Ⅰ. Since December, when the report came out, the mayor, neighborhood activists and various parent-teacher associations have engaged in a fierce battle over its validity: over the guilt of the steel-casting factory on the western edge of town, over union jobs versus children’s health and over what, if anything, ought to be done. (2009.12 阅读 Text2)

　　【翻译】从12月的新闻报道出来之后，市长、街区活跃分子、各种各样的家长老师联合会都参与到了一场激烈的争论其合法性的战争中：争论小镇西边的钢铸件厂的罪责，争论到底是工会工作重要还是孩子的健康重要，争论到底我们能做什么、该做些什么。

　　【词汇】1. activist n. 积极分子，活动分子

　　例：He is an activist in the union jobs.

　　他是工会工作中的积极分子。

　　2. be engaged in……从事，致力于

　　例：I’m engaged in writing a letter.

　　我忙着写信。

　　3. validity n. 合法性，正确性，有效性

　　例：I have some questions about the validity of his statement.

　　我对他的陈述的合法性有些疑问。

　　4. versus prep. 对抗，与……相对，可简写为：VS

　　例：The most exciting game was Brazil versus Spain.

　　最激动人心的比赛是巴西队对西班牙队。

　　【语法】三个连续的“over”形成排比句，与battle相连，组成a fierce battle over……关于……的战争。

　　Ⅱ. A 2004 report in the journal Pediatrics explained that nervous parents have more to fear from fire, car accidents and drowning than from toxic chemical exposure. (2009.12 阅读 Text2)

　　【翻译】2004年《儿科杂志》的一篇报道解释说：比起暴露在有毒化学物质中，家长更害怕火灾，交通事故和溺水。

　　【词汇】1. pediatrics n. 儿科学

　　例：He received a Master’s degree of pediatrics.

　　他获得了儿科学硕士学位。

　　2. toxic a. 有毒的

　　例：The flower is toxic.

　　这种花有毒。

　　3. exposure n. 暴露，揭发，公开

　　例：Exposure of the skin to the strong sunlight may lead to skin cancer.

　　皮肤受阳光暴晒可能会导致皮肤癌。

　　Ⅲ. Crippling health care bills, long emergency room waits and the inability to find a primary care physician just scratch the surface of the problems that patients face daily. (2009. 12 阅读 Text3)

　　【翻译】巨额的医疗费用，急症室外漫长的等待，以及初级护理医生的匮乏，这些只是病人每天面对的种种问题的冰山一角。

　　【词汇】1. crippling a. 有严重后果的，此指费用高昂的

　　例：He was burdened with crippling debts.

　　他负债累累。

　　2. inability n. 无能，无力

　　例：He feels upset about the inability to speak English.

　　他对于自己不会说英语感到很苦恼。

　　3. physician n. 内科医生;而surgeon 指外科医生

　　4. scratch n. 抓痕，乱写，起跑线

　　例：There's a scratch on the side of my car.

　　我汽车的侧面有一道划痕。

(责任编辑：田学江)