Leave
人若犯懒，神仙也没辙。其实想多学点英文，就要远离拖延症。不怕做得少，就怕不坚持。新的一年已经来到，让我们继续泡在英文的海洋里吧，如果淹不死你这条爱上英文的狗，那你就可以在里面游来游去啦！
今天我们来温习一个大家都熟悉的词leave,作为动词，它表示“离开”或留下”，一个词竟然可以是这样的矛盾体，也是语言词汇中的一种乐趣了。想必有英文基础的人都学会了leave a message（留言）、leave me alone（别理我；让我一个人呆会儿）和leave for (离开去某处)，这leave的含义自然要看具体情况和语境来辨别，就好比miss you在不同的语境中有不同的理解，也正是有了这样的一词多义，语言的使用也更加多样化。今天，我们主要来了解一下leave作为名词的用法，作为名词它有“许可；同意”、“假期、休假”的意思，比如有人需要和老板请病假、事假或者只是不想上班，这里的请假我们可以说ask for leave，期望得到老板的许可，准许自己的暂时离开。
For instance:
Because of fatigue from working, my friend Darcy often asks for leave to relax.
此外，女人生宝宝时有法定的产假，这时也可以用leave来表示，叫做maternity leave, maternity一词指“母性;母系”，而一些比较人性化的公司也会给家里妻子生产的男员工几天的陪护假，也叫陪产假，只要把maternity leave的母亲改成父亲即可，即paternity leave。Maternity与paternity是相对应的词，放在一起记忆便不容易忘了，可联想mama和papa帮助你记住它们。
再看看类似的表达：
Parental leave
Family leave
Late-marriage leave (perhaps specially in China? I guess. But, after the two-child policy issued, this welfare is to be canceled.)
最后带大家看看世界各国的产假是怎样的：
United States:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 12 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: No national program but cash benefits may be provided at the state level.
Iceland:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 3 months for the mother, 3 months for the father, and 3 months that can be taken by either parent (total of 9 months)
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80 (up to ISK350,000 per month)
Germany:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 14 Months
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 65
Japan:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 67
New Zealand:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks Paid, 38 Weeks Unpaid
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100
Switzerland:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 14 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80
France:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100
Latvia:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 112 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100
Netherlands:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100
Spain:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 16 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100
Greece:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 119 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 50
Australia:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 18 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: Each parent can take up to 12 months of leave, of which 18 weeks are paid.
Poland:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 20 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100
Russia:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 140 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 100
Italy:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 5 Months
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80, however, there an additional option for six month leave with 30 per cent of your salary
Ireland:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 26 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80
Czech Republic:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 28 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 60
Slovakia:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 28 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 55
Canada:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 52 Weeks
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 55 per cent at 17 weeks for maternity leave, and the additional 35 weeks can be taken by either parent. Wages also depend on province.
Sweden:
Length Of Maternity Leave: 420 Days
Percentage Of Wages Paid: 80