英语听力精选进阶版 6318

Have you ever had a troubling problem that has left you wondering where to turn for help?

Eve Hobsbawm is a life counsellor. She offers advice to people struggling with all kinds of dilemmas², from relationship difficulties to what to cook for dinner.

She does this through a website inviting³ people to email her with their queries⁴ and quandaries⁵. There's nothing unusual about that... except for the fact that Eve is only eight years old.

This junior trouble-shooter, who also goes by the name 'Miss Evie Mouse', lives in London with her parents. Not only is Miss Mouse willing to lend an ear to her clients, she will also offer them a helping⁶ hand... for a fee of course.

She charges between 10p (1 yuan) for advice on little, everyday worries and ￡1 (10 yuan) for thornier⁷ problems. Her areas of expertise⁸ - if not of experience - are: "Problems about love, life and work-life balance."

A problem shared is a problem halved⁹, but Eve can't always help. A note on the site states that she can't answer questions like "Does space ever end?" and she won't solve "schoolwork-related problems (especially not maths)."

She explained to the Guardian¹⁰ newspaper that she was inspired to set up the company by her father who runs a tech start-up. Eve said: "As soon as I saw his business and understood the kinds of things businesses do, I thought that's what I'm going to do."

But since setting up her company in December she has been so overwhelmed with messages that she has had to take a step back. "There has been a lot of sudden interest in my site, which is nice," she says, "but I need to do my homework too, so I won't be solving any more problems for a bit."

Quiz 测验

How old is Eve?

Eight years old.

Is this statement true, false, or not given? Eve has been running her problem-solving company for many years.

False: She set up the problem-solving company in December.

Does Eve offer to solve all problems?

No. Eve doesn't promise help for all problems. A note on the site states that she can't answer questions like "Does space ever end?" and she won't solve "schoolwork-related problems (especially not maths)."

Look at the article. Can you see a word that means 'more difficult'?

Thornier.

Look at the article. What idiom relating to problems uses the language of fractions?

A problem shared is a problem halved.

Glossary¹¹ 词汇表

troubling 令人烦恼的

where to turn for help 到哪里求救？

a life counsellor 人生顾问

to offer (someone) advice 提供咨询

to struggle 挣扎

a dilemma¹ （进退两难的）窘境

a query¹² 提问

a quandary¹³ 左右为难的情况

a trouble-shooter 能解决问题的人

to lend (someone) an ear 聆听他人的问题

to offer (someone) a helping hand 助人一臂之力

thornier 多刺的，此处形容棘手的

work-life balance 工作生活平衡

a problem shared is a problem halved （成语）跟人说了，问题就解决了一半。

inspired 受鼓舞

a tech start-up 一个新创科技公司

to be overwhelmed 被淹没，使之难以承受

1 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

2 dilemmas   

n.左右为难( dilemma的名词复数 )；窘境，困境

参考例句：

• They dealt with their dilemmas by mixing perhaps unintentionally an explosive brew. 他们――也许是无意地――把爆炸性的佐料混合在一起，以此来应付困难处境。 来自辞典例句
• Ten years later we encountered the same dilemmas in Vietnam. 十年后，我们又在越南遇到了同样进退两难的局面。 来自辞典例句

3 inviting   

adj.诱人的，引人注目的

参考例句：

• An inviting smell of coffee wafted into the room.一股诱人的咖啡香味飘进了房间。
• The kitchen smelled warm and inviting and blessedly familiar.这间厨房的味道温暖诱人，使人感到亲切温馨。

4 queries   

n.问题( query的名词复数 )；疑问；询问；问号v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的第三人称单数 )；询问

参考例句：

• Our assistants will be happy to answer your queries. 我们的助理很乐意回答诸位的问题。
• Her queries were rhetorical,and best ignored. 她的质问只不过是说说而已，最好不予理睬。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 quandaries   

n.窘困( quandary的名词复数 )；不知所措；左右为难

参考例句：

• Behind all these quandaries, of course, lies the summer's basic political mystery. 此番窘境，当然都可以归结是夏天的原因。 来自互联网
• She's found that dreams help people work through the day's emotional quandaries. 她已经发现，梦帮助人们处理白天的情绪困境。 来自互联网

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 thornier   

adj.多刺的( thorny的比较级 )；有刺的；棘手的；多障碍的

参考例句：

• Changing regulations, meanwhile, is even thornier. 与此同时，不断变化的法规更加棘手。 来自互联网
• The vote, on a procedural point, does not bode well for the passage of thornier legislation. 从程序上说，这次选举对更为棘手的立法进程来说并不是个好兆头。 来自互联网

8 expertise   

n.专门知识(或技能等)，专长

参考例句：

• We were amazed at his expertise on the ski slopes.他斜坡滑雪的技能使我们赞叹不已。
• You really have the technical expertise in a new breakthrough.让你真正在专业技术上有一个全新的突破。

9 halved   

v.把…分成两半( halve的过去式和过去分词 )；把…减半；对分；平摊

参考例句：

• The shares have halved in value . 股价已经跌了一半。
• Overall operating profits halved to $24 million. 总的营业利润减少了一半，降至2，400 万元。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 guardian   

n.监护人；守卫者，保护者

参考例句：

• The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
• The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。

11 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。

12 query   

n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑

参考例句：

• I query very much whether it is wise to act so hastily.我真怀疑如此操之过急地行动是否明智。
• They raised a query on his sincerity.他们对他是否真诚提出质疑。

13 quandary   

n.困惑，进迟两难之境

参考例句：

• I was in a quandary about whether to go.我当时正犹豫到底去不去。
• I was put in a great quandary.我陷于进退两难的窘境。