But the golden goose is showing its age: North Sea production peaked in 1999 and has since been falling faster than all but the gloomiest foresaw (see chart 3).

可是“金鹅”已显老态：1999年北海产量达到顶峰，然后急速下降，降速超过最悲观的预测(见表3)。

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The Afghan strategy review has been too public and taken too long; the Middle East peace hunt has become a wild goose chase.

阿富汗战略回顾过于高调并耗时过长，寻求中东和平的努力变得徒劳无功。

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It’s been a golden goose for the company ever since they came up with Adwords and Adsense, and makes up 97% of its revenue.

广告就是Google公司的“金鹅”，是Adwords和Adsense是Google主要的收入来源，占据比例高达97%。 （编者注：金鹅，传说中每天下一颗金蛋。）

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Japan has been called the lead goose in that V-formation.

ECONOMIST: Into the unknown

It's a win-win situation, except that Chicago Tribune ace reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger) has been assigned to cook the goose that lays the golden eggs.

CNN: Review: 'Leatherheads' drops the ball

The ancient Egyptians ate goose, and it has been popular in Europe since the Middle Ages.

NPR: How to Cook Your Goose