This is what I have learnt today.

[v0031]

1.rubber-stamp 夸夸其谈的

2.botched 笨拙的reform

3.turn a blind eye

4.professional可作为名词

5.He is known for being blunt and direct.

6.no-nonsense正经严肃的

7.More work lies ahead.

8.sea change

9.upbraid责骂

And i find “Many, if not all, officials of the U.S. government believe the current situation is one in which the military has the bit in its mouth and is pushy on this issue,”
hard to understand.

[2952-0-0]

Actually, rubber-stamp has nothing to do with 夸夸其谈的. It refers to a situation when a body with strong theoretical powers uses that power on the order of someone else.

For example, the National People's Congress (人大) in theory makes the law in China, but in practice it just rubber-stamps whatever the Communist Party Central Committee (党中央) and Politburo (政治局) says.

[v0031]

would you like to record some sentences for me for my teaching?