Gideon Long, BBC News, Santiago

媒體英語會帶大家一起學習 BBC 撰稿人在報道世界大事時常用到的單詞和短語。

Background: 智利政府為了節(jié)省能源提倡了一項新宣傳。鼓勵上班族男士在酷熱的暑期解下領帶，這樣就不必啟動空調了。

It's a common sight during the Southern Hemisphere summer to see Chilean men sweltering in suits and neckties.

From December to March, the temperature in the capital regularly tops 30 degrees Celsius. In the bone-dry north of the country it gets even higher.

So the government's told the country's menfolk to shed their ties, undo their top buttons and turn down the air conditioning.

It estimates that by doing so Chile can save around US$ 10 million (about 63 million yuan) during the four hottest months of the year, and save 120,000 tonnes in carbon emissions.

The government launched its initiative with a video in which four ministers ripped off their ties. Energy conservation is a key issue in Chile, which, unlike many countries in Latin America, produces virtually no oil and gas.

It relies heavily on hydro-electric power, but that often runs low during the summer, when the country's reservoirs are frequently hit by drought.