20180816 Get stuffed: preserving animals
A good texidermist (动物标本剥制师) needs the patience of a scientist, the eye of a sculptor and the stomach of a surgeon.
The faint-hearted need not apply.
From today at the Saffron Walden Museum, north-east of London, an exhibition will explore the history of humans preserving the bodies of animals--by gutting them, stuffing them and then rearranging their skin.
Gruesone as it may be, the pratice stretches back to ancient Egypt, where the pets of the Pharaohs were embalmed so they could be buried alongside their owners in their tombs.
Many famous animals have since experienced a similar fate.
In Saint Petersburg there's one of Pavlov's dogs (no drool remains).
In Melbourne Phar Lap, the champion reacehorse with the extraordinarily big heart, still stands tall.
And Athena, the beloved pet owl Florence Nightingale, has a permanent home in Lundon.
Taxidermy has a reputation for being creep, but it offers some fancinating slices of the past.
A good texidermist (动物标本剥制师) needs the patience of a scientist, the eye of a sculptor and the stomach of a surgeon.
The faint-hearted need not apply.
From today at the Saffron Walden Museum, north-east of London, an exhibition will explore the history of humans preserving the bodies of animals--by gutting them, stuffing them and then rearranging their skin.
Gruesone as it may be, the pratice stretches back to ancient Egypt, where the pets of the Pharaohs were embalmed so they could be buried alongside their owners in their tombs.
Many famous animals have since experienced a similar fate.
In Saint Petersburg there's one of Pavlov's dogs (no drool remains).
In Melbourne Phar Lap, the champion reacehorse with the extraordinarily big heart, still stands tall.
And Athena, the beloved pet owl Florence Nightingale, has a permanent home in Lundon.
Taxidermy has a reputation for being creep, but it offers some fancinating slices of the past.
说说我的看法高级模式
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本帖最后由 andyandjasmine 于 2018-8-27 17:57 编辑
2018/08/27 Yorkshire chippy's Mandarin menu proves popular with Chinese tourists
As a British meal choice it is on the decline.
But one fish and chip shop near York has hit on a novel way of attracting customers: translating its menu into Mandarin.
Scotts Fish and Chips now serves more than 100 Chinese holidaymakers a week after launching a Mandarin website and promoting its deep-fried delicacies on Weibo and Wechat.
The Yorkshire chippy's newfound popularity has also been put down to the fish and chips and pint of beer that Chinese president Xi Jinping shared with David Cameron in 2015.
The staff want to make dining at the restaurant a real occasion for the visitors, the chefs and waiters regularly pose for selfies with their Chinese diners. The staff have started learning a little bit of Chinese too, things like 'thank you' and 'bye bye'. The Chiense customers are quite happy to teach them new words when they come to the restarant.
The restaurant sits next to a McDonalds on a busy road but the global fast-food giant appear to be no competetion for the local run chippy- at least, not with Chinese visitors.
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The big vote on Brett: the Supreme Court
1) Early yesterday morning the White house sent the FBI's report on Brett Kavanaugh, whom Donald Trump nominated to the Supreme Court, to the Senate.
2) A final vote on Mr. Kavanaugh's nomination looks likely this weekend.
3) According to the White House, the report failed to corroborate sexual-misconduct allegations against the judge, though from the start of the investigation Democrates complained that its scope was too narrow.
4) Some claimed Mr Kavanaugh lied about the extent of his drinking; the FBI apparently did not pursue that line of inquiry.
5) A number of potential witness say they contacted the FBI but were never interviewed.
6) Despite (or perhaps because of) the partisan intemperance Mr Kavanaugh displayed during the hearing. He retains widespead Republican support.
7)
8) -
本帖最后由 andyandjasmine 于 2018-11-7 09:28 编辑
Last tanker out of Kharg: sanctions
① With the stroke of a pen, Iran will lose billions.
② On November 4th America will reimpose sanctions on the country's vital oil industry.
③ The measures were lifted in 2015 after Iran signed an agreement with six world powers committing it to limiting its nuclear programme.
④ But Donald Trump thinks the deal too lax and believes he can pressure Iran into negotiating a new one.
⑤ Worried about falling foul of American sanctions, many countries have stopped buying Iranian oil.
⑥ Exports have fallen by about 1m barrels per day since April.
⑦ Iran's economy was already collapsing, with the rial worth 72% less today than one year ago.
⑧ Whether this pressure will work is a different matter.
⑨ Iran does not trust Mr Trump and believes he is bent on regime change.
⑩ It is unlikely to give up funding and arming regional proxies, regardless of the price.
⑪ The self-styled dealmaker president may end up with no deal at all.
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Snoopy-duper: "Peanuts"
① "Dear Friends," Charles Schultz, the creator of the beloved comic, began. "I have been fortunate to draw Charlie Brown and his friends for almost fifty years…"
② By the time that last original strip was published on February 13th 2000, Schultz had died of cancer.
③ He had produced more than 17,800 short tales about Charlie, a misfortunate boy, Snoopy, his lazy, loyal and introspective dog, and an assorted cast of young pals.
④ Minimalist in style and contained within four panels, the stories were nevertheless full of life, beloved by millions for their empathy, running jokes, satirical bent and resonant themes.
⑤ An exhibition at Somerset House in London, which opened this week, explores the "enduring power of 'Peanuts'".
⑥ As well as displaying rare cartoons and publications, merchandise and memorabilia, the exhibition will reveal new sculptures, installations, films and music inspired by Schulz's work.
⑦ Good ol' Charlie Brown…how they love him!
▍生词好句
okey-dokey /ˌəʊki ˈdəʊki/: int. 好；没问题
super-duper /ˌsuːpəˈduːpə, ˌsuːpərˈduːpər/: adj. 非常棒的
beloved /bɪˈlʌvd, bɪˈlʌvɪd/: adj. 备受喜爱的；心爱的 n. 心上人
comic strip: (通常刊登在报纸上的) 连环漫画
introspective /ˌɪntrəˈspektɪv/: adj. 自省的
assorted /əˈsɔːtɪd, əˈsɔːrtɪd/: adj. 各种各样的
pal /pæl/: n. 朋友；好友
He's an old pal of mine.
他是我的老朋友了。
minimalist /ˈmɪnɪməlɪst/: adj. 极简主义的
full of life: 充满生机；充满活力
empathy /ˈempəθi/: n. 同理心
running jokes: 重复出现的梗
satirical /səˈtɪrɪkəl/: adj. 讽刺性的
bent /bent/: n. 天赋
resonant /ˈrezənənt/: adj. 引起共鸣的
merchandise /ˈmɜːtʃəndaɪs, ˈmɜːrtʃəndaɪs/: n. 商品 (文中可以理解为“周边”)
memorabilia /ˌmemərəˈbɪliə/: n. 纪念品
installation /ˌɪnstəˈleɪʃən/: n. 装置艺术
installation 装置艺术
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本帖最后由 andyandjasmine 于 2018-11-26 13:56 编辑
玛丽·安托瓦内特（Marie Antoinette），早年为奥地利女大公，后为法国国王路易十六的王后。法国大革命爆发后，王室出逃未成，路易十六（Louis XVI）被废，法国宣布废除君主制，王后被控犯有叛国罪，被判处死刑，享年38岁。
玛丽·安托瓦内特天生丽质，却成了母亲政治棋盘上的一颗棋子，15岁远嫁法国，与当时还是王储的路易十六结为夫妇。路易十六性格软弱，早期由于生理上的原因不能履行丈夫的责任，并由此放任安托瓦内特的任性胡为以作为补偿。在法国大革命爆发前，安托瓦内特为了排解不幸婚姻带来的苦闷，终日沉迷于打扮、跳舞和赌博中，被讥讽为“赤字皇后”。
在法国大革命爆发之前，钻石项链事件使得安托瓦内特更加不受欢迎，各种恶毒谣言四起，她至死也未能摆脱公众强加给她的奢靡及犯有欺诈的印象。当时的法国正处于内忧外患、危机四伏之中，安托瓦内特的轻率和政治上的幼稚使她在法国大革命时期成为民众泄愤的靶子，最终难逃厄运。
在欧洲皇室贵族中，从来没有一位皇后被如此批判又被如此神圣化，被人称赞又被人侮辱。茨威格在《断头王后》中写道：她那时候还太年轻，不知道所有命运赠送的礼物，早已在暗中标好了价格。
本篇课程首发于2018年11月20日，选自 The Economist Espresso APP
难度系数：★★★☆☆
无用系数：★★☆☆☆
Let them wear jewels: Marie Antoinette
① Louis XVI's wife liked her bling.
② Indeed gemstones cost her her reputation.
③ Marie Antoinette's standing never recovered from a (probably unfair) accusation that she had been involved in a fraud involving an unimaginably valuable diamond necklace.
④ On November 14th, a selection of the doomed queen's baubles—including a necklace strung with 331 pearls and a ring encasing a lock of her hair—go on sale at Sotheby's auction house in Geneva.
⑤ Before she met her bloody end during the French Revolution, a loyal retainer smuggled her riches to Vienna, where they were guarded by relatives until her daughter reclaimed them in 1796.
⑥ For the past month people in cities such as Dubai, New York and Singapore have had the rare opportunity to view—and try on—the priceless jewellery.
⑦ One wonders what the notoriously out-of-touch queen would say if she saw the hoi polloi fondling her diamond ribbon-bow pendant, one of the auction's highlights.
▍一般生词好句
cost sb. sth.: 让某人付出某种代价
standing /ˈstændɪŋ/: n. 名声，声誉；地位，级别
be involved in: 被卷入
involve /ɪnˈvɒlv, ɪnˈvɑːlv/: vt. 涉及；牵涉
a lock of one's hair: ……的一缕头发
Sotheby's /ˈsʌðəbiz/: 苏富比 (拍卖行)
retainer /rɪˈteɪnə, rɪˈteɪnər/: n. (服务多年的) 仆人
smuggle /ˈsmʌɡəl/: vt. 偷偷携带；走私
riches /ˈrɪtʃɪz/: n. (复数) 财富；财产
reclaim /rɪˈkleɪm/: vt. 拿回；取回
the hoi polloi /ˌhɔɪ pəˈlɔɪ/: 民众；老百姓
fondle /ˈfɒndəl, ˈfɑːndəl/: vt. 抚摸；抚弄
▍词汇拓展
1. cost sb. sth.: 让某人付出某种代价
遇见你，竟花光我所有运气。
Meeting you cost me my whole life's luck.
2. standing: n. 名声，声誉；地位，级别
一位名望很高的律师
a lawyer of high standing
巴布的工作有助于提高她在同事中的地位。
Barb's work helped to improve her standing with her colleagues.
▍当时法国宫廷的风格（irregularly too much）
▍钻石项链骗局
https://gushi.tw/the-killing-of-marie-antoinette/
▍责任编辑
李焕、武志琳、章晓丹
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Chaonai Day 1
When He Wasn't Making History, Winston Churchill Made Paintings
① At the age of 40, Sir Winston Churchill found himself at a career low: In 1915, after a few disastrous strategic decisions he was demoted from his position in the Navy. He resigned from his government post and became an officer in the army.
② Deflated of power and consumed with anxiety, he took up an unexpected new hobby: painting.
③ "Painting came to my rescue in a most trying time," Churchill wrote.
④ The hobby became, for the great British statesman, a source of delight and a respite from the stress of his career.
⑤ He would eventually create over 550 paintings, primarily focusing on landscapes and seascapes made 'en plein air'.
⑥ His approach was very simple: Go outside and paint what you see. Despite his incessant claims that he was merely an amateur, he developed an admirable flair for the art.
⑦ Churchill was largely self-taught, and adamant that formal art lessons were a young person's game.
⑧ The thing he and his like-minded amateur peers needed most, he believed, was a certain kind of passion.
⑨ "We cannot aspire to masterpiece," he wrote. "We may content ourselves with a joy ride in a paint-box. And for this, audacity is the only ticket."
▍其他被耽误了的画家
Churchill – emotional –just like his personality
Hitler （希特勒，纳粹德国元首）– quite cold, no warm feelings, but quite mechanical / very accurate / very precise
George Bush（乔治·布什美国前总统）– subjects are terrible (his book of paintings is a bestseller praised by art critics)
Johnny Depp （约翰尼·德普，美国知名影视演员，《加勒比海盗》中饰演“杰克船长）is a gifted painter as well. He has a website showing many of his paintings.
Prince Charles – water colours of English landscapes
▍生词好句
disastrous /dɪˈzɑːstrəs, dɪˈzæstrəs/: adj. 极为失败的；灾难性的
demote /dɪˈməʊt, dɪˈmoʊt/: vt. 使降职；使降级
deflate /dɪˈfleɪt/: vt. 使削弱；使受挫；使灰心
en plein air: 法语词组，相当于in the open air
incessant /ɪnˈsesənt/: adj. 连续不断的；没完没了的
flair /fleə, fler/: n. 天赋；天资；天分
self-taught: 自学的；自修的
aspire to: 渴求；渴望
masterpiece /ˈmɑːstəpiːs, ˈmæstɚpiːs/: n. 杰作；（个人）最杰出的作品
content /kənˈtent/: vt. 使满意，使满足
▍词汇拓展
1. make history: to do something that is very important or famous and that will be remembered as part of history
The scientists made history when they discovered the structure of DNA.
科学家们发现了DNA的构造，这是一次历史性的发现。
He made history by being the first man to walk on the moon.
他创造了在月球上行走第一人的历史。
2. at a low: a bad time in someone's life
She's at a low. Her boyfriend left her. Her car was stolen and she lost her mobile phone.
她男朋友离开了她，车子被偷了，手机也丢了，她情绪失落极了。
She can't listen to YLYK, and she can't listen to this episode. She's at a low.
她无法收听友邻优课的课程，没有办法听这一期的节目了，她很失落。
at a career low: a bad time in someone's working life (a time when you are having problems at work)
3. be consumed by/with: If someone is consumed by/with a feeling, that feeling is extremely strong = to feel something in a very strong way
He was consumed with anger.
他被怒气冲昏了头脑。
He was consumed with jealousy.
他嫉妒得要命。
He was consumed with sadness.
他沉浸在悲痛中。
4. take up an activity: become interested in it and spend time doing it. It's usually a hobby more than a career.
Some people take up yoga as a way to relax.
一些人将瑜伽作为放松的一种方式。
Some people take up jogging as a way to keep fit.
一些人选择慢跑来锻炼身体。
5. trying (adj) : difficult
a trying time: a difficult time in someone's life
It's a trying time for her. / She's having a trying time. (She is having a difficult period in her life.)
她正经历着人生的艰难期。
6. come to someone's rescue: If something comes to someone's rescue, it helps them when they are in a bad or difficult situation. It might save them from danger or harm.
Last week, I really didn't understand the homework but the internet came to my rescue.
上周的作业很难，但我通过寻求网络的帮助，最终完成了作业。
7. respite /ˈrespaɪt, rɪˈspaɪt/: n. a pause, a break or a rest from something difficult / to take a break from something you don't enjoy
During the weekends he enjoys a respite from his boring job.
在周末他才能好好享受无聊工作之余的清闲。
Their teacher was sick, so the students enjoyed a respite from studying.
老师生病了，所以学生才有时间在繁忙的学习生活中休息一下。
8. a flair for something: a natural ability to do something well
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本帖最后由 andyandjasmine 于 2018-11-26 19:24 编辑
How to handle anxiety and melancholy
It's common that we may get anxiety and melancholy time by time for variant reasons. Such as pressure from career, daily life or conflict in relationships. Everybody needs to find his/her own way to handle it.
Different people may have different ways to deal with anxiety or melancholy. Some people take up yoga as a way to relax. Some people take up jogging as a way to keep them from anxiety.
Sometimes, i feel depressed too. Normally I would like to walk along the river, watching ships come and go. Then I go home and have a good deep sleep after I feel exausted. And next day, it's a brand new day, full of expectation. Yeah
Just keeping walking along the river thinking nothing rescue me in a most trying time. I think it's important that every one need some hobbies, because those are sources of delight and can respite us from the stress of our daily life.
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世界经济合作与发展组织（Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development），简称经合组织（OECD），是由36个市场经济国家组成的政府间国际经济组织，旨在共同应对全球化带来的经济、社会和政府治理等方面的挑战，并把握全球化带来的机遇。该组织成立于1961年，目前成员国总数36个，总部设在巴黎。
OECD 一直致力于前沿信息数据的比较分析，倾全力帮助成员国政府对新的发展做出回应。其中包括贸易和结构调整，网络安全以及在发展中国家在脱贫上所面临的挑战。OECD 已经成为世界上最大和最可靠的全球性经济资讯和社会统计数据的来源渠道之一。OECD 的数据库拥有跨越地域的数据，包括国家账目、经济指标、劳动力、贸易、就业、移民、教育、能源、健康、工业、税收和环境，其中大多数研究和分析报告已经出版。
经合组织2018年卫生统计在线数据库于11月更新。它提供了该组织成员国卫生系统最全面的可比统计数据。这一数据库比较了国际上不同的卫生系统，并从中吸取经验教训，促进了该组织各国的发展进步。
本篇课程首发于2018年11月27日，选自 The Economist Espresso APP
难度系数：★★★☆☆
无用系数：★★☆☆☆
The price of life: health outcomes
① Today comes the OECD's annual health check-up, covering the problems of 36 mostly rich countries with an average life expectancy over 80 years.
② Mental-health problems are growing; they will affect one in two people at some point in their lives.
③ Circulatory disease now accounts for one in three deaths and cancer one in four across the developed world.
④ But in a bright spot, mortality rates have dropped rapidly in the European Union, by 40% for heart disease and 50% for strokes since 2000.
⑤ But this takes money.
⑥ Health-care spending, 10% of GDP on average, continues rising.
⑦ And inequality, particularly in education, corresponds with a gulf in outcomes: a 30-year-old European man with only secondary-school education is eight percentage points more likely to be obese than his university-educated peer, and can expect to live seven years less.
⑧ While correlation is not causation, it seems people learn and live rather than live and learn.
▍生词好句
outcome /'aʊtkʌm, 'aʊt'kʌm/: n. 结果；成果
cover /'kʌvə/: vt. 涉及
life expectancy: 预期寿命
at some point: 在某一时刻；在某种情况下
circulatory /'sɜːkjʊlət(ə)rɪ, sɜːkjʊ'leɪt(ə)rɪ/: adj. 循环的
across /ə'krɒs, ə'krɔs/: prep. 横过；在......上
bright spot: 亮点；高兴的事
mortality rate: 死亡率
inequality /ɪnɪ'kwɒlɪtɪ, ɪnɪ'kwɑləti/: n. 不平等
correspond with: 符合；一致
gulf /gʌlf/: n. 深渊；分歧
obese /ə(ʊ)'biːs, o'bis/: adj. 肥胖的
correlation /ˌkɒrə'leɪʃ(ə)n, ˌkɔrə'leʃən/: n. 相关；相互关系
causation /kɔː'zeɪʃ(ə)n, kɔ'zeʃən/: n. 原因；因果关系
▍词汇拓展
1. circulatory disease: 循环系统疾病
high blood pressure: 高血压
heart disease / heart attack: 心脏病
stroke: 中风
2. average life expectancy: 平均寿命
3. live and learn: 活到老学到老
It seems people learn and live rather than live and learn.
貌似人们是学习且活着，而不是活着且学习。
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本帖最后由 andyandjasmine 于 2018-11-27 18:39 编辑
I am 70 years young
More than a dozen of times I was told by someone that he is ** years young. I was surprised when I heard it first time. But by time, more and more people state this way. And then I think about this phenomenon, yeah, make sense, they are right.
Someday I will be 70 years young too. Hope by that day, I am still healthy and active. I would love to go back and live in my hometown with my loved one. We will build up a children library in our village in the rural area. Everyday, we will get up early, take a walk in the country road in the morning fresh air. Then welcome kids come to our library after breakfast. We will guide kids read books, tell stories, play games, practice balls in the morning. After lunch, we would like to visit friends nearby for tea after a comfortable afternoon nap.
And we may drive a motor home to many different places with our friends time by time. Yeah, looking forwart to my 70 years young! -
本帖最后由 andyandjasmine 于 2018-11-28 20:56 编辑
众所周知，现代社会节奏快、压力大，对于很多上班族来说，在一段时间的高强度工作后，如果可以有几天假期时间用来休息放松，调整状态，这无论是对工作效率的提升还是个人身心的健康都是非常有利的。我们国家的公众假期每年都会随着阴历的时序进行调整、休假。而反观这一切对于美国人来说，可能就没那么轻松了。
据报道，美国早已超过德国、日本等发达国家成为工作时间最长的国家，也是休假天数最少的国家之一。同时，大部分美国人还会放弃部分带薪假期，几乎不怎么休假，进而承担更多的工作。有调查显示，美国人放弃休假有几个原因，包括担心拖延工作进度、关键的工作任务只能靠自己完成和需要随时与公司保持联系等等。
当然，这些只是放弃休假的一些原因，而另一个更大的原因在于工作的不安全感。大多数美国公司都享有较宽松的雇佣政策，只要不违反合同、工会协议或相关法律的规定，它们便能很轻松地解雇你。许多员工找工作不容易，担心休假时间过长，会影响工作的稳定，弄不好休假回来就失去了工作，所以宁可不休假或少休假。
本篇课程首发于2018年11月28日，选自 The Economist Espresso APP
难度系数：★★★☆☆
无用系数：★★★☆☆
A Stakhanovite regime: overwork
① Americans are taking a rare holiday for Thanksgiving today.
② The average American works 100 more hours a year than a Briton, 300 more than a French employee and 400 more than a German.
③ The gap is partly explained by the paltry number of days' holiday that American workers take each year—17.2 in 2017.
④ Around half do not take their full allotment, meaning they, in effect, work part of the year for nothing, donating the equivalent of $561 on average to their firms.
⑤ In the European Union workers are guaranteed a minimum of 20 paid days' vacation each year, plus public holidays.
⑥ Surveys suggest the main reason why Americans are reluctant to take their full quota is fear of being replaceable.
⑦ And those extra hours do not mean higher productivity.
⑧ On the contrary: a study of OECD member countries in 2013 found a negative correlation between GDP per hour and total hours worked.
▍生词好句
Stakhanovite /stə'kɑ:nəvait/: adj. 斯达汉诺夫运动的 (形容埋头苦干的人)
regime /reɪˈʒiːm/: n. 政府；政权
overwork /ˌəʊvəˈwɜːk, ˌoʊvərˈwɜːrk/: n. 过度劳累 v. (使) 过度劳累；工作过度
rare /reə, rer/: adj. 稀有的
Briton /ˈbrɪtn/: n. 英国人
paltry /ˈpɔːltri/: adj. 少得可怜、可以忽略不计的；低劣的
gap /ɡæp/: n. 差距
allotment /əˈlɒtmənt/: n. 分配；配额
in effect: 事实上 (等同于 in fact / in practice)
equivalent /ɪˈkwɪvələnt/: n. 等价物；等值 adj. 等值的
paid holiday/vacation: 带薪假期 (等同于 paid time off)
survey /ˈsəːveɪ, səˈveɪ/: n/vt. 调查
reluctant /rɪˈlʌktənt/: adj. 不情愿的
quota /ˈkwəʊtə/: n. 定额
productivity /ˌprɒdʌkˈtɪvəti/: n. 生产率
negative correlation: 负相关
correlation /ˌkɒrəˈleɪʃən/: n. 相关；关联
▍词汇拓展
1. Stakhanovite: adj. 斯达汉诺夫运动的
He is a Stakhanovite worker.
他是一个埋头苦干的人。
2. overwork: n. 过度劳累 v. (使) 过度劳累
He overworks.
他劳累过度。
He is overworked by his company.
他的公司让他超负荷工作。
3. Briton: n. 英国人
· the British: 英国人
4. paltry: adj. 少得可怜的；低劣的
The salary is paltry.
薪水少的可怜。
He made a paltry excuse to leave.
他编了一个非常拙劣的理由就离开了。
5. gap: n. 差距
· wealth gap: 贫富差距
6. allotment: n. 分配；配额
· allotment of the company's shares to its employees: 公司给员工的股票配额
This year's allotment of funds has been used up.
本年度分配的经费配额已经用光了。
7. equivalent: n. 等价物；等值 adj. 等值的
· be equivalent to: 相当于；等同于
Sometimes keeping silent is equivalent to telling a lie.
有时保持沉默就等同于说谎。
People often say that the Chinese equivalent for "hello" is "Nihao".
人们常说“hello”的对等中文词是“你好”。
8. quota: n. 定额
This country has a quota on immigration.
这个国家对移民人数是有定额的。 -
本帖最后由 andyandjasmine 于 2018-11-28 21:18 编辑
My idea job
Well my current job is close to my idea job. It's because I am an easy satisfying person. For me, flexible work time is important as I need to take care of my kids sometimes, although it also means I need to work a lot after work time. But as an employee like me with strong responsibility sense, overtime is totally OK! I can't rest or sleep well anyway if I don't get my job done by the day!
The job must be meaningful to me. I am a very passionate person on charity. So I am blessed I can run some small charity projects in our company for the sociaty with the support from company and the boss. I enjoyed this part very much!
And some workmates with same interests also a plus, in our company, we pay badminton, table-tennis during lunch break. Sometimes, we also play volley ball and basket ball. Work hard; play harder! Yeah!
And of cuase, some coffee break for me to have a rest and learn English every is a great routine which is also benefits to my job as well as company business.
But the hardest part for me is office politics, if someday, this problem gone. My job is perfect idea job even i do meet variance headache problems to deal with every week!
-
12月1日，中国国家主席习近平与美国总统特朗普在阿根廷 G20 峰会后共进晚餐，举行会晤。这次会谈是中美贸易关系紧张以来，习特第一次会面，长达两个半小时。
会后，白宫表示，中美双方会尝试就多项贸易问题达成协议。特朗普同意不会在1月1日把关税提高至25%，目前正征收关税的产品税率会继续维持在10%。中方在会后亦公布消息称，中美双方同意明年不再额外加征关税，两国将继续展开贸易谈判。
中国外长王毅在中美元首会晤后对记者称，中方愿意根据国内市场和人民的需要扩大进口，包括从美国购买适销对路的商品，逐步缓解贸易不平衡问题。双方同意相互开放市场，在中国推进新一轮改革开放进程中使美方的“合理”关切得到逐步解决。
本篇课程首发于2018年12月4日，选自 The Washington Post
难度系数：★★☆☆☆
无用系数：★★★★☆
China and U.S. agree to new talks as Trump pulls back on tariffs
① President Trump took his first step back in his months-long confrontation with China on Saturday, agreeing to cancel a planned Jan. 1 tariff increase on Chinese products in return for purchases of what the White House called a "very substantial" amount of American farm, energy and industrial goods.
② The limited bargain, reached with Chinese President Xi Jinping over dinner, will see the United States and China restart talks aimed at resolving a trade dispute that is damaging the global economy, worrying some of Trump's Republican allies, and unnerving investors.
③ The two leaders struck the agreement during a dinner lasting more than two hours on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit, personally tackling several of the greatest irritants in the U.S.-China relationship.
④ Trump has told reporters on Air Force One that the trade deal brokered with China is one of the largest ever made.
▍生词好句
pull back (on sth.): 解除，撤回；减少
tariff /ˈtærɪf/: n. 关税
a substantial amount of: 大量的；数额巨大的
reach a bargain: 达成协议
see /siː/: vt. 确保；保证
resolve a dispute /dɪˈspjuːt, ˈdɪspjuːt/: 解决分歧
worry /ˈwʌri, ˈwɜːri/: vt. 使……担忧
unnerve /ʌnˈnɜːv, ʌnˈnɜːrv/: vt. 使不安；使失去信心
on the sidelines (of): 在场外；非正式会议期间
tackle /ˈtækəl/: vt. 处理
irritant /ˈɪrɪtənt/: n. 让人恼火的事
Air Force One: 空军一号 (美国总统的专机)
broker a deal: 达成协议
▍词汇拓展
1. pull back on sth.: 解除，撤回；减少
China will pull back on stimulus efforts.
中国会解除刺激措施。
2. reach a bargain: 达成协议
· 同义表达：reach/strike/make a bargain / an agreement
I've kept my side of the bargain and I expect you to keep yours.
我履行了我的承诺，希望你也履行你的承诺。
3. see: vt. 确保；保证
See that you take care of him.
你一定要照顾好他。
4. resolve a dispute /dɪˈspjuːt, ˈdɪspjuːt/: 解决分歧
· 表示“解决”的动词：solve/resolve/settle
· 表示“问题”的名词：problem/dispute/difference/disagreement
-
Steel yourself: Trump's trade war
① Trade-watchers will be nervously awaiting details this week of promised tariffs of 25% on imported steel and 10% on aluminium.
② When George W. Bush imposed them on steel in 2002, Canada and Mexico were exempt.
③ This time, Donald Trump wants to hit everyone, implying restrictions on $50bn, or 2%, of America's imports.
④ Sure, that might generate a handful of photocall-friendly jobs in American metal-making.
⑤ But it will make American cars, washing machines and fridges more expensive, and other American companies will suffer from inevitable retaliation.
⑥ The European Union has pulled out its list of products ripe for duties should Mr Trump's wishes become reality, including Kentucky bourbon and Harley Davidson motorcycles from Wisconsin—the respective home states of the Republican leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
⑦ Mr Trump has promised to retaliate with tariffs on European cars, and American law may not hold him back.
⑧ But make no mistake: in trade wars, everyone loses.
▍生词好句
steel /stiːl/: vt. 做好（心理）准备
await /əweɪt/: vt. 等待
tariff /ˈtarɪf/: n. 关税
exempt /ɪɡˈzɛm(p)t, ɛɡˈzɛm(p)t/: adj./vt. 豁免/免除（的）
photocall /ˈfəʊtəʊkɔːl/: n. 摆拍
retaliation /rɪˌtalɪˈeɪʃn/: n. 报复
(be) ripe for /raɪp/: 准备好了
duty /ˈdjuːti/: n. 关税
bourbon /ˈbəːb(ə)n/: n. 波旁威士忌酒
respective /rɪˈspɛktɪv/: adj. 分别的；各自的
retaliate /rɪˈtalɪeɪt/: vi. 报复
-
The Queen's Christmas message: Monarch preaches conciliation to nation divided over Brexit
① For many Brits, nothing says Christmas quite like the queen's annual broadcast on Dec. 25.
② After the turkey is carved, drinks are flowing, presents are stacked and families are gathered, millions tune in to watch the reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
③ The speech is used by the queen to reflect on the past year and often to convey an overarching message of hope to those across the commonwealth.
④ As 2018 draws to a close and 2019 approaches, Theresa May's looming Brexit deadline in March remains a hot topic.
⑤ While watching the speech, observers tend to look for hidden meanings in her words. Members of the royal family are politically neutral, so it is common for Brits to look beyond the surface to find more substance in her majesty's remarks.
⑥ This year's message has seen the queen encourage Brits to overcome "deeply held differences" — a comment that many believe is a direct nod to the Brexit chaos of the past two years.
▍生词好句
monarch /ˈmɒnək, ˈmɑːnək/: n. 君主
preach /priːtʃ/: vt. 呼吁；布道；宣扬
conciliation /kənˌsɪliˈeɪʃən/: n. 和解
carve /kɑːv, kɑːrv/: vt. 把 (熟肉) 切成小片；雕刻
tune in to (watch): 收看
reigning /ˈreɪnɪŋ/: adj. 现任的；本届的
reflect on/upon: 回顾；反思
overarching /ˌəʊvəˈrɑːtʃɪŋ/: adj. 包罗万象的；首要的
draw to a close: 渐近尾声
approach /əˈprəʊtʃ/: vi. 临近；靠近
looming /ˈluːmɪŋ/: adj. 迫近的
neutral /ˈnjuːtrəll, ˈnuːtrəl/: adj. 中立的
chaos /ˈkeɪɒs, ˈkeɪɑːs/: n. 混乱
