李嘉誠新聞稿

李嘉誠新聞稿全文如下：
中文版
政制發展，是鞏固香港法治關鍵的一步，此時此刻，我們表述不同訴求、不同擔憂，也是文明社會正常的現象，即使普選方法，未必盡如各方理想，但爭取民主的努力，每一步，也不會是徒勞無功的任務；儘管我們一團矛盾，大家一定要往前走。我深信，在中華民族的民主進程中，必定有我們香港人智慧的風采。

英文版
The progress towards democracy is the foundation to fortify the rule of law in HK. A spirit of tolerance attuning our differences showcases the strength and capacity of our shared civil society. Should we fail to nail the perfect synthesis between ideals and practicalities, we must still move forward together as‘a bundle of antinomies’. Every effort for democracy will not be a vain struggle, as progress will arc towards broadening participation, and with each and every conscientious vote, Hong Kong Citizens will be participants in building it so.”


Fortify - to build towers, walls etc in order to defend it 鞏固 (振奮/加強)
Nail - to say clearly and publicly which you support 明確表態 
Antinomies - 【哲】二律相悖 (矛盾)
Vain - in vain -without success in spite of your efforts (徒勞)
Conscientious - showing a lot of care and attention 認真的; 細心負責的

half-baked idea 考慮不周的主意

half-baked idea 考慮不周的主意

to take stock 盤點

to take stock 盤點

e.g. Every so often I take stock of my life, and see if I'm really content with what I'm doing, or not.

to go with the flow 隨波逐流 / 跟大隊

to go with the flow 隨波逐流 / 跟大隊

e.g. While I would have preferred to have our annual party at my favorite old restaurant, other people wanted a new place. I decided to go with the flow.

spine-tingling 令人激動的 / 令人又驚又喜的

spine-tingling 令人激動的 / 令人又驚又喜的

If you are in politics or public life, you probably had some moment of spine-tingling transcendence. Maybe you read the Declaration of Independence or watched the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s mountaintop sermon, or read Nelson Mandela’s 1964 speech from the dock. (如果你從事政治或公眾事業，你或許曾經歷過一些驚神泣鬼的超驗瞬間。也許你在讀《獨立宣言》或者看小馬丁路德金牧師的“頂峰”佈道，又或者讀納爾遜·曼德拉1964年站在被告席上的演講。)

transcendence 超越常態 / 卓絕 / 超然存在

e.g. The desire for peace transcend political difference.

e.g. The transcendent genius of Mozart …….

dock 被告席 / 船塢 / 碼頭 / 羊蹄

talked-about 談論的

talked-about 談論的

One of the most talked-about is a tax of one peso (about 8 cents) on every liter of sugary beverages, which our Congress approved on Thursday. The tax — part of a fiscal reform package that also includes an 8 percent tax on junk food — is aimed at obesity.(人們討論最多的是國會在週四通過的稅收政策——對每升含糖飲料徵收一比索（約合八美分）的賦稅。這項稅收政策主要針對肥胖問題，是財政改革方案的一部分，改革方案還包括對垃圾食品徵收8%的賦稅。)

obesity 過胖 / 肥胖症

swimmingly 順利流暢地

swimmingly 順利流暢地

"Starting with the presidency of Felipe Calderón, from 2006 to 2012, the government lost control over the war on drug cartels and failed to fulfill its part of the social contract. It has been unable to guarantee the safety of its citizens and to implement educational reforms, but it has given politicians carte blanche to earn money through illegal means and to benefit swimmingly from their tolerance of private monopolies. The government has been truly valiant, however, when it comes to assaulting its citizens with more taxes."

(自利佩·卡爾德龍(Felipe Calderón)在2006年至2012年擔任總統以來，政府就失去了對打擊販毒集團的行動的控制，沒能履行其社會契約。政府無法保障公民的安全，無法實施教育改革，但卻給予政治人士空頭支票，使其可以通過非法途徑牟利，通過寬容對待私人壟斷而輕易獲益。然而政府在對人民徵收更多賦稅的時候卻十分之雷厲風行。)

carte blanche 白紙 / 全權處理(花錢的權力)

give sb carte blanche 授予sb全權處理 [idiom]

We were given carte blanche to redecorate the hotel .   (我們獲授予全權重新裝修酒店。)

It has given politicians carte blanche to earn money through illegal means. (政客被賦予以非法手段謀利利的權力) 

valiant 勇敢地

Use of "where" --> the place that

We went where the government didn’t go, where there were no hospitals, no schools and sometimes even no running water.

(我们前往那些政府都不涉足的地方，那里没有医院、学校，有时甚至都没有自来水。)

Nowadays, one of the most dangerous jobs in Mexico is driving a delivery truck down what Graham Greene called “lawless roads,” where delivery men are robbed, extorted and even killed.

(如今，墨西哥最危险的工作之一就是开着货车经过格雷厄姆·格林(Graham Greene)所说的“不法之路”，送货员在那里会遭到抢劫、敲诈，甚至会被杀害。)

whorehouses 妓院

whorehouses 妓院

spoof 嘲諷性的模仿作品/ 愚弄; 欺騙

spoof 嘲諷性的模仿作品/ 愚弄; 欺騙

e.g. ' A  Five  Minute  Hamlet '  is  an  amusing  spoof  of  Shakespeare ' s most  famous  play .(《五分鐘哈姆雷特》是一齣模仿莎士比亞最著名的戲劇的滑稽劇。)

e.g. Yan Oi Court Garden in Kwun Tong is the sad winner of the Spoof Award as the least desirable public space. Surrounded by tall fences this public space resembles a jail or animal cage. (觀塘仁愛圍花園為「最需改善的公共空間」。公園被欄柵圍著，在內歇息有如置身在監牢，笑稱「鳥籠公園」。)

from the outset/ at the outset 從一開始

from the outset/ at the outset 從一開始

e.g. the share of good-as-new notes issued in the run-up to each Chinese New Year has increased from 20% at the outset to around 45% in recent years. (臨近農曆新年推出的「迎新鈔」，佔總出鈔量的比例由當初的20%增加到近年約45%。)

beyond repair 無藥可救

beyond repair 無藥可救

a bad boy beyond repair 無藥可救的壞男孩

Misery loves company 禍不單行

Misery loves company 禍不單行

gamesmanship 制勝絕招

gamesmanship 制勝絕招

Complimentary讚揚的/ 免費的

Complimentary讚揚的/ 免費的

He made some very complimentary remarks about your work. 他大力讚揚你的工作。

two complimentary tickets 贈劵

Use of Brain

Use of Brain: 

Ÿ   the brains behind 幕後的主腦人物

Ÿ   brains, not brawns = intelligence, not strength 重腦力，多於體力

Ÿ   beat one’s brains out = think very hard to solve a problem 絞盡腦汁

Ÿ   pick somebody’s brains 向某人請教，吸收他的意見或知識，為己所用

Ÿ   rack my brains大動腦筋
這句成語也可以說:wreck my brains/cudgel my brains：I racked my brains, trying to think what on earth to do.

Ÿ   brainchild = one’s own idea 腦力勞動的產物，如思想、作品、發明、發現等

Ÿ   have a brainwave = have a sudden inspiration 突然想到的妙計

Ÿ   a brain trust = a discussion group of experts 智囊團

to rat on 背棄

to rat on 背棄

to rat on your friends 出賣朋友

to rat on something 背棄承諾 to go back on an agreement

to rat on a promise背信棄義

dismiss the idea of 決定不會

dismiss the idea of 決定不會

I dismiss the idea of selling my company = I decide not to sell my company

e.g. I dismiss the idea of joining his course.
e.g. I dismiss the idea of going to college.
e.g. I dismiss the idea of abortion.

mindful of 時常謹記

mindful of 時常謹記

I am always mindful of my own failures = I always remember my failures

e.g. I am mindful of what my grandfather has taught me.
e.g. I am mindful of the way he used to treat me.
e.g. I am always mindful of the consequences of being lazy.

Nothing beats 好正

Nothing beats 好正

Nothing beats the milk tea from Fairwood = Milk tea from Fairwood is very good

e.g. Nothing beats hard work.
e.g. Nothing beats our team spirit.
e.g. Nothing beats an English breakfast.