考研英语#2016考研究生英语经济学人热点#疯狂汽车秀 高辛烷值的滑稽 ...

zmh821

Top Gear
疯狂汽车秀
High-octane antics
高辛烷值的滑稽
Motormouth Jeremy Clarkson is suspended from theBBC's hit show
快嘴快舌的杰里米·克拉克森被BBC热门节目停职
WHEN Jeremy Clarkson suggests switching off theVSC on a Toyota GT86 sports car to do better doughnuts around the “Top Gear” test track atDunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey, his audience is more than likely to know what he is talkingabout. That audience is huge: “Top Gear” is the world's most widely watched factual televisionprogramme, with more than 350m viewers in 214 countries. That presents BBC Worldwide, thecommercial arm of the BBC, with a problem, because on March 10th the broadcastersuspended Mr Clarkson for being involved in what it called a “fracas” with one of the show'sproducers. The next episode will not be broadcast and another two may be dropped.
当杰里米·克拉克森在萨里的敦斯福德机场建议将丰田86跑车的车辆稳定性控制系统(VSC)关闭，好让跑车在“疯狂汽车秀”的测试跑道上更好地回旋时，他的观众很可能不知道他到底在说些什么。这个节目观众数量庞大咨询QQ、微信：2544906)。
Mr Clarkson and the show's co-presenters, James May and Richard Hammond, are believed tohave been negotiating new contracts with the BBC. The politically correct and those who havefound themselves the butt of Mr Clarkson's jokes—greens, truck drivers and Mexicans areamong those on a long list—would be happy to see him go. Some think Danny Cohen, theBBC's director of television, shares their feelings: he hinted last year that he did not see thepresenter as “untouchable”.
据说克拉克森和该节目的合作主持人詹姆斯·梅、理查德·哈蒙德一直在与BBC就新合同事宜进行协商。政治倾向正确的人和克拉克森取笑的对象——绿党、货车司机和墨西哥人在这份长名单之列，他们将乐见克拉克森的离开。有一些人认为BBC的电视导演丹尼·科恩和他们有同感：去年克拉克森曾暗示他认为导演并非是“无法企及的”。
The BBC has a strong incentive to overlook Mr Clarkson's transgressions. But it is abureaucratic machine that must try to please everybody, because everybody pays for it. So itcould be that commercial rivals such as ITV and Sky will be taking out their chequebooks tosign Mr Clarkson to present a rival series. They would not be able to use the “Top Gear”brand, but whatever the contracts say it is Mr Clarkson who is the real franchise of this show.An online petition in support of the presenter collected nearly 500,000 signatures in barely 24hours. Mr Clarkson might be seen as an overbearing joker, but that is precisely what his fanslike. And, petrolheads all, they know he is not afraid to call a new car rubbish if he thinks it is.
BBC绝对有忽略克拉克森越矩行为的强烈动机。但它是一架官僚机器，必须取悦每一个人，因为每个人都向它支付费用。所以像ITV和Sky这样的商业对手有可能将拿出支票本签下克拉克森，开创一档竞争栏目。他们无法使用“疯狂汽车秀”的名字，但无论合同怎么说，克拉克森才是节目的真正卖点。支持这位主持人的在线请愿在24小时内收集到了近500，000个签名。也许克拉克森给人的印象是一个自大的爱开玩笑的人，但他的粉丝所喜爱的正是他这一点。而且车迷们都知道如果克拉克森认为一辆新车是垃圾的话，口无遮拦的他毫不讳言。
【重点讲解】
1.switch off 关闭
例句:The boys started to switch off after the firstspeech.
孩子们听完第一个人发言后就开始心不在焉了。
2.road trip n.通过乘/驾车在公路上进行旅行的方式
例句:The coach said his club had wire-tapped thehotel room of a player during a road trip.
教练说他的俱乐部曾经窃听了一名开车旅行的运动员所住宾馆房间的电话。
3.appear to 似乎，好像
例句:By all accounts, Rodger would appear to be a fine fellow.
据说，罗杰是个好小伙。
4.refer to 涉及;指的是
例句:By way of illustration I'll refer to the behavior of rabbits.
我将举例说明兔子的行为。