英语每日一听 | 每天少于5分钟

What makes you laugh the most?什么最让你笑？While rib-tickling jokes and hilarious videos certainly do make us giggle, most of the time we laugh because of something much simpler: being with other people.虽然令人发痒的笑话和热闹的视频确实让我们咯咯笑，但大多数时候我们笑是因为更简单的事情：与其他人在一起。So much so that we are 30 times more likely to laugh when we're with others, according to a study by neuroscientist Robert Provine from the University of Maryland.根据马里兰大学神经科学家罗伯特·普罗文的一项研究，当我们与他人在一起时，我们笑的可能性要高出 30 倍。 "When you're alone, laughter basically disappears," he told Smithsonian Magazine.“当你独自一人时，笑声基本上消失了，”他告诉史密森尼杂志。So, what is it about other people that makes us split our sides?那么，是什么让我们分裂了其他人呢？The answer lies deep within our brains, and in how we form communities.答案深藏在我们的大脑中，以及我们如何形成社区。Laughter is a social emotion that we use to "make and maintain social bonds," says Professor Sophie Smith from University College London in an article for the BBC. 笑声是我们用来“建立和维持社会纽带”的一种社会情感，伦敦大学学院的索菲史密斯教授在 BBC 的一篇文章中说。It reassures people that situations are non-threatening. Those who laugh frequently are also often more popular. 它向人们保证，情况是没有威胁的。经常笑的人也往往更受欢迎。Even in a normal conversation we laugh seven times every 10 minutes, she says.她说，即使在正常的谈话中，我们也每 10 分钟笑七次。Professor Smith also explains that laughter is very different to speech. 史密斯教授还解释说，笑声与言语非常不同。It is non-verbal: the wheezing and snorting sounds are produced by air being pushed out quickly at high pressure, without involving the teeth or lips. 它是非语言的：喘息声和鼻息声是由高压下快速排出的空气产生的，不涉及牙齿或嘴唇。These sounds are the kind we make when in a state of heightened emotion.这些声音是我们在情绪高涨时发出的声音。In this respect, laughter sounds more like an animal call than human language. 在这方面，笑声听起来更像是动物的叫声，而不是人类的语言。This theory is backed up by tests which show the part of the brain responsible for laughter is not the neocortex used in language, but an 'older' area we share with mammals.这一理论得到了测试的支持，这些测试表明负责笑声的大脑部分不是用于语言的新皮层，而是我们与哺乳动物共享的“较老”区域。Indeed, chimpanzees, gorillas and even rats all enjoy a good chortle, especially when being tickled.事实上，黑猩猩、大猩猩甚至老鼠都喜欢开怀大笑，尤其是在被挠痒痒的时候。 Just be careful when you tickle a gorilla, or you might end up laughing on the other side of your face… 挠大猩猩的时候要小心，否则你可能会笑到另一边……(Did you laugh at that gag? Or did it just make you groan?)（你有没有嘲笑那个插科打诨？或者它只是让你呻吟？）词汇表rib-tickling 令人捧腹大笑的hilarious 滑稽的giggle 咯咯地笑neuroscientist 神经科学家split your sides 笑裂腰身，笑破肚皮social bond 社会关系non-threatening 不具威胁性的non-verbal 非语言的wheeze 发出喘息声snort 用鼻子哼heightened emotion 高度激动的情绪back up 证实，有证据支持neocortex 大脑新皮层chortle 哈哈大笑laugh on the other side of your face （口语比喻）转喜为忧、乐极生悲gag 玩笑、俏皮话groan 哼了一声

English is full of colourful phrases to describe shyness. 英语充满了描述害羞的丰富多彩的短语。Someone timid might be called shrinking violet or a wallflower, while for especially nervous types we have the curious expression: they wouldn’t say boo to a goose.胆小的人可能被称为收缩紫罗兰或壁花，而对于特别紧张的人，我们有一种奇怪的表达：他们不会对鹅说嘘。None of these are traditionally seen as positive descriptions, even if you like geese. 即使您喜欢鹅，这些传统上都不会被视为积极的描述。In a culture of go-getting high achievers, shy people don’t come first.在追求高成就的文化中，害羞的人不会排在第一位。Or that's what the self-help industry would have you believe.或者这就是自助行业会让你相信的。 Bookshops are filled with weighty tomes that promise to help beat social fears and find success in life, love and business.书店里摆满了厚重的书籍，承诺帮助克服社会恐惧，在生活、爱情和商业中取得成功。Which is why one book, Shrinking Violets: A Field Guide to Shyness, bucks the trend. 这就是为什么一本书《收缩紫罗兰：害羞现场指南》逆势而上。It made a splash across English-language media recently for its new take on bashfulness.它最近在英语媒体上引起了轰动，因为它对害羞的新看法。Author Joe Moran says that despite struggling with shyness and craving solitude all his life, being timid can also be "a gift".作者乔莫兰说，尽管他一生都在与害羞和渴望孤独作斗争，但胆怯也可以是“一种礼物”。 Freed from the persistent urge to participate and compete in social situations, people are liberated to look at the world in new ways, and gain fresh insights.人们摆脱了在社交场合中参与和竞争的持续冲动，可以自由地以新的方式看待世界，并获得新的见解。Indeed, many of the world's great thinkers and artists are introverts. Scientists Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein preferred their own company; 事实上，世界上许多伟大的思想家和艺术家都是内向的人。科学家查尔斯达尔文和阿尔伯特爱因斯坦更喜欢他们自己的公司。actress Keira Knightley often finds herself tongue-tied at parties;女演员凯拉奈特莉经常发现自己在聚会上结结巴巴。 and Harry Potter author JK Rowling claims she used to be too nervous to even borrow a pen – a reticence she says forced her to delve deep into the world of her imagination.《哈利波特》的作者 JK 罗琳声称她过去太紧张了，甚至借不到笔——她说这种沉默迫使她深入探索自己的想象世界。Moran told BBC Future: "I think shyness probably does turn you into an amateur anthropologist, really – you are more likely to be an observer."莫兰告诉 BBC Future：“我认为害羞可能确实会让你成为一名业余人类学家，真的——你更有可能成为一名观察者。”So, while extroverts make all the noise, they don't necessarily have the best ideas.所以，虽然外向的人制造了所有的噪音，但他们不一定有最好的想法。If you're shy, you've probably known this for a long time. You just don't shout about it. 如果你害羞，你可能早就知道这一点了。你只是不要大喊大叫。词汇表timid 胆怯的shrinking violet “含羞草”，怕羞的、腼腆的人wallflower “壁花”，在社交场合因害羞而一言不发的人not say boo to a goose “对鹅都不敢嘘一声”，形容非常胆小go-getting 敢做敢为的，有野心的self-help 自救的would have you believe 希望你相信的tome 大部头buck the trend 逆势而上make a splash 一炮打响bashfulness 羞赧，羞涩crave solitude 渴望孤独gift 天赋，馈赠urge 冲动introvert 性格内向者tongue-tied （由于紧张而）张口结舌的reticence 缄默，寡言少语delve 深入地探索anthropologist 人类学家extrovert  性格外向者

Apple is known for technological innovation. They came up with the iPod, the iPad and the iPhone – all of which were game changers.苹果以技术创新着称。他们推出了 iPod、iPad 和 iPhone——所有这些都改变了游戏规则。 But their latest offering has had many tech journalists scratching their heads.但他们的最新产品让许多科技记者摸不着头脑。Why? Their new smartphone has been released without the humble headphone jack. 为什么？他们的新智能手机已经发布，没有简陋的耳机插孔。That's right, customers who buy an iPhone 7 will not be able to plug traditional headphones straight in to their device.没错，购买 iPhone 7 的客户将无法将传统耳机直接插入他们的设备。Instead, they'll be encouraged to use 'AirPod' headphones, which connect wirelessly to the iPhone.相反，他们会被鼓励使用“AirPod”耳机，它可以无线连接到 iPhone。 These look much the same as the old earbuds, with one crucial difference: they’re cordless. 这些看起来与旧耳塞非常相似，但有一个关键区别：它们是无线的。And whilst we're all familiar with the frustration of tangled wires, the thought of two expensive bits of kit dangling precariously from our ears raises a simple question: what if they fall out?虽然我们都熟悉缠结的电线带来的挫败感，但一想到两根昂贵的工具包从我们的耳朵里摇摇欲坠，就提出了一个简单的问题：如果它们掉出来怎么办？AirPods have also been derided on social media for their appearance, with people saying they look like mini-hairdryers, like electric toothbrushes, and even like cartoon dog Snoopy. AirPods 也因其外观而在社交媒体上受到嘲笑，人们说它们看起来像迷你吹风机，像电动牙刷，甚至像卡通狗史努比。Others claim the change is about profit, as old headphones are now obsolete without an adapter.其他人声称这种变化是为了利润，因为没有适配器的旧耳机现在已经过时了。Apple themselves admit the move has taken "courage", and insist the new approach saves vital space inside the phone, as well as making devices more water- and dust-resistant.苹果自己承认这一举措已经“鼓起勇气”，并坚称新方法节省了手机内部的重要空间，并使设备更加防水和防尘。 AirPods also double as microphones and can be used to control the iPhone with just your voice.AirPods 还兼作麦克风，可用于通过语音控制 iPhone。So, could this mark the demise of one of the longest-standing technologies? 那么，这是否标志着历史最悠久的技术之一的消亡呢？The simple 3.5mm headphone jack was first used in transistor radios as far back as the 1950s, and earlier versions go even further to the telephone switchboards of the late 1800s.早在 1950 年代，简单的 3.5 毫米耳机插孔就首次用于晶体管收音机，而早期版本则更进一步用于 1800 年代后期的电话交换机。Regardless, with a falling share price and strong, innovative competition, Apple needed to do something bold.无论如何，随着股价下跌和激烈的创新竞争，苹果需要做一些大胆的事情。 Time will tell if their headphone strategy will help cut through the noise.时间会证明他们的耳机策略是否有助于消除噪音。词汇表up with 想出（点子或计划）game changers 对特定商业领域有很大影响的产品scratch one’s head 冥思苦想jack 插孔plug 插入（插头）wirelessly 无线地earbuds 一副耳塞cordless 无绳的tangle 缠成一团的precariously 不稳定地deride 被嘲笑obsolete 被淘汰的，废弃的adapter 适配器dust-resistant 抗尘的double as 还可以被当作transistor radio 晶体管收音机switchboard（电话）交换台share price 股价cut through the noise 迅速应对质疑

Do carrots really help you see in the dark? What about kiwis or kale? Can eating certain foods improve your eyesight or prevent your eyes degenerating? 胡萝卜真的能帮助你在黑暗中看东西吗？猕猴桃或羽衣甘蓝呢？吃某些食物可以改善视力或防止眼睛退化吗？Perhaps we should all be taking supplements to benefit our vision? Research in both the US and Ireland has shown that supplementing the diet with certain key chemicals can significantly benefit your vision. 也许我们都应该服用补充剂来有益于我们的视力？美国和爱尔兰的研究表明，在饮食中补充某些关键化学物质可以显着改善您的视力。These can be taken as supplements but they are also found widely in many green leafy plants and green and yellow fruit and vegetables.这些可以作为补充剂服用，但它们也广泛存在于许多绿叶植物以及绿色和黄色水果和蔬菜中。The retina is the part of our eye that contains cells sensitive to light. 视网膜是我们眼睛的一部分，包含对光敏感的细胞。The most delicate area of this tissue – the macula – is protected from harmful blue and UV light by yellowish ‘macular pigment’. This acts like sunglasses, blocking the damaging light. 这种组织最脆弱的区域——黄斑——被黄色的“黄斑色素”保护免受有害的蓝光和紫外线的伤害。这就像太阳镜一样，阻挡了有害的光线。It comprises three pigments – lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin.它包含三种色素——叶黄素、玉米黄质和内消旋玉米黄质。A research team led by Professor Nolan in Ireland has recently completed a year-long trial investigating the benefits of taking supplements of macular pigments. 由爱尔兰诺兰教授领导的一个研究小组最近完成了一项为期一年的试验，调查服用黄斑色素补充剂的好处。100 participants took part in the experiments. The results showed that by taking lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin, there was a significant improvement in the protection of the macula, as well as in overall eyesight.100名参与者参加了实验。结果表明，服用叶黄素、玉米黄质和内消旋玉米黄质后，对黄斑的保护以及整体视力都有显着改善。 There was also some evidence that these chemicals can help to slow down macular degeneration, which is the main cause of sight loss in the UK. However, this is somewhat controversial.还有一些证据表明，这些化学物质有助于减缓黄斑变性，黄斑变性是英国失明的主要原因。然而，这有些争议。Lutein is a yellow compound found only in plants, which produce it to absorb light. We can get lutein by eating foods like kale and spinach. 叶黄素是一种仅在植物中发现的黄色化合物，产生它来吸收光。我们可以通过吃羽衣甘蓝和菠菜等食物来获取叶黄素。It is also present in egg yolk. Zeaxanthin, another yellow compound similar to lutein, is found in such foods as corn, yellow bell peppers and saffron.它也存在于蛋黄中。玉米黄质是另一种类似于叶黄素的黄色化合物，存在于玉米、黄甜椒和藏红花等食物中。 Meso-zeaxanthin is not generally found in food sources, though it can be found in some fish. It is created in the retina from ingested lutein. 内消旋玉米黄质通常不存在于食物来源中，但可以在一些鱼类中找到。它是由摄入的叶黄素在视网膜中产生的。It can be taken in supplements made with marigold extracts.它可以在用万寿菊提取物制成的补充剂中服用。As for carrots, it turns out that it’s the leafy green bits on the top that contain the key compounds beneficial to eyesight, rather than the vegetable itself. 至于胡萝卜，原来是顶部的绿叶部分含有对视力有益的关键化合物，而不是蔬菜本身。So next time you’re told carrots help you see in the dark, save them for the rabbit and chop up some kiwi instead!所以下次当你被告知胡萝卜可以帮助你在黑暗中看东西时，把它们留给兔子吃，然后切一些猕猴桃吧！词汇表kale （蔬菜）羽衣甘蓝to degenerate 下降，衰退supplement 补充物，补充片剂chemical 化学品vision 视力retina 视网膜tissue 组织macula 视网膜黄斑pigment 色素lutein 叶黄素zeaxanthin 玉米黄素meso-zeaxanthin 消旋玉米黃素sight loss 失明compound 化合物saffron 藏红花to ingest 摄取marigold extract 万寿菊提取物

Most people associate virtual reality with the world of gaming or entertainment. 大多数人将虚拟现实与游戏或娱乐世界联系起来。What is all the fuss, you may wonder, about a futuristic contraption you wear on your head that makes you look like a creature from Star Wars?你可能想知道，你头上戴的一个未来派装置让你看起来像星球大战中的生物，这有什么大惊小怪的？ But this emerging technology has been spreading rapidly into many other areas and could fundamentally change your life in the future.但这项新兴技术已迅速传播到许多其他领域，并可能从根本上改变您未来的生活。 Virtual reality, or VR, is a computer-generated technology that creates a three-dimensional digital world that you can not only see and observe, but explore and interact with it as if you are there.虚拟现实（VR）是一种计算机生成的技术，它创建了一个 3D 数字世界，您不仅可以看到和观察，还可以像身在其中一样探索和互动。 Once you put on the special equipment – a helmet or goggles with a screen inside or gloves fitted with sensors – you become immersed in the virtual world.一旦你戴上特殊设备——头盔或内有屏幕的护目镜或装有传感器的手套——你就会沉浸在虚拟世界中。VR now has serious applications in fields as wide-ranging as business and medicine. VR 现在在商业和医学等广泛领域都有重要的应用。VR has already proved effective as a training tool as it simulates real experiences. VR 已被证明是一种有效的培训工具，因为它可以模拟真实体验。One simulation programme educates young drivers about the dangers of bad driving. 一个模拟程序教育年轻司机关于不良驾驶的危险。Participants experience a dangerous car journey and a virtual accident. 参与者将经历危险的汽车旅程和虚拟事故。It is now being used to train surgeons. Connor Pierce of Samsung's IT for UK and Ireland thinks it will impinge on all walks of life: "We'll socialise via VR, we will do business via VR, we'll have VR team-meetings, we'll have VR education, museums will have virtual reality experiences…". 它现在被用于培训外科医生。三星英国和爱尔兰 IT 部门的 Connor Pierce 认为它将影响各行各业：“我们将通过 VR 进行社交，我们将通过 VR 开展业务，我们将举行 VR 团队会议，我们将进行 VR 教育，博物馆将拥有虚拟现实体验……”。Its benefits have been felt in the field of psychology and the treatment of mental health patients. Professor Daniel Freeman at the Warnford Hospital in Oxford uses it to treat vertigo and other anxiety disorders. 它的好处已在心理学领域和心理健康患者的治疗中得到体现。牛津沃恩福德医院的丹尼尔弗里曼教授用它来治疗眩晕和其他焦虑症。He explains that by exposing patients to what they fear most in a virtual environment and showing them that nothing bad happens, they can eventually overcome their panic.他解释说，通过让患者接触他们在虚拟环境中最害怕的事情，并向他们展示没有任何不好的事情发生，他们最终可以克服恐慌。In the world of work too, VR may change our lives dramatically. 在工作世界中，VR 也可能极大地改变我们的生活。Working individually at home, we can connect to our colleagues in a virtual space. 在家中单独工作，我们可以在虚拟空间中与同事联系。We can be at home and at the office at the same time. For the first time, we can really be in two places at once.我们可以同时在家和办公室。第一次，我们真的可以同时在两个地方。Some VR developers predict that the impact of VR could be as significant as the internet or mobile phones. 一些 VR 开发者预测，VR 的影响可能与互联网或手机一样重要。Google alone has sold 2 million cardboard VR headsets in the last two years. Is a new age of reality about to dawn?在过去的两年里，仅谷歌就售出了 200 万部硬纸板 VR 头戴设备。一个新的现实时代即将到来吗？词汇表gaming 玩电子游戏futuristic 未来的，超前的contraption 奇怪的装置fundamentally 根本地computer-generated 计算机生成的three-dimensional 三维立体的sensor 传感器immersed 沉浸在，深陷于to simulate 模拟to impinge 对……起作用，影响vertigo 眩晕to expose 使（某人）接触……impact 影响to dawn 开始

Should you recycle the box from your takeaway pizza or throw it away? 您应该从外卖披萨中回收盒子还是扔掉它？Can you recycle aerosol cans? Is all plastic recyclable? How clued up about recycling are you?你能回收气雾罐吗？所有塑料都可以回收吗？你对回收利用有多了解？We probably all know that recycling is good for the environment.我们可能都知道回收对环境有益。 It saves energy and limits the drain on Earth's resources. 它可以节省能源并限制地球资源的消耗。But do you know which items you should or shouldn't recycle?但是您知道哪些物品应该或不应该回收吗？In the UK, we have a well-established system of kerbside recycling.在英国，我们拥有完善的路边回收系统。 Most people expect to separate recyclable material from general refuse. 大多数人希望将可回收材料与一般垃圾分开。A typical household recycles paper, cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, foil and drinks cans. 一个典型的家庭回收纸、纸板、塑料和玻璃瓶、铝箔和饮料罐。Food and garden waste is now also collected. But in the last four years, the number of items rejected for recycling in England has gone up by 84%, mainly as a result of contamination.现在还收集食物和花园垃圾。但在过去四年中，英格兰拒绝回收的物品数量增加了 84%，主要是由于污染。Many items end up in landfill or being incinerated when, with more care, they could be recycled. 许多物品最终进入垃圾填埋场或被焚烧，但如果更加小心，它们可以被回收利用。The problem often stems from confusion over what and how to recycle.问题通常源于对什么和如何回收的混淆。Across the UK the system of recycling differs between local authorities, and multiple containers are used for different types of recyclables. 在英国各地，地方当局的回收系统各不相同，不同类型的可回收物使用多个容器。In one area there may be one large wheelie bin for recycling all household items, another for garden waste, and yet another for general waste. 在一个地区，可能有一个大型带轮垃圾桶用于回收所有家居用品，另一个用于花园垃圾，还有一个用于一般垃圾。There are also composting food caddies – a small one for the kitchen and a larger one for the kerbside.还有堆肥食品罐——厨房用的小罐子和路边的大罐子。 These use compostable bags for food waste, including tea bags, coffee grindings and egg shells. 这些使用可堆肥袋来处理食物垃圾，包括茶包、咖啡粉和蛋壳。A few streets away, another council may use a separate container just for glass bottles. 几条街之外，另一个议会可能会使用一个单独的容器来装玻璃瓶。Waste collection times vary – either weekly or fortnightly. 废物收集时间各不相同——每周或每两周一次。Each week, you have to remember which bin has to go out. It's all highly confusing.每周，您都必须记住必须取出哪个垃圾箱。这一切都非常令人困惑。One of the biggest problems recycling firms face is food contamination. 回收公司面临的最大问题之一是食品污染。If your plastic milk bottle is empty, it's ok to recycle it, but if it contains a small amount of milk, it could result in contamination of the plastic recycling process. 如果您的塑料奶瓶是空的，可以回收利用，但如果其中含有少量牛奶，则可能会导致塑料回收过程受到污染。Likewise, paper fibres cannot be recycled if they are contaminated with food, so a cheesy pizza box shouldn't be recycled.同样，如果纸纤维被食物污染，则不能回收利用，因此不应该回收俗气的比萨盒。Conscientious consumers are constantly faced with recycling conundrums. You've just finished a carton of juice. 有良心的消费者不断面临回收难题。你刚喝完一盒果汁。Should you remove the plastic cap before recycling the carton? You feel the fate of the planet lies in your hands.在回收纸箱之前是否应该取下塑料盖？你觉得这个星球的命运掌握在你的手中。 My advice:stop worrying and crack open a bottle of beer! …Hang on!…. what should you do with the bottle top?!我的建议：别担心，打开一瓶啤酒！ …不挂断！…。你应该怎么处理瓶盖？！词汇表aerosol 喷雾器clued up 对某事了解很多，熟知的kerbside 马路边refuse 废物，垃圾foil 锡，箔(纸)contamination 污染landfill 垃圾填埋，垃圾填埋场to incinerate 焚烧local authority 地方政府recyclable 可回收的wheelie bin 带轮子的垃圾箱composting 制作堆肥的caddy 小罐coffee grindings 咖啡渣council 市政paper fibres 纸纤维conscientious 认真的，用心的conundrum 难题，复杂的问题carton 塑料盒cap 瓶盖bottle top 瓶盖

It seems that these days it's the European nations who have the tallest men and women. 似乎现在是欧洲国家拥有最高的男人和女人。Research carried out by over 800 scientists measuring height trends for different nationalities since 1914 has found that Dutch men and Latvian women now top the height charts.自 1914 年以来，由 800 多名科学家测量不同国籍的身高趋势进行的研究发现，荷兰男性和拉脱维亚女性现在位居身高榜首。 However, according to the study, it's Iranian men and South Korean women who have shot up the most – they have gained on average more than 16cm and 20cm respectively.然而，根据这项研究，伊朗男性和韩国女性的身高增长最多——他们的平均身高分别超过了 16 厘米和 20 厘米。In the UK, the rate of growth for men and women has been the same – 11 cm – with the average male now standing at 178cm and the average female at 164cm , both 5cm shorter than the average Dutchman and Latvian female.在英国，男性和女性的增长速度相同——11 厘米——现在男性的平均身高为 178 厘米，女性的平均身高为 164 厘米，均比荷兰人和拉脱维亚女性的平均身高矮 5 厘米。Surprisingly, US men and women have sunk right down in the rankings. 令人惊讶的是，美国男性和女性的排名下降了。While in 1914, they were ranked third tallest for men and fourth tallest for women, nowadays they are down to 27th and 42nd,and today it's Estonia who has the third tallest men and women. 而在 1914 年，他们在男性中排名第三，在女性中排名第四，如今已降至第 27 位和第 42 位，而如今爱沙尼亚的男性和女性排名第三。East Asia has seen the most gain in height – with people in China, Japan and South Korea much taller than they were 100 years ago. 东亚的身高增长幅度最大——中国、日本和韩国的人比 100 年前要高得多。The survey found that the world's smallest men are in East Timor, 160cm, and smallest women, 150cm, are from Guatemala, 20cm smaller than Latvian women.调查发现，世界上最小的男性在东帝汶，160cm，最小的女性，150cm，来自危地马拉，比拉脱维亚女性小20cm。According to the authors of the study, based at Imperial College in London, genetics are not the sole factor in determining height variation among different nations, as Majid Ezzati, lead scientist of the project explained: "Genes don't change that fast and they don't vary that much across the world. 伦敦帝国理工学院的研究作者表示，基因并不是决定不同国家身高差异的唯一因素，正如该项目的首席科学家 Majid Ezzati 所解释的那样：“基因不会变化得那么快，而且它们世界各地的差别不大。So changes over time and variations across the world are largely environmental." 因此，随着时间的推移和世界各地的变化在很大程度上是环境变化的。”Of critical importance were sanitation, healthcare and nutrition, he said, as well as the mother's health and diet during pregnancy.他说，至关重要的是卫生、医疗保健和营养，以及母亲在怀孕期间的健康和饮食。Other surprising findings, relating to how height impacts on people's health and income, have been revealed.其他令人惊讶的发现，关于身高如何影响人们的健康和收入，已经被披露。 For example, tall people can expect enhanced longevity and they are less likely to suffer from heart disease. 例如，高个子的人可以预期长寿，他们患心脏病的可能性较小。Tall people are also likely to earn more! According to research by Exeter University, a British man who is 7.5 cm shorter than his counterpart will earn £1,500 less!It might be time to invest in a pair of shoes with heels!高个子也可能赚更多！根据埃克塞特大学的研究，一个比同龄人矮 7.5 厘米的英国男人会少赚 1500 英镑！也许是时候投资一双带高跟鞋的鞋子了！词汇表to measure 测量trend 趋势，趋向to shoot up 迅速长高respectively 分别地growth 生长to sink 降低ranking 排名gain 增长，提高genetics 遗传学sole 唯一的，单独的to determine 决定height variation 身高的变化critical 关键性的sanitation 卫生设备healthcare 医疗保健nutrition 营养diet 日常饮食enhanced 提高的，增加的longevity 长寿counterpart （与组织的人或物）相对应者

Compared to other large mammals on Earth, we humans have relatively little hair. 与地球上其他大型哺乳动物相比，我们人类的头发相对较少。This obvious fact is not so strange until we look at our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom – chimpanzees and other great apes. 这个显而易见的事实并不奇怪，直到我们看看我们在动物王国中最亲近的亲戚——黑猩猩和其他类人猿。Why, might we ask, have we evolved to be almost hairless when all other primates are still covered in fur? 为什么，我们可能会问，当所有其他灵长类动物仍然被毛皮覆盖时，我们进化到几乎没有毛了？In fact, bizarre as it may seem, our lack of hair has been the key to our evolutionary success as a species.事实上，尽管看起来很奇怪，但我们没有头发一直是我们作为一个物种进化成功的关键。The question why our earliest ancestors lost their hair when fur would have been beneficial to them – for keeping warm on cold nights, 为什么我们最早的祖先在毛皮对他们有益时会掉头发——在寒冷的夜晚保暖，for example – was pondered by Charles Darwin, the famous evolutionist: "No one supposes that the nakedness of the skin is any direct advantage to man." 例如——著名进化论者查尔斯·达尔文曾深思：“没有人认为皮肤的裸露对人类有任何直接的好处。”He concluded that the reason hominins lost their hair was sexual selection. In other words, we prefer our partners to have little hair. 他得出的结论是，人类失去头发的原因是性选择。换句话说，我们更喜欢我们的伴侣头发少。But what caused our ancestors to start losing their hair before this preference set in?但是是什么导致我们的祖先在这种偏好出现之前就开始脱发呢？The most likely hypothesis to explain the loss of hair is that it became necessary when early hominids moved to a more open savannah habitat around 2 to 3 million years ago, when they started to hunt big game.最有可能解释脱发的假设是，大约 2 到 300 万年前，当早期原始人开始捕猎大型猎物时，当早期原始人迁移到更开放的稀树草原栖息地时，脱发就变得很有必要了。Hunting in open savannah meant being exposed to the strong heat of the sun for several hours in the day and being in danger of overheating. 在开阔的大草原上狩猎意味着一天要暴露在强烈的阳光下几个小时，并且有过热的危险。Being covered in hair prevented our ancestors from losing heat fast enough. 被头发覆盖会阻止我们的祖先足够快地散热。So, as Peter Wheeler, of Liverpool John Moores University in the UK, explained, losing hair allowed them to develop the ability to sweat and therefore to cool down. 因此，正如英国利物浦约翰摩尔斯大学的彼得惠勒所解释的那样，脱发使他们能够发展出汗并因此降温的能力。Early humans could, as a consequence, be out at midday hunting and foraging. 因此，早期人类可能会在中午外出狩猎和觅食。"It would be [an] enormous advantage to be able to spend the entire midday foraging, finding mates or fighting enemies", Tamás Dávid-Barrett of Oxford University says.牛津大学的 Tamás Dávid-Barrett 说：“能够在整个中午觅食、寻找配偶或与敌人作战，这将是一个巨大的优势。” "Sweating allows that, and for sweat to be efficient you need to be mostly hairless". “出汗可以做到这一点，为了让汗水有效，你需要大部分时间都没有毛”。The meat from hunting animals gave early humans the energy to fuel their growing brain.狩猎动物的肉为早期人类提供了能量来为他们不断增长的大脑提供燃料。Humans are the sweatiest primates on Earth. They have up to 5 million sweat glands,which produce about 12 litres of sweat per day. 人类是地球上出汗最多的灵长类动物。它们有多达 500 万个汗腺，每天产生约 12 升汗水。It's this propensity to sweat that accounts for our hairlessness and has allowed us to thrive. 正是这种出汗的倾向导致了我们的无毛并让我们茁壮成长。It might help to remember this next time you're surrounded by sweaty hairless torsos in the gym!下次你在健身房被汗流浃背的无毛躯干包围时，记住这一点可能会有所帮助！词汇表primates 灵长目动物bizarre 奇怪的，离奇的species （动植物的）物种to ponder 思索，考虑evolutionist 进化论者nakedness 裸露hominins 古人类sexual selection 雌雄淘汰ancestor 祖先hypothesis 假说，假设hominids 原人savannah 稀树草原to hunt 打猎game 野禽early human 早期人类foraging 觅食，搜寻食物find a mate 寻找配偶gland 腺propensity 习性，倾向to thrive 长得健壮torso （人体的）躯干

Do you consider your bed a safe haven of rest and calm? 你认为你的床是休息和平静的避风港吗？Do you sink into a mattress after a hard day's work and feel tension and stress drain away as you rest your weary head on a soft pillow? 一天辛苦工作后，您是否沉入床垫，当您将疲倦的头靠在柔软的枕头上时，是否会感到紧张和压力消失？Well, you might not feel so relaxed if you knew that microscopic pests were lurking there! 好吧，如果您知道那里潜伏着微小的害虫，您可能不会感到如此放松！It seems that beds may not be such a good place for our well-being – they could actually be making us ill!看起来床对于我们的健康来说可能不是一个好地方——它们实际上可能会让我们生病！Recent studies have shown that bacteria, fungi and dust mites, some smaller than the diameter of a hair, live in our bedding. 最近的研究表明，细菌、真菌和尘螨，有些比头发的直径还小，生活在我们的床上用品中。When we move around in our sleep, we disturb them and they are propelled into the air – which we then breathe in as we sleep.当我们在睡眠中四处走动时，我们会打扰它们，它们会被推到空气中——然后我们在睡觉时吸入空气。 According to the American Lung Association, four out of five households in the United States now have high levels of dust mites, although it's not the mites themselves that cause the problems, but their droppings. 根据美国肺脏协会的数据，现在美国五分之四的家庭都有高水平的尘螨，尽管引起问题的不是螨虫本身，而是它们的粪便。These are "highly allergenic" according to Dr William Berger, a fellow with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.根据美国过敏、哮喘和免疫学学会研究员威廉伯杰博士的说法，这些都是“高度过敏的”。 "Even if you aren't allergic… they can still irritate you, the way pepper would if it blew into your nose and eyes." “即使你没有过敏……它们仍然会刺激你，就像胡椒吹进你的鼻子和眼睛一样。”Brendan Boor, Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, who carries out bed research, also found that bed dust in the air triggers allergies – causing watery eyes, sneezing, coughs and asthma. 进行床研究的土木工程助理教授布伦丹·布尔（Brendan Boor）也发现空气中的床尘会引发过敏——导致眼睛流泪、打喷嚏、咳嗽和哮喘。He has recommended ways to limit our exposure to these unsavoury allergens:他推荐了一些方法来限制我们接触这些令人讨厌的过敏原：Firstly, he suggests vacuuming your mattress regularly – weekly, or even daily. 首先，他建议定期对床垫进行吸尘——每周，甚至每天。He also recommends doing away with carpets and washing floors.他还建议取消地毯和洗地板。 Using allergen-proof bed covers, he says, can reduce the risk of getting allergies.他说，使用防过敏床罩可以降低过敏的风险。 In addition, washing bedding and pillows frequently can help, as can a portable air cleaner placed near the bed.此外，经常清洗床上用品和枕头也会有所帮助，放在床边的便携式空气净化器也有帮助。If you do as Brendan Boor suggests, you will breathe in cleaner air as you sleep… or will you? 如果你按照 Brendan Boor 的建议去做，你会在睡觉时呼吸到更清洁的空气……或者你会吗？Is it really safe for you to go back in your bed…?回到床上真的安全吗……？词汇表haven 安全的地方，安乐窝weary 疲倦的、疲惫不堪的microscopic 微小的、细微的pests 害虫to lurk 潜藏，悄悄移动well-being 幸福健康的状态mites 螨虫、小虫bedding 床上用品（包括床单、被罩、枕头罩等）propelled 被弹出，被弹起allergenic 引起过敏的asthma 哮喘to trigger 引发、引起exposure 接触-proof 抗…的，能防护…的

You might think that to lose weight you need to do strenuous exercise – pedalling furiously on an exercise bike, for example, or doing lengths in your local pool.您可能会认为要减肥，您需要进行剧烈运动——例如，在健身车上疯狂地踩踏板，或者在当地的游泳池里做长度。 Well, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that lying in a steaming bath can bring the same benefits as exercise, without the need to sweat profusely in the gym!好吧，您可能会惊喜地发现，躺在热气腾腾的浴缸里可以带来与锻炼一样的好处，而无需在健身房大汗淋漓！These were the findings of an experiment comparing the relative benefits of exercise and hot baths that was carried out by Dr Steve Faulkner of Loughborough University.这些是拉夫堡大学的史蒂夫福克纳博士进行的一项比较运动和热水浴的相对益处的实验的结果。 The volunteers first lay in a hot bath and then ate a light meal, while their blood sugar level was monitored and the number of calories they burnt was measured. 志愿者先洗个热水澡，然后吃一顿便餐，同时监测他们的血糖水平并测量他们燃烧的卡路里数量。The experiment was then repeated, but instead of having a bath, the participants did an hour’s vigorous exercise on a bike. 然后重复实验，但参与者没有洗澡，而是骑自行车进行了一个小时的剧烈运动。The results from both activities were compared with unexpected results.将这两项活动的结果与意外结果进行了比较。“What we found”, said Dr Faulkner, “was an 80% increase in energy expenditure, just as a result of sitting in the bath for the course of an hour”. “我们发现”，福克纳博士说，“只是在浴缸里坐了一个小时，能量消耗增加了 80%”。You burn 140 calories – not as many perhaps as if you had worked out on an exercise bike, but the same number as if you had been on a brisk walk.你燃烧了 140 卡路里——可能不像你骑自行车锻炼那样多，但就像你快走一样。 The real surprise, however, came in the blood sugar level results.然而，真正令人惊讶的是血糖水平结果。 The peak glucose output, the amount of blood sugar in the blood after a meal, was on average10% lower after the bath compared to that after exercise.与运动后相比，沐浴后的峰值葡萄糖输出（即餐后血液中的血糖量）平均降低了 10%。Dr Faulkner’s explanation for this phenomenon is that when you are in a hot bath, proteins, known as ‘heat shock proteins’ are released, which help divert the sugar from the bloodstream to the muscles. 福克纳博士对这种现象的解释是，当你泡热水澡时，被称为“热休克蛋白”的蛋白质会释放出来，这有助于将糖分从血液中转移到肌肉中。It’s important to keep blood sugar levels down to avoid damage to the arteries and nerves.重要的是要降低血糖水平以避免对动脉和神经造成损害。Don’t think, though, that you can hang up your trainers just yet! You should aim to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week. 但是，不要认为您可以立即挂断您的培训师！您的目标应该是每周至少进行 150 分钟的中等强度运动。But, if you are one of those people who need to control their blood sugar levels – if you have type-2 diabetes for example or find it hard to exercise – why wait? Grab a towel and start running the hot tap!但是，如果您是需要控制血糖水平的人之一（例如，如果您患有 2 型糖尿病或难以锻炼），为什么还要等待呢？拿一条毛巾，开始运行热水龙头！词汇表strenuous 费劲的lengths 泳程，来回（游泳池的长度）profusely 大量地to monitor 监控，监测vigorous 剧烈的expenditure 耗费，消耗to work out 锻炼身体brisk 轻快的（步伐）glucose 葡萄糖phenomenon 现象divert 转化arteries 动脉intensity 强度diabetes 糖尿病

Do you have a business brain? Are you always looking for the next big idea? Maybe, like me, you might feel setting up a new company is something you might do when you're older, when you have more experience. But that's not always the case.你有商业头脑吗？您是否一直在寻找下一个大创意？也许，像我一样，你可能会觉得当你年纪大了，当你有更多经验时，你可能会做一家新公司。但情况并非总是如此。While some of us may feel young adulthood is a time of tentatively finding our place in the world, sleeping late and partying hard, others are already on a path to great business success. 虽然我们中的一些人可能会觉得年轻的成年期是在世界上试探性地找到自己的位置、睡得晚、开派对的时候，但其他人已经走上了取得巨大商业成功的道路。Take the founder of Microsoft, Bill Gates, who started his company as a young university student at Harvard in the US.以微软的创始人比尔·盖茨为例，他在美国哈佛大学年轻时就创办了自己的公司。 There are many other examples of young entrepreneurs who have become hugely successful, proving that there's no minimum age to becoming top dog.还有许多其他年轻企业家取得巨大成功的例子，证明成为顶级狗没有最低年龄。But to be the next business executive requires effort. 但要成为下一个业务主管需要付出努力。You need to acquire a keen mind and good business acumen and above all, you need enthusiasm.您需要获得敏锐的头脑和良好的商业头脑，最重要的是，您需要热情。 Starting a new business comes with an element of risk but if you are able to spot the next big idea, it's probably worth giving it a try. 开始一项新业务会带来风险，但如果您能够发现下一个大创意，那么可能值得一试。Jessica Rose owns a jewellery making business and admits that "when I first started I had no business training whatsoever… 杰西卡·罗斯拥有一家珠宝制造企业，并承认“当我刚开始时，我没有接受过任何商业培训......but I kind of woke up one day and thought I'd really love to be a jewellery designer." 但有一天我醒来后觉得我真的很想成为一名珠宝设计师。”She went on to be a successful young entrepreneur.她后来成为一名成功的年轻企业家。Being young and in business does have its drawbacks; you may worry you have nothing to bring to the table and that the people who work for you tend to be older and wiser. 年轻和经商确实有其缺点。你可能会担心自己没有什么可拿的，而且为你工作的人往往更年长、更聪明。That's what young British entrepreneur Suleman Sacranie found. He started his third business whilst studying chemistry at university.这就是年轻的英国企业家 Suleman Sacranie 所发现的。他在大学学习化学时开始了他的第三项事业。 He says "now I've got two additional directors who have grey hair" but when they first started he says he "could tell they were thinking in the back of their heads, 'I've got a kid sitting in front of me.'"他说“现在我还有两个头发花白的导演”，但当他们第一次开始时，他说他“可以看出他们在想，‘我面前坐着一个孩子。 '"You may think setting up a new start-up is easier said than done.您可能认为成立一家新公司说起来容易做起来难。 As well as ideas, you need financial backing and expert guidance.除了想法，您还需要资金支持和专家指导。 But if you're studying hard at university and don't have the desire to go into business and make your fortune, keep on studying – an education is priceless!但是，如果你在大学里努力学习，却不想经商发家致富，那就继续学习吧——教育是无价的！词汇表a business brain 经商头脑，商业头脑big idea 创意，想法founder 创始人entrepreneur 企业家top dog 权威，优胜者executive 主管，经理acquire 获得，取得a keen mind 敏锐的头脑acumen 敏锐，精明drawback 弱点，缺点to bring to the table 提供有用的东西easier said than done 说来容易做来难financial backing 资金支持，财政支援priceless 无价的

Are you a social media addict? Are you always checking your smartphone to see how many 'likes' you've received for your latest post? 你是社交媒体上瘾者吗？您是否一直在查看您的智能手机以查看您的最新帖子收到了多少“赞”？Maybe you feel comforted by the notification sound that someone has sent you a message?也许您对有人向您发送消息的通知声音感到安慰？Don't worry, you're not alone. We check our phones an average of 150 times a day, and around 30% of the total time spent online is dedicated to social media.别担心，你并不孤单。我们平均每天检查手机 150 次，在线花费的总时间中约有 30% 用于社交媒体。 Some experts now fear this habit could be damaging our mental health.一些专家现在担心这种习惯可能会损害我们的心理健康。This is something particularly afflicting young adults, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh.根据匹兹堡大学的一项研究，这尤其困扰着年轻人。 It found the more they used social media, the more likely they are to be depressed. 它发现他们使用社交媒体的次数越多，他们就越有可能感到沮丧。In tests, those people who checked social media frequently were 2.7 times more likely to be depressed compared to those who spent most of their time generally surfing the internet, who had just 1.7 times the risk. 在测试中，那些经常查看社交媒体的人患抑郁症的可能性是那些大部分时间都在网上冲浪的人的 2.7 倍，后者的风险只有 1.7 倍。The study found that exposure to “highly idealised representations of peers on social media elicits feelings of envy and the distorted belief that others lead happier, more successful lives.”研究发现，“在社交媒体上接触到高度理想化的同龄人形象会引发嫉妒的感觉，并且会产生一种扭曲的信念，即他人过着更快乐、更成功的生活。”Some of us certainly feel sad when we're ignored on social media sites, or when we see someone else having a better time than us.当我们在社交媒体网站上被忽视时，或者当我们看到其他人比我们过得更好时，我们中的一些人肯定会感到难过。 But depression is a more serious condition and clinical psychologist, Abigael San, recently told the BBC that, "It’s a real issue, and it’s been getting significantly worse over the last 5-6 years. 但抑郁症是一种更严重的疾病，临床心理学家阿比盖尔·桑最近告诉 BBC，“这是一个真正的问题，在过去的 5 到 6 年里变得越来越严重。You can get so hooked that it takes you away from your real relationships." However, Abigael does admit that social media is more likely to exacerbate pre-existing issues than directly cause them.你可能会如此着迷，以至于它会让你远离你的真实关系。”然而，阿比盖尔确实承认，社交媒体更有可能加剧先前存在的问题，而不是直接导致它们。Other research by Glasgow University found that teenagers are affected by the 24-hour demands of their social media accounts. 格拉斯哥大学的其他研究发现，青少年会受到社交媒体账户 24 小时需求的影响。It found that those with higher levels of emotional investment in social media, and who use it at night, were more likely to feel depressed and anxious.研究发现，那些对社交媒体情感投入程度较高且在晚上使用它的人更容易感到沮丧和焦虑。Despite these warning signs, why do some of us continue to keep clicking? Well, I suppose we all want to be liked and we don't want to miss out on a conversation that's taking place online.尽管有这些警告信号，为什么我们中的一些人继续点击？好吧，我想我们都想被喜欢，我们不想错过在线上进行的对话。 But we need to know when to switch off our virtual online world and connect with the real world instead.但我们需要知道何时关闭我们的虚拟在线世界，转而与现实世界建立联系。  词汇表addict 有瘾的人comforted 得到安慰的dedicated 专用（于）mental health 心理健康afflicting 使…受苦的、苦恼的exposure 接触idealised 理想化的elicit 诱出，引出envy 羡慕，嫉妒condition 疾病hooked 上瘾的，入迷的exacerbate 使恶化pre-existing 先已存在的，既往（病史）emotional investment 情感投入anxious 焦虑的virtual online world 虚拟的网络世界

If a species of bee disappears forever or a particular plant is extinct, what does it have to do with us humans?如果一种蜜蜂永远消失了，或者某种植物灭绝了，它与我们人类有什么关系？ Well, according to a team of international scientists, biodiversity is dropping below levels considered safe for the wellbeing of human societies.好吧，根据一个国际科学家团队的说法，生物多样性正在下降到对人类社会福祉安全的水平以下。The issue is that everything is interconnected and ecosystems support our societies because they provide us with, for example,  food, fibres and fuels.问题是一切都是相互关联的，生态系统支持我们的社会，因为它们为我们提供了食物、纤维和燃料等。If species go on disappearing, this can interfere with vital processes such as crop pollination and the decomposition of waste.如果物种继续消失，这可能会干扰作物授粉和废物分解等重要过程。A framework which defines the environmental limits within which humans can operate – called planetary boundaries - says that losing more than 10% of the biodiversity in an area places the local ecosystem at risk. 一个定义人类可以在其中活动的环境限制的框架——称为行星边界——表示，一个地区失去超过 10% 的生物多样性会使当地的生态系统处于危险之中。Ecosystems are all different but this percentage is considered a good measure of safety.生态系统各不相同，但这个百分比被认为是一个很好的安全衡量标准。A study published in the magazine Science suggests that 58% of the world's land surface already falls below this level.发表在《科学》杂志上的一项研究表明，世界上 58% 的陆地表面已经低于这个水平。 These areas house 71% of the global population.这些地区居住着全球 71% 的人口。Professor Andy Purvis, from Imperial College London and the Natural History Museum, is one of the authors of the study.来自伦敦帝国理工学院和自然历史博物馆的安迪·珀维斯教授是该研究的作者之一。 He says: "Once we're the wrong side of the boundary it doesn't mean everything goes wrong immediately, but there is a markedly higher risk that things will go badly wrong."他说：“一旦我们在边界的错误一侧，并不意味着一切都会立即出错，但事情会出现严重错误的风险明显更高。”The researchers found that grasslands, savannas and shrub lands were most affected by biodiversity loss on average.研究人员发现，平均而言，草原、稀树草原和灌木地受生物多样性丧失的影响最大。Purvis hopes this report can be a wake-up call to those who design policies.Purvis 希望这份报告能够为那些制定政策的人敲响警钟。 Here's his warning: "Decision-makers worry a lot about economic recessions, but an ecological recession could have even worse consequences – and the biodiversity damage we've had means we're at risk of that happening. 这是他的警告：“决策者非常担心经济衰退，但生态衰退可能会产生更严重的后果——我们所遭受的生物多样性破坏意味着我们面临着发生这种情况的风险。Until and unless we can bring biodiversity back up, we're playing ecological roulette."除非我们能够恢复生物多样性，否则我们正在玩生态轮盘赌。”词汇表species  （动植物的）种，物种extinct  消失的，灭绝的biodiversity  生物多样性interconnected  （两个或多个事物）互相联系的ecosystem  生态系统interfere  影响pollination  植物授粉decomposition  分解framework  框架，体系planetary boundaries  地球界限（概念）land surface  大地表面Natural History Museum  自然历史博物馆grassland  草原，草场savanna  稀树草原shrub land  灌木丛林decision-maker  决策者ecological recession  生物衰退ecological roulette  生态轮盘赌

Britain is on the go-to list for tourists worldwide but, with the value of the pound reaching historic lows after the Brexit vote, a visit has became more timely.英国是全球游客的首选名单，但随着英国脱欧公投后英镑的价值达到历史低点，访问变得更加及时。The summer is a great time to be in Britain. The British Museum, the Natural History Museum, the Tate Gallery are all a must-see for everybody who comes to the country, but there's also a lot of interesting things to do for those who love the outdoors.夏天是来英国的好时机。大英博物馆、自然历史博物馆、泰特美术馆都是来到这个国家的每个人的必看之地，但对于热爱户外的人来说，也有很多有趣的事情可以做。The Notting Hill Carnival changes the face of the famous London borough in the last weekend of August. 诺丁山狂欢节在 8 月的最后一个周末改变了著名的伦敦自治市镇的面貌。It's the largest street festival in Europe. First held in 1964, it's a celebration of Caribbean culture but now includes Brazilians, Africans, Europeans and anybody else who likes to dress colourfully and feels the urge to dance to the sound of a beat.这是欧洲最大的街头节日。它于 1964 年首次举办，是对加勒比文化的庆祝活动，但现在包括巴西人、非洲人、欧洲人以及任何喜欢穿着五颜六色并渴望随着节拍跳舞的人。With its popularity growing it's estimated that 50,000 performers will take part in the parade, attracting more than 1 million people over the weekend.随着其受欢迎程度的提高，估计将有 50,000 名表演者参加游行，周末将吸引超过 100 万人。Outside the capital there's also plenty to do. 在首都之外，也有很多事情要做。Early in August there's the Robin Hood Festival in Sherwood Forest Country Park, Nottinghamshire. 八月初，诺丁汉郡舍伍德森林郊野公园将举办罗宾汉节。The legendary characters of books and movies – Robin Hood and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham - can be found there amid jousting tournaments and comedy acts. 书籍和电影中的传奇人物——罗宾汉和邪恶的诺丁汉警长——可以在角逐比赛和喜剧表演中找到。For those into nature, there's always the forest to enjoy.对于那些喜欢大自然的人来说，总有森林可以享受。In mid-August, in Bristol, a city about 200km from London, the sky is filled with colour during its annual balloon fiesta. 8 月中旬，在距伦敦约 200 公里的城市布里斯托尔，一年一度的气球节期间，天空充满了色彩。If the weather is good, more than 100 hot air balloons rise up from the Fiesta's site in Ashton Court.如果天气好的话，100 多个热气球会从位于 Ashton Court 的嘉年华场地升起。Britain is full of traditions and sometimes just stopping at a country pub for a beer or having cream tea in a small tea room can make a moment special. 英国充满了传统，有时只是在乡村酒吧停下来喝杯啤酒或在小茶室喝奶油茶，就可以让时刻变得特别。Just be careful where you end up, though. Coaches full of sightseers went to the small village of Kiddlington early this month.不过，请注意最终的结果。本月初，满载观光客的大巴前往基德灵顿小村庄。 As the visitors were taking pictures of the houses and entering private gardens, the locals were taking pictures of them.当游客们在拍摄房屋并进入私人花园时，当地人正在拍照。 To this day, nobody knows what the tourists were doing there.直到今天，没有人知道游客在那里做什么。 Always be sure where you are, and learn enough English to ask for directions. Have a nice holiday!始终确定自己在哪里，并学习足够的英语来问路。假期愉快！词汇表Brexit  英国脱离欧盟timely  适时的The British museum  大英博物馆must-see  必须要看的outdoors  户外，野外The Notting Hill Carnival  诺丁山狂欢节street festival  街头庆祝活动Caribbean  加勒比地区的urge  欲望，冲动popularity  受欢迎程度，人气Robin Hood Festival  罗宾汉节jousting tournament  马上长矛比武赛comedy act  喜剧表演balloon  气球country pub  乡村酒吧cream tea  奶油茶点coach  长途客车sightseer  观光客，游客local  当地居民

If you live in England and have a mild infection, don't ask your GP to recommend antibiotics. 如果您居住在英格兰并且感染轻微，请不要让您的全科医生推荐抗生素。He'll probably say 'no' and give you something else. 他可能会说“不”，然后给你一些别的东西。This is part of an initiative to put a stop to harmful infections becoming resistant to these drugs.这是阻止有害感染对这些药物产生抗药性的倡议的一部分。Recent figures from the NHS have shown that the number of prescriptions for all types of antibiotics were down by 7.3% on the previous year to about 34 million in 2015 and 2016, which is considered a success by the authorities.NHS 的最新数据显示，2015 年和 2016 年，各类抗生素的处方数量比上一年下降了 7.3%，至约 3400 万张，当局认为这是成功的。Peter Taylor, Professor of Microbiology, UCL School of Pharmacy, says that antibiotics are probably "the safest and most effective drugs ever produced, UCL 药学院微生物学教授 Peter Taylor 说，抗生素可能是“有史以来最安全、最有效的药物，but they have an Achilles heel - every time we use an antibiotic it alters the levels of bacteria out there in the environment and engenders resistance in a way that is very similar to Darwinian natural selection".但它们有一个致命弱点——每次我们使用抗生素时，它都会改变环境中细菌的水平，并以与达尔文自然选择非常相似的方式产生抗药性”。The power of these substances was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 almost by chance. 这些物质的力量几乎是由亚历山大弗莱明在 1928 年偶然发现的。The Scottish bacteriologist returned to his laboratory after a holiday to find a bacteria-free circle around a growth of mould on a Petri dish. 这位苏格兰细菌学家在假期结束后回到他的实验室，在培养皿上的霉菌生长周围发现了一个无菌圈。It gave us our first antibiotic: penicillin.它给了我们第一个抗生素：青霉素。The availability of these drugs revolutionised the treatment of infections. 这些药物的出现彻底改变了感染的治疗。In the past STIs spread by bacteria were often incurable and deadly. 在过去，由细菌传播的性传播感染通常是无法治愈且致命的。Today all it takes to treat them is a trip to the clinic and a course of antibiotics. 今天，治疗它们所需要的只是去诊所和抗生素疗程。Childbirth was very dangerous and routinely ended in death for both mother and baby. 分娩是非常危险的，并且经常以母亲和婴儿的死亡告终。Now the risk of a woman dying in England and Wales during labour is between 40 and 50 times lower than 60 years ago.现在，英格兰和威尔士妇女在分娩期间死亡的风险比 60 年前低 40 到 50 倍。Bacteria will continue to evolve to seek survival and we have to up our game. 细菌将继续进化以求生存，我们必须提高自己的水平。There hasn't been a new class of antibiotics since the 1980s and pharmaceutical companies are looking into a wide-range of alternatives – from compound from insects to nanotechnology - to develop new weapons in the continuous war against superbugs.自 1980 年代以来一直没有新的抗生素类别，制药公司正在寻找范围广泛的替代品——从昆虫的化合物到纳米技术——来开发新的武器，以对抗超级细菌的持续战争。词汇表infection  感染GP (general practitioner)  全科医生，普通医师antibiotics  抗生素NHS (National Health Service)  全民医疗服务制度prescription  处方，药方microbiology  微生物学pharmacy  药店，（此处指）药剂学Achilles heel  致命弱点，致命伤Darwinian natural selection  达尔文的自然选择（学说）bacteriologist  细菌学家mould  霉，霉菌Petri dish  皮氏培养皿penicillin  盘尼西林，青霉素STI (sexually-transmitted infections)  性传播疾病incurable  无法治愈的labour  分娩pharmaceutical  制药的nanotechnology  纳米技术superbug  超级病菌

So, it's exam time again – have you done the necessary work to get good marks? 所以，又到了考试时间——你是否已经完成了必要的工作以取得好成绩？Sleeping with the textbook under the pillow in the hope that knowledge will be magically absorbed into your brain as you sleep doesn't work.把课本放在枕头下睡觉，希望知识会在你睡觉时神奇地吸收到你的大脑中，这是行不通的。 The best strategy is to space your practice out, rather than cram it all together. It means hit the books early!最好的策略是把你的练习分开，而不是把它们塞在一起。这意味着早点打书！In an article in the British newspaper The Guardian, Tom Stafford, a lecturer in psychology and cognitive science at the University of Sheffield, UK, advises: "If you organise five hours of study into one hour a day, you'll remember more than if you study for five hours on one day."在英国《卫报》的一篇文章中，英国谢菲尔德大学的心理学和认知科学讲师汤姆斯塔福德建议：“如果你把每天五个小时的学习安排成一小时，你会记住的如果你一天学习五个小时。”Don't rely on memory alone – get pen and paper and start working.不要只依赖记忆——拿起笔和纸开始工作。Students who can test themselves in advance will be better at retrieving material from their memory and learn that material in the long run.可以提前测试自己的学生将更善于从记忆中检索材料并从长远来看学习这些材料。 John Dunlosky, Professor of Psychology at Kent State University in the US, suggests that "you start by reading a textbook using your favourite highlighter and favourite colours, but then you go back and make flashcards of all the critical concepts and instead of just rereading those, you basically try to test yourselves on them."美国肯特州立大学心理学教授 John Dunlosky 建议：“你首先使用你最喜欢的荧光笔和最喜欢的颜色阅读教科书，然后你再回去制作所有关键概念的抽认卡，而不是仅仅重读那些，你基本上是试着在他们身上测试自己。”Good revision should give you confidence, but if you are still anxious, there's no harm in indulging in a personal ritual.在日本，学生在考试前吃Katsudon似乎是一种传统。 In Japan, it seems to be a tradition for students to eat Katsudon before a test. 好的复习应该会给你信心，但如果你仍然焦虑，沉迷于个人仪式并没有什么坏处。This is a warm bowl of rice topped with egg and a deep-fried pork cutlet. 这是一碗热乎乎的米饭，上面放着鸡蛋和炸猪排。The name of the dish reminds people of the word 'katsu', meaning 'winning'.这道菜的名字让人们想起了“katsu”这个词，意思是“胜利”。For some students in South Korea, the key to success is not washing their hair before sitting an exam because they believe they could wash all the knowledge out of their head. 对于韩国的一些学生来说，成功的关键不是在考试前洗头，因为他们相信自己可以洗掉所有的知识。And in different parts of the world there are always those who swear by their 'lucky underwear'.在世界不同的地方，总有一些人以他们的“幸运内衣”发誓。The bottom line is that you need to study, sleep well on the eve of the test, eat a nutritious meal, drink plenty of water and believe that your efforts will pay off. 底线是你需要学习，在考试前夕睡个好觉，吃一顿有营养的饭菜，多喝水，并相信你的努力会得到回报。Good luck in your exam!祝你考试顺利！词汇表mark  分数textbook  课本，教科书strategy  策略，行动计划space your practice out  把做练习的间隔时间距离拉开cram  （考前）突击学习，死记硬背hit the books  学习，做功课lecturer  讲师cognitive science  认知科学retrieve  搜索、获取highlighter  荧光笔flashcard  抽任卡critical concept  关键概念ritual  老规矩，仪式，习惯sit an exam  参加考试nutritious  营养丰富的pay off  取得成功，取得好结果

When is it time to slow down? Is it when you reach middle age, when you can draw your pension or even later? 什么时候该放慢脚步？是到中年，可以领取养老金，还是更晚？Queen Elizabeth II turned 90 this year and there are not many signs that she's taking it easy. 伊丽莎白二世女王今年已经 90 岁了，没有多少迹象表明她在放松。Last year alone the monarch carried out over 300 engagements.仅去年一年，君主就进行了 300 多次约会。Longevity has long been a topic of discussion in Britain.长寿一直是英国人讨论的话题。 What's likely to make us live longer? According to Professor Sarah Harper, from the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, just over half your chances of living a long life come down to luck. 什么可能让我们活得更久？根据牛津人口老龄化研究所的莎拉哈珀教授的说法，超过一半的长寿机会归结为运气。She says: "If you have parents and grandparents who made it into their eighties and nineties there's a chance you have inherited good genes. 她说：“如果你的父母和祖父母都活到了八九十岁，那么你就有可能继承了良好的基因。You are more likely to have a strong immune system and are less likely to develop chronic diseases."你更有可能拥有强大的免疫系统，并且不太可能患上慢性疾病。”Lucky you, then. But don't rely on that because bad habits can spoil everything. 那你走运。但不要依赖这一点，因为坏习惯会破坏一切。Half of long-term smokers die prematurely. Smoking causes heart disease, lung cancer and other illnesses.一半的长期吸烟者过早死亡。吸烟会导致心脏病、肺癌和其他疾病。 A poor diet and lack of exercise can lead to obesity, which reduces your life expectancy by between three and 10 years, says the National Health Service in Britain.英国国家卫生服务局表示，不良饮食和缺乏运动会导致肥胖，从而使您的预期寿命缩短 3 到 10 年。But it's not worth stressing out about how long you're going to stick around. Stress can take years off someone's life. 但不值得强调你要坚持多久。压力可以使一个人的生命减少数年。A study published in the British Medical Journal found even low-level stress raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 20% and you don't want that, do you?发表在英国医学杂志上的一项研究发现，即使是低水平的压力也会使心脏病发作和中风的风险增加 20%，你不希望这样，是吗？After you've ticked all the boxes - genes, healthy living, keeping cool - you might have almost guaranteed a long life. 在你勾选了所有的选项之后——基因、健康的生活、保持凉爽——你几乎可以保证长寿。But for what? That's the final piece of the jigsaw. Having a purpose in life can also make you live longer. 但为了什么？这是拼图的最后一块。拥有人生目标也可以让你活得更久。Some people engage in charity work to keep active, others get involved in initiatives in their community.有些人从事慈善工作以保持活跃，其他人则参与社区的倡议。 It gives them a reason to wake up in the morning - even if the joints creak a little.这让他们有理由在早上醒来——即使关节有点吱吱作响。 Professor Harper says that caring for others can make you feel valued.哈珀教授说，关心他人可以让你感到被重视。It must feel good to be appreciated – by people around you, by a nation. 被你周围的人、一个国家的人欣赏一定感觉很好。Happy 90th birthday, Your Majesty!陛下，90 岁生日快乐！词汇表middle age  中年draw your pension  领取退休金take it easy  放松，不拼命工作longevity  长寿ageing  年老的，衰老的chances  可能性，机会inherit  继承immune system  免疫系统chronic disease  慢性疾病bad habit  坏习惯prematurely  过早的life expectancy  （人的）预期寿命to stick around  停留，（此处指）活着stroke  中风tick all the boxes  符合所有条件，满足所有的标准keep cool  保持冷静jigsaw  拼图玩具charity work  公益劳动，慈善工作

Koh Tachai is a beautiful Thai island. Sandy beaches, blue sea, plenty of sunshine; paradise … 大猜岛是一个美丽的泰国岛屿。沙滩，蔚蓝的大海，充足的阳光；天堂…and that's why you can't go there! It's part of the Similan National Park, which attracts too many holidaymakers and divers and this has been causing problems.这就是为什么你不能去那里！它是斯米兰国家公园的一部分，吸引了太多的度假者和潜水者，这一直在造成问题。According to Tunya Netithammakul, Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation, 根据国家公园、野生动物和植物保护司司长 Tunya Netithammakul 的说法，"we have to close it to allow the rehabilitation of the environment both on the island and in the sea without being disturbed by tourism activities before the damage is beyond repair."“我们必须关闭它，以便在损坏无法修复之前恢复岛上和海上的环境，而不会受到旅游活动的干扰。”Many beauty spots around the world have paid a high price for their popularity. 世界各地的许多景点都为它们的受欢迎程度付出了高昂的代价。The Phi Phi Islands, also in Thailand, came under pressure after the movie The Beach, starring Leonardo Di Caprio, was filmed there.同样在泰国的皮皮岛，在莱昂纳多·迪卡普里奥主演的电影《海滩》在这里拍摄后面临压力。 The boom in tourism might have been good news for local traders but not for the coral reefs, destroyed by boats' anchors and pollution from motorboats.旅游业的繁荣对当地商人来说可能是个好消息，但对珊瑚礁却不是，因为船锚和摩托艇造成的污染破坏了珊瑚礁。               Far away, in Ecuador, the Galapagos Archipelago, a World Heritage Site, is famous for a unique ecosystem that inspired Charles Darwin to write his Theory of Evolution.在遥远的厄瓜多尔，世界遗产加拉帕戈斯群岛以独特的生态系统而闻名，它启发了查尔斯·达尔文撰写了他的进化论。 There's a concern about what can be taken away – it's illegal to buy souvenirs made from animal parts or native wood – but also about the invasive species brought in by visitors. 人们担心什么会被带走——购买由动物部位或原生木材制成的纪念品是违法的——而且还担心游客带来的入侵物种。A researcher has warned about the new types of ants arriving all the time travelling in aircraft, boats and even tourists' luggage.一位研究人员警告说，新型蚂蚁一直在飞机、船只甚至游客的行李中旅行。Maybe we humans are the most threatening of all invasive species.也许我们人类是所有入侵物种中最具威胁性的。We tend to leave rubbish everywhere and build infrastructure in some areas that can't support it. 我们倾向于到处乱扔垃圾，并在一些无法支持它的地区建立基础设施。The question we should ask ourselves is: would we agree to give up visiting these paradises for a while in order to allow them to regenerate and preserve them for future generations or as we only live once, should we go wherever we like and enjoy it while it lasts? 我们应该问自己的问题是：我们是否同意暂时放弃参观这些天堂，以便让它们为后代再生和保存它们，或者我们只活一次，我们是否应该去任何我们喜欢的地方并享受它？它持续吗？词汇表sandy beach 沙滩holidaymaker 度假者diver 潜水员wildlife 野生生物rehabilitation 修复beauty spot 美景，名胜a high price （付出了）高昂的代价boom in tourism 旅游业迅速发展coral reef 珊瑚礁anchor 锚motorboat 摩托艇，汽艇，游船archipelago 群岛ecosystem 生态系统theory of evolution 进化论souvenir 纪念品invasive species 入侵物种luggage 行李infrastructure 基础设施

You're learning English, right? You might think you can work out the grammar and have built a vast vocabulary, but then you come across an expression like 'plos'. 你在学英语，对吧？您可能认为您可以掌握语法并建立大量词汇，但随后您会遇到像“plos”这样的表达方式。According to online urban slang dictionaries, it means 'parents looking over shoulder'. Teenagers are to blame. 根据在线都市俚语词典，它的意思是“父母在肩上看”。青少年是罪魁祸首。They have their own code, including 'text speak' when they are on the internet or using their phones.他们有自己的代码，包括当他们在互联网上或使用手机时的“文字说话”。Text speak has a lot to do with inventing cool new terms – and these change quickly. Maybe you shouldn't be surprised if an English friend says you sound a bit old-fashioned. 文字朗读与发明很酷的新术语有很大关系——而且这些术语变化很快。如果一位英国朋友说你听起来有点过时，也许你不应该感到惊讶。The modal verb 'shall' is on the way out because 'will' sounds more natural these days.情态动词“shall”即将淘汰，因为如今“will”听起来更自然。 Bas Aarts, Professor of English linguistics at University College London says, "If you have two words which more or less express the same meaning, one of the two words will get pushed out of the language."伦敦大学学院英语语言学教授 Bas Aarts 说：“如果你有两个或多或少表达相同含义的词，那么这两个词中的一个就会被排除在语言之外。”People have been shying away from using the modal 'must' because it sounds authoritarian and people are choosing to express obligation in different ways. 人们一直回避使用模态“必须”，因为这听起来很专制，而且人们选择以不同的方式表达义务。It sounds nicer to soften obligation by saying 'might'. For example, "You might like to read this article."通过说“可能”来缓和义务听起来更好。例如，“您可能想阅读这篇文章”。Progressive tenses - formed from the verb 'be' and the suffix 'ing' - are used for ongoing situations, for example, 'I'm writing this article for you to read'. 进行时态——由动词“be”和后缀“ing”组成——用于正在进行的情况，例如，“我正在写这篇文章供你阅读”。But its use has been increasing rapidly. Bas Aarts says that this might have to do with advertising. 但它的使用一直在迅速增加。 Bas Aarts 说这可能与广告有关。A fast-food chain uses the expression 'I'm loving it' in English-speaking countries. 一家快餐连锁店在英语国家使用“我喜欢它”的表达方式。But the verb 'love' expresses a state of being – as opposed to doing – and is usually used in the simple form, for example, 'I love it'. 但是动词“爱”表达了一种存在状态——而不是做——并且通常以简单的形式使用，例如，“我爱它”。These days, people are using stative verbs in the progressive more and more.这些天来，人们越来越多地在进行时使用静态动词。Before you despair and throw your English book in the bin, be assured that some words take a very long time to change.在你绝望并把你的英文书扔进垃圾箱之前，请放心，有些单词需要很长时间才能改变。 According to Professor Mark Pagel at Reading University in the UK, pronouns like 'I', 'you' and 'we' evolve slowly – a thousand years ago we would be using similar or sometimes identical sounds.根据英国雷丁大学的 Mark Pagel 教授的说法，像“我”、“你”和“我们”这样的代词发展缓慢——一千年前，我们会使用相似或有时相同的声音。 Nouns and adjectives, on the other hand, get replaced rapidly – and in 500 years or so we'll probably be using different words to the ones we have now. But let's leave the problem for the future generations.另一方面，名词和形容词被迅速取代——大约 500 年后，我们可能会使用与现在不同的词。但是让我们把问题留给后代。

You might have heard of people who consider suing their former employer for having been bullied or made to work overtime without pay. 您可能听说过有人考虑起诉他们的前雇主，因为他们受到欺凌或被迫无薪加班。But what about taking your employer to court for having given you work that is too boring?但是，如果你的雇主因为你的工作太无聊而将你告上法庭呢？That's exactly what Frederic Desnard, a 44-year-old Frenchman did.He claimed that his bosses at a prestigious perfume company stripped him of meaningful tasks in his managerial job and gave him duties which were so dull they affected his health.这正是 44 岁的法国人 Frederic Desnard 所做的。他声称，他在一家享有盛誉的香水公司的老板剥夺了他在管理工作中有意义的任务，并给了他一些无聊的工作，影响了他的健康。Desnard told French news agency AFP: "I went into depression, I was ashamed to be paid to do nothing".  德斯纳德告诉法新社法新社：“我陷入了抑郁，我为无所事事而感到羞耻”。He went on sick leave for seven months and was fired in 2014. The former employee wanted €360,000 in compensation.他休了七个月的病假，并于 2014 年被解雇。这位前雇员要求赔偿 360,000 欧元。Some people might argue that being bored should almost be part of the job description. 有些人可能会争辩说，无聊几乎应该是工作描述的一部分。Lars Fredrik Svendsen, author of 'A Philosophy of Boredom' and Professor of Philosophy at the University of Bergen, says, "Most of the words for work in various languages tend to tell that it's a really unpleasant phenomenon. Lars Fredrik Svendsen，《无聊的哲学》一书的作者，卑尔根大学的哲学教授，他说：“各种语言中的大多数工作词都倾向于表明这是一种非常不愉快的现象。The French word travail goes back to the trepalium, it was a word for a torture instrument."法语单词travail可以追溯到trepalium，它是一个酷刑工具的词。”So should employers really care if their staff are bored to death as long as they do their tasks? 那么，雇主是否真的应该关心他们的员工是否会因为他们的工作而感到无聊呢？Svendsen thinks it is in their interest to have a stimulated workforce. Svendsen 认为拥有一支积极进取的员工队伍符合他们的利益。The academic says, "Employees who care about what they do tend to do a better job than those who don't. 这位学者说：“关心自己所做工作的员工往往比不关心的员工做得更好。It will probably be wise for employers to at least facilitate some perception of meaning at work. Let the workers feel that their work is meaningful to them."对于雇主来说，至少促进对工作意义的某种理解可能是明智的。让工人觉得他们的工作对他们有意义。”In any case, Desnard might have been better off finding some meaning in his dull work as his action brought him some notoriety and not much else. 无论如何，Desnard 最好在他枯燥的工作中找到一些意义，因为他的行为给他带来了一些恶名，而不是其他什么。A court in France didn't see things the same way he did and ordered Desnard to pay his former employer €1,000 for defamation. 法国的一家法院对事情的看法与他不同，并命令德斯纳德向他的前雇主支付 1,000 欧元的诽谤罪。词汇表employer 雇主bullied 被欺负to work overtime 加班to strip somebody of something 从某人那里夺走、剥夺某物managerial 管理的，经营上的dull 枯燥乏味的depression 忧郁，抑郁sick leave 病假fired 被解雇compensation 赔偿job description 职务描述，工作职责说明staff 员工bored to death 百无聊赖，无聊透了stimulated 热情高涨的，充满兴趣的workforce 全体员工to facilitate 帮助，促进perception 观念，看法to be better off 比现状好notoriety 恶名，名声狼藉defamation 诽谤，诬蔑

London residents will have to make do without the chimes of Big Ben for a while. 伦敦居民将不得不暂时没有大本钟的钟声。After 157 years of nearly uninterrupted service, the iconic clock in London has become worn and requires repairs.经过 157 年几乎不间断的服务，伦敦标志性的时钟已经磨损，需要维修。Steve Jaggs, Keeper of the Clock, said: "This project will enable us to give one of Britain's most famous landmarks the TLC it so desperately needs and deserves."时钟管理员史蒂夫贾格斯说：“这个项目将使我们能够为英国最著名的地标之一提供它迫切需要和应得的 TLC。”The Elizabeth Tower, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, houses the clock and is visited by 12,000 people a year. 被联合国教科文组织列为世界遗产的伊丽莎白塔设有时钟，每年有 12,000 人参观。It's said to be structurally sound but water caused damage to its masonry and there's corrosion in the cast-iron roof and belfry and the frame which holds the clock's bells. It all needs fixing.据说它结构完好，但水损坏了它的砖石，铸铁屋顶和钟楼以及固定钟铃的框架也被腐蚀了。这一切都需要修复。Work will also help to bring the building up to modern health and safety standards. 工作还将有助于使建筑达到现代健康和安全标准。It will have a lift installed to make it easier and quicker to evacuate an injured person and give access to disabled people who can't climb its 334 steps. 它将安装一个电梯，以便更容易和更快地疏散受伤人员，并让无法爬上 334 级台阶的残疾人进入。And at a time when energy efficiency is a concern, the lights which illuminate the clock dials and the belfry will be replaced by low energy LEDs.在关注能源效率的时候，照亮时钟表盘和钟楼的灯将被低能量 LED 取代。Work, with an estimated cost of £29m, is set to begin early in 2017 and is planned to take three years. 预计成本为 2900 万英镑的工作将于 2017 年初开始，计划耗时三年。The clock will be silent for only a few months though and might come back to life in very special occasions.不过，时钟只会静默几个月，并且可能会在非常特殊的场合恢复活力。The name Big Ben originally referred to the 13.5 tonne Great Bell within the tower, but ended up being used for the clock and tower too.大本钟这个名字最初是指塔内重达 13.5 吨的大钟，但最终也被用于钟和塔。 The clock stands 96m above the Houses of Parliament. 时钟位于国会大厦上方 96m 处。It was designed by architect Edmund Beckett Denison and began keeping time on 31 May 1859. 它由建筑师 Edmund Beckett Denison 设计，于 1859 年 5 月 31 日开始计时。Surely it might be our turn to give this famous symbol of Britain some time to rest and recover.当然，也许该轮到我们给这个著名的英国象征一些时间休息和恢复了。词汇表to make do  将就着，凑合着用chimes   报时钟声uninterrupted   没有中断过的worn   受到磨损的repair (noun)   维修landmark   地标性建筑TLC  (tender loving care 的缩写)  细心护理UNESCO World Heritage Site    联合国教科文组织世界文化遗产地structurally sound   结构上没有问题masonry   砖石结构corrosion    生锈、腐蚀cast iron    铸铁to fix    修理、整修health and safety standards    健康安全标准to evacuate    转移，疏散to replace    更换LED  (light-emitting diode 的缩写)   发光二极管Houses of Parliament   议会大厦architect   建筑设计师

Do you ever have a task you need to complete but however urgent it may be, you just don't get on and do it?您是否曾经有一项任务需要完成，但无论它多么紧迫，您就是不去做吗？ From doing the housework to writing an assignment, there's always something I can put off until tomorrow.从做家务到写作业，总有一些事情我可以推迟到明天。Being a procrastinator is quite easy. 成为拖延者很容易。There are so many other more interesting distractions such as watching funny cat videos on the internet or catching up with friends on social media! 还有很多其他更有趣的干扰，例如在互联网上观看有趣的猫视频或在社交媒体上与朋友聊天！But Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, once wisely said that: 'You may delay, but time will not', in other words, the time we waste now is gone forever,但美国国父之一本杰明·富兰克林曾睿智地说：“你可以拖延，但时间不会”，换句话说，我们现在浪费的时间已经一去不复返了，so maybe I should pull my socks up and get on with what I should be doing.所以也许我应该拉起袜子，继续我应该做的事情。The reason why many of us delay doing something is that we live for the present not the future. 我们中的许多人延迟做某事的原因是我们为现在而不是未来而活。We are reluctant to engage in tasks that relate to the future – sorting something out now that will benefit us in the future doesn't seem like a priority.我们不愿意从事与未来相关的任务——现在整理出对我们未来有益的事情似乎并不是一个优先事项。 Daphna Oyserman, Professor of Psychology at the University of Southern California, says that "many things that are quite important about the future require that we start doing things now rather than waiting for later to happen ... waiting till later means that we won't have much time."南加州大学心理学教授 Daphna Oyserman 说：“许多对未来非常重要的事情要求我们现在就开始做事，而不是等到以后发生……等到以后就意味着我们赢了。”时间不多。” So get on with it now rather than have a last-minute panic later!But it's hard to muster any enthusiasm when there are tedious chores to be done, so how can I control my lack of focus and knuckle down to what really needs to be done?所以现在就开始吧，而不是等到最后一刻惊慌失措！但是当有繁琐的家务要做时，很难调动任何热情，那么我该如何控制自己的注意力不集中并专注于真正需要做的事情呢？ One idea is temptation bundling – doing two activities together – one that is boring but essential and one that you enjoy but isn't so productive. 一个想法是诱惑捆绑——一起做两项活动——一项无聊但必不可少，另一项你喜欢但效率不高。Planning is essential too and we should never underestimate how long things will take us. 计划也是必不可少的，我们永远不应低估事情需要多长时间。However, Dr Catherine Loveday from Westminster University warns us about a 'planning fallacy' thinking we can get something done quickly. 然而，威斯敏斯特大学的凯瑟琳·洛夫戴博士警告我们注意“计划谬误”，认为我们可以快速完成某事。She says "We never seem to get any better at judging time in the future and how long things will take us."她说：“我们在判断未来的时间和事情需要多长时间方面似乎从来没有变得更好。”Maybe for now, I'll make a cup of tea, and ponder on these thoughts before I crack on with some important tasks – anyway, there's always tomorrow.也许现在，我会泡一杯茶，在我开始做一些重要的任务之前，好好思考一下这些想法——不管怎样，明天总会有的。词汇表task 任务put off 延后，拖延procrastinator 托拉的人distraction 分心的事，分散注意力的东西pull my socks up 努力加油干，加把劲儿live for the present 活在当下reluctant 勉强的，不情愿的engage  参与priority 优先考虑的事情，重要的事情last-minute 最后一刻的muster 激起（某种感情）knuckle down  开始努力工作temptation bundling 诱惑捆绑（把一件需要做但枯燥的事情和一件有趣的事情连在一起做，合二为一）productive  有效率的underestimate 低估fallacy 谬论，谬见ponder 沉思，考虑to crack on 赶快加速继续（工作）

Next time you see a pigeon flying around, look at it with some respect.下次你看到一只鸽子飞来飞去的时候，带着一些尊重来看待它。it might be able to help with the diagnosis and treatment of human diseases.它可能有助于人类疾病的诊断和治疗。A recent study has shown that these birds could be trained to detect breast cancer from images as accurately as humans.最近的一项研究表明，可以训练这些鸟从图像中像人类一样准确地检测乳腺癌。It's all about their visual memory - these birds have plenty of it even if their brains are very small. 这完全取决于它们的视觉记忆——即使它们的大脑很小，这些鸟也有很多视觉记忆。Professor Edward Wasserman from the University of Iowa, a co-author of the study, says: "Pigeons can distinguish identities and emotional expressions on human faces, letters of the alphabet, misshapen pharmaceutical capsules, and even paintings by Monet versus Picasso." 该研究的合著者、爱荷华大学的爱德华·瓦瑟曼教授说：“鸽子可以区分人脸、字母、畸形药物胶囊，甚至莫奈与毕加索的画作上的身份和情感表达。” And Wasserman adds that the birds' visual memory capacity is equally impressive, with a proven recall of more than 1,800 images. So how did the scientists find out about the amazing ability of these birds?Wasserman 补充说，鸟类的视觉记忆能力同样令人印象深刻，已证实可以回忆起 1,800 多张图像。那么科学家们是如何发现这些鸟类的惊人能力的呢？ They taught different pigeons to distinguish microscope images of cancerous and non-cancerous tissue and rewarded them with food every time they got it right.他们教不同的鸽子区分癌组织和非癌组织的显微镜图像，并在每次它们做对时奖励它们食物。It didn't take long to get good results. After two weeks of training in 'pigeon medical school', the 'students' recorded 85% accuracy as they managed to identify cancerous tissue from images they had not seen before.没过多久就取得了不错的成绩。在“鸽子医学院”进行了两周的培训后，“学生”记录了 85% 的准确率，因为他们设法从他们以前从未见过的图像中识别出癌组织。But pigeons are not the only animals showing potential to help human diagnosis. 但鸽子并不是唯一显示出有助于人类诊断潜力的动物。A team at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences has shown that a dog can be trained to smell urine samples of patients to identify thyroid cancer. 阿肯色大学医学科学的一个团队表明，可以训练一只狗闻病人的尿液样本来识别甲状腺癌。It lay down where it could smell cancer and turned away if not. The animals got it right in 30 cases out of 34.它躺在它可以闻到癌症的地方，如果没有，它就转身离开。这些动物在 34 例中的 30 例中做对了。So don't dismiss the abilities of these animals.所以不要忽视这些动物的能力。 They might be much more intelligent than you think.他们可能比你想象的要聪明得多。词汇表diagnosis  诊断treatment  治疗disease  疾病to detect  检测breast cancer  乳腺癌accurately  精确地brain  大脑to distinguish  区分，鉴别misshapen  畸形的pharmaceutical capsules  药用胶囊recall  记性microscope images  显微镜图像cancerous  癌症的non-cancerous tissue  非癌症的组织或细胞accuracy  准确性urine samples  尿液样本thyroid  甲状腺to dismiss  不予理会，不予考虑

Something I enjoy doing most in my leisure time is going to the cinema – the movies – to watch a great film. 我在闲暇时间最喜欢做的事情就是去电影院——看电影——看一部好电影。It's two hours of relaxation and escapism from real life. 这是两个小时的放松和逃避现实生活。But when I kick-back in my seat to enjoy the film and tuck into my box of popcorn, I'm often irritated by seeing someone next to me texting on their mobile phone or worse still, talking to someone. 但是当我坐在座位上欣赏电影并塞进我的爆米花盒时，我经常会因为看到我旁边的人在他们的手机上发短信或更糟糕的是，正在和某人说话而感到恼火。                                                                            It's no surprise that a proposal by a US cinema chain to let people use their phones during some film screenings was met with such outrage, that the company had to withdraw the idea. 毫不奇怪，一家美国连锁影院提出的让人们在某些电影放映期间使用手机的提议遭到如此强烈的愤怒，以至于该公司不得不撤回这个想法。 People said it was 'the worst idea ever'! Surely, going to watch the latest blockbuster is just that – watching not dual-screening.人们说这是“有史以来最糟糕的主意”！当然，看最新的大片就是这样——不想看到两个屏幕。 And if you're out with a friend it seems very antisocial or just rude. 如果你和朋友出去，这似乎非常反社交或粗鲁。I certainly get distracted by the click-click on someone's mobile keyboard as they text and the glow of the bright small phone screen – why aren't they concentrating on the big screen?!当他们发短信和小手机屏幕发亮时，我当然会被它的移动键盘上的点击而分心——他们为什么不专心看大屏幕上的电影？！But with the availability of streaming films at home and cheap DVDs, cinemas are struggling to keep their customers. 但随着家庭流媒体电影和廉价 DVD 的出现，电影院正在努力留住客户。Some places now offer comfortable seats with complimentary snacks and drinks so maybe trying to attract a younger audience by allowing the use of mobile phones is the way forward?一些地方现在提供舒适的座位和免费的小吃和饮料，所以也许通过允许使用手机来吸引年轻观众是前进的方向吗？ A survey in 2012 found that a majority of 18-to-34-year-olds believed using social media while watching a movie would add to their experience.2012 年的一项调查发现，大多数 18 至 34 岁的人认为在看电影时使用社交媒体会增加他们的体验。Sociologist, Julie Albright, says "Millennials have become very good at multi-tasking so they think nothing of looking at their phone while doing other sorts of things including consuming films and television and other media."社会学家朱莉·奥尔布赖特 (Julie Albright) 说：“千禧一代已经非常擅长同时处理多项任务，因此他们在做其他类型的事情（包括观看电影、电视和其他媒体）时不会考虑看手机。”However, not every young person wants to multi-task at the movies.Many of us still get annoyed by the theatre staff who appear not to do anything about it. 然而，并不是每个年轻人都想在电影中同时完成多项任务。我们中的许多人仍然对似乎对此无动于衷的剧院工作人员感到恼火。Of course, we could ask the offenders to turn their phones off but as Adam Aron, head of AMC Entertainment, said in Variety magazine, "when you tell a 22-year-old to turn off the phone, don't ruin the movie, they hear 'please cut off your left arm above the elbow'."当然，我们可以要求冒犯者关掉手机，但正如 AMC 娱乐公司负责人亚当·阿隆在《综艺》杂志上所说，“当你告诉 22 岁的孩子关掉手机时，不要毁了这部电影，他们听到‘请切断你的左臂肘部以上’。” Clearly this is not what I would like to see but if you are tempted to use your mobile phone in the cinema that I'm at, please don't sit next to me! What do you think is the right thing to do?显然这不是我想看到的，但如果你想在我所在的电影院使用手机，请不要坐在我旁边！您认为正确的做法是什么？词汇表relaxation  放松escapism  （通过幻想、阅读等方式）逃避现实kick back  休息，放松irritated  恼火的，被惹怒的outrage  义愤，愤慨dual-screening  双屏同享antisocial  不合群的，另人反感的struggling  苦苦挣扎的，艰难奋斗的millennials  千禧世代 (常指1980-2000间出生的人)consuming  （尤指大量的）看，消耗，使用offenders  造成问题的人，违规者tempted  想做（某事）

Do you have too many pairs of shoes or old gadgets lying around your home? 你家有太多双鞋或旧小玩意吗？I'm sure many of us have too much stuff that we don't really use and when it starts getting out of hand, it really is time to do some spring cleaning to de-clutter our lives.我敢肯定，我们中的许多人都有太多我们没有真正使用的东西，当它开始失控时，真的是时候做一些春季大扫除来整理我们的生活了。However, deciding which items to get rid of can be tricky especially if you are materialistic, believing that physical possessions are the most important thing in life. 然而，决定扔掉哪些物品可能会很棘手，特别是如果你是物质主义者，因为你会相信物质财富是生活中最重要的东西。Also, some people are sentimental about letting go of their personal property. 此外，有些人对放弃他们的个人物品是多愁善感的。But if you haven't got room in your house to move, it's time to evaluate what is really important to you and decide what are your prized possessions and what is just junk.但是，如果你的房子没有足够的空间可用，那么是时候想一下什么对你来说是真正重要的，并决定什么是你珍贵的财产，什么是垃圾。Instead of just chucking it away and filling up landfill sites, items could be recycled or given to a charity to re-sell. 与其只是将其丢弃并填满垃圾填埋场，不如将物品回收或捐赠给慈善机构转售。You could also make some money by using websites where people are willing to pay for second-hand goods. 您还可以通过二手货网站来销售来赚钱。Some people have taken a minimalist approach, deliberately trying to keep life simple. 有些人采取了极简主义的方法，刻意让生活保持简单。Bea Johnson, author of Zero Waste Home, has done this. 《零垃圾之家》的作者 Bea Johnson 做到了这一点。She says "we've asked really true questions, and evaluated every single thing that we have. 她说：“我们提出了非常真实的问题，并评估了我们拥有的每一样东西."There is nothing that we overlooked. I even came to look at my vegetable peeler for example and asked myself, 'do I really need that vegetable peeler'?"没有什么是我们可以忽略的。比如，我甚至看到我的蔬菜削皮器并会问自己，‘我真的需要这个吗？”Of course, if you're a shopaholic or a fashion-victim it's hard to stop buying and shopping online makes purchasing stuff very easy.当然，如果您是购物狂或时尚受害者，则很难停止购买，而在线购物使购买东西变得非常容易。 James Wallman is a writer and journalist – he questions what we actually need. 詹姆斯沃尔曼是一名作家和记者——他质疑我们真正需要什么。He says "I'm not anti-stuff – stuff is good. 他说：“我不是反物质——东西都是好的。I'm anti too much stuff and I'm anti the wrong stuff. 我反对太多的东西，我反对错误的东西。Don't go out and buy that labelled good that you think is going to make people think something more of you.不要出去购买那些你认为会让人们对你有更多看法的标签商品。 That's not going to make you happy."它不会让你开心的。”This sounds like good advice. It's good to take stock of what we have and what we really need. 这听起来是个好建议。盘点一下我们拥有什么以及我们真正需要什么是很好的。But there are still some things I just can't face parting company with; my CD collection, even though I now download my music, and my childhood teddy bear. 但还是有一些我无法面对分手的事情；我的 CD 收藏，尽管我现在下载我的音乐和我童年的泰迪熊。What about you – have you got something that you just can't throw away?你呢——你有什么东西不能扔掉吗？词汇表getting out of hand 失去控制spring cleaning 彻底打扫，大扫除de-clutter 整理，清除杂物get rid of 扔掉、丢弃materialistic 追求物质的，拜金的sentimental 感情用事的，多愁善感的prized possessions 珍贵的财产、物品junk 垃圾、没用的东西chucking it away 把它扔掉landfill sites 垃圾填埋场recycled 回收利用的minimalist  简约主义的overlooked 忽略了，没有考虑到的shopaholic 购物狂fashion-victim 盲目追求时尚的人labelled 贴了（名牌）标签的take stock 仔细考虑，作出判断parting company 与…分离

How often do you check your phone? According to a study led by Nottingham Trent University in Britain, the average person looks at their device 85 times a day, browsing the internet or using apps.你多久查看一次手机？根据英国诺丁汉特伦特大学领导的一项研究，普通人每天使用他们的电子设备 85 次来浏览互联网或使用应用程序。 Updating their status on social media platforms also made people reach for their electronic companion frequently.在社交媒体平台上更新他们的状态也让人们经常接触他们的在线朋友。Even the study's participants thought that was a lot: this figure is twice as often as they thought they did. 甚至该研究的参与者也认为这玩手机的次数很多：这个数字是他们认为的两倍。Our phones might be shaping our behavior more than we realize, and changing the way we interact with people right next to us. 我们的手机可能比我们意识到的更能塑造我们的行为，并改变我们与身边人互动的方式。Do you actually look at your surroundings more than at your phone?你环顾周围的环境真的会比看手机多吗？ Is it rude to check your phone when someone is talking to you?当有人和你说话时你却在玩手机，这是不是不礼貌？Sherry Turkle interviewed hundreds of college students about this.雪莉·特克尔就此采访了数百名大学生。 She's a clinical psychologist and a professor of social studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 她是麻省理工学院的临床心理学家和社会研究教授。They talked about something they called 'the rule of three'.他们谈到了他们称之为“三人行法则”的东西。The rule has to do with being considerate to others in spite of the allure of the little flat box. 尽管小扁平盒子很有吸引力，但这条规则与为他人着想有关。Turkle explains: "If you go to dinner with friends, you don't want to look down at your phone until you see that three people are looking up in the conversation. 特克尔解释说：“如果你和朋友一起去吃饭，当你看到其他三个在抬头说话时，你就不会想着低头玩手机。So there's a new etiquette where you don't look down unless three people are looking up in order to keep a little conversation alive."所以有一种新的礼仪，为了保持一点聊天的气氛，当其他三个人正在抬头聊天，你是不会去低头玩手机的。”Actually, if you are clever enough you might use your phone as a tool to connect with people next to you. 实际上，如果您足够聪明，您可能会使用手机作为与您旁边的人联系的工具。How about showing them pictures stored in its memory? Sharing a bit of your life with them can bring you closer together. 给他们看存储在内存中的图片怎么样？与他们分享你的一些生活可以让你们更紧密地联系在一起。And you can also invite everyone to take a selfie with you.您还可以邀请所有人与您一起自拍。But the best thing to deal with mobile phone addiction is to go cold turkey and leave the machine behind occasionally or just switch it off and keep it firmly in your pocket for a while. 但对付手机成瘾最好的办法就是戒掉它，偶尔放下你的手机，或者干脆关掉它，把它放在你的口袋里放一会儿。Who knows... 'life' might be what happens when you are too busy staring at a small screen.谁会知道……当你忙着盯你的手机小屏幕时下一秒会发生什么。词汇表device 设备to browse  （通过网络）浏览app (application)  手机应用程序to update (their) status  更新（社交网站上的个人）状态social media platform  社交媒体平台to shape  塑造，形成to interact  互动，交流surroundings  周围的事物，环境clinical psychologist  临床心理学家social studies  社会科学课程technology  工业技术considerate  体贴的allure  诱惑力，吸引力etiquette  规矩；礼节to connect  （融洽地）沟通memory（手机）内存selfie  自拍照to go cold turkey  快速、彻底地戒掉（坏习惯）

Having a newborn can be daunting. What do you need to buy? 生一个新生儿可能会令人生畏。你需要买什么？How will you get the baby to sleep? And how will you pay for everything?怎么哄宝宝睡觉？你将如何支付所有费用？Could the answers to these worries lie in a ‘baby box’?这些担忧的答案是否存在于“婴儿箱”中？The baby box has taken the world by storm, but what is it? 婴儿箱风靡全球，但它是什么？Well, it originated in Finland in the 1930s as a kind of maternity kit for expectant parents. 嗯，它起源于 1930 年代的芬兰，是一种为准父母准备的孕妇用品。The box, provided by the government, contains supplies, such as bibs, nappies, and teething toys. 这个盒子由政府提供，里面装着围兜、尿布和出牙玩具等用品。It also comes with a small mattress, which is placed in the bottom of the box to create the baby’s first cot. 它还配有一个小床垫，放置在盒子的底部，以创建婴儿的第一张婴儿床。Now, the idea of putting a child to sleep in a box may shock some.现在，让孩子睡在盒子里的想法可能会让一些人感到震惊。  But, experts say this could reduce the risks that come with babies sleeping in the same bed as their parents.但是，专家表示，这可以降低婴儿与父母睡在同一张床上的风险。 The box has been a huge success and is said to be one of the main reasons why the rate of infant mortality in Finland is so low.这个盒子取得了巨大的成功，据说这是芬兰婴儿死亡率如此低的主要原因之一。A few years ago, stories of the Finnish baby box went viral.几年前，芬兰婴儿箱的故事在网上疯传。 Other countries around the world have since caught onto the idea and adapted it to suit local needs. 此后，世界其他国家也开始接受这一想法并对其进行调整以适应当地需求。For example, in South Africa, the box is made of plastic and can be used as a bath rather than a bed. 例如，在南非，盒子由塑料制成，可以用作浴缸而不是床。The main objective, however, is to encourage mothers to attend antenatal classes during their pregnancy. 然而，主要目标是鼓励母亲在怀孕期间参加产前课程。 The version trialled in India includes other appropriate supplies, such as a mosquito net to protect babies from malaria.在印度试用的版本包括其他适当的用品，例如用于保护婴儿免受疟疾侵害的蚊帐。In Canada, additions to the baby box include a “crib-side assistance booklet” to help fathers bond with their baby.在加拿大，婴儿箱的附加物包括一本“婴儿床辅助手册”，以帮助父亲与婴儿建立联系。 Written in the style of a car-repair manual, the booklet offers first-time dads helpful advice on matters such as how to burp their child.这本小册子以汽车维修手册的形式写成，就如何给孩子打嗝等问题提供了第一次做爸爸的有用建议。Of course, the baby box can only do so much. 当然，婴儿箱只能做这么多。Many believe governments should focus on providing parents with adequate maternity and paternity leave and improving health care and education. 许多人认为，政府应该专注于为父母提供充足的产假和陪产假，并改善医疗保健和教育。Good things come in small packages though, and for such a simple idea the baby box really does tick a lot of boxes! 不过好东西都是小包装的，对于这么简单的想法，婴儿盒确实可以打很多盒子！词汇表newborn 新生儿maternity 母性的，产妇的expectant parents 准父母a bib 围嘴儿a nappy 尿布teething 出牙a cot 小床infant mortality 婴儿死亡率antenatal classes 产前培训班pregnancy 怀孕a crib 婴儿床bond (verb) 培养（感情）to burp 打嗝paternity leave 父亲产假

Our brain is probably the most important organ in our body.我们的大脑可能是我们身体中最重要的器官。 It's an incredibly complex thing that helps us think, speak, feel and move. 这是一件非常复杂的事情，可以帮助我们思考、说话、感受和行动。It's no wonder we need to look after it and just like the rest of our body, we need to keep it exercised to keep it healthy.难怪我们需要照顾它，就像我们身体的其他部分一样，我们需要保持锻炼以保持健康。Our brain is made up of 86 billion neurons – or nerve cells – but as we get older some of these slowly die off.我们的大脑由 860 亿个神经元或神经细胞组成，但随着年龄的增长，其中一些会慢慢死亡。 In extreme cases, nerve cells in different areas of the brain become damaged and eventually die causing a condition called dementia where a person is unable to perform certain mental functions.在极端情况下，大脑不同区域的神经细胞会受损并最终死亡，从而导致人们无法执行某些心理功能的痴呆症。It's a good idea to train our brain by learning ways to increase our memory or intelligence.通过学习增加记忆力或智力的方法来训练我们的大脑是个好主意。 I like to stretch my brain by doing a crossword or a Sudoku puzzle.我喜欢通过填字游戏或数独游戏来扩展我的大脑。There's also evidence that learning a second language can boost your brainpower. 还有证据表明，学习第二语言可以提高你的脑力。Dr Catherine Loveday, who's a neuropsychologist, thinks being bilingual is a protective factor for the brain because it "involves a lot of switchings and that seems to exercise the sort of executive parts of our brain. 神经心理学家凯瑟琳·洛夫戴博士认为，双语是大脑的保护因素，因为它“涉及很多转换，而且似乎锻炼了我们大脑的执行部分。Those parts of the brain are kind of stronger and fitter when it comes to resisting some kind of damage from a stroke."在抵抗中风造成的某种伤害时，大脑的这些部分更加强壮和健康。”But if you're not bilingual there are other ways to stretch your brain: If you're right handed, doing tasks like brushing your teeth with your left hand will improve your brain – 但如果你不会双语，还有其他方法可以伸展你的大脑：如果你是右撇子，用左手做刷牙之类的任务会改善你的大脑——or something I find very challenging, memorising a list of words, such as a shopping list.或者我觉得非常具有挑战性的东西，记住一个单词列表，比如购物清单。The main aim of trying these skills is to stimulate the brain.尝试这些技能的主要目的是刺激大脑。This is something Dr. Loveday describes as building up our cognitive reserve – that's building up extra abilities to help protect the brain against declining memory or thinking. 这就是洛夫戴博士所说的建立我们的认知储备的东西——这是建立额外的能力来帮助保护大脑免受记忆力或思维衰退的影响。She says "even if people take up languages or take up other things later in life it will give them a degree of protection." 她说：“即使人们在以后的生活中学习语言或学习其他东西，也会给他们一定程度的保护。”As I get older, that has put my mind at rest!随着年龄的增长，这让我放心了！The best bit of research I have read is that eating chocolate may enhance our ability to acquire and utilise knowledge – that's our cognitive performance. 我读过的最好的研究是吃巧克力可以增强我们获取和利用知识的能力——这就是我们的认知能力。It may not be healthy for the rest of my body but at least it might make me a brain box! What do you think?它可能对我身体的其他部分不健康，但至少它可能让我成为一个大脑盒子！你怎么看？词汇表organ 器官neurons 神经元nerve cells 神经细胞dementia 痴呆症、失智症mental functions 脑功能intelligence 智力crossword 填字游戏brainpower 脑力，智力neuropsychologist 神经心理学家bilingual （能使用）两种语言的，双语的executive 执行指令的resisting 抵抗，抵御stroke 中风stimulate 促进（身体某部位）的功能challenging 有挑战性的cognitive reserve 认知储备abilities 能力put my mind at rest 让我放心了enhance 提高，增强utilise 利用，使用cognitive performance 认知表现，认知能力a brain box 非常聪明的人

Do you have a hobby that helps you relax and unwind? 你有什么爱好可以帮助你放松和放松吗？For some people, there is no better way to switch off than spending time in the garden. 对于某些人来说，没有比花时间在花园里更好的关闭方式了。This small private area of green space can be their oasis of calm.这片小小的私人绿地可以成为他们平静的绿洲。It's no wonder some of us turn to gardening as a form of therapy.难怪我们中的一些人将园艺作为一种治疗形式。 A survey conducted by the Royal Horticultural Society, found that 82% of people in the UK said that gardening makes them happier.英国皇家园艺学会进行的一项调查发现，82% 的英国人表示园艺让他们更快乐。 It also found that 70% of them, given the choice, would prefer to spend their working day in the garden with just 9% opting for an office.它还发现，如果有选择，他们中的 70% 更愿意在花园里度过他们的工作日，而只有 9% 的人选择办公室。For those with green fingers, the pleasure of gardening comes from getting out in the fresh air, in all weathers and communing with nature – even if there are a few too many creepy-crawlies! 对于那些有绿色手指的人来说，园艺的乐趣来自于呼吸新鲜空气、在任何天气下和与大自然交流——即使有太多令人毛骨悚然的爬行动物！It can also be seen as a sort of digital-detox – time away from technology. 它也可以被视为一种数字排毒——远离技术。Some experts actually believe that getting outside to dig and plant things acts as a 'natural high'.一些专家实际上认为，到户外挖掘和种植东西是一种“自然高潮”。Dr Christopher Lowry, a neuroscientist at the University of Colorado, injected a bacterium commonly found in soil into mice to see what affect this would have on them. 科罗拉多大学的神经科学家克里斯托弗·洛瑞博士将土壤中常见的一种细菌注射到老鼠体内，看看这会对它们产生什么影响。He found the bacterium had a similar effect on the mice as an antidepressant drug might.  他发现这种细菌对小鼠的作用与抗抑郁药的作用相似。When we dig in soil we ingest this bacterium through our lungs or cuts in our skin so Dr Lowry concluded that since the mice seemed happier when treated with soil bacteria, it's likely we would be too.当我们在土壤中挖掘时，我们会通过肺部或皮肤上的切口摄入这种细菌，因此洛瑞博士得出结论，由于用土壤细菌处理小鼠似乎更快乐，我们很可能也会如此。Gardening can also be used as a way of treating addiction.园艺也可以用作治疗成瘾的一种方式。 There's evidence that recovering alcoholics who have been given the opportunity to plant, grow, and even sell their produce, have managed to stop their addictive habits. 有证据表明，那些有机会种植、种植甚至出售产品的酗酒者已经成功戒掉了上瘾的习惯。Scot Stephenson, for example, got expelled from school and started a vocational qualification in gardening. 例如，斯科特·斯蒂芬森（Scot Stephenson）被学校开除并开始获得园艺职业资格。He says "I got my NVQ level 2 which is my first qualification and enjoyed it ever since."他说：“我获得了 NVQ 2 级，这是我的第一个资格，从那时起我就享受它。”Whatever the reason, there are many therapeutic benefits to getting your hands dirty, doing some physical hard work and then watching your garden grow. Does this sound like your idea of fun?不管是什么原因，弄脏你的手，做一些体力劳动，然后看着你的花园长大，有很多治疗益处。这听起来像你的乐趣吗？词汇表unwind 放松，减压switch off 不在关注（工作或另人精神紧张的事情）oasis of calm 宁静的一刻therapy （非药物）疗法green fingers 园艺能手communing 与（大自然）交流、融为一体creepy-crawlies 爬虫，蠕虫digital-detox 数码排毒natural high （不靠药物）自然的兴奋、高兴bacterium 细菌（复数为 bacteria）antidepressant drug 抗抑郁药物addiction 嗜好，瘾recovering alcoholics 目前滴酒不沾的酗酒者expelled 被开除vocational 职业技术的

Every morning, my alarm goes off, I wake from my slumber and hit the snooze button. 每天早上，我的闹钟响起，我从睡梦中醒来，按下贪睡按钮。Then I crawl back under the duvet to grab a few more minutes of shut-eye. 然后我爬回羽绒被下，再睡几分钟。“Tonight I’ll go to bed early,” I tell myself.“今晚我要早点睡觉，”我告诉自己。 But, evening comes and I get a second wind, completely forgetting about my early night.但是，晚上来了，我得到了第二次风，完全忘记了我的早晚。Why am I finding it so difficult to get a good night’s sleep? And is it a problem?为什么我发现很难睡个好觉？这是一个问题吗？The amount we sleep has declined over the years and insomnia is on the rise. Modern technology is often blamed. 多年来，我们的睡眠量一直在下降，而失眠症却在增加。现代技术经常受到指责。The light from our smartphone affects levels of melatonin – the sleep-inducing hormone - keeping us wide awake into the early hours.智能手机发出的光会影响褪黑激素（一种诱导睡眠的激素）的水平，让我们在凌晨时分保持清醒。Lack of sleep can badly affect our health and memory.睡眠不足会严重影响我们的健康和记忆力。 We need deep sleep to move our memories from short-term storage into long-term storage. 我们需要深度睡眠才能将我们的记忆从短期存储转移到长期存储。If we don’t get enough sleep, we could lose these memories.如果我们没有得到足够的睡眠，我们可能会失去这些记忆。 This is especially disastrous for people studying for exams.这对准备考试的人来说尤其是灾难性的。So, how can we learn to sleep better? For Professor Till Roenneberg, it's important people recognise they have an internal body clock. 那么，我们怎样才能学会睡得更好呢？对于 Till Roenneberg 教授来说，重要的是人们认识到他们有一个内部生物钟。This determines whether you are a night owl, an early bird or somewhere in the middle. 这决定了你是夜猫子、早起的鸟还是处于中间的某个地方。We don’t have any choice. “It’s like feet,” he said “Some people are born with big feet and some with small feet, but most people are somewhere in the middle.”  我们别无选择。 “这就像脚，”他说，“有些人天生脚大，有些人脚小，但大多数人都处于中间位置。”Our work schedules are out of sync with our natural sleep patterns. He says this leads to “social jetlag” where people feel like they are constantly in the wrong time zone.我们的工作时间表与我们的自然睡眠模式不同步。他说这会导致“社交时差”，让人们感觉自己总是处于错误的时区。Paul Kelley – a sleep expert from the University of Oxford – says that most people are getting up too early. 牛津大学的睡眠专家保罗·凯利（Paul Kelley）说，大多数人都起得太早了。He believes work and school should start a few hours later. 他认为工作和上学应该在几个小时后开始。Many companies are starting to realise more sleep can mean a more productive workforce and are changing work schedules. 许多公司开始意识到更多的睡眠意味着更高的工作效率，并且正在改变工作时间表。While in South Korea, office workers are heading to relaxation parlours at lunchtime to take power naps in hammocks or massage chairs. 在韩国，上班族在午餐时间前往休闲室，在吊床或按摩椅上小睡。This is much healthier than catching forty winks while sitting on the toilet or dropping off at their desks.这比坐在马桶上或在办公桌前下车时眨眼四十次要健康得多。So, if like me you find yourself hitting your snooze button every morning – don't feel bad. It’s just our body clocks!所以，如果你像我一样发现自己每天早上都在按下打盹按钮——不要难过。这只是我们的生物钟！词汇表slumber 睡眠snooze button （催醒闹钟的）延时按钮shut-eye 睡眠get a second wind 恢复的精力或力量early night 早睡insomnia 失眠melatonin 褪黑素wide awake 完全清醒the early hours 凌晨body clock 生物钟night owl 夜猫子early bird 早起者sleep patterns 睡眠规律jetlag 时差反应power nap 打盹，小睡hammock 吊床catch forty winks （白天的）打盹、小睡drop off 睡着了

Have you ever fancied sailing around the world in your own yacht or buying a holiday home in the Caribbean? 您有没有想过乘坐自己的游艇环游世界或在加勒比海购买度假屋？Well, before you get too excited, it may help to find out if you have what it takes to become a billionaire.好吧，在你太兴奋之前，看看你是否具备成为亿万富翁的条件可能会有所帮助。We've all heard stories of school drop-outs who have made their fortune, but are they the norm or an exception to the rule? 我们都听说过辍学发家致富的故事，但他们是常态还是例外？Do they tend to be university graduates or self-made entrepreneurs?他们往往是大学毕业生还是白手起家的企业家？ Are they married or single?他们是已婚还是单身？Thanks to a recent analysis of people in Forbes Top 100 Billionaires List, we can now find out what the world's mega rich have in common. 由于最近对福布斯百强亿万富翁名单中的人的分析，我们现在可以找出世界上的超级富豪的共同点。We know which star sign is the most popular amongst multi-millionaires, what percentage wear glasses and even how many are bald!我们知道哪个星座在千万富翁中最受欢迎，戴眼镜的比例是多少，甚至有多少人是秃头！If you are deciding whether or not to go to university, it may help you to know that 76% of the richest people in the world have a degree. 如果您正在决定是否上大学，这可能会帮助您了解世界上 76% 的最富有的人拥有学位。According to this study, of those 76%, 47% have a bachelor's degree, 23% have a master's and 6% have a doctorate. 根据这项研究，在这 76% 的人中，47% 拥有学士学位，23% 拥有硕士学位，6% 拥有博士学位。 Don't lose hope if you aren't very academic though. It's worth noting that many of those on the list did not pass all their exams with flying colours. 如果你不是很学术，不要失去希望。值得注意的是，名单上的许多人并没有以优异的成绩通过所有考试。Microsoft founder Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard University after two years of study. 微软创始人比尔盖茨在哈佛大学学习两年后辍学。And Chinese business magnate Jack Ma, failed his university entrance exams three times before going on to complete his degree and make his millions.中国商业大亨马云在大学入学考试中三度不及格，然后继续完成学位并赚了数百万。Another interesting trend is that the world's high-fliers are much more likely to be married - only 12% of billionaires are unmarried.另一个有趣的趋势是，世界上的大人物结婚的可能性要大得多——只有 12% 的亿万富翁未婚。You are also more likely to make it if you were born under the most popular star sign, Aquarius, than if you are a Cancer - the least popular sign on the zodiac. 如果你出生在最受欢迎的星座水瓶座下，你也更有可能成功，而不是巨蟹座——十二生肖中最不受欢迎的星座。Finally, the percentage of billionaires who are bald is quite high – so don't worry if you're losing your hair, you may get to sail that yacht around the Caribbean after all!最后，秃头的亿万富翁比例相当高——所以如果你掉头发也不用担心，毕竟你可能会驾驶那艘游艇环游加勒比海！词汇表a billionaire 亿万富翁a school drop-out 一个中途退学的人make ones fortune 靠个人努力发财致富university graduate 大学毕业生self-made 靠自己努力的，白手起家的entrepreneur 企业家mega rich 巨富pass your exams with flying colours 优异成绩通过考试founder 创始人drop out of (school, university) 离开，退出（学校，大学）magnate 富豪high-flier 抱负极高的人，成功人士to make it 功成名就

We hear a lot about team building these days. 这些天我们听到了很多关于团队建设的消息。Team-building gurus are hired by some corporations to lecture us on how to work more effectively with each other. 一些公司聘请了团队建设大师来教我们如何更有效地合作。And they organise awaydays - a time employees spend together away from their usual workplace.他们还组织休假日——员工们在远离日常工作场所的地方一起度过的时光。Here in the UK, employees can take part in activities such as Zombie boot camps where military instructors train you how to fight walking 'dead people'. 在英国，员工可以参加诸如僵尸训练营之类的活动，在那里，军事教官会训练您如何与行走的“死人”搏斗。For the brainier office workers amongst us there are crime investigations modelled on popular TV dramas like Sherlock Holmes and CSI.对于我们当中比较聪明的上班族来说，有一些犯罪调查以流行电视剧为蓝本，比如福尔摩斯和 CSI。Stressed-out city workers might have ukulele lessons made available to them. 压力大的城市工作人员可能会为他们提供四弦琴课程。Why is that a good team-building exercise? Ukulele teacher Lorraine Bow says: "The fact that they can play a musical instrument within an hour is quite a fulfilling thing, really.为什么这是一个很好的团队建设练习？ Ukulele 老师 Lorraine Bow 说：“他们可以在一个小时内演奏乐器，真的是一件很充实的事情。 It's not competitive – it's quite easy to do and a bit less intimidating than a guitar…"它没有竞争力——它很容易做到，而且比吉他不那么令人生畏……”Actually, a horse might be a bit more intimidating than an instrument. 实际上，一匹马可能比一件乐器更令人生畏。The animals are used by a company in Abu Dhabi which teaches leadership through horse training. Basically, you have to go in a yard with a horse and persuade it that you're the boss by using body language.这些动物被阿布扎比的一家公司使用，该公司通过马匹训练来教授领导能力。基本上，你必须带着一匹马去院子里，用肢体语言说服它你是老板。Kelly Eide, co-founder of True Leadership, says: "The horses don't care if your hair is purple, if you're a man or a woman, if you're old or young... 真正领导力的联合创始人凯利艾德说：“马不在乎你的头发是紫色的，是男人还是女人，是老是少……It transcends all of those cultural boundaries – age, gender, religion, tradition etc. – so that's a perfect fit. 它超越了所有这些文化界限——年龄、性别、宗教、传统等——所以这是一个完美的契合。And in an organization where you really need groups of people to gel, who come from backgrounds which have no common norms, you can teach that most efficiently with a horse."在一个你真的需要一群人来凝聚的组织中，他们来自没有共同规范的背景，你可以用一匹马最有效地教授这一点。”And the horse feels instinctively whether or not you are a natural leader. 无论你是不是天生的领导者，马都会本能地感觉到。So if after you've done a good presentation your boss offers you a carrot, you'll know where he might have learnt it from.因此，如果在你做了一个很好的演示之后，你的老板给了你一根胡萝卜，你就会知道他可能从哪里学到的。词汇表team building      团队建设guru      领袖，权威corporation      公司，企业effectively      有效地awayday      息工日workplace      工作地点，工作场所boot camp      训练营brainier (brainy)      更为精明的stressed-out      （因精神压力）精疲力尽的ukulele      尤克里里琴fulfilling      充实的，令人满意的competitive      竞争的leadership      领导能力to persuade       说服body language      肢体语言to transcend      超越to gel      （团队成员）相互磨合

We've landed on the moon and sent spacecraft to Mars. 我们已经登陆月球并将宇宙飞船送往火星。But how would you like to take a stroll around the red planet itself, having a closer look at the rocky Martian surface from all angles?但是，您想如何在这颗红色星球上漫步，从各个角度仔细观察火星岩石表面？Well, for those of us who can't afford our own rocket ship, experiences like this are now a 'virtual' step closer, thanks to AR technology.好吧，对于我们这些买不起自己的火箭飞船的人来说，由于 AR 技术，这样的体验现在离“虚拟”更近了一步。The letters stand for 'augmented reality', and even if it's not the most beautiful phrase in English, a lot of people in Silicon Valley think it will be the next big thing in tech.这些字母代表“增强现实”，即使它不是英语中最漂亮的短语，硅谷的很多人也认为它会成为科技界的下一个大事件。AR refers to the process of displaying digital information on top of the physical world using an electronic device.AR是指使用电子设备在物理世界之上显示数字信息的过程。The device could be a pair of smart glasses, a tablet or even a humble smartphone. 该设备可以是一副智能眼镜、平板电脑，甚至是一部不起眼的智能手机。And unlike 'virtual reality', or VR, users can physically move around and explore the digital world, instead of being restricted to a small area. 与“虚拟现实”或 VR 不同，用户可以实际移动并探索数字世界，而不是局限于一个小区域。This is particularly exciting for businesses.这对企业来说尤其令人兴奋。Alex Kipman is the creator of the HoloLens – a headset which allows people to see and interact with holograms. 亚历克斯·基普曼 (Alex Kipman) 是 HoloLens 的创造者 - 一种允许人们查看全息图并与之互动的耳机。During the 2016 TED Conference he even 'teleported' a hologram of a NASA scientist onto the stage with him, a stage which was transformed into a virtual Martian landscape.在 2016 年 TED 会议期间，他甚至将 NASA 科学家的全息图“传送”到了舞台上，舞台变成了虚拟的火星景观。In time, AR advocates hope it will allow us to interact with a whole world that is enhanced by multimedia provided by very clever computers – transforming not only business, but also fields like healthcare. 随着时间的推移，AR 倡导者希望它能让我们与一个由非常聪明的计算机提供的多媒体增强的整个世界互动——不仅改变商业，而且改变医疗保健等领域。A doctor could see patients around the world from the comfort of her own home.医生可以在自己舒适的家中为世界各地的病人看病。Not everyone is convinced that either the technology or the world at large is ready. 并非所有人都相信技术或整个世界都已准备就绪。Google's pioneering pair of smart glasses Google Glass were deemed a "fascinating failure" by the BBC's technology correspondent.谷歌开创性的一副智能眼镜 Google Glass 被 BBC 的技术记者认为是“令人着迷的失败”。And Kipman himself thinks we still have a long way to go before AR reaches its potential: "We will look back at this decade as being like cavemen in terms of technology," he said.基普曼本人认为，在 AR 发挥其潜力之前，我们还有很长的路要走：“我们将回顾这十年，在技术方面就像穴居人，”他说。词汇表spacecraft 宇宙飞船Martian 火星的virtual （双关语）几乎的，虚拟的augmented 增强、扩增的Silicon Valley （美国）硅谷the next big thing 下一个（将要来临的）大事tablet 平板电脑headset （头戴式）耳机holograms 全息图（一种三维图像）teleported （利用特殊技术）远距离及时传输advocates 倡导者enhanced （被）增色，提高at large 整体上，普遍的pioneering 首创的，先驱性的reaches its potential 充分释放、发挥它的潜力cavemen （史前时代的）穴居人

Are you addicted to computer games? Do you stay up all night playing them? 你沉迷于电脑游戏吗？你熬夜玩它们吗？There's no doubt that the excitement and sophistication of games these days makes them hard to put down.毫无疑问，如今游戏的刺激性和复杂性使它们难以放下。 But should we worry about their effects on our health?但是我们应该担心它们对我们健康的影响吗？We are spoilt for choice when it comes to gaming: You can role play – creating your own fantasy characters and stories, giving you a chance to step out of everyday life into an imaginary world.在游戏方面，我们被宠坏了：您可以角色扮演——创建自己的奇幻角色和故事，让您有机会走出日常生活，进入想象的世界。 And there are shooting games where you can let out your anger and frustration in violent situations where you kill people with guns.还有一些射击游戏，你可以在用枪杀人的暴力情况下发泄你的愤怒和沮丧。Can these kinds of games really be fun and can being absorbed in virtual reality be good for us?这些游戏真的很有趣吗？沉浸在虚拟现实中对我们有好处吗？ Popular games like Grand Theft Auto have been blamed for everything from falling results at school to provoking acts of extreme violence. 诸如侠盗猎车手之类的流行游戏被指责为从学校成绩下降到引发极端暴力行为的一切。Internet safety advisor, Alan MacKenzie, thinks "many people understandably will just think that a game is just a game and not realising the explicit content that's in there". 互联网安全顾问 Alan MacKenzie 认为“可以理解，许多人会认为游戏只是游戏，而没有意识到其中的明确内容”。 He gives an example of the violence and sexualisation of women which he says is "wholly inappropriate for anybody, never mind children."他举了一个对女性的暴力和性化的例子，他说这“对任何人都完全不合适，更不用说孩子了”。Others will argue that gaming is a harmless form of entertainment. There is evidence that playing video games could actually be good for us.其他人会争辩说，游戏是一种无害的娱乐形式。有证据表明，玩电子游戏实际上对我们有好处。 Some games are educational and using games consoles can help children learn good dexterity. 有些游戏具有教育意义，使用游戏机可以帮助孩子们学习良好的灵巧性。Studies have also shown that the skills used in playing games can cause growth in certain areas of the brain, the ability to think in 3D and even improve our eyesight.研究还表明，玩游戏所使用的技能可以促进大脑某些区域的发育、3D 思考能力，甚至提高我们的视力。Video gamers are also no longer just solitary creatures.视频游戏玩家也不再只是孤独的生物。 For some, gaming is having a positive effect on their social lives with games like Halo and World of Warcraft often being played in groups. 对于一些人来说，游戏对他们的社交生活产生了积极的影响，像 Halo 和魔兽世界这样的游戏经常被分组玩。When your group works together to win the game, your sense of achievement is higher than when winning by yourself. 当你的团队齐心协力赢得比赛时，你的成就感比一个人获胜时更高。So it seems today, gaming isn't just for geeks and if used in moderation we can all take part. 所以今天看来，游戏不仅仅适合极客，如果适度使用，我们都可以参与。What video games do you play and how do they make you feel?你玩什么电子游戏，它们给你的感觉如何？词汇表addicted  上瘾的sophistication  精密复杂spoilt for choice  多不胜选role play  角色扮演、角色游戏fantasy  幻想imaginary world  想象的世界violent  暴力的virtual reality  虚拟的现实provoking  挑衅，激怒explicit  明晰的，清楚的sexualisation  性别化harmless  无害的consoles  （游戏机）操纵器dexterity  灵巧，机敏solitary  孤独的sense of achievement  成就感

There is nothing worse than fumbling around in your pocket trying to find some small change to pay for a newspaper or a coffee.没有什么比在口袋里摸索找零钱买报纸或喝咖啡更糟糕的了。 So it's good to know that new technology is making cash - banknotes and coins - a thing of the past, turning us into a cashless society.所以很高兴知道新技术正在使现金——纸币和硬币——成为过去，把我们变成一个无现金社会。Today, many of us already use credit and debit cards for financial transactions so there's no need to carry around huge wads of hard currency.今天，我们中的许多人已经使用信用卡和借记卡进行金融交易，因此无需随身携带大量硬通货。 And now it's possible to make contactless payments using tap-and-go cards which are regular bankcards but with a built-in chip and antenna. 现在可以使用触碰卡进行非接触式支付，这些卡是普通银行卡，但带有内置芯片和天线。The card reader sends out a radio frequency and, when you bring the card close to the reader, the antenna picks up the signal to make the payment. 读卡器发出无线电频率，当您将卡靠近读卡器时，天线会接收到信号进行支付。Paying this way or spending on 'plastic' - an informal name for a credit card - can put you at risk of fraud.以这种方式付款或在“塑料”（信用卡的非正式名称）上消费可能会使您面临欺诈风险。 Criminals try to steal cards, or the information on them, to make purchases online or in shops. 犯罪分子试图窃取卡片或卡片上的信息，以便在网上或商店购物。However, contactless payment is capped - in the UK the limit is £30. 但是，非接触式支付有上限——在英国，上限为 30 英镑。And, if someone does go on a spending spree with your card, your bank covers you against the loss - something that wouldn't happen if your banknotes were stolen.而且，如果有人确实用你的卡大肆消费，你的银行会为你承担损失——如果你的钞票被盗，这种情况就不会发生。 Also, the introduction of chip and PIN technology has led to a drop in fraud and has even been helping businesses by cutting the time people spend at tills in shops.此外，芯片和 PIN 技术的引入减少了欺诈行为，甚至通过减少人们在商店收银台上花费的时间来帮助企业。 But, if getting your bankcard out seems like too much trouble, there's now a solution using wearable tech - that's clothing and accessories that include computer and electronic technologies.但是，如果取出您的银行卡似乎太麻烦，那么现在有一个使用可穿戴技术的解决方案 - 包括计算机和电子技术的服装和配饰。 Kenneth Cukier, economist and technology expert, says "this is intended for people who are incredibly lazy who don't want to take their card out of their wallet, or use their phone, or use their watch. 经济学家和技术专家 Kenneth Cukier 说：“这适用于那些非常懒惰的人，他们不想从钱包里拿出卡片，不想使用手机，也不想使用手表。People are going to be making more purchases more of the time - particularly for small-valued goods." 人们将在更多时间进行更多购买——尤其是小价值商品。”And, although our mobile phones are another way of making payments, BBC reporter Kate Russell says that when this is inconvenient you can use the fingo-pay system which "reads the unique maps of veins under the surface of your finger."而且，虽然我们的手机是另一种付款方式，但 BBC 记者凯特·拉塞尔说，当不方便时，您可以使用 fingo-pay 系统，该系统“读取您手指表面下独特的静脉图”。 The trick is remembering which finger you registered with - that's when good old-fashioned cash might save the day! 诀窍是记住您用哪根手指注册 - 那是好的老式现金可能会节省一天的时间！What do you prefer to use when you buy something?你买东西时喜欢用什么？词汇表fumbling  掏来掏去small change  零钱banknotes  纸币credit  信用debit cards  现金账户卡transactions  交易wads   一扎一扎hard currency  现金contactless payments  无接触支付tap-and-go  点击付款antenna  天线plastic (informal)  （俗语）信用卡fraud  诈骗purchases  购物spending spree   疯狂采购chip and PIN  密码tills  收款柜台wearable tech 可穿戴科技fingo-pay  指纹支付 

"I have nothing to wear!" You might have said to yourself, feeling slightly distressed, wardrobe door wide open, hours before going to a party or important event. “我没穿的了！”在参加派对或重要活动的几个小时前，你可能会对自己说，感到有点苦恼，衣柜门大开。Casual or formal? Is this too flamboyant? Should I look more demure?休闲还是正式？这也太浮夸了吧？我应该看起来更端庄吗？How strictly should we follow fashion rules?  'Never mix patterns' is one of them. 我们应该多严格遵守时尚规则？ “永远不要混合模式”就是其中之一。Clashing prints might make Coco Chanel spin in her grave but gets the seal of approval of some stylists nowadays.冲突的印花可能会让可可香奈儿在她的坟墓里旋转，但现在得到了一些造型师的认可。"It's edgy," says Martine Alexander, adviser to British TV actresses. “这很前卫，”英国电视女演员的顾问 Martine Alexander 说。"Matching everything makes you look like you've tried too hard. Style should look effortless."“匹配所有东西会让你看起来很努力。风格应该看起来毫不费力。”Well, just be careful not to make people's eyes go funny when they look at you, I say.好吧，我说，当人们看着你的时候，小心不要让他们的眼睛变得有趣。Men have the issue of white socks.男人有白袜子的问题。 "Unless you're exercising there is absolutely no appropriate moment to wear white socks," says Alex Bilmes, editor of the men's magazine Esquire.“除非你在锻炼，否则绝对不适合穿白袜子，”男性杂志 Esquire 的编辑 Alex Bilmes 说。 And he adds: "These types of rules exist to make sure fashion innocents don't make such a bad mistake."他补充道：“这些规则的存在是为了确保时尚界的无辜者不会犯如此严重的错误。”We all know that white socks are usually bulky and may look cheap. But there's a long British tradition of men wearing socks with sandals so… 我们都知道白袜子通常很笨重，可能看起来很便宜。但是英国有很长的传统，男人穿袜子配凉鞋，所以……Maybe critics should put a sock in it and let us wear what we are comfortable with.也许批评者应该穿上袜子，让我们穿上我们觉得舒服的衣服。When you look a particular way you are sending a message about yourself. 当您以特定的方式看起来时，您正在发送有关您自己的信息。It's not a good idea to go to a job interview wearing shorts or showing too much cleavage.穿着短裤或露出太多乳去参加工作面试不是一个好主意。 Or going to the market in your pyjamas. But, whatever you wear, do it with confidence.或者穿着睡衣去市场。但是，无论你穿什么，都要自信地去做。Designer Gianni Versace said it all: "Don't be into trends.设计师詹尼·范思哲 (Gianni Versace) 说了这一切：“不要追随潮流。 Don't make fashion own you, but you decide what you are, and what you want to express, by the way you dress and the way you live."不要让时尚拥有你，但你可以通过你的穿着方式和生活方式来决定你是什么，你想表达什么。”词汇表casual  休闲的formal  正式的flamboyant  艳丽的demure  端庄的pattern  图案，格调print  印花布to spin in her grave  震惊the seal of approval  赞许edgy  前卫的，时尚的effortless  毫不费力的to go funny  发出奇怪的眼神bulky  （袜子）肥厚的to put a sock in it  （不礼貌地）闭上嘴cleavage  （乳）沟pyjamas  睡衣trends  （时尚）潮流，趋势

The daily journey to and from home and work is one of those things that many of us have to endure. 每天往返家庭和工作的旅程是我们许多人必须忍受的事情之一。Whether by train, bus, bike or on foot, it's a routine that some people could rather do without but if we have to work, the daily grind is all part of the job!无论是乘坐火车、公共汽车、自行车还是步行，这是一些人宁愿没有的例行公事，但如果我们必须工作，那么日常工作就是工作的一部分！We all have stories of commuting nightmares – a tube train stuck in a tunnel or a bus journey where people are packed in like sardines.我们都有通勤噩梦的故事——地铁被困在隧道中，或者人们像沙丁鱼一样挤在公交车上。In London, where there is an extensive transport network, complaining about delays, cancellations and the price of their season ticket, has become a commuter's favourite past time but their problems are relatively minor compared to ones that travellers in other parts of the world face.在拥有广泛交通网络的伦敦，抱怨延误、取消和季票价格已成为通勤者过去最喜欢的时间，但与世界其他地区的旅行者所面临的问题相比，他们的问题相对较小。 In Nairobi, for example, commuters have to keep windows shut to avoid someone stealing their belongings.例如，在内罗毕，通勤者必须关上窗户，以免有人偷走他们的财物。It's no surprise that the daily commute is stressful and according to research, women are more likely to experience stress during their journey than men. 日常通勤充满压力也就不足为奇了，根据研究，女性在旅途中比男性更容易承受压力。This is because they're more likely to do something which is being called 'trip chaining' – where they make one or more stops on the way to work or when going home – for example to drop off or pick up the kids from school – and this makes it more likely that something will go wrong with their journey.这是因为他们更有可能做一些被称为“旅行链”的事情——他们在上班或回家的路上停下来一站或多站——例如接送孩子放学——这使得他们的旅程更有可能出现问题。The stress of commuting can be bad for your health too especially if you travel longer distances. 通勤的压力也可能对您的健康有害，尤其是在您长途旅行时。According to Christine Hoehner, researcher at Washington University School of Medicine "adults who commuted longer distances from home to work were less physically active, less physically fit, weighed more and had higher blood pressure than those people who had shorter commutes."华盛顿大学医学院的研究员克里斯蒂娜·霍纳（Christine Hoehner）表示，“与那些通勤时间较短的人相比，从家里通勤距离较远的成年人身体活动较少，身体素质较差，体重较重，血压较高。”But the American researcher must be talking about commuters who aren't engaged in active travel, because if you cycle a longer distance then you're likely to be more physically active. 但这位美国研究人员一定是在谈论不积极旅行的通勤者，因为如果你骑车的距离更长，那么你可能会更加活跃。However there is a risk of being knocked off you bike and there's the embarrassment of wearing clothing made of Lycra! 然而，自行车有被撞倒的风险，而且穿着莱卡制成的衣服会很尴尬！What's your journey to work, college or school like?你上班、上大学或上学的旅程是怎样的？词汇表endure  忍受，忍耐the daily grind  每天必须经历的苦差tube train  一辆地铁packed in like sardines  挤得像罐头里的沙丁鱼 （拥挤不堪）cancellations  取消season ticket  季票，定期票 （比如月票，年票）network  （交通）网络past time  消遣方式belongings  行李，个人财产stressful  有压力的'trip chaining' 分段出行（一个旅程被分成好几小段）physically active  身体活跃lycra  莱卡（制衣材料）

What is it about reunions that make some people reluctant to go to?什么是聚会让一些人不愿意去？ Is it that they're afraid of being judged by people who they met in their heyday? 是怕全盛时期遇到的人评头论足吗？Is it a fear of having betrayed high expectations? Or is it the risk of realising that the sparkle that held the group together is no longer there?是害怕背叛了很高的期望吗？还是意识到将团队凝聚在一起的光芒不再存在的风险？Fans have been keen on a Spice Girls reunion, but Posh Spice is saying 'no'. 粉丝们一直热衷于辣妹重聚，但 Posh Spice 说“不”。Fans have eagerly followed months of speculation about the five British singers getting together again. 几个月来，关于五位英国歌手再次聚在一起的猜测，粉丝们热切关注。For this generation – now mainly middle aged mothers – it's a chance to introduce the band to their own daughters.对于这一代人——现在主要是中年母亲——这是一个将乐队介绍给自己女儿的机会。 But, unfortunately, it’s not gonna happen. 但是，不幸的是，这不会发生。They might see four of them.他们可能会看到其中四个。The spoil sport seems to be Victoria Beckham. Maybe Posh Spice became too posh herself to shake her booty on a stage. 破坏运动似乎是维多利亚贝克汉姆。也许 Posh Spice 自己变得太奢侈了，无法在舞台上摇晃她的战利品。She's said in the past that she’s got no plans to join with Baby, Scary, Ginger and Sporty.她过去曾说过，她没有加入 Baby、Scary、Ginger 和 Sporty 的计划。"Doing the Olympics was an incredible honour. That's great. Thank you to everybody, but no more," she said after the group performed at the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games in London in 2012.“参加奥运会是一项令人难以置信的荣誉。那太好了。谢谢大家，但仅此而已，”她在 2012 年伦敦奥运会闭幕式上表演后说。And then there's Friends. Well, no more chats at the (fictitious) Central Perk cafe for Chandler Bing. 然后是朋友。好吧，不再在（虚构的）Central Perk 咖啡馆为 Chandler Bing 聊天。Actor Matthew Perry has announced that he won't attend the reunion show of the hit American TV sitcom which captured the imagination of audiences in several countries.演员马修·佩里（Matthew Perry）宣布，他将不会参加美国电视情景喜剧的重逢节目，该节目吸引了多个国家/地区的观众的想象力。 It ended in 2004 after ten series.它在十个系列之后于2004年结束。Perry's spokesperson said he "may tape something" as a tribute to the series' creator James Burrows but… he is otherwise engaged.佩里的发言人表示，他“可能会录制一些东西”作为对该系列创作者詹姆斯·伯罗斯的致敬，但……他另有参与。 As some Hollywood actors do, he will star in a play in London which runs until May. 正如一些好莱坞演员所做的那样，他将在伦敦出演一部一直持续到 5 月的戏剧。It's a story about being middle aged. Enough said. 这是一个关于中年的故事。说够了。词汇表reluctant 不情愿的heyday 全盛时期high expectations 高期望eagerly  急切地、迫不及待地speculation 推测，猜测gonna (going to) 会（做什么，发生什么）spoil sport 扫兴者posh 富贵的to shake (her) booty （跟着音乐）摇摆（她的）臀部fictitious 虚构的to attend 参加to capture the imagination  抓住了（人们的）想象力to tape  录影tribute  致敬，致词otherwise engaged  抽不出身，有约在身

We all hear about foreign actors making it big in Hollywood. 我们都听说过外国演员在好莱坞大放异彩。But many acknowledge that they were shaking in their boots the first time they were waiting for the director to shout: 'Action!'Spanish actress Penelope Cruz, star of Zoolander-2 and Vanilla Sky, is a respected actress with a Hollywood career. 但许多人承认，当他们第一次等待导演大喊：“行动！”时，他们的靴子都在颤抖。西班牙女演员佩内洛普克鲁兹（Penelope Cruz）是 Zoolander-2 和香草天空的明星，是一位备受尊敬的好莱坞女演员。But she hardly spoke any English when she was cast in her first role in an English language movie in 1998. 但当她在 1998 年首次出演一部英语电影时，她几乎不会说任何英语。In a candid interview with the US broadcaster CBS, Penelope admitted: "I would lock myself in the bathroom and cry because I didn't understand what was going on on the set, because I didn't understand everything that the director was saying or what the other actors were saying."在接受美国广播公司 CBS 的坦率采访时，佩内洛普承认：“我会把自己锁在浴室里哭，因为我不明白片场发生了什么，因为我不明白导演所说的一切或其他演员在说什么。”Closer to home we have the example of Ziyi Zhang. 言归正传，我们有张子怡的例子。She gained international acclaim in Memoirs of a Geisha and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and received many nominations for awards. 她在艺伎回忆录和卧虎藏龙的回忆录中获得了国际赞誉，并获得了许多奖项提名。What's helped her to learn English? Well, she says she listened to Eminem songs. And as she learned the language, she realised “how rude” the lyrics were.是什么帮助她学习英语？好吧，她说她听过 Eminem 的歌曲。当她学习语言时，她意识到歌词“多么粗鲁”。But when it comes to acting in English, nobody has a more colourful story than Austrian Arnold Schwarzenegger. 但说到用英语表演，没有人比奥地利人阿诺德施瓦辛格的故事更丰富多彩了。He had to be dubbed at the beginning of his career because nobody could make out what he was saying. In his next film, he played a deaf mute.他必须在职业生涯开始时被配音，因为没有人能听懂他在说什么。在他的下一部电影中，他扮演了一个聋哑人。The bodybuilder turned actor claims his accent has softened, but he keeps it thick on purpose. 这位健美运动员出身的演员声称他的口音已经软化，但他故意保持浓重。"It's become such a big part of me that people really enjoy it," says Arnie. “它已经成为我的重要组成部分，人们真的很喜欢它，”阿尼说。He's aware of the irony when he tells us: "The very things that they said would make it impossible for me to be successful in acting were the things that became my assets."当他告诉我们时，他意识到了其中的讽刺：“他们说的那些让我无法成功演戏的东西，正是这些东西成为了我的资产。”Yes – the complicated name, the thick accent, the big body – nothing stopped him from doing the things he liked. 是的——复杂的名字、浓重的口音、庞大的身躯——没有什么能阻止他做他喜欢做的事情。So don't despair when you struggle with English. They've all been there and they've prevailed. 因此，当您与英语作斗争时，不要绝望。他们都去过那里，而且他们占了上风。Are you ready for your close up in life?你准备好近距离接触生活了吗？词汇表to make it big (= to achieve great success)   成功，飞黄腾达to shake in their boots   胆战心惊director    导演Action!    开拍！to cast    出演（某角色）role    角色candid    坦诚的，直言不讳的set    拍片现场acclaim    公众的称赞nomination    提名lyrics    歌词to be dubbed    被（给）配音deaf mute    聋哑者accent    口音irony    讽刺，冷嘲to prevail    被接受，取胜Are you ready for your close up in life?    你准备好迎接你的人生特写了吗？

How do you pay for your coffee? Is it with change? I use my tap-and-go card. 你如何支付咖啡的费用？是变化吗？我使用我的即插即用卡。I don't even need to enter my PIN number or a signature to authorise payment. 我什至不需要输入我的 PIN 码或签名来授权付款。It's quicker and everybody in the queue is happy.它更快，队列中的每个人都很高兴。Contactless payments are gaining popularity. 非接触式支付越来越受欢迎。Those concerned about security will be pleased to know that the amount of money you can spend in one go is limited – in the UK it's currently £30. 那些关心安全的人会很高兴知道您一次可以花的钱是有限的——在英国，目前是 30 英镑。But if the card is used a few times in a row, a PIN number will be needed. 但如果该卡连续使用几次，则需要输入 PIN 码。If a thief gets hold of your card and goes on a spending spree, your bank covers you against fraud. Whereas, if someone steals your banknotes, that's your bad luck!如果小偷盗取了您的卡并大肆消费，您的银行会为您提供防范欺诈的保障。然而，如果有人偷了你的钞票，那就是你的倒霉！For those who are always forgetting where they put their cards, there's a new solution: wearable tech: clothing and accessories that have integrated electronic technology. 对于那些总是忘记卡片放在哪里的人来说，有一个新的解决方案：可穿戴技术：集成了电子技术的服装和配饰。Kenneth Cukier, an economist and technology expert, says: "You can simply take any wireless card and the chip from it that your bank might issue you with, and you can put it in a coat.经济学家和技术专家 Kenneth Cukier 说：“你可以简单地取出银行可能会发给你的任何无线网卡和芯片，然后把它放在外套里。 When you want to make a payment just wave your arm in front of the terminal and leave the coffee shop with your latte.当您想付款时，只需在终端机前挥动您的手臂，然后拿着拿铁咖啡离开咖啡店。 This is intended for people who don't want to take their card out of their wallet, use their phone or their watch."这适用于那些不想从钱包里拿出卡片、不想使用手机或手表的人。”Good, isn't it? And new ways of spending money are not stopping there. The future is all about biometrics. 很好，不是吗？新的花钱方式并不止于此。未来的一切都与生物识别有关。Very convenient if you are at the beach or a festival – there's a new system in development which will make it possible to read the unique maps of veins under the surface of your finger, and use them to authenticate payments – or prove that it's you making the payments. 如果您在海滩或节日时非常方便 - 正在开发一个新系统，可以读取手指表面下的独特静脉图，并使用它们来验证付款 - 或证明是您制作的付款。You just need to remember which finger you registered with.您只需要记住您注册的手指。So spending money is becoming easier all the time. And the temptation to buy more stuff increases. 因此，花钱变得越来越容易。购买更多东西的诱惑也在增加。But it's worth bearing in mind that earning the money in the first place will still require the same effort. Back to work then!但值得记住的是，首先赚钱仍然需要同样的努力。那就回去工作吧！词汇表change    零钱a tap-and-go card     一拍即付银行卡PIN number   （银行）密码signature    签名contactless payment    非接触式支付a spending spree    大采购，疯狂购买fraud    诈骗a banknote    纸币，钞票wearable tech    可穿戴技术wireless    无线的a chip    芯片biometrics   生物识别技术，生物测定学a vein   静脉（血管）to authenticate   鉴别，证明是有效的、真实的

"Does my bum look big in this?" That's what I asked myself when I tried on the designer jeans I bought in the Christmas sales and the mirror… “我的屁股在这看起来很大吗？”当我试穿我在圣诞节销售时买的名牌牛仔裤和镜子时，我就是这么问自己的……well, the mirror didn't actually say anything but I got the message: It's time to go on a diet! 好吧，镜子实际上并没有说什么，但我得到了信息：是时候节食了！Sometimes we just don't know how many calories we eat. Experts say cooking meals from scratch can help you think about the ingredients which go into your food. 有时我们只是不知道我们吃了多少卡路里。专家说，从头开始做饭可以帮助你思考食物中的成分。Tam Fry, from the UK's National Obesity Forum, says: "Learning how to cook fresh food is really the number one thing to consider when tackling obesity and improving weight loss."来自英国国家肥胖论坛的 Tam Fry 说：“学习如何烹饪新鲜食物确实是解决肥胖问题和改善体重减轻问题时要考虑的第一件事。”If you can't cook, Fry recommends that you be more aware of what you put in your trolley when you go to the supermarket.如果你不会做饭，Fry 建议你去超市时要更加注意你的手推车里放了什么。 He points out: "People don't read food labels. 他指出：“人们不看食品标签。At government level making the labels easier to read and understand is key, but just looking at how many grams of sugar is in something is really important."在政府层面，让标签更易于阅读和理解是关键，但仅仅查看某物中含有多少克糖确实很重要。”Some experts believe that a good way to reduce your waistline might be to start by reducing the size of the plate you eat from.一些专家认为，减少腰围的一个好方法可能是从减少你吃的盘子的大小开始。 Research has suggested that people eat most of what they serve themselves, so big portions lead to overeating.研究表明，人们吃的大部分是自己提供的，所以大部分会导致暴饮暴食。A study by Dr Brian Wansink, from Cornell University, US, claimed that reducing plate size from about 30cm to 25cm typically results in 22% fewer calories being served, as the smaller plate makes a normal serving seem more filling. 来自美国康奈尔大学的 Brian Wansink 博士的一项研究声称，将盘子尺寸从大约 30 厘米减小到 25 厘米通常会减少 22% 的卡路里，因为较小的盘子会使正常的食物看起来更有饱腹感。However, once plate size went below about 24cm, "people begin to realise they're tricking themselves and go back for seconds and thirds".然而，一旦盘子尺寸低于约 24 厘米，“人们开始意识到他们在欺骗自己，然后再回去几秒钟和三分之一”。I think I'll keep my current plates for now. 我想我会暂时保留我现在的车牌。As for me, nothing beats an inspiring image on the fridge door – a picture of my lovely jeans – with some wise quote as a caption.对我来说，没有什么能比冰箱门上鼓舞人心的图片——一张我可爱的牛仔裤的照片——加上一些明智的引述作为标题。 As supermodel Kate Moss once said: "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." No more big bum for me!正如超模 Kate Moss 曾经说过的：“没有什么比瘦的感觉更美味了。”对我来说不再是大流浪汉了！词汇表bum 臀部，屁股designer (adjective) 由服装设计师设计的，时尚的calorie （热量单位）卡路里from scratch 从零开始，从头做起ingredient （烹调的）原料obesity 肥胖fresh (vegetables) 新鲜（蔬菜）weight loss 体重减轻food label 食品标签gram （重量）克waistline 腰围portion 一份overeating 吃得过多，饮食过量serving （供一人吃的）一份食物的量filling 解饱的skinny 骨瘦的，紧身的

Bored with your life? Dreaming of something different? When I feel like that I look up and wonder what life would be like 400km above my head. 厌倦了你的生活？梦见不一样的东西？当我有这种感觉时，我会抬起头，想知道在我头顶 400 公里处的生活会是什么样子。That's where the International Space Station orbits the Earth, with six astronauts living and working on board, for months at a time.那是国际空间站绕地球运行的地方，有六名宇航员在船上生活和工作，每次几个月。How do they sleep? They spend the night floating in a sleeping bag inside a small cubicle on the ceiling. 他们怎么睡觉？他们在天花板上的一个小隔间里的睡袋里过夜。American astronaut Sunita Williams explains: "It's like a little phone booth but it's pretty comfy and it doesn't matter if I turn over and sleep upside down. 美国宇航员苏尼塔·威廉姆斯解释说：“它就像一个小电话亭，但很舒服，我翻身倒睡也没关系。I don't have any sensation in my head that tells me I'm upside down."我脑子里没有任何感觉告诉我我颠倒了。”Brushing your teeth in a place where you can't have a tap or a sink can be a challenge. 在没有水龙头或水槽的地方刷牙可能是一项挑战。Can you imagine the mess that running water would make in zero gravity? 你能想象在零重力下流水会造成什么混乱吗？Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield uses a straw to put a big blob of water from a sealed bag onto an ordinary toothbrush and adds a little toothpaste - which he has to swallow when he's done.加拿大宇航员克里斯·哈德菲尔德（Chris Hadfield）用吸管从密封袋中取出一大团水到普通牙刷上，然后加入少许牙膏——完成后他必须吞下。Daily exercise is essential. The lack of gravity makes bones more brittle and muscles lose strength – so astronauts are encouraged to work out for at least two hours a day.日常锻炼是必不可少的。缺乏重力会使骨骼更加脆弱，肌肉也会失去力量——因此鼓励宇航员每天至少锻炼两个小时。The role of astronauts in the International Space Station is to act as lab technicians for scientists back on Earth. 宇航员在国际空间站的作用是为地球上的科学家充当实验室技术员。So they spend their time maintaining their environment and performing and monitoring experiments in a confined space about the size of a Boeing 747.因此，他们将时间花在维护环境，并在波音 747 大小的密闭空间中进行和监控实验。 Almost every task is carefully planned by mission control - although most astronauts spend their first days losing stuff until they get used to sticking everything they use to the walls with Velcro, duct tape or clips.几乎每一项任务都由任务控制中心精心计划——尽管大多数宇航员在第一天会丢失东西，直到他们习惯用魔术贴、胶带或夹子将他们使用的所有东西粘在墙上。One of their most valued perks is the view from "the office", dominated by that gigantic blue ball down there, sitting in the darkness of space. 他们最看重的好处之一是“办公室”的视野，由下面那个巨大的蓝色球主宰，坐在黑暗的太空中。Wow! Absolutely breathtaking!哇！绝对令人叹为观止！词汇表International Space Station  国际空间站to orbit  环绕……轨道运行an astronaut  宇航员a sleeping bag  睡袋comfy  舒服的upside down  倒置地，颠倒过来地gravity  重力sealed  密封的essential  必不可少的brittle  容易断裂的lab technician  实验室技术人员a confined space  一个有限的空间mission control  航天地面指挥中心Velcro  尼龙搭扣duct tape  牛皮胶布perk  好处breathtaking  令人惊叹的，壮观的

I'll be working this Christmas. My job? Santa Claus! White beard and red clothes are optional. 今年圣诞节我要工作。我的工作？圣诞老人！白胡子和红衣服是可选的。I'll be joining thousands of volunteers in Britain who go and help homeless and elderly people as well as poor children.我将加入英国成千上万的志愿者，他们去帮助无家可归者、老年人以及贫困儿童。Solidarity comes to life at this time of the year. 团结在一年中的这个时候变得生动起来。It's cold and many people feel lonely. 天气很冷，很多人都感到孤独。I'll be there for them. I was inspired by a woman in Scotland - Beatrice Cadell has just celebrated her 80th birthday and instead of presents for her, she asked her friends to buy toys. 我会在他们身边。我受到苏格兰一位女士的启发——Beatrice Cadell 刚刚庆祝了她的 80 岁生日，她没有给她礼物，而是让她的朋友们买玩具。They'll be donated to a toy bank - free toys for children whose parents can't afford to buy them any.他们将被捐赠给一家玩具银行——为那些父母买不起玩具的孩子免费提供玩具。Cadell said: "Everyone that turned up to my birthday do was absolutely brilliant! Somebody else can benefit.卡德尔说：“在我生日那天出现的每个人都非常出色！其他人可以从中受益。 We don't need it. We're old."我们不需要它。我们老了。”There are plenty of places which welcome a helping hand at Christmas. 在圣诞节有很多地方欢迎伸出援助之手。The charity Crisis at Christmas, for example, has been looking for more than 10,000 volunteers to assist guests in their centres for homeless people. 例如，慈善机构“圣诞节危机”一直在寻找 10,000 多名志愿者来帮助他们为无家可归者服务的中心的客人。Volunteers with specialist skills like dentists, hairdressers, lorry drivers and performers are particularly welcome.特别欢迎具有专业技能的志愿者，如牙医、美发师、卡车司机和表演者。Another organisation, Community Christmas, is keen on volunteers who wish to offer companionship to lonely, elderly people on Christmas Day – it can be over a full lunch or just a cup of tea.另一个组织，社区圣诞节，热衷于希望在圣诞节为孤独的老年人提供陪伴的志愿者——这可以是一顿丰盛的午餐或一杯茶。They have a website with a location page so that good Samaritans can register their interest in helping out and find out more.他们有一个带有位置页面的网站，这样好心的撒玛利亚人就可以登记他们有兴趣提供帮助并了解更多信息。Scrooge is a character very much associated with this time of year.斯克罗吉是一个与一年中的这个时候非常相关的角色。He's the central figure in A Christmas Carol, a classic by the English writer Charles Dickens. 他是英国作家查尔斯狄更斯的经典著作《圣诞颂歌》的中心人物。Scrooge is a selfish man who only helps himself. 斯克罗吉是个自私的人，只会帮助自己。In the world of volunteering, there's no Scrooge in sight.在志愿服务的世界里，看不到斯克罗吉。We're all proud and happy Santas. Merry Christmas!我们都是骄傲和快乐的圣诞老人。圣诞节快乐！词汇表Santa Claus  圣诞老人volunteer  志愿者homeless  无家可归的solidarity  团结一致to be there for someone  在（某人）身边（提供帮助或支持）to donate  捐献do (noun)  聚会to benefit  受益a helping hand  援助之手charity  慈善to assist  协助companionship  陪伴，友谊good Samaritans  好心人，乐善好施的人Scrooge (as an adjective)  吝啬鬼，守财奴volunteering  志愿活动

Chat shows are the staple of late-night entertainment TV in many countries. 聊天节目是许多国家深夜娱乐电视的主要内容。The US has some of the most famous hosts and the shows are syndicated worldwide.美国有一些最著名的主持人，这些节目在全球范围内联合举办。Jon Stewart does comedy; Oprah Winfrey goes for heartfelt conversation. 乔恩·斯图尔特演喜剧；奥普拉·温弗瑞 (Oprah Winfrey) 进行了真诚的交谈。But what makes a good interview? Is it catching the guest off guard? 但是什么才是好的面试呢？是不是让客人措手不及？Will they reveal something more personal - some juicy gossip that will have us chatting away on social media?他们会透露一些更私人的东西——一些让我们在社交媒体上闲聊的多汁八卦吗？Larry King is a veteran. 拉里金是个老手。For more than 25 years he's been hosting nightly shows in which he interviews movie stars, politicians and ordinary people, who are thrown into the spotlight. 25 多年来，他一直在主持夜间节目，采访电影明星、政治家和普通民众，这些人被抛到了聚光灯下。And the secret to getting the best out of an interviewee? King says: "If you ask good questions and elicit thoughtful answers then you learn more about the person. 让受访者发挥最大潜能的秘诀是什么？金说：“如果你提出好的问题并引出深思熟虑的答案，那么你就会更多地了解这个人。If the interview's hard – if I begin by saying: 'Why did you do that?' I'd make you defensive. 如果面试很难——如果我开始说：“你为什么这样做？”我会让你防守。That may be thrilling television, but you don't learn a lot."那可能是令人兴奋的电视节目，但你并没有学到很多东西。”King adds that he's learned that the more he draws back, listens to the answers, and cares about the guest the more he gets from the person. 金补充说，他了解到，他越退缩，倾听答案，关心客人，他从对方那里得到的就越多。"You make the camera disappear", he says.“你让相机消失了”，他说。Another thing Larry King does is ask open questions. 拉里金做的另一件事是提出开放性问题。He explains: "I don't want a 'no'. I don't want a 'yes'. 他解释说：“我不想要‘不’。我不想要‘是’。I want a 'why'. So in other words, I want to be a little kind of dumb, I ask "What do you mean by that?'"我想要一个“为什么”。所以换句话说，我想变得有点笨，我问“你这是什么意思？”Being amiable, courteous and curious about the person in front of them – maybe that's what makes a good chat show host. 和蔼可亲、彬彬有礼、对面前的人充满好奇——也许这就是一个好的聊天节目主持人的原因。Their biggest talent is making the guest feel at ease. 他们最大的天赋是让客人感到轻松自在。Another famous American host, David Letterman, seems to know it. 另一位著名的美国主持人大卫莱特曼似乎也知道这一点。He once said: "I cannot sing, dance or act; what else would I be but a talk show host." 他曾说：“我不会唱歌、不会跳舞、不会演戏，除了脱口秀主持人我还能做什么。”Good idea: let others do the singing – just make them relax and they'll tell us everything!好主意：让别人唱歌——让他们放松一下，他们会告诉我们一切！词汇表chat show     访谈节目staple     主要的，常规的a host (noun)     主持人to syndicate     把（电视广播节目）给媒体机构（以供播放）heartfelt      真心实意的，诚挚的to catch (somebody) off guard     乘人不备，使人措手不及juicy gossip 八卦，    花边新闻to be thrown into the spotlight     成为公众焦点to elicit     引出，套出defensive     辩解的，防卫的，保护的thrilling     令人兴奋的、激动的to draw back     后退，不咄咄逼人open question / closed question     开放性问题/封闭性问题dumb     笨的，傻的amiable     和蔼可亲的，友好温和的courteous     有礼貌的，客气的to feel at ease     感到放松的

Do you usually go dutch when you take someone out to dinner? 当你带人出去吃饭时，你通常会AA制吗？Do you expect your date to pay for the whole meal?你希望你的约会对象支付整顿饭的费用吗？Many people say that as long as there's love, money doesn't matter much. 很多人说，只要有爱，钱就无所谓了。But this might change when the relationship gets serious and it can involve mortgages, joint current accounts and debt.但当关系变得严肃时，这种情况可能会改变，它可能涉及抵押贷款、联合经常账户和债务。A survey in the UK suggested that 44% of married couples don't know exactly what their spouse earns. 英国的一项调查表明，44% 的已婚夫妇不知道他们的配偶的确切收入。The research, conducted by a UK credit report service also found that an astonishing 1.9 million married couples actively try to keep their finances secret from their partners.这项由英国信用报告服务机构进行的研究还发现，惊人的 190 万对已婚夫妇积极尝试对伴侣保密他们的财务状况。British relationship therapist Arabella Russell says: "It’s very difficult to talk about money. 英国关系治疗师阿拉贝拉·拉塞尔说：“谈论金钱非常困难。Often there’s guilt, there’s shame. To start those conversations is complicated. 常常有愧疚，也有羞耻。开始这些对话很复杂。Money can be about how we value ourselves, how we feel valued. It’s not just a simple case of talking about hard cash."金钱可以是关于我们如何评价自己，如何感觉自己被重视。这不仅仅是谈论现金的简单案例。”So if you are in a couple, it might be a good idea to check if you both are on the same page about money before bills pile up on the kitchen table and love flies out of the window. 因此，如果您是一对夫妇，那么在账单堆积在厨房桌子上并且爱情飞出窗外之前，检查一下你们是否在同一页上谈论金钱可能是个好主意。When moving in together, couples should not only talk about their personal habits but also about their financial ones.同居时，夫妻不仅应该谈论他们的个人习惯，还应该谈论他们的财务习惯。Arabella Russell has a word of advice: "Accept the fact that in your relationship you might do money differently – there might be a spender there might be a saver. 阿拉贝拉·拉塞尔有一句忠告：“接受这样一个事实，在你们的关系中，你可能会以不同的方式赚钱——可能会有花钱的人，也可能会有储蓄者。It’s very tempting if your partner does things differently to say they’re wrong. Do it differently but have a budget."如果您的伴侣以不同的方式说他们错了，那是非常诱人的。以不同的方式做事，但要有预算。”And now, back to that date… Would you be put off by someone who was attractive but expected you to pay the bill by yourself?现在，回到那个日期......你会被一个有吸引力但希望你自己付账的人推迟吗？ There's food for thought…有思想的食物……词汇表to go dutch    AA制date (noun)    约会对象mortgage    房屋抵押贷款joint current account    两人共有的现金银行账户debt    债务spouse    配偶credit report service    信用报告服务astonishing    令人吃惊的relationship therapist    情感咨询专家hard cash    现金to be on the same page    意见统一bill    （煤气水电服务等）账单spender    爱花钱的人saver    省钱的人budget    预算put off    使反感food for thought    引人思考的问题

For many of us, the relationship we have with sugar is love at first taste, and that love usually lasts a lifetime. 对于我们中的许多人来说，我们与糖的关系是一见钟情，而这种爱通常会持续一生。But what price do we have to pay for this truly addictive, sugary love? Rotten teeth? Heavier bodies? Raised blood sugar levels? Or even type 2 diabetes?但是，我们必须为这种真正令人上瘾的甜蜜爱情付出什么代价？烂牙？更重的身体？血糖水平升高？甚至是2型糖尿病？Time to quit perhaps? Easier said than done. 也许是时候退出了？说起来容易做起来难。What’s the alternative? Many would suggest using sweeteners as a substitute. But are sweeteners healthier than sugar?有什么选择？许多人会建议使用甜味剂作为替代品。但是甜味剂比糖更健康吗？Sweeteners are usually low-calorie or calorie-free substances that have a similar taste to sugar. 甜味剂通常是低热量或无热量的物质，其味道与糖相似。It is estimated that more than a quarter of British households buy artificial sweeteners to help cut their sugar intake.据估计，超过四分之一的英国家庭购买人造甜味剂来帮助减少糖摄入量。The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has approved some of the health claims food manufacturers have made about sweeteners such as xylitol, sorbitol and sucralose. 欧洲食品安全局 (EFSA) 已批准食品制造商对木糖醇、山梨糖醇和三氯蔗糖等甜味剂的一些健康声明。These include preventing tooth decay and controlling blood sugar levels.这些包括防止蛀牙和控制血糖水平。According to the National Health Service in the UK, sweeteners are safe to use and are especially helpful for those who are diabetic.根据英国国家卫生服务局的说法，甜味剂可以安全使用，对糖尿病患者特别有帮助。 Sioned Quirke, a spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association says, “As a dietician, I support and promote the use of sweeteners in cooking and diet." 英国饮食协会发言人 Sioned Quirke 说：“作为一名营养师，我支持并提倡在烹饪和饮食中使用甜味剂。”She also says that "There is no evidence to suggest that low-calorie sweeteners, such as saccharin, aspartame and sucralose, are harmful or bad for you.”她还说：“没有证据表明糖精、阿斯巴甜和三氯蔗糖等低热量甜味剂对您有害或有害。”But many have concerns over the long-term effects caused by using sweeteners. 但许多人担心使用甜味剂会造成长期影响。 Dr Robert Lustig, author of 'Fat Chance: The Bitter Truth About Sugar' would not endorse sweeteners as an alternative to sugar because, “We have a dearth of data”. 《脂肪机会：糖的苦涩真相》一书的作者 Robert Lustig 博士不会认可甜味剂作为糖的替代品，因为“我们缺乏数据”。According to Dr Lustig, organisations like EFSA only require studies which test if something will poison a person in a short period of time, otherwise known as acute toxicity studies.根据 Lustig 博士的说法，像 EFSA 这样的组织只需要测试某些东西是否会在短时间内毒害人的研究，也就是所谓的急性毒性研究。 But we still don’t know what the long-term effects are.但我们仍然不知道长期影响是什么。Dietician Emma Carder says on the NHS Choices website, “While more research is needed, sweeteners continue to have a useful role in offering a sweet taste without adding extra calories.”营养师 Emma Carder 在 NHS Choices 网站上说：“虽然需要更多的研究，但甜味剂在提供甜味而不增加额外卡路里方面继续发挥着有用的作用。”词汇表sugary 甜的rotten 非常糟糕的、不好的blood sugar levels 血糖水平type 2 diabetes 2型糖尿病a substitute 替代物，代用品low-calorie 低热量的，低卡路里的calorie-free 无卡路里的artificial sweeteners 人造甜味剂cut one’s sugar intake 减少糖的摄入量health claim 健康声明xylitol 木糖醇sorbitol 山梨糖醇sucralose 三氯蔗糖tooth decay 蛀牙diabetic 糖尿病的，糖尿病患者saccharin 糖精aspartame 天门冬氨酰苯丙氨酸甲酯（一种甜味剂）endorse 支持，赞同dearth 缺乏，不足acute toxicity 急性毒性

University - the best days of my life! I made lots of friends in my student dorm, went to great parties, joined the debating society… and, well, I did some work too 大学——我生命中最美好的时光！我在学生宿舍结交了很多朋友，参加了盛大的聚会，加入了辩论社……而且，我也做了一些工作but I must confess my lecturers were very patient with my tardiness.但我必须承认，我的讲师对我的迟到很有耐心。It's easy to look back at our university days through rose-tinted spectacles but the truth is that when we first arrived on campus, most of us were out of our comfort zone.带着玫瑰色的眼镜回顾我们的大学时光很容易，但事实是，当我们第一次来到校园时，我们大多数人都离开了我们的舒适区。In fact, a survey of students at Imperial College London has revealed that 3 out of 4 students experience high levels of stress, or a mental health condition, during their time at college. 事实上，对伦敦帝国理工学院学生的一项调查显示，四分之三的学生在大学期间经历过高度压力或心理健康状况。The survey, completed by over a thousand students, also found that 70% of those that experience stress do so at least once a week, and 9% of students feel stressed constantly.这项由 1000 多名学生完成的调查还发现，70% 的有压力的人每周至少这样做一次，9% 的学生经常感到压力。Kirsty, a student at Exeter University, didn't enjoy her first days in college. Kirsty 是埃克塞特大学的一名学生，她上大学的第一天并不开心。She says: "When I first got to university I don't think I'd realized that I'd forgotten how to make friends. 她说：“当我第一次上大学时，我想我还没有意识到我忘记了如何交朋友。I'd been with the same school friends for seven years, and so I was trying to balance social success with academic success whilst learning how to look after myself at quite a young age." 我和同一个学校的朋友在一起七年了，所以我试图在社会成功和学业成功之间取得平衡，同时在很小的时候就学会了如何照顾自己。”Dr Ruth Caleb of the counselling service at Brunel University in London has some tips that should make life easier for students before they set off for university. 伦敦布鲁内尔大学咨询服务中心的 Ruth Caleb 博士提出了一些建议，可以让学生在上大学前的生活更轻松。She says: "Certain things that I think it would be very helpful for students to have put in place are an ability to do the practical things of life – to do the washing, to do the cleaning and so on – being able to cook. 她说：“我认为对学生来说非常有帮助的某些东西是做实际生活中的事情的能力——洗衣服，做清洁等等——能够做饭。Budgeting is extremely important in university life." And Caleb adds: "You should learn how to spend time on your own comfortably."预算在大学生活中非常重要。”Caleb 补充道：“你应该学会如何舒适地度过自己的时间。”I graduated and learnt how to take care of myself the hard way.我毕业并学会了如何以艰难的方式照顾自己。 I hope that new students these days remember to acquire some life skills before they make the big jump.我希望这些天的新学生在大跃进之前记得掌握一些生活技能。词汇表student dorm    学生宿舍debating society    辩论社团lecturer    讲师tardiness    拖拉，延迟through rose-tinted spectacles    透过玫瑰色的眼镜看某物（只看到事物美好的一面）campus    （大专院校的）校园out of one's comfort zone    走出舒适区college    大学to balance    使保持凭衡academic success     学术成就to look after oneself     照顾自己counselling service   咨询、辅导服务budgeting    预算to graduate    毕业life skills   生活技能

Exam day - what do you do? I take a ring my grandfather gave me to the exam. 考试日——你做什么？我拿了一枚祖父给我的考试戒指。It's a reminder of his affection and gives me a sense of security and calms my nerves. 这是对他的爱的提醒，给了我安全感，让我的神经平静下来。My brother makes a fuss about wearing his green underwear.我哥哥对穿他的绿色内衣大惊小怪。He's not alone in placing his hopes in a garment. 他并不是唯一一个将希望寄托在服装上的人。One in three students admitted to wearing 'good luck underwear' to try to boost exam chances, according to a poll for pen makers, Bic.根据对钢笔制造商 Bic 的一项民意调查，三分之一的学生承认穿着“好运内衣”以试图提高考试机会。The same poll suggested that 60% of students change their diet before a test in the hope that it can increase their brain power and memory – oily fish and fruit and vegetables are at the top of the list. 同一项民意调查显示，60% 的学生在考试前改变饮食，希望这可以提高他们的脑力和记忆力——油腻的鱼、水果和蔬菜位居榜首。This is good as long as you don't stuff your face with junk food all year long and decide to go healthy just for the exam.这很好，只要你不整年都用垃圾食品塞满你的脸，并决定为了考试而保持健康。Making the extra effort to succeed is good but if you haven't put in the hours of study, nothing will help you. 为成功付出额外的努力是好的，但如果你没有花时间学习，没有什么能帮助你。Patrick Wilson, former teacher and founder of a private tuition firm, says: "The best way to feel truly confident and help beat that stomach-churning exam angst is to prepare for each exam in advance, making sure you have a dedicated structure for your revision schedule."帕特里克·威尔逊（Patrick Wilson）是一家私人补习公司的前任教师和创始人，他说：“让你真正感到自信并帮助战胜令人反胃的考试焦虑的最好方法是提前准备每场考试，确保你有一个专门的结构来为你的修订时间表。”Wilson helped to create a guide for avoiding the last-minute jitters. 威尔逊帮助创建了避免最后一刻紧张的指南。It advises the revision timetable to start up to ten weeks before the exam, dividing learning into chunks. 它建议复习时间表在考试前十周开始，将学习分成几块。Don't overload yourself. Students should also give themselves regular rewards and breaks during revision. 不要让自己超负荷。学生还应该在复习期间给自己定期奖励和休息。People learn things in different ways and this should be taken into account. I learn better by reading things out loud. 人们以不同的方式学习事物，应该考虑到这一点。通过大声朗读，我学得更好。Some colleagues believe colour-coordinating notes according to subject can produce good results too.一些同事认为，根据主题进行颜色协调的笔记也可以产生良好的效果。But there's a consensus against spending the night before the exam studying. 但大家一致认为，考试前一晚不去学习。If you don't get enough sleep, not even good luck underwear will help you pass the test.如果你没有得到足够的睡眠，即使是好运内衣也无法帮助你通过考试。词汇表to calm my nerves 镇定我紧张的神经to make a fuss 大惊小怪，大做文章to boost 提升brain power 脑力，智力memory 记忆力to stuff your face 胡吃海塞stomach-churning 令人反胃的angst 焦虑，担心revision 复习jitters （考试前的）焦虑，紧张overload 使超载，超负担太重rewards 小奖励colour-coordinating （根据不同课程）色彩协调的课堂笔记consensus 共识，一致

Go home and shut all the windows because Abigail is coming! In this case, Abigail is not a very angry lady, but the name of a storm chosen by the public in an initiative by the UK weather service, the Met Office, and its Irish counterpart Met Eireann.回家关上所有的窗户，因为阿比盖尔要来了！在这种情况下，阿比盖尔不是一位非常愤怒的女士，而是公众在英国气象局、英国气象局及其爱尔兰同行 Met Eireann 的一项倡议中选择的风暴名称。In the last few months they have compiled a list of names suggested by ordinary people. 在过去的几个月里，他们编制了一份普通人建议的名字清单。In alphabetical order, Barney is next, followed by Clodagh.按字母顺序，Barney 紧随其后，Clodagh 紧随其后。 You might find Katie down the line, and also Nigel.你可能会找到凯蒂，还有奈杰尔。The idea of giving peoples' names to storms is to make people more aware that bad weather is on its way – and it is more understandable than giving them the latitude and longitude.给暴风雨命名的想法是让人们更加意识到恶劣的天气即将来临——这比给他们提供纬度和经度更容易理解。 Following a convention by the US, no storms will be given names beginning with the less common letters: Q, U, X, Y and Z.按照美国的惯例，不会给风暴命名以不太常见的字母开头：Q、U、X、Y 和 Z。The National Hurricane Center in Miami has officially been naming the Atlantic's tropical cyclones since 1953 – men's names were included in the 1970s. 自 1953 年以来，迈阿密的国家飓风中心正式命名大西洋的热带气旋——男性的名字在 1970 年代被包括在内。But the list is maintained and updated by the World Meteorological Organization, a UN agency based in Geneva.但该名单由设在日内瓦的联合国机构世界气象组织维护和更新。Names of storms considered too catastrophic are 'retired' and replaced. 被认为过于灾难性的风暴名称将被“退休”并替换。No more Katrina – the name of the devastating hurricane that killed nearly 2,000 in the US in 2005. 不再有卡特里娜飓风——2005 年在美国造成近 2,000 人死亡的毁灭性飓风的名称。Cyclones are upgraded to hurricanes if they reach 119km/h.如果达到 119 公里/小时，旋风将升级为飓风。But what happens when there are too many storms in the world in a particular year? 但是，当世界上某一年的风暴太多时会发生什么？Julian Heming, tropical predictions scientist at the Met Office in the UK, explains: "If the remainder of the season is very active, it's not out of the question we'll have to... start using letters from the Greek alphabet."英国气象局的热带预测科学家 Julian Heming 解释说：“如果这个季节的剩余时间非常活跃，我们将不得不……开始使用希腊字母表中的字母。”词汇表storm  暴风雨weather service  天气服务机构（此处指英国气象中心）to compile  编辑，编纂alphabetical order  按照英文字母表顺序latitude  纬度longitude  经度convention  常规，习惯，规定hurricane  飓风tropical  热带的cyclone  龙卷风，气旋meteorological  气象的，气象学的catastrophic  毁灭性的upgraded  被提高、升级season  季节

Do you like somewhere a little bit different to the usual types of places you find on the high street? 您喜欢与大街上常见的地方稍有不同的地方吗？ I do, so I'm glad to see new ones popping up everywhere in London.The so called pop-up shop is a temporary arrangement. 我会，所以我很高兴看到伦敦到处出现新的。所谓的快闪店是一种临时安排。In the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008, many businesses had to shut down. 在 2008 年金融危机之后，许多企业不得不关闭。Shops, warehouses and offices were left vacant when they stopped trading. 商店、仓库和办公室在停止交易时空置。Pop-up entrepreneurs occupied some of them quickly. 弹出式企业家迅速占领了其中一些。For them the appeal of this temporary shopping concept is clear: they can start a business with much lower risk. 对他们来说，这种临时购物概念的吸引力是显而易见的：他们可以以低得多的风险创业。The temporary nature of a pop-up gives the opportunity to test a product and develop a customer base, without being tied in to a long-term renting contract. 弹出窗口的临时性质提供了测试产品和开发客户群的机会，而无需与长期租赁合同挂钩。Being small makes it much easier for pop-ups to expand if they are successful.如果弹出窗口成功，那么小就更容易扩展。Pop-up shops first appeared in the UK in the early 2000s, with the economy booming. 随着经济的蓬勃发展，快闪店于 2000 年代初首次出现在英国。They were originally a way for small, niche companies to rent retail space in great locations. 它们最初是小型利基公司在绝佳地点租用零售空间的一种方式。This was while landlords who owned these spaces looked for permanent tenants.当时拥有这些空间的房东正在寻找永久租户。Pop-up shops can take a number of different forms. 快闪店可以采取多种不同的形式。They might be temporary shops in the high street or a shopping centre. 它们可能是大街或购物中心的临时商店。They might be simple market stalls. 它们可能是简单的市场摊位。They could be based in some kind of transport, like a food truck. Or they could be run by people who visit different establishments, like travelling chefs who take over pub and restaurant kitchens temporarily.它们可以基于某种交通工具，例如食品卡车。 或者他们可以由访问不同场所的人经营，例如临时接管酒吧和餐厅厨房的旅行厨师。According to a 2014 report by the Centre of Economic and Business Research, the pop-up industry was worth £2.1bn and is expected to grow by 8.4% this year.根据经济和商业研究中心 2014 年的一份报告，弹出式行业价值 21 亿英镑，预计今年将增长 8.4%。Almost anything that can be on a high street can also be a pop-up.几乎任何可以在大街上的东西也可以是弹出窗口。 There have been pop-up shops, art galleries, theatres and restaurants among others. 有弹出式商店、艺术画廊、剧院和餐馆等。In an age of fast-changing habits, the pop-up idea might be here to stay.在习惯快速变化的时代，弹出式创意可能会继续存在。词汇表a high street   商业街a pop-up shop   快闪商店（临时铺位商店）aftermath   余波，（某事造成的）后果to shut down （公司，商店）关门、倒闭a warehouse   仓库vacant   空的，空闲的to trade   经营交易，做买卖a customer base   顾客群renting contract   租赁契约to expand   发展，扩大booming   蓬勃急速发展的niche   针对特定客户群的a retail space   商用场所、空间a landlord   房东，地主a tenant   租户，承租人a market stall   市场上的摊位establishment   企业，集团