Sunday, October 28, 2012

How to Say No


You can say no and still be nice 拒絕的智慧 . 在拒絕別人的同時, 也能當個好人.

A friend or family member asks you to do a favor for them. If you say no, do you feel guilty or selfish? Many people do, so they say yes. That just increases their stress level and often leads to bad feelings. So learn to say no nicely! Maybe someone asks you to help with a fundraising event for your school. You don't have time. But before turning them down, say something about the event's importance. Say, "Thant's a great cause, " or "You have an important goal." That way, the person sees you value the project even if you cannot help.

When you say no, make kind remarks. Say, "Thank you for asking, but I can't this time." or "I regret having to say no." You can give the person other ideas. For example, your friend asks you to take care of her dog for a few days. You can't, but you know another person who loves dogs. Suggest them instead. Then your friend can get the help she needs. Just learn to say no - nicely. you'll be glad you did.

Grammar Tips:
Just learn to say no- nicely.
some remark, then "dash -" , than some remark. - is a informal way to write with a bit of humorous.
I'm very certain that Mr. Chen is coming to the meeting-at least, I think he is.
You should always do what your team leader tells you to do-unless he is not here.

Vocabulary Tips:
guilty - feel bad for what you did.有罪恶感的。内疚的。 guilt -  最恶
*I left guilty when I refused my sister's request.
guilty -有罪的,犯了某种错误的。
*Janet is guilty for not submitting the required documents before the deadline.
turn someone down -拒绝某人,或是拒绝某人的要求。
*This company gave me a really good offer, but I turned them down.
*Johnny proposed to Cathy last night, but she turned him down.
remark - something (phrase) you say about what you thinking.言辞,谈论,评论,批评。言论。
*The governor's remarks provoked negative responses from the media.
*Scott's remarks about his supervisor got him into big trouble. 批评他上司的言论引来很大的麻烦。
cause - 理由,原因,根源,动机,引起,发生。。。
goal - you have a target you set for yourself. 目标
regret - feel sorry. 感到抱歉。
instead - take place of. 代替。

Chat Room
time- 时间

Do you have the time? 你能告诉我现在几点?
The time - "time " 前加“定冠词” 是问时间是几点钟。
Do you have time? 你现在有空吗?现在有时间吗?
You don't have time. 我没空。
not give somebody the time of day - 不理某人。(嫌某人太烦,太啰嗦)对某人爱理不理的。
I tried to talk to him, but he didn't give me the time of day. 我想和他说话,但是他都不理我。或爱理不理的。

Friday, October 26, 2012

Working for Interpol


A look at the life of a real-life, global crime fighter
你所不知的國際刑警組織 . 一窺真實世界中全球犯罪剋星的生活.

This month Studio Classroom talks to Charles Chang about life as an Interpol agent. Charles is now retired from law enforcement.
SC: What is Interpol?

CC: Interpol is the popular name of the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO).

SC: How is it different from other police organizations?
CC: Sometimes people think that Interpol is some sort of international police force, but it isn't. Its agents arrest people, but they don't chase criminals from country to country. Instead, each ICPO member sets up a central bureau that acts as a window for joint operations and exchanging in formation on criminal activities.
Let's say, for example, that police in Australia are looking for a criminal in Thailand. The Australian police might not know which police agencies they should deal with. They might also experience language barriers. Interpol acts as local contact to help police from different countries overcome those problems.

SC: How did you become involved in Interpol?
CC: Originally, I worked as a police lieutenant of the foreign affairs police. Then in 1982, I passed the detective's test for the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) and was assigned to the Interpol Division. My first task was to attend an ICPO assembly in Paris, France, with the director of Interpol Taipei. That was my first trip abroad.

SC: What was your role?
CC: I was a police captain from 1982 to 1989. My job was basically to investigate criminal cases that involved a second country. Since criminal cases are usually urgent, I spent a lot of time communicating with agencies from other countries. When we received information on a crime, we took the necessary actions. We made a search or made an arrest or referred the case to the prosecutor's office.

SC: How was the Interpol office run on a local level?
CC: When I was involved, international policing was the responsibility of the CIB. There were two sections at Interpol Taipei. The first was a communications section that kept in contact with other communications sections all over the world. The second provided operational support services. Like other police at the CIB, its officers were all detectives selected from other police organizations or recruited from universities. They had to speak and write in a foreign language like English, Japanese, Spanish or French.

SC: What did you find most interesting about your work?
CC: It was very challenging work, but it gave me lots of opportunities to travel and study abroad. Oh, and I was once responsible for escorting two dangerous criminals back from Japan!

Grammar Tips:
Sometimes people think that Interpol is some sort of international police force.
"some sort of " - is a way to say " a kind of "- we say something we are not very clear in the area.
Sometimes people think that Interpol is a kind of international police force.
I had to fill out some sort of paper work before they interviewed me. (many different forms)
A tangyuan is some sort of Chinese dessert dumpling made from rice.

Vocabulary Tips:
agent -someone is work for an organization. (use it before  or after the name) 特务,特工。
*The movie is about a secret agent who lost his memory.失去记忆力的特务。
*Karl worked as an undercover agent for the CIA.
agent - someone is represent someone or some company. 中介,代理人。
*a real estate agent -房地产中介。
*an insurance agent - 保险经纪,代理人。
bureau - is a government investigation place to collect information. 政府单位的局,处,部,或署。
* the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) 联邦调查局。
*The U.S Census Bureau. 人口普查局。
bureau - 办事处,联络处。
*Zack is a reporter who works for Newsweek's  Beijing's bureau. 北京办事处。
assembly (n) -聚会,集会。与会的人。
*The charity organization will hold their annual assembly in Los Angeles, California. 年度大会
*The chairman addressed the assembly on the issue of education reform. 针对与会的人发表有关教育方面的改革。
window - allow the light to come in or pass through. here is refer to access of share or exchange information.
window person = go-between. a middle man, that exchange and share information between two parties. 中介,中间人。媒介。介绍人。
bridge - allow to go across from one place to another.
language barrier - face the problem of communicate, don't understand each other because different language in different counties. 语言交流困难的。
lieutenant - a chief position.
arm - refer to "weapon" here.
abroad - go to other country. 出国。
refer - you sent (bring )to someone else. 提交,交付。
referred/ referring 
*The proposal needs to be referred to the department manager. 提案需要提交给部门经理。
*The customer service referred the complaint to the head office. 提交,或交付给。。
refer - 提及,说起。
*Bill referred to his childhood in his speech. 在他的演讲中提到自己的童年时期。
recruit - hire people. "re" - mean "come back" 聘用,招募。
*The company is recruiting college graduates as their new blood.
*Most of our players were recruited from other states. 大部分的球员都是从外州聘雇来的。
escort (v) - go with someone in a vehicle to a place safely. 护送,解送。陪同。
*Richard will escort his younger sister back to London.
*The superstar was escorted by security officers when she arrived at the airport. 在保安人员的护送下。。
escort (n) -护送。
*The singer left the stadium under escort.。。在护送下离开体育场。
role - is a job or position.
investigation - you search to get more information to solve the case.
urgent - things need to be done right away, can't wait, need to be done now. similar as emergency.
important - thing need to be done.
arrest - take someone to jail.
make a search - take time to looking for information on a specific case.
search - looking for something.
involve - you are in it.
case - a situation. Agent deal with many different cases.
communications -getting info and giving out info to talk or exchange information with each other.
operational - all activities to get things done.

Chat Room:
window -窗户。也指 窗口,平台。
ticket window - 卖票的窗口。
cashier window -银行,邮局的柜台窗口。出纳窗口。
Interpol- 中央局。
acts as a window for joint operations and exchanging in formation on criminal activities.窗口,平台.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
contact -接触,联络。
make contact - 首次接触。first time in touch.
make contact with aliens.- 尝试着去与外星人接触,与外星人接触(联络)。
have not had contact with / have not been in contact with - 好久没有和(好朋友)联络了。
stay in contact with / keep in contact with - 保持联系。
Keep in contact with other communications sections all over the world. 与全世界所有的通信(讯)处保持联络。
touch / contact - 接触,联络
Let's keep in touch.-保持联络。(平常的,口语的)
communications sections - 通信处, 通讯部门。




Thursday, October 25, 2012

Space Tourism


Your next dream vacation could be out of this world
太空觀光 ,你下一趟的夢幻之旅 可能不在這個世界上.

Are you in the mood for a once-in-a-life time travel experience? Maybe you're tired of those week-long vacations lounging at some tropical paradise, and you need some real adventure. Maybe you're a long-time fan of Star Trek and Star Wars and generally have stars in your eyes about everything space-related. Perhaps you just have an extra US$200,000 lying around the house. If so, then space tourism is for you!
Believe it or not, space travel is no longer just for astronauts.

Until recently, space has primarily been the domain of governments, researchers and satellite companies. However, with the retirement of NASA's shuttle program and the escalating interest in space tourism, the "final frontier " may soon be opening up for even more people.

Over the past decade, a number of individuals have bought a ticket and embarked on a space vehicle through a company called Space Adventures. One of their clients, an American businessman named Dennis Tito, became the first space tourist. He arrived at the International Space Station via a Russian Soyuz rocket on April 30, 2001.

Currently, a handful of companies offer you a space ride with a superb view of Earth's outer atmosphere. XCOR Aerospace advertises a $95,000 suborbital flight, and 100 people have already signed up. The flight takes people 100 kilometers above Earth where the space adventurers can look back at Earth and also see the blackness of space.

They experience weightlessness for several minutes before coming back to Earth. Virgin Galactic offers a 2.5-hour suborbital flight (including five minutes of weightlessness) for only $200,000, and more than 500 prospective passengers have paid their fare. In addition to the suborbital flights, more ambitious plans are also in the works. space Adventures hopes to add orbital flights and even lunar missions to their travel menu. You might even find accommodations in a space hotel one day. If he price of space travel seems astronomical now, maybe soon it won't be so high. Space entrepreneurs project that costs will steadily drop so that space travel will not be a pastime for just the rich. Millions of Earth's inhabitants could eventually become space travelers and start to see the world in a whole new way.

Grammar Tips:
Currently, a handful of companies offer you a space ride with a superb view of Earth's outer atmosphere.
"handful" - an amount that can fit in your hand.
I grabbed a handful of popcorn.
"handful" - a small amount.
*Currently there are a few companies that offer you a space ride with a superb view of Earth's outer atmosphere.
*We only got a handful of ideas from the brainstorming meeting.
*Mr. Lee wanted a small party, so only a handful of guests were invited.

Vocabulary Tips:
lounge -悠闲的闲逛。siting or lying around, do nothing, just relax。
*Susan spent her weekend lounging in her family's lake cabin.
*Rita lounged on the beach all afternoon.
lounge - 悠闲躺卧。
*Lawrence lounged on his sofa bed and watched TV for hours.
escalate -逐步的增加,升高或扩大。
* The intense atmosphere between these two countries has been escalating lately.紧张气氛。。升高。
* House  prices in Taipei escalated in recent years.。。不断 升高
embark - go on the ship or airplane. 上船,上太空梭,上飞机。
*The passengers are embarking at gate 17. 乘客在17号门登机。
*We embarked on the cruise ship in Rome.
embark -(当及物动词使用)登船,上船
*The ship embarked all the passengers within two hours. 这条船在二小时内,让所有乘客登上船。
"final frontier " - refer to space, the words from Star Trek.
astronaut(s) - space scientist has special training in all aspects such as physical, space etc.
have stars in one's eyes - exciting something that make your eyes big, (full of stars) or some dream that dreamed all the time, now it happen, make you very excited.
shuttle - a vehicle that taking people from one place to another, and coming back.
retirement - no work (use ) any more.
superb -outstanding, very great, very excellent in quality. 一流的,上等的,极好的。重音在第二节。
*You can enjoy superb service in the restaurant.。。一流 的服务。。
*The superb view from this lakeside hotel attracts many visitors. 极好的视野。
The band's superb performance won excellent critiques.。。一流的表演赢得嘉评如潮。
prospective -预期的,可能的,或是未来的。 "spect" -see.有“看见”之意。
*Teresa is getting in touch with some prospective investors. 。。接触一些可能的投资者。
*These young, prospective talents are full of dreams and hope. 年轻有天赋的艺人充满了梦想与希望。
astronomical - 天文学的,天文的。此指“数量庞大的,数字惊人的” astro-stars.星星。
*An astronomical budget will be needed if we rebuild this stadium. 数量庞大的预算。。
*The costs of health policy reform will be astronomical. 数字惊人的
XCOR, Virgin Galactic, Space Adventures are different company's name.
ambitious - very excite.
in the work - they are working on it.
lunar - refer to "moon".
orbital - go around to the out space.  a track circle around the outside at the layer of the earth atmosphere. 轨道的,眼窝的,眼脸的。
suborbital -  go around the outside of the layer, below the outer space.
accommodations - a place where provide people with room, food, laundry, etc. convenience for staying.
project (v) - to predict, thinking, or guessing. 重音在第二节。
entreprenant (adj) -有上进心的,大胆的,有冲劲的。
entrepreneur - 企业家,创业。
irritating (adj) -刺激的,使愤怒的,气人的,恼人的。
annoying (adj) - 令人麻烦的,讨厌的。

Chat Room:
lay / lie -放置
lay -(及物v.)放在某个面上。
lie- (不及物v.)处于休息的位置。平放,平躺,放置。
lay a book down on the table.
lying on the table.-
Perhaps you just have an extra $200,000 lying around the house.
lying around -闲置着不用,闲置着放在那里,没被使用的。
lie around -悠闲的躺着。
--------------------------------------------------------------
atmosphere - 大气层。(固定场所的)空气,气压。
the atmosphere -加上定冠词“the” 即指“环绕地球的大气层。
Earth is outer atmosphere -地球是大气层的外壳(外层)。
atmosphere -气氛,环境。周围的状况。情况。
a tense atmosphere -紧张的气氛。
clear the air -流通空气,使空气变新鲜。意指“澄清事实,消除误会。





Monday, October 22, 2012

Locks of Love


Helping children who have lost their hair . 一束髮,一份愛 . 幫助那些失去頭髮的孩子.

Imagine being bald and walking into class at school. You slip into the back row but see other students whispering and pointing at you. You feel yourself blushing. After school, you run home to avoid talking to anyone. Some medical problems cause people to lose their hair. This can be embarrassing for adults, but for children it is even worse. They often feel bad about themselves, and other children tease them.

In her 20s, Madonna Coffman developed alopecia, a skin disease that causes hair loss. She recovered after a few years, but 15 years later, her 4-year-old daughter developed alopecia. Her daughter's struggle inspired Coffman to make Locks of Love a non-profit organization. Locks of Love makes hairpieces available to children who lose their hair for medical reasons.  Children from poor families receive hairpieces for free or at prices their families can afford. The organization hopes to increase the children's confidence and help them enjoy a more normal life.

The hairpieces are made of hair donated by ordinary people. They grow their hair long, cut off at least 10 inches of it and mail it to Locks of Love. Locks of Love then sends the hair to a company that manufactures hairpieces. The organization estimates that 80 percent of those who give their hair are children who want to help other children. The hairpieces attach to the wearer's head with a tight seal. No one except the children who wear the hairpieces can remove them. This lets the children run, play and swim without worrying about the hairpiece falling off. And other children won't be able to pull the hairpiece off either.

These hairpieces do more than change how the children look. They restore to kids the ability to enjoy their childhood. The children can participate in activities, make friends and face each day with confidence. Locks of Love allows kids to be kids again.

Grammar Tips:
You slip into the back row but see other students whispering and pointing at you.
"slip" - slide and fall.
*Todd slipped because the floor was wet.
"slip" - here means " to move quickly and smoothly and quietly from one place to another."
 You would slip into the meeting room and try not to let too many people notice you.
"slip" - can use on both "walk in " or "go out".
You slip out of the meeting room to answer your phone.

Vocabulary Tips:
blush - blood go up, pink or rose color show on your face, neck or cheek. 因害羞或尴尬而脸红。
*The minute Tiffany saw the guy she had a crush on, she blushed. 脸红了
*Jason blushed when the teacher scolded him for his tardiness.。脸红。。责备/骂。。。迟到
blush (n)- 脸红
*Patrick's compliment brought a blush to his wife's face.
tease- laugh at or say bad word against someone. 戏弄,取笑。
*Victor is often teased by his classmates because he stutters.
*Larry often teases his younger brother because he is short.
tease (v)- laughing at or making jokes 戏弄,取笑 或开玩笑,逗你玩的。
* Don't take it seriously! He was just teasing. 别那么认真,他只是逗你好玩的
recover - regain, get better from ... 复原,恢复。“re”- 有“再一次”之意。
*It will take six months for the patient to recover from the surgery.
recovery (n) -复原,恢复
*The recovery of the computer system took hours.
estimate (n), (v) - give a good guess by use all the information you have.估计,估价。
*It's difficult to estimate how many people were affected by the blackout. 。。影响。。大停电
*The mechanic estimated the fee of fixing the engine to be about $1,000.
seal (n)- connect together well, leave no space or air.指密封的物资或装置。
* The seal on the bottle of juice was broken.
seal (v)-封装。
*The rubber seal on the fridge door needs to be replaced.
*She sealed the boxes with packing tape.
remove - take away 去除,消除,移走。
*It's hard to remove apple juice stains from white shirts.
*Frank removed the painting from the dinning room and put it in the living room.
develop - effect and grow, increase.
alopecia - a kind of disease that cause lose hair.
donate - give without asking for money or other substance.
tight - press or hold very well, not easy to loose.

Chat Room:
bald (n)-秃头
bald (v)- 秃头。
He is balding.-他在掉头发(秃)。
He is going bald.-他的头开始秃了。
hair -头发
get in one's hair - 躜进头发里。意即“惹恼某人”。
My little brother always gets in my hair by his running and shutting while I was working.
hairy situation -困难又比较危险的处境。full of trouble and dangerous situation.
hairy -多发的
----------------------------------------------------------------------
barbershop -理发店。
barber -理发师。
hair salon -理发店,带有发型设计的理发店。(sa-lan)
saloon -古时西部的酒吧。(sa-lun)
hair dresser / hair stylist 
hair dresser -给人做头发的理发师
hair stylist -发型设计师。
bad hair day -头发很糟糕,很乱,无法控制梳整齐。bad hair day - 指“事事不顺遂的一天。


Friday, October 19, 2012

Fight Germs the Natural Way


Some medicines don’t come from a doctor 天然抗菌法 .有些良藥不需要由醫生開 給你.

No one wants to be sick. We try to avoid it by washing our hands, eating a healthy diet and taking supplements, but we're not always successful.  When we do get sick, we usually reach for over-the-counter medicines. If those don't work, we head to the doctor in hopes of getting some antibiotics  These important drugs kill bacteria, but unfortunately they also reduce our natural ability to fight disease. Over time, overuse of antibiotics not only affects our health, it also leads to bacteria that are resistant to the drugs, making them all the harder to kill.

The solution? Cut back on prescription antibiotics, and try some that nature has to offer.

Garlic -
Used as a medicine for thousands of years, garlic kills a wide range of disease-causing microorganisms. It also helps prevent heart disease and may even help to reduce fevers. This amazing plant may even help boost your immunity Garlic is used a lot in cooking, but heat destroys its medicinal effects. The best way to consume garlic is to eat it slightly cooked, raw or to take it as a supplement.

Oregano oil
Oil of oregano can be rubbed on the skin to treat itches and skin infections. The herb also fights sinus congestion and can ease an upset stomach. Oil of oregano, however, does not come from the common cooking spice. The oil comes from a different species of oregano.

Honey
Records show that ancient Egyptians used honey for its antibacterial properties around 4,000 years ago. A 2009 study done in Australia showed honey to be a very effective antibiotic.
It killed every bacterium it was tested against, including one that was resistant to 13 different antibiotic drugs.

Green tea
One of the ingredients inherent in green tea effectively kills certain kinds of oral bacteria. Green tea has many other health benefits as well, such as the ability to break down excess fat in the body. Add this natural antibiotic to you daily diet and be sure to swish it around in your month first.

Umeboshi
People swear by this sour pickled Japanese plum as a flu remedy because it kills viruses. In addition, it is helpful in curing food poisoning and other digestive ailments. The Japaneses actually say " An umeboshi a day keeps the doctor away!"

Grapefruit, brown Orion  also are very good nature food to help you fight with flu. 

Grammar Tips:
Cut back on prescription antibiotics, and try some that nature has to offer.
"cut back on" - to reduce or to decrease.
Exercise more and cut back on junk food.
I plan on cutting back my work hours so I can be with my family more.

Vocabulary Tips:
antibiotic - a medicine that to kill the bacteria in your body.抗生素。 "anti" - resist.反抗。
bio -related to life.与生命有关的
*The doctor prescribed a 3-day course of antibiotics. 三天期的抗生素。
*Claire is taking antibiotics for her ear infection.
overuse -use it too often or too much. 过度使用。 "over"-过度的, "use"-使用
*The singer overused her voice and now is resting to recover.
*The overuse of authority can cause rebellious behavior among teens.
immunity -ability to fight all the bacterial in your body to help you keep healthy.免疫力,抗体。
*Molly's immunity is weak. She gets sick very often.
*Regular exercise and positive thinking can increase your immunity against many kinds of diseases.
antibacterial - against bacterial. 抗菌的。anti -against.
bacterial -bad element that cause people sick.细菌的。
*The doctor recommended Steven to use antibacterial face wash for his acne.
*Nancy uses antibacterial baby wipes to clean her daughter's hands.
swish - move around, there is a sound come out. (here means that  move the tea liquid quickly around inside of your mouth, (make tea water circling around in your mouth) to get teeth protect.摆动或挥动,同时发出刷刷的声音。
*The horse is swishing its tail to get rid of the flies. 。。刷刷的挥动。。赶走苍蝇。
*Lin swished the ball through the hoop.。。刷刷的投进蓝框。
*The cleaning lady swished the curtains to let the sunshine in. 。。。哗啦啦的拉开。。
ailment -a fancy way to say "sickness." 病痛。
*Alan doesn't have any serious diseases, but he has suffered from respiratory ailments for years.呼吸器官的。。
*Lack of sleep can cause minor ailments.
Umeboshi- plum that pickled
pickled - vegetable or fruits processed with vinegar set  for a long period of time became sour taste.
supplement - refer to vitamins, that help you to keep healthy.
boost - strong lifted
species - a kind of , that related each other but different kind.
property - it can do something, it is make up of something that can serve for some purpose.
sinus (sai-nu-s) (n)-refer to nose, mouth, eye, ear etc that open space in your head.囊,经脉囊,下陷处,弯曲部,海湾。
congestion-混杂,拥挤,过剩,充血。air not clear, has stuff not supposed in it.

Chat Room:
all the better = even better. “更好”的意思。
all the harder = even harder. “更。。。
all the more = even more.
all the faster = even faster.
all the better is different from all the best.
all the best - you hope good things happen to someone.
I wish you all the best. 用于写信结尾的祝福语,客套话。
That's all the better. 。。。更好。
Moving to America helped me learn English all the faster.。。。更快。
Overused antibiotics not only affects our health, it also leads to bacteria that are resistant to the drugs, make them all the harder to kill.
all the harder to kill -更难杀死病菌。
-----------------------------------------------------------
swear -发誓。
Do you swear? 你发誓?
swear -宣誓。
swearing-in ceremony -宣誓就职典礼。
 to be sworn in -宣誓就职。
swear off something - 某样东西。
He is swearing off drinking.他发誓戒掉喝酒。(戒酒)
swear by something -(很口语的)指非常相信,信任或推荐某样东西。
People swear by this sour, pickled Japanese plum as a flu remedy.
swear -骂粗话,脏话。
Please don't swear.-请别骂脏话。








Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Alex Honnold – Rock Climber


This man climbs thousands of feet above the ground without a rope
攀岩好手艾力克斯?翰納 . 翰納可以不用繩索就攀離地面數 千英尺高

Why would someone climb straight up a steep rock face without a rope or safety equipment? According to Alex Honnold, who is known internationally for free soloing, it's no big deal! But many in the climbing community disagree. In fact, free soloing is so dangerous that less than 1 percent of climbers ever attempt it.

A natural interest
Honnold grew up in California around a climbing culture and started climbing at 10. He would go to a climbing gym six days a week for three hours a day. Honnold was a straight - A student in school. But climbing was his main interest, and free soloing quickly became his favorite style. Since those early days, the 27-year-old has made over a thousand climbs. He is considered by many to be the best climber in the world. Experienced climber John Long says over half of the well-known free solo climbers are dead. According to him, Honnold's greatest achievement is that he's still alive.

How does he do it?
Honnold climbs by fitting his fingers into the cracks of the rock face. With most of his weight supported by his fingers alone, he pulls himself up. However, his ability to stay focused is as important as his strength.
Other climbers agree that the fear of climbing without a rope is a huge challenge to overcome. Everyone know that a single mistake would probably be a fatal one.

Too dangerous?
One of Honnold's greatest achievements occurred in California's Yosemite National Park. He became the first free solo climber to scale the 2,000-foot northwest face of Half Dome. This and other climbs have made him famous, but along with praise comes lots of criticism. Many accuse him of taking too many risks. Honnold responds by saying, "I don't think I'll do this forever. But I don't think I'll stop because of the risk. I'll stop because I lose the love for it." For now he's continuing to follow his passion and climbing to new heights.

Grammar Tips:
This and other climbs have made him famous, but along with praise comes lots of criticism.
.......but along with .......comes.... ( something else different with first has mentioned.)
Winning the lottery gave Mr. Jenkins the financial security he wanted, but along with wealth came lots of unwanted attention.
The young actress' first few movies were well received, but along with success came lots of pressure from paparazzi.

Vocabulary Tips:
deal -决定,安排,交易。
big deal - very big problem. 事关重大的,了不起的事。
*It's no big deal for Eileen to quit her job. She never keeps a job over three months.
* " I got an A on today's math quiz." "Big deal! I get A's all the time." 好了不起哦(讥讽)意思是没什么了不起。
attempt - want to try it , or try to do it.尝试,企图。(企图或尝试 做某件事在attempt 后面加"to".
* These hikers attempted a climb up to the top of the cliff.
*Quincy attempted to get in contact with his high-school teacher, but failed.
Straight-A - consistently get "A" in all classes.
straight - continue without stop. 连续不断的。
*Eric is a straight-A student. He also plays on the football team.考试都得优等。。
*Tanya's straight-A report card surprised her parents.
free soloing - not use rope or any safety equipment to climb the rock, go higher and higher.
rock face - rock surface.
natural interest - "natural" - just happen, not we try to made it happen.
achievement - something very hard to do but you did it, and did well.
main - most important.
strength -力气,力量。 power.
*After the surgery, Glen didn't even have the strength to get out of bed.
*Charlie is building up his strength of his upper body muscles.
strength -优点,长处。
*A good understanding of English is Ricky's educational strength.
scale - climb. 攀爬,到达顶点。to scale is to climb.
*The mountaineers will scale Mt. Everest tomorrow.
*Gil and his friends are planning to scale this steep cliff next weekend. 攀爬。。
criticism - 批评,指责。rebuke you, not agree with you, think you are poorly or foolish and bad doing.
critic -评论家,鉴定家,苟评家,非难者。
*The new personnel policy drew a lot of criticism
*Sandy finds job performance criticism hard to take.
criticize (v)- 批评,指责
*The article strongly criticized the mayor's comments. 工作上的批评,指责,她难以接受。
crack - rock separates by rain or wind , has small tiny holes on the rock face.
challenge - put a lot of afford and energy, time to work, require a lot of attention to get to success.
fatal - cause to someone die.
could be - more likely will be...
praise - say good things about you.

Chat Room:
early days/early years -早期,早年。
early days - 童年,年轻时的岁月(日子)
the good old days - 过去留下美好回忆的那些日子(时光)。
good old days - 指“过去”的那些美好日子,时光,年代。
golden age - 可指“过去”也可指“未来”的“全胜时期”,在某个领域的黄金时代,或人的黄金岁月.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
high (adj)  / height (n)
high (adj.)- 高,高度 (adj)
The mountain is 3,000 meters high.
height -高度 (n),高点。
The mountain's height is 3,000 meters.
height -顶峰,顶点。高点。巅峰。
In the height of summer -夏季的(顶)巅峰。
He reached the height of his career when he was 50. 达到他事业的巅峰。
heights - 人成功的巅峰是可以一再被自己突破的,height 所以加上“s ”。一般高度是固定的,不能被突破,height 所以没有“s ”。
For now he's continuing to follow his passion and climbing to new heights. 突破佳绩,再创新的佳绩攀爬到新的高点。


Attention: 
This article by no means to encourage you to do the rock climbing. nor challenge any rock climber to try free soloing.



Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Celebrating the Apple


Enjoy an apple today蘋果好處多多. 今天吃顆蘋果吧!

There's nothing as good as the taste of a fresh, ripe apple, especially in the fall. Apples grow in many parts of the United States and in many other countries around the world. In the regions where apples grow, they play a central role in local recipes and traditions.

Health  benefits
For years, people have said, " An apple a day keeps the doctor away." And scientific evidence shows this may actually be true!

** Apples have high amounts of fiber, which can help prevent many health problem. Fiber helps decrease your risk of cancer, is good for digestion and benefits your heart. It also helps you feel full, so eating apples may help you lose weight.
** Apple peels also contain lots of you feel full, so eating apples may help you lose weight. 

** Apple peels also contain lots of antioxidants, chemicals that help your body resist disease. Some studies indicate that these antioxidants may be even more helpful for your body than vitamin supplements.

** Eating apples can help protect your teeth.

** Studies suggest that consuming apples regularly can help prevent several diseases, such as Alzheimer's.

Time to celebrate
Each fall, many communities in countries like the U.S., Canada, Germany and Australia hold apple festivals. They include many activities and booths that sell souvenirs and crafts. Anyone can stop to enjoy some live music or watch an antique car show or a parade. Children can play games or ride in trucks full of hay.

One apple festival, Applebutter Fest in Grand Rapids, Ohio, celebrates local history. People can see how the pioneers who settled in the region made lace, candles, furniture and more. If visitors like military history, they can check out the demonstrations of weapons from the 18th to the 20th century.

The heart of these festivals is food- especially apples. Many treats made from apples, such as pies, apple pancakes and apples dipped in caramel are available for sampling. Cider, a drink made of pressed apples, and apple butter, a thick spread made of cooked apples, are essential to many festivals. Some festivals are even named for one of them.

People of all ages will enjoy the food and fun of these lively events that celebrate the apple.

Grammar Tips:
Studies suggest that consuming apples regularly can help prevent several diseases, such as Alzheimer's.
"suggest" - give someone something to think about.
I don't know which one to choose, what do you suggest?
"Studies suggest...- something has not really get approve, just give some thing what they believe..
Although the police are still investigating the mysterious break-in at the museum, evidence suggests that it was an inside job.
Although most research suggests that the species had died out because of diseases, the scientist believes they died as a result of climate change.

Vocabulary Tips:
fiber -纤维。important elements are in the fruits and vegetables that help digest the food.
*The doctor suggested Gina eat whole grains, which are rich in fiber.
*The fiber is woven into a beautiful fabric.
*This raincoat was made with artificial fiber.
digestion - 消化,消化作用。digest -消化。 stomach break down food what we ate and absorb its nutrition.
*Spicy food can sometimes speed up your digestion.
*Billy has great digestion, he can eat almost anything.
consume - refer to eat or drink, or use up, finish something.吃,喝。消耗。
*My son and his friends consumed all the food in our fridge in no time.吃光。。
*Compact cars consume less gasoline than sedans. 。。消耗汽油。。
recipe - an instruction of making food.
antique (adj) -古董的,古代的,时代久远的。made long time ago, well built old items.
*The store sells antique French furniture.
*This antique necklace costs $200,000.
antique (n) - 古董
*Grandma's wardrobe is actually a valuable antique. 衣橱
caramel - 焦糖。sticky brown sugar, very sweet, burned a bit, smell and taste are good.
*Mom loves to add caramel syrup to her coffee.
*The kitchen is full of the aroma of caramel.
*The caramel filling in the chocolate is so delicious.
essential -必需的,不可或缺的,necessary, it needed, have to have.
*A nutritious diet and sufficient sleep are essential to children.营养的餐点,充足的睡眠对小孩是必需的。
*Great music is essential to a successful party.
hay - a kind of grass, that feed animals.
Fest - Festival.
pioneer - people to move to a place or area, stay there. similar with "settler".
press - push hard, squeeze hard to get the juice out.

Chat Room:
There's nothing as good as the taste of a fresh ripe apple.
ripe-  (fruits) 成熟的 , (people) 高龄的。年纪很高的。 (time) 时机成熟。
The time is ripe for action -时机成熟, 是行动的大好机会。
He lived to a ripe old age. 他高龄才去世的。
---------------------------------------------
seasonal vegetable/ fruit - vegetable or fruit are in seasonal. 当时盛产的蔬菜或水果。
season - There are for seasons in a year. (季节)
season - John put seasoning to his salad. (调味料)
----------------------------------------------
live  (adj)- (i 发“ai “的音)现场直播,现场的。现场实况转播。
live TV show. 现场节目直播
live music - 音乐人在现场表演的。
live (v.) - (i发"i" 的音)住,居住。
He lives in Taipei.
" live" placed in front of noun, " alive"  placed after the noun. (i都发“ ai”的音 )
That farm sells live chickens. 卖活鸡。
That farm chickens are alive. 鸡都是活的
Farmers' live chicken are alive.









Saturday, October 13, 2012

Facebook in a Job Interview?

Should your boss be able to look at your Facebook page before hiring you?
Facebook成了求職 面試的一關? 老闆該在雇用你之前看你 的Facebook嗎?

“ Nicole, I have a problem. ”
“ What kind of problem?”
“ I have a job interview tomorrow, and I heard that the boss will ask to see my Facebook profile.”
“ I'm not comfortable with that. That's illegal in some countries, like Canada. Can you refuse?”
“ I want to, but I'm afraid that if I do,  I won't get the job!”
“ I guess I see the boss's point. Looking at a candidate's Facebook page will tell him a lot about the person's life and personality.”
“ That's true. Most of my life is on Facebook. My profile could tell him about my hobbies, my interests and what my friends think of me. I find the idea of showing a boss that much personal information disturbing.”
“ Companies run background checks on possible employees all the time. And this is just another way for him to see whether you're trustworthy. Besides, I've seen your Facebook page, and you don't have anything to hide.”
“ Maybe not, but my friends might still post things on my Facebook page that make me look bad.”
“ I think the boss will probably recognize the distinction between your posts and your friends' posts.”
“ He might, but I'm also worried that something the boss sees on Facebook could be misleading. For example, I wore a really crazy costume to my friend's party last week. I wouldn't want him to think I always do strange things like that!”
“ That's a good point, but I don't think the boss would assume that one picture shows how you always act.” “ I'm sure he'll be pretty cautious about drawing conclusions too quickly based on Facebook.
Maybe, but the boss also might see my religion or my political views, and discriminate against me.”
“ He shouldn't do that - It's illegal here in the U.S.”
“ I also worry about my friends' privacy. If I log in to my account for the interviewer, he can browse all of their profiles, too. They didn't agree to that.”
“ That wouldn't be very professional, especially during an interview.  ”
“ You're right, but my friends might still post thing in my wall that they don't want strangers to see.”
“ I guess so, but some people's Facebook walls are always visible to the public. You and your friends should be really careful about posting anything embarrassing online. But if you're rally worried, check your Facebook  page before the interview. You can delete anything that you feel doesn't represent you correctly.”
“That's a good idea. I'm a responsible and hard-working employee. I don't want to lose a job opportunity because of a Facebook misunderstanding!”

Grammar Tips:
I find the idea of showing a boss that much personal information disturbing.
"I find the idea of ...(something) + (adj.)
I think that idea of showing a boss that much personal information is disturbing.
I find the idea of paying on extra monthly fee ridiculous.
I find his demand that we text message first before calling very strange.

Vocabulary Tips:
profile - a short description about a person's life. 简介,分析。
*The book gave a detailed profile of the royal family.详细的介绍。。
*The art student is familiar with this artist's profile.艺术家的生平很熟悉。。
a biochemical profile of the blood sample.-血液样本的生化分析。
candidate -someone try apply for and try to get a job, post or government position.候选人,求职应试者。
*Most of the candidates didn't pass the oral test.未通过口试。
*There are three candidates for this post.这个位子有。。。
*Alex is one of the most promising candidates for this position.   职位
distinction -the difference between two similar things. 不同,区别,差别,不同之处。 "dis" -分开。
*The teacher makes no distinction between the males and females when asking hard questions. (男学生,女学生没差别。。。问很困难的题目。。
*There isn't a clear distinction between these two samples. 二个样本。。。没有太显著的区别。
mislead - 误导,使人产生错误的观念。misleading (adj) -动词的现在分词。另人产生误解,误导人。mislead - "mis" - wrong, not right.
*Statistics can some times be very misleading. 统计数字有时让人产生误解,很误导人。
*There's a lot of misleading information on the Internet. 网路提供人很多误导人的资讯。
discriminate - 有差别待遇。treating people different in a worse way. dis -有分开之意。 对某个对象有差别待遇用"against "
*Nina claimed that her boss discriminated against her because she's female.
discrimination- 歧视
age discrimination.-年龄上的歧视
racial discrimination -种族歧视。
privacy - 隐私,隐私权。your rights that keep secret from others.
* I need some privacy so I can calm down.
* The public figure's privacy is often invaded.公众人物的隐私权常常被侵犯。
* Lack of personal privacy can sometimes cause stress. 没有私人隐私的空间,有时会让人产生压力。
assume - get an opinion or idea about a person from what people think and believe.
watch! people draw a conclusion, people don't make a conclusion.
"wall" - here refer to the place in your profile that people can leave message or posting something.
live with integrity.- 活得有尊严。

Chat Room:
have nothing to hide - no secret need to hide.没有什么需要隐瞒的。
I've seen you Facebook page, and you don't have anything to hide.没隐瞒什么。
an open book -打开的书。书上的字句,一目了然。(人)是说这人无法保密,他的表情,言行举止泄露了秘密,让人从他表情上就能看得出他隐瞒什么。
wear one's heart on one's sleeve -将你的心挂在你袖口上,是说“让所有人看到,你毫不保留,毫不掩饰你的心。你毫不掩饰你自己的感情,在人面前,真情流露。
----------------------------------------------------------------------
You can't judge a book by its cover.-(不能由书面的外观来断定一本书内容的好坏。)即“不要以貌取人”。
draw a conclusion / draw conclusions -it is a strong and good phrase you can use in writing. -“下定论,下结论”。
draw - 取出,抽出。
draw conclusions -从一样东西引出结论来或下定论。not "make" conclusions.
I'm sure he'll be pretty cautious about drawing conclusions too quickly based on Facebook.
draw conclusions - 下定论,下结论。
jump to conclusions - 指“随便的,匆忙的,没有看清事实,考虑清楚,就下了定(结)论。”


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Games for Helath

These games add a dose of fun to medical treatment.大电玩也能保健。这些游戏替医疗增添了一“剂"趣味.

Video games already keep people entertained, but now they are developing a more serious side:  games for health. Game designers and medical experts combine their expertise to produce games that serve as treatment options for a host of conditions.

Games have been developed to help treat stroke patients, teens with depression and people struggling to lose weight, just to name a few. Some games for health include typical video-game action while others are more like mini-courses. But most involve the key elements of missions, rewards and social gaming.

Improving the Lives of Youth with Cancer
The company HopeLab developed the video game Re-Mission to improve the lives of a specific group of people - young people living with cancer. Players take on one of 20 different missions and lead a nanobot named Roxxi through a virtual human body, zapping cancer cells with virus weapons. The game has been shown to help players gain a sense of control over their disease and stick to their treatment schedules. And thanks to the input of medical experts and patients, the game strikes a balance between action and accuracy.

Getting Kids Off the Couch
Obesity among youth is another problem that has inspired HopeLab. In order to encourage kids to be more active, the company developed Zamzee, a gaming platform centered on player movement. Players purchase a Zamzee meter, a small motion-sensing device, and then clip it onto their belts or place it in a pocket. At the end of the day, they stick the meter into their computer's USB port and upload the information to their personal accounts. The more players move, the more points they receive.

Encouraging Healthy Habits
Originally intended to help diabetic patients live healthier lives. HealthSeeker is a social game on Facebook that anyone can play. The game features lever-based missions designed to encourage healthy diet and lifestyle choices.

To accept a certain mission, players must first select three health-related activities to carry out. If they finish all three activities within a week, they complete the mission and earn experience point. Afterward, they can share the accomplishment with friends and cheer on other players.

Games for health can't replace a doctor's advice, but they can be an important part of an overall treatment plan. The games being developed today will help treat new patients tomorrow.

Grammar Tips:
Game designer and medical experts combine their expertise to produce games that serve as treatment options for a host of conditions.
"host " - normally, we talk about a person who is in charge at the ceremony or at a program. or a person who is invite people home or party, to welcome and serve their guests.
"host " - here refer to "a large variety" or "a wild variety".
The scandalized company needs to choose the right spokesperson to handle the host of questions from the media.
Fish oil offers a host of health benefits.

Vocabulary Tips:
expertise -high level skill and knowledge in some area. 专业的知识或技巧。(重音在ti)
expert -专家。
*Dave's professional expertise keeps him competitive in his field. 在某方面用“in”。
*We need your expertise in computer programming.
zap - hit, destroy.扫射,轰炸,打败,制伏。
zapped / zapping -
*In the computer game, the enemies were zapped with all kinds of weapons.敌人被各种武器所消灭。
*Will Smith zapped all the aliens with his laser gun.
strike a balance - strike -reach, hit.抨击,击,此处是指“达到” 。 达到平衡,在二者之间用“between"。
*As a manufacturer, you have to be able to strike a balance between productivity and quality.在产能与品质之间达到平衡。
nanobot- nano means very small, bot is robot.
obesity - a person is a way over weighted. 过胖,肥胖。重音在“be ”.
*Howard suffers from obesity, which causes him various health issues.
*Stress, overeating and a lack of exercise cause obesity among young people.
platform - a type of device used, or a surface you can put things on or landed something. 平台,此指“电脑的系统平台。
*The helicopter successfully landed on the platform.直升机成功的降落在平台上。
*The software can easily be run on a personal computer platform.
diabetic (adj) - a disease that having trouble to balance the level of sugar. 糖尿病的,患有糖尿病的。重音在"be " .
*Mandy is diabetic, therefore she can only eat food low in sugar.
diabetic (n)-糖尿病的患者。重音在"be ".
*The device is designed for diabetics.
diabetes  (n)-糖尿病。重音在"be " .
*Wilma suffers from diabetes.

Chat Room:
stick -stay with 黏,附着。
stick to something. 对某事或某物坚持与忠心。
stick to it - 持之以恒的去做。不放弃。
stick to their treatment schedule.严格遵守治疗行程。
stick to it - make to an one word will be "stick-to-it-iveness (n). 毅力,耐力。不屈不挠的精神。毅力不拔。
stick to one's guns. (gun用复数 guns) -坚持自己的思想,原则。
----------------------------------------------------
game - 游戏,。
game plan -计划,策略。(狭意)球对在比赛前的策划,教练和球员讨论比赛战略计划。(广意)指任何行动前的策略。
the game plan -球对在比赛前的策划,任何行动前的策略。
surprise party - the game plan for a surprise party.事先不让当事人知道而给与当事人惊喜的派对。
two can play that game -二人可玩的游戏,彼此互不相让。
game plan -
That's a game that two can play.-用类似的方法来反击对方,报复对方。(你如果被伤害了,你可以说“That's a game that two can play ” (这一套你会,我也会)然后再反击回去。
beat someone at his own game.-以对方擅长的手法来击败对方。即“以其人之道还制其人之身”。


.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Preparing For Disasters

Are you ready for the worst? 居安思危- 灾难应变(准备工作)。面对最坏的状况,你做好准备了吗?

When disaster strikes, you might find yourself without water, gas and electricity. You might even need to leave your home with little warning. But emergencies don't have to surprise you. Plan ahead for bad situations.

Planning for the worst.
Hold a family meeting. Discuss the types of disasters that could happen. Then plan a way to gather your family together if they get separated. Choose two locations for everyone to go to if it isn't safe to return home.

The first should be near your house. You can go there in an emergency like a fire. The second meeting place should be outside your neighborhood. This will give your family a place to gather if you must evacuate. Next, choose a contact person outside your area. After a disaster, it is often easier to communicate over a long-distance call than a local one. A contact person can pass messages between family members if they can't meet or get in tough.

Preparing to survive
Then create a family disaster kit. It should include everything your family needs to survive for at least three days. Place your kit in a bag so you can carry it if you need to evacuate. When preparing it, remember that different people have different needs. Include special items necessary for elderly or young members of your family.

Don't forget your dog
Pets are important members of the family with their own special needs. Decide how you will care for your pet in an emergency. Remember, pets are often not permitted in emergency shelters. You may need to find someone to care for your pet if you have to evacuate. You may also want to create a special pet disaster kit.

Once you have prepared your family for the worst, it is important to maintain your plan. Practice your emergency plan, and update it as necessary. You may not be able to prevent disasters, but with a little planning you can prepared.

Grammar Tips:
Practice your emergency plan, and update it as necessary.
"as necessary " - in a formal situation. something to be done whenever as needed.
When you play this guessing game, leaders can repeat certain questions as necessary.
Certain kinds of knee braces can be readjusted as necessary. 护膝

Vocabulary Tips:
emergency -紧急状况,紧急事件。urgent, need to take care right away, something happen unexpected.
*This savings account can only be used in an emergency.
*Call this number for help in case of an emergency.
emergency room ( E.R.)- 急症室。E.R. 是 急症室的缩写。
neighbor -邻居
hood -有“状况,时期,性质”的意思。
neighborhood - 邻近的地区,或街坊。the area around your home.
*Our neighbor came to borrow some sugar.
*People in the neighborhood all knew this family very well.
evacuate -疏散,撤离,使避难。leave from a danger place where you at, fallow the authorities' instruction, go to a safe place to get protection.
*The nursing home residents were evacuated before the hurricane hit this area.飓风
*All the people who live in the coastal area were evacuated to higher ground.
elderly - older people.年长地,上了年纪地。
*The elderly patients are well taken care of in the hospital. 被照顾的很好。
*This restaurant gives a special offer to elderly customers.给与年长者特别优惠。
*Tanya's grandparents are elderly and frail. 年老体弱。
permit (v)-重音在第二节。allow. 许可,允许,准许。
permitted / permitting
*We are permitted to enter this restricted area.管制区。
permit (n) -重音在第一音节。 许可证,执照。
a work permit -工作许可证。
a parking permit -停车证。
update - make sure to have the most recent news or items (water/food/tool/medicine and phone number etc.) 更新,最新信息。使合乎现在需求。
*Our computer system needs to be updated for higher efficiency. 更高的效率
*We'll update you with the latest information as it happens.
disaster - an event that end up can cause death or harm, and not easy to predict. 灾难
strikes - come fast and quickly with strong force and unpredictable. 袭击。
little warning -"little" -here means in a very short time.
situation - event.
kit - a set of thing or tool for special purpose. such as sawing kit, medicine kit, emergency kit, and survival kit.
survival kit - it should contains water, food, clothing, medicine, battery, flash light, matches, glasses, money, keys I.D. and important phone number.tools (you need to protect you, help you survive or help you get out.) etc. to keep your life safe.
maintain - keep up.维护。
prevent - to stop from happening or stop a person to do something.

Chat Room:
plan for the worst -为最坏的状况,预作规划。
Better to be safe than sorry -小心总比后悔好。(即鼓励事前多做些准备,免得后悔)。
"Better safe than sorry" - 小心总比后悔好的口语化,较简单的说法。
"Better late than never" -有亡羊补牢之意。晚一点做总比不做的好。
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prepare your family for the worst.-为最坏的状况替你的家庭预先做好准备。
the worstworst-case scenario 可能发生的最坏状况。
scenario -假设的情况。。
the worst case scenario -能想到的最坏的可能发生的情况。
unforeseen circumstances -不可预料的突发状况。即‘不能预先意料到的事件状况。
contingency -偶发事件。
life is full of unforeseen circumstances.
acts of God -天灾(常在美国正式的合约上看到)something happen beyond our preventing.







Friday, October 5, 2012

Seeing with Echoes

Dolphins and other underwater animals sense their surroundings through sound
海生动物“以耳代目”的关键一回声。海豚与其他水中动物透过声波感应周围环境。

Dolphins travel regularly between the water's surface and the depths of the ocean. They have keen vision both in and out of the water. But when they dive deeper than light can penetrate, they must rely on a different sense - hearing.

Several species of marine mammals observe the world through echolocation. They send out a stream of clicks that bounce off the objects around them. By listening to the echoes of these sounds, dolphins can determine the size, shape and location of nearby objects. Recent scientific research has shown that this echolocation is more precise than anyone had previously imagined.

Researcher Laura Kloepper studies a false killer whale named Kina, False killer whales are members of the dolphin family. Kloepper says kina could distinguish cylinders that were only 0.2 millimeters apart in size. In other tests  Kina recognized the difference between objects whose widths differed by less than the width of a human hair.

Dolphins and whales can alter the width of the stream of sound they use for echolocation. They make it wide to gather general information and narrow for detailed observations. They also control the sensitivity of their hearing. When they aren't hunting, they decrease their sensitively to protect their ears from loud noises.

As scientists continue to study marine mammals, they are gaining an even deeper understanding of these creatures' amazing capabilities.


Grammar Tips:
They send out a stream of clicks that bounce off the objects around them.
"stream " - small river, but here refer to  "a large number of something that one after another.
a stream of phone calls - when you are getting so many phone calls one after another in a period of time.
a stream of complaints.
a stream of emails - many many emails wait for you to answer.


Vocabulary Tips:
penetrate (v)- move through something. 穿透,渗透,刺透。射入。
* Rays of sunlight penetrated the forest.
*The singer's voice can penetrate audiences' hearts.
*One hacker penetrated the bank's computer system.
sensitivity - quick reaction .敏锐,敏感。
*The medicine can cause sensitivity to sunlight.
*As recording technician, you need great sensitivity to good melodies.
sensitive (adj) -敏锐的,敏感的。
capability -能力,才能,能耐。
*Edward has the capability to learn new things rapidly.
*Wilson has the capability to manage this company.
*The convertible has the capability to reach 100 milometers per hour in just seconds. 敞篷车。。时速到达。。
marine - refer to water. 海军,海里,海上,与海有关的。
mammals - animal that breath air and give birth to their babies.哺乳动物。
echolocation - 回声定位能力,回声定位法。echo- sound get response back.回声
a stream of - a large number of something that one after another.数量多而且连续不断的。一连串的。 如小河流的水,不住地滴流。
cylinder -圆柱

Chat Room:
The width of a human hair.宽度差异很小很小。一根人类头发不到的宽度。
to split hears - refer to "pointless thing"。 意指“为鸡毛蒜皮的事起争执, 为小的不能再小的事去争辩。

All about patents

Invent something awesome? Apply for a patent.专利知多少。你有很棒的发明吗?那就申请专利吧!

Maybe you've just invented something better than the iPhone or a solar-powered car. You don't want anyone to steal your design. What should you do? Patent it! Patents are the best way to get credit for your work and help others continue advancing in that field. Here's what you need to know.

How patents work
A patent gives you the right to an invention. The patent protects its owner, which means the invention can't be copied or sold without their agreement. In exchange, the owner must reveal information about the invention. This contributes knowledge that helps other inventors improve on their own research. A patent usually lasts about 20 years.

The first step to getting a patent is the application. The person applying must name the invention, explain its use and describe it clearly. The invention must be practical and contain some new characteristic -something that hasn't been seen or used before. But not everything "new" can be patented. Many countries don't allow patents on things like new concepts, scientific theories, medical procedures or substances already found in nature.

Patents, patents everywhere
You may not be able to see patents, but they're connected to nearly everything. There are patents on things you use every day, like plastic, light bulbs, medicine and your computer. There are patents on things that are unavailable on the market, too. Apple is well-known for its patents on potential products, such as the "iBike" or the "iKey."

Of course there are also patents on inventions that are a little weird. Take the anti-eating face mask for example. This device locks around your head with a metal cage covering your mouth. You can breathe and speak, but you can't eat! Or try out the bionic golfer. The machine seizes your shoulders, arms, waist and legs and "guides" you to make the perfect golf swing. Then there are patents for ridiculous things. One man wanted to patent his "clever" invention -a stick. He tried to pass it off as a dog toy.

Although many patented inventions can be failures, there's plenty of room for success. So if you have a cool invention, try to patent it!

Grammar Tips:
In exchange, the owner must reveal information about the invention.
"in exchange,..." =in return - do A in order to get B.
Sandy helps Mrs. Franklin with the chores around the house in exchange for a place to stay.
In an internship position, a student works for free in exchange for first-hand experience in a professional field.

Vocabulary Tips:
patent (n)-专利,专利权。
* The patent application for our new product took several months.
* Our English patents were displayed in the windows.
patent (v)-申请专利(申请专利权),取得专利,专利权。an official legal rights that you own.
*This new drug will be patented soon.
*The iPhone is one of Steve Jobs' innovative inventions.
invention - create something new.(可数 n.)发明物,创造物,(不 可数n)发明,创造。
invent -发明,创造。
*The invention of the light bulb really changed the way people live.
concept -idea. thoughts.概念,观念,思想。
*The book introduces the basic concepts of management.
*Irene had a hard time grasping these mathematical concepts.
*The concepts of sharing and self-sacrifice are hard for children to understand.
nearly - just about.
anti - you can not, or against.
device - object
take a trip to somewhere = take a trip over to (someplace) -去(哪儿)
practical - useful.实用的。
bionic - machine that make something like nature. product from combination of machine and animal (stuff).
available - something you can get or buy or obtain.可买得到的,可获得,取得的
*These gardening tools are no longer available.
unavailable -not available.
*The medicine is unavailable in many countries.
device -object. 装置,器具。
*This device can check your blood pressure in seconds.
*Laborsaving devices like microwaves or dishwashers are now basic equipment in the kitchen. 节省劳力等器具。。。厨房基本配备。
pass something off as something - you pretend something is really something else.将某个东西冒充或假装成另外一个东西。鱼目充当珠子。
*These smugglers tried to pass these fake watches off as real ones.
pass oneself off as someone -冒充某人。
*The robber put on a disguise and passed himself off as a security guard. 强盗变装冒充成保安人员。
substance (n) - 物质,实体,内容,材料。
reveal - show other people.
theories -idea,
procedure - a way, or step.
advance (adj) copy- 新书样本。
advance (n) - 预付,预支,贷款。前进,进步。高升。攻,促进。接近,建议,贡献。前进。
seizes - hold
ridiculous - non-reasonable, a bit of stubby.
"clever" - "很聪明" (说话或写作时,故意用“”括号来形容什么事或物,括号里的意思非真正的意思,有反讽之意。不是真的很同意)
high-five - give me five.

Chat Room:
credit -名誉,声望。功劳。赞扬。
Patents are the best way to get credit for your work.
give credit where credit is due.-对于值得赞扬的人给于赞扬。
take credit for -将他人所完成的工作归功于自己。
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room -(可数n).房间。(不可数n) 空间。
there's plenty of room for success. 追求成功的空间还很大。
make room-挤一挤,腾出位子。



Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Nova Scotia's Cape Breton

Discover Canada's "Jewel of the east" 新斯科西亚的布雷顿角。一探加拿大的“东方珍宝”。

Wild, rugged, harsh, soft and beautiful! All of these words describe one place - Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. One of Canada's best-kept secrets is an island located off the northeastern coast of Nova Scotia. Locals display pride in their island and its one-of-a-kind culture. And "untouched paradise" closely describes the natural beauty you'll find there. A drive through the island's rolling hills leads to towering cliffs with spectacular views. At any point on the island you are never more than 30 minutes from the ocean.

History and influences
many believe that explorer John Cabot landed on the island in 1497 and claimed it for England. Sometime later, people from Ireland, France and a few from Scotland arrived and made their homes there. During a time of turmoil in Scotland in the 1800s, many more Scots moved to Cape Breton. Their influence can still be seen today, especially in Cape Breton's culture and music.

The heart and soul of Cape Breton
It has been said that "music is the glue that holds Cape Bretoners together." Locals will drive for hours to hear and dance to a good fiddle player. The music began in Scotland but now belongs to Cape Breton. It is the traditional music that was played when 18th and 19th century Scottish settlers first arrived.

Scottish musicians now travel to the island to learn the music from their own country's past Lively music is written to go along with the local step dance. This particular dance style disappeared from Scotland long ago but has been preserved in Cape Breton.

Celtic Colours
The best place to experience Cape Breton music is at the Celtic Colours International Festival. This year's event will take place from October 5 to 13. Featuring local and international artists, the festival is a celebration of Celtic music and culture. Tens of thousands of visitors will enjoy songs, dances, fiddle players,
storytellers and more. Workshops, lectures and demonstrations will be offered on Celtic music, art and history.

The world's best road trip
Driving Cape Breton's Cabot Trail offers one of the best ways to truly see the island. The lonely Planet travel guide calls it "one of the best road trips in the world!" The trail joins eight major communities as it winds  through fishing villages and across rugged hilltops. Along the way, you can take part in a variety of activities.

Along the trail
Whale-watching trips thrill visitors with sightings of whales, dolphins and bears. Kayaking trips offer spectacular views of rock formations, waterfalls and sea caves. Golfing is a special treat on a number of world-class golf courses.

Hike one of the 25 trails in beautiful Cape Breton Highlands National Park. Try saltwater or freshwater fishing, or just enjoy fresh seafood at one of the many restaurants. In the winter you can ski, and in the summer you can swim. There's no wrong turn when you visit Cape Breton, one of the world's most beautiful islands!

Grammar Tips:
Locals display pride in their island and its one-of-a-kind culture.
" one of a kind " - unique.
" one-of-a-kind culture. (adj. to culture)
Joseph is looking for a nine-to-five job.
The fashion designer's ready-to-wear clothing collection will be on display.

Vocabulary Tips:
untouched  -not change, not polluted.未受污染的,未被碰触的,原始的。 "un" -有否定之意。 "touch" -触碰。
*The east coast of the island remained clean and untouched.干净未受污染的。
*The east coast of the island remained clean and untouched.
*The area of the country is untouched by Western civilization. 西方文明
explorer -a person who travel somewhere that no one has been there before to discover something.探索家,探险家。
*These Arctic explorers almost lost their lives during their expedition.
*These explorers brought many spices to England from India.
explore (v)- adventure discover.探索。
* Scientists are still exploring new ways to cure AIDS.探索寻找。。治疗爱滋病的方法。
turmoil -very confusion, have not understand.混乱,骚动,动荡不安的。处于(in
*The coastal area was in turmoil after the hurricane.飓风
*Elaine's childhood was in turmoil since her parents got divorced. 童年时期。。
settler - 拓荒者,移民者,开拓者,移居者。
settle - move from other place and stay, make home here.使定居,殖民。
*These early settlers built their cabins with the natives' help. 小木屋。
*Patrick's great grandfather was one of the earliest settlers in Australia.
lively - have a lot of energy and exciting, upbeat. 活泼,轻快。
*The lively tune of the computer game became very popular.
lecture -formal talk, people are seating there, listen to someone give speech. 授课,演讲。或胧长的教训,训斥。
*Dr. Frasier is going to give a lecture on the new developments in biochemistry.生物化学新发展的课程。
有关,关于某个演讲,授课用 "on"
*The teacher gave me a lecture regarding my tardiness.迟到。
demonstration - teaching with showing how.
glue - sticky substance.
step dance -  dance with legs only without move their upper body.
Celtic - 发音为/Keltic/。 只有用“球队名”时发"seltic"
feature - is include someone or something as an very important part of event or occasion.
trail- a path, a way you go, or take or walk a journey to somewhere. 小径。小路。
*Tree branches covered the trail to the mountain. 树枝遮住了山上的小路。
*We took the trail through the forest and arrived at the village by sunset. 通过森林小路。。在黄昏前。
formation (n) -构成物,结构。form -形成。
rock formations - 岩层,岩石形状。
cloud formations - 云层。云的形状。
formation - 形成,构成。
*The book discusses the formation of children's characters. 讨论孩子们性格的形成。
hike -健行,远足。行军。
*We hiked to the top of the hill and set up our tent.健行
*The soldiers hiked for 15 miles today.行军
hike (n) - 走的里程,路程。
*The three mile hike around the lake really exhausted me.
road trip - when you take a trip with the car. (here refer to drive around on the inland, not drive to the island)
taking part of - join in , not just watching, be a part of it.
highland - hill, high place with mountains.
ski - on the snow, you sliding on the board.

Chat Room:
kind -友善的 (n)种类。
of a kind -属于某种类型。。
one of a kind - unique 独一无二的,独特的。
one-of-a-kind culture.-独特的文化。
two of a kind -二者类似的,二者相同,或是二者臭味相同。
three of a kind -(扑克牌)三个一样的。
four of a kind - 四个相同的
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music is the glue that holds Cape Bretoners together.
glue - 黏合剂。
glue - here is figurative,意思是“凝聚”。
figurative -象征,比喻的用法。
literal - 事实求是。明副其实的。 figurative 的反意。
There were literally a million people. 口语上常被滥用,夸张的使用,加强语气的字。(如句子意思是明副其实的有一百万人)其实根本不可能有一百万人。写作时,文章中,要避免夸大其实。要平实,接近事实。
color (美 )/ colour ( 英) : 发音同,意思同。
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tour guide/travel guide
tour guide - a person who show you around it. (导游)
travel guide - guide book. (指南,旅游指引)。
Lonely Planet travel guide - 寂寞星球旅游指南。A singer or a bend  performing from one place to another.
go on tour / go on a tour
go on tour - 巡回演出。
go on a tour -参加一格有专员介绍的导览。
go on a tour of the art museum -参观有专员介绍的美术馆。