spell, stela, rappel, abseil, drawbridge. Jack Ma downfall spells end of China's golden age

This was our most read story of the week.

https://s.nikkei.com/3QPwCeZ

ASIA.NIKKEI.COM

Analysis: Jack Ma downfall spells end of China's golden age

為你推薦

Mayan stelae

The "irreplaceable" books, including a first edition by Galileo, were taken in a dramatic London heist in 2017. Thieves cut holes in the roof of a warehouse and abseiled in, dodging sensors.

WATCH: Protesters at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University abseil down from a bridge and speed off on waiting motorbikes.

(Video: AFP)

“The point is, to help ourselves, we’ve got to help others, not pull up the drawbridge and try to keep the world out.”



Soon after China was awarded the Olympic Games seven years ago, a series of public relations strategy sessions were held. But it wasn’t the Chinese government holding the sessions: it was grass-roots Tibet support groups in the United States and abroad.

The protesters quickly established a communications plan, focused their message and ran camps where they taught members interview skills and even rappelling — as they showed off last week in hanging banners on the Golden Gate Bridge.


The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

‪#‎MetKids‬ fun fact: Ancient Egyptians poured water over the spells carved on this stela and then used the water to try to magically cure patients of poisonous bites. http://met.org/1OViF9g

Magical Stela (Cippus of Horus) (detail) | 360–343 B.C. | From Egypt, Alexandria Region, Alexandria; Made for Memphite Region, Heliopolis, Temple of the Mnevis bulls, (according to the inscription)

Have you got what it takes? Sign up today to take part in a charity abseil on the 18 or 19 March!

University of Essex Students' Union

5小時 · 

Abseil a campus tower! (only happens every 3 years)

 spell disaster, trouble, etc.

 

to cause something bad to happen in the future:

The new regulations could spell disaster for small businesses.

This cold weather could spell trouble for gardeners.

 SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases

abseil UK
verb [I] (US rappel)
to go down a very steep slope by holding on to a rope which is fastened to the top of the slope:
She abseiled down the rock face.

abseil UK
noun [C] (US rappel)

abseil

Pronunciation: /ˈabseɪl/ 

 /ˈabzʌɪl/ 

British

VERB

[NO OBJECT]

Descend a rock face or other near-vertical surface by using a doubled rope coiled round the body and fixed at a higher point:team members had to abseil down sheer cliffs to reach the couple(as noun abseiling) there are facilities for abseiling and rock climbing

rappel 

Pronunciation: /raˈpɛl/ 

NOUN& VERB (rappels, rappelling, rappelled)

Another term for abseil.

Example sentences

Origin

1930s: from French, literally 'a recalling', from rappeler in the sense 'bring back to oneself' (with reference to the rope manoeuvre).

stelaLine breaks: stela

Pronunciation: /ˈstiːlə/

Definition of stela in English:

noun (plural stelae ˈstiːliː)

Archaeology

An upright stone slab or column typically bearing a commemorative inscription or relief design, often serving as a gravestone.

EXAMPLE SENTENCES

• Scribes carved hieroglyphs on stone stelae, altars, wooden lintels, and roof beams, or painted them on ceramic vessels and in books made of bark paper.
• The sites are fascinating for their pyramids, sculpture, frescoes and stelae (carved stone slabs depicting various ceremonies).
• Many of these Han burials were readily identifiable by inscribed stone stelae, tablets recording the name, titles, and dates of the deceased.
• GET MORE EXAMPLES

Origin

Late 18th century: via Latin from Greek (see stele).

drawbridge 

Pronunciation: /ˈdrɔːbrɪdʒ/ 

NOUN

historical

A bridge, especially one over a castle’s moat, which ishinged at one end so that it may be raised to prevent people crossing or to allow vessels to pass under it:there was a rattle of chains as the drawbridge was lowered

More example sentences