Higher rates! Bigger fees!
　　In recent weeks, you‘ve heard plenty about the sleazy side of the subprime mortgage business. Rising numbers of borrowers are losing their homes after being lured into high�瞔ost mortgages they couldn’t afford. But there�餾 another piece of the painful subprime story that hasn’t hit the headlines yet: costly-sometimes abusive-subprime credit cards. They�餽e bleeding millions of borrowers who didn’t know what they were getting into.
　　Subprimes come in two types: Cards that are crazily costly to begin with and cards that look good but hide big traps. You know about traps if you‘ve paid some bills late and are now being charged with interest at 30 percent. In general, here�餾 how the business works:
　　The bottom�瞗eeding cards-for people with damaged credit-offer you a decent interest rate on credit lines "up to" $3,000. When the card arrives, however, your line might be only $250. And then come the fees! "Program" fees. Account set up fees. Participation fees. Annual fees. They�餽e charged to your tiny credit line, leaving you almost nothing to spend.
　　Two better�瞜nown card issuers with a big subprime business are Capital One and HSBC�餾 Orchard Bank. They charge lower upfront fees than other cards do. But if you fall behind, it�餾 tough. Cap One�餾 penalty rate is currently 28.15 percent. Orchard Bank doesn’t disclose its penalty rate online and wouldn’t tell me what it is (that didn’t engender confidence!). Cap One has a reputation for issuing multiple cards to people who bump up against their credit limits. That gives them two cards, with two low limits, to overspend.
　　Lenders have figured out many ways of extracting fees. There’s "universal default", where a late payment on one card can trigger high penalty rates on every card you own. There’s the "endless late fee", where your payments never catch up with the new penalties you�餽e charged. There’s "two cycle billing"-too complicated to explain here, but which amounts to charging interest on balances that you’ve already paid. And "retroactive price hikes," where banks impose higher rates on old balances as well as new ones. "What other business can get away with raising the price of something you already purchased?" says Travis Plunkett of the Consumer Federation of America.
　　These practices startle consumers who think such high fees and interest rates must be against the law. But the Supreme Court effectively deregulated credit card rates 30 years ago, and 10 years ago it deregulated the size of the fees a bank could charge. Prior to fee deregulation, late fees hovered between $13 and $15, says Robert McKinley of CardWeb.com, which tracks the business. Now they run from $30 to $40. "It�餾 out of control," he says. "Banks know they’ve pushed this too far."
　　This year, however, the new Congress started holding hearings. Suddenly Citi dropped universal default and JPMorgan Chase ended two cycle billing. But those are just gestures. Without fee caps or usury laws, we�餽e in the bankers hands.
　　sleazy 
　　a.質(zhì)地薄的, 質(zhì)量差的, 廉價(jià)的；烏煙瘴氣的
　　charge
　　v.①索（價(jià)），要（人）支付，收費(fèi)；②控告，指控；③充電；④承擔(dān)；n.①［pl.］費(fèi)用，代價(jià)；②電荷，負(fù)荷
　�。壅骖}例句］ Railroads typically charge (v.①) such "captive" shippers 20 to 30 percent more than they do when another railroad is competing for the business.［2003年閱讀3］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 通常，鐵路公司對(duì)這些"被控"客戶的收費(fèi)要比有另一鐵路公司競(jìng)爭(zhēng)業(yè)務(wù)時(shí)多20%～30%。
　　［真題例句］ Now he is suing the casino,charging (v.②) that it should have refused his patronage because it knew he was addicted.［2006年新題型］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 現(xiàn)在他正在起訴這個(gè)娛樂(lè)場(chǎng)，起訴它應(yīng)該拒絕自己進(jìn)入并參與賭博，因?yàn)樗�知道他已�?jīng)上癮了。
　�。壅骖}例句］ (48) I have excluded him because, while his accomplishments may contribute to the solution of moral problems, he has not been charged (v.　�、�) with the task of approaching any but the factual aspects of those problems. ［2006年翻譯］
　　［例句精譯］ (48) 我之所以把普通科學(xué)家排除在外，是因?yàn)楸M管他的成就可能有助于解決道德問(wèn)題，但他還沒(méi)承擔(dān)起研究道德問(wèn)題事實(shí)方面以外的任何責(zé)任。
　　credit
　　v./n.信用，信任；n.信用貸款，賒欠；名譽(yù)，名望；光榮，功勞；學(xué)分
　　penalty
　　n.處罰，懲罰
　�。壅骖}例句］ In a significant (32：tightening) of legal controls over the press, Lord Irvine, the Lord Chancellor, will introduce a (33：draft) bill that will propose making payments to witnesses (34：illegal) and will strictly control the amount of (35：publicity) that can be given to a case (36：before) a trial begins.［2001年完形］
　　(35) ［A］ publicity［B］ penalty ［C］ popularity［D］ peculiarity
　�。劾�句精譯］ 為了更有效地對(duì)新聞界實(shí)施合法監(jiān)控，大法官I(mǎi)rvine勛爵將引入一項(xiàng)草擬的法案，該法案將提出，付款給證人是非法的；在審判開(kāi)始前，對(duì)案件的曝光度要嚴(yán)格控制。
　　(35) ［A］ （公眾的）注意，公開(kāi)，宣傳
　�。跙］ 處罰，懲罰
　　［C］ 普及，流行
　�。跠］ 特性，特色
　　bump
　　v.①（against，into）碰，撞；②顛簸著前進(jìn)；n.①碰撞；②隆起物
　　retroactive
　　a.反動(dòng)的；追溯的, 有追溯力的, 從以往某天開(kāi)始生效的
　　Little Tips:
　　按揭貸款市場(chǎng)大致可以分為三個(gè)層次，優(yōu)質(zhì)貸款市場(chǎng)(Prime Market)，"ALT-A"貸款市場(chǎng)，和次級(jí)貸款市場(chǎng)(Subprime Market)。優(yōu)質(zhì)貸款市場(chǎng)面向信用等級(jí)高(信用分?jǐn)?shù)在660分以上)，收入穩(wěn)定可靠，債務(wù)負(fù)擔(dān)合理的優(yōu)良客戶，這些人原來(lái)主要是選用比較為傳統(tǒng)的30年或15年固定利率按揭貸款。次級(jí)市場(chǎng)是指信用分?jǐn)?shù)低于620分，收入證明缺失，負(fù)債較重的人。而"ALT-A"貸款市場(chǎng)則是介于二者之間的龐大灰色地帶，它既包括信用分?jǐn)?shù)在620到660之間的主流階層，又包括分?jǐn)?shù)高于660的高信用度客戶中的相當(dāng)一部分人。
　　高利率，高收費(fèi)！
　　幾周，很多媒體報(bào)道了次級(jí)按揭貸款業(yè)務(wù)的負(fù)面新聞。越來(lái)越多的借貸者卷入他們無(wú)法償還的高價(jià)按揭貸款中，失去自己的房子。 但是還有關(guān)于次級(jí)消費(fèi)的事情并未成為報(bào)紙頭條：昂貴并且有時(shí)泛濫成災(zāi)的次級(jí)信用卡。他們正在從數(shù)百萬(wàn)不知道自己已經(jīng)掉入陷阱的借貸者身上榨取錢(qián)財(cái)。
　　次級(jí)信用卡分為兩類：一種卡一開(kāi)始收費(fèi)就極其昂貴，另一種卡看上去不錯(cuò)但隱藏著巨大陷阱。大家都了解有些陷阱，比如如果你推遲償還帳單就會(huì)要付30% 的利息。一般來(lái)說(shuō)，這項(xiàng)業(yè)務(wù)如下開(kāi)展：
　　對(duì)于信譽(yù)不良的人來(lái)說(shuō)，信用卡提供的利息率可以接受，其底線額度達(dá)到3000美元。 然而當(dāng)卡拿到手中時(shí)，額度可能只有250美元，還要收費(fèi)。"項(xiàng)目"費(fèi)， 帳戶開(kāi)設(shè)費(fèi)，參與費(fèi)以及年費(fèi)。收費(fèi)幾乎達(dá)到你小小的信貸額度，幾乎沒(méi)有留錢(qián)給你花。
　　兩家比較著名的發(fā)卡銀行第一資金和匯豐Orchard銀行都擁有龐大的次級(jí)信用卡業(yè)務(wù)。他們比其他卡收取的預(yù)支費(fèi)要低，但是如果你拖欠還款，那就日子艱難了。第一資金現(xiàn)在的罰款利率是28.15%。Orchard銀行沒(méi)有在網(wǎng)上公布其罰款利率，也不會(huì)告訴我是多少（這毫不讓人產(chǎn)生信心�。�。第一資金會(huì)發(fā)多張卡給借貸者，而這些人常常消費(fèi)達(dá)到其信用限貸。借貸者擁有兩張第一資金的卡，兩張卡限貸都很低，使得他們很容易超支。
　　放貸人想了很多方法來(lái)提取費(fèi)用。當(dāng)你拖欠一卡的付費(fèi)時(shí)引發(fā)對(duì)你每張卡的高額罰款利率，稱之為"普及違約"。"永無(wú)休止的拖欠費(fèi)"，因?yàn)槟氵�的款總也趕不上對(duì)你追加的新罰款。雖然"雙計(jì)費(fèi)周期"難于解釋清楚，但其所收取的銀行結(jié)余利息你早就已經(jīng)支付了。還有"追溯漲價(jià)"，銀行對(duì)你的新舊帳戶結(jié)余征收更高利率。美國(guó)消費(fèi)者協(xié)會(huì)的特拉維斯•普朗凱特評(píng)論說(shuō)："有什么業(yè)務(wù)能不提高你已經(jīng)購(gòu)買(mǎi)東西的價(jià)格就賺錢(qián)的呢？"
　　這些做法令消費(fèi)者震驚，他們認(rèn)為這樣高的收費(fèi)和利息肯定違反了法律。但是比較高法院在三十年前就撤銷了對(duì)信用卡利率的有效管制，而十年前又撤銷了對(duì)銀行收費(fèi)規(guī)模的管制。一直跟蹤這項(xiàng)業(yè)務(wù)的來(lái)自CardWeb.com的羅伯特•麥肯利說(shuō)在費(fèi)用撤銷前，拖欠還款收費(fèi)在13到15美元間徘徊，而今收費(fèi)已達(dá)30至40美元。麥肯利說(shuō)："這已經(jīng)失控了，銀行知道他們已經(jīng)做得過(guò)分了。"
　　今年,新一屆國(guó)會(huì)開(kāi)始舉行聽(tīng)證�；ㄆ焱蝗环艞壠占斑`約收費(fèi)，JP摩根大通銀行結(jié)束雙計(jì)費(fèi)周期。但這些只是擺擺姿態(tài)。沒(méi)有收費(fèi)比較高限額或針對(duì)放高利貸的相關(guān)法律保護(hù)，我們就只能任由銀行家宰割了。

Limited resources

　　It‘s been nearly a week since Canadian pet food manufacturer Menu Foods Inc. recalled some 60 million cans and pouches of wet food linked to the deaths of at least 15 cats and one dog, yet authorities still can‘t explain exactly what went wrong. Some critics and animal lovers are honing in on what they see as lax regulation of the $15 billion pet food industry in the United States.
　　There‘s almost a void there, says Bob Vetere, president of the American Pet Product Manufacturers Association. There is no real pet�瞗ood department of any federal agency.
　　Technically, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for ensuring that pet foods, like human foods, are safe to eat, truthfully labeled and produced under sanitary conditions. But on Tuesday, FDA officials admitted that the regulation of pet food takes a back seat to its regulatory obligations of other food and drug sectors, and that inspections of pet food processing plants are done only on a for cause basis.
　　There are limited resources, said David Elder, director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance in the FDA‘s Center for Veterinary Medicine in Rockville, Md. Elder added that inspections of companion animals food products are based on risk , which means that the processing plant in Emporia, Kans., where the tainted food was manufactured, had never been inspected by government officials until after consumers started complaining about pets dying of kidney failure. The Emporia plant remains open and continues to produce new food, according to a Menu Foods spokesperson, who adds that safety tests are being done around the clock.
　　The chief executive of Menu Foods told the Associated Press on Wednesday that the company is looking at one unnamed ingredient as the possible cause of the renal failure. The FDA has previously said the investigation is focusing on possibly contaminated wheat gluten, a common ingredient in pet foods. FDA inspectors have been sent to Menu Foods plants in Kansas and New Jersey.
　　The industry insists their products are absolutely safe. Pet foods are the highest regulated product you‘ll find in the grocery store, says Duane Ekedahl, president of the Pet Food Institute (PFI), an industry trade association representing the interests of 20 member companies whose products make up about 97 percent of the dog and cat food produced in the United States. While serious, the Menu Foods recall shouldn‘t be blown out of proportion, says Ekedahl, who points out that the recalled food accounts for less then 2 percent of the overall market. He adds that every pet food company conducts extensive tests, both of incoming raw materials and of finished products. On Tuesday, PFI issued a statement claiming that All cat and dog food products on store shelves are safe. The recall is now complete and all suspected products have been removed from the stream of commerce.
　　n.小袋, 煙草袋, 錢(qián)袋, 育兒袋vt.把......裝入袋中, 使成袋狀vi.成袋狀
　　hone
　　n.（細(xì)）磨（刀）石, 油石； v.抱怨, 想念；用磨刀石磨
　　manufacturer
　　n.制造業(yè)者，廠商
　�。壅骖}例句］ Computers are relied on by manufacturers for similar reasons.［1994年閱讀2］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 基于同樣的原因，生產(chǎn)商們也依賴計(jì)算機(jī)。
　　ensure
　　v.確保，保證
　　［真題例句］ By helping to increase demand, it ensures an increased need for labour, and is therefore an effective way to fight unemployment.［1995年閱讀1］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 廣告有助于增加市場(chǎng)需求，從而確保對(duì)勞動(dòng)力需求的增加，因此是遏制失業(yè)的一個(gè)有效方法。
　　sanitary
　　a.(有關(guān))衛(wèi)生的, (保持)清潔的, 衛(wèi)生的n.公共廁所
　　ingredient
　　n.組成部分，成分；因素
　�。壅骖}例句］ Many consumers seem to have been influenced by stock�瞞arket swings, which investors now view as a necessary ingredient to a sustained boom.［2004年閱讀3］
　　［例句精譯］ 許多消費(fèi)者似乎一直受股票市場(chǎng)波動(dòng)的影響,投資者把這種波動(dòng)視為持續(xù)繁榮的必要因素。
　　Little Tips:
　　寵物主人們對(duì)寵物食品懷有不同的期待，如寵物食品應(yīng)安全、有充足的營(yíng)養(yǎng)和能使寵物更健康等，這些是至關(guān)重要的。健康是很多消費(fèi)者認(rèn)為比較重要的問(wèn)題，對(duì)那些不在乎花費(fèi)購(gòu)買(mǎi)優(yōu)質(zhì)產(chǎn)品的消費(fèi)者來(lái)說(shuō)尤其如此。

有限的資源

　　加拿大寵物食品生產(chǎn)商Menu Foods公司，因?yàn)橹辽儆?5只貓和1只狗死亡，而召回與此有關(guān)系的0.6億罐和袋裝濕糧已經(jīng)近一個(gè)周，但是當(dāng)局仍舊不能準(zhǔn)確說(shuō)明哪里出了問(wèn)題。一些批評(píng)家和喜愛(ài)動(dòng)物的人憤憤不平，他們認(rèn)為在于美國(guó)對(duì)150億美元的寵物食品行業(yè)疏于管理。
　　Bob Vetere是美國(guó)寵物商品生產(chǎn)者協(xié)會(huì)的主席，他說(shuō)：幾乎有一個(gè)空白，沒(méi)有一個(gè)真正的聯(lián)邦機(jī)構(gòu)的寵物食品監(jiān)管部門(mén)。
　　從技術(shù)上而言，美國(guó)食品與藥品管理局（FDA）對(duì)寵物食品負(fù)責(zé)，確保它們要像人類食品一樣，要能安全食用，如實(shí)地貼上標(biāo)簽，并且要在衛(wèi)生的條件下被生產(chǎn)出來(lái)。但是在星期二，F(xiàn)DA官員承認(rèn)，相對(duì)于其他食品和藥品的管理，對(duì)寵物食品的管理處于一個(gè)次要的地位，而且對(duì)寵物食品加工廠的檢查只是停留在表面上。
　　大衛(wèi)•愛(ài)爾德是位于羅克維爾的FDA動(dòng)物醫(yī)藥中心。
　　他說(shuō)，資源是有限的，并且對(duì)人類的伙伴即動(dòng)物的食品檢查是不安全的。這就意味著，大量生產(chǎn)腐壞食品的位于堪薩斯恩波里亞的加工廠從來(lái)就沒(méi)有接受過(guò)政府官員的檢查，直到消費(fèi)者開(kāi)始抱怨他們的寵物是死于腎衰竭時(shí)，才接受檢查。據(jù)Menu 食品公司發(fā)言人介紹，這家位于恩波里亞的工廠仍在營(yíng)業(yè)并且繼續(xù)生產(chǎn)新的食品，同時(shí)安全檢查也正夜以繼日地進(jìn)行著。
　　在星期三，Menu 食品公司首席執(zhí)行官告知美聯(lián)社，他們公司正將一種不知名的食品配料當(dāng)做動(dòng)物腎衰竭的可能原因。FDA先前也說(shuō)過(guò)，這項(xiàng)調(diào)查正集中在可能被污染的麥麩上，麥麩是寵物食品中一種普通的配料。FDA檢察官已經(jīng)被派往位于堪薩斯州和新澤西州的Menu 食品公司工廠。
　　寵物食品行業(yè)堅(jiān)持認(rèn)為他們的產(chǎn)品是絕對(duì)安全的。 寵物食品是你能在雜貨店里找到的管理比較嚴(yán)格的產(chǎn)品，寵物食品協(xié)會(huì)（PTF）主席Duane Ekedahl說(shuō)。PTF是一個(gè)行業(yè)貿(mào)易協(xié)會(huì)，代表了20個(gè)成員公司的利益，這些公司的產(chǎn)品占美國(guó)生產(chǎn)的寵物食品的97%。盡管Ekedahl嚴(yán)肅地說(shuō)，Menu Foods Inc公司召回的產(chǎn)品不應(yīng)該被夸大，因?yàn)樗�占到了整個(gè)市場(chǎng)不到2%的份額。他補(bǔ)充說(shuō)，每一個(gè)寵物食品公司都經(jīng)過(guò)了廣泛的測(cè)試，不僅包括對(duì)原材料的測(cè)試也包括對(duì)成品的測(cè)試。在星期二，PFI發(fā)表了一份聲明，宣稱商店貨架上所有的貓狗食品都是安全的。召回行動(dòng)已經(jīng)完成而且所有疑有問(wèn)題的產(chǎn)品都已經(jīng)從商品市場(chǎng)上撤掉了。
 

Microsoft brings instant chat to TV screen,

through games

　　Microsoft planned to announce today that it will make its Windows Live Messenger service available on its Xbox 360 game consoles, bringing instant messaging from the computer to the television.
　　The move was meant to help Microsoft stay ahead of Sony, its chief rival in the electronic games business, in delivering the richest online experience for game players. It is also an element of Microsoft�餾 overall strategy to connect people across PCs, televisions and mobile devices like cellphones.
　　More than 200 million people use Windows Live Messenger to chat with friends, family members and colleagues. Separately, more than six million Xbox 360 owners are connected to the company�餾 Xbox Live online community, an enhancement that lets people with broadband Internet connections communicate with one another.
　　In the second week of May, those two worlds will begin to converge. Xbox Live members will be able to link their gamertag ,the online identity they use within the Xbox community, to an existing Windows Live Messenger account. Players will then be able to chat with their instant�瞞essaging contacts using a virtual on�瞫creen keyboard or a USB keyboard plugged into the game machine.
　　Microsoft executives said they hoped to offer voice chat between Xbox and Live Messenger users later this year.
　　We feel this is a huge step in driving social networking further into the family room by allowing Xbox 360 users to IM directly from their couch, said John Rodman, Microsoft�餾 group manager for the Xbox 360, in a telephone interview last week. Now you don�餿 have to manage two separate groups of friends online.
Microsoft and Sony are battling to dominate the high end of the console gaming market. (Nintendo, by contrast, is appealing largely to families and more budget�瞔onscious players.) In years past, game consoles stood out from one another mostly by their game offerings. But now it appears that top game publishers like Electronic Arts will release most of their biggest games for both the Xbox 360 and Sony�餾 PlayStation 3.
　　As a result, Microsoft and Sony are attempting to differentiate their game machines with other features, like film playback capabilities and online services.
Microsoft has been ahead of Sony in online console game�瞤laying, but last month Sony announced that it was developing a new Internet service called PlayStation Home that could surpass some elements of Xbox Live. The instant�瞞essaging feature appears to be one part of Microsoft�餾 response.
　　delivery
　　n.傳遞，傳送，交付
　�。壅骖}例句］ Coupled with the growing quantity of information is the development of technologies which enable the storage and delivery of more information with greater speed to more locations than has ever been possible before.［1995年閱讀3］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 伴隨著信息量的不斷增長(zhǎng)是技術(shù)的發(fā)展，這些技術(shù)使得人們能夠比過(guò)去以更快的速度向更多的地方儲(chǔ)存和發(fā)送更多的信息，這在以前是不可能的。
　　enhancement
　　n.增進(jìn), 增加
　　converge
　　v.聚合, 集中于一點(diǎn)vt.會(huì)聚
　　account
　　n.①賬（目，戶）；②敘述，說(shuō)明；③價(jià)值，地位；v.（for）①說(shuō)明，解釋；②占；③（take into~）考慮；顧及
　　［真題例句］ (71) Actually, it isn�餿, because it assumes that there is an agreed account (n.②) of human rights, which is something the world does not have.［1997年翻譯］
　�。劾�句精譯］ （71）事實(shí)并非如此，因?yàn)檫@種問(wèn)法是以人們對(duì)人的權(quán)利有共識(shí)為基礎(chǔ)的，而這種共同認(rèn)識(shí)并不存在。
　�。壅骖}例句］ Is it true that the American intellectual is rejected and considered of no account (n.③) in his society? ［2006年翻譯］
　　［例句精譯］ 是否美國(guó)的知識(shí)分子在社會(huì)中真的被排斥并被認(rèn)為毫不重要？
　�。壅骖}例句］ Kitcher is a philosopher, and this may account (v.①), in part, for the clarity and effectiveness of his arguments.［1996年閱讀5］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 肯切爾是位哲學(xué)家，這也許能部分說(shuō)明他的理論為何明確而有說(shuō)服力。
　�。壅骖}例句］ Multinational corporations accounted (v.②) for less than 20% of international trade in 1982.Today the figure is more than 25% and growing rapidly.［2001年閱讀4］
　　［例句精譯］ 跨國(guó)公司在1982年只占國(guó)際貿(mào)易不到20%的份額。而現(xiàn)在，這個(gè)數(shù)字上升到25%，并且還在迅速上升。
　�。壅骖}例句］ Dr. Myers and Dr. Worm argue that their work gives a correct baseline, which future management efforts must take into account (v.③).［2006年閱讀3］
　�。劾�句精譯］ Myers博士和 Worm博士認(rèn)為他們的研究給出了正確的基準(zhǔn)線，今后的管理工作必須要把這一基準(zhǔn)線考慮在內(nèi)。
　　budget
　　n.預(yù)算；v.做預(yù)算
　�。壅骖}例句］ We know that, the men from the budget (n.) office have said, but what do you think? Is it worthwhile going on? What do you think we might expect?［1999年閱讀5］
　　［例句精譯］ 預(yù)算部門(mén)的人說(shuō)：這點(diǎn)我們知道，但你的意見(jiàn)如何？你覺(jué)得值得做下去嗎？你覺(jué)得我們可以期待什么呢？
　　surpass
　　v.超過(guò)，勝過(guò)
　�。壅骖}例句］ (24：Because) they are adjusting to their new bodies and a whole host of new intellectual and emotional challenges, teenagers are especially self�瞔onscious and need the (25：confidence) that comes from achieving success and knowing that their accomplishments are (26：admired) by others.［2003年完形］
　　(26) ［A］ claimed［B］ admired ［C］ ignored ［D］ surpassed
　�。劾�句精譯］ 因?yàn)榍嗌倌晷枰�調(diào)整和適應(yīng)身體上、智能上和情感上所面臨的許多挑戰(zhàn)，所以，他們的自我意識(shí)很強(qiáng)，他們需要培養(yǎng)能獲取成功的，以及能讓他人羨慕成就的自信心。
　　(26) ［A］ 聲稱［B］ 敬佩［C］ 忽視［D］ 超過(guò)
　　Little Tips：
　　統(tǒng)計(jì)數(shù)字顯示17歲以下的青少年中一半以上的人每周至少上網(wǎng)發(fā)送一封電子郵件或是一條即時(shí)信息。微軟和索尼兩家視頻游戲機(jī)巨頭比較近雙雙推出了升級(jí)版的互聯(lián)網(wǎng)游戲服務(wù)來(lái)爭(zhēng)奪價(jià)值300億美元的市場(chǎng)。

微軟，將即時(shí)信息服務(wù)通過(guò)游戲帶入電視熒屏

　　今天，微軟公司按計(jì)劃將宣布為他的Xbox360游戲機(jī)的控制器提供窗口即時(shí)通服務(wù)，將即時(shí)信息服務(wù)從電腦帶入電視。
　　此舉措寓意在于幫助微軟領(lǐng)先索尼--這個(gè)在電子游戲商業(yè)領(lǐng)域主要的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)對(duì)手--帶給游戲玩家比較豐富的在線體驗(yàn)。這也是微軟公司將通過(guò)個(gè)人電腦、電視、移動(dòng)設(shè)備如手機(jī)把人們聯(lián)系起來(lái)的整體戰(zhàn)略的一個(gè)方面。全球有兩億多人使用windows的即時(shí)通和朋友、家人、還有同事聊天。另外，還有6百多萬(wàn)Xbox游戲機(jī)的擁有者和公司的Xbox Live在線社區(qū)連接起來(lái)，這又促使擁有寬帶連接的用戶通過(guò)網(wǎng)絡(luò)彼此交流。
　　從5月的第二個(gè)星期開(kāi)始，Windows 即時(shí)通和Xbox Live在線社區(qū)將合并在一起，Xbox Live的用戶可以把他們的玩家代號(hào)和他們現(xiàn)有的Windows 即時(shí)通帳號(hào)連接起來(lái)。這樣，游戲玩家就可以通過(guò)虛擬的屏幕鍵盤(pán)或者是插入游戲機(jī)的USB鍵盤(pán)隨意的聊天了。
　　微軟的主管人員表示他們希望能在今年的下半年為Xbox玩家和即時(shí)通的使用者們提供語(yǔ)音聊天服務(wù)。
　　微軟的Xbox360小組經(jīng)理John Rodman在上一周的電話采訪中表示：我們認(rèn)為通過(guò)使Xbox360的玩家們躺在自家的沙發(fā)上就能獲得I.M.（即時(shí)通信）服務(wù)，我們把社會(huì)網(wǎng)絡(luò)更進(jìn)一步的帶入家庭，現(xiàn)在，你完全不必在線管理兩組分開(kāi)的朋友，而可以把他們合并到一起。微軟和索尼為占領(lǐng)游戲市場(chǎng)的比較高控制終端展開(kāi)了激戰(zhàn)。在過(guò)去的幾年中，游戲的控制臺(tái)程序大部分都是由生產(chǎn)商提供的。但是，現(xiàn)在，似乎像Electronic Arts這樣的頂級(jí)游戲發(fā)行商把大部分的大游戲的控制臺(tái)程序讓渡給了Xbox360和索尼PlayStation3自己做。
　　因此，微軟和索尼都在嘗試著賦予他們的游戲機(jī)與眾不同的特色，諸如，電影回放功能以及種種在線服務(wù)。微軟已經(jīng)在在線玩游戲的控制臺(tái)程序上先索尼一步，但是，上個(gè)月，索尼宣布他們已經(jīng)發(fā)布一種叫做PlayStation Home的新的Internet服務(wù)，此項(xiàng)服務(wù)能在某些功能上超過(guò)Xbox Live。即時(shí)通服務(wù)似乎是微軟對(duì)此舉動(dòng)作出回應(yīng)的一部分。
 

Moment of truth

　　No sooner did James McCarthy's name turn up in an Associated Press story on the outlook for global warming than he started getting outraged e�瞞ails from colleagues. All that McCarthy, a Harvard oceanographer who studies how climate change affects marine life, told the AP last week was that "the worst stuff is not going to happen ... not that I think the projections aren't that accurate, but because we can't be that stupid." The overwhelming response, he said, was, What do you mean, we can't be that stupid? Just look around!
　　On that very question could hinge the fate of much of life on Earth. Last week was bracketed by two events that could make 2007 a turning point in the effort to control global warming. On Monday, by a 5��4 vote, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal government had the power under the Clean Air Act to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles. This victory for environmentalists was quickly snatched away by President Bush, who announced the next day that his administration had no intention of doing anything of the sort. But the ruling set an important precedent for treating carbon dioxide as a threat to human welfare, and opens the way to regulating it by tightening fuel�瞖conomy standards. On Friday, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, marshaling the research of nearly 1,000 scientists from 74 countries, issued a long�瞐waited report on climate�瞔hange"impacts, adaptation and vulnerability".The study found that global warming was already affecting the Earth's ecosystems; it predicted that continued climate change, in combination with other environmental stressors such as population increases and greater urbanization, would lead to more�瞫evere and widespread drought, greater coastal and riverine flooding, and"increased risk of extinction"for 20 to 30 percent of plant and animal species. Depending on how much temperature rises, food production in the temperate regions (including parts of the United States and Canada) could actually increase, but would probably decline in much of the tropics.
　　Yet at least since last year's congressional elections it's been clear that 2007 would be a critical year for what former vice president Al Gore has called the"planetary emergency". A half�瞕ozen bills to control greenhouse gases have already been introduced or are being prepared for introduction to the Senate, according to the National Environmental Trust. Some version of the"cap and trade"market�瞓ased system that has already shown its value in reducing acid�瞨ain pollution is virtually certain to pass this Congress."The key question now",says NET president Phil Clapp,"is, will President Bush sign a meaningful bill? But I don't think there's any question that if this Congress doesn't produce one, the next one will and the next president will sign it. We're in the endgame now, after 10 years on this issue."

associate
　　v.①（with）使聯(lián)系，使聯(lián)合；②交往，結(jié)合；n.合作人，伙伴，同事，同行；a.副的；合伙的
　�。壅骖}例句］"Some of us have known for many, many years that the freedoms under the First Amendment are not totally unlimited,"says Luce,"I think it is perhaps the case that some people associated (v.①) with the company have only recently come to realize this."［1997年閱讀4］
　�。劾�句精譯］ "我們中的一些人多年來(lái)就知道憲法第一修正案所說(shuō)的自由并非毫無(wú)限制，"魯斯說(shuō)，"我想與公司有關(guān)系的一些人可能是比較近才意識(shí)到這一點(diǎn)。"
　　outrage
　　n.暴行，侮辱，憤怒；vt.觸犯，激怒
　　［真題例句］ Indeed, if he has a reputation for slacking, you might even be outraged (vt.).［2005年閱讀1］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 事實(shí)上，如果他還有偷懶怠工的名聲，你可能會(huì)暴怒的。
　　overwhelming
　　a.勢(shì)不可擋的，壓倒的
　　［真題例句］ The individual now has more information available than any generation, and the task of finding that one piece of information relevant to his or her specific problem is complicated, time�瞔onsuming, and sometimes even overwhelming.［1995年閱讀3］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 現(xiàn)在，個(gè)人可獲得的信息比任何時(shí)代的人都多，而要找到一條與自己?jiǎn)栴}相關(guān)的信息既復(fù)雜又耗時(shí)，有時(shí)甚至相當(dāng)困難。
　　snatch
　　n./v.攫取，搶奪
　　marshal
　　n.元帥, 典禮官, 執(zhí)行官, 司儀官vt.整頓, 配置, 匯集vi.排列, 集合
　　emergency
　　n.緊急情況，突然事件，非常時(shí)刻
　�。壅骖}例句］ The brain finds it best to keep smell receptors (19：available) for unfamiliar and emergency signals (20：such as) the smell of smoke, which might indicate the danger of fire.［2005年完形］
　�。劾�句精譯］ 我們發(fā)現(xiàn)，大腦能在有不熟悉或緊急信號(hào)時(shí)，使嗅覺(jué)接收器工作，例如，煙味就是著火和危險(xiǎn)的信號(hào)。

　Little Tips:
　　人類不斷向大氣中排放二氧化碳等廢氣，把大氣弄臟了，使地球像在大熱天穿了一件臟棉襖，體溫不斷地升高；人類生活在地球上，地球環(huán)境為我們創(chuàng)造了豐富的物質(zhì)財(cái)富。但是，隨著社會(huì)、經(jīng)濟(jì)的發(fā)展，人類的有些活動(dòng)對(duì)環(huán)境產(chǎn)生了不良的影響，甚至是破壞，如環(huán)境的污染、自然資源的枯竭、水土流失等等。這些環(huán)境的破壞又反作用于人類，產(chǎn)生危害人體健康、影響人類生產(chǎn)、生活、生存的種種問(wèn)題，就是環(huán)境問(wèn)題。

　　關(guān)鍵時(shí)刻

　　James McCarthy的名字和他的一篇關(guān)于全球變暖的文章在美聯(lián)社的新聞報(bào)道一出現(xiàn)，他就開(kāi)始收到來(lái)自同行們的侮辱性的郵件。McCarthy是一名哈佛大學(xué)的海洋學(xué)研究學(xué)者，主要研究氣候的變化對(duì)海洋生物的影響，上周，他在美聯(lián)網(wǎng)表示說(shuō)："并不是預(yù)測(cè)不精確，而是情況不會(huì)那么糟。因?yàn)槲覀儾粫?huì)那么愚蠢的。"他說(shuō)，鋪天蓋地的質(zhì)問(wèn)都是關(guān)于"你是什么意思？我們不可能那么愚蠢吧！你看看周圍是什么樣子啊。"
　　對(duì)這個(gè)問(wèn)題的回答將關(guān)系到地球上大多數(shù)生物的命運(yùn)。上周，兩個(gè)事件的發(fā)生，使得2007 成為人類對(duì)于全球變暖的控制作出努力的轉(zhuǎn)折點(diǎn)。在星期一，以5比4的投票比較高法院裁決聯(lián)邦政府有權(quán)通過(guò)凈化空氣法案來(lái)控制車輛的二氧化碳排放。環(huán)境保護(hù)主義者們的這一勝利迅速被布什總統(tǒng)抹殺。布什在第二天的講話中表示，他的政府對(duì)此項(xiàng)規(guī)定毫無(wú)興趣。但是這項(xiàng)裁決第一次明確的把二氧化碳作為對(duì)人類的幸福的威脅，并且為通過(guò)嚴(yán)格節(jié)能的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)來(lái)控制二氧化碳的排放開(kāi)辟了道路。星期五，氣候變化跨政府小組匯集了來(lái)自74個(gè)國(guó)家的約1000名科學(xué)家的調(diào)查研究，發(fā)表了一篇等待已久的關(guān)于氣候變化的影響、適應(yīng)性與弱點(diǎn)的報(bào)告。研究表明，全球變暖已經(jīng)影響到了地球的生態(tài)系統(tǒng)；并且預(yù)測(cè)，持續(xù)的氣候變化加之污染和都市化的加劇帶給環(huán)境的壓力，將會(huì)導(dǎo)致更加嚴(yán)重的，更加廣范圍的干旱，和更多的沿海和沿江城市被水淹沒(méi)；百分之二十到三十的植物和動(dòng)物面臨更加嚴(yán)重的滅絕的危險(xiǎn)。根據(jù)溫度的上升值，在溫度適合的地區(qū)糧食的產(chǎn)量可能會(huì)有所增加，但是，在絕大多數(shù)熱帶地區(qū)產(chǎn)量會(huì)下降。
　　至少?gòu)娜ツ觊_(kāi)始，國(guó)會(huì)的選舉就已經(jīng)明確2007將會(huì)是對(duì)于前副總統(tǒng)戈?duì)査�呼吁�?quot;地球危機(jī)"的至關(guān)重要的一年。全國(guó)環(huán)保信托組織表示有六個(gè)關(guān)于控制溫室效應(yīng)的法案已經(jīng)或者正準(zhǔn)備向參議院提出。一些已經(jīng)在降低酸雨的污染方面表現(xiàn)的卓有成效的以市場(chǎng)為基礎(chǔ)的排放權(quán)交易系統(tǒng)是一定可以通過(guò)這次的國(guó)會(huì)審議的。NET 主席Phil Clapp說(shuō)："現(xiàn)在關(guān)鍵是，布什總統(tǒng)是否同意這個(gè)意義深遠(yuǎn)的法案。但是，若這一屆的國(guó)會(huì)不通過(guò)，下一屆的國(guó)會(huì)，下一屆的總統(tǒng)肯定會(huì)簽署的。關(guān)于這個(gè)議題，我們已經(jīng)努力了十年了，現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)進(jìn)入比較后階段了。"