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AT&T Exiting Pay Phone Business AT&T Exiting Pay Phone BusinessMon Dec 3, 2007 1:07PM EST See Comments (17) It's not a surprising move, given that more than 80 percent of Americans own cell phones, although it's a worrisome trend for those who can't afford a wireless handset.Reuters (via Yahoo! News) reports that AT&T announced today that it will ease itself out of the pay phone business, and it'll be completely done by the end of 2008. AT&T has pay phones in 13 states, including two of the biggest, California and Texas, according to Reuters. AT&T execs said the company would still provide wholesale service to independent pay phone operators, who may end up picking up some of the slack.Of course, cell phones are pretty much to blame for the rapid demise of the once-ubiquitous pay phone. Bloomberg News notes that about 80 percent of Americans own a cell phone. Meanwhile, the humble-yet-reliable pay phone has become more and more scarce: only about a million are left in the United States, compared to 2.6 million in 1998, according to AT&T. Luckily, some big telecom players are still in the pay phone business—Verizon Communications, for one, which has a healthy number of phones in the Northeast (according to the Wall Street Journal). So what's the big deal? Almost everyone has a cell phone anyway, right? Well, do the math and you'll see that 20 percent of Americans are still without cell phones, and they'll have fewer options when they're out and about and need to dial for help. (And what about if your cell phone is dead, or you're out of service range?) Also, while cell phones will make 911 calls whether they have service or not, e911 service (which pinpoints a dialer's location for emergency workers) still isn't nearly as reliable as tracing calls from landlines. What's the solution? You tell me.
【News】Snow and ice plaster Midwest; 3 killed DES MOINES, Iowa - Forecasters predicted freezing rain and snow flurries in Iowa on Sunday, a day after snow and ice plastered the Midwest, disrupting airport and highway traffic and leaving at least three people dead. Hundreds of flights were canceled at airports in Des Moines, Chicago and Milwaukee on Saturday, with officials closing Des Moines International Airport for several hours after a United Airlines plane slid off a taxiway as it headed to a runway for a flight to Chicago's O'Hare. None of the 44 passengers was injured and the airport reopened by mid-afternoon.At Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Wis., an incoming Mesa Airlines regional jet flying for United Express slid off the pavement after failing to make a turn onto a taxiway, but no injuries were reported among the 25 passengers.The National Weather Service had posted winter storm and ice warnings across parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, the eastern Dakotas, Illinois and northern Michigan, but many of the warnings were lifted later in the day. In Minnesota, Duluth received nearly 8 inches of snow.Much of Iowa was hit by snow, sleet and freezing rain. Temperatures warmed to above freezing by Saturday evening, helping to melt away much of the ice and sleet that had accumulated, Ken Podrazik, a meteorologist with the service in Des Moines, said late Saturday.Podrazik said some rain and freezing drizzle was expected early Sunday, turning to flurries later in the day. He said travel could remain troublesome because roads were expected to refreeze during the night. He also said gusty wind also could be a problem.Madison had expected three inches of snow and wind gusts of up to 30 mph Saturday. The University of Wisconsin-Madison's Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences department postponed its annual Solstice Party, which was set for Saturday, until February."This is the most treacherous kind of weather that the weather can deliver," said department chairman Jonathan Martin.The storm also complicated plans for some presidential hopefuls drumming up support for the Jan. 3 caucuses that kick off the nomination process.Republican Mitt Romney canceled three campaign stops planned Saturday in southern Iowa, and former President Clinton canceled a rally for his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, scheduled Saturday afternoon outside Des Moines.In the mountains of western Colorado, the storm dumped up to two feet of snow, bringing moisture to a region that had been thirsting for it. A half foot of snow in Beaver Creek forced organizers to postpone a men's World Cup super-G skiing event from Saturday to Monday.Eastbound Interstate 70 was closed for about three hours Saturday night leading up to Vail Pass in the mountains due to accidents on icy, snowpacked roads.Heavy ice accumulations on power lines blacked out more than 14,000 customers scattered around Iowa, according to Alliant Energy and MidAmerican Energy. Thousands more were without power near Galesburg, Ill., Ameren spokesman Leigh Morris said.In Indiana, a van carrying Purdue University's ice hockey team rolled over on an ice-slickened highway about 20 miles southwest of West Lafayette, killing one team member and injuring seven others, school officials said.A man died when his Jeep hit a semitrailer on a highway north of Madison, Wis., authorities said. Vehicles had been slowing after another semitrailer tipped on its side as the driver tried to exit the highway.___Associated Press writers Ashley M. Heher and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed to this report.
Halloween: 万圣节 October 31  On October 31st, dozens of children dressed in costumes(节日服装)knock on their neighbors' doors and yell "Trick or Treat" when the door opens. Pirates and princesses, ghosts and popular heroes of the day all hold bags open to catch the candy or other goodies that the neighbors drop in. As they give each child a treat the neighbors exclaim over the costumes and try to guess who is under the masks.   Since the 800's November 1st is a religious holiday known as All Saints' Day(万圣节). The Mass that was said on this day was called Allhallowmas. The evening before became known as All Hakkiw e'en, or Halloween. Like some other American celebrations, its origins lie in both pre-Christian and Christian customs.  October 31 st was the eve of the Celtic(凯尔特人的)new year. The Celts were the ancestors of the present-day Irish, Welsh and Scottish people. On this day ghosts walked and mingled with the living, or so the Celts thought. The townspeople baked food all that day and when night fell they dressed up and tried to resemble the souls of the dead. Hoping that the ghosts would leave peacefully before midnight of the new year.  Much later, when Christianity spread throughout Ireland and October 31 was no longer the last day of the year, Halloween became a celebration mostly for children. "Ghosts" went from door to door asking for treats, or else a trick would be played on the owners of the house. When millions of Irish people immigrated to the United States in the 1840s the tradition came with them.  Today' school dances and neighborhood parties called "block parties" are popular among young and old alike. More and more adults celebrate Halloween. They dress up like historical or political figures and go to masquerade parties(化妆舞会). In larger cities, costumed children and their parents gather at shopping malls early in the evening. Stores and businesses give parties with games and treats for the children.Teenagers enjoy costume dances at their schools and the more outrageous the costume the better!  Certain pranks(恶作剧)such as soaping car windows and tipping over garbage cans are expected. But partying and pranks are not the only things that Halloweeners enjoy doing. Some collect money to buy food and medicine for needy children around the world.  Symbols of Halloween  Halloween originated as a celebration connected with evil spirits. Witches flying on broomsticks with black cats, ghosts, goblins(小精灵)and skeletons have all evolved as symbols of Halloween. They are popular trick-or-treat costumes and decorations for greeting cards and windows. Black is one of the traditional Halloween colors, probably because Halloween festivals and traditions took place at night. In the weeks before October 31, Americans decorate windows of houses and schools with silhouettes(轮廓)of witches and black cats.  Pumpkins are also a symbol of Halloween. The pumpkin is an orange-colored squash, and orange has become the other traditional Halloween color. Carving pumpkins into jack- o'lanterns is a Halloween custom also dating back to Ireland. A legend grew up about a man named Jack who was so stingy(吝啬的)that he was not allowed into heaven when he died, because he was a miser(吝啬鬼). He couldn't enter hell either because he had played jokes on the devil. As a result, Jack had to walk the earth with his lantern until Judgement Day(审判日). The Irish people carved scary faces out of turnips(芜菁根), beets(甜菜根)or potatoes representing "Jack of the Lantern," or Jack-o'lantern. When the Irish brought their customs to the United States, they carved faces on pumpkins because in the autumn they were more plentiful than turnips. Today jack-o'-lanterns in the windows of a house on Halloween night let costumed children know that there are goodies(糖果)waiting if they knock and say "Trick or Treat!"
走进美国的Party 在美国的聚会很多,下面让我们了解以下最常见的几种聚会。在了解民风、民俗的同时,更能体会到中西文化的差异,对我们的英语学习会有很大的帮助。1. 让我们认识一下不同种类的聚会的名称: (1)结婚宴会wedding party (2).生日宴会birthday party(3).晚会evening party (4).游园会,garden party (5). 舞会ball party (6).晚餐会dinner party (7 ).读书会reading part (8).午餐会luncheon party ( 9).戏剧会theatre party (10).家庭宴会at—home party (11).同学聚会classmates’ party (12). 鸡尾酒会cocktail party(13).茶话会tea party (14).英语晚会English party (15).除夕酒会year—end dinner party (16). 欢迎宴会 welcome party(17).女士聚会hen party (18).男士聚会stag party(19).新年酒会New Year’s Party (20).告别宴会farewell party (21).赏秋聚会autumn foliage party (22).野炊聚会picnic partycook—out partycook--outs (23).家常聚餐、自带食品聚餐会pot?--luck party (24).雪利酒会sherry party sherry hour (25).钓鱼会fishing part (26).暖屋会house—warming party (27).自备食品工作午餐会brown—bag party (28).大家缝聚会quilting party quilting quilting bee (29).樱桃聚会cherry party cherry hour (30).摘苹果交apple—picking party(31).摘草莓交游会strawberry—picking party 2.让我们了解一下各种聚会的具体习惯,细细品味中西文化的差异。我们对生日宴会、结婚宴会、同学聚会、家庭宴会、除夕酒会、欢迎宴会、告别宴会、英语晚会、舞会、读书会等等这些聚会都很熟悉。下面我们看看美国的其他聚会( party)。(1)鸡尾酒会cocktail party这种聚会常在下午三至四时,或五至七时举行。客人可以晚到或早来,来去自比较方便。人们常将几种酒掺在一起喝,好像公鸡美丽的尾巴,故得此名。(2)赏秋聚会autumn foliage party秋天,美国东北部漫山遍野的树林颜色变幻无穷,朋友们经常相邀欣赏迷人的秋色,故而得名。(3)野炊聚会Picnic Party (cook-out party或cook-outs)  野餐是美国人最喜欢的活动之一。除hot dog和hamburger需要火烤外,一般都吃冷食。全家人或几家人带上炊具、食物到野外边烧边吃边聊天,别有一番情趣。通常家里有人过生日时,或为朋友的生日、荣誉或成就庆祝时举行,用餐后还就地举行一些小型活动以资余兴。(4)自备食品的工作午餐 Brown Bag Party(棕色纸袋会)  一种自带食品的聚会,在这种聚会上(一般是午餐时间),大家各自吃自己brown-bag里带去的食品,轻松自如地随意交谈。因为美国食品店都是用牛皮纸包装食品, 是一种经济实惠的交际活动,故得此名。(5)自带食品聚餐会 Potluck Party(家常聚餐会)  这是美国人最经常举行的一种典型聚会。源于早年农忙季节,邻居互相帮工,并把从自家带来的食物放在一起共同享用。现在该词组指的是个人或各家带着足够几个人或几家人吃的食品(通常是自己做的拿手好菜) 聚到一起,分享各家的精美食品。这种聚会特别热闹。  (6)大家缝聚会 ( quilting party 或quilting bee或quilting )  早些时候,美国妇女很少外出工作,无聊时带上要缝的被子聚在一起边缝边闲谈,故而得名。如今仍有这种聚会,只是参加的人一般是上了年纪的女性,因为大多数年轻妇女忙于工作,聚会时也不局限于只缝被子,凡是针线活或手工活皆可带去交流。
世上最强的中国式英语 世上最强的中国式英语 1.we two who and who?    咱俩谁跟谁阿    2.how are you ? how old are you?    怎么是你,怎么老是你?    3.you d``’t bi@me,I don3t 44 you   筛不に,我也щλ ?的4.you have seed I will give you some color to see see, brothers ! together up !    你有种,我要给你点颜色瞧瞧,兄弟们,一起上! 5.hello everybody!if you have something to say,then say!if you have nothing to say,go home!!   有事起奏,无事退朝 6.you me you me    彼此彼此    7.You Give Me Stop!!    你给我站住! 8.know is know noknow is noknow    知之为知之,不知为不知… 9.WATCH SISTER   表妹 10.dragon born dragon,chicken born chicken,mouse’son can make hole!!   龙生龙,凤生凤,老鼠的儿子会打洞! 11.American Chinese not enough   美中不足 12.one car come one car go ,two car pengpeng,people die    车祸现场描述 13.heart flower angry open   心花怒放 14.go past no mistake past    走过路过,不要错过 15.小明:I am sorry!    老外:I am sorry too!   小明:I am sorry three!    老外:What are you sorry for?   小明:I am sorry five! 16.If you want money,I have no;   if you want life,I have one!    要钱没有,要命一条 17.I call Li old big. toyear 25.   我叫李老大,今年25。 18.you have two down son。   你有两下子。 19.as far as you go to die   有多远,死多远!!!! 20.I give you face you don’t wanna face,you lose you face ,I turn my face    给你脸你不要脸,你丢脸,我翻脸
容易被人误解的“外贸词语” 看商业信函的时候有没有疑惑过?比如confirm明明是"确认"嘛,什么时候成了"保兑"了?英语中的一词多义常常让人一头雾水,商务英语中更是如此。这次就给大家来辨析几个常用的商务英语词汇,保证你再看商业信函的时候轻松一点哦!   1. confirm   例一:   We'd like to inform you that our counter sample will be sent to you by DHL by the end of this week. Please confirm it ASAP so that we can start mass production.   很高兴通知您,我们的回样将于本周末用特快专递给您。 请尽快确认,以便我们开始大批生产。   例二:   Payment will be made by a 100% confirmed, irrevocable Letter of Credit, available by sight draft。   付款方式为 100% 即期,保兑,不可撤消信用证。   注解:在第一个句子中,confirm 的意思是"确认"。在第二个句子中,confirmed L/C 应翻译为"保兑信用证",即指一家银行所开的由另一家银行保证兑付的一种银行信用证。   2. negotiable   例一:   Part-time barman required. Hours and pay negotiable.   招聘兼职酒吧侍者,工作时间和薪水面议。   例二:   This Bill of Lading is issued in negotiable form, so it shall constitute title to the goods and the holder, by endorsement of this B/L.   所签发的提单为可转让的。故只要在提单上背书,便确定了货物和持票人的所有权。   注解:在第一句话中,negotiable 的意思是"可商议的";在第二句话中的意思则是可转让的"。"可转让提单" 经过背书后即可将所有权转让给他人。值得注意的是,negotiating bank 则是议付银行,即购买或贴现汇票的银行。   3. endorse   例一:   Our products have been endorsed by the National Quality Inspection Association.   我们的产品为全国质量检查协会推荐产品。   例二:   Drafts must be accompanied by full set original on board marine bill of lading made to order,endorsed in blank, marked right, prepaid.   汇票必须附有全套印有"货物收讫"字样的正本海运提单,凭指示、空白背书,并写明"运费已付"。   注解: 在第一个句子中,endorse指用过某种产品后感到满意,并通过媒体介绍给公众。而第二句中的endorsed in blank是指背书人endorser 只在票据背面签上自己的名字,而不注明特定的被背书人(endorsee)。   4. average   例一:   If a particular cargo is partially damaged, the damage is called particular average.   如果某批货是部分受损我们称之为"单独海损"。   例二:   It's obvious that the products are below average quality.   很明显,这批产品的品质是中下水平。   注解:在第一个句子中,particular average 意思是"单独海损",是指在保险业中由于海上事故所导致的部分损失。第二个句子中average是指"平均的"。   5. tender   例一:   Under the CIF, it is the seller's obligation to tender the relative documents to the buyer to enable him to deliver the goods.   在 CIF 价格术语项下的责任是向买方递交有关单证,使其能在货物到达后提取货物。   例二:   He became as happy as if his tender for building a mansion had been accepted.   他欣喜若狂,好象他承办大厦筑的投标被接受了。   注解: 商务英语中的重要条款用词非常正规,第一句话中,tender 是用作动词,相当于 give。而在第二句中,tender 是用作名词,意思是"投标"。
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