【英语听力】A colossus quietly crumbles 庞然大物的悄然坍塌（1）
A colossus quietly crumbles 庞然大物的悄然坍塌
colossus
UK /kəˈlɒsəs/ US /kəˈlɑːsəs/
a person or thing of great size, influence, or ability
巨大的人（或物）；极具影响力（或能力）的人物；巨人
She has been described as the creative colossus of the literary world.
她被誉为文坛创作巨匠。
crumble
UK /ˈkrʌmbl/ US /ˈkrʌmbl/
to become weaker in strength or influence
（力量和影响力）减弱，崩溃，瓦解，败落
Support for the government is crumbling.
对政府的支持日渐减少。
The corporation can cope with a hostile government and angry royals, but not with Mickey Mouse.
BBC上能处理敌对政府，下能安抚愤怒的皇室成员，却斗不过米老鼠。
cope with
UK /kəʊp/ US /koʊp/
to deal successfully with a difficult situation
（成功地）对付，处理
He wasn't able to cope with the stresses and strains of the job.
他工作压力太大，扛不住了。
Mickey Mouse
used to describe something such as an organization, machine, or course of study that you think is not as good or serious as it should be
不够好的，不够正规的
He works for some Mickey Mouse outfit (= company) in Oklahoma.
他在俄克拉何马一家名不见经传的小服装公司工作。
n. nonsense; something trivial.
毫无意义、微不足道的东西
That book’s pure Mickey Mouse.
那本书纯粹是徒有其表、空洞无物。
n. a police officer. (Streets.)
(街上的)警察
Tell Mickey Mouse, he knows where to find me.
告诉警察，他知道上哪儿找我。
n. a bit of blotter impregnated with LSD with a picture of The Walt Disney Company’s Mickey Mouse on it. (Drugs.)
[吸毒者用语]一小撮致幻药
How much is the mickey mouse?
这一小撮致幻药卖多少钱？
Stanley Baldwin bridled at the BBC’s coverage of the General Strike of 1926.
BBC对1926年大罢工的报道让斯坦利·鲍德温嗤之以鼻。
bridle at sth
UK /ˈbraɪdl/ US /ˈbraɪdl/
to show that you are annoyed and/or offended at sth, especially by moving your head up and backwards in a proud way
(literary) （尤指傲慢地昂首对…）表示恼怒，表示不快
She bridled at the suggestion that she was lying.
她对暗示她在说谎的言论嗤之以鼻。
coverage
UK /ˈkʌvərɪdʒ/US /ˈkʌvərɪdʒ/
the reporting of a particular important event or subject
新闻报道
What did you think of the BBC's election coverage?
对英国广播公司的大选报道你怎么看？
背景知识
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is the national broadcaster of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 18 October 1922. Headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, it is the world's oldest national broadcaster, and the largest broadcaster in the world.
英国广播公司（British Broadcasting Corporation，缩写BBC）是英国的国家广播公司，成立于1922年，总部位于英国伦敦的广播大厦，是世界历史最久远、最大的新闻媒体。
图片来源：https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2019/08/27/bbc-announces-alexa-rivalling-beeb/
was a British Conservative statesman who dominated the government of the United Kingdom between the world wars, serving as Prime Minister on three occasions between 1923 and 1937.
斯坦利·鲍德温，保守党领袖，在世界大战期间三任英国首相（1923-1937）。
图片及文字来源：https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Baldwin?wprov=sfti1
The 1926 General Strike in the United Kingdom was a general strike that lasted nine days, from 4 to 12 May 1926. It was called by the General Council of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in an unsuccessful attempt to force the British government to act to prevent wage reductions and worsening conditions.
1926年英国大罢工由英国职工大会领导，从1926年5月4日一直持续到12日，是一场为期九天的大罢工。英国政府强制降低工人们薪资和劳工条件，这次罢工意在阻止这一举措，最后以失败告终。
图片来源：https://marketbusinessnews.com/financial-glossary/general-strike/
题外话
Since the publication of the Sykes Committee in 1923, the BBC has claimed independence from the government, but it has periodically attracted government scrutiny. The British government once tested this in 1926 during the General Strike. While the BBC attempted to report all sides of the strike, Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin and Conservatives in Parliament blocked Beeb’s attempts to broadcast statements from union leaders and the Labour Party. This led to the BBC refusing to broadcast a speech from the Archbishop of Canterbury, who insisted for an end to the strike. More controversially, BBC helped Prime Minister Baldwin write
a speech to the nation.
赛克斯委员会自1923年成立以来，BBC理应不受政府管制，但是政府会忍不住插手。在1926年英国大罢工期间，其公正性曾受到了来自英国政府的挑战。BBC尝试全方位报道此次罢工，但是首相斯坦利·鲍德温和保守党议员们从中作梗，封锁了英国广播公司对职工大会领导人和工党讲话的广播。坎特伯雷大主教主张结束罢工，BBC拒绝广播他的的演讲，予以回应。更具争论的是，BBC播出了鲍温顿表明政府立场的讲话。
