樂活 學英文 討論區

2home4me

上星期天第83屆奧斯卡頒獎，果不出所料由氣勢如虹的王者之聲(King's Speech)囊括許多大獎，包括最被看好的最佳男主角獎 Collin Firth。

媒體稱讚Collin果然演活了王者之聲，上台領獎的簡短幾句謝詞，也頗如王者發聲，我們且看他的charming, humourous and right to the point 的speech:



When he first took the stage to accept his award, Colin quipped, “I have a feeling my career’s just peaked.”

He then continued to relay his nervous energy to the audience: “I’m afraid I have to warn you that I’m experiencing stirrings somewhere in the upper abdominals which are threatening to form themselves into dance moves.”
“Joyous as they may be for me, it would be extremely problematic if they make it to my legs before I get off stage,” he added

另一則娛樂圈的消息
英國皇室安德魯王子已離婚的前妻Sarah Ferguson接受脫口秀名人Oprah Winfrey的訪問，報紙的標題"Fergie's journey from the 'gutter to lotus flower' by way of Oprah".
Fergie前幾年因皇室生活和離婚等因素，歷經經濟財務困難和情緒崩潰等。她受東方宗教的洗禮，已從逆境中走出來(Now Sarah Ferguson appears t have turned to Eastern religion to recover from the despair that....)。接受Oprah專訪時說：
They always say a lotus flower grows with very strong roots in muddy water, and it grows tall and strong and no water sticks to its leaves.
蓮花出淤泥而不染。

2home4me

世界上無奇不有，冰製樂器交響樂團(icicle orchestra)是一奇。

挪威音樂家Terje Isungset是歐洲著名的打擊樂器演奏家，多年前發覺以天然冰塊製成樂器，打擊出的音色特別優美和warm。他開始每年冬天，選擇一個地方，就地取材，挖掘、選材、雕模製成樂器並表演。天然最好，在日本表演時就發現從工廠製造的冰塊，很不理想。

他的信念是來自大自然，再回歸大自然。與大自然相處，因大自然的啟發，深覺大自然的力量與寧靜，和人類的渺小。

他最珍貴的冰號角(icehorn)是取自挪威北部2500年的冰河，是重要的樂器之一，音色很primitive，配合其他樂器，它的音色特別突出。

今年一月他在倫敦泰晤士河沿岸的桑摩塞特宮（Somerset House）表演，所有樂器取自挪威的天然冰塊手工製成。

有關該音樂家的打擊樂團，可到youtube欣賞。

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i ... ure=player_embedded

2home4me

在嚴肅的學英文前，上個簡短笑話
One spelling mistake can destroy your life!
A husband wrote a message to his wife on his business trip and forgot to add 'e' at the end of a word...
" I am having such a wonderful time!  Wish you were her "

The trial begins on Monday. Oops!

真正的The King's Speech by King George the sixth
這種演講稿都是國家文膽千錘百鍊出來，是學習英文最好題材。剛好朋友傳來原文和翻譯文，分享有興趣的朋友。

英王喬治六世(Albert Frederick Arthur George)二次大戰演說稿 (The King's Speech):

"In this grave hour, perhaps the most fateful in our history, I send to every household of my peoples, both at home and overseas, this message, spoken with the same depth of feeling for each one of you as if I were able to cross your threshold and speak to you myself.

在此全國戒備的嚴峻時刻，也許是英國歷史正面臨生死存亡的緊要關頭，無論在國內或海外，本人以至情至性的口吻稍來消息，透過廣播傳送至親愛的全英子民們，誠如挨家挨戶跨越門檻，親自登門拜訪，向各位說明原委。

For the second time in the lives of most of us we are at war. Over and over again we have tried to find a peaceful way out of the differences between ourselves and those who are now our enemies. But it has been in vain. We have been forced into a conflict. For we are called, with our allies, to meet the challenge of a principle which, if it were to prevail, would be fatal to any civilized order in the world.

在你我大部份人的生命中，這是英國第二次面對敵人武力威脅。不止一次，英國政府試圖在我方與現在是英國敵人雙方岐異處尋求和平共存之道，化干戈為玉帛，但終究徒勞無功。我們被迫捲入一場軍事衝突。因為英國及其盟邦即將迎接一個邪惡信念的挑戰，如果敵方信念戰無不勝，它將會帶來世界任何文明秩序毀滅沖擊。

It is the principle which permits a state, in the selfish pursuit of power, to disregard its treaties and its solemn pledges; which sanctions the use of force, or threat of force, against the sovereignty and independence of other states. Such a principle, stripped of all disguise, is surely the mere primitive doctrine that might is right; and if this principle were established throughout the world, the freedom of our own country and of the whole British Commonwealth of Nations would be in danger. But far more than this - the peoples of the world would be kept in the bondage of fear, and all hopes of settled peace and of the security of justice and liberty among nations would be ended.

這個邪惡的信念是允許一個國家無視他國存在，貪婪地追求權力，無視過往協定的戰後條約和莊嚴誓言；這個約定讓使用武力或以武力威脅他國主權獨立的不法暴力得到制裁。這樣的政治信念將所有的偽裝徹底拔光，赤裸裸的野蠻教條得逞，如果邪惡信念在世界各處風行草偃，那麼英國的獨立自由和大英聯邦各國都將處於亡國滅族的危難中，然而遠遠超過這一切，全世界將被暴力奴役，心靈被囚禁在殺戮恐懼中，全球每一個渴望擁有和平安全、正義自由的國家希望終將破滅。

This is the ultimate issue which confronts us. For the sake of all that we ourselves hold dear, and of the world's order and peace, it is unthinkable that we should refuse to meet the challenge. It is to this high purpose that I now call my people at home and my peoples across the seas, who will make our cause their own. I ask them to stand calm, firm, and united in this time of trial. The task will be hard. There may be dark days ahead, and war can no longer be confined to the battlefield. But we can only do the right as we see the right, and reverently commit our cause to God. If one and all we keep resolutely faithful to it, ready for whatever service or sacrifice it may demand, then, with God's help, we shall prevail. May God bless and keep us all"

橫阻在英國眼前是終極的挑戰，對於珍愛人民福祉、世界秩序和平的英國百姓來說，我們無力拒絕敵人侵略挑釁是難以置信的，正是這個偉大崇高的目標，本人呼籲國內、海外的子民們，為國家興亡克盡一已之責，在敵人強大環伺下，冷靜應對、枕戈待旦、堅定信心並團結一致，這項任務困難重重，黑暗的日子即就來臨，戰爭不再局限於戰場。但我們，因為我們看到正義的一方，只能做正確的事－勇敢地向前行，虔誠地向上帝許下承諾。如果舉國上下堅定對神的信念，準備為祂為英國付諸一切犧牲，上帝恩澤天祐英國，勝利在望，願上帝賜福全英子民，永保安康。

2home4me

有時看新聞報導的標題就知道內容大概是談甚麼。

今天看這一則"Are public toilets going down the pan?"，則似懂非懂，半猜半疑。

原來是公共廁所要被關閉。因政府預算縮減，有些地方政府已決定關閉某些公共廁所。



另一則是"warning over foetal alcohol syndrome",覺得對懷孕婦女是不錯的消息。

英國研究顯示懷孕婦女應滴酒不沾，因有些婦女懷孕期間喝酒，造成她們的小孩不可逆轉的腦部傷害(irreversible brain damage)，而產生學習障礙和注意力不能集中等胎兒酒精症候群。

專家也不能預測多少酒精量會造成傷害，因此建議將懷孕前和懷孕期間，最好滴酒不沾。

Campaigners are warning pregnant women with alcohol problems that drinking can damage their child's learning ability and attention span.

It has been estimated that at least 900 children in Scotland suffer from foetal alcohol syndrome or foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and thousands more could be undiagnosed.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-12666093

2home4me

Squatters at Gaddafi's London House

利比亞戰火烽火連天，美英等國凍結格達費在該國的財產，英國名校倫大政經學院(LSE，說自己也曾經是"菜英文"的"蔡英文"取得博士學位的學校)的校董最近也因曾收受格達費兒子賽夫(Saif)的捐款而下台。

昨天BBC新聞更勁爆，賽夫在倫敦貴族富人區的房子被一群號稱推翻獨裁者(Topple the tyrant)的squatters入侵占住，並在屋頂高掛有格達費人像的大布條。squatters說他們要入住到格達費離開利比亞，才把房子還給利比亞人。
倫敦首都警局的態度是squatter行為是民事事件，而非刑事犯行，不會被逮捕。

該房子前陣子曾在市場掛牌出售，要價約一千萬英鎊(就格達費的財產而言，這是微不足道的)。因利比亞的動亂，未售出即下市了。

Squatters have taken over a London house thought to belong to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, police have confirmed.

A group calling itself "Topple The Tyrants" occupied the £10.9m house in Hampstead Garden Suburb in north London on Wednesday morning.

They have put banners on the roof calling for Colonel Gaddafi to leave Libya.



http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12694054



squatting是英美國家的奇特法律產物。空房被人非法入侵並居住，達一段時期，非法入侵者可主張某些權利。有人空屋交給房仲出售，或有人出外旅行回家，發現有"不速之客"占住。若squatter主張squatters rights不肯離去，屋主常須請律師透過法律程序處理。

有興趣的以關鍵字"squatters rights uk"上google查查，有很多有趣的案例可讀可看。

2home4me

嗜好可以無奇不有
就在一般住家地下室
建構像小游泳池的私人水族館就是 一種
花5000英鎊
容納20公噸的水
有些魚從小baby養成像個小孩一樣長(一百多公分)
他不需要電視，看魚就值得了

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-12820354

黑面

某天聽到一個英文字 -- bonsai , 什麼意思呢?



What Kind of Bonsai do I Have? please Help!!!

英文高手不要作答, 讓英文半調子來玩一玩.

LKK46

87# 黑面

open book ... X
搜尋結果 ... O

廣東話的…盆栽

shenian

"He don't need to own a TV." It really does.

2home4me

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/13300519
這則好看，又可快速練習聽力
好奇特又棒的簡短的video(三分鐘看十個)

好餓的鱷魚想吃車，車主花大筆錢修理
三隻腿的貓貓
燙衣服也可當娛樂表演
鴨鴨做個窩在百貨公司門口
建在山崖的公園
法國麵包比賽，勝利者可賣麵包到總統府
蒐集玩偶成癡者
飛機試飛，還好沒乘客
漢堡小人國，飛機會take off喔
空中小姐的少林功夫拳，喜歡找麻煩的乘客可要小心