空中英语2010年9月课文 - 图文

Contents

SEPTEMBER 1 ................................................................................................................................. - 2 - SEPTEMBER 2~4 ............................................................................................................................. - 4 - SEPTEMBER 6~8 ........................................................................................................................... - 12 - SEPTEMBER 9, 10 ......................................................................................................................... - 18 - SEPTEMBER 11 .............................................................................................................................. - 23 - SEPTEMBER 13, 14 ....................................................................................................................... - 26 - SEPTEMBER 15, 16 ....................................................................................................................... - 31 - SEPTEMBER 17, 18 ....................................................................................................................... - 35 - SEPTEMBER 20, 21 ....................................................................................................................... - 40 - SEPTEMBER 22 ............................................................................................................................. - 45 - SEPTEMBER 23, 24 ....................................................................................................................... - 48 - SEPTEMBER 25 ............................................................................................................................. - 52 - SEPTEMBER 27~29 ....................................................................................................................... - 55 - SEPTEMBER 30 ............................................................................................................................. - 62 -

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September 1 Technology The nPower PEG 人体发电器

Walk power into your cell phone

Never worry about dead batteries again 不用再担心电池沒电啰 by Ryan Batdorf

Aaron LeMieux loves to hike and often listens to the radio at the same time. While on a 1,500-mile hike along the Appalachian Trail, Aaron started thinking about energy. Could the energy his body was creating be used to charge an electronic device? In 2006 Aaron quit his job and turned the basement of his home into a laboratory. He then put all his time into developing the nPower PEG.

How the nPower PEG works

PEG means personal energy generator. It uses the energy you create while moving to charge a hand-held device. Just put your nPower PEG in your bag, or fasten it to your leg or bicycle. Then plug your MP3 player, cell phone or digital camera into your nPower PEG’s USB port. LeMieux’s company, Tremont Electric, claims the nPower PEG can charge most hand-held electronic devices to 80 percent in one hour.

The cost

Since it costs US$149, the nPower PEG won’t appeal to everyone, but for those that spend a lot of time away from electricity, it might come in handy.

Appalachian Trail 阿帕拉契小径 device (n) 设备,装置 laboratory (n) 实验室

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generator (n) 发电机 fasten (v) 系紧,固定 USB port USB插槽 appeal (v) 吸引

In Library

K: Hey, Ashley, wow you look really busy today.

A: I am. One of my co-workers quit this morning and now we are really short-handed at the library.

K: You mean he just quit and left.

A: Yep, it’s not very considerate if you ask me. Usually you give two weeks notice when you decide to resign.

K: And how do you do that?

A: You write a letter of resignation to your boss. When you hand it in you’re tendering your resignation or giving notice.

K: And this should happen two weeks before you intend to leave. A: Right, two weeks is appropriate.

K: Don’t we call the letter of resignation the pink slip?

A: Oh, no. that’s something else entirely. Why don’t we go to Studio Classroom editor Linda and see what she has to say about that. K: Okay.

L: If you decide to quit your job, you should write a letter of resignation. When your company decides that you should leave your job, it will give you a pink slip which is a discharge notice. Why is it called pink slip? Well, in the old days when employees were paid in cash the paymaster came around and handed out envelope with money in them. If an employee was being let go, a discharge notice was included in the pay packet. It was often printed on pink paper so it wouldn’t get thrown away as junk mail. The term getting a pink slip has long survived the actual practice. Nowadays, the discharge notice is most likely white, not pink.

K: Oh, so it’s just an expression for getting fired.

A: Or getting laid off if the company is not doing well or it’s trying to downsize. K: I see. Well, I’d better leave you to your work. A: And someone else’s work. K: Good luck.

今天的课文提到在2006年Aaron quit his job，quit就是辞职不干了，这是一个比较口语的字，讲得正式一点要用resign，而辞呈叫做letter of resignation，如果你要辞掉你的工作，最好是提前两个星期提出辞呈才不会造成公司同仁的不便，但是如果是公司要你走路，公司就会给你一个

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所谓的pink slip（粉红色纸条），意思是说你被开除、裁员或者解聘了。至于说当你被裁员时，真的会接到一张粉红色的解雇通知单吗？其实并非如此，pink slip只是解雇通知单的代称，其实在美国很早很在就有了pink slip的说法。美国公司的老板如果要解聘员工， 就在员工的工资袋里头加一张粉红纸条，说明这个雇员被解雇的原因。那当然现在的解雇通知单不一定是粉红色，大多是白色的。但是pink slip一直沿用下来成为解雇通知单的同义词了。

Grammar on the Go

…for those that spend a lot of time away from electricity, it might come in handy. Come in handy be useful or be convenient

For people who spend a lot of time away from electricity, the nPower PEG might be useful. Since you might buy a lot of things, you should bring an extra bag with you, it might come in handy.

Patrick’s old umbrella came in handy because he came to work unprepared for rain.

Language Tips device (n) 仪器,装置

Most new parents own a device that allows them to monitor their baby while he or she sleeps. 大部分的新手爸妈都会拥有可以让他们监视小宝宝睡觉的装置。 The electronic device repels inserts with sound waves. 这种电子装置用声波驱赶昆虫。 fasten (v) 系牢,扣紧 (to)

He fastened the straps of his backpack. 他把背包上的带子系紧。

The sailor fastened his boat to a post on the dock. 这位水手把他的船系在码头的柱子上。 appeal (v) 引起兴趣或者吸引

Sports have never seemed to appeal to Kevin. Kevin向来对运动都没有什么兴趣。

The vibrant colors and relaxing atmosphere of the restaurant appeal to young customers. 这家餐厅鲜明的色彩以及令人放松的气氛吸引年轻的顾客。

September 2~4 Travel

Worst Case Scenario: How to Deal With Travel Disasters (Part 2) 出国旅行最怕这个（第二部）

Learn how to deal with missed flights, blocked credit cards and more

Deal with travel trouble and live to tell the tale

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因应旅途中发生的难题，先保命要紧，才能向其他人讲述真实经历 by Eric Lucas, Bing Travel

Eric Lucas lives in Seattle. He has traveled in all 50 states and 24 foreign countries.

Wallet missing in Warsaw

It’s a common and troublesome on-the-road mishap. I left my wallet sitting on the hood of a rental car once.

What to do: Call your card issuers as soon as you can. Spouses back home who have access to billing records can help too. Ask your family to wire you money if you have no other recourse. If you’re stranded in

a place like Kazakhstan, consular officials can help.

Can you get on a plane to go home? In the United States, Transportation Security Administration officials are prepared to perform extra screening for travelers who have lost their ID.

How to prevent it: Make a list of emergency lost-card phone numbers to keep in your luggage. If you’re traveling overseas, make sure you carry cards whose issuers offer international collect call numbers to report when they’re lost or stolen. Credit cards blocked in Canada

This mishap is more common than people realize. Credit card companies have elaborate programs that identify “suspicious” charging activity, and it’s possible that charges could be denied almost anywhere outside your home region.

What to do: Use another card – you brought three, right? Call the blocked card’s issuing company immediately to unblock it.

How to prevent it: Before leaving home, call the credit card security departments and inform them of your trip plans. This is crucial for overseas travel.

mishap (n) 灾祸,不幸的事情 hood (n) 车盖 issuer (n) 发行者 recourse (n) 求援,求助 screening (n) 筛选

collect call 对方付费电话,接听方付费电话 unblock (v) 解除锁定

In Library

A: Sorry, Sir. I need some form of ID in order for me to issue you a library card, so next time just bring some sort of ID, Okay? K: Umm, Ashley, what was that all about?

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