adfadfadf

用法学习: 1. stoush [staʊʃ] informal Australian and New Zealand English verb hit; fight with. "get out of that car while I stoush you". noun. a brawl or other fight. a fight or disagreement: They keep getting into drunken stoushes with each other in pub car parks. The club will close on June 23 after a long stoush with residents. "the prospect of the game deteriorating into a stoush always kept me hooked". Kyle Sandilands and ARN may face ugly legal stoush after Jackie O departure from show.

lionise and fete; Cult of Personality 英雄崇拜, 个人崇拜;

用法学习: 1. parry [ˈpær.i] I. 格开, 挡开, 格挡, 遮挡. 抵挡. 拨开. to defend yourself from a weapon or an attack by pushing the weapon away or by putting something between your body and the weapon. If you parry a blow from someone who is attacking you, you push aside their arm or weapon so that you are not hurt. I did not want to wound him, but to restrict myself to defence, to parry his attacks. I parried, and that's when my sword broke. The parry is intended to deflect an attack. The combatants engage in a series of attacks, parries, and counter attacks. II. 绕开问题. to manage cleverly to avoid dealing with a difficult question or some criticism. If you parry a question or argument, you cleverly avoid answering it or dealing with it. In an awkward press conference, Mr King parried questions on the allegations. Predictably the president parried enquiries about the arms scandal. Her exchanges consist of only a few lightweight parries. His income tax records were made public during a 2004 legal parry. The prime minister parried the question by speaking of Iran's actions in response to the recent wave of attacks. 2. 美国英国: Hegseth joined in with this condemnation during a press conference on Monday. "Israel has clear missions as well for which we are grateful," he said. "Capable partners are good partners. Unlike so many of traditional allies who wring their hands ( wring your hands 焦虑不已, 急的搓手 If you wring your hands, you show that you are worried or unhappy. If someone wrings their hands, they hold them together and twist and turn them, usually because they are very worried or upset about something. You can also say that someone is wringing their hands when they are expressing sorrow that a situation is so bad but are saying that they are unable to change it. The Government has got to get a grip. Wringing its hands and saying it is a world problem just isn't good enough. Car dealers are wringing their hands over low sales this summer. ) and clutch their pearls( clutch your pearls 惊慌失措, 战战兢兢, 莫名惊诧, 震惊不已 disapproving to behave as if you are very shocked, especially when you show more shock than you really feel in order to show that you think something is morally bad. To react in a scandalized or mortified manner to once-salacious but now relatively common things, events, situations, etc. Parents should try not to clutch the pearls every time their teenagers come out of their room dressed outrageously—it only makes them want to push the envelope even further. My mother would always clutch her pearls whenever I began telling her about a new boyfriend, so eventually I stopped filling her in altogether. You do know that Grandma is going to clutch her pearls when you show up at Thanksgiving with pink hair, right? They clutch their pearls at the rest of the nation's obesity. Only hypocrites clutch their pearls and faint when the truth is spoken. ), hemming and hawing ( hem and haw US = UK hum and haw I. 磨磨唧唧. 磨磨蹭蹭. to be uncertain and take a long time deciding something. To mumble and procrastinate in one's speech, especially with a reply to a hard question or with voicing a decision on a topical matter; to evade a question, giving vague answers; to equivocate or temporize. We hemmed and hawed for months before actually deciding to buy the house. II. 犹豫不已. To discuss, deliberate, or contemplate rather than taking action or making up one's mind. If you hem and haw long enough, someone else will do it first. ) about the use of force. America, regardless of what so called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air fire campaign in history." Starmer announced on Sunday night that the UK would allow the US to use British bases to target Iranian weapons storage depots and missile launch sites. 3. pithy [ˈpɪθi] adj. I. (of a fruit or plant) containing much pith. II. (of language or style) terse and vigorously expressive. (of speech or writing) expressing an idea cleverly in a few words. A pithy comment or piece of writing is short, direct, and full of meaning. His pithy advice to young painters was, 'Above all, keep your colours fresh.' Many of them made a point of praising the film's pithy dialogue. Emily Brontë said it best when she wrote pithily: 'Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.' a pithy remark. "his characteristically pithy 一语中的的 comments". Over on the Instagram post of news outlet The New Daily sharing the news, former Bachelor and podcast host Matty J offered a pithy response: "Who would've thought that years of casual misogyny on radio might have consequences," he wrote. 4. I have a bridge to sell you (idiomatic, derogatory, US) An indirect way of expressing that the addressee is gullible. Used to indicate that one believes someone is especially gullible. A reference to the con man George C. Parker, best known for "selling" property that he did not own, most famously the Brooklyn Bridge. A: "They said that I would get returns as high as $20,000 if I gave them an initial investment of $1,000." B: "Wow, you fell for that? Well, I have a bridge to sell you, if you're interested!" If you really think that these companies have your best interests at heart, then I have a bridge to sell you! If you're not one of the boss's favorites, and you think you're gonna get a promotion, I have a bridge to sell you! Leopards Eating People's Faces Party or the Leopards Eating People's Faces Party 引火烧身, 搬起石头砸自己的脚, 自食其果 (Internet slang, sarcastic, politics) A notional political party supported by people who believe its cruel, unjust, or extreme policies and rhetoric will only harm other people, and are then shocked or displeased when these policies and rhetoric have adverse consequences on themselves. "Leopards ate my face" is a political meme and idiom describing someone who voted for a harsh policy or politician, only to suffer the negative consequences themselves. It signifies a, "I never thought leopards would eat my face," realization, highlighting ironic, self-inflicted harm or voter remorse. have news for someone = have (got) news for (someone) 不好意思, 实话对你说 used to say that someone is going to be unpleasantly surprised because something will not be as they want it to be: I've got news for him, if he thinks he can keep living here free of charge. used when one is making a definite and forceful statement that someone does not expect, know about, or agree with "You think you're going to win? Well, I've got news for you: you're not." People tell me that my business will never succeed. Well, I have news for them. I'm going to make a profit by the end of the year. quick draw = fast draw 快速把枪 I. a game or competition in which the winner is the quickest person to draw a handgun from a holster and sometimes to fire it and hit a target. wiki: Fast draw, or quick draw, is the ability to quickly draw a handgun and accurately fire it upon a target in the process. This skill was made popular by romanticized depictions of gunslingers in the Western genre, which in turn were inspired by famous historical gunfights in the American Old West. be quick on the draw 拔枪太快 I. to be quick about removing a gun from where it is kept. to quickly draw a gun and be ready to shoot it —often used figuratively. Critics may have been a little too quick on the draw. II. American English informal to be good at reacting quickly and intelligently to difficult questions or in difficult situations. diarrhea of the mouth 乱喷, 满嘴喷粪, 机关枪似的说 (slang, derogatory, vulgar) Foolish talkativeness, logorrhea. A tendency speak constantly or at length without thinking. I get so nervous every time I'm around police officers that I have diarrhea of the mouth and can't seem to shut up! If you want this to stay a secret, don't tell Mike—that guy has diarrhea of the mouth, I swear. A: "Why are you afraid of the CEO?" B: "Because I tend to get diarrhea of the mouth around important people, and I don't want that to happen with her!" motormouth (informal) One who talks very quickly or incessantly; a chatty or loquacious person. He's such a motormouth that I can never get a word in. 5. to the skies highly; extravagantly. To the highest degree; excessively. All the film critics have been praising her performance to the skies, but I thought it was a bit wooden 表情呆滞, 僵硬, 太木, to be honest. Your previous boss praised you to the skies in his letter of recommendation, so we have high hopes for you here. praise (someone or something) to the skies I. To be especially thankful, as to God or some other higher power, for one's good fortune. I praised the skies for the opportunity He had given me. Everyone in the community is praising the skies that the missing girl returned home safely last night. II. An exclamation of joy or relief. A: "Hi, Mom, I'm home." B: "Oh, praise the skies! I got so worried when I hadn't heard from you all night!" So it sounds like the bank is willing to increase our borrowing limits—praise the skies. take to the sky/skies to begin flying The new airliner will take to the skies next year. the sky informal The highest possible level of achievement, attainment, or success. My parents always taught me to reach for the sky when I was growing up—that I could be anything I set my mind to! With all your talent and money, you could do whatever you want. The sky's the limit, kiddo! skies the sky in a particular state or place: For weeks we had cloudless blue skies. Sir Keir Starmer has told MPs that the government "does not believe in regime change from the skies", putting him at odds with President Trump over the joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran.  skies of We're off to the sunny skies of Florida. The campsite promises cool evenings under wide open skies. For holiday, I want to go somewhere with sunny skies and white sandy beaches. noncing (UK, Ireland, derogatory, prison slang) The act of having sexual intercourse with someone under the age of sixteen. nonce [nɒns] a person who commits a crime involving sex, especially sex with a child. 6. 法美外交: French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said the US ambassador had now provided assurances he had not meant to interfere in "the internal sphere of France." As to Kushner's initial no-show when summoned, Confavreux made allowances for ( make allowances for 考虑特殊情况, 体谅 to take circumstances, limitations, etc. into consideration. To make allowances for someone is to think about their characteristics and not judge them too severely: You should make allowances for him - he's been quite ill recently. "This is a poor piece of work." "Yes, but you should make allowances for the fact that she's only seven." Some reviewers did make allowances for the playwright's youth. Even making allowances for the public's changing tastes, these paintings seem extremely dreary. As an outsider, I hope you will make allowances for my ignorance!) the American real-estate magnate, who only took up his functions as ambassador to Paris in July, being relatively new to the more genteel world of diplomacy. To summon an ambassador is completely part and parcel of 常有的事, 稀松平常的事 diplomatic grammar. And so sometimes when you have ambassadors who are not career diplomats, it can lead to some incomprehension," he said of the father of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner. Yet beyond the ruffling of French feathers by a lack of diplomatic niceties lies the deeper question of how to handle increasingly obvious American attempts to interfere in European domestic matters – often using the very public platform X. All three cases demonstrate at once a break with traditional diplomatic form, the use of social media rather than back channels, and a new willingness on the part of Washington to involve itself more aggressively in the judicial or political processes of other countries, and specifically European ones. The next step will be for Kushner and Barrot to meet in person, which the ministry spokesman expects to happen within the next few days. The truth is that no one wanted a diplomatic rupture(verb. to (cause something to) explode, break, or tear: His appendix ruptured and he had to be rushed to hospital. figurative This news has ruptured (= violently ended) the delicate peace between the rival groups. rupture yourself If you rupture yourself, you break apart the wall of muscle that keeps your stomach and your bowels in place, usually by lifting something too heavy. noun. I. an occasion when something explodes, breaks, or tears: a rupture of the pipeline. II. figurative a rupture (= an end to a friendly relationship) between the families. III. (= hernia) 疝气 a medical condition in which the wall of muscle holding the stomach and bowels in place inside the body is broken apart: You're going to give yourself a rupture if you lift that. ) in this of all years. A point made repeatedly in recent months by representatives of the US: that friendship should allow for truth to be spoken to allies. The question is how diplomatically each truth can be told. 7. Kyle And Jackie split: Man I cant even listen to it more than 1min, his language is actually abusive, I mean in the sense that he talks over her, tells her to shut up, makes wild accusations and then when she calls him out he goes "I don't have to prove anything" ahh what? If you claim something, you absolutely do have to prove how its true. He's a total cockwomble (cockwomble (UK, Ireland, slang, humorous) A foolish or obnoxious person.). She's a cunt too she's a total flake but his language is horrible, the people that listen to that show must be so vapid (vapid [disapproval] If you describe someone or something as vapid, you are critical of them because they are dull and uninteresting. offering nothing that is stimulating or challenging; bland. "tuneful but vapid musical comedies". ...the Minister's young and rather vapid daughter. She made a vapid comment about the weather. ). 8. turf something out UK informal to get rid of a number of things or something large that you do not want: I turfed out a load of old shoes last week. turf someone out 赶出, 踢出 UK informal to force someone to leave a place or an organization: She'll be turfed out of the study group if she carries on being disruptive. We hear stories of people being turfed out and ending up on the streets. The party was turfed out of office after 15 years. ...the right wing landslide which has turfed out the government. trammel deprive of freedom of action. "we have no wish to be trammelled by convention". The trammelling of the show's success, and arrest of its proposed march to national domination promptly amplified the voices of its critics. pummel [ˈpʌml] 锤击, 捶打 I. strike repeatedly with the fists. The boxer had pummelled his opponent into submission by the end of the fourth round. "he felt like a boxer who had been pummelled mercilessly against the ropes". II. informal North American English criticize severely. "he has been pummelled by the reviewers". III. to defeat someone easily at a sport: They were pummelled in the second round. arrest 阻止, 遏制 I. to stop or interrupt the development of something: The treatment has so far done little to arrest the spread of the cancer. II. to attract or catch someone's attention: A photo of a small boy arrested my attention. pincer movement 两面夹击, 两面包抄, 左右开弓 (pincer: 拔钉钳) a movement by two separate bodies of troops converging on the enemy. "allied forces swept into the town from the south in a pincer movement". II. used in reference to a situation involving pressure from two different sides or forces. "we are now caught in the pincer movement of rising domestic costs and a rising exchange rate". But the fact that we are now staring at the smoking embers of arguably Australia's most successful radio pairing surely must be linked to a pincer movement of increasingly uncomfortable commercial and community pressures. a bridge too far I. 太过了. 雄心太大, 野心太大. a step or act that is regarded as being too drastic to take. A step or action that is too ambitious; an act of overreaching. An act or plan whose ambition overreaches its capability, resulting in or potentially leading to difficulty or failure. Taken from the 1974 book A Bridge Too Far by Cornelius Ryan, which details the Allies' disastrous attempts to capture German-controlled bridges in the Netherlands during World War II. The multi-million-dollar purchase of the small startup proved a bridge too far for the social media company, as the added revenue couldn't make up for the cost in the end. Look, I'm happy to help you guys out, but I'm not willing be the primary investor in your invention—that's just a bridge too far. Apparently, signing an A-list player is just a bridge too far for this team! They'd rather wallow in their mediocrity, I guess. "having Botox would be a bridge too far". II. something that is very difficult to achieve. "that second goal proved a bridge too far". 

Trump's Relentless Self-Promotion Fosters an American Cult of Personality 英雄崇拜, 个人崇拜: President Trump has engaged in a spree of self-aggrandizement unlike any of his predecessors, fostering a mythologized superhuman persona and making himself the inescapable force at home and around the world. The racist online video that President Trump recently shared and then deleted generated a bipartisan furor because of its portrayal of Barack and Michelle Obama as apes. What was little remarked on was how it presented Mr. Trump himself — as the "King of the Jungle." After a year back in the White House, Mr. Trump's efforts to promote himself as the singularly dominant figure in the world have become so commonplace that they no longer seem surprising. He regularly depicts himself in a heroic, almost godly fashion, as a monarch, as a Superman, as a Jedi knight, as a military hero, even as a pope in a white cassock. While Mr. Trump has spent a lifetime promoting his personal brand, slapping his name on hotels, casinos, airplanes, even steaks, neckties and bottled water, what he is doing in his second term as president comes closer to building a cult of personality the likes of which has never been seen in American history. Other presidents sought to cultivate their reputations, but none went as far as Mr. Trump has to create a mythologized, superhuman and omnipresent persona leading to idolatry [aɪˈdɒl.ə.tri](I. very great admiration or respect for someone or something, often too great. If you refer to someone's admiration for a particular person as idolatry, you think it is too great and uncritical. Their affection for her soon increased almost to idolatry. idolatry of someone 崇拜, 个人崇拜 He makes no attempt to conceal his idolatry of his teammate. idolatry of something The idolatry of money is a flaw in the country's national character. Newton was revered 尊崇, 崇敬 to the point of idolatry. II. the act of praying to a picture or object as part of a religion: Father Brown considers the notes and flowers left near the statue to be close to idolatry.). His picture has been splashed all over the White House, on multistory banners on the side of federal buildings, on annual passes to national parks and maybe even soon on a one-dollar coin. His name has been etched on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, on the U.S. Institute of Peace, on federal investment accounts, special visas and a discount drug program and, if he has his way, on Washington Dulles International Airport, Penn Station in New York and the future stadium of the Washington Commanders. His White House is pressuring the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery to display portraits of Mr. Trump by his supporters. A group of cryptocurrency investors has shelled out $300,000 to forge 打造 a 15-foot-tall gold-covered bronze statue of Mr. Trump called "Don Colossus" to be installed at his golf complex in Doral, Fla. His administration is considering designating a new class of battleships in Mr. Trump's name. His allies are pressuring foreign leaders to endorse his bid for the Nobel Peace Prize and threatening consequences for resisting. Some supporters in Congress have even proposed adding his face to Mount Rushmore, an effort that, for the moment, has gained little traction. This spree of self-aggrandizement goes beyond mere vanity 虚荣, although Mr. Trump suffers from no particular shortage in that department. "I really have a big ego," he noted at the National Prayer Breakfast this month, an assessment that drew no disagreement. What Mr. Trump is actually doing, though, is making himself the inescapable force in American life. "This is not just egotistical self-satisfaction, it's a way of expanding presidential power," said Michael Beschloss, the presidential historian. "A president is more powerful, I assume he believes, if he is ever-present than if he keeps his head down." Cults of personality are traditionally associated with dictators and demagogues, not democrats. They are figures like Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Benito Mussolini and more recently the shirtless, horseback-riding Vladimir V. Putin of Russia. But Mr. Trump does not seem concerned that he might be heading down a dangerous path. Indeed, last month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, he suggested that authoritarianism was not necessarily something to eschew. "Usually they say, 'He's a horrible dictator-type person, I'm a dictator,'" he said after delivering a rambling speech. "But sometimes, you need a dictator." His staff did not reject the notion that he was fostering a cult of personality 搞个人崇拜 when asked for comment. Indeed, it released a statement seeming to argue that one would be deserved. "President Trump is going to go down in history as the most successful and consequential president in our lifetime," Steven Cheung, the White House communications director, said in the statement. "He built the most powerful political and cultural movement ever. His successes on behalf of the American people will be imprinted upon the fabric of America and will be felt by every other White House that comes after him." But even some former Trump aides said his fixation on glorifying himself served a hunger for dominance that had not translated into making the lives of everyday Americans better. "This is a man drunk on power 醉心于权利 with an already enormous ego that was further inflated by winning the presidency again — and the popular vote," said Sarah Matthews, who was a deputy White House press secretary for Mr. Trump in his first term before resigning in protest after the attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Ms. Matthews, now affiliated with an opposition group called Home of the Brave, said that rather than focusing "on what's best for the American people," the president was concentrating on "building monuments to himself" and exacting revenge against perceived enemies. "It reinforces the perception that this presidency is more about elevating one man than serving the country," she said. The notion of a cult of personality has become an increasing theme of the political discourse in recent months. Consider the last 10 days alone: Curt Mills, the executive director of The American Conservative, referred to "the personality cult of Trump." Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, addressing a Democratic convention, said Republicans were "nothing more than a personality cult." And Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, said democracy "will prevail over cult of personality." Other presidents have encouraged hero worship 英雄崇拜 and plenty have been honored with monuments. But for the most part, they were more restrained than Mr. Trump, leaving the most ostentatious expressions of reverence to others and generally after they had left office. George Washington set the standard from the start. Knowing that as the first president he would be establishing precedent, he deliberately shunned the trappings of royalty and declined to be called "Your Majesty" or "Your Highness," opting instead for the more humble "Mr. President." It is true, of course, that the capital of the new nation was named after Washington during his presidency, a decision made by three commissioners he appointed. But historians said he had no known hand in 自己不知情 encouraging it. "He was surprised that the commissioners chose the name, though he did not object," said David O. Stewart, a Washington biographer. "As near as the evidence shows, George Washington very much liked having the city named after him. He was not without ego, and devoted great energy and attention to developing the capital city." The iconic Washington Monument, however, came decades after his death, much as the Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial and Kennedy Center were not erected or named until the presidents they honored were gone. Mount Rushmore was carved after Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt were all in their graves. No sitting president ever had his face put on a coin while in office except for Calvin Coolidge, whose laconic personality(laconic [ləˈkɒnɪk] 沉默寡言的, 话不多的, 少言寡语的, 说话简短的, 言简意赅的 adj. (of a person, speech, or style of writing) using very few words. using very few words to express what you mean: She had a laconic wit. "his laconic reply suggested a lack of interest in the topic". If you describe someone as laconic, you mean that they use very few words to say something, so that they seem casual or unfriendly. Usually so laconic in the office, Dr. Lahey seemed less guarded, more relaxed. 'At least we weren't kidnapped.'—'I'm glad of that,' was the laconic response. A week or so later he laconically announced that Digby had been transferred to another post. A laconic phrase or laconism is a concise or terse statement, especially a blunt and elliptical rejoinder. It is named after Laconia, the region of Greece including the city of Sparta, whose ancient inhabitants had a reputation for verbal austerity and were famous for their often pithy remarks. A laconic phrase may be used for efficiency (as during military training and operations), for emphasis, for philosophical reasons (especially among thinkers who believe in minimalism, such as Stoics), or to deflate a pompous speaker. The Spartans were especially famous for their dry, understated wit which is now known as "laconic humor". This can be contrasted with the "Attic salt" or "Attic wit" – the refined, poignant, delicate humour of Sparta's chief rival, Athens. tectonic [tekˈtɑnɪk] I. relating to the structure and movement of the surface of the earth. relating to the structure of the surface of the earth and the way it is formed, changed, and moved by forces inside it: the motion of the earth's tectonic plates (= sections of the planet's surface). II. ​usually before noun tectonic changes 翻天覆地的, 改天换日的, 惊天动地的 are very large and significant. A tectonic change is a very important one that will have major effects: He led the company through a period of tectonic shifts in the movie industry. The process of writing is in the midst of a tectonic change caused by changes in the technology writers use. The tectonic shift in the American church isn't coming – it's here. Something's changing and it feels tectonic.) did not exactly lend itself to cults. And Herbert Hoover surely would have preferred not having his name attached to the Great Depression shantytowns called Hoovervilles, although the Hoover Dam was named for him while he was in office. (Franklin D. Roosevelt stripped the name; Harry S. Truman restored it.) "Presidents don't name things after themselves, people name things after presidents — and there is a big difference between the two," said Jennifer Mercieca, a communications professor at Texas A&M University and the author of "Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump." "One is an expression of power and a demand for respect and status," she said. "The other is an acknowledgment by the public of a job well done, a grateful public giving a president respect and status." Many presidents have enjoyed being the center of attention. Theodore Roosevelt's daughter Alice Roosevelt Longworth notably said her father "always wanted to be the corpse at every funeral, the bride at every wedding and the baby at every christening." Others struggled with that kind of politics. George H.W. Bush painfully tried to avoid the first-person singular "I" in sentences because growing up his mother taught him that it sounded boastful. Boastful is not something Mr. Trump ever learned to avoid, nor can he fathom why predecessors passed on self-promotion. When he visited Mount Vernon during his first term, he expressed surprise that Washington did not name the estate for himself. "You've got to put your name on stuff or no one remembers you," Mr. Trump told people. With Mr. Trump, it goes beyond names and memory. He wants to be seen as superlative in every way — and flawed in no way. His first-term executive assistant Madeleine Westerhout wrote in her memoir that when she expressed concern one day that he seemed exhausted, she was remonstrated by Hope Hicks, the president's close adviser: "Donald Trump is never tired and he is never sick." To even question his health, Mr. Trump himself said in December, is "seditious, perhaps even treasonous." Personality-driven politics serve to bind followers of a movement to their leader more than to any particular policy prescription, making his success or failure their own. Veneration 崇敬 and loyalty are central and ideology secondary. The leader is presented as infallible, uniquely qualified, even divinely delivered for this moment in history. Mr. Trump has played to these themes since taking the national political stage. "I alone can fix it," he declared when running in 2016. "I was saved by God to make America great again," he said on being inaugurated again last year. The efforts to exalt himself(exalt [ɪgzɔːlt] 盛赞, 高度赞誉, 赞美, 赞扬, 表扬 To exalt someone or something means to praise them very highly. However difficult she might have been, this book exalts her as both mother and muse. His work exalts all those virtues that we, as Americans, are taught to hold dear. The poem, which appeared in 1890, is an exaltation of married love. exaltation [ˌeɡ.zɒlˈteɪ.ʃən] 幸福 a very strong feeling of happiness. Exaltation is an intense feeling of great happiness. The city was swept up in the mood of exaltation.  ), however, have accelerated in the past year far beyond his first term and have increasingly come to resemble eccentric regimes in far corners of the world. To those who have spent time in the former Soviet Union, the "Don Colossus" statue bears a striking resemblance to the rotating gold statue erected by Saparmurat Niyazov, the megalomaniacal former dictator of Turkmenistan who called himself Turkmenbashi and even renamed the months of the year after himself and his family. "There is no settled definition of a cult of personality, but for us this qualifies," Benjamin E. Goldsmith of the Australian National University and Lars J.K. Moen of the University of Vienna, who have studied Mr. Trump's hold on his supporters, said in a joint email. The two scholars, who published a paper on the phenomenon in the Political Psychology journal, said the personality cult allowed Mr. Trump to dominate Republican primary contests, right-wing media and his party's majorities in Congress. Those who stand against Mr. Trump are deemed traitors and punished accordingly. "For us, this is the major threat to U.S. democracy from Trump's cultlike following," they wrote. "Congress is transformed into an enabler, even when the executive makes disastrous policies, undermines the rule of law or might attempt to fix elections. The system can transform into an electoral autocracy. Our bet is that we're already far along that path."  lionize [ˈlʌɪənʌɪz] 崇拜 (worship)(A cult of personality, or a cult of the leader, is the result of an effort to create an idealized and heroic image of an admirable leader, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Trump's Relentless Self-Promotion Fosters an American Cult of Personality: President Trump has engaged in a spree of self-aggrandizement unlike any of his predecessors, fostering a mythologized superhuman persona and making himself the inescapable force at home and around the world.) give a lot of public attention and approval to (someone); treat as a celebrity. to make someone famous, or to treat someone as if they were famous. If someone is lionized, they are treated as if they are very important or special by a particular group of people, often when they do not really deserve to be. By the 1920's, he was lionised by literary London. The press began to lionize him enthusiastically. In 1936, Max Schmeling had been lionised as boxing's great hope. "modern sportsmen are lionized and feted". NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned the lionising of the ayatollah. fete [feɪt] verb. If someone is feted 欢呼, 庆祝, 欢迎, 赞扬, they are celebrated, welcomed, or admired by the public. to praise or welcome someone publicly because of their achievements: She was feted by audiences both in her own country and abroad. Anouska Hempel, the British dress designer, was feted in New York this week at a spectacular dinner. The metamorphosis from anxious wife to feted author was rapid and dramatic. noun. A fete is an event that is usually held outdoors and includes competitions, entertainments, and the selling of used and home-made goods. a public event, often held outside, where you can take part in competitions and buy small things and food, often organized to collect money for a particular purpose: a summer fete. village fete. They're holding the village fete on the green. fetter [fetər] verb. [literary, disapproval] If you say that you are fettered by something, you dislike it because it prevents you from behaving or moving in a free and natural way. to keep someone within limits or stop them from making progress: fettered by He felt fettered 绑住, 束缚住 by a nine-to-five office existence. ...a private trust which would not be fettered by bureaucracy. The black mud fettered her movements. noun. I. [literary, disapproval] You can use fetters to refer to things such as rules, traditions, or responsibilities that you dislike because they prevent you from behaving in the way you want. ...the fetters of social convention. II. Especially in former times, fetters were chains for a prisoner's feet. He saw a boy in fetters in the dungeons. unfettered [ʌnˈfɛtəd] 不受束缚的, 不受约束的, 不收禁锢的, 不受控的, 随心所欲的, 没有牵绊的, 毫无保留的, 无拘无束的 adj. unrestrained or uninhibited. "unfettered artistic genius". If you describe something as unfettered, you mean that it is not controlled or limited by anyone or anything. not limited by rules or any other controlling influence: Poets are unfettered by the normal rules of sentence structure. ...unfettered free trade. Unfettered by the bounds of reality, my imagination flourished. He demanded unfettered access to a new nuclear facility. 

Australia and the “Epstein Coalition”. Invasion of Iran a disaster: It's only Day Five of the war, but surely the epic stupidity of Australia so cravenly ( in an extremely cowardly (= not brave) way. in a cowardly or mean-spirited manner I cravenly agreed, simply in order not to antagonize him. He wrote to her afterwards, hoping cravenly that she had not been hurt. ) backing the US-Israeli invasion of Iran is evident by now. We are led by fools and sycophants. The illegal, unprovoked invasion of Iran is not just garden-variety stupidity. This is stupidity on a grandiose, stratospheric scale. The Israeli propaganda narrative that Iranians would sprinkle rose petals 净水泼街欢迎, 撒花欢迎 at the feet of their invaders has not come to pass. It has already been demolished in fact. Instead of bringing freedom and democracy – ‘regime change’ – we have brought chaos, possibly a world war, and definitely the destruction of the Middle East. The world economy is being hit hard as we write; oil prices spiralling, energy prices about to soar, and the inexorable [ɪnˈɛks(ə)rəbl] 停不了的 ( I. impossible to stop or prevent. continuing without any possibility of being stopped. continuing without any possibility of being stopped: Aging is an inexorable process. the inexorable progress of science. "the seemingly inexorable march of new technology". You use inexorable to describe a process which cannot be prevented from continuing or progressing. ...the seemingly inexorable rise in unemployment. ...his steady, inexorable decline. The crisis is moving inexorably towards war. II. (of a person) impossible to persuade; unrelenting. "the doctors were inexorable, and there was nothing to be done". ) spectre of inflation and recession. This was a war of choice. Even without the “Epstein Coalition” – as the Iranian media so aptly dubs their invaders – murdering 168 Iranian school girls on day one, ‘peace through strength’ was never going to happen. Quite the contrary. The illegal and unprovoked invasion of Iran has hardened the resolve of Iranians, who are massing in their hundreds of thousands across the country to mourn their dead and chant Death to America, to back their regime. The Epstein Coalition killed the Ayatollah, who was actually against nuclear power; he was a moderate. Did Albo and Penny Wong not seek advice from Foreign Affairs that attacking Iran was folly, that the anti-regime protestors were a minority, that the pre-invasion protests were a Mossad and CIA psyop (Psychological Operations 心理战: (PSYOP) are planned, strategic, and tactical military actions designed to influence the emotions, attitudes, and behaviors of foreign audiences—governments, organizations, and populations—to support, promote, or uphold national objectives. Formerly known as psychological warfare or propaganda, these tactics use communication (social media, radio, leaflets) to weaken enemy morale and encourage compliance. ), that Iran might attack US proxy states in the region, that invasion would be a Brobigdadgian mistake? Or did they ignore the advice in favour of a Washington regime compromised by the Epstein pedophile scandal?And now, we see the feeble, hypocritical whining by Israel and its supporters about Iran attacking the Gulf states. Is that our only moral defence? Decades of supporting these regimes: Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates – US proxy states all – regimes now unravelling, the oil price is soaring, inflation and recession are beckoning globally. Images are emerging from Bahrain of locals cheering on the Iranian missiles. Were DFAT and our politicians unaware of popular angst in the Gulf states against American imperialism? And what did they expect Iran to do in the face of this existential threat? Not blow up American bases and infrastructure while the US attacked them; after the US betrayed them at the very negotiating table when they were offering significant concessions on nuclear enrichment, all to avoid war? This war. Australia, the US flunkies: Yet here was Australia, Saturday night, first out of the blocks worldwide 第一个冲出来 to throw its support behind Donald Trump and his preposterous “Operation Epic Fury”, a probable pedophile being blackmailed and led around by the genocidal Benjamin Netanyahu like a pony at the fairground show. “Operation Epstein Fury”, it was fast labelled. The soaring, craven stupidity is hard to grasp. Both major parties backing it. Albo first, then Angus Taylor rushing to tow the Donald’s line. Then, Pauline Hanson, too, who even congratulated and praised Netanyahu. We are led by fools and sycophants. The flawed defence of atrocity: To address the empty rhetoric 空洞说辞 of the pro-war lobby, criticism of this war does not equate to support for the regime in Iran. Defenders of the US-Israel atrocity are busy with their swarms of social media bots peddling the argument that “you are an Islamist terror supporter” if you criticise the invasion. This is the 2026 version of “You are a Hamas supporter” if you argue against genocide in Gaza. The cold facts of this debacle are that regime change does not work, that Iran did not want this war, that Iran appears to be exceptionally well prepared – even winning the war – that the Epstein Coalition, which Australia supports, is daily backing war crimes: blowing up hospitals, schools and civilian infrastructure. This is a war which has already been lost. The obvious reality is that regime change wars are a demonstrable failure. Vietnam. Iraq. Afghanistan. Iraq – a million dead, irretrievable regional stability. In Afghanistan, 20 years, trillions of dollars spent, four US presidents, six Australian PMs – all to replace the Taliban with the Taliban. And here we are, the world’s busybodies, doing it again. Who would ever negotiate with the US in good faith again, or Israel for that matter? Iran did not want this war. Iran has not attacked another country in 300 years. The US lured them to the negotiating table, then, without warning, murdered their leadership. This echoes last year’s 12-day war, where Israel and the US lured them in on the premise of good faith talks, then murdered them and now play the victim. What did they expect Iran to do in the face of this existential threat? The record speaks for itself. The US is the biggest invader of other countries in history. Israel has, last year alone, attacked Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Jordan, Palestine, Qatar, Tunisia, Malta, and Greece. Six illegal attacks of sovereign nations, as well as three illegal attacks in international waters equals 9 all up. In one year. And now they are invading Lebanon again, seizing more territory as their puppets, America, fight their campaign against Iran. Albo, what are you doing? We know who the war mongers are. We are the war mongers. Yet, in his bizarre statement of support, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was the fastest out of the blocks of all the allies on the weekend, issuing a false statement. The claim, echoed by the usual warmongers of the Lib-Lab establishment, is that Iran is guilty of attacks on Australian soil, referencing alleged attacks on a deli in Bondi. Apart from the common sense, why would Iran commit an act of terror on a deli in Bondi? Senior police have conceded that there is no evidence of this. The nuclear furphy: Then there is the age-old claim that Iran is about to produce nuclear weapons. The US and Israel’s nuclear risk claims have been so roundly discredited it’s a joke. Benjamin Netanyahu has been trying to instigate a war against Iran for 30 years – claiming Iran is days away, weeks away, months away from nuclear missiles. And they were at the negotiating table again when the Epstein forces murdered them. The propaganda: We are now seeing mainstream media decry the ‘illegal attacks’ on Israel and the Gulf states. Yet the ‘victim card’ is tapped out 不好使了. Around the world, outside the legacy media propaganda, there is little sympathy for Israel having razed Gaza and slaughtered between 72,000 and 700,000 Palestinians while stealing more land in the West Bank daily. It will continue. The media and political classes have failed so majestically that they can only try to salvage their authority with more propaganda. The deplorable coverage of the murdered schoolgirls in Iran is a case in point. The “40 beheaded babies” and the “mass rapes” of Hamas filled the headlines in the West on October 8, 2023. Yet real murders – 170 murdered schoolgirls – have hardly rated a mention. Yes, a mention perhaps, but a side story, buried, no headlines of outrage. Can’t handle the truth? Is the truth too hard to handle? Is it not evident to everybody except the most brainwashed advocate of the Epstein lobby that Israel – the government, the state – is the problem here? Netanyahu has won his ambition to drag America into a war against Iran, and if you follow the money, while world stock markets teeter, the stock market in Tel Aviv is surging, replete with weapons companies as it is. Meanwhile, the ASX is tanking, ergo [ˈəːɡəʊ] 因此, 相应的 (Consequently, therefore, or thus. "she was the sole beneficiary of the will, ergo the prime suspect". ) our savings. Oil prices are surging, ergo higher energy prices and inflation. The Houthis, Iran’s allies, are shooting again in the Red Sea while, on the other side of the Arabian peninsula, Iran has blocked the Straits of Hormuz, choking off a large chunk of the world’s oil supply. Higher prices in India and China will mean higher prices for imports and inflation around the world. The lessons of history have not been learnt; in fact, they have been discarded in spectacular fashion. 

56 days; devise, give, bequeath.

用法学习: 1. personnel [ˌpɜːsənˈel] I. HR, MANAGEMENT 人事. 职工. 职员. the people who are employed by a company or organization. The personnel of an organization are the people who work for it. The country has never dispatched military personnel abroad. There has been very little renewal of personnel in higher education. He learnt a lot about personnel management, budgeting and account-keeping. skilled/qualified/trained personnel Knowing how to handle difficult situations requires qualified personnel. The company may consider taking out insurance against the loss of key personnel. marketing/sales/technical personnel The sales personnel in a sales force evolves constantly. military/security personnel He has made personnel changes 人事变化 in the investment banking and bond areas. The new director is likely to make major changes in personnel.  II. 人事部门. the department of a company or organization that deals with employees when they join or leave, when they need training, when they have problems, etc. the department of a company or organization that deals with its employees when they first join, when they need training, or when they have any problems: Her first job was in personnel. Personnel will help you find somewhere to live. For more information about the job, please contact the personnel manager. Her personnel file showed excellent performance. the personnel department/division 人事部门 Few companies give their personnel department the same status as their finance department. the personnel chief/manager/office As personnel manager of a large company, I have regular meetings with our union. III. the people working in an organization or for a particular type of employer: Saturday was the most convenient day for students, parents, and school personnel. military personnel. 2. every inch/step of the way 全程 throughout the entire process. with respect to everything. I tried to improve the system, but she opposed me every inch of the way. every inch of something/somewhere all of a thing or place: We searched every inch of the house. Every inch of her bedroom wall is covered with photos of pop stars. a third of the way finished = 2 thirds of the way left = a third of the way through 走了三分之一, 完成三分之二 We are about two thirds of the way finished now. We are a third of the way more to go. We're more than half-way there. We are just about a third of the way to the city. The car broke down when we were three-quarters of the way to Grandma's. We are about a third of the way there. 3. quagmire [ˈkwɒɡ.maɪər] I. an area of soft, wet ground that you sink into if you try to walk on it. A quagmire is a soft, wet area of land which your feet sink into if you try to walk across it. Rain had turned the grass into a quagmire. At the end of the game, the pitch was a real quagmire. II. 泥潭. a difficult and dangerous situation. a situation that can easily trap you so that you become involved with problems from which it is difficult to escape. A quagmire is a difficult, complicated, or unpleasant situation which is not easy to avoid or escape from. His people had fallen further and further into a quagmire of confusion. We have no intention of being drawn into a political quagmire. Since the coup, the country has sunk deeper into a quagmire of violence and lawlessness. When I tried to get my tax situation straightened out with the government, I ran into a bureaucratic quagmire. 4. Penny: Morning, Sheldon. Come dance with me. Sheldon: No. Penny: Why not? Sheldon: Penny, while I subscribe to the many worlds theory which posits the existence of an infinite number of Sheldons in an infinite number of universes, I assure you that in none of them am I dancing. Penny: Are you fun in any of them? Sheldon: The math would suggest that in a few I'm a clown made of candy. But I don't dance. Penny: All right, want some French toast? Sheldon: It's Oatmeal Day. Penny: Tell you what, next French Toast Day, I will make you oatmeal. Sheldon: Dear Lord, are you still going to be here on French Toast Day?Leonard: Morning. Sheldon: Look, Leonard, Penny made French toast. Leonard: Sorry. I haven't given her your schedule yet. Sheldon: It's an iCal download, she can put it right in her phone. And I thought we agreed that you'd have your conjugal [ˈkɒndʒʊɡl] visits in her apartment. Leonard: We did, but there were extenuating ( extenuate to represent (an offence, a fault, etc) as being less serious than it appears, as by showing mitigating circumstances. to cause a wrong act to be judged less seriously by giving reasons for it: He was unable to say anything that might have extenuated his behaviour. extenuating [ɪkˈstɛnjʊeɪtɪŋ] adj (of a factor or situation) serving to lessen the seriousness of an offence. "library staff will waive fines where there are genuine extenuating circumstances". ) circumstances. Sheldon: I see. Did her abysmal housekeeping skills finally trump her perkiness? Leonard: No, her bed kind of… broke. Sheldon: That doesn't seem likely. Her bed's of sturdy construction. Even the addition of a second normal size human being wouldn't cause a structural failure, much less a homunculus such as yourself. Penny: A homunculus? Leonard: Perfectly formed miniature human being. Penny: Oh, you're my little homunculus. Leonard: Don't do that. Penny: Sorry. Okay, who wants syrup and who wants cinnamon sugar? Sheldon: I want oatmeal. Penny: Yes, well, I want a boyfriend whose roommate isn't a giant pain in the ass. Sheldon: I'm sure that will happen soon enough. But in the meantime, I still want oatmeal. Penny: You know what, I give up. He's impossible. Sheldon: I can't be impossible. I exist. I believe what you meant to say is, "I give up, he's improbable." Leonard: Sheldon, you really need to find a better way of dealing with Penny. Sheldon: What am I supposed to do, eat French toast on a Monday? Now, that would be impossible. Leonard: I'm just saying, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. Sheldon: You can catch even more flies with manure. What's your point? Leonard: It's a… (gives up) Sheldon: Boy, that does smell good. Too bad it's Monday. 5. bequest [bɪˈkwest] 遗赠 (bequeath verb) A bequest is money or property which you legally leave to someone when you die. the money or property belonging to someone that they say that, after their death, they wish to be given to other people: Her will included small bequests to her family, while most of her fortune went to charity. The church here was left a bequest to hire doctors who would work amongst the poor. Her will included large bequests to charity. The letter contained details of the club's "bequests" process where supporters are encouraged to "leave a gift of their Will to the Collingwood Football Club". money or property that someone has left to a person or organization in their will (= a document stating who will have your money and property after you die): Her will included small bequests to her family, while most of her fortune went to charity. wiki: A bequest is a gift of personal property, money, or assets made to an individual or organization through a will, allowing for a lasting legacy after passing. Common types include specific sums, percentages of an estate, or residual assets. These legally documented gifts enable supporters to contribute to causes, such as charities or universities, without needing immediate funds. A devise 房产遗赠 is the act of giving property by will, traditionally referring to real property. A bequest is the act of giving property by will, usually referring to personal property. Today, the two words are often used interchangeably due to their combination in many wills as devise and bequeath, a legal doublet. The phrase give 赠与, devise, and bequeath, a legal triplet, has been used for centuries, including the will of William Shakespeare. The word bequeath is a verb form for the act of making a bequest. 6. full-blood adj. of unmixed ancestry. "a full-blood Arapaho Indian". She had always been vocal in her support for Trump, campaigning for him across the country, stumping for him at rallies and spinning for him on conservative television. In the words of political commentator Gretchen Carlson, Greene was "full-blood MAGA" Greene shot to prominence for her firebrand style of unapologetic far-right politics and picked up supporters of her own with often outrageous and unfounded claims about government control, sometimes whistling to conspiracy theorists and Russian sympathisers. noun. I. 纯血. 纯种. a animal of unmixed ancestry. an individual, esp a horse or similar domestic animal, of unmixed race or breed "the more traditional full-bloods opposed the Business Council". II. the relationship between individuals having the same parents. full-blooded adj. I. having parents, grandparents, and earlier relations all belonging to the same race, nationality, group, etc.: He was the first full-blooded Native American to win the title. a full-blooded Maori. II. 同父同母的. having parents, grandparents, etc. all from the same breed or species (= type) of animal: All of the dogs are full-blooded German shepherds. Though he attempted to breed some of the bison with cattle, much of the herd remained full-blooded bison. III. 满血的. full of energy and force: She let out a full-blooded yell. He gave a full-blooded performance. It was a full-blooded game of football. IV. 全心全意的. believing in or supporting something completely and in a very determined way: He is a full-blooded Liverpool supporter. He considers himself a full-blooded capitalist. V. 完全的. 全面的. real and complete in every detail: Having been elected, he now seems safe from a full-blooded investigation. None of these female characters feels like a full-blooded human being.

56 days: 1. I stole it from your drug drawer. And I was saving it for a very special occasion. But I thought today... I don't know. St. Patrick's Day, Boston, it qualifies 应该算得上. "Organic Panic psychedelic chocolate will melt your mind. One square: relaxation. Two: disinhibition. Three: introspection. Four: revelation." I don't know, I feel like we should be trying for revelation. I don't know, I feel like it's good for opening your mind a little bit and, uh... loosening up some boundaries. Come on, we can be psychonauts together. We'll launch into the... deep space of our brain and see what we find. Um, I usually microdose. Yeah, but, I mean, if we're gonna do it, we should really... do it. 2. Why don't you ask Elliot Berhane? He was her landlord. Oh, because Elliot Berhane isn't speaking to the police. Hey, maybe I could be, like, a middle man 中间人. You know, just smooth things over. You know, he's right, we would be further ahead if we hadn't lost Berhane as a witness. We don't need him to tell us that she didn't move out. What we need to do... maybe we should call CSR, have them get the techs in here before we romp and tromp all over the place. This could be a secondary scene. Could be primary. He could've killed her here. Brought her back down to his place to melt her down. 3. I think I feel a revelation coming on. Uh, what do you have to reveal? Um... Yeah, it's good, I've seen it though, I've seen it before. Yeah, but they haven't seen it. Ah. Was gonna spread the wealth(spread the wealth = share the wealth 有福同享, 造福众人, 雨露均沾 To share a portion of something valuable or desirable with others. You've got gummy worms? Spread the wealth, man! The world would be a much more equitable place if the richest people would spread the wealth.). 4.There was no way he'd say yes to an interview. But if he felt like the grace period of his anonymity was coming to an end, he might be more susceptible to my suggestion that he control the narrative himself. See, I call that "poking the bear." Pretty unorthodox. Did you go to journalism school, Ms. Miller? I don't know which one of you I find more offensive. I got my masters at BU. Is that where you learned to employ paranoia as a professional strategy? 5. She knew who he was and she stayed with him. But he didn't know she knew. It's like they were living in this warped double lie. A fugitive and a con artist, obsessed with each other. I'm not sure which one of them was more demented. 6. claptrap informal disapproving silly talk that means nothing and should not be believed. absurd or nonsensical talk or ideas. "such sentiments are just pious claptrap" Don't believe a word of what he says. It's just a load of claptrap. pious [ˈpʌɪəs] I. devoutly religious. strongly believing in religion, and living in a way that shows this belief: She is a pious follower of the faith, never missing her prayers. "a deeply pious woman". He was brought up by pious female relatives. ...pious acts of charity. Conti kneeled and crossed himself piously. II. disapproving  (of a hope) sincere but unlikely to be fulfilled. pretending to have sincere feelings: Quit the pious apologies - I know you don't really care. pious hope UK something that is unlikely to happen: We related our errors in the pious hope that others might learn from them. III. [disapproval] 说得好听的. 虚情假意的. 骗人的. If you describe someone's words as pious, you think that their words are full of good intentions but do not lead to anything useful being done. What we need is not manifestos of pious intentions, but real action. The groups at the conference spoke piously of their fondness for democracy. IV. [disapproval] If you describe someone as pious, you disapprove of the fact that they pretend to be very religious without being sincere. His attitude is compassionate without being pious. ...an expression of pious innocence. 'Life,' said Dr Holly piously, 'is the only wealth, and I gave you life.' 6. Do you think there is a world where Oliver found out Ciara knew his secret? And he killed her for it? Mm. Yeah. I do. He's clearly invested in his lies. And you know about his boss's wife. Um, Alison Meadows? I know she died a few weeks ago. The M.E. ruled it an accident. It wasn't an accident. Pretty sure he killed her, too. 7. I could use a drink. Mm, I don't know if, like, a crowded bar full of fucking leprechauns is where I want to trip my balls off. You know what I mean? Yeah. You don't feel it yet? No. Yeah, I am feeling it. Uh, okay, so what else is fun? 7. Hey, you want to grab a drink? No. I think it's too crowded for us... Oh, no, come on, come on. Just one. We got a table. Huh? You can be wallflowers ( wallflower I. a person who from shyness or unpopularity remains on the sidelines of a social activity (such as a dance). II. a shy or reserved person. a shy person, especially a girl or woman, who is frightened to involve herself in social activities and does not attract much interest or attention: Sooner or later someone would take pity on the poor wallflower and ask her to dance. III. FINANCE, STOCK MARKET a type of investment that investors are not very interested in because they think it does not have much value: Because National Savings products are not very competitive, they are widely regarded as the wallflowers of the investment world. wiki: A wallflower is someone with an introverted or shy personality type (or in more extreme cases, social anxiety) who will attend parties and social gatherings, but will usually distance themselves from the crowd and actively avoid being in the limelight. They are also social around friends but not strangers, though once around friends, the strangers become less impactful. The name itself derives from the eponymous plant's unusual growth pattern against a wall as a stake or in cracks and gaps in stone walls. "Wallflowers" might literally stand against a wall and simply observe others at a social gathering, rather than mingle. ) later. 8. You're staying at the Crossings? Jane: Yeah, just temporarily. I'm here for work and Elliot was kind enough to let me squat in one of the units he owns. Oliver's in the other one. Uh, so, uh... how do you guys all know each other? We met after this big forgery 伪作 scandal at the museum a few years ago. She saved our acquisitions staff from buying a fake Basquiat. 9. I need a reputable source on the record. Oliver himself would have been my preference, and that's not going to happen, but I'm more than willing to settle for you. "I fell in love with the Narrow River Killer. I had no idea who he was and when I found out, it was too late." This is an opportunity for you to reinvent your life on your own terms. It's the best one you're ever gonna get. But if that doesn't appeal to you, I will call the police and you will go to prison for embezzling from the richest, most psychotic family in America. 10. You told Jane Oliver was here, didn't you? You made this whole mess. She said she was in a career slump 职业低潮期. She needed a story. I've told you and told you, over and over, how uncomfortable I am with this entitled asshоlе in our lives, and you never listened. You just dismiss my concern like... I'm a child. You're not a child. Which is why I expect you to find some nuance, some compassion here. 11. Um, listen, I don't discount your concern over your friend's death, but my job is to investigate the incident that occurred here. 12. Okay, we've got the false alarm, misprision of felony... B and E (B&E stands for "Breaking and Entering). No, I'm calling it burglary. Burglary. I like burglary. Mm-hmm. Okay, this is big. I'm gonna tell CSR. You're right, people do like morbid stories. misprision 隐瞒不报, 知情不报 the deliberate concealment of one's knowledge of a treasonable act or a felony. a failure to inform the proper authorities of the commission of an act of treason. the deliberate concealment of the commission of a felony. wiki: The term misprision (from Old French: mesprendre, modern French: se méprendre, "to misunderstand") in English law describes certain kinds of offence. Writers on criminal law usually divide misprision into two kinds: negative and positive. Negative misprision is the concealment of treason or felony. By the common law of England, it was the duty of every liege subject (vassal) to inform the king's justices and other officers of the law of all treasons and felonies of which the informant had knowledge, and to bring the offender to justice by arrest (see Sheriffs Act 1887, s. 8). The duty fell primarily on the grand jurors of each county borough or franchise (until the abolition of grand juries in 1933), and is performed by indictment or presentment, but it also falls in theory on all other inhabitants. Failure by the latter to discharge this public duty constitutes what is known as misprision of treason or misprision of felony. In the United States, misprision of treason (18 U.S.C. § 2382) is defined to be the crime committed by a person owing allegiance to the United States, and having knowledge of the commission of any treasonous crime against them, who conceals and does not, as soon as may be, disclose and make known the same to the president or to some judge of the United States, or to the governor, or to some judge or justice of a particular state. The punishment is imprisonment for not more than seven years and a fine of not more than one thousand dollars. The United States Code also includes misprision of felony. It survives in the law of England and Wales and Northern Ireland only in the term misprision of treason. Positive misprision is the doing of something which ought not to be done; or the commission of a serious offence falling short of treason or felony, in other words of a misdemeanour of a public character (e.g. maladministration of high officials, contempt of the sovereign or magistrates). To endeavour to dissuade a witness from giving evidence, to disclose an examination before the privy council, or to advise a prisoner to stand mute, used to be described as misprisions (Hawk. P. C. bk. I. c. 20). 13. God, I forgot all about the Albanian. That was a blip ( blip I. an unexpected, minor, and typically temporary deviation from a general trend. A blip in a situation is a sudden but temporary change or interruption in it. a temporary change that does not have any special meaning: Last month's rise in inflation was described by the chancellor as only a blip. ...a minor blip in the upward trajectory of the markets. "the Chancellor dismissed rising inflation as a blip". II. a very short high-pitched sound made by an electronic device. A blip is a small spot of light, sometimes occurring with a short, high-pitched sound, which flashes on and off regularly on a piece of equipment such as a radar screen. "computer games can drive you crazy with their blips and bleeps". III. A blip in a straight line, such as the line on a graph, is a point at which the line suddenly makes a sharp change of direction before returning to its original direction. ). Yeah. Ask me how I remember. Does it involve a copier? I don't want to know. 14. snickering adj. laughing in a half-suppressed, typically scornful way; sniggering. "when I informed my fellow writers, I received a snickering reply". noun. half-suppressed, typically scornful laughter; sniggering. "the snickering and guffaws continued". snicker 耻笑 to laugh at someone or something in a silly and often unkind way. If you snicker, you laugh quietly in a disrespectful way, for example at something rude or embarrassing. We all snickered at Mrs. Swenson. ...a chorus of jeers and snickers. What are you snickering at/about? People were staring and snickering. 15. And we did not meet on accident. I came here... to find you, on purpose... to take what you owe me... and my family. Because I thought I knew what happened in that river, but I don't know, maybe I don't. And, uh, I grew up believing that you were a monster, and... now I don't know that either. Maybe you're not. If we could have... talked about it... I really... I really think that I would have found a way to understand you. 16. First of all, was very happy to hear that this case was in your very capable hands. What is the time frame that we can expect? The prelim will be in early next week. Oh... I don't have a week, Doc, please. I've rarely seen this level of disarticulation (In medical terminology, disarticulation is the separation of two bones at their joint, either traumatically by way of injury or by a surgeon during arthroplasty or amputation.). There's little I can do to rush the process. Okay, but based... on what you've seen... is there anything you can give me? Based on the partial skull mastoid process and comparison between second and fourth digits on the articulated ( I. having two or more sections connected by a flexible joint. An articulated vehicle consists of two or more parts that bend where they are joined, in order to help the vehicle turn corners: articulated lorry UK An articulated lorry has overturned on the southbound carriageway, shedding its load. "an articulated lorry". II. (of an idea or feeling) expressed; put into words. "one of the first articulated emotions that you will hear from a child". tractor-trailer: a large truck in two parts, one in the front for the driver and one behind where goods are carried. The connection between the two parts can bend in order to help the vehicle turn corners. A trailer is an unpowered vehicle designed to be towed by a powered vehicle for transporting goods, materials, or serving as mobile accommodation. Types include full trailers (supported by own wheels) and semi-trailers (partially supported by the towing vehicle. ). They are used for cargo, camping, or specialized transport. ) hand, I can draw a fairly certain conclusion the victim is... male. 16. And there were these times where... we would be together and everything would be fine and then all of a sudden, a joke would land wrong, and we would just be at each other's throats. And this one time. it got physical. 17. I know what you think about him because I thought the same thing, but, Shyla, it's not that simple. He's eaten away by the guilt. He has no family, he has no friends. He literally can't sleep. He can't even say out loud what happened and he's been psychologically disassembled by the same therapist back home. He still sees Dan Troxler. He's paying the price for his mistakes. 18. Did you hear what happened to Alison last night? I did, but I'm sure you're gonna tell me anyway. She was killed. I mean, I can't believe it. Things with Elliot must have been falling apart 伤心透了. Yeah, I don't know, Mom, I think maybe the truck had something to do with it. You know what I mean. She was distracted. We all get that way. I hate to say it, but maybe Elliot's relieved? Not that he'd say it. Can you just please have some decency? For once. Honey, I say that with zero judgement or malice. Marriage is hard. Even the good ones. And how many of those have you had? Right, so maybe we just keep our toxic theories to ourselves? I just... everything's just really messed up right now. Okay, well... a contingent from the club is driving up to pay respects and to be there for Elliot. Right, does that mean you're, um, you're gonna come up from the city? Oh. Oh, that would be nice. But you know me, I'm not good in those situations. 19. I let this get too fucking far. Stop. I can't keep lying to everyone in my life. 20. I fucking knew it! When you guys were doing that whole coy eye-fuck 含情脉脉 ( I. To ogle in a lecherous manner. II. To interfere with by means of visual contact. III. To stare at, especially at something or someone with which one has a hostile relationship. ) bullshit. I should have known. Did he... did he pay you before he fսckеd you? Or is that something he had to pay extra for? Don't be an asshоlе. Is this what it looks like to be done with him? I was, I am. Stand right there, shut the fuck up. You dragged me into this. I lied to Russo to protect you. I did not ask you to do that. 'Cause you knew you didn't have to! You used my loyalty against me? That's fսckеd up, Lee. All fucking day, you're just dragging me on this whole guilt trip, like I abandoned you. Like I somehow owe it to you to stick around when you knew if you told me the truth I'll leave even fucking faster. Well, excuse me from keeping you from your big dreams of living in a fucking double-wide and raiding Tinder for BU undergrads. Go ahead. Tell me if that's more or less sad than getting dicked down by some bootleg whіtеy Bulger. I just told you that I ended it. That's 'cause you got caught. The only reason why you want me here is 'cause I'm the only thing that separates you from a shittier version of you. Yes, you're my savior. How could you stand on a high horse and look down on us little people? You made me feel fսckеd up. 21. Uh, when did they finish construction on the, the roof? When did they finish? What's wrong with the roof? You didn't have, uh, a termite infestation? I don't know what you're talking about. You didn't have to relocate or anything because of fumigation or repair? Our landlord doesn't do shit to this place. 22. I admit, I have manipulated a few men in my life, but no termites were ever harmed. No. I didn't kill them. I moved them to where I knew he'd see them because I had this big crazy plan, I had to sell it. Oh. Your imagination astounds me. I would have never had the confidence at your age. I don't know what the fսck I was thinking. Honestly. At least you've got him where you want him 变成了你要的模样. I don't know. Maybe in the beginning? But any power I had over the situation is gone now. I think my heart beat the shit out of my brain. Do you know what happens every time you lie? I lose a year off the end of my life? Sounds like you'd be dead already. No, I never would've been born. Well, when you lie, neurotransmitters are released that dull emotions. It becomes harder to feel things, so the next lie is easier to tell, and the next lie's even easier and... and so on. That explains a lot about him. He's told way more lies than I have. I wish it was easier for me, actually. Everything's easier for you. What a joy it would be to be you and watch the world unfold for me. I'll make that deal with you. Because I'm sure that you don't sit around having... insane, uncontrollable thoughts. Like what? What's the craziest thought you've had today? Do I kill my boyfriend? Or do I kill myself? 23. How are we gonna approach this woman? I know you're not talking to me, but at least talk at me 不想和我讲话, 不想理我, 冲着我说. Tell me the plan. We do what we normally do. Grind her down ( grind someone down 拷问, 逼问 gradually reduce someone's confidence or strength, especially by harsh or oppressive treatment. to treat someone so badly for such a long time that they are no longer able to fight back. to gradually make someone lose hope, energy, or confidence: Living alone in London really ground me down. Ground down by years of abuse, she did not have the confidence to leave him. "he was always there, always pestering me, grinding me down". ) till we're satisfied with her answers. What if we're wrong about the revenge motive? If she's over the loss of her son, we're just opening up old wounds 打开伤口. Well, then, I guess we'll find that out. Or maybe we're right, but she genuinely knows nothing. 24. And, also, there's such a thing as lacrosse scholarships. Ivies don't have athletic scholarships 体育生奖学金. And nowhere else is gonna be a full ride. Whatever. I mean, talking about why all these schools are no-go's also pisses him off. I'm talking about not having to listen to your parents screaming at each other every five minutes. Over something you can't change and neither can they. Well, I mean, anytime mine want to stop caring so much, that would be great. But they won't, 'cause they can't live unless they're up my ass. My sister can't either. I mean, Shyla moved to fucking Pawtucket, and she's still trying to be my boss. What I would give... to be you. I might've told Paul we would be here. Whatever. He's not a bad guy if you give him a chance. You say that every single time. He's just insecure. I promise, if you hang in there, eventually, he stops being such a dіck. You gonna be okay? What's up? What's up is I fucking ran here. You're kidding. From Bridgefield? Yeah, that's right, shithead. Wow. Well, I know Coach said you need to do more cardio, but damn. You guys are so into this place. And don't you literally have, like, a massive house with a fucking... helipad? There's no helipad. Paul: Why would anybody want to hang out here instead of there? Your dad have, like, a "no peasant" rule or something? A scholarship peasant? Yeah, I've been in there. Has your dad even lived in that house before? Like, uh... even when you were a baby? 'Cause my dad says your dad hasn't been back to Narragansett since, like, the '90s. Shane: How would your dad even know that? Paul: Well, he's in global finance, too, dude. People talk to each other. It's a... network. Who cares? All right? 25. I went home. And I studied for chem until I got a headache and then I... and then I went to bed. What about... what about your, um...Portable speakers. I wiped out during scoring drills, and... someone must have stepped on me. I know you were just trying to help me. Hmm. Save me. You probably did. You look like you... No, I don't, Megan! I got fouled 训练带的伤 at practice. All right? 26. I'd been studying all night because I had a midterm coming up and, uh, I didn't really understand the material. Uh, but I, uh, I forgot to eat. So, uh, after a little while I got a headache, and, um, I set an alarm for early so I can, uh, wake up and do some more in the morning. But then I, uh, I woke up, uh, because someone was buzzing 按门铃 to be let in. And who was that? 27. God, like you and your friends never got into anything stupid before. Except, you know what, no one at your school ever got into an Ivy League college. Probably doesn't even know what one is. Conrad stammers: Oh... Sh... So, Shane's going to the Ivy League now? Wow. Really, wow. When were you guys gonna tell me that? After we talked to the cops, I guess? 28. Why do you just have these? Dog bite. In the Stop & Shop parking lot. Yeah? Apparently, different tail waggings 狗摇尾巴 have different meanings. I thought a dog wagging its tail always means friendly. It does not. Yeah, I thought that, too. Yeah, well, now we both know better. 29. What about your mom? What if we called her? No, I think it's, uh, I think it's 12 hours ahead 时差早 there. Well, it still wouldn't be past 11:00 p.m. I don't think that there's reception. There's gonna be reception at a resort. Uh, she's off the coast. It's her friend's boat. Um, and the school knows. She told them. I'm gonna have them mark you an excused absence 事假. I'll say I saw you and I sent you home sick. That's not even a lie. And I'll leave you the amoxicillin. Take a couple more tonight. Look, uh, I know... you were good friends with Shane and Paul. I know you're having a hard time right now. Wish you weren't having it alone. Go easy on yourself 别太自责, okay? Understand that... something terrible has happened to you, too. Try to give yourself a little grace 别太苛刻. 30. And you're what 你是什么, 你是干什么的 again? The guidance counselor? Dan: School counselor. What kind of background's a school counselor supposed to have in this kind of thing? Well, I'm actually a licensed independent clinical social worker, but I'm working towards getting licensed in Rhode Island as a clinical mental health counselor. And what makes you think my son needs your help?I'm not saying it has to be me... but... from the amount of detail Oliver gave me about his present headspace 现在的心理状态, and what led to it, he's gonna need therapy from someone. And what amount of detail would that be, exactly? Just enough to know what really happened. Every time I think there's nothing left that can surprise me... I'll put you in touch with my personal accountant. 31. Yo, Shyla. You want to meet us at the Crypt? I can't. Do a shooter ("Do a shooter" generally means consuming a small, concentrated alcoholic drink (a "shot") quickly in one gulp. A shooter is a mixed drink or a single, small serving of spirits (1-1.5 oz) often served in a shot glass. In different contexts, it can also refer to taking a shot in sports or using a firearm.) for me. 32. You all packed 收拾好? You travel Tuesday, right? Orientation's probably gonna be pretty hectic. Lot of new people, new living situation. What? What are, what are you thinking right now? That you were right. That I might not be ready, right now, to go to Stanford. That I can't. Have you talked about any of this with your dad? 33. You're going backwards 退步, 落后, 倒退, 开倒车 now. Are you even practicing? I'm not really sleeping lately. Since the verdict. I get it. All the more reason to stay disciplined. Here's the thing: Practice. You have to do it every day. You're staying on it, right? Grow your capacity. Your number grows. It's like anything. Just keep at it and let me know. 34. I don't know why I didn't think you'd actually come. I don't know why it took me so long to ask. Well, I mean, we didn't ever talk all that much in school, so... I'm sorry. I'm not saying that for, like, blame. No, I know you're not. I... Just doesn't reflect very well on me, though. So can I ask how you are? Yeah, it's pretty terrible. Yeah. In full disclosure, and I know I should have said this up front when I first asked to come see you... Are you gonna try to write a book or something? Oh. Uh, no. I'm working with Oliver. Working with him how? Just counseling him. As his therapist. So you're with him, then? I wouldn't let him in, so he sent you? Does he feel bad for what he did? Actually, yeah, he does. Which part? Killing Paul? Or killing me? I understand it must feel unbelievable... What must? I don't know. How the world's just still turning. Like you were never even in it. Like all I am is this thing I didn't do, you mean? All because I was stupid and tried to help my friend? What he did to me for trying to help him? Because if anything else, you're just another person getting paid to listen to him lie. Shane... you know, it doesn't matter what Oliver's told me. My job isn't to judge what the truth is, and I wouldn't be in charge of anything even if it was. It's more that his pain has made me think about yours, and how I just, I can't imagine what you're going through. Or the strength I know you'll need to find. For what? I have strength. I know you do. See, I remember that about you. Like you said, we didn't talk much, but still, I could tell you had character, integrity. That those things mattered to you. Before I came to Bridgefield, I was a social worker... this was in Connecticut... and a lot of my clients were in your situation, with public defenders who were no match for white shoes. And? One of my clients... Dawn, uh, her husband was doing 15 to life in MacDougall. Dave had a carpet-laying business with his cousin, and the cousin had a shady side thing where a guy ended up getting killed over money, and the cousin took a plea for saying it was all Dave. And, you know, Dave just thought, he didn't do it and that would prevail. And he didn't know how to stop his frustration and rage from getting him into situations that just added more years to his sentence... Or how to live knowing he was only in prison in the first place off a lie from someone he trusted. And compared to you... he was lucky. He wasn't up against people with enough money to make the world exactly the way they want it. So, what happened to Dave? Is he still in prison? No. When did he get paroled? He didn't. I'm not gonna... go into details, if it's okay. Just out of respect. I'm just never, never gonna forget that phone call. There was one tiny silver lining... crazy as that is to say... Dave's family didn't think so, but I know Dave would have. It's something called the doctrine of abatement(The doctrine of abatement (often called "abatement ab initio") refers to the reduction, termination, or suspension of a legal proceeding, tax liability, nuisance, or testamentary gift. In law, it commonly means stopping a lawsuit due to defects or death of a party, reducing estate gifts when assets are insufficient, or reducing tax burdens. Abatement of action refers to suspension or termination of legal proceedings in an action for want of proper parties or owing to a defect in the writ of service. It has the consequence of putting an end to a law suit. If the matter is to be pursued further, a new action must be brought. A conviction isn't considered final until the direct appeal process is complete. If the defendant dies before that process finishes, they were never able to fully challenge the conviction. In the U.S., many federal courts historically applied abatement ab initio when: The defendant died during a pending direct appeal. However: Some courts have narrowed or modified the doctrine. Some states no longer automatically erase the conviction. Financial penalties (like restitution to victims) may be treated differently.). Look, if you're convicted at trial, even for murder, and you die in prison before all your appeals are exhausted, your conviction's automatically set aside, and your indictment is dismissed, like it never even happened. When he died... because he died... as far as law and the world were concerned, Dave was an innocent man. Hey, finally no line 没人排队 at the vending machines. I'm gonna get a soda. You want one? 35.  It's terrible, it's a terrible thing. It's hard to even think about, the kind of desperation behind a choice like that. Makes you think about all your own choices in life, right? All the things you've done or haven't done. Dan: Hey. Hey, you know the Navy SEALs use this thing, to help them calm down? Which is crazy, right? These elite warriors, they train and they practice and still, they panic. Even Navy SEALs have to make themselves remember to breathe. Okay? In for four, hold for four, out for four, hold for four. It's called box breathing. A box has four sides. You just focus on the numbers and the sides and that's it. 4 x 4. Do it with me, come on. Let's build a box together, right now. 36. What the fսck did you say to my brother? Excuse me? Show up out of nowhere, get in his mind, say who the fսck knows what until suddenly he thinks he has no way out of... Oh... Okay. My God. I was so sorry when I heard what happened. Why were you even there? Hmm? You didn't exist for Shane at school, and I know that, he never mentioned you once. To be fair, seeing the counselor is not always gonna be something a student talks about at home, right? You're telling me he fucking came to see you? HIPAA requirements say I can't tell you anything. I'm sorry. But whether he did or didn't, with a student body of 600 kids, being generally aware of all of them and their various struggles, yeah, that was my job. Why'd you go to the prison? To offer my support... No, I want to know what kind of apocalyptic shit you said to him. Besides that, fucking Oliver St. Ledger sees you for therapy, which is... I just don't really know how to wrap my mind around that, actually. So he told you that, but he didn't tell you what else we talked about? Okay, he's figuring things out, he's taking fucking classes and then here you are, and a month later he kills himself. And you think talking to me had something to do with that? I do, and I think I have a lot of questions that I'm gonna ask to whoever's responsible for you having a license to talk to anybody, okay? So just know that's what's gonna be happening. Well, then maybe also ask them if they think someone without a baseline ( I. an amount of money or a number that is used to compare other amounts of money or numbers to, especially as a way of measuring whether they have increased or decreased: a baseline price/figure/rate. $13 million was added to the baseline budget for the district attorney's office. II. a minimum level of quality, safety, etc. that is considered to be necessary in a particular situation: baseline for sth Europe's steelmakers have proposed a system that sets a baseline for carbon efficiency. baseline of sth The new features should provide a baseline of security for Windows users. ) of mental instability and history of emotional detachment in the home can be goaded into suicide ( goad I. provoke or annoy (someone) so as to stimulate an action or reaction. "he was trying to goad her into a fight". II. drive (an animal) with a spiked stick. "the cowboys goaded their cattle across the meadows". ) by one casual conversation with a sympathetic relative stranger. Oh, this is such an awful thing. Look, I understand needing to explain it away somehow. But when an already mentally vulnerable person is put into such a challenging environment, at an age where they're still struggling with coping skills, and with the idea that the future even exists, not to mention a support system at home that just isn't up to the task in a real... 36. Where do you think Shane is now? I'm gonna need a drink or ten for that conversation. Megan, I don't want to talk about heaven or whatever, okay? Because you don't think he's... If there is a place he is, I hope that everything makes sense to him, that he doesn't hurt any more. Okay? Me, too. Also I wish there was a place like that for Mom to go. Yeah, I mean, Mom's still alive, but I get what you're saying. I saw him that night. What does that mean? Mom and Dad went to Holy Spirit purse bingo and he was supposed to come home after practice and make dinner, but he didn't, so I made it, and I saw him get dropped off. By a car that I saw. Whose car it was... Okay, and... Okay, well, did Shane know this? Yes. When? Right when he came inside. Okay, and what did he say? He said he was home the whole time. And he never asked you to say anything later to anybody, ever? I thought he would. I was waiting, but he never did. Why didn't he want me to? You know what? Maybe he was... afraid, yeah, of you bringing Oliver into it, and of Oliver's family. Of what they might do, to us, to you. With people who can be... what they are. You feel guilty? For not saying? Don't. Okay?It wouldn't have made any difference. It still would've all happened the exact same way, and you couldn't have stopped it. So, please, please... don't let it derail your life. 37. Is your mom Kristi? Is she here, too? She's not here at the moment. And you live here, with her? Rub it in, why don't ya? So, uh, you're Shane's sister?