APRIL

April showers bring May flowers
During April in the northern hemisphere, flowers bloom, and the world comes back to life after a long winter. Some think this month's name comes from the Latin word aperire, meaning to open, referring to the opening of flowers. And April's name says much more as well.

A- Arbor Day, a holiday that celebrates and encourages planting trees, falls on April 26 this year. J. Sterling Morton, a pioneer on America's frontier, was passionate about nature and proposed this holiday. It was first held in Nebraska on April 10, 1872, and has since spread throughout the U.S.

P- Practical jokes are common on April 1- April Fool's Day. People play tricks on each other, and some companies even join in. The BBC once reported a story about farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees, and Burger King advertised a left-handed hamburger.

R- Rain is common in many places during April, a fact that gave rise to the old saying, "April showers bring May flowers."

I- International Guitar Month falls in April along with National Humor Month and National Stress Awareness Month.

L- Loyalty, love, and innocence are represented by the daisy, April's flower. And April's gemstone, the diamond, represents everlasting love.


Info Cloud
Arbor Day 植樹節
holiday 假日
national holiday 國定假日(美語用法)
bank holiday (英國用法)
holiday 渡假(英)
- I want to go on holiday. 我想去渡假
vacation 渡假(美)
- I want to go on vacation. 我想去渡假

Grammar Gym
Rain is common in many places during April, a fact that gave rise to the old saying, "April showers bring May flowers."
to give rise to


Language Lab
bloom v. 開花
- Cherry blossoms bloomed all over the hillside.
櫻花開滿了整片山丘
大量出現, 繁榮興盛
- The country's economy has bloomed in the past decade.
這個國家的經濟在過去十年蓬勃發展
 n. 花朵
- The tree was covered with white blooms.
這顆樹開滿了白色的花朵
1 [uncountable and countable] a flower or flowers
2 in (full) bloom with the flowers fully open
3 [singular,uncountable] the healthy happy appearance that someone has, especially when they are young

back to life
to make someone or some living creature come back to life.

frontier n. 邊境, 邊界 (front 前面)
the border of a country
- The frontier between the countries is heavily guarded by troops.
這二國的邊境有嚴密的部隊防守
- There're just a few stations on the northwestern frontier.
西化的邊境只有幾個邊防站

practical joke n.
a trick that is intended to give someone a surprise or shock, or to make them look stupid

awareness n.  [noncount]
knowledge or understanding of a particular subject or situation;
the ability to notice something using your senses
- Recently, there has been an increasing awareness of teenage on-line game addiction.
aware adj.
if you are aware that a situation exists, you realize or know that it exists
- I'm quite aware of the risks I'm taking.

innocence n.天真, 純真
the fact of being not guilty of a crime;
lack of experience of life or knowledge of the bad things in the world
- You can still see a child's innocence in his eyes even though he may be over 30.
innocent
- The lawyer successfully proved that his clients is innocent.


mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130401_06bef.wmv

[Advanced] Keeping Up Online Reputations (2)

Reputation and
While it may be tempting for small-business owners to shrug off a few lousy reviews, industry research shows benign neglect of a company's online reputation could quickly hurt sales — especially given the new normal behavior of customers consulting their smartphones for even the smallest of purchases.

A Harvard business school research says that a one-star increase on Yelp can lead to a 9% increase in sales. Four out of five consumers, or 80%, reverse their purchase decisions based on negative online reviews, up from 67% in 2010, according to the 2011 Online Influence Trend Tracker survey by Cone. "It has a really major impact on the bottom line," says Brent Franson, vice president of sales for Reputation.com.

Review sites have exploded in recent years in number and types. Yelp is widely regarded as the most influential general review site, while Google Plus Local and Foursquare are often mentioned as rivals. TripAdvisor is the go-to spot for hotel owners but also lists a ton of reviews for restaurants and tour operators. Angie's List specializes in services.

People are also increasingly airing their complaints on social-media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.

There are industry-specific review sites, such as Wellness.com and Doctoroogle.com for doctors and dentists. DealerRater and Edmunds.com are popular for customers scouring for car dealers. There are even sites such as Houzz where consumers gather to talk about remodeling and other hobbies but liberally sprinkle vendor recommendations.

Attensity, a reputation management company for large corporate clients, tracks more than 150 million online sites where consumers are writing about products and services, says Michelle de Haaff of Attensity. "The emergence of review sites and social-media channels has given birth to a treasure trove of data of customer preference, desire and even intent to purchase," she says. "It is data that companies used to pay a lot of money for."

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS TO DIGITAL AGE

Review trackers trace their history to press-clipping services. And large companies migrated to digital solutions early on, spending a good chunk of their marketing budgets to gauge not only reviews but to learn more about influential writers, bloggers, product issues, complaints and compliments.

Only in recent years have the options for small-business owners become cheap enough to be widely available. There are even free options, such as Google Alerts, that ping account holders when key search terms turn up on various sites.

Netvibes and Trackur offer free tools for basic services — finding reviews and sending immediate alerts. Netvibes' free online "Dashboard" for monitoring articles and Twitter feeds are used by 4 million users, says spokesman Vincent Chang.

Most review trackers also provide subscription options, typically priced from $20 to $500 a month, that include a range of premium services, such as computing a total score of a client's online reputation "sentiment analysis" that indicates proportion of positive-to-negative reviews, and pointing out influential Twitterers, bloggers and journalists. Reputation.com offers a "reputation adviser," who may call clients and offer advice on responding to individual cases.

Using a professional tracking service paid off for a hotel client of Gary Henderson, whose digital marketing agency, Interactivity Marketing, uses Trackur.com to monitor reviews on behalf of its clients.

A hotel customer went to website Bedbugregistry.com and reported the hotel had bedbugs during his stay — and that his calls to managers were ignored.

Henderson's staff alerted the hotel owner of the registry. "If it was on TripAdvisor, they'd have seen it. Hotels are wired to track TripAdvisor. But they're not wired to track every other website," Henderson says. "If you weren't using an application similar to Trackur, you wouldn't have found it."

The hotel retrained its staff to respond to complaints with more urgency and issued the offended guest a free stay, Henderson says.



mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130330ada03ad92d13bdacb5150cac0e1e75e5103.wma

Lessons From the Cuttlefish (2)

Engineers Jonathan Rossiter and Andrew Conn at the University of Bristol in the U.K. have created a clear "artificial skin." Using cuttlefish technology, the two men have developed a soft material that contains something similar to the cuttlefish's color cells.

But instead of color, these cells hold a tiny, thin piece of black rubber. A process that squeezes the rubber pieces causes them to appear flatter and wider.

When all these black spots are expanded at the same time, it looks like the skin is suddenly darkening. And just like the cuttlefish, the color change takes place in less than a second.

In the future, Rossiter hopes that by layering the cells, they can create material with multiple color changes or moving patterns.

How can it be used?
Military groups may find the material useful for camouflage. Hikers and bikers, though, will appreciate the ability to become suddenly bright, making themselves stand out for safety purposes. And who knows, "cuttlefish fashion" may someday be the latest thing on the runway.

Info Cloud
昨天課文說到 biomimicry 仿生學,
今天我們再來看更多例子,
termite mound 白蟻屋,
不管屋子外的溫度高低, 但屋子裡都能維持一個舒適的溫度,
結果建築師就例用白蟻屋的例子, 在辛巴威蓋了一棟節能建築,
lotus flower 蓮花,
德國用蓮花的葉子發明了防水的油漆- 德國波恩大學植物研究所所長威廉•巴特洛特及其領導的小組，在蓮花葉面上倒幾滴膠水，膠水不會粘連在葉面上，而是滾落下去，並且不留痕跡。經過努力，他發明了一項新技術，生產出表面完全防水並且具備自潔功能的材料。

Language Lab
artificial adj.人工的, 人造的
art 技巧
artificial flavoring 人工甘味
artificial coloring 人工色素
造假的,
- Her smile looks insincere and artificial.
她的微笑看起來不真誠又做作

expand v.擴展的, 擴充的
ex向外的
- The restaurant expanded its seating area to make more income.
這家餐廳擴充坐位的區域以增加收入
expansion n.
- The expansion plan will cost the company a great deal of money.
這個擴展計畫會花公司許多的錢

take place
to happen
- The wedding is set to take place this July.
- Negotiations are now taking place between the two governments.
- He didn't understand what had just taken place. ▪ Where does the story take place? 
[=where is the story set?]

layer v. 堆疊層層 ; n. 層次
- Grandma layered the apple slices in the pie crust to make apple pie.
奶奶把一層層的蘋果片放在派皮上，要做蘋果派
- Karl layered the charcoal neatly so the fire would keep burning.
Karl整齊的疊好木炭，這樣火就能繼續燃燒

find... useful

stand out 引人注目, 顯眼
1 to be very easy to see or notice
2 to be much better than other similar people or things
- Thomas' height makes him stand out in the crowd.
Thomas的身高讓他在人群中很醒目
- Because of her excellent performance, Lily stood out from the other contestants.
Lilly優異的演出，讓她和別的參賽者比較起來特別突出

mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130330_1c7c1.wmv

[Advanced] Keeping Up Online Reputations (1)

Online review monitoring services benefit businesses and customers
Roger Yu, USA TODAY

On Yelp, a popular review site for everything from restaurants to gas stations, fans of Mari Luangrath's cupcake-delivery shop have noted the "hustle" of her operation and the "subtle" flavors of its products.

The same descriptors could apply to her dexterity in honing the online reputation of her 4-year-old bakery in Chicago, Foiled Cupcakes, which has earned a 4.5-star reputation. To stay on top of customer reviews, Luangrath logs on to ReviewTrackers.com, an online subscription service that aggregates and alerts her instantly of any reviews and online comments written about her business.

Seeing a three-star Yelp review complaining that her cupcakes were dry, she immediately and privately e-mailed the customer who wrote it to get more feedback. Luangrath baked another batch with a lower temperature to induce more moisture and redelivered the goods, prompting a positive follow-up from the customer on Yelp.

"If we hadn't been monitoring it, it would've been on our Yelp page for some time," she says. "Being in the food industry, it's so difficult. Taste is so subjective. Too sweet. Not sweet enough. Too much frosting. Not enough frosting."

Businesses are watching you
Obsessive monitoring of online reviews has become a norm for tech-savvy small-business owners. The burdensome but necessary task has been made even more complex by the emergence of social-media channels, Twitter in particular, that empower opinionated customers.

But technology has emboldened business owners, too, engendering software tools that ease the process of tracking reviews on a multitude of channels and enable quick responses.

"I'm always on these sites, freaking out," Luangrath says. "It can seem like a huge time-waster, but it's something we've got to take care of every day. Timing is everything."

In recent years, "reputation management" services — Netvibes, Reputation.com, ReviewTrackers.com and Trackur.com — have opened shop to cater to small-business owners looking to outsource the time-consuming task of aggregating online reviews and comments.




mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130329ada81167f3650900866dd11ef150e520a62.wma

Lessons From the Cuttlefish (1)

Inspirations from the sea for clothes that change colors
The amazing cuttlefish - now you see it; now you don't!
The ocean's master of disguise is known for its ability to appear and disappear right before your eyes. This eight-armed creature can quickly change its color and texture to match its surroundings. Cuttlefish go through this process in order to surprise prey, protect themselves, or attract other cuttlefish.

How does it work?
The color change is possible thanks to millions of special cells under the skin. These color cells contain tiny bag-like structures that hold different colors of ink, including red, yellow, black, brown and others.

A cuttlefish can change color in less than a second after its brain imparts a signal to these cells. In fact, a cuttlefish can change color several times in just a few seconds. For years scientists have tried to figure out this complex system and how it could be beneficial to people. Now they are taking a cue from this "chameleon of the sea" in an effort to develop "smart clothing."


Grammar Gym
thanks to / because of
The color change is possible thanks to millions of special cells under the skin.
- Because of the sunny weather, we enjoyed a lovely day outside.
= Thanks to the sunny weather, we enjoyed a lovely day outside.
- The team was able to finish the project quickly because of the new computer program.
= The team was able to finish the project quickly thanks to the new computer program.


Info Cloud
本文介紹科學家利用墨魚變色來發展變色的衣服,
這種利用自然現象改善人類的做法叫做 biomimicry n. 仿生學
字首 bio-表示生命, mimic 模仿
biomimicry 仿生學
1 奧林匹克運動會中，游泳選手穿的高科技泳裝是模仿鯊魚的皮膚組織，
這種高科技的泳衣讓選手們可以游得更快
2 日常生活中用的 velcro 魔鬼氈也是來自 biomimicry

Language Lab
disguise v. 偽裝, 假扮
/dəˈskaɪz/
1 to change the usual appearance, sound, taste, etc., of (someone or something) so that people will not recognize that person or thing
2 to hide (something) so that it will not be seen or noticed
- Her disguise consisted of a blonde wig and a hat.
她的偽裝包括一頂假髮和一頂帽子
in disguise 僑裝, 打扮
1 wearing a disguise; 2 made to look like something else : presented as another thing
- The actress always shops in disguise so no one will recognize her.
這位女演員總是僑裝打扮去逛街這樣就不會有人認出她來
disguise n.
1 clothes or other things that you wear so that people will not recognize you
2 the act of changing your appearance so that people will not recognize you

- The famous thief is known to be a master of disguise.

surroundings n. 周圍的環境或事物 [複數形名詞] 

[surrounding 字尾沒有s是adj.周圍的]

the places, conditions, or objects that are around you: environment

- The beautiful surroundings of the hotel make it very popular in summers.

這個旅館美麗的周遭景物讓他在夏季的時候生意很好

- I can't study in such noisy surroundings. 

我不能在這麼吵雜的環境讀書

impart v.傳遞, 給予
1 to give a particular quality to something
2 to give information, knowledge, wisdom etc to someone
- The ships use light signals to impart messages.
船支用燈光的訊號來傳遞訊息
- It is the teacher's duty to impart knowledge to students effectively.
有效的傳達知識是老師的責任
- She imparts a natural elegance with her graceful moves.
她優雅的舉止讓她透露出自然的優雅

beneficial adj. 有利的, 有益的
having a good effect;
producing good or helpful results or effects : producing benefits
- Regular exercise is beneficial to your health.
規律的運動對你的健康有益
- Sunlight and fresh air are beneficial to plants.
陽光和流通的空氣對植物有益
benefit n.利益好處

take a cue from...
to do what is done or suggested by (someone or something);
to use someone else's actions or behaviour to show you what you should do or how you should behave

mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130329_66b1e.wmv

[Advanced] Quest for Gold Brings Conflict (2)

In Guyana, a nation the size of Idaho on South America’s northeastern shoulder, authorities in July suspended all further mine permits to halt devastation by some 14,500 independent miners, many of whom blast river banks with hoses to expose gold-laden sediment, then use mercury as an amalgam to pull gold from silt.

In Colombia, some 200,000 small-scale miners produce 50 percent of that nation’s gold, while 20,000 miners now operate in the pristine Madre de Dios region of Peru, where they commonly filter mercury into the food chain.


Mercury contamination by small-scale miners has prompted leaders of some countries, like Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega, to seek out experienced mining companies using less harmful methods involving cyanide that avoid the use of mercury.

One of the beneficiaries is Hemco Nicaragua, a private company employing 900 people at its gold mines in the nation’s so-called Golden Triangle, formed by the villages of Siuna, Bonanza and Rosita.
“We’re using traditional leaching methods,” said Randall Martin, a U.S. mining engineer who is chairman of the company. “Cyanide has a very short lifespan. Mercury is a heavy metal and stays around forever.”

Like many foreign-owned mining companies, Hemco has put emphasis on investing in the communities where it operates, eager to foster good relations.

“We built a kindergarten. We built a computer lab for the community,” Martin said. “It’s about the only place in Nicaragua where everybody that comes out of high school has taken a computer course.”

Relations between foreign mining companies and local communities have been far from smooth in El Salvador and Guatemala, where battles pitting villagers against companies are portrayed as David vs. Goliath struggles.

The most notorious case involved Pacific Rim, a Canadian firm that later incorporated in Nevada. The company began exploring for gold in 2002, eventually filing a $77 million lawsuit in 2008 charging that El Salvador’s failure to issue it an environmental permit violated its rights as a foreign investor.

An activist against the Pacific Rim project was found slain with two gunshot wounds to the head in June 2011. He was the fourth mining activist murdered in the previous two years in El Salvador.

Mam-speaking Mayans living near Guatemala’s giant Marlin gold mine, one of the most productive in the hemisphere, say the Goldcorp mine has brought health, environmental and human rights woes.

Acting on behalf of 18 villages around the mine, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights asked in 2010 for Guatemala to suspend mine operations. Neither the state nor Goldcorp complied.
The profits splashing out of such mines have spurred some nonprofit activist groups to demand tougher terms for gold companies on long-term liability for environmental cleanup, community improvements and royalty payments.

“It is more complicated to open a restaurant than it is to get a gold mining concession,” said Agustin Bravo Gaxiola, a mining specialist at the Mexican Center for Environmental Law, an advocacy group.
“Mexican mining legislation is such that it would have been the envy of Queen Victoria under the British Empire,” he added.


Under President Felipe Calderon, Mexico has more than doubled the area of mineral concessions, often granting rights prior to consulting with indigenous people dwelling on the lands. In February, federal courts suspended one concession granted in San Luis Potosi after lawyers for Huichol Indians said it would desecrate a sacred site.

Whether social problems erupt near gold mines often depends on where they are. In Mexico’s arid north, few problems have been reported.

“Miners only move a few cacti,” said Ecclestone, the mining consultant. “They are not ravaging jungles and killing monkeys.”
In contrast, mining companies going into countries that were once torn by civil war face different and more severe challenges.

“In Guatemala, you’re working in post-conflict areas with indigenous communities. There’s a strong suspicion of outsiders coming in,” said Keith Slack, an adviser on oil and mining for Oxfam America, a humanitarian relief and development agency.

Whittall, the Newstrike chief, said his exploration company fosters good relations in communities where it works, viewing it as economic common sense.

“If you’re trying to sell a company . . . one of the highest and most important assets to have is a tranquil community that is onside with potential development,” he said.

Mining companies, he said, should hold to the precept that “you’re a guest in the country. It is not rocket science. It’s just being respectful.”

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/01/170238/across-latin-america-quest-for.html#storylink=cpy

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130328adada3b23cbd7040dbed7d1521be29c104f.wma

The Downside of Staying Connected (2)

Ways to prevent Text Neck
In order to avoid or reduce the possibility of getting Text Neck, use the following basic ergonomic principles.

 Avoid awkward positioning. Don't strain your neck, and stay aware of how your body is positioned in relation to the device.

 Take frequent breaks when using any kind of mobile device. Many doctors recommend that users change their position every 15 minutes.

 When using a tablet, use a case that can prop up the device at a comfortable viewing angle.

There's an app for that
For those who simply can't take their eyes off of their devices, this is an ironic twist - downloading a special app could help.

Dr. Fishman has released an app called the Text Neck Indicator App, which measures the angle of your smartphone. When the angle is appropriate, a green light appears in the upper comer of your screen. But when the angle puts you at risk for neck strain, the light turns red, triggering you to adjust your angle.So go ahead and stay connected, but don't let your body - or your neck - stay in one position for too long.


Info Cloud
My arm fell asleep. 我的手背睡著了(指趴在桌上睡，手麻了)
My leg fell asleep. 我的腿睡著了(指坐姿關係，一隻腳麻了)
以上兩者為口語說法，正確用法為numb.
numb adj.失去感覺的、麻木的
a part of your body that is numb is unable to feel anything, for example because you are very cold
pins and needles :A tingling sensation felt in a part of the body numbed from lack of circulation.
an uncomfortable feeling, often in your foot or your leg, which you get especially when you have not moved part of your body for a long time, and the supply of blood has stopped flowing properly
指麻木的手背或腿部開始慢慢恢復知覺的刺刺麻麻的感覺
- I'll have to move because I'm starting to get pins and needles in my foot.

Language Lab
strain v.拉傷、扭傷
to injure (a body part or muscle) by too much tension, use, or effort
- Janet strained the muscles in the back of the leg while hiking.
Janet爬山時，扭傷了腿後面的肌肉。
- Alex strained his back while carrying his son.
Alex抱兒子時，閃到腰了
strain n.拉力、負擔
worry that is caused by having to deal with a problem or work too hard over a long period of time
- Brenda has been under a lot of strain lately.
Brenda最近的壓力很大

prop something up支撐起某物、支住某物
- Gina propped herself up with a lot of pillows so that she could read in bed.
Gina用很多枕頭撐住自己，這樣她就可以在床上看書。
- It is hoped that the new policy will prop up the economy.
這個新政策希望可以支撐起經濟

ironic adj.諷刺的
an ironic situation is one that is unusual or amusing because something strange happens or the opposite of what is expected happens or is true
irony n.諷刺
- His ironic remarks really irritated me.
他的諷刺的話，真的惹惱了我。
- It's so ironic to see an independent group being commercialized like this.
看到一個獨立樂團商業化到如此，實在荒謬。
- You can always find a hint of irony in his work.
在他的作品中，總是能夠感受到一絲的諷刺。

indicator n.指標、指示器
something that can be regarded as a sign of something else
indicate v.指示、表明
- The color of the outfit Patricia is wearing is an indicator of her mood today.
Patricia顏色是她今天情緒的風向球
- Oil prices are one of the indicators of inflation.
油價是通貨膨脹的指標之一


mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130328_dddab.wmv

[Advanced] Quest for Gold Brings Conflict (1)

Miners across Latin America are digging up gold—and arousing anger
By Tim Johnson | McClatchy Newspapers

Steadily high prices for gold are having a dramatic impact on parts of Latin America, bringing a flood of foreign investment and stirring a gold bug among wildcat miners.

Some of Latin America’s poorest nations – Bolivia, Honduras and Nicaragua – have seen their balance sheets strengthened by gold production, while major producers Peru and Mexico reap billions in foreign exports.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/01/170238/across-latin-america-quest-for.html#storylink=cpy

But even as miners unearth deposits of gold, they also open up veins of social discontent. Protests over gold mining have become the coin of the day in areas where villagers complain of water pollution, a lack of jobs and environmental devastation.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/01/170238/across-latin-america-quest-for.html#storylink=cpy

U.S. and Canadian mining companies can be lightning rods for the discontent. But watchdog groups say global mining companies have grown more responsible in their dealings abroad. As often as not, it is small companies, and even independent miners, who generate the frictions and pollution.

19:06
The average price of gold has risen more than sixfold since 2001, when it stood around $270 an ounce. Some analysts see prices heading higher amid global economic uncertainty.

Mexico, known for centuries for its silver mines, recently saw gold surpass silver to become its No. 1 mineral export, partly because gold production has more than tripled since 2004 to more than 84 metric tons a year.

“We’ve found an area that is extremely concentrated in gold. . . . It’s quite staggering,” said Richard Whittall, of Newstrike Capital Inc.

From Nicaragua’s mining district to the goldfields in Colombia’s northwest, and on to Peru’s Madre de Dios jungles, wildcat miners are tearing up forests and dumping mercury in rivers in their quest for gold.

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/01/170238/across-latin-america-quest-for.html#storylink=cpy

Notes and Vocabulary
arouse angry v.
to make someone feel very unfriendly and angry

friction n.
/ˈfrɪkʃən/
disagreement, angry feelings, or unfriendliness between people



mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130327adae65fcf3a163f8e2854b7ce25a4d4ba54.wma

The Downside of Staying Connected (1)

The habit of looking down at your smartphone or tablet could be hurting you
The next time your're riding a subway or bus, pay attention to your fellow passengers. Chances are you'll see plenty of them with their heads down, tapping the screens of their tablets or texting on their smartphones.

While these folks may be making good use of their time by staying connected, their bodies are paying a heavy price for such convenience. As hand-held devices such as smartphones and tablets are becoming more common, users are reporting some new physical problems.

Florida chiropractor Dean Fishman began noticing an increased number of his patients complaining of neck and shoulder pain. He traced these symptoms to the overuse of hand-held devices, specifically the action of bending the neck, and coined the term "Text Neck."

As if the painful symptoms weren't bad enough, Fishman warns that an untreated case of Text Neck could lead to permanent spinal damage. He founded The Text Neck Institute in an effort to treat and deucate those suffering from Text Neck. Treatments offered there include chiropractic care, physical therapy, massage therapy and exercise planning.

Grammar Gym
An increased number of [something + verb-ing]
"... an increased number of his patients complaining of neck and shoulder pain."
- An increased number of girls getting cosmetic surgery...
- An increased number of investors buying property in this part of town...

Info Cloud
text neck 低頭族 (簡訊脖子)
overuse syndrome involving the head, neck and shoulders, usually resulting from excessive strain on the spine from looking in a forward and downward position at any hand held mobile device, i.e., mobile phone, video game unit, computer, mp3 player, e-reader. This can cause headaches, neck pain, shoulder and arm pain, breathing compromise, and much more.

RSI- Repetitive Strain Injury 重覆使力傷害
tennis elbow 網球肘
blackberry thumb 黑莓機拇指
rubik's wrist 魔術方塊手腕
家有新身兒的媽媽手可用 RSI
deQuervain’s 媽媽手(肌腱炎)，是由於腕部靠拇指側肌腱的刺激或腫脹所造成。

Language Lab
downside n. 缺點, 負面的效應
a part of something that you do not want or like : a drawback or disadvantage
- The downside of working abroad is being away from friends and family.
在國外工作的缺點就是要遠離家人和朋友
upside 好處, 有利的一面
- Even though Paul was fired, the upside is that he doesn't have to work for that terrible boss any longer.
雖然Paul 被炒魷魚了, 但好處是他永遠不用在跟可怕的老闆工作了

make good use of something 善用, 好好利用
"While these folks may be making good use of their time..."
- Will decided to make good use of his business trip to see Rome.
Will 決定要好好利用出差的時間去看看羅馬

symptom n. 症狀
a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present;
a change which shows that something bad exists : a sign of something bad — often + of
- The symptoms of the flu are a fever, runny nose, coughing and muscle pain.
這種流感的症狀有發燒, 流鼻水, 咳嗽, 和肌肉酸痛
徵兆,徵候
- Constant conflicts are one symptom of an unhealthy marriage.
不斷的衝突是不健康婚姻的徵兆

chiropractor n. 整脊師, 脊椎按摩師
/ˈkaɪrəˌpræktɚ/ chi·ro·prac·tors
a method of treating people who are sick or in pain by pushing and moving bones in the spine and joints
- After one visit to my chiropractor, my back stopped hurting.
去過我的整脊師那之後, 我的背就不痛了
chiropractic adj. 整脊的 / chiropractic treatment 整脊治療


You might also like this
http://www.helium.com/items/1370731-modern-technology-the-internet-demise-newspapers-the-rocky-mountain-news

mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130327_b0c36.wmv

[Advanced] The Staying Power of Susan Sarandon (2)

Rising star Brit Marling (Sound of Her Voice) plays Sarandon's character's daughter in Arbitrage, and marvels at this "force of nature" she got to share scenes with.

"The test of any scene with any actor is 'How much can you live in this imaginary reality?' Are you there 50 per cent, 60 per cent? Acting with Susan, who is so there, so present and her character is so crackling with life that if anything is distracting you in the least, just looking at her will pull you right back into the moment."

Sarandon shrugs off such praise.

"Actors should just act, do what's fun, do stage, TV, film, whatever interests you. When you see yourself as a character actor, it's easy to see yourself as Jason Segel's mum or Richard Gere's wife.

Smaller films, which she mixes in with studio productions, allow her to "push the envelope, in terms of my ego, and have the opportunity to work with people I don't know.

"Every film can be a re-boot of who you think you are, if you think of it that way. The worst thing that can happen to you is that you get complacent."

14:25 

Marling says she grew up admiring Sarandon both as an actress “and as a human being.” Sarandon is still as well-known for her activism as her acting. So while this year alone, she played the frustrated mother of Ed Helms and Jason Segel in “Jeff, Who Lives at Home,” mothered Adam Sandler in “That’s My Boy” and co-starred with Frank Langella in the wistful sci-fi comedy “Robot & Frank,” her passion remains her causes.


14:58
Her passion remains her causes.

“Returning veterans are my biggest concern, right now,” she says. “I always am involved in anti-poverty issues and fighting child prostitution - the Somaly Mam Foundation is what I have been supporting. I’ve been to Cambodia with my daughter, working with Somaly.

Notes and Vocabulary

push the envelope (idiom)
to go further than the usual limits by doing something new or dangerous 
挑戰極限
- Joe pushed the envelope when he decided to climb up Mount Everest.

Discussion Questions
- Why is it difficult for many older actresses to find good roles?
- Which do you tend to enjoy more: smaller, independent films or larger, studioproductions? Give an example.


mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130326adacce15bd664d85413e75dcd6eaed67093.wma

The Art of Mime (2)

In the mid - 1500s mime became a form of street performance in Italy. Mimes wore masks and acted out comedies. Because masks hid their faces, they could make fun of any aspect of society. Everyone enjoyed those performances - young and old, rich and poor.

Mimes also traveled around Europe. Because their art had no words, there was no language barrier. Mime became especially popular in France. French performers created famous mime characters like Pierrot and Bip. These characters helped shape today's mime.

Mime like a pro
Want to try mime? Try communicating only through body language; no talking allowed. Watch people's facial expressions and gestures closely and practice copying them. Create a story to act out - this will be more interesting to your audience. No props? No worries! You can create anything you need out of thin air. The most important thing is to believe your illusion. If you believe it's real, your audience will, too!

Info Cloud
no worries = no problem = that's all right! 別擔心、沒問題
good on you = well done 表示讚賞、很好、太棒啦!
barie = barbecue 烤肉
outback 偏僻蠻荒的內陸地區過去十幾年，有許多澳洲電影或影集進軍美國，
因此一些澳洲俚語也引進美國，例如：no worries, good on you, barie, outback..etc.
這些字現在也成為美語常用的字彙

Language Lab
performance n.演出
- The actor's brilliant performance won him several awards.
這位演員優秀的演出，使他得到好多座獎項。
performer n.演出者
- He's a world - renowned classical music performer.
他是世界聞名的古典音樂表演者

barrier n.障礙、阻礙；柵欄、關卡
- The couple conquered their age barrier and finaly got married.
這對情侶克服年齡障礙，終於結婚了。
- The officer checks the papers of everyone who passes the barrier.
警官檢查每個通過關卡的人的證件
1 a rule, problem etc that prevents people from doing something, or limits what they can do
2 a type of fence or gate that prevents people from moving in a particular direction
3 a physical object that keeps two areas, people etc apart
4 a level or amount of 10 seconds, 40% etc, that is seen as a limit which it is difficult to get beyond

prop n. 道具
an object that is used by a performer or actor or that is used to create a desired effect in a scene on a stage, in a movie, etc.
- The play company does their own props.
這個劇團自己做道具
- The props for this scene are a table, a chair and a vase.
這場戲的道具有一張桌子、一張椅子和一個花瓶。
- The props used in the movie were donated to a fund - raising auction.
這部電影所用的道具被捐出來，作為募款的拍賣品。

out of thin air (idiom)無中生有、憑空出現
used to say that someone or something appears in a sudden and unexpected way
- The fairy appeared out of thin air in Cinderella's room.
這位仙女突然出現在灰姑娘的房間中
- I can't come up with such a large amount of money out of thin air.
我無法憑空變出這麼大筆錢


mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130326_214d8.wmv

[Advanced] The Staying Power of Susan Sarandon (1)

Starlets and causes come and go, but this actress endures

Susan Sarandon has always made it look so easy.

Generations of actresses launch careers and then flame out. Sarandon, 65, "transitioned" - from ingenue to leading lady to strong female lead to stellar turns as mums. Others come and go, Sarandon reinvents herself and endures.

"It's just managing to get the part you need when you need it," she says. "I just survived. I don't understand how I've stuck around, and I have no idea what to say when people ask me how. I've made plenty of mistakes."

Mistakes or not, this Oscar winner has always cleverly picked, or lucked into, roles that gave her a fresh lease on movie life.

12:18 picking timely rose
"Some of those parts, thanks to the directors of the movies, have managed to become kind of iconic - important parts in the Hollywood history of women," Sarandon says. "But that has as much to do with the zeitgeist of the moment as with me.

Take Arbitrage, her latest. She plays the wife of a Wall Street hedge fund baron (Richard Gere) who has hidden vast financial wrongdoing from her.

Melodramatic touches aside, it's a movie ripped from recent headlines.

"I feel a little bit like Zelig," Sarandon says, referencing Woody Allen's 1980s film about a man with the ability to blend into disparate situations, always on the cutting edge of history. "These films, a number of them, seemed to slip right into the consciousness of that moment in time.

 "When we did Thelma & Louise (1991), we had no idea it was going to be that big of a deal. But it caught a wave."And Arbitrage, she thinks, has wave-catching potential.



Notes and Vocabulary 
stellar adj.
/ˈstɛlɚ/
very good: excellent

reinvent v.
/ˌri:jənˈvɛnt/
to make major changes or improvements to (something);
to present (something) in a different or new way

zeitgeist n.
/ˈzaɪtˌgaɪst/
the general beliefs, ideas, and spirit of a time and place

wrongdoing n.
behavior that is morally or legally wrong


mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130325adaa421a7881ecd292432c244a05008d5b5.wm
a

The Art of Mime (1)

In this art form, actions speak louder than words
What do you think of when you think of a face painted white? A shirt with stripes? White gloves and a black hat? In the West this figure might come to mind when we think of mime. Mime is the art of acting without using speech. The word can also refer to a person who performs this art. This type of art has grown and changed over the centuries. What began as a simple form of communication is now a form of theater.

Mime through the ages
Mime is one of the earliest forms of self-expression. As languages were developing, humans still used their bodies to speak. Mime first became an art form in ancient Greece. Silent actors performed everyday scenes using gestures. These plays often taught a lesson about values. When the Romans conquered Greece, they took the art of mime back to Italy. There they made it their own. Even after the fall of the Roman Empire, mime survived.


Grammar Gym
What began as a ... is now a ...
- What began as a simple form of communication is now a form of theater.
- What began as a two-man business team is now a company with five hundred workers.
- What began as a tiny laboratory in the back of a school building is now a separate research center.

Info Cloud
actions speak louder than words
本課作者引用英文諺語: 行動勝於空談: actions speak louder than words
Do as I say, not as I do. 別管我在做什麼, 照我說的去做
monkey see monkey do 有樣學樣 (猴子模仿力很強,看到什麼就會照著去做)

Language Lab
mime n.
/ˈmaɪm/
[uncountable and countable] the use of movements to express what you want to say without using words, or a play where the actors use only movements

perform v. 表演, 演出
to do an action or activity that usually requires training or skill
to entertain an audience by singing, acting, etc.
used to describe how effective or successful someone or something is
- The band will perform tonight at the prom.
樂團今天晚上會在一個畢業舞會上演出
- The singer started performing in the early '70s.
這位歌手在七零年代初期就開始表演
表現
- John performed well in this project.
John 在這個案子表現傑出

communication n. 傳播, 溝通, 交流
- Facebook opened a new way of communication.
臉書開啟了溝通的新方式
- She had no communication with her parents once she moved out.
她搬出家以後就沒有和她的父母連絡
通訊
communication equipment 通訊設備

gesture n. 手勢, 姿勢
/ˈʤɛstʃɚ/
[uncountable and countable] a movement of part of your body, especially your hands or head, to show what you mean or how you feel
[countable] something that you say or do, often something small, to show how you feel about someone or something
- The professor loves to use gestures to emphasize his points.
這位教授喜歡用手勢來強調他的重點
gesture v. 用手勢來表達, 或用動做視意
to make a gesture : to move your hands, arms, etc., to express an idea or feeling
- My boss gestured me to close the door.
老闆用動作我視意要我把門關上

self-expression n. 自我表現
self 自己/ expression表達
the expression of your thoughts or feelings especially through artistic activities (such as painting, writing, dancing, etc.)
- Fashion is a medium for self-expression.
時尚是自我表現的一種媒介
- He sees his poems as an important way for self-expression.
他認為他的詩是做為自我表現的一種方式

mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130325_efaaa.wmv

[Advanced] Create Your Own Economy (1) (2)

Why one lesson of this economic crisis may be that we have to change how we measure growth, production and success. By Tyler Cowen | 2009

More and more, "production" -- that word my fellow economists have worked over for generations -- has become interior to the human mind rather than set on a factory floor. A tweet may not look like much, but its value lies in the mental dimension. You use Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and other Web services to construct a complex meld of stories, images, and feelings in your mind. No single bit seems weighty on its own, but the resulting blend is rich in joy, emotion, and suspense. This is a new form of drama, and it plays out inside us -- with technological assistance -- rather than on a public stage.

Online, you can literally create your own economy. By that, I mean you can build an ordered set of opportunities for prosperity and pleasure, analogous to a traditional economy but held in your head. There is no obvious monetary transaction, but you're using your limited resources to get a better deal -- the very essence of economics. In fact, "economics" comes from oikonomia, the ancient Greek word for household management, and the modern practice of economics is returning to that idea.

The traditional gauge of economic success is profit, but over time we'll find that such statistics as measures of GDP tell us less and less about broader efforts to improve human well-being. Much of the Web's value is experienced at the personal level and does not show up in productivity numbers. Buying $2 worth of bananas boosts GDP; having $20 worth of fun on the Web does not. And this effect is a big one. Each day more enjoyment, more social connection, and, indeed, more contemplation are produced on the Web than had been imagined even 10 years ago.

But how do we measure those things?
That question -- and I don't yet have a full answer -- reflects the state of flux we're in today. We're going through a lot of adjustments, and not just in real estate and finance. Free stuff on the Web has made this economic downturn more severe. For many of us, the Web really is more fun than a trip to the store, which makes it easier for us to cut our spending. Although the iPhone has been earning lots for Apple, our spending on high-tech goodies does not make up for falling demand elsewhere. A PC and broadband cost something, but for those millions who have paid up, further exploration is essentially free.

Billions of people are rapidly becoming more knowledgeable and better connected to one another. Self-education has never been more fun, and that is because we are in control of that process like never before.

Someday we'll gain the tools to measure these new benefits. Twitter's value will lie not in its eventual market cap but in the human connections it creates. My Twitter feed is a virtual meeting room with economists, aid workers, entrepreneurs, housewives, celebrities, and plain old friends. The Web unites millions of diverse individuals, who interact and sometimes even meet up or marry. The world has a lot more of these connections, even if we've yet to see all of their implications -- including the traditional financial ones of new businesses, employment, and revenue. And it may sound counterintuitive, but the more time you spend staring at your screen, the bigger that human capital dividend will be.

Vocabulary and Notes
meld n.
the act of combining various objects into one

analogous adj.
making a comparison between things which have similar features, often used to help explain a principle or idea

essence n.
the basic meaning or importance of something

gauge n.
the process of measuring or making a judgement about something.

contemplation n.
spending time thinking about something in a serious and quiet way

flux n.
continuous change

counterintutive adj.
describes somethings that does not happen in the way you would expect it to

[Advanced] Everyone Is an Investor (3)

Keeping the scams out
The intersection of crowd sourcing, money and anonymity afforded by the Internet may sound like a cesspool of financial chicanery and frauds, but site operators are sensitive to the perception.
9:15
Kickstarter's all-or-nothing approach to money — donors aren't charged if campaigns fail to meet their financial goals — helps to minimize fraud, Strickler says.

RocketHub allows fundraisers to keep the funds even if they fall short of their goal. But the company saw no need to withhold money, because it found 75% of funds raised on its site are from someone you know or others who know people in your network. "You have a built-in safety mechanism. People who don't have social capital aren't able to fundraise online," Meece says.

But scams and never-materialized projects sometimes pop up in crowd funding. In one notable case, a video game campaign raised nearly $5,000 on Kickstarter before "the studio" was discovered by forum users at social news website Reddit to be a fraudster. The campaign was eventually canceled by its creator.

Rules and Regulations
With rulemaking still ongoing, the law lacks details on how investors will be protected. But broadly, it imposes certain rules on funding websites, including a requirement that they refrain from directly handling money or securities. They must hire an intermediary, such as a bank or broker, for such transactions. The funding sites are also prohibited from making security recommendations or promoting a particular company.

The banks and brokers are required to conduct background checks of officers or directors holding at least 20% of company shares. A crowd-funding site can also act as an intermediary — and hold funds and securities— if it registers as a broker.

Because most crowd-funded deals are small in size, large brokers could be tempted "to cut corners," Rubenstein says. Smaller intermediaries may not have enough resources to meet the requirements, he warns.

Notes and Vocabulary
cesspool n.
a large, underground hole or container that is used for collecting and storing human waste and dirty water

anonymity n.
/ˌænəˈnɪməti/
when other people do not know who you are or what your name i

chicanery n.
/ʃɪˈkeɪnəri/
dishonest but attractive talk or behavior that is used to deceive people

perception n.
/pɚˈsɛpʃən/
the way you think about something and your idea of what it is like

mechanism n.
a part of a machine, or a set of parts that work together

fraudster n.
a person who gets money by deceiving people

intermediary n.
someone who acts to arrange an agreement between people who are unwilling or unable to communicate directly

Discussion Questions
- Has something kept your dreams in check? Explain.
- When you make a donation, do you expect something in return? Explain.
- What are some of the pros and cons of crowd funding?

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130323ada411201714c334e8e4322d39a52f0429c.wma

Plagiarism: A Common Crime

Are you an idea thief?
An important assignment is returned face-down on your desk, and you turn it over to see a big, red 0 on it! You did so much research and spent so many nights burning the midnight oil on this paper - how could this happen?

You plagiarized - that's what happened. Plagiarism is presenting another source's material as your own, which students often do, though it's considered to be both theft and fraud.

Obviously if you simply take an online article and call it your own, you are an unrepentant plagiarist. But you will be given the same label if you use just one quotation or concept from another's work without giving credit to the original author. People across the world have had degrees and positions revoked for such actions.

However, you can avoid all of these consequences by citing your sources in the correct format and by confirming you did your work through an online plagiarism checking service. For example, PlagTracker allows you to upload a document and receive a free plagiarism report based on material on all web pages and in its extensive database. PlagTracker is a foolproof way to make sure your writing is appropriately documented and to ensure that you won't be accused of plagiarism.

Info Cloud
plagiarism n.抄襲、剽竊
/ˈpleɪʤəˌrɪzəm/
musical plagiarism音樂抄襲
sampling n.採取樣品、試驗樣品
music sampling音樂取樣
是製作唱片時錄音者所利用之一種步驟：將某一段聲音從其原本之脈絡抽取出，然後用於新的脈絡之下。在美國sampling已經侵害著作權，構成偷竊行為。

Grammar Gym
to give credit: to acknowledge that somebody is responsible for something
- If you use just one quotation or concept from another's work without giving credit to the original author.
- Although the talented musician has won many awards, he always gives credit to his teacher.
- Nobody likes to be on Harrison's team because he never gives credit to any of his teammates.

Language Lab
plagiarism n.
/ˈpleɪʤəˌrɪzəm/
[uncountable] when someone uses another person's words, ideas, or work and pretends they are their own
 [countable] an idea, phrase, or story that has been copied from another person's work, without stating where it came from

burn the midnight oil
to work very late into the night

fraud n.
/ˈfrɑ:d/
欺騙、詐欺；
the crime of using dishonest methods to take something valuable from another person 
- He was sentenced for tax fraud.
他因為稅詐欺而被判刑
- She was charged with credit card fraud.
她因為信用卡詐欺而被控告
a person who pretends to be what he or she is not in order to trick people 騙子
a copy of something that is meant to look like the real thing in order to trick people 假貨
- All the paintings they sold are frauds.
他們所賣的畫全部都是贗品

unrepentant adj.不知悔改的、毫無悔意的
un 否定
repentant 後悔的
not ashamed of your behaviour or beliefs, even though other people disapprove
- Eric is still unrepentant about his rude behavior toward boss.
Eric到現在對自己對老闆施暴的行為仍然毫無悔意
- These unrepentant teenagers stole from their classmates and teachers again and again.
這些不知悔改的青少年一次又一次的偷同學和老師的東西

cite v.引用、引證 citation n.引用、引證
- He cited several renowned writers in his article.
他在文章中引述了好幾位知名的作家
- All citations were listed at the end the thesis.
所有的引述都列在論文的最後

foolproof adj.笨人也能懂(會用)的、極簡單的、萬無一失的
- Rita developed a foolproof weight loss program.
Rita開發一套簡單易做的減重計畫
- The security system is pretty well foolproof.
這套保全系統相當容易操作

mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130323_30b7f.wmv

[Advanced] Everyone Is an Investor (2)

Keeping donors in the loop
While many donors are happy to give without expecting much in return, perks and frequent progress updates from fund seekers have been key ingredients in the increasing popularity in crowd funding.

Many sites, require campaigns to give back a perk — ranging from personally signed postcards and Twitter shout-outs to an invitation to production sites. Blog posts and Twitter updates from project creators also keep donors engaged and help generate more funds, Strickler says. "The projects that have a video succeed twice as often. Effort is just a big part of it."

Beneficiaries give back
Steve Taylor, a filmmaker in Nashville who turned to Kickstarter for his feature film Blue Like Jazz after original investors backed out, promised to call any donor who contributed at least $10. His project became one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns ever, with many fans of the original book by Don Miller chipping in. Some $350,000 was collected, more than double the goal of $125,000. Taylor estimates he made about 3,500 phone calls. "It took about a year to finish all the calls," he says. "I loved making those phone calls. A lot of them wanted to tell me what the book meant to them. Many were mindful that I had a lot of calls to make, so they kept it short. But I never said I had to go."

Fundraisers also often pledge their products as a reward. Brydge, a start-up in San Francisco that is making an iPad keyboard with funds raised on Kickstarter, promises to ship a keyboard to donors who give $170. "You have a lot of people who contribute because it's a product they'd want to use," says Sam Gordon, a Brydge co-founder.


Vocabulary and Notes
perk n. benefit, something extra
something that you get legally from your work in addition to your wages, such as goods, meals, or a car

generate v.
to cause to exist; produce

mindful adj.
giving attention to

start-up n
a new business, or the activities involved in starting a new business

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130322adace6ce233fe34034856fa0860a137770f.wma

Amazing Bridges (2)

Different roles 
Bridges do many things in addition to spanning obstacles. The Khaju Bridge in Esfahan, Iran, illustrates some of the roles ridges play. Built around 1650, the bridge's graceful arches have provided people with shady meeting place for hundreds of years.

In the middle of the bridge sits an octagonal pavilion with an art gallery. It also acts as a dam. By blocking the flow of the Zayandeh River, the bridge provides water for gardens on its upstream side. Steps along its downstream side provide locals with a place for doing laundry.

Bridges in language and culture
Bridges also play a role in the English language. We warn people not to cross a bridge until they come to it and not to burn their bridges. The past becomes water under the bridge.

Culturally, bridges are a symbol of change. They feature in songs like "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and movies like the Bridge on the River Kwai. They also feature prominently in stories from around the world.

From transportation to culture, bridges play important roles in our daily lives.

Info Cloud
up / down
upstream 上游/ downstream 下游
uptown 上城  / downtown 下城
uptown 指城巿中心的北端, 也可指遠離巿中心的高級住宅區;
downtown 指城巿的南端, 後來指巿中心的商業區或鬧區
upfield 前場 / downfield 後場
upwind 上風 / downwind 下風, 順風

Language Lab
obstacle n.
something that makes it difficult to do something;
an object that you have to go around or over : something that blocks your path
- The car hit an obstacle and rolled over.
這部車撞上了障礙物而且翻車了
要說明達到某個目標的障礙... 用介細詞 to 後面加名詞
- The terrible weather is the biggest obstacle to rescuing the hikers.
惡劣的天候是救援這些登山者最大的障礙

illustrate v.
to give examples in order to make (something) easier to understand;
to be proof or evidence of (something);
to explain or decorate a story, book, etc., with pictures
- Let me illustrate my point with this chart.
讓我用這個圖表來說明我的重點
- The shift in his political position was neatly illustrated by his latest speech.
他政治立場的改變可以很清楚的表現在他最近的一場演講中
illustration n. 說明, 插圖
an example or story that is used to make something easier to understand;
a picture or drawing in a book, magazine, etc.;

graceful adj.
moving in a smooth and attractive way;
having a smooth and pleasing shape or style;
polite or kind

don't burn your bridges
it is important to remember and value the relationships that get you where you are and not damage those relationships

cross a bridge when ... come to it
 You can say "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" if someone mentions a problem that might occur in the future, but you want them to think about what's happening now instead.

water under the bridge
(idiom) something in the past cannot be fixed, so it must be forgiven

feature in 使...成為主角
- The actress got famous by being featured in this popular sitcom.
這個女主角因為主演這部很受歡迎的喜劇而走紅
feature n.特徵, 特點
- The main feature of this town is this beautiful catherdral.
這座美麗的教堂是這座小鎮最具特色之處

prominently adv. very important 主要的, 顯著的
pro 向前
important and well-know;
easily noticed or seen;
sticking out in a way that is easily seen or noticed;
- All the doctor's certificates were prominently displayed on the walls of the clinic.
這個醫生所有的執照都很明顯的展示在牆壁上
- Child abuse figures prominently in this report.
虐待兒童在這篇報告站有及大的主題

octagonal n.
/ˈɑ:ktəˌgɑ:n/
mathematics : a flat shape that has eight sides and eight angles 

pavilion n.
/pəˈvɪljən/
a building in a park or garden that usually has open sides and is used for parties, concerts, or other events;
a temporary building that is used at public events and exhibitions;
a large building that is used for sports or public events;

 The Khaju Bridge in Esfahan, Iran

mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130322_c636b.wmv

[Advanced] Everyone Is an Investor (1)

Crowd funding fuels businesses, charities and creative ventures
By Roger Yu, USA TODAY

Entrepreneurs and dreamers are flocking to crowd funding, an emerging field of finance that, by using the Internet as an efficient middleman, often manages to be both more intimate and more high-tech than traditional means of raising seed money. The idea has existed for years but is receiving renewed attention now that social media, online networks and payment technologies increasingly strip away legal, psychological and logistical barriers for money solicitations.

"The gradual success of many projects has validated this as a real option, a real way to make things," says Yancey Strickler, co-founder of Kickstarter. "The Internet is incredible for harnessing organizational power."

A few dollars here and a couple of hundred bucks there can add up quickly. About $1.5 billion was raised in 2011 by about 450 crowd-sourcing Internet sites worldwide, says a report by Crowdsourcing.org.

"This expands on the angel investor model" in which a wealthy individual puts up money in return for equity, says David Rubenstein, partner at accounting firm WeiserMazars. "There is some good to this. This will ultimately result in growth of companies and additional jobs."

Financing dreams
Kickstarter, one of the largest crowd-funding sites, has so far counted $200 million of pledged contributions, though not all were given to fund seekers. Fund seekers on Kickstarter get their hands on the money only if they can meet their goal. If a campaign fails, money is returned to donors. About 20,000 Kickstarter campaigns have met the goal, or about 44% of all campaigns.

Successful Kickstarter campaigns average about $5,000 in funds raised. "Kickstarter changes the question of funding from 'Is this a good investment?' to 'Do I want this to exist?' And that's a much lower bar," Strickler says.

Still, crowd-sourcing proponents are betting that the advent of another fundraising channel will be a boon to entrepreneurs whose dreams have been kept in check by finances.

Notes and Vocabulary
entrepreneur n. 
/ˌɑ:ntrəprəˈnɚ/
a person who attempts to make a profit by starting a company or by operating alone in the business world, especially when it involves taking risks

middleman n.
/ˈmɪdlˌmæn/
a person who buys goods from the person who makes or grows them and makes a profit by selling them to a store or a user

seed money n.
money that is used to start a business or activity

logistical adj.
describing the careful organization of an activity so that it happens in a successful and effective way

solicitation n.
/səˌlɪsəˈteɪʃən/
a request for money, information or help

equity n.
/ˈɛkwəti/
one of the equal parts, or shares, into which the value of a company is divided

- Do you have a great idea, but no money to finance it? Crowd-sourcing might be the answer to your entrepreneurial dream.


mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130321ada57b787e2788123d15345d2786316ae0a.wma

Amazing Bridges (1)

Bringing cultures and people closer together

Bridges come in many shapes and sizes, from simple spans to architectural wonders. People admire their beauty. The Sydney Harbor Bridge, Tower Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge draw countless
tourists each year.

Bridges are an important part of our transportation system, too. Imagine trying to get to work or school without any bridges.

Amazing design
While all bridges rely on careful engineering, some attract attention because of their interesting examples of design. The Magdeburg Water Bridge in Germany is a wonderful example and looks a lot like an optical illusion.

As strange as it sounds, the bridge connects two canals and allows their water to pass over the Elbe River. The bridge works like a "concrete bathtub" and helps boats avoid a long and difficult journey down the river.

Another showcase of bridge design is the Gateshead Millennium Bridge in England. The bridge is made of two steel arches that tip up to allow boats to pass underneath. Each time this self-cleaning bridge tips up, trash rolls along the bridge and into traps at either end.


Grammar Gym
While all [situation A], some [situation B].
"While all bridges rely on careful engineering, some attract attention because of their interesting examples of design. "
- While all students have classes from Monday through Friday, some take special classes on Saturdays.
- While all tourists visit the base of the waterfall some take the extra time to hike to the top of the waterfall.

Info Cloud
illusion n.
something that seems to be different from the way it really is
本文說到德國的寶格德水穚, 這做穚看起來像一個 optical illusion 視覺上的錯覺
英文中的 mirage 海市蜃樓, 就是一個 optical illusion 視覺上的錯覺
除此之外, 聽覺上的錯覺 auditory illusion / 觸覺上的錯覺 tactile illusion


Language Lab
span n.
the part of a bridge, arch etc that goes across from one support to another

transportation n.[noncount] 運輸, 運輸工具
the act or process of moving people or things from one place to another
trans 越過/port 運送
- Jason takes public transportation to save money.
Jason 搭乘公共交通工具來省錢
- The transportation and lodging can be reimbursed afterward.
交通和食宿費可以之後申請

engineering n.工程
the work of designing and creating large structures (such as roads and bridges) or new products or systems by using scientific methods
- Taipei 101's engineering is revolutionary.
台北101的工程是個創舉
engineering 工程學
genetic engineering 基因工程學
engineer n. 工程師 v.設計, 製造
- The hybrid car was engineered to save energy.
這部油電車是為了節能而設計的

as strange as it sounds

canal n. man made water way
a long passage dug into the ground and filled with water, either for boats to travel along, or to take water to a place

concrete adj.
1 混凝土的, 水泥的
a very hard building material made by mixing together cement (= powdered substance), sand, small stones, and water
- The city is full of high-rise concrete buildings.
這個城巿充滿了高聳的水泥建築
2 具體的
- The police don't have any concrete evidence to prove the suspect committed the crime.
警方沒有具體的證據證明嫌犯有犯罪

showcase n.
an event or situation that is designed to show the good qualities of a person, organization, product etc

underneath adv. below or beneath 下面, 底下的
below or beneath (something) : under
- I crawled underneath the truck to get my cat.
我從卡車底下去抓我的貓咪
underneath (preposition) 在...下面
- Howard always hides his keys underneath his doormat.
Howard 總是把他的鑰匙藏在腳踏墊下面

The Sydney Harbor Bridge

The Tower Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge

Pictures from Google images
mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130321_283b0.wmv

[Advanced] NEWSworthy Clips (3)

Study shows potential dangers of BPA

A chemical found in many common products, including plastic bottles and canned food linings, is linked in a new study to thyroid hormone changes in pregnant women and baby boys.

The findings raise concerns because thyroid hormones play a crucial role in growth and brain development in young children, health experts note.

The study by University of California Berkeley researchers is the first to analyze the effect of bisphenol A, or BPA, on thyroid hormone levels in pregnant women and newborns.

BPA has drawn increased scrutiny in recent years as the public has become aware of how easy it is to be exposed to the estrogen-like compound and how little is known about the health effects.

In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration prohibiting the chemical in baby bottles and cups. Many manufacturers had already begun phasing out BPA in such products.

The UC Berkeley researchers analyzed BPA levels in urine samples taken from 335 women.

Most of the women and their newborns had normal thyroid hormone levels.

But for each doubling of BPA levels in some women, researchers found a corresponding decrease in one type of thyroid hormone known as T4.

They then looked at thyroid hormone levels in newborns and found the exact opposite effect -- the higher the BPA level in the mother, the greater the signs of a more active thyroid in their baby boys.

The American Chemistry Council maintains that the weight of scientific evidence thus far is that BPA is safe. The organization also notes that BPA does not accumulate and is rapidly eliminated from the body.

If pregnant women are concerned, however, Kim Harley of UC Berkeley's Center for Environmental Research and Children's Health notes that there are ways to reduce exposure, including buying plastic bottles that are labeled BPA free, consuming less items that come in cans, and washing their hands before eating if they touch a receipt.



Notes and Vocabulary
lining n.
/ˈlaɪnɪŋ/
a substance or material that covers the inside of part of the body;
material that covers the inner surface of something  

thyroid n.甲狀腺的
/ˈθaɪˌroɪd/
an organ in your neck that produces substances that affect the way your body grows and the way you behave

hormone n.
a natural substance that is produced in the body and that influences the way the body grows or develops

bisphenol A
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.

scrutiny n. to look at something closer
/ˈskru:təni/
the act of carefully examining something especially in a critical way : the act of scrutinizing something [noncount]

estrogen n. 雌(甾)激素
/ˈɛstrəʤən,/
a substance (called a hormone) that occurs naturally in women 

phase out [phrasal verb]
/ˈfeɪz/
phase (something) out or phase out (something) :
to stop using, making, or doing (something) gradually over a period of time

metabolism n.
/məˈtæbəˌlɪzəm/
the chemical processes by which food is changed into energy in your body:

Discussion Questions
- Are you concerned about BPA levels? Why or why not?

- What Is a Normal T4 Thyroid Level?
The thyroid is the gland in your body that regulates metabolism. It produces two hormones--T4 and T3. The normal reading for the Total T4 is considered to be between 4 and 11. However, the T4 level alone does not indicate whether you have a thyroid problem. The test must be combined with a test for TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone)

- What Is T4?
T4 is a thyroid hormone that has four iodine units. Iodine is used by the thyroid in production of thyroid hormone and is ingested through the foods we eat. There is more T4 in your body than T3, but it is T3 that is the active hormone.


mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130320adac7d53d887214fb617c6fdd4b6dbc14f5.wma

Maya Moore – Reaching for the Heights (3)

Maya was chosen to play on the 2012 U.S.A. Olympic basketball team. She and her teammates went on to win the gold medal.

A giving nature
Though she found success in basketball, Maya cares about much more than just the game. Everyone agrees that she strives to show respect to her mother.

While in high school, Maya worked and was an honor student. She also spent much of her free time mentoring kids who needed help. She spent her days off taking children to amusement parks or feeding the hungry.

According to her high school coach Tracey Tipton Maya is motivated most by her belief in God. "She wants to make a difference in the lives of people around her," says Tipton. Maya offers young people the following suggestion. "Surround yourself with winners. ... Surround yourself with people who have good character. ... And just work your hardest."

Those are wise words to live and win by!

Grammar Gym
by = It means to talk about how something is done.
- Those are wise words to live and win by!
- Before the game begins, each player will be given the rules to play by.
- All new employees must learn the work procedure that everyone has to go by.

Info Cloud
muscle memory 
本文提到運動員練習之所以會成功的方法,
是因為有muscle memory 肌肉記憶:
簡單的說就是練習要用對的方法, 最後就會自然的做出對的動作
這是一種自然法則，教你的身體如何做某件事情，
如騎自行車、游泳、衝浪、投籃等，
因為不斷的累積訓練經驗，變得更有效率，通常不用想就能反射性的動作。
但前提是必需給muscle正確的memory，也就是練習時必須使用正確的基本動作。

Language Lab
go on to...
to continue or move to the next thing

honor student n.模範生,榮譽學生
honor 榮譽
An honors student is a student recognized for achieving high grades or high marks in their course work.
- Simon not only is an honor student, he also plays in the band.
Simon 不但是一個模範生, 他還玩樂團
honor roll 模範生名單
- Peter's name always appears on the honor roll.
Peter 的名字總是出現在模範生之列

mentor n. 人生的老師, 人生的指導者
an experienced person who advises and helps a less experienced person
- My coach is my mentor. He taught me how to be strong and confident.
我的教練是我的人生導師, 他教我如何堅強並且有自信
v.指導, 輔導
- The professor has mentored many young doctors.
這位教授指導過許多的年輕大夫

amusement n.
things that entertain you and make time pass in an enjoyable way

motivate v.1.給...動機、刺激、激發
to be the reason why someone does something [= drive]
- I am greatly motivated by Ang Lee's accomplishments.
我因為李安的成就被大大的激勵
motivation n.動機、動力
eagerness and willingness to do something without needing to be told or forced to do it
- The kid lacks the motivation to excel.
這個孩子缺乏追求卓越的動力

surround v.包圍、圍繞
to be all around someone or something on every side
- As soon as they appeared in the airport, the band was surrounded by fans.
這個樂團一到達機場就被粉絲們包圍
surrounding adj.周遭的、附近的
near or around a particular place [= nearby]
- The surrounding area of the mansion is protected by a security system.
這棟豪宅週圍的區域有保全系統嚴密的保護著

mms://webvod.goodtv.tv/SC/20130320_7c1c5.wmv

[Advanced] NEWSworthy Clips (2)

Don't leave a message after the beep.

Technology's ceaseless pursuit of efficiency appears to be claiming another victim: voice mail.

With the rise of texting, instant chat and transcription apps, more people are ditching the venerable tool that once revolutionized the telephone business.

The behavioral shift is occurring in tandem with the irreversible fading of voice calls in general.

Vonage, an Internet phone company, says the number of voice-mail messages left on user accounts was down 8% in July from a year ago.

"They hate the whole voice-mail introduction, prompts, having to listen to them in chronological order," says Michael Tempora, senior vice president at Vonage. One response by the company to the trend is a new voice-mail transcription service that converts voice messages for delivery as e-mail or text.

"Voice transcription isn't perfect," Tempora says. "But they understand who called and what the message is about."

The transcription tools make skimming through messages easier for on-the-go users such as Dmitri Leonov, an executive at SaneBox, a maker of e-mail inbox management software. "E-mail (etiquette) says to respect your friends' time," says Leonov, who rarely listens to messages. "And I should stop leaving voice mail, as well. Practice what you preach."

As with most declining technology, the exodus is led by younger, more impatient users who are quicker to embrace alternatives — someone such as Neveen Moghazy, 33, who rarely leaves messages but juggles texting, chat app WhatsApp and Google Voice.

"If my friends call and I'm busy, I text them asking if it's urgent, or I just call them back later without checking voice mail," says the designer for an ad company in Atlanta. "It's just one less thing for me to go through." 

Notes and Vocabulary
ceaseless adj.
happening for a long time without stopping

pursuit n.
when someone tries to get, achieve, or find something in a determined way

ditch v.
to stop having something because you no longer want it

venerable adj.
a venerable person or thing is respected because of their great age, experience etc - often used humorously

tandem  n.
1 a bicycle built for two riders sitting one behind the other
in tandem: doing something together or at the same time as someone or something else

irreversible adj. you can't go back
1 irreversible damage, change etc is so serious or so great that you cannot change something back to how it was before [≠ reversible]
2 if an illness or bad physical condition is irreversible, it will continue to exist and cannot be cured

fade v.
to gradually disappear; slowly goes away

prompt

chronological 
arranged according to when things happened or were made;
person's chronological age is how old they actually are, rather than how old their mind or body seems

skim v.
to remove something from the surface of a liquid, especially floating fat, solids, or oil

Practice what you preach.
to do the things that you advise other people to do:

- She didn't always practise what she preached.

exodus n.

a situation in which a lot of people leave a particular place at the same time

embrace v.

1 to put your arms around someone and hold them in a friendly or loving way [= hug]

2 to eagerly accept a new idea, opinion, religion etc

3 to include something as part of a subject, discussion etc

juggle v.

to change things or arrange them in the way you want, or in a way that makes it possible for you to do something

Discussion Questions
- Is voice mail helpful, or a waste of time? Explain.

mms://203.69.69.81/studio/20130319ada08396dc3df43bbf575f7e2df9aa2c748.wma