▍原文 McDonald’s China arm has raised prices on most menu items, igniting a social media backlash as consumers grapple with job uncertainty and stagnant wages. While modest, the increase drew attention because the chain's budget combo has long been dubbed the “poor man’s meal” by frugal young adults. Some quipped online that “McDonald’s prices are rising, but my salary isn’t”. ▍語言點 arm /ɑ:m/ n. 分支機構、分公司 ignite /ɪɡ'naɪt/ v. 點燃；引發 backlash /'bæklæʃ/ n. 強烈抵制、負面反響 · ignite a backlash 引發強烈反對、激起強烈不滿 grapple with 努力應對、設法解決 stagnant /ˈstæɡnənt/ adj. 停滯的、不增長的 budget combo 平價套餐 · budget adj. 經濟實惠的、平價的 · combo n. 餐飲語境中特指“套餐”（combination的縮寫） dub /dʌb/ v. 把......戲稱為；給......起綽號（強調非正式的、大眾賦予的稱呼） · be dubbed 被稱為、被冠以……稱號 frugal /'fruːɡəl/ adj. 節儉的、節約的 quip /kwɪp/ v. 打趣、調侃 搜索【友鄰優課】微信小程序，收聽晨讀即可...
▍原文 McDonald’s China arm has raised prices on most menu items, igniting a social media backlash as consumers grapple with job uncertainty and stagnant wages. While modest, the increase drew attention because the chain's budget combo has long been dubbed the “poor man’s meal” by frugal young adults. Some quipped online that “McDonald’s prices are rising, but my salary isn’t”. ▍語言點 arm /ɑ:m/ n. 分支機構、分公司 ignite /ɪɡ'naɪt/ v. 點燃；引發 backlash /'bæklæʃ/ n. 強烈抵制、負面反響 · ignite a backlash 引發強烈反對、激起強烈不滿 grapple with 努力應對、設法解決 stagnant /ˈstæɡnənt/ adj. 停滯的、不增長的 budget combo 平價套餐 · budget adj. 經濟實惠的、平價的 · combo n. 餐飲語境中特指“套餐”（combination的縮寫） dub /dʌb/ v. 把......戲稱為；給......起綽號（強調非正式的、大眾賦予的稱呼） · be dubbed 被稱為、被冠以……稱號 frugal /'fruːɡəl/ adj. 節儉的、節約的 quip /kwɪp/ v. 打趣、調侃 搜索【友鄰優課】微信小程序，收聽晨讀即可...
▍原文 The humble United States penny, often dismissed as having little value, has recently commanded millions from eager collectors. Following the government’s decision to cease cent production in November, the final pennies circulated in the U.S. were snapped up at auction. The U.S. Mint sold 232 three-cent sets for a staggering sum of $16.76 million at an auction last Thursday, which contained the last three pennies ever made and sold for $800,000. ▍語言點 1. humble US /ˈhʌmbl/ adj. 不起眼的；謙虛的 ·come from a humble background 出身貧寒 2. dismiss (something) as v. （本文）認為……不值一提 3. command /kəˈmænd/ v. 值得，贏得；命令 4. cease US /siːs/ ：v. 停止 ·近義詞辨析：cease比stop更加正式。 cease fire 戰爭停火 5. circulate /ˈsɜːrkjəleɪt/ v. （本文）貨幣流通 6. auction /ˈɔːkʃn/ n. 拍賣會 7. snap up 搶購 8. staggering /ˈstæɡərɪŋ/ adj. 大得驚人的 9. sell for + 價格 以……價錢賣出 搜索【友鄰優課】微信小程序，收聽晨讀即可領取： 《...
▍原文 The humble United States penny, often dismissed as having little value, has recently commanded millions from eager collectors. Following the government’s decision to cease cent production in November, the final pennies circulated in the U.S. were snapped up at auction. The U.S. Mint sold 232 three-cent sets for a staggering sum of $16.76 million at an auction last Thursday, which contained the last three pennies ever made and sold for $800,000. ▍語言點 1. humble US /ˈhʌmbl/ adj. 不起眼的；謙虛的 ·come from a humble background 出身貧寒 2. dismiss (something) as v. （本文）認為……不值一提 3. command /kəˈmænd/ v. 值得，贏得；命令 4. cease US /siːs/ ：v. 停止 ·近義詞辨析：cease比stop更加正式。 cease fire 戰爭停火 5. circulate /ˈsɜːrkjəleɪt/ v. （本文）貨幣流通 6. auction /ˈɔːkʃn/ n. 拍賣會 7. snap up 搶購 8. staggering /ˈstæɡərɪŋ/ adj. 大得驚人的 9. sell for + 價格 以……價錢賣出 搜索【友鄰優課】微信小程序，收聽晨讀即可領取： 《...
▍原文 Hollywood and the world of politics were in complete shock at the devastating news that filmmaker and activist Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer had been found dead in their Brentwood home Sunday. His success and influence touched many in Hollywood, and the reaction on social media Sunday night saw an outpouring of affection for Reiner and his vast body of work. Screenwriter C. Robert Cargill wrote on Bluesky, "Legend isn't big enough a word." ▍語言點 1. be in complete shock 處於完全的震驚之中（比be shocked更強調震驚持續的狀態） 2. devastating /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/ adj. 毀滅性的，令人極為震驚，悲傷的 · a devastating earthquake 毀滅性的地震 · a devastating blow 沉重的打擊 3. touch /tʌtʃ/ v. （情感或精神層面）觸動，感動，影響（某人） 4. the reaction（對事件的）反應，反響 5. an outpouring of something 情感的迸發，傾瀉，大量湧現 · outpouring n. 噴湧 · There was an outpouring of public support for the victims. 公眾對受害者的支持如潮水般湧來。 ...
▍原文 Hollywood and the world of politics were in complete shock at the devastating news that filmmaker and activist Rob Reiner and his wife Michele Singer had been found dead in their Brentwood home Sunday. His success and influence touched many in Hollywood, and the reaction on social media Sunday night saw an outpouring of affection for Reiner and his vast body of work. Screenwriter C. Robert Cargill wrote on Bluesky, "Legend isn't big enough a word." ▍語言點 1. be in complete shock 處於完全的震驚之中（比be shocked更強調震驚持續的狀態） 2. devastating /ˈdevəsteɪtɪŋ/ adj. 毀滅性的，令人極為震驚，悲傷的 · a devastating earthquake 毀滅性的地震 · a devastating blow 沉重的打擊 3. touch /tʌtʃ/ v. （情感或精神層面）觸動，感動，影響（某人） 4. the reaction（對事件的）反應，反響 5. an outpouring of something 情感的迸發，傾瀉，大量湧現 · outpouring n. 噴湧 · There was an outpouring of public support for the victims. 公眾對受害者的支持如潮水般湧來。 ...
▍原文 Two gunmen opened fire during a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi beach, killing 15 people, including a child. The massacre at one of Australia’s most popular beaches followed a wave of antisemitic attacks that have roiled the country over the past year, although the authorities didn’t suggest those and the shooting Sunday were connected. It was the deadliest shooting in almost three decades in a country with strict gun control laws. ▍語言點 gunmen /'ɡʌnmən/ n. 持槍的人 · attacker n. 襲擊者 · killer n. 行凶人 · suspect n. 嫌疑人 open fire 開槍，開火（start shooting） Hanukkah /'hænəkə/ n. 光明節 massacre /'mæsəkə/ n. 大屠殺（指短時間之內，造成大量死亡的蓄意殘殺） · the Nanjing Massacre 南京大屠殺 antisemitic /æntisə'mɪtɪk/ adj. 反猶主義的 · antisemitism n. 反猶主義 deadliest /'dedliɪst/ adj. 最致命的 · deadly adj. 致命的 · a deadly virus 一種致命的病毒 · a deadly habit 一種要命的習慣 搜索【友鄰優課】微信小程序，收聽晨讀即可領取：《晨...
▍原文 Two gunmenopened fireduring aHanukkahcelebration on Sydney’s Bondi beach, killing 15 people, including a child. Themassacreat one of Australia’s most popular beaches followedawave of antisemitic attacksthat haveroiledthe country over the past year, although the authorities didn’t suggest those and the shooting Sunday were connected. It wasthe deadliest shootingin almost three decades in a country with strict gun control laws. ▍語言點 gunmen /'ɡʌnmən/ n. 持槍的人 · attacker n. 襲擊者 · killer n. 行凶人 · suspect n. 嫌疑人 open fire 開槍，開火（start shooting） Hanukkah /'hænəkə/ n. 光明節 massacre /'mæsəkə/ n. 大屠殺（指短時間之內，造成大量死亡的蓄意殘殺） · the Nanjing Massacre 南京大屠殺 antisemitic /æntisə'mɪtɪk/ adj. 反猶主義的 · antisemitism n. 反猶主義 deadliest /'dedliɪst/ adj. 最致命的 · deadly adj. 致命的 · a deadly virus 一種致命的病毒 · a deadly habit 一種要命的習慣 搜索【友鄰優課】微信小程序，收聽晨讀即可領取：《晨讀短文100篇電...
▍原文 The chief official in charge of the administration of South Korea’s annual national college entrance exam stepped down on Dec 10 to take responsibility for the excessive difficulty of the 2025 English exam paper. Only 15,154 of test-takers earned a highest-grade score of 90 or above, the lowest proportion since English shifted to an absolute grading system in 2018. This is lower than the 4 percent threshold used for the top grade under the relative grading system used for other subjects. ▍語言點 chief official 首席官員，主要負責人 in charge of something 負責、主管某事 step down （本文）辭職，下臺（常指因某種壓力或失誤主動或被動地離開職位 ） · 近義詞辨析：step down比quit，resign更具新聞性和畫面感，常指因壓力或失誤主動或被動離職。 take responsibility for something 為……承擔責任 excessive US /ɪkˈsesɪv/ adj. 過度的，過分的 shift to something 轉變到，切換到（某種狀態、系統或方法） absolute grading system 絕對評價體系 relative grading system 相對評價體系（按考生成績分...
▍原文 The chief official in charge of the administration of South Korea’s annual national college entrance exam stepped down on Dec 10 to take responsibility for the excessive difficulty of the 2025 English exam paper. Only 15,154 of test-takers earned a highest-grade score of 90 or above, the lowest proportion since English shifted to an absolute grading system in 2018. This is lower than the 4 percent threshold used for the top grade under the relative grading system used for other subjects. ▍語言點 chief official 首席官員，主要負責人 in charge of something 負責、主管某事 step down （本文）辭職，下臺（常指因某種壓力或失誤主動或被動地離開職位 ） · 近義詞辨析：step down比quit，resign更具新聞性和畫面感，常指因壓力或失誤主動或被動離職。 take responsibility for something 為……承擔責任 excessive US /ɪkˈsesɪv/ adj. 過度的，過分的 shift to something 轉變到，切換到（某種狀態、系統或方法） absolute grading system 絕對評價體系 relative grading system 相對評價體系（按考生成績分...