輕鬆學英語
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The Differences between Public Primary Schools in America and Kinmen
When I compare public primary schools in America and Kinmen, I reflect on my experiences teaching first grade in America, my time at Bor-Tsuen Primary School in Kinmen, and anecdotes from fellow English Teaching Assistants about their current schools. Here are a few of my observations. The economic backgrounds of my students certainly play a role in these cultural and educational differences. For example, my public school students in America came from working class families, which means that their guardians often worked in the food industry and in other menial labor businesses. Many of their families spoke Spanish, so there was a language barrier that impeded communication. My students in Kinmen come from nearby farming and fishing villages. Some of them have immigrated from mainland China, aboriginal Taiwan, and Thailand. Their families speak dialects, resulting in a language barrier between school faculty and student populace. There are a few key cultural differences between public primary schools in America and Kinmen that immediately stand out to me. The first is the structure of the buildings themselves. American schools tend to have all their classrooms connected by closed hallways, while on rainy days in Kinmen, I have had to take an umbrella from the office building to the classrooms, from the classrooms to the cafeteria since there are no connecting hallways to keep me dry. American school buildings typically have a heating system installed as well, so wearing a coat inside the classroom along with my students at Bor-Tsuen was a new experience. Another cultural difference is how the American school system views special education students. Cases of abuse are treated separately from students with developmental delays, learning disorders, and physical disabilities. On the other hand, in Kinmen, I was surprised when my student with emotional problems was taken out of the classroom as often as the boy who could not remember how to write his own English name for an entire semester (before I shortened it to four letters). Finally, maintenance for the entire school is typically the responsibility of employees in America. For example, the custodian mops the hallways and the groundskeeper sweeps the campus. In Kinmen, students play a role in the upkeep of school grounds. Another cultural difference is that in America, classes are supposed to start when the bell rings. Students should already be at their desks, waiting for instruction. In Kinmen, the bell signals that students are to come to class. Students who have not finished their beginning-of-the-day chore can continue even after the bell has rung. 『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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Empowerment through Dance
I have taken some different styles of dance class since I was three years old. Most of my training was in ballet and modern dance, which means I never studied any eastern styles of dance. I was excited to have the opportunity to study two styles of traditional Chinese dance under 董育欣老師 at the community college. I was very concerned about joining the class due to my limited Chinese conversational skills. In spite of this fear, I registered for the class. I joined a traditional Chinese dance class because in order to participate, I did not need to understand every word the teacher said. Many stories are told using dance, and I often feel that certain feelings can be better conveyed through movement than simply through words. Dance is a universal language through which ideas and emotions can be expressed. I was able to develop relationships and communicate with some women in the class through our shared interest in expression through movement. I did some research and found videos online of different examples of Dai dance and Mongolian chopsticks, the two classes in which I enrolled. Both styles are very different from ballet, so I was nervous when I arrived at my first class. My body is conditioned to move certain ways, and I naturally wanted to fall back into those ballet combinations. Most of the differences between Chinese dance and ballet centers on arm positions. In ballet, many positions require the palms of your hands to face inward when your arms are extended in front of or above your body. I found that in Chinese dance, particularly Dai dance, your hands face away from your body in those same arm positions. I also found Dai dance to evoke a more flirtatious feeling overall than most ballet or modern dance pieces. While I find ballet dancers to be exceptionally strong in addition to elegant, some pieces often evoke a sense of frailty that I have not seen in the Dai dances. I love that female strength is shown in Dai dance without losing a sense of coyness, which, to me, demonstrates an understanding of female power that comes without brute strength. I was not expecting to feel a sense of empowerment through studying Chinese dance. I have enjoyed the challenge of learning a new style of dance in a foreign language and also learning more about Chinese culture through the ideas and emotions conveyed through movement. Studying dance was a great way for me to be involved in the community, and I thank everyone from the class for making it such an enriching experience for me. 『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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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
上期老師特地整理了多益閱讀考題,讓各位同學習慣出題的模式和抓重點的訣竅,想必大家都如獲至寶吧!要多多複習和接觸不同英文的題材,讓自己對語言更敏銳接受度更高,久了你也會用英文來思考問題和句型結構了。說到這裡很多同學可能都要腦子過熱燒起來了,英文中的My brain is fried就是累到焦頭爛額的狀態,完全虛脫。好的,暑假能不開冷氣的同學就是跟超馬林義傑拼個高下,在家不沖個無限次冷水澡也很難了;而步出家門或公司,就是要口罩(mouth mask)、陽傘(parasol)、袖套(arm sleeve;咖啡杯的杯套是:cup sleeve很可愛吧!)上身,一秒變開喜婆婆的姿態了;請注意,要是帶小朋友到泳池千萬不要忘記擦上防曬乳(sunscreen/sun-proof lotion),燙傷(sunburn)和曬成古銅色(suntan)可是天差地別的,要是leave your children unattended(讓孩子沒人看顧)也是相當危險的事情,在機場如果看到沒人看顧的行李(unattended luggage/possessions)可就是大事了,萬一是爆裂物(explosives)就會釀成一場大混亂(turmoil/chaos)了。 出門就需要來杯涼快的礦泉水才能消暑是嗎?其實除了大家常見的霜淇淋或台灣特產剉冰(shaved ice),也可以多多嘗試台灣好吃又有文化底蘊的小吃。讓你的國外友人也可以好好享受在夏天時期也可以飽餐一頓呢!給我冷氣其餘免談!天氣炎熱而且外國朋友都紛紛到台灣這個美食寶島來大快朵頤了,除了用英文介紹美食來做國民外交也可以讓辛苦的老闆們輕鬆介紹用心美味的商品喔。那麼台灣小吃的英文拼法,大家知道哪幾個呢?讓Brian老師來小小分享一下: 1.仙草冰 Grass Jelly黑糖剉冰Brown Sugar Shaved Ice 2.滷味 Heated Braised Snacks→滷肉飯Braised Pork Rice(braise滷製) 3.大腸蚵仔麵線 Oyster and Pork intestine vermicelli(vermicelli義大利細麵) 4.大腸包小腸 Taiwanese sausage with sticky rice→Chinese sausage臘腸 5.鹽酥雞 Taiwanese Fried Chicken→炸雞排:Fried Chicken Fillet( fillet片;塊) 6.筒仔米糕 Rice tube pudding(沒錯:pudding不見得是甜點而是用口感棉密而得名)→英國餐廳赫赫有名的black pudding=豬血腸,韓國小吃糯米血腸雷同。 7.草仔粿herbal cake with sliced radish(sliced radish蘿蔔絲)→享譽國際挑戰性極高的「豬血糕」:pig blood cake with peanut powder(花生粉) 8.水餃 dumpling(dumpling只要皮包餡的食材都可以這樣稱呼。 台灣水餃通常有韭菜"leek"或泡菜"kimchi",外國友人可能會怕怕!要先說明。) 9.蒸餃 steamed dumpling→煎餃Pan-fried sticker(sticker就是包黏起來的食材,可別翻成"貼紙"囉。) 10.肉包 steamed bun with pork(飛機上的小餐包就是bun,注意尾音別閉起嘴說bum,這會變成炸彈啦!英文世界很常開玩笑說別在飛機上跟別人打招呼,特別是名字為傑克的朋友,因為「Hi +Jack=hijack(v.)劫機」,這可是有理說不清的窘境。 最近媲美台灣PTT的美國鄉民發表論壇Reddit提出一個很新奇的想法,我們來看看國外朋友的想法吧!問問自己你的抉擇和背後動機是什麼呢? Red pill makes you fluent in every spoken language. Blue pill makes you a master of every musical instrument in the world. Which do you swallow? (如果吃下紅色的藥丸可以讓你流利講出各國語言,而藍色藥丸可以讓你精通這世上每種樂器。你會選擇哪一個呢?) ●Red pill, travel the world. Listen to music played by people that swallowed the blue pill. It's a win-win situation for me (紅色藥丸,旅行全世界,聽著由那些吞下藍藥丸的演奏家們所表演的音樂。) ●You take one, have a friend take the other, travel together. (你吃一顆,朋友吃另一顆,一起出發吧!)→真是太聰明了吧! &還記得有明確兩者的文法嗎?one….and the other…… ●Chinese people can articulate 'l' and 'r' as separate sounds because their language also has these two sounds. You're thinking of Japanese people when you make this joke, as Japanese people have only one sound for both 'l' and 'r' and have trouble differentiating the two. (華人都可以明顯發清楚'l'和'r'的發音因為本身語言中就有這兩個音。但反觀日本人就無法做出區別了。)→強調互通語言後可以了解彼此的幽默笑點。 ●The language pill, obviously. Imagine all the opportunities. You apply for a job at some place where you know they speak different languages. You claim to speak ALL languages fluently. They took you in for an interview just to test and tease you a little. (當然是語言藥丸,想想這些好機會:你申請的工作地點大家都說著不同語言。但是如果你聲稱你會流利地說「所有」的語言,大概會被找出去面試然後讓他們好好挖苦一翻)→這是反諷美國社會對於種族差異和文化接受度還有很大進步空間。 <閱讀短文時間>:神奇小鎮 請同學仔細閱讀故事並且讀完!請在最後回答這個問題:What do you think that town could be? <相識的緣分> We've never seen Alex for ten years. Alex, Nate, Helen, Jack and I were best friends in high school. Alex was like the leader or the center of us. I mean, he was that kind of guy born to be a CEO, you know. He was too mature to be a high school student like us. His behaviors, his remarks…, everything he did was more like a father. And also, he was mysterious and…weird. He'd never mentioned about himself, his family or his past. He seemed to know nothing about baseball games, TV series, even news. <特殊見解和生活型態> And, he had no cell phone! He said that'd be not convenient. I remember we were all puzzled when hearing that. How could a cell phone be not convenient? Most strange thing was that he never explained to us how he could find those places and how he knew the "rules". Even until now, I still don't know how he could do that. Anyway, he was a nice guy, we respected him and trusted him, without knowing him too much. <舊時探險活動經驗> I doubt if anyone has the same experience as we do. When we were in high school, out of some silly blind bravery, we loved adventures. And Alex was the one who took us to different places for adventures. On a very early Saturday morning, we met up and headed to an unfamiliar direction to a town for, you know, an adventure. Alex said that town was over a tunnel. That reminded me of Silent Hill, a film just released at that time. Less an hour driving in woods, the tunnel was in our sight, Alex asked Jack to stop in front of it. We guessed he was going to tell us the rules. He always told us before really arriving those places. <行前遊戲規則說明> Normally there were just two. But this time, there was one more. Rule no.1: Keep yourself in team. Rule no.2: Don't mess up with those people and anything there. (That means no eye contact, no touching and no answering/talking back, etc.) Rule no. 3, which, is the most important one: Don't think of ghosts! NEVER, EVER! This was definitely hard to Nate. We all knew that and Nate, himself, knew that too. He loved ghost stories, but weird thing was, he was actually not that brave. (sorry to say that.) <旅程開始:未知的隧道> As cars driving in the tunnel, I found it was actually shorter than I expected because the end of it was not very far from us. There were already many cars in the tunnel, and they were oddly all still and empty, their taillights were dimmed, like abandoned for a while. Alex opened the door, got out of the car and said, "Don't worry. The town's just outside. Let's walk there." Nate and Helen got out of the car to join us. It only took us about fifteen minutes to walk out. It was cooler and humid. The town was in old style. I mean, the restaurants, the shops, the houses. People there were in that kind of old fashioned clothes like what your granny or grandpa would wear. It was amazing. 「So… you took us back to the past? I mean, is all this time travel thing?」 Helen asked. 「No.」 Alex answered. Residents there were like those we'd met in other adventures before, they couldn't see us, hear us or feel us. So we had to be really careful anytime, those men, stray dogs or even cars might bump into us. And that would violate rule no.2. <踏入桃花源:時光旅行?> There was a nice house, two children were playing on the front porch, and Jack entered the house successfully without making any noise and we followed him carefully. None of them noticed us. There were a man and a woman chatting happily in the kitchen. I guessed they were the parents of kids outside. Jack went downstairs from second floor and looked bored. When we were in the living room, watching a TV show we'd never seen before, the wife suddenly bumped into Helen. She took few steps backward, intrigued while Helen was stunned with mouth opening. 「We need to leave now.」 Alex said. 哇!這篇精選短文充滿刺激讓同學都快忘了呼吸吧!今天學習到很多道地又活潑的敘述方法,這是很棒的閱讀過程,還可以了解不同文化觀點,校園故事有趣而且也重疊你我的生活經驗!下回有更多精采內容喔。 『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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Biking in the Great Outdoors of Kinmen
Before I came to Kinmen, I disliked being outdoors for extended periods of time. I could enjoy my favorite pastimes - reading, listening to music, and playing video games - indoors, while avoiding unpredictable weather and insects. However, my views on the outdoors have changed since I first arrived here. In the U.S., I went to the gym about four times a week. Although, I had intended to go to the gym regularly in Kinmen, my schedule and the distance to the gym made it difficult. Since I wanted to exercise regularly, I decided to rent a bike. Unfortunately, my dislike of the outdoors resulted in me only biking about once a month for my first six months in Kinmen. At the beginning of the spring school semester, I started to bike to and from school once a week. It was about 6.5 kilometers both ways and a hilly commute, which was challenging for a beginner biker. Although I was tired and sore after the first few rides, it was worth it because I noticed a lot of new things in the environment that I had never seen before. Even though I now occasionally arrive to school soaked in sweat or drenched by the rain, I have come to enjoy biking and seeing the natural surroundings of Kinmen. It is more beautiful when I see it up close rather than out of a bus window. Also, since I do not have a scooter, biking has allowed me to explore new areas in Kinmen that I would not have otherwise discovered. For example, one of my favorite biking adventures was when I biked from Shanwai to the top of Mt. Wuhu. From there I could enjoy the beautiful view of some of the villages in Jinsha. During the spring semester, I have biked over 500 kilometers. The recent opening of the new gym in Shanwai has allowed me to exercise on days the weather is not as conducive to biking. However, I have found that more often than not, I prefer biking over going to the gym. Although I would not say that I love being outside now, I do like it a great deal more than I ever thought I would. After biking so often here, I have decided to continue this hobby once I return to the U.S. However, in suburban Maryland, where I live, places are far apart and most people rely on driving to get around. Dealing with the traffic will make biking long distances quite difficult. However, I plan to bike occasionally in nearby neighborhoods and on forest trails. 『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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Parades
In early May, Kinmen celebrated the return of the City God to Kinmen. Confetti and spinning sedan chairs filled the narrow streets of Jincheng. Children dressed in elaborate costumes rode decorated carts through the streets while their parents beat drums and played trumpets. It's an event unique to Kinmen, but it was a parade similar to many around the world. Many cultures seem to share a love of processions and parades, and Taiwan and the U.S. are no different. Here is a rundown of a few influential parades that happen in America every year. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade On Thanksgiving Day, while families are frantically preparing a huge meal and welcoming their families, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marches through New York City. As part of the tradition of New York, this parade is most famous for giant balloon floats, usually in the shapes of cartoon characters, making their way down the wide skyscraper corridors of the city. The Rose Parade The Rose Parade, in Pasadena, California, is held on New Year's Day. It serves as an introduction to the Rose Bowl, a huge American football game. The winter weather in California is very mild, so the parade floats are all covered in flowers, especially roses. Another feature is the teams of trained horses from all over the U.S., which are ridden with great skill and panache down Colorado Boulevard. Mardi Gras Mardi Gras is celebrated in New Orleans, Louisiana. Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday" in French and is the celebration that happens right before a six-week period of fasting in accordance to Christian tradition. The parade is part of a city-wide social whirl that includes feasts, masquerades, and endless parties. People wear elaborate costumes and masks. Everything is colored green, yellow, and purple, which are the colors of Mardi Gras. Well-maintained vintage floats are manned by Carnival Krewes, and dancers come from all over the world to participate. St. Patrick's Day St. Patrick's Day is celebrated in different towns and cities all over the U.S., only with different scale. St. Patrick's Day celebrates Irish-American culture, with celebrations of all things Irish and all things green (the main color of the holiday). Most major cities have a St. Patrick's Day parade on or around March 17th. The most famous parade happens in Boston. During this holiday, people enjoy the sounds of bagpipes, and watch as fountains (and beer) are dyed a fluorescent green. Each of these parades happens in a culturally distinct part of the U.S., and each has its own characteristics. Parades--whether in Kinmen or the U.S.--all have the same things in common--music, large gatherings of people, and an event worth celebrating. 『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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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
Please refrain from smoking in public!!請不要在公共場所抽菸),為什麼老師不用常見的prevent/stop/keep/ forbid A from B句型呢?其實同學在學習英文都會忽略「適切性」,其實真正的國際場合都會使用refrain….from….來勸誡對方不要進行某動作,這跟大家所知道的decline(拒絕)會比reject/turn down來得有水準多了!所以不只要學流利實用英文,還要學有『層次與各種語氣場合』的高檔次英文。常在捷運上看著從早到晚有空就拿起單字書猛K的高中生或社會人士,大家似乎都活在英文證照的壓力裡,嘴巴念念有詞地朗讀句子增加印象或是聽著mp3裡的廣播內容並凝視著遠方,時而皺眉時而有獲得新知的喜悅。老師在這十多年的教學生活中,往往都會看到努力的學生告訴我:「我單字量很足可是放進閱讀測驗我就是速度變很慢,看過就忘,到底要怎麼抓到文章的主旨呢?」老師聽到你們的困惑了,也提醒各位準備英檢或單純想加快閱讀速度的同學一定要「泛讀各類題材extensive approaches to various topics」,讓自己可以觸類旁通而且練習眼球橫向運動eyeball horizontal movements,這樣都是有利於加快作答速度,而且即使有不熟悉的單字也不要習慣先查再看,這樣是非常事倍功半,要學會看上下文context來推斷該單字的意思即可。畢竟英文的世界每天都有推陳出新的單字,不可能有背完的一天,抓出字詞常搭配的場合和相關詞彙,就可以大幅度的提升自己對英文的敏感度。 今天不僅要推出全新單元內容之外還要複習之前學過的內容,曾經錯過老師專欄或是之前內容有點生疏的同學,今天可是很有眼福喔!千萬別讓你的英文rusty(物體生鏽或技巧生疏的)老師就要用國際職場英文能力測驗TOEIC(多益)的題型來給同學找到方法、理解方法後,能夠在平常自己的大量閱讀中(multitude of readings)找到樂趣也可以在考試中節省時間並獲得高分。多益閱讀相關內容以國際學村出版系列用書的排版及閱讀內容技巧單元等等都有非常值得練習和增進自己能力的題目,文法的部份也是按照多益重點每年來做修編和更新內容,確實很推薦同學去參考。今天老師也特地編製整理一些經典題目讓同學練習,也歡迎同學挑選適合自己等級的書籍好好在職場英文有長足的進步喔!首先我想先請問同學對於同義互換字有沒有概念呢?不管等級再高的英文測驗中,聽力和閱讀測驗都會利用『意義相近』和『字詞替換結構調整』來讓考生進行判讀和選擇。 今天的專欄分為二大部分: (A)字詞替換練習學習法(B)閱讀短文並找出主旨 準備好你的筆來好好應戰了嗎?Let's get the ball rolling! ●字詞替換練習學習法: Part One:請選擇出可替換的說法 1.Requests for grant proposals申請補助金方案=_________ A. consult B. remind C. comprehend D. ask 2.Mr. and Mrs. Jones will be the potential customers for this apartment. =_________瓊斯夫婦可能成為這間公寓的購買客戶。 (A) addictive (B) prospective (C) possible (D) generous 3.This trip serves as the great encouragement for all employees. =_________ 這趟旅行是用來鼓勵所有的員工。 (A) frustration (B) advertisement (C) incentive (D) initiative 4.the follow-up information for my shipment. =_________關於我的貨物追蹤資料(A)vehicle (B)shipping (C) delivered goods (D) courier 5.This mail is attached with a letter of reference for college admission. =_________ 這封郵件附上大學申請入學推薦函。 (A) Dear John's letter (B) advise (C) resignation letter (D) recommendation letter 6.A sophisticated cell phone equipped with a stylish case and various applications. =_________這精密的手機上配備有型機殼和各種應用程式。 (A) experienced (B) intricate (C) jewelry (D) well-mannered 7.If I retain the receipts, my travel expenses will be reimbursed 如果我保留這些收據,我的旅遊支出就可以報公帳了。 (A) proof of purchase (B) cook book (C) photocopier (D) invoice 8. As the leader, you are supposed to know how to assign the tasks to each member. 身為一個領導者,你應該要知道怎麼分派工作給每個成員。 (A) designate (B) disappoint (C) design (D) delegate 9.Success depends on the participation of members.成功取決於職員們的參與度 (A) inconsistencies (B) proposals (C) engagement (D) caution 10.After the careful evaluation over your work performance, you will be entitled to a promotion to the Marketing manager. 在很謹慎評估你的工作表現後,你將獲得晉升到行銷部經理的職位。 (A) deliberate (B) temperature (C) review (D) judgment Part Two:渾淆字中翻英迷宮單元 1.出席者=A. attendant B. attendee C. anticipation 2.值得的(經驗)=A. colorful B. worthless C. rewarding 3.面試者=A. application B. candidate C. listener 4.新聞報導=A. coverage B. closure C. analysis 5.違反規則= A. infringement B.violent C.destruction 6.額外(較少)收益A. extra dividend B. additional bonuses C.marginal profit 7.解雇A. lay down B. kick-out C. lay-off 8.負債戶頭=A. outstanding account B. due report C. delayed payment 9.代表人員=A. receptionist (B) representative (C) concierge 10.某種說法= A. saying B. tale C. interpretation Answer Key: Part One: 1.D 2.B 3.C 4.C 5.D 6.B 7.A 8.D 9.C 10.C Part Two:1.B 2.C=fruitful 3.B=applicant 4. A=report 5.A 6.C 7.C 8.A 9.B 10.C 你答對多少呢?好好把錯的題目練習並且把相關單字用語查清楚喔! ●閱讀短文並找出主旨: 1. FortunateX Bank recently discovered that some clients who signed up for our special banking service have been paying an additional ATM fee. The second ATM fee will be reimbursed to our clients' accounts next week. A.Customers of the bank will no longer pay an ATM fees. B.The bank will pay clients through their bank accounts. 2. Protect-It zipper-lock plastic bags are effective at protecting anything from the elements. Ordinary plastic bags cannot keep water out, but Protect-It bags have a patented closure and material design that prevents moisture from entering the bag. A.Protect-It bangs can hold large amounts of water. B.Protect-It bags are made of weather-resistant material. 3. The Top two car companies are planning to trim production as the increasing cost of gasoline has caused a prolonged slump in sales of trucks and cars. Faced with an inventory pile-up, Diesel Motors and Townsend Cars will be cutting production by twenty over the next three quarters. A.Poor sales are causing top automobile manufacturers to cut production B.Reduced production can offset increasing gas prices. 4. Star Alliance, Inc. is looking for a degreed accountant or a CPA. The ideal candidate should have three to five years auditing and accounting experience. A.Knowledge of the newest accounting principles is required. B.A university diploma is a requirement for the job. 5. Roger Device in Seoul is in the process of acquiring US-Based Flexpoint, a multi-media technology company for mobile phones. Roger Device wants to be the dominant supplier for the mobile industry by using Flexpoint's technologies. A.Two companies have signed an agreement to produce mobile phones. B.Roger Device is buying out Flexpoint to gain control of the market. 6. To make your stay at the Paradise Beach Resort a pleasant one, please pay strict attention to our rules on cleanliness. Because it is costly and difficult to remove debris and spoiled liquids, guests who leave their huts dirty will forfeit the $ 100 key deposit for use of a hut. A.Customers will have to put down a deposit in case of damage to the room. B.The deposit will not be refunded if the hut is not left clean. 7. Management has noted some opposition to the proposal for the company's reorganization. To address your concerns, we will be issuing a memorandum that will provide answers to your questions. We hope that this memo will lay your worries to rest. A.A conference is being scheduled for management and employees. B.There is an existing plan to restructure the company. 『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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Teaching and Learning at the Vocational High School
Why study English? According to students at Kinmen's Vocational High School, there are a host of reasons.“English is an international language; it will be very helpful in my life.”said one junior. A senior added,“English is important to everyone. Also, it can help me find work, help me travel abroad, and help me make friends.” As an ETA, I currently have the opportunity to travel, make friends, and connect with another community. I must agree with the students; some of my best memories from this past year have resulted from my attempts to put myself out there and speak Chinese with neighbors and co-workers. This past year has been shaped by a give-and-take relationship between Chinese and English experiences. I try to speak Chinese in order to be able to connect more deeply with new friends. However, I also want to provide others with the opportunity to practice English with a native speaker. Since I spend my weeks teaching elementary school students, I wanted to experience working with older students as well. Thus, last semester, with the help of Fulbright Taiwan and the Vocational High School, I and two other ETAs began teaching a weekly English Club there. Our goal has been to help students practice English in an enjoyable, no-pressure setting. My favorite session (and the students' favorite as well!) was, of course, about food! The ETAs presented a cookie recipe and introduced the necessary ingredients. Then, students had to divide into teams to figure out how to bake according to the given recipe. Both sets of cookies were delicious; there was not a clear winner, which resulted in a tie between teams. However, the students weren't as satisfied as the judges. After a communal gasp and spirited applause at the presentation of the cookies, the students' faces crumbled slightly at the first bite the cookies were“too sweet!” One team stood out and perhaps won based on resourcefulness. The recipe required only egg whites, but one student took it upon herself to cook the leftover yolks into a delicious snack for everyone to enjoy (perhaps to wash down the sweetness)! Other lessons from this past semester included“How to Buy Milk Tea”“High School in the U.S. vs. Taiwan”“Taiwanese and American Fashions”and an English scavenger hunt. I sincerely hope that we have been able to enhance our students' English learning. What have I learned from the students? Most likely more than what we have taught them! I am inspired by our students' sense of initiative. This club was not required or forced upon any of the students. They show up each week because they have a clear goal to practice and improve their English. They remind me to identify and seek out opportunities and experiences that fit in with my own growth and goals.
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Sailing through Summer
I can still remember the pastel pink and yellow flowers of the spring day when my Dad bought our sail boat. I was eight years old and had mixed feelings about the boat. On the one hand, it was awe inspiring to sit in its hull while my dad drove us through town with the sailboat perched upon a rickety trailer. On the other hand, it seemed to be a rather superfluous expense. I did not learn about my father's history with sailboats until many years later. It turns out that he used to work in Boston's shipyard furnishing yachts for the wealthy. He designed, carved, and polished the wood with his bare hands, yet never owned one himself. The 32 foot sailboat that was now a part of our family was not just a frivolous purchase. For him, it represented the end of serving others and the beginning of living life for himself. The boat was old and not well taken care of, but he fixed it up and even let me help with the painting. When we finally got it out on the lake where my aunt and uncle lived, I was excited. The sails were billowing beautifully in the wind, like clouds in the sky. The sun was shining, and I now wanted to learn how to sail. I let go of my doubts and whole heartedly hopped on board. I ended up having a fairly debilitating fear of sailing for the first few years that we had the boat due to a traumatic experience being caught in a thunderstorm. However, I eventually overcame my aquatic anxiety. Sailing then became a family bonding experience. The sailboat serves to remind me of a time when I would take turns reading Harry Potter aloud with my mother, or anchor the boat and swim in the lake. I recently learned that my father sold our sailboat. The news brought back a myriad of memories of summers past. I always remember the smell of smoke in the air as my uncle barbequed, or the soft grass under my feet in the yard by the dock. Mostly, though, I remember how we made a small home out on the water every summer.
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Wind Lion Hunting
After hearing about all of the Wind Lions on Big Kinmen for several months, I talked with my co-teacher Charlotte Hung and 2nd grade teacher Avia Chao at my school 上岐. They told me that there used to be some sort of prize for people who visited all of the Wind Lions on the island. I had read a little about the "competition" on the Internet back in July 2013, but no one on Kinmen ever mentioned it. I figured that the competition either stopped or the website was wrong. Now, it turns about that people still explore Kinmen trying to find all of the Wind Lions as a hobby. It sounded fun and a nice way to see new parts of the island, so I decided to start "hunting" for as many Wind Lions as possible before I left in July. On weekends, with my map in hand, I'd hop on my scooter and try to locate as many statues as time or patience would allow. I found all of the Wind Lions in Jincheng and Jinning rather quickly in just one weekend. However, I was warned that the hard part was in Shamei because a large percentage of the Wind Lions were located in that township due to the northeast wind. I did not know that Shamei was the windiest part of the island, and, therefore, it needed the most protection. My first outing in Shamei proved to be the most frustrating because several of the statues are located in people's yards, inside walls, or even on rooftops. I only expected them to be placed in weird positions-I did not think that some would be miniscule in size or so deteriorated from erosion that they are barely noticeable. I didn't give up. With the help of locals and my limited Chinese-"風獅爺在哪裡?"-I located some of the more difficult ones to find in the small villages. The most difficult one to locate turned out to be an embarrassing example of lack of attention on my part. I drove by the statue several times, but never turned my head in the right direction. After 45 minutes of searching, I found it waiting for me out in the open. After a couple of weeks of "hunting" Wind Lions, my co-teacher Charlotte Hung told me that the map and book I used as a reference were outdated and that there were really over 100 statues, not 70-something. My heart dropped because I knew that I wouldn't have enough time to find them all-how could I find a statue that was not on a map? I did not give up because this newfound hobby showed me new parts of Kinmen. I began to understand the layout of villages and where the statues would most likely be found within one. I'll never get to see them all, but the journey is definitely worth taking.
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My Cross-Cultural Karate Family
When I first moved to Kinmen as a foreign English teacher, my primary concern was learning how to teach. After a month in the classroom, I grew increasingly confident in my teaching abilities, and my new concern became how to live outside of school. Working with elementary school students can be mentally and emotionally exhausting in a way that left me wondering who I was besides "Teacher Sky." The answer to that came when I decided to become a student again. In October, I started to attend karate classes taught by two American brothers who are also foreign English teachers. Samuel and Ethan Bavido are both black belts trained by the American Bushido-Kai Karate Association (ABKA). The Bavidos share their martial arts expertise by holding classes twice a week for free as a form of Christian ministry. Students are of all ability levels and range in age from sixth graders to college students to working professionals. I began as a white belt at about the same time as two other students - a foreign exchange student from France and a National Quemoy University student in the English Department. The three of us became close friends, and after four months of training, we all passed our yellow belt tests. Our friendship began as we learned the Japanese names for stances and the proper technique for a front kick. We now get dinner together after class and hang out on weekends. I first joined karate class because I thought it would be good exercise. It has been. I had never tried a contact sport before and was surprised by how quickly I took to it. Karate is more about fighting defensively than offensively, but in order to practice good muscle memory, there is a certain amount of hand-to-hand contact required. At the beginning, the idea of exchanging blows with a fellow student felt strange. Now, months later, I enjoy when we spar because it gives students of all ranges a chance to exercise their skills in an un-choreographed manner. This particular karate class is more than practice and routine. It is also definitely more than sparring and light exercise. ABKA is a cross-cultural community that I am proud to be a part of. It's the people involved who have made this class a consistent highlight of each week. White belt (beginner) ABKA classes are offered at 18:30, Monday and Thursday at the Jincheng Junior High School gym. Upper belt class (intermediate-advanced) are directly after, beginning at 19:30.
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英文原來這樣說 (English is A Piece of Cake)
旅館英文第二篇到囉!當旅行計畫在腦海醞釀時,很自然都會想到「住宿」問題和早就盼望已久必逛景點或美食,但如果沒有選擇適合的住處可是會讓這趟精心策劃的假期大打折扣了。有鑒於此,我也開始從沙發客網站接待許多國外的朋友和各地的老朋友到家裡體驗台灣生活,你只要準備convertible sofa就可以在不佔空間又可以和老友暢快的聊到深夜了! A convertible sofa has a mattress underneath that can be pulled out at night to sleep on. 所謂的convertible sofa就是伸縮沙發(床),平時是在客廳看電視的軟鬆座椅,晚上客人就可以睡在這裡很寬敞也不影響主人的作息或去擠主臥房(master room),記得復活節(Easter)時到朋友家過節就是睡在convertible sofa上一夜到天明,到現在都還很感謝他們如此體貼又好客的招待;而常攜帶收納方便的摺疊傘就是convertible umbrella(=reflective umbrella)喔,但是好像無法承受(withstand 103年指考單字)太大風雨的襲擊呢!! 老師也非常喜歡到生活風格店去採購許多讓家裡空間更溫馨和舒適的小物,像是cushion,原指緩衝外力的物體,後來也有沙發上的靠墊意思,每次都會選購很可愛的動物造型或上頭有調皮水果表情,讓回家變成非常安心又充滿創意的園地喔!那能夠舉一反三的同學應該立刻會舉手問老師:「那車輛上的安全氣囊可以緩衝車禍的撞擊,也可以這樣使用嗎?」這樣的聯想受到老師的高度肯定而且很必要的,學習語言如果無法觸類旁通是會很混亂所以溫故知新是很重要的。好!那老師就來解答同學的疑惑:所謂的安全氣囊是airbag,千萬不要跟拿來放食物保鮮的真空袋airtight bag搞混了,在醫院如果聽到醫生說" Bag the patient now!"就是快點擠壓氧氣補給立即供應患者大腦氧氣,這些都是非常實用的表達喔!!另外分享一個生活小常識:當緊急情況公共場所有人需要用自動體外心臟去顫器(AED:Automated External Defibrillator) 是一種可以攜帶的醫療設備,它可以診斷特定的心律不正,並且給予去顫電擊,專門為急救瀕臨猝死病患的儀器。 這時候相關人員準備電擊前大喊:Clear!退後或不要靠近!,你可別誤聽為「清楚了嗎?」甚至你聽到警方說:Freeze!也千萬不要輕舉妄動,在國外體制中警察有當場擊斃任何有攻擊意圖的嫌疑犯,所以不管在機場或路上都要聽懂這救命的指示! EX:The airbags serve as the cushion against the impact caused by the car collision so as to significantly reduce the degree of the injury and the casualties. (安全氣囊可以在車輛相撞時緩衝外力,有效降低傷亡程度。) The name for the large pillows on a sofa is a cushion. 很多同學讀完上期的飯店住宿英文才發現學問很多吧?也了解原來surname=family name=last name都是指華人的「姓」,這可是在機場櫃台報到、護照查驗台和飯店入住的基本英文,萬一行李轉盤裡看不到自己的luggage就要立刻通知在場的櫃檯人員,而你的資料也需要last name來做快速的搜尋;也知道千萬不要悶著頭不理Housekeeping,到時後就別怪飯店人員以為房客離開而闖進來清潔了。當然,到了各國都有付小費(Tip)的國際禮儀,老師建議可以準備一塊美金放在床頭櫃上給辛苦的房務員,在澳洲打工度假的學生還在飯店裡收到客人留下的精美甜點犒賞她的付出,這真是非常大的鼓勵呢!最近泰國的國際飯店也推出eco-friendly policy(環保政策)在毛巾上放上標語" I will still use the towel as the first step of protecting our earth"(我會繼續使用同條毛巾,這是保護我們地球的第一步。),可以有效率地減少用水量和洗潔劑使用,讓整體環境都可以有機會修復和永續發展,掛上一個充滿環保意識(environment-aware)的牌子讓這趟住宿更有意義。想必上次的內容同學感到非常喜愛想要多學一點,那就讓老師分享更多實用的飯店旅遊英文吧! 3.早餐篇:Bonjour, Time for Breakfast! Concierge:A;Guest:B(櫃臺接待人員:A;房客:B) A: Morning sir, this is your wake-up call at 7 a.m.. And our housekeeping service will start from 8 to 11 a.m.. and our breakfast will be available from 7-9. 先生您早,這是您七點的提醒起床電話。我們的房間打掃服務會從早上八點到十一點開始進行,而我們的早餐於七點到九點供房客用餐。 B:Thanks for your calling and does the accommodate rate include the breakfast? And I don't need any housekeeping with all my stuff scattered all over the floor, could you inform them of that? 謝謝,請問住宿費有包含早餐嗎?還有我的個人用品滿地都是還不需要房間打掃,你可以替我報備嗎? A:First, the complimentary breakfast is included in your payment and we can certainly save you some sandwiches and bread if you miss it. Second, if the housekeeping is not needed, please hang the sign " No Disturbance" on the door knob. 首先,您的房價已經包含免費的早餐,如果您會錯過這個時間,我們會替您留些三明治和麵包。再者,如果不需要房務清潔,請在門把上掛著「請勿打擾」就可以了! B:Got it! That's very kind of you 那我了解了,您費心了! &Scatter(v.)散落;散佈 EX.:The sky is scattered with stars bright and so far-fetched. 天空佈滿星辰如此明亮而遙不可及。 由流行鄉村歌手Lady Antebellum(懷舊女郎)所演唱的" Need You Now" 歌詞裡面就提到: "Picture perfect memories, scattered all around the floor. Reaching for the phone call, I can't fight it anymore, and I wonder if I ever cross your mind." 過去美好的畫面,都散落在每個角落。我再也無法抵抗想打給你的衝動,而且我也想知道是否你也想起了我。 是不是非常美的歌詞,也表達在感情中的折騰和心情起伏呢!當你想念一個人你會用怎樣的文字去表達呢?I can't live with you just like I cannot live without oxygen. 口語秒殺表達句: ●Got it! 我懂了!/拿到了!= I understand.=I get your point.= The message is clear. ●Got you! 我逮到你了= You are screwed!= You are a dead meat! ●That beats me! 真考倒我了!=I am so clueless.= It's beyond my knowledge. ●Please keep me posted!有任何隨時通知我 ●I'd like to make a long-distance call.我想撥打長途電話 ●I'll take it as a compliment!我當你在誇獎我囉! →compliment (v.)(n.)誇獎恭維;complimentary=free of charge免費 同學要把supplement(n.)營養補給品和complement(n.)補充物做區別。 (有時候不清楚對方是在諷刺tease或是真心誇獎praise時,這句話就可以拿來救急了。) ●Socks on the doorknob襪子在門把?通常美國大學生活中很常見的表達語,代表事先通知宿舍室友自己有訪客前來,可能會有些打擾了,也會體貼在對方桌上放著旅館費用,讓室友委屈一晚了。 ●The room smells moldy and reeks of cigarettes. You need to spray some air freshener.這房間有霉味還充斥著菸臭味,真該噴點空氣清香劑。 4. 詢問篇:Where to go? A. How far is it from the hotel to downtown? (請問飯店這裡到市區有多遠?) B. Are there any brochures available about your city? (請問還有介紹這座城市的手冊嗎?) C. Should I sign up for the Stonehenge tour here? (巨石群之形需要在這裡報名嗎?) D.The local travel agency can arrange one-day cruise for tourists? (這裡的旅行社可以替旅客安排一日遊輪行嗎? E. Do you take traveler's check? (你們收旅遊支票嗎?→請特別注意信用卡和旅遊支票都要用中文簽名,萬一遺失才不會馬上被盜用喔!) 5. 退房篇:Check-out / Getting to the airport Concierge: A;Guest:B(櫃臺接待人員:A;房客:B) A:Did you enjoy your stay with us? 在本飯店休息都還滿意嗎? B:Actually, PASSABLE. But, I now need to get to the airport. I have a flight that leaves in about three hours, so what is the quickest way to get there? 還行啦!但我現在必須就要到機場了,我班機三個小時內就要飛了,現在怎麼去是最快的方法? A:We do have a free airport shuttle service/courtesy bus service. 我們有免費的機場接駁車 B:That sounds great, but will it get me to the airport on time? 聽起來不錯呢!但我這樣還能準時趕到機場嗎? A:Yes, it should be. The next shuttle leaves in 15 minutes, and it takes almost 40 minutes to get to the airport. 應該可以的。下班街駁車15分鐘內就要開了,但要花40分鐘才會到機場喔! B:That's a great relief. I'll just wait in the lounge area. Will you please let me know when it will be leaving? 真讓我鬆口氣了,那我就在休息區等等好了。你可以讓我知道他哪時候要開走嗎? A:Of course, sir. Before you depart would you be able to settle the mini-bar bill? 先生當然沒問題!但您可能要在離開前,先結算在酒吧消費喔! B:Sure thing. How much will that be? 這是應該的。那總共多少錢呢? A:Let's see. The bill comes to $80 with tips included. How would you like to pay for that? 好的我看看,總共是八十塊美金含小費,您付款的方式為? B:I'll pay by my Master Card, thanks. But I'll need a receipt as the proof my expenses so that it will be fully reimbursed in the accounting department. 謝謝,我用萬事達卡付費。但我需要收據以玆證明付費證明,之後才能回公司跟會計部人員報賬。 A:Absolutely. Here we are sir. If you like you can leave your luggage with the porter and he can load them onto the shuttle for you when it arrives. 好的。這樣就可以了先生。如果可以就把您的行李留給搬運人員等車來了就可以搬運上接駁車。 B:That would be great thank you. 那真是太好了,感謝。 A:Would you like to have some feedback on the hotel guestbook too while you wait? B:Sure, I had a really good stay here and I'll recommend your hotel to others to come here.『特別提醒:住院可別用live in the hospital(居住或生活在醫院)→stay at the hospital(短期停留在醫院)才對』 的確,我這幾天的確很享受在這裡的住宿,而且會推薦貴飯店給朋友來入住。 A:That's good to hear. Thank you again for staying at Paradise Resort Hotel. 那可真是太好了,感謝您再次入住天堂渡假村飯店。 『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)
「或許在三十歲前去國外打工度假是不錯的計畫?」、「趁大學開學前我來背包行腳感受世界的生活型態吧!」、「爸媽!我想知道自己的英文程度是否可以應付實際生活的考驗,所以我想去英國唸語言學校好嗎?」、「老師,出國很危險對不對?要是不懂英文產生誤會或是被坑了就糟糕了!」。每年只要暑假前就會接到很多親朋好友家長學生電話詢問,其實不論是出國旅遊或是背包打工等行程都是非常好實現夢想和體會外國生活的方法呢!在本專欄開刊的時候,老師就以英國背包的生活經驗和習慣用語分享給大家,但是其實家人最擔心的就是你的「落腳處」。特別是歐美的大雪季,就算有錢也不見得有地方住,所以事前訂房就變得十分重要了!還記得老師第一次去英國背包要去超過十個城市,其實在倫敦慢活將近十天之久,擔心之餘書信往返我還非常雞婆熬夜到半夜打去當地確認。其實,根本不用這麼麻煩,今天有幸翻到老師的專欄就要告訴你許多旅遊訂房的小撇步喔! 另外還有加碼內容由正在國際大飯店工作的Hugo Chen親自來信提問遇到的問題和如何應變客人的要求等等,想必同學也能獲益良多喔!那就準備開始今天的精采內容,好好保存就是你的出國寶典了。 【如何選擇價格實在又安全的住處呢?】 提醒:一個城市最少要安排兩天一夜的行程,才能從容應對非預期的行程變更。 那就請來參加國際比價網:http://www.funtime.com.tw/ovehotel/ 裡面的實用資訊包羅萬象從國際機票、國內外民宿飯店、租車訊息和匯率比價通通都有,可以讓你好好精打細算又可以安心規劃旅程,真是一舉數得。 首先設定好國家及入住(check-in)和退房(check-out)日期,就可以輕鬆找到理想的價錢和位置,但同學千萬不要只是看了價錢偏高都不考慮,可以注意搜尋出的資訊旁有個「地理位置」,打開地圖確認後,如果離車站步行20分鐘內或離景點不遠其實可以認真考慮,不然人生地不熟有時候火車又delay,到當地又是黑漆漆一片,那才是叫天天不應的無助感呢!當然這個網站最棒的地方就是「中文講解」和「住宿心得」,住宿環境品質都一目暸然囉!也不需要害怕英文不夠好而浪費時間查單字又不得其門而入了!這下子出國的動力是否更大了呢?有了舒適的住處才能讓旅程在獲得充足休息後更加順利。 &飯店網站常見的重要單字介紹:多益閱讀測驗必考單字 1.contact information聯絡資訊(電話或電子郵件地址) 2.location & transportation(地點及抵達交通方式) 3.accommodation rate(住宿費用:rate表示隨匯率有所變動的費用) 4.room size (房間尺寸) 5.prospective guest(即將入住的房客) 6.booking record(訂房紀錄) 7.deposit w/ credit, refundable(限用信用卡付訂金,可退還) 8.non-smoking floor禁煙樓層 9.electronic key(E-card) /sensor key電子鑰匙 10.Gourmet (美食館用餐訊息) 11.Facilities(相關服務設施) 12.laundry service(洗衣服務) 13.Travel Guide(旅行導覽) ※實境英文訓練及狀況應對:飯店篇 1.入住篇:Check-in Concierge: A ;Guest: B(櫃臺接待人員:A ;房客:B) A: Welcome to Paradise Resort Hotel, may I help you? 飯店人員:歡迎光臨天堂渡假飯店 B: Oh, yes! I'd like to check in for my five-day stay in your hotel. 房客:喔,是的!我想要入住你們飯店五天。 A: Sure, what's the name under the reservation? 飯店人員:沒問題,請問是登記在誰的名下呢? B: Excuse me? You meant my full name? 房客:不好意思,你是指我的全名嗎? A: Just your surname please. 飯店人員:麻煩只要你的姓就好。 B: My surname name is Wang, W-A-N-G. 房客:我的姓是「王」,英文拼音是W-A-N-G.。 A: Alright, I do have your booking information for a business suite. Here's your room key and here's a reminder that all the refreshments in your room will be clearly priced if you feel like having some and just make the payment when you return the electronic key. Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions. Enjoy your stay! 飯店人員:好的,我確實有你所預定的商務套房資訊。這是你的房間鑰匙還有提醒您所有在房間的點心都有明確標上價錢,如果您想享用可以在退房那天連同電子鑰匙一起付清費用即可。如果您有任何問題請放心詢問,希望您入住愉快。 旅遊小筆記: 其實在世界各地有不同類型的住宿環境,你知道幾種呢? ●Inn原意為客棧但其實都是該地區的有相當規模飯店,光是老師學校附近的Canada Inn就有十五層樓高,還以為是卡通獵人裡的天空競技場呢! ●Motel靠近高速公路旁替長途趕路的旅人而建立的並聯式房間,通常電影裡都會看到上頭招牌有大大的" Vacant Rooms有空房"或是" All Occupied房間全滿" ●Villa Resort很明顯Villa別墅通常靠近海岸邊享受海風吹拂,遠離都會區享受非常愜意的生活,除了大家所熟知的觀光景點,其實只要搭小船都可以抵達島上的Villa Resort享受貴賓般的待遇也不會有人擠人的煩躁了! ●Youth Hotel青年旅社其實是開放給國際學生或預算較少的朋友們去居住!環境很簡單也有很多機會和各國背包客交流資訊和一起出遊呢!下次有機會還可以到對方國家去參訪,等於住宿和遊覽地陪都一次擁有喔! ●Hostel Travel lodge ●Log Cabin小木屋完全是童話故事中被濃密森林所覆蓋住的小矮人住家,不管是醒著或入睡都在大自然的環境中確實很心曠神怡。也由於現在很多觀光區也開放旅客進駐並且有觀光行程遊覽,讓這些名勝風光都有機會讓外地遊客一睹風采。但真的要小心用火和烹煮的動作,以免小木屋變成營火晚會了,這可要留下來洗盤子還債。大家出遊還是要謹慎些呢! ●Squat Apartment如果拜讀過連美恩所書寫的沙發客紀實,就會了解在歐洲國家特別是荷蘭,只要房子超過一年都沒有接水電的情況下,入住的客人就可以暫時待著甚至還可以成為房子的合法繼承人喔,這種行為就叫做Squat,原意是「蹲下」延伸的意思就是「佔據房子」的意思,應該很好理解喔! 【20-bedded room? 20個房間嗎?】各位同學看到別害怕,這裡的意思是指一個大房間中有20個旅客共同居住,如果身上有貴重物品也要特別注意喔!也會採取上下舖(bunk bed)的睡法,若是無法忍受別人的打呼聲或是淺眠者(因為通常有房客需要凌晨離開趕火車,所以行李收放都會產生不小的聲響喔! 2. 抱怨篇:What happened to my room? Concierge: A ;Guest: B(櫃臺接待人員:A;房客:B) A: This is front desk, what could I do for you? 櫃檯您好,請問有任何需要服務的地方嗎? B: Yes, plenty of. First, my toilet is flooding all over the floor after using and my water heater is obviously not working so that I may catch a cold for such poor service. 是的,非常多。首先我的廁所使用後淹水淹到整個地板都是而且我的熱水器也沒反應,這麼糟糕的設備讓我都快感冒了。 A: I feel terribly sorry for all you have experienced, and I will immediately call the plumber and the technician up to your room for prompt check and repairs. Again, we'll be fully responsible for your stay and comfort. Since you still have four days before check-out, we'll arrange to the room next to yours for well-equipped facilities and a bottle of premium red wine as the token of our apology. 對於您所經歷的這些狀況我深感抱歉,我會立刻派水電工和技師到您的房間去做立即的檢測和修理。再者,我們會負起全責讓您入住舒適。既然您還有四天才退房,我們將安排您到隔壁設備良好的房間進行盥洗,也附上高級紅酒當做我們陪罪的一點心意。 飯店必學句(中文) 英文翻譯 我的廁所塞住了 My toilet is clogged. 我找不到吹風機 There's no way I can find the hairdryer. 窗簾怎會卡住了 Why is the curtain stuck there? 床單上怎會有污漬 How could the bed sheet get stained? 請再給我兩條毛巾 Please bring me another two towels! 有提供免費早餐嗎? Do you offer any complimentary breakfast? 有飯店到機場的接駁車嗎? Are there any shuttle buses from the hotel to the airport? 注意courtesy bus才是免費的通車服務喔! ※腦力激盪問題:請問房客遇到哪些問題呢? A: Fine, that sounds reasonable. ●通常業界禮貌稱呼所有的接待人員都是receptionist,比如婚禮的接待人員wedding receptionist來替新人雙方家庭款待客人並引導入場;在飯店裡頭就複雜多了,行李服務員是bellhop,而櫃檯負責安排入住退房的是concierge/ front desk,而早上都會敲門詢問是否要客房清潔的是housekeeper/maid,餐廳裡頭的服務員是waiter喔!可別弄錯。另外如果早上不希望被打擾或希望保持現況,可以在門口掛上" No Housekeeping",或是對方詢問時可以說:「Please come back in the afternoon.」可以讓你好好享受早上的悠閒時光而不會被吸塵器弄得心情很BLUE了,萬一都不回話客房清潔人員可是會拿著萬能鑰匙Master Key進來喔,到時候可尷尬到極點了! ●房間的種類選擇有哪些呢? A. Presidential Suite 總統套房B. Business Suite 商務套房C. King -Size Bed 特大床(由三張雙人床所組成)D. Queen -Size Bed大床(由兩張雙人床所組成) E. Double Room 雙人床(兩張床合在一起)F. Twin Room 雙人床(兩張分開的床)G. Single Room 單人房 H. Bunk Bed上下舖(軍舖) I. Attic樓中樓(屋頂很近) 『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)
放眼全世界的英文檢定考試,不外乎都在著重聽力與寫作的題型,好像不得不去書店搶購一本世界偉人演講精選集或新聞英文名言語錄,在各大重要就職典禮或國家領導人所謹慎擬出的內容可屬珍貴,但老掛在嘴上可會變成掉書袋,原封不動就失去創意性了。學習從寫作表達句中提升用字和豐富結構,肯定會讓讀者更有耳目一新。從102和103年的學測指考題型就可以瞭解,專家學者對於英文教育程度提升有長足的進步和大幅度的修改,不但將國外常見生活用字放進考題中,更有國際型水準的圖表題型出籠,完全不輸世界留學語言測驗的英國雅思和美國托福,商業時事單字也提醒各位同學要觸類旁通時事議題。 生活小字典 各位同學在國外使用皮膚藥膏、保養品、各類食品產品上都會有清楚英文標示: --If you experience any irritations, please consult your doctor before use. irritate(v.)惹怒或引起不適→irritation(n.) 另外老師在補充幾種身體不舒服的相關語吧! (A) I have felt so itchy after using that herbal soap. 用了那個藥皂我全身發癢。 (B) The stuffy hot weather gave me the rashes all over my back. 這種悶熱的天氣讓我整個背都發紅疹。 (C) The sea wave made me really nauseous. 這海浪讓我非常想吐。 (D) That violent movie was so disturbing that I cringed at the corner of my chair. 我非常不喜歡這部電影,所以我整個瑟縮在椅子邊。 (E) My gums were terribly swollen and it gave me a restless night. 我的牙齦腫得很嚴重,整晚都睡不著。 (F) Jay is now having the heart-attack, please call an ambulance. 傑現在心臟病發,請叫救護車。(此為實例) EX.:Peanut butter will irritate my stomach.(花生醬引起胃部不適。) 前陣子房地產(real estate )議題炒很兇甚至還入題了,國際也吹起了回鄉勞工潮減低房租(rent)壓力,這與之前往都市發展而導致的人力外流(brain drain)現象形成對比。想必大家對於商業區(commercial areas)、都會區(metropolitan areas)、住宅區(residential areas)、工業區(industrial areas→industrious是指「勤勉努力的」=diligent請注意喔!)、郊區(in the suburbs=on the outskirts)、鄉村地帶( the rural areas=in the countryside)都很熟悉,也是翻譯題的最愛。政府與人民因理念不同或涉及利益衝突(conflict of interests)而對於都更案(Urban Renewal Project)有些歧見,引發社會各界的關注,就連即將啟動的桃園航空城計畫(Taoyuan Aerotropolis)也是影響台灣未來與國際接軌的重要工程也是經過許多的協調和開了無數場人民大會(convention)才如期進行(proceed as anticipated)。那就來練習大考的經典題目吧! 1.都會地區的高房價對社會產生的嚴重的衝擊。 The high house (housing) price in metropolitan areas has given rise to a severe impact. *扣分焦點: A.很多英文學習者都容易忘記主詞與動詞單複數型的一致性,翻譯中的"price"與"has"就是很容易因為areas寫成have了! B.其實在做正式簡報或商業書信使用:give rise to屬於學術型寫作,在第一時間表達會顯得冗長和不明確,建議大家可以使用: →A+ led(leads) to + B/ A + contributes(d) to + B / A + results(ed) in + B cause可以簡單得分,但如果是正式場合表達會顯得過於隨便。 2.政府正推出新的政策,以滿足人們的住房需求。 The government is now launching a news strategy so as to satisfy people's housing demand. 「打房」一詞的翻譯,視不同狀況下強調不同的意涵。 奢侈稅=luxury tax; 新加坡用 property tax 高房價=house/housing price hike/s 打房=制抑高房價=fight/ease/blast/cool housing price hike *扣分焦點: A.很多中高級程度的考生都會在時態上判斷過久而錯失考試寶貴時間,至少要留10分鐘來檢查翻譯寫作內容和15分鐘來確認前面填寫選擇是正確完整的。在華語師資課程中的經驗可以跟大家分享: →中文裡「了」、「已經」:就是代表已經完成動作指令,所以可以用『現在完成式』或『簡單過去式』就可以表達句意。 EX.:The new software was recently installed for use exclusively for school faculty. →中文裡「到……時候才」,代表是未來某時間才會達到完成指令,所以使用『未來完成式』。 EX.:Raymond will have worked in this company for ten years next June. →中文裡『前幾天』: few days ago= the other day(非未來語態) →中文裡『兩週一次』: every two weeks =fortnightly →中文裡『每年度』: every year =annually →中文裡『當時或到時候(過去未來皆適用)』: then( See you then.) B. launch (v.)原指火箭(skyrocket)要準備發射的預備動作,後來用在非常廣泛的狀況,另外物價飆漲也可以說(The cost of living is skyrocketing/soaring.)都非常重要喔!: & launch the new product介紹新品 & launch (stage) a demonstration發起示威 & launch a campaign開展宣傳活動 & launch a strategy推出策略 而政府的「實施政策」會用到【implement the policy】慎用單字。 那麼接下來Brian老師要帶領同學一起來動動筆,讓你從最簡單最生活化的句型瞬間提昇你的表達能力而不費吹灰之力喔! 《中翻英》學生答案:A;老師答案:B 1.下課後,我都直接去補習班。 A:After school, I usually go directly to the cram school. B:I always head to the cram after the school is dismissed. 解析: 『head』用的非常巧妙,從頭部轉品為「前進前往」,是否更加生動活潑了呢!而且學校下課或隊伍解散都可以用dismiss,若是人則是被「開除」了!而且偷偷分享小秘訣,盡量不要把句子分開寫,好好利用連接詞可以一氣呵成。 2.台灣高中目標為升學和美國高中差別甚大。 A: Taiwan high school aims at advanced education, which is totally different from American high school. B: The goal of Taiwan high school centered on studying further is different from that of American high school. 解析: →B句很明顯把台灣高中的「目標」和美國高中的「目標=THAT」作對比,可以運用在很多情況:如兩地天氣或兩物價錢等等。 3.威利沒想到自己竟然可以三天內學會開車。 A: Willy never thought that he could learn to drive within three days. B: Unexpectedly, Willy learned how to drive in three days. 解析: 大家下筆都會急著把會的單字通通逐字逐句翻出來,曾經讀過的經典片語都忘了用出來。許多漂亮的語氣轉折語都可以讓說話者語氣更清楚(Surprisingly,…./ Ironically,/ Amazingly,./Unbelievably,./ Unfortunately,);而這邊使用到學習某技巧的經典說法:learn how to + VR( play the piano/ski/ swim/ dive/ operate the machinery….)同學可要多注意;而時間表達介係詞也是大家沒搞清楚的重點:within+不確定的一段時間,而in+明確有限制的時間長度中。 4.你可以為我破例一次嗎? A: Can you break the rule for me once? B: Could you bend the rule for me this time? 解析: 聰明的同學肯定立刻分辨出Can與Could 的禮貌用法。可惜地,大家在口語上卻很常說I want this or Give me that,可是很粗鄙(vulgar)又失國際水準呢! I feel like +V-ing /N. /Np.= I would/love to VR.= I tend to我通常都…. VR. V.S. I intend to VR.我籌備著要…… 5.對西方人來說,與其花時間在背誦內容倒不如養成獨立思考和快速吸收大量資料的能力。 A: To westerners, it's better to develop the independent thinking and quickly acquire the ability of absorbing a large amount of information. B: To westerns, they would rather spend more time cultivating the critical thinking as well as the approaches to absorbing the considerable amount of information. 解析: 其實本句在於如何重組結構,不僅好讀也很好念。這裡老師分享一個心得,如果一個很拗口或難以表達情感的句子,通常都需要重新修改和替換用字的!同學看到句子寫下翻譯,卻沒注意到對象"Westerners"和中文句中沒有的"They"來敘述說明對象,而且其實對於國外的朋友來說所謂的「獨立性思考」事實上就是「批判性思考」,甚至還是國外必修課之一呢!這就是文化差異要注意的部份了!【養成】使用Develop確實合適,但用起Cultivate就會更有層次,因為就是從Culture(文化)來的!而多半對於數量詞概念很薄弱的台灣學子對於大量時間只會想到" a lot of ",其實英文文章都很常使用" consider amount of"等等做表達為佳句連結。這裡的能力也可以用「方法」會更貼切,"Approach"其實是從字根proach捕捉而來,所以學習的能力或方法技巧都可以使用該字,要形容一個人能夠讓大家都主動接近和吸引認識就是很有親和力的『Approachable』,當然心胸寬大的『Accommodating』朋友也是很值得我們珍惜。 『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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In Praise of Kinmen's Architecture
I come from a neighborhood in America with identical concrete streets and similar-looking-houses on similarly-sectioned, similarly-manicured lots. In the 1960s, Malvina Reynolds wrote Little Boxes, a song about the suburban developments occurring a ten-minute drive away from my house: "...Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes all the same." Until I had access to a public transit pass, my world was just these identical homes and the nearby mall. In the same way that the 'modern' uniformity of the suburbs comforted new residents, the mall seems to be a universal comfort. This might be because of the perceived familiarity of it all--brands we know, products we know, under florescent lights and tiled floors, behind glass doors. Perhaps the gratification of a mall is that it is simultaneously 'modern' consumer culture, as well as devoid of culture. One doesn't get the sense that there's a story behind the number of stairs, or the placement of tiles, or the colors in these structures. It is 'simply a mall,' or it's 'simply a house." I love my neighborhood, but as a child, I couldn't help but feel an inexplicable sterility to these boxes upon boxes. Arriving in Kinmen was a welcome change for me: pastoral, distinct, and filled with symbolism in its architecture. The first time I entered a traditional Kinmen home, I was in awe. The grand wooden doors opened to reveal a beautiful courtyard with well-manicured potted plants lining the red brick walls. The amount of craftsmanship that went into the extensive, individualized tiles and varying patterns in brickwork, as well as the delicately curved roofs, reminded me of the ornate details of religious buildings. Upon entering the fragrant bedrooms, I was reminded of my childhood desire to live in a tree house--the loft beds required a ladder to climb up, where it smelled even more like cedar wood. I couldn't believe that people live in such beautiful homes. Meanwhile, as I walked around, my friend explained the details. "This is the gong tile. See how it looks like the character for 'work'?" "And this is the ren tile. See how it looks like 'person'?" "These windows indicate that its the home of a wealthy person. See the number of slits in the window?" "And this is a swallowtail roof, that's a saddleback roof, and that's how you can tell the difference between temples and homes." The floors suddenly seemed more than red geometric tiles, and the walls and roofs were beyond beautiful parts of the structure. Everything seemed to have meaning. After living in Kinmen, I can no longer see a house as simply a house, but as a beacon where messages of family, religion, hopes, natural emblems, and history seem to shout through the tiles.
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Independence Day
Summer is around the corner, which means Independence Day is on its way in the United States. The holiday marks America's separation from Great Britain. From 1775 to 1783, 13 British colonies in North America fought a war of independence to establish a new nation: the United States of America. Independence Day is also known as "The Fourth of July" since it occurs on July 4th. On July 4, 1776, the colonies announced their separation from Great Britain. The federal holiday commemorates the sacrifices of our Founding Fathers in order to establish what we now recognize as the United States of America. It is a day filled with impressive fireworks, lively parades, public readings of the Declaration of Independence, concerts, picnics, and family gatherings. Some communities hold fairs for families to attend and celebrate together. Many households proudly display the American flag outside their front door. For most Americans, this holiday provides an opportunity to celebrate the foundations of American nationalism as well as enjoy the company of friends and family. Americans look forward to this special day with its showcases of national pride, feasting, and outdoor activities. My family has many Independence Day traditions. Every year on Independence Day, we wake up early to bake, cook, and barbecue. We spend the entire morning cooking some of our favorite meals. After participating in the culinary traditions of the holiday, all seven of us hit the road and heads towards the Mall of Georgia. During Independence Day, this mall hosts a number of spectacular events. For example, the mall is known for its Independence Day fireworks, concerts, and festival for kids. It is a great family-oriented way to celebrate the holiday especially for a family as big as mine. After watching the fireworks, we return home exhausted and curl up on the couch with a rented movie. Independence Day is celebrated in numerous ways, but celebrations generally occur outdoors. These outdoor celebrations make the 4th of July the perfect holiday to venture outside and witness the attractions. As a nationally celebrated holiday, Independence Day offers Americans an opportunity to celebrate the birth of our nation. The public parading of national pride, outdoor celebrations, and fireworks are a magnificent sight to behold. The day allows people to reflect on what the Founding Fathers did in order to establish the nation. The diverse nature of Independence Day celebrations reflects the diversity of our nation as well as the creativity of its people .
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Mother's Day at Jinning
Throughout the year, I have grown accustomed to celebrating holidays away from my family and with a Taiwanese flare. Little did I know, I would experience this Mother's Day from the vantage point of a teacher and access my own motherly side. While I showered my own mother with daughterly love, Mother's Day this year assumed a new form. I moved through the week with heart-warming awe at my students' talents-their artwork in Mother's Day lessons and their enthusiasm at our school's Mother's Day food and culture festival. Morning classes flew by with ease and excitement not only because it was Friday, but also because it was the morning of the school festival that would kick off Mother's Day weekend. Students pretended not to watch the soft serve ice cream announce its presence on campus, and parents showed up to set up food booths. Instead of burrowing into my cubicle and planning the classes for the next week, I spent my morning channeling my own excitement into constructing an ice cream sandwich sign for my booth. Anticipating a treat-filled afternoon, I ate a light lunch and moseyed over to the gym for the kickoff ceremony. Fifth grader emcees carried the event along, first welcoming the principal on stage followed by performances by each grade. The students must have been going for a broad theme of maternal appreciation, for the acts showcased baby Aladdin characters, leopard cowboys, dancing basketball stars, and fierce traditional drummers. Smartphones and iPads generously surrendered an hour of memory to capture every ounce of student devotion to maternal love. The party migrated outside where lines of parents and students slithered throughout the halls ready to devour overwhelming wafts of fried goodness. Students represented their homeroom classes from behind a variety of booths ranging from waffles and ice cream, to ball tossing games, to trinket shops, to soda floats. My station was positioned at the end of the main corridor and became a popular place for hungry and adventurous middle school students. After my "All American Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches" sold out, I made sure to shop at all booths. I'm glad I was able to spend this Mother's Day in a space where I could glean a sense of what it feels like to be a motherly figure by seeing my young pupils shine. Moreover, I saw how my students are capable of magic when they feel connected to the meaning behind school activities.
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Goodbye,Kinmen
Before coming to Kinmen in August, I had never heard of the place. One of my history professors remembered reading about it in the 1950s or 1960s due to China shelling the island, but he couldn't exactly remember many specifics. The internet did not help much, but I got a sense of what to expect on Kinmen. However, after arriving in August, all of my assumptions were shattered. I did not see any red warning signs noting minefields were somewhere nearby. It was not a war-torn military island-it was beautiful with finely kempt foliage lining the roads. I thought that I'd be very bored after spending a few months here because it's such a small island. I figured that I'd knock out all of the attractions and places to visit rather quickly. Once again, my expectations were wrong. I now realize that I do not have enough time left on Kinmen to do everything that I want to-find more wind lions, explore off-the-beaten-path beaches, visit more tunnels, and do some more hiking on Taiwu. Both Big and Little Kinmen are full of so many hidden treasures that it saddens me that not many people know what they have to offer to tourists. The museums and tunnels tell of a time that few people know about after the Chinese Civil War. The restaurants and food stands have delicious foods (fried oysters, shaved ice, taro, jian bing) and drink (kaoliang) that I will probably never have the pleasure of tasting after I leave Kinmen. One of my biggest fears about living so far away from home was being away from family and friends in America. I've never been away from home for so long, and I thought that it would take its toll on me. At times, homesickness struck, but for the most part, the new friends and "family" that I have made on Kinmen have helped me to enjoy my stay. I have made friends that I will keep for many, many years to come, and I am now a part of a family that I never expected to become a member of. The teachers, administrators, and students at 上岐 Elementary School welcomed me with open arms and took me in as one of their own immediately. They look out for me and still make sure that I am enjoying myself. On Monday nights, we have a small game night/conversation hour where we teach each other traditional games or discuss differences between the U.S. and Taiwan. Leaving these people will be one of the hardest parts as I begin the next chapter of my life. I've enjoyed my time on Kinmen so much that I applied for a scholarship to study in Taipei, which I received a few weeks ago. The goodbyes won't be so hard since I'll only be a plane ride away. Goodbye, Kinmen-for now.
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Trash Talk: Sense of Community; Collective Responsibility
To put it bluntly: I am lazy. Trash is unpleasant. It's unsurprising that the Taiwanese garbage system initially felt inconvenient and unpleasantto me. In America, I was accustomed to stuffing trash in bins, leaving them alone in front of my house, and trusting that the garbage worker would collect them. But when I considered the piles of litter on corners in my hometown, or the numerous tumbleweed-like shopping bags that floated on streets, I realized the beautiful social design of the Taiwanese trash collection system. In the American trash cycle, it is perhaps buy item, enjoy item, throw remnants of the item and its packaging away. You never think about it again as it treks to the landfill. In Taiwan, throwing away the trash is a literal exercise as well as an exercise in restraint, in consumer habits, in efficiency, and in social responsibility. On several occasions, I have announced that "I really need to stop buying things." This was because of how heavy each trash bag was and how sorting the trash made me aware of how many types of materials went into the packaging of every purchase. It was also because of how I felt much worse about the waste of the item than I felt good about the item I had purchased. By requiring citizens to literally hand the trash to the sanitary workers, it establishes a sense of community: not just toward getting to know your neighborhood garbage man or woman, but also your neighbors. Together, we wait while the garbage truck approaches, exchange glances, and often a smile. I can't imagine other occasions which invite small talk so naturally. In contrast, in my part of the American suburbs, I rarely had instances to talk to my neighbors. I can't even say I know their names. In handing trash to the sanitary worker, I am forced to confront the lifecycle of a product that became trash. We must sort them by plastics, papers, cans, and glassesto keep them pure with similar objects, so they can have another life and another use. The sanitary worker might shake their head when things are sorted improperly. They might even refuse to accept it. In some vaguely spiritual level, I appreciate this denial, as it gives respect to items as low as trash in that we must treat them mindfully. If we have done every step correctly in our trash sortingprocess, then the trash truck's mouth clamps down. In the vein of mindfulness, perhaps we can learn the most about ourselves in the way we treat the most unpleasant things. Even trash can provide a lesson. 『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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In Praise of Taiwan's Transportation
During Chinese New Year, I had a rare and enjoyable opportunity to travel part of Taiwan with my parents. We spent time in Taipei, Nantou, and Kaohsiung. Taiwan has an abundance of trees and foliage that are gloriously wild, and the rivers and lakes are very clean and fresh. The people we met were friendly, helpful, and patient. But besides the people and natural beauty, the transportation system impressed me.Taiwan's well-organized transportation system, from the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), to the High Speed Rail (HSR), to the buses, allowed us to visit so many places over a short period of time. Without all of that, we may never have left Taipei. I have always known that Taiwan is a technologically advanced country. But I never realized what a big difference combining technology with transportation could make in daily life. My family lives near San Francisco, California.San Francisco is a well-known city with many great sights, including Golden Gate Park, Alcatraz, and the Golden Gate Bridge. But getting around is not always easy. San Francisco does not have an MRT like Taipei or Kaohsiung. It does not have a subway or underground system besides the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), which travels to Berkeley, a city located across the bay. BART can be used to get in and out of San Francisco but is not helpful for getting around inside the city. Also, BART has a reputation for being dirtyand inefficient since it only runs a few times each day. Even the bus system in Taiwan, specifically inKinmen, is better than San Francisco's.There are many city buses in California, but I think the bus system in Kinmenis more prompt.San Francisco buses run on electricity or natural gas, which are better for the environment than diesel fuel, but the buses are not completely reliable.With San Francisco's many steep hills, it is easier to take a bus than to drive a car or motorcycle. Driving a car can be a problem not only because of challenging urban driving situations but also because of the lack of parking. San Francisco is one of my favorite cities in the world because of its architectural beauty and colorful history. However, it is definitely more difficult to navigate thanmany Taiwanese cities. California hopes to fix this problem. The government has approved ahigh-speed rail that will go from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Unfortunately, the trainis not scheduled to be completed until sometime between 2020 and 2030. It will take a long time and a lot of urban planning for my native city to be as efficient with transportation as similar cities in Taiwan. I hope that our engineers use Taiwan as an example because Taiwan's speed, competence, consistency, and customer service have made traveling here quite a treat. 『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 Purdy's Do Little Kinmen
In late March, my parents, David and Lynn, travelled to Kinmen to see what I had been up to for the past eight months. In order to give them a more authentic picture of my daily life, I brought them to my school, Xi Kou (西口國小), and had them act as "Foreign English Teachers" for the day. After their visit to Taiwan, I interviewed them about their day at school. Before arriving in Kinmen, how did you imagine the island? Were you concerned about not speaking the language? David: I thought the island would be much smaller and flatter with military installations everywhere. I didn't expect the natural beauty of the islands and was impressed with the nicely landscaped roads, renovated villages, and new houses For months prior to the trip, I listened to Mandarin Chinese CDs in the car and memorized phrases such as, "Do you speak English?" and "I don't understand Chinese." Upon arrival at the hotel in Jincheng, I tried these lines and was met with blank stares. I then switched to English and they understood me. Were you nervous about spending a day as a "foreign teacher" in an elementary school? David: Surprisingly, yes! I do a lot of public speaking for my job, but I did feel anxious about getting up in front of classroom full of children. Maybe I was worried about doing something that would embarrass my daughter! The students were so friendly and charming that I quickly got over the initial nervousness. What were some of the most interesting questions the students asked you? David: I fully expected to have questions about my height (193 cm), so I wasn't surprised when a student asked, "How did you get so tall?" Another student asked why my nose was so big; I didn't know how to answer that one! Someone asked how old I was, and when I answered "59," he exclaimed - in English - "Oh my God!!" The most surprising question came from a third grader who asked if I thought the United States and Russia were entering a new cold war period, given the events unfolding in Crimea. What knowledge of current events! Did you learn anything new about Taiwanese culture or customs? David: I was really struck by the genuine respect shown by the pupils for their teachers. Seeing the children bow to my daughter at the end of class and say "Thank you Teacher Catherine" is something I will never forget. They even said "Thank you Teacher Catherine's Father and Thank you Teacher Catherine's Mother"! Any other thoughts you would like to share about your time spent in Kinmen? Lynn:The opportunity to be a "foreign teacher" for a day at Xi Kou is one of the best travel experiences I have ever had. I will never forget how welcoming everyone was and even though we speak different languages, I [felt] right at home.