輕鬆學英語
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
「寶寶會說英文,但寶寶不想說。」請不要看到這句就【翻白眼Roll one's eyes】,有關這位網路紅人寶寶的流行語和聊天室貼圖(即表情貼圖EMOTICON STICKER,甚至還有相關的語音貼圖和英文對白不斷地上載中)現在可是大量下載中,有一種Make a fortune賺大錢的氣勢繼續在網路發酵。不過我們可是要回歸現實處理正事!在需要英文交談的重要時刻可不能裝蒜play deaf,這可不管用的!這在網路傳到傳輸線都燒焦的寶寶名言,差點讓大家轉台了,但許多的影音影片都瘋狂轉傳要怎麼說呢?難道是The video goes crazy?還是The film is really hot?其實大家的中文造詣都很高,只是英文句子中的用詞比較簡潔有力,而且【短片】因為經過剪輯和修改等等的手續,很像剪報的動作,選擇需要的內容整理起來,所以要用【clip=video clip】;很流行的影片在台灣用語叫"超夯",大陸用語稱"火紅",但既不是Super Popular也不是Burning Red,英文最時下的說法為"像病毒般(傳播)",所以叫做【viral】,帶有病毒Virus+螺旋狀Spiral傳送出去的概念。所以瘋狂轉傳的熱門影片就是用The clip is getting viral now.那麼就來練習怎麼使用吧!希望你的好英文也可以立刻派上用場,利用生活對話不求人! Brian和好友Sarah討論最近背著蟑螂殼在馬路上等綠燈在慢慢爬行過去的影音檔,竟然引起班上一陣討論熱潮,看看他們怎麼用英文表達自己對這個現象的意見!精彩有趣的對話你可以立刻上手,一起來運用剛剛學習內容吧! 【英文小劇場】A: Brian B: Sarah A: Have you checked on the video clip about the man crawling across the street when the traffic light turns green? That's insane.(最近你看到那個趁交通號誌轉綠燈時用爬行的方式過街的男人的影音嗎?這太瘋狂了啦!) B: Tell me about it. Everyone in my class totally fell for that freak carrying a roach shell and really a TRAFFIC STOPPER.(這還要你說!我班上都陷下去這股熱潮,竟然還是個背蟑螂殼的怪胎。他還真的是很「卡到路」) A: Yes, it has gone really viral for people of ages. Who can dislike the like that, I even felt like trying something like that. Perhaps you are one of my flash mobs some day.(一點都沒錯,不管幾歲的人都愛!不會有人會討厭這種事吧,連我自己都想玩看看了!哪天說不定我們一起來當個快閃族如何!) B: Over my dead body, please COUT ME OUT!(除非我死了,別在我身上打主意。) 所以各位優秀的讀者可以更感受到:小單字也有大用處。從一個中文的概念【超流行】事物,竟然背後有這麼多故事,甚至在對話裡面還可以延伸出這麼多的內容,是不是很有趣味、很有成就感呢?Trust me , you can make it!從原有學習經驗與知識去勾勒出更大範圍的實用內容,可以更印象深刻,更常從記憶資料庫活用豐富英文理解內容喔!其實網路上許多有趣又實用的資源中,不乏都是「生活化」、「實用化」、「簡單化」,以及「趣味化」,這在網路的YOUTUBE或VOICETUBE都有不同題材口音,以及不同專業背景知識的內容。 短時間增進聽力和延伸文化觸角的好窗口;如果對於國際議題感到興趣,希望盡一份世界公民的本份和關心,那好入門的CNN STUDENT NEWS就是你的敲門磚來立刻體會世界媒體最重視的關鍵要學語言並不是一張機票就可以等於進入學習領域。如果有這種速成班,歡迎大家介紹給老師體驗一下,我也很好奇如何從零基礎能夠一週內不了解其文化(甚至用母語說自身文化也有困難者),瞬間好像電影命運搖控器的男主角一秒轉化語言,結果卻也是人生要重頭踏實再來一遍。與其零碎又三分鐘熱度的學習,不如把握每次的學習經驗,好好努力學習當下的知識,用心感受並活用。學習並非難事,用心是不二法門。很多同學誤會,好像參加個遊學團或是背包周遊列國探訪不同大都會或古蹟(historic sites)名勝(tourist attractions),就可以瞬間深化內涵講出一口完美的英文,真的是這樣嗎?旅行其實並非只有玩樂,或是跟著旅遊書去參訪各大名勝而已!更重要的是細心觀察當地人文風俗以及從與當地人交談中,能夠理解多樣的生活價值觀;更重要的拓寬自己的文化見解和從許多國際社會的話題中能有連結也對相關事件有所呼應與反省成長。這也是為什麼每當出國遇到歐洲朋友們都很有話聊,因為他們不管對於亞洲環境發展或是經濟政治動盪都可以侃侃而談,更對於許多國家的自由多元化背後那條充滿荊棘之路肅然起敬,也因此更珍惜自己的文化歷史,也更堅定自身種族傳統,一代一代傳承下去,永遠都會和開疆闢土的先人與全球社會跨時空同步呼吸著,進而萌發出無可取代的寶貴的自我認同感與使命感。 【生活精選句】: It happens!(這種事發生總是難免的) 生活不如意十之八九,有時候樂極也會生悲,以為很絕望也有一道曙光落下。所以人生沒有絕對的悲傷,只有相對的努力和比較後的快樂成就罷了!法國人對於這種生老病死的來到,總是十分淡定看待,不認為是天垮下來了般的無助難過,反而會拍拍你說:『快嚐剛剛烤出來酸麵糰麵包,大好時光可別浪費在嘆氣,人生好壞都是順其自然,這就是人生C'est la vie。』聰明的同學看到It happens!認為老師要在動詞happen加上ED代表發生事情。你是否也有一樣的疑問嗎?其實你的文法觀念沒錯,但It happens就是代表經常發生的事情,而不是偶遇或是太過於重大的事情產生,才會如此的運用在生活中,若還有疑問,一起來看看生活用句怎麼說吧! 1. Since retirement from the army, my father has gained some weight and turned chubbier. It happens. It should be the lack of exercise and less pressure from life. (自從我爸爸從軍隊退休後就開始體重增加,也變得比較福態。這常有的事情,因為他都缺乏運動,也少了很多來自生活的壓力。) 2. Last week, my uncle, Joe, died of the heart-attack after learning that he hit the jackpot in the lottery. That's totally shocking to all in the entire family. Well, It happens.(上週在得知自己中了樂透頭獎後,我的叔叔喬死於心臟病。對整個家族來說真是太震撼了。嗯,總是多少有這種事情吧!) 3. Despite the fact that Lyn kept rehearsing before the Christmas play, she still forgot some lines on the stage and burst into tears. It happens but still a good lesson for her to learn how to take the fall.(雖然琳在聖誕節舞台劇前不斷的排演練習,但真正上台後還是忘詞,還當場痛哭。陽光下沒有新奇之事,但對她也是不錯的學習機會。) 4. Sometimes we felt really defeated when failing the exams with all-out effort. It happens but we've got nothing to lose but gain more from this fruitful experience.(有時候用盡全力準備考試但卻考砸了,或許我們會感到很挫敗。但這是發生很多人身上的事情,但我們也沒缺少損失了什麼,而是學習很寶貴的經驗。) 5. No matter how strict the law is in the city, there are still some people intended to commit some crimes without considering the dire consequences. It happens.(不管這城市的嚴刑厲法有多嚴苛,總還是會有些人沒考慮到嚴重後果而犯下罪行。這也非我們能掌控的。) 6.Helen starved herself by skipping the meals and ate like a bird months before her wedding day. However, she couldn't help but binge on some cakes three days before the big day. Guess what? She still couldn't fit in the wedding gown she wanted to put on. It happens, right?(在大婚之日前,海倫好幾餐都不吃,讓自己餓得要死,也只有吃那麼一點點。然而,大喜之日前三天,她還是忍不住跑去大吃蛋糕。結果你猜看看怎麼著?她還是擠不進去當初想穿的那件結婚禮服。這也是第一次聽到了,不是嘛?) Let The Teens Sleep In Reference: ALL+ Interactive English Is it painful to get out of bed every morning? If you feel like you can't catch up on your sleep, you aren't alone. One sleep-deprived (睡眠不足)high school student in Missouri named Jill had this problem, and she took action. Armed with research supporting her online petition(請願書), Jill successfully pushed her school's start time to 9a.m. 每天早上起床是不是很痛苦呢?如果覺得無法多睡一會,你並不孤單。在密蘇里州,一位睡眠不足的高中生吉兒斯就有這樣的困擾,於是她採取了行動。有研究資料支持她的網路請願書,成功讓學校把上課時間延到早上九點。 It turns out that teens aren't night owls by choice and may have a serious excuse for sleeping in. Around bedtime, the brain releases melatonin, a chemical which makes you sleepy. Before adolescence, children's internal clocks naturally direct them to fall asleep between 8 and 9 p.m.原來青少年並非出於選擇而成為夜貓族,他們是很有理由晚睡些。接近就寢時,大腦會釋放出褪黑激素,這是一種會讓你想睡的化學物質。青少年時期以前,孩童生理時鐘自然而然地引導他們在晚上八、九點間入睡。 After being unable to fall asleep until midnight and then getting up at 6a.m. for school, teens may find it hard not to want to sleep during class. Lack of sleep impairs memory, creativity and the ability to concentrate Without enough sleep, teen lose the ability to take in new information, and stress, depression, bad eating habits, and mood swings become worse. 午夜才能入睡,早上六點起床上學後,青少年不在課堂上昏昏欲睡是很難的。睡眠不足會損害記憶力、創造力和專注力。沒有足夠的睡眠,青少年會喪失吸收新知的能力,壓力、憂鬱、不良飲食習慣和情緒波動也會惡化。
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
【究竟學習怎樣的英文才是有用的!?】這是許多語文學習者的共同心聲。除了設定短期目標:報名英檢測驗,了解目前學習是否有需要加強文法概念或對於文化背景認知較薄弱?或單字的背誦過程需更系統化進行;中期進度更是需要藉由參加社團是出國旅遊實際體驗,修正自己口音或表達內容準確性和完整度;長期計畫是能從國際媒體中得知第一手消息,並在母語背景知識下,一併提升外語完整理解力和細節詮釋能力,讓學習語言從被動接受書面資料,變成主動搜尋各領域的場景和用字,再行深化認知和內化的艱辛但充滿驚喜與無比成就感的旅程。想必這樣各位同學在老師專欄都可以感受每一次的用心和多元主題帶來的幫助。認識語言全貌是很花功夫,但也更顯可貴。成功的路上從不擁擠,因為堅持的人不多。想必親愛讀者們有心想認識英文,才願意動動你的fingers,看看這個老師怎麼化你的英文能力為神奇。沒有任何捷徑,但持之以恆(Persistence),已經是學好語言的成功要件,你已經辦到了!所以不要只是Flip through翻翻而已,更要 Go through仔細看看內容,不要輕易說My English is through.(我的英文這科完蛋了!)哈哈,開開玩笑,也從簡單閱讀學到不少片語,AGAIN,你們都很棒喔! You are all on the right track, and please bear in mind that there's no shortcut learning English. 有一次BRIAN老師在早餐店(Breakfast Station)看到有讀者看著專欄哈哈大笑,當下其實職業病很重的我,很想請他大聲朗讀(Recite)喜歡的內容,希望藉由口說的記憶可以把喜歡的句子記起來,脫口而出就是好英文了!當時他桌上有帶著微脆口感的蛋餅(Omelet Roll)、濃郁料多快滿出來的廣東粥(Congee with Assorted Seafood and Veggies),還有一杯清甜的豆漿(Soy Bean Milk)在桌上,真是快活耶,也希望他知道這些如何英文要怎麼表達出來,謝謝我每個可愛的讀者,老師隨時會用可愛的微笑看著你讀英文喔!好像有點恐怖?好啦!娛樂大家之餘也要好好介紹英文的"NO MORE BABY ENGLISH"單元:不要老用小朋友的英文說話。在日常生活中,許多人都習慣用HAPPY來當做情緒固定用字,但在正式場合來有點掉漆,應該用Glad to meet you!遇到老闆想確認等等的會議內容,卻立刻說出" SCHEDULE"這個單字,讓長管以為你要問他私人行程,不僅很突兀也代表你對英文用字掌控與使用時機很不穩定,應該要說AGENDA,那才是讓主管一聽就懂的關鍵字!可別一廂情願又一頭熱去老闆說些不得體的BABY ENGLISH喔!所以來加強實力,邁向成熟說法,開口就加分的好機會盡在今天精彩專欄中!
: Wording Boot camp! 1.亨利在學校的田徑賽跑中弄傷了腳踝。 (動詞上的轉換,準確用字) (原句)Henry hurt his ankles in the school race contest. (修正)Henry injured his ankles in the school race contest. 2.父母有時會在公共場合大聲斥責不守規矩的小孩(動詞片語的活用和細膩度,可以達到不錯的寫作和口說效果,讓閱聽者能有畫面感受情緒張力) (原句)Parents might yell at their children who acted inapproriately in public venues. (修正) Parents might lash out on their children who acted inapproriately in public venues. 3.在現今的社會中,我們通常在處理人際關係上都會特別留意。(利用慣用語來當做點出主題關鑑字PEOPLE ISSUES,富有成熟英文底子的同學可以學習的!) (原句) In the modern society, we tend to be more careful in dealing with people issues. (修正) In the modern society, we tend to be more tactful when it comes to people issues. →When it comes to the peer pressure,……/ Speaking of a marrage,……/ As for the disposal of the stray animals…….都可以多加練習運用! 4.(超夯時事題:社會案件篇) 由於最近層出不窮的縱慾型殺人案,父母不禁對孩子的安危感到相當憂心。 (原句)Because of the recent spree killing cases, parents couldn't help but get anxious about safety of their children. (修正) Because of the recent spree killing cases ,children's safety has significantly concerned parents. Significant (a.) impact/ change in someone or something重大改變或意義 Wow, your hairstyle change is extremely significant. The meeting with the board seems significant due to recent economic recession. Requesting for a raise means a world to me and my family. But this act will significantly take a toll on my career. I gave them a good excuse to downsize the department and gave me a boot. 5.亞洲學生被迫要面對學業壓力。 (原句) Students in Asia are forced to face the academic pressure. (修正) Asian students appear vulnerable to great stress from the countless exams. 6. 喬治和莎莉之間的鬧劇是其來有自的! (原句)The unexpected divorce between George and Sally didn't happen at the snap of fingers. (修正)The unexpected divorce between George and Sally stemmed from some causes ( stem cell幹細胞) →We've been expecting your arrival我們都很期待你的到來! →We've heard a lot about you!我們久仰大名! 7.壓倒我們關係的最後一根稻草(在推特上封鎖他的原因)是即使我已經釋出善意,對方還是充滿敵意。show the gracious/ friendly gesture(釋出善意) (原句)The final reason for me to unfriend him on Twitter was his hostiltiy against everything I did though I had showed him nice gestures. (修正)The last straw for me to unfriend him on Twitter was his hostiltiy against everything I did though I had showed him nice gestures. 8. 不要只因為別人做錯一件事,就讓對方變成萬古罪人的機會。 (原句)Don't label a person just because he or she made a mistake. We all deserve a second chance.( label帶有刻板印象而對某人事物有的定論) (修正)Don't stigmatize a person only by his or her one-time wrongdoing. single out a person刻意孤立某人( stigma本為"污點"的涵意) marginalized people被邊緣化的人 :組合組語實力秒增時間 現在老師要示範是一般在做英文筆記時,最常見也最有用的方法,那就是把相關用語整理起來:運動類、飲食類、情緒表達、衣著鞋服,機場過境時等常見的場景用語。隨時可以活用,輕鬆愉快還能隨時補充新學習到的內容,或是分享筆記和讀書會的朋友定期討論自己的學習內容有哪裡要訂正和加強的,進步肯定十分神速也多了和朋友的話題,何樂而不為呢? 1. 延伸課程→Extensive Course EX.: After exposing myself to(接觸) the basic level of French lessons, I found it really intriguing(有趣的) and profound(深奧的) in not only its culture but also the elegant languages. And my advisor suggested that I take some extensive courses, such as speaking training sessions, and cultural understanding classes available at the center. I cannot wait to learn and see more about this beautiful, unique culture. 2. 密集課程→Intensive Course EX.: It's really common for Asian students to swarm into the cram schools for the big exams for College Entrance and they will receive intensive course for several subjects and be tested repeatedly, which will familiarize themselves with some key points the test places a great emphasis on. &臨時抱佛腳:cram for + N/ NP. 3. 速成課程班→Crash Course EX.: When it comes to crash course, it seemed quite stressful(充滿壓力的) and unlikely to achieve. Very few people(極少數人) would take crash course out of no reason: Some diplomats are required to take Spanish or other foreign language courses for future negotiations or talk on social occasions in order to show our concern and manners as guests, others could feel urged to(感到急迫性的) learn how to cook for family before moving to a new place or living under the same roof with their " Hard-to-pleased" parents-in-law after the marriage , and still others would spend only two weeks in a row during the summer break to learn some skills which normally take nearly half a year. Signing up for crash courses sounds quite time-saving.(省時的)→fuel-efficient省能源的 4. 主要菜餚→Main Dish EX.: As a well-educated diner, you are supposed to inquire if there's any particular dish the waiter might serve in season to cater to your need instead of giving him a hard time by being fussy during the whole meal. 5. 順其自然→Nature will take its own course. EX.: When Susan failed to reach her son for the whole night, her worries grew to be anxiety and she had kept walking back and forth in the door and looking over the window to check whether his park was on the driveway it should have been. " Nature will take its own course," said I as one of her best friends. There sometimes are things you cannot rush, right? He's a grown-up, and you should stop getting so panicked as a helicopter parent. You are smothering him with love.(妳的愛會讓他窒息!) <布萊恩老師人生座右銘時間Life Motto>: 每當聽到盪氣迴腸(MIND-BLOWING)交響樂作品,偶然讀到牽動思緒的鄉愁詩,或在閒聊時光時深入人心的話語,讓聽者能有心靈舒緩和精神得到久違的支持感!這時後可不能只是用老掉牙的NO PAIN, NO GAIN打發對方。最近很多學生剛好需要參加英文朗讀及即席演講相關的比賽,這時後肯定有"平時"不努力,"上台"獨傷悲了。所以平時累積的筆記和口說實力就見真章,英文學習努力的程度就立刻現形無所遁形。好好利用BRIAN老師整理的實用生活感觸且發人深省的好句子,寫在專用的英文筆記本上,記在你的長期記憶資料庫,這樣隨時就可以脫口而出好英文,不求人好英文就從現在開始囉! 1.Look on the bright side because the shadow is behind when we face the sunlight. 朝著人生的光明面看吧!因為面對陽光時,陰影即被甩在背後。 2.The cost of growing up is going through pains which make us realize how fortunate we are to have so much in hand. Never take things for granted. 成長的代價充滿苦痛的,藉此也了解我們慶幸能擁有許多珍貴人事物!千萬不要當做是理所當然! 3.I am fully convinced that they came to us for some causes. 我深信這些(生命中)發生的事情冥冥之中都有安排! 4. Persistence is the only quality leading on to success. 要成功就一定具備堅持不懈這項特質。 5.There's no excuses for procrastination and the only thing you earned from stealing some minutes is a trademark of " Not Trustworthy"! 凡事延宕拖延是無法合理化的!以為賺了那幾分鐘的空閒,但事實上給自己倒是多了一個"大無賴"的名號! 6. If you happen to be stuck in the Writer's Block, I need to say something to you" Living in self-pity is not enough, and you need to work HARDER." 如果你剛好有寫作上的瓶頸,我有點想法跟你說:「自怨自艾是不夠的,你得埋頭苦幹一番才是。」 7. Go easy on others, and your life will be easier. 放過別人就是放過自己。(原意:對他人寬容點,生活會比較好過些!) -
Kimmy and Kuku_A Kinmen Story Chapter I
Dear Community of Kinmen, We are a collective of Fulbright English Teaching Assistants inspired by this island. Our group includes Rebecca Lim (林芮), Andrea Hale (夏嘉蔚), Sam Jeong (鄭大鉉), Brett Burk (白瑞琪) and Ross Busch (比儒實).To share our experiences with you, we have decided to create a story series, "Kimmy and Kuku: A Kinmen Story," reflecting everything around us. We hope that you can enjoy these pieces with your friends and family and that through our imagination, we can share with you our perspectives about life on Kinmen. Sincerely, The Kinmen Collective ______________________________________________ Kimmy and Kuku: A Kinmen Story, Chapter I Kimmy was playing in the yard. She heard a little voice in the grass. Kimmy walked to the big tree. Kimmy was surprised! She found a baby bird under the tree! "What are you doing?" Kimmy asked the baby bird. "I'm learning how to fly and fell down," cried the baby bird." "Where are your parents?" Kimmy asked. "They went to the forest to find a new home." Kimmy was sad. Kimmy did not want the bird family to leave the big tree in her yard. "Why are they finding a new home?" "Because a man will cut down this big tree soon!" the baby bird cried.Kimmywanted to help the baby bird, but she didn't know what she could do. "I can talk to the man," said Kimmy. "Baby bird, can you tell me where he lives?』The baby bird flapped her wings. "I can't fly, but if you carry me up the tree, I can show you where the man lives!" Kimmy gently put the baby bird in her pocket and began to climb the tree. Up, up, up they went! When she reached the top of the tree, Kimmy put the bird back in her nest. "Thank you, Kimmy!" said the baby bird. "My name is Kuku! Look, you can see the whole town from up here!" Kimmy looked down. All the houses looked very small. She could see the mountains and the rivers, too."The house where the man lives has a red roof, a blue door, and green windows. Can you see it?" said Kuku as she flapped her wings. "A red roof, a blue door, and green windows…oh no!" Kimmy said. "That's MY house!" As Kimmy looked out over the houses below she felt sad."What can I do?" She asked Kuku. "My parents think I'm just a little girl, they don't know I can talk to animals!"Kuku looked up at Kimmy. "Just tell them about me," she chirped. "If they see that I am living here theywon't want to cut downmy home!" Kimmy looked back toward the town below her. She knew what she would have to do. Kimmy turned to Kuku and explained her plan. "When I return home later this evening, you can sing for them!Your melody will surely convince them that this tree is worth saving!" Kuku nodded as she yawned, "I hope so." Kuku's eyes closed as she fell asleep. The sun was setting and it was time for Kimmy to hurry home for dinner. "I'm home, mom! I'm home, dad!" Kimmy said as she opened the door. "Something smellsvery good," said Kuku, waking up. "Oh, it's my mom's pumpkin pie. It's sweet and very yummy," said Kimmy. "Who are you talking to, Kimmy?" Kimmy's mom asked from the kitchen. "What? Oh, no one," Kimmy said quickly. "Where's dad?" "Your father is in the living room," Kimmy's mom said."Go tell him you're home."Kimmy went into the living room. Kimmy's dad was sitting on the sofa. Next to him was a big axe. Kuku gasped. "That's the axe I saw the man with!" cried Kuku, looking scared and sad. Kimmy did not like seeing her friend scared and sad. Kimmy was angry. "Hello, dad," Kimmy said, standing in front of her dad. Kimmy's dad looked up. "Oh, hi Kimmy! How are you? How was your…" "No time for chit-chat. We have to talk." Kimmy reached into her pocket, took Kuku out, and held him in her hands. Kimmy's dad stared. "Hello!" chirped Kuku. Before Kimmy could talk, Kuku started singing a song that told the story of the one thousand year old tree where his family lived.The wind carried Kuku's song through the living room, the kitchen and out the window. Then, Kimmy's mom and dad started to sing. They walked into the rain and began to sing and dance in the street. As Kuku's song traveled, all the moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas came out of their houses and started to sing and dance to the same beautiful song. When the song ended, everyone was happy and went home to sleep. The townspeople who heard the song would wake up in morning with the song in their hearts and be happy. From that day on, no one could cut down the big trees where birds like Kuku lived and Kuku's home would be safe forever.
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
【從電影學英文】:Danish Girl(丹麥女孩)-I am entirely myself.(我是個完整的人了) 今天我們要從這個重要的跨時代跨性別的議題來一起學習英文。雖然是很深刻的議題也充滿的爭議性,但學著用英文去和朋友分享所學所聞,也是增進英文能力很重要的方法喔!學著用自己的母語去反省深思身邊的議題,不僅僅可以提升語文實力,更能幫助自己在思考英文的時候有不同的角度和感動呢!丹麥女孩(Danish Girl)-禁錮在軀體的靈魂,何時有機會尋回被認同的自我?震撼整個影壇的跨性別議題,雖然並非首次被搬上國際社會媒體討論,但這麼寫實地記錄一個傑出畫家Einar Wegener(Eddie Redmayne)從男性的角色中,喚醒內心早已經壓抑已久的女性靈魂。在面對社會現實的異樣眼光與未啟蒙的大時代環境下,加上已婚和大眾人物種種身分枷鎖,已經讓主角莉莉Lili Elbe(決定做回女性的本我的稱呼,偶然在友人探訪而以手中百合來命名)自我壓抑到極限,看似藉由變裝找回一點自己的本我,但卻也是另一種的束縛,因為這樣的身體並不是她所喜歡認同的。這部電影並非完全著眼在討論跨性別變性手術或是這一切是否由先天基因決定性取向或是後天環境觸發了某些內在的想法。更是個人對於人生有了全新體悟而走上的不同抉擇。 過程中,主角莉莉並非自私單純追尋自己的幸福生活,而斷然放棄自己現有的婚姻關係與伴侶。她也非常疑惑自己的抉擇是否正確?所以接受了妻子許多的放射性治療或身心科的諮詢等等,最後都被當作是精神病症來做治療,而非深入理解她的內心和過往的情感歷程,去當作一個重要的個案來處理與理解。許多的醫生都直搖頭,認為妻子應該把自己的衣櫃上鎖,不該縱容莉莉去惡化病情。甚至有一次莉莉隻身前往某權威身心科醫師診間,竟然發現在病歷上大大的寫著SCHIZOPHRENIC(精神分裂狀態),隨之而來就是大批的病院看護前來打算把她關起來,當作一般的病患對待,讓莉莉落荒而逃。這不單單是對所謂的科學世界極大的諷刺,也是對於人類世界對於未知的事物急於上標籤或排擠異己常有的陋習,打了一記耳光。 其實,即使現在科學或生物科技僅從基因排列或染色體樣態去做大批數據排列統計,而精神科權威多從現有理論去套用案例,很難有全面性而且不受質疑的推論。簡單來說,這一切都大眾來說都還是未知的謎題!但我們可以給的是更多的尊重和包容,能更多的討論以及結合更多專業領域去深入探討,可以消弭更多歧視,增加更多理性對話的空間,擁抱不同選擇的多元文化。 台中一中(男變女)曾愷芯老師選擇自己「想」過的生活,而不是「應該」過的生活,並在媒體公開訪問時,這不是一件好事嗎?是的,有時候個人的選擇不應該被汙名化,如果你看過這部電影,你會了解當初莉莉經歷了許多心理、生理的掙扎和非常人能忍受的苦痛,也要讓自己女性的角色得到完整的身分和自在的作回屬於自己的模樣。莉莉在童年時期早已因為怕被排擠和異樣眼光,無法理解為什麼自己會有想當女生的衝動,又在初次和男生有了親密接觸時,讓父親震怒不已,也沒有任何人可以談及內心的混亂,更找不到情感上的出口,交織矛盾與自我否認而無法找到生命的出路,只能不斷在畫作中勾勒出童年家鄉的樹林與清澈的湖泊,因為深怕自己真的被傳統價值觀淹沒了真我,走上了一條不屬於自己的道路。影片隨著那纏繞莉莉美麗身影的絲巾,被一陣強風颳走而飄盪在山谷間,好似在無限高歌生命也像在低聲泣訴充滿折磨的人生。是阿!最後生命會自己找到出口,莉莉的靈魂也在最後找到自由,在這輩子最重要的兩個人陪伴中辭世。I am entirely myself這句話花了她大半輩子去追尋,即使要失去生命也在所不惜,或許你我可以捫心自問,要有多強的動機才能夠去承受這些極大的疼痛和割捨甚至失去原本的生活?或許對於這樣的抉擇就不會只是謾罵或是指責了!倘若大眾能有更多的理解和尊重溝通,莉莉的生命旅程將會更有意義,也可以對於先天被賦予的性別身分有不同想法的朋友,能有機會在更專業與更多人性關懷的環境下,創造屬於自己的幸福人生。 《必學重點單字表達》 1. transgender surgery變性手術 " Lili Elbe is not only an inspiration for bravery but also an pioneer for transgender movements."(莉莉不僅僅賦與人們更多勇氣,更是跨性別運動重要的先驅者。) 2. trap(v.)掉入陷阱(n.)圈套→tricky(a.)狡詐的,用在生活中可能很難解的議題或是考試中出現很令人水深火熱的題目,都可以說:That's tricky! EX.: Through excruciating struggles with the reality, Lili Elbe came to realize that her soul was trapped in a male body. That's not her and it's really put her in self-denial for long.(與現實的碰撞和苦痛的掙扎,莉莉驚覺自己的身體被困在男性的軀體中。這並不是真正的她,因此也讓她活在自我否定的世界中。) 3. sexual discrimination 性別歧視V.S. sexual orientation性別取向 EX.: Human society is no stranger to sexual discrimination, especially in male-oriented communities or tribes. The glass ceiling at workplace treated women unfairly and offered them fewer chances for high-end positions with some concerns that they might switch their focus from the career to the family life instead.(特別在以男性為主社會或部落中,性別歧視隨處可見。在職場的女性升遷侷限讓女性工作者沒有得到合理的對待,也因為雇主擔心之後她們將重心從職場放回家庭生活,而提供較少的高階工作職缺給她們。) *請同學特別注意: orientation,這個單字的源頭是orient以…為導向。而在進入新環境時,學生往往需要orientation,有資深的學長姐或校方導覽人員進行『新生座談』;而在職場裡,許多菜鳥也需要orientation,快速熟悉作業流程或是公司各單位處室所在位置和相關守則規範,所以這類的『職前座談』也是很常見的。 另外常提到這個人很沒方向感就可以說:She is completely disoriented when heading to a new place(前往新的地點時,她老搞不清楚東西南北。= She has a poor sense of direction.(她方向感極差無比) 4. puzzle(n.)謎題;拼圖(v.)使…迷惑不解→piece together the fact拼湊真相 EX.: Whether transgender surgery has been officially authorized, it is apparently costly and risky to receive such an invasive operation, leading to hemorrhage and some complications afterwards.(不論變性手術是否被官方單位所認同,這很明顯地是所費不貲而且去進行這樣侵入性的手術是相當危險的,很有可能會大量出血或是引發不同併發症。) 5. schizophrenia (n.)精神分裂 EX.: Based on medical documents, schizophrenia tends to run in the family and it could attack you without early signs of warning. It's full of variables and unpredictability for many. Patients who are inflicted with such disease might suffer from delusive hearing or some hallucinations to a different extent.(在醫學文獻中,精神分裂在家族遺傳中常見,而且有時候並沒有明顯的早期徵兆。對大多數人來說,這是充滿許多變數和不確定性的病症。長期受苦於此的病患總被不同程度的幻聽或幻覺糾纏不已。)*補充:bipolar personality躁鬱性人格→depression憂鬱症 【英檢高分通關:慣用語單元整理】 Collocation Challenge: Please fill in the blanks with correct "Verbs" 超重要五顆星: 各種關於"更改"的說法及表達語 1. ____ the appointment due to the delayed flight of our clients 因為客戶班機延遲的緣故,將取消原訂事宜。 2. ____ the meeting until the president made it to the conference 會議將會延宕到董事長趕到才會開始 3. ____ the lease contract when the tenant failed to comply with the terms both agree upon.當房客未盡履約責任時,(房東)可以依合約內容向對方解約。 4. ____ your perspectives might lead to a different surprise and spark more innovative ideas.改變想法可以有不同的驚喜和激起創意的火花 5. With all numerous details there, the training sessions were therefore ____.因為細節繁多,因而延長訓練課程 6. Owing to the unexpected storm, the opening day of Four Season Hotel in Denmark will be _____ then.意外的暴風雨,丹麥的四季飯店將會延後正式開幕大會。 Answer Keys: Correct Verbs on different occasions 1. cancel the appointment due to the delayed flight of our clients 2. postpone the meeting until the president made it to the conference 3. invalidate the lease contract when the tenant failed to comply with 4. shift your perspectives might lead to a different surprise and spark more innovative ideas. 5. With all numerous details there, the training sessions were therefore prolonged 6. Owing to the unexpected storm, the opening day of Four Season Hotel in Denmark will be rescheduled then. &特別注意文法點: 通常使用[arrange a meeting] for someone,來表達替某人安排一場會議;然而我們很容易用中文母語的思維說出[arrange a person]來表達安排某些人員從事什麼事情,但 arrange是不能接"人"的特殊動詞。所以可以用"安排一場親職座談餐會" ARRANGE a banquet for the teacher-parent association. 【翻譯練習時間】Daily Sentences中文解釋下期揭曉喔 A. You shouldn't take her sacrifices for granted. B. It is high time that she were about to return home before too late. C. Memories of the past flooded into my brain. D. Persistence is the only quality leading one to success. E. Your attitude, not aptitude, determines your altitude. F. Reading some books can generate more inspirations and guide you to different choices. G. You are advised to see a doctor because you've been coughing so bad. H. ( At the clinic)What seems to be the problem today, Ms. Chen? I. Yes, I am all ears. Just fire away and don't hang me in suspense!J. You should walk the walk and talk the talk. K. Hope is always there and the only thing you should do is chin up and perk up.
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
大家最近學習英文進度如何呢?相信大家不分陰晴都是努力學習,突然很想高歌"Because when the sun shines, we'll shine together. Told you I'll be here foreverSaid I'll always be your friend. Took an oath, I'ma stick it out to the end."是雨傘天后蕾哈娜的名曲之一Umbrella。把英文歌曲朗朗上口,也可以讓你的外國友人讓你產生更多連結,對於許多話題也省略許多解釋,短時間內可以拉近彼此的距離,才不會用來跑來告訴老師,怎麼我們都不知道聊什麼!從國外音樂、電視影集,或是國際時事相關話題都可以拿出來用英文分享自己的想法,抓住關鍵字,不用擔心自己的文法是否完全正確,畢竟即使是母語人士都不見得會用完美的文法,重點在觀念的溝通和想法的交換為主,而且從傾聽對方的回答,自己也可以學習更道地的說法,把自己原本繁複的觀念用更簡潔有力的方法說出來!平時在觀看收聽電視談話廣播節目或是看電影影集中,可以準備屬於自己的英文學習小本子,記錄不錯的英文佳句,如同上期的丹麥女孩內容班延伸;重要用字用樹狀圖的概念,把大範圍的觀念整理起來,比如: 交通工具"Transportation"→Public Transportation"公共運輸工具"→Vehicles(各式車輛)→exhaust from vehicles車輛排放的廢氣→(句子)Most commuters prefer taking public transportations to and back from work.(大多通勤族偏好搭乘公共輸運工具上下班。) 而且對於英文也是在充電準備中,在關鍵的時候可以表現出自己的國際競爭力吧!工作面試或是交際溝通的場合,口說英文一直都是最重要也常被亞洲學生當作頭號敵人的項目。因為並非自己的母語,變成每每要說出口都要先在腦裡中進行翻譯,然後最後再想想文法合不合理(Make sense),才敢真正說出口。坦白說,對方可能早就跑遠了,你還在想到底要不要加ING或是ED呢!Familiarity really matters. 如同Brian老師提醒大家,學習英文一定要從句子的概念開始,光背一個單字對於聽力閱讀或是口說寫作幫助實在有限,而且顯得非常的零碎。大家都很喜歡在大眾交通工具上看英文單字書,公車上晃阿晃或是火車上搖阿搖,老師都忍不住想過去告訴她(他)說:"你都不張開嘴巴念,要是有機會說英文,到時候真的說得出口嗎?"沒錯!從例句下手就沒錯,即使是最簡單的Please hold the door for me!(請不要關電梯門;幫我撐一下大門);或是There's no shortcut learning English(學習英文是沒有捷徑的!)都是積少成多。上一期提到What seems to be the problems?是醫生看診常用句』你哪裡感覺不舒服呢?』如果直譯,反而會讓人家感覺很奇怪,或是根本不知道想表達的情形。因為problem在英文中是指"嚴重的狀況或錯誤",所以受過良好教育的母語人士會避免直接使用這個字眼,而是用issue這個成熟的中性字,表達目前有些狀況: 1. delicate issue敏感的議題→delicate cuisines精緻的菜餚 2. get issues with someone和某人有紛爭→at odds with與某人有過節 3. issue the credit card發行信用卡→issuer發行公司→card holder持卡人 4. issue the currency發行貨幣→currency exchange兌換貨幣→exchange rate匯差 5. the new issue(of publications)新一季(出版品)→Big Issue大誌(來自英國政府輔助遊民的德政,藉由向政府購滿雜誌,販賣賺差價來換取工作機會,也因此能夠來幫助失業者重新有自食其力的機會) 而且跟自己生活圈越有關係的用語,記憶才會長久,才會更感到實用和增加說英文的自信心!Taiwanese tend to be shy of speaking English.(台灣人通常比較羞於說英文),所以要多多練習朗讀或是自我對話,可以把自己的心情說出來,或是在咖啡廳把周邊的環境試著用英文表達出來,可以提醒自己的單字和片語相關用語不足之處,好好充實,才可以讓英文突飛猛進,Make Great Progress! 又到了每一次同學們最期待的整理測驗單元,可以快速檢測同學的英文體質是否有均衡飲食,快速針對大家關心的英文專業檢定和生活實用英文來著手,一定可以讓大家在短時間內,不花太多力氣,卻有滿滿的收穫和相關的知識學習喔。 《各種『弄壞』的說法》你都知道了嗎?測驗開始! 1. ___the facilities at the amusement park破壞遊樂園的公物 2. ___our plan going camping this weekend讓周末露營的計畫泡湯 3. ___the building to the ground把大樓整個拆除掉 4. ___the relationship between Henry and his girlfriend介入亨利和女友間的關係 5. ___ Sally's life by spreading the rumors at the workplace藉由在職場散播謠言來揮了莎莉的人生 6. ___the movie plot before others go watch the film別人去看電影前就去透露劇情 7. ___ the reputation of Happy Fruit Company毀了快樂水果工廠的名聲 8. ___ the current project we've worked for long since 2011從中破壞我們從2011年就開始投入的計畫案 (Answer Keys) 1. vandalize the facilities at the amusement park(vandalism n.破壞公物) 2. dampen our plan going camping this weekend(damp v.使朝詩) 3. demolish/ tear the building to the ground 4. intervene the relationship between Henry and his girlfriend 5. ruin Sally's life by spreading the rumors at the workplace 6. spoil the movie plot before others go watch the film 7. tarnish the reputation of Happy Fruit Company 8. undermine/sabotage the current project we」ve worked for long since 2011 每次檢視完,不要太執著在自己錯了幾次,重點是要把相關的內容都複習熟練,這樣才有達到學習的效果喔!以後再翻閱其他的書刊或是相關表達的資料時,就會更有共鳴,學習才可以得到更多樂趣和自我肯定呢!Feeling defeated in learning something happened in different stages of life. 【翻譯練習時間解答】Daily Sentences中文解釋下期揭曉喔 A. You shouldn't take her sacrifices for granted.你不該把她的付出當作理所當然。take…for granted把…視為理所當然;有不知感恩的意思 B. It is high time that she were about to return home before too late.現在正是她回家的時候了,不然可真是太晚了。文法點:It is (high/very/right) time that S + 過去式動詞(如were) C. Memories of the past flooded into my brain.記憶突然湧現心頭。flood(n.)洪水(v.)湧入→the flood of tourists如潮水般的觀光客 D. Persistence is the only quality leading one to success.quality品質;(人)特質→Quality outweighs quantity.重質不重量要成功的唯一特質就是要堅持不懈。 E. Your attitude, not aptitude, determines your altitude.你的態度決定你的高度,而不是天資。 F. Reading some books can generate more inspirations and guide you to different choices.閱讀書籍可以產生許多靈感而且帶領你走向更多選擇性。 G. You are advised to see a doctor because you've been coughing so bad.強調用語:The child wants the toy so bad!這孩子非常想到那個玩具!I miss you so bad!我真的好想你喔!你這陣子咳得很嚴重,我建議你去看看醫生。 H. ( At the clinic)What seems to be the problem today, Ms. Chen?(在診間)陳小姐,今天哪裡有不舒服嗎?*超重要實用句 I. Yes, I am all ears. Just fire away and don't hang me in suspense!是!我洗耳恭聽。你就直接說吧,別在那邊賣關子了! J. You should walk the walk and talk the talk. 你應該要言必行,信必果。 walk(v.)行走(n.)舉止=behavior/conduct/demeanor;talk(v.)談話(n.)words言談 K. Hope is always there and the only thing you should do is chin up and perk up.總是會有希望的,你現在所需要的就是抬頭挺胸和振作起來! perk(v.)鼓舞(n.)獎勵獎金V.S. dividend紅利(從數學中的divide『除開』的概念來記憶)→員工旅遊incentive trip 最近許多同學都非常喜歡觀看VoiceTube上的短片,短則兩分鐘,長則15到20分鐘都有,話題趣味多元而且有各國口音來讓觀賞者可以熟悉不同腔調,這樣能夠幫助許多跨國企業擔任業務朋友,讓準備國際多益考試或留學考試托福雅思朋友有更多機會不用出國就能聆聽各種素材。學習英文非難事,但要持之以恆,而且要有習慣使用的資訊來源,電腦或手機首頁轉成國際英文網或是學習APP的內容記錄,都可以有效率地讓英文成為一部分。這樣可以讓學習英文變得相當有趣呼吸間都是英文,隨著時間久了,就不會感受到學習英文是件苦差事,而是真正落實在生活像吃飯喝水般自然了! Passport Check【護照查驗檯】Travel In English旅遊實用句一點通 1. Do you carry any perishables?你有攜帶任何的易腐品(蔬菜水果肉品等)嗎? 2. What's the purpose of your visit?您來訪的目的為何? 3. Where are you going to stay in London?你會在倫敦哪裡落腳? 4. Are there any friends or relatives in the states?在美國你有任何親友嗎? 5. How much cash do you have for the trip?|這次旅程有帶多少現金呢? 6. When's your departure date?離境的時間為何? 7. Please present me the return ticket and the passport!請出示回程票券和護照 8. You look intoxicated now. It's not proper for you to board the plane now. We」ll make another arrangement for the flight you can catch later.你看起來有酒醉的樣子,現在你的狀態不適合登機喔!我們會為你安排下一班最近的班機! 9. Please don't leave your luggage unattended.請不要把行李丟著無人看管! 10. Your passport is not valid for us.你的護照失效了! 11. We have to confiscate your liquors which exceed the volume allowance.我們必須要沒收你的超量的酒類飲品。 12. Inadequate-Packaging items is not attributable to the airline.未能包裝完整的托運行李公司一概不負責。 13. The Baggage Claim is on your right hand.行李提領處在你的右手處。 14. Please take off your cap and remove the sunglasses.請脫帽和把太陽眼鏡拿下來。 15. Are you aware that the budget airlines reserve the right to cancel or reschedule the flights for which passengers should not file lawsuits against?你自己注意到廉價航空有權力取消或重新安排班機,而乘客不能因此提出法律訴訟對抗之? 16. Taiwanese passport holders can travel in most countries in Europe without travel visas.台灣護照持有者在歐洲多數國家免旅遊簽證。
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Holidays in Kinmen(II)
Are You Coming Home by Rebecca Lim "Are you coming home for the holidays?" Each time I answered "no"-to a relative, an old friend, a curious acquaintance-it became more and more real that I would not be with my family for Christmas, and I felt increasingly sad about spending the holidays away from home. Christmas is more than just a day-it's a feeling. I love the toasty smell of firewood in the cold night air, the sight of neighborhoods draped in strings of lights and candles glowing from within cookie scented homes. For me, Christmas is about quality time with loved ones, who look forward to coming together from all parts of the world to be together to celebrate and make memories. It's about appreciating the past year and reflecting on both the blessings and the hardships. And it's about Jesus Christ, the original reason for the season. This year, even as I knew that December 25th was approaching, I struggled to feel the joy and anticipation that I usually do during the holidays. Though I had mentally prepared myself for the inevitable change of scenery in Kinmen, I still underestimated how much I would miss the traditions I had taken for granted my whole life. In order to try and create a the sense of Christmas I longed for in Kinmen, I listened to Christmas music, decorated my apartment with a little tree, watched a Christmas movie, and even participated in a gift exchange. I spent several classes teaching my students about Christmas, making Christmas crafts, singing Christmas songs, and playing Christmas games. On Christmas Eve, a couple friends and I performed three songs at the National Quemoy University Christmas show, which was my first time singing publicly anywhere. We sat under a beautiful Christmas tree, dozens of dazzling lights, and the gaze of a very gracious audience. I felt incredibly grateful for the opportunity, and was reminded of the immense number of experiences I have only had because I am living here in Kinmen. That night, I reflected on Christmas and all the different ways I celebrated it this year. I realized that in trying to explain what Christmas means to me to my students in Kinmen, I had actually done more Christmas activities and shared the Christmas spirit with more people than I had ever done in any given year before coming to Taiwan. To be sure, Christmas in Kinmen does not feel exactly the same as Christmas in Virginia. But in many ways, it is better. Next year, I will miss cutting paper snowflakes and constructing gingerbread houses with my adorable and talented students, decorating cookies and exchanging gifts with my fellow ETAs, and learning more about Christmas by seeing it through others' eyes. As 2016 approaches, I'm excited to share my New Year's traditions with my students, and am even more excited to learn about how they celebrate. Looking back on the past year, and even just the past few months, I'm in awe of how much I've learned and how far I've come. There are so many reasons to be joyful, thankful, and hopeful. Happy Holidays, everyone! Christmas in Kinmen by Ross Busch On December 25th, I celebrated Christmas without my family for the first time. I felt a little uncomfortable, and a little homesick. Never before in my life had I been asked to work during the holidays, and I wasn't quite sure how I was going to manage my responsibility to plan Christmas events for my students as well as my responsibility to celebrate with my family. I was expecting to work through a week of stressful Christmas plans and performances, while never actually having the opportunity to relax and appreciate one of my favorite holidays. Thankfully, the week of December 25th was filled with Christmas cheer and storybook surprises. I will share one of those surprises with you below… On Wednesday the 23rd, Jhuohuan Elementary School held its annual Christmas party. That day also happened to be the last day of service for one of our great tidayis, Yuming. In preparation for the party I dressed up as Santa Claus to add to the Christmas atmosphere of our party. As a surprise, our school also gifted Yuming a Santa outfit for his "retirement from service" celebration. After Yuming reluctantly put on the overly large red pants, the goofy red hat, and plastic belt, we were ready to celebrate. Instead, our fellow teachers and tidayis demanded that we go to 7-11 and film ourselves buying a few things. They figured it would be funny, and we figured the same! While walking along the quiet roads of Small Kinmen we encountered a few fellow teachers, and some local bulls. It was only after our picture that we realized wearing red in front of a bull was not the smartest decision... Then, Donglin, the largest village on Small Kinmen, erupted with the sound of our Zhuren's voice on the public loudspeaker. She explained, "there are two Santa Clauses walking to 7-11! All kids and parents should meet them there for candy!" It was only a matter of time before the streets were filled with our students, their parents, and grandparents. Bike wheels were screeching, cars were stopping, and kids were yelling! By the time we arrived, 7-11 was packed with people and a crowd had gathered in front of the building. Yuming and I bought a bunch of candy with the help of a few other teachers and we threw the chocolate and lollipops into the crowd. Together, we took pictures with babies and adults alike. When we ran out of candy we simply broke into song (Jingle Bells) until more candy arrived. We continued to toss candy into the crowd until there was simply none left to give. Yuming and I wished everyone a merry Christmas and laughed all the way back to Jhuohuan. My family has always stressed the importance of "giving" on Christmas. We "give" our time to each other, we "give" gifts, and we "give" as volunteers. For us, Christmas was never about the gifts we received, but always about who could "give" the most. While celebrating Christmas on Small Kinmen I was able to experience the pure joy that comes from "giving." Although I was not able to celebrate Christmas with my family, I was able to give help make Christmas come alive for so many of my students and their families. To have had this opportunity to give so much to others means more to me than any gift I have ever received. I am thankful for the opportunity to celebrate Christmas in Kinmen and I will always remember the first time I played Santa Claus on Small Kinmen. I will be telling this story for a long time. My Holiday Season by Sam Jeong Growing up in Korea, exchanging presents on Christmas Day was never much of a family tradition for me. One Christmas morning in second grade, I remember waking up to find a pair of gloves by my feet and being supremely disappointed that Santa, out of all other gifts, had to pick gloves for me. I think I voluntarily stopped believing in Santa after that Christmas. Something that my family did do as a tradition nearing the New Year was sharing prayer requests for the following year. I always scribbled down my requests on a fresh sheet of white paper with a pencil. One year, I remember praying for a puppy, a trip to Africa, and for my grandmother to live until 500 years old. Maybe my prayer requests acted as Christmas lists, but I still remember what it is like to sit around my living room sipping hot milk, listening to each of my family members list off their prayer requests. It was fun, it was intimate, and it was where I first felt what being a family means. It was odd spending December in Kinmen. No biting cold, no glittering lights everywhere, no giant Christmas sale posters; no conventional preparations for a Western holiday season. But I asked my students what two things they liked most about the holiday season, and the resounding answers were: eating candy and spending time with family. I probably would have said the same thing. On Christmas, the entire school danced. From my little first graders to goofy sixth graders, it was wonderful to witness the entire 古城國小 student body come together, and even more wonderful to see the proud smiles from the parents and grandparents who came to see their 小朋友 perform. This Christmas season, I have been mulling over the idea of home and family. Since moving to the States in middle school, I have seldom gone back home to Korea for Christmas, and the five of us being together in one place has become a rarity. But once the end of the year approaches, I find myself looking for a white sheet of printer paper and a pencil and writing down my prayer requests for the next year. This year, I am praying for a puppy, a trip to Afr… no, no. I am asking for my grandmother's health, for my mom's health, for a nephew or a niece, a peace of mind as I search for jobs, and the ability for me to really love my students at 古城國小and be the best teacher I can be until the end of my time here. Perhaps you do not necessarily need to be physically at home to be home. Perhaps all you need is a paper, a pencil, a cup of hot milk, and sounds of memories from long ago. And speaking of family, my fellow Fulbright ETAs has served that role for me this year. It is hard to believe that we met as complete strangers in August, and are now greeting the New Year together as great friends. We tease each other, get mad, laugh, play games, eat inordinate amounts of food, give each other rides, and are there for each other, as siblings would be. Sure, some may argue that we are just friends, but I argue that living in Kinmen and the amount of dependability that our relationship necessitates allows you to find "siblinghood" in a friendship-Friendblings! This week, I am headed to Taipei for the New Year's Eve firework show at Taipei 101. I will be welcoming the New Year with some friendblings. I cannot wait to see what next year brings. A Happy New Year to all! (本文由學術交流基金會外師群撰寫)
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Holidays in Kinmen(I)
Christmas in July by Andrea Hale Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus, Snowmen, the Gingerbread Man and The Grinch. I sat at my desk in Jinsha Elementary School trying to think of different symbols of Christmas. The after the Director of Academic Affairs had approached me hoping that I could help the school put on a Christmas event. Most of the kids at school had heard of Christmas and already knew many traditional songs from previous years of schooling and foreign teachers. For the last couple of weeks, my English classes have taken on a different sort of character: instead of memorizing vocabulary and sentence structures, students have been using English to sing songs and explore different cultural traditions through stories. I prepared lessons on, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," or "The Gingerbread Man." I had barely known these stories or their details beforehand and found myself relearning a Christmas tradition that I had not fully understand nor had I fully explored myself growing up in the United States. On December 24th, all the kids at school dressed up and filed into the gym, watching performances and preparing themselves for their own. After a morning of dancing, singing and candy, the students went back to classes. I thought to myself afterwards that perhaps I should be an elementary school dance teacher, if such a job existed. I had a lot of fun helping the kids learn to sing and dance. Through preparation for the Christmas event, I was able to bond with many students through artistic forms of personal expression that are not always used or practical in a typical classroom setting. The Christmas time preparations have made me question traditional styles of teaching and how different methods of teaching can be creatively introduced in teaching. Out of the many Christmas songs, my main teaching objective emerged renewed and refortified: to inspire students' curiosity of the learning process so that they can find motivation in the face of anything new and different. While I set forth relatively simple images of what holidays in the United States are like in Elementary school, I also confront the question: "What do the holidays mean to me?" I find that the ways in which people celebrate the holidays are diverse and varied. For example, in the United States some of the most popular holidays are Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Years. To answer this question I turned to some family and friends and asked them what the holidays mean to them. Here are some of their responses: #1: "We celebrate Christmas and Christmas Eve for the birth of Jesus. To remember that the Kings brought Jesus presents-that's why we give our kids presents. It means family union." #2: "A way to relive older traditions. So that the kids don't lose this excitement and it's not lost to business interests and consumerism. So that they can have a feeling of something that they have learned from their parents." #3: "The holidays are a hypocrisy. I feel like it's a space that the system has made where people can get together but they don't stop being consumerist events. Maybe they began as heartfelt events but they have turned into stress and worrying about expenses. There are beautiful moments but there isn't the feeling of excitement like there was when I was younger. The holidays have lost a lot of feeling." #4: "The holiday season means that, it's a family get together. That's the important thing for me. It's a family gathering to celebrate occasions, an opportunity for the family to get together to share stories and to relax. It's important because family is the most important factor in life. I have certain expectations that my family will get together to be with each other. You can't expect other friends and relatives to be with you all the time where as you can expect your family to come together. If I could wish for something it would be that everyone will come back home and be together during Christmas and New Year's Eve." These responses reflect different cultural backgrounds and practices and the complexity of where human imagination meets human reality. But perhaps my favorite response was my mother's when we talked about Christmas and presents. I told her, "I didn't know if I should send anything." She said, "Of course not. We did not send you anything. We will celebrate Christmas in July. We will keep your presents wrapped here." I look forward to bringing my family lots of presents from Kinmen and celebrating Christmas in July. It will be a first. Can Santa Claus Read Chinese? by Brett Burk I was five years old when I found Christmas presents under the stairs labeled "To: Brett// From: Santa Claus." Instead of confronting my grandparents about my discovery, I chose to remain silent. I feared that if I told them I knew Santa wasn't real, they wouldn't let me have the Christmas presents. As a result, at home, I pretended to believe in Santa Claus. However, school was a different story. "Santa's not real," I told anyone who would listen. Some kids reacted with curiosity, but for the most part they reacted with anger and disbelief. Many of my students have approached me to both ask and confirm Santa Claus's existence. I never quite know how to respond to their questions. "Can Santa Claus read Chinese?" a student asked as she was writing her Christmas wish list in English. "I think he probably can," I replied. Another instance with three first graders at lunch left me speechless as they all agreed, with certainty, that Santa lives in Finland and doesn't come to Kinmen because it's too far away. While I can no longer confirm or deny Santa's existence here or anywhere else on Earth, Santa's presupposed existence undoubtedly sparks imaginations around the globe. The question "What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?" leaves room for unbounded possibilities while "What do you want your parents to buy you for Christmas?" doesn't seem nearly as fantastic. Santa's scope of gift giving isn't limited by a price range or practicality like that of parents. Santa has the latent ability to bring nice kids around the world ponies, monster trucks, and millions of dollars while most parents can at most manage a puppy, a toy car, and some spending money. My younger students easily came up with ideas for a wish list to Santa. But with older students, I had to change the prompt from "What do you want Santa to bring you for Christmas?" to "If you could have anything in the world, what would it be?" a rather daunting question. However, when you add "Santa", the question seems less daunting and more exciting. Santa has the perceived power to bring tangible objects like toys and candy but not good grades and future career goals. The fun part of Christmas is the creativity involved in giving and receiving thoughtful tangible gifts that in turn bring about higher order gifts like love and friendship. Santa Claus is merely the means of establishing the meaningful giving and receiving dynamic that brings brings friends, families, and complete strangers together for the holiday season. This Christmas, I participated in a Secret Santa gift exchange where I was assigned a friend for whom to buy a present, and somebody else involved in the game received my name. While I did not know exactly what the person who's name I was assigned wanted, I spent a lot of time thinking about the person and shopping for potential Christmas presents, imagining the person's excitement as they opened each prospective gift. I felt much closer to this person after spending so much time thinking about the perfect gift to give them. After I figured out that Santa Claus wasn't real, I thought more about what I was writing on my wish lists. I wanted to write down gifts that I knew my family members could afford and resultantly the imagination I channeled into my wishlist disappeared. For children, the fun of Christmas lies in dreaming up the most fantastic gifts and believing in the fun tales surrounding Santa Claus. But for adults, the creativity lies in the process of thinking up the perfect gift. So even though the fat magical man living in the North Pole may not be real (for all of us), he is the means to facilitate a creative, meaningful gift-giving holiday season.
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英文原來這樣說(English Is A Piece of Cake)
1.今天你筆記了嗎?Take Notes of Your Encounters 【Make it a Routine to Pen Down Feelings小筆記大收穫】許多成功的企業家 (Entrepreneur,還記得知名電影"救救菜英文"的印度婦女在語言學校讓老師鼓勵 自己,做小甜點也是可以當生意人,是值得被肯定的!)隨身帶著口袋筆記冊 子,可以把重要內容快速瀏覽,並把可貴靈感立刻記錄下來→這就是Scan & Skim的基本閱讀技巧,快速閱覽內容並找到重點;這也是著名奇幻小說〈哈利 波特〉系列作品作者羅琳習慣汲取點子的方法,隨時有個自己的小本子jot down下來不錯的心得或學習的反饋內容,不僅僅可以檢視自己生活細節和發 現過去沒查覺的感動,也注意到自己遣詞用字。更用心的讀者們還可以順便把 支出消費(expenses)放上去,就是本簡易手帳和學習心得本,可是一舉數得呢 ! 【Recount What You've Absorbed回憶所學點滴】老師自己也很習慣在看完一本 書或是讀完一本雜誌,會回想剛剛看到了什麼印象深刻的內容,訓練腦部組織 知識的能力並篩選出重點記憶,記錄下來。凡遇機會分享或是遇到類似的話題 都可以侃侃而談。這樣印象更深刻,與腦中既存內容有更強烈的連結!現在許 多學生們紛紛都報名升學寫作班,對很多歐美國家學者或教師來說是很不可置 信的!生活的靈感不僅僅是從課堂上獲得,更是從資料中,自己發現與往常不 同的見解而有如獲至寶的喜悅;或是從體驗活動中發現自己在團體中有著獨立 作業、壓力調適、領導能力或是觀察他人互動的能力培養。這些都是在過程中 一點一滴去讓自己成長,而不是用填鴨式的方法來讓小孩背誦佳文,甚至還有 張冠李戴之嫌,最後落個拾人牙慧,反而寫出的文章只是個剪貼簿。 2.怎麼從零碎的筆記增進英文呢?Recollect Information from scratch 一趟旅程或是一場電影能帶給我們不同的感動,要怎麼做記錄呢? ★電視頻道中主角間對話,甚至英文新聞的標題,都能成為不錯的素材。然後 提醒自己要註明時間、節目名稱(流行類和社會檔案分開)、中英文解釋都可以 寫上去,等有空閒的時候可以查相關用法或是有無其他延伸意義,都可以記錄 下來。以下是老師的舉例,大家可以自己發想出更多有趣的記錄方法! Date: April 1st , 2020(2020年四月一號) Material: Fashion Stylist(流行造型師) A. That's really a big statement.這件衣服太誇張了! B. That's outlandish.這真的很特別!(破天荒的嘗試) C. Beautiful venues, stunning, it's a great willing show.這裡的場地好美,這場走秀 真的棒極了! D. The color almost eats the model. 這款顏色強烈到都照片失焦了(模特兒不需直譯出來) E. I could tell how much your audience loved it!妳的粉絲真的愛死你的設計 &不用太擔心是否是完整的文法,對話的內容以重點字為主! &相關的說法,同學可以自己補充在筆記小冊的旁邊或下方: statement除了有宣示某種態度,在生活場景也有"銀行明細表"的意思,或是某 個人的說法,所以想合理化自己的說法:She tried to justify her statements. ★運動時可以做英文筆記?Jot Down Your Thoughts While doing exercises? 其實很多同學看到這個開頭,大概都會想:「真的不會從跑步機上摔下來嗎? 」、「天啊!該不是邊游蝶式還要邊說話吧,這可不喝了一肚子水?」其實, 在用著全身肌肉神經和各關節的協調時候,腦子是很放鬆也很自由的,所以思 考上也更加能集中也更深刻地從腦中ARCHIVE調出已往的檔案內容了。以下 就是老師所示範在跑步機上快累的要死的瞬間,在心裡寫下的內容,並鼓舞了 自己身邊很多的朋友們; How often do you bring duffels to hit the gym and greet those familiar faces at the fitness center near your place? Perhaps the memory of you getting some sweat became really vague but it's really vital for me to refresh and look vibrant after all the training.平均多久一次你會提著圓筒包去住家附近的健身中心,和那些熟面孔 話家常呢?或許上次你運動到滿頭大汗的記憶已經很模糊了,但對於我來說, 在這些訓練課程之後,真的感受整個人煥然一新又活力充沛呢! As usual, I carried out my exercise routines in the afternoon when some work got accomplished and it's my way of catching some breath in a packed schedule. The process of jogging on the treadmill shall be thrilling and stimulating but somewhat froze the time like you left high and dry there. It's a battle against your will. 一如往常,在忙完手邊的一些工作後,我會開始運動的例行內容,藉此可以在 繁忙的行程中有了一絲喘息的空間。在跑步機上的時間本應非常令人亢奮又充 滿動力的!但也會有一種莫名的寂寞感,好像時間就此停住了,好像被無助感 吞沒一樣。這是一場和意志力的搏鬥! Suddenly, I was caught off guard by the sense of fatigue and there's some voice coming across my mind, " Why don't you just take a rest for a while? You've been working out so hard and people won't notice you pause a while for some water," and I thought to myself whether to withdraw from the painful training.突然間,有種無力 感襲來,傳來一些聲音說著:「為什麼不休息一下呢?反正妳都這麼努力運動 了,沒有人會發現你停下來喝口水啦!」我暗自這麼想是否要先暫停這難受的 訓練活動。 "That's why you get nowhere," screamed from within. I shocked myself with such message I've been telling myself when I made all attempts to pace myself while the heartbeat is pounding against my chest. How many of you will stop the machine and walk away to just steal some moments for relaxation?「這就是你為什麼都沒有長 進」那是從心裡吶喊出的想法。連我自己都感到極度的震驚,這不就是每當我 使盡全力要讓那奮力跳動的心臟和身體能夠達到平衡時,我一直告訴自己的話 ?有多少的你我,會這樣按下停止鈕,從機器下來,只想給自己一些休息的機 會。 Most might slack off and justify their statements by saying" I am not here for being a supermodel but getting some workout and having fun only, don't bother panting like someone chasing after me." I took a different path and felt completely inspired by my laziness.很多人或許會選擇這樣偷懶,而且面不改色的說:「我又不是要當超 級名模,我只是來動動筋骨,好玩就行了!不用把自己弄得要死要活,好像被 人在大馬路上追趕一樣。」而這次不同以往,我用了不同的心態面對,這次是 我的懶惰激勵了我! Therefore, stop drowning in your self-pity and point your fingers at others with curvy figure or muscular profiles walking past on the street or in some public venues.You were defeated by laziness and that's how you never saw improvement and became really proud of yourself. Again, I cast away my doubt and became inspired by my laziness.因此,不要再活在自艾自憐中,在大街上或公開場合中也不要老是對 著那些身材苗條或有著結實肌肉的人評頭論足。你是被懶惰擊潰的輸家,所以 你一直看不到自己努力的成效,更不用說對自己感到驕傲了!在此重申一次, 這次把自己的種種懷疑都丟開,讓我以往感到羞恥的懶惰鼓舞了現在的我。 ★從電影院出來後,感性地擦眼淚或是大笑一場,其實幾個小動作就可以讓妳 的英文實力大增,不用怕跟朋友聊天乾瞪眼,還是突然變神奇壁花囉!(這是 外來語WallFlower又稱做壁上觀,每次老師看到同學團體討論發呆,就會 說"Don't be a wallflower there, join the discussion!"): (A) IMDB:國際影評網是英文學習不可不知的好網站,不僅僅可以搜尋到最新 電影的評分,也可以大致了解在歐美市場中某些電視影集TV SERIES的評價和 重要訊息。只要打入喜歡的電影名稱(中文電影的別稱也可以),立刻就有該電 影的Summary,讓影迷可以知道大概的情節。所以想要讓口說和寫作變得非常 有梗,就是要上網去看看Summary,這樣你就可以簡單的跟朋友用英文敘述這 部電影的大概。要學好英文當然就要Storytelling囉!以下就是最近榮獲國際各 項大獎的經典影片 神鬼獵人 的IMDB劇情大要,也可以試著用同學你自己的版 本來對照一下喔!(A frontiersman on a fur trading expedition in the 1820s fights for survival after being mauled by a bear and left for dead by members of his own hunting team.) (B) Quotes:看完 愛在日落巴黎時 當然就要來兩句朗朗上口的劇中對話;每次 提到侏儸紀公園(JURRASIC PARK)就要會說" Life will find a way"(生命會自己找 到出路);看了傻呼呼卻又堅持到令人動容的〈阿甘正傳〉,說到自己的母親 曾告訴過他:「Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you're going to get.」(人生好像一盒巧克力糖,你永遠都不知道下次會嚐到什麼滋味。);穿著 PRADA的惡魔中的愛蜜莉笑著說:「My diet really works. I am just one stomach flu away from the goal weight.」可見在時尚圈裡的壓力和對於身材要求相當嚴峻 呢! (C) Impressive Characters:從電影網站的連結你可以找到最喜愛的角色,和她( 他)演過相關的經典影片,好好的回味一番,了解一個演員要經歷多少磨練才 能走到這樣的地位,讓充滿掌聲的舞台喝采成就,讓鎂光燈簇擁著,但也可能 隨即失去焦點,而成為影壇的曇花一現。 (D)Movie Review:不僅僅可以看到影片的精彩內容簡介,還有其他犀利網友把 這部電影的精髓或是容易遺落的重點,再重新詮釋一遍。就像台灣之光李安導 演的少年Pi,如果網路專業影評的介紹,可能要了解這部影片背後的意涵,確 實有些困難呢!
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Coming to Kinmen (Ⅱ)
It is strange to think that I have been in Kinmen for four months. Time has truly passed by incredibly quickly. Each time I feel that I have begun to understand a little more about life on Kinmen, a new experience shows me that I still have a long way to go - and that's the best part! A year and a half ago I had no clue where I was going to be placed as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. In fact, I really had no idea whether or not I was even going to be lucky enough to have the opportunity to come to Taiwan! Thankfully, Fulbright Taiwan (a non-profit institution dedicated to promoting cultural and educational exchange between the United States and Taiwan) decided to give me a chance. I have grown to love Kinmen, and I cherish my moments here. When I began the Fulbright application process as a third year university student I was not sure where in Taiwan I was interested in applying to. I read about Yilan, Taitung, Taichung, and different grantee's experiences while teaching. I thought "wow, what an opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture!" To me, there is nothing more exciting than being dropped in the middle of a new culture, a new place, and a new environment. I couldn't wait to begin writing my application! ?Surfing the internet I came across a few blogs which referenced a relatively new location in Taiwan which was sponsoring Fulbright grantees, Kinmen, and I knew that I had to apply.The rich historical and cultural factors which make Kinmen so special drew me in. Thinking back to those first searches on the internet is strange. Kinmen was a small picture, a paragraph on a blog post, a location on YouTube, a tiny island on a map, and now I am here. I am living, I am teaching here - writing an English language submission for the local newspaper, and enjoying every moment. I remember when I discovered that my application had been accepted. As I read the congratulatory email I slowly smiled and laughed. I didn’t stop smiling until I fell asleep later that evening. Lives work in mysterious ways. As a kid I would have never guessed that I would be living in Taiwan after college. In fact, nothing that I could have dreamed of would have been better than coming to live and teach in Kinmen. I am precisely where I was meant to be, and where I need to be. In that way, I am glad that we often don't know what our future holds for us, because such incredible surprises are worth more than any carefully laid plans. Scooters, People, Home by Sam Jeong When I found out I was coming to Taiwan for the year, two things excited me: stinky tofu and scooters. Call me crazy, but stinky tofu is one of the best things to have hit my tongue (and my nose). I could go on, but I will save it for another article. Scooters, though… I experienced my first scooter ride in Yunnan, China, and will never forget how the wind whipped through my hair and how the lush greenery rushed past me. I could not wait to get my own scooter. In August, when time came for me to take the scooter exam, I walked in confidently to the exam room, took the written exam, and failed. Then failed again. Then failed again. I failed the scooter written exam three times. The first time, I got 68 points (85 is the passing score), then 78 points, then 84 points. Embarrassed, I bitterly vowed to myself that if I did not pass on the fourth try, I would remain forever scooter-less. For the next two weeks, I studied hard. Demerits for speeding?One.CPR ratio?15 compressions to 2 breaths. How to deal with an acid burn? Neutralize it with a strong base. No matter how odd the questions, I committed them to memory. I was determined to pass. On the day of the exam, a sweltering Friday afternoon in September, I walked into the testing center for what was hopefully the final time. I had called earlier to ask for a delayed exam in order to accommodate my teaching schedule, and I was the last person to take the exam. The examiner, Wen Hong, warmly greeted me, took my papers, and personally escorted me down to the exam room. Wen Hong had been the examiner for all of the Fulbright 外師 this year, and was known for his kindness. I was glad to have him as my examiner. For the exam, I agonized over each question and triple-checked my answers. My heart 辟里啪啦ed as I shakily clicked the review button, and when a green Congratulations! appeared on the screen, I threw up my hands up in the air and bellowed, “YES!” Wen Hong, who had been nervously waiting for me, put his face into his hands when he heard me scream, then after realizing it was a scream of victory, did a torso-twist of some sort that I had never seen before. He was genuinely excited for me—maybe even more so than me. For the driving test, Wen Hong let me practice three or four times on the actual course. He walked me through each step, gave me pointers, and shouted words of encouragement. When I passed, he grinned as he signed my papers, and proudly handed it over to me. Perhaps it is interactions like these that make me truly appreciate living on Kinmen. People actually care and are invested in what I do. I lived in Shanghai all of last year, and felt like a mere one in 24 million. Here on Kinmen, though, with the support of my 21 wonderful fellow Fulbright teachers, two fantastic coordinators, and the local Kinmenese, like Wen Hong, I do not feel alone. I am reminded of that fact every time a stranger nods and smiles at me and every time I strike up a conversation with a restaurant owner. It may not matter much to them, but it means a lot for me. Funnily enough, I decided to not get a scooter until the end of the marathon in order to keep active. If you see me, a Korean American male sweating heavily on a yellow bike, please stop and chat with me! I may ask you directions to your favorite stinky tofu joint. I am learning to call Kinmen home, and am so glad to be doing so.
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傅爾布萊特計畫簡介
傅爾布萊特計畫是依據美國國會於1946年通過的法案而設立,由美國國務院與外國政府共同推動雙邊的學術與文化交流活動,目的在透過人員、知識和技術的交流,促進美國和其他國家人民的相互瞭解。此計畫是美國最具代表性之國際學術交流計畫。 傅爾布萊特計畫之英文名稱為Fulbright Program,此項計畫共在全世界155個國家執行,其中有50個國家與美國簽約成立基金會。在學術界及國際教育文化交流領域中享有盛譽,得獎者也都視為殊榮。現今參與由美籍傅爾布萊特年度得獎人擔任協同英語教師的傅爾布萊特基金會之國家包括有韓國、泰國、印尼、香港、馬來西亞及許多歐洲非英語系國家。 學術交流基金會13年前即與宜蘭縣政府展開合作迄今,陸續與高雄市政府、金門縣政府、台中市政府、台北市政府以及台東市政府合作推動英語協同教學。今年是第四度與金門縣政府教育局合作,共薦送22名外師。加上新參與傅爾布萊特計畫的台東縣政府,共計有76名美國傅爾布萊特青年得獎人擔任美籍英語協同教學助理(分派至宜蘭、高雄、金門、台中、台北、台東之中小學),除了從事教學,其餘時間為準備課堂教學、與本地老師分享教學經驗、探索台灣文化脈絡、接受教學訓練課程﹙工作坊研習活動﹚、協助製作英語教材和支援學校其它與教學相關活動。希望能為台灣英語教學注入一份心力與活力! 製作群 本專刊由金門日報編輯部策畫,參與內容製作者包括Dr. William Vocke (李沃奇) - Managing Editor / Executive Director, Foundation for Scholarly Exchange (Fulbright Taiwan); Mr. Brett Burk(呂凱天), Ross Busch(比儒實), Sam Jeong(鄭大鉉), Ms. Andrea Hale (夏嘉蔚)& Rebecca Lim(林芮) – Copy Editor / Fulbright ETA; Mr. Sam Chiou (邱柏耘) – Editor / Executive Secretary & Multimedia Producer; Ms. Kelly Chang (張純怡) – Editor / ETA Project Lead Coordinator; Ms. Ann Peng (彭安沛) & Carrie Chen (陳律妏) – Editor / Kinmen ETA Program Assistant Coordinator