外刊讲解版@Mat 20231010资料

PAGE1PAGE外刊讲解版@Mat20231010注：本文档主要是为同学理解和学习Mat老师的外刊提供参考，建议同学先听课程音频，有需要时再对照文本。另外，外教讲解偏口语化，在听课及对照文本时，不必在语法上过分细究。CityofLightorCityofBites?FranceTriestoEaseBedbugAnxiety.PartIBackgroundTodaywearetalkingaboutbedbugs.SoIguessagoodplacetostartiswiththequestion,whatarebedbugs?Bedbugsaresmallinsectsorbugs.Andtheadultones,thebiggestones,canbeabout5millimetersinlength,halfacentimetersmallerthanagrainofrice.Andtheyarekindofoval-shaped.Theyhave6legs,andtheyareusuallykindofdarkyellowormaybearedorbrowncolour.Thereareabout90speciesofbedbugs,althoughthecommonone,actuallycalledthecommonbedbug,hasadaptedthebesttoliveinhumanenvironments.Sothemostcommononesarecalledthecommonbedbug.Andthosearetheonesthatmostpeoplefindiftheyfindabedbug.Sothetermbedbugisalittlebitmisleadingandinaccuratebecausetheydon'tjustliveinbeds.Theycanliveinbeds,buttheycanbefoundonanyclothing,furniture,sofas,curtainsandanypartofthehumanlivingenvironment,really.Now,theyusuallyhideduringthedayandtheycomeoutatnighttofeedonhumans.Yes,theyeatourblood.Soifabedbugbitesyou,it'snotserious.Scientistsarequitesuretheydon'tcarryanydiseases.Buttheideaofbeingbittenbyabedbugwhileyou'reasleepisn'taveryniceidea.SothearticletodaytellsusthatbedbugshaverecentlybecomeabigprobleminFrance.It'sbignews.Manypeoplearetalkingaboutthesebedbugs,andtheyseemtobemorecommonnowthantheywereafewyearsagobecausewe'redoingmoretravel.Andthepesticidesprays,thosebugsprays,theydon'tworkaswellastheyusedto.Moreaboutthatlater.First,Ihaveastoryaboutbugs.Don'tworry,it'snotahorriblestoryaboutnastybedbugs.It'sjustastoryaboutkindofnicebugs,andbugsingeneral.It'soneIwrotemyself.PartIIStoryAverylongtimeago,whentheworldwasnew,alltheinsectsandbugslivedtogetherintheforest.Everyinsectwasspecialinitsownway.Thebeetleshadtheshiniest,smoothestblackshells.Thefireflieslituptheforestatnighttime,bringingawarm,glowinglighttothetrees.Theantswerethebusyworkersoftheforest,workingasanamazingteamdoingallthework.Thebutterflieshadthebrightest,mostbeautifullycolouredwings.Andthecicadashadthatwonderfulsingingvoice.Nootherinsectcouldsingsuchbeautifulsongs.You'veheardthecicadassinginginthetreesinsummer.Theyallsingtogetherandtheymakethatspecialinsectnoisehighupinthetrees.Now,thecicadas'singingtalentwasadmiredbyalltheinsects.Well,almostall.Thebutterflieslookeduponthecicadaswithgreatenvy.Withtheirbeautifulwingsinshadesofgold,redandblueandyellowandpink,thebutterfliesconsiderthemselvesthemostbeautifulinsectsintheforest.Buttheywerejealous.‘LookatthatCicada,’theycomplained,‘it'ssougly.’‘Theworst,’saidanotherbutterfly.‘Disgusting,’theyallagreed.Thebutterflieslikedtomovetheirwingsquicklywhentheywereangry.‘Whydothecicadashavesuchawonderfulsingingvoiceandnotus?Weshouldhavethatvoice,’thoughtthebutterflies.Theydidn'tunderstandwhyabugthatwasn'tprettyhadsuchaprettyvoice.Thebutterfliesdecided:‘wemustlearnhowtodoit,howtosinglikethat!’Theyallagreed.Intheirjealousy,thebutterfliesbeganfollowingthecicadaseveryminuteofeveryday,listeningtotheirsongsandtryingtocopythem.Eachtimethecicadasstartedoneoftheirsongs,thebutterflieslistenedclosely,tryingtocatcheverylittlenote,everyspecialsound.Theypracticedandpracticed,tryingtosinginabeautifulvoice.Butthehardertheytried,themoredifficultitseemed.Thebutterfliesrefusedtogiveup.Everymorningtheretheywere,followingthecicadas,attemptingtomimictheirsongs.Theotherinsectstooknoticeandwereworried.Thelittleredladybugstoldthebutterfliesoneday:‘lookatyourbeautifulwings.Justbehappywithwhatyouhave.Don'tchasewhatyoucan'thave.’Thedragonfliesflyingaroundwiththeirblue,shinywingsalsosharedtheirthoughts:‘weallhavesomethingunique.Lookatyourbeautifulwings.Behappywithwhatyouhave.Don'tchasewhatyoucan'thave.’Thebeesinthetree,makinghoney,alsojoinedin:‘Sometimesit'sjustbesttoacceptwhoweareinsteadofaimingforwhowearenot.’Theybuzzedintheirbeevoices.Butthebutterfliesignoredthesewordsofwisdom.Theyweretoobusyfollowingthecicadas,tryingtocopytheirbeautifulsingingvoices.Nowthecicadasweregrowingtiredofthebutterfliesalwaystryingtocopytheirsong,alwaysfollowing,alwaysaskingaboutthissongorthatsong,askingforsingingadvice.Sothatdaytheysangaveryspecialsong.Itwasthemostbeautifulanddifficultsongever.Thewholeforeststoppedtolisten.Thebutterflieswereamazed.Theytriedveryhardtocopy,tosingthissong,justlikethecicadas.Theytriedtoreachthehighnotesandcopythemagicalmelodiesofthatspecialsong.Buttheytriedtoomuch.Andthen,snap!Theirvoicesbroke.Afterthat,theycouldn'tmakeanysoundatall.Theyhadlosttheirvoicesforever.‘Wetriedtowarnyou,’saidtheotherbugsintheforest,‘wetoldyoutobehappywithwhatyouhave.Tryingtoomuchtobelikesomeoneelsewillneverendhappily.’Thebutterflieslookedonsilently,andthentheyflewawaysilentlytoadmiretheirbeautifullycolouredwingsinsilence.PartIIIVocabularytoeaseanxietyWe'regonnausethesetwowordstogether.Ifyoueasesomething,youmakeitlessimportant,lessserious.Andanxietyisafeelingofworry,nervousness,uneaseaboutsomething.Soifyoueaseanxiety,youmakesomethinglessworrying.Youmakepeoplelessworriedaboutsomething.Herrecentexamresultseasedheranxiety.Shefeltlessworriedaftertheexamresults.Thenewshadhelpedtoeaseanxietyinthestockmarket.FieryTheadjectivefierycomesfromthewordfire,butweuseittotalkaboutstrongemotions,especiallyanger.Shehasafierytemper.Thatwasaveryfierymeeting.oblivioustothefactthatThisisquitealongexpression,oblivioustothefactthatsomethingishappening,oblivioustothefactthat.Sothisexpressionmeansthatyoudon'tknowsomething.Youareunawareofsomething.Hewasoblivioustothefactthathissurprisepartyguestswerehidinginthenextroom.Heseemedalmostoblivioustothefactthathisjobwasindanger.Sohedidn'tknowthathisjobwasindanger.Hedidn'tknowthatmaybehewillbefired.purportingtoPurportingtomeansclaimingtobesomething,pretendingtobesomethingoftenwhenit'snot,claimingtobesomethingthatisn'treal.Thewebsitewaspurportingtosellauthenticdesignerhandbags.Butwegettheideathatitprobablywasn't.Theywereprobablyfakedesignerhandbags.Thestudypurportstoshowthaticecreamisahealthyfood.Soitclaims,probablyincorrectly,thaticecreamisahealthyfood.fuelinganxietySoweseeanxietyagain,thisworriedfeeling.Ifsomethingisfuelinganxiety,it'sliketheoppositeofeasinganxiety.Before,wesaidtoeaseanxietymeanstomaketheanxietyless.Ifwefuelanxiety,we'remakingitmore.Itmakespeoplemoreworried,moreanxious.Theconstantnewsreportsaboutthebadweatherwerefuelinganxietyinthecity.Therecentfallinsharepriceshasfuelledanxietywithintheindustry.sweepingthecountryIfsomethingissweepingthecountry,itisspreadingwidelyorbecomingpopularacrossacountry.Weoftenuseittotalkaboutpopulartrendsandfashions.Thenewkaraokephoneappissweepingthecountry.Thespicyhamburgeristhelatestfastfoodtrendsweepingthecountry.anecdotalIfsomethingisanecdotal,itisastorybasedonapersonalexperienceorsomeone'sindividualexperience.It'snotbasedonscience,notbasedonscientificfactsorevidence.It'sjustapersonalexperience.Hisclaimsarebasedonanecdotalevidenceratherthanseriousresearch.Therearelotsofanecdotalreportsaboutthegiantcreature,butnoscientisthaseverseenitandnophotosexist.eradicateToeradicatemeanstocompletelydestroy,tokillortoremovesomething.Effortstoeradicatethediseasehavebeensuccessfulinmanycountries.Thenewchemicalsprayisdesignedtoeradicateinsectsfromfarmland.tocrisscrossIfyoucrisscrosssomethingorsomethingcrisscrossesanareaoraplace,thenitmovesortravelsbackwardsandforwards,likeupanddown,inapatternthatlookslikeacrossoraletterX.Thehikingtrailscrisscrossthemountainarea.Manysmallnarrowstreetscrisscrossthecity.Soit'squiteeasytogetlost.ordealAnordealisadifficultorpainfulexperiencewhichneedsbraveryorcourage.Theinterviewprocesswasquiteanordeal.Itlastedforawholeday.Thetrainswerecancelled.Sogettinghomewasarealordeal.Ihadtotakefourdifferentbuses.Goodnight,sleeptight.Don’tletthebedbugsbite.Whenwewerekidsatbedtime,ourparentsorgrandparentsusedtosaythis:Goodnight,sleeptight.Don'tletthebedbugsbite.Andit'sjustanicewaytosaygoodnight,haveanicesleep.Anditrhymes.SoIusedtosaythistomysonOscaratbedtimeandhewasverylittle.Andactuallythismorning,IspoketohimthismorningandIsaidit.Isaid:‘doyourememberatbedtimeIusedtosaygoodnight,sleeptight,don'tletthebedbugsbite.’Andhesaid:‘ohyeah!Irememberthatdad!Whatarebedbugs,say?’Herememberstheexpression.Heremembersthenicelittlegoodnightexpression,buthedidn'tactuallyknowwhatbedbugswere.IactuallyIhadtoexplainittohimtoday.PartIVArticleOkay,let'squicklylookatthearticle:CityofLightorCityofBites?FranceTriestoEaseBedbugAnxiety.Sohistorically,PariswascalledtheCityofLightbecauseithadlotsoflights.Likeabout200yearsagowhengaslightincities,gaslightingwasn'tsocommon,Pariswasoneofthefirstcitiestointroducegaslightsallacrossthecity.Soveryveryearlyon,ParisbecameknownastheCityofLights.Sothetitleisasking:isParisnowtheCityofLightsorisitthecityofbites,bedbugbites?SoFranceistryingtocalmdownourfearsaboutbedbugs.Lights,bites,it'sarhymingtitle,soit'sjustkindofgoodfun.Thearticlebegins:InFrance’slowerhouseofParliament,atopoppositionlawmakerheldupasmallvialforallhercolleaguestosee.Itscontents,shewarnedinafieryspeechthisweek,were“spreadingdespair”aroundthecountry.Init—probablydeadandundoubtedlyoblivioustothefactthattheyarenowFrance’shottesttopic—weresome

bedbugs.SointheFrenchparliament,aleadingpoliticianshowedeverybodyasmallglasscontainer.AndshesaidthatwhatwasinsidethisglasscontaineriscausingalotofworryinFrance.Butinside,ofcourse,therewerebedbugs.Andofcourse,thebedbugswereprobablydead.Sotheydidn'tevenknowthattheywerefamous.AndthisisnowabigtopicinFrance.Thearticlecontinues:Afterastringofviralpostsonsocialmediapurportingtoshowspecimenscrawlingacrosstheseatsoftrains,cinemasandsubways,photosofbedbugsarenowbeingsplashedacrossnewspaperpages.Andtheinsectshavebeendiscussedendlesslyontelevisiontalkshowsaroundthecountryinrecentdays,fuelingnationwideanxiety,ifnotalarm,especiallyintheFrenchcapital.Somanypeoplehavesharedpicturesonlineshowingbedbugsinplacesliketrainsandcinemas.Newspapershavebeenprintingphotosofbedbugs.TVshowsinFrancehavebeentalkingaboutbedbugs.AndmanymanypeopleinFrance,especiallyinParis,arequiteworriedaboutthisnow.Thearticlecontinues:Whileevidencethatbedbugsaresuddenlysweepingthecountryismostlyanecdotal,expertssaythatthepestshaveresurgedinhouseholdsinParis,NewYorkandothercitiesoverthepastdecadesbecauseofaboomininternationaltravelandthebugs’growingresistancetopesticidesaftertheyhadbeennearlyeradicatedinthemid-20thcentury. Eventhoughthereisn'tmuchproofofthissuddenincreaseofbedbugsinFrance,expertsdothinktheyarebecomingmorecommonincitieslikeParisandNewYork.Andthisisbecausethere'sanincreaseintravel.Andwhenpeopletravel,theycantakethebedbugswiththemandsomethingelse,thesepesticidesprays.Thebugsarebecomingresistanttopesticides.Sothepesticides,thebugsprayisnotaseffectiveasitusedtobe.Theninthefinalparagraph:JohannaFite,anexpertwiththegovernmenthealthagency,saidthatthenumberofinfestationshadincreasedsincethe2000s(sothenumberofinfestations,thenumberofseriouscasesofbedbugshadincreasedsincethe2000s)asglobalizationhassenttouristsandtravelerscrisscrossingcontinentswithbedbugsintow.(togetherwiththebedbugs)Bedbugs,shestressed,arenotasignofbadhygiene,(soitdoesn’tmeanit’sadirtyplace)andwhiletheyareanordealthatcandisturbsleepandinduce(createcause)severeanxiety,theydonottransmitdiseases.So,JohannaFite,Ithinkthat'sawomanfromahealthgrouprelatedtothegovernment,saidthatsincethe2000s,becauseofmoreglobaltravel,bedbugproblemshavegoneup.Shesaidthathavingbedbugsdoesn'tmeanaplaceisdirty.Eventhoughtheycankindofdisturboursleepandtheymightmakeusabitworried,theydon'tspreaddiseases.Sothere'snotreallythatmuchtobeworriedabout.PartVLQTOnelistenerasked:What'sthedifferencebetweenhandwritingandcalligraphy?Okay,let'sstartwithdictionarydefinitions.Handwriting,accordingtothedictionary,iswritingthatisdonewithapenorpencil.It'snotprinted,it'snottyped.Sotheimportantthinghereisthatit'sjustnotprinted,it'snottyped,it'sdonewithahand.Calligraphy,accordingtothedictionary,isbeautifulhandwritingthatyoudowithaspecialpenorspecialbrush.Andit'stheartofproducingthisbeautifulhandwriting.Sowecanalreadyseethedifferencehere.Handwriting,it'sjustanactionortheresultofwritingsomethingwithapenorapencil.Calligraphyisspecial,it'sbeautifulhandwr