Words and the way we use them offer a rare window on social and cultural trends. Kory Stamper and Peter Sokolowski know that better than most.
The Merriam-Webster(韦氏词典) lexicographers(词典编纂者) are part of a team that edits the dictionary. In a recent interview, Sokolowski and Stamper talked about their job and what the way we use words says about us collectively.
So to know more about them, observers of the language, maybe we should start with some background.
What is a lexicographer?
Sokolowski: A lexicographer is a person who writes or edits a dictionary. The job of a dictionary editor is to prepare and present research about language. One of our former editors-in- chief said, "Tell the truth about words," and that sums it up for me.
What do you guys do all day?
Stamper: The two main duties of a lexicographer are reading and defining. We read everything: books, journals, blogs, phone books, take-out menus, and so on. What we're looking for are words that catch our eye. We record the context of these words and information about the sources. Those records are added to a database, and they are the raw material we use in writing definitions.
When we are writing or revising a dictionary, most of our time is spent defining. We define a word according to how it is used in the recorded context, deciding whether the usage has been covered by our dictionary. Once this is done, you look at the new words and new senses and draft a definition.
Drafting definitions requires some training, some experience and a lot of concentration. It's very, very quiet on the editorial floor.
How closely do the most looked-up words on your online dictionary seem to be related to the news or trends?
Stamper: When our dictionary went online back in 1996, we could see for the first time which were the most looked-up words in English: Affect, effect and ubiquitous were the top words. It was fascinating to usdictionary editors spend so much time writing definitions but never could have known if anyone ever read them. We could follow what people were thinking about according to what words they were looking up. Thanks to our online dictionary, we had data.
a. Write a draft of the definition.
b. Conclude the usage of the word.
c. Pay attention to the new words and new senses.
d. Decide whether the usage has been covered.
She was known to millions as the "Queen of Crime" or the "Duchess (女公爵)of Death". But surprisingly, she hated violence and blood, and knew nothing about the weapons most often used in murder. "I don't think I dare look at a really horrible and damaged body," Agatha Christie once said.
But her pen dared to travel where her eyes would not. In her 50-year writing profession, Christie's murder stories made her the world's best-known mystery (神秘)writer. Only the Bible and Shakespeare's works have sold more copies than her.
Her novels have been turned into films and TV scenes. This month, British TV announced they will remake eight Christie films. Her work has continuing appeal for viewers," said director Laura Mackie. "There is always a desire for a really good detective novel."
Born in 1890 in England, Christie was educated at home and began her writing career while working as a nurse during World War I. She went on to produce 79 novels and lots of short stories, dying at the age of 86. With her knowledge of murder, Christie could have been a teacher at police academies.
Her first novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, introduced Hercule Poirot, a retired Belgian police officer who starred in 30 of her works. Among the most popular are Murder on the Orient Express(1934) and Death on the Nile (1937).
Poirot is a tidy little man with a funny-looking moustache, an egg-shaped head and a high opinion of himself. He draws conclusions from observing the behaviour of those around him, always managing to spot patterns that others cannot see. Poirot has become so famous that someone has even written his biography, The Life and Times of Hercule Poirot.
About sixty years ago, China was known as the "Bicycle Kingdom". But the two-wheeled way of transportation began to become less popular, with many bikes soon replaced by their four-wheeled competitors.
But recent months have seen a revival(复兴) of the bike across China, with an increasing number of people choosing cycling instead of driving to schools, to workplaces or to do sightseeing. The introduction of bike-sharing plans, pioneered by companies like Ofo and Mobike, has brought cycling to a new level. According to the latest data, the first week of this year saw 5, 850,000 active users of Mobike while Ofo had 1,400,000 active users.
People can unlock the shared bikes by simply using their smartphones. The bikes are equipped with GPS and can be left anywhere in public for the next user. They are popular among many Chinese people. "In places where the underground railway doesn't extend, it's so easy to get where you want to go with Mobike," Hu Hong said. She cycles to her workplace in Shanghai.
Bike-sharing is a greener method of transportation and provides a user-friendly experience. However, the plans have also led to problems such as illegal parking, breaking and stealing. Last month, two nurses in Beijing put locks on two shared bikes. And in December, a man stole a shared bike.
Now Chinese service operators are also trying to solve these problems. Setting credit points is one of the ways. Mobike sets a 100-point credit score for each user, with points taken because of bad behavior. Once a score drops below 80, bike Tental((租金) is increased to 100 yuan per 30 minutes rather than 0.5-1 yuan.
Unlike most Chinese high school students, seniors in Canada can choose the courses they would like to take by themselves. However sometimes they cannot take the course they want to take due to different reasons like schedule conflicts.
Take me for example. At the end of last semester(学期), my adviser told me the two classes I had chosen for this semester took place during the same period, which meant that I had to give up one of them. She recommended that I take the course called life management. I had never heard of that kind of course in China so I just followed her advice.
On the first day of school, I found out that life management is an open class and every student is able to take the course. The teacher of the class told us honestly that this is an easy course that can increase our average score. It was really different from what I had expected. So I planned to drop the class. Then came the question: Could I change the class?
In fact, students are able to change classes within the first month of the semester. During that month, there's often a long queue at the office door and a lot of students want to switch courses.
After the first week, I looked through courses that were available for me. I had two choices: biology and chemistry. Chemistry is for college students who would like a collection of degrees in one specific area after high school. After having discussions and making choices, I switched my class from life management to grade 11 university-level biology. Although biology is quite difficult for me because of the many difficult words I have to use and understand, I will still try my best.
To be honest, quite a lot of students want to change classes because they want easier courses. But I think challenging myself is always the best choice. I would rather get a lower mark in a course I can really learn from than get high scores in an easy open class.
The most important thing to keep in mind when deciding to serve another is that service expects no rewards. When you expect something in return, and are not serving out of the goodness of your heart, others will notice. Sure they'll thank you.
When you give from your heart, the real power of service comes into play. Serving is a great opportunity to strengthen your trust and respect for another, and for them to do the same to you. Not only do you feel great about helping out, but you build your relationship with them, and they will feel more willing to help you in the future.
However, why is service so rarely seen these days? Sure, living in this day and age does not leave us much time, and the last thing people want to do is more work. I'm too busy, there's too much work, or I don't have the time, "may run through your head when you hear the word service, but the truth is the benefits are worth the sacrifice. Gandhi once said that, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." Some ideas of places you can serve are volunteer centers, nursing homes, boys and girls clubs, and so on. You can serve people as long as you want to.
Although it does take some work, the benefits are more than worth the sacrifice. Not only do you feel better about making another's day a little less stressful, but you strengthen your relationship with them and they will be more willing to help you in the future.
A. It's a win-win situation.
B. Service is simple.
C. Overall, service and selflessly giving to others is very powerful and has many benefits.
D. And they will offer you worse service.
E. Service is a complex event.
F. The problem is, there's always an excuse not to serve.
G. But the service becomes more of a situation, "I'll do this for you if you do this for me".
Pamela Malhotra and her husband Anil K. Malhotra have spent the last 25 years buying abandoned agricultural land and reforesting it. They want to 1 the land to a bio-diverse rainforest for elephants, birds and other 2
Now the couple 3 300 acres of land in Brahmagiri, India. They've spotted more than 300 kinds of birds as well as many 4 and threatened(受到威胁的)animal species. But, this was not the 5 in 1991 when Anil and Pamela came to this part of the country. "When I came here, it was a 6. The owner wanted to sell because he couldn't grow coffee 7 anything else here," says Anil who worked in the real estate(房地产)and restaurant business in the US before moving to India. "For me and Pamela, this was what we were 8 all our life."
The couple had a love for 9 from their childhood. When the Malhotras came to India, the pollution 10 them. "That was when we decided to 11 something to reclaim (开垦) the forests in India," says Anil. "We were not looking for money. Early on, we 12 that shortage of fresh water will be a 13 for India and the rest of the world. Acquisition, protection and reclamation of forested lands and wildlife habitat, where vital water sources have their origin, is the only way to 14 ourselves," explains Anil.
They sold property (财产) they owned in America, bought the first 55 acres and began to grow a 15. Soon, they bought the land nearby as well. "Many of the 16 considered their holdings 'wasteland' as very little grew on it and were 17 to get money," says Anil.
Stopping poaching (偷猎) was a 18 and often the locals did not understand what this couple was doing, so it required a lot of talking to create 19. They worked with the forest department to set up camera traps and keep poachers away. "There are times I have 20 with poachers. I was even in great danger once, "says Pamela. "I hope what we are doing now will make a difference to animals."
An Israeli woman accidentally stepped on a garden snail (蜗牛). Rather than simply ignoring the snail, she picked up all the pieces of (it) broken shell and took it to Halclinica, a local animal clinic. She was lucky enough (find) a committed medical worker who, instead of refusing her request for help, spent hours (glue) the snail's shell back together.
"For the broken shell, we need a (combine) of patience and skill with the glue," the clinic wrote in a post its Facebook page. "We make sure the glue stays outside the shell does not harm the snail's body."
(lucky), their hard work paid off and they were able to not only fix the snail's shell, but also put it back on the slimy owner. The operation was a success, .
The snail will still need a few weeks, or even months, to fully recover. So far the staff of Halclinica (have) a liking for their tiny patient. They have even named it Chevy. "I am happy to see Chevy is getting (strong) day by day," one of the staff said. He'll remain under their care as he recovers and animal lovers are welcome to visit him during his stay at the clinic.
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：⒈每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
⒉只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Notice
Our school will hold a English knowledge competition, focus on American history and culture. The competition will be held in the hall of us school on October 10th from 3:00 to 5: 00 at the afternoon. Three local teachers and one foreign teacher will be our honorable judge. Those want to take part in the competition should sign up at the office of the Student Council before the September 10th. Students in our school is welcome to join in the competition. Please trying your best and get ready in time. We hope you will have a good knowledge of America through the experience.
Wish you successfully!
Student Council
