英語學習筆記

Manifest Destiny  明顯的命運
文●聞亦道
John L O'Sullivan : 19 世紀的美國新聞從業員

文●聞亦道
The Bradley Effect :
Bradley 指從前洛杉磯市長 Tom Bradley (1917-1998), 他是非裔美人 (African-American), 但聲望很高, 所以 Bradley 做過市長後, 想更上一層樓, 遂在 1982 年競選加州州長。事前的民調說 Bradley 穩操勝算, 而結果竟是落敗, 那表示民調有問題, 最大的問題出在接受民調的人沒有說實話, 而這些撒謊者又全是白人, 這即是所謂 Bradley effect。
Michael Dawson :
I'm one of those who believe the Bradley effect is alive and well....... It may have diminished with time....... but has not disappeared.
我是相信 Bradley 效應依然健在的人之一。....... 也許這效應隨著時間減弱了....... , 但並沒有消失。

Broader, Deeper Job Cuts Risk Steepening Slump
景氣低迷的相關負面字眼
recession
cut
shrink : to become or to make something smaller in amount, size, or value [≠ grow]
eliminate : to completely get rid of something that is unnecessary or unwanted

California Shows Possible Future for US

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Recession 
影集《白宮風雲》的一段對話：

Greed is, for lack of a better word, good
「貪婪就是好事，沒有比這更好的形容詞！」

 



Bailout 紓困 
文●聞亦道

Old-School Banks Emerge A top New World of Finance

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Bells & Whistles
連續兩周華爾街日報的導讀文章都是全球金融秩序的重整, 近來再也沒有比這個更重要的議題了。過去幾十年來, 全球銀行業的業務分為兩大類, 一是商業銀行(commercial bank), 以存款、放款提供穩定的回報。一是投資銀行(investment bank), 像是雷曼兄弟、美林公司等高風險、高利潤的投資機構。隨著金融市場崩潰, 投資銀行只剩下高盛和摩根士丹利獨撐局面。銀行業回歸基本面(Back to basics), 傳統的借貸、不講究花樣(less bells and whistles)的商品大尚其道。Bells and whistles這個成語來自於交通工具, 也可以說成「bells, whistles and gongs」。駱駝隊的鈴聲bells, 汽車、火車的汽笛聲whistles, 大船要出發前的鑼聲gongs, 都有叫留心的作用, 鈴還有裝飾作用。所以, bells and whistles現在一般是指花俏, 能引人注目的附加設施。有人視bells and whistles為先進功能, 襃貶意思都有, 例如：
1). I want a simple fax machine without all the bells and whistles and gongs.
     我要一部簡單的傳真機, 不必有那些附加的無聊玩意。
2). I found many of the bells and whistles of the fax very useful.
     我覺得那部傳真機的許多附加設施都很有用

Who Are You Calling Old ? 導讀

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    美國大選如火如荼競爭之際, 延燒的話題也越趨廣泛: John McCain-剛滿72歲 (turns 72 this week), 而Obama 仍值壯年的47歲, 候選人的年齡在本篇以老化醫學、人口學、選舉研究予以分析, 原來屬於社會認同的選舉議題, 華爾街日報本文的作者試圖以科學實證數據或研究打破一般人習以為常的觀點, 加上本文用來旁徵博引的英語句型及論理方式, 值得一讀.
    Retrieve
    如同其他器官, 腦部以相同的比率逐漸降低其功能 (Brain function declines at the same rae as other organs), 尤其影響老年人擷取資訊的速度 (especially affects how fast older people can retrieve information). Retreve 原意指電腦檢索或擷取資訊的功能, 常延伸使用做恢復.
    例句: The company is fighting to retrieve tis market share. 公司正在為恢復市場佔有率而打拼.
名詞為 retriveal -- 老化的腦發展出無意識的運作以縮減變慢的擷取資訊 (Old brains develop unconscious operation to diminish the effect of slowed retreval speed).
    Offset & compensate
    生活經驗及累積的智慧有助於抵銷正常腦功能的下降並補償變慢的擷取時間 (Life experience and accumulated wisdom can help offset normal brain decline and compensate for slowed retrieval speed), offset 意指補償或抵銷.
    例如: The pay raise will be offset by extra expense (增加的薪水會被額外的支出抵銷) .
    He raised his prices to offset the increased cost of materials. (他提高價格以補償材料上漲的成本).
    和 offset 很接近的一個字是 compensate, 也有補償或賠償的意思, 例如我們補償在此一事件遭受損失的企業. We compensated those industries for the loss caused by this event.
    compensate 和 offset 意思相近, 用法稍有不同. offset 常用搭配為 "offset sth. by sth./doing sth.". 注意: compensate 後面接的是受補償的人, 常用搭配為 "compensate sb. for sth." (因為某事補償某人).

Rich: (In the market) Which light bulb do you think is better?
Belle: I would say the energy efficient one.
Rich: Isn't it more expensive compared with the traditional one?
Belle:

Izzy: I ate some white bread and potatoes for breakfast. Why do I feel hungry so soon? It's only 10am.
Richie: Because they are "high-GI" foods, which make your blood sugar surge quickly. What you need are "low-GI" foods, such as high-fiber, whole foods, which increase your blood sugar gradually,  so you'll feel full for a longer period. In addition, your daily calorie intake