Would you like a robot companion? Neil Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. Beth And I'm Beth. Neil One area of technology which has been in the news a lot recently is robotics – the design and building of robots. Humanoid robots, meaning robots which appear and behave like humans, are being built to help us do everything from washing the dishes to babysitting the kids. Beth But not everyone feels comfortable with the idea of inviting a human-like robot into their home. Neil, how would you feel about living with a robot? Neil I really don't want to live with a robot. I have enough people in my house. Beth With advances in AI, robots are becoming smart enough to develop meaningful relationships with humans. There are reports of people telling their secrets to robot therapists and even falling in love with their robot friend! In this episode, we'll meet a home companion robot called Abi, who's making friends with the elderly residents of Melbourne in Australia. Neil First, I have a question for you, Beth. Because it's important people feel safe around robots, engineers design them to look like the friendly characters seen in animated movies by studios like Pixar and DreamWorks. So, what is the name of Pixar's friendly robot who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805? Is it: a) Roz, b) Wall-E, or c) R2D2? Beth I am pretty certain that the answer is b) Wall-E. Neil Well, we'll find out the answer later in the programme. For five months during the Covid pandemic, Australian engineer Grace Brown had no human contact. She used this time to build a home companion robot, Abi, with the idea it would provide companionship to other people suffering loneliness. Now, Grace runs her own company, Andromeda, building robots specially designed as company for elderly residents in care homes who don't get many visitors. Here, she explains more about Abi to BBC World Service programme The Conversation: Grace Brown Abi, who's the humanoid robot that we build at Andromeda – people don't expect humanoid robots to have, like, so much personality. She's very, very sassy. She's very inquisitive and curious. And I think when people meet her, they're always, kind of, taken aback by… "Oh, she's, like, got a mind of her own." Beth When people meet Abi, they are surprised by her sassy personality. The adjective sassy means bold, confident and cheeky. Neil Some people are taken aback – meaning they are shocked or surprised by the things Abi says. She really seems to be interested and to take care of the people she meets. Abi can also express opinions, and Grace says she has a mind of her own – a phrase used when a non-living object, like a robot, seems to be behaving or acting independently of human control. Beth Unlike the unpredictable and violent robots which are sometimes portrayed in sci-fi movies, Abi is much more approachable and friendly, even funny – she can blow bubbles from her hand! Her softer design was a conscious decision by Grace, who wanted children and elderly people to interact with Abi naturally and without fear, as she explained to BBC World Service's, The Conversation. Grace Brown I originally modelled her off the size of, like, a young child – so, like a six, seven-year-old child – so she's about 110cm tall. She's got a whole splash of different colours. She's got, you know, large, expressive eyes. So, that was – I was very much trying to replicate the kind of approachableness and the endearingness of, like, these different, like, Pixar characters that you'd watch in all of these films. Neil Abi looks like a friendly character from a Pixar film. She's the size of a six or seven-year-old child and decorated with a splash of colour – a phrase used when a bit of colour is added to brighten up something which is dull or unexciting. Beth Abi also has large, expressive eyes. If you describe something as expressive, you mean it shows what someone thinks or feels. Neil Elderly residents who regularly chat with Abi say the robot companion brings them joy and a sense of community. Beth Ah, well, it's good to hear the positive side of a technology which can still seem a bit strange or frightening. And I would like to see Abi blowing bubbles from her hand! Now, isn't it time you revealed the answer to your question, Neil? Neil I asked you for the name of Pixar's friendly robot, who picks up garbage on an uninhabited planet Earth in the year 2805. Beth And I said it was Wall-E. Neil And you were… correct. Beth Yes! Neil That is the right answer. OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with humanoid – an adjective meaning to have the appearance and behaviour of a human. Beth Someone who is sassy is bold, confident and cheeky. Neil If you are taken aback by something, you are shocked or surprised by it. 📝字数限制，完整文本、词汇表， 翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

What your desk says about you Are you the kind of person whose desk is alwa­­ys spick and span? Or is it a bit of a mess? How you organise your working space can say a lot about you. In fact, environmental psychologist Lily Bernheimer developed five distinct "desk personality types" in a study commissioned by UK co-working firm Headspace Group. Which of them best reflects you? First up: are you "the clutterer"? Clutter means mess – and Bernheimer says a clutterer's desk is likely to be colourful, chaotic and covered in trinkets. These people are usually more extroverted and welcoming, and love being at the "crossroads" of the office. The hitch is that they're often too busy to tidy up after themselves! Or perhaps you're "the minimalist"? A polar opposite to the clutterer, the minimalist has nothing unneccessary on his or her desk. These workers are often highly conscientious and disciplined, if a little cautious. But Bernheimer says this does not necessarily mean they're introverts – they just love structure. Type three is "the expander". Personal space is very important to them, and it creeps ever outwards, even if this is not a consciously aggressive act. Bernheimer says: "They may try to claim more and more territory for themselves by moving their coffee cup and their sandwich out further and further." "The personaliser" is our fourth type, and it's quite self-explanatory. These people customise their space with photos, mementos and personal objects. "A simple, stylish or unusual workspace tells people that you're high in the trait called 'openness', which means you're likely to be high in creativity, intellectuality and openness to new experience," says Bernheimer. And finally, there's "the surveyor". These people feel insecure in the middle of the office, and seek out the quieter corners. From an evolutionary perspective, looking for well-protected spots from which to keep an eye out for potential threats makes sense. Surveyors are often introverted, but also highly productive and creative, if given the space and support they need. Whichever type you are, making personal statements through presentation is deep in our nature, says Sam Gosling, professor of psychology at the University of Texas: "One of the reasons physical spaces, including one's office desks, can be so revealing is that they're essentially the crystallisation of a lot of behaviour over time." 词汇表 spick and span [ˌspɪk ən ˈspæn] 整洁如新的，一尘不染的 mess [mes] 杂乱，凌乱，混乱 commission [kə'mɪʃ(ə)n] 委托，委任，安排做 the clutterer [ˈklʌtərə(r)] 杂乱者（指办公桌面杂乱无章的人） clutter [ˈklʌtə(r)] 杂乱的东西，凌乱的环境 chaotic [keɪˈɒtɪk] 混乱的，无秩序的 trinket [ˈtrɪŋkɪt] 小装饰品，小玩意儿 extroverted [ˈekstrəvɜːtɪd] 性格外向的，外向型的 welcoming [ˈwelkəmɪŋ] 热情友好的，好客的 crossroad [ˈkrɒsrəʊd] 十字路口，交叉路（文中指办公室里人员往来频繁的区域） hitch [hɪtʃ] 小问题，故障，障碍 tidy up after oneself [ˈtaɪdi] 自己收拾干净，自己整理好 the minimalist [ˈmɪnɪməlɪst] 极简者（指办公桌面奉行极简风格的人） polar opposite [ˈpəʊlə ˈɒpəzɪt] 截然相反的情况，对立面 conscientious [ˌkɒnʃiˈenʃəs] 认真负责的，尽责的，一丝不苟的 disciplined [ˈdɪsəplɪnd] 守规矩的，遵守纪律的 introvert [ˈɪntrəvɜːt] 性格内向者；内向的 the expander [ɪkˈspændə(r)] 扩张者（指倾向于扩大办公桌空间的人） creep outwards [kriːp ˈaʊtwədz] 向外蔓延，向外扩展 aggressive [əˈɡresɪv] 有攻击性的，侵略性的 claim territory [kleɪm ˈterətri] 占据领地，抢占空间 the personaliser [ˈpɜːsənəlaɪzə(r)] 个性化者（将办公空间进行个性化装饰的人） self-explanatory [ˌself ɪkˈsplænətri] 不言自明的，一目了然的 customise [ˈkʌstəmaɪz] 定制，改造，使个性化 memento [məˈmentəʊ] 纪念品，纪念物 stylish [ˈstaɪlɪʃ] 时髦的，时尚的；有格调的 trait [treɪt] （个人的）特征，特质 openness [ˈəʊpənnəs] 开放性；坦诚，坦率 intellectuality [ˌɪntəlektʃuˈæləti] 求知欲，智力；知性 the surveyor [ðə səˈveɪə(r)] 观察者（在办公环境中选择安静角落的人） evolutionary [ˌiːvəˈluːʃənri] 进化的；演变的，逐步发展的 well-protected spot 安全的地方，受保护的地点 keep an eye out for 留意，警惕，密切注意 revealing [rɪˈviːlɪŋ] 揭示的，有启示性的，暴露真相的 crystallisation [ˌkrɪstəlaɪˈzeɪʃn] 结晶，缩影，成形 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

What's behind your anxious mind? One of the most difficult features of anxiety is that it tends to be all-consuming. It squats in the middle of our minds and refuses to let anything else in or through. Though the anxiety causes us great pain, it denies any attempts to be questioned, analysed, probed or reconfigured. We are both terrified and unable to think beyond our terror. Our thoughts become low, relentless, repetitive, stymied things: returning again and again to the issue of whether the door is locked, the accounts were signed off or the social media account is not under attack. Anxiety dominates over and excludes any other form of mental activity; all that's in our minds is terror. But there is one nimble way to try to outwit anxiety – and that is with a question that recognises a fundamental feature of anxiety: that it is frequently a smokescreen for something else, something beyond what we consciously think is worrying us. One of the peculiar facets of our minds is that we may choose to feel anxious rather than to confront things that may yet be more painful or emotionally awkward in our lives. It can be easier to fret than to know ourselves properly. So, for example, we might feel anxious about whether we're going to get to the airport on time as an escape from the greater challenge of wondering whether this holiday is even worth it. Or we might get intensely anxious about a financial issue in order to avoid a yet trickier acknowledgement of our confusion at the course of our emotional lives. Or we may develop a sexual anxiety as an alternative to thinking about our sense of self-worth and the childhood that destroyed it. Panic may be invited to shield us from more profound sources of self-aware agony. And yet, of course, we are always better off getting to the root cause of our troubles, rather than filling our minds with diversionary panic – and in order to do so, we would be wise at points to ask ourselves a simple but possibly highly revealing question: 'If your mind wasn't currently filled with these particular anxious thoughts, what might you have to think about right now?' The question, as simple in structure as it is acute in design, is liable to unlock a moment of original insight. One answer might go like this: – I might realise how sad and lonely I am… – I might realise how angry I feel towards my partner… – I might realise how abandoned I feel… And that, of course, is precisely what we should be doing now. Filling our minds with, and processing, all the stuff that our anxiety is normally trying to keep at bay. If we need to suffer, and often we will, the least we can do is to ensure that we are suffering for the right reasons. At points, we should trade our anxiety in for something far more important: a confrontation with the real ambivalence and complexity of our lives. 词汇表 all-consuming [ˌɔːl kənˈsjuːmɪŋ] 占据全部心神的，耗费精力的 squat [skwɒt] 盘踞，蹲伏 probe [prəʊb] 探究，调查 reconfigure [ˌriːkənˈfɪɡə(r)] 重构，重新配置 terrified [ˈterɪfaɪd] 恐惧的，极度害怕的 terror [ˈterə(r)] 恐惧，惊恐 relentless [rɪˈlentləs] 顽固的，持续不断的，无情的 stymied [ˈstaɪmid] 受阻的，停滞不前的 sign off 签字确认，批准 dominate over [ˈdɒmɪneɪt] 占据上风，支配 nimble [ˈnɪmbl] 巧妙的，灵活的，机智的 outwit [ˌaʊtˈwɪt] 智胜，以机智胜过 smokescreen [ˈsməʊkskriːn] 烟雾弹，掩饰手段 peculiar facet [pɪˈkjuːliə(r) ˈfæset] 奇特之处，独特的方面 awkward [ˈɔːkwəd] 难处理的，棘手的 fret [fret] 焦虑，苦恼，发愁 intensely [ɪnˈtensli] 极度地，强烈地 self-worth [ˌself ˈwɜːθ] 自我价值感，自尊 shield [ʃiːld] 保护，防御，躲避 self-aware agony [ˌself əˈweə(r) ˈæɡəni] 自我认知的痛苦，自觉的痛苦 better off 状况更好，处境更好 diversionary panic [daɪˈvɜːʃənəri ˈpænɪk] 转移注意力的恐慌 revealing [rɪˈviːlɪŋ] 启发性的，揭示性的 acute [əˈkjuːt] 精妙的，敏锐的 be liable to [ˈlaɪəbl] 往往会，倾向于，有可能 unlock [ʌnˈlɒk] 激发，发掘，释放 original insight [ˈɪnsaɪt] 独到的见解 abandoned [əˈbændənd] （感到）被遗弃的，被抛弃的 keep at bay [beɪ] 阻挡，牵制，使无法靠近 confrontation [ˌkɒnfrʌnˈteɪʃn] 直面，对抗，对峙 ambivalence [æmˈbɪvələns] 矛盾心理，举棋不定 complexity [kəmˈpleksəti] 复杂性，复杂事物 🏫翻译，视频和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

How to develop superhuman charm Life isn't fair. Some people just seem blessed with the ability to effortlessly charm anyone they meet. You know the kind of person, the one who can strike up a conversation with a complete stranger and end up with a new friend or business lead. How do they do it? Well, it might seem like a magical power, but in fact there are a number of factors at work. So, can you learn to develop superhuman charm? The answer is: to a large extent, yes you can. But first, the bad news. Scientists have found that people initially judge each other based purely on physical appearance. With just a fleeting glimpse of a face, people make snap judgements about each other's likeability, trustworthiness and confidence, according to Alexander Todorov, professor of psychology at Princeton University. How to counteract this? There's one incredibly simple tool: your smile. Todorov told the BBC that people perceive a smiling face as "more trustworthy, warmer and sociable". It sounds like common sense, doesn't it? Smile and others will smile with you. What other tricks might we have up our sleeves? Former FBI agent Jack Schafer has been trained in how to influence people. He told BBC Capital: "Our brains are always surveying the environment for friend or foe signals." Three things we can do to signal that we are not a threat are to: raise our eyebrows quickly, tilt our heads slightly, and, once again, to smile. So we've looked at body language, but of course what you say is hugely important too, unless you want to just stand there grinning foolishly. Here, Schafer recommends that "the golden rule of friendship is if you make people feel good about themselves, they're going to like you." In other words, you need to show interest in them, instead of talking about yourself and all your wonderful achievements. And while you're chatting, remember this: another way of showing interest is to mirror their physical position. Another way to form a connection? Find common ground. Suzanne de Janasz, a professor of management with Seattle University, says that charming people are particularly adept at seeking out shared interests or experiences to help them build rapport. Simple things like asking where someone's from really can open up a discussion and allow you to find areas in common. And if all else fails, you can fall back on that most British of topics: the weather. Glorious day, isn't it? 词汇表 be blessed with [ˈblesɪd] 有幸拥有，被赋予（某种优势或品质） effortlessly [ˈefətləsli] 毫不费力地，轻易地 charm [tʃɑːm] 迷住，使着迷，魅力 strike up a conversation [straɪk] 搭话，开始交谈 business lead 商业机会，潜在客户 at work 在起作用，在运转 superhuman charm [ˌsuːpəˈhjuːmən tʃɑːm] 超凡的魅力，非凡的吸引力 to a large extent [ɪkˈstens] 在很大程度上 purely [ˈpjʊəli] 纯粹地，完全地 a fleeting glimpse [ˈfliːtɪŋ ɡlɪmps] 匆匆一瞥，短暂的窥见 snap judgement [snæp] 快速、草率、仓促的判断 likeability [ˌlaɪkəˈbɪləti] 亲和力，好感度，讨人喜欢 trustworthiness [ˈtrʌstwɜːðinəs] 可信度，可靠性 counteract [ˌkaʊntəˈrækt] 抵消，中和，对抗（不良影响） trustworthy [ˈtrʌstˌwɜːði] 值得信任的，可靠的 sociable [ˈsəʊʃəbl] 善于社交的，合群的，友善的 common sense 常识，常理 have something up one's sleeve [sliːv] 留有一招，暗藏妙计 FBI agent [ˈeɪdʒənt] 联邦调查局特工 foe [fəʊ] 敌人，仇敌 raise our eyebrows [ˈaɪbraʊz] 扬起眉毛 tilt our heads [tɪlt] 倾斜头部，侧着头，歪着头 grin foolishly [ɡrɪn ˈfuːlɪʃli] 咧嘴傻笑 golden rule [ˈɡəʊldən ruːl] 黄金法则，重要原则 mirror [ˈmɪrə(r)] 模仿，效仿（身体姿势） common ground 共同点，共识 be adept at [əˈdept] 擅长，精通 rapport [ræˈpɔː(r)] 融洽关系，和谐氛围 fall back on 退而求其次，转而依靠，求助于 glorious day [ˈɡlɔːriəs] 美好的一天，晴朗的一天 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

How can I stop being a people pleaser? Did you get roped into taking care of your neighbor's dog again? End up laughing at a colleague's awkward joke about your outfit? Or say yes to a last-minute task that your boss dropped on you out of nowhere? Your instinct may have been screaming no, but as usual you found yourself chuckling uncomfortably and reluctantly saying yes through clenched teeth. This compulsion to avoid disappointing others is known as people-pleasing. For some, the joy derived from pleasing others can end up being a real problem, posing a threat to both physical and mental well-being. So how can I break free then? First and foremost, you need to learn to say no. Our desperate need to please often stems from an underlying fear of rejection or the anxiety of not being liked. In some people, this traces back to childhood, where associating the risk of displeasing someone with danger led them to develop the defense mechanism of always saying yes. Now there's no need to make someone else feel guilty, but it's crucial that you set boundaries, and that can start with declining minor requests as frequently as possible. Mastering the art of saying no is a gradual process, and repetition is key for it to become ingrained over time. It's also about acknowledging that you can't be everyone's cup of tea, just as not everyone is yours. Are you saying I literally can't please everyone then? Exactly. That brings me on to my second point. You need to grasp the differences in perspectives that individuals have. Qualities like candidness, which might endear you to some, can be seen completely differently by others. It's all about personalities, and you simply can't contort yourself to fit everyone's mold. Not only is that exhausting, but the end result isn't positive either. You need to accept not being able to control the personalities or preferences of those around you. Do you have any final tips? Certainly. Try not to see everything in black and white. In November 2017, The Cut ran an article entitled How to Get Over the Need to be Liked by Everyone You Meet. One of its key pieces of advice was that recognising your own skewed perception of the world is the first step towards correcting it. Let's delve a little deeper into that idea. Our brains often trick us into thinking that others don't like us, triggering a desire to alter our behavior to gain their approval. This tendency is particularly pronounced in people who are prone to social anxiety. Some of us are highly sensitive to the feeling of rejection, and those people tend to perceive malice everywhere. They may well think that they're being excluded in certain scenarios when it's not really the case at all. At the end of the day, try to remember that what matters most is how you perceive yourself. There you have it. 词汇表 people pleaser [ˈpliːzə(r)] 讨好者，讨好型人格，取悦他人的人 people-pleasing [ˈpiːpl ˈpliːzɪŋ] 讨好他人，取悦他人，迎合他人 get roped into [rəʊpt] 被卷入，被拉入，被迫参与 outfit [ˈaʊtfɪt] 穿搭，套装，装备 last-minute 最后一刻的，临时的 drop on（任务等）突然交给，突然安排给 out of nowhere 突然出现，毫无预兆 chuckle ['tʃʌk(ə)l] 轻笑，咯咯笑 reluctantly [rɪˈlʌktəntli] 不情愿地，勉强地 through clenched teeth [klent ˈtiːθ] 咬牙切齿地 compulsion [kəmˈpʌlʃn] 强迫行为，强烈冲动 derive from [dɪˈraɪv] 源自，来自 pose a threat to 对…构成威胁 break free 摆脱，挣脱 stem from [stem] 起源于，源于 rejection [rɪˈdʒekʃn] 拒绝，否决，排斥 displease [dɪsˈpliːz] 使不高兴，惹恼 defense mechanism [dɪˈfens ˈmekənɪzəm] （心理）防御机制 set boundaries [ˈbaʊndriz] 设立边界，划定界限 decline minor requests [dɪˈklaɪn ˈmaɪnə(r) rɪˈkwestz] 拒绝小请求 ingrained [ɪnˈɡreɪnd] （习惯或观念）根深蒂固的，日久难改的 cup of tea 喜欢的人或事物，合心意的东西 candidness [ˈkændɪdnəs] 坦率，直率 endear you to [ɪnˈdɪə(r)] 使受喜爱，使受欢迎 contort [kənˈtɔːt] （使）扭曲，歪曲 fit everyone's mold [məʊld] 迎合所有人的期待，符合所有人的标准 see things in black and white 非黑即白地看待事物，看待事物过于绝对化 skewed perception [skjuːd pəˈsepʃn] 歪曲的认知，偏差的看法 delve deep into [delv] 深入探究，深入钻研 trick someone into 欺骗某人做，使某人不知不觉地做 pronounced [prəˈnaʊnst] 明显的，显著的 be highly sensitive to [ˈsensətɪv] 对…高度敏感，对…非常敏感 malice [ˈmælɪs] 恶意，怨恨 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

Can we live without plastic? Neil Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil. Beth And I'm Beth. "Plastic is fantastic!" This phrase was used a lot in the 1950s when mass-produced plastic items started to become part of our everyday lives. The following decades saw a revolution as plastic became the most commonly used material in modern life, found in everything from cars to furniture to packaging. Take a quick look around and you'll soon see how many everyday items contain plastic. Neil But now our love of plastic is being questioned, mostly thanks to climate change and pollution caused by single-use plastics – plastic products which are designed to be used just once before being thrown away. 11 million tonnes of plastic waste are dumped into our oceans every year. It's believed that single-use plastics make up 40% of all plastic pollution globally. Beth What's more, it's not just land and water being polluted – tiny plastic pieces known as microbeads have even been found inside the human body, and can be passed from mother to child through breast milk. And because plastic comes from fossil fuels, the process of making it creates problems at every stage, from burning coal, to transportation, to recycling. In this programme, we'll be asking: is it time to live without plastic? And, as usual, we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well. Neil But first I have a question for you, Beth. One reason why plastic became so popular is that it's a very flexible material. It can be formed into different shapes, making it useful for keeping food fresh, or holding liquid. Originally, plastic was invented to replace the decreasing supply of natural materials like metal, wood and glass. So which items did plastic first replace? Was it: a) snooker balls? b) shopping bags? or, c) hairbrushes? Beth Hmm, I guess the first thing to be made of plastic was a hairbrush. Neil OK, Beth, I'll reveal the answer later in the programme. Dr Sherri Mason is Professor of Chemistry at Penn State University in the US, and a specialist in plastic pollution. Her award-winning 2017 research into microplastics in rivers led to the US Congress banning microbeads. Here, she explains the problem of plastics to BBC World Service programme, The Real Story: Dr Sherri Mason Plastic is synthetic and, as a consequence of that, nature doesn't really know what to do with it. Like, a paper bag that's sitting on the side of the road - it's unsightly, but within weeks there are organisms in the soil that can use that paper bag as a food source, right… they have evolved to basically chew up that paper bag and turn it back into soil, turn it back into carbon and nitrogen and oxygen. But with regard to plastic because it is a synthetic material, you don't have that evolution. There are some organisms that can use it as a food source, but they're few and far between, especially when you're talking about water systems, aquatic systems and the temperatures that exist, and so they can't really use it as a food source so plastic doesn't biodegrade. Beth Plastic is a synthetic material, meaning that it's made by combining man-made chemicals, instead of existing naturally. Natural materials like paper decay and harmlessly turn back into soil – they biodegrade. But plastic is not like this. It doesn't decay and get broken down by microbes and bacteria. Neil In fact, some plastic-eating microbes and bacteria do exist, but these are few and far between, they're rare, and don't happen very often. It's the fact that plastic doesn't decay which is responsible for the waste we see in the environment, waste which is often unsightly, meaning ugly and unpleasant to look at. Beth Fortunately, help is at hand. The plastic-eating microbes Neil mentioned, especially one called Rhodococcus ruber, have been tested by scientists and seem capable of breaking down plastic into its basic components. What's also needed is an emphasis on reducing plastic production, especially packaging and other single-use products, rather than simply recycling. Action like this should help plastic achieve its original purpose – to help preserve, not pollute, our natural resources. And speaking of the origins of plastic, isn't it time to reveal the answer to your question, Neil? Neil Right. I asked you which object made of natural materials was the first to be replaced by plastic. You said it was a hairbrush which was… the wrong answer I'm afraid, Beth. In fact the first plastic-moulding machine was used in 1872 to produce snooker balls. OK let's recap the vocabulary we've learned from this programme starting with single-use plastics - plastic products which are designed to be used just once before being thrown away. Beth Microbeads are tiny plastic particles found in products like toothpastes and body scrubs which can enter and pollute rivers, seas, and the human body. 📝字数限制，完整文本，翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】

What makes Monday so depressing? Ask most people which day of the week they dread the most and the answer is likely to be Monday. The first day of the week can make us grouchy and depressed, which is why the feeling is described as the Monday blues. But what is it exactly that makes us feel down and does it affect everyone? Apparently, the most depressing day of the year is the third Monday in January, when it's cold and dark outside. This day was nicknamed 'Blue Monday' by psychologist Cliff Arnall in 2004. He came up with it after a holiday company asked him for a 'scientific formula' for the January blues. Even if there was little science behind the formula, it's probably true that the sound of our alarm clock on any Monday morning signals the dawning of a new week and possibly the end of our weekend of fun. Research shows our Monday mood can be based on a direct comparison to the day before. It's what psychologists call an emotional shift, and no other part of the week has a transition like it. Monday means the end of weekend lie-ins – it's back to the routine and the realisation that there are five days ahead of the nine-to-five, and according to the BBC Bitesize website "If you can't stand your job then the Monday blues can be very real." And your miserable Monday is followed by trying Tuesday – the most popular day for sending out job applications. But is Monday as bad as we like to think it is? Feeling a bit low shouldn't be confused with more serious depression, caused by other factors. Writing for the BBC, author and presenter Claudia Hammond, argues that this low feeling might be a myth. She says: "There is a strong cultural idea that we don't like Mondays." She mentions an Australian study in 2008 about how people reflected on their mood and found the day that scored the lowest was in fact Wednesdays. So, when Monday comes, maybe we should give it a second chance! 词汇表 dread [dred] 害怕，担忧，畏惧 grouchy [ˈɡraʊtʃi] 烦躁的，爱发牢骚的 depressed [dɪˈprest] 沮丧的，抑郁的 Monday blues [ˈmʌndeɪ bluːz] 周一忧郁症（指周一因重返工作或学习而产生的低落情绪） feel down / feel low 情绪低落，感到沮丧 depressing [dɪˈpresɪŋ] 令人沮丧的，压抑的，沉闷的 nickname [ˈnɪkneɪm] 给…起绰号；昵称，绰号 Blue Monday [bluː ˈmʌndeɪ] 忧郁星期一（特指 1 月第三个令人情绪低落的星期一） scientific formula [ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ˈfɔːmjələ] 科学公式 signal [ˈsɪɡnəl] 标志，预示，示意 dawning [ˈdɔːnɪŋ] 开端，黎明，破晓 emotional shift 情绪转变 lie-in [ˈlaɪ ɪn] （早晨）睡懒觉，赖床 back to the routine [ruːˈtiːn] 回归日常作息，恢复常规 nine-to-five [ˌnaɪn tu ˈfaɪv] 朝九晚五的，正常工作时间的 miserable [ˈmɪzrəbl] 痛苦的，难受的，悲惨的 trying [ˈtraɪɪŋ] 难受的，费劲的，令人厌烦的 job application [ˌæplɪˈkeɪʃn] 求职申请，工作申请 depression [dɪˈpreʃn] 抑郁症；沮丧，消沉 myth [mɪθ] 错误观念，荒诞的说法；神话 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

How to Tell If You Have Been Gaslit We're unlucky enough if we meet with people who want to do us wrong, show us contempt and take advantage of us. But this is as nothing next to the monumental bad luck of encountering people who do all this to us while also being extremely skilled at pretending that they aren't; those master manipulators who are at once innocent-seeming and, deep down, profoundly scheming. These people won't only hurt us, they will do something far worse: rob us of our understanding of ourselves, strip us of basic trust and, along the way, for a time, make us lose our minds. There are people we can take up with who have been so badly hurt by something in their early lives that they are committed to exacting revenge on anyone who comes too close to them: They may semi-consciously be seeking to exorcise on their partners a latent rage against a dead or depressed parent, they may want to punish a bullying sibling, or release themselves from a sense of intolerable vulnerability created by an incident of early abuse. When we meet with difficulties, we have two explanations to fall back on: the first is to doubt ourselves. The second is to wonder whether, and how, the other person might be ill. If we almost always pick the former, it's because of how familiar and reassuring it is not to take our own sides. It is so much easier for us to think that we are (as they also quickly tell us) irrationally prone to anger, over-excited, 'insane' and complaining for no reason – rather than deep in a relationship with a cruel soul. Those who are most prone to being gaslit in adult love are, sadly of course, the very people who may have been gaslit by their own parents. The idea sounds yet more curious, but parents too can be adept at polishing their reputations and will insist that they are kind – while simultaneously expending enormous hostility on their thoroughly confused child. Despite decades of training in self-doubt, we may need to do a remarkable thing: trust in what our unhappiness is telling us about those we think of as good. The test isn't whether they tell us they love us, it's how at peace they make us feel. We may have to accept that the world is filled with some very dangerous people who look entirely safe to our fatefully untrained eyes. We may need to think a bit less badly of ourselves and substantially worse of some sweet-seeming characters who claim with great sincerity to love us – and don't. 词汇表 gaslight [ˈɡæslaɪt] 煤气灯操纵，情感操纵（指通过扭曲事实、否认现实等方式，使受害者质疑自身认知和判断力的心理操纵手段） contempt [kənˈtempt] 轻视，蔑视，鄙视 monumental [ˌmɒnjuˈmentl] 巨大的，极大的 master manipulator [məˈnɪpjuleɪtə(r)] 操控高手，擅长操纵他人的人 innocent-seeming [ˈɪnəsnt ˈsiːmɪŋ] 表面无辜的，看似无害的 scheming [ˈskiːmɪŋ] 诡计多端的，狡猾的 rob of / strip of [rɒb][strɪp] 剥夺，使丧失 lose one's mind 使精神失常，失去理智 take up with 与…来往，和…结交 be committed to [kəˈmɪtɪd] 致力于，投身于，决心做 exact revenge on [ɪɡˈzækt rɪˈvendʒ] 向…复仇，报复 semi-consciously [ˌsemɪ ˈkɒnʃəsli] 半意识地，半清醒地，有意无意中 exorcise [ˈeksɔːsaɪz] 发泄，除去，消除（不良情绪等） latent rage [ˈleɪtənt reɪdʒ] 潜藏的愤怒 bullying sibling [ˈbʊliɪŋ ˈsɪblɪŋ] 欺负人的兄弟姐妹 intolerable vulnerability [ɪnˈtɒlərəbl ˌvʌlnərəˈbɪləti] 难以忍受的脆弱 abuse [əˈbjuːs] 虐待，伤害 fall back on 依赖，诉诸于，求助于 reassuring [ˌriːəˈʃʊərɪŋ] 令人安心的，使人放心的 irrationally [ɪˈræʃənəli] 不合理地，无理智地 be prone to anger [prəʊn] 容易生气，动辄发怒 insane [ɪnˈseɪn] 精神失常的，疯癫的 be adept at [əˈdept] 擅长，精通 polish one's reputation [ˈpɒlɪʃ][ˌrepjuˈteɪʃn] 粉饰名声，美化声誉 simultaneously [ˌsɪmlˈteɪniəsli] 同时地 enormous hostility [ɪˈnɔːməs hɒˈstɪləti] 极大的敌意 fatefully [ˈfeɪtfəli] 命中注定地，宿命地 substantially [səbˈstænʃəli] 大大地，很大程度地 🏫翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

Is hustle culture toxic? "There are way easier places to work, but nobody ever changed the world on 40 hours a week." That's exactly what Elon Musk tweeted in November 2018, as part of a call for new talent to join his companies. The post went viral, leading to a lot of people critiquing Musk's take on work and merit. Despite the criticism he faced, a lot of people, and followers of hustle culture in particular, stood firmly behind him. So just what is hustle culture all about? Hustle culture essentially glorifies putting in excessive effort at work, often at the expense of health and personal relationships. In this mindset, our identity becomes intertwined with our work role, with work being seen not as a means to a comfortable life, but as an end in itself. And when not grinding at work, adherents engage in activities that are deemed productive and professionally valuable, such as networking or reading work-related books. For those for whom work is life, colleagues become akin to family. Taking it a step further, some companies, like Facebook and Apple, Introduced egg freezing benefits for female employees in the mid-2010s, critics said this seemed to suggest that starting a family should be deferred for the sake of professional dedication. When did the trend of hustle culture really kick off? While the roots of hustle culture are ancient, it took its current shape in the late 90s. Google, for instance, created ultra-comfortable work environments, complete with relaxation areas, on-site healthy food options, massage corners, and even clothing cleaning services. Initially appearing as a healthy work environment initiative, the real aim was to attract, and more crucially, retain employees. Dave Heinemeier Hansen is the co-founder of Basecamp and author of It Doesn't Have to be Crazy at Work. He's quoted in a January 2019 New York Times article as saying, the vast majority of people beating the drums of hustle mania are not the people doing the actual work. They're the managers, financiers and owners. The persistent myths about overwork, he argued, serve to justify the extreme wealth accumulated by a select group of tech elites. Is there a shift happening? Increasingly, people are pushing back against hustle culture, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Newer generations find themselves in precarious situations, facing temporary and unstable employment despite putting in hard work. Aidan Harper, the mind behind a European campaign for a reduced work week known as the four-day week, argues that hustle culture is dehumanising and toxic. He believes it perpetuates the idea that our only value as human beings lies in our productivity, our ability to work, rather than in our humanity. To break free from this mindset, setting clear boundaries becomes crucial. Identifying what saps our energy, scheduling breaks and rest time as diligently as meetings, and questioning whether tasks are beyond our job description, or if late nights at the office are driven by perfectionism or obligation, all become essential strategies. There you have it! 词汇表 tweet [twiːt] （在推特上）推文；发推文 go viral [ˈvaɪrəl] （在网络上）走红，迅速传播 critique [krɪˈtiːk] 批评，对…发表评论 take on something 对…的看法，态度 merit [ˈmerɪt] 功绩，价值；有点 hustle culture [ˈhʌsl ˈkʌltʃə(r)] “奋斗文化”（推崇过度投入工作，常以牺牲健康和个人关系为代价的文化理念） glorify [ˈɡlɔːrɪfaɪ] 美化，推崇，颂扬 at the expense of [ɪkˈspens] 以…为代价 be intertwined with [ˌɪntəˈtwaɪnd] 与…紧密相连，与…交织在一起 grind at work [ɡraɪnd] 拼命工作，埋头苦干 adherent [ədˈhɪərənt] 拥护者，追随者；信徒 deem [diːm] 认为，视为，看作 networking [ˈnetwɜːkɪŋ] （尤指工作中）发现人际关系，建立人脉 be akin to [əˈkɪn] 类似于，相当于 egg freezing benefits （企业为女员工提供的）冷冻卵子福利 defer [dɪˈfɜː(r)] 推迟，延期 for the sake of [seɪk] 为了…（的利益） professional dedication [ˌdedɪˈkeɪʃn] 职业奉献，敬业精神 kick off （活动或进程）开始，兴起，启动 ultra-comfortable [ˌʌltrə ˈkʌmfətəbl] 极其舒适的 on-site [ˌɒn ˈsaɪt] 现场的，就地的 massage [ˈmæsɑːʒ] 按摩，推拿 initiative [ɪˈnɪʃətɪv] 倡议，举措 retain [rɪˈteɪn] 留住，保住，保持 beat the drums of [drʌmz] 鼓吹，宣扬 mania [ˈmeɪniə] 狂热，狂潮，热衷 persistent myths [pəˈsɪstənt mɪθs] 长期存在的谬论，根深蒂固的错误观念 accumulate [əˈkjuːmjʊleɪt] 积聚，积累 a select group of tech elites [ɪˈliːts] 特定的科技精英群体 push back against 抵制，反对，反抗 in the light of 鉴于，考虑到，在…的背景下 precarious [prɪˈkeəriəs] 不稳定的，不确定的 dehumanising [diːˈhjuːmənaɪzɪŋ] 非人性化的，非人道的 toxic [ˈtɒksɪk] 有害的，有毒的 perpetuate [pəˈpetʃueɪt] 传播，延续（尤指不好的事物） sap one's energy [sæp] 消耗某人的精力，使精疲力尽 diligently [ˈdɪlɪdʒəntli] 认真地，勤奋地，勤勉地 job description 职责说明，工作描述 perfectionism [pəˈfekʃənɪzəm] 完美主义，精益求精 obligation [ˌɒblɪˈɡeɪʃn] 义务，责任，职责 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

Why are some people always late? As the saying goes, 'time waits for no man'. Time is always against us, and we just can't stop it. Maybe that's why some of us are always running late for appointments. But if timekeeping is not what you're good at, don't stress. There might be a good reason for your lack of punctuality. People's attitudes to being on time vary. Some clock-watch and make sure they're bang on time for a meeting. It is, after all, rude to be late, and if you can make it on time, why can't everyone else? But if, like me, you want to make every second count, you might try to squeeze as much as you can into the time you have available. However, when your schedule doesn't run to plan, your punctuality inevitably slips. People who lack promptness have been described as 'time benders'. Author Grace Pacie told the BBC that "they're the people who don't want to be late, but they have a strange resistance to being early, and they don't allow enough time." They assume their journey to an appointment will always go smoothly, and the train will always be on time! Perceptions of unpunctual people are almost always negative – even if sometimes wrong. Writing for the BBC, Laura Clarke says: "Being consistently late might not be your fault. It could be your type. The punctually-challenged often share personality characteristics, such as optimism, low levels of self-control, anxiety, or a penchant for thrill-seeking, experts say. It is also possible people are late so not to be conspicuous and to avoid the anxious wait for others to turn up. Maybe us latecomers should make more of an effort and follow the advice I heard to not 'try' to be on time but 'decide' to be on time. But I know if a meeting or a deadline really matters, then I'll be there. Otherwise relax, even if others are cursing you! 词汇表 time waits for no man 时不我待，时间不等人（强调时间的不可逆转性和珍贵性） run late for 迟到，赶不上 timekeeping [ˈtaɪmkiːpɪŋ] 守时，准时，计时 punctuality [ˌpʌŋktʃuˈæləti] 准时，守时 vary [ˈveəri] （根据情况而）变化，改变，各不相同 clock-watch [ˈklɒk wɒtʃ] （尤指着急下班）不停地看表，紧盯时间 bang on time [bæŋ] 时间刚好，恰好准时 make every second count 充分利用每一秒，珍惜每一秒 run to plan 按计划进行，如期进行 inevitably [ɪnˈevɪtəbli] 不可避免地，必然地，难免 slip [slɪp] 变糟，下降，退步 promptness [ˈprɒmptnəs] 准时，及时，迅速 time bender [ˈbendə(r)] 时间扭曲者（指因预留时间不足或对早到有莫名抗拒的迟到者） assume [əˈsjuːm] 假定，假设，认为 unpunctual [ˌʌnˈpʌŋktʃuəl] 不守时的，迟到的 consistently [kənˈsɪstəntli] 一贯地，始终如一地 punctually-challenged [ˈpʌŋktʃuəli ˈtʃælɪndʒd] 难以守时的，不擅长准时的 penchant [ˈpɒŋʃɒŋ] 倾向，爱好，嗜好 thrill-seeking [θrɪl ˈsiːkɪŋ] 寻求刺激的，追求惊险的 conspicuous [kənˈspɪkjuəs] 显眼的，引人注目的 turn up 出现，到来 latecomer [ˈleɪtkʌmə(r)] 迟到者，晚来的人 deadline [ˈdedlaɪn] 截止日期，最后期限 curse [kɜːs] 咒骂，诅咒 📖 翻译、pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进【打卡交流群】

Why do we get addicted to social media? A recent report from Cybercrew revealed how UK residents spend an average of 110 minutes per day on social media. Many of us start scrolling before we've even got out of bed in the morning, in an almost automatic way. Why do we end up scrolling on TikTok and Instagram for hours on end? Because social media can have a similar effect on the brain to certain addictive substances, according to Healthline.com, they stimulate the brain's reward system. When you log into your favourite social media platform, you get a burst of dopamine, a chemical that makes you feel good and motivates you to seek more of the same stimulus. Social media also provides a constant source of social validation, such as likes, comments and shares, that boost your self-esteem and reinforce your behaviour. Additionally, social media can create a fear of missing out, known as FOMO, which can lead to compulsive checking and scrolling, as well as anxiety and stress. How does it work in concrete terms? When we do something that helps us meet our needs, like eating or having sex for example, our brain releases dopamine. It's one of our happy hormones, a neurotransmitter linked with pleasure and satisfaction. Dopamine reinforces our survival behaviours and helps us adapt to our environment. And it's relevant when considering social media addiction too. Each time we watch a video or get a like, our brain releases a small amount of dopamine, which makes us want to keep going back for more. The unpredictable nature leads to anticipation and excitement. No doubt at some stage you've wondered, how many likes do I have on my last post? Or, what's this latest notification about? The thing is, dopamine is not designed to make us happy or satisfied. It only gives us a temporary boost of pleasure that fades quickly, and then it makes us crave more. Experts have compared the feelings to those experienced when playing casino slot machines. Both use sounds, colors, animations and other stimuli to create an immersive and engaging experience that captivates our attention and distracts us from reality. Is it fair to say that social networks were designed to be addictive then? Maybe not only for that purpose, but at least to some extent. The techniques and features used on social media platforms exploit the brain's reward system. Of course, it's in the interest of social media platforms to make their product addictive, because it leads to increased advertising revenue. The more time users spend on social media, the more ads they see, and the more data they generate. That means more profit for the platforms, and more influence for their owners. To avoid falling into the trap, you need to schedule some time off from social media so that you can give your brain a break and maybe even allow yourself to get bored. There you have it. 词汇表 get addicted to [əˈdɪktɪd] 沉迷于，对…上瘾 scroll [skrəʊl] （在电子屏幕上）滚动，滑动浏览，刷 automatic [ˌɔːtəˈmætɪk] 自动的，无意识的，下意识的 addictive substances [əˈdɪktɪv səbˈstænsɪz] 成瘾物质，致瘾物 stimulate [ˈstɪmjuleɪt] 刺激，激励 reward system 奖励系统（大脑中负责产生愉悦感并强化行为的神经机制） get a burst of [bɜːst] 突然获得一阵，爆发，释放 dopamine [ˈdəʊpəmiːn] 多巴胺（一种神经递质，与愉悦感和动机相关） stimulus [ˈstɪmjələs] 刺激物，刺激因素 social validation [ˌvælɪˈdeɪʃn] 社会认可，社交认同 self-esteem [ˌself ɪˈstiːm] 自尊，自尊心 reinforce [ˌriːɪnˈfɔːs] 强化，加强 fear of missing out (FOMO) 错失恐惧症（担心错过社交活动、信息等的焦虑感） compulsive [kəmˈpʌlsɪv] 强迫性的，难以控制的 in concrete terms [ˈkɒŋkriːt] 具体来说，具体而言 happy hormones [ˈhɔːməʊnz] 快乐激素（指能让人产生愉悦感的激素，如多巴胺、血清素，催产素，内啡肽） neurotransmitter [ˌnjʊərəʊtrænsˈmɪtə(r)] 神经递质（大脑中传递神经信号的化学物质） unpredictable [ˌʌnprɪˈdɪktəbl] 不可预测的，难以预料的 anticipation [ænˌtɪsɪˈpeɪʃn] 期待，预期 notification [ˌnəʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn] （社交媒体更新的）通知消息 be designed to 旨在，目的是，被设计用来 temporary boost of pleasure 短暂的愉悦感提升，一时的快感 casino [kəˈsiːnəʊ ] 赌场，娱乐场 slot machine [slɒt] 老虎机（一种赌博机器，通过随机结果吸引玩家） animation [ˌænɪˈmeɪʃn] 动画，动画片 immersive [ɪˈmɜːsɪv] 沉浸式的，身临其境的 engaging [ɪnˈɡeɪdʒɪŋ] 引人入胜的，吸引人的 captivate [ˈkæptɪveɪt] 迷住，使着迷，吸引 exploit [ɪkˈsplɔɪt] 利用，开发 advertising revenue [ˈædvətaɪzɪŋ ˈrevənjuː] 广告收入（平台通过投放广告获得的收益） 🪴翻译和pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复"1"可进入【打卡交流群】

The joys of writing lists Phil Hello. This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Phil. Beth And I'm Beth. Phil A list is a collection of items with a single item written on each line, and they're everywhere: shopping lists, to-do lists, even bucket lists – a list of all the things a person would like to do before they die. In fact, there's an episode of 6 Minute English all about them. Beth Imagine you're at the supermarket and find someone's shopping list. This happens a lot to Jo Nolan, a linguistics researcher whose new book explores our love of lists. Here's Jo reading her shopping list on BBC Radio 4 programme Word of Mouth: Jo Nolan I only list the first four items, but the list read: "Nanas, aye-aye, puke, shrooms." Beth "Nanas, aye-aye, puke, shrooms." Err… can you work out what Jo was buying at the supermarket, Phil? Phil OK. Well, I'm going to guess that 'nanas' are bananas. And 'shrooms' – they've got to be mushrooms, right? Beth OK. But what about 'aye-aye' and 'puke'? What could they mean? Well, here's Jo's explanation to Michael Rosen, presenter of BBC Radio 4's Word of Mouth: Michael Rosen And let's just come back to puke… I mean, were you instructing yourself to be sick in the supermarket? I'm just a bit lost there. Jo Nolan No, it's slightly grotesque. Erm… my husband doesn't like cucumber, and the abbreviation for cucumber would be 'cuc', so he has always referred to it as puke. Phil Aha! Cucumbers make Joanna's husband puke – a slang word for vomit. And puke rhymes with 'cuc', so it's a way of reminding her to buy cucumbers. Wow! Sometimes lists are like secret codes. Beth In this episode, we'll find out why people love lists and learn some useful new words and phrases. Phil But first, a question for you, Beth. According to the list on the Internet Movie Database website, which movie has made the most money ever? Is it: a) Titanic, b) Avengers: Endgame, or c) Avatar? Beth I think it might be Avatar, although that might have been the most expensive to make. I'm not sure. Phil OK. Well, we'll find out at the end of the programme. Popular songs are full of lists, and one of the most famous is My Favourite Things, sung by Julie Andrews in the film The Sound of Music. The song lists all her favourite things, from 'raindrops on roses' to 'whiskers on kittens'. Here, Jo Nolan and Michael Rosen discuss the song on BBC Radio 4 programme Word of Mouth: Jo Nolan I feel like you get a lot – you get a big bang for your buck in that song. Maybe it's the positivity – it's a bit saccharine. Maybe that's also part of the issue. The list encourages you to think really efficiently and economically, so I think you don't waste a lot of time and effort making a nice sentence or using long words. You just get to the nub of things quite quickly. Beth The song's list of 'favourite things' is long, and Jo says you get a big bang for your buck – an idiom meaning that you gain a lot in return for the money or effort you spend on something. But not everyone likes the song. Some call it saccharine – an adjective meaning excessively sweet, sentimental or insincere. Phil Lists often abbreviate the items they contain, so you get to the nub of things quickly. The nub of something means the most important or essential point about it. Beth Lists can be useful as well. Here's Jo Nolan giving an example of a useful list to BBC Radio 4's Word of Mouth: Jo Nolan A friend of mine who makes pros and cons lists finds that it really helps her resolve a situation. She halves her page: pros, cons. And she said by the end of it, she knows what she's doing. Phil Lists help us make decisions by writing down all the pros and cons of a situation. The pros and cons is another way of saying the advantages and disadvantages of something, especially when you're trying to choose between them. Beth The more you think about it, the more you see lists everywhere – in menus and bank statements, for example. And therapists even recommend listing all the good things in your life to feel happier – not bad for a few words on a scrap of paper. Phil OK. It's time to reveal the answer to my question. Beth, I asked you which movie had made the most money ever, and you said Avatar. And now, according to the Internet Movie Database… that's exactly right. Beth Yay! Phil OK. Let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with bucket list – all the things you would like to do before you die. Beth Puke is slang for vomit or sick. Phil If something gives bang for your buck, you gain a lot of extra value in return for the money or effort you put into it. Beth If you call something saccharine, you criticise it for being too sweet or sentimental. Phil The nub of a problem or situation is the most important or essential thing about it. Beth And finally, something's pros and cons are its advantages and disadvantages. Once again, our six minutes are up. Goodbye for now! 📝 字数限制，词汇表、翻译及pdf见公众号【琐简英语】，回复1可加入【打卡交流群】