多邻国猫头鹰去世？
LearnAndRecord约 10 分钟近日，语言学习软件“多邻国”官方宣布，其吉祥物多邻国猫头鹰DUO已“去世”，引发热议。
🤔️小作业：
1. What is the author's attitude towards Duolingo’s decision to announce Duo's "death"?
A. The author criticizes it as an irresponsible marketing gimmick.
B. The author finds it a clever and engaging way to rejuvenate the brand.
C. The author is indifferent and merely reports the event without judgment.
D. The author is skeptical about its potential impact on user behavior.
无注释原文：
Duolingo Owl is dead, company says
From: CBS NEWS
The Duolingo Owl is dead, according to a statement from the Pittsburgh-based company.
"It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formally known as The Duolingo Owl, is dead," the language learning app posted on social media Tuesday morning.
Duolingo says "authorities" are investigating his cause of death and the company is cooperating.
"Tbh, he probably died waiting for you to do your lesson, but what do we know. We are aware he had many enemies, but we kindly ask that you refrain from sharing why you hate him in the comments. If you feel inclined to share, please also include your credit card number so we can automatically sign you up for Duolingo Max in his memory."
In a statement to KDKA-TV, a spokesperson confirmed that Duo is in fact dead as part of a brand marketing campaign, but people should actually refrain from posting their credit card information.
To mark Duo's death, Duolingo has updated its social media profile pictures and app icon to depict a photo of the bird with Xs for eyes.
Duolingo says it has embraced a "wholesome and unhinged" brand tone after its green owl mascot turned into an internet sensation.
"Our mascot was initially designed to encourage regular practice. But once the internet got their hands on him, he grew into a more complicated — even menacing — character with his own lore. He's still cute and cuddly. But he's also willing to temporarily relocate your family to ensure you finish your lessons," the company wrote in its handbook.
PR Week pointed out that it's not the first time a brand mascot has died. Mr. Peanut died and came back as Baby Nut in 2020. As for what's next for Duo, it seems like mourners will have to wait and see.
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注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考
含注释全文：
Duolingo Owl is dead, company says
From: CBS NEWS
The Duolingo Owl is dead, according to a statement from the Pittsburgh-based company.
据总部位于匹兹堡的这家公司的声明，多邻国（Duolingo）猫头鹰已离世。
owl
owl /aʊl/ 表示“猫头鹰，鸮”，英文解释为“a bird with a flat face and large eyes that hunts small mammals at night”
"It is with heavy hearts that we inform you that Duo, formally known as The Duolingo Owl, is dead," the language learning app posted on social media Tuesday morning.
周二上午，这款语言学习应用程序在社交媒体上发布消息称：“我们怀着沉重的心情通知大家，多邻国猫头鹰Duo已离世。”
Duolingo says "authorities" are investigating his cause of death and the company is cooperating.
多邻国表示，表示已配合相关部门展开死因调查。
authority
authority /ɔːˈθɒr.ə.ti/ 表示“威信；权力；管辖权”，英文解释为“the moral or legal right or ability to control”举个🌰：The United Nations has used/exerted/exercised its authority to restore peace in the area. 联合国行使其权力以恢复该地区的和平。
2）表示“官方机构；当局；官方；当权者”，英文解释为“a group of people with official responsibility for a particular area of activity”如：the health authority 卫生当局。
"Tbh, he probably died waiting for you to do your lesson, but what do we know. We are aware he had many enemies, but we kindly ask that you refrain from sharing why you hate him in the comments. If you feel inclined to share, please also include your credit card number so we can automatically sign you up for Duolingo Max in his memory."
“说真的，它可能是在等待用户完成每日学习任务时耗尽生命的——当然这只是猜测。我们知道这位‘学习监督员’树敌众多，但恳请各位不要在评论区发泄不满。若要留言，请附上信用卡号，我们将自动为您开通Duolingo Max会员服务，以此纪念这位尽责的‘学习监督员’。”
tbh
to be honest的缩写，多用于社交媒体或手机短信等表示“老实说，说实话，说实在的”，英文解释为“abbreviation for to be honest: used, for example on social media and in text messages, when you are giving your opinion about something”举个🌰：I don't care tbh. 说实话，我可不在乎。
refrain
refrain /rɪˈfreɪn/ 通常作动词，表示“忍住；克制”，英文解释为“If you refrain from doing something, you deliberately do not do it.”举个🌰：He refrained from making any comment. 他忍住了没做任何评论。
📍拜登不知被辱骂竟回我同意文中refrain作名词，熟词僻义，表示“副歌；一再重复的话”，如：a refrain from an old song 一首老歌的副歌，举个🌰：Her constant refrain is that she doesn't have a life. 她总是不断重复的一句话就是她生活得很无聊。
inclined
inclined /ɪnˈklaɪnd/ 表示“倾向于…的”，英文解释为“likely or wanting to do something”举个🌰：He is inclined to be lazy. 他喜欢偷懒。
In a statement to KDKA-TV, a spokesperson confirmed that Duo is in fact dead as part of a brand marketing campaign, but people should actually refrain from posting their credit card information.
在给KDKA-TV的声明中，多邻国发言人澄清Duo的死亡实为品牌营销企划，同时严肃提醒用户切勿泄露信用卡信息。
To mark Duo's death, Duolingo has updated its social media profile pictures and app icon to depict a photo of the bird with Xs for eyes.
为了悼念Duo的离世，多邻国已将其社交媒体头像和应用程序图标更新为一张这只鸟的照片，眼睛部分用X代替。
profile picture
profile picture /ˈprəʊ.faɪl ˌpɪk.tʃər/ 表示“头像”，英文解释为“an image that represents you on your profile (= information about your life, work, interests, etc. on a social networking website), usually a photograph of yourself”
icon
icon /ˈaɪ.kɒn/ 1）表示“象征物；偶像”，英文解释为“If you describe something or someone as an icon, you mean that they are important as a symbol of a particular thing.”如：a fashion icon 时尚偶像。
2）表示“图标；图符”，英文解释为“a small symbol on a computer screen that represents a program or a file”
depict
depict /dɪˈpɪkt/ 表示“描写，描述，描绘；描绘，绘画”，英文解释为“to describe something or someone in writing or speech, or to show them in a painting, picture etc”举个🌰：The artist had depicted her lying on a bed. 画家画了她躺在床上的画像。
Duolingo says it has embraced a "wholesome and unhinged" brand tone after its green owl mascot turned into an internet sensation.
多邻国表示，在其绿色猫头鹰吉祥物在网络上走红之后，该公司采用了“充满正能量又疯狂不羁”的品牌基调。
wholesome
wholesome /ˈhəʊl.səm/ 表示“有益的；有益健康的”，英文解释为“good for you, and likely to improve your life either physically, morally, or emotionally”如：wholesome food 有益健康的食品。
unhinged
unhinged /ʌnˈhɪndʒd/ 表示“精神失常的，神经错乱的”，英文解释为“mentally ill”举个🌰：I sometimes think that he is a little unhinged. 有时我觉得他有点儿不太正常。
sensation
sensation /senˈseɪ.ʃən/ 1）表示“轰动；哗然；引起轰动的人（或事物）”，英文解释为“very great surprise, excitement, or interest among a lot of people; the person or the thing that causes this surprise”举个🌰：The band became a sensation overnight. 一夜之间，这支乐队名声大振。
📍此前，戳爷Troye Sivan被传已分手数月？文中出现过，pop sensation可以理解为“流行巨星”，“流行天王”。还有，63岁中国爷爷成油管网红文中标题就是Master carpenter's ancient Chinese skills are a YouTube sensation.
2）作可数名词，还可以表示“感觉；知觉”，英文解释为“a feeling that you get when sth affects your body”如：a tingling/burning sensation 刺痛/烧灼的感觉。
3）作不可数名词，可以表示“感觉能力；知觉能力”，英文解释为“the ability to feel through your sense of touch”举个🌰：She seemed to have lost all sensation in her arms. 她的两条胳膊好像完全失去知觉了。
🎬电影《困在爱中》（Stuck in Love）中的台词提到：I was overcome by the oddest sensation. 我像是被一种怪异的冲动（感觉）驱使着。
📍词根“-sens-”来自拉丁语“sensare”，表示“感觉”。近义词：phenomenon（现象），同根词：sensitive（敏感的），常用短语：cause a sensation（引起轰动）
"Our mascot was initially designed to encourage regular practice. But once the internet got their hands on him, he grew into a more complicated — even menacing — character with his own lore. He's still cute and cuddly. But he's also willing to temporarily relocate your family to ensure you finish your lessons," the company wrote in its handbook.
“我们的吉祥物设计初衷是鼓励大家经常学习。但是，一旦网络上出现了它，就变成了一个更加复杂，甚至充满威胁的角色，有了自己的传说。它仍然很可爱。但它甚至不惜暂时‘绑架’你的家人，以确保你完成课程，”该公司在手册中写道。
mascot
mascot /ˈmæs.kɑːt/ 表示“吉祥物”，英文解释为“a person, animal, or object that is believed to bring good luck, or one that represents an organization”如：a team mascot 球队的吉祥物。
menacing
menacing /ˈmen.ɪ.sɪŋ/ 表示“威胁的；威吓的；构成威胁的”，英文解释为“making you think that someone is going to do something bad”如：a menacing look/gesture 威胁的眼神/姿态。
lore
lore /lɔːr/ 表示“（祖辈流传下来的）知识，传说”，英文解释为“traditional knowledge and stories about a subject”举个🌰：According to local lore, the water has healing properties. 根据当地的传说，这种水有治病的功效。
cuddly
cuddly /ˈkʌd.əl.i/ 表示“可爱的；令人想抱的”，英文解释为“liking to cuddle, or making you want to cuddle”如：a very cuddly child 非常可爱的小孩。
relocate
表示“迁移；重新安置”，英文解释为“If people or businesses relocate or if someone relocates them, they move to a different place.”举个🌰：If the company was to relocate, most employees would move. 如果公司要迁移，大多数员工得搬家。
PR Week pointed out that it's not the first time a brand mascot has died. Mr. Peanut died and came back as Baby Nut in 2020. As for what's next for Duo, it seems like mourners will have to wait and see.
PR Week指出，品牌吉祥物死亡的情况并非首次。2020年，“花生先生”（Mr. Peanut）去世后以“坚果宝宝”（Baby Nut）的形象回归。至于多邻国公司的下一步计划，哀悼者似乎只能拭目以待了。
mourner
mourner /ˈmɔː.nər/ 表示“哀悼者；送葬者”，英文解释为“a person at a funeral”举个🌰：The dead man's wife and children were the chief mourners. 死者的妻子和孩子是主要的送葬人。
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