throw or put off the scent, self-immolation

As Self-Immolations Near 100, Tibetans Question the Effect

By JIM YARDLEY

NEW DELHI — A quiet debate is under way among Tibetans anguished over the deaths of young men in gruesome acts of protest against Chinese rule.

《中英對照讀新聞》Obama to appear on TV science show "Mythbusters" 歐巴馬將現身電視科學節目「流言終結者」
◎張沛元
Obama to appear on TV science show "Mythbusters"
歐巴馬將現身電視科學節目「流言終結者」
President Barack Obama said Monday he is appearing on "Mythbusters," a television series that uses science to separate fact from fiction.
美國總統巴拉克．歐巴馬週一表示，他將出現在以科學來區分事實與虛構的電視節目「流言終結者」。
Obama’s appearance on the popular Discovery Channel show is part of a White House effort to highlight the importance of science, math and engineering as experts warn that low interest in these subjects among U.S. students could hurt the economy.
歐巴馬參加這個受歡迎的探索頻道節目，是白宮力圖凸顯科學、數學與工程的重要性之努力的一部分。專家警告說，美國學生對這些學科興趣缺缺，可能有損美國經濟。
Questions tackled this year on "Mythbusters" include "What’s worse, having an empty beer bottle smashed over your head or a full one?" and "Can a sniffer dog be thrown off the scent using household items?"
「流言終結者」節目今年曾探討的問題，包括「什麼比較慘，被空啤酒瓶還是裝滿的啤酒瓶打到頭？」以及「利用居家用品就能讓嗅探犬無用武之地嗎？」
The Obama episode, to air on December 8, reprises an earlier debunking of the 2,000-year-old story that Greek mathematician and engineer Archimedes set fire to an invading Roman fleet using a system of mirrors to focus the sun’s rays.
歐巴馬參與演出的那一集，將在12月8日播出，內容是再次揭穿一則流傳2000年的故事，即希臘數學家兼工程師阿基米德利用一組鏡子聚焦太陽光，讓入侵的羅馬艦隊陷入火海。
"I can announce today that I taped a special guest appearance for their show, although I didn’t get to blow anything up," Obama said at a White House science fair event. "I was a little frustrated with that."
「我今天可以宣布，我在他們的節目中擔任特別來賓，雖然我沒有炸掉任何東西，」歐巴馬在一場白宮科學展活動上說。「我對此覺得有點失落。」
新聞辭典
separate something from something：慣用語，分開，劃分。
put someone off the scent：慣用語，擺脫某人的追蹤；使某人迷失尋找方向。例句：The clever maneuvers of the robbers put the Sheriff’s posse off the scent.（那幫搶匪的奸巧陰謀把警方耍得團團轉。）

throw off
1. Cast out, rid oneself of, as in He threw off all unpleasant memories and went to the reunion. [Early 1600s]
2. Give off, emit, as in The garbage was throwing off an awful smell. [First half of 1700s] Also see throw out, def. 1.
3. Also, throw or put off the scent. Distract, divert, or mislead, as in A mistaken estimate threw off her calculations, or These clues were designed to throw the detective off the scent. The variant comes from hunting, where the quarry may try to put pursuing hounds off the scent. Its figurative use dates from the mid-1800s. Also see off the track.
4. Perform in a quick, spontaneous, or casual manner, as in He threw off one sketch after another. [Mid-1700s]
set fire to someone or something：慣用語，放火燒某人或某物。例句：The old man accidentally set himself on fire.（那名老人不慎引火自焚。）