用法学习: 1. Risk aversion($A drops amid risk averse mood.) is a concept in economics and finance, based on the behavior of humans (especially consumers and investors) while exposed to uncertainty to attempt to reduce that uncertainty. Risk aversion is the reluctance of a person to accept a bargain with an uncertain payoff rather than another bargain with a more certain, but possibly lower, expected payoff. For example, a risk-averse investor might choose to put his or her money into a bank account with a low but guaranteed interest rate, rather than into a stock that may have high expected returns, but also involves a chance of losing value. 2. if it were not for or were it not for 要不是因为 used for saying what prevents the situation from being different. If it were not for the fact that he is my father, I'd accuse him in public. if it had not been for/had it not been for 要不是由于: If it had not been for your help, I would not have succeeded. I for one... spoken used for emphasizing what you believe or think, even if other people disagree. Nothing has been proved yet, and I for one believe that he is innocent. that's/there's...for you spoken I. used for saying that someone should not be surprised or upset when someone behaves in a particular way because that is the way they normally behave. 'His room's such a mess.' 'Well, that's teenagers for you!'. II. 这就是所谓的. 所谓的...就是这样子的. used when you are angry or disappointed at the way you or someone else has been treated. They said it was all my own fault. There's justice for you! not for anything无论如何 used for emphasizing that you definitely will not do a particular thing. I wouldn't get married again – not for anything. (in) for it informal used for saying that you are going to be in trouble because of something that you have done. 'Now we're in for it,' Phillip said as they trooped into the headmaster's room. for one thing...(for another thing) 其一是因为, 其二是因为 spoken used for giving a reason for something. Why didn't we visit? Well, for one thing, it was too far away. And for another, she never invited us. 3. in the red 背债, 欠债 (idiomatic, accounting) Having net losses; in debt. The figures are going to be in the red this year. The block contestant: We are in the red from it. Etymology: From the standard accounting practice of using red ink
to denote negative values, especially a net loss. in the black 盈利, 有盈余 I. (accounting, idiomatic) Having positive net income; having greater income than expenses; making a profit. II. (accounting, idiomatic) Having positive net worth. Usage notes: Also may function adverbially. Etymology: From the standard accounting practice of using black ink, as opposed to
red ink, to denote positive values, especially a net income. in the hole (idiomatic) Having suffered net losses; in debt. be that as it may (formal) something that you say which means although you accept a piece of information as a fact, it does not make you think differently about the subject that you are discussing. He certainly was under pressure at the time. Be that as it may即便如此, 尽管如此, 虽然如此, 话是这么说 he was still wrong to react in the way that he did. throwaway 一次性的, 用完就扔的( disposable 即抛型的) made to be destroyed after use. a throwaway product has been made to be used for a short time only and then thrown away. A more usual word is disposable. throwaway cups and plates. We live in a throwaway society. used about societies, activities etc in which people use a lot of throwaway objects. the modern throwaway society we live in. throwaway comment/line/remark 无意识的一句话, 随便说说的, 听完就可以忘的, 不必当真的, 随口一说的 something that someone says without thinking carefully and is not intended to be serious. I wonder if parents sometimes unintentionally set a path for their kids with their sorts of throwaway lines 随随便便的一句话, 随口说的一句话. 4. get the better/best of somebody 战胜, 理智战胜情感 if a feeling gets the better of you, it becomes too strong to control. to control your behavior. I didn't like what I had heard about this man, but my curiosity got the better of me and I had to meet him. Finally curiosity got the better of her and she opened the letter. Try to remain calm - don't let your anger get the better of you. 5. on the good side of someone and on someone's good side(in someone's good books) Fig. in someone's favor. (be ~; get ~.) I tried to get on the good side of the teacher, but that teacher has no good side. First of all, don't try to get on the boss's good side. walk all over somebody/something I. to treat someone or something without respect. to treat someone badly and to make them do what you want without respect for their feelings. 踩在脚下. You shouldn't let him walk all over you like that. This new law would walk all over our civil rights. I'm not about to let them walk all over me, I'll come back harder. II. to defeat a person or team badly. The Nighthawks walked all over the Tigers last night with a 5-0 victory. 6. gang up on someone 群起而攻之 to join together in a group to hurt, frighten, or fight someone. They feel that the international community is ganging up on them. milk of human kindness 太好人了, 人类的善良和同情心 Fig. natural kindness and sympathy shown to others. (From Shakespeare's play Macbeth, I. v.) Mary is completely hard and selfish—she doesn't have the milk of human kindness in her. Roger is too full of the milk of human kindness and people take advantage of him. She's one of those amazing people who's just overflowing with the milk of human kindness. To err is human (, to forgive divine). Prov. You should not be too harsh with someone who makes a mistake, because all human beings make mistakes. (Often used as a roundabout way to ask someone to forgive you for making a mistake.) Jill: How could you let my dog get out when I told you a hundred times that he should stay in the house! Ellen: To err is human, to forgive divine. 7. come down to sth I. 归结于. 最终还是要看. 依赖于. If a situation or decision comes down to something, that is the thing that influences it most. to be the most important aspect of a situation or problem. In the end, it all comes down to who wants the job the most. What it all comes down to is your incredible insecurity. It all comes down to money in the end. [+ question word] Eventually our choice of hotel will come down to how much we can afford. II. If a situation or problem comes down to something, it can be described or explained most simply in that way: What the problem comes down to is whether the consumer will be willing to pay more for a higher quality product. come down to someone to become someone's property because the previous owner has died. make an enemy of 树敌, 有敌意, 敌对, 当作敌人 Cause (someone) to start feeling hostile to one: you really don't want to make an enemy of your girlfriend's best mate. I am not gonna make an enemy of you, let's just get over this. latch on (to someone) to get hold of someone. I don't know where Jane is. Let me try to latch onto her. II. Attach oneself to (someone) as a constant and usually unwelcome companion. to attach oneself (to): to latch on to a new acquaintance. he spent the whole evening trying to latch on to my friends. III. to understand: he suddenly latched on to what they were up to. 8. Big Brother, I had a weird conversation with him, I just come up and try to process it all好好想一下. in the process of doing something used to say that someone is or was doing something at the time that you were talking about. They were in the process of moving their head office from Paris to London. due process 适当的过程, 适当的方式 the correct way of dealing with a legal trial or other legal matters, that makes sure that people's rights are protected. thought process the way in which your mind works, or the process of thinking about something. process of elimination 排除法 a way of finding an answer or solution by first deciding which answers or solutions are not possible. fluff I. fluff up/out to shake something so that more air goes into it and it becomes larger and softer. Fluff the pillows after you use them. When he's frightened, the cat fluffs up his tail. II. informal to do something badly. She started to fluff tasks that should have been childishly simple. fluff your lines (=say them badly when acting in a play): Try not to fluff your lines! n. I. [uncountable] very small pieces of hair, dust, or cloth that stick together or to the surface of something else. II. [uncountable] soft light fur or feathers from a young animal or bird. III. [countable] informal a small mistake that you make when you are speaking or reading to an audience. IV. [uncountable] mainly American 浮皮潦草, 浮于表面的, 不关痛痒的东西. 没有什么本质重要的. something that is entertaining but not serious or important. That film was pure fluff. So, if you think it's all for technology's sake and there's no fluff华而不实的东西 when it comes to enterprise-class IT, think again. 'Something of little substance or consequence, especially: Light or superficial entertainment: The movie was just another bit of fluff from Hollywood. Inflated or padded material: The report was mostly fluff, with little new information.' The point being made is that the IT products are not designed solely with practicality and performance in mind; design 'fluff' 华而不实的东西, 没有真正意义的东西, 噱头-- attractive colours, cool shapes-- are not important or necessary to operation but are also key selling features. 关于fluff talk: Fluff talk is an important part of approaching a girl, especially if you plan to launch into patterns, which you can't begin the conversation with on their own. Fluff talk is also needed, if you plan to continue with eliciting values - you must have had at least some sort of a casual conversation with the girl, for then it would sound only natural for you to have become a little more interested in her, to the point of asking all sorts of questions:). Fluff talk is one of the best and easiest ways to flirt with women. Learning how to flirt with women requires an understanding of fluff talk and how to do it right. So, what is fluff talk? Fluff talk means, basically, talking about nothing. But fluff talk is also interesting. So you can't talk about the weather or the traffic or other boring, meaningless things. The key to interesting fluff talk is to direct the conversation towards FEELINGS. Feelings, not facts. Facts are boring. They make her feel absolutely nothing. Use the conversation to talk about feelings. I think a lot of people assume comfort is anything that is not seduction or attraction, but that's not comfort, that's fluff talk. So how do you know if you're in fluff talk or in comfort? From my understanding, I'm guessing that fluff talk is more like interview style questions like: - What do you do, - Where are you from, - Where were you born, - Random things not about you or her - "Yeah that's a good pizza place". Comfort something that defines your identity, such as: - Values - "I value health, and like to eat healthy and exercise"; - Emotions - "I find it hilarious when .. It bothers me when that happens"; - Relationships - "I enjoy the company of people who have that kind of attitude"; - Private stories/vulnerability - "I was sick for a month and was hospitalized, it made me rethink what I want to do with my life". - Goals - "I want to take a year off to travel the world it's something I've been wanting to do for a few years". - Hobbies - "I'm into fashion, I prefer this kind of style." - Experiences - "Oh I went to Montreal last week, it was fun, we rode bikes and ate poutine". What do you guys think, am I accurate or totally off? Any more examples, and details? Agree with your classification; "What did you do this week/weekend"- type of conversation typically counts as fluff in my book too. It's important to see that fluff is your entry into comfort, since she'll give you pointers to take the conversation to a deeper level if she's interested. You can also segue into comfort by talking about your self. Also, fluff can be a powerful push if you switch to casual conversation from a very sexual or deep-connection vibe. It's not just a gap-filler填补空白, 填补空虚, but can create attraction when timed right. I think you're very right with making the distinction between fluff talk and comfort. IME small talk/fluff talk is relatively unnecessary when it comes to PU. Comfort on the other hand is not only a prerequisite先决条件 for most girls before they sleep with you but also probably one of the fastest ways to get girls to have sex with you (this was 100% counter-intuitive for me when I started). The difference between comfort and fluff talk is depth. Whenever you talk about something you can either ask superficial questions about it or you can go deeper into the topic. Example: You: "Where have you been on your last vacation?" She: "Spain". Now if you go the fluff talk route you would ask: You: "Cool, I have been blablabla" then ask her about superficial stuff, how was the flight, if she liked the hotel, where she wants to go next, etc. Its like talking to a friend about his last vacation, there is no depth or emotional connection. Its simple small talk/fluff talk and does nothing to build a connection between the two of you. You may change the topic later on, but it will always be superficial. If you go the comfort route you would ask: You: "Did you meet any interesting people there?" Then you go more into detail and ask about the people she met and let her describe them in detail, their accent, how the Spanish people are compared to the people in your country, ask her if she likes the mentality that Spanish people have.. ask her how she felt there and if she is a person who likes water more or a person who likes mountains and likes to hike..let her describe it and how she felt .. then ask about her first vacations as a child and how much she can remember..ask her about details. 9. come through with I. provide something needed. to produce or deliver something as promised. Finally, Bob came through
with the money he had promised. I knew he would come through. He didn't COME THROUGH WITH the money and they went bust. I hope you'll come through with a big win. II. [for someone] to do what one is expected to do, especially under
difficult conditions. You can depend on Jane. She'll always come
through. Tom came through at the last minute with everything we needed. III. [for something] to be approved; [for something] to gain approval. Our
mortgage loan approval finally came through! Your papers came through,
and you can be sure that the matter has been taken care of. come through something (with flying colors) Fig. to survive something quite well. (Colors here refers originally to flags.) Todd came through the test with flying colors. Mr. Franklin came through the operation with flying colors. show/shine/come through 显而易见的 if a quality in someone's character shows/shines/comes through, people can see it in the way that person behaves, speaks, or writes. There was a quality of simplicity that shone through in her life and letters. a through train a through train is one you can use to travel all the way to a place, without changing trains. be through (with someone) to have ended a relationship. I've told Larry I'm through with him, but he keeps bothering me. wet/soaked through 湿透了 extremely wet in every part. You're wet through, child. Take off those clothes at once. 10. easy peasy (childish) Really simple. Now now Benny Wenny, don't cry about it, learning how to add fractions is easy peasy! Usage notes: In informal contexts it is reasonably common to further extend this phrase with a nonsensical rhyme, probably due to its frequent use around young children. Common examples include: easy peasy lemon squeezy; easy peasy Japanesey; easy peasy pumpkin peasy; extremely easy. This word is used mainly by children or when speaking to children. I don't see her like that. She's like my sister. No mate, it doesn't work that way here. There's no way around it没有其他办法, you have to face it and deal it. 11. University of New England: A peer-reviewed study ( Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people of similar competence to the producers of the work (peers). It constitutes a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards of quality, improve performance, and provide credibility. Peer-reviewed research is the gold standard of mainstream science. A peer-reviewed article has been critically read and reviewed by trained scientists. Peers are given the opportunity to anonymously comment on the adequacy of the experimental design and the validity of the conclusions that are drawn from the scientific work under review. The publication of research in a peer-reviewed journal means that the article has passed the scrutiny of fellow scientists. Studies that have not been through peer-review are not necessarily flawed, but peers have not been given the opportunity to judge the scientific merit of the results that are derived from such studies. ) carried out by the University of New England found that winter woodsmoke烧木头的烟 causes 8.8 additional visits per day to GPs in Armidale for respiratory complaints, i.e. about 750 additional visits per year. A local retired doctor (now Associate Professor at the UNE Medical school) said that he is so concerned by the wood smoke situation, he urges people with respiratory problems to get out of town. Armidale was proclaimed升格 a city in 1885(proclaim I. to state something publicly. Abbot has always proclaimed his innocence of the charges. proclaim (that): They still proclaim that their policy was successful. proclaim someone/something (to be) something: a prime minister who proclaims himself a champion of the free market. a. used about a sign or notice that tells people something. posters proclaiming the merits of various soaps. Their banners proclaimed 'Elections now'. II. to announce something officially. The president proclaimed the sovereignty and independence of the new republic. proclaim someone/something something: In 1882, Brazil proclaimed itself independent from Portugal. a. to announce officially that a new country exists. The eastern islands proclaimed a separate republic of their own. III. to be a clear sign of something. The house's drawn curtains and closed windows seemed to proclaim its emptiness.). It is a cathedral city, being the seat of the Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops of Armidale. The Catholic Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph was consecrated in 1912. The city centre is laid out in a grid of streets. The main street is called Beardy Street, named for two of the founding settlers who had beards. The court house was built in the 1850s and is still a prominent feature of the central district. Much of the rest of the city is residential居民区. The university was founded in 1938, at first as a college of the University of Sydney, but then in its own right in 1954. The UNE contributes to Armidale's position as a city of culture and diversity, with a vibrant artistic and cultural element. The university has strong links to the rural community, and undertakes a lot of agricultural research. There is also a high-technology presence, as well as notable humanities teaching.
Big Brother Australia' Intruder Marina Enters the House; Cat and Lawson Romance Back On: "Big Brother Australia" intruder Marina has entered the house on Monday just as drama exploded between former partners Ryan and Travis, Lawson and Aisha. Also, Cat and Lawson are back on as they admitted that their feelings for each other have gotten stronger. Sleeping Beauty: New intruder Marina had a fairytale-like entrance in the house, posing as Sleeping Beauty in the fish bowl before she was awaken with a kiss by fellow intruder Leo, who was seen fervently ( fervent 急不可耐的, 热情的, 热衷的 [ˈfɜ:(r)v(ə)nt] very enthusiastic and sincere, especially about something you believe in or support. I have always been one of his most fervent admirers. fervent hope/belief: I would like to express my fervent hope for your success.) wiping Marina's lipstick off his lips. The reactions to her surprise existence in the house have been so far positive, with the housemates thinking she's not only beautiful, but personable可爱的, 可人的(attractive and behaving in a pleasant way.) as well. That was the first few hours, though. The next day, Sandra was having second thoughts about Marina. She was a bit put off不高兴了 when Marina called her "possessed" the night before. In a short span of time很短的时间内, she learnt about the deal with Lawson and Cat, Travis and Aisha, and Skye and Leo. New Head of House: Cat's reign as the Head of House was over, and the crown has been passed onto the bubbly Skye. The makeup-less beauty had mixed feelings about being handed the power, though she seemed to have accepted her new role after just a few seconds. For her first Head of House privilege, she was allowed to talk about nomination and strategies with two of her chosen housemates during the weekend party. She chose the most neutral of housemates Priya and Jason. For her sanctuary (sanctuary I. [uncountable] 庇护. official protection given to someone by a place that is safe for them. Refugees sought sanctuary in Thailand. a. 避难所.[countable/ uncountable] a place where you can be safe or comfortable. All she wanted now was the sanctuary of her own room. II. [countable] a special area where animals live in a natural environment protected from people. a wildlife sanctuary. a. a place for pets that are not wanted or that have not been treated well. an animal sanctuary. III. [countable] the most holy part of a religious building.) companion, she chose Aisha. Skye, who admitted she's not the most intelligent person in the house, is actually perceived as smart by some housemates. Travis and Sam thought she's the most strategic, claiming she's smarter than she lets on. Cat and Lawson: It seemed Lawson's regret about his apparent cheating on his girlfriend with Cat has passed, and he's back to being flirty with his fellow housemate once again. It can be recalled that the 23-year-old resident magician cried to Big Brother in the Diary Room after watching the DVD of his sanctuary night with Cat. He feared that his closeness with the 31-year-old divorcee would drive his girlfriend away. After they emerged from the sanctuary, and after learning how the other housemates perceived their relationship, they have decided to stay away from each other to avoid further talks闲言碎语. Apparently, they could only last a few days being separated from each other. On Monday's episode, which was filmed sometime in the late week, Cat and Lawson were back to being a couple in the house. They denied being together, though, but the housemates weren't exactly blind. Jason and Aisha noticed their closeness, and were strongly against it. "If that was my man in the house, I'd be putting a truck through these double doors and be dragging him out by his hair," an incredulous 难以置信的, 简直不敢相信的(not able to believe something, or not wanting to believe it. a. showing that you find something hard to believe. Dan's voice was incredulous.) Jason said of Lawson. Aisha, who had been cheated on by a past relationship, agreed, saying that even if Cat and Lawson hadn't kissed yet, they have done a lot of things with each that were considered questionable. The kissing part is questionable. The housemates were not privy 不知情的, 不知晓的 to what had happened in the sanctuary, but viewers have seen – or heard – the kissing sounds the two made under the doona in bed. And despite denying that there's anything more going on between them, Cat and Lawson have admitted their feelings for each other have gotten stronger. While the girls were preparing for the Picnic Under the Stars party, Cat confessed that she wanted to kiss Lawson all the time, but she can't because she wanted to be "respectful" of his relationship outside the house. On the boys' side, when Jason said that he thought Cat is the most strategic housemate, Lawson quickly came to her defence, turning the tables on Jason矛头指向, saying Jason was actually describing himself. Travis and Ryan, Aisha and Lawson: Former original partners Travis and Ryan, who were said to be a psychological good match, "aren't buddies anymore." During an apparently boring game at the party, Ryan and Travis threw offhand comments about(offhand adj. unfriendly in the way you treat someone. An offhand remark is a remark that is spoken without thought. Similar to something blurted out. adv. immediately and without checking the details or facts. I can't remember any of their names offhand.) the other's family members. Their words weren't clear as they were heavily masked due to bad language, but the two almost ended up in a physical fight. Travis felt that Ryan baited him to say things(bait
I. 诱饵. food used for attracting and catching fish, birds, or animals.
II. something that is offered in order to persuade someone to do
something or buy something. take the bait (=accept what is offered) 上钩, 愿者上钩: Interest-free credit is on offer and customers are taking the bait. a. someone who is used for attracting and catching someone else, especially a criminal. v. 故意惹人生气. to deliberately try to make someone angry. He baited me to say that. He got me good. rise to the bait 上钩, 上圈套 British to become angry when someone is deliberately trying to annoy you. click bait a link on a website that is designed to catch people's attention and encourage them to read on. This is not news, really. It's click bait, the stuff pageviews are made of. flame bait (找骂的, 招骂的, 招人骂的话, trolling) a statement that someone puts on an Internet discussion group because they want to get an angry reply or to start a flame war. ground bait pieces of food etc that someone who is fishing throws in the water to attract fish. The American word is chum.) then got angry afterwards when he retaliated. He tried to talk to Ryan, though, but the 26-year-old graphic designer refused. Ryan later referred to Travis as an "uneducated bogan." While Ryan had the support of the boys, Travis had Aisha to play peacemaker between the two former friends. Her advice to the boys to not meddle in the fight was going well until her former partner Lawson stepped in and told her she should also heed her own advice. This started a screaming match between the two. "It's not your fight either," Lawson told her, to which Aisha responded, "Go turn to Cat, go turn to Sandra! Do not come to me when I'm having a civil conversation with(civil I. polite, especially in a formal way and without being friendly. He could barely bring himself to be civil to them. The discussion has been civil until you joined in. II. [usually before noun] relating to private legal disagreements between people, not criminal law. I intend to bring an action in the civil courts. He will begin civil proceedings this week. III. [only before noun] relating to the people of a country, especially when they are protesting or fighting about something. Reports of civil unrest continue to come in from the northern provinces. IV. [only before noun] relating to or done by the state, instead of by religious authorities. We were married in a simple civil ceremony. V. [usually before noun] relating to or involving ordinary people, not the armed forces. the development of nuclear power for military and civil use.) Ryan." She walked away from Lawson while calling him a "weak human弱人." The tension between the two didn't appear magically that night, though. Aisha has previously opened up to Travis about Lawson, saying her former partner was making her feel like she owes him for giving her the bigger portion of their Perfect Pair prize money. Luckily, Big Brother had a perfect sense of timing and humour. The faceless voice was able to make the housemate howl with laughter when he began to speak. Travis later on still tried to talk to Ryan, and Ryan, who acknowledged they would never be friends on the outside, gave him the impression that the fight didn't bother him at all.
The Block Finale: The 24 year-old former beauty queen struggled to contain her emotions控制情绪 as she was comforted by Sydney native
and Blockhead Jenna Susetio, who won $310,000 for her and husband
Chris's apartment. The sale of Deanne's apartment for $1.38m - just
$10,000 above the reserve of $1.37m- saw the renovator walk back into the holding room in tears, after the mum-of-two had reportedly snubbed the auctioneer. Trying to cut the tension presenter Shelley Craft told the devastated couples in the room, saying 'we want tonight to be a celebration of five months of hard work. 'Hasn't anyone got an announcement like a new contract or pregnancy?' But her attempt at lightening the mood活跃气氛 wasn't appreciated as the couples shook their heads, looking appalled. The take-home prizemoney奖金 for this year's contestants is paltry ( paltry [ˈpɔ:ltri] I. a paltry amount or number is very small. II. not very good, important, or valuable. ) compared to the large sums
won earlier this year on Fans v Favourites, with the lowest earning
team Brad and Dale still pocketing $507,250. Winner Simon and Shannon felt the tension紧张气氛, saying, 'Not to say we're ungrateful
but it's awkward for us, it's hard obviously winning and seeing them go
through that, it's hard,' agreed his younger sibling. Regardless of the
final leaderboard, Shannon revealed that each of the contestants had hoped to take home a minimum of $500,000 - $165,000 over what they themselves won. While the pair were delighted to have come out on top, they were equally upset that after so many weeks of tireless work, their friends have received little to no compensation. Shannon said: 'The hardest thing is knowing how much effort they put in, it's so draining and so tiring, and we deserve to get reimbursed for that - not a measly ( measly [ˈmi:zli] too small. I can't afford to buy a car on my measly salary.) 20 grand.' 'We know how hard it is so the hardest thing is to know that they aren't being rewarded for that. Asked on Today whether they would share some of their winnings out of pity, the Coffs Harbour pair revealed the subject had come up with second-placed couple Chris and Jenna, who won $310,000. "We've been hit up a few times( hit someone up (for something) to ask someone for a loan of money or for some other favor. to ask someone for something, esp. money. He tried to hit me up for some cigarettes. What about hitting up your daddy for a loan? The tramp hit up each tourist for a dollar. My brother hit up Harry for a couple of hundred bucks.) [to share the money]," Shannon said. "I think we got together with Chris and Jenna and debated it but..." "But you rejected it," Today host Lisa Wilkinson shot back回击, 反击. Hopes of a happy end to months of back breaking renovation work were dashed for three of the five couples. Prior to auction night, contestants held hopes of a bumper profit in the realm of $500,000 after the "high bar" set by last year's auction, the brothers said. But it soon became clear the money was drying up in the auction room turning hopes of a life-changing pay day into a nightmare for the remaining couples. Deanne and Darren Jolly, who were visibly devastated with their auction result, are rumoured to be considering legal action against the show after their five-month renovation effort didn't pay off. The auction result has prompted speculation this morning the reserves were set too high while others are pointing the finger at 指责 real estate agents for supposedly failing to register enough buyers for the auction. "We had a really good strategy from our real estate agents and I think that's the only thing that got us across the line," Shannon told Today. "Going second in the auction was a master stroke 一招妙棋, 聪明的一步(A
very skilful and opportune act. An achievement or action revealing
consummate skill or mastery. an action that is very clever and produces
success: His decision to change the team's formation for the final match was a master stroke. a masterstroke of diplomacy. Klein's master stroke was the creation of the advertorial)."
避孕birth control, contraception(contraceptives避孕措施, contracept v. 避孕): I had it enough after giving birth to three kids, then I had my tubes tied. Birth control, also known as contraception and fertility control, are methods or devices used to prevent pregnancy. Planning, provision and use of birth control is called family planning. Birth control methods have been used since ancient times, but effective and safe methods only became available in the 20th century. Some cultures limit or discourage access to birth control because they consider it to be morally or politically undesirable. The most effective methods of birth control are sterilization by means of vasectomy
( 输精管切除 [vəˈsektəmi] a medical operation that makes a man unable to
have children. Doctors cut the tube that the man's sperm passes through.
) in males and tubal ligation in females, intrauterine devices (IUDs) and implantable contraceptives避孕药具. This is followed by a number of hormonal contraceptives including oral pills, patches, vaginal rings, and injections. Less effective methods include barriers such as condoms, diaphragms and contraceptive sponge and fertility awareness methods. The least effective methods are spermicides and withdrawal by the male before ejaculation. Sterilization, while highly effective, is not usually reversible不可逆的;
all other methods are reversible, most immediately upon stopping them.
Safe sex, such as the use of male or female condoms, can also help
prevent sexually transmitted infections. Emergency contraceptives紧急避孕措施 can prevent pregnancy in the few days after unprotected sex. Some regard sexual abstinence as birth control,
but abstinence-only sex education may increase teen pregnancies when
offered without contraceptive education. In teenagers, pregnancies are at greater risk of poor outcomes. Comprehensive sex education and access to birth control decreases the rate of unwanted pregnancies in this age group. While all forms of birth control may be used by young people, long-acting reversible birth control such as implants, IUDs, or vaginal rings are of particular benefit in reducing rates of teenage pregnancy.
After the delivery of a child, a woman who is not exclusively
breastfeeding may become pregnant again after as few as four to six
weeks. Some methods of birth control can be started immediately
following the birth, while others require a delay of up to six months.
In women who are breastfeeding, progestin-only methods are preferred
over combined oral contraceptives. In women who have reached menopause, it is recommended that birth control be continued for one year after the last period. Tubal ligation or tubectomy (also known as having one's "tubes tied" (ligation)) is a surgical procedure for sterilization in which a woman's fallopian tubes are clamped and blocked, or severed and sealed, either method of which prevents eggs from reaching the uterus for fertilization.
Tubal ligation is considered a permanent method of sterilization and
birth control. Vasectomy is a surgical procedure for male sterilization
and/or permanent birth control. During the procedure, the male vasa
deferentiaare severed and then tied/sealed in a manner so as to prevent sperm from entering into the seminal stream
(ejaculate) and thereby prevent fertilization from occurring.
Vasectomies are usually performed in a physician's office, medical
clinic, or, when performed on an animal, in a veterinary clinic—
hospitalization is not normally required as the procedure is not
complicated, the incisions small, and the necessary equipment routine.
How to manage a micro manager事无巨细, 事事都要过问的管理风格 - There are steps you can take if your boss smothers you. "You can spot them a mile off老远你就能认出来," says Anne-Marie Orrock, managing director of Corporate Canary HR Consulting. Workplace micro managers often attract unflattering nicknames – brown-nose(to
try very hard to please someone important or powerful, for example by
agreeing with them all the time, in a way that annoys other people), martyr, slavedriver(to
try very hard to please someone important or powerful, for example by
agreeing with them all the time, in a way that annoys other people.) – demand extensive progress reports before any opportunity to progress, and hover over shoulders(hover over Fig. [for someone] to stay close to someone or something, waiting, ready to advise or interfere. Please don't hover over me, watching what I am doing. I have to hover over this project or someone will mess it up.) as we dot corporate i's and cross t's(dot the i's and cross the t's 过于注重细节
To take care of every detail, even minor ones; To be meticulous or
thorough. to pay a great deal of attention to the details of something,
especially when you are trying to complete a task: The negotiations are nearly finished, but we still have to dot the i's and cross the t's. Before taking the project to the CEO, let's make sure we dot the i's and cross the t's. mind one's ps and qs (idiomatic) To be very careful to behave correctly. When we go to visit, do remember to mind your ps and qs, children — we don't want another incident like last time. Etymology: Disputed;
see the alt.english.usage FAQ. May be an alteration of "mind your
'pleases and 'thank yous". Other possibilities include: when behaving
poorly in a pub due to drinking too much beer, the bartender may use the
phrase meaning "Be mindful of how many pints and quarts you are
drinking because it is starting to show in your behavior."; or in
typesetting where letters are arranged in mirror orientation and a
lowercase p and q can be easily confused.). Usually highly conscientious by nature, ironically most don't see the effect their control-freakish approach is having on their staff, says Orrock. "Micro managers are extremely common in workplaces but are usually unaware they are micro managing, and because it is driven by their personality profile and not an external thing that can be turned off, micro managing is very hard to change." But there is good commercial reason to try. Relentless workplace micro managing eventually smothers 扼杀(strangle) staff creativity, morale and productivity. "Some people won't like this but I actually think micro management is worse for an organisation than having no management at all," he says. "It eats away at organisations(eat away at something 一点点吃掉, 蚕食 to reduce something by a little at a time These bank fees eat away at my savings every month. eat away at sb 消磨殆尽
to make someone feel more and more unhappy or worried. If a bad memory
or feeling eats away at someone, it makes them feel more and more
unhappy. You could see that jealousy was eating away at her.), strangling productivity, creativity and general growth, because employees stop speaking up due to these bosses' controlling ways
and this makes a really serious problem." Sally Foley-Lewis was micro
managed while working as a senior project officer in a large
organisation. Foley-Lewis, who today works independently as a management
trainer, speaker, coach and author, says "I have suffered the doom of a micro manager and it was suffocating让人窒息的, 喘不过气来的". Her former supervisor constantly "checked up" on her and habitually hijacked her assigned projects without asking. "Quite often this person would come to me and say 'here you go, this is where I got to' and I would say 'hang on, we had that conversation and you gave that task to me to do'; it was really quite stifling ( [ˈstaɪf(ə)lɪŋ] I. 透不过气来的, 喘不上气来的, 憋死人的. heat or a room that is stifling is so hot that it is difficult for you to breathe. the stifling heat of a midsummer's day. The hotel lobby was stifling. II. air or a smell that is stifling makes it difficult for you to breathe. the stifling smell of burning rubber. III. 压抑的. 喘不上来气的, 高压的 a stifling environment does not encourage a relaxed and happy existence, or the development of new ideas. the stifling atmosphere of her unhappy family life. suffocating, smother, strangle. ) and frustrating." Foley-Lewis stayed in the job for three years but says she isn't bitter. Her experiences help her understand what causes micro management and how to combat it. Some micro managers are dealing with pressures from above, some emerge when they begin their first middle management role after excelling as junior workers, many are newly appointed by the company; and all are under-confident不够自信的, hence their obsessive need to control the minutiae of daily business. "Once I could see一旦我看明白 it was merely their style [and] that they didn't feel confident unless they had a tight grip on everything, it made more sense to me and I could then see a way to manage that relationship," Foley-Lewis says. "I set a series of short discussions [with this person], confirming how information should be exchanged, and in a fairly short timeframe was able to reassure my micro manager of what I was working on and most importantly when I would report progress; and this progress reporting was what seemed to give my micro manager greater confidence in me." If, however, you spot any of these boss behaviours – regular outbursts, "singling out" an employee, constant nit-picking挑刺, 找茬, 鸡蛋里挑骨头 and/or personal attacks – speak to a more senior manager, corporate leadership expert and author Cheryl Daley recommends. "It is important to distinguish between someone who is a micro manager as opposed to a corporate bully," Daley says. "If you are subjected to these 'red flag' behaviours, have a conversation [with the person], and if that doesn't resolve the issue, have a conversation with someone beyond them." The most effective way to deal with a micro manager is "micro manage back up the chain", Daley suggests. Here are seven strategies for achieving greater autonomy: Work out what drives the micro manager: insecurity, pressure from above, lack of confidence or trust in you. Keep emotion at bay and, when broaching the topic, present quantifiable evidence of the impact their behaviour is having on your productivity; "Adapt your style to match theirs; they will like this and it may gain you more breathing spaces," Foley-Lewis suggests; Get to know them, acknowledge they have a heavy load of responsibility and ask 'is there any way I can help make life easier?'; Be proactive: approach them before they come looking for you and dazzle them with highly detailed documentation proving you are completely across a delegated task;
Ask the micro manager what, when and how they like to receive
information; Reassure your micro manager that you will report progress
regularly – agree a schedule – and never miss those deadlines.
