加载中…Queen Elizabeth walking her Corgie dogs to a betting shop on
page 3 of the 01 April, 2004 edition of the London Daily
Mail.
From television revealing that spaghetti grows on trees to advertisements for the left-handed burger, the tradition of April Fool's Day stories in the media has a weird and wonderful history.
Here are several of the top ten April Fool's Day pranks ever pulled off, as judged by the US website of Museum of Hoaxes for their notoriety, absurdity, and number of people duped.
Swiss spaghetti harvest tops the hoax list. In 1957, a BBC television show announced that thanks to a mild winter and the virtual elimination of the spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. Footage of Swiss farmers pulling strands of spaghetti from trees prompted a barrage of calls from people wanting to know how to grow their own spaghetti at home.
Instant color TV sets in Sweden comes as the third. Sweden in 1962 had only one television channel, which broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert appeared on the news to announce that thanks to a newly developed technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to receive color pictures by pulling a nylon stocking over the screen.
US ex-president Nixon's comeback is placed at sixth. In 1992, US National Public Radio announced that Richard Nixon was running for president again. His new campaign slogan was, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again." They even had clips of Nixon announcing his candidacy. Listeners flooded the show with calls expressing their outrage. Nixon's voice actually turned out to be that of impersonator Rich Little.
In 1998, a newsletter titled New Mexicans for Science and Reason carried an article that the state of Alabama had voted to change the value of pi from 3.14159 to the "Biblical value" of 3.0.
Burger King, an American fast-food chain, published a full-page advertisement in USA Today in 1998 announcing the introduction of the "Left-Handed Whopper," specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new burger included the same ingredients as the original, but the condiments were rotated 180 degrees. The chain said it received thousands of requests for the new burger, as well as orders for the original "right-handed" version.
Discover Magazine announced in 1995 that a highly respected biologist, Aprile Pazzo (Italian for April Fool), had discovered a new species in Antarctica: the hotheaded naked ice borer. The creatures were described as having bony plates on their heads that became burning hot, allowing the animals to bore through ice at high speed.
Noted British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on the radio in 1976 that at 9:47 am, a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event, in which Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, would cause a gravitational alignment that would reduce the Earth's gravity. Moore told listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment of the planetary alignment, they would experience a floating sensation. Hundreds of people called in to report feeling the sensation.
从种植意大利面的电视新闻到左撇子汉堡的广告，媒体在愚人节制造的各种稀奇古怪的恶作剧也有一段“光辉”历史了。
日前，美国“恶作剧博物馆”网站根据恶作剧的知名度、荒诞性及被愚弄的人数，评选出了媒体所制造的愚人节“十大经典恶作剧”。其中的几个如下：
第一大恶作剧是1957年愚人节的瑞士意大利面大丰收。当天，英国广播公司在一个新闻节目中报道，由于受暖冬影响，再加上危害意大利面“种植”的象鼻虫已被彻底消灭，瑞士的农民们获得意大利面大丰收，电视台还特别配上了瑞士农民从树上摘下一缕缕意大利面的镜头。节目播出后，很多人打电话去电台询问如何在家种植意大利面。
第三大恶作剧是1962年的瑞典“瞬变彩色电视机"。当时，瑞典只有一个电视频道，而且是黑白的。愚人节那天，电视台技术人员在新闻中宣布，由于最新技术的开发成功，观众们只需将一只尼龙长统袜撑开盖在电视屏幕上，就能使黑白画面立刻变成彩色。
美国前总统尼克森的复出被评为第六大经典假新闻。1992年，美国国家公共广播电台宣布，理查德·尼克森将再度竞选总统。他的最新竞选口号是，”我没做错什么，我不会重蹈覆辙。“新闻中还配有尼克松宣布竞选的录音剪辑。这一消息发布之后，听众们纷纷打电话去电台表示愤怒。实际上，尼克森的声音是由一位名叫里奇·利特尔的演员模仿的。
1998年愚人节，新墨西哥人科学与推理组织的通讯上刊登的一篇文章中称，美国阿拉巴马州已投票决定，将圆周率值3.14159改为"圣经值"3.0。
1998年愚人节当天，美国汉堡王快餐连锁店在《今日美国》上发布了一则长达一页的广告，介绍一款专为美国3200万个“左撇子”设计的“左撇子汉堡”。该广告中称，新汉堡的配料和普通汉堡没什么区别，但其中所夹的调味品都被旋转了180度放置。连锁店称，广告登出后，他们接到数千份订单，还收到了很多老式（"右撇子"）汉堡的订单。
1995年愚人节，《发现》杂志公布，一位德高望重的、名叫Aprile Pazzo（意大利语：愚人节）的生物学家在南极洲发现了一种名叫热裸体钻冰虫的新物种。据介绍，这种生物头部的骨头能变得滚烫，所以可以高速的钻冰。
1976年愚人节，英国著名天文学家帕特里克·摩尔通过电台宣布，当天早上9时47分会出现一个百年一遇的天文现象，冥王星将从木星后面经过，由此而形成的引力组合将使地球的引力减弱。摩尔告诉听众，如果他们在经过的那一时刻跳起来，会有一种飘浮感。当时，数百人打电话去电台，称他们确实感到了那种“飘浮感”。
<br>
Vocabulary:
footage :镜头
barrage :an overwhelming, concentrated outpouring（连续的；接二连三的；例如：a barrage of critism 接二连三的批评）
Makeup for spring is nude but noticeable
From television revealing that spaghetti grows on trees to advertisements for the left-handed burger, the tradition of April Fool's Day stories in the media has a weird and wonderful history.
Here are several of the top ten April Fool's Day pranks ever pulled off, as judged by the US website of Museum of Hoaxes for their notoriety, absurdity, and number of people duped.
Swiss spaghetti harvest tops the hoax list. In 1957, a BBC television show announced that thanks to a mild winter and the virtual elimination of the spaghetti weevil, Swiss farmers were enjoying a bumper spaghetti crop. Footage of Swiss farmers pulling strands of spaghetti from trees prompted a barrage of calls from people wanting to know how to grow their own spaghetti at home.
Instant color TV sets in Sweden comes as the third. Sweden in 1962 had only one television channel, which broadcast in black and white. The station's technical expert appeared on the news to announce that thanks to a newly developed technology, viewers could convert their existing sets to receive color pictures by pulling a nylon stocking over the screen.
US ex-president Nixon's comeback is placed at sixth. In 1992, US National Public Radio announced that Richard Nixon was running for president again. His new campaign slogan was, "I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again." They even had clips of Nixon announcing his candidacy. Listeners flooded the show with calls expressing their outrage. Nixon's voice actually turned out to be that of impersonator Rich Little.
In 1998, a newsletter titled New Mexicans for Science and Reason carried an article that the state of Alabama had voted to change the value of pi from 3.14159 to the "Biblical value" of 3.0.
Burger King, an American fast-food chain, published a full-page advertisement in USA Today in 1998 announcing the introduction of the "Left-Handed Whopper," specially designed for the 32 million left-handed Americans. According to the advertisement, the new burger included the same ingredients as the original, but the condiments were rotated 180 degrees. The chain said it received thousands of requests for the new burger, as well as orders for the original "right-handed" version.
Discover Magazine announced in 1995 that a highly respected biologist, Aprile Pazzo (Italian for April Fool), had discovered a new species in Antarctica: the hotheaded naked ice borer. The creatures were described as having bony plates on their heads that became burning hot, allowing the animals to bore through ice at high speed.
Noted British astronomer Patrick Moore announced on the radio in 1976 that at 9:47 am, a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical event, in which Pluto would pass behind Jupiter, would cause a gravitational alignment that would reduce the Earth's gravity. Moore told listeners that if they jumped in the air at the exact moment of the planetary alignment, they would experience a floating sensation. Hundreds of people called in to report feeling the sensation.
从种植意大利面的电视新闻到左撇子汉堡的广告，媒体在愚人节制造的各种稀奇古怪的恶作剧也有一段“光辉”历史了。
日前，美国“恶作剧博物馆”网站根据恶作剧的知名度、荒诞性及被愚弄的人数，评选出了媒体所制造的愚人节“十大经典恶作剧”。其中的几个如下：
第一大恶作剧是1957年愚人节的瑞士意大利面大丰收。当天，英国广播公司在一个新闻节目中报道，由于受暖冬影响，再加上危害意大利面“种植”的象鼻虫已被彻底消灭，瑞士的农民们获得意大利面大丰收，电视台还特别配上了瑞士农民从树上摘下一缕缕意大利面的镜头。节目播出后，很多人打电话去电台询问如何在家种植意大利面。
第三大恶作剧是1962年的瑞典“瞬变彩色电视机"。当时，瑞典只有一个电视频道，而且是黑白的。愚人节那天，电视台技术人员在新闻中宣布，由于最新技术的开发成功，观众们只需将一只尼龙长统袜撑开盖在电视屏幕上，就能使黑白画面立刻变成彩色。
美国前总统尼克森的复出被评为第六大经典假新闻。1992年，美国国家公共广播电台宣布，理查德·尼克森将再度竞选总统。他的最新竞选口号是，”我没做错什么，我不会重蹈覆辙。“新闻中还配有尼克松宣布竞选的录音剪辑。这一消息发布之后，听众们纷纷打电话去电台表示愤怒。实际上，尼克森的声音是由一位名叫里奇·利特尔的演员模仿的。
1998年愚人节，新墨西哥人科学与推理组织的通讯上刊登的一篇文章中称，美国阿拉巴马州已投票决定，将圆周率值3.14159改为"圣经值"3.0。
1998年愚人节当天，美国汉堡王快餐连锁店在《今日美国》上发布了一则长达一页的广告，介绍一款专为美国3200万个“左撇子”设计的“左撇子汉堡”。该广告中称，新汉堡的配料和普通汉堡没什么区别，但其中所夹的调味品都被旋转了180度放置。连锁店称，广告登出后，他们接到数千份订单，还收到了很多老式（"右撇子"）汉堡的订单。
1995年愚人节，《发现》杂志公布，一位德高望重的、名叫Aprile Pazzo（意大利语：愚人节）的生物学家在南极洲发现了一种名叫热裸体钻冰虫的新物种。据介绍，这种生物头部的骨头能变得滚烫，所以可以高速的钻冰。
1976年愚人节，英国著名天文学家帕特里克·摩尔通过电台宣布，当天早上9时47分会出现一个百年一遇的天文现象，冥王星将从木星后面经过，由此而形成的引力组合将使地球的引力减弱。摩尔告诉听众，如果他们在经过的那一时刻跳起来，会有一种飘浮感。当时，数百人打电话去电台，称他们确实感到了那种“飘浮感”。
<br>
Vocabulary:
footage :镜头
barrage :an overwhelming, concentrated outpouring（连续的；接二连三的；例如：a barrage of critism 接二连三的批评）
Makeup for spring is nude but noticeable
Makeup is getting a make-under for spring.
Makeup is getting a make-under for spring.
Whether your seasonal wardrobe will be made up mostly of cool neutral clothes or pop-art brights, makeup artists advise not to go overboard with rainbow colors.
They'll create too much of a contrast with the understated pieces, and you risk appearing cartoonish with the whole mod look.
Robyn Tamura, director of strategy and creative development for Clinique's global education program, says if white is the base of your outfit, the first beauty step to take is to smooth out the skin's texture. Then brighten the eye with concealer and work on defining the lash line, eyelashes and brows.
"It doesn't have to be about bold colors, it's more about technique," she says.
Joe Costa, a makeup artist for Yves Saint Laurent, suggests a palette that is natural in the spirit of the great outdoors, which has countless shades of rich browns and sandy tans.
"We have a tendency with a natural look to think everything has to be neutral, but if you look at nature that's not how it is. ... Think of when grandma used to pinch your cheeks. That's 'natural looking,' but you have color."
If you have browns and beiges on the eye, Costa says to wear a rosier shade on either the lips or cheeks -- not both. To dress up the face for evening, use black around the eyes.
"Eyeliner is huge for spring," Costa said.
"It's about the 'natural nude face' -- that's what I call it," says makeup artist Bobbi Brown. "It's not all beiges, it's about finding the colors that are right for you.
"If you're very pale, nude is the color of your lips, probably a pale pink. But if you have darker skin, what is 'nude'? It could be bronze. I'm sure Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow all have different nude colors."
春季的妆容应该以淡妆为主。
无论你这个季节的服装是以“酷酷的”中性风格为主还是以流行的鲜亮风格为主，化妆专家们建议，少用过于艳丽的颜色。
因为艳丽的颜色与素净的衣服搭配起来会显得太扎眼，弄不好就会让你的一身打扮看起来很卡通。
倩碧全球教育项目战略与创意发展部经理罗宾·塔姆拉说，如果你的衣服以白色为主，那么第一步就得消除面部肌肤粗糙不平；然后用遮瑕产品修饰眼部，使眼睛更有神；再画眼线、睫毛和眉毛。
她说：“颜色是否夸张大胆并不重要，技巧才是关键。”
圣罗兰化妆大师乔·考斯塔建议，应本着贴近大自然的精神来选择颜色，比如，各种不同深浅的棕色、茶褐色在大自然中都能找到。
“我们总认为自然妆容就是什么都是没色彩，但是如果你留意一下‘自然’，就会明白事实并非如此……你可以回忆一下小时候脸被奶奶拧红之后的样子，那就是一种‘自然妆容’，但还是有色彩的。”
考斯塔说，如果眼部用的是棕色或淡棕色，可以在唇部或脸部用玫瑰色，但不要两处都用。晚妆要稍浓，眼部可用黑色。
考斯塔说：“春季用眼线笔过于浓重。”
化妆大师鲍比·布朗说：“‘自然真脸庞'才是最美，这是我的叫法。并不是说淡棕色就最好，关键是要找到适合你自己的颜色。”
“如果你的脸色比较苍白，可以用肉色的唇彩，最好是淡粉色。但是如果你的肤色比较暗，那选择什么样的‘自然色’呢？可以用古铜色。我敢定碧昂丝、珍妮弗·洛佩兹和格温妮丝·帕尔特罗所用的‘自然色’都不同。”
Vocabulary:
concealer :遮暇产品
lash line : 眼线
nude color : 自然色
Makeup is getting a make-under for spring.
Whether your seasonal wardrobe will be made up mostly of cool neutral clothes or pop-art brights, makeup artists advise not to go overboard with rainbow colors.
They'll create too much of a contrast with the understated pieces, and you risk appearing cartoonish with the whole mod look.
Robyn Tamura, director of strategy and creative development for Clinique's global education program, says if white is the base of your outfit, the first beauty step to take is to smooth out the skin's texture. Then brighten the eye with concealer and work on defining the lash line, eyelashes and brows.
"It doesn't have to be about bold colors, it's more about technique," she says.
Joe Costa, a makeup artist for Yves Saint Laurent, suggests a palette that is natural in the spirit of the great outdoors, which has countless shades of rich browns and sandy tans.
"We have a tendency with a natural look to think everything has to be neutral, but if you look at nature that's not how it is. ... Think of when grandma used to pinch your cheeks. That's 'natural looking,' but you have color."
If you have browns and beiges on the eye, Costa says to wear a rosier shade on either the lips or cheeks -- not both. To dress up the face for evening, use black around the eyes.
"Eyeliner is huge for spring," Costa said.
"It's about the 'natural nude face' -- that's what I call it," says makeup artist Bobbi Brown. "It's not all beiges, it's about finding the colors that are right for you.
"If you're very pale, nude is the color of your lips, probably a pale pink. But if you have darker skin, what is 'nude'? It could be bronze. I'm sure Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow all have different nude colors."
春季的妆容应该以淡妆为主。
无论你这个季节的服装是以“酷酷的”中性风格为主还是以流行的鲜亮风格为主，化妆专家们建议，少用过于艳丽的颜色。
因为艳丽的颜色与素净的衣服搭配起来会显得太扎眼，弄不好就会让你的一身打扮看起来很卡通。
倩碧全球教育项目战略与创意发展部经理罗宾·塔姆拉说，如果你的衣服以白色为主，那么第一步就得消除面部肌肤粗糙不平；然后用遮瑕产品修饰眼部，使眼睛更有神；再画眼线、睫毛和眉毛。
她说：“颜色是否夸张大胆并不重要，技巧才是关键。”
圣罗兰化妆大师乔·考斯塔建议，应本着贴近大自然的精神来选择颜色，比如，各种不同深浅的棕色、茶褐色在大自然中都能找到。
“我们总认为自然妆容就是什么都是没色彩，但是如果你留意一下‘自然’，就会明白事实并非如此……你可以回忆一下小时候脸被奶奶拧红之后的样子，那就是一种‘自然妆容’，但还是有色彩的。”
考斯塔说，如果眼部用的是棕色或淡棕色，可以在唇部或脸部用玫瑰色，但不要两处都用。晚妆要稍浓，眼部可用黑色。
考斯塔说：“春季用眼线笔过于浓重。”
化妆大师鲍比·布朗说：“‘自然真脸庞'才是最美，这是我的叫法。并不是说淡棕色就最好，关键是要找到适合你自己的颜色。”
“如果你的脸色比较苍白，可以用肉色的唇彩，最好是淡粉色。但是如果你的肤色比较暗，那选择什么样的‘自然色’呢？可以用古铜色。我敢定碧昂丝、珍妮弗·洛佩兹和格温妮丝·帕尔特罗所用的‘自然色’都不同。”
Vocabulary:
concealer :遮暇产品
lash line : 眼线
nude color : 自然色
What women want:
Self-fulfillment
Pop stars pose for Yueji.Self magazine launching ceremony.
What makes a woman happy? Power, money, love, *?
In fact, self-fulfillment ranks the highest, for more than 60 percent of the respondents in a recent survey.
The survey was conducted by the Yueji.Self, a Chinese-language magazine jointly launched this month by the Chinese-language Women of China magazine and the New York-based magazine publisher Conde Nast Publications.
"The high marks for self -fulfillment are inspiring and encouraging," Li Yinhe, a noted *ologist and professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.
"It shows big progress. More and more women want to achieve their life value, which eclipses the importance of the private life for women.
"When women start to value self fulfillment, they become more equal to men."
In China, the traditional mindset is that men live for their careers and women live for love.
Although only about 22.5 percent surveyed prioritized love as the big happiness maker, it doesn't mean that Chinese women no longer believe in love, Li said.
However, it demonstrated that love was no longer the most important factor for a woman to be happy in China. This is perhaps reflected in the growing trend that many Chinese women are opting to remain single.
While the dependence on love for happiness has dampened, according to the survey, so has *.
Only about 2.2 percent of Chinese women consider * the most valuable factor to a happy woman.
The reason, Li said, was that the word was stereotyped with negative meanings.
"A good woman should not like *," she said.
"Love is a beautiful word. But power, money and * all represent the negative things."
So it is understandable when only 0.6 percent of women chose power, the lowest among all options, the survey showed.
The survey is also the first of its kind to be carried out in 15 cities on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan province.
It surveyed 24,107 women aged from 25 to 35 from December 2006 and March 2007.
女性因什么而快乐？权力？金钱？爱情？还是性？
据一项最新调查显示，事实上，自我实现才是让女性快乐的根源，超过60%的受访者这样认为。
《中国妇女》杂志（中文版）社联合纽约康泰纳仕杂志社推出的中文杂志《悦己SELF》开展了此项调查。
中国社科院教授、著名性学家李银河说：“自我实现这一因素名列前茅，这很令人鼓舞。”
“这是个很大的进步，如今越来越多的女性渴望实现自己的人生价值，家庭生活不再像从前那么重要。”
“女性开始追求自我实现，这是男女平等进步的体现。”
中国传统的思想观念认为，男人为事业而活、而女人则为爱情而活。
李银河说，虽然只有22.5%的受访女性认为爱情是快乐的根源，但这并不意味着中国女性再也不相信爱情了。
然而，调查表明，如今，爱情不再是让中国女性快乐的最重要因素。这在很多中国女性选择单身的趋势中也能得到一定的体现。
除爱情外，性也不是让女性快乐的最重要因素。
大约只有2.2%的受访女性认为性是带来快乐的最重要因素。
据李银河分析，其中的主要原因在于“性”这个词在人们的印象中带有贬义。
她说：“（很多人认为，）一个好女人是不应该喜欢性的。”
“爱情是个美好的字眼。而权力、金钱、性都被认为带有贬义。”
由此看来，“权力”在所有选项中得票最低——仅有约0.6%的女性选择，也是可以理解的。
这项“首次女性快乐调查”在中国大陆15个城市及香港、台湾进行。
调查从2006年12月持续至2007年3月，共有年龄在25岁至35岁之间的24107名女性参加。
Pop stars pose for Yueji.Self magazine launching ceremony.
What makes a woman happy? Power, money, love, *?
In fact, self-fulfillment ranks the highest, for more than 60 percent of the respondents in a recent survey.
The survey was conducted by the Yueji.Self, a Chinese-language magazine jointly launched this month by the Chinese-language Women of China magazine and the New York-based magazine publisher Conde Nast Publications.
"The high marks for self -fulfillment are inspiring and encouraging," Li Yinhe, a noted *ologist and professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said.
"It shows big progress. More and more women want to achieve their life value, which eclipses the importance of the private life for women.
"When women start to value self fulfillment, they become more equal to men."
In China, the traditional mindset is that men live for their careers and women live for love.
Although only about 22.5 percent surveyed prioritized love as the big happiness maker, it doesn't mean that Chinese women no longer believe in love, Li said.
However, it demonstrated that love was no longer the most important factor for a woman to be happy in China. This is perhaps reflected in the growing trend that many Chinese women are opting to remain single.
While the dependence on love for happiness has dampened, according to the survey, so has *.
Only about 2.2 percent of Chinese women consider * the most valuable factor to a happy woman.
The reason, Li said, was that the word was stereotyped with negative meanings.
"A good woman should not like *," she said.
"Love is a beautiful word. But power, money and * all represent the negative things."
So it is understandable when only 0.6 percent of women chose power, the lowest among all options, the survey showed.
The survey is also the first of its kind to be carried out in 15 cities on the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and Taiwan province.
It surveyed 24,107 women aged from 25 to 35 from December 2006 and March 2007.
女性因什么而快乐？权力？金钱？爱情？还是性？
据一项最新调查显示，事实上，自我实现才是让女性快乐的根源，超过60%的受访者这样认为。
《中国妇女》杂志（中文版）社联合纽约康泰纳仕杂志社推出的中文杂志《悦己SELF》开展了此项调查。
中国社科院教授、著名性学家李银河说：“自我实现这一因素名列前茅，这很令人鼓舞。”
“这是个很大的进步，如今越来越多的女性渴望实现自己的人生价值，家庭生活不再像从前那么重要。”
“女性开始追求自我实现，这是男女平等进步的体现。”
中国传统的思想观念认为，男人为事业而活、而女人则为爱情而活。
李银河说，虽然只有22.5%的受访女性认为爱情是快乐的根源，但这并不意味着中国女性再也不相信爱情了。
然而，调查表明，如今，爱情不再是让中国女性快乐的最重要因素。这在很多中国女性选择单身的趋势中也能得到一定的体现。
除爱情外，性也不是让女性快乐的最重要因素。
大约只有2.2%的受访女性认为性是带来快乐的最重要因素。
据李银河分析，其中的主要原因在于“性”这个词在人们的印象中带有贬义。
她说：“（很多人认为，）一个好女人是不应该喜欢性的。”
“爱情是个美好的字眼。而权力、金钱、性都被认为带有贬义。”
由此看来，“权力”在所有选项中得票最低——仅有约0.6%的女性选择，也是可以理解的。
这项“首次女性快乐调查”在中国大陆15个城市及香港、台湾进行。
调查从2006年12月持续至2007年3月，共有年龄在25岁至35岁之间的24107名女性参加。
Survey: Most home buyers
unhappy
Most home buyers unhappy with their houses
Buying a house for most of the people is a once in a lifetime decision, which means people decide to do so only after coming across the ideal house. Surprisingly, eight in every 10 home buyers are unhappy with their houses.
A survey conducted by the Beijing Consumers' Association (BCA) recently shows about 80 percent of the 2,315 respondents in 23 residential complexes of Beijing are dissatisfied with the soaring house prices.
They think the reasonable price in Beijing should be between 3,000 yuan and 7,000 yuan per square meter.
The quality of the buildings, the surrounding environment and traffic and property management are the other factors that play a role in people's decision to buy a house.
The BCA has suggested strict sales regulations and contracts to ease house-owners' sufferings. It has urged the authorities to impose severe punishment on developers found violating building and other rules and joining hands with others to bid up property prices.
About 41.2 percent of the respondents have complained that their houses have defective designs, while nearly 40 percent say the lighting and ventilation are far from satisfactory.
The landscapes in the residential areas are a source of unhappiness for 43.2 percent of the respondents, and about one-third say they were "bluffed" into buying "third grade" houses.
And more than half are not satisfied with the sport and entertainment facilities in their neighborhood.
Property management in the buildings, 56.5 percent of the respondents say, is way below standard compared to the high fee charged by the complexes.
A whopping 60 percent of the consumers doubt the contents of developers' advertisements, with only 6.3 percent being satisfied.
Experts have suggested consumers gather thorough knowledge about a developer and their work before deciding to buy a house from it. They should check the day-light conditions and ventilation in different weather conditions in advance, if possible.
买房对于大多数人来说是个一辈子的决定，但做出这个决定的前提是必须要遇到一套理想的房子。但令人惊讶的是，80%的购房者对他们买的房子不满意。
北京消费者协会近日开展的一项调查显示，在北京23个居民区的2315位受访者中，约80%的人对不断攀升的房价不满。
他们认为，北京市较为合理的房价应在每平方米3000元在7000元之间。
影响人们买房的因素包括楼盘的工程质量、周边环境、交通、物业管理等。
北京市消费者协会建议，应通过实行严格的售房管理制度及售房合同来保护购房者利益。此外，北京市消协敦促有关部门对违反房屋建筑等规定及哄抬房价的开发商予以重罚。
约41.2%的受访居民称，他们所购房屋的规划设计存在缺陷，近40%的人对房屋的采光及通风大为不满。
43.2%的受访者对小区景观不满意，约三分之一的人说他们"上了当"，买了"三流"的房子。
超过一半的人对小区内的运动和娱乐设施不满。
56.5%的受访购房者认为，小区的物业管理水平与他们收取的高物业费远不匹配。
多达60%的消费者对开发商的广告内容表示怀疑，仅有6.3%的人满意。
专家建议，消费者在决定买房之前最好对开发商及他们建造的房屋进行全面了解。如果有条件的话，应提前对房屋在不同天气状况下的采光及通风状况进行考察。
Vocabulary:
ventilation :通风
bluff :to mislead or
deceive（欺骗；误导）
Most home buyers unhappy with their houses
Buying a house for most of the people is a once in a lifetime decision, which means people decide to do so only after coming across the ideal house. Surprisingly, eight in every 10 home buyers are unhappy with their houses.
A survey conducted by the Beijing Consumers' Association (BCA) recently shows about 80 percent of the 2,315 respondents in 23 residential complexes of Beijing are dissatisfied with the soaring house prices.
They think the reasonable price in Beijing should be between 3,000 yuan and 7,000 yuan per square meter.
The quality of the buildings, the surrounding environment and traffic and property management are the other factors that play a role in people's decision to buy a house.
The BCA has suggested strict sales regulations and contracts to ease house-owners' sufferings. It has urged the authorities to impose severe punishment on developers found violating building and other rules and joining hands with others to bid up property prices.
About 41.2 percent of the respondents have complained that their houses have defective designs, while nearly 40 percent say the lighting and ventilation are far from satisfactory.
The landscapes in the residential areas are a source of unhappiness for 43.2 percent of the respondents, and about one-third say they were "bluffed" into buying "third grade" houses.
And more than half are not satisfied with the sport and entertainment facilities in their neighborhood.
Property management in the buildings, 56.5 percent of the respondents say, is way below standard compared to the high fee charged by the complexes.
A whopping 60 percent of the consumers doubt the contents of developers' advertisements, with only 6.3 percent being satisfied.
Experts have suggested consumers gather thorough knowledge about a developer and their work before deciding to buy a house from it. They should check the day-light conditions and ventilation in different weather conditions in advance, if possible.
买房对于大多数人来说是个一辈子的决定，但做出这个决定的前提是必须要遇到一套理想的房子。但令人惊讶的是，80%的购房者对他们买的房子不满意。
北京消费者协会近日开展的一项调查显示，在北京23个居民区的2315位受访者中，约80%的人对不断攀升的房价不满。
他们认为，北京市较为合理的房价应在每平方米3000元在7000元之间。
影响人们买房的因素包括楼盘的工程质量、周边环境、交通、物业管理等。
北京市消费者协会建议，应通过实行严格的售房管理制度及售房合同来保护购房者利益。此外，北京市消协敦促有关部门对违反房屋建筑等规定及哄抬房价的开发商予以重罚。
约41.2%的受访居民称，他们所购房屋的规划设计存在缺陷，近40%的人对房屋的采光及通风大为不满。
43.2%的受访者对小区景观不满意，约三分之一的人说他们"上了当"，买了"三流"的房子。
超过一半的人对小区内的运动和娱乐设施不满。
56.5%的受访购房者认为，小区的物业管理水平与他们收取的高物业费远不匹配。
多达60%的消费者对开发商的广告内容表示怀疑，仅有6.3%的人满意。
专家建议，消费者在决定买房之前最好对开发商及他们建造的房屋进行全面了解。如果有条件的话，应提前对房屋在不同天气状况下的采光及通风状况进行考察。
Vocabulary:
ventilation :通风
bluff
Americans say cheating
unacceptable but still do it
Have you ever cheated on
her(him)?
Although the majority of Americans say it is unacceptable, nearly one in four married adults still cheat on their spouses.
But what constitutes being unfaithful differs among men and women, according to a new survey.
Most people questioned in the poll agree physical contact -- including kissing someone other than your partner -- means you are cheating. But 77 percent of women also think using the Internet for online *ual talk or cavorting in front of a Webcam is also cheating, compared to only 57 percent of men.
"We've always had the inside scoop about what's on the minds of women, especially when it comes to relationships, said Deborah Fine, president of iVillage Inc, a media firm dedicated to women.
"This new survey gives us a closer look at how both men and women feel about the topic of fidelity," she added in a statement.
Nearly three-quarters of women also feel sending flirtatious emails is cheating, as opposed to 53 percent of men.
According to the online survey of 70,288 people, the most common cheating partners are friends and co-workers. Money is also an element in deceitful behavior because the higher a man's salary the more likely it is that he will be unfaithful.
But the same does not apply to women.
Men said they usually strayed because they wanted more *, while women sought emotional attention.
The survey also revealed that many partners will try to find out if their spouse is straying.
Eighty-three percent of people questioned in the poll said they would try to trick them into confessing, 63 percent would pay for a private detective and more than half said they would have no qualms about checking emails and telephone logs.
But when people do have affairs they are usually brief. Nearly 30 percent last a week or less and 47 percent are done within a month.
Those who do cheat rarely get caught, only about 30 percent or less, according to the survey. And just 13 percent confess to their misdeeds.
(Reuters)
尽管大多数美国人认为对伴侣不忠不可接受，但却有近四分之一的已婚人士仍然这样做。
然而，据一项最新调查显示，男性和女性对“不忠”的理解有所不同。
大多数受访者认为与伴侣以外的其他人接吻等身体接触是一种不忠的表现。但77%的女性认为，在网上互相聊一些下流的话题或通过网络摄像头打情骂俏也是不忠的表现，而持此观点的男性只有57%。
iVillage女性媒体公司的总裁黛博拉·范恩说，“我们总能掌握女性的一些隐秘想法，尤其在两性关系方面。”
她在一份声明中说：“这项新调查则针对忠贞这一问题对男性和女性的想法进行了更为深入的了解。”
此外，近四分之三的女性觉得发调情的电子邮件也是不忠，持此看法的男性比例为53%。
据此项对70288人进行的在线调查显示，朋友和同事最易成为“拈花惹草”的对象。金钱也是不忠行为发生的一个因素，因为男人的收入越高，越轨的可能性会越大。
但这个“理论”并不适合女性。
男人说他们越轨是因为性需求；女人则说她们则是为了寻求情感上的呵护。
此外，调查显示，很多人表示他们会查明配偶是否有越轨行为。
83%的受访者表示他们会采取一些小手段，“诱使”对方坦白；63%的人则表示会去找一个私家侦探；一半以上的人说他们会去查对方的电子邮件和电话记录。
但是真正有越轨行为的人通常会速战速决。近30%的人持续一周或不到一周的时间，47%的人则在一个月内就完事。
调查显示，有不忠行为的人很少被抓个现形，只有30%或更少的人遭遇过此尴尬。仅有13%的人向伴侣坦白过自己的错误行为。
Vocabulary:
inside scoop: 内幕消息
cheat on : 对配偶不忠
stray : 此处指“越轨”
Although the majority of Americans say it is unacceptable, nearly one in four married adults still cheat on their spouses.
But what constitutes being unfaithful differs among men and women, according to a new survey.
Most people questioned in the poll agree physical contact -- including kissing someone other than your partner -- means you are cheating. But 77 percent of women also think using the Internet for online *ual talk or cavorting in front of a Webcam is also cheating, compared to only 57 percent of men.
"We've always had the inside scoop about what's on the minds of women, especially when it comes to relationships, said Deborah Fine, president of iVillage Inc, a media firm dedicated to women.
"This new survey gives us a closer look at how both men and women feel about the topic of fidelity," she added in a statement.
Nearly three-quarters of women also feel sending flirtatious emails is cheating, as opposed to 53 percent of men.
According to the online survey of 70,288 people, the most common cheating partners are friends and co-workers. Money is also an element in deceitful behavior because the higher a man's salary the more likely it is that he will be unfaithful.
But the same does not apply to women.
Men said they usually strayed because they wanted more *, while women sought emotional attention.
The survey also revealed that many partners will try to find out if their spouse is straying.
Eighty-three percent of people questioned in the poll said they would try to trick them into confessing, 63 percent would pay for a private detective and more than half said they would have no qualms about checking emails and telephone logs.
But when people do have affairs they are usually brief. Nearly 30 percent last a week or less and 47 percent are done within a month.
Those who do cheat rarely get caught, only about 30 percent or less, according to the survey. And just 13 percent confess to their misdeeds.
(Reuters)
尽管大多数美国人认为对伴侣不忠不可接受，但却有近四分之一的已婚人士仍然这样做。
然而，据一项最新调查显示，男性和女性对“不忠”的理解有所不同。
大多数受访者认为与伴侣以外的其他人接吻等身体接触是一种不忠的表现。但77%的女性认为，在网上互相聊一些下流的话题或通过网络摄像头打情骂俏也是不忠的表现，而持此观点的男性只有57%。
iVillage女性媒体公司的总裁黛博拉·范恩说，“我们总能掌握女性的一些隐秘想法，尤其在两性关系方面。”
她在一份声明中说：“这项新调查则针对忠贞这一问题对男性和女性的想法进行了更为深入的了解。”
此外，近四分之三的女性觉得发调情的电子邮件也是不忠，持此看法的男性比例为53%。
据此项对70288人进行的在线调查显示，朋友和同事最易成为“拈花惹草”的对象。金钱也是不忠行为发生的一个因素，因为男人的收入越高，越轨的可能性会越大。
但这个“理论”并不适合女性。
男人说他们越轨是因为性需求；女人则说她们则是为了寻求情感上的呵护。
此外，调查显示，很多人表示他们会查明配偶是否有越轨行为。
83%的受访者表示他们会采取一些小手段，“诱使”对方坦白；63%的人则表示会去找一个私家侦探；一半以上的人说他们会去查对方的电子邮件和电话记录。
但是真正有越轨行为的人通常会速战速决。近30%的人持续一周或不到一周的时间，47%的人则在一个月内就完事。
调查显示，有不忠行为的人很少被抓个现形，只有30%或更少的人遭遇过此尴尬。仅有13%的人向伴侣坦白过自己的错误行为。
Vocabulary:
inside scoop: 内幕消息
cheat on : 对配偶不忠
stray : 此处指“越轨”
顶