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December 27 Section 3.Section 3. Starting a conversation with someone you know 与认识的人开始交谈 Hey, What’s up? 咳, 怎么样? Hi, John. I haven’t seen you for ages. 嗨, John. 好久不见了. Yeah, I’ve been out of town. 是啊, 我才刚从外地回来. So, how have you been? 所以呢, 你近来还好吗? Great. Work is really busy now, but it’s fun. 好得很, 工作很忙但我乐在其中. 详细解说: 1. What’s up? 怎么样? 同意词句: What’s cooking? What’s going on? What’s happening? What’s new? 有什么新闻? How are you doing? 你好吗?= How are you? 2. I haven’t seen you for ages. 好久不见. 同意词句: I haven’t seen you for a long time. Long time no see. It’s been a long time. 3. I’ve been out of town. 我才刚从外地回来. 补充例句: I’ll be out of town on bussiness next week. 下星期我会去外地出差. She’ll be in town on Friday then the way for the rest weekend. 她星期五会在,其余周末的时间她会离开. My parents will be in town for a few days. 我父母会在这里待几天. 4. How have you been? 近来还好吗? 关联用语: How are things? 一切都好吗? How are your parents? 你父母还好吗? How’s everything with work? 工作还顺利吗? 5. Great! 好得很! 同意词句: Fine. 好. Not bad. 不错. Good. 很好. It couldn’t be better. 再好不过了. Nothing do complain about.. 没什么可以抱怨的. 补充例句: Not so good. 不太好. 6. Work is really busy now, but it’s fun. 工作很忙但很有乐趣. 同意词句: I’m really enjoying it. 我很喜欢做这件事. I had in fun. 我得到很多乐趣.(反复还是没听出来) It’s very interesting. 很有趣. It’s very rewarding. 很有成就感. 会话急救包: What’s up? 怎么样? It’s been a long time. 好久不见. How have you been? 近来还好吗? How are you doing? 一切都好吗? Great! 好得很! It couldn’t be better. 再好不过了.Fine. 好. Not bad. 不错. Not so good. 不太好. It’s fun. 很有乐趣. December 23 Section 2.Section 2. Ending the conversation 结束谈话 Oh, it’s getting late, I’ve got to run. It was nice talking to you, Caren. 噢, 很晚了, 我得走了. 很高兴跟你谈话, Caren. Thanks, Tim. Nice meeting you too. 谢谢你, Tim. 我也很高兴认识你. I guess we’ll see each other around. 我想我们应该会再碰面吧. Yeah, I hope so. Well, take it easy. 是啊, 希望如此. 呃, 那你就保重了. You too. 你也是. 详细解说: 1. Oh, it’s getting late. 噢, 很晚了. 关联用于: Actually, I have an other appointment. 我还有其他的事. 2. I’ve got to run. 我得走了. 同意词句: I’d better go. I’d better be on my way. I’ve got to get going. 3. It was nice talking to you, Caren. 很高兴跟你谈话, Caren. 进阶用语: Good to have match you. (这句不确定) Nice meeting you. 4. Take it easy. 保重! 关联用语: Take care. See you later. Bye. So long. Stay in touch. Keep in touch. Let’s meet up sometime. 改天再出来聊聊吧 (meet up with 偶遇) 会话急救包: Oh, it’s getting late. I have an other appointment. I’ve got to run. I’d better go. Nice talking to you. Nice meeting you. Take it easy. So long.See you later. Keep in touch. December 20 昂秀 Section 1昂秀 《英语口语王 想说就说》 第一部分
一. 表达技巧communication strategies Chapter 1. Conversation Basics (打开话匣子的要诀) Section 1. Meeting someone for the first time 初次见面 Excuse me, is this seat taken? 对不起这里有人坐吗? Ur, no, go ahead. 呃, 没有, 你请便吧. You’re upstairs, right? I think i’ve seen you before. I’m Caren, Caren Brown. 你公司在楼上对吧? 我好像见过你. 我是Caren, Caren Brown. Nice to meet you, Caren. I’m Tim Wang. 很高兴认识你, Caren. 我是Tim Wang. Happy to know you, Tim. 很高兴认识你Tim. 详细解说: 1. Excuse me. 对不起. (用于引起对方注意) 补充例句: Excuse me. Does this bus go to the train station? 对比起, 请问这趟公车到火车站吗? 2. Is this seat taken? 这里有人坐吗? 同意词句: Is anybody siting here? Could I sit here? 关联用于: Excuse me, have you got the time? 对不起, 请问你知道现在几点吗? Um… Could you help me I’m looking for… 嗯… 可以请你帮个忙吗? 我在找… Do you need any help? 需要帮忙吗? Are you new here? 你是新来的吗? 3. Go ahead. 你请便吧. 同意词句: Go right ahead. 当然. Feel free. 不用客气. Not yourself fault. 请便. (这句反复听还是没听出, 那位听出了也告诉我更正下,咱别错学) 4. Nice to meet you. 很高兴认识你. 进阶用语: Glad to know you. Good to know you. Please to meet you. Happy to know you. 关联用语: It was nice to see you. 很高兴见到你.(有再次见到的意思,注意用法) Take care. 保重.
会话急救包: Excuse me. 对不起. Is this seat taken?这里有人坐吗? Go ahead. 你请便吧. Feel free. 不用客气. Have you got the time? 请问你知道现在几点吗? Could you help me… 可以请你帮个忙吗? Do you need help? 需要帮忙吗? Are you new here? 你是新来的吗? Nice to meet you. 很高兴认识你. Happy to know you. 很高兴认识你. Take care. 保重. 《英语口语王》大概听了下全部有声教材分12章若干会话情景,我边学边上传可能会比较慢:) 听后感觉发音应属美音,音正腔圆语速适中,很适合模仿跟读. 另外,由于听力有限有的地方可能会听错,听得出的朋友请不吝指正,大家分享共同提高.
昂秀 《英语口语王 想说就说》 第一部分 Chapter 1. Conversation Basics Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Chapter 2. Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9 Chapter 3. Section 1 Section 2 Section 3 Section 4 Section 5 Section 6 Section 7 Section 8 Section 9
December 14 口语感兴趣吗:) 前阵子学英语都是随兴趣而来，没有像以前那么坚持学习了：）最近听了《昂秀 【英语口语王】 想说就说》感觉挺实用，如果想提高口语的朋友推荐去边听边学习啊。有声资料网上很多搜索下载就成，文本我没能搜索到，所以打算边听边写边练，文本准备好就放上来，如果谁有分享下啊  。 March 20 与股票有关的词汇 学习时时都要进行,再忙也会有空闲需要自己来"挤"时间
 搜集了点和股票有关的英语词汇, 学习积累下. stock n.股票
dividend n.红利/股息 (投资股市的另一种获得收益的方式)
index n.指数 (沪市的综合指数、深圳的成分指数都是股民关心的哦)
closed-end securities investment fund 封闭式证券投资基金
open-end securities investment fund 开放式证券投资基金 (最近新基金发行的很火) bear markets 熊市 bull markets 牛市 (经历了5年熊市的中国股市,自去年进入新一轮的牛市啦
 ) surged limit 涨停 decline limit 跌停 (目前国内A股市场的限制每日的波动幅度是开盘价的10%)
nosedive （价格等）暴跌 (由于市场供求失衡导致的系统性风险,造成股价剧烈波动)
investor n.投资者 QFII= Qualified Foreign Institutional Investors 合格的境外机构投资者
IPO= Initial Public Offering 新股/初始公开发行
股市有风险,近期风险更是重要,大家要控制风险哦~祝各位好心情  要开盘啦,今就先学到这里啦:)February 15 Valentin Day The Valentin Day was past a moment ago. Are you there with your GF or BF? That sounds great, It must be a best thing with your lover. But yesterday was not my day, I got a bad mood because My GF argue with me, so that I decided to leave her alone a short time, it's useful for her bad temper. I think it can make she calm down. On the other hand, I love my GF so much, I real don't want to lost her.
Let's forget it. The Spring Festival is going to be soon, best wishes for the year to come! On this spacial day I send you New Year's greeting and hope that wishing you longevity and health! December 25 Merry Christmas I've been BJ for a month, the weather is getting colder and colder. The new year is comingm now, all my best wish to you- my friends, I wish you'll be happy everyday in next year; I wish you'll learn more English skills than other time; and last but not least, I wish you and your family will be saft and happy
 Merry Christmas and Happy new year. I went to Tian'anmen square yesterday, and I learn some new expressions. Here are they: 1. 人民英雄纪念碑 Monument to People's Heros 2. 毛主席纪念堂 Memorial Hall 3. 人民大会堂 The Great Hall of The People 4. 中国国家博物馆 National Museum of China 5. 官方计时器 Official Timekeeper. (The Beijin Olympic Games form opening ceremony on August 8th. 2008 remains 593 days yesterday.).
Ok, that's all for today I got. Let's keep up the good work. Good luck, guys~   October 16 Learning how to apologizeLesson Thirty-eight Learning how to apologize 道歉之术
What are the hardest words to pronounce in English? It seems that "I'm sorry" are the two most difficult words for most people to say. Perhaps this difficulty lies in the so-called "losing of face"; perhaps when a person apologizes, he lowers himself before another. Yet no one is perfect; everyone makes mistakes. After making a mistake, people should apologize to set things straight with others. （英文最难发音的字是那个字呢?对大部分的人而言，“I'm sorry”（对不起）这两个字似乎是最难的字眼了。也许其困难处就在于所谓的“有失面子”；当一个人道歉的时候，他要在对方面前放下架子。不过，没有人是完美的；人人都会犯错。我们犯错以后，就应道歉，把事情向对方说清楚。） Two phrases in English often confuse non-native users of this language. These phrases are "I'm sorry" and "Excuse me". The latter is used to ask for information, as in "Excuse me, (but) do you have the time?" or "Excuse me, (but) can you tell me whether there is a postoffice near here?" "Excuse me" is also used when it is necessary to disturb others, as when one person interrupts two others speaking: "Excuse me for interrupting, (but) I have to leave now." Another example of the proper usage of this phrase is when, as a stranger, you want to point something out of benefit to someone, as in "Excuse me, (but) I believe you dropped something out of your wallet." Another common instance of using "Excuse me" is in crowded elevators, stores, or lines when a person needs to get through or get out. "Excuse me, (but) this is my floor" is a very handy phrase to learn when in crowded elevators. In all these cases, "Pardon me" may also be used; however, it is more often used in British than in American English. （英语中有两句话常让母语非英语的人士搞混，这两句是“I'm sorry”（对不起）及“Excuse me”（对不起）。第二句话是用来请教他人的，如“对不起，现在几点了？”或是“对不起，能否告诉我这附近有邮局吗？”当我们打扰他人时，亦可使用“Excuse me”。譬如要打断两个人的对话时，就可以说：“对不起，打断诸位的谈话，我现在得离开了。”适当运用这句话的另一例就是当你与某人素昧平生而出自善意，想向对方指点时，就可说“对不起，我想你的皮夹里有东西调出来了。”使用“Excuse me”的另一常例就是在拥挤的电梯间、商店内、或排长龙队时，有人要从中穿过或走出来的时候。在拥挤的电梯间内，学会这句话“对不起，我到楼层了。”是挺管用的。以上各例中，亦可使用“Pardon me”（对不起）；然而，“Pardon me”在英式英语用的几率要比美语多。） When is "I'm sorry" used? For more serious incidents. Stepping on someone's toes on a crowded bus, though not intentional, should elicit an immediate "I'm sorry." Bumping into someone even on a crowded street where it is difficult not to also calls for "I'm sorry." careless or late work in school or in the office requires out apology to teachers, colleagues, or employers. Being late for meetings or dates needs both an apology and often either a reason for the tardiness or an explanation of what course of action will be taken to eliminate any future possibility of recurrence. No one likes to be wronged, intentionally or otherwise. Saying "I'm sorry" can go a long way towards rectifying an awkward situation. （什么时候才用“I'm sorry”（对不起）呢？“I'm sorry”用于事态较严重的情况。在拥挤的公交车上猜到别人的脚，虽是无心之过，也应立刻说声“I'm sorry”。在拥挤的街道上撞到别人时，即使是难以避免，也必须向对方说声“I'm sorry”。在校或在公司内，我们表现粗心或迟缓，都必须向老师、同事或老板表示歉意。开会或约会迟到不但要致歉，而且要解释迟到的原因，或说明自己将采取那些措施，不再让类似的情况发生。没有人喜欢被误解，不管这个误解是有心还是无心的。说声“I'm sorry”对尴尬场面的改观大有帮助。） Even more importantly, saying "I'm sorry" is necessary when intentional harm has been done. The borrowing of an item without first informing the owner---who later discovers the "theft" ---can be quite embarrassing. A simple but sincere "I'm sorry" might repair the damage done. Careless comments or insults which offend others may be ameliorated with that simple phrase, though sincerity in voice and gesture make all the difference. Similarly, young lovers, often exaperated in unrequited love, may purposefully hurt each other, only later to profoundly regret what they had done. At these times, a heartfelt "I'm sorry" may redress the pain of the one inflicted by lover's arrows. Even better, "Pleave forgive me" may be used, as it is considered a stronger expression of remorse. （更重要的是，当造成的伤害是有心时，就有必要说声“I'm sorry”。借东西却未事先告知其所有人，而对方事后发现时，会是相当难为情的。一句简单却诚恳的“I'm sorry”也许就可弥补已经造成的伤害。无心得罪他人的批评与侮辱，用这句简单的话或许就可以改善情况，不过语气及肢体动作的诚恳则是非常关键。同样地，年轻的情侣陷入在单恋的苦痛中时，往往会故意伤害彼此，事后却深深后悔自己的所作所为。在这些时候，真心的一句“I'm sorry”也许就能减轻被爱的利箭所刺伤的一方的痛苦。我们甚至可以使用更好的一句“Please forgive me”（请原谅我），因为一般认为这句话更能强烈地表达悔意。） Learning to apologize in another language does not excuse speakers from practicing the same good manners in their mother tongue. So many people lament the coldness of modern society; human relationships have been worn thin from constant urban pressures. Part of this problem seems to be that people no longer use such simple words as "please," "thank you", and "I'm sorry". They cost nothing, but can bring a wealth of pleasure or relief to those who hear them. They require little effort, yet these few syllables can enliven someone else's day. So, why not use them whenever possible? （学习用另一种语言表达歉意跟使用母语一样，应注意我们的礼貌。太多的人感慨现代社会的冷漠无情；人际关系因都市生活不断的压力已变得越来越淡薄。这个问题的部分症结似乎是因为人们不再使用“请”、“谢谢你”和“对不起”等简单的用语。说这些话花不了一文钱，却为听者带来无比的快乐和舒畅。这些话不费吹灰之力就可学到，可是这几个简简单单的音节却能让别人一天都觉得很开心。因此，可能的话，何不多多使用这些话呢？） The Germanic LanguagesLesson Thirty-seven The Germanic Languages 日耳曼语系
Most people have heard of the Tower of Babel story in the Bible. According to this story, long ago all people spoke the same language. Later, however, they were punished by speaking a great number of different tongues. Today, there are literally thousands of different languages (defined as mutually unintelligible tongues) around the world, though many are related to one another. Indeed, the two largest language families, the Indo-European (the language family with the largest number of speakers) and Sino-Tibetan (containing the Chinese languages, Thai, Vietnamese, and Tibetan) include hundreds of languages with over half the world's population. （大多数的人都听过圣经中巴别塔的故事。故事称很久以前,人们说得是同一种语言。但是，后来人们遭受惩罚，而开始说各种不同的语言。今天，全世界真是好几千种不同的语言（此处指的是彼此无法相通的语言），虽然其中许多语言彼此都有所关联。的确，这两个最大的语系，印欧语系（最多人使用的语系）和汉藏语系（包括华语、泰语、越语和西藏语），涵盖了几百种不同的语言，使用者也超过了全世界半数的人口。） Because there are so many languages within the above two super-categories of language families, linguists have further divided these linguistically rich and geographically diverse families into subgroups, one of which, the Germanic language group, has the second-largest number of speakers (Chinese being first). Within this groups of over 500,000,000 speakers is the world's foremost international language, English, foremost in terms of its geographic spread and number of second-language users. German, spoken by just over 100,000,000, people, is one of the world's ten-largest languages in terms of population. As English and German speakers constitute the majorities in several of the world's most economically, militarily, and technologically developed countries, it is important to be familiar with this particular language grouping. （就因为有太多的语言涵盖于上述的两个超级语系，语言学家就进一步的把这两种语言丰富、地理涵盖范围非常广的语系再区分为几种不同的次级语系，其中的1个就是日耳曼语系，使用这个语系的人数在所有语系中排名第二（第一为华语）。在这个有5亿多人口使用的语系中，包括了世界最重要的国际语言，那就是英语。英语之所以称得上是最重要的语言，乃因使用的地区很广，且把英语当作第二种语言使用的人口也很多。有1亿多人操德语，故就人口而言，德语是世界十大语言之一。由于使用英语和德语的人口在几个经济、军事和科技先进的国家中占绝大比例，因此熟悉日耳曼语系的来龙去脉是很重要的。） Linguists further divide the Germanic languages into three groups, two extant and one extinct. East Germanic languages are no longer spoken; Gothic is an example of this small and historic grouping. Afrikaans, Dutch, English, Flemish, and German are the more important languages within the West germanic grouping. The Scandinavian languages of Danish, Lcelandic, Norwegian, and Swedish comprise the North Germanic grouping. Though these languages cannot be easily understood among their different speakers, the similarities in vocabulary are striking. （语言学家又进一步地把日耳曼语系细分成3个支系，其中两个支系至今仍然存在，另1个支系，也就是东日耳曼语，因无人使用而已不复存在。歌德语就属于这种使用者不多但历史悠久的语系。南非荷兰语、荷兰语、英语、佛兰芝语及德语则属西日耳曼语的几种重要语言。丹麦语、冰岛语、挪威语及瑞典语等北欧语系则属北日耳曼语系。虽然这些不同语言使用者彼此不易沟通，不过词汇的雷同处却很明显。） Take for example the two largest languages with this group, English and German. The word Haus in German is house in English, with nearly the same pronunciation. Some names of German family members are instantly recognizable to English listerners and readers: Mutter, Bruder, and Onkel for the English mother, brother, and uncle (all German nouns are capitalized in print). Other German family members are easily learned: Vater, Schwester, and Tante for the English father, sister, and aunt. Thus, those who know English and want to study German find their first year of learning vocabulary to be relatively easy. The same is true, of course, for those who want to learn Dutch or Danish from an English or German background; these many similarities are due to the single common parent language of all the Germanic tongues, even though this "grandfather" languages no longer exists. （就拿日尔曼语系中英语及德语两大语言来说吧，德文的Haus就是英文的house，发音几乎完全相同。一些德语家庭成员的称呼如：Mutter，Bruder和Onkel，懂英语的人很快地就知道这些字指的就是mother，brother和uncle（德文的名词一律大写）。其他有关家庭成员名称的德语说法也很容易学：像Vater，Schwester和Tante在英文里指的就是father，sister和aunt。因此懂英语而想学德语的人，会发现初学词汇的第一年是很容易的一件事。当然，具有英语和德语背景的人要学丹麦语和荷兰语也同样是件易事。这些相似处乃因所有日耳曼语系皆源自共同的母语，尽管这个“爷爷级”的语言已不复存。） Speakers and writers of the Germanic languages account for a great deal of the world's output in everything from economics to literature to military to science and technology. Hardly an aspect of modern life does not benefit from the contributions made by those using these languages, as in the Internet, Hollywood entertainment, Dutch (Phillips) and Scandinavian consumer goods design (Ericsson, maker of cellular phones, is a Swedish company, as are Volvo and Saab), and even the Nobel prizes (awarded by both Norwegian and Swedish Institutes). More than one-third of the world's economic production originates in these countries, too. （全球举凡经济、文学、军事乃至科技等方面的产品，有很多都是使用日耳曼语系的人所生产的。现代生活几乎各方面无不受益于这些人的贡献，譬如互联网、好莱坞娱乐事业、荷兰（菲利普公司）和北欧的消费品设计（生产手机的爱立信公司就是瑞典的一家公司），富豪及绅宝汽车亦是瑞典的公司），甚至诺贝尔奖（由挪威及瑞典学术机构颁发）。全世界的经济生产量有超过三分之一也是源自这些国家。） For any speaker of a language outside the Germanic language group preparing to choose a useful second language for the future, English is probably the best bet. German, too, is very useful in the fields of medicine, economics, military, and science and technology. Being able to communicate with others in this far-reaching linguistic group will offer the user immeasurable benefits. （对于那些非使用日耳曼语系的人而言，为了前途而准备选修第二种语言时，英文很可能是最佳的选择。在医学、经济、军事和科技方面，德语也是一样管用。日耳曼语系影响深远，若能使用这种语言与该语系的人沟通将会带来莫大的好处。） Hot Aminals around the World: The PandaLesson Thirty-Five Hot Aminals around the World: The Panda 世界热门动物：熊猫
Some countries have adopted an animal as a kind of national mascot. The bald eagle is often thought of as representing the United States, for example. New Zealanders proudly display their kiwi, a native flightless bird. Australians cannot seem to make up their minds whether the koala or the kangaroo should represent them. China also has two animals which often stand out in everyone's mind: the dragon and the giant panda. As the dragon is a mythological animal, that leaves the giant panda as the only real animal representative of China.
（若干国家已选择某种动物作为国家的吉祥物。例如，美国就选择秃鹰作为它的象征。新西兰人则骄傲地展示他们的几维，一种不会飞的鸟。澳洲人似乎无法决定应该选择无尾熊还是袋鼠来代表他们的国家。中国也有两种大家都知道的动物——龙和大熊猫。由于龙是神话里的动物，因此大熊猫就成了真正代表中国的动物了。） Although dragons have been associated with China for thousands of years, the panda's inclusion into the Chinese psyche is far more recent. The giant panda was not even discovered until 1869; it was already a rare animal at that time, living in the high bamboo forests of Sichuan province and neighboring parts of Tibet.Its more plentiful cousin, the lesser panda, is also referred to as the cat bear or bear cat; however, zoologically speaking, it is neither. The lesser panda is a member of the raccoon family, whereas the giant panda's classification is still a dilemma: some authorities consider it a member of the bear family while others maintain that it belongs to the raccoon family, too. （虽然龙和中国的渊源已有数千年之久，大熊猫融入中国人的心灵却是近几年的事。大熊猫知道1869年才被发现，在当时，它已是生活在四川省高山林区和邻近西藏地区的稀有动物。比它数量多的表亲体型较小的小熊猫，有人称之为猫熊或熊猫；但是，就动物学的观点来说，它即不属于熊科动物，也不属于猫科动物。事实上，小熊猫是浣熊科的一种，而大熊猫的归属至今则仍无定论：有些专家认为它应属熊科，有些则认为它亦属浣熊科。） The giant panda is well named. Reaching a length of 1.5 meters and 160 kilograms, this gentle omnivore is among the largest land animals of China. Subsisting on a diet of bamboo and other plants, and even small animals, it can consume as much as 30 kilograms of food a day. Now that's a giant appetite! Its distinctive markings--broad, white bands of fur alternating with black, and small black circles around the eyes--have endeared the giant panda to animal lovers everywhere. （大熊猫的命名蛮贴切的。大熊猫个性温顺，属杂食性动物，身长1.5米，体重达160公斤，是中国最大的陆地动物之一。它以竹子和其他植物及小动物为食。一天可摄取多达30公斤的食物。真是好大的胃口啊！它全身黑白色相间的宽条纹以及小小的黑眼圈，是它最明显的标识，而受到各地动物爱好者的喜爱。） People may want to hug this huge "teddy bear," but giant pandas prefer to live a solitary life. This may account for their scarcity; these pandas are on all official lists of endangered animals. Estimates of the wild panda population are difficult due to the rugged terrain they live in, but most experts agree that fewer than 1000 remain free. As they give birth to only one or two cubs when mating is successful,the giant panda's survival in the wild is anything but a foregone conclusion. The Chinese government has set aside 11 nature preserves where pandas are known to exist, hoping to protect them from the rapid encroachment of man. Though poaching is still a problem, strict laws have reduced this senseless carnage. （大家都想抱抱这只庞大的“泰迪熊”。但大熊猫性喜独居。这可能是它们数量稀少的原因；熊猫已被列入濒危动物的所有官方保护名单之中。野生熊猫数量很难估计，因为它们都住在崎岖不平的地区。但专家大多认为野生熊猫的总数不到1000只。熊猫若成功受孕，每胎也只能产下一到两只小宝宝。因此，大熊猫野生的存活率根本无法下结束。中国政府已经设立了11处已知有熊猫出没的自然保护区，希望能保护熊猫免于人类快速的侵害。虽然偷猎仍是个问题，但严格的法律以使滥杀减少。） Pandas in captivity number less than 100, the largest share, of course, in China. Those in Western zoos are treated as royalty and are the object of intense scientific interest and care. Recently, veterinarians have given male giant pandas Viagra, hoping to increase the animals' reproductive efficiency. Results are thus far inconclusive. Though births have been reported, they are few and far between it. It seems the panda's chance of survival is razor-thin. （动物园饲养的熊猫数量目前不到100只，其中大多数当然是在中国。稀饭国家动物园内饲养的熊猫被视作皇族看待，也引起科学界强烈的兴趣及关爱。近来，有兽医给雄性熊猫服用药物，希望增加它们的繁殖力。截至目前为止，尚未有具体结果。虽然已有小熊猫诞生，但数量少之又少。熊猫的生存机会似乎很渺茫。） Its extinction would be a sad day for all of mankind. These playful and gentle creatures never fail to amuse adults and children alike lucky enough to observe them in zoos. Every plant and animal that leaves the world due to human intervention and encroachment of habitat diminishes the world we live in. The richness of the Earth's original biodiversity is being attacked. Will future generations of humanity be left with only a few species of food plants, and zoos exhibiting cockroaches and rats? （熊猫如果灭亡将使全人类的悲哀。这些活泼、温和的动物总是逗得有幸在动物园内观赏到它们的大人及小孩子开心。任何一种植物或动物如果因为人类对它们栖息空间的侵犯和介入而使它们从地球上消失的话，也将会使得人类生活的空间变得越来越小。地球丰富原生物的多样化正受到破坏。将来人类留给未来子孙的东西是否只剩下几种食用植物和只有展示蟑螂及老鼠的动物园呢？） Hopefully, men will learn the excesses of their ways and strive to protect the remaining natural habitats as an investment not only in the flora and fauna remaining but in the quality of life present and future, of all those on this planet. "Extinction is forever" and "There is only one world" need no longer be heard if everyone becomes conscious of preserving the beauty of the natural world around us. （但愿吾人能从我们放肆的行为中记取教训，奴隶维护现存的自然栖息环境，不仅为现有的动物设想，也为地球上我们这一代以及后代子孙的生活质量设想。如果人人都能了解保护我们身边自然生态美的重要性，就不必再听到“物种一旦灭绝便永远灭绝了。”及“我们只有一个地球。”这样的警语了。） English Small Talk Topics: What is ok and what is not?Lesson Thirty-Four English Small Talk Topics: What is ok and what is not? 慎选英语闲聊话题
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do." What may be perfectly acceptable to talk about in one culture may offend or even shock others when in a different culture. Accordingly, it is important to know what topics are "safe" to discuss with strangers or acquaintances from a different background. Topics which can be discussed freely within a culture are referred to as "small talk".
（“入境随俗。”在一种文化里可以完全被接受谈论的话题，在另一个不同的文化里可能就会得罪人，甚至可能会吓着对方。因此，了解什么话题刻意“安全的”跟不同文化背景的陌生人或熟识的人交谈是件很重要的事。在同一文化中可以高谈阔论的话题我们就称之为闲聊。） As with any other language, English has its own stock of non-offensive topics. Among these are the weather, occupation, immediate conditions, family and family life, and school or work. Topics in English which should never be broached include one's personal life, physical appearance (unless complimentary), income, and age as well as religious, sexual, or political views. Each of these topics---both approved and taboo---will be discussed in more detail later. （就如所有其他的语言一样，英语里也有一些不会得罪人的闲聊话题。这些话题包括了天气、职业、目前个人的状况、家人与家居生活、学校或者是工作。英语中禁忌的话题则包括了个人生活、外貌（除非是赞美的话）、收入年龄以及宗教信仰、性观念或政治观点等。这些被允许的以及禁忌的话题将容后逐一详细说明。） Small talk is extremely useful when first meeting others. Actually, one purpose of small talk is not to find out the answer to questions like "How are you?" or "Nice day, isn't it?" but rahter to gauge whether the person is the sort whom one would like to know better. While talking about essentially unimportant matters such as the weather, life in the office, or how many children---if any---one has, each speaker has the opportunity to determine whether the other is cooperative, interesting, potentially useful or friendly, etc. If a person answers the inquiry about the weather with a grunt or "I hate sunny days," no further energy need be wasted! （与人初次见面时，闲聊是非常管用。事实上，闲聊的目的之一并非要如何回应“你好吗？”或“天气不错吧，是不是？”等这类问题，而是判断对方是否是我们想进一步认识的那种人。在谈论一些无关痛痒的话题时，如天气、办公室生活或是对方有多少小孩（若对方有的话），就有机会判断对方是否符合、有趣、有所助益或友善等。谈到有关天气的问题时，对方若哼啊一声敷衍了事，或说：“我讨厌艳阳天，”那就甭再浪费唇舌了。） Another purpose of small talk, once a speaker is satisfied that the other person is worth talking with, is to explore possible areas of interest or cooperation. By tactfully going through "safe topics," some information may be revealed which leads the speaker(s) into a deeper discussion, especially when a topic is a shared hobby or interest. Talking about the weather may reveal that one speaker enjoys recreation like camping or hiking. Shooting the breeze about one's family may disclose similar shared family hobbies like board or card games or barbecues and picnics. In other words, small talk may serve as probing of the other person's personality and lifestyle. （闲谈的另一目的就是，一旦满意对方且了解对方值得交谈后，谈话就要探究彼此可能感兴趣及合作的范畴。透过巧妙运用“安全的话题”，便可获知一些资讯进而促使双方作更深一层的谈论，尤其是话题与彼此嗜好或兴趣有关的时候。谈论天气透漏对方可能喜欢露营或远足等休闲活动。而闲聊家庭的话题则可显露彼此相似的家居嗜好，如下棋、纸牌游戏、烤肉及野餐等。换言之，闲聊可用来探知对方的个性和生活方式。） "Everybody complains about the weather, but nobody ever does anything about it," so goes an old saying. Perhaps the safest of all small talk topics is the weather. Whether good or bad, a comment about the temperature or sky condition (sunny day, cloudy day, rainy day, etc. ) never offends. Commenting on the crowded traffic or the late bus, or high prices in the department store (immediate conditions) is also always appropriate. Similarly, most people do not mind talking about their work, family, or school life, either, since for most people these are experiences held in common. Even so, asking whether someone is married or not crosses over into personal information and therefore should be avoided. If the speaker happens to mention that he or she has children or is married, however, it is all right to pursue the topic. （俗话说：“人人怨天气，无人管天气。”因此，或许天气可说是最安全的闲聊话题了。谈论气温或气候（晴天、阴天、雨天等），评语不论是好是坏，永远都不会得罪人。至于交通拥挤、公车迟到或百货公司的物品售价太高等（临时发生的话题），也是很适合的。同样地，大多数人也不介意谈论他们的工作、家庭或学校生活，因为对大多数人而言，这些都是大家共同的生活经验。即使如此，若是询问对方是否已婚时则就涉及私人问题，因此就应避免提及。对方若不经意提及自己有小孩或已婚时，追着这个话题发挥就午饭了。） Asking such questions as "How much do you weigh?" "How old are you?" or "How much do you earn?" are taboo in English, at least as starters for conversation. Only when friends are close would they ask such questions of each other. Likewise, for most people, religious or political convictions or exual mores are considered private matters. These should not be discussed until one speaker offers his opinion first. It is not necessary, though, to respond in kind. The other speaker can change the subject to show that this is a taboo subject. （“你多重？”“你几岁？”或“你收入多少？”等的问题在英文里是个禁忌，至少不可用作闲谈的开场白。只有熟朋友才会彼此问这样的问题。同样地，对大多数人而言宗教信仰、政治立场及性观念等话题也都属于个人隐私。除非对方先发表他的看法，否则不应谈论这些话题。不过，你也不用跟着回应你的看法。对方可能会改变话题，以表示这个话题是个禁忌。） Foreigners are usually "forgiven" the "indiscretion" of asking others offending questions. Still, it is not a good idea to wear out one's welcome. When a subject has been turned down, only a tactless person would pursue it. Being sensitive to others' feelings and sense of privacy will win more friends and influence more people than a reckless line of questioning. When curiosity seems to be getting the upper hand, remember that "Silence is golden." （外国人在闲聊时如果不慎提及禁忌的问题通常是会被原谅的。但是，因此而损及对方对你的好感也是不明智的。当对方已拒绝谈论某个话题时，只有不上道的人才会追着这个话题谈下去。敏感察觉对方的感觉对隐私的注重，要比胡乱问一连串问题能使你赢得更多的朋友，也影响更多的人。当好奇心蠢蠢欲动时，切忌这句话：“沉默是金。”） Did you Remember your Tickets?Lesson Thirty-three Did you Remember your Tickets? 旅游行前准备
Robert and Michael leave their apartment in a rush and find a taxi to take them to the airport. After paying the driver, Robert turns to Michael and says, "That was close! I thought we'd be late for sure. Come on, now, we have to take our luggage into the terminal and check in at the counter." "Right," responds Michael, "did you bring the tickets and our passports?" "No," answers Robert, "I thought you did!"
（罗伯特和迈克匆忙离开寓所，找了部出租车送他们到机场去。付了司机钱后，罗伯特转向迈克说：“好险哦！我还以为我们肯定赶不上了呢。动作快点，我们必须立刻带着行李进入航站大厦到柜台报道。”迈可回答说：“说的是。我们的机票和护照你带了吗？”罗伯特回答说：“没有。我还以为你带了呢！”） This scene could be from a TV sitcom or real-life. Every traveler's nightmare is forgetting something major like tickets, ID, passport, or money. This is needless worry, however, if travel plans are made early and organized efficiently. Since travel for education, business, or pleasure is more and more common, knowing how to prepare for worry-free travel is both important and beneficial. This lesson will help the novice or experienced traveler avoid potential travel problems, allowing for a pleasant journey. （这种场面可能会出现在电视情景剧中或显示生活中。每位游客的恶梦就是忘记了某些重要的东西，像机票，身份证件、护照或钱财等。然而，如果你能事先有效率地筹划好你的旅游计划，上述这些就用不着担忧了。由于留学、经商及观光日趋普遍，懂得如何安排一趟无忧无虑的旅游不仅重要，也是件好事。本课将协助旅游新手和老手来避免旅游可能发生的问题，进而享受一趟愉快之行。） Unless there is an emergency, travel plans should be made well in advance. Never wait till the last minute to try to reserve airline tickets or hotel rooms. They may not be available, or you may be forced to choose an inconvenient or unnecessarily expensive flight or accommodation. The best day to book travel or lodging arrangements is the day you decide to go. （除非状况很紧张，否则旅游计划应事先作好。千万不要拖到最后关头才预订机票和旅馆房间。否则，你可能订不到机票或住房，要不就是你可能被迫要选很不方便或贵得离谱的班机或住房。你决定旅游的当天就是预订机票和住宿最恰当的时机。） After all travel arrangements have been secured, then next step is to make sure your travel documents are in order. Is your passport valid? Remember that some countries do not accept passports which have less than six months' validity remaining. Do you need an overseas driver's license? These can be applied for at certain government or travel agencies or associations. Leave enough time to process any paperwork that is required. A travel agent or experienced friend or colleague can inform you of what steps need to be taken and how best to take care of them. （旅游计划安排妥当后下一步就是确定你的旅游文件是否已准备齐全。护照是否有效？记住有些国家不接受有效期间剩下不到6个月的护照。你需要国际驾照吗？这些证件都可能在特定的政府机关、旅行社和协会办理申请。要预留足够的时间来处理必要的文书作业。旅行社和有经验的朋友或同事均可告诉你应采取那些步骤及如何妥善完成这些步骤。） Preparing for packing is next. Even if the proposed trip is a month away, certain items should be readied at once. The most important of these is, of course, the luggage itself. Do not wait for a last-minute sale on the suitcase of your choice; be ready with enough good-quality luggage long before you leave for the airport or train station. In choosing baggage, make sure that it is within regulations, especially for air travel. Oversize suitcases or carry-on baggage can be a great headache later.
（整理行李是接下来应做的事。即使离拟定旅游的日子还有一个月之久，若干物品也应立即准备妥当。这些物品中最重要的当然就是行李箱了。千万不要等到最后一刻才去选购你的行李箱；早在你赶往机场或火车站前就要把数量充分，品质不错的行李箱准备好。在选购行李箱时，要确定它们符合规定，尤其是符合航空旅游的规定。过大的行李箱和随身行李都会成为后来令人头疼的事。） The rule of thumb for packing is pack less, not more. Most travelers buy at least some items on the road, and some buy quite a few souvenirs or personal items, so leave enough room for them. Keeping a toiletry kit permanently in a piece of luggage is a smart idea. In this way, you will never have to worry about whether your razor or deodorant has been packed. Casual clothing, including footwear, should be placed into bags or suitcases the night before. Formal wear can be packed in the last-minute to reduce wrinkling. Don't worry about taking reading or writing material for pleasure; newspapers and magazines are widely available, as is stationery. （行李打包大致的原则就是要带得少而不是带得多。出门的人大都会在旅程中至少购买些许物品，有些人甚至会买一大堆纪念品或个人用品，因此要预留足够的空间装这些东西。始终在行李中准备一套私人的盥洗用品是个上策。这样的话，你就永远不用担心是否已将刮胡刀或身体芳香剂装进去了。休闲服，包括袜子等，应该在旅游的前一晚就放进行李袋或行李箱里。正式场合要穿的服装刻意在出发前再打包以减低弄皱的机会。甭担心要不要携带消遣性的书报或文具；报章杂志到处都买得到，文具亦然。） The day before leaving, reserve a cab for the day of departure if needed. This is also the best time to ask a friend or relative for a wake-up call for those leaving early on the day of departure; this is even better than one's own alarm clock. Leave a copy of the itinerary with lodging telephone numbers with a family or friend. Place all travel documents into one briefcase or folder rather tan in several places for ease of checking. After packing each piece of luggage, put it near the door for easy exit. These simple advance steps will help reduce stress on the day of travel. （旅游的前一天，如有必要，应事先预订一部出租车以应出发当天之需。出发当天要提早出门的话，可在前一天要友人或亲戚来电叫醒你；这样的作法甚至比自己的闹钟更棒。记得影印一份旅游行程及住宿地方的电话号码给家人或朋友。把所有的旅游文件放在同一个手提箱或皮包里而不是散放在行李箱里，这样的话，查看这些文件就很方便。所有的行李整理完毕后，应该把它们放在门边以便于携带。这些简单的先前作业有助于减轻旅游当天的紧张和压力。） On the day of departure, the only steps remaining should be to pack one's formal clothing and to recheck one's travel documents and money. Whether for business, education, or pleasure, travel can be an unforgettable experience. Whether you want to remember that experience fondly or try to forget it depends on the few simple steps outlined above. Bon voyage! （出发当天依然要做的就是将正式场合穿着的衣服打包并再次检查旅游文件和钱财。不管是出差、留学或观光，出门履行都会是个难忘的经验。你想要个难忘之旅或是想忘掉这趟旅行就取决于上述所列的几个简单的步骤了。祝你一路顺风！） Professional Telephone EtiquetteLesson Thirty-two Professional Telephone Etiquette 职业电话礼貌
"(ring...ring...ring...) Hello?"
"Un, excuse me, but is this Dragon Mountain Trading Complay?" "Who's calling?" "Well, I'm Mr. David Parker, and I..." "What do you want?" "I'd, uh, like to speak with your manager." "He's busy. B\Call back later. (click)" （“（铃……铃……铃），喂？”） “呃，对不起，贵宝号是龙山贸易公司吗？” “您您哪一位？” “我是David Parker先生，我……” “你想要干什么？” “我想跟贵公司经理谈谈。” “他正在忙。待会儿再打过来。”咔（挂电话声）） Unfortunately, some companies still have not trained their employees in the professional use of the telephone. The above telephone conversation is not only discourteous, but also hurts business prospects. If Mr. Parker is calling to speak with a number of companies in order to build business relaionships with them, he is not very likely to call Dragon Mountain Trading Company again. To prevent this from happening, those who are reponsible for the conduct of business over the telephone should keep a few simple but important points of telephone etiquette in mind. （很遗憾地，还是有些公司未能训练员工职业的电话礼貌。以上的电话交谈不但粗鲁，亦损及商机。如果David Parker先生打电话是要与若干公司聊聊以建立商业关系，很可能就不会再打电话给龙山贸易公司了。为了防止类似的事情发生，负责使用电话洽商的人士应牢记一些有关电话礼貌的简要重点。） The first and most important point concerning the perofessional use of the telephone is the attitude towards any caller. The telephone is the lifeline of the company with the outside world, and those who call in should be considered potential business prospects. However, customers are not nameless, faceless voices; they are people who enjoy being and deserve to be treated courteously and fairly. Everyone who uses an office telephone should remember that a friendly, helpful, and efficient call can make the difference between success and failure withthe caller. Once this is appreciated, a business office can operate at its full potential. （有关职业电话礼貌首要重点就是对来电者的态度。电话是公司对外联络的生命线。任何来电者都应该被视为潜在未来的商业顾客。不过，来电的客户可不是没有姓名和没有脸孔的声音而已；他们是喜欢并也应当被礼貌且公平对待的人。每位公司电话使用者皆应牢记，一通友善、热心又有效率的电话会决定与来电者关系的成败。一旦了解这点之后，公司便可全面发挥潜能运作了。） How can all office workers put the above principle into practice? Several tips on the successful use of the office telephone have been collected from many companies over the years. This advice is timeless and covers all manner of businesses. Companies whose employees use the following telephone etiquette are more likely to keep their clients and attract new customers. （公司所有员工要如何履行上述原则呢？多年来不少公司行号累积了有关成功运作公司电话的若干提示。这些提示不受时间限制且涵盖所有的行业。员工若能遵行下列电话礼仪，公司便可能留着老客户也能吸引新客户。） When answering the phone, all employees should identify the company and themselves. In the above hypothetical conversation, the office worker should have answered the call with, "Dragon Trading Company, Janice Wang, speaking." rather than force Mr. Parker to inquire whether or not he had dialed the company telephone number correctly. In some companies, employees will further identify their position within the company, such "Kodak, Michael Chou, sales representative, speaking." or "Great Light Sports Equipment, Frances Chang, personnel director, speaking. May I help you?" and so on. Of course, in larger companies which have automated dialing or an operator, it is often unncessary to state the name of the comany (that has been doen already on the tape or by the operator), but self-identification continues to be helpful, and, thus, important. （所有员工在接电话时，应报出公司的名号及自己的姓名。在上述的模拟电话交谈中，那位员工就应向来电者作这种的回应：“您好，这里是龙山贸易公司，卧室王阿珍。”而不是迫使David Parker先生询问自己是否拨对了公司电话号码。有些公司的员工会进一步地表明自己在公司的职称，如“这里是柯达公司，我是业务代表Michael Chou。”或是“这里是巨光运动器材公司，我是人事主任Frances Chang.我能为您效劳吗？”诸如此类。当然，规模较大的公司设有自动转接电话系统或总机时，通常不需要报出公司的名号（电话录音或总机就以提供这些讯息了），但是自我介绍仍然有所帮助，因此也是很重要的一步。） As with Frances Chang above, a simple "May I help you?" is enough to invite the caller to state his or her business with the company. However, it is always important to listen carefully to the caller's request. It is possible, for example, that the callee is not the right person for whom the caller is looking; by listening carefully, the callee can respone tot he needs of the customer on the line. Treating caller as routine or even annoying interruptions to one's work is a mistake. If someone outside the company has taken the time to call in, someone inside the company should take the time to respond to it. （上述范例中，Frances Chang简单的一句：“我能为您效劳吗？”就足以让来电者愿意表明他或她与公司的商务关系。不过仔细聆听对方的需求永远是最重要的。举例而言，接话者可能不是来电者索要寻找的对象；只要仔细听，接话者就能在电话中回应对方的需求。将来电者当作例行公事般来应付，或将之视为中断自己工作的困扰，这样的态度是不对的。公司外的人若拨冗来电，公司员工理应拨冗应对。） If the caller is looking for someone not presently int he office, a message should be taken and tehn repeated over the phone to make sure all the information is correct. If a product or service is unavailable, the caller should be told what possible substitute is available or when the desired item will be back in stock. every effort should be made to please the caller. This extra effort makes a lasting impression, the kind of impression that often results in repeat business. In our conversation above, the callee should have told Mr. Parker when the manager would return to take his call, or offered to take a message for him. Hanging up on the caller is the best way to lose business. （如果来电者找寻的人目前不在公司内，应请对方留下口信并复诵内容确定无误。如果公司无法提供现货或服务，应将刻意替代的现货或指定产品的进货日期告诉来电者，必须尽心地来讨好来电者，这种尽心会留下难以磨灭的印象，并往往带来不断的商机。在上述的对话中，接话者理应告诉Parker先生何时会返回公司回电，或是主动为他留话。失去商机最快的途径莫过于向来电者挂电话了。） After information has been given or help offered, the call should not be considered finished. Each call is an opportunity to further the interests of the company, as with "We have other fine products. I'd be happy to send you our catalogue." or "Our company can offer additional service. My manager or I would be happy to make an oppointment with you to discuss them." above all, end each conversation with a genuine. "Thank you for calling. It's been a pleasure serving you." or other lines to make the customer feel he or she is not being discarded as just another business obligation. Successful calls make customers feel welcome to call again. （提供信息或服务后，并不表示这通电话就结束了。每次来电都是促进公司利益的机会，譬如我们可以说：“本公司尚有其他不错的产品。我很乐意把公司产品目录寄给您。”也可说：“本公司尚可提供其他的服务，经理或我本人很乐意与您约个时间见面谈一谈。”尤其重要的是，每次的电话交谈结束前别忘了献上诚挚的一句：“谢谢您的来电。很荣幸能为您服务。”成功的电话交谈会使客户感到开心而愿意继续来电。） Today's world of business if highly competitive. People have not changed, however. They still like to be treated in a friendly and helpful way, even over the telephone. A genuinely friendly and helpful attitude on the pphone, identification of company and callee, offers of help or message taking, promotion of further business opportunities, and leaving the caller with the feeling that he would like to call again seem like insignificant matters. Added up, however, they can make the difference between a company's success and failure in our high-tech but still human world. （今天商场上的竞争非常激烈。但是，人的基本习性还是没变。每个人都希望自己被善待，即使是在电话上也是一样。在电话中展现出真诚友善及助人的态度，先行介绍自己和公司，提供对方协助，为对方留口信，为公司争取其他商机，以及让对方觉得很开心而愿意继续来电等，这些看似微不足道的小事，在我们这个高科技却仍以人为主导的世界中，却是公司成败的主要关键。） October 15 The Fine Art of GivingLesson Thirty-one The Fine Art of Giving 给予的艺术
Ralph is all excited. When his poor wife Lisa comes home after a hard day's work in the office, he enters the living room beaming. "Happy birthday, darling!" he exclaims while thrusting the neatly packed gift at her. Momentarily delighted as she quickly unwraps the package, Lisa murmurs, "Oh, Ralph, I thought you'd forget my birthday again this year. Gee, thanks, sweet..." Her voice trails off as shelifts the cover of the bex to disclose its contents: steak knives. Ralph, still beaming, then pulls the trigger of the rifle aimed at his own foot: "I bought some steaks, so you can use your new birthday gift to get us dinner ready!"
（雷夫兴奋极了。他可怜的妻子丽莎在公司辛苦了一天回到家时，雷夫就脸上带着微笑走进了客厅。他忙不迭地把包得漂漂亮亮的礼物递给爱妻，同时高亢地说道：“亲爱的，祝你生日快乐！”她匆匆拆开礼物，刹那间高兴起来，喃喃地说道：“哦，雷夫，我还以为今年你又会把我的生日给忘了呢。哦，谢谢你亲……”她把盒盖打开来看看到底里面装得是什么礼物：居然是一组切牛排的刀子，这时她的话也静止了下来。雷夫脸上仍然带着微笑，自讨没趣的说道：“我买了一些牛排，所以你可以用你这次新的生日礼物为我们准备一顿晚餐。”） Most women, of course, would use the new knives on Ralph, not the steaks. What did poor Ralph do wrong? He certainly meant well. He noted his wife's birthday carefully, sacrificed time and money to buy a gift on time, and even had the box gift wrapped. Where did he go wrong? Long before Ralph bought the knives, he should have paid more attention to those things Lisa expressed or showed an interest in. While walking or shopping, many people notice things that obviously interest them; this is the time to make a mental note of what those items are for future purchase. While talking, too, many people reveal "wish list" items they dream of having. Noting these tiems and turning them into gifts at a later time, whether for Christmas, birthday, anniversary, graduation, or any other important occasion, distinguishes just another item on a shelf in a department store or in a catalogue from "the perfect gift". （当然，大多数女人会把刀子用在雷夫身上而不是用在切牛排上。可怜的雷夫到底做错了什么呢？他原来当然是好意的。他小心地记住了太太的生日，花费时间和金钱准时买了礼物，甚至还把刀组合包成礼品。他哪里除了差错呢？早在雷夫买下这组牛排刀前，就应多留意一下丽莎曾表示过中意的东西。许多人逛街购物时，会注意到自己明显感兴趣的东西；也就是在这个时候，我们心中就要记下这些东西，将来再买下来。同样地，很多人在谈话时也会透露自己梦寐以求的东西。把这些东西记下来，以后在圣诞节、生日、结婚、周年纪念、毕业典礼，或者是其他重要场合买下来当礼物送给对方，这样的作法将使原来只不过是百货公司货架上或目录上的一件商品变成“完美的礼物”。） Gifts do not have to be objects. Doing house chores for parents or spouses which normally are "theirs", taking someone out on the twon or wheeling an invalid around the block, or taking the time and effort to create one's own personalized handicraft can bring smiles as wide as those aroused by the giving of expensive presents. Many a child would prefer to have an afternoon at the cinema and an evening in their favorite restaurant with Dad than another of his expensive gifts, some with the price tag still on them! Many parents would rather happily settle for a full day with their children at home or on a picnic than with a mailed check or "Happy Birthday" greeting on their answering machine. Perhaps the expression "Time is money" really is true: time spent with those whom we do not often see is indeed precious. Sacrificing time from one's busy schedule to give to another is often more meaningful than a pricy gift from an upscale department store. （礼物不一定要是物件。帮父母或配偶做通常是属于“他们的”家事、带某人上街、帮残疾者推轮椅到街区绕一绕，或者是花点时间和心思做一些具有个人特色的手工艺品送人也可以带给对方欢笑，这种欢笑跟对方收到名贵礼物时所发出的欢笑是一样灿烂的。不少小孩宁可在下午跟爸爸看场电影或是在晚上跟爸爸在餐厅用餐而不愿接到一份他送的贵重礼物，有些礼物甚至还有价目条在上面呢！很多父母宁可整天与孩子在家欢聚一天或者出外野餐也不愿收到儿女寄来的支票或是电话答录机上的一句“生日快乐”的问候话。或许“时间就是金钱”这句话是千真万确的：花点时间陪陪我们难得见面的亲友，确实是每一刻都很珍贵。从繁忙的日程表中牺牲一些时间来陪陪别人要比在高级的百货公司中买贵重礼物送人有意义多了。） Of course, there is nothing wrong with buying gifts. Everyone has needs, including material needs. Close friends or family members often know what their loved ones need even before they do! Few compliments can make us happier than "you always know what to give me". For those who never seem to know what to prepare for others but who would like to learn, observing the successful giving of gifts to others is as good a place to start as any. In any class, family, or crowd, someone always seems to know the right gift to give at the right time. Making mental notes of these occasions and then writing them down in a special notebook can make the difference between a future present well-received and one politely accepted. （当然，买礼物并没错。每个人都有需求，包括物质上的需求。好友与家人要比他们挚爱的人更清楚了解他们的所需！所有的赞美言词没有几句话要比这句更令我们开心了：“你总是知道要送什么东西给我。”对那些似乎永远不知道该准备什么礼物给别人但是却愿意学习的人来说，观察别人如何成功地送礼给对方是最好的学习起点。在任何班级、家庭或者群体中，似乎总有人懂得在适当的时机送适当的礼物。心中暗记这些场合并用个别的笔记本记下来，这关系着你未来送礼时，对方是否会很乐意接受或直视礼貌性地收下来而已。） Still, only a social incompetent would criticize or refuse a gift from another. Being gracious even in disappointment is a sign of good manners. Besides, a gift is an expression of thoughtfullness and a token of love. We should never question the judgment of the donor; instead, as we say in English, "It's the thought that counts". Learning to appreciate whatever little surprises life prepares for us is a sure sign of maturity and poise. When the giving of symbols of our appreciation and love to others becomes an art form to the giver, these profound words can be understood: "it's more blessed to give than to receive." （当然，只有不懂社交的人才会批评或拒绝对方的礼物。在失望中仍流露出落落大方的风范是有风度的表现。何况，礼物是一种体贴和爱的象征。我们千万不可质疑送礼者的判断力；相反地，诚如英文的一句话：“心意才是最重要的。”学会感激生活所带给我们的小惊奇是一种成熟和稳健的表现。我们若愿将那些代表我们的感激及爱的东西赠与对方，而这种赠与也成了施舍者的一种艺术时，就能深深体会到这句深奥的话：“给与收受更有福。”） New Orleans: Birthplace of JazzLesson Thirty New Orleans: Birthplace of Jazz 新奥尔良——爵士乐的发祥地
Welcome to Crescent City, birthplace of jazz! "Cresent City?" Yes, the nickname for New Orleans is Crescent City, due to its downtown location along a particularly deep bend of the Mississippi River. No matter what this unique American city is called, New Orleans has something for everyone.
（欢迎莅临新月市，爵士乐的发祥地！“新月市”？没错，新月市也就是新奥尔良的别名，因为他的市中心是沿着密西西比河上一段特别弯曲的河岸而得名。不管人们怎么称呼这个独特的城市，新奥尔良对每个人而言都有看头。） To understand why this southern city is so different from any other city of the US, and perhaps also how it evolved the musical form of Dixieland jazz, it is necessary to give a brief description of its history. Founded in 1718 by French developers, New Orleans grew rather slowly. Although ideal for shipping (New Orleans is only 180 kilometers from the mouth of the Mississipi, the world's fourth-longest river), the land around New Orleans is extremely low-lying (the city is actually below sea level!) and was at that time nothing more than a swamp. Despite this, the city attracted a wide range of peoples, including Canadian and European French, slaves, american Indians, and a few white British settlers. The area's continued slow growth, however, convinced France that it should sell all of its extensive land holdings in North America to Spain in 1763. Spain ruled this large area including New Orleans until 1800, when the whole area was again returned to France, only to be sold to the US in 1803. The early French and Spanish cultures have remained with the city, even with the approach of 200 years of American rule. （我们有必要简略说明这座南部城市的历史，裨能了解该市与其他美国城市的不同，及其南方爵士乐风的演进史。新奥尔良是在1718年由法国人开发建立的，发展相当缓慢。新奥尔良因距离世界第四大河——密西西比河河口仅180公里，所以非常适合航运，不过新奥尔良四周属低洼地区（该市事实上低于海平面！），在开发初期它根本就是个沼泽区。虽然如此，新奥尔良却吸引了各类的移民包括法裔加拿大人，来自欧洲的法国人及奴隶、北美印地安人及少数的英国白种殖民者。不过该区发展一只迟缓，这使得法国将它在北美洲所占有的广大土地于1763年卖给西班牙。西班牙便统治了这块包含新奥尔良在内的广大土地，一直到1800年，这时西班牙才又把整个区域归还给法国，不过在1803年却又卖给了美国。早期的法西斯文化依然为该城所保有，即使美国统治了200年，这种情形仍然未变。） The fortunes of New Orleans have always depended on its riparian location. The city gained importance in the War of 1812 and later as the terminus for shipping along the Mississippi through the Civil War. As shipping declined in importance due to the building of the railroads near the end of the 19th century, however, the Golden Age of New Orleans wound down. At this time, however an artistic creation particular to New Orleans would resuscitate the city's fortunes. （新奥尔良的财富一直与其河岸的位置息息相关。1812年的美英战争突然地显示了其重要性，之后在南北战争整个期间，它又成了密西西比河的航运站。不过19世纪末期由于铁路的发展使得航运势微，造成新奥尔良的盛况不再。但就在此时，新奥尔良独有的一项艺术创造再度造就这个城市的繁荣。） Music has always played an important part in the daily lives of most Americans, and New Orleans happened to be home to some of the best musicians int eh country. From 1880 to World War I, New Orleans with its cafe and night club society became host to a new form of music based mostly on the blues, but also on marches and ragtime music. In this style of music, the trumpet, clarinet, and trombone form the basis of instrumentation. As the trumpet is the loudest, it normally carries the melody, with the clarinet and trombone improvising above and below the trumpet, respectively. Sidney Bechet, Buddy Bolden, King Oliver, and most famously Louis Armstrong became symbols of the New Orleans red light district, and later to fans in music halls all around the world. （音乐在大多数美国人的日常生活中一直是很重要的一部分，而新奥尔良正巧是美国一些杰出音乐家的故乡。从公元1880年到第一次世界大战期间，新奥尔良的社会充斥着餐厅和夜总会，成了一种新音乐风格的大本营，这种乐风大体上以布鲁斯为基础，也融合了进行曲和切分音节奏的乐曲。这种乐风演奏的基本乐器包括小号、黑管和长号。因小号的声音最大，就由它吹奏主旋律；黑管和长号则配合小号分别作即兴高低音搭配。希尼·贝彻特、巴第·博尔顿、金恩·奥利佛以及最有名气的路易斯·阿姆斯特朗，就成了这种乐风的代表人物，早期在新奥尔良红灯区为满场的观众演奏，后来在全球各地音乐厅为乐迷表演。） Though Dixieland jazz is today a preserved form of music like classical music, it later spawned Big Band music popular until the end of World War II, and urban jazz, still popular in the US as well as in other countries. To hear the original Dixieland jazz one has only to book a hotel room in the Vieux Carre district of New Orleans anytime of the year. The French and Spanish architecture and laidback lifestyle there is the perfect place to enjoy the upbeat but relaxing sounds of Dixieland jazz. Devotees of jazz pack Preservation Hall, Dixieland Hall, and the night clubs along Bourbon Street to hear their favorite songs. The New Orleans Jazz Club stages many jazz events, as does the city government, such as the International Jazz and Heritage Festival. If you can visit New Orleans only once in your life, though, save it for the world-famous MardiGras. You can then enjoy the best of New Orleans's night life with as many as one million other party revelers! （虽然今天南方爵士乐像古典乐一样是一种刻意保留下来的音乐，但从中却发展出大乐团曲风，这种曲风一直流行至第二次世界大战结束，也演绎出都市爵士乐，至今仍流行于美国及其他国家。如果想要听纯正的南方爵士乐，一年中任何时间，您只要向新奥尔良市福克区的旅馆订房间就可以了。那儿法式和西班牙式的建筑以及优哉的生活方式正式享受南方爵士乐欢乐、轻松的旋律最理想的环境了。爵士乐的爱好者常常挤满了文化保护厅、南方爵士音乐厅以及波本街上的夜总会，以欣赏他们最喜爱的乐曲。新奥尔良爵士乐俱乐部和市政府也经常举办爵士乐演奏会，国际爵士乐和传统文化节就是其中的盛会之一。不过，如果一生中您只有一次造访新奥尔良的机会，建议你不放就选在闻名世界的马蒂歌节吧！（译注：马蒂歌节为新奥尔良地区特有的天主教节庆，为时约一个半月。在这期间新奥尔良地区每日均轮流有花车游行。花车经过时，车上人员会投掷项链、面具、铜币给在两旁观看之路人以增加欢乐的气氛。在节庆的最后一天午夜时分前达到最高潮。午夜后教徒们则必须开始斋戒，禁酒、禁肉甚至禁欲以赎罪。）届时您就可以与多达百万的狂欢者一起分享新奥尔良夜生活的精华了。） The city of New Orleans has so much to offer. Its history, unique cultural blend including world-acalaimed cuisines, and, of course, its musical gift to the world, Dixieland jazz, are reasons enough to place New Orleans high on everyone's "must list" of places to visit. Whether you want to travel to relax or join in spirited partying, New Orleans offers the tourist the best of both worlds. （新奥尔良大有看头。它的历史、独特的文化融合，包括享誉全球的美食，当然也包括它赐给全世界的大礼——南方爵士乐，这些都足以构成让每个人将新奥尔良列为旅游重地的理由，不管你是要闲情逸致的旅游或者是参加派对狂欢，新奥尔良都能满足您的需求。） The Fundamentals of Public SpeakingLesson Twenty-nine The Fundamentals of Public Speaking 演讲的基本要素
What is the most terrifying experience for most people? Is it drowning? Is it falling from a high place to their death? Is it being attacked by wild dogs? Though these experiences would certainly frighten most people, according to a recent poll, most people fear standing on a stage in front of a group of people to deliver a speech more than anything else, including the above life-threathening scenarios! What is going on here? Why is public speaking so menacing to most people?
（对大多数人来说，什么是可怕的经验呢？是溺水吗？还是从高出掉下来摔死呢？或者是被野狗攻击呢？虽然这些经验的确吓着很多人，然而，根据最近的一项调查指出,大多数人最还怕的一件事莫过于站在台上面对大众发表演说，害怕的程度甚至比上述要人命的情节还要高。到底是怎么一回事呢？为什么演讲会这么的令人害怕呢？） Coaches of public speaking are fond of noting that public speaking "is an unnatural act." This is a tongue-in-cheek definition. Though people usually think of kinky sex as an "unnatural act" public speaking is in one important way unnatural. Human communication is inseparable from the human condition; that is, we actually spend more time in communicating with others (including listening to prerecorded spoken information) than we do anything else except breathing. There is, in other words, nothing unnatural in communicating. Standing on a stage in front of a group of people to deliver a speech, however, is certainly unnatural. In no other situation do so many humans have to keep quiet, watch the speaker attentively, and keep their minds on the message without an opportunity to respond. In no other situation can one speaker command the silence of an entire group of people. The responsibility on both sides is taxing; hence, the very act of speaking in public breaks the natural rules of human discourse and is thus unnatural. （教授演讲术的人喜欢把演讲说成“是一种不自然的行为”。这种定义有嘲讽的意味。虽然大家通常会把怪异的性行为才当作是“不自然的行为”，但严格地来说，演讲也是不自然的。人际沟通于人类的生活情况是密不可分的；也就是说，除了呼吸之外，我们花在与他人沟通的时间（包括收听事先录好的讯息）实际上比花在任何事情上的时间斗多。换言之，沟通根本就是一件很自然的事。不过，站在台上面对一群人作演讲确实是一件很不自然的事。只有在演讲的场合，才有那么多人得静下来全神贯注地看着演讲人，专心聆听演讲内容，而且还没有机会发问。也只有在这样的场合，演讲人才能控制整个听众的肃静气氛。演讲人与听众双方的责任蛮艰巨的。因此，在公众前演讲这个行为已经违反了人际交谈的自然法则，因而不是自然的行为。） The result of this unnatural act is to make both the speaker and the audience somewhat nervous in their new roles as dominant speaker and submissive audience. Most people do not understand the mechanics of crowd control or public speaking and are terrified by even the notion of appearing alone in front of what many perceive as a hostile group of people. Actually, the audience should be pitied, not the speaker. Who wants to sit through a long, boring speech? Who wants to sit and have to listen, whthout the chance to respond to the speaker? Accomplished public speakers learn to accept that tension between the audience and the stage and work with it. These savvy speakers have some tips for novice speakers. （这种不自然的行为结果使得演讲者和听众皆对于他们的新角色——即演讲人处于强势，而听众则很顺从——变得有些紧张起来。大部分的人都不懂得如何掌握群众和演说的技巧，因此一想到要单独站在这群他们认为具有敌意的群众面前，便感到害怕。事实上，该收到同情的是观众而不是演讲人。谁愿意从头到尾坐着听冗长又无聊的演讲呢？谁又愿意必须坐着听讲却没有机会向演讲人发问呢？经验唠叨的演讲人就会学习去接受与听众之间的紧张关系，进而寻求因应之道。这些演讲老手有一些秘诀可供新手参考。） An obvious suggestion is to be well prepared. Though it is not a good idea towrite out a speech and memorize it (this is a recitation, not a speech), preparing an outline of the main ideas of the topic in logical order is. Further, practicing the speech out loud will help the speaker identify the strong and weak parts of the speech. （众人皆知的一个建议就是准备要充分。虽然把全部的演讲内容写下来并背下来不是一个好方法（这时背书，而非演讲），但是按逻辑顺序写下演讲大纲却不失为一个好点子。再者，大声演练讲稿也可以帮助演讲人知道演讲内容的强弱之处。） Another good idea is to face the audience. The audience, after all, is the object of the endeavor. By noting their expressions, a speaker can often monitor whether he is speaking loudly enough, too quickly or slowly, at too difficult a level, etc. "Sweeping" the audience with one's attention ---looking at all sections of the audience at one time or another and regularly---helps the audience keep its attention focused on the speaker. （另一个好主意就是要面对听众。毕竟，听众是你得努力面对的对象。即由观察听众的表情，演讲人就可以知道他的音量是否够大，说得太快还是太慢，程度是否过难等。用心扫描听众——不是并经常看着角落的听众——可以帮助听众把注意力集中在演讲人身上。） The most important of these suggestions, however, is simply to be sincere. The 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, said, "You can fool some of the people all of the time. You can fool all of the people some of hte time. But you can't fool all of the people all of the time." These profound words are applicable to speakers in public. Since the audience is observing and listening to the speaker closely, it is virtually impossible for a speaker to fake sounding confident if he is not, nor is it possible for the speaker to convince an audience of his conviction if he himself is not convinced. （不过最重要的建议就是要诚恳。美国第十六任总统林肯曾说：“你可以永远欺骗某些人，你也可以欺骗所有人于一时，但是你却无法永远欺骗所有人。”这些意义深奥的话也适于在公众面前演讲的人。由于听众会仔细观察演讲者并聆听他的演讲，所以如果演讲人若不够自信，要装成有自信的样子几乎是不可能的。同样地，如果演说者对自己的论点都无法信服，也就不可能让听众信服了。） Following the simple tips listed above will improve a speaker's performance in public. Like any other skill or art, the more one practices, the better he is likely to become. Public speaking is not only for speech contests; all professionals must present themselves in public sooner or later. Rather than shirking the opportunity to speak, seize it and make the most of it the next time fortune knocks. （遵守上述简单的建议将可以改善演讲者在大众面前的表现。就想学习其他的技术和艺术一样，一个人越勤练就越棒。演讲不光是为了演讲比赛而已，各行各业的人迟早都得面对大众。与其逃避演讲的机会，倒不如在下次幸运之神降临身上时，抓住机会好好发挥一下吧。） October 14 Tips on English Body LanguageLesson Twenty-eight Tips on English Body Language 使用英语肢体语言要诀
Mr. Garcia, a businessman from Madrid, Spain, is speaking English to one of his customers, Mr. Patton, from Vancouver, Canada. As they speak, a bystander notices that as Mr. Garcia slowly steps closer to Mr. Patton, the latter slowly steps away. This slow dance continues throughout the conversation until Mr. Patton is literally against the wall. He now crosses his arms in front of him. Mr. Patton appears nervous and a little annoyed; Mr. Garcia, aware of this, thinks he is not explaining himself well enough in English, even though Mr. Patton fully understands him. Thinking the business deal has gone sour, Mr.Garcia excuses himself and leaves.
（嘉西亚先生是来自西班牙马德里的一位生意人，他正以英语和一位来自加拿大温哥华的客户派顿先生交谈。当他们交谈时，一位旁观者注意到当嘉西亚先生慢慢向派顿先生靠近时，派顿先生就慢慢往后退。整个对话过程就像在跳慢舞似的一进一退，直到派顿先生几乎要靠到墙壁了。这时候他把双手臂交叉在胸前。派顿先生显得紧张并有些恼怒。嘉西亚先生注意到这个现象，以为他的英语表达能力不够好，但其实派顿先生完全了解他所说的话。嘉西亚先生认为这笔交易已经告吹，于是便找个借口离开了。） What is going on here? If Mr. Garcia or any other non-native English speaking businessman, student, immigrant, or tourist had been aware of English body language, this unfortunate incident could have been avoided. Among English speakers, personal space is very important; indeed, personal space is important in all languages, but the distance considered critical to trigger discomfort differs.Spanish speakers tolerate a much closer speaking distance, a distance of some 30 centimeters, which is about half that which English speakers prefer. Thus, a Spanish Speaker will instinctively move in closer to talk with an English speaker, who instinctively moves away, closer to his preferred speaking distance. （这到底是怎么一回事？加入嘉西亚先生或任何一位非英语系国家的生意人、学生、移民或观光客曾经留意过英语肢体语言的话，上述的不幸事件就可以避免。个人空间对英语系人士而言非常重要；的确，个人空间对所有语言而言都很重要，但是被视为事关交谈时舒适与否的距离在各种语言中均有差异。西班牙语系人士与人所保持的距离比较近，大约为30厘米，这样的距离是英语系人士所能接受距离的二分之一。因此，西班牙语系的人士在和英语系人士交谈时，会很自然地靠近对方，而后者会很自然地因为想保持他喜欢的交谈距离而后退。） Body language is one kind of nonverbal communication, such as winking (to indicate "I'm kidding" or a sexual advance), or arms held akimbo (in some cultures, merely resting; in others, a threatening or defiant stance). This communication can, on occasion, be even more important than the actual words spoken. （肢体语言是一种非言辞的沟通方式，例如眨眼（以表示“只是在开玩笑”或者有性方面的暗示）或两手叉腰（在某些文化里，它纯粹表示放松；而在某些文化里，它是一种威胁或挑衅的姿势）。这种沟通方式有时甚至比实际语言的沟通来得重要。） Take winking for example. In most cases, English speakers will wink (the closing of only one eye) at each other to show that they are not serious about what they are saying. They may also cross their middle finger over their index finger to indicate the same thing. These gestures are extremely important as they virtually negate what the speaker says. （就拿眨眼来说，在大部分的情况下，英语系人士彼此眨眼（只闭一只眼）表示对正在交谈的内容不是很认真。他们也可能以中指交叉于食指之上的方式传达同样的意思。这些肢体动作极其重要，因为它们几乎否定掉说话者所说的话。） Another example is eye contact. In many American Indian and East Asian cultures, respect is shown by not looking directly into the eyes of a person considered of a higher social class than oneself. For Western Europeans, the opposite is true. For them, anything less than full eye contact is considered disrespectful or even devious. Problems have arisen when Chinese or Korean school children enter American or European schools. Western teachers assume that these children are "up to something" or that they are showing disrespect, when, in actuality, they are behaving correctly for their own culture. One Chinese child was denied entry into a gifted students' school because he was considered "lacking leadership qualities" despite his overall excellence in his academic and interpersonal relations. When it was pointed out that Chinese children are taught not to be aggressive (show leadership qualities) the school reconsidered and admitted the lad. （另一个例子是眼睛的接触。在许多美洲印地安文化与东南亚文化里，不直视社会地位高于自己的人表示尊敬对方。对于西欧人士而言则恰好相反。对于他们来说，如果不正视对方就会被视为不敬，甚至是不够坦诚。中国学童或是韩国学童进入美国或欧洲学校就读时，就曾经发生过问题。西方教师以为，这些孩童“在搞什么鬼”，或者他们对老师不屑一顾，殊不知这些孩童是以自己的文化来表示对老师的尊敬。曾经有一位中国小孩被拒绝进入一所资优生学校就读，理由是该学童“缺乏领导才能”，尽管他学业成绩优异并且人际关系良好。后来经指出中国小孩被教导不可以太出风头（展现领导才能），校方才重新考虑同意该童入学。） Sometimes gestures used in different languages have contrary meanings. This can produce a humorous effect. In Vietnam and China, the gesture for "come here " is quite similar to that of waving "good bye" in English. Thus, when speakers of these two cultures are leaving each other, if the English speaker gestures "good bye", the Far Eastern speaker may misinterpret the signal as meaning, "come back here." （有些动作出现在不同的语系里便有完全相反的意义。这时候会产生很有趣的效果。在越南和中国，“过来”的手势与英语系人士表示“再见”的手势很类似。因此，当这两种文化的人彼此要道别时，万一英语系人士以手势表示“再见”，那位远东人士很可能误解这个手势为“过来”之意。） Learning body gestures in rather difficult from textbooks. The best way to learn gestures---for any language or culture--is to stay a while in a foreign country to learn not only what people say but how they say it. For most people, the learning of body language is an exciting and charming aspect of learning a foreign language. （从教科书上是很那学习到肢体语言的。最佳的学习方法是，不论学习任何一种语言或文化，最好是到当地呆一段时间，而且不只学习“说”该语言，更要知道他们是“如何表达”的。对大多数人而言，学习肢体语言是外语学习中令人感到刺激且充满吸引力的部分。） The Global Proliferation of EnglishLesson Twenty-seven The Global Proliferation of English 英语的疆域扩张
Everyone knows that there are more speakers of Mandarin than any other language in teh world. Just over one billion people speak Mandarin as their native tongue. Compared to the naerly four hundred million native speakers of English, there would appear to be "no contest". Yet, it is just as well-known that English, not Mandarin, is the international language. Given these statistics, how can this be? Looking more closely at these and other facts reveals how English has become the world's most widespread language. （每个人都知道，全世界说华语的人口比任何其他语言的人口要来得多。大约有10亿以上的人口以华语为母语。相比之下，以英语为母语的人口只近4亿，显然是“是没得比”。然而，众所周知，英语采食国际性的语言而非华语。看着这些统计数据，不禁要问为什么会这样？仔细看看这些统计数字和其他事实，便透露出英语是如何变成世界上最广泛使用的语言。） The history of written Chinese goes back at least 4000 years, that of English little more than 1000 years. The language called English is actually a hybrid of Scaninavian and German tongues created by immigrants to England in the 5th century. A.D. Over the next 500 years, English developed into several major dialects spoken principally on most of the island of England. With continuous invasions by more Scandinavians and the French over the next few centuries, the English language received a fresh stimulus of foreign words, including Latin and Greek, the preferred classical alanguages in educational and political circles at that time in Europe. English as a principal language of literature did not evolve until the 14th century (Chaucer). By the 16th century, English was in full bloom, both in literature as well as in science. （中国书写文字的历史至少可回溯到4000年前，而英语的文字历史只有1000多年。英语其实是北欧语和德语的混合，由公元5世纪迁移至英国的移民所创。之后的500年间，英语发展成英格兰岛上绝大地区所说的数种主要方言。接下来的几个世纪，由于更多的北欧人及法国人不断入侵，英语接受了更多的新奇外来语的刺激，其中包括当时在欧洲的教育及政治圈人士所偏爱的古典语言——拉丁语和希腊语。英语一直到14世纪（英国大诗人乔叟）时发展成为文学上的主要语言。到了16世纪时，英语在文学和科学上的使用均达到了巅峰。） England, referred to as Great Britain by this time, was amassing political, economic, and military power at breath-taking speed. The Industrial Revolution of the next century required foreign resources; imperialism gave the go-ahead for Britain and other European powers to not only take what they wanted from foreign lands but to lay conquest to those lands as well. Additionally, the rapid social changes engengered by the change from agriculture to manufacturing meant a surplus of farm workers, resulting in a waiting army of the dispossessed to emigrate to Britain's newfound colonies. In the 17th and 18th centuries, millions of Englishmen left their mother country for North America. In the 18th century, hundreds of thousands more set sail for Australia and New Zealand, as well as South Aisa (the British Raj) and Africa (primarily South Africa). At the height of the British Empire, one-fourth of the world's people and lands were living under the Union Jack. Thus, by the close of the 19th century Englsih rule had extended to the six principal continents (including British Guyana in South America). （当时被称为大不列颠的英格兰正以惊人的速度积聚政治、经济和军事力量。由于下一个世纪发生的工业革命需要外国的资源，再加上帝国主义兴盛，使得英国与其他欧洲国家的势力不断对外扩张，不仅竭尽所能地搜刮外国资源，更进一步征服了这些地方。除此之外，由于农业社会快速变迁至工业社会所造成的剩余农业劳动力，导致一群被迫失去一切的农民往外移民，在不列颠王国新建立的各个殖民地上生根。在17～18世纪时，有好几百万的英国人离开祖国移民至北美洲。18世纪时，成千上万的英国人扬帆至澳洲和新西兰，甚至远达南亚（英属拉吉）和非洲（主要在南非）。在不列颠王国全盛时期，全球有四分之一的人口与土地是在英国的控制之下。大约19世纪末时，英国的势力遍及全球主要的6大洲（包括位于南美洲的英属圭亚那）。） This first-ever domination of the blobe by one language is the primary reason for the international use of English today. A second reason lies in the rise of the United States of America as a leading world power just as Britain's power began to fade. At the close of the 19th century, the US fought with Spain (in 1898). After the US victory, Spain ceded the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico, resulting in the further introduction of English into Asia and the Caribbean. After US involvement in both World Wars, despite Britain's continued decline, English became more commonly used around the world, especially in continental Europe and Japan. Since 1950, the rapidly growing US economy as well as its academic and scientific excellence has insured that English remains the language of commerce and intellectual intercouse. The world of entertainment, most notably Hollywood, has also contributed to the popularization of English. （这种空前第一次由单一语言统治全球的情况便是今日英语为何会成为国际语言的主因。第二个原因在于英国势力渐微而美国崛起称为最重要的世界强国。19世纪末叶，美西交战（公元1898年）。美国胜利之后，西班牙放弃菲律宾、关岛以及波多黎各地，尽管不列颠王国持续没落，英语在全世界却被更广泛地使用，特别是在欧洲与日本。自1950年以来，美国的经济快速增长，而且在学术以及科学方面的也表现优异，因此更确保英语继续成为商业与知识上意见交换的主要语言。而像世界知名的娱乐王国好莱坞等娱乐圈对于英语的普及也功不可没。） It is estimated that at least 300 million people around the world are now studying or using English as a second language, for purposes of education, employment, or personal interest. Some 75% of all international communications are in English, and with the rise of the Internet, it is doubtful that this figure will decrease any time soon. At the dawn of the new millennium, the world has one international language, English. (据估计，全球至少有3亿人口喂了教育、工作或个人兴趣等目的正在学习或使用英语成为第二语言。大约有75％左右的国际性交流以英语进行，而且随着互联网的兴起，这个数字恐怕短时间内不会降低的。在新的千年开始之初，这个世界通用一种国际语言是英语。) Berries: Nature's Natural DessertsLesson Twenty-six Berries: Nature's Natural Desserts 浆果--大自然的天然点心
The last child has left the house for school. The table is clean and neatly set, and the coffee is brewing. The cool orange juice stands like a sentry over the tableware. Mother sits down, pours cereal into a bowl, and sprinkles it lightly with sugar. She is then ready for the final masterpiece. She carefully spoons precut ruby red strawberries onto the mound of golden corn flakes. Pouring ivory-white mild over the concoction, Mother smiles to herself. An attractive, nutritious breakfast fit for a queen. （最后一个孩子也上学去了。餐桌已收拾干净且摆放整齐，咖啡正煮着，而柳橙汁好像站岗似的守卫着餐具。母亲坐下来倒了些早餐脆片在碗中，然后稍微撒了些糖。这时她已准备好要完成她的杰作。她小心地舀了些已切好如红宝石般的草莓，放在金黄的玉米脆片堆上，再浇上象牙白的牛奶以后，母亲自顾地笑了。好一份适合女王享用而诱人的营养早餐。） Most people around the world are now familiar with and can enjoy strawberries, but few are familiar with other more exotic berries, such as the goose-berry, blackberry, and raspberry. Indeed, even fewer people realize what the word berry technically refers to. The berry of the botanist and the berry of the public are often two quite different fruits. （世界上大多数人现在都熟悉草莓，而且吃得到草莓，但却很少有人知道其他较具异国风味的浆果，例如醋栗、黑莓及覆盆子等。事实上，了解浆果其学理意义的人就更少了。植物学家所指的浆果和一般大众口中的浆果通常是两种颇为不同的果类。） Those whose specialty is plants define a berry as a simple, fleshy fruit with a thin wall and many seeds. Under this classification are several surprises. One would expect that cranberries are berries, of course, but less obvious members of this class are dates, grapes, tomatoes, and even potatoes, bananas, and asparagus! Indeed, according to botanists, some popular "berries" are not true berries at all. Experts in plant life consider the blueberry an "inferior berry" and the strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry and "aggregate fleshy fruit". However, no matter how scientists call them, most people think of berries as small, round, sweet, and delicious fruits. （专门研究植物的人将浆果定义为皮薄多籽而果肉丰富的单一果类。以此分类会产生一些令人料想不到的事。任何人都理所当然会认为曼越橘是浆果类，但在上述定义中较不明显的同类还包含了枣子、葡萄、番茄，甚至还有马铃薯、香蕉及芦荟！一点儿也没错，根据植物学家的看法，部分常见的“浆果”根本名实不符。这些植物专家视蓝莓为“较低等的浆果”，而草莓、覆盆子及黑莓则为“聚集多果肉的果类”。然而不论科学家如何称呼，大多数人仍认定浆果就是小小圆圆又甜甜的美味水果。） Berries such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries prefer cool and moist growing conditions. Though they rarely thrive in tropical conditions, they can be grown on the sides of taller hills and mountains there. Several species of wildlife forage for berries, the largest of these being the bear. Some smaller mammals and birds, too, enjoy berries, not to mention people. Wild berries are noticeably smaller than their domesticated cousins, but many people prefer the full, rich taste of freshly picked forest berries. （像草莓、黑莓、覆盆子及蓝莓之类的浆果都喜好湿冷的生长环境。虽然它们在热带环境中极少长得茂盛，但在热带地方较高的山坡和高山旁还是能够生长。有些种类的野生动物以采食浆果为生，其中以熊的体积最大。有些小型哺乳动物或鸟类亦喜食浆果，更别说人类了。野浆果明显比人工培育的浆果来得小，但许多人还是比较喜欢刚摘下的森林浆果那种浓郁的味道。） Besides being a condiment of breakfast cereals, are there any other uses for berries? Westerners make good use of their local fruits. Jellies, jams, and preserves can be easily made with berries, gelatin, and sugar. These three sweetened foods differ only in the process used to make them. Jellies are made from the juice of a fruit, jams from the thoroughly crushed fruit, and preserves from the partially crushed or cut fruit. They are all equally delicious! （除了作为早餐脆片的佐料以外，浆果还有其他用途吗？西方人很会利用他们当地所产的水果。用浆果、洋菜和糖很容易就制作出果冻、果酱以及蜜饯。这3种甜食唯一的差别仅在于制造过程。果冻是由水果榨汁而成，果酱来自于完全压碎的水果，而蜜饯则以半压碎或切过的水果制成。3种都一样好吃极了！） Berries are also used in baked goods. Pies and tarts often contain berries as do many other pastries. These small fruits are also added into cakes and even breads, especially after drying. In addition, the concentrated juice of berries can be used to make cool summer drinks. Concentrated further, various syrups can be added to foods as diverse as pancakes and ice cream. As flavorings, they are often added to candies and chocolates. In Western cuisine, life would be less sweet and interesting without the humble berry. （浆果亦用于烘烤食品中。派和馅饼常以浆果为陷，而许多糕饼类亦然。这些小果实也常被加在蛋糕或甚至面包中，尤其是在风干以后。此外，浓缩的浆果果汁亦可调制出夏日冷饮圣品。若再进一步浓缩便可制成各种糖浆，从薄煎饼到冰其淋都可添加使用。作为调味品，则可加载糖果或巧克力中。在西方的烹调料理中，若没有这谦卑的浆果，生活便不会那么甜美有趣了。） For some people, though, berries are best eaten fresh. They say that after washing and refrigerating, simply place a generous portion of berries into a cereal bowl, add chilled milk, and top with sugar. Enjoy! As the season for berries is usually in the summer and fall, this snack or dessert really hits the spot. For those who do not live where berries grow naturally and plentifully, these natural dessert fruits can be enjoyed while visiting those area lucky enough to have them. （不过对有些人而言，浆果还是新鲜的最好吃。他们说在清洗、冰镇后，将一大把浆果放入早餐脆片的碗中，加入冰牛奶，再撒上糖，那真是好吃的不得了！由于浆果通常生长于夏秋两季，而这样的点心和甜点在这两个季节里真是再恰当不过了！对那些不住在浆果盛产地的人来说，当他们摆放这些幸运拥有他们的地方时，还是可以享用这些天然的水果点心。） |
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