Extensive Reading Lesson 41

富士康员工巡游 鼓舞士气



据新华社和路透社报道，富士康科技集团位于广东深圳的工厂于周三举行了游行集会，以此来鼓舞员工的士气。此前，已有11名员工在此工厂自杀身亡。集会以“珍惜生命，关爱家人”为主题，有2万多名工人参加，公司希望以此来增进工人间的团结，激励他们珍惜生命。工会主席宣读了据说有10万员工签名的声明，承诺遵守国家法律和公司的规章制度。

在集会上，富士康总裁助理表示，到2011年年底，富士康在中国大陆的员工人数将从现在的92万增至130万。但执行副总裁程天纵表示，深圳的员工数将从现在的45万裁减到30万-35万。

台通过台海经济合作协议

据新华社报道，在当权的国民党代表和其它党派代表进行了10个小时的演讲后，台湾立法机构于周二晚投票通过了与大陆签署的《海峡两岸经济合作框架协议》。此协议有望增进大陆与台湾的经济合作。6月29日，大陆的海峡两岸关系协会和台湾的海峡交流基金会在重庆签署了此协议，同意建立一个增进两岸经济合作的体系机制。

李维斯在中国推出新全球品牌

据英国《金融时报》报道，美国牛仔裤文化的象征李维斯昨日在上海推出新的全球品牌Denizen。Denizen是英文牛仔斜纹布、公民和网民的结合，这种5个裤兜的牛仔裤面向新兴市场18岁至29岁人群销售。该新品牌主管特伦斯表示，这是李维斯首次在美国之外发布新的全球品牌。像越来越多的西方公司一样，李维斯正采取更多措施，让自己的品牌迎合亚洲市场，以吸引亚洲消费者。

印度青年因手机爆炸死亡

据《印度时报》消息，一名印度男子16日在使用诺基亚手机进行通话时，手机突然在其面部发生爆炸，造成其当场死亡。这名男子名叫戈帕尔•古加尔，今年23岁，事发地点位于印度北部拉贾斯坦邦的哥达市附近。他的左耳、颈部和肩膀处均有烧伤，诺基亚1209型手机的碎片散落在他的周围。诺基亚官网信息显示，诺基亚1209是一款2008年8月推出的机型，在亚洲地区低端市场较受欢迎。

莫斯科晚十点后禁售伏特加

英国《每日电讯报》报道，从9月份开始，莫斯科的超市、商店以及茶点亭将不得在晚十点至早十点之间出售伏特加。据官方估计，俄罗斯每年约有50万人因酗酒死亡。俄罗斯总统梅德韦杰夫也曾表示说，该国的饮酒问题已成为一场“国家灾难”。报道称，由于饭店和卖食品的酒吧依然可以在深夜自由出售伏特加，该禁令将不大可能影响到那些比较富有的饮酒者。

驻伊美战斗部队完成撤退

据美国之音广播电台报道，在伊拉克的最后一批美军作战部队已经撤离。各大通讯社和电视网络（有些还有直播）都证实了隶属第2步兵师的第4攻击旅现已撤回科威特境内。美军的撤离比奥巴马总统正式宣布的结束作战行动截止日期8月31日提前了两周时间。至此，美军及联军部队正式结束了对伊拉克长达7年零5个月的占领。

根据美伊政府的双边约定，所有美军战斗部队必须在2011年底之前撤离伊拉克。留守的5万美军将主要训练伊拉克部队、开展反恐练习及保护美国外交官和其他人员。从“解放伊拉克行动”以来，丧生的美军人数超过4200人，受伤人数超过30000。

婚姻让人活得更轻松

据英国《每日邮报》报道，科学家们在最新的研究中发现，婚姻可以使你活得更轻松。这一发现可能会大大有助于解释先前的研究：已婚夫妇较少患有心脏病和其他健康问题。研究表明，婚姻可以有效地抑制心理压力对皮质醇分泌的影响。（正常含量的皮质醇有助于身体在压力下恢复体内平衡。长期压力会导致长时间分泌皮质醇；而皮质醇分泌失调，会引发一系列疾病。）未婚的男女单身人士的皮质醇比已婚的皮质醇要高出很多。尽管婚后生活也会带给人很大的压力，但是，解决这些压力可比处理生活中其他压力更加容易。

麦当劳广告惹怒法国人

据路透社报道，在麦当劳的一则新广告中，高卢英雄阿斯特里克斯扮演主角，享用着汉堡和薯条。这在持纯粹主义的法国漫画迷里掀起了波澜，他们认为这是对国家遗产的侮辱。一个名为“sirchmallow”的博主颇为震惊，写道：“我童年的英雄竟如野猪一般成了祭品！那接下来呢？丁丁吃赛百味？”推特上一条愤怒的评论说道：“多讽刺啊！不屈的高卢人竟给侵略者做广告！”在法国，麦当劳屡次成为反美情绪的攻击对象，许多人认为其象征着全球化、垃圾食物的蔓延对法国文化和烹饪造成的威胁。

女星母亲与女婿同床

据InRumor.com报道，美国著名女星布里塔妮•墨菲的母亲莎伦•墨菲曾在女儿死后与女婿同睡一床。该消息是在洛杉矶验尸官办公室公布了对西蒙•蒙杰克死因调查报告之后遭披露的，但是两人之间并未发生性关系。去年12月，女星布里塔妮•墨菲在家中沐浴时猝死，其丈夫西蒙•蒙杰克5个月后因为心脏停搏在家中去世。

富豪新宠水上玩具鲨鱼船

据英国《每日电讯报》报道，罗布•伊纳斯发明的鲨鱼船堪称百万富翁们的终极玩具。它的外形酷似一头大白鲨，也长有背鳍、令人生畏的颚以及像匕首般锋利的牙齿。它长16.5英尺，与真正的大白鲨相当。这艘船出水能飞，入水能潜，跃出水面高度可达12英尺，被称为“海霸X”，价值6万英镑。它装有一台260马力的发动机，水上速度可达到每小时50英里，水下潜行速度达到每小时20英里。伊纳斯与好友丹•皮亚扎创建的公司Innespace全年订单不断，渴望的人们纷纷订购。
 

Foxconn rallies to boost worker morale

According to Xinhua and Reuters, Foxconn Technology Group held a rally Wednesday for workers to raise their morale at its Shenzhen plant in Guangdong Province, where 11 employees committed suicide. Titled "Love Your Life, Love Your Family," the rally was attended by more than 20,000 workers at the plant, which the company hopes will strengthen cohesion among workers and encourage them to treasure life. The union president read from a declaration said to be signed by 100,000 employees, which promised to abide by government laws and company regulations.

Foxconn will have as many as 1.3 million workers in the Chinese mainland by the end of 2011, up from the current 920,000, according to a special assistant to the chief executive at the event. But Terry Cheng, company vice president, said the number of workers in Shenzhen would be cut to 300,000 to 350,000 from the current 450,000.

Taiwan, Mainland have economic pact

Taiwan's legislature voted to pass the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) with the Chinese mainland on Tuesday evening after ten hours of speeches by representatives from the ruling Kuomintang Party and other parties, Xinhua reported. The agreement is expected to bring closer economic ties between the mainland and Taiwan. The mainland's Association for Relations Across Taiwan Straits (ARATS) and Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) signed the ECFA on June 29 in Chongqing, agreeing to establish a systematic mechanism for enhancing cross-Strait economic cooperation.

Levi's launches new brand in China

The Financial Times reported that Levi Strauss, icon of U.S. jeans culture, yesterday launched its new global brand, Denizen, in Shanghai. With echoes of the words denim, citizen and netizen, the five-pocket jeans are aimed at 18-29 year olds in emerging markets. Terence Tsang, head of the new brand, said it was the first time Levi's launched a new global brand outside of the U.S. Levi's joins a growing number of western companies taking extra steps to court Asian consumers by tailoring their brands for those markets.

Nokia explosion kills Indian youth

An Indian man was killed when his Nokia handset exploded in his face, according to the Times of India. Gopal Gujjar, 23, was found dead on Aug. 16 with burns to his left ear, neck and shoulders, with pieces of a Nokia 1209 scattered nearby close to a farm in Bandha Village near the city of Kota in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan. The Nokia website says this cellphone model was launched in August 2008, and is popular in the low-end market in Asian countries.

Moscow bans vodka sales after 10pm

From the beginning of September, Moscow's supermarkets, shops and kiosks are not allowed to sell vodka from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m., the Telegraph reported. Russian officials estimate that 500,000 people die of alcohol-related reasons every year, while President Dmitry Medvedev has declared Russia's drinking problem "a national disaster." The new ban is unlikely to affect more affluent Russian drinkers, however, as vodka will still be freely sold late into the night at restaurants and bars that serve food. ' Last U.S. combat brigade leaves Iraq

Last U.S. combat brigade leaves Iraq

The last large U.S. combat brigade has left Iraq, Voice of America reported. News agencies and television networks - some with live footage of the departing troops - confirmed the withdrawal of the 4th Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, which crossed into Kuwait. The departure came two weeks ahead of the August 31 deadline set by President Obama for formally ending combat operations, and seven years and five months after the U.S. and coalition forces invaded Iraq.

Under a bilateral agreement with Iraq's government, all U.S. fighting troops must be out of the country by the end of 2011. The 50,000 that remain will be engaged in training Iraqi forces, counter-terrorism operations, and protecting U.S. diplomatic and other personnel. More than 4,200 U.S. servicemen and women lost their lives during Operation Iraqi Freedom, with more than 30,000 others wounded.

Marriage makes you more relaxed

In a recent study, scientists found that being married makes you more relaxed, the Daily Mailreported. The finding may go some way toward explaining previous studies that showed married couples have less heart disease and other health problems. The study showed that marriage has a dampening effect on cortisol responses to psychological stress. Unpaired individuals of both sexes had higher cortisol levels than married individuals. Although marriage can be plenty stressful, it should make it easier for people to handle other stress in their lives.

McDonald's ad angers French

A new McDonald's ad featuring Gallic champion Asterix enjoying a burger and fries has sparked outrage among French comic purists who see it as an insult to their national heritage, Reuters reported. "My childhood hero sacrificed like a wild boar! What next? Tintin eating at Subway?" said one horrified blogger called sirchmallow. "How ironic, the indomitable Gauls making an advert for the invaders," was another outraged comment on Twitter. McDonald's has frequently been the focus of anti-American sentiment in France and is seen by many to symbolize the threat to French culture and cuisine posed by globalization and homogenized junk food.

Mum shared bed with son-in-law

According to an InRumor.com report, the mother of American actress Brittany Murphy, Sharon Murphy, shared a bed with her son-in-law, after Brittany died. This news appeared after the L.A. coroner's office made public the report about Simon Monjack's death. According to the report, the two didn't have sexual contact. Actress Brittany Murphy died in December last year after she collapsed in the shower of her home, while her husband Simon Monjack died five months later due to cardiac arrest at home.

Toy boat built like a shark

A shark boat, invented by Rob Innes, has been dubbed the ultimate millionaire's toy, TheTelegraph reported. It looks like a great white shark, complete with dorsal fin, gaping jaws and rows of dagger-sharp teeth. At 16.5ft in length, it is even the same size as one. It can fly up to 12 feet through the air before diving through the waves. It's called Seabreacher X, cost about 60,000 pounds and has a 260 horsepower engine that propels it to 50 mph above water, and 20 mph below. The company, Innespace, owned by Innes and friend Dan Piazza, has a year-long waiting list of individuals eager to buy one.