2006 年 06 月 09 日 (No. 53)

 
Politics
蒙特內哥羅公投通過宣佈獨立　前南斯拉夫聯盟徹底瓦解（2006/05/22）
Montenegrins back independence in referendum
將卡斯楚列為全球第七富元首　《富比士》雜誌惹上大麻煩（2006/05/26）
Cuba keeps Forbes in hot seat
Society
默克子宮頸癌疫苗獲准上市在即　面臨基督教右派嚴格審視道德把關（2006/05/22）
Merck cancer vaccine faces Christian-right scrutiny
涉台開案內線交易　趙建銘遭法院裁定收押禁見（2006/05/26）
Chao Chien-ming held incommunicado over insider trading
Business
石油輸出國組織或擬減產　國際油價回升（2006/05/23）
Oil bounces on OPEC cut talk
【恩隆案】肯雷、史啟靈辯護失敗　聯邦陪審團宣判罪名成立（2006/05/26）
Enron jurors say Lay, Skilling defense fell flat
Science & Technology
網路媒體揭載國安局與 AT&T 協商密件　美竊聽風波愈演愈烈（2006/05/24）
Wired News publishes full-text of AT&T-NSA wiretap documents
整合手機與電郵　摩托 Q 系列來勢洶洶　黑莓務須全力迎擊（2006/05/16）
Moto Q to give RIM's BlackBerry a run for its money
Entertainment
達文西密碼票房亮眼　片商有意續拍前傳《天使與魔鬼》（2006/05/24）
Studio banks on Da Vinci prequel
美國前副總統高爾拍攝環保紀錄片　布希不以為然興致缺缺（2006/05/25）
Bush snubs Gore's film about global warming
Sports
【賽馬】冠軍名駒巴巴羅失蹄重傷　全美馬迷唏噓同情（2006/05/23）
Barbaro's injury provokes deep empathy
巨怪強森控球不穩　所幸隊友打線捧場　洋基 8-6 轟垮紅襪（2006/05/26）
Yanks overcome shaky Unit, two Manny HRs to beat Sox
 
 
Finns Finish First at Eurovision
 
 歐洲電視網歌唱大賽　芬蘭藝人奪魁
This month, Finland roared to the top of the heap in what is billed as the closest thing European pop music has to the Olympics.
On May 21, the home of reindeer and fur-clad Laplanders landed the top trophy at the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest.
Heavy-metal shock-rockers Lordi won over voters in the annual competition known for bringing Swedish pop sensations Abba to a worldwide audience.
  這個月，芬蘭在號稱歐洲流行音樂奧運競賽的活動裡拔得頭籌。五月二十一日，這個馴鹿與拉普蘭人的國度在二○○六年歐洲電視網歌唱大賽裡勇奪冠軍。這項年度競賽活動，曾因把瑞典流行合唱團阿巴推上國際舞台而著名，今年則由重金屬驚駭搖滾樂團羅帝贏得投票觀眾的青睞。
Clad in latex masks, rubber bat wings and medieval warrior trappings, Lordi looked as if they might have wandered in from the set of one of Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies as they roared through their entry, "Hard Rock Hallelujah."
The band's victory marked the first time an artist or group from Finland has won the competition.
Fans back home were so elated by the competition's outcome that one town named a square after the band.
  羅帝團員戴著乳膠面具、橡膠蝙蝠翅膀，還有中古世紀戰士的服裝，唱著參賽歌曲〈美哉！硬搖滾〉，看起來就像是從彼得•傑克森的《魔戒》電影裡走出來的人物。在他們以前，芬蘭從來不曾有藝人或樂團在這項競賽活動裡贏得冠軍。家鄉的歌迷對競賽結果深感振奮，甚至有一座城鎮以該樂團名稱為鎮內廣場命名。
The upstart Finns' victory was less well received in countries that lost out.
In second-place Russia, accusations circulated that the Finns had benefited from anti-Russian sentiment among the voters.
Each European country selects a single entry each year, and finalists are voted on by television viewers.
The telecasts are widely followed by viewers across Europe -- as much for their camp value as the dubious musical talents of the contestants.
  其他輸了比賽的國家，對於芬蘭勝出的結果則是不以為然。獲得第二名的俄羅斯，便指稱芬蘭乃是得利於投票觀眾的反俄情緒。每個歐洲國家每年都會選出一名參賽者，決賽則在電視上舉行，由觀眾投票決定名次。這項競賽的電視轉播在歐洲觀眾非常多，一方面是因為參賽者的音樂程度參差不齊，頗為有趣，另一方面也是因為比賽過程常有「聳擱有力」的逗趣演出。
Past Eurovision critics have hailed Lordi's victory as a sign that the usually tame contest is finally getting an edge.
That sentiment was bolstered by Icelandic entry Silvia Night, who caused a minor uproar in Eurovision host city Athens with her profanity-laced performance and off-stage antics.
  過去對歐洲電視網歌唱大賽多所批評的人士，認為羅帝的獲勝代表這項向來平淡乏味的競賽總算有點可看之處。冰島參賽藝人席薇雅•奈特的演出，更是強化了這種觀點。她在台上不但髒話連連，台下也話題不斷， 因此在主辦城市雅典引起了一番小騷動。
top of the heap　優勝者
Gina rose to the top of the heap in her interoffice tennis tournament.
吉娜在公司部門間的網球賽中一路打到了冠軍。
trophy　n. 獎盃
clad in　穿著……；被……覆蓋
latex　n. 乳膠
medieval　adj. 中世紀的；中古風的
The guards wore medieval suits of armor.
守衛們穿著中古時代的盔甲裝束。
entry　n. 參賽者；參賽作品
elated　adj. 得意洋洋的；興高采烈的
The elated fans cheered their team.
興奮的球迷們向他們支持的隊伍發出歡呼。
upstart　adj. 暴富的；自命不凡的
The upstart company took on their bigger competitors.
那家異軍突起的公司槓上了規模較其為大的競爭對手。
circulate　v. 傳播；流傳
The memo circulated the office.
那張備忘錄在辦公室裡傳閱。
sentiment　n. 情操；情緒
telecast　n. 有線電視節目
camp　adj. 滑稽可笑的；彆扭的；古怪的
Ben enjoyed the B-movie for its camp value.
班很愛看那部 B 級電影，因為它俗得很搞笑。
dubious　adj. 評價未定的；無把握的；堪疑的
One of Carl's dubious achievements is being divorced five times.
卡爾有一些耐人尋味的「成就」，其中之一就是他曾經離過五次婚。
edge　n. 辛辣；尖銳
bolster　v. 支撐；加固
Tim bolstered his diet with vitamins.
提姆服用維他命作為飲食的輔助。
uproar　n. 喧鬧；騷動
profanity-laced　adj. 摻雜著髒話的
The comedian delivered a profanity-laced monologue.
那名喜劇演員來了段出口成「髒」的長篇大論。
antic　n. 滑稽古怪的動作
be billed as　被宣傳為……
bill 作名詞時有「海報、傳單」這層意思，衍生出動詞用法，表示「用海報作廣告宣傳」，被動用法 be billed as (something) 較為常見，意指「被宣傳為……」、「號稱……」。
The competition was billed as a showdown between sporting champions.
這場競賽號稱是運動冠軍間的大對決。

 
True or False:
T
F
1 . A profanity-laced speech contains bad language.
2 . Something that is dubious is questionable.
3 . If something falls flat, it is well received.
4 . If someone is snubbed, he or she is ignored.
5 . If someone faces scrutiny, he or she is not give much attention.
 

Choose the best word or phrase to complete each sentence.
a. uproar b. bounced c. circulated d. Medieval e. snubbed
6.
 Rumors that the company was in financial trouble.
7.
 Thomas studied history in university.
8.
 The referee's bad call resulted in an from the crowd.
9.
 The low-budget film was by the critics.
10.
 Gold prices on a positive report from analysts.
 

Answer

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