Introduce the story: Today we'll talk about the power of the press.
Step 1: Intensive reading.
Try to answer the question below while you’re reading:
Question: Does the writer think the parents were lucky or unlucky to gain prosperity
in this way? Why?
Vocabulary:
democratic adj .民主的
untold adj .数不尽的，无限的
restrict v .限制
South Dakota 南达科他州（美国）
abuse v .滥用
contention n .论点
perpetual adj .永久的
quintuplet n .五胞胎之一
nursery n .育婴室，保育室
obscurity n .默默无闻
commercialization n .商品化
radically adv.彻底地，完全地
exclusive adj .独占的，独家的
commodity n .商品
Passage:
In democratic countries any efforts to restrict the freedom of the press are rightly
condemned. However, this freedom can easily be abused. Stories about people often
attract far more public attention than political events. Though we may enjoy reading
about the lives of others, it is extremely doubtful whether we would equally enjoy
reading about ourselves. Acting on the contention that facts are sacred, reporters can
cause untold suffering to individuals by publishing details about their private lives.
Newspapers exert such tremendous influence that they can not only bring about major
changes to the lives of ordinary people but can even overthrow a government.
在民主国家里，任何限制新闻自由的企图都理所当然地受到谴责。然而，这种自
由很容易被滥用。常人轶事往往比政治事件更能引起公众注意。我们都喜欢看关
于别人生活的报道，但是否同样喜欢看关于自己生活的报道，就很难说了。记者
按事实至上的论点行事，发表有关别人私生活的细节，有时会给当事人造成极大
的痛苦。新闻具有巨大的威力。它们不仅可以给寻常人家的生活带来重大的变化，
甚至还能推翻一个政府。
Notes:
1 read about (=of)…, 作“读到……”讲。
2 it is extremely doubtful whether …ourselves.
it 是先行主语，替代以 whether 引导的主语从句。
3 act on…, 根据……行动。
4 bring about, 带来。
The story of a poor family that acquired fame and fortune overnight, dramatically
illustrates the power of the press. The family lived in Aberdeen, a small town of 23,
000 inhabitants in South Dakota. As the parents had five children, life was a perpetual
struggle against poverty. They were expecting their sixth child and were faced with
even more pressing economic problems. If they had only had one more child, the fact
would have passed unnoticed. They would have continued to struggle against
economic odds and would have lived in obscurity. But they suddenly became the
parents of quintuplets, four girls and a boy, an event which radically changed their
lives. The day after the birth of the five children, an aeroplane arrived in Aberdeen
bringing sixty reporters and photographers.
下面这户穷人一夜之间出名发财的故事戏剧性地说明了新闻报道的威力。这户人
家住在南达科他州一个人口为 23 ，000 的小镇上，镇名为阿拜丁。家里已有 5
个孩子，全家人常年在贫困中挣扎。第 6 个孩子即将问世，他们面临着更为严峻
的经济问题。如果他们只是添了 1 个孩子，这件事本来就不会引起任何人的注意。
这家人会继续为克服经济上的拮据而奋斗，并默默无闻地活下去。但是他们出人
意料地生了个五胞胎，4 女 1 男。这事使他们的生活发生了根本的变化。五胞胎
降生第二天，一架飞机飞抵阿拜丁，随机带来 60 名记者与摄影师。
The rise to fame was swift. Television cameras and newspapers carried the news to
everyone in the country. Newspapers and magazines offered the family huge sums for
the exclusive rights to publish stories and photographs. Gifts poured in not only from
unknown people, but from baby food and soap manufacturers who wished to advertise
their products. The old farmhouse the family lived in was to be replaced by a new
$ 500, 000 home. Reporters kept pressing for interviews so lawyers had to be
employed to act as spokesmen for the family at press conferences. While the five
babies were still quietly sleeping in oxygen tents in a hospital nursery, their parents
were paying the price for fame. It would never again be possible for them to lead
normal lives. They had become the victims of commercialization, for their names had
acquired a market value. Instead of being five new family members, these children
had immediately become a commodity.
这一家迅速出了名。电视摄像机和报纸把消息传送到全国。报纸、杂志出高价向
他们购买文字、图片的独家报道权。不但素昧平生的人寄来了大量的礼物，而且
婴儿食品、婴儿肥皂制造厂商为了替自己产品做广告也寄来了大量的礼物。这家
人住的旧农舍将由一座价值 50 万美元的新住宅所取代。由于记者纷纷要求会见，
他们不得不请了律师充当他们家的发言人举行记者招待会。眼下，五胞胎还静静
地躺在医院婴儿室的氧气帐里，他们的父母却为这名声付出了代价，他们再也无
法过正常的生活。他们成了商业化的受害者，因为他们的名字具有了市场价值。
这些孩子立即成了商品，而不是 5 个新的家庭成员。
Notes:
5 South Dakota, 南达科他，美国中北部的一个州。面积 77 ，047 平方英里（约
200，000 平方公里）。这个州以粮食生产和矿产著称。
6 struggle against … odds, 与恶运搏斗。
7 If they had only had one more child, the fact would have passed unnoticed. 如果他
们只是添了 1 个孩子，这件事本来就不会引起任何人注意。这是虚拟语气，用来
表示与过去的事实相反的假设。unnoticed 是过去分词作方式状语，修饰 passed。
8 The rise to fame was swift. 出名太快了。to fame 作 rise 的定语。
9 the exclusive rights to publish, 独家报道（出版）权。
10 pour in, 作“大量流入”、“源源而来”解。
11 press for…, 作“迫切要求……”讲。
45.2【阅读理解】The power of the press
Step 2: Comprehension questions.
1 Can the freedom of the press easily be abused? (Yes, it can.)
2 Do we enjoy reading about the lives of others? (Yes, we do.)
3 Would we enjoy reading about ourselves? (No, we wouldn't.)
4 When publishing details about people's private lives, what can reporters cause?
(Untold suffering to individuals.)
5 Can the influence of newspapers even overthrow governments? (Yes, it can.)
6 What does the story of the poor family do? (It dramatically illustrates the power of
the press.)
7 Where did the family live? (In Aberdeen, South Dakota.)
8 How many children did they have? (Five.)
9 Why were they faced with economic problems? (They were expecting their sixth
child.)
10 What was the event that radically changed their lives? (They became the parents of
quintuplets—four girls and a boy.)
11 The day after the birth an aeroplane arrived in Aberdeen. What (or who) did it
bring? (Sixty reporters and photographers.)
12 Who did television and newspapers carry the news to? (Everyone in the country.)
13 Who offered the family huge sums for their story? (Newspapers and magazines.)
14 Who sent gifts and wanted to advertise their products? (Baby food and soap
manufacturers.)
15 What was their old farmhouse to be replaced by? (A new $500,000 home.),
16 What were lawyers employed to act as? (Spokesmen for the family at press
conferences.)
17 What was the parents' price for fame? (They would never be able to live normal
lives again.)
18 What had the parents become victims of? (Commercialization.)
45.3【拓展写作】The power of the press
Step 3: Composition
Write a composition in about 300 words on the following:
• Write a ‘human interest’ story about a person who suddenly acquired fame
because he won a lot of money from football pools.
Key to composition
Title: From football pools to fame
Introduction: ‘Rags to riches’—not quite right for John—but not far wrong
Development: His life ordinary—lacked excitement —25 —no sport—no girlfriend
—didn't drive—bicycle instead—led ordinary life—but happy
Friend suggested he do the football pools — way of winning a lot of money—if
predictions correspond to real football scores—win lots of money—he won a million
—bought a new car, big house —met a girl —married her — started arguing—got a
divorce—now alone again—a sad millionaire
Conclusion: Lesson of Story: never listen to friend's advice—now sad millionaire—
but gives lots to charity
Composition
There is a well-known expression in English to describe rising from poverty to a
state of being very rich or wealthy: it's called going ‘from rags to riches’. It doesn't
usually mean that a person has been living in rags and then becomes extremely rich.
The expression is not quite right to describe what happened to John, but not far
wrong.
John's life had been very ordinary and certainly lacked excitement. He was 25
years old, but he didn't take part in any sport, he didn't have a girlfriend and he didn't
drive a car. Instead, he went everywhere on his bicycle. In fact, he led a pretty boring
life, but he was happy.
Then one day a friend suggested he do the football pools. (In England this is a
way of winning a lot of money. If your predictions correspond to real football scores,
you can win lots of money.) John did the football pools and won a million pounds. He
went mad with the money. He bought a new car and a big house. And then he met a
girl and married her. It was all too quick. Very soon they started arguing and soon
they got a divorce. Now John is alone again, and living in his big house as a sad
millionaire.
The lesson of the story is this: never listen to the advice of a friend. If John had
never done the football pools, he would never have become a sad millionaire. On the
other hand, he is now able to give a lot of money to charity — to help people less
fortunate than himself.
(271 words)
课外练习：
1 The Press will argue that they have the right to publish a story, although it may
seriously affect the individual concerned, because .
(a) in a democracy, the individual deserves more attention than politics
(b) facts in themselves, however unpleasant they may be, must be respected
(c) people not only enjoy reading about others but about themselves as well
(d) they only use their power to influence events of national importance
2 News editors and reporters wanted to publish the story because .
(a) they always defend the freedom of the Press
(b) they know that stories about people sell a lot of newspapers
(c) they wanted to change the lives of these poor people
(d) they believed it was the right thing to do
3 The interest that was taken in the family was .
(a) of national importance because of the rise in the birth rate
(b) charitable, for people of all kinds were concerned about their poverty
(c) so overwhelming that even lawyers attended their press conferences
(d) mainly from commercial organizations who wanted to promote their sales
4 The public are often far more interested political events. (ll. 3-4)
(a) in people's stories than
(b) in stories about people than in
(c) with stories about people than
(d) by people's stories than by
5 The influence of newspapers is bring about major changes in the lives of
ordinary people but they can even overthrow a government. (11. 8-9)
(a) such that not only can they
(b) so that not only they can
(c) such that they cannot only
(d) so that not only can they
6 A sixth child expected so they were faced … (l. 12-13)
(a) was
(b) being
(c) having
(d) had been
7 While the five babies in oxygen tents ... (Il. 23-24)
(a) were remaining quietly sleeping
(b) remained quietly sleeping
(c) remained to sleep quietly
(d) remaining were quietly sleeping
8 Stories about people are often .
(a) of great interest to everyone
(b) in the public interest
(c) a matter of publicity
(d) publicly attended
9 Newspapers tremendous influence over the lives of ordinary people.
(1.8)
(a) press
(b) invoke
(c) impose
(d) wield
10 Reporters interviews ... (1. 22)
(a) went on strike for
(b) went on printing
(e) made repeated requests for
(d) were continually hurrying to
11 Lawyers were employed to act as spokesmen the family. (1. 22-23)
(a) on account of
(b) instead of
(c) on behalf of
(d) for the sake of
12 Instead of being five new family members, these children had become
___________.
(a) victims of commercialization
(b) something to be bought and sold
(c) a public convenience
(d) a product of the market
答案：1b 2d 3d 4b 5a 6a 7b 8a 9d 10c 11c 12a