Harry's Injury 1
Harry Beecham works for a hi-tech German company based in Munich (慕尼黑).
Last month he was in an automobile[ˈɔːtəməbiːl accident.
He was on his way to attend an important meeting in New York City.
He had just arrived on a flight from London and was taking a taxi into the city.
The weather was terrible and the road was icy.
He was in a hurry, so he asked the taxi driver to get him into the city as soon as possible.
The taxi driver agreed and sped up, but just as they left the airport, the car went out of control.
It spun around （spin around转圈圈; 旋转） and skidded into the path of an oncoming truck.
Fortunately, the truck wasn't going too fast, so nobody was killed.
But the taxi was severely damaged and both passengers were injured.
（If the weather had been better, the accident wouldn't have happened.）
The taxi driver survived with only a few injuries because he was wearing a seatbelt.
The taxi's airbag had also deployed（[dɪˈplɔɪ]有效地利用; 调动）, absorbing much of the impact.
However, Harry, who was in the back seat, hadn't put on his seatbelt.
As a result, he was severely injured and had to be rushed to a hospital.
Harry’s Injury 2
Now, a month later, Harry still can't remember much of what happened.
When he first woke up in the hospital, it was several hours after the accident, and he wasn't sure where he was.
The bad news was that he couldn't move his legs.
This was because his back had been broken in the accident.
The doctors later told him that he might never regain the use of his legs.
Some of the nerves in his spine and legs had been damaged, but everything else was okay.
Now, Harry is trying to figure out what to do.
If he works hard and exercises everyday, there is still a chance that his legs will recover on their own.
There are also some new treatments that might help his nerves regenerate.
Still, he should be prepared for a long recovery and the possibility that he might never walk again.
Without the use of his legs, he wouldn't be able to continue working in the same way.
It wouldn't be possible to travel, so he would have to find another way to attend meetings.
Either that or he would have to look for another way to make a living.
Harry has good disability insurance, so money won't be a problem for a while.
But sooner or later, he wants to be able to earn a living again.
Of course he isn't planning to give up on his legs.
If he works hard, he might still be able to regain their use and learn to walk again.
Some of his nerves had been damaged, but there is a chance that they will heal.
The new drugs being developed might make it possible for the nerves to grow back.
Still, he has to face the possibility that nothing will work.
Whatever happens, Harry is determined to think positively.
Even if he can't walk, he can still attend meetings all over the world.
With new technology he could be anywhere, and there is much that he can still do.
Luckily, he still has the use of his arms and hands, and his brain is still functioning.
With the right attitude, he can find a way forward.
There is no reason for despair（绝望） or feeling sorry for oneself.
That kind of thinking won't solve anything.
He just hopes that his company, or another company, will give him the chance to prove himself.
He can still be a valuable asset for them, come what may.
Lover's Quarrel
W: Hey, what do you think? Do you like it?
M: No, it's too short. You can't wear that to the office. If you do, nobody will be able to concentrate.
W: What about this one?
M: That's the right length, but I hate the color. I hate pink.
W: OK, I'll see if they have it in another color, but it isn't cheap.
M: It's okay if you don't buy anything else for a while.
W: Sure, this will last for a while.
M: Well, I'm glad you like your dress. It looks great on you.
W: You should get some new clothes too. You never buy anything for yourself.
M: I have an expensive girlfriend now, so I can't afford it. And besides I don't have the time to go shopping.
W: What are you doing? Are you staring at that woman?
M: What? No, of course not.
W: Yes, you were. You were staring at her. How do you think it makes me feel?
M: I was just looking in that direction.
W: No, you were staring at her for several seconds.
M: I'm sorry but I couldn't help it.
W: I've told you many times to stop that. And if you are going to stare, you shouldn't do it like that, so obvious and rude.
M: OK, what's the best way to stare?
W: Don't stare for four or five seconds. Just take quick looks, 2 seconds long. Then it isn't so obvious.
M: Sorry, my eyes just went there. I'm programed like that.
W: That's no excuse.
W: And don't ever tell me you don't like pink again. She is wearing pink. Why is it that pink is so bad on me when you can't help staring at someone else who is wearing pink?
M: I didn't notice that she is wearing pink.
W: Ah, so the clothes don't matter. She is more attractive than I am. Why don't you go sit with her?
M: Hey, come on. Let's not get into a fight.
W: I thought you were getting better., but you never change. You just had to ruin the evening.
M: Hey, come on, I'm sorry.
W: No! Don't say anything, I don't wanna hear it.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf
Once up a time, there was a mischievous（[ˈmɪstʃɪvəs]顽皮的） young boy who was given the task of tending a herd of sheep（ 一群羊） on a hillside near a village.
The boy grew tired and bored while watching the sheep, so he found ways to amuse himself（amuse oneself 自娱自乐，消遣）, such as climbing trees or chasing sheep.
One day he came up with what he thought was a brilliant idea.
He climbed to the top of a tree and shouted toward the village: 'Wolf! Wolf! Help me please!'
When the villagers heard his cries for help, they rushed up the hill to rescue him and chase the wolf away（chase away赶走）.
Of course, when they got there, there was no wolf to be seen, and the boy, who was still in the tree, was laughing.
The sheep were grazing peacefully（安静地吃草）. Annoyed, the villagers returned to the village and back to their normal activities.
A few days later, the boy grew bored（grow bored感到厌烦，感到无聊） again, and played the same trick on the villagers（play trick on sb. 开某人的玩笑；捉弄某人.）
This time the villagers were furious at the boy（be furious at sb. 对某人感到恼怒）. That night he was punished by his mother for his bad behavior.
For a while after that, life went on as normal and the boy behaved, he didn't want to be punished again.
Then, one afternoon while he was tending the sheep（放羊）, he noticed that the sheeps were bleating（咩咩地叫） and nervous.
He didn't know what was causing their strange behavior, so he climbed a tree to see if he could determine what was going on.
What he saw from a tree was a frightening sight（可怕的一幕）, a big, hairy wolf chasing after the sheep, Terrified, he screamed for help:'Wolf! Wolf! There's a wolf chasing the sheep!'
This time, when the villagers heard his cries for help, they were convinced that it was another one of his pranks（恶作剧，开玩笑）.
Nobody believed that there was really a wolf, so they ignored his frantic（发狂似的） calls for help.
The wolf, having nothing to fear, feasted on（尽情享受） several of the sheep and then slipped back into the forest.
Survival in the Outback
What would you do if you ever found yourself lost in the wild? To find out, you can join a weekend survival course（生存训练课程） in Australia's Outback Desert. This vast area is famous for its harsh（严酷的） desert climate.
To survive, your first task will be to find water, a rare commodity（日用品，商品） in the desert. Animals such as ants and seed-eating birds are strong indicators（指示器） of water. You can also cut and suck moisture（吸收水分） from the roots and leaves of plants. Trees like the desert oak（橡树） have roots near the surface. But be careful, the branches of gum trees（桉树） are a rich source of water, but the leaves are poisonous, so don't eat them.
The best place to build a shelter（避难所，庇护） is in an area with the least amount of sunlight, like between sand dunes（沙丘） or in a trench. To make a trench（沟渠）, dig a hole big enough to lie down in and use the extra sand to create a barrier or wall on each side. This can help to shield you from the glare and scorching（酷热的，极热的，烧焦似的） heat of the sun.（shield sb. from… 保护某人免遭……）
Nights can be cold, so knowing how to make a fire is essential. One way to build a fire is to use the hand drill（手钻） method. This is one of the oldest and simplest ways to start a fire. It involves rolling a stick between your hands while pressing it onto a notched（有凹口的，缺口的） piece of wood with dry tinder below. The idea is to use the friction（摩擦） to create enough heat to ignite（点燃，使燃烧） the tinder（易燃物，引火物）. This can be a lot of work.
As for food, you'll have to be open-minded. Some forms of life can be ugly to look at but can provide you with enough protein to survive. They may even taste good, like scrambled eggs（炒蛋）
Talking about Verbs 1
Now that you're studying English at a high level, you need to be able to talk about the language itself.
One of the biggest areas of confusion for students is the difference between the past tense and the present perfect.
The past tense is indicated by use of the past tense marker, represented here byV(d). (Pronunciation:V sub d)
Here are some examples of regular verbs and their past tense forms.
So, as you can see, for regular verbs, the past tense form is indicated by the addition of an -ed at the end of the verb.
However, some of the most common verbs in English are irregular, so it is important to learn them.
Here are some examples.
Altogether there are over 200 irregular verbs in normal use.
Many people think that the past tense form only indicates past time.
However, that is only one of the possible meanings.
The past tense form is also used to express something that is unlikely or imaginary, from the speaker's point of view.
Here is an example: He wishes he had a car.
The fact is that he doesn't have a car, so the use of "had" indicates that it isn't real: it's imaginary.
If he had a car, he could drive us to school.
Again, "he doesn't have a car, so he can't drive us to school."
This condition expresses something that isn't a fact.
It's a counter-factual condition, which means it goes against what we know or believe.
Look at these two sentences.
If she waits another week, she can save money.
If she waited another week, she could save money because there's going to be a sale.
Both sentences are correct, but there is a difference in meaning.
In the top sentence, the condition that she waits is more likely from the speaker's point of view.
In the bottom sentence, the speaker thinks it's less likely that she's going to wait.
（1. If he had a car, he could drive us to school.
2. There was a big sale last week, so we all went shopping.
3. If that flight left few minutes later, we could take the next shuttle bus.
4. I wish we didn't have to rush, but if we don't hurry, we'll miss the next bus.
5. The past tense form is also used to express something that is unlikely or imaginary, from the speaker's point of view.
6. There is going to be a sale next week, so I hope she doesn't go shopping tomorrow.
7. If that flight leaves on time, we're going to miss it, so let's run.）
Talking about Verbs 2
When we talk about experience or results, we use the present perfect form (现在完成时).
This form uses "have" followed by the participle.[ have + V(n) ]
For regular verbs, this participle (分词) is identical (完全相同的)to the past tense form.
For irregular verbs, this participle is often different.
When we use the perfect form, the primary focus (主要焦点) is on the subject (主语)of the sentence, not the verb.
It emphasizes (强调，着重) condition, experience or results rather than actions or events.
In these two examples, we see the contrast (差别).
She has already left the hotel.
She left the hotel a few minutes ago.
The top sentence gives the condition or state of the subject and the bottom sentence expresses an event.
The top sentence describes the condition of the subject of the sentence, she, rather than an event.
The fact that she has left the hotel is now a part of her experience, or state of being.
The bottom sentence expresses the action, or event: "she left," which is something she did.
In general, the past tense form expresses events or acts, and the perfect form expresses experience or conditions.
When we use the perfect form of the verb, we focus on the state of the subject and not an action or event.
Note that the past form expresses events at specific points or periods of time, such as last year or the past five years.
These events are distanced from the speaker's point of view.
He worked at several companies. (in the past)
He finished the project last week. (in the past, last week)
The perfect form expresses the state of something from the speaker's point of view, not distanced in time.
He has worked at several companies.(his experience now)
He has finished the project.(his experience now)
These two sentences are incorrect and confusing because they give two different points of view.
He has worked at that company until last week. (incorrect)
He has finished the project last week. (incorrect and confusing)
Here are some sentences that use the perfect form.
He has finished practicing.
He has been practicing.
She may have eaten.
Her computer may have been stolen.
Some are simple, such as the first one, and some are complex, like the last one.
The last one is complex because it combines many verb forms, including the passive.
Changes in Life
A: What are you thinking about? You look so pensive 忧伤的.
B: I was just thinking about how much things have changed since I was a child.
A: Oh, sometimes I think about that too. What were your thoughts?
B: Nostalgic（[nəˈstældʒɪk]使人怀念过去的） for sure. Generally I remember the best times, and then I get a bit depressed when I think about how things have changed.
A: What kinds of changes depress you?
B: Well, one thing is the pace of life. Everything is so fast paced now, so there isn't enough time to think.
A: That's because you've grown up. You're not a child anymore, so you have responsibilities.
B: It's more than just having responsibilities. My parents had to work, but they also had time for other things. My dad used to go fishing on the weekends, and my mom used to work in her garden. She loved to grow flowers and vegetables.
A: Yeah, that does sound nice. Living in the city makes things like that really difficult.
B: Yes, living in the city is certainly part of the problem, right?
A: Well, that depends on you. You make things sound as if you have no choices in life. It's the choices you've made that put you where you are now.
B: Sure, that's certainly part of the problem. I guess I've changed.
A: You want a lifestyle that you can't have in the city. If you really wanted those things, you could move back to the countryside.
B: No, that's not an option. If I did that my wife would divorce me.
A: Have you ever talked about it with her?
B: No, I haven't. We don't talk about things like that. We are both too busy. I think she's even busier than I am.
A: Well, maybe she would surprise you. Maybe she'd like a change too. You should talk to her.
B: Emm, I don't know.
B: What about you?
A: I'm okay. My wife and I accept things as they are. We try to think positively, and we support each other.
B: It sounds like you have a good marriage.
A: Yes, we do. And one reason for that is that we share our thoughts with each other. We don't want to grow apart like so many couples.
B: Maybe I'll surprise my wife and start sharing my thoughts with her.
A: Well if you don't do it now, nothing is going to change.
B: Yes, you're probably right. I'll think about it.
Winter in Antarctic
On Antarctica, the world's coldest continent, the average high temperature is -49 degrees Celsius. In the summer, the sun never sets, and in the winter, it never rises. Keeping sane(理智的，神志正常的) there is its own special challenge.
The McMurdo Station(麦克默多站) is a research base perched(位于，使……坐落于) on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf, the world's largest body of floating ice. The station is administered by the United States and is the largest community in Antarctic. Capable of supporting more than 1200 residents, the population of the station drops to 150 brave (perhaps foolish) people when winter begins in March. Their task is to maintain the station during the months of total night. The biologists, astronomers, geologists, and climate scientists who were there before, have gone, as any research is impossible in the brutal(严酷的) winter.
Every day the remaining staff(维修人员) of maintenance personnel perform their routine tasks and make repairs when needed. Sometimes they peer(凝视，盯着看,窥视) through the darkness toward their friends from New Zealand, at Scott Base, about two miles away. Though most of the time they're just voices on the radio, it's nice to have neighbors not too far away.
Together, they share a power grid(电力网) and one coast of a dark forbidding(令人生畏的,严峻的) continent. Though the days are dark and freezing cold in the depths of winter(在隆冬), the moon will rest above the horizon for weeks at a time. Its pale light illuminates(照亮) the cold, craggy(崎岖的) landscape as if acknowledging a companion and reaffirming(重申) the bonds of life. So even for those who live in the darkest part of the Earth, there's light.
Chernobyl切尔诺贝利
On April 26, 1986, Unit 4 of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in northern Ukraine, then a part of the Soviet Union, was shut down for an unauthorized safety test. When the nuclear fuel rods(棒) hit the cooling water, the fission(核裂变) reaction accelerated out of control due to a sudden power surge. This caused the reactor to overheat and build up pressure until its structure failed and it blew up, releasing large amounts of radiation. It took officials a whole day to comprehend the scale of the disaster and to order an evacuation of the surrounding area. Some 50,000 people had to leave, not knowing that they would never return.
In the following months, massive efforts were made to decontaminate([ˌdiːkənˈtæmɪneɪt清除有害物质]) the area while increased radiation levels were detected across much of Europe. Fallout(核爆炸后的放射性坠尘) from the disaster continues to this day, decades later, and long-term effects such as cancers are still being investigated. Estimates of the number of deaths that will eventually result from the accident vary enormously.
The forest area near the reactor site is one of the most radioactive places on Earth. Named the Red Forest because its trees turned a reddish-brown color as they died, the forest is trying to make a recovery. Animals such as elk and eagles have been seen in the area. And birch trees grow where the radioactive trees of the forest were bulldozed([ˈbʊldoʊzd]铲平) and buried by the Soviet government.
Some people have returned as well, mostly former residents who returned illegally after the evacuation([ɪˌvækju'eɪʃ(ə)n]撤离). The old company town of Pripyat, once home to 50,000 plant workers is still deserted, but is slowly being reclaimed by the forest. It seems that nature can recover and even thrive where humans cannot. Let's hope that humans can learn from this experience. Chernobyl, and more recently, Fukushima in Japan, have lessons to teach us.
Depression & Treatment 1
Jack is a psychiatrist([saɪˈkaɪətrɪst]精神病医生), which means he treats people who have mental problems.
He has been treating patients for many years and has used a variety of treatments.
Sometimes he just listens and talks to patients, and sometimes he uses medications.
These medications affect the brain in many different ways.
Over the years Jack found that some patients improved with treatment while others didn't improve at all.
In some cases, a patient's response to a treatment was the opposite of what was expected.
Several years ago, he had a young patient who showed him why these treatments didn't work.
The patient's name was Bob.
He was 20 years old when he first came to see Jack for help.
The reason he came was that he had attempted suicide.
Bob was extremely smart and was a student at one of the best universities in the world.
However, he was often extremely depressed.
Because of his depression, he took drugs and drank a lot of alcohol.
It was an overdose of drugs and alcohol that nearly killed him.
His roommate called 911 when he discovered Bob unconscious in their dormitory room.
Once Bob recovered and was discharged from the hospital, he took time off from school to get help.
That was when he came to the clinic where Jack practices medicine.
At first Jack attempted to treat Bob with antidepressant medications.
He also used conversation and recommendations to help him rethink his life and memories.
After a few months, Bob began to improve, but only moderately勉强地.
Though he cooperated with the treatment, he continued to think negatively.
He also continued to go through periods of depression.
As a result, he wasn't able to return to school.
Depression & Treatment 2
Because the treatment wasn't working, Jack tried something new.
He decided to use brain scans to look inside Bob's brain.
Brain scans are a way to look inside the brain to see how it is functioning.
What the scans showed about Bob was crucial.
They showed that his brain was damaged in a way that nobody had anticipated.
There was significant damage to the front part of his brain.
An injury in this part of the brain can contribute to depression and negative feeling.
It can also contribute to feelings of anger and rage.
The fact that his brain was injured and unbalanced explained why the treatments hadn't worked.
The brain scans showed why the medications and other treatments hadn't worked.
They had failed because they didn't address the brain injury.
After discussing the injury with Bob and his parents, they concluded that the cause of the injury was from playing soccer.
In fact, Jack knew of quite a few soccer players who had suffered head injuries from playing that sport.
Heading a hard soccer ball many times can damage the brain.
With this new information, Jack used a new medication to treat the injury.
Gradually, Bob improved, and after a few months was close to full recovery.
He no longer had any signs of depression and was finally able to return to school.
Ultimately, Bob graduated from his university with honors and entered a famous law school.
From this experience, Jack realized that the brain imaging had allowed him to save Bob's life.
If it hadn't been for the scans, Bob would have ended up killing himself.
Detecting and treating the injury to the front part of his brain was the key step in his treatment.
Jack now believes that brain scans can be an important tool for psychiatrists.
An injured brain must be healed before other treatments, such as vitamins, drugs or counseling, can work.
New Policy of a Company
W: We've got a real problem on our hands. We're getting a lot of complaints.
M: About the proposed new policy?
W: Yes, people think it's an invasion 侵犯 of privacy.
M: Don't they agree that regular exercise and staying in shape is good for everyone?
W: Sure, they agreed. But they don't think we have the right to use an APP to track how much they exercise.
M: Using the APP is the only way to make sure our employees get enough exercise.
M: This new policy will reduce our health costs and improve productivity, which helps everyone.
W: That's not how they see it. This kind of regulation makes people feel like robots. They have no freedom anymore. Requiring everyone to wear a smart device like this on the wrist means they have no privacy.
M: Well, if you put it that way, I can see the problem.
M: However, I don't see any other way to change people's habits. This is just a friendly reminder.
W: It's more than a reminder. It makes things public and puts pressure on people to meet the requirements. It will force people to work out even when they don't want to. There won't be any choice.
M: No, it doesn't have to be that way. We can still be flexible.
W: That's not the point. People hate the idea that the company knows everything they do. It's better enough that they have to communicate with each other at night and on weekends.
M: What if we make the use of the app an option?
W: If you do that, it still puts pressure on people to use it. I think it's best that we get rid of this idea. I'm all for standards, but what about freedom and creativity. If we go ahead with this policy, I think we will lose some of our best people.
W: There are other ways to deal with health issues.
M: Such as? What's your suggestion?
W: Give extra holidays to people who take fewer sick days.
M: No... That wouldn't work. It will put pressure on people to come to work sick and get everyone else sick too. If someone is sick, I'd rather that they stay at home.
W: Then here is a radical idea. Why not let your department managers handle it? They are the ones who decide on promotions and bonuses. Setting everything in stone in the form of policies can be very dangerous.
M: OK, I'll consider it. For now, I'll give up the idea of using this app. Please let people know that we are listening to them. We do care about our employees.
W: I will, I'm sure people will appreciate it. It shows that you have faith in them.
M: Thanks, I appreciate your advice.
Preventing Injuries
Exercise and a certain amount of strenuous([ˈstrenjuəs]剧烈) physical activity are important for maintaining good health. However, before engaging in them, it's important to know how to prevent injuries from occurring, especially for athletes and elderly people. Injuries can be minimized by doing a proper warm up. This consists of increasing your heart rate and the blood flow to all parts of your body. A good way to do this is through a series of static静态的 stretches followed by a series of dynamic动态 stretches, which are done while moving.
Using the proper equipment is essential, especially in contact sports. To protect the head, for example, well-designed helmets can greatly reduce the incidence of concussions脑震荡. Concussions are caused when the soft, jello-like凝胶状 brain slams into撞击 the hard human skull头骨. Research shows that repeated concussions can have serious consequences.
Compression sportswear is another way to reduce the risk of injury, especially muscle injuries. More and more athletes are using them because their use can also speed up muscle recovery when an injury occurs.
Another contributing factor in sports injuries is fatigue疲劳. Doctors believe that fatigue is an important warning sign that the body has reached its limit. When fatigued it is more difficult for the body to protect itself. Therefore it's a good idea to stop an activity at the first sign of fatigue. Rest periods, even for professional athletes, can prevent serious injuries from occurring.
Understanding injuries and the body's reaction to them can help people cope with对付 the problems that accompany physical exercise. The support and understanding of coaches, teammates and family can be a critical factor in prevention and recovery. Once an injury occurs, it's too late to prevent it, and recovery can take a long time. For the elderly, a simple fall can be fatal致命的.
Blood Pressure and Stroke
A large international study has found that ten risk factors account for 90 percent of all the risk of stroke中风. Of that list, five risk factors usually related to lifestyle are responsible for a full 80 percent of stroke risk. According to the researchers these risk factors - high blood pressure, smoking, abdominal obesity腹部肥胖, diet and physical activity - are modifiable and can be controlled.
The findings come from a study of 3,000 people who had had strokes and an equal number of healthy individuals with no history of stroke. The study also includes a brain scan of all participating stroke survivors, according to the researchers.
Across the board, high blood pressure was the most important factor, accounting for one-third of all stroke risk. Blood pressure, it was noted, plays a major role in both forms of stroke: ischemic缺血性中风, the most common form (caused by blockage of a brain blood vessel由脑血管堵塞引起), and hemorrhagic出血性中风 or bleeding stroke, in which a blood vessel in the brain bursts脑血管破裂.
Blood pressure is easily measured, and there are lots of treatments. Lifestyle modifications to control it include increasing physical activity and reducing salt intake. The other lifestyle risk factors are modifiable as well. High intake of fish and fruits, for example, is associated with a lower risk of stroke.
Many of the same risk factors have been reported in other studies, but this is the first stroke risk study to include both low- and middle- income participants in developing countries. The study confirms that high blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke in both developing and developed countries. This highlights the need for health authorities in those countries to develop strategies to reduce high blood pressure, salt intake and other risk factors.
Buying a House 1
John and Linda are worried about their future.
They both have good jobs, but they are concerned about the economy.
Of the two of them, Linda is the most worried.
She wants the security of owning her own home. Her husband disagrees.
As a result, they often fight about money.
They live in a nice apartment, but the rent goes up every year.
So now they are trying to decide whether or not to buy a house.
Linda wants to buy a house, but John is against the idea.
He thinks prices are too high, and he doesn't want to be trapped.
If they owned a house, it would be more difficult to move somewhere else if things changed.
For example, what would happen if he lost his job?
If he lost his job, they might want to move to another city or country.
If they owned a home or flat, it would be more difficult to move.
If they decided to move, they would probably have to sell.
If prices had risen, they would be okay.
In fact, they might even make a profit.
However, if prices were down when they had to sell, they would lose money.
Buying a House 2
Last week John got some bad news.
His company is downsizing and moving its head office to another city.
It's moving because it can no longer afford to do business where they are now.
Expenses are too high, especially salaries, so it's more difficult to compete with other companies.
In fact, several other companies will be moving out too.
Office space is expensive in the area, along with the cost of living for employees.
As a result, it's becoming more difficult to hire good employees.
Nobody wants to live there unless their salary can support a good standard of living.
With all of these changes, John thinks there's a good chance that he will be transferred to the new head office.
This could happen fairly soon. If so, it would be foolish to buy a house at this time.
Linda still disagrees about buying a house, but she is willing to wait a year to see what happens.
She hopes that they won't have to move, but they may have to unless John is willing to change companies.
She would prefer not to move, because she doesn't want to lose her job.
Now they have to consider what they'll do if he's transferred.
John has to decide whether or not he should begin to look for a new company.
If he could find another job in the area, it would put less stress on his wife.
If they stay and can wait for a while, maybe housing prices will begin to come down.
If prices don't come down, then he and his wife will continue to disagree about buying a house.
Sooner or later they are going to have to make a decision and stop fighting about it.
AI Girlfriend
A: Are you having any luck finding a new girlfriend?
B: No, I'm not. I haven't found anyone I like. So far they are all after my money and a fancy lifestyle. What will happen to real love?
A: I don't know. The same thought has occurred to me lately. I'm afraid I'm becoming a bit of a cynic 悲观者.
B: I was just reading about some new robots called AIs. They have artificial人工的 intelligence or AI.
A: Yes, AIs. I've heard about it, and they've been in some movies too.
B: Evidently, these new AIs can be very attractive companions. What do you think about that?
A: You must be kidding! Relating to a smart robot? It sounds sick to me.
B: I don't know, maybe not. I wonder what it would be like to have an AI girlfriend. Maybe you could program it to be like your dream woman.
A: A dream woman! Well, it's an interesting idea but hard to imagine the reality. I guess it could be fun for a while, but then it would get boring, don't you think?
B: For sure, no real emotion. Everything would be mechanical and artificial, even the language! There wouldn't be a soul inside, just an empty machine.
A: Well, not necessarily. That would depend on how intelligent it is. There are some who say that AIs are going to be more intelligent than we are!
B: Hmm, I've heard of that too. In fact, they may even be a threat to us, right?
A: Anyway, if it were possible, would you want a woman you could control?
B: A woman I could control? No, I can't imagine it. Most of the women I've been with have tried to control me!
A: Well, that's one of the differences between men and women. We see things differently.
B: We never measure up to their standards!
A: However, if there's real love, the bonds between two people can be very deep. It may not happen very often, but I've seen it.
B: Yes, that's what I'm looking for! I hope it's not just a dream.
A: If that's what you want, you are probably not going to find her in the bar.
B: Maybe I'll just let people know I'm looking for someone nice.
A: Be sure they don't tell her you're rich. Maybe I can help you find someone.
B: You have my permission. And just for fun, I'll start checking out some of those smart robots! It sounds crazy, but I'm curious!
A: With all the lonely people out there, it may turn out to be a huge business!
Mysteries of the Mona Lisa
Without a doubt, one of the world's most recognizable pieces of art is the Mona Lisa. Painted in the 16th Century by Leonardo da Vinci, it continues to attract crowds of people who are captivated迷住 by the mysterious woman in the portrait. Her enigmatic [ˌenɪɡˈmætɪk] 神秘的 smile and penetrating [ˈpenətreɪtɪŋ] 穿透人心的 gaze reach out through the ages as if she were alive today.
Critics and art lovers still argue about her identity. One theory is that the way she posed suggests that she was with child. Another theory argues that her hairless face - no brows or lashes睫毛 - indicates that she was a prostitute[ˈprɑːstɪtuːt]妓女. It seems that in 16th Century Italy women working in the world's oldest profession had hairless faces in order to make themselves more sexually arousing振奋人心的. There is, however, evidence that at one time the woman in the portrait had thick eyebrows. Perhaps they were inadvertently不经意地 erased when the painting was cleaned. Nobody knows for sure.
The painting itself has an interesting history. With the death of Leonardo, it went to his friend King Francois, and then to Louis XV and the Palace of Versailles凡尔赛宫. It wasn't until 300 years after its completion完成 that it was recognized as a masterpiece. For a time, Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte hung it in his bedroom. Eventually, it found a permanent home when it was added to the collection of the Louvre ['lu:vər] 卢浮宫 in Paris. In 1911 it was stolen by a museum employee and two accomplices[ə'kɑ:mplɪs] 同谋. This theft made the painting famous all over the world. During World War II it was taken away and hidden from the Nazis, as were many important works of art. Today the painting resides at the Louvre, captivating a whole new generation. Whoever she was, the mysteries surrounding the Mona Lisa continue to engage our imaginations.
Mr.G and Jellybean
This is the story of a donkey named Jellybean and a goat named Mr.G. For ten years they lived together on a farm owned by a woman who loved animals but could barely care for herself. She had dozens of animals, but the living conditions for all of them were deplorable[dɪˈplɔːrəbl]糟透的. Finally, an animal rescue organization came and took the animals away, relocating them to animal sanctuaries[ˈsæŋktʃuˌɛriz]保护区.
Throughout their years at the farm, Jellybean and Mr.G had been inseparable形影不离. Wherever the donkey was, the goat was never far away. For some reason, they had bonded, and nobody suspected how strong the bond had become.
When Jellybean was taken to a local animal rescue center, Mr.G was moved to a center far away. When he arrived, he refused to eat. Not only did he refuse to eat, but he refused to get up or move around. He spent his days lying in a corner of the barn牲口棚, barely lifting his head. The staff at the center tried feeding him treats(feed sb. treats= 喂某人吃东西), including apples and sweets, but nothing worked.
As the days went by, he continued to weaken. The staff had to move him physically to ensure he didn't spend too long lying down. Worried that he was ill, they gave him a series of health examinations, but none showed anything wrong. Finally, they realized that he was depressed and mourning忧伤 the loss of his best friend.
With his condition getting worse, drastic measures有力的措施 were required. A volunteer at the center offered to make the 14-hour round-trip journey to fetch Jellybean so the two could be reunited重聚.
Once Jellybean arrived and the goat sensed his presence, he rose to his feet, breathed in deeply and rushed to his friend's side. Shortly after that, he began to eat, moving the entire staff to tears. Such a beautiful reunion was inspiring - an amazing testimonial证明书 to the depth of nonhuman emotions.
Since the video of the reunion was posted on the Internet, it has been viewed by millions. And from now on, the two friends will remain together.
