輕鬆學英語
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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
各位認真又熱情的同學們!今天好嗎?I hope so!每次在幫學生訓練口說和寫作都會發現:Hope和Wish的用法超級混亂,使用的時機也不清楚,但就是拼拼湊湊成一句中式英文,說久了也心虛。其實HOPE要代表極有可能達成且付諸行動去達成的「圓夢過程」;相對來說,WISH就有天馬行空和漫無邊際的概念,期望達成率低很多了,所以生日許願是make a wish而非make a hope。所以哈利波特在巫師鬥場面對馬份的挑釁,脫口而出的說"You Wish"(你想得美),跟你去做夢有大同小異的概念吧!而面對許多親友邀約飯局或是碰到你(妳)興致不高的球賽、音樂現場表演,就可以先禮貌地說「I wish I could」(我真希望我赴約;意思就是:不克前往)可是非常道地而且又委婉回絕對方的必背好句喔! 當然每個父母都希望望子成龍、望女成鳳,所以都會think highly of their sons/daughter,期望很高很高但無形中也讓家庭關係很緊繃。但如果孩子沒辦法live up to one's expectations,我想父母和孩子都會很挫折(frustrated)吧!事實上,只要多了解自己的優勢(edge)而且多多累積實際操作經驗(hand-on experience)一定可以闖出一片天,而不是埋首在沒有熱情的窮忙族了!其實近幾年來,新加坡電影話題都圍繞在「叛逆期中的親子關係」、「年老父母扶養照顧」、「貧富差距的衝擊」等等,而五十屆金馬獎最佳影片「爸媽不在家」也反映出這個多元化的社會有著不同層面的掙扎和迷惑,而往往很多人選擇了逃離現實(escape from the reality)而不是正視、解決問題本身,長久下來身心靈都生病了。 或許今天的開場白有點小小serious,但其實就算從美國的青少年讀物也可以一窺目前可能跟你同年紀或曾經在你年少時遭遇問題的主角們,不分中外或語言,我們都有一樣的煩惱:怕成長期(Sprouting Period)輸人、班上功課老是墊底(be an underachiever)、對自己的外表很吹毛求疵(fussy about one's appearance)、尋找自己的小小社交圈(clique)和興趣相投的知己;更激烈地,也有可能因為覺得自己地位受到威脅就故意排擠(marginalize)別人。這些看似荒謬但在國外校園天天上演的情節,大家都可以在今天的主角Nikki身上看到。因為Nikki的老爸在貴族學校當驅蟲校工(insect exterminator)而有機會就讀貴族學校(noble school),到底是幸還是不幸呢?繼紐約時報金牌獎作品<遜咖日記 Wimpy Kid's Diary>完全寫實美國家庭革命和朋友Rowley見色忘友的麻煩事(hassles)之後,<怪咖少女事件簿Dork's Diaries>完全以一個青澀女生角度去寫她的青春煩惱日誌,如何一步步接近喜歡的男生Brandon(雖然情敵環伺)。更可怕的是面對學校裡的Queen Bee : Mackenzie不斷羞辱她,甚至利用自己在學校的勢力來達到目的,甚至讓自己變成全校公敵(The Enemy of the Campus),幸虧在面臨人生谷底的時候,能夠在無助哭泣時得到兩位好友Chole 和Zoey全力支持度過難關,真的是很溫暖又啼笑皆非的成長經驗。今天我們要特別介紹裡頭很FASHIONABLE很EDGY的校園英文告訴大家,一定要好好的欣賞和收藏唷^^ 1. Opening:開場白 BTW, Mackenzie Hollister is the most popular girl at Westchester Country Day Middle School and a total SNOB. Calling her a " mean girl" is an understatement. *snob(n.)勢利眼的人;snobbish(a.)勢利眼的 V.S. hypocritical(a.)虛偽的 殘酷的校園生活: 從第一集從Nikki的觀點和敘述就可以知道Mackenzie有多麼囂張跋扈!而且每次當羞辱完Nikki後,Mackenzie都喜歡Shashay(扭腰擺臀)地揚長而去,跟流星花園很像的富家千金仗著母親是董事會會長,無不興風作浪和搶走每個男孩的目光。在前衛藝術設計大賽結果揭曉後,還衝著Nikki說:「If I knew judges were all so stupid, I would win with my dog's vomit as the frame for my work.」(如果我知道評審都這麼地蠢,隨便用小狗的嘔吐物當畫框都能贏吧!)你聽聽!多麼尖酸刻薄的用字和桀驁不馴的態度。在歐美校園當中,每個人都會有自己的locker(置物櫃),都是不能夠上鎖的,所以大家都會放一些小禮物、卡片給心儀的人。但相反地,如果你惹了誰就等著看著櫃子上噴滿塗鴉(graffiti)和不堪的字眼了!在美國知名電視劇"Glee"(歡樂合唱團)說的就是一群傳統社會認為較弱勢的族群組合起來的團體,每個人都天賦異稟,對於歌唱舞蹈都非常有想法,也能夠將同儕壓力和感情生活的衝擊轉成音符上的火花,相當勵志而且在美國掀起非常正面的音樂炫風,更可以讓你了解目前西洋樂壇最夯的曲目和經典歌曲喔! 2.Lucky me!超幸運的! When I met my secret CRUSH, I was so excited that I did my SNOOPY " HAPPY DANCE." *snoopy( n.)史奴比(美國連環漫畫的經典俏皮人物),每當開始就會邊跳邊甩起大大的耳朵!所以snoopy dance就是相當雀躍的形象。 想到單戀校草Brandon的所有女孩,就覺得連被他看到一眼都被電到興奮暈倒,何況是要一起上Biology class(生物課)。沒錯,你應該跟我想的一樣吧!這根本就是抄襲(Copy)暮光之城首部曲女主角Bella和神祕的庫倫家族(The Cullen's)代表Edward在學校生物課的相遇情節,但大家不用這麼緊張,其實It went off quite well like everyday routine, nothing more。但是萬聖節不斷地逼近,N只敢在夢裡幻想著跟白馬王子一同出席這個舞會,你也知道火爆千金M肯定會出來瞎攪和,而且放話全校「Brandon is SO my DATE for this Halloween's Party」當然這樣的crush(心動對象),也不是常常會有的。同學可別把crash(捏碎或摔毀)搞混在一起,因為飛機失事就是air-crash,而遺骸就是wreckage喔!當然或許對方not really into you(對你不來電)也沒關係,愛自己才會好自在!感情的事不用強求,但求合得來(hit it off)多個朋友就好。 3. Jealous Demon:忌妒之火 Nikki! Congratulations on winning the first place, hon! If I had known the art show judges wanted TALENTLESS JUNK, I would have "framed my poodle's vomit stains and entered it as " Abstract Art." 我得獎了?Nikki完全不敢置信自己在avant-grande art前衛藝術大賽拔得頭籌,當然這讓M非常光火就帶她的跟班們去"好好恭賀"一番!還指著她鼻子稱她的作品是"Talentless Junk"(零才華的垃圾),vomit(n.)從動詞轉名詞的意思是"嘔吐物",竟然還說這是"抽象畫"真是太絕了!在對話裡面的"hon"可不是問句是指"Honey"親暱說法,當然也要看對象和語氣了喔^^ 4. I AM UPSET! 失望透頂 How could I do other than grit my teeth? 老是在學校被找碴,或是要忍受自己心愛的白馬王子跟M朝夕相處,都氣到下唇咬破了吧!在英文裡面的"咬牙忍受"就是"girt one's teeth"很重要但卻鮮少英文學習者知道的,快努力多念幾次吧!接下我們來介紹英文常用的生活片語: (A) be armed to one's teeth謹守承諾 (B) grit one's teeth咬緊牙關 (C) Eye for eye, tooth for tooth以眼還眼 (D) lie through your teeth睜眼說瞎話 (E)teeth-grinding磨牙 時間咻一下就過了嗎?除了最後有2013最夯用字之外,要參加萬聖節的NIKKI是否能全身而退呢?那麼我們就等著下次見囉!英文專欄之怪咖少女事件簿(二)下回待續 【牛津字典公佈2013年度風雲單字:「Selfie 自拍」】 每次出去吃飯或逛到景點,身邊朋友無不拿起手機瘋狂拍攝,還有很MEAN的朋友忍不住說:「妳是在幫食物拍遺照喔!」連國外的朋友都認為:喜歡到處自己和幫食物飲品拍照根本快變成亞洲人的特色了。聽到這邊有點不以為然,因為如果只是要記錄美好的一刻也無可厚非,但可別因為滑手機和修圖世界把朋友晾在一旁可就不好了喔!SELF是"自我"通常後面加上-ie有縮小的概念,就是「拍下微小的自我」Selfie(自拍)。
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A Bit of Home in New Zealand
Over winter break, I toured the north and south islands of New Zealand. Getting to travel abroad made me very excited in the months leading up to break, but knowing that my parents would be joining me heightened my level of excitement. I "see" them every Sunday night on Skype, but I hadn't really seen them since August. We had originally planned a country-wide Lord of the Rings tour, but the dates did not match up. Although both my father and I were disappointed because we are fans of the series, we decided to just make our own adventure. My parents had never travelled this far in their lives, and it took a lot of convincing to get them to go in the first place. By the end of our trip, they could not believe their initial hesitation. What we experienced and what we saw cannot be given justice in written word. I knew that New Zealand had beautiful scenery, but I did not expect to see untapped beauty and colors that should not exist in nature. The thing that struck me the most was the different shades of blue in the sky and in the water. The government of New Zealand takes conversation of its land very seriously, and as a result, the water is clean-so clean that in some places, you can actually drink right from the stream. When the blue of the lakes met the blue of the sky, it was difficult to decipher where one started and where one ended. Of all the things that I saw-Hobbiton, glaciers, geysers, colonies of seals, miles of coast, the devastation of earthquakes, and hundreds of mountains-the colors still stand out the most. For most of our time in New Zealand, my parents and I stayed on the south island. In order to preserve the land, the roads are very sparse. Instead of going through mountains, we had to drive around them-for miles and miles. Normally, a 10 hour bus ride would aggravate me to no end, but these ones did not. I spent the entire ride staring out at the incomprehensible beauty on the other side of my window. Since returning, I still have trouble wrapping my mind around my trip. I hiked through a tropical rainforest in order to see a glacier. I visited Lord of the Rings movie sets. I saw natural mirror lakes. I experienced the ruin of Christchurch after the 2011 earthquake. I drank fresh glacier water right from the stream. Before we went our separate ways-to Taiwan and to America-my parents already decided that they would be returning to New Zealand. I hope that I am able to tag along once again.
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A Reflection on Black History Month
Since 1926, Black History Month has remained an annually celebrated holiday. It is a time to commemorate the achievements and contributions of heroic African American citizens. Before the 20th century, historical records of the United States failed to include African American his-tory. School textbooks did not even mention the struggles and achievements of African Ameri-cans until Carter G. Woodson, an African American scholar, championed the cause to begin re-cording and acknowledging the history of the African Diaspora. His hard work and persistent efforts resulted in a Black History Week to educate Americans about African history. For many African Americans, the holiday provides an opportunity to celebrate the years of African history that the United States had neglected for so long. I remember going to school early on a Monday morning in February and seeing posters of African American heroes such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. In elementary school, teachers dedicate the month to doing activities, games, and projects in remembrance of famous black historical figures. I associate Black History Month with short awe-inspiring documentaries displaying the valiance of these heroic figures and the accomplishments of the Civil Rights Movement. I recall listening to stories showcasing Rosa Parks' bravery and conviction when she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger before being arrested for her disobedience. Mar-tin Luther King, Jr., one of the most celebrated figures during Black History Month, acted as the figurehead of the Civil Rights Movement. His renowned "I Have a Dream" speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial inspired those seeking justice during the Civil Rights March in Washington, D.C. He dedicated his life to battling racial inequality using non-violent methods. The image of my classmates' re-creation of the famous "I Have a Dream" speech neatly plas-tered on the hallway walls of my elementary school reminded me of the tremendous sacrifices made by Civil Rights activists to improve the future of racial equality for Americans. However, Black History Month is not accepted by everyone as the most adequate way to alleviate race relations in the United States. Some African Americans argue that packing the his-tory and celebration of an entire race of people into a single month seems rather absurd. Is it pos-sible that Black history could be counterproductive to its intended purpose? Does allocating a month to celebrate Black history somehow separate it from American history? Should the history of African Americans be even more prevalent in American history textbooks? Wouldn't such a change also require the increase of Asian American, Jewish American, and Hispanic American history in school textbooks? These are questions currently being discussed by historians in the United States and around the world.
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How Studying Ukulele Has Improved My English Teaching
Social isolation can happen when you live in a country where they don't speak your native tongue. I could easily come home every day after teaching and watch a movie (in English) or just interact with the other American teachers in Kinmen. This would be much less difficult than racking my brain to use my limited Chinese to communicate with others. However, I would miss Kinmen's many cultural activities as well as the opportunity to meet the patient people (when interpreting my creative communications) who call Kinmen "home." To avoid retreating into an "ex-pat bubble," I decided to get more involved in the community. I registered for several classes at the community college in Jincheng, knowing that they would be in Chinese. I had high hopes of picking up the language quickly through these classes, but my "go-to phrases" such as "where is the bathroom? - 廁所在那裡," "I am an English teacher - 我是英文老師," and "I would like a bowl of beef noodle soup - 我想要一碗牛肉麵" are rarely uttered in class. I also enrolled in a ukulele (烏克麗麗) class. It has been a humbling and enlightening experience. I can read the sheet music and follow the teacher's demonstration, but when he starts talking, I am completely lost. My Chinese textbooks do not cover musical terms. He is probably giving insightful tips and opening the secret world of a master ukulele player. I have a musical background, I remember the basics of reading music, and can fumble my way through class. However, playing the piano and the harp is very different from strumming a ukulele. As a student in a class taught in Mandarin, I can empathize with students in my English lessons. I cannot translate for my students, and they probably feel as lost as I do. Luckily, there are two Taiwanese elementary school students in the class, Mandy and Sarah. They help me find the right sheet music, and show me how to strum properly, while endlessly giggling with my struggles. Each week after ukulele class, I reflect on my own teaching methods and how I can be a more effective teacher for my students. The most important things I can do are to slow down my speech, explain things in as few words as possible, and use hand gestures to help convey the meaning. While I do not have a future career as a musician, I am reminded of what it is like to be a student, which has helped me to improve my teaching.
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The Role of Grandparents
When living abroad, homesickness comes in waves. To adjust to feelings of missing family, friends, and foods, I try to find things that remind me of home. For some, this means taking comfort in eating American cheese, or putting up photos of family in a bedroom. For me, seeing the active grandmothers in Kinmen reminds me of home. I was raised with two grandmothers. My mother's mother is from Mashad, Iran, and my father's mother is from Okinawa, Japan. Neither of them spoke English, and both communicated with me in their native tongues: Persian and Japanese. Growing up, I understood living in a multi-lingual home was something of an anomaly, not a stereotypical American experience. However, as a child, it surprised me to discover that my peers rarely had contact with any grandparent. I could understand the position of diligent mothers and fathers who had their own children to care for, and therefore, saw caring for their elderly as an extraneous duty. Yet, I felt saddened at a standard sight when I visited other relatives and family friends in nursing homes: an elderly person, blankly sitting in a chair in front of a television set, without any visitors. I felt troubled by the echoing concerns of my generation regarding caring for the "baby boomer generation" when they enter old age. Here the elderly-our parents, as senior citizens-could be perceived as burdens. I have experienced the benefits of living with the elderly, and I don't believe grandparents are a burden. While my parents worked, I had the company of my home-bound grandmothers. I felt no shortage of love, advice, or attention when coming home, which I'm not sure would have been the case, had I frequently come home to an empty house. My Iranian grandmother, in particular, played a key role in shaping my identity.In spite of minimal education (she was stopped from attending school at thirteen), my Iranian grandmother is one of the wisest, most pure-hearted people I know. I looked forward to going home, where I could enjoy her delicious Persian meals - soft enough for a toothless person - and her guidance. My family life had some challenges - my Iranian grandmother suffers from long-standing heart disease and had multiple heart attacks, while my father's mother has dementia. In an unexpected way, being exposed to the suffering of the elderly was a humbling and important lesson at an early age: ultimately, I too would feel great pain, but the meaningful connections we make with others can make it bearable. She gave away most-everything she owned, and only wore three outfits, which she sewed herself. My Iranian grandmother taught me by example to be happy with little, to give and help others as much as I could, and to be relentlessly self-sufficient, even with pain and the offer of assistance from others. In Kinmen, when I see the resilient elderly women at the farmer's market, taking the bus, riding bicycles, walking slowly, and holding their grandchildren's hands, I smile. I truly admire the strong sense of duty to care for one's parents, as well as children, and regarding the elderly with respect. Hearing many stories of Kinmen elders taking care of their grandchildren, while parents work in Taiwan to support the family, reminds me of my own upbringing, and how I felt fortunate for such a dynamic. I think that the children in Kinmen living with their grandparents perhaps have a greater sense of awareness of their family's struggles to work toward a better life. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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(Feature Article) Travel Abroad: Bhutan
或許你聽過微笑的國度:泰國,也曾經感受過那熱情又充滿現代感的大都市。但今天我們要一起進行「不丹」,譽為全世界最幸福的國度,也是港星劉嘉玲與梁朝偉的結婚舉辦地。當地人民的真實生活方式就赤裸裸在遊客的眼前:街道上穿著傳統服飾的人們、牧人引導氂牛群橫跨田野、屋頂上晾曬的紅白黃辣椒,和那虔誠信徒向天地禮拜祈福的場面最難忘懷。佛教信仰深植不丹人生活中,也體現在生活中最樸實的角落。 從曼谷出發後將近三小時,翱翔黃龍圖騰的豪華客機滑行在全不丹最筆直的道路:帕羅國際機場( Paro International Airport)跑道,所有的乘客無不興奮地拿著照相關機想紀念這寶貴旅程點滴,閃光此起彼落,也讓不丹「雷龍國度」像極了電影魔戒場景,伴著仙境般雲霧繚繞的翠綠山林映入眼簾,舉國景仰的國王和皇后大幅照片歡迎每位到來的貴賓和保留古建築圖案的機場大廳,這趟旅程我深知將不虛此行。未來的兩個月將度過窮山惡水、不丹聖山虎穴寺(Tiger's Nest)、舉世聞名的108聖塔、國家最高行政中心、遙望西瑪拉雅山、食物水源匱乏等等挑戰,這是一趟離開文明和深入自我的心靈洗滌之旅。我不是白日夢冒險王,因為我已經在路上前往,你呢? CNN國際媒體將不丹機場列為全世界十大危險機場;不丹政府每年控制遊客的人數進出而且一趟不丹行要花費多少錢呢?你知道有免費遊不丹的小撇步嗎?不丹人最喜歡的零食竟然是檳榔?不丹的首都座落何處?機場怎麼會跟廟寺一樣的建築?你知道世界第八大奇景即將在不丹被國際單位認可了嗎?一下飛機,一陣低沉又響徹山谷的法器震撼人心,眼前綿延一公里的虔誠信眾前來參拜一年一度的唐卡祭典,究竟不丹人的信仰生命充滿怎樣的神祕訊息,讓各國的遊客都可以前往一窺究竟呢?就由Brian Yu特派員為您前進國人最期待又充滿問號的佛教國家:不丹,內容精彩珍貴,而且親自訪問當地居民傳統習俗和生活用語,本次專題分為(上)(中)(下)三大部分來深入各個區域和參觀景點,讓各位熱愛專欄的朋友,不用出門也可以親身體驗不丹的美麗與哀愁,那麼大家跟著我的呼吸和雙眼走進這充滿神奇魅力又限制重重的領土吧! The Cruel History of Bhutan:不丹的血淚史 Before the 8th century, the nation teeming with waterfalls and large numbers of nameless mountains snaking onward to the border north to Tibet was in a total turmoil and chaos without any superior power ruling the people and always faced the stake of being colonized by the neighboring countries so that it's also named " The Darkest Corner"(最黑暗的角落) by Tibet. Little did we know, it was never put on the map until the 11th century the religious leader, Shabdrung Ngawang Namgyal(夏宗法王) brought the order and system to people. Bhutan, traditionally earning the reputation of one of The Happiest Nations on earth, had experienced the long history of corpse-littered wars, struggles, and flood of immigrants; therefore, the first crowned King Gonga Ugyen Wangchuck(旺楚) introduced the Tibetan Buddhism(藏傳佛教) to pacify the deceased soldiers and his people for protecting their hometown from external intrusion, the Indian rebels intentionally taking over this un-claimed territories ; to people's greatest blessing, the fourth king built the world-famous the108 towers in memory of those times of sorrow and triumph Bhutanists all shared. Therefore, all vehicles passing the 108 towers or the similar sculptures standing by the curb should spin around before moving on to the destination to show their respect and to reminisce what had happened on this peaceful land. This time, I accompanied Taipei Life Saving Association to work on this unique and special interview and this journey impressed me from the very bottom of my heart. The Youngest King: Royal Wedding(皇室婚禮) Recognized as "The Most Handsome and Youngest King", He, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck(凱薩爾.旺楚克) , now is the 33-year-old ruler over the Bhutan's both political and religious issues, introducing the latest technology and advanced knowledge of architectures, farming, social etiquette while preserving its own very authentic cultures by limiting the number of visitors whose regulated visa fees going to the coverage of health care and education for his people in poverty but great joy. Amazingly, this young gentleman just turning 14 years old had confessed his affection to the queen seven years younger, the daughter of the pilot as well as the niece to the royal family, the so-called " Love at the first sight." Their wedding was held in the ancient capital Punakha(普納卡) and brought smiles to the population of 6.95 million all celebrating this legendary event, and dancing at the biggest festival ever. You could tell people's sincerest admiration for their royal family, ranging from the cover of postcards, key-chains, sculptures, paintings, stamps, the annual coins in memory of this wonderful couple to the framed pictures seen in both ordinary families and the airport. While the bride took her elegant steps into the hall with the golden goblet symbolizing the eternal life, she was also given "The Mirror, Condensed Milk, Ranch Grass, and Seashell" which respectively represented " Longevity, Wisdom, Innocence, and Other Holy Blessing." Music started spreading through the crowds from monks' performances of religious musical instrument and traditional trumpets as well as drums. It's a harmonious picture that all villagers were holding in hands and loving their king and queen walking on the path together with respect and trust. The whole celebration was televised and broadcast domestically and internationally. " I have been waiting for this moment so long and finally can find someone like her, a perfect figure so intelligent and gorgeous, we have a lot in common, obsessed with arts and other interests….." said the king. Earning his college diploma in England, the visionary king will exhibit the incredible leadership and insightful perspectives over international issues to improve the life quality in Bhutan by collaborating with other developed countries in light of their abundant resources and agriculture techniques meanwhile leading the political system to democracy based on the constitution. People: Diets & Leisure Activities (不丹人飲食和背景故事) Affluent in the production of apples, cauliflowers, carrots, and rice, Bhutan has been dedicated to its rice and wheat growth. If you are a curry love, you cannot miss the delicious chicken curry with Bhutan's crispy cookie, similar to Indian naan, sided with chilies cheese(起司辣椒), the taste of mild hot giving the stomach warmth and good appetite after the long-hour bumpy ride. ( my favorite^^)As for beverages, the host will provide the tea bags or powered coffee from Nepal for the guests. As for me, I did prefer the salty milk tea (酥油茶)freshly made from the ranch cows, free of artificial flavoring or preservatives but rich in protein and calories, energizing the workers with more nutrition through the chilly climate all around the year. But if fresh fruit is the vital element for your daily meals, you will felt slightly disappointed for most shops giving the diners with canned fruit most of the time considering the real experience that I'd been served with that for two months in all the regions our group visited. After the in-depth talk with the locals, I was shocked to unveil the regular habit of betel-nuts-chewing rooted in the past of mortified identity. Are you ready for the truth? Interviewing five locals in four major regions in Bhutan, they were clearly educated with the concept of their ancestors being the cannibals feeding on human flesh for years. The former king did realize that this customary behaviors couldn't be forbidden cold turkey and just encouraged the villages to replace human flesh with betel nuts whose hard surface (human skull), maroon juice( blood), and leaves( skin) could temporarily quench their desires; at the same time, Buddhism was widespread in educations and lectured them with civilized manners to help this nation back on the right track. Therefore, you shouldn't feel uncomfortable when spotting teenagers in Bhutan chewing betel nuts, compared with the past they may feel brutal and inhumane. In the religious rituals, we as the foreign visitors were given some cubes of yak cheese, highly recommended by the local women who treated it like the nutritional supplement. Its hard, chewy taste didn't get much of my attention and they seldom added salt or vinegar to the cuisines for shortage of ingredients and guess what? They love eating with bare hands instead of chopsticks/ forks. This dining habit could be traced back to Indian traditions. In the following column, I'll be introducing more classic attires and Bhutan dialects to you and some must-see tourist attractions which we'd spent months trekking mountain ranges, wading in the lakes. What taboos you shouldn't pamper with when stepping into the temples? How to put on your Bhutan attire and how to bargain when shopping? To be continued……(上)
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Learning the Guzheng
By: Anne Ewbank I came to Kinmen with one large suitcase, not big enough for a years' worth of clothing, but I needed one hand free for my guitar. It had been a last minute decision: I asked friends on Facebook if I should bring it. Amidst all the goodbyes, and smiley-faces, and the shocked comments of people who hadn't realized I was leaving to live across the world for a year in the first place, the general reply was "yes." I knew little about Kinmen, so I thought, if I found myself bored, at least I had an instrument to practice that I had been trying to learn for years. I am never bored on Kinmen. Work keeps me very busy, and I spend free time exploring the island and planning my future. However, whenever things get too difficult or I feel homesick, I pick up my guitar and feel better for a while. I am creating something temporary but beautiful, just for myself. One thing that intrigued all the Fulbright teachers in August was the idea of "school specialties," where the schools focus on a particular extracurricular activity. On Kinmen, there is the unicycle school, the jump-rope school, the baton-twirling school, and my school, the guzheng school. I liked Jinsha Elementary quite a bit when I first saw it, and I was lucky to be placed there. I also started to play the guzheng. In a music room in the activity center, I saw my first guzheng. A combination of piano, guitar, and coffee table, it's an intimidating instrument to learn. But the music teacher welcomed me to attend the classes, so I started going to Monday and Tuesday practices with the 5th and 6th graders. It is actually very similar to the guitar, especially the notation system. I've become a little obsessed. The guzheng has a beautiful sound, different from anything I've ever heard, almost otherworldly. The Chinese first developed the instrument almost 2,000 years ago, and it has been extremely popular throughout Chinese history. Much like Chinese language and culture, many neighboring countries have their own version of the instrument. Playing the guzheng gives me the same transcendent feeling as learning Chinese. In a way, it's a portal to the past, as an instrument with a history longer than most civilizations. Though the most ancient guzheng songs are lost to history, the instrument has many famous old songs like "High Mountain, Flowing Water," "Turning into Butterflies," and "Autumn Moon over the Han Palace." At the same time, many modern songs use the guzheng as well. Jay Chou's "Chrysanthemum Banquet," Phoenix Legend's "Moon over the Lotus Pond," and the Gorillaz song "Hong Kong" all use the instrument to great effect. Learning the guzheng has given me many moments of great joy, as I learn about my students who play it as well as the instrument's long past. While used in the most modern of music, the instrument gives the player and the listener a connection to an ancient tradition. I feel like playing the guzheng is a cultural experience that few are lucky enough to experience during their time abroad. Taping the picks to my right hand and copying my teacher's elegant movements, I am able to play music that has been listened to for many years before my birth and that will resonate long after I am gone, from both Kinmen and the world. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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A New Take on an Old Tradition
By: Karissa Moy In America on the morning of the first day of the New Year, all five of the Moy children roll out of bed and head to the kitchen where Mom and Dad are already starting to make "gumball" soup. We roll floury dough into small balls-that look like gumballs-and fill some of them with silly surprises like hot sauce. We drop the gumballs into the concoction, Chinese soup filled with vegetables, shrimp, and meat, and we watch the Pasadena Rose Parade on TV while we wait for the soup to finish. As tradition demands, we sit around our kitchen table enjoying the soup and reflecting on the year that has passed and the year that is to come. Now thousands of miles away from home, I found myself indulging in this family tradition with my second grade students. During our first month on Kinmen, my friends and I found a well-known restaurant in Shanwai that serves a snack called "tang yuan." I never heard of tang yuan before, but it was delicious. Tang yuan are sticky doughy balls filled with black sesame, peanuts, or plain. They can be served hot in sweet soup or cold on shaved ice.The restaurant offers it with different toppings, such as fruit or red bean. After trying it for the first time, I thought to myself, "Hmm…this is like the gumballs we make at home." When my co-teacher, Joy, told me that the second graders were going to make tang yuan in school, I was excited to join them and learn how to make this delicious snack. As we began to make it, I immediately recognized the process and realized it was exactly the same thing as the Moy home. Unexpectedly, I became overwhelmed by feelings of nostalgia, and I missed home and my family even more. I sat with the second graders rolling the dough into balls, filling some with chocolate, some with black sesame, and leaving some plain. We even dyed some red and made fun shapes and designs: fish, flowers, braids. We cooked the tang yuan in a sweet sugary soup, and we got to enjoy a little midday snack together. Although not the same kind of soup as home, it still hit the spot. Growing up in a Chinese-American household, I have always considered myself Asian-American. But I always identified stronger with the "American" part rather than the "Asian" side. My life here on Kinmen has helped me realize that my life in America is actually a lot more connected to my Chinese roots than I ever thought. Everyday, I'm learning more about the culture and making more connections to my life back home. My experiences here have given me a deeper appreciation of my culture, family, and traditions, and I hope to carry on these traditions, new and old, upon my return to America. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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Off Their Map
"Kinmen island? Where is that?" "Well, according to Google, … it's a Taiwanese island…right off the coast of mainland China?" This conversation occurred seven months ago when I shared with my parents the news of my Fulbright placement. None of us had heard of Kinmen before this news. To me, this made my imminent adventure all the more alluring. My parents took a less adventurous approach to the news, feeling a little nervous about their daughter traveling so far away to a place they could not even locate on a map. Their Google searches of the island did not reveal much. We uncovered Kinmen's proud military history and scenic beaches. However, everything else about life on the island was a mystery. In the beginning of December, my parents saw firsthand just how little they had to worry about. On December 9th, they traded one island for another: cold and snowy New York City, for a warmer and brighter Kinmen. They spent ten days exploring the island that they did not know existed a mere seven months earlier. Two aspects of Kinmen struck my parents the most. First were the people. Not knowing a word of Chinese, my parents worried about getting by on the island. However, they immediately noticed what I also learned when I arrived in August: people here are very patient and eager to help. One day, my parents accidentally left some of my teaching materials in a local restaurant. They returned the next day to look for them, but could not communicate what they needed in Chinese. The owners of the restaurant took several minutes out of their busy day to indulge my parents in an elaborate round of charades, until they excitedly located the books. Similarly, the owner of the Bed and Breakfast where my parents stayed spent the weeks leading up to their arrival studying English. In Kinmen, people make time for you. Second, my parents were impressed by the importance of education on the island. I brought my parents to the two schools where I have taught. The students and teachers warmly welcomed them at both. One of my fifth grade students ran up to my mother, wrapped her arms around her and exclaimed, "Teacher Mom, I love you!" Students not only kindly embrace new people, but they also embrace their schools as well. According to my father, students appeared "responsive and serious about learning, while at the same time enjoying themselves." My mother cannot stop raving about how adorable and well behaved the students are. My parents were so impressed with students' attitudes towards school and learning that they plan to take some of their observations back to America. My father is currently in the process of opening a charter school in New York City and wants to implement some of the characteristics of Kinmen's schools, such as a longer school day. Most importantly, he hopes that he can create a school culture that fosters the same kind of dedication and hard work from students and teachers that he saw on Kinmen. Once an unknown location to my parents, Kinmen has become a welcoming island with a model education culture. I hope they have learned a lot from their trip; it certainly has taught me about what you can find when you explore what you did not know existed.
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The Holidays at Home and Abroad
In my family, as in many American families, the holiday season between Thanksgiving in November and New Year's in January brings a little necessary color to dreary winter months. From colorful decorations and good food to time devoted to family and friends, the holidays are a wonderful time to ground yourself in tradition and good cheer. For as long as I can remember, my family has celebrated Thanksgiving by having a big feast with three other families. The parents of these other families are all scientists, which results in wonderful stories about things like trips to Antarctica and the smelly penguins they encountered there. Although Thanksgiving is traditionally a family event, my grandparents and aunts live too far away to visit for such a short holiday, so we spend it with friends eating pie and turkey and not watching football. This Thanksgiving dinner is the cornerstone that marks the beginning of my holiday season. This year, my first year away from home over the holidays, I had my Thanksgiving dinner with new friends and new foods here on Kinmen. Fortunately, we still ate delicious pies. Christmas comes a month after Thanksgiving, the largest and most decorative event of my family's holiday season. What I consider the most unique and the most essential part of my family's Christmas celebration is our Santa Claus collection. The collection started long before I was born. When my parents were 20 years old and had just started dating, my dad, who is not an artistic man, made my mother a jazz singer Santa ornament. They both liked it so much that they started buying more and more Santas. Some of them are location-specific: Santa climbing the Eiffel Tower, Santa dressed as the Statue of Liberty, and Santa on a gondola. Others are activity or employment based, such as Santa on a bicycle, Santa snowboarding, Santa riding an owl, and of course, Santa the Elvis impersonator. Every year, we line up our bizarre collection of Santas, which now number over 50, on top of the fireplace. Located near the front door, the first things that our visitors every winter are Santas. Christmas has a religious origin, but my family's approach is a more modern and secular interpretation of Christmas. We focus on the family and the pageantry aspects. I usually attend Christmas Eve service with my father at his church, but for the rest of my family, the holiday is for family, presents, and decorating, rather than religion. We make it a goal to be thankful for and kind to one another while opening presents, watching "It's a Wonderful life," and eating Christmas dinner together. I wasn't home for Christmas either, a sad fact made easier by modern technology. I called my parents on Christmas day and talked to them both on a webcam-the closest alternative to seeing them in person. But I have celebrated the Christmas spirit on Kinmen by attending National Quemoy University's English Department's Christmas carol competition, and I exchanged gifts and attended small celebrations with my friends. Christmas and Thanksgiving are both times to remember and celebrate your family and the good things in your life. This year, I am celebrating being here on Kinmen with the many new people whom I have met and the wonderful community which I have found in Jincheng, at NQU, and at the primary school where I work.
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英文原來這樣說(English is A Piece of Cake)
各位同學!今天我們要上網囉!現在連國小生都有iPhone5真是太潮囉。但除了瘋狂拔香菇或是滑Candy Crush,怎麼利用REMAINING HOURS其實現在APP有非常多的免費英文學習軟體可供下載,可以隨時邊聽邊玩,學習語言不會是份苦差事呦! 1.Free E-Books Downloading:免費電子小說 錯過當外文系學生的機會讓你很怨嘆嗎?每本要價至少六百塊的原文精裝本讓你望之卻步?這個超棒的免費英文電子專櫃,只要免費下載成功後,只要點擊系統中的My Books(我的圖書)選項,就能站在捷運上輕易閱讀Alice in Wonderland (愛麗斯夢遊仙境),在中午飯後閱讀Adventures of Sherlock Holmes(福爾摩斯偵探懸疑案),聖誕節前夕閱讀英國大文豪狄更斯作品The Christmas Carol(小氣財神),也有電影翻拍經典作品Devil Wears Prada(穿著Prada的惡魔)度過愜意的周末時光。你還在羨慕別人閱讀能力超棒,也有豐富的話題跟外國友人談笑風生嗎?快跟著Brian老師一起書香滿室吧! 2.Funny Vocabulary Challenge:有趣的單字挑戰賽 原本這是下載給我可愛的侄子(adorable nephew)學習英文,到後面我竟然自己愛不釋手。除了有初級、中級、中高級的階段挑戰賽,最棒的部份是「成果驗收」紀錄,會把做錯的所有單字都收錄起來,讓我們有機會可以複習和加強。過程中以聽力進行圖片判讀、連連看和拼圖比賽的模式,完全沒有壓力的進行英文學習和印象加深訓練。很多的生活單字肯定讓你第一時間傻眼:Morning Glory、Swell Fish、Giraffe、Crane、Firefly等等,你知道的有幾個呢?再給你一點衝擊感,這些都是目前幼稚園英文課的單字喔! ●MORNING GLORY: 這個單字拿去問「後宮甄嬛傳」中的華妃非常清楚。什麼?古代人也會講英文?這故事就是從內部府的太監送來的高檔湘繡衣裳說起:當年進貢到皇宮的布料少之又少,受到寵愛的妃子也藉此來揣測皇上心頭最在意的對象;如眾人預期地,最好的布料都往年大將軍的親妹妹華妃翊坤宮送去,讓這恃寵而驕的女子更加跋扈外,卻也嫌棄起上頭織的「牽牛花」很鄉氣也太過庸俗。在下人點出故鄉裡都稱牽牛花叫「夕顏」,也就是黃昏過後便香消玉殞。這可氣得華妃差點撕破這得來不易的珍品,但轉個念頭就送皇上另一個寵妃,真是毒辣!說完這個故事大家就知道英文怎會叫牽牛花為Morning Glory,就是早晨的光芒,美麗的身影一眨眼就年華老去!花也有許多花語,有機會跟同學多多分享喔! ●SWELL FISH: 昨天在籃球校隊的Ray請假沒來上課,因為他在鬥牛的時候,不小心扭傷腳踝又腫了一大包,聽了實在讓老師很擔心呢!受傷的部份常常會『腫起來』,有時候因為重感冒壓迫到牙齦也會『腫起來』,爬山不小心碰到蜜蜂叮咬也會『腫起來』。在英文裡面腫就是動詞"swell",而腫起來的狀態形容詞就是swollen。而重點單字的「Swell Fish」其實就是遇到敵人會膨脹身體來威脅對方的「河豚」,在英文裡也叫balloon fish(氣球魚)。在日本許多高檔或是鄉下海鮮料理餐館,都可以看到河豚肉的菜單呢!但因為河豚本身含有劇毒,如果沒有受過專業訓練和考證認可的師傅處理過,真的就是把命給送了。而大家在吃生魚片常配的山芥末(green mustard/Wasabi)和熱狗上面的酸芥末(yellow mustard)可完全不同,老師最喜歡吃蜂蜜芥末(honey mustard)配上炸出來冒煙酥脆的熱薯條,完全滿足,但速食要適可而止喔!另外很多外食族的朋友都不知道,其實可以要求店員給你"Unsalted fries"(不灑鹽的薯條→此方法也適用在台灣),提供給我可愛的讀者參考囉! ●GIRAFFE: 我們在國中都讀過達爾文進化論,也知道人類的起源與猩猩有關,而我們的生活習慣和一些睡眠反射動作也有共通處,你以為老師要開始說生物課就要翻白眼的話,請稍等!其實我們認為的長頸鹿(Giraffe)都是有著細長的四肢和脖子才能夠進食樹上的嫩葉,但其實在最初時期「短頸鹿」可是以多數的優勢種存在著,但後來氣候變化和植被矮灌木驟減,慢慢的就被大環境淘汰掉,而慢慢後代以長頸鹿為優勢生存下來。在恐龍時期,全家人都害怕的「小強」(cockroach)可是有一米八身高,在遠古時代可能是個MODEL吧!(寫到這邊,老師邊發抖邊尖叫了!) 有個學生的媽媽很生氣到辦公室說:「我的孩子到何嘉仁美語上課,可是回來說不是『何嘉仁』老師上課阿!我好生氣喔!」「可是媽媽,『長頸鹿美語』也不是『長頸鹿』教的;太陽餅裡面也沒有太陽可以吃;外國的漢堡都叫HAMburger可是放眼全美國都沒有放HAM(火腿)」我回。有時候生活用輕鬆和幽默的態度來看,是很可愛的喔!(老師會不會太愛講道理:Reason for myself?) ●FIREFLY: 同學看到"firefly"就直覺翻成「火在飛」,大家放心這可不是鬼火,而是一種在深山沒有光害的地方很常見的動物呢!那就是尾部會閃閃發亮的「螢火蟲」。另外還有「fly」這個字除了動詞飛行之外,也常用來當作臭味愛好者的「蒼蠅」,當然相關的表達詞還有:(A) butterfly蝴蝶 (B) dragonfly 蜻蜓→dragon fruit是火龍果喔!(C) mosquito蚊子,整天buzzing快吵死我了!(D) I can sting like bitch.這是美國人在耍狠的時候很常用的→我可是(比蜜蜂更)兇猛的或我絕對不會手下留情!當然這些常見的慣用生字和表達都可以在這個充滿海洋世界背景又襯著輕鬆音樂的APP學習軟體中喔! 3.英文字根字首英文急救站: 由坊間英文文法書所整理重點高頻率考題。從英檢中級到中高級的文法困難點和單字起源解釋都相當清楚:如Acu-有尖銳概念,所以acute(a.) 急劇發生的;當年的SARS:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome(嚴重急劇呼吸症候群);acumen(n.)敏銳度(商業藝術等);acupuncture(n.)針灸治療。讓使用者可以對英文不在是片段式的理解而是觸類旁通,單字和例句搭配也可以加強文法結構,將來面對各種短篇廣告文章或是長篇社會分析閱讀都可以輕鬆快速地獲得高分! 每當重大節慶或是出國旅遊時候,都會想在異鄉提筆問候親愛的朋友和家人。想應景寫個祝福語,都老是那幾句:I hope you can be happy and healthy、No pain no gain、Things will get better、Hope for the best, prepare for the worst等等老掉牙開場白,想必收信者也都印象深刻了!要表達用心又不失幽默,由用心又熱情的Brian老師來幫你這個大忙吧!對於文具、明信片,或是各種精緻小卡都是老師在國外各地的重要紀念品,所以上面的用字和祝福語都是很重要的!那今天快快把這篇可愛的專欄收藏起來,不管是什麼節日都可以用的萬用句就可以出爐囉! 1. Good friends are like stars. You don't have see them to know they are there. 「有朋自遠方來,不亦樂乎」生命中除了親友外,朋友在生命中扮演極重要的角色,分享許多喜怒哀樂和每場聚離。在加拿大念書時,朋友都會寄信或是餅乾零食來,深怕因為高物價的環境會讓我在國外過得很辛苦。每每想起都是感動無限,後來我到了任何國家(英國、法國、不丹、首爾)都會帶著她們的地址記錄我的感動片刻!這句話非常貼切:好友就像星星。你不必費心去看,就知道他們在哪裡!所以即使很久不見,但內心都是牽掛和關心著對方!Superb!!! 2.Happiness is a journey, NOT a destination. 我們都會用人生最後的職業收入、住宅等級、穿著打扮、家庭背景來做為衡量是否過得幸福或成功!但這句話是要告訴我們:快樂是趟旅程,而並不是目的地。人生有很多意外的邂逅,都是可遇不可求。或許因為突然下了場大雨,只好躲在一家咖啡館前不知所措,突然間,襲來的濃醇咖啡香和人們的談笑聲,提醒著你曾經久違的笑容和重要的初衷!妳快樂嗎?我希望就像這句話般,你已經活在快樂中,而不只是「追求快樂」。 3. Sometimes on the way TO THE DREAM, you may get lost. And find a better one. 記得在國小美術課,我老是畫著一張充滿田園生活的景象:中央有著一對老夫婦牽著手,而左邊有個一大塊的田地緊挨著一條小溪橫切過整張畫,裡頭的魚兒很快樂而且還望著天空剛剛探出頭來的太陽,有著軟軟的雲可以休憩一會兒。總認為這就是我的快樂、我所追求的!如果違背了自己的熱情,那可能會很辛苦!這句話說著:有時候在尋找夢想的路上,你可能會很迷惘;但是你可以往不同的路繼續向前。我想過當一名老師,甚至大學裡講課,更沒想到在未來還能當個神祕塔羅師;還學著韓文和法文,等著要往世界浪漫的中心去深入體驗真正的巴黎風情。或許選擇的路跟原本計畫不同,但順著心意走,你會更快活! 『本專刊內容由王軒老師提供,並與本社編輯部共同策畫製作』
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Approaching Compromise: East vs. West
Cultural differences have caused me to feel foolish on more than one occasion. One occasion in particular involved a miscommunication with a friend over a dinner date. At the last minute, the time changed, which caused confusion. It resulted in one party waiting at the restaurant for a companion that never arrived. Getting stood up, especially by a friend, is always an awkward experience. Naturally, this miscommunication developed some uncomfortable feelings between my friend and me. As an American, I immediately focused on the source of the problem before it escalated. My Taiwanese friend's response was to avoid confrontation. She took all of the blame for the miscommunication, while I started asking what had happened. When I realized that I had also accidently placed the blame on her through my directness, I became upset. I didn't want her to take the blame - I wanted to solve the problem! I fumed about her tactics for a bit before taking a deep breath. Then, I looked back and discovered the differences in their approaches to compromise. In America, compromise is valued, but often grudgingly. We want to compromise for a larger benefit, not just for compromise. It's rarely our first instinct and rarely simple. For example, at work, compromising your ideas to encompass another's can be frustrating. Here in Taiwan, compromise seems almost an instinct. It feels embedded in the culture in the same way that independence seems embedded in American culture. On the day that I sat fuming over the cultural differences and ideologies of east and west, I discovered the problem: me. My friend apologized and attempted to help while I was mad that the problem happened. What a shock to look in the metaphorical mirror and say "Hey, you're the one that messed up." If I had just apologized politely for the miscommunication and left it at that, I would never have found myself angry and frustrated. Instead, I felt it necessary to discuss the little details and explain my side of the story, inadvertently placing blame almost entirely on my friend. The idea of letting go of the situation and moving forward never occurred to me. The Taiwanese approach is the opposite of mine. Had I known this or been born on Kinmen, I might have immediately taken blame: "I'm so sorry; the entire thing was my fault. I hope I haven't offended you by missing our dinner date!" To which a similar reply would have been given. Then we would have eventually worked our way to an understanding that it was merely a miscommunication. Both parties could then walk away thinking how gracious and humble their dear friend is and how in the end, the miscommunication was nothing more than just that: a miscommunication. Stopping to think, not assuming we are right, and not blaming others is a good lesson for an American. It makes understanding our differences a little easier. Through learning to let go, we might even lose some frustration. To all of the ever grateful, sincere, cooperative, and apologetic Taiwanese: I'm sorry. Maybe an American, 'take the bull by the horns,' approach is not the best way to handle miscommunications. In new country where at any turn you might inadvertently offend someone, I've found it hard to abandon my desire to be right. In America, we often go straight to the source of any miscommunication in attempts to root out the problem. However, on Kinmen, it is the custom to avoid this behavior. It is a good model for effective cross-cultural communications in the future. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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Hidden Trails, Hidden Treasure
I've hiked mountains and trails across the world: Huashan and Hengshan in China, Mt. Qixing in Taiwan, and Ricketts Glen, Pine Creek Gorge, the Appalachian Mountains, the Grand Canyon, and the Petrified Forest in the United States to name a few. It took me some time, however, before I decided to conquer Mt. Taiwu, Kinmen's greatest mountain. In September, I walked the road up Taiwu from Shanwai, but I wanted to find a more adventurous trail. "A mountain of that size and beauty must have more to offer," I thought! I don't consider it hiking when the way is completely paved. A true hike requires mystery and an element of danger. By no means do I consider myself an outdoorsman, but something about spending a day in the woods in the peace and quiet of nature motivates me. For me, the reward of great hike is not a photo op or a nice view-it's the silence of being away from the world, alone with only one's thoughts and the occasional rustling leaf. My inspiration for hiking comes from my father. As a child, he forced my brother and me to go to Pennypack Park, a local park in Philadelphia with some hiking trails. Oh, did I hate it! After some time, I refused to go. The thought of the walking on the same trail week after week bored me. As I grew older, I found myself going on hikes in different areas of my city and in other states. Despite my supposed hatred for hiking, I continued to do it-at some point in my life-I cannot remember when-I began to love hiking. All hiking comes with an element of danger. On one of my hikes last March, I ended up lost and stranded in the Appalachian Mountains in Kentucky for over 12 hours. The hike did not originally have any danger, but with snow-covered trails, poor signage, and a setting sun, danger found us. The temperature dropped quickly to -14°C, and we found ourselves building fires. Everyone got off of the mountain, but some people required medical treatment. After that experience, I have tried to find other mountains that will test my strength and perseverance. Taiwu looked like a formidable opponent. After weeks of inquiries and research, I found myself hiking a "hidden" trail up Taiwu with Fulbrighters Catherine Purdy and Karissa Moy and our coordinator Jimmy Chen. On a Sunday morning, we began our trek from Caicuo to find an old military fortress on the top of Taiwu. We had heard from others about this trail and how hikers had to hold on to ropes and climb rocks in order to complete it. This hidden trail quickly lived up to its reputation-we had to hold on to ropes to avoid falling into bushes, trees, and even off of the mountain. The ropes gave us stability down steep rocky declines, and they led us into a rock formation. Our group had to decide whether to go over the rocks or under them. I tested the "over" route without success, so we went under-the correct way. The entire time that we moved down the mountain we wondered how and when the trail would start going up. Once we reached the bottom on the mountain, we quickly found out that the hard part was still ahead of us-scaling the rocks without any ropes all the way up to the fortress. The way up the mountain did not seem treacherous, but one false step would lead to disaster and a long fall down to the bottom. Careful footwork and teamwork led us to the top in a matter of minutes. The three of us cheered when we reached the top because it had taken us until 13:00 to get there. The end of this hike had everything-the perfect photo op, a spectacular view of the island, and the silence that accompanies being at one of the highest points on Kinmen. Taiwu has more trails for me to explore, and I plan to hike as many as I can before I leave Kinmen in June. Each time will offer me a new challenge and a new perspective on the island and on life. I'll see you in the mountains. 『本專刊由<金門日報>編輯部與學術交流基金會(傅爾布萊特交換計畫/Fulbright Taiwan)共同策畫製作』
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The American Identity
To what extent can an individual represent their nation, race, or gender? Everyday, I am faced with the complexities of this question as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant on Kinmen. Most people give the obvious answer, "It is impossible to completely and truly represent such a large population of diverse people." However, it is difficult not to reflect upon my own American identity when Kinmen locals ask burning questions regarding homes, salary, music, and hobbies. In retrospect, my conversations about the United States all stayed within the scope of my personal experience. Most countries may have many more points of cultural convergence. In comparison to them the sporadic variance of the American identity is distinctive. When using the term "identity," I am referring to one's upbringing, background, and general dispositions. For instance, my love of jazz, American pop, Chinese pop, Bollywood films, and African dance were all fostered in one nation. Our nation is so diverse that, at times, it is difficult to explain my culture in relation to the rest of the American population. Can I even call it "American culture" or should I call it an "American sub-culture?" What if the sub-culture pulls from other sub-cultures? The exogenous nature of what controls a person's identity also fascinates me. Since childhood, I had little control over the culture that I was exposed to and yet that culture defined me. I enjoy the exciting experience of sharing the unique compilation of my identity with the people of Kinmen. However, sharing my own culture inevitably makes me question my identity. I am from the first generation of a Nigerian family now living in the USA; hence, my relationship with my identity differs greatly from third, fourth, or tenth generation Americans. First generation Nigerian Americans, are torn between two cultural identities. America is the cultural environment that I grew up in, so I am naturally most connected to it. Yet,at the same time, my identity has many aspects of Nigerian culture. Sometimes, those aspects alienate me from mainstream America. First generation American citizens live in their own unique cultural community. Although they can assimilate quite smoothly, it would be misleading to assume that first generation citizens grapple with their American identity in the same way as American citizens of different generations. The difference this creates in my approach to representing America was most evident during my cultural presentation at ZhongZheng Elementary School in Jincheng. I included mainstream popular music as well as "Afrobeats" from Nigeria and Ghana. The students kept asking if everyone in America listens to this. They desperately attempted to connect me with the entire population of the USA. However, I found it challenging to represent the United States based on the concept of a single holistic culture. While explaining my background and upbringing to my students, I realized that the diversity of my upbringing is what makes me truly American. The frustrations of communicating inconsistencies when presenting American culture brought me to terms with the flexible nature of the "American identity."
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Wind Lion Luck
On Saturday, October 27th, a group of five English Teaching Assistants and one of our guests attended the 2013 Kinmen Wind Lion Tour. We started our journey at the bus station in Shamei, and received cards to gather stamps from each site with a wind lion god statue. The tour leaders then guided us to a golf cart that we shared with a few other families. The first wind lion god that we saw saved a child from dying. The story is that a young boy was drowning in a lake. The wind lion god witnessed his struggle, and called upon the other gods to rescue him. A god dressed all in white pulled the boy from the water. Today, that boy is still alive and over forty-years-old. The statue itself has endured a few hardships over time (a bomb blew off its tail), but it is still standing. Another fascinating held the sun under one paw, the moon under another, and had a mischievous tilt to his head. He had the nickname, "He Who Does Things Cutely," and people placed offerings of baked goods and candy before him. Another wind lion god possessed parts from each animal of the zodiac. He had the legs of a tiger, the teeth of a rabbit, the belly of a pig, and a sword with a handle that doubled as a snake. He stood in a beautiful park full of Buddha statues. One had candy wedged into its mouth. Another towered over six feet tall. A few clutched yuanbao or other forms of currency. But a final wind lion stood out. Most wind lion gods look strong and fierce, or cute and benevolent, this last one looked absolutely terrifying. He was painted blue, had two long rows of white teeth, and had two perfectly white eyes. Although he wore a flower-patterned cape, his menacing look could easily scare someone. However, like his counterparts, he protects people who offered him gifts of money and candy. We also visited a lovely stone zodiac carving in the shape of a circle, with the animals surrounding a yin-yang. A tour guide told us that if we started at the very top (imagine the zodiac like a clock face, with the rat at 12:00), touched each animal in a clockwise direction, and then touched "our" animal, we would have good luck. We each took a turn-most of us touching the sheep. In total, we visited seven wind lion gods. When we returned to Shamei bus station, we stood in line to exchange our stamp cards. It turns out that we were the last six on the tour to exchange our stamp cards, making the total of tourists to visit the wind lions a whopping 800! The tour guides had exactly six packs of wind lion god playing cards remaining."You are so lucky!" one of the workers proclaimed. They asked to have a picture taken with us, the last recipients of the last playing cards on the last wind lion god tour of the season.
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(Feature Article)Working Holiday : Australia
人生下一步能有新挑戰嗎?整天就是打卡上下班?想知道自己在異國生活的能耐?由於響應許多社會新鮮人想體驗國外生活卻擔心預算有限或是在職場奮鬥已久想重拾生活熱情和不同的生活態度。由熱愛背包行的Brian Yu為大家專訪在澳洲布里斯本的Linda Huang的小資女孩,記錄她怎麼跨出這步,離開自我的舒適圈而投身到澳洲這個充滿陽光海岸和打工勝地的精彩過程。 本專欄分為三大部分:(A)申請過程叮嚀細節(B)實務工作經驗狀況(C)景點介紹或特殊活動分享。介紹的申請過程到街頭藝人證的領取及殘酷街頭生存戰。工作不忘用娛樂調劑,也搭上了私人飛機進行高空彈跳的刺激體驗,也結識各國好友和神秘的水晶球男孩Berlin。本期澳洲打工度假計畫要繼續鎖定勇氣美女Linda Huang的飯店房務打工究竟遇到怎樣讓她翻白眼翻到腦垂體的挫折呢?而她又該怎樣處理這些在打工度假遇到的危機呢?讓我們屏息著繼續讀下去吧! (A)How do we apply for it?(The Preparation of CELL PHONE) My dear backpacker, are you still sorting out piles of luggage and daily necessities for your amazing trip? Wait for a minute, Brian has got your some updated new directly from Australia. Now you have got to switch the focus on the cell phone policy and the latest package you could notice. Today our column will introduce the telecommunication companies you may have a hard time choosing from for you cell policy and the strengths as well as drawbacks of each firm. Without the device of communication, your employer may lose track of you and won't be able to inform you of any prompt events or emergencies. And mingling with pals there should be a great pleasure and don't let them find it difficult to locate where you are. Working alone abroad is way too tough to imagine. Let's figure out the best way of reaching your friends and job opportunities. 1.Telstra:The Dominant Telecom. Company ●Reception: 99% coverage in Australian areas and the indicator of telecommunication development ●Charge:Higher than other firms (AU 20, the lowest rate per month) ●Advice:If you are the applicant who works in the remote area, some farmland as well as ranches away from the city, or the meat processing factory, this is a must-select company for your smooth talk. 2. Optus: The Top 2 choice ●Reception: 97% coverage in your " neighborhood"(residential area) or the designated zones. ●Charge:AU 2 per minute for making a call to Taiwan, and the international telephone card also available.(shops, regular gas stations, or the campus bookstores) ●Advice:What distinguished Optus from others is the professional clerk will help you locate the specific spot you pick up and make the calls more often and offer you the most reasonable policy. Your charges can be varied from one city to another, but Optus' policy is more economical than others'. 3. Virgin:Share the telecommunication base of Optus ●Reception:97% coverage in residential area, the quality of reception will be as good as Optus. ●Charge:lower, including making international calls, and the users are allowed to save the hours/balances left this month, still valid for the next. (B) How do we land jobs there? The Housekeeping(Part 1) "A penny saved is a penny earned." You may wonder how your employer in the hotel evaluates your work performance and pay you reasonably in terms of time/sweat input and the high demand of tidying up the messy used room into a sweet, cozy one you would pay with one-month salary. And you will be questioned with some simple questions to test your command of English communication adequate enough to express your ideas and solve our guests' problems efficiently. And be aware of the length of your valid visa could possibly be in conflict with that of the work contract. ●Pay for your nice job! There are two common systems of earning your money through this position: By Hours, or By Contract before you officially work for the hotel. There's no guarantee that one of the policy will suit you better but how FAST you can accomplish the task is the key to the ideal pay. ●Identify your nature of duty and the background of the company The hotel, OAKS situated in the hub of commercial areas with flood of vehicles and visitors from all around the world, will require all new employees to apply for ABN(Australian Business Number) in order to file your tax statement; at the very moment, you are no longer an EMPLOYEE to the company but a CONTRACTOR to it. Given that you are signing the contract with the hotel/hostel, you are paid with the number of room cleaned up in a one day. The FASTER, THE BETTER. Here comes the table of pay for each housekeeper: Now let me explain some terms to you all for better understanding of this paying system: 1. Departure: Apparently, you will get more bucks if assigned to clean the room which the guest just checked out with all the chaos and trashes left behind on every corner of the room. Guests usually check out before 10 am and the reminder call will notify the additional charge for them. You will be given a cleaning cart equipped with detergent, plastic gloves, bed sheets, and the wrap-it-all-stained-laundry bag to gather all for easier cleaning. Basically, your muscles will feel terribly sore after getting ONE ROOM cleaned and I won't say" You will get used to it" in an encouraging tone but hope you can make out the meaning of your visit to Australia and bear in mind that you are the only person to count on. NEVER COMPLAIN about your job and view it as a money-making tool of proceeding your journey. Part of me enjoyed all challenges of the task from which I developed great perseverance and illustrated my points in a diplomatic manner. 2.Public Holiday: In English-speaking, some major holidays won't open too many opportunities for you to work then, for your employer shall double your payroll that day, which is not so economical for the supervisor. Half of our staff will take days off and of course you can fight for the right of working as a skeleton staff for covering all necessary labors during the public holidays. Compared to the locals, Asians tend to be more diligent and eager to earn more money for their family in the hometown. To me, I can save some for the rainy day as well as any luxurious enjoyment, such as trekking to other cities before returning to Taiwan. (C) What can we do in Australia? (Entertainment) 1. How to get to Byron Bay Skydiving Center? It's near dawn and seems like no one walking on the pavement or there's no noise from vehicles but freezing gust of wind blowing your face, leaving five of us shaking like jello by the curb. Why? We were waiting for the bus at Roma Street Bus Stop 125. (on the right side of Roma Street Train Station) Byron Bay is two-hour ride from Brisbane Then here arrived our Skydive Bus in which the bus driver was dressed in the uniform printed with Skydiving logo and his smiled brought us warmth and hospitality, which lessened quite a lot of burden on my mind: FEAR TO FALL. When hopping on the bus, there's so much doubt and confusion left in my heart. Make it or break it. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience. why not "Give it a shot"!? 2.Sign the official documents before this insane activity Before heading for the journey, you should complete the on-line application form and also received mail written with: "Hi here, it is a MANDATOR REQUIREMENT of the Australian Parachute Federation that you MUST complete your APF registration before the day of your skydive." "Parachuting Contract-PARACHUTING DANGEROUS" as the headline of the paper in my hands." GOD, are you trying to warn me for this nearly-take-my-life act?" Most people have cold feet when this "unusual" moment falls on them. APF(Australian Parachute Federation) will demand medical check and full-awareness the applicant understands what they may experience and should take their physical condition into consideration; most importantly, if there's any accident happening during the ride when all equipment and actions in operation comply with the official guidelines, the participants should take his/her own liability with no compensation for the loss.
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Coffee Clash:Starbucks in America
The modern coffee shop was born in a cold, windy place, far away from the sunny fields where coffee grows. Seattle, a Northwestern U.S. city is famous for its year-round cool weather and cloudy skies, and became the first home of the mega-coffee company Starbucks. In the U.S., the word "Starbucks" brings to mind its green logo, sugary "Frappuccino" coffee milkshakes, and success. Middle school students use their allowances to buy hot chocolate and cookies, college students show up late to class with giant espresso drinks, and office workers complain about their caffeine addictions as they sip lattes and mochas. But the U.S. did not always have a successful coffee industry. Actually, Starbucks saved coffee, and forever changed how people would drink it. In the 1980's, people drank coffee differently. In the U.S., they viewed coffee as a pick-me-up, not a pleasure. People at work would brew a pot of tasteless drip coffee, or would stir coffee crystals into hot water. Similarly, America tea drinking was uninspired and even less than coffee. With 200 years since the American Revolutionary War with England, Americans did not drink much of the British beverage of choice. The tea that was drunk usually consisted of a simple black tea bag dunked in hot water, and the method for preparing coffee was equally poor. The founders of Starbucks, two schoolteachers and a writer, looked to Italy for drink inspiration. They adopted the Italian method of making espresso. The first Italian cappuccino machine came to the US in the early 1900s and can still be seen at the Cafe Reggio in New York City. But good Italian coffee was only found in ethnic neighborhoods. The Starbucks founders brought Italian coffee to all of the U.S. beginning in 1977. Drinks like the latte, the mocha, the cappuccino, the macchiato-are all Italian words and Italian drinks. Instead of the coffee pot, Americans began to use an espresso machine-a giant silver box able to force hot water through ground coffee at very high pressure. Starbucks was a revelation. Though the drinks cost much more than plain black coffee, they make coffee delicious to people who dislike its normal bitterness. With the additions of cream, sugar, and flavors like caramel and chocolate, Starbucks got people to start drinking coffee at an earlier age. Starbucks destroyed the image of coffee as a pick-me-up, as something a person would drink if he or she had an early-morning job or a test. The company created a new urban accessory, a green and white coffee cup, as trendy as a Chanel purse. So of course, as Starbucks expanded its reach across the ocean, opening stores in Europe, Asia, and Africa, the idea of coffee as an inexpensive designer drink and status symbol traveled with the stores. Independent coffee shops also bloomed with the changed altered image of drinking coffee. Today, the independent coffee shop looks much the same in Taipei as in San Francisco. Trendy baristas stand behind the counter, slinging single-origin coffee beans, pastries from a brightly-lit case, and occasionally food like sandwiches and salads. In a bewildering circle of events, the typical independent coffee shop now also looks like a Starbucks, which in turn based its design off of independent coffee shops. While Starbucks continues to expand what it sells--everything from instant coffee to ice cream to wine and alcoholic drinks--many independent coffee shops try to stick to the pure idea of coffee-making. Some do not sell food at all or do not offer Wi-Fi in order to ensure that their customers only come for the coffee. Coffee-lovers are beginning to approach wine lovers in attention to the details and flavors of their beverage of choice. Without Starbucks, who knows if such a revolution would have ever occurred? The introduction of artistic coffee to the world can be laid at the feet of the coffee monolith, and now even in some of the most remote corners of the world, a person can enjoy a latte. Even in Kinmen-though there isn't a Starbucks here. Not yet.
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Even Teachers can Learn from Field Trips
I recently attended a field trip with my fourth grade students from Herpuu Elementary School. We went to a couple of different sites across Kinmen throughout the day: Shueitou Village, Bicycle Story House, and Kinmen National Park. However, JinShuei Elementary School left the deepest impression on me. Not only was it architecturally beautiful, the history behind it was intriguing. JinShuei Elementary School is the largest Elementary School on Kinmen, and Kinmen citizens, who had immigrated to Southeast Asia in order to make some money, sent money home sponsored it. Tour guides conducted the tour in Mandarin and Minnan, so I could only understand a portion. However, I learned about how so many Kinmen people worked overseas in countries like Malaysia and about how hard they worked just to send back a small amount of money to support their families. How emigrants sent money back to their families through carriers was very interesting. Because they had to keep working, in the early days, they had to ask an acquaintance or friend to bring back the money for them. Unfortunately, not all of their acquaintances were the most trustworthy of people-they would sometimes keep some of the money. Thus, the emigrants would devise secret languages through pictures to tell their families how much money they sent back. This way, their families would know how much money to expect. Eventually, some people who ran pharmacies also set up a way for people to exchange currency and to send money back to their families in a safer and more reliable manner. This part of the field trip spoke directly to me. My grandparents emigrated from China to Taiwan before the Cultural Revolution, and my parents emigrated from Taiwan to America in the late 1980s. While they did not emigrate specifically to make money to send back, the story of the Kinmen emigrants sparked an interest to try to learn more about the stories of my grandparents' and parents' emigration. What I never realized or acknowledged before was the difficulty that both my grandparents and parents faced when moving to a completely new place. My admiration for the bravery and dedication of my grandparents, parents, and the Kinmen emigrants is profound. Although I have visited many historical sites in Kinmen, I got the most out from Jinshuei. I related easily to the topic, and liked learning about the people rather than just the history of the island. I plan to learn more about the people of Kinmen.
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Noodles and Narratives
"Where are you from?" Together, my sixth grade students recite the sentence structure from this week's lesson. Of course, I am the foreign American English teacher. My students already know the answer. But they don't know the whole story -- "I am from America," I begin, "But…" I hold my finger up and my students perk up. I turn to a power point slide depicting rural Italian countryside. "…My ancestors are from Italy." What's an ancestor? It takes some murmuring around the classroom and a hastily drawn family tree before one student shouts out, "grandmother's mother's mother!" Correct. The student cheers. Growing up as poor farmers in Italy, my ancestors (grandparents' grandparents) wanted better lives for themselves and their families. They heard that the United States had plenty of jobs-that the streets were "paved with gold." Enthralled by the prospect of economic prosperity, members of my family gradually immigrated to New York City. They took jobs wherever they could. As soon as they saved up some money, several of my grandmother's uncles opened up a successful Italian grocery store in the Bronx, offering New Yorkers fresh foods imported straight from Italy. My students perked up once again as pictures of the kinds of foods my great- great uncles sold appeared on screen: meats, olive oil, tomato sauce, cheese, bread, and pasta. In fact, the modest fortune that my ancestors saved came from spaghetti. While they did not find gold in the streets, my great-great uncles found it in a boiling pot of water in their kitchen. According to my great-great uncle, spaghetti was magic: so simple, composed merely of wheat and water-yet so versatile. Anyone could dress it up in many assortments of delectable vegetables, meat, and herbs and spices, and people would pay near-gold for it. I am American because of that magic spaghetti, and I am on Kinmen because of that magic spaghetti. Food is part of who I am. It is part of the story of how I am an American; it is the story of how I am an American on Kinmen. On Kinmen, my grandmother's homemade spaghetti with meatballs transforms into a bowl of "niu rou mian"-beef noodles. Instead of twirling as much spaghetti as I can around a fork, I clumsily race to wrap as many noodles as I can around my chopsticks. What I eat and how I eat have changed. However, some experiences involving food remain constant transcending national and cultural barriers. Family dinner occurred daily at my house growing up. My mom would return home from work every day and still manage to make us a delicious feast. As kids, my brothers and I delighted in the different tastes every night, and my mother delighted in being the one to provide such enjoyment and nourishment. My fondest childhood memories merge into a single experience: being with my family and being told by family to "eat! Have some more!" Back home, sharing food symbolizes care and interest. On Kinmen, the same is true. Passing by neighbors, the most common greeting is, "Have you eaten yet?" The teachers at school always check to make sure that I am eating enough, and on very busy days, they say, "Eat some more!" The cook at my school knows that I do not eat meat, and on meat-heavy lunch days, she will prepare me extra vegetarian meals. Every day, I eat lunch with my fellow teachers, and we eat dinner together every evening. Meals become mini-Chinese tutoring sessions. They become the place for discussing the latest international news headlines. They become the site of sharing-sharing not only food and care, but also stories. Stories about our educational backgrounds, family backgrounds, or the most adorable thing a student did that day. Through this sharing, we create new stories and experiences. My story begins with a story-the myth that American streets were paved with gold. Stories move people physically, literally, and emotionally. As I look forward toward my year on Kinmen, I look forward meeting new people and hearing new stories. And of course, I look forward to the food that is served alongside! Several Fulbrighters taking time to celebrate a birthday. 《Teaching and Learning》 Swimming into well-rounded selves at Jinning Elementary By:Elizabeth Matthews For the first 21 years of my life, I identified myself as a competitive swimmer and a diligent student, as a teammate and a classmate-receiving education inside and outside of the pool. Now, I am a teacher at Jinning Elementary, living on a tiny island, previously unknown to me, between Taiwan and China. In the US, I imagined that my arrival in Kinmen would mark an official, clear-cut transition: the starting line of a brand new phase of my life. I imagined that I would stop being a student and swimmer and abandon the old tags I used to identify myself. But, as I move into my third month of teaching, I'm learning that my teaching experience can and should be a continuation of my past. I started a swim club during the second week of school. Ten 6th graders meet every Wednesday to practice getting comfortable in the water. I swim with them, practice drills, demonstrate stroke technique, and facilitate games to interact with my students in a fresh setting. I think it is important for me to show the students various sides of myself in order to create new relationships. In the classroom I am one version of myself, in the pool, another. The school selected the students after a volunteer sign up process and gave the 6th graders priority because the school will administer a formal swimming class for them in the second semester. Swimming club can prepare them and spark interest in English and/or competitive swimming. I hope that I can swim with students from all grades, even the middle school students, as the year "swims" by. The club has started off well. The students enjoy it. When it was cancelled one week they whined about the loss, and some of the students will pull me aside during in-class assignments to mimic proper freestyle technique. Some even beg for me to stay in the water with them after our time in the pool ends to practice harder strokes like breaststroke and butterfly. Their enthusiasm differs from my own swimming days when we would all dart out of the pool to take extended hot showers. Here, we swim extra and shorten our showers to model the school's environmental mindset and focus on physical health. Word has started to float around school that "Teacher Libby" likes to swim. The 2nd graders have their eye on the 'go swimming with Teacher Libby' prize that their homeroom teacher will award if the entire class receives 10 smiley faces for classroom behavior. At the very least, incorporating swimming into my teacher role creates an exciting atmosphere where we can all have a little fun, myself included. I am grateful to work at such a welcoming school where the educational philosophy blends so well with my own. Joyce, one of my co-teachers who helped with scheduling the club, agrees with the broadest goal of the swim club: "I think students can learn how to get along and interact with foreigners. And they can have more opportunities to practice English in daily life instead of classroom and textbook." I appreciate that the school has the resources for me to offer this extracurricular opportunity in my favorite realm - the swimming pool. Now in the rhythm of Kinmen, I introduce myself as a teacher at Jinning Elementary who lives in Dingbao. Now, I talk about my students and lesson plans, instead of my teammates and sets in swim practice. Most importantly, now, I am learning that I can still be a swimmer and a student. I have realized that I will be the best teacher I can through integrating my student and teammate sense of self into my everyday teaching, especially through creating extracurricular opportunities for the students in which I also participate. This is how I can access all types of students in a classroom with multiple personalities and learning styles. Perhaps, I am realizing that past versions of my self will never cease to influence my current roles; rather, they enhance current roles. And perhaps, I am being my best self when I'm working hard to incorporate all of myself into a given role. Fulbrighter Elizabeth Matthews instructing some of her students participating in her swimming club.
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Pirates Unite Cultures across the Seven Seas
By Soraya Okuda "You must be homesick while you're teaching in Kinmen. Does anything remind you of San Francisco?" I answered my friend's question honestly: "The One Piece 7-11 pirate promotion reminds me of home." I couldn't have guessed that a pirate sticker from a popular children's comic book would resurface so many memories from an entire continent away. I come from San Francisco, California, a city that has temperate and generally cool weather. In the absence of drastic differences in weather, I learned to associate the change of the seasons with updated franchise menus hosting "holiday flavors." In the mild weather of Kinmen, I have likewise come to associate franchise promotions with seasonal change: namely, autumn is marked by themed 7-11 stickers given with receipts. But when I went to 7-11 on September 19th, I saw the in-your-face illustrations of the characters of One Piece,which brought back memories of home. One Piece was popular when I attended elementary school in San Francisco. I remember my Japanese cousins reading the mangas (comic books) long ago. However the global span of this cartoon-from Japan to Taiwan to America-fascinates me less than how children around the world relate to the symbol of a sea-faring robber. When I was in middle school, pirates exploded as a global pop culture emblem with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. In middle school string orchestra, we performed the movie theme. For entertainment, my friends and I mimicked their crude accents and speech. We found it fun to be a pirate, to be a rude character completely foreign from our otherwise-polite lives. The concept of pirates as "fun" persisted through high school, and I even worked at a pirate-themed tutoring center. The idea of a pirate, however, transformed from a legendary figure that spoke in a silly way into an educational tool. I told children stories of the rotting gums of pirates, to encourage them to have good dental hygiene and to eat fruits. They, in turn, told me stories from their own imaginations. Pirates became a simple theme from which any conversation, any story, could arise. Something about an appendage-missing captain searching for treasure on a map, living on a ship, and shouting slurred words triggered fantastical stories from children. As I prepared to be an English Teaching Assistant in Kinmen, I wondered if I could engage children in learning English in the same way I had taught at the pirate store. I hoped to excite children in Kinmen I prepared a three-hour-long lesson for my elementary school students centered on International Talk like a Pirate Day. I worked on map-making activities, pirate hat making, creating eye patches, and a presentation for our English class. However, I struggled with how to teach them the concept of pirates in the Americas when they, presumably, had no prior exposure. I woke up on September 19th (International Talk like a Pirate Day), ready to teach the themed lesson for my students at Shumei Elementary school, and ready to struggle to communicate a complicated concept with limited language abilities. Then, I walked into 7-11 and saw the One Piece sticker promotion. I later learned that Zheng Chenggong-a historical hero who cut down trees in Kinmen to create ships to fight against the Dutch and to remove their presence from Taiwan-was a pirate based on Kinmen. People on Kinmen already knew about pirates. Students quickly became excited to hunt for treasure, make their own maps, speak in silly ways, and don a hat and eye patch. One of my students continues to flash the hand signal for a hook when he sees me. Kinmen is vastly different from San Francisco, and yet, these ideas and stories that grew up with transcend distance. Pirates have some unexplainable universal appeal, from the West's romanticism of Blackbeard, to the East Asian romanticism of Zheng Chenggong as a national hero. It is seem in television, comic books, and film series. Perhaps the popularity of pirates is something that only the imagination of a child can explain.
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Pirates Unite Cultures across the Seven Seas
"You must be homesick while you're teaching in Kinmen. Does anything remind you of San Francisco?" I answered my friend's question honestly: "The One Piece 7-11 pirate promotion reminds me of home." I couldn't have guessed that a pirate sticker from a popular children's comic book would resurface so many memories from an entire continent away. I come from San Francisco, California, a city that has temperate and generally cool weather. In the absence of drastic differences in weather, I learned to associate the change of the seasons with updated franchise menus hosting "holiday flavors." In the mild weather of Kinmen, I have likewise come to associate franchise promotions with seasonal change: namely, autumn is marked by themed 7-11 stickers given with receipts. But when I went to 7-11 on September 19th, I saw the in-your-face illustrations of the characters of One Piece,which brought back memories of home. One Piece was popular when I attended elementary school in San Francisco. I remember my Japanese cousins reading the mangas (comic books) long ago. However the global span of this cartoon-from Japan to Taiwan to America-fascinates me less than how children around the world relate to the symbol of a sea-faring robber. When I was in middle school, pirates exploded as a global pop culture emblem with Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. In middle school string orchestra, we performed the movie theme. For entertainment, my friends and I mimicked their crude accents and speech. We found it fun to be a pirate, to be a rude character completely foreign from our otherwise-polite lives. The concept of pirates as "fun" persisted through high school, and I even worked at a pirate-themed tutoring center. The idea of a pirate, however, transformed from a legendary figure that spoke in a silly way into an educational tool. I told children stories of the rotting gums of pirates, to encourage them to have good dental hygiene and to eat fruits. They, in turn, told me stories from their own imaginations. Pirates became a simple theme from which any conversation, any story, could arise. Something about an appendage-missing captain searching for treasure on a map, living on a ship, and shouting slurred words triggered fantastical stories from children. As I prepared to be an English Teaching Assistant in Kinmen, I wondered if I could engage children in learning English in the same way I had taught at the pirate store. I hoped to excite children in Kinmen I prepared a three-hour-long lesson for my elementary school students centered on International Talk like a Pirate Day. I worked on map-making activities, pirate hat making, creating eye patches, and a presentation for our English class. However, I struggled with how to teach them the concept of pirates in the Americas when they, presumably, had no prior exposure. I woke up on September 19th (International Talk like a Pirate Day), ready to teach the themed lesson for my students at Shumei Elementary school, and ready to struggle to communicate a complicated concept with limited language abilities. Then, I walked into 7-11 and saw the One Piece sticker promotion. I later learned that Zheng Chenggong-a historical hero who cut down trees in Kinmen to create ships to fight against the Dutch and to remove their presence from Taiwan-was a pirate based on Kinmen. People on Kinmen already knew about pirates. Students quickly became excited to hunt for treasure, make their own maps, speak in silly ways, and don a hat and eye patch. One of my students continues to flash the hand signal for a hook when he sees me. Kinmen is vastly different from San Francisco, and yet, these ideas and stories that grew up with transcend distance. Pirates have some unexplainable universal appeal, from the West's romanticism of Blackbeard, to the East Asian romanticism of Zheng Chenggong as a national hero. It is seem in television, comic books, and film series. Perhaps the popularity of pirates is something that only the imagination of a child can explain.
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Students of Kinmen, Students of America
By Alison Yong I am an English teacher, and I am not fluent in Mandarin Chinese. What little I do know of the Mandarin, I use to gain a more complete image of my students. Who are they outside of their studies? How do their personalities impact their behavior within the classroom? What sets them apart from each other, and what unites them? "Teacher, give me a gift!" the students all demand. "A sticker! A stamp! A sheet of origami paper!" This is a universal cry among children, and one I often faced in America. This, I understand completely. Sometimes the children visit me in my cubicle during passing periods. Once conversation class is over, they trail out of the library after me. I show them pictures other students drew, as well as drawings of my own. They ask to trade Taiwanese money for American money. When I sign the attendance ledger, the children repeatedly read the characters aloud. I wrote my Chinese name and my English name in one of my 6th grader's books upon her request. My hope is that, even though the students and I are building relationships using meager stores of each other's native language, we are making progress. Knowing that I have their best interests in mind is essential. If the students do not trust their teacher, class time cannot be effective. One instance stands out as particularly symbolic of how important trust is within the classroom, between students and teachers but also among students. I had each of my students write letters (uppercase and lowercase) and decorate the borders of a page. I also attached letters A through G to the board. Then I spoke a letter, and students came up individually to check underneath the letter they thought they heard. One girl could not identify the letters, so I went in alphabetical order. She trusted me to make the material accessible, and I did not want to embarrass her. However, her classmates teased, and after she returned to her seat, she started to cry. There was little I could say in English that would make the students understand how cruel it was to make fun of their classmate. Perhaps if I had more Mandarin, I could have helped. I am working on that. Children can be cruel and teasing is a universal problem, one that I often faced in America. This, I also understand completely. I hope my year in Kinmen can make a difference. Thank You, Teachers By Karissa Moy During the week of September 22nd, I had the privilege of experiencing the great Taiwanese tradition known as "Teacher's Day." Throughout the week, I received love and appreciation in many forms. On Monday, the teachers at my school gathered for a celebration banquet. We had a school assembly on Tuesday morning where the second grade students sang and performed choreographed motions to a Chinese love song. Jin Ning Township presented me and the teachers with a special hand-painted tea set, and the Kinmen County Government gave us all a bottle of kaoliang as a token of its appreciation. Other English Teaching Assistants (ETAs) received handmade cards and hugs. The festivities of that week had a much deeper meaning for me. It wasn't until Teacher's Day that I truly realized how much Taiwanese people value and respect teachers. Prior to coming to Kinmen, I had never heard of such a holiday. In America, no such holiday exists. The government and schools have no formal celebration of teachers or the work they do. In fact, some Americans do not give the teaching career the respect it deserves. There is a saying in America that reflects this attitude: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach." I am a teacher. I willingly entered the profession because I am passionate about it. I did not enter it for the recognition or the presents, and I have come to accept the attitude that American culture has towards my career. I was surprised and delighted to learn that Taiwanese people hold the opposite opinion of teachers. I could immediately sense the high esteem that others hold for teachers here. People that I met in restaurants, in the community, or on the bus would always ask me, "Where are you from?" Upon responding with, "America," they would ask, "Then why are you in Kinmen?" After explaining that I am an English teacher, I could see their face light up with a look that read, "Wow, that's impressive." This wasn't the reaction I expected. I thought they might say, "Why would you want to be a teacher?" or, "Why would you want to spend your time around a bunch of rambunctious children?" But the look that they gave me made me feel lucky, proud. Teachers are educators - they work hard to give their students the necessary information and skills to one day become successful human beings. Whether it is a mathematics professor teaching Fermat's Last Theorem or a second grade teacher teaching simple addition and subtraction, educators in Taiwan are celebrated figures. America has a more dichotomous view of teachers. As a whole, people view the teaching profession as a less prestigious profession. However, people hold differing views depending on the level of education someone teaches. For example, some people view an elementary school teacher as less valuable when compared to a university professor. In reality, both the elementary school teacher and university professor do the same job: educating and challenging their students. Over the years, this opinion has started to evolve towards one similar to Taiwan, but it is a slow process. Since the fourth grade, I knew that I wanted to be a teacher. Even at such a young age, I recognized the power that teachers hold. They have the responsibility of shaping the minds of future leaders, inventors, and scholars. They give students the confidence they need and teach students to believe in themselves. Because of them, students find joy in learning and discover their true passions. Teachers are role models. They are enablers. They are valuable. To all of the teachers out there, thank you for the work you do. You truly make a difference in our world. It's a pleasure to see that belief at work here in Kinmen. Fulbrighter Karissa Moy learning how to make fried oysters with her students. Interacting with the Dead and Halloween in America By Rachel Brown Cultures all around the world practice a variety of rituals and festivities to commune with the dead. In Mexico, they celebrate D?a de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, on November 1st and 2nd. To celebrate, people visit cemeteries and build personal altars with favored foods and memorabilia of the departed. Family members often decorate graves with brightly colored flowers in order to attract spirits. A common symbol of the day is a skull or skeleton. Mexicans decorate masks, pictures, clothes, and even food with these symbols. As a foreigner in Taiwan and from an outsider's perspective, what I observed here in Kinmen during Ghost Month bares some similarities. The people of Kinmen made offerings to honor the dead. The people followed rituals to prevent negative supernatural interference. This looked like family members wanting a chance to pay homage to those who came before, similar to Mexico's November ceremonies. In the United States, a country populated by immigrants from around the world, our spirit or ghost celebration is slightly different. While people are welcome to practice Ghost Month or Day of the Dead to honor their cultural heritage, the most widely celebrated holiday with a similar content is Halloween. Halloween takes place on October 31st . Halloween is a fascinating modern adaptation of people's attempt at communicating with the dead. Halloween, or All Hallow's Eve, originated somewhere around the 16th century in Western Europe. The spiritual origins of the holiday are thought to be Christian with Celtic pagan influences. Halloween occurs only one day before the Catholic All Saints' Day, which is celebrated on November 1st. Some believe that the Halloween practice of wearing costumes and masks originated from the belief that spirits wandered the earth until All Saints' Day. All Hallow's Eve, the night before All Saints' Day, provided one last chance for spirits to take revenge on the living. Thus, the living wear costumes and masks to hide their true appearances from ghosts. Halloween spread from England to North America in the 19th century along with an influx of Scottish and Irish immigrants. The modern celebration has evolved a lot since then. Now, children all around the United States dress up as characters from their favorite movies, famous people, and generic scary figures like ghosts, zombies, and vampires. Children usually choose their own costumes, with some input from their parents, and then either buy them at a store or make them from things they have at home. These children then walk around the neighborhood, with their parents following behind, knocking on their neighbor's doors and asking, "Trick or treat?" Americans call this "Trick-or-Treating." This phrase originally meant that if the neighbor did not give the children a treat, such as candy, then the children would play some trick on them, like scaring the neighbor or making a mess outside their house. These days, performing actual tricks has gone out of fashion, so children normally receive a treat. However, Americans consider it rude if the neighbors do not have candy to give out to the children. Americans love Halloween because it emphasizes our national values. Families in America tend to live on their own schedules and do not have many opportunities to interact with the neighborhood. Halloween provides a culturally sanctioned excuse for children to get to know their neighbors in a friendly way. Also, candy is not a rare treat for these children, but it means more to them because they have put in the effort of walking around in costume to earn it. Halloween may have the same theological roots as Ghost Month and has a similar result of building familial and neighborly connections, but it is a less spiritual holiday. Halloween has lost its original meaning of hiding living faces from ghosts on their last day roaming the world of the living. Now Halloween can spread across cultures and provide entertainment for children. The holiday brings people together, and even though it's a bit silly, it's still one that I enjoy. So, whether you practice it or not, Happy Halloween from one of your American neighbors!
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
每次出訪其他國家,經過不同國家的機場護照查驗處,都會感覺到英文能力確實相當重要。面對護照查驗移民署官員的詢問"How cash do you have?"(你身上有多少現金?)"What's your purpose of visit?"(你來的目的為何?)"Do you have anything to declare?"(你有需要申報任何東西嗎?)很多身邊的朋友都會忘記要在出示護照前"take off your cap/hat"(把球帽/女用高帽脫下),不能任何問題都YES或NO來敷衍過去的。"Is this your first visit?"(這是你第一次來嗎?)都還算是小兒科的問題,還會盤問你是否有攜帶肉品或是疑似爆裂物(explosives)的東西! 曾經在機場安檢線看到有個媽媽為了證明奶瓶裡面是"安全的牛奶",現場狂飲了起來;也有美國籍旅客帶了烈酒通關,聽到必須進行丟棄(discard)後,現場發杯子請大家喝的奇妙畫面;老師自己本身在過境泰國的時候,手拿著喝了一半的仙草茶就被請去旁邊,我還俏皮地問:「Do you want to drink?」安檢人員沒有如意料中回我「It's good to drink?」就直接擺臭臉說:「I don't think so.」就丟到身後的黑色大桶子了,我的小小心靈瞬間就被擊潰了。當然老師的糗事一籮筐,從溫哥華要回台灣的例行檢查,我的袋子取出一瓶全新乳液,因為超過100ml必須丟掉,guess what?我就開始全身全臉的瘋狂塗,根本把自己當牆壁塗,誰叫那瓶乳液是加拿大特產還價值兩千塊台幣,還是要多多遵守規則,以免得不償失。 在機場通過查驗台最讓人容易嚇出心臟病(give you a heart-attack): 1.Do you have any relatives or friends living here/ waiting to pick you up? 你在該國有任何親戚或朋友嗎?通常就是很怕你會跳機當非法移民(illegal immigrant)而且要是沒有出示來回機票(round-trip ticket)被抓到小房間偵訊的機率就變很高了。如果當地友人要PICK YOU UP(接你)也是在問是否有運送違禁品的迂迴探口風技巧。態度要從容而且禮貌才能順利通關,也不要想說大排長龍時沒事做就拿起手機或相機瘋狂拍照,這些都是牽涉到秘密通訊的嚴重行為,不可不慎。其實簡單來說就回答:I am here for sightseeing.= I am here for pleasure.(來旅遊)就快樂入境了。 2.Where will you stay in our country? Any confirmation letter for your stay? 你會在我們國家待多久呢?這種問題也是預防外國人非法居留而問的,千萬不要說"maybe five days" or " I think it's nearly a week."這些不確定的推論語氣,萬一英文卡在喉嚨說不出來,就快遞上你辛苦寫的itinerary(行程規劃表)就可以解除危機了!至於歐洲很常有停電或是大風雪情況而讓電腦作業系統當機,要是你在旅館CHECK-IN無法出示"訂房確認信"可能會帶來很大的麻煩,甚至落到"有錢也沒地方住"的窘境。另外目前歐美國家都有規定需要travel insurance(旅遊保險)才能入境該國,也是保障旅客在突發意外能受到妥善照顧和補償。外國的救護車(ambulance)一趟可要價將近美元兩萬塊,萬一在復活節(Easter)或聖誕節這種節目去看牙醫,都會被視為急診案件,只會幫你看看有無嚴重狀況,也不會特別給處方籤(prescription)甚至鼓勵你去買成藥(over-the-counter medicine),以上簡單動作就要收取六千塊台幣,這就是我在加拿大的血淋淋的經驗。 3.Do you travel alone or with a group? 你是獨自前往還是跟團呢?如果導遊(tour guide)無法在旁翻譯或是簽證上特別註明GROUP TOUR你最好還是回答only myself,不然在美國入境的時候會被問更多的問題,反而讓你出關遙遙無期,也讓其他人等你等到他們心痛。另外很多同學都不知道看完護照接下來就是提領行李(luggage/baggage claim)的標示,這次去曼谷轉機也是幫忙指揮台灣同胞去拿行李,活脫脫就是個代理導遊阿!學英文的目標,除了可以幫助自己得到理想的工作和得到前線的國際化資訊,最重要的就是幫忙自己的國人處理問題,你的英文能力就顯得更有意義了!有一次在韓國東大門飯店,同行的婆婆媽媽一早就在櫃台跟服務生爭得臉紅脖子粗,正要拿鑰匙歸還的Brian老師眼見這幕,覺得大概是因為語言隔閡引起,詢問下才知道原來是旅館人員看到房間電子冰箱紀錄,房客有拿取飲料的動作才在退房時進行收費的提醒,但其實那位台灣媽媽只是拿起來看看,不料電子冰箱已經進行扣款動作了,於是我就說:「Please ask your staff to check the fridge in the room for confirmation.」(請你們派人去確認房間的冰箱。)後來證實所有飲料(beverage)原地不動立正好好地,飯店人員也有道歉,才平息了這個風波,這趟旅程才沒有太烏煙瘴氣。所以英文是不是像場及時雨呢?好好把在旅行中會用到的句子都抄寫下來,相信你可以變成周遊列國的旅遊達人呢! P.S.因為之前有些旅客會將需要收費的飲料喝完放回冰箱,許多三星(含)以上飯店都有電子冰箱的設置系統,一但移動飲品,電子秤板重量有所改變就會立刻傳到櫃台進行收費動作。 4.You should fill out the landing card before passing the Customs. 通常在用餐後離落地三十分鐘時,空服員就會開始發放入境卡提供旅客填寫。入境卡通常有兩種說法:(A) landing card (B) Custom's Declaration Form。(A)相對來說比較簡單,但(B)的說法在歐美航空是很普遍的,意思是"海關申報表格"。其實都會念成Declaration Form讓乘客可以抓到重點單字來決定是否需要領取。 今年十月份因緣際會參加了慈悲護生之旅,受邀到了世界上公認的快樂國度:不丹。在行前說明會的時候,領隊就特別說明當地導遊英文能力表達有限,也沒有受過專業的訓練,如果想知道更深度的文化背景和宗教意涵,就必須靠大家主動發問來引導出比較詳盡的答案。整車上都是東南亞各地的朋友,就屬印尼人和新加坡人的英文對答最為流利,雖然母語腔調影響甚大,溝通進行上是順暢的。放眼整個亞洲區來說,只有台灣以美式英語為教授方向,所以大家到國外都會發現常用的"fall"(秋天) = "autumn", "garbage can"(垃圾桶)= " dustbin",而 " taxi"(計程車)成了= " cab",餐廳常見的 " faucet"= " tap",各位同學都還記得老師教過 Tap or Still"是在問要"自來水"還是"礦泉水"吧!^^ 在台灣的環境我們容易認為考出高分的文法閱讀達人就能夠在國外游刃有餘的使用英文,或是能夠沒有障礙的和英文母語人士交談。」但事實並不然。 曾經教授高中英文長達五年的時間,遇到非常勤奮又優秀的學生,在學測模擬考都名列前茅,也在大學窄門中進入台灣大學外文系所。在老師的勸說下趁開學前去了一趟英國愛丁堡進行語言課程的集訓,一到當地便是災難的開始。機場裡的轉機指示寫著domestic flight讓他舉足不前,國內班機不是應該寫著national flight嗎?其實domestic不只用來指"家庭的"也很常用來當"國內的";domestic violence(家庭暴力),dom- 的拉丁字根本來為"睡眠",而睡眠動作都在家裡完成居多,所以 dormant volcano就是___火山?猜到了嗎?就是休火山呢!好險不是active volcano(活火山)。 <準確表達情緒篇>:氣急敗壞 英文藏在細節裡,例如「費用」的說法有fee, charge, fare;「笑」也有laugh, smile, crackle, giggle。生氣也有各種不同程度,但我們大多只會說:「I am so angry!」「I am truly mad!」 。事實上,「生氣」的英文慣用語非常多,像中文裡我們有氣壞了、火冒三丈,咬牙切齒,以下逐一介紹,學會的話,萬一生氣,你仍然可以把英文說得很有深度!(source:世界文化中心整理) Foam at the mouth(氣憤不已、火冒三丈) 說明:foam是「泡沫」的意思,嘴裡冒泡沫,有生氣的意象哦! 例:When informed of the news, I foamed at the mouth in anger.(我得知消息時感到氣憤不已。) Hit the ceiling/roof(氣得發火) 說明:顧名思義就是「撞到了屋頂」,形容一個人氣得暴跳如雷,甚至都撞到了屋頂。 例:I hit the ceiling when I knew that he would be late again.(我得知他可能又要遲到時氣得發火。) As mad as a wet hen(氣得哇哇叫) 說明:就像被弄濕的母雞一樣生氣。 例:I was as mad as a wet hen when I realized that my sister had eaten my strawberry cake.(我發現我的草莓蛋糕被妹妹吃掉時氣得哇哇叫。) Choke with rage(氣得說不出話) 說明:choke是「窒息、噎住、說不出話來」的意思,所以是指被胸中一團怒火卡得說不出話來。 例:My colleague made me choke with rage.(我被同事氣得說不出話。) Champ with rage(氣得咬牙切齒) 說明:champ是「咬嚙、咀嚼」的意思,所以是指一個人氣得用力咬牙的樣子。 例:Each time I am called "chicken", I will champ with rage.(每次我被叫作膽小鬼,我都氣得咬牙切齒。) Get hot under the collar(氣得臉紅脖子粗) 說明:collar是衣服的領子,氣到臉紅脖子粗時,領子底下當然會很熱! 例:If anyone bothers me, I get hot under the collar.(如果有人煩到我,我就會氣得臉紅脖子粗。) 這次的內容也很精彩吧!我們下次見喔!
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《Feature Article》Working Holiday: Australia
"Some friends even hugged me for my efforts in sending them love and concerns. Each will be given a rainbow card with some words of reminders or motto in life in order to help them breathe in happiness every second." Origin Henna (known as hina, the henna tree, the mignonette tree, and the Egyptian privet) is a flowering plant and the sole species of the Lawsoniagenus. Historically, henna was used for cosmetic purposes in Convivencia-period Iberia and Ancient Egypt, as well as other parts of North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East and South Asia. It was also popular among women in 19th-century Europe. Today, bridal henna nights remain an important tradition in many of these areas. Main Element Whole, unbroken henna leaves will not stain the skin. Henna will not stain skin until the lawsone molecules are made available (released) from the henna leaf. Fresh henna leaves will stain the skin if they are smashed with a mildly acidic liquid. The lawsone will gradually migrate from the henna paste into the outer layer of the skin and bind to the proteins in it, creating a fast stain. Since it is difficult to form intricate patterns from coarse crushed leaves, henna is commonly traded as a powder made by drying, milling and sifting the leaves. The dry powder is mixed with lemon juice, strong tea, or other mildly acidic liquids to make a preparation with toothpaste-like consistency, which can be used to make finely detailed body art. The henna mix must rest for 6 to 24 hours before use, to release the lawsone from the leaf matter. Essential oils with high levels of monoterpene alcohols such as tea tree, eucalyptus, cajeput, or lavender will improve skin stain characteristics. The different words for henna in ancient languages imply that it had more than one point of discovery and origin, as well as different pathways of daily and ceremonial use. Henna has been used to adorn young women's bodies as part of social and holiday celebrations since the late Bronze Age in the eastern Mediterranean. The earliest text mentioning henna in the context of marriage and fertility celebrations comes from the Ugaritic legend of Baal and Anath, which has references to women marking themselves with henna in preparation to meet their husbands, and Anath adorning herself with henna to celebrate a victory over the enemies of Baal. Bridal henna nights are a popular tradition in North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, the Near East and South Asia. India In India, the longer the henna stays on the bride's hand the longer it is believed that her in-laws will treat her well. If the henna fades out quickly, it's a sign that she will not be happily married. Saudi Arabia In Saudi Arabia, one of the female relatives of the bride is the one who paints the bride's hands with henna, but the relative has to be happily married or else she will bring bad luck to the bride. Somalia In Somalia, henna is worn by Somali women on their hands, arms, feet and neck during weddings, Eid, Ramadan, and other festive occasions. Somali henna designs are similar to those in the Arabian Peninsula, often featuring flower motifs and triangular shapes. The palm is also frequently decorated with a dot of henna and the fingertips are dipped in the dye. Henna parties are usually held before the wedding takes place. Tunisia In Tunisia, henna celebrations last for seven days. On the 3rd day, the bride wears a traditional dress and has henna painted on her hands and feet. As for the groom, his pinky finger is painted with henna on the 6th day. Turkey In Turkey, henna is sold in convenience stores and markets. Among these are the Egyptian Bazaar in Istanbul 『It may be Australia's third-largest city, but for the longest time Brisbane was seen as something of a poor cousin to Sydney and Melbourne: a sleepy country town hiding behind a big city fa?ade. In recent years, however, Brisbane has stirred from its slumber and is casually emerging as one of the most desirable places to live in Australia with an estimated 1000 people packing their bags and moving up here every week. 』
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(Feature Article)Working Holiday:Australia
◎王軒 Traveling is always refreshing and enables us to reflect on ourselves over the paths to take for the future. I perfectly understand why people chose to work in a total different place for exploring themselves through adapting to a whole new environment. Not long after the video clip released on YouTube, Taiwanese applicants became the wild card for receiving the greatest popularity among all, Claire Wang made it to the final phase and impressed all participants for the curious eyes attempting to capture all novel ideas and things beyond her scopes. In 2009, Tourism Queensland promoted the Great Barrier Reef as a global tourism destination with a website encouraging people worldwide to apply for The Best Job In The World, to be a "Caretaker of the Islands" to "house-sit" the islands of the Great Barrier Reef for half a year, based on Hamilton Island. Job benefits included a large salary, free lodging in a multi-million dollar villa, and transportation there and around the islands. The application process required a web video to be submitted, available publicly for consideration for the position. The job duties listed were primarily publicity-related with web videos, blogging, and photo diaries. The submission web site crashed two days following the launch of the campaign, from excessive visits and application video uploading. Over 35,000 applications were received from over 200 countries, and whittled down to 16 finalists (including one chosen by an on-line vote). Finalists came from Australia (two), United States (two), United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany, New Zealand, Taiwan, India, China, Japan, France and South Korea. Ten were male and their ages ranged from 20 to 39. The candidates were interviewed on the island starting 3 May 2009. The United Kingdom finalist Ben Southall, 34, a charity fundraiser and ostrich-rider from Petersfield, Hampshire, UK, was appointed as the new caretaker of the island on 6 May 2009 Are you ready to plunge into a world full of exotic cultures and strange languages? If you've got a positive answer, you are on the go. Remember, WORKING HOLIDAY IS NOT AN ESCAPE FROM THE REAL WORLD.Your one-to-two-year plan should require deliberation and self-awareness about what the person you determine to be and any values it might bring to you during this amazing trip. Wish you the best luck. Today's we'll go deeper with the budget plan and a very interesting skill of paining from India: Henna along with the picture of Linda Huang's Work. ( It might not be the best select among them, but it's truly original and innovative thing to you all.) (A)How do we apply for it? On previously mentioned article, we've been introducing the official procedures of form-filling and certain regulations issued by Australian Government and Australian Tourism Bureau. And you've got to be noticing the difference weather condition in an opposite hemisphere. Today's we'll go through some details you should know before applying for this program. Employer obligations People working in Australia on a Working Holiday visa are entitled to the same pay and work conditions as Australian residents and citizens. There are a number of obligations that employers in Australia must be willing and able to meet. Employers must: ●Ensure that the employee is paid the salary specified for the nominated position ●Deduct and make tax payments for the employee while employed by the business ●Make superannuation contributions for the employee while employed by the business ●Comply with all relevant workplace relations laws and any employee workplace agreements ●Ensure that the employee holds any license, registration or membership that is mandatory for the performance of their work ●Comply with responsibilities under Australian immigration laws ●Not employ a person who would be breaking Australian immigration laws by being employed. Note: The employer must be lawfully operating a business that is actually and actively engaged in business activities. Example: A business that exists on paper only (for example, a shelf company) is not acceptable. Working conditions Australian law sets pay rates and conditions of employment which cannot be undercut through informal agreements or unregistered contracts. If you have concerns about your pay and conditions, you can contact Fair Work Online or the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR). Brian: B Linda: L B: This time, we'll carefully start the "Money Talk" part. How much did you spend on the air fare and the hotel there? L: Honestly speaking, it's quite complicated to elaborate my expenses for this program. Let me just begin with the fare of economical flights may range from NT$ 45, 000 to NT$ 65,000. The earlier you book, the more reasonable price you may receive. Here's a soft reminder: booking the cheaper ticket may take you plenty of time fooling around the terminals for stopover before heading to the designated destination. It shall be a double-edged sword. The rent can be varied from one city to another. Here's the list of individual rent in accordance with different regions for your reference. There are three forms of accommodation: Share House/ Suite/ Home Stay. The Home Stay Family charged one most and the landlord usually knocks your door every week. Don't be surprised, they charge you by WEEK instead of MONTH. (P.S. Rent in this chart stands for the WEEKLY CHARGE based on the experience of the locals and Taiwanese backpackers.) B:Wow…your sharing of life expense is really organized and detailed, which reminds me, staying at hostel will be a great bargain for those newcomers seeking rooms in a low price. When recalling my 9-day trip in London, I only spent NT$ 2500 on accommodation. Really get past of the burden. And do you self-cater a lot? Just purchase some take-outs often? L: You nailed it, Brian. Having meals at the local shop will shrink your balance and is unlikely to be healthy, so to speak. Even though I am not a master chef, I've been learning how to cook for my boyfriend, Berlin, and I. We've reached a consensus to save up more money by cutting back on our entertainment costs and bring lunchboxes to workplaces. Taught by my family, I've learned to deal with some complicated techniques of boning the ducks, making the poached egg, grilled the drumsticks, and also mix some veggies as tasty salad. Remember? You told me to pour coke over the chicken drumsticks which will be caramelized and softened. And it tasted really AWESOME. You must have been a gourmet when studying in Canada, mustn't you? Taking a stroll to the nearest supermarket, I found pleasure in going window shopping and purchasing some groceries, part of me thinking of it as the great chance to reward myself with some delicious ingredients. Because we don't get any vehicles, public transportation has become more accessible and affordable. Sometimes getting lost is fun, you can dig out some unknown excitement by the warm-hearted locals. My old neighbor, Tina, loved singing and sitting on the rocking chair on the porch in the afternoon and always greeted me when jogging by her place. Sometimes she even brought her home-made pie to my place and had a great chat about the life full of ups and downs, for which I appreciate with such a lovely friend in Australia. Never had I known such plain but beautiful people and things just walked into my life. (B) How to land a part-time job there? After talking to Linda Huang, I did admire her persistence and perseverance toward arts. She acquired this unique technique and also developed into her own characteristic signature presentation of each customer's traits and his or her state of mind channeling emotions at the very special moment at her stand. People walking by her stand are sometimes hooked up by those intricate painting on various parts of human body; moreover, some others even asked her to paint Henna on their face or finger as the certain token or souvenir for this trip, from which she derived great encouragement and inspiration. To Linda, Henna is more than just a tradition rooted in Indian wedding culture but a gesture of giving blessings to people who come to her. Visitors from all walks of life and all ages are overwhelmed by this mysterious approach to arts, unlike any other performances. 『本專刊內容由王軒老師提供,並與本社編輯部共同策畫製作』
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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
根據2012年聯合國教科文組織統計,高度發展國家的在學學生至少一周看兩到三本書,而特別北歐國家都積極推廣大量閱讀和關心全球議題,相關講座和知性辯論也定期舉辦。還記得老師到歐洲的時候,在背包客旅社碰到三個年紀才16歲卻遊歷多國挪威高中生,她們認為自己能夠精通三種語言(英文法文挪威文)是很平常的事情,而且對於核能發電和太空宇宙等細節發展都如數家珍;令我驚訝的是,這些看似純真還揮舞著哈利波特專賣店魔仗的朋友,對於台灣在主權紛爭和國際地位處境都給予相當的關注和研讀,真是令我汗顏!甚至在2010年到了牛津大學附近的咖啡廳,一身淺咖啡析裝配著高領米色毛衣的法國人,竟然跟我說起了中文之外,也和我討論軍閥時期的動盪和法國大革命的處境雷同處,當「袁世凱」三個字從他嘴中冒出也讓我瞪大著眼,活像小孩第一次看到摩天輪的震撼和興奮感。事實上我們不只要關心國家大門內的民生新聞也要用更包容的態度來關愛這個繽紛多變的世界,這才是真正的Liberal Global Citizen。 「有沒有重點單字讓我可以快速通過英檢?」「文法動詞三態和一堆假設句外國人真的會說對嗎?」「片語厚厚一本日夜都不離身還是事倍功半…」「出國了,外國人說的HI之外我都聽不懂!崩潰!」這些都是你常聽到或本身學習路上問號一大堆嗎?鎖定Brian老師的英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake),就是幫忙各位同學用心準備各種生活場景常用句和強調「現學現 賣」的精華片段,集許多琳瑯滿目材料的重點供同學來學習,一定要好好努力學習喔!只有最貼近生活的語言才能深植人心和深度賞析喔:P因為大家都愛英文,那That makes two of us(我們真是有默契呢)而且Great minds think alike(英雄所見略同)。 今天老師要特別介紹「字面上容易誤解和難以判讀的表達語」 1.I couldn't stand her tardiness and really felt like giving her a piece of my mind. (我真的受不了他老遲到,真的很想教訓(訓斥)=scold=reprimand她。) 首先同學都跟老師學過,各種忍受的用法(stand, bear with, tolerate, stomach, such it up)還有tardy遲到這個高級形容轉成名詞tardiness。你肯定有類似的經驗,好不容易約好要出遊,就是有些慢郎中拖拖拉拉,讓大家行程瘋狂delay(ed)到;不然就是每次作業都是某某人遲交讓全班被老師罵得臭頭。這時候身為朋友或誠懇的同事就會想告訴你:「我真的超火大的!」因為這件事情已經occupied(佔滿)你的腦中一大部分的思考內容,你就要把這股鳥氣出在他身上,所以give sb a piece of mind可不是要他像畫皮的妖精生吃人心,而是好好領教你的怨氣! 順便比較一下其他類似用法: ●Give sb a break 放過他一馬 ●Give sb a hard time處處刁難他 ●Give sb a hand 伸出援手幫忙他 ●Give sb a finger 對(人)比中指 2. I am really convinced that Susan had it coming for treating her husband like dirt.(我很確 信蘇珊自食惡果,因為她對丈夫非常糟糕) 各位同學可能都發現了:sb has it coming是指"報應來了(It's Karama.)"或是"自作孽不可活"的語義。生活中也不乏這些例子,比如說艾瑞克的數理科很強,同學紛紛都去找他求教,但是都冷眼回絕,只是因為他怕麻煩。等到有天他忘記帶英文課本,班上沒有任何同學想跟他一起看,只能說人生中What goes around comes around(風水輪流轉)。短短的一句話,也讓同學學到很多相關的表達語,是不是非常精采呢! 3. Your bag is a knock-off. Mine is a REAL DEAL. They are apples and oranges. (你包包就是個贗品。我的才是真貨啦!兩個根本就天差地別) 前陣子老師特地去台北Q-Square運動用品選購了排汗性超強的運動上衣,雙臂有網狀個性造型而且呈亮黃色,讓夜晚慢跑成了件安全又時髦的事情。但一回到桃園區類似店家window-shop(櫥窗購物)殺殺時間,卻發現一模一樣的廠牌和材質竟然少了三百多塊,真的氣到跟【唐伯虎點秋香】的壞心師爺一樣大吐血。 當你覺得被坑了,你就可以這樣說: ●I am ripped-off.(rip是指撕裂開物體的動作,好像你錢包被洗劫般。) ●Allen is fleeced.(fleece是綿羊換季被剃毛的動作,這個概念很清楚吧。) ●You are overcharging me. (你算我太貴了吧!) ●I feel like being mugged.(我絕得被當街行搶了。) 你覺得賺到了,你就可以這樣說: ●It's a steal.(根本就跟偷來沒兩樣,超級划算。) ●What a great bargain! (殺價殺得漂亮!) ●You will never get a lower price than that.(不可能更低價了) ●That's one of the kind.(這可是獨一無二呢。) 4.Don't envy him. He is just "Jack of all trades." (不要羨慕他。他只是樣樣學樣樣不精!) 很多唸企業管理(Business Administration)的學生都紛紛跟老師反應,自己本身讀了企業內部運作、人力資源分配、各界成功案例討論、創業概論,還有基本投資概念,但就是無法專精某種領域的專業。其實現代很多父母親都很愛把孩子每天的行程表都塞滿各種才藝課,希冀未來可以贏在起跑點還可以出人頭地,但沒想到最後孩子可能被趕鴨仔上架一點熱情都沒有。曾經交過一名國三的資優女生,老師幫助他考過全民應檢中級後,他只告訴我這輩子想遠離英文,因為語言對於她這小小年紀只有父母親期望的沉重壓力而毫無樂趣和成就感。所以各位同學一定要調整自己的心態,把這門活的學問變成你生活中的調劑品和通往國際化的敲門磚(building block)。 5.We all noticed him always bailing out on us and pretending nothing ever happened. (我們都注意到他老是放我們鴿子外,還假裝沒有任何事發生。) 不管是職場中或是生活交際中,即使你真心誠意對待他人,也會難免有些偽君子(hypocrite)或小人(back-stabber)讓你很搖頭,久了也是會磨光別人對你的信任的!本次句中提到的bail(v.)原來是指『保釋金』或『讓某人重獲自由』,後來bail out on sb就變成了"未在約定時間出現"或"放鴿子",老師也有教過常用的stand sb up也是很常用到喔;但就是不要跟『bait』(誘餌)搞混了!另外一個核心動詞pretend(假裝)也很常見到,而其形容詞變化型pretentious(裝模作樣)也很形容某些特定人士和老是不看場合盛裝出席(over-dressed)的人。 EX.:Your rose-red lipstick is overkill for this party and way too old for your old. (你這烈火紅脣對於這個派對和你的年紀來說都太超過了。) 6. Thanks for asking. I am alive and kicking after serious bankrupt and loss of my pet.(謝謝你的問候。在這慘重的破產和痛失寵物後,我還是能活力四射。) 當別人問起你的近況或身體狀況時,就可以這麼回答I am alive and kicking,我還活繃亂跳呢!來自南非的Phoebe有特別告訴老師,對於女生使用這句表達也隱含『肚中胎兒很健康活動著。』所以當老師說這句話時,還不忘諷刺老師的肚子幾個月了呢!對於失去珍貴的事物都可以說loss of + N(s),聽到客戶或朋友失去親人的時候,也不要想著躲避這種話題或一臉不知所措,只要說:I am terribly sorry for your loss(對於您失去XX真的深表遺憾。)千萬不要翻成我很"對不起"喔! 【商業英文:老闆說的,你聽懂了嗎?】 聽錯了這4個片語,小心老闆不高興 潔西卡上呈老外主管一份行銷建議書,得到以下回覆:You need to make out a case for your suggestions first. 潔西卡心想:「這是全新行銷手法,我上哪去找案例呢?」只得再度請示老外主管。對方才說:No!I just need you to explain more about your suggestions.如果潔西卡知道make out a case for是指「提出做某件事的充分理由」,就不會有誤會。以下是常讓人誤解的用語。看看你是不是也有聽沒有懂。 1、double time (X)兩倍時間 (O)雙倍工資 說明:double time可不是指雙倍時間,而是指付給加班者的雙倍工資。 用法:Who would like to take this job?I will offer double time for it. (誰願接這工作?我提供雙倍工資。) 2、fill the bill (X)填好表格 (O)符合要求 說明:這裡可不是叫人來「填表」,而是在問有誰「正合需要」或「能解決問題」。 用法:There's a job opening here. Do you know anyone who may fill the bill?(我們有一個職缺,你知道誰符合要求嗎?) 3、in black and white (X)黑白分明 (O)白紙黑字 說明:black和white指黑字和白紙,所以in black and white意思是白紙黑字寫下來或印出來的書面形式。 用法:I want you to reach this agreement in black and white as soon as possible. (請盡快達成書面協議。) 4、keep one's eye on the ball (X)看著球 (O)集中精力 說明:keep one's eye on the ball是體育用語,指打球時須雙眼緊盯球,現在則特別用來比喻在工作上專心致志。注意,eye固定都用單數,不加s。 用法:John, your sales record is way down the past quarter. You'd better start keeping your eye on the ball.(約翰,過去一季你的銷售成績一直很差,你最好開始集中注意力在工作上。)
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Kinmen:A Welcoming Community
The guidebooks do not do Kinmen justice. Before I moved to Kinmen in August, I tried to gather as much information about Kinmen as I could, which turned out to be very little. If Kinmen is mentioned in a guidebook, it is brief and focuses on military historical sites. While I find the military and political history of Kinmen fascinating, it was hard to get a sense of what it would be like to live here. I feared that it would be a barren landscape, ravaged by years of conflict, where residents kept their distance from foreigners. When I arrived in Kinmen to see the beautiful landscape and to feel immediately welcomed into the community by the people, I was pleasantly surprised. The Mid-Autumn Festival allowed me to experience Kinmen culture as a resident instead of as a passing tourist. People welcomed me into their homes for barbeques to enjoy conversation and local food. I also took part in the Kinmen dice game, held in Jincheng on September 15th. I knew nothing of the dice game, but the people at my table were very helpful and I finally understood the rules. In America, we celebrate many holidays with outdoor barbeques, so I felt at home during the Moon Festival barbeques. However, there is no celebration or community activity like the dice game. I loved being a part of the dice game and sharing in the excitement at the possibility of becoming a winner. Although not a grand-prize winner, I did get to take home noodles and peanut candies. I was also lucky enough to meet Magistrate Li and was invited to play at his table during the second round of the game. That was a very memorable experience. Kinmen! Thank you for welcoming this foreigner into your community. The guidebooks should include a section about the generosity and welcoming nature of the people in Kinmen. I am very happy to call Kinmen my new home.
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How to get into College in the U.S.A
As an International student, the American college process can easily be daunting and confusing. Fortunately, there are resources that can make your college application process a bit easier. The College Board's Office of International Education helps International students gain access to their home country's resources, testing information, and application procedures. For more information the website address is http://international.collegeboard.org. Fulbright Taiwan also offers free educational advice as part of EducationUSA, http://www.educationusa.tw. The college application process usually consists of an official high school transcript, a personal essay, standardized test results, and 2-3 letters of recommendations. The personal essay and extracurricular activities are given just as much consideration as transcript grades. Colleges look for intellectually capable, well-rounded students. Be prepared to express what stimulates you outside of the classroom. The personal essay is the perfect opportunity to expand on relevant strengths that were not showcased on the application such as, why you would like to study abroad in the U.S., your personal interests, aspirations, and extra-curricular activities. The personal essay acts as a space for you to communicate what sets you apart from other competing applicants. You will have less control over your letters of recommendation, so make sure the teachers you choose to write your recommendations know you well enough to provide a thorough and flattering description of your academic strengths. These are the basic components of your college application. Standardized testing such as Test Of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), SAT Subject Tests, and Advanced Placement Exams will be required. However, these requirements will differ depending on the institution. Going to each institution's international student section of the main website to find out more about the requirements for international applicants is highly recommended. The TOEFL tests Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The exam is accepted by more than 9,000 institutions in over 130 countries. To learn more about the exam visit http://www.ets.org/toefl. The SAT tests Critical Reading, Writing, and Math. The exam also includes an Essay component. The SAT Subject Tests are about your aptitude for only one subject such as Biology, History, or French. Again, check each institutions main website for SAT testing requirements. The College Board's Annual Survey of Colleges and Universities also provides information regarding the admission requirements for international students. If college fees are an obstacle, then contact the college or visit the website to find out more about Financial Aid for International Students. Funds are often limited so do this very early in the application process. While funds are limited, remember that the final price will only be determined after you apply to the school, apply for aid, and are admitted. So don't be deterred by the initial sticker price. Hopefully with these resources at your disposal, you will be able to navigate the American college process more smoothly. Don't be afraid to contact your target schools with questions. It shows the admission office that you are interested. Good luck!
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"Do you mind…"
Trying to ask a favor or to ask for help from another person is delicate. Showing that you are being mindful of the other's time and energy is important. The phrase "do you mind" is a polite way to ask for small favors like borrowing someone's pencil or getting an extra menu at a restaurant. For example, look at this conversation in which Nick asks Daisy to take him to the hospital. Nick:Hi Daisy, how are you doing? Daisy:Hey Nick, I'm doing well. What about you? Nick:Actually, I'm not feeling very well. Do you mind taking me to the hospital? Daisy:Of course! In this situation, Nick is not feeling well, so he wants to go to the hospital. He could have just asked, "can you take me to the hospital," and conveyed the same message. However, he knew that he would inconvenience Daisy. So, he first explained himself and then used the phrase "do you mind" before asking the favor. Using the phrase "do you mind" is a simple way to show that you are courteous; hence you are more likely to get a positive response. The phrase shows that you are aware that you may inconvenience someone and are grateful for the help. Importantly, a softer tone of voice is also key to conveying a polite message. Sentence pattern: Do you mind (-ing verb form) __________? Other examples: Do you mind calling a taxi for me? Do you mind lending me a pencil? Do you mind carrying my bag for me?
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
幸福了,然後呢?你(妳)曾經渴望一場轟轟烈烈的愛情?或是希望在人生中找到一份可以依賴又真實的情感嗎?「想念你的笑、想念你的外套,想念你白色襪子和你身上的味道」一首首的經典情歌或許大家都朗朗上口。有人歌頌愛情的美好,就算有過曖昧(ambiguous relationship)的短暫幸福(transient happiness)也可以回味無窮;不少人感嘆幾米◎向左走向右走◎那平行的邂逅和距離美感;更是心碎者用淚水譜出那段如驚濤駭浪的煎熬時分。但如果能微笑祝福讓自己邁向幸福的彼岸,卻是更重要的人生課題。偶爾瞥見躺在角落的她的梳子和殘留著習慣的香味,很多事物都無意替我們收集那特別又不想回憶的過去。不妨來到世界巡迴特展<失戀博物館>喚起那份失戀博物館由來自克羅埃西亞的歐琳卡維斯媞沙(OlinkaVistica) 和德拉任格魯彼奇(DrazenGrubisic)所創辦,失戀博物館開始在世界巡迴,蒐集了來自各地動人的展出。雖然說,展品通常富有強烈的個人與當地色彩,卻仍然存在著全球相通的內涵,等待被看見,並感受安慰。失戀博物館希望透過這些展出能夠刺激來觀展的人向內心深處找尋破碎所帶來的長遠意義而非只是流連於心碎之中(dwell on the broken relationships in the past) 從一踏進這個博物館就見到許多情侶、好友們,單身訪客到這個充滿情感回憶的展示廳(showcase show),很多人細數著世界各地捐贈的物品,也有調皮的小女孩唸著上頭的英文,然後感動不已的純真表情讓我深覺著,在感情裡其實不論男女老幼都是最單純且交出最坦承的一面。因為不會想到竟然會有分手的那一天!裡頭靜靜躺著的物件都有中英文的文字解說,裡面的陳列的物品從「眼藥水」、「針織毛衣」、「鑰匙串」、「婚禮簽名簿」,「缺手臂的布娃娃」到「照相機」都有。其中令人印象深刻的就是看似普通的「放大鏡」,旁邊的注解字眼是:「在你身邊的時候,我總是感到很渺小,看不到自己的價值和驕傲。」確實Love is blind但也需要互相尊重(mutual respect)和欣賞(appreciation)對方的優點(strengths),而不是放大對方的缺點(drawbacks)再加以羞辱(humiliate);循著牆上亮著「失戀」燈泡織成的字樣,無力的閃爍著那哭斷心腸也不回頭的愛,我留意到桌上有本書,上面寫著"I want you to be THIN."(我要你變瘦)那個來自德州傷心的女孩寫著: 「After our first date, you gave me this book in an encouraging one but with a despising look. You didn't feel satisfied with the way I looked and started picking on the way I dressed. God blessed me for knowing that dumping you was the wake-up call for me to choose my boy-friend wisely instead of changing myself for a jerk like you. I am beautiful no matter what you said. And don't worry, I won't shed a tear for this pathetic parody.」 (第一次約會後,你用激勵的語氣給了我這本書,但卻面臉嫌惡。你壓根就是對我的外型和我的穿著很有意見。我太感謝老天爺了!讓我知道甩掉像你這樣的人,讓我可以清醒過來,未來可以聰明地選個對的人,而不是為了你這種爛人來改變我自己。不論你說什麼我就是最棒的我。還有別擔心,我絕對不會為了這場荒謬的鬧劇而落一滴淚。) ●Despise(v.)嫌惡或看不起=look down on sth/sb跟"despite"(雖然)可是不同喔! ●Dump(v.)(原指)丟棄(垃圾)這邊是指情感中「甩掉」或「提出分手」的動作。 Dumpling是指水餃(或是有包餡的食物)喔!在電影<超殺聯盟2 Kick-Ass 2>裡面Hit Girl(超殺女)原本想放棄那些殺戮的生活而轉為投入高中正常生活,但沒想到被學校的Queen B(校園女王)給設計了,所以第一次的約會就被甩了,英文就叫做『Date Ditched』而被丟在樹林裡。英文中的ditch原指下水溝或是保齡球的洗溝,也很常用被放鴿子的用法,老師也有交過stand sb up有相同意思。 ●Wake-up call當頭棒喝(使某人清醒的事件) ●Instead of而不是(若單用instead反而有肯定的意思) ●Jerk(n.)混蛋(尤指很糟糕的男生) ●Pathetic(a.)可悲的 這可是跟miserable(可憐的)不太相同,通常都帶著諷刺語氣看著現世報。 那老師就來舉例給大家好好的學學「報應英文」吧! EX.:Gina used to make fun of the impoverished and the homeless. It's pathetic that her family went bankrupt and she needed to beg by the sidewalk like those she maliciously teased. Karma just came in time. (吉娜以前都會嘲笑那些窮困和無窮可歸的人。現在她的家族破產,這也逼著她像當初被嘲笑的那些人一樣在路邊乞討了。真可悲!俗話說的好:「不是不報,只是時候未到阿!」) ●Parody(n.)鬧劇 V.S. Tragedy (n.)悲劇V.S. Comedy(n.)喜劇 【Brian英文如是說】:Shape?造型?好身材?想到快爆炸了! 1.This office is taking shape. 天啊!老師為什麼辦公室也有好身材了?哈!同學們千萬不要慌張。我們常去別人相落成的大樓或是精心莊潢好的房子,千萬不要脫口說" Oh, your house is beautiful. I love it."完全Kindergarten English(幼稚園英文)就尷尬出場了!要記得運用老師介紹的:Your office is taking shape./ The way you've decorated the room is truly meticulously gorgeous. ●meticulous(a.)精心(照料;準備;設計)的 Those exotic flowers, which was imported from Indonesia, required adequate sunshine and meticulous care. (這些引進印尼的異國花種需要足夠的日曬和細心呵護。) ●gorgeous(a.)棒極了! 這個單字給他「八顆星」的好用等級!不管是外貌姣好、風和日麗、絕妙點子、亮麗穿著,天大喜事到心情開闊!都可以用Gorgeous!步出電影院就可以大喊Gorgeous!真是無敵好看呢!英國人也很喜歡用"brilliant"來表達聽到的好消息或是好心情呢! 2.You are out of shape today. 許多同學看到都會認為是「你身材走樣了」。但其實這句話真正的意思是「你今天看起來狀況不太好耶!」相近的表達語還有: ●You are feeling well today. ●It seems you are under the weather. ●Your face is quite pale. I think you need some rest. ●You don't behave the way you are. 3.Lisa is trying to keep herself in shape. 很多女生朋友都很努力節食讓自己維持最好的體態。所以這句話就是「麗莎很努力的讓自己保持身材」。但如果自己身邊朋友變胖了你可別明說You are fat.這肯定是很沒禮貌的!更不用說obese(病態肥胖)等表達了!要小心用法而不是囫圇吞棗,那你可以這樣說: ●You are gaining weight, aren't you? ●You will look more gorgeous if losing a few pounds. ●That dress totally looks great on you but we need a larger size. 4.Shape up or ship out. 其實這是很多同學都知道的「如果怕熱,就不要進廚房」的另一種說法。你要不就遵守公司內部規定,不然你就收拾吃自己囉! =If you cannot stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen. =Rule is rule. Never expect to bend the rule. 台灣同學喜歡說:He is my friend.這句話看似沒有問題,但外國朋友會誤認「你只有一個朋友」,所以你應該說:He is one of my friends, John.會更完整喔! 有一個有趣的反例,一個美籍老師告訴我,直到他學了中文,才恍然大悟,為什麼他的學生經常講類似這樣的句子: Every morning I go to work. …. 這句子也沒有錯,但老外多半把every morning放在句尾。老外學過中文後,才知道這話並不是強調「每天」,只是直譯中文:每天我去上班。 想要輕而易舉就達成,不太容易,但掌握這幾項原則,母語干擾會越來越低: 1. 搞清楚到底誰是主詞? 英文的主詞處在關鍵位置。中文說價格很貴,但英文不說"the price is expensive" 。而說"it's expensive"。因為price只會high,而不會expensive。把以下每一句的主詞劃出來,開始會有些感覺,老美是怎麼想事情的輕重。 (X) His arms were painful, which made it difficult for him to operate the machine. (O) The pain in his arms made it difficult for him to operate the machine. 他的手痛所以很難操作機器。 痛才是重點,因為痛才無法進行操作,手不是重點,用pain當主詞。 2. 不要上了動詞的當! 英語和中文結構很像,多半以「主詞+動詞」為主軸。有些時候會出現不同的組織方式。英語中有些字是「令某人或某事如何」,如: astonish 使驚訝;confuse 使困惑;convince 使信服; fertilize 使肥沃; involve 使捲入;terrify 使驚恐;impress 使獲得深刻印象;grieve 使悲傷等。 這和我們習慣的表達不同。中文思維一見到「使……」、「讓……」,馬上想到make或let兩字,導致它們使用氾濫,比較這幾個句子: (X) My answer to the question made him feel disappointed. (O) My answer to the question disappointed him. 我對問題的回答讓他失望。 3. 竹節句 vs. 流水句 有人比較中英文句子,說英語句子是「竹節句」,一節接一節,比較緊湊。中文句子喻為「流水句」,少用連接詞行文仍然流暢。中文人口受中文結構的影響,寫出的英文句子單調,缺失韻味和節奏感等。以下是把兩句併一句: (X) I have worked for the company for many years. I'd like to change my job. (O) With so many years working for the company, I feel it's time for a career move. 我已經在這家公司服務多年,該是轉換跑道的時候了。 4. 比喻轉換避免尷尬 比喻的說法常是經文化長期醞釀而成,不同的文化自然形成不同的比喻,例如: 雞皮疙瘩 → goose bumps;雞變成了鵝 害群之馬 → black sheep;馬變成了羊 殺雞取卵 → kill the goose that lays the golden eggs;雞變成了鵝。 『本專刊內容由王軒老師提供,並與本社編輯部共同策畫製作』