2006 年 04 月 28 日 (No. 50)

 
Politics
布希內閣人事改組　白宮幕僚羅夫去職（2006/04/20）
Bush sacrifices key policymaker in reshuffle
伊拉克法庭大審　鑑識判定什葉派村民屠殺報復文件確有海珊親筆簽名（2006/04/18）
Saddam's signature 'on retaliation documents'
Society
研究發現　慢性疲勞症候形成與基因有關（2006/04/21）
Chronic fatigue may have genetic basis
德國同意公開二戰納粹大屠殺檔案　揭露暴行詳細真相（2006/04/20）
Germany favors opening WWII archives detailing Nazi atrocities
Business
Google 領先推出新搜尋工具　方便企業查詢訊息（2006/04/20）
Google one-ups intranet search
前恩隆執行長史啟靈脾氣火爆　與檢察官當庭起爭執（2006/04/19）
Skilling, prosecutor lock horns at Enron trial
Science & Technology
HD DVD 上市　升高規格戰對決態勢（2006/04/21）
HD DVD debut ups ante in high-stakes game
Skype 與獨裁政府暗通款曲　承認為中共記錄監控即時訊息內敏感字眼（2006/04/20）
Skype plays footsie with dictators
Entertainment
不可能的任務？　凱蒂即將臨盆　阿湯哥戲稱要吃胎盤（2006/04/19）
Mission Impossible? Tom Cruise boasts of eating placenta
搖滾浪子竇爾提再次持有毒品遭逮捕　法庭僅輕懲發落（2006/04/21）
Another wrist slap, arrest for Doherty
Sports
波士頓馬拉松大賽　肯亞選手大獲全勝　包辦男女組冠軍（2006/04/19）
Kenyans sweep titles at Boston Marathon
美式足球：明尼蘇達維京人前隊員威廉斯　經仲裁判定擾亂秩序有罪（2006/04/21）
Jury: Williams guilty of disorderly conduct
 
 
Gaffes And Embarrassment Greet Hu in Washington
 
 胡錦濤訪華盛頓　白宮接待場面糗態百出
It was meant to be a moment for both the Chinese people and their president, Hu Jintao, to hold their collective heads high.
Hu's face-gaining tour of the U.S. culminated Thursday with a trip to the capital and a meeting with counterpart George W. Bush.
But the only face Hu found in Washington was a red one after a series of gaffes sucked the wind from the sails of his first official U.S. visit.
  這場訪問原本應該是中國人民與總理胡錦濤揚眉吐氣的時刻。這場讓胡錦濤顏面增光的訪美行程終於在星期四上演重頭戲，也就是到華府與美國總統小布希會面。不過，胡錦濤在華府卻是滿臉漲得通紅，首度正式訪美因為一連串的意外狀況而導致氣焰全消。
The Chinese president and his entourage had hoped for a reception befitting his status as leader of one the world's leading economic and military powerhouses.
Instead of a black-tie state dinner and Chinese flags flying side-by-side with the Stars and Stripes, however, Hu had to settle for a more subdued lunch meeting with Bush and an official reception on the White House lawn.
  身為世界上舉足輕重的軍經大國領袖，胡錦濤及其隨行人員原本期望美國的接待規格能夠合乎他的身分地位。不過，胡錦濤沒有盼到中國五星旗與星條旗並置飛揚的正式國宴，只能以比較低調的方式與布希共進午餐，而且也只在白宮草坪上舉行官方接待典禮。
Things got off to a bad start when the announcer introduced Hu as the president of the Republic of China, the official name of political and military rival Taiwan.
The reception quickly went from bad to worse when a lone protestor interrupted Hu's opening remarks shouting, "President Bush, stop him from killing!" before being removed by security personnel.
The protestor, 47-year-old Wang Wenyi, is member of the Falun Gong meditation sect, which has been outlawed in China.
  典禮一開始就不太順利，司儀誤把胡錦濤介紹成中華民國總理，硬是給他套上了與中國大陸在政治軍事上都互相敵對的台灣國號。接下來的狀況更是愈來愈糟，會場上竟然出現一名抗議人士，在胡錦濤致詞的開頭就打斷了他的發言，高聲喊道：「布希總統，請阻止他謀害人民！」隨後才受到安全人員帶離會場。這位抗議人士是法輪功成員，現年四十七歲，名叫王文怡。法輪功是目前在中國遭到禁止的教派。
In spite of assurances from Bush that he was safe and could proceed, Hu's embarrassment did not stop there.
At the end of his speech, Hu mistakenly moved to exit the stage in the wrong stairway before Bush grabbed his coat sleeve and unceremoniously pulled him back.
  儘管布希向胡錦濤保證他安全無虞，可以繼續致詞，但是尷尬場面卻沒有到此為止。致詞結束之後，胡錦濤又走錯下台階梯，結果布希伸手去扯他的西裝袖子，不太客氣地把他給拉了回來。
gaffe　n. 失態；失禮（尤指社交、外交上的出醜）
hold one's head high　v. 抬頭挺胸；趾高氣昂
Ben held his head high after beating his brother at chess.
班下西洋棋贏過了哥哥，一付趾高氣昂的模樣。
collective　adj. 集體的；共同的
Fans breathed a collective sigh of relief after the soccer team won the championship.
在所支持的足球隊終於贏得冠軍之後，該隊球迷共同鬆了一口氣。
face-gaining　adj. 掙面子的；有面子
The expensive banquet was seen as a face-gaining gesture for the host.
這場昂貴的筵席被視為是幫主人拉抬顏面的舉動。
culminate　v. 達到最高點；達到頂點／高潮
The dinner culminated in several long toasts.
晚餐的氣氛在幾次長時間的舉杯祝酒後達到了高潮。
counterpart　n. 對應的人

reception　n. 接待；迎賓；歡迎

befit　v. 適合……；對……適當
Bill had a meal befitting a king.
比爾享用了一頓帝王級的餐飲。
powerhouse　n. 強權
black-tie　adj. 賓客須穿半正式禮服的場合的（男性著燕尾服、黑領帶；女性著正式洋裝）
The diplomat attended a black-tie dinner.
這位外交官參加了一場半正式的晚宴。
state dinner　n. 國宴（國家晚宴）
Stars and Stripes　n. 美國國旗（星條旗）
settle　v. 勉強；將就；妥協；和解
Grace settled for an economy class seat on the flight.
葛芮斯勉強接受乘坐該班機的經濟艙。
subdue　v. 減輕；緩和；克制；使柔和
The party was a subdued affair.
該派對是個較為低調的場合。
lawn　n. 草坪
announcer　n. 司儀；宣告者；播音員
lone　adj. 單獨的；孤單的；無伴的
A lone employee turned up for the meeting.
一位員工單獨前來參加這場會議。
Falun Gong　n. 法輪功
sect　n. 教派；宗派
outlaw　v. 查禁；宣佈……為不合法；禁止；限制
The government outlawed gambling in the country.
該國政府將賭博列為禁止的活動。
unceremoniously　adv. 唐突地；無禮地；隨便地；非正式地
Take / suck the wind out of... (one's) sails　使……受阻礙；妨礙……
此語源自航海術語，代表一艘船擋住推動另一艘船的風，使其速度減緩，有如「奪走其帆中的風」一般。此後便引申為減弱他人進行某事的信心、意志，或對其造成阻礙之意，而且常用在受阻礙方沒有預期，被出其不意地減弱了行事的效能或動力的情況。
Getting passed over for a promotion sucked the wind out of Tina's sails.
升遷的機會被別人給搶走讓蒂娜很洩氣。
 
 
True or False:
T
F
1 . To reshuffle something is to reorganize it.
2 . To lock horns is to cooperate with someone.
3 . A wrist slap is a severe punishment.
4 . A gaffe is an embarrassing mistake.
5 . Hu did not get a full state dinner when he visited Washington.
 

Choose the best word or phrase to complete each sentence.
a. culminated b. befitted c. outlawed d. black tie e. gaffe
6.
 The parliament importing exotic animals.
7.
 The governor hosted a reception for charity.
8.
 The performance with a song.
9.
 Jenny's left her embarrassed for days.
10.
 Daniel's home a member of the aristocracy.
 

Answer

 1：T 2：F 3：F 4：T 5：T
6：【c】 7：【d】 8：【a 】 9：【e】 10：【b】
 
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