Monday, November 30, 2009

The Twitter Trio

推特三人組Meet the men behind one of the world’s fastest-growing social networks 見識推特網站的三位幕後推手by Beth Bowyer Wei

Your favorite singer tells you what she just had for lunch. Then your favorite actor lets you know his Christmas plans. Next, your former classmate informs you that he’s watching a movie, and your cousin tells you her latest test score. All of this information is delivered to you on one simple webpage courtesy of Twitter, the micro-blogging site that’s taking the world by storm.
Thanks to the Twitter trio – Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone and Evan Williams – people around the world are connecting at the speed of a “tweet,” a short update


Dorsey has always loved cities and the way information travels through them. In 1991 at age 14, Dorsey held his first-but not his last part-time job designing dispatching software for taxi companies in St. Louis. By 2000, he had started his own company to dispatch taxis, ambulances and couriers via the Internet. The fact that the users of his software -drivers- were simply reporting their locations gave Dorsey an idea. Add to that a desire to stay better connected with friends and he conceived the concept of Twitter.

In 2006, eager to pitch his idea. Dorsey approached the podcasting company Odeo, based in San Francisco. There he met Stone, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur who had already published two books about social media. Stone, a native of Boston, had also co-founded xanga.com, a website that hosts blogs and social networking profiles. Within a few weeks of their first meeting, Dorsey and Stone created a prototype of Twitter. The pair was soon joined by Odeo's co-founder Williams, a veteran Silicon Valley executive and co-inventor of Blogger.com. The son of a Nebraska farmer, Williams had displayed an interest in business and marketing even as a teen. Sensing Twitter's business potential, he enthusiastically got involved.

The excited trio of Dorsey, Stone and Williams launched a full-scale version of Twitter int the summer of 2006. Fueled by Dorsey's brilliantly simple concept, Stone's communication and marketing skills and William's technology business sense, Twitter soon grew into a multi-use media platform.  Dorsey said, "My whole philosophy is making tech more accessible and human." By connecting people so quickly and conveniently,Twitter is doing just that.

How does it work?
Twitter asks members one simple question: What are you doing right now? Unlike Facebook and MySpace users, Twitter users don't need to manage complicated profile pages. And different from blogs, Twitter messages aren't lengthy, time-consuming posts. Because user updates, known as "tweets," are limited to 140 characters, information can be written-and read-quickly. But the site does more than just keep friends connected or let celebrities mingle with fans. It's also a place for people to set up business connections, share information and find answers to questions in a quick, informal way.

Why call it "Twitter"?
Dorsey, Stone and Williams wanted a name for their product that encompassed the idea of users updating statuses from anywhere. This concept included sending updates to friends' mobile devices- causing the devices to twitch. While checking a dictionary the team found the word "twitter" in a nearby entry. The definition? "A short burst of information" -exactly what people share on twitter.

Since 2006, more than 17 million users have joined Twitter to socialize, express political opinions and even report breaking news. The network is a "tweet" for everyone.

More Information
With new technology comes new vocabulary!
Some new twitter-inspired vocabulary includes the word tweet. As a noun is means a user's status update. As a verb it means to write a status update. RT or retweet is a verb and it means to "tweet" content from another user's update. To DM or direct message someone is to send a private message to another user.

Grammar
The excited trio launched a full-scale version of Twitter in the summer of 2006.
full-scale=complete and using all resources.
The police chief ordered a full-scale investigation to find out how the bank robbery had occurred. There might be full-scale war if the hostile nations can't agree at the peace talks
.

Vocabulary
dispatching (v)-Rob works in the dispatching department of a taxi company so he is constantly communicating with the drivers.
*Within seconds, the police dispatched two police officers to the house that reported theft.
*The ambulance was dispatched to the scene of the car accident.
dispatch (v)-分开,分派,派遣
Companies that offer electricity, phone or cable TV services often dispatch technicians to clients' homes.
ambulance (n)-Several ambulances arrived at the scene of the accident.
conceive (v)-怀孕,想象,构思,构想,由..构思出来的.
How did the inventor conceive this creative idea?
*The musician took a year to conceive his latest album.
*The popular play was conceived by a group of young college students.
taking by storm (idiom)- 风靡大众.
That designer's unique, environmentally friendly clothes are taking the fashion world by storm.
*The new movie took audiences in Asia by storm.
*This new teacher took her classroom by storm.
entrepreneur (n)-After building several restaurants and hotels, the young entrepreneur started his own grocery store chain.
veteran (adj)-老资格的,经验丰富的.
veteran(n)-老手,经验丰富的人.someone who has experience in something..
The veteran politician lost the election to a younger, less experienced candidate.
*Bob is a veteran campaign fundraiser.
*Charlie is a veteran baseball pitcher. He can handle all sorts of situations.
enthusiastically (adv)-热情地,充满热忱地。
Eager to improve his English, Greg enthusiastically signed up for the three-day speech camp. *The students discussed the new project enthusiastically.
*The new quarterback was enthusiastically welcomed by the team.
enthusiastic (adj)-热情的,充满热忱的
accessible (adj)-easier to use, more people able to use and get to it.
The governor wants to make higher education more accessible to low-income students.
prototype-initiate desire原型,模型,蓝本proto-首先,type款式,样式
The company finished designing the prototype of their new car last month.
He is the prototype of a good father.
encompass (v)-include all, complete include.包刮,包含。
Billy and Ling's wedding encompassed aspects of both the East and the West.
*The proposal encompasses renewing the community center and the garden.
*The magazine encompasses articles of many different subjects.
twitch (v)-抽动,抽续颤抖,痉挛
After a long run, sometimes the muscles in my leg twitch.
*Nancy could feel her lips twitching when she was giving the speech.
*My legs twitched constantly after climbing the mountain.
socialize (v)-During freshmen orientation, students have make opportunities to socialize and make new friend.
mingle- mix with, 往来,交往。与某个对象交往用"With"
The famous movie star still loves to mingle with his childhood friends.
*Helen rarely mingles with her colleagues
.

Chat Room
networking(n)-指网状的组织或系统。当动词是指建立人脉或拉关系。net 是网子
social networking-网路上的社群,一群和你因某一种因素建立起来得关系的人,如学校,地区,兴趣,理念,专业,信仰等。
social networking site-社群网站。
-------------------
twitter-twitter网站.原本是鸟叫的啾啾声. 也有"突然蹦出来的简短信息.
tweet-使用者所更新的信息.
retweet- 是tweet延伸出的,指把所看到的信息,转发到你自己的tweeter上.
pheeter-是 phony tweeter 的缩写.phony-假的。

Sunday, November 29, 2009

In Love With Coffee, Dating the Library

美國留學記:愛上咖啡,和圖書館約會 My friends, I still miss you Getting good grades is hard work 得到好成績非易事 by Luke Wang


With a cup of coffee and my laptop, I am sitting in the library – my new home. My friends believe I live in the library because I am here all the time. I am trying hard not to live up to the typical Asian stereotypenerdy. But I still need to put a lot of effort into my studies because English is not my first language.


Since my university has short semesters, my schedule is tight. Despite finishing midterms not too long ago – late October – my finals are quickly approaching – early December. I feel close to going over the edge because of my schedule and all of the homework. And the cultural differences are also dragging me toward frustration and fatigue. I am suffering from depression. However, I also know I am learning and growing.


Thanksgiving was last week. So most students went home to celebrate with their families and friends- we had a four-day vacation. Where did I go? Nowhere. All I have are memories of friends and family back home. I miss them so much. I still remember all the fun times with my friends. Do they still remember me? I cannot forget our friendships. I am obsessed with memories.


Grammar
I feel close to going over the edge because of my schedule and all of the homework.
to feel close to + verb-ing--mention about any action or situation almost happen.
He feels like he is almost going over the edge because of his schedule and all of the homework.
Fred is close to solving the riddle.
The research team is close to discovering a cure for the disease.
opposite of the meaning just add "not" in front of "close to +verb-ing"
Tina is not close to being done with her project.
The secretary is not close to finishing his morning assignments.


Vocabulary
stereotype (n)-刻板印象,nerdy.
The most common stereotype of men is that they don't show emotion.
*He doesn't fit the stereotype of an athlete. He's considerably studious and quiet.
*The film exposes the many ways that racial stereotypes can guide people.
despite (prep)-regardless, even though
Despite training hard for the race, Hilary came in 3rd place.
nerd (n)-a way of a type of people, always carry books, wear thick glasses, like study a lot, not have many friend.
over the edge (idiom) -go too far, almost going to crazy频临精神崩溃。
The last work assignment Shelley was given put her over the edge, so she quit her job immediately.
*He went over the edge after his girlfriend broke up with him.
*I'.m afraid he might be pushed over the edge when he finds out he's getting fired
fatigue (n)-tiredness, very tired
Paul's first four weeks in the army were filled with pain and fatigue, so all he thought about was sleep.
obsess-kept thinking about it all the time, can't forget about it. 使着迷或缠住. obsessed被着迷的
Horrible childhood memories obsessed Debra for years
Ellen is obsessed with money. She doesn't care about anything else.
taking by storm (idiom)- That designer's unique, environmentally friendly clothes are taking the fashion world by storm.

Chat Room
hit home- 1。擊中要害2。触及痛处。really hit home 引起共鸣
hit bottom-跌到谷底(国家经济或个人表现上)心情低落诸事不顺。
homesick-想家miss their home/family/country, homesick -重音在后面,是sick stay at home.
hit the nail on the head- 锒头打在钉子上。击中要害,一针见血很赞成对方的说法或看法。
对方认同并说对了自己的看法,你可以说“you hit the nail on the head.” 你说得对了

Friday, November 27, 2009

I Bought It From a Vending Machine

我在販賣機裡買到房子Vending machines don’t just sell junk food anymore by Simon Stopps
不但能從這款販賣機裡買到衣服、車子──甚至還能購屋喔

For years now, vending machines have offered convenience and comfort to rushed travelers, students and business people alike. But at a vending machine in the Mondrian South Beach Hotel in Miami, Florida, guests can get much more than toothbrushes and snack foods.

The Mondrian Semi-Automatic, a $250,000 high-end vending machine, offers 90 items ranging in price from $5 to $1.2 million. Among other things, the Semi-Automatic peddles T-shirts, consumer electronics and dinner cruises. The giant purple and white machine holds rows of shiny, white boxes. The machine also has two small screens that let customers view images and details of each product.

To make a purchase, customers swipe a credit card and make a selection. For larger items, the machine issues cards that can be exchanged for the purchases at the hotel's front desk. The largest items - such as cars and condominiums-require a non-refundable $1,500 deposit. Once the deposit has been paid, staff take customers to view their item before they make the final purchase. So don't be surprised the next time you ask someone where she got her designer dress and she says, " I bought it from a vending machine."

More Info
How old is the vending machine? Believe it or not, the first documented vending machine dates back to about 215 B.C., when the mathematician hero invented a device that accepted bronze coins and dispensed holy water in the temples of Alexandria. Egypt. In A.D. 1076, Chinese inventors developed a pencil vendor. Coin-activated tobacco boxes appeared in English taverns during the 1700s.

Grammar
Among other things, the Semi-Automatic peddles T-shirts, consumer electronics and dinner cruises.
"among other things" -It means many things to talk about but only mention a few. This phrase can be put in the front or in the middle or at the end of the sentence.
The art exhibition was, among other things, a very creative expression of the artist's interpretation of current events.
Janis is responsible for many chores; she needs to do the dishes, mop the floor, and take out the trash, among other things.

Vocabulary
vending machine (n)-販賣機Ted is angry because the vending machine took his money-again.
peddle (v)-兜售 , 叫賣The shops in the market peddle a variety of local foods.
* Vacuum cleaner salesmen peddle from door to door trying to sell their product.
*The drug dealer was arrested last weekend for peddling drugs to an undercover police officer.
swipe (v)-刷卡的動作 swiped, swiping
To get onto the train, passengers swipe their ticket at the entrance gate.
*All you have to do to enter the office building is swipe your ID card.
*The clerk swiped the credit card several times but it was continuously rejected.
non-refundable (adj) - Charlene can return the bottled water to the store, but the fruit is non-refundable.
*The application fee is non-refundable whether you're accepted or not.
refundable (adj)- 可以退還的
The apartment deposit is only refundable for two weeks. After that you can't get your money back.

Chat Room
semi- half or part of , half circle.
semi circle-半圓的
semi sweet-微甜的
semi final-準決賽
semi-automatic-半自動
semi-monthly meeting 一個月二次
"bi": bi-weekly, every other week, every two weeks.
semi-weekly: two times a week

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Holiday Movies

歲末強檔電影Don't miss these movies headed to your local theater 冬季強檔電影搶先看by Drew Devlin

Hollywood rolls out its best during the summer and winter holidays. Audiences flock to theaters to see films, often with big-name actors, as they hit the big screen. See what’s coming to your local theater during this holiday movie season – it starts now!

Two movies featuring famous characters from literature will draw people in. A Christmas Carol is Charles Dickens’ famous tale of a miser who has a change of heart. In the film, funnyman Jim Carrey plays several roles: Ebenezer Scrooge and the ghosts Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet-to-Come. The film uses the 3-D format, which will bring moviegoers face-to-face with Victorian London in a way never experienced before.

In Sherlock Holmes, Robert Downey Jr. portrays the most famous detective in literature . This new film is based on characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Downey, as Holmes, plays the brilliant detective who also has good fighting skills. When a deadly plot threatens England. Holmes and his partner Dr. Watson (Jude Law), race to save the day.

Animated films
This Christmas, Disney rolls out a new animated princess film. The princess and the Frog. This musical fairy tale marks a return to the same hand-drawn animated style as early Disney films. set in New Orleans, the story follows a princess who kisses a frog and undergoes an amazing change.

In Fantastic Mr. Fox, the Fox family lives under a hill with Badger, Weasel and Rabbit and their families. Mr. Fox uses his wits to take food from three farmers. They then try to "outfox" Mr. Fox George Clooney voices Mr. Fox. Avatar is a futuristic science-fiction story. On a far-away planet, a reluctant hero takes on the challenge of saving civilizations. The film's state-of-the-art special effects will amaze audiences. In Planet 51, an American astronaut lands on Planet 51. He is shocked to find a happy community of little green aliens living there. What's even more shocking is that the aliens live in a manner very similar to American life in the 1950s.

More Info
Over the years, some of Hollywood's holiday movies have become so popular that they're now considered classics-like 1946's.
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, starring Jimmy Stewart. And, who can forget little Natalie Wood in the heart-warming MIRACLE ON 34 TH STREET? Another classic Christmas Movie is 1954's WHITE
CHRISTMAS with Bing Crosby. This holiday season why not rent one of these classic movies and get into the holiday spirit?

Grammar
The film's state-of-the-art special effects will amaze audiences.
state-of-the-art=the highest level available.
the film has special effects that are at the movie industry's highest level and will amaze audiences.
state-of-the-art sound system
state-of-the-art research laboratory.
state-of-the-art security system.
state of the art- is refer to the highest level of development.
Charles' small new laptop is an example of the state of the art in computer technology.
Nowadays, the state of the art in wireless communication allows people to receive their email on their cell phones very quickly.

Vocabulary
literature (n)-文学,文学作品 Reading great literature can improve your writing and vocabulary.
*My professor specializes in classic British literature.善于或专精于..古典文学
*The author's most famous piece of literature criticizes racism.
format (n)- 形式Today, most people prefer the DVD format to videotapes.
*If you have seen this director's movies before, you're familiar with his unique format.
*The meeting will be conducted in our regular format.
*The file is saved in a compressed format.压缩
portray (v)-The actor portrayed the character in the play very realistically.
plot (n)-电影或故事的情节 ,也指阴谋The movie's plot was filled with adventure and romance.
*The plot of the movie is too complicated for most audiences.
*In the middle of the navel the plot starts to develop in a surreal way.超现实
*The plot to assassinate the president was discovered by the FBI.刺杀..阴谋
draw- attract
3 D-three dimensional
miser - stingy person, unhealthily desire to keep money.
fantastic (n)-extremely well. new idea of Mr. Allen's is fantastic!
wits (pl n)-intelligent
The street child didn't have any education; he lived by his wits.
reluctant (adj)-not volunteer
The child was very reluctant to go to bed since the movie was not yet over.
*We reluctant helpers not only didn't help, but they also became a problem.
*The people in the town are reluctant to accept the new policy
alien (n)-foreign, creature from outer space
Some people believe that alien's live on other planets.
*E.T. is one of the most recognized movie aliens of all time.
*Many people claim that they've seen aliens.
an alien culture.
science-fiction: 科幻小說
*Bob loves science-fiction movies.he has a huge collection.
*The science fiction navel was a best-seller last summer.

Chat Room
flock-群 a flock of ...一群
flock usually call a group of animals such as sheep, goats, or birds travel together.
a flock of sheep/goats/birds
不同的动物用不同的字来叫"一群"
herd- call a group of cattle or wild animal such as elephants, zebras, whales or seals.
a herd of cattle/elephants/zebras/whales/seals.
pack-refer a group of wolves and dogs ( wild dogs) a pack of wolves/hunting dogs/wild dogs.
有一些动物有特别的名称
gaggle-call a group of geese.- a gaggle of geese
school-call a group of fish- a school of fish
pride- call a group of lions - a pride of lions
----------
badger(n) -badger (v) someone into verb+ing
badger someone + infinitive
weasel(v) out-avoid to do something you should do. weasel(n)
to badger someone-repeatedly bothering people
weasel out of doing something-slyly to avoid to do something.
monkey around-調皮搗蛋
ram-hit with force
hog -霸佔-to hog something

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Seeing Into the Future

放眼未來What everyone should know about eye care 眼科醫生解答有關呵護眼睛的常見問題by Simon Stopps

SC: How often should you see an eye doctor?
YMF: It depends on how old you are and if you are suffering from any eye problems. If your eyesight is getting worse, you should visit the doctor frequently. The same is true for people who are diabetic because there are risks associated with that disease. Even people who don’t seem to be experiencing problems should get their eyes checked every year.


SC: Is it best to wear glasses, contact lenses or to get laser eye surgery?
YMF: It’s really your choice. If you don’t mind glasses, wear glasses. If you like to exercise or find glasses uncomfortable, use contact lenses. If you can’t endure glasses or contact lenses, you can choose to have the surgery.


SC: How long can you safely wear contact lenses without removing them?
YMF: It depends on the health of your eyes. If you wear contacts for too long at one time, you will have dry, itchy eyes. If you continue to wear your contacts longer than you should, over time they can potentially damage your eyes.

SC: Should your glasses make your vision perfect or just improve?
YMF: It depends on the demands of your lifestyle. If you don't need to see clearly over long distances, you shouldn't wear strong lenses because they will make your eyes dependent. If you need to see clearly over long distances, your glasses need to make your vision as good as possible.

SC: Do sunglasses really make a difference?
YMF: Yes, because ultraviolet rays from the sun damage the cornea, the lens and even the retina. Wearing sunglasses is necessary to prevent cataracts and to limit the effects of the aging process on your eyes.

SC: Does watching TV really damage your eyes?
YMF: The condition of children's eyes is not stable, so watching TV for too long can cause them to become nearsighted. For adults, sitting in front of the TV will cause eyestrain but no real lasting problem.

SC: What can you do to maintain or improve your vision?
YMF: Resting and taking care of your general health are very important. It's also important to have your eyes checked regularly to see if you have any eye problems resulting from aging or disease.

grammar
The same is true for people who are diabetic because there are risks associated with that diseases.
the same is true.
Last year's students had to pay on extra fee for their after school programs, the same is true for this year's students.
When making muffins, don't over stir the batter; the same is true when making pancakes.

Vocabulary
eyesight (n)-the eyes seeing ability. sight is ability to see.
Mary lost her eyesight at an early age but has adapted well to a world of darkness.
associate (v)- 和..有关联.连在一起, 和某人打交道,和..联想在一起, 和谁有关用"with"
People often associate that company with quality service.
*Most people associate this name brand with hip-hop singers.和"嘻哈歌手"联想在一起
*Bob often associates with high school dropouts, which makes his mother worry a lot.和高中缀学生打交道...
laser (n)- John bought a new laser printer because he wanted clear printouts.
endure (v)- with stand, put up.
It is hard to endure difficult situations without the support of friends and family.
diabetic (adj)- 患有糖尿病的. Charles is diabetic, so he avoids sweets. 重音在be
contact lenses-隐形眼镜 contact-接触 lens-镜片 lenses-镜片(複数)
*Gina has been wearing contact lenses since junior high.
*Contact lenses are very pricy, so I decided to buy glasses instead.昂贵的
diabetic chocolate bar.-供糖尿病患者吃的巧克力。
diabetes (n)-
ophthalmology (adj)- eye care. ophthalmologist (eye doctor) study ophthalmology.重音第三音节
seeing into the future- seeing or looking at future; planning or think ahead.
lifestyle (n)-生活方式Frank and Susan have retired and are getting used to their new lifestyle.
*Many people criticize the famous singer's wild lifestyle.放浪的生活方式
*Henry completely changed his lifestyle after learning that he had cancer.知道
*Maintaining a luxurious lifestyle really costs a lot.豪华的生活方式需要花费很多的钱.
ultraviolet (adj) -紫外线的 Wearing sunscreen can help protect you from ultraviolet light.
*Ultraviolet rays are harmful to our skin. ultraviolet (n)=UV-紫外线
*Intensive exposure to ultraviolet radiation can cause skin cancer.密集曝晒
nearsighted (adj)-near- 近的sight- 眼力,视觉 nearsightedness (n)近视
Jonathan is very nearsighted and often has difficulty seeing the blackboard in class.
nearsighted 近视的反義词farsighted 远视. farsightedness.(n)
Laura was diagnosed as being nearsighted.近视的
eyestrain (n)-eye feel tire. over working your eyes.
strain -working beyond the limit. body strain
Erica spends so much time on the computer she often struggles with eyestrain.
cornea (n)-the area around your eyes 眼角膜
cataract (n)-seeing things not clear, it seems there is a think plastic before the thing.白内障
retina (n)-a little circle of your eye.眼网膜.

Chat room
If you are suffering from any eye problems.
suffer from something- is continue the problem, condition or illness.遗患某种疾病是长期性的
Bobby is suffering from a heart disease.
suffer something- refer to experience some problem in a short period of time.短暂的,经历一次
不好的事情。Bobby suffered a heart attack yesterday.
Business suffered losses蒙受损失, Political party suffer defeat. 被击败
---------
eye care -名词当形容词来修饰其他名词时,用单数。
eye problem -
film festival -电影节
women dancers-名词是有关“人”时,用複数. 一个女性舞者.
writers conference-一个作家的会议.
sports arena-名词原本是複数,仍应维持用複数. sports (n) 体育
arms race -refer to weapon, 用複数.武器竞争. arm -手臂, 身体的一部分.

English - What a Language!

超乎尋常的語言:英語English is a strange language - and some parts of it are stranger than others 一探英語這種時而有趣──有時卻不免令人洩氣的語言by Ruth Devlin

Anyone who has attempted to learn the English language knows its inherent difficulty. Some of it makes no sense at all – rules that apply in one situation do not apply in another. Apparent opposites can actually mean the same thing! Take these words and phrases for example:

* A house can burn up as it burns down because burn up means to consume and burn down means to destroy.

* Fat chance and slim chance mean the same thing. Both mean little chance of something happening although the former is more of a slang usage!


*Flammable and inflammable mean the same thing. We now see flammable written on vehicles carrying combustible material, so it's clear the contents can burst into flames.
Perhaps people make the assumption that the prefix in-means not; whereas, in inflammable, it actually means into.


* Look and see mean almost the same thing also, but overlook and oversee are opposites.
* An alarm clock goes off by going on.
* We recite at a play but play at a recital.
*People come from up north and down south, but never from left west or right east.
*Cleave can mean both split apart and stick together.

There is neither pine nor apple in pineapple, and there is no sense in English!


Grammar
Perhaps people make the assumption that the prefix in- means not; whereas, in inflammable, it actually means into.
Perhaps people make the assumption that the prefix in-means, "not."...
Where as = in "inflammable" it actually means "into"
Where as use on the contrast of two different idea.
Martha loves to go shopping on weekends, whereas her sister prefers to stay at home.
Thomas spends three hours every night doing his homework, whereas his roommate usually spends less than 30 minutes.


Vocabulary
inherent (adj)-固有,原有,与生俱来的
People appreciate the inherent beauty of Chinese characters.
*This actor seems to have an inherent talent for capturing his audiences' attention.
*There are several inherent weaknesses in the computer system that need to be improved.
assumption (n)-Don't make the assumption that Frank is not a good worker-find out for sure.
recital (n)-Everyone enjoyed Beth's piano performance at the recital.
cleave (v)-劈开,切开,The cook used a large knife to cleave the chicken breast in two.
*He used an ax to cleave a log in half.斧子,木头
*The butcher cleaved the bone and added it to the soup for flavor. 肉贩
*Mary cleaves to the principles of fairness and honesty. 紧紧的抓住,坚持
A man and his wife should cleave together and rely on one another.紧守
combustible-易燃的 can be burn, provide fire, heat, and power.
The combustible materials need to be stored separately in a colder temperature.
*Gasoline vapor is very combustible, so all gas stations forbid smoking.禁止
overlook -疏忽 missing the detail and make mistake on something.
oversee-监督in charge of a project or program.


Chat Room
hot or cold, hot =cool, popular, in fashion, cold means out of fashion, not fashionable.时尚(髦)
slow up and slow down means the same 慢下(上)来
colorfast-means colors don't run 颜色不会退色,颜色不会流失。虽fast-“快”意思
trim-take out a bid, hair get trim, trim one's hair, trim one's nails.修剪,修去一些儿
trim also means decorating, add upon. trim a Christmas tree. 装饰,点缀,有“加添”意思

Monday, November 16, 2009

Lend to a Friend?

親兄弟明算帳?What should you do if a friend asks to borrow money from you?該不該借錢給朋友呢? by Jeremiah Clark and Chelsea Ewald

American author Henry David Thoreau once said, “The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend.” For many people, however, the simplicity of friendship becomes complicated when money is involved, often leaving relationships strained. So if one of your friends asks you for money, should you lend it or not?

Conversation
Adam: The other day, Tony told me he has fallen on some hard times, so he asked if he could borrow US$1,000. I’d really like to help him out, but I know it’s a little risky.


Beth: Well, loaning money to friends is no simple matter, especially when it’s such a large amount. I learned that the hard way and personally believe that you should avoid it.

Adam: But he really needs the money. He makes some bad investment and he has accumulate some debts. On top of that, He has just lost his job, and he is having a hard time to make his mortgage payment.

Beth: I think it's great that you want to help Tony. But this seems like a bad situation. What if he can't repay you, are you willing to loose your money forever?

Adam: To me, the most important thing is to affirm my royalty to him even he has made some poor financial decisions. I want to be to a good friend. I guess I just have to run the risk of losing some money.

Beth: Adam, just going to this with your eyes open. If Tony does't pay you back, are you going to become critical and resented? If he spend money on some where else, are you sure Tony is trustworthy?

Adam: I believe he is. I never question his trustworthy before so why would I start it now? Besides, I recently read the study that says: There is nearly 75% of borrowers paid everything back.

Beth: I hope that Tony is not the part of the 25% who don't, but at least hold him accountable for the loan, you might even consider charge him interest.

Adam: I plan to write it down how much he borrowed and when I expect to pay back. But as a friend, I would never charge him interest. I may even gave him an option of paying the loan in monthly installment.

Beth: That's all very well and good. But what if he miss the payment or two payments or he ask you for more money because he's still having problem.

Adam: I will deal with that if it becomes a issue. In the meantime, I plane to talk to Tony about money management. Perhaps some friendly intervention will be helpful.

Beth: Well, It sounds to me that you have made of your mind. I hope it works out for you and Tony gets back on his feet and you get your money back.

More Information:
Fact: Nearly two-thirds of Canadians have loaned or borrowed more than $500 from friends or family. Not surprisingly, more than one-quarter of the people who loaned money reported that the loans were never fully repaid. Here's another statistic that should surprise no one: about one-third of those who agreed to lend money said they felt pressured to do so.

Some Opinions:
***** "Neither a borrower nor a lender be." Why?
Borrowing money from friends allow you to be indiscipline in your finances.
Lending money to friends, you will run the risk of losing that money as well as the good friendship.

*****Be careful and cautious to lend money to others, and fully know where the money goes.

*****Think the three factors before lend the money out:
(1) Your personal relationship with that person and borrower's personality
(2) Your financial ability-amount of money.
(3) Where the borrow money is going and situation.

***** Friend and Money don't mix, should separate
Lend money to friends is not doing them a favor.
Lend money to friends is harm them instead of good.
Lend Money sometimes will destroy the friendship

Grammar
At least hold him accountable for the loan.
to hold someone accountable = expect someone to be responsible for something
The scientist was held accountable for his own research.
The team leader was held accountable for his team members' performance.

Vocabulary
strained (adj)- 紧绷的,紧张的.strain(v)-拉紧,伸张.
Sarah's relationship with her boyfriend became strained after he forget her birthday.
* When the company lost their biggest client, pressure was put on their strained finances.财务吃紧 * The teacher's expression became strained when her student talked back.脸部表情,紧绷起来
hard time (idiom)- difficult time in finances or other area.
Many people have fallen on hard times because of the poor state of the economy.
accumulated-累积,堆积get more and more over the period of time.
So much snow accumulated on the roads that school was canceled for the day.
*He has accumulated so many things from shopping at the flea market.
*Sherry has accumulated many storybooks during her 25 years of being an elementary school teacher.
run the risk (idiom)-冒险 risk- 风险,危险
If you cheat on the test, you run the risk of getting caught and failing.
run the risk of something -冒某种风险
You run the risk of having to wait at the restaurant if you don't make a reservation.没订位的风险
*You're running the risk of getting lung cancer if you don't quit smoking.
simplicity -simple, opposite of difficulty
fallen on some hard time- encounter something difficulties.
resent (v)- bitter, angry, unhappy, never quite forgive that person.
I resent your rude comment. It really hurt my feelings.
accountable (adj)-responsible.应付的责任
In a court of law, criminals are held accountable for their crimes.
*The mayor needs to be more accountable to the city's residents by being more honest with them. 
Hold someone accountable for something-让某人对某事负责.
*The parents should be held accountable for the years of abuse they brought upon their children. 多年虐待孩子
installment (n)-pay a part of large amount money monthly or weekly.分期付款,贷款分期
When Jill bought her car, she agreed to pay it off in 36 monthly installments. 
*The monthly loan installment is $150.
in installments-以分起方式 We paid off our credit card in installments.
intervention (n)-介入,干涉taing a part or influence the issue. inter-二者之间
After his friend's intervention, Sam realized he was drinking too much and saw a counselor.
*Early intervention programs can keep at-risk teenagers from dropping out of school.预防方式的协助方案,可以让快要缀学的孩子留在学校.
*The government's intervention failed to stabilize the stock market.未能稳定
get back on one's feet-被打倒了,重新爬起站立.get on track.

Chat Room
simply- (1)仅仅是,只不过=just, (2)非常的,很.
simply wonderful- absolutely wonderful非常的好
I'm doing simply wonderful-我很好.我非常的好.
This is simply delicious-真的非常好吃.
The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend.仅仅是,只是
simple is opposite of complex复杂. complex/complicated 都是复杂的意思
complex- 客观复杂.the human mind is very complex.大家都认为认得头脑是相当复杂的.
complicated -主观复杂this game is complicated. 这游戏对我来说很复杂.
-------------------------
in the meantime=meanwhile, 指二件事之间的一段时间,但不能说in the meanwhile.
是meanwhile. 如台风要来,在来之前,要做好准备
in the meantime / meanwhile 是transitions 时间上的转变.
"before, afterward, earlier, later.." 都是很实用的transitions

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sniffing Out Peanuts

能嗅出花生粉塵的狗狗Dogs help people with severe food allergies live better lives 來看看狗狗如何讓食物過敏者的生活改觀by Lisa Holl Chang

Riley Mers has a deadly allergy to peanuts. Touching a peanut can cause severe hives. Breathing in peanut dust can cause Riley’s throat to close up, resulting in breathing difficulties. Fear of such allergic reactions made Riley avoid school, friends’ homes and church. But that changed when Riley, now 9, met Rock’O – a dog trained to sniff out peanuts.

Dogs can be trained to detect drugs, bombs and many otherthings. That gave Riley's mom an idea: Why not train a dog to detect peanuts? It turns out that some dog trainers were doing just that. One of them is Sharon perry in Texas. She trains dogs to sniff out peanuts- even peanut oil and dust- in six months.

The cost of a trained "peanut dog" can be over US $10,000. To assist families, the Mers together with two dog trainers started Angel Service Dogs. The organization raises money for families who need a trained dog. So far, seven dogs have been placed. Riley now attends school with Rock'O. With his nose for peanuts, Rock'O helps Riley live a freer life.

Grammar
Fear of such allergic reactions made Riley avoid school, friends' home and church.
such=this/ that kind of =like that
Fear of allergic reactions like these made Riley avoid school, friends' homes and church.
I'm not sure about a plan like that.
I'm uncomfortable with such a plan.
We need to be prepared for these kinds of emergencies.
We need to be prepared for such emergencies.

Vocabulary
dust (n)-Use this cloth to wipe the dust off the picture frame.
reaction (n)- 反应cause someone has some action.
Closing your eyes is a natural reaction that occurs when you sneeze.
turns out (phr. v)-结果是,证明是. end up, result.
At the end of the book. It turns out that the bad guy is actually a hero.
*I thought my boss was a cold-hearted person, but he turned out to be a great guy.
*The result of the game turned out to be a great surprise.比赛,结果出现令人大吃一惊的结果.
raise (v)- This bake sale is to raise money for the school library.
sniff (v)- 闻,嗅The police dog sniffed the crime scene for clues.
sniff out (idiom)- 闻出(某种东西的)气味,也可用在抽象的事情
*David can easily sniff out garlic because he doesn't like it.
*After being an agent for years, Susan is good at sniffing out promising stars.看出来谁会红。
hive - (单数名词) 蜂窝,蜂巢,(複数名词)荨麻疹.
*Nathan gets hives every time he eats shellfish. 麻疹
*Kathy broke out in hives after eating blueberries.
break out in hives - 起疹子.Kathy broke out in hives after eating blueberries.

Chat Room
live better lives-过更好的生活live (v) lives (p.n) "ai" 长母音。
live happy lives-过快乐的生活
live normal lives-过正常的生活
live quiet lives-过安静的生活
live (adj)- live fish-活鱼
live volcano-活火山
live recording-现场录音
live broadcast-现场直接转播

Sherry Mers-Founder of Angel Service Dogs
www.petworldradio.net.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Turning Point

轉捩點Big or small, short or tall, we can all make a difference
小猪究竟能不能帮助农夫完成艰巨任务呢?Can the little pig help the farmer with a big task? by Hazel Johansen

Wow!” said Farmer Turner one evening as he walked through his garden. “Look at that turnip! Why, it’s the biggest one I’ve ever seen. I’ll take it home, and my wife can turn it into a wonderful stew.”

The farmer tried pulling the turnip out of the ground. But it was too big and wouldn’t come out. So he turned to his wife for help. Together the farmer and his wife pulled on the giant vegetable. But it remained in the ground. “Now what?” the farmer sighed. That night Farmer Turner couldn’t sleep. He tossed and turned all night thinking about the big turnip.

The next morning his wife had an idea. “Let’s ask one of the farm animals to help,” she said. “Surely together we can pull the turnip up.”
“Yes" said the farmer, turning the idea over in his mind. "But which animal?" just then Pinky the piglet turned up. "Wh-wh-what about me? he squealed. " I'll help." But the farmer turned him down. "You're too little," he laughed. " I'll ask the ox. He's big and strong." "But he's dangerous," warned his wife. "He may get upset and turn on us."
"Yes," said Farmer Turner, "But we need him. " So together the farmer, his wife and the ox pulled on the stubborn turnip. But it would not come out.
"We need more help," said the farmer. "H-h-how about me? Pinky cried. But the farmer paid no attention. "How about the horse?" he said instead. "She's had a hard day," said the farmer's wife. "She's tired."
"Yes, " said Farmer Turner, "but we need her." And so together the farmer, his wife the ox and the horse pulled. But they failed to get the turnip from the garden.
"Run and get the cow," cried the farmer. "But her milk's turned bad," said his wife. "And you said she's no longer useful."
"Yes," said Farmer Turner, "but we need her," So together the farmer, his wife, the ox, the horse and the cow struggled with the turnip. But it didn't go anywhere.
One by one the farmer called upon the other farm animals to help. The goat, the ram and even the rooster joined in. But it still would not come out. Everyone was disappointed. "M-m-my turn!" oinked Pinky.
"Don't turn me away. I r-r-really want to help," he cried.
But again the farmer turned up his nose at the piglet's offer. "You're just too little," he explained.
"Yes," said Pinky, " b-b-but you need me."
That turned the farmer's heart. So together the farmer, his wife, the ox, the horse, the cow, the goat, the ram, the rooster and the piglet tried one last time to pull the giant turnip out of the garden. And it turned out well. Together they did it! "Yahoo!" they all cheered. "The tiny piglet made the difference. He turned everything around." They all pushed and pulled the turnip to the farmhouse. The farmer's wife turned it into a delicious stew. Everyone pigged out! After that, they turned on some music and celebrated. Then happily, at the end of a long day, they all turned in.

Grammar
"Now what?" the farmer sighed.
"Now what?" =" Now what do I do?" =“ Now what should we do?" = " Now what is it?" or
"Now what else is wrong?" -usually when you getting frustrated or upset you can say this words.

Vocabulary
toss and turn (saying) -睡不着觉,翻来覆去的 toss-翻滚 turn-转动
I'm not sleeping well. I toss and turn all night.
*I was tossing and turning all night last night because of today's exam.
*Larry tossed and turned the whole night because he was worried about his presentations.简报
squeal (v)- 尖叫,发出长而尖的叫声The little pig squealed when the farmer picked it up.
* " No way!" the boy squealed when the doctor tried to give him a shot.
*The kids squealed with joy when they heard they were going swimming.
turn on -打开某种电器,此指攻击或是批评某人
Wesley suddenly turned on his little sister and made her cry. 欺负,攻击
* Sam turned on the radio as soon as he started his car.打开
turn the idea over - give it a careful thought.
call upon (phr v)-call for help, asking someone to help. (call on) 要求,请求,
Mrs. Smith called upon the students to move her desk.
call upon someone to do something-号召某人做某事
Greg called upon his whole family to help him move.
*We are calling upon all students to donate money to help the earthquake survivors.
turn up one's nose-look down upon someone or something.瞧不起,不削.对什么不削用"at"
Victor turned up his nose at several job offers and ended up missing out on many good opportunities.
*Ray always turns up his nose at fruits and vegetables. He would rather eat junk food.
pig out (idiom) -大吃大喝,狼吞虎咽.说明吃什么用 "at"
Rick pigged out at the picnic. He ate four hot dogs and three hamburgers!
*We pigged out on the turkey and pumpkin pie during Thanksgiving dinner.
turn in-leave head to where they belong.

Char Room
name the baby animal:
piglet- young pig
puppy / pup - young dog
kitten - young cat
cub - young bear, lion, tiger or fox.
calf - young cow
duckling - young duck
bunny - young rabbit
fry - little young fish
chick - young chicken.
colt - young male horse.
pony - is a small size, full grown horse.
-----------------
"Yahoo", "Yippee", "Hurray " are interjection 感叹词.

Monday, November 9, 2009

Coping With a Job You Hate

笑臉迎接討厭的工作
Tips to help make your day a little bit better
讓上班不再痛苦有門道可循 by CareerBuilder, LLC - Reprinted with permission.

There’s just no denying the signs. In fact you don’t need any signs at all – you just can’t stand your job. But how many of us have the luxury of just up and leaving a lousy job without having another lined up?

Sometimes you just need to grin and bear it until you have another gig. Whether you’re currently stuck because you have to pay the bills or are holding out for the next great opportunity, here are some ways to get through the day:
 
Set weekly goals for yourself
Even if you hate your job now, there is something out there that will make you happy. Make weekly goals to help you find that golden opportunity. One week you might strive to send out five resumes or attend one networking event. Setting these goals will give you something to work toward


Do one thing each day to help you reach your goals
You don't need to cross all your goals off your list every day, but you can chip away daily. When you get up in the morning, set a daily objective for yourself and make sure you achieve it. This will give you a sense of accomplishment.

Develop a positive morning ritual
Treat yourself to a latte, get up early enough to read the paper, or just set your alarm to play upbeat music when you wake up. improving your mornings can do wonders for the rest of your day.

Create a diversion for yourself in the office
Does being in your office make you yearn for the outdoors? Take in a tropical picture and use it as your screen saver. Buy yourself a "joke of the day" calendar. Plug headphones into your computer or bring your iPod to work. Go out for lunch.

Use your time to develop your skills
Use your time to make yourself a better candidate down the road. If your company offers training courses, take advantage of them. Use downtime to learn something new on your computer. Pick up a management development book and read it at lunch. Turn this job into an opportunity for self-improvement.

Blow off some steam
Most people have an activity that helps them unwind and get rid of tension. Go for a run after work, go swimming on your lunch hour, or take a nice long walk. Put this activity on your schedule so your will have something to look forward to every day.

Treat yourself
To make up for your office misery, find little ways of treating yourself. Buy a good book to read. Treat yourself to ice cream. Buy some flowers. Shop for anew interview suit. Plan your next vacation. Find out what makes you feel better inside, n matter what is going on outside.

Maintain your performance
It is important to continue to do your work and do it well, regardless of your current situation. Set personal performance goals. Then use the accomplishments in future interviews.

Keep your bridges intact
It really is a small world, and your never know when you will run into co-workers from your past. Don't burn any bridges at your company because you are unhappy. Maintain your contacts and keep your relationships positive. You might just need a reference or a good word from one of your colleagues in the future. Realize that this too shall pass . Right now, it might seem like you will be stuck in this job forever. Keep your chin up and remind yourself that you are in charge of your destiny. Search internal postings for new positions. Start your search for a new job externally.

So many helpful suggestions and tips here, do you find any which can help you through the difficulty, taugh time of your work?

More Info
For many years it was the newspaper or word of mouth. Today, the Internet has become the preferred place to go to when looking for a new job. CareerBuilder.com is the largest online job site in the United States, with more than 23 million unique visitors each month. This website has provided online career search services for hundreds of partners, including newspapers and Internet portals such as America Online and MSN

Note:
When you are in an unpleasant situation on your job, ask yourself is it a permanent problem or just a temporary matter.
Some of you, the job situation can change if the problems are drive in a proper way, and some of you know your time of the company is over when you feel your job is dead end, lights off, no turning back, is over. (adj.没有前途的)
Either way, positive attitude combine with the tips in this article can help our future career doing better. The attitude plays a big role.

Grammar
Use your time to make yourself a better candidate down the road.
"down the road" is mean " in the future" or " at a later time".
Use your time to make yourself a better candidate in the future.
Although Jim isn't interested in dating right now, he does want to get married down the road.
Stella has been teaching for five years, but she thinks she might change careers somewhere down the road.
down the road-talk about plans or events of later time.

Vocabulary
line up (phr v)-排队 *We're got so many exciting things lined up for this weekend.
Whenever Tom goes back to his hometown, he lines up lunches and dinners with his friends.
*Lots of fans lined up last night to get tickets for the concert.
gig (n)-工作机会,也指演出,演奏的机会
Sandy got a teaching gig in a large city so she quit her small-town job and moved.
*Vivian landed a gig as a copywriter at an advertisement company.获得,工作机会,文档工作
*Charlie has a gardening gig for the summer.院子除草工作
*The band will play another gig at the restaurant next month.乐团,还会再来..表演
network (v)-建立人脉关系Presto is a social networking club for people who are new in the area.
*Businessmen net work a lot while playing golf together.生意人透过打高尔夫球建立许多人脉关系
*It's very easy to network at conventions.商展中很易建立人脉.(n)-网状物,网状系统
chipping away (phr v)-take time, make something smaller piece over time.
I have been chipping away at my to-do list all day but it seems to be getting longer instead of shorter.
coping-deal with.- handle a difficult situation with success.
grin and bear- accept it with good humorous,there's really nothing you can do at that time.
crossing off-checking the item and mark off.
ritual (n)-very consistent doing, do the same thing every morning become a habit.
My morning ritual includes having a cup of coffee as I read the morning paper.
diversion (n)- Eating lunch under a tree is a peasant diversion form working in the office.
yearn (v)-思念,渴望,向往. 渴望那件事物用"for".-strong desire.
Even though I just returned from a vacation I am yearning to take another one.
*Despite his success as a star, he still yearns for his parents approval. 渴望父母的肯定
*Patricia yearns for a quiet vacation by the lake with her husband.
unwind (v)-松开,放松relax. un-有否定的意思 wind-转紧. 过去式,过去分词是unwound.
I always run around the park at night to help me unwind from the pressures of the day.
*The nurse gently unwound the patient's bandages.轻柔的松开
*Listening to music helps me unwind after a long hard day.
blow off steam (idiom)-疏解压力 blow- 吹steam-蒸汽,此指"压力"
*Rita usually goes biking to blow off steam.
*Don't take it personally when Tom acts like that. He's just blowing off some steam.不是针对你
upbeat-fast and joy.
down time-the time is not too busy.
no matter (idiom) what-regardless, in despise any situation.
No matter what Jon's mother cooks, Jon only wants a hot dog for dinner every night.
intact (adj)-keep it in one piece. 完整无缺的,没有受到任何丝毫损伤的。
Harry and Sally's love is still intact even though they haven't seen one another for a year.
*We used extra tape on the packing box to make sure the glass vase would still be intact after the move.
*The beautiful painting survived and was even intact after the flood.
burn one's bridges (idiom)-烧断自己的桥,指做事不留后路。
Because Susan burned her bridges when she left her last company, now she can't get a good recommendation.
*Albert really burned his bridges when he quit his job so suddenly.
*Madison burned her bridges so badly with her company that people laughed when they heard her name.
keep one's chin up (idiom)-让自己下巴抬的高高的,指在困难中保持乐观,不气馁。
Even though we lost the big game, we will keep our chins up because we tried our best.不气馁。
*Frank is having a tough time, but he still keeps his chin up. 保持乐观不灰心。
colleague (n)-in the same field, worker or learner who are with you.
My colleagues are very friendly and helpful, so it makes my job very pleasant.
destiny (n)-命运Your destiny is in your hands, so be careful what you do with it.
treat-treat yourself- 犒赏自己,买东西送给自己buy something for yourself that you will enjoy.
this too shall pass (idiom)- it will go away eventually.

Chat Room
stuck-粘在一起,卡住stand still can't move 
stuck on someone-粘住某人,爱上他,被他着迷(流行歌曲里才用现实生活上很少这样用)
stuck up-John stuck up the store, 抢劫商店
stick up (stuck up)-持枪抢劫 ,把枪对着人"stick em up!"叫人把手举起来.
stick up a store/bank-持枪抢劫
stuck up (adj)-傲慢,高傲 She is really stuck up她很高傲,我不想向她讨教.
-------------
down the road- 前面的这条路,即指"未来" - in the future
hands down-certainly without dispute. 毫无疑问的,明确的
Babara is hand down, the best student in class.
don't be down,
feels down-一个人感到低沉,沮丧.
look(s) down-一个人看起来很沮丧
---------
treat (v)-对待He treats everyone nicely.他对每个人都很友善。
treat (n)-一件令人愉快的事 It's a real treat to see you.见到你真高兴。
treat-请客。 I'll treat you to lunch. It's my treat this time. 这次轮到我请客。

Sunday, November 8, 2009

The Fall of the Wall Turns 20

柏林圍牆倒塌二十週年紀念 Berlin celebrates 柏林和世界各地民眾在今天共同紀念柏林圍牆倒塌的歷史性事件 by Ryan Batdorf

At midnight on Nov. 9, 1989, people poured through the gates of the Berlin Wall. Crowds of East and West Germans then climbed to the top of the wall and began to destroy it. Now, two decades after that historic night, how will Germany mark the event?

Twentieth anniversary celebration
From Nov. 7 to 9, people will gather at the Brandenburg Gate to celebrate. The climax will come on the last day when a huge series of domino blocks will fall. This stands for the chain of events that led to the fall of the wall two decades ago.


Changes since the fall
Berlin, home again to the German government since 1999, has renewed itself. Many old historic buildings have been restored. Upscale shops once again line the famous avenue Unter den Linden. The DDR Museum educates visitors about life in former East Berlin. he city continues to move forward, but some tension still remains between the "Westerners" and "Easterners." The past will never be forgotten, but the future looks bright for Berlin.

More Info.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, more than 1,000 dominoes will be set up. The dominoes will cover the two kilometers between the Brandenburg Gate and Potsdamer Platz. The dominoes will then be knocked down to symbolize the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. The wall of dominoes will take about half an hour to fall.

Grammar
This stands for the chain of events that led to the fall of the wall two decades ago.
"to stand" = "to be on one's feet", here "to stand for"= "to represent or mean something".
This represents the chain of events that led to the fall of the wall two decades ago.
The five rings in the Olympic symbol stand for the continents of this world.
ASAP stand for "as soon as possible".

Vocabulary
mark (v)- recognize,showing象征,纪念。Jason marked his 38th birthday with a trip to Europe.
*The monument marks the sacrifice of brave soldiers during the Vietnam War.纪念
*The death of the king marked the end of his empire.象征一个帝国的结束。
climax (n)- the highest, most excitement point. The climax of the story was very exciting.
renewed (v)- rebuild, restore. After they talked about the problem, their relationship was renewed.
*The city government decided to renew the historical building next year.重建,重新修护
*I need to renew my driver's license. It expired recently.更新,更换 re-有再一次的意思
tension (n)- 气氛紧张,情势紧张.
The tension between the husband and wife was gone when the man apologized for hurting her.
upscale- 高档的,针对高消费群的up- 上面,scale-等级
*Many upscale furniture stores closed last year due to the economic recession.
*She lives in an upscale area of the city. 城市中的高档地段

Chat Room
stand for something- stand-不是站立,此指代表,象征.支持,拥护,为某个主义奋战。
USA is stand for United States of America。代表
stand for -in favor of something. My father stands for honesty and kindness.支持,拥护
stand up for someone-拥护某人,或为某人辩护。
stand someone up-放某人鸽子she stood me up last night or I got stood up last night.她放我鸽子.
She didn't mean to stand me up-她不是有意放我鸽子。