L45-1: The power of the press
In democratic countries any efforts to restrict the freedom of the press are rightly condemned. However, this freedom can easily be abused. Stories about people often attract far more public attention than political events. Though we may enjoy reading about the lives of others, it is extremely doubtful whether we would equally enjoy reading about ourselves. Acting on the contention that facts are sacred, reporters can cause untold suffering to individuals by publishing details about their private lives. Newspapers exert such tremendous influence that they can not only bring about major changes to the lives of ordinary people but can even overthrow a government.The story of a poor family that acquired fame and fortune overnight, dramatically illustrates the power of the press. The family lived in Aberdeen, a small town of 23,000 inhabitants in South Dakota. As the parents had five children, life was a perpetual struggle against poverty. They were expecting their sixth child and were faced with even more pressing economic problems. If they had only had one more child, the fact would have passed unnoticed. They would have continued to struggle against economic odds and would have lived in obscurity.
音标:ɛl45-1: ðə ˈpaʊər ɒv ðə prɛs
ɪn ˌdɛməˈkrætɪk ˈkʌntriz ˈɛni ˈɛfəts tuː rɪsˈtrɪkt ðə ˈfriːdəm ɒv ðə prɛs ɑː ˈraɪtli kənˈdɛmd. haʊˈɛvə, ðɪs ˈfriːdəm kæn ˈiːzɪli biː əˈbjuːzd. ˈstɔːriz əˈbaʊt ˈpiːpl ˈɒf(ə)n əˈtrækt fɑː mɔː ˈpʌblɪk əˈtɛnʃ(ə)n ðæn pəˈlɪtɪkəl ɪˈvɛnts. ðəʊ wiː meɪ ɪnˈʤɔɪ ˈriːdɪŋ əˈbaʊt ðə lɪvz ɒv ˈʌðəz, ɪt ɪz ɪksˈtriːmli ˈdaʊtfʊl ˈwɛðə wiː wʊd ˈiːkwəli ɪnˈʤɔɪ ˈriːdɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˌaʊəˈsɛlvz. ˈæktɪŋ ɒn ðə kənˈtɛnʃən ðæt fækts ɑː ˈseɪkrɪd, rɪˈpɔːtəz kæn kɔːz ʌnˈtəʊld ˈsʌfərɪŋ tuː ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz baɪ ˈpʌblɪʃɪŋ ˈdiːteɪlz əˈbaʊt ðeə ˈpraɪvɪt lɪvz. ˈnjuːzˌpeɪpəz ɪgˈzɜːt sʌʧ trɪˈmɛndəs ˈɪnflʊəns ðæt ðeɪ kæn nɒt ˈəʊnli brɪŋ əˈbaʊt ˈmeɪʤə ˈʧeɪnʤɪz tuː ðə lɪvz ɒv ˈɔːdnri ˈpiːpl bʌt kæn ˈiːvən ˈəʊvəθrəʊ ə ˈgʌvnmənt.ðə ˈstɔːri ɒv ə pʊə ˈfæmɪli ðæt əˈkwaɪəd feɪm ænd ˈfɔːʧən ˌəʊvəˈnaɪt, drəˈmætɪk(ə)li ˈɪləstreɪts ðə ˈpaʊər ɒv ðə prɛs. ðə ˈfæmɪli lɪvd ɪn ˌæbəˈdiːn, ə smɔːl taʊn ɒv 23,000 ɪnˈhæbɪtənts ɪn saʊθ dəˈkəʊtə. æz ðə ˈpeərənts hæd faɪv ˈʧɪldrən, laɪf wɒz ə pəˈpɛʧʊəl ˈstrʌgl əˈgɛnst ˈpɒvəti. ðeɪ wɜːr ɪksˈpɛktɪŋ ðeə sɪksθ ʧaɪld ænd wɜː feɪst wɪð ˈiːvən mɔː ˈprɛsɪŋ ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈprɒbləmz. ɪf ðeɪ hæd ˈəʊnli hæd wʌn mɔː ʧaɪld, ðə fækt wʊd hæv pɑːst ʌnˈnəʊtɪst. ðeɪ wʊd hæv kənˈtɪnju(ː)d tuː ˈstrʌgl əˈgɛnst ˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ɒdz ænd wʊd hæv lɪvd ɪn əbˈskjʊərɪti.
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