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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160311baad23cba9a6dad927ef52832b3c81c008ba18cf78ddab506a6a585008357d71dfc.wma
Friday, March 11, 2016
Thursday, March 10, 2016
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160310baa3020bfa1c93bc9d83a81fea4f987e84df0242c81a446c25be7fe8dd50ef532f6.wma
Wednesday, March 9, 2016
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160309baa1e4f81274bbe96f3d0d09c2798319d8c9d5413bce26395055dbdcadf31b6f78a.wma
Friday, March 4, 2016
The End of a Conversation (2)
- How long should a conversation last?
- When do you end a conversation?
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160304baa07c15e516edec3a9eea76e42fe1f468db5d7b4290eafe6beffee23623f1c64c4.wma
Thursday, March 3, 2016
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
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160303baac041dfecb8e641c111e7f44c0530de81e704e836e8b3128a41d1767c152a6fb0.wma
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
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160303baac041dfecb8e641c111e7f44c0530de81e704e836e8b3128a41d1767c152a6fb0.wma
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
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
/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.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
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
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
Friday, February 5, 2016
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
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160205baa9cd1e79150a0b80d40899cb535962f938e8ee735336b019a67c31b83eb967c01.wma
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160205baa9cd1e79150a0b80d40899cb535962f938e8ee735336b019a67c31b83eb967c01.wma
Thursday, January 14, 2016
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
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160114baa488305b4ebdb133d87fe8bc8c6cb9eacee41528a34558fa44c9a96bebad5bd36.wma
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
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160114baa488305b4ebdb133d87fe8bc8c6cb9eacee41528a34558fa44c9a96bebad5bd36.wma
Monday, January 11, 2016
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160111baa1850d89d1333adcdfe35d7c279b1b63ac743018c90652000afe03b3ad5839928.wma
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160111baa1850d89d1333adcdfe35d7c279b1b63ac743018c90652000afe03b3ad5839928.wma
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
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.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160106baa83c28de18d92f3f3a53d541f87365ff2ae938e25c1d02457146da432f66fbabd.wma
Tuesday, January 5, 2016
Life Lessons from Nature (2)
- Be an encourager
- Take turns
- Set a good example
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!
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160105baa2765e879c6f603e351a0c882c44c3e298234ac397fb7a8f28fe3f803ae120e30.wma
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160104baadde4884025ddb1987f1349410cca313c14dcb15ce1c39956340ac90a3a531774.wma
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20160104baadde4884025ddb1987f1349410cca313c14dcb15ce1c39956340ac90a3a531774.wma
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Laughter is the Best 'Cold' Medicine (3)
- Do people laugh more alone or in a group?
- What are the physical effects of laughter?
Studies in laughter
A study Robert Provine published in American Scientist journal in 1996 showed that people are 30 times less likely to laugh alone than in a group. Provine’s group of 128 undergraduate psychology students listened to a laugh box that played the sound of laughter 10 times, and then students reported how they felt to the laughter. The first time half the students laughed, and 90 percent of them smiled at the least. By the 10th trial, only 3 of the 128 students laughed. According to Provine, hearing and seeing the other students laugh made the laugh box seem funny. It was the combined stimulus of the laugh box and the laughter of other students that evoked continued laughter among the group.
Physical effects of laughter
Wilson, founder and president of the World Laughter Tour, Inc., adds that coughing and sneezing puts strains on all types of muscles, but laughing at something funny can get the fluids flowing.
“If you laugh so hard, tears start flowing and your nose starts running, your airways become clear and it puts your body more at ease to sleep better,” he says. “Everything operates in a healthy way more efficiently when you laugh.”
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Magazines, Journals and Periodicals 不同類型的期刊
periodical n. 期刊 (連續性出版刊物的總稱)
/ˌpiriˈɑdɪkəl/
a magazine that is published every week, month, etc.
Language Lab
undergraduate n.
a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree
- Oscar is a Harvard undergraduate who is majoring in economics.
undergraduate adj. 大學生的
- Ellen will get her undergraduate degree next year.
evoke v.
to bring (a memory, feeling, image, etc.) into the mind
- The smell of freshly baked cookies evoked many childhood memories.
- The vintage furniture evoked a sense of the golden era of the 50s.
fluid n.
a substance that is able to flow freely : a liquid substance
- The doctor suggested that the patient drink plenty of fluids.
- The fluid in our body is mainly composed of water.
fluid adj.
having or showing a smooth and easy style : graceful
- The tennis player is famous for his fluid strokes.
airway n.
the area in the throat through which air passes to and from the lungs
- The patient's airway was blocked.
- The baby is suffering from a serious inflammation of his airway.
a route along which airplanes regularly fly
- The airways are only for commercial aircraft.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151223baa245c56d34b3946857a6c90c92b95f5e8643b0324fee629aca5160c57fa0ef98e.wma
A study Robert Provine published in American Scientist journal in 1996 showed that people are 30 times less likely to laugh alone than in a group. Provine’s group of 128 undergraduate psychology students listened to a laugh box that played the sound of laughter 10 times, and then students reported how they felt to the laughter. The first time half the students laughed, and 90 percent of them smiled at the least. By the 10th trial, only 3 of the 128 students laughed. According to Provine, hearing and seeing the other students laugh made the laugh box seem funny. It was the combined stimulus of the laugh box and the laughter of other students that evoked continued laughter among the group.
Physical effects of laughter
Wilson, founder and president of the World Laughter Tour, Inc., adds that coughing and sneezing puts strains on all types of muscles, but laughing at something funny can get the fluids flowing.
“If you laugh so hard, tears start flowing and your nose starts running, your airways become clear and it puts your body more at ease to sleep better,” he says. “Everything operates in a healthy way more efficiently when you laugh.”
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Magazines, Journals and Periodicals 不同類型的期刊
periodical n. 期刊 (連續性出版刊物的總稱)
/ˌpiriˈɑdɪkəl/
a magazine that is published every week, month, etc.
Language Lab
undergraduate n.
a student at a college or university who has not yet earned a degree
- Oscar is a Harvard undergraduate who is majoring in economics.
undergraduate adj. 大學生的
- Ellen will get her undergraduate degree next year.
evoke v.
to bring (a memory, feeling, image, etc.) into the mind
- The smell of freshly baked cookies evoked many childhood memories.
- The vintage furniture evoked a sense of the golden era of the 50s.
fluid n.
a substance that is able to flow freely : a liquid substance
- The doctor suggested that the patient drink plenty of fluids.
- The fluid in our body is mainly composed of water.
fluid adj.
having or showing a smooth and easy style : graceful
- The tennis player is famous for his fluid strokes.
airway n.
the area in the throat through which air passes to and from the lungs
- The patient's airway was blocked.
- The baby is suffering from a serious inflammation of his airway.
a route along which airplanes regularly fly
- The airways are only for commercial aircraft.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151223baa245c56d34b3946857a6c90c92b95f5e8643b0324fee629aca5160c57fa0ef98e.wma
Monday, December 21, 2015
Laughter is the Best 'Cold' Medicine (1) (2) (3)
Laugh your way to better health
Good-natured fun will make the waning winter colds and flus lose their sting. Here's how to add some lightness until summer and wellness set in By Darcel Rockett
With the weather still on this side of chilly, it might be better to stay in and nest – especially when nursing a cold. Once you’ve got your medicine, pajamas and hot cocoa at the ready, grab something that will tickle your funny bone, because laughing can help speed up the healing process, according to Steve Wilson, a Columbus, Ohio-based psychologist and aptly titled “joyologist.”
“Laughter has its own biology,” says the member of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor. “Laughter increases relaxation, reduces stress and pain. Laughter also reduces adrenaline in the bloodstream, which can interfere with healing.”
That said, here is a recipe that will starve your cold and feed your funny bone:
• Go to the humor section of the library and grab some of your favorite funny authors and pore over it when you’re in your comfy reading chair. If you are too tired to read yourself, have someone read to, Wilson says. “The stimulation will change your brain chemistry, which will pull you along to health.”
• Go to the video store and rent films with your favorite comedian. Once the laughter ensues, remember those who laugh live longer. “Combine laughter with humor and you have a respite from stresses and strains of a cold,” Wilson adds. “When you find humor in something, you can cope with it better.” Having a laughter list of movies and books at the ready will make the cold fighting quicker.
• Start a laughter jar – a jar with numerous funny memories and occurrences from your life that you can access in case of emergency. Pull one out when you need to get a dose of laughter. Even better, call the friend or family member you experienced it with and share the joy. Two laughs are always better than one.
• When in doubt, laugh it out through a CD. Recordings of people laughing can get you smiling and laughing on your own. Laughter in this regard may be more contagious than a cold, which is one of the reasons why TV shows use a laugh track. A study Robert Provine published in American Scientist journal in 1996 showed that people are 30 times less likely to laugh alone than in a group. Provine’s group of 128 undergraduate psychology students listened to a laugh box that played the sound of laughter 10 times, and then students reported how they felt to the laughter. The first time half the students laughed, and 90 percent of them smiled at the least. By the 10th trial, only 3 of the 128 students laughed. According to Provine, hearing and seeing the other students laugh made the laugh box seem funny. It was the combined stimulus of the laugh box and the laughter of other students that evoked continued laughter among the group.
Wilson, founder and president of the World Laughter Tour, Inc., adds that coughing and sneezing puts strains on all types of muscles, but laughing at something funny can get the fluids flowing.
“If you laugh so hard, tears start flowing and your nose starts running, your airways become clear and it puts your body more at ease to sleep better,” he says. “Everything operates in a healthy way more efficiently when you laugh.”
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151221baa16c0f823ee1d81bfe9b233f60cbb8d5514059411d7f253adca4d69a5419429e6.wma
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151222baa8a95561a44342a56a8a9524f6d1ff69da840b9b136a114ea1ac604a3cd1a5689.wma
Good-natured fun will make the waning winter colds and flus lose their sting. Here's how to add some lightness until summer and wellness set in By Darcel Rockett
With the weather still on this side of chilly, it might be better to stay in and nest – especially when nursing a cold. Once you’ve got your medicine, pajamas and hot cocoa at the ready, grab something that will tickle your funny bone, because laughing can help speed up the healing process, according to Steve Wilson, a Columbus, Ohio-based psychologist and aptly titled “joyologist.”
“Laughter has its own biology,” says the member of the American Association for Therapeutic Humor. “Laughter increases relaxation, reduces stress and pain. Laughter also reduces adrenaline in the bloodstream, which can interfere with healing.”
That said, here is a recipe that will starve your cold and feed your funny bone:
• Go to the humor section of the library and grab some of your favorite funny authors and pore over it when you’re in your comfy reading chair. If you are too tired to read yourself, have someone read to, Wilson says. “The stimulation will change your brain chemistry, which will pull you along to health.”
• Go to the video store and rent films with your favorite comedian. Once the laughter ensues, remember those who laugh live longer. “Combine laughter with humor and you have a respite from stresses and strains of a cold,” Wilson adds. “When you find humor in something, you can cope with it better.” Having a laughter list of movies and books at the ready will make the cold fighting quicker.
• Start a laughter jar – a jar with numerous funny memories and occurrences from your life that you can access in case of emergency. Pull one out when you need to get a dose of laughter. Even better, call the friend or family member you experienced it with and share the joy. Two laughs are always better than one.
• When in doubt, laugh it out through a CD. Recordings of people laughing can get you smiling and laughing on your own. Laughter in this regard may be more contagious than a cold, which is one of the reasons why TV shows use a laugh track. A study Robert Provine published in American Scientist journal in 1996 showed that people are 30 times less likely to laugh alone than in a group. Provine’s group of 128 undergraduate psychology students listened to a laugh box that played the sound of laughter 10 times, and then students reported how they felt to the laughter. The first time half the students laughed, and 90 percent of them smiled at the least. By the 10th trial, only 3 of the 128 students laughed. According to Provine, hearing and seeing the other students laugh made the laugh box seem funny. It was the combined stimulus of the laugh box and the laughter of other students that evoked continued laughter among the group.
Wilson, founder and president of the World Laughter Tour, Inc., adds that coughing and sneezing puts strains on all types of muscles, but laughing at something funny can get the fluids flowing.
“If you laugh so hard, tears start flowing and your nose starts running, your airways become clear and it puts your body more at ease to sleep better,” he says. “Everything operates in a healthy way more efficiently when you laugh.”
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151221baa16c0f823ee1d81bfe9b233f60cbb8d5514059411d7f253adca4d69a5419429e6.wma
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151222baa8a95561a44342a56a8a9524f6d1ff69da840b9b136a114ea1ac604a3cd1a5689.wma
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Christmas in Williamsburg (1) 12/11
Three-hundred-year-old traditions come to life in this historic city
Imagine traveling back in time to experience Christmas in another century. You could see the way people dressed, ate, worked and celebrated holidays.
Colonial Williamsburg, in Virginia, allows you to visit the past without time travel! As soon as you enter the historic town, you are transported back to the 1700s.
Lasting traditions
Compared with today's extensive holiday plans and preparation, a Colonial Christmas was much simpler. A typical Christmas for 18th-century Virginians included church, good food, a dance and visiting friends and family.
Historic Williamsburg offers many of those traditions, and a few more.
Illumination and fireworks
In the 18th century, major events were celebrated by shooting guns and lighting fireworks. Today you can witness Williamsburg's own illumination ceremony in early December, with fireworks displays throughout the town.
Christmas carols
Music was at the heart of 18th-century Christmas celebrations. The historic city still provides traditional music performances on instruments of the time. Best of all, you can participate and sing along with carolers on the streets.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: As Soon As vs. As Soon As Possible
Language Lab
Colonial adj.
/kəˈloʊnijəl/
of or relating to the original 13 colonies forming the United States;
in a style that was popular in the U.S. during the American colonial period (before 1776);
- The hotel is a renovated Colonial building.
- The restaurant was decorated with Colonial furniture.
colony n.
/ˈkɑːləni/
an area that is controlled by or belongs to a country and is usually far away from it
- Hong Kong used to be a British colony.
extensive adj. 廣擴的
large in size or amount : very full or complete
- The patient went through several extensive reconstructive surgeries after the accident.
- The director is famous for his extensive use of computer-animated images.
illumination n. [lumin 字根- 光]
/ɪˌluːməˈneɪʃən/
light that comes into a room, that shines on something, etc.
- Insufficient illumination might cause nearsightedness.
- The illumination in the room is too dim.
illuminations [plural] British : lights used as decorations
- The streets were decorated with colorful illuminations.
witness v.
to be present at (an event) in order to be able to say that it happened : to act as a legal witness of (something)
- We're witnessing how social networks are changing our lifestyles.
to see (something) happen
- Many people witnessed the terrorist attack.
witness n.
a person who sees something (such as a crime) happen
- The witness refused to testify.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151211baab85755939a40ccbafc07cfb4cbcc406d884317b9faa5a10d26018493b48781bd.wma
Imagine traveling back in time to experience Christmas in another century. You could see the way people dressed, ate, worked and celebrated holidays.
Colonial Williamsburg, in Virginia, allows you to visit the past without time travel! As soon as you enter the historic town, you are transported back to the 1700s.
Lasting traditions
Compared with today's extensive holiday plans and preparation, a Colonial Christmas was much simpler. A typical Christmas for 18th-century Virginians included church, good food, a dance and visiting friends and family.
Historic Williamsburg offers many of those traditions, and a few more.
Illumination and fireworks
In the 18th century, major events were celebrated by shooting guns and lighting fireworks. Today you can witness Williamsburg's own illumination ceremony in early December, with fireworks displays throughout the town.
Christmas carols
Music was at the heart of 18th-century Christmas celebrations. The historic city still provides traditional music performances on instruments of the time. Best of all, you can participate and sing along with carolers on the streets.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: As Soon As vs. As Soon As Possible
Today, let’s take a look at two English expressions that sound almost alike, but are used very differently. The first one is as soon as, and the other is as soon as possible.
Yes, you heard correctly, the only difference between the two expressions is the word "possible". Let’s first take a look at as soon as possible.
Okay, we can say as soon as possible when we demand someone to do something immediately or right away. And it’s usually used in urgent situations. Can you give me the book as soon as possible?
Now, if Steve is really eager to get the book, he might say can you give me the book A S A P ?
Or I could combine the four letters and make it a word, I need the book ASAP [ei sa p].
So feel free to say, as soon as possible, A S A P or ASAP [ei sa p].
Now, the other expression “as soon as” is used to refer to twoactions one happening after the other. Can you call me as soon as you get the news from the hospital?
So in this example, the first action is receiving the news from the hospital and the second action is making the phone call.
Another way to say the same thing is by using the word “once”. For example, can you call me once you get the news from the hospital?
Yes, you heard correctly, the only difference between the two expressions is the word "possible". Let’s first take a look at as soon as possible.
Okay, we can say as soon as possible when we demand someone to do something immediately or right away. And it’s usually used in urgent situations. Can you give me the book as soon as possible?
Now, if Steve is really eager to get the book, he might say can you give me the book A S A P ?
Or I could combine the four letters and make it a word, I need the book ASAP [ei sa p].
So feel free to say, as soon as possible, A S A P or ASAP [ei sa p].
Now, the other expression “as soon as” is used to refer to twoactions one happening after the other. Can you call me as soon as you get the news from the hospital?
So in this example, the first action is receiving the news from the hospital and the second action is making the phone call.
Another way to say the same thing is by using the word “once”. For example, can you call me once you get the news from the hospital?
Language Lab
Colonial adj.
/kəˈloʊnijəl/
of or relating to the original 13 colonies forming the United States;
in a style that was popular in the U.S. during the American colonial period (before 1776);
- The hotel is a renovated Colonial building.
- The restaurant was decorated with Colonial furniture.
colony n.
/ˈkɑːləni/
an area that is controlled by or belongs to a country and is usually far away from it
- Hong Kong used to be a British colony.
extensive adj. 廣擴的
large in size or amount : very full or complete
- The patient went through several extensive reconstructive surgeries after the accident.
- The director is famous for his extensive use of computer-animated images.
illumination n. [lumin 字根- 光]
/ɪˌluːməˈneɪʃən/
light that comes into a room, that shines on something, etc.
- Insufficient illumination might cause nearsightedness.
- The illumination in the room is too dim.
illuminations [plural] British : lights used as decorations
- The streets were decorated with colorful illuminations.
witness v.
to be present at (an event) in order to be able to say that it happened : to act as a legal witness of (something)
- We're witnessing how social networks are changing our lifestyles.
to see (something) happen
- Many people witnessed the terrorist attack.
witness n.
a person who sees something (such as a crime) happen
- The witness refused to testify.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151211baab85755939a40ccbafc07cfb4cbcc406d884317b9faa5a10d26018493b48781bd.wma
Winter Workout Tips
Helpful hints for how to stay healthy and fit during those cold winter months
Keep your fitness on the right track when the mercury [temperature] drops:
Stay hydrated
"People tend to associate dehydration with hot weather," says Andy Fry, a fitness expert at Indiana University. But during the winter months, parts of the U.S. can be as dry as the Sahara desert, so drink up.
Dress smart
If you're exercising outdoors, wear several light layers to trap warm air close to your body. A good combination would be a windproof outer layer with cotton layers underneath.
Warm up
Low temperatures increase the risk of sprains, making a good warm-up especially important.
Assess the weather
Fry says rain, wind, sunset and sunrise all affect the temperature, so take these into consideration when leaving the house. Fry suggests leaving into the wind and coming back with it.
Avoid winter blues
People exercise more when they're having fun, but winter is dark and cold. So "if bundling up isn't your style, try an indoor activity like a group exercise session or ballroom dancing," Fry says. "The important thing is to stay active."
Language Lab
hydrate v.
to supply someone or something with water to keep them healthy and in good condition [≠ dehydrate]:
- It's important to hydrate frequently when running a marathon.
- Long flights dehydrate your body easily.
associate v.
to make a connection in your mind between one thing or person and another
- People tend to associate the entertainment business with glamour.
glamour n.
the attractive and exciting quality of being connected with wealth and success
associate v.
to spend time with someone, especially someone that other people disapprove of:
- I don't want my kids associating with teens who have drug problems.
assess v.
to make a judgment about a person or situation after thinking carefully about it [= judge]
- The doctor needs to assess the patient's condition before releasing him.
to calculate the value or cost of something
- The mechanic assessed the cost of repair to be $500.
assessment n.
- The test is an assessment of the students' academic achievement.
bundle up Phrasal Verb
To dress oneself warmly.
- We bundle up and left the cabin for a walk in the woods.
- It's freezing now. It's wise to bundle up if you want to go outside.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151219baafa72a9074a5049529b159b8b387339459dcacb967b2e616195a90babe05cf3f7.wma
Keep your fitness on the right track when the mercury [temperature] drops:
Stay hydrated
"People tend to associate dehydration with hot weather," says Andy Fry, a fitness expert at Indiana University. But during the winter months, parts of the U.S. can be as dry as the Sahara desert, so drink up.
Dress smart
If you're exercising outdoors, wear several light layers to trap warm air close to your body. A good combination would be a windproof outer layer with cotton layers underneath.
Warm up
Low temperatures increase the risk of sprains, making a good warm-up especially important.
Assess the weather
Fry says rain, wind, sunset and sunrise all affect the temperature, so take these into consideration when leaving the house. Fry suggests leaving into the wind and coming back with it.
Avoid winter blues
People exercise more when they're having fun, but winter is dark and cold. So "if bundling up isn't your style, try an indoor activity like a group exercise session or ballroom dancing," Fry says. "The important thing is to stay active."
Language Lab
hydrate v.
to supply someone or something with water to keep them healthy and in good condition [≠ dehydrate]:
- It's important to hydrate frequently when running a marathon.
- Long flights dehydrate your body easily.
associate v.
to make a connection in your mind between one thing or person and another
- People tend to associate the entertainment business with glamour.
glamour n.
the attractive and exciting quality of being connected with wealth and success
associate v.
to spend time with someone, especially someone that other people disapprove of:
- I don't want my kids associating with teens who have drug problems.
assess v.
to make a judgment about a person or situation after thinking carefully about it [= judge]
- The doctor needs to assess the patient's condition before releasing him.
to calculate the value or cost of something
- The mechanic assessed the cost of repair to be $500.
assessment n.
- The test is an assessment of the students' academic achievement.
bundle up Phrasal Verb
To dress oneself warmly.
- We bundle up and left the cabin for a walk in the woods.
- It's freezing now. It's wise to bundle up if you want to go outside.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151219baafa72a9074a5049529b159b8b387339459dcacb967b2e616195a90babe05cf3f7.wma
Tuesday, December 15, 2015
Make a Little Space to Organize (3)
Once you've decided what to toss, come up with a system for those items you choose to keep, says Jennifer MacDowll, a professional organizer with Organized Space.
With paper, for instance, "get a filing system that really works," she says. For small items, she like plastic containers because they can be stacked one on top of another and are easy to label.
Take advantage of vertical space, too. Tall shelves can make all that empty air work for you.
That's especially true in closets, which tend to have a lot of unused wall space.
Another good idea is multipurpose furniture such as a hollow ottoman with storage space inside, or a bed with drawers underneath.
Don't think you have to sacrifice style in the process, says MacDowell.
"There's some really ugly stuff out there," she says. "Keep looking until you find pieces that work with your decor."
"Everything in my home has a place," Stanley says. "Whenever someone gives me something, right then I'm already thinking whether or not I'm going to keep it."
Realize, too, that decluttering is an ongoing, never-ending process that demands vigilance.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Code-Switching 語碼轉換
You hear all the time people talking when all of a sudden they switch to another language, then just as quickly they return to their original language.
Right, when people alternate between two languages where they, quick word, phrase or sentence, it’s called code-switching. So why do people code switch?
To keep secrets, now how many of your parents have ever done this in front of your kids?
Umm, okay, another reason might be the prestige associated with using foreign words. Code-switching indirectly reminds listeners that I’m bilingual or I’m in the know.
Next, people switch between languages because the proper phrase in their mother tongue is too formal.
Or too embarrassing to say, in this way the form phrasebecomes a kind of euphemism.
People also code switch for economy that is they’ll temporarily jump to a foreign language because it’s just easier. To say the same thing in their mother tongue would take extra time and effort.
Right, finally people code switch for fun to create puns, for instance, Chinese speakers instead of saying “shei, shei”, might say in English “three queue” a play on the words “san kyu”, which sounds similar to the English phrase thank you.
Language Lab
stack v.
to arrange (things) in a stack : to put (things) in a usually neat pile
- The books were stacked neatly along the walls.
- The chairs in the gall were stacked up after the meeting was over.
a usually neat pile : a group of things that are put one on top of the other
- Stacks of files were scattered on the floor.
vertical adj.
positioned up and down rather than from side to side : going straight up
- The painting was composed of many vertical lines.
- This ballpoint pen writes on vertical surfaces.
horizontal adj.
positioned from side to side rather than up and down : parallel to the ground
- the horizontal line 地平線
decor n.
the way that a room or the inside of a building is decorated
- The cafe's simple but elegant decor attracted many customers.
- We were impressed by the extravagant decor of Caesars Palace in Vegas.
vigilance n.
/ˈvɪʤələns/
carefully noticing problems or signs of danger
- Addiction to online games is a problem that requires constant vigilance.
vigilant adj.
/ˈvɪʤələnt/
- Security kept a vigilant guard of the building because of some previous incidents.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151216baab9d77a2a48c5e0432cb7454357a24d40cfae0700f97658ea09959ec4837e1ea1.wma
With paper, for instance, "get a filing system that really works," she says. For small items, she like plastic containers because they can be stacked one on top of another and are easy to label.
Take advantage of vertical space, too. Tall shelves can make all that empty air work for you.
That's especially true in closets, which tend to have a lot of unused wall space.
Another good idea is multipurpose furniture such as a hollow ottoman with storage space inside, or a bed with drawers underneath.
Don't think you have to sacrifice style in the process, says MacDowell.
"There's some really ugly stuff out there," she says. "Keep looking until you find pieces that work with your decor."
"Everything in my home has a place," Stanley says. "Whenever someone gives me something, right then I'm already thinking whether or not I'm going to keep it."
Realize, too, that decluttering is an ongoing, never-ending process that demands vigilance.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Code-Switching 語碼轉換
You hear all the time people talking when all of a sudden they switch to another language, then just as quickly they return to their original language.
Right, when people alternate between two languages where they, quick word, phrase or sentence, it’s called code-switching. So why do people code switch?
To keep secrets, now how many of your parents have ever done this in front of your kids?
Umm, okay, another reason might be the prestige associated with using foreign words. Code-switching indirectly reminds listeners that I’m bilingual or I’m in the know.
Next, people switch between languages because the proper phrase in their mother tongue is too formal.
Or too embarrassing to say, in this way the form phrasebecomes a kind of euphemism.
People also code switch for economy that is they’ll temporarily jump to a foreign language because it’s just easier. To say the same thing in their mother tongue would take extra time and effort.
Right, finally people code switch for fun to create puns, for instance, Chinese speakers instead of saying “shei, shei”, might say in English “three queue” a play on the words “san kyu”, which sounds similar to the English phrase thank you.
Language Lab
stack v.
to arrange (things) in a stack : to put (things) in a usually neat pile
- The books were stacked neatly along the walls.
- The chairs in the gall were stacked up after the meeting was over.
a usually neat pile : a group of things that are put one on top of the other
- Stacks of files were scattered on the floor.
vertical adj.
positioned up and down rather than from side to side : going straight up
- The painting was composed of many vertical lines.
- This ballpoint pen writes on vertical surfaces.
horizontal adj.
positioned from side to side rather than up and down : parallel to the ground
- the horizontal line 地平線
decor n.
the way that a room or the inside of a building is decorated
- The cafe's simple but elegant decor attracted many customers.
- We were impressed by the extravagant decor of Caesars Palace in Vegas.
vigilance n.
/ˈvɪʤələns/
carefully noticing problems or signs of danger
- Addiction to online games is a problem that requires constant vigilance.
vigilant adj.
/ˈvɪʤələnt/
- Security kept a vigilant guard of the building because of some previous incidents.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151216baab9d77a2a48c5e0432cb7454357a24d40cfae0700f97658ea09959ec4837e1ea1.wma
Make a Little Space to Organize (2)
Be ruthless about getting rid of stuff you haven't used in years, said Debbie Stanley, author of "Organize Your Home In No Time." If you keep something, there'd better be a compelling reason.
"I had one client who was recently divorced who had a whole house of stuff crammed into a one-bedroom condo. What it came down to is he didn't want to accept that he was divorced and living alone," she says. "Sometimes, there are underlying issues that make reality hard to face."
If that's the case, the time to declutter isn't immediately after some emotionally jarring event, such as a divorce or a loved one dying or moving into a nursing home. Give yourself some time and emotional distance from the trauma.
"That's not a time when people tend to think clearly," Smith says.
Don't fret. It isn't that sentimental items aren't allowed at all. Smith urges clients to stop deluding themselves that they must have something that no longer serves any practical purpose within easy reach.
Move a sentimental few keepsakes someplace out of the way, perhaps in an attic, says Smith.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Lonely Negatives 沒有反義詞的負面形容詞
Many English words have both positive and negative versions. For example, there are the word pairs, clutter and declutter, important and unimportant, advantage and disadvantage.
But there are also many English words that exist only in a negative version. They have no positive partners, because over time the positive words disappeared, right?
Like the word ruthless, an adjective meaning without mercy or compassion.
Centuries ago ruthless has a positive partner ruth meaning compassion did indeed exist and it was often used, we can see it used in a 17th century English poem, which leach,“Look homeward angel now and melt with ruth.” Now why exactly ruth vanished, while ruthless survived? No one can say.
Yes, the same thing can be said about reck, r, e, c, k. Once a word meaning to care, to have regard for. Today we’re just left with its negative form, reckless.
Here’s another lonely negative, disheveled, which means messy, most often in reference to someone’s hair or clothing.
In this particular case, disheveled has no positive partner because it never existed, which is a shame, I think sheveled would make a great English word to praise neat and tidy looking people. Ken, I have to say you’re looking very sheveled today.
Why, thank you, I guess.
Language Lab
ruthless adj.
/ˈruːθləs/
having no pity : cruel or merciless
- The country's ruthless treatment of the captivated soldiers was condemned by other countries.
- Larry's ex-girlfriend was hurt by his ruthless attitude.
compelling adj.
/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/
capable of causing someone to believe or agree;
- The defendan'ts alibi is compelling evidence to prove her innocence.
compelling reason 迫不得已的理由
alibi n.
/ˈæləˌbaɪ/
a claim that you cannot be guilty of a crime because you were somewhere else when the crime was committed
compelling adj.
very interesting : able to capture and hold your attention;
- a compelling crime novel
- The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down.
jar v. [jarred/jarring]
to hit or shake (something) forcefully
- The impact of the car jarred his broken arm. 車子的衝極力震動到他骨折的手臂
- The whole house was jarred during the earthquake. 地震的時候, 整個房子都震動起來
fret v. [frets; fretted; fretting]
/ˈfrɛt/
to worry or be concerned
- Don't fret! I'm sure everything will be just fine.
- Rose is fretting about not passing the entrance exam.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151215baae7332e7ae81a19ced65939e7f7cbc6ee796c0969695e5759a6adb20eff1a633d.wma
"I had one client who was recently divorced who had a whole house of stuff crammed into a one-bedroom condo. What it came down to is he didn't want to accept that he was divorced and living alone," she says. "Sometimes, there are underlying issues that make reality hard to face."
If that's the case, the time to declutter isn't immediately after some emotionally jarring event, such as a divorce or a loved one dying or moving into a nursing home. Give yourself some time and emotional distance from the trauma.
"That's not a time when people tend to think clearly," Smith says.
Don't fret. It isn't that sentimental items aren't allowed at all. Smith urges clients to stop deluding themselves that they must have something that no longer serves any practical purpose within easy reach.
Move a sentimental few keepsakes someplace out of the way, perhaps in an attic, says Smith.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Lonely Negatives 沒有反義詞的負面形容詞
Many English words have both positive and negative versions. For example, there are the word pairs, clutter and declutter, important and unimportant, advantage and disadvantage.
But there are also many English words that exist only in a negative version. They have no positive partners, because over time the positive words disappeared, right?
Like the word ruthless, an adjective meaning without mercy or compassion.
Centuries ago ruthless has a positive partner ruth meaning compassion did indeed exist and it was often used, we can see it used in a 17th century English poem, which leach,“Look homeward angel now and melt with ruth.” Now why exactly ruth vanished, while ruthless survived? No one can say.
Yes, the same thing can be said about reck, r, e, c, k. Once a word meaning to care, to have regard for. Today we’re just left with its negative form, reckless.
Here’s another lonely negative, disheveled, which means messy, most often in reference to someone’s hair or clothing.
In this particular case, disheveled has no positive partner because it never existed, which is a shame, I think sheveled would make a great English word to praise neat and tidy looking people. Ken, I have to say you’re looking very sheveled today.
Why, thank you, I guess.
Language Lab
ruthless adj.
/ˈruːθləs/
having no pity : cruel or merciless
- The country's ruthless treatment of the captivated soldiers was condemned by other countries.
- Larry's ex-girlfriend was hurt by his ruthless attitude.
compelling adj.
/kəmˈpɛlɪŋ/
capable of causing someone to believe or agree;
- The defendan'ts alibi is compelling evidence to prove her innocence.
compelling reason 迫不得已的理由
alibi n.
/ˈæləˌbaɪ/
a claim that you cannot be guilty of a crime because you were somewhere else when the crime was committed
compelling adj.
very interesting : able to capture and hold your attention;
- a compelling crime novel
- The novel was so compelling that I couldn't put it down.
jar v. [jarred/jarring]
to hit or shake (something) forcefully
- The impact of the car jarred his broken arm. 車子的衝極力震動到他骨折的手臂
- The whole house was jarred during the earthquake. 地震的時候, 整個房子都震動起來
fret v. [frets; fretted; fretting]
/ˈfrɛt/
to worry or be concerned
- Don't fret! I'm sure everything will be just fine.
- Rose is fretting about not passing the entrance exam.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151215baae7332e7ae81a19ced65939e7f7cbc6ee796c0969695e5759a6adb20eff1a633d.wma
Monday, December 14, 2015
Make a Little Space to Organize (1)
To unclutter your small home efficiently and effectively, you must first eliminate your emotional baggage
It's even easy for homeowners with vast amounts of space to get buried alive in clutter. All the more so for those in small apartments and condos. Such places often lack an attic or basement for all those unread books and clothes that don't fit.
Don't let your lack of space serve as an excuse to put off getting organized. The first step in decluttering is to take an objective look at the space you want to straighten up. Identify what
you don’t like about it, and what you do. Imagine how you’d like it to look.
Haul out everything, and start sorting your junk into piles.
The advantage is that you’ll have everything categorized so it will be easier when you put all that stuff back. It’s also helpful for identifying redundancy, said Faith Smith, owner of Smith Organizing Services.
“You may find, once you get all the clothes together, that you have 17 pairs of black pants,” she said. “You can cut that in half.”
Set aside a spot for trash and another for things to be donated to charity.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Cut the Clutter 削減贅字
Clutter can accumulate just about everywhere on your desk, in your closet, in your garage.
And in your writing, as a writer it’s important to keep the clutter to a minimum, because clutter can weigh down your writing, make it longer and more or distract your readers from the main points you’re trying to make.
One way to eliminate clutter is by cutting out needless repetition and redundancy. Did you get that, of course there are times when careful and intentional repetition is effective in establishing and clarifying a point.
Right, okay here is an example of a repetitive phrase that more often than not can be eliminated “foreign imports”.
Because by its very definition, import means coming from another country. So grab an eraser or use your delete key and remove the word foreign.
Okay, how about this one? Unexpected surprise, oh what do you think? If something is expected, can it still be a surprise?
Okay, listen to this sentence and see if you can detect redundancy. We should develop mutual respect for each other.
It’s redundant, because mutual and for each other mean the same thing. So choose one and cut it out.
Language Lab
unclutter v. 整理, 清理
/ˌʌnˈklʌtɚd/
not filled or covered with unnecessary things : not cluttered
- It took us a whole weekend to unclutter our garage.
declutter v. 清理
- We decided to declutter our house before our relatives came to stay for the weekend.
condo n. [= condominium]
a room or set of rooms that is owned by the people who live there and that is part of a larger building containing other similar sets of rooms — compare apartment
- George bought a condo in our community.
- The condos in this area are all luxurious.
vast adj.
very great in size, amount, or extent
haul v.
/ˈhɑːl/
to pull or drag (something) with effort
- The driver spent an hour trying to haul the stuck truck out of the mud.
- After sitting down for hours, she hauled herself to her feet.
- The tugboat hauled the broken-down boat to the harbor.
redundancy n. 多餘的
/rɪˈdʌndənsi/
the act of using a word, phrase, etc., that repeats something else and is therefore unnecessary
- Martha's wardrobe is full of redundancy.
被解僱
the act of ending the employment of a worker or group of workers;
the fact of being dismissed from a job because you are no longer needed;
- The merge means 3000 redundancies.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151214baac63ad25ec11ecdd61cb1f3ea4715ee75409b16999c6d06ca32168ba95009c7bc.wma
It's even easy for homeowners with vast amounts of space to get buried alive in clutter. All the more so for those in small apartments and condos. Such places often lack an attic or basement for all those unread books and clothes that don't fit.
Don't let your lack of space serve as an excuse to put off getting organized. The first step in decluttering is to take an objective look at the space you want to straighten up. Identify what
you don’t like about it, and what you do. Imagine how you’d like it to look.
Haul out everything, and start sorting your junk into piles.
The advantage is that you’ll have everything categorized so it will be easier when you put all that stuff back. It’s also helpful for identifying redundancy, said Faith Smith, owner of Smith Organizing Services.
“You may find, once you get all the clothes together, that you have 17 pairs of black pants,” she said. “You can cut that in half.”
Set aside a spot for trash and another for things to be donated to charity.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Cut the Clutter 削減贅字
Clutter can accumulate just about everywhere on your desk, in your closet, in your garage.
And in your writing, as a writer it’s important to keep the clutter to a minimum, because clutter can weigh down your writing, make it longer and more or distract your readers from the main points you’re trying to make.
One way to eliminate clutter is by cutting out needless repetition and redundancy. Did you get that, of course there are times when careful and intentional repetition is effective in establishing and clarifying a point.
Right, okay here is an example of a repetitive phrase that more often than not can be eliminated “foreign imports”.
Because by its very definition, import means coming from another country. So grab an eraser or use your delete key and remove the word foreign.
Okay, how about this one? Unexpected surprise, oh what do you think? If something is expected, can it still be a surprise?
Okay, listen to this sentence and see if you can detect redundancy. We should develop mutual respect for each other.
It’s redundant, because mutual and for each other mean the same thing. So choose one and cut it out.
Language Lab
unclutter v. 整理, 清理
/ˌʌnˈklʌtɚd/
not filled or covered with unnecessary things : not cluttered
- It took us a whole weekend to unclutter our garage.
declutter v. 清理
- We decided to declutter our house before our relatives came to stay for the weekend.
condo n. [= condominium]
a room or set of rooms that is owned by the people who live there and that is part of a larger building containing other similar sets of rooms — compare apartment
- George bought a condo in our community.
- The condos in this area are all luxurious.
vast adj.
very great in size, amount, or extent
haul v.
/ˈhɑːl/
to pull or drag (something) with effort
- The driver spent an hour trying to haul the stuck truck out of the mud.
- After sitting down for hours, she hauled herself to her feet.
- The tugboat hauled the broken-down boat to the harbor.
redundancy n. 多餘的
/rɪˈdʌndənsi/
the act of using a word, phrase, etc., that repeats something else and is therefore unnecessary
- Martha's wardrobe is full of redundancy.
被解僱
the act of ending the employment of a worker or group of workers;
the fact of being dismissed from a job because you are no longer needed;
- The merge means 3000 redundancies.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151214baac63ad25ec11ecdd61cb1f3ea4715ee75409b16999c6d06ca32168ba95009c7bc.wma
Thursday, December 10, 2015
That's My Bag! (2)
Ivy looked at the baggage tag. It said, "Melanie Moser, 300 Sky Crest Drive, Bozeman, MT 59715." "Well, at least she's a local," Ivy thought. "I can drive to her house and exchange this bag for mine. But would someone accuse me of stealing the bag if I took it from the airport?" So she went to the airline counter and explained the problem. The clerk took the bag. "But what about my bag?" asked Ivy. "She'll bring yours back when she comes to get hers," said the clerk.
Not wanting to wait, Ivy drove to 300 Sky Crest Drive to get her bag. A man answered her knock and said his wife had just left for the airport. He was slightly annoyed with her for not being more careful.
Ivy returned to the airport. Her bag was waiting for her at the airline counter. "Next time," she thought, "if I think someone is taking my bag, I'll say something!"
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Word Triplets 教學主題: 外來語的三字組
Why are there so many synonyms in English? Because English has borrowed vocabulary from so many different languages, chief among them, Latin, Anglo-Saxon, and French.
Where these three languages contribute words that are synonyms, the three words may be labeled word triplets.
For example, the verb “ask” has Germanic origins, its French equivalent is “question”, while its corresponding word in Latin, is “interrogate”.
Now maybe you’re asking if they’re synonyms, are there any differences between them? And if so, what are they?
Okay, yes, there are differences, first the obvious, the Germanic words are generally shorter, second the Germanic words tend to be used more often in informal speech and writing.
Okay, let’s break down this word triplet a little more. If I ask you something, I’m simply looking for an answer. If I question you, I’m sitting in judgment over something you said or did.
If I interrogate you, the situation is probably pretty serious where likely in a court room, because of some legal problem.
Right, now here’s another word triplet, rest, remainder and residue, now your ability to know when, where and how to use word triplets correctly only grow through reading and listening.
Language Lab
exchange v.
to give something and receive something in return
- These aboriginals exchanged their wild game for food at the market.
exchange with 跟誰交換
- In our club, parents exchange toys with each other.
counter n.
a piece of furniture with a flat surface that workers and customers stand on opposite sides of when doing business in a store, restaurant, etc.
- Press one to call the hotel counter.
- Please check in excess baggage at counter two.
a long, flat surface on which food is prepared in a kitchen
- The kitchen counter was made of a heat-resistant material. 耐熱材料
slightly adv.
in a very small amount or degree : a little
- Nathan is slightly taller than his older brother.
- I was slightly worried when you were late.
slight adj.
very small in degree or amount
- The patient still has a slight pain in his kidney.
annoy v.
to cause (someone) to feel slightly angry
- It annoys me that my neighbor always plays loud music.
annoyed adj.
- Frank was so annoyed with his wife's nagging.
annoying
- annoying attitude
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151210baa906121cea722d8d7f73329294a502d72952e1f5cdf10dc7ae563fba497b807ce.wma
Not wanting to wait, Ivy drove to 300 Sky Crest Drive to get her bag. A man answered her knock and said his wife had just left for the airport. He was slightly annoyed with her for not being more careful.
Ivy returned to the airport. Her bag was waiting for her at the airline counter. "Next time," she thought, "if I think someone is taking my bag, I'll say something!"
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Word Triplets 教學主題: 外來語的三字組
Why are there so many synonyms in English? Because English has borrowed vocabulary from so many different languages, chief among them, Latin, Anglo-Saxon, and French.
Where these three languages contribute words that are synonyms, the three words may be labeled word triplets.
For example, the verb “ask” has Germanic origins, its French equivalent is “question”, while its corresponding word in Latin, is “interrogate”.
Now maybe you’re asking if they’re synonyms, are there any differences between them? And if so, what are they?
Okay, yes, there are differences, first the obvious, the Germanic words are generally shorter, second the Germanic words tend to be used more often in informal speech and writing.
Okay, let’s break down this word triplet a little more. If I ask you something, I’m simply looking for an answer. If I question you, I’m sitting in judgment over something you said or did.
If I interrogate you, the situation is probably pretty serious where likely in a court room, because of some legal problem.
Right, now here’s another word triplet, rest, remainder and residue, now your ability to know when, where and how to use word triplets correctly only grow through reading and listening.
Language Lab
exchange v.
to give something and receive something in return
- These aboriginals exchanged their wild game for food at the market.
exchange with 跟誰交換
- In our club, parents exchange toys with each other.
counter n.
a piece of furniture with a flat surface that workers and customers stand on opposite sides of when doing business in a store, restaurant, etc.
- Press one to call the hotel counter.
- Please check in excess baggage at counter two.
a long, flat surface on which food is prepared in a kitchen
- The kitchen counter was made of a heat-resistant material. 耐熱材料
slightly adv.
in a very small amount or degree : a little
- Nathan is slightly taller than his older brother.
- I was slightly worried when you were late.
slight adj.
very small in degree or amount
- The patient still has a slight pain in his kidney.
annoy v.
to cause (someone) to feel slightly angry
- It annoys me that my neighbor always plays loud music.
annoyed adj.
- Frank was so annoyed with his wife's nagging.
annoying
- annoying attitude
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151210baa906121cea722d8d7f73329294a502d72952e1f5cdf10dc7ae563fba497b807ce.wma
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
That's My Bag! (1)
Should she stop the woman or not?
Ivy stood in airport baggage claim waiting for her bag. It had been a long trip, but she was finally home in Bozeman, Montana. She yawned. She couldn't wait to get home, put her things away and relax.
As carousel 2 started to move, she watched the bags drop onto it. She saw her small green bag. She waited for it to come close so she could grab it. Suddenly a large woman took the bag and hurried off toward the exit!
Shocked, Ivy started after her. Then she stopped and thought, "Many bags look alike. That's probably not mine." She returned to the carousel to wait. Finally she saw another small green bag drop onto the carousel. But it was not her bag!
Immediately she knew what had happened. The woman had taken her bag, and this one must belong to the other woman.
She kicked herself for not challenging the woman when she first grabbed the bag. Now what was she going to do?
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: State Name Origins 教學主題: 州名的由來
Studying a location’s name is a great way to learn about that location’s history, culture and geography.
So let’s look at some state names from the US, will start with names that originated with the American Indians.
Okay, Indian names account for almost half of all the state names, the name my home state, Connecticut, for example, is an American Indian word which means something like beside the long tidal river.
Next, if you know your American history, you’ll remember France played a big role in shaping the new nation, its influence can be seen in state name like Vermont which in French means green mountain.
Right, now what about English names? Not as many as you might think. One example, New Jersey is named after Jersey Island in the English Channel.
Moving west, we get into state names with Spanish origins like Montana which means mountainous country, very fitting as Montana has the rocky mountains running through it.
That’s right, now some of you might be wondering about the name California, well we don’t know its exact meaning, but we do know this, it was named after an imaginary paradise described in a popular 16th century Spanish novel.
Language Lab
baggage n.
the bags, suitcases, and personal things that a person carries when traveling : luggage
- The airline lost my baggage on my trip back to Taipei.
baggage claim n.
the area in an airport or bus station where you pick up your luggage after traveling
the feelings, beliefs, problems, or past events that can make life difficult for a person or group
- Fiona has a lot of emotional baggage to deal with before getting married.
carousel n.
/ˌkerəˈsɛl/
= merry–go–rounds
a large round platform that turns around in a circle and has seats and figures of animals (such as horses) on which children sit for a ride;
a machine or device with a moving belt or part that carries things around in a circle
- Passengers of Flight 423 can collect your luggage at carousel 5.
- The ground staff delivered the luggage to the carousels by truck.
kick oneself
to blame or criticize yourself for something you have done
- Willy kicked himself for not confronting the guy who bullied him.
- Amanda kicked herself for not apologizing to her mom for her ad attitude.
challenge v.
to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal
- Some teenagers tend to challenge their parents' values and points of view.
- The governor's statement was greatly challenged by the media.
to test the ability, skill, or strength of (someone or something) : to be difficult enough to be interesting to (someone)
- Our team is being challenged by our long-time opponent.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151209baae8c8adbebd16cf25d52ba61c7c5fafe8318b98f407fc15fc385816c49f42001b.wma
Ivy stood in airport baggage claim waiting for her bag. It had been a long trip, but she was finally home in Bozeman, Montana. She yawned. She couldn't wait to get home, put her things away and relax.
As carousel 2 started to move, she watched the bags drop onto it. She saw her small green bag. She waited for it to come close so she could grab it. Suddenly a large woman took the bag and hurried off toward the exit!
Shocked, Ivy started after her. Then she stopped and thought, "Many bags look alike. That's probably not mine." She returned to the carousel to wait. Finally she saw another small green bag drop onto the carousel. But it was not her bag!
Immediately she knew what had happened. The woman had taken her bag, and this one must belong to the other woman.
She kicked herself for not challenging the woman when she first grabbed the bag. Now what was she going to do?
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: State Name Origins 教學主題: 州名的由來
Studying a location’s name is a great way to learn about that location’s history, culture and geography.
So let’s look at some state names from the US, will start with names that originated with the American Indians.
Okay, Indian names account for almost half of all the state names, the name my home state, Connecticut, for example, is an American Indian word which means something like beside the long tidal river.
Next, if you know your American history, you’ll remember France played a big role in shaping the new nation, its influence can be seen in state name like Vermont which in French means green mountain.
Right, now what about English names? Not as many as you might think. One example, New Jersey is named after Jersey Island in the English Channel.
Moving west, we get into state names with Spanish origins like Montana which means mountainous country, very fitting as Montana has the rocky mountains running through it.
That’s right, now some of you might be wondering about the name California, well we don’t know its exact meaning, but we do know this, it was named after an imaginary paradise described in a popular 16th century Spanish novel.
Language Lab
baggage n.
the bags, suitcases, and personal things that a person carries when traveling : luggage
- The airline lost my baggage on my trip back to Taipei.
baggage claim n.
the area in an airport or bus station where you pick up your luggage after traveling
the feelings, beliefs, problems, or past events that can make life difficult for a person or group
- Fiona has a lot of emotional baggage to deal with before getting married.
carousel n.
/ˌkerəˈsɛl/
= merry–go–rounds
a large round platform that turns around in a circle and has seats and figures of animals (such as horses) on which children sit for a ride;
a machine or device with a moving belt or part that carries things around in a circle
- Passengers of Flight 423 can collect your luggage at carousel 5.
- The ground staff delivered the luggage to the carousels by truck.
kick oneself
to blame or criticize yourself for something you have done
- Willy kicked himself for not confronting the guy who bullied him.
- Amanda kicked herself for not apologizing to her mom for her ad attitude.
challenge v.
to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct, or legal
- Some teenagers tend to challenge their parents' values and points of view.
- The governor's statement was greatly challenged by the media.
to test the ability, skill, or strength of (someone or something) : to be difficult enough to be interesting to (someone)
- Our team is being challenged by our long-time opponent.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151209baae8c8adbebd16cf25d52ba61c7c5fafe8318b98f407fc15fc385816c49f42001b.wma
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
The Clothing of the Future is Here (2)
Nanoparticles that block the sun
Nanoparticles of sun-blocking chemicals, when added to fabric, protect it from the sun. The tiny particles scatter the sun's ultraviolet rays, so the person and the garment are safe from the sun.
Antistatic particles
Static electricity can cause clothes to cling, but adding nanoparticles that conduct electricity to the material can prevent static. Nanotechnology is giving clothing manufactures a whole new world of fabrics to work with, resulting in high-tech clothing that previously was found only in science fiction. Some speculate that as more companies use nano-enhanced material, clothing will never be the same again.
Concerns
People like Natalie von Goetz from the Swiss University ETH Zurich are a bit skeptical about the use of nanotechnology in clothing. She explains, "We tested whether nanoparticles are released into sweat under laboratory conditions, because if they are, they might be taken up by the skin." This means that the nanoparticles form clothing could enter the body. Goetz and others feel that more research into potential dangers needs to be carried out. Otherwise, some will be unwilling to take the risk even though the clothing is cool.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Carry Out 執行
What verb can we use with the noun research? Well, there’s always “do”.
But, to say, do research is very informal. You might be telling your friends that you’re doing some kind of research but in professional settings like in an interview, on a resume or introducing a speaker at a symposium we might want to consider using the verb “conduct” or the verb phrase “carry out”.
Conduct and carry out have very similar meanings. But carryout has the added connotation of completing or accomplishing a task.
Right, if research was carried out, it was done, it was completed. Whereas conduct most often means to perform, completion is beside the point.
Of course, there’s always the verb research, a more direct way to say, Dr. Smith conducts research on marine mammals is Dr. Smith researches marine mammals.
Now, carry out has another meaning we should be aware of, when you order food at a restaurant, instead of eating it inside the restaurant, you can take the food away, that’s called carry out. In this usage, carry out is just another expression for “take out” or “to go”.
Language Lab
cling v. [clings; clung /ˈklʌŋ/ ; clinging]
to stick to something or someone
- We got all wet in the rain, and our clothes clung to us.
to hold onto something or someone very tightly
— usually + to or onto
- The politician clung to the power and money behind his position.
speculate v.
/ˈspɛkjəˌleɪt/
to think about something and make guesses about it : to form ideas or theories about something usually when there are many things not known about it
- Many reporters speculated that the resignation of the mayor was forced.
speculation n.
ideas or guesses about something that is not known
- There is a lot of speculation about the change in cabinet members.
有不少內革成員的改組的意願之深
concern n.
a feeling of worry usually shared by many people
- Concern for the safety of females in this neighborhood is growing.
something that is regarded as important
- The high inflation is the main concern of the country.
concern v.
to relate to (something or someone) : to be about (something or someone)
- This matter doesn't concern me at all.
skeptical adj.
/ˈskɛptɪkəl/
having or expressing doubt about something (such as a claim or statement)
- Many people are skeptical about the new tax policy.
- The critics' skeptical reviews of the restaurant affected its business.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151208baa0a80fffd962161aa27cba758fec6820fde9de7492849ac4a46f3fe6aed121bd5.wma
Nanoparticles of sun-blocking chemicals, when added to fabric, protect it from the sun. The tiny particles scatter the sun's ultraviolet rays, so the person and the garment are safe from the sun.
Antistatic particles
Static electricity can cause clothes to cling, but adding nanoparticles that conduct electricity to the material can prevent static. Nanotechnology is giving clothing manufactures a whole new world of fabrics to work with, resulting in high-tech clothing that previously was found only in science fiction. Some speculate that as more companies use nano-enhanced material, clothing will never be the same again.
Concerns
People like Natalie von Goetz from the Swiss University ETH Zurich are a bit skeptical about the use of nanotechnology in clothing. She explains, "We tested whether nanoparticles are released into sweat under laboratory conditions, because if they are, they might be taken up by the skin." This means that the nanoparticles form clothing could enter the body. Goetz and others feel that more research into potential dangers needs to be carried out. Otherwise, some will be unwilling to take the risk even though the clothing is cool.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Carry Out 執行
What verb can we use with the noun research? Well, there’s always “do”.
But, to say, do research is very informal. You might be telling your friends that you’re doing some kind of research but in professional settings like in an interview, on a resume or introducing a speaker at a symposium we might want to consider using the verb “conduct” or the verb phrase “carry out”.
Conduct and carry out have very similar meanings. But carryout has the added connotation of completing or accomplishing a task.
Right, if research was carried out, it was done, it was completed. Whereas conduct most often means to perform, completion is beside the point.
Of course, there’s always the verb research, a more direct way to say, Dr. Smith conducts research on marine mammals is Dr. Smith researches marine mammals.
Now, carry out has another meaning we should be aware of, when you order food at a restaurant, instead of eating it inside the restaurant, you can take the food away, that’s called carry out. In this usage, carry out is just another expression for “take out” or “to go”.
Language Lab
cling v. [clings; clung /ˈklʌŋ/ ; clinging]
to stick to something or someone
- We got all wet in the rain, and our clothes clung to us.
to hold onto something or someone very tightly
— usually + to or onto
- The politician clung to the power and money behind his position.
speculate v.
/ˈspɛkjəˌleɪt/
to think about something and make guesses about it : to form ideas or theories about something usually when there are many things not known about it
- Many reporters speculated that the resignation of the mayor was forced.
speculation n.
ideas or guesses about something that is not known
- There is a lot of speculation about the change in cabinet members.
有不少內革成員的改組的意願之深
concern n.
a feeling of worry usually shared by many people
- Concern for the safety of females in this neighborhood is growing.
something that is regarded as important
- The high inflation is the main concern of the country.
concern v.
to relate to (something or someone) : to be about (something or someone)
- This matter doesn't concern me at all.
skeptical adj.
/ˈskɛptɪkəl/
having or expressing doubt about something (such as a claim or statement)
- Many people are skeptical about the new tax policy.
- The critics' skeptical reviews of the restaurant affected its business.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151208baa0a80fffd962161aa27cba758fec6820fde9de7492849ac4a46f3fe6aed121bd5.wma
Monday, December 7, 2015
The Clothing of the Future is Here (1)
Nanotechnology is changing clothing as we know it
Imagine odorless socks and clothes that respond to the climate. Or what about clothing that washes itself? Sound impossible? Well, futuristic clothing like this is here.
Why nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology has been used in clothing since 1998. And recently, more and more companies have started incorporating nano-enhanced properties into their clothing. Why? The increasing demand for more sophisticated clothing is the driving factor behind using nanotechnology in fabrics.
What's it all about?
Nanotechnology involves adding nanoparticles to fabric. When they add them to material, manufacturers move around the atoms and molecules, which changes the characteristics of the fabric. As a result, clothes using nanotechnology have special features like UV protection, wrinkle resistance and more.
Antibacterial fabrics
Manufacturers are also adding silver nanoparticles to clothing. Why? They kill bacteria that cause clothes to become smelly. In addition, they help the clothes stay soft and last longer.
Silica for water and stain resistance
Some companies are adding nanoparticles of silica into the weave of the fabric. Others are spraying the surface of the material with silica nanoparticles. Both techniques create a waterproof coating that prevents stains.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Climate vs. Weather 教學主題: 氣候與天氣的差別
Many people use climate and weather interchangeably, but there are some differences between these two terms.
The main difference is time; weather is used to refer to the state of the atmosphere and region at the specific point in time, whereas climate is measured over a long period.
And how long, is a long period? Maybe around 30 years, that’s the link of time the US National Weather Service set for researchers to come up with the climate of a given region.
Weather, in contrast, is short term day to day, real time.
If you’re talking to someone faraway on the telephone, you might ask the person, “Hey how’s the weather over there?” meaning the atmosphere or the condition where the person is at that moment.
And you may get the response, “it’s nice and sunny out or it’s pouring.”
But if you’re thinking about moving to a place faraway, you might want to first ask a local resident how’s the climate over there?
And the person might reply “in the winter you can expect to be cold and snowy, and in the summer breathy and mild”.
Right, and here’s a good way to remember the difference between climate and weather. Climate helps you decide what clothes to buy, weather helps you decide what clothes to wear.
Language Lab
enhance v.
to increase or improve (something)
- The charity campaign enhanced the reputation of the enterprise.
- After the coach changed his strategy, the team's performance was greatly enhanced.
sophisticated adj.
having or showing a lot of experience and knowledge about the world and about culture, art, literature, etc.;
attractive to fashionable or sophisticated people
- The bride's wearing a beautiful and sophisticated wedding gown.
- Helen Mirren plays a sophisticated lady in the movie.
highly developed and complex
- a sophisticated security system
antibacterial adj.
able to kill bacteria
- antibacterial hand gel
- antibacterial soaps
antistatic adj.
- antistatic hairbrush
waterproof adj.
designed to prevent water from entering or passing through
- waterproof jacket
resistant adj.
opposed to something : wanting to prevent something from happening — usually + to
- People are often resistant to change.
- water-resistant cloth
- a water-resistant watch
driving factor
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151207baa5d6bfbc551e8f56c5ba5143afce9f2f6edbd299e5de67c07fc6cae564ffa01a7.wma
Imagine odorless socks and clothes that respond to the climate. Or what about clothing that washes itself? Sound impossible? Well, futuristic clothing like this is here.
Why nanotechnology?
Nanotechnology has been used in clothing since 1998. And recently, more and more companies have started incorporating nano-enhanced properties into their clothing. Why? The increasing demand for more sophisticated clothing is the driving factor behind using nanotechnology in fabrics.
What's it all about?
Nanotechnology involves adding nanoparticles to fabric. When they add them to material, manufacturers move around the atoms and molecules, which changes the characteristics of the fabric. As a result, clothes using nanotechnology have special features like UV protection, wrinkle resistance and more.
Antibacterial fabrics
Manufacturers are also adding silver nanoparticles to clothing. Why? They kill bacteria that cause clothes to become smelly. In addition, they help the clothes stay soft and last longer.
Silica for water and stain resistance
Some companies are adding nanoparticles of silica into the weave of the fabric. Others are spraying the surface of the material with silica nanoparticles. Both techniques create a waterproof coating that prevents stains.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Climate vs. Weather 教學主題: 氣候與天氣的差別
Many people use climate and weather interchangeably, but there are some differences between these two terms.
The main difference is time; weather is used to refer to the state of the atmosphere and region at the specific point in time, whereas climate is measured over a long period.
And how long, is a long period? Maybe around 30 years, that’s the link of time the US National Weather Service set for researchers to come up with the climate of a given region.
Weather, in contrast, is short term day to day, real time.
If you’re talking to someone faraway on the telephone, you might ask the person, “Hey how’s the weather over there?” meaning the atmosphere or the condition where the person is at that moment.
And you may get the response, “it’s nice and sunny out or it’s pouring.”
But if you’re thinking about moving to a place faraway, you might want to first ask a local resident how’s the climate over there?
And the person might reply “in the winter you can expect to be cold and snowy, and in the summer breathy and mild”.
Right, and here’s a good way to remember the difference between climate and weather. Climate helps you decide what clothes to buy, weather helps you decide what clothes to wear.
Language Lab
enhance v.
to increase or improve (something)
- The charity campaign enhanced the reputation of the enterprise.
- After the coach changed his strategy, the team's performance was greatly enhanced.
sophisticated adj.
having or showing a lot of experience and knowledge about the world and about culture, art, literature, etc.;
attractive to fashionable or sophisticated people
- The bride's wearing a beautiful and sophisticated wedding gown.
- Helen Mirren plays a sophisticated lady in the movie.
highly developed and complex
- a sophisticated security system
antibacterial adj.
able to kill bacteria
- antibacterial hand gel
- antibacterial soaps
antistatic adj.
- antistatic hairbrush
waterproof adj.
designed to prevent water from entering or passing through
- waterproof jacket
resistant adj.
opposed to something : wanting to prevent something from happening — usually + to
- People are often resistant to change.
- water-resistant cloth
- a water-resistant watch
driving factor
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151207baa5d6bfbc551e8f56c5ba5143afce9f2f6edbd299e5de67c07fc6cae564ffa01a7.wma
Saturday, December 5, 2015
Star Wars: Return of the Franchise (3)
The attack of the Internet
The question that everyone wants answered now is whether this month's new film can live up to all the expectations. Trailers for the film have likely been viewed more than any others. They have also sparked many videos, including reviews, LEGO versions and parodies. The public is obviously interested, but will their discontent with the more recent films ruin the new one's chances?
A new hope
Fans seem to be hopeful about The Force Awakens so far. One good sign is the presence of the original trilogy's lead actors, who seem very positive about the project. The filmmakers have also promised a return to practical effects over CGI. Hundreds of creatures have been created, including ball-shaped droid BB8 and Bobbajo, an alien puppet operated by five people. The movie is directed by J.J. Abrams, maker of many hit films and a huge fan of the franchise himself.
All the pieces seem to be in place for success, perhaps except one -- your place in the theater.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Inventing a Language 教學主題: 人造語言
There are lots of movies, in which non human characters speak made up or artificial languages.
Check out Avatar, the Star Wars, and Star Trick movies for examples.
What about those adorable Minions, what language do they speak?
They speak Minionese, a combination of real words, made up words and Gibberish.
Inventing a language, if it’s to be convincing, actually takes a lot of thought and planning, movie makers sometimes use real obscure languages as models to imitate.
Some will hire linguists to help create a language with a real alphabet vocabulary and grammar words.
Movie makers will also take advantage of sound symbolism. That’s the idea that sounds carry their own intrinsic meaning.
Right, let’s say I want to create a sci-fi world with two different alien races, one is cruel and ugly, while the other is beautiful and gentle, so I invent the names Lumarians and Gordanks.
Now based on the sound of those invented names which race would you say is good and which is evil?
Would you say the Gordanks, are the bad guys? I think most people would agree the sound of the word Gordank carries with a harsh brutish quality, right?
Language Lab
spark v.
to make someone feel interested, hopeful etc:
- The science camp sparked Jonah's interest in chemistry.
- The proposal sparked intensive debates between the two parties.
parody n.
a piece of writing, music etc or an action that copies someone or something in an amusing way
- The Scary Movie sequels are successful parodies of many horror movies.
- The painting is a self-parody of the artist's previous work.
intrigued adj.
very interested in something because it seems strange or mysterious
intrigued by
- He was intrigued by her reaction.
trilogy n.
a series of three plays, books etc that are about the same people or subject:
- Jeff watched the entire Blade trilogy because he's a big fan of Wesley Snipes.
- The movie channel played the Mad Max trilogy all in a row last night.
trtralogy 四部曲
- Lethal Weapon tetralogy
droid n. [android n. 的簡稱]
a robot that looks like a person
- The droids were totally controlled by the villain in the movie.
- The little droid can do all kinds of things; it can even tell jokes.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151205baa73ff3d43851120eaf52efd428f373007d974f2900e6442426e18967eeaacd1e4.wma
The question that everyone wants answered now is whether this month's new film can live up to all the expectations. Trailers for the film have likely been viewed more than any others. They have also sparked many videos, including reviews, LEGO versions and parodies. The public is obviously interested, but will their discontent with the more recent films ruin the new one's chances?
A new hope
Fans seem to be hopeful about The Force Awakens so far. One good sign is the presence of the original trilogy's lead actors, who seem very positive about the project. The filmmakers have also promised a return to practical effects over CGI. Hundreds of creatures have been created, including ball-shaped droid BB8 and Bobbajo, an alien puppet operated by five people. The movie is directed by J.J. Abrams, maker of many hit films and a huge fan of the franchise himself.
All the pieces seem to be in place for success, perhaps except one -- your place in the theater.
Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Inventing a Language 教學主題: 人造語言
There are lots of movies, in which non human characters speak made up or artificial languages.
Check out Avatar, the Star Wars, and Star Trick movies for examples.
What about those adorable Minions, what language do they speak?
They speak Minionese, a combination of real words, made up words and Gibberish.
Inventing a language, if it’s to be convincing, actually takes a lot of thought and planning, movie makers sometimes use real obscure languages as models to imitate.
Some will hire linguists to help create a language with a real alphabet vocabulary and grammar words.
Movie makers will also take advantage of sound symbolism. That’s the idea that sounds carry their own intrinsic meaning.
Right, let’s say I want to create a sci-fi world with two different alien races, one is cruel and ugly, while the other is beautiful and gentle, so I invent the names Lumarians and Gordanks.
Now based on the sound of those invented names which race would you say is good and which is evil?
Would you say the Gordanks, are the bad guys? I think most people would agree the sound of the word Gordank carries with a harsh brutish quality, right?
Language Lab
spark v.
to make someone feel interested, hopeful etc:
- The science camp sparked Jonah's interest in chemistry.
- The proposal sparked intensive debates between the two parties.
parody n.
a piece of writing, music etc or an action that copies someone or something in an amusing way
- The Scary Movie sequels are successful parodies of many horror movies.
- The painting is a self-parody of the artist's previous work.
intrigued adj.
very interested in something because it seems strange or mysterious
intrigued by
- He was intrigued by her reaction.
trilogy n.
a series of three plays, books etc that are about the same people or subject:
- Jeff watched the entire Blade trilogy because he's a big fan of Wesley Snipes.
- The movie channel played the Mad Max trilogy all in a row last night.
trtralogy 四部曲
- Lethal Weapon tetralogy
droid n. [android n. 的簡稱]
a robot that looks like a person
- The droids were totally controlled by the villain in the movie.
- The little droid can do all kinds of things; it can even tell jokes.
mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20151205baa73ff3d43851120eaf52efd428f373007d974f2900e6442426e18967eeaacd1e4.wma
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