoint special advisors to the Office to assist in the formation of policies.
Departmental Ministers
Ministers in charge of government departments are usually in the Cabinet; they are
known as 'Secretary of State' or 'Minister', or may have a special title, as in the case of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Non-Departmental Ministers
The holders of various traditional offices, namely the Lord President of the Council,
the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Lord Privy Seal, the Paymaster General
and, from time to time, Ministers without Portfolio, may have few or no department
duties. They are therefore available to perform any duties the Prime Minister may
wish to give them.
Lord Chancellor and Law Officers
The Lord Chancellor holds a special position, as both a minister with departmental
functions and the head of the judiciary. The four Law Officers of the Crown are: for
England and Wales, the Attorney General and the Solicitor General; and for Scotland,
the Lord Advocate and the Solicitor General for Scotland.
Ministers of State and Junior Ministers
Ministers of State usually work with ministers in charge of departments. They
normally have specific responsibilities, and are sometimes given titles which reflect
these functions. More than one may work in a department. A Minister of State may be
given a seat in the Cabinet and be paid accordingly.
Junior Ministers - generally Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State or, where the
senior minister is not a Secretary of State, simply Parliamentary Secretaries - share in
parliamentary and departmental duties. They may also be given responsibility,
directly under the departmental minister, for specific aspects of the department's
work.
EDITOR'S NOTE: If you aren't confused yet, wait a minute. It is easy to see where Jonathan Swift
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got the inspiration for "Gulliver's Travels".
Notes:
1. parliamentary adj.议会的
2. monarch n.君主
3. legislature n.立法机关, 立法机构
4. judiciary adj.司法的, 法院的 n.司法部, 司法官, 审判员
5. impartial adj.司法的, 法院的，公平的, 不偏不倚的
6. constituencies n.(选区的)选民, (一批)顾客, 支持者, 赞助者
7. hereditary adj.世袭的, 遗传的
8. peer n.同等的人, 贵族
9. peeress n.贵族夫人, 有爵位的妇女
10. archbishops n.[宗]大教主
11. bishops n.主教
12. passage n.通过, 经过, 通道, 通路, (一)段, (一)节
13. complement n.补足物, [文法] 补语, [数] 余角 vt.补助, 补足
14. compulsory adj.必需做的, 必修的, 被强迫的, 被强制的, 义务的
15. detention n.拘留, 禁闭, 阻止, 滞留, 留堂
16. tort n.[律] 民事侵权行为
17. barrister n.(在英国有资格出席高等法庭并辩护的)律师, 法律顾问
18. solicitor n.律师,法律顾问
19. privy adj.个人的 n.有利害关系的人
20. Lieutenant n.陆军中尉, 海军上尉, 副职官员
21. constable n.治安官, 警官, 巡官
22. statutory adj.法令的, 法定的
23. Exchequer n. 财政部
24. paymaster n.发薪人员, 工薪出纳员
25. portfolio n.部长职务 n.公文包；投资组合
Questions:
1. What power does the monarchy possess?
2. What are the two houses of Parliament? Where is the center of power? How did the
Parliament exert control over the executive branch?
3. What are the two main parties in Britain? What are their roles in the government?
4. Make a general introduction of Britain’s legal system.
5. Make a general introduction of British government.
What you should learn from this chapter:
14. A general knowledge on American and British government;
15. A general knowledge of the most common-used vocabulary and expressions in
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political and international news;
16. Ability to understand political and international news.
Language study:
13. Vocabulary study: lobbyist; repeal; amendment; veto; adjourn
14. Translation:
In addition, the government is structured to prevent abuse of power by any single
branch or public official. As has been noted previously, the three branches of the
federal government -- legislative, executive and judicial -- are semiautonomous. Yet
each has certain authority over the others. The pattern of checks and balances, implicit
in the division of authority, guards against undue concentration of power in any one
sector of the government at any level.
Homework
1. Read the following passage, answer the questions and learn how to read feature
stories.
Reading feature stories
News stories are essentially “something happened” stories. They generally begin with
a short summary of the main facts in the headline and lead. Then the body tells the
story in greater detail. Since news stories come to the main point so quickly, they
seem to be in a hurry, written for readers who want to know what happened NOW!
Yet there is another kind of story known as the feature. Feature stories tend to be
longer than news stories, and they go into their topics more deeply. They are also less
hurried and they often deal with subjects that are not found on the news pages. Instead
of explaining what happened, feature writers are more likely to tell us what an
interesting person or place is like, why a certain fashion or activity has become
popular, or how we can improve our health.
The difference in the style and content of news stories and features is obvious from a
quick comparison. Look at the two stories below. You can tell the difference from the
first few paragraphs.
News
Sugar farmers get help from banks
Commercial banks yesterday agreed to support sugar cane farmers for the current
milling season by accepting cheques at the pre-harvest crop price.
The government asked local banks to assist farmers after the state-owned Bank of
Agriculture Cooperatives backed down on the request.
The sugar fund would guarantee cheques issued by millers to farmers, who in turn
could cash them in for a discount with local banks, said the industry minister.
Sagging sugar prices led banks to demand a guarantee from the sugar fund to cover
credit risk.
Feature
The best of the bunch
Most of the housewives in Rajchasarn district of the eastern province of
Chachoengsao are small-time farmers. But when they joined together to produce
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preserved bananas last year, their names became known far and wide.
Last September their kluay ob (baked banana) was served on Thai Airways
International. The word was out and before they knew it people were going bananas
for their nine products.
And in recent months they have even been approached by a Thai company interested
in exporting their products to Hong Kong and Singapore. "It all started with 10
banana trees," said Chintana Tuncharoen, head of the Community Housewives of
Rajchasarn district.
In May 1998, the villagers in Chachoengsao answered their governors' call to grow 10
banana trees per household to carry out His Majesty the King's advice on
self-sufficiency. Soon each household found they were producing more bananas than
they could possibly eat.
"The surplus was too little for the market but much too much to have them rot away,"
said Mrs Chintana.
The housewives of Rajchasarn district then formed a group in an effort to find a
solution to the problem. Preservation was the key. But how when no artificial
preservatives were to be used? It could not be on a day-to-day basis like frying or
grilling as their farm work won't allow this. And other kinds of preserved bananas like
kluay tak (dried banana) and kluay chab (dried banana slices coated with sugar), have
been around for a long time. The women decided they needed something more
innovative to catch the market's attention. The banana problem turned out to be a
provincial one and the governor, Thirawat Kullavanijaya, and the Provincial
Community Development Office came to their rescue.
The governor gave them two ovens which cost around 80,000 baht and enlisted the
help of the Chulabhorn Research Institute. The aim was to work out a banana
preservation programme for communities of housewives throughout the country.
Notice that you could stop reading the news story at almost any point and still have
the main facts. The feature story, however, has only just begun. It is clearly written for
readers who have the time to sit back and enjoy what they read. Even from the brief
excerpt it is clear the feature story is less formal and the writer is much more involved
in the story. In news stories, you hardly notice the writer at all.
Tips for reading feature stories
1. Don’t give up too easily. Feature stories often seem difficult, but usually only the
introduction is troublesome. There, the writer tries to catch our attention and some of
the methods used (humour, word-plays or idioms) can be difficult for non-native
readers to understand. Once the main part of the feature begins, however — usually
after three or four paragraphs — it may become much easier to read.
2. Take advantage of all the help the writer gives you. Pay special attention to the
pictures and the captions beneath them. Often the editor provides an introduction as
well. For example, in the banana story above, this is how the editor introduced the
story.
ENTERPRISE: A group of housewives have
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become real high-fliers since their preserved
bananas found a place on the Thai Airways
International menu. Now other groups want to learn
their recipe for success
Features always have a headline that identifies the topic of the story. There is a deck
as well. A deck is a sentence or short paragraph that suggests the theme of the story. It
is set in large italic type before the story.
3. Take a quick look through the story to see how it is organized. Usually a feature
will have several distinct parts. Once you see them, the feature becomes much easier
to read — a series of short sections rather than one long story.
4. Try to find the writer’s focus. Good writers generally focus on one or two aspects
of their subject. It may be a particular habit or characteristic of a famous person, for
example, and the writer may give examples of it several times during the story —
especially at the beginning or end.
Questions:
1. What are the differences between news stories and feature stories?
2. What tips were given on reading feature stories in this passage?
3. What’s the writer’s focus in the feature story The Best of the Bunch?
2. Read the following news, name each part ( headline, byline, dateline and so on );
analyze its language characteristics and list the 5ws.
Two Issues May Deeply Divide Next Congress
Parties Are at Odds Over High Court, Social Security
By Charles Babington and Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, January 3, 2005; Page A01
The 109th Congress will convene tomorrow with pageantry and pleasantries, but two
lurking, potentially explosive issues could turn it into one of the most partisan and
contentious sessions in recent times.
Just as judicial nominations have become unusually divisive, senators are anticipating
the first Supreme Court vacancy in more than a decade. And President Bush is
proposing significant changes to Social Security, the popular entitlement program that
many Democrats consider a vital and inviolable legacy of their party.
The new Congress will address hundreds of other questions, such as whether to limit
civil liabilities, rewrite immigration laws and drill for oil in an Alaskan refuge. But
politicians from left to right agree that those issues cannot rock the Capitol as much as
battles over the high court and the federal retirement program.
"Those are going to be the two epic fights in 2005," said Richard Lessner, executive
director of the American Conservative Union.
Aides said Bush plans to kick off the Social Security debate with a major speech even
before his second inauguration, on Jan. 20, then will try to keep up the pressure on
Congress with a series of road trips that will include stops in areas with heavy
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concentrations of seniors so he can assure them they could not lose their checks under
his proposal. Signaling his plans to work for all the major parts of his agenda, Bush
will fly Wednesday to Illinois to make his case for medical liability reform, part of a
suite of changes to laws governing lawsuits that the Senate plans to take up early in
the year.
Before turning to such long-anticipated issues, both chambers plan to act to fund and
perhaps even enlarge Bush's commitment of at least $350 million toward recovery
from the tsunami in South Asia, where the death toll is now at least 45 times the
number of deaths from the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. "Congress will do its
part to help," House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) said last week. Secretary of
State Colin L. Powell told CNN yesterday that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist
(R-Tenn.) had "made it absolutely clear that the Senate will come back in session
whenever it is necessary to obtain the necessary supplemental funding to replenish
these accounts."
In many respects, the 109th Congress will resemble the 108th, which adjourned last
month. Republicans again control the White House as well as both chambers of
Congress, though by relatively small margins. Outwardly, the 435-member House has
barely changed, with Republicans gaining three seats in November and both parties
keeping their leadership teams in place.
The Nov. 2 elections brought more change to the 100-seat Senate. Republicans netted
four additional seats, boosting their once-tiny majority to a more comfortable 55 and,
in the process, ousting the Democrats' leader of the past decade, Thomas A. Daschle
(S.D.). But Democrats still hold enough seats to mount filibusters, the delaying
strategy that requires 60 votes to halt. With Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, 80,
battling thyroid cancer, Senate Democrats soon may face a high-stakes decision on
whether to filibuster a Supreme Court nomination, a move certain to ignite a ferocious
fight with Bush and Republican senators.
Democrats used filibusters in 2004 to block 10 conservative appellate court nominees
who they said were outside the political mainstream. Frist has called the practice
intolerable and threatened to rule that filibusters against judicial nominees are
unconstitutional. Democrats say they would respond with an avalanche of
parliamentary maneuvers that would bring the entire Senate to a halt.
For now, both parties are playing a game of political chicken, unwilling to signal their
intentions or temper their threats. Some Republicans say they cannot believe
Democrats would filibuster a Supreme Court nomination, an act that would draw
widespread attention. But many liberal groups will press Democrats to do just that if
Bush nominates a staunch conservative who, among other things, might seek to
outlaw abortion.
"Assuming that he does that, and that Republican senators rubberstamp the nominee,
Democrats will likely resort to using all available tools to prevent the confirmation,
including the filibuster," said Nan Aron, head of the liberal Alliance for Justice. Bush,
by recently renominating several of the judges filibustered last year, has signaled "his
intent to make the next four years as bitter and partisan as we've ever seen," she said.
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The House plays no role in judicial nominations, but it will be amid the other major
looming battle: Social Security revisions. Bush has called for allowing workers to
divert some of their payroll taxes to private accounts, which could be invested in
stocks and bonds. Critics from both parties say the president has not explained how he
would pay for the revisions, and many Democrats oppose any change whatsoever in
Social Security.
Meanwhile, some prominent Republicans have their own proposals, suggesting Bush
will have to unify his own party before pushing legislation through Congress. For
example, Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) wants to raise the level of income subject
to Social Security payroll taxes, an idea Bush rejects. Even worse for the president,
the powerful lobbying group AARP is spending $5 million on advertisements
opposing his plan, which the retirees' group says is too risky.
In light of such resistance, even some Bush allies are pessimistic. "The odds are
probably not in favor of accomplishing something, but it's a fight worth having,"
Lessner said.
After Social Security and judges, Congress's toughest issues are likely to involve
spending and deficit questions, with some lower priorities eventually falling away.
Already, administration officials have signaled they will wait until next year for a
major push to rewrite the tax code, and one congressional aide involved in the
discussions predicted there will be "other bags thrown overboard."
Almost certain to be pushed, however, is a renewed attempt to pass a broad-based
energy bill, including drilling for oil and gas in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife
Refuge. Senators narrowly blocked the drilling provision last year, and supporters say
the bigger GOP majority may prove the cure.
As for limiting civil liabilities, Bush has made it a high priority and the House can be
counted on again to send "tort reform" legislation to the Senate. The struggle there,
however, might be intense. Some Senate Republicans who are lawyers -- including
Graham, Richard C. Shelby (Ala.) and newcomer Mel Martinez (Fla.) -- may have
reservations about limiting victims' abilities to seek damages from hospitals, doctors,
corporations or others that allegedly harmed people through neglect or other
misdeeds.
"I anticipate a very contentious and partisan Congress, with much of the initial
conflict centered on the budget, Social Security reform and judicial appointments but
eventually extending well beyond that," said Thomas E. Mann, a congressional
scholar at the Brookings Institution. "Bush's best prospects are probably with the
energy bill and some modest tort reform. If the situation in Iraq remains insecure and
unstable after the [Jan. 30 Iraqi] elections, I expect opposition voices in Congress to
begin pressing for an exit strategy."
One of the most important actions of the first week will take place behind closed
doors. House Republicans will pick a new Appropriations Committee chairman, who
oversees all spending bills. The contenders -- Jerry Lewis (Calif.), Ralph Regula
(Ohio) and Harold Rogers (Ky.) -- will be interviewed privately tomorrow, with the
result announced Wednesday.
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House Republican strategists said the issue that may cause Bush the most problems
with his own party is immigration, with leaders caught between their promise to take
up new restrictions, which was part of the price for winning passage of intelligence
reform in December, and the president's plan to give temporary legal status to
undocumented workers if they have a job and register.
"The president can make his agenda as ambitious as he wants," a Republican Senate
aide said. "But it is going to be constrained by time, money and will."
Appendix
Vocabulary on International Affairs
---- ally: a state or ruler associated with another by treaty.
---- ambassador: the highest-ranking diplomatic officer.
Larry has a dream to become the U.S. ambassador to Japan someday.
---- amnesty: a pardon granted by a government for offenders, esp. political
offenders.
---- apartheid: the racist policy that denied blacks and nonwhite civic, social, and economic
equality with whites.
---- aristocracy: a privileged, primarily hereditary ruling class, or a form of
government controlled by such an elite.
---- arms race: competition between nations in building and stockpiling weapons to attain
military superiority.
---- balance of power: a state of peace that results when rival nations are equally
powerful and therefore have no good reason to wage war.
---- banana republic: a small Latin American state, dependent on foreign investment, often
governed by despot.
---- banishment: expulsion from a country by an authoritarian decree; exile.
---- bilateralism: trade or diplomatic relations between two countries.
---- biological warfare: warfare where disease-producing microorganisms are deliberately used to
destroy, injure or immobilize vegetation, livestock or human life.
---- bloc: a group of aligned nations.
East Germany is an Eastern bloc country and was established as a republic in 1949.
---- cartel: an international group joined together for common political or economic
purpose; an agreement between belligerents.
---- cold war: a constant nonviolent hostility in the last half of the twentieth century
between the United States and the Soviet Union.
---- Common Market: the popular name for the European Economic Community,
which was established in 1957 to promote free trade and economic cooperation
among the nations of western Europe.
The Common Market includes France, Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Greece,
Denmark, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium and Spain joined later.
---- communism: an economic and social system envisioned by the 19th-century
German scholar Karl Marx. Under communism, all means of production are owned in
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common, rather than by individuals.
---- compromise: an agreement between two or more states.
Politics is all about making compromises.
---- confederation: an alliance or league of nations.
Canada is officially a confederation of provinces.
---- consul: an official sent by one state to another to protect and assist its nationals in
commercial relations.
---- consulate: an office or position of a consul; premises occupied by a consul.
---- courier: a diplomat bearing confidential documents.
---- delegate: a representative of a nation in attendance at a conference.
---- deterrence: a military capability that is strong enough to discourage any
would-be aggressor from starting a war because of the fear of retaliation.
President Reagan began the Star Wars program as a war deterrence.
---- developing nation: a nation where the average income is much lower than in
industrial nations, where the economy relies on a few export crops, and where
farming is conducted by primitive methods.
Industrial nations have the moral responsibility to help developing nations to become
economically self-sufficient.
---- dictatorship: government by a single person or by a group that is not responsible
to the people or their elected representatives.
---- diplomacy: political relations between nations.
---- diplomat: a political representative of one national government to another,
appointed to conduct official negotiations and maintain relations between the two
governments.
---- diplomatic immunity: exemption of diplomats, ambassadors, etc. of a foreign
nation from the laws of the nation to which they are assigned.
Foreign ambassadors are given diplomatic immunity in the nation to which they are
assigned.
---- disarmament: the abolition, reduction, or limitation of arms.
---- dollar diplomacy: the use of economic pressure to protect a nation’s economic
and business interests in other countries.
---- draft: forced enrollment of people for military service.
Young men in the U.S. are required to register for the draft when they turn 18.
---- embargo: a government order that prohibits the entry or departure of commercial
ships at it’s ports, esp. during war; any trade restriction in a particular commodity.
---- embassy: an ambassador’s official residence in a foreign nation.
---- emigration: the departure of a citizen of one state so as to become a citizen of
another.
---- envoy: a diplomatic agent of any rank.
---- escalation: an increase in the intensity or geographical scope of a war or
diplomatic confrontation.
---- extradition: the legal process by which one government may obtain custody of
individuals from another government in order to put them on trial or imprison them.
---- foreign affairs: the relations of one nation with another.
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---- Geneva Conventions: a set of international rules that govern the treatment of
prisoners, the sick and wounded, and civilians during war.
The first Geneva Convention was drawn up in the late 19th century and concerned
only the sick and wounded in war.
---- global: adj. Pertaining to the entire world.
Nuclear war on a global scale could wipe out the entire human race.
---- global economy: interrelated traded and development factors that affect all
nations.
We are now living in a global economy since each nation’s economy affects all
nations.
---- global village: the world regarded as a single community, esp. because of mass
media, communications, and rapid transportation.
Technological advances in communications and transportation, combined with news
networks like CNN, has truly turned the world into a global village.
---- guerrilla warfare: wars fought with hit-and –run tactics by small groups against
an invader or against an established government.
---- human rights: the basic freedoms and welfare of all world citizens, with which
governments have no rights to interfere with.
---- immigration: entry and settlement in a country by people born elsewhere.
---- imperialism: acquisition by a government of other governments or territories, or
of economic or cultural power over other nations or territories, often by force.
Colonialism is a form of imperialism.
---- International Court of Justice: a division of the United Nations that settles legal
disputes submitted to it by member nations.
The International Court of Justice meets in the Hague, the Netherlands.
---- international law: a set of rules governing the interactions of nations.
The UN regulated international law between nations.
---- internationalism: the view that nations should cooperate in international
organizations such as the United Nations to settle disputes.
---- interpreter: a person who provides oral translation between speakers of different
languages such as diplomats from different nations.
---- junta: a group of military leaders who govern a country.
---- KGB: the secret police of the former Soviet Union.
---- Marxism: the doctrines of Karl Marx and his associate Friedreich Engles on
economics, politics, and society.
---- multilateralism: trade or diplomatic negotiations among several nations.
---- nationalism: the strong belief that the interests of a particular nation-state are of
primary importance; a belief that a people who share a common language, history, and
culture should constitute an independent nation, free of foreign domination.
---- nationality: the status of citizenship in a particular nation; people sharing a
common culture.
---- nationalization: the taking over of private property by a national government.
---- NATO: NATO is an international organization founded in 1949, in which
members have pledged to settle disputes among themselves peacefully.
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---- Nobel Prize: awards given annually for achievement in physics, chemistry,
literature, peace, medicine, etc.
The Nobel Prizes were founded by Alfred Nobel, and are considered a mark of
worldwide leadership in the fields in which they are given.
---- neutrality: a state of impartiality from hostility by a nation in a time of war.
---- nuclear weapon: any weapon that employs a nuclear reaction for its explosive
power. Nuclear weapons include ballistic missiles, bombs, artillery rounds, and mines.
---- pact: an international treaty or agreement.
The Warsaw Pact was signed by the former Soviet Union and its allies largely in
response to the formation of NATO.
---- parliament: an assembly of representatives, usually of an entire nation, that
makes laws.
---- peaceful coexistence: the idea that communist and capitalist nations need not be
at a war, but can live and compete together in peace.
---- police state: a nation whose rulers maintain order and obedience by the threat of
police or military force.
---- premier: a head of government in many nations, such as the former Soviet Union.
The chiefs of government of the provinces of Canada are called premiers.
---- prime minister: a common title of the head of government in a parliament system,
such as that of Britain or Canada.
---- propaganda: official government communications to the public, either true or
false, that are designed to influence public opinion.
---- refugees: people who flee a nation, often to escape punishment for their political
affiliations or for political dissent.
---- sanction: coercive economic or military action taken by one or several nations
against another.
Sanctions may be political, such as the expulsion from international organizations, or economic,
such as the denial of trade.
---- secretary of state: an appointed official who supervisors the department
conducting U.S. foreign affairs.
---- Security Council: an important division of the United Nations that contains five
permanent members—the United Stated, Britain, China, France, and Russia.
The Security Council is often called into session to respond quickly to international
crises.
---- socialism: an economic system in which the production and distribution of goods
are controlled mainly by the government instead of private enterprise.
---- sovereignty: a nation or state’s supreme power within its borders.
---- State Department: the U.S. executive department responsible for conducting
foreign affairs.
---- summit: a conference of highest level officials from two or more nations.
---- superpower: an extremely powerful nation with worldwide influence.
---- terrorism: covert violent acts used to influence national policies.
The UN and the Security Council sometimes work together to thwart terrorism.
---- Third World: a term used to refer to nonaligned or developing nations,
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specifically Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
---- totalitarianism: domination by a government by controlling all political, social,
and economic activities in a nation.
---- treaty: an international agreement.
---- ultimatum: a formal message delivered from one government to another
threatening war if the receiving government fails to comply with conditions set forth
in the message.
---- unilateralism: action initiated or taken by a single nation rather than by two
nations.
---- United Nations (UN): an international organization of nations formed in 1945
and now headquartered in New York City. It was created to promote international
peace and security.
----world power: a nation whose actions affect the entire world.
Laugh Time
To show our admiration for his imaginative and interesting
lectures, we bought the professor a box of his favorite cigars for
Christmas. On the last day of class the present was on his desk,
but much to our surprise he didn’t seem pleased. In fact, he
acted somewhat annoyed when he unwrapped the box. He said
nothing about it, however, until the end of the period.
“ Gentlemen,” he announced, “ the university strictly forbids
faculty members accepting gifts from the students. I appreciate
your sentiments, but we must obey the rules.” He took the box of
cigars and tucked it under his arm. “ There is only one course
open to me. I shall take them home and burn them.”
While Christmas shopping, I asked a pretty college freshman working in our local bookstore during
the holiday rush for a copy of Dickens’ Christmas Carol. Smiling sweetly, she said, “ Oh, he didn’t
write songs. He wrote books.”
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The instructor of our 1 and1/2-hour math course usually gave us a short break after an hour, One
day, however, he lectured on and on. Then, with only 20 minutes remaining, he stopped and offered a
compromise.
“ If you ask me questions for the next five minutes,” he said, “ then you’re free to go.”
After a long moment, someone piped up, “ So, how are the wife and kids?”
We left early that day.
As a freshman at Louisiana State University, I was filling out
one of the endless questionnaires during orientation week.
Evidently the pace was too much for the boy sitting next to me.
When he came to the question, “ Do you believe in college
marriages?” he shrugged his shoulders and obligingly wrote:
“ Yes, if the colleges really love each other.”
Chapter 8 News on War
Discuss
1. When we talk about war today, which places will you think of?
2. Have you ever thought of the cause of the wars?
Passage I
Read the following passage and answer the questions:
Middle East Problem
Politically, the Middle East problem refers to the conflict between the Arab States
(Palestine included) and Israel, and is also called Arab-Israeli conflict. It is
historically the product of power struggles and has lasted for over half a century,
which makes it the most enduring hot spot in today’s world. The core issue of the
Middle East Problem is the Palestine Problem.
I. A brief review of history
Palestine was called Canaan in ancient times. It covered the present Israel, Gaza,
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West Bank and Jordan. The original inhabitants in Palestine were Canaanites. About
4000 years ago, Hebrews and Philistines migrated from the Euphrates-Tigris and the
coastal area along the Aegean to Palestine. Amid continuous fighting with Canaanites
and Philistines, the Hebrew people established the first Hebrew kingdom in 1020 BC.
From the 8th century to the beginning of the 20th century, Palestine suffered under the
invasion, occupation and struggles by big powers. In 586 BC. the neo-Babylonian
captured and drove Jews to Babylon. In 538 BC., the Persian Empire gave the
captured Jews the permissions to return to Palestine. The Jews rebuilt their Holy
Temple in Jerusalem. In 135, Jews was driven out of Palestine again by the Roman
Empire, and began their Diaspora worldwide. In 637, Palestine was annexed by the
Arab Empire, Arabs kept to move in and the Palestinian Arabs took in form.
In late 19th century, some Jewish intellectuals living in Europe initiated the Zionist
movement. In 1897, a Zionist congress was held in Basle, Switzerland, under the
leadership of Herzl, and World Zionist Organization was founded. The organization
was aimed to create in Palestine a homeland for Jews secured by public laws. Britain
supported the Zionist movement and used it as a tool for a better control of Palestine
in order to protect its interests in the Suez Canal and to expand to the innerland of the
Middle East. In 1917, Britain issued the Balfour Declaration, “view with favor the
establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”. In July 1922,
the League of Nations gave Britain the mandate over Palestine. Since then, Jews from
all over the world began their influx to Palestine.
Palestinians are Arabs and Arabs are those who speak Arabic as their native tongue
and who identify themselves as Arabs.
The Arab World does not correspond to the Muslim World. There are significant
non-Muslim Arab communities. Altogether there are more than one billion Muslims
of which 90% are Sunni and 10% Shiite. Arabs count only for 25% of that number.
The Arab World extends from Iraq and the Gulf states in the east
to Morocco’s Atlantic coast in the west and from Syria in the
north to Sudan in the south. This vast region comprises deserts,
rugged mountains and fertile river valleys.
Today around 250 million people live in the 17 independent
countries that make up the Arab world. Palestinians are Arabs
but they have yet to achieve full national independence.
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Economically, Arab countries and their populations span the spectrum from the
wealthiest to the poorest populations in the world. They have access to widely
different natural resources.
On November 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly passed with 33 pros, 13 cons and
10 abstentions Resolution 181 to partition Palestine. According to the resolution, two
independent states would be established in the Palestine area, of which 15.2 thousand
sq. km would be allocated to the State of Israel and the remaining 11.5 thousand sq.
km to the State of Palestine. Since Jerusalem, with an area of 158 sq. km, is the holy
site at the same time for Jews, Christians and Muslims, it should be internationalized
and submitted under UN’s trusteeship. On May 14, 1948, State of Israel was founded
and became the first country ever set up in accordance with UN resolution. However,
Arabs and Palestinians were strongly opposed to the resolution and the Palestine state
was not set up at all. That is when the Israelis got their name, before, they were
just Jews that had moved into Palestine. The new state had no boundaries and, to
this day, more than five decades later, Israel is the only country in the world, the only
member of the UN that refuses to accept any identified boundaries. It is worthy of
note that Israel was established as a state for the "Jewish People wherever they might
be" and not as the state of its citizens. The UN partition plan, however, did identify
the boundaries on a map.
Naturally, the Arab states of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Iraq tried to invade
the new state. On the second day of Israel’s foundation, a war between it and Arab
countries broke out and that marked the beginning of the long history of Arab-Israeli
conflicts.
An Armistice was signed in January 1949, ending the first Arab-Israeli War, by which
Israel increased by over 40% the size of its partitioned territory. A much different,
tragic situation was in store for the Palestinians. More than half had abandoned their
homes. Most lived as refugees in the west bank of the Jordan River. Palestine ceased
to exist as a political and administrative entity. In the eyes of the UN, and therefore
international law, the Palestinians were stateless and without any citizenship. They are
officially refugees, a "problem" awaiting resolution.
In June 1967, well supplied with US weapons, Israel attacked its neighbours and, in 6
days, all of the historical Palestine came under the military control of Israel.
The events since that 1967 war have been a succession of horror stories for both
parties but mostly for the Palestinians. Major dates are: the 1973 Arab war on Israel,
the Camp David Agreements in 1979, the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, the
October 1991 Madrid peace conference, the September 1993 first Oslo Accords,the
September 1995 second Oslo Accords, the November 1998 Wye Agreement, and the
May 1999 Sharm El Sheik Memorandum.
II. The Origin of Middle East Problem
1. The Middle East is the point of origin of three great world religions: Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. No consideration of Middle East affairs can ignore the
religious dimension - indeed, we would argue that no consideration of the human
condition can ignore the religious dimension.
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The war in the Middle East has been brewing for about 100 years, and the end is still
not in sight. Every one who knows the problems of territory, religion, education, and
simple racial hate and international involvement, knows that the greatest problem of
all is related to the Bible. Jews have for the two thousand years of exile among the
nations dreamed of returning to the land of their forefathers, the land of Israel,
between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.
People who believe that the Bible is the Word of God give this ancient document the
authority of an international contract between God and mankind. The Bible is for
those who believe it a living Word that not only tells the story of past ancient history,
but also predicts the future and makes a road map for the rest of man’s days on this
Earth. Those who believe that the promises of the Bible are to be understood literally
are called, Fundamentalist.
2. History, and different perceptions of history, are perhaps the most important
factors in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Accounts of history, interpreting history in
different ways, are used to justify claims and to negate claims, to vilify the enemy
and to glorify "our own" side. Dozens of accounts have been written. Most of the
accounts on the Web are intended to convince rather than to inform.
This very brief account is intended as a balanced overview and introduction to
Palestinian and Israeli history, and the history of the conflict. It is unlikely that
anyone has written or will write an "objective" and definitive summary that would
be accepted by everyone, but it is hoped that this document will provide a fair
introduction.
3. Oil. That is what the modern Middle Eastern geopolitics have usually been
about. Given the vast energy resources that form the backbone of western
economies, influence and involvement in the Middle East has been of paramount
importance for the former and current imperial and super powers, including France,
Britain, USA and the former Soviet Union.
Prior to the discovery of oil, the region has been a hotbed for religious conflict, and
wars over other rich resources and arable land. The interests that the West (primarily
Britain and France during European colonial times and now the US) has had has been
due to the energy and resource interests and to battle against the Ottoman Empire.
Notes:
Canaan n.迦南(《圣经》故事中称其为上帝赐给以色列人祖先
的"应许之地",是巴勒斯坦,叙利亚和黎巴嫩等地的古称)
Gaza 加沙(西南亚地中海岸港市,巴勒斯坦的一部分,1967 年
被以色列占领)
144
Hebrews n.希伯来人
Philistine n.(中东古国)腓力斯人, 仇敌, 俗气的人 adj.非利士
的, 俗气的
Euphrates n.幼发拉底河
Tigris n.底格里斯河(西南亚，流经土尔其和伊拉克)
Aegean adj.爱琴海的 n.爱琴海(地中海的一部分,在希腊同土
耳其之间)
neo-表示“新, 新近”之义
Babylon n.巴比伦, 奢华淫靡的城市, 任何大的富庶的或罪恶
的城市
Jerusalem n.耶路撒冷(巴勒斯坦著名古城)
Diaspora n.犹太人的离散, 向国外散居, (一个国家或民族)散
居在外的人
Zionist n.支持或拥护犹太人复国运动者
Suez n.苏伊士(埃及东北部港市,是苏伊士省省会,在苏伊士运
河南端)
canal n.运河, 小道, 导管, 槽, 沟渠 vt.开运河
145
mandate n.(书面)命令, 训令, 要求, (前国际联盟的)委任托管
权 vt.委任统治
influx n.流入
Sunni n. 〈伊斯兰〉逊尼派教徒
Shiite n.什叶派教徒
comprise v.包含, 由...组成
rugged adj.高低不平的, 崎岖的, 粗糙的, 有皱纹的
con vt.记诵, 精读 adv.反对地, 反面 n.反对票, 反对论
abstention n.回避; 弃权(投票)
partition n.分割, 划分, 瓜分, 分开, 隔离物 vt.区分, 隔
开, 分割
trusteeship n.托管统治, 托管领土, 托管人职责
armistice n.停战, 休战
entity n.实体
memorandum n.备忘录, 便笺, 便函, 买卖契约书
Judaism n.犹太教
justify v.证明...是正当的
negate vt.否定, 打消
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vilify vt.诽谤, 辱骂, 贬低, 轻视
backbone n.脊椎, 中枢, 骨干, 支柱, 意志力, 勇气, 毅力, 决心
paramount adj.极为重要的
arable adj.可耕的, 适于耕种的
Ottoman (=Turkish)土耳其帝国的; 土耳其人的; 土耳其民族的
Questions:
1. What does Middle East Problem refer to?
2. What does Arab World refer to?
3. What’s the content of UN’s Resolution 181?
4. List the important wars in middle east area.
5. What are the causes of the Middle East problem?
Passage II
Read the following passage and answer the questions:
Gulf War
Factors that Lead to the war
Iraq
Saddam Hussein became "President" in 1979 and maintained power
through ruthless purges (including even members of his family). The state and the
army grew over time to consume most of the GNP.

Saddam's expansion of the state's military apparatus was frightening to his neighbors.
With the expansion of his military, Saddam attempted to gain hegemony over the
Persian Gulf Region. In the 1980's he fought a long, bitter struggle with Iran. As a
result of the war with Iran and the heavy investment in arms and training, the Iraqi
military became the dominant force in the region. Led by the Republican Guard it
could formidably challenge any of its neighbors. The price of keeping this force active
was exorbitant. Iraq borrowed heavily from its oil-producing neighbors. The debt
coupled with continued investments brought on a 40 percent inflation rate and a
stagnant standard of living.
Although Iraq had considerable oil reserves of her own, revenues were not sufficient
to meet the demands of her creditors. This problem was exacerbated in 1990 when
Kuwait and other oil states began to lower oil prices and increase production beyond
agreed upon levels. Iraq was forced to follow suit or lose even more revenues. To
make matters worse, Iraq suspected the Kuwaiti's were drilling diagonally from their
side of the border to tap Iraqi oil reserves. Saddam Hussein found himself in a tight
spot and a quick take-over of Kuwait, his neighbor to the south seemed like a good
solution to his problems.
Kuwait was a small country that, like Iraq, had once been part of the Ottoman Empire,
then a British Protectorate. When that small country had been granted its
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independence, its borders had been set in an arbitrary manner, the borders are not
readily defensible and the population is not necessarily cohesive. The country was
ruled by an Emir of the al-Sabah family.
Like much of the Persian Gulf region, most of the country's revenues derived from the
oil industry. The population was small, about 1.9 million, and its military was not a
factor in regional politics.
Kuwait was in many ways an irritant to Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Besides lowering oil
prices (thus cutting into Iraqi oil revenues), Kuwait had committed the unforgivable
sin of loaning Iraq considerable sums during the Iran/Iraq war. Iraq claimed to have
saved the entire region from the Iranian steam roller in the 1980's and deserved
special consideration amounting to renegotiating or even cancelling the debt. Kuwait
refused.

The process of the war
The start During late July of 1990 Saddam built up his military forces on the border
with Kuwait. At 1:00 a.m. on 02 August, three Iraqi divisions of the elite Republican
Guard rolled over the border. Resistance was nearly non-existent. The Guard reached
the outskirts of the capital, Kuwait City, a mere four and a half hours later. The frontal
assault was supported by an airborne special forces division attack directly on Kuwait
City itself. Saddam proclaimed his annexation of Kuwait, built up his forces, and
waited to see what the world would say and do about his fait acompli.( [法]既成事实)
Once the Republican Guard had secured all of the strategic points in the country, it
moved to the Kuwait/Saudi border. The Saudis were alarmed. Iraq was sending more
and more troops streaming into Kuwait, by August 6 there were nearly eleven combat
divisions. Intelligence analysts at the time understood that Iraq had enough troops in
the area to roll over Saudi Arabia nearly as easily as they had done to Kuwait.
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia recognized his situation as dire and immediately requested
aid from his most powerful friend and ally, the United States. President Bush
promptly ordered the deployment of U.S. ground and air forces to Saudi territory. U.S.
Navy ships were also deployed to the region. So began the operation to defend Saudi
Arabia that would be called "Desert Shield".
Build up the allied forces The United Nations felt compelled to condemn Iraq and to
request an immediate withdrawal of troops from Kuwait. The United Nations would
eventually authorize allied use of force in order to forcibly expel Iraq from Kuwait.
General H (Stormin') Norman Schwarzkopf was sent by President Bush, to Saudi
Arabia to take command of US forces and defacto command of all the forces in the
region. Sent to the General, via land, sea and air was the best that the United States
could provide including the XVIII Airborne Corps (24th Mechanized Infantry
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Division, 101st Airborne Division, and the 82nd Airborne Division), plus the 1st
Marine Division. In time, the United States would send over 500,000 personnel to the
region. Other allies, Britain, France, Egypt, Syria even the UAE sent contingents. The
force took on an international complexion, with United States leadership.
The build-up was prosecuted as rapidly as possible. Schwarzkopf feared that the
Iraqi's would launch an invasion before a proper defense could be constructed.
Strategists hypothesize that if Hussein had ordered his troops into Saudi Arabia within
a few days of his conquest of Kuwait, there would have been little to stop him from
rolling into Riyadh. Saddam hesitated and this hesitation proved his undoing. For it
was not until coalition forces had deployed that he decided to test their metal.
Air War - Operation Desert Storm The air campaign against Iraq was launched 16
January 1991, the day after the United Nations deadline for Iraqi withdrawal from
Kuwait expired.
The magnitude and the power of the air attack was a shock to all concerned. The
initial attack swept away much of Iraq's ability to defend against further air assaults.
Radar installations were attacked by helicopters, F-117's were sent to the Iraqi capital
of Baghdad to destroy command and control centers, air bases and hangars were
bombed. U.S. Navy bombers and Tomahawk missiles wreaked havoc on all aspects of
Iraqi air defense. The air campaign was conducted not just by the United States, but
the Saudi, British, French, Italian, as well as various Arab Air Forces.
On 24 January the Iraqis attempted to mount a strike against the major Saudi oil
refinery in Abqaiq. Two Mirage F-1 fighters laden with incendiary bombs and two
MiG-23s (along as fighter cover) took off from bases in Iraq. They were spotted by
US AWACs, and two Royal Saudi Air Force F-15s were sent to intercept. One of the
Saudi pilots maneuvered his jet behind the Mirages and shot down both aircraft. After
this episode, the Iraqis made no more air efforts of their own.
Ground War - Operation Desert Storm On 24 February 1991 the much feared
Marine Divisions kicked off the ground campaign with a thrust into the heart of the
Iraqi forces in central Kuwait. The Saudi and Muslim Joint Forces - East attacked up
the Kuwaiti coast line. Meanwhile the U.S. 18th Airborne Corps and the French 6th
Armored Division, making good use of their high speed and mobility, rushed into Iraq
on the far left. These initial attacks rolled over Iraqi positions and on the 25th of
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February were followed up with the US VII Corps with the US 1st Infantry Division
and the British 7th Armored Division attached.
The ground assault by the allies precipitated a general rout on the part of Iraqi forces
positioned in Kuwait. There was basically only one highway out of Kuwait and that
was the four lane desert highway that lead from Kuwait City to the Al Jahra' pass. As
Iraqi resistance deteriorated the highway became jammed with every nature of vehicle
laden with plunder from the Iraqi sack of Kuwait City. This highway was bombed,
and thousands of fleeing Iraqis were killed and wounded. Scenes of destruction of this
"Highway of Death" were flashed by news services around the world. Eventually the
mood in the Arab countries within the coalition became one of empathy for their
brother Arabs on the highway - men they did not want to kill unnecessarily.
As coalition forces moved to completely cut off this last avenue of retreat, the Iraqis
had been turned out of their Kuwaiti conquest. On 28 February President Bush
ordered the cessation of offensive military operations before the "Highway of Death"
could be completely closed off. While the Iraqis and the Allies negotiated, the
remaining Iraqi forces, including intact units of the elite Iraqi Republican Guard
streamed out of Kuwait.

Aftermath of the Gulf War
Iraq
In the negotiations following the close of active campaigning, the Iraqis were
allowed to withdraw many of their units relatively intact. Saddam Hussein was
allowed to remain in power in Iraq. Saddam would prove to be further trouble down
the road, repressing his own people and violating peace agreements. Had the ground
campaign been taken to its logical conclusion, the Iraqi war machine would have been
quickly dismantled.
Coalition Yet President Bush and other Allied leaders had more to consider than
military matters. Politically the coalition was beginning to differ on whether total
defeat of Iraq was a wise move. Iraq had been the only power to stand in the way of
the Iranian war machine making a conquest of all of Arabia burring the Iran/Iraq war.
Many felt it would not be wise to completely humiliate a buffer between Iran and
Arabia. Second, as evil as Saddam was perceived to be in much of the Western World,
he was perceived as a hero by many in the Middle East, for example the Palestinians
and Jordanians. Thus Saddam's complete destruction, besides upsetting the balance of
power in the Middle East, might antagonize other pro-western Middle-Eastern states.
Finally, there is a certain brotherhood that Arabs feel for one another, even when
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arrayed as enemies on a battlefield. Even an aggressor, as Iraq had surely been during
this conflict, could not morally be crushed.
US US war aims were achieved: Kuwait was liberated from Iraq and relative peace
has settled into the region. Militarily, the Gulf War was the most efficient campaign in
US history; relatively few lives were lost. It confirmed the value of air power and air
superiority on the battlefield.
In the end, this was a popular war that secured economic advantages for the Western
World - ensuring our way of life was not threatened by a shortage of the free flow of
natural resources.
Notes:
apparatus n.器械, 设备, 仪器
hegemony n.霸权
exorbitant adj.过度的, 过高的, 昂贵的
stagnant adj.停滞的, 迟钝的
exacerbate vt.恶化, 增剧, 激怒, 使加剧, 使烦恼
diagonally adv.对角地
protectorate n.保护国, 摄政政体, 摄政职位
arbitrary adj.任意的, 武断的, 独裁的, 专断的
emir n.埃米尔(穆斯林国家的酋长.贵族或王公)
irritant n.刺激物 adj.刺激的
steam roller n.蒸汽压路机, 高压手段 v.压垮
elite n.<法>[集合名词] 精华, 精锐, 中坚分子
division n.分开, 分割, 区分, 除法, 公司, (军事)师, 分配, 分界线
dire adj.可怕的
condemn vt.判刑, 处刑, 声讨, 谴责
defacto adj.<拉>事实上的, 实际上的 adv.<拉>事实上
UAE abbr. United Arab Emirates,(亚洲) 阿拉伯联合酋长国
contingent adj.可能发生的, 附随的, 暂时的 n.偶然的事情, 分遣队
prosecute vt.实行, 从事, 告发, 起诉 vi.告发, 起诉, 作检察官
hypothesize v.假设, 假定,猜测
Riyadh n.利雅得(沙特阿拉伯首都)
magnitude n.大小, 数量, 巨大, 广大, 量级
hangar n.飞机修理库, 飞机棚
havoc n.大破坏, 浩劫 vt.严重破坏
incendiary adj.纵火的, 煽动的 n.纵火犯, 煽动者, 燃烧弹
AWACS abbr.[军] Airborne Warning and Control System,机载报警与控制系统
intercept vt.中途阻止, 截取
maneuver vi., vt.调遣；演习；移防
episode n.一段情节, [音] 插曲, 插话, 有趣的事件
armored adj.披甲的, 装甲的
precipitate vt.猛抛, 使陷入, 促成, 使沉淀 vi.猛地落下
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rout n.溃退 v.击溃
plunder v.抢劫 n.抢劫, 战利品
cessation n.停止
dismantle v.拆除
buffer n.缓冲器
antagonize vt.敌对, 对抗
Questions:
1. What are the causes of the Gulf War?
2. Give a brief statement of the process of the war.
3. What are the results of the war?
Passage III
Read the following passage and answer the questions:
Afghanistan
The introduction about Afghanistan
Afghanistan's recent history is a story of war and civil unrest. The Soviet Union
invaded in 1979, but was forced to withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist
mujahidin forces supplied and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others.
The Communist regime in Kabul fought on until collapsing in 1992. Fighting
subsequently erupted among the various mujahidin factions, giving rise to a state of
warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban. Backed by foreign sponsors, the
Taliban developed as a political force and ultimately seized power in 1996. The
Taliban were able to capture most of the country, outside of Northern Alliance
strongholds primarily in the northeast. Following the 11 September 2001 terrorist
attacks, a US, Allied, and Northern Alliance military action toppled the Taliban. In
late 2001, major leaders from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn,
Germany, and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government structure that
resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as Chairman of the Afghan Interim
Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001. The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand
Assembly) in June 2002, and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). In December 2002, the TISA
marked the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. The Transitional Authority
convened a Constitutional Loya Jirga from 14 December 2003 until 4 January 2004
and ended with the approval of a new constitution. The constitution was signed on 16
January 2004 and highlights a strong executive branch, a moderate role for Islam, and
basic protections for human rights. TISA's next task is to hold nationwide elections by
June 2004, according to the Bonn Agreement timeline, but these may be delayed due
to election preparations. National elections would formally dissolve the Transitional
Authority and establish the Government of Afghanistan under the new constitution. In
addition to occasionally violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root
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out remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from enormous
poverty, a lack of skilled and educated workers, a crumbling infrastructure, and
widespread land mines.
Afghanistan War with Soviet(1978------1989)
Afghanistan War, 1978–89, conflict between anti-Communist Muslim Afghan
guerrillas (mujahidin) and Afghan government and Soviet forces. The conflict had its
origins in the 1978 coup that overthrew Afghan president Muhammad Daud Khan,
who had come to power by ousting the king in 1973. The president was assassinated
and a pro-Soviet Communist government under Nur Mohammad Taraki was
established. In 1979 another coup, which brought Hafizullah Amin to power,
provoked an invasion (Dec., 1979) by Soviet forces and the installation of Babrak
Karmal as president.
The Soviet invasion, which sparked Afghan resistance, intially involved an estimated
30,000 troops, a force that ultimately grew to 100,000. The mujahidin were supported
by aid from the United States, China, and Saudi Arabia, channeled through Pakistan,
and from Iran. Although the USSR had superior weapons and complete air control,
the rebels successfully eluded them. The conflict largely settled into a stalemate, with
Soviet and government forces controlling the urban areas, and the Afghan guerrillas
operating fairly freely in mountainous rural regions. As the war progressed, the rebels
improved their organization and tactics and began using imported and captured
weapons, including U.S. antiaircraft missiles, to neutralize the technological
advantages of the USSR.
In 1986, Karmal resigned and Mohammad Najibullah became head of a collective
leadership. In Feb., 1988, President Mikhail Gorbachev announced the withdrawal of
USSR troops, which was completed one year later. Soviet citizens had become
increasingly discontented with the war, which dragged on without success but with
continuing casualties. In the spring of 1992, Najibullah's government collapsed and,
after 14 years of rule by the People's Democratic party, Kabul fell to a coalition of
mujahidin under the military leadership of Ahmed Shah Massoud.
The war left Afghanistan with severe political, economic, and ecological problems.
More than 1 million Afghans died in the war and 5 million became refugees in
neighboring countries. In addition, 15,000 Soviet soldiers were killed and 37,000
wounded. Economic production was drastically curtailed, and much of the land laid
waste. At the end of the war more than 5 million mines saturated approximately 2% of
the country, where they will pose a threat to human and animal life well into the 21st
century. The disparate guerrilla forces that had triumphed proved unable to unite, and
Afghanistan became divided into spheres of control. These political divisions set the
stage for the rise of the Taliban later in the decade
Afghanistan war with USA
In late September, 2001, British Prime Minister Tony Blair released information
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compiled by Western intelligence agencies connecting Osama bin Laden to the
Afghan Taliban leadership, and Osama bin Laden's Al-Qaida organisation.
The Taliban refused to extradite Osama bin Laden and all other Al-Qaida leaders
based in Afghanistan to the United States without conclusive evidence, although they
proposed to extradite to an Islamic country. (Previously, the Taliban had refused to
extradite Osama without conclusive evidence that he was involved in the 1998 U.S.
embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, and the bombing of the USS Cole in a
harbor in Yemen.) The setting of that open-ended standard was treated as a refusal
based on sympathy with and dependence on Al Qaida, and a coalition led by the
United States launched an invasion of Afghanistan on October 7.
al-Qaida--BenLaden--Afganistan
Al-Qaida evolved from the Makhtab al-Khidamat (MAK) - a mujahedeen resistance
organisation fighting the Soviet forces in Afghanistan in the 1980s. Osama Bin Laden
was a founding member of the MAK along with Palestinian militant Abdullah Azzam.
Towards the end of the Soviet occupation, many mujahedeen wanted to expand their
operations to include Islamist struggles in other parts of the world. A number of
overlapping and interrelated organistaions were formed to further those aspirations.
One of these was al-Qaida, which was formed by Osama bin Laden in 1988. (The
name "al-Qaida" was not self-chosen; it was coined by the United States government
based on the name of a computer file of bin Laden's that listed the names of contacts
he had made at the MAK.) Bin Laden wished to extend the conflict to non-military
operations in other parts of the world; Azzam, in contrast, wanted to remain focused
on military campaigns. After Azzam was killed in 1989, the MAK split, with a
significant number joining bin Laden's organization.
Since other parts of the world were often not in such open warfare as Afghanistan
under the Soviet occupation, the move from MAK to al-Qaida involved more training
in terrorist tactics. Other organisations were formed, including others by Osama Bin
Laden, to carry out different types of terrorism in different countries.
After the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden returned to
Saudi Arabia, while al-Qaida continued training operations in Afghanistan. He spoke
against the Saudi Government during the Gulf War, and was encouraged to leave
Saudi Arabia. In 1991 he moved to Sudan, whose Islamic government was fighting a
civil war at the time. Money poured in from false charitable funds such as
Benevolence International, and several groups that bin Laden's brother-in-law
Mohammed Jamal Khalifa started. Bin Laden sent men to Southeast Asia, Africa,
Europe, and the United States. Money and arms flowed through cities like Chicago,
Illinois, Houston, Texas, Kansas City, Missouri, Santa Clara, California, and Fort
Lauderdale, Florida.
In 1996 he was expelled from Sudan after possible participation in the 1994 attempted
154
assassination of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak while his motorcade was in Addis
Ababa, Ethiopia. Osama bin Laden returned to Afghanistan with some of his
Sudanese operatives.
Al-Qaida training camps trained thousands of militant Muslims from around the
world; some of whom later applied their training in various conflicts around the world
such as Algeria, Chechnya, the Philippines, Egypt, Indonesia, Uzbekistan,
Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Somalia, Yemen, Kosovo and Bosnia. Other terrorists came
from parts of Africa, the People's Republic of China (Uighurs), and in one case, the
United Kingdom. These terrorists intermingled at their camps, causing all of those
causes to become one. Despite the perception of some people, Al Qaida members are
ethnically diverse and are connected by their fundamentalist version of Islam.
In February 1998, bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri of Egyptian Islamic Jihad issued
a statement under banner of "the World Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and
Crusaders" saying that it was the duty of all Muslims to kill US citizens, either
civilian or military, and their allies everywhere.
From January 5, to January 8, 2000, Al-Qaida held the 2000 Al Qaeda Summit in a
condominium in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Malaysian authorities found out about the
summit beforehand and provided videotapes after the summit occurred. Several
September 11 hijackers attended the summit. However, wiretaps were not conducted,
so authorities did not hear what they were discussing.
Notes:
Mujahidin n. 穆斯林游击队员
warlord n.军阀, 军阀式首脑
spawn n.(鱼等的)卵, (植物)菌丝, 产物 v.产卵
topple v.倾倒
jockey vt., vi.运用 手段；欺骗
crumble v.弄碎, 粉碎, 崩溃
infrastructure n.下部构造, 基础下部组织
coup [ku:] n.砰然而有效的一击, 妙计, 出乎意料的行动, 政变
curtail vt.缩减, 减少(经费等), 剥夺(某人的)特权(或官衔等), 简略
disparate adj.全异的
extradite vt.引渡, 受...引渡
Kenya n.肯尼亚
Tanzania n.坦桑尼亚(东非国家)
USS abbr. United States Ship 美国军舰
overlapping 重叠, 搭接
interrelated adj.相关的
motorcade n.汽车行列
Ethiopia n.埃塞俄比亚(非洲东部国家)
Uighur n.维吾尔人[语] adj.维吾尔人的,具有维吾尔人的特点的
intermingle n.混合
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perception n.理解, 感知,感觉
condominium n.共管, 共同统治权
Questions:
1. Give a brief statement of Afghanistan’s recent history.
2. Who are involved in the Afghanistan-Soviet War? What’s the cause? How long
does it last? What’s the result and what’s the influence?
3. What caused Afghanistan-America war?
4. Make a brief introduction of the development of al-Qaida and the activity of Ben
Laden.
Radio
The twin attacks on the twin towers came without warning and just minutes apart.
As a local television anchor interviewed an eyewitness to the first crash, a second
hijacked jetliner roared into the south tower of the 110-story structure, sending a
fireball and clouds of smoke in the sky over New York City. "Six or seven floors were
taken out and hold on," says one eyewitness. "The building has exploded! You've got
people running up the street, let me find out what is going on. Okay, the whole
building just exploded, the whole top part. The building is still intact. People are
running up the street. Am I still connected?"
Later, both World Trade Towers collapsed, sending untold numbers of people to their
deaths. Fire and rescue crews rushed into lower Manhattan to aid the victims as a
thick plume of dark gray smoke drifted south of the city, a plume that could be seen
from many kilometers away in neighboring New Jersey.
Later in the day, a 47-story building also part of the World Trade Center also
collapsed in the aftermath of the terrorist attack.
Hospitals in New York stood by for casualties and an immediate appeal for blood
donations was quickly answered by thousands of New Yorkers who lined up to donate,
eager to do something in the midst of the carnage.
Manhattan was closed off to incoming traffic and New Yorkers trying to flee the city
used any means they could find, including walking over some of the city's famous
bridges to try to reach home.
This is not the first time the World Trade Center was the target of a terrorist attack. A
truck bomb rocked the complex in 1993, killing six people and wounding hundreds.
Six Islamic militants convicted of that attack are now serving life terms in prison.
Passage IV
Read the following passage and answer the questions:
The Conflict of Sudan
Facts About Sudan
Sudan is the largest country in Africa. It is divided geographically, ethnically,
religiously between the north and the south. The southern one third of the country is
equatorial, forest region. It’s animist by religion for the most part and traditional
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Christianity. The North is Arab and the South is black. The North is Sahara desert and
the South is equatorial. And from the beginning, forever there’s been a conflict, in
Sudan.
Historical Background of the Conflict
The war has been going on since 1956 when Sudan was given independence from the
UK. But the problems became way back, from the modern times. "Conflict existed
long before colonial period. If anything colonial period brought it under control", says
an African missionary Michael Howard.
Sudan has two distinct major cultures--Arab and Black African--with hundreds of
ethnic and tribal divisions and language groups, which makes effective collaboration
among them a major problem. The northern states cover most of the Sudan and
include most of the urban centers. Most of the 22 million Sudanese who live in this
region are Arabic speaking Muslims, though the majority also use a traditional
non-Arabic mother tongue. Among these are several distinct tribal groups; the
Kababish of northern Kordofan, a camel-raising people; the Ja’alin and Shaigiyya
groups of settled tribes along the rivers; the semi-nomadic Baggara of Kordofan and
Darfur; the Hamitic Beja in the Red Sea area and Nubians of the northern Nile areas,
some of whom have been resettled on the Atbara River; and the Negroid Nuba of
southern Kordofan and Fur in the western reaches of the country.
The southern region has a population of around 6 million and a predominantly rural,
subsistence economy. This region has been negatively affected by war for all but 10
years of the independence period (1956), resulting in serious neglect, lack of
infrastructure development, and major destruction and displacement. More than 2
million people have died, and more than 4 million are internally displaced or become
refugees as a result of the civil war and war-related impacts. Here the Sudanese
practice mainly indigenous traditional beliefs, although Christian missionaries have
converted some. The south also contains many tribal groups and uses many more
languages than in the north. The Dinka (pop. est. more than 1 million) is the largest of
the many Black African tribes of the Sudan. Along with the Shilluk and the Nuer,
they are among the Nilotic tribes. The Azande, Bor, and Jo Luo are “Sudanic” tribes
in the west, and the Acholi and Lotuhu live in the extreme south, extending into
Uganda.
Sudan was a collection of small, independent kingdoms and principalities from the
beginning of the Christian era until 1820-21, when Egypt conquered and unified the
northern portion of the country. Historically, the pestilential swamps of the Suud
discouraged expansion into the deeper south of the country. Although Egypt claimed
all of the present Sudan during most of the 19th century, it was unable to establish
effective control over southern Sudan, which remained an area of fragmented tribes
subject to frequent attacks by slave raiders.
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In 1881, a religious leader named Muhammad ibn Abdalla proclaimed himself the
Mahdi, or the “expected one,” and began a religious crusade to unify the tribes in
western and central Sudan. His followers took on the name “Ansars” (the followers)
which they continue to use today and are associated with the single largest political
grouping, the Umma Party, led by the descendant of the Mahdi, Sadiq al Mahdi.
Taking advantage of conditions resulting from Ottoman-Egyptian exploitation and
maladministration, the Mahdi led a nationalist revolt culminating in the fall of
Khartoum in 1885. The Mahdi died shortly thereafter, but his state survived until
overwhelmed by an Ango-Egyptian force under Lord Kitchener in 1898. Sudan was
proclaimed a condominium in 1899 under British-Egyptian administration. While
maintaining the appearance of joint administration, the British Empire formulated
policies, and supplied most of the top administrators.
In 1950s, almost as soon as independence was given, war started between the south
and the north. When the General Jaafar-al-Nimeyri (1969-1985) came into power he
introduced the Sha’ia law, ruled by the Koran. And immediately he made it agreed
that Islam was the only religion of Sudan. And this policy means that everybody has
to be a Muslim. The war, which they called Anya-Nya, came to an end with the Addis
Abeba agreement in 1972 which left 700,000 dead. It was made between the General
Nimeiri and the rebellion in the South. In the Addis Abeba acccord the Sudanese
government of Khartoum recognised and gave certain autonomy to the south and
respected in particular the desire for non-islamization.
Legal System
The Islamic Sharia laws were imposed through out Sudan in September 1983.
Coupled with this other tragic policies along with the Sharia laws were introduced in
the country the end result of which was deep political chaos and anarchy.
The legal system of Sudan is based on English common law and Islamic law. The
20th January 1991, the now defunct Revolutionary Command Council imposed
Islamic law (the Sha’ia law, ruled by the Koran) in the northern states. Islamic law
applies to all residents of the northern states regardless of their religion, but it accepts
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations.
Sudan Civil War
There were upheavals in Sudan and also the other Arab countries, in 70s and 80s. In
1980-81 petrol is found in the South and along the border with the North. Nimeiri
tries to change the border between North and South so that the petrol would be in
Northern territory. The political crisis which gripped the Sudan in late 70s and early
80s had adverse repercussions. The failure of the Juba government to address the
political issues related to the Addis Ababa agreement resulted into several armed
uprisings between 1972 and 1983. In due course Anya-nya 2 was born in 1975 but the
rest remained military incidents which did not create much political impact in Juba.
The only single rebellion that influenced the political situation in Juba and Khartoum
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was that of mid 1983 which heralded the outbreak of the present war and the
formation of SPLA, The Sudan People's Liberation Army.
In the early 1983 the war starts again in the South. And in April Nimeiri breaks the
Addis Abeba Agreement on his own initiative. On the 8th of September 1983, Nimeiri
promulgates a new penal Code, the Sharia, contrary to the 1973 constitution. Since
1997, the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) has controlled much of the south.
More recently, the southern-based rebels and the government have conducted direct
negotiations under the auspices of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development
(IGAD).
The SPLA, and its NDA allies have received political, military and logistical support
primarily from Ethiopia, Uganda and Eritrea. These states were firmly behind efforts
to overthrow the Sudan Government and install in its place Sudanese opposition
groups, operating under the umbrella of a coalition known as the National Democratic
Alliance (NDA). From the outset, the SPLA had the support of the Government of
Ethiopia. Uganda provided the SPLA with access to arms and permission to train its
forces within its territory. Eritrea allowed the SAF to use its territory for training, and
supports its activities. They received indirect support from the United States. The US
allocated $20 million in “non-lethal” military assistance to SPLA supporters
(Uganda, Eritrea, Ethiopia) in February 1998 for defense against opposition groups in
their countries backed by Sudan. Sudan has long accused Eritrea, which has a hostile
relationship with Khartoum, of providing training facilities and arms to the SPLA in
the south, to rebel forces in Darfur, and another rebel group called Beja Congress in
the east.
The ongoing civil war has displaced more than 4 million southerners. Some fled into
southern cities, such as Juba; others trekked as far north as Khartoum and even into
Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, and other neighboring countries. These people were
unable to grow food or earn money to feed themselves, and malnutrition and
starvation became widespread. The lack of investment in the south resulted as well in
what international humanitarian organizations call a “lost generation” who lack
educational opportunities, access to basic health care services, and little prospects for
productive employment in the small and weak economies of the south or the north.
Notes:
equatorial adj.近赤道的, 赤道的 n .赤道仪
animist n.万物有灵论者
missionary adj.传教的, 传教士的 n.传教士
tribal adj.部落的, 种族的
collaboration n.协作, 通敌
nomadic adj.游牧的
subsistence n.生存, 生活, 留存
indigenous adj.本土的
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Uganda n.[国名] 乌干达(东非国家)
principality n.公国, 侯国
pestilential adj.引起瘟疫的
fragmented adj.成碎片的, 片断的
raider n.袭击者
revolt v.反抗, 起义, 反叛, 反感, 厌恶
culminating adj.到绝顶的, 终极的, 最后的
condominium n.共管, 共同统治权
Sharia n.伊斯兰教教法
chaos n.混乱, 混沌(宇宙未形成前的情形)
anarchy n.无政府状态, 政治混乱
defunct adj.死了的
ICJ =International Court of Justice 国际法院(联合国)
Jurisdiction n.权限
upheaval n.剧变
adverse adj.不利的, 敌对的, 相反的
repercussion n.弹回, 反响, (光、声等的)反射
promulgate vt.发布, 公布, 传播
penal adj.刑事的
auspices n.由...主办及赞助
logistics n.后勤学, 后勤
lethal adj.致命的 n.致死因子
trek vi.牛拉车, 艰苦跋涉 vt.（牛）拉（货车）, 搬, 运
Questions:
1. What are the causes of the conflict of Sudan?
2. What are the parties and countries involved in the conflict and what is the result?
Passage V
Read the following passage and answer the questions:
Chechnya
The collapse of Communism in Eurasia has led to many events that few analysts in
the West could have predicted during the Cold War. One of the most improbable of
these events was the stunning military victory of the tiny autonomous republic of
Chechnya in the 1994-1996 war for independence against the Russian Federation. In a
David versus Goliath struggle, bands of Chechen fighters took on the might of the
Russian army, often in open warfare, and over and over again defeated or
outmaneuvered Moscow's better equipped, larger, professional armies. While the
former head of the Russian army, Defense Minister General Pavel Grachev, boasted
he could overwhelm the Chechen separatist "bandits" with one air battalion in a
matter of hours, the Chechen debacle demonstrated to the world just how far the
Russian army's battle effectiveness had deteriorated.
160
While the Chechens can officially claim to be victors in the first Russo-Chechen war
of the 1990s, there was in actuality no winner in this bloody conflict. Scores of
Chechen villages were destroyed, the Chechen capital of Grozny was bombed to
rubble in the heaviest bombardment in Europe since the bombing of Dresden, tens of
thousands of Chechens and Russians living in Chechnya lost their lives, hundreds of
thousands more were made refugees, and the economy of the independent state let .
The Chechens and their western neighbors the Ingush are distinct ethnic groups with
distinct languages, but so closely related and so similar that it is convenient to
describe them together.
The Chechen and Ingush lands lie just to the east of the
principal road crossing the central Caucasus (via the Darial
Pass), extending from the foothills and plains into alpine
highlands. The lowlands enjoy fertile soil, ample rainfall, a long
growing season, and a small oilfield.
The Chechens have evidently been in or near their present territory for some 6000
years and perhaps much longer; there is fairly seamless archeological continuity for
the last 8000 years or more in central Daghestan, suggesting that the
Nakh-Daghestanian language family is long indigenous. The Caucasian highlands
were apparently relatively populous and prosperous in ancient times. From the late
middle ages until the 19th century, a worldwide cooling phase known as the Little Ice
Age caused glacial advances and shortened growing seasons in the alpine highlands,
weakening the highland economies and triggering migrations to the lowlands and
abandonment of some alpine villages. This period of economic hardship coincided
with the Russian conquest of the Caucasus which lasted from the late 1500's to the
mid-1800's.
Traditionally, the lowlands Chechen were grain farmers and the highlanders raised
sheep. At the time of Russian contact the lowlands were wealthy and produced a grain
surplus, while the highlands were not self-sufficient in food and traded wool and eggs
for lowlands grain.
Chechen social structure and ethnic identity rest on principles of family and clan
honor, respect for and deference to one's elders, hospitality, formal and dignified
relations between families and clans, and courteous and formal public and private
behavior.
Kinship and clan structure are patriarchal, but women have full social and
professional equality and prospects for financial independence equivalent to those of
men.
161
Academics, writers, artists, and intellectuals in general are well versed in the cultures
of both the European and the Islamic worlds, and the society as a whole can be said to
regard both of these heritages as their own together with the indigenous north
Caucasian artistic and intellectual tradition.
Until the Russian conquest the Chechens were an independent nation with their own
language and territory but no formal political organization. Villages were autonomous,
as were clans. Villages had mutual defense obligations in times of war, and clans had
mutual support relations that linked them into larger clan confederations (which
generally coincided with dialects). Each clan was headed by a respected elder. There
were no social classes and no differences of rank apart from those of age, kinship, and
earned social honor.
In all of recorded history and inferable prehistory the Chechens (and for that matter
the Ingush) have never undertaken battle except in defense. The Russian conquest of
the Caucasus was difficult and bloody, and the Chechens and Ingush with their
extensive lowlands territory and access to the central pass were prime targets and
were among the most tenacious defenders. Russia destroyed lowlands villages and
deported, exiled, or slaughtered civilian population, forcing capitulation of the
highlands. Numerous refugees migrated or were deported to various Muslim countries
of the middle east, and to this day there are Chechen populations in Jordan and
Turkey. Since then there have been various Chechen rebellions against Russian and
Soviet power, as well as resistance to collectivization, anti-religious campaigns, and
Russification.
The current conflict in Chechnya goes back to the fall of 1991, when the tiny republic
in the Russian Caucasus declared independence. It wasn't a crazy thing to do. The
Soviet Union, which once seemed indestructible, was falling apart (and collapsed
completely by the end of the year). Russia itself had a convoluted structure, with 89
federation members, each belonging to one of five categories (region, autonomous
region, ethnic republic, province, and two special-status cities) with different
structures and rights within the federation. The Russian Constitution recognizes the
right of federation members to secede—and Chechnya tried to claim this right.
The Chechens' desire was perfectly understandable. As an ethnic group, Chechens had
been mistreated by the Soviet regime, and the Russian empire before it, perhaps worse
than anyone else. In 1944, the Chechens, along with several other ethnic groups, were
accused of having collaborated with the Nazis and deported to Siberia. Their
collective guilt established by the order of Stalin, on Feb. 23, 1944, more than half a
million Chechens were forcibly herded onto cattle cars and sent to Western Siberia.
As many as half died en route, and uncounted others perished in the harsh Siberian
winter; the exiles were literally dumped in the open snowy fields and left to fend for
themselves.
The Chechens were not allowed to return home until 1957. So by the time of
perestroika, most Chechen adults were people born in Siberian exile. No wonder they
didn't want to live side by side with the Russians, who had mangled their lives. The
162
last straw came in August 1991, when, during the failed hard-line communist coup,
rumors spread that another deportation was in the works. Chechens overthrew their
local, Soviet-appointed leader, and elected a new president on a nationalist platform.
Russia had no intention of recognizing Chechen independence. The Kremlin's fears
were understandable: With the Soviet Union crumbling, there was no reason the
shaky Russian federation couldn't follow. Granting independence to one region could
set off a chain reaction. What's more, an oil pipeline went through Chechnya, and a
small amount of oil was produced in the republic itself, so losing Chechnya could
have meant significant financial loss for Russia. President Boris Yeltsin declined even
to negotiate with the Chechen separatists—a traditional Russian disdain for this
Muslim people no doubt played a role in his decision—and simply let the problem
fester for three years.
Notes:
Eurasia n.欧亚大陆
autonomous adj.自治的
versus prep.对(指诉讼,比赛等中), 与...相对
Goliath n.[圣经]被牧羊人大卫杀死的 Philistine 的巨人
outmaneuver v.以策略制胜, 以机动性胜过
bandit n.强盗
battalion n.军营, 军队
debacle n.崩溃, 溃裂
deteriorate v.(使)恶化
Dresden n.德累斯顿(德国 Saxony 邦首府)
163
Ingush n.英古什人(居住在北高加索山区的穆斯林民族)(亦作
Ingoush)
Caucasus n.高加索山脉, 高加索
alpine adj.高山的, 阿尔卑斯山的
seamless adj.无缝合线的, 无伤痕的
archeological adj.考古学的
deference n.顺从, 尊重
patriarchal adj.家长的, 族长的
versed adj.精通的
confederation n.联邦
inferable adj.能推理的, 能推论的
tenacious adj.顽强的
collectivization n.集体化
convoluted adj.旋绕的,费解的
secede vi.正式脱离或退出, 分离
deport vt.举止, 驱逐
Siberia 西伯利亚(苏联一地区)
herd n.兽群, 牧群 v.把...赶在一起放牧, 成群
dump vt.倾倒(垃圾), 倾卸 n.堆存处
164
perestroika n. (Rus.) 改革
mangle vt.乱砍, 撕裂, 破坏, 毁损, 损坏, 轧布
disdain n.轻蔑, 以高傲的态度对待 vt.蔑视, 鄙弃
fester n.脓疮 vi.溃烂, 化脓 vt.使烦恼, 使溃烂
trappings n.服饰, 马饰
de facto n.事实上, 实际上
sovereignty n.君主, 主权, 主权国家
covert adj.隐蔽的, 偷偷摸摸的, [律] 在丈夫保护下的 n.掩蔽处, 隐藏处
overt adj.明显的, 公然的
barricade v.设路障 n.路障
bizarre adj.奇异的(指态度,容貌,款式等)
incursion n.袭击, 侵入
instigate v.鼓动
undermine v.破坏
virtual adj.虚的, 实质的, [物] 有效的, 事实上的
submission n.屈服, 降服, 服从, 谦恭, 投降
botch v.修补
Questions:
1. What event is considered as the most improbable after the collapse of Communism
in Eurasia? What’s the result of the war?
2. Give a brief statement of the history, culture, economy and customs of Chechnys.
3. What are the causes of the conflict in Chechnya?
4. When did the current conflict in Chechnya begin? What’s the direct cause? What
happened? And then what happened in 1994 and 1996? What happened in 1999?
5. What happened in June 1995? What influence did this event have on the present
issues in Russia?
6. What’s the authors attitude towards the Chechnya conflict? Do you agree? Why?
What you should learn from this chapter:
17. A general knowledge on the hot areas of today;
18. Basic vocabulary on war;
19. Ability to understand the news on war.
Language study:
15. Vocabulary study: abstention; apparatus; dismantle; extradite; indigenous.
16. Translation:
The collapse of Communism in Eurasia has led to many events
that few analysts in the West could have predicted during the
Cold War. One of the most improbable of these events was the
165
stunning military victory of the tiny autonomous republic of
Chechnya in the 1994-1996 war for independence against the
Russian Federation. In a David versus Goliath struggle, bands
of Chechen fighters took on the might of the Russian army, often
in open warfare, and over and over again defeated or
outmaneuvered Moscow's better equipped, larger, professional
armies.
Homework:
Please write a headline and a lead for the following news:
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast in Beersheba, three days
after troops killed five Palestinians in a raid on a militant hideout in the West Bank
city of Tulkarm, drawing a vow of revenge from the Islamic Jihad group.
The explosion, at the entrance to Beersheba's central bus station, followed a call by
President Bush for the Palestinians to respond to last week's pullout from occupied
Gaza by showing "they will fight terrorism."
But Bush, who hopes the Gaza withdrawal will help revive a U.S.-backed peace "road
map" envisaging a viable Palestinian state alongside a secure Israel, stopped short of
demanding President Mahmoud Abbas dismantle militant groups.
Minutes before the explosion, Israel Radio broadcast a pledge by Abbas to maintain
indefinitely a ceasefire he declared along with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in
February.
"According to the agreement, the truce is continuing and it's not linked to a time ...
and everyone knows that," Abbas told the radio.
Palestinian militant factions have said a "period of calm" they announced in March at
Abbas's urging will expire at year's end. They have vowed to continue armed
resistance following a Gaza pullout they claimed as a victory.
Police said the bomber tried to board a bus at the start of the Israeli work week but
drew the driver's suspicion and blew himself up as security guards gave chase.
"The driver signaled two security guards to go to him," Uri Barlev, the police chief
for southern Israel, told Army Radio. "These two security guards ultimately prevented
an attack that could have been a lot worse."
A police spokesman said at least 21 people were wounded in the blast, the two
security guards seriously.
CONDEMNATION
166
Palestinian chief negotiator Saeb Erekat condemned the bombing.
"We believe maximum effort must be exerted by both sides to maintain the truce
because it's in everybody's interest," he said. "What's needed today is not more
violence but more peace."
Israeli Vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told reporters the attack "proves again the
Palestinian Authority has to do a lot more in order to stop the terrorists, and I promise
you that we'll continue to fight against them everywhere."
A suicide bomber last struck on July 12, killing five people outside a shopping mall in
the coastal city of Netanya.
Beersheba was last hit by bombings a year ago, when explosions tore through two
commuter buses, killing 16 people. Hamas claimed responsibility for those blasts.
On Saturday, Bush said the way forward was clear following Israel's evacuation of
9,000 settlers in Gaza and a corner of the West Bank in a six-day operation that ended
on Tuesday.
"The Palestinians must show the world that they will fight terrorism and govern in a
peaceful way," Bush said in his weekly radio address, from his ranch in Crawford,
Texas.
Abbas has said he prefers to co-opt gunmen into the Palestinian security services and
political system.
In a challenge to Israel and Abbas, Hamas master bombmaker Mohammed Deif said
on Saturday "all Palestine will be hell" for Israel and warned the Palestinian Authority
against trying to confiscate militants' weapons.
Deif, who has been in hiding for years and tops Israel's most-wanted list, delivered the
message through Hamas's Gaza office in a videotape.
For your enjoyment
As in all military actions (can we really call this one-sided massacre a "war"?),
government and media advocacy for the planned U.S. invasion of Iraq has introduced a
number of confusing new words and phrases, or new usages of existing ones, to the
English language. Since many of these are directly opposite of their intuitive
meanings, we present here, for your helpful reference, a guide to some of these new
linguistic developments. Keep this guide handy by your TV for the next time Bush,
Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Franks,or any of their minions appear on your screen!
The Dubya War Glossary
allies n. Tony Blair.
collateral damage obs. The hapless schmucks that happen to be in the way when the
U.S. bombs civilian facilities or residential neighborhoods. When they do it to us, it is
called terrorism. No longer commonly used; such deaths are now ignored entirely.
Other obsolete words and phrases include "Osama bin Laden," "Afghanistan," "budget
167
surplus," "economy," "environment," "corporate scandals," "education," "civil
liberties," "Constitution," and "the end of the war."
democracy n. The ideal form of a political system -- now used interchangeably with
the economic system called "capitalism" -- in which a handful of wealthy people with
occasional minor policy differences take turns enriching their patrons and being
elected by a citizenry that is allowed no other choices. E.g.: "We intend to turn Iraq
into a democracy, just like the United States."
deterrent n. A category of military weapons that includes massive nuclear arsenals,
space-based nuclear and laser weapons, and chemical and biological weapons research.
Only applies when possessed by the United States See: Weapons of Mass
Destruction
disarm v. To blow to smithereens. E.g.: "Saddam Hussein's destruction of his missiles
is an impediment to U.S. plans to disarm Saddam Hussein."
due process n. When George Bush decides a terrorist gets the process that he is due.
See: unlawful combatant; torture.
embed v. To engage in an act of prostitution. E.g.: "Hundreds of U.S. media outlets
have elected to cover the war by having their reporters embedded in an American
military unit."
empire abbr. A shortened form of the phrase "American empire." A state in which
196 countries are eternally grateful, or should be, for being plundered by the 197th.
See: democracy
homeland n. That portion of empire which got ignored because the "Department of
Defense" is no longer used for defending.
oil n. Booty.
Old Europe n. Formerly "allies." A collection of countries too stuck in the mud, or
jealous, to welcome empire. See also: world
peace n. The mythical state achieved when the United States has a complete global
monopoly on the use of military force. Not to be confused with "democracy,"
"freedom," or "justice." See: empire
the people of Iraq See: Saddam Hussein
precision bombing n. Replaces smart bombs. What amorally enlightened country like
the United States does. Involves using MOABs, daisy cutters, or up to 3,000 cruise
missiles to create firestorms that convert oxygen to carbon monoxide and asphyxiate
anyone within range of the miles-wide inferno; and then pretending that the resulting
fatalities do not exist. See: civilian casualties
preemptive attack n. Replaces blitzkrieg. Unprovoked invasion of a country that poses
no threat, esp. if that country is defenseless and has extensive reserves of oil.
proof n. Sales receipts, usually from before or just after the Gulf War. E.g.: "We
have extensive proof for the existence of Iraq's biological and chemical weapons."
reconstruction n. The lucrative process undertaken during the occupation of an
invaded country, involving replacing destroyed buildings, bridges, and utility systems.
There is nothing you can do to rebuild the people; fortunately, they never existed.
See: Saddam Hussein; civilian casuallties
regime change n. Coup d'etat.
168
Saddam Hussein n. The nation of Iraq, pop. 24,002,000 (2002est.); area 172,476 sq.
mi. (slightly larger than California), centered on the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers in
Southwest Asia, previously known as Babylonia and Mesopotamia; one of the oldest
continuously civilized regions in the world. "Iraq" and "Saddam Hussein" are generally
used interchangeably, e.g.: "We're going to bomb the hell out of Saddam Hussein."
Shock and Awe n. War crime.
terrorism adj. What they do.
terrorist n Anybody who dislikes George Bush's policies. See: unlawful combatant
torture n. 1. A form of due process, inflicted either by the U.S. or its trained
employees in less savory third world dictatorships. See: unlawful combatant. 2.
George Bush giving a press conference.
unlawful combatant n. Any opponent of George Bush's policies who the U.S.
government would prefer to have held indefinitely without trial. See: Constitution;
due process; torture
War On Terror n. A comprehensive marketing strategy to ensure the reelection of
George Bush in 2004, by embroiling the United States in war for decades to come.
Replaces these previous campaigns: "Compassionate conservative," "Fiscally
responsible," "Education President," "He's really not as dumb as he looks." Precedes
"War is peace. Freedom is slavery .Ignorance is strength."
Weapons of Mass Destruction n. What they have. See: deterrent
World n. The collection of nations and peoples which thinks George Bush is out of his
freak in' mind.
On Tuesday morning September 11, 2001, the US is attacked by terrorists in New
York city and Washington, and the world changes forever.
Hijacked jetliners hit the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon outside
Washington. A fourth hijacked plane crashes into a field in Pennsylvania. Trading on
Wall Street is stopped. The Federal Aviation Administration halts all flight operations
at the nation’s airports for the first time in US history. US military is placed on high
alert. President Bush addresses the nation and vows to “ find those responsible and
bring them to justice.” Hundreds of New York City firemen and policemen sent to
rescue WTC workers are lost when the WTC Twin Towers collapse. Reaction from
international leaders is swift as world leaders react with outrage over the attacks.
Total Equipment
Iraqi
Coalition
Lost
On hand
Lost
On hand
Tanks
4,000
4,230
4
3,360
Artillery
2,140
3,110
1
3,633
Armored Personal Carriers 1,856
2,870
9
4,050
Helicopters
7
160
17
1,959
Aircraft
240
800
44
2,600
169
Chapter 9
News on Science and Technology (I)
Discuss
1. What are the hot topics on science and technology now?
2. Can you give some latest news on science and technology?
3. What are the difficulties in reading news on science and technology? Do you have
any way to overcome them?
4. How much do you know about computer and internet? Do you agree that they
have changed our life completely? Please give some examples to support your
opinion.
Passage I
Read the following news, try to guess the meaning of the italic words ( the correct answer is given
in the Notes ). And do the exercises after it.
Shuttle's Return to Space Is on the Horizon
By John-Thor Dahlburg Times Staff Writer
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — With the resumption of space shuttle flight
possibly three months away, launch fever has begun to rise at America's spaceport,
and Thursday the commander of the first mission scheduled since the Columbia
tragedy said she was ready to go.
"Clearly I'm not going to fly on something that's unsafe," said Eileen M. Collins, a
former colonel in the Air Force and a veteran of three spaceflights. "I'm a person who
won't even get on a roller coaster at an amusement park because they scare me. I've
been on one once, and I won't do it again."
Collins, 48, and her six crewmates, clad in blue flight suits, were at the John F.
Kennedy Space Center on Florida's Atlantic Coast to inspect the orbiter Discovery,
including the numerous modifications designed to make shuttle flight safer.
The program has been grounded for more than two years since Columbia
disintegrated on reentry Feb. 1, 2003. All seven astronauts aboard died. Investigators
blamed the accident on a briefcase-sized chunk of foam insulation that broke off the
shuttle's external fuel tank and slammed into the orbiter's left wing, gouging a hole.
Since then, the foam has been removed from part of the external tank, temperature
and motion sensors were installed in the wings to detect potentially dangerous impacts,
170
and a 50-foot-long boom was placed in the orbiter's cargo bay that Collins and her
crew will be able to use to inspect the shuttle's thermal tiles during flight.
Although some experts have questioned whether NASA is rushing back to manned
flight operations, the feeling that permeates the space center is that the right time will
be very soon. The earliest launch window envisioned for what has been dubbed RTL,
or "return to flight," is May 12 to June 3.
In an interview, launch director Michael D. Leinbach said, "It's all converging on
what looks like May 15 to start flying the shuttle again."
On that day, blastoff and the separation of the external tank from the orbiter could
take place during daylight, which is desirable from a safety standpoint, Leinbach said.
He said he would be recommending that date, but that a National Aeronautics and
Space Administration committee would have the final say.
As America's space establishment prepares for the potential spring mission, "people
are pumped," said Leinbach, whose office overlooks a "firing room" where launches
are directed and Pad 39B, from where Discovery will be sent into orbit. Because of
lessons learned from the Columbia disaster and the 1986 explosion of Challenger,
which killed all seven aboard, the 20-year veteran of NASA said the coming shuttle
missions should be the safest ever.
"Are they going to be risk-free?" Leinbach said. "No. The only way to take the risk
out is to never fly again."
As of Thursday, 300 engineers, technicians and inspectors were toiling at the space
center to ready Discovery for flight, while an equal number were working on another
orbiter, Atlantis. As part of the safety changes mandated since the Columbia tragedy,
the second shuttle must be prepared for a rescue mission in the event Collins and her
crew cannot return to Earth.
On a day when warm sunshine burned off morning fog, Mark Taylor, 39, an
aerospace technician, buried his head inside the nose wheel well of Discovery and
checked if insulating patches needed to be inserted between the ceramic thermal tiles
to guarantee a perfect seal to protect against heat.
The orbiter, housed in a special building designed for preflight preparations, was
almost invisible inside a labyrinth of steel platforms, pipes and tubing.
Lately, the inspectors who check his work have become harder to please, said Taylor,
who has worked at Kennedy Space Center for 16 years. The more exacting standards,
he said, have made his job "more demanding but more satisfying." His goal, the
technician said, was to get a "national resource" flying again.
171
Discovery's mission, which would be the 114th flight of a U.S. space shuttle, is
designed to carry a large cylinder laden with food, water and other supplies to the
International Space Station.
"We're excited; we've been looking forward to this for a long time," said NASA
engineer Scott Higginbotham, who is in charge of the payload.
While shuttle flights have been suspended, Russian rockets have been ferrying
supplies to the space station. Meanwhile, the three Italian-built cargo modules
designed for the shuttle, named Raffaello, Leonardo and Donatello, have sat idle
inside the Space Station Processing Building here.
NASA officials acknowledge they have not fully completed all of the changes that the
independent board investigating the Columbia disaster recommended as prerequisites
for resuming shuttle operations. Florida Space Authority Executive Director Winston
Scott, a former astronaut, said he was "cautiously optimistic" that the space agency
had done everything it needed to for a return to space.
"I don't want to bash NASA. I still consider myself a part of them," said Scott, who
flew two shuttle missions and made three spacewalks. "But at the same time, I want to
be honest. I'm not sure whether NASA has made the organizational changes necessary
to prevent another Columbia. I sure hope they have."
Richard Blomberg, an engineer in Stamford, Conn., and a former head of NASA's
Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel, said too much attention had been paid to ruling out
an exact repeat of the Columbia accident while ignoring greater risk factors, including
aging infrastructure. The orbiter that Collins will command flew for the first time
Aug. 30, 1984, and has made 30 spaceflights.
Leinbach, the launch director, said if he had a feeling on launch day that any technical
problem had been only "95% solved," or that enthusiasm to get back into space had
clouded NASA personnel's judgment, he would order the launch scrubbed.
Several important matters remain unresolved, including what to use for in-flight repair
of the thermal tiles, which protect the shuttle's nose and belly from temperatures of
more than 2,300 degrees Fahrenheit upon reentry.
Five methods are being studied, including a giant caulking gun that dispenses
pinkish-orange goo.
In addition to Collins, who in 1999 was the first woman to command a shuttle mission,
the crew includes pilot James Kelly and mission specialists Charles Camarda, Wendy
Lawrence, Stephen Robinson and Andrew Thomas, all Americans; and Soichi
Noguchi of Japan.
From: http://news.yahoo.com/
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Notes:
1. orbiter: Something that orbits, especially a spacecraft that orbits a planet or moon
without landing on it.
2. disintegrate: To become reduced to components, fragments, or particles.
3. foam: Any of various light, porous, semirigid or spongy materials used for thermal
insulation or shock absorption, as in packaging.
4. insulation: A material or substance used in insulating.
5. gouge: To cut or scoop out with or as if with a gouge.
6. thermal: .Of, relating to, using, producing, or caused by heat.
7. permeate: To spread or flow throughout; pervade.
8. blastoff: The launch, especially of a rocket.
9.mandate: To make mandatory, as by law; decree or require.
10.module: A self-contained unit of a spacecraft that performs a specific task or class
of tasks in support of the major function of the craft. 舱宇宙飞船的一个执行某一个
或一组特殊任务的整套装在一起的单元，以协助飞船主要部分的工作
11. prerequisite: Required or necessary as a prior condition.
12. infrastructure: An underlying base or foundation especially for an organization or
a system.
13. caulking: A usually impermeable substance used for caulking. 堵塞材料用于堵
缝的通常不渗透的材料
14. goo: A sticky, wet, viscous substance. 甜且粘湿的物质
Exercises:
1. Please write out the names of the different parts of the news. What kind of lead is
it? What structure?
2. Write a news summary of about 100 words.
Passage II
Read the news and underline the computer terms. Answer the questions when you
finish reading.
Alliance Raised Hope in Fight Against Spam
Mistrust of Microsoft Ended Effort to Use Single Standard
By Ariana Eunjung Cha
Washington Post Staff Writer
In 2003, Meng Wong and a friend wrote a program with the bold goal of helping to
save e-mail. Wong, a 29-year-old tech entrepreneur, worried that the worldwide
message system was in danger of being overwhelmed by spam, phishing and other
online scourges. He released the software on the Internet for everyone to use free.
It drew the notice of software company Microsoft Corp., which had been working on
a similar product of its own. Nearly a dozen other companies, including Yahoo Inc.
and Cisco Systems Inc., also were trying to come up with a way to make the e-mail
system more reliable, but none could agree on a common approach.
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So when Wong got a message from Microsoft in May 2004 about a possible
partnership, he jumped at the opportunity. But so far efforts to get everyone else on
board have failed, and now problems with the e-mail system are worse than ever.
Spam grew from 50 percent of all worldwide e-mail in July 2003 to about 69 percent
today.
"Stopping spam is something everybody wants to do and it has been this hard," Wong
said.
The fact that the industry has failed to adopt a solution that all agree is necessary is a
lesson in the complicated nature of who controls the online world. Big companies
have clashed over who should take responsibility for a resource, e-mail, that no one
owns. Individuals have accused the companies of being too concerned about their
bottom lines to be trusted.
Like the Internet itself, e-mail is an innovation born out of idealism that has found
itself stymied by abuse.
When the e-mail system we use today was written in 1977, around the time when
Wong was born, a lone researcher at the University of California at Berkeley had
control over how it evolved.
Eric Allman designed the program, Sendmail, to make it easier for messages to be
sent to and from any computer.
The goal was convenience, not security. While Allman's invention made it easy for
the University of California academics to reach each other, it also made it easy for
those with less admirable motives to do the same.
No one had a chance to change the system before it tumbled out into the rest of the
world. Now, with billions of e-mails flashing around the globe every hour, the
problems threaten to overwhelm the system.
This is why mighty Microsoft was eager to meet last year with Wong, a little-known
computer engineer from the University of Pennsylvania who had started an e-mail
company, Pobox.com.
Wong and Microsoft had separately concluded that the best way to fight spam in the
short term was to make it harder for people to "spoof," or fake, their identities on
e-mail. E-mail authentication works by checking with the host company, government
or Internet service provider whether the sender is legitimate and registered -providing a virtual return address.
"The Internet has changed from a small town where you can leave your doors
unlocked to a big city where you don't even want to talk to some strangers on the
174
street anymore. So when you don't want to know your neighbors you need a way for
people to be accountable to each other," said Wong, who co-wrote his e-mail
authentication program with Mark Lentczner.
As an advocate of free, open-source software for more than a decade, Wong loathed
Microsoft's philosophy of keeping computer code proprietary. He was uneasy about
working with the company.
But he thought the e-mail issue was too important to ignore. In May 2004, he met in a
locked conference room in a D.C. hotel with three Microsoft engineers. Two more
were outside, guarding the door.
In the PC-centric world of the 1980s and early 1990s, Microsoft was a king, a dictator.
If something was wrong with its technology or needed to be upgraded, the company
simply fixed it in a subsequent version and everyone had no choice but to accept it.
The emergence of the Internet, with more than a billion distinct parts owned by
governments, companies and individuals, has changed everything. Microsoft can no
longer order someone like Wong to use its technology; it has to persuade.
The discussion in the conference room between Wong and Microsoft dragged on, then
continued over the next few days at a meeting of e-mail providers in San Jose, on a
plane en route to the company's Redmond, Wash., headquarters and at an office on the
software giant's corporate campus. Finally, they emerged with a compromise
They agreed to merge their e-mail authentication programs into something called
Sender ID and to promote it jointly.
Harry Katz, one of the three Microsoft engineers present at the meeting, said that at
first he felt "nervousness" and "uncertainty" because previous discussions with
authentication providers had gone nowhere. But he left feeling victorious, like that
week would go down as a "very important moment" in the evolution of e-mail, he
said.
Allman and several other industry heavyweights voiced their support for the project.
The group took its solution to the Internet Engineering Task Force, a standards group
made up of volunteers from hundreds of companies, academic institutions and
governments. While it has no legal authority to force anyone to accept its decisions, it
has great influence.
The computer scientists who were reviewing and tweaking the Wong-Microsoft
proposal moved quickly, and by the fall of 2004 they felt they were almost ready to
finalize the standard.
Then, as one engineer put it, came the "train wreck."
175
News broke that Microsoft was trying to patent some of the technology in question.
Accusations started to fly on an e-mail discussion group, saying the company had
taken advantage of the standards process to promote its corporate interests.
"We have been fooled once by the likes of MS," one participant wrote. "Let's not let it
happen again."
"For all I preach about not blaming Microsoft here's an instance where I'll gladly say
it," another person said. "The words 'BLAME MICROSOFT' creep across my crystal
ball."
Microsoft said it had the best intentions when it patented the technology: It wanted to
make sure no one else would do so and then abuse it.
"We were open and honest from the very beginning. Anyone can grab and use Sender
ID and Microsoft will never come back and charge for it," said Ryan Hamlin, general
manager for the technology care and safety group at Microsoft.
But their efforts were too late. Trust had been lost. The IETF's e-mail group, unable to
agree on whether to proceed with the Microsoft proposal, was disbanded.
Wong was pummeled with criticism from colleagues. He said he knew nothing about
the patent applications until a friend told him, and that after analyzing them he thinks
the company's public promises of a royalty-free license should be enough to assuage
any concerns.
"I don't think that at any point I went over to the dark side," he said.
"We've done a lot of soul-searching and looking back at the process and we believe
we did exactly the right thing," Hamlin said. "Unfortunately, there were differing
options there and it definitely stalled some of the momentum."
Allman said he thinks Microsoft was not given a fair chance and that people
overreacted because of the company's past practices.
He and representatives of other companies such as Bigfoot Interactive that use Sender
ID said they believe Microsoft has lived up to its pledges so far.
"I don't think the world realizes that Microsoft realizes that this is different from what
they usually do," Allman said.
With efforts to create a single standard stalled, several companies this year began
rolling out their own e-mail authentication systems.
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This month, Microsoft and Yahoo, which recently announced it would merge its
program with Cisco's, separately began offering consumers a note on e-mails
informing them whether the sender has been authenticated.
Some e-mail monitoring companies already report a leveling off of spam. But having
multiple e-mail authentication programs is causing confusion.
While Microsoft tries to flag e-mails that are potentially "bad," Yahoo does the
opposite, labeling e-mails that are "good." And while Microsoft and Yahoo say their
systems are "complementary," neither has plans to implement each other's system,
although they say they have not ruled out the possibility.
There are also other, unresolved questions -- for example, about whether it is fair to
just delete an e-mail from an unauthenticated address before the intended recipient
sees it, and about how to keep people such as political dissidents anonymous in the
new system.
Meanwhile, Wong has said his role as an evangelist for e-mail authentication has
given him "a new appreciation for politicians and politics."
"At some point I had to stop being a programmer and turn into a politician," Wong
said. "I can only imagine what it's like for politicians to try to do something that not
everybody wants to do."
Questions:
1. What did Meng Wong do in 2003?
2. Why did Microsoft cooperate with Wong?
3. What’s the result of the cooperation and why? How did the both sides think of it?
Passage III
Read the news and do exercise after it:
Late Shoppers Help Online Retailers Sell More
By Griff Witte
When it comes to shopping, Debbie Christian is a classic procrastinator.
Each year, the 47-year-old legal secretary from Maryland waits until the last possible
moment to buy her holiday gifts, then pays the price when store lines are long and the
traffic excruciating.
But this year was different. Though she started as late as ever, with a few clicks of the
mouse, she sent scarves, pocketbooks and shoes flying to relatives across the country
-- all online and all on time.
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"I was a little nervous," Christian said, noting the gifts were timed to arrive on
Christmas Eve. "But everything worked out perfectly. I didn't have to worry about the
crowds."
Christian's spree helped contribute to a record holiday season for online merchants,
one in which sales stayed strong late into December as more consumers put their trust
in the Web to get last-minute gifts under the tree. They also turned to options such as
ordering gifts online and picking them up at stores and made increasing use of online
gift cards and other items that could be delivered by e-mail.
Online retailers sold $14.8 billion worth of goods and services between Nov. 1 and
Dec. 26, a 29 percent increase over the comparable period in 2003, according to
statistics released this week by ComScore Networks, which tracks online spending.
The increase was particularly pronounced in the week before Christmas, when online
sales hit $1.22 billion, 53 percent higher than the corresponding week last year.
"We expected a solid season," said ComScore senior vice president Daniel E. Hess.
"But the results for the final two weeks are far beyond our expectations."
Online retailers have traditionally been shut out of much of the last-minute-gift
business because of the uncertainty associated with ordering a present on the Web and
having it delivered. Hess attributed this year's late-season surge to the public's
growing confidence that online retailers will deliver their products on time. Memories
are fading of past seasons in which certain online merchants failed to make good on
their holiday promises, he said. Businesses, meanwhile, continue to push back their
ordering deadlines and succeed in getting packages delivered on time.
"Retailers, and their shipping partners like FedEx and UPS, have really stepped up,"
he said.
The late strength of online sales mirrored the trend for retailers overall this holiday
season. Sales in November were disappointing, spawning fears that Christmas 2004
would be less than joyous for merchants. But the procrastinators showed up with a
vengeance in late December and managed to provide most retailers with strong results
and needed momentum heading into the new year.
Although online sales make up only a single-digit percentage of the retail business,
they have a powerful effect on consumer choices, with many people researching
prices and selection on the Web before they hit the stores. Hess said 90 million people
a week visited at least one retail Web site in the lead-up to Christmas.
With shortages reported for some popular items such as Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod,
many consumers racing against the clock -- and against other shoppers -- opted this
year for a hybrid retail experience that involved both highways and high-tech. At Best
Buy, for example, the company's customers made frequent use of a feature that
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allowed them to reserve a particular item online, and then get in the car and pick it up
at a local store.
Sears offered much the same service. "When the holidays were getting close, it
became an important option for those not wanting to leave anything to chance," Sears
spokeswoman Rochelle Mangold said.
The popularity of gift cards this year also contributed to high rates of online shopping,
since they could be ordered anytime and show up in the recipient's e-mail inbox
within seconds.
For much the same reason, flowers and gift baskets, which can generally be delivered
the same or next day, made up the fastest-growing category of online purchases this
season, ComScore said.
1-800-Flowers.com expanded its menu of same-day gifts beyond flowers, to baked
goods and candy. Spokesman Ken Young said increased options helped keep the
company's sales strong late into the season. "The biggest rush of business we had was
in the last 10 days [before Christmas]. No question. And it built in those last 10 days,"
Young said.
1-800-Flowers.com, like many online retailers, was especially aggressive in
marketing its ability to handle customers' last-minute shopping needs, sending regular
e-mails reminding the slow-to-shop that it wasn't too late. That's not to say, though,
that the company wants people to procrastinate. "It's not something we advise them to
do," he said.
That advice is likely to fall on deaf ears with Debbie Christian. The same is true for
Kadrea Lindner, 28, of Reston, a fellow procrastinator who did all her shopping for
her friends and family in stores, but also bought $750 worth of presents for herself
online as a test to see if they'd arrive on time. Next year, she's thinking of going online
exclusively.
"It was convenient," she said. "And it worked."
From: washingtonpost.com
Notes:
1. procrastination: 耽搁, 拖延, 因循.
2. excruciate: To inflict great mental distress on..
3. spree: 狂欢, 纵乐, 无节制的狂热行为.
4. spawn: To cause to spawn; bring forth; produce.
5. momentum: 动力, 要素.
6. opt: To make a choice or decision.
Discussion:
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Why did people choose online shopping? Do you have such experience? Discuss with
your partners on the possible advantages and disadvantages of online shopping, and
discuss the possibility of its spread in China.
Passage IV
Do you often take the news on science and technology must be formal and serious?
Well, read the following news, find out the facts through the humorous language and
then, rewrite it in plain language.
Dinosaur Eater Is a Lot To Digest
Discovery Rewrites History of Mammals
By Joel Achenbach
Every single mammal learns from an early age that we used to get gobbled up by
dinosaurs, that we were just a meaty little snack for the truly important animals of the
Mesozoic, that we were small and meek and pathetic and cringing and whimpering
and sniveling, locked into an extremely marginal evolutionary niche marked
"Losers."
It's part of our mammalian heritage to pass this story on from generation to generation.
Inevitably, our ancestors are described as mousy. "The size of a shrew" is a typical
description. We came out only at night. Meanwhile the dinosaurs gallivanted all over
the landscape, swinging their spiny tails around like they owned the place. We finally
got our big break 65 million years ago when, luckily, a rock from space killed off the
dinosaurs and much of life on Earth.
That story got amended yesterday, dramatically. Scientists at the American Museum
of Natural History in New York announced that they'd found a 130-million-year-old
mammal fossil that contains, in the remnants of the stomach contents, the tiny bones
of a baby dinosaur.
Sometimes, we ate them.
"This is the first direct evidence that mammals fed on dinosaurs. Now we can say that
dinosaurs could be very tasty, which is good news," said Jin Meng, a paleontologist
at the museum and co-author of the paper, published in the journal Nature,
announcing the discovery.
The dino-gulping mammal is Repenomamus robustus. It looked a bit like a very scary
possum. Low to the ground, big teeth. Not the cuddliest thing you ever saw.
The baby dinosaur inside its belly is a psittacosaur, a humble plant-eater that when
full grown was about six feet long. Actually there are just some fragmentary remains
of the animal, including a couple of legs and some teeth. When you're someone's
dinner you don't tend to look so good 130 million years later.
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This dino-eating Repe (we can call it that for sake of ease, but don't try this in science
class) was only about the size of a cat. But the scientists also announced the discovery
of a remarkably complete fossilized skeleton of a much larger, related mammal,
Repenomamus giganticus, which grew at least as large as a medium-size dog, more
than three feet from nose to tip of tail. That's not shrewish.
Meng said the smaller Repe fossil, with the stomach contents, was dug up by a farmer
two years ago in northeastern China, a country that has in recent years given the world
some stunning fossils, including ones of dinosaurs with feathers. At first Meng
believed that this fossil showed a mother and her baby, carried inside the womb. That
by itself would make it a fascinating specimen.
But his colleagues, including one of his students, Yaoming Hu, the lead author on the
Nature paper, discovered something tantalizing during a microscopic examination of
the teeth of the smaller animal: They were dinosaur teeth. This was a belly full of
baby dinosaur.
Some call it cold-blooded murder; others call it payback time.
The discovery is "a huge story," said Hans Sues, a Smithsonian paleontologist. "We
really didn't think there were big mammals like that around in the Mesozoic . . . We're
not dealing with some meek little insectivore. This is a major player in the
ecosystem."
Meng said that mammals should no longer be seen as supporting actors in a drama
dominated by dinosaurs: "Some of these mammals could be very nasty, and go out
and maybe chase some of the small dinosaurs."
There are still a lot of uncertainties. It's not clear whether the Repe was a predator or
a scavenger. Meng thinks there's good reason to vote for predator. It's three times the
size of the baby psittacosaur, he noted, which fits into the typical predator-to-prey size
ratio. Also, true scavengers (such as hyenas) are relatively rare.
There is wear on the teeth of the psittacosaur, suggesting that it wasn't an embryo but
rather a hatchling. Meng was also intrigued by the fact that some of the bones of the
dinosaur remain intact. The Repe didn't chew, but gulped. That's rather primitive for a
mammal, Meng said. "It's more like a crocodile behavior."
Perhaps the Repe hunted in packs. The museum provided an illustration of the scene
130 million years ago, showing a group of them hanging out together, one feeding on
the little dino. In the background is the requisite smoking volcano. Perched on a tree
branch is a mysterious winged creature that may be the ancestor of the flying
monkeys of Oz, and it seems to be serving as the lookout for the Repes. The Mesozoic
must have been a lovely time, what with all those animals working as a team, like in
"Ocean's Twelve."
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Finally we must ask the obligatory question: What did dinosaur taste like? The current
thinking among scientists is that birds are the evolutionary descendants of dinosaurs,
and that probably tells us all we need to know about dinosaur meat. Tastes like
chicken.
From: www.washingtonpost.com
What you should learn from this chapter:
20. The common-used vocabulary on computer science;
21. Ability to understand news on science and technology.
Language study:
17. Vocabulary study: disintegrate; permeate; infrastructure; authentication;
proprietary
18. Translation:
With shortages reported for some popular items such as Apple Computer Inc.'s iPod,
many consumers racing against the clock -- and against other shoppers -- opted this
year for a hybrid retail experience that involved both highways and high-tech.
Homework
1. The paragraphs below are from a piece of news, yet in the
wrong order. Please re-arrange them so that they will form a
complete piece of news:
A New Key to Fighting Identity Theft
1) AOL and E-Trade's devices should be familiar to many workers who must connect
to their corporate networks from home or on the road. These tokens, in use for about
two decades, were originally invented as a check system to make sure security guards
were making their rounds.
2) The idea here is to ensure that password theft has no value. Each six-digit number's
utility expires once it's used, but without it a regular user name and password alone
won't log a customer in.
3) Litan said a login token could help more if users have to enter its six-digit number
whenever they conduct a high-value transaction, just to make sure that their accounts
are not hijacked. But then again, that might be the sort of added complexity that
would make the prospect of using these things even less appealing.
182
4) What's more, they might not be offering the right kind of protection. Avivah Litan,
a fraud analyst at Gartner, said these tokens mainly offer a "placebo effect" to users
who want to feel more secure. While purveyors of malicious software would be happy
to steal your AOL and E-Trade passwords, they could use many other tricks. If a
hacker gets the right type of spy program installed on your PC -- for example, a
keystroke logger that records every tap of the keyboard -- it might not matter whether
he or she scores your AOL password.
5) That number acts as an extra, one-time password by matching up with an identical
number generated at the same time by a computer at AOL or E-Trade's offices. Both
the token and the computer had their clocks synchronized at birth, ensuring that each
would generate matching random six-digit numbers at the same intervals.
6) New York-based E-Trade will give a Security ID free to customers with $50,000 in
assets with the company or who make at least 15 trades per quarter. Those with fewer
assets or activity must pay $25 for the token, a sum that E-Trade says just covers its
costs.
7) With identity theft and other crimes on the rise, America Online and E-Trade have
each taken a strategy from the corporate world to make customers feel safer.
8) America Online started offering its AOL PassCode last September, and E-Trade
rolled out its Digital Security ID in March. So far, E-Trade says it has about 20,000
users; AOL would not share figures on how many subscribers use its widget.
9) America Online's PassCode costs $9.95 upfront, plus $1.95 to $4.95 a month,
depending on the number of screen names the device secures.
10) RSA says that consumers will be seeing more of these tokens in the future -perhaps issued by banks, although the company would not name other firms with
plans to offer them to customers.
11) RSA Security, the Bedford, Mass., company that makes these tokens, says that
more than half of the companies on the Fortune 500 use the device today, with about
15 million of them deployed.
12) Both are inviting their users to try out a different way to log in to their sites. In
addition to typing a user name and password, they can obtain a key-chain-sized token
with a tiny screen that displays a new six-digit number every minute.
13) Greg Framke, executive vice president of technology at E-Trade, said he started
looking for a better security solution when the company noticed some customers had
been victims of identity theft through "phishing" attacks, where hackers attempt to
trick users into giving away their passwords.
183
14) Framke rates the RSA device as the equivalent of "a wall with razor wire," but
added that he doesn't necessarily think the device is a permanent security fix. "I think
that in two or three years, we will have something completely different, something
more elegant."
15) That might be a good move. The Stamford, Conn., research firm Gartner
conducted a survey and found that devices like the RSA token are unpopular with
consumers -- even the ones who say they want more security options.
16) Andrew Weinstein, an America Online spokesman, said the device is "still in the
early adopter stage." Most users so far have been subscribers who run businesses
online through their AOL accounts or who conduct many financial transactions
through AOL, he said. (The company turned to RSA because AOL employees who
need to log on to AOL's corporate networks from afar use the same devices.)
2. Read the following news, try to answer the 5ws of it and then write a summary of
about 100 words:
U.S. to Triple Airport Quarantine Stations
Health Program Aims to Prevent Infectious Diseases From Entering Country
The government plans to more than triple the number of quarantine stations at airports
around the country and hire scores of health officers as part of a broad plan to try to
stop deadly infectious diseases from entering the United States.
Ten new stations, at airports stretching from Alaska to Puerto Rico, are already open
or nearing completion, and about 50 new health officers are undergoing training. The
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention plans to build an additional seven stations
as soon as it can get the money. Eight stations that have existed for years are gaining
staff, so that when the plan is complete, the country will be blanketed by a network of
25 centers designed as a first-line of defense against a global disease pandemic.
In practical terms, the plan will not mean much change for international air travelers,
at least in normal times. It does mean that if a passenger gets sick on a flight, when
the plane lands it is likely to be boarded by federal health officers specifically trained
to recognize exotic diseases, not just by local emergency crews.
If a global pandemic looms, though, the plan calls for the centers to play a key role in
setting up a firebreak that would try to keep the disease out of the United States. The
stations would help coordinate broad programs under which thousands of air travelers
might be subject to medical evaluation, or offered medical pamphlets and advice,
before being allowed to enter the country. Federal experts emphasized that passengers
would be quarantined only if there is strong reason to suspect they have been exposed
to a serious disease, and then only long enough rule out that possibility or get them
into medical-isolation wards at hospitals.
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"We're not going to lock you up for days," said Jennifer Morcone, a spokeswoman for
the CDC, noting the negative connotation the word quarantine once carried. "The goal
here is to take care of people."
Many of the new centers are being housed temporarily in small offices or suites, but
eventually they will include examination rooms that will allow health officers to
isolate and evaluate a few ill passengers at a time, according to the CDC. The centers
will never be big enough to quarantine entire planeloads of people but would play a
coordinating role if such drastic measures ever became necessary.
Washington Dulles International Airport is getting a new center, with some staff
already in place and construction underway on a small office suite. Other centers are
opening this year at airports in Anchorage, Boston, Detroit, El Paso, Houston,
Minneapolis, Newark, San Diego and San Juan. Quarantine stations have existed for
years in Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco
and Seattle, but all those are growing.
The CDC aims to open at least seven more quarantine offices when it can get the
money, to bring the national total to 25. Cities at the top of the priority list include
Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, New Orleans, Philadelphia and Phoenix, but that list is not
final and other cities are under consideration.
The 50 or so staff members already hired will more than double the CDC's presence at
the nation's airports. Leaders of most of the new and existing stations convened last
week in a suburb of Salt Lake City to develop operating procedures.
The CDC's plan calls for placing at least one doctor, not just inspectors, at every
airport with a quarantine station. Up till now, even in long-established stations, the
nearest CDC doctor was often hundreds of miles away. "This is a dramatic change
from where we were a year ago," said Ram Koppaka, acting director of the CDC's
quarantine branch.
The plan is a response to rising fears about bioterrorism or a potential pandemic of
respiratory illness. For example, experts fear that a highly lethal form of influenza
now circulating among birds in Asia, if it undergoes certain genetic changes, could
start spreading rapidly among humans, potentially killing millions. In an age of global
air travel, such an illness could jump from foreign countries to the United States in
hours.
The plan is also an attempt to apply lessons from the 2003 scare over a new disease:
severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. Hundreds of thousands of people around
the world, including thousands in Toronto, were placed in quarantine and entire cities
in China were cordoned off before that ailment was brought under control. It never
gained a foothold in the United States, but a few cases came in on planes, and the
CDC found itself scrambling to notify potentially exposed passengers.
185
"We recognized that in SARS, we had a tremendous need for CDC public health
officers at points of entry to our country in order to evaluate passengers who had
potential exposure in transit," said Julie L. Gerberding, director of the CDC, in
Atlanta. "In many of our airports, we don't have on-site facilities to isolate someone
who is potentially infectious."
The CDC's plan is winning plaudits from outside experts who are familiar with it. But
they cautioned that not even a dramatic expansion of the CDC's presence at airports
can guarantee that an infectious organism will not slip into the country. And some
noted that recommendations for just this kind of program had been around for years.
"I actually applaud the CDC on this," said Michael T. Osterholm, director of the
Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. But
he added: "We should have done this a long time ago. Once someone leaves a plane in
this country, they get lost into the veneer of humans wherever they go."
The CDC is still developing its plan for the centers and weighing related issues, such
as how to notify passengers if an illness is discovered after everyone leaves a plane.
That proved a huge problem during the SARS scare, with airlines often unable to
supply final destinations or detailed contact information for their passengers.
The day may be nearing when people will be asked for such details as they log onto
the Internet to make plane reservations. In a public-opinion survey for the CDC,
Harvard University researchers found a strong willingness to comply if people were
assured their data would be used only in an emergency.
"If we set up these quarantine centers and find out the passenger in 7B has some sort
of suspicious respiratory condition, we need to know immediately who was in 7A and
who was in 7C," said Mark A. Rothstein, a bioethicist at the University of Louisville
who led a team that studied the CDC's response to SARS. "To wait for paper records
could take days -- the whole country could be infected by that point."
4. Read the following news and tell what is nanometer technology and what are the
uses.
Tiny Technologies Slip Unseen
When Stephen Y.Chou talks to his engineering students at
Princeton about nanotechnology, he compares work in the field
to boarding a space shuttle for a trip to another planet.
Nanotechnology, a field whose name comes from nanometer -- a
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unit of measure one-billionth of a meter, or a mere 10 times the
diameter of a single hydrogen atom. Products using the
microscopic materials generated sales of ＄ 26.5 billion last
year, according to a recent estimate by Nanomat, a European
consortium of companies and
research institutions involved in nanotechnology. And the
National Science Foundation predicts the total will soar to
＄ 1 trillion by 2015.
Nanoproducts are showing up in khakis, where they contribute
to stain resistance, and cosmetics, where they are used as
sunscreens. Smith ＆ Nephew, the world's largest supplier of
wound treatment products, markets an antimicrobial dressing
covered with silver nanocrystals that are made by Nucryst
Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of the Westaim Corporation.
Pilkington and PPG, two major glass manufacturers, have
introduced competing “ self-cleaning” window glass products
with a surface layer of nanoscale titanium dioxide particles. The
particles interact with ultraviolet rays in sunlight, loosen dirt
and, then, with water, distribute the dirt evenly across the
surface. As a result, most dirt washes off easily without streaking
whenever it rains.
Many of the current commercial applications do not require the
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kinds of uniform features and numbingly precise layouts that
researchers know will be needed for future nanoproducts -- like
sugar-cube-size devices capable of storing as much data as the
Library of Congress. By comparison, current nanomaterials can
have wide variations. Many visionary nanoscale products will
require new manufacturing
systems.
Many of the companies with commercial products are
experiencing the usual tribulations of pioneers, including
unexpected production kinks, cautious customers and, in the last
year, the impact of the recession.
Despite the growing pains, many experts say nanotechnology is
catching on much faster than they had expected. “ The things I
said a few years ago would be prototypes in 2005 are here now,”
James C. Ellenbogen, who heads the nanotechnology division at
the
Mitre
Corporation,
which
specializes
in
government-supported technical research. “ There has been a
sharp upsurge in the number of venture capitalists at science
meetings.”
For your reference
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Vocabulary on Astronomy and Mobile-phone
launch a satellite 发射卫星 launch pad 发射台
multistage rocket 多级火箭
second stage 第二级
third stage 第三级
orbit 轨道 artificial satellite 人造卫
星
Telstar 通信卫星
antenna 天线
solar cell
太阳电池
spacecraft 航天器
lunar module 登月舱 LM-maneuvering
rockets 登月舱, 机动火箭
landing pad 着陆架
service module 服务
舱
directional antenna 定向天线
nozzle of the main engine 主 发 动 机 喷 嘴
ascent stage 上 升 段
descent stage 下降段
hatch 舱口
ladder 扶
梯
command module 指令舱
service module 服务舱
space suit 航天服
emergency oxygen apparatus 应 急 供 氧 装 置 access flap 接 口 盖
life support system 生命维持系统
bluetooth 蓝牙技术（无线耳机）
Wi-Fi ： wireless Fidelity 无 线 保 真
Hi-Fi High Fidelity 高 保 真
3-G：Generation Three 第三代 PHS：Personal Handyphone System 个人手提移动电话系统
Walkie-Talkie：步话机
Gotone：全球通
GPS：Global Positioning System 全球定位系统
Monternet：Mobile+Internet 移动梦网
GPRS：General Packet Radio Service 通用分组无线业务
SMS：Short Message Service 短信服务
LCD：Liquid Crystal Display 液晶显示
MMS：Multi-media Messaging Service 多媒体信息服务
SIM 卡：Subscriber Identity Module 客户身份识别卡
GSM：Global System For Mobile Communications 全球移动通信系统
WAP：Wireless Application Protocol 无线应用协议（即使手机具有上网功能）
PAS：Personal Access System 个人接入系统（如“小灵通”
）
CDMA：Code Division Multiple Access 码多分址
Phone Card：储值卡
Roaming：漫游
Voice Prompt：语音提示
WLANs：Wireless Local Area Networks 无线局域网
DV：Digital Video 数码摄像机
3-D：Three-Dimension 三维
Chapter 10
News on Science and Technology (II)
Review
Do you still remember how to do topic reading?
Do you still remember the names of the different parts of news?
Passage I
Read the following passage and learn how to read news on disputes: What should we
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consider in reading a story about a dispute? And don’t forget to collect useful
vocabulary.
Disputes
If you think about it, a large percentage of news stories involve disputes of some kind.
Strikes, nasty divorces, protests, and wars are all forms of disputes. Since they can be
dramatic and affect large numbers of people, such stories appear in the newspaper
virtually every day. All disputes have basic similarities and this makes it easy to form
a plan for reading about them. Below are some of the factors you should consider in
reading a story about a dispute.
At least two sides and one grievance
Disputes have at least two opposing sides and at least one grievance. Thus, to
understand a dispute you must find the information which identifies the opposing
sides and explains why they are in disagreement.
A recognisable sequence
Disputes begin with a grievance and usually move through a number of stages before
reaching a resolution. If the process is peaceful, the adversaries rely heavily on
discussions and negotiations to gain an agreement. They may even bring in outsiders
to mediate. If necessary they may use the courts—or perhaps even an election.
Particularly bitter disputes, however, can result in violence. Disputes can be resolved
through compromises or they can favour one side over another. In the most extreme
cases, one of the adversaries may suffer total defeat, even destruction.
In reading a story about a dispute, think about what stage it has reached, i.e., what has
happened thus far, and what is likely to happen next. What attempts have been or are
being made to reach a settlement? Will the opposing sides be able to reach an
agreement by themselves or will it be necessary to bring in outside mediators or
perhaps leave it to a court to decide?
Pressure tactics
Adversaries try to gain advantages in even the most peaceful disputes. They do this in
many ways, but most disputes involve some type of pressure. Individuals or groups
may threaten demonstrations, boycotts, legal action, strikes or even violence. And if
they don’t succeed in winning their demands, they are quite likely to carry out these
threats. Their opponents may make counter-threats of their own and they, too, have a
whole set of tactics available. Companies faced with a strike, for example, may lock
out their employees. Governments may jail protesters and, in extreme cases, countries
may take up arms against a disagreeable neighbouring country. All this, of course,
makes news.
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When you read about a dispute, consider the tactics used by each side. Also consider
which side seems to have the stronger position. In a strike, for example, consider how
long each side is likely to be able to continue without suffering severe damage. Which
side seems to have the most public support? Or if the courts become involved, which
side seems to have the stronger case?
A look at a real dispute
Below is a story from the Bangkok Post which deals with a long-standing dispute
which eventually reached all the way to the Prime Minister's office in Bangkok. As
you read, try to determine the opposing sides, the grievance which has caused the
dispute, and the demands which have been made. Consider also what attempts have
been made to resolve the dispute and what additional steps might be taken. The story
is in the news because of the pressure tactics being used. What tactics are both sides
using to strengthen their positions?
Villagers bring toxic waste protest to city
RAYONG villagers opposed to a toxic waste dump have joined the
10,000-strong protest at Government House.
Led by the Rayong Conservation Group, the Pluak Daeng villagers vowed to
stay until their demand that the landfill site be moved is met. Group
representatives will meet Industry Minister Chaiwat Sinsuwong today to
convince him the Tambon Tasit site is not appropriate as it is too close to
water sources.
The 1,036-rai former pineapple plantation is 300m from Klong Ra-woeng and
500m from Klong Tai Sun, both of which feed Nong Pla Lai reservoir, seven
km away. Fears among villagers that toxins will seep into the reservoir, which
supplies Rayong and Chon Buri, have been reaffirmed by a Greenpeace report
detailing leaks from landfill sites in the United States managed by Waste
Management International (WMI).
According to Greenpeace USA’s 1991 report “Waste Management Inc, An
Encyclopedia of Environmental Crimes and Other Misdeeds”, at least 14
hazardous waste landfills in North America have been reported by the US
Environmental Protection Agency to have leaked extremely toxic
chemicals into surrounding areas and underground water sources.
WMI is engineering consultant to General Environment Conservation Co.,
Ltd (GENCO), which with the Industry Ministry as a joint venture partner,
is to build and operate the Pluak Daeng site.
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GENCO’s initial plan to build an industrial waste treatment complex and
landfill site in Pluak Daeng ran into stiff opposition from villagers. Early this
year, after a public hearing, the Industry Ministry moved the treatment plant to
Mab Ta Phud industrial estate, but not the landfill site. Puangsan Xumsai Na
Ayudhaya, GENCO’s president and chief executive, said its treatment
technology and the chosen site are technically appropriate and will pose no
environmental threat.
Efforts would be made to convince the villagers to abandon their protest,
said Mr Puangsan, welcoming suggestions that construction and operations be
monitored by GENCO executives, protest leaders and neutral parties. Officials
from the Industrial Estate Authority of Thailand and the Industrial Works
Department will be invited to promote understanding among villagers and
other opponents.
Other GENCO executives, however, have implied some opponents have
ulterior motives. GENCO adviser Nattasin Chongsanguan said they included
people involved in illegal collection and disposal of industrial waste and small
factories which do not meet disposal requirements. “If our facilities go ahead,
many factories will use them, depriving illegal dumping operations of
business,” he said. He also accused land brokers of opposing the plan because
they lost out in GENCO's land purchase. “We bought land direct from
villagers in Tambon Tasit, which was a disappointment to them,” he said.
Protest leaders dismissed his allegations as an attempt to discredit opponents.
A conservation group leader said: “GENCO lies. Opponents to its project are
ordinary villagers afraid of toxic leaks,” he said.
Villagers will escalate their protest if GENCO insists on the Pluak Daeng site.
“It will face an even tougher protest and it may end up like the tantalum
factory in Phuket,” he said, referring to the plant burned down by protesters
several years ago.
Let’s think about it
Thinking about the above story in an organized way makes it easier to understand and
more interesting as well. In this case, the main opposing sides are clearly stated. On
one side are the protesters: villagers from the Thai province of Rayong led by the
Rayong Conservation Group. On the other side are the Ministry of Industry, GENCO,
and their consultants, WMI. But there may be more parties as well. If GENCO
executives can be believed, the protesters may include some dishonest elements. That
is something we would want to watch for in future stories.
The protesters’ grievance concerns the proposed establishment of a toxic landfill in
their area. They claim this would be extremely unsafe and they have demanded that it
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not be set up. The demonstration in front of the Government House—a pressure
tactic—is the latest measure they have taken to prevent the landfill from being built.
Their next step is to try to convince the Minister of Industry to stop the project. At this
stage, the dispute is still a peaceful one and the subject of negotiations. Notice that
previous negotiations were partially successful in that they prevented a waste
treatment facility from being established in the same area. But the protesters have also
made threats to escalate their protest if their demand is not met, and that may mean
violence.
The other side is employing their own tactics. They have rejected claims that the
project is unsafe and they have offered to include the villagers in monitoring its safety.
But they also appear to be using less honorable tactics in trying to discredit their
opponents' motives.
With this as background, the story will be even easier to understand as it develops
over the next few days and weeks. Here are some of the things we might want to
watch for: What will be the Industry Minister's response to the protesters? If he
decides the project must go forward, what will happen? Will a compromise eventually
be reached? Will the protesters be able to increase their pressure, perhaps by bringing
in outside groups? Is violence a real possibility? Regular readers come to stories with
such questions in mind and that is one reason they quickly become good readers as
well.
Vocabulary of disputes
1. adversary: opponent; someone you are fighting or competing against
2. allegation: accusation; charge
3. boycott: refusing to do business with or trade with
4. compromise: an agreement in which all sides accept less than they wanted at first
5. demonstration: an event where a large group of people publicly protest
6. deprive: to keep from having something important or necessary
7. discredit: to make people stop respecting or trusting someone
8. dispute: strong disagreement, conflict
9. escalate: to increase or make worse
10. grievance: point of disagreement
11. hazardous: dangerous; likely to cause harm
12. imply: to say indirectly
13. joint venture: business activity in which two or more people or companies work together
14. land broker: a person who buys and sells land as an occupation
15. landfill: a place where waste is buried
16. mediate: (of a third party) to help two quarrelling sides reach an agreement
17. monitor: to watch closely
18. reaffirm: to formally state an intention again
19. reservoir: a lake where water is stored
20. resolution: settlement; solution
21. seep: to flow slowly through small holes or spaces
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22. tactic: method; way of doing something
23. toxic: poisonous
24. ulterior motive: hidden (and often dishonest) reason
25. vow: to make a serious promise
Discuss
Do you think dispute may also appear in news on science and technology? Why?
Passage II
Read the following news and make clear: who are the two sides? What is the
sequence? Is there any pressure tactics?
Disputes Stall Biotech Trade Talks
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Europe and developing countries clashed with the
United States Thursday about the global trade in genetically modified commodities,
with the former demanding strict labeling and liability laws and the latter seeking
looser guidelines.
As a five-day conference on biotechnology safety neared its conclusion, government
officials, scientists and environmentalists from more than 80 nations remained mired
in disputes about whether gene-spliced crops might benefit or befoul human health
and the environment.
Meanwhile, Mexico announced it was banning imports of some genetically
engineered maize a decision that could affect its imports from the United States, a key
exporter of biologically altered foods.
Divisions at the conference surfaced in nearly every discussion on how to implement
the U.N. Cartagena Protocol, which aims to protect Earth's diversity of life from
biotechnology's possible risks by ensuring countries receive enough information to let
them accept or reject gene-modified imports.
European and African countries called for punitive measures against signatories that
fail to comply with the protocol's requirements to be included. The United States and
Canada argued that such measures which some countries say could include trade
sanctions are unnecessary.
U.S. officials said identification papers accompanying bio-engineered shipments
meant for release into the environment such as new varieties of corn for cultivation
shouldn't have to include details on how they've been genetically modified. India and
Iran disagreed.
Swiss delegate Francois Pythoud, who chaired talks on the transport of biotech goods,
expressed hopes that before the conference ends Friday, delegates might agree on
"compromise language" for texts that suggest how shipments should be packaged and
identified. Ethiopia and other African nations called for a legally binding international
regime that allows people to seek compensation from exporters if gene-modified
organisms contaminate their environment or damage their health. But many countries
194
refused to debate legalities for now.
Environmentalist groups accused biotech crop producers that haven't ratified the
Cartagena Protocol such as the United States and Canada of undermining the treaty by
trying to persuade other countries to sign separate agreements with them on biotech
shipping procedures.
Mexico, which has ratified the protocol, last October signed a tripartite accord with
the United States and Canada that activists claim barely fulfills some the protocol's
minimum requirements. Victor Manuel Arambula, executive secretary of Mexico's
biosafety commission, announced Thursday his country was banning imports of
maize engineered for nonagricultural purposes, such as producing proteins and
chemicals used in pharmaceutical products and plastic. The ban which takes effect
immediately aims to prevent any genetic contamination of maize cultivated in Mexico
for food, Arambula told reporters.
He said the ban doesn't interfere with Mexico's obligations under its pact with the
United States, and Greenpeace spokeswoman Doreen Stabinsky said the
announcement was "insignificant" because Mexico currently doesn't import any of the
maize it is banning. She accused Mexican officials of trying to deflect attention from
the criticism it has attracted over its trilateral agreement.
Mexico noted in a statement Thursday that the agreement has "not been free from
mistrust and criticism," but stressed its aim was to maintain trade of genetically
altered goods "in a practical, unequivocal and realistic way."
Mexico last year imported 5.6 million metric tons (6.1 million short tons) of yellow
corn, mostly from the United States, Arambula said. He gave no statistics on what
percentage of these were gene-modified.
From: http://www.timesdaily.com/
1. liability n.责任, 义务, 倾向, 债务, 负债, 与 assets 相对
2. befoul vt.弄脏, 诽谤
3. implement n.工具, 器具 vt.贯彻, 实现 v.执行
4. protocol n.草案, 协议
5. diversity n.差异, 多样性
6. punitive adj.刑罚的, 惩罚性的
7. signatory n.签名人, 签字者
8. sanction n.& v.批准, 同意, 支持, 制裁, 认可
9. identification n.辨认, 鉴定, 证明, 视为同一
10. delegate n.代表 vt.委派...为代表
11. compromise n.妥协, 折衷 v.妥协, 折衷, 危及...的安全
12. compensation n.补偿, 赔偿
13. contaminate v.污染
14. legality n.合法, 墨守陈规, 法律上的义务
15. ratify vt.批准, 认可
16. undermine v.破坏
17. tripartite adj.三重的, 分成三部分的
18. protein n.[生化]蛋白质 adj.蛋白质的
19. pharmaceutical n.药物 adj.制药(学)上的
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20. deflect v.(使)偏斜, (使)偏转
21. trilateral adj.三边的 n.三边形
22. unequivocal adj.不含糊的
Victory over US claimed as rules agreed on GM exports
KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - Environmentalists claimed victory over the United States
as more than 100 countries agreed to international rules covering the export of
genetically-modified crops and food.
Signatories to the UN's Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which came into force in
September last year, decided at a conference here on a "rigorous system" for handling,
transporting, packaging and identifying genetically-engineered exports.
The agreement "foiled attempts by the USA and other GM exporting countries to
weaken this newborn international agreement on GMOs (genetically modified
organisms)", the Friends of the Earth environmental group said in a statement.
The United States, the world's biggest producer of GM crops, is already involved in a
struggle over the issue with the European Union in the World Trade Organisation
(WTO) and was quick to express its disappointment.
"We understand the concerns that countries have to protect their biodiversity, but we
believe you can't just erect walls and have regulatory procedures that are not based on
science," biotech trade policy spokeswoman Deborah Malac said.
"Our biggest disappointment is that we feel they are moving down a path away from
practical steps. They are moving very, very quickly in a direction without being sure
parties can implement their obligations."
The US has not signed the protocol, which has been ratified by 86 countries and the
European Union, and lobbied hard on the sidelines of the conference for the minimal
labelling of GM products.
Critics, however, have dubbed such products -- known as GMOs or living modified
organisms (LMOs) -- "Frankenfoods" after the fictional man-made monster
Frankenstein, saying they pose potential harm to human health and the environment.
Genetic modification can involve the introduction of genes from one plant to another
or the switching of genes between plants and animals to change the way they develop,
usually to protect them from disease or enhance their commercial value.
"We are happy with the outcome," Greenpeace delegation chief Doreen Stabinsky told
AFP. "The US, Argentina and Canada were furious with the result."
Canada and Argentina are also major producers of GM crops and have not signed the
protocol.
Under the new system, all shipments of GMOs such as seeds and fish that are meant
to be introduced directly into the environment must be clearly identified, the United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said in a statement. The common,
scientific and commercial names of the modified organisms, along with the
"transformation event code", must be documented, as well as the GMO "risk class"
and contact details in case of emergency.
All bulk shipments of genetically-engineered crops intended for food, animal feed or
processing, such as soybeans and maize, are to be labelled "may contain LMOs", the
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UNEP said.
A 15-member committee was established to monitor compliance with the protocol,
while a group of legal and technical experts will develop regulations by 2008
covering liability and redress for damages resulting from transboundary movements
of GMOs.
"Now that a system for identifying and labelling GMO exports has become
operational, countries can enjoy the benefits of biotechnology with greater confidence
while avoiding the potential risks," said Hamdallah Zedan, the Protocol's executive
secretary.
"This rigorous system for handling, transporting, packaging and identifying GMOs is
in the best interests of everyone -- developed and developing countries, consumers
and industry, and all those who care deeply about our natural environment," he said.
The protocol forms part of the Convention on Biological Diversity, adopted by 150
countries after the Rio Earth summit in 1992, which aims to protect all forms of life
from the ravages of human development.
From: www.thecampaign.org
Notes:
1. protocol: The first copy of a treaty or other such document before its ratification.
2. foil: To prevent from being successful; thwart.
3. biodiversity: 生物多样性
4. ratify: To approve and give formal sanction to; confirm.
5. Frankenstein: An agency or a creation that slips from the control of and ultimately
destroys its creator..
6. compliance: The act of complying with a wish, request, or demand; acquiescence.
7. liability: Something for which one is liable; an obligation, a responsibility, or a
debt.
8. redress: To make amends to.
Passage III
Read the following news and tell what you have learned from it. Is it OK
for you to use hand-free telephones when you’re driving? Why? Is it more
dangerous for older drivers to have a telephone talk during the driving?
Study: Cell Phone Use Ups Accident Risk
By Leon D'Souza
The Associated Press
Wednesday, February 2, 2005;
SALT LAKE CITY -- Talking on a cell phone makes you drive like a retiree - even if
you're only a teen, a new study shows. A report from the University of Utah says
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when motorists between 18 and 25 talk on cell phones, they drive like elderly people moving and reacting more slowly and increasing their risk of accidents.
"If you put a 20-year-old driver behind the wheel with a cell phone, his reaction times
are the same as a 70-year-old driver," said David Strayer, a University of Utah
psychology professor and principal author of the study. "It's like instant aging."
And it doesn't matter whether the phone is hand-held or handsfree, he said. Any
activity requiring a driver to "actively be part of a conversation" likely will impair
driving abilities, Strayer said.
In fact, motorists who talk on cell phones are more impaired than drunken drivers
with blood-alcohol levels exceeding 0.08, Strayer and colleague Frank Drews, an
assistant professor of psychology, found during research conducted in 2003.
Their new study appears in this winter's issue of Human Factors, the quarterly journal
of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Strayer said they found that when 18- to-25-year-olds were placed in a driving
simulator and talked on a cellular phone, they reacted to brake lights from a car in
front of them as slowly as 65- to 74-year-olds who were not using a cell phone.
In the simulator, each participant drove four 10-mile freeway trips lasting about 10
minutes each, talking on a cell phone with a research assistant during half the trip and
driving without talking the other half. Only handsfree phones - considered safer were used.
The study found that drivers who talked on cell phones were 18 percent slower in
braking and took 17 percent longer to regain the speed they lost when they braked.
The numbers, which come down to milliseconds, might not seem like much, but it
could be the difference to stopping in time to avoid hitting a child in the street, Strayer
said.
The new research questions the effectiveness of cell phone usage laws in states such
as New York and New Jersey, which only ban the use of hand-held cell phones while
driving. It's not so much the handling of a phone, Strayer said, but the fact that having
a conversation is a mental process that can drain concentration.
The only silver lining to the new research is that elderly drivers using a cell phone
aren't any more of a hazard to themselves and others than young drivers. Previous
research suggested older drivers may face what Strayer described as a "triple
whammy."
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"We thought they would be really messed up because not only are they slower overall
due to age, there's also a difficulty dividing attention," Strayer said.
But the study found that more experience and a tendency to take fewer risks helped
negate any additional danger.
What you should learn from this chapter:
22. The common-used vocabulary on biotechnology;
23. The method of reading news on dispute.
Language study:
19. Vocabulary study: liability; protocol; contaminate; ratify; impair
20. Translation:
In the simulator, each participant drove four 10-mile freeway trips lasting about 10
minutes each, talking on a cell phone with a research assistant during half the trip and
driving without talking the other half. Only handsfree phones - considered safer were used.
Homework
Passage 1
Please write a headline and a lead for the following news :
"Researchers here are quite confident that they can solve the aerodynamics
problems," said Tony Trueman, a spokesman for Bath University, in south-west
England, adding that spy cameras and computers small enough to equip an insect
were already within reach.
The university has received a 650,000-pound (910,000 euros, 1.15 million dollars)
grant from BAE Systems, the British government and the US Air Force, and "in
around the next 18 months the project will be finished," Trueman said.
He said the military could use insect-sized drones for "the sensing of chemical and
biological weapons, but they are not likely to be used directly as weapons," because
they would be too small to carry a bomb.
They could, however, "land on the roof of enemy vehicles and mark them for future
attack."
Civil authorities might use them for "traffic monitoring, border surveillance, fire and
rescue operation, wildlife survey, substance detection like in a sort of nuclear
accident," he said, adding: "You can send these into the building."
The head of the aerospace subgroup at the university's department of mechanical
engineering, Ismet Gursul, said: "We're looking for the most efficient way of flying,
199
and the rapid flapping of a flexible wing is one of these."
Trueman said several miniature drones existed in the United States "but they can
only fly for a few seconds and a few meters" and American researchers were
"beginning to know that a wing should be flexible and not rigid and it is more
efficient that way."
The university researchers hoped to build a drone about 15 centimetres (six inches)
long, weighing 50 grammes (less than two ounces) and capable of flying for an hour.
But Gursul noted that existing models were "too large to carry out fine manoeuvres"
and said the ultimate aim was to construct a plane no larger than a bee, three or four
centimetres long.
The basic obstacle was one of aerodynamics, he said, because "the smaller an aircraft
is made, the slower is its speed and the more vulnerable it is to high winds."
According to Trueman, equipping the plane posed less of a problem because
"miniaturisation gets easier" as computers become more powerful.
"Other scientists must come up with a method of miniaturising the computer
hardware and software, so one would be able to put on to the plane, so the plane can
fly in an intelligent way, so it doesn't strike objects," he said.
From: www.ruggedelegantliving.com/
Passage 2
Please write out the name of the different parts of the news, and find out what
happened. Pay special attention to the terms.
Dolly creator wins licence to clone human embryos
LONDON (AFP) - The scientist who created Dolly the sheep, the world's first cloned
mammal, has been given a licence to clone human embryos for medical research,
triggering an outcry among opposition groups.
Ian Wilmut from the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, dismissing fears that his work
would lead to reproductive cloning, said Tuesday that the licence would allow him
and his team to study the fatal motor neuron disease (MND).
"Our aim will be to generate stem cells purely for research purposes," said Wilmut,
who will also work with researchers from King's College university in London.
It is only the second time that the fertility body, the Human Fertilisation and
Embryology Authority, has issued a licence for therapeutic cloning research, which
has been legal in the country since 2001.
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"Human beings have been changing the world around them for a very long time, in
general to good effect," Wilmut told a news conference in Edinburgh.
"I think that the majority of people support this type of research and hope it will be
successful in helping to bring useful treatment for diseases like motor neurone
disease," he said.
Wilmut's team plans to extract stem cells from patients with MND and implant them
in unfertilised eggs to create cloned embryos.
They will then harvest stem cells from the embryos to grow motor neurones -- the
long nerves which transmit electrical messages from the brain and spinal cord to the
muscles.
The technique will not be used to correct the disease, which is caused by the death of
motor neurones and affects about 5,000 people in Britain, but the study of the cells
could help to develop future treatments.
Wilmut shot to fame in July 1996 when he created Dolly the sheep, the first mammal
ever to be cloned from an adult cell. Dolly was put down two years ago this month
after she developed a lung disease.
Critics of embryo cloning fear that Britain is one step closer to authorising the
creation of human clones, but Wilmut dismissed such fears.
"This is not reproductive cloning in any way. The eggs we use will not be allowed to
grow beyond 14 days," he said.
"Once the stem cells are removed for cell culture, the remaining cells will be
destroyed. The embryonic stem cells that we derive in this way will only be used for
research into motor neurone disease," he said.
Anthony Ozimic, political secretary of the pro-life group Society for the Protection of
Unborn Children, accused the government of granting a licence to "clone and kill"
and warned that the next step would be manufactured humans.
"Any 'licence to clone and kill' strikes at the very heart our society's basic rule for
living together in peace, which is do not kill the innocent," Ozimic said in a statement.
"All of those killed are unique, never-to-be-replaced, totally innocent human
individuals."
Ozimic denied that there was any difference between therapeutic cloning and
reproductive cloning, which is banned in Britain, and feared the government would be
pressured to allow scientists to reproduce humans in future.
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"It will start a slippery slope," Ozimic told AFP, urging the fertility authority to
suspend all licences until the United Nations, which is debating the issue of human
cloning, makes a decision.
For his part, Wilmut rejected such concerns and said his team would back any
decision by the United Nations related to cloning.
From :
http://news.yahoo.com/
Passage 3
What is the most outstanding language characteristics of this news?
More Alternative Fuel Vehicles Seen in U.S. in 2004
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of vehicles in the United States that run on
alternative fuels is expected to increase 7.3 percent this year from 2003, the
government said on Friday.
A total of 547,904 vehicles that run on natural gas, corn-based ethanol, electricity or
liquefied petroleum gases will be on the road this year, up from 510,805 last year, the
U.S. Energy Information Administration said.
That's slower growth than the 8.4 increase from the 471,098 alternative-fueled
vehicles in use from 2002 to 2003, said the Energy Department's analytical arm.
The five states that had the most alternative-fueled vehicles last year were California
(77,761), Texas (55,820), New York (37,559), Oklahoma (23,336) and Georgia
(17,912).
At the bottom of the list were Maine (417), Vermont (844), Rhode Island (936), West
Virginia (1,098) and New Hampshire (1,218), EIA said.
The agency's numbers do not include hybrid vehicles that are fueled by a combination
of electricity and traditional gasoline.
The Bush administration wants to provide more than $1 billion for research to
develop cars and trucks that run on pollution-free hydrogen.
The White House hopes the vehicles can be readily available to consumers at an
affordable price near the year 2020.
Environmentalists argue that is too long to wait, and instead want the government to
boost vehicle mileage requirements to reduce U.S. dependence on oil imports.
From: www.ccchina.gov.cn
Passage 4
Read the following news and answer the questions:
Young Killer: Bad Seed or Work in Progress?
If the 12 jurors presiding over Lee Malvo's fate in a Chesapeake, Va., courtroom find
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him guilty, they will then have to decide if death is an appropriate punishment for
crimes committed by a 17-year-old. Mr. Malvo, now 18, is accused of participating in
the sniper attacks that terrorized the Washington area last fall.
The arguments over whether to execute young offenders have traditionally rested on
legal and societal grounds. Those opposed to imposing the death penalty have, for
example, argued that teenagers have a long future ahead of them and have the
capacity to change their behavior.
But in recent years, scientists have also joined in the debate over how young a
defendant must be for the death penalty to be excluded as an option. An increasing
number of studies, these researchers say, show that the brain continues to develop
through late adolescence, as do crucial mental functions like planning, judgment and
emotional control.
In a paper appearing in the December issue of the journal American Psychologist, Dr.
Laurence Steinberg, a psychologist at Temple University and the director of the
MacArthur Foundation Research Network on Adolescent Development and Juvenile
Justice, argues that on the basis of such studies, young offenders should be viewed
under the law as less guilty than adults.
The scientific evidence argues for a legal approach "under which most youths are
dealt with in a separate justice system and none are eligible for capital punishment,"
wrote Dr. Steinberg and Dr. Elizabeth S. Scott, of the University of Virginia School of
Law, in the paper.
Twenty-one states allow the death penalty for offenders who committed their crimes
as juveniles. In 16 states, including Virginia, 16 is the minimum age at which
offenders become eligible for execution; 5 states set the minimum age at 17.
In August, the Supreme Court of Missouri found the death penalty unconstitutional
for offenders under 18 when their crimes were committed. Missouri's attorney general
has petitioned the United States Supreme Court to take up the issue.
Not everyone agrees that the young offenders should be spared the harshest
punishment.
Robert Blecker, a professor of criminal law at New York Law School, said he would
"almost never" favor execution as a penalty for crimes committed by offenders
younger than 18, "but almost never is not never."
"The bottom line for me," said Mr. Blecker, who describes himself as a retributionist
advocate of the death penalty, "is that in very rare instances it seems to me that
juveniles can demonstrate a viciousness and callousness, a cruelty by which they can
deserve to die."
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Dr. Steinberg, however, believes that the evidence for adolescents' social and
biological immaturity should inform society's response to their crimes.
In a recent interview, he discussed the studies and his conclusions.
Q. You argue that juvenile offenders should be seen as less guilty. What is it that in
your view diminishes their culpability?
A. One argument we have made is that if, under the law, someone who did something
and couldn't foresee the consequences is not viewed as completely responsible, then
adolescents as a class might be less responsible than adults because they do not think
through the future consequences of their actions as reliably as adults do.
One can make the same argument for the control of impulses. Crimes that are
committed out of passion are punished less severely than crimes committed under
other circumstances. So if, in fact, adolescents are more likely to act out of passion in
general, then this might indicate that they have diminished capacity in that respect.
The second argument has more to do with the conditions of a criminal act. The legal
argument here is that you can ask whether a reasonable person would have behaved in
the same way under similar circumstances. And we argue that the reasonable adult
standard is not the same as the reasonable adolescent standard.
We know, for example, that adolescents are less able to resist peer pressure than
adults are. Let me give you a concrete example: If I told you that a crime was
committed by a group of people, in which an individual was pressured by the group
saying, "You're chicken!" "We dare you to do it!" and so forth — and if I told you
that it was a 12-year-old, you would probably view it differently than if I told you it
was a 22-year-old, even though the amount of pressure might be the same in each
condition.
Q. Many people believe that a brutal murder committed by a 16-year-old offers a
glimpse of the kind of adult that teenager will become. Is it possible to judge which
adolescents are simply "bad seeds"?
A. It would be very difficult to look at someone who is 15 or 16 and say with any
degree of certainty that we know what that person is going to be like when he is 25,
that he is a bad person. There is a fairly extensive body of research that indicates that
there are many people who engage in antisocial behavior during adolescence who stop
at the end of adolescence or in early adulthood. In fact, that's the normative pattern.
But we are not very good at looking at a group of adolescents who have committed
bad acts, whether of delinquency or crime, and identifying those kids who are going
to be career criminals. We're doing a study now where we're seeing if we can improve
risk prediction, following the lives of close to 1,400 juvenile offenders and looking at
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their sociological characteristics, their attitudes, their intelligence, you name it, to see
if we can develop better models of which kids are going to re-offend and which are
not.
But I can tell you from the literature that we're not good at doing this with adults, and
we're even worse with kids who are still developing. You may think you will be able
to pick out the bad seed, but you will be wrong more often than you are right.
Questions:
1. What is Dr Laurence Steinberg’s opinion mentioned in the news? And what is
Robert Blecker’s opinion?
2. Why did Dr.Steinberg argue that juvenile offenders should be seen as less guilty?
3. Is it possible to judge which adolescents are simply "bad seeds” according to
Dr.Steinberg ?
For your reference
Vocabulary on Science & Technology
---- Artificial intelligence (AI): The means of duplicating or
imitating intelligence in computers, robots, or other devices, which
allows them to solve problems, discriminate among objects, and
respond to voice command.
Scientists remain optimistic that the use of artificial intelligence will
raise the ability of computers to an almost human level in the future,
---- conductors: a material through which an electric current can
pass.
New communications technology has unleashed a boom in
construction of super conductor networks.
---- cutting edge: the latest technology or the latest breakthrough
within a certain technology.
Japan is on the cutting edge of computer translation.
---- cybernetics: the general study of control and communication
systems in living organisms and machines, esp. the mathematical
analysis of the flow of information.
The study of cybernetics will continue to improve our systems of
communications.
--- cy-borg: a hypothetical human being modified for life in a hostile
or alien environment by the substitution of artificial organs.
---- electronic cottage: a concept coined by Alvin Toffler in his 1980
book “ The Third Wave”, in which companies allow workers to work at
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home using computer terminals connected to a central office.
---- germ warfare: also called “ bacteriological warfare”. The use of
microorganism in war to injure or destroy humans, animals, or crops.
---- instant replay: a video replay of an event, such as a play in a
basketball game, that is then rebroadcast for viewers to see it again.
Instant replay has increased the appeal of watching televised sports
by providing the viewer the luxury of seeing a play or event again.
---- nuclear power
The general public will probably always fear the potential danger of
nuclear power.
---- nuclear reactor
Many people still think of the meltdown on Three Mile Island in 1979
when you mention the term “nuclear reactor”.
--- offshore drilling: the operation of oil wells on the continental
shelf, sometimes in water hundreds of feet deep.
Conservationists are concerned about the ecological risks of offshore
drilling.
---- skycam: a computer-controlled robot TV camera that can fly
over stadiums to take aerial views of sports events or entertainment
production.
Skycam allow more complex camera angles of everything for viewers
from sports events to the David Letterman Show.
---- supersonic: a term used to described objects, esp. aircraft with
the capacity to travel faster than the speed of sound.
Supersonic travel in the future may enable us to travel from Japan to
the U.S. in just a few hours.
---- technobandit: a person who steals technological secrets as
from a place of employment, and sells them to agents from
competing firms, a foreign government, etc.
High tech companies of today now have to go to special extremes to
safeguard their company secrets from technobandits.
---- telecommunications: a name encompassing all the methods
by which messages are sent and received by electronic means
including satellites, telephones, TV, radio, the computer, etc.
---- telephoto: a term used to describe a camera lens that
magnifies a distant object so that it appears to be close.
---- teletext: a system that enables a TV viewer to choose pages of
text to be displayed on a TV screen.
---- Vaporware: new computer software or hardware announced
by a developer that has not yet been produced for consumers.
---- video conferencing: visual communication between two
parties by using a display screen that is connected to a TV monitor
and a telephone line. Both parties must have special telephone lines.
---- videotex: a two-way system of communication between
206
customer and outside service source, using telephone and television
to make requests and to receive responses.
Videotex conveniently allows one to order goods and services from
one’s own home.
---- voice recognition: direct conversation of spoken data into an
electronic form that is suitable for entry into a computer system.
Voice recognition computers in the future may eliminate the need
for a keyboard by having the capacity to respond to human voice.
---- aerospace: a term used to refer to the Earth’s atmosphere and
outer space.
---- asteroid: one of thousands of small planets with orbital
patterns usually between Mars and Jupiter.
---- astrology: pseudoscience based on the belief that the positions
of the moons, suns, and stars influence human affairs and that the
future can be foretold by studying the stars.
---- big bang: a term used to describe the cataclysmic explosive
event that was the supposed beginning of our universe.
---- black hole: the hypothetical, invisible remains of a star which
has died in a catastrophical way. Black holes are caused when a star
stops producing energy. Black holes supposedly have an intense
gravitational field which prevents all light and matter from leaving it.
Scientists like to theorize about black holes, but their existence
cannot be proven.
---- Cape Canaveral: the launching site of the Kennedy Space
Center located on the Florida coastline.
---- celestial body: a term that refers to a celestial object such as
a planet or star.
---- comet: a collective group of frozen gases with a long luminous
tail, which orbits the sun. Halley’s comet is the most famous of the
long-period comets. It returns to earth’s region every 76 years and
was last viewed in 1986.
The tail of comet is made of ice.
---- constellation: any one of the 88 separate areas into which the
celestial sphere is divided. The International Astronomical Union
divided the celestial sphere into the present areas in 1930.
---- countdown: a continuous count backwards to zero leading up
to the launching or a rocket, spacecraft, etc.
---- crater: a depression in a surface, esp. of a planet that is created
from the impact of an object moving at a high speed.
---- docking: the joining together of two spacecrafts or a spacecraft
with a space station.
The first space docking took place in December of 1965 with the
meeting of two American spacecrafts ( Gemini 6 and Gemini 1 ).
---- Downlink: Radio or TV transmission from a spacecraft to a
207
station on Earth.
---- earth station: also called “ ground station”. A base for relaying
radio signals to and from artificial satellites and interplanetary
spacecraft.
---- eclipse: the partial or total blocking of a shining body such as
the sun, by a nonluminous body, such as the moon.
---- extraterrestrial ( ET ): originating or occurring beyond the
earth; a life form from beyond the earth.
---- flight control room: the place where the operations for the
countdown, launch, and operations of an aerospace vehicle are
monitored and controlled.
---- flight deck: the section of a spacecraft above the mid deck
where the flight crew operate the navigation equipment.
---- free flight: flight through the air without the assistance of
engine power.
---- G-force: the force in excess of one G that is experienced by
astronauts inside a spacecraft during launch or reentry.
---- geostationary orbit: the orbit of an artificial satellite in which
the satellite stays in the same place above the earth.
---- hyperspace: space that extends beyond the space and time of
our physical world and which in the future, may be explored by
starships traveling to distant stars and galaxies.
---- multistage rocket: a launch vehicle that has two or more
rockets mounted one on top of each other. Each stage of it is
designed to be jettisoned after it has exhausted its fuel supply,
leaving a final stage to travel into space.
---- shuttle: a reusable spacecraft that can travel into space and
return payloads and land on Earth.
---- space station: a large spacecraft in permanent orbit designed
to accommodate longterm human accommodation.
Chapter 11
News on Economy and Trade
Discuss
Read the 2 pieces of news below and find out the language characteristics on news on
economy and business.
Passage 1
208
Clinton-Budget Debate Will Now Begin “in earnest”
Washington, Nov. 19 (Reuter) -- President Bill Clinton said on Sunday that a deal
between Congress and the White House to get federal workers back on the job was a
“good thing” and will let the debate over how to balance the federal budget begin in
earnest.
“Tomorrow the government will go back to work and now the debate will begin in
earnest on how to balance the budget in a way that is consistent with the interests and
the values of the American people,” Clinton told reporters at the White House shortly
after the deal was announced on Capitol Hill.
Clinton reminded reporters he had expressed “strong doubts” that the seven-year
timetable for balancing the budget could be realized. But he said he and congressional
Republicans, who are demanding that timetable, had agreed to work “to see if we can
reach common ground.”
“Tonight represents the first sign of their willingness to move forward without forcing
unacceptable cuts in health care, education and the environment on the American
people,” he said.
Asked about winners and losers in the power struggle that partially shut down the
federal government for six days, Clinton said the real winners were the American
people and the 800,000 federal workers who were to return to their jobs on Monday.
（ eg.1“…World Bank Managing Director Richard Frank said in a statement that the
$52 billion international rescue package assembled by the Clinton
administration—which includes $17 billion from the International Monetary
Fund—would meet Mexico’s short-term financial crisis, which blew up after the
government devalued the peso in December.”
Eg.2“The time for release of the statistics, normally in the afternoon, was moved up
to 8:50 a.m.., ministry officials said, to allow Japanese markets to react first to the
numbers, as is the practice in most industrialized countries.”)
Passage 2
Shanghai's exports grew 74.5 percent year-on-year in November, but analysts predict
the growth rate will decline steeply in 2004.
While the city's exports hit a record high of US$5 billion in November, analysts said
many exporters are pushing buyers to increase purchases to beat a new tax-rebate
policy that goes into place on January 1.
Local companies sold US$44.9 billion in overseas markets from January to November,
up 54.4 percent year-on-year, the Shanghai Foreign Economic Relations and Trade
Commission reported yesterday.
209
The city's export growth rate was 21.5 percentage points higher than the national
average for the 11-month period, mainly due to the numerous overseas-invested
companies operating in Shanghai.
With exports rising quickly in the second half of the year, the city has already
surpassed its target of exporting US$34.5 billion worth of goods this year.
Analysts, however, expect a fall in export growth next year.
"The booming picture is mainly the result of a new rebate policy published in October
that will cut export-tax rebates by an average of 3 percent starting next year," said Li
Huiyong, an analyst with Shenyin & Wanguo Research and Consulting Co Ltd.
"Obviously, exporters are boosting sales before the year end to save export costs," he
added.
China announced in October a modest rollback of export rebates in order to reduce
swelling government spending and push exporters to develop more value-added
commodities instead of depending on labor-intensive goods.
The average rebate will be lowered from the current 15 percent to 12 percent,
effective on January 1.
"We have persuaded importers to land all the export orders before the end of this
year," said Wang Ding, a trade manager with Shanghai Worldbest Industry
Development Co Ltd, a major exporter of textiles and garments. Rebates for textiles
and garments will be lowered by about 4 percentage points next year.
"The US cap on some Chinese textile imports and frequent anti-dumping charges will
affect next year's export performance," Li said.
Overseas-invested companies have become Shanghai's major export engine,
according to the city's trade authority.
During the first 11 months of this year, overseas-invested companies shipped
US$28.4 billion worth of goods, up 63.3 percent from last year. They accounted for
63.3 percent of Shanghai's total exports.
Reading materials
Passage I
The BRICs Are Coming----Fast
A Goldman economist talks about rapid growth in Brazil, Russia, India and China
In less than 40 years, China is likely to surpass the U.S. as the world’s largest
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economy and, together with Brazil, Russia, and India ---- a.k.a. the BRICs ---- will
overshadow the economic might of the seven leading industrialized nations of today.
So says a Goldman, Sachs & Co. report on these largest emerging economies released
on Oct.1. The provocative conclusions, which initially stemmed from a demographic
study, are already attracting wide interest. Goldman’s Dominic Wilson, who
coauthored the report with fellow economist Roopa Purushothaman, spoke recently
about the study with International Finance Editor Chester Dawson.
What about supply shocks like the oil crises of the 1970s?
Higher oil prices are probably not critical. Lots of events ---- protectionism or
misguided policy ---- would be worse. If you look at, say, the history of a place like
South Korea, which was a very rapid development story, it managed to deal with the
most severe kind of oil-price shock.
How is your study different from other bullish BRIC projections?
Rather than simply extrapolating current growth rates, we have something that
captures the whole process of demographic change, capital accumulation, and
diminishing returns with development. The other part of it that’s distinctive is its
explicit modeling of the impact of exchange rates on the spending power of these
economies. The balance of rising gross domestic product is something like two-thirds
from faster growth and one-third from rising currency values. So tying that
exchange-rate development to that growth story helps give a more integrated picture.
Will the Group of Seven industrialized nations be sidelined?
In some ways, their relevance is already coming under question. We just had a G-7
meeting in Dubai a few weeks ago in which one of the major topics was the flexibility
of Asian exchange rates, and in particular whether the Chinese yuan should be either
revalued or made more flexible. Yet China was not at the table to discuss it, and that
raised some issues about how useful a forum that is.
So is the U.S. in economic decline?
Although the relative importance of the U.S. declines quite considerably, it’s still one
of the two largest economies along with China at the end of the period and still the
richest economy. So it’s not a story of dramatic decline of the U.S. Because of its
favorable demographics such as a stable birth rate, it ends up looking a lot better than
the other developed economies. And on an income per capita basis, really only Russia
will move into the income levels of the developed countries. So you’ll have a
situation where the largest economies of the world are no longer necessarily the
richest countries.
Although India’s growth rate is expected to beat China’s, why won’t its economy
overtake the U.S.?
India certainly approaches the kind of levels of spending that you’ll see in the U.S.
and China, but it doesn’t overtake them. If we ran the process out another couple of
decades, the projections would imply that it would. India had the highest growth rate
across this period and one that declines much less sharply that the others. But their
starting point is really so far behind a country like China that the time horizon we’re
taking about ---- four or five decades ---- just isn’t long enough.
What are the implications for investors from the rise of the BRICs?
211
The area that people get most excited about is the stage of very rapid penetration in
consumer products. We’ve found the sweet spot is around $3,000 to $10,000
per-capita income levels. Probably the first economy to hit those levels ---- and fairy
soon ---- is Russia. China will take a little bit longer, with the sweetest period
beginning probably in about a decade.
Discuss
1. Why did the author write such a passage? What did he want to tell his readers?
2. If you were a(n) Chinese / American / Japanese / Indian…, what would you think
of when you read this passage?
Do you know?
When you read a piece of news on merging, what might be your concern? ( You should
think of your different statues.)
Passage II
Sears, Kmart to Merge in $11B Deal
( What can you get from the headline? What do you expect in the
lead?)
Sears and Kmart, troubled in recent years by lackluster sales, uninviting stores and,
most significantly, competition from Wal-Mart and Target, announced a merger today
that will create the nation's third largest retailer.
( Did the lead tell you what you expected? What did
you get from the lead? What do you expect later?
( Try to get the details: who are the two parties?
Why? How? Sequence and so on.)
The company will combine by March under the name of Sears Holding Corp.,
according to a joint press release.
Together, Sears and Kmart will have about $55 billion in annual revenue and 3,500
retail stores, the announcement said. That will put the new company behind Wal-Mart
and Target among U.S. retailers, but by some distance.
Both Sears and Kmart have deep roots in American corporate history.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., founded by Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck, came into
existence in 1893 in Chicago. As the country's first national catalog operation, the
Amazon of its time, it became the first cross-country retailer of almost everything,
eventually opening catalog stores and then department stores across the country.
Many of them fell into disrepair in the 1960s and 1970s, however.
Kmart is a direct descendant of the S.S. Kresge Company, started in 1899, one of the
first of what came to be known as the "five and dime" stores. Facing competitive
difficulties in the 1960s, Kresge stores opened the first Kmart discount department
store in 1962 in Garden City, Mich. For a time, Kmart was considered an innovative
retail phenomenon with its big box stores on a single floor with vast rows of
moderately priced merchandise.
212
Both Sears and Kmart, along with other traditional department stores, suffered at the
hands of massive shopping centers, where consumers could get the same products in
gleaming specialty stores and, most recently, at the hands of giant discounters such as
Wal-Mart and Target, with their technology-driven efficiencies.
For Sears, which has nearly 900 mall-based stores, the merger will create an
opportunity to migrate into lucrative suburban locations now held by Kmart.
Mall attendance is flagging across the country, analysts say, but suburban strip malls
are thriving -- driven by the growth of Sears's competitors Wal-Mart, Target and
Home Depot. The combined company will convert "several hundred" Kmart stores
into Sears stores, executives said during a conference call this morning.
At a news conference in New York, Edward S. Lampert, chairman of Kmart, said,
"We want to make sure that the uniqueness of these brands is preserved, but I would
say there's no preconceived notion as to which store is going to be which. It's going to
be on a store by store basis," the Associated Press reported.
As approved by both firms' boards of directors, Kmart shareholders will receive one
share of Sears Holding common stock, valued at $50.61 by the company as of
Tuesday, for each share of Kmart stock. Sears shareholders will have a choice of
either $50 in cash per share or 0.5 share of Sears Holding.
The joint press release valued the transaction at $11 billion. It must be approved by
shareholders.
Sears has been failing for nearly four years, to the extent that investors were
considering dismantling it for the underlying value of Sears real estate.
Sears same-store sales declined in 13 of the past 15 quarters. Revenue fell 15 percent
in the third quarter to $8.29 billion, the largest drop in more than eight years and the
third straight quarter the decline exceeded 10 percent.
Kmart emerged from bankruptcy in May 2003 after a damaging move into specialty
retailing. Kmart reported profit of $155 million in the fiscal second quarter after
holding fewer clearance sales and closing stores, according to the Bloomberg news
service. It was Kmart's third straight profit following 11 consecutive quarters of losses.
Same-store sales have fallen 12 straight quarters.
Sears had already purchased some Kmart properties.
The announcement this morning noted that the new Sears Holdings will combine
Sears's "powerful" franchises in tools, appliances, lawn and garden equipment with
Kmart's proprietary home and fashion lines, including Thalia Sodi, Jaclyn Smith,
Martha Stewart Everyday and Sesame Street.
Company officials claimed that the combined companies will generate $500 million
in annual "synergies," or cost savings, within three years, through cross-selling brands,
converting Kmart stores to the Sears nameplate, improving the supply chain and
selling off "non-strategic" real estate assets "as appropriate."
The announcement said a new "Office of the Chairman" would be created in which
various current executives would assume new roles. Lampert will be the chairman of
Sears Holdings. Alan J. Lacy, current chairman and chief executive officer of Sears,
will be vice chairman and chief executive officer of the new entity.
213
"The combination of Kmart and Sears is extremely compelling for our customers,
associates and shareholders," Lambert said in a statement, "as it will create a powerful
leader in the retail industry, with greatly expanded points of distribution, leading
proprietary home and apparel brands and significant opportunities for improved scale
and operating efficiencies."
Markets Climb on Kmart-Sears Merger News
( If you have read the former news yesterday, can you
guess the main idea of this news when you read the
headline? )
Wall Street went on a buying spree after Kmart agreed to buy Sears for $11 billion
today, but like a Blue Light Special, it didn't last all day.
The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 115 points in early trading, but by the
closing bell was up only 62 points at 10549.57.
The Standard & Poors 500 stock index advanced more than six and a half points to
1181.94 and the Nasdaq Stock Market composite index gained 21 to 2099.68.
The Nasdaq composite hasn't topped 2,100 since January, but it climbed as much on
it's own momentum as on the run-up in certain retail, shopping center and supplier
stocks that was trigged by the Sears-Kmart nuptials.
Hewlett Packard turned in stronger than expected quarterly profits, which lifted its
stock by about 5 percent, creating coattails for other computer stocks and high tech
issues.
Sears stock jumped $7.79 a share to $52.99 after the merger announcement and Kmart
shares gained $7.78 to $109.
The announcement also lifted shares of two important Kmart suppliers -- Martha
Steward Living Omnimedia, Kmart's biggest brand name, and Danaher Corp., the
Georgetown-based manufacturing company that makes Craftsman tools for Sears.
Though details of marrying Sears and Kmart are murky -- both will keep their names,
at least for the time-being -- the two chains plan to cross-pollinate each other by
putting Martha Steward merchandise into Sears and the popular Craftsman and
Kenmore brands into Kmart.
The retail merger attracted so much attention today, that traders pretty much ignored
other developments that might ordinarily move the market.
The government's consumer price index jumped 0.6 percent last month, signaling a
resurgence in inflation that presages higher interest rates. However, like Tuesday's
producer price index, much of the gain was due to energy costs, which have already
retreated substantially.
The markets have one more key economic statistic to digest tomorrow -- the index of
leading economic indicators. Intended to foresee where the economy is going over the
next few months, the index is expected to predict weak growth ahead, but that may
not matter to Wall Street.
-- Housing construction jumped by 6.4 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted
annual rate of 2.03 million, the Commerce Department said.
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On Wall Street, stocks got a lift on news that Kmart Holding Corp. was buying Sears,
Roebuck & Co. The Dow Jones industrials gained 93 points and the Nasdaq was up
28 points in morning trading.
From an economic point of view, inflation -- while certainly a concern -- isn't
currently a major danger to the economy's expansion, analysts said.
Fed policy-makers, in a statement released after their meeting last week, said
"inflation and longer-term inflation expectations remain well contained." They also
said the economy appears to be growing "at a moderate pace despite the rise in energy
prices."
The consumer price report comes one day after the government released data showing
the wholesale costs soared in October by 1.7 percent, the biggest increase in more
than 14 years.
The economy's soft patch in the spring and early summer had helped to keep prices
relatively subdued, economists said. Now that the economy is picking up, inflation
probably will be on the rise as well. A weaker U.S. dollar also is putting pressure on
prices of imported goods, which gives U.S. producers more room to raise their prices.
Still, Tannenbaum and other economists said that they expect both wholesale and
consumer prices for November to look a lot better, citing a moderation in crude oil
costs and a settling down of some food costs that were pushed up as hurricanes hurt
supplies.
In the CPI report, energy prices jumped by 4.2 percent in October, compared with a
0.4 percent drop in September. Gasoline prices last month surged by 8.6 percent and
fuel oil costs went up by 9.4 percent. Both increases were the largest since February
2003. Natural gas prices went up 0.6 percent.
Oil prices, which hit a record high of just over $55 a barrel late last month, have
moderated recently. Oil prices closed on Tuesday at more than $46 a barrel.
Food prices climbed by 0.6 percent in October, after being flat in September. Last
month's increase reflected a 6.3 percent rise in the prices of fresh fruits, the largest
since June 1984, and a 8.8 percent jump in vegetable prices, the biggest since
February 1997. Supply disruptions related to hurricanes that tore through the
Southeast were blamed for those big advances. Prices for beef and veal, pork, poultry
and dairy products all dropped.
Elsewhere in the report: clothing prices rose 0.2 percent in October as more expensive
fall and winter wear hit the racks. Airline fares went up by 1.4 percent, as fuel costs
become more expensive. Medical care costs increased 0.4 percent.
In the first 10 months of 2004, consumer prices rose at an annual rate of 3.9 percent,
compared with a 1.9 percent increase for all of 2003. That pickup has been led by
soaring energy costs. Excluding energy and food costs, "core" inflation increased at an
annual rate of 2.4 percent. That's also faster than the 1.1 percent increase registered
for 2003.
Passage III
Have you ever heard anything about the dispute on textile trade between America and
China? Do you know what is quota? Read the following two items of news and try to
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make clear the history of quota, the purpose of setting it, the present situation of
textile trade and so on. At the same time, please try to find out the author’s opinion.
Why did he begin the writing with description? And what’s your own opinion? If you
were in different situation, would you have different opinions?
A New Pattern Is Cut for Global Textile Trade
China Likely to Dominate as Quotas Expire
AMPARA, Sri Lanka -- Wild monkeys and Buddhist shrines outnumber any signs of
industry, and rampaging elephants are not uncommon. The closest port lies seven
hours away, down a rutted road. Yet here in the jungle of this small island nation in
the Indian Ocean, the Daya Apparel Export Ltd. factory and others like it churn out
pants and shirts for American Eagle Outfitters, A-line skirts for the Gap and bras for
Victoria's Secret.
"If I didn't have this job, we wouldn't have enough to eat," said 20-year-old
Mohammed Ismail Mazeela, one of 2,000 women from surrounding villages who
work at the plant. The $40 monthly wage supports her family in Sammamthurai
village, where people walk trash-strewn lanes in bare feet. It buys the electricity
powering the lone bulb in her shack, the food her mother cooks over the wood fire on
their concrete floor, and schoolbooks for her sister's three children. "There is nothing
else here."
Soon there may be even less. On Jan. 1, World Trade Organization rules governing
the global textile trade will undergo their biggest revision in 30 years. The changes
are expected to jeopardize as many as 30 million jobs in some of the world's poorest
places as the textile industry uproots and begins consolidating in a country that has
become the world's acknowledged low-cost producer: China.
About $400 billion in trade is at stake, but the implications are greater than the money
involved. Since 1974, many developing countries have pinned their economic hopes
on a complicated system of worldwide quotas that guaranteed each a specified share
of the lucrative textile markets in the United States and Europe. By specifying how
many blue jeans or how much fabric an individual country could export, the quotas
have effectively limited the amount of goods coming from major producers like China,
while giving smaller or less competitive nations room to participate. Capital and jobs
followed the quotas, helping countries build an industrial base through textile exports.
The jobs are low-paying and tough: Overseas textile plants have been a central target
for labor and human rights activists. But the textile industry has, since the Industrial
Revolution, provided an opening wedge for broader economic development, and
officials in dozens of countries hoped it would continue to do so.
Now, in a matter of weeks, those quotas will be scrapped. Buyers for companies like
J.C. Penney Co. or Banana Republic Inc. will be able to purchase as much as they
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want from whoever gives them the best price -- and there is widespread agreement
that China will capture an increasing share of the trade. The coming transition has
already prompted factory closings in places such as Honduras, worry about falling
wages and labor standards in Cambodia, and a general despair in Sri Lanka and
dozens of other countries expected to lose a key economic prop.
If the emerging world economy has sparked anxiety among white-collar Americans
about outsourcing abroad, the expiration of the textile quotas signals that, in the
endgame of globalization, even sweatshop jobs can be undercut.
"You're dropping us in the well on the first of January with no rope. Fifty to sixty
thousand people might lose their jobs. Fifty to 100 factories will be closed," said Sri
Lanka's minister of trade, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, whose country of 19 million
depends on the garment industry for 450,000 jobs, more than half of its exports and as
much as one-sixth of its total economic activity. "Most of the factories are in rural
areas. Almost all the families are dependent on their wages. All their livelihood is
gone when you take off the quota."
With the new system so close, buyers from companies like Wal-Mart Stores Inc. say
they have already set plans to collapse their business from factories in dozens of
countries down to a carefully hedged and competitive few -- with China topping the
list.
"That's about it," said Andrew Tsuei, Wal-Mart's global procurement chief, who
expects to reduce the number of countries where Wal-Mart has apparel deals from
around 63, cobbled together based on which countries have room to export under their
quota limits, to a mere four or five that can produce as much as Wal-Mart orders.
"The overall balance of quality, reliability and price makes China probably the most
competitive market in the world."
The result is a likely bonanza for consumers. The United States alone imports
approximately $90 billion worth of textiles annually. Under the new system, prices of
blue jeans, men's shirts and other types of clothing now governed by quotas could fall
by as much as one-third, as production shifts to lower-cost locations.
However, it has left development and trade officials in other countries worried about
their future in a global system that makes job security for seamstresses in Asia, Africa
and Latin America dependent upon the decisions of buyers in Manhattan and
industrial policy in Beijing.
In Honduras, Minister of Industry Norman Garcia said he hopes the country can hang
on to most of its 130,000 textile jobs but acknowledges that economic survival may
require a detour back to agriculture. At least, he said recently, economic success for
China's 1.3 billion people will probably mean rising prices for the melons, peppers,
shrimp and fish that Hondurans can harvest year-round.
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"If the Chinese are destined to become the manufacturing center of the world," he said,
"somebody's got to feed those guys."
Initially rooted in efforts to protect developed world factories by limiting imports, the
textile quotas evolved into a sort of de facto economic aid, awarded as a way to
spread the wealth of U.S. and European consumers around the globe. Ironically, many
of the same countries voicing concerns today about the end of quotas argued for
decades that they should be abolished. At the time, those countries believed that
scrapping the quota system would give their textile companies unlimited access to the
United States and Europe -- a sure path to riches. They got their way when the
member states of the World Trade Organization in 1994 agreed that the Multifibre
Arrangement would expire after 10 more years, ending one of the world's more
extensive exercises in managed trade.
That position now stands as a colossal miscalculation, which failed to factor in the
rise of China. The world's most populous country was on the outskirts of the global
economy at that point, and there was little inkling that its cautious economic reforms
were about to begin reshaping international commerce.
Since then, China's increasing efficiency and its burgeoning, low-cost partnership
with U.S. consumers have prompted other textile-exporting countries to appeal to
Washington for new preferential trade agreements. The quota system is independent
of the customs duties that the United States and Europe apply to imported textiles,
which average 16 percent in the case of the United States. Countries such as
Cambodia and Honduras have asked that, as the quota system disappears, their goods
be given duty-free access to the United States to give them a cost advantage over
China. U.S. textile executives, concerned about the approximately 695,000 jobs left in
the dwindling U.S. industry, likewise have asked that the Bush administration use its
power under global trade rules to limit the growth of Chinese imports until 2008.
These sorts of measures, like the quota system itself, may distort free trade. But
proponents argue that China has its own unfair advantages -- including currency rules
that keep its goods cheap, hidden subsidies and, most significantly, abusive labor
standards of the sort that other countries have been under world pressure to correct.
On Pins And Needles
As Quotas Expire, U.S. Textile Industry Braces for Change
By Paul Blustein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, December 31, 2004; Page E01
JAMESTOWN, N.C. -- For Jeff Johnson and the 686,800 other workers in the U.S.
textile and apparel industry, cries of "Happy New Year" tonight may well ring hollow:
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As of midnight, rules that have protected U.S. mills from foreign competition will
expire, exposing an already troubled industry to the full force of globalization.
Wherever it leads -- whether to retooling plants to churn out high-tech fabrics or to
widespread layoffs after surging imports -- Johnson and others at the Oakdale Cotton
Mills think their world is about to change.
"We're apprehensive," said Johnson, 44, who has spent 28 years at the same yarn and
twine-making firm where his father and grandfather worked, in a town where workers
still inhabit the homes built by the company decades ago. "Not knowing is the big
thing."
North Carolina's Piedmont Triad, an area in the central part of the state that
encompasses Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem, is no stranger to the
dynamics of world trade. The area has been hurt by a 10-year slide that has cut the
number of U.S. textile jobs by more than half as production shifted overseas. In the
process, such local anchors Cone Mills Corp. and Burlington Industries Inc. filed for
bankruptcy protection.
Those still in business know the new year will catapult them into an even more
integrated world, and they are girding for battle in a variety of ways -- pouring money
into new technologies and products, slashing costs, casting off unprofitable lines, and
lobbying Washington for temporary protections.
Allen Gant Jr., president and chief executive of Glen Raven Inc., predicted
"tremendous change" with "a lot of displaced jobs," and he is repositioning his North
Carolina company to concentrate on high-value textiles, such as the nylon used in
bulletproof vests. Meanwhile, he is shedding businesses he thinks are most vulnerable
to foreign competition.
"We don't do T-shirts. We don't do 'commodity apparel,' " Gant said. "We've tried
very hard to exit those areas where we think [severe competition from China] will
take place, and I feel very sorry for anyone who's in the way of that juggernaut."
The expiring quotas are causing concern around the globe. For the past three decades,
the United States, Europe and Canada have maintained quotas limiting the amount of
textiles and clothing that individual countries can export to them. Established to
shelter the domestic textile industry in developed countries, the quotas were doled out
in a way that let textile and garment plants in smaller countries such as Sri Lanka and
Honduras prosper through guaranteed sales to the world's richest markets. Scrapping
those quotas means that retailers and brand-name purveyors such as Wal-Mart, the
Gap and Liz Claiborne can buy as many pants, tops, sheets, towels and other such
products as they like from whatever country they like.
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Although free trade won't prevail entirely -- the United States continues to impose
tariffs averaging about 16 percent on imported clothing from most countries -relaxing the rules is expected to benefit consumers by lowering prices. Another big
winner will likely be China, whose low-cost, super-efficient manufacturers are widely
predicted to grab a huge portion of the worldwide textile and apparel trade, more than
half by some estimates.
Much debate surrounds forecasts about how the U.S. industry will fare under the new
rules. Importers of apparel and some academic researchers argue that the U.S.
industry's fears about a quota-free world are exaggerated, because China's gains will
come at the expense of other developing countries rather than U.S. producers.
Moreover, it is far from clear how extensively and how rapidly orders will switch to
China, because importers prefer to rely on a mix of suppliers and new trade barriers
may still disrupt the flow of goods.
Experts broadly agree, though, that the 275,000 jobs in U.S. garment factories are
probably the most imperiled. Garment-making is relatively labor intensive and, except
for certain specialized, high-fashion operations, garment companies may find it hard
to match the prices offered by manufacturers in countries with lower labor costs.
Less endangered, perhaps, are the textile plants that rely more on machinery to
produce fabric, yarn and other such inputs for clothing, home furnishings, furniture
and automobiles. U.S. textile makers are competitive relative to overseas firms, but
they still have much to fear from the end of the quota system, executives assert. They
depend to a large extent on orders from apparel factories in Latin America and the
Caribbean, which themselves may be vulnerable to Chinese competition.
"If China can drive out Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Mexico -- then there's no
hope for the [textile] mills that are left" in the United States, said John A. Emrich,
chief executive of Guilford Mills Inc., a Greensboro-based textile maker.
In the hope of preventing such an outcome, U.S. textile firms have asked the Bush
administration in recent weeks to continue limiting imports of Chinese fabric and
clothing using a special mechanism called "safeguards" designed to halt imported
goods from suddenly flooding a market. The industry has requested that safeguard
limits be imposed in 2005 on imports of Chinese trousers, underwear, shirts, blouses
and a host of other products. Such limits apply only to China; under the terms of its
entry into the World Trade Organization in 2001, Beijing agreed to allow safeguards
on its textile products through 2008.
Despite complaints and a court challenge from retailers who believe that safeguards
would be a step back from free trade, the administration appears sympathetic to the
industry's requests and has agreed to consider imposing the new limits even before
seeing what happens after the quotas disappear. A Chinese initiative to curtail its
exports "voluntarily," by slapping taxes on its shipments of textiles and apparel, is not
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likely to deter the U.S. government from imposing safeguards, according to industry
officials. The taxes that Beijing has announced so far -- between 2.5 cents and 6 cents
per item -- are considered too low to have much of an effect.
The moves can postpone a surge of Chinese imports, but they can't stop them. In four
years the United States will no longer be allowed to use special safeguards against
Chinese textile shipments. In the meantime, other big textile producers such as India
and Pakistan will have the opportunity to penetrate the U.S. market as much as they
can.
Free-trade advocates argue that lower-cost goods will put more money in consumers'
pockets, generating spending power that will ultimately lead to the creation of new
jobs. But some people working in textile mills see only a threat to an industry that has
long provided middle-class jobs for people without college educations.
"I've been through NAFTA, I've been through GATT, and they were supposed to give
us the world, but it's just taken everything out of here," said Jamestown Mayor Billy
Ragsdale, referring to two major agreements that lowered trade barriers. Ragsdale's
family established the Oakdale Cotton Mills in 1865, and he continues to run it. The
mill employs about 50 people, down from about 200 a few years ago.
Compared with harder-hit textile communities elsewhere, towns in the Piedmont
region are relatively prosperous. The unemployment rate is about 4.5 percent, thanks
in part to an influx of businesses such as financial services and air cargo shipping. The
bustling downtowns are surrounded by upscale shopping centers and malls. Many
residents -- including textile workers -- are unaware of the upcoming changes to the
quota system.
Some of the area's laid-off textile workers have found new jobs paying the same as or
better than their old wages, but that has not been the case for all of them. And those
who have been paying attention to the threat facing the industry harbor strong views
about the need for action against imports.
Sue Quate, for example, lost the job she had held for 30 years when a Guilford Mills
plant in Greensboro shut down in 2001. She went to work as a school custodian,
earning $7.94 an hour, compared with the $11.43 plus overtime that she got at
Guilford, forcing her and her husband -- a former Guilford worker who had to go on
disability -- to pinch pennies to get by.
"I appreciate having a job, because a lot of people are still without jobs, but I'm
thinking, 'I want to get back in textile work, because that's what I know,' " Quate said.
"I hope that the government will look at this, with China and other foreign countries,
and put some kinds of restrictions on so the markets will not be flooded. . . . We need
to work, too."
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Gail Taylor, also laid off from a Guilford Mills plant, took computer training to make
herself more employable but ended up working two jobs to make ends meet. She sells
office equipment during the day, then works at a department store several evenings a
week.
Mary Powers, who is in her sixties, said she had to go on Social Security as soon as
she was eligible. "When you get my age, won't nobody hire you," she said. "When the
plant closed down, it hurt me to the bone."
Amid their sense of loss, dynamism can also be found in the area's textile industry,
notably at the International Textile Group, which is embracing the global economy
rather than pinning its hopes on additional protection.
Owned by maverick financier Wilbur Ross, ITG is the product of a merger earlier this
year of Burlington Industries and Cone Mills. The company is breaking ranks with
much of the rest of the industry by forging deals in China and supporting a proposed
free-trade agreement with Central America.
In confronting globalization, Ross said in a phone interview, "you really have only
two choices: One is to resist it, which we think is a losing battle, and the other is to
join it and possibly accelerate it some."
That is something of a turnabout for Ross, who gained prominence by investing
heavily a couple of years ago in another troubled U.S. industry -- steel -- then pushing
ardently for the tariffs imposed by President Bush. Now that he is taking the plunge
into textiles, Ross favors imposing safeguards on Chinese imports because, he said,
U.S. workers will suffer otherwise. "But we don't want to have a business plan that
depends on the government taking action," he said, especially because he doubts that
the administration will come through with enough measures to keep the industry from
shrinking significantly in the United States.
Accordingly, ITG has saved about $40 million by combining the two companies into
a dramatically slimmer operation. It has launched a joint venture with a Chinese firm
that will include a dyeing-and-finishing plant in China, plus a chain of
home-furnishing stores using the Burlington name as a lure for the burgeoning
Chinese middle class.
ITG is also investing millions of dollars in a venture that uses nanotechnology (a
branch of engineering involving the manipulation of individual molecules) to create
improved types of fabric. Already its Nano-Tex unit is selling stain-resistance
technology to Eddie Bauer, the Gap and other lines. Meanwhile, in one of ITG's core
businesses, manufacturing denim, a Greensboro plant owned by the company has
added 200 employees this year by developing premium denims. The fabrics are used
in ultra-fashionable jeans that can sell for well above $100 a pair.
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In theory, these cutting-edge businesses ought to be creating the wealth that generates
new jobs for U.S. workers. But even ITG's own employees harbor few illusions about
their situation, especially now that the quota system will be no more.
"I'm really scared; I ain't going to lie to you," said Chris Porter, a production
supervisor at an ITG plant in Burlington. "I've been in textiles all my life. I have
nothing to fall back on if it goes out," added Porter, who dropped out of high school to
go to work in the factory in 1986 and later got his GED.
"At the time I was coming up, Burlington was where you wanted to work," Porter said.
"People got good homes, good lives. Textile jobs supported all that. Doesn't seem like
it will work out that way for me."
What you should learn from this chapter:
24. The language characteristics of news on economy and trade;
25. A general knowledge on common-used vocabulary in news on economy and trade;
26. Ability to read news on economy and trade.
Language study:
21. Vocabulary study:
22. Translation:
merge; revenue; shareholder; quota; expiration
Compared with harder-hit textile communities elsewhere, towns in the Piedmont
region are relatively prosperous. The unemployment rate is about 4.5 percent, thanks
in part to an influx of businesses such as financial services and air cargo shipping. The
bustling downtowns are surrounded by upscale shopping centers and malls. Many
residents -- including textile workers -- are unaware of the upcoming changes to the
quota system.
Homework
1. Do you still remember how to read news on dispute? Read the following news and
analyze it.
China Tells Congress To Back Off Businesses
Tensions Heightened by Bid to Purchase Unocal
By Peter S. Goodman
Washington Post Foreign Service
Tuesday, July 5, 2005; A01
SHANGHAI, July 4 -- The Chinese government on Monday sharply criticized the
United States for threatening to erect barriers aimed at preventing the attempted
takeover of the American oil company Unocal Corp. by one of China's three largest
energy firms, CNOOC Ltd.
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Four days after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a resolution
urging the Bush administration to block the proposed transaction as a threat to
national security, China's Foreign Ministry excoriated Congress for injecting politics
into what it characterized as a standard business matter.
"We demand that the U.S. Congress correct its mistaken ways of politicizing
economic and trade issues and stop interfering in the normal commercial exchanges
between enterprises of the two countries," the Foreign Ministry said in a written
statement. "CNOOC's bid to take over the U.S. Unocal company is a normal
commercial activity between enterprises and should not fall victim to political
interference. The development of economic and trade cooperation between China and
the United States conforms to the interests of both sides."
Those words, the latest rhetorical volley in an escalating trade battle, officially
elevated the takeover battle for Unocal into a bilateral issue involving Washington
and Beijing, raising the stakes of the outcome.
CNOOC's bid comes as China's emerging force in the global economy continues to
sow international tensions over competition for natural resources, impacts on the
environment, trade balances and security relationships. The deal would be the latest in
a string of Chinese purchases of foreign companies as Beijing encourages domestic
firms to seek new markets abroad and secure raw materials for China's aggressive
industrialization. The Chinese government has urged energy companies in particular
to buy foreign oil fields as China's consumption soars, deepening worries about the
country's access to supplies.
Already, CNOOC's bid has taken China across a new threshold: It has unleashed the
first takeover battle between a Chinese company and a U.S. firm, the oil giant
Chevron Corp., which has its own deal to buy Unocal, for $16.5 billion. If completed,
CNOOC's purchase -- its bid is for $18.5 billion -- would be the largest foreign
takeover ever made by a Chinese firm.
But as the price of oil continues to soar, underscoring the finite supply of global
stocks, some members of Congress portray China's appetite for energy as a threat to
U.S. interests. They are painting CNOOC's effort to buy Unocal as an attempt to
siphon off oil that would otherwise land in the United States, a proposition that
analysts call dubious because most of Unocal's outstanding contracts supply
customers in Asia.
As the House adopted its resolution Thursday by a 398 to 15 vote, some noted that
CNOOC remains under the majority control of the Communist Party-led state,
suggesting that this alone made the deal a threat.
"We cannot, in my opinion, afford to have a major U.S. energy supplier controlled by
the Communist Chinese," said Rep. William J. Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat.
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Monday's reply from Beijing reinforced what CNOOC has said from the beginning -that the deal is nothing more than an attempt to expand its business opportunities and
invest capital sensibly.
Long before CNOOC emerged with its unsolicited offer for Unocal, the United
States-China relationship was already highly complex. There has been friction in
recent months over China's roughly $160 billion trade surplus with the United States
and surges this year in Chinese-made textiles reaching U.S. shores. Some U.S. trade
groups accuse China of manipulating its currency, the yuan, to keep it artificially low,
making Chinese goods unfairly cheap on world markets. The Bush administration has
pressured China to allow its currency to float freely. China argues that it is being
made a scapegoat for the decline of U.S. manufacturing.
Tensions also have grown over North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons. In
Washington, some suggest that China is not doing enough to pressure North Korea, its
longtime ally, to return to stalled talks, while propping up the regime in Pyongyang
with food and fuel. Chinese officials have criticized the United States for demonizing
North Korea and undermining the possibility of progress.
Taiwan is always a hot button. China claims the self-governing island as part of its
territory and threatens to reclaim it by force if Taiwan's government moves toward
declaring its independence. The United States is nominally pledged to come to
Taiwan's aid in event of war.
The battle over Unocal has injected yet another factor into this already volatile
relationship ahead of a planned visit to Washington by Chinese President Hu Jintao
this fall.
But analysts say the issue has thus far produced little that could alter the relationship
between the two governments, because Beijing has grown sophisticated at
distinguishing between rhetoric from Capitol Hill -- where Thursday's resolution was
nonbinding -- and policy from the White House, which has said little on the subject.
But whatever comes of the Unocal battle, tensions over Chinese investment are
probably only beginning. Just as a rising Japan in the 1980s snapped up high-profile
assets in the United States and provoked widespread American unease, China's
expanding horizons are having a similar effect.
Moreover, key differences between Japan of that era and current-day China could
make this go-round more combustible: Japan was a U.S. military ally and part of the
same ideological bloc, whereas China is viewed by many in Washington as an
adversary.
But the simplest reason for tension may be the amount of cash at China's disposal: As
investment pours in and China's central bank buys dollars to maintain the value of its
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currency, the country has amassed $650 billion in foreign exchange reserves. China
has plowed much of that money into U.S. Treasury bonds.
But the quest for Unocal and other foreign companies is being construed by some as a
sign of diversification.
"We invest too much in U.S. federal bonds, and they don't make us much money,"
said Pan Rui, a professor at the Center for American Studies at Fudan University in
Shanghai. "Now we're learning to invest more wisely, to try to invest in American
companies and industries."
2. Read the following news and answer questions:
Federal Reports Show Economy Growing More
Robust
By Fred Barbash
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, November 27, 2003; Page E02
Several generally positive economic reports yesterday provided Americans with their
rosiest pre-holiday outlook in two years.
The Federal Reserve's survey of the economy around the country found that retail
spending is expected to grow, home resales are strong and tourism is rebounding, with
mountain resorts fully booked over Thanksgiving. In addition, manufacturing is
improving and employment is stabilizing after a long period of weakness.
The Fed's regular "beige book" survey of the economic outlook around the country
was based on data collected in October and early November.
Also yesterday, the Commerce Department reported that new orders for durable goods,
or comparatively expensive manufactured products, rose in October by 3.3 percent,
the largest gain in more than a year. That was up from a 2.1 percent increase in
September.
And the Labor Department reported that first-time claims for state unemployment
benefits dropped 11,000 to 351,000 in the week ended Saturday. That was the lowest
level since January 2001, before the economy slipped into recession.
The positive reports were in line with a Commerce Department revised estimate
Tuesday that economic output -- the broadest measure of the economy's size -- grew
at an annual rate of 8.2 percent in the third quarter of the year.
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That rate, which the Bush administration attributed to wallets fattened by tax cuts, is
the fastest since 1984. Most economists expect growth to slow to between 3 percent
and 4 percent.
Supporting that expectation yesterday was another Commerce Department report
showing no growth in consumer spending last month. Analysts had expected a slight
pickup in spending.
Even with the flat spending, 3 percent or 4 percent economic growth for the year
would be considered significant, especially after the country's mild 2001 recession.
The Fed was relatively upbeat in its generally cautious survey of economic activity,
based largely on informal interviews with the business community.
"Improvements appeared to be reasonably broadly based," said the report, with most
parts of the country "noting growth in a number of industries" and improvement in the
labor market.
Most regions, it reported, are experiencing a "slowing in layoffs and stronger demand
for temporary workers."
The job picture also appears to be raising hopes for the holidays. With a few
exceptions, all the regional Federal Reserve banks expect holiday sales to "match or
exceed last year's levels," the report said.
The Fed survey reported continuing concerns about rising health care costs, weak
demand for commercial real estate and relatively high commercial building vacancy
rates.
In the report on durable goods for October, economists were particularly encouraged
by growth in demand for non-defense items, generally a good indicator of the overall
health of manufacturing. "The rise in non-defense goods orders is telling us that firms
are really beginning to open up their purse strings when it comes to capital spending,"
economist Eric Green of BNP Paribas in New York told the Associated Press.
1. In news writing, “By Fred Barbash ” is called __________ .
“ Page E02 ” indicates _______________ .
The first paragraph is called _____________. And in this paragraph, “ yesterday ”
refers to _______ (date ) and “ pre-holiday ” means before __________.
( festival ).
2. We know that the economy is growing more robust because
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
_________________________.
3. In September, the new orders for durable goods rose by ________ . The claims for
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state unemployment benefits was at the lowest level since ___________ .
4. What do you know about economic output and how much did it grow in the third
quarter of the year?
5. What can we know from the Fed’s survey?
6. Why was the growth in demand for non-defense items particularly encouraging?
For your reference
Vocabulary on Economy and Business
merchandise 推销
merit pay 绩优薪金
microbusiness 微型企业，小企业
merger 兼并 mergers and acquisitions 兼并和收购，企业(公司)并购，简称 M&A
micro-marketing 微型营销
middle management 中层干部，中层管理人员
milk round 巡回招聘 minefield 雷区，危险形势，危险区域，隐藏危险的处境
missed opportunity 错失良机
mixed blessing 祸福兼有的事物
monetary policy 货币政策 mixed economy 混合经济 mixed reaction 各种不同反应产品结构
product mix
modern production technique 现代生产技术 value-added tax 增值税
mortgage and loan authorization 抵押和贷款审批手续
be responsible for one’s own profit and loss 自负盈亏
jack up price 哄抬物价
bureaucrat profiteering； bureaucrat racketeering 官倒
with the inflation factors deducted; inflation adjusted 扣除物价上涨因素
扣除通货膨胀因素后的人均实际年收入 the annual per-capita income in real terms (allowing for
inflation )
产量比 1997 年增加了 2 倍 the output has increased 3 times (registered a 3-fold increase;
increased 200%)compared with 1997
产权明晰、权责明确、政企分开、科学管理 clearly established ownership, well defined power and
responsibility, separation of enterprise from administration, and scientific management
产权制度、产权关系 property relations; property order
产销直接挂钩 directly link production with marketing
产业的升级换代 upgrading of industries
产业结构升级 upgrading of an industrial structure
第四产业 quaternary/information industry
第一/第二/第三产业 the primary/secondary/tertiary industry (the service sector)
地方保护主义 regional protectionism 短期债务 floating debt
地方财政包干制 system whereby local authorities take full responsibility for their finances
地球村 global village 地区差异 regional disparity 点子公司 consultancy company
电子商务认证 e-business certification
吊销执照 revoke license
定向培训 training for specific posts
“豆腐渣”工程 a jerry-built project
独立核算工业企业 independent accounting unit(enterprise)
对大中型国营企业进行公司制改革 to corporationize large and medium-sized State-owned
228
对外招商 attract foreign investment
恶性循环 vicious circle
遏制通货膨胀 curb (check, curtail) the inflation
发优惠券以促销 issue discount shopping coupons to promote sales
发展新兴产业和高技术产业 develop rising and high-tech industries
发展畜牧业、养殖业、林业 develop animal husbandry (livestock farming), aquaculture and
forestry
反对铺张浪费 oppose/combat extravagance and waste 反倾销 anti-dumping
防止经济过热 prevent an overheated economy (overheating of the economy)
防止国有资产流失 prevent the loss (devaluation) of State assets
防止泡沫经济 avoid a bubble economy (too many bubbles in economy)
分流下岗人员争取再就业 redirect laid-off workers for reemployment
扶贫、脱贫 poverty reduction and elimination
改革开放和现代化建设的总设计师 the chief architect of China’s reform, opening and
modernization drive
改进产业结构和产品结构 improve the industrial pattern and product mix
赶上或超过国际先进水平 catch up with or even surpass advanced world levels
个体户 self-employed households /people
个人所得税 individual income tax
个体工商业者 individual industrialists and businessman
公务员 public servants; civil servants; government functionaries; government employees
股份合作制 the joint stock cooperative system 股份制 the joint stock system
鼓励兼并，规范破产 encourage mergers and standardize bankruptcy procedures
规模经济，减轻就业压力 to ease the pressure of employment (the employment pressure)
国家主席/总理/副总理/国务委员/部长/省长/厅、局长/县长/处长/科长/乡长/村民委员会主任
president/premier/vice premier/state councilor/minister/governor/bureau director/county
magistrate, county head/department head/ section chief/ head of the township/ chairman of the
village committee
国内生产总值/国民生产总值 GDP (Gross Domestic Product)/ GNP (Gross National Product)
获薄利 earn (make) narrow profits
获厚利 earn (make, reap) substantial profits
货币回笼 withdrawal of currency from circulation
基础设施工程第一期 the first phase of the infrastructure project
积压产品 overstocked commodities (inventories)
积极培育新的经济增长点 actively cultivate new points of economic growth
技术/劳动/资本/知识密集型产业
technology-intensive/labor-intensive/capital-intensive/knowledge-intensive industries
技术更新/改造 technological updating /renovation
加强税收政策 tighten tax collection
加强物质文明和精神文明的建设 foster both material progress and cultural and ethical (cultural
and ideological) progress
加速科技成果商品化、产业化进程 accelerate the commercialization and industrialization of
scientific and technological achievements
艰苦创业的精神 the hardworking and enterprising spirit
减轻农民负担 lighten the burden on the peasants (farmers)
建设性战略伙伴关系 a constructive strategic partnership
减员增效 increase efficiency by downsizing staff
解困基金 anti-poverty funds
229
今年第一季度产量比去年同期增长了 12.5% the production increased 12.5% between January
and March compared the corresponding period (the same time ) last year
金融机构 financial institutions
经济特区 a special economic zone
经济发展全球化的趋势 the globalization trend in economic development
经济法制化 to manage economic affairs according to law; to put economic operation on a legal
basis
经济体制改革 economic restructuring
经济技术开发区 an economic and technological development zone
经济市场化/私有化 the marketization/privatization of the economy
经济萎缩/起飞/兴旺 an economic depression (slump, recession)/an economic takeoff/an
economic boom
经济转轨 switch to a market economy
精简各级政府机构 streamline government departments at all levels
精品 competitive products
竞争意识 competitive spirit
就业前和在职培训 pre-employment and on-the-job (in-service) training
纠正行业不正之风 rectify malpractice in various trades
劳务招聘会 a labor fair; a job fair
科技是第一生产力 Science and technology constitute the primary productive force.
科教兴国战略 the strategy of revitalizing (invigorating) China through science and education
跨国公司 transnational corporation (transactional, multinational corporation ,multinational)
扩大/缩小地区发展差距 widen/narrow the gap/disparity between regions/localities in terms of
development
劳务输出 export of labor services
连续五年丰收 bumper harvests for five consecutive years (for five years in row ;for five years
running ;for five years on end ; for the fifth consecutive year)
乱收费、
乱集资、
乱摊派的现象依然很严重 Arbitrary collection of charges, abuse of fund-raising
and unchecked apportionment (arbitrary quotas) are still rampant.
盲流和倒流人员 jobless migrants from rural areas to cities, influx from the countryside
与美圆挂钩的货币 the system of pegging the currency to the US dollar
名牌产品 famous-brand products ,brand named product
母公司/子公司/分公司/办事处 the parent company /subsidiary/branch/ representative office
耐用消费品 consumer durables
配套政策 supporting policies
农副业产品 agricultural (farm) and sideline products
欧元 Euro
农村/城市信用合作社 rural/urban credit cooperatives
皮包公司 bogus company
泡沫经济 bubble economy 配股 allotment of shares 贫富悬殊 polarization of rich and poor
To further develop the export 一 oriented economy， Shanghai is to make a number of preferential
policies soon to encourage business people both at home and abroad to set up more enterprises in
the three forms of ventures，i．e. enterprises for Sino-foreign joint venture， for Sino-foreign
co-production and enterprises with sole foreign capital. （为了进一步发展外向型经济，上海最
近将出台一系列优惠政策，以鼓励国内外经营者创建更多的三资企业，即中外合资企业、中
外合作企业和外商独资企业。
）
Many large companies in Shanghai have geared themselves to the international conventions and
set up aftersales services accepting repairs and dealing with customers’ complaints. （上海的许
多大公司都专门设有售后服务中心,接受维修业务和处理客户投诉，目的在于与国际接轨。
）
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America’s trading partners in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade(GATT)formally
charged Washington today with violating the rules of the trading agreement with its l5 percent
surtax on imports． 美国在关贸总协定的贸易伙伴今天正式指控，华盛顿破坏了贸易协定的
原则，对进口商品征收 15％的附加税。
For Your Enjoyment
Americans may not shop until they literally drop, but their involvement is essential in
keeping alive American business involving almost 20 percent of the country's work
force.
Shopping habits shape cities and reflect culture, and a sea change has occurred in
how Americans try to buy. Declining malls are the latest trend. Once hailed as the new
promise of American capitalism, the super-mall is scaring away customers.
Factors contributing to the decline of malls include: Anchor department stores
pulling out or sufficiently downsizing, the time-consuming maze of stores that make it
difficult for customers to find their favorite shops, traffic-clogged parking lots and
long walks from the car to the mall. The blockbuster mall of the 1980s will soon be a
dinosaur unless it adapts to a faster way of shopping. More than 1,600 small and
midsized towns as well as large cities are reviving their main-street shopping areas.
The main street was where Americans shopped until the 1950s,when consumers
shifted to suburban shopping malls. The latest consumer mode is the town-center
concept, where a collection of stores provides the communal ambience once found on
downtown main streets.
Parking is a crucial consideration. While the Bowie center has more than 4,000
parking places, the lots are specially designed in smaller segments, divided into 10
mini-lots behind the stores, thus avoiding massive mall-style parking.
American shoppers are increasingly seeking out offbeat and unique shopping options
like flea markets, antique shows, garage sales and craft fairs that offer
one-of-a-kind goods.
Chapter 12
News on Trade and Stock Market
Do you know
1. Where does the term " Wall Street" come from? In 1653 a 12-foot-high wood
stockade was erected across lower Manhattan from river to river to protect Dutch
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2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
settlers from attacks by the British and Indians. The Wall Street of today is
located along the line of the stockade.
What do we call a person who owns stock? A stockholder or investor.
What is a bull? A bull is a person who thinks stock prices will go up.
What is a bear? A bear is a person who thinks stock prices will go down.The term
"bear" comes from "bear skin jobbers" who were known for selling skins from
bears that they hadn´t caught yet. This term then referred to short sellers, who
are speculators who sold shares that they did not own, bought after a price drop,
and then delivered the shares. Bull and bear baiting were once popular sports; as
a result, "bulls" was considered the opposite of "bears." eg., the bulls were those
people who bought in the expectation that a stock price would rise, not fall. In
addition, the cartoonist Thomas Nast played a role in popularizing the symbols
'Bull' and 'Bear'.
What is the difference between ...? a) an individual investor: an individual or
'retail' investor investing his or her own money.
b) an institutional investor: a financial institution which invests large amounts
of money in the stock, bond, and other financial markets; a pension or insurance
fund.
What is the difference between ... ? a) an investor: a person who makes
investments; in common parlance, the term "investor" usually refers to a person
who buys & holds, rather than one who buys & sells frequently. b) a
trader: one who buys & sells securities frequently, for his/her own account.
c) a speculator: a person who takes large risks, ie. gambling, in the hopes of
making quick, large gains.
What is the difference between ... ? a) a bond: represents a loan from the
bondholder to a company. b) a stock: represents ownership in a corporation.
What is the difference between ... ? a) an individual stock b) a stock
mutual fund: a collection of individual stocks
9. What Stock Prices Mean
Stock prices are quoted as "points." Points simply mean how many dollars and cents
each share of stock is worth in the Stock Market at the time the price is quoted to you.
For instance, I just called for the current Reebok price. I was told it was worth 34
points, up 3/8's. This means that each share of stock is worth $34.375, which I will
round off to $34.38. When stock prices include a fraction for the "cents" part of the
price, you will need to refer to the fraction chart below:
Fraction Cents Decimal
1/8
12 1/2
.125
1/4
25
.25
3/8
37 1/2
.375
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1/2
50
.5
5/8
62 1/2
.625
3/4
75
.75
7/8
87 1/2
.875
10. Can you understand the following news brief?
Daily Market Wrap
The TSX composite index rose 23.74 points or 0.3 percent to 7,867.22 in Tuesday
session, marking the index's seventh straight higher close and a new 18-month high.
Helping to retain investor convenience was the latest building permit numbers. Stats
Canada reported that September was another record-breaking month for permits as
value rose 10 percent to $2.9 billion, surpassing the previous record of $2.86 billion
set in July. The Canadian dollar reversed direction Tuesday, rising to 75.26 cents
(U.S.) up from Monday's close of 75.02 cents.
Bay Street
Six of the 10 TSX sub-groups ended the session on the upside Tuesday with Industrial
stocks leading the sectors with a 1.4 percent gain. CAE Inc., which secured a $100
million contract with the (U.S.). Air Force, gained 44 cents, or 8 percent, to $5.90.
The financial index was up 0.7 percent. Royal Bank of Canada rose 74 cents, or 1
percent, to $64.91 while Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce finished $1.30, or 2
percent, higher at C$60.75. Gold prices rose $1.40 to $378.50 (U.S.). Advancers on
the TSX beat out decliners 692 to 515. Market volume came in at 307 million valued
at 3.98 billion. Meanwhile, the TSX Venture advanced 14.46 points to a new high of
1,591.35 and Nasdaq Canada stocks edged up 0.95 points to 391.65.
Talisman Energy profits slip
The Calgary-based company reported that its profit fell 16.6 percent in Q3, a shortfall
mostly as a result of the sale of its operations in Sudan. The company reported a profit
of $126 million or 92 cents a share, down from $151 million or $1.06 a year ago. It's
stock closed up 24 cents at $65.04.
11. On Wall Street
The major (U.S.) equity indexes fell Tuesday, giving back a small measure of recent
advances that had them opening the session at 2003 highs.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 15 points to 9843, the S&P 500 was off
5 points to 1054 and the Nasdaq Composite was down almost 6 points to 1961. The
benchmark 10-year note was up 8/32, its yield dipping to 4.31%
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December crude declined by 15 cents to close at $28.75 (U.S.) a barrel on the New
York Mercantile Exchange.
12. Stock Market
A stock market is a market for the trading of publicly held company stocks or shares
and associated financial instruments (including stock options, convertibles and stock
index futures). Traditionally such markets were open-outcry where trading occurred
on the floor of an exchange. These days increasingly the markets are cyber-markets
with buying and selling occurring via online real-time matching of orders placed by
buyers and sellers. Many years ago, worldwide, buyers and sellers were individuals
investors and businessmen. These days markets have generally become
"institutionalized", that is buyers and sellers are largely institutions whether pension
funds, insurance companies, mutual funds or banks. This rise of the institutional
investor has brought growing professionalism to all aspects of the markets.
How it works
The movements of the prices in a market or section of a market are captured in price
indices called Stock Market Indices, of which there are many e.g. the Standard and
Poors Indices and the Financial Times Indices. Such indices are usually market
capitalisation weighted.
There are stock markets in most developed economies, with the world's biggest
markets being in the USA, Japan, the UK, and Europe. There are global stock market
indices that, because they delineate the global universe of stock opportunities, shape
the choices and distribution of funds of institutional investors. The character of
markets around the world varies, for example with the majority of the shares in the
Japanese market being closely-held (by financial companies and industrial
corporations) compared with the structures of ownership in the USA or the UK.
An option is a contract to buy or sell something at an agreed-upon price during a
specified period. A buyer who believes that the price of a stock will rise can enter a
contract known as a "call" which gives him the right to buy another's stock at a date
three to nine months in the future. He pays a fee to the owner of the stock and will
forfeit it if he does not exercise the option. But if the stock price rises enough, he can
exercise the option and buy the stock at the fixed price, then re-sell it for a higher
price to recover his premium and make a profit.
Someone who thinks that the price of a stock is about to fall can write a "put" contract
with someone else who agrees to buy the stock at a fixed price. He does not have to
own the stock at the time the contract is made. Again, he pays a premium. But if the
stock price does fall, he can buy the stock at a low price on the market and then sell it
for agreed-upon higher price.
Option contracts are traded like stocks, often by people who have no intention of
exercising them. Although there is a guaranteed loss of the premium when an option
is not exercised, there is enormous potential profit from trading the option itself--its
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price rises or falls with the price of the underlying stock. Someone who has a
guaranteed buyer for 10,000 shares of stock at $35 has a contract of enormous value if
the price of the stock falls to $10. He may not want to invest $100,000 to fulfill the
contract and earn $350,000. But someone will want to buy the contract from him for
more than he paid for it.
There are also two sorts of trades involving cash or stock not actually owned, short
selling and margin buying. In short selling, someone sells stock that they don't
actually own, hoping for the price to fall. They must eventually buy back the stock. In
margin buying, someone borrows money to buy the stock and hopes for it to rise.
Most industralized countries have regulations which require that if the borrowing is
based on collateral from other stocks, then it can be at only a certain percentage of
those other stocks value. Other rules include a prohibition of freeriding, that is,
putting in an order to buy stocks without paying intially, and then selling them and
using part of the proceeds to make the original payment.
Stock Market Regulation
Before 1929, there were few regulations governing trades. This was taken advantage
of by the so-called "Robber Barons", to amass the large fortunes for themselves using
(today illegal) techniques.
Since then, there have been periodic attempts to solve other perceived business
problems with further regulation. As of this writing (in 2002) there is a stock market
downturn that is prompting such considerations in the United States.
13. Market History
The 2 major markets in the US are the NASDAQ and NYSE. Nearly half of the adult
population invest today. The Stock Market is an alternative savings account.
NYSE



Located on Wall street
 3000 companies are in the NYSE
 General Electric, IBM, At&t, Disney, and McDonalds
 When you place a buy or sell order through a brokerage house
The order is sent to the NYSE trading floor, it is then sent to the two way
auction market where a specialist takes your order and floor brokers meet
openly to find the best price of the stock, when the highest bid meets the
lowest ask price your order is executed
The NYSE is basically a giant auction market that establishes fair market
prices
NASDAQ
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 Another large US. Stock Market but not an exchange
NASDAQ stands for the National Association of Securities Dealers
Automated Quotations System.
 Unlike the NYSE on the NASDAQ your orders are executed through
computer systems and network.
 NASDAQ recently joined together with the American Stock Exchange
(AMEX)
 NASDAQ was found in 1971 as a trading place for small companies
 More high-tech companies are signed to the NASDAQ such as Microsoft,
Intel, and Cisco.

14. The Dow Jones averages are averages that break down the companies into three
categories like Utilities, Transportation, and Industrial. The history of the Dow Jones
goes back more than 100 years The DJIA Help in indicating the stock market fall in
1884. Charles Dow devised the industrial average in 1896
15. There are two types of options: A Call Option and a Put Option
The purchase of a call option provides the buyer with the right - but not the
obligation- to purchase the underlying item at a specified price, called the strike price
or exercise price, at any time up to and including the expiration date.
A put option provides the buyer with the right- but not the obligation- to sell the
underlying item at the strike price at any time prior to expiration.
The price of an option is called the premium. As an example of an option, an IBM
April 130 call gives the purchaser the right to buy 100 shares of IBM at $130 per
share at any time during the life of the option. The buyer of a call seeks to profit from
an anticipated price rise by locking in a specified purchase price. The call buyer
maximum possible loss will be equal to the dollar amount of the premium paid for the
option. This maximum loss would occur on an option held until expiration if the strike
price were above the prevailing market price.
For example, if IBM were trading at $125 when the 130 option expired, the option
would expire worthless. If at expiration the price of the underlying market was above
the strike price, the option would have some value and would hence be exercise.
However, if the difference between the market price and the strike price were less
than the premium paid for the option, the net result of the trade would still be a loss.
In order for a call buyer to realize a net profit, the difference between the market price
and the strike price would have to exceed the premium paid when the call was
purchased. The higher the market price, the greater the profit.
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The buyer of a put seeks to profit from a market decline by locking in a sales price.
The option buyer accepts a large probability of a small loss in the return for a small
probability of a large gain.
16. VOLUME is a vital and basic element to stock trading decisions. One axiom of
technical analysis suggests that while prices may fall of their own weight, only
volume can drive prices higher over time. The spring advance of CACI International,
an information systems and high technology "solutions" company out of Virginia, is
one of the best examples of this phenomenon. CACI was moving in a tight
consolidation from mid-February into late March when the first significant high
volume day occurred on March 27th. The uptick in on-balance volume (overlaid on
the volume chart) supports the heavy buying, as does the bullish candlestick. Even
though CACI continued to trade in a very tight range for another three weeks, the
heavy volume day on March 27th was a tip-off that buyers were interested in seeing
this stock go up—more so than sellers were looking to get out of their positions. From
the beginning of the year until the first big up moves in late April, CACI has advanced
from about 22.5 to 28. While this 24% increase is a more than reasonable return, the
rising on-balance volume strongly suggested that holders of the stock believed there
was more to come.
In most cases, given a market with a neutral or mildly bullish bias, the only thing that
would keep a stock like CACI down (outside of a catastrophic event) would be the
determination of holders to sell, which is not reflected in the rising on-balance volume,
nor in the tightness of the consolidation--particularly between late February and early
April. As good as the returns from CACI were from January to late April, the advance
from late April to late May was nothing short of spectacular, In about 30 days, CACI
climbed over 53%, largely on the backs of heavy buying
on May 9th and 10th, as well as on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. Unlike many
high-volume, high percentage moves, CACI's advance had almost no gaps. In fact,
each advance was supported by a significant support area of at least two weeks.
Nearest support currently is at 36.5 as the stock trades in the low 40s.
The importance of these small support areas is that the advance is more likely to be
sustainable if there are areas to which CACI can retreat. The pair of two to three week
support areas here can function as places where selling can occur without overly
disrupting any renewed advance. This is in contrast to what are commonly called "V"
advances in which stocks that have declined rocket upwards without pause, often
reaping brief, but fleeting gains. Advances that come with both heavy volume and
short-term support "platforms" are much more likely to provide reasonable entry
points than those without.
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Reading materials
Passage I
Read the following news, underline the useful expressions and
sentences, then answer the questions:
Dow Climbs by 52.56 to Reach its 6th Consecutive High
By Sharon R. Kin
The indefatigable Dow Jones industrial average rose to another record yesterday, as
investors shrugged off the conflict with Iraq and Asian economic concerns and took
heart from technology earnings.
The industrials gained 52.56 to close at 8,451.06, their sixth consecutive high, and the
Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index rose 9.30 points to end at 1,032.06, also a high.
While much of this week’s rally can be traced to merger frenzy among stocks as
varied at Beneficial and, one stock has been particularly active despite no real news:
Nike.
For Nike investors, the recent run-up amounts to déjà vu.
In the last two days, Nike’s stock has risen 9 percent, mostly on market rumors that
Warren E. Buffett is adding to his 2 percent stake in the company. Of course, Mr.
Buffett, one of the country’s leading value investors; his holding company, Berkshire
Hathaway, and Nike, then maker of athletic apparel and footwear, are not talking.
Much the same thing happened last May. Unconfirmed Buffett-buying rumors lifted
Nike’s shares 6.4 percent on May 28. But the stock dropped with a thud ---- losing
more than 13 percent of its value ---- the next day when the company warned that
earnings for the quarter about to end would fall short of Wall Street estimates.
Wall Street stock analysts are not ruling out a repeat performance in coming days.
Nike’s stock rose $3.50 on Tuesday, with 6.5 million shared traded. It opened sharply
higher yesterday, but ended the day with a gain of only 25 cents, on slightly less
volume, to close at 44 5/8.
While the stock may be cheap by some measures ---- it’s a far cry from its high of
$75.75 reached a year ago ---- many analysts warn that sales growth is slowing in the
United States and Asia and that inventory is swelling, which means Nike’s situation
could worsen before it improves.
The company is even considering ways to cut costs, which could include layoffs and
reduced spending on advertising and promotions.
For Nike, “ I don’t see any positive things in the near term,” said Maureen Carini, an
equity analyst with Standard & Poor’s. “ In the next six to 12 months, it’s not
something that earnings-wise is going to take off.”
A pickup sales of “ brown shoes”, or rugged outdoor styles, as well as increased
competition from other manufactures, like Adidas, has cut into Nike’s business. But
the most pressing concern is the slowdown in Asia, which represented about 13
percent of fiscal year 1997 sales.
Dwindling demand for Nike’s athletic shoes, particularly its higher priced basketball
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shoes, has led to an inventory buildup, Ms. Carini said. New shoe styles, which could
reinvigorate sales, are not expected before early next year, she added.
The company is expected to clear up the domestic inventory buildup without much
trouble, using discounted prices and discount outlets. But the excess in Japan, where a
buildup is just beginning to appear, will be much more difficult to move.
“ Japan doesn’t have a factory outlet distribution system, so that
presents more challenges for us,” said Rick Anguilla, Nike’s
director of investor relations, who conceded that the company
was caught off guard by the weakened Asia sales.
The smaller show sizes in Japan make it difficult to distribute the shoes elsewhere,
said John Horan, publisher of Sporting Goods Intelligence, an industry newsletter
based in Glen Mill, Pa.. “ Japan is going to be a serious problem,” he said, because it
is not clear how big the inventory pileup will be or when demand will return. Japan
accounted for about 7 percent of sales last year but was expected to grow rapidly.
Nike has already taken a hit. In its fiscal second quarter ended Nov. 30, Nike earned
48 cents a share, below both the 55 cents forecast and the 60 cents recorded in the
period a year earlier. Since then, analysts have lowered their estimates, to $ 2.02 for
fiscal year 1998, from the $ 2.60 previously forecast, and from the $ 2.68 earned last
year.
Nike itself said in recent weeks that it is “ looking at its cost structure based on our
outlook for the business,” which some analysts take to suggest that a restructuring is
imminent.
“ Here is a company that was expecting dramatic growth from Asia, and now Asia is
shrinking,” said Shelly Hale Young, a stock analyst with Hambrecht & Quist in San
Francisco. Asian sales could be flat, she said, instead of 30 percent higher as
previously projected. To cut costs, the company may be forced to restructure, cutting
staff as well as advertising and promotional spending, she said.
Nike, which has enjoyed 40 percent sales growth the last three years, must adjust to a
slower rate of growth, said Ms. Young, who expects the company to earn about $1.50
a share annually for the next few years. She says the stock should trade at about 25
times its earnings for the coming year. That would put it at about $37 a share.
“ Right now the fundamentals of the company are deteriorating,” she said. “ Until the
fundamentals stabilize, I would not be putting money into Nike stock based on a
rumor.”
Elsewhere in the market yesterday, technology stocks led a modest surge. The Nasdaq
composite index gained 12.30 points, to 1,715.73, rebounding from a selloff the
previous day.
Dell computer reported fourth-quarter profits that beat analysts’ expectations as
revenues rose for the 16th consecutive quarter on strong gains in the United States,
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Europe and Latin America.
Hewlett-Packard’s stock also rose, as investors barely penalized the stock for logging
flat fiscal first-quarter earnings on Tuesday that fell slightly below some analysts’
forecasts.
From The New York Times, February 19,1998
Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What is the main idea of this news report?
Why did Nike’s stock rise? What may happen to it?
What was the trading record of Nike’s stock?
What factors may affect the share price of Nike?
How does the writer analyze the share price and company performance of Nike?
What other information is given in this news report? Why?
Study the following words and use them: indefatigable, consecutive, merger,
frenzy, thud, dwindle, reinvigorate, shrink, outlet, pileup.
Passage II
Why did the experts say China should raise interest rates?
Experts：Raise interest rates
China should raise interest rates for the first time in nine years to keep borrowing
costs higher than inflation, economists at state research units said.
"It is wrong to keep the interest rate unchanged," Fan Gang, a director of the National
Economic Research Institute, said at a press briefing in Beijing. "The smooth
implementation of the pricing mechanism has been interrupted."
China's consumer prices rose 5 percent from a year earlier in June, the biggest gain in
eight years. That's close to the central bank's 5.31 percent benchmark one-year
lending rate and more than the 1.98 percent one-year deposit rate, suggesting people
are better off investing their savings in goods rather than putting it in the bank.
Depositors are losing 202 yuan (US$24) a year on every 10,000 yuan they have in the
bank because of the negative real interest rate, Qi Jingmei, an economist at the State
Information Center, said in a statement. Like Fan, she said the government should
raise interest rates to alleviate the situation.
"China's negative interest rate situation is one of the worst in the world," Qi said.
In the event inflation exceeds lending rates, the economy may experience hoarding as
people borrow to buy goods that they expect to appreciate faster than their debts swell.
Central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said in May the bank was holding off from
raising lending rates because inflation was still below 5 percent. Inflation averaged
3.6 percent in the first half and the statistics bureau forecast it would stay within 4
percent this year. Some 60 percent of the chief economists at state research units
expect inflation to gather pace in the next six months, the National Bureau of
Statistics said on Monday, citing an official survey of 50 analysts.
About half of those polled forecast interest rates will be raised in the next six months,
the statistics bureau said. The People's Bank of China's key lending rate was last
changed in February 2002, when it was cut from 5.85 percent, and hasn't been raised
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since July 1995.
Low rates help spur consumer spending in China, driving economic growth as the
government reins in industrial expansion to ease power shortages and cool inflation.
Premier Wen Jiabao in April and May told banks to restrict lending to overheated
industries and the central bank has raised the amount of money lenders must set aside
as reserves. The government aims to slow growth to 7 percent this year from a
seven-year high of 9.1 percent last year.
China economic Information Network, another state research unit, said yesterday it
expects investment in factories, roads and other fixed assets to rise 26 percent this
quarter after increasing 31 percent in the first half.
Passage III
Please write a headline and a lead for the following news:
In what was billed as a major economic speech in London, Snow reiterated themes he
has long been stressing: that stronger growth and free markets will cure most of the
ills facing the global economy.
Snow, speaking at London's Chatham House, also stuck with the same message about
the dollar that he has issued in recent months -- that while markets should set
exchange rates, Washington is not seeking to weaken its currency.
"No one has ever devalued their way to prosperity," he said Wednesday.
"Let me be clear: our policy is for a strong dollar. Our dollar policy remains
unchanged because a strong dollar is in both the national and international interest."
In response to questions about possible currency market intervention, Snow brushed
aside the suggestion.
"The history of efforts to impose non-market solutions (to currency values) is at best
unrewarding and checkered," Snow said.
Facing criticism in Europe and elsewhere about what some call a dangerous path of
deficits that has weighed on the dollar, the treasury secretary acknowledged that the
United States was less than perfect in some areas but said other nations must help
remedy the problems, mainly by boosting economic growth.
"This isn't the US preaching to Europe and Japan," he stated. "This is acknowledging
the shared responsibility we have to make the world a better place."
His comments came as the dollar slid to a record low against the euro.
Snow dismissed questions about whether the strong dollar policy has any meaning.
"Why do I continue to espouse a strong dollar policy? Because it's our policy," he said.
Pressed further on the effectiveness of this, he stated, "The policy is the policy."
The weak dollar has prompted increasing calls for Washington to deal with the
so-called "twin deficits" of the budget and current account, which reflects trade and
certain investment flows.
Snow said the United States was serious about tackling its budget deficit, which hit a
record 413 billion dollars (318 billion euros) in the most recent fiscal year.
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This deficit, which saps a large chunk of global capital, "from my perspective, is our
most pressing issue," he said in remarks prepared for the speech to The Royal Institute
of International Affairs.
"It is too large and needs to be brought down. As a lifelong deficit hawk, I want to
make it clear that the budget deficit is unwelcome. I also want to make it clear that it
is being addressed."
He said the proposed federal budget outline would cut the shortfall in half over the
four years, "bringing the deficit to less than two percent" of gross domestic product.
As for the current account deficit, Snow maintained that this was a sign of US
economic strength, not weakness, and that it would diminish as other countries grow
more rapidly.
"The current account deficit is a shared responsibility," he said.
He said Washington hoped to ease some of this deficit by encouraging more US
savings, but that the trade gap will come down only when the economies of US
partners start growing more quickly.
While critics of US policies talk about the twin US deficits, Snow argued that more
attention should be paid to the "growth deficit," or the disparity between economic
growth in the United States and key economies, especially Europe.
"Economic expansion is not as balanced as it could be," Snow said. "Where countries
are growing too slowly, they need to adopt pro-growth policies ... In today's
interconnected global economy where products and services, information and capital
flow freely, stronger growth rates in those places are critical if we are to achieve
economic prosperity for all."
Snow also argued that a more flexible currency scheme in China would help ease
imbalances, and that Beijing appears to be moving in that direction, albeit not as
quickly as he would prefer.
"I don't want to put a firm timetable" on China to shift towards a more liberal
currency policy, he said.
"I think we'll get a much better result through quiet diplomacy."
Passage IV
Read the following passages and try to: 1) Find their main ideas:
2) Take down or underline the economic terms and typical
sentence patterns and try to get familiar with them.
US warns of interest rate hikes
US Federal Reserve Bank Presidents Jack Guynn and William Poole joined Fed
Chairman Alan Greenspan this week in signaling that central bank policy makers are
ready to raise interest rates faster than investors expect should inflation accelerate
more than forecast.
The Fed's May statement that it may raise interest rates at a "measured" pace is "more
of a plan than a pledge" and can change if inflation picks up, Guynn said in the text of
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a speech to Atlanta real estate executives. "Not only is it important that we prevent
appreciable price increases from taking hold, but it is vital that we maintain the Fed's
credibility."
The dollar rose and gold fell after Guynn became the fifth Federal Open Market
Committee member this week to say the central bank may raise rates at a faster pace
to restrain inflation.
"It would be appropriate for the FOMC to move further and faster" in that situation,
Poole said in an interview with Reuters after the close of US markets on Thursday.
The Fed is expected to at least double its 1 percent target rate for overnight loans
between banks by year-end, according to a majority of economists at Wall Street's
largest bond-trading firms surveyed by Bloomberg News. The rate has held at 1
percent, the lowest in almost 46 years, for the past year. Central bank policy makers
meet on June 30 to set rates.
"Our strengthening economic expansion has brought a flurry of price increases and
the apparent return of pricing power in some industries," Guynn said.
The remarks from Poole and Guynn boosted the dollar against the euro and were
among the strongest this week from Fed officials ahead of next week's government
reports on consumer and producer prices.
"There is a very substantial amount of uncertainty about where we are going to go,
and it is going to be important for the Federal Reserve to be prepared to respond to
new information," Poole told Reuters.
Poole, 66, became St. Louis Fed president in March 1998 and less than two months
later, on May 19, cast a dissenting vote in favor of tighter monetary policy.
This week, Greenspan said the Fed's expectation of a "measured" rate increase doesn't
bind it from taking bolder moves if necessary.
"The Fed is preparing the market for the possibility of a faster pace of interest rate
hikes should inflation rise more rapidly," said Yasutoshi Nagai, an economist at Daiwa
Securities SMBC Co in Tokyo. Daiwa's US unit is one of 23 primary government
securities dealers that trade with the Fed's New York branch. "This is the time to sell
bonds."
The dollar rose to US$1.2006 per euro at 8:50am yesterday in New York, from
US$1.2106 late Thursday, according to EBS, an electronic foreign-exchange dealing
system. It also rose to 110.10 yen from 109.34. Gold for immediate delivery in
London fell US$1.60, or 0.5 percent, to US$384.45 an ounce.
U.S. Bond Prices Fall
NEW YORK - Bond prices fell Friday as investors, unnerved by Federal Reserve
chairman Alan Greenspan's concerns about the trade deficit and rising oil prices,
pulled back.
Greenspan's unusually frank assessment of the trade imbalance and its effect on the
U.S. economy made many investors nervous. The Fed chairman said the economy
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was resilient thus far, but foreign investment could decline should the deficits
continue to build and the U.S. dollar remain weak. The diminished demand for dollars
means that foreigners will eventually buy fewer Treasurys.
The price of the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell 3/4 point, or $7.50 per $1,000
in face value. Its yield, which moves in the opposite direction, rose to 4.21 percent,
from 4.11 percent on Thursday.
The 30-year Treasury bond fell 1 3/16 point to yield 4.89 percent, up from 4.81
percent a day earlier, according to Moneyline Telerate.
Greenspan's words also alarmed stock investors.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed down 116 points, or 1.1 percent, at 10,457.
Broader stock indicators also finished substantially lower. The Standard & Poor's 500
index was down 13 points, or 1.12 percent, at 1,170, and the Nasdaq composite index
lost 34 points, or 1.6 percent, to 2,071.
In other trading, the benchmark 2-year note fell 5/32 point to yield 2.93 percent.
Intermediate maturities fell anywhere from 1/2 point to 21/32 point.
Yields on one-month Treasury bills were 1.90 percent as the discount rose 0.03
percentage point to 1.87 percent. Yields on three-month Treasury bills were 2.14
percent as the discount rose 0.01 percentage point to 2.10 percent. Six-month yields
were 2.35 percent, as the discount rose 0.02 percentage point to 2.29 percent.
Yields are the interest bonds pay by maturity, while the discount is the interest at
which they are sold.
The federal funds rate, the interest on overnight loans between banks, was unchanged
at 2.00 percent.
In the tax-exempt market, the Bond Buyer index of 40 actively traded municipal
bonds fell 5/16 to 111 5/8. The average yield to maturity rose to 4.94 percent from
4.92 percent.
Crude futures gains on higher product prices
Crude oil futures gained on Friday helped by firmer petroleum product prices despite
weak physical prices for crude oil.
IPE Brent for January delivery advanced 57 cents to $43.30 a barrel in electronic
trade, following a 4 cents decline in the previous session.
December Nymex WTI increased 26 cents to $46.58 a barrel in electronic trade, after
dropping 62 cents on Thursday.
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IPE gas oil moved up $17 to $440.75 a tonne. Gas oil has risen more than 6 per cent
so far this week.
Nymex heating oil futures for December delivery was marginally higher at $1.4354 a
gallon, extending the 1.86 cent rise from the previous session. Reuters reported that
China, the world's second-largest energy user, had boosted diesel imports to their
highest levels since early 1999 to head off the prospect of repeating a supply squeeze
seen last year. Chinese oil importers have booked at least 450,000 tonnes of diesel for
November, hoping to avoid the kind of shortages that forced hundreds of gas stations
to ration sales a year ago. The purchases, more than four times October's estimated
volume, will provide line fill for an oil products' pipeline slated for start-up early next
year, traders said. Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said late on Thursday
his country would support a cut in oil production by oil cartel OPEC when the
producers' group next meets on Dec. 10. Asked if Venezuela would back an output
reduction, Ramirez said, "That would be our position." The minister said OPEC
member Iran had already made a proposal to cut production at the upcoming meeting.
Some producing nations are concerned that a potential build-up in crude stocks over
the next few months could depress oil prices.
Many crudes from Middle East producers are selling at around $32 a barrel, even
crude in West Africa that usually trade at a premium to the Brent price, are now
trading at a discount. This indicates that the crude market is well supplied.
The Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries forecast a rare global crude
inventory increase in during the fourth quarter this winter. Opec estimated it would be
1.9m barrels a day, if current output and supply levels remain constant until the rest of
the year. The forecast comes three weeks ahead of the next gathering of Opec minister
in Cairo on December 10.
What you should learn from this chapter:
27. The basic vocabulary on stock market and trade;
28. A general knowledge on stock marker;
29. Ability to read news on stock market.
Language study:
23. Vocabulary study: dispose of; be bound to; orient; current; advent
24. Translation:
The indefatigable Dow Jones industrial average rose to another record yesterday, as
investors shrugged off the conflict with Iraq and Asian economic concerns and took
heart from technology earnings.
The industrials gained 52.56 to close at 8,451.06, their sixth consecutive high, and the
Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index rose 9.30 points to end at 1,032.06, also a high.
While much of this week’s rally can be traced to merger frenzy among stocks as
varied at Beneficial and, one stock has been particularly active despite no real news:
Nike.
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Homework
Read the following news and answer questions:
Passage 1
Early holiday party on Wall St ends in tears
Wall Street this week behaved like a child before Christmas as it pined for its present a Santa Claus rally - more than a month before the tree goes up and Santa comes
down the chimney.
Such was the bulls' determination to push the market higher that by midweek traders
mentioned short-sellers throwing in the towel and covering their position in the face
of a market seemingly intent on punishing pessimism dearly.
However, hopes that a three-week winning streak would be extended were punctured
by late yesterday morning, when market activity appeared to doubt Santa Claus'
existence.
By Friday's close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 1.2 per cent at
10,459.50 while the S&P 500 index had given up 1.1 per cent to 1,170.72 and the
Nasdaq Composite retreated 1.6 per cent to 2,071.40.
For the week, the Dow was 0.8 per cent lower while the S&P 500 had given up 1.2
per cent and the Nasdaq Composite shed 0.7 per cent. This threatened to snap a
three-week winning streak for Wall Street just as it looked like it would be extended
into a fourth week.
Friday's decline snapped the three-week winning streak for the indices and, if the
fallout continues, could sound the death knell to a period during which the path of
least resistance was firmly to the upside as continued warnings about overbuying were
ignored.
The reality check came when Alan Greenspan, the Federal Reserve chairman, gave a
sobering speech on the effects of the US current account and budget deficit to
colleagues in Frankfurt and caused the dollar to drop to a four-year low against the
yen as it see-sawed near a new lifetime low against the euro.
Mr Greenspan's warning that non-US investors were unlikely to finance the US trade
deficit indefinitely appeared to reveal to stock investors the possibility that those
investors overseas might also decide Wall Street stocks are less attractive.
In addition, a sharper fall of the greenback would force more dramatic interest-rate
adjustments than investors had envisioned and threaten to choke off the still-frail
recovery of the US economy.
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Such sombre thoughts received no relief from the crude oil markets, when futures
rebounded sharply yesterday by more than $2 to $48.44 in New York amid newly
discovered concerns that the recent increases in US reserves had not been
accompanied by similar rises in stockpiles of distillate petroleum products such as
heating oil.
With winter fast approaching the US north-east, where most heating oil is consumed,
the prospect of heating supply worries raised the odds that crude prices might stage
yet another rally.
This was further unwelcome news for stocks, whose most recent advance coincides
strikingly with the decline in crude prices.
The close correlation between crude's decline and the S&P 500's rally in the past four
weeks suggests a higher vulnerability to a renewed rise in oil prices for Wall Street
stocks.
Moreover, it also undermines the view that the recent rally was caused mainly by the
quick resolution of the presidential elections.
It remains to be seen whether yesterday's decline marks a mere retreat en route to the
keenly anticipated Santa Claus rally, or yet another failed rally this year. Much will
depend on how generous Americans will be with Santa's gift bag this year and this
week's host of retailers did little to clarify that.
Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, gave a sanguine view of the coming Christmas
shopping season. However, many investors felt let down by the growth rate of its
sales and sent shares down 1.4 per cent on Tuesday.
Offering less insight into Christmas shopping trends but rather more into the state of
the US housing market were Home Depot and Lowe's. Both reported rising earnings
and the former raised its forecast for the year, but shares fell when the earnings were
announced.
The retail sector also provided the week's most discussed merger, when two iconic
names announced a $11bn merger on Wednesday. Sears and Kmart both saw their
shares tack on sharp gains on the announcement of their deal, which some analysts
saw as a sign of confidence in the outlook for the economy.
Nov. 28, 8:38 pm ET — Stocks finished essentially flat on Friday in very light
post-Thanksgiving trading, as the market struggled to find direction in an absence of
economic news.
The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 2.89, or 0.03 percent at 9,782.46.
247
Broader stock indicators were narrowly mixed at the end of Friday’s abbreviated
trading session. The Nasdaq composite index rose 6.95, or 0.4 percent, to 1,960.26.
The Standard & Poor’s 500 index finished the day down 0.25 points, or 0.1 percent, to
1,058.20.
For the week, the Dow finished 1.6 percent higher, the Nasdaq advanced 3.5 percent,
and the S&P gained 2.2 percent. It was the first winning week in three weeks.
For the month, the three main gauges finished mixed, with the Dow slipping 0.2
percent, the Nasdaq gaining 1.5 percent, and the S&P rising 0.7 percent.
The drift in stocks during Friday’s session reflected a day with almost no
market-shaping news. The exceptions were President Bush’s surprise trip to Iraq and
the dollar’s drop to a new low against the euro, continuing a recent trend. The dollar
was also lower against most other key currencies.
The news on the dollar would normally be expected to push stocks lower, and it
exerted some downward pressure Friday.
But the day after Thanksgiving is nearly always one that sees the market edge higher,
with so many people taking the day off that there is usually little selling momentum,
said Todd Clark, head of listed equity trading at Wells Fargo Securities in San
Francisco.
“We’re basically seeing (the weak dollar) get shrugged off in favor of more of the
seasonality factor here,” Clark said.
The flat day in stocks followed four consecutive sessions of gains on Wall Street,
capped by modest increases on Wednesday, the last trading day before the holiday.
With most traders and investors taking the day off, the stock market closed at 1 p.m.
Friday.
Shares of Johnson & Johnson fell 41 cents to $49.29, following the company’s
announcement Thursday that it had suspended trials of an anemia drug, Procrit,
because some patients had developed blood clotting.
On the day regarded as the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, shares of
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the nation’s largest retailer, fell 6 cents to $55.24.
Pharmaceutical maker Schering-Plough Corp. saw its shares rise 69 cents to $16.07
after the company said its chairman and CEO, Fred Hassan, had bought $4.7 million
of its stock.
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Advancing issues outnumbered decliners by a 4-to-3 ratio on the New York Stock
Exchange. Consolidated volume came to 609 million shares, down from 1.42 billion
shares on Wednesday.
The Russell 2000 index, which tracks smaller company stocks, was up 1.20, or 0.2
percent, to 546.51.
Overseas, Japan’s Nikkei stock average finished down 0.6 percent. In Europe,
France’s CAC-40 lost 0.2 percent, Britain’s FTSE 100 declined 0.4 percent and
Germany’s DAX index was essentially unchanged.
Questions:
1. What’s the general situation of the stock market in U.S. on Friday and for the
month?
2. What’s the market-shaping news on Friday and what’s the influence? What else
effects the market?
3. What caused the change of prices of Johnson & Johnson and Pharmaceutical
maker Schering-Plough Corp.?
Passage 2
Upbeat data show economic strength
Orders for durable goods surge while jobless claims hit low
The US economy continued to strengthen as it entered the final quarter of 2003 with a
surge in orders for durable goods in October and a new low in claims by the
unemployed.
New orders for durable goods rose 3.3 percent, to $184.5 billion, between September
and October, the US Department of Commerce reported yesterday, topping the prior
month's solid growth. An important indicator of business investment contained in the
durable goods report -- nondefense, capital goods orders excluding aircraft -- rose 1.7
percent last month.
There was also new evidence that the struggling employment market may be
improving. Initial claims for unemployment benefits fell last week by 11,000 to
351,000, the Labor Department said, the fewest claims filed since President Bush was
inaugurated in January 2001.
The upbeat data was the latest in a slew of good news released in the days prior to
Thanksgiving, including reports of rising consumer confidence and a revision in US
economic growth to a remarkable 8.2 percent annual rate in the third quarter, up from
an initial estimate of 7.2 percent.
" 'Tis the season to revise up," said Nicholas Perna, an economic consultant in
Ridgefield, Conn.
"What's happened is that up until the last four or five, maybe six months, the reality
turned out to be less than the forecasts. We are now in a period where, if anything,
249
we're being surprised on the upside," he said. "Virtually everything is showing
improvement."
Economists said some credit for the economy's building momentum is because of
Bush's tax cuts this year, which put money into investors' portfolios and cash into
consumer's pockets.
"The president has taken strong and aggressive action to get the economy growing
again and . . . [foster] an environment where jobs can be created," said White House
spokeswoman Claire Buchan.
Even the beleaguered job market is showing promise, though it is not yet creating
enough jobs to substantially cut into the ranks of the nation's unemployed. In the past
three months, the economy created 286,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate was
virtually unchanged at 6 percent in October.
The drop in jobless claims again last week continues a general downward trend in
new filings in recent weeks. But Richard Yamarone, chief economist for Argus
Research Corp. in New York, remains concerned about the length of joblessness,
which averages 19.1 weeks and is approaching a 20-year high. Many of the jobs
created are at temporary agencies.
"Traditionally, that has been a sign of an improving economy coming out of a
recession," he said. "However, this time around it's more of a sign that business can't
afford to pay pension costs and health benefits so they offer unemployed workers the
opportunity to take a job with no benefits."
The consumer picture is mixed, because spending flattened last month. But shoppers
seem eager to spend as they head into the holiday season. Consumer confidence
jumped 10 points in November, to 91.7, the Conference Board in New York reported
this week. Personal incomes also rose 0.4 percent in October, the federal government
said yesterday.
October's rise in durable goods orders indicates that businesses are optimistic that
demand will increase in the future, meaning they could assume a bigger role in the
economic expansion. This is "really important because we've seen that for the past
couple of months consumer spending has kind of flattened out -- at a high level but
flattened out," Perna said. "We'll need a fair amount of momentum from business
capital spending" to keep the economy growing, he said.
Questions:
1. What indicated that the US economy continued to strengthen? Please illustrate
with figures.
2. What caused the economic strength?
3. What’s the situation of job market?
4. How about the consumer picture?
Appendix
Stock Market Vocabulary
Common Stock- a piece of ownership of a corporation
250
Share Holder- A person who buys stock in a corporation, ad becomes a part-owner in
the corporation.
Dow Jones Industrial Average- A market indicator that average 65 stocks in 3
different categories to determine how the market as a whole is doing.
Bull Market- a marketplace where stock prices are rising like a bull
Bear Market- a market where stock prices are falling like a bear
Quarterly- the way the business is broken down
Issuer- a person who sells the stock
Exchange- A group of people that maintain a marketplace
Asset-a item of value that someone owns
Security- another word for a variety of exchanges
Bond- a company borrows money and in return they give you interest on what you
give and at the end they give you the original amount money you gave.
Arbitrage: The simultaneous purchase and selling of a security in order to profit from
a differential in the price, usually on different exchanges or marketplaces.
Known as a "riskless profit". An example of this is when an arbitrageur buys a stock
on a foreign exchange that hasn't adjusted for the constantly changing exchange rate.
So the arbitrageur will purchase the undervalued stock and short sell the overvalued
stock, thus profiting from the difference. This is recommended for experienced
investors only.
Best Ask: The lowest quoted offer of all competing market makers to sell a
particular stock at any given time.
The lowest price someone is willing to sell an asset for.
Best Bid: The highest quoted bid of all competing market makers to buy a particular
stock at any given time.
The highest price someone is willing to pay for an asset
Blue Chip: A stock in a well-established, financially-sound and stable company that
has demonstrated its ability to pay dividends in both good and bad times.
These stocks are usually less risky than other stocks. The stock price of a blue chip is
usually follows the S&P 500.
The name "blue chip" came about because in the game of poker the blue chips were
traditionally the most expensive ones.
Buy stop
An order to buy a security that is entered at a price above the current offering price
and that is triggered when the market price touches or goes through the buy stop
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price.
Not a whole lot....yet that is!
Buy Stop Order
An order to buy a security which is entered in at a price above the current offering
price and that is triggered to buy when the market price touches or goes through the
buy stop price.
People using a buy stop hope to gain if momentum gains on a particular stock. If the
price exceeds the price you have set, it will automatically trigger a market order.
Close Position
Getting out of a position in a particular stock or security.
If a broker recommended you "close your long position" on a stock they mean "sell it
immediately".
Dividend
A cash payment using profits that's announced by a company's board of directors to
be distributed among stockholders. Dividends may be in the form of cash, stock or
property. All dividends must be declared by the board of directors.
Most secure and stable companies offer dividends to their stockholders. Their share
prices might not move all that much but the dividend makes up for this. High growth
companies don't offer dividends because all their profits are reinvested to help
sustain growth.
Insider
Any person who has or has access to valuable nonpublic information about a
corporation.
Examples of an insider are the directors and officers of a company. The stockholders
who own more than 10% of equity in a company are also insiders.
Margin
The use of borrowed money to purchase securities, referred to as "buying on margin".
It is amount of equity contributed by a customer as a percentage (currently a
maximum of 50%) of the current market value of the securities held in a margin
account.
In business it also refers to the difference between selling price and the cost of goods
sold.
Basically it is investing with a specified amount of borrowed money like 50%. This is
extremely risky, you can either double your gains or double your losses...experienced
investors only!
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The use of margin will usually be subject to interest payment for using the borrowed
money.
Over-The-Counter (OTC)
A security which is not traded on an exchange, usually due to an inability to meet
listing requirements. For such securities, broker/dealers negotiate directly with one
another over computer networks and by phone, and their activities are monitored by
the NASD. Also called unlisted.
The NASDAQ is considered to be an OTC market, with the tier 1 being represented
by Microsoft and Intel. Be very wary of some OTC stocks, the OTC:BB stocks are
either penny stocks or hold bad credit records.
Selling Short
A bet by an investor that a stock will go down in price. The investor borrows the
stock from a broker, sells it, and eventually buys it back on the market to return the
borrowed shares to the broker. If the stock declines in price between the time the
investor sells the shares and buys them back, a profit is realized.
In other words you make money if the stock goes down in price. Short selling is an
excellent way to make money, but remember a couple things:
- Most brokers require you to short sell a minimum of 100 shares of a stock typically
over $4 or $5.
- In the long run stocks tend to rise. And with a bull market it's even more difficult to
make money.
- Only short sell stocks with a large float to avoid the short squeeze.
Short sale
A market transaction in which an investor sells borrowed securities in anticipation of
a price decline.
Stop Order
Stop-Loss or Stop-Limit Order. An order to sell a stock when its price falls to a
particular point to limit an investor's losses.
It's a great idea to use a stop order before you leave for holidays or enter a situation
where you will be unable to watch your stocks for an extended period of time.
Tick
A minimum upward or downward movement in the price of a security.
Historically, stocks did not trade with decimals. A stock would move in amounts of
1/8, 1/16, or 1/32 of a dollar. This is changing currently as the decimal system is
being brought in.
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Volume
The number of shares trading in a period, of a single security, or an entire market.
Typically a large increase in volume means that some sort of news is coming out
Warrant
A security that gives the holder the right to purchase securities from the issuer of the
warrant at a specific price. Warrants are usually considered long-term instruments,
expiration dates are typically years in the future.
Warrants are similar to call options. But the lifetime of a warrant is often measured
in years, while the lifetime of a call option is months. Furthermore, warrants are
issued and guaranteed by the company whereas options are exchange instruments
and not issued by the company.
Zero Plus Tick
Also known as Uptick and Plus Tick. A Transaction at the same price as the
preceding trade, but higher than the preceding trade at a different price
The price of a stock must move up one tick before the transaction is made. A Short
Sale is not permitted on a Zero Plus Tick.
当日指数已 1120 点收盘 the index closed/ finished /ended at 120 on that day
道琼斯工业平均指数飙升至 9580 点 the Dow Jones industrial index average soared to 9580
points
发行股票、债券 issue shares and bonds
该公司股票已经上市 the stock of the company have been listed (have gone public, have been
launched)
股票热降温了 the stock craze has abated
股市指数 the stock market (exchange) index
股市指数突破 1300 点大关 the stock index broke the 1300-poit mark
股指暴跌，跌幅 7.8%，以 14.3 元探底 the index slumped 7.8 percent to 14.3 Yuan
恒生指数（香港）宽幅震荡 the Heng Sheng index fluctuated violently
III. Some typical sentence patterns for reference:
以 less/higher/lower/narrower/smaller 等连接的不对等比较：
That was smaller than the $5.6 billion surplus economists had predicted.（比经济人士预测的 56
亿美元逆差少。
）
March Cotton closed 0.46 cent lower at 85.30 cent.（三月份棉花期货收市下降 0.46 美分，报
85.30 美分。
）
以 highest/record high/lowest 等连接的最高级比较：
The Bundesbank cut its discount rate 3.5%, the lowest level in seven years.（德意志联邦银行将
利率下调到七年来最低的 3.5%。
）
The number of workers in the United States applying for state unemployment benefits rose to the
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record high level in more than a month.（美国申请失业救济金的工人人数一个多月来上升到历
史最高点。
）
以 against/opposite/compare/contrast 等连接的数据对比：
Export surplus was 72.54 billion francs, compared with 47.71 billion francs in the same period a
year earlier.（与去年同期 477.1 亿法朗相比，出口顺差为 725.4 亿法朗。
）
The December T-bond futures ended today at 117-13/32 in Tokyo market against its previous
closing of 117-11/32.（东京市场十二月份国债期货合约今天收盘报 117-13/32，而昨天收盘报
117-11/32。
）
trade term / price term 价格术语
world / international market price 国际市场价格
FOB (free on board)离岸价
C&F (cost and freight)成本加运费价
CIF (cost, insurance and freight)到岸价
freight 运费
wharfage 码头费
landing charges 卸货费
customs duty 关税
port dues 港口税 import surcharge 进口附加税 import variable duties 进口差价税
commission 佣金 return commission 回佣，回扣 price including commission 含佣价
net price 净价
wholesale price 批发价
discount / allowance 折扣
retail price 零售价
spot price 现货价格
current price 现行价格/时价
indicative price 参考价格 customs valuation 海关估价
price list 价目表
total value 总值
贸易机构词汇
WTO (World Trade Organization)世界贸易组织
CTG (Council for Trade in Goods)货币贸易理事会
IMF (International Monetary Fund)国际货币基金组织
EFTA (European Free Trade Association)欧洲自由贸易联盟
AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area)东盟自由贸易区
JCCT (China-US Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade)中美商贸联委会
NAFTA (North American Free Trade Area)北美自由贸易区
UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development)联合国贸易与发展会议
GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade)关贸总协定
贸易方式词汇
stocks 存货，库存量
cash sale 现货
purchase 购买，进货
bulk sale 整批销售，趸售
distribution channels 销售渠道
wholesale 批发
retail trade 零售业
hire-purchase 分期付款购买
fluctuate in line with market conditions 随行就市
unfair competition 不合理竞争
dumping 商品倾销
antidumping 反倾销
dumping profit margin 倾销差价，倾销幅度
customs bond 海关担保
chain debts 三角债
freight forwarder 货运代理
trade consultation 贸易磋商
mediation of dispute 商业纠纷调解
partial shipment 分批装运
restraint of trade 贸易管制
special preferences 优惠关税
RTA (Regional Trade Arrangements)区域贸易安排
favorable balance of trade 贸易顺差
unfavorable balance of trade 贸易逆差
transit trade 转口贸易
tariff barrier 关税壁垒
bonded warehouse 保税仓库
tax rebate 出口退税
TBT (Technical Barriers to Trade)技术性贸易壁垒
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进出口贸易词汇
commerce, trade, trading 贸易
inland trade, home trade, domestic trade 国内贸易
international trade 国际贸易
foreign trade, external trade 对外贸易，外贸
import, importation 进口
importer 进口商
export, exportation 出口
exporter 出口商
import licence 进口许口证
export licence 出口许口证
commercial transaction 买卖，交易
inquiry 询盘
delivery 交货
order 订货
make a complete entry 正式/完整申报
bad account 坏帐
Bill of Lading 提单
marine bills of lading 海运提单
shipping order 托运单
blank endorsed 空白背书
endorsed 背书
cargo receipt 承运货物收据
condemned goods 有问题的货物
catalogue 商品目录
customs liquidation 清关
customs clearance 结关
贸易伙伴术语
trade partner 贸易伙伴 manufacturer 制造商，制造厂 middleman 中间商，经纪人
dealer 经销商
wholesaler 批发商
retailer, tradesman 零售商
merchant 商人，批发商，零售商
cash on delivery 货到付款
concessionaire, licensed dealer 受让人，特许权获得者
carrier 承运人
consignee 收货人 memorandum 备忘录 mentoring 顾问，指导
“费用” = expense ?
初学英语的人，常用 expense 来表示一切“费用”。其实 expense 主要是“花费”、“开支”
之意，
如 current expenses“日常开支”，selling expenses“销售费用”，travelling expenses
“旅费”等等。在现实生活中，各种“费用”有各种不同的表达法:
1. admission (n.)指入场费。
如：admission by ticket only 凭票入场
2. charge (n.)“原价、要价”
。常用复数，主要用于一次性劳务所收取的费用，如服务费、
行李超重费、旅馆费等等。
如：What are the charges in the hotel?这家旅馆收费多少？
3. cost (n.)本义为“成本”
、
“原价”
。常常用来表示对已取得的货物或劳务所支付的费用。
如：The cost of seeing a movie is seven dollars.看一场电影要花七美元。
4. fare (n.)指旅客乘公共汽车、出租车、火车、轮船、飞机等所支付的费用。
如：All fares， please. (公共汽车售票员用语)请买票。
5. fee (n.)医生、律师或其它专门职业的佣金及会费、手续费、停车费等。
如：My lawyer's hourly fee is 130 dollars. 我的律师的佣金是每小时 130 美元。
6. freight (n.)运费，指海运、空运、陆运的费用。
如：Who will pay the freight on this order? 谁支付这批定货的运费？
7. postage (n.)指邮费。
如：How much postage do I need to send this package?寄这个包裹须付多少钱？
8. rent (n. )土地、建筑物、房舍、机器等定期的租费。
如：The student owed three months’rent for my house.那学生欠我三个月的房租。
9. tip (n.)小费。
如：I gave my barber a fat tip. 我给理发师优厚的小费。
10. toll (n.)道路、桥梁、港口、市场的捐税、通行费及电话费等。
如：This month I had to pay 200 yuan toll call.这个月我要缴 200 元的电话费。
11. tuition (n.)学费。
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如：John took out a loan to pay his tuition. 约翰贷款交付学费。
Appendix 3
VOA Vocabulary
VOA
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
SPECIAL
ENGLISH
一周节目安排
1. 新闻
2. 报告
3. 特写
News
Report
Feature
10 分钟
5 分钟
Words and Their Stories
Development Report
Agriculture Report
Health Report
Education Report
Environment Report
In the News
15 分钟
People in America
This Is America
Science in The News
Explorations
The Making of a Nation
American Mosaic
American Stories
Common-used sentences in VOA
This is the Voice of America, Washington, D.C. Signing on
It is 0000( zero hour) Universal Time and here is the news from the Voice of America.
I’m _____ in Washington. // It is 2300 ( Twenty-three hours ) Universal Time and
here is the news from the Voice of America. I’m ____ in Washington.
Hi, and once again a good morning to you. I’m ____. Nice to have you with us this
morning. Let’s take a look ahead in this hour. In just a moment, Paul Franchat reviews
the major agricultural developments of the week. And we hope to have Barry Wood
check in with us. He’s in Tokyo, Japan, on I don’t know whether you call it a
fact-finding mission. That’s probably pretty close. He’s trying to learn about Japanese
industry and economics. He’ll be checking in with pressroom a bit later. Larry Martin
joins us from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He’s the International Information
Officer there. He’ll be answering a listener’s question on the general subject of
agriculture, in specific, the feeding of cattle. You’ll have sports with Larry James, and
a Book Review. But right now, it’s time for this Saturday Morning’s Agricultural
Round-up.
That’s our program for today. I’m _____ in Washington inviting you to join us again
tomorrow for another edition of Newsline. // Our program is over for this evening.
But I do hope you join us again tomorrow when we’ll travel to Disneyland and take a
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thrilling spaceage journey. The world news is up next on most of the same VOA
Frequencies. Speaking for Director, Dr. Johnson, Audio-engineer Erde Kinby, and
Producer, Julie Galloway, I’m Sharling Porter wishing you a very pleasant evening
and a good day ahead.
Stay tuned now for the daily Special English Science Report following the program,
This is America, which reports on life in the United States. Our program reports on
the growing number of American who live alone. Tomorrow at this time you can hear
the Special English program Science in the News. Our program tomorrow includes
reports on a disorder called sleep apnea and an experimental vaccine to protect against
the disease chicken pox. You can heat the program Science in the News tomorrow at
this time on the Voice of America.
This concludes our transmission to Oceania. Listeners in East Asia may continue
listening on 7275, 11760, 15185, 15290, 17740 or 17820 KHZ short wave. //
We’re now going off 11715 KHZ short wave. However, listeners in East Asia may
continue listening on the following frequencies:……. We’ll resume transmission in
the English language on 11715 KHZ at 1400 ( Fourteen hours ) Universal time.
This is the Voice of America Washington D.C. Signing off! For information regarding
time and frequencies of VOA programs, visit our web site www.voa.gov, or write to
Program Schedule, Voice of America, Washington D.C. 20457 or you may get one
from the nearest American Culture Center or U.S. Information Service Office in your
country.
VOA Special English 1500 BASIC VOCABULARY
1. accident - n. something that happens by chance or mistake; an unplanned event
2. accuse - v. to say a person is responsible for an act or crime; to make a statement against
someone
3. activist - n. one who seeks change through action
4. administration - n. the executive part of a government, usually headed by a president or prime
minister
5. admit - v. to accept (“admitted to the United Nations”); to express one’s guilt or responsibility
(“He admitted that what he did was wrong.”)
6. affect - v. to produce an effect on; to influence (“A lack of sleep affected the singer’s
performance.”)
7. agency - n. an organization that is part of a larger group (“an agency of the United Nations”)
8. aggression - n. an attack against a person or country; the violation of a country’s borders
9. air force - n. a military organization using airplanes
10. airport - n. a place where airplanes take off and land
11. album - n. a collection of recorded music
12. alcohol - n. a strong, colorless liquid, usually made from grain, used as a drug or in industrial
products
13. alive - ad. having life; not dead
258
14. ally - n. a nation or person joined with another for a special purpose
15. alone - ad. separated from others
16. along - ad. near or on (“along the road”)
17. ambassador - n. a nation’s highest diplomatic representative (to another government)
18. amend - v. to add to or to change (a proposal or law)
19. ammunition - n. the bullets or shells fired from guns
20. anarchy - n. a lack of order; lawlessness
21. ancestor - n. a family member from the past
22. ancient - ad. very old; long ago
23. anniversary - n. a yearly celebration or observance of an event that happened in the past
24. announce - v. to make known publicly; to declare officially
25. apologize - v. to express regret for a mistake or accident for which one accepts responsibility
26. appeal - v. to take to a higher court, person or group for a decision; to call on somebody for
help
27. appoint - v. to name; to choose (“appoint a judge”)
28. approve - v. to agree with; to agree to support
29. archeology - n. the scientific study of past human life and activities
30. arms - n. military equipment; weapons
31. arrest - v. to seize a person for legal action; to take as a prisoner
32. artillery - n. big guns
33. assist - v. to help
34. astronaut - n. a person who travels in space
35. astronomy - n. the scientific study of stars and the universe
36. asylum - n. political protection given by a government to a person from another country
37. atmosphere - n. the gases surrounding any star or planet
38. attach - v. to tie together; to connect
39. attack - n. a violent attempt to damage, injure or kill; v. to start a fight
40. attempt - v. to work toward something; to try; to make an effort
41. attend - v. to be present at
42. automobile - n. a vehicle with wheels used to carry people; a car
43. average - n. something (a number) representing the middle; ad. common; normal
44. award - n. an honor or prize for an act or service
45. balance - v. to make two sides or forces equal
46. balloon - n. a device of strong, light material that rises when filled with gas lighter than air
47. ballot - n. a piece of paper used for voting
48. ban - v. to not permit; to stop; n. an official restriction
49. bar - v. to prevent or block
50. barrier - n. anything that blocks or makes an action difficult
51. base - n. a military center; v. to establish as a fact (“Her research was based on experiments.”)
52. beat - v. to hit again and again
53. betray - v. to turn against; to be false to
54. bill - n. a legislative proposal
55. biology - n. the scientific study of life or living things in all their forms
56. blame - v. to accuse; to hold responsible
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57. blanket - n. a cloth cover used to keep warm
58. bleed - v. to lose blood
59. block - v. to stop something from being done; to prevent movement
60. boil - v. to heat a liquid until it becomes very hot
61. bomb - n. a device that explodes with great force; v. to attack or destroy with bombs
62. border - n. a dividing line between nations
63. born - v. to come to life; to come into existence
64. bottom - ad. the lowest part of something
65. boycott - v. to refuse to take part in or deal with
66. brief - ad. short; not long
67. broadcast - v. to send information, stories or music by radio or television; n. a radio or
television program
68. budget - n. a spending plan
69. bullet - n. a small piece of metal shot from a gun
70. burst - v. to break open suddenly
71. bury - v. to put into the ground and cover with earth
72. camera - n. a device for taking pictures
73. camp - n. a place with temporary housing
74. campaign - n. a competition by opposing political candidates seeking support from voters; a
connected series of military actions during a war
75. cancel - v. to end; to stop
76. candidate - n. a person who seeks or is nominated for an office or an honor
77. capitalism - n. an economic system in which the production of most goods and services is.
owned and operated for profit by private citizens or companies
78. capture - v. to make a person or animal a prisoner; to seize or take by force; to get control of
79. case (court) - n. a legal action
case (medical) - n. an incident of disease (“There was only one case of chicken pox at the
school.”)
80. ceasefire - n. a halt in fighting, usually by agreement
81. celebrate - v. to honor a person or event with special activities
82. ceremony - n. an act or series of acts done in a special way established by tradition
83. champion - n. the best; the winner
84. charge - v. to accuse someone of something, usually a crime; n. a statement in which someone
is accused of something
85. chase - v. to run or go after someone or something
86. cheat - v. to get by a trick; to steal from
87. cheer - v. to shout approval or praise
88. chemicals - n. elements found in nature or made by people; substances used in the science of
chemistry
89. chief - n. the head or leader of a group; ad. leading; most important
90. citizen - n. a person who is a member of a country by birth or by law
91. civilian - ad. not military
260
92. civil rights - n. the political, economic and social rights given equally to all people of a nation
93. claim - v. to say something as a fact
94. clash - n. a battle; v. to fight or oppose
95. clear - ad. easy to see or see through; easily understood
96. clergy - n. a body of officials within a religious organization
97. climate - n. the normal weather conditions of a place
98. coalition - n. forces, groups or nations joined together
99. colony - n. land controlled by another country or government
100. combine - v. to mix or bring together
101. command - v. to order; to have power over something
102. comment - v. to say something about; to express an opinion about something
103. committee - n. a group of people given special work
104. communicate - v. to tell; to give or exchange information
105. community - n. a group of people living together in one place or area
106. compete - v. to try to do as well as, or better than, another or others
107. complete - ad. having all parts; ended or finished
108. complex - ad. of or having many parts that are difficult to understand; not simple
109. compromise - n. the settlement of an argument where each side agrees to accept less than first
demanded
110. concern - n. interest, worry (“express concern about”); v. to fear (“to be concerned”)
111. condemn - v. to say a person or action is wrong or bad
112. conference - n. a meeting
113. confirm - v. to approve; to say that something is true
114. conflict - n. a fight; a battle, especially a long one
115. congratulate - v. to praise a person or to express pleasure for success or good luck
116. Congress - n. the organization of people elected to make the laws of the United States (the
House of Representatives and the Senate); a similar organization in other countries
117. connect - v. to join one thing to another; to unite; to link
118. conservative - n. one who usually supports tradition and opposes great change
119. constitution - n. the written general laws and ideas that form a nation’s system of government
120. contain - v. to hold; to include
121. container - n. a box, bottle or can used to hold something
122. continent - n. any of the seven great land areas of the world
123. convention - n. a large meeting for a special purpose
124. cooperate - v. to act or work together
125. court - n. where trials take place; where judges make decisions about law
126. crash - v. to fall violently; to hit with great force
127. credit - n. an agreement that payments will be made at a later time
128. crew - n. a group of people working together
criminal - n. a person who is responsible for a crime
129. crisis - n. an extremely important time when something may become much better or worse; a
dangerous situation
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130. criticize - v. to say what is wrong with something or someone; to condemn; to judge
131. crops - n. plants that are grown and gathered for food, such as grains, fruits and vegetables
132. crush - v. to damage or destroy by great weight; to defeat completely
133. cure - v. to improve health; to make well (“The doctor can cure the disease.”); n. something
that makes a sick person well (“Antibiotics are a cure for infection.”)
134. curfew - n. an order to people to stay off the streets or to close their businesses
135. current - n. movement of air, water or electricity; ad. belonging to the present time (“She
found the report in a current publication.”)
136. custom - n. a long-established belief or activity of a people
137. customs - n. taxes on imports
138. damage - v. to cause injury or destruction; n. harm; hurt or injury, usually to things
139. debate - v. to argue for or against something; n. a public discussion or argument
140. declare - v. to say; to make a statement
141. decrease - v. to make less in size or amount
142. defeat - v. to cause to lose in a battle or struggle; n. a loss; the condition of having lost
143. defend - v. to guard or fight against attack; to protect
144. deficit - n. a shortage that results when spending is greater than earnings, or imports are
greater than exports
145. define - v. to give the meaning of; to explain
146. degree - n. a measure of temperature
147. delay - v. to decide to do something at a later time; to postpone; to cause to be late
148. delegate - n. one sent to act for another; one who represents another
149. democracy - n. the system of government in which citizens vote to choose leaders or to make
other important decisions
150. demonstrate - v. to make a public show of opinions or feelings (“The crowd demonstrated in
support of human rights.”); to explain by using examples (“The teacher demonstrated the idea
with an experiment.”)
The 2nd week:
denounce - v. to accuse of being wrong or evil; to criticize severely
deny - v. to declare that something is not true; to refuse a request
deplore - v. to regret strongly; to express sadness
deploy - v. to move forces or weapons into positions for action
depression - n. severe unhappiness; a period of reduced business and economic activity during
which many people lose their jobs
desert - n. a dry area of land
device - n. a piece of equipment made for a special purpose
dictator - n. a ruler with complete power
dig - v. to make a hole in the ground
diplomat - n. a person who represents his or her government in dealing with another government
disarm - v. to take away weapons; to no longer keep weapons; to make a bomb harmless by
removing its exploding device
262
dismiss - v. to send away; to refuse to consider
dispute - v. to oppose strongly by argument; n. an angry debate
dissident - n. a person who strongly disagrees with his or her government
dive - v. to jump into water head first
divide - v. to separate into two or more parts
drop - v. to fall or let fall; to go lower
drown - v. to die under water
drug - n. anything used as a medicine or in making medicine; a chemical substance used to ease
pain or to affect the mind
dust - n. pieces of matter so small that they can float in the air
duty - n. one’s job or responsibility; what one must do because it is right and just
ecology - n. the scientific study of the environment and links among living and material things
effect - n. the result or change caused by something (“The storm had a serious effect on the
economy.”)
effort - n. an attempt; the work necessary to do something
elect - v. to choose by voting
electricity - n. a form of energy that flows through wires to provide heat and light, and power to
machines
embassy - n. the offices of an ambassador and his or her assistants
emergency - n. an unexpected and dangerous situation demanding quick action
emotion - n. a strong feeling such as love, hate, fear or sadness
employ - v. to give work in return for wages
energy - n. power used to do work, usually with machines; the ability and willingness to be active
enforce - v. to make something be done
engine - n. a machine that uses energy to cause movement or to do work
engineer - n. a person who designs engines, machines, roads, bridges or railroads
environment - n. all surrounding things, conditions and influences that affect life; the natural
world of land, sea, air, plants and animals
especially - ad. more than others (“We liked the food, especially the fish.”)
establish - v. to bring into existence; to create
estimate - v. to form an opinion about a value, size or amount using less than complete
information
ethnic - ad. of or concerning people belonging to a large group because of their race, religion,
language, tribe or where their ancestors lived
evaporate - v. to change from a liquid into a gas
ever - ad. at any time
evidence - n. material or facts that prove something; a reason for believing
evil - ad. not good; extremely bad
except - prep. but for
execute - v. to kill
exile - v. to force a person to leave his or her country; to expel; n. a person who is forced to leave
his or her country
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expand - v. to make larger; to grow larger
expel - v. to force out; to remove from; to send away
experiment - v. to test; n. a test or trial carried out to prove if an idea is true or false, or to discover
something
expert - n. a person with special knowledge or training
explode - v. to break apart violently with a loud noise, like a bomb
explore - v. to travel in a place that is not well known to learn more about it; to make a careful
search; to examine closely
export - v. to send to another country; n. something sent to another country, usually for sale
extend - v. to stretch out in area or length; to continue for a longer time
extra - ad. more than normal, expected or necessary
extreme - ad. more than the usual or accepted
extremist - n. a person with strong religious or political beliefs who acts in an extreme or violent
way
fail - v. to not succeed; to not reach a goal
fair - ad. just; honest; what is right
federal - ad. of or having to do with a national or central government
female - n. a woman or girl; the sex that gives birth; ad. of or about women
fence - n. something around an area of land to keep animals or people in or out
fertile - ad. rich in production of plants or animals; producing much
fierce - ad. extremely strong; violent; angry
financial - ad. of or about the system that includes the use of money, credit, investments and banks
fireworks - n. rockets producing bright fire in the sky, used in holiday celebrations
flee - v. to run away from
float - v. to be on water without sinking; to move or be moved gently on water or through air
flow - v. to move like a liquid
fluid - n. any substance that can flow, such as a liquid
freeze - v. to cause or to become very cold; to make or to become hard by cold
funeral - n. a ceremony held in connection with the burial or burning of the dead
goal - n. that toward which an effort is directed; that which is aimed at; the end of a trip or race
goods - n. things owned or made to be sold
govern - v. to control; to rule by military or political power
grain - n. the seed of grass plants used for food, such as wheat, rice and corn; those plants that
produce the seeds
grind - v. to reduce to small pieces by crushing
ground - n. land; the earth’s surface; soil
guarantee - v. to promise a result; to promise that something will happen
guerrilla - n. a person who fights as part of an unofficial army, usually against an official army or
police
halt - v. to come or cause to come to a stop; to stop
hang - v. to place something so the highest part is supported and the lower part is not; to kill by
hanging
harvest - v. to gather crops; n. the crop after it is gathered
headquarters - n. the center from which orders are given; the main offices of a business or
264
organization
heal - v. to return to good health; to cure; to become well
helicopter - n. a machine without wings that can fly up or down or remain in one place above the
ground
hijack - v. to seize or take control of a vehicle by force
holy - ad. greatly honored in religion
hostage - n. a person captured and held as a guarantee that a demand or promise will be honored
hostile - ad. ready to fight; ready for war
humor - n. the ability to understand, enjoy or express what makes people laugh
identify - v. to recognize someone or something and to say who or what they are
illegal - ad. not legal; in violation of a law
import - v. to bring from another country; n. something brought from another country, usually for
sale
improve - v. to make better; to become better
incident - n. an event or something that happens
incite - v. to urge or cause an action or emotion, usually something bad or violent
include - v. to have; to make a part of
independent - ad. not influenced by or controlled by another or others; free; separate
individual - n. one person
infect - v. to make sick with something that causes disease
inflation - n. a continuing rise in prices while the value of money goes down
influence - v. to have an effect on someone or something; to cause change
inform - v. to tell; to give knowledge to
inject - v. to force a fluid into, such as putting medicine or drugs into the body through the skin
injure - v. to cause harm or damage to a person or animal
innocent - ad. not guilty of a crime; not responsible for a bad action
insane - ad. mentally sick
insect - n. a very small creature, usually with many legs and sometimes with wings
inspect - v. to look at something carefully; to examine, especially by an expert
instead - ad. in the place of; taking the place of
instrument - n. a tool or device designed to do something or to make something
insult - v. to say something or to do something that makes another person angry or dishonored
intelligence - n. the ability to think or learn; information gathered by spying
intelligent - ad. quick to understand or learn
intense - ad. very strong; extremely serious
interfere - v. to get in the way of; to work against; to take part in the activities of others, especially
when not asked to do so
international - ad. of or about more than one nation or many nations; of the whole world
intervene - v. to come between; to come between in order to settle or solve
invade - v. to enter an area or country by force with an army
invent - v. to plan and make something never made before; to create a new thing or way of doing
something
invest - v. to give money to a business or organization with the hope of making more money
investigate - v. to study or examine all information about an event, situation or charge; to search
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for the truth
involve - v. to take part in; to become a part of; to include
iron - n. a strong, hard metal used to make machines and tools
issue - n. an important problem or subject that people are discussing or arguing about
jewel - n. a valuable stone, such as a diamond or emerald
joint - ad. shared by two or more
jury - n. a group of people chosen to decide what is true in a trial
just - ad. only (“Help me for just a minute.”); very shortly before or after the present (“He just
left.”); at the same time (“He left just as I came in.”); what is right or fair (“The law is just, in my
opinion.”)
kidnap - v. to seize and take away by force
laboratory - n. a room or place where experiments in science are done
lack - v. to be without; n. the condition of needing, wanting or not having
launch - v. to put into operation; to begin; to send into the air or space
lead - v. to show the way; to command; to control; to go first
leak - v. to come out of or to escape through a small opening or hole (usually a gas or liquid)
legal - ad. of or in agreement with the law
legislature - n. a government lawmaking group
liberal - ad. one who usually supports social progress or change
lie - v. to have one’s body on the ground or other surface; to say something that one knows is not
true
lift - v. to take or bring up to a higher place or level
lightning - n. light produced by electricity in the air, usually during a storm
link - v. to connect; to unite one thing or event with another; n. a relation between two or more
things, situations or events
liquid - n. a substance that is not a solid or gas, and can move freely, like water
literature - n. all the poems, stories and writings of a period of time or of a country
load - v. to put objects on or into a vehicle or container; n. that which is carried
loan - n. money borrowed that usually must be returned with interest payments; something
borrowed
loyal - ad. showing strong friendship and support for someone or something
majority - n. the greater number; more than half
male - n. a man or boy; the sex that is the father of children; ad. of or about men
manufacture - v. to make goods in large amounts
march - v. to walk in a group like soldiers; to walk together in a large group to protest about
something
mass - n. an amount of matter having no special form and usually of a large size
mate - v. to bring together a male and a female to create another creature
mathematics - n. the science dealing with amounts, sizes and shapes, as explained by numbers and
signs
mayor - n. the chief official of a city or town government
media - n. all public information organizations, including newspapers, television and radio
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The 3rd week
melt - v. to make a solid into a liquid by heating it
memorial - n. something done or made to honor the memory of a person or event
memory - n. a picture in the mind of past events; the ability to remember; a thing remembered
mental - ad. about or having to do with the mind
mercy - n. kindness toward those who should be punished; the power to be kind or to pardon
metal - n. a hard substance such as iron, steel or gold
microscope - n. a device used to make very small things look larger so they can be studied
militant - n. someone active in trying to cause political change, often by the use of force or
violence
military - n. the armed forces of a nation or group; ad. of or about the armed forces
mineral - n. a substance found in nature that is not an animal or a plant, such as coal or salt
minority - n. the smaller number; opposite majority
missile - n. any weapon that can be thrown or fired through the air and explodes when it reaches
its target
mob - n. a large group of wild or angry people
model - n. an example; something, usually small, made to show how something will look or work
moderate - ad. not extreme
moral - ad. concerning what is right or wrong in someone’s actions
motion - n. a movement; a continuing change of position or place
mourn - v. to express or feel sadness
movement - n. the act of moving or a way of moving; a series of acts or efforts to reach a goal
murder - v. to kill another person illegally; n. the crime of killing another person
navy - n. the part of a country’s military force trained to fight at sea
negotiate - v. to talk about a problem or situation to find a common solution
neutral - ad. not supporting one side or the other in a dispute
nominate - v. to name someone as a candidate for an election; to propose a person for an office or
position
normal - n. the usual condition, amount or form; ad. usual; what is expected
nowhere - ad. not in, to or at any place
nuclear - ad. of or about the energy produced by splitting atoms or bringing them together; of or
about weapons that explode by using energy from atoms
object - v. to show that one does not like or approve; to protest; n. something not alive that can be
seen or touched
occupy - v. to take and hold or to control by force
offensive - n. a military campaign of attack; ad. having to do with attacking
offer - v. to present or propose; n. the act of presenting or proposing; that which is presented or
proposed
officer - n. a person in the military who commands others; any person who is a member of a police
force
official - n. a person with power in an organization; a representative of an organization or
government; ad. of or about an office; approved by the government or someone in power
oppose - v. to be against; to fight against
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opposite - ad. different as possible; completely different from; exactly the other way (“North is the
opposite direction from south.”)
oppress - v. to make others suffer; to control by the use of unjust and cruel force or power
orbit - v. to travel in space around a planet or other object; n. the path or way an object travels in
space around another object or planet
organize - v. to put in order; to put together into a system
oust - v. to force to leave; to remove by force
overthrow - v. to remove from power; to defeat or end by force
owe - v. to pay or have to repay (usually money) in return for something received
own - v. to have or possess for oneself
pan - n. a metal container used for cooking
parachute - n. a device that permits a person or thing to fall slowly from an airplane or helicopter
to the ground
parade - n. a group of people and vehicles moving together to celebrate a special event or
anniversary
parliament - n. a government lawmaking group
passenger - n. a person travelling by airplane, train, boat or car who is not the pilot or driver
passport - n. a document permitting a person to travel to another country
patient - n. a person being treated by a doctor for a health problem
permanent - ad. never changing; lasting for a very long time or for all time
pilot - n. one who guides or flies an airplane or helicopter
pipe - n. a long, round piece of material used to move liquid or gas
planet - n. a large object in space that orbits the sun (“Earth is a planet.”)
policy - n. an established set of plans or goals used to develop and make decisions in politics,
economics or business
pollute - v. to release dangerous or unpleasant substances into the air, soil or water
population - n. all the people in a place, city or country
possess - v. to have; to own; to control or be controlled by
postpone - v. to delay action until a later time pour - v. to flow; to cause to flow
pray - v. to make a request to a god or spirit; to praise a god or spirit
pregnant - ad. carrying a child within the body before it is born; expecting to give birth to a baby
press - v. to urge strongly; n. newspapers, magazines and other publications
pressure - n. the force produced when something is pushed down or against something else
private - ad. of or about a person or group that is secret; opposite public
probably - ad. a good chance of taking place; a little more than possible
process - n. an operation or series of changes leading to a desired result
profession - n. a job that requires special training professor - n. a teacher at a college or university
project - n. a planned effort to do something
propaganda - n. ideas or information used to influence opinions
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property - n. anything owned by someone such as land, buildings or goods
propose - v. to present or offer for consideration
protect - v. to guard; to defend; to prevent from being harmed or damaged
protest - v. to speak against; to object
prove - v. to show to be true
provide - v. to give something needed or wanted
publication - n. something that is published such as a book, newspaper or magazine
publish - v. to make public something that is written; to include something in a book, newspaper
or magazine
pump - v. to force a gas or liquid up, into or through
punish - v. to cause pain, suffering or loss for doing something bad or illegal
purchase - v. to buy with money or with something of equal value; n. that which is bought
purpose - n. the reason or desired effect for doing something; goal
radar - n. a device that uses radio signals to learn the position or speed of objects that may be too
far away to be seen
radiation - n. waves of energy from something that produces heat or light; energy from a nuclear
substance, which can be dangerous
raid - v. to make a sudden attack; n. a sudden attack carried out as an act of war, or for the purpose
of seizing or stealing something
rare - ad. not common; not usual; not often
rate - n. speed; a measure of how quickly or how often something happens; the price of any thing
or service that is bought or sold
react - v. to act as a result of or in answer to
realistic - ad. in agreement with the way things are
reasonable - ad. ready to listen to reasons or ideas; not extreme; ready or willing to compromise
rebel - v. to act against a government or power, often with force; to refuse to obey; n. one who
opposes or fights against the government of his or her country
recession - n. a temporary reduction in economic activity, when industries produce less and many
workers lose their jobs
recognize - v. to know or remember something or someone that was known, known about or seen
before; to accept another nation as independent and establish diplomatic ties with its government
recover - v. to get again something that was lost, stolen or taken away (“The police recovered the
stolen money.”); to return to normal health or normal conditions (“She is expected to recover from
the operation.”)
reduce - v. to make less or smaller in number, size or amount; to cut
reform - v. to make better by changing; to improve; n. a change to a better condition
refugee - n. a person who has been forced to flee because of unjust treatment, danger or war
refuse - v. to reject; to not accept, give or do something
regret - n. a feeling of sadness or sorrow about something that is done or that happens
release - v. to free; to permit to go; to permit to be known or made public
religion - n. a belief in, or the honoring of, a god or gods
269
remain - v. to stay in a place after others leave; to stay the same
remains - n. a dead body
remove - v. to take away or take off; to put an end to; to take out of a position or office
represent - v. to act in the place of someone else; to substitute for; to serve as an example
repress - v. to control or to restrict freedoms by force
request - v. to ask for; n. the act of asking for
require - v. to need or demand as necessary
rescue - v. to free from danger or evil
resign - v. to leave a position, job or office
resist - v. to oppose; to fight to prevent
resolution - n. an official statement of agreement by a group of people, usually reached by voting
resource - n. anything of value that can be used or sold
responsible - ad. having a duty or job to do (“He is responsible for preparing the report.”); being
the cause of (“They were responsible for the accident.”)
restrain - v. to keep controlled; to limit action by a person or group
restrict - v. to limit; to prevent from increasing or becoming larger
retire - v. to leave a job or position because one is old or in poor health
revolt - v. to protest violently; to fight for a change, especially of government
riot - v. to act with many others in a violent way in a public place; n. a violent action by a large
group of people
rob - v. to take money or property secretly or by force; to steal
rocket - n. a device shaped like a tube that moves through air or space by burning gases and letting
them escape from the back or bottom, sometimes used as a weapon
roll - v. to turn over and over; to move like a ball
root - n. the part of a plant that is under the ground and takes nutrients from the soil
rough - ad. not flat or smooth; having an uneven surface; violent; not made well
rub - v. to move something over the surface of another thing
rubber - n. a substance made from the liquid of trees with the same name, or a similar substance
made from chemicals
ruin - v. to damage severely; to destroy
rule - v. to govern or control; to decide; n. a statement or an order that says how something must
be done
sacrifice - v. to do without something or to suffer a loss for a belief, idea, goal or another person
sail - v. to travel by boat or ship
satellite - n. a small object in space that moves around a larger object; an object placed in orbit
around the earth
satisfy - v. to give or provide what is desired, needed or demanded
security - n. freedom from danger or harm; protection; measures necessary to protect a person or
place (“Security was increased in the city.”)
seed - n. the part of a plant from which new plants grow
seek(ing) - v. to search for (“They are seeking a cure for cancer.”); to try to get (“She is seeking
election to public office.”); to plan to do (“Electric power companies are seeking to reduce their
270
use of coal.”)
Senate - n. the smaller of the two groups in the governments of some countries, such as in the
United States Congress
separate - v. to set or keep people, things or ideas away from or independent from others; ad. not
together or connected; different
series - n. a number of similar things or events that follow one after another in time, position or
order
several - ad. three or more, but not many
severe - ad. not gentle; causing much pain, sadness or damage
shine - v. to aim a light; to give bright light; to be bright; to clean to make bright
shock - v. to cause to feel sudden surprise or fear; n. something that greatly affects the mind or
emotions; a powerful shake, as from an earthquake
shoot - v. to cause a gun or other weapon to send out an object designed to kill; to use a gun
shrink - v. to make or become less in size, weight or value
sign - v. to write one’s name; n. a mark or shape used to mean something; evidence that something
exists or will happen; a flat piece of material with writing that gives information
signal - v. to send a message by signs; n. an action or movement that sends a message
similar - ad. like something else but not exactly the same
sink - v. to go down into water or other liquid
situation - n. the way things are during a period of time
skeleton - n. all the bones of a human or other animal together in their normal positions skill - n.
the ability gained from training or experience
slide - v. to move smoothly over a surface
smash - v. to break or be broken into small pieces by force; to hit or move with force
smooth - ad. having a level surface; opposite rough
social - ad. of or about people or a group
soil - n. earth in which plants grow
solid - ad. having a hard shape with no empty spaces inside; strong; not in the form of a liquid or
gas
solve - v. to find an answer; to settle some - ad. of an amount or number or part not stated; not all
spill - v. to cause or permit liquid to flow out, usually by accident
split - v. to separate into two or more parts; to divide or break into parts
square - n. a flat shape having four equal sides
stab - v. to cut or push into or through with a pointed weapon
starve - v. to suffer or die from a lack of food
statue - n. a form of a human, animal or other creature usually made of stone, wood or metal
steam - n. the gas that comes from hot water
steel - n. iron made harder and stronger by mixing it with other substances
stick - v. to attach something to another thing using a substance that will hold them together; to
become fixed in one position so that movement is difficult (“Something is making the door
stick.”); n. a thin piece of wood still - ad. not moving (“The man was standing still.”); until the
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The fourth week
present or a stated time (“Was he still there?”); even so; although (“The job was difficult, but she
still wanted to do it.”)
stove - n. a heating device used for cooking
straight - ad. continuing in one direction without turns
stretch - v. to extend for a distance; to pull on to make longer or wider
strike - v. to hit with force; to stop work as a way to seek better conditions, more pay or to make
other demands
struggle - v. to try with much effort; to fight with; n. a great effort; a fight
subject - n. the person or thing being discussed, studied or written about
submarine - n. an underwater ship
substance - n. the material of which something is made (a solid, liquid or gas)
substitute - v. to put or use in place of another; n. a person or thing put or used in place of another
subversion - n. an attempt to weaken or destroy a political system or government, usually secretly
succeed - v. to reach a goal or thing desired; to produce a planned result
supervise - v. to direct and observe the work of others
suppress - v. to put down or to keep down by force; to prevent information from being known
publicly
surface - n. the outer side or top of something (“The rocket landed on the surface of the moon.”)
surplus - n. an amount that is more than is needed; extra; (“That country has a trade surplus. It
exports more than it imports.”)
surrender - v. to give control of oneself or one’s property to another or others; to stop fighting and
admit defeat
surround - v. to form a circle around; to be in positions all around someone or something
survive - v. to remain alive during or after a dangerous situation
suspect - v. to imagine or believe that a person is guilty of something bad or illegal; n. a person
believed to be guilty
suspend - v. to cause to stop for a period of time
swallow - v. to take into the stomach through the mouth
swear in - v. to put an official into office by having him or her promise to carry out the duties of
that office (“The chief justice will swear in the president.”)
sympathy - n. a sharing of feelings or emotions with another person, usually feelings of sadness
tank - n. a large container for holding liquids; a heavy military vehicle with guns
target - n. any person or object aimed at or fired at
tear - v. to pull apart, often by force
tears - n. the fluid that comes out of the eyes while crying
technical - ad. involving machines, processes and materials in industry, transportation and
communications; of or about a very special kind of subject or thing (“You need technical
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knowledge to understand how this system works.”)
technology - n. the use of scientific knowledge and methods to produce goods and services
telephone - n. a device or system for sending sounds, especially the voice, over distances
telescope - n. a device for making objects that are far away appear closer and larger
television - n. a device that receives electronic signals and makes them into pictures and sounds;
the system of sending pictures and sounds by electronic signals over a distance so others can see
and hear them on a receiver
temperature - n. the measurement of heat and cold
temporary - ad. lasting only a short time
tense - ad. having fear or concern; dangerous; opposite calm
term - n. a limited period of time during which someone does a job or carries out a responsibility
(“He served two terms in Congress.”); the conditions of an agreement that have been accepted by
those involved in it
territory - n. a large area of land
terror - n. extreme fear; that which causes great fear
terrorist - n. a person who carries out acts of extreme violence as a protest or a way to influence a
government
torture - v. to cause severe pain; n. the act of causing severe pain in order to harm, to punish or to
get information from
total - n. the complete amount
traffic - n. the movement of people, vehicles or ships along a street, road or waterway
tragic - ad. extremely sad; terrible
transport - v. to move goods or people from one place to another
transportation - n. the act or business of moving goods or people
trap - v. to catch or be caught by being tricked; to be unable to move or escape; n. a device used to
catch animals
treason - n. the act of fighting against one’s own country or of helping its enemies
treasure - n. a large collection of money, jewels or other things of great value
treaty - n. a written agreement between two or more nations
trial - n. an examination in a court of a question or dispute to decide if a charge is true
tribe - n. a group of families ruled by a common chief or leader
trick - v. to cheat; to fool a person so as to get something or make him or her do something
troops - n. a number of soldiers in a large controlled group
truce - n. a temporary halt in fighting agreed to by all sides involved
tube - n. a long, round structure through which liquids or gases can flow; a long, thin container in
which they can be kept
unite - v. to join together
universe - n. all of space, including planets and stars
university - n. a place of education that usually includes several colleges and research
organizations
urge - v. to advise strongly; to make a great effort to get someone to do something
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urgent - ad. needing an immediate decision or action
usual - ad. as is normal or common; as is most often done, seen or heard
vehicle - n. anything on or in which a person or thing can travel or be transported, especially
anything on wheels; a car or truck
version - n. the form of something with different details than earlier or later forms
veto - v. to reject or refuse to approve
vicious - ad. bad; dangerous; showing harm or hate
victim - n. someone or something that is injured, killed or made to suffer; someone who is tricked
victory - n. a success in a fight or competition
violate - v. to fail to obey or honor; to break (an agreement)
violence - n. the use of force to cause injury, death or damage
volcano - n. a hill or mountain around a hole in the earth’s surface that can explode, sending hot,
melted rock and ash into the air
vote - v. to choose a candidate in an election; n. a choice or decision expressed by the voice, by
hand or by writing
wealth - n. a large amount of possessions, money or other things of value
weapon - n. anything used to cause injury or to kill during an attack, fight or war
wear - v. to have on the body, as clothes
weather - n. the condition of the atmosphere resulting from sun, wind, rain, heat or cold
weigh - v. to measure how heavy someone or something is
wheat - n. a grain used to make bread; the plant that produces the grain
wheel - n. a round structure that turns around a center
wire - n. a long, thin piece of metal used to hang objects or to carry electricity or electronic
communications from one place to another
withdraw - v. to take or move out, away or back; to remove
wonder - v. to ask oneself; to question (“She wonders if it is true.”); n. a feeling of surprise
worth - n. value measured in money
wound - v. to injure; to hurt; to cause physical damage to a person or animal; n. an injury to the
body of a human or animal in which the skin is usually cut or broken
wreck - v. to damage greatly; to destroy; n. anything that has been badly damaged or broken
wreckage - n. what remains of something severely damaged or destroyed
Common Prefixes
dis - not (dishonest, disobey)
pro - for, supporting (pro-labor, pro-government)
re - to do again (reorganize, reunite)
self - used to show that the person or group acting is the one affected by the action, or to show that
the action is done only by its own effort or power (self-declared, self-appointed)
un - not (unusual, unhappy)
Common Expressions
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carry out - to do; to put into effect (“Please carry out the plan.”)
pass a bill - approve (“Congress is expected to pass a bill to cut taxes.”)
take steps - to start to do something (“The government will take steps to halt inflation.”)
Words Used in VOA Special English Science Programs
atom - a very small part of all things; the smallest part of an element that can join with parts of
other elements
bacteria - living things that are one cell and can be seen only through a microscope; some cause
disease
cell - a small mass of living material that is part of all plants and animals
chromosome - a line of genes; most human cells contain 46 chromosomes
compound - a substance containing two or more elements
dense - close together; thick
electron - a small part of an atom that has an electrical force
element - one of more than 100 substances known to science that cannot be separated into other
substances
enzyme - a special kind of protein; it produces changes in other substances without being changed
itself
fetus - unborn young
fission - a splitting; in atomic fission, the nucleus of an atom is split to produce nuclear energy
fusion - a joining together; in atomic fusion, atomic particles are joined together to produce
nuclear energy
genes - parts of cells that control the growth and development of living things; genes from the
mother and father are passed to the child; genes contain nucleic acid
genetic engineering - the science of changing the genes of a living organism
gravity - the force that pulls things toward the center of the earth
image - a reproduction of the appearance of a person or thing
laser - an instrument that makes a thin, powerful light
magnet - a piece of iron or other material that has a pulling force; this pulling force is called
magnetism
molecule - the smallest amount of a chemical substance that can exist
nerve - a thin piece of tissue that sends information through the body to and from the brain
nucleus - the center part of an atom or cell
nucleic acid - a molecule that holds the genetic information necessary for life; there are two kinds
of nucleic acid: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid)
nutrient - a food or substance that makes plants, humans or animals grow
organ - a part of the body that has a special purpose, such as the heart or brain
organism - a living thing, often so small it can be seen only through a microscope
particle - a very small piece of matter
proteins - substances responsible for the growth of tissue and for fixing damaged tissue
robot - a machine that moves and performs tasks
tissue - living material; a group of cells that are similar in appearance and do the same thing
virus - a kind of organism that causes disease
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x-rays - a kind of radiation that can pass through most solid materials, often used in medicine
Organs of the Body
heart - pumps blood through the body
intestines - tubes through which food passes after it is broken down in the stomach; part of the
intestines also remove solid wastes from the body
kidney - cleans liquid wastes from the body
liver - makes some proteins and enzymes; removes poisons from the blood
lung - takes in and expels air from the body
prostate - a part of the male reproductive system
stomach - breaks down food for the body to use
uterus - a part of the female reproductive system where a fetus develops
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