Watches Tell More Than Times
"Complication" - features that go beyond simple timekeeping - are an important part of a watch's image. Today's watches offer a host of features that suit almost any personality. These features include altitude trackers, compasses, lunar calendars, USB drives, and even devices that measure the effectiveness of gold swings!
Creativity is also a key element in today's watches. For example, Japanese watchmaker Tokyoflash make watches that don't even look like watches. The company's popular Shinshoku model uses different color lights to tell the time. It looks more like futuristic bracelet than a watch. Another Japanese watchmaker, EleeNo, makes a "handless" watch. Using a ring of circles to keep time, this watch makes an excellent conversation piece.
Whether a watch communicates fashion sense, creative flair or a love of sports, consumers want their timepieces to stand out. Nowadays, everyone has the same kind of gadget in their bags, so people want to make a statement on their wrists. Will this interest in wrist fashion last? Only time will tell!
altitude n. 高度
= elevation
-> the distance above the sea level
eg: When the climbers reached 4,000 meters, several of them experienced altitude sickness with bad headaches and nosebleeds.
creativity n.
-> the quality of being creative
eg: Working in our company's art department requires a lot of creativity.
future n. 未來
futuristic adj. 未來主義的/未來感的
-> look like that something will happen in the future
eg: The design of this building is very futuristic. It makes me feel like I'm going to outer space!
eg: The futuristic design of the building makes it the landmark of the city.
eg: This futuristic sci-fi novel(未來主義科幻小說) was adapted into a movie.
gadget n. 小器具
-> device
eg: Alex owns lots of gadgets. He got an MP3 player last month, and yesterday he bought a GPS.
eg: This kitchen gadget can open cans in just a few seconds.
eg: These office gadgets are nice gifts for colleagues or clients.
eg: This handy gadget peels(削) an apple and also cuts out the core.
flair n. 天份/才華(常用單數型)
flair for
eg: The girl has a flair for writing music.
eg: Samuel has a flair for solving difficult mathematics problems.
flair n. 特殊風格
eg: The new CEO has certainly got flair.
complication n. 混亂/複雜
a host of
= a large number of
bracelet n. 手鐲
conversation piece 易引起話題的東西
wrist n. 腕/腕關節
stand out 引人注目/脫穎而出
eg: Our daughter is a great dancer, she stands out above the rest.
//== Chat room ==//
hands 手錶的指針
face 手錶的表面
airplanes have nose
a table has legs 桌腳
a comb has teeth 梳子的齒狀物
a needle has an eye 針孔
a bottle has a neck 瓶頸
bottleneck 瓶頸
bottleneck traffic
end pieces of a loaf of bread (一條吐司最末端的部份)腳後跟
= heel 腳後跟
//== Grammer on the go ==//
It looks more like futuristic bracelet than a watch.
-> Tokyoflash watch doesn't look like a watch but more like a bracelet.
Sentence Pattern:
It looks more like an A than a B
-> how something should look in certain way but not
eg: Sarah's evening gown looks more like a coat than a dress.
eg: The artist's painting looks more like a child's artwork than a masterpiece.
2009年6月30日 星期二
2009年6月29日 星期一
20090629 -- Watches Tell More Than Time(1)
Watches Tell More Than Time
From cool Japanese styles to multi-function models, watches make a statement
In today’s world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP3 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is "an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function." Many young adults agree – and use their cell phones to tell time. Louis Galie, a senior vice president at Timex, said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago.
As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads. However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches regain popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality timepiece that doesn't just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted about their products' accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory business. And for many today, the image a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells
device n. 裝置
eg: With this mobile device, I can listen to music, play games and surf the
Internet.
eg: This special device shows where the patients are located in the
hospital.
eg: The device the doctor put in her chest regulates her heartbeats.
consume v. 消費
consumer n. 消費者
eg: Angry consumers called the stored to complain about the damaged
products they had purchased.
eg: The rise of oil prices impacts all consumers.
eg: Consumers should be educated about their rights.
eg: Consumers spending decreased dramatically last year.
popular adj. 受歡迎的
popularity n. 受到大眾歡迎/流行
eg: Social networking websites are increasing in popularity. Even my grandmother uses one!
eg: The movie's success boosted(提升) the actor's popularity(知名度)
eg: Many companies have started to notice the increasing popularity of
organic food.
accuracy n. 精確度
-> how correct/exactly something is
eg: Some universities don't allow students to use information from wikis
because of problems with the sites' accuracy.
crossroads n. 十字路口/轉折點/重大的抉擇時刻
-> two roads come together to form a shape of cross
timepiece n.錶/鐘/計時器
-> a piece of equipment that tells time
accessory n. 附件/配件/附加物件
eg: A radio is an accessory to a car.
//=== Chat room ==//
tool
tools of the trade 專業器具
utensils (不用插電的) 廚房的用具(鍋婉瓢盆)
appliance (要插電的) 家電
instrument 精密工具/儀器
eg: scalpel 解剖刀(屬於instrument)
From cool Japanese styles to multi-function models, watches make a statement
In today’s world of cell phones, mini laptops and MP3 players, most people have at least one time-telling tool with them. Since these devices are so common, is time running out for the 500-year-old watch? According to some consumers, yes. New Jersey teenager Charlie Wollman says a watch is "an extra piece of equipment with no necessary function." Many young adults agree – and use their cell phones to tell time. Louis Galie, a senior vice president at Timex, said that fewer young people wear watches today than five years ago.
As a result, some people claim that the watch industry is at a crossroads. However, watchmakers optimistically say that watches regain popularity when consumers reach their 20s and 30s. By then, they are willing to spend money on a quality timepiece that doesn't just keep good time. Fifty years ago, watchmakers boasted about their products' accuracy. But in recent years, the watch industry has transformed itself into an accessory business. And for many today, the image a watch communicates has become more important than the time it tells
device n. 裝置
eg: With this mobile device, I can listen to music, play games and surf the
Internet.
eg: This special device shows where the patients are located in the
hospital.
eg: The device the doctor put in her chest regulates her heartbeats.
consume v. 消費
consumer n. 消費者
eg: Angry consumers called the stored to complain about the damaged
products they had purchased.
eg: The rise of oil prices impacts all consumers.
eg: Consumers should be educated about their rights.
eg: Consumers spending decreased dramatically last year.
popular adj. 受歡迎的
popularity n. 受到大眾歡迎/流行
eg: Social networking websites are increasing in popularity. Even my grandmother uses one!
eg: The movie's success boosted(提升) the actor's popularity(知名度)
eg: Many companies have started to notice the increasing popularity of
organic food.
accuracy n. 精確度
-> how correct/exactly something is
eg: Some universities don't allow students to use information from wikis
because of problems with the sites' accuracy.
crossroads n. 十字路口/轉折點/重大的抉擇時刻
-> two roads come together to form a shape of cross
timepiece n.錶/鐘/計時器
-> a piece of equipment that tells time
accessory n. 附件/配件/附加物件
eg: A radio is an accessory to a car.
//=== Chat room ==//
tool
tools of the trade 專業器具
utensils (不用插電的) 廚房的用具(鍋婉瓢盆)
appliance (要插電的) 家電
instrument 精密工具/儀器
eg: scalpel 解剖刀(屬於instrument)
2009年6月26日 星期五
20090625 -- American Parties (2)
American Parties
Conversation A
A: Where are you off to, Laura?
B: Jordan's baby shower is next week, so I'm going to buy her a gift.
A: What are you going to get?
B: I'm thinking about getting her a blanket. But she is registered at Target, so I'm going there to look at her list first.
A: Just buy her some baby clothes. Infants grow out of them so fast.
B: New mothers need more than just baby clothes. They need diapers, toys and other things.
A: Well, don't spend too much money!
B: I won't. I should be able to get her something nice for under %50.
Conversation B
Jack comes into the kitchen
A: Mmmm, I can smell that cake all over the house. Can I have a piece?
B: Not now. I'm taking it to the neighborhood potluck tomorrow.
A: I'm looking forwad to that. There are some great cooks in our neighborhood! I'll make sure I have a good appetite!
B: You always do! I think six people are bringing desserts, and the rest are bringing salads.
A: And we have to bring our own meat to barbecue, right?
B: Right, I already bought some steaks.
A: I can't wait!
register v. 新婚夫婦到喜歡的商店登記他們所需要的東西的清單
eg: The couple decided to register for dishes at the department store.
infant n. 嬰兒(還不會走路)
eg: Brenda's infant is only 6 weeks old.
eg: The lotion(乳液) is very mild, and it's suitable for infants.
infant adj. 嬰兒的
eg: My sister gave me some of her daughter's infant clothing.
toddler n. 會走路的幼兒
eg: These active toddlers have really worn me down(讓我累垮了).
diaper n.
eg: Babies need their diapers changed often.
neighborhood n.
eg: Three new families moved into our neighborhood last summer.
look forward to N/Ving 期待某件事的發生
eg: Ava is really looking forward to her birthday party.
eg: Everyone is looking forward to the senior high prom(高中畢業舞會).
eg: We're looking forward to your visit.
//== Chat room ==//
Can I have a piece (of cake)?
Can I have a cake? ( asking for whole cake ) 一整個蛋糕
one pizza ( one entire pizza )
a piece of cake 輕而易舉的事情
eg: That test was a piece of cake.
You can't have your cake and eat it too. 魚與熊掌不能兼得
Conversation A
A: Where are you off to, Laura?
B: Jordan's baby shower is next week, so I'm going to buy her a gift.
A: What are you going to get?
B: I'm thinking about getting her a blanket. But she is registered at Target, so I'm going there to look at her list first.
A: Just buy her some baby clothes. Infants grow out of them so fast.
B: New mothers need more than just baby clothes. They need diapers, toys and other things.
A: Well, don't spend too much money!
B: I won't. I should be able to get her something nice for under %50.
Conversation B
Jack comes into the kitchen
A: Mmmm, I can smell that cake all over the house. Can I have a piece?
B: Not now. I'm taking it to the neighborhood potluck tomorrow.
A: I'm looking forwad to that. There are some great cooks in our neighborhood! I'll make sure I have a good appetite!
B: You always do! I think six people are bringing desserts, and the rest are bringing salads.
A: And we have to bring our own meat to barbecue, right?
B: Right, I already bought some steaks.
A: I can't wait!
register v. 新婚夫婦到喜歡的商店登記他們所需要的東西的清單
eg: The couple decided to register for dishes at the department store.
infant n. 嬰兒(還不會走路)
eg: Brenda's infant is only 6 weeks old.
eg: The lotion(乳液) is very mild, and it's suitable for infants.
infant adj. 嬰兒的
eg: My sister gave me some of her daughter's infant clothing.
toddler n. 會走路的幼兒
eg: These active toddlers have really worn me down(讓我累垮了).
diaper n.
eg: Babies need their diapers changed often.
neighborhood n.
eg: Three new families moved into our neighborhood last summer.
look forward to N/Ving 期待某件事的發生
eg: Ava is really looking forward to her birthday party.
eg: Everyone is looking forward to the senior high prom(高中畢業舞會).
eg: We're looking forward to your visit.
//== Chat room ==//
Can I have a piece (of cake)?
Can I have a cake? ( asking for whole cake ) 一整個蛋糕
one pizza ( one entire pizza )
a piece of cake 輕而易舉的事情
eg: That test was a piece of cake.
You can't have your cake and eat it too. 魚與熊掌不能兼得
2009年6月25日 星期四
20090624 -- American Parties (1)
American Parties
Any excuse for a party!
Americans love parties, and most people choose to entertain in their homes. A gathering can be just a small dinner party for friends. Or it may be a big celebration of a special occasion like a birthday or a wedding anniversary.
One special kind of party, called a shower, celebrates an upcoming wedding or birth. Usually only women attend a wedding shower or baby shower. At the party, women "shower" the bride-to-be or mother-to-be with gifts. Everyone plays games, watches the guest of honor open her gifts, and enjoys refreshments.
A potluck is another popular kind of party that can be held for any reason. At a potluck, everyone brings a dish to share. It might be a main dish, salad or dessert. Sometimes the hostess will tell people what kind of food to bring -- so everyone won't bring the same thing. Whatever the reason for the party, people enjoy sharing food and conversation with their friends.
entertain v. 請客/招待/款待
-> invite someone to your home. Give them food, drinks.
eg: The Smiths entertain often. This weekend they have invited 10 people to dinner.
eg: We entertained our neighbors and friends with BBQ in our backyard.
eg: Mark and his wife don't entertain much.
entertain v. 育樂
eg: Johnny's parents hired a clown to entertain him and his friends.
anniversary n. 週年紀念會/週年紀念日
-> a day of a year which something special happens
ann- 年
eg: John and Joan celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last week.
eg: Dad and Mom will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in Paris.
eg: Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of our company.
guest of honor n. 貴賓
eg: Grandma will be the guest of honor at her 90th birthday party.
refresh v. 使精神振作
refreshment n. 點心/茶點(常作複數型)
-> snack
eg: At the party, Ashley served tea and cake for refreshments.
eg: Refreshments are served at the back of the conference hall.
eg: We stopped and had some light refreshments at a cafe.
gathering
-> get together with people
baby shower
potluck n. 百樂餐(參加聚餐者每人各帶菜餚共享的餐會)
hostess n. 女主人
//== Chat room ==//
political parties 政黨
Republican Party 美國民主黨
Democratic Party 美國共和黨
How big is your party? (去餐廳時，老闆會問)你們這一組人有幾位
Mr. Lee's party 李先生名字登記的派對，所有跟李先生一起用餐的人就屬於Mr. Lee's party
party (法律)關係人/當事人
injured party
third party 第三者
interested party 利害關係者
become a party to something (參與某件壞事)共謀
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Whatever the reason for the party, people enjoy sharing food and conversation with their friends.
= No matter what the reason may be for the party, people enjoy sharing food and conversation with their friends.
Whatever the reason
= No matter what the reason may be
Any excuse for a party!
Americans love parties, and most people choose to entertain in their homes. A gathering can be just a small dinner party for friends. Or it may be a big celebration of a special occasion like a birthday or a wedding anniversary.
One special kind of party, called a shower, celebrates an upcoming wedding or birth. Usually only women attend a wedding shower or baby shower. At the party, women "shower" the bride-to-be or mother-to-be with gifts. Everyone plays games, watches the guest of honor open her gifts, and enjoys refreshments.
A potluck is another popular kind of party that can be held for any reason. At a potluck, everyone brings a dish to share. It might be a main dish, salad or dessert. Sometimes the hostess will tell people what kind of food to bring -- so everyone won't bring the same thing. Whatever the reason for the party, people enjoy sharing food and conversation with their friends.
entertain v. 請客/招待/款待
-> invite someone to your home. Give them food, drinks.
eg: The Smiths entertain often. This weekend they have invited 10 people to dinner.
eg: We entertained our neighbors and friends with BBQ in our backyard.
eg: Mark and his wife don't entertain much.
entertain v. 育樂
eg: Johnny's parents hired a clown to entertain him and his friends.
anniversary n. 週年紀念會/週年紀念日
-> a day of a year which something special happens
ann- 年
eg: John and Joan celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary last week.
eg: Dad and Mom will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary in Paris.
eg: Tomorrow will be the 20th anniversary of our company.
guest of honor n. 貴賓
eg: Grandma will be the guest of honor at her 90th birthday party.
refresh v. 使精神振作
refreshment n. 點心/茶點(常作複數型)
-> snack
eg: At the party, Ashley served tea and cake for refreshments.
eg: Refreshments are served at the back of the conference hall.
eg: We stopped and had some light refreshments at a cafe.
gathering
-> get together with people
baby shower
potluck n. 百樂餐(參加聚餐者每人各帶菜餚共享的餐會)
hostess n. 女主人
//== Chat room ==//
political parties 政黨
Republican Party 美國民主黨
Democratic Party 美國共和黨
How big is your party? (去餐廳時，老闆會問)你們這一組人有幾位
Mr. Lee's party 李先生名字登記的派對，所有跟李先生一起用餐的人就屬於Mr. Lee's party
party (法律)關係人/當事人
injured party
third party 第三者
interested party 利害關係者
become a party to something (參與某件壞事)共謀
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Whatever the reason for the party, people enjoy sharing food and conversation with their friends.
= No matter what the reason may be for the party, people enjoy sharing food and conversation with their friends.
Whatever the reason
= No matter what the reason may be
2009年6月23日 星期二
20090623 -- The Picnic (2)
The Picnic
"Yes, of course," Auntie smiled.
"Just don't pick up anything from people's plates,"
she warned her nephews.
"People don't like sharing their lunches with ants --
although I don't know why not.
After all, we eat so little. Anyway," she continued.
"run along and get your food, I'll pick out a spot to eat."
So the two cousins scurried off before long.
Anthony found a delicious bit of cookie.
But Tyrant was picky. He wasn't satisfied with anything.
He picked through some leftover chips.
He found a chicken bone that had been picked clean.
"Yuck! This food is crummy," he complained.
"It's all been picked over. I don't want any of it."
But just then, he saw something he did want --
a piece of cake with chocolate frosting.
"Looks delicious," he said.
"So what if it's on someone's plates.
I'm getting a piece anyway."
"But you mustn't" cried Anthony.
"You heard what Auntie said."
"Oh, what does she know?" laughed Tyrant.
And disoveying Auntie, he marched onto
the paper plate where the cake was sitting.
"Mmmm -- tasty," he grinned as he picked at the chocolate icing.
Suddenly the plate shifted. It was being picked up.
"Whaaoo!" Tyrant hold on.
A plastic fork cut into the cake just above his head.
A bite-sized piece of cake disappeared.
"Help!" screamed the naughty little ant.
But it was too late.
"Ooooh, ants!" a loud voice sounded.
And suddenly Tyrant was strucked by the plastic fork.
Bits of cake, piece of icing and Tyrant tumbled to the ground.
And Auntie and Anthony are still picking up the pieces.
picky adj. 挑剔的
-> only like certain things
picky about
eg: Vivian eats only the finest food. She's very picky.
eg: Nancy knows how to deal with picky clients.
eg: Amanda is picky about what she eats. She only eats gourmet food (美食).
crummy adj. 品質很差的/劣等的
-> discusting
eg: The hotel we stayed in was dirty and cold. It was a crummy place.
eg: The service at this restaurant is crummy. No wonder there aren't many customers.
eg: I can't believe that the hotel charged me $100 per night for such a crummy room.
disobedience n. 反抗
disobey v. 反抗
-> don't obey
dis- 否定
eg: If you disobey the law, you might go to jail.
eg: That soldier was punished for disobeying his superior.
eg: His disobedience really caused a lot of problems at school.
pick out a spot
-> choose/select a spot
scurry v. 急匆匆地跑
-> run very quickly
pick through
-> have several options. Picking through several options
eg: I have a lot of popcorn. I picked through only the best of the popcorn.
pick over
grin v. 露齒而笑
strucked
-> hit
tumble v. 墜落
eg: Tom tumbled over and hit his head on the concrete.
ants in your pants 熱鍋上的螞蟻
-> cannot sit still
//== Grammer on the go ==//
So what if it's on someone's plates.
= Who cares if it's on someone's plates.
So what 那有如何
-> who cares or what does it matter
eg: So what if white shoes aren't popular right now. If you like them, wear them.
eg: So what if I have a lot of work to do. I have a family emergency, so I need to leave now.
//== Chat room ==//
a piece of cake with chocolate frosting
chocolate icing
frosting/icing (蛋糕上面的)糖衣/糖霜
frosting 東北/中西/美西常用
icing 南方常用
icing on the cake 錦上添花
-> additional benefits to something that are already good
"Yes, of course," Auntie smiled.
"Just don't pick up anything from people's plates,"
she warned her nephews.
"People don't like sharing their lunches with ants --
although I don't know why not.
After all, we eat so little. Anyway," she continued.
"run along and get your food, I'll pick out a spot to eat."
So the two cousins scurried off before long.
Anthony found a delicious bit of cookie.
But Tyrant was picky. He wasn't satisfied with anything.
He picked through some leftover chips.
He found a chicken bone that had been picked clean.
"Yuck! This food is crummy," he complained.
"It's all been picked over. I don't want any of it."
But just then, he saw something he did want --
a piece of cake with chocolate frosting.
"Looks delicious," he said.
"So what if it's on someone's plates.
I'm getting a piece anyway."
"But you mustn't" cried Anthony.
"You heard what Auntie said."
"Oh, what does she know?" laughed Tyrant.
And disoveying Auntie, he marched onto
the paper plate where the cake was sitting.
"Mmmm -- tasty," he grinned as he picked at the chocolate icing.
Suddenly the plate shifted. It was being picked up.
"Whaaoo!" Tyrant hold on.
A plastic fork cut into the cake just above his head.
A bite-sized piece of cake disappeared.
"Help!" screamed the naughty little ant.
But it was too late.
"Ooooh, ants!" a loud voice sounded.
And suddenly Tyrant was strucked by the plastic fork.
Bits of cake, piece of icing and Tyrant tumbled to the ground.
And Auntie and Anthony are still picking up the pieces.
picky adj. 挑剔的
-> only like certain things
picky about
eg: Vivian eats only the finest food. She's very picky.
eg: Nancy knows how to deal with picky clients.
eg: Amanda is picky about what she eats. She only eats gourmet food (美食).
crummy adj. 品質很差的/劣等的
-> discusting
eg: The hotel we stayed in was dirty and cold. It was a crummy place.
eg: The service at this restaurant is crummy. No wonder there aren't many customers.
eg: I can't believe that the hotel charged me $100 per night for such a crummy room.
disobedience n. 反抗
disobey v. 反抗
-> don't obey
dis- 否定
eg: If you disobey the law, you might go to jail.
eg: That soldier was punished for disobeying his superior.
eg: His disobedience really caused a lot of problems at school.
pick out a spot
-> choose/select a spot
scurry v. 急匆匆地跑
-> run very quickly
pick through
-> have several options. Picking through several options
eg: I have a lot of popcorn. I picked through only the best of the popcorn.
pick over
grin v. 露齒而笑
strucked
-> hit
tumble v. 墜落
eg: Tom tumbled over and hit his head on the concrete.
ants in your pants 熱鍋上的螞蟻
-> cannot sit still
//== Grammer on the go ==//
So what if it's on someone's plates.
= Who cares if it's on someone's plates.
So what 那有如何
-> who cares or what does it matter
eg: So what if white shoes aren't popular right now. If you like them, wear them.
eg: So what if I have a lot of work to do. I have a family emergency, so I need to leave now.
//== Chat room ==//
a piece of cake with chocolate frosting
chocolate icing
frosting/icing (蛋糕上面的)糖衣/糖霜
frosting 東北/中西/美西常用
icing 南方常用
icing on the cake 錦上添花
-> additional benefits to something that are already good
20090622 -- The Picnic (1)
The Picnic
Come on, everybody! We're going on a picnic!
"Anthony, I have a surprise," cried Auntie.
It's a beautiful day and we’re going on a picnic."
"Oh, boy,” danced the little ant. "I love picnics."
"All ants love picnics," cried Auntie.
"Are you ready? We'll pick up your cousin Tyrant on the way."
Anthony stopped in his tracks. "But Auntie," he sighed,
"Tyrant isn't nice. He picks on everyone. And besides,
he complains all the time too. He picks apart everything.
Does he have to come along?"
"Yes, of course," smiled Auntie.
"After all, he is your cousin. But don't worry,
we'll have a wonderful time," Auntie promised.
"Now, hurry! Pick up your feet and come along ... let's march!"
So they pick up cousin Tyrant and join a line of other ants.
They marched a long way.
Marching, marching, marching.
And as usual, Tyrant picked on Anthony the whole way.
He stepped on his toes.
He called him names.
He tried to pick fights.
And as usual, he complained too.
"Are we there yet?" he whined. "I'm tired. I'm hungry.
And I have to go to the ..."
Just then, the commander ant picked up the scent of a picnic basket.
The long lines of ants picked up speed -- marching, marching, marching.
They finally arrived at the picnic.
"Well, it's about time," griped Tyrant.
"Mmmm, mmmm." smiled Auntie,
"Just look at all this food. Why there are sandwiches, potato chips,
fried chicken, cakes, watermelon, pies and more!" "Yahoo!" cheered Anthony.
"Can we pick and choose whatever we like, Auntie?"
call names
call someone names 謾罵某人
names 罵人用的難聽話
eg: Calling people names is unkind and impolite.
eg: Bullies at school call him names and beat him up a lot.
whine v. 發牢騷
whining
whine about
eg: That little baby whines if he doesn't get what he wants.
eg: Sandra's mother told her to stop whining.
eg: Adam whined about how terrible his boss was.
gripe v. 發牢騷
eg: Max griped about having to go to work on the weekend.
eg: Patrick is griping about his little brother again.
gripe n. 不滿/牢騷
eg: My main gripe is that the heater(暖氣) doesn't work in the hotel room.
pick up
stop in one's tracks
-> frozen / not wanting to move
Tyrant
-> usually means that leader/goverment leader who leads with force is not interested in hearing what the people want
//== Chat room ==//
He stepped on his toes. 踩到腳趾頭(雙關:冒犯踩到別人痛處)(侵犯到他人的工作)
keep someone on their toes (使某人墊腳站在腳尖上，動物做這種動作時，為警覺的狀態)使某人專注於他的工作
Come on, everybody! We're going on a picnic!
"Anthony, I have a surprise," cried Auntie.
It's a beautiful day and we’re going on a picnic."
"Oh, boy,” danced the little ant. "I love picnics."
"All ants love picnics," cried Auntie.
"Are you ready? We'll pick up your cousin Tyrant on the way."
Anthony stopped in his tracks. "But Auntie," he sighed,
"Tyrant isn't nice. He picks on everyone. And besides,
he complains all the time too. He picks apart everything.
Does he have to come along?"
"Yes, of course," smiled Auntie.
"After all, he is your cousin. But don't worry,
we'll have a wonderful time," Auntie promised.
"Now, hurry! Pick up your feet and come along ... let's march!"
So they pick up cousin Tyrant and join a line of other ants.
They marched a long way.
Marching, marching, marching.
And as usual, Tyrant picked on Anthony the whole way.
He stepped on his toes.
He called him names.
He tried to pick fights.
And as usual, he complained too.
"Are we there yet?" he whined. "I'm tired. I'm hungry.
And I have to go to the ..."
Just then, the commander ant picked up the scent of a picnic basket.
The long lines of ants picked up speed -- marching, marching, marching.
They finally arrived at the picnic.
"Well, it's about time," griped Tyrant.
"Mmmm, mmmm." smiled Auntie,
"Just look at all this food. Why there are sandwiches, potato chips,
fried chicken, cakes, watermelon, pies and more!" "Yahoo!" cheered Anthony.
"Can we pick and choose whatever we like, Auntie?"
call names
call someone names 謾罵某人
names 罵人用的難聽話
eg: Calling people names is unkind and impolite.
eg: Bullies at school call him names and beat him up a lot.
whine v. 發牢騷
whining
whine about
eg: That little baby whines if he doesn't get what he wants.
eg: Sandra's mother told her to stop whining.
eg: Adam whined about how terrible his boss was.
gripe v. 發牢騷
eg: Max griped about having to go to work on the weekend.
eg: Patrick is griping about his little brother again.
gripe n. 不滿/牢騷
eg: My main gripe is that the heater(暖氣) doesn't work in the hotel room.
pick up
stop in one's tracks
-> frozen / not wanting to move
Tyrant
-> usually means that leader/goverment leader who leads with force is not interested in hearing what the people want
//== Chat room ==//
He stepped on his toes. 踩到腳趾頭(雙關:冒犯踩到別人痛處)(侵犯到他人的工作)
keep someone on their toes (使某人墊腳站在腳尖上，動物做這種動作時，為警覺的狀態)使某人專注於他的工作
2009年6月20日 星期六
20090620 -- English Around the World (2)
English Around the World
SC: Can people who speak different dialects understand each other?
CM: Often people who speak different dialects can understand each other easily. For example, Australian English speakers can generally understand what American English speakers are saying. Within other languages, dialects are comparatively more difficult for speakers of different dialects to understand. Speakers of Mandarin, for example, may not be able to understand speakers of Cantonese even though Mandarin and Cantonese are dialects and not separate languages. For this reason, linguists usually say that the difference between a dialect and a language is not clear-cut.
SC: If you are an English student, does it matter which dialect you study?
CM: People often have differing perspectives on this, but linguist do no believe that any one dialect of English is best. Right now, American English is popular and prestigious. In just a few years, though, non-native English speakers will outnumber native English speakers. As a result, there may be less demand for people to speak a certain type of English, like American English. What may be more important is how well a person can use English to communicate with people from very diverse cultural and international backgrounds.
comparatively adv. 比較上地
comparative adj. 比較上的/相當的
eg: Among the students in my class, Shannon writes comparatively well.
eg: Men are comparatively more skillfull in driving than women.
eg: Comparatively speaking, the price of this software is quite reasonable.
clear-cut adj. 明確的/清楚的
-> clearly distinquish
eg: I'm not sure what to do because the situation is not clear-cut.
eg: This is well-organized company. Each person's job content is quite clear-out.
clear-cut adj. 輪廓鮮明的
eg: This clear-cut fabric design received a lot of praise at the fashion show.
perspective n. 看法/觀點
-> how you fell/veiw something
eg: From the company's perspective, this is a great way to save money.
prestigious adj. 有名望的
-> something has reputation for begin successful or being a high end
eg: Last year, Martin won a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University.
outnumber v. 數量上超過
eg: The Yankees are so popular that their fans always outnumber our fans.
eg: In this school, students who commute outnumber those who live in the dorm.
eg: In our office, male employees outnumber female employees 2 to 1.
//== Chat room ==//
differing perspectives
different adj. 形容兩種不同的東西
differing 現在分詞 不同(只侷限於觀念/思想)
-> usually refer to concept or idea
eg: differing opinions
eg: differing perspectives
eg: different perspectives
different from
SC: Can people who speak different dialects understand each other?
CM: Often people who speak different dialects can understand each other easily. For example, Australian English speakers can generally understand what American English speakers are saying. Within other languages, dialects are comparatively more difficult for speakers of different dialects to understand. Speakers of Mandarin, for example, may not be able to understand speakers of Cantonese even though Mandarin and Cantonese are dialects and not separate languages. For this reason, linguists usually say that the difference between a dialect and a language is not clear-cut.
SC: If you are an English student, does it matter which dialect you study?
CM: People often have differing perspectives on this, but linguist do no believe that any one dialect of English is best. Right now, American English is popular and prestigious. In just a few years, though, non-native English speakers will outnumber native English speakers. As a result, there may be less demand for people to speak a certain type of English, like American English. What may be more important is how well a person can use English to communicate with people from very diverse cultural and international backgrounds.
comparatively adv. 比較上地
comparative adj. 比較上的/相當的
eg: Among the students in my class, Shannon writes comparatively well.
eg: Men are comparatively more skillfull in driving than women.
eg: Comparatively speaking, the price of this software is quite reasonable.
clear-cut adj. 明確的/清楚的
-> clearly distinquish
eg: I'm not sure what to do because the situation is not clear-cut.
eg: This is well-organized company. Each person's job content is quite clear-out.
clear-cut adj. 輪廓鮮明的
eg: This clear-cut fabric design received a lot of praise at the fashion show.
perspective n. 看法/觀點
-> how you fell/veiw something
eg: From the company's perspective, this is a great way to save money.
prestigious adj. 有名望的
-> something has reputation for begin successful or being a high end
eg: Last year, Martin won a prestigious Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University.
outnumber v. 數量上超過
eg: The Yankees are so popular that their fans always outnumber our fans.
eg: In this school, students who commute outnumber those who live in the dorm.
eg: In our office, male employees outnumber female employees 2 to 1.
//== Chat room ==//
differing perspectives
different adj. 形容兩種不同的東西
differing 現在分詞 不同(只侷限於觀念/思想)
-> usually refer to concept or idea
eg: differing opinions
eg: differing perspectives
eg: different perspectives
different from
2009年6月19日 星期五
20090619 -- English Around the World (1)
English Around the World
SC: What is a dialect?
CM: Dialects are usually thought of as being different versions of one language. Dialects may be characterized by unique pronunciations, grammar patterns and vocabulary words.
SC: How many different dialects of English are spoken around the world?
CM: English is comprised of many different dialects, not just in the United States and the United Kingdom, but also in places like India, Kenya and Singapore. There are even different dialects of American English. Depending on where you are in the United States, you might hear different words, phrases and sounds. In the South, you might hear people say “y’all”instead of “you” (plural).
They also call carbonated beverages soft drinks” rather than “soda” or “pop."
Another important dialect is spoken by many African Americans. Sometimes this dialect is called "Ebonics," but linquist call it "African-American English." This dialect is very important to American culture. Many culture terms and popular phrases like "cool," "jazz" and "chill out!" came from African-American English.
SC: Which dialect is the most common?
CM: British English was spoken most often around the world, but over time that dominance has eroded. As American culture became popular so did American English.
dialect n. 方言
eg: I couldn't understand the Chinese dialect the taxi driver was speaking.
eg: Not a lot of people can speak this regional dialect.
eg: The Italian actor spoke with a Sicilain(西西里) dialect in the movie.
eg: This folk song(民歌) was sung in a Scottish(蘇格蘭) dialect.
comprise v. 由...組合
-> made up of ...
eg: The team is comprised of some excellent basketball players.
eg: The class is comprised of students from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong.
eg: U.S. is comprised of fifty states.
= U.S. comprises of fifty states.
comprise v. 包括/包含
eg: The travel kit comprises face cleaner(洗面霜), lotion(乳液) and moisturizer(面霜).
linguist n. 語言學者
eg: Miriam worked as a linquist for three years before becoming a writer
erode v. 腐蝕/侵蝕
eg: If you cut down all the trees up there, the rain will erode the soil from hillside.
eg: The shed(小屋) was eroded by the sea wind.
erode v. 減損
eg: Her passion for work slowly eroded as she grew older.
eg: His lying gradually eroded my confidence in him.
carbonate n. 碳酸鹽
carbonated beverages 碳酸飲料
ebonics 黑人英語
由 ebony 和 phonics 拼綴而成，黑人英語 (首創於 1973 年, 指一種源於西非，豐富且具有語法一致性的美國黑人語言。主要特徵包括動詞 to be 不變位, 如 I be joking, 詞尾輔音脫落, 如 hand 讀作 han 等)
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Dialects are usually thought of as being different versions of one language.
We can say:
People usually think of dialects as being different versions of one language.
Subject + be-verb + thought of as + description of subject
Instead of saying:
People often think of cats as being indenpent and unpredictable.
-> Cats are often thought of as being indenpent and unpredictable.
Rather than saying:
People usually think of fast food as being unhealthy.
-> Fast food is usually thought of as being unhealthy.
SC: What is a dialect?
CM: Dialects are usually thought of as being different versions of one language. Dialects may be characterized by unique pronunciations, grammar patterns and vocabulary words.
SC: How many different dialects of English are spoken around the world?
CM: English is comprised of many different dialects, not just in the United States and the United Kingdom, but also in places like India, Kenya and Singapore. There are even different dialects of American English. Depending on where you are in the United States, you might hear different words, phrases and sounds. In the South, you might hear people say “y’all”instead of “you” (plural).
They also call carbonated beverages soft drinks” rather than “soda” or “pop."
Another important dialect is spoken by many African Americans. Sometimes this dialect is called "Ebonics," but linquist call it "African-American English." This dialect is very important to American culture. Many culture terms and popular phrases like "cool," "jazz" and "chill out!" came from African-American English.
SC: Which dialect is the most common?
CM: British English was spoken most often around the world, but over time that dominance has eroded. As American culture became popular so did American English.
dialect n. 方言
eg: I couldn't understand the Chinese dialect the taxi driver was speaking.
eg: Not a lot of people can speak this regional dialect.
eg: The Italian actor spoke with a Sicilain(西西里) dialect in the movie.
eg: This folk song(民歌) was sung in a Scottish(蘇格蘭) dialect.
comprise v. 由...組合
-> made up of ...
eg: The team is comprised of some excellent basketball players.
eg: The class is comprised of students from Korea, Japan and Hong Kong.
eg: U.S. is comprised of fifty states.
= U.S. comprises of fifty states.
comprise v. 包括/包含
eg: The travel kit comprises face cleaner(洗面霜), lotion(乳液) and moisturizer(面霜).
linguist n. 語言學者
eg: Miriam worked as a linquist for three years before becoming a writer
erode v. 腐蝕/侵蝕
eg: If you cut down all the trees up there, the rain will erode the soil from hillside.
eg: The shed(小屋) was eroded by the sea wind.
erode v. 減損
eg: Her passion for work slowly eroded as she grew older.
eg: His lying gradually eroded my confidence in him.
carbonate n. 碳酸鹽
carbonated beverages 碳酸飲料
ebonics 黑人英語
由 ebony 和 phonics 拼綴而成，黑人英語 (首創於 1973 年, 指一種源於西非，豐富且具有語法一致性的美國黑人語言。主要特徵包括動詞 to be 不變位, 如 I be joking, 詞尾輔音脫落, 如 hand 讀作 han 等)
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Dialects are usually thought of as being different versions of one language.
We can say:
People usually think of dialects as being different versions of one language.
Subject + be-verb + thought of as + description of subject
Instead of saying:
People often think of cats as being indenpent and unpredictable.
-> Cats are often thought of as being indenpent and unpredictable.
Rather than saying:
People usually think of fast food as being unhealthy.
-> Fast food is usually thought of as being unhealthy.
成功征服聖母峰的台灣登山客，返回第二營
from: http://www.studentpost.com.tw/words/default.asp
Taiwan mountaineers return to Camp II after conquering Mt. Everest
The three Taiwanese mountaineers who succeeded in reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, the world's highest mountain, are scheduled to return to their base camp. Three members of Taiwan's "Atunas Seven Summits Expedition Team" set a new record as the largest number of local mountaineers to conquer the peak simultaneously. It also marked the first time in 13 years that local alpinists have made it to the top of Mt. Everest.
Meanwhile, Chiang Hsiu-chen, one of the three successful climbers, became the first woman of Chinese descent to ever conquer seven peaks on seven continents and to climb to the summit of Mt. Everest from both the North Side and South Side of the peak, a spokesman added.
Chiang, a 39-year-old mountain ranger at the Yushan National Park, and two male fellow mountaineers, Wu Yu-lung, a 49-year-old Bhunung tribesman who is the leader of a rescue team, and Huang Chih-hau, who is doing post doctorate research in electronic engineering, reached the summit of Mt. Everest at 12: 52 p.m. Tuesday, May 19th.
All three were in good shape and had safely descended to Camp IV at 7,950 meters at around 8 p.m. Tuesday May 19th, said the spokesman.
"The trio's achievement signifies that the courage and skill of our mountaineers are on par with the world's top alpinists, " a spokesman said.
//== 文章大意 ==//
台灣登山者江秀貞、伍玉龍、謝穎泝三人同時征服聖母峰，
在人數上這一個創舉，三個人同時登上聖母峰的頂峰。
三個人目前身體狀況良好，且在19號晚間八點成功地下降到高度7,950公尺高的第四營區
發言人說道：三個人的成就意味著的他們三人的勇氣與技巧將與世界頂尖登山者齊名。
//== 單字 ==//
summit (n.) 頂峰；峰頂
eg: The view from the mountain's summit was incredible.
simultaneously (adv.) 同時地
eg: Everyone in the movie theater jumped simultaneously, when the monster appeared on the screen.
alpinist (n.) 登山客
eg: I have always loved living in the mountains so it is no wonder that I decided to become an alpinist.
spokesman (n.) 發言人；代言人
eg: The reporters wanted to question the CEO about the scandal, but they were only able to speak to the company spokesman.
ranger (n.) 國家公園管理員
eg: My brother is a ranger, who was injured last year by poachers in the National Park.
to descend (v.) 下來；下降
eg: As the elevator descended it got stuck on the 37th floor.
trio (n.) 三個（或三人）一組
eg: There is a famous jazz trio playing at our favorite club this Friday.
also marked 代表；意味
eg: That also marked the 5th time you got lost on that road trip.
in good shape （健康、體能狀況）良好
eg: When they found the survivors they were all in good shape, and were quickly able to go home to their families.
on par 與…平起平坐；不相上下
eg: Although he is 3 years younger than you, his skills at basketball seem to be on par with yours
doctorate research 博士研究
signify v. 有...的意思
//== 相關新聞 ==//
from: http://news.epochtimes.com.tw/7/3/10/50169.htm
挑戰世界7頂峰 台灣創造歷史
征服高山，是許多登山者的夢想！但是要在3年內攻遍世界7大洲的最高峰，幾乎是件「不可能的任務」，不過6位來自台灣的登山好手，偏要「挑戰不可能」！目前他們已經成功攻下了3座頂峰；不久的將來，他們更將以無比的毅力和勇氣，為自己、也為台灣寫下
征服7頂峰 全球不到百人
全世界有超過2,200人攀登過聖母峰，但是成功挑戰世界7頂峰的登山者卻不到100人，有人說，這是比拿奧運金牌還要困難的任務；因為這7座山，海拔由4,884到8,848公尺不等，最大的威脅不僅僅是令人望而生畏的高度，險峻的地形與詭譎多變的氣候更是可怕的敵人。
2005年，6位台灣選手組成一支登山隊，在企業贊助下，從去年開始，展開挑戰世界7頂峰的3年計畫，已經陸續攻頂歐洲的厄爾布魯斯峰、以及非洲的吉力馬札羅火山。
第3個目標是南美洲阿根廷和智利交界處的「阿空加瓜山」，海拔將近7千公尺，在7頂峰裡高度僅次於聖母峰。今年1月下旬，台灣攀登隊因為簽證問題，延誤出發時間，抵達當地已經是天寒地凍的攀登季末期；沒想到在攻頂途中，天公又不作美，出現歷年罕見的暴風雪，讓他們一路吃盡苦頭。
但是當2月19日成功攻頂的那一霎那，所有的不適與疲累，都已經隨著阿空加瓜山上呼嘯不斷的風聲，而化為烏有，取而代之的是征服高山的興奮和歡笑的淚水，隊員江秀貞一邊拿著攝影機，錄下這個用生命換來的珍貴畫面，一邊喘著氣高喊：「台灣，加油，成功！」
暴風雪中的生存試煉
今年37歲的江秀貞是台灣7頂峰攀登隊中唯一的女性成員，10年前她成功攀登聖母峰，是全世界第1位攻頂成功的「漢族」女性，這回她和隊友、同時也是原住民登山老手伍玉龍一起攻頂。
途中隊友伍玉龍因為要補給裝備下山，她只好獨自留在基地營；回想起當時在暴風雪中受困2天，面對快被強風吹走的帳蓬的恐怖經歷，江秀貞說，當時只能跪求老天留她一命：「它是整天暴風雪，所以後來我還是放棄了，又把鞋子什麼的統統脫掉，待在帳蓬裡面。到最後沒辦法的時候，就是暴風雪已經幾乎要壓垮你的帳蓬了，那我就只好跪下來跟聖母瑪莉亞、跟老天爺，跟可以求的都跟他求說：拜託，饒我一命！」
江秀貞以「魂飛魄散」，來形容阿空加瓜之行；而對於已經是第2次攀登阿空加瓜峰的資深老手伍玉龍來說，面對大自然殘酷的考驗，也不得不甘拜下風，他記得自己一度被強風吹跑！但是因為擔心隊友的安危，他依然咬緊牙關、往前挺進：「我走到第一營的時候，有一個風一瞬間把我從步道、吹我吹到步道下方將近1米的地方，我是認為那只是單純的一個風，我繼續走，過了第一營，往上到雪線的時候，發現真的我沒辦法上到第二營，然後下到基地，隔一天我再繼續走。那時候溫度真的很冷，大概零下20度，這是這次爬山最大的感受。」
睽別兩天兩夜，當獨自留守營地的江秀貞看到伍玉龍的身影在雪地中緩緩出現，一向堅強的她淚水也不禁奪眶而出；再定睛一看，附近的帳蓬早在暴風雪的肆虐下垮了一半，驚險萬分！而伍玉龍看到遠方江秀貞的帳蓬依然安好時，身體也彷彿隨著心裡鬆懈下來，就這樣在雪地裡累得無法再往前走一步……。
用毅力和勇氣寫歷史
安逸中求心靈昇華成長
當第一梯次的伍玉龍與江秀貞攻頂之後，第二組挑戰的謝穎泝和台灣山友楊世平，也在3天後成功的攻頂。謝穎泝說，其實當時也有其他國際團隊準備一口氣衝上山，但是最後都因為天候因素而放棄，只有他們說什麼也要硬著頭皮、冒著寒風前進，原因很單純也很有趣，因為：怕趕不上回國的飛機。
謝穎泝說：「上C3之後，本來也是決定隔天就要攻頂，可是隔天又是天氣不好，風大，雪又捲得整個山屋都是；我們同行的美國隊他們總共7個人，又被嚮導帶下去。那時候我就跟楊世平繼續堅守崗位，那天晚上很不好過，因為連山屋裡面都零下16度，吐出的氣都會看到冰晶，很冷，我們又熬了一晚，決定今天再不攻不行，因為（記者：飛機要跑了？），對，飛機要跑了，下山還要時間。」
別瞧謝穎泝說得輕鬆，其實當下嚴峻險惡的環境，絕非一般人所能想像。來自各國的登山好手，有人順利攻頂，有人卻只能帶著遺憾回家，關鍵因素除了運氣之外，其實絕大部份都得靠勇氣、智慧和毅力；台灣攀登隊就是憑藉著不服輸的精神，成為同一時間、唯一攻頂成功的隊伍。
江秀貞說：「那個墨西哥人就說：『唉呀！真是莫名其妙，我在家裡好好的躺著看電視啊，老婆還會服侍我什麼的，我來這裡幹什麼？』可是我仔細的思考過了，我覺得人在安逸中會有一點恐懼，所以在安逸中求困境，然後由這樣的體驗，去獲得心靈的昇華跟成長。」
然而台灣7頂峰攀登隊的任務還沒有結束，5月他們又將挑戰北美第一高峰麥肯尼（Mt.McKinley），在7頂峰中高度僅次聖母峰與阿空加瓜；而南極的文森峰，如果天氣惡劣，甚至可能達到零下70-80度的酷寒，對體力和耐力都是前所未有的考驗。至於7頂峰最高的聖母峰，則是他們計劃在明年5月要挑戰的終極目標。
他們要以行動向世人證明：台灣不但能在國際山岳界發光發熱，而且可以爬得更高、看得更遠！
——轉載自「中央廣播電台」◇
Taiwan mountaineers return to Camp II after conquering Mt. Everest
The three Taiwanese mountaineers who succeeded in reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, the world's highest mountain, are scheduled to return to their base camp. Three members of Taiwan's "Atunas Seven Summits Expedition Team" set a new record as the largest number of local mountaineers to conquer the peak simultaneously. It also marked the first time in 13 years that local alpinists have made it to the top of Mt. Everest.
Meanwhile, Chiang Hsiu-chen, one of the three successful climbers, became the first woman of Chinese descent to ever conquer seven peaks on seven continents and to climb to the summit of Mt. Everest from both the North Side and South Side of the peak, a spokesman added.
Chiang, a 39-year-old mountain ranger at the Yushan National Park, and two male fellow mountaineers, Wu Yu-lung, a 49-year-old Bhunung tribesman who is the leader of a rescue team, and Huang Chih-hau, who is doing post doctorate research in electronic engineering, reached the summit of Mt. Everest at 12: 52 p.m. Tuesday, May 19th.
All three were in good shape and had safely descended to Camp IV at 7,950 meters at around 8 p.m. Tuesday May 19th, said the spokesman.
"The trio's achievement signifies that the courage and skill of our mountaineers are on par with the world's top alpinists, " a spokesman said.
//== 文章大意 ==//
台灣登山者江秀貞、伍玉龍、謝穎泝三人同時征服聖母峰，
在人數上這一個創舉，三個人同時登上聖母峰的頂峰。
三個人目前身體狀況良好，且在19號晚間八點成功地下降到高度7,950公尺高的第四營區
發言人說道：三個人的成就意味著的他們三人的勇氣與技巧將與世界頂尖登山者齊名。
//== 單字 ==//
summit (n.) 頂峰；峰頂
eg: The view from the mountain's summit was incredible.
simultaneously (adv.) 同時地
eg: Everyone in the movie theater jumped simultaneously, when the monster appeared on the screen.
alpinist (n.) 登山客
eg: I have always loved living in the mountains so it is no wonder that I decided to become an alpinist.
spokesman (n.) 發言人；代言人
eg: The reporters wanted to question the CEO about the scandal, but they were only able to speak to the company spokesman.
ranger (n.) 國家公園管理員
eg: My brother is a ranger, who was injured last year by poachers in the National Park.
to descend (v.) 下來；下降
eg: As the elevator descended it got stuck on the 37th floor.
trio (n.) 三個（或三人）一組
eg: There is a famous jazz trio playing at our favorite club this Friday.
also marked 代表；意味
eg: That also marked the 5th time you got lost on that road trip.
in good shape （健康、體能狀況）良好
eg: When they found the survivors they were all in good shape, and were quickly able to go home to their families.
on par 與…平起平坐；不相上下
eg: Although he is 3 years younger than you, his skills at basketball seem to be on par with yours
doctorate research 博士研究
signify v. 有...的意思
//== 相關新聞 ==//
from: http://news.epochtimes.com.tw/7/3/10/50169.htm
挑戰世界7頂峰 台灣創造歷史
征服高山，是許多登山者的夢想！但是要在3年內攻遍世界7大洲的最高峰，幾乎是件「不可能的任務」，不過6位來自台灣的登山好手，偏要「挑戰不可能」！目前他們已經成功攻下了3座頂峰；不久的將來，他們更將以無比的毅力和勇氣，為自己、也為台灣寫下
征服7頂峰 全球不到百人
全世界有超過2,200人攀登過聖母峰，但是成功挑戰世界7頂峰的登山者卻不到100人，有人說，這是比拿奧運金牌還要困難的任務；因為這7座山，海拔由4,884到8,848公尺不等，最大的威脅不僅僅是令人望而生畏的高度，險峻的地形與詭譎多變的氣候更是可怕的敵人。
2005年，6位台灣選手組成一支登山隊，在企業贊助下，從去年開始，展開挑戰世界7頂峰的3年計畫，已經陸續攻頂歐洲的厄爾布魯斯峰、以及非洲的吉力馬札羅火山。
第3個目標是南美洲阿根廷和智利交界處的「阿空加瓜山」，海拔將近7千公尺，在7頂峰裡高度僅次於聖母峰。今年1月下旬，台灣攀登隊因為簽證問題，延誤出發時間，抵達當地已經是天寒地凍的攀登季末期；沒想到在攻頂途中，天公又不作美，出現歷年罕見的暴風雪，讓他們一路吃盡苦頭。
但是當2月19日成功攻頂的那一霎那，所有的不適與疲累，都已經隨著阿空加瓜山上呼嘯不斷的風聲，而化為烏有，取而代之的是征服高山的興奮和歡笑的淚水，隊員江秀貞一邊拿著攝影機，錄下這個用生命換來的珍貴畫面，一邊喘著氣高喊：「台灣，加油，成功！」
暴風雪中的生存試煉
今年37歲的江秀貞是台灣7頂峰攀登隊中唯一的女性成員，10年前她成功攀登聖母峰，是全世界第1位攻頂成功的「漢族」女性，這回她和隊友、同時也是原住民登山老手伍玉龍一起攻頂。
途中隊友伍玉龍因為要補給裝備下山，她只好獨自留在基地營；回想起當時在暴風雪中受困2天，面對快被強風吹走的帳蓬的恐怖經歷，江秀貞說，當時只能跪求老天留她一命：「它是整天暴風雪，所以後來我還是放棄了，又把鞋子什麼的統統脫掉，待在帳蓬裡面。到最後沒辦法的時候，就是暴風雪已經幾乎要壓垮你的帳蓬了，那我就只好跪下來跟聖母瑪莉亞、跟老天爺，跟可以求的都跟他求說：拜託，饒我一命！」
江秀貞以「魂飛魄散」，來形容阿空加瓜之行；而對於已經是第2次攀登阿空加瓜峰的資深老手伍玉龍來說，面對大自然殘酷的考驗，也不得不甘拜下風，他記得自己一度被強風吹跑！但是因為擔心隊友的安危，他依然咬緊牙關、往前挺進：「我走到第一營的時候，有一個風一瞬間把我從步道、吹我吹到步道下方將近1米的地方，我是認為那只是單純的一個風，我繼續走，過了第一營，往上到雪線的時候，發現真的我沒辦法上到第二營，然後下到基地，隔一天我再繼續走。那時候溫度真的很冷，大概零下20度，這是這次爬山最大的感受。」
睽別兩天兩夜，當獨自留守營地的江秀貞看到伍玉龍的身影在雪地中緩緩出現，一向堅強的她淚水也不禁奪眶而出；再定睛一看，附近的帳蓬早在暴風雪的肆虐下垮了一半，驚險萬分！而伍玉龍看到遠方江秀貞的帳蓬依然安好時，身體也彷彿隨著心裡鬆懈下來，就這樣在雪地裡累得無法再往前走一步……。
用毅力和勇氣寫歷史
安逸中求心靈昇華成長
當第一梯次的伍玉龍與江秀貞攻頂之後，第二組挑戰的謝穎泝和台灣山友楊世平，也在3天後成功的攻頂。謝穎泝說，其實當時也有其他國際團隊準備一口氣衝上山，但是最後都因為天候因素而放棄，只有他們說什麼也要硬著頭皮、冒著寒風前進，原因很單純也很有趣，因為：怕趕不上回國的飛機。
謝穎泝說：「上C3之後，本來也是決定隔天就要攻頂，可是隔天又是天氣不好，風大，雪又捲得整個山屋都是；我們同行的美國隊他們總共7個人，又被嚮導帶下去。那時候我就跟楊世平繼續堅守崗位，那天晚上很不好過，因為連山屋裡面都零下16度，吐出的氣都會看到冰晶，很冷，我們又熬了一晚，決定今天再不攻不行，因為（記者：飛機要跑了？），對，飛機要跑了，下山還要時間。」
別瞧謝穎泝說得輕鬆，其實當下嚴峻險惡的環境，絕非一般人所能想像。來自各國的登山好手，有人順利攻頂，有人卻只能帶著遺憾回家，關鍵因素除了運氣之外，其實絕大部份都得靠勇氣、智慧和毅力；台灣攀登隊就是憑藉著不服輸的精神，成為同一時間、唯一攻頂成功的隊伍。
江秀貞說：「那個墨西哥人就說：『唉呀！真是莫名其妙，我在家裡好好的躺著看電視啊，老婆還會服侍我什麼的，我來這裡幹什麼？』可是我仔細的思考過了，我覺得人在安逸中會有一點恐懼，所以在安逸中求困境，然後由這樣的體驗，去獲得心靈的昇華跟成長。」
然而台灣7頂峰攀登隊的任務還沒有結束，5月他們又將挑戰北美第一高峰麥肯尼（Mt.McKinley），在7頂峰中高度僅次聖母峰與阿空加瓜；而南極的文森峰，如果天氣惡劣，甚至可能達到零下70-80度的酷寒，對體力和耐力都是前所未有的考驗。至於7頂峰最高的聖母峰，則是他們計劃在明年5月要挑戰的終極目標。
他們要以行動向世人證明：台灣不但能在國際山岳界發光發熱，而且可以爬得更高、看得更遠！
——轉載自「中央廣播電台」◇
2009年6月18日 星期四
20090618 -- Exploring Egypt (2)
Exploring Egypt
Luxor
Farther down the Nile sits Luxor, a town filled with ancient monuments. You can fill entire days seeing Karnak, the largest religious site in the world. Inside, in the Great Hypostyle Hall, you can find 134 stone columns covered in hieroglyphics. Across the river from Luxor lies the Valley of the Kings, the final resting place of many pharaohs. The area became famous in 1922 when King Tut's tomb was discovered. Most of the treasures that were found insdie are on display in a musuem in Cairo.
Cairo and Giza
One can't leave Egypt without seeing the famous Pyramids of Giza. The pyramids, the tallest structure of their time, rise above the desert on the outskirts of Cairo. Each of the three large pyramids holds the tombs of an Egyptian king. Purchase tickets to go inside, and experience the marvelous construction of the pyramids. Two million huge stones, weight 2.5 tons each, were used just to build the largest one! These and even more ancient wonders await those who explore Egypt.
monument n. 紀念碑
eg: A monument in honor of the mayor was built in the town center.
column n. 圓形的柱子/圓柱狀的物體
eg: This column helps support the weight of the roof above it.
eg: The dome was supported by twelve columns.
column n.報紙雜誌上的專欄
eg: He writes a weekly political column for a local newspaper.
construct v. 興建
construction n. 興建
-> way that something is built
eg: The construction of this bridge is very modern.
eg: The construction of this auditorium(運動場) took over 5 years to complete.
eg: This museum was a peculiarly shaped construction.
eg: Our website is still under construction.
await v. 等待(較正式的用字)
= wait for
eg: A great story awaits those who choose to read this book.
eg: He's anxiously awaiting the result of his job interview.
eg: Many challenges await him when he takes over this branch office.
site
-> a place
hieroglyphic n. 象形文字
farther adv. 再往前地
outskirt 市郊/郊區
//== Chat room ==//
ancient
ancient style speaking
out-of-date 過時的/不流行的
-> no use any more
obsolete adj. 廢棄的/淘汰的
ancient <-> modern
modern
up-to-date 現代的
//== Grammer on the go ==//
You can fill entire days seeing Karnak, the largest religious site in the world.
fill entire days seeing
-> spend a long time seeing
fill entire days doing something 一整天都...
(描述起來較生動)
eg: You can fill entire days shopping at the Turkish Bazaar.
eg: You can fill entire days touring all the famous attractions in Orlando, Florida.
Luxor
Farther down the Nile sits Luxor, a town filled with ancient monuments. You can fill entire days seeing Karnak, the largest religious site in the world. Inside, in the Great Hypostyle Hall, you can find 134 stone columns covered in hieroglyphics. Across the river from Luxor lies the Valley of the Kings, the final resting place of many pharaohs. The area became famous in 1922 when King Tut's tomb was discovered. Most of the treasures that were found insdie are on display in a musuem in Cairo.
Cairo and Giza
One can't leave Egypt without seeing the famous Pyramids of Giza. The pyramids, the tallest structure of their time, rise above the desert on the outskirts of Cairo. Each of the three large pyramids holds the tombs of an Egyptian king. Purchase tickets to go inside, and experience the marvelous construction of the pyramids. Two million huge stones, weight 2.5 tons each, were used just to build the largest one! These and even more ancient wonders await those who explore Egypt.
monument n. 紀念碑
eg: A monument in honor of the mayor was built in the town center.
column n. 圓形的柱子/圓柱狀的物體
eg: This column helps support the weight of the roof above it.
eg: The dome was supported by twelve columns.
column n.報紙雜誌上的專欄
eg: He writes a weekly political column for a local newspaper.
construct v. 興建
construction n. 興建
-> way that something is built
eg: The construction of this bridge is very modern.
eg: The construction of this auditorium(運動場) took over 5 years to complete.
eg: This museum was a peculiarly shaped construction.
eg: Our website is still under construction.
await v. 等待(較正式的用字)
= wait for
eg: A great story awaits those who choose to read this book.
eg: He's anxiously awaiting the result of his job interview.
eg: Many challenges await him when he takes over this branch office.
site
-> a place
hieroglyphic n. 象形文字
farther adv. 再往前地
outskirt 市郊/郊區
//== Chat room ==//
ancient
ancient style speaking
out-of-date 過時的/不流行的
-> no use any more
obsolete adj. 廢棄的/淘汰的
ancient <-> modern
modern
up-to-date 現代的
//== Grammer on the go ==//
You can fill entire days seeing Karnak, the largest religious site in the world.
fill entire days seeing
-> spend a long time seeing
fill entire days doing something 一整天都...
(描述起來較生動)
eg: You can fill entire days shopping at the Turkish Bazaar.
eg: You can fill entire days touring all the famous attractions in Orlando, Florida.
2009年6月17日 星期三
20090617 -- Exploring Egypt (1)
Exploring Egypt
Discover the ancient wonders that make Egypt famous
Have you ever wanted to travel in a time machine? If you visit Egypt, you can! A trip to Egypt will take you back thousands of years. You can discover the glorious ruins of Egyptian civilization. Whether you visit impressive pyramids or ancient temples, you can touch the past.
Along the Nile
Aswan, in southern Egypt, is famous for its views of the Nile. The 6,650-km-long Nile River contrasts sharply with Aswan's golden desert landscape.
Walk down the Corniche, a river promenade, and watch the white sails of the boats on the water. Or go across the river where ancient tombs sit on a hillside. The paintings inside the tombs reveal early Egyptian life.
South of Aswan, near Sudan, lies the temple complex of Abu Simbel. Pharaoh Ramses II built two temples here out of rock. The larger one features four huge, 20-m-high statues of Pharaoh himself. Inside are four small statues that are placed so the sun shines on them twice a year.
civilization n. 文明
eg: Henry loves to study history, especially Roman civilization.
eg: Modern Asian cultures are influenced by Western civilization.
eg: Ancient Roman civilization is characterized by its political system.
tomb n. 墓/墓碑
-> the place where the person was burid after he died
eg: Jane's family visits the tomb of her grandfather once a year.
reveal v. 顯露
-> show
eg: Some important information about this country is revealed on its flag.
eg: Helen's expression revealed her fellings toward George.
eg: These letters revealed the dark secrets of the royal family.
eg: The robber wouldn't reveal where he hid his money.
complex n. 綜合系統/綜合式的區域
eg: This medical complex includes hospitals, clinics and a medical school.
eg: The company is located in an office complex in London.
eg: The shopping complex contains three department stores and over 100 shops.
ruin n. 廢墟/遺跡
eg: We visited the ruins of the temple.
Nile n. 尼羅河
Sudan n. 蘇丹(非洲國家)
promenade n. 散步/(開車、乘遊艇)兜風
a river promenade
-> walk along the river
pharaoh n. 法老(古埃及國王)
//== Chat room ==//
touch the past
You can touch the past. 你可以深深感受到過去的情景
touch on 涉及到/提到
-> talk about a specific subject for a short amount of time
eg: touch on the subject on the air travel
touch down 落地/著地
-> airplane lands on the ground
touch up 修補
-> improve something by small changes
touch base (在職場上)和客戶建過一次面後的保持追蹤
-> talk with someone about something
eg: I need to touch base with John about next month meeting.
//== Do you know ==//
The best time to visit Egypt is in the spring and fall to avoid the hot summer months. Mean times in Egypt are later than in most countries. Eat lunch around 3 p.m. and dinner around 9 p.m. The Nile flows south to north. So the southern part of Egypt is called "Upper Egypt" and the area surrounding Cairo is called "Lower Egypt."
Discover the ancient wonders that make Egypt famous
Have you ever wanted to travel in a time machine? If you visit Egypt, you can! A trip to Egypt will take you back thousands of years. You can discover the glorious ruins of Egyptian civilization. Whether you visit impressive pyramids or ancient temples, you can touch the past.
Along the Nile
Aswan, in southern Egypt, is famous for its views of the Nile. The 6,650-km-long Nile River contrasts sharply with Aswan's golden desert landscape.
Walk down the Corniche, a river promenade, and watch the white sails of the boats on the water. Or go across the river where ancient tombs sit on a hillside. The paintings inside the tombs reveal early Egyptian life.
South of Aswan, near Sudan, lies the temple complex of Abu Simbel. Pharaoh Ramses II built two temples here out of rock. The larger one features four huge, 20-m-high statues of Pharaoh himself. Inside are four small statues that are placed so the sun shines on them twice a year.
civilization n. 文明
eg: Henry loves to study history, especially Roman civilization.
eg: Modern Asian cultures are influenced by Western civilization.
eg: Ancient Roman civilization is characterized by its political system.
tomb n. 墓/墓碑
-> the place where the person was burid after he died
eg: Jane's family visits the tomb of her grandfather once a year.
reveal v. 顯露
-> show
eg: Some important information about this country is revealed on its flag.
eg: Helen's expression revealed her fellings toward George.
eg: These letters revealed the dark secrets of the royal family.
eg: The robber wouldn't reveal where he hid his money.
complex n. 綜合系統/綜合式的區域
eg: This medical complex includes hospitals, clinics and a medical school.
eg: The company is located in an office complex in London.
eg: The shopping complex contains three department stores and over 100 shops.
ruin n. 廢墟/遺跡
eg: We visited the ruins of the temple.
Nile n. 尼羅河
Sudan n. 蘇丹(非洲國家)
promenade n. 散步/(開車、乘遊艇)兜風
a river promenade
-> walk along the river
pharaoh n. 法老(古埃及國王)
//== Chat room ==//
touch the past
You can touch the past. 你可以深深感受到過去的情景
touch on 涉及到/提到
-> talk about a specific subject for a short amount of time
eg: touch on the subject on the air travel
touch down 落地/著地
-> airplane lands on the ground
touch up 修補
-> improve something by small changes
touch base (在職場上)和客戶建過一次面後的保持追蹤
-> talk with someone about something
eg: I need to touch base with John about next month meeting.
//== Do you know ==//
The best time to visit Egypt is in the spring and fall to avoid the hot summer months. Mean times in Egypt are later than in most countries. Eat lunch around 3 p.m. and dinner around 9 p.m. The Nile flows south to north. So the southern part of Egypt is called "Upper Egypt" and the area surrounding Cairo is called "Lower Egypt."
to PASS the BUCK 推卸責任
from: http://www.studentpost.com.tw/american/default.asp?sIssue=1134
to PASS the BUCK 推卸責任
The history of this idiom goes back to the American frontier days. During the early 1700s, hunters killed many deer, using their skins for barter. The male deer is called a "buck", and buckskin was prized as a material for making durable outdoor clothing. In a trading camp, a hunter would pass the buckskin that he'd collected to a trader, who would give him money or goods in return. Because of this association, the American dollar came to be called "a buck". In slang, 1 dollar = 1 buck, and 15 dollars = 15 bucks.
Although everyone likes money, the idiom "passing the buck" eventually came to mean passing along something unwanted or undesirable! When a person doesn't want to accept blame for something bad, they may instead blame someone else. Passing on the responsibility for unpleasant things became known as "passing the buck".
//== 解說 ==//
在十七世紀，獵人獵取公鹿，拿公鹿皮換現金。
在俚語裡，一美元就是一頭公鹿。
雖然大家都愛錢，
但是現在成語passing the buck卻是指把不想要的東西推卸出去。
當某人不想被責罵時，他反而會去則怪別人。
推卸不喜歡的事情的責任就變成現在大家都知道的passing the buck
frontier n. 國境/邊境
eg: frontier police 邊境警察
barter v. 拿...進行易貨貿易[(+for/with)]
barter n. 易貨貿易
eg: The mountain farmers barter high-valued apples for money.
buck n. 雄鹿
to PASS the BUCK 推卸責任
The history of this idiom goes back to the American frontier days. During the early 1700s, hunters killed many deer, using their skins for barter. The male deer is called a "buck", and buckskin was prized as a material for making durable outdoor clothing. In a trading camp, a hunter would pass the buckskin that he'd collected to a trader, who would give him money or goods in return. Because of this association, the American dollar came to be called "a buck". In slang, 1 dollar = 1 buck, and 15 dollars = 15 bucks.
Although everyone likes money, the idiom "passing the buck" eventually came to mean passing along something unwanted or undesirable! When a person doesn't want to accept blame for something bad, they may instead blame someone else. Passing on the responsibility for unpleasant things became known as "passing the buck".
//== 解說 ==//
在十七世紀，獵人獵取公鹿，拿公鹿皮換現金。
在俚語裡，一美元就是一頭公鹿。
雖然大家都愛錢，
但是現在成語passing the buck卻是指把不想要的東西推卸出去。
當某人不想被責罵時，他反而會去則怪別人。
推卸不喜歡的事情的責任就變成現在大家都知道的passing the buck
frontier n. 國境/邊境
eg: frontier police 邊境警察
barter v. 拿...進行易貨貿易[(+for/with)]
barter n. 易貨貿易
eg: The mountain farmers barter high-valued apples for money.
buck n. 雄鹿
2009年6月16日 星期二
20090615 -- Some Spell Delicious I-N-S-E-C-T (2)
Some Spell Delicious I-N-S-E-C-T
Years ago in China, imperial menus included insects -- silkworms and scorpions. Today many Chinese still enjoy them on the menu. Most are deep-fried with a little salt -- favorites include scorpions, cicadas, locusts, grasshoppers and bean or silkworms.
Upscale restaurants serve them, and street vendors offer them roasted on a stick. In Mexico, people consume fried grasshoppers. In cities, fried grasshoppers can be bought in cans in supermarket. Mexicans also eat agave worms cooked inside a tortilla.
Some experts hope entomophagy -- the eating of insects -- will become more widespread in the Western world. Raising insects is cheaper and takes far less space than raising regular farm animals. As a food source, insects in general pack in the nutrients: A termite contains 36 mg of iron compared with beef only 4 mg. Those looking to strengthen their bones should try crickets. One cricket contains 76 mg of calcium. Considering that insects on Earth number about 10 quintillion, eating lots won't endanger them. So go ahead and try that ant larva taco!
deep-fry v. 把食物放在油裡面油炸
deep-fried adj. 油炸的
stir-fry v. (炒菜的)炒
-> put it into oil or fat
eg: Chicken tastes delicious when it is deep-fried.
eg: Deep-fry the chicken wings for 6 minutes.
eg: deep-fried potato chips
eg: Stir-fry the beef and then the vegetables.
upscale adj. 高檔的
-> high class, luxurious
eg: When you have dinner at that upscale restaurant, expect to spend at least $60 apiece.
eg: This upscale brand of fine linens(床單) is very popular in England.
eg: The house in the upscale neighborhood cost at least a million dollars.
imperial adj. 特優的
vendor n. 小販
-> selling food
scorpion n. 蠍子
cicada n. 蟬/知了
locust n. 蝗蟲
grasshopper n. 蚱蜢
silkworm n. 蠶
termite n. 白蟻
tortilla n. (墨西哥)玉米粉薄烙餅
wide-spread adj. 普遍的
-> spread over a wide space
eg: The heavy rains caused widespread flooding in the countryside.
eg: The equal-rights compaign (平權運動) received widespread support in this area.
eg: There is no cure for this widespread disease.
endanger v. 危及/使遭到危險
-> put something in danger
eg: If you drive a car adn don't wear a seatbelt, you endanger yourself.
entomophagy n. 食蟲性
-> eating of insects
nutrient n. 營養
quintillion n. 百萬的三次方
larva n. 幼蟲
calcium n. (化學)鈣
//== Chat room ==//
a fly on the wall (牆上的蒼蠅就)偷看到/偷聽到
eg: I wish I could be a fly on the wall too see what's going on in the company.
You wouldn't hurt a fly! 仁慈
open up a can of worms 一發不可收拾
a can of worms 棘手的問題
ants in your pants 熱鍋上的螞蟻
have butterflies in one's stomach (持續不斷地恐懼)七上八下
Years ago in China, imperial menus included insects -- silkworms and scorpions. Today many Chinese still enjoy them on the menu. Most are deep-fried with a little salt -- favorites include scorpions, cicadas, locusts, grasshoppers and bean or silkworms.
Upscale restaurants serve them, and street vendors offer them roasted on a stick. In Mexico, people consume fried grasshoppers. In cities, fried grasshoppers can be bought in cans in supermarket. Mexicans also eat agave worms cooked inside a tortilla.
Some experts hope entomophagy -- the eating of insects -- will become more widespread in the Western world. Raising insects is cheaper and takes far less space than raising regular farm animals. As a food source, insects in general pack in the nutrients: A termite contains 36 mg of iron compared with beef only 4 mg. Those looking to strengthen their bones should try crickets. One cricket contains 76 mg of calcium. Considering that insects on Earth number about 10 quintillion, eating lots won't endanger them. So go ahead and try that ant larva taco!
deep-fry v. 把食物放在油裡面油炸
deep-fried adj. 油炸的
stir-fry v. (炒菜的)炒
-> put it into oil or fat
eg: Chicken tastes delicious when it is deep-fried.
eg: Deep-fry the chicken wings for 6 minutes.
eg: deep-fried potato chips
eg: Stir-fry the beef and then the vegetables.
upscale adj. 高檔的
-> high class, luxurious
eg: When you have dinner at that upscale restaurant, expect to spend at least $60 apiece.
eg: This upscale brand of fine linens(床單) is very popular in England.
eg: The house in the upscale neighborhood cost at least a million dollars.
imperial adj. 特優的
vendor n. 小販
-> selling food
scorpion n. 蠍子
cicada n. 蟬/知了
locust n. 蝗蟲
grasshopper n. 蚱蜢
silkworm n. 蠶
termite n. 白蟻
tortilla n. (墨西哥)玉米粉薄烙餅
wide-spread adj. 普遍的
-> spread over a wide space
eg: The heavy rains caused widespread flooding in the countryside.
eg: The equal-rights compaign (平權運動) received widespread support in this area.
eg: There is no cure for this widespread disease.
endanger v. 危及/使遭到危險
-> put something in danger
eg: If you drive a car adn don't wear a seatbelt, you endanger yourself.
entomophagy n. 食蟲性
-> eating of insects
nutrient n. 營養
quintillion n. 百萬的三次方
larva n. 幼蟲
calcium n. (化學)鈣
//== Chat room ==//
a fly on the wall (牆上的蒼蠅就)偷看到/偷聽到
eg: I wish I could be a fly on the wall too see what's going on in the company.
You wouldn't hurt a fly! 仁慈
open up a can of worms 一發不可收拾
a can of worms 棘手的問題
ants in your pants 熱鍋上的螞蟻
have butterflies in one's stomach (持續不斷地恐懼)七上八下
2009年6月15日 星期一
20090614 -- Some Spell Delicious I-N-S-E-C-T (1)
Some Spell Delicious I-N-S-E-C-T
Eating things that creep and crawl isn't all that unusual.
If you had to choose between a juicy steak and a ant larva taco, which would you choose? From some of you, there is no choice -- you'd take the steak. Yet many people in Asia, Africa and Latin America enjoy insects as an important food source. Experts estimate that half the people in the world include insects in their diet. The creepy crawlies are not only tasty but also nutritious. Many species of insects are high in protein and low in fat.
In Thailand, street markets offer silkworms, grasshoppers and water bugs. People in Ghana roast or fry termites or bake them into bread. In South America, moviegoers can buy roasted ants to eat instead of popcorn. With three times the protein of beef, mopane caterpillars are a favorite food in southern Africa. Some cook them in a stew with tomatoes and oninos, and some eat them dried as a snack. The worms must be harvested from the mopane tress, cooked and dried in the sun. Then they are ready to enjoy.
estimate v. 估計/預估
eg: My dad estimated it will take nine hours to drive from here to Seattle.
eg: It is hard to estimate now how much damage the typhoon caused.
eg: The goverment estimated that over 100,000 people will became unemployed in the following months.
species n. 生物物種(單複數同型)
-> a group of plants/animals that are so similar that are able to breed
eg: Dogs are Jennifer's favorite animal species.
eg: Over 20 species of butterflies can be found on this island.
eg: Pandas are an endangered species.
protein n. 蛋白質
eg: Meat, eggs and peanut butter are good sources of protein.
larva n. 【動】幼蟲/幼體
-> a stage that insects go through and grow up
creepy crawly 爬行動物
crawly adj. 令人毛骨悚然的
harvest v. 收割/採收
eg: In the fall, the farmer harvested all the corn and wheat in his field.
eg: The farmer hired help to harvest the corn.
eg: We need to try to harvest the crops before the frost.
harvest n. 收成/豐收
eg: The wheat harvest will be wonderful this year.
caterpillar n. 毛毛蟲
grasshopper n. 蚱蜢/蝗蟲
//== Grammer on the go ==//
If you had to choose between a juicy steak and a ant larva taco, which would you choose?
-> One is popular and one is strange.
-> The strange one should be the subject of the focus
-> Most likely your audience would choose the popular one
-> And then you can explain why the strange one is nevertheless(仍然) an interesting subject.
grap your audience's attention as soon as possible
//== Chat room ==//
bug n. 癖好/狂熱
bitten by the bug
bitten by the writing bug
bitten by the acting bug 是你想要去演藝界發展
bitten by the sailing bug
bitten by the travel bug 對旅行有一種突如其來的狂熱(一天到晚都想要出國旅遊)
==========================
bug n. 病菌
a flu bug
a stomach bug
a litter bug 亂丟垃圾的人
==========================
put a bug in someone's ear 是先給某人警告/偷偷的告知某人
-> give someone a hint
Eating things that creep and crawl isn't all that unusual.
If you had to choose between a juicy steak and a ant larva taco, which would you choose? From some of you, there is no choice -- you'd take the steak. Yet many people in Asia, Africa and Latin America enjoy insects as an important food source. Experts estimate that half the people in the world include insects in their diet. The creepy crawlies are not only tasty but also nutritious. Many species of insects are high in protein and low in fat.
In Thailand, street markets offer silkworms, grasshoppers and water bugs. People in Ghana roast or fry termites or bake them into bread. In South America, moviegoers can buy roasted ants to eat instead of popcorn. With three times the protein of beef, mopane caterpillars are a favorite food in southern Africa. Some cook them in a stew with tomatoes and oninos, and some eat them dried as a snack. The worms must be harvested from the mopane tress, cooked and dried in the sun. Then they are ready to enjoy.
estimate v. 估計/預估
eg: My dad estimated it will take nine hours to drive from here to Seattle.
eg: It is hard to estimate now how much damage the typhoon caused.
eg: The goverment estimated that over 100,000 people will became unemployed in the following months.
species n. 生物物種(單複數同型)
-> a group of plants/animals that are so similar that are able to breed
eg: Dogs are Jennifer's favorite animal species.
eg: Over 20 species of butterflies can be found on this island.
eg: Pandas are an endangered species.
protein n. 蛋白質
eg: Meat, eggs and peanut butter are good sources of protein.
larva n. 【動】幼蟲/幼體
-> a stage that insects go through and grow up
creepy crawly 爬行動物
crawly adj. 令人毛骨悚然的
harvest v. 收割/採收
eg: In the fall, the farmer harvested all the corn and wheat in his field.
eg: The farmer hired help to harvest the corn.
eg: We need to try to harvest the crops before the frost.
harvest n. 收成/豐收
eg: The wheat harvest will be wonderful this year.
caterpillar n. 毛毛蟲
grasshopper n. 蚱蜢/蝗蟲
//== Grammer on the go ==//
If you had to choose between a juicy steak and a ant larva taco, which would you choose?
-> One is popular and one is strange.
-> The strange one should be the subject of the focus
-> Most likely your audience would choose the popular one
-> And then you can explain why the strange one is nevertheless(仍然) an interesting subject.
grap your audience's attention as soon as possible
//== Chat room ==//
bug n. 癖好/狂熱
bitten by the bug
bitten by the writing bug
bitten by the acting bug 是你想要去演藝界發展
bitten by the sailing bug
bitten by the travel bug 對旅行有一種突如其來的狂熱(一天到晚都想要出國旅遊)
==========================
bug n. 病菌
a flu bug
a stomach bug
a litter bug 亂丟垃圾的人
==========================
put a bug in someone's ear 是先給某人警告/偷偷的告知某人
-> give someone a hint
2009年6月13日 星期六
200906013 -- How Sunburns Work (2)
How Sunburns work
Avoiding sunburn
There are three ways you can avoid sunburn. One is to stay inside over cover all you skin with clothing. The second way is to use a sunscreen. Sun screen contains chemicals that absorb ultraviolet light. The third way is to get out in the sun a little bit each day and get a tan. The tan will protect your skin from sunburn.
More about tans
Here's how a tan works. If you look at a cross section of your skin, you have the outer layer called the stratum corneum. This layer contains the dead skin cells that you actually see covering your body. Below the stratum corneum is the granular layer, and below that is the basal layer. Tanning happens in the basal layer, which contains special cells called melanocytes. When a melanocyte detects ultraviolet light, it creates a brown pigment called melanin. Meianin, like sunscreen, absorbs ultraviolet light and protects your skin from damege. If people spent all their time outdoors, their skin would natually tan and "untan" with the season. You would never get a sunburn.
sunscree n. 防曬霜
eg: Remember to put sunscreen on before going out in the sun.
eg: Apply sunscreen on your skin 30 minutes before you go outdoors.
suntan lotion
tan n. 褐色/古銅色皮膚
eg: Marie had a tan when she came back from her vacation in Hawaii.
layer n. 層
the ozone layer 臭氧層
eg: This cake has three layers with different flavors.
eg: She put on layers of make-up to cover her spotty complexion.
eg: We stripped several layers of paint off the wall before repainting it.
detect v. 發現/察覺
eg: Holly able to detect when somebody is lying by his or her body movements.
eg: The bank security system can detect any unusual movement in the vault(保險庫).
eg: I detected the anxiety in her voice.
eg: Experts have detected signs that the economy is declining.
stratum corneum 角質層
granular layer 顆粒層
basal layer 基底層
melanocytes 黑素細胞
melanin 黑色素
granular adj. 粒狀的
basal adj. 基部的
pigment
-> anything gives substances color
//== More Infor ==//
Your skin is one of the most amazing organs in your body. The skin of a typical adult weights about 3.5 kilograms and cover about 1.8 square meters. Skin is loaded with sensors, blood vessels, sweat glands, hair follicles and muscles.
//== Chat room ==//
If people spent all their time outdoors, their skin would natually tan and "untan" with the season.
tan n. 褐色/(皮膚)古銅色
tan v. 曬黑
untan v.
-> makeup verb 作者為了文章的順暢造出來的動詞
tanning beds 日光浴床
tanning booths
tanning lamb 太陽燈
tanning salons 日光沙龍
Avoiding sunburn
There are three ways you can avoid sunburn. One is to stay inside over cover all you skin with clothing. The second way is to use a sunscreen. Sun screen contains chemicals that absorb ultraviolet light. The third way is to get out in the sun a little bit each day and get a tan. The tan will protect your skin from sunburn.
More about tans
Here's how a tan works. If you look at a cross section of your skin, you have the outer layer called the stratum corneum. This layer contains the dead skin cells that you actually see covering your body. Below the stratum corneum is the granular layer, and below that is the basal layer. Tanning happens in the basal layer, which contains special cells called melanocytes. When a melanocyte detects ultraviolet light, it creates a brown pigment called melanin. Meianin, like sunscreen, absorbs ultraviolet light and protects your skin from damege. If people spent all their time outdoors, their skin would natually tan and "untan" with the season. You would never get a sunburn.
sunscree n. 防曬霜
eg: Remember to put sunscreen on before going out in the sun.
eg: Apply sunscreen on your skin 30 minutes before you go outdoors.
suntan lotion
tan n. 褐色/古銅色皮膚
eg: Marie had a tan when she came back from her vacation in Hawaii.
layer n. 層
the ozone layer 臭氧層
eg: This cake has three layers with different flavors.
eg: She put on layers of make-up to cover her spotty complexion.
eg: We stripped several layers of paint off the wall before repainting it.
detect v. 發現/察覺
eg: Holly able to detect when somebody is lying by his or her body movements.
eg: The bank security system can detect any unusual movement in the vault(保險庫).
eg: I detected the anxiety in her voice.
eg: Experts have detected signs that the economy is declining.
stratum corneum 角質層
granular layer 顆粒層
basal layer 基底層
melanocytes 黑素細胞
melanin 黑色素
granular adj. 粒狀的
basal adj. 基部的
pigment
-> anything gives substances color
//== More Infor ==//
Your skin is one of the most amazing organs in your body. The skin of a typical adult weights about 3.5 kilograms and cover about 1.8 square meters. Skin is loaded with sensors, blood vessels, sweat glands, hair follicles and muscles.
//== Chat room ==//
If people spent all their time outdoors, their skin would natually tan and "untan" with the season.
tan n. 褐色/(皮膚)古銅色
tan v. 曬黑
untan v.
-> makeup verb 作者為了文章的順暢造出來的動詞
tanning beds 日光浴床
tanning booths
tanning lamb 太陽燈
tanning salons 日光沙龍
2009年6月12日 星期五
200906012 -- How Sunburns Work (1)
How Sunburns work
Enjoy the sun this summer
Now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities, sunburn is something
that you have to think about. How is is that light can cause such intense pain?
Getting sunburn
The easiest way to get sunburn is to stay inside for a month or two and then spend a day outside. When you go out in the sun, ultraviolet light penetrates into living skin cells, and it starts damaging and killing those cells. The repair process starts when damaged cells release chemicals. The first thing the chemicals do is set off pain signals in your skin's pain sensors. Those same chemicals also tell your body to send in white blood cells to eat all the damaged and dead cells. Your body dilates all the capillaries in the damaged area to increase blood flow. Sunburned skin turn red and hot because of all those dilated capillaries bringing in the white blood cells. And your skin stings because every pain sensor in your sunburned skin is sounding the, "Hey, there is damage here!" alarm.
sunburn n. 曬傷
eg: The easiest way to avoid sunburn is to wear a hat and a long-sleeved shirt.
penetrate v. 穿透
eg: The wind penetrated Ben's jacket as he walked outside in the cold weather.
eg: The bullet almost penetrated his bulletproof jacket(防彈夾克).
eg: Some hackers were trying to penetrate the computer system of the IRS.
penetrate v. 瀰漫/滲透
eg: The aroma(香味) of the lilies(百合花) penetrated the whole house.
set off (phr v)
-> to cause to happen
eg: Tracy burned the meat and accidentally set off the fire alarm.
sting v. 刺痛/使疼痛
sting stung stung
eg: John's eyes stung from some dust that flew into them.
eg: My eyes stung as I was chopping onions.
sting v. 心理上的刺傷
eg: Those harsh(刺耳的) words from the teacher really stung the boy.
get into the thick of something 正激烈的時候/正起勁的時候
-> get into the middle of something
eg: As we were getting into the thick of the tennis match, my son came and interrupted the game.
ultraviolet light 紫外線
dilate v. 擴大/使膨脹
-> to make wider/larger
eg: Your capillaries dilate.
eg: Your body dilate capillaries.
capillary n. 毛細管/毛細血管
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities, sunburn is something that you have to think about.
= Because now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities, sunburn is something that you have to think about.
now that
= because now/ since
Sunburn is something that you have to think about now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities.
eg: Now that the car is here, let's go ahead and put our things in the trunk.
eg: I don't think I'll go watch the movie, now that I know the end of the story.
//== Chat room ==//
capillaries
= blood vessels
vein is a type of blood vessels
vein, capillaries, arteries
vein 靜脈
capillaries 毛細血管
arteries 動脈
arteries 交通幹線
the major arteries(主要幹道) of New Your City
Enjoy the sun this summer
Now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities, sunburn is something
that you have to think about. How is is that light can cause such intense pain?
Getting sunburn
The easiest way to get sunburn is to stay inside for a month or two and then spend a day outside. When you go out in the sun, ultraviolet light penetrates into living skin cells, and it starts damaging and killing those cells. The repair process starts when damaged cells release chemicals. The first thing the chemicals do is set off pain signals in your skin's pain sensors. Those same chemicals also tell your body to send in white blood cells to eat all the damaged and dead cells. Your body dilates all the capillaries in the damaged area to increase blood flow. Sunburned skin turn red and hot because of all those dilated capillaries bringing in the white blood cells. And your skin stings because every pain sensor in your sunburned skin is sounding the, "Hey, there is damage here!" alarm.
sunburn n. 曬傷
eg: The easiest way to avoid sunburn is to wear a hat and a long-sleeved shirt.
penetrate v. 穿透
eg: The wind penetrated Ben's jacket as he walked outside in the cold weather.
eg: The bullet almost penetrated his bulletproof jacket(防彈夾克).
eg: Some hackers were trying to penetrate the computer system of the IRS.
penetrate v. 瀰漫/滲透
eg: The aroma(香味) of the lilies(百合花) penetrated the whole house.
set off (phr v)
-> to cause to happen
eg: Tracy burned the meat and accidentally set off the fire alarm.
sting v. 刺痛/使疼痛
sting stung stung
eg: John's eyes stung from some dust that flew into them.
eg: My eyes stung as I was chopping onions.
sting v. 心理上的刺傷
eg: Those harsh(刺耳的) words from the teacher really stung the boy.
get into the thick of something 正激烈的時候/正起勁的時候
-> get into the middle of something
eg: As we were getting into the thick of the tennis match, my son came and interrupted the game.
ultraviolet light 紫外線
dilate v. 擴大/使膨脹
-> to make wider/larger
eg: Your capillaries dilate.
eg: Your body dilate capillaries.
capillary n. 毛細管/毛細血管
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities, sunburn is something that you have to think about.
= Because now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities, sunburn is something that you have to think about.
now that
= because now/ since
Sunburn is something that you have to think about now that we are getting into the thick of sumertime activities.
eg: Now that the car is here, let's go ahead and put our things in the trunk.
eg: I don't think I'll go watch the movie, now that I know the end of the story.
//== Chat room ==//
capillaries
= blood vessels
vein is a type of blood vessels
vein, capillaries, arteries
vein 靜脈
capillaries 毛細血管
arteries 動脈
arteries 交通幹線
the major arteries(主要幹道) of New Your City
2009年6月11日 星期四
20090611 -- Camping in Style (2)
Want to experience glamping for yourself? Here are a few of the most luxurious glamping experiences in the world. But you may need to save up some money first -- any one of these unforgettable experiences will cost you upward of US$5,000.
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
This unique spot on Vancouver Island, Canada, advertises both its extreme luxury and its eco-friendly design. Each often resort's 20 tents includes not only antique furniture and fine china but also composting toilets and hydroelectric power. Though it may be tempting to spend all day enjoying the luxury of your tent, it will be foolish not to make the most of the wilderness activities. Clayoquot offers quided whale-watching and bear-watching tours, as well as fishing and hiking.
Abercrombie & Kent
Wildely known as one of the world's best luxury travel companies, Abercrombie & Kent offers personalized trips everywhere from Africa to Antarctica. On a "tented safari" in Africa, you can spend the day observing the wilderlife of the Kenyan plains. Afterward, return to your fully stocked tent, complete with a large, comfortable bed and a flushing toilet. Need anything else? Just call your personal butler.
upward of 超過/多於某個數字
-> even more than ...
eg: Tim's car repairs will cost him upward of $3,000.
eg: The tuition for this private school costs upward of $40,000 per year.
eg: Upwards of 20,000 music fans came to this concert.
wilderness n. 荒野/荒漠/無人煙處
-> the area where people do not live
eg: The wilderness are inside the national park is attractive to many tourists.
wildlife U. 野生動植物/野生生物
eg: Greg thought the best part of his safari in Afirca was all of the unique wildlife.
eg: The director shot a documentary on wildlife in the Amazon.
eg: This national park is a wildlife sanctuary(避難所).
eg: Wildlife groups gathered to protest the building of a railroad in the protected area.
stock v. 儲存/提供
stock with
eg: That is the best stocked school library I've seen. They have books on every subject imaginable.
eg: Our school library is fully stocked with all sorts of books.
eg: This supermarket stocks many kinds of foreign cheese on its shelves.
stock n. 存貨
eg: These boots are out of stock(缺貨) right now.
compost n. 混合物;堆肥
compost v. 施堆肥
hydroelectric adj. 水力發電的
safari n. 非洲的(狩獵)旅行
//== Chat room ==//
Afterward, return to ...
afterward 後來/之後 (美式用法)
afterwards 後來/之後 (英式用法)
toward
towards
forward
forwards
afterword -> a short conclusion to a book/novel 後記
foreword -> a introductive note to a book 序
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
This unique spot on Vancouver Island, Canada, advertises both its extreme luxury and its eco-friendly design. Each often resort's 20 tents includes not only antique furniture and fine china but also composting toilets and hydroelectric power. Though it may be tempting to spend all day enjoying the luxury of your tent, it will be foolish not to make the most of the wilderness activities. Clayoquot offers quided whale-watching and bear-watching tours, as well as fishing and hiking.
Abercrombie & Kent
Wildely known as one of the world's best luxury travel companies, Abercrombie & Kent offers personalized trips everywhere from Africa to Antarctica. On a "tented safari" in Africa, you can spend the day observing the wilderlife of the Kenyan plains. Afterward, return to your fully stocked tent, complete with a large, comfortable bed and a flushing toilet. Need anything else? Just call your personal butler.
upward of 超過/多於某個數字
-> even more than ...
eg: Tim's car repairs will cost him upward of $3,000.
eg: The tuition for this private school costs upward of $40,000 per year.
eg: Upwards of 20,000 music fans came to this concert.
wilderness n. 荒野/荒漠/無人煙處
-> the area where people do not live
eg: The wilderness are inside the national park is attractive to many tourists.
wildlife U. 野生動植物/野生生物
eg: Greg thought the best part of his safari in Afirca was all of the unique wildlife.
eg: The director shot a documentary on wildlife in the Amazon.
eg: This national park is a wildlife sanctuary(避難所).
eg: Wildlife groups gathered to protest the building of a railroad in the protected area.
stock v. 儲存/提供
stock with
eg: That is the best stocked school library I've seen. They have books on every subject imaginable.
eg: Our school library is fully stocked with all sorts of books.
eg: This supermarket stocks many kinds of foreign cheese on its shelves.
stock n. 存貨
eg: These boots are out of stock(缺貨) right now.
compost n. 混合物;堆肥
compost v. 施堆肥
hydroelectric adj. 水力發電的
safari n. 非洲的(狩獵)旅行
//== Chat room ==//
Afterward, return to ...
afterward 後來/之後 (美式用法)
afterwards 後來/之後 (英式用法)
toward
towards
forward
forwards
afterword -> a short conclusion to a book/novel 後記
foreword -> a introductive note to a book 序
2009年6月10日 星期三
20090610 -- Camping in Style(1)
Camping in Style
You don't have to leave the comforts of home behind to go camping For many people, the word "camping" conjures up images of sleepless nights, smoky campfires and too many insect bites to count. But a recent trend in camping may cause camping-phobes to reconsidered. "Glamping," or glamorous camping, has all the benefits of camping --especially the proximity to nature -- but with added comforts.
Glamping began when wealthy adventures wanted to explore the world but refused to forgo the comforts of cozy beds and fine china. Twenty-first century glamping continues that spirit though some cases have achieved even greater levels of luxury.
In the world of glamping, antique furniture, personal service and gourment dining are fairly common. And all of these luxuries are available for those staying in a giant tent, miles away from civilization.
While today's "glampers" share a love for glamour with the affluent adventurer of the past, many are more committed to taking care of the enviroment. Spending a week by the pool at a bit resort simply isn't enough for this type of traveler. Most glampers would rather spend their money at a place that serves organic food and recycles its waste.
conjure v.
-> think of something
conjure up 令人想起
eg: Michael keeps a family picture on his desk because it conjures up many good memories.
eg: The name "Coco Chanel" conjures up elegant and expensive clothing, jewelry and bags.
eg: The smell from the bakery conjures up times I spent with Grandma.
glamorous adj. 富有魅力的/迷人的
glamour n. 魅力/誘惑力
-> very attractive/charming
eg: Milan, Italy is a very glamorous city. It is considered the fashion capital of the world.
proximity U. 接近/親近/鄰近
proxim- 靠近
proximity to some place 靠近某個地方
eg: Because of his office's close proximity to the subway, it is easy for John to get to work.
eg: Proximity to medical facilities is important to elderly people.
affluent adj. 富裕的/富足的
-> wealthy/abundant
eg: The house is very valuable because it is located in an affluent area.
eg: The family lives in an affluent and highly-educated neighborhood.
eg: The lead an affluent lifestyle.
Glamping
= glamorous camping
forgo v. 放棄
-> give up
//== Chat room ==//
phobia -> particular fear 恐懼症
camping-phobe -> A person fears camping (makeup word) 露營恐懼症患者
phobe comes from phobia
-> strong fear
acrophbia -> a fear of being height 懼高症
acrophobe 懼高症患者
--phobe 某種恐懼症患者
commitment-phobe 懼怕承諾的人
-> scare of being loved
technophobe 科技恐懼症患者
-> someone doesn't like technology
germ-a-phobe 對細菌有恐懼的人
English-phone 對英文恐懼的人
//== Grammer on the go ==//
In the world of glamping, antique furniture, personal service and gourment dining are fairly common.
In the world of ...
-> a field of human interest or a way of life
(a creative way to bring one's attention close to the subject matter)
eg: In the world of sports, soccer is king.
eg: In the world of fashion design, trends come and go very quickly.
You don't have to leave the comforts of home behind to go camping For many people, the word "camping" conjures up images of sleepless nights, smoky campfires and too many insect bites to count. But a recent trend in camping may cause camping-phobes to reconsidered. "Glamping," or glamorous camping, has all the benefits of camping --especially the proximity to nature -- but with added comforts.
Glamping began when wealthy adventures wanted to explore the world but refused to forgo the comforts of cozy beds and fine china. Twenty-first century glamping continues that spirit though some cases have achieved even greater levels of luxury.
In the world of glamping, antique furniture, personal service and gourment dining are fairly common. And all of these luxuries are available for those staying in a giant tent, miles away from civilization.
While today's "glampers" share a love for glamour with the affluent adventurer of the past, many are more committed to taking care of the enviroment. Spending a week by the pool at a bit resort simply isn't enough for this type of traveler. Most glampers would rather spend their money at a place that serves organic food and recycles its waste.
conjure v.
-> think of something
conjure up 令人想起
eg: Michael keeps a family picture on his desk because it conjures up many good memories.
eg: The name "Coco Chanel" conjures up elegant and expensive clothing, jewelry and bags.
eg: The smell from the bakery conjures up times I spent with Grandma.
glamorous adj. 富有魅力的/迷人的
glamour n. 魅力/誘惑力
-> very attractive/charming
eg: Milan, Italy is a very glamorous city. It is considered the fashion capital of the world.
proximity U. 接近/親近/鄰近
proxim- 靠近
proximity to some place 靠近某個地方
eg: Because of his office's close proximity to the subway, it is easy for John to get to work.
eg: Proximity to medical facilities is important to elderly people.
affluent adj. 富裕的/富足的
-> wealthy/abundant
eg: The house is very valuable because it is located in an affluent area.
eg: The family lives in an affluent and highly-educated neighborhood.
eg: The lead an affluent lifestyle.
Glamping
= glamorous camping
forgo v. 放棄
-> give up
//== Chat room ==//
phobia -> particular fear 恐懼症
camping-phobe -> A person fears camping (makeup word) 露營恐懼症患者
phobe comes from phobia
-> strong fear
acrophbia -> a fear of being height 懼高症
acrophobe 懼高症患者
--phobe 某種恐懼症患者
commitment-phobe 懼怕承諾的人
-> scare of being loved
technophobe 科技恐懼症患者
-> someone doesn't like technology
germ-a-phobe 對細菌有恐懼的人
English-phone 對英文恐懼的人
//== Grammer on the go ==//
In the world of glamping, antique furniture, personal service and gourment dining are fairly common.
In the world of ...
-> a field of human interest or a way of life
(a creative way to bring one's attention close to the subject matter)
eg: In the world of sports, soccer is king.
eg: In the world of fashion design, trends come and go very quickly.
2009年6月9日 星期二
20090609 -- Smartphones
Smartphones
Can cell phones fulfill all your technology needs?
What would you call a device that retrieves e-mail, surfs the web, plays games and edits office documents? It must be a laptop or desktop computer, right? Wrong? Nowadays, cell phones fit that description as well. Phone manufacturers are constantly packing more power into their products, and with every leap forward, the cell phone seems to absorb the capability of another device. PDAs, music players and digital cameras have all had to make room for the do-it-all "smartphone." Now the lastest phones are invading the turf of the personal computer. Travelers armed with cutting-edge phones can accomplish basic computing task without dragging along their laptops.
Some phones run PowerPoint shows while others have an online store where users can download additional software. Of course, their small size means that cell phones can't always replace a full-size computer. Sometimes you need a real keyboard and screen or the power to do more advanced computing. It's also nice to have a computer for storing all of your invaluable data. Still, the gap between the cell phone and the personal computer grows smaller every year. This brings us to an interesting question: Do you think you'll ever use your cell phone as your sole computer?
retrieve v. 擷取/取回/收回
-> get
re-回來
eg: Our dog will retrieve a tennis ball when we throw it, but sometimes she won't give it back.
eg: You need to enter your code to retrieve classified files from the computer system.
eg: The dog retrieve the stick that his owner threw.
capability n. 能力/才華/功能
-> ability
capable adj. 可以的/有能力的
eg: This test is beyond the capbility of a 7-year-old. We have to make it easier.
eg: This homework is way beyond the capability of such young kids.
eg: He doesn't have the capability to be a manager now.
PDA [personal digital assistant] n.
eg: I don't use my PDA anymore because I have one built into my cell phone.
turf n. 地盤/勢力範圍
-> personal space
eg: Our football team successfully defended our home turf by winning the championship!
eg: Vivian considers the kitchen her personal turf.
eg: The gang members are fighting to protect their turf.
turf n. 草坪
eg: Daddy was busy cutting the turf all day Saturday.
invaluable adj. -> it has a lot of value 無價的 (= priceless)
unvaluable adj. -> have no value
eg: The job didin't pay much, but it provided invaluable experience.
pack more A into B
-> put more A into B
//== Chat room ==//
leap forward -> go forward -> jump forward 往前跳(在課文中指新的進步)
step forward
by leaps and bounds -> something happens quickly 突飛猛進/非常迅速
leap和bound當名詞時都有當跳躍的意思
eg: The company grows by leaps and bounds.
eg: The production increasd by leaps and bounds.
a leap of faith 憑著信心做的任何一件事情
-> believe something is true even though it can't be proven to be true
eg: take a leap of faith
leap in the dark 冒險的行動
//== Grammer on the go ==//
This brings us to an interesting question ...
-> use question as an a conclusion
Can cell phones fulfill all your technology needs?
What would you call a device that retrieves e-mail, surfs the web, plays games and edits office documents? It must be a laptop or desktop computer, right? Wrong? Nowadays, cell phones fit that description as well. Phone manufacturers are constantly packing more power into their products, and with every leap forward, the cell phone seems to absorb the capability of another device. PDAs, music players and digital cameras have all had to make room for the do-it-all "smartphone." Now the lastest phones are invading the turf of the personal computer. Travelers armed with cutting-edge phones can accomplish basic computing task without dragging along their laptops.
Some phones run PowerPoint shows while others have an online store where users can download additional software. Of course, their small size means that cell phones can't always replace a full-size computer. Sometimes you need a real keyboard and screen or the power to do more advanced computing. It's also nice to have a computer for storing all of your invaluable data. Still, the gap between the cell phone and the personal computer grows smaller every year. This brings us to an interesting question: Do you think you'll ever use your cell phone as your sole computer?
retrieve v. 擷取/取回/收回
-> get
re-回來
eg: Our dog will retrieve a tennis ball when we throw it, but sometimes she won't give it back.
eg: You need to enter your code to retrieve classified files from the computer system.
eg: The dog retrieve the stick that his owner threw.
capability n. 能力/才華/功能
-> ability
capable adj. 可以的/有能力的
eg: This test is beyond the capbility of a 7-year-old. We have to make it easier.
eg: This homework is way beyond the capability of such young kids.
eg: He doesn't have the capability to be a manager now.
PDA [personal digital assistant] n.
eg: I don't use my PDA anymore because I have one built into my cell phone.
turf n. 地盤/勢力範圍
-> personal space
eg: Our football team successfully defended our home turf by winning the championship!
eg: Vivian considers the kitchen her personal turf.
eg: The gang members are fighting to protect their turf.
turf n. 草坪
eg: Daddy was busy cutting the turf all day Saturday.
invaluable adj. -> it has a lot of value 無價的 (= priceless)
unvaluable adj. -> have no value
eg: The job didin't pay much, but it provided invaluable experience.
pack more A into B
-> put more A into B
//== Chat room ==//
leap forward -> go forward -> jump forward 往前跳(在課文中指新的進步)
step forward
by leaps and bounds -> something happens quickly 突飛猛進/非常迅速
leap和bound當名詞時都有當跳躍的意思
eg: The company grows by leaps and bounds.
eg: The production increasd by leaps and bounds.
a leap of faith 憑著信心做的任何一件事情
-> believe something is true even though it can't be proven to be true
eg: take a leap of faith
leap in the dark 冒險的行動
//== Grammer on the go ==//
This brings us to an interesting question ...
-> use question as an a conclusion
2009年6月8日 星期一
20090608-- Small Changes Equal Big Results
Small Changes Equal Big Results
You can made positive changes in just a few minutes a day
We form bad habits without trying. But we can purposefully develop good habits in just 15 minutes a day.
Become a lifelong learner
Each month, choose one new subject to learn about. Spend 15 minutes a day reading about it on the Internet or in books and magazines. You may discover that 15 minutes isn't long enough to satisfy your interest. Before long, you'll be an expert on the subject!
Become neater
Has the clutter in your home become overwhelming? Do you have trouble finding something when you need it? Take 15 minutes each day to deal with one pile of papers on your desk. Or use that short time to put away your clothes or to clean out the
refrigerator. After just one month, you'll be amazed at the new order in your life!
Become healthier
You may think you have no time for exercise. But just 15 minutes a day of exercise can bring huge health benefits. You'll strengthen your heart, bones and mind, and you'll improve your attitude. Making positive changes is possible. Before you know it, your slow and steady changes will become lifelong habits!
purposefully adv. 有決心地/有明確目標地
purposely adv. 故意地
eg: Our teacher walked purposefully into the room and said he had
something exciting to tell us.
eg: She purposefully told her father that she wants to pursue a career in music.
eg: She purposely left her cell-phone at home so her boss wouldn't be
able to reach her.
clutter U. 凌亂/雜亂
eg: My closet is full of clutter.
eg: They took a whole day to clean up the clutter in the garage.
clutter v. 弄亂/堆滿
eg: His study room is cluttered with books and magazines.
deal with (phr v) 處理
eg: Mon told me to deal with the clothes on my floor before she gets home.
attitude n.
eg: People don't like to be with you when you have a bad attitude.
steady adj. 穩定的/平穩的
eg: Mandy is making steady progress on her research paper.
eg: The steady increase of our sales proves that our strategies are correct.
eg: The progress of his health condition has been slow just steady.
lifelong
-> over the entire life
overwhelming adj. 勢不可擋的
//== Chat room ==//
paper (U) 紙(不可數名詞，如果要數paper必須用不同的字
sheet/piece/scrap
eg:
a piece of paper
five sheets of paper
two scraps of paper
one pile of papers on your desk 本課課文的paper為可數名詞，表示桌上的一疊文件
papers 本課的課文指的是document
papers 論文/報告
paper (C) 報紙 (newspaper)
eg: She reads three papers every morning.
push paper 做瑣碎的工作
-> doing administrative often insignificant paper work
eg: Jack spend whole afternoon pusing paper for her boss.
You can made positive changes in just a few minutes a day
We form bad habits without trying. But we can purposefully develop good habits in just 15 minutes a day.
Become a lifelong learner
Each month, choose one new subject to learn about. Spend 15 minutes a day reading about it on the Internet or in books and magazines. You may discover that 15 minutes isn't long enough to satisfy your interest. Before long, you'll be an expert on the subject!
Become neater
Has the clutter in your home become overwhelming? Do you have trouble finding something when you need it? Take 15 minutes each day to deal with one pile of papers on your desk. Or use that short time to put away your clothes or to clean out the
refrigerator. After just one month, you'll be amazed at the new order in your life!
Become healthier
You may think you have no time for exercise. But just 15 minutes a day of exercise can bring huge health benefits. You'll strengthen your heart, bones and mind, and you'll improve your attitude. Making positive changes is possible. Before you know it, your slow and steady changes will become lifelong habits!
purposefully adv. 有決心地/有明確目標地
purposely adv. 故意地
eg: Our teacher walked purposefully into the room and said he had
something exciting to tell us.
eg: She purposefully told her father that she wants to pursue a career in music.
eg: She purposely left her cell-phone at home so her boss wouldn't be
able to reach her.
clutter U. 凌亂/雜亂
eg: My closet is full of clutter.
eg: They took a whole day to clean up the clutter in the garage.
clutter v. 弄亂/堆滿
eg: His study room is cluttered with books and magazines.
deal with (phr v) 處理
eg: Mon told me to deal with the clothes on my floor before she gets home.
attitude n.
eg: People don't like to be with you when you have a bad attitude.
steady adj. 穩定的/平穩的
eg: Mandy is making steady progress on her research paper.
eg: The steady increase of our sales proves that our strategies are correct.
eg: The progress of his health condition has been slow just steady.
lifelong
-> over the entire life
overwhelming adj. 勢不可擋的
//== Chat room ==//
paper (U) 紙(不可數名詞，如果要數paper必須用不同的字
sheet/piece/scrap
eg:
a piece of paper
five sheets of paper
two scraps of paper
one pile of papers on your desk 本課課文的paper為可數名詞，表示桌上的一疊文件
papers 本課的課文指的是document
papers 論文/報告
paper (C) 報紙 (newspaper)
eg: She reads three papers every morning.
push paper 做瑣碎的工作
-> doing administrative often insignificant paper work
eg: Jack spend whole afternoon pusing paper for her boss.
2009年6月6日 星期六
20090604 -- Summer at the Movies (3)
Lots of laughs in the family-friendly comedy imagine. That, Eddie Murphy plays an executive. He discovers the solution to his career crisis can be found in his 7-year-old daughter's imaginary world. Julie and Julia tells the story of Julie Powell, played by Amy Adams. The young woman decides to "cook" her way through Julia Child's classic cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Mery Streep plays the famous Julia Child, and Nor Ephron, director of Sleepless in Seattle directs the film.
When in Rome stars Kristen Bell as an art curator. On a visit to Rome, she takes some coins from a fountain. Upon returning home to New York, she is perplexed to find seven men have fallen madly in love with her.
Land od the Lost stars Will Ferrell as a scientist who is sucked into a space-time vortex and travels back to the age of the dinosaurs. Amazing special effects bring a vast variety of fantastic creatures to life See a movie - or three - this summer, and don't forget the popcorn!
exexutive n. 主管
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 執行長
eg: The company's executives made several decisions to guide the
company for the next year.
eg: Molly was promoted to senior executive last year!
eg: Henry is the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
imagine v. 想像
imaginary adj. 想像中的/幻想的
-> not real
eg: Little children love imginary begins like fairies and monsters.
eg: The story is about an imaginary underground kingdom.
eg: Ashey is the name of my daughter's imaginary friend.
perplexed adj. 困惑的,茫然不知所措的
eg: John was perplexed by several questions on the math test. He didn't understand them at all.
vast adj. 廣大的/眾多的
eg: The scientist were amazed at the vast number of animals on the
plains of Africa.
eg: The vast majority of the citizens support the President's proposition.
eg: The company hired professionals to manage their vast overseas properties.
//== Chat room ==//
family-friendly 適合闔家觀賞的
user-friendly (對使用者友善)方便使用者
enviromentally-friendly 環保
eco-friendly 環保
When in Rome stars Kristen Bell as an art curator. On a visit to Rome, she takes some coins from a fountain. Upon returning home to New York, she is perplexed to find seven men have fallen madly in love with her.
Land od the Lost stars Will Ferrell as a scientist who is sucked into a space-time vortex and travels back to the age of the dinosaurs. Amazing special effects bring a vast variety of fantastic creatures to life See a movie - or three - this summer, and don't forget the popcorn!
exexutive n. 主管
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 執行長
eg: The company's executives made several decisions to guide the
company for the next year.
eg: Molly was promoted to senior executive last year!
eg: Henry is the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
imagine v. 想像
imaginary adj. 想像中的/幻想的
-> not real
eg: Little children love imginary begins like fairies and monsters.
eg: The story is about an imaginary underground kingdom.
eg: Ashey is the name of my daughter's imaginary friend.
perplexed adj. 困惑的,茫然不知所措的
eg: John was perplexed by several questions on the math test. He didn't understand them at all.
vast adj. 廣大的/眾多的
eg: The scientist were amazed at the vast number of animals on the
plains of Africa.
eg: The vast majority of the citizens support the President's proposition.
eg: The company hired professionals to manage their vast overseas properties.
//== Chat room ==//
family-friendly 適合闔家觀賞的
user-friendly (對使用者友善)方便使用者
enviromentally-friendly 環保
eco-friendly 環保
2009年6月5日 星期五
20090605 -- Summer at the Movies (2)
Animation to enjoy
Animated films also look to be big this summer. Up, an animated comedy from Pixar, tells the story of a grumpy old man named Carl Fredricksen. He decideds to see the world by releasing thousands of balloons from his house. The house lifts off it foundation and Carl merrily guides his home on a journey around the world. Carl is happy all by himself but then discovers Russell, an 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer, will be along for the ride.
Manny, Sid and Diego all return for more adventures in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. In this third film in the franchise, Scrat is still chasing his acorn with hilarious results. In G-Force, guinea pig commandos come together to stop an evil villain's plan for world domination. Vocal talents include Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz. Many non-animated comedies open this summer as well. Sandra Bullock plays a successful businesswoman in the romantic comedy The Proposal. In the film, she must find a husband on short notice or risk being deported.
foundation n. 建築物的地基
found v. 建立
eg: The old building will fall down if its foundation is not repaired.
eg: The foundation of the building needed to be reinforced after the earthquake.
foundation n. (一件事情的)基礎
eg: The foundation of a good marriage is mutual trust.
hilarious adj. 極可笑的
-> funny
eg: This book is hilarious! I never laughed so much in my life.
domination n. 控制權/統治權
dominate v. 統治/支配
-> rule over something
eg: Both Coke and Pepsi want domination of the soft drink market.
eg: The aliens were set on world domination.
domination n. 優勢
eg: Tiger Wood's domination(稱霸) in golf was once undisputed(無庸置疑).
deport v. 驅逐出境/放逐
de- 離開
-port 搬運
eg: Many countries deport people who are there illegally.
eg: Many illegal immigrants are deported every day.
eg: The country had the criminals deported.
acorn n. 橡實
commando n. 突擊隊員
-> small group of unit military people or troop
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Animated films also look to be big this summer.
= Animated films also promise to be big this summer.
look to be -> look like to be a certain way
= promise to be
eg: The company's new plan looks to be a disaster.
eg: This year's harvest looks to be the best in the years.
//== Chat room ==//
in a mood
in a good mood 心情好
in a bad mood 心情不好
in a grumpy mood 心情楚於愛發脾氣狀態
have a mood (X) 不能這樣使用
have a grumpy mood (X) 不能這樣使用
grumpy adj. 脾氣壞的，愛發脾氣的(不代表他是villain壞人)
villain n. 電影小說中的壞人
Animated films also look to be big this summer. Up, an animated comedy from Pixar, tells the story of a grumpy old man named Carl Fredricksen. He decideds to see the world by releasing thousands of balloons from his house. The house lifts off it foundation and Carl merrily guides his home on a journey around the world. Carl is happy all by himself but then discovers Russell, an 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer, will be along for the ride.
Manny, Sid and Diego all return for more adventures in Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. In this third film in the franchise, Scrat is still chasing his acorn with hilarious results. In G-Force, guinea pig commandos come together to stop an evil villain's plan for world domination. Vocal talents include Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz. Many non-animated comedies open this summer as well. Sandra Bullock plays a successful businesswoman in the romantic comedy The Proposal. In the film, she must find a husband on short notice or risk being deported.
foundation n. 建築物的地基
found v. 建立
eg: The old building will fall down if its foundation is not repaired.
eg: The foundation of the building needed to be reinforced after the earthquake.
foundation n. (一件事情的)基礎
eg: The foundation of a good marriage is mutual trust.
hilarious adj. 極可笑的
-> funny
eg: This book is hilarious! I never laughed so much in my life.
domination n. 控制權/統治權
dominate v. 統治/支配
-> rule over something
eg: Both Coke and Pepsi want domination of the soft drink market.
eg: The aliens were set on world domination.
domination n. 優勢
eg: Tiger Wood's domination(稱霸) in golf was once undisputed(無庸置疑).
deport v. 驅逐出境/放逐
de- 離開
-port 搬運
eg: Many countries deport people who are there illegally.
eg: Many illegal immigrants are deported every day.
eg: The country had the criminals deported.
acorn n. 橡實
commando n. 突擊隊員
-> small group of unit military people or troop
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Animated films also look to be big this summer.
= Animated films also promise to be big this summer.
look to be -> look like to be a certain way
= promise to be
eg: The company's new plan looks to be a disaster.
eg: This year's harvest looks to be the best in the years.
//== Chat room ==//
in a mood
in a good mood 心情好
in a bad mood 心情不好
in a grumpy mood 心情楚於愛發脾氣狀態
have a mood (X) 不能這樣使用
have a grumpy mood (X) 不能這樣使用
grumpy adj. 脾氣壞的，愛發脾氣的(不代表他是villain壞人)
villain n. 電影小說中的壞人
2009年6月4日 星期四
20090604 -- Summer at the Movies (1)
Summer at the Movies
Many films look to attract summer audiences
Everyone looks forward to summer -- the pleasure of warm weather and time off from school or work. Movie fans also love summer as Hollywood rolls out its biggest films of the year. What's playing at the theaters this summer? Read on to find out!
Sequels once again reign big this summer. Hugh Jackman starts in X-Men Origins:Wolverine. This action-packed prequel tells the story of Logan, the Wolverine charcter in the X-Men comic franchise. In the film, Logan seeks revenge against the man responsible for his girlfriend's death.
Star Trek, the 11th film in this Star Trek franchise, tells the story of the early years of the crew of the USS Enterprise. It explains how they formed the friendships that served them so well in their space adventures. Early clips of the film suggest an action-packed story that will engage a wide audience. Ben Stiller returns in the comedy Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian. The film features such historical figures as Amelia Earhart, Einstein and Napoleon.
reign v. 盛行/支配/大大地流行
-> to rule
eg: No other sport is more popular than football. It reigns in this town.
eg: Japanese cars reign in the U.S. market because they're more eco-friendly(環保).
eg: Silence reigned between them after the quarrel.
revenge n. 報復
-> When you do harm to someone who has done harm to you.
eg: Henry's trick really made Alice angry, so she is going to get revenge.
roll out 推出
eg: The company rolls out its new product.
eg: The goverment roller out several policies to stimulate the growth of the economy.
eg: The company will roll out new user-friendly graphic software.
prequel <-> sequel
sequel 續集
prequel 前篇
-> the movie comes before original one
franchise 經銷權
serve v.
eg: This car has really served me well for the past 20 years.
engage v. 吸引/從事
eg: The Disney Company really knows how to write stories that engage audiences.
eg: After intensive news coverage, the trial(審判) engaged (吸引) the whole nation.
eg: Nothing seems to engage (吸引) David for very long.
//== Chat room ==//
crew (團隊)工作人員(工作類似，像飛機上的空服人員，船上的工作人員)
staff 籠統的指工作人員
clip of the film 電影片段
Many films look to attract summer audiences
Everyone looks forward to summer -- the pleasure of warm weather and time off from school or work. Movie fans also love summer as Hollywood rolls out its biggest films of the year. What's playing at the theaters this summer? Read on to find out!
Sequels once again reign big this summer. Hugh Jackman starts in X-Men Origins:Wolverine. This action-packed prequel tells the story of Logan, the Wolverine charcter in the X-Men comic franchise. In the film, Logan seeks revenge against the man responsible for his girlfriend's death.
Star Trek, the 11th film in this Star Trek franchise, tells the story of the early years of the crew of the USS Enterprise. It explains how they formed the friendships that served them so well in their space adventures. Early clips of the film suggest an action-packed story that will engage a wide audience. Ben Stiller returns in the comedy Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian. The film features such historical figures as Amelia Earhart, Einstein and Napoleon.
reign v. 盛行/支配/大大地流行
-> to rule
eg: No other sport is more popular than football. It reigns in this town.
eg: Japanese cars reign in the U.S. market because they're more eco-friendly(環保).
eg: Silence reigned between them after the quarrel.
revenge n. 報復
-> When you do harm to someone who has done harm to you.
eg: Henry's trick really made Alice angry, so she is going to get revenge.
roll out 推出
eg: The company rolls out its new product.
eg: The goverment roller out several policies to stimulate the growth of the economy.
eg: The company will roll out new user-friendly graphic software.
prequel <-> sequel
sequel 續集
prequel 前篇
-> the movie comes before original one
franchise 經銷權
serve v.
eg: This car has really served me well for the past 20 years.
engage v. 吸引/從事
eg: The Disney Company really knows how to write stories that engage audiences.
eg: After intensive news coverage, the trial(審判) engaged (吸引) the whole nation.
eg: Nothing seems to engage (吸引) David for very long.
//== Chat room ==//
crew (團隊)工作人員(工作類似，像飛機上的空服人員，船上的工作人員)
staff 籠統的指工作人員
clip of the film 電影片段
2009年6月3日 星期三
20090603 -- Traveling Safely with Money
Traveling Safely with Money
The only money you lose on vacation should be the money you spend!
Are you ready to take that dream vacation you've been diligently saving for? Make sure you put as much thought into planning your spending money as you do into planning your itinerary. Consider these options:
Credit cards:
One of the many advantages of crdit cards is convenience. Once popular only in the U.S., credit cards are now used extensively in many parts of the world and often offer good exchange rates. Besides using them to buy goods, you can get cash from almost any ATM with them.
Traveler's checks(or travelers cheques)
Traveler's checks are a valuable asset when you can't find an ATM or one won't accept your credit card. Pioneered by American Express in 1891, travelers cheques offer many of the advantages of cash with significantly lower risks since they can be replaced if lost or stolen. They can be exchanged for cash at banks and hotels, so carrying a few is a good idea. When you get the checks, sign them once near the top. When you use them, you must sign on the lower line in the presene of the person accepting the check.
Cash
Carrying cash is convenient but unsafe. Credit cards and travelers cheques can be replaced if lost or stolen. In most cases, the smartest way to travel is to carry as little cash as possible.
diligently adv. 勤奮地/堅持不懈地
diligent adj. 勤奮的
eg: Adam diligently studies Studio Classroom every week.
eg: Peter works more diligently than most of his colleagues, and that's why he got promoted.
eg: Scientists have been working diligently to find a cure for cancer.
itinerary n. -> a plan of trip 旅遊行程表或路線
schedule n. 工作行程表
eg: Robin carefully planned his itinerary before he traveled to Malaysia.
eg: The travel agent planed our itinerary and arragne our transportation and hotel reservation.
extensively adv. 廣泛地
eg: In Europe, soccer is watched and played extensively.
asset n. 資產/財產
eg: Christina's ability to speak Cantonese was a valuable asset when she moved to Hong Kong.
eg: The company assets include cash, inventory(存貨) and its office building.
asset n. 人才/條件
eg: Ricky is an important asset to our company.
eg: One of his many assets is his connections.
travelers cheques 旅行支票
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Once popular only in the U.S., credit cards are now used extensively in many parts of the world.
->Credit were once popular only in the U.S., but they are now used extensively in many parts of the world.
eg: Once popular only in Japan, anime is now well received in many countries around the world.
eg: Once popular only with little girls, Barbie dolls can now be found in the collector's market.
//== Chat room ==//
ATM = automated teller machine
deposit
withdraw
redundant
PIN = personal identification number (只有數字的密碼)個人識別密碼
password (有英文數字)密碼
//== More Info ==//
How does a traveler's check company make money? Mostly, companies make their profit from the interest earned on the money you give them. Remember, the money you give a company for a traveler's check is theirs from the time the check is issued until the time you cash it. So, the longer your traveler's check remains uncashed, the more money the traveler check company makes!
The only money you lose on vacation should be the money you spend!
Are you ready to take that dream vacation you've been diligently saving for? Make sure you put as much thought into planning your spending money as you do into planning your itinerary. Consider these options:
Credit cards:
One of the many advantages of crdit cards is convenience. Once popular only in the U.S., credit cards are now used extensively in many parts of the world and often offer good exchange rates. Besides using them to buy goods, you can get cash from almost any ATM with them.
Traveler's checks(or travelers cheques)
Traveler's checks are a valuable asset when you can't find an ATM or one won't accept your credit card. Pioneered by American Express in 1891, travelers cheques offer many of the advantages of cash with significantly lower risks since they can be replaced if lost or stolen. They can be exchanged for cash at banks and hotels, so carrying a few is a good idea. When you get the checks, sign them once near the top. When you use them, you must sign on the lower line in the presene of the person accepting the check.
Cash
Carrying cash is convenient but unsafe. Credit cards and travelers cheques can be replaced if lost or stolen. In most cases, the smartest way to travel is to carry as little cash as possible.
diligently adv. 勤奮地/堅持不懈地
diligent adj. 勤奮的
eg: Adam diligently studies Studio Classroom every week.
eg: Peter works more diligently than most of his colleagues, and that's why he got promoted.
eg: Scientists have been working diligently to find a cure for cancer.
itinerary n. -> a plan of trip 旅遊行程表或路線
schedule n. 工作行程表
eg: Robin carefully planned his itinerary before he traveled to Malaysia.
eg: The travel agent planed our itinerary and arragne our transportation and hotel reservation.
extensively adv. 廣泛地
eg: In Europe, soccer is watched and played extensively.
asset n. 資產/財產
eg: Christina's ability to speak Cantonese was a valuable asset when she moved to Hong Kong.
eg: The company assets include cash, inventory(存貨) and its office building.
asset n. 人才/條件
eg: Ricky is an important asset to our company.
eg: One of his many assets is his connections.
travelers cheques 旅行支票
//== Grammer on the go ==//
Once popular only in the U.S., credit cards are now used extensively in many parts of the world.
->Credit were once popular only in the U.S., but they are now used extensively in many parts of the world.
eg: Once popular only in Japan, anime is now well received in many countries around the world.
eg: Once popular only with little girls, Barbie dolls can now be found in the collector's market.
//== Chat room ==//
ATM = automated teller machine
deposit
withdraw
redundant
PIN = personal identification number (只有數字的密碼)個人識別密碼
password (有英文數字)密碼
//== More Info ==//
How does a traveler's check company make money? Mostly, companies make their profit from the interest earned on the money you give them. Remember, the money you give a company for a traveler's check is theirs from the time the check is issued until the time you cash it. So, the longer your traveler's check remains uncashed, the more money the traveler check company makes!
2009年6月2日 星期二
20090602 -- Bianca Ryan : Born To Sing (2)
Bianca Ryan And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going
Bianca Ryan : Born To Sing
America's Got Talent
In 2006, Bianca auditioned for a brand-new TV talent show called America's Got Talent. The 11-year-old won the contest, the $1 million prize and a contract with Sony Records. The performance of her first song immediately became one of YouTube's most-watched videos. And people from around the world began praising her. Praise even came from American idol's normally grumpy judge, Simon Cowell. "Bianca Ryan is [possibly] one of the best singers I have ever heard," he said.
Since winning the contest, Bianca's life has changed dramatically. Her first CD, Bianca Ryan debuted in November 2006. Since then, she has made TV appearances, gone on American and European tours and performed at Disneyworld. Once when asked about advice for other kids, Bianca said, "You have to ... believe in yourself. Get your parents to help you pursue your dream. [Because] if you can see it, you can reach it." Bianca sets a great example of what can happen when people reach for their dreams!
contract n. 合約
-> an official/legal agreement
contract with
sign a contract 簽訂合約
break a contract 違約
eg: The actor signed a contract, agreeing to be on the TV show for one year.
eg: Jack got a contract with a major computer company.
eg: The school signed a building contract with the lowest bidder.
eg: The siger was sued(控告) for breaking the contract.
performance n. 表現
eg: Jennifer gave a wonderful performance in her high school play.
dramatically adv. 戲劇性地/顯著地
dramatic adj. 戲劇性的
eg: The city crime rate dropped dramatically after the mayor increased the number of police officers.
eg: His health condition improved dramatically after the treatment.
eg: The price of gold increased dramatically during the recession(經濟蕭條).
pursue v. 追求/達成
eg: Glenn wants to pursue his goal of becoming a writer.
eg: Gina decide to pursue a career in acting.
eg: We should unite to pursue our goals.
pursue v. 追逐/追蹤
eg: The police a+re pursuing a fugitive(逃犯) who escaped from the prison this morning.
audition n. 選拔賽
grumpy adj. 性情乖戾的
-> not happy to praise somebody
debut v. 第一次登場
-> first official release/perform
//== Chat room ==//
audition (藝文)選拔賽
try out
tryout (運動)選拔賽
monologue 獨白
dialogue 對話
screen test 試鏡
//== Did you know ==//
Fast facts about Bianca Ryan
Bianca is 3/4 Irish and 1/4 Japanese.
When Bianca was three she began dancing.
Bianca loves staying up late at night baking cookies, watching TV and friends over. By April 2007, a video copy of Ryan's audition, a performance of the song AND I'M TELLING YOU I'M NOT GOING, climbed into the 100 "Top Rated in Music" videos on YouTube.
Bianca Ryan : Born To Sing
America's Got Talent
In 2006, Bianca auditioned for a brand-new TV talent show called America's Got Talent. The 11-year-old won the contest, the $1 million prize and a contract with Sony Records. The performance of her first song immediately became one of YouTube's most-watched videos. And people from around the world began praising her. Praise even came from American idol's normally grumpy judge, Simon Cowell. "Bianca Ryan is [possibly] one of the best singers I have ever heard," he said.
Since winning the contest, Bianca's life has changed dramatically. Her first CD, Bianca Ryan debuted in November 2006. Since then, she has made TV appearances, gone on American and European tours and performed at Disneyworld. Once when asked about advice for other kids, Bianca said, "You have to ... believe in yourself. Get your parents to help you pursue your dream. [Because] if you can see it, you can reach it." Bianca sets a great example of what can happen when people reach for their dreams!
contract n. 合約
-> an official/legal agreement
contract with
sign a contract 簽訂合約
break a contract 違約
eg: The actor signed a contract, agreeing to be on the TV show for one year.
eg: Jack got a contract with a major computer company.
eg: The school signed a building contract with the lowest bidder.
eg: The siger was sued(控告) for breaking the contract.
performance n. 表現
eg: Jennifer gave a wonderful performance in her high school play.
dramatically adv. 戲劇性地/顯著地
dramatic adj. 戲劇性的
eg: The city crime rate dropped dramatically after the mayor increased the number of police officers.
eg: His health condition improved dramatically after the treatment.
eg: The price of gold increased dramatically during the recession(經濟蕭條).
pursue v. 追求/達成
eg: Glenn wants to pursue his goal of becoming a writer.
eg: Gina decide to pursue a career in acting.
eg: We should unite to pursue our goals.
pursue v. 追逐/追蹤
eg: The police a+re pursuing a fugitive(逃犯) who escaped from the prison this morning.
audition n. 選拔賽
grumpy adj. 性情乖戾的
-> not happy to praise somebody
debut v. 第一次登場
-> first official release/perform
//== Chat room ==//
audition (藝文)選拔賽
try out
tryout (運動)選拔賽
monologue 獨白
dialogue 對話
screen test 試鏡
//== Did you know ==//
Fast facts about Bianca Ryan
Bianca is 3/4 Irish and 1/4 Japanese.
When Bianca was three she began dancing.
Bianca loves staying up late at night baking cookies, watching TV and friends over. By April 2007, a video copy of Ryan's audition, a performance of the song AND I'M TELLING YOU I'M NOT GOING, climbed into the 100 "Top Rated in Music" videos on YouTube.
訂閱：
文章 (Atom)