用法学习: 1. "Subverting expectations 颠覆认知, 剧情反转, 颠覆期待, 超出预期" is a literary term and technique that has to do with using plot twists in a story to surprise and challenge an audience. Storytellers subvert expectations using a variety of techniques in a wide range of mediums like film, television, fiction, and video games. Subvert expectations mean to purposely behave or act contrary to established assumptions and beliefs to be more interesting. To behave contrary to an established belief or [assumption] for the purpose of being fresh and interesting. Usually used in the arts when [analyzing] the reaction of [the audience] to a performance or piece of writing. Sometimes mistakenly used as a positive when the result in neither fresh nor interesting. A. Star Wars: The Last Jedi did a great job of subverting audience expectations! B. No, it was just a narrative mess. A. Your report written in crayon was very unprofessional. B. Come on! I was just trying to subvert expectations! The word "subvert" means to overthrow, ruin, destroy, or undermine something's principles. Subvert expectations mean to purposely behave or act contrary to established assumptions and beliefs to be more interesting. Something that the audience expects the least. Authors tend to go off from good writing and logic at some point for the sake of shock value. Subsequently, another significant meaning of subverted expectations in the context of fiction works is 'surprise'! 2. cajole [kə'dʒoʊl] 哄骗 verb. If you cajole someone into doing something, you get them to do it after persuading them for some time. It was he who had cajoled Garland into doing the film. He cajoled Mr Dobson to stand for mayor. Evils of Ohio: The series fails to create any real sense of suspense or tension. Episodes just mosey along ( mosey [ˈmoʊzi] 慢悠悠的走, 不慌不忙地走, 溜达, 闲逛, 漫无目的的走 to walk somewhere very slowly, often without a purpose. If you mosey somewhere, you go there slowly, often without any particular purpose. He usually moseys into town for no special reason. mosey around/down etc.: I'll mosey around the store. amble [ˈæmb(ə)l] 悠闲地走, 闲逛, 溜达 to walk in a slow relaxed way. When you amble, you walk slowly and in a relaxed manner. Slowly
they ambled back to the car. We ambled along in front of the houses.
...an afternoon's amble around the oldest parts of Paris. Visitors can amble along miles of winding trails.) at their own pace. It relies heavily on the sound track to build tension but eventually it has the opposite effect of simply being annoying. Despite having some excellent actors the characters seem wooden and stiff. Half the time they seem to be whispering or speaking in softer tones than the scenes demand. The sets often seem too bright and cheery for the dramatic tension they're trying to build. Overall the entire series feels as if someone described what an occult ( the occult [əˈkʌlt] noun. magic or supernatural forces and events, and related practices. The occult is the knowledge and study of supernatural or magical forces. mystical, supernatural, or magical powers, practices, or phenomena. "a secret society to study alchemy and the occult" ...sinister experiments with the occult. ...books dealing with the occult. an interest in the occult. adj. involving or relating to mystical, supernatural, or magical powers, practices, or phenomena. "an occult ceremony". ...organisations which campaign against paganism and occult practice. verb. [ɒˈkʌlt] cut off from view by interposing something. "a wooden screen designed to occult the competitors". wiki: Occult detective fiction is a subgenre of detective fiction that combines the tropes of the main genre with those of supernatural, fantasy and/or horror fiction. Unlike the traditional detective who investigates murder and other common crimes, the occult detective is employed in cases involving ghosts, demons, curses, magic, vampires, undead, monsters and other supernatural elements. Some occult detectives are portrayed as being psychic or in possession of other paranormal or magical powers. wiki: The occult, in the broadest sense, is a category of esoteric supernatural beliefs and practices which generally fall outside the scope of religion and science, encompassing phenomena involving otherworldly agency, such as magic, sorcery, and mysticism and their varied spells. It can also refer to supernatural ideas like extra-sensory perception and parapsychology. ) thriller is to hallmark movies. 3. curveball [ˈkəːvbɔːl] I. a delivery in which the pitcher causes the ball to deviate from a straight path by imparting spin. "his three-speed curveball enabled him to win 20 games in two different seasons". II. INFORMAL NORTH AMERICAN something which is unexpected, surprising, or disruptive. something deceptive. An unexpected turn of events initiated by an opponent or chance. Life has thrown him a few curveballs 意想不到的, 出人意表的, 出人意料的. his wholesome image was a curveball thrown to deceive the public. "there's always a curveball on every mission". throw someone a curve (ball) to do something unexpected that makes someone confused or causes problems.To surprise; to introduce something unexpected or requiring a quick reaction or correction. He really threw me a curve when he asked me a personal question at work. guilt verb. to make someone feel guilty. Are you trying to guilt me into buying you something? coffee guilt the guilt one feels arriving late to a meeting, carrying a purchased cup of coffee that reveals why one was late. Andrea was five minutes late for her meeting, having stopped for a latte, and her coffee guilt was evident as she sipped from her drink while trying to catch up with the discussion. Too far out 离的太远 The deer is too far out, I can't do it. 4. disobliging [ˌdɪsəˈblaɪdʒɪŋ] adj. deliberately unhelpful; uncooperative. refusing to help or do what someone asks you to do "I think you're simply being disobliging". II. unkind. "disobliging remarks about colleagues". Minister, on 17 August you said this very disobliging thing about the now prime minister, how on earth can you now credibly serve in her cabinet? gobby [ˈgɑbi] 大声说出自己想法的 tending to give your opinions in a loud and very direct way. loudmouthed and offensive She told us how much she enjoyed playing the part of Rose Tyler's gobby mum, Jackie. As a gobby vocal feminist this cause is close to my heart. And yes, clearly some of Rishi Sunak's most gobby supporters might have found such a scenario a little tricky. And No 10 would have found it excruciating. But there were members of Team Sunak whose support of the former chancellor was more understated, who might have been expected by many to still serve Liz Truss at the top table - and there is no place for them. 5. umpteenth [ʌmpˈtiːnθ] informal adj used to emphasize that something has happened on many other occasions. You use umpteenth to indicate that an occasion, thing, or person happens or comes after many others. used to say that something happened or came after many other similar things: I drank my umpteenth cup of coffee. For the umpteenth time, Anthony, knives and forks go in the middle drawer! He checked his watch for the umpteenth time. She was now on her umpteenth gin. "she checked her watch for the umpteenth time". umpteen very many; a lot (of). Umpteen can be used to refer to an extremely large number of things or people. He was interrupted by applause umpteen times. He has produced umpteen books, plays and television series. We've been there umpteen times and she still can't remember the way. sprawl [sprɔl] 四仰八叉的坐着或躺着, 摊开, 摊大饼, 铺散开, 四散分开 verb. I. to sit or lie with your arms and legs stretched out in different directions in a relaxed or careless way. We sprawled in front of the fire and watched TV. She sprawled on the bed as he had left her, not even moving to cover herself up. They sprawled in lawn chairs, snoozing. He locked his knee against the man's inner thigh and sent him sprawling to the ground. He would take two aspirin and sprawl out on his bed. II. to stretch over or across something in an ugly and messy way. If something sprawls, its structure is disorganized or it lacks direction. Boylan plays with language, letting the prose sprawl about. He keeps forgetting the words and the song is a sprawling mess. III. used about buildings that fill an area in an ugly way that has not been carefully planned. If you say that a place sprawls, you mean that it covers a large area of land. The State Recreation Area sprawls over 900 acres. If we continue to sprawl across the land, we're in for a terrible future. The sprawling city contained some 4m people. The suburbs sprawl across two hilltops. noun. I. singular/uncountable a part of a town or city that starts to spread into the countryside in a way that is ugly and not carefully planned. You can use sprawl to refer to an area where a city has grown outwards in an uncontrolled way. The whole urban sprawl of Ankara contains over 2.6m people. II. singular 四仰八叉的坐着, a way of sitting or lying in which you stretch your arms and legs out in different directions in a relaxed or careless way. urban sprawl a very large area of buildings, industries, etc. that has spread from a city into the countryside surrounding it, especially in a way that is not attractive We drove through several miles of urban sprawl. 6. lofty adj. I. formal Lofty ideas, etc. are of a high moral standard. A lofty ideal or ambition is noble, important, and admirable. It was a bank that started out with grand ideas and lofty ideals. Amid the chaos, he had lofty aims. lofty sentiments/ideals. II. disapproving If you have a lofty way of behaving or talking, etc., you act as if you think you are better than other people. If you say that someone behaves in a lofty way 趾高气扬的, you are critical of them for behaving in a proud and rather unpleasant way, as if they think they are very important. ...the lofty disdain 目空一切的 he often expresses for his profession. ...lofty contempt. 'We supply financial information to selected clients,' Crook said loftily. ...loftily indifferent to the world outside. a lofty attitude/air/tone. III. high. A lofty building or room is very high. ...a light, lofty apartment in the suburbs of Salzburg. Victorian houses can seem cold with their lofty ceilings and rambling rooms. a lofty ceiling/mountain/wall. 7. derring-do [ˌdɛrɪŋˈduː] 英勇无畏的事 action displaying heroic courage. Derring-do is the quality of being bold, often in a rather showy or foolish way. exciting and dangerous things that brave people do in stories. "tales of derring-do". For one thing, it is just so more stonkingly valuable than it was in 1969 when Charles formally took over its management, proving to be a surprisingly adept businessman, transforming the estate into a much more lucrative and vast affair thanks to his entrepreneurial derring do. I know – he's a dark horse, the new king. stonking [ˈstɑŋkɪŋ] ( ridonkulous = ridiculous) adj Britishinformal old-fashioned used for emphasizing how big or how good something is a stonking great pay rise. nifty [ˈnɪfti] 设计的非常聪明的, 设计巧妙的 [informal, approval] well designed, effective, or easy to use. If you describe something as nifty, you think it is neat and pleasing or cleverly done. Bridgeport was a pretty nifty place. It was a nifty arrangement, a perfect partnership. a nifty piece of software. But all those new millions and the very nifty financial arrangements the duchy enjoys (arrangements not available to the public) have generated a fair amount of heat over the years. beady-eyed adj. I. marked by or having small, glittering eyes, esp. eyes that seem to gleam with malice, avarice, or lechery 眼里满是坏水, 满是色情, 眼里满是钱. II. 满腹狐疑的. 怀疑的. staring with suspicion, skepticism, etc. The gambler gave the newcomer a beady-eyed look. Still, having dodged Westminster's beady eyes time and again, under Charles' stewardship the duchy has grown in leaps and bounds, thanks in part to its 2009 deal with supermarket chain Waitrose to pay a small fortune to licence the Duchy of Cornwall name. avarice [ˈævərɪs] 爱财如命 a strong feeling that you want to have a lot of money and possessions and keep them for yourself. Avarice is extremely strong desire for money and possessions. He paid a month's rent in advance, just enough to satisfy the landlord's avarice. avaricious ['ævərɪʃəs] 眼里只盯着钱的, 贪财的 [disapproval] An avaricious person is very greedy for money or possessions. He sacrificed his own career so that his avaricious brother could succeed. rapacious [rəˈpeɪʃəs] 贪得无厌的, [formal, disapproval] never satisfied until you have taken everything that you can take. If you describe a person or their behaviour as rapacious, you disapprove of their greedy or selfish behaviour. He had a rapacious appetite for bird's nest soup. ...a rapacious exploitation policy. Rapacious developers soon bought up the land. rapacious appetites. Rapacity [formal, disapproval] is very greedy or selfish behaviour. Overcrowded cities were the product of a system based on selfishness and rapacity. ...the rapacity of landlords and the misery of tenants. lechery [ˈletʃəri] 好色的, 满脑子色情的 noun. [disapproval] lecherous behavior. Lechery is the behaviour of men who are only interested in other people sexually. His lechery made him the enemy of every self-respecting husband and father in the county. lecherous [letʃərəs] 精虫满脑的 [disapproval] If you describe someone as lecherous, you disapprove of them because they behave in a way that shows they are only interested in other people sexually. behaving in an unpleasant way that shows you are sexually interested in someone. beady I. (of eyes) small and bright, especially like a bird's eyes. Beady eyes are small, round, and bright. Meg felt the old woman's beady eyes on her. His beady little eyes were fixed on the money I held out. She's always got her beady eyes on what I'm doing (= she watches me closely). II. If someone keeps a beady eye on a person or organization, they watch them carefully and suspiciously. The chairman keeps a beady eye on things. dewy-eyed [ˌduiˈaɪd] 满眼天真的, 傻乐观的 [disapproval] I. showing a lot of emotion, especially when it is not suitable. If you say that someone is dewy-eyed, you are criticizing them because you think that they are unrealistic and think events and situations are better than they really are. I can never understand why people become dewy-eyed and sentimental about the past. She gets slightly dewy-eyed as she talks about her family. II. lacking in experience about life. glassy-eyed 两眼无神的, 两眼无光的, 两眼呆滞的 showing no interest or emotion in your eyes, for example because of illness or drugs. having eyes that are void of expression, life, or warmth, esp because of drugs or alcohol Philip was glassy-eyed with shock. Henry gave Paul a glassy-eyed stare and turned to the door. starry-eyed 对未来充满憧憬的, 无限希望的, 星星眼的 someone who is starry-eyed has a lot of hopes or dreams about success in the future, but does not plan things in a sensible way. lazy eye an eye with poor vision that is mainly caused by underuse As a child I had a lazy eye. 8. lick one's lips = smack one's lips 吧嗒嘴的, 舔嘴唇的 look forward to something with relish. If you smack your lips, you open and close your mouth noisily, especially before or after eating, to show that you are eager to eat or enjoyed eating. 'I really want some dessert,' Keaton says, smacking his lips. harrumph = harumph [həˈrʌmf] verb. I. 抱怨 to say something in a disapproving or complaining way. II. 清嗓子, 清喉咙 to clear or make the noise of clearing the throat He harrumphed a final grunt. III. To dislike, protest, or dismiss. What this situation would look like had Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, stayed put in royal life and not harrumphed off to California and the waiting shoulder of Oprah Winfrey? Interjection An expression of disdain, disbelief, protest, refusal or dismissal. Harumph! She is welcome to try, but I'm not going to bother helping. noun. An expression of disdain, disbelief, protest, or dismissal; a huff, grunt, or snort. I didn't get a harumph out of that guy. Give the governor a harumph. galumph [ɡəˈlʌmf] 笨拙的走 to move in a heavy noisy way that is not graceful. to leap or move about clumsily or joyfully. guffaw [ɡəˈfɔ] [gʌ'fɔː] 大笑 noun. A guffaw is a very loud laugh. He bursts into a loud guffaw. verb. to laugh very loudly. To guffaw means to laugh loudly. As they guffawed loudly, the ticket collector arrived. 'Ha, ha,' everyone guffawed. 'It's one of Viv's shock tactics.'. 9. Queen Death: Up until Prince Harry and Megan exited stage in January 2020, Charles' sons and their wives shared about $7.6 million in funds from their father, which paid for their private expenses. (Their official costs, such as private secretaries and travel, were met by 报销 ( meet I. to pay money that is owed or needed for something. My salary is only just enough to meet our living expenses. II. transitive to do or provide what is necessary in order to deal successfully with a situation. This technology can meet the challenges of the 21st century. meet the needs of someone/something 满足要求, 满足需求: The water won't meet the needs of the local population. I gasped, I panted, it filled a need in me that had gone unmet for years 多年未能满足的夙愿, maybe my whole life! III. to do what you planned or promised to do. Will the administration be able to meet its obligations? IV. intransitive/transitive if two people's eyes meet 两眼对上, 对上眼, they look directly into each other's eyes, often communicating something. Their eyes met long enough for him to see the warning. She was finding it hard to meet his gaze. V. intransitive/transitive mainly literary if two things meet, they touch or join each other Her lips met mine. VI. transitive to get a particular result or reaction. We tried to investigate but met a wall of silence. meet (with) opposition/approval/resistance etc.: The bill met strong opposition from the Republicans. be met by/with something: The officials were met by complaints about joblessness and crime. VII. intransitive/transitive if things such as roads, lines, or areas meet, they join each other. The two rivers meet 交汇 just north of the town. the line where the land meets the sky. VIII. intransitive/transitive to play against an opponent in a game. The two teams met last year in the playoffs. It looks like the Yankees will meet 遇上 the Mets in a subway series. swap meet 物品交货会 an informal event at which people can exchange or sell things There's a swap meet in the parking lot downtown every Saturday afternoon. track meet 田径运动会 a series of events in which people compete against each other in sports that involve running and jumping. meet your death/end/fate to die in a particular way He met his end at the hands of a firing squad. meet something head on 直面, 迎头碰 to deal with a problem or difficult situation directly and with determination, instead of avoiding it. She could see a problem developing and decided to meet it head on. something meets your eye/ear if something meets your eye or ear, you see or hear it A strange sight met our eyes. ) the Sovereign Grant). Both couples, thanks to their duchy cash and their inheritance from their mother, were on a roughly equal monetary footing. However, were Harry and Meghan still working HRHs today, that all would have changed in the blink of an eye with the passing of Her Majesty The Queen. William took the reins of billions of dollars in assets and Harry would have gotten … nothing. Had this scenario come to pass ( happen; occur. It came to pass that their love for each other grew and grew. "it came to pass that she had two sons". ), what is most likely is that Charles would have continued to fund his younger son, possibly to a similar tune, from the Duchy of Lancaster which is controlled by the sovereign. (It has $1.1 billion in assets, delivering an annual profit of just over $40 million, according to their most recent accounts). 10. periphery [pəˈrɪf(ə)ri] 边缘, 边角, 不重要的部分 I. the outer part of an area, very far from the center. II. The periphery of a subject or area of interest is the part of it that is not considered to be as important or basic as the main part. The sociological study of religion moved from the centre to the periphery of sociology. on the periphery of something: If something is on the periphery of an area, place, or thing, it is on the edge of it. Geographically, the U.K. is on the periphery of Europe, while Paris is at the heart of the continent. Taste buds are concentrated at the tip and rear of the tongue and around its periphery. Each republic occupied a territory on the periphery of the Soviet Union. on/at the periphery only slightly involved with something, and not a very important part of it. groups on the periphery of the party. The format has become somewhat of a Sunday night special for 60 Minutes: take a hot news topic and hitch your wagon to it by interviewing a random person on the periphery who can offer inflammatory commentary. prestige [preˈstiʒ] noun. the high reputation and respect that someone or something has earned, based on their impressive achievements, quality, etc. This year's outstanding tournament will do a lot to restore the competition's prestige. The move was designed to enhance his personal prestige. adj. having a high reputation and attracting a lot of respect, for example because of being of very high quality prestige hotels/cars. a prestige international sports event. someone wouldn't be caught/seen dead 誓死不会..., 死也不会...的 someone dislikes something very much. If you say that you wouldn't be seen dead or be caught dead in particular clothes, places, or situations, you are expressing strong dislike or disapproval of them. I wouldn't be seen dead in a straw hat. I wouldn't be caught dead in such an old-fashioned place. I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a dress like that – it's like something my grandmother would wear! used for saying that someone would never wear a particular type of clothing, go to a particular place, or take part in a particular activity because it is not fashionable I wouldn't be seen dead in a jacket like that! Its perfectly acceptable for 60 minutes to do shit shows like that – but don't pretend it's a piece of prestige reportage. As if Jana Wendt would've been caught dead dubbing voiceovers for a K-Fed interview.
Queen Died: 1. scupper [ˈskʌpər] I. to make a ship sink by deliberately letting water in. II. Britishinformal to spoil someone's plans or hopes of success. To scupper a plan or attempt 破坏计划, 挫败计划, 挫败企图 means to spoil it completely. If Schneider had seen him that would have scuppered all his plans. If the Commission has its way, the entire deal will be scuppered. at sea I. sailing on the sea. "he spends long hours at sea on a small catamaran". II. (all at sea 晕了, 晕头转向, 不知所措, 找不到方向的,莫名其妙的. 摸不着头脑的. ) confused or unable to decide what to do. You can say that someone is all at sea when they are in a state of confusion or uncertainty. To be greatly puzzled, perplexed, or completely confused (about something or in some situation). Living in a foreign country can mean you're always at sea about what's going on. I tried to do well in this class, but I've been all at sea since we started. Bill is all at sea because of this calculus problem. Can you help him? If you had never seen a telly ad, you would be all at sea with popular culture. "he feels at sea with economics". That feeling of being all at sea can seem irrational. After all the 96-year-old sovereign's health had been noticeably deteriorating since she was admitted to an overnight stay in hospital last October and increasingly her schedule was scuppered 破坏, 干扰 by "mobility issues". 2. Flags will fly at half-mast across Australia on Friday as the nation waits to hear how the official mourning process will proceed. Albanese said the Queen's death would be felt "deeply in Australia". "Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II showed a deep affection for our country," he said. "From her first trip here, it was clear Her Majesty had a special place in our hearts and we in her( Penny: That's it. That wasn't so bad. Sheldon: No, it wasn't. Uh, now let's tabulate the results of ( tabulate To tabulate information means to arrange it in columns on a page so that it can be analysed. ...methods of collecting, tabulating and analysing numerical data. Results for the test program haven't been tabulated. ...the tabulation of the election results. ) the experiment. I think it's safe to say that you're not in love with me and I'm not in love with you. And psychology has once again proved itself the doofus of the sciences. Penny: Well, maybe. But I'm still glad we did it. I do feel closer to you. Sheldon: And I, you. And yes, that's how you say that. Yeah, so, given our newfound intimacy, I'd say we have some hard choices to make. Penny: Like what? Sheldon: Gary Con, do we fly or drive? Do we wear costumes? And if so, who gets to be Gary? )."
英国新内阁 Liz Truss: New cabinet a near-total purge of Sunak backers: Another thing that is worth a mention - ethnic diversity. Rewind not that many years and cabinets looked very blokey and very white, particularly in what are known as the great offices of state - the prime minister, the chancellor, the home secretary and the foreign secretary. Now it is the complete opposite, with Liz Truss, Kwasi Kwarteng, Suella Braverman and James Cleverly. And a final observation: churn at the top of government. I've written here in the last few days about the turnover 轮替 of prime ministers in recent years - four in the space of a little over six years. But the churn 更新率 extends to the cabinet too. We had a long standing observer of Conservative politics on the BBC's Newscast podcast, Lord Barwell, who worked in Downing Street for Theresa May. He made the point that there is just one survivor around the cabinet table from David Cameron's time as prime minister, six years ago. Her name? Liz Truss. The man most likely to lose the fight to become Conservative leader is threatening dire consequences if he is disappointed. Pointing to volatile financial markets, Rishi Sunak warned this week that investors will dump British assets if Liz Truss becomes prime minister and then borrows tens of billions to give away. Pressing ahead with 强行推出 ( press ahead = press on with to continue doing something in a determined way, despite difficulties, opposition, or interruptions. to start or continue doing something in a determined way, although it is difficult: Most of the delegates said they wanted to press ahead with the talks. The phone company intends to press on with the arrangement. They pressed ahead regardless of objections. press ahead/on with something 不顾反对强行推进: We shall press ahead with our plans for reform. The company pressed ahead with plans to build the skyscraper. ) tax cuts and public spending while ignoring the risk of an investors' revolt is, says the former chancellor, "complacent and irresponsible". A degree of rhetorical [rɪˈtɔrɪk(ə)l] licence( rhetorical [rɪˈtɔrɪk(ə)l] I. A rhetorical question is one which is asked in order to make a statement rather than to get an answer. He grimaced slightly, obviously expecting no answer to his rhetorical question. He made no answer to the President's question, which had been rhetorical in any case. 'Do these kids know how lucky they are?' Jackson asked rhetorically. II. 夸张的, 夸大的, 夸大其词的. Rhetorical language is intended to be grand and impressive. These arguments may have been used as a rhetorical device to argue for a perpetuation of a United Nations role. Suddenly, the narrator speaks in his most rhetorically elevated mode. Artistic license ( dramatic license, creative License, poetic license (not to be confused with poetic justice), or narrative license) 艺术再创造, 艺术加工 refers to deviation from fact or form for artistic purposes. It can include the alteration of grammar or language, or the rewording of pre-existing text. Sometimes known as artistic license, dramatic license, poetic license (not to be confused with poetic justice), or narrative license, and so on, Creative License refers to a creator's freedom to ignore the conventions or rules that normally govern the art in which he or she works. It does not excuse shoddy work. Literary licence is a device which allows a writer not to obey some rules of grammar, punctuation or spelling to achieve a rethorical effect. ) is granted to electoral combatants, and Mr Sunak has enjoyed his full quota this summer. The once mild-mannered MP has spotted a dangerous "lefty woke culture" from which only he can protect "our history, our values, our women". Indeed, the further behind he has fallen, the more extreme the vows for what he will do if he wins. But even the boy who cried wolf called it right once, and this latest claim will undoubtedly be taken more seriously. After all, its author once worked in the City for those money managers he sees as so jittery 神经过敏的, 容易受到惊吓的, 胆小的. Mr Sunak is playing fast and loose with both evidence and explanation. While the hot-money speculators may be betting against the UK, the rate on a 10-year government loan remains low at about 2.7%. In other words, investors are pessimistic about the long-term outlook for the UK. Our energy shock has been larger than for many of our European neighbours and our inflation rate is among the highest of the big rich countries. Like her rival, Ms Truss has also spent the summer writing cheques that she has no plans to cash. Pension fund managers are hardly accepting her every pledge and promise as gospel. What is true is that the country's political and economic position looks seriously fractured 粉碎的, 分裂的 ( I. medicine (of bones or cartilage) broken or torn. broken, or cracked. She suffered two fractured ribs in the accident. He suffered a fractured skull. II. divided or split into parts a world of fractured cultures and global interdependence. ) and fractious ( [ˈfrækʃəs] 动辄易怒的, 动辄不高兴的, 小心眼的 I. [disapproval] easily upset or annoyed. If you describe someone as fractious, you disapprove of them because they become upset or angry very quickly about small unimportant things. ...fractious national movements. Nancy was in a fractious mood. The children were predictably fractious. a fractious child. II. causing problems and difficult to control. afraid/scared of your own shadow 动辄受惊吓的, 胆小怕事的, 受惊吓的, 胆小如鼠的, 容易受惊的 very easily frightened. ). And the UK is embroiled in a forever row with the EU, its single biggest trading partner. Amid such sclerotic ( sclerotic [skləˈrɑtɪk] affected by sclerosis. sclerosis 组织硬化 [skləˈroʊsɪs] Sclerosis is a medical condition in which a part inside your body becomes hard. multiple sclerosis Multiple sclerosis is a serious disease of the nervous system, which gradually makes a person weaker, and sometimes affects their sight or speech. The abbreviation MS is also used. ) government, there has been no major attempt to deal with the cost of living crisis. However solipsistic ( solipsism [ˈsɑlɪpˌsɪzəm] 质疑一切, 怀疑一切论 the theory that the only thing you can be certain about is your own existence and your own thoughts and ideas. the extreme form of scepticism which denies the possibility of any knowledge other than of one's own existence.) our battles, however parochial ( parochial [pəˈroʊkiəl] 事不关己高高挂起的, 本位主义的 I. showing disapproval 自我的. not interested in things that do not affect your local area directly. If you describe someone as parochial, you are critical of them because you think they are too concerned with their own affairs and should be thinking about more important things. Characterized by an unsophisticated focus on local concerns to the exclusion of wider contexts; elementary in scope or outlook. The use of simple, primary colors in the painting gave it a parochial feel. Some people in the United States have been accused of taking a parochial view, of not being interested in international matters. a parochial self-interest. II. not willing to accept new ideas or methods. III. only before noun relating to a particular parish. Parochial is used to describe things that relate to the parish connected with a particular church. She was a secretary on the local parochial church council. a parochial church council. parochialism [pə'roʊkiəlɪzəm] 本位主义 [disapproval] Parochialism is the quality of being parochial in your attitude. We have been guilty of parochialism, of resistance to change. "Some of the parochialism that developed over the last two years, we see some difficult conversations even for temporary measures — shifting the border during the pandemic and development of differing border bubbles, and so forth," he said. wiki: Parochialism is the state of mind, whereby one focuses on small sections of an issue rather than considering its wider context. More generally, it consists of being narrow in scope. In that respect, it is a synonym of "provincialism". It may, particularly when used pejoratively, be contrasted to universalism 大局为重的. The term insularity (related to an island) may be similarly used. insular [ˈɪnsələr] 岛屿心理, 封闭心理, 不接纳外来思维的守旧心理 adj. I. [disapproval] not interested in meeting anyone outside your own group or country, or not interested in learning new ideas or ways of doing things. If you say that someone is insular, you are being critical of them because they are unwilling to meet new people or to consider new ideas. ...the old image of the insular, xenophobic Brit. But at least they have started to break out of their old insularity [ɪnsjʊlærɪti]. II. relating to islands. vocabulary: Insular means "having a narrow view of the world," like insular people who never leave their small town, which enables them to believe that every place in the world is the same and the people are all just like them. The adjective insular comes from the Latin word insula, which means "island." Perhaps less so in our current age of technological and relatively easy travel, island life can still be separated from the rest. That's why insular can mean "isolated from," like if you grew up in a big city then visited a rural place, you may be surprised that stores close early. Such an experience will help you expand your insular views. provincialism [prəˈvɪnʃəˌlɪzəm] 因循守旧的, 不肯变更的 [disapproval] the attitudes of people who do not easily accept new or different ideas. Provincialism is the holding of old-fashioned attitudes and opinions, which some people think is typical of people in areas away from the capital city of a country. ...the stifling bourgeois provincialism of Buxton. provincial adj. I. Provincial means connected with the parts of a country away from the capital city. Jeremy Styles, 34, was the house manager for a provincial theatre for ten years. II. Provincial means relating to a large section of a country which has its own administration. ...in Rasht, the provincial capital of Gilan province. III. [disapproval] 一成不变的. 守旧的. 来自于小地方的. If you describe someone or something as provincial, you disapprove of them because you think that they are old-fashioned and boring. old-fashioned and conservative, especially because of not living in the capital city or a large city. provincial attitudes to modern art. He decided to revamp the company's provincial image. The audience was dull and very provincial. noun. A provincial is someone who comes from a part of a country away from the capital city. Owen died an unknown provincial. ) our terms of argument, investors do notice such episodes – just look at how the value of sterling dived after Northern Rock and again after the Brexit referendum. Soon, the shock value of a City bank predicting 20% inflation will die away – and what will be left is the realisation that very high prices are here to stay. The Bank of England and most other forecasters expect price rises to tail off, but that doesn't mean prices will fall. Both main parties should stop looking at this cost of living crisis as a temporary phase to be fended off with a giveaway here and a price cut there. They should prepare instead for years in which energy, food and rent are seriously expensive. The threats the UK faces are real, not rhetorical. They demand some reality from our politicians.
TBBT: 1. unattached 恢复自由身
not married or not having a boyfriend or girlfriend. Someone who is
unattached is not married or does not have a girlfriend or boyfriend. I knew only two or three unattached men. Sheldon: Hello to you, insufficiently intelligent 智商不足的 person. Leslie: Ooh, rush me to the burn unit.
Hey, Leonard, do you have a second, I need to ask you something.
Leonard: Uh, sure. Sheldon: Well, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go
do work that promises significant results, as opposed to 而不是 what you do,
which does not. Yeah, you heard me. Leslie: Wow. So, I heard your
relationship with Penny crashed to the ground like blue ice falling out
of an airplane lavatory. Leonard: Where did you hear that? Leslie:
Actually I read it. Wolowitz texted me. Leonard: Like blue ice falling
out of an airplane lavatory. Yep. Leslie: I thought it was a pretty good
one, I gave him an L-O-L. Anyway, it got me thinking, now that you're unattached maybe we can revisit our previous attachment. Leonard: Are you suggesting another bout of stress release.
Leslie: No, I'm all done with casual sex. From now on I'm fully
committed to the traditional relationship paradigm. Leonard: Really,
what changed? Leslie: It's hard to say, I guess there's just a time in
every woman's life when she gets tired of waking up on a strange futon with a bunch of people she doesn't know. Leslie: Anyway, I just figure it's time to slow things down
and who better to slow things down with than you? Leonard: Oh, I'm
flattered. So, how do you suggest we proceed? Leslie: Your place, we'll
order Chinese, you'll rent a movie, artsy 艺术片 but accessible 不会高不可攀的, 曲高和寡的( accessible [əkˈsesəb(ə)l] I. easy for anyone to obtain and use. If something is accessible to people, they can easily use it or obtain it. The
legal aid system should be accessible to more people. This device helps
make virtual reality a more usable and accessible technology. ...the
quality and accessibility of health care. Their goal was to make adult education more accessible. accessible to: information that should be accessible to the public. II. an accessible place is easy to find or get to. accessible by: The city is easily accessible by road, train, or air. accessible to: Near the beach is a forest accessible to walkers. II. an accessible place or building
is suitable for use by disabled people. If a place or building is
accessible to people, it is easy for them to reach it or get into it. If
an object is accessible, it is easy to reach. The
Centre is easily accessible to the general public. The premises are
wheelchair accessible. I kept my phone readily accessible in case I saw
something that needed to be filmed. ...the easy accessibility of the
area. accessible parking spaces. III. an accessible person 平易近人的 is friendly and easy to talk to, even if they are in an important position. IV. 不高深的. 容易懂的, 容易理解的. 不会过于艰深的 accessible art, music, literature,
etc. is easy to understand and enjoy. If you describe a book, painting,
or other work of art as accessible, you think it is good because it is
simple enough for people to understand and appreciate easily. ...literary
books that are accessible to a general audience. ...their reputation
for providing exciting and accessible theatre for young people. Seminar
topics are chosen for their accessibility to a general audience. artsy = arty 装逼的, 装文艺的, 文艺范的 I. pretending to enjoy art or be interested in it. II. showing a great interest in art, but in a way that may not be sincere. artsy intellectual types.
Someone who is arty seems very interested in drama, film, music,
poetry, or painting. People often describe someone as arty when they
want to suggest that the person is pretentious. Didn't you find her a little bit too arty? ...an arty French film. artsy-craftsy made by someone who enjoys creating and decorating things themselves, but who you think lacks skill. artsy-fartsy = arty-farty someone who is artsy-fartsy is always trying to show how interested they are in art. artistic [ɑrˈtɪstɪk]
I. Someone who is artistic is good at drawing or painting, or arranging
things in a beautiful way. sensitive to art and beauty, and able to
enjoy it an artistic temperament 艺术眼光的, 艺术品味. an artistic eye. They encourage boys to be sensitive and artistic. Mary's got it all so nice–you remember how artistic she always was with colors. relating to drawing, painting, etc. She has considerable artistic ability. skillful at drawing, painting, etc. 有艺术天赋的. 有艺术天分的 You don't need to be very artistic to produce great designs.
II. Artistic means relating to art or artists. relating to any form of
art, including painting, music, literature, acting, and dancing. cultural and artistic activities. a dazzling display of artistic talent. a director’s high artistic standards. ...the
campaign for artistic freedom. ...their 1,300 year old artistic
traditions. ...artistically gifted children. Artistically, the
photographs are stunning. III. An artistic design or
arrangement is beautiful. painted, arranged, or done in a way that shows
skill and imagination and looks beautiful. an artistic floral display. ...an
artistic arrangement of stone paving. ...artistically carved garden
ornaments. ...vegetarian dishes which can be presented artistically. Art films (art house films 文艺片, 艺术品) are a type of movie that is very different from the popular Hollywood blockbuster movies. Art films have many other names. Some people call them art movies, independent films, indie films, arthouse films, auteur films ("auteur"
is a French word which means "author") or experimental films. Art films
are usually made by smaller movie companies. These companies do not
have much money compared to the Major movie studios large movie studios,
for example, Paramount or Disney. Art films usually have different
plots (stories) than blockbuster movies. They usually tell more creative
or unusual stories than blockbuster movies. An art film (or art house film)
is typically an independent film, aimed at a niche market rather than a
mass market audience. It is "intended to be a serious, artistic work,
often experimental and not designed for mass appeal", "made primarily
for aesthetic reasons rather than commercial profit", containing
"unconventional or highly symbolic content". Art films often show controversial or sad stories.
These types of movies may have sad endings. They are sometimes hard to
understand, because the movie may be about people's feelings, thoughts,
or dreams. A blockbuster (大众类的电影)
is a work of entertainment—typically used to describe a feature film
produced by a major film studio, but also other media—that is highly
popular and financially successful. The term has also come to refer to
any large-budget production intended for "blockbuster" status, aimed at
mass markets with associated merchandising, sometimes on a scale that
meant the financial fortunes of a film studio or a distributor could
depend on it. ), then light petting, no coitus. Leonard: Sounds fun. Leslie: I'll leave the details up to you, I think it's better if you assume the male role.
Leonard: Thank you, that's very thoughtful. 2. Leslie: Oh. So, how many
children do you think we should have? (Leonard splutters and coughs)
I'm sorry, that was a little abrupt 太突然了.
Leonard: A little. Leslie: I mean there are so many things to talk
about before we discuss reproduction. Leonard: I sure hope so. Leslie: Besides shortness 个子矮, what genetic weaknesses 基因缺陷
run in your family? Sheldon (entering): I'm sorry to interrupt,
batteries dying continue. Leslie: Uh, genetic weaknesses, right, um,
there's the lactose intolerance. Sheldon (preparing an extension cord):
Don't forget the male pattern baldness. When his uncles sit around the dinner table they look like a half carton of eggs. (Exits. Extension cord trails after him.
Eventually goes tight a couple of times then falls loose.) Leonard:
Okay, now my uncles are bald, but my Aunt Edna is one of the hairiest
women you will ever meet. So… Sweet lady. It always tickles when she
hugs me. (Sheldon knocks and enters again.) What now? 3. Sheldon: But
it's Friday. Friday's always vintage game night. Look, mom included the
memory card, we can pick up where I left off in 1999 when I had pernicious ( pernicious [pərˈnɪʃəs] 邪恶的, 毒害的(有害但是逐渐的, 不明显的)
very dangerous or harmful, especially to someone's moral character. If
you describe something as pernicious, you mean that it is very harmful. Parents
are blaming not only peer pressure but also the pernicious influence of
the internet. There is a pernicious culture of excellence: everything
has to be not merely good but the best. vocabulary: Pernicious means harmful and subtle,
such as a poison gas that causes illness in those exposed to it over
the course of years. Pernicious comes from the Latin perniciosus,
"destructive," which in turn comes from pernicies, "death" or "ruin."
You might have heard your parents and teachers talk about the pernicious effects 恶果, 有害的结果, 不良后果 of watching too much TV and playing video games all day — they'll turn your brain to mush (allegedly). ) anaemia ( anaemia = anemia [əˈnimiə] 贫血 a medical condition in which your blood contains too few red blood cells (=the cells in your blood that carry oxygen through your body). wiki:
Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the
blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal
number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of haemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, the symptoms are often vague, such as tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath, headaches, and a reduced ability to exercise. When anemia is acute,
symptoms may include confusion, feeling like one is going to pass out,
loss of consciousness, and increased thirst. Anemia must be significant
before a person becomes noticeably pale 脸色苍白的. Additional symptoms may occur depending on the underlying cause. Preoperative
anemia can increase the risk of needing a blood transfusion following
surgery. Anemia can be temporary or long term and can range from mild to
severe. leukemia = UK leukaemia [luˈkimiə] 白血病, 血癌 Leukemia is a disease of the blood in which the body produces too many white blood cells 白血球. the type of cancer that people get in their blood. wiki: Leukemia (also spelled leukaemia
and pronounced [luːˈkiːmiːə] ) is a group of blood cancers that usually
begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood
cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called blasts
or leukemia cells. Symptoms may include bleeding and bruising, bone
pain, fatigue, fever, and an increased risk of infections. These
symptoms occur due to a lack of normal blood cells. Diagnosis is
typically made by blood tests or bone marrow biopsy. ).
Leonard: Well, the thing is, someone's coming over. Sheldon: Well then,
no problem, I have three controllers, the more the merrier. Leonard:
Sheldon, it's a date, I have a date coming over. Sheldon: Oh, well you
can't blame me for not jumping to that conclusion. Leonard: Why, what's so unusual about
me having a date? Sheldon: Well, statistically speaking Leonard:
Alright, alright. Well, uh, nevertheless, I have one now and I would
appreciate it if you would, you know, make yourself scarce 少出现. Sheldon: Leonard, I am a published theoretical physicist
with two doctorates and an IQ which can't be accurately measured by
normal tests, how much scarcer could I be? Leonard: You know what I
mean, could you just give us a little privacy? 4. Leonard: Well, I think
tonight was a very good start. Leslie: Me too. You're sure you're okay postponing intercourse until our relationship is past the initial viability test?
Leonard: No problem, I'm very skilled at postponing intercourse. So I
guess I'll call you and we'll arrange another evening. Leslie: Yes. I
believe protocol dictates that you wait a minimum of 18 hours before you call so I'm not repulsed by your cloying 腻歪的, 甜得发腻的 eagerness( cloying adj.
You use cloying to describe something that you find unpleasant because
it is much too sweet, or too sentimental. to make you feel sick or
annoyed by being too sweet or too pleasant. to make weary or cause
weariness through an excess of something initially pleasurable or sweet The smell of her cheap perfume soon began to cloy. Her cheap, cloying scent enveloped him. Most TV kids are so cloying. The film is too cloyingly sentimental. ). 5. Sheldon: I believe the condensation on your frozen foods weakened the
structural integrity of the bag. But returning to your key conundrum 难题(
I. a difficult problem that seems to have no solution. A conundrum is a
problem or puzzle which is difficult or impossible to solve. ...this theological conundrum of the existence of evil and suffering in a world created by a good God. II. a question asked as a trick that is answered by using words in a surprising way.),
perhaps you should call a locksmith 锁匠 and have him open the door for you. Penny: I did, and he said he'll get here when he gets here. Sheldon: And you're frustrated because he phrased his reply in the form of a meaningless tautology ( tautology [tɔˈtɑlədʒi]
a statement, sentence, etc. in which the meaning is repeated in an
unnecessary way by using different words. the saying of the same thing
twice over in different words, generally considered to be a fault of
style (e.g. they arrived one after the other in succession.). )? Penny: No! I am frustrated because I am a failure at everything and my breath smells like fly. 6. Leslie: Right, I heard you've been pulling all nighters with middle-earth (
the earth regarded as situated between the upper and lower regions or
as occupying the center of the universe. Middle-earth is the
human-inhabited world, that is, the central continent of the Earth, in
Tolkien's imagined mythological past. Tolkien's most widely read works,
The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, are set entirely in Middle-earth.
"Middle-earth" has also become a short-hand term for Tolkien's
legendarium, his large body of fantasy writings, and for the entirety of
his fictional world. ) Barbie. Sheldon: She comes into my room. No-one's supposed to be in my room. Leslie: Well, I would postulate that she's escaping into the online world to compensate for her sexual frustration. Howard: I do that too. But probably in a different way. Leonard: That's not what she's doing, Leslie, she's just trying to shore up her self esteem 提升自尊, 提升自信心,
it has nothing to do with sex. Leslie: Everything has to do with sex.
Howard: Mmmm, testify. (Puts up hand for a handslap.) Leslie: I'm not
touching that. Leonard: Leslie, you are way off base 错得不能再错了, 错到家了
here. Sheldon: Hang on, Leonard, while I have no respect for Leslie as a
scientist, or a human being for that matter, we have to concede 承认 her undeniable expertise ( concede I. to admit that something is true. If you concede something, you admit, often unwillingly, that it is true or correct. Bess finally conceded that Nancy was right. 'Well,' he conceded, 'I do sometimes mumble a bit.' Mr. Chapman conceded the need for Nomura's U.S. unit to improve its trading skills. concede that: Myers was forced to concede that competition had badly affected profits. "All right," Matt conceded, "I probably made a mistake." II. intransitive/transitive to stop trying to win a war, competition, or argument because you realize that you cannot win it. Holyfield had to concede 认输 in the ninth round due to a head injury. concede defeat: If you concede defeat, you accept that you have lost a struggle. The company conceded defeat in its attempt to take control of its holiday industry rival. Despite the result, he refuses to concede defeat. III. transitive to give something that you own or control to someone so that they own or control it. Fox will have to concede 出让, 让出, 割让 some of its broadcasting rights for sporting events. If you concede something to someone, you allow them to have it as a right or privilege. The government conceded the right to establish independent trade unions. The French subsequently conceded full independence to Laos. If you concede something, you give it to the person who has been trying to get it from you. The strike ended after the government conceded some of their demands. IV. to be defeated by someone in a game or war and give them something that you previously had. V. transitive if you concede a goal, point, or game, the person or team you are playing scores a goal or point or wins a game 不保, 丢掉 (AM: give up). In sport, if you concede goals or points, you are unable to prevent your opponent from scoring them. They conceded four goals to Leeds United. Luton conceded a free kick on the edge of the penalty area. If you concede a game, contest, or argument, you end it by admitting that you can no longer win. Reiner,
56, has all but conceded the race to his rival. He happily conceded the
election. Alain Prost finished third and virtually conceded the world
championship. ) in the interrelated fields of promiscuity and general sluttiness. Leslie: Thank you. My point is that Tinkerbell just needs to get her some. Sheldon: Some what? Oh, yes, some sexual intercourse. Howard: I'll take the bullet. 7. Leonard: Excuse me. What the hell is wrong with you? Sheldon: I'm helping you with Stephanie. Leonard: By making constipated moose sounds? Sheldon: When I fail to open this jar and you succeed it will establish you as the alpha male. You see, when a female witnesses an exhibition of physical domination she produces the hormone oxytocin. If the two of you then engage in intercourse this will create the biochemical reaction in the brain which lay people 外行 naively interpret as falling in love. Leonard: Huh? Would it work if I just punched you in the face? Sheldon: Yes, actually it would, but let's see how the lid goes. I'm not strong enough, Leonard, you'll have to do it. Leonard: Oh, for god's sakes. Sheldon: Go ahead, it's pre-loosened. Steph: Do you want some help with that? Leonard: No, no, no, I got it. Sheldon: No, yeah, yeah, he's got it, and that's not surprising. This is something I long ago came to peace with 坦然接受 in my role as the beta male. Open it. (Leonard tries again. Then taps jar on counter. Jar breaks.)
