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Phone Hacking Scandal Shocks U.K. 电话窃听丑闻震惊英国

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On July 10th, News of the World, a British newspaper that had been in business since 1843, announced that it would close down. The end came after a public inquiry into the newspaper’s illegal practices, which included hacking into the phones of celebrities and a teenage murder victim to obtain information for news stories.

在7月10号，《世界新闻报》这家自1843年开始营业的英国报社宣布要歇业。这样的结果出现在针对该报社非法情事展开公开调查之后，这些不法情事包括窃听名人及一名凶杀案受害少女的电话，藉此获得新闻题材相关信息。

In the wake of the investigation of News of the World and its parent company News Corporation, the media company owned by billionaire tycoon Rupert Murdoch, several people in high-profile positions have resigned their posts. London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson stepped down amid charges that he had received luxurious gifts from Neil Wallis, the former executive editor of News of the World, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in hacking phones. Two former editors, Andy Coulson and Rebekah Brooks, were also taken into custody.

《世界新闻报》及其母公司──也就是鲁伯特．梅铎这位巨富及媒体大亨所拥有的「新闻集团」──受到调查后，数名职务为人关注的人员随即辞职。伦敦大都会警局长保罗．史蒂文森爵士身陷收取《世界新闻报》前执行编辑尼尔．瓦利斯贵重礼物的指控后，也辞职下台；而尼尔因涉嫌非法窃听电话遭到逮捕。两位前任编辑安迪．柯森及瑞碧卡．布鲁克也遭到拘留。

Later in July, Rupert Murdoch, his son James, who serves as the chief executive of News Corporation in Europe and Asia, and Brooks were summoned to London to testify before Parliament. The Murdochs denied responsibility for any hacking, and maintained that it was the work of a single “rogue reporter” who had been working with a private detective. The case has called attention to the irresponsible journalism common in the British media, and started a debate on people’s civil rights.

七月底前，鲁伯特．梅铎，他担任新闻集团欧洲及亚洲地区执行长的儿子詹姆士，以及布鲁克已被传唤至伦敦在议会前出庭作证。梅铎父子否认需对任何电话窃听负责，并坚称这一切是一名和私家侦探合作的「流氓记者」所为。这起案件已引起大众对英国媒体普遍存在的不负责任新闻业的关注，并引发人们对于公民权的讨论。

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Vocabulary

单词发音

announce [əˋnaʊns] v. 宣布，发布

close down 关闭;  停业 cease to operate or cause to cease operating

murder [ˋmɝdɚ] v. & n. 谋杀

obtain [əbˋten] v. 得到，获得

resign [rɪˋzaɪn] v. 辞职

step down 辞职 to resign from a high post

luxurious [lʌgˋʒʊrɪəs] adj. 奢侈的

summon [ˋsʌmən] v. 传唤

responsibility [rɪ͵spɑnsəˋbɪlətɪ] n. 责任

detective [dɪˋtɛktɪv] n. 侦探; 警探

call attention to 引起对…的注意  to cause someone, including oneself, or something to be noticed or observed

More Information

单词发音

hack [hæk] v.【非正式】侵入〔他人的计算机系统、电话〕to gain access to (a computer file or network) illegally or without authorization

scandal [ˋskænd!] n. 丑闻

public inquiry [ɪnˋkwaɪrɪ] 公众调查（指政府对事故等向公众进行的咨询调查）

victim [ˋvɪktɪm] n. 受害者

in the wake of something 继...之后 after something; as a result of some event

tycoon [taɪˋkun] n.（企业界的）大亨；巨头

high-profile 引人注目的;  高调的 famous, prominent

post [post] n. 职位；职守

commissioner [kəˋmɪʃənɚ] n.（政府部门的）长，长官

Sir [sɝ] n.（大写）爵士 used as an honorific before the given name or the full name of baronets and knights

arrest [əˋrɛst] v. 逮捕；拘留

alleged [əˋlɛdʒd] adj. 未有证据而被指称的; 涉嫌的

take into custody [ˋkʌstədɪ] 拘捕某人

testify [ˋtɛstə͵faɪ] v. 作证

Parliament [ˋpɑrləmənt] n.（大写）（英国，加拿大等的）国会

maintain [menˋten] v. 坚持；主张  to defend or hold against criticism or attack

rogue [rog] n. 恶棍，流氓

irresponsible [͵ɪrɪˋspɑnsəb!] adj. 不负责任的

civil rights 公民权

Rupert Murdoch to Shut Down News of the World after UK Hacking Scandal