The World Bog Snorkelling Championships

People from around the globe prepare to take the plunge

Believe it or not, people from all over the world are gathering in Wales, U.K., to swim through muddy water. Tomorrow is the World Bog Snorkelling Championships, an event held annually since 1985. In the past, participants have come from as far away as Australia and Japan. Competitors race to be the first to swim 110 meters through the dark, muddy water of a Welsh bog. They swim underwater and breathe through snorkels. Currently the world record is held by the U.K.'s Kirsty Johnson, who finished in 1 minute 22.56 seconds in 2014.

Competitors wear masks and fins, but wetsuits are optional. Many come in costume, and event organizers give a "fancy dress" prize for the best costume. Last year the prize went to two women who competed together as a "pantomime unicorn." The event is held on the outskirts of Llanwrtyd Wells with a shuttle bus to transport people. It features more than the competition: stalls sell food and drinks and crafts.

Swimming through a smelly bog may not sound pleasant, but the World Bog Snorkelling Championships prove that some people find it fun.


Language Lab
bog n.
an area of soft, wet land : marsh
- The region's central area is a large bog.
- Several rare species of frogs can be found in this bog.
- The man wore bog boots while fishing in the pond.

take the plunge /ˈplʌnʤ/
to do something after thinking about it especially for a long time
- After months of discussion, we decided to take the plunge and buy a house.
- The couple finally took the plunge and got married.

optional adj.
- Math and English are compulsory subjects, but music is optional.


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Our Need for Boundaries (1)

Learn how to maintain your boundaries

As humans, we value our personal space. I saw this lesson demonstrated while participating in a class on cultural boundaries. Pairs from different nationalities were told to move closer and closer to one another until they became uncomfortable. In this way, we could quickly see where each one's personal boundaries stopped.

Emotional boundaries, though just as real, are harder to distinguish because they are invisible. Yet many medical experts insist that good boundaries are necessary for strong mental health.

What are boundaries?
Boundaries are conscious limits we set to guard against emotional harm.

These limits protect us from being manipulated or controlled by others. They also help us determine what kind of behavior, communication and interaction from others we will accept. How strong or weak our boundaries are will determine how healthy our relationships are.

Thinking of others
As important as our personal boundaries are, those of our friends and family members are equally important. In order to keep our relationships strong, we must also respect the boundaries set by the people closest to us.

Language Lab
boundary n.
/ˈbaʊndri/
something (such as a river, a fence, or an imaginary line) that shows where an area ends and another area begins
a point or limit that indicates where two things become different
- There's a blurry boundary between devotion to one's job and being a workaholic.
- Setting boundaries for children is crucial for any parent.

crucial adj.
extremely important

invisible adj.
impossible to see : not visible
- The submarine was designed to be invisible to radar.
被忽略的
- Clark feels invisible on his team.

manipulate v.
to deal with or control (someone or something) in a clever and usually unfair or selfish way
- Karen loves to manipulate the people around her to get what she wants.
to move or control (something) with your hands or by using a machine
- The toy dog is manipulated by sound.

interaction n.
to talk or do things with other people
- The games were designed to facilitate interaction among the trainees.
- There hasn't been much interaction between my supervisor and me.

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The Story of Florence Nightingale (3)

• What would Ms. Nightingale do every night?
• What was set up in Ms. Nightingale's honor?

The doctors soon realized that Florence knew what she was doing. She made changes and arranged for better sanitation. Above all, Florence made sure that the men were washed and their injuries were cared for. Every night she would walk through the wards with her lamp.

Reporters, including the famous London Times journalist William Howard Russell, sometimes stopped at Scutari. His stories made Florence famous throughout England. One day Florence crossed the sea to the war-torn Crimea. While there, she became very ill -- close to death. As the news spread, British soldiers everywhere prayed for her recovery. Finally her fever broke, and when she was strong enough, Florence was back at work.

When she returned home after the war, Florence was astonished that people recognized her. A fund had even been set up in her honor. Many of the soldiers she had nursed had made contributions. Now she could set up the Nightingale Training School in London.

After years of hard work, Florence Nightingale saw army barracks become less crowded and the soldiers' health improve. Hospitals became clean and cheerful. Nursing became an honored profession. All of this is because of the compassion of the "lady with the lamp."

Language Lab

journalist n.

the activity or job of collecting, writing, and editing news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio

- The journalist entered the war zone to write stories about the soldiers.

- Walter is a freelance political journalist.

recovery n.

the act or process of becoming healthy after an illness or injury : the act or process of recovering — usually singular

- Good nutrition and rest can speed up the recovery process.

- The patient made a remarkable recovery from his surgery.

astonish v.

to cause a feeling of great wonder or surprise in (someone)

- The CEO's sudden resignation astonished the employees of the company.

astonishment n.

- To everyone's astonishment, Bryan decided to quit school and pursue an action career.

barracks n.

/ˈberəks/

a building or group of buildings in which soldiers live

- The soldiers fell into formation outside their barracks.

- The sergeant caught someone smoking in the barracks.

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The Story of Florence Nightingale (2)

• What was Florence Nightingale's biggest problem?
• Why wouldn't doctors listen to Ms. Nightingale?

Florence knew she had much to learn about nursing, so she visited hospitals in France, Germany and Ireland and learned everything she could. Upon returning home, she was an expert on hospital management.

In 1835 Florence agreed to take over a small London hospital. Her biggest problem was finding good, trained nurses, so she decided to train them herself. Soon people began to study her methods of nursing, sanitation and hospital organization.

About a year later, Britain became involved in a war against Russia. London newspapers were full of stories about the terrible conditions wounded and sick soldiers were suffering.

Sidney Herbert, the Secretary of War, asked Florence to help care for the wounded and sick. Needless to say, Florence agreed to go.

When Florence and the nurses arrived at the British hospital in Scutari (in modern day Istanbul), they were horrified. The hospital left men lying on the floor, and rats were running everywhere.

There was no running water and no heat. Many soldiers died before receiving help. In spite of the shortage of staff, the doctors wouldn't listen to her. They didn't like the idea of women in army hospitals -- until one day five hundred unexpected casualties arrived.

Language Lab
sanitation n. [sanit-健康]
the process of keeping places free from dirt, infection, disease, etc., by removing waste, trash and garbage, by cleaning streets, etc.
-This area's poor sanitation is the reason for the fast spread of the disease here.
- The restaurant was fined by the sanitation department because their food was not stored at the proper temperature.

suffer v.
to experience pain, illness, or injury
- The cancer patient is suffering tremendous pain.
suffer from
- The girl has been suffering from asthma since she was very little.
to become worse because of being badly affected by something
- Mike's marriage suffers because he's always working.

needless to say
used to say that the statement you are making is obvious
- Needless to say, Howard's job performance is the best in our team.
- Needless to say, all major companies are showing an interest in this mega-size project.

casualty n.
/ˈkæʒəwəlti/
a person who is hurt or killed during an accident, war, etc.
- The army suffered/took/sustained heavy casualties [=many soldiers were killed or wounded] in the town.

shortage n.
a state in which there is not enough of something that is needed
- There's a severe shortage of food and drinking water in this refugee camp.
- The summer camp was cancelled due to a shortage of funds.


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The Story of Florence Nightingale (1)

• The value of compassion
• What was Ms. Nightngale named after?

The value of compassion

Florence Nightingale was named after her birthplace, Florence, Italy. When almost a year old, she returned with her family to England.

Their house was always full of friends and family. Florence would look after the children by inventing games and making sure they didn't get hurt. She also did whatever she could to help injured horses or sick calves. She cared for wounded birds until they could manage themselves. Her father reminded her not to let her compassionate heart make her forget about her lessons.

Florence often helped her mother deliver food to the poor around their estate. Her heart ached at the misery in which some of them lived. As she grew older, she visited them on her own, especially the sick. She wanted to make them well. So Florence decided to become a nurse. Her family was shocked because nursing was not a respected profession.

But Florence was determined and studied books on medicine. One day she persuaded a doctor to show her around a London hospital. She was shocked at the dirty and uncared for patients, the filthy wards and beds and the rats. Florence vowed to change all of this.

Language Lab
compassion n. [com一起]
a feeling of wanting to help someone who is sick, hungry, in trouble, etc.
- The news coverage was written with compassion.
compassionate adj.
feeling or showing concern for someone who is sick, hurt, poor, etc.
- This doctor is not only skillful, but also compassionate.
- The movie is deeply compassionate.

calf n. [calves]
/ˈkæf/
a very young cow
- Only some of the cow's calves survived the first few months.

filthy adj.
/ˈfɪlθi/
very dirty
- The homeless boy's clothes were filthy and smelly.
- The reporter revealed the officer's filthy conduct in his article.
filth n.
- The floor was covered with filth and beer cans.

ward n.
/ˈwoɚd/
a section in a hospital for patients needing a particular kind of care
- The patient still remains under observation in the emergency ward.
- Peter was put in a four-bed ward.
a section in a prison
- The escape was planned by the inmates of the same ward.

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Health Care by Robot

Taking personal health care to the next level

Many people who saw the movie Big Hero 6 immediately fell in love with Baymax. He's a big, friendly robot that takes care of people's health. Imagine a robot like Baymax as a personal health care companion in real life!

He would be especially useful in caring for the growing elderly population. The health of senior citizens needs greater monitoring and care -- as well as a softer touch.

At Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, scientists are working to make Baymax a reality. Chris Atkeson, a professor in the field of robotics, leads the research. He and his team actually inspired Disney filmmakers to create the soft, lovable robot.

Health care robots aren't quite as advanced as Baymax yet. But people can still personally manage their health at home through convenient apps.

Existing apps can check a person's heart rate and remind them to take their medicine. Some apps can monitor a person's blood pressure and perform other valuable functions. The information collected by the apps can make a diagnosis faster and more accurate. Like Baymax, these apps may end up saving lives.

Language Lab
elderly n. adj.
old or rather old : past middle age
- The restaurant is thoughtfully designed for the elderly.
- Elderly people need companionship with loved ones.
elder adj.
of greater age : older
- My elder sister, Jade lives in the States.

monitor v.
to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time
- The doctor suggested that the patient get his cholesterol monitored periodically.
- The FBI is monitoring the gang's activities.
n. a device that is used for showing, watching, or listening to something: such as a : a device that shows information or images on a screen
- The monitor in the parking lot had been tampered with.

advanced adj.
beyond the basic level
- The engineer used advanced technology to create this virtual reality device.
- The advanced English class only has 15 openings.

diagnosis n.
the act of identifying a disease, illness, or problem by examining someone or something
- The doctor's diagnosis is that the patient has diabetes.
- Early diagnosis can reduce the risk of cancer.
diagnose v.
diagnose with
- The patient was diagnosed with arthritis.

To Tip or Not to Tip (2)

Info Cloud
Americans are tip crazy, every year they spent 40 billion dollars tipping people.

70 percent of those tips go to restaurant servers. So with so much money being spent, it makes sense that people will study this custom to understand exactly how it works.

Okay, one professor at Cornell University has spent years studying restaurant tipping. One thing he found is that when a small candy comes with the bill, the tip goes up.

Touching the customer on the shoulder when delivering the bill increases tips too, so does drawing a smiley face on the bill.

But, those things only work if the server is a woman. Now, if the server man or woman squats down next to, or sits that table while taking an order, the tip goes up on average of one dollar per table.

And here’s something surprising, by and large, good service does not increase a tip.

That is surprising. As wide spread as tipping is, there is a small growing movement in the US to abolish tipping. Some restaurants are finding it’s easier for customers and fairer to servers to just pay the wait-stuff, a flat wage out of the menu prices.





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Noodles of the World (2)

In Vietnam long, flat rice noodles appear in beef soup. Thin, white rice noodles are rolled in spring rolls. In Singapore rice noodles are eaten with seafood or served in a peanut sauce. In India and Sri Lanka thin noodles are eaten with curry. Examples of tasty noodle dishes in other Southeast Asian countries are far too numerous to list.

Central Asia and the Middle East
In countries throughout Central Asia, including parts of Russia, people eat long noodles called lagman. Lagman can be eaten in a thick stew or in a sauce. In some places, each ingredient is served in a separate bowl. Elsewhere, everything comes already mixed together.

Central Asian countries also have other noodle dishes. For example, one Kazakh dish consists of large, square noodles topped with meat. People eat this dish with their hands, so its name means "five fingers." And in Kyrgyzstan people eat spicy rice noodles served cold.

Info Cloud
Okay, everyone, here’s a geography question. There are seven countries names that have s t a n as their suffix. How many can you name?

Well, there’s, Afghanistan and Pakistan, there in the news a lot, umm, I can only think of one, another one, Kazakhstan.

For more Steve, okay, here they are. Kurdistan, Turkmenistan, Tadzhikistan and Uzbekistan. For the most of these names,the first part refers to a particular ethnic group. Well, the“stan” suffix means land of or place of. So Kazakhstan means land of the Kazakpeople.

Right, besides countries names, the stan suffix is used in the name of the regions all over central Asia.

For instance, within the borders of Russia, there’s a region call Tatarstan where the Tatarpeople live. In the middle of east, the region called Kurdistan which transcends of the borders of the five different countries is the place where the Kurdslive.

Now, you could say stan is the Persian version of the English word land which leads us to the next geography question. How many countries can you think of that have the word land as the suffix? There’re at least ten, that would you help get started with Switzerland.

Language Lab
seafood n.
fish and shellfish that live in the ocean and are used for food
- The island boats a splendid array of seafood.
- The seafood chowder is very fresh and delicious.
- The seafood restaurant serves top-notch lobster and crab.

numerous adj.
existing in large numbers
- Numerous fan letters poured in to support the band's reunion.
- Despite numerous attempts to quit, Frances still smokes.

stew n.
a dish of vegetables and usually meat cooked in hot liquid for a long time
- I miss Grandma's beef stew, especially in winter.
- This famous vegetable stew takes hours to make.
v.
- Stew the prunes for 40 minutes and then add sugar.

elsewhere adv.
in or to another place
- I have to buy this dress right now. You can't find it elsewhere.
- There are too many people here, so we'd better discuss this elsewhere.

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Noodles of the World (1)

This tasty food can take many forms

When were noodles invented? For a long time, no one knew. They have been a popular food in many parts of the world for 2,000 years. References to noodles appear in a book written sometime between A.D. 25 and 220 in China. A fifth-century text from the Middle East also mentions them. But in 2005 a 4,000-year-old bowl of noodles was discovered in China. This earliest known example of the food was made from ground millet. Since that time, noodles have spread around the world.

East and Southeast Asia

Noodles are still popular in China although they have changed a bit. Today most Chinese noodles are made from wheat. But some are made from rice or other things.

Several types of noodles are eaten in Japan. These include thin, round ramen noodles, thick udon noodles and several types of buckwheat noodles. In Korea noodles are sometimes made from acorns. They can be stir-fried or eaten cold.

Info Cloud
Draw Steve’s childhood, he thought the word acorn with spelled e g g c o r n.

Eh, that’s what I thought people were saying, and I’m not the only one. Today so many people think tree nuts have a connection with chicken eggs that linguists now use this made up word egg corn to describe a word or a phrase that results from mishearing another similar sounding word or phrase.

Egg corns are very similar to puns, the main difference being people who make puns do it intentionally to be funny, people who use egg corns however are unaware they’re making mistake.

Another characteristic of egg corns is that they introduce new meanings that are different from the original but are still plausible. For instance, the egg corn old-timer’s disease. We understand why people might say this instead of Alzheimer’s disease, because everyone associates Alzheimer’s with old age.

Here’s another egg corn, like a bowl in a china shop, at first glance nothing seems wrong with this phrase, it’s perfectly normal that there would be bowls for sale in a porcelain shop.

But actually it should be like a bull in a china shop, a phrase that describes a physically or socially clumsy person in a delicate situation.

Language Lab
reference n.
the act of mentioning something in speech or in writing : the act of referring to something or someone
reference to
- Knowing that Bobby had just been laid off, his friends avoided making nay references to their own jobs.
[noncount] : the act of looking at or in something for information
- Eric kept all the files regarding the project for future reference.

grind v.
/ˈgraɪnd/
grinds; ground /ˈgraʊnd/
to crush or break (something) into very small pieces by rubbing it against a rough surface or using a special machine
- The chef ground the corn with a food processor.
adj.
- Add some ground pepper to the top of the salad.

wheat n.
a kind of grain that is used to make flour for breads, cookies, etc
- Wheat is the main resource of food for the people of this region.
- Sam only eats whole-wheat bread. He doesn't like white bread.

stir-fry v.
to fry (something) quickly over high heat while stirring it constantly
- Stir-fry the beef for one to two minutes, and then add the broccoli.
- Tina stir-fried the onion with chicken.
stir-fry n.
a dish made of foods (such as meat or vegetables) that are fried quickly over high heat while being stirred constantly
- The restaurants' stir-fries are famous for their taste and reasonable prices.

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Capitol Records Building

This classic Hollywood sight is still making music

Sixty years of age this month, Los Angeles' Capitol Records Building still retains its personality and confidently gazes to the future.

The Design 
While many believe that the building's design is meant to resemble a stack of records, architect Louis Naidorf denies it. Not knowing his client was a record label, Naidorf planned the world's first circular office building for practical reasons, including giving windows to every office. The building is crowned with a spire that blinks "Hollywood" in Morse code and has echo chambers 30 feet underground for recording.

The Artists
Many legendary singers and bands have re corded in the Capital Records Building, including Frank Sinatra and the Beach Boys. The south wall features a mural of jazz musicians to represent Capital Records' work within the field. Today, Capital has Katy Perry, Sam Smith and 5 Seconds of Summer on their label, to name a few.

The Future
Much of the area surrounding the downtown building has remained underdeveloped -- but that will soon change. If plans for a 38- and a 39-story tower go through, the Capital Records Building will be the center of a new Hollywood destination.

Language Lab
architect n.
a person who designs buildings
- Miho Museum was designed by the famous Chinese architect I.M. Pei.
architecture n.
the art or science of designing and creating buildings;
a method or style of building
- Taipei 101 is an amazing piece of architecture.
- The Colosseum in Rome is an example of Roman architecture.

spire n.
a tall, narrow, pointed structure on the top of a building
- The skyscraper's spire is almost five floor high.
- The bell in the spire of the cathedral rings every hour.
- The building's spire was hit by the airplane that crashed.
- church spires

legendary adj.
/ˈlɛʤənˌderi/
very famous or well-known
- The song What a Wonderful World was sung by the legendary Louis Armstrong.
- The movie was adapted from an ancient legendary story.

mural n.
/ˈmjɚrəl/
a usually large painting that is done directly on the surface of a wall
- The huge mural outside the company's building is decorated with paintings made by the children of our staff.
muralist n.
a person who has strong feelings and opinions about what is right and who tries to control the moral behavior of other people
- This muralist spent a whole year finishing this mural of sea creatures.

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Enchanting Venice (2)

In the square outside the Basilica, lovers of literature can sit at Caffe Florian, regarded as the oldest coffee house in Eurpoe. Charles Dickens, Henry James as well as Lord Byron enjoyed the aromatic drink here.

Venetian Activities 
Art lovers should buy a museum pass and visit some of the city's exceptional museums. They can view works by Venetian masters like Giovanni Bellini, Titian and Tintoretto.

Murano Glass and Burano Lace
In the Venetian Lagoon, the island of Murano has been home to glassmakers since 1291. Tourists can visit factories, studios and the Glass Museum. Glass artists produce everything from simple souvenir pieces to beautiful works of contemporary art.

Only glass works made using traditional methods on Murano Island can be called Murano Glass. The nearby island of Burano is famous for lace making and colorful houses. Looking at the colorful houses and kaleidoscopic streets makes people feel as if they are waling in a fairy tale.


Language Lab
aromatic adj.
/ˌerəˈmætɪk/
having a noticeable and pleasant smell
- The beef turned aromatic after being simmered for 30 minutes.
- The aromatic herb can refresh you in no time.

exceptional adj.
unusually good : much better than average
- The actor has an exceptional ability to attract attention.
- The company's exceptional marketing strategies made them number 1 in the field.

contemporary adj.
happening or beginning now or in recent times
- Samuel doesn't like any classical art; he's more interested in contemporary art.
- Picasso was more famous than many other contemporary artists.

kaleidoscope adj.
/kəˈlaɪdəˌskoʊp/
a mixture of many different things
- The fashion designer used a kaleidoscopic range of fabrics in his winter collection.

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Enchanting Venice (1)

• What is Venice known for?
• St. Mark's Basilica and Square

The City of Water attracts tourists with its history and beauty

Located in northeastern Italy, Venice is known for its cultural treasures, romantic atmosphere and unusual living-on-water experience. The city spreads out over 118 islands, which are linked by more than 400 bridges, in the Venetian Lagoon.

Venice's historical center consists of six regions. San Polo in the middle and San Marco in the south, the busiest main regions, are linked by the Rialto Bridge. The famous stone arch crosses Venice's main waterway -- the Grand Canal. When night falls, many tourists enjoy dinner at the outside tables by the Grand Canal while watching colorfully lit boats glide by.

St. Mark's Basilica and Square

Near the end of the S-shaped Grand Canal lies St. Mark's Basilica, a must-see. Inside, dazzling mosaics tell stories of Bible figures. Nearby are the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs. These were made famous by Lord Byron, "I stood in Venice on the Bridge of Sighs, a palace and prison on each hand." Legend has it that if a couple passes under the bridge, their love will last forever.


Language Lab
arch n.
a usually curved part of a structure that is over an opening and that supports a wall or other weight above the opening
- A group of noisy tourists just passed by the arch and entered the old city.
- The bride and her father walked through a row of arches and entered the church.
the raised area on the bottom of the foot that is formed by a curved section of bones
- Because Martha has high arches, it's not easy to find shoes that fit her.

glide v.
to move in a smooth way
- The dancers glided on the dance floor effortlessly.
- The swans g gracefully glided across the pond.
— glide noun [singular]
- the graceful glide of the swan
- The plane went into a glide.
- Due to global warming, polar bears are on a fast glide to extinction.

dazzle v.
to cause (someone) to be unable to see for a short time
- I was dazzled by the grand street lights of Vegas.
- Many girls were dazzled by Jack's good looks.
dazzling adj.
- The model's blue eyes and dazzling smile are his trademarks.

mosaic adj.
/moʊˈzejɪk/
a decoration on a surface made by pressing small pieces of colored glass or stone into a soft material that then hardens to make pictures or patterns
- The mosaic fountain was designed and constructed by local art students.
- The mansion houses a beautiful collection of mosaics.

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[Advanced] The Genius of Opposites (2)

Kahnweiler’s fourth step is to destroy the dislike. It’s easy for two people with such clashing personalities to develop deep animosity toward each other. They must work, instead, on learning to respect and like each other as much as possible.

The fifth and final step is that each can’t offer everything. Introvert/extrovert consulting partnerships are often powerful because neither partner could offer clients all they want — but the two partners working together are able to present a much more diverse but complementary product or service.

For each step of her ABCDE methodology, Kahnweiler covers why that particular step is important, the pitfalls that can break down the step and the solutions that ensure success. Bring on the battles, for example, is important because the energy and creativity that emerge from constructive conflicts are best for the organization and lead to better solutions. Also, Kahnweiler writes, a major conflict can actually be a turning point in the relationship, paving the way to a productive collaboration.

Kahnweiler warns, however, that battles can also deal fatal blows to introvert/extrovert collaboration, for example, if one partner considers him- or herself more important. Hiding your concerns is another way that battles can be fatal, according to Kahnweiler. If partners don’t bring out the “elephant in the room,” the result — passive-aggressive behavior from the extrovert and internalized resentment from the introvert — can eventually destroy the partnership.

Battles can be productive, however, with a little work from each partner. Clear communication, bringing in a third party to break through an impasse and taking time-outs will help conflicts from degenerating.

Kahnweiler doesn’t gloss over the difficulties in making extrovert/introvert partnerships work. The Genius of Opposites is filled with stories of conflicts, most resolved through an effort at communication and a foundation of respect. Not all stories have a happy ending. Kahnweiler reports that in his memoir, Lerner believes he and his partner Loewe could have written more wonderful musicals if they could have gotten along. “In the end we were a little like the couple being discussed in one of Noel Coward’s plays. ‘Do they fight?,’ says one. ‘Oh, no, said the other. They’re much too unhappy to fight.”

The Genius of Opposites is an important manual for partners with clashing personalities who never want to become too unhappy to fight.


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[Advanced] The Genius of Opposites (1)

How do extroverts and introverts learn to work together?

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack built Apple. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe brought us iconic musicals, including Camelot and My Fair Lady. These famously productive partnerships had one thing in common: They brought together an introvert and an extrovert.

The common wisdom is that introverts and extroverts do not work well together. The common wisdom, as author Jennifer Kahnweiler makes clear in her new book, The Genius of Opposites, is absolutely correct in the sense that the collaboration is often going to be contentious and difficult, filled with battles and miscommunications and sometimes deliberate sabotage. Somehow, however, the introvert/extrovert partnerships such as those cited above, as well as the many unknown partnerships that fill Kahnweiler’s book, produced extraordinary results. The key to such success, according to Kahnweiler, is the five-step process at the heart of her book.

The first step, Kahnweiler argues, is to accept the alien. If introverted and extroverted people want to partner, they have to realize that they will never change the personality of the other person. Instead, each partner has to make a conscious effort to understand the other.

The second step is that battles don’t have to be avoided. Instead, they can be the means through which each partner is challenged by the other, resulting in solutions that are better than those that might have been developed individually.

The third steps is to cast the character. Because there are two very different personalities in the partnership, partners should take on the roles that best fit their unique personalities.

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The Benefits of Music (1)

Eleven reasons why you should make music a habit

I was born singing! Well, not really. But my mother vows that I sang long before I talked.

Though I'm not sure when I began, I've always loved music because it makes me happy. Researchers have discovered that's true for many people.

Music provides other benefits, as well.
1. Improves memory
Playing a musical instrument increases your memory. It also protects against memory loss that often occurs in old age.

2. Reduces anxiety 
If you're feeling a high level of stress, forget the massage and save your money. Music has been found to be as effective at reducing stress as a relaxing massage.

3. Relieves depression
Music can help lift your mood and relieve feelings of depression.

4. Improves sleep quality
Studies show that college students who listened to classical music experienced a better night's sleep.

5. Soothes pain
Swedish researchers discovered that music helps draw your attention away from your pain.

6. Improves test scores
One study had researchers observe people taking tests. They found that those who were allowed to listen to music had more correct answers.

Language Lab
reduce v.
to make (something) smaller in size, amount, number, etc. : decrease
- Our company has gradually been reducing its product line since last winter.
- The vegetarian diet is said to be able to reduce the risk of heart disease.
reduction n.
the act of making something smaller in size, amount, number, etc. : the act of reducing something
- The reduction of oil prices has boosted the economy temporarily.

massage n.
the action of rubbing or pressing someone's body in a way that helps muscles to relax or reduces pain in muscles and joints
- A back massage is exactly what I need now.
massage v.
- Lisa massaged her sore feet, trying to ease the pain.
masseur n. 男性按摩師
masseuse n.女性按摩師

classical adj.
of a kind that has been respected for a long time
- The dance school specializes in classical ballet.
classic adj.
used to say that something has come to be considered one of the best of its kind
- the classic red lipstick Chanel

soothe v.
/ˈsuːð/
to cause (someone) to be calmer, less angry, etc.
- This essence oil can soothe tense muscles.
- The boy's mommy took him in her arms to soothe him.
soothing adj.
producing feelings of comfort or relief
- This soothing music helps you feel relaxed in an instance.


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Skills Still Matter (1)

Do you have the skills to get the job you want?

So often it's about being in the right place at the right time. And for landing a great job, add to that mix possessing the right skills to make the ultimate impression.

But those right skills aren't always what you think. Take, for instance, active listening, listening comprehension and critical thinking. Who takes a class in active listening? Yet listening to what other people are saying and asking questions is important in many of the nation's fastest growing jobs.

"These are also skills that are useful in almost any industry and occupation," says labor market analyst and New Jersey author Laurence Shatkin. Shatkin studied the Bureau of Labor Statistics' latest employment projections anticipated through 2022 to see what skills dominate the occupations that will be growing fastest. He summed them up and put them in descending order.

Other skills in the top 10 are: speaking, monitoring, coordination, social perceptiveness, writing, service orientation and judgment and decision-making.

Some of the skills are difficult for people to develop on their own. For instance, critical thinking is often learned as part of a larger curriculum or course.

Info Cloud
Sometimes students approach us and ask how can I become a good writer in English? Here’s our secret, read, read and then when you’re done reading, read some more.

Whether you’re trying to write in a foreign language or in your mother tongue, good writing starts with reading.

It’s true, all good writers started as good readers. Think of it this way, to have anything good coming out of your pen, you first need good stuff going into your brain.

That’s why it’s important, to find and read the best authors dead and living, find the best material all and new and get it into your brain.

As you read, take the things that grab your attention and study them, figure why you like them and then incorporate them into your own writing style. Go ahead, it’s okay to imitate, but don’t plagiarize. Eventually you’ll find your own voice.

That’s right. Writing is a lot like learning to play an instrument or learning to draw or paint. When you begin, you’re encouraged to study the masters but then after sometime and much practice, you’d discover that you’ve developed your own unique style.

Language Lab
ultimate adj.
/ˈʌltəmət/
greatest or most extreme — used to say that something or someone is the greatest or most extreme example of a particular type of thing or person
- Men think marrying a girl is the ultimate expression of their commitment.
- Johnson views his girlfriend breaking up with him as the ultimate failure in his life.

critical thinking 
using or involving careful judgment about the good and bad parts of something
- Critical thinking is crucial for a journalist. He or she should report a situation without any bias.
- The course aims to sharpen trainees' critical thinking skills.

projection n. 預測, 推測
an estimate of what might happen in the future based on what is happening now
- Our team successfully achieved our last quarter's sales projection.
project v.
/prəˈʤɛkt/
to plan, calculate, or estimate (something) for a time in the future
- Due to higher oil prices, the company's expenses are projected to rise by two percent.
project n.
/ˈprɑːˌʤɛkt/
a planned piece of work that has a specific purpose (such as to find information or to make something new) and that usually requires a lot of time
- This project will be finished by next week.

perceptiveness n. [noncount] 動察力, 理解力
having or showing an ability to understand or notice something easily or quickly
- This anchor is well received for her keen perceptiveness and compassion in her reports.
perceptive adj
/pɚˈsɛptɪv/
- This article is a very perceptive critique of the movie.

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Myths of the Animal Kingdom (2)

• Do mice love cheese?
• Can dogs see in color?
• How accurate are dog years?

Mice love cheese

Unlike the mice in many children's stories and movies, real mice aren't partial to cheese. Studies show that they prefer foods high in sugar, such as fruit and grain, while cheese disgusts their sensitive noses. Makers of Britain's best-selling mousetrap say peanut butter and chocolate make much better bait.

Dogs can't see in color

While it's true that dogs are colorblind, it does not mean that they see everything in black and white. Like colorblind people, dogs are missing one kind of cone in their eyes, which limits their visible range of color. The shades of blue, yellow and gray that they do see can be very helpful as many are farsighted. 

Dog years 

Our concept that one human year is equal to seven dog years has been fought about for some time. Many canine experts say that overall dogs age 10.5 years per human year their first two years. After that, dogs age four dog years per human year.

As we become better acquainted with our world, we can put all these myths to rest.

Info Cloud

We can make most nouns plural by simply adding an s or es to them. However, some nouns don’t follow the spelling rule when they become plural. They have what we call irregular plurals.

And many of such nouns happen to be animal names, there’re some examples. One mouse, two mice. One louse, two lice. One goose, two geese. One hippopotamus, two hippopotami. One octopus, two octopi.

Another form of irregular plurals are nouns with identical singular and plural. For example, the  plural of sheep is sheep.There’s no such word as sheeps.

That’s right, the next time you have trouble sleeping, you can count sheep. So what are some other examples besides sheep?

Buffalo, deer, moose, bison, swine and most fish.

Okay, that’s right. Most sea creatures, such as salmon, trout,cod, squid and shrimp have no separate plural form. But of course, like many English words there are exceptions, such as sharks, whales and stingrays.

Language Lab

partial adj.

/ˈpɑɚʃəl/
not complete or total;
tending to treat one person, group, or thing better than another
partial to : liking something or someone very much and usually more than other things or people
- Nathan likes all kinds of sports, but he's partial to boxing.
- Many parents criticized the teacher for being partial to students with better grades.

colorblind adj.
unable to see the difference between certain colors
- Tests proved that the little boy is colorblind.
- To many people's surprise, this famous painter is actually colorblind.
treating people of different skin colors equally : not affected by racial prejudice
- The judge claims he always stays colorblind when dealing with court cases.

farsighted adj.
able to see things that are far away more clearly than things that are near
- The girl was born farsighted, so she's been wearing glasses since she was three.
nearsighted
- Jacob became nearsighted when he was in junior high.

overall adv.
in general
- Overall, the economic growth rate of the country is decreasing.
adj.
- After the reform, the overall financial situation of the company started to improve.

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Myths of the Animal Kingdom (1)

• Think you know your animals?
• Camel’s humps store water.
• Chicks touched by humans will be abandoned.

Think you know your animals?

The animal kingdom is amazing, varied and exciting, but many of its citizens are misunderstood.

Camels' humps store water
Take, for instance, the idea that camels' humps contain water. In fact, these humps are large, energy-storing fat deposits, weighing up to 36 kilograms. While this fat can produce water, it cannot hydrate the animal. The camel's low body temperature allows water to be retained by the camel for seven days without a drink.

Chicks touched by humans will be abandoned
Another myth is that leaving our smell on a baby bird by touching it causes its mother to abandon it. The fact that birds hardly use their sense of smell puts this false idea to rest. Adult birds protect their young no matter what creatures come into contact with them.

Bats are blind
Many of us are well aware of bats' ability to navigate by echolocation. They also have remarkable senses of hearing and smell. But they are not "blind as a bat" because their eyes, though sometimes poorly developed, are completely functional.

Info Cloud
One unique feature of English is that it has a special term for almost every kind of baby animal. For example, the word chick can be used to describe a baby eagle.

But there’s actually an even more precise term for a baby eagle, eaglet.

But, let’s face it. Eaglet is not exactly part of everyday English. So while it may be interesting to find out the name of say a baby eel, which is elver by the way, we don’t really need to memorize all the baby animal names.

But, we should know some of the more popular and basic ones.As mentioned, chick can refer to a baby eagle but it can also refer to any young bird or chicken.

Umm. The word calf is useful and that it can refer to a young antelope, cow, elephant, hippo, rhino or even a whale.

Another useful baby animal term is cub, which can be apply to a young bear, panda, lion, tiger even a baby shark.

And since so many people have dogs and cats for pets, we should know the name of a baby dog, which is puppy and a baby cat, kitten.

A few more popular once a baby pig is a piglet, a baby duck is a duckling and a baby rabbit is a bunny.

If you know all the ones we just mentioned, great! But don’t worry, if you can’t remember a particular baby animal name, you could always put the word baby in front of any animal name to describe its young.

Language Lab
myth n.
an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true
- Many people believe the myth that bulls hate red. Actually bulls are easily agitated by sudden movements.
- Contrary to the common myth, women are not bad drivers, but more cautious.

retain v.
to continue to have or use (something) : keep
- If left covered with a thick cloth, these rolls can retain heat for hours.
- The hotel still retains its art deco look of the 40's.

hydrate v.
/ˈhaɪˌdreɪt/
hydrated adj.
- stay hydrated
- Remember to stay hydrated. [=to drink enough water]

abandon v.
to leave and never return to (someone who needs protection or help)
- The police are still looking for the parents who abandoned this baby.
to stop doing or having (something) : to give up (something) completely
- Our company had to abandon this project due to insufficient funds.
abandoned adj.
- Sherry felt abandoned after her boyfriend dumped her.

functional adj.
working properly
- The alarm system in this building is fully functional.
designed to have a practical use
- The furniture is not only fashionable, but also very functional.

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The End of a Conversation (2)

• How long should a conversation last?
• When do you end a conversation?

Maybe you just met someone in a social situation. You can say, "It was nice to meet you. Maybe we can talk again sometime." If you really hit it off with the other person, you can exchange contact information.

When you start a conversation, have an idea of how long you should talk. For example, maybe you meet someone while they're doing errands. You know they will want to get back to them soon.

If you sit next to someone on the bus or plan, don't talk for the entire trip. You or the other person may want some quiet time.

Another strategy to end a conversation is to make it easy for the other person to leave. Say, "Well, I'm sure you have a lot to do today."

Use these ideas to end a conversation, or be aware that others may use them. Then you'll know it's time to end the conversation and get on with your day.


Info Cloud

One way to help ease the awkwardness or sadness of saying goodbye is to inject a little humor into the situation.

Right, if you are with close friends instead of saying the standard, “I have to leave now, try the more humorous, “I’m going to make like a tree and leave”, don’t get it? Let’s break it down.

Okay, first to make like means to behave in the manner of, so to make like a tree means to behave like a tree.

So when you say this, you’re leading your friends to believe you will somehow imitate a tree that in itself isn’t absurd but funny thought.

Yeah, so just how will you imitate a tree? You will leave, but wait a second, trees can’t leave, they don’t move.

No, but they can produce leaves and there in lies a humor. In the punch line you’ve created a pun by playing with two different meanings of the word leave.

These guys of goodbyes are clever humorous and ungrammatical all at the same time. But that’s what makes them so fun. Okay everyone, I think it’s time for me to make like an egg and beat it.

英文有一個特別, 那就是它可以採用 pun (n.雙關語) 來製造出許多有趣的句子,
如果你覺得要跟某人道別, 感覺很尷尬, 你可以用這句話來化解這種尷尬和不自然的感覺,
I'm going to make like a tree and leave.
字面上是說我要扮成一顆樹然後離開
奇怪? 樹跟離開有什麼關係呀?
因為樹上有很多樹葉, leave在這裡是一個pun 雙關語

還有一個也是很冷的句子
Make like an egg and beat it.
做一個雞蛋然後 beat it,
beat it指的是走開,
beat it 在烹飪指的是打蛋,
這句話在這裡是指滾蛋的意思

Language Lab
hit it off 與某人相處的來
to become friends; to get along well
- Sandra and Mandy didn't hit it off at the beginning, but now they're best friends.
- Nina doesn't hit it off with her boyfriends's buddies.

errand n. 短程的差事
/ˈerənd/
a short journey that you take to do or get something
- Chelsea's boss kept sending her on one errand after another yesterday.
- I have to run some errands before we meet.
run an errand for someone 替某人辦事
- Lydia had her secretary run errands for her this morning.

aware adj. 意識到的, 明白的
/əˈweɚ/
knowing that something (such as a situation, condition, or problem) exists
- Are you aware that our boss hasn't shown up for almost a week?
- David wasn't aware of the risks of investing all his money in one project.

get on with  [phrasal verb]
get on with something
to continue doing (something)
- We have no time to chat. We need to get on with our meeting.
- I got on with my work after finishing the phone conversation.
- Helen hopes she can get on her life as soon as possible after the surgery.

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The End of a Conversation (1)

How to end a conversation politely

Info Cloud
I remember when I first taught English in Asia, a couple of nights each week I would invite students over to my apartment, so they could practice their English. But when they decided it was time to leave, they did so a little differently then what I was used to. They didn’t use pre-closings.

And what are pre-closings? They’re phrases that signal the end of a conversation.

Right, very often a student would just suddenly get up and announce, “It is late, I must go.” And then they’d be out the door. Now growing up in America, I was more used to visit gradually winding down rather than ending abruptly.

And this doesn’t mean you must use pre-closings when talking to westerners or even that westerners always use pre-closings, but you should be aware of them.

That’s right. Pre-closings are useful. There’re indirect and polite way of saying is there anything else we need to talk about before I go.

Knowing a few pre-closings will help you when you want to extract yourself from a conversation.

Yes, recognizing pre-closings will also help you to know when someone else is signaling you, that they’re ready for the conversation to end.

當你跟別人聊天, 聊了一段時間, 對方如果說,
well, maybe we can get together someday. 也許我們改天再見面,
這時候你千萬不要拿出你的行事曆, 向對方確認下一次的時間,
對方說的話是一種 pre-closing 結束前語
通常想要結束的一方會發出暗示要結束的訊息

Language Lab
converse v.
to talk usually informally with someone: to have a conversation
- They conversed quietly in the corner of the room.
- At home we often converse in Spanish.
conversation n.

chat v.
chats; chatted; chatting
to talk with someone in a casual way
chat n.
- We enjoyed a chat over coffee.

catch v.
to meet with (someone)
- I'll catch you later.

pottery n.
objects (such as bowls, plates, etc.) that are made out of clay usually by hand and then baked at high temperatures so that they become hard
the art or activity of making objects out of clay

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World Design Capital 2016 – Taipei (2)

• What slogan did Taipei's officials choose?
• What will pop up all over Taipei?

Taipei's officials chose the slogan "Adaptive City -- Design in Motion" and spent the next three years in preparation. Planners considered how to deal with limited resources and how design could help bring citizens a better quality of life. They also thought about ways to create a forward-looking city. 

In the end, sixteen projects were selected. They address problems associated with life quality and health, eco-sustainability and smart living.

In 2013 the city began introducing the projects one by one.

Info Cloud

Source and resource, they sound alike but they’re two different words with totally different meanings.

Okay, first let’s take a look at the word source. A source is the origin of something, it’s a place or a thing that supplies something we’re looking for. For example, the vitamins and minerals are body needs come from fruits and vegetables. So, fruits and vegetables are sources of vitamins and minerals.

Right, the sun is a source of heat and energy. A well is a source of water.

And your teacher is a source of knowledge. Okay, now let’s turn to the word resource. Resource is a valuable thing that is necessary for a nation or its people. For example, fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum are natural resources bound deep inside the earth. 

Besides natural resources, there are also human resources. Most companies have a human resource department which is responsible for finding qualified humans or people to work in the company.

So what’s the difference between source and resource? Well, resource is always something that can be used, source is just the origin of something, it doesn’t necessarily have to be something useful. We might talk about the source of air pollution and can be something like a factory or motor vehicles.

Language Lab

slogan n.

a word or phrase that is easy to remember and is used by a group or business to attract attention

- "Yes! We Can!" was one of Obama's 2008 campaign slogans.

- Family Mart's advertising slogan, "We are family", has worked really well.

adaptive adj.

having a capacity for adaptation

- Businesses should be adaptive to meet the needs of customers.

- The animal's adaptive capability allows it to survive in extreme conditions.

shelter n.
/ˈʃɛltɚ/
a structure that covers or protects people or things
a place that provides food and protection for people or animals that need assistance

orient v.
/ˈoriˌɛnt/
to change or create (something, such as a book or a film) so that it appeals to a particular group of people or is suitable for a particular group of people             — often + to or toward;
to direct (someone) toward a goal

to help (someone) become familiar with a new situation, place, etc.

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World Design Capital 2016 – Taipei (1)

• International Council of Societies of Industrial Design
• Why Taipei?

Unique design elements can be discovered around the city

More than 50 percent of the world's people now live in urban areas.

For most, a move to the city usually means better jobs and greater opportunities. Yet for city leaders, population growth creates new challenges. 

Introducing Icsid - an agency with a plan

The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) promotes industrial design as the answer to many urban problems.

Icsid began the World Design Capital (WDC) program in 2008. The project honors metropolitan areas that have used design effectively to improve the social, cultural and economic life of their residents.

A new world design city is selected to host the event every two years. In 2013 Taipei was chosen to be WDC's host city for 2016. 

Former Icsid President Soon-in Lee explained why the city was chosen. "Taipei is a city driven by design. ... We learned of Tapiei's plan to focus... on ... sustainability and the responsibility of preserving the environment for future generations. The balance between innovation and a respect for nature is what will allow Taipei to be recognized as a true design leader."

Info Cloud

Teaching Topic: Acronym vs. Initialism

Any shorten form of a word or phrase is an abbreviation, however we need to be aware that there’re two different types of abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms.

An initialism as the name suggests is a group of initial letters used as an abbreviation for a name or expression. For example, USA is an initialism of the United States of America. BBC is an initialism of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

An acronym is also made from the first letter or letters of a string of words, but the difference is that an acronym is pronounced like a word. For example, the abbreviation for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, N, A,S, A should be pronounced NASA, not N, A, S, A.

So it’s one or the other, nobody pronounces USA [usa],because it’s an initialism.

And we should not pronounce the acronym, aids, a, i, d, s, it should be [eiz]

That’s right. It should be pronounced like a word, because it’s an acronym. Aids by the way stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome for pretty big words, good thing, we have acronyms.

我們今天來討論abbreviation縮寫,

英文的縮寫大致上可以分為二種, 

一個是 initialism 一個是 acronym

initialism 是首字母縮寫, 

也就是由一個名稱的第一個字母所組成的縮寫, 

像 United States of America的縮寫是 (U.S.A.)

而 acronym是頭字語, 

頭字語也是由幾個字的第一字母組成, 

但 acronym 跟 initialism 最大的差別是acronym 是要當做一個英文單字讀出來, 

而不是每個字母分開來唸,

像美國的太空總署叫做 NASA/ˈnæsə/ 而不是 N-A-S-A,

同樣的 AIDS 是讀做 "eydz" 而不A-I-D-S

因為AIDS是頭字語

http://pinkauction.blogspot.com/2013/12/december.html

Language Lab

council n.

/ˈkaʊnsəl/

a group of people who provide advice or guidance on something 委員會

- The exhibition was sponsored by a local arts council.

- The program was developed by the National Safety Council.

a group of people that are chosen to make rules, laws, or decisions, or to give advice: 議會

- The city council has decided to implement this new law next year.

metropolitan adj.

/ˌmɛtrəˈpɑːlətən/

of or relating to a large city and the surrounding cities and towns

- The entire Chicago metropolitan area was affected by the blackout.

- The movie demonstrated the metropolitan glamour of New York City. 這部電影展現出紐約大都會的魅力

metro n.

an underground railway system in some cities

- Irene took the metro to the museum. Irene 搭地鐵到博物館

sustainability n. [sustain v. /səˈsteɪn/]

/səˌsteɪnəˈbɪləti/

持續性的

- A good CEO should always have a sustainability mindset. 一個好的執行長應該要有好的永續性發展的思考模式

sustainable adj.

able to last or continue for a long time 可持續的

- The sustainable development of the company is our ultimate goal. 公司的永續經營是我們的終極目標

preserve v. [pre字首-提早; serve-保留]

/prɪˈzɚv/

to keep (something) in its original state or in good condition; to keep (something) safe from harm or loss : protect

- The effort to preserve the culture of the natives proved to be worthwhile. 保存原住民文化的努力證明是值得的

- Children are taught in school about how to preserve natural resources. 孩子們在學校被教導如何保護天然資源

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Museum Etiquette (1)

Enjoy the museum, but don't damage the art

What is proper behavior at an art museum? In the past, everyone had to be almost silent when visiting a museum. Today rules aren't as strict, but observing some basic guidelines is still necessary. When people don't follow them, precious art work can get damaged. Many museums house works of art and some have priceless pieces that can never be replaced. These museums give the public an opportunity to appreciate their treasures. So museum-goers need to show respect for the art and other visitors.

Respect the space

• Keep the museum space clean and throw away all trash. Take the same care you would when visiting someone's house.
• Avoid leaning on walls or display cases, and watch where you walk.
• Remember that bookbags and bulky items are not allowed in museums. 
• Storage is usually available for coats, bags, backpacks, umbrellas, etc. near an entrance.
• No eating or drinking is allowed inside most museums. Finish all food and drinks before entering the museum. A spilled drink could ruin a masterpiece.

Info Cloud
四個容易混淆的字
The public refers to people as a whole. Now we know that the word people is plural, what about the public, should we use a singular or plural verb with it?

That’s a good question. Let’s look at an example. Should I say the public is not allowed in or the public are not allowed in?And the answer is both, could be used depending on who you talk to.

Right. If you talk to Americans the word public is singular because it refers to the public as one entity.

But in British English the public is often regarded as plural as it refers to different members of the community not organized together. So someone from England might say the public are not allowed in, because he sees the public as a set of individuals.

Public is considered a collective noun, some other examples of collective nouns include corporation, team and government.

That’s right. As an American I would say, the team is having a winning season. Whereas the British would say the team are having a winning season.

And then there’s the idiom in public. When you do something in public, you do it in a place or in a way so that other people can see it. For example, it’s illegal to be naked in public.

Umm, also know this it’s not in the public but in public.

Language Lab
etiquette n.
the formal rules for polite behavior in society or in a particular group:
- The newly elected president isn't familiar with political etiquette yet.
- According to the rules of etiquette, the host usually gives the first toast.

priceless adj.
extremely valuable;
a quality or skill that is priceless is extremely important or useful;
- These Mother's Day cards from my children are priceless to me.
- The castle is full of priceless antiques from the 17th century.

storage n.
when you keep or put something in a special place while it is not being used:
- The dance studio will be used for storage temporarily.
- The power plant has very strict rules regarding the storage of nuclear waste.

masterpiece n.
a work of art, a piece of writing or music etc that is of very high quality or that is the best that a particular artist, writer etc has produced [= masterwork]:
- The Starry Night is one of Van Gogh's masterpiece.
- Michelangelo's Genesis is considered his masterpiece.


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A Crash Course in Winter Sports (2)

Sports for snow
While some like the slippery, hard ice others prefer soft snow. Of course, when they are shooting sown a mountain on skis, the snow isn't always gentle. Skis dominate snow sports and are used for many different games. People race down a course in alpine skiing or launch into the air for a ski jump. All a skier's best moves and tricks are on display in freestyle skiing. Snowboards are also popular, allowing for many of the same results.

Other snow choices
Growing tired of the snow sports already mentioned, athletes have developed many more. Lonely skiers tie themselves behind a dog or horse in high-speed skijoring. Others exercise their artistic side with ski ballet, much like figure skating on snow. However, some prefer to take off their skis, racing downhill in kayaks or on shovels. Players without anything to ride on can enjoy yukigassen, basically organized snowball fights.

No matter what is chosen - snowballs, skis or shovels - a world of fun is waiting.

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Animal Similes 與動物相關的明喻

A simile is a figure of speech that compares one thing with something else of a different kind. Often introduced with the words like or as.

In English there are quite a few similes that compare humans to animals. For instance, busy as a bee, this is a good way to describe someone who is constantly running around from one activity to another.

If you have a dog, you’ll be able to relate to this next simile, sick as a dog. Now dogs will eat anything, right? And sometimes what they eat makes them sick. So when you eat something that makes you throw up you’ll become sick as a dog.

Know anyone who can lift heavy things, then they are strong as an ox.

Someone who can’t see without their glasses might be blind as a bat. Now interestingly, this simile leads people to think that bats are blind but they are not, it’s just that their vision is terrible in broad daylight.

Okay, here’s another animal simile that can enrich your English, stubborn as a mule.

Hey, I know some people like that, okay, finally how about quiet as a mouse and proud as a peacock.


Language Lab
slippery adj.
difficult to stand on, move on, or hold because of being smooth, wet, icy, etc.
- The roads are quite slippery after the rain . You'd better drive slowly.
- Pam fell on the slippery tile floor in her bathroom.
not able to be trusted : tricky
- This con man is too slippery; you can't get any truth from him.

ski n.
one of a pair of long narrow pieces of wood, metal, or plastic that curve upward slightly in front, are attached to shoes, and are used for gliding over snow
- These professional skis are made of special material so they are lighter and faster.
- The ski resort is closed due to bad weather.
ski v.
to move or glide on skis over snow or water
- Sean skies every winter.

athlete n.
a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength
- Henry is determined to become a professional athlete.
- A good athlete must have a strong will and be self-disciplined.
athletic adj.
/æθˈlɛtɪk/
of or relating to athletes
- Jonah got the scholarship because of his athletic ability.

artistic adj.
/ɑɚˈtɪstɪk/
relating to art or artists
- Nina's impeccable skills and artistic talent made her a top designer at a very young age.
artistic adj.
having or showing the skill of an artist
- an artistic furniture arrangement

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Be Creative - On Your Own (1)

Borrowing ideas isn't a good idea 

Adam Reynolds owns and manages Owl Media, a media production company that designs innovative products.

Right now, they are working on several new mobile apps for news and entertainment publications as well as new game app. At present, 40 people, including writers and artists, computer programmers, art and design people, work at Owl Media. There are also advertising, sales and accounting people.

Nicole Robins is Adam's executive assistant. Laura Mason, the design director, oversees all the designs for the products.

Business has been good, and the company is growing, but all is not smooth sailing.

[Conversation A]

Hey, Adam. The designers are making a lot of progress on the new game app. Laura wanted you to see some of the characters they've come up with.

Great! I'd love to see them.

Here is Lucky Lizard.

He's really cute.

And here are Betty Bird and Sam Sloth. Isn't Sam adorable?

Yes. But wait a minute.

Betty Bird looks familiar.

That was Laura's concern.

I'll go and talk to her.


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Oversee vs. Overlook 
Let’s take a look at two words today that can be confusing, oversee and overlook. Do they have the  same meaning?

Well, you may think they do as both see and look have similar meanings, but these two words are actually quite different.

Okay for oversee we can think of a boss, or supervisor in a factory who is seated at a high place watching over the workers.

And maybe even giving out commands. When someone oversees you at work, they’re making sure you’re doing your job right. Supervise is another word for oversee.

Overlook, on the other hand, can have two different meanings. It can mean to look at something from a higher place. For example, the house overlooks the beach.

So from the house you could see the beach below.

Right, but overlook can also mean to miss or fail to see as in, the detective overlooked an important clue and the suspect was released.

Okay, now the question is what does the noun “oversight”mean? It can mean either supervision or an unintentional omission.

Yes, but the more common definition is an unintentional omission. So we can say, due to the detective’s oversight the suspect was released.

Two different words with different meanings, don’t overlook them!

Language Lab
production n.
the process of making or growing something for sale or use
- The production of the album took a whole year.
the amount of something that is made or grown for sale or use
- The model didn't go into production because it would have been too expensive for consumers.
produce v.
to make (something) especially by using machines
- The musical was produced on a very limited budget.

publication n.
a book, magazine, etc., that has been printed and made available to the public
- Our latest publication for fitness enthusiasts is quite popular.
the act or process of producing a book, magazine, etc., and making it available to the public
- The book was translated into English for publication.
publish v.
to prepare and produce (a book, magazine, etc.) for sale
- His poems will be published next month.

smooth sailing 
easy progress : progress that is not blocked by anything
Her time at college wasn't all smooth sailing.
[=she had some problems/difficulties during her time at college]
- In the beginning Stuart's business was not smooth sailing.
- The movie is a great success, but it wasn't all smooth sailing during the filming.

adorable adj.
very appealing or attractive : very lovable
- The puppy is so adorable. I want to take it home.
- Mathew has three adorable kids, one boy and two girls.
adore v.
to love or admire (someone) very much
- I adore my little nephew. He's only two years old.

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Wash Your Hands

• Why wash your hands?
• When should you wash your hands?

Where have those hands been?

Do you ever watch hands? Get on a subway train, and be an observer. Hands dip into purses and pockets. Watch them touch cellphones, the train's bars, straps and seats and even other people. You can see the things they touch on the subway but not what they touched before they got on. See that mother over there? She may have changed her baby's diaper and not washed her hands. See that grandma in the seat across the way? She may have just chopped up a raw chicken and not washed her hands well.

She could be leaving bacteria wherever she puts her hands. And see that guy over there? He is picking his nose! Gross!

If you're healthy, your skin is crawling with hundreds of kinds of bacteria. If you're sick, there are even more lethal germs on your hands. They can make your and others sick! OK, here's your stop. Now go directly to the first restroom you see and wash your hands -- with soap. You'll be glad you did -- and so will everyone else!

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Washing One’s Hands Figuratively 洗手的比喻用法

We know how important it is to wash our hands and we should do it often to maintain good personal hygiene.

Now we might also wash our hands figuratively and that has a completely different meaning.

Right, if we wash our hands of someone or something, we stop being responsible for that person or thing. For example, I don’t know how I can for Jennifer, and now I’m washing my hands of her.

Or that car was a real headache; I wash my hands of it a longtime ago.

So that car was causing too many headaches for you.

That’s right. Now this figurative usage of washing one’s hands is from the bible’s account of the trial of Jesus. When the Roman governor punches, Pilate didn’t know what to do with Jesus, he took some water and washed his hands. For claiming that, he’s not responsible for sending Jesus to his death on the cross.

To this day, the phrase “washing one’s hands of something” is used by people to excuse themselves of any responsibility should a situation turn problematic.


Language Lab
observer n.
a person who sees and notices someone or something
- A team of professional observers will be assigned to monitor the R&D department.
- Observers said the robbers took the old lady's purse and got into a van.

cell=cellular n.
a small telephone that people can take with them and use outside their homes
- Mike is talking on his cellphone.
mobile = mobile phone

lethal adj.
/ˈliːθəl/
causing or able to cause death
- The police found lethal weapons in the suspect's garage.
- The spread of the lethal disease was finally curbed because of the invention of the vaccine.

germ n.
a very small living thing that causes disease
- This tiny germ is the cause of this dangerous disease.
- This germ is found in all the patients who were sharing the same room.
virus n.
an extremely small living thing that causes a disease and that spreads from one person or animal to another
- The flu virus can be spread through the air.

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Life Lessons from Nature (2)

• Be an encourager
• Take turns
• Set a good example

Be an encourager
Some feel that geese honk in flight to encourage those up front to keep up the speed.

Team members should regularly communicate positively with each other while working toward a common goal.

Take turns
The goose out in front has the hardest job as it breaks up the air currents. When it gets tired, it moves behind, and another goose moves into the lead. By sharing the role, the flock can travel great distances.

Teams can benefit from the same idea. Based on their experiences and skills, people can take turns sharing the leadership role.

Set a good example
When geese are on land, if something scares the leader, it might fly off. The flock will then follow. But if the leader remains calm, the gaggle will do the same. Geese and people tend to imitate their leaders.

When leading, we must remember that our actions and emotions are passed on to our followers.

Like geese, when we work together, our burdens are lighter.


Info Cloud
Teaching Topic:Actions Speak Louder Than Words 行動確實勝於空談
Do actions speak louder than words? Absolutely! What we do is more important than what we say. People in leadership positions, politicians, business managers, teachers and parents know this for well.

Yeah, let's face it. No matter who we are, it's very difficult to behave in a way, that's consisted with our words. So to compensate, many of us resort to using the phrase, do as I say, not as I do. Which means don't imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.

Because we pick up our behavior or cues more from watching than we do from listening.

Right, a mother who smokes cigarettes might forbid her child from starting the habit by saying, "do as I say, not as I do".

Often kids don't think about why they do what they do, nor do they think about the consequences of their actions. All they know is they want to behave just like their friends or older siblings.

Sounds like a case of a monkey see monkey do. And, this is a kind of kids saying but it doesn't just apply to kids, adults too. Our guilty of acting like monkeys when they imitate other’s actions without thinking.

Language Lab
honk v.
of a goose : to make a loud sound;
of a horn : to make a loud sound;
- The male goose honked to get the females' attention.
- The bus driver honked to warn the motorcyclist in front of him.
honk n.
the loud sound made by a goose also : a similar loud sound
- The honks of the geese can be heard hundreds of feet away.

current n.
a continuous movement of water or air in the same direction;
a flow of electricity;
- They swam against the current and finally reached the shore.
- The design of the wings can help reduce the impact of the air current.
current adj.
always used before a noun : happening or existing now : belonging to or existing in the present time
- The company's current situation is worse than ever.

gaggle n.
a group of geese : a flock of geese
- The gaggle got so excited when the farmer started feeding them.
- These girls were talking so loud they sounded like a gaggle of geese.
a group of people
- A gaggle of kids passed us by, laughing and jumping.

burden n.
something heavy that is carried : load
someone or something that is very difficult to accept, do, or deal with
- Most parents don't feel that parenting is a big burden.
- Buying a house is a great financial burden for us now.
burden v.
to make (someone) hold or carry something heavy or accept or deal with something difficult : to put a heavy burden on (someone)
- I don't want to burden you with my marital problems.

Monkey see, monkey do!
有樣學樣!

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