BBC新闻：大众前总裁因尾气门遭起诉
燕山大学 刘立军 编写
◆TRANSCRIPT
Hello, I'm Neil Nunes with the BBC News.
The former chief executive of Volkswagen Martin Winterkorn has been charged in the United States in relation to the diesel emissions scandal. Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to installing software in diesel vehicles to cheat in emissions tests. Mr. Winterkorn resigned over the matter, but denies knowing of any wrongdoing at the time. US prosecutors say he already knew a year earlier. Our business correspondent Joe Miller is in New York.
He's accused of defrauding both the American government and millions of American consumers who bought VW cars, thinking that the emissions that were lower than they actually were. And he's also accused of violating what's known as the Clean Air Act by making false representations to regulators. So these are four charges and really unprecedented in the US both in terms of convictions for generally any corporate executive and what certainly never happens is that a foreign chief executive gets charged in a suit of this scale.
◆VOCABULARY
1. prosecutor n. In some countries, a prosecutor is a lawyer or official who brings charges against someone or tries to prove in a trial that they are guilty. 起诉人; 检察官
2. regulator n. A regulator is a person or organization appointed by a government to regulate an area of activity such as banking or industry. 监管人; 监管机构。例如：An independent regulator will be appointed to ensure fair competition. 一个独立的监管机构将受委派来确保公平竞争。
3. unprecedented adj. If something is unprecedented, it has never happened before. 史无前例。例如：Such a move is rare, but not unprecedented. 这样的举动少见，但并非从来没有过。
◆QUESTIONS
Listen to the news and choose the best answer to each question you hear.
(Q1) Why has the former chief executive of Volkswagen been charged in the United States?
(A) Because of the diesel emissions scandal.
(B) Because of the gasoline emissions scandal.
(C) Because of the engine scandal.
(D) Because of the brake system scandal.
(Q2) What did Volkswagen admit in 2015?
(A) To install software in gasoline vehicles to cheat in emissions tests.
(B) To install software in diesel vehicles to cheat in emissions tests.
(C) To remove software in gasoline vehicles to cheat in emissions tests.
(D) To remove software in diesel vehicles to cheat in emissions tests.
(Q3) What was Mr. Winterkorn's attitude towards the matter?
(A) Resigned and apologized.
(B) Resigned and kept silent.
(C) Resigned but denied.
(D) Resigned but got promotion later.
(Q4) How many charges was Mr. Winterkorn accused of?
(A) One.
(B) Two.
(C) Three.
(D) Four.
◆KEY
(Q1) A。细节题。命题出处：The former chief executive of Volkswagen Martin Winterkorn has been charged in the United States in relation to the diesel emissions scandal.
(Q2) B。细节题。命题出处：Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to installing software in diesel vehicles to cheat in emissions tests.
(Q3) C。细节题。命题出处：Mr. Winterkorn resigned over the matter, but denies knowing of any wrongdoing at the time.
(Q4) D。细节题。命题出处：He's accused of defrauding both the American government and millions of American consumers who bought VW cars, thinking that the emissions that were lower than they actually were. And he's also accused of violating what's known as the Clean Air Act by making false representations to regulators. So these are four charges and really unprecedented in the US both in terms of convictions for generally any corporate executive and what certainly never happens is that a foreign chief executive gets charged in a suit of this scale.