1.最畅销 (for books) best selling, top selling, a best seller, a top seller.

This is our top selling item./ Harry Potter tops the best selling list.

2. Black literature: Literature written by "black people": Africans, Afro-Americans,....

3. Haunting. A house is said to be haunted if is inhibited by a ghost or ghosts.  Something that stays in your memory or comes to mind all the time is said to be "haunting": E.g.(1) a haunting melody.(2) Even though this (event) occurred some twenty years ago, it still haunts my mind.

From the on-line Webster dictionary/P>

Haunting

Adjective

1. Continually recurring to the mind; "haunting memories"; "the cathedral organ and the distant voices have a haunting beauty"- Claudia Cassidy.

2. Having a deeply disquieting or disturbing effect; "from two handsome and talented young men to two haunting horrors of disintegration"-Charles Lee

with haunting sympathy and piercing immediacy--> the story leaves you with a "sympathy" that will not go away, and a sense of sharp directness.

5. dreamy as a child  “如同孩童般爱好幻想”

top v.

haunt v.

都是好词!

谢谢丁sir 和前辈

[em02][em02][em02]

1.Although not an immediate success, by slow degrees,through world of mouth.

前辈，我觉得这句话很难理解啊

by slow degrees 我把理解为“循序渐进，一步一个脚印”对吗？

后面一个就不懂了啊

2. spread across the globe

解释为传至全球，在全球畅销的意思

eg: As the books spread across the globe, more and more people come to realize that it is time for the human beings to protect their environment.

3. controversy n. 这是一个很常用的词，解释为“论战”

  controversial a. 解释为“引起争论的”

  controvert  v. 解释为“争论，辩论，反驳，驳斥”

  generate 这个词我觉得很重要，解释为“产生，发生”的意思

eg: generate electricity  发电

  generation  xers 1960年以后出生的人

4. avant-garde 解释为“先锋派，前卫”的意思

5. remains for history to determine 交由历史来定夺

eg: The sucess or failure of the emperor remains for history to determine.

by slow degree, through word of mouth:人传人，点点滴滴的。。。

--

Source: Business section of the Montreal Gazette. Author: Peter Hadekel.

Heading : World economy shrugs off high oil prices.

(Selected paragraphs)

...Another explanation(1) for the world's continued thirst for oils tjat crude prices aren't quite as high we we think they are, if you consider them in real terms.

Twenty-five years ago, it took nearly double the amount of oil to produce the same unit of output as today's more energy-efficient economy produces. Factor that into the equation(2) and you get a real, adjusted price today that is only a third of what it was at thre 1979 peak...

  The squeeze between supply and demand is getting tighter, but it is not as tight as the recent oil prices would suggest, Melek said....

  Traders have also been nervous about the geopolitical situation, especially Iran's decision to start a uranium-enrichment program....

...China's red-hot growth engine has been guzzling gasoline and oil like there is no tomorrow. But now there are signs of an economic slowdown in China and moderating oil consumption that could restrain future price increases.

(1) Instead of firstly, secondly, or moreover...one can just use something simple like "another explanation", "another reason", "another cause..."

(2) "Factoring something into the equation"=take that factor into consideration in your overall consideration.

1. shrug off 这个词组常常解释为“耸肩表示不赞同，蔑视，视而不见的意思”

但是在文章中这个词组表示为“摆脱”＝get rid of

eg: The development of the society must shrug off the over-consumption of the energy.

2. thirst for

解释为“渴望，热望”

eg: thirst for revenge  渴望报仇

3. the squeeze between supply and damand is getting tighter...

前辈：我把这句话解释为“供需矛盾日益突出”不知道对不对啊？

  squeeze

作动词

1)  解释为挤，榨

2) （from/out of）  从。。。中榨取

3) （指人）挤进

作名词

1)  解释为压榨，挤

2)  解释为“挤压，拥挤”

3)  非正式的用法，解释为“财政困难时期”。

squeeze sth. out of sb. 向某人（榨取）情报等

4.  uranium-enrichment 解释为“铀浓缩”

start a uranium-enrichment program  解释为“启动铀浓缩计划”。

5.  red－hot 解释为“炙热的，令人激动的，振奋人心的，最新的”。

6.  guzzle 原义为“暴饮暴食，大吃大喝”，这里解释为“消耗”

7.  like there is no tomorrow 

这个词组在这里生动地刻画了中国大量消耗汽油的程度，给读者流下来更为直观和深刻的印象。

eg: More and more people are involved in felling trees to make money like there is no tomorrow.

re: #3 Yes, you can.  Note: "You/we are in a tight squeeze"=> Imagine you have to go through a narrow opening, and the opening is so narrow that you can barely squeeze through. That's what a "tight squeeze" means. (One can barely get by.)=Just barely managing.

6. FYI: Cars that are fuel inefficient are called "gas guzzlers."

***Please note: Some of the words I highlighted with bold lettering are words that you all know already. I am trying to draw your attentions to the idiomatic way they are being used in sentences.***

(First 3 of 5 paragraphs.) from the Guide Book of the "Museum of World Religions", located in Taipei, Taiwan.

A Vow of Dialogue and Love

  The Museum of World Religions is a spiritual citadel for humankind(1), founded on the concepts of Respect for All Beliefs; Tolerance of All Cultures; Love for All Life (2)and the creation of a world of love and peace.

(1) Humankind instead of mankind:  the author is obviously trying to be politically correct by replacing a male gender biased term with a gender neutral term.

(2) Notice the  capitalization.: “Respect for….” The capitalization is for showing those ideas as “headlines/themes.”

  Using the compassion and wisdom that characterizes the Buddhist community, the museum’s founder, Ven.(3) Dharma Master Hsin Tao, has created the world’s first museum accomplished through the goodwill and contribution of countless ordinary(4) people. He has also established the Wusheng Monastery on Ling Jiou Mountain to help spread the Buddhist dharma (5) and save all living creatures. He similarly set up Ling Jiou Mountain wisdom, education and welfare foundation, as well as Chan meditation centers around the world including in Vancouver, Nepal and Burma.(6)

(3)Ven. =Venerable

(4)普通人 is ordinary people.

(5) dharma 佛法

(6) including ...x,y,z (no etc., and so on) (That's what I was told by my English composition 101 teacher too. I don't know how strict that rule is.)

    Master Hsin Tao feels that the modern world of increasing interactions is truly a home shared by all of humankind. In this global village, people ought to view environmental protection of the planet and prevention of war as their duties, and should personally become a member of the world community. Master Hsin Tao thinks that religion’s role in love and peace can be used to care for other people and to protect the planet.

[此贴子已经被作者于2005-8-15 4:14:40编辑过]

我也做了一些笔记：

1，A Vow of: 一个对… 的誓言/愿望

vow: n. 誓言/许愿    v. 断言 exp. :I vow that he is the criminal of this case.

2, spiritual citadel 精神上的大本营

Citadel: 大本影，根据地 exp.: Yan’An city once was a revolutionary citadel in the anti-invasion war.

3, found on the concepts of 基于这些概念

Found on :建立于，使有根据 exp.: A new invention always found on a plenty of tentative failure-conclusion.

4, Respect for All Beliefs; Tolerance of All Cultures: 对所有信仰的尊重；对所有文化的包容

Exp.: Passing every item of this corporation will found on the consensus from all the members of the board.

5, Using the compassion and wisdom that characterizes the Buddhist community, the museum’s founder, Ven. Dharma Master Hsin Tao, has created the world’s first museum accomplished through the goodwill and contribution of countless ordinary people.：博物馆的创始人：尊敬的佛教主席 Hsin Tao, 建立了世界上第一个通过无数大众的善意和贡献完成的博物馆，并用同情与智慧来形容佛教的特点。（I do not comprehend this sentence clearly, therefore I translate it literally, especially the word “museum”.）

6, including …在句中表示状语

Exp. : This project is supported by many people including A, B and C.

NATO include America, Britain and…

(??: I wonder whether the word “in” between ‘including’ and ‘Vancouver’ is unwanted.)

7, a home shared by all of humankind 一个人类共享的大家庭

8，global village 地球村，全世界= a home shared by all of humankind

9，view … as one’s duties 视。。。为己任

Exp.: If we truly want to eliminate starvation, we should not only depend on effort of government, but also view anti-waste as our duties.

我的英语基础不太好，其中的错误请YETI前辈多提点，谢谢^_^

[此贴子已经被作者于2005-8-15 16:56:59编辑过]

[em04][em04][em04]欢迎楼上的加入，开心死了[em04]

我再补充一个character 的用法

1. （u) 解释为“天性，性格，特性”

eg: The character of the town has changed over the years.

这些年这些城镇的特性改变了

2. （u) 事物的性质

eg: discussion that were confidential in character

属于机密性质的讨论

3.  （u) 显著的特点

eg: house with no character

没有特点的房屋

4.  道德的力量，这个用法挺特别的

eg: a woman of character

品格高尚的女人

5. （戏剧，小说中的）人物，角色

6.  （informal) 人

7. 书写或印刷符号，（汉）字

eg: Chinese character

汉字

还有goodwill的用法

goodwill表示亲善，友好的意思，还可以表示信誉，商誉的意思

eg: His goodwill always creates a relaxed atomsphere between doctors and patients.

[em07]前辈我有一个问题，就是文章里A vow of Dialogue and Love 里的dialogue怎么解释啊？

dialogue原来解释为对话，谈话，对白的意思，这里好像解释得不太通啊

[em07]

To 楞次雨

Thanks for your participation. Not to worry about "英语基础不太好." Everyone starts from the beginning. Mine was just as bad when I started learning English in elementary 5. My English stayed bad until Form 3 (secondary 3) when I start reading a lot of English books--roughly 3/4 science fiction and 1/4 abridged version of English classic literary works. Most of you can see your English writing skill takes a quantum leap if you read something for half an hour to an hour a day for a few month straight.  But it has to be on a variety of subject matter. Spending that time on memorizing the New Concept English will not do.

A few comments/FONT>

1.Vow is use more in “making a promise” than “stating a fact.” E.g. General McArthur vowed: “I shall return” , when ferried off besieged Philippines on a cruiser at the beginning of the Pacific War.

2 “anti-invasion war”: undefined. China has been invaded by foreign troops many times during its 5000 years history.  If you are referring to the Japanese invasion of China, use “the Sino-Japanese War” (capitalized.)

3, Please explain what is: “a plenty of tentative failure-conclusion.” (My guess is : try-by-error method )

4, Respect for All Beliefs; Tolerance of All Cultures: 对所有信仰的尊重；对所有文化的包容  That’s correct.

(Exp.: Passing every item of this corporation will found on the consensus from all the members of the board.)= Which example is this one for?  What does “passing every item “refer to? What kind of items?)

5. Yes, museum is 博物馆

6.  I highlighted “included/including” to show that “etc. and and-so-on” are not used together with “included/including.”

Exp. : This project is supported by many people including A, B and C.

[此贴子已经被作者于2005-8-16 4:56:49编辑过]

From the S\Webster on line: http://www.websters-dictionary-online.org/definition/dialogue

4. A discussion intended to produce an agreement; "the buyout negotiation lasted several days"; "they disagreed but kept an open dialogue"; "talks between Israelis and Palestinians.

You can also use this in a negative comment: "Politicians are long on diaglogue and short on action."

Or positive suggestion: The U.S. should have opened a dialogue with North Korea long before this present nuclear crisis came to a head.

[此贴子已经被作者于2005-8-16 4:55:34编辑过]

In order to encourage the exchange of ideas and mutual respect between different cultures and religions, and thereby to avert war and conflict, the Museum of World Religions was born.

    Just as the opening of a single rose does not make a garden bloom, and a single note cannot produce a moving symphony, neither can the efforts of a single person build a magnificent palace. Over the last decade, Master Hsin Tao and his disciples have toiled night and day, their footprints extending across the world, to propagate the idea of building a museum of world religions and gain the generous support and encouragement of people everywhere. The Museum of World Religion is a result of this outpouring of love and wisdom. It is not merely a collection of ancient civilization but, moreover, is itself a manifestation of today’s religion.

我是想表达：许多失败的实验（一个新的发明创造必然建立在之前许多失败的试验经验上。）YETI前辈，那这个句子应该怎样地道的表达呢。谢谢！~

YETI前辈，这次我明白了^_^

一个新的发明创造必然建立在之前许多失败的试验经验上。

New inventions are built on the backs of experiences of failed experiments.

(My aim is to bring you short reading material in a wide variety of subjects. If you want a recommenation of "reading for pleasure" while at the same time "learn some English", read my on going series (sort of work in progress) of "Books I have enjoyed reading" atSTRONG>  http://www.rainlane.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=11&id=17021 )

Today's reading assignment is an ad in the FP500 issue of the business magazine of the Financial Post. (FP500 is the 500 companies making up the Standard and Poor's 500 industrial stock index)

Search far and wide (1) and you won’t find another vehicle quite like this (2). The entirely new Land Rover LR3 rose far above the competition in the grueling, annual Motor Trend review. With our patented Terrain Response technology, front row sunroof, rear Alpine roof, cross-linked air suspension and available route retracing navigation system the list of features unique to the completely new Land Rover LR3 goes on and on. (4) And now, we can add one more: the 2005 Motor Trend Sport/Utility of the Year Award, the most coveted honour in the industry.

(1) Another form is : search high and low.

(2) The phrase to learn and use is  "find another (something) quite like this"

(3) patented technology. Another term to learn is: proprietary technology ( a technology that is owned by a company or an individual with a trade mark or a patern.)

(4) list of (something) goes on and on.

I would greatly appreciate if some (or all) of you can spare some of your free time (after visiting here first, of course, since this is your home base), to take a look at some of the older installments of my "short reading assignment" at, and also to make sentences,or ask questions, if possible/P>

http://www.rainlane.com/dispbbs.asp?boardid=8&id=15724

The new one are the same. But the old ones are different.

Note for 7-2

1, In order to encourage the exchange of ideas and mutual respect between different cultures and religions, and thereby to avert war and conflict, the laceType w:st="on">MuseumlaceType> of laceName w:st="on">World ReligionslaceName> was born.

为了鼓励不同的文化和宗教之间进行思想上的交流，并且相互尊重，从而消除战争与争斗，所以世界宗教博物馆就产生了。

2, Just as the opening of a single rose does not make a garden bloom, and a single note cannot produce a moving symphony, neither can the efforts of a single person build a magnificent palace.

如同一朵玫瑰的盛开不能使整个花园繁盛，一个音符不能创造出动人的交响乐，同样地，一个人的努力也不能建造出一座宏伟的宫殿。

3，toiled night and day, to propagate the idea 日夜努力奋斗去宣传思想

Toil: n. 辛苦，困境，圈套  exp. : There are many toils in my way toward future success, however, I convict, my diligence will conquer them all.

  vi. 辛苦，费力苦干 exp. : I have a dream of becoming a standout doctor, therefore I toiled day after day to actualize it.

4, their footprints extending across the world 他们的脚印遍布世界各地

5，outpouring n. 倾泻，流露

  Outpour v. 使泻出，使流出 n. 流出物

  Because of outpouring of love and affection of heroine to hero in the movie, all audience were moved to tears.

6, a manifestation of 一个对。。。的表现，说明

Respect for freedom and democracy is a manifestation of modern civilization of humankind.