暴雪游戏国服正式停服
伴随着网易与暴雪长达14年合作的结束，1月24日0点起，暴雪国服正式终止运营，涉及《魔兽世界》《炉石传说》《守望先锋》《暗黑破坏神III》《星际争霸II》《魔兽争霸III：重制版》《风暴英雄》等游戏。
🤔️小作业：
无注释原文：
‘I cried all night’: Millions of Chinese lose access to ‘World of Warcraft’ and other hit games
From: CNN
Millions of players in China have lost access to the iconic “World of Warcraft” franchise and other popular video games, as Blizzard Entertainment’s servers in the country went offline.
The company’s services in China were suspended at midnight local time on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for fans, after a licensing agreement with longtime local partner NetEase (NTES) expired.
“World of Warcraft,” also known as “WoW,” is a hugely popular online multiplayer game that allows users to fight monsters and journey through expeditions in the medieval world of Azeroth.
Many gamers around the world have grown up with the smash hit, including in China. That was underscored in recent days, as Chinese fans expressed their disbelief over the loss of their longtime pastime in social media posts.
“When I woke up, I still didn’t want to accept [it],” one user said on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, on Tuesday. “I cried all night in my sleep because the game went offline. I dreamed that I was crying in the middle of the class.”
Another player described “World of Warcraft” as “my first love.”
“I really can’t forget it,” they wrote.
The suspension follows a bitter dispute between Blizzard, a unit of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), and NetEase.
Foreign publishers must work with local partners to offer video games in China. Last November, however, Blizzard and NetEase announced they would not renew licensing agreements that were set to expire this month.
Those deals had covered the publication of several popular Blizzard titles in China's mainland, including “World of Warcraft,” “Hearthstone,” and “Diablo III,” since 2008. In separate statements at the time, both sides said they were unable to reach a new agreement on key terms, without giving further details.
Now, the discussions appear to have gotten more acrimonious.
In a statement last Tuesday, Blizzard said it had reached out to NetEase to seek “their help in exploring a six-month extension to the current agreement.”
The US company said it had appealed to NetEase to let fans continue playing uninterrupted, “based on our personal feelings as gamers, and the frustration expressed to us by Chinese players.”
“Unfortunately, after renewed discussions last week, NetEase did not accept our proposal for an extension,” Blizzard said.
NetEase hit back with its own statement last week.
In unusually terse comments, the Chinese tech and gaming giant accused Blizzard of blindsiding it with its “sudden statement” and called the US company’s proposal “outrageous, inappropriate, and not in line with business logic.”
NetEase also pointed out that Blizzard had already “started the work of finding new partners” in China, putting the Hangzhou-based company in an “unfair” position.
注：中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考
含注释全文：
‘I cried all night’: Millions of Chinese lose access to ‘World of Warcraft’ and other hit games
From: CNN
Millions of players in China have lost access to the iconic “World of Warcraft” franchise and other popular video games, as Blizzard Entertainment’s servers in the country went offline.
随着暴雪娱乐（Blizzard Entertainment）在中国服务的下线，数百万中国玩家失去了著名的《魔兽世界》等其他受欢迎电子游戏的访问权限。
iconic
表示“偶像的；图符的；象征性的；非常出名的，受欢迎的”，英文解释为“An iconic image or thing is important or impressive because it seems to be a symbol of something.”举个🌰：
He gained iconic status following his death. 他死后成了偶像级人物。
franchise
franchise /ˈfræntʃaɪz/ 最常见的意思与“特许经营权”有关，既可以作可数名词，又可以做及物动词。作可数名词时具体表示“（公司授予某人的）特许经营权”，英文解释为“A franchise is an authority that is given by an organization to someone, allowing them to sell its goods or services or to take part in an activity which the organization controls.”比如“建造、运营隧道的特许权”就可以用“the franchise to build and operate the tunnel.”表示。
📍可以理解为「一部电影的所有系列，系列电影」A film series is also called a film “franchise” which consists of a number of films based on the same characters.
📍它还有另外一个意思，表示“选举权”，用作不可数名词，英文解释为“Franchise is the right to vote in an election.”
📍而在体育运动领域，指的是“球队，职业运动队”（a professional sports team），代指的就是“火箭队”，如在“湖人总冠军！”文中出现过：Second, Pelinka lived up to Bryant's prediction that Pelinka would help turn the franchise around within two to three years after the Lakers hired him in 2017. 第二，佩林卡不负布莱恩特的预言，在2017年湖人队聘请他之后，佩林卡将在两到三年内帮助球队扭转局面。
blizzard
blizzard /ˈblɪz.əd/ 表示“暴风雪；雪暴”，英文解释为“a severe snow storm with strong winds”举个🌰：
We once got stuck in a blizzard for six hours. 我们曾被暴风雪困了6个小时之久。
The company’s services in China were suspended at midnight local time on Tuesday, marking the end of an era for fans, after a licensing agreement with longtime local partner NetEase (NTES) expired.
该公司在中国的服务于当地时间周二午夜暂停，对粉丝来说标志着一个时代的结束。此前该公司与当地长期合作伙伴网易（NTES）的授权协议已到期。
suspend
1）表示“（因犯错而）暂令停职；暂令停学；暂令停止参加活动”，英文解释为“If someone is suspended from work, school, etc., they are temporarily not allowed to work, go to school, or take part in an activity because of having done something wrong.”举个🌰：
He was suspended for four games after arguing with the referee. 跟裁判发生争执之后，他被停赛4场。
2）表示“暂停”，英文解释为“If you suspend something, you delay it or stop it from happening for a while or until a decision is made about it”举个🌰：
The union suspended the action this week. 工会本周暂停了这一行动。
📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇讲述英国房价上涨的文章中提到：Britain has temporarily suspended stamp duty, a tax on buying houses. 英国已经暂停征收购房印花税。
3）表示“悬挂”，英文解释为“to hang”举个🌰：
The builders worked on wooden platforms, suspended by ropes from the roof of the building. 建筑工人站在用绳子从房顶上吊下来的木制平台上作业。
licensing
licensing /ˈlaɪ.sən.sɪŋ/ 表示“许可；授权”，英文解释为“the act of giving people official permission to do, have, or sell something”举个🌰：
In many countries, licensing is used as a method of deciding who should sell what. 在许多国家，授权被用作决定谁应该销售什么的方法。
expire
表示“到期；失效”，英文解释为“When something such as a contract, deadline, or visa expires, it comes to an end or is no longer valid.”举个🌰：
He had lived illegally in the United States for five years after his visitor's visa expired. 访问签证到期后他在美国非法居住了5年。
📺动画片《超级大坏蛋》（Megamind）中的台词提到：Well, I think your warranty is about to expire. 估计你的微波炉保质期快到了。
“World of Warcraft,” also known as “WoW,” is a hugely popular online multiplayer game that allows users to fight monsters and journey through expeditions in the medieval world of Azeroth.
《魔兽世界》，也被称为WoW，是一款非常受欢迎的在线多人游戏，允许用户在艾泽拉斯（Azeroth）的中世纪世界中与怪物战斗并进行探险。
monster
monster /ˈmɒn.stər/ 表示“（虚构的）怪物，怪兽”，英文解释为“any imaginary frightening creature, especially one that is large and strange”如：a sea monster 海怪。
expedition
表示“远征；探险；考察”，英文解释为“an organized journey with a particular purpose, especially to find out about a place that is not well known”，如：to plan/lead/go on an expedition to the North Pole 计划/带队/去北极探险。
medieval
medieval /ˌmed.iˈiː.vəl/ 表示“中世纪（约公元600年至1500年间）的，中古时代的”，英文解释为“related to the Middle Ages (= the period in European history from about AD 600 to AD 1500)”如：a medieval building/painting/town 中世纪建筑/画作/城镇。
Many gamers around the world have grown up with the smash hit, including in China. That was underscored in recent days, as Chinese fans expressed their disbelief over the loss of their longtime pastime in social media posts.
包括中国在内的世界各地的许多游戏玩家都是伴随着这一热门游戏长大的。最近几天，中国粉丝在社交媒体上表达了他们对失去这一长期爱好难以置信之情，也凸显了这一点。
smash (hit)
a smash (hit) 表示“轰动的演出；巨大的成功；大获成功的歌曲（或戏剧、电影）”，英文解释为“A smash hit or a smash is a very popular show, play, or song.”举个🌰：
The show was a smash hit. 演出十分轰动。
📍smash作为动词时，有“粉碎；打碎；砸碎”（to break into pieces violently or noisily, or to make something do this by dropping, throwing, or hitting it）、“猛撞，猛击，猛掷”（to hit an object or surface violently, or to make something do this）等意思，举个🌰：
The car smashed into the bus. 小汽车猛地撞上了公共汽车。
underscore
表示“突出显示；强调”，英文解释为“If something such as an action or an event underscores another, it draws attention to the other thing and emphasizes its importance.”举个🌰：
The figures underscore the state of the economic recovery. 数据突出显示了经济复苏的状态。
🎬电影《笔下求生》（Stranger Than Fiction）中的台词提到：lts desperate attempts to escape... only underscore the hopelessness of its plight. 它绝望的挣扎 只能强调它无望的处境。
pastime
表示“消遣，娱乐”，英文解释为“something that you do because you think it is enjoyable or interesting”举个🌰：
Learning English was my favourite pastime. 学英语是我最喜爱的消遣方式。
“When I woke up, I still didn’t want to accept [it],” one user said on Weibo, China’s Twitter-like platform, on Tuesday. “I cried all night in my sleep because the game went offline. I dreamed that I was crying in the middle of the class.”
周二，一名用户在中国版Twitter微博上表示：“醒来后，我还是难以接受。因为游戏下线，我在睡梦中哭了一整夜。我梦见自己在上课时哭了。”
Another player described “World of Warcraft” as “my first love.”
另一位玩家称“魔兽世界”为“我的初恋”。
“I really can’t forget it,” they wrote.
“我真的忘不了它，”这位玩家写道。
they
熟词僻义，表示“（用于代替 he 或 she）他/她”，英文解释为“used to avoid saying "he or she"”举个🌰：
"There's someone on the phone for you." "What do they want?" “有人给你打电话。”“他/她有什么事？”
The suspension follows a bitter dispute between Blizzard, a unit of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), and NetEase.
此前，动视暴雪旗下的暴雪公司和网易公司之间发生了激烈的纠纷。
bitter
bitter /ˈbɪt.ər/ 1）表示“充满仇恨的；愤怒的；激烈的”，英文解释为“expressing a lot of hate and anger”如：a bitter fight/argument 激烈的战斗/争吵。
2）表示“苦的，有苦味的”，英文解释为“with an unpleasantly sharp taste”如：a bitter flavour/taste/liquid 苦味/苦味液体。
3）表示“（天气）严寒的，刺骨的”，英文解释为“Bitter weather is extremely cold, especially in a way that causes physical pain.”如：a bitter wind 刺骨的寒风。
dispute
可以作名词，也可以作动词，1）表示“对…提出质询；对…表示异议（或怀疑）”，英文解释为“to question whether sth is true and valid”举个🌰：
These figures have been disputed. 有人对这些数字提出了质疑。
2）表示“争论；辩论；争执”，英文解释为“to argue or disagree strongly with sb about sth, especially about who owns sth”举个🌰：
The issue remains hotly disputed. 这个问题至今仍在激烈地辩论中。
3）表示“争夺；竞争”，英文解释为“to fight to get control of sth or to win sth”。
🎬电影《地狱男爵2：黄金军团》（Hellboy II: The Golden Army）中的台词提到：Is there anyone here who would dispute my right? 有人想和我争权吗？
🎬电影《拜见岳父大人3》（Little Fockers）中的台词提到：While I dispute the findings, I appreciate the gesture. 虽然我对结果有质疑 我谢谢你们的好意。
Foreign publishers must work with local partners to offer video games in China. Last November, however, Blizzard and NetEase announced they would not renew licensing agreements that were set to expire this month.
外国发行商必须与当地合作伙伴合作才能在中国提供电子游戏服务。然而，去年11月，暴雪和网易宣布，他们不会续签将于本月到期的授权协议。
renew
1）表示“给…展期，延长…的期限；更新，更换”，英文解释为“to arrange for an agreement or official document to continue for a further period of time”举个🌰：
I need to renew my passport this year. 今年我需要办理护照换发。
2）表示“重新开始”，英文解释为“to begin doing something again”举个🌰：
She renewed her efforts to escape. 她再次企图逃跑。
🎬电影《傲慢与偏见》（Pride & Prejudice）中的台词提到：I shall not renew the sentiments which were so disgusting to you. 我不会再提起令你极度厌恶的感情。
Those deals had covered the publication of several popular Blizzard titles in China's mainland, including “World of Warcraft,” “Hearthstone,” and “Diablo III,” since 2008. In separate statements at the time, both sides said they were unable to reach a new agreement on key terms, without giving further details.
这些协议涵盖了自2008年以来在中国大陆发行的几款受欢迎的暴雪游戏，包括《魔兽世界》、《炉石传说》和《暗黑破坏神3》。当时，双方在单独的声明中表示，他们表示无法就关键条款达成新的协议，但没有提供更多细节。
Now, the discussions appear to have gotten more acrimonious.
现在，争议似乎变得更加激烈了。
acrimonious
acrimonious /ˌæk.rɪˈməʊ.ni.əs/ 表示“激烈的；尖刻的；充满火药味的”，英文解释为“full of anger, arguments, and bad feeling”如：an acrimonious dispute 激烈的争论。
In a statement last Tuesday, Blizzard said it had reached out to NetEase to seek “their help in exploring a six-month extension to the current agreement.”
在上周二的一份声明中，暴雪表示，已与网易接触并寻求协助，以探讨将现有协议顺延六个月。
The US company said it had appealed to NetEase to let fans continue playing uninterrupted, “based on our personal feelings as gamers, and the frustration expressed to us by Chinese players.”
这家美国公司表示，已恳求网易让粉丝不受干扰地继续玩游戏，“出于我们作为游戏玩家的个人体会，以及国服玩家向我们所表达的懊恼。”
uninterrupted
uninterrupted /ʌnˌɪn.tərˈʌp.tɪd/ 表示“（尤指一段时间）持续的，不间断的”，英文解释为“without any pauses or interruptions ”举个🌰：
Most people do not get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every night. 大部分人不会每晚都有8小时不间断的睡眠。
“Unfortunately, after renewed discussions last week, NetEase did not accept our proposal for an extension,” Blizzard said.
“不幸的是，网易并未在上周的顺延谈判后，接受我们关于顺延现有游戏服务协议的提议。，”暴雪表示。
NetEase hit back with its own statement last week.
网易在上周发表了自己的声明进行反击。
In unusually terse comments, the Chinese tech and gaming giant accused Blizzard of blindsiding it with its “sudden statement” and called the US company’s proposal “outrageous, inappropriate, and not in line with business logic.”
在异常简短的评论中，这家中国科技和游戏巨头指责暴雪公司的突发声明使其措手不及，并称这家美国公司的提议是蛮横的、不得体的且不符合商业逻辑的。"
terse
表示“简短生硬的；简要的”，英文解释为“using few words, sometimes in a way that seems rude or unfriendly”举个🌰：
"Are you feeling any better?" "No!" was the terse reply. “你觉得好点儿了吗？”“没有。”回答简短而生硬。
giant
giant表示“巨头，大公司”，英文解释为“Giant is often used to refer to any large, successful business organization or country.”如：Japanese electronics giant, Sony 日本的电子业巨头——索尼公司。
类似的还有：
📍mogul /ˈməʊɡəl/表示“（尤指新闻、影视界的）大人物；大亨”，英文解释为“A mogul is an important, rich, and powerful businessman, especially one in the news, film, or television industry.”如：an international media mogul一位国际传媒大亨。
📍magnate /ˈmæɡneɪt, -nɪt/ 表示“大亨，巨头”，英文解释为“a rich and powerful person in industry or business”。
📍tycoon /taɪˈkuːn/ 表示“巨头，大亨（工商界）”，英文解释为“someone who is successful in business or industry and has a lot of money and power”如：property tycoon 房地产大亨。
📍conglomerate /kənˈglɒmərɪt/ 表示“联合大公司；企业集团”，英文解释为“A conglomerate is a large business firm consisting of several different companies.”如：the world's second-largest media conglomerate 世界第二大传媒集团。
📍behemoth /ˈbiːhɪmɒθ/ 表示“巨头（指规模庞大、实力雄厚的公司或机构）”，英文解释为“a very big and powerful company or organization”。
📍titan表示“巨人；巨头”，英文解释为“If you describe someone as a titan of a particular field, you mean that they are very important and powerful or successful in that field.”
blindside
表示“偷袭；出其不意地打击”，英文解释为“to surprise someone, usually with harmful results”举个🌰：
Just when it seemed life was going well, she was blindsided by a devastating illness. 正当生活似乎一帆风顺的时候，她出人意料地得了一场重病。
outrageous
outrageous /ˌaʊtˈreɪ.dʒəs/ 1）表示“骇人的；无耻的；无法接受的”，英文解释为“shocking and morally unacceptable”举个🌰：
The judge criticized the "outrageous greed" of some of the bankers. 法官批评有些银行家“无耻贪婪”。
2）表示“（因反常或怪异）吓人的，惊人的，令人震惊的”，英文解释为“used to describe something or someone that is shocking because they are unusual or strange”如：outrageous clothes/behaviour 奇装异服/怪异的举止。
NetEase also pointed out that Blizzard had already “started the work of finding new partners” in China, putting the Hangzhou-based company in an “unfair” position.
网易还指出，暴雪已在中国“开始寻找新合作伙伴”，使这家总部位于杭州的公司处于“不公平”的境地。
- 今日盘点 -
iconic、 franchise、 blizzard、 suspend、 licensing、 expire、 monster、 expedition、 medieval、 smash (hit)、 underscore、 pastime、 they、 bitter、 dispute、 renew、 acrimonious、 uninterrupted、 terse、 giant、 blindside、 outrageous
- 推荐阅读 -
- END -
LearnAndRecord
2015年2月8日
2023年1月24日
第2908天
每天持续行动学外语