Food Contamination
From time immemorial, food contamination has become a common phenomenon in China, ranging from poisonous milk power to the plasticizers in huge quantities of Taiwan-manufactured beverages and food exported to the mainland. The public has experienced so many crises of food contamination that only the most deadly cases would create some sensations, which soon pass into oblivion with the quick occurrence of new ones.
Food contamination is indisputably detrimental. The poisonous milk power has bereaved many young couples of their innocent and lovely new babes. Some contaminated foods lead to irreversible and chronic diseases. Some affected individuals, though without visible aftermaths, may suffer from lingering psychological trauma. However, the hazards produced by food contamination are more moral than physiologicalwith contamination cases cropping up here and there, the credibility of the entire society has been ruined and people find nothing and nobody to be trustworthy.
Technically, food contamination is caused by the introduction of illegal additives and non-edible chemical substances into the manufactured food. Morally, it results from the sheer drive for profitability by gluttonous merchants who use cheaper, and often harmful, substitutes, all at the expense of the physical welfare of the public. To address the problem, some appeal to the moral conscience of the businessmen. But the high frequency at which contamination cases have happened makes this moral appeal feeble and futile. The ultimate solution lies in lawthe profit-minded businessmen would not have a penitent heart unless they are driven to bankruptcy and taken into jail!
【参考译文】
食品污染
已记不得从何时起，食品污染在中国已成为一种司空见惯的现象，稍前有毒奶粉事件，稍近则有台湾制造并输入至大陆的大量饮料与食品中的塑化剂。民众在经历了如此之多的食品污染危机之后，以至于只有最为致命的个案才会激起一些涟漪，但随着新危机的快速涌现，此前的危机很快就被人淡忘。
无可辩驳的是，食品污染危害极大。毒奶粉已夺走了许多年轻夫妇们的无辜、可爱的新生儿。有些遭到污染的食物，可以导致不可逆转的慢性疾病。有些受有毒食品影响的个体，虽然并无显著的后遗症，也会遭受久久挥之不去的心理创伤的折磨。但是，食物污染所造成的危害与其说是生理层面上的，还不如说是道德层面上的。随着污染个案此起彼伏，层出不穷，整个社会的诚信已被摧毁殆尽。人们发现，任何人，任何事，都不值得信赖。
从技术上讲，食物污染是由于非法添加剂或非食用性化学物被引入到所制造的食物中。但在道德层面，它则源自利欲熏心的商人对利润的不择手段的追逐。他们采用成本更为低廉、且往往是有害的替代品，罔顾民众的身体健康。为了解决这一问题，有些人诉诸于商家的道德良知。但是，食品污染事件如此高频率的重复发生，已使这一道德诉求苍白无力，徒劳无效。终极的解决之道只有一个，那就是法律。满脑子想着如何赚钱的不良商家是绝不会心存忏悔的，除非将他们逼至破产的境地，或令其锒铛入狱！
【值得熟记的句式与短语】
1. From time immemorial已记不得从何时起，自古以来
2. a common phenomenon一种司空见惯的现象
3. poisonous milk power有毒奶粉
4. the most deadly cases最为致命的个案
5. create sensations引起轰动
6. pass into oblivion逐渐被忘却
7. bereave of使失去
8. irreversible and chronic diseases不可逆转的慢性疾病
9. lingering psychological trauma久久挥之不去的心理创伤
10. crop up here and there层出不穷
11. illegal additives非法添加剂
12. non-edible chemical substances非食用性化学物
13. sheer drive for profitability对利润的不择手段的追逐
14. gluttonous merchants利欲熏心的商人
15. at the expense of以为代价
16. To address the problem为了解决这一问题
17. moral conscience道德良知
18. feeble and futile苍白无力
19. The ultimate solution lies in law终极的解决之道只有一个，那就是法律。
20. a penitent heart心存忏悔