The Nerdalize E-radiator

A few nerds cutting a lot of costs

When their thermostat stopped working, and they crowded around a computer for warmth, some Dutch startup founders were inspired.

Nerdalize does double duty
Nerdalize, a young Dutch company, hires out the computing power of its servers to groups in need of research calculations. But don’t look for the servers within Nerdalize headquarters – they are spread around private homes providing free heat! These sleek servers are hung on the wall, silently giving off heat produced while running numbers, perhaps for medical research. The cost of any energy used by these “e-radiators” is even covered by Nerdalize.

Everyone wins 
Nerdalize heaters present a benefit to home owners with a cheaper heating bill, but the company insists they are a win for all involved. While some companies have their own data center, Nerdalize claims its clients pay 55 percent less per computing job.

Nerdalize itself avoids expenses to cool their servers, and the whole process serves the environment by using the same energy to compute and to heat. Though Nerdalize’s e-radiators are currently in a trial phase in only five homes, their startup and energy provider partner Eneco is hopeful of success and expansion.

Info Cloud 
Hello, friends! What do you call the place you live in? Is it a house or a home?

Well, most people live in houses, but they don’t all live in a home, which is a place one is attached to emotionally.

In America, the word home has been turned into a euphemism. Realtors no longer sell houses instead they sell more cozy homes does making a house more attractive to potential buyers.

And once someone buys a house, he or she becomes a home owner.

Other examples of home used as a euphemism can be found in retirement home or nursing home, these are not really homes in the traditional sense. A retirement home is really retirement setter. A nursing home is basically a nursing hospital for the elderly, but the word home is used to make these places sound more like warm places and therefore more attractive to people.

And when Christmas comes around many people go home for Christmas, they go back to where their family is.

Right. Have you notice we say home sweet home, and not house sweet house?

Yes, you know when I have guests over, I always say to them make yourself at home, in other words, deal free to act just as you would in your own home, even if that means putting your feet up on the coffee table or helping yourself to whatever is in your refrigerator.

Language Lab
radiator n.
/ˈreɪdiˌeɪtɚ/
a large, metal device that is next to the wall in a room and that becomes hot and provides heat for the room when hot water passes through it
- Each hotel room is equipped with a radiator.
- The car's radiator needs to be replaced.
radiate v.
- The sun radiates heat.

startup n.
a new business
- Startups need to have people with creative ideas and a steady cash flow to survive.
- Thousands of startups have poured into the app market.
adj.
- You need a loan to cover the startup cost.

thermostat n.
/ˈθɚməˌstæt/
a device that automatically adjusts the temperature in a room to a desired level
- I set the thermostat to 68 degrees.
thermometer n.
/θɚˈmɑːmətɚ/
- an instrument used for measuring temperature

win v.
to achieve victory in a fight, contest, game, etc.
- Our team won its second state championship.
win n.
an act of achieving victory especially in a game or contest
- The football team has had nine wins in a row.
- The process of the game is actually a win for all contestants.

phase n.
/ˈfeɪz/
a part or step in a process : one part in a series of related events or actions
- The subjects' reactions to the treatment were carefully recorded during the trial phase.
- Editing is a crucial phase of movies production.
crucial adj.
/ˈkruːʃəl/
extremely important
- Eggs are a crucial [=essential] ingredient in this recipe.

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Happy 90th Birthday to the Grand Ole Opry (2)

During a 31-year span, form 1943 to 1974, the program launched many music careers. Legends such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash performed on the Ryman stage.

As audiences continued to grow, the Ryman Auditorium began to show signs of deterioration. In March 1974 the Grand Ole Opry moved to a 4300-seat auditorium built for the show and named the Grand Ole Opry House. As an indication of the show's importance, then U.S. President Richard Nixon played the piano on opening night.

Changes through the years
Today, most names and faces are different, and the music has changed somewhat. The Opry has welcomed many who have become iconic entertainers, including Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift.

Although early city leaders resented the Opry's musical style, today's leaders are proud of Nashville's most popular tourist attraction. Nashville bears the title Music City and hosts hundreds of thousands form around the world who come to see the legendary broadcast.

Millions more tune in each week to listen to the show that is still dedicated to country music's rich history and its exciting present.

Language Lab
span n.
the period of time between two dates or events
- The life span of a butterfly only lasts a couple of weeks.
- Ricky worked with his dad over a span of ten years.
span v. [spans; spanned; spanning]
to continue throughout (a period of time)
- The patient's treatment spanned more than three years.

deterioration n.
/dɪˌtirijəˈreɪʃən/
the act or process of becoming worse
- Signs of deterioration started to show in his physical condition.
deteriorate v.
/dɪˈtirijəˌreɪt/
to become worse as time passes
- Her mental condition is deteriorating.

resent v.
/rɪˈzɛnt/
to be angry or upset about (someone or something that you think is unfair)
- Harry resents his boss because he always blames others when things go wrong.
resentment n.
a feeling of anger or displeasure about someone or something unfair
- The boy has a deep resentment against his parents.

bear v. [bears; bore /ˈboɚ/ ; borne /ˈboɚn/ ; bearing]
to accept or endure (something);
to assume or accept (something, such as cost or responsibility);
- Because William bears the honor of his family, he has to revive the family business.
- After her husband abandoned her, Sophie bore the responsibility of raising her children alone.

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Happy 90th Birthday to the Grand Ole Opry (1)

Celebrating the legendary radio show that made country music famous!

On November 28, 1925, no one anticipated the enormous success that awaited a small country music program making its radio debut. Yet the Grand Ole Opry would become an international phenomenon, and 90 year later, it is considered to be “country’s most famous stage.”

Opry’s history is a glimpse into country music, its artists and its evolution.

Tremendous growth
In 1925, the show featuring local musicians was broadcast live from a Nashville, Tennessee, radio station. Some area leaders disliked the show because they preferred a more cultured image for their city.

Listeners, though, related to the realistic themes inherent in country music.

The Grand Ole Opry's popularity grew, and people began stopping by to watch the musicians perform. Before long, the audience had outgrown the radio station, prompting a move to a new location.

By the 1930s, families across the United States were gathering around their radios for their favorite Saturday night broadcast, which had expanded to four hours of live performances.

Within 10 years, only one Nashville venue was large enough to hold Opry audiences, and 1943, the Grand Ole Opry made Ryman Auditorium its home.


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Happy Birthday to You 教學主題: 收版稅的生日快樂歌
If today is your birthday, then happy birthday! Now Steve and I would like to sing for you the most frequently sung English song in the whole world, “happy birthday to you”. But sorry, we can’t.

Sorry everybody, you see even though “happy birthday to you”was written way back in the 1890s, it’s still not in a public domain yet which means it’s illegal to sing a song in public without permission from the copyright holder.

And getting permission costs big money thousands of dollars for a single use that’s why you really hear the song sung in movies or on TV shows.

Yes, now restaurant employees aren’t allowed to sing a song to customers either because technically restaurants are public places.

And so many restaurant chains have created their own happy birthday song to avoid paying the expensive licensing fee.

Okay, in Europe copyright protection lasts for the life of the composer plus 70 years. Now since the last co-author of the song died back in 1946, you’ll be able to sing “happy birthday to you” in the streets of Paris and Berlin for free starting next year, but if you are in the US where copyright laws are different, you’ll have to wait until 2030.

Language Lab
evolution n. [volut 字根-滾, 捲]
a process of slow change and development
- Nuclear families are the products of social evolution.
- The movie talked about the evolution of the music industry in the 70s.
evolve v.
to change or develop slowly often into a better, more complex, or more advanced state : to develop by a process of evolution
- This tiny company evolved into an international enterprise. 這家小公司後來演變成國際企業

cultured adj.
having or showing good education, tastes, and manners
- He's a cultured man who has very elegant taste.
- Her cultured manner attracted my attention. 她優雅的行為吸引我的注意
grown or made under controlled conditions
- cultured cells/pearls

inherent adj.
belonging to the basic nature of someone or something
- There are inherent risks in any form of investment.
- Elisa's marital problems are due to her inherent distrust of men.

auditorium n.
/ˌɑːdəˈtorijəm/
a large room or building where people gather to watch a performance, hear a speech, etc.
- The band concert will be held in the newly renovated auditorium.
the part of a building (such as a theater) where an audience sits
- Eating and drinking are prohibited in the auditorium.

a glimpse into

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Give Thanks

Take time to say "Thank you" to the special people in your life

Today, in honor of Thanksgiving, many Americans will express their thanks to God. Any day, though, is a great time to show your appreciation to others.

Where to begin 
Parents
Chances are your parents have been putting your needs ahead of their own for years. Let them know how much you appreciate everything they’ve done for you. Tell them face to face or write them a letter.

Brothers and sisters
They were your first friends, and your relationship is one that lasts a lifetime. Why not tell them how glad you are to be in the same family?

Fiends
Unlike sisters and brothers, your friends can be chosen by you. The best ones will be there for you in good times and bad times. They will encourage you when you’re down and celebrate with you when you’re happy. Be an equally good friend and tell them how thankful you are for their friendship.

Teachers
Express gratitude to those teachers who have inspired you. Showing appreciation is a great habit, and today is a good time to start.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Feeling Down vs. Feeling Depressed 感到消沈不一定是感到憂鬱
If someone is feeling down, they’re feeling downcast or depressed?

Now be careful when you use this word depressed. Use in a general sense, depressed just means to be sad or upset about something, but depressed is also the adjective of depression,which is a psychological disorder.

Right, in critical terms to be depressed means to feel chronic, sadness to the point of not being able to function in life. Depression can affect our eating, sleeping and how we act. Adepressed person does not feel like doing anything and that feeling can last for weeks or months, it’s a serious illness that if you have it, you should definitely see help.

But when people say they feel down, they generally don’t mean they’re suffering from depression, they’re just feeling unhappy,other ways to describe this feeling is feel blue or feel blah.

Mm. Now one might also feel down in the dumps, Jonathan is feeling down in the dumps because his girlfriend just left him.

But I’m sure he’ll be okay in a few days. Another related but slightly different expression is down and out, this is originally a boxing metaphor referring to a fighter who was physically falling down and is out or unconscious.

As an idiom, down and out describes someone who is penniless and may be even homeless, someone who is down and out has fallen on hard times.

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Churchill: The Polar Bear Capital of the World (3)

Other fun in Churchill
Churchill may be the polar-bear capital of the world, but the town offers year-round outdoor adventures. Beluga whales swim in the waters near Churchill from mid-June to mid-August. These great white mammals are called "sea canaries" because of all the almost bird-like sounds they make. Boats take visitors out to view the whales.The very adventurous can kayak among them or even snorkel with the friendly whales. Bird watchers also flock to Churchill in the spring and fall. They come to see more than 250 species of birds that nest or pass through Churchill every year.

Churchill is also one of the top three places in the world to see the northern lights. January to March is the best time to catch this colorful dancing curtain of light. Nothing can top the excitement of flying over the ice on a sled pulled by a team of dogs. Breathe the crisp air and enjoy the crunch of the white snow as you travel. Churchill offers experiences of a life time any time of year!

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Palindromes 教學主題: 迴文

Here at info cloud we’ve touched on a few of many ways people play with the English language like puns, anagrams and riddles. Today let’s look at perhaps the most difficult word play to create the palindrome.

Palindromes are words, phrases and sentences that lead the same forward as they do backward, while ignoring any punctuations, spacing and capitalization. Let’s look at some examples.

Okay, the word “kayak”,k, a, y, a, k is a very simple palindrome. It’s spelled the same forward as it is backward. “Race car” is a two-word palindrome.

Good, now let’s move into palindrome sentences. Good palindrome sentences once that makes sense are very rare. Here’s one to get us started. Norma is as selfless as I am, Ron?

Nice, how about “Mr.Owl ate my metal worm.”

Okay, perhaps the most well known palindrome sentence is the greatest, because it tells a little story, “A man, a plan, a canal: Panama”.

Ah, very clever! You know 30 years ago, a British man made it into the Guinness Book of records by writing the longest palindrome ever 65,000 words long. Now, we’re not sure it makes sense, but you have to admire the man’s dedication.

Language Lab
snorkel v.
to swim underwater while using a snorkel
- Alex snorkeled when he was in Hawaii on vacation.
- Many tourists to Penghu Island love to go snorkeling there.
dive v.
to jump into water with your arms and head going in first
- Indonesia has world-famous diving sites.

species n.
a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants : a group of related animals or plants that is smaller than a genus
- A new species of butterfly was found in Taiwan.
- The white rhino is listed as an endangered species.
- Asian actresses are a rare species in Hollywood.

sled n.
a small vehicle that has a flat bottom or long, narrow strips of metal or wood on the bottom and that is used for moving over snow or ice
- Tanya's sled broke in half when she hit the tree.
- The light-weight motorized sled cost me a fortune.
sled v.
to ride on a sled especially down a hill
- We sledded to a nearby town to get some food.

crunch n.
the sound made when something hard is being chewed or crushed : a crunching sound
- The crunch of our footsteps was the only sound we could hear in the dark night.
to make the loud sound of something being crushed
- The ice crunched under our feet as we crossed the lake.


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Churchill: The Polar Bear Capital of the World (2)

• What color is a polar bear's hair and skin?
• What do these bears spend most of their time doing?

The amazing polar bear
Polar bears are one of the world’s largest bears and inspire awe. When they stand, they measure 2.2 to 2.5 meters tall. They live in the Arctic, one of Earth’s coldest environments, and roam the ice in search of food. Their excellent sense of smell allows them to detect seals over 1 kilometer away.

The hairs on their snowy-looking coat aren’t actually white; they’re clear and hollow. The hair reflects light and traps heat to keep the polar bear warm.

Their skin is black, which also helps keep them warm. This heating system is very efficient – polar bears actually over heat more often than they suffer from the cold.

These magnificent bears spend most of their time hunting seals, who make breathing holes in the ice. The bears sit by these holes and wait – this can be minutes, hours or days. Then when the seals surface to breathe, the bears catch them. If the hunt is successful, the polar bear will feast. He or she can eat around 45 kilograms of seal blubber in one sitting!

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Awful, Morphing Language : Awful 與 Awesome 的轉變
The words awesome and awful both have the same root and both have neutral suffixes, so it should follow that awful and awesome have similar meanings.

But they don’t, centuries ago the word awful did indeed carry with the positive meanings like amazing magnificent and worthy of reverential fear.

But awful’s connotation gradually turned negative. And it’s not difficult to see why. Worthy of fear and causing fear are two far remove from each other, are they?

No they are not. So from causing fear, awful’s meaning morphed into causing dread and then it took on other connotations like dreadful, ugly and unpleasant meanings that awful still has to this day.

Right, interestingly we can still see a trace of awful’s original positive meaning, but only in its adverb form“awfully,”phrases like, “that dinner was awfully good, or she is awfully pretty” are not uncommon.

Okay, years later the word awesome appeared, some say to fill the void created after awful turned bad. Awesome assumed awful’s original role as a good word, meaning amazing and breathtaking.

But it too is changing, awesome is gradually losing its intensity. Today people casually use awesome to describe anything, they think is pretty good, like a delicious meal or an entertaining movie.

Language Lab
awe n.
/ˈɑː/
a strong feeling of fear or respect and also wonder
- We were in awe of the amazing view of the Grand Canyon.
- People around Edward hold him in awe because he's a true genius.
awe v.
to fill (someone) with awe
- The audience was awed by the brilliant performance of the actor.

reflect v.
to show the image of (something) on a surface
- I saw myself reflected in the water.
- The still water of the lake reflects the moon and the stars in the sky.
to show (something) : to make (something) known
- The figures reflected a steady increase in sales.

magnificent adj.
very beautiful or impressive : very great
- Magnificent Jade Mountain is one of Taiwan's symbols.
- The couple got married in a magnificent castle in France.
- Jessica looks magnificent in that dress.

blubber n.
the fat on whales and some other animals that live in the water
- Whale blubber was used by aboriginals as a food source.
- Their thick layer of blubber helps keep seals warm in cold water.


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Churchill: The Polar Bear Capital of the World (1)

Visit Churchill, Manitoba, for experiences of a lifetime!

Some of the late fall visitors to Churchill, Manitoba, don’t wear down jackets. They arrive in gorgeous white fur coats. These visitors cause quite a bit of excitement as they are the ones that everyone else goes to see. This main attraction – polar bears!

Located in northern Manitoba on the west side of Hudson Bay, Churchill is out in the middle of nowhere. But the bears like it that way. They spend summers on the tundra. In the fall, they wait anxiously along the shore of Hudson Bay for the ice to form. Then they go out into the frozen sea to hunt ringed seals – their favorite food. October and November are the best polar-bear viewing times. From tundra vehicles, visitors observe the bears. Some enjoy day trips or stay overnight on the mobile tundra-buggy lodge. Others stay at a wilderness lodge on the bears’ migration route to view the mighty creatures. These lodges can be reached only by air and feature luxury food and living arrangements.

Language Lab
Teaching Topic: The Boondocks 教學主題: 窮鄉僻壤

It’s not easy to find a language that hasn’t contributed at least one or two words to the English lexicon. Even Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines has added a couple words of its own. One is the word bundok, which means mountain.

At the end of the 19 century during the Spanish American War, US soldiers serving in the Philippines took this Tagalog word and used it to describe a remote or isolated area.

When the soldiers returned to the US, they brought the word back with them, but with the slightly different pronunciation and spelling, boondocks, spelled, b, o, o, n,d, o, c, k, s.

Right. And notice that s at the end, we always say this word in a plural form. Again, boondocks refers to the country side or any out of the way location. I might say, have you ever been to Albert’s house? He lives way out in the boondocks.

A more informal version of boondocks is boonies. If you are hiking out in the boonies, don’t expect to get a 3G signal.

More recently, boondocks has taken on the extended meaning of a town or even city and in the middle of nowhere that is considered backwards and unsophisticated.

Language Lab
down jacket
small and very soft feathers jacket
- a down pillow/comforter/jacket

anxiously adv.
afraid or nervous especially about what may happen : feeling anxiety
- Her parents waited anxiously for her to come home that night.
anxious adj.
/ˈæŋkʃəs/
They are anxious [=worried, concerned] about their son's health.


quite a bit of …out in the middle of nowhere= boondockswilderness

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Free Cash? (2)

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Yep and Nope 教學主題: 口語的肯定與否定

Hello, friends! Do you remember the first English words you learned? I would guess they’d be “yes and no”.

But did you know that instead of yes, some Americans say yep and instead of no, some say nope.

So how are they different from yes and no?

Okay, nope is an informal version of no, besides being informal it’s also a bit friendlier than a straight no. Which may come across as discourteous. Ken, can I borrow twenty dollars?

No, sorry.

Okay, now listen to this, Ken, can I borrow twenty dollars?

Nope, sorry.

Okay. Did you hear the difference, friends? Even though the answer in both instances was negative, nope sounded more light hearted and friendlier.

Now the same thing can be said for yes and yep, spelled y, e, p. Yes is the formal and correct way to convey a positive sentiment. Yep on the other hand is very affirmative and quite cheerful. Steve, did you go see the movie yesterday?

Yes. Now listen to Steve answer in a different way. Steve, did you go see the movie yesterday? Yep.

From this response you should be able to sense that Steve not only saw the movie but he quite enjoyed it.

We should keep in mind however that yep and nope may not be appropriate in some situations. Yes and no, on the other hand, are standard English and they work anywhere, so when in doubt, stick with yes and no.

Language Lab
pocketbook n.
a bag usually with handles and pockets that is used by women to carry money and personal belongings : purse, handbag
the amount of money that someone has available to spend : someone's ability to pay for things
- The restaurant has meals priced to suit every pocketbook. [=it has meals that everyone can afford]

dispute v.
/dɪˈspjuːt
to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal
- You can dispute your bill if you believe it is inaccurate.
to argue about (something)
- We were disputing [=debating] whether we should call the police or look for the thief ourselves.

lofty adj.
very high and good : deserving to be admired
- He set lofty goals for himself as a teacher.
rising to a great height : very tall and impressive
- lofty redwood trees

possession n.
the condition of having or owning something;
- She is old but still has (full) possession of her senses/faculties. [=she is still able to think clearly]
something that is owned or possessed by someone;
- The family lost all of its possessions in the fire.

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Free Cash? (1)

What would you do if you found money on the ground?

Ted and Colby have just left a restaurant after lunch.

Hey, look, Ted! $50! That's a lot of money. If must've fallen out of someone's pocket or purse.

Well, finders keepers! Let's use it to go see a movie!
...


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: It’s Should’ve, Not Should of 為何老外會把should have寫成should of？

Today let’s take a look at a common mistake native English speakers make. Now you may be wondering why focus on something that doesn’t affect students who learn English as a second language.

The answer is simple, from that mistake you can learn to sell more like a native English speaker, thus improving your pronunciation.

All right, so here’s the mistake, listen carefully. Instead of writing, you should have done that, many young people in the US will often write “you should of done that”. Why do they do that?

Because that’s how they say it. “Should have” is normally spoken in a slowed way, so that two words are not distinctly separated but blended together.

Now the proper way to show this blending is should’ve, s, h, o, u, l, d, apostrophe v, e. Which is a contraction of “should have”, but many people hear it, “should of”, and that’s how they end up writing it, wrong.

Besides, should’ve, this kind of construction also occurs in“could have” which becomes “could’ve”, “would have” which becomes  “would’ve”, “must have” which becomes “must’ve”,and “might have” which becomes “might’ve”.

None of these expressions have the word “of” in them, so never write them, using “of”, however when you say them out loud, feel free to blend them and pronounce it like there’s the word “of” in it. I should’ve stayed awake in class 20 years ago when my teacher talked me this.

Language Lab
rightful adj.
according to the law; proper or appropriate
- The property should be returned to its rightful owner.

identify v.
to know and say who someone is or what something is
- She identified the dog as her lost pet.

conscience n.
the part of the mind that makes you aware of your actions as being either morally right or wrong
- You should decide what to do according to your own conscience.

to kiss something goodbye
to accept the fact that you have lost or will never get something
- They can kiss their vacation plans goodbye now. [=their vacation plans are now ruined]
- If you don't start working harder, you can kiss that promotion goodbye. [=you won't be getting that promotion]

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A Night Out (2)

Should she call the police or call someone to give her a ride? She decided to call someone. She took out her cellphone only to find that her battery was dead! Now what? Walking home was out of the question. But she could take a cab. She checked her wallet and found that she only had $5 in cash. And to her horror, her credit card was missing! Then she remembered. She’d ordered something on the Internet and left the card by her computer.

Maybe she could find a convenience store. She could plug in her phone there to charge it. She headed back toward the theater and the lights on Pike Street. She saw a convenience store ahead. Then she saw something familiar. Her car! Relief surged through her. She realized she’d parked on Pike Street not Pine Street! Once again humming a tune from the show, she got into her car and headed home.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Synecdoche 提喻法

When a word is used to mean something other than what it usually means, we call that a metaphor. Metaphors are used to suggest a resemblance or similarity.

That’s right. Metaphors are figures of speech that make languages fun and interesting, because they add visual imagery to what’s been communicated.

Now there’re many different kinds of metaphors. One involves using a part of something to describe all of it, so then what might we use as a metaphor for say a credit card?

Well, there’s not much to a credit card that we could breakdown into parts; it’s mostly made of plastic and ink, right?

Bingo, plastic. A great metaphor to use in place of the word credit card, next time you go shopping, don’t forget to bring your plastic.

All right, here’s another one. If I said to you, “Hey nice threads”, I’ll be talking about your clothes, because clothes are made up of thousands of threads. Threads is a metaphor for clothes.

And finally this classic, when we need to help doing something we often say, “Could you please give me a hand?”

Umm, just a hand? No, the hand is a metaphor for the whole person.

Language Lab
out of the question
not possible or allowed
- Asking my father for money was completely out of the question.

horror n.
a very strong feeling of fear, dread, and shock
- There was a look of horror on her face.
horrible adj.
causing horror : very shocking and upsetting
- He suffered a horrible death.

plug in [phrasal verb] [plugs; plugged; plugging]
to connect (something, such as a lamp or television) to an electrical source or to another device by using a plug
- The microphone isn't plugged in.

surge v.
to suddenly increase to an unusually high level;
to move very quickly and suddenly in a particular direction
surge n.
a sudden, large increase

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A Night Out (1)

Remember where you park!

Michelle walked out of the theater humming a tune. She’d just seen a fabulous musical at the beautiful Paramount Theater. If she closed her eyes, she could still see the beautiful costumes and stage sets. It was now after 11 p.m., and she really didn’t like being out late by herself. But no one else had wanted to go to the show, so she had gone alone. She headed down the dark Seattle street toward her car.

She walked to the middle of the block. No car. The parking space was empty. “That’s odd,” she thought. “Am I on the wrong street?” She checked the street signs. No, she was on Pine Street. And she was sure that this was where she’d parked. But she walked up and down Pine Street to be sure. Her car was nowhere to be seen. She began to feel like her stomach was in knots. Someone had stolen her car! What was she going to do?

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Teaching Topic: Parkway and Driveway 用來行車的Parkway，用來停車的Driveway
Parkways and driveways, they both have a connection with automobiles, but if you think people park their cars on parkways and drive their cars on driveways, you’re forgiven.

Actually the opposite is true; people drive on parkways while they park their cars on driveways. Confusing, it’s just another example of crazy English.

Okay, let’s explain this by first looking at the word “way”, years ago a way was simply a footpath or horse path used for travel to get from one place to another.

Now the ways that went through parks, we’re called, you guessed it “parkways”. People will walk or take their horses and carriages on parkways to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery.

Right, later many of these parkways were paved over and made ready for automobiles to travel at high speeds.

Okay, how about driveways? Typically they were short private paths that led from a public road to a private home or building.

Hum, today most American driveways are the paved areas in front of homes where people park their cars, now supposed technically you can drive on a driveway, but it’s so short you’re not going to drive on one for too long.

Language Lab
tune n.
a series of musical notes that produce a pleasing sound when played or sung
- The band is playing our favorite tune.
- The pop song has a very catchy tune.
in a state in which the correct musical sound is not played or sung
- After the singer got nervous, her voice went totally out of tune.

musical n.
having music and songs as a main feature : telling a story with songs
- Paulin's favorite musical is "Cats."
musical adj.
of or relating to music
- Bruno Mars' musical talent showed when he was little.

parking space n.
a place to park your car, truck, etc.
- It took me almost an hour to find a parking space in this area.
parking lot n.
an area outside a building for parking cars, trucks, etc.
- The parking lot charges NT$100 per hour.
parking structure n. 立體停車場

in knot n.
a painful or uncomfortable feeling of tightness in part of your body
- Joey's stomach was in knots when he was speaking on stage.
tie someone in knots 
to cause problems for yourself because you are being too careful, trying too hard, etc.;
to become very upset or worried;
- The thought of traveling alone tied me in knots.

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Micro-homes (2)

Understanding the tiny
As visually appealing as micro-homes are, there are a few drawbacks to consider before getting cozy on a mini-couch. Moving into a tiny house requires the elimination of most non-essentials, no matter the emotional connection to them. Guests will also mostly be out of the question as the limited space may even cause a solitary individual to experience some cabin fever.

And finally, a micro-home is likely a temporary living option for most people since they will probably start families and acquire more possessions.

Embracing the tiny
Though the limitations will scare some, there is usually a benefit. A small size results in a small price tag and small bills, making tiny houses easier to save up for and budget. And though you won’t have much stuff around the house, this can provide the comfort of simple living and maintenance. Micro-homes are also practically mobile and boast eco-friendliness that can’t be matched by other homes. They probably aren’t for everyone or forever, but when it comes to your next (or first) home, they could be just what you need.

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Teaching Topic: Pros and Cons教學主題: 利與弊

A drawback is a disadvantage or downside. Of course when there are disadvantages or downsides, there are often advantages or upsides.

So we often have to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of something, and we can call them the pros and cons.

Pros and cons is actually short for pro and contra, a Latin phrase that means for and against.

Now since this is a stock expression we should use it as such and not break it up, if we just talk about a pro or a con by itself, it may cause confusion.

Right, since the two words have different meanings outside of the phrase pros and cons without the context a pro or a con can be misinterpreted.

Yes. So if I want to emphasize that many advantages of football team has, for example, I should just say that instead of saying the football team has lots of pros.

Right, if I heard the football team has a lot of pros, I would think the team has many professional players.

Yeah, the same with con, which can mean fraud, so if we don’t first mention pros and cons, we should stick to words like, advantages, disadvantages, upsides, downsides, pluses and minuses. For example, being a fashion model is fun and exciting but there are downsides to the job as well.

Language Lab
elimination n.
the act or process of removing something or someone
- The new vaccine has contributed to the elimination of the disease.
eliminate v.
to remove (something that is not wanted or needed) : to get rid of (something)
- Ninety percent of the applicants were eliminated in the first interview.

cabin fever n.
an unhappy and impatient feeling that comes from being indoors for too long
- She suffered from cabin fever during the long winter.
- Some researchers who lived at the isolated camp experienced some cabin fever during winter.

embrace v.
to accept (something or someone) readily or gladly
- The new communication apps were quickly embraced by teenagers.
to hold someone in your arms as a way of expressing love or friendship
- Charlene embraced her husband when she greeted him at the airport.
embrace n.
the act of holding someone in your arms : the act of embracing someone
- Susan gave her boy a warm embrace when he got home.

maintenance n.
the act of maintaining something or someone: such as a : the act of keeping property or equipment in good condition by making repairs, correcting problems, etc.
- The car fuse was replaced during a regular maintenance check last week.
maintain v.
to keep (something) in good condition by making repairs, correcting problems, etc.
- Paul's Porsche costs a fortune to maintain.

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Micro-homes (1)

For housing, bigger may not always be better

When young people begin to live independently, home-hunting can involve some stress. But they would do well to remember that a new alternative is available – micro-homes.

Introducing the tiny
Fondly called “tiny houses,” these dwellings have all living necessities in a small package, including kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. Generally under 50 square meters, most tiny houses accommodate just one or two people though some claim the space for more. What’s lost in size is not lost in design as these homes are often quite unique and modern in design.

Innovating the tiny
Besides an attractive appearance, tiny houses can also boast unique practical features. Making the best of urban space, the 72- to 122-centimeter-wide Keret House in Warsaw, the world’s narrowest home, filled in an alley. The prototype home Ecocapsule uses solar power, wind power and rain water collection to enable its owner to live practically anywhere. A system of rails allows the DALE micro-home to adjust room size and number as well as adding the option of an open or enclosed courtyard.

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Teaching Topic: Urban, Suburban and Rural 教學主題: 都市、郊區與鄉間
If you live in a big city, you live in an urban area. Urban is an adjective, meaning having the characteristics of a big city.

Okay, add the prefix sub in front of urban and we get suburban, the prefix sub means below but you can also refer to what’s outside. Suburban area is just outside the urban area.

Suburban area is also called the suburbs and suburbia, both of which refer to residential communities outside a large city. Usually people who live in the suburbs are middle class that is people who are neither very rich nor poor but fall somewhere in the middle.

Okay, most of the time people in the suburbs work in the city and have to commute from home to work, now why do people go to the hustle of commuting? Well, suburbs are known fit for their quiet neighborhoods and for being family-friendly. So many families choose to raise their children in the suburbs.

Now if you go farther out from the city, pass the suburbs, you’ll come to rural areas or the country, where there are fewer people and their homes and businesses are located far away from one another.

In the past, more people lived in rural areas than in urban areas, but in many places this is no longer the case due to urbanization. And that is the process in which people move into urban areas to live and work.

Language Lab
micro- (combining form)
very small
- These micro-homes were built with recycled materials.
- microwave
- microphone
- microchip

dwelling n.
/ˈdwɛlɪŋ/
a place where a person lives
- The church became a temporary dwelling for hurricane victims.
- Over 2000 dwellings will be built in this development.

innovate v.
/ˈɪnəˌveɪt/
to do something in a new way : to have new ideas about how something can be done
- The research team is trying to innovate a new cancer treatment.
innovation n.
a new idea, device, or method
- You can see the latest innovations in computer technologies at the fair.

prototype n.
/ˈproʊtəˌtaɪp/
an original or first model of something from which other forms are copied or developed
- A prototype of the car is still undergoing manufacturing.
- A prototype of this new cellphone will be released to the public soon.

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Dr. Shin-Tson Wu (2)

Feeling challenged by his research, Dr. Wu prayed for wisdom and experienced another miracle. Within six months, he overcame a technical barrier and discovered several new areas liquid crystals could be used in. This liquid crystal technology can be found in digital video projectors today.

Another invention to his credit is the high-resolution and high-contrast displays used in Game Boy and Google Glass. This discovery paved the way to the foundation for the display technology that allows people to see their iPhones in sunlight.

In 2001 Wu entered the academic world at CREOL.University of Central Florida. There he continues to conduct research while influencing his students. His 82-plus patents, more than 480 journal articles and 24 graduated Ph.D. students are the fruit of his hard work. While his awards are many, his attitude is humble. He and his wife host a Bible study on Friday nights and constantly pray for their family members and students. He enjoys teaching Sunday school and studying the Bible. His brilliance and humility are a winning combination.

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Teaching Topic: Award vs. Reward教學主題: 別把 Award 與 Reward 搞混了
Today let’s talk about two similar sounding words, award and reward. Not only do they sound alike, their meanings are similar. But the two words are very different.

Okay first, award. When you hear the word award, you should think about special prize like a trophy, medal or plaque. An Oscar or a Nobel Prize are famous awards and it’s an honor to receive an award because it’s usually not easy to earn one.

Right, the recipient of an award is often determined by a committee of judges. Okay, now let’s look at rewards. Rewards are also recognitions, but there are kind of acknowledgement of an individuals contributions. You can get a reward for making an effort, for example, if you found someone’s cellphone on the street, and turned it into the police you maybe rewarded with some money.

Umm, another difference between reward and award is that rewards are mostly private or personal affairs. Awards get publicized. That’s right. A reward can mean something positive like a feeling of satisfaction you get out of something. A mother’s reward after so many years of labor raising her child is seeing a child grow up and become successful.

Or you may feel rewarded when someone simply says “thanks to you”. There’s a feel good factor when one is rewarded, so friends, getting an award may not be easy, but you can easily get rewarded if you make a bit of effort to help others in your everyday life.

Language Lab
barrier n.
something (such as a fence or natural obstacle) that prevents or blocks movement from one place to another
- Concrete barriers surround the racetrack to protect spectators.

digital adj.
showing the time with numbers instead of with hour and minute hands;
of or relating to information that is stored in the form of the numbers 0 and 1;

academic n.
usually used before a noun : of or relating to schools and education

patent n.
an official document that gives a person or company the right to be the only one that makes or sells a product for a certain period of time
- The company holds the/a patent on the product.

pave the way for (something or someone)
to make it easier for something to happen or for someone to do something
- The discovery paves the way for the development of effective new treatments.

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Dr. Shin-Tson Wu (1)

A mixture of brilliance and humility

The youngest of eight children, Shin-Tson Wu grew up on a farm in Nantou County. He remembers his father encouraging all of his children to pursue their dreams. Early on Wu felt pulled toward science, so after high school, he majored in physics at National Taiwan University. As a junior, Wu was granted special permission to take a graduate class, atomic spectra, offered by a visiting professor. That class inspired him to dig deeper into lasers in graduate school.

In the late 70s, Wu became a doctoral student at USC Los Angeles. He received his Ph.D. in laser physics and married his college sweetheart, Choyan Hsieh, in the same year, 1981. Dr. Wu then applied for a research job at Hughes Research Labs. A believer in miracles, Wu experienced two at the sametime. Hughes had an opening for someone to work with infrared liquid crystal light valves. Wu had a background in infrared lasers but none in liquid crystals. He also had to have permanent residency to work there. He received both the same day!

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Teaching Topic: What Kind of a Doctor? 教學主題: Doctor一定是醫生嗎？
When you hear that somebody is a doctor, don’t immediately assume that the person is a medical doctor.

That’s right. A doctor can also be somebody who has earned a PhD or doctorate. That’s the highest degree that can be earned in any university.

PhD is actually the abbreviation for doctor of philosophy. Now this is misleading, because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers unless they earned their degree in philosophy.

So why philosophy? Well the meaning of the word philosophy has changed over the centuries; during the renaissance this word had the broader meanings, since philosophy at that time encompassed a whole spectrum of science.

And the word doctor in the original Latin definition meant teacher. Historically it referred to a teacher or by extension a scholar. It did not specifically refer to a physician. This title was later adapted by the medical community due to the respect and prestige that it had.

And the adapted usage has become more popular than the original definition.

That’s right. Now a word about usage, we should never use both doctor and PhD together as doctor is a title and PhD is a degree. So let’s say Ken has earned a PhD, I might call him Doctor Lee, and on his business card he might put PhD after his name, but without the DR in front of it.

Language Lab
humility n.
the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people
- The movie star's humility and kindness made him more and more popular.
- Jason's defeat in his first NBA game taught him the lesson of humility.

grant v.
to agree to do, give, or allow (something asked for or hoped for)
- The government granted the refugees temporary entry visas.
- Charlie was granted permission to use his dad's car on weekends.
grant n.
an amount of money that is given to someone by a government, a company, etc., to be used for a particular purpose (such as scientific research)
- Fred's application for a special grant was accepted.

infrared adj.
/ˌɪnfrəˈrɛd/
producing or using rays of light that cannot be seen and that are longer than rays that produce red light
- The soldiers used infrared detectors to find landmines.
- The infrared camera can take clear pictures in the dark.

residency n.
the state or fact of living in a place
- It took Patrick three years to get his British residency.
resident n.
someone who lives in a particular place
- Many residents in this apartment building are from Mexico.
residence n.
the place where someone lives
- the President's residence

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Degrees of Separation

Just how small is the world?

“I am bound, you are bound, to everyone on this planet by a trail of six people,” says a character in the play and film Six Degrees of Separation. The notion that any two individuals are connected by a chain of six people or fewer is popular, but is there any truth to it?

Testing the theory 
This hypothesis was tested first in 1969 when 64 people sent a letter to one Boston stockbroker through an average of 6.2 people. This “small world experiment” entered the Internet Age in 2003 through Columbia University.

Scientists selected a wide sampling of people to send a message to 18 randomly selected people. Around 400 completed the experiment by sending an email to someone who then forwarded it to someone else. The final contact was accomplished in an average of 4.05 emails.

Then Facebook happened 
Facebook conducted a study to compute the average degrees between the 721 million active accounts held in 2011. The figure came out to be 4.74 degrees! Research out of Taiwan found only 3.9 degrees between any two people on Earth in 2013, showing that social networking continues to decrease separation.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Mail and Email 教學主題: Mail 與 Email 的差別與用法
If you are a regular info cloud listener or viewer, you’ll know how often we stressed the difference between countable and uncountable nouns. Well, today, we have another uncountable noun for you, mail spelled m, a, i, l.

As a mass noun, mail is never countable. If you want to count it, you can use the word "piece". I received seven pieces of mail today.

Or if you want to use a countable word, you can use the word letter. But seven pieces of mail is not necessarily the same as seven letters. Seven pieces of mail may have only one real letter, the rest might be junk mail or bills.

Right, so that’s mail. And then there’s email which has both countable and uncountable usages depending on the context. For example, we don’t say we have seven pieces of email. We can simply say we have seven emails.

And that’s the countable usage. But you can also say you received a lot of email today. And that’s the uncountable.

Okay, so how did the countable usage come about? The word email has developed as a shorthand reference to email message which is countable. So instead of saying you have seven email messages, you can shorten it by saying you have seven emails.

Language Lab
notion n.
an idea or opinion
- He has some pretty strange notions.

hypothesis n.
/ˌhaɪˈpɑːθəsəs/
an idea or theory that is not proven but that leads to further study or discussion
- The results of the experiment did not support/confirm his hypothesis.

randomly adv.
chosen, done, etc., without a particular plan or pattern
- We were each asked to randomly pick a word on the page.

compute v.
to find out (something) by using mathematical processes : calculate


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Family Life (2)

When children grow up
Countries also have different customs concerning when children leave home. In the United States, children usually leave home when they finish high school or college. If young people want to continue living with their parents after that, they’re often expected to pay rent. Young adults in Western countries are also very independent and rarely share personal information with their parents. For example, most American parents don’t know their adult children’s salaries.

In contrast, in several East Asian countries, young people live with their parents until they marry. This is very practical, especially in big cities where housing is expensive.

People in East Asia consider caring for aging parents an important responsibility. That usually means living with their elderly parents to care for them. Americans also care for their parents, but many parents prefer to live on their own. When it becomes necessary, elderly people often choose to move into assisted living facilities and receive care from professionals. Despite differences, everyone agrees that family should be a high priority.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Differences between College and University 教學主題: College 與 University 的差別

Hi, friends! If you are still in high school, have you thought about what you want to do after you graduate? Are you going to go to college or are you going to go to university?

Now, these are two distinct questions. But if you’re in the US, the two questions are actually one and the same.

That’s right. Americans use the terms, college and university to mean the same thing. It’s common to say someone is going off to college, even if they’re actually going to a university,but technically the two terms are different.

That’s right. Colleges are usually small and only offer four year degrees, universities are large, made up of many colleges. For example, Ohio State University has its own college of arts and sciences among others.

Though they’re smaller, some of the top rank schools in the US are colleges. One example, is the Ivy League School, Dartmouth College.

And then there’s community college which offers trade and technical certifications in training. But seldom offers four year degrees.

Okay, which are called bachelor’s degrees. Universities, on the other hand, can offer advanced degrees like master’s degrees and doctoral degrees.

Language Lab
concern v.
to relate to (something or someone) : to be about (something or someone)
- The article concerns the preservation of water resources in Israel.
concerning preposition
relating to (something or someone) : about
- Danny received a letter from the IRS concerning his tax refund.

salary n.
an amount of money that an employee is paid each year
- The weekly salary for the job is about $400.
- Karl has been at this company for just two years, and his salary has already doubled.
wage n.
an amount of money that a worker is paid based on the number of hours, days, etc., that are worked
- The boss only pays us minimum wage.

facility n.
something (such as a building or large piece of equipment) that is built for a specific purpose
- There's no medical facility in this area.
- The elderly facility is urn by the government.
something that makes an action, operation, or activity easier — usually plural
- There are plenty of recreational facilities in this park.

priority n.
the things that someone cares about and thinks are important
- Being a mom is Jenny's first priority now.
something that is more important than other things and that needs to be done or dealt with first
- You have to get your priorities right first and then deal with the most urgent problem.

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Family Life (1)

A look into households around the world
Which members of your family do you live with? How is your relationship with your relatives? Let’s see how people around the world might answer these questions.

How many kids?
In 2011, the United Nations researched the average number of children that women have in different countries. The highest numbers were in sub-Saharan Africa, with Uganda at 6.1. In North America, it’s around 2.1, but in Europe and East Asia, it is much lower. So kids in Uganda grow up with far more siblings than those in England, for example.

Who’s at home?
Most children around the world live with both their parents. But for various reasons, some live with one parent or neither parents. This is increasingly common in regions including the Americas, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa.

In North America and Europe, most households include only a nuclear family. However, in the Middle East, Central and South America, and parts of Africa, more relatives live together. Many kids there grow up surrounded by siblings, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: What Are Relatives? 何謂 Relative？

Hello, friends! When you see the word "relative", what other word do you see in there?

That’s right, you should also see the word "relate."

So, a relative is someone who is related to you. This relationship is established either by blood or through marriage.

Now you might ask,“is there a way to differentiate the two?" Well, all your relatives who are related to you by blood migh tbe described as blood relatives or the less common blood kin.

And those relatives who are related to you through marriage can be denoted by the term in-law, your father-in-law, for example, is the father of your spouse. Your sister-in-law is the sister of your spouse. In-laws are not related to you by blood.

Okay, what if you want to describe people who are not only relatives but ones who are close to you? You can use the term loved ones, a dying person often wishes to see his loved ones or people close to his heart.

Another term that’s commonly used is friends and family, which refers to the people closest to a person. For example, I might say, only friends and family were invited to the millionaire’s private party.

Language Lab
sub-Saharan adj.
- subtropical
- subantarctic

sibling n.
a brother or sister:
- Jennifer has three siblings, one older sister and two younger brothers.
sibling rivalry 
competition between brothers and sisters for their parents' attention or love
- Even though Gina and her sister are grown-ups now, there's still a lot of sibling rivalry between them.

include v.
if one thing includes another, the second thing is part of the first:
- The breakfast was included in the room charge.
- The course is open to all students, including freshmen.
- The coach really wants to include this talented player on his team.

nuclear family n.
a family unit that consists only of a husband, wife and children
- Martin was brought up in a nuclear family.
extended family n.
a family group that consists not only of parents and children but also of grandparents, aunts etc

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Tea Anyone? (2)

Afternoon tea used to be a social event for ladies. But both men and women now enjoy it. You can enjoy afternoon tea in many places in England. Hotels in other large cities offer the experience as well.

Dress code
For afternoon tea, men can wear nice pants and collared shirt. For ladies, this is the perfect opportunity to dress up!

Manners for afternoon tea

• If using milk, some say to add it to the teacup before the tea is poured. Never add lemon when using milk.
• Never stick out your pinky while drinking.
• When drinking, take small, quiet sips. Never blow on your tea even if it is too hot.
• Never leave the spoon in the cup. Place it on the saucer to the side of the cup.
• Keep your napkin on your lap. When leaving the table, place your napkin on your seat.
• Keep the teacup on the saucer when you aren't drinking. 

Enjoy your tea!

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Cha for Tea 茶的外文名稱

Historians agree that tea was first cultivated and harvested in and around China’s southwestern region.

So if tea originated in China, why then don’t all languages use the same word for tea? The Chinese word cha?

Well, many languages do use words that are obvious descendants of the Chinese word cha. For example, the Russian word is chay. The Turkic word for tea is Çay, while the Hindi word is jai.

It’s believed that these and other central Asian languages are acquired the word, cha via ancient overland trade routes like the Silk Road.

Okay, then what about all the other languages that use words that look and sound like the word tea. In Spanish, it’s tei. In French, it’s pronounced tee. In German too.

Right, that’s another word for tea that also has its origins in China but not from Mandarin, it comes from the Minnan Chinese dialect. A language spoken by millions of people in southeastern China particularly in Fujin province. In the Minnan dialect cha is pronounced dee.

And it’s that pronunciation that 17 century Dutch traders took with them from the port of Charmen to markets in Western Europe.

Language Lab
collared adj.
- Tom wore a stiff-collared white shirt and a pair of neatly pressed pants.
collar n.
a part of a piece of clothing that fits around a person's neck and is usually folded down
- The coat with a fake fur collar is very warm.

dress up [phrasal verb]
to put on or wear formal clothes
- All the boys and girls dressed up for the prom.
dress up as
to put on a costume
- For her birthday party, the girl dressed up as Elsa from Frozen.

sip v. [sips; sipped; sipping]
to drink (a liquid) slowly by taking only small amounts into your mouth
- The coffee is very hot, so sip it carefully.
- She slowly sipped her tea while enjoying the view outside the window.

saucer n.
/ˈsɑːsɚ/
a small, round dish that you put a cup on
- The waiter took a clean cup and saucer and placed them in front of me.

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Tea Anyone? (1)

There's nothing more lovely than enjoying a cup of tea

Warm scones served with cream and jam. Small sandwiches. Delicious cakes. Tea served in a fine china cup. It is 4:00 p.m. and time for afternoon tea. What a sweet way to enjoy the company of others. Served on low tables, afternoon tea is often called low tea.

History of afternoon tea
It is said that afternoon tea started in England in the 1840s with Anna, the Seventh Duchess of Bedford. At that time, people only ate two meals a day.

In the late afternoon, the duchess would get hungry. So around 4 o'clock, she scheduled tea and cakes to be brought to her room. This custom soon became popular among the wealthy.

Types of teas
There is more than one kind of afternoon tea. A regular afternoon tea consists of tea with sandwiches, scones and cakes. A cream tea is tea with scones served with cream and jam. A full tea includes tea, scones, cakes, sandwiches and, at times, soup or quiche.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Protected Food Names 教學主題: 食物名稱的保護制度

One makes Pu'er tea taste so special, one thing is, its taste, which comes from the way the tea is processed. Its leaves are fermented.

Pu-erh tea is also special, because it enjoys government protection. In China only fermented teas produced in thePu-erh region of Yunnan province can legally be labeled Pu-erh.

Fermented teas that are produced outside the Pu-erh region must be marketed differently, typically their label dark teas.Well since the 1990s it seems people everywhere have awaken to the advantages of national and international food-name protection laws.

And it’s easy to see why? Protected foods name was guard reputation of traditional local foods they promote local economies and they eliminate competitors who might produce similar foods using inferior ingredients and or non-traditional production methods. Well Ken how about another example?

Sure, since the 1890s champagne, that bubbly beverage people loved to drink at weddings and New Year celebrations has enjoyed legal protection in Europe. Today about 70 countries around the world legally regulate the use of this word.

Right, if this product is not made in France’s champagne region, it can’t be legally called champagne. A generic name like sparkling wine will have to suffice.

Language Lab
china n.
a hard white material that is made of baked clay and used to make plates, bowls, etc.
- Grandma has a huge collection of china that she has collected over they ears.
- Martha used her best china tea set when her good friends visited.

duchess n.
a woman who has the same rank as a duke;
the wife or widow of a duke;
- The Duchess of Kent attended the hospital's opening ceremony.
duke n.
a man of very high rank in the British nobility
- Prince Charles is the oldest son of Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburg.

schedule n.
a plan of things that will be done and the times when they will be done
- Daryl had a very hectic schedule today. He really needs some rest now.
schedule v.
to plan (something) at a certain time
- The meeting was scheduled for last Friday, but it was postponed.

consist v.
to be formed or made up of (specified things or people)
- The committee consists of 12 members.
- The dish consists of rice, vegetables and pork only.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151104baaca7695994ddb4a37361d068f7d6f694d18905595df4948807fdacab1a45a9d44.wma

Treasure of Taitung: Chenggong Township (2)

Chenggong's location is especially ideal during the fall, when strong winds blow in a cold current from the northeast. The mix of cold and warm waters attracts great numbers of marlin, a prized fish.

The place to purchase freshly-caught marlin and other catches of the day is the fish market at Chenggong Harbor. Witness the lively exchange between fishermen and buyers during the daily fish auction.

In the fish business
With over 40 years of experience, Lin Bao Shan is a premier expert on marlin. He and his son, Lin Yu Bin, export frozen fish to Japan. They are another father-son business that constitutes the cluster dedicated to building up Chenggong.

The Lins also operate Makaira Coffee, which is more that just a coffee shop. Ever think of pairing sashimi with coffee? How about a dessert made from the skin of the mola mola fish? Give these specialities and more a try during a visit to Chenggong.

The town took its name, which means "success," from a victorious hero in the past. Cluster members hope the name will also describe Chenggong's future.

Language Lab
prized adj.
very valuable or important
- My grandmother's ring is among my most prized possessions.
- Caviar from beluga whales is prized in Russia.

auction n.
a public sale at which things are sold to the people who offer to pay the most
- The painting was sold at an auction in London for $150,000.
- The famous singer's guitar was put up for auction for charity.
auction v.
to sell (something) at an auction
A Chagall painting will be auctioned next week.

premier adj.
most important or best
- Steven works in the country's premier biochemistry laboratory.
premier minister n.
the head of the government in some countries
- Both the French Premier and the Australian Premier attended the meeting.

victorious adj.
/vɪkˈtorijəs/
having won a victory or having ended in a victory
- The audience cheered for the victorious team's great play.
- People waited to greet the victorious troops as the entered the city.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151103baaada2634b7dd121d2ff52dd3793c8946e735db8fd4307596503b20d7b94b79427.wma

[Advanced] Conquering The Last Frontier (1) (2014-11-03)

Visit Alaska in the winter and drink in spectacular snow-covered vistas

The thought of visiting Alaska in the winter may fill you with shivers and a longing to hibernate, but for adventure-seekers, it is prime playtime. Mesmerising mountains laden with snow create stunning backdrops, and the outdoor options are limitless. You can strap on snowshoes, grab a snowboard or skis, get a taste of dog mushing or cruise the backcountry on a snowmobile -- stubbornly called a snowmachine by locals.

Getting used to it
I visited in late January and early February and was smitten. I declared myself a future Alaskan. I vowed to buy Alaskan slippers, which are actually heavy-duty boots - XtraTufs - worn by many in the Last Frontier. I scoffed at the cold even as I slipped along icy streets in downtown Anchorage and wished for a thicker jacket. Living in the Pacific Northwest, I'm accustomed to the cold and congratulated myself on braving Alaska's winter temperatures. What I didn't know at the time was that my trip coincided with the fourth warmest January ever recorded in the city. I was simultaneously relieved and disappointed.

Escaping to a winter wonderland
Winter in Alaska may be downright cold, but this trip was an escape from the dreary rain back in [Washington]. I was enraptured with winter skies that were crisp and blue rather than bleak and grey.

When I set out to explore the winter wonderland around Anchorage, I bundled up but my Gore-Tex gear stayed shoved in the bottom of my pack. It's about appreciating the small things, right? Sunshine in the winter for a Northwesterner is no small thing. This brings me to my one grievance with taking a winter break in Alaska: longer hours of darkness. The sun did not design to come out until 9 a. m., which ruled out early alpine starts. Then again, it's a rare chance to sleep in.

☺ ☻
drink in [phrasal verb]
drink in (something) or drink (something) in :
to stop and look at or listen to something in order to enjoy it fully
- The view is so beautiful. Let's just take a minute to drink it all in.

conquer v.
to take control of (a country, city, etc.) through the use of force
- The city was conquered by the ancient Romans.

shiver n.
/ˈʃɪvɚ/
a small shaking movement caused by cold or strong emotion

longing n.
/ˈlɑːŋɪŋ/
a strong desire for something or someone

mesmerizing adj.
/ˈmɛzməˌraɪzɪŋ/
to hold the attention of (someone) entirely : to interest or amaze (someone) so much that nothing else is seen or noticed — usually used as (be) mesmerized

laden adj.
/ˈleɪdn̩/
loaded heavily with something : having or carrying a large amount of something

backdrop n.
the scene or scenery that is in the background
- The mountains provided a perfect backdrop for the wedding photos.

smitten adj.
in love with someone or something
- From the moment he saw her, he was smitten.

scoff v.
to laugh at and talk about someone or something in a way that shows disapproval and a lack of respect
- He scoffed when she told him that she planned to become an actress.

downright adv.
to the fullest degree : completely or totally
- The movie was downright stupid/bad/scary.

enrapture v.
to fill (someone) with delight
- Her melodious voice enraptured the audience.

bundled up phr v.
to wear enough clothing to keep very warm

grievance n.
/ˈgriːvəns/
a complaint or a strong feeling that you have been treated unfairly;
a feeling of having been treated unfairly

deign v.
/ˈdeɪn/
to agree to do something although you consider yourself too important to have to do it;
to do something that you think you should not have to do because you are too important — usually followed by to + verb

Treasure of Taitung: Chenggong Township (1)

A fishing town where the ocean meets the sky

Located on Taiwan’s East Coast, the town of Chenggong offers not only fresh seafood but also a range of marine adventures, for the willing.

Chenggong boasts the largest fishing port on the entire East Coast, so naturally fishing is a major industry. The warm current from the south brings an abundance of fish as well as dolphins and whales to local waters.

Marine-mammal watching
To see these marine animals in motion, jump on a boat and go on a whale watch. Jin Ling Hao, a father-and-son boating business, will take you in their boat, to track and locate the fast moving creatures.

Chen Yong Chuan, the son, enjoyed his city life but came back to help his fisherman father Chen KunLong salvage his livelihood. Now, they conduct whale-and dolphin-watching tours, especially popular June to August.

Close-knit cluster
The Chens reflect the phenomenon of Chenggong’s younger generation returning home to their family’s businesses and bringing them up to speed. They belong to a cluster of local small-business owners committed to the goal of revitalizing the town.

Language Lab
abundance n.
a large amount of something : an abundant amount of something
- The island boasts an abundance of marine life.
- Food and supplies are in abundance in the camp.
abundant adj.
- The wildlife in this national park is abundant.

marine adj. [mar字根:海]
of or relating to the sea or the plants and animals that live in the sea
- The scientists are studying the marine life in the area.
- Isaac is a marine biologist who specializes in whales.

salvage v.
/ˈsælvɪʤ/
to save (something valuable or important) : to prevent the loss of (something)
- Trying to salvage her final grade, Brenda found a private tutor.
salvage n.
the act of saving something (such as a building, a ship, or cargo) that is in danger of being completely destroyed
- The salvage operation went on for three days, but still we couldn't find the missing gold that was on board.

livelihood n.
/ˈlaɪvliˌhʊd/
a way of earning money in order to live
- Big bookstore chains are affecting the livelihood of independent bookstore owners.
- The majority of the townspeople's livelihoods depend on this factory.

[Advanced] Pass Codes You Can’t Forget (2014-11-01)

Are user-friendly passwords on the horizon?

Imagine a whole new type of password -- one that lets you dispense with all those numbers, letters and symbols, but is still impenetrable to attackers.

Researchers have created a new password system that could one day allow users to access their bank accounts, phones or favorite websites simply by picking out a familiar face from a grid of nine faces, four times in a row.

They call the system Facelock, and according to a new study, it is teeming with benefits.

Facial Recognition
[With] Facelock, the images in the system are always changing -- even the image of the familiar face.

The research team explains that people do not recognize all faces equally. We have no trouble identifying a familiar face across a series of different images that range in quality. On the other hand, when a face is not familiar to us, we are likely to think that different images of the same person are actually images of different people.

This well-studied psychological phenomenon can be frustrating to police when they ask a witness to identify a person caught in a fuzzy security camera tape, but in the case of Facelock, the researchers were able to exploit it for the good of frustrated password users.

The Success Rate
The researchers looked at how vulnerable the Facelock system is to attack by strangers, as well as people who are close to the users, such as a spouse or other family member.

Facelock was found to be essentially impermeable to people who don't know the users. Even people who were very close to the users were only able to get through all four grids successfully 6.6% of the time.

"Taken together the success rates of account holders (97.5 percent), random zero-acquaintance attackers (less than 1 percent), and nominated high-acquaintance attackers (6.6 percent) strike us as a promising starting point," the researchers [wrote].


Specialized Terms
grid n.
a pattern of horizontal and vertical lines that cross each other to make a set of squares

impermeable adj.
/ɪmˈpɚmijəbəl/
not allowing entrance or passage

Vocabulary Focus
on the horizon (idiom)
likely to happen or exist soon

dispense with (something) (phr v)
to get rid of or stop using something that you do not need

impenetrable adj.
/ɪmˈpɛnətrəbəl/
impossible to enter or go through
penetrable adj.
allowing someone or something to pass through or enter : able to be penetrated
- an easily penetrable border

teem with (something) (phr v)
to contain a large amount of something

exploit v.
/ɪkˈsploɪt/
to use or develop something for your advantage

vulnerable adj.
easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally
- a vulnerable young woman
- He was very vulnerable after his divorce.

acquaintance n.
/əˈkweɪntn̩s/
someone who is known but who is not a close friend
- Is he an acquaintance of yours? [=have you met him?]
- She ran into an old acquaintance at the grocery store.
- My wife and I met through a mutual acquaintance. [=a friend introduced us to each other]
the state of knowing someone in a personal or social way : the state of knowing someone as an acquaintance
- It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. [=(less formally) it's nice to meet you]