外媒是这样报道“星巴克致癌”的
2010年一个不知名的非营利机构Council for Education and Research on Toxics (CERT)起诉了星巴克、Dunkin' Donuts等其它90家咖啡商。原因是他们认为这些品牌的咖啡在酿造过程中会产生一种叫acrylamide（丙烯酰胺）的的物质，这种物质在加州被列为致癌物(carcinogen)，销售时必须贴警示标签才可以。
由于这些咖啡商无法证明这种物质对人体是没有严重风险的，2018年3月29日，美国洛杉矶法官Elihu Berle裁定这些被告必须在加州销售的咖啡产品上贴上癌症警告标签。不过这并不是最终的裁定，被告们还可以在4.10日前提出异议。
我们一起来看几篇外媒的报道，通过交叉阅读获取一手信息，顺便学点地道英文。
1. The Telegraph
Starbucks and other coffee vendors must carry cancer warnings in California, a Los Angeles judge has ruled.
The companies have less than a fortnight to challenge the decision and could face millions of pounds in fines if unsuccessful.
The decision relates to a chemical called acrylamide, a byproduct of roasting coffee beans that is present in high levels in brewed coffee.
In California, companies are required by law to warn consumers if their products contain chemicals that could cause cancer.
The Telegraph写的是时事新闻，每段都很短，只介绍最重要的信息。这里我们知道“咖啡商”用的是vendor，有的报道也用了purveyor。fortnight和“堡垒” “夜晚”没有关系，是“两周” “14天”的意思，星巴克和其它90名被告还可以在4.10日前提出异议。byproduct是“副产品”，有时也可以理解为“副作用”。
2. CBS News
Starbucks and other coffee companies in California should have to post warnings because the brew may contain an ingredient that's been linked to cancer, a judge has ruled. The culprit is acrylamide, a chemical produced in the bean roasting process that is a known carcinogen and has been at the heart of an eight-year legal struggle between a tiny nonprofit group and Big Coffee.
The Council for Education and Research on Toxics sued to require the coffee industry to remove acrylamide from its processing — like potato chip makers did when it sued them years ago — or disclose the danger in ominous warning signs or labels. The industry, led by Starbucks Corp., said the level of the chemical in coffee isn't harmful and any risks are outweighed by benefits.
culprit是“罪魁祸首” “元凶”的意思，在这里表示“引起问题的事物”，例如你沉迷于玩手机而耽误了一些事情，就可以说手机是the culprit。
3. The Guardian
A Los Angeles judge has ruled that California law requires coffee companies to carry an ominous cancer warning label because of a chemical produced in the roasting process.
Elihu Berle, a superior court judge, wrote in a proposed ruling on Wednesday that Starbucks and other coffee companies failed to show that the threat from a chemical compound produced in the roasting process was insignificant.
A not-for-profit group had sued coffee roasters, distributors and retailers under a state law that requires warnings on a wide range of chemicals that can cause cancer. One of those chemicals is acrylamide, a carcinogen present in coffee.
在这篇和上篇文章中都出现了ominous，说明我们一定要掌握这个词了，ominous表示“不祥的”。考你一下，它的反义词是什么呢？
4. Fox News
The substance is present in many of our foods, not just coffee,” said Lichtenfeld, who has worked in oncology for decades. “There was a minor scare about it being in French fries, and foods that are cooked in higher temperatures. Demonstrating a direct cause to cancer is very difficult. You always have to put a [suspected] risk into perspective.
oncology是肿瘤学的意思，这位专家说acrylamide这种物质存在于很多食物中，一般高温烹制的事物都可能含有（例如咱们的油条）。他说我们要put a suspected risk into perspective，这里put something into perspective是个五星级的实用表达，表示“以正确的角度看待某事”。
5. Los Angeles Times
There is plenty of research showing that coffee doesn't cause cancer, and can actually prevent liver and endometrial cancer. The World Health Organization announced two years ago that there was "no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect of drinking coffee."
The decision has put public health experts at odds with a state law aimed at safeguarding the health of Californians.
"I can understand the logic of the judge, by going by the book. But I can also understand the science," said Mariana Carla Stern, a USC professor who studies diet and cancer. "From the science standpoint, there's no reason the public should worry about drinking coffee."
Los Angeles Times非常淡定，标题：放心大胆的喝你的咖啡吧。世界卫生组织的调查说喝咖啡不仅不会致癌，还对身体有好处， 一些公共卫生专家并不认为咖啡会致癌。可能会有人说这些专家是被星巴克收买了帮他们洗白的吧！那有没有可能是原告CERT想搞个大新闻捞钱呢？
我们看到这类新闻的时候最起码要明白发什么了事，事件的背景不是一句“星巴克致癌”能够解释清楚的，得多了解一下。最起码我们需要了解以星巴克为首的这些咖啡商们犯了什么法，什么是acrylamide，然后再得出informed opinion。
好啦，读完这篇文章，你至少学到了一个词：carcinogen，致癌物质，acrylamide这种chemical就是一种 carcinogen。
我最喜欢Los Angeles Times报道的最后一段：You could put a warning label on L.A. You're breathing in toxic fumes if you put your windows down on the freeway," said Kiker, a music manager. "It's a little ridiculous to put a warning on coffee.
听说雾霾配咖啡可以以毒攻毒，明早来一杯先干为敬
你还可以读：