The story of a poor family that acquired fame and fortune overnight, dramatically illustrates the power of the press.

acquire fame and fortune overnight ^{讯速成名获利}

• With the success of their first record, they acquired fame and fortune overnight.

illustrate ^{v. to make the meaning of sth clearer by using examples, pictures, etc. （用例子、图表 等）说明，阐明}

• To illustrate my point, let me tell you a little story.
• The lecturer illustrated his point with a diagram on the blackboard.

amply / clearly / dramatically / graphically / vividly illustrate … ^{充分/清楚/戏剧性/生动地说明…}

• One example may amply illustrate this point.
• The example of the United States graphically illustrates this point.

The example of an obscure shampoo that became a household name overnight, dramatically illustrates the power of advertising.^{一个原本默默无闻的洗发水迅速变得家喻户晓的例子戏剧化 地说明了广告宣传的力量。}

The family lived in Aberdeen, a small town of 23, 000 inhabitants in South Dakota.

a town of 11,000 inhabitants  ^{有11000名居民的小镇}

• a city of six million inhabitants ^{一座有六百万居民的城市}
• a school of 1,200 students ^{一所有1200名学生的学校}

As the parents had five children, life was a perpetual struggle against poverty.

As the parents had five children, they perpetually struggled against poverty.  ^中式英语

• The life of a Christian is a perpetual struggle against self. ^{基督徒的生活就是永远和自我的搏斗。}
• Speculation in stocks is a perpetual struggle against fear and greed. ^{炒股就是永远和恐惧与贪婪的搏斗。}

They were expecting their sixth child and were faced with even more pressing economic problems.

be expecting (a baby) ^{怀孕的委婉的说法}

• When is your baby due? ^预产期
• She gave birth to twins. ^{生了双胞胎}
• She aborted after 2 months. ^流产了
• She is on maternity leave. ^休产假

be faced with … ^{面临着（某一个棘手的问题）}

• …, for then man was faced with a real need to understand something about the seasons.
• After buying a new chain I was faced with the insurmountable task of putting the confusing jigsaw puzzle together again.
• So, faced with the Danish advance, Alfred did not risk open battle but harried the enemy.

pressing ^{adj. urgent 紧急的}

• It is one of the most pressing problems facing this country. ^{它是该国面临的最紧迫的问题之一。}
• Opposition party leaders are now pressing for the entire election to be annulled. ^{反对党领袖们现在正在迫切要求宣布整个选举无效。}
• I have more pressing things to attend to. ^{我有更紧迫的事情要做。}
• These questions have never seemed more pressing. ^{这些问题似乎从未像现在这样紧迫。}

pressing problem / matter/ need etc. ^{紧迫的问题/事情/需要等。}

• a pressing need for housing
• Poverty is a more pressing problem than pollution.

If they had only had one more child, the fact would have passed unnoticed.

if + S. + had done, S. + would / should / could / might + have done ^{与过去事实相反的虚拟}

• If, at the time, the British had not feared invasion, it would have been completed.
• If there had not been a hard layer of rock beneath the soil, they would have completed the job in a few hours.
• It has been estimated that if the bridge were packed with cars, it would still only be carrying a third of its total capacity.
• There is no doubt that if she had not lost her rudder she would have won the race easily.

unnoticed ^{adj. without being noticed 无人注意的}

• I tried to slip up the stairs unnoticed.

But for the letter of thanks, the act of kindness might have gone / passed unnoticed. ^{要不是这封感谢信，这件善举可能就不为人知地过去了。}

They would have continued to struggle against economic odds and would have lived in obscurity.

odds ^{n. difficulties 困难}

•  ...families in terrible circumstances, who have stayed together against all odds.  ^{…状况糟糕的家庭，似乎不可能维持下去，却仍然住在一起。}
• He reckons the odds are against the plan going ahead.  ^{他认为该计划不太可能进行下去。}

But they suddenly became the parents of quintuplets, four girls and a boy, an event which radically changed their lives.

radically change / alter… ^{彻底改变了…}

• Computers have radically changed our lives.
• Relativity and quantum mechanics have radically altered our picture of nature.
• radical changes in education ^{教育的根本变化}

He suddenly won the lottery of ten million dollars, nearly 100 times the amount of his annual income, an event which radically changed his life. ^{他突然间中了一千万美元的大奖，几乎是他年收入的 100 倍，这件事彻底改变了他的生活。}

The day after the birth of the five children, an aeroplane arrived in Aberdeen bringing sixty reporters and photographers.

The day after the birth of the five children ^{五个孩子出生后的第二天}

• Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, a huge iceberg was suddenly spotted by a look-out.
• A man who had broken his right leg was taken to hospital a few weeks before Christmas.