2010年9月30日 星期四

20100930 A New Year (1)

A New Year

Here I am back in Southern California

With new-found couraged and faith, I am here again in Southern California. It's my sophomore year. As students enter into their second year, many of them will begin taking classes for their majors, and I am no exception. As I am familiar with the environment and people now, I feel more comfortable. Nevertheless, there are still many new things: new classes, new roommaters and new friends. One of the most exciting things for me is my new baby, an '07 Toyota Corolla - trust me, every guy wants a car. I am also working at the front desk in the library.

I hope I can be more social through the interactions this job provides. On top of that, I am cooking three meals a day for myself. In America, cooking is a lot cheaper than eating out. There are many things I want to share with you, but I need to sto now. Studying abroad is life changing, and I am really benefiting from this experience. If you everhave the opportunity to study abroad - go. This is the end of Luke's Blog with Studio Classroom. I hope you have enjoyed it! This is Luke, a 19-year-old boy studying in sunny Southern California.



2010年9月29日 星期三

20100929 Confucius His Wisdom Lives On (3)

Confucius: His Wisdom Lives On

Throughout his 12-year-journey, Confucius encountered indifference, extreme hardship and danger, nearly being assassinated on one occasion. At 67, he returned to Lu, having been unsuccessful in his efforts to persuade even one ruler to practice his moral doctrines. Yet Confucius never faltered in his belief that the most important task of any ruler was to work for the welfare and happiness of his people.

Confucius' final years
He spent the next few years studying, writing and teaching his ever-expanding group of students. It's been said that up to 3,000 men may have studied with Confucius although only 22 are actually mentioned in the Analects, which were written by his disciples. Sadly, Confucius' last years were unhappy, as his son died during this time and his favorite disciple died the year the philosopher returned to Lu. One morning in 479 B.C., the sage died in bed. His followers buried him with great ceremony, built huts close to his grave, and spent the next three years there in mournful respect. The news of his death spread quickly, and finally in death, Confucius received national respect and boundless admiration - admiration that continues today for China's greatest teacher.



assassinate v. 暗殺/行刺
=> almost murdered
eg: The king was nearly assassinated by one of his guards.
=> 國王差點就被一個士衛給暗殺了。

assassination n.
eg: The assassination of the president caused the nation to panic.
=> 總統被刺殺造成全國的震驚。

mourn v. 哀悼
mournful adj. 哀悼的/悲傷的
eg: The puppy's mournful eyes make you want to hug it.
=> 小狗悲傷的眼睛讓你好想去抱抱它。
eg: The mournful cello solo still lingers in my head.
=> 大提琴悲傷的獨奏讓我久久難忘。

bound v. 受拘束的/被綁住的
boundless adj. 無限的/無窮的
=> without bound/limt
eg: Nothing can express my boundless gratitude.
=> 沒有任何事物可代表我無盡的感謝。
eg: The boy has boundless energy.
=> 這個男孩有用不完的精力。


indifference n. 漠不關心/冷淡/不感興趣

hardship n. 艱難/困苦

doctrine n. 主義/信條/政策
=> belief

Analects n. 論語





//== Chat room ==//


ceremony Cn. 典禮/儀式
=> 宗教或是國家莊嚴的儀式
eg: a wedding ceremony 結婚典禮
eg: a funeral ceremony 喪禮
eg: a graduation ceremony 畢業典禮


ceremony 當不可數名詞是禮節
eg: without ceremony 不拘禮節的
eg: they buried him with great ceremony



//== More Information ==//

Some famous quotes from Confucius include "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life." "Men's natures are alike , It is their habits that carry them far apart." "What a superior man seeks is in himself; what the small man seeks is in others."

2010年9月28日 星期二

20100928 Confucius His Wisdom Lives On (2)

Confucius: His Wisdom Lives On

Confucius married when he was 19, had a son and two daughters, and continued working assorted jobs, including several in his local government. Around the age of 30, Confucius began his teaching career, sometimes traveling from town to town while teaching a group of students who accompanied him. As a result, it didn't take long for his principles to spread and for others to begin recognizing him for the wise sage that he was.

Times of chaos and wandering
Confucius became increasingly distressed by the political corruption and disorder in society, so he decided to get involved in politics, hoping to make a difference. He secured a position as the Minister of Justice in Lu, but after realizing that his policies and ideas weren't being accepted, he left the post disheartened.

The philosopher truly believed that society and governments would improve if they would follow the great moral teachings of the past. So, in 496 B.C. Confucius began a period of wandering in search of a ruler who would adopt his ethical teachings. For the next 12 years, Confucius and a growing group of disciples traveled from town to town advising rulers and local officials.


assorted jobs
=> a variety of jobs

sage
=> a very wise man

he left the post disheartened
=> he left the position.

dishearten adj. 沮喪的/灰心的
=> lose heart/passion to do something


chaos 混亂/雜亂無章

eg: The typhoon caused chaos in the flooded area.
=> 颱風在淹水的地方引起了混亂
eg: The whole nation was in chaos after the earthquake.
=> 地震之後,整個國家陷入了混亂
eg: The office has been in absolute chaos since the manager suddenly quit.
=> 經理突然辭職後,辦公室陷入完全混亂中

corrupt v. 腐敗
corruption n. 腐敗/貪污/腐化
eg: The mayor now faces several corruption charges.
=> 市長現在面臨好幾件貪汙案的指控
eg: The government took strong measures against corruption.
=> 政府採取強烈的手段來對付貪汙

ethical adj. 道德的/倫理的
=> refer to moral
eg: The society's ethical standards should be respected by all.
=> 社會的道德標準應該要被所有的人尊重

unethical adj. 不道德的
eg: It's unethical for doctors to discuss their patients' condition in public.
=> 醫生在公共場合談論自己病患的病情是不道德的

//== Chat room ==//

wise sage-有智慧的/博學的賢人
wise man 智者
wise guy
=> 不是"聰明的人"而是指"自作聰明的人"

smart adj. 聰明的
smart aleck 自作聰明驕傲自大的人
=> 不是"聰明的人" 的意思,乃指"自作聰明的人"

"wise guy" or " smart aleck" 這兩种人都是令人討厭的人






//== Grammar Tips ==//

As a result, it didn't take long for his principles to spread and for others to begin recognizing him for the wise sage that he was.

it didn't take long
=> it didn't take a long time
=> quickly
=> soon

eg: Frank finished his essay quickly.
=> It didn't take long for frank to finish his essay.
eg: Joyce soon grew tired of eating the same things every day.
=> It didn't take long for Joyce to grow tired of eating the same things every day.




20100927 Confucius His Wisdom Lives On (1)

Confucius: His Wisdom Lives On

This week we celebrate the birthday of one of history well-known teachers

Zhuangzi (莊子) once characterized Confucius as saying, "You may forget me as I once was, but there is something unforgettable about me that will still live on." This prediction remains accurate as Confucius' words still live on today and have been quoted by people down through the ages. Because of the writings and teachings he left behind, Confucius is considered one of history's wisest men.

Childhood through early manhood
When he was born in 551 B.C. in Lu (魯), China, the baby who would someday be called Kong Fuzi (孔夫子) was named Kong Qiu (孔丘). Confucius' father, Kong Shulianghe (孔叔梁紇), was a descendant of the royal family of Shang and had at one time been governor of the town of Zou (鄒). When Kong Qiu was three years old, his father died, leaving the child and his young mother in poverty. As Kong Qiu grew older, their financial situation required him to take on menial jobs such as caring for livestock. He became know as a polite, smart and hard-working young man with an insatiable desire to learn. This thirst for knowledge would push him toward a life of learning and teaching others.




descend v. 傳下來/下降
descendant n. 後代/後裔
=> some relatives of that family
eg: The monument was built by one of the great poet's descendants.
=> 這個紀念碑是由這個偉大的詩人的後裔修建的。
eg: The guy claims to be a direct descendant of Mozart.
=> 這個男人自稱是莫札特的直系後代。

menial adj. 卑微的/粗重的/繁瑣的
eg: He wasted all his talents and ended up doing menial temp jobs.
=> 他浪費了所有他的才華結果去做粗重的零工。
eg: Oliver is used to menial work like cleaning the toilets and scrubbing the floors.
=> Oliver習慣了粗重的工作例如像清廁所或是刷地板。

insatiable adj. 永不滿足的/貪得無厭的
=> you cannot satisfy something
eg: The girl has an insatiable desire to paint.
=> 這個女孩有一種永不滿足的慾望想要畫畫。
eg: Nathan seems to have an insatiable appetite for wealth and fame.
=> Nathan似乎有財富和名聲的渴望永遠都沒有辦法滿足。


unforgettable adj. 難忘的/永遠記得的
=> so meaningful/special that you cannot forget it

livestock n. 牲畜

//== Chat room ==//

age 年齡
ages 很長的時間
eg: I haven't seen you for/in ages.
=> 很久沒有見面了。
eg: I spent ages fixing this document.
=> 我發了很長的時間修改文件。

age 時代
eg: down through the ages
=> 跨越不同時代的/長久以來的





2010年9月27日 星期一

20100925 Getting ID From DNA (1)

Getting ID From DNA

A science lab achievement gave justice a new tool in law courts

Since the late 1800s, authorities have used fingerprints to identify individuals, especially in criminal investigations and other identification-based legal cases. But fingerprinting changed forever when England's Sir Alec Jeffreys discovered a way of identifying individuals using their DNA: DNA fingerprinting. All humans belong to the same species, so the majority of genetic information in people's DNA is identical. But certain sections of human DNA - sections that give each individual unique characteristics - vary astronomically from person to person. Discovering these sections in his laboratory on a September morning in 1984, Jeffreys immediately understood their potential, and DNA fingerprinting was born.

Lawyers applied the discovery to legal cases almost immediately. The following spring, DNA fingerprinting resolved an immigration case by proving a young boy's identity as a U.K. citizen. Then in 1986, DNA fingerprinting provided the evidence necessary to prove one man's innocence and another man's guilt in a murder case. Since then, this science has helped settle countless cases and investigations - establishing parent-child relationships, putting criminals in jail and freeing those wrongly accused of crimes. Without a doubt, DNA fingerprinting has forever revolutionized the way we identify people and fight crime.


2010年9月24日 星期五

20100924 Needed Punctuation (2)

Needed: Punctuation
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family. The exclamation mark comes from the Latin word io. It was originally formed by putting an upper-case I on alower-case o. The Latin word io means "exclamation of joy." The question mark originally started out as the Latin word questio, meaning question. Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question. Over time, it became a symbol formed by putting a lower-case q on an o.

Punctuation is still changing today. New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways. Take for example, the "interrobang." This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both. For example, "She did whatP" or "How much did you pay for that dressP" Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized - yet. But its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.




en- 使如何如何
enlarge v. 擴大/擴充
=> make it bigger/larger
eg: The office building was enlarged last year.
=> 辦公大樓去年擴建了。
eg: I asked the photo shop to enlarge a picture of my children.
=> 我請照相館放大一張我小孩的照片。
eg: The strategy to enlarge our potential market has worked well so far.
=> 我擴充潛力市場的徹略到目前為止都奏效。

exist v. 存在
existence n. 存在
eg: Many people believe in the existence of aliens.
=> 許多人相信外星人的存在。
eg: The existence of dinosaurs can be proven with fossils.
=> 化石可以證明恐龍的存在。
eg: Drawings from the ancient Mayans are still in existence today.
Mayan人的素描到今天仍然存在。

obviously adv. 明顯地/顯而易見地
=> easy to understand/see
eg: Eric was obviously offended by the rude customer, but he stayed well-mannered.
=> Eric很明顯地被這個粗魯的顧客給冒犯,可是他保持了他的風度。
eg: Obviously, people don't write letters that often anymore. After e-mail came along, letter writing slowed down.
=> 顯而易見地,人們不再那麼常寫信了。有電子郵件後,信件就越來越少了。


dash 破折號
slash 斜線
hyphen 連字號
comma 逗號
semicolon 分號
exclamation mark 驚嘆號
question mark 問號
quote mark 雙引號
exclamation n. 驚叫/感歎
=> a statement of excitement, a statement of a lot of energy

upper case adj. 大寫字母的
=> big letter

lower case 小寫字母的
=> small letter

scholar n. 學者/人文學者/古典學者

//== Chat room ==//

semicolon 分號
=> 分號的功能為介於句點和逗點之間,
=> 分號必須用在兩個完整的句子之間,這兩個句子是有關連的

eg: This month I am going on vacation; It is going to be a lot of fun.
=> 這兩個句子都和我的vacation有關,所以中間用分號取代句點。


//== Grammar on the Go ==//

The question mark originally started out as the Latin word questio, meaning question.
=> The question mark originally began as the Latin word questio, meaning question.

start out
=> begin

eg: The actress started out as a waitress at a small cafe and then a talent scout discovered her.
eg: The coach always had the boys start out with a warm up session before they began to play basketball.
eg: Paul didn't know where to find a job, but he knew he could start out by going on the internet.


2010年9月23日 星期四

20100923 Needed Punctuation (1)

Needed: Punctuation

Without little marks and spaces, written language is not easy to understand

CANYOUIMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCES LIKETHIS? The ancient Greeks wrote this way. The lack of punctuation marks probably didn't bother good readers, though. As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time, sentences switched directions. A sentence read from left to right. The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc. The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this; They‧put‧a‧point‧between‧each‧word‧in‧a‧sentence. The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a prick.

When the 5th century arrived, there were just two punctuation marks; spaces and points. The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading. Then in the 13th century, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation. He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence. He used a slash (/) to indicae short pause. Over time, that slash pause. Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma.


punctuation n. 標點/標點符號
eg: Punctuation sometimes expresses the writer's feelings.
=> 標點有時候可以表達寫作時的情緒。
eg: Points will be deducted for each mistake in punctuation.
=> 每個標點的錯誤都會扣分。

switch v. 改變/轉換
switch to
eg: The politician suddenly switched sides and went against his old allies.
=> 這個政客突然改變立場跟舊戰友對抗
eg: To boost the atmosphere of the party, the DJ switched to another kind of music.
=> 為了炒熱party的氣氛,DJ換成另外一種音樂

standard n. 標準
standardize v. 使標準化/使統一化
=> make it standard
eg: The manufacturing process needs to be standardized to ensure the quality of the product.
=> 製造的過程需要標準化才能確保產品的品質


prick v. 刺(穿)/扎(穿)/戳(穿)

curl v. 使(頭髮)捲曲
=> make something in the shape of curl


//== Chat room ==//

punctuation marks 標點符號
marks 符號
make marks 做記號

make one's mark on someone 在某人心中流下好印象

leave a mark 留下傷痕
eg: leave a mark on the kids.
=> 在小孩的心中留下傷痕


//== More Information ==//

When you're writing in any language it's important to have a good command of that language's punctuation. After all, one misplaced punctuation mark could drastically change the meaning of sentence! Two punctuation marks that are often confused are the colon and semicolon. Two more to watch out for are the dash and the hyphen. As punctuation marks, they perform different functions but they look almost identical!



2010年9月22日 星期三

20100922 The Moon (1)

The Moon

How well do you know the "star" of the Mid-Autumn Festival?

Tonight, on Mid-Autumn Festival, people will be celebrating under the light of the moon, the Earth's only natural satellite. Below are some fun facts about the moon you can share with your family as you celebrate.

From Earth we only ever see the same half of the moon. The other half always faces out toward space. This is because the Earth and the moon move in perfect harmony with one another.

Though actually much smaller, the moon appears to be about the same size as the sun when viewed from Earth. The moon also appears bigger when it sits close to the horizon. Nobody knows for sure what causes this optical illusion.

The moon is slowly traveling away from Earth at the leisurely speed of four centimeters a year. At its current distance from Earth, the moon could be "reached" by car in 130 days.

Though people haven't visited the moon since 1972, their footprints are still perfactly preserved. The moon doesn't have an atmosphere, so no air or wind disturbs the clearly visible footprints.

While there are many moons in our universe, the "star" of this Mid-Autumn Festival, the moon, is officially called ... the moon.



harmony Un. 和諧/一致/融洽
eg: People in the little village live in harmony together and share everything with one another.
=> 這個小村莊的居民和諧的生活在一起,他們彼此分享所有的東西。


harmony Un. 和聲
eg: The choir sang in perfect harmony.
=> 詩班唱出完美的合音

leisurely adj. 慢慢的/悠閒的
eg: Kate took a long leisurely walk in the park.
=> Kate悠閒的在公園散步了很久
eg: Mother and I had a leisurely lunch at a nice restaurant.
=> 媽媽和我去了這一間很不錯的餐廳吃了一頓優閒的午餐

pre- 提早
-serve 保存
preserve v. 保存/保護
eg: The townspeople worked hard to preserve the historical site.
=> 鎮民們努力的保存這具有歷史性的景點
eg: The collector carefully preserve the antiques.
=> 這位收藏者努力的收藏這個古董




satellite n. 衛星


harmony n. 和諧/協調/調和

optical illusion 視錯覺
=> something that trick your eyes

leisurely


preserve

//== Chat room ==//

full moon 滿月

new moon 新月

half moon 弦月

waxing and waning 月亮的盈虧

waxing 月盈期
waning 月虧期

wax v. 變大/增加
wane v. 變小/減弱





//== Grammer on the go ==//

Below are some fun facts about the moon...
=> There are some fun facts about the moon later in this article.

below are
=> here "below" means that later on in the text

above
eg: The list above is not a complete list of facts about the moon.

attached
eg: Attached is a list of func facts about the moon.

the following
eg: The following is a list of fun facts about the moon.

as follows
eg: I want to give you a list of fun facts about the moon, and they are as follows.

================

below adv. 在...下面
eg: The dishes are the top shelf, and the pots and pans are in the cabinet below.




//== More Information ==//

Some think that during the full moon phase, the shadows on the moon's surface create the appearance of a man's face. This gave rise to popular folklore about The Man In The Moon. One European tradition says the man was sent to the moon because he committed a crime. East Asian folklore says the figure on this moon isn't a man at all; it's a rabbit.




中秋柚子的創意

這張和中秋有關的照片博君一笑。

2010年9月21日 星期二

20100921 Psychologists (2)

Psychologists

SC: What makes a person mentally "healthy" or "unhealthy"?

WF: Freud said a person is basically healthy if he or she can love and work effectively. By love he meant having a happy and satisfying marriage, and by work he meant having a job that is meaningful and interesting. Adler expanded the category of love to mean good interpersonal relationships, which usually, but not always, include marriage. The American psychiatrist Harry Stack Sullivan, who was never married himself, didn't believe you have to be married to be mentally healthy. However, he did believe that all psychological problems are some form of problems with interpersonal relationships.

SC: How does counseling help improve mental health?

WF: This is a question that behavioral scientists are always trying to answer. Usually a counselor helps a person understand himself or herself by providing a relationship in which the person feels safe. In this process people often discover answers and solutions to their problems themselves. Sometimes the helping person will teach the person who comes for help how to use different ways of thinking and behaving that will make things better.




category n. 種類/範疇
=> a group of things that are similar
eg: The books in my study were sorted by categories.
=> 我書房裡的書是跟據種類來分類的。
eg: There are several different categories of cruise ship cabins.
=> 郵輪的船艙分好幾個不同的艙等。
eg: Software of all categories can be purchased on this website.
=> 所有種類的軟體在這個網站上都可以買得到。

inter- 兩者之間
interpersonal adj. 人際的/人際關係的
eg: Sean needs to improve his interpersonal skills to lead his team.
=> Sean要帶領他的團隊必須加強他人際關係的技巧。
eg: Interpersonal relationship is the key to successful management.
=> 成功的管理關鍵就在於人際關係。

behavior n. 行為
=> the activity that you usually do
behavioral adj. 行為的
eg: The children's behavioral development was carefully recorded by their teacher.
=> 老師很仔細地記錄小朋友們的行為發展。
eg: Tom teaches behavioral psychology in college.
=> 湯姆在大學教行為心理學。




(Sigmund) Freud 弗洛依德

(Alfred) Adler

psychological n. 心理的/精神的



//== Chat room ==//

mental adj. 精神的/心理的/腦力的

make a mental note of something 將一件事記在腦子裡

mental picture 在腦海裡想像的一個情景

mentality n. 看法/想法
=> the way you think




//== Grammar on the Go ==//

Adler expanded the category of love to mean good interpersonal relationships, which usually, but not always, include marriage.
=> Adler expaned the category of love to mean good interpersonal relationships, which usually include marriage.


which usually, but not always 有時候但不總是

usually
all the time

eg: Because Mr. Tompson doesn't come home until late; Mrs. Tompson usually, but not always, leaves dinner on the table for him.
eg: Alice has her own vegetable garden, and she usually, but not always, shares her vegetables with her neighbor.


2010年9月20日 星期一

20100920 Psychologists (1)

Psychologists

The who, what and why of mental health

SC: What is the difference between a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a counselor?

WF: Psychiatrists are medical doctors (M.D.), and because their time is often limited, they usually help people primarily by giving them medicine. Psychologists usually have a Ph.D. and help people primarily through counseling and psychotherapy. Counselors often focus on a certain area, such as school counseling or marriage and family counseling. Most experts say that there is no clear difference between counseling and therapy. Despite this, the term "psychotherapy" is usually used to refer to talking with people about more serious or complex problems in living.

SC: Why do people seek counseling?

WF: People are usually looking for help in solving problems with their emotions, behavior and/or relationships.

SC: Everybody has problems. How do you know if you need counseling?

WF: Counseling might be helpful if you sense that you have problems with some emotions, behavior or relationships that you don't seem to be able to change. This is especially true if the problems keep happening in a kind of repeated or habitual pattern.



counsel v. 諮商/勸告
counselor n. 顧問/諮商師[(+to)]
=> a person who counsel people
eg: school guidance counselor 學校輔導升學或就業的老師
eg: marriage counselor 婚姻諮商師
eg: rehab counselor 復健治療的顧問師

counseling n. 輔導/諮商
=> listen to someone's problem and try to give them help or advise
eg: At first Patrick resisted going to marriage counseling with his wife.
=> 一開始Patrick 抗拒和太太去婚姻諮商。
eg: The organization provides psychological counseling for women who are abused.
=> 這個機構提供組受虐婦女心理諮商。

habit n. 習慣
habitual adj. 習慣性的/習以為常的
eg: The boss had to fire him because of his habitual tardiness.
=> 由於他習慣性的遲到,老板不得不把他開除。
eg: Frank is a habitual liar. Don't believe a word he says.
=> Frank是個習慣性說謊的騙子。他的話一句都不要相信。



psychologist n. 心理學家
psychiatrist n. 精神病醫師/精神病學家
counseling n. 咨詢服務
psycholtherapy n. 精神療法/心理療法



//== Chat room ==//

mood n. 心情/情緒
=> 光用mood也可以用來表示不穩定的情緒/壞心情/壞脾氣
eg: in a good mood 心情很好
eg: in a bad mood 心情不好
eg: She's in a mood today. 她今天脾氣不好。
eg: mood swings 喜怒無常/情緒多變




2010年9月19日 星期日

凡那比颱風--火車是否行駛

凡那比颱風 ,台鐵何時恢復行駛

根據打電話到火車站都打不通的情形來推測,
現在很多人和我一樣都關心台鐵幾點之後才行駛,
雖然新聞和台鐵網站都有有公佈和報導,
下午五點之後對號列車及區間車恢復行駛,
但是想要回工作崗位的我們可能還是需要這樣的資訊,
是否台鐵會提早行駛。
三點跑去附近的火車站,台鐵依舊照原訂的時間,
五點過後才會有火車行駛。



 

2010年9月17日 星期五

20100917 TV and You (1)

TV and You

Is there anything wrong with turning on the TV?

Sarah and Josh recently got married. They are discussing the amount of time they should spend watching TV.


Conversation A
Josh: Let’s turn on the TV and see what’s on.

Sarah: Josh, you know I dislike channel-surfing to find something to watch. It steals our time. We'll end up sitting in front of the TV all evening and not doing anything constructive.

Josh: TV is a good, inexpensive way to be entertained. If we went to a movie or concert, we'd have to pay at least $10 a ticket. Our cable TV bill is only $60 per month.

Sarah: You’re not addicted to TV, are you?

Josh: Of course not. I can turn off the set anytime. But if watching it doesn’t keep you from doing something important, it’s OK.

Sarah: We can discard the TV as far as I’m concerned. It’s such a waste of time! Did you know the average American watches four hours of TV every day? Over a lifetime, that’s nine years!

Josh: But I don’t watch that much a day. I mostly watch sports events. I get the best seat in the house! It’s a much better view than if I were actually at the event.

Sarah: That’s true. But you’re talking about turning it on for no particular reason.

2010年9月16日 星期四

20100916 Servant Leadership (2)

Servant Leadership

Like Leo, servant leaders serve those they lead. Instead of focusing on themselves, they work for the benefit of others. Servant leadership is not so much about developing organizations as it is about developing people. But that doesn't mean organizations should be neglected. By caring for their followers, servant leaders help them be the best they can be. As a result, the organization has the advantage of happy, healthy and creative workers.

Robert Greenleaf thought that the effect leaders had on others was the best testament to their success. Did the people they served become freer, healthier and wiser? Were their followers more likely to serve others themselves? Did their organizations make the world a better place? Successful servant leaders should be able to answer yes to all of these questions. Though Robert Greenleaf first introduced "servant leadership" in 1970, his ideas remain vitally important today. If society hopes to build a better future, it will need good leaders - servant leaders.




advantage n. 好處/優勢
eg: The advantages of working in a big firm include higher benefits and stability.
=> 在大公司工作的好處包括更高的福利和穩定性。
eg: The mayor will be at a distinct advantage if he wants to run for election.
=> 市長如果要競選連任,會佔很明顯的優勢。

disadvantage n. 壞處/劣勢
eg: The disadvantage of sharing an apartment is the lack of privacy.
=> 分租公寓的缺點是缺乏隱私性。

testament n. 證明/證據
testament to something ...的證據
=> proof that something is true
eg: The company's sales figures are a testament to the success of their new product.
=> 公司的銷售數據是他們的新產品的成功證明。
eg: His brilliant artwork is a testament to the artist's astonishing talent.
=> 這位藝術家非凡的藝術品證明他的才華令人驚訝。

vitally adv. 絕對/極其
eg: The new health policy will be vitally important to all people.
=> 新的健保政策對所有人民都是極其的重要。
eg: Parents' relationships with their children are vitally important.
=> 父母們和他們的孩子的關係極其的重要。




//== Chat room ==//


servant n. 僕人
server n. (沒有性別區分)服務生

waiter 男服務生
waitress 女服務生

service charge 服務費
tip 小費







2010年9月15日 星期三

20100915 Servant Leadership (1)

What makes a good leader?

What makes someone a good leader? Is it popularity, power or wealth? Is a great leader someone who can find and make use of good opportunities? Do good leaders demand obedience?

All too often people become leaders because they want power and money. But leadership adviser Robert Greenleaf didn't think good leadership was about those things. Rather, he thought great leaders should also be great servants. Greenleaf believed that "serving each other is the rock upon which a good society is built."

He thought we needed better leaders – servant leaders – if we wanted to build a better society. Greenleaf's "servant leader" was inspired by Hermann Hesse's story Journey to the East. In the story, a group of people go on a journey. Throughout the trip, their servant, Leo, helps them. Then Leo disappears. Without him, the group falls apart, and the journey is abandoned. Only later does it become clear that Leo, the servant, was actually the leader all along.



obedience Un. 順服/服從/遵守
obedience to somebody
eg: Total obedience is demanded by the military.
=> 軍隊中要求絕對的順服
eg: Teachers expect obedience to the school rules.
=> 老師期待學生要遵守校規

advise v. 給建議
adviser n. 顧問/給予建議的人
eg: Hiring a financial adviser was expensive, but he's worth the price.
=> 顧用財務顧問的費用很高,但是他值得這個價錢
John King is one of the President's closest advisers.

actually adv. 實際上/事實上
eg: Even though Sarah is a successful businesswoman, she actually loves singing and painting.
=> 雖然Sarah是為成功的女強人,但是實際上她很喜歡唱歌和繪畫
eg: Gina and I have talked on the phone several times, but have never actually met.
=> 我和Gina通電話很多次,但是事實上我們從來沒有見過面






2010年9月14日 星期二

20100914 Fall Into Fashion (2)

Fall Into Fashion

So what fall 2010 fashion trends suit you best? One of this season's hot fabrics is velvet. Find this thick, soft material made into everything from scarves to pants and jackets. Not only will it look and feel luxurious, velvet will also keep you warm. Pair your favorite velvet piece with another current fashion trend - wide-leg pants. Go ahead and put away those skinny jeans from years past and make room for this new trend. Known for their comfort, wide-leg pants can be worn in both casual and formal settings.

Patterns will also play a role in fashion this fall, as clothes will be covered in creative graphics. Whether displaying urban graffiti or colorful patchwork, these clothes are sure to be a hit. Finally, buy clothes in this fall's most popular color: deep red. This rich, warm color flatters most skin tones and is easily paired with a variety of colors. Prefer a more classic look? Black is always in style. Consider your taste and style, and enjoy all that fashion has to offer this fall!



graphic n. 圖案/圖樣/圖表
=> picture on something
eg: Appealing graphics on packaging usually help promote sales.
=> 包裝上吸引人的圖案通常提升銷售很有幫助
eg: The graphics they used in the presentation are really easy to understand.
=> 他們在簡報中使用的圖表真的非常容易了解
eg: Ricky majors in computer graphics.
=> Ricky主修電腦繪圖

urban adj. 都市的/都會的
=> belong to a very large city area
eg: Populations in urban areas continue to steadily increase.
=> 都會區中的人口持續穩定增加中
eg: Urban renewal is the mayor's main goal.
=> 市長的主要目標是都市更新

rural adj. 鄉村的
eg: Many rural schools lack certified teachers.
=> 許多鄉下學校缺乏有證照的老師

flatter v. 使顯得比真人或實物好看
=> make people feel important
eg: Pink really flatters Diane's complexion.
=> 粉紅色真的很適合Diane的膚色
eg: Susie's new hair style flatters her a lot. She looks ten years younger than she actually is.
=> Susie的新髮型讓她看起來更漂亮。她看起來比實際年齡還要小十歲


suit
=> fit

velvet n. 天鵝絨/絲絨

luxurious adj. 奢侈的/非常舒適的

graffiti n. 牆上的塗鴉

patchwork n. 拼湊成的東西



//== Chat room ==//

in style 正在流行/時髦的 <--> out of style 不再流行/過時的

spend money like it's going out of style 花錢如流水
take pictures like they're going out of style
do it in style 採用最好的


2010年9月13日 星期一

20100913 Fall Into Fashion (1)

Fall Into Fashion
Find out what fall fashion has to offer

A new decade often brings new fashion trends. In the 1970s, people preferred bell-bottoms and platform shoes, and in the 1980s, they gravitated toward big shoulder pads and miniskirts. Flannel shirts ruled in the 1990s, and the new century brought with it feminine dresses and skinny jeans. With 2010 kicking off a new decade, fashion lovers can anticipate plenty of new trends. This fall, some of those trends are already emerging.

But who determines what will be in fashion? It all begins with people in the fashion industry, who first consider what interests consumers. By paying attention to current social trends, fashion industry experts make predictions about upcoming trends in color, design and fabric. These predictions then end up in the hands of fashion designers, who create looks based on these ideas.
Finally, these looks come to life on the runway. Fashion shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris excite fashion fans around the world. Eventually, runway trends end up in local malls and shops, ready to be purchased by the general public.



garv- 重
gravity n. 地心引力
gravitate v. 受吸引而轉向/受重力吸引而移動
gravitate to/toward 受重力吸引而轉向..
eg: The crowd gravitates toward the plaza to watch the performance.
=> 人群被吸引轉向到廣場去觀賞表演。
eg: Sean always gravitates toward older kids in his school.
= Sean總是喜歡跟學校中年紀比較大的孩子在一起。

predict v. 預測/預言
prediction n. 預測/預言
eg: Economists made the prediction that inflation rates would soar this year.
=> 經學家預測今年的通貨膨脹率會飛快地升高。
eg: The man's prediction of the end of the world caused people to panic.
=> 這個人有關世界末日的預言造成人?人心惶惶。

come to life 活要起來/甦醒起來
=> become alive
eg: The characters from the novel came to life in the movie version.
=> 小?中的人物在電影版中活生生地呈現出來。
eg: The game came to life when the coach replaced the quarterback.
=> 教練換了四分衛後球賽就起死回生了。



fall
=> step into

rule
=> at the top of the ranking

flannel n. 法蘭絨; 棉絨

consumer n. 消費者

fabric n. 織物/織品/布料

//== Chat room ==//

new fashion trends

set the trend 創立新款式

trendsetter n. 領先流行的人





//== Grammar on the Go ==//

In the 1970s, people preferred bell-bottoms and platform shoes, and in the 1980s, they gravitated toward big shoulder pads and miniskirts.
Flannel shirts ruled in the 1990s, and the new century brought with it feminine dresses and skinny jeans.

this style was popular
this period was famous for…

to dominate
eg: Environmental awareness will dominate this year's trends.
to lead
eg: This year's fashion is led by Asian styles.

to favor
eg: Teenagers tend to favor this style.
to attract
eg: Women are attracted to this mode of accessories.





follow the trend 跟隨著趨勢

trendy adj. 時髦的/時尚的

2010年9月12日 星期日

20100911 The Diamond That Disappeared (1)

The Diamond That Disappeared

The mysterious story of the Marlborough diamond

For workers at one of London's Graff jewelry shops, today's date is not easily forgotten. Exactly thirty years ago, a well-dressed man entered the store looking like an ordinary customer. Once inside, he pulled out a gun, and another man followed with a grenade. The two thieves quickly took the finest jewels from the displays. They also took the store's most famous piece: the 45-carat Marlborough diamond. This pigeon-egg-sized diamond was worth 400,000 pounds at the time.

The robbers got out of the store with over 1.4 million pounds in jewels. They were clever, but not quite clever enough. As they got off the plane in Chicago 11 hours later, the police were waiting. They quickly indentified and arrested Joseph Scalise and Arthur Rachel for the crime. To the policement's surprise, however, the stolen jewels were not in the men's luggage. To this day, the location of those jewels - including the Marlborough diamond - remains a mystery.

2010年9月10日 星期五

20100910 The Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan (2)

The Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan

A good way to see the volcanoes is to take a one-hour bus ride from the capital city, Baku, to the small town of Gobustan. From there, a large field of mud volcanoes is only a taxi ride away. Upon reaching the field, visitors will find themselves in an alien landscape dotted with dozens of volcanoes. They will be delighted as the mud inside these vents and cones gurgles and pops. Of course, visitors can't leave without sticking their hands into the cool and creamy mud, which is believed to have curative properties.

Since the mud volcanoes have been named a finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature campaign, local officals both expect and fear more tourists. In order to protect these natural treasures, the Azerbaijani government has declared several mud volcanoes protected sites. The Lok-Batan mud volcano, the most active and most famous of the bunch, is currently awaiting confirmation as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The mud volcanoes of Azerbaijan may not be as awe-inspiring as gigantic volcanoes, but they offer visitors a fun and muddy way to connect with nature.



alien n. 外星人/外國人
alien adj. 陌生的/不熟悉的
=> strange, not familiar
eg: When Mike first moved overseas the new culture seemed so alien to him.
=> 當Mike剛剛搬到國外時,新的文化對他很陌生。
eg: Everything felt alien to us when we first moved.
=> 當我們剛搬家時,所有的一切都感覺很陌生。

final adj.
finalist n. 進入決賽者/參加決賽的人
=> one of the people to remain in the final part of the competition
eg: All of the finalists in the singing contest will sing two songs at the competition.
=> 這個唱歌比賽所有入圍決賽選手將在比賽中唱二首歌曲。
eg: One of the finalists dropped out of the game due to an injury.
=> 有一位決賽選手因為受傷退出比賽。

confirmation n. 確定/確證
confirm v. 確認/確定
eg: The patient is waiting on confirmation from the hospital indicating the tumor is benign.
=> 病人在等待醫院的確認腫瘤是良性的。
eg: Your order's written confirmation will be sent to you by mail.
=> 您書面的訂貨確認單會用郵寄的方式寄給你。



gurgle n. 汩汩流水聲
cure v. 治療
=> heal
curative adj. 治病的


UNESCO 聯合國教育科學暨文化組織
=> United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization


//== Chat room ==//

a taxi ride away
=> 指不遠的距離

當你要形容很近的距離時,以下這三個句子都可以使用
(1) within shouting distance 距離近到可以聽到對方吼叫
=> 在吼叫的範圍內
(2) a stone's throw away
=> 丟擲石頭的距離
(3) a hop, skip and a jump
=> 田徑賽的三級跳



//== More Information ==//

The Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape is one of Azerbaijan's most famous tourist sites. Just outside the village of Gobustan, this area contains over 6,000 ancient rock carvings or petroglyphs. The carvings are found in caves and along outcrappings of rock. The oldest carvings date back to the 12th century B.C. More recent carvings include graffiti written by Roman soldiers 2,000 years ago.



2010年9月9日 星期四

20100909 The Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan (1)

The Mud Volcanoes of Azerbaijan(亞塞拜然的泥火山)

Believe it or not, you can stick your hand into one of these volcanoes!

Volcanoes usually generate fear, and for good reason, since their eruptions have been known to wipe out entire towns and villages. The volcanoes found in Azerbaijan, however, inspire curiosity and even laughter. Filled with cool mud instead of red-hot magma, these mud volcanoes are much smaller than typical volcanoes, with most no more than four meters tall. Looks can be deceiving, however. Once every 20 years or so, these seemingly calm, mud-filled cones erupt forcefully, spewing tons of mud and rock fragments from deep underground.

These volcanoes occasionally put on a show like the Lok-Batan mud volcano did in 2001, when it shot a fireball hundreds of meters into the air. Azerbaijan boasts over 300 mud volcanoes, approximately half of all the mud volcanoes in the world. Many of them are located near the Caspian Sea, and some are actually underwater. Like all volcanoes, mud volcanoes provide a window into the geological processess occurring deep below the Earth's surface. In this case, the mud, rocks and flames that flow from the volcanoes are all evidence of Azerbaijan's rich deposits of oil and natural gas.




deceive v. 誤導/欺騙
=> trick
eg: The con man deceived everyone with his lies.
=> 這個騙子用謊言欺騙了每一個人。

deceive someone into doing something 誤導某人去作某事
eg: She deceived us into believing that she received a promotion at work.
=> 她誤導我們相信她工作升職了。

spew v. 湧出/噴出
=> flow out in large amount liquid
eg: Cars raced by spewing black exhaust fumes into the air.
=> 車輛呼嘯而過噴出黑煙到空氣中。
eg: The volcano spewed gas and dust just before it erupted.
=> 這座火山在它噴發了之前,噴出氣體和灰燼。
eg: Pages of the report spewed out from the computer printer.
=> 一頁又一頁的報告從印表機輸出。

frag- 破碎
fragment n. 碎片
=> a piece of something
eg: Fragments from the broken vase spread around the floor.
=> 破掉的花瓶碎片弄得滿地都是。

fragment n. 片段
eg: I can only remember fragments of the poem.
=> 我只記得這首詩的片段。


generate fear
=> cause fear to exist


magma n. 岩漿
= lava
=> liquid rock


put on a show


Azerbaijan boasts over 300 mud volcanoes
=> Azerbaijan is proud to have over 300 mud volcanoes.


Caspian Sea 裡海(位於前蘇聯與伊朗之間的內海)


geological adj. 地質學
geologic adj. 地質學上的/地質的
geology n. 地質學





//== Chat room ==//


Looks can be deceiving.

looks 外貌

good looks 美貌/好看的長相
=> looks都會用來表示好看的面貌
=> 但是我們不會說bad looks

good-looking adj. 好看的/漂亮的/美貌的
eg: a good-looking shirt
eg: a good-looking car

looker 美貌的人
eg: She's grown up to be a real looker. 女大18變


//== Grammar on the Go ==//

Volcanoes usually generate fear, and for good reason, since their eruptions have been know to wipe out entire towns and villages.
= Volcanoes usually generate fear, and this is obvious since their eruptions have been known to wipe out entire towns and villages.

for good reason
=> what was just mentioned is obvious

eg: Richard doesn't like that restaurant, and for good reason their service isn't very good.
eg: Kyle doesn't want to work with Susan -- and for good reason. He had a bad experience working with her before.


20100908 Asian Fashion Passion (3)

Asian Fashion Passion

Design with a wide sie: Toshikzau lwaya
Nobody guessed that a textile design from Tokyo's Bunka Fashion College would liven up Japan's runways. But that's exactly what Toshikzu lwaya did, first with the company DressCamp and then with his own label, Dress33.

Dress33's Paris debut came in 2009. Iwaya fearlessly showed Elizabethan designs mixed with modern everyday wear. In fact, Iwaya is known for bold designs like zebra-striped suit jackets and colorful, glittering dresses. His designs draw shoppers into stores in cities from Paris to Hong Kong.

Engineer of design: Goji Lin
Designer Goji Lin's passion for art never died, even while he was studying mechanical engineering in college. Later Lin studied fashion design in Britain. Now based in Taipei, Lin draws on his engineering background for novel fashion ideas. Lin's design feature vivid colors and unique materials, including one material created from used computer monitors. He finds inspiration in Chinese culture: Calligraphy, Chinese paintings and peonies all appear in his designs.

These designers are beloved at home and popular abroad. And it shows as fashion runways increasingly feature Asia's most talented and passionate designers.



liven up something 使充滿生氣/使人興奮
=> live up的受詞可以是事物,也可以是人
eg: The dancers' performance livened up the concert.
=> 舞者們的表演炒熱的演唱會的氣氛
eg: Colorful cushions can liven up a room instantly.
=> 色彩鮮豔的靠墊可以立即讓房間活潑起來
eg: A walk in the woods always livens me up in no time.
=> 在樹林中散散步總是可以令我開心起來

glitter v. 光彩奪目/閃耀
eg: Nina proudly showed her glittering engagement ring to her siter.
=> Nina很驕傲地把自己閃閃發亮的訂婚戒指給姊姊看
eg: The stars glittered in the night sky.
=> 星星在夜晚中閃閃發亮
eg: The movie star's diamond necklace glittered in the spotlight.
=> 電影明星的鑽石項鍊在聚光燈下閃耀


draw on 利用
=> use the information that he already knows in order to help him do something
eg: He draw on his experience as a teacher in order to get close to the young inmates.
=> 他利用過去當老師的經驗來接近這些年輕的受刑人
eg: The auther drew on his childhood when writing his novel.
=> 這位作者在創作這本小說時擷取自己童年的經歷




novel adj. 新奇的
=> profound

calligraphy n. 書法

peony n. 牡丹
=> a kind of flow



//== Chat room ==//

runway n. 飛機場的跑道
runway n. (私人的)時裝秀的伸展台
catwalk n. (用於公開的,給大眾欣賞的)時裝秀伸展台
=> 一般口語上runway和catwalk是可以互換使用的

2010年9月8日 星期三

20100907 Asian Fashion Passion (2)

Asian Fashion Passion

Made in Malaysia: Khoon Hooi
Khoon Hooi has done what no other Malaysian designer could do: He launched a successful global brand from Malaysia. Hooi attended the Malaysia Institute of Art. He studied graphic arts for a year to please his parents but then switched to his passion: Fashion. Hooi's look is known for being feminine, romantic and youthful. Shoppers in cities like New York, Taipei, Bangkok and London discover flowing silk dresses and nature-inspired colors.

Fashion for America's first lady: Jason Wu
Taipei-born Jason Wu exploded onto the fashion since the night of January 20, 2009. That evening, Michelle Obama, America's new first lady, wore an exquisite white gown made by Wu to President Obama's inauguration celebrations. For the boy who had sketched gowns in Taipei bridal shops when he was 5, it was a dream come true. Wu's family immigrated to Vancouver, British Columbia, when he was 9. Wu studied abroad in France during high school and attended college in New York City. In 2006, Wu started his own fashion label, which is known for its modern designs with a clean, classic and feminine look.




launch v. 推出某種新的產品/服務
eg: The company launched a new fragrance for women.
=> 這家公司推出了新的女性香水。
eg: The bank will lauch their online banking service next month.
=> 這家銀行下個月會推出他們的網路銀行服務。

sketch v. 速寫/素描
=> draw it very quickly
eg: The artist sketched his daughter as she was playing in the garden.
=> 這位畫家在他的女兒在花園裡玩耍時,畫下了她的素描。
eg: The architech sketched out a design for the building.
=> 建築師速寫出的這棟建築物的設計圖。

sketch n. 速寫/素描
eg: She did several sketches of the fisherman.
她畫了好幾張這位漁夫的素描

label 品牌/商標
eg: After working under an employer for years, Brenda launched her won label last year.
=> 為老闆工作多年後,Brenda推出他自己的品牌。
eg: The supermarket's generic label has become very successful.
=> 這家超市自有品牌銷售非常成功

designer label 名牌
eg: Many young people enjoy buying designer labels.
=> 許多青年人喜歡買名牌。



graphic arts

feminine adj. 女性的/婦女的

inauguration n. 就職/就職典禮

exquisite adj. 精美的/精緻的/製作精良的

gown n. 女禮服/(婦女穿的)長禮服



//== Chat room ==//

Jason Wu studied abroad in France during high school.
= Jason Wu studied overseas in France during high school.

abroad adv. 國外的
= overseas

aboard adv. 在船/飛機/火車/任何一種大眾運輸工具上

aboard adv. 在某家公司/組織工作
eg: Welcome aboard. 歡迎加入我們公司
=> 在公司遇到新同事可以向他說Welcome aboard.


2010年9月6日 星期一

20100906 Asian Fashion Passion (1)

Asian Fashion Passion

Introducing a new generation of Asian designers

Fashio followers everywhere know of Vera Wang, Issey Miyake and Vivienne Tam, Asian designers with established global brands. They aren't the only designers with Asian names anymore, though. A new generation of Asian designers is making fashion statements on runways around the world. From basements to runways: Do Ri Chung Doo Ri Chung learned determination from her hard-working parents who moved to America from Korea when Chung was four. She studied fashion at New York's Parsons School of Design and then further developed her tailoring skills under designer Geoffrey Beene.

In 2001 Chung began sewing her own designs in the basement of her parents' New Jersey dry cleaner's. Chung has since moved her collection Doo.Ri to midtown Manhattan but still fondly remembers the days spent designing in a basement. Fashion critics praise Chung for her mastery of jersey, a cotton-like, stretchy material. Whether it's a suit jacket or dress, Chung's clothing drapes beautifully and feels great. Chung's most recent venture is her new collection under.ligne, which offers a lower-priced alternative for fashion lovers.



fashion statement n. 時尚宣言
=> a clothing or something that you may wear that make statements
eg: The girls made a fashion statement by coloring their hair blonde.
=> 這些女孩把她們的頭髮染成金髮來表達她們的時尚宣言

drape n. 窗簾/皺摺
drape v. 使布料或衣服形成皺摺的狀態
eg: Hank used a ladder to drape curtains over the windows.
=> Hank 用一架梯子把窗戶裝上窗簾。
drape v. 披掛上
eg: She draped a red scarf over her coat.
=> 她披了一條紅色圍巾在她的大衣上

venture v. 具有冒險性或是風險性的投機
eg: Our company decided to go abroad for more lucrative business ventures.
=> 我們的公司決定要在海外投資更具有風險性的投資。
eg: The joint venture between the two companies involves millions of dollars.
=> 這二家公司的合資案牽涉到數百萬美元。




fashion statement n. 時尚宣言
runway n. (由舞臺延伸到觀眾席中的)延伸臺道
dry cleaner's 乾洗店
jersey n. (女子)針織緊身內衣

fondly adv. 深情地/溫柔地




//== Chat room ==//


midtown Manhattan

downtown (曼哈頓)南區/市中心
uptown (曼哈頓)北區/高級的/昂貴的
midtown (曼哈頓)中區

大多數的城市只有downtown(市中心)
如果有uptown的話,指的是都市中的高級住宅區

uptown girl 富家女







//== Grammar on the Go ==//

Chung has since moved her collection Doo.Ri to midtown Manhattan but still fondly remembers the days spent designing in a basement.
=> Chung used to work in New Jersey but later she moved to Manhattan and still there now

have + since

eg: Timothy graduated in 2008 and has since worked in his father's company.
eg: The director retired two years ago and has since disappeared from public attention.

======================

since
=> from a certain time
eg: Gina and Paula have been friends since high school.



2010年9月3日 星期五

20100903 Worst Case Scenario How to Deal With Travel Disasters Part 2 (2)

Worst Case Scenario: How to Deal With Travel Disasters (Part 2)

Lost boarding pass in Lima
Travelers seem to delight in gamboling through airports with their boarding pass hanging from a pocket, clutched in two fingers or tucked behind their ear. Bad passengers. No pass, no passage.
What to do: A gate agent or airline service-counter staffer can replace the lost boarding pass when you show valid ID.
How to prevent it: Pretend it's a $200 bill. Keep your boarding pass in a secure pocket except when you have to show it at security and the gate.

Lost luggage in Luxembourg
In our case, we'd made a tight connection through Heathrow, but my wife's suitcase didn't.
What to do: Find the luggage office immediately and file a claim. Be prepared to return to the airport to retrieve the bag once it appears. If the bag never arrives, you can always buy some basic garments and supplies.
How to preventg it: Upon check-in, always ask to see the destination tag before your bag goes on the conveyor belt. If you're departing on a long, expensive trip for which there will be little recourse if either you or your luggage fails to arrive, plan to fly in at least one day early. Also, don't choose the last flight of the day. And don't forget to put essentials, such as cameras and documents, in your carry-on bag.



gamble 賭博
gambol v. 戲鬧/跳躍
=> run and play
eg: The puppies are gamboling around their mother.
=> 小狗狗在媽媽的身邊蹦蹦跳跳的。
eg: Kids are gamboling around on the playground.
=> 小朋友在操場中蹦蹦跳跳的。

clutch v. 緊握/抓緊
=> hold on to it very tightly
eg: The old lady clutched her handbag to her chest while walking to the bank.
=> 這位老太太在走到銀行之前緊緊的她的皮包在她的胸前。
eg: Patricia clutched her busband's hand while she was in labor.
=> Patricia在生產的時候緊抓著先生的手。

re- 回來
retrieve v. 取取
eg: I tried to retrieve the email that I accidentally deleted but I didn't succeed.
=> 我試著找回之前被刪掉的電子郵件,但是行不通。
eg: The wide receiver quickly retrieved the ball after dropping it.
=> 接球員掉球之後很快重新把球接住。




boarding pass 登機卡

tuck v. 把...塞進/把...藏入

airline service-counter staffer 航空公司服務櫃檯工作人員

destination n. 目的地

conveyor belt 輸送帶

garment n. (一件)衣服
=> a piece of clothes

recourse n. 依靠/依賴/求助




//== Chat room ==//


airline service-counter staffer

staff 指一個機構的全體職員/全體工作人員
=> 不能用來只個別的人員

a staff member
=> 可以說一個人是a staff member,卻不能說他是a stuff,為了應付這個需求,美國人創造了staffer

staffer (可數名詞) 職員
eg: He is a White House staffer.
=> 他是白宮職員。

staff v. 為某個地方配備人員
eg: fully staffed 名額已滿/沒有空缺

//== Grammar on the Go ==//

Upon check-in, always ask to see the destination tag before you bag goes on the conveyor belt.
eg: At the time of check-in, always ask to see the destination tag before your bag goes on the conveyor belt.

upon
= at the time of

eg: Upon seeing her boyfriend on his knee with a big diamond ring and a large bouquet of flowers, Alicia began to cry.
eg: Upon the singer's arrival at the airport, the fans who had been waiting quietly became a screaming mob.

=============================================

upon
eg: Upon the surface of the water, dragonflies were dancing.



20100902 Worst Case Scenario How to Deal With Travel Disasters Part 2

Worst Case Scenario: How to Deal With Travel Disasters (Part 2)

Learn how to deal with missed flights, blocked credit cards and more

Wallet missing in Warsaw
It's a comon and troublesome on-the-road mishap. I left my wallet sitting on the hood of a rental car once. What to do: Call your card issuers as soon as you can. Spouses back home who have access to billing records can help too. Ask your family to wire you money if you have no other recourse. If you're stranded in a place like Kazakhstan, consular officials can help. Can you get on a plane to go home? In the United States, Transportation Security Administration officials are prepared to perform extra screening for travelers who have lost their ID. How to prevent it: Make a list of emergency lost-card phone numbers to keep in your luggage.

If you're traveling overseas, make sure you carry cards
whose issuers offer international collect call numbers to report when they're lost or stolen.

Credit cards blocked in Canada
This mishap is more common than people realize. Credit card companies have elaborate programs that identify "suspicious" charging activity, and it's possible that charges could be denied almost anyhwere outside your home region. What to do: Use another card - you brought three, right? Call the blocked card's issuing company immediately to unblock it. How to prevent it: Before leaving home, call the credit card security departments and inform them of your trip plans. This is crucial for overseas travel.





mishap n. 不幸事故/災禍(通常都是不大嚴重的)
=> unlucky event
eg: After several mishaps during the trip, we finally got home.
=> 旅行中經過一些小事故後我們終於回到家。

without mishap 平安無事
eg: The important document arrived without mishap.
=> 這份重要的文件平安無事的到達。

recourse Un. 依靠/依賴/求助
recourse to someone 依賴某人
=> a person/thing that can help you in some way
eg: The single mother takes care of her kids without recourse to any help.
=> 這位單親媽媽沒有依賴任何幫助,獨立照顧她的孩子。
eg: The couple had recourse to counseling to save their marriage.
=> 這對夫妻求助於婚姻輔導來保住婚姻。

screen v. 審查
screening n. 審查/篩檢
eg: All employees must go through medical screening before signing the contract.
=> 所有雇員在簽合約之前必?經過身體檢查的篩檢。
eg: The screening of applications will take a few days.
=> 申請表的審查會花上幾天的時間。




issuer n. 發行人/發行者
=> a person who produces something

spouse n. 配偶

consular officials 領事官員

collect call 對方付費電話

unblock v. 除去...的障礙




//== Chat room ==//

ID
=> identification的縮寫

identify v. 辨認
identification n. 辨認/身分證
eg: He used his driver's license as identification.
=> 他用他的駕照當作身分證

identity 身分
=> the characteristic that you decide you are
=> Ashely的identity是圖書館員


2010年9月1日 星期三

nPower PEG

from http://www.trailspace.com/blog/2010/08/09/outdoor-retailer-portable-power.html

nPower PEG - Tremont Electric

PEG means portable energy generator. It's the brainchild of Aaron LeMieux, an entrepreneur/engineer who created Tremont Electric to capitalize on something he learned while hiking 1,500 miles on the Appalachian Trail: Walking with a heavy pack generates lots of untapped energy. The result is coming on the market in a few weeks: the nPower PEG, which captures kinetic energy from walking and stores it in a battery that can power small electronics like cellphones and iPods.

The tubular PEG has springs on each end and a magnet in the middle -- the motion of walking pushes the magnet back and forth against the springs, keeping the magnet moving and generating electrical current. A microprocessor keeps the current steady enough to charge a lithium polymer battery that recharges an electronic device.

So, how much power does it generate? Depending on the device, five minutes of walking can empower one minute of talking, LeMieux says. (According to Tremont Electric's press materials, the more power-hungry iPhone 3G needs 10 minutes of walking for one minute of talking.)

Here's LeMieux demonstrating the PEG:


20100901 The nPower PEG (1)

The nPower PEG

Walk power into your cell phone

Aaron LeMieux loves to hike and often listens to the radio at the same time. While on a 1,500-mile hike along the Appalachian Trail, Aaron started thinking about energy. Could the energy his body was crating be used to charge an electronic device? In 2006 Aaron quit his job and turned the basement of his home into a laboratory. He then put all his time into developing the nPower PEG.

How the nPower PEG works
PEG means personal energy generator. It uses the energy you create while moving to charge a hand-held device. Just put your nPower PEG in your bag, or fasten it to your leg or bicycle. Then plug your MP3 player, cell phone or digital camera into your nPower PEG's USB port. LeMieux's company, Tremont Electric, claims the nPower PEG can charge most hand-held electronic devices to 80 percent in one hour.

The Cost
Since it costs US$149, the nPower PEG won't appeal to everyone. But for those that spend a lot of time away from electricity, it might come in handy.




device 儀器/裝置
=> any object which is created for particular purpose
eg: Most new parents own a device that allows them to monitor their baby while he or she sleeps.
=> 大部分的新手爸媽都會有可以讓他們監視他們寶寶睡覺的裝置
eg: The electronic device repels insects with sound waves.
=> 這種電子裝置利用聲波驅趕昆蟲

fasten 扣緊/繫牢
=> "t"不發音
fasten to something 把...繫緊在某個東西上
eg: He fastened the straps of his backpack.
=> 他把背包上的袋子繫緊
eg: The sailor fastened his boat to a post on the dock.
=> 這位水手把他的船繫在碼頭上的柱子上


appeal 引起興趣或吸引
appeal to someone 吸引某個對象
=> "ea"發長"i"音.
eg: Sports have never seemed to appeal to Kevin.
=> Kevin向來對運動都沒什麼興趣
eg: The vibrant colors and relaxing atmosphere of the restaurant appeal to young customers.
=> 這家餐廳鮮明的色彩和令人放鬆的的氣氛吸引年輕的顧客




Appalachian Trail 阿巴拉契步道
laboratory n. 實驗室
generator n. 產生器

USB port USB孔


//== Chat Room ==//

quit (口語的)辭職
resign (正式的)辭職
letter of resignation 辭呈

pink slip 公司發的開除/解聘/裁員的通知單。
=> pink slip是解雇的代稱
早年公司解聘員工時,在被裁員解聘的員工薪水袋内會夾放一張粉紅色的字條,告知該員工不必來上班了。
現今被通用為公司解雇裁員通知單






//== Grammer on the go ==//

.......for those that spend a lot of time away from electricity, it might come in handy.
=> For people who spend a lot of time away from electricity, the nPower PEG might be useful.

come in hand
=> be useful
=> be convenient.

eg: Since you might buy a lot of things, you should bring an extra bag with you, it might come in handy.
eg: Patrick's old umbrella came in handy because he came to work unprepared for rain.


20100831 The Real World of Real Estate (2)

The Real World of Real Estate

SC: What is a housing bubble?

MZ: A housing bubble is an economic situation that occurs when home prices rise faster than inflation and income. Housing bubbles happen when there's a high demand for homes in a particular area. In a bubble, investors purchase homes in hopes of flipping them for a profit after they appreciate in value.

SC: How does a housing bubble affect homeowners?
MZ: Home prices become so artificially high that peoples' monthly incomes cannot pay for the mortgages on their properties. People keep buying houses, though, because they think the risk of paying a high mortgage will pay off if they can sell at a profit.

SC: How is the situation corrected?

MZ: Housing bubbles are resolved when income levels rise to match the high cost of homes or when home prices fall to match income levels. Usually, home prices fall because income levels are much less volatile than home prices. When people can not afford to pay their mortgages anymore, their homes go into foreclosure and are sold for less than the market price. This, in , causes the prices in the market to decline.