用法学习: 1. A gag gift 搞笑礼物 (or practical joke device as Wikipedia calls it) is generally defined as an item or object that you give to someone with the main intention of poking fun (humorously) at that person in exchange for a good laugh. It's more of a prank than a gift. For that reason, gag gifts are becoming increasingly popular as of late. There are a wide variety of gag gifts that you may choose from whether it is a creative gag gift, a disgusting gag gift, a humorous gag gift or perhaps even a gag gift with overt 明显的, 公开的 or masked 遮遮掩掩的 sexual undertones 性暗示. Who doesn't like sharing or getting a gift that creates fun, humor, smiles, and, again, a good laugh? So what exactly are Novelty Items? How are they different from Gag Gifts? These items are very much similar to gag gifts; however, they are not designed for any specific purpose. More importantly – they aren't designed to be a prank and are not even necessarily given to be funny. Sometimes, they are just new and useless items. Sometimes a gag gift can also be used as a novelty item (and visa versa) but they still are separate. A novelty item can be given seriously. A gag gift can't really ever be serious in nature. Novelty items can be used as a showpiece, or to crack laughter out of a very subdued situation. Novelty items are typically sold for their uniqueness, simplicity or for the humor of the gift itself. For instance, a Monopoly Money pillow would likely be a novelty item for someone who liked Monopoly but it wouldn't be considered a gag gift. The biggest difference between a gag gift and a novelty item is that there aren't many practical applications 没实际用处 for novelty items – on the contrary, the practical application of a gag gift is to be used as a practical joke. Novelty items are typically small in size and may be a souvenir – sometimes gag gifts are overly large or tiny on purpose. However, this can also be true for a novelty item. For instance, if you gave someone a giant blow up rubber duck that would likely be categorized as a novelty item depending on the circumstance. Normally, a novelty item isn't very large in size or bulky at all. 2. ratio [ˈreɪʃɪəʊ] a relationship between the sizes of two numbers or amounts. a teacher-student ratio of 1:20 (=1 teacher for every 20 students). the ratio of someone/something to someone/something: The ratio of expenditure to revenue was an alarming 4:1. sex ratio (=numbers of men and women): We are aiming for a more equal sex ratio on our staff. price-earnings ratio. signal-to-noise ratio 信噪比. rate (一定时间内事情发生的次数, 发生的速度, 需要的钱数) I. the number of times something happens, or the number of examples of something within a particular period of time. The rate at which something happens is the number of times it happens over a period of time or in a particular group. New diet books appear at a rate of nearly one a week. [+ of] His heart rate was 30 beats per minute slower. The country has the world's sixth highest unemployment rate. a rising birth rate. a dramatic fall in the city's murder rate. rate of: The animals were dying at a rate of three an hour. rate of: areas where the rate of unemployment is high. success rate 几率: Their success rate in recruiting new staff is very high. a high/low rate of something: There is a high rate of muggings and other forms of street crime in the area. II. The rate at which something happens is the speed with which it happens. the speed at which something happens within a particular period of time. The rate at which hair grows can be agonisingly slow. The world's tropical forests are disappearing at an even faster rate than experts had thought. Doctors monitor the patient's heart rate. The population was growing at an alarming rate. rate of: During this period the rate of inflation soared. at a rate of: Workers were leaving at a rate of one a month. III. an amount of money that is paid or charged. A rate is the amount of money that is charged for goods or services. Calls cost 36p per minute cheap rate and 48p at all other times. ...specially reduced rates for travellers using Gatwick Airport. After the age of 35, we start losing muscle at the rate of half a pound a year. The rate of taxation or interest is the amount of tax or interest that needs to be paid. It is expressed as a percentage of the amount that is earned, gained as profit, or borrowed. [business] The government insisted that it would not be panicked into interest rate cuts. plans to reduce the tax rates for people on low incomes. rate of: The banks now pay a lower rate of interest to savers. hourly/weekly/monthly rate: They increased the hourly rate of pay to $12. at any rate whatever happens or may have happened, in any case. Well, I'm not going home on foot, at any rate. the going rate the usual amount of money that people are paying for something. the going rate for: What's the going rate for babysitting these days? v. I. [transitive] [often passive] to consider that someone or something has a particular quality or has achieved a particular standard or level. If you rate someone or something as good or bad, you consider them to be good or bad. You can also say that someone or something rates as good or bad. Of all the men in the survey, they rate themselves the most responsible. The film was rated excellent by 90 per cent of children. Most rated it a hit. We rate him as one of the best. She rated the course highly. Reading books does not rate highly among Britons as a leisure activity....the most highly rated player in English football. rate someone/something as something: Many voters rate the environment as the number one issue. rate someone/something highly 评价很高, 风评很好 (=approve of them): She is rated very highly by her colleagues. a. [intransitive] to be considered as having a particular quality. rate as: The exhibit must rate as one of the most successful for this museum. III. [transitive] 评级. to judge a movie to be appropriate for people of a particular age to see. Any movies rated PG would have been rated R ten years ago. If someone or something is rated at a particular position or rank, they are calculated or considered to be in that position on a list. He is generally rated Italy's No. 3 industrialist. He came here rated 100th on the tennis computer. III. [transitive] to deserve something. If you say that someone or something rates a particular reaction, you mean that this is the reaction you consider to be appropriate. Their national golf championship barely rated a mention. In those crowded streets her attire did not rate a second glance. That should rate a mention in the local newspaper! IV. If you rate someone or something, you think that they are good. [mainly British, informal] It's flattering to know that other clubs have shown interest and seem to rate me. Its artistic value failed to move Paddy Clegg. 'I don't know what all the fuss is about. I didn't rate it at all,' he said. 3. 恐怖袭击: As he was led away 被领走, 被带走 from court, Atai raised his index finger in the direction of 冲着 the judge and shouted in a foreign language. His barrister earlier told the court the former plumber would not stand when he was sentenced, as is customary. "That itself is an indication of his current thinking 现在的想法, which is regrettable," Justice Johnson said. Justice Johnson said while Atai did not play the critical role of passing Jabar the gun used to kill Mr Cheng, he was aware of the plans and made no attempts to dissuade the boy. acclaim I. If someone or something is acclaimed, they are praised enthusiastically. [formal] She has been acclaimed for her leading roles in both theatre and film. He was acclaimed as England's greatest modern painter. The group's debut album was immediately acclaimed a hip hop classic. She has published six highly acclaimed novels. II. Acclaim is public praise for someone or something. [formal] She has won critical acclaim for her excellent performance. All this equipment has received international acclaim 赞誉, 褒奖 from the specialist hi-fi press. settle a claim If an insurer settles a claim it pays money to a policyholder for the occurrence of a loss or risk against which they were insured. Insurance companies use the premiums they receive not only to settle claims but also to generate additional income and profit by investing their funds in financial securities. If your car is damaged because of another driver's negligence and you ask us to settle the claim for damage to your vehicle, we will seek to recover your deductible and our payments from the other party. If an insurer settles a claim it pays money to a policyholder for the occurrence of a loss or risk against which they were insured. claim v. I. If you say that someone claims 声称 that something is true, you mean they say that it is true but you are not sure whether or not they are telling the truth. He claimed that it was all a conspiracy against him. A man claiming to be a journalist threatened to reveal details about her private life. 'I had never received one single complaint against me,' claimed the humiliated doctor. He claims a 70 to 80 per cent success rate. II. If you say that someone claims 声称负责 responsibility or credit for something, you mean they say that they are responsible for it, but you are not sure whether or not they are telling the truth. An underground organisation has claimed responsibility for the bomb explosion. He was too modest to claim the credit. III. If you claim something, you try to get it because you think you have a right to it. Now they are returning to claim 拿回, 要回 what was theirs. claim back to say that you want someone to give something, often money you have paid, back to you. You can claim back the tax on these items. IV. If someone claims a record, title, or prize, they gain or win it. [journalism] Zhuang claimed the record in 54.64 seconds. ...the first time a British man has claimed a world title in the sport. to say that something is yours, especially as a right. Henry VII claimed the English throne after defeating Richard III. Has anyone claimed the wallet I turned in yesterday? claim credit/responsibility/victory etc. (=say it is yours): I can't claim all the credit for our success. V. If something or someone claims your attention, they need you to spend your time and effort on them. to need something such as your attention or time. Several more urgent matters were claiming her attention. There is already a long list of people claiming her attention 占去注意力, 吸引注意力, 占去精力. VI. If you claim money from the government, an insurance company, or another organization, you officially apply to them for it, because you think you are entitled to it according to their rules. Some 25 per cent of the people who are entitled to claim State benefits do not do so. John had taken out redundancy insurance but when he tried to claim, he was refused payment. They intend to claim for damages against the three doctors. ...the office which has been dealing with their claim for benefit. Last time we made a claim on our insurance they paid up really quickly. VII. If you claim money or other benefits from your employers, you demand them because you think you deserve or need them. The union claimed a pay rise worth four times the rate of inflation. They are making substantial claims for improved working conditions. Electricity workers have voted for industrial action in pursuit of a pay claim. VIII. If you say that a war, disease, or accident claims someone's life 夺去生命, you mean that they are killed in it or by it. [formal] The civil war claimed the life of a U.N. interpreter yesterday. Heart disease is the biggest killer, claiming 180,000 lives a year. claim n. I. A claim is something which someone says which they cannot prove and which may be false. He repeated his claim that the people backed his action. He rejected claims that he had affairs with six women. II. A claim is a demand for something that you think you have a right to. Rival claims to Macedonian territory caused conflict in the Balkans. [+ to]. III. If you have a claim on someone or their attention, you have the right to demand things from them or to demand their attention. She'd no claims on him now. He was surrounded by people, all with claims on his attention. no claims A no claims discount or bonus is a reduction in the money that you have to pay for an insurance policy, which you get when you have not made any claims in the previous year. Motorists could lose their no-claims discount, even if they are not at fault in an accident. claim to fame Someone's claim to fame is something quite important or interesting that they have done or that is connected with them. His greatest claim to fame is that he coached an England side to victory. stake a claim If you stake a claim, you say that something is yours or that you have a right to it. Jane is determined to stake her claim as an actress. His success staked his claim for a place in the world championship team. reclaim I. If you reclaim something that you have lost or that has been taken away from you, you succeed in getting it back. In 1986, they got the right to reclaim South African citizenship. 'I've come to reclaim my property,' she announced to the desk clerk. II. If you reclaim an amount of money, for example tax that you have paid, you claim it back. There are eight million people currently eligible to reclaim income tax. III. When people reclaim land, they make it suitable for a purpose such as farming or building, for example by draining it or by building a barrier against the sea. The Netherlands has been reclaiming farmland from water退耕还林. ...a scheme to build a residential development on reclaimed land. IV. If a piece of land that was used for farming or building is reclaimed by a desert, forest, or the sea, it turns back into desert, forest, or sea. The diamond towns are gradually being reclaimed by the desert. This method of spraying would allow the land to be reclaimed by the rain forests. V. If you reclaim a person who has been involved in bad or criminal behaviour, you cause them to stop acting in that way. He set out to fight crime by reclaiming youths from local gangs. VI. In sociology and cultural studies, reappropriation or reclamation [ˌrekləˈmeɪʃ(ə)n] 恢复本意 is the cultural process by which a group reclaims terms or artifacts that were previously used in a way disparaging of that group. wiki: Cultural appropriation, at times also phrased cultural misappropriation 文化拿来主义, 文化逆袭, is the adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture. Because of the presence of power imbalances that are a byproduct of colonialism and oppression, cultural appropriation is distinct from equal cultural exchange. Particularly in the 21st century, cultural appropriation is often considered harmful, and to be a violation of the collective intellectual property rights of the originating, minority cultures, notably indigenous cultures and those living under colonial rule. Often unavoidable when multiple cultures come together, cultural appropriation can include using other cultures' cultural and religious traditions, fashion, symbols, language, and songs. According to critics of the practice, cultural appropriation differs from acculturation( [əˌkʌltʃəˈreɪʃ(ə)n] the process by which someone becomes part of a particular culture, especially one that is different from the one they were born into. Individuals who have low levels of acculturation may perceive more barriers to seeking help. The English as a Second Language and acculturation classes 归化课程 for refugees are bursting at the seams. burst at the seams Be filled to or beyond normal capacity. On her wedding day the church was bursting at the seams 爆满了, That was a wonderful meal, but I'm bursting at the seams 撑爆了. This expression alludes to rupturing the seams of a garment too tight for the wearer and is generally used hyperbolically. acculturate [əˈkʌltʃəreɪt] 同化 to change your ideas and behaviour so that you start to become part of another culture, or to help someone to do this. assimilate [əˈsɪmɪleɪt] 文化的融入 I. [transitive] to help someone feel that they are part of a community or culture rather than feeling foreign. a. [intransitive] to begin to consider yourself part of a community or culture rather than being foreign. When people such as immigrants assimilate into a community or when that community assimilates 归化 them, they become an accepted part of it. There is every sign that new Asian-Americans are just as willing to assimilate. His family tried to assimilate into the white and Hispanic communities. The Vietnamese are trying to assimilate themselves and become Americans. French Jews generally had been assimilated into the nation's culture. II. [transitive] to take in an idea or information and make it part of your knowledge so that you can use it effectively. If you assimilate new ideas, techniques, or information, you learn them or adopt them. I was speechless, still trying to assimilate the enormity of what he'd told me. This technique brings life to instruction and eases assimilation of knowledge. Picasso assimilated 消化吸收 an amazing variety of techniques in his art. III. [transitive] to take in and use food or other nutrients. acclimate [ˈæklɪmeɪt] 适应, 习惯于, 融入 [əˈklaɪmət] [ˈæklɪˌmeɪt] (acclimation [æklɪmeɪʃən]) to gradually become more comfortable in a new place, especially where physical conditions are very different. become/get acclimated to something: First the team must become acclimated to this higher altitude. When you acclimate or are acclimated to a new situation, place, or climate, you become used to it. [US] Amal Clooney is reportedly helping Meghan Markle acclimate to her new life in London. Amal Clooney might not be British royalty, but she's helping the newly-inducted Duchess of Sussex get acclimated to her new life in London. I help them acclimate to living in the U.S. I hadn't had any time to acclimate myself. It does take time to acclimate, especially for guys who haven't grown up in an urban environment. The animals have become acclimated to the presence of humans. ...gradual acclimation to strenuous exercise. ), assimilation, or cultural exchange 文化交流 in that this appropriation is a form of colonialism: cultural elements are copied from a minority culture by members of a dominant culture, and these elements are used outside of their original cultural context—sometimes even against the expressly stated wishes of members of the originating culture.
Man asks the internet for help because he can't stop 'ogling' his wife: A man has asked the internet for relationship help, but it's not for a problem you'd think. No one has been cheating, there's no trust issues or any tensions, instead the 31-year-old admitted he "cannot stop ogling" ( ogle [ˈouɡ(ə)l] 色眯眯的盯着看 [disapproval] leer at, stare at, eye up [informal], gawp at [British, slang] to keep looking at someone in a way that is too obvious, because you think they are sexually attractive. If you say that one person is ogling another, you disapprove of them continually staring at that person in a way that indicates a strong sexual interest. All she did was hang around ogling the men in the factory. Paula is not used to everyone ogling at her while she undresses backstage. Dan was ogling all the women as they walked past.) his wife. The anonymous man took to Reddit to ask for advice about the situation and explained after eight years of marriage he just can't keep his eyes – or hands – off his wife. "I'm married to the girl of my dreams. She is smart, kind, creative, we have similar hobbies, great in social situations… and she is beautiful," he started the thread. "We have been married 8 years now. I know that as you get older, things like being naked around each other is not the same as it was when you were dating," he explained. That situation is true for his wife who can happily do her own thing while he gets changed or gets in the shower, but it's the opposite for him. "For me, I feel like I'm stuck being 16. Her taking off her clothes is still like the very first time it happened. Along with her other qualities, I think she is the most beautiful woman I know. I swear I can't stop checking her out," he admitted. "I am definitely objectifying her," he continued. He explained he often stares at her if she bends over and finds it hard to look her in the eye if she starts talking to him after getting out of the shower but he knows that he shouldn't be acting this way. The man continued by adding that he doesn't always try and turn these situations into having sex or to make her uncomfortable, but he's noticed that her reaction to it has changed. "She does make comments that the older I get the creepier it ends up coming off. She used to think it was sweet, but I've noticed her reactions to it have cooled a lot," he explained. He continued: "I have noticed myself though getting a bit hurt that she doesn't respond in the same way, and that affects our relationship. If I'm totally naked she won't notice for a couple days even or until the next sexy time." At the end of the post he asked for advice on how to 'normalise' his wife's nudity and how he can get past the hurt that he's feeling when his wife doesn't look at him, like he looks at her. Redditors were divided with their responses to the thread. "Wow! Your wife is a lucky lady. I hope when I get married my husband always finds me as attractive as you find your wife," wrote one Reddit user. Another echoed that view and added: "Your wife doesn't know how lucky she is. I wish my husband did this. The grass is always greener somewhere else. I bet if you paid her no sexual attention for months, she'd be wondering where it went." But others disagreed that it was a 'positive' thing for him to be objectifying his wife like this. "It's great you still find her so lovely, but just tone it down a bit. It's not even about you, it's about her need to be able to occupy her own home space without feeling like she's your dinner. Being found attractive is wonderful. Being ogled can feel invasive and gets annoying after a while," wrote one user. A Redditor added: “A lot of people are saying they'd be flattered if their partners ogled them but THEY ARE NOT YOUR WIFE. If your wife is seriously expressing she feels creeped out or uncomfortable with you constantly eyeing her when she's trying to relax at home and go about her everyday life, you need to respect this and STOP. This 'I can't control myself' is bullshit. Ask her exactly what bothers her about your behaviour and modify it accordingly."
