Fashion and practicality
By Cathy
Picture by Zhu Lijun

在这个流行的时代,时尚手机, 时尚服饰, 时尚杂志, 时尚运动...太多太多的时尚名词闯入我们的生活. 似乎任何一种东西,加上"时尚"二字,都会有着别样的意义. 越来越多的人追崇时尚,紧紧地跟着时尚的脉搏. 然而,在不少外国人眼里,实用远比时尚更具魅力. 时尚与实用,您更看重哪一个呢?

One day, I had arranged a meeting with an American teacher at a restaurant. I waited for a long time, but he still did not appear. I took out my cellular phone from my backpack and wanted to get in touch with him. Suddenly I remembered that he did not have a cellular phone. After a while, he came in a hurry. He had taken the wrong bus, so he was late. I asked, "Why not get a cellular phone? It is not expensive but convenient." He said, "When I am off from work, I am free. I have a phone at my house. The cellular phone is useless for me. But when I came to China, it seems a little strange that almost everyone has a cellular phone." As the Chinese youths are eager to get new cellular phones, owning fashionable cellular phones has become a trend in China. Fewer people consider whether it is necessary or practical.

When I went shopping in Shanghai, Chinese always filled the World Brand Fashion shops. Many expensive clothes and watches are attractive to Chinese. Fewer foreigners surround that area. But in another opening market, all the goods are made in China where you can see foreigners everywhere. They pick the simple T-shirts, watches and chains. They bargain with sellers in imperfect Chinese. They seem contented when they get something fantastic and special. This contrast clearly reflects that foreigners emphasize practicality; while Chinese pay much attention to fashion without much practicality.

Pursuing(追求)and advocating(崇尚) fashion is a need of human beings. But do not ever follow blindly. Sometimes we should consider something more practical.

When fashion and practicality are combined perfectly, what we pursue is truly fashionable.

 

 

Crossword Puzzle
本栏目内容由 www.1cm.com.cn 提供



Across
1. Filled with fear.
5. Play again.
8. Name.
9. To say "no".

Down
2. A specially equipped vehicle
for hospitals.
3. Not clean.
4. A plan or proposal; a scheme.
6. Deep-seeded, often mutual hatred.
7. Beijing.

The following people have won free movie tickets: 郑朝阳,陈华,林菊丽,李玉英,刘庆水,吴闽,郭华群,陈晓艳,方圆圆,李娉婷. Please go to the Jinying Cinema (世贸金鹰影院) within two weeks. 欲知上期答案,请登录www.common-talk.com.

 

 

鸡同鸭讲
By Cathy

人们都说中华语言博大精深,其中的奥妙常常搞得老外焦头烂额. 但是中国人要搞明白英文中的小细节,也是颇费周章. 当一个个蝌蚪字母遭遇方块文字中的乾坤,两种截然不同的语言和文化就在撞击中,闪现许多让人忍俊不禁的"美丽错误". 如果你也碰到这种"cross cultural humor",无论是搞笑还是新奇,快快发邮件给我们,让大家一起分享吧!

一天晚自习,外教询问一缺席同学的情况. 他的同桌一时紧张,张口就说:"He was washing his body.(他在洗身体)"外教好奇地看着他,"What? "大家哄堂大笑,外教更是摸不着头脑. 一同学说:"是take a shower(洗澡)吧. " 外教恍然大悟. 刚好那个男生走进来,外教问"You finished washing your body?(你洗完身体了?)"该男生只能愣在那里看着大家狂笑不止.

一老外向我询问,饺子里都会放些什么蔬菜. 我自豪地列举起来,"celery, mushroom,garbage…" 突然,外教打断我,用难以置信的眼神看着我,"Unbelievable.""我们中国的饺子就是奇妙吧!"我在心里暗爽. 他却跑到卫生间,回来面带痛苦地问,怎么可以在饺子里放garbage呢. 我才发现刚才一时口误,把cabbage(卷心菜)说成了garbage(垃圾),难怪他会狂吐不止.

Jerry 有一次在美国看电影,电影院里人很多. 坐在前面的是一对年轻恋人,两人时不时地来个Kiss,而且那个男生高大魁梧,影响了Jerry的视线. Jerry很生气,脱口而出:You see no see, no see get out(Chinglish在作祟)!
By zzm2001_0@163.com

 

 

Hot Word
Collected by Jianjiang

● showdown
U.S. military officials do not see the assault on Fallujah as the final showdown for the Iraqi insurgency.
短兵相接, 腥风血雨,费卢杰激战正酣. 美方却宣称,长驱直入伊拉克抵抗力量的心脏,并不是美国的最后一战.
showdown,摊牌. 生死攸关时刻,一摊牌,胜负立马见分晓. 引申义就是"最后一决胜负".

● outgoing
Colin Farrell feigned outrage at the thought of becoming the sixth 007, joking he was shocked by the outgoing James Bond's suggestion.
谁是下一任007?已经退任的皮尔斯·布鲁斯南有心让科林·法瑞尔传承衣钵,谁想这位当红小生竟丝毫不领情.
outgoing, 即将离职的,the outgoing chairperson. 那"新任的"怎么说?闭着眼睛都猜得出吧,incoming.

● overheating
It is predicted that China's GDP will grow by 9.3 percent for all of this year. China's overall economy runs from overheating to normal status.
据预测,今年第四季度国内生产总值同比增长8.7%,全年GDP预计增长9.3%左右. 经济过热已经总体平稳回落.
overheating, 过热. 经济过热得到有效遏制,正体现了宏观调控的效果. 大伙还是多多支持加息政策吧.

● futures
December cocoa futures rose 12% in London trade to ￡1,019 a tonne, their sharpest rise in more than five years.
作为最大的可可豆生产国,象牙海岸局势的风起云涌大大刺激了市场的买进热情. 在伦敦交易所,十二月可可期货价格涨幅创下5年新高.
futures,期货,一看便知是future的派生词. deal in futures,做期货交易.

● runner-up
The Miss China beauty pageant lowered its curtain in Hong Kong. Beijinger Yang Jie pocketed the first runner-up while Yin Yue from Canada came in third.
"2004中华小姐环球大赛"落下帷幕. 北京的杨洁和加拿大的殷悦分获亚, 季军.
runner-up,亚军. 人们总是关注冠军,对champion也是耳熟能详. 至于runner-up,知道的人就不多了吧?

 

 

Cartoon English
By Bo & Bob

 

 

Daily English
Collected by the Chef

衣食住行,学英语要从身边的小事开始.本栏目将带给您最实用的日常口语.

Finishing 收工

●Let's call it a day. 今天就到这儿吧.
●Consider it done. 就算完成了.
●It is nicely done. 已经漂亮地完成了.
●Let's wrap it up. 让我们把它尽快做完.
●Mission accomplished. 任务完成了(如果玩过红色警报,这句话应该很熟悉).
●I am finishing it up. 我就要做完了.

 

 

Tongue Twister
Colleted by Jianjiang

A tutor who tooted the flute

Tried to tutor two tutors to toot.
Said the two to the tutor,
"Is it harder to toot,
Or to tutor two tutors to toot?"

大意为:一个会吹长笛的私人老师,费劲地教另外两个老师吹长笛. 那两个老师问他:"是吹长笛比较难呢,还是教两个老师吹笛子难?"

 

 

国际知名品牌广告语
Collected by Suky

资讯发达的世界,广告更是随处可见,可说是泛滥了. 但总有些经典的广告让人朗朗上口,牢记于心. 今天就请大家和Suky共同回味经典广告语的恒久魅力.

1. Good to the last drop.
滴滴香浓,意犹未尽. (麦斯威尔咖啡)

2. Obey your thirst.
服从你的渴望. (雪碧)

3. We lead. Others copy.
我们领先,他人仿效. (理光复印机)

4. Impossible made possible.
使不可能变为可能. (佳能打印机)

5. The relentless pursuit of perfection.
不懈追求完美. (凌志轿车)

6. Come to where the flavor is. Marlboro Country.
光临风韵之境--万宝路世界. (万宝路香烟)

7. To me, the past is black and white, but the future is always color.
对我而言,过去平淡无奇;而未来,却是绚烂缤纷. (轩尼诗酒)

8. Just do it.
只管去做. (耐克运动鞋)

9. Ask for more.
渴望无限. (百事流行鞋)

10. Feel the new space.
感受新境界. (三星电子)

11. Intelligence everywhere.
智慧演绎,无处不在. (摩托罗拉手机)

12. The choice of a new generation.
新一代的选择. (百事可乐)

13. Let's make things better.
让我们做得更好. (飞利浦电子)

14. No business too small, no problem too big.
没有不做的小生意,没有解决不了的大问题. (IBM公司)

 

 

Guessing Game
Collected by Lily

1.When a pregnant woman got on a bus, no one gave up his seat to her. Why?
2. Which month has 28 days?
3. Which animals jump higher than a house?
4. I have 12 legs, 12 arms and 8 heads. What am I?
5. What's worse than finding a maggot in an apple?

上期答案:
1. Smiles.
2. You would now be in 2nd place.
3. A horse and its rider.

 

 

Friend Finder - Show yourself here


I can speak fluent English so I'd like to acquaint some foreigners from America, England, Canada, etc, where English is the official language. I have many hobbies like traveling, cooking and singing and I also love all kinds of outdoor sports. I am energetic and friendly. If you want to make friends with me, if you are a native English speaker, please contact me.
我能说一口流利的英语,因此想结识一些来自说英语国家的朋友. 我爱好广泛,如旅行, 烹饪和唱歌,还喜欢各种户外运动. 我精力充沛,热爱生活. 如果您想结交一个真诚的朋友,如果您是一个讲英语的外国朋友,别再犹豫,快和我联系吧.
E-mail:dxl@itg.com.cn
Male
13605094921


I was born in 1973. I am an optimistic man. I like sports. If you want to make friends with great ambition. Please send message to 13605094921.
我出生于73年,性格开朗, 爱运动. 愿交有事业心的朋友,请发送信息到13605094921.
琦琦
Male
13605094921

Are you cool enough? Are you open enough? Come on. Spread your charm. Share your joy. Friends set your feelings free.
Don't hesitate to send your self-introduction to us. It will cost you little, but will return to you countless friends, precious understanding, and some big surprises in the future.
●如果你够炫,够酷,够开朗,快来这里吧!展示你的个性风采,撒播你的无限魅力,尽情释放欢笑与活力.
●勇敢敞开心扉,大声说出心事,新的朋友将带给你人生的新感觉!
●快把你的中英文自我介绍(姓名, 个性展示, 联系方式等)寄给我们吧.你就能收获无数的友谊,珍贵的默契,还不快点行动?也许等待你的将是一个大大的惊喜!