indispensable = unexpendable;

用法学习: 1. countenance [ˈkaʊntənəns] noun your face, or the expression on your face. Someone's countenance is their face. He met each inquiry with an impassive countenance. verb. to approve of something, or to allow something to happen. Not an organisation in the country would countenance and not one sponsor would put money towards it. If someone will not countenance something, they do not agree with it and will not allow it to happen. Jake would not countenance Janis's marrying while still a student. ...the military men who refused to countenance the overthrow of the president. In China dog or pig is a term of endearment 爱称, 昵称. You can call someone dog jokingly. But in Australia you better be careful. You live a little, you learn a little 活到老, 学到老. You live and learn. (British) also Live and learn. (American) something that you say when you have just discovered something that you did not know. I had no idea they were related. Oh well, you live and learn. 3. 'SELFISH MONSTER' Healthy dog was put down because owner wanted to be laid to rest with her: "We did suggest they could sign the dog over 托付, 转交 on numerous occasions, because it's a dog we could easily find a home for and re-home," said Carrie Jones, manager of Chesterfield Animal Services told CNN affiliate WWBT. On March 22, the executor 执行人 of the owner's estate came to the shelter to get the dog, a spokeswoman for the Chesterfield County Police told CNN. The shelter again offered to have the dog signed over and be adopted out, but the executor declined. Emma was then taken to a local veterinarian, euthanised [ˈjuːθəˌnaɪz] and taken to a pet cremation centre in Richmond, Virginia, WWBT reported. Her ashes were placed in an urn and returned to the representative of the woman's estate. In Virginia, licensed veterinarians, certified euthanasia [ˌjuθəˈneɪʒə] technicians, animal control officers and human investigators are all allowed to perform euthanasia, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. 4. insinuate [ɪnsɪnjueɪt] I. 一般指不好的事情. [disapproval] If you say that someone insinuates that something bad is the case, you mean that they say it in an indirect way. The libel claim followed an article which insinuated that the President was lying. Are you insinuating that 间接说 I smell? He speaks with rage of insinuations that there's a 'gay mafia' in Hollywood. I just don't think it's right to bring a good man down by rumour and insinuation. Host Paul Barry insinuated Jones's sudden change of heart and decision to interview Palmer had been motivated by the politician's preference for the Liberal Party. II. [disapproval] If you say that someone insinuates themselves into a particular situation, you mean that they manage very cleverly, and perhaps dishonestly, to get into that situation. to get into a situation or position by behaving in a way that is not sincere Somehow he always manages to insinuate himself into our plans. He gradually insinuated himself into her life. innuendo [ɪnjuendou] 明话暗说 Innuendo is indirect reference to something rude or unpleasant. The report was based on rumours, speculation, and innuendo. ...magazines which are full of sexual innuendo. get at I. If you ask someone what they are getting at, you are asking them to explain what they mean, usually because you think that they are being unpleasant or are suggesting something that is untrue. 'What are you getting at now?' demanded Rick. II. To get at something means to succeed in reaching it. A goat was standing up against a tree on its hind legs, trying to get at the leaves. III. If you get at the truth about something, you succeed in discovering it. We want to get at the truth. Who killed him? And why? III. If you get at someone, you keep criticizing or teasing them in an unkind way. [British, informal] They don't like my moustache and my long hair, they get at me whenever they can. convey [kənˈveɪ] I. 传达. 间接表达. To convey information or feelings means to cause them to be known or understood by someone. When I returned home, I tried to convey the wonder of this machine to my partner. In every one of her pictures she conveys a sense of immediacy. He also conveyed his views and the views of the bureaucracy. to communicate ideas or feelings indirectly These results will enable us at least to convey a sense of progress. A good photograph can often convey far more than words. II. To convey someone or something to a place means to carry or transport them there. The railway company extended a branch line to Brightlingsea to convey fish direct to Billingsgate. III. to give official information or a formal message to someone Please convey my appreciation to your President. 5. The budding actress also had a side hustle as a freelance calligrapher (penmenship)(side hustle = side gig 兼职 a second job you can do while continuing to do your main job. If you're looking to score up to $1000 a month, you might want to try out some of these side hustle ideas. side job a job undertaken in addition to one's main occupation, as a supplementary source of income. "he now has a side job selling newspapers". moonlight If someone moonlights, they have a second job in addition to their main job, often without informing their main employers or the tax office. ...an engineer who was moonlighting as a taxi driver. Workers in state enterprises were permitted to moonlight. freelance [ˈfriˌlæns] adj. Someone who does freelance work or who is, for example, a freelance journalist or photographer is not employed by one organization, but is paid for each piece of work they do by the organization they do it for. Michael Cross is a freelance journalist. Jill was starting to get some freelance writing jobs from trade magazines. She had a baby and decided to go freelance. He is now working freelance from his home in Hampshire. noun. A freelance is the same as a freelancer. verb. If you freelance, you do freelance work 做兼职. She has freelanced as a writer and researcher. double up I. 疼得弯着腰. If something doubles you up, or if you double up, you bend your body quickly or violently, for example because you are laughing a lot or because you are feeling a lot of pain. ...a savage blow in the crutch which doubled him up. They laugh so hard they double up with laughter. Everyone was doubled over in laughter. II. if two people double up, they share something, especially a bedroom. The children won't mind doubling up. double (up) as something 兼职, 兼做 to have another use or job as something. to have a second use, job, or purpose as a particular thing The school doubled as a hospital during the war. In the corner was an old couch that doubled as Simon's bed. ), and did the wedding invitations for Robin Thicke and Paula Patton in 2005. "And here's the other thing: you have to write in a way that's authentic to you. "So even if [your handwriting] is 'chicken scratch 鸡刨似的', just take a little bit more time and try to make the letters more fluid." 6. precious I. spoken used for showing that you are angry with someone for caring too much about someone or something. You and your precious husband did nothing for me 把自己当回事, 看得很重的, 很看重的, 不是太计较的, 不太当回事的, 不在乎的 搞得神圣至极的, 宝贝至极的, 宝贝的不得了的. She's not precious about her name, so if you pronounce it wrong, she won't correct you, she'll just let everyone run with it. People sometimes use precious to emphasize their dislike for things which other people think are important. You don't care about anything but yourself and your precious face. II. behaving as if something is more important or serious than it really is. Pop stars used to be a lot less precious about 太当回事, 太计较, 太较真, 太认真 advertising products. 誓要走遍Sydney各个区的年轻人: Aside from someone getting quite upset about his Rhodes itinerary — "I only went to where the apartments are" — the response has been pretty positive, he said. "I think most people do find it quite interesting," he said. "I think most people get it, it's slightly tongue-in-cheek. People aren't that precious 那么维护 about their suburbs. If I was going to give the blog a moral: there is life outside the five suburbs that people say are good. There is life west of Newtown. I think my attitude in general that there's a lot to explore, but I have proof now." III. mainly UK disapproving behaving in a very formal and unnatural way by giving too much attention to details that are not important and trying too hard to be perfect: He's so precious about his work that he never gets anything done. Don't you hate the precious way she speaks, pronouncing each single consonant so precisely. IV. worth a lot of money. a precious jewel. historic houses with rare and precious contents. a. loved or valued by someone. a precious memory. Her daughter is the most precious thing in the world to her. b. rare or very necessary and not to be wasted. Human skills are the nation's most precious resource. We’re wasting precious time sitting around here! precious little/precious few If you say that there is precious little of something, you are emphasizing that there is very little of it, and that it would be better if there were more. Precious few has a similar meaning [emphasis] The banks have had precious little to celebrate recently. Precious few home-buyers will notice any reduction in their monthly repayments. 7. To goose someone I. is defined as to pinch the person in the buttocks. When you pinch a girl's buttocks, this is an example of to goose. II. to (attempt to) poke something, such as a finger, in someone's anus.  He tried to give me a goose. Freddy tried to goose me! goose 猛踩油门 to rev up an engine; to press down hard on the accelerator of a car. Why don't you goose the thing and see how fast it'll go? Give it a good goose and see what happens. solid I. If an object is made of solid gold 真金, 全金 or solid wood 实木, for example, it is made of gold or wood all the way through, rather than just on the outside. The taps appeared to be made of solid gold. ...solid wood doors. ...solid pine furniture. II. A structure that is solid 坚固耐用的, 结实的 is strong and is not likely to collapse or fall over. Banks are built to look solid to reassure their customers. The car feels very solid. Their house, which was solidly built, resisted the main shock. ...the solidity [səlɪdɪti] of walls and floors. (sturdy 不容易损坏的 Someone or something that is sturdy looks strong and is unlikely to be easily injured or damaged. She was a short, sturdy woman in her early sixties. The camera was mounted on a sturdy tripod. It was a good table too, sturdily constructed of elm. robust [roubʌst] I. Someone or something that is robust is very strong or healthy. More women than men go to the doctor. Perhaps men are more robust 健康的, 身体强壮的 or worry less? We've always specialised in making very robust, simply designed machinery. He became robustly healthy. ...the robustness of diesel engines. II. Robust views or opinions are strongly held and forcefully expressed. A British Foreign Office minister has made a robust defence of the agreement. He has the keen eye and robust approach needed. In the decisions we have to make about Europe, we have to defend our position very robustly indeed. ...a prominent industrialist renowned for the robustness of his right-wing views. ) III. If you describe someone as solid 老实可靠, 诚实可靠的, you mean that they are very reliable and respectable. Todd had a solid character that made him the logical choice to be the leader of the party. Father Collini had been a solid member of the church for three decades. Leslie will always be remembered as a solid member of the community. You want a partner who is solid 诚信的, 讲信用的, 说话算数的 and stable. Mr Zuma had a solid reputation as a grass roots organiser. Graham is so solidly consistent. He had the proverbial solidity of the English. IV. Solid evidence or information 证据可靠, 信息可靠, 靠谱 is reliable because it is based on facts. We don't have good solid information on where the people are. Some solid evidence was what was required. He has a solid alibi. V. You use solid to describe something such as advice 有用的建议 or a piece of work which is useful and reliable 工作可靠. The CIU provides churches with solid advice on a wide range of subjects. All I am looking for is a good solid 可靠的, 不容易出事的 performance. I've always felt that solid experience would stand me in good stead. She's played solidly throughout the spring. VI. You use solid to describe something such as the basis for a policy or support for an organization when it is strong, because it has been developed carefully and slowly. I am determined to build on this solid foundation. ...a nominee with solid support within the party. ...Washington's attempt to build a solid international coalition. This district is solidly 毫无疑问的 Republican. So far, majority public opinion is solidly behind the government. ...a society based solidly on trust and understanding. ...doubts over the solidity of European backing for the American approach. VII. If you do something for a solid period 完完整整的, 整整的, 满满的 of time, you do it without any pause or interruption throughout that time. We had worked together for two solid years. Dan has worked solidly at his music since his teens.

 不可或缺( indispensable, obligatory): 1. No one is indispensable 没有人是不可或缺的, 地球缺了谁也照转. Prov. Anyone may become unnecessary; anyone may lose his or her job. Fred: You can't fire me. I'm absolutely necessary to this company. Nancy: No one is indispensable, Fred. The housekeeper was sure that her employer would always need her, but she discovered when she was let go that no one is indispensable. dispense I. To deal out in parts or portions; distribute. If someone dispenses something that they own or control, they give or provide it to a number of people. The Union had already dispensed 分发, 发放 £40,000 in grants. The local welfare office is where government dispenses many of its services. I thought of myself as a patriarch, dispensing words of wisdom to all my children. Ordinarily, you're the one who's dispensing advice 给出建议 to others, and usually they take it. Great self-help writers were still dispensing advice down to the early 19th century. She has also been known to dispense helpful dancing advice to the crowd. II. To prepare and give out (medicines). When a chemist dispenses medicine, he or she prepares it, and gives or sells it to the patient or customer. Some shops gave wrong or inadequate advice when dispensing homeopathic medicines. Four out of five prescriptions are dispensed free to people who are exempt. Doctors confine themselves to prescribing rather than dispensing. III. If you obtain a product by getting it out of a machine, you can say that the machine dispenses the product. For two weeks, the cash machine was unable to dispense money. The lotion is dispensed by a handy pump action spray. III. To administer (laws, for example). to provide something such as a service, especially officially. dispense justice: the failure of the country's authorities to dispense justice. IV. To exempt or release, as from a duty or religious obligation. dispense with I. To manage without; forgo. to no longer use someone or something because you no longer want or need them: Let's dispense with the formalities抛弃繁文缛节. II. To get rid of; do away with 去除, 去掉. If you dispense with something, you stop using it or get rid of it completely, especially because you no longer need it. Now supermarkets are dispensing with checkouts, making you scan your own groceries. a country that has dispensed with tariff barriers. dispense with the formalities (=to not do things usually done in a social situation in order to do something more important immediately): I think we all know each other, so we can dispense with the formalities. dispense with someone's services (=stop employing them): We have reluctantly decided to dispense with Porter's services after a series of poor results. indispensable [ɪndɪˈspɛnsəb(ə)l] 非有不可的, 必须的, 没有不行的, 不可或缺的 absolutely necessary. "he made himself indispensable to the parish priest". There have been reports Meghan and Harry are yet to hire a nanny or other household staff for their new home, Frogmore Cottage. Instead, Ragland was on hand and was reportedly 'indispensable' to the couple. dispensable 可有可无的 [dɪspensəbəl] If someone or something is dispensable they are not really needed. All those people in the middle are dispensable. 2. expendable [ɪkspendəbəl] adj If you regard someone or something as expendable, you think it is acceptable to get rid of them, abandon them, or allow them to be destroyed when they are no longer needed. Once our services cease to be useful to them, we're expendable. During the recession, training budgets were seen as an expendable luxury. ...an expendable rocket. unexpendable adj I. essential; absolutely required: unexpendable resources. II. vital to our security. not capable of being expended; inexhaustible 取之不尽用之不竭的, 源源不断的, 不会枯竭的: an unexpendable source of energy. III. not available for expenditure: The principal of the trust fund is unexpendable. 3. obligatory [əˈblɪɡət(ə)ri] I. formal something that is obligatory must be done in order to obey a law or rule. It is obligatory for members to be insured. II. often humorous 必不可少的. 不可或缺的. 必须的. 一定的. 肯定的. used for describing something that happens or is done so often that people expect it. a holiday brochure with the obligatory sunshine and palm trees. obligation义务 John Travolta's former pilot has won the right to make his case in court that he has no confidentiality obligations to the Hollywood actor and is free to talk about their alleged six-year gay affair in the 1980s. oblige [əˈblaɪdʒ] I. [transitive] [usually passive] formal to force someone to do something because it is the law, a rule, or a duty. be/feel obliged to do something觉得有义务: Employers are legally obliged to pay the minimum wage. They felt obliged to offer him hospitality. II. [intransitive/transitive] to help someone by doing something that they have asked you to do. The fans wanted more goals, and Ferguson duly obliged义不容辞的. happy/glad/willing to oblige: If there's anything else I can do, I'm always happy to oblige. I would be obliged (if) very formal used when you are asking someone politely to do something. I would be obliged to receive your instructions on this matter. much obliged formal used for thanking someone politely. I'm much obliged to you. noblesse oblige [nəuˌbles əuˈbli:ʒ] 杀富济贫, 劫富济贫 the idea that rich people from a high social class should help people who have fewer advantages. obligated [ˈoblɪˌɡeɪtɪd] I. be/feel obligated to do something formal 有义务的, 义不容辞的. if you are obligated to do something, you must do it because it is your duty or it is morally right. The committee are then obligated to take any comments into consideration. II. be/feel obligated to someone 感觉亏欠的, 欠某人的. formal to feel that you owe someone something because of what they have done for you. She felt obligated to him because of what he had done for her. Don't feel obliged to do something. Sheldon: I don't know what she's talking about, but I'm obligated [ˈoblɪˌɡeɪtɪd] ( be/feel obligated to do something formal I. if you are obligated to do something, you must do it because it is your duty or it is morally right. The committee are then obligated to take any comments into consideration. II. to feel that you owe someone something because of what they have done for you. She felt obligated to him because of what he had done for her.) to agree with her. She's my girlfriend. LeVar: Ah, I hear you, brother. I still get lunch, right?.

脱欧困局: British Prime Minister Theresa May dug in against a relentless push by rivals and former allies to remove her from office as her attempts to lead Britain out of the European Union appeared to be headed for a dead end. May resisted calls to rip up her tattered Brexit blueprint and end her embattled premiership after her attempt at compromise was rejected ( Sarah Palin: refudiate: verb used loosely to mean "reject": she called on them to refudiate the proposal to build a mosque. blend of refute and repudiate. ) by both her own Conservative Party and opposition MPs. But it seemed only a matter of time. Amid a feverish mood as rumours and plots swirled through Parliament, Conservative MPs set up a showdown 摊牌 meeting with May tomorrow, giving her less than 48 hours to announce she will go or face a renewed attempt to oust her. And a senior Cabinet minister quit with an excoriating ( excoriate [ɪkskɔːrieɪt] To excoriate a person or organization means to criticize them severely, usually in public. to denounce or strongly condemn. During the Cultural Revolution, Chairman Mao would excoriate western capitalism as an evil. He proceeded to excoriate me in front of the nurses. ) letter attacking May's failure to lead Britain out of the EU and hold her divided government together. In the House of Commons, May received a flurry of criticism and hostile questions as she implored 请求, 恳求, 恳请 lawmakers to support a bill implementing Britain's departure from the EU that she plans to put to a vote in Parliament in June. But there was little sign her plea was being heeded. Pro-EU and pro-Brexit lawmakers have only hardened their positions during months of political trench warfare, and they are in no mood to compromise. Pro-Brexit Conservatives accused May of capitulating ( capitulate [kəˈpɪtʃəˌleɪt] 臣服, 屈服, 屈从 I. to stop opposing what someone wants and agree to it, usually because they are stronger than you. If you capitulate, you stop resisting and do what someone else wants you to do. The club eventually capitulated and now grants equal rights to women. In less than two hours Cohen capitulated to virtually every demand. The police capitulated and allowed the march to go ahead. capitulate to: We will not capitulate to the demands of terrorists. II. to stop fighting in a war and accept that you are defeated. ) to pro-EU demands, and opposition Labour Party lawmakers dismissed her offer as too little, too late. If May stays on until next week, pressure is likely to increase when results come in from this week's elections for the European Parliament, with Conservatives expect to receive a drubbing ( drubbing 大溃败, 血洗, 惨败 (beating, defeat, hammering [informal], pounding) I. a beating; a thrashing. I'll give the scoundrels a drubbing if I can! II. informal a resounding defeat in a match or contest. a beating or serious defeat, especially in a sports competition. If someone gets a drubbing, they are defeated easily. Norwich got/received/took a severe drubbing at the hands of Manchester United. "Scotland's 3-0 drubbing by France". scoundrel [skaʊndrəl] 大骗子 a man who behaves in an unfair or dishonest way. If you refer to a man as a scoundrel, you mean that he behaves very badly towards other people, especially by cheating them or deceiving them. [old-fashioned, disapproval] He is a lying scoundrel! ). Many British voters on both sides of the Brexit debate look set to use the election to the EU legislature to express displeasure over the political gridlock. 

fall through VS go through VS follow through; a law unto yourself,take the law into own hands, take it upon yourself to do something,out on a limb

用法学习: 1. poser [poʊzər] I. disapproval A poser is the same as a poseur. someone who behaves in a particular way to make people notice them, admire them, or be impressed by them. He's such a poser. You can describe someone as a poseur when you think that they behave in an insincere or exaggerated way because they want to make a particular impression on other people. I am sometimes accused of being an inveterate poseur. II. informal, old-fashioned A poser is a difficult problem or puzzle. Here is a little poser for you. by a long way = by a large amount You can use by a long way to emphasize that something is, for example, much better, worse, or bigger than any other thing of that kind. He was the best in the group by a long way. It was, by a long way, the worst meeting I have ever attended. Our favourite by a long way was the supermarkets' own brand. a long way to go a lot of work to do or improvements to make: He has a long way to go before he can present the plans to the public. 2. You think I'm an actor? Wow, let's go with that then. take someone prisoner 战俘, 俘虏, 囚禁 British to capture and hold someone as a prisoner, esp as a prisoner of war. take sb captive = hold sb captive If you take someone captive or hold someone captive, you take or keep them as a prisoner. Richard was finally released one year after he'd been taken captive. A British sailor told of his nightmare ordeal at the hands of pirates who held him captive for almost seven weeks. take sb hostage/hold sb hostage 威胁, (要挟, blackmail. hold somebody to ransom) If someone is taken hostage or is held hostage, they are captured and kept as a hostage. The police were unable to attack the terrorists because they were holding three people hostage. He was taken hostage while on his first foreign assignment as a television journalist. hold sb to ransom 被要挟, 被胁迫, 被威逼 (hold sb over a [moral] barrel) to force someone to do something by putting that person in a situation where something bad will happen if they do not: The government says it is being held to ransom by the actions of terrorist groups. with the benefit of hindsight/experience 马后炮, 事后诸葛亮 used to say it is easier to know the right thing to do after something has happened or if you have a lot of experience. He admitted that, with the benefit of hindsight, the original launch had not been large enough. Asked if RA could have better handled the situation regarding the negotiations of Folau's last contract Castle said: "You couldn't go through an issue like this and not say that you couldn't do things better. "You'd be crazy to say that. But it's often done with the benefit of hindsight and the sequence of events that happen. "That will be something that we'll be looking to discuss with them as we come to a new collective bargaining agreement." Castle explained RA couldn't insert a specific social media clause in Folau's last contract as it wasn't part of the existing CBA between RA and RUPA. '"We can't just insert clauses whenever we feel like it," she said. 'Even if we had a (social media) clause who knows where this could have gone from a legal perspective?'. 3. 信息之战: As humans we're imbued with ( imbue somebody/something with something to fill someone or something with a particular quality or feeling. Her poetry was imbued with 充满了, 满满的是 a love of the outdoors. They seemed more interested in enriching themselves than in imbuing people with the spirit of God. I tried to imbue 灌输 my children with a strong sense of justice. Her thinking and attitudes had been imbued with childhood fears. imbue I. (transitive) To wet or stain an object completely with some physical quality. The shirt was imbued with his scent. II. 有点像 instill 注入...品质. In general, to act in a way which results in an object becoming completely permeated or impregnated by some quality. The entire text is imbued with the sense of melancholy and hopelessness. permeate [ˈpɜrmiˌeɪt] I. if gas, liquid, or a smell permeates something, it spreads into and through every part of it. If something permeates a place, it spreads throughout it. The smell of roast chicken permeated 溢满 the air. Eventually, the water will permeate through the surrounding concrete. The unpleasant odor permeated 充盈, 充满 every room. permeate through/into 渗入, 渗透: Water had permeated into the old walls. II. if an attitude or feeling permeates something, you can feel or see its influence clearly in every part of that thing. If an idea, feeling, or attitude permeates a system or permeates society, it affects every part of it or is present throughout it. Bias against women permeates every level of the judicial system. An obvious change of attitude at the top will permeate through the system. A sense of deep loss permeates Frost's poetry. impregnate I. (transitive) To cause to become pregnant. Norman's efforts to impregnate her failed. II. (transitive) To saturate, or infuse. to make a substance such as a liquid spread all the way through something. a pad impregnated with natural oils. If someone or something impregnates a thing with a substance, they make the substance spread through it and stay in it. Impregnating clothes with insect repellent is effective. ...a block of plastic impregnated with a light-absorbing dye. -impregnated combining form 掺杂了, 混合了 ...nicotine-impregnated chewing gum. III. (transitive) To fill pores or spaces with a substance. It is recommended to impregnate new shoes before wearing them. During the impregnation process, an impregnation agent is applied to a material, thereby changing its properties. The term impregnation describes a process that is used for the finishing of textiles and leathers. As a result, the materials become water repellent (hydrophobisation). The application methods for the treatment may be different, but they are all based on the applying certain substances which form a film on the material (usually paraffin and wax emulsions or silicones or fluorocarbons). How do I impregnate my shoes or boots correctly? a. Remove all traces of dirt from your shoes and let them dry to guarantee thorough impregnation. b. Impregnate your shoes as evenly as possible, from a distance of 20-30 centimetres. Make sure to carefully impregnate not only the actual leather, but also the seams, edges and laces. c. Repeat this process two to three times. As it goes, several thinner layers are much more effective than a single thick one. Ensure however that your shoes do not become too moist. d. The shoes should then be allowed to dry out completely before being worn out in the mud and rain. e. It is best to impregnate shoes outdoors or in well-ventilated areas to avoid any harmful effects to the health caused by accidental inhalation of aerosols. ) an instinct for tribalism ( [traɪbəlɪzəm] I. Tribalism is the state of existing as a tribe. Apartheid used tribalism as the basis of its 'divide-and-rule' homeland policies. II. [disapproval] 结帮拉派. 小集体, 小集团思想. You can use tribalism to refer to the loyalties that people feel towards particular social groups and to the way these loyalties affect their behaviour and their attitudes towards others. His argument was that multi-party systems encourage tribalism. ...the evils of tribalism, disunity and disintegration. a way of thinking or behaving in which people are more loyal to their tribe than to their friends, their country, or any other social group. a. very strong loyalty that someone feels for the group they belong to, usually combined with the feeling of disliking all other groups or being different from them. ) that can manifest itself in some strange ways - but this has to take the cake(take the cake / biscuit The usual British expression is take the biscuit. to be the worst, most shocking, or most annoying example of something. If someone has done something very stupid, rude, or selfish, you can say that they take the cake or that what they have done takes the cake, to emphasize your surprise at their behaviour. I've heard some ridiculous excuses before, but that takes the cake. have your cake and eat it (too) 鱼与熊掌兼得, 什么都想要 to have or do two good things at the same time that are impossible to have or do at the same time. to have all the benefits of a situation when, in fact, having one thing means that you cannot have the other. He wants to stay with his wife but still see his girlfriend – talk about having your cake and eating it! You can't have your cake and eat it - if you want more local services, you can't expect to pay less tax.). I'm talking about iPhone users who hate on Android. Those who have ever been shamed for their green text bubble will understand this all too well. Tech writer Michael Nuñez wrote about how he felt compelled to buy an iPhone because he was "ashamed" of his green bubble after a love interest took umbrage with ( take umbrage at something [ʌmbrɪdʒ] If you say that a person takes umbrage, you mean that they are upset or offended by something that someone says or does to them, often without much reason. to be offended by something. They're liable to take umbrage if we don't invite them. He takes umbrage against anyone who criticises him. ) his non Apple device. For this reason it makes sense for Apple to differentiate the type of texts to users can be aware. But nonetheless conspiracy theories abound about the colours used by Apple - the warm and inviting blue versus the artificial green - as if they're designed to provoke some emotional reaction to make users think less of non iPhone owners. Maybe they're right and someone at Apple is an evil genius subtlely driving a wedge between society to boost iPhone sales. 4. Catch-22: George Clooney brings his considerable star power to bear (bring to bear I. to bring into operation or effect. he brought his knowledge to bear on the situation. to use something to deal with a problem or difficult situation. It was in the area of marketing that Alan's business experience was brought to bear. II. to try to persuade someone to do something by using your influence or power. bring something to bear on: to use something, for example your power, authority, or your knowledge, in a way that will have a big effect on something or someone. The full force of the law was brought to bear on anyone who criticized the government. The company directors brought pressure to bear on him to resign. ) in bringing the satire to Hulu, but the six-part series feels like less than the sum of its parts ( more/greater/bigger than the sum of its parts 一加一大于一的效果 If you say that something is more than the sum of its parts or greater than the sum of its parts, you mean that it is better than you would expect from the individual parts, because the way they combine adds a different quality. used to say that a particular thing, when considered as a whole, is more important, better, etc. than you would expect from looking at the individual parts that make it up: He has built a global operation that is clearly bigger than the sum of its parts. She believes that the Catholic faith is more than the sum of its dogmas. As individual members' solo careers have proved, each band was greater than the sum of its parts. more's the pity 遗憾的是, 可惜的是, 可惜了 If you add more's the pity to a comment, you are expressing your disappointment or regret about something. used to express regret about a fact that has just been stated. It is a pity; it is unfortunate. used after describing a situation, to show that you wish it was not true. Sue's not coming, more's the pity. We've got a history class next, haven't we? Yes, more's the pity. "you're not the one who has to pay the bills, more's the pity". But my world isn't your world, more's the pity. more...than you could shake a stick at = more things than you can shake a stick at If you say that there are more things than you could or can shake a stick at, you are emphasizing in a humorous way that there are a lot of them. [informal, emphasis] ...a man with more medals than you can shake a stick at. ). The profundity of that feels as true now as it did then. Yet the craziness that surrounds Yossarian feels strained and stretched over six episodes, despite the big-name cast that surrounds Abbott, including Clooney as his cuckolded 被带绿帽的 commander (whose wife takes refuge in sleeping with his subordinates); Kyle Chandler as the gung-ho ( 工合 "enthusiastic" or "overzealous") Col. Cathcart, who keeps upping mission counts; as well as Hugh Laurie and Giancarlo Giannini. 5. Mr Folau knew when he pressed that button there were the implications ( I. 后果. (fallout, consequence, result, development, ramification.) The implications of something are the things that are likely to happen as a result. The Attorney General was aware of the political implications of his decision to prosecute. The low level of current investment has serious implications for future economic growth. II. The implication of a statement, event, or situation is what it implies or suggests is the case. The implication was obvious: vote for us or it will be very embarrassing for you. by implication If you say that something is the case by implication, you mean that a statement, event, or situation implies that it is the case. His authority and, by implication, that of his management team is under threat. implicate [ɪmplɪkeɪt] I. to make something seem likely to be the cause of something bad. Smoking has been implicated as a cancer risk factor. II. To implicate someone means to show or claim that they were involved in something wrong or criminal. He was to resign when one of his own aides was implicated in a financial scandal. He didn't find anything in the notebooks to implicate Stuart. ...his implication in a murder. implicated If someone or something is implicated in a crime or a bad situation, they are involved in it or responsible for it. The President was implicated in the cover-up and forced to resign. It is thought that this virus is implicated in the development of a number of illnesses.  repercussion [ˌri:pə(r)ˈkʌʃ(ə)n] 不良影响 a bad effect that something has, usually lasting for a long time. serious long-term economic repercussions. percussion [ppə(r)ˈkʌʃ(ə)n] 打击乐 musical instruments such as drums, cymbals, or rattles that you play by hitting or shaking them. Someone who plays a percussion instrument is called a percussionist. concussion [kənˈkʌʃ(ə)n] a head injury that makes someone feel ill or become unconscious for a short time. aftermath 余波, 恶果: A consequence, especially of a disaster or misfortune: famine as an aftermath of drought. aftereffect后果, 余波: An effect following its cause after some delay, especially a delayed or prolonged physiological or psychological response to a stimulus. sideeffect副作用: A peripheral or secondary effect, especially an undesirable secondary effect of a drug or therapy. ) that post was going to have," Castle said at Rugby Australia headquarters on Friday afternoon. Outspoken radio host and former Wallabies coach Alan Jones went for the jugular ( go for the jugular 猛烈攻击弱点 informal to make a serious effort to defeat someone, usually by criticizing or harming them in a cruel way. If you say that someone went for the jugular, you mean that they strongly attacked another person's weakest points in order to harm them. Mr Black went for the jugular, asking intimate sexual questions. Cunningham went straight for the jugular, telling him that his work was a complete disaster. ) on Friday, insisting Rugby Australia will "fall on its sword 自取灭亡, 自取其辱" ( To accept the responsibility or blame for a problem or mistake. Likened to the former practice of a soldier using his sword to take his own life for such a misdeed. The CEO fell on his sword when widespread corruption in the company was exposed. to accept defeat; to go to extremes to indicate one's defeat. So, because I lost the contract, I am supposed to fall on my sword or something? To resign in a way to accept responsibility for a mistake. In the era when warriors carried swords and shields, a soldier who was guilty of cowardice or another serious breach of military procedure was expected to do the “honorable thing” by taking his own life. He needed no assistance: he placed his sword's hilt on the ground and, resting the sharpened tip against his bare midsection, fell forward. Although the accepted mode of remorse was a pistol bullet to the brain in the age of firearms, the phrase remained. It is now used metaphorically: a political figure or business executive whose resignation is an expression of regret for a badly made decision will be said to have fallen on his (or her) sword. ) in the fallout to ( fallout I. Fallout is the radiation that affects a particular place or area after a nuclear explosion has taken place. They were exposed to radioactive fallout 辐射 during nuclear weapons tests. the dangerous dust that falls to the ground after a nuclear explosion. fallout 粉尘 from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. II. If you refer to the fallout from something that has happened, you mean the unpleasant consequences that follow it. the unpleasant results or effects of an action or event: The political fallout of the revelations has been immense. Grundy lost his job in the fallout from the incident. [+ from] the unpleasant effects of something that has happened. The fallout from the Asian financial crisis has continued to affect business. fallout shelter a building under the ground where people can go if there is a nuclear attack. wiki: Nuclear fallout, or fallout, is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and the shock wave have passed. It commonly refers to the radioactive dust and ash created when a nuclear weapon explodes. The amount and spread of fallout is a product of the size of the weapon and the altitude at which it is detonated. fall out with (someone) 失和, 不和 To have one's relationship with someone completely diminished, typically due to an argument or unpleasant incident. to argue with someone and stop being friendly with them. Have you two fallen out? I'd fallen out with my parents. He left home after falling out with his parents. She'd fallen out with her boyfriend over his ex-girlfriend. Apparently, Gina fell out with Dave last week, and now they're not talking to each other at all. fall out I. 掉牙, 掉头发 If a tooth or your hair falls out, it becomes loose and separates from your mouth or head: Her baby teeth are starting to fall out. A side effect of the treatment is that your hair starts to fall out. II. If soldiers fall out, they move out of a line: "Fall out 出列, men!" shouted the sergeant-major. fall in I. 坍塌. 塌陷. If a roof or ceiling falls in, it drops to the ground because it is damaged: Ten miners were trapped underground when the roof of the tunnel fell in. II. If soldiers fall in, they form a line or move in a line, one behind the other: "Company, fall in! 入列, 形成队列" shouted the sergeant-major. He started to march away, and the others fell in behind him. ) the Folau case. 6. count one's blessings 感恩 (idiomatic) To focus one's attention on the circumstances of one's life which are pleasant or fortunate, especially with the intention of diverting one's thoughts from serious or disagreeable matters. to be grateful for the good things in your life, often to stop yourself becoming too unhappy about the bad things. To reflect on the good things in one's life and be grateful for them. I know you're disappointed that you didn't come in first, but so many other incredible things have happened to you this year. Count your blessings, my darling. I try to count my blessings every day—it's a great antidote 解药 to sadness! 卡戴珊: "I will say my mom is like, Superwoman," Khloe said on the podcast. "That's also something that's a takeaway for us ( takeaway 学到的东西. 得到的教训 (the moral of the story) a key fact, point, or idea to be remembered, typically one emerging from a discussion or meeting. "the main takeaway for me is that we need to continue to communicate all the things we're doing for our customers". a main message or piece of information that you learn from something you hear or read. an important idea or fact to be remembered, usually one arising from a meeting or discussion. I think this was my biggest takeaway from the meeting. The takeaway from the conference was how competitive the tourism industry has become. At the end of the class, the teacher gives us the takeaway points 要点.) , in someone that we get to really look up to on that level (on the level [informal] If you say that someone or something is on the level, you mean that they are sincere or honest, and are not attempting to deceive people. being honest or speaking truthfully. to be acting or speaking honestly: It seems too good to be true. Are you sure this guy's on the level? I know he's lied to you before, but I really think he's on the level this time. There were probably moments when you wondered if anyone spoke the truth or was on the level. on the same level: I'm always saying that I want a husband who is on the same level as me, but I don't ever really think about what I mean. Same level as you meaning having the same long term goals and moral values in life that you have. It doesn't have to be about what you have in common, but it has to do with where you both want to end up down the road and if you both value the same things in life. That's what I always mean, you can find plenty in common with someone, but if you want to settle down, get married and have kids and he wants to travel the world and have no commitments, then you're not on the same level. level I. 平勺. In cookery, a level spoonful of a substance such as flour or sugar is an amount that fills the spoon exactly, without going above the top edge. Stir in 1 level teaspoon of yeast. II. If one thing is level with another thing, it is at the same height as it. He leaned over the counter so his face was almost level with the boy's. [+ with] Amy knelt down so that their eyes were level. III. When something is level, it is completely flat with no part higher than any other. The floor was level 平整的, 平的, but the ceiling sloped toward his head. ...a plateau of fairly level ground. IV. If you draw level with someone or something, you get closer to them until you are by their side. [mainly British] I drew level with the platform and was about to walk past. [+ with] When the car pulled level with him 齐平, 并肩, 齐头并进, he spoke into the lowered passenger window. He waited until they were level with the door before he turned around sharply. V. If you draw level 追平 with someone, you manage to improve your performance until it is the same as theirs, by scoring the same number of points or goals as them. They have drawn level with the opposition. The teams were level at the end of extra time. VI. In sport, if a player or team levels the score 追平, 打平, they score a goal or win some points so that their team has the same number of points or goals as the opposing team. Iglesias scored twice to level the score. The Cincinnati Reds have levelled the score in the National League play-off against the Pittsburgh Pirates. VII. If you keep your voice level, you speak in a deliberately calm and unemotional way. He forced his voice to remain level 保持镇定, 平心静气. VIII. If someone or something such as a violent storm levels a building or area of land, they destroy it completely or make it completely flat. Further tremors could level 放平, 完全摧毁 more buildings. The storm was the most powerful to hit Hawaii this century. It leveled sugar plantations and destroyed homes. IX. If an accusation or criticism is levelled at someone (at/against 针对), they are accused of doing wrong or they are criticized for something they have done. Allegations of corruption were levelled at him and his family. He leveled bitter criticism against the U.S. X. If you level an object at someone or something, you lift it and point it in their direction. He said thousands of Koreans still levelled guns 对准, 剑指 at one another along the demilitarised zone between them. XI. If you level with someone, you tell them the truth and do not keep anything secret. I'll level with you 说实话, 坦白. I'm no great detective. I've no training or anything. He has leveled with the American people about his role in the affair. do one's level best If you say that you will do your level best to do something, you are emphasizing that you will try as hard as you can to do it, even if the situation makes it very difficult. The President told American troops that he would do his level best to bring them home soon. level off/out 开始平缓, 开始放缓 I. If a changing number or amount levels off or levels out, it stops increasing or decreasing at such a fast speed. The figures show evidence that murders in the nation's capital are beginning to level off. Inflation is finally levelling out at around 11% a month. II. If an aircraft levels off or levels out, it travels horizontally after having been travelling in an upwards or downwards direction. The aircraft levelled out 平飞 at about 30,000 feet. ), with just how to co-parent, how to deal with divorce and yes, I remember during the initial couple months of it, it's traumatic and her emotions are really high and that's expected...there was love there." Khloe said Kris opted to vent about Caitlyn and the split to her and her older sisters, not Kendall and Kylie. "I think she's handled everything with such grace and elegance, and it's something that I really admire," she said. "I saw Caitlyn recently," she said. "When I see Caitlyn, it's fine. I think we've really come a long way( have come a long way 改变了许多, 长大了许多, 成熟了许多 If you say that someone or something has come a long way, you mean that they have developed, progressed, or become very successful. He has come a long way since the days he could only afford one meal a day. to have advanced to an improved or more developed state. to have advanced to an improved or more developed state: Information technology has come a long way in the last 20 years. Information technology has come a long way in the last 20 years.). It was a struggle, I think, for all of us. But as first, the transition, not because she was transitioning, I think from just how it was all handled. But I also think when your emotions die down 情绪平复, 心情平复, you're able to really look at everything and be like, 'We're all humans and we're all trying to figure this out.'" 7. Conservatorship 法定监护人 (包括成年人的监护人) is a legal concept in the United States. A guardian or a protector is appointed by a judge to manage the financial affairs and/or daily life of another due to physical or mental limitations, or old age. A person under conservatorship is a "conservatee," a term that can refer to an adult.The conservator may be only of the "estate" (financial affairs), but may be also of the "person," wherein the conservator takes charge of overseeing the daily activities, such as health care or living arrangements of the conservatee. A conservator of the person is more typically called a legal guardian. follow through I. If you follow through an action, plan, or idea or follow through with it, you continue doing or thinking about it until you have done everything possible. The leadership has been unwilling to follow through the implications of these ideas. I was trained to be an actress but I didn't follow it through. He decided to follow through with his original plan. the action of completing something: They made a good start at improving prison conditions, but unless there's follow-through, the reforms won’t last. II. to complete the movement of hitting, kicking, or throwing a ball by continuing to move your arm or leg in the same direction: You need to follow through more on your backhand. In sports, a follow-through is the action of continuing a swinging motion of the arms or legs when making a play: My tennis instructor says I need to have a better follow-through on my backhand. fall through VS go through VS follow through: fall through to fail to happen. if something that has been planned or agreed falls through, it does not happen: The deal fell through when someone made our client a better offer. We found a buyer for our house, but then the sale fell through. slip/fall through the cracks to not be dealt with by a system that is designed to help you or to stop you doing something. Too many neglected children are slipping through the cracks. go through 得到批准, 通过 If a law, plan, or deal goes through, it is officially accepted or approved: A city council member said that the proposals for the new shopping centre were unlikely to go through. to be officially accepted or approved: We're hoping that the proposal for the new mall won't go through. go through sth I. to experience a difficult or unpleasant situation: I've been going through a bad patch 一时的不顺 recently. You'd think his children would be more sympathetic towards him after all he's gone through (= the many bad things he has experienced). She's gone through a lot in order to achieve what she has. He went through a difficult spell when he lost his job. It's just a phase she's going through. I apologize for what you had to go through. I don't know how he goes through that ordeal every day. II. to examine something that contains a collection of things carefully in order to organize them or find something: I'm going through my wardrobe and throwing out all the clothes I don't wear any more. Remember to go through the pockets before you put those trousers in the washing machine. III. to do something in order to practise or as a test: Why don't we go through the whole demonstration once more? IV. to use a lot of something: Before I gave up coffee, I was drinking five cups a day. I went through a hundred quid on my last trip to London. go through fire and water uk old-fashioned to experience many difficulties or dangers in order to achieve something. go through a bad/difficult/rough/sticky patch informal to experience a lot of problems in a period of your life: Andy's going through a rough patch at the moment - his wife wants a divorce. go through the floor mainly uk I. to fall to very low levels: House prices have gone through the floor this year. II. to rise to a very high level: Prices have gone through the roof. III. hit the roof informal to get very angry: When I was expelled from school, my parents went through the roof. go through the motions informal disapproving to do something without thinking it is very important or having much interest in it: He says he's been investigating my complaint, but I feel he's just going through the motions. go through the wringer = put sb through the wringer to have a difficult experience that upsets you a lot, or to make someone experience this: The girl's parents have been through the wringer since she disappeared. 8. a law unto yourself 不服管教, 自行其是, 无视法律, 目无法纪 If you say that someone is a law unto himself or herself, you mean that they behave in an independent way, ignoring laws, rules, or conventional ways of doing things. Some of the landowners were a law unto themselves. take the law into own hands (vigilante) If someone takes the law into their own hands, they punish someone or do something to puta situation right, instead of waiting for the police or the legal system to take action. If sentences are too lenient, victims and their families may be inclined to take the law into their own hands. take matters into your own hands to deal with a problem yourself because the people who should have dealt with it have failed to do so: When the police failed to catch her son's murderer, she decided to take matters into her own hands. take matters into your own hands to deal with a problem yourself because the people who should have dealt with it have failed to do so. to deal with a problem yourself because other people have failed to deal with it. Local people took matters into their own hands and hired their own security guards. When the police failed to catch her son's murderer, she decided to take matters into her own hands. take it upon yourself to do something 主动揽事, 自行决定, 主动做某事 to accept responsibility for something without being asked to. to decide to do something without getting someone's permission or approval first Reg took it upon himself to hand the press a list of names. He took it upon himself to personally thank each person at the meeting. bring something on/upon somebody to make something unpleasant happen to someone. You have brought disaster on the whole village! bring something on/upon yourself I've got no sympathy for him – he's brought this all on himself! out on a limb 不怕惹恼别人, 不管别人看法做某事, 不顾反对的说, 斗胆 I. 冒险. If someone goes out on a limb, they do something they strongly believe in even though it is risky or extreme, and is likely to fail or be criticized by other people. He doesn't want to go out on a limb, but he really should give it a try. They can see themselves going out on a limb, voting for a very controversial energy bill. II. having an opinion that is different from most people's and is unpopular. in a position where you have no support from other people I'm going to go out on a limb here and say I completely disagree. She's going out on a limb in criticizing her own party leadership. To hazard a guess. I'm going to go out on a limb here. You're together? 9. cacophony [kəˈkɒf(ə)ni] 嘈杂的噪音 a harsh discordant mixture of sounds. "a cacophony of deafening alarm bells". You can describe a loud, unpleasant mixture of sounds as a cacophony. All around was bubbling a cacophony of voices. penmanship(calligraphy [kəˈlɪɡrəfi]) Penmanship is the art and skill of writing by hand. writing done by hand, or skill in this type of writing. graphology [ɡrəˈfɑlədʒi]  = graphoanalysis 笔迹鉴定学 the science of studying people's handwriting in order to learn about their character. handwriting expert 笔记鉴定专家. The records were scrutinised by handwriting experts commissioned 委任的, 指派的 by the family's lawyers. The newspaper commissioned a "handwriting expert" to analyse the letter. While a handwriting expert determined there was "a strong likelihood" his father's writing matched the script on some of the notes the killer sent to the LAPD, the results were inconclusive. wiki: Penmanship is the technique of writing with the hand using a writing instrument. Today, this is most commonly done with a pen, or pencil, but throughout history has included many different implements. The various generic and formal historical styles of writing are called "hands" while an individual's style of penmanship is referred to as "handwriting". salacious [səˈleɪʃəs] expressing sexual interest, or containing too much sexual detail. salacious gossip. floaty 游泳池的漂浮物, 救生用品 I. filmy and light. floaty material. II. capable of floating; buoyant. noun. a hollow, ring-shaped piece of plastic filled with air, that people who are learning to swim wear on their arm in water to help them float: At age three, he ripped off his floaties and jumped into the deep end. There's only one floaty in the swimming bag. flimsy [flɪmzi] I. 劣质的. A flimsy object is weak because it is made of a weak material, or is badly made. ...a flimsy wooden door. ...a pair of flimsy shoes. ...flimsily constructed houses. II. Flimsy cloth or clothing is thin and does not give much protection. ...a very flimsy pink chiffon nightgown. III. If you describe something such as evidence or an excuse as flimsy, you mean that it is not very good or convincing. The charges were based on very flimsy 不靠谱的, 靠不住的 evidence. dusting 薄薄一层 a thin layer of powder, snow, etc.: a light dusting of grey on his hair. There was a dusting of snow on the lawn. I shaved my pubic, but there is still a dusting of hair there. dust I. to wipe the dust off the surface of something such as furniture. I'll just dust the table. Elaine has already mopped the floor and dusted. II. [transitive] to put a thin layer of powder on something. dust something with something: Dust the pan with flour. burly [bɜːrli] A burly man has a broad body and strong muscles. He was a big, burly 肌肉男 , 大块头的 man. it's no skin off my nose = be no skin off sb's back used for saying that you do not care if someone does a particular thing because it will not affect you. used when you want to say that it makes no difference to you what someone else does or thinks: It's no skin off my nose if you don't take my advice. Let them cancel the whole project. It's no skin off my nose. cash grab = money grab 骗钱的, 捞钱的 I. (derogatory) A product designed primarily or solely with the intent of generating profits. II. (politics) Legislation that serves primarily the purpose of generating revenue. III. An undignified or unprincipled acquisition of a large sum of money with little effort. An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly. money-grabbing adjective disapproving determined to get money, even by unfair or illegal methods I haven't turned into a nasty, cynical, money-grubbing old man. Someone who is money-grubbing has money as their main interest and does anything possible to get a lot of it.

 Do you skol or scull 吞啤酒, 一口闷, 一口干 a beer? It seems that when Tony Abbott downed a glass of beer in a Sydney pub, he triggered a discussion on the rights and wrongs of seeing our prime minister apparently encouraging binge drinking. A second conversation followed as to whether he had skolled or sculled his beer. The Scandinavian drinking toast Skol! was adopted by the Scots in the early 1600s and spelt in various ways – skole or scoll or skoal – until the spelling in British English finally settled down as skol. The Australian innovation has been to change the vowel sound and arrive at the spelling scull. The first evidence for this spelling that I can find is in the description of a student competition in the early 1980s. There is an amusing account of the ANU Bush Week celebrations in 1981 in which speakers from the National Organisation for Reform of Marijuana Laws waited in vain for an audience while in the room next to them a beer-sculling competition was taking place. 'It's amazing', said Mr Kew. 'Here we are watching all these people abuse themselves with a drug which is 2000 times more potent than a similar dose of marijuana and it's not only legal but greatly admired'.

 The Coles and Woolworths duopoly has killed Australian brands: For the fast moving consumer goods market to resuscitate itself in the face of the Coles and Woolworths duopoly, it needs to think long term and go back to brand basics, argues Troy McKinna. Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection has been playing out 起作用 across the Australian FMCG sector for more than a decade, with many weak brands disappearing from our shelves. Some of our childhood favourites have gone: Polly Waffle, Sunnyboy, Tasty Toobs. Even big global brands such as Kraft have almost vanished from shelves in Australia. It's been less 'survival of the fittest 适者生存', and more 'survival of the not so weak'. A lot of the brands that have survived are not as healthy as they once were. Coles and Woolworths have had an aggressive agenda to strengthen their businesses, but it has been at the expense of their suppliers. To be fair, the two grocers have had their own challenges to deal with, including high stock market expectations in a relatively flat industry, and competition from each other as well as new entrants. Arguably, the entry of Aldi, the German discount retailer, has had the most profound impact on the Australian grocery scene. Aldi's business has more directly cannibalised 蚕食, 侵蚀 the Metcash network of independents (including IGA), but it hasn't stopped Coles and Woolworths from running scared. To steal market share from each other and to combat Aldi's low prices, the two grocers have obsessed about lowering prices. Rather than reducing operating costs to fund the lower prices, such as stocking pallets on the floor like Aldi, Coles and Woolworth have focused on reducing the price they pay for goods.

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用法学习: 1. lopsided I. Something that is lopsided is uneven because one side is lower or heavier than the other. His suit had shoulders that made him look lopsided 偏沉的. ...a friendly, lopsided grin 撇嘴角的. not even or level because one side is larger, higher, or heavier than the other. a lopsided smile. II. If you say that a situation is lopsided, you mean that one element is much stronger, bigger, or more important than another element. In 1916, Georgia Tech beat Cumberland 222-0. No game since has been that lopsided 一边倒的. ...lopsided economic relations. The lopsided vote suggests a veto could be easily overcome. penny-ante 不足为道, 不值得一提的 of little value or importance. inconsiderable; minor; small-time.: He was proposing some penny-ante increase. involving a trifling sum of money; small in amount: a penny-ante investment. There are a million things Taylor has in common with Paul McCartney – one is that celebrity grievances tend to sound like a penny-ante waste of their time, even when they’re totally understandable. presence of mind 沉着冷静 the ability to make good decisions and to act quickly and calmly in a difficult situation or an emergency. to have the calmness and ability to act sensibly in an emergency or difficult situation. Jane had the presence of mind to phone the police when the child disappeared. The child had the presence of mind to write down the car's license-plate number. When the gunmen came into the bank, she had the presence of mind to press the alarm. 美男孩pin down school shooter: There wasn't a whole lot that was going through my mind at the time. Adrenaline and tunnel vision are a crazy thing," said Jones, who described himself as just a normal teenage kid. He did, however, have the presence of mind to call his mum. "She always has been a problem solver for me," he said, adding that she told him not to worry. It was a pretty quick conversation. 2. plutocrat Someone who rules by virtue of his or her wealth. oligarch [ˈɒlɪɡɑː(r)k] a member of a small group that runs a country or large organization. It's a travel privilege enjoyed by a lucky few - from celebrities, royals, self-made entrepreneurs and oligarchs. But the smooth running of private jets depends, usually, on a select few. Among the most attentive are flight attendants who spend hours, often alone, tirelessly ensuring their passengers receive a premium, five-star service. While life as a VIP air hostess comes with the perk of travelling the world, their jobs can be demanding and stressful. As for the parties, she says there's a need to make sure they "don't get out of control." "You kind of need to be on the ball 时刻盯着 a little bit - not letting them drink too much, but not spoil the fun and kind of having a balance," Benton says. She says as a freelancer, flight attendants can earn anywhere from £150 ($278) to £450 ($834) a day, depending on your experience and what you can negotiate with the operator. "There's no set salary 没有一定定规, 没有定数," she adds. "Everyone's got their own little deal going on.". oligarchy [ɒlɪgɑːrki] I. An oligarchy is a small group of people who control and run a particular country or organization. You can also refer to a country which is governed in this way as an oligarchy. Athens was suffering under the rule of an oligarchy. II. Oligarchy is a situation in which a country or organization is run by an oligarchy. ...a protest against imperialism and oligarchy in the region. wiki: Russian oligarchs (see the related term "New Russians") are business oligarchs of the former Soviet republics who rapidly accumulated wealth during the era of Russian privatization in the aftermath of the dissolution of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. The failing Soviet state left the ownership of state assets contested, which allowed for informal deals with former USSR officials (mostly in Russia and Ukraine) as a means to acquire state property. Russia's oligarchs are different from other billionaires: Oligarch. It sounds nefarious, to be sure. The Trump administration announced new sanctions against seven Russian oligarchs with ties to President Vladimir Putin and 12 companies they own or control on Friday. CNN reported Wednesday that special counsel Robert Mueller, who is charged with investigating Russian election meddling, had questioned three Russian oligarchs, all of whom were unnamed in the report. "Oligarchs are rich Russian businessmen who are close to the seat of power in Russia," he said, adding that "almost any rich Russian businessman is an oligarch, because in Russia there is a close relationship between private wealth and public power." There's a new crowd of oligarchs who are perhaps smaller in scale than the original bunch but no less dependent on government relationships for their wealth. They don't have the same kind of power over the state, however, because of the power Putin has. "Now, you can't be a billionaire and not be an oligarch because you have to have some relationship with those who are in political power to maintain control of your assets," said Graham. Are rich Americans in politics oligarchs? What's the difference between a Russian oligarch and an American billionaire? There are plenty of billionaires in the US who wield incredible political power. Michael Bloomberg, anyone? Donald Trump? And even those not directly in politics can have political power. The Koch brothers leap to mind 浮现. "The difference in our country is we have institutions," he said. "We have independent court systems. You can try to influence policy, but you don't have to have access to the political power to protect your property." "You can be a rich businessman in the US and not worry about your contacts in government. It's a little bit different in Russia; each business decision you make, you have to be checking with your contacts in the Kremlin. The government can strip you of your oligarch status." Being an oligarch can still be perilous, though. Ask Ziyavudin Magomedov, an oligarch recently arrested on corruption charges. "You can lose your property overnight if you run afoul of 惹恼, 惹到, 对着干 the government," said Graham. Oligarchs like to buy outside of Russia. Some of this is a conscious decision by these oligarchs to move some of their assets offshore to places where the assets are protected by the rule of law, said Graham: "That's why you buy in Miami and London and Western Europe." "The problem you have is that a businessman in Russia has to operate in a different way than a businessman in the US because you don't have a reliable legal system," he said. "Your ability to maintain your hold on property is reliant on your ability to maintain relations with the government." 3. twinkle toes 走路快的人, 脚快的人, 草上飞 (slang) Someone with extraordinary footwork. Someone who is light on their feet; or demonstrates extraordinary footwork. He's a good dancer, but he's no match to Twinkle Toes over there. Twinkle toes over there is the best dancer here. twinkle-toed informal  Nimble and quick on one's feet. a twinkle-toed midfielder. lie down 躺下休息 to ​move into a ​position in which ​your ​body is ​flat, usually in ​order to ​sleep or ​rest: He ​lay down on the ​bed and ​tried to ​relax. Why don't you ​lie down on the ​sofa for a while? The ​doctor ​asked him to ​lie down on his ​stomach. We all ​lay down on the ​floor. The ​animals ​lay down on the ​hay. I'm so ​tired - I need to ​lie down. lie-down 稍事休息 a ​short ​rest, usually in or on a ​bed. a short rest in which one lies down on a bed, sofa, etc. "he felt badly in need of a lie-down 躺下休息". I usually have a lie-down after ​lunch. She said she was going for a lie-down. lay down I. 放下. [transitive] to put something down in order to show you are not going to use it again, for example a weapon or tool. Please stop writing and lay down your pencils. II. [transitive] to state officially what someone must do or how they must do it. The EU has laid down 设置, 制定 tough standards for water quality. lay down that: The rules laid down 规定 that he could not directly intervene. III. [transitive] to form a layer of something such as soil or mud that gradually becomes hard and develops into rock. IV. [intransitive] spoken a way of saying 'lie down' that many people think is incorrect. lay down the law to tell someone what to do or how to behave in a way that shows that you expect them to obey you completely. With kids like that you have to lay down the law and let them see you're serious. lay down your life to die as a result of doing something good for other people. lay down (your) arms 放下武器 to agree to stop fighting. The President appealed to the rebels to lay down arms. 4. conservator [kənsɜːrvətər] 文物修补员, 艺术修补师 A conservator is someone whose job is to clean and repair historical objects or works of art. someone whose job is to take care of works of art in a museum or art gallery. abominable [əˈbɒmɪnəb(ə)l] extremely bad, offensive, or unpleasant. Something that is abominable is very unpleasant or bad. The President described the killings as an abominable crime. The weather was abominable, cold with wind and rain. Chloe has behaved abominably. Wallis was often abominably rude. This receipt is the most scandalous, abominable and inconceivable 难以相象的 that I could ever see! Bob Hawke: Too frail 身体虚弱 to attend Labor's launch, Hawke sent a message of good wishes. 美容: Walnut scrubs are made with crushed walnut shell. Chunks of walnut shell are harder and therefore more abrasive than your average exfoliant ( exfoliant [ɛksˈfəʊlɪənt] 去死皮, 去角质 (exfoliate verb) a gently abrasive cosmetic product designed to remove dead cells from the skin's surface. a substance that you put on your face or body to help to remove dead skin cells. defoliant [diːfoʊliənt] 落叶化学物品 A defoliant is a chemical used on trees and plants to make all their leaves fall off. Defoliants are especially used in war to remove protection from an enemy. foliage [ˈfoʊliɪdʒ] 树叶 the leaves of a plant or tree. red flowers and dark green foliage. ) such a jojoba beads. Walnut scrub is a type of physical exfoliant consisting a ground up particles of walnut either the actual walnut or the shell. Typically I wouldn't recommend a walnut scrub to any skin type as the risk of microscopic tearing of the skin is very high. However, if you were to choose to use a walnut-type scrub, it's best suited for a normal to oilier skin type that's not prone to acne, sensitivity or redness. Skin concerns need to be addressed individually with a customised skin regime. A walnut scrub simply removes dead skin cells from the surface and should only be used on someone who doesn't have any particular skin conditions or concerns. How frequently to exfoliate is probably one of the most controversial questions out there! This is a double-edged sword as the answer depends on the type of exfoliation in question. To give a bit of background on skin. Our skin operates on an average 28-day cycle where new healthy cells located at the bottom layer of our skin gradually age and move up to the skin's surface (AKA the stratum corneum). Once on the surface these cells die forming part of our skin's protective barrier. Now as we age, this cycle can slow down and take anywhere up to 55 days – this is where we start to notice that duller, thicker, rough and more congested skin. Exfoliants are extremely beneficial in helping speed up this cycle, sloughing off dead skin cells, brightening and helping decongest 疏通 pores. So how much is too much? Studies show that daily use of gentler exfoliants such as AHAs has been show to help improve skin rather than damage it. On the other hand, daily use of scrubs has been show to cause sensitivity, irritation and inflammation – reaching for your scrub should only be a 1-2 time a week affair, unless otherwise suggested by a skin care professional. 5. get a leg up 助理 (idiomatic) To get a boost or a lift. I can climb over the fence if I get a leg up from you. (idiomatic) To gain some advantage; to get a head start. He hopes that all the extra advertising will allow him to get a leg up on the competition. palpitations [ˌpælpɪˈteɪʃ(ə)nz] 砰砰跳, 心跳加速 the movements of your heart when it beats faster than usual. When someone has palpitations, their heart beats very fast in an irregular way. Caffeine can cause palpitations and headaches. Other Twitter users certainly weren't impressed with the filthy interior and were happy to share their thoughts on it. "This gives me palpitations and makes my stomach turn, can't stand mess and this is above that," one wrote. "Makes my skin crawl," said another. Israel Folau: The 30-year-old's career has been in the balance since his April 10 post that suggested homosexuals, among others, would go to hell. "While Rugby Australia accepts the panel's decision directing termination of Israel Folau's playing contract for his high-level breach of the Code of Conduct, we want to stress that this outcome is a painful situation for the game," Castle said. "Rugby Australia did not choose to be in this situation, but Rugby Australia's position remains that Israel, through his actions, left us with no choice but to pursue this course of action. "This has been an extremely challenging period for Rugby and this issue has created an unwanted distraction in an important year for the sport and for the Wallabies team. "But our clear message to all Rugby fans today is that we need to stand by our values and the qualities of inclusion, passion, integrity, discipline, respect and teamwork. "Israel is a great Rugby player and we are disappointed and saddened by the fact that he will not see out his four-year commitment to the Wallabies and Waratahs." Folau reportedly turned down a compromise offer from RA that would have seen him charged with a lower level breach if he deleted the post, and the fullback also rejected a $1 million settlement after he was found guilty.

 Trade war: Trump's reasoning for the trade war is a bit murky. His list of goals are a mix of concessions that could be considered pro-worker or pro-company. There's also part of a larger question of the US-China relationship, which China hawks see as too beneficial to Beijing. They'd prefer to team up with other countries against China rather than slap them with tariffs, as Trump has done. Regardless, the reality is that trade wars are mutually destructive. Obviously, Trump's dream scenario would be for China to simply fold on all points. But in an actual negotiation, you tend to need to settle for half a loaf ( half a loaf is better than none 总算有点, 比什么都没有强. 聊胜于无, 有好过什么都没有 It is better to accept less than one wants or expects than to have nothing at all. Less than what is desired. This is the abbreviated version of the phrase "half a loaf is better than none." I know they're offering you less money than you'd hoped for, but it's a good job, so I think you should accept half a loaf.), and it makes a difference which half you really want. Because a tit-for-tat game of tariffs hurts both the United States and China, the standoff is a bit like a game of chicken 逞勇斗狠(The game of chicken, also known as the hawk–dove game or snowdrift game, is a model of conflict for two players in game theory. The principle of the game is that while it is to both players' benefit if one player yields, the other player's optimal choice depends on what their opponent is doing: if the player opponent yields, they should not, but if the opponent fails to yield, the player should. The name "chicken" has its origins in a game in which two drivers drive towards each other on a collision course: one must swerve, or both may die in the crash, but if one driver swerves and the other does not, the one who swerved will be called a "chicken", meaning a coward; this terminology is most prevalent in political science and economics. The name "hawk–dove" refers to a situation in which there is a competition for a shared resource and the contestants can choose either conciliation or conflict; this terminology is most commonly used in biology and evolutionary game theory. From a game-theoretic point of view, "chicken" and "hawk–dove" are identical; the different names stem from parallel development of the basic principles in different research areas.). China would prefer that the United States back down. But if it becomes convinced that the United States won't back down — possibly because the president has no idea what he's talking about — then it starts to make sense for China to consider backing down instead. Whether by design or by blunder((whether) by accident or design 无论是是不是故意的, 无论是有意无意 Intentionally or not. Whether by accident or design, those high school kids have really created a solid, sustainable business. if you say that something happens by accident or design, you mean that you do not know if it has been planned or not: Mary was wearing the same T-shirt as me — whether by accident or design, I never knew.), Trump has found himself in a situation where he has a lot of options available to him. 

 Law & Order SVU: 1. There's a chance we're not. I mean, Dreyfus offered up his DNA. Well, what can I say? It makes my skin crawl 浑身不舒服 a little bit thinking about a court violating a minor's privacy. You know, because let's say for the sake of argument that the father is Zack or Jake or some other middle schooler. Why ruin his life too? I didn't know a baby ruined anyone's life. You know what I mean. You know, maybe she's keeping the burden off another 13-year-old. Maybe she's being righteous [ˈraɪtʃəs] 出于正义的 by keeping him in the dark. And if it's a 40-year-old drama teacher? I mean, did you? Did I what? Yeah, when you were pregnant, did you let the father know before you. Before I what? You're making me say it? We were standing right here and you told me that you had an abortion. I never said that. So I dreamt it 做梦喽? No, Amanda, what I said was is that regret can be an awful thing to live with and so you assumed. Yeah, and you let me. I did, and I'm sorry, Amanda. It's just it's a very complicated story and I didn't want to get into it. So it's a privacy thing, which was my argument to begin with in this conversation. 2. Are you stuck on stupid (be stuck on something or someone in the sense of infatuated with. She's still stuck on him after all this time. to like a person or an idea very much: Nick's really stuck on Maria - he doesn't talk about anything else. be stuck on stupid: in a prolonged state of being completely clueless or too high to think straight. When your brain just isn't functioning correctly,from being fucked so good for a long time. "I'm sorry, I'm stuck on stupid, we just had the best sex and I'm giddy." This fool's stuck on stupid. be struck dumb to be so surprised by something that you cannot say anything: We were struck dumb when she announced she was pregnant. ), Marcus? How much did he pay you to sign the consent form?