缤纷语言志

Apple tablet apocalypse averted -- for now: IT shops jump for joy(to show great happiness or excitement欢欣鼓舞 The blood tests so far show my mother doesn't have cancer, but it's still too early to jump for joy because she has to have more tests.) as Apple delivers a real dud(n. 无用的物或人, 废物 adj. 有缺点的, 不完善的) in the iPad. I'll admit it. I was sweating a bit有点冒冷汗 while I waited for the Apple iPad event to get under way(开始进行) yesterday. There were so many expectations attached(被寄予太多希望) to this product. People were calling it a "game changer改变游戏规则的人," a once-in-a-decade device that would redefine how we interact with technology. And what if they were right? What if my worst fears of我最担心的 an impending([指不快之事]即将到来的, imminent[通常指不愉快的事即将发生]) Apple tablet apocalypse世界末日 came true? Fortunately, it was all much ado about nothing(无事空忙, 小题大做, 庸人自扰 a lot of trouble and excitement about something which is not important Usage notes: Much Ado about Nothing is the title of a famous play by Shakespeare. People have been getting very upset about the seating arrangements[座位安排] for the Christmas dinner, but as far as I'm concerned it's all much ado about nothing.). The Apple iPad arrived, and the IT community sighed collectively in relief集体松了口气. This was no game-changing device. This was no paradigm-shifting über-product. This was an iPod on steroids(in a much more powerful or extreme form增强版的 The brownies and pecan rolls are sweets on steroids, with calorie and fat totals as high as a full meal. She looks like a movie star on steroids, a beautiful woman with big hair and a man-eating(凶悍的 a maneating woman悍女) personality. Etymology: based on the literal meaning of steroids(激素 chemical substances taken to improve the strength or energy of competitors in sports)) -- a glorified multimedia player complete with (having something as an additional part or feature备有, 具有, 配备有 the house comes complete with gas central heating and double glazing这幢房子配有天然气集中供暖和双层玻璃窗 couple with把...连在一起) single-tasking OS, limited connectivity options (sorry, Verizon fans), and virtually no traditional I/O capabilities. Talk about dodging a bullet(If someone has dodged a bullet, they have successfully avoided a very serious problem)! Apple could have hit one out of the park(It's used to denote when someone really succeeds spectacularly at something. Used to denote great success or victory, but often referring to a specific action or event. An example: "That speach was unbelievable. He really hit it out of the park." A woman to her man after making love: "Honey, you really hit it out of the park that time." Meaning he really did a good job, really satisfied her.) if it had actually innovated with the iPad. Instead, it rehashed(缺乏创意地改写(或改编), 缺乏新意地老调重弹, 改头换面 His answer is just a rehash version of my lecture) a bunch of iPod/iPhone bits, spread them out even more thinly across its much ballyhooed(n. vt. 大吹大擂的 after all the ballyhoo, the film was a flop[惨败]) industrial-design surface (so long, iPhone camera!), and offered them up呈上, 献上(offer something up (to someone or something) to give something to someone or something as a mark of devotion, thanks, etc. We offered our gratitude up to the ruler. We offered up our gratitude to the queen.) as something new and different. Anticlimactic(adj. 虎头蛇尾的 趣味骤降的, 令人扫兴的 Everything after the discovery of the murderer was anticlimactic找到谋杀者之后, 人们对所有事情的兴趣都突减了 anticlimax a disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events(一连串激动人心或令人印象深刻的事情之后)令人扫兴的结尾 the rest of the journey was an anticlimax by comparison相比之下, 途的剩余部分实在令人扫兴) doesn't begin to(not begin to不足以, 怎么也不能, 无法, 不能不会 Your suggestion does not begin to meet the difficulty. Your suggestion does not begin to meet the difficulty) describe the feeling! One blogger quipped俏皮话 that Microsoft executives must be bashing(猛击, 撞击) their heads against the walls(beat one's head against the wall and bang one's head against a brick wall Fig. to waste one's time trying hard to accomplish something that is completely hopeless. You're wasting your time trying to figure this puzzle out. You're just beating your head against the wall. You're banging your head against a brick wall trying to get that dog to behave properly.) up in Redmond, but I think that he/she/it got it all wrong(完全搞错了). The Microsofties are more likely high-fiving each other击掌相庆. Not only did they steal Apple's thunder抢了风头 with a variety of compelling(令人信服, 有说服力的, 难以抗拒扣人心弦的) tablet demos at CES (that HP tablet looks like a winner), they did so with a solution that is head and shoulders above(远超) anything the iPad can deliver. Seriously, can anyone really compare the creaky, rigid-looking iPhone OS 3.2 to the flexibility and functionality of a full-blown盛开的, (帆)张满的, 成熟的 Windows 7 device? Can you say "multitasking"? How about compatibility with the range of enterprise and consumer applications? Connectivity? The realistic capability to replace your desktop/ laptop/ netbook?

Jetstar欲全面实现值机手续无人化: Australian traveller Greg Lawrence, from Talk'N Tours, said the reliability可靠性 of the kiosks is questionable可疑的, 存疑的. Automatic check-in commenced this month, and SMS boarding pass登机牌 technology will be further trialled on Sydney-Melbourne (Avalon) flights from late February 2010. It will be rolled out铺开 across Jetstar’s domestic Australian and New Zealand networks during 2010.

Critics go to town on iPad: go to town (on something)以极大的精力(热情)做..., 不惜血本 to do something eagerly and as completely as possible Angie and Phil have really gone to town on their wedding. Usage notes: often used to describe an activity that involves spending a large amount of money Critics and fans have weighed in(发表意见to offer an opinion in a discussion or argument Mr. Pierce weighed in with a warning that many companies would not be able to meet the deadline. One angry woman weighed in to remind us that a lot of what we'd read was not true.) after Apple unveiled its iPad tablet computer, with opinion divided on(意见不一) whether the iconic California company had given birth to another game-changing product. Unveiling the new touchscreen device on Wednesday, Apple chief executive Steve Jobs admitted he was taking a gamble冒险从事 by trying to carve out an entirely new device category between the laptop computer and the smartphone.

"We think we've got the goods(have the goods有这本事, 有这才干)," Jobs said. "We think we've done it." Wall Street was uncertain. After gaining nearly 1 per cent on Wednesday, Apple shares were trading about 3.5 per cent lower at midday on Thursday, occasionally dipping触底 below $US200. Although consumers will have the final say, technology analysts and gadget reviewers were mixed on(意见不一) whether the iPad will be a smash hit(畅销货) like the iPod, which controls more than 70 per cent of the market for MP3 players, or the iPhone, which completely transformed the smartphone arena. Samuel Axon of tech blog Mashable was among those in the disappointed camp(属于失望那一个阵营里的). "The iPad isn't the transformational变革性的 device so many Apple enthusiasts were hoping for," Axon wrote. "It won't turn all the content industries upside down, it won't be your primary computing device and it's not even a bigger, better iPhone." Michael Hiltzik, a technology columnist for The Los Angeles Times, said: "The iPad resembles a scaled-up iPhone - without the phone." The tech blog of Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said that after months of pre-launch hype(=ballyhoo), "expectations for the new Apple product were so high they were difficult to fulfil". Spain's El Pais said the iPad opened up a new avenue for content creators struggling to adapt to the digital era. "It won't replace your laptop, but I think it may have sounded the death knell(丧钟 toll the death knell for sb) for notebook computers," she wrote.

关于IPAD的其他新闻: 1. "The arrival of these devices shows how short-sighted publishers were to keep book prices high in Australia ... they shot themselves in the foot(shoot yourself in the foot搬起石头砸自己的脚 to do or say something that causes problems for you My brother has shot himself in the foot twice by turning down buyers for his house.)," said Carr, who sits on the board of Dymocks, in a phone interview. McCaskill said porting books to the digital world was difficult because entire back catalogues must be digitised in several different formats and publishers had to redraft copyright deals with authors to suit digital distribution. "The only thing that would make me explore them is the adjustment of the font size. Because I read so much, I end up with chronic eye strain(慢性眼部劳损). [But] I'm not sure whether looking at that screen will be good for my eyes." 2. However, the model with Wi-Fi (without 3G access) will be available in Australia in March, the spokesperson said. Pricing is as yet目前为止 unavailable, and will be announced "at a later date", according to the spokesperson.

Kindle not ready to surrender to iPad: Advocates wary谨慎的 of the Apple device say Amazon.com's e-reader has its new rival beat on battery life, weight, cost and reading experience. When Apple Inc. Chief Executive Steve Jobs showed off the new iPad -- complete with built-in bookstore -- on Wednesday he praised Amazon.com Inc. for pioneering the electronic book business with its popular Kindle reading device. But moments later, the compliment赞誉 took on an ominous tone when Jobs added, "We're going to stand on their shoulders and go a little further." At first glance(占看起来), the multimedia iPad -- with its fast, colorful touch screen and built-in Web browser and video player -- would seem to outshine更出色,更优秀 the slower Amazon device. The Kindle "is optimized to do one thing and do it very well, and that is reading," said Jagdish Rebello, an analyst with market research firm iSuppli. "If the user is interested in buying a device for books, the Kindle is a no-brainer自然之选." Amazon's blockbuster product didn't become the world's most popular e-reader for nothing(not for nothing是有原因的, 并不是没有原因的 for a good reason Not for nothing is New York City called the fashion capital of the world.), analysts said. It boasts a relatively long battery life, a free wireless connection to Amazon's extensive online bookstore, a screen that's supposedly easy on the eyes(悦目的, 好看的) -- and a relatively palatable(可口的, 合意的) price. The Kindle costs $259, while the entry-level iPad will retail for $499. Although Apple wouldn't comment on the price of books in its new store, some screen shots the company displayed at its introductory news conference推介记者招待会 showed prices ranging upward of超过 $14.99, a detail(一个细节) Amazon pounced on(pounce (up)on someone or something一眼就看出来, 一眼瞅准  to spring or swoop upon someone or something; to seize someone or something. (Upon is formal and less commonly used than on.) As Gerald came into the room, his friend Daniel pounced on him and frightened him to death. The cat pounced upon a mouse.). It also remains to be seen whether Apple will be able to offer the range of titles its more established完善的,完备的 competitors now do. Amazon's bookstore features more than 400,000 Kindle-ready books. To compete, Apple announced its online iBookstore, with titles supplied by Penguin Group, Simon & Schuster Inc., Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers and Macmillan. But other major names such as Random House Inc., publisher of Dan Brown's bestselling "The Lost Symbol," were not in the mix. Since the Kindle was launched in late 2007 its advocates, including Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, have said that to reproduce再现, 复制 the quiet, solitary幽静的 experience of reading a book, e-readers should not tempt users with a panoply of digital distractions. The iPad, on the other hand, is by design a multimedia device, equipped with dozens of entertainment features and primed to offer thousands more in the form of add-on applications. The Kindle and other low-power e-ink readers also retain a distinct advantage明显的优势 in the battery department. A single charge will allow one week of continuous reading on the Kindle, while the iPad's glowing screen and powerful internal computer will deplete its battery in closer to 10 hours. A perhaps more dubious strike against the iPad is that the light from its screen could put strain on users' eyes after prolonged periods of use. Electronic ink, which was created to mimic the visual properties of a printed page, has been praised by critics and consumers as being more eye-friendly. But the science does not yet support the idea that backlit digital displays are bad for your eyes, said Ivan Schwab, a professor of ophthalmology眼科 at UC Davis. The idea that computer screens cause eyestrain "is more hearsay道听途说 and anecdotal传闻," he said. "I don't think the screen is any more toxic to the eye." And, Schwab noted, whereas many people have no choice but to stare at a computer monitor for hours a day at their jobs, readers can rest their eyes at any time by putting their book down.

I have taken too much your time(我占用你太多时间了). Who do I have to thank(一种幽默的说法, 问对方的姓名). out of character 1. unlike one's usual behavior不符合性格的. Ann's remark was quite out of character. It was out of character for Ann to act so stubborn. 2. inappropriate for the character that an actor is playing. Bill went out of character when the audience started giggling. Bill played the part so well that it was hard for him to get out of character after the performance. 听对方谈话过程中插入一个 "meaning", 意为让对方明确说出他的意思, 确认他的说法, 可译为"您意思是", 对方可以回答meaning (that) .... to that effect带有那个意思, 具有那样效果的 She thought it a foolish rule and put a notice to that effect in a newspaper她认为这是条愚蠢的规定, 并在报纸上发表短评表达了这一观点.  something to that effect something like that just mentioned. She said she wouldn't be available until after three, or something to that effect. I was told to keep out of the house—or something to that effect. to the effect that大意是, 以便 used to refer to the general sense or meaning of something written or spoken大意是, 意思是 Some comments to the effect that my essay was a little light on analysis一些大意为我的文章分析不够的评论

The wife of missing Melbourne millionaire Herman Rockefeller says her husband has vanished消失不见 without a trace无影无踪的. Vicky Rockefeller says there is absolutely nothing to indicate what may have happened to her husband once he left Melbourne Airport about 9pm (AEDT) on Thursday. He has not been seen since. "We really need the help of the public because we've just reached a dead end(不知道该怎么办了, 到穷途末路了, 无法前进, 停滞不前) so to speak," Ms Rockefeller told ABC Radio on Monday. "There's just nothing杳无音信 from 9.35. We've been through the phone records, credit cards, banks, tollways, everything. I mean, everything possible has been checked and there's just nothing." Mr Rockefeller's 52nd birthday is on Monday and his wife said he was in great spirits兴致很高 and there were no disputes, conflicts or hints of a secret life to arouse suspicion. The last time he called, She had her phone on silent手机设置成静音了 and missed the call没接到电话, but sent him a text message and later received a message back, in which he was mainly talking excitedly about their daughter's university offers last week to study medicine. "He also rang her at the same time to talk about that, I mean he was just over the moon(非常狂喜, 高兴异常的) about it." Ms Rockefeller said her family had absolutely no connection to(没有任何关联) the American Rockefeller dynasty, but she could not rule out kidnapping as a possible motive. "There's no concrete leads(线索) or suspicion. For no apparent reason, he exited a plane, hopped in his car and hasn't been seen," he said. "I'm just at a loss(不知所措), I don't know why or what has happened." Mr Rockefeller is about 180 centimetres tall, with dark wavy hair, receding退缩的 hair line发际线 and a suntanned, olive complexion肤色.

Google's run-in(口角(informal)a disagreement or fight, especially with someone in an official position) with cn shows that internet is now a real battleground: ONE USEFUL spin-off(副产品, 派生产品) from the developing story of Google's difficulties with the cn comm.unist regime is that it may finally spur the west to discard the rose-tinted spectacles(tinted spectacles有色眼镜) through which it has chosen to view Cn in the past decade – and not before time. The west's response to Cn's rapid industrialisation was determined by a recipe blending three parts greed with one part naivety(混杂了三分贪婪一分天真). The greed was understandable(可理解的): the stupendous(巨大的, 惊人的) rate of Chinese economic growth triggered a desperate desire for a slice of the action(piece/slice of the action分一杯羹 (informal) being involved in something successful that someone else started Now research has proved that the new drug is effective, everyone wants a piece of the action. slice of the cake/pie a share of something. There's not much work around and so everyone must be content with a slice of the cake. The company makes huge profits and the workers want a slice of the cake. a slice of life如实地反映生活或经验的一个侧面 if a film, a play, or a piece of writing shows a slice of life, it shows life as it really is The drama, a slice of life about a group of unmarried mothers, starts tonight.). Everywhere, whether in companies or universities, one found a palpable(显而易见的, 可触知的 a palpable sense of loss强烈的失败感 palp触须) determination to "get into China". In the political world, we saw western governments scramble争先恐后 to out-do one another in fawning upon(巴结, 讨好 fawn on/over sb.) visiting Cn_ese potentates(有权势的人). Still, greed is part of human nature; we have to make a living, and often behave reprehensibly(受到指责的) while doing so. What was less forgivable about the west's approach was the implicit毫无疑问的, 不严明而含蓄的[implicit consent默许, tacit support] naivety(天真). It was a product of wishful thinking(主观愿望) brought about by market triumphalism(必胜信念), the belief that, in the end, it is impossible to have a capitalist economy without also having liberal political institutions. Google's engagement with Cn was driven by both greed and naivety. The latter was graphically[生动鲜明的] illustrated(昭然若揭的) by the deal on filtering search results the company accepted. The Google folk persuaded themselves it was better to let internet users know their searches had been filtered, on the grounds that this might alert Chinese citizens to the imperfections in their political arrangements. It was unpalatable(不可口的, 使人不快的 palatable认可认同的, 可口的), but better than nothing(聊胜于无). And it might lead to change. It was all hooey(骗人, 真傻), of course. The regime is irredeemably(不可救药的, 无法挽回的, 不能赎回的 redeemable可挽回的) authoritarian专制 and never had any intention of ceding freedom of information to its people. Neither has it ever bought into the idea of market triumphalism. The whole Chinese economic "miracle" is a refutation of the link between capitalism and liberalism: Hv Jt & Co believe it is perfectly possible to build a dynamic, prosperous economy without bothering with all that democracy nonsense.

Jolie, Pitt sign $366m split deal: report : Hollywood super couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have separated(parted ways分道扬镳) and signed a $366 million deal which will see their fortune split and children set up for life(set somebody up for life (informal) to provide someone with enough money for the rest of their life His father died when he was young and the inheritance set him up for life.), reports say. Unnamed sources said the couple signed the papers in early January with the aid of a high-profile Beverly Hills-based divorce lawyer regarded as "the best in the business业内". "It seemed clear they want the world to know they'll both play a part in the upbringing抚养养育 of the children." An announcement is tipped被传 to be made within weeks, ending months of speculation that the couple's relationship is on the rocks. The National Enquirer published a story last week about a fight Jolie and Pitt had at a trendy时髦的 New York restaurant called Alto on January 6. The magazine said the fight was the final straw with the couple agreeing later that night to end their six-year relationship, which began on the set of the thriller Mr and Mrs Smith. If the reports are correct, this will be Pitt's third very public break-up. Jolie, 34, is no stranger to break-ups((stranger to)a person entirely unaccustomed to (a feeling, experience, or situation) 对(情感, 经历, 情形)不习惯的人, 对…不陌生,对…熟悉, 对…有经验 he is no stranger to controversy他对争论已习以为常了) either.

Alcatel-Lucent Unveils 1870 Transport Tera Switch: Now, to tackle this problem, Alcatel-Lucent has introduced its 1870 Transport Tera(兆兆, 万亿) Switch (TTS). This optical core switching platform allows operators to transport IP traffic, including video, at the most cost-effective layer of the network. Operators are often caught between the desire(caught in the middle=caught in the crossfire卷入两者的争执中并因此遭殃, 遭受池鱼之殃, 被夹在中间 to experience the influence of opposing groups in a disagreement  My mother and sister are always yelling at each other, and I find myself caught in the middle.) to increase the network capacity to cater to the customers’ demands and keeping their operations profitable. It also uses the latest silicon innovations, and builds on a unique set of features including an industry-first业界第一的, proprietary专利的, 独占的 chip. "Network costs are growing proportionally(成比例的=pro rata) with traffic, but revenue and profit are not. To address this disconnect(a discrepancy or lack of connection差异, 分歧, 缺乏联系 there can be a disconnect between boardrooms and IT departments when it comes to technology说起技术来, 各企业的董事会和信息产业部门之间可能会有分歧), operators need to ensure that their IP core can manage ever increasing volumes of traffic at the lowest possible cost," 

Poll shows Aussies want immigration capped: "It's a significant finding because it suggests public discussion of congestion and house prices may be beginning to bite((of a policy or situation) take effect, with unpleasant consequences (政策, 局势)产生不良影响, 造成不良后果 the cuts in art education were starting to bite对艺术教育投入的削减开始产生不良后果)," Dr Birrell said. More than half the respondents(问卷调查[poll]中的被调查者) felt Australia had changed for the worse(变得糟糕) in the past 20 years. And the poll, taken when Prince William was in Australia, shows we are confused about whether the nation should remain under a monarchy, with 44 per cent in favour of a republic, 27 per cent opposed, and a whopping巨大庞大的 29 per cent undecided. 60 PER CENT think the Aussie notion of a fair go(公平对待, 机会均等) still applies, with young people aged between 18 and 34 the most optimistic and 68 per cent of that age bracket(年龄组, 年龄段, bracket括号) agreeing the country still gives people a fair go; HALF the respondents think we are not sympathetic to the plight of Aborigines, compared to 37 per cent who say we are; 60 PER CENT want us to stick with Advance Australia Fair as our national anthem, with only 14 per cent voting for Waltzing Matilda([澳口](徒步旅行者的)行囊 waltz/walk Matilda: carry such a bundle背着行囊); 45 PER CENT are against the idea of removing the Union Jack(英国国旗) from the Australian flag, while 27 per cent support it and 28 per cent are undecided; 37 PER CENT consider meat pies our national dish, ahead of roast lamb (28 per cent), lamingtons(拉明顿蛋糕,巧克力椰丝方块蛋糕) (12 per cent) and pavlovas(奶油水果蛋白饼) (11 per cent);

Pakistan lukewarm(态度冷淡的, 不热情的, 不起劲的) to U.S. offer The U.S. announcement that it is considering providing Pakistan a dozen unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance has received a less than warm reception here, with one report saying the military was unimpressed违背打动的.

Chastened Obama admits voter neglect: The chastened(经过磨练了的 vt. (be chastened)(of a reproof or misfortune)have a restraining or moderating effect on(责难,不幸)遏制, 使缓和, 使有所收敛 the director was somewhat chastened by his recent flops最近的失败使主管的态度有所收敛 [as adj. chastening]a chastening experience一次磨炼) US President Barack Obama concedes he has made some mistakes in his first year in office. The President admits his need to tackle a flurry(一阵) of crises(crisis的复数形式) has weakened his bond with the American people. "If there's one thing that I regret如果有什么可遗憾的话, it's that we were so busy just getting stuff done and dealing with the immediate crises in front of us that I think we lost some of that sense of speaking directly to the American people about what their core values are," he said. Senator-elect (of Massachusetts) Scott Brown says Americans want the President to put the brakes on叫停 some of his reforms. "I think they sent a very, very powerful message that business as usual(照常营业, 一切如常 doing everything in the ordinary way Serious problems such as depression can make business as usual impossible for most people. She says we have to deal with the AIDS epidemic because business as usual is killing too many people.) is not going to be the way we do it." Republican Senator John McCain says the Massachusetts result delivered a blunt(直言不讳的, 耿直率直的) message to the White House. "Last night a shot was fired around this nation. A shot was fired saying 'no more business as usual in Washington DC'," Senator McCain said. Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is offering an olive branch(hold out/offer an olive branch to do or say something in order to show that you want to end a disagreement with someone Usage notes: An olive branch is traditionally a symbol of peace.(often + to ) He held out an olive branch to the opposition by releasing 42 political prisoners.). "As I've said many times to the American people, we work together as partners - not partisans - to improve their individual lives," Senator Reid said. "That's as true after Republican victories as it is after Democratic victories([麻省选举]republican胜如此, democratic胜也是如此)." Darrell West, the vice president of governance studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, says it has been a rocky year动宕的一年 for Mr Obama. "The public opinion climate has turned more negative. People are still worried about the economy. They're anxious about healthcare reform. The president will deliver his first State of the Union address(国&情咨文演讲) next week, allowing him to recalibrate his message as the countdown begins倒计时开始 to the crucial November mid-term elections. national costume民族服装

澳大利亚年轻人在希腊被殴致死: A Greek nightclub bouncer(夜总会保镖) has been found guilty of causing the death of Australian tourist Doujon Zammit during a fight on the holiday island of Mykonos in July 2008. Mr Zammit was holidaying with friends when he died from head injuries sustained at the hands of a group of men who attacked him with a baton警之棍. The court heard how Mr Zammit and two other Australian men had left a nightclub but were chased by a group led by Antonopoulos amid a dispute over a missing handbag. The Australians were confronted by the men, pushed up against a wall and searched before Mr Zammit was repeatedly beaten. He later died in an Athens hospital. Mr Zammit's father, Oliver Zammit, donated his son's heart to Greek-Australian man Kostas Gribilas, generating widespread publicity and sympathy for the case in Greece.

日本新影子幕府: In Japan Ichiro Ozawa is known as the 'Shadow Shogun' - a man more powerful than the country's prime minister. At home in Japan the Shadow Shogun is loathed厌恶 and feared in equal measure又恨又怕. But rather than meekly(温顺地;逆来顺受地) offer an apology like most Japanese politicians accused of impropriety, Mr Ozawa is promising all-out war with the prosecutors. Mr Ozawa apologised to fellow ruling party members for causing controversy, but vowed to return fire还击 at the prosecutors. In Japan, the Public Prosecutors Office is made up of a fearless phalanx of 2,500 investigators, with the powers of police and, to some extent, even judges. All Eliot Ness trench coats半大的大衣, 多为military style的, 有肩带(A trench coat or trenchcoat is a raincoat made of waterproof heavy-duty cotton drill or poplin, wool gabardine, or in some cases leather: it generally has a removable insulated lining(隔热衬里); and it is usually knee-length or longer, A belted raincoat in a military style, having straps on the shoulders(有肩带的) and deep pockets. 风衣是dust coat, 美国叫duster, In contemporary women's clothing, a duster is any knee-length or longer unfitted coat. Women's dusters may be similar to bath robes, sometimes sleeveless, and are often sold with matching pants or skirt.) and ties, the prosecutors have already raided several construction firms allegedly involved in donating to an Ozawa slush fund(多指political的贿赂资金), and arrested three of the Shadow Shogun's former aides.

Uni not worried by decline in Indian students: India's Foreign Minister S M Krishna has warned he will advise students not to go to Australia to study unless attacks on Indians in Australia stop. This coincides with(符合, 与...一致 My suggestion coincides with your opinion我的提议正和你的意见相合 His tastes and habits coincide with those of his wife他的爱好跟习惯恰好和他的妻子相同) a 50 per cent decline in the number of student visa applications between July and October last year, compared to(1. 把...比作=liken sb/sth to sb/sth, 2.与...相比) the same period the previous year. Indian students currently make up占 about 12 per cent of total overseas students at the University of Wollongong. But the university's manager of international recruitment, Peter Day, says the decline that is already being experienced will be offset by students from other countries. "Fortunately we're well buffered(=cushioned 缓冲减轻) against the impact of this particular decline by the diversity that we have," he said. "Our largest market, China, continues to grow and we've had some success with emerging markets新兴市场 such as Vietnam." Mr Day says the university has tried to engage with(与...接洽) Indian students through online chat rooms and a variety of other measures. "In an overall enrolment sense we will be cushioned(=buffered) against the full impact of a 50 per cent decline from India, but nevertheless we're extremely disappointed," he said. A indian in Wollongong said "I have found this an absolutely cohesive(有凝聚力的, 产生内聚力的) society and I have never felt as if we have come from somewhere else."

Plot Summary for Sherlock Holmes: After finally catching serial killer and occult神秘的 "sorcerer男巫师" Lord Blackwood, legendary sleuth侦探 Sherlock Holmes and his assistant Dr. Watson can close yet another successful case. But when Blackwood mysteriously returns from the grave and resumes his killing spree, Holmes must take up the hunt once again. Contending with his partner's new fiancée and the dimwitted呆头笨脑的 head of Scotland Yard, the dauntless英勇无畏的 detective must unravel the clues(拨开层层线索) that will lead him into a twisted web of murder, deceit, and black magic邪法巫术 - and the deadly embrace of temptress(诱惑男人的女性) Irene Adler.

William Visited Australia: PRINCE William will return home with a positive report card(成绩单, 学生成绩报告单, 表现鉴定) from the British media for his first overseas assignment. The young royal's charm offensive(魅力攻势) in Australia has been widely applauded(赞许) as a success, apart from isolated(1. 孤立的, 单独的 2. 个别的, 零星的sporadic, 例外的 isolated incidents个别事件) criticism of William's informal approach. Daily reports in the UK press have carried images登载照片 of William being mobbed(聚众包围) in Sydney and Melbourne, putting an end to concerns about how he might be greeted in Australia. A discordant(不一致的, 不和谐的) note(不和谐音符) was struck by the Daily Mail's expat(=expatriate 移居海外, 逐出海外的) columnist Amanda Platell, who complained William's casual approach of "getting down and dirty with the natives" did the royals a disservice(让皇室蒙羞). "It wasn't so much the common touch(平易近人的, 亲近和睦的 The ability to appeal to the interests and sensibilities of the ordinary person: "an effective administrator and also an effective leader, with a common touch" ) as just dead common(Used to describe something(or someone) completely ordinary with a sense of triteness[平凡, 陈腐, 老套] and may be inferior in quality as well. "Look at that girl's attire!" "Are you referring to the one(你是指, 你是在说) wearing pedal pushers[指7分裤 Pedal pushers are calf-length trousers that were popular during the 1950s] and Crocs?" "Yes, isn't that just dead common?!". dead在这里表示加强语气, 强调平庸, 和"dead serious = very serious, dead right = 100% right"一样)," Platell wrote, arguing a certain air of "haughtiness傲慢(haughty adj. 傲慢的)" was required to maintain royal mystique(神秘性, 神秘感).

Lat night talkshow host's $30m goodbye三大latenight show主持人斗法: NBC neared a deal(close to settling details of O'Brien departure) on Friday with Tonight host Conan O'Brien to leave the network, freeing Jay Leno to reclaim the late-night show he stewarded(n. 空乘 vt. 管理, 当管家) for 17 years. The focus has been on how much O'Brien, who has time left on his NBC contract, would be paid for leaving and what limits NBC may put on his future employment at another network. The deal under discussion would provide for a settlement of more than $30 million and allow him to start a new show as early as this autumn, the person said. O'Brien has ... and reports of his annual salary vary widely, from $US10 million to $US25 million. NBC didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Friday night. The progress in negotiations didn't stop the talk show host from once again hammering(抨击 to criticize forcefully and relentless) NBC in his Tonight monologue. "In the press this week, NBC has been calling me every name in the book(call somebody names to use impolite or unpleasant words to describe someone I was afraid that if I wore glasses to school, the other kids would call me names. It's a good thing he didn't hear me earlier - I was calling him all the names under the sun. (= using a lot of impolite words to describe him)). In fact, they think I'm such an idiot they now want me to run the network," O'Brien said on Friday. Other late-night hosts, including David Letterman on CBS, have been using their shows to crack jokes about NBC's late-night mess and the players. But on Friday, Leno fired back. "Even Dave Letterman is taking shots at me向我开火, 对准了我, which surprised me. Usually he's just taking shots at the interns," Leno said, a reference提及 to the CBS host's admission last year that he had affairs with women who worked on his show. Letterman and Leno had vied for Tonight after longtime host Johnny Carson retired in 1992, and Leno won the hard-fought contest. O'Brien landed The Tonight Show gig after successfully hosting Late Night, which airs an hour later, since 1993. But after debuting last May, he quickly stumbled绊脚, 出错 in the ratings race against Letterman. Leno's prime-time weeknight show, which premiered last September, got its cancellation notice on Sunday. Leno had reigned(统治, 占主导地位) as ratings champ(收视冠军) as host of Tonight but drew disappointing ratings with his experiment in prime time. As a fix, NBC wanted to put Leno at 11:35pm in a half-hour edition and push O'Brien's Tonight Show to 12:05am.But O'Brien rejected the idea, saying he hadn't been given the necessary time or support to establish himself as host(achieve recognition or acceptance for (someone) in a particular capacity使(某人)得到承认, 使被接受 he had established himself as a film star他使自己成为公认的电影明星). Fox executives have expressed their admiration for(对...赞赏有加) O'Brien but said they haven't taken steps to create a late-night show for him.

Obama admits to doubts beneath calm exterior外表的冷静: Nearly a year into his presidency, Barack Obama has acknowledged that at times he's wracked(=rack, 使痛苦, 使焦虑; 绞尽脑汁) by doubt and disappointment when his key agenda items are slowed by multiple hurdles. "You know, folks ask me sometimes why I look so calm," Obama told several hundred worshippers from the pulpit of Washington's Vermont Avenue Baptist Church, where slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr once delivered a sermon. The US leader is famous for his aura of unflappability(不慌张,镇定, 处变不惊 unflappable 不易惊慌的,镇定自若的 flapable 容易兴奋, 易于烦乱的 flap v. 1. 拍动, 摆动 flap its wings. Bernice flapped a hand at him in dismissal. 2. 惊慌失措 it's all right, Mother, don't flap. ) in the face of crisis, but he acknowledged that there are sometimes roiling(roil 翻腾翻滚, 使生气) emotions beneath the surface. "I have a confession to make. There are times when I'm not so calm. My wife knows. There are times when progress seems too slow. There are times when the words that are spoken about me hurt. There are times when the barbs sting(barbs n. 锋芒, 倒钩 barb words带刺的话, 讥讽的话 She slung barbs at me她说了些讥刺我话). There are times when it feels like all these efforts are for naught," he added. But the president said it's his faith that gives him inner calm and peace, and urged congregants(教众, 宗教团体的成员) at the church on Sunday to find solace in theirs. "So let us hold fast to that faith," Obama urged the congregation. "Together, we shall overcome the challenges of the new age. Together, we shall seize the promise of this moment. Together, we shall make a way through the winter. And we're going to welcome the spring." Obama, the nation's first African-American president, spoke on the eve of the Martin Luther King Jr holiday. During the service, where his two daughters and his wife joined him, he nodded his head and tapped his feet as the choir sang. The massive hope and goodwill that greeted Obama's historic inauguration have partly evaporated, with the change he promised neither as fast nor as sweeping as had been expected in the face of challenging times. Despite some successes, Obama now confronts a thicket灌木丛 of domestic and foreign challenges, among them a ballooning deficit, 10 per cent unemployment, approval ratings tipping below 50 per cent, revived fears of al-Qaeda airborne terror and an emboldened(vt. 鼓励, 使有胆量) insurgency in Afghanistan.

'Cougar' sex campaign lands Air NZ in hot water(A still(静态画面) from the Air New Zealand online campaign following this title): A campaign that portrays single middle-aged women as 'cougars'(1. =puma美洲狮 2. 指追求年轻男性的年长女性 An older woman who romantically pursues younger men. Example: Demi Moore, 45, snagging hubby Ashton Kutcher, 29. Although an offensive term to some, others consider it a positive sign of society's increasing acceptance of older women's sex appeal.) who prowl(悄然行动, 徘徊 be/go on the prowl  1. (动物)悄然潜行(以觅食) Our cats go on the prowl at night, and then they sleep here all day我们家的貓晚上悄悄出去觅食, 白天就在这里睡大觉 2. (人)(为抓捕或行窃等)潜行, 悄悄巡行以寻找 Look out for burglars on the prowl. If you see anything suspicious, call the police immediately小心巡视, 提防盜贼, 如有任何可疑情况, 马上打电话报警) bars looking for sex with young men has landed Air New Zealand in hot water. The country's national carrier was already causing turbulence波动骚乱 with its latest uniform range, which critics say make women look like drag queens in Russian military garb制服. Now they've ruffled the feathers of(ruffle[弄皱弄乱, 激怒扰乱] (somebody's) feathers to make someone annoyed or upset Her spokeswoman wouldn't say whether the lawsuit has ruffled the singer's feathers. He tries not to ruffle feathers, and people seem to like to work with him. Usage notes: sometimes used in the form smooth ruffled feathers (to make someone feel less annoyed or upset): The candidate went out of her way to smooth ruffled feathers. Etymology: based on the idea of a bird whose feathers are not smooth because of fear or excitement) women's rights groups and rape prevention organisations with a risque(近乎猥亵的, 有伤风化的) online promotion portraying the mating habits of the mature single woman. In the Discovery Channel-style documentary clip complete with David Attenborough-esque(风格的 -esque 1.in the manner or style of like Romanesque[罗马建筑风格的] 2. having the quality of;  like statuesque[轮廓优美如雕塑般的]) voiceover, a so-called cougar is shown "starving itself on sparse vegetation during the day then hunting large slabs of meat at night" by stalking a young man at a bar. Despite the man's attempts to ward off the woman's advances, the cougar has "not tasted fresh meat for days" and drags her prey to an inner-city apartment. In the ad, the women, aged in their 30s, 40s and 50s, routinely prey on men in their 20s, many who "pretend to be gay" to avoid them, says the voiceover. The promotion encourages women 35-plus to send in photographs of themselves out on the town with their "cougar mates" to go in the draw(抽签决定 Now it's time to draw for the big prize!现在该抽签决定大奖了) for a deal including a flight and ticket to a sporting event. New Zealand's Rape Prevention Education has labelled the ad appalling, disgusting and degrading to women. "We have also had complaints from male survivors who have been raped by women and they are very distressed that their situation is being laughed at and made out to be humorous," said director Kim McGregor. An airline spokeswoman said the campaign was supposed to be "light-hearted" but some older women had "taken a bit of offence to it". "(They) felt it was an unfair kind of blanket(总括的; 综合的; 一揽子的; 无大差别的; 不分上下的 A blanket insurance policy insures a car against all kinds of accidents) comment," she said. Many didn't, however, with 60 women signing up to go in to win flights, tickets and cougar costumes to attract the attention of young males.

afloat 1. 漂浮的, 不沉的 2. 在船上或在海上的 cargo/goods/stock afloat在途货物 3. 未处于绝境地, 幸存地, 勉力支撑的 They had to sell their assets to keep the business afloat他们得售卖资产使企业免于负债 His business is facing difficulties, but it is staying afloat(勉力维持) 他的生意遇到一些困难, 但还能维持 The inheritance kept them afloat for years遗产使他们好多年免于经济困难 He is struggling to keep afloat after a series of emotional and health problems在经历了一系列的情感打击和健康问题后, 他正努力使自己能夠支撑下去
电影Is Anybody There的Plot summary: Set in设定于 1980s seaside England, this is the story of Edward, an unusual ten year old boy growing up in an old people's home老人之家 run by his parents. Whilst his mother struggles to keep the family business afloat, and his father copes with the onset(1. 开始 at very onset刚一开始 2. 攻击, 袭击) of mid-life crisis, Edward is busy tape-recording the elderly residents to try and discover what happens when they die. Increasingly obsessed with ghosts and the afterlife来生, Edward's is a rather lonely existence until he meets Clarence, the latest recruit to the home, a retired magician with a liberating streak of anarchy. Is There Anybody There? tells the surprising, touching story of this odd couple - a boy and an old man - facing life together, with Edward learning to live in the moment and Clarence coming to terms with the past.

ATTACHED和ENCLOSED的区别: To attach原指「钉或夹在一起」，用钉书机、万字夹等把文件和信函钉或夹在一起，就是attach. 例如：Details of my qualifications and experience are on the attached sheet。应征信和履历一般分别写在不同的纸张，严格来说，如把信函和附件钉或夹在一起，该用attach一词，如只信函和附件只是放在一起寄出，就该用enclosed。两词用法分明，主要是看信函和附件是否钉或夹在一起。查看日常有附件的信函，不难发觉在现代英语中，enclosed和attached的用法己无分别。但假如附件不是文件，而是一件或一箱东西，就该enclosed，例如：Enclosed are half a dozen samples of the AH19004 combs you requested。因不能把梳子的样本夹在信函上，故不应用attached。此外，有些人喜欢用比较传统的句法，例如：Please find enclosed/attached our latest catalogue for your reference；比较简单而意思一样的写法是：Enclosed is our latest catalogue for your reference或I enclose our latest catalogue for your reference。切记不要在enclosed或attached之后加herewith，因herewith是with this letter的意思，加上后无疑是画蛇添足。Content、contents区别: 二者都可以译做「内容」，但contents一般指具体的事物，content则指抽象的意念。事物的成分，集合而言是contents，单独而言是content，例如: (1) This beverage has a low fat content （这种饮料的脂肪成分很低）。 (2) The contents of the beverage remain unclear （这种饮料的成分仍然不清楚）。说容器里盛载的东西，一般都有实质，即contents，例如﹕A customs official carefully examined the contents of the suitcase （一位海关人员仔细检查手提箱里的东西）。这个contents没有单数形式，不可说a content。书本的内容是content还是contents?两个说法都可以，但意思不同﹕content指贯彻全书的意念，contents则是指书中各章节的内容。例如﹕(1) The content of the book is about keeping fit （这本书以保健为题材）。 (2) The contents of the book are quite interesting （这本书各章的内容很有趣）。由于contents指具体内容，说书本的目录，自然要用复数形式，例如﹕A table of contents/A contents usually provides a useful guide to what is said in a book （看目录，通常可以知道一本书说的是什么）。  document和documentation的区别: 一般而言document指具体的某一个文件, 而documentation指文件的汇总归类, 文献, 或正式的文献资料, 所以前者可数而后者不可数. 另外documentation有一个独特的意思是 "material that provides official information or evidence or that serves as a record,即证明文件, 文件的提供.". 如"Although we now know our visas have been approved in Canberra, we still don't have the necessary documentation. So, regretably we have decided to postpone the date of the Induction until we have certainty on when we will be arriving."

圣诞仪式的祈祷如下:Lighting the Christ candle(White, represents the birth of Christ. Hope, Peace, Love, Joy). Call to worship. prayer of invocation((in the Christian Church) a form of words such as 'In the name of the Father' introducing a prayer, sermon, etc (指基督教会)(祈祷，布道等开始时)引词). prayer of adoration. prayer of confession. sermon: christmas brings hope. offertory(an offering or collection of money made at a religious service(宗教仪式中的)捐款,募捐). doxology(赞美辞 anthem, chant, chorale, hymn, hymnology, psalmody ). Intercessory(the action of saying a prayer on behalf of another person代人祈祷 prayers of intercession代人祈祷的祷文) prayer. Lord's prayer. Words of commission. Benediction(the utterance or bestowing of a blessing, especially at the end of a religious service(尤指宗教仪式结束时的)赐福祈祷, 祝福). Bethlehem伯利恒(耶稣诞生地)

Susan Boyle10年前曾经录过一个慈善专辑, 关于此事的报道 "People will be scrambling to(奋力争夺) get their hands on(get/lay your hands on something 1. to succeed in obtaining something得到 As a kid I read anything I could lay my hands on. If you ever get your hands on a copy, I'd love to have a look. 2. if you say you will kill someone when you get your hands on them, you mean you will be very angry with them You wait till I get my hands on her - I'll kill her! ) this CD. They will be like gold dust(炙手可热, 像金珠子一样珍贵 like gold dust  (British & Australian) also like gold (American) 炙手可热 if things or people are like gold dust, they are difficult to get because a lot of people want them Tickets for the Coldplay concert were like gold dust. We were really lucky to get them. Skilled workers are like gold in the engineering industry. ) soon.”  It’s all a far cry from(be a far cry from something大不一样, 大不相同 to be very different from something His new luxury mansion is a far cry from the one-bedroom cottage he lived in as a child. ) 1999, when Susan recorded her track for the charity compilation CD at Whitburn Academy, where X Factor winner Leon Jackson went to school. The Millennium Celebration disc, which was partly funded by Whitburn Community Council, was the brainchild(某人的发明或主意) of local newspaper editor Eddie Anderson. Simon, Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden rolled their eyes(翻白眼) and raised their eyebrows(瞧不起) when she told them she wanted to be a Broadway superstar like Elaine Paige. But their scorn quickly turned to amazement(蔑视旋即转为惊讶) when she started to sing. The bookies have installed Susan as red-hot((of a favourite in a race or other contest) most strongly expected to win[赛跑等]最被看好的, 最有希望获胜的 Ipswich Town are red-hot favourites for the championship伊普斯威奇城队是夺冠的大热门) favourite大热人选 to win the £100,000 Britain’s Got Talent first prize. But in her live satellite interview with Diane Sawyer yesterday, she was still keeping her feet firmly on the ground脚踏实地的. Asked about her newfound stardom新近的成名, Susan giggled and said: "Most mornings I wake up with a smile. I can't believe it has happened." Sawyer asked Susan what she would do with the prize money if she won, but she replied: "Well, it’s just baby steps at the moment, we shall see how things progress." But she did admit there would be no repeat of the dance steps she showed off on Saturday. "That’s it," she insisted. "Let’s try and keep it ladylike." Last night, it emerged that Susan has also been offered the chance to be a guest on the Oprah Winfrey show. And BGT supremo统治者, 实权人物 Simon Cowell reckons that if the appearance goes ahead, it will guarantee that her debut album will top the charts in the States. Susan suffered a mild form of brain damage at birth and she admitted to Sawyer that she was bullied when she was younger. "They did a bit," she said, "but they always do that with someone who is quiet and I tended to be quiet at school." "Well, they have turned around(180度大转变). They are nice to me now, so we will move on from there翻过这一页.” "I've been singing since I was 12 and have just never had this chance before. I'm glad I got the chance now. I'd love to have a musical career but we'll have to take one step at a time一步一个脚印."

罗马教皇圣诞前夜Mass被袭: A woman assailed(vt. 袭击攻击) Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday, yanking him to the floor(yank him down拉倒他) as he entered St Peter's Basilica(the name given to certain churches granted special privileges by the Pope梵蒂冈大教堂) to celebrate Christmas Eve mass. Video footage showed the woman, wearing a red sweatshirt(圆领长袖运动衫), leaping over a security barricade跳过安全路障 and rushing at the 82-year-old pope as he began leading the traditional procession to the vast basilica's altar bearing a gold cross. As a security guard tried to overpower制服 her, the woman succeeded in grabbing Benedict's vestments礼仪服装, 祭服 near the neck and yanking him down, according to video footage taken by a pilgrim broadcast on Sky News. Several others fell over in the melee混乱人群. Prominent French Cardinal Roger Etchegaray, 87, broke a leg in the incident though he was "several metres (yards)" from the pope, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told AFP, adding that the prelate高级教士 was rushed to hospital. Benedict was back on his feet within moments and went on to celebrate the mass with apparent calm and confidence. Lombardi sought to play down(轻描淡写) the incident, praising Benedict's "great self-control and control of the situation." Lombardi said she tried to approach Benedict on the same occasion a year ago without getting past the security barrier. Dressed in gold and white vestments and mitre主教法冠, the pope showed no discomfort as he read out his Christmas Eve homily, decrying selfishness, which he said "makes us prisoners of our interests and our desires that stand against the truth and separate us from one another." The spiritual leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics said in Italian: "Conflict and lack of reconciliation in the world stem from the fact that we are locked into固守于 our own interests and opinions, into our own little private world."Thursday's incident occurred amid concern over the pope's health prompted by a Vatican decision to schedule the mass two hours early this year instead of the traditional midnight hour due to the pontiff's advanced age高龄. Four years before he became pope however, then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger spent nearly a month in hospital following a brain haemorrhage, according to the German daily Bild. It said he has suffered from fainting spells. Pope Benedict's long-serving predecessor John Paul II insisted on observing坚守 the tradition of beginning the mass at midnight despite years of ill health, notably the ravages蹂躏 of Parkinson's disease, at the end of his life.

Retailers pin hopes on Boxing Day sales: Retailers are hoping that shoppers will splurge(vi. & vt. 糟蹋, 挥霍 the annual pre-Christmas splurge一年一度的圣诞节节前大采购 I'd splurged about £2,500 on clothes我狂买衣服花了大约2,500英镑) at the post-Christmas sales. The Retailers Association says spending in the lead-up前导 to Christmas Day was solid but not spectacular and will likely fall short of predicted sales of $38.7 billion. But it's hoped the Boxing Day sales will beat last year's numbers, reaching $14.7 billion by mid-January as shoppers open their wallets and cash in those vouchers under the tree. She said yearly increases of six or seven per cent seen from one Christmas to the next would not materialise实现 this year.

Boy impales(刺穿戳破, 钉在尖桩上) himself on picket fence near Dalby in southwest Queensland: The boy crashed the trail bike into a fence, dislodging(撞出, 移动) a 1.8-metre star picket[picket=post立柱](A steel fence post(钢制篱笆立柱), also called (depending on design or country) a T-post, a Y-post, Star Post or waratah, is a type of fence post or picket. They are made of steel and are sometimes manufactured using durable rail steel钢轨钢. They can be used to support various types of wire or wire mesh金属丝网. The end view顶视图 of the post creates an obvious T, Y or other shape. The posts are driven into the ground with a manual or pneumatic充气的 post pounder捣杵. All along the post, along the spine, there are studs钉扣 or nubs that prevent the barbed wire(带刺铁丝网) or mesh from sliding up or down the post.) which stabbed him below his chest, exiting through his back, RACQ Careflight spokesman Brian Russell said.

off-road bikes(通常不在路上骑的车): There are several different types of off-road motorcycles, also known as dirt bikes, designed and specialised for specific functions. 包括 trail(用于平衡技能的车子, 而不是追求速度. An extremely specialised form of competition focused on balancing skills and precision rather than speed. Thus low weight and quick power is the priority leading to small (125 cc to 300 cc) engines, often two strokes being used. Seats are unnecessary and affect the centre of gravity so they aren't installed (sometime they are jokingly referred to as banana bikes due to the lack of a seat). Fuel is kept to a minimum so range is very limited.)  Track racing(追求速度的比赛用车. High speed oval racing, typically with no brakes, no suspension, at most two gears, fueled by methanol (not road legal machines). 街上骑的包括Cruiser(Cruisers are often custom projects that result in a bike modified to suit the owner's ideals, and as such are a source of pride and accomplishment. Cruisers are sometimes called custom even in the absence of aftermarket modifications), Sport bike, touring motorcycles(专门跑长距离的机车), scooter.

"He was riding down a gravel沙石 driveway, his bike's come out from underneath him and they've careered(vt. move swiftly and in an uncontrolled way in a specified direction猛冲,疾驰 the coach careered across the road and went through a hedge这辆马车失控地冲过马路, 撞出树篱 ) through a wire fence, uplifted a star picket and the star picket has gone straight through, just below his stomach," Mr Russell said. The boy was treated in an ambulance at the scene, and a fire crew assisted in cutting away protruding突出的 parts of the star picket. He was flown on the Careflight helicopter to the Royal Brisbane Hospital, where he was due to arrive shortly after midday.

detach: v. 1. 拆卸,拆开 he detached the front lamp from its bracket他将前灯从灯架上拿下  2. 避免与…有联系, 脱离与…的关系 the newspaper detached itself from the political parties这家报纸避免与任何政党有联系 3. (军事上)派遣 our crew were detached to Tabuk for the exercise我们这一组人员被派往塔布克进行演习 detached 搭配的动词有be, feel, seem, sound超然,感觉独立,似乎超脱,听上去很冷静 become变得超然 remain保持冷静 1. 独立的, 分离的 The coupon is not valid if detached这折扣券撕下即无效  a detached house独立的住宅 2. 超然而客观的, 不介入的(aloof and objective) he managed to remain detached from petty politics他设法保持了不介入无谓政治活动的超然态度  Through all the arguments among other committee members, she kept a detached attitude在其他委员会成员辩论时, 她始终保持超然的态度 intact 动词用keep或remain, leave, emerge adj 未遭损坏的, 完好无损的, 完整无缺的, 处女膜完整的, 处女的 the church was almost in ruins but its tower remained intact教堂几乎成为废墟, 但塔楼却完好无损 Despite his misfortunes, his faith and optimism remained intact虽然他遭到一连串的不幸, 他的信心和乐观丝毫未减 a hero who always escaped by the skin of his teeth[by the skin of one's teeth Fig. just barely. (By an amount equal to the thickness of the (imaginary) skin on one's teeth.) I got through calculus微积分 class by the skin of my teeth. I got to the airport a few minutes late and missed the plane by the skin of my teeth. Lloyd escaped from the burning building by the skin of his teeth.], emerging miraculously intact after each cliff-hanging episode每一集扣人心弦的电视剧中总于千钧一发之际逃生而再露面时却奇迹般毫发无伤的主人公

短句: There has been somewhat of a hiccup(=hiccough发音也相同 1. 打嗝 give a loud hiccup 打一个响嗝 hiccups [pl] persistent repetition of these连续的打嗝 She laughed so much she got (the) hiccups她笑得直打嗝 2. (infml口) temporary small problem or stoppage暂时性的小问题; 暂时的停顿 There's been a slight hiccup in our mailing system我们的邮政系统临时出了一点小问题.) concerning the procurement(procure 1. 获取获得 The book is out of print and difficult to procure那书已绝版, 很难弄到手 Can you procure some specimens for me/procure me some specimens你能替我弄到一些标本吗 He was responsible for procuring supplies for the army他的职责是为部队采办军需品 2. 拉皮条 He was accused of procuring women for his business associates他被指控为其生意合伙人招妓) of visas for his family. It seems to have been caused by a combination of(各种因素) change of regulations and the normal "Christmas" hiatus(A hiatus is a pause in which nothing happens, or a gap where something is missing间隙, 间歇,暂停. (FORMAL) Diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement resume today after a two-week hiatus. There was an hiatus in his acting life.). Please pray it will be resolved(resolve比solve含有更多的个人感情) shortly.

plot summary of Murder by Numbers: Richard Haywood, a Californian high school's coolest kid, secretly teams up with another rich kid in his class, brilliant nerd聪明的书虫 Justin 'Bonaparte' Pendleton, whose erudition(博学, 学识 They fancied themselves learned and assumed airs of erudition他们自以为有学问, 摆出一副博学的样子 erudite adj 博学有学问的), specially in forensic(of, relating to, or denoting the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime (与)刑侦(有关)的, (与)司法鉴定(有关)的 Forensic examination revealed a large quantity of poison in the dead man’s stomach法医检验发现死者的胃里有大量的毒药 forensic evidence刑侦证据 ) matters, allows them to plan elaborately(精心策划) perfect murders, just for the kick(a thrill of pleasurable, often reckless excitement 刺激, 快感, 极大的乐趣 rich kids turning to crime just for kicks有钱的孩子犯罪只是为了寻求刺激 I get such a kick out of driving a racing car我从开赛车中得到了极大的乐趣), for which they set up Richard's marijuana supplier, their school's janitor Ray Feathers, as a psychotic serial killer. The case is assigned to detectives Cassie 'the hyena[鬣狗 African hyena noted for its distinctive howl 非洲鬣狗,以其特别的嚎叫而闻名]' Mayweather, who carries a sequoia[杉树]-size chip on the shoulder(a chip on your shoulder(often + about, Typically: get ~; have ~; give one ~) 易怒的a tendency to be easily angered or upset He always acted as if he was better than us and went around with a chip on his shoulder.) from her previous life, and her brilliant new partner, Sam Kennedy, who just transferred from(转过来) the vice squad(a department or division of a police force that enforces laws against prostitution, drug abuse, illegal gambling, etc. (取缔卖淫、吸毒、非法赌博等的)警察缉捕队); they can work together very well, and even fit romantically, but fall out(争吵 fall out (with someone) (over something) and fall out (with someone) (about someone or something) to quarrel or disagree with someone about something. Tony fell out with Nick about the video game. Bill fell out with Sally over the question of buying a new car. Bill fell out with John about who would sleep on the bottom bunk.) over different professional attitudes towards the investigation, which Captain Rod Cody and her understandably vindictive abused ex, Assistant D.A. Al Swanson, soon ban her from when she disobeys instructions and hand to him. When the plotting boys both dig喜欢欣赏 class-mate Lisa Mills, their unnatural bond[非天成的关系] comes under(归入, 遭受, 受到) stress- will it break, allowing the hard-pressed(遭受巨大压力的) police to bring them down?

Internet censorship plan gets the green light

The two become pitted against(pit against使与…相斗 He pitted John against Paul他使约翰反对保罗 They pitted two cocks against each other他们使两只公鸡相斗) two malevolently brilliant young men in an ingenious[设计独特的, 制作精巧的] battle of wits(智慧的较量) as they try to solve a murder case.

The Federal Government has announced it will proceed with继续做 controversial plans to censor the internet after Government-commissioned政府委托委任的 trials found filtering a blacklist of banned sites was accurate and would not slow down the internet. But critics, including the online users' lobby group Electronic Frontiers Australia and the Greens communications spokesman Scott Ludlam, said the trial results were not surprising and the policy was still fundamentally flawed从根本上就错了. The Communications Minister, Stephen Conroy, said today he would introduce legislation just before next year's elections to force ISPs to block a blacklist of "refused classification(被拒绝的分类)" (RC) websites for all Australian internet users.

Senator Conroy also released results from a pilot trial of ISP-level internet filters, conducted by Enex Testlab, which he said found that blocking banned material "can be done with 100 per cent accuracy and negligible impact可忽略不计的影响 on internet speed". "Most Australians acknowledge that there is some internet material which is not acceptable in any civilised society," He said about 15 western countries had encouraged or enforced internet filtering, and there was no reason why Australians should not have similar protection. An earlier version of the Government's top-secret list of banned sites was leaked on to the web in March, revealing the scope of the filtering过滤的范围 could extend significantly beyond child porn. About half of the sites on the list were not related to child porn and included a slew of online poker sites, YouTube links, regular gay and straight porn sites, Wikipedia entries, euthanasia安乐死 sites, websites of fringe religions边缘的宗教([attrib.]not part of the mainstream; unconventional, peripheral, or extreme非主流的, 边缘的, 非传统的, 极端的 fringe theatre末流戏院) such as satanic sites, fetish sites, Christian sites, the website of a tour operator(a travel agent specializing in package holidays) and even a Queensland dentist. Similarly同样的, Senator Ludlam said: "Nobody said that filtering from a static list of URLs was going to slow things down too much unless the list gets huge, so I don't think they've already proven anything that we don't already know." The pilot trial report also noted that motivated people could circumvent(回避 overcome (a problem or difficulty), typically in a clever and surreptitious way克服(尤指暗中智取) terrorists found the airport checks easy to circumvent恐怖分子发现机场的安检很容易混过去) any internet filters with ease, which Senator Ludlam and Jacobs said called the effectiveness of the proposal into question(call into question something让人对...起疑 (slightly formal) also call something into question to cause doubt about something The study calls into question how long the vaccine gives protection.).

One of Australia's top communications experts says the Government's internet censorship trials were designed to succeed(设计测试的时候就没有打算失败, 因为设计的很简单) from the outset(从一开始), presented no new information and are now being used by the Government to further its political agenda. Separately, a report into the scope of content that will be caught up in the net filters concluded that the Government's policy might lead to a wide range of innocuous(not harmful or offensive无害的, 无意冒犯的, 不会招致反对的 it was an innocuous question那是个无恶意的问题, Even innocuous substances can sometimes register a positive result in a drug test即使无害的物质在药物测试中有时也会呈阳性) material disappearing from Australians' computer screens. Commentators in Australia and overseas have interpreted Senator Conroy's policy as pushing the country towards being like repressive((especially of a social or political system) inhibiting or restraining the freedom of a person or group of people(尤指社会体制或政体)压制自由的) regimes such as and Iran.

The report, which also questioned whether Australian children were in fact stumbling across (stumble across someone or something and stumble (up)on someone or something; stumble into someone or something偶然发现, 偶然遇见, 碰见 to find someone or something, usually by accident. I stumbled across an interesting book yesterday when I was shopping. Guess who I stumbled into at the library yesterday? I got lucky and stumbled on the right answer. a stumbling block a problem which prevents someone from achieving something (often + to )绊脚石 Lack of willingness to compromise is the main stumbling block to reaching a settlement. Money, obviously, is a major stumbling block in any project of this size.) child porn and other nasty content while browsing, was kept secret for many months and was only made public after its existence was detailed in media reports.  "But so far there's no evidence put forward没有证据提出 that this will be effective in putting any serious dent in the availability of such content on the internet. It is clear that there are very strong political motives behind this."

Westpac slips on PR banana appeal

A FIERCE(激烈严厉的) community backlash(强烈反应, 后冲) has forced Westpac to remove an online video which likened(把...比作) rises in mortgage repayments(抵押偿付) to the cost of banana smoothies((chiefly US)a thick, smooth drink of fresh fruit puréed with milk, yogurt, or ice cream(主美)（加牛奶、酸奶或冰激凌的）水果浓饮料).

The video was included in an email to customers justifying(证明...有理, 为...辩护) the bank's recent interest rate hike by comparing the bank to a business selling banana smoothies. The segment had also been posted on Westpac's internet site on a page that explained the bank's monster 45 basis point基点 interest rate rise last week - an increase almost double that of the Reserve Bank(储备银行)'s 25 basis point rate rise.

Called "childish幼稚的=childlike" and "condescending(1. acting in a way that betrays a feeling of patronizing(以恩人自居的; 屈尊俯就的; 神气十足的; 傲慢的, 倨傲的 I found his tone rather patronizing我觉得他说话的语气相当倨傲) superiority towards someone 有优越感的, 以高人一等的态度对待, 带着优越感表示关心 高傲的,傲慢的 she thought the teachers were arrogant and condescending她认为教师们傲慢自大且居高临下 a condescending attitude傲慢的态度 He tends to adopt a condescending manner when talking to young women和年轻女子说话时，他喜欢摆出一副高高在上的姿态 )", the video sparked outrage among news.com.au readers, receiving more than 350 comments and hundreds more not suitable for publication. Even Prime Minister Kevin Rudd weighed in(weigh in发表看法,发表意见 to offer an opinion in a discussion or argument Mr. Pierce weighed in with a warning that many companies would not be able to meet the deadline. One angry woman weighed in to remind us that a lot of what we'd read was not true.) with criticism.

A Westpac spokeswoman said the video would now be removed. "The video was developed a few months ago to help our staff understand what had happened in the context of the Global Financial Crisis," the spokeswoman said.

"They found it very helpful. "Some of the staff had asked to share the video with customers who had asked them questions about the GFC. "Following feedback today we will remove the video. "We understand that people have different levels of understanding about the way banks get their funding. "We also know that people don't like our explanation for our rate rise."

This morning Mr Rudd chastised(厉声训斥, 严厉谴责) the bank for the email, saying the company was dealing in matters which affected peoples' lives. "I think Westpac should have a long hard look at itself," Mr Rudd told ABC Radio. "(They are) talking about peoples' most basic things in life - a mortgage, an affordable mortgage, to underpin things as basic as a home." He said the bank had done "the wrong thing" through its rate hike and urged customers to take their business elsewhere if they were concerned. "Customers out there should be looking at where else they can do their banking," Mr Rudd said.

The bank's bid企图努力 to explain its decision to lift its standard variable mortgage rate by 45 basis points last week, nearly double the Reserve Bank's 25-basis-point rise earlier the same day, was attacked by marketing experts and consumer advocates. The Sydney Morning Herald reported an email, sent by the bank's retail chief, Peter Hanlon, included an animated video entitled Cool Bananas, which began with the words "once upon a time" and told how damage to banana plantations pushed up the price of bananas.

"That's why the price of smoothies increased by 50c," the voiceover画外音 says. "In some ways a bank is really just like a company that sells banana smoothies. A bank is a business that buys and sells something . . . only in this case that something is money." The bank justifies its supersized rates increase by saying that if it did not do so, then it would not be in business "tomorrow" and would not "be there" for its customers.

Stephen Pearson, head of ad agency Lowe Worldwide, told the Herald the bank was only making the situation worse. "The long-winded啰嗦冗长絮叨的 parable(道德小故事, 说教性寓言) of Westpac being like a banana seller in a storm on a tropical island somewhat beggars(1. 使贫困 2. 超常以至于不能(相信、描写等) It beggars the very policy he was advocating这恰恰减低了他正在提倡的政策本身的价值 Her joy at the birth of a son beggared dlscription她生了一个儿子, 那种欣喜的心情是无法形容的) belief," he said.

"The style and tone is quite childlike and, for any educated person, likely to be seen as condescending."

After Westpac lifted its rates by 45 basis points the Commonwealth Bank raised its variable rate by 37 basis points, and the ANZ jumped by 35 basis points. Of the big four banks, only the National Australia Bank stuck to the Reserve's 25-basis-point rise.

Banker is the new Scrooge(查尔斯•狄更斯小说《圣诞颂歌》[1843]中的老吝啬鬼) (另一则关于Westpac 香蕉事件的报导)

AFTER slipping and slithering滑动 for a over its shameful clobbering(clobber痛打狠揍) of home buyers, it's kind of appropriate that the thing that made Westpac and CEO Gaily Kelly finally come unstuck(come unstuck(unstuck 失效的失灵的, 没有粘住的)功亏一篑, 前功尽弃 to start to fail after some progress had been achieved His plans for the company came unstuck when there wasn't enough money to buy new machinery. Their deal seems to have come unstuck.) was a banana.

This once non-controversial bank, headed by the professionally pleasant Kelly, has now become a byword(代名词) for corporate greed after engaging in conduct that has given marketing and communications students an illuminating有启发性的 crash course in exactly how not to behave.

Its decision last week to jack up interest rates at almost twice the level of the Reserve Bank's cash rate was bad enough, but was significantly compounded by an absurdly demeaning educational video where it compared the cost of lending to the way banana prices skyrocketed after Cyclone Larry in 2006.

Using patronising(倨傲而高人一等的) language that you probably wouldn't use on a 10-year-old, the bank emailed its customers a video called Cool Bananas, which showed how the price of smoothies and banana cake all rose after the cyclone hit tropical Australia and how the same thing was happening now in the wake of the global financial crisis. The video has now been withdrawn.

Lesson one: don't subject intelligent adults to fairytales about bananas, especially尤其是 when you're giving them the rough end of the pineapple.

Lesson two: Kelly needs to think about the kind of corporate environment she has claimed to create and judge her decisions against it. It's been a banana-scented baptism of fire(炮火的洗礼,士兵初临战场的考验) for Kelly, who over the past few years has been the beneficiary of some of the mushiest anti-journalism in the land.

Going back through the clipping files is, to use a clich aac, a veritable名副其实的, 真正的 orgy of clich aac. Kelly has been hailed as the supermum, the platinum-haired beauty, a woman of steely resolve who is always immaculately(1.缺点的, 无纰漏的, 完美的 an immaculate safety record无过错的安全记录 2. (尤指人、着装)干干净净的, 一尘不染的, 非常整洁的 maculate adj 有斑点的有污点的 vt. 弄脏 immaculate 整洁一尘不染的, 完美无过错的  ) turned out(turn someone out (be turned out)be dressed in the manner specified穿着 she was smartly turned out and as well groomed as always她穿着靓丽, 打扮得像往常一样利索), a passionate热衷的 advocate of work-life balance, someone who is quietly reinventing the way business is done with a more compassionate, family-minded approach to corporate conduct.

When she was appointed CEO in August 2007, one female journalist shouted excitedly at the press conference: "There's hope for us yet!" There is indeed hope for you yet, if your idea of equality你所谓的平等 is seeing female chief executives demonstrate that they can be every bit as同等同样 foolish and as flint-hearted(铁石心肠的 flint铁石火石燧石) as their overwhelmingly male equivalents.

Kelly might as well ditch丢掉 the Escada suits and buy some chinos and RMs and a herringbone shirt and take her place down at the local tomorrow to scull Stellas and talk about the AFL-World Cup soccer tug-of-war(1. 拔河比赛 2. (喻)在势均力敌两者之间展开的争夺).

This is most definitely not written as a call to abandon the push to get more women on to boards and into the most senior positions of our companies, and the most senior positions of public life. Far from it. The few women who hold senior positions are generally doing a terrific or adequate job. There should be many more of them.

But Kelly's performance has exposed the gulf between the argument for encouraging more women into senior corporate and public positions, and the soppy(自作多情的, 多愁善感的) rhetorical presumption that they will automatically bring some heartwarming暖人心的 feminine "otherness不一般, 不同" to the role.

As a few hundred thousand put-upon(被利用的;被占了便宜的 put upon 欺骗, 占...便宜, 使...成为牺牲品 a put-upon drudge苦力 who slaved for her employer为雇主卖命而被利用的苦力) mortgagees now know, it was Westpac that thumbed its nose at(thumb your nose at somebody/something 张开手掌，用大拇指顶着自己的鼻尖，这个手势表示的是不喜欢、蔑视的意思to show that you do not respect someone or something Many people feel that the company is thumbing its nose at the environment by reopening the mine. Etymology: based on the literal meaning of thumb your nose (to put your thumb to your nose as a rude sign)) the Reserve Bank, at Canberra and, most importantly, at families too last week by jacking up its variable interest rate a full 45 points, almost double the increase in the official cash rate of just 25 basis points.

It was a monstrous rate rise, well above the Commonwealth Bank's 37-point increase and ANZ's 35-point increase, and way beyond the NAB's thoroughly decent 25-point shift exactly matching the RBA's increase (which, rightly or wrongly, is what the public expects the banks to do.)

Kelly's strategy was foolish for several reasons. She did massive damage to her own brand, and the brand of her bank. The decision looked like rank opportunism, with the bank using the cover of the Liberal Party's federal leadership implosion to sneak out its announcement that it was going almost twice as hard as the RBA had, in terms of clobbering its loyal customers.

The decision also came just weeks after Westpac launched its effective (but now, it would seem, misleading) round of advertisements profiling individual bank managers staring deadpan面无表情的 into the lens of the camera and talking about how totally committed they are to doing the right thing by customers and families.

Quite obviously this decision was totally the wrong thing to do by customers and families. It was flint-hearted. It sits oddly with(sit with 1. 对...合适 The painting sits well with the rest of the room, doesn't it? 这幅画和房间的其余部分很协调, 不是吗? The decision did not sit well with the rest of the committee, who had voted against it. 这一决定未被委员会的其余委员接受, 他们投了反对票 2. 帮助照料) the kind of rhetoric we saw from Kelly when she was appointed CEO, where she talked at length about her family-minded approach to work. "I'm a big believer in work-life balance," she said. "Practices of flexibility and practices of encouraging people to live whole lives are principles I have believed in my whole life."

That has largely been true of Kelly's workplace. Westpac does seem a happy and stable environment, it has suffered no industrial tension under her tenure, and it has led the way with commendably generous parenting leave and flexible hours弹性工时 and work practices. But through her actions Kelly has now shown that she doesn't want to extend to her customers the same compassionate approach that she shows to her staff . Families have lost flexibility as a result of her decision. There will be mums working extra shifts or dads putting in overtime to cover the cost of this over-the-odds whack.

AS the extent of this public relations nightmare has become apparent, Westpac has done a shocking job trying to spin its way out of the mire泥潭. There was the flippant(轻率的, 无礼的, 轻浮的, 不负责任的) remark from Peter Hanlon, the outgoing group executive for Westpac's retail and business banking, who made the plainly obvious observation Westpac wasn't trying to be the cheapest bank.

"We're not the Jetstar of banking," he announced. Kelly weighed in with the casual reassurance that she did not think anyone would lose their homes as a result of the rise to 6.76 per cent. "Look, interest rates remain very low, so no customer will lose their house as a result of this," Kelly said. "We encourage customers to ring us directly, to communicate with us directly through our branches, through our bank managers, through our contact centres and through our senior leadership directly. "And we will talk to our customers, explain the basis of the decisions we make and actually provide additional assistance should that be required."

You have to pity the poor buggers featured in the Westpac advertisements as they brace themselves for customers to take up Kelly's kind offer. All in all, it is nothing short of ill-conceived(构想拙劣的, 考虑不周的) corporate gluttony(饕餮).

电影Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: 1. jello果冻 weathergirl Sam Sparks最爱吃jello所以Flint Lockwood就生产出一个巨大的果冻来哄她开心. 2. 影片中有两次剪彩场面 cut the ribbon 3. nerd (informal, chiefly US)a foolish or contemptible person who lacks social skills or is boringly studious(非正式, 主美)缺乏社交能力的书呆子 I was a serious computer nerd until I discovered girls and cars在我注意到女孩子和汽车之前, 我是个不折不扣的电脑痴 电影一开场Flint看到大家的untied shoelaces(鞋都没有系鞋带)而 invent的spry-on shoes因为弄不下来就被同学们斥为nerd.而Sam小时候也是个戴着眼镜扎着ponytail的nerd, 总是被人取笑, Flint于是又用jello给她弄了个scrunchie[橡皮筋外面缝一圈布或其他装饰], 一般缠了线的橡皮筋叫hair elastic以免伤头发的, 普通的叫rubber band,给她扎起ponytail.  4. 小镇是个出产sardine(沙丁鱼)而闻名的. Flint的父亲开了间商店叫做tim's sardine bait and tackle(锁具, 钓具[带滑轮或轱辘的器具] fishing tackle钓鱼用具 n. 滑轮轱辘 铲球, 擒抱摔倒 vt. 1. 处理问题, 解决难题 2. 阻截时擒抱并摔倒). 5. Flint的爸爸问Flint要不要去看剪彩, Flint正好趁机搞他的发明所以说不去了, 我来看店好了, 他说I hold the fort(=hold down the fort to be left in charge of a situation or place while someone is away.  Someone had to stay at home and hold the fort while my mother was out.).  搞的他老爸还不放心的问"u sure u can handle it". 6. That was close(刚才好险啊). Flint差点掉了有cue code的U盘, 好不容易抓住后说. 7. 内容简介: In 2009, Columbia Pictures' and Sony Pictures Animation's "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" will be the most delicious event since macaroni met cheese. Inspired by the beloved children's book, the film focuses on a town where food falls from the sky like rain. Bill Hader will voice配音 Flint Lockwood, a young inventor who dreams of creating something that will improve everyone's life. Anna Faris takes on the role of Sam Sparks, a weathergirl covering the phenomenon who hides her intelligence behind a perky exterior外表. James Caan plays Tim Lockwood, Flint's technophobic father. Andy Samberg plays Brent, the town bully who has plagued折磨烦扰 Flint since childhood. Bruce Campbell plays Mayor Shelbourne, who figures out that Flint's invention can put the town, and more importantly himself, on the map. Mr. T plays the by-the-rules遵纪守法的 town cop Earl Devereaux, and Tracy Morgan takes on the role of Earl's rule-breaking son, Cal.

新闻用语: 1. at the coalface做实事 (British & Australian) someone who is at the coalface is doing the work involved in a job, not talking about it, planning it, or controlling it You sit in your office looking at consultants' reports, but it's the men and women at the coalface who really understand the business. 一则新闻报道银行老总下来体验生活, 这么说的: Westpac's General Manager for Finance Transformation, ***** spent December 1 at the Stranthfield branch remembering what being at the coalface of banking is all about. At the request of Stranthfield Bank Manager ****, **** was in the branch to meet customers and work alongside staff. Her tasks included cleaning the ATM, completing PIN change requests and filing new credit cards and home loan documents. "The Strathfield branch is fairly typical of many Westpac banks around the country and I was pleased that **** got a banking refresher course(a short course reviewing or updating previous studies or training connected with one's profession(与自身专业有关的)复习进修课程) here," the manager said. Westpac's Back the Banker program will see more head office(总公司, 总店) staff working alongside branch staff at all levels. 2. music to you ears(music to somebody's ears something pleasing to hear about The decision to restore the old building is music to my ears. ) 新闻说Strathfield Square will play host to live music throughout December as 'Music in the Square' returns for the second year. 3. fell 除了是fall的过去式外, 自己也是一个动词 1. 砍倒伐倒=cut down. 一般是be felled的形式 2. knock down击（或打、推）倒 she felt an urge to fell him to the floor.她感到一阵冲动，想把他打倒在地 to have his daughter return nearly felled him.为了让女儿回来他几乎崩溃了 一则新闻里说: What sort of idiot purposely cuts down trees in a public park? That's the question Burwood Council staff and residents surrounding Henley Park in Enfield are asking and scratching their heads about after up to a dozen old and young trees were felled by vandals(故意破坏者). 4. Telstro提供给Facebook免费短信服务: The service, which is already available for a number of overseas carriers, allows Facebook users to receive SMS updates for specific users. Telstra is the first Australian telco to enable the service. It's great to see Australian telco's getting into the act参加插手, however for smartphone智能手机 users, it's not going to give you the best user experience. However 'dumbphone非智能手机' users who have not yet felt the joy (and pain) of the mobile web might find it a great way to keep abreast of(1. 保持齐头并进 2. 了解...的最新情况) the latest updates from their friends.

澳洲车祸: A YOUNG mother tried to shield her baby as a car was hit and crushed by a truck, killing her, her husband, the baby and two relatives. The Pendle Hill family's Toyota Camry crossed to the wrong side of Picton Rd, near Wilton, south of Sydney, and was hit by a water tanker on a sweeping bend about 8.20am. Relatives who were travelling behind the car saw the collision. Paramedic医护人员 David Morris described the scene as "one of those things you never want to turn up to". It is understood the collision occurred after a four-wheel-drive utility(澳新口语 小货车, 小卡车=pickup, utilities是水电费) clipped剐蹭, 刮擦=sideswipe the family's sedan while overtaking it, throwing it into the path of the truck driven by Greg Foye.

澳剧场中制作人上的性别歧视问题: Sexism is a long way from a final bow in Oz theatre
If not a quota system配额制度, then what? With the Melbourne Theatre Company and Belvoir in its immediate sights, a panel of critical women’s voices spoke on Sunday of an "unmistakable(显而易见的) intensity of anger" and a "tsunami of discontent不满的海啸" that the Australian theatre industry in general is sewn up(1. 独占控制垄断 2. 顺利完成, 解决) by male directors and writers.

But the problem is more complex than first appears.

Five women were all speaking on Belvoir’s darkened stage, in front of a pile of artfully constructed rubble, the stage set for a production of Samuel Beckett’s Happy Days, for which actress Julie Forsyth as Winnie sits mired(mire v 陷入泥潭, 陷入困境) in mud up to her breasts in the first act then up to her neck in the second act; a woman bogged down(陷入困境, 停顿 bog n. 沼泽, 泥塘 v. 陷入泥沼, 陷入困境 ) by her circumstance.

But no one acknowledged in the ensuing discussion that comparing TV to theatre is problematic(成问题的, 有疑问的). On Friday, The Australian cried self-evident(不言而喻的, 不证自明的) sexism over its calculation showing that...

"A third is not half, and it’s much lower than any of us are comfortable with,” Healy said, “but the more arresting(引人注意的, 可观的 arrest 1. 逮捕 2. 吸引...的注意 the church's stillness arrested her教堂的寂静吸引了她 3.阻挡, 抑制 阻挡(进程), 抑制 the spread of the disease can be arrested能抑制疾病的传播 arrest of judgement延期审判 a cardiac arrest心脏停搏) aspect of the data is not that women have been consistently overlooked, but rather that so few directors have had more than one opportunity to create work for the company.”

Indeed, over 16 years, across 150 productions(150个作品), three-quarters of the 40 directors featured in Company B’s annual season had presented work only once for the company, and of the remaining 10, only four directors presented worked more than twice. (Only one among those four was a female, incidentally(顺便提及地), and that was Kate Gaul.) Four great directors per generation was probably doing well, Healy noted, adding: "If anything(更可能的是, 总之 used to suggest tentatively that something may be the case (often the opposite of something previously implied) 如果是这样的话（之前多已提及相反的情况） I haven't made much of this—if anything, I've played it down对此我并没有加以重视——如果是这样的话, 那我是看低它了), it probably points to a garbage垃圾 skip(a cage or bucket in which men or materials are lowered and raised in mines and quarries罐笼, 箕斗, 吊斗) at the back of the theatre overflowing with the corpses of young male hopefuls who all thought Company B Belvoir was the one." The amusing aside(1. 电影或戏剧中的旁白(让观众听到而不是让剧中演员听到的话) 2. a remark not intended to be heard by everyone present不想被所有在场的人都听见的话 'does that make him a murderer?’ whispered Alice in an aside to Fred. "那就说明他是凶手了吗？"艾丽斯对弗雷德轻声说道 3. 题外话 the recipe book has little asides about the importance of home and family这本食谱很少有关于家庭生活和家人重要性的题外话) got a small laugh from the crowd, then a pause, and then a much bigger laugh after the audience had a second to digest the comment.

Yet quotas? None of the speakers thought affirmative action(反歧视行动[mass noun](chiefly N. Amer. )action favouring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in relation to employment or education; positive discrimination) in Australian theatre was a good idea, given it might compromise累及, 危害 artistry, and not one other specific idea was put forward to reverse the industry’s glaring sexism.

If anyone was thinking gender-specific mentoring in the theatres, no one was giving voice to(give voice to something声张 Fig. to express a feeling or an opinion in words; to speak out about something. The bird gave voice to its joy in the golden sunshine. The protestors gave voice to their anger at Congress.) the idea. Nor did anyone comment on the efficacy of appointing an equal opportunity officer, as recently occurred at the Melbourne Theatre Company. The ethereal(虚幻飘渺的) seemed ascendant(力量或影响增长的) over the practical.  

Swing Vote: In a remarkable turn-of-events(turn of events形势的变化) , the result of the presidential election comes down to((of a situation or outcome) be dependent on (a specified factor) [情况, 结果]由(某因素)决定, 依赖(某因素) it came down to her word against Guy's这取决于她和盖伊有出入的话) one man's vote. November, 2004, New Mexico. Bud is a slacker(懒散的人, 逃避工作的人) with one good thing in his life, his engaging fifth-grade daughter Molly. On election day, Bud is supposed to meet her at the polling place. When he doesn't show, she sneaks a ballot and is about to vote when the power goes off. It turns out that New Mexico's electoral votes will decide the contest, and there it's tied with one vote needing recasting - Bud's. The world's media and both presidential candidates, including the current President, descend on(突然袭击, 突然拜访) Bud in anticipation of his re-vote in two weeks. Can the clueless一头雾水的 Bud, even with the help of Molly and a local TV reporter, handle this responsibility?

off the charts 1. much more than is usual Basketball's TV income is already off the charts. 2. much better than usual Groncki's newest restaurant is totally off the charts. Etymology: based on the literal meaning of chart (a way of presenting numbers or information in vertical rows)

Stocks slide on concerns about Dubai debt fallout

NEW YORK — This was the sideswipe( [with obj.](chiefly N. Amer.)strike (someone or something) with or as if with a glancing blow(主北美)擦边撞击, 剐蹭 Curtis jerked the wheel hard over and sideswiped the other car柯蒂斯急转弯，擦边撞到了另一辆车) investors had feared.

The stock market is in the middle of one of the great rallies恢复复原 of a generation, but for weeks there has been a nagging(1. 唠叨的;挑剔的 I have a nagging wife我的妻子爱唠叨 2. 使人不得安宁的,挥之不去的 I’ve got a nagging pain in my lower back我后背下方老是疼 I had a nagging feeling that I had forgotten something我有某种不安的感觉, 好像忘了什么东西似的 I had a nagging worry that we weren’t going to get there我有个挥之不去的忧虑，就是担心我们到不了那里) fear that bad news was never far off. The news came from Dubai, a wealthy Middle Eastern city-state城邦 that many Americans probably couldn't find on a map. Concerns that a government-backed investment company Dubai over $60 billion in debt payments risked defaulting on拖欠,缺席(default on his payments, default on a rehearsal ) $60 billion in debt ripped through world markets and served as a reminder of how fragile the financial system remains a year after it nearly collapsed.

The Dow Jones industrial average slumped 155 points Friday before trading ended three hours early due to the Thanksgiving holiday. The Dow fell as much as 233 points. The broad retreat from riskier assets pushed Treasury prices higher. The dollar gained against most other major currencies and commodities tumbled. Now the question that will dog纠缠 investors over the weekend is whether the markets will shrug off a financial crisis in the Middle East or seek protection in more conservative investments. That could end a rally that has seen the Dow surge 57.5% since March 9.

Stocks ended well off their lows but analysts cautioned that the shortened day and scarcity of traders meant the real test for the markets will come next week as traders return from long weekends.

The day's gyrations made clear that investors who might have been buying up stock in the past eight months remain on edge紧张不安烦躁 about faults in the financial system and the economy.

Worries about bad debt are fresh in investors' minds after the collapse of the U.S. brokerage Lehman Brothers in September last year kicked the U.S. economy deeper into recession overnight as banks halted lending on fears about the extent of bad loans.

The latest concern is that problems in Dubai, which has drawn wealthy tourists and investors from around the globe in the past decade with its Las Vegas-in-the-Middle-East(中东的拉斯维加斯) appeal, could imperil a nascent economic rebound around the world. This could happen if banks suffer big losses or confidence falters.

Dubai crisis jolts(1. 震惊 2. (to)打击 His dismissal was a severe jolt to his pride.遭受解雇让他的自尊心深受打击 3. ~ of一阵… The blow sent a jolt of pain through his body这一猛击令他全身都疼痛起来) markets, but early fears ease
NEW YORK — Dubai's debt crisis rattled(使惊慌失措) world financial markets Friday, raising concerns that some banks could further tighten lending and stall拖延 the global economic recovery.

The possible spillover effects(超溢效应) centered on fears that international banks could suffer big losses if Dubai's investment arm defaulted on its $60 billion debt. Stock and commodity markets tumbled in New York, London and Asia as investors flocked to蜂拥 the U.S. dollar as a safe haven(避难区, 安全区, 避难港).

But earlier concerns that the crisis might trigger another financial meltdown seemed to ease after some analysts downplayed the risks for U.S. banks, which are thought to have little exposure to the Middle Eastern city-state.

U.S. stocks fell sharply but rebounded from their lows as investors concluded that the damage might be contained. The Dow Jones industrial average lost about 155 points, or roughly 1.5 percent, in a shortened trading day, and other stock averages also sank. Oil prices plunged as much as 7 percent before recovering some ground收复失地 later in the day.

"I don't think the collateral(附属的, 次要的) damage附带损害 is going to be that great," said Jeffrey Saut, chief investment strategist at Raymond James. "People will dig into(调查) this over the weekend, but I think balance sheets资产负债表 have healed enough to withstand a shock like this."

Still, the crisis in Dubai pointed to the vulnerability of the global economy despite signs of recovery. Last year's credit debacle崩溃惨败 left major banks with billions in losses, forcing them to reduce lending to consumers and businesses.

Access to credit has improved in recent months, but analysts said Dubai's woes困境 could make some banks more cautious. That could further squeeze lending and weaken the recovery after the deepest recession in decades.

"What we need for the economic momentum to continue is for banks to feel confident about lending, and clearly what has happened in the last 48 hours is not a step in the right direction," said David Williams, banking analyst at Fox-Pitt Kelton in London.

Dubai's troubles caught investors by surprise让...吃了一惊. A year after the global slump derailed the city-state's dizzying灿烂的 growth, its main investment arm, Dubai World, revealed this week it was seeking at least a six-month delay on repaying its $60 billion debt. Credit agencies responded by slashing debt ratings on Dubai's state companies, saying they might consider the plan a default.

In recent years, Dubai has expanded with ambitious, eye-catching projects like the Gulf's palm-shaped islands and the world's tallest skyscraper in hopes of becoming a tourist-friendly Middle Eastern metropolis. In the process, though, the state-backed networks nicknamed Dubai Inc. have racked up获得 $80 billion in red ink. The emirate may now need another bailout紧急援助 from its oil-rich neighbor Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.

In Europe, stock markets rebounded after Wall Street fell less than feared. Earlier, stock indexes in Hong Kong and South Korea tumbled 5 percent in response to the previous day's Dubai-related losses in Europe.

The Dubai crisis caused the dollar to spike higher against the euro and pound but slump against the yen, another traditional safe haven. Speculation that the Bank of Japan might intervene by buying dollars or selling yen to aid Japanese exports helped the dollar recover after it had fallen to a 14-year low against the yen.

European banks appeared to be at most risk if Dubai World can't pay its bills. London-based lenders HSBC Holdings and Standard Chartered could face losses of $611 million and $177 million respectively, according to early estimates from analysts at Goldman Sachs. Both have substantial Middle East operations.

South Korea estimated the country's financial institutions have just $88 million in exposure. Construction firms from Japan, Australia and South Korea behind Dubai's recent development boom also might be on the hook.

Among U.S. banks, Citigroup Inc. had $1.9 billion in exposure to the United Arab Emirates as of 2008, according to a JPMorgan research note. But it's unclear how much of that was related to Dubai. Citigroup declined to comment.

In the U.S., Dubai World owns at least eight office buildings and hotels, including the Mandarin Oriental and W Union Square hotels in New York and the Fontainebleau(枫丹白露, 法国北部一城市) in Miami Beach, according to data supplied by Real Capital Analytics. Its projects also include Dubai World's and casino operator MGM Mirage's deal to build the CityCenter project on the Las Vegas Strip.

Between October 2005 and April 2008, Dubai World bought 10 U.S. properties(房产, 房地产 he's expanding now, buying property他正扩大业务, 购置房地产) for about $9.7 billion, the Real Capital Analytics data showed. Two of those properties, both office buildings in New York, were sold in November 2007 for a combined $2.4 billion.

But Dubai World's problems likely won't have a major effect on the U.S. commercial real estate market, said Dan Fasulo, managing director of Real Capital Analytics.

"They didn't acquire enough," Fasulo said. "They have only been active for a few years."

But the effect on the banking system could eventually touch businesses and consumers. Even if most banks could absorb any Dubai-related losses, the emirate's troubles could lead them to reevaluate and scale back lending. That would make it harder for companies to borrow and to help sustain the global recovery, analysts said.

Others expressed concern that Dubai's woes could stall the buying behind asset booms in emerging markets in Asia and Latin America, which have attracted enormous capital amid investor enthusiasm for regions with rapid economic growth.

"I think it will make investors realize they need to be more discriminating有鉴别的 about emerging markets," said Arjuna Mahendran, head of Asian investment strategy at HSBC Private Bank in Singapore.

muster: 征集召集集合 he replied with as much dignity as he could muster他鼓足了尊严作出了回答 the cavalrymen mustered beside the other regiments骑兵在其他团队旁集合 reporters mustered outside her house记者们聚集在她的屋外 pass muster be accepted as adequate or satisfactory被认为合格, 被认为可以通得过 this manifesto would not pass muster with the voters选民们对这个宣言不满意 

mustard: 芥末酱 I don't like mustard; it is too hot我不爱吃芥末, 这东西太辣了 a grain of mustard seed 一粒芥子; [喻]大有发展前途的东西 (not ) cut the mustard (informal)come up to expectations; reach the required standard (非正式)够格，符合标准 I didn't cut the mustard as a hockey player作曲棍球手我不够格

Britney Spears' 'Womanizer' Clip Proved She Still Had It
'We just need to tell everybody that she's OK,' director Joseph Kahn says of the first video after Britney's rough patch.

By the time 2008 rolled around(流逝), Britney Spears had once again taken her rightful place as the pre-eminent卓越优秀的 princess of pop. There was no question about it: Britney was back and "Womanizer" confirmed it. After all, what better way to(还有什么更好的方式...?) show everyone you're back than to appear naked in a sauna?

The idea, however, like so many videos before, was all Britney's suggestion. "She pitched推销宣传 to me a very detailed idea of what she wanted to do," Kahn explained. "She wanted to dress up in costume, she wanted to follow her man to work, and she eventually wanted to show at the end that she is all three of those women."

" 'Womanizer,' for me, was a great experience on a personal level, because it completely verified that she was coming back," he continued. "By the time I worked with her on 'Womanizer,' you know, that was the Britney that I knew and it was a fun experience for me."

Kahn had to basically turn the video around overnight, and it was worth all the hard work — the video quickly became a fan favorite. "By the time it got out — and the beautiful thing好的一面 about the Internet is that you get instant reaction — the reaction seemed to be very positive. I'm going to sound like such a wuss(懦弱无用的人), but I think I cried," he said. "That sounds super lame, but come on, man — that's five days of some serious stress. And I had to end the video on her smiling, for sure. Like, we just need to tell everybody that she's OK."

With the release of Britney Spears: The Singles Collection, MTV News is looking back回顾 on the pop star's career through interviews with video directors, music-industry insiders and Spears herself, as she reflects on some of her greatest hits. Keep coming back for all things Britney, and let us know your favorite Brit songs, videos, memories and more in the comments below!

Toddler hit by ute(澳口 小卡车,小货车) in driveway

A toddler has been run over twice by a ute in the driveway of a house in Campbelltown, south-west of Sydney, this afternoon. "The tray of the ute apparently struck the boy who fell to the ground, then was run over by a wheel,’’ said a statement from NRMA CareFlight, which had a helicopter assist in taking the boy to hospital as part of the emergency response.

The boy is believed to have gone under the wheel a second time as the ute’s driver tried to respond to the initial incident.

The NRMA CareFlight helicopter landed at a primary school nearby the house in Richmond Avenue and took the 22-month-old boy to Westmead Children’s Hospital after initially stabilising him.

He arrived just after 4pm in a serious but stable condition. The boy has suffered abdominal, head and back injuries, but remained conscious throughout the ordeal.

Girl sexually assaulted after partyGEORGINA ROBINSON

A 17-year-old schoolgirl was sexually assaulted on her way home from an end-of-year party in Wollongong last night, say police.

The teen had been celebrating with other students at a restaurant, then went on to an after-party at a house in Berkeley. Police said she left there about 2am and began walking home alone along Whimbrel Avenue. Two men approached and pushed her over, then one of them sexually assaulted her while the other watched, police said. They ran away and the girl called police.

Her attackers are described as both being in their late teens and of Pacific Islander appearance. One was about 170 centimetres tall with a muscular build, police said. The other man was described as about 165 centimetres tall and obese, with short black hair.

Lake Illawarra crime manager Detective Chief Inspector Michael McLean cautioned women to be vigilant, especially at this time of year.

"Do not walk home alone, stick to major routes and use well-lit footpaths that are not closed in by bushes or other obstacles," he said.

Other safety tips from NSW Police:

Remind yourself that parties can be dangerous, so stay in control and don't drink too much, or leave your glass unattended. Stay with people you trust and avoid over amorous partygoers. Set a leaving time and know how you're getting home, and don't leave with a stranger;

If you are subjected to遭受 inappropriate comments object clearly明确反对 and walk away and tell someone you trust immediately;

Don't accept last minute offers to be driven home if you're unsure of the driver's intentions; phone triple-o if you think you might be attacked and say where you are.

澳洲新闻摘抄:

Employees warned on TV antics(foolish, outrageous, or amusing behaviour(荒唐可笑的、蛮横的或有趣的)举动 the antics of our political parties我们政党荒唐可笑的行为): Workers are being warned not to recreate scenes and imitate behaviour from US sitcoms and TV shows at office Christmas parties after a rise in complaints about sexual harassment stunts. "Clients have noticed American sitcoms, which are very liberal in the way they speak and not very real-world不真实的, are desensitising使脱敏使得不敏感 people in the workplace." In particular, they talk about Boston Legan, which is very crass粗鲁 in its speech(台词粗鲁), which is unusual for a legal environment. Although large corporations put measures in place to prevent bad behaviour at work functions, small to medium businesses were less likely to have polices in place.

True Blood bad boy makes good: He may play an over-sexed性欲过剩的 bad boy in vampire series True Blood, but actor Ryan Kwantenis polite and charming in real life. Kwanten, who cut his teeth(cut your teeth in something also cut your teeth on something初试牛刀 to get your first experience doing a particular kind of work or using a particular skill He cut his teeth in politics as a campaign manager for a small-town mayor. They had just graduated from law school and were anxious to cut their teeth on a case. ) as Vinnie on Home and Away, is back to star with Maeve Dermody in a film being made in Sydney. He has quite the reputation in the US as a sex symbol, thanks to his many and varied explicit(露骨的, 暴露的) scenes as Jason in True Blood.

Man oh man, it's not fair: A US TV network has been accused of hypocrisy(虚伪伪善) after it blurred擦去,模糊掉 former American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert's man-on-man kiss at the American Music Awards just before airing Madonna and Britney Spears' on-stage pash(激情热情 [no obj.](Austral./NZ)kiss and caress amorously(情欲冲动地亲吻爱抚) unedited. "There was a lot of very adult material on the AMAs this year, and I know I wasn't the only one, Lady Gaga smashing whisky bottles. Janet Jackson grabbed a male dancer's crotch. Eminem talked about how Slim Shady(Eminem的一首歌) has 17 rapes under his belt(under your belt if you have an experience or a qualification under your belt, you have completed it successfully, and it may be useful to you in the future. already achieved or experienced. She was a capable individual, with fourteen years as managing director under her belt. He has several major drama awards under his belt.)." Jeremy Kinser, arts and entertainment editor of US gay mag The Advocate, said blurring Lambert's kiss was an example of double standards双重标准.