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| 2003年3月12日
Wednesday (No.100) |
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科學家不認為墮胎與乳癌有關（
2003/3/4 ）
Scientists discount
abortion-breast cancer link |
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《浮華世界》：麥可•傑克森曾詛咒史匹柏（
2003/3/4 ）
Vanity Fair: Michael Jackson put
curse on Spielberg |
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華倫•巴菲特抨擊衍生性商品（之股票選擇權制度）（
2003/3/5 ）
Warren Buffett lashes
out against derivatives |
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美國：反恐戰有進展（
2003/3/5 ）
U.S. says gaining
ground in terror war |
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破產判決法官支持美國航空退休金計畫（
2003/3/3 ）
Bankruptcy judge backs
US Airways on pension plan |
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凱薩琳•麗塔•瓊絲遭慈善機構要求捐款（
2003/2/27 ）
Catherine Zeta-Jones hit up for
charity donation |
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Mechanical
Venus Fly Trap
機器捕蠅草 |
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When flies
gate-crash
a dinner party, barbecue, or camping trip,
they can be man's worst enemy. |
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Fortunately, fans of the
outdoors and alfresco
diners have the Mechanical Venus Fly Trap
to keep their experience bug free. |
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當蒼蠅擅闖某個晚宴、烤肉會或是露營活動時，牠們可能會是人類最難纏的敵人。幸好有機器捕蠅草，喜愛戶外活動以及
露天晚餐的朋友才得以享受不被飛蟲干擾的時光。 |
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This novel device attracts
flies with a special bait that they find irresistible. |
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Once a fly enters the jaws
of the trap for a quick nibble, the jaws zap
and kill it. |
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Not only is this device
functional,
it is also something interesting that you
can share with friends and family at your
next outdoor party. |
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這項新奇的裝置是用一種蒼蠅無法抗拒的特殊誘餌來吸引牠們，只要蒼蠅進入此陷阱的大口中，妄想迅速嚐口餌食，大口就會迅速殺死蒼蠅。這項設備不僅
功能佳，而且還很有趣，你可以在下次的戶外活動時和你的親友分享。 |
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http://www.boysstuff.co.uk |
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| gate-crash
不請自來；不速之客 |
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| gate-crash
可當名詞也可當動詞，前者是「不速之客」，後者是「不請自來」的意思。其中 gate
是「門；出入口」的意思，而 crash
有「衝；闖」的意思。 |
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An argument broke out when some unwelcome
guests gate-crashed the party.
某些不受歡迎的人擅闖派對引發了爭執。 |
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| alfresco
露天的（地）；戶外的（地） |
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| alfresco
源自義大利文，可當形容詞也可當副詞，意思是「露天的（地）；戶外的（地）」，如 an
alfresco breakfast（在戶外用早餐）, an
alfresco restaurant（露天餐廳）等等。 |
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Alfresco
dining is very common in many parts
of Europe, especially in the summer.
戶外用餐在歐洲很常見，尤其是夏天的時候。 |
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| functional
具功能的 |
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| functional
意思是「具功能的；起作用的；具機能性的」。 |
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That
new tool I bought is quite useful and
functional; it helped me finish my work
faster.
我買的那件新工具非常實用又很有功能，幫我更快速地完成我的工作。 |
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| a bold move
大膽的舉動 |
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| bold 有「大膽；魯莽」的意思，a
bold move 意思是某項可能會引起不良後果的大膽或魯莽舉動。 |
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The politician made a bold move by criticizing
the country's religious leaders.
那位政治人物做了一項魯莽的舉動，批評國家的宗教領袖。 |
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Terry and Phil
are discussing their manufacturing company's plans to enter
the European market by acquiring a German company and its brands.
泰瑞和菲爾正在討論其製造公司要藉收購一家德國公司及其品牌而進入歐洲市場的計畫。 |
| Terry: |
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I hear we are moving into Europe. |
泰瑞： |
我聽說我們要拓展到歐洲。 |
| Phil: |
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Yep. It's a
pretty bold move
if you ask me. |
菲爾： |
是的，不過如果你問我，我會說這是一項相當大膽的舉動。 |
| Terry: |
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Why? |
泰瑞： |
為什麼？ |
| Phil: |
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Well, our company has spent
a fortune acquiring that German company. |
菲爾： |
公司為了收購那家德國公司已經砸下一大筆錢了。 |
| Terry: |
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I thought we got a good deal. |
泰瑞： |
我以為我們談成了一筆好交易。 |
| Phil: |
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A good deal? I wouldn't call $50 million a good
deal, especially since the acquired company was
losing market share. |
菲爾： |
好交易？我才不會把一筆五千萬美金的交易稱作好交易，尤其是這家公司的股價還下跌。 |
| Terry: |
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I agree that the German company was struggling.
However, external growth
allows us access to that company's customer base
and their distribution channels. |
泰瑞： |
我同意這家德國公司有麻煩，不過外部成長可以讓我們同時擁有這家公司的客源以及他們的銷售管道。 |
| Phil: |
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Acquisitions are risky business. We should have
grown organically if you ask me. |
菲爾： |
收購是項冒險的生意。如果你問我的話，我認為我們應該著重內部成長。 |
| Terry: |
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I agree. But in order for us to get
our goods on the shelf,
we had to get access to those channels. |
泰瑞： |
我同意。可是為了讓我們的產品上架，就必須得到這些通路。 |
| Phil: |
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We'll just have to see what the outcome is. |
菲爾： |
我們來看看會有什麼結果好了。 |
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| spend
a fortune 花一大筆錢 |
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| a fortune
在這裡是指「一筆為數可觀的錢」，spend a fortune
意思是「耗鉅資；砸下重金」。 |
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The company
spent a fortune on advertising. They even
hired Michael Jordan to appear in their commercials.
該公司斥鉅資打廣告，他們甚至邀請麥可•喬丹在他們的廣告中現身。 |
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| lose
market share 股價下跌 |
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| share
有「股份；股票」的意思，lose market share
就是「股價下跌」，相反詞 gain market share，表「股價上漲；上揚」。 |
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The company
is doing very well. It has gained market share
and has also cut costs.
這家公司表現良好，不只股價上揚而且也降低了成本。 |
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| external
growth/internal (organic) growth 外部成長；內部成長 |
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| 所謂 external
growth 是指「透過購併其他公司或收購股權等方式擴充自家公司的經營規模」；internal
(organic) growth 則是指「透過設廠、合資等方式而進行擴充」。 |
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In the
1990s, many telecommunications companies expanded
internationally through external growth.
九０年代許多通訊公司透過外部成長迅速在國際間擴張。 |
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| get goods/products
on the shelf/shelves 讓產品上市 |
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| shelve
是「商店中的置物架」，get goods/products
on the shelf/shelves 意思就是「讓產品上市」的意思。 |
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One of
the difficulties of doing business in India
is getting the goods on the shelf in rural
areas.
在印度做生意的一項難處就是如何讓商品進入鄉間的市場。 |
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True or False
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If you "back a man
on" a project, you support him. |
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"Internal growth"
requires that a company buy another. |
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If a woman "spent
a fortune" on a dress, the dress was cheap. |
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A "bold move"
is similar to a brave move. |
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A man who "discounts"
a story thinks the story is correct. |
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Fill in the Blanks
a. hit
up for b. market
share c.
on the shelf d.
gaining ground in e.
icebreaker
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The company
had great difficulty getting its goods __________. |
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Tony tried
to come up with an __________ because everyone was tense. |
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For the past
two years, the company has been losing __________. |
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Police are
__________ the search for smugglers. |
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The millionaire
was __________ a charity donation. |
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