English in the News–Go Bananas 瘋了，興奮到抓狂
Go bananas (Go nuts): to become irrational or crazy, angry or excited, to lose control 抓狂,氣瘋,高興瘋了 Examples: 1) If I’m home late again my dad will go bananas. 2) She went bananas when I told her the news—she just couldn’t stop jumping up and down. (CNN, 2016/09/01) This Chinese Fruit Juice Stock is Going Bananas!...Continue reading
English in the News–Written in the Stars 命中注定
Written in the stars: 命中注定 it was fated or predestined to happen; it was meant to be this way Examples: 1) Their marriage was surely written in the stars. 2) I don’t think my fame was written in the stars. I think it was a product of my hard work and dedication. (CNN, 2016/02/07) 2016...Continue reading
English in the News–Throw under the Bus 把別人推下水
Throw under the bus: 1) to exploit someone’s trust for one’s own purpose or gain; to harm someone through deceit or treachery 為了己利犧牲他人 2) to avoid blame, trouble or criticism by allowing others to take the responsibility 讓別人擔責以逃避指責或麻煩 Examples: 1) Tommy was caught with drugs in his backpack, but he threw me under the bus...Continue reading
English in the News—Cut from the Same Cloth 如出一轍
Cut from the same cloth—very similar in characteristics or behaviors 如出一轍,本質上很相似 Examples: 1) Julia and her mother are cut from the same cloth as they are both kind and sweet. 2) The country’s new president is cut from the same cloth as his predecessor. (New York Times, 2/26, 2018) President Donald Trump’s critics say that while he may...Continue reading
English in the News-Jump the Gun 操之過急,搶先偷跑
Jump the gun—To start something before it is permissible, appropriate, or advisable. The phrase alludes to starting to run in a foot race before the starting gun goes off 操之過急，搶先偷跑 Examples: 1) Henry jumped the gun and sent the manuscripts to the printer before boss approved them. 2) “How about going out to celebrate?” “Well,...Continue reading
English in the News—Red meat 煽動且政治化的議題
Red meat 紅肉 — something substantial that can satisfy a basic need or appetite —> highly politicized issues or political speech that can give people instant satisfaction 煽動而政治化的話題或是說話方式(來討好群眾) (Washington Post, 7/27/2016) “He has no clue about what makes America great,” Biden said referring to Donald Trump’s slogan. “Actually, he has no clue.” And then: “No...Continue reading
English in the News–Man Up! 勇敢一點，做個男子漢
Man up—Be brave or tough, be responsible, do the things that good men are traditionally expected to do, such as providing for their families 要像個男子漢 (man is a verb here) Examples: 1) You need to man up and admit that you were wrong. 2) A: “I don’t want to go in there. They’d be staring...Continue reading
Trump Chicken Struts Its Stuff in Hualien
A leisure park in eastern Taiwan is boasting a group of new rising stars, after visitors raved about their comical resemblance to US President-elect Donald Trump. The flock of Golden Pheasants at the Shin Kong Chao Feng Ranch and Resort in Hualien has recently become the park’s most photographed residents, earning the nickname “Trump Chicken”....Continue reading
Taiwan This Week: Rights and flights
Listen to the broadcast Friday November 25th, during the 8 o’clock hour on ICRT FM 100, or stream the broadcast here. The show begins about 15 minutes after the hour. Or, stream the extended podcast show on the ICRT website, on iTunes, or DOWNLOAD IT HERE. In the first half of the show, we discuss the overnight collapse of TransAsia Airlines....Continue reading
Taiwan This Week: Taiwan’s take on Trump
Listen to the broadcast Friday November 11th, during the 8 o’clock hour on ICRT FM 100, or stream the broadcast here. The show begins about 15 minutes after the hour. Or, stream the extended podcast show on the ICRT website, on iTunes, or DOWNLOAD IT HERE. With Donald Trump set to assume America’s top office, we invite on Michael O’Hanlon...Continue reading
English in the News–Mother lode 主礦脈
mother lode 主礦脈，資源的源頭，大量而重要的部分 the place where the largest amount of gold, silver, etc., in a particular area can be found; a major or profitable source or supply Examples: 1) Cairn Energy recently struck the mother lode of oil fields in India. 2) New York City is a mother lode of actors. (BBC, 2016/11/01) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has said he...Continue reading
English in the News–Rant and Rave 叫囂,大聲抱怨
rant and rave (為了某人或某事)叫囂,激昂地講話 : to talk or complain loudly or angrily about someone or something Examples: 1) Why don’t you stop ranting and raving for one minute and listen to me? 2) Kelly rants and raves when her children don’t obey her. Used in the news...Continue reading
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