2015-08-25 Do it Yourself or Use a Pro? (2)

Now hold on a second. What exactly is wrong with the washer?

It won't run.

Is it plugged in? Did you check that?

Of course I did. But when I turn it on, it won't run. I checked the hoses, and they're fine, too.

Well, where is the manual? There should be some troubleshooting tips in that. I can check online, too.

There is plenty of DIY information out there. But how do you know it's trustworthy?

You have to be careful about the sites you use. Since there is good information out there, should I still not try to solve my own problems?

Well...

I should cast all of my heroic ideas aside and call a repairman to rescue my damsel in distress?

Yes.

Honey, it's just an appliance that won't run, not hot-water pipes. At least let me take a look at it!

All right, all right. But if you can't determine the problem in half an hour, be my hero and call a repairman. I need clean clothes for the company picnic this weekend!

Info Cloud
Hello friends! Have you ever wondered which word in English has the most definitions?

Well, according to the Oxford English dictionary, that word would be “run”, in just its verb form alone there are 645 different meanings.

Wow, we all know run’s most common definition to move quickly using one’s legs and feet, right? Well, here are some more ways to use this word, you can run a fever, run your mouth, run an errand and run for office.

A machine should run when you turned it on, you can also run around, run off, and run somebody through with a sword.

So you should see by now that when we look up a word in the dictionary, we need to look at all the definitions, so we can grasp the real meaning of the word.

Language Lab
troubleshoot v.
a person who finds and fixes problems in machinery and technical equipment (such as computers);
a person who tries to find solutions to problems or end disagreements;
- An engineer was brought in to troubleshoot the computer problems.
troubleshooting n.
- William is an expert at troubleshooting and problem solving.

trustworthy adj.
able to be relied on to do or provide what is needed or right : deserving of trust
- Charles is a trustworthy and honest man. You can cooperate with him.
- If you want to sell your house, it's important to find a trustworthy real estate agent.

heroic adj.
of or relating to heroes;
having or showing great courage;
- The heroic act of the pilot has made him a household name now.
- The heroic firefighter rescued the baby from the burning house.

a damsel in distress
/ˈdæmzəl/
The phrase damsel in distress is used often humorously in modern speech and writing to refer to a woman who needs to be rescued.
- The heroines in modern movies are no longer damsels in distress. They can solve their own problems.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150825baa6e16d028ae4e5d542aa7465e7904287753ed93a9877a1b417cc9de7c8dd16c74.wma

2015-08-14 Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke? (1)

• Too much sun
• What is heat exhaustion?

Be cautious when spending time in the sun

"She has heat stroke. We need to get her to the hospital."

I was on the ground, unaware of what was happening around me. My body was hot. My head pounded. Within a few minutes, I was on my way to the hospital.

My collapse happened last year in the heat of the summer. I, along with thousands of other athletes, had gathered in Taipei for a running competition. Halfway through the race, I started to feel dizzy.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: A Particular Hospital?
Hospital前要加冠詞嗎？
這就要看你是用美式還是英式英文,
美式英文: the hospital
- We need to get him to the hospital.
- He is in the hospital.
英式英文:
- We need to get him to hospital.
- He's in hospital. 他住院
但英式英文要注意,
如果是在醫院工作或是去探病,
就要加上定冠詞,
- I was in the hospital.

Language Lab
pound v.
to hit (something or someone) with force again and again
- Someone was pounding at our door last last night.
- The man suddenly pounded the table with his fist.
to beat loudly and quickly
- My heart was pounding when the earthquake happened.

brutal adj.
/ˈbruːtl̟/
extremely cruel or harsh
- The fugitive is a brutal and reckless criminal.
fugitive n.
/ˈfjuːʤətɪv/
a person who is running away to avoid being captured
- The brutal murder disturbed the whole nation.
brutality n.
/bruˈtæləti/
cruel, harsh, and usually violent treatment of another person
- The novel depicts the brutality of the war.





mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150814baaae8ac161a460522e96deb88e146c847232017a1f522c5e2850c28ad5aecd5d0f.wma

2015-08-15 Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke? (2)

• What is heat stroke?
• Symptoms of heat stroke
• The dangers of heat stroke

If you experience any of these symptoms, find a cool place right away. Drink plenty of water and rest. You could be experiencing heat exhaustion. If not treated, heat exhaustion could turn into heat stroke.

What is heat stroke?
Heat stroke, also known as sunstroke, is the most dangerous heat-related condition. Heat stroke happens when one's body overheats from exposure to hot temperatures for too long.

When someone suffers from heat stroke, their body temperature rises to 40 degrees Celsius or higher. And it won't cool down without medical attention.


Language Lab
symptom n.
a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present
- The symptoms of the disease include weight loss and uncontrollable trembling.
- The medicine can suppress the symptoms but can't cure the condition.

exposure n.
/ɪkˈspoʊʒɚ/
the fact or condition of being affected by something or experiencing something : the condition of being exposed to something
- Exposure to toxic wastes can cause serious diseases.
public attention and notice
- The movie needs more media exposure to be successful at the box office.
expose v.
to reveal (something hidden, dishonest, etc.)
- The political scandal was exposed by a rookie reporter.















mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150815baaa28b5c22b39eb8f1cabd9981dfc4f7d5124beb5fab587f1e33fcac8193058482.wma

2015-08-13 Find James Bond, "Bali Hai" scenery in Kauai's proud, culture-rich Hanalei (3)

• Ho'opulapula Haraguchi Rice Mill

For schooling in a page of unique island history, I join a tour of Hawaii's only remaining rice mill, situated among the taro ponds. Rice was grown here commercially from the 19th century until Hawaii's rice industry collapsed in the 1960s.

The Ho'opulapula Haraguchi Rice Mill is now in the middle of Hanalei National Wildlife Refuge, off-limits to most visitors. So if you're a birder, the tour also offers chances to bolster your life list with possible glimpses of endangered species such as the koloa maoli (Hawaiian duck).

The tour is highly personal. Leading it is 35-year-old Lyndsey Haraguchi-Nakayama, whose family is in its sixth generation of farming the valley, which included operating the mill until its closure. Now, through a nonprofit, the family helps preserve the historic mill, which has been rebuilt and restored through many flash floods and two major hurricanes. She shows how scoops of rice moved on a conveyor belt powered at first by a water wheel. later by a hefty diesel engine.

The tour concludes with a demonstration of taro pounding using a lava-rock stone.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Permutations 名詞的排列組合
Permutations
/ˌpɚmjuˈteɪʃən/
one of the many different ways or forms in which something exists or can be arranged — usually plural
一個國家或文化裡頭,
越常見到的事物通常就會有越多的詞彙來形容他,
像芬蘭文就有超過30個單字用來形容不同種類的冰雪,
因為芬蘭長期處在冰雪當中,
義大利文有各式各樣的用來表示麵條的單字,
因為義大利把他們的麵發洋光大,
中國人的主食是米,
米在英文就叫做rice,
煮熟的米叫做飯,
在英文還是叫做rice,
中國人還是糯米飯, 小米粥...
這些在英文裡都叫做rice,
因為在西方很少吃飯,
就算吃飯也是配菜

Language Lab
off-limits adj.
/ˈɑːfˈlɪməts/
— used to say that people are not allowed to enter a place or use something
— often + to
- The warehouse area is off-limits to customers.
- The military base is off-limits to civilians due to security reasons.

bolster v.
/ˈboʊlstɚ/
to make (something) stronger or better : to give support to (something)
- The company needs to bolster its marketing strategies to survive in the market.
- The coach is good at bolstering his team members with pep talks.

closure n.
/ˈkloʊʒɚ/
a situation or occurrence in which something (such as a business or factory) closes forever
- The closure of the mines caused many workers to lose their jobs.
- The closure of the branch stores helped the company's finances to improve.
a feeling that a bad experience (such as a divorce or the death of a family member) has ended and that you can start to live again in a calm and normal way
- After saying goodbye to her ex-boyfriend, Sandy finally reached a sense of closure.

hefty adj.
/ˈhɛfti/
large and heavy; big and strong
- Kyle gave his brother a hefty push to get him on the train.
very large
- Teresa lost her job, and now she doesn't know how she's going to pay back her hefty loans.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150813baaca8b61900303ebdeee30236253b16bbf0ae85d535c38e40836dd07d066307559.wma

2015-08-12 Find James Bond, "Bali Hai" scenery in Kauai's proud, culture-rich Hanalei (2)

The old bridge doesn't keep visitors out, so Hanalei town has its share of touristy boutiques and galleries. But even their setting, such as the rustic Old Hanalei School retail complex (check out the vintage restrooms), beats your average strip mall.

Hanalei is home to one of the planet's prettiest little churches, circa 1912. Sunday services (10 a.m.) at the green-shingled, American Gothic-style Wai'oli Hui'ia Church, in the heart of town, include hymns sung in the Hawaiian language.

Visitors are welcome. The dress code is Aloha shirts, muumuus and flip-flops, with an occasional plumeria blossom in the hair.

Pick up a handheld lauhala fan, woven from the leaves of a hala tree, from a basket by the door if there's not enough breeze through the open windows. Their stained glass has a colorful theme of tropical flowers and banana leaves.

After the service, look behind the church for Christian missionaries Abner and Lucy Wilcox's 1837-vintage home. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with its lava-rock chimney, classic koa furniture and a master bedroom where Lucy gave birth to eight sons.

Editor's Summary
...

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Dying Languages 消失中的語言


Language Lab
vintage adj.
/ˈvɪntɪʤ/
used to describe something that is not new but that is valued because of its good condition, attractive design, etc.
- I like the vintage decoration of this cafe.
- The vintage design of the cover of the band's album has been vastly discussed online.
- Britney has a whole collection of vintage Disney cartoons.
vast adj.
very great in size, amount, or extent

strip mall n.
a long building that is divided into separate shops which usually have outside entrances and which share a parking lot
- You can find authentic local food here in the strip mall.
- The suburban strip mall is where most people who live nearby do their grocery shopping.

weave v.
/ˈwiːv/
[weaves; wove /ˈwoʊv/ or weaved; woven /ˈwoʊvən/ or weaved; weaving]
- The old lady is weaving a blanket from wool.
- The basket was woven from willows.

missionary n.
a person who is sent to a foreign country to do religious work (such as to convince people to join a religion or to help people who are sick, poor, etc.)
- These missionaries built the first school in this area.
of or relating to missionaries
- Our church started our missionary work in India last year.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150812baa9e465a7477af0f9ec98a0a7430bae100d58cba7a914e5b6e2a7e4b8aafc229bc.wma

2015-08-11 Find James Bond, "Bali Hai" scenery in Kauai's proud, culture-rich Hanalei (1)

This hidden area has culture and history to offer

"Defend Hanalei" says the bumper sticker on a rusty, surfboard-loaded pickup puttering slowly down the winding, two-lane road in front of my rental car. I [am] approaching a bridge into Kauai's green, green Hanalei Valley.

The bridge itself is a political statement aimed at keeping "progress" out of this isolated community on the north shore of the Hawaiian island of Kauai.

Over centuries, Native Hawaiians farmed taro and other food crops in this fertile valley. Native crops gave way to a boom of rice farming in the 19th century.

Today, waterfalls thread thousands of feet down emerald-green hillsides beyond ponds that once again grow taro, now used in traditional dishes plus everything from hummus to smoothies.

Travel across the valley through Hanalei (say "haw-na-LAY") town, then into the Bali Hai" area of Kauai.

There rainbows arch across cockscomb-jagged hills above some of the island's best snorkeling beaches.

"South Pacific" was filmed here. A former James Bond - actor Pierce Brosnan - has a home here. Every morning, hikers by the score set out from the Kuhio Highway's end to tackle the challenging Kalalau Trail along the Na Pali cliffs.


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Hawaiian Words 夏威夷詞彙


Language Lab
putter v.
/ˈpʌtɚ/
to make small popping sounds while moving slowly
- A rusty old motorcycle puttered down the road in front of us.
putter around [phrasal verb] US :
to spend time in a relaxed way doing small jobs and other things that are not very important
- Monica loved to putter around her mother's kitchen when she was a kid.

rental adj.
the amount of money paid or collected as rent
- The rental car costs $80 per day.
- The rental fee of the apartment was raised again this year.
rental n.
- a car rental company

smoothies n.
a thick, cold drink that is made of fruit mixed with milk, yogurt, or juice
- Mom made strawberry smoothies for tonight's dessert.

jagged adj.
/ˈʤægəd/
having a sharp, uneven edge or surface
- Jagged cliffs are a common background in Chinese paintings.
- Watch out for the jagged edge of the broken glass!

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150811baa3c76257b4bad29091f9ad15b4d4cce2075f454ac19d9763e1934bd35f56dabe0.wma

2015-08-10 Limbitless Solutions Gives Kids a Hand

• Limbitless Solutions
• Albert Manero
• The Collective Project

Students chase their ideas for hope
For Christmas last year, 6-year-old Alex Pring received a gift. He called it a "robo-arm." But it was no toy. It was a bionic limb to be used over Alex's underdeveloped right arm.

Albert Manero
Engineering student Albert Manero designed the arm, which moves by electrical muscle commands. The design was then produced by a 3-D printer for about $350. Compared to the $40,000 spent on similar items, this design is an important development.

Manero believes "no one should profit from a child in need of an arm." He and his volunteer group, Limbitless Solutions, funded the arm with their "coffee money." The group is building a variety of different arm designs, including Alex's Transformers arm.

The Collective Project
Manero's team has been featured by The Collective Project, supported by Microsoft's note-taking app, OneNote. This project features students contributing hope to the world with their ideas. Last year's International Children's Peace Prize winner, Neha Gupta, puts their desire into words. She said, "Throw your heart out in front of you and run ahead to catch it."

Editor's Summay

..

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: How to Write “No One”教學主題: No One 的寫法
.


Language Lab
bionic adj.
/baɪˈɑːnɪk/
made stronger or more capable by special electronic devices — usually used figuratively a pitcher with a bionic arm [=a pitcher who throws extremely fast]
- The bionic arm can move just like a real arm.
- A new bionic eye enabled this girl to see her parents for the first time in her life.

limb n.
/ˈlɪm/ b不發音
a leg or arm
- The limbs of the dogs were injured during the fire.
- I need to stretch my cramped limbs after sitting for such a long time.

fund n.
an amount of money that is used for a special purpose
- We don't have sufficient funds to keep this program running.
fund v.
to provide money for (something)
- The school is privately funded by an international corporation.
- Tina's parents agreed to fund her college tuition.

variety n.
the quality or state of having or including many different things
- The work here is dull and lacks variety.
a number or collection of different things or people — usually + of
- The cafeteria serves a wide variety of food.
- The town has a variety of shops and restaurants.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150810baa934bfc029052f45f46a3b93091a5bfa262e8f26aa3b516213511b34e5fae7930.wma

2015-08-08 A Fair-Weather Friend? (2)

After school, she was shooting the breeze with her friend Jackie. Jackie remarked that she’d seen Sara at the mall during lunch time going into Forever 18. The news hit Ava like a bolt from the blue. Sara would only go there for one reason – to buy the jacket for herself! Ava felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. She should have left Sara in the dark about the sale. She’d had her head in the clouds and hadn’t been thinking clearly. She decided to confront Sara!

Ava stormed over to Sara’s house. When she knocked, Sara answered, “Oh, come in, Ava!” she exclaimed happily. “I  have something for you.” She handed Ava a box. “I know you’ve been snowed under lately,” she said. “So I thought I’d so something nice for you.” When Ava opened the box, there was the jacket! She hugged Sara and felt relieved. Sara wasn’t a fair-weather friend after all. Now everything was as right as rain. Sara’s friendship was a ray of sunshine.

Editor's Summary
.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: One Space or Two?教學主題: 句尾間隔的紛爭
Hello, friends! When typing in English, how many spaces should there be after a period, one or two?

Well, there are lots of people who would say one, and lots of other people who would say two. The confusion comes from the era of the typewriter, anyone remember those? The typewriter used mono spaced type to make type documents easier to read people were taught at an extra space after each period.

Today though, computers use proportional fonts, so adding an extra space after a period is unnecessary.

Indeed, professional topographers and English style guys are all in agreement, that there should be just one space after period.

But as we said, there are still people who insist on using two. One journalism teacher in Colorado still today, teaches her high school students to use two spaces, even though she knows it goes against what all the style manual say.

So why does she do that, well she admits it’s because that’s how she learned to type when she was a student.

Friends, in your life as you study English, is there any thing you know you’re doing wrong? Yet refused to change just because it’s what you’re used to?

Language Lab
remark v.
to say something, especially about something you have just noticed:
remark that
- Sean remarked that he's going to England to study literature.
remark n.
something that you say when you express an opinion or say what you have noticed [= comment]:
- The governor's remarks about the incident irritated many women.

confront v.
if a problem, difficulty etc confronts you, it appears and needs to be dealt with:
- She left me no choice but to confront her.
to face someone in a threatening way, as though you are going to attack them:
- The robbers opened fire when confronted by the police.
confrontation n.
a situation in which there is a lot of angry disagreement between two people or groups:
- a serious military confrontation

exclaim v.
to say something suddenly and loudly because you are surprised, angry, or excited:
- "Help!" the girl trapped under the ruins exclaimed.
- She exclaimed in delight upon hearing the good news.

relieve v.
to reduce someone's pain or unpleasant feelings
- A nice hot bath can help relieve your headache.
relieved adj.
feeling happy because you are no longer worried about something
- I was so relieved when I heard you'd recovered from the surgery.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150808baafbe56f2f6a193fd3d52507bd81d86a7815b8a4526d1a9ec84f8ba1f5299145e2.wma

2015-08-07 A Fair-Weather Friend? (1)

• Why was Ava so upset?
• Why didn't Ava buy the jacket?

Friendship isn’t always a breeze.
Ava’s face looked like thunder, and she was fuming. She had thrown caution to the wind, and now she regretted it. She hoped she could weather the storm that was brewing between her and Sara. Sara was her best friend – sometimes. They had a stormy relationship. Some days, everything was fine. On others, she felt like Sara was just a fair-weather friend. Today was one of those days.

Yesterday Ava had told Sara about a jacket she’d seen at Forever 18. She wanted it desperately. A sales clerk had told Ava in confidence that the jacket would go on sale today. She was on cloud nine and had told Sara. Ava planned to go to the store the next day and buy it. Sara had assured her she’d not let anyone get wind of Ava’s plan. There was only one jacket left in Ava’s size. Well, Ava had gone to the store, and the jacket was gone! She was crushed. Her entire day was now under a cloud.

Editor's Summary
.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Different Stores教學主題: 不同形式的Store
Over the past decade we have been witnesses to a shopping revolution. More and more of us are using the internet to buy stuff, everything imaginable including English lessons.

Why, mostly because the internet is super convenient. Back in 2012, for the first time ever global e-commerce sales topped one trillion US dollars.

Unfortunately, the success of e-commerce is making a difficult for traditional stores to stay in business.

Umm... you might hear of traditional stores, being referred to as brick and mortar stores which are stores and actual physical buildings as opposed to somewhere in cyberspace.

Another kind of store is the big box store, also known as a superstore, most often these businesses are chain stores, that is, a network of many stores with the same name under the same ownership selling the same stuff. Big box stores specialize in  selling things in high volume at discount prices.

Making them an enemy of mom-and-pop stores, which are small, independent businesses operated by members of the same family. Mom-and pop stores are great for the lively hood of local communities, but sadly they too are struggling to stay a float in this age of e-commerce.

Language Lab
fair-weather friend 
someone who only wants to be your friend when you are successful;
[=they are friends when you are successful but not when you fail]
- As soon as Henry ran out of money, all his fair-weather friends left him.

fume v.
/ˈfjuːm/
to produce or give off (smoke, fumes, etc.);
to show or feel anger
- My sister and I had a quarrel last week. When I saw her last night, she was still fuming.
quarrel n.
/ˈkworəl/
an angry argument or disagreement
fume at/over/about
- People are fuming over the unjust verdict of the trial.

in confidence
if you tell someone something in confidence, you tell them something on the understanding that they will not tell anyone else
- Alicia told the reporter the information in confidence.
- I'm telling you these things in confidence. Make sure no one knows about our conversation.

assure v.
to tell someone that something will definitely happen or is definitely true so that they are less worried [= reassure]
- The mechanic assured me that my car would be ready by noon.
- I can assure you that you'll be satisfied with our product.
assurance n.
the state of being sure or certain about something
- Kevin gave his wife assurance that he'd take care of her no matter what.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150807baaaca2c29c61254d44f0c9a3d7c913fdf2e43ac2a3609f3811296280760775630b.wma

2015-08-06 Eat with Caution (2)

Casu marzu
This food has been banned by the European Union; however, that doesn’t stop the people of Sardinia from enjoying it occasionally. Casu marzu is sheep’s milk cheese fermented and softened by fly larvae. The cheese is unsafe to eat once the larvae die, so it’s eaten with the living flies in it.

Bullfrog legs
Frog legs are enjoyed in various places around the world, but the skin and organs of giant bullfrogs are actually very poisonous. Giant bullfrogs harvested before their mating season can cause kidney failure if eaten, though some say cooking the frogs with dry wood cancels the poison’s effect.

Familiar fears
To feed your anxieties more, you should know about some common foods that present risks. Raw cashews, for example, contain a chemical like that in poison ivy and must be steamed to remove it. If you have weak kidneys, avoid starfruit as its juice must be filtered for toxins. And if you don’t eat greens, you might be avoiding multiple potential contaminations caused by fertilizer or contact with animals. So remember, new experiences are healthy, but not all new foods are.

Editor's Summary
We are taking a look at some foods we should eat with caution.

And today, we find one has actually been banned by the European Union but still eaten on the island of Sardinia.

This food is a cheese called casu marzu.

It is sheep’s milk that is fermented and softened by fly larvae.

Once larvae died, cheese is not safe to eat, so it is eaten while they are alive and still living in the cheese.

And then, we look at bullfrog legs.

Be careful though as the skin and organs of giant bullfrogs are very poisonous.

If they are harvested and eaten before their mating season, kidney failure may result.

Then, there are some common foods to be careful of, as they also represent some risks.

For example, cashews, which I love, should be steamed before you eat them to remove a chemical like one that’s found in poison ivy.

Or star fruit should be avoided if you have weak kidneys, as its juice should be filtered for toxins.

And be careful when eating greens, as contaminations from fertilizer or animals could occur.

So remember that even though new experiences are generally healthy for us, not all new foods are.

Bon appetit.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Green Refers to Plants 教學主題: Green代表植物的用法

Hello, friends! When you hear the word green, what do you think of? Vegetables, maybe or plants perhaps.

Indeed, greens can refer to vegetables. I still remember my mom telling me to eat my greens when I was small.

I do too. So eat your greens, it’s just another way of saying eat your vegetables. But there is a difference between the two words. "Greens" is always plural in this context, whereas vegetable, singular is always a countable noun.

Right. Greens may refer to one type of vegetable, such as mustard greens, whereas the word vegetables may refer to a mixture of types, such as peas and carrots, or broccoli and corn, separately.

So greens are edible plants, what about plants that aren’t edible? Well, there’s the word greenery, which refers to green foliage or leaves. The park has acres of greenery, right in the heart of the city.

Or lush greenery is part of a typical village scene in Wo Taiwan.

And if you have a green thumb, you’re good at growing plants. Why, because most plants are green.

And finally, if you go green, you’re taking actions that help protect the environment.

Language Lab
ban v.
to forbid people from using (something) : to say that something cannot be used or done
- The government banned the use of DDT in farming.
- Smoking in office buildings was banned many years ago.
ban n.
an official rule saying that people are not allowed to use or do something
- a ban on cigarette advertisements

poisonous adj.
/ˈpoɪzn̩nəs/
capable of putting poison into another animal's body by biting it;
causing sickness or death by entering or touching the body : containing poison
- The waste water from the plant is highly poisonous.
- The patient who was bitten by a poisonous spider was hospitalized.

cashew n.
a type of roasted nut that has a curved shape
- The chef added some cashew nuts and walnuts on top of the muffins.
- Cashews are high in magnesium, especially the roasted ones.

contamination n.
/kənˌtæməˈneɪʃən/
to make a place or substance dirty or harmful by putting something such as chemicals or poison in it:
- The workers at the unclear plant are testing the area for contamination.
contaminate v. [=polluted]
/kənˈtæməˌneɪt/
to make (something) dangerous, dirty, or impure by adding something harmful or undesirable to it
- The whole area was contaminated by radioactive waste.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150806baa78223dee61b3ed761eede04ed791cb33dda191d9fd9548b928f3dab8ebd63da6.wma

2015-08-05 Eat with Caution (1)

• Fugu
• Ackee
• Hakarl

What foods are you willing to try?

While an adventurous appetite is often a positive characteristic, it isn’t always beneficial. The world is full of exotic flavors and textures that sometimes require you to take your life in your own hands.

Fugu
One pufferfish, fugu in Japanese, contains enough poison to kill 30 people. Chefs are required to obtain a license to prepare it, which means two or three years of training. The best chefs, however, are said to leave just enough poison in the fish to give diners a tickling feeling when they eat it.

Ackee
Jamaica’s national fruit, ackee, just so happens to cause its “national illness,” Jamaican vomiting sickness, which is actually much worse than it sounds. Enjoy the fruit, but eat only the ripe, properly peeled yellow meat (not the toxic black seeds) to avoid a coma or death.

Hakarl 
If you’re in Iceland, you can try hakarl – fermented Greenland shark – or not. The Greenland shark has no urinary tract, so its meat is full of toxins. But not to worry – they’re removed after the shark is buried in sand and rocks and dried about six months.

Editor's Summary
Our title tells us to eat with caution.

An adventurous appetite may mean that you take your life in your hands as the world is full of exotic flavors and textures.

Today, we are looking at why our authors said that.

First, we see the fugu, or pufferfish, which contains enough poison to kill 30 people.

That is one fish to 30 people.

Chefs who work with pufferfish are required to obtain a license in order to prepare it.

That usually means two to three years of training.

For those of you who think they remove all of the poison, think again.

The best chefs leave just enough to give those who dine on fugu a tickling feeling as they eat it.

Hmm… and then, we have Jamaica’s national fruit, ackee, which also causes a national illness, which is Jamaican vomiting sickness.

If you eat this fruit, make sure that you only eat the ripe properly peeled yellow meat.

Not the black seeds, which are toxic, if you want to avoid a coma or even death.

And if you find yourself in Iceland, you might want to try hakarl, or fermented Greenland shark.

Then again, maybe you don’t.

Since the Greenland shark has no urinary tract, the meat is full of toxins.

But these are removed by burying the dead shark in sand and under rocks, and dried for about six months.

Enjoy!

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: How Many Foods?教學主題: Food 可以數嗎？
Today let’s talk about food or more precisely the word food, is it countable?

Well, can we say two food, three food, four food? Of course, the answer is no, we can’t. Food is therefore uncountable. We cannot say, “I do not eat many food”.

However, sometimes we might see the word, foods with an s, in this usage, foods means types of food, I’m willing to try different foods, means I’m willing to try different types of food.

Sometimes I buy frozen foods, they are convenient to prepare.

So Steve likes to cook different kinds of frozen food, frozen vegetables, frozen pizza, frozen breakfast burritos.

Umm, so, it all that tends how you look at food in general o rin particular.

Other than food, we can add an s at the end of many uncountable nouns to indicate different types of something like different candies, chocolates, wines, cheeses all words that are normally uncountable.

We should know however that “foods” is not commonly used in everyday speech. We more often say different kinds of food, rather than different foods. If you went to a party, and there were different types of food from different countries, instead of saying, there were Mexican, Chinese and Italian foods, you might want to use more common dishes. For example, there were Mexican, Chinese and Italian dishes at the party.

Language Lab
caution n.
care taken to avoid danger or risk : a careful attitude or way of behaving
- The roads are icy and slippery. Drive with caution!
a warning telling someone to be careful
- The police officer only gave the driver a caution because it was his first offense.
caution v.
to warn or tell (someone) about a possible danger, problem, etc.
- We were caution by the neighbor for being too loud.

texture n.
the way that something feels when you touch it
- The moisturizer has a silky texture which makes it easier to apply.
- The walls of the Mexican restaurant have a rough texture.
- I like the creamy texture of the corn soup.

toxic adj.
/ˈtɑːksɪk/
containing poisonous substances : poisonous
- The area surrounding the factory was contaminated with toxic waste.
- Toxic chemicals were found in the fish in the coastal area.

ferment v.
/fɚˈmɛnt/
to go through a chemical change that results in the production of alcohol
- Leave grapefruit juice to ferment for a certain amount of time, and it will turn into wine.
- Cheese ferments faster when stored at a higher temperature.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150805baa98e7b88765442f877cb6504ced05b2f47aadfb0c961709f88b1ec7ec0fd180fa.wma

2015-08-04 International Forgiveness Month (2)

Let it go!
There are many benefits to forgiveness. For one thing, forgiveness is good for your health. It helps reduce your stress and anxiety levels.

It can also prevent high blood pressure and depression. For another, when you develop the habit of forgiveness, your relationships are healthier. One study found that forgiveness restores positive feelings toward the one who committed the offense. These positive feelings often spread to other relationships, making them better, too.

In addition, another study found that those who practice forgiveness often live longer.

Lastly, holding a grudge always causes you more problems than the original “unforgivable”offense. When you finally let go of your anger, you will be rewarded with peace and joy.This month, with its emphasis on forgiveness, would be the perfect time to start fresh. Why not make an effort to let others know you have forgiven them? You’ll feel better and the odds are, they will, too.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: It’s vs. Its教學主題: It’s與 Its的差別
Hello, friends! What’s the number one most common English grammar mistake of all time? It’s the failure to distinguish between two words, words with the exact same pronunciation.

The two words are “it’s”and “its” one has an apostrophe, the other one does not.

Now if you’re one of the many people who has trouble keeping these two words straight, you are in good company.

That’s right. Former US president and statement, Thomas Jefferson and in his first draft of that Declaration of Independence sometimes wrote “it’s” with the apostrophe for the possessive form of “its”.

And there was good reason for that, back in the 1700s when dictionaries were still uncommon to make a word possessive one added an apostrophe s to the end of it, like in the word “children’s”.

As always though, there were exceptions, the possessive pronouns, ours and yours, for example, had no apostrophes and eventually it’s, i, t, apostrophe s lost its apostrophe, too.

Although we may still confuse “it’s” and “its”, the rules to distinguish these two words are pretty easy to remember, when you mean “it is” or “it has”, use an apostrophe.

And when using “its”as possessive, don’t.

Editor's Summary
We are talking about forgiveness.

And today, we looked at some of the benefits.

It is good for your health.

Your stress and anxiety levels will be reduced, and high blood pressure and depression can also be prevented.

Also, your relationships are healthier.

Forgiveness has been found by one study to restore positive feelings toward the one who committed the offense, and these positive feelings often spread to other relationships, too.

Another study found that those who forgive seem to live longer, and when you hold a grudge, you end up with more problems than the original unforgivable offense.

You will be rewarded with peace and joy when you finally do let it go.

So with this month’s emphasis on forgiveness, why not start now?

Make an effort to let others know that you forgive them.

The odds are that they will feel better just like you will.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150804baa38cf98ea613ebd3fc03c94a660be475c3322b3f570e6f5b64650e8ff4a87dba1.wma

2015-08-03 International Forgiveness Month (1)

• International Forgiveness Month
• What is forgiveness?

Two special days this month put the focus on forgiveness

How easy is it for you to say to someone, "I forgive you"?

Many times, when someone hurts you, the last thing you want to do is to forgive them. And even if you know you should, forgiving someone can still be quite a challenge.

"Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive." This is how famous write C.S. Lewis once described the difficulty of forgiveness.

Yet studies have shown that forgiveness can benefit you more than the one you forgive.

What is forgiveness?
Forgiveness is a conscious decision to let go of your resentment. It doesn't mean that you have to forget what the person did to offend or hurt you. It also doesn't mean that you have to excuse the act or the person's responsibility. Instead, you choose not to remember the situation and the person with anger. This will help prevent the negative emotions from causing you greater problems.

Editor's Summary
I forgive you.

Is that easy for you to say or not?

If you’re hurt, probably not so easy.

And even when you know you should forgive, it can be a challenge to actually do so.

I like what C.S. Lewis had to say about forgiveness.

“Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”

So true.

But, did you know that studies have shown that forgiving someone benefits you more than the person  you are forgiving.Forgiveness is actually a conscious decision to let go of resentment.

You don’t have to forget what a person did, but you don’t have to excuse it either.

If you can remember the situation and the person without being angry, it will help prevent greater problems in the future which negative emotions may cause you.

Language Lab
forgiveness n. [forgive v.]
when someone forgives another person
- The thief got down on his knees in front of the store owner and begged for forgiveness.
- Forgiveness means letting go of the past and being free.

challenge n.
something that tests strength, skill, or ability, especially in a way that is interesting
- Finding a cure for this disease is a difficult challenge.
- Ryan likes to explore new things and enjoys challenges.
challenge v.
to invite someone to compete or fight against you, or to try to win something
challenge somebody to something
- My nephew challenged me to a game of chess.

conscious adj.
awake and able to understand what is happening around you
- It takes a conscious effort of both husband and wife to maintain a good relationship.
noticing or realizing something [= aware]
- The wounded passenger was still conscious when he was sent to the ER.

resentment n.
a feeling of anger because something has happened that you think is unfair
- The boy has a deep resentment towards his classmates because they bullied him.
- The workers don't dare to show their resentment because they fear losing their jobs.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150803baa375db0c14a0d183511d160539509f074f58f4a5e71121edcf965558b830e3cf7.wma

2015-08-01 - The Nihonmachi Street Fair

• The Nihonmachi Street Fair  
• The purpose of the fair 
• What to expect at the fair

This long-running fair takes place today and tomorrow

Everyone loves a good festival with delicious food, great music, and fun activities. San Francisco's Nihonmachi Street Fair, sometimes called the "melting pot" of street fairs, combines these ingredients with much more.

City officials started the event in 1973 as a way to offer opportunities to young people in Japantown. This historic region of San Francisco was beginning to lose its cultural identity. But festival leaders encouraged the area's Asian-Pacific American youth to staff, produce and organize a street fair. The goal was to help young people develop leadership and communication skills while honoring their cultural heritage.

The first year, the all-volunteer effort drew only a few participants. Today, however, the festival averages around 30,000 people! Festival participants enjoy many aspects of Asian-Pacific American culture. The festival's two stages feature music ranging from rock to jazz. Diverse cultural entertainment, including Chinese Lion dances, Hawaiian music and traditional Japanese drummers, in on display  as well. Along with Asian food, Asian-inspired crafts can be purchased. Japantown's youth, with their energy, passion and creativity, remain an important part of this successful event.

Editor's Summary
Today, we looked at the Nihonmachi Street Fair which is held in San Francisco.

This street fair is sometimes called the melting pot of street fairs because it combines delicious food, fun activities, and great music with much more.

The event was started in 1973 by city officials as a way to offer young people in Japantown opportunities.

Japantown is a historic area, but it was beginning to lose its cultural identity, so festival leaders encouraged the Asian-Pacific American youth to produce and organize a street fair, and also to provide the staff for it.

Developing leadership and communication skills and honoring their cultural heritage were the goals.

It started out with only a few people attending the first fair, but they didn't give up.

And now, the average attendance is over 3000 people.

What can a person expect?

Two stages with music that ranges from rock to jazz, diverse culture entertainment including Chinese Lion Dances, Hawaiian music, and Japanese drummers.

Crafts that are Asian inspired can be purchase right along with Asian food.

The energy, passion, and creativity of Japantown's youth still play an important part of the successful festival.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Historic vs. Historical Historic 和 Historical的差別
historic adj.
a historic place or building is very old
historical adj. 史學的
relating to the past
有時可以同時用, 例如:
historical/ historic times 古老的時期

Language Lab
melting pot n.
a place (such as a city or country) where different types of people live together and gradually create one community — usually singular
- New York City is one of the great melting pots of America.
- Singapore is a cultural melting pot of multiple races.

ingredient n.
one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc.
- The ingredients of the cake are eggs, flour, sugar, butter and yeast.
a quality or characteristic that makes something possible
- Mutual trust and passion are vital ingredients for a successful marriage.

entertainment n.
things such as films, television, performances etc that are intended to amuse or interest people:
- There's a wide variety of entertainment offered at the resort.
- The musical is great entertainment for audiences of all ages.

purchase v.
to buy something:
- Tickets for the show can be purchased online.
- We purchased the TV with our credit card.
purchase n.
something you buy, or the act of buying it:
- The product can be refunded within seven days after purchase if you're not satisfied.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20150801baa17dfe40803aaebadca8686b2cba70dca10cf1402e245da78701e1b5b1f4dec62.wma

2015-08-31 The US Open

• The tournaments
• Women's singles
• Men's singles

Who will win in New York this year?

With the Australian Open, French Open and the Wimbledon Championships behinds us, the last 2015 Grand Slam event begins today. The next two weeks will be filled with thrills for tennis fans watching this year's US Open.

The tournaments 
The US Open includes tournaments for men's and women's singles and doubles as well as mixed doubles, juniors and wheelchair matches. These events all take place in the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, New York. The center is currently making strategic changes, adding and updating stadiums.

The first year, the all-volunteer effort drew only a few participants. Today, however, the festival averages around 30,000 people! Festival participants enjoy many aspects of Asian-Pacific American culture. The festival’s two stages feature music ranging from rock to jazz. Diverse cultural entertainment, including Chinese Lion dances, Hawaiian music and traditional Japanese drummers, is on display as well. Along with Asian food, Asian-inspired crafts can be purchased Japantown’s youth, with their energy, passion and creativity, remain an important part of this successful event.

Info Cloud
grand slam 大滿貫

What exactly is a grand slam?

Well, this would depend on who you are asking?

Right. If you are asking a baseball fan, a grand slam is a home run, it would all of the bases loaded giving the header’steam for runs at once.

If you talk to a tennis fan, a grand slam is winning all for major tennis competitions. The Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.

And if you talk to a golf fan, a grand slam is winning the foremost prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf.

The master tournament, the US Open, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship.

So one might hit a grand slam in a baseball game, but intennis and golf one would have to win for tournaments in a year’s time.

But did you know that the term grand slam originated not from any sporting arena, but from the cart table. In the game of bridge, a grand slam is winning all thirteen tricks of a hand as opposed to a little slam winning twelve of the thirteen tricks.

Language Lab
tournament n.
a sports competition or series of contests that involves many players or teams and that usually continues for at least several days
- The women's golf tournament was broadcasted on Fox Sports Channel.
- Our team won in the first round of the tournament.
- The duo breezed into the semi-finals of the tennis tournament.

update v.
to change (something) by including the most recent information;
to make (something) more modern
- The bank recently updated its computer system for security reasons.
to give (someone) the most recent information about something
- I'll update you on the latest development of the personnel changes.
update n.
- news update