2008 05 29 news

[스프링]

①The government decided to introduce a free energy voucher system for welfare recipients and other low-income earners and subsidize electricity, gas and oil costs for them.

energy voucher system : 에너지 바우처(Voucher)’ 제도란 에너지카드를 지급해 가스, 전기요금, 난방, 주유대금 등 에너지 소비의 결제에 사용하고, 정부가 추후 정산하는 방식 voucher는 상품권, 할인권
for welfare : 복지, 복지혜택을 받는
recipients :수납자, 수령자
subsidize :보조금을 지급하다

②South Korea will strengthen the country-of-origin labelling rules for beef sold by restaurants and catering services to enhance the right of consumers to choose the food they eat.

③South Korea's consumer-price index, a barometer of consumer prices, is likely to stay "far above" the central bank's target this year due to record-breaking oil prices and a weaker won. 

consumer-price infdex :소비자물가지수
barometer : 기압계, 지표, 징후
record-breaking :기록을 깨뜨림, 전례없는

④Nepal, the world’s last Hindu kingdom, has been reborn as a republic. Nepal's newly installed special assembly abolished the country's 239-year-old monarchy.

monarchy :군주제

Today's News Articles


Newly-formed South American union seeking common currency
Following last Friday’s treaty creating the Union of South American Nations, or UNASUR, the twelve South American nations in the union now have their eyes on creating a common currency, along the lines of the EU’s euro. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Monday that the creation of a central South American bank and common currency was the next logical step, but also that it would take some time. Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela all signed up to the UNASUR treaty in a ceremony in Brazil’s capital city last Friday. Through the union, the nations will be able to put their heads together in forming policies and settling regional disputes. The treaty outlines a rotating presidency and bi-annual ministerial meetings for the union.

*have(keep) one’s eye on
눈을 떼지 않고 감시하다. 주목하다. 지켜보다.
to watch or look after something or someone.
eg) Can you have an eye on my stuff?
*along the lines of
~와 아주 비슷한 similar in type, similar to something.
eg) I can't remember exactly what words he used but it was something along those lines.
*put(lay) one's heads together
이마를 맞대고 상의하다. 서로의 지혜를 내놓다.
=powwow =collaborate = work together
to share ideas in trying to solve a problem.
if a group of people put their heads together, they think about something in order to get ideas or to solve a problem
*rotating presidency : 순환 의장 (위원장)
rotate는 회전하다. 여기서는 교대하다의 의미,
To proceed in sequence; take turns or alternate:
eg) Interns will rotate through the various departments.
*bi-annual
1년에 두 번의, 2년에 한번의(=biennial)
Happening twice each year; semiannual.
Occurring every two years

Energy drinks may be too extreme for teens
The energy drink trend with teenagers that has grown into over a $3 billion industry in the last decade has a startling side effect, according to recent research. A report in The Journal of American College Health suggests that teens who consume energy drinks regularly are more likely to throw caution to the wind and behave recklessly and aggressively, referred to as "toxic jock" behavior. The main active ingredient in the beverages is caffeine, which can have wired students bouncing off the walls in school. Teachers in the city of Tigard, Oregon alerted parents recently that the drinks often caused students to be "literally drunk on a caffeine buzz or falling off a caffeine crash." The American Beverage Association says the target group for the products is adults, who can afford to shell out for the two to three-dollar drinks.

*throw caution to the wind = let one's hair down
대담한 행동을 취하다. 앞뒤 가리지 않고 하다.
to take a risk.

*wired
유선의, 케이블 TV가 설치된, 흥분으로 긴장한. 취한, 신경이 예민해진
If someone is wired, they are tense, nervous, and unable to relax.

*bouncing off the walls
몹시 흥분해 있다. 광란상태에 있다.
If some's bouncing off the walls, they are very excited about something.

*caffeine buzz <-> caffeine crash
buzz는 A state of stimulation or overstimulation, as from caffeine.
얼큰하게 취한 상태
crash는 파멸, 붕괴, 뭔가 불쾌하고 허탈한 느낌. 약기운이 떨어짐
a caffeine crash is incurred when having previously ingested caffeine in large amounts over several hours or days. The individual/lab rat may experience sudden fatigue, followed by excruciating alertness.

*shell out for something
돈을 쓰다. 지불하다.
=spend a lot of money on something =fork out =pony up the dough
to pay money.
Pay, hand over, as in We had to shell out $1,000 for auto repairs.
This expression‎ transfers taking a seed such as a pea or nut out of its pod or shell to taking money out of one's pocket.