No Shame to Be Poor

   贫困不可耻

XIANG Haiqing (not his real name) gained a sort of name recently, but not a very good one.

The 22-year-old Shanghai Fisheries University（上海水产大学）student is now known for living way beyond the limits of average poor students.

Xiang was being supported by actress Sun Li, getting 500 yuan each month from her. She also paid his tuition of 6,000 yuan a year. But, while the 500 yuan might have been enough for most Chinese students, it wasn't for Xiang.

He kept asking Sun for more after being admitted to university last year. In fact, he asked her for 1,000 yuan in a 10-day period last December, Sun told the media. She had bought him a mobile phone and camera.

So Sun decided to stop covering Xiang's living costs but continues to pay the tuition. She said she wanted Xiang to be independent. Xiang countered by saying that, as a student officer, he needed more money for social activities.

This incident shone a light on the matter of making donations to financially disadvantaged students.

Ministry of Education statistics shows that by 2005 some 4 million students suffered from financial problems, accounting for 25 per cent of the student total.

Donations are bundled together with student loans to help financially-dependent students to cope with their life and study. Donation can take two forms: anonymous ones, where the donor remains unknown; and paired ones, where the student and benefactor keep regular contact with each other.

It's not perfectly clear which form is preferred by poor students. But, it seems that the anonymous form might offer more comfort, as, in fact, a survey of poor university students in Beijing indicates.

It shows that more than 70 per cent of the poor students getting donations do not want others to know who they are. Only 16 per cent said they were willing to reveal their identity, according to Beijing Star Daily.

One first-year student from Guangdong who received 500 yuan as a donation, said, "I don't want others to know I am a poor student. If I have to do that, I would rather not accept the donation."

However, Lin Guirui, a professor of psychology at Capital Normal University, encourages students to face up to their poverty. "It's not a shame to be poor," Lin said.

Lin went on to say that anonymity may be better at helping protect the self-esteem of students. But contact with the donor also has its advantage. The communication with a person who is often much more experienced in the world, "helps students grow up and learn more about society", Lin said.

(source: http://www.21stcentury.com.cn)

The Third Wheel

“电灯泡”

有一部美国喜剧片叫The Third Wheel（2002），中文译名是“撞翻姻缘路”，情节比较搞笑：史丹利对聪颖又美丽的黛安娜一见倾心。有一天，胆小害羞的他终于鼓起勇气约会黛安娜，想不到黛安娜毫不犹疑地答应了。老友米高见他为了这个重要约会弄到失眠又失措，于是一心帮帮他，于是在史丹利约会黛安娜的那一晚安排了一系列的“人造”奇遇，想令他们两人度过一个浪漫难忘的夜晚。岂料，老友米高却越帮越忙，搞出连环笑料...

电影虽无聊，电影的片名“the third wheel”却妙不可言，它可谓一针见血道出了米高与剧情的关系——这部电影主要靠这位充当“电灯泡”的老友大爆笑料。

英语中用“the third wheel”指那些“碍手碍脚、不合时宜”的人，也就是我们汉语中的“电灯泡”。一般的自行车都只有两只轮子，要是有三只轮子呢？没错，那第三个轮子就是多余的，所以third wheel就成了美语中“电灯泡”的表示方法。哪天若有某对情侣邀你一起看电影，你可以说：You two go on ahead. I don't want to be the third wheel.（你们俩去好了，我可不想当电灯泡。）另外还可以说I don't want to be the third arm.这里的the third arm（第三只手臂）也是“电灯泡”的意思。

很不错，我还想看更多！

　

The Family Man

《居家男人》精选对白

剧情简介：On Christmas Eve, two days before he pulls off a multi-billion-dollar merger, Wall Street hot-shot Jack Campbell gets a phone message from a woman he almost married 13 years before. He also tells a gun-toting street tough that he has everything he needs. The punk laughs. Christmas morning, Jack wakes up next to his old girlfriend, in some sort of parallel universe, in a 12-year marriage. Over the next few weeks, he gets a glimpse of what his life would have been like if he'd married her: a house in Jersey, two children, bowling trophies, a job at his father-in-law's tire store, and a lot of love from his wife Kate. When this Dickensian adventure ends, what will he do?

Kate: Could you hold on a second? Oh...um, never mind because...because he just walked in. Thank you. Thank you. Do you...have any idea what you put us through today? You walk out of here at 7:30 in the morning. You don't tell me where you're going, or even that you're going. And I don't see you till hours later? I called all of our friends. I had the state troopers looking for you. I was on the phone with the hospital, for God's sake. What kind of a man leave his family Christmas morning without a word about where he's going? What kind of a man does that, Jack?

Jack: I don't know. Could you...could you please stop yelling at me?

Kate: Where werer you?

Jack: I was in the city.

Kate: The city? New York City?

Jack: Yeah.

Kate: Why?

Jack: Because that's where I live.

Kate: Don't start, Jack. Don't.

Jack: Look, you don't understand. I, I, I woke up this morning here. And this is very strange because...this isn't my house. And those aren't my kids. I'm not Dad. I, I, I'm not a dad. You're not my wife.

Kate: You know what, Jack. It's not funny this time...because I am really mad. I mean, really mad. I mean it. I don't even... What?

Annie: What's that? I like it. Thanks, Dad.

Jack: That's mine. Hey, I need that back. She took my bell.

Kate: You missed the whole thing...the pancakes and the presents. You spent six hours putting that bike together for Annie and then you didn't even get to see the look on her face when she opened it. You missed the Christmas, Jack.

Jack: I'm sorry.

Kate: You know, we don't even have enough time for this. And at least you're okay. I'm okay, we're okay. But you've gotta get dressed for the Thompson party. And you are not wearing that. I don't care how hilarious you think it is.

Jack: Party? No, I'm not going to a party.

Kate: You look forward to this party all year. What is it with you today?

Jack: Believe me, Kate. I really don't think that going to a party is the right move for me at the present time.

Kate: Okay, fine. You know what? Then you just do whatever you wanna do.

Jack: What are you doing?

Kate: Telling my mother tha she doesn't have to stay with the kids.

Jack: why not?

Kate: Because you'll be here.

Jack: I'll be ready in ten minutes.

Notes：
1. put someone through something 让某人经历某事。
   go through something 经历某事。
   例句：You don't know what I went through today. 你不知道我今天碰到了什么事情。
2. Don't start. 别说了. Don't get me started on that. 我不想说那件事。（否则说起来就没完没了了。）
3. What is it with you? 你怎么了？相当于What's wrong with you?或 What's the matter with you?

回到目录

Sample Interview Questions with Answers

   面试提问与回答范例

导读： 在整个应聘过程中，面试无疑是最具有决定性意义的一环，事关成败。同时，面试也是求职者全面展示自身素质、能力、品质的最好时机，面试发挥出色，可以弥补先前笔试或是其他条件如学历、专业上的一些不足。在应聘的几个环节中，面试也是难度最大的一环。求职面试，你准备好了吗？

Sample interview questions of the common type are listed below. Answers are included. But perhaps suggestions for tailoring(使...适应）your responses is a better way to put it, since specific answers are impossible to provide. Practice answering these sample interview questions out loud to yourself or ask a friend or relative to help you.

Don't feel that you have to answer right away. Interviewers know that you're nervous and expect you to think a bit, so do think carefully before you answer. But don't hesitate too long or it'll appear that you're stalling（拖延）. Interviewers will ask open-ended（自由回答的）questions to see where you'll go with them, so try not to ramble（闲谈）while you're thinking of a real answer.

Q.
Tell me about yourself.
A.
This is the dreaded（令人畏惧的）, classic, open-ended interview question and likely to be among the first. It's your chance to introduce your qualifications, good work habits, etc. Keep it mostly work and career related.

Q.
Why do you want to leave your current job? (Why did you leave your last job?)
A.
Be careful with this. Avoid trashing（严厉批评）other employers and making statements like, "I need more money." Instead, make generic statements such as, "It's a career move."

Q.
What are your strengths?
A.
Point out your positive attributes related to the job.

Q.
What are your weaknesses?
A.
Everybody has weaknesses, but don't spend too much time on this one and keep it work related. Along with a minor weakness or two, try to point out a couple of weaknesses that the interviewer might see as strengths, such as sometimes being a little too meticulous（一丝不苟的）about the quality of your work. (Avoid saying "I work too hard." It's a predictable, common answer.) For every weakness, offer a strength that compensates（弥补）for it.

Q.
Which adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
A.
Answer with positive, work-oriented adjectives, such as conscientious（有责任心的，认真的）, hard-working, honest and courteous（有礼貌的）, plus a brief description or example of why each fits you well.

Q.
What do you know about our company?
A.
To answer this one, research the company before you interview.

Q.
Why do you want to work for us?
A.
Same as above. Research the company before you interview. Avoid the predictable, such as, "Because it's a great company." Say why you think it's a great company.

Q.
Why should I hire you?
A.
Point out your positive attributes related to the job, and the good job you've done in the past. Include any compliments（称赞）you've received from management.

Q.
What past accomplishments gave you satisfaction?
A.
Briefly describe one to three work projects that made you proud or earned you pats on the back（赞扬，鼓励）, promotions, raises, etc. Focus more on achievement than reward.

Q.
What makes you want to work hard?
A.
Naturally, material rewards such as perks（额外津贴）, salary and benefits come into play. But again, focus more on achievement and the satisfaction you derive from it.

Q.
What type of work environment do you like best?
A.
Tailor your answer to the job. For example, if in doing your job you're required to lock the lab doors and work alone, then indicate that you enjoy being a team player when needed, but also enjoy working independently. If you're required to attend regular project planning and status meetings, then indicate that you're a strong team player and like being part of a team.

Q.
Why do you want this job?
A.
To help you answer this and related questions, study the job ad in advance. But a job ad alone may not be enough, so it's okay to ask questions about the job while you're answering. Say what attracts you to the job. Avoid the obvious and meaningless, such as, "I need a job."

Q.
How do you handle pressure and stress?
A.
This is sort of a double whammy（剧烈的打击）, because you're likely already stressed from the interview and the interviewer can see if you're handling it well or not. Everybody feels stress, but the degree varies. Saying that you whine（抱怨）to your shrink, kick your dog or slam down（往下放）a fifth of Jack Daniels are not good answers. Exercising, relaxing with a good book, socializing with friends or turning stress into productive energy are more along the lines of the "correct" answers.

Q.
Explain how you overcame a major obstacle.
A.
The interviewer is likely looking for a particular example of your problem-solving skills and the pride you show for solving it.

Q.
Where do you see yourself five (ten or fifteen) years from now?
A.
Explain your career-advancement goals that are in line with the job for which you are interviewing. Your interviewer is likely more interested in how he, she or the company will benefit from you achieving your goals than what you'll get from it, but it goes hand in hand to a large degree. It's not a good idea to tell your potential new boss that you'll be going after his or her job, but it's okay to mention that you'd like to earn a senior or management position.

Q.
What qualifies you for this job?
A.
Tout（兜售）your skills, experience, education and other qualifications, especially those that match the job description well. Avoid just regurgitating（全盘照搬）your resume. Explain why.

Q.
Why did you choose your college major?
A.
The interviewer is likely fishing（很想得到）to see if you are interested in your field of work or just doing a job to get paid. Explain why you like it. Besides your personal interests, include some rock-solid business reasons that show you have vision and business sense.

(source: http://www.articlesbase.com/)

回到目录

15 Sure-shot Christmas Gift Ideas for Men

献给男士的15种圣诞礼物

导读：这个年头，送圣诞礼物有必要吗？虽然男人们满嘴的不在乎，但是当有人送给他一件圣诞礼物时，却又是满心欢喜，谁说男人不喜欢圣诞礼物！一张圣诞贺卡或许诚意十足，但是男人真正喜欢的礼物又有谁能了解？以下是为男人精挑细选的圣诞礼物，让男人女人欢欢喜喜过圣诞。

(source: http://www.articlesbase.com/)