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NEWSFivePieces系統(tǒng)提示PresidentObama'sadministrationissettoberockedbyscandal-atleast,accordingtoonepoliticalscientist'smathematicalformula.Anewly-releasedreportbyscholarBrendanNymanpredictsthereputationofthe44thUSpresidentwillsoonbemarredbycontroversy.WhereAretheObamaScandals?callstheoddsofscandal'highandrising'aftertwoyearsinoffice,basedonhisinterpretationofdatafrompresidentialscandalsbetween1977and2008.Nyman,ascholarattheUniversityofMichigan,releasedthereporttowebsiteCenterforPoliticsonThursday.Servingasaguestcolumnist,hepresenteddetailedgraphsillustratingthelikelihoodofascandaltounfoldbeforethe2012presidentialelection-risingbetween95and100percentbyJuneofnextyear.Thereportreads:'Obamahasbeenextremelyfortunate:Myresearchonpresidentialscandalsshowsthatfewpresidentsavoidscandalforaslongashehas.'HetestedhishypothesesonscandalcoveragedatafromWashingtonPostnewsreportsandchronologiesofpresidentialeventscoveredbytheNewYorkTimes.'Inthe1977-2008period,'hewrote,'thelongestthatapresidenthasgonewithouthavingascandalfeaturedinafrontWashingtonPostarticleis34months-theperiodbetweenwhenPresidentBushtookofficeinJanuary2001andtheValeriePalmescandalinOctober2003.'NymanclaimshisresearchissupportedbythelackofsupportamongRepublicansfortheObamaadministration,andpredictshewillfollow'asimilartrajectorytoRonaldReaganandBillClinton(whobothsufferedsignificantfirst-termscandals).‘NOTEValeriePalmescandal:即“特工門”丑聞，布什總統(tǒng)與副總統(tǒng)迪克?切尼的高級助手涉嫌泄露中央情報局特工瓦萊麗?普拉姆的身份trajectory:thepathfollowedbyanobjectmovingthroughspace（軌跡，軌道）JapanupsnukecrisisseveritytomatchChernobylTheplantwasdamagedinamassivetsunamiMarch11thatknockedoutcoolingsystemsandbackupdieselgenerators,leadingtoexplosionsatthreereactorsandafireatafourththatwasundergoingregularmaintenanceandwasemptyoffuel.Japan'snuclearregulatorsraisedtheseveritylevelofthecrisisatastrickennuclearplantTuesdaytorankitonparwiththe1986Chernobyldisaster.AnofficialwiththeNuclearSafetyCommissionofJapan,speakingonnationaltelevision,saidtheratingwasbeingraisedfrom5to7—thehighestlevelontheinternationalscale.Theofficial,whowasnotnamed,saidtheamountofradiationleakingfromtheFukushimaDai-chinuclearplantwasaround10percentoftheChernobylaccident.Thelevel7signifiesa"majoraccident"with"widerconsequences"thanthepreviouslevel,accordingtothestandardsscale."Wehaveupgradedtheseveritylevelto7astheimpactofradiationleakshasbeenwidespreadfromtheair,vegetables,tapwaterandtheocean,"saidMinoruBogotáofJapan'sNuclearandIndustrialSafetyAgency.NISAofficialssaidoneofthefactorsbehindthedecisionwasthatthetotalamountofradioactiveparticlesreleasedintotheatmospheresincetheincidenthadreachedlevelsthatapplytoaLevel7incident.Theactionliftstheratingtothehighestonaninternationalscaledesignedbyaninternationalgroupofexpertsin1989andisoverseenbytheInternationalAtomicEnergyAgency.InChernobyl,intheUkraine,areactorexplodedonApril26,1986,spewingacloudofradiationovermuchoftheNorthernHemisphere.Azoneabout19miles(30kilometers)aroundtheplantwasdeclareduninhabitable,althoughsomeplantworkersstilllivethereforshortperiodsandafewhundredotherpeoplehavereturneddespitegovernmentencouragementtostayaway.Meanwhile,setbackscontinuedatJapan'stsunami-strickennuclearpowercomplex,withworkersdiscoveringasmallfirenearareactorbuildingTuesday.Thefirewasextinguishedquickly,theplant'soperatorsaid.TokyoElectricPowerCo.,whichoperatesthedisabledFukushimaDai-chinuclearpowerplant,saidthefireataboxthatcontainsbatteriesinabuildingneartheNo.4reactorwasdiscoveredatabout6:38a.m.Tuesdayandwasputoutsevenminuteslater.Itwasn'tclearwhetherthefirewasrelatedtoamagnitude-6.3earthquakethatshooktheTokyoareaTuesdaymorning.Thecauseofthefireisbeinginvestigated."Thefirewasextinguishedimmediately.IthasnoimpactonUnit4'scoolingoperationsforthespentfuelrods,"saidTEPCOspokesmanNaokiTsoumada.TheplantwasdamagedinamassivetsunamiMarch11thatknockedoutcoolingsystemsandbackupdieselgenerators,leadingtoexplosionsatthreereactorsandafireatafourththatwasundergoingregularmaintenanceandwasemptyoffuel.Themagnitude-9.0earthquakethatcausedthetsunamiimmediatelystoppedthethreereactors,butoverheatedcoresandalackofcoolingfunctionsledtofurtherdamage.Engineershavebeenabletopumpwaterintothedamagedreactorstocoolthemdown,butleakshaveresultedinthepoolingoftonsofcontaminated,radioactivewaterthathaspreventedworkersfromconductingfurtherrepairs.AftershocksonMondaybrieflycutpowertobackuppumps,haltingtheinjectionofcoolingwaterforabout50minutesbeforepowerwasrestored.NOTEChernobyl：切爾諾貝利par：同等spewing:壓出、榨出tsunami：海嘯ChinesescientistssettoleadtheworldChinahasshotintosecondplaceintheworldintermsofthenumberofscientificarticlesthatarepublishedininternationalmagazinesandthecountry'sscientistsaresettotakethetopspotfromtheUnitedStatesinthenextfewyears,accordingtoanewreport.Chinahasshotintosecondplaceintheworldintermsofthenumberofscientificarticlesthatarepublishedininternationalmagazinesandthecountry'sscientistsaresettotakethetopspotfromtheUnitedStatesinthenextfewyears,accordingtoanewreport."ChinahasalreadyovertakentheUKandisthesecondleadingproducerofresearchpublications,butsometimebefore2020itisexpectedtosurpasstheUS,"saidthereportfromtheRoyalSocietyinLondon.Whilethetop10isstilldominatedbymajorWesternpowers,theirshareofpublishedresearchpapersisfalling,itnoted.BrazilandIndiaareamongcountriesthatarequicklymakingtheirwayupthelist."TheUSleadstheworldinresearch,producing20percentoftheworld'sauthorshipofresearchpapers,dominatingworlduniversityleaguetables,andinvestingnearly$400billionperyearinpublicandprivateresearchanddevelopment,"saidthereport,whichwasreleasedonMonday."TheUK,Japan,GermanyandFranceeachalsocommandstrongpositionsinthegloballeaguetables,producinghighqualitypublicationsandattractingresearcherstotheirworld-classuniversitiesandresearchinstitutes."Chinawasinsixthplacebetween1999and2003(with4.4percentofthetotal)butshotuptothesecondplacewith10.2percentfortheyears2004to2008,overtakingseveralcountries,includingJapan,whichhadbeeninsecondplace.WhiletheUSremainedintopspot,itsawitsshareshrinkfrom26.4percentto21.2percent."China'sriseuptherankingshasbeenespeciallystriking,"saidthereport."ChinahasheavilyincreaseditsinvestmentinR&D(researchanddevelopment),withspendinggrowingby20percentperyearsince1999toreachover$100billionayeartoday."Theinvestmentamountedto1.44percentofthecountry'sGDPin2007."Chinaisalsoturningouthugenumbersofscienceandengineeringgraduates,with1.5millionleavingitsuniversitiesin2006,"saidthereport.TheRoyalSociety'sfindingswereinareportentitledKnowledge,NetworksandNations:GlobalScientificCollaborationinthe21stCentury.NOTEovertake:趕上surpass

:超越,勝過dominate:主導、受控riseup:起來striking:打擊的,顯著的,驚人的,罷工的MiserlyducktopslistofrichestfictionalcharactersAfilephotoofScroogeChuck.Amiserlyduck,avampireandpairofprecociouskidsareamongtherichestfictionalcharacters,accordingtoarankingbyForbes.Amiserlyduck,avampireandpairofprecociouskidsareamongtherichestfictionalcharacters,accordingtoarankingbyForbes.ScroogeChuck,the"penny-pinchingpoultry"withafortuneingoldcoinswhoseestimatedworthis$44.1billion,headedthelistofForbes'"Fictional15"wealthiestimaginarycharacters.Butdespitehisriches,ChuckstilltrailsMicrosoftfounderBillGates'$53billion.Vampire-themedfranchiseshavebecomebigbusiness,soit'snosurprisethatCarlisleCullen,the370-year-oldvampirefromthe"Twilight"booksandfilmswhohasbeenaccruinginterestonasmallsavingsaccountsince1670,cameinsecondwith$36.2billion.Apairofover-achievingyoungsterscameinthird.ArtemisFowlII,theprepubescentscionofanIrishcrimefamilyfromEosinCoffer'sArtemisFowlnovels,waspeggedat$13.5billion,whilethealtruisticallyinclinedcomicbookcharacterRichieRichtotaled$9.7billion.Toqualifyforthelistthecharactersmustbeknownintheirfictionalstoriesandbytheiraudiencesforbeingrich."Networthestimatesarebasedonananalysisofthefictionalcharacter'ssourcematerial,andwherepossible,valuedagainstknownreal-worldcommodityandsharepricemovements,"Forbessaid.Whilethelist,whichForbeseditorshavecompiledsince2005,isallinfun,theprocessandresultantnumbersareseriousbusiness,saidspecialprojectsexecutiveeditorMichaelNor."Wegotogreatlengthstocalculatetheirnetworth,"Norsaidinaninterview."It'ssimilartohowwecalculaterealbillionaires."Marketforces,especiallycommodities,alsoprovidedsomeguidance."Chuckwasupover30percent,whichiswhatgoldhasdonethisyear,andhiswealthismostlyingold,"Norexplained.SimilarlyJedClamped,thecountrybumpkinwhofoundblackgoldinthetelevisionseries"TheBeverlyHillbillies"benefitedfromrisingoilpricesfora$9.5billionnetworth.Mr.Monopoly,thetop-hated,mustachioedcharacterfromthepopularboardgame,placedninthwith$2.6billion.TheeditorsbasedhisworthonthecurrentvalueofAtlanticCityrealestateandapresumedpercentageofpropertyownership.NOTEprecocious:unusuallyadvancedormatureindevelopment,especiallymentaldevelopment（能力或行為早熟的）penny-pinching:excessivelycarefulwithmoney（小氣的，吝嗇的）accrue:tobeaddedasamatterofperiodicgainoradvantage,asinterestonmoney（積累，獲得）prepubescent:oforpertainingtotheyearsimmediatelyprecedingpuberty（青春期前的）gotogreatlengths:竭盡全力bumpkin:anawkward,simplerustic;yokel（鄉(xiāng)巴佬）blackgold:石油WhatWeLoveaboutItalianFashionLookinggoodinItalyisanationalobsession.Forgetfootball,fastcarsandfood.Thisnation’sfavoritepastimeisstyle.Italiansgrowupinacultureof“bellefigure”.Thistranslatesliterallyas“beautifulfigure”butismorespecificallyunderstoodas“agoodimage”.Thisisnotonlyrelatedtowhatyouwearbutinvolveshowyou“appear”:etiquette,reputation,styleareallequallyimportant.Thewayyoupresentyourselftotheworldmattershugely.Inacountrywhere,eventhepoliceuniformsaredesignedbyValentinoandfootballersarekittedoutbyMr.Armani,Italiansconsideritessentialtolookgoodprettymuchfrombirth.Thisisnotanewphenomenonandisinnowayrelatedtoindividualfinances.Indeed,alittlebitofstyleinItalycantakeyouaverylongway.ForItaliansstyleisculturaldemocracy;inthewordsofItaly’smostfamousjournalist,LuigiBrazing,“wherepovertycanbewornwithdignity...itisnotnoticeableorembarrassing”.Intimesofnationalandinternationaldisaster,Italianscanbereliedontoputtheirbestfashionfootforward.WhenthefirsttouristsarrivedinItalyafterWWII,theywerestunnedattheimportanceplacedonfashionbytheyoungmenandwomenlounginginthebarsandcafésofRome.Oneobservercommented,“Someofthemwouldgowithouteatingtodevotethefewpenniestheyhadtobuyingsuits,shirtsanddresseswhichwouldenablethemtocutadignifiedfigureatthepasseggiata.”

Italiansseemtobequitehappytosacrificecomfortforstyleandelegance.Andtheyinsistonattentiontodetail.NeverhaveIseenanItalianwithamissingbuttonontheirsuit,ahemfallingdownorsportinganundressedoutfit.IhavealsoneverseenanItalianwomaninapairoftrainers.TheseimpressivesignorinastacklethemostgnarlyofcobblestonesinhighheelswiththegraceofagazelleandthedeterminationofanOlympicathlete.Perhapsthisisonlytobeexpected.Italyis,ofcourse,theshoecapitaloftheworld.StyleandfunctionareinseparableinItalyandthisisreflectedinattitudestodress.Italiansfavorwell-tailoredcutsinneutralcolorslikeblack,white,beigeandnavy.Naturalfabricsreign

supremeandshowingtoomuchfleshisconsidereddéclassé.AsSophiaLorensaid,“Awoman’sdressshouldbelikeabarbed-wirefence:servingitspurposewithoutobstructingtheview.”Forasliceofladolcevita,addacoupleofdressestoyourcorewardrobe.Youshouldtreatyourselftoashirtdress,ashiftdressandanarchetypallittleblackdress.Thefirsttwowillcoverallbaseswhetheratworkorplay.Bothcanbedressedupordown;tryabeautifully-stampedItalianleatherbelttocinchinthewaistofyourshirtdressoralittlecashmerecardigantodrapeovertheshouldersofyourshift.Youcangoanywhere:fromdrinksatHurry'sBarinRome,dinneratCyprianinVenicetoadeliciousicecreamatCoveinMilan.Awell-cutsuitisaworthwhileinvestment.Ifyouchoosewisely,youwillbeabletowearthejacketandtrousersasseparates,whichmakesacarefulwardrobechoicegoalongway.Anytrouserstylewilldo:cigarettepantsforthoselongofleg,highwaistedforthefusionistsamongyouortaperedifyoupreferamoreclassicsilhouette.Thekeyisinthecut.Makesurethesuitfitsyoulikeadreamandifitdoesn’ttakeittoatailor—atrueItalianwillnotsufferanill-fittingoutf