Affordable Europe: Amsterdam By GISELA WILLIAMS Published: April 22, 2007
(原文連結)
這系列的第一個城市選擇的是阿姆斯特丹,這系列是依字母順序來排列的,荷蘭人的語言優勢還蠻令人羨慕,因為同屬日耳曼語系,荷蘭處於中間,所以幾乎荷蘭人都會荷文加上英文與德文.以旅遊觀點來看,這樣已經可以玩超大一片通行無阻.雖然很多玩家都說就算語言不通也是可以自助,是真的很強,不過這樣總有點不夠入味的遺憾.不過我們不太可能什麼文都會,所以荷蘭人的確是幸運的.(想到一個網路笑話,要是鄭成功沒成功,我們現在是荷蘭人,是真的還蠻可惜的)
Amsterdam still harbors a strong bohemian and laid-back spirit, which means affordable options rarely found in other European capitals, from well-priced restaurants to free cultural events. And it's an easy city to navigate, thanks to its small size and the efficient Amsterdam Tourist Board (www.amsterdamtourist.nl), which, in contrast to some, is actually tourist-friendly.阿姆斯特丹保有強烈的波希米亞風跟安逸舒適的精神,這也提供了其他歐洲首都少見的經濟選擇.從價位合理的飯店到毋需花費的文藝活動.感謝阿姆斯特丹的小巧及有效率的官方旅客版 (
www.amsterdamtourist.nl),比起一些其他城市來說,是對旅客真正友善的環境.
Where to Stay for Under 125 Euros
The common complaint about Amsterdam's budget hotels is that they're either too remote, or too close to the noisy Central Station. One exception is the family-owned 36-room Hotel Aalborg (Sarphatipark 106; 31-20-676-0310; www.aalborg.nl). Newly renovated, the hotel is the middle of the Pijp neighborhood, a lively area filled with young students, artists and an international mix of affordable restaurants. It's also two blocks from the excellent Albert Cuyp market, where 300-plus stalls offer bargains on everything from furniture to Dutch delicacies. Double rooms start at 69 euros, about $94 at $1.36 to the euro, including breakfast.
去哪找125歐元以下的住宿
這段就很實際,125歐元以下能不能接受見仁見智不過以國民所得比較高的歐美國家應該是便宜吧,對阿姆斯特丹經濟的旅館常見的埋怨不是太遠,就是太接近吵雜的中央車站.有個例外是家庭經營的有36間房的Hotel Aalborg (Sarphatipark 106; 31-20-676-0310; www.aalborg.nl).剛重新裝潢過,這家旅館位於 Pijp鄰近地區的中心,充滿年輕學生,藝術家還有各國經濟風味飯店,的一個活力充沛地區.離擁有超過三百家店面什麼都可以講價(從傢俱到荷蘭精緻食物)的Albert Cuyp市場只有兩條街遠.雙人房附早餐由69歐元起跳,以一歐元對1.36美元大概是94美元.
注釋
renovate
VERB V n
If someone renovates an old building, they repair and improve it and get it back into good condition.
The couple spent thousands renovating the house...
Where to Eat
Don't be put off by the word “squat”: Amsterdam's squat restaurants — volunteer-run kitchens in formerly abandoned buildings — offer a cheap way to break bread with the city's creative underclass. Many are exceptionally well run and clean, and draw a festive crowd. The food tends to be vegan and organic, and some places even offer beer, wine and live music. The best part, however, is the price: a two- to three-course meal runs about 6 euros. Two of the city's most popular squat restaurants are De Peper in the former Netherlands Film Academy (Overtoom 301; 31-20-412-2954; www.depeper.org), which serves organic vegan dishes like spring beans over brown rice with roasted miso onions; and Einde van de Wereld (31-20-419-0222; www.eindevandewereld.nl), housed in a floating barge docked on Java Island.
If you're still nervous about eating in a squat, or need some meat with your dinner, try the Belgica (Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 25; 31-20-535-3290; www.belgica.nu), a new brasserie where a good beef stew or bowl of mussels with excellent Belgian frites won't set you back more than 8 or 10 euros.
去哪吃
別因為"路邊攤"這個字眼而打退堂鼓:阿姆斯特丹的路邊餐館—位於些原先廢棄的建築物中非專業人士自己經營的廚房—提供一種體驗這城市裡有創意的下流社會飲食的經濟方式.有許多這種路邊餐館令人意外的經營良好而乾淨,並吸引不少饕客來光顧.這裡提供的食物傾向比較素食與有機,有些地方甚至提供啤酒,紅酒與現場演奏.不論如何,最棒的部分當然還是價錢 :兩到三道菜的一餐要架大約6歐元.市區最有名的兩家路邊餐館是位於原荷蘭電影學院的De Peper (Overtoom 301; 31-20-412-2954;www.depeper.org),提供如春豆糙米加味噌烤洋蔥這類有機素食餐點;另外一家則是Einde van de Wereld(31-20-419-0222;www.eindevandewereld.nl),餐館建在一個停泊在Java Island的大型遊艇上.
如果還是對於在路邊餐館用餐感到不自在,或是晚餐想來點肉食,試試Belgica (Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 25; 31-20-535-3290; www.belgica.nu),一家新開的小餐館一份很棒的燉牛肉或是淡菜加上很棒的比利時洋芋片只花你大約8到10歐元.
注釋
set back
If something sets you back a certain amount of money, it costs you that much money. (INFORMAL)
In 1981 dinner for two in New York would set you back £5.
Where to Shop
Remember when shopping for vintage clothing was fun and cheap? That's still true at shops like Laura Dols (Wolvenstraat 6 and 7; 31-20-624-9066; www.lauradols.nl), a favorite among the thrift-store cognoscenti. It has two locations on Wolvenstraat: No. 7 carries cocktail dresses from the '40s, '50s and '60s, many under 100 euros, as well as a handsome selection of vintage tuxedos and dinner jackets. No. 6, across the street, has bed linens, fur coats and dressy children's clothes. Also popular with fashion stylists is Lady Day (Hartenstraat 9; 31-20-623-5820; www.ladydayvintage.com). For vintage furniture and couture, head to Cornelis Johannes (Willemsparkweg 67; 31-20-616-0184; www.cornelisjohannes.nl). The inventory changes frequently, so you never know if might find a Mies van der Rohe chair, a Mobach ceramic lamp or a classic Chanel suit.
去哪裡開心血拼
還記得買晚宴服裝既便宜又開心的日子嗎?像Laura Dols (Wolvenstraat 6 and 7; 31-20-624-9066; www.lauradols.nl)這樣二手商店集中區中最熱門的店裡依然保有這樣的樂趣,它在Wolvenstraat(Wolven街)7號的店面展售40,50,60年代的雞尾酒服飾,比方說許多漂亮的酒會燕尾服跟晚宴西裝價格都低於100歐元.對街6號的店面則展售床組,毛皮外套及有品味的童裝,同樣受到時尚者歡迎的還有Lady Day (Hartenstraat 9; 31-20-623-5820; www.ladydayvintage.com).要找適合宴會的家具和高品味設計,就前往 Cornelis Johannes (Willemsparkweg 67; 31-20-616-0184; www.cornelisjohannes.nl)吧.不時都會有新貨上架,你永遠不知道這次會找到一張Mies van der Rohe 的椅子, 一盞 Mobach 陶瓷造型檯燈或是一套經典的香奈兒小洋裝.
注釋
vintage
adj
You can use vintage to describe something which is the best and most typical of its kind.
This is vintage comedy at its best.
urban
Urban means belonging to, or relating to, a town or city.
Most of the population is an urban population...
Most urban areas are close to a park.
≠ rural
Best Money-Saving Tip
Dozens of free concerts are being held in Amsterdam this year, from large-scale raves to classical music performances — all part of the city's annual arts festival. Events for this year's “Feel the Rhythm” theme can be found at www.amsterdammusicdance.com. If you're looking to just chill, bike over to Strand West, probably the city's hippest urban beach. It's free to suntan alongside the beautiful locals on the wide sandy beach, but it'll cost you to buy a drink at the chic indoor lounge.
最棒的省錢訣竅
今年阿姆斯特丹舉辦了非常多的免費音樂會,從大型的銳舞派對到古典音樂演奏—全屬於年度藝術節的一部份.今年的主題"Feel the Rhythm"感受旋律可以在 www.amsterdammusicdance.com找到活動詳細內容.如果你只想輕鬆一下,可以騎單車到Strand West,大概是本市最嘻哈的市郊海灘.在寬廣海灘上在漂亮的當地俊男美女邊一起曬太陽是免費的,不過如果要進去時尚的室內lounge還是得花杯飲料錢的入場費.
注釋
alongside
If one thing is alongside another thing, the first thing is next to the second.
He crossed the street and walked alongside Central Park...
chic
ADJ (這裡ch發sh音,可能又是來自法語的外來字)
Something or someone that is chic is fashionable and sophisticated.
Her gown was very French and very chic.
= stylish
相關閱讀
這系列的簡介,15個城市,我要加油了
負擔得起的歐洲城市之旅(Introduction)
http://scottlol.blogspot.com/2007/10/affordable-europe-city-guides-nyt.html
負擔得起的歐洲城市之旅-巴塞隆納
http://scottlol.blogspot.com/2007/11/barcelona-travel-cheap.html
36小時城市巡禮系列之阿姆斯特丹,這個超推薦,目前不可能有時間翻請先去欣賞一下
36 Hours in Amsterdam
介紹使用NYT網站的舊文供大家參考
英文學習網站分享及使用心得(NYT篇)
Really?: The Claim: A Glass of Warm Milk Will Help You Get to Sleep at Night(原文連結)
這個傳說應該大家都聽過,連這個都有問題嗎?看到這篇的標題時的震驚讓我決定先弄完這篇,再繼續我的沒錢online假裝歐洲之旅,身為曾經需要服藥的嚴重睡眠問題受害者,這個方法我當然試過.看來真是花了冤枉奶粉錢了(僅次於養別人小孩的奶粉錢吧).
Few foods have a reputation for curing insomnia quite like warm milk.沒錯,溫牛奶在幫助睡眠食物排行榜就算不是榜首也是名列前茅吧!
reputation :
1.To have a reputation for something means to be known or remembered for it.
e.g.Alice Munro has a reputation for being a very depressing writer.
2.Something's or someone's reputation is the opinion that people have about how good they are. If they have a good reputation, people think they are good.
e.g.The stories ruined his reputation.
insomnia :Someone who suffers from insomnia finds it difficult to sleep.
(是的就是這個字,金歹睏,睏未去 的英文)
According to age-old wisdom, milk is chock full of tryptophan, the sleep-inducing amino acid that is also well known for its presence in another food thought to have sedative effects, turkey.
根據古早流傳下來的生活智慧,牛奶充滿了色氨酸,這種幫助入睡的胺基酸,也廣為人知存在另外一種被認為有安眠效果的食物-火雞裡.
Something that is chock-full is completely full. (INFORMAL)
e.g.The 32-page catalog is chock-full of things that add fun to festive occasions.
But whether milk can induce sleep is debatable, and studies suggest that if it does, the effect has little to do with tryptophan.
不過牛奶是否幫助睡眠還值得商討,而研究指出如果牛奶真的有效,效果也跟色氨酸沒太大關係..
To have any soporific effect, tryptophan has to cross the blood-brain barrier. And in the presence of other amino acids, it ends up fighting — largely unsuccessfully — to move across.
要達到任何助眠效果,色氨酸必須要通過所謂血腦障壁,而且在其他胺基酸的存在下,要競爭才能進大腦,大部分都失敗無法進入.
soporific: adj
1. Inducing or tending to induce sleep.
2. Drowsy.
n.A drug or other substance that induces sleep; a hypnotic.
這篇文章就用了三四個跟睡有關的字,另外一個是
drowsy :adj., -i·er, -i·est.
1. Dull with sleepiness; sluggish.
2. Produced or characterized by sleepiness.
3. Inducing sleepiness; soporific.
One study by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology demonstrated this in 2003. The study, which was published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, showed that eating protein-rich foods — like milk — decreased the ability of tryptophan to enter the brain.
2003年麻省理工學院的針對這個做了一個研究報告.這個報告在The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition上發表,顯示出吃高蛋白質的食物— 如牛奶 — 會降低色氨酸進入腦中的能力.
The trick, the study showed, is to eat foods high in carbohydrates, which stimulate the release of insulin. Insulin, in turn, makes it easier for tryptophan to enter the brain.
該報告指出,真正有效的把戲是吃高碳水化合物含量的食物,這會促使胰島素的釋放,胰島素相對來說讓色氨酸進入大腦容易些.
But surveys have found that many people swear by milk as a sleep aid, and that may have something to do with psychology.
不過調查卻發現許多人都深信牛奶有助眠效果,這可能是種心理作用.
Scientists say the routine of drinking a glass of milk before bed can be as soothing as a favorite old blanket.
科學家認為睡前固定喝牛奶的心理安慰作用就如同最愛的舊毯子(Snoopy裡的Linus的舊毯子).
THE BOTTOM LINE
A glass of warm milk may make you drowsy, but not because of tryptophan.
結論:一杯溫牛奶也許會讓你容易入睡,不過不是因為色氨酸.
以這個結論看來下次改喝溫米漿似乎是個好主意.
相關閱讀
英文學習網站分享及使用心得(NYT篇)
Affordable Europe: City Guides(原文連結)
歐洲的風情相信是許多人也許是大多數人旅遊的首選(不考慮旅遊天數跟花費的情況下,我的心聲),這篇NYT的文章標題給大家一線希望,真的有這麼好康的事嗎?以文案的觀點來看這個企劃已經贏了一大半了,Affordable Europe(負擔得起的歐洲)+15個主要都市(Amsterdam,Barcelona,Berlin,Brussels,Budapest,Copenhagen,Florence,Istanbul,London,Moscow,Paris,Prague,Rome,St. Petersburg,Vienna)光是就吸引搜尋引擎就是個Super Hit了吧!大多數的人都只有有限的假跟有限的錢,有空進去看看所謂的affordable是怎樣的affordable吧!請大家先點閱原文連結去欣賞原文,15個城市不是開玩笑的,應該已經是我本月的quota了吧.
Yes, the euro remains strong, but you don't have to max out your credit card to indulge in some of Europe's timeless luxuries. From stylish hotels that won't break the bank, to offbeat boutiques favored by local bargain hunters, the correspondents and contributors of The New York Times offer money-saving tips for visiting 15 major European cities. You can also read suggestions from other Times' readers and share your own tips on visiting Europe affordably.
歐元最近的強勢是有目共睹的(很多經濟學者看壞美金),作者說不過你不用為了體驗歐洲不朽的精緻而去刷爆你的信用卡.從價錢實在的時尚旅館到
當地討價還價高手喜歡的非主流精品店,NYT各地的通訊記者及專欄作家提供你省錢玩遍15個歐洲主要城市的方法.可以讀到其他讀者的建議並分享你自己歐洲經濟行的獨家祕訣.
說真的看到這個標題真是太吸引我了,當初想去德國玩耍還學了一陣子,現在只剩下"Guten Tag. Ist da noch frei?Du bist sehr schoen."(德文:日安,這裡有人坐嗎?你真漂亮,搭訕句總是要學下.)而且到目前為止沒踏上過歐洲的土地,把這裡面每個城市都唸一遍並介紹是我的心願,不過這些介紹完,這個月應該就過去了,而且好像變成旅遊頻道,很多其他我覺得有趣的文章只好繼續向後推了.
基於英語系學生的身分,我給自己以下兩個藉口:
1.主題不停的跳躍,從棒球->電影->趣聞->健康->旅遊(不定期會往回跳),是為了增加單字的廣度,讓單字出現的頻率上升.
2.同一類型的主題重複連續出現時,某些字彙會重複出現加深該重要字彙的印象.
其實只是為我的主題的不規律做個辯護罷了.
相關閱讀
負擔得起的歐洲城市之旅-阿姆斯特丹
http://scottlol.blogspot.com/2007/10/amsterdam-travel-cheap.html
負擔得起的歐洲城市之旅-巴塞隆納
http://scottlol.blogspot.com/2007/11/barcelona-travel-cheap.html
英文學習網站分享及使用心得(NYT篇)
Don’t Open This Cookie (Disastrous Day Inside)(原文連結)
幸運餅乾,這個大家應該都在外國電影(例如
辣媽辣妹,那個造成靈魂互換的關鍵就是fortune cookie)中看過,似乎美國的中國餐館都有這玩意,奇怪的是在台灣我從沒遇過,這篇有趣的文章主要在討論fortune cookies 裡面籤文內容的變化及影響.
The messages in fortune cookies are typically vague, banal and optimistic. But some cookies are now serving up some surprisingly downbeat advice.
通常餅中的籤文語意模糊平常正面,不過最近有些餅乾裡有讓人吃驚的不樂觀建議.
“Today is a disastrous day. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” reads one fortune showing up around the country.
最近美國有些地方出現這樣的籤文,"今天是多災多難的日子,如果不能克服就順其自然吧."
“It’s over your head now. Time to get some professional help,” advises another.
"災難已經臨頭.該尋求專業幫忙了,"另外一張這樣說.
As the messages, contained in cookies made by Wonton Food in Queens, have spread across the country, some diners have registered their reactions online. As a result, the company has a marketing challenge on its hands.
這家生產fortune cookie的公司Wonton食品它生意遍布全美國,有些顧客在線上發表他們對籤文的觀感,這家公司有個行銷上的挑戰要面對.
One blogger, who got the “professional help” fortune, wrote: “I shot the audacious baked item a dirty look and proceeded to eat it. And I hope it hurt.”
有個部落客拿到"專業諮詢"籤文,在他的部落格寫:"我給這個直言無諱的烘培物狠狠的一眼然後繼續吃它,我希望它會痛."
Bernard Chow, marketing coordinator at Wonton Food, says he had not set out to insult anybody when he asked his team of freelance writers to come up with some new messages.
這家公司的行銷企劃說他們沒有污辱任何人的企圖,當他要求他那群自由作家提供些新的訊息時.
“We wanted our fortune cookies to be a little bit more value-added,” Mr. Chow said. “We wanted to get some different perspective, to write something that is more contemporary.”
"我們希望我們的幸運餅乾能夠更多點附加價值",周先生說."我們想要些不同的觀點,寫些更現代的東西"
Wonton Food, the largest fortune cookie maker in the country, produces about 4.5 million cookies a day. The company made headlines in 2005 when 110 people won about $19 million in the Powerball lottery after playing a “lucky number” sequence from the back of a Wonton fortune.
Wonton食品,美國最大的幸運餅乾製造商,一天生產450萬個餅乾,這家公司曾經在2005年因為110個人玩籤文背面的幸運數字序列遊戲後贏了威力球樂透約1900萬美金而登上頭條.
Wonton has a catalog of 10,000 fortunes, and about a quarter of them are in rotation at any given time. It introduced 600 new ones several months ago, including about 150 in the popular “fortune-telling” category. Other message categories are humor, motivational sayings, riddles and translated Chinese idioms. “They can’t be offensive, got to be positive, and rated G,” said Derrick Wong, vice president for sales at Wonton.
這家公司有大約10000條籤文,大約4分之1是一直都在裡面輪替的.幾個月前,他們新加了600多條新籤文,其中有150條歸類在最受歡迎的"未來運勢"中.其他還有幽默短文,勵志佳句,謎語,還有翻譯的中國成語."這些文字不能作人身攻擊,要正向樂觀還有要是普通級,"這家公司的銷售副總這樣說.
But, he added, as customers requested more fortunes with actual predictions rather than cryptic sayings, the writers removed their rose-colored glasses.
但是他補充,顧客要求多些真實的未來運勢籤文而不要那些語意模糊的句子,要作者們寫更明確貼近現實的預測.
“It’s very hard to come up with more fortunes,” Mr. Wong said. “Some people may not like them.”
"多放些預測運勢的籤文有相當的困難,"王先生說."有些人可能不喜歡"
Some diners complained; others searched for meaningful explanations.
有些用餐者抱怨;有些尋找預測運勢更具體的解釋.
Was one writer having a bad day? (“Perhaps you’ve been focusing too much on yourself.”) Were the cookies giving voice to worries about the economy or terrorism? (“There may be a crisis looming, be ready for it.”)
有某位籤文作者要倒大楣了嗎?("你可能想太多了.")會有籤文內容擔心經濟或恐怖主義的嗎?("危機隨時會出現,要隨時做好準備.")
be looming: If a worrying or threatening situation or event is looming, it seems likely to happen soon. (JOURNALISM)
e.g. Another government spending crisis is looming in the United States...
e.g. The threat of renewed civil war looms ahead.
e.g. ...the looming threat of recession.
請注意,這個詞不會用在好的地方,基本上都在形容隱藏的危機浮現.
Mr. Chow characterized the new fortunes as “cautious” rather than negative, and said he had received complaints about only two messages so far. One was the “disastrous day” note. The other said: “Your luck is just not there. Attend to practical matters today.”
周先生把這些新的籤文定位為"提醒"而不是負面,他說目前為止只接到兩個籤文被抱怨.一個是"災難日"籤文,另外一張是"今天不是你的幸運日.務實的過今天."
Wonton plans to remove those two from circulation, Mr. Chow said, adding that he welcomes customer feedback about the others.
Wonton公司將自籤文組合中移除這兩張籤文,周先生說,另外他歡迎消費者對其他籤文的回饋.
“I got some people saying that you’re making people think, and that’s good,” he said. "But I have people writing to me saying that it’s not positive enough.”
"有些人告訴我,我們的籤文讓人們思考,那很好,"他說."不過也有人反應說內容不夠正面."
Most people who receive one of the downbeat fortunes don’t take them too seriously. Karyn Turnbull, 33, an education software designer in Austin, Tex., said her fiancé had been warned about a “disastrous day” when they celebrated their engagement at the Chinese restaurant where they had their first date.
大部分抽到比較觸霉頭的籤文的人不會太認真.Karyn Turnbull, 33歲,一個住在德州奧斯汀的教育軟體設計師說,當他們在他們第一次約會的中國餐廳慶祝訂婚時,他的未婚夫抽到"災難日"那張籤文.
“He laughed and said if he had gotten them before, he might not have proposed,” Ms. Turnbull said.
"他笑著說如果他之前就抽到,他也許就不會求婚了," Turnbull 小姐說.
所以下次吃fortune cookie前先深呼吸一下,避免被接下來面對的人生衝擊太大.
選這篇其實純粹是覺得文章有趣,不管台灣人或是阿凸仔都愛算命,我雖然屬於比較不在意的,但是應該也不想抽到那個不太好的籤,會有"觸衰"的感覺.另外聽朋友說過,其實籤不要亂求,我想其實也是有他的道理在,人有時候就各安天命,影響了心情總是不太划算.
"古來雖有死，好在不先知." 福禍相依,就抱著左眼跳喜右眼跳財的態度過人生吧!
上來玩BLOG玩了一陣子,我到底主題是什麼?我數量稀少的讀者大人們,應該已經發現,其實只是一個學外語的人唸NYT跟其他新聞媒體的心得隨筆罷了.今天看到什麼有趣我就介紹什麼,覺得有什麼文法或慣用法該介紹就插進來,有時後難免給人天外飛來一筆的感覺,非常歡迎大家的意見.不管是對格式或是內容.
附上我用COLLINS 查的單字
Vocabulary
相關閱讀
英文學習網站分享及使用心得(NYT篇)
Really?
The Claim: Hookahs Are Safer Than Cigarettes (原文連結)As cigarette bans have proliferated in recent years, hookah lounges have become a popular alternative, in part because the flavored smoke is believed to be less harmful than cigarette smoke. But research suggests otherwise.近幾年來推廣禁止吸煙的範圍不斷變大,水煙Lounge變成一個受歡迎的另類選擇.有部份是因為這些加味的煙被相信比香煙來得要無害,不過研究卻告訴我們並非如此.
台北聽說也有可以抽水煙的Lounge,個人不抽菸,不過聽說水煙很香不像香煙,有朋友提議去過,加上充滿異國風情慵懶的音樂,我想那應該是個讓人飄飄欲仙放鬆的好地方.後來因故沒有成行,不無小小遺憾.不過就像某些時尚絢麗的夜店,我也知道我去呆不久,一開始的新鮮刺激過了後,我應該又重回到對這種場合覺得疲勞的宅男陣營.什麼?你說辣妹嗎?我沒有天真到認為我自己是個把妹高手,更何況那根本不是我地盤,鯊魚就算水中稱王,在森林裡也是無用武之地只能倒在地上喘氣吧!
我們常聽到禁煙禁酒,只要官方禁止的東西我們在新聞常見這個字ban,它可以當動詞也可以當名詞
動詞(V):To ban something means to state officially that it must not be done, shown, or used.
e.g. Canada will ban smoking in all offices later this year. 加拿大今年稍後將在所有辦公室禁止抽煙.
名詞(N):A ban is an official ruling that something must not be done, shown, or used.
e.g. The General also lifted a ban on political parties. 這位將軍也對政黨下了禁令.
proliferate 這個字如果要用成語來形容就是數量成長的速度有如雨後春筍一般.
(V)If things proliferate, they increase in number very quickly. (FORMAL)
e.g. Computerized data bases are proliferating fast... 電腦化資料庫的數量成長快速
e.g. fears that nuclear weapons might proliferate. 害怕核子武器的擴散
It is true that in hookahs, also known as water pipes, the smoke is often flavored and filtered through water. The problem is that people who use hookahs typically inhale far more smoke than cigarette smokers, exposing them to potentially higher levels of nicotine, carbon monoxide and other chemicals. Most studies show that small water pipes produce the highest levels of carbon monoxide, followed by cigarettes and then large water pipes.
沒錯水煙通常都調味過且經水過濾.問題是抽水煙的人吸入的煙量通常遠超過抽香菸的人,這也隱含了使他們暴露於更高劑量的尼古丁,一氧化碳還有其他化學物質中.大部分研究顯示小的水煙管產生最高的一氧化碳,接下來依序為香煙跟大的水煙管.
inhale: When you inhale, you breathe in. When you inhale something such as smoke, you take it into your lungs when you breathe in.
e.g. He took a long slow breath, inhaling deeply...
e.g. He was treated for the effects of inhaling smoke.
≠ exhale
Inhale deeply.(大大的吸口氣) Exhale deeply.(大大的吐口氣)
One extensive report on hookahs was published in 2005 by the World Health Organization. It found that in a single smoking session, cigarette smokers typically took 8 to 12 puffs and inhaled 0.5 to 0.6 liters of smoke over five to seven minutes. In contrast, hookah smokers may take 50 to 200 puffs of up to a liter of smoke each during a single session.
另外WHO(對,台灣進不去那個)在2005有發表一個關於水煙的延伸報告.據報告抽一節煙(這樣翻有點爆笑,不過我想大家懂的),抽香菸的通常抽個8-12口在5-7分鐘裡每口吸入約0.5-0.6公升的煙.比較起來,抽水煙的一節會抽50-200口,每口最多可高達1公升的煙.
puff:If someone puffs at a cigarette, cigar, or pipe, they smoke it.(吸口煙的動詞就這個字,不過依前後文不同有時會特指吐煙)
e.g. He lit a cigar and puffed at it twice...
e.g Richard lit another cigarette and puffed smoke towards the ceiling...
e.g The weather was dry and cold; wisps of steam puffed from their lips.
“The water pipe smoker may therefore inhale as much smoke during one session as a cigarette smoker would inhale consuming 100 or more cigarettes,” the report said.
報告中說,抽水煙的可能一節中吸入抽菸者抽100支香煙甚至更多的量.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Hookahs can be just as hazardous as cigarettes.
結論,水煙根香煙一樣有害.
照我的看法,人生追求舒服爽快在所難免,不過既無害又爽快的煙似乎還沒出現.
相關閱讀
英文學習網站分享及使用心得(NYT篇)
Really?
The Claim: Regular Use of Hot Tubs Can Hurt Fertility in Men(原文連結)
這個傳說無論中外都很有名,不可否認所有男生都在意這件事,到底經常泡熱水澡是否對男性雄風有影響呢?除了泡太多熱水不好外,也有泡冷水對那方面有益的說法,另外傳說中冷熱水交替的所謂金冷法(到底是哪國人發明的?),不過我並不想讓我的網頁走情色路線,所以還是看正題吧.
For years, doctors have warned men having trouble conceiving to stay away from hot baths and whirlpool tubs, saying there was reason to suspect that long exposure to hot water could worsen their problems.
多年來醫生警告有生育問題的男人要遠離泡熱水澡按摩浴缸,合理的懷疑長時間泡熱水會讓他們的問題惡化.首先男性雄風不等於生育能力,在這裡其實討論的是生育能力,想知道強壯秘方的同儕們,相信我和你同樣失望(被插圖欺騙).
連續看數篇相關題材的文章有個好處,就是強化對那些字重複的印象,conceive在這裡當使受孕,當然fertility又再次出現.
Much of that was based on speculation. But earlier this year, a team of urologists at the University of California, San Francisco, conducted a study to measure and document the extent, if any, of this effect. The researchers did confirm the link, and then they discovered something surprising.
這些大多是根據推測而來,但是今年(2007)稍早加州大學的一組泌尿科專家團隊,導入一套研究來測量記載這個說法的真實性,如果為真,影響有多大.這些研究者確認了這之間的關聯,並發現了一些驚人的事實.
The study looked at a group of men who were regularly exposed to high water temperatures, meaning for about 30 minutes a week, through hot tubs or hot baths.
這個研究觀察一組人經常暴露在高水溫下,每週最少30分鐘,泡熱水澡或是以高水溫淋浴.
All the men showed signs of infertility, with impaired sperm production and motility.
所有男人都有不孕的跡象,伴隨著精子的量與活力的降低.
impair:If something impairs something such as an ability or the way something works, it damages it or makes it worse. (FORMAL)
e.g. Consumption of alcohol impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery...
What was unexpected was how quickly this infertility could be reversed. The researchers found that after the men stopped their exposure to wet heat, half had “a mean increase in total motile sperm counts of 491 percent after three to six months.”
令人意外的是這種不孕跡象回復的速度,研究員發現當這些男人停止洗熱水,他們之中的一半在三到六個月後有活力精子的總數平均增加到491%.
Among the men who did not see such a reversal, the researchers speculated that tobacco use, a known “gonadotoxic” habit, was to blame. Most of those men were chronic smokers.
另外一半沒有觀察到這種轉換的男人,研究員懷疑是抽菸,一個已知的"損害產生精子能力"壞習慣,的影響.這些人大多都是吸菸者.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Regular exposure to hot tubs can hurt male fertility, though the effects can be reversed.
結論
經常性的熱水澡會影響男性生殖能力,雖然這個情形是可以恢復的.
呃,用洗熱水澡來替代家庭計畫嗎?我想這不是個好主意.畢竟世界上總是意外的事比較多.
古時候人連踩到巨大腳印都可以懷孕也(后稷的母親踩了天帝的巨大腳印,便神奇地懷孕了,後來生下了一個嬰兒-后稷,我想他的青春期不會太愉快.還有他父親應該也不太愉快)
古人顯然沒有.infertility 的困擾,生活困苦沒熱水洗吧.
相關閱讀
英文學習網站分享及使用心得(NYT篇)
Really?
The Claim: Twins Always Skip a Generation (原文連結)這篇文章來自NYT的Health中的一個系列,標題總是以"Really?The Claim:....."來帶出主題,有點像那種日本節目專門問生活中不易被發現的小常識或傳聞,然後以Facts帶出正解.我個人覺得相當有趣.
這篇從科學的角度來解釋傳說中雙胞胎會隔代出現的現象是否存在?
People with twins in their extended families may wonder whether a crib for two is in their future, too.
家族中有雙胞胎的人不知道他們以後會不會也要用到雙人用的娃娃床.
這邊插進一個在說話跟翻譯的時候,我個人覺得可以注意的就是wonder這個字,先看下定義
If you wonder about something, you think about it, either because it interests you and you want to know more about it, or because you are worried or suspicious about it.
有時候在句子中有"不知道"三個字的時候我們會直覺的用I don't know, we don't know ...這類的某些時候語意很接近,但是有時候其實要表達的意思用wonder這個字表達可能會更接近我們要表達的意思
比較下面兩個句子
I wondered what that noise was...
I didn't know what that noise was...
這兩句乍看好像都表達我不知道那是什麼噪音,但是前一個句子除了有不知道外還帶有猜測的語氣.可以試試在會話中練習使用這個字.在看電影或是美劇時也可以注意一下,通常說I wonder....除了表示自己不知道的狀態還會帶出質疑詢問對方的語氣.
According to conventional wisdom, twins not only run in families, but they also — for some strange reason — always skip at least one generation. It is a claim that is widely repeated, but only partly true.
說實話這傳說我第一次聽見,還蠻有趣倒是,傳統智慧應該是根據觀察跟經驗法則吧!雙胞胎總是跳過最少一代,不過只有部分正確.
"According to conventional wisdom"很類似中文中常說根據老祖宗流傳下來的智慧;這裡提供個最近我們文學課常用的用語,在文字還沒發明不發達或是非正式記載的場合,我們所謂的口耳相傳可以說"According to oral tradition".
Scientists have known for some time that there is a gene that can predispose women to hyperovulation, or releasing two or more eggs in a single menstrual cycle. When both eggs are fertilized, the resulting siblings are fraternal twins. Because this gene can be passed on, the tendency to have fraternal twins can in fact run in families.
這裡用了幾個比較技術的字,科學家已經知道有時候有個基因會讓女人容易在一次經期排出兩個或以上的卵子,當兩個卵子都受精會產生異卵雙胞胎,這個基因可能會傳下去,事實上的確有些家庭容易誕生異卵雙胞胎,看到hyperovulation應該大家都跟我一樣先嚇了一跳吧,不過報紙不是專業教科書,後面馬上就給了解釋,並不影響繼續向下讀.
Identical twins, on the other hand, result from one fertilized egg randomly splitting in two, creating two siblings with identical DNA. Because there is no known gene that influences this process, it is considered a mere coincidence when one extended family has multiple sets of identical twins.
同卵雙胞胎,來自於一個受精卵隨機的分裂成兩個,於是生出兩個DNA完全相同的小孩,因為沒有已知的基因對這個過程有影響,一個家族有多對同卵雙胞胎的情形被看作是個巧合.不具數據上的意義.
sibling:One of two or more individuals having one or both parents in common; a brother or sister.雖然有點正式的字,不過自我介紹或是介紹別人家族成員時除了說brothers and sisters外有另外的選擇,比方說
His siblings are mostly in their early twenties... 他的兄弟姐妹大多都20出頭
fertilized egg 受精卵,這個字我總會聯想到另一個字 fertile提供給大家參考,這個字的英文有一部分解釋念起來蠻有趣節錄在下面
1.Land or soil that is fertile is able to support the growth of a large number of strong healthy plants.
...fertile soil.
2.A person or animal that is fertile is able to reproduce and have babies or young.
The operation cannot be reversed to make her fertile again.
是土地呢,就是種得出東西來肥沃的,是人呢就是生得出來的,我個人覺得蠻有趣,不過把妹別用這個笑話,第一題材不太好,第二如果對方單字量跟對英語冷笑話感受度很低,那你馬上就會跟geek畫上等號.
Doctors will tell you that pregnancy is the only sure test for fertility.醫生會跟你說祇有懷孕才是百分之百準的測試你會不會生.
infertility, 不孕infertile不孕症
這裡我在雞婆的多補充一個字
mere:You use mere to emphasize how unimportant or inadequate something is, in comparison to the general situation you are describing.
這個字是不重要不足夠的意思,在我們這篇文章裡也點出那些特例不足以列入考慮,這個字特別在哪呢?它沒有比較級,而它的最高級merest其實只是更強調這個多不重要,也不會拿來當做比較.所以不要寫 The merest of....這種句子.文法上也許是對的,不過句子本身不太正確.
The notion that twins always skip a generation is also a myth. The illusion may have arisen because men who inherit the gene from their mothers are unaffected by it ( they do not ovulate), but can still pass it on to their daughters, who, in turn, will have an increased likelihood of conceiving twins.
雙胞胎總是跳一代還是個迷思.有個可能的解釋指向男人從母親繼承了這個基因並不影響(兄弟,我們不排卵,真的),但是還是可以把這個基因傳給他們的女兒,這樣跳了一代又很有機會懷雙胞胎了.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Twins can run in families, but do not necessarily bypass generations.
結論有可能有些家族容易懷雙胞胎,不過不需要隔代.
大家可以觀察看看認識的人中是否也有這種情形.看看就好不必太認真.
希望這種題材可以給大家帶來些娛樂,下次介紹熱水澡是否影響男性雄風的那篇.
相關閱讀
英文學習網站分享及使用心得(NYT篇)
