UN to end confusion about Chernobyl
【 明 报 专 讯 】 VIENNA - Although the world may never know the full impact ( 影 响 ) of the world's worst nuclear disaster, the United Nations nuclear agency wants to put an end to the confusion for millions of victims of the Chernobyl accident.
The disaster occurred 18 years ago, at 1:24 am on 26 April 1986, when an explosion at Reactor ( 反 应 堆 ) 4 of the Ukrainian power plant spewed ( 喷 出 ) a cloud of radioactivity ( 辐 射 ) across Europe and the Soviet Union.
Around 30 people died from radiation exposure after the accident, nearly 2,000 children later developed thyroid ( 甲 状 腺 ) cancer, and thousands of other fatal illnesses have been blamed on it. More than 100,000 people were resettled ( 徙 置 ), causing physical, economic and psychological hardship.
Among the millions of people whose lives were affected by the disaster, thousands may have developed cancer and died as a result. But poor records and corruption have prevented the accurate registration of the workers who helped put out ( 扑 灭 ) the fire and entomb ( 掩 埋 ) the smouldering ( （ 无 火 苗 的 ） 闷 燃 ) nuclear plant in 1986.
"We have an epistemological ( 认 识 论 的 ) problem," said Abel Gonzalez, head of radiation and waste safety at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "In Chernobyl, you can say that the only concrete sick persons that you can [identify] are the [1,800] children who got thyroid cancer and the workers who were over-exposed. All the rest, we don't know."
Not only is there a limit to the ability of the nuclear experts to understand the full impact of Chernobyl, but contradictory studies and statements about the disaster have confused the millions of people whose lives were affected by it.
"People living in the affected villages are very distressed ( 苦 恼 的 ) because the information they receive - from one expert after another turning up ( 出 现 ) there - is inconsistent ( 不 一 致 的 ). People living there are afraid for their children," Gonzalez explained.
Over the years, wildly varying reports have put the Chernobyl death toll ( 死 亡 人 数 ) as high as 15,000.
For this reason, the IAEA has established the Chernobyl forum, whose task will be to give "authoritative, transparent statements that show the factual situation in the aftermath of ( 在 … 后 ) Chernobyl", said Gonzalez, who represents the IAEA on the forum.
The forum will bring together Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, the IAEA and all other UN organisations involved in Chernobyl. It will review all the studies and statements on Chernobyl, filter out the good, throw out the bad and present a clear summary to next year's UN General Assembly.
A native ( 土 生 土 长 的 人 ) of Argentina, Gonzalez is no stranger to the Chernobyl story. From 1989 to 1991, he headed a huge IAEA study of the health, environmental and radiological impact of the disaster on villages and towns in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine that suffered the worst contamination ( 污 染 ).
He was always convinced that many cases of leukaemia ( 白 血 病 ) would appear among the 600,000 so-called "liquidators( 消 除 者 )" who worked frantically ( 拼 命 地 ) in the spring of 1986 to put out the fire in the molten ( 熔 融 的 ) reactor and entomb the plant in a concrete sarcophagus ( （ 石 ） 棺 ).
"I was personally convinced that leukaemia in the workers - the liquidators - would be detected. But until now it has not appeared," he said.
Gonzalez said that this may be because some of the people who were granted the status of "liquidator", which gave them free public transport and other perks ( 福 利 ), never actually worked at Chernobyl but got liquidator cards through contacts ( 相 识 的 人 ). As a result the liquidator register is almost useless.
Because of this, the question of how many people have died as a result of the accident may never be properly answered.
"It is an issue that is impossible to settle ( 解 决 ) because there are two different types of deaths - the deaths that you can check that they happened and the ones you can only imagine."
Sunday, May 02, 2004
Swarovski shakes up chandeliers
【 明 报 专 讯 】 MILAN - You're swirling around the ballroom, colourful skirts shimmering ( 闪 烁 ) under the chandeliers ( 枝 形 吊 灯 ) when all of a sudden one of the crystal cascades ( 瀑 布 状 物 ) above your head asks you for the next dance.
A surrealist dream? No, a design from the house of Swarovski crystals as it blazes a new trail1 in the often stuffy ( 刻 板 的 ) world of chandeliers.
The Austrian crystal group teamed up with ( 和 … 合 作 ) 10 designers to reinvent luxurious lighting at Milan Design Week, mixing 21st century technology with the clean cuts ( 切 割 ) D Swarovski & Co has been perfecting ( 改 良 ) for the last 109 years.
Glimmering ( 发 光 ) in a black warehouse, an Art Deco ( 装 饰 派 艺 术 ) falling spiral chandelier had crowds of party-goers mesmerised ( 迷 住 ) as they sent text messages to the light and watched their SMSs(short message services) trickle through the crystal strands ( 串 ) like a luxurious ticker tape ( 纸 带 ).
"It's time to shake up ( 整 顿 ) the industry. There are too many chandeliers around with no life and soul - just expensive cookie-cutter 2 designs," said Nadja Swarovski, grand-daughter of the company's founder and vice president of communications.
"We're challenging designers to rework the chandelier any way they want. The results are so modern in terms of both beauty and interactivity," she said, as the `Lolita' light behind her sparkled with the news that `Davide loves Carina'.
The technology behind `Lolita' is more likely to be found in a physics lab ( 物 理 实 验 室 ) than a design studio. Electronic processors strip data out of a mobile phone and send it to strings of LED lights hanging inside crystal cylinders ( 圆 柱 体 ).
Electrical impulses ( 电 脉 冲 ) then switch the tiny white lights on and off in sequence ( 顺 序 ) so the words of the SMS seem to slide ( 滑 行 ) along the sparkling strings.
The glistening ( 闪 烁 的 ) chandeliers are not for the faint hearted ( 怯 懦 的 人 ) with "Nest" - a giant swirl of 7,800 coin-sized crystals draped ( 悬 垂 ) around a luminous ( 发 光 的 ) white oval ( 椭 圆 形 ) - worth more than 15,000 euros in crystal alone.
But Swarovski believes the `Crystal Palace' chandelier project is worth every penny.
As well as breathing new life into luxury lighting, Swarovski loves the fact that designers, manufacturers and crystal cutters are fostering ( 培 养 ) new ideas and urging each other to push beyond knownboundaries.
"It's just like my grandfather who worked with designers like Christian Dior and Coco Chanel. They would ask for a coating ( 涂 料 ) that would make material shine like the Northern Lights ( 北 极 光 ) and back he went to Austria and created it," beamed ( 微 笑 ) Swarovski.
The bubbly ( 活 泼 的 ) 33-year-old has been the force behind Swarovski's return to fashion, branding the crystals with their own label and publicising their quality to set them and their price apart from3 run-of-the-mill ( 普 通 的 ) diamante ( 闪 光 饰 品 ) or rhinestones ( 莱 茵 石 、 假 钻 石 ).
In 1998, Swarovski teamed up with Alexander McQueen, the bad boy of British fashion who studded ( 镶 ) his catwalk collection with crystals and set an immediate trend.
"It's a matter of working on a two-way ( 双 程 的 ) street and learning from each other," said Swarovski, whose business makes about 1.7 billion euros of turnover ( 营 业 额 ) a year - including sales of teardrop ( 泪 珠 状 的 ) crystals to more traditional chandelier makers.
Designer Yves Behar and engineer Michael Hammers, who created the 3.7 metre high `Nest' chandelier, agreed.
"I had no idea how crystal hung so there I was planning away on my computer and it wasn't until Michael educated me on what would look most beautiful that we got this effect of a necklace draped around a woman's neck," said Behar.
Swarovski plans to take the chandeliers on a world tour including Dubai and Shanghai and expects some of the crystal creations to end up in museums or designer households.
Reuters
(1)To blaze a (new) trail 指 「 创 先 河 」 。
(2)Cookie cutter 指 「 饼 干 或 成 型 切 割 刀 」 。 形 容 词 cookie-cutter ， 指 「 千 篇 一 律 的 」 。
(3)To set A apart from B 指 「 使 A 显 得 比 B 优 胜 」 。
【 明 报 专 讯 】 MILAN - You're swirling around the ballroom, colourful skirts shimmering ( 闪 烁 ) under the chandeliers ( 枝 形 吊 灯 ) when all of a sudden one of the crystal cascades ( 瀑 布 状 物 ) above your head asks you for the next dance.
A surrealist dream? No, a design from the house of Swarovski crystals as it blazes a new trail1 in the often stuffy ( 刻 板 的 ) world of chandeliers.
The Austrian crystal group teamed up with ( 和 … 合 作 ) 10 designers to reinvent luxurious lighting at Milan Design Week, mixing 21st century technology with the clean cuts ( 切 割 ) D Swarovski & Co has been perfecting ( 改 良 ) for the last 109 years.
Glimmering ( 发 光 ) in a black warehouse, an Art Deco ( 装 饰 派 艺 术 ) falling spiral chandelier had crowds of party-goers mesmerised ( 迷 住 ) as they sent text messages to the light and watched their SMSs(short message services) trickle through the crystal strands ( 串 ) like a luxurious ticker tape ( 纸 带 ).
"It's time to shake up ( 整 顿 ) the industry. There are too many chandeliers around with no life and soul - just expensive cookie-cutter 2 designs," said Nadja Swarovski, grand-daughter of the company's founder and vice president of communications.
"We're challenging designers to rework the chandelier any way they want. The results are so modern in terms of both beauty and interactivity," she said, as the `Lolita' light behind her sparkled with the news that `Davide loves Carina'.
The technology behind `Lolita' is more likely to be found in a physics lab ( 物 理 实 验 室 ) than a design studio. Electronic processors strip data out of a mobile phone and send it to strings of LED lights hanging inside crystal cylinders ( 圆 柱 体 ).
Electrical impulses ( 电 脉 冲 ) then switch the tiny white lights on and off in sequence ( 顺 序 ) so the words of the SMS seem to slide ( 滑 行 ) along the sparkling strings.
The glistening ( 闪 烁 的 ) chandeliers are not for the faint hearted ( 怯 懦 的 人 ) with "Nest" - a giant swirl of 7,800 coin-sized crystals draped ( 悬 垂 ) around a luminous ( 发 光 的 ) white oval ( 椭 圆 形 ) - worth more than 15,000 euros in crystal alone.
But Swarovski believes the `Crystal Palace' chandelier project is worth every penny.
As well as breathing new life into luxury lighting, Swarovski loves the fact that designers, manufacturers and crystal cutters are fostering ( 培 养 ) new ideas and urging each other to push beyond knownboundaries.
"It's just like my grandfather who worked with designers like Christian Dior and Coco Chanel. They would ask for a coating ( 涂 料 ) that would make material shine like the Northern Lights ( 北 极 光 ) and back he went to Austria and created it," beamed ( 微 笑 ) Swarovski.
The bubbly ( 活 泼 的 ) 33-year-old has been the force behind Swarovski's return to fashion, branding the crystals with their own label and publicising their quality to set them and their price apart from3 run-of-the-mill ( 普 通 的 ) diamante ( 闪 光 饰 品 ) or rhinestones ( 莱 茵 石 、 假 钻 石 ).
In 1998, Swarovski teamed up with Alexander McQueen, the bad boy of British fashion who studded ( 镶 ) his catwalk collection with crystals and set an immediate trend.
"It's a matter of working on a two-way ( 双 程 的 ) street and learning from each other," said Swarovski, whose business makes about 1.7 billion euros of turnover ( 营 业 额 ) a year - including sales of teardrop ( 泪 珠 状 的 ) crystals to more traditional chandelier makers.
Designer Yves Behar and engineer Michael Hammers, who created the 3.7 metre high `Nest' chandelier, agreed.
"I had no idea how crystal hung so there I was planning away on my computer and it wasn't until Michael educated me on what would look most beautiful that we got this effect of a necklace draped around a woman's neck," said Behar.
Swarovski plans to take the chandeliers on a world tour including Dubai and Shanghai and expects some of the crystal creations to end up in museums or designer households.
Reuters
(1)To blaze a (new) trail 指 「 创 先 河 」 。
(2)Cookie cutter 指 「 饼 干 或 成 型 切 割 刀 」 。 形 容 词 cookie-cutter ， 指 「 千 篇 一 律 的 」 。
(3)To set A apart from B 指 「 使 A 显 得 比 B 优 胜 」 。
Gem phones lure Asia's elite
【 明 报 专 讯 】 SINGAPORE - For Asia's hip ( 赶 时 髦 的 人 ) and swanky ( 爱 出 风 头 的 人 ), carrying a mobile phone with a cracked screen and a tatty ( 邋 遢 的 ) plastic cover is tantamount to1 a crime against fashion.
Instead, a Prada ensemble ( 全 套 服 装 ) with Gucci loafers ( 便 鞋 ) or Manolo Blahnik stilettos ( 高 跟 鞋 ) demands nothing less than a diamond-encrusted ( 镶 钻 石 的 ) handset ( 手 机 ) from China's TCL Mobile Communication Co Ltd or an 18-carat white gold mobile with a sapphire ( 蓝 宝 石 色 的 ) crystal face by Nokia unit Vertu.
Indonesian haute couture ( 高 级 时 装 ) designer Harry Darsono, 54, carries a US$26,550, 215-gram platinum ( 白 金 ) Vertu cellphone to match his Lanvin shirts and Hugo Boss shoes when he entertains ( 接 待 ) customers.
"I am very fussy ( 挑 剔 的 ). My handphone, handbag and attire ( 服 装 ) must be part of the overall art of presentation to the clients - you need to use their language so you can be close to them," said Darsono, who was educated in France and collects vintage ( 古 董 的 ) pianos and luxury cars.
While mobile makers are tight-lipped ( 缄 默 的 ) on revenues ( 收 入 ) from their luxury segments ( 部 分 ), analysts say high-end ( 高 �n 的 ) sales could provide a lift as penetration rates ( 市 场 渗 透 率 ) level off2 and the take-up ( 接 受 ) of high-speed data services remains lacklustre ( 无 生 气 的 ).
London-based Vertu and Finnish parent Nokia, the world's top handset maker, began developing the luxury models as early as 1997, Vertu President Nigel Litchfield said.
"As the industry became increasingly saturated ( 饱 和 的 ) in the last few years, manufacturers were compelled ( 被 迫 ) to discover new markets and identify upcoming trends in mobile phone consumption."
At the end of 2003, Asia accounted for a third of Vertu's total business, Litchfield said, adding that Hong Kong was its largest single market.
Shiv Putcha, senior analyst with The Yankee Group, believes fashion phones could invigorate ( 激 活 ) sales for handset makers, as slow data download speeds, poor content and handset glitches ( 小 故 障 ) leave users disappointed with 2.5G and third-generation (3G) networks.
"Most of the models in the market do not address the consumer's need for increased personalisation ( 个 人 化 ), and I believe this to be a significant driver ( 驱 动 力 ) of growth," he said.
Given ( 鉴 于 ) Asia's high cellphone replacement rate - every nine to 18 months compared with about two years for Europe and the United States - the region is the logical market to launch iconic handsets, Putcha said.
Motorola Inc, the world's second-largest cellphone maker, said its line of fashion phones enjoyed triple-digit ( 三 位 数 字 的 ) growth rates in the first quarter ( 季 ) of 2004 over the final three months of 2003 in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
"In Asia, phones are much more of an aspirational statement about who you are and who you want to be," Scott Durchslag, a Motorola corporate vice president, told Reuters.
Motorola recently launched a clamshell ( 蛤 蜊 式 机 壳 的 ) V600 model that offers interchangeable ( 可 替 换 的 ) covers studded ( 镶 ) with clear Swarovski crystals, and Nokia's new 7200 model offers fabric covers that have analysts calling it the Louis Vuitton phone.
Gem-encrusted handsets also became the rage ( 流 行 ) in China, the world's largest wireless market, after TCL Mobile made waves in 2000 with the launch of its diamond-studded mobile phones. Its limited edition range with genuine gemstones ( 宝 石 ) costs up to 20,000 yuan.
TCL Mobile, which is seeking a separate listing ( 上 市 地 位 ) in Hong Kong and is 40.8%-owned by TCL International Ltd, controls about one-tenth of China's cellphone market.
"To many Chinese, precious stones symbolise esteem ( 敬 重 ), good fortune, peace and love. So jewelled mobile phones are not just communication tools, they also act as lucky charms ( 幸 运 符 )," TCL Mobile's managing director, Wan Mingjian,said.
Reuters
(1)A is tantamount to B 指 「 A 相 当 于 B 」 。
(2)To level off 指 「 变 得 平 稳 」 。
【 明 报 专 讯 】 SINGAPORE - For Asia's hip ( 赶 时 髦 的 人 ) and swanky ( 爱 出 风 头 的 人 ), carrying a mobile phone with a cracked screen and a tatty ( 邋 遢 的 ) plastic cover is tantamount to1 a crime against fashion.
Instead, a Prada ensemble ( 全 套 服 装 ) with Gucci loafers ( 便 鞋 ) or Manolo Blahnik stilettos ( 高 跟 鞋 ) demands nothing less than a diamond-encrusted ( 镶 钻 石 的 ) handset ( 手 机 ) from China's TCL Mobile Communication Co Ltd or an 18-carat white gold mobile with a sapphire ( 蓝 宝 石 色 的 ) crystal face by Nokia unit Vertu.
Indonesian haute couture ( 高 级 时 装 ) designer Harry Darsono, 54, carries a US$26,550, 215-gram platinum ( 白 金 ) Vertu cellphone to match his Lanvin shirts and Hugo Boss shoes when he entertains ( 接 待 ) customers.
"I am very fussy ( 挑 剔 的 ). My handphone, handbag and attire ( 服 装 ) must be part of the overall art of presentation to the clients - you need to use their language so you can be close to them," said Darsono, who was educated in France and collects vintage ( 古 董 的 ) pianos and luxury cars.
While mobile makers are tight-lipped ( 缄 默 的 ) on revenues ( 收 入 ) from their luxury segments ( 部 分 ), analysts say high-end ( 高 �n 的 ) sales could provide a lift as penetration rates ( 市 场 渗 透 率 ) level off2 and the take-up ( 接 受 ) of high-speed data services remains lacklustre ( 无 生 气 的 ).
London-based Vertu and Finnish parent Nokia, the world's top handset maker, began developing the luxury models as early as 1997, Vertu President Nigel Litchfield said.
"As the industry became increasingly saturated ( 饱 和 的 ) in the last few years, manufacturers were compelled ( 被 迫 ) to discover new markets and identify upcoming trends in mobile phone consumption."
At the end of 2003, Asia accounted for a third of Vertu's total business, Litchfield said, adding that Hong Kong was its largest single market.
Shiv Putcha, senior analyst with The Yankee Group, believes fashion phones could invigorate ( 激 活 ) sales for handset makers, as slow data download speeds, poor content and handset glitches ( 小 故 障 ) leave users disappointed with 2.5G and third-generation (3G) networks.
"Most of the models in the market do not address the consumer's need for increased personalisation ( 个 人 化 ), and I believe this to be a significant driver ( 驱 动 力 ) of growth," he said.
Given ( 鉴 于 ) Asia's high cellphone replacement rate - every nine to 18 months compared with about two years for Europe and the United States - the region is the logical market to launch iconic handsets, Putcha said.
Motorola Inc, the world's second-largest cellphone maker, said its line of fashion phones enjoyed triple-digit ( 三 位 数 字 的 ) growth rates in the first quarter ( 季 ) of 2004 over the final three months of 2003 in Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan.
"In Asia, phones are much more of an aspirational statement about who you are and who you want to be," Scott Durchslag, a Motorola corporate vice president, told Reuters.
Motorola recently launched a clamshell ( 蛤 蜊 式 机 壳 的 ) V600 model that offers interchangeable ( 可 替 换 的 ) covers studded ( 镶 ) with clear Swarovski crystals, and Nokia's new 7200 model offers fabric covers that have analysts calling it the Louis Vuitton phone.
Gem-encrusted handsets also became the rage ( 流 行 ) in China, the world's largest wireless market, after TCL Mobile made waves in 2000 with the launch of its diamond-studded mobile phones. Its limited edition range with genuine gemstones ( 宝 石 ) costs up to 20,000 yuan.
TCL Mobile, which is seeking a separate listing ( 上 市 地 位 ) in Hong Kong and is 40.8%-owned by TCL International Ltd, controls about one-tenth of China's cellphone market.
"To many Chinese, precious stones symbolise esteem ( 敬 重 ), good fortune, peace and love. So jewelled mobile phones are not just communication tools, they also act as lucky charms ( 幸 运 符 )," TCL Mobile's managing director, Wan Mingjian,said.
Reuters
(1)A is tantamount to B 指 「 A 相 当 于 B 」 。
(2)To level off 指 「 变 得 平 稳 」 。
Coax in/into
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z "Look," Noah said, standing at the door trying to coax in a couple of large beasts who refused to enter. "The weatherman has predicted that this rain is going to go on and on for days. It was so easy coaxing everyone else into my ark. Why are you two being so difficult?" "Maybe it's a matter of pride," one of the beasts answered. "Pride goes before the fall," Noah answered. To coax in/into means to use gentle words to encourage someone into a place or into doing something.
Unaccounted for
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z "Whoopie!" the captain cried. "We finally got here! Here we are on Earth!" But while calling the roll, the captain discovered that Esper was unaccounted for. "This is pretty serious business," the captain said gravely. "He's the only one who knows the way back!" To make a long story short, Esper remains unaccounted for and the space people are still on Earth. When someone or something is unaccounted for, he, she or it cannot be found. He, she or it is missing.
Wrestle with (2)
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z As we know, wrestling is a contest of strength between two individuals, yet hare's Wiggles, a tiny fellow with no muscles to speak of, wrestling with himself over eating or not eating a book! "Sometimes," he said, "it's easier not to think much about what one eats. That way you don't have to wrestle with your conscience over it!" In this instance, wrestle with refers to conducting an internal battle. "It's a fight inside yourself as you try to make up your mind," Wiggles said.
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z "Look," Noah said, standing at the door trying to coax in a couple of large beasts who refused to enter. "The weatherman has predicted that this rain is going to go on and on for days. It was so easy coaxing everyone else into my ark. Why are you two being so difficult?" "Maybe it's a matter of pride," one of the beasts answered. "Pride goes before the fall," Noah answered. To coax in/into means to use gentle words to encourage someone into a place or into doing something.
Unaccounted for
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z "Whoopie!" the captain cried. "We finally got here! Here we are on Earth!" But while calling the roll, the captain discovered that Esper was unaccounted for. "This is pretty serious business," the captain said gravely. "He's the only one who knows the way back!" To make a long story short, Esper remains unaccounted for and the space people are still on Earth. When someone or something is unaccounted for, he, she or it cannot be found. He, she or it is missing.
Wrestle with (2)
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z As we know, wrestling is a contest of strength between two individuals, yet hare's Wiggles, a tiny fellow with no muscles to speak of, wrestling with himself over eating or not eating a book! "Sometimes," he said, "it's easier not to think much about what one eats. That way you don't have to wrestle with your conscience over it!" In this instance, wrestle with refers to conducting an internal battle. "It's a fight inside yourself as you try to make up your mind," Wiggles said.
The calm after the storm
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z In this week's story Mel and Ben make friends again after an argument.
1. Drama Focus:
Ben: Mel... you're back... when you ran off I was frantic! I didn't know where to look or who to ask for help.
Mel: I was so mad at you Ben... I just had to run away or else I would have exploded!
2. Language Focus
a) Idioms: "The calm after the storm"
The title of this week's "Talk English" is an idiom meaning the peaceful time that can follow an argument. Ben is visiting Hong Kong to see his girlfriend Mel. But they had an argument and Mel ran away. When she returned both Mel and Ben no longer felt angry, they were happy to see each other again - "the storm" was the argument and "the calm" is the quiet happy that followed it.
b) Idioms: "Mad at someone"
In colloquial English conversation "to be mad at someone" means to be angry with someone - Mel was angry with Ben, she was "mad at him."
c) Vocabulary: "To explode"
Bombs explode but sometimes people do too! When Mel said that she ran away because she "would have exploded" she means that she ran away before she lost her temper, before she lost all control and expressed her anger in a loud and very angry way.
The calm after the storm
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z 1. Drama Focus:
Mel: I'm so glad we're not arguing any more.
Ben: Me too.
Mel: You know I've really been hogging you... keeping you all to myself.... I think it's time for you to meet some of my friends.
Ben: Great.
Mel: I'll phone some of them up and we can all go and have dim sum together.
Ben: What's dim sum?
Mel: It's little tasty things... like prawns in rice pastry.... or pork buns... or chickens' feet.
Ben: Chickens' feet!
Mel: Don't worry Ben... you don't have to eat any if you don't want to.
Ben: That's a relief.
2. Language Focus
a) Idiom: "Hogging someone"
When Mel says to Ben that she's been hogging him she means she has had Ben all to herself. If you "hog" someone you are the only one who speaks to that person, you don't let anyone else come anywhere near them.
b) Language Function: "Expressing relief"
The easiest way to express relief is by saying, "That's a relief." Like many westerners Ben is nervous about eating chickens' feet and when Mel tells him that he does not have to eat chickens' feet he no longer feels nervous, he feels relieved - "What a relief."
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z 1. Drama Focus:
Mel: Goodnight Ben. I'm really glad we've made up.
Ben: Me too...Mel? Can I have a goodnight kiss?
Mel: Do you think you deserve one?
Ben: Come on Mel... stop pulling my leg... just a small one on the cheek?
Mel: Okay then.... come here.
Ben: Thanks Mel.
Mel: Goodnight Ben... sweet dreams.
Ben: You know Mel.... To err is human... to forgive divine.
2. Language Focus
a) Idiom: "To make up"
"To make up" after an argument means to become friends again. Mel and Ben had an argument but now they have "made up" - they are friends again.
b) Idioms: "To pull someone's leg"
This means to tease someone. When Ben asks for a kiss and Mel replies, "Do you deserve one?" she is being playful - Ben rightly thinks that Mel is gently teasing him and that is why he says, "Stop pulling my leg."
c) Idioms: "To err is human, to forgive divine"
Even though this idiom is still used today it contains archaic English - "To err" is old English for "to do wrong." The idiom means it is normal for people to do wrong and make mistakes, but forgiving is something special - to do wrong is human, but to forgive you have to be like an angel.
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z In this week's story Mel and Ben make friends again after an argument.
1. Drama Focus:
Ben: Mel... you're back... when you ran off I was frantic! I didn't know where to look or who to ask for help.
Mel: I was so mad at you Ben... I just had to run away or else I would have exploded!
2. Language Focus
a) Idioms: "The calm after the storm"
The title of this week's "Talk English" is an idiom meaning the peaceful time that can follow an argument. Ben is visiting Hong Kong to see his girlfriend Mel. But they had an argument and Mel ran away. When she returned both Mel and Ben no longer felt angry, they were happy to see each other again - "the storm" was the argument and "the calm" is the quiet happy that followed it.
b) Idioms: "Mad at someone"
In colloquial English conversation "to be mad at someone" means to be angry with someone - Mel was angry with Ben, she was "mad at him."
c) Vocabulary: "To explode"
Bombs explode but sometimes people do too! When Mel said that she ran away because she "would have exploded" she means that she ran away before she lost her temper, before she lost all control and expressed her anger in a loud and very angry way.
The calm after the storm
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z 1. Drama Focus:
Mel: I'm so glad we're not arguing any more.
Ben: Me too.
Mel: You know I've really been hogging you... keeping you all to myself.... I think it's time for you to meet some of my friends.
Ben: Great.
Mel: I'll phone some of them up and we can all go and have dim sum together.
Ben: What's dim sum?
Mel: It's little tasty things... like prawns in rice pastry.... or pork buns... or chickens' feet.
Ben: Chickens' feet!
Mel: Don't worry Ben... you don't have to eat any if you don't want to.
Ben: That's a relief.
2. Language Focus
a) Idiom: "Hogging someone"
When Mel says to Ben that she's been hogging him she means she has had Ben all to herself. If you "hog" someone you are the only one who speaks to that person, you don't let anyone else come anywhere near them.
b) Language Function: "Expressing relief"
The easiest way to express relief is by saying, "That's a relief." Like many westerners Ben is nervous about eating chickens' feet and when Mel tells him that he does not have to eat chickens' feet he no longer feels nervous, he feels relieved - "What a relief."
?y �� �� �� ?u ?z 1. Drama Focus:
Mel: Goodnight Ben. I'm really glad we've made up.
Ben: Me too...Mel? Can I have a goodnight kiss?
Mel: Do you think you deserve one?
Ben: Come on Mel... stop pulling my leg... just a small one on the cheek?
Mel: Okay then.... come here.
Ben: Thanks Mel.
Mel: Goodnight Ben... sweet dreams.
Ben: You know Mel.... To err is human... to forgive divine.
2. Language Focus
a) Idiom: "To make up"
"To make up" after an argument means to become friends again. Mel and Ben had an argument but now they have "made up" - they are friends again.
b) Idioms: "To pull someone's leg"
This means to tease someone. When Ben asks for a kiss and Mel replies, "Do you deserve one?" she is being playful - Ben rightly thinks that Mel is gently teasing him and that is why he says, "Stop pulling my leg."
c) Idioms: "To err is human, to forgive divine"
Even though this idiom is still used today it contains archaic English - "To err" is old English for "to do wrong." The idiom means it is normal for people to do wrong and make mistakes, but forgiving is something special - to do wrong is human, but to forgive you have to be like an angel.
入乡随俗
【 明 报 专 讯 】 一 位 署 名 Diana 的 读 者 来 电 邮 说 她 读 到 He went native and donned a black sweatshirt and sneakers 这 样 一 句 句 子 ， 不 甚 明 白 go native 及 don 的 意 思 。
Go native 即 follow the customs of the natives ， 意 为 入 乡 随 俗 ， 例 如 �s
Jack has really gone native since he settled in Hawaii. He wears short pants and aloha shirt.
自 从 住 到 夏 威 夷 之 后 ， 杰 克 已 完 全 入 乡 随 俗 ， 穿 短 裤 和 夏 威 夷 恤 衫 。
Going native is meaningless in Japan for Westerners because many Japanese sleep in beds or eat with knives and forks.
对 西 方 人 而 言 ， 要 在 日 本 模 仿 当 地 风 俗 习 惯 只 是 白 搭 ， 因 为 许 多 居 民 睡 的 是 床 ， 进 餐 用 刀 叉 。
Don 就 是 wear ， 表 示 着 衫 或 穿 鞋 。 但 此 字 已 老 旧 ， 十 分 罕 见 。
因 此 ， 你 抄 录 的 句 子 可 译 成 �s
他 入 乡 随 俗 ， 着 黑 色 圆 领 长 袖 运 动 衫 及 运 动 鞋 。
另 有 一 位 署 名 「 心 理 学 系 学 生 」 的 读 者 来 电 邮 指 出 ， 笔 者 将 psychiatrist 说 成 「 心 理 医 生 」 并 不 妥 当 ， 应 为 「 精 神 科 医 生 」 。
事 缘 早 前 有 一 位 读 者 来 电 邮 问 ， 西 片 中 男 角 所 说 的 shrink 是 什 么 意 思 ， 于 是 笔 者 回 答 说 ， 美 国 人 常 说 的 shrink 即 psychiatrist ， 意 为 心 理 医 生 。
须 知 shrink 不 是 正 式 学 术 名 词 ， 若 把 shrink 及 psychiatrist 同 样 说 成 「 精 神 科 医 生 」 ， 就 译 不 出 俚 俗 词 语 的 神 韵 。
事 实 上 ， 北 美 华 人 多 半 把 shrink 说 成 「 心 理 医 生 」 ， 因 此 笔 者 特 意 使 用 这 种 不 太 正 规 的 称 呼 ， 以 区 别 于 正 式 名 称 。
【 明 报 专 讯 】 一 位 署 名 Diana 的 读 者 来 电 邮 说 她 读 到 He went native and donned a black sweatshirt and sneakers 这 样 一 句 句 子 ， 不 甚 明 白 go native 及 don 的 意 思 。
Go native 即 follow the customs of the natives ， 意 为 入 乡 随 俗 ， 例 如 �s
Jack has really gone native since he settled in Hawaii. He wears short pants and aloha shirt.
自 从 住 到 夏 威 夷 之 后 ， 杰 克 已 完 全 入 乡 随 俗 ， 穿 短 裤 和 夏 威 夷 恤 衫 。
Going native is meaningless in Japan for Westerners because many Japanese sleep in beds or eat with knives and forks.
对 西 方 人 而 言 ， 要 在 日 本 模 仿 当 地 风 俗 习 惯 只 是 白 搭 ， 因 为 许 多 居 民 睡 的 是 床 ， 进 餐 用 刀 叉 。
Don 就 是 wear ， 表 示 着 衫 或 穿 鞋 。 但 此 字 已 老 旧 ， 十 分 罕 见 。
因 此 ， 你 抄 录 的 句 子 可 译 成 �s
他 入 乡 随 俗 ， 着 黑 色 圆 领 长 袖 运 动 衫 及 运 动 鞋 。
另 有 一 位 署 名 「 心 理 学 系 学 生 」 的 读 者 来 电 邮 指 出 ， 笔 者 将 psychiatrist 说 成 「 心 理 医 生 」 并 不 妥 当 ， 应 为 「 精 神 科 医 生 」 。
事 缘 早 前 有 一 位 读 者 来 电 邮 问 ， 西 片 中 男 角 所 说 的 shrink 是 什 么 意 思 ， 于 是 笔 者 回 答 说 ， 美 国 人 常 说 的 shrink 即 psychiatrist ， 意 为 心 理 医 生 。
须 知 shrink 不 是 正 式 学 术 名 词 ， 若 把 shrink 及 psychiatrist 同 样 说 成 「 精 神 科 医 生 」 ， 就 译 不 出 俚 俗 词 语 的 神 韵 。
事 实 上 ， 北 美 华 人 多 半 把 shrink 说 成 「 心 理 医 生 」 ， 因 此 笔 者 特 意 使 用 这 种 不 太 正 规 的 称 呼 ， 以 区 别 于 正 式 名 称 。
进退维谷
【 明 报 专 讯 】 一 位 署 名 Sarah 的 读 者 来 电 邮 问 ， He had her up a tree 中 的 up a tree 作 何 解 �t
Up a tree 即 in a very awkward position ， 意 为 陷 入 困 境 ， 例 如 �s
Jack is really up a tree. It is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, but he can't make up his mind.
杰 克 真 是 进 退 维 谷 ， 此 乃 一 个 二 者 择 一 的 提 议 ， 他 无 法 拿 定 主 意 。
The bank's refusal to offer a loan of $500,000 has left us up a tree.
银 行 拒 绝 借 贷 五 十 万 元 ， 令 到 我 们 极 为 窘 困 。
因 此 ， 你 抄 录 的 句 子 可 译 为 �s
他 给 她 带 来 好 大 麻 烦 。
另 有 一 位 署 名 Maggie 的 读 者 来 电 邮 说 ， 她 想 知 道 ， I lost my father who was lost in Beijing 这 样 一 句 句 子 是 否 有 错 �t
你 抄 录 的 句 子 在 文 法 上 无 错 ， 不 过 逻 辑 上 有 些 问 题 。
你 句 中 第 一 个 lose （ 用 了 过 去 式 lost ） 即 no longer have as a result of death ， 意 为 丧 失 （ 亲 友 等 ） ， 例 如 �s
He lost his mother in a car accident.
他 在 一 次 车 祸 中 失 去 了 母 亲 。
你 句 中 第 二 个 lose （ 用 了 被 动 式 was lost ） 即 fail to find one's way ， 意 为 迷 路 ， 例 如 �s
I was totally lost in the forest.
我 在 森 林 中 完 全 迷 了 路 。
可 是 ， 在 你 的 句 子 中 ， 父 亲 在 北 京 迷 了 路 ， 却 未 进 一 步 述 说 事 情 的 发 展 或 结 果 ， 就 说 他 死 了 （ 我 失 去 了 他 ） ， 意 念 跳 跃 ， 逻 辑 上 稍 有 不 妥 。
【 明 报 专 讯 】 一 位 署 名 Sarah 的 读 者 来 电 邮 问 ， He had her up a tree 中 的 up a tree 作 何 解 �t
Up a tree 即 in a very awkward position ， 意 为 陷 入 困 境 ， 例 如 �s
Jack is really up a tree. It is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, but he can't make up his mind.
杰 克 真 是 进 退 维 谷 ， 此 乃 一 个 二 者 择 一 的 提 议 ， 他 无 法 拿 定 主 意 。
The bank's refusal to offer a loan of $500,000 has left us up a tree.
银 行 拒 绝 借 贷 五 十 万 元 ， 令 到 我 们 极 为 窘 困 。
因 此 ， 你 抄 录 的 句 子 可 译 为 �s
他 给 她 带 来 好 大 麻 烦 。
另 有 一 位 署 名 Maggie 的 读 者 来 电 邮 说 ， 她 想 知 道 ， I lost my father who was lost in Beijing 这 样 一 句 句 子 是 否 有 错 �t
你 抄 录 的 句 子 在 文 法 上 无 错 ， 不 过 逻 辑 上 有 些 问 题 。
你 句 中 第 一 个 lose （ 用 了 过 去 式 lost ） 即 no longer have as a result of death ， 意 为 丧 失 （ 亲 友 等 ） ， 例 如 �s
He lost his mother in a car accident.
他 在 一 次 车 祸 中 失 去 了 母 亲 。
你 句 中 第 二 个 lose （ 用 了 被 动 式 was lost ） 即 fail to find one's way ， 意 为 迷 路 ， 例 如 �s
I was totally lost in the forest.
我 在 森 林 中 完 全 迷 了 路 。
可 是 ， 在 你 的 句 子 中 ， 父 亲 在 北 京 迷 了 路 ， 却 未 进 一 步 述 说 事 情 的 发 展 或 结 果 ， 就 说 他 死 了 （ 我 失 去 了 他 ） ， 意 念 跳 跃 ， 逻 辑 上 稍 有 不 妥 。
毁于一炬
【 明 报 专 讯 】 一 位 署 名 Jenny 的 读 者 来 电 邮 说 她 不 甚 明 白 damage 、 destroy 、 demolish 、 hurt 的 差 别 ， 常 有 混 淆 。
Damage 即 cause harm or loss to ， 意 为 损 坏 ， 主 要 指 物 质 损 失 ， 有 时 亦 可 用 作 借 喻 ， 例 如 �s
An earthquake may damage buildings.
地 震 或 会 损 坏 楼 宇 。
Set a good example to the others, otherwise your prestige will be damaged.
要 作 出 表 率 ， 否 则 有 损 威 信 。
Destroy 即 completely ruin ， 意 为 破 坏 殆 尽 ， 常 指 物 质 损 毁 ， 有 时 亦 可 用 作 借 喻 ， 例 如 �s
The building was completely destroyed by fire.
该 建 筑 物 毁 于 一 炬 。
This new evidence will destroy his argument.
此 项 新 证 据 将 推 翻 他 的 论 证 。
Demolish 即 destroy 或 pull or tear down ， 意 为 摧 毁 ， 或 拆 毁 ， 常 以 猛 烈 而 短 暂 的 动 作 来 达 成 ， 例 如 �s
The car was demolished in collision.
汽 车 撞 坏 了 。
Hurt 即 harm ， 或 injure ， 或 cause physical or mental pain to ， 意 为 损 害 ， 或 （ 身 体 或 精 神 上 ） 伤 害 ， 例 如 �s
He was badly hurt in the accident.
他 在 该 意 外 中 受 重 伤 。
【 明 报 专 讯 】 一 位 署 名 Jenny 的 读 者 来 电 邮 说 她 不 甚 明 白 damage 、 destroy 、 demolish 、 hurt 的 差 别 ， 常 有 混 淆 。
Damage 即 cause harm or loss to ， 意 为 损 坏 ， 主 要 指 物 质 损 失 ， 有 时 亦 可 用 作 借 喻 ， 例 如 �s
An earthquake may damage buildings.
地 震 或 会 损 坏 楼 宇 。
Set a good example to the others, otherwise your prestige will be damaged.
要 作 出 表 率 ， 否 则 有 损 威 信 。
Destroy 即 completely ruin ， 意 为 破 坏 殆 尽 ， 常 指 物 质 损 毁 ， 有 时 亦 可 用 作 借 喻 ， 例 如 �s
The building was completely destroyed by fire.
该 建 筑 物 毁 于 一 炬 。
This new evidence will destroy his argument.
此 项 新 证 据 将 推 翻 他 的 论 证 。
Demolish 即 destroy 或 pull or tear down ， 意 为 摧 毁 ， 或 拆 毁 ， 常 以 猛 烈 而 短 暂 的 动 作 来 达 成 ， 例 如 �s
The car was demolished in collision.
汽 车 撞 坏 了 。
Hurt 即 harm ， 或 injure ， 或 cause physical or mental pain to ， 意 为 损 害 ， 或 （ 身 体 或 精 神 上 ） 伤 害 ， 例 如 �s
He was badly hurt in the accident.
他 在 该 意 外 中 受 重 伤 。
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