加拿大家园论坛

每天学一个小词,天天up

原文链接:https://forum.iask.ca/threads/385048/

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#1
今天我们要学的词是uptick。 Uptick, 名词,意思是上升。 "There has been an uptick in violent crimes in the past year," 过去一年里暴力犯罪有所上升。"Local retailers expect to see a sales uptick in this year's holiday shopping season," 本地零售商估计,今年节假购物季节的销量会出现上扬。跟去年同期相比,赌城拉斯维加斯七月份的游客数量上升了2.3%。有评论认为, "The visitor uptick in Las Vegas is reflective of a nationwide trend," 拉斯维加斯游客数量的上扬反应了全国范围内的总趋势。好的,今天我们学习的词是uptick...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#2
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是call off。 To call off, 意思是取消或推迟。 "The wedding was called off because of flooding," 婚礼因为发大水而被迫推迟。 "A planned strike was called off to allow further negotiations," 原定罢工推迟,让双方能继续谈判。 "The men's U.S. Open final was called off Sunday because of persistent rain," 美国网球公开赛男子决赛星期天因为一直下雨被推迟。 "A Florida pastor finally called off the plan to burn copies of The Quran," 佛罗里达州的一个牧师最后决定放弃焚烧古兰经的计划。好的,今天我们学习的词是call off...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#3
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是crusade。 Crusade, 改革运动。美国儿童存在严重的肥胖问题。"First Lady Michelle Obama is on a crusade for healthy eating," 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马大力推动健康的饮食习惯。
很多经受鲨鱼袭击,九死一生的幸存者最终反而成了鲨鱼利益的代言人。"These shark survivors are on a crusade to save their predators," 这些鲨鱼袭击的幸存者正大力展开一场挽救他们袭击者的运动。倍具争议的美国电影制片人迈克尔.摩尔的新片《资本主义》上映了。影评说,"Michael Moore is on an anti-capitalist crusade," 迈克尔.摩尔展开了一场反资本主义的运动。好的,今天我们学习的词是crusade...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#4
今天我们要学的词是hangover。 Hangover, 是宿醉的意思。"I have a nasty hangover this morning from the party last night," 昨天晚上开派对喝多了,今天早上特别难受。你知道吗,"Dark drinks like bourbon or red wine make for a worse hangover compared to lighter drinks like vodka or gin," 波本和红葡萄酒这类颜色较深的酒比伏特加或杜松子这种颜色较浅的酒更容易引起宿醉。
咖啡能解酒吗?答案是否定的。"Coffee leads to more dehydration and can make your hangover worse," 咖啡会导致进一步脱水,加重宿醉的程度。好的,今天我们学习的词是hangover...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#5
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是breeze。 Breeze, 做为名词,指轻而易举的事情。 "Beating the unknown team wasn't a breeze as we thought it would be," 打赢这支名不见经传的队伍远没有我们原本想象的那么简单。 "The new website makes searching for cheap airline tickets a breeze," 这个新网站让寻找便宜机票变得轻而易举。虽然美国经济持续低迷,总统奥巴马的民众支持率也很低,但在两个月后的国会中期选举中, "Winning back control of the Congress is not going to be a breeze for the Republicans," 夺回国会控制权对共和党人来说也并非举手之劳。好的,今天我们学习的词是breeze...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#6
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是obsessed。 Obsessed, 一门心思的,沉迷于。 "My girlfriend is obsessed with buying handbags," 我女朋友买包上瘾。 "One of my co-workers is obsessed with social networks," 我有一个同事整天沉迷于社交网站。 "The singer admitted to being obsessed with losing weight when she was a teenager," 这个歌星承认自己十几岁的时候一心就想着减肥。 "Obsessed fans lined up at bookstores throughout the night to be the first ones to read the new book," 疯狂的粉丝们彻夜在书店门口大排长龙,只为能先买到新书,一睹为快。好的,今天我们学习的词是obsessed...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#7
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是baby steps。 Baby steps, 小孩的步子,意思是慢慢的,一步一步的。 "The doctor told him to take baby steps towards recovery," 医生让他不要急,一步一步慢慢恢复。 "If you're new at exercising, you need to take baby steps to increase the intensity," 如果你是刚开始锻炼的话,需要一步一步来,逐渐加强锻炼强度。 "After the divorce, she is taking baby steps to bring her life back together," 离婚后,她一点点地努力让自己的生活回归正常。好的,今天我们学习的词是baby steps...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#8
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是on the rise。 On the rise,正在上升。 "The hip-hop singer's popularity is on the rise," 这个嘻哈歌手现在越来越红。最新研究显示, "The number of concussions suffered by kids playing organized sports is on the rise," 因为参加有组织的体育项目而发生脑振荡的孩子的数字呈上升趋势。随着社交媒体的日益兴起, "Security breaches associated with social media are also on the rise," 跟社交媒体有关的安全受到破坏的情况也呈现上升趋势。好的,今天我们学习的词是on the rise...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#9
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是crowd pleaser。 A crowd pleaser, 指深受欢迎的人或事。 "The movie is a crowd pleaser," 大家都爱看这部电影。 "His performance was a crowd pleaser," 他的表演得到一致好评。大熊猫泰山在美国的时候, "Tai Shan was a huge crowd pleaser," 深受大家喜爱。 "The dessert I made was a crowd pleaser at the party," 我做的甜点在派对上特别受欢迎。 "The 20-minute firework display on July 4th is always a crowd pleaser," 7月4号晚上二十分钟的焰火表演从来都有很多人喜欢看。好的,今天我们学习的词是crowd pleaser...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#10
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是cut back。 To cut back, 意思是减少。由于冬天客流量少,"A rail service will cut back the number of trains it runs from 18 to 10," 一家火车公司决定将客运列车数量从18列减少为10列。"General Mills has announced it will cut back on the amount of sugar in ten of its popular kids cereals," 美国通用磨坊食品公司宣布,要减少十种最受欢迎的儿童谷类早餐里糖的含量。最新调查显示,"Nearly half of U.S. residents will cut back on gift spending this year," 几乎一般美国人今年都打算减少在礼品上的开销。好的,今天我们学习的词是cut back...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#11
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是sugarcoat。 To sugarcoat, 意思是粉饰、美化,让一件事情更容易被人接受。 "Our team has lost five consecutive games. There is no way to sugarcoat it," 我们球队已经连输五场,这种事实没办法掩盖。 "The coach didn't attempt to sugarcoat the team's pathetic performance," 教练丝毫没有试图为球队糟糕的表现遮遮掩掩。 "The CEO tried to sugarcoat the disappointing second-quarter earnings," 公司首席执行官努力把公司第二季度令人失望的盈利数字说得更婉转,更好听一些。好的,今天我们学习的词是sugarcoat...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#12
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是magic bullet。 Magic bullet, 意思是解决问题的灵丹妙药。"President Obama said there was no magic bullet for the struggling economy,"美国总统奥巴马说,振兴美国经济,没有灵丹妙药。 "Experts say there is no magic bullet against Alzheimer's disease," 专家说,现在没有对付老年痴呆症的灵丹妙药。 "The new exercise routine was said to be a magic bullet to help people get in shape," 据说这种新的锻炼方法特别灵验,能帮人们恢复健美的体形。 好的,今天我们学习的词是magic bullet...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#13
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是postpone。 Postpone推迟。 "Justin Bieber had to postpone his concert because he was sick," 贾斯汀.比伯因为生病,不得不推迟演唱会。"We had to postpone the trip because of the hurricane," 由于飓风的影响,我们不得不推迟行程。
美国去年出生率下降2.6%,有人把这种情况归咎于经济下滑。 "People tend to postpone having children when their financial future is uncertain," 经济前景不明朗的情况下,人们往往倾向于推迟要孩子。在美国,估计把一个2009年出生的孩子拉扯到17岁,花销在16万到37万之间。好的,今天我们学习的词是 postpone...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#14
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是pick up。 To pick up, 有改善的意思。 "We played terribly in the first half of the game, but picked up after halftime," 我们上半场比赛打得特别烂,但是中场过后明显改观。美国五年前发生卡特里娜飓风,对墨西哥湾地区的旅游业造成了沉重打击。 "Hotel occupancy in the Gulf area started to slowly pick up in 2008," 直到2008年,墨西哥湾地区的旅馆客房使用率才慢慢开始回升。在美国, "In spite of persistent unemployment, the pace of consumer spending picked up in July," 虽然失业率居高不下,但是七月份的消费者支出还是出现了上扬。好的,今天我们学习的词是pick up...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#15
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是plug away at。 To plug away at something, 坚持不懈地去做一件事。 "He continues to plug away at the novel even though no one is willing to publish it," 虽然没人愿意出版这本小说,可他还是坚持不懈地写下去。 "Coming back from a full time job during the day, she continues to plug away at her PhD dissertation at night," 白天全职工作结束后,她晚上还要坚持写博士论文。家长鼓励孩子练钢琴,可以说, "The more you plug away at practicing piano, the better you'll be at playing it," 你越坚持练习,就能弹得越好。好的,今天我们学习的词是plug away at...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#16
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是habitual。 Habitual, 大家都知道,Habit是习惯的意思,后面加上ual,成为形容词,Habitual就是习惯性的。 "A habitual liar," 老喜欢撒谎的人。 "A habitual offender," 惯犯。 "The habitual drunk driver was sent to jail for two years," 这个酒后驾车的惯犯被判入狱两年。

鸡蛋供应商杰克.德克斯特尔是涉及美国这次大批鸡蛋召回事件的一个主要当事人。"'Jack' Decoster was said to be a habitual violator of food safety and labor regulations," 据说德克斯特尔以前就经常违反食品安全和劳工方面的法规。好的,今天我们学习的词是habitual...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#17
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是staged。 Staged, 有假装,故意安排的意思。"Police suspected the robbery was staged," 警方怀疑这起抢劫案是假的。英国保险诈骗局最近公布的数字显示, "About 30,000 accidents were staged last year," 去年有大约三万起交通事故是故意造假。 "The new reality show was accused of being staged," 有人批评这个新的真人秀看上去太假。 "Opponents say his emotional outburst during the speech was staged in order to win the voters over," 反对者指责他讲话时的激动情绪是故意安排的,目的是要把选民拉到自己一边来。好的,今天我们学习的词是staged...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#18
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hone。 Hone, 做为动词,是磨炼,提高技艺的意思。 "The candidate paid the consulting company a pretty penny to hone his campaign slogan," 这个候选人花了一大笔钱给咨询公司,帮他斟酌推敲竞选口号。 "The summer camp gives kids a chance to hone their soccer skills," 这个夏令营可以帮助孩子们提高足球水平。 "The firefighters use the routine drills to hone their skills," 消防队员通过定期演练,提高救火技能。 "He signed up for the seminar to hone his public speaking skills," 他注册参加讲习班,提高自己当众讲话的能力。好的,今天我们学习的词是hone...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#19
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是final stretch。 Final stretch, 意思是最后阶段。 "Our team came back on top in the final stretch of the game," 我们球队在比赛最后阶段后来居上。 "Stock indexes fell on the latest employment data in the final stretch of trading on Monday," 星期一市场交易结束前,股票指数因为最新公布的就业数字而出现下跌。还有两个多月,美国国会就要举行中期选举了。 Candidates are gearing up for the final stretch of midterm elections," 候选人人纷纷为中期选举的最后阶段披挂上阵。好的,今天我们学习的词是final stretch...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#20
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是source。 Source, 意思是来源。 "Social Security is a reliable income source for seniors," 社会保障是美国老年人可靠的收入来源。 "Police have received thousands of tips, according to a source close to the investigation," 据了解案件调查进展的消息来源说,警方已经得到了好几千条线索。因为受沙门氏菌污染的影响,美国五亿多鸡蛋被召回。 "The U.S. Food and Drug administration is aggressively investigating the source of the salmonella outbreak," 美国食品和药物管理局正在加紧调查沙门氏菌爆发的源头。好的,今天我们学习的词是source...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-25#21
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是workplace。 Workplace, 工作场所。 "SeaWorld Orlando was fined $75,000 for workplace safety violations," 奥兰多的海洋世界因为违反工作场所的安全规定,被罚款七万五千美元。有关数据显示, "Claims of discrimination against Muslims in the workplace rose to 1,490 last year," 穆斯林在工作场所受歧视的申诉案例去年升至1490例。一项最新调查结果显示, "One third of Americans have been bullied in the workplace," 三分之一的美国人在工作场所都有过受别人欺负的经历。好的,今天我们学习的词是workplace...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-28#22
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是road-block。 Road-block, 路障,阻碍。 "Police road-blocks were set up before the rally," 集会前,警察设置了路障。 "The highway construction has hit a road-block because of budgetary issues," 高速公路的兴建因为预算受到阻碍。 "Swiss diplomats negotiating for the release of an American hiker hit another road-block," 交涉释放一个美国远足者的瑞士外交官遇到了新的障碍。"Access to capital continues to be a major road-block for small business growth," 获取资金依旧是小公司发展的一个主要障碍。好的,今天我们学习的词是road-block...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-28#23
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是sentiment。 Sentiment, 意思是感情,情绪。"Anti-immigration sentiment," 反移民情绪。 "President Obama warned against the possible spread of anti-Islam sentiment and called for religious tolerance," 美国总统奥巴马对敌视伊斯兰情绪的蔓延提出警告,并呼吁加强宗教宽容。 "A positive response to new global banking rules and robust Chinese economic data lifted the
market sentiment," 对全球银行业新规定的积极反响外加中国传来的喜人的经济数字,使市场气氛出现了改善。好的,今天我们学习的词是sentiment...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-30#24
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是twilight。 Twilight, 意思是黄昏时分的,引伸为晚年的,晚期的。 "The book is about a man who found his true love in his twilight years," 这本书讲的是一个迟暮之年的老人找到了自己的真爱。 "The governor adopted a slate of new policies in the twilight of his term," 州长在任期结束前采纳了一系列新政策。在美国失业大军中,不少是55岁以上人口。 "People in the twilight of their careers are starting to worry that they might never find another job," 很多离退休年龄不远的人担心,自己恐怕再也找不到工作了。好的,今天我们学习的词是twilight...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-30#25
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是distraction。 Distraction, 注意力不集中,分心。美国交通部最新数据显示, "5,474 people were killed in distraction-related car crashes in 2009," 2009年美国跟司机走神有关的车祸造成5474人死亡。除了手机、短信、化装、吃东西外,"Driving with your pets in the car can be a big distraction too," 开车带着宠物也会严重影响你的注意力。工作时间上网会降低工作效率吗?美国在线的调查发现, "44.7% of workers site web surfing as their number one distraction at work," 44.7%的工作人员都把上网列为上班时间最让人分散注意力的事情。好的,今天我们学习的词是distraction...

故乡的云 : 2010-09-30#26
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是road-block。 Road-block, 路障,阻碍。 "Police road-blocks were set up before the rally," 集会前,警察设置了路障。 "The highway construction has hit a road-block because of budgetary issues," 高速公路的兴建因为预算受到阻碍。 "Swiss diplomats negotiating for the release of an American hiker hit another road-block," 交涉释放一个美国远足者的瑞士外交官遇到了新的障碍。"Access to capital continues to be a major road-block for small business growth," 获取资金依旧是小公司发展的一个主要障碍。好的,今天我们学习的词是road-block...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-03#27
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是can-do。 Can-do, 可以做到。 "He is the can-do kind of person," 他是那种什么事都愿意尝试,什么事都觉得可以做到的人。 "I like the new candidate for his can-do attitude," 我喜欢这个新候选人身上那种万事只要肯做就能做成的态度。 "Two years of unemployment has made a dent in her can-do spirit," 连续两年失业,让她乐观进取的精神受到了打击。最近有调查发现, "Around 70% of the respondents think America's can-do spirit is faltering," 大约70%的受访者认为,美国人一贯的乐观进取,大胆尝试的精神出现了动摇。好的,今天我们学习的词是can-do...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-03#28
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是rise to the occasion。 Rise to the occasion, 意思是应对挑战和困境。首发四分位中场受伤后, "The backup quarterback rose to the occasion and led the team to victory," 候补四分位临危受命,带领球队打赢了比赛。 "The newly-minted CEO rose to the occasion and made the company's reorganization as smooth as possible," 新上任的公司首席执行官不负众望,尽可能平稳地完成了公司重组。好的,今天我们学习的词是rise to the occasion...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-03#29
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

要学的词是nagging。 Nagging, 唠叨个没完没了的,搅得人不得安宁的。"The tennis player decided to take the season off to take care of his nagging shoulder injury," 这个网球选手决定赛季停赛,彻底治好一直纠缠他的肩伤。 "Ten years into marriage, she still has nagging doubts whether she married the right guy," 结婚十年,她还是不能确定自己是否嫁对了人。 "Despite studies, the nagging question remains as to whether cell phone use will cause brain
cancer," 尽管有不少相关研究,但是用手机是否会引起脑癌的问题,依然存在疑问。好的,今天我们学习的词是nagging...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-03#30
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是twilight。 Twilight, 意思是黄昏时分的,引伸为晚年的,晚期的。 "The book is about a man who found his true love in his twilight years," 这本书讲的是一个迟暮之年的老人找到了自己的真爱。 "The governor adopted a slate of new policies in the twilight of his term," 州长在任期结束前采纳了一系列新政策。在美国失业大军中,不少是55岁以上人口。 "People in the twilight of their careers are starting to worry that they might never find another job," 很多离退休年龄不远的人担心,自己恐怕再也找不到工作了。好的,今天我们学习的词是twilight...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-06#31
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是upgrade。 Upgrade, 升级。 "The local elementary school received a library upgrade thanks to donations from the alumni association," 校友会的慷慨捐赠,让本地小学图书馆焕然一新。
美国副总统官邸准备加强安全装置。 "The Vice President's official residence is getting a $1.7 million security upgrade," 副总统官邸要进行耗资170万美元的保安系统升级。市场调查显示, "Many customers are putting off plans to upgrade their cell phones during the economic downturn," 经济不景气,使很多顾客推迟手机升级的计划。好的,今天我们学习的词upgrade...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-06#32
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是bottom out。 To bottom out, 意思是触底反弹。房利美最新民调显示, "Most Americans believe the housing market has bottomed out," 大多数美国人认为,房屋市场已经触底。美国国家经济研究局最近宣布, "The U.S. economy bottomed out in June, 2009," 美国经济2009年6月触底反弹。市场调研公司预计, "LCD TV prices will keep falling and bottom out during this year's holiday shopping season," 液晶电视价格会持续下跌,直到今年节假购物季节触底。好的,今天我们学习的词是bottom out....

故乡的云 : 2010-10-06#33
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是allegation。 Allegation, 指控。亚特兰大一家教会的牧师被控强迫年轻会众与他发生性关系。 "Bishop Eddie Long says he will fight the allegations," 艾迪.朗主教表示,面对指控,他会据理力争。跟妓女有染的报道让英国球星贝克汉姆大为光火。 "David Beckham has written to the magazine to demand answers over the allegations," 贝克汉姆写信给杂志社,要求他们对有关指控做出解释。 "Iran's atomic energy chief denied allegations that it's building a secret nuclear facility," 伊朗核能源负责人否认伊朗秘密修建核设施的说法。好的,今天我们学习的词是allegation...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-07#34
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是homemade。 Homemade, 自制的。 "Police found a homemade bomb in the train station," 警方在火车站发现了一个自制炸弹。 "The restaurant is famous for homemade Greek cuisine," 这家餐馆以希腊特色家常菜闻名。 "Neighborhood kids earned a few bucks selling homemade lemonade during the summer," 邻居小孩夏天靠卖自制柠檬汁赚了点小钱。 "The little boy won first prize in a local Halloween competition with his homemade Superman costume," 这个小男孩穿着家里自制的超人的服装,在当地万圣节服饰比赛中赢了头奖。好的,今天我们学习的词是homemade...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-07#35
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是time-honored。 Time-honored, 历史悠久的,经过时间检验的。"The startup company relied on time-honored principles to grow its business," 这家新开办的公司依靠久经检验的商业原则,扩大生意规模。 "Homecoming is a time-honored tradition in the United States," 校友返校是美国学校由来已久的传统。 "One of the time-honored rites of passage for teenagers is getting a driver's license," 青少年成长过程中传统上一个重要的里程碑就是考取驾照。好的,今天我们学习的词是time-honored...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-09#36
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是reminder。 Reminder, 提醒、提示。 "I received a flu shot reminder from my doctor's office," 我收到医生诊所的通知,提醒我去打流感预防针。 "The newly released data is a reminder that the recovery of the labor market is still very slow," 最新公布的数据提醒我们,就业市场的复苏步伐缓慢。每年十月第一个星期一是世界住房日。 "World Habitat Day is a reminder that many people around the world still lack adequate shelter," 世界住房日提醒我们,世界上还有很多人缺少住房。好的,今天我们学习的词是reminder...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-12#37
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是rev up。 To rev up, 意思是加速,加快。 "The soccer team revved up its defense in the second half," 足球队下半场加强防守。 "The retailers plan to rev up sales in the upcoming holiday season," 零售商计划通过即将到来的节假购物季节提高销量。 "The candidate revved up the crowd by promising to create more jobs," 候选人保证创造更多就业,让听众群情激昂。 "Japan's top three car makers revved up their domestic production in August," 日本三大汽车制造商提高八月份国内产量。好的,今天我们学习的词是rev up...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-12#38
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是refund。 Refund, 退款。 "Ticket holders are entitled to a refund if the concert is canceled due to inclement weather," 如果演唱会因为天气原因被取消,入场券可以退钱。现在坐飞机行李要收钱,不过,如果行李晚到的话, "Most major airlines will consider giving you a refund if you
file a claim," 如果乘客提出申诉,大部分大航空公司都会考虑把行李费退还给乘客。

美国电信运营公司Verizon Wireless将向用户返还误收费用。 "The refunds will total more than $50 millions," 退款总额超过5000万美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是refund...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-12#39
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是alert。 Alert, 警戒,警报。 "The National Weather Service put the area under a tornado alert until 7 o'clock tonight," 国家气象局对本地发布龙卷风警告,晚上七点钟解除。 "The police sent out a crime alert after 10 reported break-in cases in the area," 当地连续发生了十起入室抢劫案后,警察向居民发出警告,要他们加倍小心。 "The United States issued an alert on Sunday, warning Americans of possible terrorist attacks in Europe," 美国政府星期天发出警告,让美国人对欧洲可能发生的恐怖袭击提高警惕。好的,今天我们学习的词是alert...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-27#40
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是off-duty。 Off-duty, 意思是下班后的,不当班的。 "An off-duty detective was killed during a dispute over a parking space," 一个刑警下班后因为停车位跟人发生争执,被打死。 "An off-duty customs officer was arrested for possession of heroin," 一个海关工作人员在非值勤的时间里,因为携带卡洛因被逮捕。 "An off-duty police officer saved the life of a choking man in a restaurant," 一个警察下班后在餐馆吃饭时,救了一个吃饭噎到的人。 "Two off-duty paramedics saved a man who suffered a heart attack," 两个下班后的医护人员救了一个心脏病突发者的性命。好的,今天我们学习的词是off-duty...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#41
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是show up。 To show up, 意思是到场。 "The defendant failed to show up in court due to health reasons," 被告因健康原因没有出庭。 "Thousands of people showed up at the two-day event," 这次为期两天的活动吸引了数千人参加。距离美国国会中期选举只有两周了,民主党选民的热情不及共和党人。 "Only half of the people who voted for President Obama in 2008 say they will definitely show up to cast their ballots," 2008年投票支持奥巴马当总统的选民中,只有半数的人表示一定会去参加投票。好的,今天我们学习的词是show up...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#42
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是felony。 Felony的意思是重罪, 通常指谋杀, 盗窃财物等判刑一年以上的严重犯罪活动。 切尼付总统的前办公厅主任Lewis Libby被控在中情局特工身份泄密案的调查中撒谎。
联邦陪审团裁定Lewis Libby的四项重罪指控成立,"The jury found Lewis Libby guilty of four felony counts." 这些罪行包括向FBI和大陪审团撒谎并防碍调查。Libby是近二十年来被判犯有重罪的最高级白宫官员,"Libby is the highest-ranking White House official to be convicted of a felony in nearly twenty years." 今天我们学习的词组是felony...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#43
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是time-consuming。 Time-consuming, 耗费时间的。"Wedding planning is very time-consuming," 安排婚礼需要花费很多时间。"Being a small business owner is very time-consuming," 做小业主需要投入很多时间。"The case is time-consuming and costly for all parties involved," 这起案件对所有涉案方来说,都是既费时,又费钱。"The project is much more time-consuming than expected," 这个项目比原先预计需要的时间多得多。好的,今天我们学习的词是time-consuming...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#44
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hassle。 Hassle, 意思是麻烦。圣诞节发生炸机未遂事件后,美国进一步加强机场的安全检查,坐飞机旅行越来越麻烦。一项最新调查发现,"27% of U.S. travelers no longer think flying is worth the hassle," 美国27%外出旅行的人都觉得,坐飞机太麻烦,不值得。
如果你在机场丢了围巾手套,甚至是手表戒指什么的,八成不会去找。"Travelers usually think it’s more hassle than it’s worth," 乘客多半觉得太麻烦,不值得。"The new website is user-friendly and hassle-free," 这个新网站便于用户使用,一点也不麻烦。好的,今天我们学习的词是hassle...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#45
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是recess。 Recess, 是暂停,休息的意思。"The judge called a short recess," 法官宣布暂时休庭。"The Congress will soon go into the Christmas-New Year recess," 国会不久就要进入圣诞-新年的休会期。"School recess is a way for children to recharge after long lessons," 学校的课间休息让孩子们课后恢复一下精力。"The increasing concerns about childhood obesity have also made recess a medical issue," 儿童肥胖引起的关注也让课间休息成了一个跟健康有关的问题。好的,今天我们学习的词是recess...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#46
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是stability。 Stability, 是稳定的意思。Political stability, 政治稳定;economic stability, 经济稳定。时代周刊2007年的年度人物是俄罗斯总统普京。时代周刊对普京的评价是,"He stands, above all, for stability - stability before freedom, stability before choice, stability in a country that has hardly seen it for a hundred years," 他最根本的主张是稳定,稳定先于自由,稳定先于选择,给俄罗斯这个一百年来几乎没有平静过的国家带来稳定。好的,今天我们学习的词是stability...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#47
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是norm。 Norm, 意思是标准,规范。气象学家研究显示, "Triple-digit summer temperatures will be the norm in a few decades in Texas," 美国德克萨斯州几十年后,夏天气温三位数字将是常规现象。最新研究显示, "Condom use is becoming the norm for sexually active teenagers," 有性行为的青少年普遍使用避孕套。美国大学生活异常紧张。 "For some students, pulling all-nighters have become the norm, not the exception," 对于某些学生来说,熬夜已经成为常态,而不是偶尔为之。好的,今天我们学习的词是norm...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#48
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是logo。 Logo, 商标,标志。 "The clothing line needs a new logo," 这个服装品牌需要一个新商标。 "Google rolled out a special logo for John Lennon's 70th birthda," 谷歌在约翰.列侬诞辰70周年的日子,推出特别图标。美国大服装店Gap盖普上星期启用新标志。 "The new logo was supposed to signify Gap's transition from 'classic, American design to modern, sexy, and cool,'" 新标志原本是要显示盖普从古典的美国风格向现代、性感和酷的转型。然而,在用户强烈反对下, "Gap announced that it would abandon the new logo and go back to the old one," 盖普公司宣布放弃新标志,重新启用老标志。 好的,今天我们学习的词是logo...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#49
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是overarching。 Overarching, 有首要的意思。 "The overarching goal of the event is to raise breast cancer awareness," 这次活动的首要目标是提高人们对乳腺癌的了解。距离美国国会中期选举只有三个星期的时间了。华盛顿邮报说, "If there is an overarching theme of election 2010, it is the question of how big the government should be and how far it should reach into people's lives," 如果说2010选举年有任何核心主题的话,那就是,政府的规模到底应该有多大,对人民的生活到底应该介入多少。好的,今天我们学习的词是 overarching...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#50
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是polarized。 Polarized, 两极分化的。 A polarized society, 两极分化的社会。 "The debate over illegal immigration has become polarized lately," 有关非法移民议题而展开的辩论最近日趋两极化。美国前总统卡特不久前在接受媒体采访时说, "Washington has become more polarized than it was during the Civil War," 华盛顿现在比美国南北战争期间更加两极化。 "The U.S. political landscape has grown increasingly polarized ahead of the mid-term election," 国会中期选举前,美国的政治版图变得越发两极化。好的,今天我们学习的词是polarized...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#51
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是award。 Award, 做为动词,有授予的意思。 "U.S. Billionaire Donald Trump was awarded an honorary degree by Robert Gordon University," 美国亿万富翁唐纳德.特朗普被罗伯特.戈登大学授予荣誉学位。 "U.S. President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously to Robert Miller, who gave his own life to save others," 美国总统奥巴马授予牺牲的罗伯特.米勒荣誉勋章,奖励他舍己救人。 "Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize for 2010," 中国异议人士刘晓波被授予2010年诺贝尔和平奖。好,今天我们学习的词是award...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#52
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是helicopter parent。 Helicopter parent, 直升机父母?没错。"Helicopter parents, like a helicopter, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach whether their children need them or not," 这些直升机父母,真的就像直升机一样,不管孩子需不需要他们,一直在头上盘旋。
Helicopter parent是直升机父母,那么他们的教育方式就被称为helicopter parenting,直升机父母式的教育。现在啊,"Psychologists see negative effects of 'helicopter parenting,'" 心理学家发现直升机父母式的教育有很多坏处。看来作个直升机父母不见得是好事。最后我们要问一句:"Are you a helicopter parent?"

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#53
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是off the cuff。 Off the cuff, 是随意,即兴的意思。"French President Nicolas Sarkozy is known for his off-the-cuff remarks about everything from hostages to love," 法国总统萨尔科齐以即兴发表评论而出名,不论是针对人质事件还是针对爱情。
在办公室讲话要特别小心。"An off-the-cuff remark might turn out to be damaging to your career," 有时候你随便说的一句话就可能会影响到你事业的发展。哪些话不能说呢?首当其冲的就是 "That's not my job," 这不是我的工作。好的,今天我们学习的词是off the cuff...

故乡的云 : 2010-10-28#54
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是pull off。 To pull something off, 意思是成功地做成某事。"The team pulled off a miracle win with four starters on the injury list," 球队在四名首发队员伤病的情况下,居然神奇地赢得了比赛。 "The candidate pulled off a huge comeback in the election," 这位候选人在远远落后的情况下,居然后来居上,赢得了选举。 "The bride pulled off her dream wedding with a tight budget," 新娘子在预算并不宽松的情况下,还是实现了自己梦想中的婚礼。好的,今天我们学习的词是pull off...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-01#55
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是casualty。 Casualty, 在战争中指人员伤亡,在其他灾难性事件中指受害者,一般用复数。阿富汗外交部说, "The Pentagon has promised to take steps to reduce civilian casualties," 美国五角大楼保证要采取措施,减少平民伤亡。
国际货币基金警告说, "The UK will be one of the biggest casualties in the global economic downturn," 英国将成为全球经济下滑的主要受害者之一。过去15个月里,美国人的退休储蓄损失了两万亿美元。 "Americans' retirement security may be one of the greatest casualties of this financial crisis," 美国人的退休保障可能是这次金融危机最大的牺牲品之一。好的,今天我们学习的词是casualty...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-01#56
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是recreational。 Recreational, 消遣的,娱乐的。 "Due to budget cuts, some of the recreational programs were eliminated by the county," 由于预算削减,县政府取消了一些娱乐项目。 "All commercial and recreational fishing is prohibited in this area," 这片地区禁止一切商业和消遣性质的捕鱼活动。"Californians will decide whether to legalize recreational use of Marijuana in two weeks," 两星期后,加州居民要决定是否将娱乐性质的大麻使用合法化。 好的,今天我们学习的词是recreational...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-01#57
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是pinpoint。 Pinpoint, 准确地指出。 "The firefighters haven't been able to pinpoint the cause of the fire," 消防队员还没找到火灾的起因。"After the game, the coach pinpointed a couple of areas for the team to work on," 教练赛后指出了球队需要加强训练的几个领域。 "Scientists pinpointed a gene that's linked to depression," 科学家找到了一种跟精神忧郁有关联的基因。 "A new website called justspotted.com can pinpoint exactly where celebrities are," 一个名叫 justspotted.com的新网站可以准确地告诉你,某个名人目前正在什么地方。好的,今天我们学习的词是pinpoint...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-01#58
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是off-duty。 Off-duty, 意思是下班后的,不当班的。 "An off-duty detective was killed during a dispute over a parking space," 一个刑警下班后因为停车位跟人发生争执,被打死。 "An off-duty customs officer was arrested for possession of heroin," 一个海关工作人员在非值勤的时间里,因为携带卡洛因被逮捕。 "An off-duty police officer saved the life of a choking man in a restaurant," 一个警察下班后在餐馆吃饭时,救了一个吃饭噎到的人。 "Two off-duty paramedics saved a man who suffered a heart attack," 两个下班后的医护人员救了一个心脏病突发者的性命。好的,今天我们学习的词是off-duty...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-01#59
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是show up。 To show up, 意思是到场。 "The defendant failed to show up in court due to health reasons," 被告因健康原因没有出庭。 "Thousands of people showed up at the two-day event," 这次为期两天的活动吸引了数千人参加。距离美国国会中期选举只有两周了,民主党选民的热情不及共和党人。 "Only half of the people who voted for President Obama in 2008 say they will definitely show up to cast their ballots," 2008年投票支持奥巴马当总统的选民中,只有半数的人表示一定会去参加投票。好的,今天我们学习的词是show up...

move.learn.do : 2010-11-01#60
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb37:

故乡的云 : 2010-11-04#61
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是attack ad。 Attack, 是攻击,ad 是广告,把这两个词连在一起,attack ad意思就是带有攻击性的广告片。 "Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts was criticized in a new attack ad for dancing around the issues," 麻萨诸塞州的国会众议员巴尼弗兰克在一个新的攻击性广告中,被指责在重要议题上摇摆不定。 "An Iowa TV station refused to air an attack ad targeting U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley," 爱奥华州一家电视台拒绝播放一个批评美国国会参议员查克.格拉斯利的攻击性广告。好的,今天我们学习的词是attack ad...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-04#62
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是slam。 Slam, 做为动词,有严厉指责和批评的意思。维基解密WikiLeaks公布了大约40万份关于伊拉克战争的机密文件后,受到来自多方的指责,其中包括, "The British Ministry of Defense slammed the release of the classified documents by WikiLeaks," 英国国防部对维基解密公布这些机密文件的做法提出严厉谴责。 "A conservative media watchdog group slammed major networks'coverage
of President Obama as a tax cutter,": 一个保守派媒体监督组织对各大电视网提出批评,指责他们刻意将奥巴马塑造成一个减税领导人的形象。 好的,今天我们学习的词是slam...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-04#63
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是undecided。 Undecided, 尚未决定的。距离美国国会中期选举只剩下一周的时间了,最新民调显示, "Almost a third of the voters still remain undecided," 将近三分之一的选民至今还没有拿定主意把票投给谁。马里兰州考虑在首府安纳波利斯安装超速驾驶摄像头。 "Mayor Cohen said he is undecided on the issue," 市长科恩说,他在这个问题上还没有最后决定。俄罗斯总统最近表示,"Russia is undecided whether to join the European missile defense system,"
俄罗斯尚未决定是否要加入欧洲导弹防御系统。 好的,今天我们学习的词是undecided...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-04#64
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是casualty。 Casualty, 在战争中指人员伤亡,在其他灾难性事件中指受害者,一般用复数。阿富汗外交部说, "The Pentagon has promised to take steps to reduce civilian casualties," 美国五角大楼保证要采取措施,减少平民伤亡。
国际货币基金警告说, "The UK will be one of the biggest casualties in the global economic downturn," 英国将成为全球经济下滑的主要受害者之一。过去15个月里,美国人的退休储蓄损失了两万亿美元。 "Americans' retirement security may be one of the greatest casualties of this financial crisis," 美国人的退休保障可能是这次金融危机最大的牺牲品之一。好的,今天我们学习的词是casualty...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-04#65
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是recreational。 Recreational, 消遣的,娱乐的。 "Due to budget cuts, some of the recreational programs were eliminated by the county," 由于预算削减,县政府取消了一些娱乐项目。 "All commercial and recreational fishing is prohibited in this area," 这片地区禁止一切商业和消遣性质的捕鱼活动。"Californians will decide whether to legalize recreational use of Marijuana in two weeks," 两星期后,加州居民要决定是否将娱乐性质的大麻使用合法化。 好的,今天我们学习的词是recreational...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-15#66
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是honor. Honor, 动词,表达敬意。 "The school renamed the stadium to honor its basketball coach who served the school for 30 years," 学校用任职30年的教练的名字重新命名球场,表达对他的敬意。同事退休, "Many colleagues showed up at the retirement party to honor his 35 years of service," 很多同事都来参加他的退休聚会,对他供职35年表达敬意。

每年11月11号是美国的退伍军人节Veterans Day. "Veterans Day is a day set aside to honor all American veterans for loyal service to their country," 退伍军人节是为了对所有退伍军人报效国家表示敬意。好的,今天我们学习的词是honor...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-15#67
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是take some heat。 To take some heat, 受到批评。 "The candidate is taking some heat for his stance on illegal immigrants," 候选人因为在非法移民问题上的立场而受到批评。华盛顿红人队教练沙纳汉因为比赛快结束前撤换四分位麦克纳布而受到球迷的指责。 "Coach Shanahan is taking some heat for benching quarterback Donovan McNabb," 美国十七岁歌手麦莉.赛勒斯因为在一首新歌视频中表现过于大胆而受到小歌迷家长们的批评。 "Miley Cyrus is taking some heat from parents of young fans," 好的,今天我们学习的词是take some heat..

故乡的云 : 2010-11-15#68
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是sound off。 To sound off about something, 有抱怨的意思。 "Local residents sounded off about plans to cut library hours," 当地居民对缩短图书馆的开放时间表示不满。 "The player sounded off about the team’s decision to fine him for cursing," 这个球员骂人被球队罚款,因此大发牢骚。 "New York Mayor Bloomberg sounded off about a study that said 98 percent of the public spaces in Manhattan exceed healthy noise levels," 有研究说,纽约曼哈顿公共区域98%的地方噪音都超过了健康标准,纽约市长布隆伯格对研究结果表示不满。好的,今天我们学习的词是sound off...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-15#69
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是lag behind。 Lag behind是落在别人后面的意思。虽然南亚国家的经济发展步伐很快,但是亚洲开发银行警告说,"The region lags far behind in education and healthcare," 意思是这个地区在教育和医疗保健方面还差得很远。
互联网的研究始于美国,但是有研究发现,如今,法国人的上网速度是美国的三倍,日本是美国的12倍。"The U.S. lags behind in Internet speed," 美国在上网速度方面远远落在了后面。好的,今天我们学习的词是lag behind...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-17#70
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是walk a fine line. To walk a fine line, 小心行事。 "Coaches have to walk a fine line between pushing their players to their full potential and pushing them too hard," 做为教练,一定要在鼓励运动员充分发挥潜力,和给运动员压力过大之间把握好分寸。

在美国,很多学校都建议老师不要在社交网站上跟学生做朋友。不过, "The schools have to walk a fine line because they cannot dictate their employees’ behavior outside office hours," 学校对这个问题的处理也要格外小心,因为它们管不着雇员八小时以外的行为。好的,今天我们学习的词是walk a fine line....

故乡的云 : 2010-11-17#71
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是repeal. Repeal, 撤销,废止。在国会中期选举中, "California voters rejected a call by the teachers unions to repeal a series of tax breaks for corporations," 加州选民否决了教师工会提出撤销公司减税优惠的提议。中期选举一结束,共和党人就明确表示, "Their top priority is to repeal parts or the entire health care reform bill," 他们当务之急是废止健保改革法案的部分或全部内容。 "U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he is in favor of Congress repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell in their lame duck session," 美国国防部长盖茨表示,他支持国会在跛脚鸭会期内撤销“不问不说”的政策。好的,今天我们学习的词是repeal...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-17#72
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是honor. Honor, 动词,表达敬意。 "The school renamed the stadium to honor its basketball coach who served the school for 30 years," 学校用任职30年的教练的名字重新命名球场,表达对他的敬意。同事退休, "Many colleagues showed up at the retirement party to honor his 35 years of service," 很多同事都来参加他的退休聚会,对他供职35年表达敬意。

每年11月11号是美国的退伍军人节Veterans Day. "Veterans Day is a day set aside to honor all American veterans for loyal service to their country," 退伍军人节是为了对所有退伍军人报效国家表示敬意。好的,今天我们学习的词是honor...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-17#73
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是take some heat。 To take some heat, 受到批评。 "The candidate is taking some heat for his stance on illegal immigrants," 候选人因为在非法移民问题上的立场而受到批评。华盛顿红人队教练沙纳汉因为比赛快结束前撤换四分位麦克纳布而受到球迷的指责。 "Coach Shanahan is taking some heat for benching quarterback Donovan McNabb," 美国十七岁歌手麦莉.赛勒斯因为在一首新歌视频中表现过于大胆而受到小歌迷家长们的批评。 "Miley Cyrus is taking some heat from parents of young fans," 好的,今天我们学习的词是take some heat...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-19#74
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是town hall。 Town, 是城镇,hall, 是大厅,连在一起,town hall是指市政大厅。英语里常说town hall meeting就是群众大会,谁都可以参加,可以在会上发表看法,向有关官员反映情况,询问问题。 "The cut in education funding dominated last night's town hall meeting," 裁减教育经费是昨天晚上群众大会上大家最关心的问题。 "Presidential candidates Obama and McCain held their second debate in a town hall style," 美国总统候选人奥巴马和麦凯恩的第二场辩论采取了群众大会的形式。好的,今天我们学习的词是town hall...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-19#75
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是walk a fine line. To walk a fine line, 小心行事。 "Coaches have to walk a fine line between pushing their players to their full potential and pushing them too hard," 做为教练,一定要在鼓励运动员充分发挥潜力,和给运动员压力过大之间把握好分寸。

在美国,很多学校都建议老师不要在社交网站上跟学生做朋友。不过, "The schools have to walk a fine line because they cannot dictate their employees’ behavior outside office hours," 学校对这个问题的处理也要格外小心,因为它们管不着雇员八小时以外的行为。好的,今天我们学习的词是walk a fine line....

故乡的云 : 2010-11-21#76
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是let somebody down。 To let somebody down, 有未履行承诺,让某人失望的意思。 "The newly elected Mayor promised he will not let the voters down," 新当选的市长保证说,自己绝对不会让选民失望。 "As a parent, she never lets her kids down," 做为家长,她从来不让自己的孩子失望。 "Former President George W. Bush said some NATO allies let the U.S. down in Afghanistan," 美国前总统布什说,北约有些盟国没有兑现在阿富汗问题上对美国的承诺。好的,今天我们学习的词是let somebody down...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-21#77
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是at odds。 At odds, 意见分歧。 "Costa Rica and Nicaragua remain at odds over border disputes," 哥斯达黎加和尼加拉瓜在边界问题上继续争执不休。在是否应该取消对军人同性恋“不问不说”的政策的问题上,美国国会参议员麦凯恩夫妇各执己见。 "Senator John McCain and his wife are at odds over the repeal of the military’s ’don’t ask don’t tell’ policy," 在阿富汗战争的策略问题上,阿富汗总统卡尔扎伊跟美军指挥官彼得雷乌斯将军意见分歧。 "Afghan President Hamid Karzai is at odds with General David Petraeus over Afghan war strategy," 好的,今天我们学习的词是at odds...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-21#78
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是cave in。To cave in, 意思是屈于压力而让步。 "All my friends are on Facebook now. I finally caved in and got registered," 我朋友都在用 Facebook. 我没办法,只好也去注册了一个帐户。 "Amazon caved in to users’ protests and banned an e-book on pedophilia from its web site," 在用户的抗议声中,亚马逊网站屈于压力,叫停了一本关于恋童癖电子书的发行。美国总统奥巴马的首席顾问在接受电视采访时暗示, "The White House might cave in to Republican demands and extend the tax cuts for the wealthy," 白宫可能会屈于共和党人的压力,延长富人享受的减税政策。好的,今天我们学习的词是cave in...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-21#79
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是town hall。 Town, 是城镇,hall, 是大厅,连在一起,town hall是指市政大厅。英语里常说town hall meeting就是群众大会,谁都可以参加,可以在会上发表看法,向有关官员反映情况,询问问题。 "The cut in education funding dominated last night's town hall meeting," 裁减教育经费是昨天晚上群众大会上大家最关心的问题。 "Presidential candidates Obama and McCain held their second debate in a town hall style," 美国总统候选人奥巴马和麦凯恩的第二场辩论采取了群众大会的形式。好的,今天我们学习的词是town hall...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-24#80
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是replacement。 Replacement, 意思是替代,替补。"The coach chose Jimmy as the replacement for the injured quarterback," 教练选择Jimmy代替受伤的四分位。"The basketball player just had a knee replacement surgery," 这个篮球选手刚刚接受了膝关节置换手术。
上星期宣布召回数百万辆汽车后,丰田公司星期一表示,已经找到了解决办法。"Toyota said replacement parts are being shipped out to dealers right now," 丰田公司表示,替换部件已经开始运往汽车经销商手中。好的,今天我们学习的词是replacement...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-24#81
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是dialogue。 Dialogue, 对话。 "Freed Burmese activist Aung San Suu Kyi called for dialogue with the Myanmar government," 缅甸民主运动领袖昂山素季获释后,呼吁跟缅甸政府展开对话。 "Russia and Japan intend to start truth-based dialogue after a recent territorial dispute soured bilateral relations," 俄罗斯和日本不久前因领土争议造成两国关系恶化后,如今打算开展以互信为基础的对话。教育专家说, "Honest dialogue between parents and kids helps promote trust and respect," 家长跟孩子

故乡的云 : 2010-11-24#82
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

李华和Larry星期六早上一起去吃午饭。今天我们要学两个常用语:get a leg up on和crush.
LH: Larry, 一星期没见,你最近是不是特别忙?
LL: Hi Li Hua. It has been a busy week.
LH: 下星期是不是就没事了?你陪我去看Disney On Ice冰上迪斯尼怎么样?
LL: Unfortunately I think next week might be even busier. We are bidding against our top competitor for a huge advertising contract, so everybody is going to have to work especially hard to win it.
LH: 那家公司不是特别厉害吗?不过没关系,我相信,你们公司一定能赢。
LL: Yes, although they have a lot of talent, I think we'll be able to get a leg up on the competition.
LH: A leg up一条腿在上?这是什么意思?
LL: Haha...A leg up on the competition means that we have an advantage over them.
LH: 噢,a leg up就是具有优势。
LL: Yes exactly. Because we have got a leg up on our competitors, I'm pretty confident that we'll be able to win the contract.
LH: 这份合同是做什么的?
LL: It's a contract to advertise soda.
LH: 你为什么觉得自己have a leg up on the competition比对手有优势呢?
LL: Although the other company has worked with them in the past, their last ad campaign was not so successful. We on the other hand have been very successful with similar products, so I think we have got a leg up on them.
LH: 那太好了。
LL: It is VERY good, especially because if we win this contract, we might all be able to get a bonus this year.
LH: 拿到合同就发奖金?那你们还不得使出吃奶的劲儿来。
LL: What's new with you Li Hua?
LH: 好消息,我们排球队刚刚杀进小组前四名,下一场比赛是这星期五晚上。你一定要来。虽然对手很厉害,可我们还是有优势。We have a leg up on them.
LL: Why do you say that Li Hua?
LH: 虽然他们球员的个人技术都不错,但整体配合不如我们有默契。
LH: That's great. What time is the game?
LL: 星期五晚上七点一刻。
******
星期五晚上,Larry来看李华比赛。
(Whistle Sound)
LL: Congratulations!
LH: Hooray! We won!
LL: Won? You crushed them!
LH: Eh? crushed them? 那是什么意思?
LL: Crushed them, it means you beat them severely.
LH: 你是说我们狠狠地打败了他们。太夸张了,比分还是挺接近的。
LL: I don't know, Li Hua, your team was clearly on top. I'd say you crushed them.
LH: 你别忘了,刚开始的时候,她们可是一路领先,I thought they would really crush us.
LL: Well it certainly seems like you were able to come back from behind then for the victory.
LH: 是啊,她们耐力不够,比赛一开始劲头十足,可没多久主力队员就累得不行了。
LL: I guess that is when you were really able to start crushing them.
LH: 是啊,我们今天超水平发挥。
LL: It was a really good game to watch. You were on fire out there.
LH: 我的表现只能说一般,还是大家的功劳。对了,你最近忙吗?
LL: Have I ever! You remember that account I told you about? The ad campaign that we were competing for?
LH: 当然记得,结果怎么样,合同拿到手了吗?
LL: We got the contract! We crushed our competitors and now we'll be in charge of this huge new account.
LH: 太棒了,I'm glad to hear that you crushed them.
LL: We were able to show our past successes, and our rates were much lower than their old company. We really crushed them.
LH: 这个合同由谁来负责呢?
LL: Well the boss is still trying to decide who to put in charge of the project, but I am hoping it will be me.
LH: 那你是不是会忙上加忙呢?
LL: It will mean a bit more responsibility, but no real change in the hours.
LH: 我们得好好庆祝一下。去吃饭?
LL: Sounds good to me!
今天李华学了两个常用语。一个是get a leg up on, 意思是占据优势。另一个是crush, 意思是彻底打败。

故乡的云 : 2010-11-25#83
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是intrusive。Intrusive, 有侵犯的意思。美国机场加强安检,包括全身扫描和拍摸式搜身,引起很多乘客不满。不过,美国运输安全管理局负责人说, "New rules requiring 'intrusive' pat-downs of some passengers at U.S. airports are here to stay," 一些乘客在机场必需接受的侵入性搜身的新规定不会取消。美国总统奥巴马对乘客的不满表示理解, "President Obama has asked his national security team to consider less intrusive screenings," 奥巴马要求国家安全顾问小组考虑采取让乘客不太感觉受到非礼的安检措施。好的,今天我们学习的词是intrusive...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-29#84
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是exceed。 Exceed, 超过。 "The team opened the season with three wins, exceeding everyone's expectations," 球队赛季一开始就连赢三场,超过了所有人的预期。美国加州一个郡发生水污染。 "Test results showed that the levels of a particular kind of chemical in the water supply exceeded standards," 检验结果显示,供水系统中一种特定化学成分的含量超标。美国司法部的报告说, "New Jersey Governor Chris Christie routinely exceeded government lodging rates while serving as a U.S. Attorney," 新泽西州州长克里斯提担任美国联邦法官期间,出差住旅馆的支出经常超过政府规定的标准。好的,今天我们学习的词是exceed...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-29#85
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是doorbuster。 Doorbuster, 开门大抢购,指商品在特定时间内减价出售,通常指早上到中午这段时间。感恩节过后的星期五,也就是所谓的Black Friday是美国一年当中商品最便宜的一天。 "There will be great discounts all day long, but the best doorbuster deals will be in the early hours," 黑色星期五全天减价,但最便宜的还要算早上开门大抢购的促销商品。最近几年,黑色星期五商店开门时间不断提前。比如, "Toys 'R' Us will kick off its doorbuster deals at 10 PM Thanksgiving Day night," 玩具反斗城今年就准备头天晚上,也就是感恩节当天十点开始营业,出售开门大抢购的促销商品。好的,今天我们学习的词是doorbuster...

故乡的云 : 2010-11-29#86
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是jaw-dropping。 Jaw-dropping, 令人惊讶的。 "The seventh Harry Potter movie opened to a jaw-dropping $330 million in global ticket sales over the weekend," 《哈利-波特7》周末上映全球票房3.3亿美元,让人跌破眼镜。 "Rihanna gave a jaw-dropping performance on Sunday night's American Music Awards," 蕾哈娜在星期天晚上全美音乐奖颁奖典礼上的表演让观众大饱眼福。 "Everyone agrees that Apple has achieved jaw-dropping success in the last couple of years," 所有人都承认,苹果公司过去两年取得了惊人的成绩。好的,今天我们学习的词是jaw-dropping...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-05#87
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是cyber Monday。 Cyber Monday, 网络星期一。感恩节过后有Black Friday, 黑色星期五,是购物高潮,随着网上购物的便利,感恩节过后的星期一也逐渐发展成Cyber Monday. "Cyber Monday is now viewed as the kickoff to the online holiday shopping season," 网络星期一如今被普遍认为是年底假日季节网上购物的开端。
调查数字显示,"87.1 % of retailers will have a special promotion for Cyber Monday this year," 87.1%的零售商家今年都会在网络星期一减价促销。好的,今天我们学习的词是cyber Monday...


故乡的云 : 2010-12-05#88
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是good Samaritan。 "A good Samaritan," 意思是行善的,助人为乐的好人。"A good Samaritan returned my lost wallet," 一个大好人把我丢失的钱包送了回来。"A good Samaritan helped the dog reunite with its family," 一位好人帮助走失的狗找到了自己的主人。"The police asked a good Samaritan who intervened during an attempted robbery to come forward and testify," 警察请求在抢劫案中见义勇为的人站出来作证。好的,今天我们学习的词是good Samaritan...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-05#89
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是magnitude。 Magnitude, 意思是强度、规模。 "An 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck central Chile early Saturday," 智利中部地区星期六早上发生八点八级地震。美国高尔夫球选手老虎.伍兹的母亲对媒体表示强烈不满。她表示, "The magnitude of Tiger Woods' transgressions has been blown out of proportion by the media," 她说,伍兹犯的错误被媒体过份夸大了。 "The team sealed a 4-1 victory of colossal magnitude over its arch rival," 球队以四比一的比分击败了自己的死对头,获得了巨大胜利。好的,今天我们学习的词是magnitude...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-05#90
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是crusade。 Crusade, 改革运动。美国儿童存在严重的肥胖问题。"First Lady Michelle Obama is on a crusade for healthy eating," 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马大力推动健康的饮食习惯。
很多经受鲨鱼袭击,九死一生的幸存者最终反而成了鲨鱼利益的代言人。"These shark survivors are on a crusade to save their predators," 这些鲨鱼袭击的幸存者正大力展开一场挽救他们袭击者的运动。倍具争议的美国电影制片人迈克尔.摩尔的新片《资本主义》上映了。影评说,"Michael Moore is on an anti-capitalist crusade," 迈克尔.摩尔展开了一场反资本主义的运动。好的,今天我们学习的词是crusade...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-05#91
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hangover。 Hangover, 是宿醉的意思。"I have a nasty hangover this morning from the party last night," 昨天晚上开派对喝多了,今天早上特别难受。你知道吗,"Dark drinks like bourbon or red wine make for a worse hangover compared to lighter drinks like vodka or gin," 波本和红葡萄酒这类颜色较深的酒比伏特加或杜松子这种颜色较浅的酒更容易引起宿醉。
咖啡能解酒吗?答案是否定的。"Coffee leads to more dehydration and can make your hangover worse," 咖啡会导致进一步脱水,加重宿醉的程度。好的,今天我们学习的词是hangover...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-08#92
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是damage control。 Damage control, 意思是尽量减少破坏的程度。美国晚间脱口秀主持人莱特曼因为卷入性丑闻不断道歉。"David Letterman is in damage control mode," 莱特曼努力减小不良影响。
美国副总统拜登本月底计划出访捷克和波兰。有分析认为,这跟不久前美国决定搁置原定在这两个国家内建立导弹防御系统的计划有关。"The White House denied that Biden's trip to eastern Europe is a damage control mission," 但是白宫否认拜登的东欧之行是为了减少负面影响。好的,今天我们学习的词是damage control...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-08#93
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是take-home message。 The take-home message, 意思是得到的教益。常听人说,上年纪了,酒量大不如前了。当事人也许是在谦虚,但是最近有研究恰恰证明了这一点。 "The take-home message of the study is that older adults get drunk faster than younger drinkers," 研究的核心发现是,年纪大的人比年轻人更容易醉酒。经济衰退给人们敲响了警钟。 "The take-home message for most people is that you should not spend beyond your means," 大多数人应该引以为戒的是,花钱不应该超过自己的经济能力。好的,今天我们学习的词是take-home message...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-08#94
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Larry跟李华在星巴克咖啡馆见面。今天我们要学两个常用语:for the birds和way out in left field.
LL: Hey, Li Hua, it's good to see you. It's been awhile since we last talked. How are you doing?
LH: 还可以,不过这天气真让人受不了。都二月底了,还没完没了地下雪,今年冬天实在是太漫长了。
LL: Yeah, this winter has been crazy. I don't think we've ever gotten so much snow. And the last three winters before this one were so mild. We hardly got any snow at all.
LH: 就是!我记得去年二月底有几天六十多度,咱俩穿着T恤衫在外面打网球。太爽了。我刚听天气预报说,又要下雪。
LL: Aigh...this weather's really for the birds.
LH: The weather is for the birds? 这是什么意思啊?
LL: Oh, I just mean that it is undesirable..."for the birds" is an idiom we use to mean that something is undesirable, for the birds.
LH: 我还是不明白,为什么不喜欢的东西要说or the birds呢?
LL: Well, it comes from the fact that birds usually eat seeds, and seeds are considered worthless and undesirable.
LH: 所以,毫无价值的,不喜欢的东西就可以说是for the birds。那如果是我不喜欢的天气,我就可以说It's for the birds.
LL: Exactly...but you could also say it for things other than the weather. For example, say I don't like the chicken sandwich I made for lunch...I could say that the chicken sandwich is for the birds.
LH: 你看,外面的天阴冷阴冷的,I definitely think it's for the birds.
LL: I hear you, Lihua. Hey, how about we go and grab some lunch?
LH: 好,我们去麦当劳。
LL: No, McDonalds is for the birds.
LH: 怎么可能!麦当劳的薯条是最好吃的。Burger King is for the birds!
******
Larry和李华在麦当劳吃东西。
LH: Larry, 你这两天怎么样?
LL: I've been good. Just trying to forget about what happened at work yesterday. It's been really frustrating.
LH: 发生什么事情了吗?
LL: Well, it's my boss. He keeps on giving me assignments and telling me to do things and then not giving me any time to complete the assignments. I'm getting so tired of it. I need a break. Maybe I'll take tomorrow off.
LH: 一定是因为你太能干了。中文里说,能者多劳。正因为你效率高,做事让老板放心,所以他才愿意把工作交给你。如果你觉得压力太大的话,应该直接跟他讲。
LL: How would I do that, Lihua. He's so busy. It's like he never has time for me, and he's always busy with other people.
LH: 那你不如跟他约个时间,好好坐下来谈,而且越快越好。
LL: I think you're right, Li Hua. Thanks for your help. You give such good advice. Sometimes other people's advice can be way out in left field.
LH: Way out in left field? 这是什么意思?
LL: Oh, "way out in left field" is an American idiom. It's used to describe an idea that's really strange or completely out of touch with reality. Like I could say your idea of taking showers seven times a day is "way out in left field."
LH: 哦,说一件事情way out in left field意思就是太不靠谱,不着边际。那这种说法,way out in left field可以用来形容人吗?
LL: Sure you can, Li Hua. The expression "way out in left field" isn't only limited to describing ideas, you can also use it to describe people.
LH: 太有意思了。你能给我举个例子吗?
LL: Say, for example, a journalist is always coming up with crazy story ideas, You could just say that that journalist is way out in left field.
LH: 那你说Larry, 为什么要用way out in left field来形容一个人或一件事不靠谱呢?
LL: Well, "way out in left field" actually comes from baseball. In baseball, left field is away from the action, so that's why it's used to describe people, plans, or ideas that seem distant and strange or out of touch with reality.
LH: 那你下次再拉我去蹦极、跳伞、赛车什么的,我就告诉你,you are way out in left field.
天李华学了两个常用语。一个是for the birds, 意思是毫无价值的,没人喜欢的。另一个是way out in left field,意思是离谱的,不着边际的

故乡的云 : 2010-12-09#95
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是boiling point。 Boiling point, 沸点,引伸为爆发的那一瞬间。 "The battle between the two teams reached its boiling point yesterday as five players were ejected because of a fight," 这两支球队之间的冲突昨天终于爆发,五个球员因为打架被罚下场。感冒看医生足足在诊所等了三个小时,我快气爆了。 "I was almost at the boiling point after waiting for three hours to see the doctor," 上周以来,朝鲜半岛局势异常紧张,似乎已经接近沸点。 "The Korean Peninsula has been near the boiling point since last week," 好的,今天我们学习的词是boiling point...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-12#96
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是brick-and-mortar。 Brick-and-mortar, 意思是实实在在存在的, "The community college operates both brick-and-mortar schools and online instruction programs," 这所社区大学既有自己的校园,又同时在网上提供教学课程。感恩节过后的黑色星期五和网络星期一是美国的购物热潮。"Whether you are shopping at brick-and-mortar stores or doing your shopping online, it's important to protect yourself from identity theft," 不论你是到商店里去,还是上网购物,都要设法不让自己成为身份盗用的受害者。好的,今天我们学习的词是brick-and-mortar...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-12#97
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是celebrity。 Celebrity, 名人。还记得参加美国达人并一举成名的歌手亚当.兰伯特吗? "Adam Lambert was named the sexiest male celebrity of 2010," 亚当.兰伯特荣获了2010年最性感男星的称号。12月1号星期三是世界艾滋病日。 "Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys and other celebrities promise to stay away from Facebook and Twitter until their fans donate $1 million for a charity called Keep a Child Alive," 女神卡卡,贾斯汀.汀布莱克、 艾莉西亚.凯斯等明星将暂停在脸谱和推特上的一切活动,直到粉丝们为一个叫“让一个孩子活下来”的慈善机构捐款一百万美元为止。好的,今天我们学习的词是 celebrity...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-12#98
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是endanger。 Endanger, 意思是带来威胁。维基揭密公布了大批美国机密外交电文。 "The White House condemned the release and said the disclosures might endanger U.S. informants abroad," 白宫对维基揭密公布机密外交电文提出谴责,说这样做会威胁到美国在国外的消息来源的安全。 "The budget cut could endanger thousands of jobs," 削减预算可能会威胁到数千人的工作。违章行驶固然危险,不按交通规则,过份谦让也会给他人带来危险。 "Over courteous drivers can also endanger others on the roads," 好的,今天我们学习的词是endanger...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-13#99
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是season。 Season, 大家都知道,season 是季节,春夏秋冬,但是season还可以用来指其他时间段, "The holiday season is finally upon us," 节假季节终于到了。 "Pennsylvania's deer-hunting season started on Monday," 宾夕法尼亚州的狩鹿季节星期一正式开始。 "College football's regular season is winding down," 美国大学橄榄球联赛的常规赛季已经进入尾声。美国全国零售业联合会的统计数字显示,感恩节过后的黑色星期五当天,店铺和网络上的零售业总额达450亿美元。"The shopping season is off to a strong start," 购物季节有了一个强劲的开始。好的,今天我们学习的词是season...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-19#100
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hurdle。 Hurdle, 障碍,难关。 "The economy is improving, but there are still many hurdles to overcome," 经济正在好转,但还是有很多障碍需要克服。 "With yesterday's win, the team got over the first hurdle in the playoffs," 昨天比赛的胜利,让球队闯过了季后赛的第一道关口。 "The proposed budget cut is likely to face a number of political hurdles," 削减预算的提案很可能会面临几大政治障碍。 "The much-debated tax agreement is expected to clear a critical hurdle in the Senate," 引起激烈辩论的减税协议预计将在国会参议院跨越关键性障碍。好的,今天我们学习的词是hurdle...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-19#101
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是subscriber。 Subscriber, 订阅用户。 "The magazine has reached the one million subscriber mark," 这份杂志的订户人数达到了一百万。 "Groupon, which has at least 20 million subscribers, rejected Google's $6 billion acquisition offer," 至少拥有两千万订阅用户的团购网站Groupon拒绝了谷歌提出的600亿美元的收购意向。最新调查显示, "U.S. cable television companies are losing subscribers in record numbers due to the economic downturn," 由于经济衰退的原因,美国各大有线电视服务公司的用户正在以前所未有的规模流失。好的,今天我们学习的词是subscriber...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-19#102
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是doable。 Doable, 可行的,可以做到的。 "It's a difficult task, but absolutely doable," 这项工作很不好做,但是绝对可以做得到。 "The management gave a green light to the proposal because they considered it doable," 管理层觉得提案可行,因此给提案开了绿灯。

美国前共和党籍国会众议院议长金里奇一直在考虑2012年是否要参加总统竞选。 "Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently said that he's more inclined to think that a presidential bid is doable," 前国会众议院议长金里奇最近说,他现在越发觉得参加总统竞选是非常可行的。好的,今天我们学习的词是doable...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-19#103
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是trump。 Trump, 胜过。 "Florida Republican governor-elect Rick Scott said the nation's deficit trumped his own state's unemployment rate," 佛罗里达州新当选的共和党籍州长斯科特说,国家赤字比本州失业率更重要。美国运输安全管理局新实施的全身扫描和拍摸搜身的做法引起极大争议。 "It's obvious that for TSA, airport security trumps travelers' privacy," 很明显,对运输安全管理局而言,机场安全比乘客隐私更重要。

维基揭密公布美国的外交电文后,并未引起别国的强烈外交反弹,专家说, "Their relationship with the United States trumps momentary awkwardness," 对这些国家来说,跟美国的关系比一时的尴尬更为重要。好的,今天我们学习的词是trump...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-19#104
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是urgency。 Urgency, 紧迫。在比赛中场落后的情况下, "We felt a strong sense of urgency to play better offensively in the second half," 我们有一种强烈的紧迫感,下半场比赛一定要在进攻方面加把劲。联合国气候变化峰会在墨西哥召开。 "Government ministers around the world tried to inject urgency into the UN climate change talks," 各国政府部长努力为联合国有关气候变化的会谈注入一份紧迫感。最近调查结果发现, "There is a lack of urgency among young South Koreans when it comes to national security," 韩国年轻人在国家安全的问题上缺乏紧迫感。好的,今天我们学习的词是urgency...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-19#105
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是extension。 Extension, 延长。 "The soccer player just signed a five-year contract extension," 这个足球运动员刚刚签了五年的延期合同。 "U. S. senators of both parties say they are likely to reach a compromise on a temporary tax cuts extension," 美国民主共和两党参议员表示,他们很可能达成妥协,暂时延长减税政策。

与此同时,美国总统奥巴马坚持表示,减税政策的延长一定要包括失业福利的延长。 "President Obama insisted that any tax cuts extension must also include extension of unemployment benefits," 好的,今天我们学习的词是extension...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-21#106
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是collapse。 Collapse, 坍塌。 "The main building of the factory collapsed because of the fire," 大火造成工厂主楼的坍塌。 "Nearly a foot and a half of snow fell in Minneapolis last Saturday, causing the roof of Viking's home stadium to collapse," 明尼阿波利斯上周六下了将近一尺半深的大雪,导致维京人队主赛场房顶的部分地方发生坍塌。 "A large portion of the Centenario Bridge over the Panama Canal collapsed last Saturday," 巴拿马运河上的森特那里奥大桥的一大段桥身星期六发生坍塌。好的,今天我们学习的词是collapse...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-21#107
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是responsible。 Responsible, 有事发原因的意思。 "Firefighters believe that vagrants were responsible for the downtown fire," 消防队员认为,市中心大火的肇事者是居无定所的游民。
最新研究发现, "The bacteria responsible for the large cholera outbreak was brought to Haiti by humans," 引起海地大规模霍乱的细菌是由人体带到海地去的。商务网站亚马逊在欧洲的系统星期天发生短暂故障。 "According to Amazon, hardware failure was responsible for the problem, not hackers," 亚马逊表示,系统故障是由硬件失灵造成的,并非黑客袭击。好的,今天我们学习的词是responsible...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-21#108
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hurdle。 Hurdle, 障碍,难关。 "The economy is improving, but there are still many hurdles to overcome," 经济正在好转,但还是有很多障碍需要克服。 "With yesterday's win, the team got over the first hurdle in the playoffs," 昨天比赛的胜利,让球队闯过了季后赛的第一道关口。 "The proposed budget cut is likely to face a number of political hurdles," 削减预算的提案很可能会面临几大政治障碍。 "The much-debated tax agreement is expected to clear a critical hurdle in the Senate," 引起激烈辩论的减税协议预计将在国会参议院跨越关键性障碍。好的,今天我们学习的词是hurdle...

tyhjh栀子花开 : 2010-12-21#109
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

谢谢

故乡的云 : 2010-12-22#110
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是entry。 Entry, 有进入的意思。 "He found an entry-level job immediately after graduating from college," 他大学一毕业马上就找到了一个初级的职务。 "The college quarterback's entry into NFL is almost guaranteed," 这个大学四分位进入国家职业橄榄球联盟基本上是肯定的了。 "An American writer and translator was denied entry into Egypt," 埃及拒绝让一个美国作家和翻译家入境。零售商家沃马特宣布关闭在俄罗斯的办公处,但同时表示, "It will continue to pursue market entry opportunities there," 沃马特会继续寻找进入当地市场的机会。好的,今天我们学习的词是entry...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-26#111
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是in droves。 In droves, 意思是大批的,成群结队的。上周末是圣诞节到来前的最后一个周末。 "Holiday shoppers were out in droves," 节日购物的人群熙熙攘攘。大雪过后, "Icy road conditions sent patients to the emergency room in droves," 冰雪路况,使得急诊病人数量激增。 "Job seekers showed up in droves at the high tech job fair during the weekend," 周末的高科技行业招聘会吸引了大批找工作的人。好的,今天我们学习的词是in droves...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-26#112
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是strategic。 Strategic, 战略性的。 "Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao vowed to boost strategic cooperation with Pakistan," 中国国务院总理温家宝保证要加强跟巴基斯坦的战略合作。 "Boeing and Fujitsu established a strategic alliance," 波音和富士通建立了战略联盟关系。美国和俄罗斯四月签署了《进一步削减和限制进攻性战略武器条约》。 "The treaty, if ratified by Congress, will require the United States to reduce the number of its deployed strategic warheads from about 2,200 to 1,550," 条约如被国会批准,美国就要将部署的战略核弹头从大约2200枚减少到1550枚。好的,今天我们学习的词是strategic...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-26#113
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是defuse。 Defuse, 有缓和,平息的意思。 "The training will give the police necessary tools to defuse hostage situations that could possibly become deadly," 培训的目的是为了让警察掌握各种必要手段,设法化解可能造成人员伤亡的人质事件。 "A third party stepped in to help defuse the political crisis," 第三方出面,协助化解这场政治危机。 最近一段时间来,朝鲜半岛局势紧张。 "Bill Richardson, the governor of New Mexico arrived in North Korea last Thursday to try to defuse the rising tensions," 美国新墨西哥州州长理查森上星期四抵达朝鲜,设法缓解不断升级的紧张局势。好的,今天我们学习的词是defuse...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-26#114
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是nutrition。 Nutrition, 营养。 "The company was accused of misstating nutrition facts on the label," 这家公司被指控在标签上标注错误的营养成分。世界粮食计划署说, "Food and good nutrition helps people with HIV stay healthy and can improve the effectiveness of treatment," 食物和营养能让艾滋病毒携带者生活得更健康,也能增加治疗的疗效。 美国总统奥巴马签署了有关学校食品的新法案。 "The bill will authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture to set new nutrition standards for school meals," 法案授权美国农业部重新设定学校食品的营养标准。好的,今天我们学习的词是nutrition...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-29#115
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是second chance。 A second chance第二次机会。"The surgery gave him a second chance at life," 手术给了他再生的机会。"Do you believe that everyone deserves a second chance?" 你认为每个人都应该有改过自新的机会吗?
2007年因为斗狗被判入狱的美式足球明星迈克尔.维克刑满出狱后跟费城老鹰队签约。"Many people are outraged that the Eagles are giving Michael Vick a second chance," 很多人对老鹰队给维克第二次机会感到气愤。"Others feel that Vick has paid his debt to society and deserves a second chance," 其它人则觉得,维克已经为自己的行为付出了代价,应该有一个改过自新的机会。好的,今天我们学习的词是second chance...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-29#116
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是afloat。 Afloat, 有在经济上得以维系的意思。 "He has been out of work for two years and was only able to keep afloat with the unemployment benefits," 他已经失业两年了,全靠失业补贴,才能勉强维持。 "With intense competition, he could hardly keep the book store afloat," 面对激烈竞争,他的书店几乎已经难以经营下去了。 "The local newspaper is struggling to stay afloat," 这份地方报纸经营得十分艰难。 "The company needs to shut down three subsidiaries in order to stay afloat," 这家公司需要关闭三家子公司,才可以保证继续经营下去。好的,今天我们学习的词是afloat...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-29#117
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是white Christmas。 White Christmas, 白色圣诞节,指圣诞节前夜或是当天正赶上下雪,世界一片雪白。气象预报显示, "The Rockies are guaranteed to have a white Christmas," 落基山脉地区一定会有一个白色圣诞节。 "For New Yorkers wishing for a white Christmas, their dream just might come true," 希望有个白色圣诞的纽约人,可能会梦想成真。 "For Boston, the prospects for a white Christmas are slim but not out of the question," 对波士顿地区来说,白色圣诞节出现的机会很小,但也不是完全不可能。 好的,今天我们学习的词是white Christmas...

故乡的云 : 2010-12-29#118
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up



今天我们要学的词是in droves。 In droves, 意思是大批的,成群结队的。上周末是圣诞节到来前的最后一个周末。 "Holiday shoppers were out in droves," 节日购物的人群熙熙攘攘。大雪过后, "Icy road conditions sent patients to the emergency room in droves," 冰雪路况,使得急诊病人数量激增。 "Job seekers showed up in droves at the high tech job fair during the weekend," 周末的高科技行业招聘会吸引了大批找工作的人。好的,今天我们学习的词是in droves.

tyhjh栀子花开 : 2011-01-01#119
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

继续学

故乡的云 : 2011-01-04#120
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是impending。 Impending, 是指即将发生的。Impending crisis, 是指即将到来的危机。"People are packing up and driving away ahead of the impending storm," 暴风雨来临之前,大家纷纷收拾行装,外出避难。"With fear of an impending recession, President Bush focused on the U.S. economy during his final State of the Union address on Monday night," 由于民众普遍担心经济正在步入衰退,美国总统布什把星期一晚上任期内最后一次国情咨文讲话的重点放在了经济上。好的,今天我们学习的词是impending...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-04#121
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是influential。 Influential, 是有影响力的意思。美国民主党联邦参议员肯尼迪星期一宣布支持民主党总统参选人巴拉克.奥巴马。"Of all the endorsements in the Democratic Party, Mr. Kennedy's is viewed as among the most influential," 在民主党里面,肯尼迪的支持被认为最具影响力。
最近,多伦多一个五人评审小组裁定,"Reader's Digest is the most influential magazine in Canadian publishing history," 《读者文摘》是加拿大发行史上最有影响力的杂志。好的,今天我们学习的词是influential...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-04#122
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是price tag。 Price tag, 是标价的意思。美国国会的报告说,美国在伊拉克战争上已经投入了大约6480亿美元。 "The total cost of the Iraq War is approaching the price tag of the Vietnam War," 伊拉克战争的总开支已经接近越战的水平。
最近的一项研究显示,美国每四座桥梁里就有一座需要修理。 "The price tag for the repairs is at least $140 billion dollars," 修理这些桥梁至少需要1400亿美元。有些事无法用金钱衡量。 "For example, you cannot put a price tag on quality time spent with your kids," 跟孩子一起渡过的快乐时光是无价的。好,今天我们学习的词是price tag...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-04#123
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是with a bang。 Bang, 是突然一声巨响,with a bang, 意思就是猛烈的,刺激的,热火朝天的。"The retired boxer came back with a bang," 这位退役拳击手风风火火地东山再起了。"The winter storm began with a bang," 这场暴风雪下得特别猛。
美国圣诞节长周末三天的电影票房总收入两亿七千八百万美元。"The box office is ending the year with a bang," 电影票房年终表现出色。好的,今天我们学习的词是with a bang...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-04#124
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是Grand Slam。 Grand Slam大满贯。在温布尔登网球公开赛中,费德勒战胜罗迪克夺取男子单打冠军。"Roger Federer won his 15th Gland Slam title Sunday," 费德勒星期天赢得他的第15个大满贯冠军头衔。
"The Swiss tennis star made history by passing Pete Sampra’s mark of 14 Gland Slam victories," 这名瑞士网球明星超过了桑普拉斯创下的14个大满贯的记录,改写了网球历史。美国网球选手小威廉姆斯赢得温布尔登女子单打冠军。"This is Serena Williams’ 11th Gland Slam," 这是小威网球生涯中的第11个大满贯。好的,今天我们学习的词是Grand Slam...

阿珠妹妹 : 2011-01-05#125
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

留爪,谢谢楼主!

故乡的云 : 2011-01-06#126
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是maverick。 Maverick, 大家都知道,美国全国篮球协会NBA里有个Dallas Mavericks, 达拉斯小牛队。Maverick可以指没有烙印的小牛,也可以指持不同意见的人。在这次美国总统大选中,共和党联邦参议员麦凯恩就以独到的见解著称,被大家叫做, "the maverick of the Republican Party," 共和党里见解独特的人。
最近的党内初选结果显示,"McCain, the long-time G.O.P. maverick, is gaining mainstream support," 长期坚持独特见解的共和党人麦凯恩如今正在赢得共和党主流派的支持。好的,今天我们学习的词是maverick...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-06#127
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是impending。 Impending, 是指即将发生的。Impending crisis, 是指即将到来的危机。"People are packing up and driving away ahead of the impending storm," 暴风雨来临之前,大家纷纷收拾行装,外出避难。"With fear of an impending recession, President Bush focused on the U.S. economy during his final State of the Union address on Monday night," 由于民众普遍担心经济正在步入衰退,美国总统布什把星期一晚上任期内最后一次国情咨文讲话的重点放在了经济上。好的,今天我们学习的词是impending...

tyhjh栀子花开 : 2011-01-06#128
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

谢谢分享

故乡的云 : 2011-01-06#129
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是super bowl。 Super bowl, 是美式橄榄球超级杯的意思。今年的超级杯比赛定于这个星期天举行。"Super Bowl Sunday is the most-watched U.S. television broadcast of the year," 超级杯星期天是美国一年里电视观众最多的节目。"Many popular singers will perform during the Super Bowl halftime show," 很多流行歌手都会参加超级杯中场的表演。"Super Bowl Sunday is also the second-largest U.S. food consumption day, following Thanksgiving," 超级杯星期天还是美国食品消耗第二多的日子,仅排在感恩节的后面。好的,今天我们学习的词是super bowl...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-06#130
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是maverick。 Maverick, 大家都知道,美国全国篮球协会NBA里有个Dallas Mavericks, 达拉斯小牛队。Maverick可以指没有烙印的小牛,也可以指持不同意见的人。在这次美国总统大选中,共和党联邦参议员麦凯恩就以独到的见解著称,被大家叫做, "the maverick of the Republican Party," 共和党里见解独特的人。
最近的党内初选结果显示,"McCain, the long-time G.O.P. maverick, is gaining mainstream support," 长期坚持独特见解的共和党人麦凯恩如今正在赢得共和党主流派的支持。好的,今天我们学习的词是maverick...

tyhjh栀子花开 : 2011-01-07#131
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

尽管有点吃力,还是要留印记录

故乡的云 : 2011-01-09#132
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

每天学一个小词是Rat

Rat是鼠,老鼠。中文里有很多关于老鼠的成语。英文也有。比如说:"look like a drowned rat." 哎呀,今天下大雨,所以呢, "By the time I arrived at the office I looked like a drowned rat," 我到办公室的时候,浑身湿透了。就像一只溺水的老鼠。还有一个:smell a rat, 闻到了老鼠的味道?也就是说虽然没有实质的证据,可是让人觉得有什么地方不对劲儿。"The deal sounds too good to be true. I smell a rat." 对,如果有人把什么东西吹得天花乱坠,那你可要小心。
英语里还有和rat有关的词组,比如, rat race, 竞争非常激烈;颇有你死我活的味道。希望大家新的一年开开心心,"be careful of a rat racing."

故乡的云 : 2011-01-09#133
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是helicopter parent。 Helicopter parent, 直升机父母?没错。"Helicopter parents, like a helicopter, they hover closely overhead, rarely out of reach whether their children need them or not," 这些直升机父母,真的就像直升机一样,不管孩子需不需要他们,一直在头上盘旋。
Helicopter parent是直升机父母,那么他们的教育方式就被称为helicopter parenting,直升机父母式的教育。现在啊,"Psychologists see negative effects of 'helicopter parenting,'" 心理学家发现直升机父母式的教育有很多坏处。看来作个直升机父母不见得是好事。最后我们要问一句:"Are you a helicopter parent?"

故乡的云 : 2011-01-09#134
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是off the cuff。 Off the cuff, 是随意,即兴的意思。"French President Nicolas Sarkozy is known for his off-the-cuff remarks about everything from hostages to love," 法国总统萨尔科齐以即兴发表评论而出名,不论是针对人质事件还是针对爱情。
在办公室讲话要特别小心。"An off-the-cuff remark might turn out to be damaging to your career," 有时候你随便说的一句话就可能会影响到你事业的发展。哪些话不能说呢?首当其冲的就是 "That's not my job," 这不是我的工作。好的,今天我们学习的词是off the cuff...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-09#135
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是super bowl。 Super bowl, 是美式橄榄球超级杯的意思。今年的超级杯比赛定于这个星期天举行。"Super Bowl Sunday is the most-watched U.S. television broadcast of the year," 超级杯星期天是美国一年里电视观众最多的节目。"Many popular singers will perform during the Super Bowl halftime show," 很多流行歌手都会参加超级杯中场的表演。"Super Bowl Sunday is also the second-largest U.S. food consumption day, following Thanksgiving," 超级杯星期天还是美国食品消耗第二多的日子,仅排在感恩节的后面。好的,今天我们学习的词是super bowl...

cavabien : 2011-01-09#136
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

谢谢,坚持 是多么不容易的事 :)

故乡的云 : 2011-01-10#137
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是wreak havoc。 Wreak, 动词,在这里是造成的意思,havoc, 指混乱破坏,连在一起,to wreak havoc, 意思是造成严重破坏。美国东岸很多地区周末遭遇暴风雪天气。 "The blizzard conditions wreaked havoc on travelers and forced some of the busiest airports to shut down," 风雪路况打乱了很多人旅行的计划,不少最繁忙的机场也被迫关闭。同时,美国西岸圣诞节前最后一个周末受到暴雨袭击。 "The rainstorm wreaked havoc on the West Coast and caused a major cleanup," 暴雨给西岸地区造成极大破坏,雨后清理工作严峻。好的,今天我们学习的词是wreak havoc...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-12#138
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是decline。 Decline, 拒绝。 "The company declined to offer any specifics about its layoff plan," 这家公司拒绝透露裁员计划的有关细节。 "The source declined to be identified because of the sensitive nature of the report," 鉴于报道的敏感性,提供消息的人拒绝公开身份。

维基揭密网站的创始人阿桑奇准备发表自传,在英、美两国发行,稿费共计130万美元。 "The spokesman of the U.K. publisher Canongate Books Ltd. declined to comment," 英国出版商坎农格特图书有限发行公司的发言人拒绝就此事发表评论。好的,今天我们学习的词是decline...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#139
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是civility, civility is spelled c-i-v-i-l-i-t-y; civility. Civility是名词,有客气,礼貌的意思。有研究显示,工作场所礼貌和谦让的氛围对企业发展和员工士气都有很大好处。 "Workplace civility is essential for productivity, employee retention, and good customer service," 工作场所的相互谦让对提高工作效率、留住员工和提供优质的客户服务至关重要。亚利桑那州发生的图森枪击事件给美国政坛带来了巨大震动。 "Members from both parties called for more civility in the political debate," 民主共和两党议员都呼吁要在政治辩论中加强恭谦和克制。好的,今天我们学习的词是civility...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#140
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是baby boomer。 Baby boomer, 指美国战后人口飞速增长期出生的人,也就是1946年到1964年间出生的人,简称婴儿潮。 "The first baby boomer turned 65 on Jan. 1st, 2011," 婴儿潮第一个出生的人2011年1月1号过65岁生日。
在美国,年满65岁可以申请老年人享受的联邦医疗保险Medicare. "Baby boomers will be turning 65 at a rate of more than 10,000 per day for the next 19 years," 在接下来的19年里,每天都会有一万多个婴儿潮期间出生的人满65岁。专家担心,这种情况会给联邦医疗保险体系造成过大压力。好的,今天我们学习的词是 baby boomer...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#141
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是transaction。 Transaction, 交易。 "The value and number of transactions in media industry mergers and acquisitions soared in 2010," 2010年传媒产业合并和收购交易的数量和交易总额都大幅攀升。 "Facebook raised $500 million from Goldman Sachs and a Russian investor, according to people involved in the transaction," 据参与交易的知情者说,脸谱网从高盛和一个俄罗斯投资家那里集资五亿美元。 "The transaction placed Facebook's value at $50 billion, more than Yahoo and eBay," 这项交易让脸谱网的价值升至500亿美元,超过了雅虎和电子湾。好的,今天我们学习的词是transaction...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#142
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是clean slate。 Clean, 干净的,slate有记录、记载的意思,a clean slate, 就是摆脱过去,一切从头开始。 "The company sold its most profitable product line to pay off the debt so it could start with a clean slate," 公司卖掉最赚钱的产品系列,把债还清,然后毫无负担地重新开始。 "He came clean and told his wife about the other woman so they could start with a clean slate," 他向妻子交待了有外遇的事,希望俩人能重新开始。 "The New Year is a new beginning, a fresh start, a clean slate," 新年新开端,新起点,一切都可以从头来过。好的,今天我们学习的词是clean slate...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#143
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是trauma。Trauma, 是创伤的意思,可以是身体上的,也可以是心理上的。 "He suffered head trauma from the car crash," 车祸让他头部受创。 "The veteran still suffers psychological trauma from his days on the battlefield," 战场上的经历至今依旧让这个退伍军人经受着心理创伤。

阿肯色州一个小镇一夜之间突然出现了两千只鸟的尸体。 "The dead birds showed no sign of physical trauma and some people speculated that the birds were scared to death by the New Year's fireworks," 这些死鸟身上没有任何受到伤害的迹象,有人猜它们是被新年的烟火吓死的。好的,今天我们学习的词是trauma...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#144
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是ceiling。Ceiling, 是房间天花板的意思,可以引伸为上限。美国现行联邦债务上限是14.3万亿美元。 "Some Republican lawmakers are opposed to raising the debt ceiling without tackling government spending," 一部分共和党国会议员反对在不着手削减政府开支的情况下,一味提高债务上限的做法。

一项最新调查发现,在财富五百强企业中,136家企业的最高决策层里至今没有女性主管的存在。 "The glass ceiling is still keeping women from top executive positions," 无形的玻璃天花板依然在阻碍女性担任最高管理层的职务。好的,今天我们学习的词是ceiling...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#145
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是balloon。 Balloon, 气球,做为动词,有迅速膨胀的意思。最新公布的数字显示, "Wikileaks spending ballooned as it tried to pay salaries," 维基揭密开始支付工资,造成开支膨胀。 "The New Jersey pension system's long-term deficit ballooned to $53.9 billion in the last fiscal year," 新泽西州退休基金的长期赤字上个财政年度猛增到539亿美元。美国第一大团购网站Groupon发展迅速。 "In just two years, Groupon has ballooned to 3,100 employees, 35 million users and more than $1 billion in annual revenue," 短短两年里,Groupon已经发展到3100名员工,3500万用户,年收入也超过了10亿美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是balloon...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#146
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是designated driver。 Designated driver, 指定司机。在美国,一群朋友出去派对,往往会指定其中一个人为designated driver此人不能喝酒,保证玩完了以后开车送大家回家,可谓牺牲我一个,幸福一帮人。 "John offered to be the designated driver for the New Year Eve party," 约翰主动提出愿意当除夕夜派对的指定司机。 "If you don't have a designated driver, you can always call a cab," 如果没有指定司机,你总可以坐计程车回家。除夕夜出去喝酒的朋友, "Don't forget to have a designated driver," 好的,今天我们学习的词是designated driver...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-20#147
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tumble。 Tumble, 做为动词,有大幅下降的意思。美国电器店百思买11月结束的财政季度销售表现低迷。 "Best Buy stocks tumbled 14% on the newly released data," 新公布的数字使百思买的股价大幅跌落14%。今年圣诞节周末电影票房表现不佳。 "Total Christmas weekend grosses tumbled 45% from a year ago," 圣诞节周末票房总收入比去年暴跌45%。中国加息引起欧洲股市波动。 "Volkswagen AG shares tumbled 5.4% after China raised interest rates for the second time in just over two months," 中国在两个月多一点的时间内第二次加息,使大众汽车公司的股价跌落5.4%。好的,今天我们学习的词是tumble...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-23#148
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是jack up。 To jack up, 意思是提高。 "Insurance company Blue Shield of California plans to jack up its health insurance rates a whopping 59% for individual policyholders this year," 加州蓝盾保险公司今年打算把个人投保人的保费大幅度提高59%。 "U.S. Mortgage giant Fannie Mae is jacking up mortgage fees even for home buyers with a high credit score and a huge down payment," 美国房贷大公司房利美提高贷款收费,即使是那些拥有良好信用记录和大笔首付款的购买者也在劫难逃。好的,今天我们学习的词是jack up...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-23#149
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是working lunch。Working lunch , 工作午餐。 "Visiting French President Nicholas Sarkozy joined U.S. President Barack Obama for a working lunch," 来访的法国总统萨科齐跟美国总统奥巴马共进工作午餐。Working lunch并非重要人物的专利。 "About 70% of American office workers say they take working lunches at least three days a week," 美国大约百分之七十坐办公室的人说,他们一周至少有三天是一边工作一边吃中午饭。好的,今天我们学习的词是working lunch...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-23#150
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是gun control。 Gun control, 枪支管制。 "The deadly shooting in Tuscon re-energized gun control advocates," 图森发生的造成多人死伤的枪击事件让主张枪支管制的人重新振作。 "The shooting has brought about a fresh debate on gun control laws," 这起枪击事件掀起了围绕枪支管制进行的一轮新辩论。 "While some people ask for tighter gun control laws, others say even with stricter regulations, the shooting would not have been prevented," 一些人要求加强枪支管制立法,另一些人则表示,即便有更严格的立法也不一定能防止这次枪击事件的发生。好的,今天我们学习的词是gun control...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-23#151
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是civility, civility is spelled c-i-v-i-l-i-t-y; civility. Civility是名词,有客气,礼貌的意思。有研究显示,工作场所礼貌和谦让的氛围对企业发展和员工士气都有很大好处。 "Workplace civility is essential for productivity, employee retention, and good customer service," 工作场所的相互谦让对提高工作效率、留住员工和提供优质的客户服务至关重要。亚利桑那州发生的图森枪击事件给美国政坛带来了巨大震动。 "Members from both parties called for more civility in the political debate," 民主共和两党议员都呼吁要在政治辩论中加强恭谦和克制。好的,今天我们学习的词是civility...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-26#152
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是take its/their toll。 Take its/their toll, 是造成损失,伤害的意思。"Call center jobs in India have been taking their toll on worker's health," 印度的客户服务中心的工作会对职工的健康造成伤害。"Flight delays and cancellations took their toll on the travelers' holiday spirit," 航班晚点和取消严重打击了旅客过节的情绪。"High energy costs are taking a major toll on the poor," 高昂的能源价格给穷人带来了沉重的打击。好的,今天我们学习的词是take its/their toll...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-26#153
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是headhunter。 Headhunter, 猎头。美国就业市场慢慢出现回暖。 "Headhunters say there is a growing demand for talent in science, technology, engineering and math," 猎头说,对科技、工程和数学人才的需求正在增长。 "Hiring managers and headhunters are increasingly relying on social networks like Facebook and Linkedin to search for the talents they need," 雇人主管和猎头们在寻找需要的人才时,现在越来越多地依赖于脸书Facebook和Linkedin这类社交网站。好的,今天我们学习的词是 headhunter...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-30#154
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是moderation。 Moderation, 有适度,适量的意思。最新研究显示,过度沉迷于电子游戏可能导致孩子抑郁、紧张,成绩下降。研究认为, "When it comes to playing video games, moderation is important to a child's mental health," 在玩电子游戏的问题上,保持节制对孩子的心理健康至关重要。
很多医学研究都认为,适度饮用红葡萄酒对健康有好处,不过, "The key is moderation, as with everything else in life," 跟生活中其他事一样,喝红酒也要适量,关键是要有节制。好的,今天我们学习的词是moderation...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-30#155
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是diversity。 Diversity, 多元。 "The school is committed to improve the diversity of its student body," 学校致力于提高学生的多元化。星期一是美国法定假日,马丁.路德金日。 "It's a time for people to appreciate the diversity we have in the communities around the country," 马丁.路德金日是个大好机会,提醒大家珍惜各地社区的多元化。 "A Pentagon commission on diversity is recommending the military to end its ban on women serving in direct combat roles," 五角大楼研究军队多元化的委员会建议军方取消不让女性参加作战的禁令。好的,今天我们学习的词是diversity...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-30#156
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是reception。 Reception, 有宴会,招待会的意思。 "The couple celebrated their 50th anniversary with a dinner reception," 这对夫妇开晚宴,庆祝自己金婚五十周年。 "President Obama will hold a White House reception for the newly elected members of Congress," 美国总统奥巴马打算在白宫开宴会招待新当选的国会议员。有消息说, "The wedding reception of Prince William and Kate Middleton will only have 300 guests," 英国威廉王子和未婚妻凯特米德尔顿的婚宴只有三百名客人参加。好的,今天我们学习的词是reception...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-30#157
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是exile。 Exile, 流亡。 "Former Haiti dictator Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier returned to Haiti after nearly 25 years of exile," 人称“宝宝医生”的海地前独裁者杜瓦利埃经过近25年的流亡生涯后,如今已经回到海地。

与此同时, "The leader of a banned Tunisian Islamic movement said he would return from exile soon," 突尼斯一个被取缔的伊斯兰运动领袖表示,他近期内准备结束流亡,返回突尼斯。 "A military court in Rwanda sentenced four former top officials, who are currently in exile, to long prison terms," 卢旺达军事法庭判处四名前高级官员长期监禁,这四个人目前都在海外流亡。好的,今天我们学习的词是exile...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-30#158
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

美国市场上,自然放养的鸡下的蛋要比饲养场里圈养的鸡下的蛋贵很多。不过,美国农业部最新研究得出结论说, "There is no substantial difference in the quality of organic and conventional eggs," 自然放养和圈养的鸡下的蛋在质量方面,没有显著区别。好的,今天我们学习的词是organic...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-31#159
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是moderation。 Moderation, 有适度,适量的意思。最新研究显示,过度沉迷于电子游戏可能导致孩子抑郁、紧张,成绩下降。研究认为, "When it comes to playing video games, moderation is important to a child's mental health," 在玩电子游戏的问题上,保持节制对孩子的心理健康至关重要。
很多医学研究都认为,适度饮用红葡萄酒对健康有好处,不过, "The key is moderation, as with everything else in life," 跟生活中其他事一样,喝红酒也要适量,关键是要有节制。好的,今天我们学习的词是moderation...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-31#160
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是diversity。 Diversity, 多元。 "The school is committed to improve the diversity of its student body," 学校致力于提高学生的多元化。星期一是美国法定假日,马丁.路德金日。 "It's a time for people to appreciate the diversity we have in the communities around the country," 马丁.路德金日是个大好机会,提醒大家珍惜各地社区的多元化。 "A Pentagon commission on diversity is recommending the military to end its ban on women serving in direct combat roles," 五角大楼研究军队多元化的委员会建议军方取消不让女性参加作战的禁令。好的,今天我们学习的词是diversity...

故乡的云 : 2011-01-31#161
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是day-to-day。 Day-to-day, 日常的。 "As a store manager, you are in charge of the day-to-day sales operation," 做为店面经理,你要负责每天的销售情况。 "The latest round of layoffs made it hard for us to carry out the day-to-day operations," 最新一轮裁员让我们很难完成日常工作。

苹果公司首席执行官史蒂文.乔布斯再次因为健康原因暂停工作,休病假。 "Apple's Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook will take over Apple's day-to-day operations," 苹果首席运营官蒂姆.库克接掌苹果公司的日常工作。好的,今天我们学习的词是day-to-day...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-09#162
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是productive。 Productive, 有多产,高效的意思 。 "He is a very productive writer," 他是一位高产作家。美国全国咖啡联合会报告说, "Coffee breaks not only provide health benefits but also make people more productive during the work day," 上班中间休息喝咖啡不仅对健康有好处,还能提高工作效率。去年年底美国国会通过了大批议案。 "It was the most productive lame-duck session since World War II," 这是第二次世界大战以来在立法方面效率最高的一次跛脚鸭会期。好的,今天我们学习的词是 productive...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-09#163
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是:sideline。按字面理解,sideline就是旁边的线。这么说也没错,因为sideline实际上就是指靠边。报导说:"President Bush... must...sideline his domestic agenda to focus on world events." 也就是:布什总统必须集中注意力在世界事务上,把国内问题搁置一边。

Sideline也可以指副业。要是我们说: John is a teacher but sidelines as a pianist in a band。意思就是:John 是一个老师,但是在一个乐队里弹钢琴作为副业。很多美国人除了正式工作外还有一个,甚至两个副业。Many Americans have one or even two sideline occupations.今天的每天一词是sideline...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-09#164
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是outgoing。 Outgoing, 除了有性格外向的意思,还可以指即将离任的。谷歌公司首席执行官埃里克.施密特不久前突然宣布准备离职。 "Google will give a $100 million equity award to outgoing Chief Executive Eric Schmidt," 谷歌将向即将离任的施密特颁发价值一亿美元的股权奖励。
你知道当白宫发言人,一年的年薪是多少吗? "The outgoing White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs earns $172,000 in his current position," 即将离任的白宫发言人吉布斯现在的职务每年年薪是17万两千美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是outgoing...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-09#165
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是striking。 Striking, 有显著的,突出的意思。 "The one striking difference between the two candidates is their approach to job creation," 这两位候选人之间一个显著的差异是他们创造工作机会的途径不同。 "His girlfriend bears a striking resemblance to Angelina Jolie," 他女朋友跟安吉丽娜.朱莉长得特别象。

最新研究发现,阅读一段文章后立即接受测试的人,吸取的信息比依靠其他学习手段的人要多一半。 "Education experts say the results were striking," 教育学专家说,研究结果非常突出,值得引起重视。好的,今天我们学习的词是striking...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-09#166
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组是:to use restraint。 Restraint就是克制,或约束。To use restraint,克制能用吗?能呀,你把to use restraint翻译成:加以克制就对了。在以色列轰炸黎巴嫩的问题上,美国媒体报导说:"...the United States has urged Israel to use restraint...," 也就是:美国敦促以色列要有所克制。
有许多地方需要我们to use restraint。喝酒的时候要有克制 - to use restraint when drinking。和太太吵架的时候,对了,和先生吵架时也一样,不要出口伤人- Use restraint in uttering angry words when arguing with your wife, or husband。不克制自己是要后悔莫及的 - If you don't use restraint, you'll be sorry。今天学的一词组是: to use restraint...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-10#167
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是:to beat the heat。Heat是指高温;高温是不能打的,只能设法克服。美国各地热浪滚滚,《华盛顿邮报》说,一个母亲和她两岁的女儿"...try to beat the heat...by opening a window on the shady side." 意思是,母女俩为克服高温把不朝阳的一扇窗子打开。

在汗流浃背的情况下人人各显神通。A postman used bottles of frozen water to beat the heat - 一个邮递员用冻成冰的瓶子来抵挡热浪。一个户外工人"wipes his face and dreams of ...ice cream," 他一面擦汗,一面想象自己在吃冰淇淋。You can of course jump into a swimming pool,跳进游泳池也行!今天学的词组是:to beat the heat...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-16#168
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是dietary。 Dietary, 跟饮食有关的。 "The U.S. Federal government released new dietary guidelines on Monday," 美国联邦政府星期一公布了最新饮食指南。 "The dietary recommendations call for cutbacks in salt, sugar and solid fats," 饮食指南里面的建议要求人们减少盐、糖和固体脂肪的摄取。慕尼黑理工大学的一项研究发现, "Pregnant women often take dietary supplements incorrectly, either too late or in excessive dosage," 孕妇服用营养补充剂经常有误,不是开始太晚,就是服用过量。好的,今天我们学习的词是dietary...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-16#169
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是make-up。 Make-up, 补做的某件事。 "The two teams will play their make-up game at the end of the season," 这两个球队将在赛季最后补赛。 "My English tutor called me to cancel today's lesson, but offered to schedule a make-up session next week," 我的英语家教打电话取消今天的课时,但提出愿意下星期给我补上一次。

在美国的学校里,下雪停课太多是要补课的。 "For many school districts, Presidents' Day will be a snow make-up day this year," 对于很多校区来说,今年的总统节将成为下雪缺课的补课日。好的,今天我们学习的词是make-up...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-16#170
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是paramedic。 Paramedic, 急救医务工作者。 "Paramedics arrived at the scene within 10 minutes after receiving the 911 call," 接到求救电话十分钟内,急救医务人员就赶到了事发现场。

苏格兰的一个登山者从山顶上摔下来,沿着满是岩石的山坡滑落一千英尺,正好被一架途径那里的军用飞机看到。 "Paramedics didn't expect him to be alive when they got there, let alone standing up reading a map," 急救人员赶到时,根本没想到他能死里逃生,更不用说好好地站在那里看地图了。好的,今天我们学习的词是paramedic...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-16#171
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是charter。 Charter, 有包租的意思。 "The major multi-car pileup was caused by a charter bus," 这起严重连环车祸是由一辆包租的大客车引起的。 "The airline significantly expanded its charter service clientele in the past year," 过去一年里,这家航空公司包租服务的客户显著增加。

鉴于埃及的动荡局势,美国从星期一开始用包机,协助美国公民离开埃及。美国国务院的一位负责人说, "We will keep running the charter flights until we get all the people out," 我们的包机会一架接着一架地飞,直到所有人都撤离为止。好的,今天我们学习的词是charter...|

故乡的云 : 2011-02-18#172
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是injury。 Injury, 伤病。 "He sustained a foot injury during the first quarter of the game," 他比赛第一节脚就受了伤。 "He is out for the entire season due to a knee injury," 他因为膝部受伤,整个赛季都不能参加比赛了。 "He was paralyzed from the waist down because of a spinal injury," 他因为脊髓损伤腰部以下瘫痪。上星期天是美式足球超级杯大赛, "Green Bay Packers overcame key players' injuries and won the Super Bowl," 绿湾包装工队克服众多主力队员伤病的障碍,最终夺取了超级杯的胜利。好的,今天我们学习的词是injury...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-18#173
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是opposition。Opposition, 有反对派的意思。 "Egypt's Vice President met with opposition groups for the first time on Sunday and offered sweeping concessions," 埃及副总统星期天首次与反对派团体会面,表示愿意做出一系列重大让步。同时, "Iran's opposition asked the government for permission to hold a rally in support of the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia," 伊朗反对派向政府提出申请,希望能举行集会,声援埃及和突尼斯的抗议活动。 "Opposition leaders are hoping to use the events in Egypt as a catalyst," 反对派领袖希望埃及的形势能成为一剂催化剂。好的,今天我们学习的词是opposition

故乡的云 : 2011-02-22#174
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是。Fiscal, 财政方面的。 "President Obama released the fiscal year 2012 budget on Monday," 美国总统奥巴马星期一公布了2012财政年度的预算。 "The current fiscal year 2011 ends on September 30th," 眼下的2011财政年度9月30号结束。不久前, "An IMF senior official welcomed President Obama's broad-based fiscal reforms," 国际货币基金组织的一位高级官员对奥巴马总统提出的大范围财政改革表示欢迎。 "IMF also said that Japan was in need of fiscal tightening to lower its debt load," 国际货币基金组织同时指出,日本需要财政紧缩,降低国家债务。好的,今天我们学习的词是fiscal...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-22#175
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是trademark。 Trademark, 商标。据中国媒体报道, "China registered 4.6 million trademarks by the end of 2010," 中国截止到2010年年底,总计注册了460万个商标。 "Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin applied for a trademark on her name but was rejected," 美国前共和党副总统候选人萨拉.佩林为自己的名字申请注册商标结果被拒绝。同时, "Russian spy Anna Chapman has registered her name as a trademark to cash in on her growing popularity," 俄罗斯女间谍安娜.查普曼也把名字注册为商标,靠自己不断提高的知名度赚大钱。好的,今天我们学习的词是trademark...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-22#176
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是trim。 Trim, 动词,有削减的意思。 "The local school district plans to trim $2 million from its annual budget," 当地校区计划将年度预算削减两百万美元。监狱开销给美国各州带来沉重的财政压力。 "To cut prison costs, most governors are in favor of releasing inmates early to trim prison populations," 为减少监狱开支,大多数州长主张提前释放犯人,减少监狱里关押的人数。 "U.S. companies announced plans to trim fewer than 39,000 jobs in January, 46% fewer than a year before," 美国公司企业一月份宣布的裁员计划人数总计不到三万九千人,比一年前减少了46%。好的,今天我们学习的词是trim...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-22#177
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是acquisition。 Acquisition, 收购。美国互联网公司美国在线出价3.15亿美元,收购时政资讯网站赫芬顿邮报。 "This acquisition will help AOL gain a strong foothold in the online media world," 这起收购案有助于美国在线加强自身在网上媒体世界中的地位。 "It will be AOL's largest acquisition since it was separated from Time Warner in 2009," 这将是美国在线2009年脱离时代华纳以来规模最大的一起收购案。好的,今天我们学习的词是acquisition...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-22#178
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是injury。 Injury, 伤病。 "He sustained a foot injury during the first quarter of the game," 他比赛第一节脚就受了伤。 "He is out for the entire season due to a knee injury," 他因为膝部受伤,整个赛季都不能参加比赛了。 "He was paralyzed from the waist down because of a spinal injury," 他因为脊髓损伤腰部以下瘫痪。上星期天是美式足球超级杯大赛, "Green Bay Packers overcame key players' injuries and won the Super Bowl," 绿湾包装工队克服众多主力队员伤病的障碍,最终夺取了超级杯的胜利。好的,今天我们学习的词是injury...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-22#179
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是opposition。Opposition, 有反对派的意思。 "Egypt's Vice President met with opposition groups for the first time on Sunday and offered sweeping concessions," 埃及副总统星期天首次与反对派团体会面,表示愿意做出一系列重大让步。同时, "Iran's opposition asked the government for permission to hold a rally in support of the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia," 伊朗反对派向政府提出申请,希望能举行集会,声援埃及和突尼斯的抗议活动。 "Opposition leaders are hoping to use the events in Egypt as a catalyst," 反对派领袖希望埃及的形势能成为一剂催化剂。好的,今天我们学习的词是opposition

故乡的云 : 2011-02-23#180
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是suspend。 Suspend, 暂停。 "Three high school students were suspended for gang-related activities," 三名高中学生因为参加帮派活动被学校暂停学籍。 "Egypt's military dissolved the country's parliament and suspended its Constitution on Sunday," 埃及军方星期天解散议会,并宣布暂停执行埃及宪法。
美国匹兹堡企鹅和纽约岛人冰球队在上星期五的一场比赛中多次发生恶性冲撞事件。 "Three players were suspended by the NHL after the game," 比赛结束后,三个冰球队员被国家冰球联盟暂停比赛资格。好的,今天我们学习的词是suspend...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-23#181
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是。Fiscal, 财政方面的。 "President Obama released the fiscal year 2012 budget on Monday," 美国总统奥巴马星期一公布了2012财政年度的预算。 "The current fiscal year 2011 ends on September 30th," 眼下的2011财政年度9月30号结束。不久前, "An IMF senior official welcomed President Obama's broad-based fiscal reforms," 国际货币基金组织的一位高级官员对奥巴马总统提出的大范围财政改革表示欢迎。 "IMF also said that Japan was in need of fiscal tightening to lower its debt load," 国际货币基金组织同时指出,日本需要财政紧缩,降低国家债务。好的,今天我们学习的词是fiscal...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-27#182
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是heavy-handed。 Heavy-handed, 手段强硬的。耶鲁大学法学教授蔡美儿发表新书。 "The book sparked a fierce debate about heavy-handed parenting style," 这本书引起了围绕对孩子严厉管教的育儿方式的激烈辩论。 "The United Nations human rights chief condemned Bahrain, Libya and other Middle Eastern governments for their heavy-handed response to opposition protests," 联合国人权高级专员对巴林、利比亚等中东国家政府严厉打压反对派抗议示威的做法提出谴责。好的,今天我们学习的词是 heavy-handed...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-27#183
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是stance。 Stance, 立场。美国第一夫人米歇尔.巴马不允许两个女儿在脸谱网上开帐户。 "Many parents approved of her stance," 很多家长都十分赞成她的这一立场。 "Maryland Senator Jim Brochin changed his stance on gay marriage," 马里兰州参议员布罗钦改变了在同性恋婚姻问题上的立场。 "Florida State Senate President Mike Haridopolos softened his stance against tax cuts but insisted that lawmakers must focus on spending reductions," 佛罗里达州参议院主席哈里杜波罗斯反对减税的立场出现松动,但坚持说,议员们应该集中精力削减开支。好的,今天我们学习的词是stance...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-27#184
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是halfway。 Halfway, 一半的地方。 "The project has reached its halfway point," 这个项目已经做到了一半。 "The show is halfway through," 演出已经进行了一半。 "We are more than halfway through winter," 冬天已经走过了一大半。美国能源部长朱棣文不久前说, "The United States is already halfway to meeting President Obama's goal of generating 80% of the nation's electricity from clean energy sources by 2035," 美国总统奥巴马提出的在2035年之前全国80%的电力来自清洁能源的目标如今已经完成了一半。好的,今天我们学习的词是halfway...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-27#185
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是straw poll。 Straw poll, 是指决定民意或参选人实力的非正式投票。美国保守派政治行动大会上周末在华盛顿举行。 "Texas Congressman Ron Paul won the Presidential straw poll for the second time in a row," 德克萨斯州国会众议员罗恩保罗连续第二次在有关总统候选人实力的非正式投票中胜出。 "Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney finished second in the straw poll with 23 percent of the votes," 麻萨诸塞州前州长罗姆尼在投票中排在第二位,得票率百分之23。好的,今天我们学习的词是straw poll...

故乡的云 : 2011-02-27#186
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是misleading。 Misleading, 误导的。前埃及总统穆巴拉克的法律顾问出面否认穆巴拉克拥有巨额财富的说法。 "The legal adviser called the speculation false and misleading," 这位法律顾问称这种猜测是错误的,误导人的。洛杉矶时报报道,美国加州最高法院不久前裁定, "Consumers who buy a product as a result of a misleading advertisement can sue the manufacturer even if the product was not defective," 如果是因为广告具有误导性,即使产品没有问题,消费者也可以对生产厂商提出诉讼。 好的,今天我们学习的词是misleading...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-01#187
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是balance。 Balance, 做为动词,是平衡的意思。印度总统帕蒂尔对议会表示, "India must find ways to balance its environmental and developmental needs," 印度必需在环境保护和经济发展的需要之间找到平衡。 "New Jersey governor Chris Christie said he supports Wisconsin governor Scott Walker's strong action to balance the budget," 新泽西州州长克里斯蒂表示,他支持威斯康辛州州长沃克为平衡预算采取的有力措施。 "College students who have part-time jobs often find it hard to balance school and work," 在外兼职的大学生往往很难在学习和工作间找到平衡。好的,今天我们学习的词是balance...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-11#188
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是minor。 Minor, 有未成年人的意思。 "He was charged with supplying alcohol to a minor," 他被指控向未成年人提供酒精饮料。美国小儿科医生联合会警告说,日光美黑沙龙对未成年人健康有害,并建议, "Minors should be banned from going to tanning parlors," 未成年人应该禁止进入日光美黑沙龙。

在美国,不是任何人都能随便纹身的。比如说, "In California, it's illegal to sell tattoos to minors, with or without parental consent," 在加利福尼亚州,给未成年人纹身是违法的,不管是不是得到过家长的同意。好的,今天我们学习的词是minor...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-11#189
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是strip。 Strip, 做为动词,有剥夺的意思。上星期五, "The Wisconsin assembly voted to strip bargaining rights from most public employees," 威斯康辛州众议院投票决定,剥夺大多数政府雇员的谈判权。 "The U.S. House of Representatives voted to strip Planned Parenthood of its $75 million of annual federal funding," 美国国会众议院投票决定,剥夺“计划育儿”组织每年7500万美元的联邦经费。 "Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlussconi's battle with the court resumed after the country's supreme court stripped him of immunity," 意大利最高法院剥夺了总理贝卢斯科尼的豁免权后,他的案件恢复庭审。好的,今天我们学习的词是strip

故乡的云 : 2011-03-11#190
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是obsolete。 Obsolete, 是过时的意思。美国国防部长盖茨在西点军校发表讲话时说, "The traditional U.S. Army, with its large units that include tanks and other heavy equipment, is fast becoming obsolete," 携带坦克和重型机械的传统陆军大部队的模式已经越发过时。皮尤研究中心去年十月对2600多个美国成年人进行的研究显示, "Nearly 40 percent of Americans believe that marriage is becoming obsolete, up from just 28 percent in 1978," 将近百分之四十的美国人认为婚姻已经过时,1978年的时候,只有百分之28的人这么看。好的,今天我们学习的词是obsolete...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-11#191
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是assistance。Assistance, 是帮助的意思。美国国务卿希拉里.克林顿星期天表示, "The Obama administration stands ready to offer 'any type of assistance' to Libyans seeking to oust Muammar Gaddafi," 美国政府随时准备向努力推翻卡扎菲的利比亚人提供“任何形式的帮助”。

同时, "Clinton didn't mention any military assistance in her remarks," 希拉里.克林顿在讲话中没有提及军事帮助。在另外一方面,土耳其外交部表示, "Turkey is starting a large-scale humanitarian assistance operation to aid Libyan citizens," 土耳其正展开大规模人道主义行动,帮助利比亚人。好的,今天我们学习的词是assistance

故乡的云 : 2011-03-13#192
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是trafficker。 Trafficker指从事非法行当的商贩。"A child trafficker was sentenced to 20 years in prison," 一个拐卖儿童的人口贩子被判处20年徒刑。"A Syrian arms trafficker was arrested as he tried to sell missiles to undercover U.S. agents," 一名叙利亚武器走私商因为向美国卧底探员推销导弹被捕。
美国前政府官员透露,"Drug traffickers are helping international terrorists trying to penetrate U.S. borders," 试图向美国境内渗透的国际恐怖分子得到了毒品走私贩的帮助。好的,今天我们学习的词是trafficker...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-13#193
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是vaccine。 Vaccine, 疫苗。"The Food and Drug Administration approved vaccines designed to protect against the H1N1 flu virus," 美国食品和药物管理局批准了甲型H1N1流感疫苗。

"The first doses of the vaccine will be available in just a few weeks," 第一批疫苗几周内就可以到位。"Clinical trials also show that the new vaccine protects with only one dose instead of two," 临床实验结果还显示,新疫苗一针就管用,不用两针。"The FDA's approval comes as the vaccine is still being tested in children and pregnant women." 与此同时,疫苗注射对儿童和孕妇是否安全目前还在实验阶段。好的,今天我们学习的词是vaccine...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-13#194
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是off the record。 Off the record, 意思是非正式的,不供公开发表的。美国总统奥巴马在接受采访前聊天时骂不久前在MTV颁奖典礼上闹场的嘻哈歌手坎耶.韦斯特是个混球。"President Obama made the comment during off-the-record chatter," 奥巴马总统是在私下聊天时说的这句话。
"A reporter, who didn't realize the comment was made off-the-record, immediately put it on Twitter," 一个记者没有意识到奥巴马的话是不公开的,立即发表在了微博客网站Twitter上。好的,今天我们学习的词是off the record...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-18#195
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是underscore。 Underscore, 是突出、强调的意思。美国加州八月份的失业率攀升到了70年来的最高水平。"California's unemployment rate underscored the nation's slow economic recovery," 加州的失业率凸显了美国经济复苏步伐的缓慢。

比利时奶农上星期采取极端行动,抗议牛奶价格暴跌。"Belgian farmers dumped 3 million liters of fresh milk to underscore that they cannot make a living from the current low milk prices," 比利时奶农白白倒掉了三万升新鲜牛奶,借此说明,目前低廉的牛奶价格让他们无法生活。好的,今天我们学习的词是underscore...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-18#196
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是surprise。 Surprise, 出人意料的。 "U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Monday," 美国国防部长盖茨星期一突如其来访问阿富汗。女儿生日快到了。 "We plan to throw a surprise birthday party for my daughter," 我们打算给女儿开个惊喜生日派对庆祝。 "Jack bought a diamond ring as a surprise gift for his wife to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary," Jack给妻子买个一枚钻戒,事先没有告诉她,做为惊喜,庆祝俩人结婚二十周年。好的,今天我们学习的词是surprise...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-18#197
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是stand trial。 Stand trial, 接受审判。 "The defendant was found unfit to stand trial by the court," 法庭宣布,被告无能力受审。 "Former French President Chirac became the first former French leader to stand trial since the Second World War," 法国前总统希拉克成为二战以来第一位接受审判的法国前领导人。 "A couple who lost their son in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing are still hoping that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi will one day stand trial," 在1988年洛克比空难中失去儿子的一对夫妇仍希望利比亚领导人卡扎菲有朝一日能接受审判。好的,今天我们学习的词是stand trial...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-18#198
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是escalating。 Escalating, 意思是逐步上升的。 "Oil prices rose to the highest level in 29 months in New York as escalating violence in Libya raised concerns about possible supply disruption," 利比亚冲突不断升级引起外界对石油供应中断的担心,造成纽约原油价格飞涨到29个月以来的最高水平。与此同时,美国国内加油站的油价也大幅上涨。 "The Obama administration is considering whether to do anything about escalating gas prices," 美国政府正考虑是否要着手解决油价上涨的问题。好的,今天我们学习的词是escalating...

故乡的云 : 2011-03-18#199
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是better off。 Better off, 是境况更好的意思。"The team is better off without the star center who is not a team player," 没有这个缺乏团队精神的明星中锋,球队反而更好。虽然经济不景气,但是有研究发现,"Six in ten young people think they are better off than their parents were when they were young," 十个年轻人里有六个觉得自己的日子比父母年轻时好。
11月9号是柏林墙倒塌20周年。最近的一项民意调查显示,"One in seven Germans think they were better off when the country was divided," 每七个德国人里就有一个人认为,国家分裂时他们的生活反而更好。好的,今天我们学习的词是better off...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-02#200
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是inner circle。 Inner circle, 指核心圈子,心腹密友 。美国当选总统奥巴马正在紧锣密鼓地为权力交接做准备。 "Obama's inner circle will play key roles in the new administration," 奥巴马身边最受信任的一批人将在新政府里扮演重要角色。

有报道说,司法部长的第一人选是黑人律师霍尔德。 "Holder met President-elect Obama only four years ago, but quickly won a seat in Obama's inner circle," 霍尔德四年前才认识奥巴马,但是很快就在奥巴马信任的人马中占据了一席之地。好的,今天我们学习的词是inner circle...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-02#201
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是seat belt。 Seat belt, 安全带。研究结果显示, "Car seats reduce the risk of child injury up to 82 percent, compared to just wearing seat belts," 儿童汽车座椅跟只系安全带相比,可以将孩子受伤的风险减少高达82%. "In the United States, most seat belt laws are left to the states," 在美国,绝大部分有关安全带的法律都是由州议会制定的。比如说在维吉尼亚州, "A driver cannot be pulled over just for not wearing a seat belt in Virginia," 在维吉尼亚,开车的人不能光是因为不系安全带而被警察拦下来。好的,今天我们学习的词是seat belt...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-02#202
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是initial。 Initial, 意思是初步的,初始的。 Initial result初步结果。 Initial reaction初步反应。美、英、法联军为落实禁飞区对利比亚实行空中打击后,军方高级将领说, "The initial operations have been very successful," 初步军事行动非常成功。不过,美国官员也同时坚持说, "Although U.S. forces played a central role in the initial missile strikes, the U.S. expects its allies to take the lead soon," 虽然美军部队在一开始的导弹袭击中起到了核心作用,但是美国希望看到盟国能在近期内成为日后行动的带头人。好的,今天我们学习的词是initial...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-02#203
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是merger。 Merger, 意思是合并。美国第二大移动通讯运营商AT&T计划用390亿美元收购T-Mobile. "The planned merger will be the largest in 2011," 计划中的收购案将是2011年规模最大的。 "AT&T promises to provide better services after the merger," AT&T保证收购后向用户提供更好的服务。 "Top Senate Democrats say they will take a closer look to decide whether the merger will pose a threat to consumers," 美国国会参议院重要民主党议员表示,他们会仔细审查这起收购案,看它是否会伤害消费者利益。好的,今天我们学习的词是merger...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-06#204
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

了维州理工大学以外,美国很多社区和学校也都自发地为遇难者守夜祈祷,其中包括括美籍韩国人社团,"The local Korean American groups organized a candlelight vigil". 今天我们学习的词组是vigil...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-06#205
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是susceptible。 Susceptible, 意思是容易受到影响的。最新研究显示, "Seniors are more susceptible to the ill effects of natural disasters," 老年人更容易受到自然灾害的负面影响。 "Stroke survivors are susceptible to depression," 患过中风的人很容易出现精神抑郁。 "Fair-skinned people are the most susceptible to the effects of the sun," 浅肤色的人最容易受到日光的影响。 "Teenagers are very susceptible to peer pressure," 十几岁的孩子非常容易受到同伴的压力。好的,今天我们学习的词是susceptible...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-06#206
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是Hispanic。 Hispanic, 指讲西班牙语的美国人,拉美裔人。美国最新人口普查数据显示, "Hispanics represent one sixth of the U.S. population," 拉美裔人口占美国总人口的六分之一。 "During the last decade, the Hispanic population in the United States grew 43 times faster than the non-Hispanic white population," 过去十年间,讲西班牙语的拉美裔人口增长速度是其他白人的43倍。 "Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing minority in the United States," 拉美裔是美国人口最多,成长速度最快的少数族裔。 好的,今天我们学习的词是Hispanic...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-06#207
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是age limit。 Age limit, 年龄限制。社交网站脸书网并不是任何人都能注册帐户的。 "Facebook enforces an age limit of 13 years or older to register an account," 脸谱网规定,只有满13岁的人才能注册帐户。 "Despite the efforts to enforce the age limit policy, many younger children still join the site by lying about their age," 尽管脸谱网努力执行年限规定,但很多不满13岁的孩子还是谎报年龄,蒙混过关。 "Facebook removes about 20,000 users daily who are below the age limit," 脸谱网每天取消大约两万个年龄低于最低年限的帐户。 好的,今天我们学习的词是age limit...

xunda : 2011-04-07#208
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

谢谢!很有用

故乡的云 : 2011-04-08#209
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是clog。Clog是木底鞋,木屣。作为动词, clog也有障碍和阻塞的意思,比如排水管堵塞了, "The drain was clogged." 车辆堵塞了高速公路, "Heavy traffic clogged the highway."
还比如,黎巴嫩首都贝鲁特爆发反政府抗议活动。媒体报道说,"Opposition protesters clogged major highways with barricades of burning tires," 反对派抗议者用焚烧的车胎构成路障,阻塞了首都贝鲁特的主要公路。今天我们学习的词组是clog...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-08#210
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是rally。 Rally的意思是集合、集会。成千上万的美国人在首都华盛顿集会,抗议最高法院34年前的一项裁决导致堕胎合法化, "Tens of thousands of people rallied at an anti-abortion march in Washington."
Rally也有病情好转的意思。比如有人生病了,"He had a bad night but rallied by morning," 他夜里病得很厉害,早上病情好转。人们也用rally来形容股票价格止跌回稳, "Tech stocks rallied due to Microsoft's strong earnings." 科技股因为微软公司大幅盈利而有所回升。 今天我们学习的词组是rally...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-11#211
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是nose dive。 Nose是鼻子, dive是跳水或是俯冲, nosedive指飞机垂直俯冲,"The plane nosedived." Nose dive也指价格等猛跌,迅速下降。比如雅虎公司宣布季度盈利下跌60%, 美国媒体报道说, "Yahoo's profit takes a nose dive."
美国2006年的失业率大幅度下降,"The unemployment rate in the United States took a nose dive in 2006." 一个人的工作和事业也可能出现nose dive, "His career took a nose dive after he was fired by the company." 他被公司解雇以后,事业一落千丈。今天我们学习的词组是nose dive...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-11#212
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是ramp up。 Ramp是斜面、斜坡,也指登机的梯子。作为动词,ramp up有加强、增加的意思。比如加强机场保安 -- "ramp up airport security."
还比如日本公司为满足市场需求而增加生产等离子平板电视,"Japanese companies ramped up their output of LCD flat screen televisions." 政府加紧批评联邦法官对恐怖主义案件的处理方法, "The government ramped up its criticism of how federal judges handled terrorism cases." 今天我们学习的词组是ramp up...

Samanta : 2011-04-11#213
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

学习

故乡的云 : 2011-04-13#214
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是highlight。 Highlight指最精彩的场面, 最重要的部分。比如演出最精彩的部分 - the highlight of the performance。 美国宇航员成功登上月球应当说是人类航空史上一个最精彩的时刻 - one of the highlights of the history of human aviation。
作为动词, highlight有突出、显著的意思。 美国民主党参议员Joseph Biden1月31号宣布竞选民主党总统候选人。他在竞选网页上刊登了他有关伊拉克战争的计划要点,"On his campaign website, the senator highlights his plan for Iraq." Biden主张在2007年以前撤出大部分美国军队。今天我们学习的词组是highlight...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-13#215
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是contradict。 Contradict的意思是反驳,否认。前纽约时报记者Judith Miller出庭作证,反驳了付总统切尼的前办公厅主任Lewis Libby的说法, "Judith Miller contradicted Libby in her testimony."
Libby被控在中央情报局特工身份泄露案的调查中说谎。 他声称在2003年7月才得知这位特工的身份。但是前纽约时报记者Miller说, Libby 6月份就向她透露了这位特工的身份。所以报道说,"Judith Miller contradicted Libby ." 今天我们学习的词组是contradict...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-15#216
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是outstrip。 Outstrip的意思是越过,超过。 比如有个人赛跑时超过其他运动员 -- "He outstripped other athletes in the race." 还比如美国商务部宣布,美国经济2006年最后一个季度增长了百分之三点二,超过分析人士的预期, "The U.S. economy grew by three-point-two percent, outstripping analysts' expectations."
经济发展带来了更多的就业机会,美国2006年的就业增长率领先于许多发达国家,"U.S. job growth in 2006 outstripped that of many other developed countries." 今天我们学习的词组是outstrip...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-18#217
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是step down。 Step down有辞职、让位和下台的意思。 英国首相布莱尔因为工党筹款丑闻而受到辞职的压力。 英国一项新的民意调查结果显示, 大多数英国人认为布莱尔应当立即下台, "A majority of Britons think Prime Minister Tony Blair should step down immediately."
不过布莱尔表示, 在警方调查还没有结论之前就辞职是错误的, "It would be wrong for him to step down before the police complete their inquiry." 今天我们学习的词组是step down...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-18#218
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是scramble。 Scramble有急忙,仓促的意思。 比如学校在开学前仓促训练新教员, "The school scrambled to train the new teachers." 立法人员在最后期限到来之前仓促讨论提案, "Legislators scrambled to meet the deadline."
英国东南部一个火鸡养殖场爆发禽流感,造成2千多只火鸡死亡。英国政府急忙采取措施,阻止禽流感进一步蔓延,"British authorities scrambled to contain an outbreak of bird flu." 养鸡场杀掉了他们饲养的全部16万只火鸡。英国当局还在养鸡场周围建立了监测区。今天我们学习的词组是scramble...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-18#219
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是underdog。 Under是在下面,dog是狗,underdog指的是在比赛、竞争和冲突中被认为是处于劣势的人。 比如美式足球第41届超级杯大赛,芝加哥熊队奋战印第安那波利斯小马队。美国媒体赛前报道说,"The Chicago Bears are the underdog," 意思是说芝加哥熊队处于劣势。
美国政治史上也有不被看好的underdog。比如美国第33届总统Harry Truman 1948年竞选连任,起初民意调查的支持率很低, "Truman was considered the underdog." 可是大选之日,杜鲁门出乎意料地击败对手。由此可见underdog很可能只是暂时的。 今天我们学习的词组是underdog...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-18#220
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是ring。 Ring是戒指,耳环,也指从事非法活动的集团、团伙。比如贩毒集团 -- drug ring,出售儿童色情录像的团伙 -- child pornography ring。
有报道说, 奥地利政府侦破了一个在网上兜售儿童色情录像的团伙, "Austria has uncovered a major international child pornography ring." 有77个国家的2360人涉嫌参与了儿童色情活动,其中有几百名美国人涉嫌付费上网观看这个集团兜售的色情录像。今天我们学习的词组是ring...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-18#221
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是front man。 Front的意思是前面, 前头, man是人, 男人。 Front man指乐队的主唱歌手。比如John Lennon和Paul McCartney就是披头四乐队The Beatles的front man -- 主唱歌手。
Front man有时也指团体、计划的出面人物。布什总统最近派驻伊拉克美军总司令Petraeus将军前往国会,游说国会支持向伊拉克增兵。 媒体报道说, Petraeus将军是布什伊拉克计划的前台人物,"The general is the front man for Bush's Iraq plan." 今天我们学习的词组是front man...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-27#222
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是overturn。 Overturn有推翻、废除的意思。美国最高法院推翻了俄勒冈州法院的一项判决," The Supreme Court overturned a nearly $80 million verdict." 地方法院判决Philip Morris烟草公司向吸烟受害者赔偿近8千万美元。
还比如,有意参加2008年大选的共和党参议员John McCain为争取保守派的支持呼吁废除有关堕胎合法化的法律。 他说,“我不支持对洛伊-韦德案的判决, 应当推翻这个判决,” "I do not support Roe versus Wade It should be overturned." 最高法院1973年的判决认为妇女有权选择堕胎。今天我们学习的词组是overturn...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-27#223
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是moonlight。 Moon是月亮, moonlight是月光。许多人都熟悉贝多芬的月光奏鸣曲,"Moonlight Sonata." 作为动词,moonlight的意思是从事第二职业, 也就是除了有份全职工作以外, 晚上还要出去打工。
据美国劳工统计局公布的数字, 美国工人中有百分之五以上的人从事第二职业, "More than five percent of U.S. workers moonlight." 美国人兼职大都是为了增加收入,"They moonlight to make more money," 不过这也意味着双倍的压力,"Moonlighting can double the pressure." 今天我们学习的词组是moonlight...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-27#224
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是in tatters。 In tatters指衣服等破烂不堪。比如有人衣衫褴褛 -- "His clothes are in tatters." In tatters也指事情处于崩溃状态。
比如西班牙的巴斯克分离主义分子在马德里机场制造爆炸事件,致使西班牙的和平进程处于崩溃状态,"Spain's peace process was in tatters after the Basque separatist bombing." 之前西班牙政府一直同分离主义分子进行谈判。可是政府的政策失败了,"The government's policy is now in tatters." 今天我们学习的词组是in tatters...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-27#225
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是one on one。 One on one的意思是一对一,个人之间直接的交流和竞争。比如, 有的学生喜欢老师单独辅导。 Some students prefer to be tutored one on one.
美国国务卿赖斯分别同以色列总理奥尔默特和巴勒斯坦领导人阿巴斯举行会谈。有报道说, 这种一对一的讨论为美国、以色列和巴勒斯坦三方会谈奠定了基础, "Rice's one-on-one discussions with Israel and Palestine laid the groundwork for the three-way talks." 今天我们学习的词组是one on one...

故乡的云 : 2011-04-27#226
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是on the table。 Table是桌子, on the table是一个习惯用语, 意思是摆在桌面上,提交讨论。美国戴姆勒克莱斯勒汽车公司因为连年亏损而宣布裁员, 并决定让一个卡车制造厂停产。
公司总裁在记者会上表示不排除合并、出售或是把卡车制造厂独立分开的可能性。"We did not exclude any options, this means all options are on the table." 意思是我们不排除任何可能性。这意味着所有选择都在讨论的范围之内。今天我们学习的词组是on the table...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-03#227
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是shift。 Shift有改变、转变的意思。比如美国宣布加入有伊朗和叙利亚参加的有关伊拉克问题的高层谈判。白宫突然改变政策为外交活动打开了大门, "The abrupt shift of policy opened the door to diplomatic dealings."
希拉里克林顿竞选民主党总统候选人遇到新的挑战;以前大力支持她的黑人选民转而支持她的竞选对手、巴拉克奥巴马参议员, "Some blacks have shifted to Obama." 民意调查结果显示,克林顿夫人在黑人中的支持率从60%减少到33%。这说明黑人民主党人大大转变立场, "The shift among black Democrats was dramatic." 今天我们学习的词组是shift......

故乡的云 : 2011-05-03#228
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是sell off。 Sell off的意思是出售,特别是为了出手而廉价出售。 He had to sell off his stock. 节日一过,商店纷纷廉价出售圣诞节商品, "Stores tried to sell off their Christmas goods."
作为名词,sell off也指大量抛售导致股价暴跌。中国股市下跌引发全球股市抛售,"A plunge in Chinese stocks sparked a global sell-off" 美国道琼斯指数一天下跌3.3%。媒体报道说, "The stock sell-off in China hit Wall Street." 今天我们学习的词组是sell off......

故乡的云 : 2011-05-03#229
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是lose one's temper。 Lose one's temper是生气,发脾气。 美国北卡罗来纳州的妇女Jessica Hall最近成了新闻人物。她因为在高速公路上驾车时发火,把一杯麦当劳饮料扔进别人车内而被法院判处两年徒刑, 后改为暂不执行,以观后效。
Jessica Hall说,这都是发脾气惹的祸, "She got into trouble for losing her temper." 她说,凡有可能在驾车时发火的人都应当吸取这个教训, "The experience should be a lesson for others who might lose their temper on the road" 今天我们学习的词组是lose your temper, lose his temper, lose her temper...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-03#230
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是talk up。 Talk是讲话, talk-up就是大声讲,或是大胆地讲。比如有人在台下呼吁说:“大声讲, 让我们听到你,” "Talk up so we can hear you." 还比如,孩子在学校受了欺负,家长鼓励他说, "Talk up and the school will help you," “大胆讲, 学校会帮助你的。”
Talk-up也有宣传,宣扬的意思。布什总统在田纳西州宣传他的医疗保险改革计划,"Bush talked up his new plan to increase medical coverage of the uninsured." 布什主张修改税法, 使没有保险的人能够购买更多的医疗保险。今天我们学习的词组是talk up......

故乡的云 : 2011-05-05#231
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是backup。作为形容词,backup的意思是后备,替代。媒体报道说,布什总统实施新的伊拉克计划之后,一些州长在白宫询问布什和参谋长联席会议主席Peter Pace有没有后备计划,"A group of governors asked President Bush and chairman of the Joint Chief of Stuff Peter Pace about their backup plan for Iraq."
州长们后来说,他们认为白宫并没有后备计划。许多人认为伊拉克计划很可能失败,政府必须要有后备的战略, "The United States must have backup strategy for Iraq." 今天我们学习的词组是backup...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-05#232
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是stave off。 Stave off的意思是避开,延缓。比如,公司试图延缓破产,"The company tried to stave off bankruptcy." 美国成功地延缓了通货膨胀,"The U.S. successfully staved off inflation."
许多美国人每天服用维生素A、维生素E或其他一些抗氧化剂,以为这样就能延缓老化,不生病, "Millions of Americans believe the antioxidant supplements they take will stave off disease and slow the aging process." 可是美国的一项研究报告说, 这些保健药不但不能延年益寿反而会增加死亡的危险。 今天我们学习的词组是stave off...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-05#233
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是shift。 Shift有改变、转变的意思。比如美国宣布加入有伊朗和叙利亚参加的有关伊拉克问题的高层谈判。白宫突然改变政策为外交活动打开了大门, "The abrupt shift of policy opened the door to diplomatic dealings."
希拉里克林顿竞选民主党总统候选人遇到新的挑战;以前大力支持她的黑人选民转而支持她的竞选对手、巴拉克奥巴马参议员, "Some blacks have shifted to Obama." 民意调查结果显示,克林顿夫人在黑人中的支持率从60%减少到33%。这说明黑人民主党人大大转变立场, "The shift among black Democrats was dramatic." 今天我们学习的词组是shift......

故乡的云 : 2011-05-08#234
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是fret。 Fret的意思是表示或是感到担心, 烦恼和不满。比如,民意调查显示,有近一半的美国人担心付不起医疗费用, "Nearly half of Americans fret about healthcare costs."
微软公司的主席Bill Gates在国会作证说, 他对美国的竞争力感到担心, "Bill Gates frets about the state of American competitiveness." Bill Gates呼吁政府增加对科研发展的投资,改善教育, 并且修改移民法律,让更多的外国技术人员进入美国。今天我们学习的词是fret...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-08#235
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是take seriously。 Take seriously的意思是对某人某事严肃认真。美国最近揭露首都华盛顿附近的Walter Reed陆军医院的医疗服务很差, 伤员没有受到很好的照顾。布什总统立即任命了一个以前参议员Bob Dole等人组成的委员会,调查各地军队医院的状况。
布什总统说政府将认真对待任何有关医疗疏忽的报告, "Bush said, 'Any report of medical neglect will be taken seriously by this administration.'" 今天我们学习的词组是take seriously...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-08#236
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是against the grain。 Grain是谷子,不过在这里,grain指的木材的纹理。木工都知道,刨木头一定要顺着木材的纹理;"You cannot polish wood against the grain." 作为习惯用语,against the grain有违背心愿、令人不满的意思。
美国共和党保守派一向反对堕胎和同性恋。可是有意参加2008年大选的纽约市前市长、共和党人Rudolph Giuliani既支持堕胎,也主张保障同性恋权利。媒体报道说,"Giuliani goes against the grain," 意思是说Giuliani的立场同保守派的观点格格不入 。不过Giuliani的支持率目前领先于其他共和党候选人。今天我们学习的词组是against the grain...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-16#237
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是do time。 Do time的意思是服刑。 有些贩毒分子在青少年的时候就蹲过监狱, "Some of the drug dealers did time when they were still teenagers." 多次担任华盛顿市市长的Marion Barry因为连续五年不报税而被法院判处三年监视察看。他在察看期间又没有按时申报2005年所得税。
美国联邦检察官因此要求判他入狱服刑,"Federal prosecutors want Marion Barry to do time." Barry1990年曾因吸毒被判入狱六个月,"Marion Barry did six months in 1990 for smoking crack." 今天我们学习的词组是do time, do time , do time.

故乡的云 : 2011-05-16#238
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是run its course。 Run its course的意思是走完该走的历程,按常规进行。 布什总统在切尼付总统的前办公室主任Lewis Libby被判犯有四项重罪之后表示不会马上赦免Libby。
"President Bush said he was pretty much going to stay out of the case until the legal process had run its course," 布什总统说, 他在法律程序结束之前不会干预这个案件。 Libby有可能被判处一年半到三年徒刑。Libby的支持者呼吁总统在Libby被判刑前赦免他。布什担心马上赦免可能会引起不满情绪。今天我们学习的词组是run its course, run its course, run its course.

故乡的云 : 2011-05-16#239
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是subpoena。 Subpoena的意思是传审、以传票传唤,要求某人在某个时间和地点就某个案件作证。法庭可以传唤证人, "subpoena a witness." 美国国会也有权传唤美国官员。
比如参议院的民主党人调查司法部是否因为政治原因而解雇了八位检察官。他们打算传唤司法部的五名官员, "Senate Democrats planned to issue subpoenas to five senior Justice Department officials as part of the probe." 被传唤者必须到场宣誓回答问题。 今天我们学习的词组是subpoena...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-16#240
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是long odds。 Long odds的意思是不太可能,可能性很小。比如美式足球第41届超级杯大赛,赛前有报道说,芝加哥熊队不太可能打败印第安那波利斯小马队, "Chicago Bears faces long odds in beating the Colts."

美国众议院民主党人2007年提出有关限期美国从伊拉克撤军的议案。有人认为,"The Democrats face long odds in passing the legislation," 对民主党人来说,议案通过的可能性不大。今天我们学习的词组是long odds...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-16#241
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是chide。 Chide的意思是批评、责备。老师责备学生欺负同学, "The teacher chided the student for bullying his classmates." 家长不要经常批评孩子, "Parents should not chide their children often."
新闻报道说,墨西哥总统责备布什总统试图在两国边界修建围墙, "Mexican President chided President Bush for trying to build a wall between the two countries." 布什总统去年签署了国会通过的一项法案,批准在美国墨西哥边界修建七百英里长的围墙。今天我们学习的词组是chide...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-19#242
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是out of reach。 Out of reach的意思是接触不到,达不到。伊拉克境内的外国记者说, 他们在伊拉克这个危险的环境中常常无法报道一些重要的事件,"Many important stories remain out of reach."
还比如,美国政府几年前推出“不让任何一个孩子落后”的教育法案,要求各校学生在2014年以前都能通过阅读和数学考试。可是有人说,这个目标是实现不了的, "They said the target was out of reach." 今天我们学习的词组是out of reach...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-19#243
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是appeal。 Appeal有恳求,呼吁的意思。比如, 呼吁选民支持, "appeal to voters for support." 恳求朋友帮忙,"appeal to friends for help."
布什总统在派兵攻打伊拉克四周年的时候呼吁美国人对伊拉克的局势有耐心,"President Bush appealed to the nation for patience in Iraq." 与此同时,美国反战人士呼吁国会采取行动, 阻止伊拉克战争, "They appealed to Congress to stop the war in Iraq." 今天我们学习的词组是appeal...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-27#244
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是key。 Key是钥匙, 作为形容词,也有主要,重要和核心的意思。 比如克劳德.莫奈是法国印象派的主要画家, Claude Monet was a key figure in the French Impressionist movement。
美国前国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德被认为是伊拉克战争的主要计划者之一,"Rumsfeld was considered one of the key planners of the Iraq war." 美国国司法部长Alberto Gonzales的办公室主Sampson因为解雇联邦检察官一事引起争议而辞职。媒体报道说,司法部一个重要人物下台了, "A key figure in the Justice Department stepped down." 今天我们学习的词组是 key...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-27#245
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是 take part in。 Take part in指参加会议,游行,抗议等等。成千上万的美国人在华盛顿,纽约等大城市游行,抗议美国卷入伊拉克战争, "Thousands of Americans took part in the protests against the war in Iraq."
还比如,2007年的 一项民意调查结果显示,伊拉克人对国家的前途感到悲观。有两千多名伊拉克人参加了这次民意调查, "More than two thousand Iraqis took part in the poll." 今天我们学习的词组是take part in...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-27#246
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是trigger。 Trigger是扳机,pull the trigger就是扣动扳机。 作为动词,trigger有激发,引起其他事件或是连锁反应的意思。比如布什总统决定向伊拉克增兵,引发了大规模反战抗议活动, "President Bush's decision to send more troops to Iraq triggered large-scale protests."
还比如,俄罗斯官员担心建立导弹防御系统会在欧洲引发新的军备竞赛, "Russian officials fear that a missile defense system could trigger a new arms race in Europe." 今天我们学习的词组是 trigger...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-27#247
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是submit。 Submit有提出,提交的意思。比如中国社会学家李银河向中国人大会议提交了有关同性婚姻合法化的提案, "A Chinese sociologist submitted a proposal on same-sex marriage to the People's Congress."
联合国安理会5个常任理事国就对伊朗核计划实施制裁的草案达成共识,可是南非提出了一些削弱制裁的建议, "South Africa has submitted proposals that would weaken the U.N. draft." 今天我们学习的词组是submit...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-31#248
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是second-hand。 Second-hand指用过的、旧的东西。比如二手车 - "a second-
hand car"; 旧书店,"a second-hand bookstore." Second-hand也有间接获得的意思,比如我们的许多知识都是间接获得的, "Most of our knowledge is second-hand."
还比如间接吸烟,"second-hand smoking." 美国马里兰州议会2007年三月通过法案禁止在州内的餐馆和酒巴吸烟,以保护人们免受二手烟的伤害 -- "to protect people from the dangers of second-hand smoking." 今天我们学习的词组是second-hand...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-31#249
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是subject。 作为动词,subject有使蒙受,使遭遇的意思。比如某项计划受到严密的审查, "The plan was subjected to careful scrutiny."
被伊朗当局关押的英国海军人员获释后说,伊朗人不断审问和恫吓他们, 使他们受到很大的心理压力,"They were subjected to constant psychological pressure." 伊朗人则否认对他们有不人道的待遇,"The Iranians denied that the British soldiers were subjected to inhuman treatment." 今天我们学习的词组是subject...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-31#250
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是credibility。 Credibility指的是可靠,信用。政府不要失去民众的信任,"The government should not lose its credibility with the people." 一些美国参议员因为司法部解除了八位检察官的职务而质疑司法部长Alberto Gonzales的信誉,"Some senators questioned the credibility of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales because of the firing of eight U.S. attorneys."
共和党参议员Chuck Hagel说,"Gonzales has a credibility problem." Gonzales有信用问题。今天我们学习的词组是credibility...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-31#251
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是shun。 Shun的意思是因为不喜欢、害怕或是其他原因而避开。比如,不能因为人家穷就避尔不见, "You should not shun someone because he is poor."
还比如有报道说,联合国秘书长潘基文在约旦河西岸访问期间会晤了巴勒斯坦领导人阿巴斯但是他避免会见巴勒斯坦团结政府中的哈马斯成员, "The Secretary-General of the United Nations shunned Hamas officials during his visit to the West Bank." 今天我们学习的词组是shun...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-31#252
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是cripple。 Cripple的意思是瘸子,或是因为受伤而腿瘸了, "He was crippled falling off a horse." 他从马背上摔下了,腿瘸了。Cripple也有削弱,使无法正常运作的意思,比如内战削弱了国家经济, "The civil war crippled the nation's economy."
还比如以色列总工会组织全国罢工。机场、海港和铁路等很多部门都因罢工而受到影响,"The strike crippled Israel's airports, seaports, railways and many other services." 今天我们学习的词组是cripple...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-31#253
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是reject。 Reject的意思是拒绝。比如拒绝某人的要求,75岁的天主教香港教区枢机主教陈日君说, 教皇拒绝了他的退休要求, "Hong Kong's Cardinal Joseph Zen said the Pope had rejected his request to retire."
还比如,布什总统要求国会为伊拉克和阿富汗行动拨款一千四百二十亿。 有的议员建议少给两百亿。不过国会民主党人拒绝了这个建议, "The Democrats rejected the proposal to cut Bush's budget for the Iraq and Afghanistan operations." 今天我们学习的词组是reject...

故乡的云 : 2011-05-31#254
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是key。 Key是钥匙, 作为形容词,也有主要,重要和核心的意思。 比如克劳德.莫奈是法国印象派的主要画家, Claude Monet was a key figure in the French Impressionist movement。
美国前国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德被认为是伊拉克战争的主要计划者之一,"Rumsfeld was considered one of the key planners of the Iraq war." 美国国司法部长Alberto Gonzales的办公室主Sampson因为解雇联邦检察官一事引起争议而辞职。媒体报道说,司法部一个重要人物下台了, "A key figure in the Justice Department stepped down." 今天我们学习的词组是 key...

chris_cc : 2011-06-01#255
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

voa, learn a word?

sarahfox : 2011-06-02#256
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

呵呵,支撑版主下。。。。

故乡的云 : 2011-06-03#257
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是timetable。 Timetable是时刻表,课程表。比如火车时刻表, train timetable。 Timetable也指某项活动的时间表。比如俄罗斯决定在俄罗斯远东地区修建一个大型核电厂,不过到目前为止他们还没有决定什么时候动工,"They have not set a timetable for construction."
还比如, 一些美国议员敦促布什政府尽快制定出从伊拉克撤军的时间表,"Some congressmen urged the Bush administration to set a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq." 今天我们学的词组是timetable...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-03#258
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是dismiss。 Dismiss有解散的意思, 比如学校因为暴风雪而提前一个小时放学了,"School was dismissed one hour early due to a snow storm." Dismiss在法律上是驳回,不予受理的意思。
美国联邦法官驳回了对前国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德和其他三位高级军事将领的指控,"A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and three high-ranking military officials." 原告指控拉姆斯菲尔德等人无视有关虐待囚犯的报告。今天我们学习的词组是dismiss...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-03#259
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是wrap up。 Wrap up的意思是包起来。比如包礼物, wrap the present; 把书包起来寄出去 - "Wrap up the books and mail them out." Wrap up也有完成、结束的意思。
比如美国国务卿赖斯结束了对中东三天的访问,巴以领导人同意每两个星期会谈一次, "U.S. Secretary of State Rice wrapped up a three-day trip to the Middle East with an agreement from Israeli and Palestinian leaders to hold meetings every two weeks." 今天我们学习的词组是wrap up...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-03#260
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是second-hand。 Second-hand指用过的、旧的东西。比如二手车 - "a second-
hand car"; 旧书店,"a second-hand bookstore." Second-hand也有间接获得的意思,比如我们的许多知识都是间接获得的, "Most of our knowledge is second-hand."
还比如间接吸烟,"second-hand smoking." 美国马里兰州议会2007年三月通过法案禁止在州内的餐馆和酒巴吸烟,以保护人们免受二手烟的伤害 -- "to protect people from the dangers of second-hand smoking." 今天我们学习的词组是second-hand...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-09#261
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 outdoor, outdoor is spelled o-u-t-d-o-o-r; outdoor. Outdoor 户外的。Outdoor activities 室外活动。New York City's ban on outdoor smoking, including parks and beaches, went into effect last Monday. 纽约市有关户外吸烟的禁令上星期一开始生效,禁烟场所包括公园和海滩在内。Most outdoor swimming pools in our area opened for business this past weekend. 我们所在地区的大多数室外游泳池都从上周末开始营业。With summer approaching, outdoor cookouts will soon be in full swing. 随着夏天的来临,室外烧烤马上就会进入高潮。好的,今天我们学习的词是 outdoor, outdoor, outdoor ...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-09#262
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 cash-strapped, cash is spelled c-a-s-h; strapped is spelled s-t-r-a-p-p-e-d; cash-strapped. Cash-strapped 缺少资金的。面对严重的财务压力,The cash-strapped Indiana University plans to close its School of Continuing Studies. 印第安纳大学因为缺少资金,计划关闭进修学院。Cash-strapped states are scaling back their efforts to provide medicines to HIV patients. 资金紧缺的州开始减少向艾滋病感染者提供药物的服务。与此同时,Cash-strapped cities are pressing non-profit organizations to financially help support city services. 资金短缺的城市要求非赢利机构出钱帮助支撑各项市政服务。好的,今天我们学习的词是 cash-strapped, cash-strapped, cash-strapped...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-09#263
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是vigil。 Vigil是守夜、祷告。美国维吉尼亚理工大学32名学生和教师惨遭枪杀之后, 举国上下深感悲痛。在维吉尼亚理工大学,学生们点燃了数千枝蜡烛,为死难者烛光守夜,"Virginia Tech Students held a candlelight vigil to remember the 32 people killed by a gunman"
除了维州理工大学以外,美国很多社区和学校也都自发地为遇难者守夜祈祷,其中包括括美籍韩国人社团,"The local Korean American groups organized a candlelight vigil". 今天我们学习的词组是vigil...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-09#264
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是plead。 Plead的意思是辩护,抗辩。Plead for就是请求、恳求的意思。美国著名黑人律师Thurgood Marshall 1954年在美国最高法院辩论说, 美国学校的种族隔离政策是非法的。 "He pleaded for the end of segregation in American schools," 他请求终止美国学校的种族隔离。
在法庭上, 我们常常会听到被告plead guilty或是plead not guilty, 意思是被告表示服罪, 或是不服罪。 最近的一个例子是联合国战争犯罪法庭以杀人罪开庭审判马奇顿前内政部长博什科夫斯基。 博什科夫斯基申辩无罪,"He pleaded not guilty to the charges." 今天我们学的词是plead...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-09#265
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是pound。 Pound既是英国的货币英镑, 也是一个重量单位。作为动词呢,pound的意思是猛击,猛烈敲打。 比如有人在砰砰地敲门,"Somebody is pounding at the door"
美国东海岸地区四月份连续几天遭遇暴风雨袭击,一些地区洪水泛滥。美国新闻报道就用了pound 这个词,"A powerful storm has pounded the eastern coast of the United States, causing severe flooding in some areas" 今天我们学习的词组是pound...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-09#266
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是stall。 Stall指的是马厩或是牛栏。作为动词,stall也有停顿、停止的意思。比如,他的车在十字路口抛锚了,"His car stalled at an intersection." 他们因为交通堵塞而在十字路上停留了一个小时, "They were stalled in a traffic jam for an hour."
有关北韩核武器的六方会谈因为一些有争议的问题而处于停顿状态, "The six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program remain stalled." 今天我们学习的词组是stall.....

故乡的云 : 2011-06-09#267
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是timetable。 Timetable是时刻表,课程表。比如火车时刻表, train timetable。 Timetable也指某项活动的时间表。比如俄罗斯决定在俄罗斯远东地区修建一个大型核电厂,不过到目前为止他们还没有决定什么时候动工,"They have not set a timetable for construction."
还比如, 一些美国议员敦促布什政府尽快制定出从伊拉克撤军的时间表,"Some congressmen urged the Bush administration to set a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq." 今天我们学的词组是timetable...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-16#268
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是recognize。 Recognize, 承认。美国总统奥巴马最近就中东问题发表重要讲话后, "Hamas condemned Obama's speech, saying it will not recognize Israel," 哈马斯对奥巴马的讲话提出谴责,并表示,绝不会承认以色列。美国盖洛普咨询公司的最新民调结果显示, "53 % of respondents believe that same-sex marriage should be recognized by law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriage," 百分之53的受访者认为,同性恋婚姻应该得到法律承认,同性恋配偶应该跟传统婚姻下结合的配偶享受同等权利。好的,今天我们学习的词是 recognize...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-16#269
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 speed dating, speed is spelled s-p-e-e-d, dating is spelled d-a-t-i-n-g, speed dating. Speed 是快速,dating 是约会,连在一起 speed dating, 就是快速交友,闪电配对。Speed dating has become popular in the United States for single professionals who maintain a busy life style.快速交友越来越受到美国忙碌的单身白领的欢迎。I went out with a girl I met last week through a speed dating agency. 我跟上星期通过快速交友机构认识的女孩出去约会。I've never tried speed dating, but my friends say it's fun. 我从没试过闪电配对,但朋友说很好玩。好的,今天我们学习的词是speed dating, speed dating, speed dating.

故乡的云 : 2011-06-16#270
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 volcanic ash, volcanic is spelled v-o-l-c-a-n-i-c, ash is spelled a-s-h, volcanic ash。volcanic ash 火山灰。爱尔兰上星期发生火山爆发,The volcanic ash from Iceland forced the cancellation of flights in and out of Scotland, northern Britain and Northern Ireland. 火山灰造成苏格兰,英格兰北部和北爱尔兰进出港的航班全部被取消。火山灰会形成火山灰云,volcanic ash cloud 影响飞行员的视线。Airlines affected by the volcanic ash cloud want to resume operations as quickly as it is safe to do so. 受到火山灰云影响的航空公司希望在保证安全的基础上尽快恢复运作。好的,今天我们学习的词是volcanic ash, volcanic ash, volcanic ash...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-16#271
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 tornado, tornado is spelled t-o-r-n-a-d-o; tornado. Tornado龙卷风。最近美国先后多次遭受龙卷风的袭击,其中 The tornado that carved through the city of Joplin, Missouri is the deadliest to hit American soil since the National Weather Service began keeping records 61 years ago. 袭击密苏里州乔普林市的一场龙卷风是美国国家气象局61年前开始记录数据以来,造成人员伤亡最严重的一次。U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal assistance to states suffering from tornado damage. 美国总统奥巴马承诺,要向遭受龙卷风破坏的各州提供联邦援助。好的,今天我们学习的词是 tornado, tornado, tornado...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-16#272
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 outdoor, outdoor is spelled o-u-t-d-o-o-r; outdoor. Outdoor 户外的。Outdoor activities 室外活动。New York City's ban on outdoor smoking, including parks and beaches, went into effect last Monday. 纽约市有关户外吸烟的禁令上星期一开始生效,禁烟场所包括公园和海滩在内。Most outdoor swimming pools in our area opened for business this past weekend. 我们所在地区的大多数室外游泳池都从上周末开始营业。With summer approaching, outdoor cookouts will soon be in full swing. 随着夏天的来临,室外烧烤马上就会进入高潮。好的,今天我们学习的词是 outdoor, outdoor, outdoor ...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-20#273
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是malicious。 Malicious, 恶意的。"The International Monetary Fund became the latest victim to a malicious hackers' attack," 国际货币基金组织成为恶意骇客攻击的最新受害者。

就在不久前, "Malicious hackers were able to steal 200,000 CitiGroup cardholders' information from its website," 心怀不轨的骇客入侵花旗集团网站,盗取了20万个信用卡用户的信息。微软公司警告用户不要随便从网上下载软件, "About one in 14 programs downloaded by Microsoft users is malicious," 微软用户下载的14个软件里就有大约一个是有害的。好的,今天我们学习的词是malicious...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-20#274
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是on the fence。 On the fence, 犹豫不决的。 "Many potential home buyers are still on the fence, waiting for the housing market to reach rock bottom," 很多想买房的人还在犹豫不决,等待房地产市场触底。 "Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is still on the fence about whether or not she wants to run for President," 阿拉斯加州前州长佩林在是否要参加总统大选的问题上依然犹豫不决。 "Meanwhile, many Republican voters are still on the fence in terms of which candidate to support," 与此同时,很多共和党选民在支持哪位候选人的问题上还是拿不到主意。好的,今天我们学习的词是on the fence...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-20#275
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是shore up。 To shore up, 是支持,支撑的意思。 "The new recruit will help shore up the team's defense," 这名新来的球员会增加球队的防守能力。 "The International Monetary Fund agreed to a $3 billion loan to help shore up Egypt's finances after Mubarak's ouster," 国际货币基金组织同意向埃及提供30亿美元贷款,帮助穆巴拉克被赶下台后的埃及走过金融困境。 "Toyota's president visited South Korea recently in order to shore up support for the brand," 日本丰田汽车公司总裁最近访问韩国,为丰田品牌争取支持。好的,今天我们学习的词是shore up...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-20#276
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是arrest warrant。 Arrest warrant, 逮捕令。不久前,"The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court requested an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, accusing him of crimes against humanity," 国际刑事法院总检察官要求对利比亚领导人卡扎菲发布逮捕令,指控他犯有危害人类罪。 "During the Egyptian revolution, the authorities issued arrest warrants for several human rights activists," 埃及革命期间,政府曾对很多位人权活动人士发布逮捕令。好的,今天我们学习的词是arrest warrant...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-20#277
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是grassroots。 Grassroots, 基层的。商人出身的赫尔曼.凯恩宣布参加2012年总统大选。 "Herman Cain promised to appeal to grassroots voters," 凯恩保证要努力吸引基层选民。
与此同时,美国现任总统奥巴马四月份宣布参选连任后, "Obama's advisers have been working to re-energize the grassroots campaign that propelled him to the presidency in 2008," 奥巴马的顾问们正在努力为深入基层的竞选方式重新注入活力,2008年奥巴马当选时,这种模式曾发挥了巨大作用。好的,今天我们学习的词是 grassroots...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-24#278
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是leadership。 Leadership, 领导层。 "The general leadership of Al Qaeda named al-Zawahri as the new leader of the group," 基地组织领导层任命扎瓦希里出任新领导人。电脑公司IBM 6月16日百年诞辰。 "Thanks to risk-taking leadership, IBM is still thriving on its 100th birthday," IBM公司百年后仍然充满活力,这都要归功于勇于接受挑战的领导层。
美国前众议院议长金里奇发表讲话。 "Newt Gingrich's speech fired up the GOP faithful at the Republican Leadership Conference," 金里奇在共和党领袖大会上的讲话让铁杆共和党人热血沸腾。好的,今天我们学习的词是leadership...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-24#279
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是drastic。 Drastic, 大幅度的,剧烈的。 "The school district is considering drastic steps to improve student achievement," 这个校区正在考虑采取重大步骤,设法提高学生成绩。 "Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned that any drastic spending cuts could possibly derail America's economic recovery," 美联储主席伯南克警告国会,大幅削减开支可能会阻碍经济复苏。 "Portugal is trying to take drastic measures in order to tackle its huge debt," 葡萄牙准备采取大幅举措,设法处理巨额债务。好的,今天我们学习的词是drastic...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-24#280
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是shortsighted。 Shortsighted, 本义是近视,引伸为目光短浅。最近中东局势混乱,前白宫官员弗兰克.席鲁夫表示: "We would be shortsighted to think this doesn't pose short-term national security concerns," 如果我们认为这种情况不会引起近期内的美国国土安全隐患的话,那就是目光短浅的。 "Some democrats criticize the spending cuts proposed by the Tea Party as shortsighted," 一些民主党人批评说,茶党提议的削减开支的计划纯属目光短浅。好的,今天我们学习的词是shortsighted...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-24#281
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是flux。 Flux, 是动荡的,不断变化的。 "The leadership of Yemen is in flux after former president Saleh was forced to step down," 也门前总统萨利赫被迫下台后,国家领导层处于动荡之中。 "Afghanistan remains in flux with an ongoing insurgency and a weak government," 阿富汗激进分子活跃,政府软弱,局势仍然处于动荡之中。Flux也可以用来表示不断变化的状态,比如说服装潮流和商品价格。 "Fashion is always in a state of flux," 服装潮流总在不断变化之中。 "The price of gasoline is in flux," 汽油价格不断浮动。好的,今天我们学习的词是flux...

故乡的云 : 2011-06-24#282
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是malicious。 Malicious, 恶意的。"The International Monetary Fund became the latest victim to a malicious hackers' attack," 国际货币基金组织成为恶意骇客攻击的最新受害者。

就在不久前, "Malicious hackers were able to steal 200,000 CitiGroup cardholders' information from its website," 心怀不轨的骇客入侵花旗集团网站,盗取了20万个信用卡用户的信息。微软公司警告用户不要随便从网上下载软件, "About one in 14 programs downloaded by Microsoft users is malicious," 微软用户下载的14个软件里就有大约一个是有害的。好的,今天我们学习的词是malicious...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-01#283
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是surprise。 Surprise, 出人意料的。 "U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Monday," 美国国防部长盖茨星期一突如其来访问阿富汗。女儿生日快到了。 "We plan to throw a surprise birthday party for my daughter," 我们打算给女儿开个惊喜生日派对庆祝。 "Jack bought a diamond ring as a surprise gift for his wife to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary," Jack给妻子买个一枚钻戒,事先没有告诉她,做为惊喜,庆祝俩人结婚二十周年。好的,今天我们学习的词是surprise...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-01#284
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是sensitive。 Sensitive, 是敏感的意思。A sensitive topic, 就是敏感的话题。 "Employment experts warn job seekers not to give out sensitive personal information when applying for positions online," 就业问题专家警告找工作的人,在网上申请工作时,不要填写敏感的个人信息。
美国高朋网公司在美国橄榄球超级杯上播出关于西藏的广告引起严重争议后, "Groupon chose to stay away from sensitive issues in its new TV spots," 高朋公司在新制作的电视广告中,选择远离那些敏感话题。好的,今天我们学习的词是sensitive...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-01#285
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是escalating。 Escalating, 意思是逐步上升的。 "Oil prices rose to the highest level in 29 months in New York as escalating violence in Libya raised concerns about possible supply disruption," 利比亚冲突不断升级引起外界对石油供应中断的担心,造成纽约原油价格飞涨到29个月以来的最高水平。与此同时,美国国内加油站的油价也大幅上涨。 "The Obama administration is considering whether to do anything about escalating gas prices," 美国政府正考虑是否要着手解决油价上涨的问题。好的,今天我们学习的词是escalating...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-01#286
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是disconnect。 Disconnect, 脱节。圣地亚哥州立大学一位心理学教授说, "She sees in today's young people a growing disconnect between self-perception and reality," 她觉得,如今年轻人的自我认识和现实状况越来越脱节。
美国一个小城镇的民意调查显示,居民对政府提供的各项公共服务非常满意,但同时却又埋怨交税太多,相关人士说, "There's a clear disconnect between people's expectation of public services and the need to pay for these services," 大家想得到各种公共服务,但又没意识到这些服务要靠纳税人出钱,民众的认识存在脱节。好的,今天我们学习的词是disconnect...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-01#287
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是advantage。 Advantage, 优势。最近有研究发现, "The regular use of two languages has the advantage of delaying the onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms," 经常使用双语交流有利于推迟老年痴呆症的发病。 "We'll have home-field advantage for the next two games," 接下来的两场比赛我们占据主场优势。 "In the Republican race for the Presidential nomination, Mitt Romney has a big money advantage over all other candidates," 在共和党总统候选人提名的竞争中,罗姆尼在资金上比其他参选人都占有显著优势。好的,今天我们学习的词是advantage...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-01#288
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是befriend。 Befriend, 是如今社交网络用语,意思是“加为好友”。 "Former Congressman Anthony Weiner resigned after he was caught sending lewd photos of himself to women he befriended on Twitter," 前联邦众议员安东尼.维纳因为向在推特上加为好友的女性发裸照被发现而宣布辞职。警方不久前破获了一起强奸案。嫌疑人的做法是, "The suspect would befriend high school girls on Facebook and then ask them to baby-sit his daughter," 嫌疑人在脸谱网上将高中女孩加为好友,然后请她们照看自己的女儿。因此,为安全起见, "Don't befriend anyone you don't personally know on Facebook," 不要在脸谱网上将不认识的人加为好友。好的,今天我们学习的词是befriend...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-01#289
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是disgraced。 Disgraced, 丢脸的。 "Anthony Weiner, the disgraced former Congressman, checked himself into a rehab," 丢尽颜面的前联邦众议员安东尼.维纳住进了治疗中心。美国西维吉尼亚大学美式足球校队主教练丑闻缠身。 "The disgraced head coach has agreed to step down," 名誉扫地的主教练同意辞职。 "The disgraced former head of the International Monetary Fund Dominique Strauss-Kahn claimed diplomatic immunity following his arrest," 名誉扫地的前国际货币基金组织总裁斯特劳斯.卡恩被捕后曾要求外交豁免。好的,今天我们学习的词是disgraced...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-07#290
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是motivational。 Motivational, 意思是激励人心的。 "U.S. first lady Michelle Obama delivered a motivational speech to Africa's young leadership, calling them to take action for the continent's future," 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马向非洲年轻一代领袖人才发表了激励人心的演讲,呼吁他们为非洲的未来行动起来。

最新研究显示, "Patients who receive motivational talk-based therapy may be less prone to depression and death," 接受激励式谈话治疗的病患发生抑郁和死亡的机率偏低。好的,今天我们学习的词是motivational...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-07#291
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是picky eater。 A picky eater, 指挑食的人。 "Most toddlers are picky eaters," 很多两岁大小的孩子都很挑食。 "Picky eaters all love junk foods," 挑食的人都爱吃没营养的垃圾食物。最新研究显示, "Many autistic children are picky eaters," 很多患有自闭症的孩子都喜欢挑食。 "Parents of picky eaters face the daily challenge of making sure their children get all the necessary nutrition," 如果家里孩子挑食,父母就要每天千方百计地确保他们得到所有必须的营养。好的,今天我们学习的词是picky eater...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-07#292
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tenure。 Tenure是任期的意思。美国前驻华大使洪博培因为参加总统大选成为新闻人物,在他任大使期间, "Jon Huntsman was committed to expanding US-China economic relations during his tenure in Beijing," 在北京任大使期间,洪博培致力于扩大美中经济往来。
美国报业协会首席执行官约翰.斯图姆任职16年后宣布退休,"His tenure coincided with the rise of the Internet as a hub for information," 他任期内,正赶上互联网发展成为获取信息的中心渠道。Tenure还有一个特殊意思,指大学终身教授职位。 "Professor Kane has already received his tenure," 凯恩教授已经获得了终身教授职位。好的,今天我们学习的词是tenure...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-07#293
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是wind down。 Wind down, 是逐渐结束的意思。美国总统奥巴马宣布,今年七月开始从阿富汗撤军,他对全国人民说: "It was the beginning, but not the end, of our effort to wind down this war," 这是我们逐渐结束这场战争的开始,而不是结束。 "The federal stimulus program is starting to wind down in the state of Wyoming," 怀俄明州的联邦经济刺激项目渐渐落下帷幕。 "The party is winding down after four hours of craziness," 经过四个小时的狂欢后,派对渐渐进入尾声。好的,今天我们学习的词是wind down...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-07#294
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是adjust。 Adjust, 调整,适应。 "Federal Reserve members are adjusting their views of 2012 economic growth after seeing weak data over the last couple of months," 鉴于过去几个月的疲软数据,美联储成员开始调整对2012年经济增长的预期。 "The nation's first full face transplant recipient Dallas Wiens is adjusting to life back home after the surgeries," 美国首例面部移植术病患达拉斯.韦恩术后逐渐适应正常生活。 "People are gradually adjusting to the age of technological explosion," 人们正在逐渐适应如今信息技术爆炸的时代。好的,今天我们学习的词是adjust...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-08#295
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是picky eater。 A picky eater, 指挑食的人。 "Most toddlers are picky eaters," 很多两岁大小的孩子都很挑食。 "Picky eaters all love junk foods," 挑食的人都爱吃没营养的垃圾食物。最新研究显示, "Many autistic children are picky eaters," 很多患有自闭症的孩子都喜欢挑食。 "Parents of picky eaters face the daily challenge of making sure their children get all the necessary nutrition," 如果家里孩子挑食,父母就要每天千方百计地确保他们得到所有必须的营养。好的,今天我们学习的词是picky eater...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-08#296
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是motivational。 Motivational, 意思是激励人心的。 "U.S. first lady Michelle Obama delivered a motivational speech to Africa's young leadership, calling them to take action for the continent's future," 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马向非洲年轻一代领袖人才发表了激励人心的演讲,呼吁他们为非洲的未来行动起来。

最新研究显示, "Patients who receive motivational talk-based therapy may be less prone to depression and death," 接受激励式谈话治疗的病患发生抑郁和死亡的机率偏低。好的,今天我们学习的词是motivational...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-10#297
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是brick-and-mortar。 Brick-and-mortar, 意思是实实在在存在的, "The community college operates both brick-and-mortar schools and online instruction programs," 这所社区大学既有自己的校园,又同时在网上提供教学课程。感恩节过后的黑色星期五和网络星期一是美国的购物热潮。"Whether you are shopping at brick-and-mortar stores or doing your shopping online, it's important to protect yourself from identity theft," 不论你是到商店里去,还是上网购物,都要设法不让自己成为身份盗用的受害者。好的,今天我们学习的词是brick-and-mortar...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-13#298
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是bilingual。 Bilingual, 会说两种语言的。有研究认为, "People who are bilingual are better at multitasking," 会说两种语言的人更善于同时做好几件事情。另外有研究发现, "Being bilingual may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease," 说两种语言可能可以延缓老年痴呆症症状的出现。在研究涉及的病人中, "People who are bilingual reported that their symptoms had begun five years later than those who spoke only one language," 说两种语言的人症状比只说一种语言的人晚出现五年。好的,今天我们学习的词是bilingual...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-13#299
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是afloat。 Afloat, 有在经济上得以维系的意思。 "He has been out of work for two years and was only able to keep afloat with the unemployment benefits," 他已经失业两年了,全靠失业补贴,才能勉强维持。 "With intense competition, he could hardly keep the book store afloat," 面对激烈竞争,他的书店几乎已经难以经营下去了。 "The local newspaper is struggling to stay afloat," 这份地方报纸经营得十分艰难。 "The company needs to shut down three subsidiaries in order to stay afloat," 这家公司需要关闭三家子公司,才可以保证继续经营下去。好的,今天我们学习的词是afloat...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-13#300
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是brick-and-mortar。 Brick-and-mortar, 意思是实实在在存在的, "The community college operates both brick-and-mortar schools and online instruction programs," 这所社区大学既有自己的校园,又同时在网上提供教学课程。感恩节过后的黑色星期五和网络星期一是美国的购物热潮。"Whether you are shopping at brick-and-mortar stores or doing your shopping online, it's important to protect yourself from identity theft," 不论你是到商店里去,还是上网购物,都要设法不让自己成为身份盗用的受害者。好的,今天我们学习的词是brick-and-mortar...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-18#301
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是burgeoning。 Burgeoning, 迅速发展的。纽约市最近通过了允许同性恋婚姻的法律。 "New York is expected to benefit from the burgeoning gay and lesbian wedding industry," 纽约市估计会从发展迅速的同性恋婚礼业中获益。 "A number of New Zealand companies are entering India's burgeoning aviation sector, which grows at 19% annually," 数家新西兰公司正设法进入印度飞速发展的航空领域,该领域年增长率高达19%。 "Investors are starting to avoid US Bonds due to worries about the burgeoning U.S. national debt," 基于对美国不断上涨国债的担忧,投资者避免购买美国国债。好的,今天我们学习的词是burgeoning...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-18#302
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是defend。 Defend, 辩护,辩解。 "President Obama defended U.S. involvement in Libya, saying the international operation has protected thousands of people in the North African country," 美国总统奥巴马为美军的利比亚行动提出辩解,称这一国际行动保护了利比亚数以千计的平民。 "French President Nicolas Sarkozy defended his economic policies, insisting the EUR35 billion investment program is essential for the country's economy," 法国总统萨科齐为自己的经济政策提出辩护,坚称350亿欧元的投资项目对法国经济是必要的。好的,今天我们学习的词是defend..

故乡的云 : 2011-07-18#303
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是obesity。 Obesity, 肥胖症。 "A new study finds that comparing to the reduction of food intake, food choices are more important in tackling obesity," 一项新的研究显示,与减少食物摄入量相比,食物的选择在改变肥胖症情况上更为重要。 "Not getting adequate amounts of sleep is a significant risk factor for obesity. 睡眠不足是导致肥胖症的危险因素之一。First Lady Michelle Obama's anti-obesity campaign aims at making children exercise more and eat better. 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马的反肥胖症运动鼓励孩子们增加运动,改善饮食。好的,今天我们学习的词是obesity...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-19#304
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是organic。 Organic, 有机的,绿色的。 "Organic product," 有机产品。近年来,美国很多消费者开始崇尚绿色、有机食品。不过,统计数字显示, "Organic food accounted for only 3.5% of the food sold for consumption in the U.S. in 2009," 在2009年美国食物总销量中,有机食物只占3.5%。
美国市场上,自然放养的鸡下的蛋要比饲养场里圈养的鸡下的蛋贵很多。不过,美国农业部最新研究得出结论说, "There is no substantial difference in the quality of organic and conventional eggs," 自然放养和圈养的鸡下的蛋在质量方面,没有显著区别。好的,今天我们学习的词是organic...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-19#305
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是uphold。 Uphold, 支持,支撑。 "President Obama said the U.S. needs an immigration reform that upholds the nation's tradition as a land of immigrants," 美国总统奥巴马表示,美国需要进行移民改革,继续美国作为移民国家的传统。 "A federal appeals court recently upheld the government's new requirement that most Americans buy health insurance," 一家联邦上诉法庭的裁决支持政府新出台的法律,要求大部分美国人购买健康保险。 "Palestinians are accusing Israel of not upholding international law by implementing a naval blockade of the Gaza Strip," 巴勒斯坦人指责以色列在加沙地带实行海上封锁违背了国际法。好的,今天我们学习的词是uphold...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-19#306
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是burgeoning。 Burgeoning, 迅速发展的。纽约市最近通过了允许同性恋婚姻的法律。 "New York is expected to benefit from the burgeoning gay and lesbian wedding industry," 纽约市估计会从发展迅速的同性恋婚礼业中获益。 "A number of New Zealand companies are entering India's burgeoning aviation sector, which grows at 19% annually," 数家新西兰公司正设法进入印度飞速发展的航空领域,该领域年增长率高达19%。 "Investors are starting to avoid US Bonds due to worries about the burgeoning U.S. national debt," 基于对美国不断上涨国债的担忧,投资者避免购买美国国债。好的,今天我们学习的词是burgeoning...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-22#307
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是for sale。 For sale, 是待售的意思。 "The house is for sale," 这栋房子正在市场上出售。 "Tickets will go on sale next week for the playoff games," 季后赛的球票下星期开始销售。 "Despite the fact that the company is losing money, the CEO declared it is not for sale," 公司首席执行官宣布,尽管公司出现亏损,但是并不准备出售。 "The Iraqi government is putting Saddam Hussein's luxury yacht up for sale," 伊拉克政府决定出售萨达姆.侯赛因的豪华游艇。预计售价可能会达到三千万美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是for sale...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-22#308
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是in hot water。 In hot water, 意思是有麻烦。 "The teacher was in hot water for verbally abusing his students," 这个老师因为辱骂学生而惹了麻烦。 "Two members of the city council found themselves in hot water for using public funds for private trips," 两个市政委员因为用公款去私人旅游而惹了麻烦。 "The discriminating comments left the TV host in hot water," 这个电视节目主持人因为发表了带有歧视性的言论而让自己麻烦缠身。好的,今天我们学习的词是in hot water...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-22#309
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是organic。 Organic, 有机的,绿色的。 "Organic product," 有机产品。近年来,美国很多消费者开始崇尚绿色、有机食品。不过,统计数字显示, "Organic food accounted for only 3.5% of the food sold for consumption in the U.S. in 2009," 在2009年美国食物总销量中,有机食物只占3.5%。
美国市场上,自然放养的鸡下的蛋要比饲养场里圈养的鸡下的蛋贵很多。不过,美国农业部最新研究得出结论说, "There is no substantial difference in the quality of organic and conventional eggs," 自然放养和圈养的鸡下的蛋在质量方面,没有显著区别。好的,今天我们学习的词是organic...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-25#310
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是spark。 Spark, 作为动词,意思是导致,引起。纽约市和罗德岛最近先后通过了允许同性恋结婚的法律。 "The trend of legalizing gay marriage sparked an intensive debate over the meaning of marriage," 这股同性婚姻合法化的热潮引发了人们对婚姻意义的激烈争论。

最近发生了一系列针对互联网的攻击。 "The recent online attacks sparked a demand for cyber-security experts," 最近一波网络攻击事件让网络安全专家的需求量骤增。 "New austerity measures sparked waves of protests across Greece," 新出台的银根紧缩措施在希腊各地掀起了抗议狂潮。好的,今天我们学习的词是spark...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-25#311
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是knock out。 Knock out, 有毁坏的意思。 "The Japanese government is conducting stress tests on all its nuclear plants following the March earthquake disaster which knocked out the cooling systems at Fukushima," 三月地震毁坏福岛核电站冷却系统后,日本政府目前正在对国内所有核电站进行压力测试。 "A severe thunderstorm knocked out electricity for more than 4000 homes across Central Virginia over the past weekend," 上周末一场暴风雨造成维吉尼亚中部地区4000多户住家断电。好的,今天我们学习的词是knock out...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-25#312
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是interfaith。 Interfaith, 跨宗教的。美国社会跨宗教婚姻日益普遍。 "Some interfaith couples are creating their own wedding ceremonies to embrace traditions from both sides," 很多来自不同宗教的伴侣都开始自己设计结婚仪式,以求涵盖双方的宗教文化传统。 "Interfaith dialogue is a vital tool in forging common understandings among people of different religions," 跨宗教对话是加强不同宗教信仰者相互理解的重要工具。 "Interfaith families often want to expose their children to both religions," 跨宗教家庭往往希望孩子能同时接触两种宗教。好的,今天我们学习的词是interfaith...

故乡的云 : 2011-07-28#313
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 genetic, genetic is spelled g-e-n-e-t-i-c; genetic. Genetic 基因的。最新研究发现,人体对咖啡因的需要跟基因有关。The researchers compared the genetic makeup and caffeine consumption habits of more than 47,000 Americans. 研究人员对四万七千多个美国人的基因构成和咖啡因摄取习惯进行了比较。如今,美国消费者在药店里就能买到基因测试包。The Food and Drug Administration estimates that up to 200,000 genetic testing kits have been sold although critics say the results are meaningless. 虽然批评人士说,测试结果毫无意思,但美国食品药物管理局估计,至今已售出多达20万套基因测试包。好的,今天我们学习的词是 genetic, genetic, genetic.

故乡的云 : 2011-07-28#314
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是bust。 Bust指的是女人的胸部,也指人的半身塑像或画像。作为动词,bust有被警察搜查和逮捕的意思。 比如美国警方查封了佛罗里达州一家公司以及他们所经营的几十个所谓的青少年模特网站。体报道说, "The preteen model sites were busted." 该公司被控在网站上张贴交易10岁以下或十几岁女孩儿挑动情欲的淫荡照片。
这家公司的两名负责人也因为涉嫌从事儿童色情活动而被警方逮捕,"They were busted on child pornography charges." 如果被判有罪,他们最重可被判处20年监禁,并被没收经营网站的一切所得。今天学的词组是bust...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-04#315
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是subscriber。 Subscriber, 订户。美国很多人都是影视租赁公司Netflix 的会员。 "Netflix is in danger of losing a large number of its subscribers with its 60% price hike," Netflix大幅加价60%,结果可能会失去很大一批用户。 "China is gradually becoming the world's largest mobile and broadband subscribers market," 中国逐渐成为世界上最大的手机和宽带用户市场。 "Our magazine has over 50 thousand subscribers," 我们的杂志有超过五万名读者。好的,今天我们学习的词是subscriber...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-04#316
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是bolster。 Bolster, 是加强,支持的意思。 "The UN Security Council is sending a new peacekeeping force in order to bolster South Sudan, which marked its independence on July 9th," 为支持7月9日新独立的南苏丹, 联合国会向该国派遣维和部队。 "Italian lawmakers were working to bolster the 48-billion-euro austerity measures and fast-track its approval by parliament," 意大利议员们努力寻求对480亿欧元银根紧缩计划的支持,让议会加快通过议案的速度。 "Japan plans to conduct "stress tests" on its nuclear plants in order to bolster public confidence," 日本计划对核电站进行压力测试,增强公众信心。好的,今天我们学习的词是bolster...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-04#317
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是mingle with。 Mingle, 本身是混合的意思, mingle with作为词组,意思是与某人接触,交往。英国新婚的威廉王子夫妇不久前来到美国洛杉矶。 "The royal couple mingled with children at an arts education center in an impoverished area of Los Angeles," 这对皇室夫妇来到洛杉矶一个穷人区的文化教育中心,跟孩子们见面交流。 "People from all around the world mingled with each other at this year's Smithsonian Folklife Festival, which was held on the National Mall in Washington D.C.," 今年在华盛顿国家大草坪上举行的史密森学会民间艺术节上,来自世界各国的人聚集在一起,相互交流。好的,今天我们学习的词是mingle with...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-08#318
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是reality TV show。 Reality TV show, 真人秀节目。美国第一夫人将参加电视真人秀的节目录制。 "First lady Michelle Obama will appear as a guest star on an ABC reality TV show," 第一夫人米歇尔将做为特邀嘉宾,参加美国广播公司一个真人秀节目的录制。 "The singer started out on a reality TV show," 这个歌星最早是参加电视真人秀起家的。 "The Bachelorette is my favorite reality TV show,"《单身女郎》是我最爱看的电视真人秀节目。好的,今天我们学习的词是reality TV show...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-08#319
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是famine。 Famine, 饥荒。 "The United Nations declared a famine in parts of southern Somalia and called for an immediate international response," 联合国宣布索马里南部部分地区陷入饥荒,呼吁国际社会立即采取行动。 "In the past month, almost 50,000 people fleeing famine in Ethiopia have arrived in eastern Sudan," 过去一个月里,近5万人为逃离埃塞俄比亚饥荒而抵达苏丹东部。 "Kenya has appealed for an aid of $150 million to save those threatened by famine," 肯尼亚申请1.5亿美元的救助款项,用于帮助受饥荒威胁的人。好的,今天我们学习的词是famine...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-08#320
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是default。 Default, 意思是违约,特别指拖欠债务。美国政府和国会参众两院目前正在紧张讨论提高国债上限的问题。 "If Congress does not approve an increase in the debt ceiling within a week, the United States will default on its debt obligations," 如果国会不能在一周内提高国债上限的话,美国将无法按期偿付国债。Default也可以做名词。国会众议院议长贝纳反复强调,债务违约不是一个可以接受的选项, "House Speaker John Boehner has repeatedly insisted that default is not an option," 好的,今天我们学习的词是default...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-12#321
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是blueprint。 Blueprint, 蓝图。美国政府迫切需要削减开支。 "Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid outlined a blueprint to cut spending," 参议院多数党领袖里德提出一份削减开支的蓝图。 "Classified blueprints of German's new foreign intelligence headquarters were stolen," 德国新情报总部的设计蓝图失窃。 "The South Korean government finalized a blueprint to create an ecological tourism belt," 韩国政府最后确定了建立一个生态旅游带的蓝图。好的,今天我们学习的词是blueprint...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-12#322
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是time-honored。 Time-honored, 历史悠久的,经过时间检验的。"The startup company relied on time-honored principles to grow its business," 这家新开办的公司依靠久经检验的商业原则,扩大生意规模。 "Homecoming is a time-honored tradition in the United States," 校友返校是美国学校由来已久的传统。 "One of the time-honored rites of passage for teenagers is getting a driver's license," 青少年成长过程中传统上一个重要的里程碑就是考取驾照。好的,今天我们学习的词是time-honored...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-12#323
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是severe。 Severe, 严重的,严峻的。最近美国大部分地区陷入酷暑之中。 "The elderly and the young are the most vulnerable to severe heat and humidity," 老年人和小孩子是最难以承受高温和湿热天气的人群。 "It's estimated that nearly four million people in Somalia are in danger of severe malnutrition," 据估计,索马里有将近400万人面临严重的营养不良。 "The weather service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for our area," 气象预报发出警告,说本地会有暴风雨。 好的,今天我们学习的词是severe...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-12#324
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是reality TV show。 Reality TV show, 真人秀节目。美国第一夫人将参加电视真人秀的节目录制。 "First lady Michelle Obama will appear as a guest star on an ABC reality TV show," 第一夫人米歇尔将做为特邀嘉宾,参加美国广播公司一个真人秀节目的录制。 "The singer started out on a reality TV show," 这个歌星最早是参加电视真人秀起家的。 "The Bachelorette is my favorite reality TV show,"《单身女郎》是我最爱看的电视真人秀节目。好的,今天我们学习的词是reality TV show...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-14#325
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是confront。Confront, 对峙。 "Both candidates are well qualified. We're confronted with a difficult choice," 两位候选人都很合格,我们很难做选择。 "Jackie spread rumors behind my back. I've decided to confront her and see what she has to say," Jackie在背后造我的谣,我决定当面质问她,看她怎么说。

美国国防部不久前公布了第一份网络空间安全战略。 "Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta called cyberspace 'an area in which we're going to confront increasing threats in the future,'" 国防部长里奥.帕内塔称网络空间是“一个我们今后将面对越来越多威胁的领域。”好的, 今天我们学习的词是confront...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-14#326
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是meltdown。Meltdown, 彻底垮掉,崩溃。 "The movie star suffered an emotional meltdown after the divorce," 这个电影明星离婚后感情上彻底崩溃。 "A new study finds that Hispanics suffered the most by the meltdown in the housing market," 一项最新研究显示,房地产市场崩溃,拉美裔损失最严重。好莱坞女星克里斯汀.卡瓦拉瑞上星期宣布取消婚约。 "Kristin Cavallari modeled in a wedding dress just days before her engagement meltdown," 取消婚约前几天,克里斯汀刚刚做过婚纱模特。好的, 今天我们学习的词是meltdown...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-14#327
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是retrace。 Retrace, 有回顾,追溯的意思。有导演决定将去年33名智利矿工被困69天的故事搬上银幕。 "The movie will retrace how the workers got trapped underground and the amazing rescue efforts that saved their lives," 电影将追述矿工们如何被困在地下,以及最终挽救他们生命的援救努力。昨天出去跑步,不小心把钥匙给丢了。 "I had to retrace my steps for almost a mile before I finally found my keys," 我按原路往回走了将近一英里,才最后找到掉在路上的钥匙。好的,今天我们学习的词是retrace...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-18#328
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是get hitched。 Get hitched, 意思是结婚。 "Late night talk show host David Letterman revealed that he and his long time girl friend got hitched," 晚间脱口秀主持人大卫.莱特曼透露,他跟自己多年的女友登记结婚了。 "Letterman is not the only celebrity who got hitched recently," 莱特曼不是最近唯一一位结婚的名人。 "Hollywood movie star Bruce Willis also got hitched to his model girl friend Emma Heming," 好莱坞电影明星布鲁斯.威利斯跟模特儿女友艾玛.赫明结婚了。好的,今天我们学习的词是get hitched...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-18#329
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是anniversary。 Anniversary是周年纪念,周年纪念日的意思。生活中有些日子是绝对不能忘记的。比如说 "wedding anniversary," 结婚纪念日,再比如"anniversary of his death," 指某人的祭日。
美国电影巨片星球大战1977年5月25号首映,多年来一直吸引着无数的忠实影迷。媒体报道说,"Star Wars fans everywhere will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie's release," 意思是各地的星球大战的“粉丝们”都在庆祝影片首映30周年。今天我们学习的词儿是anniversary...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-18#330
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是stick it out。 Stick it out的意思是忍受下来、坚持到底。 美国中西部的几个州遭受暴风雪袭击, 有报道说, 有30多万家住户和商家断电,许多人在黑暗的房子里忍耐坚持着 - Many of them stuck it out in darkened homes after a winter storm。
人们在遇到困难的时候,往往不能轻言放弃,而是要坚持到底。比如你不喜欢学数学,可是数学是必修课,你就要坚持下去, "You have to stick it out, because math is a required course." 还有你可能不喜欢你的工作,可是必须养家糊口, 那你也只好忍受下来 - stick it out。今天我们学习的词组是stick it out...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-18#331
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是cope with。 To cope with,处理,对付。挪威7月22日发生
致命袭击事件后, "The country is struggling to cope with the tragedy," 整个国家努力应对这场悲剧。金融危机期间, "A lot of companies are trying to cut positions to cope with losses from slow sales," 很多公司通过裁员来应付销售疲软。美国官员最近说, "Washington is confident that Iraqi forces can cope with the challenges their country is facing after U.S. forces withdraw," 美国撤军后,伊拉克部队能应付伊拉克面对的挑战,美国政府对此有信心。好的, 今天我们学习的词是cope with...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-23#332
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是energetic。Energetic, 精力充沛的,有活力的。医生常说,睡眠对人体很重要。"People who sleep well feel more energetic during the day and are more productive at work," 睡眠质量越好,白天精力越充沛,工作效率也越高。有研究显示, "People who participate in start-up businesses are most likely to be energetic," 参与创业的人往往精力最充沛。钢琴演奏家朗朗的演奏向来充满活力, "Langlang's piano performance is always very energetic," 好的, 今天我们学习的词是energetic...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-23#333
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是unemployment benefits。 Unemployment benefits, 失业救济金。 "Florida is getting ready to make some big changes to its unemployment benefits program," 佛罗里达州准备对该州的失业救济金项目进行大幅改革。 "President Obama is seeking Congressional support to extend emergency unemployment benefits that are due to expire in December," 美国总统奥巴马寻求国会支持,延长12月即将失效的紧急失业救济金项目。好的, 今天我们学习的词是unemployment benefits...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-23#334
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是efficient。 Efficient, 效率高的。最近研究发现, "Efficient people don't strive to get everything done perfectly; they only focus on the most important projects," 高效律的人并不把每一件事都做到完美无缺,而是将精力集中在最重要的项目上。 "The community is encouraging residents to use energy efficient bulbs in order to reduce utility spending," 社区鼓励居民使用节能灯泡,降低能耗支出。 "American Airlines is buying hundreds of new fuel-efficient aircraft," 美国航空公司正在购买几百架节能飞机。好的, 今天我们学习的词是efficient

故乡的云 : 2011-08-23#335
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是due to。 Due to, 作为一个词组,意思是由于,因为。最近有研究显示,美国穆斯林乐观情绪上升,研究作者说, "The change in outlook may be due to improved economic conditions in the Muslim community," 乐观情绪上扬可能是因为穆斯林社群的经济状况有所改善。 "The Iraqi government declared its first-ever 'heat day' due to soaring temperatures and sent public sector workers home," 高温天气使伊拉克政府首次宣布“热浪日”,并允许公务员回家。 "Experts say the famine across the Horn of Africa is partly due to climate change," 专家说,非洲之角的饥荒部分原因是气候变化。好的, 今天我们学习的词是due to

故乡的云 : 2011-08-26#336
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是savvy。Savvy, 机智的,聪明的。 "Savvy job hunters use the social networking site LinkedIn to gain all kinds of information," 经验丰富的求职者通过职业社交网站Linkedin获取各种信息。
我们可以在savvy前面加上一个特定范围,形容一个人在某一方面很在行。比如: "My friend Jack is really computer savvy," 我朋友Jack对电脑特别在行。 "More and more companies are relying on group discount web sites to connect with tech-savvy consumers," 越来越多的公司通过团购网站,更好地为精通上网的顾客服务。好的, 今天我们学习的词是savvy...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-26#337
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是affluent。Affluent, 富裕的。 "A new WHO study suggests that affluent countries tend to have higher rates of depression than lower-income nations," 世卫组织一项新研究显示,富裕国家与收入较低国家相比,国民更容易产生抑郁情绪。 "According to a recent survey, affluent households are no longer feeling confident about economic conditions in the United States," 最近一项调查显示,富裕家庭对美国经济的信心有所下降。

在如今这个数字化社会里, "The vast majority of affluent Americans still get information from print newspapers," 大部分富裕美国人仍从报纸上获取信息。好的,今天我们学习的词是affluent...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-26#338
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是unemployment benefits。 Unemployment benefits, 失业救济金。 "Florida is getting ready to make some big changes to its unemployment benefits program," 佛罗里达州准备对该州的失业救济金项目进行大幅改革。 "President Obama is seeking Congressional support to extend emergency unemployment benefits that are due to expire in December," 美国总统奥巴马寻求国会支持,延长12月即将失效的紧急失业救济金项目。好的, 今天我们学习的词是unemployment benefits...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-26#339
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是efficient。 Efficient, 效率高的。最近研究发现, "Efficient people don't strive to get everything done perfectly; they only focus on the most important projects," 高效律的人并不把每一件事都做到完美无缺,而是将精力集中在最重要的项目上。 "The community is encouraging residents to use energy efficient bulbs in order to reduce utility spending," 社区鼓励居民使用节能灯泡,降低能耗支出。 "American Airlines is buying hundreds of new fuel-efficient aircraft," 美国航空公司正在购买几百架节能飞机。好的, 今天我们学习的词是efficient

故乡的云 : 2011-08-29#340
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是appoint。 Appoint, 作为动词,是任命的意思。 "Turkey appointed its new military chiefs," 土耳其政府任命了新的军事领导人。 "EU's foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton appointed three new directors in the European External Action Service," 欧盟外长凯瑟琳.阿什顿任命三人担当欧盟对外事务部负责人。 "Thailand appointed Thaksin's sister as the country's first female prime minister," 泰国任命他信的妹妹为泰国第一位女总理。 "The University appointed a new dean for its School of International Relations," 这所大学刚给国际关系学院任命了一位新院长。 好的, 今天我们学习的词是appoin...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-29#341
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是overdue。 Overdue, 过期的,延误的。 "The book is two weeks overdue," 这本书已经过期两周了。 "Boeing will finally deliver the 787 Dreamliner, to Japan's All Nippon Airways, three years overdue," 延迟三年后,波音公司终于准备向日本全日空运送波音787梦想客机。 "The District of Columbia is offering an amnesty on late fines for traffic violators in the hope that this will give people incentive to pay their overdue tickets," 华盛顿特区宣布免除交通罚单的过期费用,希望这样做能鼓励大家交付过期未付的罚款。好的, 今天我们学习的词是overdue...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-31#342
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是undergo。 Undergo, 是动词, 有经历、承受的意思。委内瑞拉总统查韦斯在古巴接受手术,治疗癌症。 "Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez underwent surgery in Cuba to treat cancer," 很多阿拉伯国家目前都在经历一个政治变革的时期。 "Many Arab countries are undergoing a period of political transformation," 美国一家法院认为杀害自己女儿的年轻妈妈凯西.安东尼患有精神疾病。 "Casey Anthony is about to undergo some major mental health treatments," 凯西.安东尼将接受精神健康方面的治疗。好的, 今天我们学习的词是undergo...

故乡的云 : 2011-08-31#343
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是compulsion。 Compulsion, 可以用来指自身难以控制的冲动。最近一项研究发现,智能手机用户查看手机频率高达平均每天34次。 "Experts say the 'checking habit' has almost become a compulsion," 专家说,这种频繁查手机的习惯已经几乎变成了一种控制不住的行为。 "Scottish researchers linked western compulsion to consume an increasing amount of fatty foods and alcohol with climatic conditions," 苏格兰研究人员说,西方人不由自主想要摄取高热量食物和酒精的欲望与气候条件有关。好的,今天我们学习的词是compulsion...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-05#344
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tipping point。 Tipping point, 是指变化一触即发的临界点。 "Experts warned that a bankruptcy of one of Detroit's Big Three could create a 'tipping point' that will bring the entire industry to a halt," 专家警告说,美国三大汽车制造厂商里任何一家的破产都可能成为引爆点,使整个汽车工业陷入停顿。世界银行行长佐利克不久前表示, "Many developing countries are now at a dangerous tipping point," 很多发展中国家目前都处于一个十分危险的临界点上。好的,今天我们学习的词是tipping point...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-05#345
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是gimmick。 Gimmick 是诡计、花招的意思。A political gimmick, 就是政治花招。"A publicity gimmick," 就是公关的伎俩。"They give away free gifts as a marketing gimmick," 他们免费赠送礼物,作为一种推销的手段。
油价的攀升给消费者带来了很大的压力。美国民主党总统参选人希拉里.克林顿建议,夏天暂时取消汽油税,引起了对手巴拉克.奥巴马的批判。"Obama called it a 'classic Washington gimmick,'" 奥巴马说这是“典型的华盛顿政客的伎俩”。好的,今天我们学习的词是gimmick...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-05#346
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hangover。 Hangover, 是宿醉的意思。"I have a nasty hangover this morning from the party last night," 昨天晚上开派对喝多了,今天早上特别难受。你知道吗,"Dark drinks like bourbon or red wine make for a worse hangover compared to lighter drinks like vodka or gin," 波本和红葡萄酒这类颜色较深的酒比伏特加或杜松子这种颜色较浅的酒更容易引起宿醉。
咖啡能解酒吗?答案是否定的。"Coffee leads to more dehydration and can make your hangover worse," 咖啡会导致进一步脱水,加重宿醉的程度。好的,今天我们学习的词是hangover...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-08#347
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是snag。Snag的原意是暗礁。一艘船碰到暗礁就搁浅了。所以, snag也就是障碍;什么东西卡住了,动不了了。一个新电影在华盛顿首次演出,来了许多电影明星。报纸报导说:"Then there was the traffic snag for the premiere," 电影首次演出造成交通堵塞。
共和党想通过国会正式任命John Bolton为驻联合国大使,但是受到阻挠 -- Republican efforts to confirm Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations hit a snag。一个年轻人看见一辆他梦寐以求的跑车,但是,His plan to buy that dream car hit a snag,因为银行不给他贷款。I run into a snag while shopping last night,昨晚我买东西没买成,因为忘了钱包。今天学的一个词是snag...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-08#348
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是Black Friday,B-l-a-c-k F-r-i-d-a-y。美国人把感恩节过后的星期五称作Black Friday -- 黑色星期五。为什么呢?因为美国商店在这天总是会提早开门、减价促销 ,代表圣诞采购季节的开始,美国人则纷纷上街抢购圣诞礼物。即使平时赔钱的商家这一天也会转亏为盈。黑色在这里代表的是财务状况进入佳境,而不是灰暗的意思。
不过呢,用在别的地方,black的确有黑暗不祥的意思。美国历史上股市崩盘的灾难性的日子都被称为黑色。比如1869年9月24号星期五,美国黄金市场大跌波及股市 -- 人称Black Friday。还比如1929年10月29日的黑色星期二 -- Black Tuesday,美国股价暴跌,国家从此陷入经济大萧条。今天学的词组是Black Friday...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-08#349
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是moonlight。Moon是月亮, moonlight是月光。许多人都熟悉贝多芬的月光奏鸣曲,"Moonlight Sonata." 作为动词,moonlight的意思是从事第二职业, 也就是除了有份全职工作以外, 晚上还要出去打工。
据美国劳工统计局公布的数字, 美国工人中有百分之五以上的人从事第二职业, "More than five percent of U.S. workers moonlight." 美国人兼职大都是为了增加收入,"They moonlight to make more money," 不过这也意味着双倍的压力,"Moonlighting can double the pressure." 今天我们学习的词组是moonlight...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-08#350
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是gimmick。 Gimmick 是诡计、花招的意思。A political gimmick, 就是政治花招。"A publicity gimmick," 就是公关的伎俩。"They give away free gifts as a marketing gimmick," 他们免费赠送礼物,作为一种推销的手段。
油价的攀升给消费者带来了很大的压力。美国民主党总统参选人希拉里.克林顿建议,夏天暂时取消汽油税,引起了对手巴拉克.奥巴马的批判。"Obama called it a 'classic Washington gimmick,'" 奥巴马说这是“典型的华盛顿政客的伎俩”。好的,今天我们学习的词是gimmick...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-08#351
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tipping point。 Tipping point, 是指变化一触即发的临界点。 "Experts warned that a bankruptcy of one of Detroit's Big Three could create a 'tipping point' that will bring the entire industry to a halt," 专家警告说,美国三大汽车制造厂商里任何一家的破产都可能成为引爆点,使整个汽车工业陷入停顿。世界银行行长佐利克不久前表示, "Many developing countries are now at a dangerous tipping point," 很多发展中国家目前都处于一个十分危险的临界点上。好的,今天我们学习的词是tipping point...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-14#352
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是consolidate。 Consolidate, 巩固。 "The White House has been pressing Pakistan to conduct an offensive against Taliban in the tribal area, but Pakistan insists it has to consolidate other military gains first," 白宫一直向巴基斯坦施压,要求在部落地区进行一次反塔利班围剿,但巴基斯坦表示,他们需要首先巩固其他地区的军事成果。 "The Department of Defense will hire more cyber-security experts to consolidate cyber safety," 国防部将雇佣更多网络安全专家,以巩固网络安全。好的, 今天我们学习的词是consolidate...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-14#353
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是volatile。 Volatile, 不稳定的,动荡的。 "Wall Street ended a volatile week of trading," 华尔街股票交易结束了动荡的一周。 "With Europe's debt crisis and America's debt rating downgraded, global stock markets traded in volatile sessions," 人们担忧欧洲债务危机和美国评级下降,全球股票市场交易动荡。 "As the U.S. stock market continued its volatile ride, technology giant Apple has become the most valuable company in the world," 美国股市大幅动荡的同时,科技巨头苹果公司成为全世界市值最高的公司。好的,今天我们学习的词是volatile...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-29#354
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要讲的英语词是kick-off。 Kick-off不就是足球比赛时踢的第一个球吗?没错,但这是kick-off的原始意思,现在kick-off也可以指任何事情的开始。今天开始的是什么事呢?今天我们开始播出"学个词"这个新节目。We kick-off the new program "Learn A Word" today.
竞选官职的候选人往往以发表讲话来开始竞选活动。Candidates kick off their campaigns with a speech. 有的美国学生学期开始先开个party。Students kick-off the semester with a party! 我们则以讲解kick-off这个词来开始我们的新节目。We kick-off our program by teaching the word kick-off.今天学的词是kick-off...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-29#355
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是spike。Spike是一种大钉子,比如铁路枕木上的道钉。Spike也有突然增加的意思。比如利率突然提高 - interest rate spikes; 腐败案件突然增多 - corruption cases spiked。 那么说到腐败,美国政府官员腐败活动近年来突显猖獗。
两年来共有一千多名联邦、州和地方政府的雇员被法院判定犯有腐败罪。其中包括来自加州的共和党议员卡宁汉因受贿两百四十万美元被判处八年零四个月的徒刑。 有报道认为腐败案增多跟联邦调查局的铁腕政策有关:"Corruption cases spiked because of FBI investigation," 意思是FBI全力调查导致腐败案件猛增。今天学的词组是spike...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-29#356
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

我们今天要学的词是mourn 。Mourn的意思是哀悼,悼念。在9/11袭击周年之际,《纽约时报》说:"Bush mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. remembers," 布什总统在世贸大楼旧址和纽约民众一同悼念9/11死难者。
但是对于一些死难者家属来说,失去亲人是永远的伤痛:"Some of the victims's families will never stop mourning their loved ones." 对于我们来说,最好的悼念方式让世界更安全:"One way to mourn victims of terrorist attacks is to try ourselves to make this world a safer place." 我们今天学的词是mourn...

故乡的云 : 2011-09-29#357
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是erupt。 Erupt, 爆发。 "The governor's aid resigned from her post after the scandal erupted," 丑闻曝光后,州长助理宣布辞职。 "Britain announced new measures to restore order and prevent the riots from erupting again," 英国宣布新措施,设法恢复社会治安,并防止骚乱再次爆发。 "An undersea volcano off the Oregon coast erupted recently," 靠近俄勒冈州海岸的一个海底火山最近爆发。 "Eleven people were detained after conflict erupted in the West Bank," 约旦河西岸发生冲突,造成11人被拘留。好的, 今天我们学习的词是erupt...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#358
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是announce。Announce, 宣布。苹果公司宣布iPhone5即将上市。 "Apple announced that it will be introducing the new features of the iPhone 5 on October 4th," 苹果公司宣布,10月4日正式介绍iPhone 5的新功能。 "After months of speculation, Amazon announced it's new Kindle Fire, a tablet with a $199 price tag," 经过数月的等待,亚马逊公司宣布,平板电脑Kindle Fire即将上市,售价199美元。 "U.S. insurance companies announced that health care benefit costs will go up 5.4% next year," 美国的保险业公司宣布,明年的健康保险费用将上涨5.4%。好的,今天我们学习的词是announce...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#359
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是absorb。Absorb, 吸收,吸纳。最新调查显示,美国明年的保险费用可能要上涨5.4%。 "Due to the current economic condition, most companies say it's too much for them to absorb," 鉴于目前经济形势的低迷,很多公司都表示,这种涨幅对他们来说负担过重。 "New research shows that our planet's deep oceans are able to absorb enough heat to mask the effect of global warming for as long as a decade," 一项最新研究显示,地球深海能在未来十年内吸收足够热量,掩盖全球大气变暖的效应。好的,今天我们学习的词是absorb...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#360
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是long-awaited。 Long-awaited, 意思是外界期待已久的。不久前, "President Obama laid out his long-awaited jobs plan for the US economy," 美国总统奥巴马公布了外界期待已久的增加就业的计划,以推动美国经济。 "Google introduced its long-awaited flight search engine last week," 谷歌上星期推出了外界期待已久的航班搜索的服务功能。 "NASA unveiled the long-awaited design of a super-sized

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#361
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是be endowed with。 Be endowed with, 天赋。2011年环球小姐出炉,来自安哥拉的莱拉.洛佩兹勇夺桂冠。在回答问题时,她说, "She considers herself a woman endowed with inner beauty," 她认为自己天生拥有一种内在美。 "Africa is well endowed with energy resources that remain to be fully exploited," 非洲能源资源丰富,但是还有待全面开发和利用。 "The billionaire was endowed with an inventive mind and a generous heart," 这位亿万富翁拥有发明的天赋和一颗乐善好施的心。好的,今天我们学习的词是be endowed with...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#362
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

我们要学的词是tie the knot。 Tie the knot, 结婚。 "A small number of college students choose to tie the knot before they graduate," 一部分大学生选择在毕业之前结婚。 "Gay and lesbian couples raced to tie the knot as soon as New York state approved same-sex marriage," 纽约州批准同性婚姻后,许多同性恋争先恐后去注册结婚。 "A lot of interracial couples wish to embrace traditions from both sides when they tie the knot," 许多来自不同种族的伴侣希望结婚时能包含双方的传统习俗。好的, 今天我们学习的词是tie the knot...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#363
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是capacity。 Capacity, 容量。 "The stadium was near capacity for last night's season opener," 昨晚赛季首场比赛,几乎座无虚席。 "The campus housing has reached its capacity," 学校宿舍已经满员。 "The Beijing Capital International Airport has an annual capacity of 75 million passengers," 北京首都国际机场的旅客容量是每年7千5百万人次。 "AT&T is enhancing its mobile broadband wireless capacity in some areas," 美国电话电报公司AT&T正在扩大某些区域的移动宽带网络流量。好的,今天我们学习的词是capacity...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#364
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是career path。 Career path, 职业生涯。求职顾问建议大家尝试不同种类的工作。 "Having a nonlinear career path can make you more interesting to potential employers," 有非直线职业生涯的人在雇人老板眼里更有吸引力。 "According to a new study by the UK Office for National Statistics, the birth month of infants can indicate what career path they will take in the future," 英国国家统计局的一项研究发现,出生月份将决定一个人未来的职业发展方向。好的,今天我们学习的词是career path...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#365
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hike。 Hike, 意思是猛增,大幅度提高。加州政府预算不足,导致加州州立大学学费猛增。 "The University of California system is looking at possible tuition hikes of up to 16% in the fall of 2012," 加州大学系统正在考虑2012年秋季大幅度上调学费,最多可能会增加16%。 "Netflix shares plummeted as subscribers left the service after its 60% price hike," 影视租赁公司Netflix大幅提高收费价格60%后,很多订户退订,造成该公司股价暴跌。 "President Obama announced a tax hike proposal for the wealthy," 美国总统奥巴马宣布了一项给富人大幅度加税的提案。好的,今天我们学习的词是hike

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#366
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是alleviate。 Alleviate, 减轻,缓和。 "Central banks in
Europe are trying to alleviate market pressures by acting collectively," 欧洲各国的中央银行试图通过合作,来减轻市场压力。 "The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is calling on all 57 members to donate funds to alleviate the ongoing famine in Somalia," 伊斯兰合作组织呼吁57个成员国捐款,以缓解索马里目前的持续饥荒。 "A proper amount of exercise can alleviate stress or depression," 适量运动有利于缓解压力或者精神抑郁。好的,今天我们学习的词是alleviate...

故乡的云 : 2011-10-23#367
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是。 Initiative, 新方案,倡议。澳大利亚政府最近在护照的性别选择上,加上了一个indeterminate不确定。有关官员说, "This initiative is in line with the Australian Government's commitment to remove all gender discrimination," 这个新方案符合澳大利亚政府希望消除性别歧视的承诺。

美国前总统布什宣布了一项新方案。 "The new initiative aims to prevent and treat cervical and breast cancer in developing nations," 这项新倡议目的是要在发展中国家预防和治疗宫颈癌和乳腺癌。好的,今天我们学习的词是initiative...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-11#368
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是off the charts。 Chart, 是表格的意思,off the charts,不在表格上了,意思是超常。 "The band's popularity among teenagers is off the charts," 这个乐队特别受青少年欢迎。

研 究发现,医护人员容易患抑郁症,因为他们工作时间不规律,而且 "Their stress levels can be off the charts," 他们承受的压力也过大。我们还可以把这三个词用hyphen, 连字符连接起来,作为形容词。比如: "The Washington Redskins are having an off-the-charts season," 美国首都华盛顿的橄榄球队红人队这个赛季表现特别好。好的,今天我们学习的词是off the charts...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-11#369
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tainted。 Tainted, 受污染的。最近美国出现了一起食品中毒事件。 "13 people have died from eating tainted cantaloupes," 13人因食用受污染的哈蜜瓜而死亡。与此同时,美国市场上一些牛肉馅也出了问题。 "131-thousand pounds of ground beef was recalled because it was possibly tainted with E-Coli," 13万1千磅牛肉馅被召回,因为这些肉馅可能受了大肠杆菌的污染。不仅食物可以被污染,声望也可以带上污点。 "Former IMF Chief Strauss-Kahn's reputation was tainted after the sex-assault scandal," 性侵犯丑闻过后,前国际货币基金组织总裁斯特劳斯.凯恩的名誉尽损。好的,今天我们学习的词是tainted...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-11#370
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是steer。 Steer, 是掌舵,引领的意思。比如: "The newly appointed CEO promised to steer the company back to success," 新上任的首席执行官保证带领公司重新走向成功。占领华尔街运动的示威者说, "Their purpose is to steer their own country away from economic inequality and corporate greed," 他们的目的是引领美国摆脱贫富不均和大企业的贪婪。波兰前总统瓦文萨宣布,准备前往纽约支持占领华尔街行动, "Mr. Walensa helped steer his country towards a free-market economy," 瓦文萨曾带领波兰走上了自由市场经济的道路。好的,今天我们学习的词是steer...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-11#371
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是declare。 Declare, 正式宣布,声明的意思,通常用在一些重大事件上。 "Libya's de facto leadership said they expected to declare the liberation of Libya in less than a week," 利比亚事实上的领导层表示,他们预期一星期内宣布利比亚解放。虽然泰国正在遭受几十年来最严重的洪灾, "Thailand's government said it's not going to declare a state of emergency," 泰国政府表示,不会宣布国家进行紧急状态。 "Fans declared October 14th 'Steve Jobs Day' as a tribute to Apple's co-founder," 苹果产品的粉丝宣布,10月14号是“史蒂夫.乔布斯日”,以纪念这位苹果公司的联合创始人。 好的,今天我们学习的词是declare...

tyhjh栀子花开 : 2011-11-11#372
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

跟进学习

故乡的云 : 2011-11-15#373
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hit-and-run。 Hit-and-run, 是肇事逃逸的意思。最近发生的小悦悦事件让人心痛。"The little girl was badly injured in two successive hit-and-run incidents," 两个司机先后肇事逃逸,孩子身受重伤。 "The police are investigating a hit-and-run accident that happened this morning," 警方正在调查今早发生的一起肇事逃逸案。 "In general, hit-and-run drivers will receive severe punishments," 通常来说,肇事逃逸司机将会面临严重的惩罚。好的,今天我们学习的词是hit-and-run... .

故乡的云 : 2011-11-15#374
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

席卷东南亚地区的洪灾正逼近泰国首都曼谷。 "Areas in Bangkok were told to brace for severe flooding," 曼谷部分地区接到通知,要他们为洪灾做好准备。澳大利亚经济学家警告全球零售商,由于消费者预算下降, "Retailers should brace for a subdued Christmas shopping season this year," 今年零售商要为应对一个疲软的圣诞消费季节做好准备。好的,今天我们学习的词是brace for...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-23#375
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是outweigh。 Outweigh, 意思是超过,更为重要。以色列国防部长认为,阿拉伯春天带来的威胁超过了它可能带来的机遇。 "He thinks the threats and regional turmoil resulting from the 'Arab spring' outweigh potential opportunities," 酒精对身体有好处也有害处。但是最近的一项研究认为, "The harmful effects of alcohol outweigh its benefits," 酒精对身体的害处超过了它带来的益处。

很多纽约人都不开车。 "In a big city such as New York, the disadvantages of owning a car outweigh the advantages," 在纽约这样的大城市里,养车的弊端超过了开车带来的便利。 好的,今天我们学习的词是outweigh...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-23#376
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是payroll。Payroll, 意思是员工名单。 "The company has a short payroll," 这家公司员工人数不多。 "U.S. private sector payrolls rose 110,000 in October," 美国私营企业10月份增加了11万个工作职位。 "Bank of America is going to cut its payroll by 30,000," 美国银行将削减3万个职位。在最近一次查找幽灵员工的行动中, "Officials found a one-month-old baby's name on the Nigerian government's payroll," 有关官员在尼日利亚政府的雇员名单上,发现了一个只有一个月大的孩子。好的,今天我们学习的词是payroll...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-23#377
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是at the expense of。At the expense of, 意思是以某件事或者某个人为代价。沸沸扬扬的占领华尔街运动继续在美国各大城市上演。 "Protesters accused the richest 1 % of accumulating their wealth at the expense of the remaining 99 percent," 示威者指责说,全美最富有的1%的人以其他99%的人为代价聚集财富。美国国防部将在未来10年内缩减开支,不过, "Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the budget cuts won’t come at the expense of U.S. power in the Pacific," 国防部长帕内塔表示,预算削减不会以降低美国在太平洋地区的实力为代价。好的,今天我们学习的词是at the expense of...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-23#378
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是write off。Write off, 有取消、勾销债款的意思。负债累累的希腊无法偿还所有贷款, "Private banks agreed to write off 50% of Greek debt last week," 上星期,私营银行同意勾销希腊50%的负债。奥巴马政府推出新的"pay as you can"助学贷款计划,其中规定, "After 20 years of payments, any remaining balance would be written off," 付款20年之后,将不必再偿还剩余款项。如果你是自己开公司的话,那么报税时,"You can write the computer off as a business expense," 你的电脑可以按商业成本抵税。好的,今天我们学习的词是write off...


故乡的云 : 2011-11-23#379
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是virtual。Virtual, 虚拟的,模拟的。美国和伊朗没有正式外交关系,不过美国国务卿希拉里.克林顿表示, "The United States plans to open a virtual embassy for Iran by the end of this year," 美国计划今年年底以前开设一个虚拟的美国驻伊朗网上大使馆。研究人员最近对网上虚拟大学的教学水平提出质疑。 "Experts at the University of Colorado asserted that full-time virtual schools are largely unregulated," 科罗拉多大学的专家认为,全日制网上学校很大程度上不够规范。 "A lot of websites now provide virtual assistants to help customers with what they want," 现在很多网站提供虚拟助手,满足顾客的需要。好的,今天我们学习的词是virtual...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-23#380
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是vow。Vow, 动词,是誓言的意思。穆迪评级机构警告说,可能在未来三个月内降低法国的信用评级。 "France has vowed to defend its AAA credit rating," 法国誓言,将捍卫本国的3A信用评级。

希腊政府初步通过银根紧缩方案,在希腊国内引起了大范围的抗议示威活动。 "Protesters vowed to bring Greece to a standstill," 示威者誓言将让希腊社会陷于停顿。占领华尔街运动的示威者誓言将让抗议示威活动蔓延到其他城市去,"Wall Street protesters vow to spread the rally to other cities." 好的,今天我们学习的词是vow...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-23#381
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是phase out。 Phase out, 是逐步结束的意思。世界上最年轻的国家南苏丹独立后宣布,学校教育将逐步淘汰阿拉伯语,改用英语教学。 "The government of South Sudan announced it will phase out Arabic-language instruction in its schools in favor of English," 共和党总统参选人罗恩.保罗希望逐步淘汰联邦学生贷款,认为这是一个失败的项目。 "Republican presidential contender Ron Paul said he wants to phase out federal student loans, calling it a failed program," 利比亚前领导人卡扎菲死后,NATO is expected to phase out its Libya mission. 预计北约将逐步结束利比亚行动。好的,今天我们学习的词是phase out...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-24#382
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是fetch。 Fetch, 是指某件物品能够卖多少价钱的意思。最近珠宝开发人员在南非发现了罕见的日落黄钻石。 "The Sun-Drop Diamond discovered in South Africa is expected to fetch $15 million when it goes to auction," 在南非发现的日落黄钻石预计在拍卖中价值能够达到1500万美元。 "A pair of silk pajamas and a bed once used by Michael Jackson fetched □,700 at an auction in Ireland," 在爱尔兰的一次拍卖会上,麦克尔.杰克逊的一套真丝睡衣和一张床卖到了7千7百欧元。 "The ivory lace gown that Audrey Hepburn wore to collect her Oscar for Roman Holiday is set to fetch □0,000 at auction," 赫本在奥斯卡颁奖典礼上曾经穿过的象牙色蕾丝长裙售价将高达6万欧元。好的,今天我们学习的词是fetch...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-24#383
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是like-minded。 Like-minded, 意思是想法和目标相同的。维基解密的创始人阿桑奇频频登上新闻头条。 "He founded WikiLeaks with a group of like-minded people in 2006," 他在2006年与一群志向相似的人共同创办了维基解秘。 "Occupy Washington protesters encourage like-minded people to join them on the street," 占领华盛顿的示威者们邀请跟他们目标一致的人加入他们的行列。 "The speed dating agency brings like-minded single people together for social events," 这家速配机构给志同道合的单身男女创造社交的机会。好的,今天我们学习的词是like-minded...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-24#384
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是implement。 Implement, 实施,执行。希腊出人意料地决定就紧急援助计划进行全民公投,尽管如此, "IMF director Christine Lagarde has urged European Union leaders to implement the agreed-upon Greek bailout plan," 国际货币基金组织总裁拉加德还是敦促欧盟领导人实施业已达成的希腊救助计划。

阿拉巴马州新的移民法引起了极大的争议。美国国土安全部部长 表示,"The Department of Homeland Security will not help implement the new anti-immigration law," 国土安全部不会协助该州实施这个反移民法律。好的,今天我们学习的词是implement...

lvtown : 2011-11-25#385
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb10::wdb45:很佩服版主的毅力,贵在坚持!

tretr : 2011-11-26#386
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

也来

故乡的云 : 2011-11-28#387
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是dry up。 Dry up, 意思是耗尽,用光。今年年初开始的阿拉伯革命目前的焦点集中在叙利亚,随着西方国家的制裁,"As cash starts to dry up, more Syrians see that the current regime is not sustainable," 随着政府资金被耗尽,越来越多的叙利亚人意识到目前的政权难以为继。维基解秘网站由于资金不足,暂时停止了发布解密文件。 "Wikileaks ended its publication of leaked documents after funds dried up," 加拿大中央银行行长最近表示," Global liquidity is about to dry up again, and the real economy will soon feel the impact," 全球资产将再次耗尽,经济体将很快受到影响。好的,今天我们学习的词是dry up.....

故乡的云 : 2011-11-28#388
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是pave the way for。Pave the way for, 为某事铺平道路,做好准备。 执政长达17年的贝卢斯科尼上个星期六辞去总理职务。"Berlusconi's resignation paves the way for a new administration more willing to pass the much-needed fiscal reforms," 贝卢斯科尼的辞职为成立一个推动金融改革的新政府扫清了道路。 "The Arab League decided to suspend Syria's membership, which could pave the way for military action in Syria," 阿拉伯联盟决定终止叙利亚的成员国资格,为对叙利亚进行军事干预扫清了道路。 好的,今天我们学习的词是pave the way for...

故乡的云 : 2011-11-28#389
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是dismantle。 Dismantle, 意思是废除,拆除。在亚太经合会议上,美国欢迎日本加入环太平洋贸易区,但是表示"Tokyo must be ready to dismantle trade barriers," 东京方面必须准备好废除贸易壁垒。 "Phoenix police dismantled a billion dollar drug ring that smuggled more than 330 tons of narcotics over the past 17 months," 凤凰城警方破获了一个数十亿美元的贩毒团伙,这个组织在过去17个月内走私了330多吨麻醉毒品。 "The US government called on Pakistan to dismantle Taliban safe havens inside the country," 美国政府呼吁巴基斯坦打碎国内的塔利班避风港。好的,今天我们学习的词是dismantle...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-02#390
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是slowdown。 Slowdown, 名词, 有放缓的意思。日本中央银行最近宣布,经济增长速度有所下降。 "Japan's economic activity is growing at a more moderate pace, mainly due to the effect of a slowdown in overseas economies," 日本经济增长缓和,主要是由于海外经济体活动放缓。

经 济合作与发展组织预测说,世界上所有主要经济体都无法逃脱增长放缓的命运, "OECD said that none of the world's major economies will escape a slowdown." 由于东南亚国家遭受洪水而停止生产零件。 "Honda plants will continue to experience a slowdown in production," 本田汽车生产将继续放缓。好的,今天我们学习的词是slowdown...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-02#391
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是normalize。 Normalize, 意思是正常化。两个宿敌国家印度和巴基斯坦最近关系有所缓和。 "India and Pakistan have agreed to fully normalize trade, signifying a thaw in relations between the two rivals," 印度和巴基斯坦同意完全实现贸易正常化,显示这两个敌对国家的关系有所缓和。

由于东南亚国家大范围遭受洪灾而阻碍零件生产,很多大企业的生产一度受到影响。 "Toyota said it will normalize vehicle production in Japan after curbing domestic output," 本田公司表示将把日本的汽车产量恢复到正常水平。美国仍然在严重的经济危机中挣扎,专家预测, "The job market won't normalize until at least 2023," 就业市场至少要到2023年才能恢复正常。好的,今天我们学习的词是normalize...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-02#392
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是apply to。 Apply to, 意思是适用于。 泰国国王将在12月5日他的生日当天进行大赦。"The amnesty will apply to people over the age of 60 who were sentenced to less than three years in prison," 大赦的对象是年龄超过60岁、被判三年以下有期徒刑的人。

浩浩荡荡的占领华尔街运动还在继续,示威者的一个重要问题就是: "Do the same laws and regulations that apply to the 99% also apply to the rich 1%?" 最富有的1%的人口是否如同其他99%的人口一样,受到相同的法律和法规的约束?好的,今天我们学习的词是apply to...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-06#393
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是equip with。Equip with, 意思是装备有,配有。最近美国官员在美国和墨西哥边境发现了一条贩毒地道。 "The 400-meter tunnel was equipped with structural supports, electricity and a ventilation system," 这条长达400米的地道装备有钢筋骨架、电力和通风系统。 "A university study shows that students equipped with an iPad score higher than their peers in tests," 一项研究发现,拥有iPad的学生与同龄人相比考试成绩更好。 "Apple's new iPhone 4S is equipped with an intelligent assistant named Siri," 苹果的iPhone 4S 装备有智能语音助手Siri. 好的,今天我们学习的词是equip with...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-06#394
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是accelerating。Accelerating, 形容词,意思是加速的。三名美国科学家今年被授予诺贝尔物理学奖,他们发现 "The universe is expanding at an accelerating pace," 宇宙正在以加速度膨胀。 "The media industry is experiencing accelerating changes with the widespread usage of smart-phones and on-line social websites," 随着人们广泛使用智能手机和社交网站,现代媒体正在加速变化。 "With the accelerating price pressure, its hard for European banks to lower interest rates," 由于价格压力加剧,欧洲银行很难进一步降低利率。好的,今天我们学习的词是accelerating...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-12#395
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是black-tie event。 A black-tie event, 意思是要求穿正规晚礼服的正式社交活动。随着圣诞节的临近,很多公司都即将举行年终圣诞庆祝活动。 "Some of the company parties are black-tie events," 有些公司的年终庆祝派对是要求穿正规晚礼服的正式社交活动。 "Honda has raised $522,000 at its annual black-tie event for a NGO called Big Brothers Big Sisters," 本田汽车公司在一年一度的正式晚宴上为非盈利组织大哥哥大姐姐筹集到了52万两千美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是black-tie event...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-12#396
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词staple food。 Staple food, 是主食的意思。美国人刚刚过完Thanksgiving 感恩节。 "On the Thanksgiving dinner table, turkey is a staple food," 火鸡是感恩节餐桌上的主食。 "Besides turkey, sweet potatoes are also a staple food during this time of the year," 除了火鸡,甜薯也是当季主食。 "Rice and beans are staple foods in a lot of cultures," 很多国家都以豆类和大米为主食。美国市场最近物价上涨。 "Prices of staple foods such as dairy and wheat products have been on the rise," 奶制品和谷类等主食的价格不断上涨。好的,今天我们学习的词是staple food...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-12#397
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是up someone's alley。Alley, 是小径的意思,而up someone's alley意思是正合某人的胃口。今天是美国感恩节后的第一个星期一,店家在网上大打折扣,叫做网络星期一。 "If you hate walking endlessly on Black Friday, then Cyber Monday may be right up your alley," 如果你不想在黑色星期五那天去实地抢购,那么网络星期一可能正合你的胃口。 "If you love funny sitcoms, then the new show Modern Family might be right up your alley," 如果你爱看幽默的情景喜剧,那么摩登家庭可能正合你的胃口。 好的,今天我们学习的词是up someone's alley...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-21#398
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是prescription。Prescription, 名词,意思是处方。最近美国卫生和公众服务部宣布,不支持在无处方的情况下向16岁以下的女孩销售紧急避孕药。 "The Department of Health and Human Services rejected an application to sell the morning-after pill to customers under 16 without a prescription," 我们可以在prescription后面直接加drug, prescription drug 就是处方药。

最近,辉瑞公司的处方药Lipitor失去了专利权。 "Expiration of the patent for the prescription drug Lipitor led to a drastic drop in price," 处方药Lipitor的专利权过期,让这种药品的价格显著降低。好的,今天我们学习的词是 prescription...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-21#399
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是thorny。Thorn, 本身是刺的意思,而thorny, 变成形容词,意思是棘手的,富有争议的。最近美国联邦贸易委员会宣布要对facebook脸谱网站是否侵犯用户个人隐私进行调查。 "Facebook's privacy problem has always been a thorny issue," 脸谱网站的隐私设置一直是一个有争议的议题。 "In the post Cold War era, missile defense is still a thorny question in Russia-US relations," 后冷战时期,导弹防御仍然是美俄关系中的棘手议题。 "The super-committee failed to reach an agreement on the thorny deficit problem," 美国超级委员会没能就棘手的赤字问题达成一致。好的,今天我们学习的词是thorny..

故乡的云 : 2011-12-21#400
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是up someone's alley。Alley, 是小径的意思,而up someone's alley意思是正合某人的胃口。今天是美国感恩节后的第一个星期一,店家在网上大打折扣,叫做网络星期一。 "If you hate walking endlessly on Black Friday, then Cyber Monday may be right up your alley," 如果你不想在黑色星期五那天去实地抢购,那么网络星期一可能正合你的胃口。 "If you love funny sitcoms, then the new show Modern Family might be right up your alley," 如果你爱看幽默的情景喜剧,那么摩登家庭可能正合你的胃口。 好的,今天我们学习的词是up someone's alley...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-21#401
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是trump。 Trump, 动词,意思是超过。美国人力资源服务公司ADP最新公布的报告显示美国就业市场有所好转。 "The ADP report trumped expectations, with the private sector adding 206,000 jobs in November," ADP公司的报告打倒预期,显示私营企业在11月增加了20万6千个职位。

最近调查显示,英国大 多数人对自己的生活感到满意。 "Women trumped men, scoring an average of 7.8 compared with 7.5," 女性比男性更满足,平均得分7.8,高出男性的7.5。经济不景气没有影响到迪斯尼的赢利。 "Walt Disney Co.'s strong earnings trumped Wall Street expectations," 迪斯尼公司的强劲赢利超过了华尔街预期的水平。好的,今天我们学习的词是trump...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-21#402
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是to ban somebody from doing something。 To ban somebody from doing something, 意思是禁止某人做某事。美国石油巨头雪佛龙公司最近在巴西惹了麻烦。 "Following a recent oil spill inside the country, authorities in Brazil are banning Chevron from drilling," 最近发生了一次漏油事件后,巴西当局禁止雪佛龙公司在该国继续开采。

叙利亚总统阿萨德迟迟不肯下台,阿拉伯联盟宣布对该国政府实施制裁。 "The Arab League banned all its member states from financial transactions and trade with the Syrian government," 阿拉伯联盟禁止所有成员国与叙利亚政府进行金融和贸易往来。好的,今天我们学习的词是to ban somebody from doing something... ...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-23#403
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是call for。Call for, 意思是呼吁,要求。法德两国领导人呼吁欧洲大陆尽快结束债务危机。 "German and French leaders called for quick action on the continent's debt crisis," 五家国际媒体最近签署一项声明。 "Five international broadcasters condemned the jamming of their signals and called for the end of such action," 这五家国际电台对有关方面蓄意干扰它们的信号提出谴责,并呼吁停止这种行为。华尔街官员表示,应当针对金融犯罪采取进一步措施, "President Obama called for tougher financial fraud penalties," 奥巴马总统呼吁采取更严厉的措施惩罚金融犯罪。好的,今天我们学习的词是call for...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-27#404
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是exempt from. Exempt from意思是免除,免做某件事。美国总统奥巴马提倡保证劳工的最低工资和福利保障。Under current U.S. labor law, home-care workers are exempt from minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. 按照现行劳工法,家庭护工无法享受最低工资和超时工作补贴。为了鼓励小型企业,Small businesses with payrolls of less than $1.25 million are exempt from the MTA payroll tax. 员工工资总支出少于125万美元的小企业不必支付薪资税。在美国,Religious organizations are exempt from taxation. 宗教组织不必交税。好的,今天我们学习的词是exempt from...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-27#405
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是out of date。 Out of date, 意思是过时的。 "His contact information is out of date," 他的联络方式已经变了。 "Technology companies say the 25-year-old federal Internet privacy law is out of date," 高科技公司说,有关互联网隐私的联邦法律是25年制订的,已经过时了。 "The British government warned that computer lessons offered in schools are out of date," 英国政府警告说,目前学校里教授的电脑课程已经过时了。 "With all the smart phones on the market, conventional cell phones seem to be out of date," 跟智能手机相比,普通手机好象有些过时了。好的,今天我们学习的词是out of date...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-27#406
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是prescription。Prescription, 名词,意思是处方。最近美国卫生和公众服务部宣布,不支持在无处方的情况下向16岁以下的女孩销售紧急避孕药。 "The Department of Health and Human Services rejected an application to sell the morning-after pill to customers under 16 without a prescription," 我们可以在prescription后面直接加drug, prescription drug 就是处方药。

最近,辉瑞公司的处方药Lipitor失去了专利权。 "Expiration of the patent for the prescription drug Lipitor led to a drastic drop in price," 处方药Lipitor的专利权过期,让这种药品的价格显著降低。好的,今天我们学习的词是 prescription...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-30#407
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是out of shape. Out of shape意思是身体状态不佳。最近一项新研究发现,"Men who stay fit can lower their risk of dying from a heart condition by 30% as compared with those who are out of shape," 与身体状态不佳的人相比,身体素质好的人因心脏疾病死亡的机率会降低30%。

美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马一直致力于控制儿童肥胖的运动。"Michelle Obama's Child Obesity Project is dedicated to preventing children from getting out of shape by eating healthier and exercising more," 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马的抵制儿童肥胖计划旨在通过健康饮食和加强运动防止儿童肥胖。好的,今天我们学习的词是out of shape...

故乡的云 : 2011-12-30#408
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是proactive. Proactive意思是积极主动的。Facebook 脸谱网站推出最新Timeline时间表功能。有些用户担心隐私受到侵犯,社交网络专家建议说,"It's best to be proactive and make sure what people will see is what you want them to see," 用户最好采取主动,保证外人看到的是你想让他们看到的。Facebook在防止青少年自杀方面也采取了新举措。"Facebook is taking a proactive approach to people who post suicidal statuses, offering to connect them with a crisis counselor through its private chat system," 脸谱网站对那些在个人状态中表现出自杀念头的人采取主动,通过私人聊天系统帮他们跟危机咨询顾问联络。好的,今天我们学习的词是proactive...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#409
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要讲的英语词是kick-off。 Kick-off不就是足球比赛时踢的第一个球吗?没错,但这是kick-off的原始意思,现在kick-off也可以指任何事情的开始。今天开始的是什么事呢?今天我们开始播出“学个词”这个新节目。We kick-off the new program "Learn A Word" today.
  
  竞选官职的候选人往往以发表讲话来开始竞选活动。Candidates kick off their campaigns with a speech. 有的美国学生学期开始先开个party。Students kick-off the semester with a party! 我们则以讲解kick-off这个词来开始我们的新节目。We kick-off our program by teaching the word kick-off.今天学的词是kick-off...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#410
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学一个词组: up someone’s sleeve。千万不要解释为“在谁的袖子上”。Up someone’s sleeve是指某人的秘密。在报导美国国务卿秘密访问贝鲁特时,报纸说:"...if there were no secret visit up the Administration’s sleeve ...." 意思是:要是当局不进行秘密访问,那才是奇怪了。
  人们不太喜欢那种什么事都要保密的人。People dislike those who often have something up their sleeve. 但是,一个妻子为丈夫举行生日聚会而事先不告诉他--The wife has something up her sleeve for his birthday party,这丈夫当然会非常高兴。今天我们学的一个词组是up someone’s sleeve...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#411
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是:swell。Swell就是肿,打肿了脸充胖子的肿。可是,swell这个词还可以用在别的场合。美国报纸在报导以色列轰炸黎巴嫩时说,以色列同意让人道援助"...reach the swelling ranks of displaced Lebanese civilians..." - 让人道援助抵达黎巴嫩日益增长的流离失所的民众。
  Swell还能指东西的增长。美国报纸说,华盛顿地区的房价在持续五年增长后开始下降。报导的小标题说:Inventories Swell in Parts of D.C. Region.意思是:华盛顿部分地区的房屋存货正在增加。房价下降会吸引买主吗? Maybe buyers will swell.今天学的一个词是swell...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#412
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是:sideline。按字面理解,sideline就是旁边的线。这么说也没错,因为sideline实际上就是指靠边。报导说:"President Bush... must...sideline his domestic agenda to focus on world events." 也就是:布什总统必须集中注意力在世界事务上,把国内问题搁置一边。
  Sideline也可以指副业。要是我们说: John is a teacher but sidelines as a pianist in a band。意思就是:John 是一个老师,但是在一个乐队里弹钢琴作为副业。很多美国人除了正式工作外还有一个,甚至两个副业。Many Americans have one or even two sideline occupations.今天的每天一词是sideline...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#413
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组是:opt for。 Opt for就是选择。比如,美国国务卿赖斯在紧张处理中东事务后: "...opted ...for a piano recital featuring classical pieces for her performance...," 意思是她选择举行钢琴独奏会,为大家演奏古典乐曲。
  
  你是要一辆很贵的豪华轿车呢,还是一辆既便宜但又实用的车? Would you opt for an expensive luxurious car or a reasonable but practical car? 要是有机会出国留学,或有一份高工资的工作等着你,你会选择什么呢? Would you opt for further study abroad or a well-paid job? 我什么都要,行吗? No, you can opt for only one。今天学的词组是opt for...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#414
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组是:to use restraint。 Restraint就是克制,或约束。To use restraint,克制能用吗?能呀,你把to use restraint翻译成:加以克制就对了。在以色列轰炸黎巴嫩的问题上,美国媒体报导说:"...the United States has urged Israel to use restraint...," 也就是:美国敦促以色列要有所克制。
  
  有许多地方需要我们to use restraint。喝酒的时候要有克制 - to use restraint when drinking。和太太吵架的时候,对了,和先生吵架时也一样,不要出口伤人- Use restraint in uttering angry words when arguing with your wife, or husband。不克制自己是要后悔莫及的 - If you don’t use restraint, you’ll be sorry。今天学的一词组是: to use restraint...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#415
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组是:think twice。 美国大影星Mel Gibson因酗酒驾车而被捕。当地司法长官说,他希望以后Mel Gibson "would think twice before he gets behind the wheel of a car...," - 希望这位明星在开车前要三思而行。
  
  噢,think twice就是三思而行!中国人想三次,美国人只要想两次! 一个人工作懒散,但是想加工资,同事们对他说:Think twice before you go talk to the boss - 意思是:你去跟老板谈话前要三思而行。一个母亲对儿子说:"Think twice before you propose to that girl" - 向那女孩求婚前要三思而行!今天学的词组是:think twice...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#416
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是:to beat the heat。Heat是指高温;高温是不能打的,只能设法克服。美国各地热浪滚滚,《华盛顿邮报》说,一个母亲和她两岁的女儿"...try to beat the heat...by opening a window on the shady side." 意思是,母女俩为克服高温把不朝阳的一扇窗子打开。
  在汗流浃背的情况下人人各显神通。A postman used bottles of frozen water to beat the heat - 一个邮递员用冻成冰的瓶子来抵挡热浪。一个户外工人"wipes his face and dreams of ...ice cream," 他一面擦汗,一面想象自己在吃冰淇淋。You can of course jump into a swimming pool,跳进游泳池也行!今天学的词组是:to beat the heat...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#417
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是:pop up。Pop听起来就像开枪或放鞭炮那样劈啪劈啪响。古巴总统卡斯特罗的弟弟Raul在接任权力后一直没有露面。媒体报导说: "...the question keeps popping up: Where is Raul?" 也就是:人们不断在问: Raul 在哪里?
  Popping up可以用在不同场合。一个合唱团在排练过程中出现了一系列问题 - Problems kept popping up during rehearsal。 Pop up还有突然出现的意思。你全神贯注地在做功课,突然你弟弟闯进屋来大叫一声,你肯定会说:When you popped up like that, you scared me to death! 你这么突然闯进来,快把我吓死了!今天学的词组是:pop up...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#418
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学一个短句:The jury is still out。 The jury is still out不是指陪审团还在外面玩,而是指一个问题还没有结论。美国前国务卿Baker在他的回忆录中说,如果美国攻打伊拉克能使这个国家获得自由和民主,那可能还值得,但是,对于这个问题,"the jury is still out," 还没有定论。
  一个公司总裁为了一点小事把财务总管解雇。董事会说:Well, the jury is still out if that’s the right way to handle it, - 意思是:这么处理是否合适现在还没有结论。 一个学生买了一辆很便宜的旧车。他对同学说:The jury is still out if it’ll keep going, - 这车能不能持久还不清楚。今天学的短句是:The jury is still out...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#419
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是:marathon。 Marathon不就是马拉松长跑吗?没错,但是还有许多事就像长跑一样。美国媒体在报导香港立法会通过截取通讯及监察条例时说:那个条例 "...passed ...after a four-day marathon debate," 经过四天漫长的辩论后终于通过。
  
  听说过马拉松会议吗?一个人说:The marathon meeting lasted until 2:00am, without any conclusions, 意思是:这会议拖拖拉拉一直开到早上两点,可没得出任何结论。一个律师说:Our interrogation of the witness turned into a marathon -- 我们对那证人的盘问持续了很长时间。今天学的一个词是:marathon...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#420
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是:pump。pump,Pump一般是指泵,或抽水机。可是今天讲的pump是指汽车加油站的泵。英国石油公司宣布停止在阿拉斯加的石油开采,《洛杉矶时报》的标题说:Oilfield Closure to Hit Pumps, 意思是: 油田关闭将影响油价。
  石油供应量减少油价必然会升高,但是分析人员说:"...it was too early to say how much pump prices would rise," - 意思是:要说油价会涨多少还为时过早。Consumers complain that rising prices at the pump have hit their pockets -- 消费者抱怨不断上涨的油价使他们的支出增加。最好的办法是少开车,少加油 -- drive less, go less often to the pump! 今天学的一个词是: pump...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#421
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是: relax。一听见relax这个词就马上会想到休息、娱乐。可是今天要讲的relax是指放宽或放松。卡斯特罗年迈有病,古巴政局发生变化。美联社报导说:"The U.S. might relax immigration rules for some Cubans." 意思是:美国可能为某些古巴人放宽移民的规定。
  
  放宽移民政策对某些人当然是好事。一个母亲说:"Her daughter’s teacher should not relax discipline in the classroom." 他女儿的老师不应在课堂上放松纪律。一个老板对工人说: "The pace of money-making can never relax." 赚钱的步伐决不能放慢。这事是好是坏得看赚来的钱放在谁口袋里了。今天学的一个词是:relax...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#422
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组是:double standard。 Double standard是指双重标准。美国连锁商店沃尔马允许在中国的分店组织工会,却不允许在美国的商店组织工会。媒体报导的标题说:Critics claim double standard - 批评人士指责该公司采用双重标准。
  双重标准并不少见。一个女孩因她父母要她每天整理房间,不要求她哥哥这么做而抱怨说:My parents has a double standard. - 我父母采用双重标准。 一个公司老板对雇员说,不管是男雇员,还是女雇员,I don’t have a double standard in promotions. - 我在提升雇员时没有双重标准。今天学的词组是:double standard...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#423
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词组是take no chances,意思是谨慎行事,争取万无一失,比如《华盛顿邮报》的标题说: "taking no chances after terrorist plot," 指得是伦敦破获恐怖袭击阴谋后,华盛顿警方采取了严密措施,不放过任何漏洞。
  
  我们在生活常常需要作这样的抉择:to take a chance or not take a chance, that is the question....你想上一个好大学,找个好工作,都需要谨慎考虑。When it comes to decision making, I take no chances. 我呢,是把各方面都考虑周全了,才作决定。不过,人有的时候也需要冒点险,这样生活才有意思,是不是? ABBA有一首歌不是这样唱得吗:Take a chance on me。我们今天学的词组是take no chances...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#424
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要讲的英语词是"breakneck." Break Neck? 是脖子断了? Oh, no ,breakneck这个词一般是用来形容飞快的速度。《华盛顿邮报》在形容中国即将完成三狭工程的文章中说:"After 13 years of breakneck construction...." 意思是:经过13年飞速的建设,这个项目即将完工。
  Breakneck这个词经常用来形容速度。例如:He likes to drive with breakneck speed。可是,飞快地开车就容易出事故。所以,开车时千万不要超速 - Don’t drive with breakneck speed! 不过,要是你以飞快的速度完成工作,那你老板肯定会高兴。今天的每天一词是breakneck, 意思是飞快的速度。

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#425
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是carry-on items。 我们听听《华盛顿邮报》报导里的这句话:Up to four ounces of nonprescription liquid medications are permitted as carry-on items,意思是乘客可以随身携带四盎司液体的非处方药上飞机。Carry-on items就是随身携带物品。
  
  和carry-on items相对的是checked baggage。现在机场保安严密,很多东西都不能随身带。所以到了机场你最好问一问服务人员:"How many carry-on items may I take on the airplane?" 我能带几件随身物品上飞机?或者你要问:"Is this new LV bag I just bought in Paris a carry-on item or do I have to check it?" 我刚从巴黎采购的这个LV手提包可以带着上飞机,还是需要托运?好,我们今天学习carry-on items。祝您下次旅行愉快!Bon Voyage!
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#426
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词是: wardrobe。 Wardrobe可以指你所有的衣服,也可以泛指一个人的穿着打扮。这篇报导说:Katie Couric’s wardrobe has been analyzed by the Wall Street Journal...
  
  Katie Couric从NBC跳槽到CBS挑大梁主持晚间新闻。人们不但期待她的专业表现,连她的衣服也成了关注焦点,严肃的《华尔街日报》也不能免俗。女士们到了换季就大肆采购,most women update their wardrobe at the start of a new season. 这个人老是穿过了时的衣服,his wardrobe looks like it comes from the 70’s。啊?70年代的式样,太土气了吧?既然说到70年代,那我们就以Village People的音乐,来向70年代致敬...Salute to the 70’s!

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#427
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组: split up. Split up是分手的意思。最近呢,Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson are splitting up after nearly six years of marriage, said her publicist. Kate Hudson和丈夫结婚将近六年决定分手。哎,又一对好莱坞金童玉女分道扬镳,难怪人们对演艺圈的婚姻都不看好。
  
  这两口子才半年就闹着要分手:The couple split up after only 6 months. 友情也有走到尽头的时候,"My best friend and I have split up." 真是天下没有不散的宴席, "The Beatles split up in April 1970. 1970年4月Beatles." 拆散,让粉丝们伤心到了极点。这个话题太伤感了。也许Beatles的音乐能让你心情好一点?...今天我们学的词是split up..

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#428
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是:indulge。Indulge有很多意思,其中之一是:尽情或放任。美国新上任的财政部长以前是华尔街某公司的总裁,衣着讲究。他在财政部的新闻公报里鼓励雇员到不同种类的商店去买衣服,"...since everything is on sale, you should indulge." 意思是:许多东西都在减价,你应该尽情地买。
  Indulge in shopping? 尽情购物?那得要钱哪!一个爸爸说:"I’m so happy, my son indulges his passion for science!" 我儿子特别热爱科学,我真高兴。但是,if you indulge yourself in smoking or drinking,要是你放任自己抽烟和喝酒,那就太糟糕了。今天学的一词是indulge...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#429
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是: classified,意思是保密。这跟class上课毫无关系。媒体报导说,布什总统明确表明要控告那些政府认为非法掌握保密材料的人,也就是要"...prosecute individuals it believes unlawfully possess classified material."
  
  每个政府都有保密文件 -- classified documents;保密信息 - classified information...等。但是,什么文件应该保密,什么不应该保密往往会引起争论 -- which documents should be classified and which should not often gives rise to arguments. 所以有的时候政府会公开某些原来保密的材料 - to declassify some formerly classified materials。今天学的一个词是classified...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#430
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是 orchestrate。 Orchestrate来自orchestra,指管弦乐队。可是别想听音乐,报导说的是伊拉克前统治者萨达姆。文章说:"... prosecutors accused him of orchestrating the ...campaign against the Kurds...," 意思是:检察官指责他领导指挥了残杀库尔德人的运动。
  原来orchestrate可以解释为指挥、领导。对,可以和音乐没有关系。比如说:A few people orchestrated the large-scale protest campaign against U.S. policy on illegal immigrants,某些人负责安排了抗议美国非法移民政策的大规模活动。The mother orchestrated all the arrangements for her daughter’s wedding,母亲为她女儿的婚礼做了所有的安排。今天学的一个词是orchestrate...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#431
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组是extra pounds。 Extra pounds说白了就是你身上多了几磅肉,别以为是多买几磅肉。最近的调查显示,不用说肥胖,就是体重超重几磅也会缩短一个人的寿命几年- Just a few extra pounds could mean fewer years.
  
  许多美国人都为自己体重超重而担忧 - Americans are constantly worrying about extra pounds. 他们想尽办法来减肥--They try all means to shed their extra pounds。很多人通过跑步,锻炼来减肥 - try to get rid of their extra pounds by running and exercising.可是饱餐一顿往往会全功尽弃,甚至再加上一,两磅 - a big meal might add a couple of extra pounds! 今天学的一个词组是extra pounds...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#432
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词组是risky business。 Risky business危险的生意,或冒险的事。好莱坞制片公司Viacom和美国电影巨星Tom Cruise分手。报纸的标题说:Cruise Is Risky Business,意思是和Tom Cruise继续合作是危险的。Risky Business也是Tom Cruise 1983年拍的一部电影的名字。
  
  Risky business在生活中到处都是。买股票是危险的投资 - Investing in stocks is a risky business. 借钱给你不信任的人是冒险的 - Loaning money to someone you don’t trust is a risky business. 一个中学生说不得到他爸爸的同意就开他的车出去玩是危险的 - Driving my father’s car without his consent is a risky business. 两个人在吵架,你想调解? Risky business!今天学的词组是risky business...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#433
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

我们今天学的词是:planet。Planet是行星。不过你听说了吗,太阳系中排行第九的行星冥王星Pluto被降级了。Astronomers’ reclassification strips ninth planet of status in solar system. 国际天文学会对行星重新定义,剥夺了冥王星的地位。
  
  可怜的Pluto。 Why can’t Pluto be a planet anymore?那是什么原因导致Pluto失去了行星的地位?Because it is not big enough and heavy enough to meet the requirements of a planet. 噢,因为Pluto没有完全达到作为一个行星的标准。它不够大,也不够重。现在Pluto已经被降级为dwarf planet, 也就是矮行星。矮就矮吧,也许这样小孩儿更喜欢呢。我们今天学的词是planet。

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#434
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的一个词是underdog。 你以为underdog是指狗,是吗?No! Underdog是指处于弱势的人。美国影视界颁发埃美奖,处境不佳的全国广播公司居然荣获五项艾美奖,居第二位。报导说:"Underdogs had their day at the... 58th Emmy Awards," 居后者在第58届艾美奖颁发典礼上也有了出头之日。
  不少人总是同情时运不好,处于劣势的人。 Some people tend to sympathize with the underdog。在世界足球队中,美国队总是处于劣势,the American team has always been the underdog in the soccer world。希望他们发奋图强,so that they won’t stay underdog forever。今天学的一个词是underdog....

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#435
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是 through。 谁都知道through就是通过。对,但是我们要指的是经历。去年卡特里娜飓风的一个灾民至今心有余悸,一听到风声就会跳到窗口。他说:"You would, too, if you’d been through what I’ve been through." 要是你经历过我经历过的事,你也会这样的。
  
  皮夹被偷是很麻烦的事。你得向所有信用卡公司报失,重新申请社会安全号码和驾驶执照。一个被偷的人说:You don’t know what I’ve been through - 你可不知道我经历了多少麻烦。一个有钱的老板说:After what I’ve been through as a child, my life now is like heaven! 经历过童年的痛苦,现在真像天堂一样。今天学的词是through...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#436
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是red tape。 红的带子? 对,red tape原先是指以前扎公文用的红带子,但是现在已经成为官僚主义的代名词。新奥儿良市和沿海等地去年遭受卡特里娜巨风的严重破坏。报纸的标题说,Red Tape Entangles Gulf Coast Recovery - 官僚作风阻碍海岸地区的恢复。
  人人讨厌政府的繁琐规定和办事程序。一个人说:Because of red tape, it took me three years to get my green card - 由于官僚程序,我花了三年才拿到绿卡。三年算什么?一个社区的马路坑坑洼洼,要求市政府来修。他们说,After six years in dealing with all sorts of red tape, we finally gave up. 今天学的一个词组是red tape...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#437
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是addicted。 Addicted是指上了瘾,或入了迷。报导说,从1998 到2004年之间,一些香烟的尼古丁成分增加了百分之十。这种情况 "...could make new smokers more easily addicted...," 能使刚开始抽烟的人更容易上瘾。
  让人上瘾的事可多了。有的人吸烟上瘾,addicted to smoking. 有的人喝酒成瘾,addicted to drinking. 还有的人吃安眠药上瘾,addicted to sleeping pills. 一个人成天看电视,That guy is addicted to TV。我呢,购物成瘾,I’m addicted to shopping。 Yes, me too! Yes, me too! me too! me too! 今天学的一个词是addicted...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-12#438
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是defy。 Defy就是无视,或公然反抗。联合国要伊朗在限期之前停止核项目,但是伊朗无视联合国的决定。报纸的标题说:Iran Defies Deadline on Nuclear Program. 伊朗无视核项目的最后限期。
  
  有时候defy是一个很好的词。例如,我们必须藐视恐怖分子 - we must defy terrorists; 雇员无视公司的不合理规定 - workers defy company’s unreasonable rules. 可是你要是无视父母定的家规,if you defy family rules set by your parents,那就不好了。Defy有时甚至是危险的。你听听一个老板是怎么对雇员说的:You dare to defy my authority? You’re fired. 你竟敢无视我的权威?你走吧! 今天学的一词是defy...

tyhjh栀子花开 : 2012-01-12#439
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

就算记不住,每天来看看也是好的,顶书生!

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#440
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

就算记不住,每天来看看也是好的,顶书生!

欢迎栀子花开捧场!


今天要学的词是quit。Quit就是停止,认输,说白了就是:不干了。网球大将Agassi结束了他21年的网球生涯。有人问他为什么不早一点退休。他回答说: If I wanted to quit, I would have done it a long time ago. I didn’t come here to quit. 要是我想不干,我早就会那么做了。 我不是来认输的。
  
  Bill Gates中途退学,后来成为一个成功的商人 - Bill Gates quit school and became a successful businessman. 我以前的老板老是挑我的毛病 - My former boss always picked on me, 我实在忍无可忍。有一天我对他说:"I quit, I’ve had enough!" 我不干了。我受够了! 噢,对不起,我该下班了 - Sorry, it’s time for me to quit. 今天学的一个词是quit...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#441
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是at the mercy of。Mercy这个词是指仁慈,但是at the mercy of... 是指受某人的支配或控制。共和党一位参议院在反驳民主党提出的要求时说,要是将美军从伊拉克撤出,"...we’ll leave ...Iraqis at the mercy of al-Qaeda, a terrorist group..." - 我们就会把伊拉克人置于基地恐怖组织的控制下。
  在别人控制之下生活是很痛苦的 - It’s painful to live at the mercy of someone else。例如,那个秘书是否会被解雇, Whether or not the secretary will be fired, she is at the mercy of her boss。你周末想去爬山吗?We are at the mercy of the weather - 这在于天气。今天学的词组是at the mercy of...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#442
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是toast。Toast不就是烤面包吗?对,但是今天说的是喝酒,不是面包。日本王妃纪子生了一个男孩,全国上下一片欢腾。报纸说:"Thousands of Japanese...dance and drink to toast the arrival of the new prince," 成千上万日本人跳舞喝酒祝贺新王子的诞生。这里的toast是指祝酒,庆祝。
  许多事情都值得祝贺。我们经常为两国友谊祝酒 -- toast the friendship between our two countries。我们也经常说:A toast to your good health -- 祝你身体健康。一群大学生毕业后举行聚会, to toast their graduation -- 祝贺他们毕业。 你要是中了彩票,Let’s have a toast to your good luck!今天学的一个词是toast...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#443
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是:mend fences。Mend fences,修补离笆。对,没错。但是我们要讲的意思是:和谁修补关系。巴基斯坦总统访问阿富汗,报纸的标题说:"Pakistan leader seeks to mend fences with Kabul," 巴基斯坦领导人设法改善和喀布尔的关系。
  参选的候选人经常会互相指责,但事后为了合作又得改善关系 -- If they are to cooperate, they’ll have to mend fences。一个妻子出于误会地把丈夫大骂一顿。第二天她说:"In order to mend fences I baked a cake for him," 为了弥补关系我给他烤了个蛋糕。 所以,说话要小心,免得事后得去弥补关系 -- Think twice before you speak so that you don’t have to mend fences later。今天学的词组是mend fences...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#444
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是snag。Snag的原意是暗礁。一艘船碰到暗礁就搁浅了。所以, snag也就是障碍;什么东西卡住了,动不了了。一个新电影在华盛顿首次演出,来了许多电影明星。报纸报导说:"Then there was the traffic snag for the premiere," 电影首次演出造成交通堵塞。
  
  共和党想通过国会正式任命John Bolton为驻联合国大使,但是受到阻挠 -- Republican efforts to confirm Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations hit a snag。一个年轻人看见一辆他梦寐以求的跑车,但是,His plan to buy that dream car hit a snag,因为银行不给他贷款。I run into a snag while shopping last night,昨晚我买东西没买成,因为忘了钱包。今天学的一个词是snag...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#445
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

我们今天要学的词是mourn 。Mourn的意思是哀悼,悼念。在9/11袭击周年之际,《纽约时报》说:"Bush mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. remembers," 布什总统在世贸大楼旧址和纽约民众一同悼念9/11死难者。
  
  但是对于一些死难者家属来说,失去亲人是永远的伤痛:"Some of the victims’s families will never stop mourning their loved ones." 对于我们来说,最好的悼念方式让世界更安全:"One way to mourn victims of terrorist attacks is to try ourselves to make this world a safer place." 我们今天学的词是mourn...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#446
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是turn a blind eye。 A blind eye就是一只瞎了的眼睛。Turn a blind eye就是只当没看见。 英国保守党领袖卡梅伦说,英国不能对盟国的过度行为置若罔闻, Britain must not "turn a blind eye to the excesses of our allies...."
  
  有的人看到坏事也只当没看见。 Some people tend to turn a blind eye to other’s bad behavior。一个人明明看见小偷在偷东西都不敢啃声。That man saw the thief stealing, but he turned a blind eye。我可以保证,要是谁偷他的东西,他就会大声喊叫,he would not simply turn a blind eye。今天学的词组是turn a blind eye...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#447
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是big bucks。Big bucks意思是很多很多的钱。比如:"Delta, UPS pay big bucks to sponsor NY Fashion Week." 按说,Delta, UPS一个是航空公司,一个是邮递公司,怎么会和时装有关系呢,不过它们财大气粗,所以才一掷千金,为纽约时装周提供赞助。
  美式足球明星和电影明星都能挣大钱,NFL players and movie stars make big bucks. (Show me the money! Show me the money!)
  
  哎呀,这个世界真是不公平。那我什么才能发财呢?When can I make some big bucks? I guess when I win the lottery! 好了,好了,不要作梦了。不过,大家可要千万记得这个词big bucks...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#448
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是cast ballot。Cast ballot就是投票。美国是多种族的国家,有的政客以为 "voters can be counted on to cast ballots along racial lines" -- 他们以为选民们肯定会按照种族的界限来投票。结果呢? 一位白种候选人在黑人占多数的首都华盛顿获得大胜。
  
  每个选民都应该去投票站投票。"Every voter should go to the polling station to cast a ballot," 因为这是每个公民的民主权利。可是,首都附近马里兰州有些投票站出了故障,"a lot of voters were not able to cast their ballots," 许多选民无法投票。有关人员决心要保证 "voters could cast their ballots without a hitch in November," 选民在十一月投票时不会有问题。今天学的词组是cast ballot..

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#449
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是trilingual。Lingual就是语言的,trilingual就是能说三种语言的。加拿大一所中学的一个学生在不幸的事件中被打死。报导说:那次事件 "...left a bright, trilingual 18 year-old student dead," 使得一个很聪敏,还能说三种语言的学生死亡。
  美国人有时很谦虚。有的人说,能说三种语言的,we say they are trilingual。能说两种语言的,we say they are bilingual。只会说一种语言的,we call them American。这当然是个笑话,因为许多美国人都是bilingual。(P:我会说中国话)。还有不少美国人是trilingual,有的甚至还会说四,五种语言呐!今天学的词是trilingual...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#450
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是love affair。Love affair是有关爱的事吧?嗨,有那么说的吗?Love affair就是恋爱,或热爱。巴格达一条充满了书店和文具店的著名街道现在空无一人。报导说:"The street was known for love affair with books," 那条街以前是以热爱书籍而闻名。
  
  这说明love affair不一定是指恋爱。你可以说,他热爱唱卡拉OK -- his love affair with karaoke; 她热衷于种花养草 -- her love affair with gardening。至于恋爱嘛,we all like happy endings -- 我们都喜欢结局美好。可是你千万不要把love这个词省略,因为你要是说he had an affair, 那就是说他瞒着妻子在外面有外遇。那可麻烦了!今天学的词组是love affair..

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#451
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是incompatible。Incompatible就是两样东西不相容的、矛盾的。 罗马教皇在讲话中除了引用引起争论的那句话外。他还说:"Violence is incompatible with the nature of God and the nature of the soul," 暴力跟上帝和人的本质是不相容的。
  Incompatible这个词用处非常多。我发现我买的软件和我的电脑配不上。The software I bought is incompatible with my computer。另一件伤心事是John 和Mary要离婚,because they are incompatible, 因为他们互不相容,老有矛盾。哎,让我们把incompatible这个词前面的in去掉,成为compatible,那不就什么问题都没有了吗?今天学的词是incompatible...

暖洋洋2010 : 2012-01-13#452
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

谢谢

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#453
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词是inconvenience。Inconvenience就是不方便、麻烦。 泰国军方发动政变后在电视上说:"We ask for the cooperation of the public and ask your pardon for the inconvenience," 我们要求公众给予合作,给你们带来不便之处还望原谅。
  
  我们要尽量不给别人带来麻烦。We should try our best not to cause others inconvenience。可是一个人在朋友家一住就是两个星期,给他朋友带来很多麻烦。 "he really put his friends to great inconvenience," 一般人都喜欢方便,美国人常在写信结尾时说:"Please respond at your earliest convenience," 请在你方便之时尽早回复。这听起来多客气呀!今天学的一个词是inconvenience...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#454
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

喜欢就好!:wdb6:

今天要学的词是go-ahead。 Go-ahead,两个词当中加联接号,go-ahead就成了名词,意思是批准或下令。报导说:"The space shuttle Atlantis was given the go-ahead to return to Earth," 亚特兰蒂斯号航天飞机得到命令返回地球。
  一个老板说,"I’ve already given them the go-ahead, what are they waiting for." 我告诉他们可以进行了,他们还在等什么呀!快干吧,老板生气了。要注意,go ahead当中没有连接词时用作动词。一个妈妈对孩子说,"go ahead, do your homework," 快做功课呀!要是一个彪形大汉说他要揍你,你可千万不要说: go ahead。你会被打得头破血流的。今天学的词组是go-ahead...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#455
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要学的词组是a big deal。A big deal是指重要的事,大事。美国《福布斯》杂志公布了400名家产几十亿美元的富翁名单。杂志编辑说:"It’s a really big deal that it’s all billionaires," 名单上全是家产几十亿的富翁真是不得了。
  
  我们把有钱人称为百万富翁。百万富翁变成了几十亿富翁。这确实是件大事,Millionaires have been changed to billionaires and that’s really a big deal。 一个18岁的孩子进入了研究院,真了不起,"An 18-year old boy has got into graduate school, that’s a big deal." 但是如果你哥哥要你开车送他上机场,答应给你买杯咖啡。你可以用讽刺的口气对他说:Big deal! 你可真大方呀!今天学的词组是a big deal...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#456
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是fan the flames。煽子和火?生煤炉?现在没有人用煤炉了!对,fan the flames是指煽风点火,煽动情绪。美国前总统克林顿因记者提的问题而非常生气。这记者说:I don’t think I am fanning the flames here。我不是想煽动情绪。
  一般都是已经有些问题,经别人一煽动,事情就更糟,"To fan the flames would often make the situation even worse." 夫妻俩感情本来就有些问题,再加上婆婆一煽动, "with a mother-in-law fanning the flames, the couple finally divorced," 夫妻终于离婚。另一对夫妇也有矛盾,儿子对妈妈说:"Yes, we have problems, but you don’t need to fan the flames," 你不必再来煽动了。今天学的词组是fan the flames...
  
  
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故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#457
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是ease。Ease就是放松原有的规定或限制。上个月,美国航空安全官员决定禁止旅客带液体上飞机。经过研究,他们现在决定放宽这一规定。报纸说:"U.S. Eases Carry-on Liquid Ban," 美国当局放宽随身携带液体的禁令。
  
  每个人在生活中都会受到限制。在美国的墨西哥人希望放宽移民政策 - "Mexicans in the U.S. hope the government will ease the immigration policies." 商人要求放松贸易限制, "businessmen would like to ease trade restrictions." David的父母规定他周日不许看电视, "he begged them to ease the rule," 他苦苦哀求放宽这条家规。今天学的词是ease...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#458
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是scandal。Scandal就是丑闻,丢脸的事。你肯定会说,噢,这个词我熟悉,听多了。报导说,最近两年来, "...national and local scandals have polluted the political atmosphere for GOP candidates," 全国和地方上出现的丑闻污染了共和党候选人的政治气氛。
  
  全世界各地都有丑闻,举不胜举。水门事件迫使美国前总统尼克松辞职下台, "Watergate scandal forced Nixon to resign." 台湾总统陈水扁和他家人的丑闻 - "scandals surrounding Taiwan President and his family," 导致人们静坐示威要他下台。上海的陈良宇因腐败丑闻被免去职务, "A Shanghai official was fired due to financial scandal." 还要举例子吗?够了吧!今天学的词是scandal...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#459
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是shock。Shock的意思是震荡,震惊的意思。美国首都华盛顿最近接连发生青少年被人开枪打死的事件。报道说, "The death of three young people in twenty-four hours shocked the city " -- 有三个年轻人在二十四个小时内接连死亡令整个城市感到震惊。
  
  我们的日常生活中常有令人震惊的事情。比如,德国最近发生山地火车相撞事件,有几十人人受伤。 Police were shocked at the sight,现场景象令警察感到震惊。前些日子澳大利亚冒险家和动物保护者Steve Irwin在拍摄纪录片时被鱼刺死,他才44岁。-- "It was shocking that he died at such a young age." Steve Irwin英年早逝真是可惜。希望这样的震惊越少越好。今天学的词是shock...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#460
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要讲的英语词是whistle-blower. Whistle-blower的意思是吹哨人。在英语里指的是揭发内部违规的人。《华盛顿邮报》最近在头版报道波音公司的新闻时,所写的标题就是:"Boeing Parts and Rules Bent, Whistle-blowers say," 意思就是“据揭发,波音公司零部件不合格,管理制度松懈”。目前波音公司和吹哨人已经打起了官司。这个被称为whistle-blower lawsuit的案件由美国的地区法院处理。
  美国国会在安然公司倒闭,大批投资人受害的案件发生后,于2002年通过保护投资者法案,并且特别加进了保护吹哨人的条款。今天的每天一词是whistle-blower,意思是吹哨人。 在英语里指的是揭发内部可疑问题的人。谢谢收听

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#461
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是to sit on one’s hands. Sit on one’s hands,的意思是按兵不动, 袖手旁观 。在美国国会11月中期选举之前,共和党人指责来自西维吉尼亚的民主党议员阿伦莫拉翰营私舞弊。报道说,莫拉翰没有按兵不动,He has not sat on his hands。他反击说,对他的批评是颠倒是非。
  
  说到拒不袖手旁观,美国首都华盛顿每年都要举行抗击艾滋病大游行,总有成千上万的人走上街头,They want to help raise money to fight AIDS, they can’t sit on their hands。还有,美国前副总统戈尔前些日子亲自制作了一部呼吁保护环境的电影,An Inconvenient Truth。顾名思义,戈尔要讲真话,He can’t sit on his hands, 对全球气候变暖袖手旁观。 今天学的词组是to sit on one’s hands...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#462
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是suggestive。 Suggestive是暗示的,或挑动色情的。美国国会议员Foley给两名十几岁的男孩写色情的电子邮件。这两个孩子说:...others got suggestive Foley e-mails, 还有其他人也收到Foley的色情电子邮件。
  
  美国一些女孩穿的T恤衫上印有暗示色情的字句。如:我知道男孩要什么。这让老师们坐立不安, The suggestive messages made the teachers uneasy。一个母亲对女儿穿得袒胸露背非常生气, "A mother was angry with her daughter’s suggestive outfit." 可是你要想给老板提建议的话,你该说: I have a suggestion,绝不能用suggestive这个词。 切记,切记!今天学的词是suggestive,...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#463
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天学的词组是turning point。 Turning point就是转折点。 两名美国科学家荣获2006年的诺贝尔物理学奖。报导说: "The Nobel committee praised their findings as a scientific turning point," 诺贝尔委员会赞扬他们的研究成果为科学的转折点。
  
  转折点都是有一定意义的。比如,南北战争是美国历史上的一个转折点,"The Civil War was a turning point in American history." 大学毕业是这年轻人一生中的转折点,"Graduation from university was the turning point in the life of this young man." 中彩票能成为一个人生活的转折点吗?Would winning the lottery be a turning point of one’s life? 那还用说吗?今天学的词组是turning point..

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#464
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是take a toll。 Take-a-toll意思是由于天灾、疾病、事故等造成的损失。 最近有报道说,在加拿大西部,人工养殖的鲑鱼把一种寄生虫散布到附近海域,导致野生鲑鱼大量死亡,"Parasites from farm-raised fish took a toll on wild salmon."
  
  在我们的日常生活中, 各种危险比比皆是。比如美国的车祸每年造成大约四万人死亡, "Every year traffic accidents take a significant toll on drivers." 二氧化碳污染了清洁的空气, "The release of carbon dioxide has taken a toll on clean air." 还有我们的健康,睡眠不足,压力过大都会take a toll on our health。大家要当心啊。今天学的词组是take a toll...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#465
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是snuff out。Snuff out的意思是扑灭,消除的意思。最近美国宾州等地发生多起校园枪杀事件。
  
  看到无辜的孩子们被杀害,美国一百多个城市的市长们再次誓言要严厉打击非法武器走私,扑灭枪支犯罪活动, "The mayors vowed to snuff out gun crime." 他们说,减少枪支犯罪,关键是要消除非法枪支买卖, snuff out illegal gun trafficking。不过控制非法枪支谈何容易。但愿市长们能够成功, snuffing out crime is our best hope for safe streets and schools. 今天学的词组是snuff out...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#466
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是brazen。 Brazen的意思是悍然的,明目张胆的。北韩宣布它进行了第一次核试验。媒体报导说,中国政府谴责北韩不顾国际社会的呼吁,悍然实施核试验: "China denounced North Korea as "brazen" in conducting the nuclear test."
  伊朗不顾国际社会的反对,公然表示要继续进行核项目, "Iran brazenly insisted on continuing its nuclear program despite international objections." 一个人不顾禁烟规定居然在飞机上抽烟, "That man smoked on the airplane in brazen violation of the non-smoking rule." 要是有人无耻诽谤你偷东西, "if someone brazenly accused you of stealing," 你肯定会跟他没完没了。今天学的词是brazen...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#467
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天学的词是gamble。 Gamble就是赌博。但是,gamble不一定就是去赌场,打麻将或打扑克。Gamble是各式各样的。北韩进行地下核试验。媒体说,这是北韩在政治和经济方面的赌博 -- North Korea’s political and economic gamble。
  
  Google花16.5亿美元把一个不盈利的YouTube买了下来。报纸的标题说:Google Gambles on Web Video -- Google拿网上录像网站作赌博。在股票市场上投资是个赌博, Investing in the stock market is a gamble。 Mary打赌她的男朋友会向她求婚。Mary is gambling on a marriage proposal from her boy friend。但愿她别失望。今天学的词是gamble...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#468
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是chill。大Chill就是寒冷、冷淡或扫兴。Chill这个词经常被用来形容天气。如冷飕飕的夜晚,a chill night。但是,chill也可以用在其他个方面。北韩进行地下核试验后,报纸的标题说:"North-South Relations Suffer a Sudden Chill." 南北韩的关系突然冷却。
  Chill也可以用在日常生活。两个邻居因为吵架而关系冷淡, "There was a chill between the two feuding neighbors." 一个工程师的项目失败降低了他被提升的前景, "The failed project chilled the engineer’s chances for a promotion." 裁减工资的消息大大降低了工人的热情, "The news of reducing pay chilled the workers’ enthusiasm." 今天学的词是chill

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#469
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是top。作为名词, Top的意思是顶部, 顶端的意思。比如the top of the hill, 山顶, the tabletop, 桌面等等。Top也可以作动词,意思是达到或是超过。 有报道说,美国人口这个月将达到三亿, "America’s population is going to top 300 million."
  
  美国人口1915年达到1亿,1967年突破两亿 -- topped 200 million。39年后又长了一亿。速度之快超过许多国家的人口增长率 -- topped the growth rate of many other countries. 不幸的是,美国在能源消费方面也超过其他国家 -- "American energy consumption also tops other countries." 今天学的词是top...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#470
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是blackout. Blackout有时指因为供电问题而灯火熄灭。比如美国中西部地区10月13号初秋季节突然下起了大雪,造成许多社区停电、漆黑一片,"The snowstorm caused widespread blackouts." Blackout也有灯火管制的意思。
  在第二次世界大战期间,为了防止纳粹德国空袭伦敦常常连续几个小时实行灯火管制, -- "The blackout in London lasted several hours." 人也有blackout的时候。比如有人头部受伤, 昏了过去, -- "she suffered a blackout from the blow to the head." 总之Blackout好像都跟黑暗有关。今天学的词是blackout.

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#471
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是upbeat。Upbeat指的是音乐上的弱拍, 也有快乐、乐观的意思。 比如,美国11月7号举行国会中期选举,许多共和党人担心他们会失去在国会的多数席位,可是布什总统和他的高级助手却相当乐观。有报道说,"President Bush and his top advisers remain upbeat about GOP prospects."
  
  不过布什政府在另外一个问题上, 也就是伊拉克问题上却乐观不起来了,"The U.S. government was not so upbeat on the current situation in Iraq." 随着伊拉克安全局势的恶化,许多美国人担心伊拉克战争不会有好的结局,"They worry it may not have an upbeat ending." 今天学的词是upbeat...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#472
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词是hint。Hint的意思是暗示。比如,北韩最近声称进行了地下核试验之后,有些国家立即暗示会采取制裁行动,"Some countries hinted at possible sanctions against North Korea." 还比如世界上最大的芯片制造商Intel公司最近公布第四季度盈利。之前该公司的董事长暗示说,由于手提式电脑需求量增加,第四季度的营业会有很强的表现,"Intel hinted at strong fourth quarter results." 难怪Intel公司的股票大涨。
  我们日常生活中有些事情不好明说,只能暗示。比如做婆婆的不喜欢未来的儿媳妇,她会劝儿子慎重挑选 -- "hinting the girl is not right for her son." 今天学的词是 hint...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#473
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是lame duck。 Lame duck不就是瘸的鸭子吗? 不对, lame duck这说法往往是指一个由于不会再继续担任这职务而无法起作用的总统或官员。报导说:"Elections may leave Bush an early lame duck." 意思是即将举行的选举可能会使布什更早地成为一个不能起作用的总统。
  
  布什还有八百多天才卸任,但要是选举使民主党赢得参众两院的多数,他就无法在国会通过他的计划, "he will have no power to push bills through Congress." 一个官员要是不再继任往往会被忽视。例如,"some congressmen would ignore a lame duck senator." 一些议员往往会忽视即将离职的参议员。今天学的词组是lame duck...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#474
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是play down。 Play down的意思是降低,缩小和轻描淡写。 最近有人在网上张贴消息说美国七大体育馆周末将遭受脏弹袭击,美国国土安全部立即通知全国美式足球协会,要他们提高警惕。不过国土安全部同时降低这种威胁 -- "played down the threat against U.S. stadiums."
  他们说,网上的消息是不可信的。这样作显然是为了避免不必要的恐慌。原定周末去看球的人自然是松了一口气。不过呢, 美国的确面临着长期而艰巨的反恐挑战 -- "we cannot play down the difficulties the country is facing." 我们不能缩小国家所面临的困难。今天学的词是play down...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#475
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是rule out。 Rule out就是把某件事或某种可能性排除在外。比如日本外相在北韩宣称进行核试验之后宣布日本绝不考虑发展核武器。Japan ruled out nuclear arms。Rule out也有不允许或妨碍做某件事的意思。比如美国天主教会最近宣布它们的教会学校不会增加招收非基督徒学生,"The Catholic church ruled out admitting more non-faith students."
  
  在日常生活中, 我们有时不得不改变计划。比如, 突然下起了暴雨,没有办法去野餐了,"The storm ruled out a picnic trip." 突然失业了,我们只好取消买房子的计划。We had to rule out buying a house。今天学的词组是rule out...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#476
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是break up。Break up有分开、驱散的意思,比如匈牙利民众在纪念反苏联起义50周年之际走上街头,对现政府表示不满。当局出动警察驱散数百名抗议群众-- "Police break up hundreds of protesters." 这说明老百姓还是没有抗议的自由。
  
  对于养狗的人来说, 最头痛的是狗打架。 两只狗咬来咬去,你只好赶紧把它们拉开 -- "break up the dog fight." 朋友、恋人也有分手的时候,著名电影演员Jennifer Aniston主演的喜剧电影The Break Up讲的就是恋人反目的故事。中文译名是《男女分手》。今天学的词是break up...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#477
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天学的词组是rank。作为动词,rank有排名,列为的意思。美国杂志《美国新闻与世界报》道每年都公布美国大学和研究生院的排行榜。哈佛校报说, 2006年哈佛大学商学院,医学院和教育学院再度被评为全美最好的三所研究生院。"This marks the third year that they have all been ranked number one," -- 哈佛商学院,医学院和教育学院连续三年排名第一。
  
  说到排名,美国中西部城市圣路易斯也得到一个第一的排名, "It is ranked the most dangerous city in the United States." 圣路易斯被评为美国最危险的城市。2006年,St. Louis的暴力犯罪增加了20%。相信谁也不希望在这方面rank first -- 名列第一。今天学的词组是rank...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#478
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天学的词组是block。Block有障碍物的意思。比如road block -- 路障,"Police put up a road block to stop the demonstrators," 警察为阻止抗议者设置了路障。作为动词,block也有阻塞,拦阻的意思。比如施工造成交通阻塞, "Construction blocked the traffic."
  还比如,美国宾州一个名叫Hazleton的城镇原定从11月1号起实施限制非法移民的法律。当地的拉美裔社区状告当地政府,结果联邦法官裁决Hazleton镇暂时不得实施这一法律, "A federal judge blocked the town’s illegal immigration law." 据报道,美国已有十个城镇通过了限制非法移民的法律。还有32个城镇也在考虑通过类似的法律。今天学的词组是block

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#479
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是tune up。Tune up的意思是调弦,调音。 比如乐队在演奏前调弦, "The band tuned up their instruments before the performance." Tune up还有调试、维修的意思。你开的汽车每隔一段时间就要送去维修 -- it needs tuning up。
  
  著名的哈勃太空望远镜1990年发射升空以来发回了很多的珍贵照片和数据,为人类探索宇宙立下了汗马功劳。不过哈勃已经运作了16年, 也需要tune up。美国宇航局决定在2008年派七名宇航员对哈勃进行维修, "A crew of seven will tune up the space telescope." 预计这次tune up将花费9亿美元。今天学的词组是tune up...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#480
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是crank up。Crank up的意思是用手摇柄开动引擎,起动。比如以前一些老式汽车和电话都要先摇几下才能起动 -- You have to crank it up to start it。 作为习惯用语,crank up还有加紧努力的意思。
  美国民主共和两党在国会中期选举前夕全力以赴地加紧动员选民前往投票, "The parties cranked up voter turnout efforts." 动员的方式五花八门,有集会讲演,录音电话,登门游说等等。还比如华盛顿红人队2006年赛季屡战屡败,教练们不得不加紧训练, "The coaches cranked up the practice routine for the losing Washington Redskins." 今天学的词组是crank up...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#481
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是to get away with。 To get away with的意思是做了坏事、错事没有被发觉,被责备或是受到处罚。最近伊拉克前总统萨达姆因反人类罪被法庭判处绞刑。显然,"He didn’t get way with murder" -- 萨达姆没有从谋杀指控中脱身。
  
  还比如美国中部堪萨斯州Elk市的居民抱怨说,当地一名男子经常开枪射杀居民的狗,甚至连Elk市市长家的狗也被他开枪打伤了。可是这个人至今逍遥法外, "The man who has been shooting dogs is still getting away with it." 为什么呢? 因为有法律规定,农民有权为保护牲畜而杀死动物。不过狗一跑进他的地界就开枪,这未免有点过分。今天学的词组是to get away with...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#482
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是rebuke。Rebuke的意思是斥责,严厉批评。美国民主党人在2006年国会中期选举中获得重大胜利,取得对众议院的控制权。有报道认为这主要是因为民众对布什总统和伊拉克战争不满, "The voters delivered a sharp rebuke of President Bush and the Iraq war," 选民们严厉批评布什总统和伊拉克战争。
  还比如,北韩2006年公然进行核弹试验,"drew world-wide rebuke," -- 受到全世界的严厉批评, 尤其是美国指责北韩威胁到东亚的和平与稳定, "The United States rebuked North Korea for threatening the peace and stability of east Asia." 今天学的词组是rebuke...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#483
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是common ground。 Common ground的意思是一致之处、共同点。 美国共和党人在2006年国会中期选举中失去在参众两院的多数席位。布什总统在选举后迅速作出反应说,他将同民主党人合作,找到双方在伊拉克战争和国内问题上的共同点 -- "to find common ground on the war in Iraq and domestic issues."
  
  不仅是政党合作,个人交往也要有共同之处才能合得来。比如两个朋友都很喜欢音乐,"When it comes to music, they have some common ground." 他们在音乐方面有一些共同语言。 今天学的词组是common ground...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-13#484
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是open to。 Open to有愿意听取和接受的意思。布什总统在共和党人失去参众两院多数席位之后强调要与反对党合作。他说,"I am open to all ideas and suggestions on the war in Iraq," 意思是说,他愿意听取任何有关伊拉克战争的建议和想法。
  以前有人指责白宫不接受批评意见 -- "not open to criticism." 再比如,美国大学录取学生没有年龄限制,"Colleges in the United States are open to students of all ages." 所以美国校园里常有一些老年学生,让人看了既佩服又羡慕。今天学的词组是be open to...78

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#485
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是watchdog。 Watchdog就是看门狗。不过Watchdog也有忠实的看守人、监督人的意思。比如我们称联合国的国际原子能机构为nuclear watchdog -- 核监督机构,称美国政府审计署为government watchdog -- 政府内部监督机构。
  
  国际反腐败组织“国际透明”则是corruption watchdog -- 腐败监督组织。“国际透明”最近公布了163国政府腐败状况排行榜。 美国从去年的第17位下跌到第20位。"The United States was downgraded by the corruption watchdog," -- 腐败监督组织降低了美国的排名。今天学的词组是watchdog...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#486
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是wild card。 Wild card指的是体育比赛中的特许参赛资格。也就是所谓的外卡。比如,韩国队在亚洲锦标赛中败给卡塔尔队,没有资格参加世界篮球锦标赛。不过有预计说,韩国队或许会拿到世界篮球协会的wild card。 Wild card也指重要的人和事,而这些人和事的未来作用又是不得而知的。
  比如,天气在帆船比赛中是一个重要而无法确定的因素 -- weather is the wild card。还比如,民主党议员中少有的反对从伊拉克撤军的约瑟夫.利伯曼,被认为是“a wild card in Iraq policy",意思是说, 他在伊拉克政策辩论中是一个重要人物,但究竟会起到什么作用还是一个未知数。今天学的词组是wild card...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#487
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是take up。 Take up这个短语有好几个意思,比如She took up painting -- 她开始学习绘画。The piano takes up half the living room -- 钢琴占了客厅一半的地方。 Take up也指就某个问题进行讨论。
  
  美国参议院近期将就防止生化恐怖袭击的提案展开讨论. "The Senate is going to take up legislation dealing with the bioterrorism threat." 美国国会在2006国会中期选举之后成了人们所说的lame duck -- 瘸脚鸭子,不过呢他们仍打算在下届国会上台之前讨论一些重要的提案 -- "They are to take up some key legislation." 今天学的词组是take up...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#488
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是throw one’s hat in the ring。这个词组的字面意思是把帽子扔进拳击场。据说在19世纪的拳击比赛中,有人要和拳击手较量,就把帽子扔进拳击场里 -- throw his hat in the ring。后来“把帽子扔进拳击场”成了一种比喻,意思是参加竞赛或是政治竞选。
  
  美国前总统泰迪.罗斯福1912年宣布竞选总统时说,"My hat’s in the ring." 美国著名共和党参议员约翰.麦凯恩决定成立一个委员会,探索2008年竞选总统的可能性。新闻报导说,"McCain threw his hat in the ring - - joining the fight for the White House," 意思是说,麦凯恩决定角逐总统大位。今天学的词组是 throw one’s hat in the ring...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#489
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是brace。作为动词,brace有做好准备应对压力或危险的意思。 比如美国国会中期选举之前, 共和党人意识到可能会失去七到三十个众议院席位, "They braced for the loss of seven to 30 seats in the House of Representatives."
  
  感恩节前夕,美国人纷纷乘飞机回家团聚,就跟中国人回家过年一样。美国各大机场因此增加了服务人员。 "They braced for the crush of holiday flying," -- 准备对付空运高潮的压力。当然,旅客们也要准备排长队通过安全检查, "Passengers will have to brace themselves for longer lines." 今天学的词组是brace....

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#490
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是fall short。 Fall short 的意思是不足,达不到目的、要求和期望。比如2006年在越南召开的亚太经合组织会议在闭幕时发表口头声明敦促北韩放弃核计划,而没有像布什总统所希望的发表书面声明。媒体报道说, "The statement fell short of what President Bush sought," 声明没有达到布什总统的期望。
  
  还比如,美国微软公司的主席Bill Gates虽然是世界上的首富之一,但是他的工资并不是高的不得了。 Bill Gates2006年到6月30号结束的会计年度的薪水收入不到一百万 -- "The pay check for Gates fell short of a million dollars." 今天学的词组是fall short...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#491
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是come out of closet。 Closet是壁橱,秘室,小房间。 走出壁橱和秘室,引申的意思就是公开真相,不再保守秘密。比如虽然美国法律禁止重婚和多配偶制,但仍有人秘密实行一夫多妻和一妻多夫。不过最近有报道说, 多配偶论者公开呼吁社会尊重他们的选择权。
  
  也就是说,polygamists are coming out of the closet -- 多配偶论者不再隐藏他们的身份和主张。还比如, 美国纽约市每年一次的同性恋者大游行证明,随着社会对同性恋的歧视减少,越来越多的人敢于公开他们的同性恋身份了 -- "more and more homosexuals are coming out of the closet." 今天学的词组是come out of the closet..

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#492
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是talk turkey。 Turkey是火鸡,作为习惯用语,talk turkey的意思是谈正经事,坦率、直截了当地说。火鸡是美国人感恩节大餐的传统佳肴。美国农业部因此每年感恩节都有专家值班,回答民众有关火鸡烹饪和食品安全的问题,"The experts from the Agriculture Department are talking turkey all day long." -- 农业部的专家们一整天都在坦率地和民众交谈。
  这里, talk turkey一语双关,人们在感恩节时提出的问题大都跟烤火鸡有关。不过talk turkey平时也常用,你可以跟你的朋友说,"talk turkey or I’ll go," -- 说正事吧,不然我就走了。今天学的词组是talk turkey...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#493
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是Black Friday,B-l-a-c-k F-r-i-d-a-y。美国人把感恩节过后的星期五称作Black Friday -- 黑色星期五。为什么呢?因为美国商店在这天总是会提早开门、减价促销 ,代表圣诞采购季节的开始,美国人则纷纷上街抢购圣诞礼物。即使平时赔钱的商家这一天也会转亏为盈。黑色在这里代表的是财务状况进入佳境,而不是灰暗的意思。
  
  不过呢,用在别的地方,black的确有黑暗不祥的意思。美国历史上股市崩盘的灾难性的日子都被称为黑色。比如1869年9月24号星期五,美国黄金市场大跌波及股市 -- 人称Black Friday。还比如1929年10月29日的黑色星期二 -- Black Tuesday,美国股价暴跌,国家从此陷入经济大萧条。今天学的词组是Black Friday...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#494
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是blue, b-l-u-e。Blue的意思是蓝色,也有忧郁和令人沮丧的意思。比如某个人心情不好,闷闷不乐 -- "He is in a blue mood today." 或者说, "He looks so blue." 美国英语中有个词组,叫做 holiday blues。 指的是假日期间的郁闷情绪。节日的团聚欢乐气氛往往令一些孤独的人更感到寂寞,不开心。
  
  有些心理学家忠告说,不要让这种低落的情绪恶化成忧郁症,"Don’t let the holiday blues lead to depression." 还比如,布什总统在国会中期选举之后积极调整政策:"The president is trying to beat the post midterm election blues," 总统设法克服选后令人沮丧的局面。今天学的词组是blue...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#495
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是back. Back指人的脊背。比如, He woke up with a back ache, 他一觉醒来腰酸背疼。作为动词,back有支持的意思。在北韩核弹试验之后,美国主张在公海上拦截并检查北韩船只,但韩国表示反对。媒体报道说,"South Korea won’t back Bush on ship inspections, " 意思是韩国在船只检查问题上不支持布什。
  
  还比如,罗马天主教皇本笃十六世在访问土耳其时表示支持土耳其加入欧盟, "The Pope said he backed Turkey’s bid to join the E.U." 不过呢, 欧盟对是否接纳土耳其还有分歧 -- not every member backs the decision to accept Turkey. 今天学的词组是back...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#496
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是pull back。Pull back的意思是往后拉。比如拉开窗帘。Pull back也有把士兵,军队撤回的意思。比如有报道说,由前国务卿贝克等十位知名人士组成的伊拉克研究委员会经过八个月的审议之后,决定呼吁从伊拉克撤军,"The study group will call for the pullback of U.S. troops."
  不过有报道说,该委员会并没有提出具体的撤军时间表。与此同时,布什总统在约旦会见伊拉克总理马里基的时候,明确表示撤军是不现实的,"Bush dismissed the pullback of U.S. troops as unrealistic." 今天学的词组是pull back...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#497
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是bust。 Bust指的是女人的胸部,也指人的半身塑像或画像。作为动词,bust有被警察搜查和逮捕的意思。 比如美国警方查封了佛罗里达州一家公司以及他们所经营的几十个所谓的青少年模特网站。体报道说, "The preteen model sites were busted." 该公司被控在网站上张贴交易10岁以下或十几岁女孩儿挑动情欲的淫荡照片。
  
  这家公司的两名负责人也因为涉嫌从事儿童色情活动而被警方逮捕,"They were busted on child pornography charges." 如果被判有罪,他们最重可被判处20年监禁,并被没收经营网站的一切所得。今天学的词组是bust...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#498
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是dog。Dog在英文里是狗, 作为动词,dog有紧追不放、无法摆脱的意思。比如, 这辆汽车不断出毛病 - "This car has been dogged by problems." 还比如, 美国人认为,前总统克林顿的夫人希拉里.克林顿很可能作为民主党候选人参加2008年的总统大选。
  然而,也有人怀疑这位代表纽约州的联邦参议员能否在两党势均力敌、选票接近的州里击败共和党对手。用报道的话说,"The New York Senator is dogged by questions of whether she can win enough swing states." 这里,dog的意思是希拉里.克林顿始终摆脱不了这个问题。今天学的词组是dog...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#499
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是blunt。 Blunt的意思是不锋利,比如刀子很钝:"The knife is blunt." Blunt也指人的言谈举止直截了当,不转弯抹角。美国伊拉克委员会正式向布什总统提交了有关伊拉克战争的分析报告。 报告认为伊拉克局势严峻,而且在不断恶化。
  
  媒体报道称之为“直截了当”的结论 - a blunt conclusion。 还比如,由布什总统提名出任国防部长的罗伯特盖茨在参议院听证会上直截了当地否认美国正在伊拉克取得胜利, "When asked if the US was winning in Iraq, Robert Gates said "No." 我们可以说, 他作出了直截了当的回答 - "He gave a blunt answer." 今天学的词组是blunt...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#500
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是spike。Spike是一种大钉子,比如铁路枕木上的道钉。Spike也有突然增加的意思。比如利率突然提高 - interest rate spikes; 腐败案件突然增多 - corruption cases spiked。 那么说到腐败,美国政府官员腐败活动近年来突显猖獗。
  两年来共有一千多名联邦、州和地方政府的雇员被法院判定犯有腐败罪。其中包括来自加州的共和党议员卡宁汉因受贿两百四十万美元被判处八年零四个月的徒刑。 有报道认为腐败案增多跟联邦调查局的铁腕政策有关:"Corruption cases spiked because of FBI investigation," 意思是FBI全力调查导致腐败案件猛增。今天学的词组是spike...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#501
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是cool. Cool的意思是很好,很棒。比如布什总统点亮了白宫前的国家圣诞树,在场的人称赞说:"It’s cool!" 意思是真好看,真棒。 Cool也有不感兴趣、缺乏热情的意思。有报道说,布什总统不愿采纳伊拉克研究小组提出的一些主要建议,"President Bush is cool to the key points of report on Iraq."
  
  以前国务卿贝克为首的伊拉克研究小组建议在2008年以前逐步撤出美国作战部队。他们显然对美国在伊拉克长期驻军不感兴趣, "They are cool to the idea of keeping the troops in Iraq for a long time." 今天学的词组是cool...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#502
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天学的词组是google。 Google就是家喻户晓的网上搜索引擎谷歌。Google也可以作动词,意思是通google来搜索信息。有报道说,美国国务院借助google来调查有哪些伊朗人参与了伊朗核计划, "The Department of States googled for Iran Intelligence." 结果美国把12名伊朗人列为国际制裁对象。
  美国的一些学校也用google来“制裁”学生。由于因特网的便利,学生抄袭剽窃的现象越来越严重。美国老师的对策是上google,搜索学生论文中的关键词语 - "They would google a phrase in the student’s paper." 这就成了“魔高一尺,道高一丈”啦!今天学的词组是google...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#503
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天学的词组是lag。 Lag的意思是落后。911恐怖袭击之后, 美国各地纷纷做好应付恐怖袭击的准备。不过有评估报告说,最需严加防范的首都华盛顿在对付生物恐怖袭击方面准备不足,落后于许多城市, "Washington DC lags in preparedness for bioterrorism attacks."
  还比如,美国政府推出早期教育计划,让低收入家庭的孩子免费上学前班, 因为有研究证明,不上幼儿园的孩子在学习上可能落后, "They may lag behind in school." 今天学的词组是lag...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#504
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是edge。 Edge通常指边、边缘。 比如路边 - the edge of the road, 悬崖边 - the edge of the cliff. Edge也有优势的意思。2006年12月的民意调查显示, 在有意竞选总统的民主共和两党人士中,希拉里.克林顿和共和党人、前纽约市市长鲁道夫.朱利亚尼的声望最高,具有所谓的早期优势, Clinton and Giuliani have the early edge."
  民主党人除了克林顿以外,准备参选的还有巴拉克.奥巴马和约翰.爱德华兹参议员。共和党方面则有迈凯恩参议员。所以有早期优势 - having an early edge并不意味着就能顺利当选,毕竟距离大选还有两年的时间。今天学的词组是edge...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#505
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是call up。 Call up是征召、动员的意思。由于现役军人不足,美国陆军总参谋长Peter Schoomaker强烈要求陆军每年征兵七千人以上,而且扩大动员后备役人员, "He called for more troops and more reserve call-ups." Peter Schoomaker将军认为美国必须取消对强制征召后备役人员的限制。
  
  美国国防部规定,对后备役人员只能有一次所谓的非自愿征召 -- involuntary call-up。也就是说,除非自愿,否则只能动员他们一次,而且服役时间不得超过两年。以陆军为例, 美国陆军后备役目前有五十二万两千人,但能够被征召的只有9万人。今天学的词组是call up...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-16#506
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是drawdown。 Drawdown指水库等由于抽水而降低水位。 Drawdown也有减少的意思。比如美国人在是否减少驻伊拉克军队的问题上意见分歧, "The nation is divided on the drawdown of troops."
  以前国务卿贝克为首的伊拉克研究小组建议逐步撤军,但没有提出具体的时间表, "There is no timeline for drawing down troops." 前国务卿鲍威尔则呼吁美国从2007年6、7月份开始撤军, "The drawdown of U.S. troops is to begin by the middle of next year." 美国民意看来也不支持这场战争。民意调查结果显示,有百分之五十二的人认为美国在伊拉克战争中是失败的。今天学的词组是drawdown...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#507
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天学的词组是workout。 Workout是锻炼、健身的意思,比如去健身 -- go for a workout。健身运动在美国蔚然成风,美国人锻炼身体每年要花费几十亿美元。除此以外,美国现在还提倡所谓的mental workout -- 心智锻炼。
  
  美国华盛顿邮报报道说,有研究表明,下棋、作猜字游戏等心智锻炼能够延缓脑子的老化, "Mental workouts may slow decline of aging mind." 研究人员说,定期进行mental workout的人,他们的记忆力和分析反应能力比不锻炼的人要强得多。看起来心智锻炼也将大为流行。今天学的词组是workout...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#508
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是strand. Strand的意思是使船只等搁浅。比如,The receding tide stranded the ship。船因为退潮而搁浅了。 Strand也指陷入困境,无法离开。2006年圣诞旅行高峰时期, 美国科罗拉多州的丹佛地区突然下起了暴风雪,雪深两英尺。机场被迫关闭,有大约4700名旅客被困在丹佛机场,"Thousands of passengers were stranded at Denver airport."
  一些赶着回家过圣诞的人叫苦不迭,真是天不作美。除了机场以外,科罗拉多州的州际高速公路也一度关闭, "motorists stranded on the highway." 今天学的词组是strand...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#509
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天学的词组是pardon。 Pardon有赦免的意思。 美国总统每年圣诞节前都会宣布赦免一些罪犯。布什总统今年宣布赦免16名犯人, 并 给一个贩毒者减刑, "President Bush issued 16 pardons and commuted the sentence of a man convicted of drug charges." 被赦免的16人当中, 有6人是因为涉嫌贩毒或非法持有毒品而被判刑的。
  
  其他人的罪行包括诈骗, 接受回扣,申请贷款表格时作假以及报税时欺骗政府等。前总统克林顿任职8年总共赦免457人。里根总统赦免了406人。相比之下,布什总统任职以来总共赦免了113人,是近年来赦免最少的总统之一,"One of the stingiest presidents on pardons." 今天学的词组是pardon...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#510
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天是圣诞节,我们来介绍一个和慈善捐献有关的词组,Toys for Tots。 Toy是玩具, tot是小孩子。Toys for Tots翻译成中文就是“给孩子们的玩具。”“给孩子们的玩具”是美国海军陆战队有名的慈善活动。
  海军陆战队从1948年开始每年圣诞节都要在全美各地募集崭新的玩具,然后把它们分送给低收入家庭的孩子们。他们的口号是“让美国的穷孩子们圣诞快乐,” -- "Bring the joy of Christmas to America’s needy Children." Toys for Tots 56年来给孩子们募集了几亿个玩具。美国前第一夫人南西.里根和巴巴拉.布什都担任过Toys for Tots慈善活动的全国发言人。 今天学的词组是Toys-for-Tots...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#511
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词组是take issue。 Take issue的意思是争论,持不同意见。 比如美国前总统福特12月26日逝世后, 媒体公开了他2004年7月的采访谈话。
  
  福特反对伊拉克战争,也不认为美国应以推广民主为理由卷入纷争, "Ford took issue with the notion of The United States entering a conflict to spread democracy." 美国前国务卿鲍威尔主张美国从明年开始逐步从伊拉克撤军。布什总统不同意 -- he takes issue with Powell on the question of withdrawal 。今天学的词组是take issue...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#512
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要讲的英语词是flock。 Flock是人群的意思。华盛顿动物园在庆祝小熊猫泰山一岁生日的第二天,报上的标题说:"Tai Shan’s Fans Flock to His Party." 意思是:热爱泰山的人成群结队地去参加它的生日聚会。
  
  七月四号美国独立日,人们纷纷前往参加庆祝活动,,观看烟火, "People flocked to take part in the celebration and watch fireworks." 庆祝活动结束后,人们拥往地铁站 -- people flocked to the subway。哎,你注意到吗,每当商店为了促销商品大喊“减价,减价”的时候,人们不顾它卖什么就会一拥而上去抢购,"People would flock to the store for things on sale." 不过, 千万小心不要摔跤!今天的每天一词是flock...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#513
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是set the stage。 Set the stage的意思是为某件事做好准备,提供条件。比如,希拉里.克林顿06年再次当选参议员,为她08年竞选总统提供了条件 -- "The reelection set stage for her presidential campaign in 2008." 还比如美国科研人员断定克隆动物的奶和肉跟正常繁殖的动物是一样的。
  
  科学家的这个结论为政府评估提供了条件 -- "set the stage for the government to declare that cloned animals are safe for human food supply." 美国食品与药物管理局因此宣布克隆动物食品是安全的。不过抗议人士认为克隆会导致更多的动物死亡。今天学的词组是set the stage...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#514
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是pay respects。 Pay- respects的意思是向某个人表示敬意。美国前总统福特12月26日逝世后,他的灵柩从加州运到首都华盛顿,停放在国会大厅里。美国人纷纷前往吊唁,向他表示敬意 -- "to pay their respects to the former president."
  在国会举行的追悼仪式上,福特当年的白宫办公厅主任、现在的副总统切尼发表讲话,赞扬福特帮助美国从越战和水门事件丑闻中恢复了元气, "Vice-president Cheney paid his respects to former president Ford." 今天学的词组是pay respects...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#515
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是probe。 Probe的意思是彻底调查。伊拉克政府最近调查萨达姆被处决时为什么会出现嘲弄等混乱局面,以及处决过程是如何被秘密录像的,"Iraq is probing the disorder during Saddam’s execution."
  
  还比如, 美国联邦调查局最近发表报告说,美国在关塔纳摩的军事监狱确有虐待可兰经的现象。FBI的调查是在2004年进行的, "The probe was conducted in 2004." 今天学的词组是probe...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#516
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是an open book。 Open的意思是打开。Book是书。一本打开的书, 意思是尽人皆知的事物,毫无秘密的事。来自美国伊利诺依州的美国参议员Barack Obama有意在2008年竞选总统。不过有人担心他在11年前发表的自传可能对他不利。
  原来Barack Obama在自传中说他曾吸毒。 美国华盛顿邮报的报道说, "Obama’s past is an open book." Obama的过去尽人皆知。意思是他要隐瞒也是不可能的。今天学的词组是an open book....

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#517
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天要讲的英语词是heckle。 Heckle意思是提出质问,或是起哄。美国前国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德有一次讲话时,四名抗议者先后站起来高喊口号,另一人指责他在伊拉克战前情报的问题上撒谎。报纸报道说,"Rumsfeld was Heckled During Atlanta Speech." 意思是:拉姆斯菲尔德在Atlanta 讲话时遭到责问。
  
  1966年美国著名演唱者Bob Dylan在英国演出时,一位歌迷因不满他从乡村风格转向摇滚而大喊大叫,"Bob Dylan was heckled while performing in England." 这是摇滚乐历史上最有名的闹场事件。今天教的词是 heckle...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#518
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是decry。 Decry的意思是谴责,强烈反对。比如, 有人强烈批评有些学校不重视改进教学质量, "They decried the lack of efforts to improve teaching in some schools."
  
  还比如美国保守派人士公开批评美国反恐法律影响到难民, "Conservatives decried the anti-terrorism laws’ impact on refugees." 有报道说, 一些支持布什总统的保守派人士现在同自由派人士一道反对政府利用反恐法律把数千名申请庇护者拒之门外。今天学的词组是decry...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#519
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是harm。 Harm的意思是对肉体或精神的伤害。比如, 吸烟伤害到他的肺部 -- "Smoking harmed his lungs." 暴风雪伤害到庄稼 -- "The storm harmed crops." Harm也指名誉或利益上的损害。
  2007年入冬以后美国东北部气候异常暖和,几乎没有下过雪。 《华盛顿邮报》的报道说,"Warm weather harms ski industry," 暖和的天气损害到滑雪业。12月下旬至一月初通常是滑雪场盈利最多的时候。这段时间的收入相当于它们全年收入的百分之三十。所以美国东北部滑雪场今年损失惨重。今天学的词组是harm...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#520
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是flex one’s muscles。 Flex是伸屈的意思, muscle是肌肉,flex one’s muscles是一个习惯用语。意思是显示力量,展示能力。 美国加州州长施瓦辛格宣布了一项环保计划, 要求把加州车辆的温室气体排放量减少10%。施瓦辛格曾是好莱坞影星,以体魄魁梧健壮出名。
  
  媒体报道一语双关地说,"Schwarzenegger’s agenda could flex California’s muscles," 意思是施瓦辛格的计划可能显示加州有能力减少环境污染。施瓦辛格州长果断采取措施,也展示了他的能力 -- "The governor also flexed his muscles." 今天我们学习的词组是flex one’s muscles...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-17#521
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是deploy。 Deploy的意思是部署。比如布什总统决定向伊拉克增派两万名军队。有报道说,这些部队将主要部署在巴格达,以打击日益严重的教派暴力,"Most of the troops are going to be deployed in the Baghdad area."
  美国民主党人反对在伊拉克部署更多的军队, "Democrats are against deploying more troops to Iraq." 有些民主党议员表示将推动立法, 要求增派军队必须经由国会批准。今天我们学习的词组是deploy...116

故乡的云 : 2012-01-18#522
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是on record。 On record的意思是记录在案的, 有记载的。比如,2006年是美国有纪录以来最暖和的一年,"2006 is the hottest year on record in the United States." 美国去年的平均气温为12.7摄氏度,比以往平均气温高出1.2摄氏度。
  
  专家认为,这可能是因为区域气候异常,但也跟温室气体排放量增加有关。不过呢,气候异常的不只是美国。有专家预计,2007年很可能是全球有记录以来最暖和的一年,"2007 is likely to be the warmest on record." 今天我们学习的词组是on record...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-18#523
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是option。 Option有选择的意思。 比如布什总统决定向伊拉克增派两万多军队,许多人表示反对。但是布什总统说, 如不增兵,只有选择撤军,而撤军就意味着失败,"The only option besides boosting troop levels would be to withdraw."
  换句话说,布什总统认为增兵是唯一的选择, “More troops is the only option。” 还比如, 洪水来了, 居民们不得不转移到高处, "The residents had no option but to move to a higher ground." 对他们来说 转移是唯一的选择, "Moving is the only option." 今天我们学习的词组是option, option.

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#524
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是hot seat。 Hot seat在美国俚语里指处死刑用的电椅。Hot seat也指困窘的处境,尴尬的局面。比如公司连续亏损,总裁的压力很大, "The CEO found himself in the hot seat after another bad quarter."
  
  还比如美国副总统切尼的前办公厅主任Lewis Libby被控在中情局特工身份泄露案的调查过程中撒谎。 法院开庭审理Lewis Libby一案的时候,许多政府要人不得不出庭回答问题,其中许多人处境尴尬, "Many will be on the hot seat during the trial." 今天我们学习的词组是hot seat

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#525
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是stick it out。 Stick it out的意思是忍受下来、坚持到底。 美国中西部的几个州遭受暴风雪袭击, 有报道说, 有30多万家住户和商家断电,许多人在黑暗的房子里忍耐坚持着 - Many of them stuck it out in darkened homes after a winter storm。
  人们在遇到困难的时候,往往不能轻言放弃,而是要坚持到底。比如你不喜欢学数学,可是数学是必修课,你就要坚持下去, "You have to stick it out, because math is a required course." 还有你可能不喜欢你的工作,可是必须养家糊口, 那你也只好忍受下来 - stick it out。今天我们学习的词组是stick it out...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#526
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是shut down。 Shut down的意思是关闭。比如电影院起火后不得不关闭, "The movie theatre had to shut down after the fire." 煤矿因为安全考虑而关闭了, "The coal mine had to shut down because of safety concerns."
  
  德克萨斯州的交通部在暴风雪袭击后关闭了从Stockton到San Antonio的高速公路,"The Texas Department of Transportation shut down the highway from Stockton to San Antonio." Shut down也有查禁的意思。电台被政府查禁了,"The radio station was shut down by the government." 今天我们学习的词组是shut down.

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#527
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是hold to。 Hold to的意思是 坚持、信守,比如坚守诺言, hold to a promise; 信守合同, hold to a contract。 美国著名蓝调乐队New Grass Revival创作演奏的歌曲中,有一首歌叫做Hold on to a Dream -- 坚持一个梦想。
  再比如,美国总统布什2007年初宣布向伊拉克增派两万多军队。媒体报道说, 许多国会议员和反战人士强烈反对增兵,但是布什坚持他对伊拉克问题的看法,"President Bush held to his idea for Iraq." 今天我们学习的词组是hold to...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#528
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是front runner。 Front runner指赛跑中跑在前头的人, 也指竞争中的领先者。 美国参议员希拉里.克林顿宣布参加2008年总统竞选。之前除了希拉里以外,民主党内已有前参议员约翰.爱德华兹等其他几人表示将角逐民主党总统候选人提名。
  
  不过希拉里后来居上。媒体报道说, "The former first lady enters the race as the front runner for the Democratic nomination." 意思是这位前第一夫人在争取党内候选人提名的竞赛中地位领先。 今天我们学习的词组是front runner..

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#529
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是rally。 Rally的意思是集合、集会。成千上万的美国人在首都华盛顿集会,抗议最高法院34年前的一项裁决导致堕胎合法化, "Tens of thousands of people rallied at an anti-abortion march in Washington."
  Rally也有病情好转的意思。比如有人生病了,"He had a bad night but rallied by morning," 他夜里病得很厉害,早上病情好转。人们也用rally来形容股票价格止跌回稳, "Tech stocks rallied due to Microsoft’s strong earnings." 科技股因为微软公司大幅盈利而有所回升。 今天我们学习的词组是rally...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#530
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是clog。 Clog是木底鞋,木屣。作为动词, clog也有障碍和阻塞的意思, 比如排水管堵塞了, "The drain was clogged." 车辆堵塞了高速公路, "Heavy traffic clogged the highway."
  
  还比如,黎巴嫩首都贝鲁特爆发反政府抗议活动。媒体报道说, "Opposition protesters clogged major highways with barricades of burning tires," 反对派抗议者用焚烧的车胎构成路障,阻塞了首都贝鲁特的主要公路。今天我们学习的词组是clog...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#531
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是ramp up。 Ramp是斜面、斜坡,也指登机的梯子。作为动词,ramp up有加强、增加的意思。比如加强机场保安 -- "ramp up airport security."
  还比如日本公司为满足市场需求而增加生产等离子平板电视,"Japanese companies ramped up their output of LCD flat screen televisions." 政府加紧批评联邦法官对恐怖主义案件的处理方法, "The government ramped up its criticism of how federal judges handled terrorism cases." 今天我们学习的词组是ramp up...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#532
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是nose dive。 Nose是鼻子, dive是跳水或是俯冲, nosedive指飞机垂直俯冲,"The plane nosedived." Nose dive也指价格等猛跌,迅速下降。比如雅虎公司宣布季度盈利下跌60%, 美国媒体报道说, "Yahoo’s profit takes a nose dive."
  
  美国2006年的失业率大幅度下降,"The unemployment rate in the United States took a nose dive in 2006." 一个人的工作和事业也可能出现nose dive, "His career took a nose dive after he was fired by the company." 他被公司解雇以后,事业一落千丈。今天我们学习的词组是nose dive...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#533
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是stand by。 Stand by有支持, 站在一起的意思。 比如, 美国共和党议员迈凯恩在伊拉克增兵问题上支持布什总统,"Senator McCain stands by President Bush on sending more troops to Iraq."
  还比如, 美国前总统卡特的新书, 《巴勒斯坦和平而不是种族隔离》出版后,受到一些人的批评。 但是卡特坚持书中的观点,"Former president Carter stands by his book." 美国著名老歌Stand by Me有这样的歌词:"I won’t be afraid, just as long as you stand by me," 只要有你陪伴,我不害怕。今天我们学习的词组是stand by..

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#534
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是contradict。 Contradict的意思是反驳,否认。前纽约时报记者Judith Miller出庭作证,反驳了付总统切尼的前办公厅主任Lewis Libby的说法, "Judith Miller contradicted Libby in her testimony."
  
  Libby被控在中央情报局特工身份泄露案的调查中说谎。 他声称在2003年7月才得知这位特工的身份。但是前纽约时报记者Miller说, Libby 6月份就向她透露了这位特工的身份。所以报道说,"Judith Miller contradicted Libby ." 今天我们学习的词组是contradict...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#535
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是highlight。 Highlight指最精彩的场面, 最重要的部分。比如演出最精彩的部分 - the highlight of the performance。 美国宇航员成功登上月球应当说是人类航空史上一个最精彩的时刻 - one of the highlights of the history of human aviation。
  作为动词, highlight有突出、显著的意思。 美国民主党参议员Joseph Biden1月31号宣布竞选民主党总统候选人。他在竞选网页上刊登了他有关伊拉克战争的计划要点,"On his campaign website, the senator highlights his plan for Iraq." Biden主张在2007年以前撤出大部分美国军队。今天我们学习的词组是highlight...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#536
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是outstrip。 Outstrip的意思是越过,超过。 比如有个人赛跑时超过其他运动员 -- "He outstripped other athletes in the race." 还比如美国商务部宣布,美国经济2006年最后一个季度增长了百分之三点二,超过分析人士的预期, "The U.S. economy grew by three-point-two percent, outstripping analysts’ expectations."
  
  经济发展带来了更多的就业机会,美国2006年的就业增长率领先于许多发达国家,"U.S. job growth in 2006 outstripped that of many other developed countries." 今天我们学习的词组是outstrip...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#537
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是underdog。 Under是在下面,dog是狗,underdog指的是在比赛、竞争和冲突中被认为是处于劣势的人。 比如美式足球第41届超级杯大赛,芝加哥熊队奋战印第安那波利斯小马队。美国媒体赛前报道说,"The Chicago Bears are the underdog," 意思是说芝加哥熊队处于劣势。
  
  美国政治史上也有不被看好的underdog。比如美国第33届总统Harry Truman 1948年竞选连任,起初民意调查的支持率很低, "Truman was considered the underdog." 可是大选之日,杜鲁门出乎意料地击败对手。由此可见underdog很可能只是暂时的。 今天我们学习的词组是underdog...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#538
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是scramble。 Scramble有急忙, 仓促的意思。 比如学校在开学前仓促训练新教员, "The school scrambled to train the new teachers." 立法人员在最后期限到来之前仓促讨论提案, "Legislators scrambled to meet the deadline."
  
  英国东南部一个火鸡养殖场爆发禽流感,造成2千多只火鸡死亡。英国政府急忙采取措施,阻止禽流感进一步蔓延,"British authorities scrambled to contain an outbreak of bird flu." 养鸡场杀掉了他们饲养的全部16万只火鸡。英国当局还在养鸡场周围建立了监测区。今天我们学习的词组是scramble...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#539
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是step down。 Step down有辞职、让位和下台的意思。 英国首相布莱尔因为工党筹款丑闻而受到辞职的压力。 英国一项新的民意调查结果显示, 大多数英国人认为布莱尔应当立即下台, "A majority of Britons think Prime Minister Tony Blair should step down immediately."
  不过布莱尔表示, 在警方调查还没有结论之前就辞职是错误的, "It would be wrong for him to step down before the police complete their inquiry." 今天我们学习的词组是step down...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#540
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是front man。 Front的意思是前面, 前头, man是人, 男人。 Front man指乐队的主唱歌手。比如John Lennon和Paul McCartney就是披头四乐队The Beatles的front man -- 主唱歌手。
  
  Front man有时也指团体、计划的出面人物。布什总统最近派驻伊拉克美军总司令Petraeus将军前往国会,游说国会支持向伊拉克增兵。 媒体报道说, Petraeus将军是布什伊拉克计划的前台人物,"The general is the front man for Bush’s Iraq plan." 今天我们学习的词组是front man...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#541
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是ring。 Ring是戒指,耳环,也指从事非法活动的集团、团伙。比如贩毒集团 -- drug ring,出售儿童色情录像的团伙 -- child pornography ring。
  有报道说, 奥地利政府侦破了一个在网上兜售儿童色情录像的团伙, "Austria has uncovered a major international child pornography ring." 有77个国家的2360人涉嫌参与了儿童色情活动,其中有几百名美国人涉嫌付费上网观看这个集团兜售的色情录像。今天我们学习的词组是ring...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#542
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是halt。 Halt的意思是停止,比如日本停止进口牛肉, "Japan halted the import of beef." 美国前付总统戈尔呼吁停止破坏环境, "Gore called for a halt to environmental damage."
  
  联合国国际原子能机构决定停止对伊朗的部分技术援助项目,"The IAEA halted some of its technical aid to Iran." 国际原子能机构对伊朗采取制裁行动是因为伊朗拒不停止提炼浓缩铀, "Iran refused to halt its enrichment of uranium." 今天我们学习的词组是halt...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#543
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是keep one’s nose clean。 Nose是鼻子,clean的意思是干净。 Keep one’s nose clean是个习惯用语。意思是行为检点,不作违法的事。 有位父亲嘱咐儿子不要吸毒,"Keep your nose clean or you’ll end up in jail." 他说:“不要犯事,否则你会进监狱的。”
  美国著名的空军军官学院发现学生考试作弊。 校方对此严加追查 。学校以前有学生因为犯错被开除。也就是说, 学生们必须行为检点否则就可能被开除学籍,"They have to keep their noses clean or they might be expelled from the academy." 今天我们学习的词组是keep one’s nose clean...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#544
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是blunt。 Blunt指刀子等不锋利, 钝, 也指人的言行举止率直、直截了当。联合国政府间气候变化委员会发表了有关全球气候暖化的研究报告。 报告认为全球气温升高是无容置疑的, 而且很可能是人类活动造成的。
  
  委员会的科学家们直截了当地警告说,全球气候变暖还会继续,"Scientists issued a blunt warning that the warming of the climate system would continue." 科学家希望他们明确的警告能够促使各国领导人采取行动, "The scientists hope that their blunt warning will push the leaders of the world to take action." 今天我们学习的词组是blunt...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#545
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是take over。 Take over有接管, 接替的意思。 比如长途开车,朋友怕你太疲劳,他说, "May I take over the driving?" 我可以替换你一下吗?
  
  还比如英国把阿富汗北约驻军的指挥权移交给美国将军Dan McNeil 。也就是说,McNeil将军接管了北约驻阿富汗军队的指挥权,"General Dan McNeil took over command of the NATO forces." 北约在阿富汗的军队共有3万3千人,由北约各成员国的将领轮流指挥。今天我们学习的词组是take over...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#546
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是on the table。 Table是桌子, on the table是一个习惯用语, 意思是摆在桌面上,提交讨论。美国戴姆勒克莱斯勒汽车公司因为连年亏损而宣布裁员, 并决定让一个卡车制造厂停产。
  
  公司总裁在记者会上表示不排除合并、出售或是把卡车制造厂独立分开的可能性。"We did not exclude any options, this means all options are on the table." 意思是我们不排除任何可能性。这意味着所有选择都在讨论的范围之内。今天我们学习的词组是on the table...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#547
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是one on one。 One on one的意思是一对一,个人之间直接的交流和竞争。比如, 有的学生喜欢老师单独辅导。 Some students prefer to be tutored one on one.
  
  美国国务卿赖斯分别同以色列总理奥尔默特和巴勒斯坦领导人阿巴斯举行会谈。有报道说, 这种一对一的讨论为美国、以色列和巴勒斯坦三方会谈奠定了基础, "Rice’s one-on-one discussions with Israel and Palestine laid the groundwork for the three-way talks." 今天我们学习的词组是one on one...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#548
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是in tatters。 In tatters指衣服等破烂不堪。比如有人衣衫褴褛 -- "His clothes are in tatters." In tatters也指事情处于崩溃状态。
  
  比如西班牙的巴斯克分离主义分子在马德里机场制造爆炸事件,致使西班牙的和平进程处于崩溃状态,"Spain’s peace process was in tatters after the Basque separatist bombing." 之前西班牙政府一直同分离主义分子进行谈判。可是政府的政策失败了,"The government’s policy is now in tatters." 今天我们学习的词组是in tatters...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#549
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是moonlight。Moon是月亮, moonlight是月光。许多人都熟悉贝多芬的月光奏鸣曲,"Moonlight Sonata." 作为动词,moonlight的意思是从事第二职业, 也就是除了有份全职工作以外, 晚上还要出去打工。
  据美国劳工统计局公布的数字, 美国工人中有百分之五以上的人从事第二职业, "More than five percent of U.S. workers moonlight." 美国人兼职大都是为了增加收入,"They moonlight to make more money," 不过这也意味着双倍的压力,"Moonlighting can double the pressure." 今天我们学习的词组是moonlight...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#550
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是overturn。 Overturn有推翻、废除的意思。美国最高法院推翻了俄勒冈州法院的一项判决," The Supreme Court overturned a nearly $80 million verdict." 地方法院判决Philip Morris烟草公司向吸烟受害者赔偿近8千万美元。
  
  还比如,有意参加2008年大选的共和党参议员John McCain为争取保守派的支持呼吁废除有关堕胎合法化的法律。 他说,“我不支持对洛伊-韦德案的判决, 应当推翻这个判决,” "I do not support Roe versus Wade It should be overturned." 最高法院1973年的判决认为妇女有权选择堕胎。今天我们学习的词组是overturn...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#551
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是field。 Field多指空旷的地方。比如原野, 旷野, 还有油田 - oil field, 战场 - battlefield,等等。作为动词, field有回答、答复的意思。
  
  比如,白宫发言人常常要回答一些很棘手的问题,"The White House spokesman often has to field some tough questions." 角逐民主党总统候选人的八位民主党人前往内华达州,在工会发起的集会上回答问题,"Eight Democratic candidates gathered in Nevada to field questions at a union-sponsored forum." 今天我们学习的词组是field...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#552
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词组是talk up。 Talk是讲话, talk-up就是大声讲,或是大胆地讲。比如有人在台下呼吁说:“大声讲, 让我们听到你,” "Talk up so we can hear you." 还比如,孩子在学校受了欺负,家长鼓励他说, "Talk up and the school will help you," “大胆讲, 学校会帮助你的。”
  
  Talk-up也有宣传,宣扬的意思。布什总统在田纳西州宣传他的医疗保险改革计划,"Bush talked up his new plan to increase medical coverage of the uninsured." 布什主张修改税法, 使没有保险的人能够购买更多的医疗保险。今天我们学习的词组是talk up......
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#553
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是lose one’s temper。 Lose one’s temper是生气,发脾气。 美国北卡罗来纳州的妇女Jessica Hall最近成了新闻人物。她因为在高速公路上驾车时发火,把一杯麦当劳饮料扔进别人车内而被法院判处两年徒刑, 后改为暂不执行,以观后效。
  Jessica Hall说,这都是发脾气惹的祸, "She got into trouble for losing her temper." 她说,凡有可能在驾车时发火的人都应当吸取这个教训, "The experience should be a lesson for others who might lose their temper on the road" 今天我们学习的词组是lose your temper, lose his temper, lose her temper...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#554
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是sell off。 Sell off的意思是出售,特别是为了出手而廉价出售。 He had to sell off his stock. 节日一过,商店纷纷廉价出售圣诞节商品, "Stores tried to sell off their Christmas goods."
  
  作为名词,sell off也指大量抛售导致股价暴跌。中国股市下跌引发全球股市抛售,"A plunge in Chinese stocks sparked a global sell-off" 美国道琼斯指数一天下跌3.3%。媒体报道说, "The stock sell-off in China hit Wall Street." 今天我们学习的词组是sell off......

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#555
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是shift。 Shift有改变、转变的意思。比如美国宣布加入有伊朗和叙利亚参加的有关伊拉克问题的高层谈判。白宫突然改变政策为外交活动打开了大门, "The abrupt shift of policy opened the door to diplomatic dealings."
  希拉里克林顿竞选民主党总统候选人遇到新的挑战;以前大力支持她的黑人选民转而支持她的竞选对手、巴拉克奥巴马参议员, "Some blacks have shifted to Obama." 民意调查结果显示,克林顿夫人在黑人中的支持率从60%减少到33%。这说明黑人民主党人大大转变立场, "The shift among black Democrats was dramatic." 今天我们学习的词组是shift......
  
  
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故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#556
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是stave off。 Stave off的意思是避开, 延缓。比如,公司试图延缓破产,"The company tried to stave off bankruptcy." 美国成功地延缓了通货膨胀,"The U.S. successfully staved off inflation."
  
  许多美国人每天服用维生素A、维生素E或其他一些抗氧化剂,以为这样就能延缓老化,不生病, "Millions of Americans believe the antioxidant supplements they take will stave off disease and slow the aging process." 可是美国的一项研究报告说, 这些保健药不但不能延年益寿反而会增加死亡的危险。 今天我们学习的词组是stave off...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#557
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词组是backup。作为形容词,backup的意思是后备,替代。媒体报道说,布什总统实施新的伊拉克计划之后,一些州长在白宫询问布什和参谋长联席会议主席Peter Pace有没有后备计划,"A group of governors asked President Bush and chairman of the Joint Chief of Stuff Peter Pace about their backup plan for Iraq."
  州长们后来说,他们认为白宫并没有后备计划。许多人认为伊拉克计划很可能失败,政府必须要有后备的战略, "The United States must have backup strategy for Iraq." 今天我们学习的词组是backup...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#558
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是against the grain。 Grain是谷子,不过在这里,grain指的木材的纹理。木工都知道,刨木头一定要顺着木材的纹理;"You cannot polish wood against the grain." 作为习惯用语,against the grain有违背心愿、令人不满的意思。
  
  美国共和党保守派一向反对堕胎和同性恋。可是有意参加2008年大选的纽约市前市长、共和党人Rudolph Giuliani既支持堕胎,也主张保障同性恋权利。媒体报道说,"Giuliani goes against the grain," 意思是说Giuliani的立场同保守派的观点格格不入 。不过Giuliani的支持率目前领先于其他共和党候选人。今天我们学习的词组是against the grain...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#559
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是felony。 Felony的意思是重罪, 通常指谋杀, 盗窃财物等判刑一年以上的严重犯罪活动。 切尼付总统的前办公厅主任Lewis Libby被控在中情局特工身份泄密案的调查中撒谎。
  联邦陪审团裁定Lewis Libby的四项重罪指控成立,"The jury found Lewis Libby guilty of four felony counts." 这些罪行包括向FBI和大陪审团撒谎并防碍调查。Libby是近二十年来被判犯有重罪的最高级白宫官员,"Libby is the highest-ranking White House official to be convicted of a felony in nearly twenty years." 今天我们学习的词组是felony...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#560
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是fret。 Fret的意思是表示或是感到担心, 烦恼和不满。比如,民意调查显示,有近一半的美国人担心付不起医疗费用, "Nearly half of Americans fret about healthcare costs."
  
  微软公司的主席Bill Gates在国会作证说, 他对美国的竞争力感到担心, "Bill Gates frets about the state of American competitiveness." Bill Gates呼吁政府增加对科研发展的投资,改善教育, 并且修改移民法律,让更多的外国技术人员进入美国。今天我们学习的词是fret...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-19#561
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今 天我们要学的词组是take seriously。 Take seriously的意思是对某人某事严肃认真。美国最近揭露首都华盛顿附近的Walter Reed陆军医院的医疗服务很差, 伤员没有受到很好的照顾。布什总统立即任命了一个以[前参议员Bob Dole等人组成的委员会,调查各地军队医院的状况。
  布什总统说政府将认真对待任何有关医疗疏忽的报告, "Bush said, ’Any report of medical neglect will be taken seriously by this administration.’" 今天我们学习的词组是take seriously...156

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#562
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是run its course。 Run its course的意思是走完该走的历程,按常规进行。 布什总统在切尼付总统的前办公室主任Lewis Libby被判犯有四项重罪之后表示不会马上赦免Libby。
  
  "President Bush said he was pretty much going to stay out of the case until the legal process had run its course," 布什总统说, 他在法律程序结束之前不会干预这个案件。 Libby有可能被判处一年半到三年徒刑。Libby的支持者呼吁总统在Libby被判刑前赦免他。布什担心马上赦免可能会引起不满情绪。今天我们学习的词组是run its course, run its course, run its course.

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#563
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是do time。 Do time的意思是服刑。 有些贩毒分子在青少年的时候就蹲过监狱, "Some of the drug dealers did time when they were still teenagers." 多次担任华盛顿市市长的Marion Barry因为连续五年不报税而被法院判处三年监视察看。他在察看期间又没有按时申报2005年所得税。
  美国联邦检察官因此要求判他入狱服刑,"Federal prosecutors want Marion Barry to do time." Barry1990年曾因吸毒被判入狱六个月,"Marion Barry did six months in 1990 for smoking crack." 今天我们学习的词组是do time, do time , do time.

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#564
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是pardon。 Pardon的意思是对不起,请原谅。比如,如果没听清楚对方的话,美国人常说,"I beg your pardon." 意思是“对不起,请你再说一遍。”
  
  Pardon在法律上是赦免的意思。 前白宫官员Lewis Libby因为在中情局特工身份泄露案的调查中撒谎而被定罪。布什没有排除赦免Libby的可能性,但是他暗示说不会马上赦免,"Bush did not rule out a pardon but implied that one was not imminent." 美国宪法规定总统有赦免权,"The president has the power to pardon." 今天我们学习的词组是pardon...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#565
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是subpoena。 Subpoena的意思是传审、以传票传唤,要求某人在某个时间和地点就某个案件作证。法庭可以传唤证人, "subpoena a witness." 美国国会也有权传唤美国官员。
  比如参议院的民主党人调查司法部是否因为政治原因而解雇了八位检察官。他们打算传唤司法部的五名官员, "Senate Democrats planned to issue subpoenas to five senior Justice Department officials as part of the probe." 被传唤者必须到场宣誓回答问题。 今天我们学习的词组是subpoena...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#566
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是chide。 Chide的意思是批评、责备。老师责备学生欺负同学, "The teacher chided the student for bullying his classmates." 家长不要经常批评孩子, "Parents should not chide their children often."
  
  新闻报道说,墨西哥总统责备布什总统试图在两国边界修建围墙, "Mexican President chided President Bush for trying to build a wall between the two countries." 布什总统去年签署了国会通过的一项法案,批准在美国墨西哥边界修建七百英里长的围墙。今天我们学习的词组是chide...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#567
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是long odds。 Long odds的意思是不太可能,可能性很小。比如美式足球第41届超级杯大赛,赛前有报道说,芝加哥熊队不太可能打败印第安那波利斯小马队, "Chicago Bears faces long odds in beating the Colts."
  美国众议院民主党人2007年提出有关限期美国从伊拉克撤军的议案。有人认为,"The Democrats face long odds in passing the legislation," 对民主党人来说,议案通过的可能性不大。今天我们学习的词组是long odds...
  
  
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故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#568
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是on hold。我们打电话有时会让对方拿着电话等一等。我们会说,"Sorry I have to put you on hold," “对不起,请你在电话上等一下。”
  
  On hold在别的场合有推迟的意思。 比如根据北韩同美国达成的协议,北韩必须在60天内关闭平壤附近的一个核反应堆。但是有报道说, 关闭日期推迟了,"The shutdown is on hold," 因为北韩提出美国必须首先解冻北韩的海外帐户。今天我们学习的词组是on hold...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#569
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是out of reach。 Out of reach的意思是接触不到, 达不到。伊拉克境内的外国记者说, 他们在伊拉克这个危险的环境中常常无法报道一些重要的事件,"Many important stories remain out of reach."
  
  还比如,美国政府几年前推出“不让任何一个孩子落后”的教育法案,要求各校学生在2014年以前都能通过阅读和数学考试。可是有人说,这个目标是实现不了的, "They said the target was out of reach." 今天我们学习的词组是out of reach...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-20#570
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词组是appeal。 Appeal有恳求, 呼吁的意思。比如, 呼吁选民支持, "appeal to voters for support." 恳求朋友帮忙,"appeal to friends for help."
  
  布什总统在派兵攻打伊拉克四周年的时候呼吁美国人对伊拉克的局势有耐心,"President Bush appealed to the nation for patience in Iraq." 与此同时,美国反战人士呼吁国会采取行动, 阻止伊拉克战争, "They appealed to Congress to stop the war in Iraq." 今天我们学习的词组是appeal...166
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#571
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是on time。 On time是按时的意思。比如虽然天气恶劣,飞机还是按时抵达了, "The plane arrived on time despite the bad weather." 美国人必须按时向政府报税,报税的最后期限通常是每年的4月15号, "Americans have to file their tax returns on time, by April 15."
  
  还比如巴基斯坦在穆沙拉夫总统撤换了最高法院大法官之后局势动荡,抗议活动不断,不过穆沙拉夫保证会按时举行选举, "Pakistan’s President promised to hold elections on time." 今天我们学习的词组是on time.

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#572
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是submit。 Submit有提出, 提交的意思。比如中国社会学家李银河向中国人大会议提交了有关同性婚姻合法化的提案, "A Chinese sociologist submitted a proposal on same-sex marriage to the People’s Congress."
  联合国安理会5个常任理事国就对伊朗核计划实施制裁的草案达成共识,可是南非提出了一些削弱制裁的建议, "South Africa has submitted proposals that would weaken the U.N. draft." 今天我们学习的词组是submit...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#573
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是trigger。 Trigger是扳机,pull the trigger就是扣动扳机。 作为动词,trigger有激发, 引起其他事件或是连锁反应的意思。比如布什总统决定向伊拉克增兵,引发了大规模反战抗议活动, "President Bush’s decision to send more troops to Iraq triggered large-scale protests."
  
  还比如,俄罗斯官员担心建立导弹防御系统会在欧洲引发新的军备竞赛, "Russian officials fear that a missile defense system could trigger a new arms race in Europe." 今天我们学习的词组是 trigger

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#574
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是 take part in。 Take part in指参加会议, 游行, 抗议等等。成千上万的美国人在华盛顿,纽约等大城市游行,抗议美国卷入伊拉克战争, "Thousands of Americans took part in the protests against the war in Iraq."
  还比如,2007年的 一项民意调查结果显示,伊拉克人对国家的前途感到悲观。有两千多名伊拉克人参加了这次民意调查, "More than two thousand Iraqis took part in the poll." 今天我们学习的词组是take part in...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#575
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是key。 Key是钥匙, 作为形容词,也有主要,重要和核心的意思。 比如克劳德.莫奈是法国印象派的主要画家, Claude Monet was a key figure in the French Impressionist movement。
  
  美国前国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德被认为是伊拉克战争的主要计划者之一, "Rumsfeld was considered one of the key planners of the Iraq war." 美国国司法部长Alberto Gonzales的办公室主Sampson因为解雇联邦检察官一事引起争议而辞职。媒体报道说,司法部一个重要人物下台了, "A key figure in the Justice Department stepped down." 今天我们学习的词组是 key...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#576
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是reject。 Reject的意思是拒绝。比如拒绝某人的要求,75岁的天主教香港教区枢机主教陈日君说, 教皇拒绝了他的退休要求, "Hong Kong’s Cardinal Joseph Zen said the Pope had rejected his request to retire."
  还比如,布什总统要求国会为伊拉克和阿富汗行动拨款一千四百二十亿。 有的议员建议少给两百亿。不过国会民主党人拒绝了这个建议, "The Democrats rejected the proposal to cut Bush’s budget for the Iraq and Afghanistan operations." 今天我们学习的词组是reject...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#577
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是cripple。 Cripple的意思是瘸子,或是因为受伤而腿瘸了, "He was crippled falling off a horse." 他从马背上摔下了,腿瘸了。Cripple也有削弱,使无法正常运作的意思,比如内战削弱了国家经济, "The civil war crippled the nation’s economy."
  
  还比如以色列总工会组织全国罢工。机场、海港和铁路等很多部门都因罢工而受到影响,"The strike crippled Israel’s airports, seaports, railways and many other services." 今天我们学习的词组是cripple...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#578
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是shun。 Shun的意思是因为不喜欢、害怕或是其他原因而避开。比如,不能因为人家穷就避尔不见, "You should not shun someone because he is poor."
  还比如有报道说,联合国秘书长潘基文在约旦河西岸访问期间会晤了巴勒斯坦领导人阿巴斯但是他避免会见巴勒斯坦团结政府中的哈马斯成员, "The Secretary-General of the United Nations shunned Hamas officials during his visit to the West Bank." 今天我们学习的词组是shun...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#579
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是credibility。 Credibility指的是可靠,信用。政府不要失去民众的信任,"The government should not lose its credibility with the people." 一些美国参议员因为司法部解除了八位检察官的职务而质疑司法部长Alberto Gonzales的信誉,"Some senators questioned the credibility of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales because of the firing of eight U.S. attorneys."
  
  共和党参议员Chuck Hagel说,"Gonzales has a credibility problem." Gonzales有信用问题。今天我们学习的词组是credibility...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#580
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是subject。 作为动词,subject有使蒙受,使遭遇的意思。比如某项计划受到严密的审查, "The plan was subjected to careful scrutiny."
  被伊朗当局关押的英国海军人员获释后说,伊朗人不断审问和恫吓他们, 使他们受到很大的心理压力,"They were subjected to constant psychological pressure." 伊朗人则否认对他们有不人道的待遇,"The Iranians denied that the British soldiers were subjected to inhuman treatment." 今天我们学习的词组是subject...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#581
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是second-hand。 Second-hand指用过的、旧的东西。比如二手车 - "a second-hand car"; 旧书店,"a second-hand bookstore." Second-hand也有间接获得的意思,比如我们的许多知识都是间接获得的, "Most of our knowledge is second-hand."
  
  还比如间接吸烟,"second-hand smoking." 美国马里兰州议会2007年三月通过法案禁止在州内的餐馆和酒巴吸烟,以保护人们免受二手烟的伤害 -- "to protect people from the dangers of second-hand smoking." 今天我们学习的词组是second-hand...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#582
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是wrap up。 Wrap up的意思是包起来。比如包礼物, wrap the present; 把书包起来寄出去 - "Wrap up the books and mail them out." Wrap up也有完成、结束的意思。
  
  比如美国国务卿赖斯结束了对中东三天的访问,巴以领导人同意每两个星期会谈一次, "U.S. Secretary of State Rice wrapped up a three-day trip to the Middle East with an agreement from Israeli and Palestinian leaders to hold meetings every two weeks." 今天我们学习的词组是wrap up...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#583
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是dismiss。 Dismiss有解散的意思, 比如学校因为暴风雪而提前一个小时放学了,"School was dismissed one hour early due to a snow storm." Dismiss在法律上是驳回,不予受理的意思。
  
  美国联邦法官驳回了对前国防部长拉姆斯菲尔德和其他三位高级军事将领的指控,"A U.S. federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit against former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and three high-ranking military officials." 原告指控拉姆斯菲尔德等人无视有关虐待囚犯的报告。今天我们学习的词组是dismiss...

故乡的云 : 2012-01-30#584
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是timetable。 Timetable是时刻表, 课程表。比如火车时刻表, train timetable。 Timetable也指某项活动的时间表。比如俄罗斯决定在俄罗斯远东地区修建一个大型核电厂,不过到目前为止他们还没有决定什么时候动工,"They have not set a timetable for construction."
  还比如, 一些美国议员敦促布什政府尽快制定出从伊拉克撤军的时间表,"Some congressmen urged the Bush administration to set a timetable for withdrawing from Iraq." 今天我们学的词组是timetable...180

逆水行舟 : 2012-01-31#585
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

好贴,顶!

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#586
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是stall。 Stall指的是马厩或是牛栏。作为动词,stall也有停顿、停止的意思。比如,他的车在十字路口抛锚了,"His car stalled at an intersection." 他们因为交通堵塞而在十字路上停留了一个小时, "They were stalled in a traffic jam for an hour."
  
  有关北韩核武器的六方会谈因为一些有争议的问题而处于停顿状态, "The six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program remain stalled." 今天我们学习的词组是stall.....

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#587
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是pound。 Pound既是英国的货币英镑, 也是一个重量单位。作为动词呢,pound的意思是猛击,猛烈敲打。 比如有人在砰砰地敲门,"Somebody is pounding at the door"
  美国东海岸地区四月份连续几天遭遇暴风雨袭击,一些地区洪水泛滥。美国新闻报道就用了pound 这个词,"A powerful storm has pounded the eastern coast of the United States, causing severe flooding in some areas" 今天我们学习的词组是pound...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#588
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是plead。 Plead的意思是辩护, 抗辩。Plead for就是请求、恳求的意思。美国著名黑人律师Thurgood Marshall 1954年在美国最高法院辩论说, 美国学校的种族隔离政策是非法的。 "He pleaded for the end of segregation in American schools," 他请求终止美国学校的种族隔离。
  
  在法庭上, 我们常常会听到被告plead guilty或是plead not guilty, 意思是被告表示服罪, 或是不服罪。 最近的一个例子是联合国战争犯罪法庭以杀人罪开庭审判马奇顿前内政部长博什科夫斯基。 博什科夫斯基申辩无罪,"He pleaded not guilty to the charges." 今天我们学的词是plead...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#589
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是vigil。 Vigil是守夜、祷告。美国维吉尼亚理工大学32名学生和教师惨遭枪杀之后, 举国上下深感悲痛。在维吉尼亚理工大学,学生们点燃了数千枝蜡烛,为死难者烛光守夜,"Virginia Tech Students held a candlelight vigil to remember the 32 people killed by a gunman"
  除了维州理工大学以外,美国很多社区和学校也都自发地为遇难者守夜祈祷,其中包括括美籍韩国人社团,"The local Korean American groups organized a candlelight vigil". 今天我们学习的词组是vigil...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#590
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是backlash。 Backlash的意思是后冲,强烈的不利反应。美国维吉尼亚理工大学32名学生和教授惨遭杀害,凶手是韩国人。
  枪击案发生后, 韩国政府对遇难者表示哀悼。 他们同时也表示担心这一事件可能会引起对韩裔社区的不利反应,"South Korean officials have expressed concern about a possible backlash against Korean communities in the United States." 今天我们学习的词组是backlash...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#591
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

第一八六课:
  今天我们要学的词组是face。 Face是脸, 面孔, 作为动词,face有面对的意思。比如,学会面对困难 -- learn to face difficulties. 美国人民在911以后面临如何防范恐怖袭击的巨大挑战,"The American people faced the big challenge of how to prevent terrorist attacks after 911."
  还比如美国司法部长冈萨雷斯因司法部解雇八位联邦检察官而在国会受到严厉质询,"Alberto Gonzales faced tough questioning about his role in the controversy." 今天我们学习的词组是face...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#592
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是take steps。 Take steps的意思是采取步骤、措施。比如, 美国大学在维州理工大学发生重大枪杀事件后纷纷采取防范措施,"They are taking steps to prevent campus shootings."
  
  还比如,美国驻德国大使馆由于担心恐怖分子发动袭击而敦促德国境内的美国人采取措施,确保自身安全,"An embassy statement urged Americans in Germany to take steps to ensure their own personal security." 今天我们学习的词组是take steps...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#593
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是embrace。 Embrace的意思是拥抱,"The mother embraced her son warmly." Embrace也有热情支持和接受的意思。
  
  俄罗斯前领导人叶利钦不幸病逝,媒体评价说,叶利钦执政期间策划了苏联的最后垮台,并且推动俄罗斯接受民主和市场经济,"Yeltsin engineered the final collapse of the Soviet Union and pushed Russia to embrace democracy and a market economy." 今天我们学习的词组是embrace...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#594
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词组是budge。Budge的意思是移动。比如, "They pushed and pushed but the rock would not budge," 他们推了又推,石头纹丝不动。Budge也有改变看法或立场的意思。比如,他一旦拒绝了,就不会改变主意, "Once he had said no, he would not budge."
  
  美国国防部长盖茨在莫斯科访问期间,敦促俄罗斯停止反对美国在欧洲部署防御系统,可是俄罗斯拒不改变立场, "Defense Secretary Gates urged Russia to drop its opposition to U.S. plans, but the Russians refuse to budge." 今天我们学习的词组是budge...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#595
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是gap。 Gap的意思是缝隙,差距。比如年龄的差距, age gap。贫富差距,the gap between the rich and the poor。收支差距,the gap between revenue and expense。
  美国的一项调查结果说,美国女大学毕业生的工资仍然低于男性大学毕业生。 报告说,男女大学生的薪水差距在毕业后的第一年大约是20%,"The pay gap between men and women after one year out of college is about 20%" 今天我们学习的词组是gap...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#596
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是in a row。 In a row的意思是排成一列, 或是连续。比如学生接连有三场考试,"They will have three exams in a row." 还比如,美国的癌症死亡率连续两年下降,"Cancer deaths in the United States dropped for the second year in a row."
  国际保护记者组织说,伊拉克对记者来说是最危险的地方,这种情况已经持续了四年," Iraq remains the most dangerous place for journalists for the fourth year in a row." 今天我们学习的词组是in a row...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#597
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是call for。Call for的意思是号召、要求。比如布什总统呼吁国际社会支持防治疟疾,"President Bush called for international support for the fight against malaria."
  联合国要求亚洲各国对禽流感提高警惕,"The U.N. urged Asian countries to be on heightened alert for a new breakout of bird flu." 中国和俄罗斯呼吁和平解决伊朗问题,"China and Russia called for peaceful solutions in Iran" 今天我们学习的词组是call for...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#598
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是junk。 Junk指废弃的旧物,比如旧货市场,a junk market. Junk往往是贬义, 美国人把大量胡乱邮寄的广告称为垃圾邮件, junk mail。把含糖量很高的不营养食品成为junk food, 垃圾食品。
  美国的一些专家认为, 美国儿童的肥胖问题越来越严重,其中的一个很重要的原因是垃圾食品太多。他们敦促政府禁止在学校内出售含糖量很高的饮料等垃圾食品,"They urged the government to ban soft drinks and other junk food from schools." 今天我们学习的词组是junk...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#599
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是cheat。 Cheat是骗人的意思。美国杜克大学商学院的34个学生最近因为作弊而受到处罚。美国媒体报道说,"Duke’s Business School disciplines 34 students for cheating." 专家认为,学生作弊是因为商学院的竞争压力太大,"The pressure to compete pushes some students to cheat."
  另外,如果丈夫对妻子不忠,可以,说 "He cheated on his wife." 打牌抽老千也叫cheat。 "Jimmy was caught cheating at cards," 吉姆打牌时作弊被当场抓住。所以说,"Never cheat if you don’t want to get caught。" 不想被抓住就千万别作弊。今天我们学习的词是cheat...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#600
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是loophole。 Loophole是漏洞的意思。美国维吉尼亚理工大学发生校园枪击事件后,"Virginia governor closed a loophole that allowed the VA tech shooter to obtain guns," 维吉尼亚州州长堵住了让维吉尼亚理工大学枪手获得枪支的法律漏洞。
  
  在生活中,很多地方都会存在漏洞。"A loophole in airport security," 机场保安措施的漏洞可能会给恐怖分子带来可乘之机。税法上的漏洞"tax loophole," 则可能让纳税人钻空子。今天我们学习的词是loophole...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#601
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是shatter。 Shatter是砸碎、破坏的意思。"The explosion shattered the windows," 意思是说爆炸震碎了窗玻璃。上周末新上映的电影蜘蛛人的第三部打破了全球票房纪录,媒体报道说,"Spiderman 3 shattered global box-office records."
  很多东西都可能被打碎。打破沉默就是 "the silence was shattered." "The scandal shattered his reputation," 意思是这起丑闻破坏了他的声誉。"Although the disease shattered his health," 虽然疾病损害了他的健康,"nothing could shatter his dream of becoming a writer," 没有任何事情能够动摇他成为作家的梦想。今天我们学习的词是shatter...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#602
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词儿是Priority。 Priority是优先的意思。萨尔科齐当选法国新总统后,媒体报道说,"He said the issue of climate change would be a priority for France." 意思是说萨尔科齐表示,气候变化的问题是他要优先考虑的事情。
  
  美国华盛顿特区的市长芬蒂参加竞选时曾保证说, "My first priority will be building excellent public education." 意思是“我的首要任务是建设高水平的公立教育。” 孩子如果不专心学习,把时间都用来玩游戏的话,家长会说,"you need to get your priorities straight." 意思是你要搞清楚什么对你才是最重要的。今天我们学习的词是priority...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#603
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

第一九八课:
  今天我们要学的词儿是buffer。 Buffer是缓冲的意思。Buffer state意思是缓冲国,buffer zone则指缓冲地带。以色列军方为了防止巴勒斯坦激进分子的火箭袭击,打算在加沙地带的边儿上建立一个缓冲区,"The Israeli army plans to create a buffer zone inside the edge of the Gaza Strip."
  在遇到困难时,我们往往需要亲人的支持,"My family’s support acted as a buffer against my stress at work." 意思是家人的支持帮助我缓解了工作上的压力。今天我们学习的词是buffer...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#604
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词组是turn the corner。 Turn the corner是出现好转,渡过难关的意思。伊拉克的局势让美国总统布什在国内备受压力。媒体报道说, "Congressional leaders give President Bush a matter of months to prove that the Iraq war effort has turned the corner." 意思是美国国会领袖要求布什总统在几个月内证明伊拉克的情况已经出现了好转。
  
  他的健康出现了好转,可以说 "His health has turned the corner。" 一支球队终于走出了进攻乏力的低谷,可以说 "The team has finally turned the corner offensively." 今天我们学习的词组是turn the corner...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-01#605
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

  今天我们要学的词儿是buff。 Buff原意是暗黄色的皮革,但是在美国口语中buff一般是说对某个问题的爱好者。比如说sports buff , 就是体育爱好者,history buff是指历史爱好者,opera buff是指歌剧爱好者。
  
  美国前总统克林顿退休后,除了积极参与赈灾募捐、为非洲争取便宜的艾滋病药物、为太太希拉里的竞选出谋划策外,也有更轻松的嗜好, "A known crossword buff, Clinton wrote the clues for an online crossword puzzle published this weekend by the New York Times." 意思是说克林顿是众所周知的纵横填字谜的爱好者,《纽约时报》这个周末网上的填字谜游戏的提示就是他写的。今天我们学习的词儿是buff..200

昆虫 : 2012-02-01#606
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

谢谢!学习并收藏了。

故乡的云 : 2012-02-02#607
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是top-selling。 Top-selling, 意思是最畅销的,热卖的。苹果公司最畅销的智能手机iPhone 4s将在中国出售。 "Apple's top-selling smart phone, the iPhone 4S, will soon be available in China," 马自达3成为澳洲市场最畅销的车型。 "Mazda3 compact became the top-selling car model in the Australian market," 哈里.波特系列的终结版是英国2011年最畅销的DVD。 "The final movie in the Harry Potter series was the top-selling DVD in Britain in 2011." 好的,今天我们学习的词是top-selling...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-02#608
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是in the midst of。 In the midst of, 意思是在某一进程之中。最新数据显示,2011年汽车销量直线上升。 "Rising car sales in 2011 are a major improvement over 2009, when sales hit a 30-year low in the midst of the worst recession in decades," 2011年销量上涨与2009年相比显著提高,当时汽车销量在几十年来最严重的经济危机之中降到30年来的最低水平。 "Australia is in the midst of the biggest baby boom in its history, with final figures for 2011 expected to show the number of births topping 300,000," 澳大利亚正在经历史上最大一波婴儿潮,2011年的最终数据预计将显示,全国有超过30万个新生儿。好的,今天我们学习的词是in the midst of...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-02#609
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是put together。 Put together, 意思是整合,组成整体。寒冷的冬天又到了。 "Snow sculptors from Moscow will put together a snow city in a public park," 莫斯科的冰雕艺术家将在一个公园内建立一座冰雪之城。 "I like the show 'Piers Morgan Tonight.' It puts together all the news you need to know,"我很喜欢看"Piers Morgan Tonight"这个节目,每期里都包揽了你应该了解的世界大事。 "Ikea furniture is nice, but you need to know how to put it together," 宜家家具不错,但你得知道怎么组装。好的,今天我们学习的词是put together...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-02#610
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是fine print。 Fine print, 字面意思是极小的字体,引伸出来就是指条文细则。圣诞节时,很多人收到的礼物都是购物卡。市场专家建议, "You should read the fine print on gift cards, and try to use them as quickly as possible," 你应当仔细阅读这些购物卡上面的条文细则,尽快用掉它们。 "Choosing a good health insurance plan requires reading a lot of fine print," 要选择一个好的医疗保健计划,你得特别注意那些条文细则。 "If you are purchasing discounted airline tickets, you should pay special attention to the fine print," 如果你想购买特价机票,千万注意那些条文细则。好的,今天我们学习的词是fine print...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-02#611
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是half-staff。Half-staff, 意思是降半旗。尽管一些人权人士强烈反对,但是联合国仍然按照惯例在朝鲜前领导人金正日下葬当天降半旗。 "As a matter of protocol, U.N. offices around the globe lowered their flags to half-staff to mark the funeral of former North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il," 不久前维吉尼亚理工学院又发生了一起枪击事件。 "The Governor of Virginia ordered all federal and state flags flown at half-staff to honor a police officer killed during a shooting," 维吉尼亚州州长下令,州内所有维吉尼亚州旗和美国国旗一律降半旗,悼念在枪击事件中殉职的那位警察。好的,今天我们学习的词是half-staff...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#612
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是standoff。 Standoff意思是僵持不下。由于核项目问题,伊朗一直跟西方国家僵持不下,可以说,"Iran is locked in a standoff with the West over its nuclear program." 警察跟绑匪之间的僵局终于和平解决,可以说,"the standoff between the police and the kidnappers ended peacefully."
  大罢工已经进入第八天了,劳资双方还是互不相让,可以说,"The strike has entered the eighth day as the standoff between the union and the management continues." 今天我们学习的词儿是standoff..

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#613
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是strained。 Strained是紧张的意思。由于在导弹防御系统等问题上存在分歧,美国和俄罗斯关系十分紧张。媒体报道说,"U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Russia to patch up the strained relationship between the two countries." 意思是美国国务卿赖斯正在俄罗斯访问,努力修补紧张关系。
  
  "Relations between the two brothers have become strained over the inheritance," 是说遗产让兄弟两人的关系出现紧张。"There was a strained atmosphere throughout the negotiation," 是说谈判自始至终气氛都很紧张。今天我们学习的词儿是strained...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#614
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是spirited。 Spirited意思是激烈的,热烈的。竞争2008年美国总统共和党提名的侯选人举行公开辩论。媒体报道说,"Republican Presidential candidates engaged in a spirited debate over controversial issues." 意思是共和党总统候选人围绕充满争议的问题进行了激烈的辩论。
  
  北约部队对武装激进分子发动猛烈攻击,可以说 "NATO forces staged a spirited attack on the armed militant." Spirited也可以用来形容人。"a spirited kid" 意思就是一个活泼的小孩。好,今天我们学习的词儿是spirited...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#615
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是inherit。 Inherit是继承的意思。Sam从他叔叔那儿继承了一大笔财产就是 "Sam inherited a fortune from his uncle." Jenny继承了妈妈的红头发,可以说 "Jenny inherits her red hair from her mom."
  
  法国新总统萨尔科齐刚刚宣誓就职,就要面临严峻的考验。媒体报道说,"Sarkozy inherited an 8.7 percent unemployment rate and a growth rate lagging behind France’s neighbors," 萨尔科齐要面对8.7%的失业率,法国的经济增长速度也低于周边国家。好,今天我们学习的词儿是inherit...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#616
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是spike。 Spike做为名词,有大幅度上升的意思,demand spike,就是需求的猛增,sales spike,就是销售的上涨。最近,美国开车上班的人又开始叫苦连天。这是因为, "We have seen a big price spike at the pump." 意思是最近油价涨得非常厉害。
  
  最新数据显示,美国的暴力犯罪连续第二年上涨。美国司法部认为,"Increased violence among teenagers appears to have contributed to a nationwide crime spike," 意思是说青少年暴力行为的上升造成了全国犯罪数量的增加。好,今天我们学习的词儿是spike...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#617
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是odds。 Odds是可能性的意思。"The odds are very much in the home team’s favor," 就是说主场球队胜利的机会很大。很多人都幻想着中彩票发大财,可是"What are the odds to win the lottery?" 中彩的机会又有多大呢?
  
  我们还可以说"against the odds," 就是说困难重重。美国参议院星期一开始讨论一项极具争议的移民议案。美联社报道说,即使议案在参议院勉强获得通过,"the measure would face long odds in the House," 意思是这项议案在众议院也会遇到很大的阻力。好,今天我们学习的词儿是odds...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#618
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是controversy。 Controversy的意思是争论、争议。"Spark a controversy,"就是引起争议。"Resolve the controversy,"就是解决争端。拟议兴建的高速公路在当地引起了争议,可以说"The proposed highway ignited a controversy in the local community."
  
  世界银行行长沃尔福威茨上星期宣布辞职。媒体报道说, "World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz will resign next month, ending a month-long controversy," 意思是说沃尔福威茨宣布下个月离职,结束了长达一个月的争议。好,今天我们学习的词儿是controversy...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#619
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是leak。 Leak是泄漏消息的意思。"The contents of the report were leaked to the media," 是说报告内容被泄漏给了媒体。公司裁员的消息不知被什么人走漏了风声,"the plans for the layoff have somehow leaked out."
  
  这名军官因为泄密被判处15年徒刑,"The military official was sentenced to 15 years in prison for leaking the intelligence." 最近在日本,一种美国研制的导弹防御系统发生了泄密的情况。媒体报道说,"Classified information about a U.S.-developed missile defense system was leaked." 好,今天我们学习的词儿是leak...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#620
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词儿是anniversary。 Anniversary是周年纪念,周年纪念日的意思。生活中有些日子是绝对不能忘记的。比如说 "wedding anniversary," 结婚纪念日,再比如"anniversary of his death," 指某人的祭日。
  
  美国电影巨片星球大战1977年5月25号首映,多年来一直吸引着无数的忠实影迷。媒体报道说,"Star Wars fans everywhere will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie’s release," 意思是各地的星球大战的“粉丝们”都在庆祝影片首映30周年。今天我们学习的词儿是anniversary...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-06#621
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是memorial。 Memorial是纪念物、纪念碑的意思。今天是美国的阵亡将士纪念日。"Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service," 意思是说阵亡将士纪念日是一个缅怀那些为国捐躯者的日子。
  
  二战期间纳粹大屠杀遇难者的纪念碑可以说,"a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust." 几百人前来参加这名消防队员的葬礼,对他表示敬意,"Hundreds of people came to the Memorial Service to honor the firefighter." 今天我们学习的词儿是memorial...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#622
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是in an effort to。 In an effort to, 意思是为某种结果而做的努力。南北苏丹就石油分配问题僵持不下。 "Presidents from the two countries will meet in Ethiopia's capital this week in an effort to resolve the dispute," 两国总统本周将在埃塞俄比亚首都会面,试图解决这一分歧。经济衰退期间, "Some companies laid off mid-level and senior managers in an effort to reduce overhead expenses," 一些公司解雇中高级经理,努力降低经费开支。 "US top military officers held talks with Israeli leaders in an effort to coordinate responses to Iran's nuclear program," 美国军方高级将领与以色列领导人举行会谈,试图对伊朗的核项目协调回应。好的,今天我们学习的词是in an effort to...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#623
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是coincide with。Coincide with, 意思是与某事一致。印第安纳大学最新公布的一项研究显示,美国贫困人口数量有所上涨。 "The rise in poverty coincides with the major recession from late 2007 to 2009," 贫困人口数量增长正好赶上2007年年底到2009年的经济低迷时期。 "The DC government is planning a major public arts show to coincide with the annual Cherry Blossom Festival this spring," 华盛顿特区政府今天春天计划举办一次大规模公共艺术展,时间跟一年一度的樱花节吻合。好的,今天我们学习的词是coincide with...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#624
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是fulfill。Fulfill, 意思是满足,实现。缅甸最近释放了所有政治犯。 "The prisoners' release fulfills a US condition for mending diplomatic relations with Burma," 缅甸释放所有政治犯的举措满足了美国在改善美缅关系上的前提要求。 "Hundreds of people rallied on the streets of Washington DC, demanding President Obama fulfill his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison," 数百人在首都华盛顿游行,要求奥巴马总统落实关闭关塔那摩湾监狱的承诺。

美 国国务卿克林顿谴责也门总统萨利赫迟迟不履行下台的承诺。 "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton condemned the Yemeni president for failing to fulfill his commitment to leave the country," 好的,今天我们学习的词是fulfill...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#625
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是memorial。 Memorial是纪念物、纪念碑的意思。今天是美国的阵亡将士纪念日。"Memorial Day is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation’s service," 意思是说阵亡将士纪念日是一个缅怀那些为国捐躯者的日子。
  
  二战期间纳粹大屠杀遇难者的纪念碑可以说,"a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust." 几百人前来参加这名消防队员的葬礼,对他表示敬意,"Hundreds of people came to the Memorial Service to honor the firefighter." 今天我们学习的词儿是memorial...
  
  
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故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#626
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是backfire。 Backfire的意思是产生事与愿违的效果。"Her plan to snoop on the kids backfired and they lost their trust in her ." 她窥探孩子行动的计划得不偿失,反而失去了他们的信任。
  
  不久前,有专家警告说,对伊朗进行军事打击可能不是一条可行之策,"Any military action against Iran’s nuclear program is likely to backfire." 是说针对伊朗核项目发动的任何军事行动都可能会产生事与愿违的结果。好,今天我们学习的词儿是backfire...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#627
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是investment。 Investment是投资的意思。Safe investment,是安全的投资;Foreign investment,是外来投资;High return on my investment,就是说我的投资得到了高回报。
  最近有研究发现,美国最有钱的人大都是创业者。"Their fortunes do not come from passive investment," 他们的财富并非来自于消极投资。创业?为时过晚了吧。那就只有赶快教育孩子了。"I want to make a big investment in my kids’ education," 意思是我打算在孩子的教育上下大本钱。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是investment...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#628
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是impact。 Impact是影响、作用的意思。美国总统布什宣布对苏丹政府实施新的制裁。美国官员说,"The sanctions will have a serious impact." 意思是制裁会产生重大影响。发展旅游业的同时需要保护环境,"The report assessed the impact of tourism on the environment," 意思是这份报告评估了旅游业对环境的影响。
  
  很多地方都有自己的支柱产业,"The shutdown of the oil refinery had a devastating impact on local economy," 意思是说炼油厂的关闭使当地经济受到了毁灭性的打击。好,今天我们学习的词儿是 impact...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#629
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是recall。 Recall是指产品质量有问题,厂商或是质量监督部门宣布回收产品的意思。美国先进医疗光学公司的一种隐形眼镜护理液最近出了问题,"The contact lens solution is being recalled," 这种护理液正在被收回。
  日常生活中很多商品都可能存在质量问题。"GE recalled the dishwashers due to a fire hazard," 是说通用电器公司收回了这款洗碗机,因为有起火的危险。"The company recalled thousands of jars of baby food after a contamination scare," 意思是说食品污染引起恐慌后,这家公司收回了数千瓶婴儿食品。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是recall...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#630
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是backlog。 Backlog是指积压的意思。"a backlog of orders" 就是积压的订单。"A backlog of mail" 是积压的邮件。我休产假回来上班后,有一大堆工作等着我做,可以说 "When I returned from maternity leave, there was a backlog of work waiting for me."
  美国正在就移民改革议案进行辩论,让非法移民有可能变为合法,但是在此之前,"There is a backlog of existing cases to eliminate," 是说移民局必须先把现有的积压案件处理掉。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是backlog...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#631
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是plunge。 Plunge是猛然下降的意思。中国股市今年大起大落。媒体最近报道说,"The Chinese shares plunged 15% in a week," 是说中国股市一周内猛跌了15%。
  公司业绩往往会受到声誉的影响。"The company’s profit plunged 30% over the scandal," 意思是这一丑闻使公司盈利猛跌了30%。俗话说,好借好还,再借不难。在美国,要贷款买房买车,都要有良好的信用记录。"One late mortgage payment could cause your credit score to plunge," 是说按揭迟付一次,就会严重影响你的信用评分。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是plunge...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#632
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是debate。 Debate是辩论,讨论的意思。"a heated debate"是激烈的辩论;"a policy debate"是有关政策的辩论;"a debate on abortion rights"是说关于堕胎权利的辩论。如何解决伊拉克问题是这次美国总统大选的核心议题这一。美国媒体报道说,"The Iraqi solution takes the center stage of Presidential debate." 意思是伊拉克问题的解决办法成了总统候选人辩论的焦点议题。
  
  美国的移民改革议案正在讨论当中,我们可以说"The immigration reform legislation is under debate." 好的,今天我们学习的词儿是 debate...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-13#633
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

第二一八课:
  今天我们要学的词儿是clash。 Clash是冲突的意思。"An armed clash"是武装冲突;"a verbal clash"则是口角。工业化八国集团领导人高峰会议星期三在德国开幕。媒体报道说,"German police clashed with protesters near the site of the summit," 意思是德国警察在峰会会址附近跟抗议人群发生了冲突。
  Clash也可以指利益、意见和性格上的冲突。比如说,"They clashed over the tax cut proposal," 意思是他们在减税提案上存在意思分歧。再比如,"He has a personality clash with his boss,"是说他跟自己的老板从性格上就合不来。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是clash...
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故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#634
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是magnate。 Magnate, 指在商界或工业界很 有影响力的人。 "Newt Gingrich's presidential campaign received a $10 million injection from a casino magnate," 金里奇的总统参选班子从一位赌场巨头那里得到了一千万美元的竞选经费。 "Pizza magnate Herman Cain officially endorsed Newt Gingrich for the Republican presidential nomination," 比萨饼大王赫尔曼.凯恩正式宣布,支持金里奇成为共和党总统候选人。 "Sports magnate Stan Kroenke is reportedly one of the bidders attempting to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers," 体育界大佬斯坦.克罗恩克据说是有意收购洛杉矶道奇棒球队的竞标者之一。好的,今天我们学习的词是magnate...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#635
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是recount。 Recount,动词,意思是叙述,回顾。意大利豪华游轮搁浅后的搜救工作是大家关注的焦点。 "Survivors of the accident recounted the frantic escape from the sinking cruise ship, saying there wasn't enough time to pull up the rescue boats," 幸存者讲述慌忙逃离下沉游轮的经过,说当时根本没时间调动救生艇。

在每周例行广播讲话中, "President Obama recounted recent steps his administration has taken to speed up the economic recovery," 美国总统奥巴马回顾了他领导下的政府最近为加快经济复苏所采取的各项措施。好的,今天我们学习的词是recount...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#636
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是withhold。 Withhold, 意思是保留, 拒绝给予。最近调查显示,匈牙利没有满足欧盟的要求,将赤字控制在经济总支出的3%以下。欧盟表示, "the EU could withhold development funds from Hungary if it does not curtail its spending," 如果匈牙利不减少支出,欧盟可能会暂停对匈牙利的发展项目拨款。美国联邦调查局曾对阿拉斯加议员Don Young的腐败指控进行调查。然而, "A federal judge ruled that the FBI should not withhold all records of the corruption probe," 一名联邦法官裁决,联邦调查局不能拒不公布腐败调查中的所有资料。好的,今天我们学习的词是withhold...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#637
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是dilemma。 Dilemma是左右为难的意思。美国副总统切尼的前办公厅主任路易斯.利比最近因为做伪证被判处30个月的刑期。媒体报道说,"The sentence imposed on Lewis ’Scooter’ Libby put President Bush in a dilemma,"意思是路易斯.利比被判刑,让布什总统陷入了两难的境地。大家都在问,布什是否会赦免他?
  
  在生活中我们经常会遇到左右为难的时候。"Many moms face the dilemma about whether they should go back to work or not," 意思是很多妈妈在决定是否回去工作时,都会左右为难。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是dilemma...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#638
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是downplay。 Downplay something是指对某事轻描淡写。"The coach downplayed the team’s loss in the season opener,"意思是教练并不看重球队赛季首场比赛的失利。"The diplomat downplayed the breakdown of the talks," 意思是这名外交官对会谈破裂轻描淡写。
  一些亚洲货币对美元的比价最近显著上涨,可能对出口行业带来负面影响。但是媒体报道说,"Government officials downplayed the impact of stronger currencies,"意思是政府官员并不认为货币升值会带来严重影响。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是downplay...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#639
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是status quo。 Status quo是指现状。Maintain the status quo是维持现状;restore the status quo是恢复原状。美国国会在移民改革议案的问题上继续存在严重分歧。商务部长古铁雷斯表示,"We should not walk away and keep the status quo," 意思是我们不应该就此放弃,维持现状。
  
  他接着说,"Walking away from the bill suggests that we are comfortable with the status quo,"是说放弃这项议案,就意味着我们对现状感到满意。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是status quo...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#640
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是finale。 Finale是指大结局。所有孩子都上台来参加最后一个节目的表演,可以说, "All the kids came on stage during the grand finale." 教练临退休前,球队赢得了全国冠军,可以说, "What better finale to his coaching career than to win the Championship?" 意思是还有比用冠军来结束他的教练生涯更合适的吗?
  美国热播的《黑帮家庭》连续剧Sopranos上星期天播出了最后一集,但是片尾并没有出现大家预期的血腥屠杀。媒体报道说,"The finale left the fans hanging." 意思是说大结局给粉丝们留下了悬念。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是finale

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#641
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是comeback。 Comeback是东山再起的意思。以色列前总理巴拉克当选了以色列工党领袖。媒体报道说,"Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak staged a political comeback," 意思是巴拉克在政治舞台上东山再起。"The rock star made a comeback with his first album in 10 years," 意思是这位摇滚歌星推出了十年来的第一部专辑,试图东山再起。
  
  Comeback还可以用来形容潮流。"The swim skirt is making a comeback in fashion this year," 是说短裙式泳装今年再次成为时尚。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是comeback...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#642
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是routine。 Routine是常规的意思。Routine checkup是定期体检。Routine conference是例行会议。我们应该把锻炼变成日常生活的一部分,可以说 "We should make exercise a part of our daily routine."
  希尔顿集团女继承人帕丽斯.希尔顿的父母探监时受到优待,引起了其它探视者的不满。不过,监狱发言人说,"It is routine for high-profile inmates to receive visitors during lunch when the visiting room is closed," 意思是重要在押犯常常会在中午吃饭,暂停探视的时候会客。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是routine...
  
  
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故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#643
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是stamp out。 Stamp out是消除,消灭的意思,一般用于不好的,或是危险的事物。To stamp out crime是消灭犯罪,to stamp out racism是消除种族歧视。
  
  "The companies vowed to stamp out piracy," 意思是这些公司发誓要消除盗版。随着北京2008年奥运会的临近,中国政府正在大力推广礼仪教育。媒体报道说,"Chinese officials have been trying to stamp out unseemly practices like spitting and littering," 意思是中国官员努力消除随地吐痰和乱扔垃圾等不得体的举止。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是stamp out...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#644
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是resume。 Resume是中断后重新开始的意思。Resume negotiation, 是恢复谈判,resume duties, 是重新开始履行职责。巴勒斯坦的局势最近发生突变。欧盟星期一宣布,将恢复对巴勒斯坦新政府的直接援助。媒体报道说,"The European Union said Monday it will resume direct aid to the new Palestinian government."
  在美国,很多女性都选择暂时待在家里,等孩子大一点再回去工作,我们可以说,"She decided to resume her career after the children went to school," 意思是孩子上学后,她决定继续回去工作。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是resume... 226
  
  
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故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#645
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是vulnerable。 Vulnerable是脆弱的,容易受到伤害的意思。Vulnerable to attack,是说容易受到攻击;vulnerable to criticism,是容易受到批评。一项最新调查显示,Sudan is at the top of the list of countries most vulnerable to internal conflict, 意思是说苏丹是最容易发生内乱的国家。
  每次夏天出现高温天气的时候,政府都会建议人们待在有空调的房间里,特别是老人和孩子。"The elderly and the young are the most vulnerable to extreme heat," 意思说说老年人和小孩子是最经不起酷暑天气的。好的,今天我们学习的词儿是vulnerable...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#646
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是speculation。 Speculation是猜测、推测的意思。纽约市长布隆伯格宣布退出共和党,"The move has fueled speculation that he may run as an independent candidate for the U.S. presidency in 2008," 意思说这一举动引起了外界的猜测,怀疑他会以独立候选人的身份参加2008年美国总统大选。
  最近有人说,汤姆.克鲁斯的太太凯蒂又怀孕了。"She silenced the speculation by showing off her figure in a swimsuit," 意思是她身穿泳装展示身材,打消了人们的猜测。好,今天我们学习的词是speculation...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#647
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是go through the roof。 Roof 是房顶的意思。Go through the roof冲破房顶,意思就是超过了最高极限。"The unemployment rate went through the roof," 失业率飞涨。"Due to shortages, the price of wheat has gone through the roof," 由于供应不足,小麦价格飞涨。
  一周来,猪流感的爆发引起了普遍担忧。"The panic level concerning Swine Flu is going through the roof," 民众对猪流感极度关心。因为担心奥巴马新政府限制枪支自由,"Gun sales have gone through the roof in recent months," 最近几个月的枪支销售量暴涨。好的,今天我们学习的词是 go through the roof...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#648
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hotbed。 Hotbed温床。这次猪流感的爆发,让微型博客网站Twitter成了辩论焦点。 "Some critics say Twitter has become a hotbed for unnecessary hype and misinformation about the swine flu outbreak," 一些持批评态度的人说,Twitter网站上到处都是对这次疫情的大肆渲染和错误信息。
  美国维吉尼亚州警方的一份报告引起了一些团体的不满。"The report portrays the state’s colleges and universities as potential hotbeds for terrorist recruiting," 报告说,维吉尼亚州的一些大学是恐怖分子招募成员的潜在温床。好的,今天我们学习的词是hotbed...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#649
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

 今天我们要学的词是photo op. Photo op是photo opportunity的简称,意思是为做宣传而专门安排的媒体拍照机会。"The meeting between the two Presidents was followed by a photo op," 两位总统会面后接受媒体拍照。
  一架美国总统专机星期一由战斗机护送在纽约市低空飞行,引起纽约人的恐慌。"It turned out to be an approved photo op," 结果发现,这次飞行是经过批准的,目的是为拍宣传照。"White House officials later apologized for any panic caused by the photo op," 白宫官员后来对这次拍照飞行任务引起的恐慌表示了歉意。好的,今天我们学习的词是photo op...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#650
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是report card。 Report card成绩单。星期三是美国总统奥巴马任职100天。四月第二个星期进行的一项盖洛普民意调查显示,62%的受访者对奥巴马的工作表示肯定。"President Obama has earned a decent report card in his first 100 days," 奥巴马总统头100天拿到了一张不错的成绩单。
  美国肺脏协会星期二公布了第十届空气状况报告, "The American Lung Association issued national air quality report cards to communities across the country." 报告中包括了给全国各地空气质量打的分。好的,今天我们学习的词是report card...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#651
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是contain。 Contain是动词,有控制的意思。截至到星期天,美国已经确认了20例猪流感患者。"U.S. government declared a public health emergency to contain the swine flu outbreak," 美国政府宣布公共卫生紧急状态,努力控制猪流感病毒的蔓延。
  美国南卡罗来纳州默特尔比奇一带上周三发生野火,造成76户住房被烧毁。"About 85 percent of the blaze was contained by Saturday night and most major roads have been reopened," 到星期六晚上的时候,大约百分之85的火势已经得到了控制,大多数主要道路都已经重新开放。好的,今天我们学习的词是contain...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#652
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是prom。 Prom在美国指高中高年级学生在学年结束前的半正式舞会。High school prom,一般指高中毕业班的舞会,又称senior prom或者干脆就是prom。
  
  "Proms are a $4 billion-a-year industry, but that figure could drop as much as one fifth this year because of the sagging economy," 高中毕业舞会每年总消费高达40亿美元,但是由于经济不景气,今年可能会下跌五分之一。"But for many high school seniors, the prom is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so it doesn’t make sense to cut costs," 但是很多高中毕业生认为,毕业舞会一辈子就这么一回,所以不应该能省就省。好的,今天我们学习的词是prom...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#653
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是commencement。 Commencement,毕业典礼。科罗拉多大学虽然发现了三例H1N1甲型流感疑似病例,"The University of Colorado isn’t canceling the graduation commencement this weekend because of the H1N1 flu" 但是并不准备取消这个周末的毕业典礼。
  "The University of Notre Dame invited President Obama to deliver the school’s commencement address," 圣母大学邀请美国总统奥巴马在毕业典礼上讲话。"President Obama will be the sixth U.S. President to deliver a commencement address at Notre Dame," 奥巴马将是在圣母大学发表毕业讲话的第六位美国总统。好的,今天我们学习的词是commencement.

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#654
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是sticking point。 Sticking point,指一件事情的症结。"The school budget is expected to be the biggest sticking point at the town meeting," 学校预算估计是这次市民大会最棘手的问题。
  《波士顿环球》报最大的工会跟资方达成临时协议,延续了这份一百多年老报的生命。有报道说,"The Union agreed to changes in lifetime job guarantee provisions, which was a key sticking point during the negotiation," 工会同意修改终生工作保障的有关条款,这本来是谈判中的一个主要症结。好的,今天我们学习的词是sticking point...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#655
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tax haven。 Tax haven,避税港,指不用交税或是税率很低的国家和地区。美国总统奥巴马星期一公布了税法改革计划。"The Obama administration hopes to raise $95.2 billion over the next ten years by cracking down on overseas tax havens," 奥巴马政府希望通过对海外避税港的打击,在今后十年里避免952亿美元的流失。
  四月初的时候,"Leaders of the G-20 Summit also pledged to clamp down on tax havens," 二十国集团领导人在伦敦召开峰会,也保证要对避税港加强监管。好的,今天我们学习的词是tax haven...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#656
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是overblown。 Overblown,是过份,夸张的意思。截至到星期一早上,全球范围内感染甲型H1NI流感的人数已经接近一千人,成为几天来媒体报道的焦点。与此同时,有分析人士认为,"The media coverage of the H1N1 flu has been overblown," 媒体对甲型H1N1流感的报道有些夸大其词。
  母乳喂养有利孩子健康,这是毫无争议的。但是母乳真能让孩子更聪明吗?"Some experts believe that the reported benefits of breast feeding may be overblown," 有的专家提出,某些有关母乳喂养的好处可能有些言过其实。好的,今天我们学习的词是overblown...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#657
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是larger than life。 Larger than life意思是给人留下深刻印象的,具有传奇色彩的。美国前总统西奥多.罗斯福是对美国历史产生重大影响的总统之一。"He has a larger than life personality," 他个性鲜明,给人留下深刻的印象。
  美国上个世纪三十年代著名的雌雄大盗邦尼和克莱德至今仍然是美国影视和图书的热门题材,光是上个月,就有两本关于他们的新书上市。"75 years later, Bonnie and Clyde remain larger than life," 75年过后,邦尼和克莱德的传奇色彩丝毫不减。好的,今天我们学习的词是larger than life...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#658
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是in the line of duty。 In the line of duty意思是在执行公务的时候。"North Carolina firefighters honored their comrades who were killed in the line of duty last year," 北卡罗来纳州的消防队员悼念了去年在灭火时以身殉职的战友们。
  这个星期是美国的警察周。"Hundreds of law officers from across the country arrived in Washington by bicycle to honor those who died in the line of duty," 数以百计的警察从全美各地骑自行车来到首都华盛顿,悼念那些在值勤中以身殉职的警察。好的,今天我们学习的词是in the line of duty...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#659
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是broke。 Broke是破产的意思。星期二公布的一份报告对美国的两项社会保障制度Medicare和Social Security提出警告。其中,"Medicare will go broke in eight years if nothing is done to fix it," 如果不采取措施弥补缺陷的话,美国的老年保健医疗制度的资金在八年内就会彻底耗尽。
  华盛顿州的一位单亲母亲去银行取钱,发现帐户里一下子冒出来二十多万美元。虽然急需钱用,但她还是找到银行,让这笔钱物归原主,按她的话说,"Broke or not, I am not going to sell my soul for $270,000," 不管是不是一文不名,我都不会为了27万美元而出卖自己的灵魂。好的,今天我们学习的词是broke...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#660
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是robocall。 Robocall指的是由计算机系统自动拨号,播放事先录制的电话留言的宣传电话。Robocall是产品促销和政治竞选的常用手段。"A GOP group launched its robocall campaign against Senator Arlen Specter who switched to the Democratic party last week," 共和党的一个组织以自动电话留言的方式对脱离共和党转为民主党的阿伦.斯佩克特参议员发起攻击。
  纽约州参议员舒默最近受到欺骗性自动留言电话的骚扰。"Senator Schumer is calling for an investigation into phony robocalls," 舒默参议员要求对欺骗性的自动留言电话展开调查。好的,今天我们学习的词是robocall...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#661
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是overhaul。 Overhaul意思是全面改革。"President Obama is trying to build support for a sweeping overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system," 美国总统奥巴马努力为美国医疗保健系统的全面改革寻求支持。"Obama says the healthcare overhaul could save the U.S. trillions of dollars," 奥巴马表示,医疗保健系统的全面改革可以为美国节省数万亿美元。
  "President Obama is pushing Congress to pass an overhaul of the $2.5 trillion healthcare industry by the end of the year," 奥巴马要求国会在年底前通过对价值两万五千亿美元的医疗保健部门的全面改革方案。好的,今天我们学习的词是overhaul...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#662
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是pro-life。 Pro-life意思是反对妇女有堕胎的选择权。Pro-life的对立面是 pro-choice,支持妇女的堕胎权。美国总统奥巴马不久前在圣母大学发表毕业演讲。"Hundreds of pro-life activists flocked to Notre Dame to protest President Obama’s commencement speech," 数以百计的反堕胎活动人士前往圣母大学,对奥巴马总统的演讲表示抗议。
  盖洛普公布的一项最新调查显示,"Fifty-one percent of respondents describe themselves as pro-life, while 42% said they are pro-choice," 51%的受访者说自己反对堕胎,42%的人支持妇女有堕胎的选择权。好的,今天我们学习的词是pro-life...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#663
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是out of the woods。 Out of the woods意思是已经脱离了危险或困境。虽然 H1N1甲型流感在美国民众中引起的恐慌已经逐渐消退,"CDC officials warn that we are not yet out of the woods," 但是美国疾病预防控制中心的官员说,我们并没有完全脱离危险。
  电脑业巨头惠普公司宣布,今年第二季度的公司盈利暴跌17%,准备裁员六千四百人。业界分析人士说,"It seems the high-tech industry is not out of the woods yet," 看来高科技产业尚未走出经济衰退的阴影。好的,今天我们学习的词是out of the woods...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#664
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是breathing room。 Breathing room意思是喘息的机会。"The troops pushed forward with the assault and did not give the enemy any breathing room," 部队继续推进攻势,不给敌人留下丝毫喘息的机会。
  美国国会参议院星期二以压倒性多数票批准了一项议案,限制信用卡公司任意提高利率。"The lawmakers are hoping to give voters some breathing room amid the economic downturn," 国会议员希望借此让面对经济衰退的选民得到一丝喘息的机会。 好的,今天我们学习的词是breathing room...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#665
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是free-fall。 Free-fall在重力作用下自由下落。"White House budget director said there are signs that the free-fall in the economy seems to have stopped," 白宫预算负责人表示,美国经济的自由下落似乎已经停了下来。
  还记得去年美国总统大选共和党的副总统候选人,阿拉斯加州女州长萨拉.佩林吗?"Palin’s approval numbers have been in serious free-fall since she returned from the campaign trail last November," 佩林去年十一月大选结束后,民众支持率就一直在直线下滑。好的,今天我们学习的词是free fall...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#666
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是rave。 Rave做为动词,有热烈赞扬的意思。 "Critics raved about the new book," 这本新书赢得了书评家的一致好评。"Environmental groups raved about President Obama’s productive first 100 days in office," 美国总统奥巴马任期头一百天的表现,得到了环保团体的高度赞扬。
  奥巴马上周六提名共和党籍的犹他州州长亨茨曼担任下一届的美国驻华大使。"The public raved about Obama’s unexpected pick of Jon Huntsman as the new ambassador to China," 奥巴马挑选亨茨曼出任驻华大使让很多人感到意外,但同时也受到了普遍赞同。亨茨曼州长讲一口流利中文,他的中文名字叫洪博培。好的,今天我们学习的词是rave...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#667
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是telework。 Telework是指利用电讯手段,在办公室以外的地方远程办公。"Telework can ensure continued operation in times of emergency," 远程办公可以确保紧急情况下的持续运作。"The U.S. Office of Personnel Management issued guidelines recently to boost the number of federal employees eligible for telework," 美国人事管理局最近公布指导方针,努力增加可以远程办公的联邦工作人员的人数。
  "Congress is trying to encourage telework, especially as a way to make the government an employer of choice," 美国国会鼓励远程办公,希望借此增加政府做为用人单位的吸引力。好的,今天我们学习的词是telework...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#668
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是bumpy。 Bumpy颠簸的,困难重重的。美国全国企业经济学家协会的一项最新调查发现,"More than 90 percent of economists predict the recession will end this year, although the recovery is likely to be bumpy," 90%以上的经济学家预计,美国的经济衰退年内就会结束,但是经济复苏之路恐怕不会平坦。
  著名手机制造商诺基亚最近开通了在线商店Ovi Store,但是开通当天登陆速度慢、产品选项少,网站导航混乱。评论人士说,"Nokia’s Ovi Store is off to a bumpy start," 诺基亚的Ovi在线商店一开张就很不顺利。好的,今天我们学习的词是bumpy...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-15#669
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是turf war。 Turf是地盘的意思,turf war地盘之争,势力范围之争。。墨西哥联邦部队拘捕了十名市长和另外十八名官员,因为他们涉嫌保护贩毒集团。"In Mexico, turf wars between drug gangs have killed about 2,300 people so far this year," 墨西哥贩毒团伙间的地盘之争今年已经造成大约两千三百人死亡。
  跟毒品交易有关的暴力去年在墨西哥造成六千人死亡。"U.S. officials fear that turf wars between rival gangs could spill across the border into the United States," 美国官员担心墨西哥贩毒团伙间的地盘之争会跨过边境,影响到美国。好的,今天我们学习的词是turf war...733

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#670
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是prone to。Prone to倾向于。 "Our newly-recruited quarterback is known for being prone to injury," 大家都知道,我们新签的这个四分位动不动就容易受伤。

最近一项研究发现,工作时间与抑郁有直接关系。与每天正常工作8小时相比, "The study found that employees who stay in the office for over 10 hours appear to be more prone to depression," 研究发现,每天待在办公室超过10个小时的员工更容易患上抑郁症。

与此同时, "Heavy Facebook users are also more prone to depression," 严重依赖脸谱网站的用户也更容易患抑郁症。好的,今天我们学习的词是prone to...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#671
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tackle。Tackle, 处理,解决。 "British Prime Minister Cameron said European Union leaders need to be bolder in how they tackle the Eurozone crisis," 英国首相卡梅伦表示,欧盟领导人处理欧元区危机,需要采取更大胆的行动。 "President Obama is trying to implement tax reforms to tackle economic problems," 奥巴马总统试图进行税收改革来处理经济问题。 "Tech giants including Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Yahoo are joining forces to tackle email spam and phishing attacks," 谷歌、脸谱、微软和雅虎等高科技巨头准备联手解决垃圾邮件和网络钓鱼的问题。好的,今天我们学习的词是 tackle...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#672
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是standing ovation。 Standing ovation起立鼓掌。"The blind pianist earned a standing ovation for his performance," 这位盲人钢琴家演奏结束后,全场起立鼓掌致敬。美国国务卿希拉里.克林顿周末参加耶鲁大学的毕业典礼。
  "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton got a standing ovation as well as a Doctor of Laws honorary degree at Yale’s 308th graduation ceremony," 克林顿国务卿在耶鲁大学第308届毕业典礼上获得荣誉法学博士学位,全场起立鼓掌欢呼。好的,今天我们学习的词是standing ovation...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#673
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是unofficial。 Unofficial非官方的,非正式的。"According to unofficial results, the mayor has won the re-election," 非官方计票结果显示,现任市长已经当选连任。美国加州州长施瓦辛格的任期2011年1月结束。"An unofficial list of probable candidates for governor has surfaced," 州长候选人的一个非正式名单目前已经出现。
  星期一是美国的阵亡将士纪念日。"The Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start of summer," 阵亡将士纪念日这个周末是约定俗成的夏天的开始。好的,今天我们学习的词是unofficial...
  
  
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故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#674
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是misstep。 Misstep失策。"The basketball team lost the game because of a series of defensive missteps," 这支篮球队因为一系列防守上的失策而输了比赛。英国的哈里王子出访纽约,好评如潮。"Prince Harry has become a respected celebrity despite previous missteps," 尽管先前有过不少失策的地方,但是哈里王子已经变成了一位值得尊敬的名人。
  美国百年老店通用汽车公司星期一申请破产保护。通用汽车巅峰时对美国汽车市场占有率高达百分之五十。分析人士说,"GM lost its loyal buyers through a series of strategic and cultural missteps starting from the 1960s," 通用汽车从六十年代起,因为策略和文化上的失策,失去了大批忠实客户。好的,今天我们学习的词是misstep...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#675
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词 是surv ivor。 Surviv or幸 存 者。"A cancer surviv or," 癌症 存 活 者;"a plane crash sur viv or," 坠机事 件的 幸 存 者,"a Holocaust surviv or," 纳粹 的幸 存 者。"The last surviv or of the Titanic died Sunday at the age of 97," 泰坦尼克号的最后一位幸 存 者星期天去世,享年97岁。泰坦尼克号沉船事件发生时,她只有两个月大。
  美国海军不久前举 办 活 动,纪念65年前在珍珠港 发生的所谓“第二次珍珠港灾难”,那次爆炸事故造成一百多人丧生。虽然这起事件鲜为人知,"but the events of that day remain vivid to its survi vo rs," 但是对事件幸 存 者来说,当 天 的 情形还历历在目。好的,今天我们学习的词是survi vor...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#676
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是on a whim。 On a whim意思是突发奇想,心血来潮。"He saw the deal on the Internet and booked the vacation on a whim," 他在网上看到一个很划算的价格,心血来潮,马上定票,准备出去渡假。"He bought a lottery ticket on a whim and won the jackpot," 他心血来潮买了张彩票,结果中了头奖。
  "The coach changed the game plan on a whim and won the championship," 教练突发奇想,立即决定改变原定战术,结果赢得了决赛胜利。"On a whim, he took the whole team out for ice cream," 他临时起意,带球队所有人去吃冰激凌。好的,今天我们学习的词是on a whim...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#677
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是crown jewel。 Crown jewel是珍宝的意思。美国通用汽车公司申请破产保护。"General Motors was the crown jewel of U.S. industrialization," 通用汽车公司曾经是美国工业化进程的一颗璀璨明珠。与此同时,"GM China is becoming the crown jewel in the company’s operations," 通用中国已经成为通用汽车公司的亮点。
  为了减轻游客负担,美国一百多个国家公园今年夏天三个周末不收门票。美国内政部长萨拉萨尔宣布这一消息时说:"I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer," 我鼓励大家夏天一定要到国家公园去玩。好的,今天我们学习的词是crown jewel...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#678
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是scrutiny。 Scrutiny是名词,意思是详细审查。美国百年老店通用汽车公司星期一申请破产,进入重组。"General Motors’ reorganization will come under intensive scrutiny from the U.S. Treasury," 通用汽车公司的重组将受到美国财政部的严密监督。
  美国总统奥巴马提名女法官索托马约尔进入最高法院。"Judge Sonia Sotomayor will face tremendous scrutiny over sensitive issues, including abortion and same-sex marriage," 索托马约尔法官在堕胎权和同性婚姻等敏感问题上的立场将受到仔细的考查。好的,今天我们学习的词是scrutiny...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#679
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是vegan。 Vegan是最严格的素食主义者。"Vegans don’t eat meat, dairy products or eggs - in short, no animal products," 肉、奶制品或鸡蛋都不能吃,简而言之,凡是跟动物沾边的食物一律不吃。
  那他们从哪里摄取必要的蛋白质呢?"Vegans get all the protein they need from nuts, seeds, beans and cereals," 素食主义者的蛋白质来源于坚果、植物的籽、豆子和谷类食品。Children who follow a vegan diet will grow and thrive the same as other children as long as their diet is well-planned. 只要营养充分,吃素的孩子也能跟其它孩子一样健康成长。好的,今天我们学习的词是vegan...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#680
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是recuse。 Recuse指鉴于利益冲突,法官自行回避案件审理。美国联邦最高法院星期一做出裁定,"Judges should recuse themselves from cases in which a party contributed significantly to their campaigns," 如果案件一方曾出大钱,协助法官当选的话,这个法官就应该自觉回避案件的审理。
  在联邦最高法院受理的案件中,"A West Virginia judge refused to recuse himself from a case in which the defendant was a major campaign donor," 西维吉尼亚州的一个法官拒绝回避一起案件的审理,而这起案件的被告曾是他竞选的主要捐赠人。好的,今天我们学习的词是recuse...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#681
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是clunker。 Clunker有旧车、破车的意思。为了帮助汽车市场走出低谷,美国国会众议院批准了一项计划。"The plan offers up to $4500 to consumers who trade in gas-guzzling clunkers for new models," 根据计划,消费者可以把耗油量大的旧车交出来,买辆新车,并从政府那里得到最多四千五百美元的补贴。
  "The "Cash for Clunker" proposal has been under negotiation for months as lawmakers try to boost car sales while providing environmental benefits," 围绕这项“现金换破车”提案的辩论已经进行好几个月了,国会议员希望在推动汽车销量的同时能达到环保的目的。好的,今天我们学习的词是clunker...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#682
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是convict。 Convict是判定某人有罪的意思。"He was convicted of Driving Under the Influence and was sentenced to six months in prison," 他醉酒驾车罪名成立,被判入狱半年。"North Korea convicted two American journalists and sentenced them to 12 years of hard labor," 北韩判决两名美国记者有罪,让她们劳改12年。
  "The former Israeli finance minister was convicted of theft from the National Workers Federation between 1998 and 2005 when he headed the labor union," 以色列前财政部长被判定1998年至2005年在全国工人联合会任职期间犯有监守自盗罪。好的,今天我们学习的词是convict...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#683
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是quarantine。 Quarantine是隔离的意思。"Mayor Nagin of New Orleans and his wife have been placed under quarantine after another passenger on their flight to China showed H1N1 flu like symptoms," 新奥尔良市市长纳金和夫人乘坐的飞往中国的班机上一名乘客发现H1N1甲型流感疑似症状,纳金夫妇因此被隔离观察。
  在新西兰,一家托儿所里的一个一岁男孩上周五被证实患有H1N1甲型流感。"Thirty-seven children from the childcare center have been put under quarantine," 托儿所的37个孩子已经被隔离观察。好的,今天我们学习的词是quarantine...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-20#684
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是jitters。 Jitters紧张不安。"Consumer jitters," 消费者的紧张情绪。"Job interview jitters are normal physical and emotional reactions," 求职面试时的紧张心情是正常的生理和心理反应。
  在2003年美国公司申报的海外利润中,爱尔兰、百慕大和荷兰这三个国家和地区就占了三分之一。难怪,"President Obama’s offshore tax reforms to close the corporate tax loopholes prompted jitters in Ireland," 美国总统奥巴马提出修改税法,要堵住公司离岸避税的一切漏洞,这一动态在爱尔兰引起了恐慌情绪。好的,今天我们学习的词是jitters...750

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#685
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是time bomb。 Time bomb定时炸弹。美国总统奥巴马为争取医生们支持美国医疗改革而发表讲话。奥巴马说,"Rising health care cost is a ticking time bomb for the federal budget," 不断增长的医疗开支对联邦预算来说,是一枚滴答作响的定时炸弹。
  肯尼亚数以百万计的人住在贫民窟里,无法得到最基本的服务。大赦国际秘书长说,"Kenya’s slums are ticking time bombs," 肯尼亚的贫民窟是定时炸弹。"A new study has termed global warming a ’slow-motion time bomb’," 一项最新研究称全球气候变暖是一颗“慢动作的定时炸弹”。好的,今天我们学习的词是time bomb...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#686
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是blacklist。 Blacklist黑名单。"U.S. President Barack Obama removed Laos and Cambodia from a trade blacklist," 美国总统奥巴马将老挝和柬埔寨从美国贸易黑名单上删除。一位美国高层外交官员表示,"Putting North Korea back on the U.S. blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism would have little effect," 将北韩重新列入支持恐怖主义的国家的黑名单不会有什么效果。
  美国国务院星期二公布了全球人口走私年度报告。"Six African countries were put on the blacklist for not doing enough to fight human trafficking," 六个非洲国家因为没有采取足够措施打击人口走私而被列入了黑名单。好的,今天我们学习的词是blacklist...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#687
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是rebound。 Rebound是反弹的意思。很多经济学家预计,美国经济会在今年晚些时候走出衰退的低谷,但是各地情况有所不同。"While some cities are poised for a quick rebound, others face a recovery that could take years," 虽然某些城市会迅速反弹,但是另外一些城市的复苏却可能需要若干年。
  与此同时,一家经济预测公司的报告显示,"A rebound in U.S. job growth is expected to be long, slow and scattered," 美国就业市场的反弹估计将是漫长、缓慢和分散的。美国电子游戏销量过去三个月大幅下滑。"Analysts expect a rebound of video games sales later this year," 分析人士预计电子游戏的销量今年晚些时候会出现反弹。 好的,今天我们学习的词是rebound...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#688
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是rig。 Rig是造假的意思。最新一季美国偶像的结果让很多人感到意外,原以为胜券在握的Adam最后屈居第二。"Many Adam Lambert fans are questioning if the result was rigged," Adam的很多歌迷都怀疑投票结果被做了手脚。
  
  南非报纸报道,"More than 2000 officials rigged government tenders between 2005 and 2007," 在2005到2007年间,两千多名政府官员涉嫌在政府项目投标中造假牟利。伊朗现任总统艾哈麦迪内贾德宣布以压倒多数当选连任。"But Iran’s opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi says he won and that the result was rigged," 但是伊朗反对党领导人穆萨维说,他才是选举的胜利者,政府公布的计票结果被人动了手脚。好的,今天我们学习的词是rig..

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#689
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是whereabouts。 Whereabouts, 行踪,下落。美国南卡罗来纳州州长前一段时间忽然消失。"Even his staff and family seemed to be in the dark about his whereabouts," 就连他的助手和家人好象都不知道他的下落。
  
  "The story of his whereabouts drew widespread media attention," 他的行踪引起了媒体的普遍关心。批评人士指出,做为个人,一时兴起找个地方去散心是他的自由,但是做为一州之长,"He should’ve let the appropriate personnel know his whereabouts," 他理应让工作人员知道自己的下落。好的,今天我们学习的词是whereabouts...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#690
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是layoff。 Layoff, 裁员。美国劳工部公布的数字显示,"The number of mass layoffs by U.S. employers rose last month to tie a record set in March," 美国雇主大规模裁员,上个月被裁减人数增加到跟三月份的最高记录持平。
  经济衰退给很多大学的经费带来了负面影响。哈佛大学星期二宣布裁员275人。"It will be Harvard University’s largest set of layoffs in recent memory," 这次裁员将是哈佛大学近年来规模最大的一次。哈佛大学目前共有一万六千名雇员。"The layoffs represent about 2 percent of its total employees," 裁员人数大约相当于学校雇员总人数的百分之二。 好的,今天我们学习的词是layoff...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#691
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是side effect。 Side effect, 副作用。一项最近民调显示,"Most Americans want health reform but fear its potential side effects," 大多数美国人都希望看到医疗改革,但是又担心改革可能带来的副作用。
  肥胖在美国是一个很严重的问题。很多人都依靠药物减肥。不过,"Most of the weight lost pills on the market have side effects," 市场上的大多数减肥药都有副作用。"But people generally take them regardless of the side effects they might encounter," 但是人们减肥心切,一般都不会顾及药物可能带来的副作用。好的,今天我们学习的词是side effect...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#692
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是streak。 Streak, 接连不断的。Winning streak连赢;losing streak连输。费城棒球队的强击手瑞安.霍华德星期天因病缺席比赛。"It ended his streak of games at 343, which was the longest in Major League Baseball," 从而结束了他连续参赛343场的记录。这是美国职棒大联盟里持续场数最多的。
  美国西部城市西雅图的干旱天气上星期终于得到了缓解。在此此前,"Seattle had a 29-day dry streak," 西雅图连续29天没有降雨。"The national average price of gas dipped slightly on Monday, snapping a 54-day upward streak," 美国全国平均汽油价格星期一小幅下跌,打破了54天连续上涨的态势。好的,今天我们学习的词是streak...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#693
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是Father’s Day。 Father’s Day父亲节。上星期天是父亲节。"Historians say the tradition to celebrate Father’s Day started 4,000 years ago," 历史学家说,庆祝父亲节的传统是从四千年前开始的。"People take the opportunity of Father’s Day to honor their dads with cards and gifts," 人们借父亲节的机会,送贺卡和礼物给父亲,向他们表示感谢。
  "On the eve of Father’s Day, President Obama took his daughters to eat frozen custard," 父亲节前一天,美国总统奥巴马带女儿去吃冰激凌。好的,今天我们学习的词是Father’s Day...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#694
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是next-to-impossible。 Next-to-impossible几乎不可能。"The loud music in the bar makes table conversation next-to-impossible," 这家酒吧里音乐太吵,根本听不见同桌人在讲什么话。七月四号是美国独立日,首都华盛顿热闹非凡。"Finding a parking spot in downtown DC on July 4th is next-to-impossible," 七月四号想在华盛顿特区市中心找到停车的地方几乎不可能。
  
  美国历史上最大的投资诈骗案主犯麦道夫被判150年徒刑。有分析认为,"That so much could have been stolen for so many years seems next-to-impossible without the aid of others," 他能坚持这么多年,骗这么多钱,没人帮忙几乎是不可能的。好的,今天我们学习的词是next-to-impossible...
  

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#695
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是overdose。 Overdose是用药过量的意思。佛罗里达州政府的最新报告显示,"Fatal overdoses of prescription drugs jumped again in 2008," 过量服用处方药致死的人数2008年再次上升。与此同时,"Deaths from cocaine overdoses declined by 23% to 648 in 2008," 可卡因服用过量致死的人数2008年下降23%, 为648人。
  泰诺Tylenol是美国最常见的去烧止痛药。然而,美国食品和药物管理局的一个专家小组对其主要成分对乙酰氨基酚提出警告。"Acetaminophen overdoses send an estimated 56,000 people to the emergency room each year," 官方数据显示,美国每年估计有五万六千人因为对乙酰氨基酚服用过量被送进急诊室。好的,今天我们学习的词是overdose...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#696
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是discharge。 Discharge有出院的意思。"The H1N1 patient was discharged from the hospital after recovery," 这位H1N1甲型流感患者康复后出院。"Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was discharged from the hospital after an operation on her arm," 前英国首相撒切尔夫人手臂接受手术后出院。
  
  Discharge还有勒令退伍的意思。"A military panel recommended that a National Guard officer who publicly announced that he's gay should be discharged for violating the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy," 美军一个小组委员会建议开除一名国民警卫队官员,因为他公开宣布自己是同性恋,违反了军方“不问不说”的政策。 好的,今天我们学习的词是discharge...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#697
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是normalcy。 Normalcy正常状态。美国著名流行歌星迈克尔.杰克逊突然去世后,"The Jackson family is trying to give Michael's three children a sense of normalcy," 杰克逊的家人努力让迈克尔三个孩子的生活保持正常。
  美国南卡罗来纳州州长桑福德为情出走,跑到阿根廷去会情人的丑闻上星期曝光。"As her husband's affair exploded nationwide, Jenny Sanford and their four sons stayed on Sullivan's Island, striving for normalcy," 丈夫的婚外恋丑闻在全国曝光后,桑福德的妻子詹尼带着四个儿子待在所罗门岛上,设法维持生活的常态。好的,今天我们学习的词是normalcy...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#698
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是coup。 "Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in a coup," 洪都拉斯总统塞拉亚在政变中被赶下台。"It was the first successful military coup against a president in Central America since the Cold War," 这是冷战结束以来中美洲地区首次成功推翻总统的军事政变。
  不久前,土耳其媒体报料说,土耳其军方正在策划政变。"Turkey's army chief went on the counter-offensive last Friday, denouncing the coup allegations as a smear campaign," 土耳其军方最高领导人上星期五发动反攻,批评有关军方策划政变的指责是造谣中伤。好的,今天我们学习的词是coup...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#699
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是royalty。 Royalty专利使用费,著作版税。"Record labels and online radio stations reached an agreement on new royalty rates after a two-year battle," 经过两年的激烈争论,唱片公司跟网上广播电台在音乐使用费用的问题上达成了协议。
  最近,美国作曲家、作家与出版商协会对AT&T提出起诉,认为手机铃声符合美国版权法对“公开演出”的定义。"The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers wants mobile operators, not individual consumers, to pay royalties," 美国作曲家、作家与出版商协会希望手机服务商支付版权税,而不是消费者。好的,今天我们学习的词是royalty...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#700
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是cyber attack。 Cyber attack 网络攻击。"Web sites of a number of South Korean government agencies were paralyzed by a suspected cyber attack on Wednesday," 韩国很多政府网站星期三陷入瘫痪状态,怀疑是由网络攻击行动造成的。
  与此同时,美国政府网站也受到了类似攻击。A widespread and coordinated cyber attack during the past few days has targeted web sites of major government agencies, including some that are responsible for fighting cyber crime," 过去几天来,美国很多主要政府部门的网站都成了一起大规模协调策划的网络攻击的目标,其中也包括一些负责打击网络犯罪的部门。好的,今天我们学习的词是cyber attack...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#701
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是limelight。 Limelight聚光灯的焦点,引伸为公众注意的核心。对流行音乐之王迈克尔.杰克逊的大型哀悼活动虽然告一段落,但是"Michael Jackson won't fade from the limelight anytime soon," 迈克尔.杰克逊不会很快从聚光灯下消失。
  不久前,美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马靠着个人魅力,赢得了欧洲民众的热爱。然而,俄罗斯对第一夫人的定位不同于西方,因此,"White House officials have suggested that Michelle Obama should avoid the limelight during her visit to Moscow," 白宫官员表示,奥巴马夫人这次去莫斯科访问期间,会尽量远离聚光灯。好的,今天我们学习的词是limelight...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#702
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是Grand Slam。 Grand Slam大满贯。在温布尔登网球公开赛中,费德勒战胜罗迪克夺取男子单打冠军。"Roger Federer won his 15th Gland Slam title Sunday," 费德勒星期天赢得他的第15个大满贯冠军头衔。
  "The Swiss tennis star made history by passing Pete Sampra's mark of 14 Gland Slam victories," 这名瑞士网球明星超过了桑普拉斯创下的14个大满贯的记录,改写了网球历史。美国网球选手小威廉姆斯赢得温布尔登女子单打冠军。"This is Serena Williams' 11th Gland Slam," 这是小威网球生涯中的第11个大满贯。好的,今天我们学习的词是Grand Slam...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#703
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hiatus。 Hiatus有间歇、中断的意思。"After being on hiatus since 2002, R&B singer Maxwell stepped back on the stage," 2002年开始暂停演出的节奏布鲁斯歌手马克斯韦尔重返舞台。"The U.S. government will send an ambassador to Syria, ending a four-year diplomatic hiatus," 美国政府将向叙利亚派驻大使,结束了四年外交关系的中断。
  美国总统奥巴马出访俄罗斯。"Presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev ended a seven-year hiatus in U.S.-Russian summitry," 美国总统奥巴马和俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫结束了美俄首脑峰会中断七年的状态。好的,今天我们学习的词是hiatus...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#704
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是backpacker。 Backpack是背包的意思,后面加上"-er," 就成了背着背包徒步旅行的人,简称背包客。"A backpacker packs all his or her stuff into a backpack," 背包客把所有东西都塞在一个大背包里。
  
  "Backpackers are generally very social and willing to give advice to fellow backpackers they meet on the road," 背包客一般都很友好,愿意向路上遇到的同行者提供建议。不过,独自外出旅行也会有危险。就在几天前,"A 19-year-old British backpacker missing in Australia for 12 days was found alive," 英国一个19岁的背包客在澳大利亚失踪12天后终于被找到了。好的,今天我们学习的词是backpacker...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#705
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是must-see。 Must-see, 一定要看的,非看不可的。"The latest 'Harry Potter' adventure is a must-see movie," 最新上映的哈里.波特的历险片一定要看。"For most foreign visitors, New York is a must-see destination," 对于大多数外国游客来说,纽约是一定要去看看的。
  "The fireworks on the Mall are a must-see event on July 4th," 美国国家大草坪上的焰火表演是七月四号一定要看的节目。对美式足球爱好者来说,"Monday night football is must-see TV," 星期一晚上电视转播的美式足球比赛是一定不能错过的。 好的,今天我们学习的词是must-see...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#706
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是center stage。 Center stage, 中央舞台,引伸为注意的焦点。"Abortion opponents saw their issue take center stage during Supreme Court nominee Sotomayor's confirmation hearing," 反堕胎者看到,他们所关心的议题成为了最高法院提名大法官索托马约尔确认听证会的核心议题。
  由于骨折,美国国务卿希拉里.克林顿过去四周内被迫取消了两次出国访问的计划。"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is trying to retake center stage as the administration's top foreign policy voice," 克林顿国务卿准备重新占据政府最高外交政策发言人的核心地位。好的,今天我们学习的词是center stage...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#707
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是all star。 All star全明星。All star game全明星赛。"The 80th Major League Baseball All-star Game will be played on Tuesday night," 美国职业棒球大联盟第80届全明星赛星期二晚上举行。
  "Tickets for the All-Star Game are priced at $100-$360, down from $150-$725 last year," 今年的全明星赛球票每张100到360美元,比去年150到725美元的票价低了很多。"President Obama will throw out the first pitch at the All-Star Game," 全明星赛第一个球将由美国总统奥巴马投出。好的,今天我们学习的词是all star...

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#708
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是impair。 Impair是损害、损伤的意思。一项最新研究建议美国军方全面禁止吸烟。"According to the study, tobacco use impairs military readiness in the short term," 研究显示,吸食烟草短期内有损军队的备战状态。
  大家都知道,不能醉酒驾车。"Drinking will impair a driver's ability to react to sudden hazards on the road," 酒后驾车会影响司机对突发路况的应急反应能力。不仅酒后不能开车,开船也不行。"As with motorists, alcohol can impair a boater's judgment," 跟司机一样,开船人的判断能力也会受到酒精的影响。好的,今天我们学习的词是impair

故乡的云 : 2012-02-28#709
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是summer camp。 Summer camp, 夏令营。"Going to summer camp is a long tradition in the U.S." 送孩子去夏令营是美国一个历史悠久的传统。"Some 8 million children attend summer camps each year," 每年有大约八百万个孩子参加夏令营。
  
  不幸的是,"Summer camps are contending with more than bug bites this year," 夏令营今年面对的不光是蚊虫的叮咬。"More than 50 summer camps have closed early or have canceled because of suspected H1N1 outbreaks," 由于H1N1甲型流感疑似病例的出现,已经有50多个夏令营提前结束或是索性取消。好的,今天我们学习的词是summer camp...775

故乡的云 : 2012-03-05#710
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是powerhouse。Powerhouse, 强大的集团或组织。本周中国国家副主席习近平访美。奥巴马提出了两国间贸易不平衡的问题 。 "Obama said that with China's rise as an economic powerhouse came a responsibility to ensure balanced trade flows," 奥巴马说,随着中国崛起为经济强国,中国有责任确保贸易流的平衡。 "Illinois remains to be an agriculture powerhouse in the year of 2011," 2011年,伊利诺依州保持农业大州的地位。

哈佛大学毕业生林书豪在NBA掀起了一场旋风。不过, "Harvard is not a basketball powerhouse," 哈佛大学并不是篮球球星的高产地。林书豪是将近60年来进入NBA打球的第一个哈佛毕业生。好的,今天我们学习的词是powerhouse...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-05#711
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是petition。Petition, 请愿书。日本去年三月大地震引发核泄露。 "A citizen's group in Japan is gathering signatures for a petition that is calling on the government to permanently shut down all nuclear power plants in the country," 日本一个市民组织正在为一份请愿书筹集签名,呼吁政府永久关闭国内所有核设施。 "Concerned Apple customers delivered petitions to Apple Stores around the world, demanding the tech giant to improve working conditions at overseas manufacturing plants," 苹果产品使用者向世界各地的苹果转卖店递交请愿书,要求这个科技巨头公司改善海外工厂员工的工作条件。好的,今天我们学习的词是petition...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-09#712
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词off the ground。 Off the ground, 是启程,开始的意思。中国中央电视台英语节目在美国首都华盛顿开播。 "CCTV America has hired more than 65 people to get its Washington, DC operation off the ground," 中央电视台北美频道聘请了至少65名员工,使位于美国首都华盛顿的演播室展开运作。

美国航空航天局出台新预算。 "NASA's budget request for 2013 put an emphasis on getting its commercial space flight program off the ground," 在2013年预算中,航空航天局把重点放在让其商业宇航项目起步。好的,今天我们学习的词是off the ground...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-09#713
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是incumbent。 Incumbent,意思是在职的,现任的。法国总统萨科奇上周宣布将寻求竞选连任。然而, "Sarkozy's current 36 % approval rating makes him France's most unpopular incumbent president," 萨科奇眼下的民众支持率只有36%,使他成为法国有史以来支持率最低的在任总统。世界银行行长佐利克宣布,今年六月底五年任期满准备卸任。 "There has been speculation that incumbent Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is the potential successor," 有猜测认为,美国现任国务卿希拉里.克林顿是可能的继任人选。好的,今天我们学习的词是incumbent...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-09#714
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词underline。Underline, 突显。美国通用汽车公司宣布,冻结美国本土两万六千名员工的工资。 "It underlines the difficulties GM is still facing," 这种做法显示了通用汽车公司依然面临的困境。法国2011年贸易赤字再创新高。 "It underlined France's struggle to keep itself competitive globally," 这种情况突显了法国要保持国际竞争力,困难重重。

美国国 际家庭用品博览会三月份在芝加哥举行。 "This year's show will underline the importance of innovation through its' new Innovation Awards," 今年的博览会将通过新设立的创新奖来强调产品创新的重要性。好的,今天我们学习的词是underline...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-09#715
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词on par with。On par with, 意思是势均力敌,平分秋色。最新的城市生活费用指数排名出炉。 "The survey ranked Hong Kong 22nd, on par with Milan and Stockholm," 调查将香港排在第22位,与米兰和斯德哥尔摩的排名不分上下。

美国教育部长Arne Duncan最近呼吁提高教师待遇。 "Duncan argued that the best teachers should be rewarded with salaries on par with doctors and lawyers," 邓肯表示,最优秀的教师应该得到跟医生和律师同等水平的薪水。好的,今天我们学习的词是on par with...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-09#716
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是powerhouse。Powerhouse, 强大的集团或组织。本周中国国家副主席习近平访美。奥巴马提出了两国间贸易不平衡的问题 。 "Obama said that with China's rise as an economic powerhouse came a responsibility to ensure balanced trade flows," 奥巴马说,随着中国崛起为经济强国,中国有责任确保贸易流的平衡。 "Illinois remains to be an agriculture powerhouse in the year of 2011," 2011年,伊利诺依州保持农业大州的地位。

哈佛大学毕业生林书豪在NBA掀起了一场旋风。不过, "Harvard is not a basketball powerhouse," 哈佛大学并不是篮球球星的高产地。林书豪是将近60年来进入NBA打球的第一个哈佛毕业生。好的,今天我们学习的词是powerhouse...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-15#717
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是long-standing。Long-standin, 形容词,意思是长期存在的。 "Former South African president Nelson Mandela has been released from the hospital after a surgical procedure for a long-standing abdominal condition," 南非前总统曼德拉由于长期腹痛接受手术后出院。在英国城市普利茅斯, "With over 66% of the adult population overweight, obesity continues to be a long-standing health issue for Plymouth," 普利茅斯66%的成年人口超重,肥胖问题是这个城市长期面临的健康问题。好的,今天我们学习的词是long-standing...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-15#718
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词rocky。 Rocky, 本身的意思是多岩石的,引伸出来就是艰难的,坎坷的。波兰是2012年欧洲足球锦标赛的主办方之一。 "With delayed infrastructure construction, Poland faces a rocky road to the Euro 2012 tournament," 由于基础设施建设拖延,波兰在2012年欧洲足球锦标赛开始前困难重重。著名歌星惠特尼.休斯顿不久前突然去世, "Whitney Houston was known for her rocky relationship with her ex-husband and singer Bobby Brown," 惠特尼.休斯顿跟前夫--歌手鲍比.布朗之间的坎坷情感历程众所周知。在2012年全明星技巧挑战赛中, "Team Texas kicked off the event with a bit of a rocky start," 德克萨斯队开场表现不力。好的,今天我们学习的词是rocky...

故乡的云 : 2012-03-15#719
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是overshadow。Overshadow,有超过的意思。在最近召开的20国集团会议上, "The issue of World Bank leadership succession was overshadowed by the European debt crisis," 欧洲债务危机问题的重要性远远超过了世界银行行长人选问题。
今年是美国总统大选年,分析人士预计, "Economic concerns will overshadow social issues in the 2012 election," 在2012年大选中,对于经济问题的关注将超过社会问题。最近NBA亚裔球员林书豪在美国掀起了一阵Linsanity 林书豪热。 "The rising star has overshadowed his teammates, becoming the center of attention," 这颗冉冉升起的新星超过了他的队友,成为大家普遍关注的焦点。好的,今天我们学习的词是overshadow...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-03#720
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是Binge Drinking。Binge, 是名词,放纵,binge drinking 意思是狂饮,酗酒。欧洲的研究人员发现, "The more scenes of alcohol use teens watched on the big screen, the greater their risk of binge drinking," 对青少年来说,看电影中喝酒的剧情越多,自己出去暴饮买醉的可能性就越大。最近美国各地学校都在放春假, "Highway safety organizations warn that Spring Break binge drinking can lead to dangerous drivers on the road," 高速公路安全组织警告说,春假期间的暴饮可能会让路上出现马路杀手。好的,今天我们学习的词是binge drinking...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-03#721
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是catch-22。 Catch-22, 就是"catch"这个词后面加上阿拉伯数字22,意思是无法解决的难题,左右为难的局面。刚毕业的大学生不好找工作, "The college graduates find themselves in a typical catch-22 situation where employers won't hire them because they lack experience, but without that first job they can't get experience," 大学毕业生面临的就是这种无法摆脱的困境:雇主都不愿意雇缺乏工作经验的新人,可是找不到第一份工作,经验就无从谈起。在城市发展中,常会出现这样的现象: "Retailers are hesitant to invest in areas where there aren't sufficient consumers, but many people also don't want to move to areas where retailers are not easily accessible. That's the catch-22 of urban development," 零售商不愿意去消费者少的地方投资,大家又不愿意搬到买东西不方便的地方去。这就是城市发展的一个两难困境。好的,今天我们学习的词是catch-22, catch-22...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-03#722
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是successive。 Successive, 意思是连续的,连接的。 "New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin scored an average of 20 points a game over six successive games," 纽约尼克斯队控球后卫林书豪连续6场比赛取得了平均每场得20分的成绩。 "Housing prices fell in Scotland for the fourth successive month," 苏格兰的房价连续第四个月降低。 "UK stocks slid slightly after five successive days of gains," 英国股市在接连五天上涨后略微回落。 "This was the school's fifth successive victory," 校队连续获得了五场比赛的胜利。好的,今天我们学习的词是successive...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-06#723
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是translate into。 Translate into, 意思是“相当于,可转化为”。如今美国房屋按揭贷款利率很低,很多人说,这是买房的好时机,此外, "Home ownership can translate into personal tax savings," 买房可以带来个人交税时的优惠。美国总统大选,候选人都在侃侃而谈自己的施政纲领, "But people wonder how the political rhetoric will translate into actions," 但人们想知道,这些政治言论如何能转化为行动。金融危机后,美联储对全国19大银行进行压力测试,现在15家银行通过了测试,但是有人警告说, "Positive stress tests don't translate into more lending by the banks," 这些良好的测试结果并不意味着银行将发放更多贷款。好的,今天我们学习的词是translate into...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-06#724
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是acquire。 Acquire, 指商业收购。 "China's online video site Youku plans to acquire smaller competitor Tudou in a 1-billion-dollar stock deal," 中国视频网站优酷计划收购规模较小的竞争对手土豆网,换股协议价值十亿美元。 "Cisco is set to acquire video technology company NDS Group for about 4 billion dollars," 思科公司将以40亿美元收购视频技术公司NDS集团。另外,acquire也有“获得,取得”的意思。比如: "A lot of people want to know how he acquired his wealth," 很多人都想知道他是怎么得到这些财富的。好的,今天我们学习的词是acquire...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-06#725
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是reluctant。 Reluctant, 的意思是“不情愿的”。比如: "The manager is very reluctant to help me," 经理非常不愿意帮我的忙。再比如:数据显示,美国年轻消费者对汽车的喜爱和重视程度比10年前降低了不少,为此, "To draw reluctant young buyers into the car market, General Motors is adjusting its media strategy," 通用汽车公司正在调整公关策略,吸引对买车没什么热情的年轻人。 "The Canadian Finance Minister says he's reluctant to tighten Canada's mortgage rules, as he prefers to let the market correct itself," 加拿大财政部长说,他不愿意收紧加拿大的房屋贷款政策,而是更愿意让市场进行自我调节。今天我们学习的词是reluctant...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-10#726
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是passing fad. Passing fad, 的意思是“一股风”,“一时的风潮”。 "Don't let him spend so much money on golfing equipment, his interest in the sport could be just a passing fad," 别让他花那么多钱买设备,他对高尔夫的兴趣可能就是三分钟热度而已。 "Apple's iPhone proves to be a game changer instead of a passing fad," 事实证明,苹果公司的iPhone不是昙花一现,而是革命性的产品。 "U.S. president Obama says that, like TV, green energy is not a passing fad," 美国总统奥巴马说,绿色能源就和电视机一样,不是一时的风潮。好,今天我们学习的词是passing fad...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-10#727
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是watchful。Watchful, 的意思是注意的,警惕的。比如,watchful eye是紧盯,密切关注的意思。 "A watchful eye is needed as purse thefts are on the rise," 偷包的越来越多,大家要多留神。 "The Brazilian government is keeping a watchful eye when it comes to the local currency market," 巴西政府密切注视着该国货币市场的风吹草动。再如: "We should be watchful of computer viruses," 我们要警惕电脑病毒。He's watchful of the times. 他密切留意时局。好,今天我们学习的词是watchful...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-17#728
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是whopping。Whopping, 的意思是巨大的,程度惊人的。美国股市爆出好消息:道琼斯工业指数今年一季度创下1998年以来最佳同比表现,同时 "The Nasdaq rose a whopping 19% since New Year's Day," 纳斯达克指数从一月一号到现在已经实现了百分之19的巨大增长。 "Android game App Temple Run gets a whopping 1 million downloads in three days," 安卓版游戏应用程序“神庙逃亡”推出三天来下载量惊人,达到一百万。 "Many US airlines charge a whopping $150 fee for changing tickets for domestic flights," 许多美国航空公司对国内航班都收取150美元的高额机票改期费。好,今天我们学习的词是whopping...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-26#729
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是Passover。Passover, 指的是犹太教的逾越节,首写字母P大写。 "The Jewish Passover holiday began at sunset last Friday," 上周五,随着日落的到来,犹太教逾越节开始了。 "Passover commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt," 逾越节是为了纪念犹太人的出埃及记,也就是古以色列人逃离埃及,从奴役中解放出来的故事。 "Pilgrims flocked to Jerusalem last Friday, both for the start of the Easter weekend and for the Jewish festival of Passover," 大批朝圣者上周五涌入耶路撒冷,参加复活节周末和犹太逾越节庆祝活动的开始。好的,今天我们学习的词是Passover...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-27#730
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是on the loose。On the loose, 是在逃,逍遥法外的意思。 "A string of murders involving the same weapon in a Paris suburb have raised concerns that a serial killer may be on the loose," 巴黎郊区发生了几起用同一件凶器作案的谋杀案,这使人们担心,一个连环杀手可能正逍遥法外。

在美国首都华盛顿附近的乔治王子郡, "Two pygmy goats on the loose were rescued by firefighters," 两只落跑的侏儒山羊被消防员救下。 "The middle school was temporarily locked down because a bank robber was on the loose," 一个银行劫匪在逃,造成这所中学暂时戒严。好的,今天我们学习的词是on the loose...

故乡的云 : 2012-04-27#731
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是calling。Calling, 当名词是“职业”的意思,特别指愿意为其奉献热忱的职业生涯。Teaching is a noble calling. 教师是一个高尚的职业。 "Unlike most of his classmates who headed directly to big firms, he took some time off after graduation to find his true calling," 他的大部分同学一毕业就直接进大公司工作,但他和他们不一样,他先休息了一段事件,好好思考自己真正想干的是什么。

美国电视新闻杂志 “60分钟”的著名节目主持人迈克.华莱士去世,享年93岁高龄。他曾表示, "He had known since he was a child that he wanted to be on the air. He felt it was his calling," 他从小就知道自己想上电视。他感觉自己这辈子就该吃电视人这碗饭。好的,今天我们学习的词是calling...



故乡的云 : 2012-05-03#732
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是exaggerate。Exaggerate, 意思是夸张,夸大。 "He tends to exaggerate when talking about his accomplishments," 他谈到自己的成就时总爱夸大其词。北韩上周进行导弹试射,但导弹升空后一分钟就爆炸了。有分析人士指出, "The launch failure suggests that the North Korean threat might have been exaggerated," 发射失败可能意味着外界夸大了北韩的威胁。 "A recent Gallup poll shows that 42% of Americans feel the media have exaggerated the severity of global warming," 最近一项盖洛普民调显示,42%的美国人觉得媒体夸大了全球气候变暖的严重性。好的,今天我们学习的词是exaggerate...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-03#733
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是centennial。 Centennial, 意思是百年纪念。 "The centennial of the sinking of the Titanic has triggered numerous commemoration events," 泰坦尼克号沉船一百周年引发了很多纪念活动。 "The United States Postal Service issued a special stamp to celebrate the centennial of the National Cherry Blossom Festival," 为纪念国家樱花节一百周年,美国邮政总局发行了特别纪念邮票。 "Tennessee State University honored its centennial by holding eight days of special events," 田纳西州立大学举办为期八天的特别活动,庆祝建校百年。好的,今天我们学习的词是centennial...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-03#734
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是reap。Reap, 动词,是收获,获得的意思。白宫最近公布了美国总统奥巴马夫妇今年支付的联邦个人所得税税额。奥巴马夫妇两人2011年的收入比2010年减少了一百万美元,因为, "In 2010, the president reaped greater profits from sales of his best-selling books," 2010年时,奥巴马从他的畅销书销售中赚了很多钱。美国政府对苹果公司和五个电子书发行公司提起反垄断诉讼, "Market observers say America’s largest bookseller Amazon will reap benefit from the suit," 市场观察人士说,美国最大的书商亚马逊网站将从这场官司中渔翁得利。好的,今天我们学习的词是reap...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-08#735
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是rebuff。Rebuff, 意思是断然拒绝。美国国会参议院投票否决了所谓的巴菲特规则,也就是一项提高富人税率的法案。 "The conservatives rebuffed the 'Buffet Rule' as class warfare on the rich," 保守派人士拒绝接受巴菲特规则,说这等于是对有钱人搞阶级斗争。 "Palestinians rebuffed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's latest invitation to resume peace talks, insisting the Israelis freeze settlement construction first," 巴勒斯坦人断然拒绝了以色列总理内塔尼亚胡最新的和谈邀请,并坚持说,以色列必须要先冻结占领区的建设活动。好的,今天我们学习的词是rebuff...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-08#736
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是alarming。Alarming, 意思是惊人的,引人担忧的。 "The economic downturn that has shaken Europe for the last three years has led to an alarming spike in suicide rates," 过去三年里严重影响欧洲的经济滑坡,导致自杀率出现引人担忧的高增长。 "A new survey suggests that American video viewers are flipping through TV channels at an alarming rate - 27 times every hour when they are not working," 一项新的问卷调查发现,美国电视观众调换频道的速度惊人,在他们不工作的时候,每小时转台27次。好的,今天我们学习的词是alarming...


故乡的云 : 2012-05-08#737
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是sham。Sham, 是“虚假”“骗局”的意思。在今年的缅甸大选中,昂山素季当选进入缅甸议会。国际观察员在缅甸监督选举状况,因为 "Two years ago, Burma staged a general election that was widely derided as a sham," 两年前,缅甸也举行过一次普选,但外界普遍批评那次选举是假的。英国媒体报道, "A British priest was put into jail for conducting 150 sham marriages," 一名英国牧师因为主持150场假婚礼而被判入狱。 "You'd better get a lawyer to go through this contract. This deal sounds like a sham," 你最好找个律师看看这份合同。这买卖听起来像个骗人的圈套。好的,今天我们学习的词是sham...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-08#738
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hammer out。 Hammer out, 意思是经过仔细的推敲和讨论制定出。如, "It took the two sides weeks of negotiations to hammer out an acceptable compromise," 双方经过几个礼拜的谈判,才终于产生了彼此都能接受的妥协方案。

叙利亚全国委员会表示, "Syria's anti-Assad opposition groups will meet in Istanbul to hammer out common objectives," 叙利亚反阿萨德的各反对派组织将在伊斯坦布尔开会,制定共同目标。 "Google is trying to hammer out Google Voice integration agreements with more carriers," 谷歌公司正努力同更多的移动运营商谈判,希望在兼容谷歌语音服务方面的达成协议。 好的,今天我们学习的词是hammer out...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-08#739
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是neutralize。Neutralize, 意思是使无效,无法发挥作用。为平抑高油价,西方国家正在考虑动用本国原油储备,不过, "These nations need reassurance from Saudi Arabia that it will not cut oil production and neutralize the impact on oil prices if they release emergency reserves," 这些国家需要沙特阿拉伯保证,一旦它们动用紧急原油储备,沙特不会减少石油产量,因为那样做会让平抑油价的努力失去效果。 "French officials evacuated 1500 residents in the southern French city of Marseille so that bomb experts can neutralize a World War II bomb," 法国官员在法国南部城市马赛疏导1500名居民撤离,以便炸弹专家能拆除一枚二战时遗留下来的炸弹。好的,今天我们学习的词是neutralize...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-08#740
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是file for。 File for,意思是申请,通常用在比较正式的场合。美国航空公司最近表示,准备大幅度裁员,以重建公司。 "American Airlines filed for bankruptcy last year, with a loss of nearly $1.8 billion in 2011," 美国航空公司去年申请破产,2011年该公司亏损近18亿美元。最新劳工报告显示,美国就业市场有所好转。 "Statistics show that fewer Americans filed for unemployment aid last week," 相关数据显示,上星期申请失业救济的人数有所减少。 "Facebook has officially filed for an IPO, which is expected to raise over $5 billion," 脸谱网正式申请公开上市,预计能筹集50多亿美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是file for...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-08#741
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是wield。Wield, 动词,意思是运用。世界奢侈品协会最新报告出炉。 "Wealthy Chinese wield the world's strongest purchasing power, with a record spending of $7.2 billion on luxury goods abroad during the Spring Festival," 富有的中国人拥有世界最强购买力,春节期间他们在海外的奢侈品消费总额达创记录的72亿美元。 "China and Russia wielded their veto power over a UN resolution which aimed to force Syrian President Assad to step down," 中国和俄罗斯使用否决权,推翻了安理会一项要求叙利亚总统阿萨德下台的决议案。好的,今天我们学习的词是wield...

狗狗凡 : 2012-05-11#742
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是immune。Immune, 的意思是免疫的,比如,immune system就是指免疫系统, immune disease则是免疫系统疾病。Immune还可以指"免除的","不受影响的". "Apple's OS X, which has long been considered immune to viruses, was recently hit by a malicious software called Flashback," 苹果电脑的OS X操作系统一向被认为百毒不侵,可是最近,该系统遭到一种名叫Flashback的恶意软件的袭击。 "The IMF says Africa's economy is expanding, but it is not immune to global slowdown," 国际货币基金组织说,非洲经济整体有所发展,但并不能完全不受全球经济放缓的影响。好的,今天我们学习的词是immune...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-17#743
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是mince words。Mince, 是切碎,to mince words 就是把话说得婉转。这个短语通常用在否定句里,not to mince words, 就是说话直接,不兜圈子。 "A frank person never minces words," 一个坦诚的人从来都是想什么说什么。 "Tell me what you think, and don't mince your words," 告诉我你的真实想法,直说,别兜圈子。弗朗索瓦.奥朗德击败现任总统萨科齐,当选法国总统。此前, "The two candidates minced no words and traded insults in their only TV debate of the election campaign," 他们两人在总统选战的唯一一场电视辩论上唇枪舌剑,毫不留情地互相攻击。好的,今天我们学习的词是mince words...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-17#744
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是debris。 Debris, 意思是残骸。 "Pieces of debris from last year's Japanese tsunami, carried by the currents, have begun to show up on the west coast of the United States and Canada," 去年日本海啸留下的残骸在洋流带动下,开始出现在美国和加拿大的西海岸。 "An artist in Canada has created a sculpture from tsunami debris swept ashore onto local beaches," 一个加拿大艺术家利用被冲到当地海滩上的海啸残骸做成了一件雕塑。 "When police removed the debris from the car accident, highway traffic began moving again," 警方把车祸留下的残骸清理之后,高速公路上的交通恢复了。好的,今天我们学习的词是debris...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-22#745
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是scathing。 Scathing, 形容词,意思是严厉的,尖刻的。雅虎CEO斯科特.汤普森最近麻烦上身。 "A major Yahoo shareholder wrote a scathing letter to the board, stating that Scott Thompson lied about his degree in computer science," 雅虎的一个股东向董事会呈交了一封尖刻的信件,说斯科特.汤普森的计算机学位是个谎言。 "British Parliament criticized Murdoch in a scathing report, saying he turned a blind eye on inappropriate activities at his news outlets," 英国议会在一份言辞犀利的报告中谴责默多克,说他对自己旗下新闻机构中的不当行为睁一只眼闭一只眼。好的,今天我们学习的词是scathing...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-22#746
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是bulk up。Bulk up, 是增加,积累的意思。美国四月份就业报告出台,就业集中增加在一些低薪资行业。 "Hiring by retailers rebounded, and food services and temporary-help agencies also bulked up," 零售业就业有所好转,餐饮业和临时工种就业也有所增长。

演员Zac Efron为出演新角色健身。 "Zac Efron has been bulking up for his new movie, in which he's going to play a Marine returning from Iraq," 为出演一名从伊拉克归来的美国海军陆战队队员,扎克.埃夫隆正在健身,增加肌肉。好的,今天我们学习的词是bulk up...

开心每一天 : 2012-05-28#747
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是age limit。 Age limit, 年龄限制。社交网站脸书网并不是任何人都能注册帐户的。 "Facebook enforces an age limit of 13 years or older to register an account," 脸谱网规定,只有满13岁的人才能注册帐户。 "Despite the efforts to enforce the age limit policy, many younger children still join the site by lying about their age," 尽管脸谱网努力执行年限规定,但很多不满13岁的孩子还是谎报年龄,蒙混过关。 "Facebook removes about 20,000 users daily who are below the age limit," 脸谱网每天取消大约两万个年龄低于最低年限的帐户。 好的,今天我们学习的词是age limit...

开心每一天 : 2012-05-28#748
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是hammer。Hammer, 作为名词是榔头,作为动词则是猛击,击败的意思。美国四月的就业报告显示,就业情势有所恶化。 "Seizing on April's slower job growth, Republicans hammered President Obama for his economic policies," 共和党人抓住四月份放缓的就业增长数字,以此抨击奥巴马的经济政策。 "US drones continued to hammer al Qaeda targets in Yemen," 美国无人驾驶飞机继续攻击也门的基地组织目标。Hammer这个词也经常用在体育比赛中,比如, "The Denver Nuggets hammered the Minnesota Timberwolves 131-102 for their 4th straight win," 丹佛金块以131比120 战胜明尼苏达森林狼队,取得4连胜。好的,今天我们学习的词是hammer...

开心每一天 : 2012-05-28#749
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是scathing。 Scathing, 形容词,意思是严厉的,尖刻的。雅虎CEO斯科特.汤普森最近麻烦上身。 "A major Yahoo shareholder wrote a scathing letter to the board, stating that Scott Thompson lied about his degree in computer science," 雅虎的一个股东向董事会呈交了一封尖刻的信件,说斯科特.汤普森的计算机学位是个谎言。 "British Parliament criticized Murdoch in a scathing report, saying he turned a blind eye on inappropriate activities at his news outlets," 英国议会在一份言辞犀利的报告中谴责默多克,说他对自己旗下新闻机构中的不当行为睁一只眼闭一只眼。好的,今天我们学习的词是scathing...

开心每一天 : 2012-05-28#750
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是bulk up。Bulk up, 是增加,积累的意思。美国四月份就业报告出台,就业集中增加在一些低薪资行业。 "Hiring by retailers rebounded, and food services and temporary-help agencies also bulked up," 零售业就业有所好转,餐饮业和临时工种就业也有所增长。

演员Zac Efron为出演新角色健身。 "Zac Efron has been bulking up for his new movie, in which he's going to play a Marine returning from Iraq," 为出演一名从伊拉克归来的美国海军陆战队队员,扎克.埃夫隆正在健身,增加肌肉。好的,今天我们学习的词是bulk up...

故乡的云 : 2012-05-29#751
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是privacy。 Privacy, 是隐私的意思。在西方,工资、年龄、财产等问题都属于个人的隐私,对于社会名人来说,隐私的范围可就更广了。高尔夫球高手伍兹最近刚刚做了爸爸。
他在自己的网站上说,"We thank everyone for their well wishes and continued respect of our privacy." 意思是我们感谢大家的祝愿和对我们隐私的尊重。每个人都需要一些自己的空间,孩子也不例外。"Parents should respect their children's privacy," 意思是说家长也应该尊重孩子的隐私。好的,今天我们学习的词是privacy...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-04#752
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是secretive。 Secretive, 是不公开的,遮遮掩掩的。最新研究发现,认为美国联邦政府对民众不够坦率的人两年来显著增加。"Three out of four view the federal government as secretive," 四个人里有三个人认为联邦政府在很多事情上遮遮掩掩。
美国民主党总统参选人希拉里.克林顿和巴拉克.奥巴马继续针锋相对。"The Obama campaign is calling Hillary Clinton "the most secretive politician in America today," 奥巴马的竞选班子称希拉里是当今美国最不坦率的政治人物。好的,今天我们学习的词是secretive...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-04#753
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是twilight。 Twilight, 是暮色、黄昏的意思。"The couple went for a walk along the beach in the twilight," 这对情侣夕阳西下的时候在沙滩上散步。Twilight, 还可以引伸为晚期、衰退期。
对于拳击选手来说,46岁大概就是运动生涯的极限了。"Although in the twilight of his career, four time world heavyweight championship Evander Holyfield revealed that he wanted to win it one more time," 四次赢得世界重量级拳王头衔、已接近退休年龄的伊万德霍利菲尔德透露说,他还想再赢一次。好的,今天我们学习的词是twilight...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-04#754
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词儿是outpace。 Outpace是跑得更快,超过的意思。"Supply is outpacing demand," 意思是供大于求。联合国的报告说,在非洲大陆,去年开始服用艾滋病药物的人数跟艾滋病新感染者人数的比例是一比五。媒体报道说,The spread of AIDS in Africa is outpacing treatment. 意思是艾滋病在非洲的传播速度超过了治疗的速度。
新西兰去年的人口普查结果显示,过去十年里,新西兰平均个人收入增长了56%,而物价只上涨了22%,我们可以说,"Incomes outpaced price increases in the past decade." 好的,今天我们学习的词儿是outpace...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-07#755
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是narrow。 Narrow, 是变窄、缩小的意思。"The road narrows after the tunnel," 意思是过了隧道路就变窄了。"The government is trying to narrow the health divide between the rich and the poor," 是说政府正在努力缩小贫富间的健康差距。

白宫预计,本财政年度的预算赤字会缩小。媒体报道说,"The U.S. budget deficit will narrow to $205 billion in the fiscal year that ends in September," 意思是九月份结束的财政年度的预算赤字将缩小到两千零50亿美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是narrow...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-07#756
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是,limited。 Limited, 是有限的意思。拉美裔移民在维吉尼亚州的王子威廉姆斯县罢工一天,"The one-day work boycott appeared to have a limited effect on businesses in the county." 但似乎并没有对商家产生多大的影响。

欧洲一家投资银行预计,"Strong demand from China and limited supply will keep the price of lead strong over the next year," 中国的强劲需求和有限供应会让明年铅的价格居高不下。很多商家为了拉生意,都会推出促销活动。"For a limited time only, the membership fee will be waived," 促销期间免收会员费。好的,今天我们学习的词是limited...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-10#757
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是make a stab at。 Make a stab at, 是尝试的意思,也可以说 have a stab at。 "I had never tried scuba diving before, but I made a stab at it while in Hawaii," 我以前从来没有潜过水,但是这次在夏威夷尝试了一下。

1971年,美国一个叫Dan Cooper的人成功劫机并跳伞逃走,成为美国历史上唯一一宗劫机悬案。"The FBI released new details in the case, in an effort to make a new stab at finding the mysterious skyjacker," 美国联邦调查局公布了案情的新细节,再次试图找到这个神秘的劫机人。好的,今天我们学习的词是make a stab at...



故乡的云 : 2012-06-10#758
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是crack down。 Crack down, 是镇压的意思,一般是针对非法行为。"Police are cracking down on drug dealers," 意思是警方打击毒品贩子。"The troops cracked down on insurgents," 意思是军队镇压反叛分子。

就在最近,美国维吉尼亚州的两个县先后决定,停止向非法移民提供医疗和教育等公共服务。媒体报道说,"The counties aim to crack down on illegal immigrants," 意思是他们的目的是为了打击非法移民。好的,今天我们学习的词是crack down...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-14#759
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是dwindle. Dwindle is spelled d-w-i-n-d-l-e, dwindle. Dwindle是缩减,缩小的意思。Hewlett-Packard may eliminate as many as 30,000 jobs to compensate for dwindling demand for personal computers. 惠普公司可能会裁员三万人,以弥补市场对个人电脑需求缩水带来的损失。Japanese rice sales dwindled for the first time amid rising demand for western-style breads. 由于人们对西式面包需求的增长,日本首次出现大米销量下降的情况。U.S. government contracts are dwindling as the Obama administration pushes to reduce spending. 由于奥巴马政府大力减少政府支出,美国政府外发的合同数量正在减少。好的, 今天我们学习的词是dwindle,dwindle,dwindle...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-14#760
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tap. Tap is spelled t-a-p, tap. Tap当动词时可以当“开发,利用”讲。Despite the recent fall in oil prices, analysts say President Obama may tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as sanctions on Iran's oil output take hold. 尽管最近世界油价有所回落,但分析人士表示,对伊朗石油输出的制裁即将开始执行,奥巴马总统可能还是会动用美国的战略石油储备。

Apple plans to tap only renewable energy sources to power its North Carolina data center. 苹果公司计划全面利用可再生能源为其在北卡罗莱纳州的数据中心供电。The world's largest maker of thin-film solar panels plans to open an office in the United Arab Emirates to tap growing demand for power in the Middle East. 世界最大的薄膜太阳能板生产商计划在阿联酋开设办公室,利用中东地区不断增长的能源需求。好的, 今天我们学习的词是tap,tap, tap...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-14#761
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是bearing. Bearing is spelled b-e-a-r-i-n-g, bearing. Bearing 意思是关系,意义。我们常用 to have bearing on something 意思就是同某事有关系,对某事有影响。The decision had much bearing on the way the company was run. 这个决定对公司的管理运营有很大影响。His private life has no bearing on his competence as a manager. 他的私生活同他作为经理的工作能力无关。美国总统奥巴马最近公开支持同性婚姻,一项民调发现,Sixty percent of Americans say Obama's new position on same-sex marriage will have no bearing on how they vote in the November election.百分之六十的美国人表示,奥巴马在同性婚姻问题上的新立场并不会影响他们在11月总统大选中把票投给谁。好的,今天我们学习的词是 bearing, bearing, bearing...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-20#762
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是pare. Pare is spelled p-a-r-e; pare. Pare 是“削减”的意思。美国社交网站Facebook星期五上市,开盘价每股38美元,在第一天的交易中,Facebook pares gains as shares trade at little above the offering price after opening up at 11%. Facebook在股价升高百分之11后,涨幅缩减,价格回落到开盘价附近。

Pope Benedict XVI told people to share resources and pare lifestyles down to the essentials to cope with the economic crisis. 教皇本笃十六世告诉人们,通过共享资源和将生活消费削减到最基本水平来应对经济危机。The Indian parliament approved a plan for higher taxes to help pare the country's fiscal deficit. 印度国会批准了一项增税计划,帮助减轻印度的财政赤字。 今天我们学习的词是pare, pare, pare...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-20#763
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是woes. Woes is spelled w-o-e-s, woes. Woes是名词woe的复数形式,意思是苦头,灾难。Leaders in the euro zone are still far from resolving their debt woes. 欧元区各国的领导人还远没有解决他们的债务危机。Legal woes hit Facebook as some investors accused it of withholding information from the general public before its stock's debut. 一些投资者指责Facebook在股票上市前对公众隐瞒了一些重要的公司信息,这让Facebook陷入严重的法律纠纷。

Moody's Investors Service warned of deteriorating credit woes among Chinese real-estate developers. 穆迪投资者服务公司警告说,中国房地产开发商的信贷危机有所恶化。好的,今天我们学习的词是woes, woes, woes...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-20#764
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是undermine. Undermine is spelled u-n-d-e-r-m-i-n-e; undermine. Undermine 是“削弱,损害”的意思。The U.S. State Department says deep cuts to its budget proposed by Congress will undermine America's security and global leadership. 美国国务院表示,国会提出的大幅削减国务院预算的计划会伤害美国的安全,并削弱美国的全球领导地位。

Afghanistan's president has warned that civilian casualties caused by NATO air strikes could undermine the recently-signed cooperation agreement with the US. 阿富汗总统警告说,北约空袭造成的人员伤亡可能会动摇最近跟美国签署的合作协议。好的, 今天我们学习的词是undermine, undermine, undermine...




故乡的云 : 2012-06-20#765
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是dwindle. Dwindle is spelled d-w-i-n-d-l-e, dwindle. Dwindle是缩减,缩小的意思。Hewlett-Packard may eliminate as many as 30,000 jobs to compensate for dwindling demand for personal computers. 惠普公司可能会裁员三万人,以弥补市场对个人电脑需求缩水带来的损失。Japanese rice sales dwindled for the first time amid rising demand for western-style breads. 由于人们对西式面包需求的增长,日本首次出现大米销量下降的情况。U.S. government contracts are dwindling as the Obama administration pushes to reduce spending. 由于奥巴马政府大力减少政府支出,美国政府外发的合同数量正在减少。好的, 今天我们学习的词是dwindle,dwindle,dwindle...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-20#766
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是tap. Tap is spelled t-a-p, tap. Tap当动词时可以当“开发,利用”讲。Despite the recent fall in oil prices, analysts say President Obama may tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as sanctions on Iran's oil output take hold. 尽管最近世界油价有所回落,但分析人士表示,对伊朗石油输出的制裁即将开始执行,奥巴马总统可能还是会动用美国的战略石油储备。

Apple plans to tap only renewable energy sources to power its North Carolina data center. 苹果公司计划全面利用可再生能源为其在北卡罗莱纳州的数据中心供电。The world's largest maker of thin-film solar panels plans to open an office in the United Arab Emirates to tap growing demand for power in the Middle East. 世界最大的薄膜太阳能板生产商计划在阿联酋开设办公室,利用中东地区不断增长的能源需求。好的, 今天我们学习的词是tap,tap, tap...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-25#767
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是stepping stone. Stepping is spelled s-t-e-p-p-i-n-g, stepping; and stone, s-t-o-n-e, stone; stepping-stone. Stepping-stone是为了达到目的而准备垫脚石,敲门砖。阿尔及利亚最近举行议会选举,Algeria's authorities say a parliamentary election is a stepping stone towards a more democratic state, but many people do not believe such promises. 阿尔及利亚当局说,议会选举是为建立更民主的国家作铺垫,不过很多人并不相信这些承诺。
Many people use education as a stepping stone to a better life. 许多人通过受教育来争取过上更好的生活。Internships are a stepping stone into the corporate world and, for many, are the best way to learn. 实习是进入企业界的敲门砖,对许多人来说,也是最好的学习机会。好的, 今天我们学习的词是stepping-stone,stepping-stone, stepping-stone...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-25#768
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是grapple. grapple is spelled g-r-a-p-p-l-e; grapple. Grapple 是设法解决问题的意思,后面常跟介词with. President Obama turned to the private sector in hopes of lifting 50 million people in the developing world from poverty, as wealthy nations grapple with a budget crunch. 由于富裕国家都被艰难的预算局面搞得焦头烂额,美国总统奥巴马转向私营领域求援,希望他们能帮助发展中国家的五千万人脱贫。The global economy and financial markets continue to grapple with the aftermath of the financial crisis. 全球经济和金融市场依然设法解决金融危机遗留的问题。好的,今天我们学习的词是grapple, grapple,grapple...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-28#769
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 vaunt. Vaunt is spelled v-a-u-n-t, vaunt. Vaunt 是“炫耀,吹嘘”的意思。美国法庭最近对前美国副总统候选人爱德华兹挪用竞选资金案作出无罪和无效审判的判决。The ruling was a new setback for the prosecution--the Justice Department's public integrity section, a once-vaunted watchdog. 此案的公诉方--美国司法部公职人员操守处曾是倍受吹捧的监督机构,这一裁决是对该机构的又一次打击。 California's vaunted state colleges are losing their competitive edge because of higher tuition rates and a decrease in the quality of college programs. 因为学费增加,大学课程质量下降,美国加州一度倍受推崇的州立大学正在失去竞争力。好,今天我们学习的词是vaunt, vaunt, vaunt...

故乡的云 : 2012-06-28#770
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是turnaround. Turnaround is spelled t-u-r-n-a-r-o-u-n-d; turnaround. Turnaround是好转的意思。The once-troubled Japanese electronics manufacturer Hitachi is now undergoing one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Japanese corporate history. 一度陷入危机的日本电子产品制造商日立公司目前正经历日本企业史上最成功的大翻盘。

U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney claimed that he should be given credit for the turnaround of the auto industry. 美国总统候选人米特.罗姆尼声称,美国汽车工业复苏也有他的一份功劳。Finnish mobile-phone maker Nokia's turnaround strategy found few supporters among shareholders at its annual meeting. 在芬兰手机制造业商诺基亚公司的股东年会上,公司的复兴战略没有得到什么支持。好的, 今天我们学习的词是turnaround,turnaround, turnaround...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-09#771
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是mandatory. Mandatory is spelled m-a-n-d-a-t-o-r-y, mandatory. Mandatory指“强制性的,必须的”。比如,mandatory retirement age 强制退休年龄。Bulgaria's Minister of Regional Development is calling for the introduction of mandatory insurance for private residencies and all privately-owned buildings. 保加利亚地区发展部部长提出,应要求该国的私人住宅和全部私有建筑一律购买保险。The New York City Council is considering a new bill that will make it mandatory for all bikers to wear helmets.纽约市市议员正在考虑一项新议案,硬性要求纽约市每个骑自行车的人都必须佩戴头盔。好,今天我们学习的词是mandatory, mandatory, mandatory.....

故乡的云 : 2012-07-09#772
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是full-blown. Full-blown is spelled f-u-l-l-b-l-o-w-n; full-blown. Full-blown指“全面的,盛开的”。The percentage of U.S. teenagers with "pre-diabetes" or full-blown type 2 diabetes has more than doubled in recent years. 在美国,患有前期糖尿病或晚期二型糖尿病的青少年占青少年人口总数比例在最近几年中增长了一倍多。The UN human rights chief warned that a full-blown civil war could engulf Syria if Assad and the opposition forces do not abide by the UN-brokered peace plan. 联合国人权事务主管警告说,如果叙利亚总统阿萨德和反政府武装不遵守由联合国斡旋的和平计划,叙利亚可能会被全面内战所吞噬。好,今天我们学习的词是 full-blown, full-blown, full-blown...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-09#773
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是forecast. Forecast is spelled f-o-r-e-c-a-s-t; forecast. Forecast是“预测”的意思,比如,weather forecast 就是天气预报。Five major global banks lowered India's growth forecast from 6.4% to 5.7% for the current fiscal year. 五家全球大银行把印度这一财政年度的经济增长预期下调到百分之5点7至6点4。U.S. Payrolls climbed by 69,000 in May, much less than forecasted. 美国五月份增加了6万9千个就业机会,远远低于预期。百分之60的爱尔兰人投票支持欧盟关于严格限制爱尔兰预算赤字的财政契约。The number of supporters exceeded forecasts in the opinion polls. 支持者的数量超过了民调的预期。好,今天我们学习的词是forecast, forecast, forecast...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-09#774
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 throne. Throne is spelled t-h-r-o-n-e, throne. Throne 是“王位,统治”的意思。This year marks the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's ascension to the British throne.今年是英国女王伊丽莎白二世登基60周年。Under a U.K. Parliament statute, Prince Charles will be King when his mother either abdicates the throne or dies. 根据英国议会的一项法令,如果女王放弃王位或者去世,查尔斯王子将成为英国国王。三星公司推出新款智能手机,其预售数量达到安卓手机的最高水平,Some people expect that the Samsung Galaxy S3 will not only outsell the iPhone, but also usurp Apple's throne. 有些人预计,这款三星银河S3手机不但会击败iPhone, 还会动摇苹果公司在这一领域的统治地位。 好,今天我们学习的词是throne, throne, throne...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-11#775
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是mimic. Mimic is spelled m-i-m-i-c, mimic. Mimic是模仿的意思。最近,美国和意大利的科学家造了一条外形类似斑马鱼的机器鱼,The robotic fish mimics the tail movements of real Zebrafish and attracted live fish to interact with it. 机器鱼能模仿真斑马鱼的尾部活动,并吸引真鱼过来和它互动。索尼公司展示了一种新的游戏机技术,Sony said the new technology can make an animated character on screen mimic a game player's facial expressions. 索尼公司说,这种新技术能让屏幕上的动画人物模仿电玩玩家的面部表情。The US envoy on North Korean human rights issues says Pyongyang should mimic Burma in political and economic reforms. 联合国北韩人权问题特使说,平壤应该在政治和经济改革方面向缅甸学习。好,今天我们学习的词是mimic, mimic, mimic...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-12#776
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是glut. Glut is spelled g-l-u-t, glut. Glut 是充斥,过量的意思。中国汽车流通协会打算建议汽车生产商们减少产量,因为The worsening glut of vehicles across the nation's car dealerships is unsustainable. 中国各地汽车经销商面临的库存过剩问题正在恶化,这样发展下去难以维系。The U.S. is currently in the midst of a glut of natural gas and related products. 美国市场目前处于天然气和相关产品过剩的状态。Australia's olive oil harvest could be halved this year because of wet conditions and a glut of cheap imports. 澳大利亚今年橄榄油收成可能会比去年减半,这是因为天气潮湿,市场上又充斥着便宜的外国进口橄榄油。好,今天我们学习的词是glut, glut, glut...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-23#777
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是teeter. Teeter is spelled t-e-e-t-e-r, teeter. Teeter 的意思是“摇摇欲坠,摇摆不定”。 尽管欧盟决定出资救市,Spain's banking system is still teetering on the edge of disaster. 西班牙银行系统还是徘徊在灾难的边缘。Japanese media said the Japanese IT parts, materials and finished goods sectors are teetering on the brink of collapse. 日本媒体说,日本的IT业的零件、材料和成品领域都已经游走在崩溃的边缘。在英国曼彻斯特,A police officer pulled the driver from a burning car as it teetered on the edge of a motorway bridge. 一名警察从起火的汽车中拽出了一个司机,当时那辆车已经在高架桥边上摇摇欲坠了。好,今天我们学习的词是teeter, teeter, teeter...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-23#778
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是defer. Defer is spelled d-e-f-e-r, defer. Defer 意思是“推迟”。有调查发现,Many baby boomers are deferring retirement because of poor personal finances and heavy debts. 很多婴儿潮出生的人如今都因为个人财务状况不好和债务繁重而推迟退休。The Obama administration announced it would defer deporting most young illegal immigrants under 30 for two years. 奥巴马政府宣布,对大部分不到三十岁的非法移民,美国将推迟两年再把他们递解出境。The Pakistan government has decided to defer by a year a planned increase in a tax on compressed natural gas. 巴基斯坦政府决定把压缩天然气加税计划推迟一年。好,今天我们学习的词是defer, defer, defer...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-23#779
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的短语是lock horns. Lock is spelled l-o-c-k, lock; and horns, h-o-r-n-s, horns; lock horns. Lock是锁上, horn是动物头上的角,lock horns原指动物用角互顶打架,引伸为“激烈争论”,杠上了。India and the European Union are likely to lock horns over new green energy norms at the Earth Summit in Brazil. 在巴西召开的地球峰会上,印度和欧盟很可能就新的绿色能源标准争论不休。U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder locked horns with congressional Republicans at a hearing on a gun-trafficking case. 美国司法部长霍尔德同国会共和党人在听证会上因一起枪支走私案顶了起来。The mayor and her deputy locked horns over plans for a new road. 市长和她的副手因为修路计划而激烈争吵。好,今天我们学习的词是lock horns, lock horns, lock horns...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-23#780
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是mandatory. Mandatory is spelled m-a-n-d-a-t-o-r-y, mandatory. Mandatory指“强制性的,必须的”。比如,mandatory retirement age 强制退休年龄。Bulgaria's Minister of Regional Development is calling for the introduction of mandatory insurance for private residencies and all privately-owned buildings. 保加利亚地区发展部部长提出,应要求该国的私人住宅和全部私有建筑一律购买保险。The New York City Council is considering a new bill that will make it mandatory for all bikers to wear helmets.纽约市市议员正在考虑一项新议案,硬性要求纽约市每个骑自行车的人都必须佩戴头盔。好,今天我们学习的词是mandatory, mandatory, mandatory.....

故乡的云 : 2012-07-30#781
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 gadget. Gadget is spelled g-a-d-g-e-t , gadget. Gadget 意思是小玩意,小工具,经常用来指小电器产品。比如,My friend Michael is a gadget freak who always wants to get his hands on the latest inventions. 我朋友Michael是小电器产品发烧友,有什么新玩意他都得拿来玩玩。The company caters to high-end users who crave the newest gadgets. 这家公司专门服务那些热衷最新小电器产品的高端用户。苹果手机问世五年。For users, iPhone has changed from a gadget to a way of life. 对用户来说,苹果手机已经从一个小小的通讯工具,变成了一种生活方式。好的,今天我们学习的词是 gadget, gadget, gadget.

故乡的云 : 2012-07-30#782
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 power. Power is spelled p-o-w-e-r, power. Power 大家都知道,power是权力,但是power另外一个常用的意思是电力。美国首都华盛顿周边地区上周五晚上遭受暴风雨袭击。More than 640,000 homes and businesses across the region lost power during the storm. 华盛顿周边地区有64万多个住家和商店断电。For some, the power won't be back until the end of the week. 对某些人来说,可能要等到这个周末才会来电。A large number of public schools with summer programs are closed because of the power outage. 很多学校的暑期活动都因为断电而取消。
好的,今天我们学习的词是 power, power, power...

故乡的云 : 2012-07-30#783
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是interim. Interim is spelled i-n-t-e-r-i-m, interim. Interim 做为形容词,意思是临时的。比如,interim government 临时政府。再比如,The two sides reached an interim agreement that will last for 30 days. 双方达成临时协议,有效期30天。Best Buy's interim CEO said the electronics seller is committed to fundamental changes. 百思买电器公司的临时首席执行官说,这家电器商店决心要做出彻底改变。美国维吉尼亚大学校长被解职引起轩然大波后,UVA's Board of Visitors appointed an interim president after almost 12 hours of debate. 维吉尼亚大学校董经过近12个小时的辩论后,指任了新的临时校长。好的,今天我们学习的词是 interim, interim, interim...

故乡的云 : 2012-08-02#784
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 work-related. Work is spelled w-o-r-k, related is spelled r-e-l-a-t-e-d, work-related. Work-related 与工作有关的。比如,He claimed that the travel expenses were all work-related. 他说,外出旅行的这些开支都是跟工作有关的。最新研究显示,The more work-related stress parents experience, the more likely their children are to eat unhealthy meals. 家长在工作上的压力越大,他们的孩子吃不健康食物的可能性也就越大。More than 8,000 cancer deaths in Britain each year are work-related. 英国每年有八千多起癌症死亡都是由工作引起的。好,今天我们学习的词是 work-related, work-related, work-related...

alberto : 2012-08-05#785
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Something is happening, 这句话语法对吗?

故乡的云 : 2012-08-07#786
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是acquisition。 Acquisition, 收购。美国互联网公司美国在线出价3.15亿美元,收购时政资讯网站赫芬顿邮报。 "This acquisition will help AOL gain a strong foothold in the online media world," 这起收购案有助于美国在线加强自身在网上媒体世界中的地位。 "It will be AOL's largest acquisition since it was separated from Time Warner in 2009," 这将是美国在线2009年脱离时代华纳以来规模最大的一起收购案。好的,今天我们学习的词是acquisition...

故乡的云 : 2012-08-17#787
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 next-generation. Next-generation 下一代的,新一代的。Possible images of the next-generation iPhone keep popping up online. 网络上不断出现可能是新一代苹果手机的图片。Intel is committing $4.1 billion to the research of next-generation chip technology. 因特尔公司保证投入41亿美元,用于新一代芯片技术的研究。Toyota will debut the next-generation of their Lexus LS full-sized luxury sedan on July 30th. 丰田汽车公司将在7月30号首次展示他们的雷克萨斯LS豪华轿车。好的,今天我们学习的词是 next-generation, next-generation, next-generation...

故乡的云 : 2012-08-17#788
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 per se. Per se是自身,本身的意思。Google claims that Google+ is not a social media per se. 谷歌声称,Google+ 并非完全意义上的社交媒体。Web bloggers are not journalists per se. 网络博主们并非真正意义上的媒体人。His goal is not to make money per se, but to have the satisfaction of making it. 他的目的不是为了赚钱,而是为了能得到赚钱给他带来的满足感。I don't claim to be an expert of Italian cuisine per se, but I guarantee that they have the best pizza in town. 我不敢说自己是意大利美食专家,但是我可以保证,这里的比萨饼是全城最棒的。好的,今天我们学习的词是 per se, per se, per se...

故乡的云 : 2012-08-17#789
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Something is happening, 这句话语法对吗?


happen是有进行时的,它只是没有被动语态。

1。He has a sixth sense for what is happening on the screen and wants to know if he has entered bad data. He will be most effective if the application notifies him of data-entry errors by using subtle visual and audible cues. 他对屏幕上发生的事具有第六感,立即就能知道他是否输入了坏数据,特别是在程序使用微妙的视觉和听觉线索通知数据状态的情况下。

2、A user’s mental model of the computer executing a time-consuming process will quite reasonably be that of a machine cranking along. A static dialog box that merely announces that the computer is Reading Disk may tell users that a time-consuming process is happening, but it doesn’t show that this is true. 用户对计算机执行一个耗时进程的心理模型很像是一个机械转轴,一个表明计算机在读磁盘的静态对话框只能告诉用户一个耗时的进程正在发生,但它并没有显示这真的很耗时

3、We must keep in touch with what is happening in foreign countries. 我们必须了解国外的动态。

4、Compliments and lunches lead to afterwork cocktails, and before she realizes what is happening, she is involved in an affair. 赞美之辞和午餐会发展到下班后去喝一杯。 在她发觉之前,她就已经不知不觉地身陷婚外情了。

5、Electrons streaming into adjacent layers of plasma with their thermal velocities will carry information about what is happening in the oscillating region.http://www.jukuu.com/thread-107048776.html 以热速度流入等离子体邻近层的电子,将携带出现在振荡区域的信息。

故乡的云 : 2012-08-21#790
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 haggle. Haggle 意思是争论,讨价还价,后面经常跟介词 over. The city council continues to haggle over the budget proposal. 市政委员会继续围绕预算提案讨价还价。As the U.S. Congress continues to haggle over how to fix the struggling U.S. Postal Service, its financial health is deteriorating. 美国国会继续讨论整顿美国邮政系统的同时,邮政系统的财政状况持续恶化。Surveys show that most car buyers don't like to haggle over prices. 民意调查显示,大多数买车的人都不愿意在在价钱上讨价还价。好的,今天我们学习的词是 haggle, haggle, haggle....

故乡的云 : 2012-08-21#791
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 noteworthy. Noteworthy意思是值得注意的,值得引起重视的。雅虎公司宣布,年仅37岁的迈耶将担任雅虎公司首席执行官。Her selection is noteworthy both because she is one of only a few woman CEOs in the tech world, and because she is expecting her first child. 她的任命引起了外界的极大关注,不光是因为她是高科技业界为数不多的女性首席执行官之一,而且也因为她正怀着自己的第一个孩子。The results of a new study are noteworthy for the fact that online donors jumped nearly 60 percent compared to two years ago. 最新研究显示,在网上捐钱的人数增加了近60%,这一研究结果值得引起人们的重视。好的,今天我们学习的词是 noteworthy, noteworthy, noteworthy...

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#792
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Well, we'll have so many things to do. So let's come to the point.

come to the point:谈到正题上来

大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

He didn't come to the point until the class was over.

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#793
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

I am just a small potato in my class.

small potato:喻指无足轻重的小人物

大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

I don't want to be a small potato in student's union.

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#794
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

no sweat:一点也不费力,没问题

May we proceed?
Sure,no sweat.



大家来翻译一下吧^_^


Is the advanced aerobic exercise hard for you?
Oh,no sweat.

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#795
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

She is so popular in our class that she has a few bosom friends.

bosom friend:知己,好友


大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

Michael was my bosom friend during my school life.

bosom n. 胸, 胸怀,内心

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#796
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Everything in her dormitory is kept in apple-pie order.

in apple-pie order:有条不紊


大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

Coffey keeps her desk very neat and everything is in apple-pie order

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#797
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Oh, my god! It's 12:40 now, I'm almost not half.

not half:饿得要死


大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

I'm not half and can eat a horse.

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#798
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Excuse me, sir, would you please trade seats with me?

trade seats:换座位


大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

May I trade seats with you, madam?

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#799
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

The decision must be made first thing tomorrow morning.

first thing tomorrow morning :一大早

大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

I'll meet you at the school gate first thing tomorrow morning.

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#800
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Is it a must to learn politics in the university?

must:n. 必修课程


大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

Japanese is not our selective, but a must.

NOTE:
selective:选修课

故乡的云 : 2012-08-23#801
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

We'll go all out to save the young soldier.

go all out :竭尽全力


大家学完单词就来做个翻译练习吧^_^

Don't go to pieces, we'll go all out to help you.

NOTE: go to pieces adj. 崩溃

故乡的云 : 2012-08-26#802
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是restriction. Restriction是限制的意思。President Obama vowed to implement new measures to curb violence in American cities, including reasonable restrictions on gun ownership. 美国总统奥巴马誓言,要减少美国的城市暴力,包括对枪支所有权加以合理限制。The Pentagon approved a plan to lift flight restrictions on its F-22 Raptor fighter jets. 美国国防部批准了一项计划,取消对F-22猛禽战斗机的飞行限制。在刚刚结束的国际艾滋病大会中,Participants called for lifting travel restrictions on people with AIDS. 与会者呼吁取消对艾滋病患者旅行所设置的各种限制。好的,今天我们学习的词是 restriction, restriction, restriction...

故乡的云 : 2012-08-26#803
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是ride out. Ride out的意思是经受得住,挺过难关。The sailboat rode out the storm. 帆船抵挡住了暴风雨的袭击。There are signs that a global economic slowdown is hitting U.S. companies that rode out the recession fairly well. 有迹象显示,全球经济放缓正影响到那些本已平安挺过经济衰退期的美国公司。United Parcel Service is betting that its package delivery service contract with the London Olympic Games can help it ride out Europe's recession. 速递公司UPS希望同伦敦奥运会签订的包裹运送合同能帮自己应对欧洲经济衰退带来的影响。好的,今天我们学习的词是ride out, ride out, ride out...

故乡的云 : 2012-08-26#804
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是lavish. Lavish, 形容词,意思 “大方的,铺张浪费的”。雅虎公司以7100万美元的高薪聘请玛丽莎.迈耶出任CEO, Mayer's pay package is by far the most lavish that Yahoo has offered to its recent string of CEOs. 到目前为止,迈耶的综合薪金是雅虎最近几任CEO中最高的。美国公共服务管理局再爆丑闻,It has been revealed that the General Services Administration lavishly spent more than a quarter-million dollars for a one-day awards ceremony in 2010. 公共服务管理局被爆在2010年为一个为期一天的发奖仪式挥霍无度,花费公款超过25万美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是 lavish, lavish,lavish...

故乡的云 : 2012-09-23#805
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 outsell. Outsell 销量超过。“格雷的50道阴影”这套书热卖。The Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy is outselling the seven Harry Potter books to become the best selling book series on Amazon.co.uk.“格雷的50道阴影”三部曲销量超过哈里.波特的七本书,成为英国亚马逊网站上销量最好的系列书籍。Outsell 的过去时是 outsold. 电子书ebook的销量继续呈上升趋势。Publishers are reporting that in 2011, e-book versions of novels aimed at adults outsold hard covers for the first time. 出版商说,2011年,成年人小说类书籍的电子版销量首次超过精装本销量。好的,今天我们学习的词是 outsell, outsell, outsell...

故乡的云 : 2012-09-23#806
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 envoy. Envoy 是特使的意思。Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan resigned as international peace envoy for Syria. 前联合国秘书长安南辞去了叙利亚国际和平特使的职务。A UN human rights envoy visited Myanmar to investigate ethnic clashes in June. 一位联合国人权特使前往缅甸,调查那里六月份发生的族群冲突。A UN envoy for Somalia strongly condemned the killing of a prominent Somali comedian and media worker. 联合国的索马里特使对索马里一位著名喜剧艺术家和媒体工作者被害一事提出强烈遣责。好的,今天我们学习的词是 envoy, envoy, envoy...

故乡的云 : 2012-09-23#807
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 across the board. Across the board 指所有人,所有方面。最新调查显示,The number of young adults living with their parents has risen across the board, no matter their age, race or geographic locations. 跟父母住在一起的年轻成年人全面增加,不论年龄,种族,也不论地理位置。美国房屋市场7月底公布的数字显示,Housing prices are up across the board from a month before. 跟一个月前的数字相比,房价普遍上涨。在福布斯杂志公布的最新大学排名中,普林斯顿名列第一。Princeton is doing really well across the board. 普林斯顿大学的各项表现都很出色。好的,今天我们学习的词是 across the board, across the board, across the board...

故乡的云 : 2012-09-23#808
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 homage. Homage的意思是“敬意”。Thousands of mourners gathered to pay homage to the six people killed during a shooting rampage at a Wisconsin Sikh temple. 数千名悼念者们聚集在一起,向美国威斯康辛州锡克教寺庙枪击事件中的6名死者致哀。中国的电视剧《爱情公寓》被指责抄袭美国情景喜剧《六人行》,A spokesman for the show said it did not steal jokes or lines from Friends, but was more of a homage to the American sitcom. 这个电视剧的发言人说,该片没有抄袭《六人行》的包袱或台词,而是向这部美剧致敬。好的,今天我们学习的词是homage, homage, homage...

故乡的云 : 2012-09-23#809
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 flatline. Flatline的意思是“停滞不前”,可是作名词或者动词。The Bank of England has said it believes the UK economy will flat-line this year.英格兰银行说,英国经济预计今年将出现零增长。McDonald's disclosed a surprise flatline in growth around the world in July, the gloomiest monthly same-store sales figures in nearly a decade. 麦当劳透露,七月份全球业务出人意料地出现零增长,这是近10年来最糟糕的同店销售业绩。A new poll found that Mitt Romney's likeability ratings have flatlined at 40 percent. 一项新的民调发现,美国共和党总统候选人米特罗姆尼受欢迎率一直维持在百分之40,没有出现增长。好的,今天我们学习的词是 flatline,flatline,flatline...

故乡的云 : 2012-09-23#810
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 foolproof. Foolproof的意思是“简单有效的”,“不会出错的”。Social networks whose target audience is kids, acknowledge that there may be no foolproof way to block online predators. 那些以儿童为主要消费者的社交网站承认,能完全阻止网络人身侵害的方法也许并不存在。As governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney once proposed a foolproof death penalty law that guaranteed only the guilty could be executed. 美国共和党总统候选人米特罗姆尼在当麻州州长时曾提起一项死刑法,据说可以万无一失地确保只有真正犯罪的人才被处决。好的,今天我们学习的词是 foolproof,foolproof,foolproof...

故乡的云 : 2012-09-24#811
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 dead set. Dead set的意思是铁了心的,坚决的。She wanted to move to Los Angeles but her parents were dead set against it. 她想搬去洛杉矶住,但她父母坚决反对。畅销小说《格雷的50道阴影》要被搬上大银幕,Angelina Jolie is said to be dead set on landing a leading role in the movie.据说,安吉丽娜.朱莉对在电影中出演主要人物志在必得。汤姆.克鲁斯夫妻上演离婚大战,A source told media that Katie Holmes was dead set on keeping full custody of Suri.一位消息人士告诉媒体说,汤姆的前妻凯蒂.赫尔姆斯铁了心要争到对女儿苏瑞的完全监护权。
好的,今天我们学习的词是 dead set, dead set, dead set...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-02#812
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是ridden. Ridden是形容词,意思是“满是的”,通常跟在名词的后面。比如,debt ridden就是负债累累的意思。In a move that wasted $1.2 million in printing costs, the already debt-ridden U.S. Postal Service produced 1 billion "The Simpsons" stamps but sold only 318 million. 本已负债累累的美国邮政局又浪费了120万美元的印刷费,因为邮局印了十亿张“辛普森家庭”的邮票,但只卖掉了三亿一千八百万张。今年夏天美国旱情严重,Oil companies drilling in drought-ridden Kansas are taking desperate measures to get the water they need to tap into the state's oil reserves. 在干旱频发的堪萨斯州钻井的各石油公司想尽办法寻找水源,以开采那里的石油储备。好的,今天我们学习的词是ridden, ridden, ridden...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-02#813
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是realistic. Realistic的意思是“现实的”。A senior UN official recently said the two-state solution was the best available and most realistic option for the Israelis and Palestinians. 一位联合国高级官员最近说,对以色列人和巴勒斯坦人来说,两国并存是最好,最现实的解决问题的方法。由于坏帐增加, The Chairman of the State Bank of India advised corporations to be more realistic in their loan repayment schedules. 印度国家银行行长建议各企业在计划还款期限时能更加现实一些。 好的,今天我们学习的词是realistic,
realistic, realistic...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-08#814
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是forfeit. Forfeit 有“丧失,被没收”的意思。一直被美国反兴奋剂机构USADA调查的自行车手阿姆斯特朗宣布放弃与该机构的斗争,随后,The USADA said Lance Armstrong must forfeit his seven consecutive Tour de France victories. 该机构宣布,阿姆斯特朗必须放弃他连续七次取得的环法自行车手总冠军头衔。美国马里兰州八月中旬有一周的时间免收消费者的消费税,The state of Maryland had estimated that it would forfeit about $10 million by waiving the 6 percent sales tax on clothing and shoes costing up to $100. 马里兰州估计,由于对价格不超过100美元的衣服和鞋子都免征百分之6的消费税,州政府将损失一千万美元的收入。好的,今天我们学习的词是 forfeit, forfeit, forfeit...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-08#815
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是overtake. Overtake 是“超过”的意思。China is projected to soon overtake Germany and the US as the country that has the most outbound global tourists. 预计,中国将很快超过德国和美国,成为世界上最大的国际游客输出国。Brazil could overtake the U.S. as the world's top soybean producer in 2012 or 2013. 巴西可能在2012或2013年超过美国,成为世界头号大豆生产国。Microsoft's Windows 8 Phone could overtake BlackBerry as the third most popular cell phone operating system in the U.S.. 微软公司的Windows Phone 8系统可能超过黑梅系统,成为美国智能手机市场上第三大最受欢迎的操作系统。好的,今天我们学习的词是overtake, overtake, overtake...



故乡的云 : 2012-10-12#816
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 eject. Eject 是赶走, 逐出的意思。At the GOP convention last week, two people were ejected for throwing peanuts at a black CNN camerawoman.上星期美国共和党召开全国代表大会期间, 两个与会代表因为向CNN一个黑人女摄像扔花生被逐出会场。美式足球协会NFL对球迷在赛场内的无礼表现采取措施。NFL teams are requiring any fan who gets ejected from a stadium to take a four-hour online course before they can come back into the facility again. NFL球队规定, 凡是被赶出球场的球迷必须要在网上参加一个四小时的培训课程, 然后才能重新进入赛场. 好的,今天我们学习的词是eject, eject, eject...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-12#817
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是infringe. Infringe 是侵权的意思。A Japanese court ruled that Samsung's synchronizing technology that allows media players to share data with personal computers did not infringe on Apple's patents. 日本一家法院裁决,三星公司使用的允许媒体播放器和个人电脑分享数据的同步技术没有侵犯苹果公司的专利。 在此之前,A federal jury in the U.S. ruled that Samsung infringed on multiple Apple patents, awarding Apple more than $1 billion in damages. 美国一个联邦陪审团裁决,三星侵犯了苹果的若干项专利,让三星向苹果公司提供10亿多美元的赔偿。 好的,今天我们学习的词是infringe, infringe,infringe...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-12#818
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是disgruntled. Disgruntled 是“不满意的,不高兴的”。A disgruntled
former employee opened fire near New York's Empire State Building, leaving two dead and nine injured. 一名心怀不满的下岗职员在纽约帝国大厦附近开枪,导致两人死亡,九人受伤。The Wall Street Journal has reported that increasing numbers of Groupon salespeople are looking for new jobs after becoming disgruntled with the way they are treated by their employer. 华尔街日报报道,美国团购公司Groupon越来越多的销售人员对公司待遇感到不满,都纷纷寻找新工作。好的,今天我们学习的词是 disgruntled, disgruntled, disgruntled...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-12#819
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是forfeit. Forfeit 有“丧失,被没收”的意思。一直被美国反兴奋剂机构USADA调查的自行车手阿姆斯特朗宣布放弃与该机构的斗争,随后,The USADA said Lance Armstrong must forfeit his seven consecutive Tour de France victories. 该机构宣布,阿姆斯特朗必须放弃他连续七次取得的环法自行车手总冠军头衔。美国马里兰州八月中旬有一周的时间免收消费者的消费税,The state of Maryland had estimated that it would forfeit about $10 million by waiving the 6 percent sales tax on clothing and shoes costing up to $100. 马里兰州估计,由于对价格不超过100美元的衣服和鞋子都免征百分之6的消费税,州政府将损失一千万美元的收入。好的,今天我们学习的词是 forfeit, forfeit, forfeit...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-15#820
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是top-tier. Top-tier 意思是一流的。The University of Iowa's football team is looking to return to the top-tier teams in the Big 10 this season. 爱奥华大学美式足球校队鹰眼队本赛季将努力重新成为美国大学联盟Big Ten里的一流球队。美国名校耶鲁大学的校长理查德.莱文Richard Levin最近宣布,本学年结束后即将离任。Richard Levin's 20 year tenure as Yale's president is far longer than most other presidents of top-tier universities. 理查德.莱文在耶鲁大学任职长达20年, 比美国大多数一流大学校长干的时间都要长。好的,今天我们学习的词是top-tier, top-tier, top-tier...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-18#821
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 electrify. Electrify 动词,是让别人觉得兴奋,振奋的意思。美国前总统克林顿在民主党大会上发表讲话。The former President electrified the Democratic Convention with a passionate speech. 前总统克林顿在民主党大会上激情讲话,振奋了整个会场。Jamaican runner Usain Bolt electrified the London Games by becoming the first man to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 100, 200 and 400 meter relays. 牙买加田径选手博尔特成为在连续两届奥运会上赢得100米,200米和400米接力赛金牌的第一人,给伦敦奥运会注入了激情与活力。好的,今天我们学习的词是electrify, electrify, electrify..

故乡的云 : 2012-10-18#822
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是stressful. Stressful 意思是压力很大的。Starting a new job can be exciting and stressful at the same time. 开始一份新工作可能既令人兴奋,又让人倍感压力。有调查显示,Law enforcement agents, taxi drivers and corporate executives are among the most stressful jobs in the country. 执法人员,出租车司机和公司主管属于美国各种职业中压力最大的行业。美国新闻周刊公布了2012年度压力最大的25所大学的排行榜。在排行榜中,Washington University at Saint Louis is ranked as the most stressful university in the country. 圣路易斯的华盛顿大学被列为全美国学生压力最大的学校。好的,今天我们学习的词是stressful, stressful, stressful...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-18#823
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是unthinkable. Unthinkable 意思是无法想象的。U.S. companies are preparing for the once-unthinkable, that Greece might leave the eurozone. 美国公司为希腊可能离开欧元做准备,这本来是无法想象的事情。美式足球NFL的很多后卫球队一贯以大块头著称。然而如今,体重对身体的压力让很多球员难以承受。Many super-sized NFL players are now doing the unthinking: they are on a diet. 很多大块头的NFL球员如今开始控制饮食,这在以前本来是无法想象的。好的,今天我们学习的词是unthinkable, unthinkable, unthinkable...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#824
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

学一个
今天我们要学的词是uptick。 Uptick, 名词,意思是上升。 "There has been an uptick in violent crimes in the past year," 过去一年里暴力犯罪有所上升。"Local retailers expect to see a sales uptick in this year's holiday shopping season," 本地零售商估计,今年节假购物季节的销量会出现上扬。跟去年同期相比,赌城拉斯维加斯七月份的游客数量上升了2.3%。有评论认为, "The visitor uptick in Las Vegas is reflective of a nationwide trend," 拉斯维加斯游客数量的上扬反应了全国范围内的总趋势。好的,今天我们学习的词是uptick...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#825
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb6:
今天我们要学的词是call off。 To call off, 意思是取消或推迟。 "The wedding was called off because of flooding," 婚礼因为发大水而被迫推迟。 "A planned strike was called off to allow further negotiations," 原定罢工推迟,让双方能继续谈判。 "The men's U.S. Open final was called off Sunday because of persistent rain," 美国网球公开赛男子决赛星期天因为一直下雨被推迟。 "A Florida pastor finally called off the plan to burn copies of The Quran," 佛罗里达州的一个牧师最后决定放弃焚烧古兰经的计划。好的,今天我们学习的词是call off...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#826
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb6:
今天我们要学的词是crusade。 Crusade, 改革运动。美国儿童存在严重的肥胖问题。"First Lady Michelle Obama is on a crusade for healthy eating," 美国第一夫人米歇尔.奥巴马大力推动健康的饮食习惯。
很多经受鲨鱼袭击,九死一生的幸存者最终反而成了鲨鱼利益的代言人。"These shark survivors are on a crusade to save their predators," 这些鲨鱼袭击的幸存者正大力展开一场挽救他们袭击者的运动。倍具争议的美国电影制片人迈克尔.摩尔的新片《资本主义》上映了。影评说,"Michael Moore is on an anti-capitalist crusade," 迈克尔.摩尔展开了一场反资本主义的运动。好的,今天我们学习的词是crusade...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#827
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb6:
今天我们要学的词是hangover。 Hangover, 是宿醉的意思。"I have a nasty hangover this morning from the party last night," 昨天晚上开派对喝多了,今天早上特别难受。你知道吗,"Dark drinks like bourbon or red wine make for a worse hangover compared to lighter drinks like vodka or gin," 波本和红葡萄酒这类颜色较深的酒比伏特加或杜松子这种颜色较浅的酒更容易引起宿醉。
咖啡能解酒吗?答案是否定的。"Coffee leads to more dehydration and can make your hangover worse," 咖啡会导致进一步脱水,加重宿醉的程度。好的,今天我们学习的词是hangover...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#828
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb6:
今天我们要学的词是breeze。 Breeze, 做为名词,指轻而易举的事情。 "Beating the unknown team wasn't a breeze as we thought it would be," 打赢这支名不见经传的队伍远没有我们原本想象的那么简单。 "The new website makes searching for cheap airline tickets a breeze," 这个新网站让寻找便宜机票变得轻而易举。虽然美国经济持续低迷,总统奥巴马的民众支持率也很低,但在两个月后的国会中期选举中, "Winning back control of the Congress is not going to be a breeze for the Republicans," 夺回国会控制权对共和党人来说也并非举手之劳。好的,今天我们学习的词是breeze...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#829
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb6:
今天我们要学的词是obsessed。 Obsessed, 一门心思的,沉迷于。 "My girlfriend is obsessed with buying handbags," 我女朋友买包上瘾。 "One of my co-workers is obsessed with social networks," 我有一个同事整天沉迷于社交网站。 "The singer admitted to being obsessed with losing weight when she was a teenager," 这个歌星承认自己十几岁的时候一心就想着减肥。 "Obsessed fans lined up at bookstores throughout the night to be the first ones to read the new book," 疯狂的粉丝们彻夜在书店门口大排长龙,只为能先买到新书,一睹为快。好的,今天我们学习的词是obsessed...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#830
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb17:
今天我们要学的词是baby steps。 Baby steps, 小孩的步子,意思是慢慢的,一步一步的。 "The doctor told him to take baby steps towards recovery," 医生让他不要急,一步一步慢慢恢复。 "If you're new at exercising, you need to take baby steps to increase the intensity," 如果你是刚开始锻炼的话,需要一步一步来,逐渐加强锻炼强度。 "After the divorce, she is taking baby steps to bring her life back together," 离婚后,她一点点地努力让自己的生活回归正常。好的,今天我们学习的词是baby steps...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#831
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb10:
今天我们要学的词是on the rise。 On the rise,正在上升。 "The hip-hop singer's popularity is on the rise," 这个嘻哈歌手现在越来越红。最新研究显示, "The number of concussions suffered by kids playing organized sports is on the rise," 因为参加有组织的体育项目而发生脑振荡的孩子的数字呈上升趋势。随着社交媒体的日益兴起, "Security breaches associated with social media are also on the rise," 跟社交媒体有关的安全受到破坏的情况也呈现上升趋势。好的,今天我们学习的词是on the rise...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#832
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb9:
今天我们要学的词是crowd pleaser。 A crowd pleaser, 指深受欢迎的人或事。 "The movie is a crowd pleaser," 大家都爱看这部电影。 "His performance was a crowd pleaser," 他的表演得到一致好评。大熊猫泰山在美国的时候, "Tai Shan was a huge crowd pleaser," 深受大家喜爱。 "The dessert I made was a crowd pleaser at the party," 我做的甜点在派对上特别受欢迎。 "The 20-minute firework display on July 4th is always a crowd pleaser," 7月4号晚上二十分钟的焰火表演从来都有很多人喜欢看。好的,今天我们学习的词是crowd pleaser...

pragmatist : 2012-10-21#833
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

:wdb9:
今天我们要学的词是cut back。 To cut back, 意思是减少。由于冬天客流量少,"A rail service will cut back the number of trains it runs from 18 to 10," 一家火车公司决定将客运列车数量从18列减少为10列。"General Mills has announced it will cut back on the amount of sugar in ten of its popular kids cereals," 美国通用磨坊食品公司宣布,要减少十种最受欢迎的儿童谷类早餐里糖的含量。最新调查显示,"Nearly half of U.S. residents will cut back on gift spending this year," 几乎一般美国人今年都打算减少在礼品上的开销。好的,今天我们学习的词是cut back...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-23#834
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 household. Household 是家庭,一家一户的意思。American gymnast Gaby Douglas made a household name out of herself with her gold medal win at the London Games. 美国女子体操选手Gaby Douglas在伦敦奥运会上赢得金牌,变得家喻户晓。美国农业部公布的报告显示,Almost 18 million American households struggled to find enough to eat in 2011. 美国有将近1800万个家庭2011年曾遇到过缺少足够食物的情况。利物浦连续第四年成为全英国失业家庭比例最高的城市。Almost a third of all households in Liverpool have no employed family members. 利物浦将近三分之一的家庭,都没有任何家庭成员工作。好的,今天我们学习的词是 household, household, household...




故乡的云 : 2012-10-24#835
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是 squander. Squander 是白白浪费的意思。Our local high school basketball team squandered its early lead in a loss to our arch-rival. 我们本地高中篮球队没有把握好领先局面,最后反而输给了老对手。This opportunity is once in a lifetime. Don't squander it. 这是千载难逢的好机会,千万别浪费了。美国医药协会在一份最新报告中指出,The U.S. health care system squanders $750 billion a year, roughly 30 cents of every medical dollar. 美国医保系统每年都会白白浪费掉7500亿美元,大约相当于用在医保的一个美元里,就有30美分被浪费了。好的,今天我们学习的词是 squander, squander, squander...

故乡的云 : 2012-10-26#836
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是 pre-order. Pre-order 预购。iPhone5问世了。The iPhone5 went on pre-order just after midnight Pacific time last Friday. iPhone5 于美国西部时间上星期五凌晨12点一过开始预售。Roughly one hour after the iPhone5 went on pre-order , they sold out on Apple's online store. iPhone5 预购开始大约一小时,网上苹果店的订单就满了。The three major networks that carry the iPhone, namely AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, also started accepting pre-orders around the same time. 美国三大iPhone运营商 AT&T, Verizon 和 Sprint 也都在大约同一时间开始预售。好的,今天我们学习的词是 pre-order, pre-order, pre-order....

故乡的云 : 2012-10-26#837
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 star power. Star power 指名人的影响力。Former President Bill Clinton brought star power to the democratic convention. 美国前总统克林顿在民主党大会上充分施展了名人魅力。中国是世界上最大的象牙消费市场,退役篮球明星姚明八月份前往肯尼亚拍摄反对非法狩猎的纪录片。 Yao Ming is trying to use his star power to fight against illegal poaching in Africa. 姚明希望依赖自身影响力,协助打击非洲的非法狩猎。美国很多好莱坞明星都支持奥巴马,比如说,Actor George Clooney flexed his star power and netted $15 million in an Obama fundraiser. 乔治.克鲁尼就在一次为奥巴马站台的活动中,竞选集资约1500万美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是 star power, star power, star power...

香远益清 : 2012-10-27#838
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

跟着书生,学习,学习!

故乡的云 : 2012-10-29#839
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 storm. 大家都知道,storm作为名词是风暴的意思。而作为动词,是冲击。Sudanese demonstrators angry over a film that insults the Prophet Mohammad stormed the Germany embassy in Khartoum. 愤怒的苏丹抗议者冲击了驻喀土穆的德国使馆,起因是一部他们认为侮辱了先知穆罕默德的影片。在此之前,Hundreds of rioters stormed the U.S. embassy in Yemen, hurling logs and rocks in an attempt to shatter the mission's bulletproof glass. 美国驻也门大使馆也遭到数百名暴动者的冲击,他们用木板和石块,打碎了使馆的防弹玻璃窗。好的,今天我们学习的词是 storm, storm, storm....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-01#840
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 wildlife. Wildlife 野生动物。Sri Lanka has always been one of the best known wildlife tourist destinations. 斯里兰卡向来是著名的野生动物游览胜地之一。Russian President Vladimir Putin admitted that some of his wildlife stunts have been carefully staged. 俄罗斯总统普京承认,他跟野生动物的一些亲密接触都是经过事先周密策划的。如今,无人驾驶飞机不光用于军事。Drones are now used to track endangered wildlife, spot poachers and chart forest loss in many countries. 很多国家还利用无人驾驶飞机追踪濒危野生物种,发现非法狩猎者,勘测记录森林的消失。好的,今天我们学习的词是 wildlife, wildlife, wildlife....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-01#841
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 donor. Donor 是捐赠者的意思。Mitt Romney's campaign offered some supporters the opportunity to fly with the candidate on his charter plane as a donor prize. 罗姆尼竞选团队说,某些支持者可以乘坐罗姆尼的专机,做为对竞选捐赠者的奖励。在美国,More than 100 million Americans are registered organ donors, but it's not enough to keep up with the demand. 注册登记的器官捐赠者有一亿多人,但还是供不应求。Sixteen states offer tax incentives to organ donors, but a recent study found that these sweeteners aren't working. 美国有16个州对器官捐赠者提供税收方面的优惠,但是最近有研究发现,这些鼓励机制没有作用。好的,今天我们学习的词是 donor, donor, donor....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-01#842
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 ranking. Ranking 是排名的意思。Harvard and Princeton remain tied for No.1 on the U.S. News and World Report's "Best Colleges Ranking". 美国新闻与世界报道杂志公布的最新美国大学排名,哈佛大学和普林斯顿大学并列第一。在另外一项世界大学排名中,MIT took first place, knocking Britain's University of Cambridge into second place and Harvard into third, according to the QS World University Rankings. 根据QS世界大学排名,美国的麻省理工学院排名第一,把英国剑桥大学和美国哈佛大学挤到了第二位和第三位。好的,今天我们学习的词是 ranking, ranking, ranking....

香远益清 : 2012-11-06#843
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

ranking, ranking, ranking...

故乡的云 : 2012-11-06#844
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 inventory. Inventory 库存。Korean automaker Hyundai said last week that its inventory at U.S. car dealers is at its highest level for the year. 韩国汽车制造商现代汽车公司上星期说,美国汽车经销商处的现代汽车库存量,眼下已达到年内的最高水平。Wal-Mart has decided to stop selling the Amazon Kindle after its existing inventory runs out. 沃尔玛决定,现在的库存全部售出后,将停止出售亚马逊的电子书阅读器kindles系列产品。Despite a shrinking housing inventory, Miami home sales continue to be strong. 尽管待售房屋库存不断减少,但是迈阿密地区房屋销售市场依然十分活跃。好的,今天我们学习的词是 inventory, inventory, inventory....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-06#845
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 elite. Elite 意思是最棒的,顶尖的。Presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney both attended elite private high schools. 总统候选人奥巴马和罗姆尼上的都是一流的私立高中。America has the most elite military in the world. 美国有世界上最棒的军队。The freshman QB has shown potential for becoming an elite player. 这个大一新生的足球四分位已经展现出了成为一流球员的潜质。好的,今天我们学习的词是 elite, elite, elite....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-06#846
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 undocumented. Undocumented 形容词,没有合法证件的。Mitt Romney riled Latino voters early this year when he said "self-deportation" is the best way to deal with the millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. 罗姆尼今天年初时说,自我驱逐时解决美国数以百万计非法移民的最好办法,这种说法激怒了拉美裔选民。与此同时,奥巴马六月宣布新政策。Under President Obama's new policy, undocumented students can avoid deportation if they meet certain requirements. 根据奥巴马的新政策,没有合法身份的在校学生只要符合特定条件,就可以避免被驱逐出境的命运。好的,今天我们学习的词是 undocumented, undocumented, undocumented....

香远益清 : 2012-11-07#847
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

Elite, Elite, Elite......
Undocument, Undocument, Undocument....
Inventory, Inventory, Inventory.....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-08#848
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 publicity. Publicity 有宣传的意思。The lead singers' feud turned out to be just a publicity stunt for the band's new album. 乐队主唱之间的矛盾,其实只是乐队为了新唱片问世,而采取的一种宣传手段。有人说,Any publicity is good publicity. 任何宣传都是好的宣传。言外之意,即使是负面宣传,也会增加产品的知名度。另外一种类似说法是,There is no such thing as bad publicity. 黑莓手机上周服务中断。The service outage created a wave of negative publicity for Blackberry. 这次服务中断事件给黑莓公司带来了一轮负面宣传。好的,今天我们学习的词是 publicity, publicity, publicity....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-08#849
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要 学的词是 inundate. Inundate 是泛滥,淹没的意思。The police hotline is inundated with tips. 警察局的热线电话收到了无数条线索。Thousands of illegal immigrants inundated the LA school district with requests for copies of thier school records that will help them stay in the U.S. 为了能继续留在美国,数以千计的非法移民申请得到已往成绩单的复印件,让洛杉矶学区难以招架。动荡的局势让很多叙利亚人外出逃难。Neighboring countries are inundated with refugees from Syria. 周边国家都面临大批来自叙利亚的难民潮。好的,今天我们学习的词是 inundate, inundate, inundate....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-11#850
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 lockout. Lockout 停工。美国全国冰球联盟劳资双方恢复谈判。These are the first talks after the lockout began. 这是球员停工后双方第一次谈判。在此之前,全国冰球联盟宣布取消剩下的所有季前赛。与此同时,经过两天的艰苦谈判,the NFL and the NFL Referee's Association reached an agreement to end the three-month lockout. 美式足球联盟跟联盟的裁判协会达成协议,结束了长达三个月的裁判停工状态。During the lockout, inexperienced replacement officials made some highly controversial calls. 正式裁判停工期间,替补裁判上场,很多球的裁判都存在争议。好的,今天我们学习的词是 lockout, lockout, lockout....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-11#851
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 parental consent. Parental consent 家长同意。美国联邦贸易委员会FTC建议修改有关规定,加强对网上儿童隐私的保护。Under the FTC proposals, some current online practices, like getting children under the age of 13 to submit their photos, would require parental consent. 根据联邦贸易委员会的提案,互联网上让13岁以下的孩子提交照片等现行做法,都要得到家长的同意。Parents have voiced concerns when morning-after pills were distributed to NYC's high school girls without parental consent. 纽约市高中在未经家长同意的情况下向女生发放紧急避孕药,引起家长的不满。好的,今天我们学习的词是 parental consent, parental consent, parental consent

故乡的云 : 2012-11-15#852
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 overt. Overt 公开的,毫不掩饰的。在八月底召开的不结盟运动峰会上,Iran's supreme leader blasted the UN as an "overt dictatorship." 伊朗最高领导人严厉指责联合国“公开独裁”。在九月联大会议的讲话中,伊朗总统的言辞并不像历年那么激烈。Iran's president made no overt calls for Israel's destruction. 伊朗总统没有直截了当地表示要消灭以色列。耶鲁大学的一项研究发现,科研界对女性的歧视依然存在。研究人员说,The bias probably reflected subconscious cultural influences rather than overt discrimination. 这种歧视反映的可能是潜意识的文化影响,并非公然歧视。好的,今天我们学习的词是 overt, overt, overt....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-15#853
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 tell-all. Tell-all 意思是毫无保留的,全盘揭秘的。Arnold Schwarzenegger says in his tell-all book that his affair with the maid was stupid. 施瓦辛格在他全盘大揭秘的新书中说,自己跟女佣的婚外情愚蠢之极。Pop megastar Justin Bieber's mom revealed her painful past in her tell-all book. 流行巨星贾斯汀.比伯的妈妈在大揭秘新书中,公布了自己以往痛苦的经历。有报道说,Monica Lewinsky is set to write a tell-all book about her affair with former president Bill Clinton, including her love letters to Bill. 莱文斯基正准备写一本书,彻底揭秘她跟前总统克林顿的那段婚外情,其中包括她写给克林顿的情书。好的,今天我们学习的词是 tell-all, tell-all, tell-all....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-19#854
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 around-the-clock. Around-the-clock 意思是日夜不停的,连续不断的。The two sides talked around-the-clock, trying to reach an agreement before the approaching deadline. 双方夜以继日地谈判,努力在最后期限来临之前达成协议。星期一是美国法定假日哥伦比亚日。The DC government gave 42 bars and restaurants permission to stay open around-the-clock on Columbus Day. 华盛顿特区政府准许42家酒吧和餐馆在哥伦比亚日这天不用关门,可以连续24小时持续营业。好的,今天我们学习的词是 around-the-clock, around-the-clock, around-the-clock....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-19#855
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 pay tribute. To pay tribute 意思是表达敬意。上星期五是史蒂夫.乔布斯去世一周年的日子。Apple paid tribute to its late CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on the first anniversary of his death. 在乔布斯去世一年之际,苹果公司向这位前公司首席执行官,苹果公司的创办人之一表达了敬意。美国很多著名歌星将于10月11号在洛杉矶举办一场特别演唱会。Usher, Jennifer Hudson and Celine Dion are among the performers who will pay tribute to the deceased singer Whitney Houston. 亚瑟小子,詹尼弗.哈德森和席琳.迪翁等人都将在演唱会中对死去的歌星惠特妮.休斯顿表达敬意。好的,今天我们学习的词是 pay tribute, pay tribute, pay tribute....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-25#856
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 much-needed. Much-needed 急需的。The school received a much-need grant to keep its band. 学校得到了一笔急需的补助金,保住了学校的乐队。It was a much-needed win for our team. 我们球队太需要这场胜利了。The students can finally get some much-needed sleep after the final exams. 期终考试结束后,学生们终于可以补补觉了。The first presidential debate delivered a much-needed boost for Romney. 总统候选人之间的第一场辩论,对罗姆尼的选战是一次非常及时的推动。好的,今天我们学习的词是 much-needed, much-needed, much-needed....



故乡的云 : 2012-11-25#857
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 surge. Surge 做为名词,有猛增的意思。美国总统候选人奥巴马和罗姆尼第一场辩论结束后,Romney enjoyed a surge in the polls after his strong performance. 罗姆尼在辩论中强有力的表现,让他的民调支持率出现猛增。Samsung Electronics saw a 91% surge in Q3 operating profits. 三星电子公司第三季度的营运利润大幅度增长91%。眼下,美国房贷利息处于历史最低水平,Super low interest rates triggered a 20 percent surge in refinancing applications last week. 超低的利率使重新贷款申请案上星期猛增了20%。与此同时,Auto sales also saw a significant surge, up by 13 percent over last year. 汽车销售量也猛增,比去年同期多出13%。好的,今天我们学习的词是 surge, surge, surge....

故乡的云 : 2012-11-25#858
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 theme song. Theme song 主题曲。British singer Adele released "Skyfall", the theme song she co-wrote and sang for the latest James Bond film. 英国歌手阿黛尔公布了新单曲“Skyfall”,这首歌是007新片的主题曲,阿黛尔参加了歌曲编写,并由她亲自演唱。The theme song was hailed by fans as an instant classic. 歌迷们称赞这首主题曲是瞬间经典。短短十小时后,该曲就在iTunes金曲排行榜上排名第一。Adele has become the first artist to top the charts with a James Bond theme song. 阿黛尔成为第一个演唱007主题曲登上金曲排行榜的歌手。好的,今天我们学习的词是 theme song, theme song, theme song....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-01#859
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 hiccup. Hiccup 打嗝,可以引伸为小障碍,小问题。Google's Gmail had a significant service hiccup earlier this year. 谷歌电邮Gmail今年早些时候曾出现过服务大规模中断的情况。美国邮政总局今年先后两次支付不起退休员工的医疗保险费用。These two incidents are not temporary hiccups for the postal system. 这两次拖欠情况并非邮政系统遇到的暂时的困难。Apple's Map app had some hiccups when it was first released. 苹果的地图应用刚刚推出的时候,曾遇到了一些磕磕绊绊。好的,今天我们学习的词是 hiccup, hiccup, hiccup....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-01#860
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是disposable. Disposable意思是可以任意处理的。The Boulder City Council approved a proposal that would charge a 20-cent fee on all disposable grocery bags. 博德尔市政委员会批准了一项对所有一次性购物袋收缴20美分的提案。日本一家化学场发生爆炸停产,这家工厂的产品是一次性尿布的重要元素。The shutdown of production triggered widespread fear about a global disposable diapers shortage. 工厂停产让外界担心,一次性尿布可能会出现全球范围内的短缺。最新报告说,A double-income family has to save all its disposable income for about 29 years to buy a new home in Taipei. 一个有两份收入的家庭,要把可支配收入全部攒下来,29年后才能在台北买一栋新房子。今天我们学习的词是disposable, disposable, disposable...

故乡的云 : 2012-12-01#861
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 dead heat. Dead heat 意思是旗鼓相当,不相上下。The Connecticut Senate race remains a dead heat. 竞选康涅狄克州参议员的候选人旗鼓相当,难分上下。With less than a month left before the U.S. Presidential Election, polls have Obama and Romney in a dead heat. 距离美国总统大选只剩下不到一个月的时间了,民调显示,目前奥巴马和罗姆尼旗鼓相当,不分上下。With the race a dead heat, the final few weeks will be critical for both candidates. 鉴于选情的胶着状态,接下来的几个星期对两位候选人来说,都至关重要。好的,今天我们学习的词是 dead heat, dead heat, dead heat....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-01#862
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 added. Added 意思是附加的,额外的。The win carried added meaning for the coach who will retire after the season. 这场胜利对于赛季结束后即将退休的教练来说有着特殊的意义。鉴于奥巴马在第一场总统候选人辩论中表现欠佳,Last week's VP candidate's debate between Joe Biden and Paul Ryan held added significance. 上星期副总统候选人拜登和瑞恩之间辩论的重要性倍增。The Chicago city council approved a proposal that would provide whistle blowers with added protection. 芝加哥市政委员会批准了一项提案,这项提案为揭发者提供了额外的保护。好的,今天我们学习的词是 added, added, added....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-18#863
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 few and far between. Few and far between 意思是特别少。在美国篮球运动员中,拉美裔人数的比例很低。While they may still be few and far between, Latinos are an ever growing force in the NBA. 虽然NBA里拉美裔球员仍旧很少,但是他们的数量一直在稳步增长。美国华盛顿美式足球队四分位RGIII的第一个职业赛季就表现非凡。Talented players like him are few and far between. 象他这么有天份的球员并不多见。视窗8现在主要是针对消费者,Business apps for windows 8 are still few and far between. 商用应用的数量目前还很少。好的,今天我们学习的词是 Few and far between, Few and far between, Few and far between...

故乡的云 : 2012-12-18#864
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 lifetime. Lifetime 做为形容词,意思是终身的。He is a lifetime member of the club. 他是俱乐部的终身会员。Ellen DeGeneres has been awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the highest U.S. award for lifetime achievement in comedy. 艾伦.德杰尼勒斯被授予马克.吐温美国幽默奖,这项大奖被认为是美国喜剧界的最高个人终身成就奖。A hockey coach in Quebec is facing lifetime ban after he punched a 16-year-old player from the opposing team. 魁北克的一个冰球教练因为动手打了对方球队一名16岁的球员,面临终身禁止执教的惩罚。好的,今天我们学习的词是 lifetime, lifetime, lifetime....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-18#865
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 score points. To score points 得分,指某种做法得到认可和表扬。The candidate accused his opponent of raising the issue only to score political points. 这位候选人指责说,对手是有意利用这个问题,在政治上得分。You're not going to score any points with the boss by glossing over real issues we have. 采取避重就轻的办法,而不是把我们面临的实际问题告诉老板,这么做是不会得到老板认可的。另一种常用说法 score brownie points, 也是得到表扬的意思, brownie is spelled b-r-o-w-n-i-e, brownie. The girl scored some brownie points by helping to clean up the classroom. 这个小女孩帮老师打扫教室,受到表扬。好的,今天我们学习的词是 score points, score points, score points....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-18#866
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 token. Token 做为形容词,指象征性的。The candidate has re-election in the bag against only token opposition. 这位候选人面对的只是象征性的对抗,所以当选连任已成囊中之物。美国联邦雇员工资已经两年没涨了。President Obama has proposed a token increase after the freeze ends. 奥巴马总统提出,工资冻结期结束后,可以象征性上调联邦雇员的工资。Sri Lankan doctors launched a 24-hour token strike, asking the government to resolve their salary issues. 斯里兰卡的医生们举行24小时的象征性罢工,要求政府解决他们工资方面的诉求。 好的,今天我们学习的词是 token, token, token....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-18#867
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 backing. Backing 做为名词,是支持的意思。The obesity drug named Qsiva failed to gain the backing of European drug regulators because of its potential side effects. 一种名叫Qsiva的治疗肥胖症的药物,因为潜在的副作用,没能得到欧洲药品管理部门的认可。美国前共和党籍国务卿鲍尔宣布,支持现任总统奥巴马当选连 任。Colin Powell said that he had spoken to both candidates recently, and neither asked him for his backing. 鲍尔说,他最近跟两位候选人都交谈后,不过,两人都没有主动寻求他的支持。好的,今天我们学习的词是 backing, backing, backing....

故乡的云 : 2012-12-18#868
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 likelihood. Likelihood 可能性。美国西维吉尼亚州连续六年,一直是开车最容易撞到鹿的州。The likelihood of a West Virginian driver to hit a deer is 1 in 68. 西维吉尼亚州有驾照的人,每68个人里,就有一个人可能会撞上鹿。 飓风Sandy在美东登岸前,天气预报说,The likelihood of a big storm, with monster winds and heavy rains is increasing. 天气出现狂风暴雨的可能性越来越大。以往八届总统大选,美国科罗拉多大学都事先准确地预测出了选举结果。这次,The model indicates that Mitt Romney has a 77 percent likelihood of winning the popular vote. 该模型预计,罗姆尼有77%的可能赢得全民选票。好的,今天我们学习的词是 likelihood, likelihood, likelihood....




故乡的云 : 2013-01-10#869
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 questionable。Questionable 意思是有问题的,尚未确定的。The quarterback hurt his knee in the first quarter. His return to the game is questionable. 美式足球四分位比赛第一节膝盖受伤,能不能继续比赛,现在还不能确定。Jill Kelley, the woman who sparked former CIA director Petraeus' scandal, founded a questionable cancer charity with her doctor husband. 美国前中央情报局局长彼得雷乌斯丑闻事件的导火索,一个叫吉尔.凯利的女人,跟自己做医生的丈夫一起开办了一个很有问题的癌症慈善机构。好的,今天我们学习的词是 questionable, questionable, questionable..

故乡的云 : 2013-01-10#870
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 preterm。 Preterm 没到预产期的,也就是我们常说的早产。For the fifth consecutive year, the preterm birthrate in the USA continued its steady downward trend. 美国早产出生率连续第五年平稳下降。In 2006, the nation's preterm birthrate peaked at 12.8%. 美国2006年新生儿早产率达到12.8%最高点。The goal is to lower the preterm birthrate to 9.6% by 2020. 预期目标是要在2020年以前,将早产率降低到9.6%。Preterm birth is the leading cause of infant death during the first month of life. 早产是导致婴儿在出生后一个月内夭折的主要原因。好的,今天我们学习的词是 preterm, preterm, preterm....

故乡的云 : 2013-01-10#871
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 headhunter。Headhunter 猎头。Headhunters are usually people who are experienced in sales, marketing, and telemarketing. 当猎头的往往是那些具备一定销售,推销和电话推销经验的人。Most headhunters get paid by the hiring companies. 大多数猎头都是从用人公司领取酬劳的。Joe is a top engineer in his field. He gets calls from headhunters all the time. Joe是他那个行业顶尖的工程师,隔三差五就会接到猎头的电话。有研究显示,90% of headhunters have visited a potential candidate's profile on a social network as part of the screening process. 90%的猎头在甄选过程中,都去看过某个候选人社交网站上的自我介绍。好的,今天我们学习的词是 headhunter, headhunter, headhunter....

故乡的云 : 2013-01-18#872
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是big-box store。Big-box store超级商场,一般是连锁店,比如沃尔玛。Compared to big-box stores, Amazon's prices are cheaper because of lower overhead. 跟超级商场相比,亚马逊网站商品的价格更低廉,因为他们的管理费用没那么高。Due to their convenience and cheaper prices, big-box stores are becoming a popular alternative to local stores even for grocery shopping. 由于超级商场的便利和低廉价格,跟当地的小商店相比,消费者越来越愿意选择去超级商场购物,甚至到那里去买菜。好的,今天我们学习的词是 big-box store, big-box store, big-box store....

故乡的云 : 2013-01-18#873
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 lingering。Lingering 形容词,持久的,挥之不去的。Despite what he said, I still have a lingering doubt about his real intentions. 尽管他说得好听,可我还是对他的真实目的持怀疑态度。飓风桑迪已经过去几个星期了,然而,The lingering damage from the storm is still weighing on the U.S. economy. 风暴造成的破坏依然给美国经济带来持续压力。Former U.S. President George HW Bush was hospitalized last week for treatment of a lingering cough. 美国前总统老布什因为咳嗽迟迟不好,上星期住院接受治疗。好的,今天我们学习的词是 lingering, lingering, lingering....



故乡的云 : 2013-01-18#874
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 reckless driving。Reckless driving 野蛮驾驶,危险驾驶。Reckless driving is a leading cause of accidents on the highways of the United States. 危险驾驶是美国高速公路事故的主要原因。Reckless driving carries heavy penalties upon conviction. 一旦定罪,危险驾驶者会受到重罚。Ryan Crocker, the former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of reckless driving. 前美国驻阿富汗大使克罗科尔承认危险驾驶,接受了轻度指控。好的,今天我们学习的词是 reckless driving, reckless driving, reckless driving....



故乡的云 : 2013-01-18#875
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 lure。Lure 动词,意思是引诱,诱惑。A man was arrested for trying to lure children into his car. 一名男子因为企图把孩子骗进他的车里而被捕。美国加州要对公司企业和高收入人群加税,在这种情况下,Nevada, which doesn't have a personal income tax, is trying to lure companies over. 不用缴纳个人所得税的内华达州,正设法把公司企业吸引到自己这里来。感恩节过后的黑色星期五是美国假日购物高潮的开始。Retailers employed various strategies to lure consumers into the stores. 零售商们采取各种策略,将消费者吸引到店里来。好的,今天我们学习的词是 lure, lure, lure....



故乡的云 : 2013-01-18#876
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 high point。High point 意思是高潮,顶峰。The game was a nail biter. It's definitely the high point of the season. 这场比赛扣人心弦,绝对是本赛季最棒的一场。Lighting of the Christmas tree pushed the night to its high point. 点亮圣诞树把整个晚上推向高潮。The Thanksgiving weekend is the high point of American consumption. 感恩节周末是美国消费的高潮。Winning the NBA championship was the high point of his basketball career. 赢得NBA冠军头衔是他篮球生涯的顶峰。好的,今天我们学习的词是 high point, high point, high point....

故乡的云 : 2013-01-18#877
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 identity。Identity 有个性,个体,个人身份的意思。identity theft 身份盗用。有统计数字显示,As many as 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year. 美国每年有多达900万人身份被盗。There are about 10,000 identity theft rings in the United States. 美国从事盗取身份的团伙就有大约一万个。为了保证自己的经济安全,Roughly 40 million Americans purchased some sort of identity theft protection service in 2011. 2011年美国大约有四千万人购买了某种形式的防范身份被盗的服务。好的,今天我们学习的词是 identity, identity, identity....

故乡的云 : 2013-01-28#878
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

天我们要学的词是 review。Review 有评论的意思。The movie got rave reviews. 这部电影好评如潮。The book received mixed reviews. 对这本书的评价有好有坏。I always read online reviews before I buy things on Amazon. 我从亚马逊网购之前,总要先看一下网友们的评论。不久前,A Virginia woman is being sued for $750,000 for posting a negative review of the contracting company who worked on her home. 维吉尼亚的一名女子因为在网上对自家雇用的合同公司发表负面评论而受到控告,要她赔偿 75 万美元。好的,今天我们学习的词是 review, review, review...

故乡的云 : 2013-01-28#879
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 stylis。stylist 设计师,造型师。Monica is studying to become a hair stylist. Monica正在学习,想当一名发型设计师。"Twilight" actress Kristen Stewart's stylist says that Kristen has always been a "tomboy at heart." 暮光之城女主角克里斯汀.斯图尔特的造型师说,她本质上一直是个假小子。个人造型设计师如今已经不再是有钱人的特权。Many ordinary women are hiring their own personal stylist to look their best. 很多普通女性也开始雇佣自己的个人造型师,让自己以最好的形象示人。好的,今天我们学习的词是 stylist, stylist, stylist


故乡的云 : 2013-01-28#880
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 put in jeopardy。To put something in jeopardy 意思是使某事陷入危险。His behavior put our reputation in jeopardy. 他的行为使我们的名誉受到了威胁。Quitting your daytime job to pursuit your dream will put your financial stability in jeopardy. 辞去现在的工作,去追求自己的梦想,你就可能会失去经济稳定。The budget crunch could put funding for medical research in jeopardy. 预算紧张可能会使医疗研究基金受到威胁。好的,今天我们学习的词是 put in jeopardy, put in jeopardy, put in jeopardy...

故乡的云 : 2013-01-28#881
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是 hi-tech。Hi-tech高科技的。Hi-tech companies高科技公司。Hi-tech gadgets are sure-fire gifts for the holidays. 过节送高科技产品的礼物一定不会错。上星期,The House of Representatives voted to make green cards accessible for foreign students graduating with advanced science and math degrees from U.S. Universities, a step strongly backed by the hi-tech industry. 美国国会众议院投票决定,允许从美国大学毕业,获取理工科高学位的外籍学生申请绿卡,这一做法得到了高科技工业的强烈支持。好的,今天我们学习的词是 hi-tech, hi-tech, hi-tech...

故乡的云 : 2013-01-28#882
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是downside。Downside是指某件事情不利的方面。One of the downsides of being a celebrity is the loss of privacy. 做名人的代价之一是,你的隐私会受到损伤。The downside of working from home is being forgotten by your boss for work and promotion. 在家上班的缺陷是,很容易被老板遗忘,不光是布置工作的时候,提拔的时候也是一样。The biggest downside of owning a cell phone is that you can never truly get away from it all, 带手机最大的不利之处是,你再也不能彻底摆脱周围的一切了。好的,今天我们学习的词是 downside, downside, downside...

故乡的云 : 2013-01-28#883
回复: 每天学一个小词,天天up

今天我们要学的词是staff。Staff 做为名词是工作人员,比如 staff meeting就是职工会议。The Washington Times plans to cut staff for a second time in three years. 华盛顿时报计划裁员,这是三年以来的第二次了。Staff还可以做动词,就是安排调遣工作人员。比如,Home improvement retailer Menard plans to hire 50 workers from its headquarter city in Wisconsin and fly them weekly to staff its store in Minot ND. 美国家居零售店默纳德公司计划从威斯康辛州的公司总部所在地招聘50名员工,每星期送他们坐飞机到北达科他州的迈纳尔市的店里去工作。好的,今天我们学习 的词是 staff, staff, staff...