New name for lottery ticket sparks concern in Maine
樂透彩券的新名稱在緬因州引發關切
2013-05-03◎張沛元
Convenience-store owners in Maine are concerned that the state lottery wants to rebrand its scratch-off lottery tickets as "Kwikies."
（美國）緬因州的便利商店老闆擔心，該州的樂透當局要把刮刮樂彩券更名為「快速（性愛）」。
"That’s going to be real uncomfortable for my girls behind the register to have guys come in and say, ’Hey, give me a Kwikie,’" David Welch, owner of Village Market in Fairfield, Me., told the Bangor Daily News after receiving a letter from the Maine State Lottery informing him of the plan.
「大男人們進來說，『欸，給我來個快速（性愛）』，這真的會讓收銀機後面的女員工很不舒服，」緬因州費爾菲爾德「村莊超市」老闆大衛．威爾許，在接獲緬因州樂透當局通知他此一更名計畫的信件後，如此告訴「班戈每日新聞報」。
"It’s highly inappropriate," Kaylee Constable, one of Welch’s employees, added. "[Customers] come in and joke around with me and say, ’Can I get a Kwikie?’ I’m only 19 years old, and I have 40- and 50-year-old men saying sexual remarks to me."
「這真的很不妥當，」威爾許的員工之一凱莉．康絲特堡補充道。「（客人）進來對我開玩笑說，『我可以來個快速（性愛）嗎？』我只有19歲，卻有40、50歲的男人對我說出這種帶有性意味的話。」
The newspaper provided some helpful context： "In slang terms, a quickie is a short sexual encounter."
該報提供若干有用的背景說明：「在俚語中，quickie（譯註：quickie與Kwikie同音）意指快速性交。」
But state lottery officials say the origin of the new name has nothing to do with sex.
但該州樂透當局官員說，新名稱的來源與性毫無關係。
"The benefit of buying this ticket is that it’s quick, easy and fun," Gerry Reid, director of the Maine Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations, told the paper.
「買這種彩券的好處是又快、又簡單、又有趣，」緬因州酒精、飲料與樂透作業局主任蓋瑞．里德告訴該報。
新聞辭典
inappropriate：形容詞，不適當、不妥。
joke around：慣用語，開玩笑、打鬧。例句：She’s always joking around in the meeting.（她總是在會議上開玩笑。）
nothing to do with：慣用語，毫無關係。例句：This is your problem and it has nothing to do with me.（這是你的問題，跟我無關。）
2014年9月29日 星期一
Study shows Shakespeare as ruthless businessman 研究顯示，莎士比亞是冷酷商人
Study shows Shakespeare as ruthless businessman
研究顯示，莎士比亞是冷酷商人
2013-04-10◎魏國金
New research depicts William Shakespeare as a grain hoarder, moneylender and tax dodger who became a wealthy businessman during a time of famine.
新的研究將威廉．莎士比亞描繪成一名穀糧囤積者、放債者與逃稅者，他在飢荒時代成為富商。
Academics from Aberystwyth University in Wales combed through historical archives to uncover details of the playwright’s parallel life as a merchant and property owner whose practices sometimes brought him into conflict with the law.
來自威爾斯阿伯瑞特威斯大學的學者徹底搜尋歷史檔案，以揭露這位劇作家也是行事手段有時觸法的商人與地主的平行生活細節。
He was pursued by authorities for tax evasion, and in 1598 he was prosecuted for hoarding grain during a time of shortage.
他因逃稅而遭當局追緝，並在1598年因糧食短缺時期囤積穀糧而被起訴。
The academics argue that we can’t fully understand Shakespeare unless we study his business-savvy side and the era of hunger in which he lived.
學者主張，除非我們研究莎士比亞的生意頭腦這一面，以及他生存的飢荒年代，否則我們無法全然了解他。
Researcher Jayne Archer said Sunday that those aspects are overlooked because many people "cannot countenance the idea of a creative genius also being motivated by self-interest."
（AP）
研究員潔恩．阿契爾週日指出，那些方面皆被忽略，因為許多人「無法贊同創意天才也會被私利驅使的觀點。」（美聯社）
新聞辭典
comb through︰慣用語，徹底、仔細地搜尋。例句︰Police combed through the house, looking for the criminal evidence.（警方仔細搜查這間房子，以尋找犯罪證據。）
savvy︰在此為形容詞，指知識淵博的、有經驗的。例如，tech-savvy（精通科技的）。
countenance︰動詞，贊同、支持、鼓勵。例句︰I don’t countenance corporal punishment.（我不贊成體罰。）
研究顯示，莎士比亞是冷酷商人
2013-04-10◎魏國金
New research depicts William Shakespeare as a grain hoarder, moneylender and tax dodger who became a wealthy businessman during a time of famine.
新的研究將威廉．莎士比亞描繪成一名穀糧囤積者、放債者與逃稅者，他在飢荒時代成為富商。
Academics from Aberystwyth University in Wales combed through historical archives to uncover details of the playwright’s parallel life as a merchant and property owner whose practices sometimes brought him into conflict with the law.
來自威爾斯阿伯瑞特威斯大學的學者徹底搜尋歷史檔案，以揭露這位劇作家也是行事手段有時觸法的商人與地主的平行生活細節。
He was pursued by authorities for tax evasion, and in 1598 he was prosecuted for hoarding grain during a time of shortage.
他因逃稅而遭當局追緝，並在1598年因糧食短缺時期囤積穀糧而被起訴。
The academics argue that we can’t fully understand Shakespeare unless we study his business-savvy side and the era of hunger in which he lived.
學者主張，除非我們研究莎士比亞的生意頭腦這一面，以及他生存的飢荒年代，否則我們無法全然了解他。
Researcher Jayne Archer said Sunday that those aspects are overlooked because many people "cannot countenance the idea of a creative genius also being motivated by self-interest."
（AP）
研究員潔恩．阿契爾週日指出，那些方面皆被忽略，因為許多人「無法贊同創意天才也會被私利驅使的觀點。」（美聯社）
新聞辭典
comb through︰慣用語，徹底、仔細地搜尋。例句︰Police combed through the house, looking for the criminal evidence.（警方仔細搜查這間房子，以尋找犯罪證據。）
savvy︰在此為形容詞，指知識淵博的、有經驗的。例如，tech-savvy（精通科技的）。
countenance︰動詞，贊同、支持、鼓勵。例句︰I don’t countenance corporal punishment.（我不贊成體罰。）
German flea circus hit by freeze 德國跳蚤馬戲團遭酷寒襲擊
German flea circus hit by freeze
德國跳蚤馬戲團遭酷寒襲擊
2013-05-13◎管淑平
Tragedy had struck a German flea circus. All of the circus’s 300 members was wiped out by the freezing weather – unfortunately on April Fools’ Day.
一個德國跳蚤馬戲團遭逢悲劇。這個馬戲團的300名團員全都死於天寒地凍的天氣，而且很不幸地是發生在愚人節那天。
It was the first time the cold had killed a whole troupe in one go.
這是首次發生酷寒一口氣殺死一整團團員。
Circus director Robert Birk had described discovering the insects dead inside their transportation box as a ‘very difficult moment’.
團長羅伯特．柏克描述發現這些蟲子死在牠們的運輸盒「非常難受」。
"It’s hard to know when minus temperatures will be fatal for them," he said, "but the show must go on."
「很難知道對牠們而言，零下的氣溫什麼時候會是致命的」，他向BBC表示，「但是演出必須照樣進行」。
A university insect expert, Professor Heinz Mehlhorn, managed to provide 60 replacement fleas in time for a performance at an open-air fair.
一所大學的昆蟲專家漢因茲．梅洪恩教授設法及時提供60隻替代跳蚤，用於一場露天演出。
Training began immediately for the new recruits. "I worked solidly for two days," Mr Birk told the Online Focus website, noting that the replacement team lacked a little pizzazz.
新團員的訓練工作隨即展開。「我整整工作了2天」，柏克先生向「焦點線上」網站說，並表示替補團隊缺少了點活力。
Some people had suggested the alleged deaths could be an elaborate April Fools’ Day joke but fair organiser Michael Faber is adamant this is not the case.
有些人認為，這起據稱的跳蚤死亡可能是精心設計的愚人節玩笑，但展覽會主辦人米歇爾．法柏堅稱並非如此。
He added： "This is no April Fool’s. We saved the situation, otherwise there would have been no performance."
他還說，「這不是愚人節笑話。我們挽救了局面，否則就有可能沒戲唱了。」
新聞辭典：
wipe out：動詞片語，徹底剷除、殲滅、消除，清除。
in one go：副詞，一口氣、一氣呵成。
例句：We have wiped out all the enemy troops in one go.（我們一舉殲滅所有敵軍。）
solidly：副詞，牢靠地、扎實地，整整地。例句：The principal lectured solidly for 30 minutes.（校長足足訓話30分鐘。）
德國跳蚤馬戲團遭酷寒襲擊
2013-05-13◎管淑平
Tragedy had struck a German flea circus. All of the circus’s 300 members was wiped out by the freezing weather – unfortunately on April Fools’ Day.
一個德國跳蚤馬戲團遭逢悲劇。這個馬戲團的300名團員全都死於天寒地凍的天氣，而且很不幸地是發生在愚人節那天。
It was the first time the cold had killed a whole troupe in one go.
這是首次發生酷寒一口氣殺死一整團團員。
Circus director Robert Birk had described discovering the insects dead inside their transportation box as a ‘very difficult moment’.
團長羅伯特．柏克描述發現這些蟲子死在牠們的運輸盒「非常難受」。
"It’s hard to know when minus temperatures will be fatal for them," he said, "but the show must go on."
「很難知道對牠們而言，零下的氣溫什麼時候會是致命的」，他向BBC表示，「但是演出必須照樣進行」。
A university insect expert, Professor Heinz Mehlhorn, managed to provide 60 replacement fleas in time for a performance at an open-air fair.
一所大學的昆蟲專家漢因茲．梅洪恩教授設法及時提供60隻替代跳蚤，用於一場露天演出。
Training began immediately for the new recruits. "I worked solidly for two days," Mr Birk told the Online Focus website, noting that the replacement team lacked a little pizzazz.
新團員的訓練工作隨即展開。「我整整工作了2天」，柏克先生向「焦點線上」網站說，並表示替補團隊缺少了點活力。
Some people had suggested the alleged deaths could be an elaborate April Fools’ Day joke but fair organiser Michael Faber is adamant this is not the case.
有些人認為，這起據稱的跳蚤死亡可能是精心設計的愚人節玩笑，但展覽會主辦人米歇爾．法柏堅稱並非如此。
He added： "This is no April Fool’s. We saved the situation, otherwise there would have been no performance."
他還說，「這不是愚人節笑話。我們挽救了局面，否則就有可能沒戲唱了。」
新聞辭典：
wipe out：動詞片語，徹底剷除、殲滅、消除，清除。
in one go：副詞，一口氣、一氣呵成。
例句：We have wiped out all the enemy troops in one go.（我們一舉殲滅所有敵軍。）
solidly：副詞，牢靠地、扎實地，整整地。例句：The principal lectured solidly for 30 minutes.（校長足足訓話30分鐘。）
9-year-old boy helps woman give CPR to baby 9歲男童協助一名婦女對寶寶施行心肺復甦術
9-year-old boy helps woman give CPR to baby
9歲男童協助一名婦女對寶寶施行心肺復甦術
2013-04-03◎魏國金
A 9-year-old boy and his 10-year-old friend are being hailed as heroes after helping a woman whose baby stopped breathing. One boy gave instructions on how to CPR while the other boy waited for an ambulance.
一名9歲男童與他10歲的友人，在幫助一位愛兒停止呼吸的婦女後，被讚揚為英雄。當中一名男童在指示如何施行心肺復甦術同時，另一男孩則等候救護車。
Susanna Rohm said that she was holding her 2-month-old son Isaiah in her lap when she realized something was wrong. "I noticed he looked pale and so I looked at his arm and his leg and they were limp," said Rohm. "Then I noticed that he looked like he wasn’t alive."
蘇珊娜．羅姆說，當她將2個月大的兒子以賽亞抱在腿上時，意會到某事不對勁。「我注意到他看起來蒼白，所以我看著他的手臂與腿，結果四肢軟趴趴，」羅姆說。「接著我注意到他看似毫無生氣。」
She jumped up and lost her cellphone in the commotion. There wasn’t a landline in the house, so she stepped outside to get help.
她跳起來，慌亂中遺失了手機，而房子裡沒有室內電話，所以她走到戶外求援。
"I had him in my arms and still screaming over and over. Then I ran outside. I saw two boys playing across the street and I yelled, ’go ask your parents to call 911,’" said Susanna.
「我手上抱著寶寶，不斷尖叫，然後我跑到外面，看到兩個孩子在對街玩耍，我高吼，『回家叫父母打911，』」蘇珊娜說。
Ethan Wilson and Rocky Hurt were tossing a football in a front yard. "I was thinking we better go out there to help and actually call 911 instead of getting scared," said Wilson.
伊森．威爾森與洛基．赫特正在前院玩足球。「我想我們最好到那兒幫忙，真的撥打911，而非只是嚇得要死，」威爾森說。
Rocky then ran over to help. "He came in and I had my hand on my baby’s chest just screaming and the little boys said, ’put two fingers on his chest,’" said Susanna. "He said, ‘press down five times,’ so I did five compressions, and then he said, ‘breathe in his mouth.’"
接著洛基跑去幫忙。「他進門，我的手放在寶寶胸前只是尖叫，小男孩說，『將兩指放在他的胸部，』」蘇珊娜表示。「他說，『下壓5次，』所以我做了5次壓擠，接著他說，『在他嘴巴吹氣。』」
After a few minutes little Isaiah belted out a loud cry. An ambulance arrived moments later.
幾分鐘後，小以賽亞使勁大哭，沒多久一輛救護車抵達。
新聞辭典
commotion︰名詞，混亂、喧鬧、騷動。例句︰They were awakened by the commotion in the street.（他們被街上的喧鬧聲吵醒。）
over and over（again）︰副詞，一再地、再三地。例句︰They played the same record over and over.（他們反覆地放同一張唱片。）
belt out︰俚語，起勁地說、演唱或演奏。例如，belt out a song（引吭高歌。）
9歲男童協助一名婦女對寶寶施行心肺復甦術
2013-04-03◎魏國金
A 9-year-old boy and his 10-year-old friend are being hailed as heroes after helping a woman whose baby stopped breathing. One boy gave instructions on how to CPR while the other boy waited for an ambulance.
一名9歲男童與他10歲的友人，在幫助一位愛兒停止呼吸的婦女後，被讚揚為英雄。當中一名男童在指示如何施行心肺復甦術同時，另一男孩則等候救護車。
Susanna Rohm said that she was holding her 2-month-old son Isaiah in her lap when she realized something was wrong. "I noticed he looked pale and so I looked at his arm and his leg and they were limp," said Rohm. "Then I noticed that he looked like he wasn’t alive."
蘇珊娜．羅姆說，當她將2個月大的兒子以賽亞抱在腿上時，意會到某事不對勁。「我注意到他看起來蒼白，所以我看著他的手臂與腿，結果四肢軟趴趴，」羅姆說。「接著我注意到他看似毫無生氣。」
She jumped up and lost her cellphone in the commotion. There wasn’t a landline in the house, so she stepped outside to get help.
她跳起來，慌亂中遺失了手機，而房子裡沒有室內電話，所以她走到戶外求援。
"I had him in my arms and still screaming over and over. Then I ran outside. I saw two boys playing across the street and I yelled, ’go ask your parents to call 911,’" said Susanna.
「我手上抱著寶寶，不斷尖叫，然後我跑到外面，看到兩個孩子在對街玩耍，我高吼，『回家叫父母打911，』」蘇珊娜說。
Ethan Wilson and Rocky Hurt were tossing a football in a front yard. "I was thinking we better go out there to help and actually call 911 instead of getting scared," said Wilson.
伊森．威爾森與洛基．赫特正在前院玩足球。「我想我們最好到那兒幫忙，真的撥打911，而非只是嚇得要死，」威爾森說。
Rocky then ran over to help. "He came in and I had my hand on my baby’s chest just screaming and the little boys said, ’put two fingers on his chest,’" said Susanna. "He said, ‘press down five times,’ so I did five compressions, and then he said, ‘breathe in his mouth.’"
接著洛基跑去幫忙。「他進門，我的手放在寶寶胸前只是尖叫，小男孩說，『將兩指放在他的胸部，』」蘇珊娜表示。「他說，『下壓5次，』所以我做了5次壓擠，接著他說，『在他嘴巴吹氣。』」
After a few minutes little Isaiah belted out a loud cry. An ambulance arrived moments later.
幾分鐘後，小以賽亞使勁大哭，沒多久一輛救護車抵達。
新聞辭典
commotion︰名詞，混亂、喧鬧、騷動。例句︰They were awakened by the commotion in the street.（他們被街上的喧鬧聲吵醒。）
over and over（again）︰副詞，一再地、再三地。例句︰They played the same record over and over.（他們反覆地放同一張唱片。）
belt out︰俚語，起勁地說、演唱或演奏。例如，belt out a song（引吭高歌。）
Vicars turn to karaoke because churches struggle to muster a choir and organist for Sunday services 唱詩班缺琴手 英國牧師改用卡拉ＯＫ
Vicars turn to karaoke because churches struggle to muster a choir and organist for Sunday services
唱詩班缺琴手 英國牧師改用卡拉ＯＫ
2013-04-06
Vicars are buying karaoke-like machines to play music during their services to solve the difficulty of finding an organist.
為解決琴手招募不易的問題，英國牧師開始購買卡拉OK等設備，用來在禮拜儀式上演奏。
The ’electronic hymnals’ have a vast repertoire of music and can play anything from traditional Songs Of Praise to a disco version of Amazing Grace.
這套「電子讚美詩集」羅列了眾多音樂演奏目錄，可以播放各種音樂，從傳統的「讚美詩」到迪斯可版的「天賜恩寵」，無一不包。
Church-goers who struggle to remember the words can look up at a big screen displaying the lyrics in time with the music for help - just like real karaoke.
到教堂做禮拜的人，如果記歌詞比較吃力，可以參看大螢幕上與音樂同步播出的歌詞，就像真正的卡拉OK一樣。
The hymnal is controlled from a small screen in the pulpit or lectern and vicars can pre-programme their playlist to match their services.
這本電子詩集是由講壇或誦經台上布置的一個小螢幕控制，牧師可以事先編排好適合在儀式上播放的歌曲列表。
More adventurous parishes can add their own music from their iPods or MP3 Players to the system.
更有進取心的教民還可以將其iPod或MP3播放器中儲存的歌曲加入這一系統中。
It has already proved exceptionally popular with churches around the country that have struggled to find organists.
在全英國各地為尋找琴手不易而煩惱的教會中，這一做法尤其受歡迎。
And Martin Phelps, director of the Surrey based company Hymn Technology, said that the hymnal device is already helping churches to revive flagging congregations.
位於薩里郡的「聖歌技術公司」主管馬丁‧菲爾普斯表示，這一唱詩設備已經幫助許多教堂重振行將沒落的教堂集會。
’Many of them have had the same organist for the last 60 years but when they retire, they have no one waiting in the wings to take their place.’
「過去60年來，這些教會中許多都僱用同一批琴手，不過當他們退休時，卻後繼無人。」
新聞辭典
repertoire：名詞，（劇團、演員、歌手等排好可供演出的）劇碼、曲目；演奏目錄。
congregation ：名詞，集合；（宗教）會眾。The congregation bowed their heads in prayer.（會眾在一起低頭禱告。）
be waiting in the wing：片語，準備就緒。其中wings原義是指「舞台上觀眾看不到的側面」。例句：For if the technocrats fail to do so, the extremists are waiting in the wings. （因為如果這些技術官僚失敗，極端主義者就會迫不及待地登上舞台。）
唱詩班缺琴手 英國牧師改用卡拉ＯＫ
2013-04-06
Vicars are buying karaoke-like machines to play music during their services to solve the difficulty of finding an organist.
為解決琴手招募不易的問題，英國牧師開始購買卡拉OK等設備，用來在禮拜儀式上演奏。
The ’electronic hymnals’ have a vast repertoire of music and can play anything from traditional Songs Of Praise to a disco version of Amazing Grace.
這套「電子讚美詩集」羅列了眾多音樂演奏目錄，可以播放各種音樂，從傳統的「讚美詩」到迪斯可版的「天賜恩寵」，無一不包。
Church-goers who struggle to remember the words can look up at a big screen displaying the lyrics in time with the music for help - just like real karaoke.
到教堂做禮拜的人，如果記歌詞比較吃力，可以參看大螢幕上與音樂同步播出的歌詞，就像真正的卡拉OK一樣。
The hymnal is controlled from a small screen in the pulpit or lectern and vicars can pre-programme their playlist to match their services.
這本電子詩集是由講壇或誦經台上布置的一個小螢幕控制，牧師可以事先編排好適合在儀式上播放的歌曲列表。
More adventurous parishes can add their own music from their iPods or MP3 Players to the system.
更有進取心的教民還可以將其iPod或MP3播放器中儲存的歌曲加入這一系統中。
It has already proved exceptionally popular with churches around the country that have struggled to find organists.
在全英國各地為尋找琴手不易而煩惱的教會中，這一做法尤其受歡迎。
And Martin Phelps, director of the Surrey based company Hymn Technology, said that the hymnal device is already helping churches to revive flagging congregations.
位於薩里郡的「聖歌技術公司」主管馬丁‧菲爾普斯表示，這一唱詩設備已經幫助許多教堂重振行將沒落的教堂集會。
’Many of them have had the same organist for the last 60 years but when they retire, they have no one waiting in the wings to take their place.’
「過去60年來，這些教會中許多都僱用同一批琴手，不過當他們退休時，卻後繼無人。」
新聞辭典
repertoire：名詞，（劇團、演員、歌手等排好可供演出的）劇碼、曲目；演奏目錄。
congregation ：名詞，集合；（宗教）會眾。The congregation bowed their heads in prayer.（會眾在一起低頭禱告。）
be waiting in the wing：片語，準備就緒。其中wings原義是指「舞台上觀眾看不到的側面」。例句：For if the technocrats fail to do so, the extremists are waiting in the wings. （因為如果這些技術官僚失敗，極端主義者就會迫不及待地登上舞台。）
Western drugs were tested on East Germans： media 媒體︰西方藥廠在東德人身上禁行藥物試驗
Western drugs were tested on East Germans： media
媒體︰西方藥廠在東德人身上禁行藥物試驗
2013-05-22◎魏國金
Western drug companies tested pharmaceuticals on more than 50,000 people in the former communist East Germany, often without the knowledge of patients, several of whom died, the Spiegel news weekly reported.
西方製藥公司在前共黨東德對逾5萬人測試藥物，病患往往不知情，造成其中數人亡故，「明鏡」週刊報導。
Some 600 clinical trials were carried out in more than 50 hospitals until the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, the report said, citing previously unpublished documents of the East German health ministry, pharmaceutical institute and Stasi secret police.
約600件臨床試驗在超過50家醫院進行，直到1989年柏林圍牆倒塌為止，報導引述東德衛生部、藥物研究所與國家安全部秘密警察此前未公佈的檔案指出。
Many major drug companies from Germany, Switzerland and the United States took part, offering up to 800,000 West German marks （about 400,000 euros） per study, a boost for East Germany’s underfunded health care system, Spiegel said.
許多德國、瑞士與美國大藥廠參與其中，這些公司提供每件實驗多達80萬西德馬克（約40萬歐元）費用，對東德資金短缺的醫療體系是一大幫助，明鏡說。
Records showed that two people died in East Berlin during testing of Trental, a drug that improves blood circulation developed by then West German company Hoechst, which has since merged with Sanofi, the report said.
紀錄顯示，在試驗彼時西德公司「荷斯特」研發的血液循環促進藥物「循能泰」期間，2名東柏林人死亡，該公司後來與「賽諾菲」合併，該報導說。
Two more patients died in a lung clinic near the city of Magdeburg in tests of a blood pressure drug made by Sandoz, which has since been taken over by the Swiss group Novartis, according to Spiegel.
另有2名病患在試驗「山德士」製造的一種血壓藥中，命喪於馬格堡附近的一家胸腔科診所，該藥廠此後被瑞士集團的「諾華」藥廠接收，明鏡報導。
Patients were often not fully informed about the possible risks and side effects, the weekly said. Other tests involved preterm infants and a group of alcoholics suffering acute delirium who could not give informed consent. （AFP）
病患往往未完全被知會可能風險與副作用。其他試驗還涉及早產兒與一群飽受急性譫妄之苦、無法表達知情同意的酗酒者。（法新社）
新聞辭典
underfunded︰等同underfinanced，資金短缺的、財力不足的。例如︰an underfunded political party（經費不足的政黨）。
merge︰使合併、使漸消失。例句︰They sought to merge their differences.（他們試圖消除彼此間的分歧。）
informed consent︰知情同意。例句︰The most important ethical rule governing research on humans is that participants must give their informed consent before taking part in a study.（管理人體研究的最重要倫理規則是，參與者在參與研究前，必須給予其知情同意。）
媒體︰西方藥廠在東德人身上禁行藥物試驗
2013-05-22◎魏國金
Western drug companies tested pharmaceuticals on more than 50,000 people in the former communist East Germany, often without the knowledge of patients, several of whom died, the Spiegel news weekly reported.
西方製藥公司在前共黨東德對逾5萬人測試藥物，病患往往不知情，造成其中數人亡故，「明鏡」週刊報導。
Some 600 clinical trials were carried out in more than 50 hospitals until the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall, the report said, citing previously unpublished documents of the East German health ministry, pharmaceutical institute and Stasi secret police.
約600件臨床試驗在超過50家醫院進行，直到1989年柏林圍牆倒塌為止，報導引述東德衛生部、藥物研究所與國家安全部秘密警察此前未公佈的檔案指出。
Many major drug companies from Germany, Switzerland and the United States took part, offering up to 800,000 West German marks （about 400,000 euros） per study, a boost for East Germany’s underfunded health care system, Spiegel said.
許多德國、瑞士與美國大藥廠參與其中，這些公司提供每件實驗多達80萬西德馬克（約40萬歐元）費用，對東德資金短缺的醫療體系是一大幫助，明鏡說。
Records showed that two people died in East Berlin during testing of Trental, a drug that improves blood circulation developed by then West German company Hoechst, which has since merged with Sanofi, the report said.
紀錄顯示，在試驗彼時西德公司「荷斯特」研發的血液循環促進藥物「循能泰」期間，2名東柏林人死亡，該公司後來與「賽諾菲」合併，該報導說。
Two more patients died in a lung clinic near the city of Magdeburg in tests of a blood pressure drug made by Sandoz, which has since been taken over by the Swiss group Novartis, according to Spiegel.
另有2名病患在試驗「山德士」製造的一種血壓藥中，命喪於馬格堡附近的一家胸腔科診所，該藥廠此後被瑞士集團的「諾華」藥廠接收，明鏡報導。
Patients were often not fully informed about the possible risks and side effects, the weekly said. Other tests involved preterm infants and a group of alcoholics suffering acute delirium who could not give informed consent. （AFP）
病患往往未完全被知會可能風險與副作用。其他試驗還涉及早產兒與一群飽受急性譫妄之苦、無法表達知情同意的酗酒者。（法新社）
新聞辭典
underfunded︰等同underfinanced，資金短缺的、財力不足的。例如︰an underfunded political party（經費不足的政黨）。
merge︰使合併、使漸消失。例句︰They sought to merge their differences.（他們試圖消除彼此間的分歧。）
informed consent︰知情同意。例句︰The most important ethical rule governing research on humans is that participants must give their informed consent before taking part in a study.（管理人體研究的最重要倫理規則是，參與者在參與研究前，必須給予其知情同意。）
Florida women frighten off intruder by chanting ’Jesus’ 佛羅里達州婦女以吟詠「耶穌」嚇跑入侵者
Florida women frighten off intruder by chanting ’Jesus’
佛羅里達州婦女以吟詠「耶穌」嚇跑入侵者
2013-04-26◎張沛元
If you ask the 15 women inside Jacquie Hagler’s house what happened, they’ll tell you it’s simple： Jesus scared a would-be thief out of the Florida woman’s home.
你若問在賈姬˙海格勒家中的15名婦女當時發生了什麼事，她們會告訴你其實很簡單：耶穌把正打算下手的竊賊，從這位佛羅里達州婦女的家中給嚇跑了。
At first, those gathered at Hagler’s house for a jewelry party thought the intruder was part of an elaborate gag, using a "water gun" to tease the Florida women.
起初，這些聚集在海格勒家參加珠寶趴的婦女，以為拿著「水槍」來欺負這些佛州婦女的入侵者，是刻意安排的耍寶橋段。
"It’s only a water gun," one attendee reportedly said, while brushing away the firearm allegedly brandished by Derick Lee, who allegedly entered the home wearing a ski cap and bandana across his face.
「那只是水槍，」據稱一名與會者如此說，不把據稱戴著滑雪帽、臉上裹著大花巾登堂入室的德瑞克˙李揮舞的武器當一回事。
Witnesses say Lee then held the gun to the woman’s head and announced, "I’m not joking, I’m going to shoot someone, give me your money."
目擊者表示，李把槍對著這名婦女的頭，並宣稱，「我不是開玩笑的，我會開槍，把你們的錢交出來。」
"When I realized what was going on, I stood up and said, ’In the name of Jesus, get out of my house now,’" Hagler told WJXT-TV. "And he said, ’I’m going to shoot someone.’ And I said it again, real boldly," Hagler continued. "Everybody started chanting, ’Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,’ and he did a quick scan of the room and ran out the door as fast as he could go."
「當我了解到究竟發生什麼事，我站起來說，『以耶穌之名，現在滾出我的房子，』」海格勒告訴WJXT電視台。「然後他說，『我會開槍的。』我又很大膽地把之前的話再說一遍，」海格勒繼續說道。「所有人都開始吟詠『耶穌，耶穌，耶穌，』然後他迅速環顧室內，就儘快火速跑出門了。」
新聞辭典
frighten away/off：片語動詞，嚇跑。例句：The fall in share prices frightened off possible investors.（股價下跌嚇跑潛在投資人。）
tease：動詞，戲弄、欺負。
brush away：片語動詞，不願接受或聽信某人所言。例句：She brushes this criticism away.（她不把批評當一回事。）
佛羅里達州婦女以吟詠「耶穌」嚇跑入侵者
2013-04-26◎張沛元
If you ask the 15 women inside Jacquie Hagler’s house what happened, they’ll tell you it’s simple： Jesus scared a would-be thief out of the Florida woman’s home.
你若問在賈姬˙海格勒家中的15名婦女當時發生了什麼事，她們會告訴你其實很簡單：耶穌把正打算下手的竊賊，從這位佛羅里達州婦女的家中給嚇跑了。
At first, those gathered at Hagler’s house for a jewelry party thought the intruder was part of an elaborate gag, using a "water gun" to tease the Florida women.
起初，這些聚集在海格勒家參加珠寶趴的婦女，以為拿著「水槍」來欺負這些佛州婦女的入侵者，是刻意安排的耍寶橋段。
"It’s only a water gun," one attendee reportedly said, while brushing away the firearm allegedly brandished by Derick Lee, who allegedly entered the home wearing a ski cap and bandana across his face.
「那只是水槍，」據稱一名與會者如此說，不把據稱戴著滑雪帽、臉上裹著大花巾登堂入室的德瑞克˙李揮舞的武器當一回事。
Witnesses say Lee then held the gun to the woman’s head and announced, "I’m not joking, I’m going to shoot someone, give me your money."
目擊者表示，李把槍對著這名婦女的頭，並宣稱，「我不是開玩笑的，我會開槍，把你們的錢交出來。」
"When I realized what was going on, I stood up and said, ’In the name of Jesus, get out of my house now,’" Hagler told WJXT-TV. "And he said, ’I’m going to shoot someone.’ And I said it again, real boldly," Hagler continued. "Everybody started chanting, ’Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,’ and he did a quick scan of the room and ran out the door as fast as he could go."
「當我了解到究竟發生什麼事，我站起來說，『以耶穌之名，現在滾出我的房子，』」海格勒告訴WJXT電視台。「然後他說，『我會開槍的。』我又很大膽地把之前的話再說一遍，」海格勒繼續說道。「所有人都開始吟詠『耶穌，耶穌，耶穌，』然後他迅速環顧室內，就儘快火速跑出門了。」
新聞辭典
frighten away/off：片語動詞，嚇跑。例句：The fall in share prices frightened off possible investors.（股價下跌嚇跑潛在投資人。）
tease：動詞，戲弄、欺負。
brush away：片語動詞，不願接受或聽信某人所言。例句：She brushes this criticism away.（她不把批評當一回事。）
Swatch publishes annual report in Swiss-German dialect Swatch用瑞士德語公布年度財務報告
Swatch publishes annual report in Swiss-German dialect
Swatch用瑞士德語公布年度財務報告
2013-04-07◎俞智敏
Swatch has published a version of its annual report in the Swiss-German dialect for which there is no standard written form, the latest act of rebellion from the watchmaker which has long enjoyed provoking the Swiss business establishment.
Swatch公司最近用瑞士德語公布其年度財務報告，瑞士語言並沒有標準的書寫方式，這也是這家向來樂於激怒瑞士商界的鐘錶公司最新反叛之舉。
The move to publish in dialect rather than standard German - one of Switzerland’s four official languages including French and Italian in which the report was also issued - was meant to underpin Swatch Group SA’s Swiss roots and values, Chief Executive Nick Hayek told a media conference.
該公司執行長尼克．海耶克在記者會上表示，使用瑞士德語而非標準德語來公布財報，目的是要凸顯Swatch集團的瑞士根源和價值。標準德文為瑞士的四種官方語言之一，Swatch的財報同時也提供法文和義大利文等其他官方語言版本。
It results in a succession of spelling changes, such as geschaeftsjahr or results year becoming gschaeftsjohr and ausblick or outlook becoming usblick, giving approximations of the language familiar to inhabitants of Swiss-German parts of the country.
如此一來導致這份財報出現許多拼音上的變化，例如把結算年度geschaeftsjahr拼成gschaeftsjohr，或把公司展望ausblick拼成usblick等，使用最接近瑞士德語區居民所熟悉的語言。
Explaining the move, Swatch Chairwoman Nayla Hayek said in her letter to shareholders： "This act of true Swissness was done partly to shake up our compatriots who - in their fondness for what is safe - sometimes allow themselves to follow a rather conventional, prudent and comfortable path."
Swatch公司董事長奈拉．海耶克在致股東函中解釋說，「這項表達真瑞士精神的行動，部分目的是要喚醒我們的同胞，他們太過愛好安全，導致他們有時寧可遵循傳統、謹慎和舒適的道路。」
The move highlights an increased awareness among Swiss companies of the cachet attached to Swiss-made products, while also being intended by the company to cement its reputation as a corporate "enfant terrible" in Switzerland, where a sober or staid tone dominates most parts of business and finance. （Reuters）
此舉凸顯出瑞士企業對瑞士製產品的地位愈來愈有自覺，Swatch同時也企圖藉此強化其身為瑞士企業界中的「頑童」名聲，瑞士商界與金融界多以嚴肅、穩重著稱。（路透）
新聞辭典
approximation：名詞，指接近、近似值，如The astronauts train in a room that provides an approximation of conditions in space. （太空人在一間條件類似太空環境的房間裡接受訓練。）
cachet：名詞，指獨特的特徵或品質等，常指受人尊崇的成就或威望，如He is a movie director with great artistic cachet.（他是一位藝術成就崇高的電影導演。）
enfant terrible：名詞，原文為法語，指舉止驚世駭俗、常造成他人尷尬或難堪者，如The radical painter was the enfant terrible of the art establishment.（這位激進派畫家是藝術圈的頑童。）複數為enfants terribles。
Swatch用瑞士德語公布年度財務報告
2013-04-07◎俞智敏
Swatch has published a version of its annual report in the Swiss-German dialect for which there is no standard written form, the latest act of rebellion from the watchmaker which has long enjoyed provoking the Swiss business establishment.
Swatch公司最近用瑞士德語公布其年度財務報告，瑞士語言並沒有標準的書寫方式，這也是這家向來樂於激怒瑞士商界的鐘錶公司最新反叛之舉。
The move to publish in dialect rather than standard German - one of Switzerland’s four official languages including French and Italian in which the report was also issued - was meant to underpin Swatch Group SA’s Swiss roots and values, Chief Executive Nick Hayek told a media conference.
該公司執行長尼克．海耶克在記者會上表示，使用瑞士德語而非標準德語來公布財報，目的是要凸顯Swatch集團的瑞士根源和價值。標準德文為瑞士的四種官方語言之一，Swatch的財報同時也提供法文和義大利文等其他官方語言版本。
It results in a succession of spelling changes, such as geschaeftsjahr or results year becoming gschaeftsjohr and ausblick or outlook becoming usblick, giving approximations of the language familiar to inhabitants of Swiss-German parts of the country.
如此一來導致這份財報出現許多拼音上的變化，例如把結算年度geschaeftsjahr拼成gschaeftsjohr，或把公司展望ausblick拼成usblick等，使用最接近瑞士德語區居民所熟悉的語言。
Explaining the move, Swatch Chairwoman Nayla Hayek said in her letter to shareholders： "This act of true Swissness was done partly to shake up our compatriots who - in their fondness for what is safe - sometimes allow themselves to follow a rather conventional, prudent and comfortable path."
Swatch公司董事長奈拉．海耶克在致股東函中解釋說，「這項表達真瑞士精神的行動，部分目的是要喚醒我們的同胞，他們太過愛好安全，導致他們有時寧可遵循傳統、謹慎和舒適的道路。」
The move highlights an increased awareness among Swiss companies of the cachet attached to Swiss-made products, while also being intended by the company to cement its reputation as a corporate "enfant terrible" in Switzerland, where a sober or staid tone dominates most parts of business and finance. （Reuters）
此舉凸顯出瑞士企業對瑞士製產品的地位愈來愈有自覺，Swatch同時也企圖藉此強化其身為瑞士企業界中的「頑童」名聲，瑞士商界與金融界多以嚴肅、穩重著稱。（路透）
新聞辭典
approximation：名詞，指接近、近似值，如The astronauts train in a room that provides an approximation of conditions in space. （太空人在一間條件類似太空環境的房間裡接受訓練。）
cachet：名詞，指獨特的特徵或品質等，常指受人尊崇的成就或威望，如He is a movie director with great artistic cachet.（他是一位藝術成就崇高的電影導演。）
enfant terrible：名詞，原文為法語，指舉止驚世駭俗、常造成他人尷尬或難堪者，如The radical painter was the enfant terrible of the art establishment.（這位激進派畫家是藝術圈的頑童。）複數為enfants terribles。
Ogooglebar! Sweden’s spat with Google inspires ’ungoogleable’ fun 網路搜尋不到！瑞典與Google的爭吵引發「網路搜尋不到的」樂趣
Ogooglebar! Sweden’s spat with Google inspires ’ungoogleable’ fun
網路搜尋不到！瑞典與Google的爭吵引發「網路搜尋不到的」樂趣
2013-05-06◎管淑平
Objections from Google have forced the removal of the word "ungoogleable" from a list of new Swedish words, the Language Council of Sweden says.
瑞典語言協會說，Google提出的抗議已迫使他們從瑞典語新詞彙表中撤除「網路搜尋不到的」這個字。
The language watchdog defines "ungoogleable", or "ogooglebar" in Swedish, as something that cannot be found with any search engine. But Google wanted the meaning to relate only to Google searches.
這個語言監督單位將 "ungoogleable"、或瑞典文中的"ogooglebar"定義為用任何搜尋引擎都無法找到資訊。但Google想要將這個字的定義限制為僅指使用Google搜尋。
The council, worried at the prospect of a lengthy legal battle and balking at the idea of changing the word’s definition, removed it from the list.
該協會擔心漫長的司法戰，也拒絕改變這個字的定義，於是將它從名單中撤除。
But news of the disagreement nevertheless created what the Swedish call a Bloggbävning – in English： a blogquake, or "the process by which a topic explodes in the blogosphere and is then picked up by more mainstream media outlets," according to The Atlantic.
但這起爭議的新聞造成瑞典語的「部落格地震」——即英文的blogquake，就是「一個話題在部落格圈爆發、然後被更多主流媒體報導的過程」，根據「大西洋月刊」報導。
Many search engine users are ’googling the ungoogleable’ following the lexical skirmish.
發生這起字彙衝突後，許多搜尋引擎使用者在「網路搜尋這個網路搜尋不到的字」。
Swedish author and historian Peter Englund argued that Google has shot itself in the foot.
瑞典作家及歷史學家彼得．恩格龍認為，Google自找麻煩。
"There is no large company that owns the Swedish language, it is owned only by the users, and it is created by users," he stated in Swedish.
他用瑞典語聲明，「瑞典語不是被大公司所擁有，它只被使用者擁有，而且是由使用者創造。」
新聞辭典
spat：動詞、名詞（口語），小爭吵、鬥嘴。例句：We spat constantly over petty affairs.（我們時常為一些小事爭吵。）
balk：動詞，阻止、挫折，拒絕做某事。例句：The commander has balked the idea of surrender.（指揮官已拒絕投降的想法。）
shoot oneself in the foot：動詞片語，自找麻煩、搬石頭砸自己的腳。例句：You just shot yourself in the foot by saying too much to the police.（你向警察說太多只是自找麻煩。）
網路搜尋不到！瑞典與Google的爭吵引發「網路搜尋不到的」樂趣
2013-05-06◎管淑平
Objections from Google have forced the removal of the word "ungoogleable" from a list of new Swedish words, the Language Council of Sweden says.
瑞典語言協會說，Google提出的抗議已迫使他們從瑞典語新詞彙表中撤除「網路搜尋不到的」這個字。
The language watchdog defines "ungoogleable", or "ogooglebar" in Swedish, as something that cannot be found with any search engine. But Google wanted the meaning to relate only to Google searches.
這個語言監督單位將 "ungoogleable"、或瑞典文中的"ogooglebar"定義為用任何搜尋引擎都無法找到資訊。但Google想要將這個字的定義限制為僅指使用Google搜尋。
The council, worried at the prospect of a lengthy legal battle and balking at the idea of changing the word’s definition, removed it from the list.
該協會擔心漫長的司法戰，也拒絕改變這個字的定義，於是將它從名單中撤除。
But news of the disagreement nevertheless created what the Swedish call a Bloggbävning – in English： a blogquake, or "the process by which a topic explodes in the blogosphere and is then picked up by more mainstream media outlets," according to The Atlantic.
但這起爭議的新聞造成瑞典語的「部落格地震」——即英文的blogquake，就是「一個話題在部落格圈爆發、然後被更多主流媒體報導的過程」，根據「大西洋月刊」報導。
Many search engine users are ’googling the ungoogleable’ following the lexical skirmish.
發生這起字彙衝突後，許多搜尋引擎使用者在「網路搜尋這個網路搜尋不到的字」。
Swedish author and historian Peter Englund argued that Google has shot itself in the foot.
瑞典作家及歷史學家彼得．恩格龍認為，Google自找麻煩。
"There is no large company that owns the Swedish language, it is owned only by the users, and it is created by users," he stated in Swedish.
他用瑞典語聲明，「瑞典語不是被大公司所擁有，它只被使用者擁有，而且是由使用者創造。」
新聞辭典
spat：動詞、名詞（口語），小爭吵、鬥嘴。例句：We spat constantly over petty affairs.（我們時常為一些小事爭吵。）
balk：動詞，阻止、挫折，拒絕做某事。例句：The commander has balked the idea of surrender.（指揮官已拒絕投降的想法。）
shoot oneself in the foot：動詞片語，自找麻煩、搬石頭砸自己的腳。例句：You just shot yourself in the foot by saying too much to the police.（你向警察說太多只是自找麻煩。）
Nepal traffic police herd Kathmandu’s holy cows 尼泊爾交通警察驅趕加德滿都聖牛
Nepal traffic police herd Kathmandu’s holy cows
尼泊爾交通警察驅趕加德滿都聖牛
2013-04-09◎陳維真
Police in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu have launched a campaign to round up cows roaming the streets, blaming the sacred animals for car accidents and traffic jams.
尼泊爾首都加德滿都警方已展開行動，圍捕在街上漫步的牛隻，怪罪這些聖牛釀成車禍和交通阻塞。
"The stray cows and oxen have been a big nuisance in Kathmandu streets. They not only cause accidents, but also make the streets untidy," Pawan Giri, spokesman for the Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Police, told AFP.
加德滿都都會區交通警察局發言人吉里對法新社表示：「走失的母牛和公牛造成很大麻煩。不僅會造成意外，也弄髒街道 。」
"We see traffic jams because the drivers who try to avoid the cows often crash into other vehicles."
「我們常見到駕駛人為了避開牛隻撞到其他車輛，因此造成交通阻塞。」
He said the captured animals would be detained until their owners paid a fine of approximately $60 for their release.
他說，捕獲的牛隻將被扣留，直到牠們的主人支付約60美元罰金，才會釋放。
Cows are a regular sight in the smog-choked capital and are often found eating from piles of garbage on the roadside.
在煙霧瀰漫的加德滿都街道上常可見到牛隻，牠們經常在路邊成堆垃圾中覓食。
Regarded as an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess of prosperity Laxmi, the beasts are treated as sacred in Nepal, where the majority of the population is Hindu.
印度教相信牛是富裕女神拉克希米的化身。尼泊爾人大多數為印度教徒，因此牛在尼泊爾有神聖地位。
During the annual Tihar festival in the autumn, Hindus spend a day worshipping them by offering food and gifts.
每年秋天的提哈節，印度教徒會花一整天的時間獻上食物和禮物崇拜牛。
Cow slaughter remains illegal in Nepal and can carry a prison sentence of up to 12 years. （AFP）
在尼泊爾，殺牛仍是非法行為，最多會被判處12年徒刑。（法新社）
新聞辭典
round up：片語，圍捕。例句：The police rounded up a few suspects of the murder case. （警方圍捕謀殺案的幾個嫌疑犯。）
nuisance：名詞，討厭的人（或事物）； 麻煩事。例句：My ex-boyfriend keeps bugging me. He’s such a nuisance.（前男友老是煩我，討厭死了。）
incarnation： 名詞，典型、化身。 Rama was Vishnu’s incarnation on earth. （羅摩是毗濕奴在塵世的化身。）
尼泊爾交通警察驅趕加德滿都聖牛
2013-04-09◎陳維真
Police in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu have launched a campaign to round up cows roaming the streets, blaming the sacred animals for car accidents and traffic jams.
尼泊爾首都加德滿都警方已展開行動，圍捕在街上漫步的牛隻，怪罪這些聖牛釀成車禍和交通阻塞。
"The stray cows and oxen have been a big nuisance in Kathmandu streets. They not only cause accidents, but also make the streets untidy," Pawan Giri, spokesman for the Kathmandu Metropolitan Traffic Police, told AFP.
加德滿都都會區交通警察局發言人吉里對法新社表示：「走失的母牛和公牛造成很大麻煩。不僅會造成意外，也弄髒街道 。」
"We see traffic jams because the drivers who try to avoid the cows often crash into other vehicles."
「我們常見到駕駛人為了避開牛隻撞到其他車輛，因此造成交通阻塞。」
He said the captured animals would be detained until their owners paid a fine of approximately $60 for their release.
他說，捕獲的牛隻將被扣留，直到牠們的主人支付約60美元罰金，才會釋放。
Cows are a regular sight in the smog-choked capital and are often found eating from piles of garbage on the roadside.
在煙霧瀰漫的加德滿都街道上常可見到牛隻，牠們經常在路邊成堆垃圾中覓食。
Regarded as an incarnation of the Hindu Goddess of prosperity Laxmi, the beasts are treated as sacred in Nepal, where the majority of the population is Hindu.
印度教相信牛是富裕女神拉克希米的化身。尼泊爾人大多數為印度教徒，因此牛在尼泊爾有神聖地位。
During the annual Tihar festival in the autumn, Hindus spend a day worshipping them by offering food and gifts.
每年秋天的提哈節，印度教徒會花一整天的時間獻上食物和禮物崇拜牛。
Cow slaughter remains illegal in Nepal and can carry a prison sentence of up to 12 years. （AFP）
在尼泊爾，殺牛仍是非法行為，最多會被判處12年徒刑。（法新社）
新聞辭典
round up：片語，圍捕。例句：The police rounded up a few suspects of the murder case. （警方圍捕謀殺案的幾個嫌疑犯。）
nuisance：名詞，討厭的人（或事物）； 麻煩事。例句：My ex-boyfriend keeps bugging me. He’s such a nuisance.（前男友老是煩我，討厭死了。）
incarnation： 名詞，典型、化身。 Rama was Vishnu’s incarnation on earth. （羅摩是毗濕奴在塵世的化身。）
Obesity bad for brain by hastening cognitive decline 過胖加速認知退化 對大腦不好
Obesity bad for brain by hastening cognitive decline
過胖加速認知退化 對大腦不好
2013-04-11◎國際新聞中心
Being overweight is not just bad for waistlines but for brains too, say researchers who have linked obesity to declining mental performance.
將過胖與心智表現衰退連結的研究人員說，過重不只對腰圍不好，對大腦也不好。
Experts are not sure why this might be, but say metabolic changes such as high blood sugar and raised cholesterol are likely to be involved.
專家並不確定原因，但表示代謝的改變，例如高血糖與膽固醇升高，可能有關係。
The work, published in Neurology, tracked the health of more than 6,000 British people. The participants, who were aged between 35 and 55, took tests on memory and other cognitive skills three times over a 10-year period.
這份刊登在「神經科學」的研究，追蹤超過6000名英國人的健康狀況。參與者年齡在35歲到55歲之間，他們在10年間接受3次記憶力或其他認知技巧測試。
People who were both obese and who had unhealthy metabolic changes showed a much faster decline on their cognitive test scores compared to others in the study.
過胖且有不健康的代謝改變者，認知測試分數衰退的速度，要比其他參與研究者快。
新聞辭典
hasten：動詞，加快。例句：There is little doubt that poor medical treatment hastened her death.（醫療不佳無疑加速她的死亡。）
declining：形容詞，衰退的，來自動詞decline，衰退、下跌。例句：The party’s popularity has declined in the opinion polls.（這個政黨的人氣在民調中下滑。）
raised：形容詞，升高的，來自動詞raise，增加、調高。例句：The government is planning to raise taxes.（政府計畫增稅。）
過胖加速認知退化 對大腦不好
2013-04-11◎國際新聞中心
Being overweight is not just bad for waistlines but for brains too, say researchers who have linked obesity to declining mental performance.
將過胖與心智表現衰退連結的研究人員說，過重不只對腰圍不好，對大腦也不好。
Experts are not sure why this might be, but say metabolic changes such as high blood sugar and raised cholesterol are likely to be involved.
專家並不確定原因，但表示代謝的改變，例如高血糖與膽固醇升高，可能有關係。
The work, published in Neurology, tracked the health of more than 6,000 British people. The participants, who were aged between 35 and 55, took tests on memory and other cognitive skills three times over a 10-year period.
這份刊登在「神經科學」的研究，追蹤超過6000名英國人的健康狀況。參與者年齡在35歲到55歲之間，他們在10年間接受3次記憶力或其他認知技巧測試。
People who were both obese and who had unhealthy metabolic changes showed a much faster decline on their cognitive test scores compared to others in the study.
過胖且有不健康的代謝改變者，認知測試分數衰退的速度，要比其他參與研究者快。
新聞辭典
hasten：動詞，加快。例句：There is little doubt that poor medical treatment hastened her death.（醫療不佳無疑加速她的死亡。）
declining：形容詞，衰退的，來自動詞decline，衰退、下跌。例句：The party’s popularity has declined in the opinion polls.（這個政黨的人氣在民調中下滑。）
raised：形容詞，升高的，來自動詞raise，增加、調高。例句：The government is planning to raise taxes.（政府計畫增稅。）
Waitress asks patron for ID, gets own stolen driver’s license in return 女服務生要求顧客出示身分證件，反而拿到自己的遭竊駕照
Waitress asks patron for ID, gets own stolen driver’s license in return
女服務生要求顧客出示身分證件，反而拿到自己的遭竊駕照
2013-04-08◎管淑平
A restaurant server was confronted with the woman accused of stealing her identity.
一名餐廳服務生遇上被控偷了她的身分的女子。
Brianna Priddy’s wallet was stolen on Feb. 13 during a night out with friends.
布瑞娜．普雷迪的錢包在2月13日晚上與朋友出去玩時被偷。
On Feb. 25, a customer came to the Applebee’s in Lakewood where Priddy works as a server.
2月25日那天，一名顧客到位於雷克伍德鎮、普雷迪任職服務生的「蘋果蜂」餐廳。
At first, they looked like any other customers but Priddy soon learned who they really were.
一開始他們看起來就如同其他顧客，但普雷迪很快地知道他們是誰。
"Four people come in, walk in, sit down. They start ordering drinks. This girl hands me my ID as a fake ID," Priddy said.
「4個人走進來，坐下，開始點飲料，這個女孩用我的身分證件當假身分，把證件拿給我」，普雷迪說。
It had been a rough couple of weeks for Priddy. "My wallet was stolen. It was a pain in the butt," she said.
對普雷迪來說，那幾週很不好過。她說，「我的錢包被偷了，很煩。」
Someone was using her identity, writing hundreds of dollars in bad checks. Now that someone, was sitting in Priddy’s section.
有人利用她的身分，開出數百美元的空頭支票。現在這個人坐在普雷迪負責服務的區域。
"But I didn’t say anything. I handed it back to her.... [I] went straight to the phone, called the cops," Priddy said.
「但是我當時不動聲色，我把證件交還給她…。（我）直接去打電話報警」，普雷迪說。
"Dumb criminal! That’s the first [word] that comes to mind," police spokesman Steve Davis said, "we found some narcotics in this woman’s possession, so she’s in quite a bit of hot water."
「笨賊！這是我第一個想到的（字眼）」，警方發言人史提夫．戴維斯說，「我們在這名女子的所有物中發現一些毒品，所以，她麻煩大了。」
新聞辭典：
rough：形容詞，在本文意思為辛苦的、受苦的。例句：The new country had a rough time during the civil war.（這個新國家在內戰時期備受苦難。）
a pain in the butt：俚語，非常惱人的事或人。例句：My brother keeps asking me for money. He is really a pain in the butt.（我弟一直伸手向我要錢。他真是討厭鬼。）
be in hot water：片語，遭遇或陷入困境、麻煩。例句：You will be in hot water if the project failed.（若這個案子失敗，你就慘了。）
女服務生要求顧客出示身分證件，反而拿到自己的遭竊駕照
2013-04-08◎管淑平
A restaurant server was confronted with the woman accused of stealing her identity.
一名餐廳服務生遇上被控偷了她的身分的女子。
Brianna Priddy’s wallet was stolen on Feb. 13 during a night out with friends.
布瑞娜．普雷迪的錢包在2月13日晚上與朋友出去玩時被偷。
On Feb. 25, a customer came to the Applebee’s in Lakewood where Priddy works as a server.
2月25日那天，一名顧客到位於雷克伍德鎮、普雷迪任職服務生的「蘋果蜂」餐廳。
At first, they looked like any other customers but Priddy soon learned who they really were.
一開始他們看起來就如同其他顧客，但普雷迪很快地知道他們是誰。
"Four people come in, walk in, sit down. They start ordering drinks. This girl hands me my ID as a fake ID," Priddy said.
「4個人走進來，坐下，開始點飲料，這個女孩用我的身分證件當假身分，把證件拿給我」，普雷迪說。
It had been a rough couple of weeks for Priddy. "My wallet was stolen. It was a pain in the butt," she said.
對普雷迪來說，那幾週很不好過。她說，「我的錢包被偷了，很煩。」
Someone was using her identity, writing hundreds of dollars in bad checks. Now that someone, was sitting in Priddy’s section.
有人利用她的身分，開出數百美元的空頭支票。現在這個人坐在普雷迪負責服務的區域。
"But I didn’t say anything. I handed it back to her.... [I] went straight to the phone, called the cops," Priddy said.
「但是我當時不動聲色，我把證件交還給她…。（我）直接去打電話報警」，普雷迪說。
"Dumb criminal! That’s the first [word] that comes to mind," police spokesman Steve Davis said, "we found some narcotics in this woman’s possession, so she’s in quite a bit of hot water."
「笨賊！這是我第一個想到的（字眼）」，警方發言人史提夫．戴維斯說，「我們在這名女子的所有物中發現一些毒品，所以，她麻煩大了。」
新聞辭典：
rough：形容詞，在本文意思為辛苦的、受苦的。例句：The new country had a rough time during the civil war.（這個新國家在內戰時期備受苦難。）
a pain in the butt：俚語，非常惱人的事或人。例句：My brother keeps asking me for money. He is really a pain in the butt.（我弟一直伸手向我要錢。他真是討厭鬼。）
be in hot water：片語，遭遇或陷入困境、麻煩。例句：You will be in hot water if the project failed.（若這個案子失敗，你就慘了。）
2014年9月27日 星期六
Amputee dog gets four prosthetic legs 截肢狗獲4義肢
Amputee dog gets four prosthetic legs
截肢狗獲4義肢
2013-05-01◎魏國金
A mixed-breed puppy had a tough start to live after losing all four of his paws and the tip of his tail to frostbite.
一隻混種幼犬在凍傷喪失所有4個腳掌與尾巴的尾端後，展開艱困的生活。
Naki’o was left abandoned at a foreclosed Nebraska home when he was a young and was found alone, frozen into a puddle of icy water in the cellar.
納基歐幼年時被遺棄在內布拉斯加州一間喪失抵押贖回權的房子裡，牠被發現時，獨自在地下室一個結冰的水坑中。
He was taken to an animal rescue center and under their care his paws healed to rounded stumps.
牠被送到一個動物救援中心，在他們的照料下，牠的腳掌治療後剩下圓形殘肢。
It was a tough existence for Naki’o, he couldn’t walk and play with other dogs due to the pain it caused him and instead had to crawl along on his belly.
對納基歐來說，這是艱困的生存，因為引發的疼痛讓牠不能走、不能與其他狗狗玩，牠必須靠著肚子爬行。
Fortunately for Naki’o he meet veterinarian assistant Christie Pace. She adopted Naki’o when he was 8-weeks-old and then set about organizing a fundraiser to pay for him to have his two back legs fitted with prosthetics.
納基歐幸運地遇上獸醫助理克莉絲蒂．佩斯。納基歐8週大時，她收養牠，然後著手募款，以支付牠兩條後腿裝設義肢的費用。
He took to these so enthusiastically, that the company who fitted them decided to complete the process free of charge.
牠熱切地適應這兩個義肢，以致為牠裝義肢的公司決定免費完成整個過程。
’When we saw how good he was doing with his back leg prosthetics and how he was struggling to use his front legs it was very simple to say, "He could do much better with all four prosthetics on."’ said Martin Kaufmann, owner of Orthopets, a Denver company that specializes in pet prosthetics.
「當我們看到牠使用後腿義肢的情況良好，而牠又是如何掙扎地使用前腿時，非常單純地就說，『裝上所有4個義肢牠會表現得更好。』」專門從事寵物義肢的丹佛公司Orthopets老闆馬丁．考夫曼說。
Naki’o is the first dog to be fitted with a complete set of bionic paws that work naturally to allow him to run, jump and even swim.
納基歐是第一隻裝上全套仿生腳掌的狗，這套裝置運作自然，讓牠可跑、跳，甚至游泳。
新聞辭典
set about︰開始、著手。例句︰After breakfast, she set about her household duties.（早餐後，她開始做家務。）
take to︰開始從事、形成…習慣、適應。例句︰He took to studying English with great zeal.（他開始以極大的熱情學習英文。）
free of charge︰免費。例句︰If the material is found faulty, we shall replace it free of charge.（如果材料發現有缺點，我們將免費更換。）
截肢狗獲4義肢
2013-05-01◎魏國金
A mixed-breed puppy had a tough start to live after losing all four of his paws and the tip of his tail to frostbite.
一隻混種幼犬在凍傷喪失所有4個腳掌與尾巴的尾端後，展開艱困的生活。
Naki’o was left abandoned at a foreclosed Nebraska home when he was a young and was found alone, frozen into a puddle of icy water in the cellar.
納基歐幼年時被遺棄在內布拉斯加州一間喪失抵押贖回權的房子裡，牠被發現時，獨自在地下室一個結冰的水坑中。
He was taken to an animal rescue center and under their care his paws healed to rounded stumps.
牠被送到一個動物救援中心，在他們的照料下，牠的腳掌治療後剩下圓形殘肢。
It was a tough existence for Naki’o, he couldn’t walk and play with other dogs due to the pain it caused him and instead had to crawl along on his belly.
對納基歐來說，這是艱困的生存，因為引發的疼痛讓牠不能走、不能與其他狗狗玩，牠必須靠著肚子爬行。
Fortunately for Naki’o he meet veterinarian assistant Christie Pace. She adopted Naki’o when he was 8-weeks-old and then set about organizing a fundraiser to pay for him to have his two back legs fitted with prosthetics.
納基歐幸運地遇上獸醫助理克莉絲蒂．佩斯。納基歐8週大時，她收養牠，然後著手募款，以支付牠兩條後腿裝設義肢的費用。
He took to these so enthusiastically, that the company who fitted them decided to complete the process free of charge.
牠熱切地適應這兩個義肢，以致為牠裝義肢的公司決定免費完成整個過程。
’When we saw how good he was doing with his back leg prosthetics and how he was struggling to use his front legs it was very simple to say, "He could do much better with all four prosthetics on."’ said Martin Kaufmann, owner of Orthopets, a Denver company that specializes in pet prosthetics.
「當我們看到牠使用後腿義肢的情況良好，而牠又是如何掙扎地使用前腿時，非常單純地就說，『裝上所有4個義肢牠會表現得更好。』」專門從事寵物義肢的丹佛公司Orthopets老闆馬丁．考夫曼說。
Naki’o is the first dog to be fitted with a complete set of bionic paws that work naturally to allow him to run, jump and even swim.
納基歐是第一隻裝上全套仿生腳掌的狗，這套裝置運作自然，讓牠可跑、跳，甚至游泳。
新聞辭典
set about︰開始、著手。例句︰After breakfast, she set about her household duties.（早餐後，她開始做家務。）
take to︰開始從事、形成…習慣、適應。例句︰He took to studying English with great zeal.（他開始以極大的熱情學習英文。）
free of charge︰免費。例句︰If the material is found faulty, we shall replace it free of charge.（如果材料發現有缺點，我們將免費更換。）
NBA：In landmark for US sports, Collins says he’s gay NBA球員出櫃 美國體壇里程碑
NBA：In landmark for US sports, Collins says he’s gay
NBA球員出櫃 美國體壇里程碑
2013-05-07◎陳維真
NBA center Jason Collins became the first active player in a major professional American team sport to reveal that he is gay, doing so to Sports Illustrated in a major cover story released on Monday.
美國職籃NBA中鋒傑森．柯林斯在週一出版的「運動畫刊」（Sports Illustrated）封面故事中大方出櫃，成為全美主要職業團隊運動中，首位承認自己是同性戀的現役球星。
Collins, who is now a free agent, has played in the NBA for 12 seasons with six teams, spending this past campaign with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards. He helped the New Jersey Nets reach the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals.
柯林斯目前是自由球員，過去曾披上6個球隊的戰袍出戰12個球季。在剛結束的球季中，先後為「波士頓塞爾提克」和「華盛頓巫師」效力。他曾幫助「新澤西籃網」闖進2002年和2003年總決賽。
"I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black and I’m gay," began the story that Collins penned for the magazine with writer Franz Lidz.
他和作家立茲為運動畫刊撰寫的文章開宗明義就說：「我是個34歲的NBA中鋒，我是黑人，而且是同志。」
The landmark revelation will now focus attention on Collins and any club that decides to sign him as well as the attitudes of his new teammates.
這種破天荒的告白，將使外界注意力集中在柯林斯身上，以及決定簽下他的球隊和新隊友們的態度。
Among the messages of support Collins received for his admission were those from former US president Bill Clinton, whose daughter Chelsea was a college friend of Collins at Stanford, and NBA commissioner David Stern.
包括前總統柯林頓和NBA執行長史騰都留言對柯林斯表示支持。柯林頓的女兒雀兒喜是柯林斯的史丹佛大學同學 。
Stern praised Collins for the courage and leadership of his admission. "Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue," Stern said. （AFP）
史騰讚揚柯林斯出櫃的勇氣與領袖風範。「傑森在他的生涯中，一直是廣受尊敬的球員和隊友，在這個非常重要的議題上，他承擔領導的職責，我們引以為傲。」史騰說。（法新社）
新聞辭典
landmark：名詞，重大事件、里程碑。例句：The vaccine is a landmark in the history of preventive medicine. （疫苗是預防醫學的里程碑。）
set out：片語，計畫或有意做什麼事。例句：She drew up a grandiose statement of what her organization should set out to achieve. （對於她的組織應該計畫做什麼事情，她擬定浮誇的宣言。）
mantle：名詞，（職業或工作的）職責或責任。例句：The second son has now assumed his father’s mantle. （次子繼承父親的衣缽。）
NBA球員出櫃 美國體壇里程碑
2013-05-07◎陳維真
NBA center Jason Collins became the first active player in a major professional American team sport to reveal that he is gay, doing so to Sports Illustrated in a major cover story released on Monday.
美國職籃NBA中鋒傑森．柯林斯在週一出版的「運動畫刊」（Sports Illustrated）封面故事中大方出櫃，成為全美主要職業團隊運動中，首位承認自己是同性戀的現役球星。
Collins, who is now a free agent, has played in the NBA for 12 seasons with six teams, spending this past campaign with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards. He helped the New Jersey Nets reach the 2002 and 2003 NBA Finals.
柯林斯目前是自由球員，過去曾披上6個球隊的戰袍出戰12個球季。在剛結束的球季中，先後為「波士頓塞爾提克」和「華盛頓巫師」效力。他曾幫助「新澤西籃網」闖進2002年和2003年總決賽。
"I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black and I’m gay," began the story that Collins penned for the magazine with writer Franz Lidz.
他和作家立茲為運動畫刊撰寫的文章開宗明義就說：「我是個34歲的NBA中鋒，我是黑人，而且是同志。」
The landmark revelation will now focus attention on Collins and any club that decides to sign him as well as the attitudes of his new teammates.
這種破天荒的告白，將使外界注意力集中在柯林斯身上，以及決定簽下他的球隊和新隊友們的態度。
Among the messages of support Collins received for his admission were those from former US president Bill Clinton, whose daughter Chelsea was a college friend of Collins at Stanford, and NBA commissioner David Stern.
包括前總統柯林頓和NBA執行長史騰都留言對柯林斯表示支持。柯林頓的女兒雀兒喜是柯林斯的史丹佛大學同學 。
Stern praised Collins for the courage and leadership of his admission. "Jason has been a widely respected player and teammate throughout his career and we are proud he has assumed the leadership mantle on this very important issue," Stern said. （AFP）
史騰讚揚柯林斯出櫃的勇氣與領袖風範。「傑森在他的生涯中，一直是廣受尊敬的球員和隊友，在這個非常重要的議題上，他承擔領導的職責，我們引以為傲。」史騰說。（法新社）
新聞辭典
landmark：名詞，重大事件、里程碑。例句：The vaccine is a landmark in the history of preventive medicine. （疫苗是預防醫學的里程碑。）
set out：片語，計畫或有意做什麼事。例句：She drew up a grandiose statement of what her organization should set out to achieve. （對於她的組織應該計畫做什麼事情，她擬定浮誇的宣言。）
mantle：名詞，（職業或工作的）職責或責任。例句：The second son has now assumed his father’s mantle. （次子繼承父親的衣缽。）
Being good looking can earn you 20 percent more - but only if you’re a man 帥哥多賺兩成薪 美女無優勢
Being good looking can earn you 20 percent more - but only if you’re a man
帥哥多賺兩成薪 美女無優勢
2013-05-18◎陳成良
A handsome man can earn a fifth more than a plainer colleague but a beautiful woman is not paid a penny more than her average-looking colleague, new research has shown.
俊男能比長相較平凡的同事薪水多出5分之1，但美女賺的錢卻不會比相貌平平的同事更多，一項新研究顯示。
The study by senior economists found that being good-looking meant male workers could earn 22 percent more than average-looking colleagues.
資深經濟學家的研究發現，男員工長得帥意味著能比相貌普通的同事多賺22%。
Researchers said good looks did not give women a similar advantage.
研究人員稱，長得漂亮卻不會讓女人擁有同樣的優勢。
Andrew Leigh, the former economics professor at the Australian National University who co-authored the report, said： "Beauty can be a double-edged sword for women.
共同撰寫這份研究報告的前澳洲國立大學經濟學教授安德魯‧雷說：「美麗對於女士而言是一把雙刃劍。」
"Some people still believe good looks and intelligence are incompatible in women so a good-looking woman can’t be that productive, but there’s no dumb-blonde syndrome affecting men’s pay."
「一些人仍然相信女人的智慧及美貌不可兼得，導致認為美女的工作能力較差，但無腦金髮美人症候群的看法卻不會對男人的薪水造成影響。」
The research found that handsome men in all jobs, from manual labour to highly-paid professional careers, can earn 22 percent more than their colleagues doing an identical role.
該研究發現，從體力勞動到高薪專業領域的各行各業俊男，所賺的薪水能比同一職位的同事多出22%。
Men with below-average looks face an uphill battle in the office, with ugliness reducing a man’s earnings by 26 percent compared to an average-looking worker.
其貌不揚的男人在職場則會面臨艱鉅挑戰，長得醜更會讓男人比長相平平的同事少賺26%。
新聞辭典
double-edged：形容詞，雙刃的；兩可的；意義雙關的。例句：Workplace friendships are like a double-edged sword.（職場友誼就像一把雙面刃。）
identical︰形容詞，完全相同的、完全相似的。例句：The two words are identical in meaning.（這兩個字的字義完全一樣。）
an uphill battle/fight/struggle：片語，苦戰。uphill，形容詞，上坡的，艱困的。
帥哥多賺兩成薪 美女無優勢
2013-05-18◎陳成良
A handsome man can earn a fifth more than a plainer colleague but a beautiful woman is not paid a penny more than her average-looking colleague, new research has shown.
俊男能比長相較平凡的同事薪水多出5分之1，但美女賺的錢卻不會比相貌平平的同事更多，一項新研究顯示。
The study by senior economists found that being good-looking meant male workers could earn 22 percent more than average-looking colleagues.
資深經濟學家的研究發現，男員工長得帥意味著能比相貌普通的同事多賺22%。
Researchers said good looks did not give women a similar advantage.
研究人員稱，長得漂亮卻不會讓女人擁有同樣的優勢。
Andrew Leigh, the former economics professor at the Australian National University who co-authored the report, said： "Beauty can be a double-edged sword for women.
共同撰寫這份研究報告的前澳洲國立大學經濟學教授安德魯‧雷說：「美麗對於女士而言是一把雙刃劍。」
"Some people still believe good looks and intelligence are incompatible in women so a good-looking woman can’t be that productive, but there’s no dumb-blonde syndrome affecting men’s pay."
「一些人仍然相信女人的智慧及美貌不可兼得，導致認為美女的工作能力較差，但無腦金髮美人症候群的看法卻不會對男人的薪水造成影響。」
The research found that handsome men in all jobs, from manual labour to highly-paid professional careers, can earn 22 percent more than their colleagues doing an identical role.
該研究發現，從體力勞動到高薪專業領域的各行各業俊男，所賺的薪水能比同一職位的同事多出22%。
Men with below-average looks face an uphill battle in the office, with ugliness reducing a man’s earnings by 26 percent compared to an average-looking worker.
其貌不揚的男人在職場則會面臨艱鉅挑戰，長得醜更會讓男人比長相平平的同事少賺26%。
新聞辭典
double-edged：形容詞，雙刃的；兩可的；意義雙關的。例句：Workplace friendships are like a double-edged sword.（職場友誼就像一把雙面刃。）
identical︰形容詞，完全相同的、完全相似的。例句：The two words are identical in meaning.（這兩個字的字義完全一樣。）
an uphill battle/fight/struggle：片語，苦戰。uphill，形容詞，上坡的，艱困的。
Man shoots tree, tree fires back 男子射樹，樹反擊
Man shoots tree, tree fires back
男子射樹，樹反擊
2013-05-17◎張沛元
Using a tree for target practice sounds harmless enough, right? That wasn’t the case for an Iowa man who is recovering at a hospital after the tree he aimed his gun at fired back.
拿樹當目標練習聽起來很無害，不是嗎？但對一名（美國）愛荷華州男子來說，可不是這麼一回事。該名男子目前正在醫院休養，因為他遭到自己拿槍瞄準的樹反擊。
The Iowa man is expected to survive but will have one heck of a story to tell after he fired his pistol at a tree only to have the shot ricochet and impact upon himself.
這名愛荷華州男子應該能保住小命，但關於他用手槍對一棵樹開槍，結果跳彈反而打中自己（這件事），日後可有好一番故事可說了。
27-year-old Logan Bunn transported himself to a nearby hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office says the incident happened at about 4：30am on Sunday morning.
27歲的羅根˙邦恩自行前往附近一家位於威斯康辛州拉克羅斯的醫院。（愛荷華州）阿勒馬基郡警長辦公室表示，此事發生在週日清晨4時30分左右。
In the ongoing war between man and nature, many more trees have fallen at the feet of their human counterparts. But there have been notable exceptions. Last month, an Illinois man was killed when a tree he was attempting to cut down fell upon him.
在人類與大自然之間持續不斷的戰爭中，有更多樹淪為人類的手下敗將。但也有值得注意的例外。上個月，伊利諾州一名男子企圖砍倒一棵樹時，被倒下的樹壓死。
And on Christmas Day 2012, a Houston man was killed when he was attempting to clear a fallen tree from the street outside his home. During the removal effort, a second tree fell on him, causing the fatality.
2012年耶誕節當天，休士頓一名男子在企圖清除一棵倒在他家外面的街上的樹時喪生。男子在清除倒塌的樹時，第二棵樹倒在他身上，導致死亡。
新聞辭典
fire （something） back （at someone or something）：慣用語，開槍回擊。例句：The soldiers in the fort did not fire back at the enemies.（要塞內的士兵並未開槍回擊敵人。）
it is the case/it is not the case：慣用語，就是這樣／並不是這樣。
counterpart：名詞，對應人或物。例句：Chinese President Xi Jinping held telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama on the expansion of cooperation and mutual respect between the two countries.（中國國家主席習近平與美國總統歐巴馬通電話，論及拓展兩國合作與相互尊重。）
男子射樹，樹反擊
2013-05-17◎張沛元
Using a tree for target practice sounds harmless enough, right? That wasn’t the case for an Iowa man who is recovering at a hospital after the tree he aimed his gun at fired back.
拿樹當目標練習聽起來很無害，不是嗎？但對一名（美國）愛荷華州男子來說，可不是這麼一回事。該名男子目前正在醫院休養，因為他遭到自己拿槍瞄準的樹反擊。
The Iowa man is expected to survive but will have one heck of a story to tell after he fired his pistol at a tree only to have the shot ricochet and impact upon himself.
這名愛荷華州男子應該能保住小命，但關於他用手槍對一棵樹開槍，結果跳彈反而打中自己（這件事），日後可有好一番故事可說了。
27-year-old Logan Bunn transported himself to a nearby hospital in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The Allamakee County Sheriff’s Office says the incident happened at about 4：30am on Sunday morning.
27歲的羅根˙邦恩自行前往附近一家位於威斯康辛州拉克羅斯的醫院。（愛荷華州）阿勒馬基郡警長辦公室表示，此事發生在週日清晨4時30分左右。
In the ongoing war between man and nature, many more trees have fallen at the feet of their human counterparts. But there have been notable exceptions. Last month, an Illinois man was killed when a tree he was attempting to cut down fell upon him.
在人類與大自然之間持續不斷的戰爭中，有更多樹淪為人類的手下敗將。但也有值得注意的例外。上個月，伊利諾州一名男子企圖砍倒一棵樹時，被倒下的樹壓死。
And on Christmas Day 2012, a Houston man was killed when he was attempting to clear a fallen tree from the street outside his home. During the removal effort, a second tree fell on him, causing the fatality.
2012年耶誕節當天，休士頓一名男子在企圖清除一棵倒在他家外面的街上的樹時喪生。男子在清除倒塌的樹時，第二棵樹倒在他身上，導致死亡。
新聞辭典
fire （something） back （at someone or something）：慣用語，開槍回擊。例句：The soldiers in the fort did not fire back at the enemies.（要塞內的士兵並未開槍回擊敵人。）
it is the case/it is not the case：慣用語，就是這樣／並不是這樣。
counterpart：名詞，對應人或物。例句：Chinese President Xi Jinping held telephone conversation with his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama on the expansion of cooperation and mutual respect between the two countries.（中國國家主席習近平與美國總統歐巴馬通電話，論及拓展兩國合作與相互尊重。）
Images of tiger abuse at China zoos upset public 中國動物園虐虎影像引發眾怒
Images of tiger abuse at China zoos upset public
中國動物園虐虎影像引發眾怒
2013-05-14◎陳維真
A video and photos of tigers being abused in a pair of incidents during China’s May Day holiday have caused public condemnation, prompting apologies and promises that such incidents would not recur.
中國五一假期時，兩起老虎遭虐事件的影片和照片引發民眾譴責，促使動物園道歉，承諾這類事件不會再發生。
In the video, two uniformed men are shown slapping and shaking the head of a lethargic tiger and energetically jumping on its back.
在影片中，2名穿著制服的男子拍打搖晃有氣無力的老虎，2人還精力十足地在老虎背上跳動。
The state-run China News Service said late Monday that the men were employees of a performance troupe that staged tiger shows at Wenling Zoo in eastern China’s Zhejiang province during the May Day holiday. It said the men abused the tiger after a show featuring the animal.
國營媒體中新社週一稍晚表示，男子是表演劇團的員工，五一假期時在中國東部浙江省溫嶺市的動物園表演老虎秀。中新社表示，男子在老虎表演後虐待老虎。
In a separate incident, a tiger tethered with a rope was offered as a prop to photo-taking tourists during the holiday at a tiger park in northeastern Jilin province. One photo showed a person straddling the tiger’s back.
在另一起事件中，中國東北吉林省一家老虎園區在假期期間，將老虎用繩子拴住，讓觀光客當做拍照道具。其中一張照片中，有個人跨坐在老虎身上。
Wang Haijun, a park official, told China News that a tiger tamer made the unauthorized decision to allow tourists to take photographs with the animal and that the park management immediately halted the act after hearing about it.
園方人員王海軍（譯音）向中新社表示，馴獸師未經授權就決定讓觀光客和老虎合照，園方管理單位聞訊後馬上制止行動。
Mistreatment of captive or tamed wild animals is an issue in China. Earlier this year, visitors to the city zoo of Hangzhou in Zhejiang province were caught pelting two lions with snowballs.（AP）
不當對待遭捕或馴養的野生動物是中國一大問題。今年稍早，浙江省杭州市動物園的遊客被抓到朝2頭獅子丟雪球。（美聯社）
新聞辭典
recur：動詞，再發生、復發。例句：When the symptoms recurred, the doctor diagnosed something different. （症狀復發時，醫生做出不同的診斷。）
lethargic：形容詞，不活潑的、無生氣的。例句：I felt tired and a little lethargic. （我覺得累累的，有點沒精神。）
straddle：動詞，跨坐。例句：He turned the chair round and straddled it. （他把椅子轉過來，跨坐上去。）
中國動物園虐虎影像引發眾怒
2013-05-14◎陳維真
A video and photos of tigers being abused in a pair of incidents during China’s May Day holiday have caused public condemnation, prompting apologies and promises that such incidents would not recur.
中國五一假期時，兩起老虎遭虐事件的影片和照片引發民眾譴責，促使動物園道歉，承諾這類事件不會再發生。
In the video, two uniformed men are shown slapping and shaking the head of a lethargic tiger and energetically jumping on its back.
在影片中，2名穿著制服的男子拍打搖晃有氣無力的老虎，2人還精力十足地在老虎背上跳動。
The state-run China News Service said late Monday that the men were employees of a performance troupe that staged tiger shows at Wenling Zoo in eastern China’s Zhejiang province during the May Day holiday. It said the men abused the tiger after a show featuring the animal.
國營媒體中新社週一稍晚表示，男子是表演劇團的員工，五一假期時在中國東部浙江省溫嶺市的動物園表演老虎秀。中新社表示，男子在老虎表演後虐待老虎。
In a separate incident, a tiger tethered with a rope was offered as a prop to photo-taking tourists during the holiday at a tiger park in northeastern Jilin province. One photo showed a person straddling the tiger’s back.
在另一起事件中，中國東北吉林省一家老虎園區在假期期間，將老虎用繩子拴住，讓觀光客當做拍照道具。其中一張照片中，有個人跨坐在老虎身上。
Wang Haijun, a park official, told China News that a tiger tamer made the unauthorized decision to allow tourists to take photographs with the animal and that the park management immediately halted the act after hearing about it.
園方人員王海軍（譯音）向中新社表示，馴獸師未經授權就決定讓觀光客和老虎合照，園方管理單位聞訊後馬上制止行動。
Mistreatment of captive or tamed wild animals is an issue in China. Earlier this year, visitors to the city zoo of Hangzhou in Zhejiang province were caught pelting two lions with snowballs.（AP）
不當對待遭捕或馴養的野生動物是中國一大問題。今年稍早，浙江省杭州市動物園的遊客被抓到朝2頭獅子丟雪球。（美聯社）
新聞辭典
recur：動詞，再發生、復發。例句：When the symptoms recurred, the doctor diagnosed something different. （症狀復發時，醫生做出不同的診斷。）
lethargic：形容詞，不活潑的、無生氣的。例句：I felt tired and a little lethargic. （我覺得累累的，有點沒精神。）
straddle：動詞，跨坐。例句：He turned the chair round and straddled it. （他把椅子轉過來，跨坐上去。）
Beer-glass shape alters people’s drinking speed - study 研究：啤酒杯形狀改變喝酒速度
Beer-glass shape alters people’s drinking speed - study
研究：啤酒杯形狀改變喝酒速度
2013-05-23◎國際新聞中心
The shape of your glass is probably the last thing on your mind when you are down the pub. However, researchers at the University of Bristol believe the shape of beer glasses affects the speed people drink.
玻璃杯形狀，可能是你去酒吧時最不會想到的事情，不過布里斯托大學研究人員認為，啤酒杯形狀影響喝酒速度。
Their study suggests people drink more quickly out of curved glasses than straight ones. They argue that the curvy glassware makes pacing yourself a much greater challenge.
這份研究顯示，人們用有弧度的酒杯喝酒時，會比用直線條的酒杯時喝得快，他們認為，彎曲的玻璃器皿對放慢步伐帶來更大挑戰。
A group of 159 men and women were filmed drinking either soft drinks or beer as part of the study. The glasses all contained around half a pint of liquid, but some of the glasses were straight while others were very curved.
159名參與研究的男女，被拍攝喝軟性飲料或啤酒時的畫面，玻璃杯裡都放大約半品脫的液體，不過有些酒杯是直線型，其他則是非常有曲線。
There was no difference in the drinking time for soft drinks. People drinking from both straight and curved glasses finished after around seven minutes. However, for the beer drinkers there was a large difference between the two groups. While it took around seven minutes for people drinking from a curved glass to polish off their half pint, it took 11 minutes for those drinking from a straight glass.
喝軟性飲料的時間沒有差別，用直線型或曲線型玻璃杯喝，大概都花了7分鐘喝完。不過喝啤酒時，兩組就有很大的區別。用曲線型杯子喝的人，花大約7分鐘把半品脫喝光光，用直線型杯子的人花了約11分鐘。
新聞辭典
alter：動詞，改變。例句：We’ve had to alter some of our plans.（我們必須變更一些計畫。）
down：介系詞，向下，往下方，沿著。在英國的非標準用法時，指「去」。例句：I went down the pub with my mates.（我跟兄弟們去酒吧。）
pace oneself：片語，放慢步伐，慢慢來。例句：No more soup, thank you. I’m pacing myself so that I have room for a dessert.（不要再給我湯了，謝謝。我要慢慢吃，這樣才有肚子吃甜點。）
研究：啤酒杯形狀改變喝酒速度
2013-05-23◎國際新聞中心
The shape of your glass is probably the last thing on your mind when you are down the pub. However, researchers at the University of Bristol believe the shape of beer glasses affects the speed people drink.
玻璃杯形狀，可能是你去酒吧時最不會想到的事情，不過布里斯托大學研究人員認為，啤酒杯形狀影響喝酒速度。
Their study suggests people drink more quickly out of curved glasses than straight ones. They argue that the curvy glassware makes pacing yourself a much greater challenge.
這份研究顯示，人們用有弧度的酒杯喝酒時，會比用直線條的酒杯時喝得快，他們認為，彎曲的玻璃器皿對放慢步伐帶來更大挑戰。
A group of 159 men and women were filmed drinking either soft drinks or beer as part of the study. The glasses all contained around half a pint of liquid, but some of the glasses were straight while others were very curved.
159名參與研究的男女，被拍攝喝軟性飲料或啤酒時的畫面，玻璃杯裡都放大約半品脫的液體，不過有些酒杯是直線型，其他則是非常有曲線。
There was no difference in the drinking time for soft drinks. People drinking from both straight and curved glasses finished after around seven minutes. However, for the beer drinkers there was a large difference between the two groups. While it took around seven minutes for people drinking from a curved glass to polish off their half pint, it took 11 minutes for those drinking from a straight glass.
喝軟性飲料的時間沒有差別，用直線型或曲線型玻璃杯喝，大概都花了7分鐘喝完。不過喝啤酒時，兩組就有很大的區別。用曲線型杯子喝的人，花大約7分鐘把半品脫喝光光，用直線型杯子的人花了約11分鐘。
新聞辭典
alter：動詞，改變。例句：We’ve had to alter some of our plans.（我們必須變更一些計畫。）
down：介系詞，向下，往下方，沿著。在英國的非標準用法時，指「去」。例句：I went down the pub with my mates.（我跟兄弟們去酒吧。）
pace oneself：片語，放慢步伐，慢慢來。例句：No more soup, thank you. I’m pacing myself so that I have room for a dessert.（不要再給我湯了，謝謝。我要慢慢吃，這樣才有肚子吃甜點。）
Playing Tetris video game ’fixes lazy eye’, doctors say 醫師說，玩俄羅斯方塊電玩「矯正懶惰眼」
Playing Tetris video game ’fixes lazy eye’, doctors say
醫師說，玩俄羅斯方塊電玩「矯正懶惰眼」
2013-05-20◎管淑平
Canadian doctors say they have found an inventive way to treat lazy eye - playing the Tetris video game.
加拿大醫師說，他們發現一項治療懶惰眼的創新方法：玩俄羅斯方塊電玩遊戲。
An estimated one in 50 children has lazy eye, known medically as amblyopia.
估計每50名兒童中就有1人有懶惰眼，醫學上名為弱視。
Normally, the treatment is to cover the good eye with a patch to make the weak one work harder.
通常治療方式是用眼罩遮住視力良好的那隻眼，以加強使用視力弱的那一眼。
Dr Robert Hess of the McGill University set out to investigate whether a different approach might work.
麥吉爾大學的羅勃．海斯博士要了解採用不同方式是否有效。
Armed with a special pair of video goggles they set up an experiment that would make both eyes work as a team.
他們使用一副特殊眼鏡安排一項可讓兩眼如團隊般分工合作的實驗。
Nine volunteers with amblyopia were asked to wear the goggles for an hour a day over the two weeks while playing Tetris, the falling building block video game.
9名患有弱視的自願者被要求在2週期間內，每天戴著這種眼鏡玩俄羅斯方塊1小時。
The goggles allowed one eye to see only the falling objects, while the other eye could see only the blocks that accumulate on the ground in the game.
這種眼鏡能讓使用者的一眼只看遊戲畫面中正在掉落的方塊，另一眼看著底下累積的方塊。
Another group of nine volunteers with amblyopia wore similar goggles but had their good eye covered, and watched the whole game through only their lazy eye.
另一組9名弱視患者也戴著類似眼鏡，但遮住視力良好的眼睛，遊戲時只靠弱視的那眼看。
At the end of the two weeks, the group who used both eyes had more improvement in their vision than the patched group.
2週結束時，兩眼並用那組人的視力，比遮眼那組進步得多。
The researchers then let the patched group have a go at using the goggles with both eyes uncovered. Their vision then improved significantly.
接著研究人員讓遮眼那組試著使用兩眼都沒遮著的眼鏡。之後，他們的視力也顯著改善。
新聞辭典：
set out to：動詞片語，著手、展開做某事。例句：They set out to prove their theory.（他們著手證明他們的理論。）
fix：動詞，整理、修理，吸引注意，賄賂（口語）。例句：That old woman crying for help fixed our attention.（那名哭求幫助的老婦吸引我們注意。）
have a go：動詞，嘗試、企圖做。例句：Why not let him have a go. He will do better this time.（何不讓他放手一試。他這次會表現得更好。）
醫師說，玩俄羅斯方塊電玩「矯正懶惰眼」
2013-05-20◎管淑平
Canadian doctors say they have found an inventive way to treat lazy eye - playing the Tetris video game.
加拿大醫師說，他們發現一項治療懶惰眼的創新方法：玩俄羅斯方塊電玩遊戲。
An estimated one in 50 children has lazy eye, known medically as amblyopia.
估計每50名兒童中就有1人有懶惰眼，醫學上名為弱視。
Normally, the treatment is to cover the good eye with a patch to make the weak one work harder.
通常治療方式是用眼罩遮住視力良好的那隻眼，以加強使用視力弱的那一眼。
Dr Robert Hess of the McGill University set out to investigate whether a different approach might work.
麥吉爾大學的羅勃．海斯博士要了解採用不同方式是否有效。
Armed with a special pair of video goggles they set up an experiment that would make both eyes work as a team.
他們使用一副特殊眼鏡安排一項可讓兩眼如團隊般分工合作的實驗。
Nine volunteers with amblyopia were asked to wear the goggles for an hour a day over the two weeks while playing Tetris, the falling building block video game.
9名患有弱視的自願者被要求在2週期間內，每天戴著這種眼鏡玩俄羅斯方塊1小時。
The goggles allowed one eye to see only the falling objects, while the other eye could see only the blocks that accumulate on the ground in the game.
這種眼鏡能讓使用者的一眼只看遊戲畫面中正在掉落的方塊，另一眼看著底下累積的方塊。
Another group of nine volunteers with amblyopia wore similar goggles but had their good eye covered, and watched the whole game through only their lazy eye.
另一組9名弱視患者也戴著類似眼鏡，但遮住視力良好的眼睛，遊戲時只靠弱視的那眼看。
At the end of the two weeks, the group who used both eyes had more improvement in their vision than the patched group.
2週結束時，兩眼並用那組人的視力，比遮眼那組進步得多。
The researchers then let the patched group have a go at using the goggles with both eyes uncovered. Their vision then improved significantly.
接著研究人員讓遮眼那組試著使用兩眼都沒遮著的眼鏡。之後，他們的視力也顯著改善。
新聞辭典：
set out to：動詞片語，著手、展開做某事。例句：They set out to prove their theory.（他們著手證明他們的理論。）
fix：動詞，整理、修理，吸引注意，賄賂（口語）。例句：That old woman crying for help fixed our attention.（那名哭求幫助的老婦吸引我們注意。）
have a go：動詞，嘗試、企圖做。例句：Why not let him have a go. He will do better this time.（何不讓他放手一試。他這次會表現得更好。）
Obama balks when asked if presidency is out of juice 被問到總統是否已經失勢，歐巴馬語塞
Obama balks when asked if presidency is out of juice
被問到總統是否已經失勢，歐巴馬語塞
2013-06-02◎俞智敏
"Golly." That was Barack Obama, flabbergasted at a variant of a question all US presidents get sooner or later -- are you still relevant?
「天啊。」那是歐巴馬的回答，當時他被問到所有美國總統遲早都會被問到的一個問題而大吃一驚──你的地位仍舊舉足輕重嗎？
Obama appeared taken aback when asked at a White House news conference whether he still had the "juice" to get his agenda through clogged up Congress.
歐巴馬在白宮記者會上被問到是否還有「影響力」，能在窒礙難行的國會推動他的政治主張時，他顯得十分震驚。
"Maybe I should just pack up and go home. Golly," said Obama, probably thinking the question impertinent, since he is only three months into his second term.
「或許我應該乾脆打包回家，天啊，」歐巴馬說，他可能認為這個問題非常失禮，因為他的第2任總統任期才剛邁入第3個月。
Yet Obama can barely contain his contempt for Congress, which blocks him at every turn and threatens his hopes for a robust second-term. "My charm offensive has helped me learn some interesting things about what’s going on in Congress -- it turns out, absolutely nothing," said Obama.
但歐巴馬幾乎無法克制他對國會的不屑，因為國會總是處處跟他作對，威脅到他在第二任總統任期內積極施政的期望。「我的魅力攻勢幫助我學到一些有關國會運作的趣事，那就是，國會什麼事都不做，」歐巴馬說。
The president’s joke, at the White House Correspondents dinner, betrayed frustration at banging his head against a congressional brick wall.
總統在白宮記者餐會上開的這個玩笑，也透露出他對於和國會交涉徒勞無力的挫折感。
"You seem to suggest that somehow these folks over there have no responsibilities and that my job is to somehow get them to behave," Obama told reporters, in a snipe at lawmakers.
「你們似乎暗示，那邊的那些傢伙沒有任何責任，而我的工作則是要設法讓他們聽話，」歐巴馬對記者說，話中又對國會議員放了一記冷槍。
新聞辭典
juice：名詞，指精力、活力，或者電力、汽油等，亦可引申為指政治實力或影響力，尤指在政界或商界的影響力，如My cousin Gianni’s got all the juice in this neighborhood.（我表哥吉安尼在這個社區很有影響力。）
flabbergast：動詞，常用被動式，指使某人大吃一驚，如He was flabbergasted when we told him how cheap it was.（當我們告訴他這個東西有多便宜時，他非常驚訝。）
bang one’s head against a brick wall：片語，指徒勞無功、白費力氣，如You’re banging your head against a brick wall trying to get that dog to behave properly.（你想讓那隻狗乖乖聽話，根本就是白費工夫。）
被問到總統是否已經失勢，歐巴馬語塞
2013-06-02◎俞智敏
"Golly." That was Barack Obama, flabbergasted at a variant of a question all US presidents get sooner or later -- are you still relevant?
「天啊。」那是歐巴馬的回答，當時他被問到所有美國總統遲早都會被問到的一個問題而大吃一驚──你的地位仍舊舉足輕重嗎？
Obama appeared taken aback when asked at a White House news conference whether he still had the "juice" to get his agenda through clogged up Congress.
歐巴馬在白宮記者會上被問到是否還有「影響力」，能在窒礙難行的國會推動他的政治主張時，他顯得十分震驚。
"Maybe I should just pack up and go home. Golly," said Obama, probably thinking the question impertinent, since he is only three months into his second term.
「或許我應該乾脆打包回家，天啊，」歐巴馬說，他可能認為這個問題非常失禮，因為他的第2任總統任期才剛邁入第3個月。
Yet Obama can barely contain his contempt for Congress, which blocks him at every turn and threatens his hopes for a robust second-term. "My charm offensive has helped me learn some interesting things about what’s going on in Congress -- it turns out, absolutely nothing," said Obama.
但歐巴馬幾乎無法克制他對國會的不屑，因為國會總是處處跟他作對，威脅到他在第二任總統任期內積極施政的期望。「我的魅力攻勢幫助我學到一些有關國會運作的趣事，那就是，國會什麼事都不做，」歐巴馬說。
The president’s joke, at the White House Correspondents dinner, betrayed frustration at banging his head against a congressional brick wall.
總統在白宮記者餐會上開的這個玩笑，也透露出他對於和國會交涉徒勞無力的挫折感。
"You seem to suggest that somehow these folks over there have no responsibilities and that my job is to somehow get them to behave," Obama told reporters, in a snipe at lawmakers.
「你們似乎暗示，那邊的那些傢伙沒有任何責任，而我的工作則是要設法讓他們聽話，」歐巴馬對記者說，話中又對國會議員放了一記冷槍。
新聞辭典
juice：名詞，指精力、活力，或者電力、汽油等，亦可引申為指政治實力或影響力，尤指在政界或商界的影響力，如My cousin Gianni’s got all the juice in this neighborhood.（我表哥吉安尼在這個社區很有影響力。）
flabbergast：動詞，常用被動式，指使某人大吃一驚，如He was flabbergasted when we told him how cheap it was.（當我們告訴他這個東西有多便宜時，他非常驚訝。）
bang one’s head against a brick wall：片語，指徒勞無功、白費力氣，如You’re banging your head against a brick wall trying to get that dog to behave properly.（你想讓那隻狗乖乖聽話，根本就是白費工夫。）
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