英语听力精选进阶版 7080

Background: 如今只有私立学校和高等学府教授拉丁语。不过英国人有的时候会把一些拉丁词语当作速记来使用，特别是在法律和正式文件中。有些词比如 et cetera 和 via 都广为使用。但有些词语对有些人来说则相当陌生。现在英国一些地方议会决定禁止其员工在讲话时和书面语中使用拉丁语，不过此举很具争议。

Bona fide 真正的/真实的, ad lib 即兴撰造, quid pro¹ quo 补偿物/交换物... English is full of Latin words and phrases which are used as a kind of shorthand 速记.

But some local councils say that Latin is elitist and discriminatory 具优越感和带有歧视的, because people might not understand it - particularly if English isn't their first language.

Bournemouth council in the south of England is the latest local authority 地方当局 to draw up a list 制定了一分清单 of nineteen phrases which its staff are no longer allowed to use, verbally or in official correspondence 口语或正式书信.

Other local councils have banned QED 这就是所要证明的 and ad hoc 特别的. The move has prompted derision 嘲笑 among some linguists².

We asked Dr Peter Jones, the co-founder of the charity Friends of Classics to imagine that he was a civil servant in charge of implementing³ 实施 the ban. What sort of memo⁴ 备忘录 might he have to write?

“You will be aware that a number of councils has decided⁵ that all Latin words and phrases should be subject to a veto 否决, e.g. 'e.g.', et cetera 等等. Ergo 所以/因此, some will think this hocus-pocus 戏弄/欺骗, but I say you cannot allow the status quo 现状 to remain as it is".

But the move has been welcomed by the Plain English Campaign which says some officials only use Latin to make themselves feel important.

A campaign spokesman said the ban might stop people confusing the Latin abbreviation 缩写 'e.g.' with the word egg. The debate may well continue ad nauseam 冗长乏味的.

GLOSSARY⁶ 词汇表

bona fide 真正的/真实的

ad lib 即兴撰造

quid pro quo 补偿物/交换物

shorthand 速记

elitist and discriminatory 具优越感和带有歧视的

local authority 地方当局

draw up a list 制定了一分清单

verbally or in official correspondence 口语或正式书信

QED 这就是所要证明的

ad hoc 特别的

derision 嘲笑

implementing 实施

memo 备忘录

veto 否决

et cetera 等等

ergo 所以/因此

hocus-pocus 戏弄/欺骗

status quo 现状

abbreviation 缩写

ad nauseam 冗长乏味的

Questions and Answers

1. True or False: It can be easier to use Latin than ordinary English words. 

True – Latin is used as a shorthand.

2. True or False: Some local councils say that Latin is generally used by working class people. 

False – Latin is seen as elitist.

3. Are some linguists unhappy about the change?

Yes – it has prompted derision from some linguists.

4. Might the debate about Latin continue for a long time?

Yes – it may well continue ad nauseam.

1 pro   

n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者

参考例句：

• The two debating teams argued the question pro and con.辩论的两组从赞成与反对两方面辩这一问题。
• Are you pro or con nuclear disarmament?你是赞成还是反对核裁军？

2 linguists   

n.通晓数国语言的人( linguist的名词复数 )；语言学家

参考例句：

• The linguists went to study tribal languages in the field. 语言学家们去实地研究部落语言了。 来自辞典例句
• The linguists' main interest has been to analyze and describe languages. 语言学家的主要兴趣一直在于分析并描述语言。 来自辞典例句

3 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句

4 memo   

n.照会，备忘录；便笺；通知书；规章

参考例句：

• Do you want me to send the memo out?您要我把这份备忘录分发出去吗？
• Can you type a memo for me?您能帮我打一份备忘录吗？

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 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。