每日一词学英语(149-24/09/09): puddle

月球表面每吨土壤含水量达一升。不过，说起“月球上的水”，并不是说湖、海或水洼。Carle Pieters, of Brown University, who led the Chandrayaan-1 observation team, said: “When we say ‘water on the moon’, we are not talking about lakes, oceans or even puddles. 月球上的水特指月球表层几毫米内与岩石分子和粉尘相互作用的水分子和羟基。(From The Times, September 24, 2009: Moon 'has a litre of water for every tonne of soil')

puddle: (noun) a small amount of water or other liquid, especially rain, that has collected in one place on the ground. 水洼；小水坑；（尤指）雨水坑。

每日一词学英语(148-23/09/09): hung

英国自由民主党党魁Nick Clegg高调宣布将成为下届首相。Although he said Labour was “lost”, Mr Clegg did not directly rule out putting Gordon Brown back in Downing Street in the event of a hung Parliament. (From Times Online, September 23, 2009: We have replaced Labour claims Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg) 他认为，工党虽然已经败了，不过布朗还不是就没有了重返唐宁街的可能。

hung: (adj.) [only before noun] (of a parliament or council) (BrE) in which no political party has more elected members than all the other parties added together.
任何政党都不占多数席位的。

hung parliament: 【英】没有多数党的议会。

每日一词学英语(147-22/09/09): lymph

Dendritic cells normally latch on to bacteria and viruses before migrating to the lymph nodes, where they present the alien material to the immune system’s “killer” T-cells that seek and destroy such invaders. (From Economist, September 22, 2009: Identifying the enemy within)

lymph发音是[limf]，中文根据拉丁文lympha译成“淋巴”，意思是：(noun) [U] a clear liquid containing white blood cells that helps to clean the tissues of the body and helps to prevent infections from spreading。

lymph node是“淋巴结”。

每日一词学英语(146-21/09/09): bear the brunt of

英国政府削减开支，教育机构首当其冲。“Federations between schools may be a good idea but must not be required as a way to make cuts,” she added - calling for the Government’s academies programme to bear the brunt of cuts. (From Times Online, September 20, 2009: Unions alarmed by Ed Balls schools cuts)

bear, take, etc. the brunt of sth: to receive the main force of sth unpleasant. 首当其冲。
*Schools will bear the brunt of cuts in government spending.

每日一词学英语(145-20/09/09): E coli

E coli即Escherichia coli，又写作E. coli，(noun) [U] a type of bacteria that lives inside humans and some animals, some forms of which can cause food poisoning，大肠杆菌。

Hugh Pennington, emeritus professor of bacteriology at the University of Aberdeen, said E coli 0157 was prevalent in cows, sheep and goats, with research showing about one in 10 cows carried the bug and 40% of herds. (From The Sunday Times, September 20, 2009: Parents warned of high E coli risk on farms)

每日一词学英语(144-19/09/09): quango

In weird parallel, another quango set up to safeguard the public is also in the headlines—but this time the story is about overkill, not complacency. (From The Economist, September 17, 2009: A toxic mix)

quango: (noun) (pl. -os) (often disapproving) (in Britain) an organization dealing with public matters, started by the government, but working independently and with its own legal powers.
*The government appoints hundreds of people to voluntary bodies, quangos and committees of all kinds.

Etymology: The initial letters (the first two letters for the first word) of "quasi-autonomous non-governmental organization". 准自制非政府机构。

每日一词学英语(143-18/09/09): with flying colors

第一次面试顺利通过，接下来会有第二次面试。You passed the first interview with flying colors and you just got a call to schedule a second interview. (From About: Second Interview Tips)

with flying colors: very well; with a very high mark/grade. 出色地，成功地。
*She passed the exam with flying colours.

这个词组的起源是：In the past, a ship returned to port after a victory in battle decorated with flags (= colors).

每日一词学英语(142-17/09/09): paediatric

The Association of Paediatric Emergency Medicine (APEM), which represents A&E specialists, called on the Government to make it illegal for children under 16 to cycle without wearing head protection. (From Times Online, September 17, 2009: A&E doctors demand that child cyclists be forced to wear helmets)

第30课（28 May 2009）提过词根“pedia-”，是“儿童”的意思。pediatric是形容词，儿科的，paediatric是其英式拼法。

上面那句话中“A&E”是Accident & Emergency的缩写。代表事故和急救专家的英国儿科急救医学协会呼吁政府制定法律，要求16岁以下孩子骑车必须戴头盔。这样可以大幅降低儿童头部伤害事故。

中国何时能效仿？

每日一词学英语(141-16/09/09): Achilles’ heel

希腊英雄Achilles小的时候，他妈妈把他浸没到Styx河里以求保护他不受伤害。他的脚后跟被他妈妈的手托着，因此没挨上河水。后来，Achilles被一箭射伤脚后跟而亡。

Achilles’ heel (alternative spelling of Achilles heel)是单数形式，复数是在heel后加s。noun [sing.] a weak point or fault in sb’s character, which can be attacked by other people。
*The desire for publicity became her Achilles heel.
*The enemy had an Achilles heel somewhere, if only he could find it.
*About 8 per cent of Caucasian men but fewer than 0.5 per cent of females are colour blind. The reason for this lies in a genetic Achilles’ heel particular to males. (From Times Online, September 16, 2009: X marks the spot: why men don't see red – or green) 白种男人有8%是色盲，而白种女人只有0.5%是色盲。这是因为人类尤其是男人在基因上的致命弱点。

每日一词学英语(140-15/09/09): sommelier

The soaring popularity of the sommelier course is part of a much wider explosion of interest among the Japanese in “treasures of the soil”. (From The Times, September 14, 2009: Japan’s recession brings growing interest in fruit and vegetables)

今天这个词源于法语，意思是：斟酒侍者，A wine steward. The person at an expensive restaurant who keeps the wine cellar and advises guests on a choice of wines (Wiktionary)。
*The sommelier recommended the perfect wine, opened the bottle with panáche, and served it perfectly. 斟酒侍者给推荐了美酒，花哨地开了瓶子，漂亮地倒上酒。