翻译学与高级英语
1.reason out:寻找解决途径2.concerned about考虑到3. mounted up to高达4. check out检查5.be strewn with 布满6. a good: at least 至少，最少7.sit out:坐到结e by顺便拜访10.on the verge of:濒临于11.break up:分裂e through:经历过……仍活着13.pitch in:拼命于起来，开始大干特14.on one’s mind:占领某人的思绪15.rub shoulders with: 与(人们)联系，交往16.set off:开始(旅行，赛跑等) 17. flash by: 急速向某方向运动18.sink in:完全理解19.by trade:以…为谋生之道41.be oblivious of忽视20.in print: .(指书)已出版21.soak up:接受并吸收22.succumb to: 屈服，屈从23.flirt with: 不认真考虑、对待24.of sorts: 劣等25.all over: 正像所说一样25.round up: 使集拢26.count on:依靠，信赖，指望27.go all out: 全力以赴28.make a reference to:提及29.to the effect that:大意为30.on the threshold of开端31.tie down: 束缚，限制，奴役32.in due course: 在适当的时机33.it follows that:由此断定34.be obsessed with使忧虑35. teems with 丰富36.acquainted sb wit h使理解37.is true of适用38.one's heart go out to同情39.got under way在修建40. every bit as 不亚于41. to one’ horror 使惊讶42.have a lump in one’s throat 如咽在喉"The Nazi regime is devoid of all theme and principle except appetite and racial domination. It excels all forms of human wickedness in the efficiency of its cruelty and ferocious aggression. I see the Russian soldiers standing on the threshold of their native land, guarding the fields which their fathers have tilled from time immemorial. I see them guarding their homes where mothers and wives pray - ah, yes, for there are times when all pray –for the safety of their loved ones, the return of the bread-winner, of their champion, of their protector. I see the ten thousand villages of Russia where the means of existence is wrung so hardly from the soil, but where there are still primordial human joys, where maidens laugh and children play. I see advancing upon all this in hideous onslaught the Nazi war machine, with its clanking , heel-clicking, dandified Prussian officers, its crafty expert agents fresh from the cowing and tying down of a dozen countries. I see also the dull, drilled, docile , brutish masses of the Hun soldiery plodding on like a swarm of crawling locusts. I see the German bombers and fighters in the sky, still smarting from many a British whipping, delighted to find what they believe is an easier and a safer prey."I have to declare the decision of His Majesty's Government - and I feel sure it is a decision in which the great Dominions will in due concur –for we must speak out now at once, without a day's delay. I have to make the declaration, but can you doubt what our policy will be? We have but one aim and one single, irrevocable purpose. We are resolved to destroy Hitler and every vestige of the Nazi regime. From this nothing will turn us –nothing. We will never parley; we will never negotiate with Hitler or any of his gang. We shall fight him by land, we shall fight him by sea, we shall fight him in the air, until, with God's help, we have rid the earth of his shadow and liberated its peoples from his yoke. Any man or state who fights on against Nazidom will have our aid. Any man or state who marches with Hitler is our foe... That is our policy and that is our declaration. It follows therefore that we shall give whatever help we can to Russia and the Russian people. We shall appeal to all our friends and allies in every part of the world to take the same course and pursue it, as we shall faithfully and steadfastly to the end...."This is no class war, but a war in which the whole British Empire and Commonwealth of Nations is engaged, without distinction of race, creed, or party. It is not for me to speak of the action of the United States, but this I will say：if Hitler imagines that his attack on Soviet Russia will cause the slightest divergence of aims or slackening of effort in the great democracies who are resolved upon his doom, he is woefully mistaken. On the contrary, we shall be fortified and encouraged in our efforts to rescue mankind from his tyranny. We shall be strengthened and not weakened in determination and in resources."This is no time to moralise on the follies of countries and Governments which have allowed themselves to be struck down one by one, when by united action they could have saved themselves and saved the world from this tyranny. But when I spoke a few minutes ago of Hitler's blood-lust and the hateful appetites which have impelled or lured him on his Russian adventure I said there was one deeper motive behind his outrage. He wishes to destroy the Russian power because he hopes that if he succeeds in this he will be able to bring back the main strength of his Army and Air Force from the East and hurl it upon this Island, which he knows he must conquer or suffer thepenalty of his crimes. His invasion of Russia is no more than a penalty to an attempted invasion of the British Isles. He hopes, no doubt, that all this may be accomplished before the winter comes, and that he can overwhelm Great Britain before the Fleet and air-power of the United States may intervene. He hopes that he may once again repeat, upon a greater scale than ever before, that process of destroying his enemies one by one by which he has so long thrived and prospered, and that then the scene will be clear for the final act, without which all his conquests would be in vain –namely, the subjugation of the Western Hemisphere to his will and to his system."The Russian danger is therefore our danger, and the danger of the United States, just as the cause of any Russian fighting for his hearth ）and home is the cause of free men and free peoples in every quarter of the globe. Let us learn the lessons already taught by such cruel experience. Let us redouble our exertions, and strike with united strength while life and power remain. "真正的艺术家一个真正的艺术家是尽情抒发自己的胸怀。
高级英语第三版第二册课后翻译
1. However intricate the ways in which animals communicate with each other, they do not indulgein anything that deserves the name of conversation.不管动物之间的交流方式多么复杂，它们不能参与到称得上是交谈的任何活动中。
2. Argument may often be a part of it, but the purpose of the argument is not to convince. There is no winning in conversation.争论会经常出现于交谈中，但争论的目的不是为了说服。
交谈中没有胜负之说。
3. Perhaps it is because of my upbringing in English pubs that I think bar conversation has a charm of its own.或许我从小就混迹于英国酒吧缘故，我认为酒吧里的闲聊别有韵味。
4. I do not remember what made one of our companions say it ---she clearly had not come into the bar to say it , it was not something that was pressing on her mind---but her remark fell quite naturally into the talk.我不记得是什么使得我的一个同伴说起它来的---她显然不是来酒吧说这个的，这不是她事先想好的话题----但她的话相当自然地插入到了交谈中。
5. There is always resistance in the lower classes to any attempt by an upper class to lay down rules for “English as it should be spoken .”下层社会总会抵制上层社会企图给“标准英语”制定得规则。
高级英语Lesson 6 Mark Twain课文翻译
Lesson 6 Mark Twain ---Mirror of America马克.吐温--美国的一面镜子(节选) 诺埃尔.格罗夫Most Americans remember Mark Twain as the father of Huck Finn's idyllic cruise through eternal boyhood and Tom Sawyer's endless summer of freedom and adventure. In-deed,this nation's best-loved author was every bit as ad-venturous,patriotic,romantic, and humorous as anyone has ever imagined.I found another Twain as well–one who grew cynical,bitter,saddened by the profound personal tragedies life dealt him,a man who became obsessed with the frailties of the human race,who saw clearly ahead a black wall of night.在大多数美国人的心目中，马克•吐温是位伟大作家，他描写了哈克•费恩永恒的童年时代中充满诗情画意的旅程和汤姆•索亚在漫长的夏日里自由自在历险探奇的故事。
的确，这位美国最受人喜爱的作家的探索精神、爱国热情、浪漫气质及幽默笔调都达到了登峰造极的程度。
但我发现还有另一个不同的马克•吐温——一个由于深受人生悲剧的打击而变得愤世嫉俗、尖酸刻薄的马克•吐温，一个为人类品质上的弱点而忧心忡忡、明显地看到前途是一片黑暗的人。
Tramp printer,river pilot,Confederate guerrilla,prospector,starry-eyed optimist, acid-tongued cynic:The man who became Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens and he ranged across the nation for more than a third of his life,digesting the new American experience before sharing it with the world as writer and lecturer.He adopted his pen name from the cry heard in his steamboat days,signaling two fathoms (12feet)of water--a navigable depth.His popularity is attested by the fact that more than a score of his books remain in print,and translations are still read around the world.印刷工、领航员、邦联游击队员、淘金者、耽于幻想的乐天派、语言尖刻的讽刺家：马克•吐温原名塞缪尔•朗赫恩•克莱门斯，他一生之中有超过三分之一的时间浪迹美国各地，体验着美国的新生活，尔后便以作家和演说家的身分将他所感受到的这一切介绍给全世界。
00600高级英语 中英翻译A12_why i write-推荐下载
我为什么写作Lesson 12: Why I Write从很小的时候，大概五、六岁，我知道长大以后将成为一个作家。
From a very early age, perhaps the age of five or six, I knew that when I grew up I should be a writer.从15到24岁的这段时间里，我试图打消这个念头，可总觉得这样做是在戕害我的天性，认为我迟早会坐下来伏案著书。
Between the ages of about seventeen and twenty-four I tried to adandon this idea, but I did so with the consciousness that I was outraging my true nature and that sooner or later I should have to settle down and write books.三个孩子中，我是老二。
老大和老三与我相隔五岁。
8岁以前，我很少见到我爸爸。
由于这个以及其他一些缘故，我的性格有些孤僻。
我的举止言谈逐渐变得很不讨人喜欢，这使我在上学期间几乎没有什么朋友。
I was the middle child of three, but there was a gap of five years on either side, and I barely saw my father before I was eight- For this and other reasons I was somewhat lonely, and I soon developed disagreeable mannerisms which made me unpopular throughout my schooldays.我像一般孤僻的孩子一样，喜欢凭空编造各种故事，和想像的人谈话。
高级英语短语翻译
• 1. 青少年的叛逆•teenage rebellion• 2.剧场里挤满了大汗淋漓、疯狂摇摆的人们•The theatre was packed, sweltering, rocking.• 3.急切地希望能沾上几滴洗礼的圣水•eager to be touched by a few baptismal drops• 4. 一名黑衣女子• a girl dressed in black• 5.几乎是宗教般的崇敬•almost religious reverence• 6. 社会学家霍洛维茨• sociologist Horowitz•7. 表现了50年代青少年那种沮丧的精神状态•Embody the frustrated teenage spirit of the 1950s •8. 触动了对现状不满的神经•touched a nerve of disaffection•9. 一个各种思想交锋的场所• a place where ideas clash and crash.•10.赞美了“往日美好时光”的朴素的欢乐•celebrate the simple joys of “the good old days.”•11.全国民意测验• a national opinion poll• 1. 毕业前夕•Shortly before graduation• 2. 完全拒绝成年人的世界•Reject completely the adult world.• 3. 代表了许多同龄人的心声•Speak for a lot of contemporaries• 4.这个世界相当混乱。
•The world is in pretty much of a mess.• 5. 从他们的角度•From their point of view• 6.脱离社会•Drop out•7. 最古老的权宜之计•The oldest expedient•8. 依靠社会养肥自己•Batten on the society•9. 这种方式在古代也有先例。
高级英语课后翻译
在压力下，他别无办法，只好辞职Under suh pressure,he had no other choice but quit office
最后他被她说服了，决定改变原计划At last,he succumbed to her persuasion and decided to change his original plan
英国政府答应提供解决失业问题所急需的钱The British government promised to put up the money needed to solve the problem 0f unemployment．
沙特阿拉伯已知石油储存量在世界上是遥遥领先的Saudi Arabia’s proved reserves of on are by far the greatest in the world．
中国人们经受了文化大革命的严峻考验The Chinese people stood the test of the Cultural Revolution．
这些老战士饱经了二次大战多次战役的考验These veteran soldiers have all weathered the test of many battles during the Second World War.
当时形而上学十分猖獗Metaphysics was rampant at that time
我没有预料到会卷入这场争端I did not anticipate that I would get involved in this dispute
(完整word版)高级英语Paraphrase 和翻译
Lesson 1.Paraphrase：1. We're elevated 23 feet. (para 3)We' re 23 feet above sea level.2. The place has been here since 1915, and no hurricane has ever bothered it. (para 3) 2. The house has been here since 1915, and no hurricane has ever caused any damage to it.3.We can batten down and ride it out. (para 4) 3. We can make the necessary preparations and survive the hurricane without much damage.4. The generator was doused, and the lights went out. (para 9) 4. Water got into the generator and put it out. It stopped producing electricity, so the lights also went out.5. Everybody out the back door to the cars! (para 10) 5. Everybody go out through the back door and run to the cars.6. The electrical systems had been killed by water. (para 11) 6. The electrical systems in the car had been put out by water.7. John watched the water lap at the steps, and felt a crushing guilt. (para 17) 7. As John watched the water inch its way up the steps, he felt a strong sense of guilt because he blamed himself for endangering the whole family by deciding not to flee inland.8. Get us through this mess, will You? (para 17) 8. ()h God, please help us to get through this storm safely.9. She carried on alone for a few bars; then her voice trailed away. (para 21) 9. Grandmother Koshak sang a few words alone and then her voice gradually grew dimmer and stopped.10. Janis had just one delayed reaction. (para 34) 10. Janis displayed rather late the exhaustion brought about by the nervous tension caused by the hurricane.1.Simile: 1. The children went from adult to adult like buckets in a fire brigade. (comparingthe passing of children to the passing of buckets of water in a fire brigade when fighting a fire)2. The wind sounded like the roar of a train passing a few yards away. (comparing the soundof the wind to the roar of a passing train)Metaphor : 1. We can batten down and ride it out. ( comparing the house in a hurricane to a ship fighting a storm at sea) 2. Wind and rain now whipped the house. (Strong wind and rain was lashing the house as if with a whip.)Translation1) 每架飞机起飞之前必须经过严格的检查。
高级英语Paraphrase 和翻译
Lesson 1.Paraphrase：1. We're elevated 23 feet. (para 3)We' re 23 feet above sea level.2. The place has been here since 1915, and no hurricane has ever bothered it. (para 3) 2. The house has been here since 1915, and no hurricane has ever caused any damage to it.3.We can batten down and ride it out. (para 4) 3. We can make the necessary preparations and survive the hurricane without much damage.4. The generator was doused, and the lights went out. (para 9) 4. Water got into the generator and put it out. It stopped producing electricity, so the lights also went out.5. Everybody out the back door to the cars! (para 10) 5. Everybody go out through the back door and run to the cars.6. The electrical systems had been killed by water. (para 11) 6. The electrical systems in the car had been put out by water.7. John watched the water lap at the steps, and felt a crushing guilt. (para 17) 7. As John watched the water inch its way up the steps, he felt a strong sense of guilt because he blamed himself for endangering the whole family by deciding not to flee inland.8. Get us through this mess, will You? (para 17) 8. ()h God, please help us to get through this storm safely.9. She carried on alone for a few bars; then her voice trailed away. (para 21) 9. Grandmother Koshak sang a few words alone and then her voice gradually grew dimmer and stopped.10. Janis had just one delayed reaction. (para 34) 10. Janis displayed rather late the exhaustion brought about by the nervous tension caused by the hurricane.1.Simile: 1. The children went from adult to adult like buckets in a fire brigade. (comparingthe passing of children to the passing of buckets of water in a fire brigade when fighting a fire)2. The wind sounded like the roar of a train passing a few yards away. (comparing the soundof the wind to the roar of a passing train)Metaphor : 1. We can batten down and ride it out. ( comparing the house in a hurricane to a ship fighting a storm at sea) 2. Wind and rain now whipped the house. (Strong wind and rain was lashing the house as if with a whip.)Translation1) 每架飞机起飞之前必须经过严格的检查。
高级英语1 Unit10 The Artist in America 翻译
1 This day, devoted to the memory of Robert Frost, offers an opportunity for reflection which is prized by politicians as well as by others and even by poets. For Robert Frost was one of the granite figures of our time in America. He was supremely two things—an artist and an American.今天死纪念罗伯特弗罗斯特的日子，同时它提供了一个反思机会，政治家、其他人、甚至诗人都珍视这一天。
因为＊是美国最引人注目的人物之一。
他有两种极端的特质，一个是艺术家，另一个美国人。
2 A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces, also by the men it honors, the men it re-members.一个国家不仅通过它产生的人来揭示自己，还有这个民族在纪念谁，记得谁。
3 In America our heroes have customarily run to men of large accomplishments. But today this college and country honors a man whose contribution was not to our size but to our spirit; not to our political beliefs but to our insight; not to our self-esteem, but to our self-comprehension.在美国，我们的英雄通常都是追求成就的人。
高级英语1-课后翻译
对贫困的担心使他忧心忡忡He was obsessed with fear of poverty洞庭湖盛产鱼虾Dongting Lake teems with fish and shrimps汤姆的聪明丝毫不亚于班上的第一名学生Tom was every bit as bright as the top student in his class我认识他，但我们说不上是朋友He is an acquaintance of mine,but not a friend在压力下，他别无办法，只好辞职Under suh pressure,he had no other choice but quit office 最后他被她说服了，决定改变原计划At last,he succumbed to her persuasion and decided to change his original plan那时候许多儿童死于天花A lot of children succumbed to small pox then他发现船舱里进了很多水，十分惊恐Much to his horror,he found the cabin flooded@孩子们考试成绩优异，家长和教师都很满意To the great satisfaction of both parents and teachers,the kids did extremely well in their exam彼得的特点正是如此That's Peter all over直到半夜医生才做完手术Not until midnight did the surgeon finish the operation历史课使我对古文明有所了解The history course has acquainted me with ancient civilization老作家根据这个民间故事写成了一个电影剧本The old writer shaped the folktale into a film scenario新上演的那出话剧充分表现了中国人民大无畏的革命精神The dauntless revolutionary spirit of the Chinese people finds full expression in the new play当时形而上学十分猖獗Metaphysics was rampant at that time:我没有预料到会卷入这场争端I did not anticipate that I would get involved in this dispute如果你想学到一些东西，那你就应该自己参加到这项工作中去If you want to learn something you must involve yourself in the work陪审团裁决他有罪，法官判了他三年徒刑The jury brought in a verdict of guilty and the judge sentenced him to three years'imprisonment虽然种族隔离是违法的，但种族歧视在美国仍然以不同形式存在着Racial discrimination still exists in various forms in the United States though racial segregation is against the law他认为这两个观点是可以一致起来的I think we can reconcile the two views他好像也接受这个主意了He seemed reconciled to the idea观众对被告充满了同情心The spectators'hearts went out to the defndant当时伦敦的报纸认为纳粹德国即将垮台The London papers expressed the view that the collapse of Nazi Germany was at hand^他估计手头的侦查员只有三至五人He estimated the number of scouts on hand as ranging from three to five合同签订后不久，工程就开始进行了The project got under way soon after the signing of the contract我们骑车去香山好吗What about riding to the Fragrant Hills只有在妈妈去世之后，女儿才意识到自己开始更了解母亲了Only after her mother's death did the daughter realize that she was beginning to understand her mother better她沉默寡言，总爱独自一人行动She is a quiet person who does not enjoy others' company看到他脸上那副滑稽的样子，他禁不住大笑起来Seeing the funny look on his face,she couldn't help laughing这笔款子不是他的，是他向朋友借的The money does not velong to borrowed it from a friend -这些移民第二代仍感到处于主流文化的边缘，无论是在白人社会还是在华人社会中他们都找不到恰当的位置The second generation of immigrants still feel marginalized,belonging neither among the white society,nor among the Chinese American community这一对美国夫妇让他在客厅的沙发上睡了一夜The American couple put him up on the sofa in the living room for the night她张开嘴，但没说什么，口张得圆圆的，好像要唱一支歌似的She opened her mouth but said mouth was round as if she wanted to sing a song他问我他应如何着手学习第二门外语He asked me how to set about learning a second foreign language这条法规已于去年停止生效了This decree ceased to be valid last year这些重要消息没有在报上登出来This important news didn't find its way into the news paper我觉得很难说服他改变主意I had trouble in persuading him to change his mind;石油是许多中东国家国民经济的主要命脉Oil is the vital lifeline of the national economy in many Middle Eastern countries．第三世界国家决心独立发展自己的工业The Third World countries are bent on developing their industries independently．一些西方国家担心产油国会用削价的办法把他们的生意挤垮Some Western countries were afraid that the oil—producing countries would drive them out of business by undercutting them．英国政府答应提供解决失业问题所急需的钱The British government promised to put up the money needed to solve the problem 0f unemployment．沙特阿拉伯已知石油储存量在世界上是遥遥领先的Saudi Arabia’s proved reserves of on are by far the greatest in the world．中国人们经受了文化大革命的严峻考验The Chinese people stood the test of the Cultural Revolution．这些老战士饱经了二次大战多次战役的考验These veteran soldiers have all weathered the test of many battles during the Second World War.我们离四个现代化目标还有很大的差距We are still a long way from the goal of the four modernizations.！许多科技人员正努力学习外语，以便阅读第一手参考资料Many scientists and technicians are out to learn foreign languages so as to be able to read first-hand reference materials.一座新的电报大楼即将完工并交付使用A new telegraph building will be completed and put into service soon.伊拉克的扩张主意受到了世界各国报纸的抨击Iraq's expansionism was under attack from the press all over the World.这个国家的军备开支每年以百分之四到百分之五的比率增长The military expenditures of that country increase at a rate of 4% to 5% every year.美国国会批准了这项条约，使它立即生效The US Congress has ratified the treaty and brought it into force at once我们相信胜利在望We believe that victory is in sight．他们警告说还没有明显的解决办法They warn there is no obvious remedy in sight.!宾主祝酒完毕，乐队开始演奏一首美国民歌After the toasts by the host and guest，the band struck up an American folk song．他们第一次见面之后就建立了友谊They struck up a friendship right after their first meeting.为了提高选词的能力，你要注意词义上细微的差别To improve your diction，you must pay attention to the shades of meaning of words．非洲国家可能要求采取更严厉的制裁措施The African nations might press for more stringent sanctions．我没有要求他做进一步的解释I didn't press him for further explanation世界各报的注意力都集中在日内瓦举行的最高级会议上The world newspapers are focusing their attention on the summit conference being held in Geneva.数以千计的示威者走上了街头Demonstrators took to the streets by the thousands.记者们的印象是这一公报具有重大的历史意义The communique struck the reporters as one of historical significance[上周美国总统从中东回来，发现国内能源战线上在进行一场新的激烈战斗The U．S．president returned from the Mideast last week，only to find a new war raging on the domestic energy front．将军又累又失望，休息得比往常早，结果刚过午夜就被叫醒了Disappointed and exhausted，the general retired earlier than usual，only to be awakened soon after midnight.这次投票的意义绝不仅仅是关于运河的条约There is more to the vote than approval of the canal treaty．我们更仔细地看了看，看看是否有什么我们过去没有看出的含义We 100ked at it more carefully to see whether there was more to it than we assumed in the past．这个山涧发出的声音很像琴奏的乐声，因此得名玉琴山泉This mountain stream makes sounds similar to those of a guitar．Hence the name “The Spring of Jade Guitar"他对水彩画很有鉴赏力He has a good eye for water-colours.女儿大胆地表示不同意父母对她婚事的安排The daughter ventured to object to her parents's arrangement of her marriage.…由于贫困的逼迫，他开始进行偷窃活动Pressed by poverty, he took to stealing.在旅途中，我看小说以消磨时间My long journey was beguiled with novels.我想你一定度过MT的书I suppose you have read Mark Twain.他的全部注意力都集中在这个问题上，而不顾其他的问题He concentrated all his attention on this problem to the exclusion of all others.不立刻做出正确的决定将会使整个事情很困难，如果不是不可能的话Failure to make the right decision at once will make the whole thing very difficult if not impossible.问题堆积如山，我们必须尽快地解决Our problems are piling up. We must solve them as quicklyas we can.哨兵每四个小时换一次岗The sentries are relieved every four hours.他的话里带有一点讽刺的味道There was a touch of irony in his remark.童年的回忆渐渐淡漠了Memories of childhood are gradually receding.。
课文翻译高级英语5
Unit6 Where Is the News Leading Us?不久前我应邀参加了一次有关美国报业的作用的公众研讨会。
还有另外两个嘉宾也出席了。
一位是知名的电视节目主持人，另一位是美国一家主要报纸的编辑，他是一位彻头彻尾的新闻工作者---- 在据实报道的方式上坚忍不拔、积极进取且见识过人。
据我所知本次研讨旨在审查传媒的义务，并提出实现那些义务的最佳途径。
在公开讨论时，观众席中的一位男士向两位嘉宾提问，“为什么报纸和电视新闻节目都充斥灾难？为什么新闻界的男男女女对悲剧、暴力、和失败是如此关注？”主持人和编辑作出了回答，好像是自己应该为坏消息的存在而受到谴责一样。
他们说，新闻工作者只负责报道新闻，而不负责制造或修改新闻。
我不认为这两位新闻工作者回答了这个问题。
提出这个问题的先生并没有因为世上的歪曲报道而谴责他们。
他只是想知道为什么报道得最多的是歪曲的事件。
新闻媒体的运作理念似乎是凡是新闻皆坏事。
为什么呢？是不是着重报道负面新闻是一种传统——是新闻工作者所习以为常的对日常事件作出的反应方式？在此或许分析一下我们如何定义“新闻”一词会有所帮助，因为这是问题的起因。
新闻应该是报道过去十二小时，最迟二十四小时内所发生的事情。
然而，突发事件往往具有爆炸性的：一名狙击手枪杀了几名行人，一名恐怖分子劫持了飞机上250名人质，欧佩克石油组织宣布原油价格上涨25%，英国货币又贬值10%，一辆载有放射性废料的卡车与一架水泥搅拌车相撞。
然而，一味聚焦这些报道，则是失真的画面。
人类文明成果远远多于灾难总和。
每种文明中最重要的成分就是进步。
但进步不会立即发生，也没有爆发性。
一般来说，它是一点一滴逐步发展的，在某个特定时刻是微不足察的。
但是所有微小的进步都参与了历史性的巨变的实现，使社会更加美好。
就是这类活生生的历史，绝大多数的新闻媒体没有予以充分的反映，结果导致我们对社会的正面发展了解不足，对灾难却知之甚多，这又使人产生失败和绝望的情绪，而这些情绪易于阻碍社会进步。