Editors of newspapers and magazines often go to extremes to provide their reader with unimportant facts and statistics. 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. When the article arrived, the editor read the first sentence and then refuse to publish it. The article began: 'Hundreds of steps lead to the high wall which surrounds the president's palace'. The editor at once sent the journalist a fax instructing him find out the exact number of steps and the height of the wall.
The journalist immediately set out to obtain these important facts, but the took a long time to send them Meanwhile, the editor was getting impatient, for the magazine would soon go to press. He sent the journalist two more faxes, but received no reply. He sent yet another fax informing the journalist that if he did not reply soon he would be fired. When the journalist again failed to reply, the editor reluctantly published the article as it had originally been written. A week later, the editor at last received a fax from the journalist. Not only had the poor man been arrested, but he had been sent to prison as well. However, he had at last been allowed to send a fax in which he informed the editor that the he had been arrested while counting the 1,084 steps leading to the fifteen-foot wall which surrounded the president's palace.
New words and expressions 生词和短语
editor
n. 编辑
extreme
n. 极端
statistics
n. 统计数字
journalist
n. 新闻记者
president
n. 总统
palace
n. 王宫；宏伟的住宅
publish
v. 出版
fax
n. 传真
impatient
adj. 不耐烦的
fire
v. 解雇
originally
adv. 起初，原先，从前
参考译文
报刊杂志的编辑常常为了向读者提供成立一些关紧要的事实和统计数字而走向极端。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。稿子寄来后，编辑看第一句话就拒绝予以发表。文章的开头是这样的：“几百级台阶通向环绕总统的高墙。”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。
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，在此期间，编辑等得不耐烦了，因为杂志马上要付印。他给记者先后发去两份传真，但对方毫无反应。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。但记者还是没有回复。编辑无奈，勉强按原样发稿了。一周之后，编辑终于接到记者的传真。那个可怜的记者不仅被捕了，而且还被送进了监狱。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1，084级台阶时，被抓了起来。
New words and expression 生词和短语
Editor n.编辑
Edit vt.编辑
-- edit magazine, edit newspaper
Edition n.编辑
Editorial adj.编辑的, 主编的 n.社论, 评论
extreme n.极端
go to extreme(s) to do… 做某事走极端
-- He went to extreme to say that the play was the best one.
-- He went to extremes to say that his girlfriend was the most beautiful in the world.
go from one extreme to the other 从一个极端走向另一个极端
statistics n.统计数字
journalist n.新闻记者
reporter n.(电视台)记者
correspondent n.(电台)记者, 通讯员
president n.总统
palace n.王宫；宏伟的住宅
publish v.出版 = print(vt.), go to press(vi.)
-- The book has already been published. = The book has already been printed.
-- The book has gone to press.
-- They have already published the magazine.
Fax n.传真 （-- send a fax）
impatient adj.不耐烦的
patience（n.耐性） patient（adj.有耐心的） patiently（adv.有耐心地）
impatience（n.不耐烦） impatient（adj.不耐烦的） impatiently（adv.不耐烦地）
fire v.解雇（口语）
-- He was fired from his job
dismiss vt.解雇（正式）
-- The manage dismissed him from his company.
Sack vt.解雇, 辞退（俚语, 口语）
-- If you do it wrong again you will be sacked.
Originally adv.起初，原先，从前 / original adj.最初的, 原始的
Text 课文
What was the consequence of the editor's insistence on facts and statistics?
Consequence n.结果
Insistence n.坚持, 坚决主张
Editors of newspapers and magazines often go to extremes to provide their reader with
unimportant facts and statistics.
go to extremes 走极端
provide = supply 给...提供（通常与介词搭配连用）
provide sb with sth / provide sth for sb
-- He provided them with a bed for the night.
= He provided a bed for them for the night
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.
本句= A well-known magazine instructed a journalist to write an article on the president's palace
in a new African republic.
African n.非洲人 adj.非洲的
Republic n.共和国, 共和政体
Instruct vt.教, 教导, 命令, 指示, 通知
instruct sb to do sth.= tell sb formally to do sth 正式告诉某人做某事
-- The teacher instructed him to take the examination.
On = about 侧重强调课题专一
-- a book on radio
When the article arrived, the editor read the first sentence and then refuse to publish it.
When the article arrived = When the editor received the article
refuse vt.拒绝（态度严厉）
-- I invited him to dinner, but he refused me.
decline vt.婉言谢绝
repudiate vt.断然拒
绝
The article began: 'Hundreds of steps lead to the high wall which surrounds the president's
palace'.
which 指代the high wall
The editor at once sent the journalist a fax instructing him find out the exact number of
steps and the height of the wall.
Instructing(现在分词)进一步补充说明fax的情况
-- he send me a letter instructing me to come back immediately
The journalist immediately set out to obtain these important facts, but he took a long time
to send them.
set out to do = decide and try to do 决定, 打算, 着手做...
= set about doing 决定, 打算, 着手做...
-- He set out to make his first 1,000,000 in 5 years.
take sb a long time to do sth 某事花了某人很久的时间
-- It took me five days to write the article.
Meanwhile, the editor was getting impatient, for the magazine would soon go to press.
He sent the journalist two more faxes, but received no reply.
two more faxes = another two faxes
He sent yet another fax informing the journalist that if he did not reply soon he would be
fired.
When the journalist again failed to reply, the editor reluctantly published the article as it
had originally been written.
reluctantly = unwilling 勉勉强强地, 不情愿地
as it bad originally been written = in its original way
A week later, the editor at last received a fax from the journalist.
Not only had the poor man been arrested, but he had been sent to prison as well.
Not only位于句首, 必须采用倒装形式。
本句 = The poor man had not only been arrested, but had been sent to prison as well.
倒装：（部分倒装）
1>否定副词位于句首, 要倒装。
never, seldom, rarely, little, hardly, scarcely, nowhere, no sooner
scarcely adv.几乎不, 简直没有
nowhere adv.无处, 到处都无
-- Never have I read such stories. 我从来也没读过这样的小说。
-- Nowhere can he find the book he wants. 无论在哪他也找不到他要的书。
-- Hardly did I think it possible. 我并不认为这是可能的。
2>含有only的状语位于句首, 句子要倒装。
-- Only then did he realize that he had made a mistake.
-- Only when a great deal more information has been obtained will it be possible to plan a trip.
3>含有not的副词短语位于句首, 句子要倒装。
not for a second 决不, 毫不 / not in the least 绝不, 一点也不
not for an instant, not until
-- Not in the least is he interested in English literature. 他对英国文学一点都不感兴趣。
-- Not for an instant did I believe he had lied. 我根本不认为他说了慌。
4>含有no的短语位于句首, 句子要倒装。
at on time, in no way , in no sense, by no means, in no case, on no account, on no condition,
under no circumstances （都表示‘绝不’）
circumstance n.环境, 详情, 境况
-- Under no circumstances can we accept the check. 我们无
论如何也不能接受这笔钱。
-- On no account must you leave the baby in the house. 你无论如何也不能把留在房间里。
5> so such 位于句首, 句子要倒装。
However, he had at last been allowed to send a fax in which he informed the editor that the
he had been arrested while counting the 1,084 steps leading to the fifteen-foot wall which
surrounded the president's palace.
he had at last been allowed = he had at last been permitted = he had asked for permission
请求被允许做某事：be allowed to do, be permitted to do, asked for permission to do sth
permit v.许可,允许,准许 permission n.许可, 允许
in which -- which指代fax
while和现在分词搭配, 做时间状语, 表示“正在做某事的过程中”。
-- 可以用while引导的时间状语从句去替换。
-- While counting… = while he was counting…
现在分词做定语：
-- the steps leading to the president's palace 通向王宫的台阶。
-- the road leading to the forest 通向森林的路。
fifteen-foot做前置定语, 这里的名词必须上单数形式。
which引导的定语从句修饰wall, which指代wall。
-- wall which surrounded… （= wall surrounding…）
n 为了避免和前面的现在分词句式结构(leading)相同所以没有用surrounding.
Special difficulties 难点here
倒装的用法
1.Not only has he made this mistake before but he will make it again.
2.Only then did I realize what was happening
3.Never will I trust him again.
4.Seldom do you find traffic wardens who are kind and helpful.
traffic warden n. 交通管理员 （warden n.监护人；看守人）
Multiple choice questions 多项选择
1… C
excuse n.理由, 借口 beyond prep.除…以外 satisfy vt.满足, 使满意
dissatisfy vt.使感觉不满, 不满足 factual adj.事实的, 实际的 content n.内容
2… B
3... A activity n.行动, 行为 / suspicious adj.可疑的, 怀疑的
4… B 课文中的and then强调动作的先后。 -- Having seen the movie, they went for a walk.
6... D a reply表示“任意”的一个答复
7... B unless = if not 一般过去时
8… C inform sb of/about sth
9… C public n.公众, (特定的)人群 audience n.听众, 观众 lecture n.演讲
10… B print = publish
press n.压, 按 go to press 交付印刷
pressing adj.紧迫的；迫切的
impress vt.盖印, 留下印象
11... D innocent adj.清白的, 无罪的, 天真的, 无知的 unfortunate adj.不幸的
12... D 请求允许做某事：ask for permission to do sth
允许某人做某事：be given permission to do sth
admit + 名词/动名词/that从句