閱讀passage45原文
　　
    In a democratic society citizens are encouraged to form their own opinions on candidates for public office, taxes, constitutional amendments, environmental concerns, foreign policy, and other issues. The opinions held by any population are shaped and manipulated by several factors: individual circumstances, the mass media, specialinterest groups, and opinion leaders.

    Wealthy people tend to think differently on social issues from poor people. Factory workers probably do not share the same views as whitecollar, nonunion workers. Women employed outside their homes sometimes have perspectives different from those of fulltime homemakers. In these and other ways individual status shapes one's view of current events.

    The mass media, especially television, are powerful influences on the way people think and act. Government officials note how mail from the public tends to" follow the headlines."1) Whatever is featured in newspapers and magazines and on television attracts enough attention that people begin to inform themselves and to express opinions.

    The mass media have also created larger audiences for government and a wider range of pubic issues than existed before. Prior to television and the national editions of newspapers, issues and candidates tended to remain localized. In Great Britain and West Germany, for example, elections to the national legislatures were usually viewed by voters as local contests. Today's elections are seen as struggles between party leaders and programs. In the United States radio and television have been beneficial to the presidency. Since the days of Franklin D.Roosevelt and his "fireside chats," presidents have appealed directly to a national audience over the heads of Congress to advocate their programs.

    Special groups spend vast sums annually trying to influence public opinion. 2)Public utilities, for instance, tried to sway public opinion in favor of nuclear power plants. Opposed to them were citizens' organizations that lobbied to halt the use of nuclear power. During the 1960s the American Medical Association conducted an unsuccessful advertising campaign designed to prevent the passage of medicate.

    Opinion leaders are usually such prominent public figures as politicians, show business personalities, and celebrity athletes. The opinions of these individuals, whether informed and intelligent or not, carry weight with some segments of the population.3) Some individuals, such as Nobel prizewinners, are suddenly thrust into public view by the media. By quickly reaching a large audience, their views gain a hearing and are perhaps influential in shaping views on complex issues.

    閱讀passage45譯文

[FS:PAGE]    在一個民主社會，公民被孤立針對公職競選、稅收、憲法的修正、環境問題、外交政策以及其他事務去發表直接的觀點。任何人所持的觀點都受到好幾個因素的印象和制約：個體狀況、大眾媒體、特殊利益群體以及輿論意見領袖。

    對于社會問題，富人往往和窮人的想法不一樣。工廠里的工人可能同白領、不屬于公會的工人觀點不同。受雇于家庭之外的女性有時和專職家庭主婦的觀點不一樣。在這些方面以及其他方面，個體的狀況決定了他對時事的看法。

    大眾媒體，尤其是電視，對人們的思維和行為模式產生了巨大的影響。政府官員關注的是普通大眾的觀點如何“受新聞報道的影響”。無論報紙雜志和電視播報什么內容都會吸引人們足夠的主意，他們開始了解這些內容，并且開始表達自己的觀點。

    與之前相比，大眾媒體也為政府帶來了更多的觀眾，引發了更廣發的公共問題。在出現電視和全國發行的報紙之前，社會問題和精選活動往往局限在地方。比如，在英國和前聯邦德國(西德)，選民過去常常把國家立法機關的選舉看做是地方精選活動。如今的選舉被看做是正當領袖與施政綱領之間的角逐。在美國，無線廣播和電視的言論一直對總統有利，從富蘭克林D.羅斯福和他的“爐邊閑談”時期以來，總統已經越過議會議長，直接訴諸于全國的聽眾，宣傳自己的施政綱領。

    特殊利益群體每年都花大量的金錢盡量影響公眾輿論。比如，公用事業部門盡量左右公眾輿論，以便支持興建核電站，市民組織反對興建核電站，這些組織到處游說，希望取締核能的使用。20世紀60年代，美國醫療協會掀起了一場廣告宣傳活動，企圖組織醫療保障方案的通過，但是沒有取得成功。

    輿論引導者通常是政治家、娛樂界人士以及著名運動員這樣的著名公眾人物。這些人的意見，無論是否有見解、是否明智，都會影響某些公眾。有些人，比如諾貝爾獎獲得者，會突然通過媒體出現在公眾面前;通過迅速接近大量的觀眾(聽眾)，他們的意見有了被人了解的機會，并且可能影響人們對復雜問題的觀點。

    閱讀passage45長難句分析

    1) Whatever is featured in newspapers and magazines and on television attracts enough attention that people begin to inform themselves and to express opinions.

    【解析】主句：Whatever is featured attracts enough attention…。Whatever引導的是主語從句;in newspapers…短語做狀語;that引導的是attention的同位語從句。Feature應譯為播報;inform themselves應譯為使自己了解…

    【譯文】無論報紙雜志和電視播報什么內容都會引起人們足夠的主意，他們開始了解這些內容，并且開始表達自己的觀點。

    2) Public utilities, for instance, tried to sway public opinion in favor of nuclear power plants. Opposed to them were citizens' organizations that lobbied to halt the use of nuclear power.

    【解析】主句是Public utilities tried to sway public opinion… opposed to them were citizens' organizations。For instance是插入語;in favor of修飾opinion;that引導的定語從句修飾organizations。 Sway應譯為左右;opinion應譯為輿論;halt譯為取締;

    【譯文】比如，公用事業部門盡量左右公眾輿論，以便支持興建核電站，市民組織反對興建核電站，這些組織到處游說，希望取締核能的使用。

[FS:PAGE]    3) Some individuals, such as Nobel prizewinners, are suddenly thrust into public view by the media. By quickly reaching a large audience, their views gain a hearing and are perhaps influential in shaping views on complex issues.

    【解析】主句是Some individuals, such as Nobel prizewinners, are suddenly thrust into public view…;their views gain a hearing and are perhaps influential…。Such as插入語，舉例說明individuals;by quickly reaching短語做狀語;in shaping短語做狀語。Thrust into譯為出現;gain a hearing譯為被人了解的機會。

    【譯文】有些人，比如諾貝爾獎獲得者，會突然通過媒體出現在公眾面前;通過迅速接近大量的觀眾(聽眾)，他們的意見有了被人了解的機會，并且可能影響人們對復雜問題的觀點。