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美联社新闻一分钟2008

新概念英语第四册视频

英语是"练"出来的，在线"练"英语频道

　　Lovelorn staff at a Japanese marketing company can take paid time off after a bad break-up with a partner, and more "heartache leave" on offer when they get older.

　　Tokyo-based Hime & Company, which also gives staff paid time off to hit the shops during sales season, says heartache leave allows staff to cry themselves out and return to work refreshed. "Not everyone needs to take maternity leave but with heartbreak, everyone needs time off, just like when you get sick," CEO Miki Hiradate said.

　　Staff aged 24 years or younger can take one day off per year, while those between 25 and 29 can take two days off and those older can take three days off, the company said.

　　"Women in their 20s can find their next love quickly, but it's tougher for women in their 30s, and their break-ups tend to be more serious," Hiradate said.

　　Hime & Company staff can also take two mornings off twice a year as "sales shopping leave", so they can race to stores to hunt for bargains.

　　"Before, women could take half-days off to go to sales, but you'd have to hide your shopping bags in lockers by the train station," Hiradate said.

　　"But with paid leave, we don't have to feel guilty about bringing our shopping bags to work, and we can enjoy the best part about sales shopping -- talking about our purchases afterwards."

　　日本一家营销公司日前规定，员工失恋后可享受带薪假期。而且随着年龄的增长，这种"疗伤假"会增多。

　　这家位于东京的"姬会社"还在促销旺季为员工提供了购物假。公司称"疗伤假"能让员工在痛哭之后重振精神回到工作岗位。该公司的首席执行官平官美吉说："并不是人人都需要休产假，但如果失恋了，无论谁都需要休息，就像生病一样。"

　　该公司规定，24岁及24岁以下的员工每年有一天的失恋假；25岁至29岁的员工可享受两天失恋假；29岁以上的员工可休假三天。

　　平官美吉说："20多岁的女性失恋后能很快开始另一段恋情，但对于30多岁的女性来说就没那么容易了，所以她们的失恋往往更严重。"

　　姬会社的员工每年还可享受两个上午的"购物假"，在此期间员工可去商场抢购打折商品。

　　平官美吉说："以前，女性可以请半天假出去购物，但之后又不得不将购物袋藏在地铁站的衣物柜中。"

　　"有了带薪假期，大家就不用为把购物袋带到办公室而感到心虚了，大家还能分享购物的最大乐趣--比如评论一下买到的宝贝。"

Vocabulary:

lovelorn:失恋的

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　　Once, when I was a teenager, my father and I were standing in line to buy tickets for the circus. Finally, there was only one family between us and the ticket counter.

　　This family made a big impression on me. There were eight children, all probably under the age of 12. You could tell they didn't have a lot of money.

　　Their clothes were not expensive, but they were clean. The children were well-behaved, all of them standing in line, two-by-two behind their parents, holding hands. They were excitedly jabbering about the clowns, elephants, and other acts they would see that night.

　　One could sense they had never been to the circus before. It promised to be a highlight of their young lives. The father and mother were at the head of the pack, standing proud as could be.

　　The mother was holding her husband's hand, looking up at him as if to say, "You're my knight in shining armor."

　　He was smiling and basking in pride, looking back at her as if to reply, "You got that right."

　　The ticket lady asked the father how many tickets he wanted. He proudly responded, "Please let me buy eight children's tickets and two adult tickets so I can take my family to the circus."

　　The ticket lady quoted the price. The man's wife let go of his hand, her head dropped, and his lip began to quiver. The father leaned a little closer and asked, "How much did you say?"

　　The ticket lady again quoted the price. The man didn't have enough money.

　　How was he supposed to turn and tell his eight kids that he didn't have enough money to take them to the circus? Seeing what was going on, my dad put his hand in his pocket, pulled out a $20 bill and dropped it on the ground. (We were not wealthy in any sense of the word!)

　　My father reached down, picked up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket."

　　The man knew what was going on. He wasn't begging for a handout but certainly appreciated the help in a desperate, heartbreaking, embarrassing situation. He looked straight into my dad's eyes, took my dad's hand in both of his, squeezed tightly onto the $20 bill, and with his lip quivering and a tear running down his cheek, he replied, "Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family."

　　My father and I went back to our car and drove home. We didn't go to the circus that night, but we didn't go without.

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　　A small boy was looking at the red ripe tomatoes growing in the farmer's garden.

　　"I'll give you my two pennies for that tomato," said the boy pointing to a beautiful, large, ripe fruit hanging on the vine.

　　"No," said the farmer, "I get a dime for a tomato like that one."

　　The small boy pointed to a smaller green one, "Will you take two pennies for that one?"

　　"Yes," replied the farmer, "I'll give you that one for two cents."

　　"OK," said the lad, sealing the deal by putting the coins in the farmer's hand, "I'll pick it up in about a week."

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　　　　　　　　　　　The Jew in the Thorns

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　Once upon a time there was a rich man who had a servant who served him diligently and honestly. Every morning he was the first one out of bed, and at night the last one to go to bed. Whenever there was a difficult job that nobody wanted to do, he was always the first to volunteer. He never complained at any of this, but was contented with everything and always happy.

　　When his year was over, his master gave him no wages, thinking, "That is the smartest thing to do, for it will save me something. He won't leave me, but will gladly stay here working for me."

　　The servant said nothing, but did his work the second year as he had done before, and when at the end of this year he again received no wages, he still stayed on without complaining. When the third year had passed, the master thought it over, then put his hand into his pocket, but pulled out nothing.

　　However, this time the servant said, "Master, I have served you honestly for three years. Be so good as to give me what by rights I have coming to me. I would like to be on my way and see something else of the world."

　　"Yes, my good servant," answered the old miser, "you have served me without complaint, and you shall be kindly rewarded."

　　With this he put his hand into his pocket, then counted out three hellers one at a time, saying, "There, you have a heller for each year. That is a large and generous reward. Only a few masters would pay you this much."

　　The good servant, who understood little about money, put his wealth into his pocket, and thought, "Ah, now that I have a full purse, why should I worry and continue to plague myself with hard work?"

　　So he set forth, uphill and down, singing and jumping for joy.

　　Now it came to pass that as he was passing by a thicket a little dwarf stepped out, and called to him, "Where are you headed, Brother Merry? You don't seem to be burdened down with cares."

　　"Why should I be sad?" answered the servant. "I have everything I need. Three years' wages are jingling in my pocket.

　　"How much is your treasure?" the dwarf asked him.

　　"How much? Three hellers in real money, precisely counted."

　　"Listen," said the dwarf, "I am a poor and needy man. Give me your three hellers. I can no longer work, but you are young and can easily earn your bread."

　　Now because the servant had a good heart and felt pity for the dwarf, he gave him his three hellers, saying, "In God's name, I won't miss them."

　　Then the dwarf said, "Because I see that you have a good heart I will grant you three wishes, one for each heller. They shall all be fulfilled."

　　"Aha," said the servant. "You are a miracle worker. Well, then, if it is to be so, first of all I wish for a blowpipe that will hit everything I aim at; second, for a fiddle, that when I play it, anyone who hears it will have to dance; and third, that whenever I ask a favor of anyone, it will be granted."

　　"You shall have all that," said the dwarf. He reached into the bush, and what do you think, there lay a fiddle and a blowpipe, all ready, just as if they had been ordered. He gave them to the servant, saying, "No one will ever be able to deny any request that you might make."

　　"What more could my heart desire?" said the servant to himself, and went merrily on his way.

　　Soon afterward he met a Jew with a long goatee, who was standing listening to a bird singing high up in the top of a tree.

　　"One of God's own miracles," he shouted, "that such a small creature should have such a fearfully loud voice. If only it were mine! If only someone would sprinkle some salt on its tail!"

　　"If that is all you want," said the servant, "then the bird shall soon be down here." He took aim, hit it precisely, and the bird fell down into a thorn hedge.

　　"Rogue," he said to the Jew, "Go and fetch the bird out for yourself."

　　"My goodness," said the Jew, "don't call me a rogue, sir, but I will be the dog and get the bird out for myself. After all, you're the one who shot it."

　　Then he lay down on the ground and began crawling into the thicket. When he was in the middle of the thorns, the good servant could not resist the temptation to pick up his fiddle and begin to play.

　　The Jew's legs immediately began to move, and he jumped up. The more the servant fiddled the better went the dance. However, the thorns ripped apart the Jew's shabby coat, combed his beard, and pricked and pinched him all over his body.

　　"My goodness," cried the Jew, "what do I want with your fiddling? Stop playing, sir. I don't want to dance."

　　But the servant did not listen to him, and thought, "You have fleeced people often enough, and now the thorn hedge shall do the same to you." He began to play all over again, so that the Jew had to jump even higher, leaving scraps from his coat hanging on the thorns.

　　"Oh, woe is me!" cried the Jew. "I will give the gentleman anything he asks, if only he quits fiddling, even a purse filled with gold."

　　"If you are so generous," said the servant, "then I will stop my music. But I must praise the singular way that you dance to it." Then he took his purse he went on his way.

　　The Jew stood there quietly watching the servant until he was far off and out of sight, and then he screamed out with all his might, "You miserable musician, you beer-house fiddler! Wait until I catch you alone. I will chase you until you wear the soles off your shoes. You ragamuffin, just put a groschen in your mouth, so that you will be worth six hellers." He continued to curse as fast as he could speak. As soon as he had thus refreshed himself a little, and caught his breath again, he ran into the town to the judge.

　　"Judge, sir," he said, "Oh, woe is me! See how a godless man has robbed me and abused me on the open road. A stone on the ground would feel sorry for me. My clothes are ripped into shreds. My body is pricked and scratched to pieces. And what little I owned has been taken away with my purse -- genuine ducats, each piece more beautiful than the others. For God's sake, let the man be thrown into prison."

　　The judge asked, "Was it a soldier who cut you up like that with his saber?"

　　"God forbid," said the Jew. "He didn't have a naked dagger, but rather a blowpipe hanging from his back, and a fiddle from his neck. The scoundrel can easily be recognized."

　　The judge sent his people out after him. They found the good servant, who had been walking along quite slowly. And they found the purse with the money on him as well.

　　When he was brought before the judge he said, "I did not touch the Jew, nor take his money. He offered it to me freely, so that I would stop fiddling, because he could not stand my music."

　　"God forbid!" cried the Jew. "He is reaching for lies like flies on the wall."

　　The judge did not believe his story, and said, "That is a poor excuse. No Jew would do that." And because he had committed robbery on the open road, the good servant was sentenced to the gallows.

　　As he was being led away, the Jew screamed after him, "You good-for-nothing. You dog of a musician. Now you will receive your well earned reward."

　　The servant walked quietly up the ladder with the hangman, but on the last rung he turned around and said to the judge, "Grant me just one request before I die."

　　"Yes," said the judge, "if you do not ask for your life."

　　"I do not ask for life," answered the servant, "but let me play my fiddle one last time."

　　The Jew cried out miserably, "For God's sake, do not allow it! Do not allow it!"

　　But the judge said, "Why should I not grant him this short pleasure? It has been promised to him, and he shall have it." In any event, he could not have refused because of the gift that had been bestowed on the servant.

　　The Jew cried, "Oh, woe is me! Tie me up. Tie me up tightly."

　　The good servant took his fiddle from his neck, and made ready. As he played the first stroke, they all began to quiver and shake: the judge, the clerks, and the court officials. The rope fell out of the hand of the one who was going to tie up the Jew.

　　At the second stroke they all lifted their legs. The hangman released the good servant and made ready to dance.

　　At the third stroke everyone jumped up and began to dance. The judge and the Jew were out in front and were the best at jumping. Soon everyone who had gathered in the marketplace out of curiosity was dancing with them, old and young, fat and thin, all together with each other. Even the dogs that had run along with the crowd stood up on their hind legs and hopped along as well. The longer he played, the higher the dancers jumped, until they were knocking their heads together and crying out terribly.

　　Finally the judge, quite out of breath, shouted, "I will give you your life, but just stop fiddling."

　　The good servant listened to this, then took his fiddle, hung it around his neck again, and climbed down the ladder. He went up to the Jew, who was lying upon the ground gasping for air, and said, "You rogue, now confess where you got the money, or I will take my fiddle off my neck and begin to play again."

　　"I stole it. I stole it," he cried. "But you have honestly earned it."

　　With that the judge had the Jew led to the gallows and hanged as a thief.

　　一个农场主有一个忠诚的仆人，这个仆人辛辛苦苦地给他干了三年的活，而他却没有给仆人付过任何工钱。最后仆人打定主意，如果农场主再不付给他工钱，他就不再干下去了。

　　他找到农场主说："我为你勤勤恳恳地做了这么久的事，相信你会根据我的劳动付给我应得的工钱。"农场主是一个极其吝惜的守财奴，他知道这个仆人头脑非常简单，所以，只拿出三便士给他，也就是一年一便士的工钱。可怜的仆人竟以为这是一笔大数目的钱财，自言自语地说："我为什么还要在这儿拚命干活，还要在生活这么差的地方待下去呢？我现在可以到外面广阔的世界里去游玩，去寻找自己的快乐呀！"说完，他把钱放进自己的钱袋里，离开了农庄，开始了他的漫游旅程。

　　一天，当他翻过山岭，独自又唱又跳地走在一片田野上时，他遇到了一个小矮人。小矮人问他是什么事使得他这么高兴愉快，他回答说："嗨！为什么要愁眉苦脸呢？我身体健康，口袋里有我三年储蓄的一大笔工钱，还有什么好担心的呢？"小矮人说道："到底有多少钱呀？"仆人回答道："整整三便士。"小矮人试探道："我太穷困了，真希望你能把那些钱给我。"仆人心地很善良，看到他个子这么矮，的确是个贫困的样子，对他很同情，就把自己的钱都给了他。作为回报，小矮人对他说："你有这么一颗善良的心，我将满足你三个愿望--一便士一个，你喜欢什么就选择什么。"仆人很高兴自己交上了好运，说道："我喜欢的东西很多，但并不是钱。第一，我要一张弓，用这张弓，任何被我瞄准的东西都会掉下来；第二，我要一架小提琴，当我演奏时，每个听到琴声的人都会跳起舞来；第三，我希望每个人都会满足我提出的要求。"小矮人说他就会有他希望的东西，说完，就像变戏法似地拿出一副弓箭和一架小提琴给了他，然后就不见了。

　　诚实的仆人怀着惊奇而又兴奋的心情上路了。要是说他前一阵子是十分快乐的话，那他现在可以说是一百分的快乐，他唱得比刚才更欢，跳得更起劲了。不久，他遇见了一个老守财奴，在他们相遇的地方有一棵树，树梢的嫩枝上站着一只鸟儿，鸟儿叫得正欢。守财奴说道："哟！多么漂亮的鸟啊！要是能买到这样一只鸟，花多少钱我也愿意。"仆人听见后说道："如果真是这样，我很快就会要它下来。"说罢，他举起他的弓，望上瞄准，那鸟儿马上掉下来落进了树下的灌木丛中。守财奴一见，也不谈钱的事，马上爬进树丛中去找鸟儿，但他刚刚爬到里面时，仆人拿起小提琴拉了起来。随着琴声的传出，守财奴开始跳起舞来，他在树丛中跳来跳去，越跳越高，树丛中的荆棘很快就钩破了他的衣裳，使他浑身的衣裳都成了破布条，身上也被划破，伤痕累累，鲜血淋漓。守财奴哭道："哎哟！看在上帝的份上！大师，大师呀！请别再拉小提琴了，我做了什么要遭受这份罪啊？"仆人说道："你吝啬小气，剥削了许许多多的贫穷人们，这只是你得到的报应。"说完，他拉起了另一首曲子。守财奴开始哀求他，答应给他钱，让他能停止跳舞、爬出树丛。但他却又不肯多给钱。

　　仆人就把琴声拉得更响了，守财奴跟着跳得越来越剧烈，出的钱也越来越多，最后他答应把钱袋里的整整一百个金币都给仆人，这些金币都是他刚刚从穷人那儿榨取来的。当仆人看到这么多钱，说道："我就同意你的请求了。"于是，他拿起钱袋，收好提琴，高高兴兴地又踏上了旅途。

　　仆人一走，守财奴慢慢地从树丛中爬了出来，他浑身衣不遮体，一副凄凄惨惨的样子，不禁愤恨不已，开始考虑起怎样进行报复来，他要用奸计来对付仆人。最后他跑到法官那里，控告说有一个恶棍强迫他进行交易，骗抢了他的钱财，这个家伙的背后挂着一张弓，脖子上挎着一架小提琴。法官听了，派出巡警到处去找，说不管在哪里找到都要把他带到法庭来。巡警们不久就抓到了这个仆人，并把他带到了法庭，要对他进行审判。

　　守财奴开始了他的控告，说仆人骗抢了他的钱财。仆人分辩说："不是这样，事实是我为你演奏一首曲子后你给我的报酬。"但是法官说这是不可能的事情，驳回了仆人的辩护词，判了他绞刑，草草地将这个案子结了。

　　仆人被带了出去，但当他站在绞刑架台子上时，他说道："法官大人，请答应我最后一个心愿。"法官回答说："只要你的要求不是赦免你，我都可以答应。""我不是要求你赦免我，只是想请你允许我最后演奏一次小提琴。"守财奴一听，大叫道："啊，不！不！看在上帝的份上，千万不要听他演奏！千万不要让他演奏！"法官却说道："就让他演奏吧，他很快就会演奏完的。"其实，这完全是小矮人送给他的第三件礼物，没有人能够拒绝他的要求。

　　这时，守财奴叫道："快把我捆起来，快把我捆起来！我不想再遭受这种痛苦。"但仆人已经拿好了小提琴，开始奏响了曲子。当琴发出第一声音调时，法官、书记员和监管人以及所有的人都开始摆动起来，此时已没有人能够去捆那个守财奴了。第二声音调传来，行刑的人放开仆人，也跳了起来。到他奏完曲子的第一小节，所有的人--法官、法庭理事和守财奴，包括所有的旁观者--都一同跳起舞来，开始他们跳得很愉快，很兴奋，但不一会儿就累坏了。演奏没停下来，他们跳舞也不能停下来。他们开始叫喊，开始乞求他不要再拉琴了，但他对他们的乞求置若罔闻，一刻也没有停止，一直到法官不仅赦免了他的死罪，而且还答应把那一百块金币归还给他，他才放下小提琴。

　　接着，他叫住守财奴说："现在告诉大家，你这个流氓，无赖，你在哪儿得来的这些金币？不然的话，我就只拿你一个人来消遣。"说罢又把小提琴拿了起来，守财奴吓坏了，只好当着大家的面承认说："我是侵吞得来的，我承认都是巧取豪夺得来的。你是公平合理挣得的。"仆人放下小提琴，走下了绞刑架，守财奴则被推了上去，取代了仆人的位置。

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Soldiers in Stalingrad fought in temperatures as low as -30

1943: Germans surrender at Stalingrad

　　The Soviet Government has announced the final defeat of the German 6th Army at the port of Stalingrad, in southern Russia.

　　A statement late this evening said: "Our forces have now completed theliquidationof the German Fascist troops encircled in the area of Stalingrad.

　　"The last centre of enemy resistance in the Stalingrad area has thus been crushed."

　　The declaration brings to an end five months of heavy fighting for the city. The battle has been described as among the most terrible of the war so far.

　　Another 45,000 German soldiers have been taken prisoner in the last two days, bringing the total in custody to over 90,000 officers and men.

　　The prisoners are understood to be in an appalling condition after enduring months of starvation in temperatures down to -30.

　　They are the remains of the 330,000-strong German force sent to take Stalingrad.

　　The rest - about a quarter of a million men - have died, as many from illness, starvation and frostbite than from the fighting itself.

　　The 6th Army has been trapped inside the city, completely surrounded by the Red Army, for almost three months during the harshest part of the Russian winter.

　　They have had to rely totally on air drops by the Luftwaffe for food.

　　Atrocious weather conditions have reduced the amount getting through to just 90 tonnes a day - less than a third of what they needed.

　　The German commander of the 6th Army, Field-Marshal Friedrich Paulus, gave himself up two days ago.

　　He had been in a hopeless position since early December, when a last-ditch rescue attempt was driven back by Soviet troops.

　　He was given one earlier chance to surrender, on 8 January, by Soviet Regional Commander, Marshal Rokossovsky.

　　But Hitler repeated his order to the 6th Army that surrender would not be contemplated, and two days later the final Soviet offensive began to flush the Germans out of Stalingrad.

　　Paulus lost his last German-controlled airfield ten days later, on 22 January, and with it the last hope of any more regular supplies.

　　By 29 January the desperately weak 6th Army was split into two pockets of men.

　　The surrender of Field-Marshal Paulus brought the ordeal to an end for one of the groups.

　　The defeat of the second remnant today closes at last one of the most horrific chapters of the war so far.

Mr de Klerk has pledged to free Nelson Mandela

1990: De Klerk dismantles apartheid in South Africa

Artificially 1969:

　　The The President of South Africa has lifted the 30-year ban on leading anti-apartheid group the African National Congress.

President F W De Klerk has announced restrictions will be lifted on 33 other anti-apartheid organisations, including the ANC, at the opening of parliament in Cape Town.

　　He also made his first public commitment to release jailed ANC leader Nelson Mandela, but he did not specify a date.

　　Many observers were surprised by the scope of the reforms - which included a return to press freedom and suspension of the death penalty - signalling a partial end to the 25-year-old state of emergency.

　　Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: "He has taken my breath away".

　　Mr Mandela's wife, Winnie, remained sceptical.

　　She said: "We are not going to accept a bone without meat. The unbanning of the ANC, the South African Communist Party and the Pan-African Congress in the prevailing South African climate is simply a recipe for further problems."

　　Other critics complained about the government's failure to completely lift the state of emergency, as the ban on TV and photographic coverage of unrest continues.

　　Mr De Klerk explained this was precautionary so that the authorities could monitor the progress of the reforms.

　　Speaking about the release of political prisoners, he said: "It does not signify in the least the approval or condoning of crimes of terrorism or crimes of violence committed under their banner."

　　The Conservative opposition has demanded a referendum on the white reaction to the new measures.

Vocabulary:

liquidation: the act of exterminating；the murder of a competitor（清算）

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　　荷兰皇家壳牌(Royal Dutch Shell)的一份内部备忘录警告称，由于尼日利亚政府未能拿出足够资金，作为壳牌最重要的业务之一，其尼日利亚业务前景岌岌可危。

　　The future of one of Royal Dutch Shell's most important businesses is at risk because the Nigerian government has not funded it properly, an internal company memo has warned.

　　壳牌尼日利亚公司负责人巴兹尔?奥米依(Basil Omiyi)撰写的备忘录称，尼日利亚政府未能拿出资金，为其在壳牌石油开发公司(Shell Petroleum Development Company)的多数股权认缴资本，从而给这家公司的存在带来了"巨大风险"。壳牌石油开发公司负责壳牌在尼日利亚的全部陆上油气业务。

　　The government's failure to finance its majority share in the Shell Petroleum Development Company, which is responsible for Shell's onshore business throughout Nigeria, posed a "big risk" to its existence, according to a memo by Basil Omiyi, Shell's country chair in Nigeria.

　　根据可以找到的距今最近的数据显示，2006年，尼日利亚是壳牌在石油生产方面第二重要的国家，仅次于美国。壳牌石油开发公司一度是壳牌在尼日利亚显赫地位的象征，尼日利亚国家石油公司(Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation)拥有其55%的股权。但是，据奥米依给员工的备忘录称，该公司目前"面临严重的融资问题"。这份备忘录是去年11月14日通过电子邮件传达的，英国《金融时报》看到了备忘录的内容。

　　Nigeria was Shell's second most important country for oil production in 2006, the latest year for which figures are available, exceeded only by the US. The SPDC, 55 per cent owned by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, was once a symbol of Shell's pre-eminent position in Nigeria. But according to Mr Omiyi's memo to staff, circulated in a November 14 e-mail and seen by the Financial Times, it now "faces a severe under funding problem".

　　这份备忘录指出，今年的产量仍将低于产能，打消了人们对这家公司实现先前诺言的希望。这家公司曾保证，将迅速恢复2006年以来因尼日尔三角洲武装暴力冲突而导致的减产。当壳牌和所有西方大型石油公司一样，在提高产量方面无计可施时，武装袭击更是让壳牌在尼日利亚的油气生产减少了三分之一左右。

　　The memo also dashed hopes the company would keep previous pledges to quickly restore production lost through militant violence in the Niger Delta since 2006, saying output would remain below capacity this year. Militant attacks have cost Shell about a third of its oil and gas production in Nigeria, adding to its problems when, like all large western oil companies, it is struggling to increase output.

　　壳牌昨日拒绝对这份备忘录置评。这份备忘录是要向员工解释，公司打算重组在尼日利亚的三家主要的开采与生产分公司，以削减成本。备忘录警告称，裁员不可避免，壳牌石油开发公司2008年的预算可能会"大幅减少"，以后年份也有这种可能。

　　Shell yesterday declined to comment on the memo, which was circulated to staff to explain plans to cut costs through a restructuring of its three main Nigerian exploration and production businesses. The memo warned job losses were inevitable and that SPDC was likely to face a "much-reduced" budget for 2008 and possibly beyond.

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Hold fast to dreams

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

参考译文：

梦想

作者：兰斯顿?休斯

紧紧抓住梦想

梦想若是消亡

生活就像断翅的鸟儿

再也不能飞翔。

紧紧抓住梦想

梦想若是消丧

生活就像贫瘠的荒野

雪覆冰封，万物不再生长。

　　注：兰斯顿?休斯(1902-1967)在美国文坛，尤其是黑人文学方面，是一个举足轻重的人物。他的作品涉及小说、戏剧、散文、历史、传记等各种文体, 但主要以诗歌著称, 被誉为"黑人民族的桂冠诗人"，著有《荣耀的羯鼓》。

　　1960年代黑人领袖马丁?路德?金那篇脍炙人口的《我有个梦想》跟休斯的关于"梦想"的诗歌有直接的联系。

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January 26, 2008

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. On Monday night, I will address the American people about the state of our union. I will report that over the last seven years, we've made great progress on important issues at home and abroad. I will also report that we have unfinished business before us, and we must work together to get it done.

In my speech, I will lay out a full plate of issues for Congress to address in the year ahead. Two of these issues require immediate attention.

First is the economy. I know many of you are worried about the risk of an economic downturn, because of the instability in the housing and financial markets. You should know that while economic growth has slowed in recent months, the foundation for long-term growth remains solid. And I believe that with swift action, we can give our economy the boost it needs to continue expanding and creating new jobs for our citizens.

On Thursday, my Administration reached a bipartisan agreement with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Minority Leader John Boehner on an economic growth package. This package will deliver direct tax relief to hardworking Americans. It will also include incentives for businesses -- including small businesses -- to make new investments this year. I ask the House and Senate to enact this package into law as soon as possible. And while I understand the desire to add provisions from both the left and the right, it would be a mistake to undermine this important bipartisan agreement. By working together, we can provide our economy with a shot in the arm when we need it most.

The other urgent issue before Congress is a matter of national security. Congress needs to provide our intelligence professionals with the tools and flexibility they need to protect America from attack. In August, Congress passed a bill that strengthened our ability to monitor terrorist communications. The problem is that Congress set this law to expire on February 1st. That is next Friday. If this law expires, it will become harder to figure out what our enemies are doing to infiltrate our country, harder for us to uncover terrorist plots, and harder to prevent attacks on the American people.

Congress is now considering a bipartisan bill that will allow our professionals to maintain the vital flow of intelligence on terrorist threats. It would protect the freedoms of Americans, while making sure we do not extend those same protections to terrorists overseas. It would provide liability protection to companies now facing billion-dollar lawsuits because they are believed to have assisted in efforts to defend our Nation following the 9/11 attacks. I call on Congress to pass this legislation quickly. We need to know who our enemies are and what they are plotting. And we cannot afford to wait until after an attack to put the pieces together.

When I go before Congress on Monday, I will speak more about how we can keep our economy strong and our people safe. I am confident that we can work together to meet our responsibilities in these areas -- and leave our children a stronger and more prosperous America.

Thank you for listening.

END

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　　有这样一句话"The ox kills."，应该如何翻译这个只有三个单词的句子呢？我们应该先从"kill"这个词出发。

　　作为及物动词"kill"的基本意思是"杀死"。有这样一句谚语"kill the goose that lays the golden eggs"。""同样也有类似于汉语中夸张的说法，比如"My feet are killing me!"（我的脚疼死了！）"They are killing themselves digging for gold."（他们拼命地挖，想要挖到金子。）

　　然而，"kill"意思不仅仅是这些，它的主语还可以是人以外的事物。例如"The frost killed the flowers."（霜把花给冻死了。）它的宾语也可以是没有生命的事物。例如"The Senate killed the bill passed by the House."（参议院否决了众议院通过的议案。）"The photo killed my appetite."（那张照片使我大倒胃口。）

　　另外，"kill"还有很多引申意。我们有"pain-killer"（止痛片），"lady-killer"（少女杀手，即极吸引人的男子）。"kill"还有"要命的，吸引人的"意思。例如"That was a killing experience."（那是一次痛苦的经历。）"The giggle of her killed me."（我被她的笑声迷住了。）

　　如果作为不及物动词，"kill"仍有杀死的意思，但主语是否执行这一动作则不一定了。"These plants kill easily."中主语是动作的承受者，因此意思是"这些植物很容易死。""The pigs kill well."则是指"这些猪容易宰杀。"开头的那句话中的"kill"与这里的意思相近，但实际意思是"杀后出肉率高"，因此开头的那句话应该翻译为"这牛的出肉率高。"

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