原文

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 to 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.

译文

报纸和杂志的编辑常常不惜一切手段,为读者提供一些无关紧要的事实和统计数字。去年,一位记者受一家知名杂志的委托,要写一篇关于一个新非洲共和国总统官邸的文章。文章送来后,编辑读了第一句,就拒绝发表它。文章开头是:“数百级台阶通向围绕总统官邸的高墙”。编辑立即给记者发了一封传真,指示他查出台阶的确切数目和墙的高度。

记者立刻着手去获取这些重要的事实,但他过了很久才发来。同时,编辑越来越不耐烦,因为杂志很快就要付印。他又给记者发了两次传真,但没有得到答复。他又发了一封传真,通知记者如果不尽快回复,他就会被解雇。当记者再次没有回复时,编辑勉强按原样发表了那篇文章。一个星期后,编辑终于收到了记者的传真。可怜的人不仅被逮捕了,而且还被送进了监狱。不过,他终于获准发了一封传真,通知编辑说,他在数那条通向围绕总统官邸的十五英尺高墙的1,084级台阶时被捕了。

词汇表

extremes

noun (plural)
英:/ɪkˈstriːmz/
美:/ɪkˈstriːmz/
定义
1. 极端 - The furthest or most intense points in a range, often implying excess.

例子: In journalism, going to extremes can mean exaggerating details for impact.

例子: She avoids extremes in her diet, preferring balance over extremes.

2. 过激行为 - Unusual or severe actions.

例子: The editor went to extremes to verify every fact.

例子: Politicians often go to extremes during elections to win votes.

近义词
extremities: 更强调身体或事物的末端,较少用于行为,比 'extremes' 更具体且正式。
limits: 常指边界或界限,侧重于边缘而非极端行为,语境更宽泛如在谈判中。
excesses: 强调过分或滥用,比 'extremes' 更侧重负面后果,常用于道德或行为的过度。
反义词:
moderation, balance, mean
用法
常用于描述行为或情况的极端化,常见搭配如 'go to extremes',语境多为非正式,常在讨论行为过度时使用,文化背景中强调中庸之道。
形式:
复数: extremes (已是复数形式), 形容词形式: extreme

深入解析:关键句型 "If [subject] [past simple verb], [subject] [would + base verb]."

定义

这个句型是第一类条件句的典型形式,用于描述真实或可能的条件及其结果。结构为:If 引导的从句使用过去简单时(Past Simple),主句使用 would + 动词原形。例如,在权威教材如《新概念英语》或《Cambridge Grammar》书中,它被定义为表达假设性条件句,强调如果某个条件发生,结果就会随之而来。核心含义是连接条件和后果,帮助表达对未来的可能性或建议。

用法

此句型常用于日常对话和写作中,描述现实生活中的假设情景,如警告、建议或预测。主要规则是:从句(If 从句)必须用过去简单时,而主句用 would + 动词原形,以表示结果的虚拟性。在语法体系中,它属于条件句(Conditional Sentences)的范畴,与其他类型条件句(如第二类条件句)相关,建立联系。例如,它可以链接到时间状语从句,帮助学生从简单句过渡到复杂句。跨语法点联系:它涉及时态一致性,与过去时态(如 Past Simple)结合,还能与情态动词(如 would)一起使用,强化对假设语言的理解。

注意事项

学生易犯的错误包括混淆时态,例如在 If 从句中使用将来时(如 "If he will not reply"),这会使句子不正确;另一个常见偏误是遗漏 would 在主句中,导致句子变成陈述句(如 "If he did not reply he fired")。纠正建议:始终记住 If 从句用事实时态(过去简单),主句用虚拟形式。还要注意语境,避免在正式写作中过度使用,以免显得过于随意。此外,在口语中,确保语调上扬以强调条件性。

练习

一个额外的例子:在文章中类似 "If he did not reply soon he would be fired"。学生可以试着改编为自己的句子,如 "If I missed the bus, I would be late for work." 通过这个例子,学生可以练习替换主语和动词,增强实际应用能力,例如在对话中说 "If you studied harder, you would pass the exam."

额外内容

背景知识:这个句型源于英语的条件表达方式,常见于英美文学和现代对话中。对比分析:与第二类条件句(如 "If I were rich, I would travel")不同,它更注重现实可能性,而非完全虚拟。补充信息:掌握此句型后,学生能更好地处理假设场景,提升对话流畅性,如在商务英语中用于谈判。

深入解析:关键句型 "Not only [clause], but [clause] as well."

定义

这个句型用于强调两个或多个并列信息,其中第一个部分用 Not only 引导,第二个用 but 连接,并以 as well 强化。结构为:Not only + 从句或短语 + but + 从句或短语 + as well。根据权威教材如《新概念英语》高级部分,它被定义为一种修辞手法,突出对比或累加信息,常见于叙述性文章中。核心含义是加强强调,显示事件的并列或附加性。

用法

此句型常用于故事讲述、新闻报道或正式写作中,强调事件的严重性或多个方面。主要规则是:第一个从句通常倒装或使用过去完成时,以突出重要性,而第二个从句保持正常顺序。在语法体系中,它属于并列结构(Parallel Structures)的延伸,与连接词(如 but)相关,帮助学生构建复杂句。跨语法点联系:它与过去完成时(如 "had been arrested")结合,还能链接到强调句型,增强句子平衡性。例如,在文章中它用于描述多个不幸事件,学生可以通过此句型学习如何在写作中增加戏剧性。

注意事项

学生易犯的错误包括不正确倒装,例如说 "Not only he had been arrested, but he had been sent to prison" 而非 "Not only had he been arrested";另一个偏误是遗漏 as well,使强调不充分。纠正建议:练习倒装结构,确保主句和从句时态一致;避免在口语中过度使用,以防句子显得生硬。在学习时,注意语境是否适合正式表达。

练习

一个额外的例子:基于文章中的 "Not only had the poor man been arrested, but he had been sent to prison as well.",学生可以创建新句,如 "Not only did I lose my keys, but I missed the train as well." 通过这个例子,学生可以尝试替换子句,练习在日常叙述中应用,例如在日记中写 "Not only am I tired, but I have a lot of work as well."

额外内容

背景知识:这个句型起源于英语的修辞传统,用于增强说服力或故事张力。对比分析:与简单并列句(如 "He was arrested and sent to prison")不同,它更具强调效果。补充信息:它有助于学生提升写作技巧,如在考试作文中用于描述事件,帮助从基本句型过渡到高级表达。