第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

精彩对白

Colleague: But Prime Minister the question of the European single currency will come up.

Mrs Thatcher: I don't think the country is ready for it yet.

Colleague: But we cannot bury our heads in the sand...

Reporter: A lot of Conservative MP's and Ministers are saying that there must be a change in that style of management. That Mrs Thatcher must listen more, and on occasion, give in.

Colleague: The point is, Prime Minister,

I don't think we can sell the idea of a tax that asks everyone to pay the same.

Mrs Thatcher: Our policies may be unpopular, but they are the right policies.

Colleague: Prime Minister I just don't think we can ask the poorest of the poor... to pay the same amount of tax as a multi-millionaire.

Mrs Thatcher: There it is again! Why not?

Colleague: Because - Because people... on the whole... think that the tax is manifestly unfair.

Mrs Thatcher: Nonsense. Arrant nonsense. This is a simple proposition. In order to live in this country, you must pay for the privilege- something, anything! If you pay nothing, you care nothing. What do you care where you throw your rubbish? Your council estate is a mess, your town, graffiti, what do you care? It's not your problem, it's somebody else's problem- it's the government's problem! Your problem... Some of you, is that you haven't got the courage for this fight. You haven't had to fight hard for anything. It's all been given to you- and you feel guilty about it! Well, may I say, on behalf of all those who have had to fight their way up, and who don't feel guilty about it... we resent those slackers who take, take, take...and contribute nothing to the community! And I see the same thing, the same cowardice... in our fight within the European Union. Cowardice. For the sovereignty of Britain the integrity of the pound! Some of you want to make concessions. I hear some of you... agree with the latest French proposals. Well, why don't you get on a boat to Calais? Yes, why don't you put on a beret, and pay 85% of your income to the French government! Right. What can we realistically hope to achieve by the end of session, Lord President? And why have we not made more progress to date? What is that? Is that the timetable? I haven't seen that. May I see it?

Lord President: Here it is, Prime Minister. Of course.

Mrs Thatcher: The wording is sloppy here... and here.

Lord President: If you say so.

Mrs Thatcher: I do say so.

Lord President: It's merely a first draft...

Mrs Thatcher: This is ridiculous. There are two "T's" in "committee"! Two "T's". This is shameful. Shameful! I can't even rely on you for a simple timetable! Are you unwell? Yes. You are unwell. Give me the pencil, give it to me! If this is the best you can do I had better send you to hospital, and I shall do your job as well as my own and everyone else's. Gentlemen. As the Lord President has thosen to come to cabinet unprepared... I have to close this meeting. Good morning!

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第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

1. single currency: 单一货币，统一货币，这里指欧元

2. bury our heads in the sand: 像鸵鸟一样把头埋进沙子里

3. on the whole: 总的看来，基本上

On the whole, I'm in favour of the proposal.（总的说来，我赞成这个提议。）

4. simple proposition: 简单命题

5. slacker: 懒虫，偷懒的人，逃避工作的人

6. cowardice: 胆小，卑怯，懦弱

His cowardice in face of the enemy was contemptible.（他在敌人面前胆小如鼠，真是可鄙。）

7. beret: 贝雷帽

8. wording: 措辞，用语

He cast his last remark in more formal wording. （他用更正式的措辞表达了最后一句话。）

9. sloppy: 马虎的，草率的

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第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

1. 但是首相大人，欧洲统一货币的问题就要拿上台面了。

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2. 但我们总不能像鸵鸟一样把头埋进沙子里。

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3. 撒切尔夫人必须听从更多意见，或者有时候，进行妥协。

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4. 你们没有为任何事艰苦斗争过， 一切都是生来就有的，你们这是感到羞愧!

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第一页：片段欣赏
第二页：巧学口语
第三页：小小翻译家
第四页：文化一瞥

撒切尔夫人罹患痴呆症 铁娘子无奈输给岁月

撒切尔夫人是英国迄今唯一一位女首相，下野前执政11年。她的女儿卡萝尔-撒切尔在《在金鱼碗里游泳》一书中详述母亲的生活细节，这位昔日叱咤政坛的“铁娘子”患上了痴呆症，如今难以记住一些生活琐事。

如今，她正经历痛苦和挣扎。卡萝尔告诉读者，撒切尔夫人几乎无法拼凑出一句完整的话。“现在，只有当她谈及唐宁街首相府的生活时，才能偶尔看到当年的影子。”

卡萝尔写道，“我总以为母亲永远不会老去，她是铁打的、坚不可摧”。但现实恰恰相反，“以前交待母亲的事不用重复第二遍。而如今，她会在完全不自知的情况下重复问同一个问题”。医生说，这是多次中风留下的后遗症。

以为过世丈夫还活着

撒切尔夫人的丈夫丹尼斯·撒切尔爵士2003年去世，享年88岁，对她打击很大。卡萝尔说：“母亲非常想念父亲，甚至以为他还活着。”

卡萝尔写道：“我必须时时提醒她，丹尼斯离开我们已有5年。”每当撒切尔夫人听到这种回答，总是难掩失落，显露悲哀表情。

不仅如此，撒切尔夫人最疼爱的儿子马克也让她操心。

马克2004年惹上“政变”官司被捕，后在南非家中遭软禁。撒切尔夫人不得不拖着病体远行，与儿子共度圣诞节。官司2005年1月13日告结，马克承认“无意间”资助一起针对赤道几内亚总统的未遂政变，获准离开南非。

2006年，马克因另一起官司入狱。丈夫去世、儿子入狱让撒切尔夫人心力交瘁。

8年前开始渐渐失忆

卡萝尔公开了撒切尔夫人病情的细节。她说，早在2000年就发现母亲的记忆力明显衰退。

卡萝尔说，母亲常会发问：“我的车子什么时候来?我该几时去见美发师?”这类问题，她如今会不断地重复提出。“她的记忆力曾经如同高效数据库，能随口说出几年前的经济统计数据，不用查阅任何资料”“失去记忆对她会是多么痛苦的事!”

母亲的严重痴呆症状让卡萝尔感到无可奈何，“这是一种特殊的感受，实在难以想象曾经睿智能干的母亲已患上痴呆症。同样还是她，我却再也走不进她的世界”。

现在，撒切尔夫人变得越来越虚弱，日常生活已受到影响。经历几次轻度中风后，医生建议撒切尔夫人减少社交活动。她自2002年起不再发表公开演说。