NCE3-5 The facts

NCE3

英语

发布日期: 2025-07-11

课文阅读

The facts 确切数字

Editors of newspapers and magazines often go to extremes to provide their readers with unimportant facts and statistics. 报刊杂志的编辑常常为了向读者提供一些无关紧要的事实和统计数字而走向极端。

go, etc. to extremes / an extreme | take sth to extremes / an extreme * to act or be forced to act in a way that is far from normal or reasonable 走极端；被迫采取极端行为

It’s embarrassing the extremes he’ll go to in order to impress his boss. 他为了给上司留下深刻印象，不惜走极端，真令人难堪。

Last year a journalist had been instructed by a well-known magazine to write an article on the president’s palace in a new African republic. 去年，一位记者受一家有名的杂志的委托写一篇关于非洲某个新成立共和国总统府的文章。

republic n. a country that is governed by a president and politicians elected by the people and where there is no king or queen 共和国；共和政体

the Republic of Ireland 爱尔兰共和国

When the article arrived, the edditor read the first sentence and then refused to publish it. 稿子寄来后，编辑看了第一句话就拒绝予以发表。

The article began: ‘Hundreds of steps lead to the high wall which surrounds the president’s palace.’ 文章的开头是这样的：“几百级台阶通向环绕总统府的高墙。”

step n. a surface that you put your foot on in order to walk to a higher or lower level, especially one of a series 台阶；梯级 [C]

She was sitting on the bottom step of the staircase. 她正坐在最下面一级楼梯上。

The editor at once sent the journalist a fax instructing him to find out the exact number of steps and the height of the wall. 编辑立即给那位记者发去传真，要求他核实一下台阶的确切数字和围墙的高度。

fax n. a letter or message sent by fax 传真信件；传真电文；明电

You can still send faxes via email. 现在仍然可以用电子邮件发送传真。

The journalist immediately set out to obtain these important facts, but he took a long time to send them. 记者立即出发去核实这些重要的事实，但过了好长时间不见他把数字寄来。

set out

to leave a place and begin a journey 出发；动身；启程

The set out on the last stage of their journey. 他们动身踏上最后一段行程。

to begin a job, task, etc. with a particular aim or goal （怀着目标）开始工作，展开任务

She set out to break the world record. 她一心努力要打破世界纪录。

Meanwhile, the editor was getting impatient, for the magazine would soon go to press. 在此期间，编辑等得不耐烦了，因为杂志马上要付印。

meanwhile adv.

while sth else is happening 同时；与此同时

Bob spent fifteen months alone on his yacht. Ann, meanwhile, took care of the children on her own. 鲍勃独自在游艇上待了十五个月。在这段时间，安一个人照顾孩子。

in the period of time between two times or two events 在此期间；与此同时

The doctor will see you again next week. Meanwhile, you must rest as much as possible. 医生下周还会给你看病。在此期间，你一定要尽可能多休息。

used to compare two aspects of a situation （比较两方面）对比之下

Stress can be extremely damaging to your health. Exercise, meanwhile, can reduce its effects. 压力可能严重损害你的健康，锻炼则可以减轻这些损害。

press n. a machine for printing books, newspapers, etc.; the process of printing them 印刷机；印刷 [C,U]

These prices are correct at the time of going to press. 这些价格在付印时是准确无误的。

He sent the journalist two more faxes, but received no reply. 他给记者先后发去两份传真，但对方毫无反应。

He sent yet another fax informing the journalist that if he did not reply soon he would be fired. 于是他又发了一份传真，通知那位记者说，若再不迅速答复，将被解雇。

yet adv. used to emphasize an increase in number or amount or the number of times sth happens （强调次数或数量的增加）

~ more …: snow, snow, and yet more snow 下雪，下雪，还要下雪

~ another …: yet another diet book 又是一本关于节食的书

~ again: Prices were cut yet again. 物价再一次降低。

fire v. to force sb to leave their job 解雇；开除

~ sb: We had to fire him for dishonesty. 他不诚实，我们不得不开除他。

~ sb from sth: She got fired from her first job. 她第一份工作是被解雇的。

When the journalist again failed to reply, the editor reluctantly published the article as it had originally been written. 编辑无奈，勉强按原样发了稿。

reluctant adj. hesitating before doing sth because you do not want to do it or because you are not sure that it is the right thing to do 不情愿的；勉强的

~ to do sth: She was reluctant to admit she was wrong. 她不愿承认自己有错。

A week later, the editor at last received a fax from the journalist. 一周之后，编辑终于接到了记者的传真。

Not only had the poor man been arrested, but he had been sent to prison as well. 那个可怜的记者不仅被捕了，而且还被送进了监狱。

not only 置于句首引起句子部分倒装

However, he had at last been allowed to send a fax in which he informed the editoe that he had been arrested while counting the 1084 steps leading to the fifteen-foot wall which surrounded the president’s palace. 不过，他终于获准发回了一份传真，在传真中他告诉编辑，就在他数通向 15 英尺高的总统府围墙的 1084 级台阶时，被抓了起来。

课文理解

The editor acted as he did because _____.
- (a) he wanted an excuse to fire the journalist
- (b) he had not read the article beyond the first sentence
- (c) he was dissatisfied with the factual content of the article
- (d) he wanted to please the president of the new African republic

(c). 原文指出编辑因为稿子中没有出现精确的数据而退稿。

please v. to make sb happy 使满意；使愉悦

~ (sb): There’s just no pleasing some people. 有些人你是没法让他们满意的。

The journalist took a long time to send the details required because _____.
- (a) it took him a long time to count all the steps
- (b) he had not been allowed to fax the information he had obtained
- (c) he did not realize how soon the magazine would go to press
- (d) he had been arrested before he had time to obtain the facts

(b). 记者的电报中说到，这是他唯一一次被获准发电报。

fax v. to send sb a document, message, etc. by fax 传真（文档、信件等）

~ sb sth: Could you fax me the latest version? 你可不可以把最新版本传真给我？

~ sth to sb: Could you fax it to me? 你能把它传真给我吗？

~ sth: I faxed the list of hotels through to them. 我把旅馆名单传真给了他们。

Why had the journalist been arrested?
- (a) Because his activities must have appeared suspicious
- (b) For having gone to extremes to provide unimportant facts
- (c) For climbing the palace wall in order to measure the height
- (d) Because the article was published in its original form

(a). 直观推测，记者以行为可疑入狱。

语法

倒装

表示否定的副词或者副词词组放在句首，则会引起部分倒装。

结构：助动词 + 主语 + 句子的其余部分

I have never seen so many people.
-> Never have I seen so many people.

I had hardly finished speaking when the door opened.
-> Hardly had I finished speaking when the door opened.

选择题

_____ the first sentence, the editor refused to publish the article.
- (a) Reading
- (b) Having read
- (c) He read
- (d) Being read

(c).

The magazine _____ to press.
- (a) was
- (b) had gone
- (c) was about to go
- (d) was due

(c).

due adj. arranged or expected 预定；预期；预计 [not before n.]

~ to do sth: Rose is due to start school in January. 罗斯一月份就要开始上学了。

~ for sth: The band’s first album is due for release later this month. 这个乐队的第一张唱片预定在本月下旬发行。

He sent the journalist two faxes, but did not receive _____.
- (a) the replies
- (b) the reply
- (c) no reply
- (d) a reply

(d).

He informed the journalist he would be fired unless he _____.
- (a) was replied
- (b) replied
- (c) would reply
- (d) did not reply

(b).

He informed _____ while carrying out his instructions.
- (a) his arrest to the editor
- (b) the editor his arrest
- (c) the editor of his arrest
- (d) the editor that his arrest had been

(c).

inform v. to tell sb about sth, especially in an official way 知会；通知；通告

~ sb: The government took this decision without consulting Parliament or informing the public. 政府作出这个决定前既没有咨询议会，也没有告知公众。

~ sb of / about sth: Please inform us of any changes of address. 地址若有变动请通知我们。

~ sb that …: I have been reliably informed that the couple will marry next year. 我得到可靠消息说他们俩明年结婚。

~ sb + speech: ‘He’s already left,’ she informed us. “他已经走了。”她告诉我们说。

~ sb when, where, etc….: I have not been informed when the ceremony will take place. 没人通知我典礼何时举行。

词汇

Editors of newspapaers and magazines often go to extremes to provide their _____ with unimportant facts and statistics.
- (a) audience
- (b) lectures
- (c) public
- (d) common

(c).

audience n.

the group of people who have gathered to watch or listen to sth (a play, concert, sb speaking, etc.) （戏剧、音乐会或演讲等的）观众，听众 [C + sing. / pl. v.]

The museum is trying to attract a wider audience. 这家博物馆想吸引更多参观者。

a number of people or a particular group of people who watch, read, or listen to the same thing （同一事物的）观众，读者，听众 [C]

TV audiences 电视观众

a formal meeting with an important person （与要人的）会见；觐见；进见 [C]

an audience with the Pope 觐见教皇

public n.

ordinary people in society in general 平民；百姓；民众

the ~: The palace is now open to the public. 这座宫殿现在向大众开放了。

a group of people who share a particular interest or who are involved in the same activity 志趣相同（或从事同一类活动）的群体

the theater-going public 爱看戏的民众

common n.

an area of open land in a town or village that anyone may use 公共用地；公地 [C]

We went for a walk on the common. 我们在公地上散步。

a large room where students can eat in a school, college, etc. （学校、大学等的）学生公共食堂 [sing.]

~s: The commons is next to the gym. 学生公共食堂在体育馆的旁边。