【語法和句型】

1. With electricity costs rising -- along with global-warming guilt -- consumers across the country are struggling to wean themselves from the A/C.
夾在電價上漲和全球變暖惡果之間的美國消費者在是否應關掉冷氣的問題上很是掙扎。

wean...from..表示“改掉……換掉…… ”，例如：

Tess was trying to wean herself from the old life
黛絲那時正努力使自己擺脫過去的生活

2. Otherwise, she makes do by snacking on watermelon cubes soaked in chilled bourbon.
她靠吃幾塊泡在冰鎮波旁威士忌里的西瓜塊來抵御酷暑。

soak in 表示“浸透，滲入”

Put some water on and let it soak in naturally.
倒一些水, 讓它自然滲透。

3. In response, nearly two-thirds of families are cutting back on air conditioning.
據美聯社和雅虎新聞的最新聯合調查顯示，將近三分之二的美國家庭都因此減少了空調的使用。

cut back on表示“消減，減少”，例如：

We shall have to cut back on our spending.
我們將不得不削減我們的經費。

Financial pressures impel the firm to cut back on spending.
財政壓力迫使公司減少開支。