perceptive VS perspective; one of degree = a matter of degree; odds and ends, bits and bobs;

用法学习: 1. Totalitarianism [toʊtælɪteəriənɪzəm] is a political system and a form of government that prohibits opposition political parties, disregards and outlaws the political claims of individual and group opposition to the state, and controls the public sphere and the private sphere of society. In the field of political science, totalitarianism is the extreme form of authoritarianism, wherein all socio-political power is held by a dictator, who also controls the national politics and the peoples of the nation with continual propaganda campaigns that are broadcast by state-controlled and by friendly private mass communications media. The totalitarian government uses ideology to control most aspects of human life, such as the political economy of the country, the system of education, the arts, the sciences, and the private-life morality of the citizens. In the exercise of socio-political power, the difference between a totalitarian regime of government and an authoritarian régime of government is one of degree 五十步还是百步的问题, 程度不同罢了 ( The difference between these online gamers and the Taliban men who, last October, tried to murder fourteen-year-old Malala Yousafzai for speaking out about the right of Pakistani women to education is one of degree. Both are trying to silence and punish women for claiming voice, power, and the right to participate. a matter of degree 五十步笑百步, 程度的区别, 深度的问题, 程度问题 a situation that involves varying levels of something rather than two completely different things: "That's really bad." "Well, it's all a matter of degree (= there are other things better and other things worse)." The differences between us are just a matter of degree. The reporter's question was not as rude as the response, but it was only a matter of degree. "Would you sacrifice economic growth to protect the environment?" "Yes, but it's a matter of degree." Often the judgment as to whether the insured party was acting responsibly is a matter of degree.); whereas totalitarianism features a charismatic dictator and a fixed worldview, authoritarianism only features a dictator who holds power for the sake of holding power, and is supported, either jointly or individually, by a military junta and by the socio-economic elites who are the ruling class of the country. Joseph Stalin (left), leader of the Soviet Union, and Adolf Hitler (right), leader of Nazi Germany, are considered prototypical dictators of totalitarian regimes. Authoritarianism is a political system characterized by the rejection of political plurality, the use of strong central power to preserve the political status quo, and reductions in democracy, separation of powers, civil liberties, and the rule of law. Political scientists have created many typologies describing variations of authoritarian forms of government. Authoritarian regimes may be either autocratic or oligarchic and may be based upon the rule of a party or the military. States that have a blurred boundary between democracy and authoritarianism have some times been characterized as "hybrid democracies", "hybrid regimes" or "competitive authoritarian" states. 2. A cult of personality, or a cult of the leader, is the result of an effort which is made to create an idealized and heroic image of a glorious leader, often through unquestioning flattery and praise. Historically, it has developed through techniques of mass media, propaganda, spectacle, the arts, patriotism, and government-organized demonstrations and rallies. A cult of personality is similar to apotheosis, except that it is established by modern social engineering techniques, usually by the state or the party in one-party states and dominant-party states. Cults of personality often accompany the leaders of totalitarian or authoritarian governments. They can also be seen in some monarchies, theocracies, failed democracies, and even in liberal democracies. 3. RFK Jr. compared Trump to Hitler and praised descriptions of his supporters as 'Nazis': In one episode of "Ring of Fire" from December 2016, Kennedy compared Trump's strategy to historical demagogues who rose during times of crisis. Drawing comparisons to global crises such as the Great Depression, Kennedy said periods of economic and social instability had often given rise to demagogues who exploit fear, prejudice and insecurity to gain power. He cited figures abroad like Hitler, Francisco Franco and Mussolini, as well as Huey Long and Father Coughlin in the US, as historical parallels. "And you can see that every statement that Donald Trump makes is fear-based," Kennedy said on his radio show in December 2016. "Every statement he makes. You know, we have to be fear of the Muslims. We have to be fear of the black people, and particularly the big Black guy Obama, who's destroying this country, who's making everybody miserable." "And only one person has the genius and the capacity to solve these things. And I'm not gonna tell you how I'm gonna do it. Just trust in me, vote for me and everything will be great again. And of course, that whole thing is like a carnival barker 兜售的小商小贩 (barker 叫卖者, 兜售者 a person who stands at a show, fair booth, etc, and loudly addresses passers-by to attract customers. a person who advertises an activity at a public event by calling out to people who are walking past: a fairground/circus barker. wiki: A barker, often a carnival barker, is a person who attempts to attract patrons to entertainment events, such as a circus or funfair, by exhorting ( exhort If you exhort someone to do something, you try hard to persuade or encourage them to do it. Kennedy exhorted his listeners to turn away from violence. He exhorted his companions, 'Try to accomplish your aim with diligence.' Foreign funds alone are clearly not enough, nor are exhortations to reform. to strongly encourage or try to persuade someone to do something: exhort someone to do something The governor exhorted the prisoners not to riot. ) passing members of the public, announcing attractions of the show, and emphasizing variety, novelty, beauty, or some other enticing feature of the show. A barker would often conduct a brief free show, introducing performers and describing acts to be given at the feature performance. Professional barkers strongly disliked the term and generally refer to themselves and each other as "talkers".)," Kennedy concluded. He also compared Trump's appeal to that of famous segregationist Alabama Gov. George Wallace. 4. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are a biblical metaphor for the end of times that appear in the Book of Revelation: Conquest: The first horseman rides a white horse; War: The second horseman rides a red horse; Famine and/or pestilence: The third horseman rides a black horse; Death: The fourth horseman rides a pale horse. The Four Horsemen are revealed when the first four of the seven seals are unsealed. The horsemen are often depicted in art, such as in a woodcut by Albrecht Dürer. Revelation 6 tells of a book or scroll in God's right hand that is sealed with seven seals. The Lamb of God/Lion of Judah opens the first four of the seven seals, which summons 召唤 four beings that ride out on white, red, black, and pale horses. All of the horsemen save for Death are portrayed as being human in appearance. In John's revelation the first horseman rides a white horse, carries a bow, and is given a crown as a figure of conquest, perhaps invoking pestilence, or the Antichrist. The second carries a sword and rides a red horse as the creator of (civil) war, conflict, and strife. The third, a food merchant, rides a black horse symbolizing famine and carries the scales. The fourth and final horse is pale, upon it rides Death, accompanied by Hades. "They were given authority over a quarter of the Earth, to kill with sword, famine and plague, and by means of the beasts of the Earth." Christianity typically interprets the Four Horsemen as a vision of harbingers of the Last Judgment, setting a divine end-time upon the world. The term "Four Horsemen" has also been used as a metaphor to describe communication styles that can predict the end of a relationship. The Gottman Institute has identified four communication styles as the "Four Horsemen": criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling. The Gottman Institute offers relationship wellness 健康度 tools to help couples identify and counteract these styles. The Seven Seals of God from the Bible's Book of Revelation are the seven symbolic seals (Greek: σφραγῖδα, sphragida) that secure the book or scroll that John of Patmos saw in an apocalyptic vision. The opening of the seals of the document occurs in Rev Ch 5–8 and marks the Second Coming of the Christ and the beginning of The Apocalypse/Revelation. Upon the Lamb of God/Lion of Judah opening a seal on the cover of the book/scroll, a judgment is released or an apocalyptic event occurs. The opening of the first four Seals releases the Four Horsemen, each with his own specific mission. The opening of the fifth Seal releases the cries of martyrs for the "Word/Wrath of God". The sixth Seal prompts plagues, storms and other cataclysmic events. The seventh Seal cues seven angelic trumpeters who in turn cue the seven bowl judgments and more cataclysmic events. The lamb of God 上帝的牺牲品: Christian doctrine holds that a divine Jesus chose to suffer crucifixion at Calvary to save the world from its sins. He was given up by divine Father, as an "agent and servant of God" in carrying away the sins of the world. In Christian theology the Lamb of God is viewed as both foundational and integral to the message of Christianity. 5. perspective noun. I. A particular perspective is a particular way of thinking about something, especially one that is influenced by your beliefs or experiences. a particular way of considering something: Her attitude lends a fresh perspective to the subject. from a perspective 视角, 看问题的角度 He writes from a Marxist perspective. perspective on Because of its geographical position, Germany's perspective on the situation in Russia is very different from Washington's. He says the death of his father 18 months ago has given him a new perspective on life. ...two different perspectives on the nature of adolescent development. Most literature on the subject of immigrants in France has been written from the perspective of the French themselves. I would like to offer a historical perspective. With more maturity and experience, you will gradually acquire perspective. II. Perspective is the art of making some objects or people in a picture look further away than others. The way that objects appear smaller when they are further away and the way parallel lines appear to meet each other at a point in the distance: In 15th-century Italy, artists rediscovered the rules of perspective. in perspective/into perspective/out of perspective If you get something in perspective or into perspective, you judge its real importance by considering it in relation to everything else. If you get something out of perspective, you fail to judge its real importance in relation to everything else. Remember to keep things in perspective. It helps to put their personal problems into perspective. Labor economist Harley Shaekin argues the cost needs to be viewed in perspective. I let things get out of perspective. in perspective (图里的物品not to scale, 不合比例) An object or person that is in perspective has the correct size and position in comparison with other things in the picture: Make sure that the figures are in perspective. out of perspective An object or person that is out of perspective does not have the correct size or position in comparison with other things in the picture, and therefore does not look real or natural: The painting had a naive, out-of-perspective style. get/keep something in perspective to think about a situation or problem in a wise and reasonable way: You must keep things in perspective - the overall situation isn't really that bad. put something in(to) perspective to compare something to other things so that it can be accurately and fairly judged: Total investments for this year reached $53 million, and, to put this into perspective, investments this year were double those made in 2013. perceptive 观察力强的, 善于观察的, 明察秋毫的 adjective If you describe a person or their remarks or thoughts as perceptive, you think that they are good at noticing or realizing things, especially things that are not obvious. very good at noticing and understanding things that many people do not notice: Her books are full of perceptive insights. Her books are full of perceptive insights into the human condition. He was one of the most perceptive U.S. political commentators. ...a very perceptive critique of Wordsworth. The stages in her love affair with Harry are perceptively written. The task I have in mind requires little more than perceptiveness and a good memory. However, she is very perceptive in certain ways, like knowing where everything is in my house. 6. proselytize [ˈprɒsɪlɪtʌɪz] = proselyte = proselytise 说服人信教, 布道, 传播宗教 disapproving formal (UK usually proselytise) to try to persuade someone to change their religious or political beliefs or way of living to your own. If you proselytize, you try to persuade someone to share your beliefs, especially religious or political beliefs. I assured him we didn't come here to proselytize. Christians were arrested for trying to convert people, to proselytise them. He was also remarkable for the proselytizing zeal with which he wrote his political pamphlets. Television has provided the evangelists with yet another platform for their proselytizing. Missionaries were sent to proselytize in rural areas of the country. parochial [pəˈrəʊkɪəl] 只顾眼前利益的, 局限性的. 眼界窄的, 小家子气的, 地方保护主义的 I. relating to a parish (= an area that has its own church or priest): parochial boundaries. 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. II. disapproving showing interest only in a narrow range of matters, especially those that directly affect yourself, your town, or your country. 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. a parochial view/opinion. Although it's just a local paper, it somehow manages not to be too parochial in its outlook. IIII. 局限于本地的. limited to a narrow or local range of matters: The US coverage of the summit has been extremely parochial. 7. "one's level best" is an idiom that means to try as hard as possible to do something, even if it's difficult. one's best effort at doing something He tried his level best to win the race. She did her level best to please her mother. Tickets are hard to come by but I'll do my level best to get you one. "I'll do my level best to get you a ticket, even though they're hard to find". 7. odds and ends = UK also odds and sods 鸡零狗碎的东西, 边角料, 零零碎碎的东西, 零碎东西, 零星杂物 Miscellaneous things. various things of different types, usually small and not important, or of little value. various items of different types, usually small and unimportant or of little value: We've moved most of the furniture to the new house, but there are still a few odds and ends to bring over. I took most of the big things to the new house, but there are a few odds and ends left to pick up. The garage was filled with a random assortment of odds and ends. bits and bobs 打短工. 零散的工作, 零工, 零星的工作 UK informal small things or jobs of different types. Bits and bobs are small objects or parts of something. The microscope contains a few hundred dollars-worth of electronic bits and bobs. There's a handy compartment for keys and gloves and bits and bobs. We've done a few bits and bobs around the house since we've been here. I've got some bits and bobs to get done before lunch. I need to pick up one or two bits and bobs in town. We were just shopping for a few bits and bobs for the kitchen. throw (one's) toys/rattle out of the cot/pram 发脾气 Primarily heard in UK. To behave in a petulantly upset or angry manner; to act like an angry child. Manchester United's star striker threw his toys out of the cot after he was ejected from the match for biting another player. nothing to sneeze at = not to be sneezed at 并非少数, 钱也不少, 也是不少的钱 something that deserves serious attention, esp. an amount of money: An extra two thousand bucks a year is nothing to sneeze at. If you say that something, especially an amount of money, is not to be sneezed at, you mean that it is a large enough amount to be worth having: Well, a five percent pay increase means an extra $700 a year, which is not to be sneezed at! scoff at (someone or something) 嘲讽, 嘲笑, 讥讽 To dismiss something with scorn, ridicule, or derision. to show ridicule or scorn for someone or something. He's nothing to scoff at. The directors scoffed at her when she presented her plan. They scoffed at my new hat, not realizing how stylish it was. The CEO scoffed at the backlash, confident that those complaining were nothing but a vocal minority. They scoffed at me when I warned them of the disastrous fault in the system, but now they're seeing just how right I was. go nuclear 发飙, 发疯, 发狂 [mainly British, informal] I. to get extremely angry and start behaving in a forceful or irrational way as a result. Since I dropped the pictures off, I've been wearing a crash helmet in case you go nuclear. On a scale of ten, how angry are you at me for them? To throw a fit; To become enraged with an angry outburst. You only turn 21 once, so I plan to go nuclear at my birthday party this weekend! Have you seen the way he's spent money lately? It's like he's gone nuclear! Danny's a teenager, he's going to act out. Just make sure he doesn't go totally nuclear. To aggressively express one's anger. When Mom finds out you dented her brand-new car, she's going to go nuclear! Don't go nuclear, but I think I broke your computer. Mom and Dad will definitely go nuclear when they see you're failing three classes! II. (figurative) To escalate to an extremely high level of excitement or enthusiasm. III. To use nuclear weapons, as by the military, often considered a last resort. I'm worried about the repercussions if our military officials decide to go nuclear. In this tense time, I'm voting for the candidate who's least likely to go nuclear. Anxiety is much higher now that the rival nation has made clear their willingness to go nuclear. IV. In the US Senate, to pursue a course of action allowing the majority party to end filibustering with a simple majority, rather than the usually required supermajority of 60%. Senators could, however, go nuclear and approve this nomination. A: "They won't go nuclear." B: "How can you be so sure?" B: "Because reliable sources have told me that they don't even have a simple majority." The only way we'll get this polarizing bill passed is to go nuclear. V. To take drastic action. Whoa, calling the CEO about this issue is definitely going nuclear—let's see what we can do on our own first. A: "Whoa, don't go nuclear and tamper with Mom's mail!" B: "But she is gonna freak out if she sees I'm failing three classes!" The board of directors' plan to deal with the economic downturn is to go nuclear, basically, and reduce the entire company to a skeleton crew. 8. overarching 超越一切的, 凌驾于一切之上的 adj. You use overarching to indicate that you are talking about something that includes or affects everything or everyone. comprehensive or all-embracing. including or influencing every part of something. most important, because of including or affecting all other areas: a grand overarching strategy. The overarching theme of the election campaign was tax cuts. The crisis gave an overarching justification to the government's policy. "a single overarching principle". The overarching question seems to be what happens when the U.S. pulls out? "Overarching objective 最重要的目标" is a formal term used to describe something that is most important or urgent because it affects or includes everything or everyone. "The overarching goal of any taxonomy is to supply some predictive value during the analysis of an unknown specimen". His overarching objective was to translate findings into policy and practice. This was our overarching objective. Their overarching goal is to eliminate chaos from the land, and often do so without mercy to those they consider unworthy. The overarching goal is consolidating peace and stability. The overarching goal was based on developing one into a more rational, self-regulated individual. play out I. (transitive) To play (a game etc.) to its conclusion. II. (transitive) To play music to accompany the end of, or as a final segment in (a programme, broadcast etc.). And now, to play us out, please welcome Tom Waits. II. (intransitive) To occur or develop in a certain manner. When a situation plays out, it happens and develops: The debate will play out in the media over the next week or two. Let's keep our heads down for a little while and see how things play out. My date played out a little differently than I imagined. If a situation plays itself out, it develops until nothing more can happen, and it is no longer very important: We were forced to stand back and let the crisis play itself out. If a dramatic event is played out, it gradually takes place. Her union reforms were played out against a background of rising unemployment. The film has eerie parallels with the drama being played out in real life. III. (transitive, perhaps influenced by or confused with 'pay out') To feed (rope, cord, etc.) so as to allow more length or slackness. to reel or pay out, as a rope, line, etc I sat at the top of the cliff and played out the rope as she descended. to use up; exhaust to play out one's supplies. IV. to pretend that an imaginary situation or event is really happening. If people play out their dreams, feelings etc, they express them by pretending that a particular situation is really happening The weekend gives you a chance to play out your fantasies. In the psychotherapy group, patients were free to play out their fantasies. play off I. (transitive, often with as) To portray (something) (as unimportant); to dismiss or make light of (a factor in a situation, or one's embarrassment about it); to pretend not to be embarrassed, upset, impressed or otherwise affected by (it). Coordinate terms: laugh away, laugh off, style it out 一笑置之, 一笑泯恩仇. After tripping, Sara tried to play her embarrassment off by laughing with everyone else. Although he's obviously hung over, he's trying to play it off as food poisoning. II.(transitive) To set (other people) against one another: to induce competition between them, especially in a covert way so that they do not realize the degree to which they have been played (manipulated). to encourage one person or group to compete or argue with another, hoping to gain some advantage from this situation: Management policy seemed to be to play one department off against another. Stalin's propensity to play off his subordinates against one another is a well-studied theme. III. (sports, intransitive, transitive) To compete in a play-off; to compete against (an opponent) in a play-off. to play a game, in a team sport, to decide which side will win: United and Rangers are playing off for the championship. IV. (dated, transitive) To display; to show; to put in exercise. to play off tricks. V. to use something in order to get an advantage She plays off her resemblance to the president's daughter. VI. to act with something or someone in a way that produces a good result The yellow and purple play off each other nicely. playoff I. an extra game or period of play in a competition played between teams or competitors who both have the same number of points, in order to decide who wins the competition: Two players are tied for first place, so they will have a one-game playoff to determine the winner. II. a game or series of games that are played after a regular season of games (= a list of games planned ahead of time) to decide a winner. the playoffs. The team with the best record in each division will qualify for a spot in the playoffs. The football team qualified for its first playoff game in four years.

[great] white whale 海市蜃楼, 大白鲸; pocket listing; anaemia 贫血, anaemic adj.;

用法学习: 1. prez [prɛz] another term for president. get to go to the White House this week to shake hands and schmooze with the Prez. incumbent [ɪnˈkʌmbənt] adj. I. necessary for (someone) as a duty or responsibility. If it is incumbent upon you to do something, it is your duty or responsibility to do it. It is incumbent upon all of us to make an extra effort. "the government realized that it was incumbent on them to act". be incumbent on/upon someone to do something 义不容辞的, 有责任, 有义务 formal I. to be necessary for someone: She felt it was incumbent upon/on her to raise the subject at their meeting. II. (of an official or regime) currently holding office. "an annual event at which the incumbent president traditionally delivers a speech poking fun at himself". noun. An incumbent is someone who holds an official post at a particular time. In general, incumbents have a 94 per cent chance of being re-elected. Incumbent is also an adjective. ...the only candidate who defeated an incumbent senator. have a high opinion of (something) 赞赏有加, 赞誉有加, 大加赞誉,  to think that something is good Most of the people surveyed have a high opinion of the organization. I genuinely don't think that Donald Trump is reading my tweets. I don't have such a high opinion of myself 高看, 把自己看得那么重要. odious [oʊdiəs] 可恨的, 糟糕的, 让人不爽的, 可恶的 If you describe people or things as odious, you think that they are extremely unpleasant. extremely unpleasant and causing or deserving hate: an odious crime. an odious little man. Herr Schmidt is certainly the most odious man I have ever met. The judge described the crime as odious. Donald Trump is contemptible, vile and odious, a tornado of corruption and depravity in a flappy blue suit. vocabulary: If something is odious, it's hateful. If you become a historian of slavery, you'll learn all the details of that odious trade. Odious is from the Latin noun odium, which means hatred. It is a strong word, so don't call someone odious unless you want to accuse someone of being loathsome or vile. Actions can also be called odious. A typical use is Shakespeare's in Othello: "You told a lie, an odious damned lie." Some synonyms are hateful, contemptible, detestable, and abominable. verbatim [və(ː)ˈbeɪtɪm] 逐字逐句, 一字不落, 一字不错的 If you repeat something verbatim, you use exactly the same words as were used originally. The President's speeches are regularly reproduced verbatim in the state-run newspapers. She gave me a verbatim report of every conversation she's had this week. That could almost have been taken verbatim from actual interviews. The ramping up of Steven Pineless's jeopardy is brilliantly done, but the bonus of seeing lovely Janey at the end is just brilliant. speak as (one) finds 随便讲, 随便说, 随便聊的, 想起啥说啥, 看见啥就说啥, 说话直率, 没有把门的, 想说什么就说什么, 张嘴就来 To speak candidly as one sees or experiences or sees, even if it comes across as rude or tactless. base your opinion of someone or something purely on personal experience; voice your frank opinion, even if it is interpreted as rude. 1988 Hilary Mantel Eight Months on Ghazzah Street Look, I don't have any theories. I just go issue by issue. I just speak as I find. The candidate built his brand off of speaking as he finds, which seems to strike a chord with the working class voters in his constituency. speak/talk someone's language 意见一致 to have and express similar opinions to those of someone else, or to say something that they want to hear: They welcome him as a politician who finally speaks their language. You would be impressed by her ideas. She's talking our language. He used a straight-talking style to assure potential clients that he spoke their language. now you're speaking my language You can get the work done today? Now you're speaking my language. It says they have beautiful sushi and fresh fish every day. Now you're talking my language. 2. pantomime [pæntəmaɪm] 哑剧 (mime 默剧) noun. I. A pantomime is a funny musical play for children. Pantomimes are usually based on fairy stories and are performed at Christmas. II. Pantomime is the form of entertainment which involves producing a pantomime. What she does very well is pantomime. He is currently starring in pantomime in Weston-super-Mare. III. Pantomime 哑剧. 默剧 is acting something out without speaking. Chaplin feared that the art of pantomime was under threat. The following year, she was dropped from a pantomime performance of Beauty and the Beast after a series of controversial racist tweets emerged, for which Godley later apologised. She was later diagnosed with ovarian cancer, from which she died in 2024. IV. If you say that a situation or a person's behaviour is a pantomime, you mean that it is silly or exaggerated and that there is something false about it. They were made welcome with the usual pantomime of exaggerated smiles and gestures. The rights of every American to good government have been damaged by the pantomime on Capitol Hill. note: Miming is distinguished from silent comedy, in which the artist is a character in a film or skit without sound. A mime artist, or simply mime is a person who uses mime (also called pantomime outside of Britain), the acting out of a story through body motions without the use of speech, as a theatrical medium or as a performance art. 3. jacked [dʒakt] 肌肉发达的 adj informal US I. physically or mentally stimulated from the effects of a drug or stimulant. "a racing car driver, jacked up on amphetamines". II. 兴奋异常. full of nervous excitement. "we're jacked about going to the semifinals". III. (of a person) having very well-developed muscles. having strong, well-developed muscles, especially as a result of working out (= exercising in order to improve the strength or appearance of your body): He was trying to get himself jacked for the photoshoot. These female weightlifters are absolutely jacked. "back in his wrestling prime, he was nicknamed the 'Anabolic Warrior' for his jacked-up physique". roundup I. In journalism, especially television or radio, a roundup of news 一波新闻汇总, 一轮新闻汇总 is a summary of the main events that have happened. First, we have this roundup of the day's news. Winkleman presents a cultural round-up of the year. II. When there is a roundup of people, they are arrested or captured by the police or army and brought to one place. There are reports that roundups of westerners are still taking place. III. A roundup is an occasion when cattle, horses, or other animals are collected together so that they can be counted or sold. What is it that keeps a cowboy looking strong, young and ready for another roundup 召集? the act of gathering together people, animals, or things: a cattle roundup. a roundup of local news stories. roundabout noun. I. A roundabout (US: traffic circle) is a circular structure in the road at a place where several roads meet. You drive round it until you come to the road that you want. II. (US: merry-go-round, carousel) A roundabout at a fair is a large, circular mechanical device with seats, often in the shape of animals or cars, on which children sit and go round and round. III. (US: merry-go-round) A roundabout in a park or school play area is a circular platform that children sit or stand on. People push the platform to make it spin round. adj. I. If you go somewhere by a roundabout route, you do not go there by the shortest and quickest route. The party took a roundabout route overland. II. If you do or say something in a roundabout way 拐着弯的, 间接的, 不是直接的, you do not do or say it in a simple, clear, and direct way. We made a bit of a fuss in a roundabout way. ...using indirect or roundabout language in place of a precise noun. 4. [great] white whale 海市蜃楼, 大白鲸, 可望不可即的目标, 永远难以企及的目标 I. North American an objective that is relentlessly or obsessively pursued but difficult to achieve. something (such as a goal or object) that is obsessively pursued. It was the old man's white whale, the holy grail shining at the end of the dream, on and off the rails, as he chased scripts, directors, and movie stars of the proper magnitude. For drug makers, developing the first Alzheimer's therapy has long been seen as the great white whale: the toughest challenge and biggest opportunity. "physicists struggled to close in on the Higgs boson—the great white whale of modern science". a goal that you are determined to achieve, or something that you are determined to get, especially if this is very difficult: Now I have a white whale to chase, and I'm actually a little excited about going to work tomorrow. For him, Everest is very much the elusive great white whale - not really about climbing but about the human yearning to achieve. II. a small white-coloured whale (= a large sea mammal) that lives mainly in the Arctic: Last century, as many as 5,000 belugas or white whales lived in the St Lawrence River in eastern Canada. Beluga whales, also called white whales, are relatively small whales that live in the cold waters of the Arctic Circle. 5. A binder clip 文件夹子 (folder纸质的文件夹, binder可以把纸张插进去的那种硬塑料文件夹, hole punch. paper clip. glue stick. sticky notes 便利贴. ) (also known as a foldback clip, paper clamp, banker's clip, foldover clip, bobby clip, or clasp) is a simple device for binding sheets of paper together. It leaves the paper intact and can be removed quickly and easily, unlike the staple. It is also sometimes referred to as a handbag clip because of resemblance to a handbag when its clips are folded up. 6. reimagine 全新打造 to have a new idea about the way something should be. To imagine or conceive something in a new way The classic TV series is completely reimagined in the new version. We need to reimagine a different way of living. To thrive, he believes, publishers have to reimagine the book as multimedia entertainment. Project 2025 — the controversial blueprint for a newly reimagined federal government that Trump tried to distance himself from during the campaign despite numerous ties to its authors — called for NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) to be "broken up and downsized" and said the agency was part of the "climate change alarm industry." reimagine itself 重新打造 to imagine again or anew, or to form a new conception of something. It can also mean to become a different kind of person. If Britain wants to be genuinely multicultural, it needs to reimagine itself. edge out 打败, 挤走 If someone edges out someone else, they just manage to beat them or get in front of them in a game, race, or contest. to defeat or do better than someone or something else by a small amount: Among younger voters, he was edged out by the other candidate. She is a brilliant gymnast, but her rival edged her out. France edged out the British team by less than a second. McGregor's effort was enough to edge Johnson out of the top spot. In being tapped for Commerce, Lutnick edged out Robert Lighthizer, the US trade representative during Trump's first term, and Linda McMahon, an administrator of the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019, for the role. Both were informed in the last day or so that Lutnick was getting the job. The move surprised several in Trump's orbit, given McMahon had been the clear front-runner for the role. emissary [emɪsəri US -seri] 特使 An emissary is a representative sent by one government or leader to another. a person sent by one government or political leader to another to take messages or to take part in discussions: He flew to China as the personal emissary of the President. ...the President's special emissary to Hanoi. The Commerce secretary is tasked with supporting US businesses and often acts as an emissary between other nations to negotiate trade deals and increase foreign investment. 7. salubrious [səˈl(j)uːbrɪəs] I. 有益身心健康的. 健康的. health-giving; healthy. A place that is salubrious is pleasant and healthy. ...your salubrious lochside hotel. "odours of far less salubrious origin". (The word "loch" comes from Scottish and Irish Gaelic and means "lake" or "sea inlet".) II. (of a place) pleasant; not run-down. Something that is described as salubrious is respectable or socially desirable. ...London's less salubrious quarters. "an over-priced flat in a none too salubrious area". The InterContinental Double Bay hotel is set to be replaced with a $1 billion lifestyle precinct that its owners believe will be the "final piece of the puzzle" that transforms one of Sydney's most salubrious suburbs into a global destination. vocabulary: Salubrious is a fancy way to describe something that's good for you or is generally favorable to mind or body, but it need not be limited to describing healthy foods or liquids. We salute each other with the cheer, "To your health!" as we chug down something that probably isn't that good for us. But if it were salubrious, it would be. The two words, salute and salubrious stem from the same salus, meaning "welfare, health." Maybe next time, raise a glass of wheatgrass instead of vino! Wheatgrass 小麦苗, 小麦的嫩苗 is the freshly sprouted first leaves of the common wheat plant (Triticum aestivum), used as a food, drink, or dietary supplement. Wheatgrass is served freeze dried or fresh, and so it differs from wheat malt, which is convectively dried. Wheatgrass is allowed to grow longer and taller than wheat malt. 8. A pocket listing 不公开发售 is a property that is for sale without any public advertising. Pocket listings can be used for a variety of reasons. In the real estate industry in the United States, a pocket listing or hip pocket listing is a property where a broker sells a property through private connections rather than entering it into a multiple listing system (MLS) or otherwise publicly advertising it. In Canada, this is called an Exclusive Listing. According to TMZ, they are still mulling a potential asking price, but once they settle on one the property will go on the market. According to The Wrap, DeGeneres and de Rossi have either pocket-listed their Bali-inspired Montecito mansion, or it will soon be listed.

Britain is building one of the world's most expensive railways. Many people now think it's pointless: With its first — and now only — phase currently costed at between $58.4 billion and $70 billion by the UK government, Britain's High Speed 2 (HS2) rail project now costs an eye watering $416 million per mile. It's a metric [ˈmɛtrɪk] 指标 that gives it the dubious honor of being the world's most expensive railway project. Now, with even its supporters despairing ( despair [dɪspeər] 灰心, 不抱希望, 绝望 noun. Despair is the feeling that everything is wrong and that nothing will improve. I looked at my wife in despair. ...feelings of despair or inadequacy. verb. I. If you despair, you feel that everything is wrong and that nothing will improve. 'Oh, I despair sometimes,' he says in mock sorrow. He does despair at much of the press criticism. II. If you despair of something, you feel that there is no hope that it will happen or improve. If you despair of someone, you feel that there is no hope that they will improve. He wished to earn a living through writing but despaired of doing so. ...efforts to find homes for people despairing of ever having a roof over their heads. There are signs that many voters have already despaired of politicians. ) at how it's been managed in recent years, the rail project is widely viewed as an expensive mess that will likely never deliver many of the social and economic benefits it once promised. So, how did it get here? Political interference. Only the equally troubled $128-billion California High Speed Rail project in the United States comes close to matching HS2's soaring costs, with some estimates suggesting that it could top out at $200 million per mile. Chronic short-termism 目光短浅, 只顾眼前利益, 短视 ( [disapproval] If you accuse people of short-termism, you mean that they make decisions that produce benefits now or soon, rather than making better decisions that will produce benefits in the future. the practice of considering only the immediate advantages of particular actions: Some of Europe's entrepreneurs reveal an alarming level of short-termism in making their investment decisions. The cancellation of the autumn budget has heightened fears about short-termism.). The UK's lack of long-term, integrated transport and industrial policies. Slow and overly bureaucratic planning and environmental regimes. Poor project management. Inadequate oversight 监管不力, 监管不足 by the civil servants and government. The blame list goes on. Add to that a construction industry seeking to insulate itself from all of the above with contract bids that include enormous mitigation costs ( Mitigation costs are the costs of taking action to reduce the impact or likelihood of a risk. In the context of climate change, mitigation costs can be measured at various levels, including the project, technology, sector, or macroeconomic level. Mitigation cost 纠错成本, 纠正错误的成本 is the money spent to reduce harm or damage caused by something. For example, if a company pollutes a river, they may have to spend money to clean it up and prevent further pollution. This cost is called mitigation cost. It is like paying to fix a mistake you made. ). In October 2024, the London Times newspaper called HS2 "a story of prolonged dysfunction." It said: "The gradual stunting of HS2 represents egregious short-termism but also an object lesson 血的教训, 实践教训 ( a striking practical example of a principle or ideal. an action or story that teaches you how or how not to act, or that clearly shows the facts of a situation, usually a bad one. If you describe an action, event, or situation as an object lesson, you think that it demonstrates the correct way to do something, or that it demonstrates the truth of a particular principle. It was an object lesson in how to use television as a means of persuasion. The disaster was an object lesson in how not to run a ship. "they responded to daily emergencies in a way that was an object lesson to us all". wiki: An object lesson is a teaching method that uses a physical object or visual aid to convey information and facilitate discussion. The idea is that material things can be used to teach a principle or abstract idea. ) in why Britain struggles to escape its doom loop 周而复始 of anemic ( anemic [ə'niːmɪk] = anaemic 贫血的 adj. I. Someone who is anaemic has anaemia 贫血. Lack of iron in your diet can make you anaemic. Losing a lot of blood makes you tired and anaemic. II.If you describe something as anaemic, you mean that it is not as strong or effective as you think it should be. without any energy and effort: Both actors gave fairly anaemic performances. We will see some economic recovery, but it will be very anaemic. ) growth. "The project has become emblematic of Britain's inability to complete big infrastructure projects." Speaking at an industry conference in 2022, Ricardo Ferreras, director of Spanish construction giant Ferrovial — one of many companies involved in HS2 — blamed the process of obtaining permits and conducting environmental studies for the increased cost of building high-speed railways in the UK. "It's true the cost per kilometer is way higher in the UK than it is in Europe, for example in France or Spain," Ferreras said, laying most of the blame at the maze of UK planning and environmental restrictions construction companies must navigate. "As an example, in Spain the government will get all consents, and all environmental permits, and then when they award the contract, the contractor can just focus on delivering the project." But, he says, the costs associated with HS2 still boggle the mind. "There are mitigating factors 减罪因素, 借口, 说得通的因素, 可理解的原因 ( facts or information presented to a court to reduce the severity of a crime or the sentence given to a defendant. They are also known as extenuating circumstances. ) such as the relative cost of land and the lack of opposition in other countries but, regardless, a variance of 10 or 20 times is remarkable," he says. HS2 initially seemed to make sense to many. Successive UK governments have sold the project to voters as a chance to "level up" deprived post-industrial cities across central and northern regions through investment in improved infrastructure to create "northern powerhouses." HS2 has always been controversial for a whole host of reasons. Right from the start it generated anger from communities blighted by its construction as well as environmentalists trying to save ancient woodland lying in its path. Also upset were those who argued that even its original price tag was steep for a rail line that would offer only marginally faster travel, regardless of whether it would free up capacity on the existing rail network for regional and freight trains. The need to soothe angry residents in communities along the route added to the massive cost. Opposition was especially fierce where HS2 slices through quintessential English rolling landscapes north of London, dotted with ancient woodlands and historic villages. Wealthy retirees living in the pretty Chiltern Hills found themselves in a surprising coalition with radical environmental campaigners from the likes of Extinction Rebellion as they attempted to halt the project. However, their efforts were in vain and only succeeded in significantly driving up construction costs. Many miles of extra tunnels and expensive earthworks were added to make the railway "disappear" from view, adding billions to the price tag but doing almost nothing to reduce opposition from a vociferous [və'sɪfərəs] 大喊大叫的, 不遗余力的 (If you describe someone as vociferous, you mean that they speak with great energy and determination, because they want their views to be heard. Vociferous people express their opinions and complaints loudly and repeatedly in speech, and vociferous demands, etc. are made repeatedly and loudly: Local activist groups have become increasingly vociferous as the volume of traffic passing through the village has increased. A vociferous opponent of gay rights, he is well-known for his right-wing views. vocabulary: Vociferous describes loudmouths, such as the vociferous mob at the soccer game. Vociferous is from the Latin vociferari, meaning "to shout, yell." If you break it down to the first part, take vox, meaning "voice" and add it to ferre, meaning "to carry," then vociferous describes voices that carry; you can hear a vociferous person from across the room at a dance party. Vociferous isn't just loud, but annoying, too, like when the vociferous fans of the opposing team chant insults in unison. Try yanking a cookie out of a little kid's hand if you want to hear a vociferous reaction.) anti-HS2 lobby. This month it was announced that nearly $130 million would be spent on a one-kilometer-long "bat shed" covering the track in rural Buckinghamshire to ensure high-speed trains do not disturb bats living in nearby woodland. Its construction was demanded by planning authorities despite a lack of any evidence that bats are affected by passing trains, according to HS2's builder. Where other countries build their new railways largely at ground level or elevated on seemingly endless concrete viaducts ( viaduct ['vaɪədʌkt] 路桥, 水泥柱子 A viaduct is a long, high bridge that carries a road or a railway across a valley. a long, high bridge, usually held up by many arches, that carries a railway or a road over a valley: a railway viaduct. There is a railway viaduct a tad northwest of the town. type of long bridge or series of bridges, usually supported by a series of arches or on spans between tall towers. The purpose of a viaduct is to carry a road or railway over water, a valley, or another road. A culvert 涵洞 is a structure that channels water past an obstacle or to a subterranean waterway. Typically embedded so as to be surrounded by soil, a culvert may be made from a pipe, reinforced concrete or other material. In the United Kingdom, the word can also be used for a longer artificially buried watercourse. ), Britain has chosen a far more expensive route that requires 32 miles of tunnels and 130 bridges — including the UK's longest viaduct. On average, it costs 10 times per mile of track more to build in a tunnel than above ground. Above ground, HS2 Limited, the umbrella company tasked with building the railway, and its contractors have gone to enormous lengths to mitigate their impact on the environment along the route, tweaking the route to limit damage to woodlands and designated areas of outstanding natural beauty, planting millions of new trees and funding millions of dollars worth of environmental and community projects from rewilding ( rewilding 退耕还林 the practice of returning areas of land to a wild state, including the reintroduction of animal species that are no longer naturally found there. the process of protecting an environment and returning it to its natural state, for example by bringing back wild animals that used to live there: Rewilding runs directly counter to human attempts to control and cultivate nature. ) schemes to school playgrounds. But while the price tag kept escalating, public willingness 意愿 to foot the bill has diminished. And when the cost of building Phases 1 and 2 rocketed to an estimated $130 billion, the UK government came under increasing pressure to find savings. "With rail passenger levels only just returning to pre-Covid levels and the nation's coffers almost empty, the country is left with a ludicrously expensive venture that, in its current mutilated ( mutilate [mjuːtɪleɪt] I. If a person or animal is mutilated, their body is severely damaged, usually by someone who physically attacks them. More than 30 horses have been mutilated in the last nine months. He tortured and mutilated six young men. The mutilated bodies of seven men have been found beside a railway line. Amnesty International chronicles cases of torture and mutilation. She had suffered severe facial mutilations after an accident. to damage something severely, especially by violently removing a part: Her body had been mutilated beyond recognition. Self-hatred apparently drove her to mutilate her own face. II. If something is mutilated, it is deliberately damaged or spoiled. to destroy an idea or a piece of art or entertainment: They have mutilated a beautiful film by making these changes. Brecht's verdict was that his screenplay had been mutilated. By chance the book survives in an early, fragile, mutilated copy dating from around 1100. ) form, is essentially pointless." Rail industry leaders claim that reinstating the Birmingham-Crewe section of HS2 could actually save the government money, by increasing the value of future operating concessions. These could be worth around $26 billion if fully developed from central London and joining lines to northern cities. However, the section under construction between west London and Birmingham would be worth just a quarter of that according to an analysis by the High Speed Rail Group (HSRG). HSRG, a coalition of rail and engineering companies whose members include global transport giants Hitachi, Alstom, Siemens and UK train operators, argues that spending billions more now to reach Euston and Crewe would save the UK Treasury $4.5 billion in the long run. In the meantime, London continues to dominate the UK economy, sucking investment and talent out of the regions and widening the already cavernous [ˈkavənəs] 洞穴似的, 宽敞的 ( A cavernous room or building is very large inside, and so it reminds you of a cave. If something is cavernous, there is a very large open space inside it: a cavernous 4,000-seat theatre. The work space is a bare and cavernous warehouse. ) gap between the capital and the rest of the country. 

vitriol [ˈvɪtrɪəl] VS virile [vɪraɪl; US: ˈvɪrəl] VS visceral [ˈvɪs(ə)rəl]; throw stone, throw sand

用法学习: 1. wrap up warm = put on some extra layers 穿暖和点, 多穿点衣服. 怕冷不是afraid of the cold. 而是not feel the cold. The cold doesn't bother me. beer jacket = beer coat The invisible coat you where over your tshirt/short sleeve/bare chest when walking home on a freezing night out without feeling the cold. "Aren't you cold?" "No i'm wearing my beer jacket! = I got my beer jacket. I don't really feel the cold." The ability not to feel the cold when drunk. "You must have been freezing last night walking home?" "I didn't feel it. I had my trusty beer jacket on". nippy (nipples get hard when it's cold) = chilly = a bit cold 冷飕飕的 冷死了: absolutely freezing. fucking freezing. I'm freezing my balls/tits off. 2. 欢迎你到中国: I hope you can visit China one day if you ever get a grip on Chinese. You should visit Beijing. You are welcome to visit Beijing. 你先忙吧: I'll let you get on [with it] = I'll let you crack on [with it]. What's up, man? Oh, sorry you seem a bit busy, I'll let you crack on. I'd better get on 我得忙了. I'll get out of your hair 我不烦你了, 我不打扰你了. I'll leave you in peace 我不烦你了, 我不打扰你了. I'll let you go. I won't take up any more of your time 不耽误你了, 不打扰你了. 3. "You're having a laugh 开玩笑呢吧, 搞笑呢吧" is an informal idiom in the UK that means you think something someone has said is unreasonable or unfair. For example, you might say "£500 to cut down a tree—you're having a laugh, mate!". "You're having a laugh! You were only sitting on her garden wall. What's wrong with that?" "I'm going to have to pay £500 to get my car windscreen fixed. You're having a laugh! It's not worth that much, surely?" In UK, £1,000 is commonly referred to as a grand, e.g., £4,000 would be called 4 grand, or rarely in certain dialects as a "bag" (from the rhyming slang "Bag of Sand"). In some cases, £1,000 is known as one large, i,e., £10,000 would be ten large. £2,000 has been known as an Archer, having been coined by Rik Mayall's character Alan B'stard in TV comedy The New Statesman. In recent years, many dialects have opted to use other terms for large amounts of money. £100 is commonly known as a bag £1,000 is commonly known as a rack. 4. bumpkin [ˈbʌm(p)kɪn] = country bumpkin an unsophisticated or socially awkward person from the countryside. a person from the countryside who is considered to be awkward and stupid. If you refer to someone as a bumpkin, you think they are uneducated and stupid because they come from the countryside. ...unsophisticated 天真无邪的 country bumpkins. "she thought Tom a bit of a country bumpkin". My boyfriend passed away when I was a teenager. If that hadn't happened I would have been happily married and been a country bumpkin like I was,' she said. have [got] (one's) mind in the gutter 思想不单纯, 不纯洁 (get your mind out of the gutter) slang To have or give voice to lewd, inappropriate thoughts (about someone or something). Hey, don't stay dirty stuff like that around my mother. Do you have your mind in the gutter? A: "And then she compared my model rocket to a phallus." B: "Ew, gross. She always has her mind in the gutter." tending to think of or say things that are obscene. Tiffany has her mind in the gutter. That's why she laughs at all that dirty stuff. Why do you tell so many dirty jokes? Do you always have your mind in the gutter. Thrupp previously told the Sydney Morning Herald he was upset that gossip columns in Sydney had suggested his relationship to Jones was something more. 'It was something that was obviously completely untrue. I think it's amazing how in Australia people struggle to understand that, yes, people have patrons. It's actually a very common thing.' 'It's obviously upsetting that people put their minds in the gutter ... I struggled with that because I had family members reading this stuff... They knew he had taken me under his wing and they were grateful... yet here was this reporting where it was like 'oh, there must be something going on'. 'I've moved on. You can't not be thick-skinned in this industry and city.' 5. pastel [pæstəl, US pæstel] I. Pastel colours 淡色 are pale rather than dark or bright. ...delicate pastel shades. ...pastel pink, blue, peach and green. ...pretty pastel-coloured houses. The lobby is decorated in pastels. having a pale soft colour: Their house is decorated in pastel shades. II. Pastels (粉彩) are also small sticks of different coloured chalks that are used for drawing pictures. a soft, coloured substance, usually in the form of a small stick, that is used to draw pictures, or a picture made using this: Do you like working in pastel? The show includes 85 paintings, pastels, and sculptures. ...pastels and charcoal. ...the portrait in pastels. III. A pastel (粉彩画) is a picture that has been done using pastels. ...Degas's paintings, pastels, and prints. ...a pastel by Toulouse-Lautrec. ...a pastel drawing. wiki: A pastel (US: [pæˈstɛl]) is an art medium that consist of powdered pigment and a binder. It can exist in a variety of forms, including a stick, a square, a pebble, and a pan of color, among other forms. The pigments 色素 used in pastels are similar to those used to produce some other colored visual arts media, such as oil paints; the binder is of a neutral hue and low saturation. The color effect of pastels is closer to the natural dry pigments than that of any other process. plethora [pleθərə] A plethora of something 大量的, 一大堆 is a large amount of it, especially an amount of it that is greater than you need, want, or can cope with. a very large amount of something, especially a larger amount than you need, want, or can deal with: a plethora of excuses/agencies/diet books. There's a plethora of books about the royal family. The plethora of regulations is both contradictory and confusing. A plethora of new operators will be allowed to enter the market. 6. masthead I. A ship's masthead is the highest part of its mast. II. A newspaper's masthead is the part at the top of the front page where its name appears in big letters. III. = UK imprint: A list of a newspaper or other periodical's main staff, contributing writers, publisher, circulation, advertising rates etc. We carry illustrations of these medals on our masthead. IV. = US nameplate. The title (normally in a large and distinctive font) of a newspaper or other periodical at the top of the front page; (by extension) the publication itself or the rights to it. V. The logo of a broadcaster used in an ident. Launched in May 2013, Guardian Australia (GNMA) is owned by Guardian News and Media Holdings (GNMH) which is owned by Guardian Media Group (GMG), which is the publisher of theguardian.com, a leading global English-language news masthead. The Saturday Herald Sun's readership also increased by 0.3 per cent, to 625,000, and ­remains the most read metropolitan Saturday masthead. hold forth 高谈阔论, 侃侃而谈 I. talk lengthily, assertively, or tediously about a subject. to talk about a particular subject for a long time, often in a way that other people find boring: hold forth about/on If you hold forth on a subject, you speak confidently and for a long time about it, especially to a group of people. Barry was holding forth on politics. She held forth all afternoon about/on government incompetence. "a famous poet was holding forth, surrounded by admiring young writers and critics". II. to offer (an attraction or enticement). put years on sb 显得老, 显老 ( take years off someone 显年轻, 显嫩, 显小) If you say that something such as an experience or a way of dressing has put years on someone, you mean that it has made them look or feel much older. If something puts years on a person, it makes them appear much older: "I always turn adversity and defeat into victories, but it's probably put ten years on me". "Her bedraggled pony-tail put years on her". "Being tired and unhappy puts years on you". Being tired and unhappy puts years on you. I always turn adversity and defeat into victories, but it's probably put ten years on me. be 10 years on someone = have 10 years on someone: "He is 10-15 years ahead of me. If the context is spending time in a company, it means he joined 10-15 years before me. If the context is of age, then definitely it means he is older than me by 10-15 years."  This phrase refers to having an advantage in whatever situation is being discussed. If I'm 50 years old and weigh 160 pounds, and am attacked by someone who's about 35 years old and weighs 200, I could say "he had 15 years and 40 pounds on me." "Do a number on someone" is an American English idiom that means to manipulate, trick, or harm someone in some way. to abuse or mistreat in some way, as by injuring, disparaging, cheating, or humiliating. to injure someone or something, or to hurt or embarrass someone: I. To injure or hurt: "I really did a number on my ankle when I fell". II. To embarrass or humiliate: "She really did a number on her old boyfriend, making him beg her to come back and then turning him down". I really did a number on my ankle when I fell. She really did a number on her old boyfriend, making him beg her to come back and then turning him down. Treating people or animals badly. III. To defeat or undermine: "The committee really did a number on the mayor's proposal". IV. To criticize thoroughly: "The committee really did a number on the mayor's proposal". V. To cheat: "The Irish team are looking to do a number on England in Dublin tomorrow". Synonyms of "do a number on" include tricked, deceived, fooled, and had on. "Have someone's number 拿捏, 拿住" is an idiom that means to have an advantage over someone because you know or understand them well. to know a lot about someone and so have an advantage over them: Don't worry, I've got his number, he doesn't fool me."Don't worry, I've got his number, he doesn't fool me". have someone on 开玩笑, 玩我 informal try to make someone believe something that is untrue, especially as a joke. to persuade someone that something is true when it is not, usually as a joke: That's your new car? You're having me on! "that's just too neat—you're having me on". 7. alert I. If you are alert, you are paying full attention to things around you and are able to deal with anything that might happen. quick to see, understand, and act in a particular situation: I'm not feeling very alert today - not enough sleep last night! A couple of alert readers posted comments on the website pointing out the mistake. Parents should be alert to sudden changes in children's behaviour. We all have to stay alert. He had been spotted by an alert neighbour. The drug improved mental alertness. You sound very alert 清醒 on a Monday. You didn't have any alcohol on the weekend? II. If you are alert to something, you are fully aware of it. The bank is alert to the danger. noun. I. An alert is a situation in which people prepare themselves for something dangerous that might happen soon. Due to a security alert, this train will not be stopping at Oxford Circus. II. a warning to people to be prepared to deal with something dangerous: a bomb alert 警戒. The army was put on (full) alert as the peace talks began to fail. The public were warned to be on the alert for (= watching carefully for) suspicious packages. III. a message, for example on your mobile phone or on television or radio, that warns you or gives you information about something: You can set location-based alerts 警戒, 报警 so your phone will remind you of something important when you are arriving at or leaving a location. I get text alerts 警告信息 when I have used 80% of my mobile data. Sign up to receive news alerts in your area. verb. If you alert someone to a situation, especially a dangerous or unpleasant situation, you tell them about it. He wanted to alert people to the activities of the group. I was hoping he'd alert the police. on alert If soldiers or police are on alert, they are ready to deal with anything that may happen. Soldiers and police have been put on alert. on the alert for something If you are on the alert for something, you are ready to deal with it if it happens. They want to be on the alert for similar buying opportunities. red alert If a hospital, a police force, or a military force is on red alert, they have been warned that there may be an emergency, so they can be ready to deal with it. All the Plymouth hospitals are on red alert. Sirens sounded an end to the red alert. 8. leg-over noun VULGAR SLANG BRITISH an act or instance of having sex. "now and then he indulged in an extramarital leg-over". get your leg over (throw a leg-over) (of a man) to have sex. It's all well and good having a relationship, but at the end of the day all I want to do is get my leg over. They would say things like 'Have you got your leg over yet?'. He told me how at least two ministers had, as he put it, tried unsuccessfully to get a leg over. All he wants is a legover, hello and goodbye. 8. vociferous [və'sɪfərəs] adj. If you describe someone as vociferous, you mean that they speak with great energy and determination, because they want their views to be heard. Vociferous people express their opinions and complaints loudly and repeatedly in speech, and vociferous demands, etc. are made repeatedly and loudly: Local activist groups have become increasingly vociferous as the volume of traffic passing through the village has increased. A vociferous opponent of gay rights, he is well-known for his right-wing views. He was a vociferous opponent of Conservatism. His resentment of her behaviour was becoming more vociferous. He vociferously opposed the state of emergency imposed by the government. The former vice president of the federal Liberal Party, Teena McQueen, was vociferous in Jones' defence. go to water (informal) To give up under threat or pressure. Numerous senior Australian politicians were extremely eager over decades to be seen as close to Jones, or routinely went to water when he demanded they appear on his top-rating radio show or threatened them over decisions with which he disagreed. be in hot water = get into hot water = in deep water to be in or get into a difficult situation in which you are in danger of being criticized or punished: He found himself in hot water over his comments about immigration. 9. The sorry 可怜可悲的 ( If someone or something is in a sorry state, they are in a bad state, mentally or physically. so bad as to cause feelings of sympathy: They were a sorry sight, dressed in rags and so weak they could hardly stand up. The fire left Kuwait's oil industry in a sorry state. She is a sorry sight. They were a sorry lot. sorry sight, state, tale, etc. a bad condition or situation: He was a sorry sight when he got home - soaking and covered in mud. ) spectacle 画面, 场面, 场景 of politician after politician turning up at Jones' pad and paying tribute challenged democratic principles and shames us all. I believe they do it out of fear more than respect. The way the pollies see it, there is no real upside in opposing him. Howard, during his long period as prime minister, was keenly aware of Jones' reputation for using his radio show to wield political power. Howard sent a handwritten note to inform Jones he had appointed a senior adviser to act as a special point of contact between "your people" and the prime ministerial office. The adviser became known as "the Minister for Alan Jones". The arrangement, revealed by The Sydney Morning Herald in 2004, was established after the radio broadcaster complained that Howard's government was ignoring his correspondence. 10. 考试错误: He said around halfway through the exam, an examiner 监考老师 told students to disregard two other questions in the paper. Feedback given to the Australian Education Union from a teacher described the food and nutrition paper as "borderline disgraceful" and said there was an issue in copying over the setting examiner's copy to the actual exam paper 考卷. Teachers also described multiple issues with the chemistry paper, including the incorrect use of terms and values. Susan, a parent in southern Tasmania, said her son identified issues in both the chemistry and physics papers. She said this "rattled" him and left him nervous about his upcoming exams. "This is the culmination of 14 years of schooling for some of these kids and they placed a lot of value  and a lot of pride in getting to the end of their schooling and doing a really good job," Susan said. Susan said she wanted transparency from TASC about how the incorrect questions would be graded 计分. A spokesperson for TASC said "specific marking approaches 计分方法 will be developed based on an assessment of how students have responded to the affected questions." "Realistically, [the exams] should have gone through enough rigour at the TASC end to make sure that the exam papers can be answered correctly and smoothly, and that students won't be thrown off 整懵, 懵逼, 打蒙, 晕头转向 by spelling errors or incorrect information." 11. 委屈: feel wrongly accused 冤枉 when you said I ate your chocolate. I feel so wronged (I'll kill you if you wrong my daughter), hurt one's feelings (不说 my feelings are hurt). feel unfairly treated, feel treated differently. feel victimized. Stop playing the victim.

Throw sand in gears VS throw stone: 1. people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones 也不看看自己 This means that you should not criticize other people for bad qualities in their character that you have yourself. used to say that people who have faults should not criticize other people for having the same faults. When will they learn? People in glass houses really shouldn't throw stones. Jim: You shouldn't drive so fast, Jerry! Jerry: Well, didn't you just get a speeding ticket last week? People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! Maggie: Matt's room is always a mess. He needs to clean more often! Mom: You're room isn’t clean either, Maggie. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Because this proverb is so widely known, it is often shortened. Below is an example of this. Kevin: I can't believe Aaron just quit another job. Isn't that the fourth one this year? Kim: And how many jobs have you had this year? People who live in glass houses… You're room isn't clean either, Maggie. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. 2. "Don't throw sand 惹事, 发脾气, 闹小孩脾气" is a phrase that means to avoid causing problems or preventing something from happening as it should. For example, "I don't want to give them a chance to throw sand in the gears". The phrase "throw sand" can also be used to describe the act of firing off negativity or blaming others for circumstances instead of looking for solutions. This can happen when people fall into "childish thinking" in difficult situations, which can lead to stress, conflict. 3. throw sand in the gears 扰乱, 打乱计划, 打乱行为, 找麻烦 To disrupt, delay, or cause problems to a plan, activity, or project. to cause problems or prevent something from happening as it should: He said "When mobile phone companies charge consumers fat penalties to leave, they're throwing sand in the gears of competition." We had everything in line for the party, but having the caterer cancel on us at the last minute really threw sand in the gears. It will throw sand in the gears if the board decides not to increase our funding for this project. The CEO of the massive conglomerate accused the government of maliciously throwing sand in the gears of its latest acquisition. 4. throw a (monkey) wrench [UK spanner] in(to) the works 打乱, 干扰到计划 To disrupt, foil, or cause problems to a plan, activity, or project. to cause problems for someone's plans. I don't want to throw a monkey wrench in the works, but have you checked your plans with a lawyer? When John suddenly refused to help us, he really threw a monkey wrench in the works. We had everything in line for the party, but having the caterer cancel on us at the last minute really threw a wrench in the works! It'll really throw a monkey wrench into the works if the board decides not to increase our funding for this project. Of course they may not sign the agreement by the sixteenth and that would throw a monkey wrench into the works. Note: Instead of saying the works, people often describe the situation in which the problem is caused. Most health-related problems, of course, are not life-threatening, but they can throw a wrench into an otherwise pleasant holiday. The US delegation threw a giant monkey wrench into the process this week by raising all sorts of petty objections. Note: The usual British expression is throw a spanner in the works. 5. put a spoke in (one's) wheel To disrupt, foil, or cause problems to one's plan, activity, or project. I had everything in line for the party, but having the caterer cancel on me at the last minute really put a spoke in my wheel. It will really put a spoke in our wheel if the board decides not to increase our funding for this project. You would think the rise of cheap electric cars would put a spoke in Big Oil's wheel, but they actually seem to be embracing the change. note: Spoke may be an incorrect translation from Dutch of spaak meaning 'bar' or 'stick'.

完美无瑕的, 完美无缺的: spotless (flawless), immaculate, impeccable, faultless. unblemished 毫无瑕疵的. untarnished (REPUTATION). impeccable: If you describe something such as someone's behaviour or appearance as impeccable, you are emphasizing that it is perfect and has no faults. perfect, with no problems or bad parts: impeccable taste/manners/credentials. His English is impeccable. She had impeccable taste in clothes. Her academic credentials are impeccable. He was impeccably polite. immaculate I. If you describe something as immaculate, you mean that it is extremely clean, tidy, or neat. Her front room was kept immaculate. ...the waiter, dressed in immaculate bow tie and suit. The 1979 Chevrolet is in immaculate condition. As always he was immaculately dressed. II. If you say that something is immaculate, you are emphasizing that it is perfect, without any mistakes or bad parts at all. The goalkeeper's performance was immaculate. The orchestra plays immaculately. It is difficult to praise this immaculately researched work too highly. spotless 一尘不染的 Something that is spotless is completely clean. Each morning cleaners make sure everything is spotless. Even in the most spotless homes, carpets need regular cleaning to keep them looking good. The house had huge, spotlessly clean rooms. spotless character, record, reputation, etc. a very good and honest character, etc.: He was young and confident, with a spotless reputation. If someone's behavior or reputation is spotless, it is extremely good: a spotless career.

vitriol [ˈvɪtrɪəl] VS virile [vɪraɪl; US: ˈvɪrəl] VS visceral [ˈvɪs(ə)rəl]: vitriol [ˈvɪtrɪəl] noun. I. 恶意. 恶毒的话. [disapproval] bitterly harsh or caustic language or criticism. If you refer to what someone says or writes as vitriol, you disapprove of it because it is full of bitterness and hate, and so causes a lot of distress and pain. violent hate and anger expressed through severe criticism: He is a writer who has often been criticized by the press but never before with such vitriol. The vitriol he hurled at members of the press knew no bounds. He has been no stranger to controversy and vitriol during a tumultuous political career. political commentators spewing angry vitriol. Rumor has always played a role in politics, but rarely have the backstage operatives been so adroit, and so cynical, in their use of vitriol. II. a sulfate of any of various metals (such as copper, iron, or zinc). a glassy hydrate of such a sulfate. vitriolic adjective vitriolic personal attacks. If you describe someone's language or behaviour as vitriolic, you disapprove of it because it is full of bitterness and hate, and so causes a lot of distress and pain. There was a vicious and vitriolic attack on him in one of the Sunday newspapers two weeks ago. a vitriolic debate/dispute. vocabulary: Vitriol is harsh, nasty criticism. You may have deserved some blame when the cake didn't rise, but the head chef's stream of vitriol was unnecessary. Back in the day, vitriol was the name for sulfuric acid, which burns through just about anything. So think of vitriol as language so mean-spirited and bitter that it could eat through metal: "As a divorce lawyer, you were familiar with vitriol, but nothing prepared you for the time you wore a Red Sox cap at Yankee Stadium." virile [vɪraɪl; US: ˈvɪrəl] 精力充沛, 活力满满, 有男子汉气概, 男人气的, 有男人味的 adj. [approving] I. If you describe a man as virile, you mean that he has the qualities that a man is traditionally expected to have, such as strength and sexual energy. A virile man, especially a young man, is full of sexual strength and energy in a way that is considered attractive. The ads show virile young men playing on the beach. She likes her men young and virile. He wanted his sons to become strong, virile, and athletic like himself. ...a tall, virile man with rugged good looks. virility [vɪˈrɪlɪti] 男子汉气概 (in a man) the quality of having strength, energy, and a strong sex drive; manliness. "great importance is placed on a man's virility" Children are also considered proof of a man's virility. II. Something that is described as virile is considered to be very strong and forceful. ...Prokofiev's most virile, aggressive music. ...a virile approach to difficulties. virility The strength of national electronics industries has become the new test of industrial virility. vocabulary: You'll often hear the word virile referring to a manly, powerful man, because the word means having physical strength and other typical masculine qualities. When you think of a virile man, you imagine a tough, strong guy who's full of energy, vigor, and sexual potency 性张力(Sexual tension is a common social phenomenon that occurs when two people feel sexual attraction to each other but don't act on it. It's more about the build-up to sex than the act itself.). He's definitely not a wimp. Men admire him and women want to be with him. Superman is one guy who could easily be described as virile. The Man of Steel, with his muscles rippling under the "S" emblazoned on his costume, has superhuman strength and charm. That's why Lois Lane can't keep her eyes — and hands — off him. visceral [ˈvɪs(ə)rəl] 发自内心的, 不受理智控制的. 生理性的 I. based on deep feeling and emotional reactions rather than on reason or thought. Visceral feelings are feelings that you feel very deeply and find it difficult to control or ignore, and that are not the result of thought. I never overcame a visceral antipathy for the monarchy. ...the sheer visceral joy of being alive. visceral hatred/excitement 发自内心的. His approach to acting is visceral rather than intellectual. II. based on emotional reactions rather than on reason or thought: He has a visceral feel for our problems. A visceral reaction is a powerful physical response that happens automatically without conscious control. It can occur when we perceive something as threatening, dangerous, joyous, or any other strong emotion. It can even include bodily responses like increased heart rate, sweating, shaking, and muscle tension. vocabulary: When something's visceral, you feel it in your guts. A visceral feeling is intuitive — there might not be a rational explanation, but you feel that you know what's best, like your visceral reaction against egg salad. Your hatred of mice may not be rational, but it is visceral, and every time you see one, you feel like you're going to faint. And when you had to decide whether you were going to stay in Florida or move to Texas, even though you had a good job in Orlando you had a visceral feeling that Texas would be the right choice . . . and it turned out you were meant to be a rancher! Visceral can also mean "relating to the viscera," with viscera being your organs.