一向以为，每一种语言都承载着一个民族的智慧与文化。它的不断更新变化也反映着使用者思维方式的变异和他们所处社会的演进。倘若脱离了社会现实，单单把语言当作工具来学习，不但没有什么趣味，效果恐怕也要大打折扣。本书所收的短文中使用的都是鲜活生动、原汁原味的英语，其内容则是在我们这个日新月异的世界上最近发生的一些有意思的事情。这些记录真实事件的短文涉及政治、经济、科技、宗教、艺术、体育、娱乐等各个方面，正如折射国外社会风貌的一颗颗小水珠。读者们可以借鉴其中鲜活的词汇、生动的句法和颇富风趣的行文，由此改善阅读和写作的技巧；也可以从中管窥我们这个星球上各个角落人们十分多样化的生活和思想。

Truth or Lie？/真假立判

Virtual Tycoons/虚拟大亨

Clone Christ/克隆基督

Marry a Millionaire’Show Axed After Flx/相逢却是曾相识

Survivor Finale/生存到最后

Kiss—A-Thon Not Just a Kiss/热卖热吻

2b or Not 2b—Pflze 4 Txt Hssg Shakespea re’/手机诗人大奖赛

Below the Belt/贞洁时间

Perfume Wafts Away Commuter Odors/欲令地铁变香闺

Hake Good Wife out of a Material Girl/铅华洗尽做贤妻

Soccer Clubs Feud over Payphone/电话亭的颜色

Finding the Perfect Fit Online/网络裁缝

NASA Aircraft to Help Seek Heavenly Coffee/完美咖啡的天机

Business of Butterfly/蝴蝶生财

I Want Hy lonica TV/我爱莫尼卡

Ad—Free—For a Fee/破财买清静

Australia’S Fi rst Legal Heroin Injection Room Opens/海洛因注射中心开张！

Treadmills Keep Fighting Cocks Lean and Mean/斗鸡健身器

The New‘Face’of E-Hail/电子邮件的新面孔

Union Hot Under Collar over New Uniform/制服之争

An Out-of-This-World Offer/从网上飞入太空

E-Clothes Here，So Is Fear/放胆一试电子衣

Going Skiing in Summer？/夏天滑雪？

There’S No Need for“Mother Christmas”/圣诞公公无需伴

Here Comes Rudolf the Red—Nosed Horse/昔驾鹿车今驭马

Su rgery Works．Says Hiss World Contender/手术美人

Witches Upset by Broomstick Style/骑扫把的正确方法

Americans in Italy Seek Food，Not Ruins/美景何如美苣

The Rich Are Eyeing Space Tou rism/去太空烧钱

Time Is Honey,Just Figu re Out How Much/一寸光阴几寸金？

Happy tO Play the Waiting Game for You/为你等待

A Holiday Package with a Difference/行乞度假

Left-Handers Day Celebrates Creative Minority/左撇子的庆典

“Up-Tiffing”Keeps Workers Poor but Happy/有衔饮水饱

Enron Scandal Gives Rise to New Verb/名词动用新范例

Stars Edge Parents as Top Youth Idols/明星闪耀偶像榜

Fortune Tellers Feel No Pinch in Downturn/百业萧疏一业兴

Butte rflies Cause Flutter at Weddings/蝶舞翩跹的婚礼

Pronunciation Guide for Labels/名牌指南

Pub Crawlers Get Hi-Tech Support/酒徒的指南针

Crooks Given Guide tO Life Behind Bars/坐监手册

Romantics Plan“Kiss and Hug”Protest/拥吻示威

“More Ads，Please”Say Bored Viewers/多播点广告

Fear of Fat Keeps Women Hooked on Smoking／美丽的代价

Single Lychee Sells for $67，053 at Auction／天价荔枝

Lovers Swap Engagement Rings for Watches／订婚手表？

Blowfish Dinner Is Gastronomic Roulette／河豚我所欲也

Magazine Offers a Prize to Die for／朝中奖，夕死可矣

Diamonds Are Forever,and You Could Be Too／和钻石一样永恒

Unemployed Turn to"IV Show to Win Jobs／上节目，赢工作

Harry Potter Town Is Britain’s Best／英国的最佳居所

ScotIand—Aliens’Favorite Holiday Destination／外星人的度假胜地

Lithuania Has Inmate Beauty Contest／女囚选美

Man Tries to Sell His Family on eBay／网上卖妻儿

This Just In：Skunks Stink／臭气排行榜

Need a Conference Venue？Rent Liechtenstein／租一个国家

Get Ahead in Advertising—Get a Forehead／租许多额头

Only Good News Today／今天都是好消息

Soul Mates in Vogue for U．S．Spouse—Seekers／情投意合才是真

Rent a Coffin，Spare a Tree／出租棺材

Baringthe News／裸露新闻

Seven Deadly Sins Ice Leaves Church Cold／冰淇淋的七宗罪

Lying on Your CV Becomes an Art Form／简历欺诈的艺术

Cleaning a Toilet Is Better than Spare／比扫厕所更烦的事

There’re Diamonds in Them…／那里面有钻石……

Bad Hubbies TrytoWin BackWives in TV Show／为老婆拼搏

BuyintoYouth？／老夫聊发少年狂

Brazilian Women Vainest in World／世界上最虚荣的女人

James Bond Is Too Tall to Be a Modern Spy／鹤立鸡群的007

Going Wild for the “Pig Brother”Web Site／“猪哥”令人狂

Danger：Wooden Floors，Scooters—and Trouser Zips／危机四伏的生活

Flowering Phone Is Environmental Wake—Up Call／开花的手机

Via Cell，Help’s on the Way for Bad Dates／救命铃声

You’re Drunk Who You Gonna Call？／喝多了吧……想找哪个？

“Solitary Salad”on Menu for Jailbirds／铁窗风味

Anti—Radiation Trousers Fuel Mobile Phone Debate／手机有害吗？

World’S Greatest Job,Up for Grabs／世界上最好的工作

Dutch Firm Offers tO Break Hearts／恋爱终结者

Morn-To-Be Advertises Baby as Billboard／生块广告牌

Beijing Bars TV Stars from Pushing Health Products／禁播明星广告

Cab Company Calls in All Losers／晦气车牌

Monks Run Out of the World’S Best Beer／世界上最好的啤酒

Germans Addicted to Texting／短信成瘾

We’re All Text Maniacs／我们都是短信狂

Alarm Clock Set to Wake Doziest of Sleepers／给我起！

Singer Sells His Futu re on eBay／出售未来

Pageant Contestants Upset over Betting Plan／投注美女

Pop a Tea PjJl IfYou Can’t Have a Cuppa／品茶……丸子

Shepherds Wanted—Accountancy Skills Preferred／羊倌的新标准

Deathly Decor／实用美“棺”

Color-Coded Couple：a Tailor—Made Hatch／般配到底

The Battle over Fast Food‘Imperialism’／岂容速食成帝国

Gourmets Vow to Battle the Burger／不与汉堡共戴天

Church Rings in Weddings with Human Bells／婚礼上的”人钟”

Your Own Face on a Postage Stamp／在邮票上露脸

Telltale Stains of Changing Tastes／污渍排行榜

To DoorNottO Do？TheAnswerIs aClickAway／人生答案网中来

Cupid’S Arrow Finds Its Mark-in Cyberspace／网上有真情

Love in the Aisles／爱在超市

Women Say Single Life Is Better／单身更好

Paris Invents New Love Messages／情书公告牌

Romance Blooms in Cozy Corners of Cinemas／影院的浪漫角落

Yeah，This Really Makes Me Want to Buy Chicken_／教坏孩子的广告

Santa Claus Gets Code of Conduct／圣诞老人行为准则

A Gift ListThatWould Get Santa Fired／买不得的礼物

Ind．Couple Want to Wed in Cemetery／在墓地里成亲