今日這篇推送主要圍繞紐約時(shí)報(bào)的相關(guān)報(bào)道。中英雙語都選自《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》。筆記為譯群人團(tuán)隊(duì)原創(chuàng)，非商業(yè)用途。

For the first time in American history, a former president of the United States has been indicted on criminal charges. It is worth pausing to repeat that: An American president has been indicted for a crime for the first time in history.

這是美國歷史上首次有美國前總統(tǒng)遭受刑事指控。有必要再強(qiáng)調(diào)一遍：有史以來第一次，一位美國總統(tǒng)遭到犯罪起訴。

[寫作]It is worth pausing to repeat that...字面意思是“值得暫停一下來重復(fù)一遍”，通常用于強(qiáng)調(diào)之前說過的一句話或重要的觀點(diǎn)?？梢苑旁谖恼麻_頭引出中心思想或結(jié)尾總結(jié)全文主旨，比如寫環(huán)保主題：

It is worth pausing to repeat that we need to take action to protect our planet for future generations.

寫教育：It is worth pausing to repeat that education is the key to success.

寫誠實(shí)守信：It is worth pausing to repeat that honesty is the best policy.

So many unthinkable firsts have occurred since Donald J. Trump was elected to the White House in 2016, so many inviolable lines have been crossed, so many unimaginable events have shocked the world that it is easy to lose sight of just how astonishing this particular moment really is.

自特朗普2016年入主白宮以來，發(fā)生了太多不可想象的第一次，有太多不可侵犯的界限被逾越，太多難以理喻的事件震驚世界，以至于很容易就會(huì)忽視這一特殊時(shí)刻到底是多么不可思議。

[寫作]So many unthinkable firsts have occurred since... 這句話中，First做名詞：[ Cusually sing. ] an achievement, event, etc., never done or experienced before 空前的成就；前所未有的事情

We went on a cruise, a first for both of us. 我倆都是平生第一次去海上旅游。

這個(gè)句式可以用來表達(dá)某個(gè)時(shí)間點(diǎn)后發(fā)生了很多令人難以想象的首次事件或突破性進(jìn)展，后面可以用from... to..., such as..., including...等列舉這些突破性進(jìn)展或難以想象的首例。以下是幾個(gè)例子：

Since the inception of modern physics, so many unthinkable firsts have occurred, from the discovery of the electron to the detection of gravitational waves.自現(xiàn)代物理學(xué)創(chuàng)立以來，發(fā)生了很多前所未有的事情，包括發(fā)現(xiàn)電子和探測引力波。（source: 科學(xué)美國人）

寫人類對地球的探索永無止境：In the history of human exploration, so many unthinkable firsts have occurred since the first voyage to the New World, from reaching the summit of Mount Everest to diving to the deepest parts of the ocean.

寫互聯(lián)網(wǎng)如何改變了我們的生活：So many unthinkable firsts have occurred since the invention of the internet, such as online shopping and social media.

For all of the focus on the tawdry details of the case or its novel legal theory or its political impact, the larger story is of a country heading down a road it has never traveled before, one fraught with profound consequences for the health of the world’s oldest democracy. For more than two centuries, presidents have been held on a pedestal, even the ones swathed in scandal, declared immune from prosecution while in office and, effectively, even afterward.

此案的種種粗鄙的細(xì)節(jié)及其涉及的新奇法律理論和政治影響承載了所有關(guān)注的目光，但它更廣泛的意義還在于，一個(gè)國家就這樣踏上了從未涉足之路，這將對世界最古老的民主政體的興衰產(chǎn)生深遠(yuǎn)影響。兩百多年來，總統(tǒng)之位神圣不可侵犯，即便深陷丑聞，總統(tǒng)也能在任職期間——甚至卸任以后——免于起訴。

tawdryadj. /?t??dri/ ( disapproving) involving low moral standards; extremely unpleasant or offensive 粗俗的；下流的；卑鄙的；卑污的

a tawdry affair 卑鄙下流的勾當(dāng)

Story: ~ (about/of sth/sb) an account, often spoken, of what happened to sb or of how sth happened （真實(shí)情況的）敘述，描述

It was many years before the full story was made public. 許多年之后，事情的全貌才公之于眾。The police didn't believe her story. 警方不相信她對事情的描述。

We must stick to our story about the accident. 對事故的說法我們必須一口咬定，再不改口。

I can't decide until I've heard both sides of the story . 雙方的說法都聽了以后我才能作決定。

It's a story of courage. 這件事真體現(xiàn)了勇氣。

Many years later I returned to Africa but that's another story (= I am not going to talk about it now) . 多年以后我又重返非洲，不過這是后話了。

[寫作]head down a road it has never traveled before，這個(gè)句式可以用于描述一個(gè)組織、個(gè)人或團(tuán)隊(duì)開始探索新的領(lǐng)域或嘗試新的事物，進(jìn)入未知領(lǐng)域。

比如最近的熱點(diǎn)ChatGPT，我們可以這樣寫它的開發(fā)者Open AI公司：The company is heading down a road it has never traveled before, as it explores the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning to revolutionize the industry.

講到氣候問題嚴(yán)峻，能源業(yè)要謀求新路子，從化石能源轉(zhuǎn)向可持續(xù)再生能源，我們可以寫：With increasing concerns about climate change, the energy industry is heading down a road it has never traveled before, as it shifts away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources.

講到過去幾年的疫情對教育方式的影響時(shí)，我們可以寫：The COVID-19 pandemic has forced the education industry to head down a road it has never traveled before, as remote learning becomes the new normal.

fraughtadj. /fr??t/ ~ with sth filled with sth unpleasant 充滿（不愉快事物）的

a situation fraught with danger/difficulty/problems 充滿危險(xiǎn)╱困難重重╱問題成堆的局面

[語法] 同位語

the larger story is of a country heading down a road it has never traveled before, one fraught with profound consequences for the health of the world’s oldest democracy.

這句話中，one指代a road，可以看作是與a road互為同位語，fraught with是one的后置定語，進(jìn)一步修飾one，也就是the road，這是一條怎樣的道路？充滿了深遠(yuǎn)影響的道路。值得一提的是，the world’s oldest democracy指代的是美國，英文寫作中可以嘗試使用這種換詞，讓文章更好讀，語言更豐富。

[寫作]To put/place sb on a pedestal: to admire sb so much that you do not see their faults 把某人奉為完人；盲目崇拜某人如果要表達(dá)把某人拉下神壇呢？

knock sb off his/her pedestal/perch。比如最近某位冠軍先生涉賭還拿明星前女友私密視頻還債的丑聞，就可以這么寫：

Chinese Olympic gold medalist Zhang Jike has been accused of using intimate videos of his former girlfriend to buy more time to pay off his debts, which has knocked this multi-time winner off his pedestal/perch.

這句話中的this multi-time winner跟上面說的the world’s oldest democracy一樣，也是對這位冠軍先生的另一種換詞描述。

No longer. That taboo has been broken. A new precedent has been set. Will it tear the country apart, as some feared about putting a former president on trial after Watergate? Will it be seen by many at home and abroad as victor’s justice akin to developing nations where former leaders are imprisoned by their successors? Or will it become a moment of reckoning, a sign that even someone who was once the most powerful person on the planet is not above the law?

歷史先例不再適用。這一禁忌已被打破。新的先例已經(jīng)確立。前總統(tǒng)受審是否會(huì)使得這個(gè)國家分裂，就像水門事件后一些人所擔(dān)憂的那樣？國內(nèi)外是否會(huì)有很多人將其視為勝利者的正義，就像繼任領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人將前任投入大牢的發(fā)展中國家一樣？亦或者，這會(huì)成為一個(gè)清算時(shí)刻，表明即使是這個(gè)星球上曾經(jīng)最有權(quán)勢的人也不能凌駕于法律之上？

Tear apart或tear to shreds/bits這個(gè)詞組可以表達(dá)很多意思，比如這段話中出現(xiàn)的，令國家分裂，分崩離析：tear a country apart這個(gè)詞組還可以表示徹底毀滅、徹底擊敗誰，比如：

We tore the other team apart in the second half. 我們在下半場把對方球隊(duì)打得落花流水。還可以表示嚴(yán)厲批評，此時(shí)：The critics tore his last movie to shreds. 影評家把他最近的一部影片說得一無是處。順便再復(fù)習(xí)一下之前提到過的關(guān)于“炮轟、批評”的詞條：盤一盤“吐槽”的花式英文表達(dá)

Reckoning: [ C ] [ usually sing.U ] a time when sb's actions will be judged to be right or wrong and they may be punished 最后審判日；算總賬

In the final reckoning truth is rewarded. 在最后算總賬的時(shí)候，誠實(shí)的人會(huì)有好報(bào)。

Officials concerned with environmental policy predict that a day of reckoning will come. 擔(dān)心環(huán)境政策的官員們預(yù)言總有一天人們會(huì)受到報(bào)應(yīng)。

If that were not enough to shake the timbers of the republic, the first may not be the last. Mr. Trump could face a second indictment in Georgia and a third from federal prosecutors and potentially even a fourth.

暫不論這是否足以動(dòng)搖共和國的根基，破天荒的起訴或許不會(huì)到此為止。特朗普可能會(huì)在佐治亞州面臨第二次起訴，以及來自聯(lián)邦檢察官的第三次，甚至第四次起訴。

[語法]虛擬語氣

If that were not enough to shake the timbers of the republic,在這個(gè)句子中，使用了虛擬語氣的形式"were not"，表示一種虛擬的情況，即"如果這還不足以震動(dòng)共和國的根基"。在這種情況下，這是一種假設(shè)的語氣，因?yàn)楝F(xiàn)實(shí)情況可能與所描述的情況不同。這個(gè)句子的意思是，如果之前描述的情況還不足以引起共和國基礎(chǔ)的震動(dòng)，那么接下來描述的事情可能會(huì)更加嚴(yán)重或驚人。作者使用虛擬語氣是為了強(qiáng)調(diào)他所描述的情況的重要性和影響力。虛擬語氣的幾個(gè)常見句型：

• 條件從句與現(xiàn)在事實(shí)不一致，其句型為：

If ＋主語＋過去時(shí)，主語＋ should (could, would, 或might) ＋動(dòng)詞原形If I were you, I would study hard.If it rained, I would not be here now.

• 條件從句與過去事實(shí)不一致，其句型為：

If ＋主語＋had＋過去分詞，主語＋ should（could, would, 或might）＋ have ＋過去分詞If the doctor had come last night, the boy would have been saved.If I had not studied hard, I would have failed in the exam last term.

• 條件從句與將來事實(shí)不一致，其句型為：

If ＋主語＋過去時(shí)/ should ＋動(dòng)詞原形/ were to＋動(dòng)詞原形，主語＋ should (could, would, 或might) ＋動(dòng)詞原形If it should rain tomorrow, we would stay at home.If I were to go to the moon one day, I could see it with my own eyes.If you missed the film tonight, you would feel sorry.

There is consternation that the barrier-shattering indictment would involve something as unseemly as paying hush money to cover up a sexual romp. Given that the defendant has been involved in far more earth-shattering events like trying to overturn an election and inspiring an attack on the Capitol to prevent the transfer of power, the allegations by Manhattan prosecutors seem less than epochal.

讓人始料未及的是，這場打破藩籬的起訴涉及支付封口費(fèi)掩蓋桃色丑聞這種不體面的事體?？紤]到被告人曾經(jīng)參與的那些更為驚天動(dòng)地的事件——從試圖推翻選舉到煽動(dòng)對國會(huì)山發(fā)起襲擊以阻止權(quán)力移交，曼哈頓檢方提起的指控似乎沒有那么強(qiáng)烈的劃時(shí)代意義。

consternationn. /?k?nst??ne??n/ [ U ] ( formal ) a worried, sad feeling after you have received an unpleasant surprise SYN dismay 驚愕；驚恐

The announcement of her retirement caused consternation among tennis fans. 她宣布掛拍告退的消息引起了網(wǎng)球迷的震驚。

unseemlyadj. /?n?si?mli/ ( old-fashioned formal ) ( of behaviour, etc. 行為等 ) not polite or suitable for a particular situation 不禮貌的；不得體的；不相宜的

hush moneyn. [ U ] money that is paid to sb to prevent them from giving other people information that could be embarrassing or damaging 封嘴錢（用于防止某人透露令人尷尬或有損害的消息）

romp/r?mp/ ( often used in newspapers 常用于報(bào)章 )[ C ] an enjoyable sexual experience that is not serious 風(fēng)流韻事

politicians involved in sex romps with call girls 與電話應(yīng)召女郎發(fā)生風(fēng)流艷情的政治人物

注意這個(gè)詞還可以表示（體育競賽中的）輕而易舉的勝利：They won in a 5–1 romp. 他們以5：1輕松取勝。

But if the issue is accountability, then the case could redraw the lines and make it less daunting for prosecutors in Georgia and Washington to follow suit by charging more serious crimes if they have the evidence, since they will not have to bear the burden of justifying action never taken before. Leave it to the only president ever impeached in Congress twice to face so many prosecutions that lawyers need a scorecard just to keep track.

但重點(diǎn)若在于問責(zé)，那此案可能會(huì)重新劃定界限，減輕佐治亞州和華盛頓檢察官跟進(jìn)的壓力，在掌握證據(jù)的情況下提出更嚴(yán)重的指控，因?yàn)樗麄儫o需再承受為前所未有之舉辯護(hù)的負(fù)擔(dān)。就讓這些多到需要律師用記分卡統(tǒng)計(jì)的起訴全留給這唯一一位在國會(huì)被彈劾兩次的總統(tǒng)吧。

daunting/?d??nt??/ ADJ Something that is daunting makes you feel slightly afraid or worried about dealing with it. 使人畏縮的

He and his wife Jane were faced with the daunting task of restoring the gardens to their former splendour. 他和他的妻子簡當(dāng)時(shí)面臨著恢復(fù)花園昔日風(fēng)采的艱巨任務(wù)。

Justify: ~ sth/yourself (to sb) to give an explanation or excuse for sth or for doing sth 對…作出解釋；為…辯解（或辯護(hù)）[ VN ]

The Prime Minister has been asked to justify the decision to Parliament. 要求首相就這一決定向議會(huì)作出解釋。

You don't need to justify yourself to me. 你不必向我解釋你的理由。[ also V -ingalso VN -ing ]

scorecardn. /?sk??kɑ?d/ a card or piece of paper that people watching or playing a game can use to write the score on, or on which the score can be officially recorded 記分卡

Scorecard的作用是幫助人們更好地理解和比較復(fù)雜的信息，并且可以幫助人們更好地做出決策。比如：

The company uses a scorecard to track its progress towards its sustainability goals. 這家公司使用計(jì)分卡來跟蹤其實(shí)現(xiàn)可持續(xù)發(fā)展目標(biāo)的進(jìn)展情況。

The coach uses a scorecard to evaluate the performance of each player on the team. 這個(gè)教練使用計(jì)分卡來評估團(tuán)隊(duì)中每個(gè)球員的表現(xiàn)。

The school district uses a scorecard to measure the academic achievement of its students across different subject areas. 這個(gè)校區(qū)使用計(jì)分卡來衡量學(xué)生在不同學(xué)科領(lǐng)域的學(xué)業(yè)成就。

The investment firm uses a scorecard to compare the performance of different stocks in its portfolio. 這家投資公司使用計(jì)分卡來比較其投資組合中不同股票的表現(xiàn)。

因此，在Leave it to the only president ever impeached in Congress twice to face so many prosecutions that lawyers need a scorecard just to keep track.這個(gè)句子中，scorecard一詞是為了強(qiáng)調(diào)律師們需要面對繁多復(fù)雜的起訴，從側(cè)面暗示這個(gè)總統(tǒng)面臨的法律問題數(shù)量之多和嚴(yán)重性。

本專題完。