美国有线新闻 CNN 2013-07-31

 Finally, a wink¹ and a nod today to some media that matters. 

 

First, a tragic² story, a searing piece of video and some remarkable³ journalism⁴ as a train derails horribly in Spain, killing⁵ at least 78 people. The Associated Press took the video and went to work. A video producer advanced(提升；加工) it frame by frame. The AP estimated distances between pylons(电缆铁塔), counted railway ties(枕木) and used a time stamp(印时戳) on the video to calculate the train's speed. 

 

One estimate: 89 to 119 miles an hour; using a different technique, 96 to 112. The posted speed limit, 50 miles an hour. In less than two hours, the AP went from video to story, providing vital information. 

 

For instincts, initiative and transparency in reporting, the AP proved itself a reliable source. 

 

But another story gets a thumbs down on coverage⁶: Iraq. The place looks like it's imploding(内爆). Sectarian violence has been escalating⁷ with near daily bombings and killings⁸. Syria's civil war may be making things worse. An assault on Abu Ghraib prison sprung more than 200 convicts connected to Al Qaeda in Iraq. But where is the American news media? Most have gone home. The last American news bureau there, CNN's, closed in May. There are still producers, stringers(新闻媒介的兼职或特约记者) and reporters, and they're doing their best, but the big presence and the sustained coverage is a fraction of what it was. 

 

The reason? U.S. troops have gone home and the exorbitant(不合法的；过度的) cost. But this story about Iraqi stability, regional security and America's legacy⁹ and, yes, oil, still matters. It won't be easy. Americans are war-weary(厌战的). The coverage needs to be about more than bombs and bullets. 

1 wink   

n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁

参考例句：

• He tipped me the wink not to buy at that price.他眨眼暗示我按那个价格就不要买。
• The satellite disappeared in a wink.瞬息之间，那颗卫星就消失了。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

4 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

5 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

6 coverage   

n.报导，保险范围，保险额，范围，覆盖

参考例句：

• There's little coverage of foreign news in the newspaper.报纸上几乎没有国外新闻报道。
• This is an insurance policy with extensive coverage.这是一项承保范围广泛的保险。

7 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

8 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

9 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。