Saturday, June 27, 2015

What Did You Say?

Be polite when asking again

Interviews, meeting or phone calls – your conversations are important. But what if you can’t understand the person? In English, it can be rude to repeatedly ask, “What?” when you don’t know what someone has said. You don’t want that person to think their pronunciation is unclear. There are many ways to politely ask someone to repeat something. Start by apologizing for not hearing what the person said. You can begin with “excuse me” or "pardon me" or "sorry." Then politely say that you did not hear or understand what was said. For instance, you could say, "I'm sorry, but I didn't quite hear you."

You could also say, “Can you please say that again?” or “Could you repeat that?” It can be frustrating when you don’t hear someone clearly. But it is always important to say calm and pleasant. And be sure to put the blame on yourself. You didn’t hear clearly or understand. That makes people feel more comfortable even when you can’t understand them well.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Enunciation vs. Pronunciation教學主題: 表示「發音」的兩個字
You might have a large English vocabulary understand all the grammar rules and even know the exceptions to the rules. But if you can’t make yourself understood when you speak, expect to hear “Why did you say a lot?”

When speaking any language, knowing how to string words together to create coherent sentences isn’t enough. You also need skill in the delivering those words.

Right. You need both good enunciation as well as good pronunciation. Enunciation is making yourself understood, while pronunciation is saying sounds correctly.

Okay, consider the word February, the name of the second month of the year. Say the word aloud, being very careful to say each syllable clearly and precisely, [ fe, bju, e, ri.]

Good, now say it again. Each syllable clear and precise, [ fe , bju, e, ri.]

Okay, we tricked you to show that it is possible to have good enunciation, but poor pronunciation.

Right, our enunciation was clear and precise both times, but our pronunciation was correct only the second time. So is it possible for the opposite to occur to have good pronunciation but poor enunciation?

I think it is. I might pronounce February correctly, but say it so softly. You can’t hear me.


Closer Look
In English, it can be rude to repeatedly ask, “What?” when you don’t know what someone has said.
It can be [adjective] to [verb] when [situation].
- It can be frustrating to walk home on a rainy day when you have to carry many things by yourself.
- It can be embarrassing to ask for someone's name when you've already met them before.

Language Lab
repeatedly adv. [repeat v.]
said, done, or happening again and again
repetitively adv.
happening again and again : repeated many times
- I repetitively explained the importance of setting the alarm system to Grandpa, but he just didn't get it.

unclear adj. = clear as mud; crystal clear = very clear
confused or uncertain about something — often + about
- There are some points of your proposal that are unclear to me.
- The motives for the crime remain unclear.

frustrating adj.
causing feelings of anger and annoyance
- Losing the game again is really frustrating for the whole team.
frustrated adj.
- Irene is frustrated because she can't find a job.

blame n.
responsibility for something that fails or is wrong
put the blame on someone
- The business owner put all the blame on his factory manager for the fire.


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Sunday, June 21, 2015

A Picnic Anyone?

Enjoy a picnic outdoors

It's a beautiful summer day. The sky is blue. The birds are singing. The sun is shinning. So make some sandwiches, grab some friends and head for a park near your house. It's International Picnic Day!

History 
Some historians believe that picnics started during medieval times. After a successful hunt, villagers would celebrate with an outdoor meal. Others believe that picnics started during the Victorian era. They were an important social time when young men and women could meet.

How to celebrate 
Early picnics usually consisted of lots of food and games. Today, picnics are more simple and relaxed. In fact, the phrase "it's a picnic" means something is easy. People usually eat food like sandwiches, chips and carrot sticks. These are foods people can eat with their hands.

What makes a good spot to have a picnic? That depends on you. Enjoy the sun or the shade from a tree. Just get out and have a picnic!

Info Cloud
dessert idiom 與甜點有關的片語

If you’re looking for more English idioms to say something is easy, just remember one word, dessert.

Umm, let’s start with pie as in, “easy as pie”, and by that I mean eating pie, because making pie requires time effort and some skill. Okay, you know, there are few things easier than lifting a forkful of pumpkin pie to my mouth and eating it.

Easy as pie. Now if you like cake more than pie, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered, “a piece of cake” is one of the more familiar idioms to mean something that takes little or no effort to do.

Okay. Since we’re on the topic of the cake, let’s introduce the easy idiom, “cakewalk”.

Cakewalks started in 18 century America as a formal of public entertainment. They were kind of like dance contest, the person or couple who had the fanciest or most entertaining dance moves won a big cake as the price.

Now, on a related note, some linguists believe that the cakewalk contest is also where the idiom “take the cake” came from. This idiom means ranking first, or surpassing all others, sometimes with a negative connotation. For example, I knew Jack was arrogant, but his brother really takes the cake.

a piece of cake 很容易達成的事
- That test was a piece of cake.
cakewalk 輕而易舉
take the cake 叫他第一名(多用於負面)
Of all the bad restaurants I been to, this one takes the cake.
as easy as pie 很輕鬆(像吃派一樣)

Closer Look 
After a successful hunt, villagers would celebrate with an outdoor meal.
After a successful [event], [somebody] would celebrate with [something]. 
- After a successful business trip, the salesman would celebrate with a trip to the beach with his family.
- After a successful competition, the team would celebrate with a pizza party.

Language Lab
outdoors adv. 在戶外, 在野外;
- The wedding was held outdoors.
- Freddy works outdoors, so he's tanned.
outdoors  n. 戶外
- Tim loves to enjoy the great outdoors with his family.

historian n. 歷史學家, 史學工作者
- Many historians are fascinated by ancient Chinese history.
- Charlie is a historian who specializes in Greek history.

celebrate v. 慶祝, 慶賀
- Paul and Vivian celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last Sunday.
celebration n. 慶祝
- The company's 50th anniversary celebration lasted for a whole week.

shade n. 陰涼處, 遮陰, 色彩的濃淡或深淺
- The big maple tree in the backyard provides welcome shade.
- Laura wants a lighter shade of blue for her bedroom wall.

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Saturday, June 20, 2015

Summer Job or Summer Fun? (2)


  • How do you stand on your own two feet?
  • What does Mike think about grades?

Are idle summers bad for teenagers?

Sometimes previous work experience is helpful. But if it's not in a related field, it's probably not that advantageous.

OK, well what about the extra money she could earn? Both Janet and Michelle love to shop.

True, but I don't mind giving Michelle spending money. She is responsible with her weekly allowance.

Handling money from her parents is good, but what about managing her own money? Having a paycheck is a great way to get her acquainted with a budget.

She's just a teenager. She has plenty of time to learn those kinds of skills.

But by learning them now, she'll be more equipped to stand on her own two feet.

What if she goes to a college far away?

Then we'll discuss finances and budgets before she leaves.

Michelle is smart.

You know, a lot of colleges are interested in students who know how to use their time wisely -- like juggling a summer job with other activities.

I think her good grades and school activities will be more than enough for her to get into a good university.

If you say so. But I'm glad Janet plans to get a summer job.


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Shop Till You Drop 教學主題: 血拼到掛

Hello, friends! If you like to shop, and I mean really like to shop, here is a nice idiom you can learn, “shop till you drop”.

“Shop till you drop” means to buy things until you drop to the ground from the exhaustion and to reach such an end one would have to be shopping for a very long time.

And that’s something people who walked have shocked, don’t mind doing. Many of my female friends love to shop and “shop till you drop” has become a slogan, almost of battle cry for them.

You might see this phrase on their t-shirt or bumper sticker.

So how do we use this phrase? Here’s an example, if you go to London with Jury, be sure to take comfortable shoes. She likes to shop till she drops.

I’m not sure I would like to go shopping with Jury. When I think of shopping, I think of finding and buying only what I need in the shortest possible time.

Hey, I’m with you there. Okay, what if you don’t have any money? Well, you can still shop, window shop.

Right. Window shopping means looking at things in shop windows without actually purchasing anything. Serra already spent her weekly allowance, so she could only go window shopping.

Closer Look
If you say so. But I’m glad Janet has a summer job.
If you say so, but…
- If you say so, but I think there are other movies that are better.
- If you say so, but I feel it's not too bad.

Language Lab
advantageous adj.
/ˌædˌvænˈteɪʤəs/
helpful or favorable : giving an advantage to someone
- The new tax policy is advantageous to business owners.
- The business agreement is advantageous for both parties.

allowance n.  [allow v.]
/əˈlawəns/
- Mark now gets an allowance from his parents because he's too busy studying to work.
- Lawrence's company gives generous travel allowances, so he doesn't mind going on business trips.

equip v. equips; equipped; equipping
to provide (something) with a particular feature or ability
- The course aims to equip students with communication skills.
- Ruth's MBA equipped her for a higher management position.

stand on one's own two feet
to support yourself without help from other people
- You're already 25, so it's time for you to stand on your own two feet.
- Stanley learned how to stand on his own two feet very early in life because he was raised by a single mom.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150620baab879b450514f829b430ca958fa7069c9ab4a7fe24177a481bee27751198d76e3.wma

Friday, June 5, 2015

5 Foods That Fight Sunburn (1)

  • The danger of sunburn
  • Fighting sunburn with oatmeal
  • Fighting sunburn with fat-free milk

Find help for your skin in your kitchen

No one sets out to get sunburned, but the pleasant distractions of summer – the long, sunny days or the beckoning beach – all make it easy to forget that extra coat of sunscreen. Of course, it’s best to practice sunburn prevention and stop a burn before it starts, given its ability to cause skin cancer and premature aging. Luckily, common foods in your kitchen possess sun-protection compounds to aid your current sun-protection routine. Others offer surprising relief if you do accidentally catch too many rays.

Check out these natural food remedies to deal with – or prevent – summer sunburns.

1. Oatmeal
Burn-fighting effect: When your whole body is sunburned,oatmeal provides the best type of relief.
Sunburn treatment: Grind up a cup of oatmeal in a food processor, add it to cool bath water, and soak.

2. Fat-free milk
Burn-fighting effect: The milk creates a protein film on your skin that will help ease the discomfort of fresh sunburn.
Sunburn treatment: Apply cool, not cold, milk to your skin using a clean cloth or gauze. Apply compresses for 15 to 20 minutes, and repeat every 2 to 4 hours

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Listicles 教學主題: 目錄式文章

listicle (list+article)

Most often found in magazines and on blogs, listicles are articles made up of list facts, tips, examples or quotations based around a common theme.

Listicles had been around for the decades but the word itself, a blend of the word’s list and article is much younger.

Sometimes listicles are written in a round countdown format, meaning, the author is making a judgment about what he or she is writing about.

That’s right. For example, in the listicle, top ten beaches in Mexico, the last beach mentioned at the number one position would be in the author’s opinion the best beach.

And people just love listicles because they are easy to read and digest.

So they’re great for people who are too busy to read lengthy articles and for people who have short attention spans.

Well, if readers love listicles, publishers love them even more, because they know if they include a listicle title on a magazine cover sales will go up.

Right. I’m sure you’ve seen examples of listicles buying for your attention from a magazine rack at local convenience store, “five worse foods to eat before bedtime”. Or “ten ways to lose five pounds in two days”.

Closer Look
No one sets out to get sunburned, but the pleasant distractions of summer – the long, sunny days or the beckoning beach – all make it easy to forget that extra coat of sunscreen.
No one…, but the …–[ list of examples ] – all make/made it easy to…
- No one wanted to be a bad worker, but the uncomfortable working conditions -- long hours in a hot dark factory building -- all made it easy to do everything carelessly.
- No one wanted to give up on their weight loss plans, but the delightful treats -- the cakes and cookies -- all made it easy to forget there was even a plan in the first place.

Language Lab
beckon v. 招喚, 吸引
if something such as a place or opportunity beckons, it appears so attractive that you want to have it:
- The glamour of Hollywood beckons many young actors to seek their dreams.
glamour
- Max is both talented and diligent, so a bright future is beckoning him.
- The dress in the window is beckoning me.

premature adj.
happening before the natural or proper time:
- The newly developed treatment for premature baldness is quite effective.
- The country's premature death rate has dropped drastically since prenatal care became mandatory.

gauze  n. [uncountable]
thin cotton with very small holes in it that is used for tying around a wound:
- The nurse taped a piece of gauze on the patient's wound.
sterile gauze n. 消毒的紗布
- The OR needs to prepare a sufficient amount of sterile gauze for each operation.

compress n.
a small thick piece of material that you put on part of someone's body to stop blood flowing out or to make it less painful
compress v.
to press something or make it smaller so that it takes up less space, or to become smaller:
- Firmly compress the dough to make sure there's no air in it.