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Dan Brown Set to Release The Lost Symbol 丹．布朗最新小说《失落的符号》即将问世

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Dan Brown Set to Release The Lost Symbol  丹．布朗最新小说《失落的符号》即将问世

Six years ago, The Da Vinci Code stirred up a storm of controversy on its way to selling 60 million copies and becoming a certified cultural phenomenon. Now, the book’s author, Dan Brown, is back with his latest offering, The Lost Symbol. Set for release on September 15^th, the new novel will once again star Robert Langdon, the hero of The Da Vinci Code. Expectant readers should prepare themselves for a fast-paced thriller fill with “history, codes, and intrigue,” according to Brown’s publisher. Although the plot has been kept under tight wraps, there is speculation that the new book could focus on the Freemasons, an international organization with shadowy rituals. Some also believe the setting could be Washington, D.C., where Brown was occasionally spotted during the five years he spent researching the story. Whatever the true details of the plot, the book is sure to be another phenomenal success for Brown.

6年前，《达文西密码》一书备受争议并掀起轩然大波，但销售量仍一举突破6,000万册，形成一种公认的文化现象。如今，该书作者丹．布朗再度出击，推出最新力作《失落的符号》（The lost Symbol，暂译）。此书将于9月15日发售，而《达文西密码》的主人翁罗伯．兰登将二度登场。负责丹．布朗新作的出版商表示，满心期待的读者要有心理准备，迎接一部满载「历史、密码与阴谋」且节奏紧凑的惊悚小说。虽然故事情节可谓保密到家，仍有人推测新书的焦点可能会着重在具神秘宗教仪式的国际组织共济会上。也有人认为故事的场景可能设定在华盛顿特区，因为过去5年来，布朗不时被目击到出现在当地，进行与小说相关的研究。不论实际故事情节为何，本书肯定又会为丹．布朗缔造另一波事业高峰。

Trade in Whale Meat Picking Up  鲸肉贸易再度升温

Environmentalists are up in arms over a planned hike in the international trade in whale meat. Whaling nations Norway and Iceland have dramatically increased their hunting quotas for this year as well as the amount of whale products they will export to Japan, the only other nation to hunt whales commercially. The news came on the eve of the annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission, a body responsible for conserving whales and managing whaling. Anti-whaling groups say that the push toward Japan shows the Nordic countries’ home markets are shrinking, while Norwegian and Icelandic whaling companies regard Japan as a huge untapped market. Meanwhile, there is speculation that Japan will begin to hunt endangered humpback whales, a move that would further enrage activists. Although commercial whaling was halted under a 1986 agreement, Norway and Iceland ignore the ban, and Japan claims to hunt the ocean giants for “scientific purposes,” taking advantage of a loophole in the agreement.

环保人士竭力反对提高鲸肉国际交易量的计划。捕鲸国家如挪威与冰岛已大幅提高今年的捕鲸配额，并增加出口至日本的鲸类产品数量；日本是上述国家以外，唯一进行商业捕鲸的国家。这则消息于国际捕鲸委员会年会召开前夕发布，该委员会为保育鲸鱼与管制捕鲸的机构。反捕鲸团体表示，这两个北欧国家将鲸肉销往日本的举动，意味着其本国市场正在萎缩；而另一方面，挪威与冰岛的捕鲸公司则视日本为尚未开发的庞大市场。此际，据猜测，日本未来将开始猎捕濒临绝种的座头鲸，此一举动势必进一步激怒环保激进人士。尽管1986年颁布了禁止商业捕鲸的公约，但挪威与冰岛两国的捕鲸公司无视该禁令，而日本方面则是钻公约的漏洞，以「科学研究」之名持续猎捕这些海洋巨无霸。

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Vocabulary

单词发音

stir up 激起; 挑起〔争吵〕provoke

controversy [ˋkɑntrə͵vɝsɪ] n. 争论；争议

phenomenon [fəˋnɑmə͵nɑn] n. 现象

ritual [ˋrɪtʃʊəl] n. 仪式，典礼

occasionally [əˋkeʒən!ɪ] adv. 偶尔

research [rɪˋsɝtʃ] n.（学术）研究

quota [ˋkwotə] n. 配额；定额

conserve [kənˋsɝv] v. 保护; 保存

shrink [ʃrɪŋk] v. 变小，变少

regard [rɪˋgɑrd] v. 把……看作，把……认为[（+as）]

endangered [ɪnˋdendʒɚd] adj. 快要绝种的

activist [ˋæktəvɪst] n. 积极分子; 活动分子

commercial [kəˋmɝʃəl] adj. 商业的

halt [hɔlt] v. 暂停，停止

agreement [əˋgrimənt] n. 协议，协议

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单词发音

certified [ˋsɝtə͵faɪd] adj. 公认的

expectant [ɪkˋspɛktənt] adj. 期待着的；盼望着的

thriller [ˋθrɪlɚ] n.〔关于谋杀或犯罪的〕惊险小说; 惊险电影

intrigue [ɪnˋtrig] n. 阴谋，诡计

under wraps [ræps] 保密，秘而不宣（常指待日后宣布）

speculation [͵spɛkjəˋleʃən] n. 推测

shadowy [ˋʃædəwɪ] adj. 神秘的; 难以捉摸的

be up in arms over something 强烈反对 to be very angry

hike [haɪk] n.【美】【口】（数量的）增加

dramatically [drəˋmætɪk!ɪ] adv. 极大地；大幅度

push [pʊʃ] n. 推销运动

Nordic [ˋnɔrdɪk] adj. 北欧人的；斯堪的纳维亚人的

Norwegian [nɔrˋwidʒən] adj. 挪威的；挪威人的

Icelandic [aɪsˋlændɪk] adj. 冰岛的；冰岛人（语）的

untapped [ʌnˋtæpt] adj. 未开发的

humpback [ˋhʌmp͵bæk] n. 座头鲸

enrage [ɪnˋredʒ] v. 使〔某人〕非常愤怒; 激怒

loophole [ˋlup͵hol] n.（法律等的）漏洞

The Da Vinci Code - Official Trailer 1 [2006] [720p HD]

The Lost Symbol - Movie Trailer [2012]

Green Peace fight against Japanese whaling fleet