Prioritize greening.doc

Prioritize greening(China Daily) Updated: 2010-10-28 08:07The hot debate among Chinas top legislators over a draft law on vehicle taxation highlighted two of the most pressing challenges that the country faces - energy conservation and bridging wealth gap. It was reported that, after the draft law was reviewed by the Standing Committee of the 11th National Peoples Congress, as a green legislation that intends to tax cars according to their engine sizes, some top lawmakers argued that the levy should be charged in line with the value of cars. With nearly 200 million motor vehicles on our roads, Chinese legislators have ample reasons to put in place a new law that can effectively promote energy conservation or the use of clean energy vehicles among domestic car-drivers. China surpassed the United States to become the worlds largest auto market in 2009, and Chinese consumers are expected to buy more than 17 million new cars this year, which will place even more pressure on the countrys environment and energy supply. Under such circumstance, Chinese lawmakers are obligated to replace the current law, that taxes vehicles according to the number of passengers they are allowed to carry, with a new green one that will cut taxes on fuel efficient, clean energy vehicles while imposing increasing taxes based on engine capacity. However, it is not unreasonable for some lawmakers to suggest the new tax be based on the value of a vehicle. The logic is obvious, such an ad valorem tax will help narrow the countrys income disparity by taxing those with a multi-million-yuan luxury sedan significantly more than those with cheaper car of the same engine capacity. Given that the country has made it a key task to pursue inclusive growth in the coming years, legislators are more than willing to do their bit in addressing the widening income gap. The concerns of lawmakers who give top priority to going green are as justified as the concerns of those who attach greater importance to reducing income inequality. However, when it comes to a new tax law to regulate the explosive growth of car ownership in this country, top legislators should get their priorities right by focusing on addressing the dire consequences of the rampant growth of car ownership. Not that the need to go green is more important in the long run than the necessity to cut income disparity. The underlying reason why the latest legislation should be made part of a national drive to go green, is that, unchecked the surge in car ownership has become the leading menace to the nations efforts to reduce pollution and oil dependence. China Daily (China Daily 10/28/2010 page8Energy-saving measure(China Daily)Updated: 2010-10-27 08:10Comments(0) PrintMailLarge Medium Small Chinese policymakers insisted that the latest hike in domestic gasoline prices was only meant to reflect fluctuations in the global oil market. A 3 percent rise in gasoline prices at the pump is surely in line with global oil prices that have increased by more than 4 percent since the end of September. The official explanation will help sell the ostensibly unpopular price hike to the booming number of drivers whose enthusiasm to buy cars unexpectedly enabled China to replace the United States as the worlds largest auto market in 2009. Yet, by appeasing this fuel-thirsty group, the Chinese authorities are wasting a much-needed chance to drive home a key message to the public: The country has to deal with its enormous energy challenge with more price rises because the alternative options will only be more painful. In the rush to meet its energy saving target by the end of this year - a 20 per cent reduction in energy use per unit of gross domestic product from the 2005 level - China has recently witnessed growing panic among local governments, some of which cut electricity supplies to citizens and businesses to meet their energy efficiency target. The National Energy Administration announced that the countrys power consumption in September fell 12 percent month-on-month to 349.8 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh). It may be true that, as the monthly energy figure indicates, growth in energy demand eased in the third quarter and is expected to slow as local governments step up efforts to save energy and cut emissions. But the fact that, in the first nine months, Chinas electricity consumption amounted to 3.14 trillion kWh, 18 percent more than in the same period last year, is anything but reassuring. Given that the country has merely managed to arrest the decline in energy efficiency during the first half of this year, it is hard to predict what desperate measures local officials will take as a last-ditch attempt to complete their mandatory energy conservation. The sacrifice that both enterprises and local residents may be required to make is likely to be far more painful than the pinch car-drivers are feeling now. Gasoline or electricity price rises will make a dent in the pockets of Chinese consumers who are supposed to play a greater role in boosting economic growth. Nevertheless, compared with massive power blackouts and fuel shortages, gradual price rises are a more desirable way for the country to ease its immense energy pressure. More such price hikes will not only urge consumers to adapt to the dire energy reality but also encourage corporate innovation to profit from addressing the long-term energy challenge. Chinese policymakers should seize every chance to make the whole country aware of their energy-saving responsibilities. (China Daily 10/27/2010 page8)源于希腊罗马神话的英语词汇 人所共知，西方文化有两个源头:一为希腊(Hellenic)文化，一为希伯莱(Hebrew)文化，而希腊文化中的希腊神话(Greek mythology)对英语影响非常广泛。表现在词汇方面就是英语吸收了部分词汇并将之沿用，而这些词又或是可分解词或是可溯源词。这些词源包含的信息不仅可帮助读者准确理解每个词的词义，增添记忆单词的乐趣，还能特别记录、描述英语与古希腊文化的差异和交流，具有很高的历史性和趣味性。由于罗马神话深受希腊神话的影响，故事情节与希腊神话大同小异，只不过人名不同，所以希腊神话时常和罗马神话联系在一起。希腊罗马神话就像神话故事中的灵泉，滋养着英语的词汇，产生了许许多多美妙动人的词汇故事，增强了英语的生命力。一源于希腊罗马神话中众神名字的英语词汇 现代英语中，不少词汇来源于希腊罗马神话中众神的名字，至今仍起着重要的作用。典型的词源试举如：1、Flora：古希腊罗马神话中的花神。她嫁给了西风之神Zephyr，丈夫送给她一座满是奇花异草的园子。春天时，Flora和丈夫Zephyr手挽手在园子里漫步，他们一路走过的地方百花齐放。Flora在现代英语里指代“植物”。衍生词:flower，flour， flourish， floral， florist。2、Muses(缪斯)：希腊神话中掌管艺术的诸神。共九位，分别是历史、抒情诗、喜剧(牧歌、田园诗)、悲剧、歌舞、爱情诗、颂歌、天文、史诗。Muses的艺术衍生出单词music， Muses收藏艺术品的地方就是museum。艺术带来的快乐便是a-muse，amusement。3、Pan(潘)：牧神和森林之神，受打扰时会大声吼叫。衍生词panic(惊慌，恐慌)。4、Titan(泰坦)：曾统治世界的巨人族的一员。Titan在现代英语里指代高大强壮的人，重要人物。衍生词titanic意指巨大的，极大的。“泰坦尼克号”即以此命名。 5、Zephyrus(泽费罗斯)：西风之神。衍生词zephyr(西风，和风，微风)。6、Atlas：希腊神话中Titans(泰坦)巨神之一，因背叛Zeus(宙斯)被罚在世界的西边尽头以双肩扛天。16世纪地理学家麦卡脱把Atlas擎天图作为一本地图册的卷首插图。后人争相效仿， atlas从此有了地图、地图集、身负重担的人的含义。其他衍生词：Atlantic。 7、Ceres：庄稼保护神。古罗马遭受大旱，教士们求助女巫占卜，占卜的结果是要立一位新的女神Ceres，向她供奉，这样她就会给大地带来雨水。此后，Ceres就变成了庄稼的保护神。cereal从拉丁语变化而来，意即“of Ceres”属于谷物女神的。衍生词：cereals(谷类，早餐麦片)。8、Cronos：宙斯的父亲。害怕子女反抗自己，曾吞食自己的后代。就像无情的时间，吞噬一切。因此字根“chron”意指“time”。衍生词：chronic(耗费时间的，慢性的)：chronology(年代学，年表)。9、Eros(厄洛斯)：爱神。是一位生有双翼的美少年，相当于罗马神话中的Cupid(丘比特)。不管是Eros还是Cupid，成天无所事事，在天上飞来飞去练习射箭，搞得大家人心惶惶。所以他们衍生出的单词都含贬义:erotic色情的：cupidity贪心，贪婪。10、Hygeia：希腊健康女神，其形象为年轻女子，身着白色长衣(白大褂)，头戴祭司冠，用饭碗喂着一条蛇。衍生词：hygiene。11、Morpheus：希腊神话中的梦神。梦神是睡神Hypnos的儿子，掌管人们的梦境。衍生词：morphine(吗啡)，marijuana(大麻)，两者都是opium(鸦片)的提取物。morphine有麻醉镇定的作用。 二成为现代英语中的代名词的希腊罗马神话词汇英语中许多普通词汇由希腊罗马神话中的专有名词直接转化而来。这些希腊罗马神话中的专有词汇已成为现代英语中的典型同义词。 三源于希腊神话的英语习语许多英语习语来源于希腊神话，如：1、Pandoras box(潘朵拉的盒子) ：普罗米修斯(Prometheus)为人类盗来了天火，激怒了宙斯(Zeus)。Zeus决定惩罚人类，于是他命令火神造出一个美貌的女人Pandora，让她去勾引Prometheus的弟弟埃比米修斯(Epimetheus)。结果Epimetheus上当，接近了Pandora，Pandora于是就将手中的盒子打开，放出了里面的罪恶、灾难、疾病、不幸，只留下了“希望”在盒子里。于是Pandoras box就成了“灾难的根源”的代名词。 2、the sword of Damocles(达摩克利斯之剑)3：Damocles是叙拉古王朝的一位大臣，非常羡慕帝王的荣华富贵。一天，国王让他坐在王位上，在Damocles的头上用一根头发悬一把利剑，告诉他王权的危险就象那把剑一样，随时可能降临。因此the sword of Damocles就成了“富贵中隐藏的危险”的同义语，也可以指形势危急，千钧一发。 3、Damon and Pythias3 ：Damon和Pythias是好朋友。Pythias出事被判了死刑，为了使他能够回家探视亲人，Damo留在牢中作人质，如果Pythias不按时返回，就处死Damon。当期限满，临处刑之际，Pythias及时赶回。国王深受感动，将二人全部释放，因此，Damon and Pythias意思就是“生死之交”。4、Penelops web：源自史诗奥德赛(Odyssey)4。泊涅罗珀(Penelop)是奥底修斯(Odysseus)的妻子，以忠贞而著称。特洛伊战争持续了十年，Odysseus在返家的途中又耽搁了十年。在这漫长的二十年中，许多王公贵族向Penelop求婚，她都托辞说必须等织完布后才能予以考虑，一到晚上，她又将白天织好的布再拆开。因此Penelops web就成了一项永远也完不成的工作。5、apple of discord5：意思是“不和的根源、发生纠纷的事端”。佩琉斯和忒提斯举行婚礼时忘记了邀请不和女神厄里斯(Eris)。这位女神大为恼火，留下一个刻有“献给最美者”的金苹果，引起了雅典娜、赫拉和阿芙罗狄忒的纷争。此事导致漫长的特洛伊战争(Trojan War)。 6、Judgment of Paris5：意思是“不爱江山爱美人”。Eri不请自来到众神的聚会，离开时留下金苹果。三位女神为了争夺金苹果不分高下，决定让Zeus决定，宙斯无法在自己的妻子、智慧女神和爱与美的女神之间抉择。为难之际，Zeu拨开云雾向人间看去，看到了Troy的二王子Paris正在牧羊于是将决定权交给了Paris。三个女神分别以“最大的疆土”，“最智慧的头脑”和“最美丽的女人”作为诱惑，而最终Paris放弃了江山选择了Venus，获得了最美丽的女人海伦。7、Helen of Troy：由于是Helen导致特洛伊城的沦陷，“Helen of Troy”就成了“红颜祸水，倾国尤物”的代名词。 8、The Trojan horse4：意思是“用以使敌方或对手上当误以为于自己有益的破坏性的事物或人”。在特洛伊战争中，希腊人为了攻打特洛伊城，造了一匹巨大的木马，其中藏有希腊士兵。他们故意装出弃木马逃走的样子，特洛伊人将木马作为战利品请进城。半夜，士兵们从木马内爬出，将城中的人杀死。特洛伊城陷落。The Trojan Horse经过不断引用已成为一个广泛流传的成语，常用来比喻the hidden danger(暗藏的危险)； the covert wreckers(内奸)：to engage in underhandactivities等意义。 9、Stables of Augeas(奥革阿斯的牛圈)：意思是“最肮脏的地方：积累成堆