Crossing over to the West
Bachchan''s first English-language film was 2005''s Bride and Prejudice, a retelling of Jane Austen''s Pride and Prejudice ─ Bollywood style. The lively movie brought together both Indian and Western actors. With the booming success of Bollywood, many Indian actors are crossing over to foreign films, and Bachchan is leading the way. In 2009, international audiences can see her in Pink Panther 2, starring Steve Martin.
巴克强首部英语片子《新娘与偏见》在2005年面世。该片重述简. 奥斯丁的《新娘与偏见》寳莱坞电影的风格。 这部轻松活泼的影片是印度和西方演员一起联袂演出。由于寳莱坞的拍摄成功大受欢迎，很多印度的演员纷纷加盟于海外的影片制造商，而巴克强则是这股潮流的领头羊。2009年，国际观众将会看到她在《粉红的豹2》影片中领衔饰演史蒂夫.马丁。

 
身兼多职
More than an actress
Bachchan is beautiful, talented and also shrewd [ʃru:d](a.机灵的，敏锐的，精明的) in business. One of India''s wealthiest women, she negotiates her own contracts, including major endorsements for such companies as Coca-Cola and L''Oreal.
巴克强在商界以美貌与智慧并重，兼且精明是印度最有钱的巨商贾贵妇人，她通过谈判并获取；其中包括可口可乐和欧莱雅的合约和产品代言人。

谈资最热的夫妇
India''s hottest couple
In April 2007, the star married fellow Indian actor Abhishek Bachchan. Their lavish wedding sent the film-loving Indian media into a frenzy. The son of an Indian film legend, Abhishek is Bollywood royalty, and the pair reigns[rein]  as the country''s most celebrated couple. Despite constant focus on her beauty, Bachchan says the best compliment she''s ever received wasn''t for her looks. The praise came from an orphan who said her warmth outshines her appearance. Now that''s real beauty.

2007年4月，这位电影明星下嫁于印度演员阿彼锡.巴克强。他们奢侈豪华的婚礼给印度的媒体“影迷专栏”招来疯狂的激情。印度影业界传奇人物，阿彼锡是寳莱坞电影业皇室家族的儿子，这对夫妇占尽了整个印度最著名的夫妻。
尽管人们不断地把焦点放在她的美貌上，巴克强经常说，她得到最好的赞美不是她的外表。而她得到的褒奖是一名孤儿说她的热情比外表更光彩夺人。那才是她真正的美丽所在。

Source:

http://www.360abc.com/blog/blog.asp?blogid=1118&viewid=5826

Word bank:

Endosement: 词源为endose(保证,担保)，这里是指为产品代言。

Outshine:(本)比别人亮,如手电筒的光亮. 这里(抽)胜过,胜出,超过. her warmth outshines her appearance.

standard english单词前缀out不能随意加, 除了如,outdo, outgrow, outlive, outrun.而outsleep, outjump则不对.

India: Land of Wonder

India's colorful history makes it an unforgettable place to visit
October 11th 2008

All aboard!
A unique way to see many of the sights of Rajasthan is on the "Palace on Wheels." Considered one of the 10 most luxurious trains in the world, it looks like the opulent trains that were once ridden by India's royal families. Onboard, an attendant in a traditional Rajasthan uniform caters to your every need in the splendor of your private compartment.

The eight-day trip, which includes 14 points of interest, begins and ends in Delhi. A highlight of the trip is the stop in Agra, in neighboring Uttar Pradesh, the location of India's crown jewel, the Taj Mahal.


"The Temple of Love"
According to legend, when the prince who would become Emperor Shah Jahan first saw his future wife. Mumtaz Mahal, it was love at first sight. After her untimely death, the griving emperor resolved to build the most beautiful mausoleum in the world for her. The 17th century building required 20,000 workers and 22 years to complete. Afterward, Shah Jahan gazed upon the grandeur of the white marble architectural wonder, his Taj Mahal.
 

A memorable Journey Traveling through Rajasthan and Agra will give you a taste of India's exotic past and will provide you with the journey of a lifetime!

Word bank/ usage tips:

1. Opulent:

Adjective 富裕的，丰裕的，丰饶的 Rich and superior in quality; 如"a princely sum"; "gilded(镀金的） dining rooms". 例an opulent life style。

Synonyms: deluxe [](adj), gilded (adj), luxurious (adj), princely (adj), sumptuous [](adj)华丽的,奢侈的

2. Cater []

1. Vi/ VtProvide what is desired or needed, esp.support, food or (sustenance []U食物，粮食，生计)

提供饮食;承办宴席[(+for)]  例：He runs a restaurant and also caters for weddings and parties.他经营饭店,还承办婚礼和宴会酒席。Who's catering your daughter's wedding? 谁给你女儿承办婚宴?

2. Vi. 满足需要(或欲望);迎合,投合[(+for/to)]

Those newspapers cater to the lowest tastes. 那些报纸迎合最低级的趣味。

Synonyms: provide (v), supply (v).

3. Untimely

Adjective 过早的;不适时的;不合时宜的

（1）. Badly timed; 如"an ill-timed (不合时的,) talk"; "you think my intrusion(闯入,侵扰) unseasonable";  "it was the wrong moment for a joke". 如Your untimely remarks made me upet.

（2）Uncommonly early or before the expected time; 例 "illness led to his premature death"; "alcohol brought him to an untimely end".

Adverb 过早地;不合时宜地

（1）. Too soon; in a premature manner; 如"I spoke prematurely".

Synonyms: ill timed(adj), premature (adj), unseasonable (adj), wrong (adj), prematurely (adv).

Chatting room:

讲lengend(源于拉丁语，可阅读的故事，14世纪之前书写，以后为口述形式流传 ）fable（与动物有关的寓言）, myth, folktale（a popular or traditional story) 民间传说/故事) 的区别

20081008

開啟你的GPS系統，但可別放空腦袋
Are GPS devices making roads more dangerous?

全球衛星定位系統使馬路如虎口？

A recent study found that using satellite navigation devices is actually less safe than using old-fashioned paper maps. The survey found that 13 percent of GPS users relied entirely on their devices to get them to their destinations. So they were less aware of traffic and road signs.

The United Kingdom is home to a number of GPS-related accidents. British drivers who totally trust their GPS devices have plunged into lakes, damaged historic buildings, and wedged their vehicles into narrow alleys. The U.K.'s Network Rail has reported that GPS devices are responsible for 2,000 damaged bridges per year.

The U.S. has had its own share of incidents. Recently, a school bus driver hit a low bridge, peeling the roof off the bus and terrifying the school sports team inside. The driver later confessed that he hadn't seen the signs posting the bridge's height. Instead, he had trusted the GPS directions that routed the tall bus under the 9-foot bridge.

GPS devices do help drivers arrive safely at their destinations. However, the devices are only as good as the software in them. So, a warning to GPS users everywhere: Keep your eyes on the road, and keep your wits about you.

Word Bank:

Wedge

Noun

1. Any shape that is triangular in cross section.

2. Something usable as an inclined plane (shaped like a V) that can be pushed between two things to separate them.

3. A block of wood used to prevent the sliding or rolling of a heavy object.

Verb

1. Fix, force, or implant; "lodge a bullet in the table".

2. Squeeze like a wedge into a tight space; "I squeezed myself into the corner".

   "Susan was wedged in the corner so tightly that she couldn't move".

Plunge

Noun

1. A brief swim in water.

2. A steep drop (in price, road).

Verb

1. Thrust or throw into; "Immerse yourself in the hot water".

2. Drop steeply; "the stock market plunged". Fall abruptly猛跌,骤降; "It plunged to the bottom of the well".

3. Dash violently or with great speed or impetuosity; "She plunged at it eagerly".

4. Begin with vigor(开始从事）; "He launched into a long speech"; "She plunged into a dangerous adventure".

5. Engross (oneself) fully 陷(入),全神贯注; "He immersed himself into his studies". She plunged deep into thought.

Usage tips:

keep one's wits about one: 保持清醒的判断力,保持机灵/理智 例: Keep your wits about you when you negotiate with the clients.

A be only as (adj) as B: 是A和B作比较,A取决于B。若去掉only, A as adj as B ,这个是semilie []明喻, 将A与B 作比较。这个句型可以和头韵(alliteration)一起用,如as smooth as silk, as pretty as a picture, as cool as cucumper []

2008-10-3 The High—Tech BathroomYou'd be surprised what you might find in your bathroomby Vance FryOf all the rooms in your house, you wouldn't expect the bathroom to be a center of cutting-edge

先来看看这是什么：足球，蓝球，哦，还有下棋的棋子！怎么它们都长在藤上哦？

原来，这是兰州某市民经过几年的实验种出的工艺体育葫芦，并获得6项国家专利证书。这种工艺体育葫芦目前在全世界也是独一无二的。将会贡献给奥组委，为奥运献礼。 

真是大开眼界，咱们天天吃的丝瓜，黄瓜，冬瓜，苦瓜，何时也变身各种形状，那才有意思呢。

同样是创意心思，以下的这个更实用。

想要尝尝做老师的帅气书写，想快乐纵情涂鸦，想提高做事效率不当马大哈，就来试试咱们自制的“创意地球仪”牌黑板吧^-^ ：随意涂写，随意记事，随意保存，好方便哦。放在家里，哼，谁要得罪你老人家，给他写大字报，看他还不快快行动补偿于你？

创意来源：没有足够空间放置大的写字板？或许粉笔书写黑板过时，占据墙面过大面积？何不自制一块灵巧的桌面黑板呢

制作材质：教学地球仪，黑板油漆，抹墙粉（腻子），新闻纸，石膏（黑色丙烯酸漆喷涂），衣架。

将地球仪从基座取下，将衣架弄直，穿起地球仪后悬放于一层报纸上。用抹墙粉打磨地球仪，每一次打磨涂上黑板用漆后再涂上一层黑色石膏，最终达到黑板漆色的效果。待油漆干透卷起新闻纸，小心粉尘或油漆碎末不要洒溢出来，将纸扔到垃圾桶。再将地球仪装回基座。现在可以试写字了。嗯，是不是有点酷炫个人信息转播站的味道了？

我的信息，我创造！我书写！

Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tacoma-webmaster/340402975/

在英国家电网站看到一则新闻：利兹（Leeds)大学研究者已经发明了新的洗衣机涤方法：只需一杯水即可洗净衣物，用水量及能源消耗少于传统洗衣机的2%，这项革命性的创新，预示世界上第一个无水洗衣时代的到来。

洗衣机内置的不停滚动的塑料颗粒/小蕊片会清洗衣物上的污渍。并且，洗净的衣物拿出几近干燥，无需再用干洗功能。研究者称每一道洗涤程序仅需不到一杯水，此项技术除用于家用洗涤外，也可用于废水处理及金属脱脂（去油）工序。

source: http://ukwhitegoods.co.uk/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2111

http://www.leeds.ac.uk/media/press_releases/current/washing_machine.htm

哇哇，想象一个洗衣机竟然用这么少的水，真是不可思议哦，科学真伟大。等着那一天的到来哦！

洗衣机给我们带来的是福，看看下面这位。真是，有人欢喜有人愁：

女人和遥控器的战争，谁赢了？看我的无敌兔子绣花鞋脚功：

http://www.flickr.com/photos/snippets_from_suburbia/2700101388/

看到这几只公仔猴子就喜欢上了，因为它的长相实在是很好玩：更妙的是每只猴子代表的寓意：See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil， 用咱们的老话说，：非礼勿视，非礼勿听，非礼勿言，非礼勿动，也可以提醒咱们：少管闲事，少啰嗦（别追问），少大喇叭（长嘴传声筒），更可以说：远离不文明不道德。

“See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil" is a common phrase, usually used to describe someone who doesn’t want to be involved in a situation. But where did the saying originate?
Unfortunately, no one knows for sure how it evolved. Because the saying is typically associated with three monkeys one covering his eyes, one covering his ears, and the other covering his mouth it is believed that the saying may have its origin in a 17th century temple in Japan.

据说这来源于17世纪的日本，也有人说是公元8世纪中国和尚带到日本去的。

第一只叫Kikazaru（see no evil'），可以看到它没有耳朵，再给他找两个伴，中间的没眼睛的叫Mizaru（see no evil'），当它没有两个好朋友在一起时，它独自一人玩时，可能大家会把它的鼻子当眼睛哦，没有嘴巴。最后一个叫wazaru（speak no evil），少说话。

对了，还有第4只猴子，不过这个就是现代人的发明了。

看看尼日利亚的木雕猴子，三只猴子又多了一个伴了。

下次，再有人八婆或唠叨，送他一个猴子，保管叫他闭嘴。

今天介绍一款新型割草机，令除草分外有趣。第一次看到这么可爱圆滚滚的草球。平常在清理草坪的同时会遗留下大量残余的碎草渣，直接将这些草渣遗留在草坪上会影响美观。其实只要稍做改进就可以使这些草渣变得充满趣味。

原来这款割草机就在内部设计了一个压制装置，可以将割下来的草渣同步压制成草球和草饼。不仅非常美观，而且还可以供人们嬉戏之用。

只不过，我在想，当凳子用时是不是坐几下就散架了呢？它能象蓝球一样自由弹跳么？

souce: http://www.patent-cn.com/

人有多大胆，地有多大产。GOOGLE的全知让人顶礼膜拜。试试下面的GOOGLE搜索， 答案让你意想不到。GOOGLE的节日版，更是量身定做，营造浓浓节日氛围。

前几年热门的GOOGLE战争胜负话题，现在相关的还能搜到。输入法国军事胜利：French military victories，搜索结果：无法查找“法国军事胜利”。GOOGLE建议：请确认拼音是否正确。尝试不同的关健字。输入常用关健字。输入更少的关健字。

GOOGLE友善提醒：你是查找法国军事战败（French military defeats）吧？哈哈，胜与负的字眼本来很敏感，这样的引导千万别造成军事冲突啊。原来这是仿google的假冒页面。看来，造假处处有。

据说google 搜google，英特网会毁灭的！要不，你试试？

口吃的GOOGLE：

爱眼预防日的GOOGLE

乳腺癌预防日的GOOGLE

其它^-^：

新款取款机

高露洁，有效防止蛀牙!

千山万水唯我前行

蒙娜丽莎：瞧你们这些人天天盯着我。烦不烦。我饿了！

吃饱了，我得做女红了。

source: http://www.about.com/

继上一篇的环保穿着话题。

前些日Hadley Freeman在卫报批判短裤风波，文中称：08夏季，短裤越来越多，越来越短，男人们也被传染。这证明了我酝酿已久的一个观点，除了政府基金的糟糕表现之外，再没有什么比Kate Moss（人气超模，丑闻打不到却身价高涨，为Topshop设计服装）更有害于英国时尚界了。在读我这篇文章时，你身边路过6个人，不用说，他们穿的是短裤。每个人，每个地方，这种泛滥成灾的短裤风潮无处不在。

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/01/fashion

短裤流行，过于露的粗糙可能污染了视线，有时在一些人看来是罪过。不过，穿得短是不是也有利于环保呢？（因为面料用得少嘛^-^），那有人说了，不穿是不是更环保啊，嘿嘿，还别说，真有不穿的呢：

受托于纽约杂志的Temptu公司举办了一次艺术展，模特的脚上画以各种以假乱真的鞋款，而纽约杂志编辑Adam Sternbergh的文章称，据科学研究，赤足更利于健康。真希望可以穿着这样的鞋子走来走去，自由如风。只是，娇弱的都市人能适应粗粝的地板么？！人类经过400万年脚才完美进化，没想到，鞋子的发明却有害人体健康。看来，还得回到史前，最高境界还是回归到无哦，无道胜有道，真理！

Source: http://nymag.com/health/features/46213/ By Adam Sternbergh