Go to any international conference, and you are bound to be unaware of their presence. Yet, without them, the high-level meetings and shuttle diplomacy that make our world go round would grind to a halt. They are interpreters, the unsung heroes who bridge the cultural and linguistic barriers between people.
The challenge for interpreters lies in much more than just knowing two languages－say, Mandarin and English. Oftentimes, they need to do their job in real time, meaning that as a speaker is talking, interpreters have to listen to, understand, translate, and verbalize what’s being said. The process is so demanding on the brain that live interpreters cannot go on for more than three hours without a break.
An additional hurdle for interpreters is that one misinterpretation may change the whole meaning of what the speaker is saying. Consequently, a congratulatory remark during peace talks at the United Nations can easily turn into a catastrophic mistake!
So why not use computer software instead? While many programs are efficient in mechanically translating words, they are not as good as the human brain in translating subtleties and indirect meanings. For example, one program was given the biblical quotation,“the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,”to translate from English into Russian. What came out was the equivalent of“the vodka is attractive, but the meat is rotten.” A rotten translation indeed!
2008年5月25日 星期日
2008年5月17日 星期六
Concern over Handwriting Lesson
In the age of computer technology, it appears that handwriting has been left behind. A survey in England estimated that nowadays only 13 percent of written communication is done by pen and paper, compared to 50 percent by email, and 29 percent by text message.
This has led to some concern that the education system could do damage to students by neglecting to teach handwriting. In England, a study found that two-thirds of teachers had not been shown how to teach handwriting during their initial training. Moreover, most schools were not teaching students how to increase their writing speeds. Poor handwriting could affect students’ exam performance overall academic achievement as well as self-esteem. In an increasingly competitive world, handwriting might just be what sets you apart from the pack.
This has led to some concern that the education system could do damage to students by neglecting to teach handwriting. In England, a study found that two-thirds of teachers had not been shown how to teach handwriting during their initial training. Moreover, most schools were not teaching students how to increase their writing speeds. Poor handwriting could affect students’ exam performance overall academic achievement as well as self-esteem. In an increasingly competitive world, handwriting might just be what sets you apart from the pack.
2008年5月10日 星期六
Genes Key to Entrepreneurs’ Drive
It used to be widely assumed that the entrepreneurial spirit in children was based on the influence of one’s parents. According to a new study of identical twins in Britain and the U.S., that is not the case anymore. It seems that a person’s ability or drive to become self-employed may be in his or her genes. This suggests that entrepreneurs are mostly born rather than made.
The study compared self-employment in 609 pairs of identical twins and 657pairs of same-sex non identical twins. The former share all the same genes, while the latter share about half.
Researchers found that the rate of entrepreneurship in identical twins is greater than that in non-identical twins. Put differently, it means that when one twin was an entrepreneur, it was more likely that the second twin would also become one. Contrary to previous beliefs, family environment and upbringing, it seems, have little influence.
The study compared self-employment in 609 pairs of identical twins and 657pairs of same-sex non identical twins. The former share all the same genes, while the latter share about half.
Researchers found that the rate of entrepreneurship in identical twins is greater than that in non-identical twins. Put differently, it means that when one twin was an entrepreneur, it was more likely that the second twin would also become one. Contrary to previous beliefs, family environment and upbringing, it seems, have little influence.
2008年5月3日 星期六
Childhood 'toy' revealed as ancient Persian relic
LONDON (AFP) - An ancient gold cup mysteriously acquired by an English scrap metal dealer is expected to fetch close to a million dollars at auction after languishing for years in a shoe box under its current owner's bed.
Owner John Webber says his grandfather gave him the 5.5-inch (14-centimetre) high mug to play with when he was a child, back in 1945.
He assumed the golden cup, which is decorated with the heads of two women facing in opposite directions, their foreheads garlanded with two knotted snakes, was made from brass.
But he decided to get it valued when he was moving house last year and was told it was actually a rare piece of ancient Persian treasure, beaten out of a single sheet of gold hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Experts said the method of manufacture and the composition of the gold was "consistent with Achaemenid gold and gold smithing" dating back to the third or fourth century BC.
The Achaemenid empire, the first of the Persian empires to rule over significant portions of Greater Iran, was wiped out by Alexander the Great in 330 BC.
Auction house Duke's, in Dorchester, south-west England, will put the cup under the hammer on June 5, with an estimate of 500,000 pounds (630,000-euro, 988,000-dollars).
Webber, 70, told The Guardian newspaper that his grandfather had a "good eye" for antiques and picked up "all sorts" as he plied his trade in the town of Taunton in south-west England.
"Heaven knows where he got this, he never said," he added, revealing that as a child, he used the cup for target practice with his air gun.
Owner John Webber says his grandfather gave him the 5.5-inch (14-centimetre) high mug to play with when he was a child, back in 1945.
He assumed the golden cup, which is decorated with the heads of two women facing in opposite directions, their foreheads garlanded with two knotted snakes, was made from brass.
But he decided to get it valued when he was moving house last year and was told it was actually a rare piece of ancient Persian treasure, beaten out of a single sheet of gold hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Experts said the method of manufacture and the composition of the gold was "consistent with Achaemenid gold and gold smithing" dating back to the third or fourth century BC.
The Achaemenid empire, the first of the Persian empires to rule over significant portions of Greater Iran, was wiped out by Alexander the Great in 330 BC.
Auction house Duke's, in Dorchester, south-west England, will put the cup under the hammer on June 5, with an estimate of 500,000 pounds (630,000-euro, 988,000-dollars).
Webber, 70, told The Guardian newspaper that his grandfather had a "good eye" for antiques and picked up "all sorts" as he plied his trade in the town of Taunton in south-west England.
"Heaven knows where he got this, he never said," he added, revealing that as a child, he used the cup for target practice with his air gun.
2008年4月30日 星期三
China In Space
1.Larry and Nancy are eating dinner in a restaurant.
Larry: Hey, did you hear the news about China?
Nancy: No. What happened? There wasn't another terrible international incident, was there?
Larry: Nothing like that. China just put a man into space for the first time.
Nancy: The Chinese spaceman ! Now I remember. What a scoop !
Larry: This makes China only the third country to put one of its people into space.
Nancy: After Russia and the United States.
Larry: And I read in the newspaper that China has plans to build their own space station.
Nancy: What a creepy thought . Then they would be able to take pictures of me from space!Larry: Ha, ha. Nancy, you really think too much!-Nathan Hines
2.In the dialogue, we could know that China has already put one of their people into space. It has a high technology after Russia and the United States!
3.incident /scoop/creepy/
4. international /plan/thought/creepy/
5.why I chose this article: Because I've read the high technology from the history book! We could find that China made great progress on this program!
Larry: Hey, did you hear the news about China?
Nancy: No. What happened? There wasn't another terrible international incident, was there?
Larry: Nothing like that. China just put a man into space for the first time.
Nancy: The Chinese spaceman ! Now I remember. What a scoop !
Larry: This makes China only the third country to put one of its people into space.
Nancy: After Russia and the United States.
Larry: And I read in the newspaper that China has plans to build their own space station.
Nancy: What a creepy thought . Then they would be able to take pictures of me from space!Larry: Ha, ha. Nancy, you really think too much!-Nathan Hines
2.In the dialogue, we could know that China has already put one of their people into space. It has a high technology after Russia and the United States!
3.incident /scoop/creepy/
4. international /plan/thought/creepy/
5.why I chose this article: Because I've read the high technology from the history book! We could find that China made great progress on this program!
The Laurel of Apollo
One day Cupid, the son of Venus, sat on the bank of a river, playing with his bow and arrows. The arrows were very tiny. Some of them had points of gold and the others points of lead. With the former Cupid shot love into people’ s hearts; with the latter he shot fear into them. Just then Apollo, the great sun-god, happened to walk along the bank of the same river and when he saw Cupid at his play, he laughed at him and said, “ Ho! What are such little arrows as these good for? ” Cupid’ s feelings were very much hurt at this. He said nothing, but decided to use his arrows on Apollo. So he drew out two arrows a leaden one and a golden one. Looking all about him for some mark for his arrow, he saw Daphne, the daughter of the river-god, walking through a grove. Cupid shot the leaden-pointed arrow straight at Daphne’ s heart. With the golden one he struck Apollo. As soon as Apollo saw Daphne, he loved her very much, but she was afraid and ran away. Apollo ran after her, calling that there was nothing to fear, but she would not stop running .The faster Apollo followed, the faster Daphne ran. She ran till she came to the bank of her father’s river, and she was so tired that she could run no farther. She called to her father for help. The river-god heard her, and before Apollo could overtake her, changed her into a tree, a beautiful tree with glossy evergreen leaves and pink blossoms as beautiful own cheeks. When Apollo came up with Daphne, there she stood on the bank of the river, not a nymph any longer, but a beautiful tree. Apollo gathered some of the leaves and made himself a wreath of its evergreen leaves, which he always wore for Daphne’s sake. This tree still grows in Greece and is called the Laurel of Apollo.
2008年4月28日 星期一
Wang’s fifth consecutive win helps Yankees top Indians
1.NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wang Chien-ming won his fifth consecutive game to pitch the New York Yankees to a 1-0 road victory over the Cleveland Indians on Sunday.
The Taiwanese right-hander (5-0), who is behind only Arizona’s Brandon Webb (6-0) for most victories in the majors, held Cleveland to four hits over seven innings while striking out a season-high nine and walking two.
“He has been huge for us all year long,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. “He has pitched great. He knew what we needed and he gave it to us.”
Wang said he mixed up his pitches better than a year ago when he lost at Cleveland in the American League Division Series.
“Last year, I only threw a lot of sinkers without changing a lot of speeds,” he told reporters. “Today, I changed a lot of speeds.”
Girardi said Wang’s ability to mix his pitches had made him a more effective pitcher.
“He had a very good slider today, with his sinker as well,” the Yankees manager said. “He mixed in some changeups and splits as well to the left-handers. I thought he had great depth on his slider, which kept the right-handers off balance.”
Melky Cabrera gave the Yankees the only run they needed with a solo homer in the fifth inning off C.C. Sabathia (1-4).
“I’ve been lucky that I have five homers so far,” Cabrera told reporters. “I’m just paying attention to that I’m in the lineup every day.”
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Yankees, though they had to place starting catcher Jorge Posada on the disabled list with an injured right shoulder.
It is the first time Posada has been placed on the disabled list in his 13-year major league career.
“It’s the biggest disappointment of my career, probably,” said Posada.
“Not being able to participate in games, it’s really tough for me. I thought it was coming along, but it’s not. We have to find out what’s really bothering me.”
Sabathia, last season’s American League Cy Young winner, pitched eight innings. He also gave up four hits, striking out eight and walking one.
“It’s definitely frustrating to lose,” said Sabathia.
“We don’t get shut out very often, but Wang was good.”
(Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Play Ball! — Sign up for Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Baseball '08 today
2.Wang won his fifth consecutive win. He was really good! He, Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera become a win line. They are really good!Wang is very lucky, because of his players' help. Wang also changed a lot of speeds that let Indians' players confuse the ball line! In short, he is very good!
The Taiwanese right-hander (5-0), who is behind only Arizona’s Brandon Webb (6-0) for most victories in the majors, held Cleveland to four hits over seven innings while striking out a season-high nine and walking two.
“He has been huge for us all year long,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters. “He has pitched great. He knew what we needed and he gave it to us.”
Wang said he mixed up his pitches better than a year ago when he lost at Cleveland in the American League Division Series.
“Last year, I only threw a lot of sinkers without changing a lot of speeds,” he told reporters. “Today, I changed a lot of speeds.”
Girardi said Wang’s ability to mix his pitches had made him a more effective pitcher.
“He had a very good slider today, with his sinker as well,” the Yankees manager said. “He mixed in some changeups and splits as well to the left-handers. I thought he had great depth on his slider, which kept the right-handers off balance.”
Melky Cabrera gave the Yankees the only run they needed with a solo homer in the fifth inning off C.C. Sabathia (1-4).
“I’ve been lucky that I have five homers so far,” Cabrera told reporters. “I’m just paying attention to that I’m in the lineup every day.”
The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Yankees, though they had to place starting catcher Jorge Posada on the disabled list with an injured right shoulder.
It is the first time Posada has been placed on the disabled list in his 13-year major league career.
“It’s the biggest disappointment of my career, probably,” said Posada.
“Not being able to participate in games, it’s really tough for me. I thought it was coming along, but it’s not. We have to find out what’s really bothering me.”
Sabathia, last season’s American League Cy Young winner, pitched eight innings. He also gave up four hits, striking out eight and walking one.
“It’s definitely frustrating to lose,” said Sabathia.
“We don’t get shut out very often, but Wang was good.”
(Writing by Gene Cherry in Salvo, North Carolina; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)
Play Ball! — Sign up for Yahoo! Sports Fantasy Baseball '08 today
2.Wang won his fifth consecutive win. He was really good! He, Joba Chamberlain, and Mariano Rivera become a win line. They are really good!Wang is very lucky, because of his players' help. Wang also changed a lot of speeds that let Indians' players confuse the ball line! In short, he is very good!
3.consecutive/right-hander /inning/slider/depth/snap
4.manager/disable/pay attention /frustrate/tough/find out
5.why I chose this article: Because I like the baseball game! Especially MLB! It's very exciting! They catch ball beautifully! I like them!
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