新闻阅读的根本目的是获取信息，尤其是时效性强的信息，然而，更多的读者恐怕是仅仅满足于信息获取，却常常忽略所获取信息的来源，即关于信息的时间和出处及其真实和可靠性。如果说，作为母语的新闻阅读忽略信息源对信息的接收和处理影响有限的话，因为母语阅读者具有深厚的关于信息的社会文化背景知识，而作为外语学习的英语新闻阅读对于信息源的确认和确信则不是可有可无的，因为非母语阅读者关于非母语的社会文化背景知识是非常有限的，因此，如果对于信息源不够专注的话很有可能对信息的获取造成相当大的影响，难以获得完整的信息。所以，对于英语学习者和爱好者来说，在阅读英语新闻的过程中，特别关注信息源并注意持续加强相关的背景知识的了解和学习是非常必要的，不仅有助于强化英语学习，而且更有助于完整和准确地获取信息，以达到接近母语新闻阅读者的水平和能力。以下为读者提供的新闻报道包含相当多的信息，同时也提供了相应的信息源，读者可以尝试特别关注信息源及其背景知识。
一、信息源及其背景知识
1. Johns Hopkins University：指约翰·霍普金斯大学系统科学与工程中心（the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University），是关于COVID-19信息的权威发布机构。
2. Coronavirus Task Force：冠状病毒特别工作组：特朗普总统在一月份任命的一个特别工作组，由副总统迈克·彭斯领导，成员包括杰罗姆·亚当斯、亚历克斯·阿扎尔、西玛·韦尔马、黛博拉·比尔克斯和安东尼·福奇。（President Trump appointed a task force in January to develop a U.S. response to the potential crisis. Vice President Mike Pence was appointed in February by President Trump to head a task force charged with leading the federal government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak. The current coronavirus task force members include Jerome Adams, Alex Azar and Seema Verma, Deborah Birx and Anthony Fauci.）
3. Dr. Deborah Birx：德博拉·伯克斯博士，2月底被任命为白宫冠状病毒应对协调员，同时担任美国国务院全球艾滋病协调员和美国全球卫生外交特别代表，世界著名的医学专家，曾在全球抗击艾滋病毒/艾滋病方面广有建树。（Deborah Birx was appointed as the White House coronavirus response coordinator in late February, is a world-renowned medical expert and has worked extensively in the global fight against HIV/AIDS -- both as the State Department's U.S. global AIDS coordinator and as the U.S. special representative for global health diplomacy.）
4. Dr. Anthony Fauci：安东尼·福奇博士，国家过敏和传染病研究所所长，在治疗各种免疫介导和传染病，包括呼吸道感染、腹泻病、结核病和疟疾，以及埃博拉和寨卡等新疾病方面卓有建树并在相关机构担任多种职务。（Dr. Anthony Fauci is head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). He's made numerous contributions to research and his portfolio at the agency includes the treatment of various immune-mediated and infectious diseases, including respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, tuberculosis, and malaria as well as emerging diseases such as Ebola and Zika.）
二、英语新闻报道原文
More than 10,000 People Have Now Died of Coronavirus in the United States
More than 10,000 people have died in the United States after testing positive for the new coronavirus, Johns Hopkins University reported Monday.
The nation's updated fatality count—which climbed to 10,335 on April 6—now represents roughly 14 percent of the global total.
Worldwide, at least 72,600 deaths have occurred as a result of COVID-19 infections and upward of 1.3 million cases of the virus have been confirmed since late December. The U.S. is now considered the pandemic's epicenter, surpassing 347,000 positive cases Monday afternoon. About 91 percent of those cases were active, meaning close to 318,000 people diagnosed with the illness still carried the infection.
The U.S. death toll has been eclipsed only by those of Italy and Spain, which have now respectively reported 16,523 and 13,169 fatalities related to COVID-19. Despite fewer deaths, as of Monday, the U.S. has confirmed more positive cases of the virus than both countries combined, and White House officials warned last week that the nation could ultimately see a surge in domestic fatalities as the outbreak approaches its peak.
Though an exact timeline for the expected U.S. trajectory of the virus has not been specified, President Donald Trump's foreboding remarks during Saturday's Coronavirus Task Force briefing suggested that this upcoming week would be particularly devastating.
"This will be probably the toughest week between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death," he warned the public, noting that the White House's social distancing advisory—recently extended until at least April 30—would likely reduce the human cost significantly. "But there will be death," he said. Last Tuesday, Coronavirus Task Force members Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci projected that COVID-19 could take between 100,000 and 240,000 U.S. lives overall, even with containment measures in place.
New York has experienced the highest density of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., having reported more than 130,000 positive diagnoses and at least 4,700 deaths. New York City has shouldered the bulk of the virus' impact and has expanded its hospital bed capacity to accommodate an influx of patients. In terms of statewide figures, New Jersey, Michigan and California trailed New York's total with 37,505, 15,718 and 15,201 confirmed cases as of Monday afternoon.
三、新闻报道译文
美国已有一万多人死于冠状病毒
据约翰霍普金斯大学周一报道，美国已有一万多人新型冠状病毒检测呈阳性后死亡。
美国最新的死亡人数——4月6日攀升至10,335人——目前约占全球死亡人数的14%。
全世界至少有72,600人死于COVID-19感染，自12月下旬以来确诊病例多达130万例。美国现在被认为是大流行的中心，周一下午阳性病例超过34.7万例。其中约91%为活跃病例，意味着确诊该疾病的近31.8万人仍然存在感染。
美国的死亡人数仅低于意大利和西班牙，意大利和西班牙目前分别报告COVID-19相关死亡人数16,523人和13,169人。尽管美国的死亡人数相对较少，但截止周一，美国病毒呈阳性确诊病例比这两国的总和还要多，白宫官员上周警告说，随着疫情接近高峰，美国国内死亡人数最终可能会激增。
尽管预测的美国的病毒发展轨迹确切时间表尚未明确，但唐纳德·特朗普总统在周六的冠状病毒特别工作组简报会上的预感言论表明，未来一周将极具破坏性。
"本周到下周，可能是最艰难的一周，而且将会有很多人死亡，"他警告公众并指出，白宫的社交距离公告——最近延长到至少4月30日——可能会极大降低人员损失。"但会有死亡，"他说。上周二，冠状病毒特别工作组成员黛博拉·伯克斯博士和安东尼·福奇博士预测，即使抑制措施就位，COVID-19可能总共会夺去10万至24万美国人的生命。
纽约的COVID-19病例是美国最密集的，报告阳性确诊病例超过13万例和死亡病例至少4,700例。病毒给纽约市造成了巨大的影响，该市为容纳大量涌入的患者扩充了医院的病床容量。从各州范围的数字来看，截止周一下午，新泽西州、密歇根州和加利福尼亚州的确诊病例总数居于纽约州之后，分别为37,505例、15,718例和15,201例。
四、词汇释义：
test positive：检测呈阳性
updated：最新的
fatality count：死亡统计数
represent：相当于，等于
roughly：大约
global total：全球总计
confirm：确认
pandemic：大流行
epicenter：中心，震中
surpass：超过
diagnose：诊断
eclipse：使…黯然失色，使…相形见绌
respectively：分别
ultimately：最终
surge：激增
domestic：国内的
outbreak：爆发
approach：接近
trajectory：（运行）轨迹
specify：明确说明
forebode：预示，预感
task force：特别工作组，行动组
briefing：简报会
devastating：破坏性的，毁灭性的
social distancing：（保持）社交距离
advisory：公告，通告
extend：扩展
human cost：人员损失
project：预测
containment：遏制，抑制
in place：就位
density：密度
shoulder：承担，承受
bulk：大部分
expand：扩大
capacity：能力，容量
accommodate：容纳
influx：涌入
trail：落后，随后
五、难句解析：
1. About 91 percent of those cases were active, meaning close to 318,000 people diagnosed with the illness still carried the infection.
——本句的特色是现在分词引导宾语从句作状语，其中从句的主语因含有后置定语与谓语形成分隔造成一定的理解障碍。
——About 91 percent of those cases were active——主句，About 91 percent——主语，of those cases——后置定语，were active——谓语（系表结构）
——meaning——状语，现在分词，与about 91 percent构成逻辑主谓关系，同时引导宾语从句
——close to 318,000 people diagnosed with the illness still carried the infection宾语从句，close to 318,000 people——从句主语，diagnosed with the illness——过去分词短语，后置短语，still——状语，carried the infection——谓语，动宾结构。
2. The U.S. death toll has been eclipsed only by those of Italy and Spain, which have now respectively reported 16,523 and 13,169 fatalities related to COVID-19.
——本句的特色是形象描述，eclipse的表面意思是（使）发生月食、月食的意思，实际含义是（使）相形见绌/黯然失色的意思。
——The U.S. death toll has been eclipsed only by those of Italy and Spain——主句，The U.S. death toll——主语，has been eclipsed——谓语，被动语态完成时，only——状语，by those of Italy and Spain——状语，表示施动者。
——which have now respectively reported 16,523 and 13,169 fatalities related to COVID-19——定语从句，which——关系代词，代指Italy and Spain，从句主语， have now respectively reported——谓语，完成时，16,523 and 13,169 fatalities——宾语，related to COVID-19——过去分词短语，后置定语。
3. Despite fewer deaths, as of Monday, the U.S. has confirmed more positive cases of the virus than both countries combined, and White House officials warned last week that the nation could ultimately see a surge in domestic fatalities as the outbreak approaches its peak.
——本句的特色是并列句叠加从句，状语置后，与汉语语序有一定的差别。
——Despite fewer deaths——状语，as of Monday——状语，两个状语前置连用，便于句子平衡。
——the U.S. has confirmed more positive cases of the virus than both countries combined——主句，比较级，combined——后置定语。
——White House officials warned last week that… 并列主句，White House officials——主语，warned——谓语，last week ——状语，that——连接词，引导宾语从句。
——the nation could ultimately see a surge in domestic fatalities——宾语从句，the nation——状语，could… see——谓语，ultimately——状语，a surge——宾语，in domestic fatalities——状语。
——as the outbreak approaches its peak——状语从句，as——连接词，the outbreak——主语，approaches——谓语，its peak——宾语。
4. "This will be probably the toughest week between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death," he warned the public, noting that the White House's social distancing advisory—recently extended until at least April 30—would likely reduce the human cost significantly.
——本句是比较典型的新闻报道句式，即引用信息源，信息比较多，句子比较长，对句子的理解造成比较大的影响。
——"This will be probably the toughest week between this week and next week, and there will be a lot of death,"——直接引语，语序比较灵活，可置于主句谓语动词之前，语法上，可看作是宾语从句，本句为并列主谓结构。
——he warned the public——主句，he——主语，warned——谓语，引导双宾语，前置的直接引语是直接宾语，the public是间接宾语。
——noting that…——主语，现在分词，that——连接词，引导宾语从句。
——the White House's social distancing advisory… would likely reduce the human cost significantly——宾语从句，the White House's social distancing advisory——主语，would… reduce——谓语，the human cost——宾语，likely和significantly——状语。
———recently extended until at least April 30———破折号，解释说明，语法上相当于过去分词引导的后置定语。
5. Last Tuesday, Coronavirus Task Force members Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci projected that COVID-19 could take between 100,000 and 240,000 U.S. lives overall, even with containment measures in place.
——本句的特色是独立主格，with+名词+介词，even with containment measures in place，even——状语，with——介词，containment measures——介词宾语， in place——宾语补足语。
——Last Tuesday, Coronavirus Task Force members Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci projected that…——主句，Last Tuesday——状语，Coronavirus Task Force members Dr. Deborah Birx and Dr. Anthony Fauci——主语，projected——谓语，that…——宾语从句，that——连接词，引导宾语从句。
——COVID-19 could take between 100,000 and 240,000 U.S. lives overall——宾语从句，COVID-19——主语，could take——谓语，between 100,000 and 240,000 U.S. lives——宾语，overall——状语。
