The London Metal Exchange is looking at offering traders the chance to settle its contracts in renminbi, a move that could lead to its dropping sterling after 135 years.

ster·ling noun

[noncount] 1: silver that is 92 percent pure —called also sterling silver

2: British money
▪ a drop in the value of sterling — see also pound sterling

结算

(v) settle up the bill; close an account
 

1877年LME成立时，英国仍是一个制造业大国。LME的三个月交割基准合约，就是为了反映将智利的铜（或马来亚的锡）运至英国港口所需的时间。

When the LME was established in 1877, Britain was a manufacturing powerhouse and the LME’s benchmark contracts for delivery in three months were designed to mirror the time needed for shipments of copper from Chile and tin from Malaya to reach British ports.

pow·er·house /ˈpawɚˌhaʊs/ noun
plural pow·er·hous·es

[count] 1: a group of people or an organization that has a lot of power
▪ The country is an economic powerhouse.▪ Their company became a powerhouse in the video game industry.

bench·mark /ˈbɛntʃˌmɑɚk/ noun
plural bench·marks

[count] : something that can be used as a way to judge the quality or level of other, similar things
▪ a stock whose performance is a benchmark against which other stocks can be measured

交割
delivery
complete a business transaction

但如今，中国是金属市场上举足轻重的力量，在多数金属的需求中占40%以上的比重，在LME期货交易中的份额也在快速增长。

But now China is the dominant force in the market, accounting for more than 40 per cent of demand for most metals and a rapidly increasing share of trading in LME futures.

1fu·ture /ˈfju:tʃɚ/ noun
plural fu·tures

4 futures [plural] finance: goods or shares that are bought at prices which are agreed to now but that are delivered at a later time
▪ He made a fortune trading in oil futures.

期货
futures
 
 
刚刚过去的这个周末，两部新上映的影片将《饥饿游戏》(The Hunger Games)从票房神坛上赶了下来，结束了这部反乌托邦影片连续四周占据票房冠军宝座的经历。

Two new releases knocked 'The Hunger Games' off its pedestal at the box office this past weekend, ending the dystopian drama's four-week reign at No. 1.

ped·es·tal /ˈpɛdəstl̟/ noun
plural ped·es·tals

[count] 1: the base of a column or other tall object
▪ the pedestal of a vase/lamp/statue

2— used to describe the position of someone who is admired, successful, etc. ▪ Her boyfriend put/placed her on a pedestal. [=thought of her as a perfect person with no faults]▪ He wanted a career as an actor, but he didn't want to be put on a pedestal. [=to be treated like a big star]▪ They're trying to knock the champions off their pedestal. [=to defeat the champions]

dys·to·pia /dɪsˈtoʊpijə/ noun
plural dys·to·pias

[count] : an imaginary place where people are unhappy and usually afraid because they are not treated fairly — compare utopia

— dys·to·pi·an /dɪsˈtoʊpijiən/adjective
▪ a dystopian society

1reign /ˈreɪn/ noun
plural reigns

[count] 1: the period of time during which a king, queen, emperor, etc., is ruler of a country
▪ She was a popular ruler throughout her reign.▪ the reign of Queen Elizabeth

2: the period of time during which someone is in charge of a group or organization
▪ his reign as department chairperson▪ her reign as team president

3: the period of time during which someone or something is the best or the most important, powerful, etc.
▪ his reign as heavyweight boxing champion▪ the reign of digital technology

中国人喜爱《泰坦尼克号》自然不是因为冰山的缘故，吸引中国观众的是穷小子爱上富家女的男版《灰姑娘》故事，以及爱情战胜一切的故事。

One theory behind the appeal, now that we know it's not the icebergs, is that Chinese are drawn to the reverse-Cinderella tale--the story of a poor man falling in love with a rich girl, and of love trumping all else.

¹ap·peal /əˈpi:l/ noun

plural ap·peals