20101013 Top Ten Teacher Tips for Getting Tip-Top Homework Grades (1)

Top Ten Teacher Tips for Getting Tip-Top Homework Grades

Change a few habits and improve your grades


Homework. The word alone elicits groans from kids of all ages. It's often accompanied by the thud of an overloaded book bag hitting the floor. A heavy helping of homework is, for many students, a fate worse than death. But it doesn't have to be that way. There's no magic formula for getting good grades on homework assignments - and believe me, kids have been searching for one since the Stone Age. But there are some basic things that students can do to raise their grades. Here are ten homework tips from a veteran teacher (speaking on condition of anonymity, as these are trade secrets):

1. Study in a Clean and Well-Lighted Place.
Doing your homework while lying on your clothes-strewn bed by the light of the TV is probably not the best way to go.

2. Limit Distractions.
Listening to your iPod and sending instant messages to 14 different people while you're trying to study isn't the recipe for success. Multitasking is overrated when it comes to getting work done.

3. Organize Your Time.
Set aside a certain amount of time for homework every night. If you have nothing due the next day, you can work on long-term projects (see next item) or read a book. It won't kill you, I promise.






elicit v. 引來/引出
=> bring about something that make you want to do something
eg: The anchor's inappropriate comments elicited severe criticism from all parts of the nation.
=> 這位主播不恰當的評論引起全國各地嚴厲的批評。
eg: After hours of interrogation, the detective successfully elicited the whereabouts of the stolen money.
=> 經過數小時的詢問，警探成功地問出了贓款的去向。

anonymity n. 匿名/不公開姓名
=> no name is given
eg: The police guaranteed the witness that his anonymity would be protected.
=> 警察向證人保證了他的匿名將被保護。
eg: Speaking off the record and on the condition of anonymity, a government official conveyed the possibility of tax-raising.
=> 因為政府官以匿名的方式私底下透露增稅的可能性。

overrate v. 給予過高評價/過度重視
overrated adj. 過度被高估的
eg: Being slim is overrated nowadays.
=> 現在身材要苗條被過度重視了。
eg: It seems to me that the young actor is overrated.
=> 對我而言這位年輕男演員是被過度高估了。



tip-top n. 頂點/極點
=> perfect, excellent

trade secret 行業祕密

distraction n. 分心/注意力分散
=> something that takes your attention away while you're trying to focus on

groan n. 呻吟



A heavy helping of ... (通常用來和食物一起使用)
=> a lot of
eg: A heavy helping of potato/rice
eg: A heavy helping of homework 一大堆作業

veteran n. 老兵/老手/退伍軍人/老資格
veteran teacher 經驗老到的老師




//== Chat room ==//

Study in a clean and well-lighted place. 在整潔明亮的地方讀書。

well-lighted 明亮的
=> 因為light的過去分詞可以是lighted或是lit，所以也可用 well-lit，


a lit candle 一隻點亮的臘燭
= a lighted candle