奔跑族，墨西哥“奔跑族”保存了数千年来的文化。Mexico food runners have preserved their culture for thousand of years.
In the mountains of northern Mexico live a people with ancient roots. The Tarahumara were inhabitants of Mexico long before the Spanish arrived. To avoid the Spanish, they made the mountains their home, migrating from the cool peaks during summer to the warm canyons during winter.
Tarahumara villages are often far apart, so running is central to their culture. In fact, they call their tribe Raramuri, which translates to "foot runners." The Tarahumara run for transportation, but running also unifies their communities. Traditional races attract large crowds who bet on the results.
Participants run barefoot, or wear simple rope sandals, and kick a small wooden ball. They sometimes run for several days straight, trying to see who can cover a set distance first. Old men's races are less strenuous but no less popular. Women compete in shorter races, tossing a ball into the air with a stick or throwing a ring between curved sticks as they run.
Tarahumara runners have amazed the world with their stamina by beating marathon or ultramarathon runners without extra training. In fact, at the 1928 Olympics, two Tarahumara runners complained that the marathon was "too short" !
But running is not the only surviving part of Tarahumara culture. Tarahumara women still wear their traditional outfits: skirts and brightly colored scarves called koyera, which are tied around their heads. Men often wear modern clothing like blue jeans, but they still sometimes wear the traditional short skirt with a wide belt and a koyera.
The Tarahumara diet consists mostly of corn, which they grow themselves. They also grow beans and zucchini for food and raise cattle which they eat on special occasions. They supplement their diet with potatoes, fruit, wild roots and deer, which they catch by chasing until the animals collapse from exhaustion.
Dancing plays a prominent role in Tarahumara society. Most families host dance parties, small and large, throughout the year. The dutuburi dance features women dancing in a curved line and men moving backward and forward in a straight line facing them. In the peyote dance, men and women follow two leaders in dancing around a fire and periodically shouting.
Tarahumara culture has withstood enormous social changes throughout history, and it must continue to do so if it is to survive in the future.
Vocabulary Tips:
unify-联合，结合，统一，使成一体。 "uni" - to be “one”.
*The chairman of the party is trying to unify all members to pass this bill.
*The workers were unified by the Union to fight for a reasonable minimum wage.
strenuous -费力的，费劲的。
*Billy is old and can't handle the strenuous farm chores.
*Hector just had a by-pass surgery, so the doctor asked him to avoid strenuous exercise.
stamina-毅力，精力，体力。
*This cross-country competition is a test of stamina.
*He doesn't have the stamina to be an athlete。
supplement -补充，增加。
*Our presentation is supplemented with video clips of our subjects.
*Dad used to supplement his income by driving a taxi.
supplement (n)-补充剂
*Vitamin supplements-
periodically-定期的，偶尔。 "period"-期间
*Stephanie periodically visits her grandparents in the country.
*Our car should be maintained periodically.
withstand -承受的住，屹立不摇。经得起。。do not change around it. "stand" -站立
*This special material can withstand all kinds of wear and tear. 经得起磨损和损耗。
*Picasso's artwork proved that it can withstand the test of time. 经得起时间的考验。
prominent- something very important, most important.
Chat Room:
In the mountains of northern Mexico live a people with ancient roots
a people- people 不可数名词，当可数时是指“民族”，“某种人，某种民族”。
people -refer to a group of people.
peoples - means difference kinds of people. 不同民族。
The people of Asia- 亚州人
The peoples of Asia-亚州不同的民族。
people person- a person like to deal with people.很爱与人接触的人。
-----------------------------------------------
Most families host dance parties, small and large, throughout the year.
host (n)主人, host (v)-接待，举办，招待。
hostess-女主人。
hostess with the mostest-超级能干的女主人。
host (adj)- 很多。
a host of friends-很多的朋友。
a host of problems-很多的问题。
.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Curfews
How late is too late to stay out?
Mom, I am going to hang out with my friend tonight.
You won't be home later than 11pm. will you? I don't want you out past then.
Mom! Why are you putting limitations on my time with friends? You know the friends I'll be with tonight. I will be safe. You don't have to worry.
Your dad and I feel more at ease knowing that you're safely at home when we want to go to bed at night.
What's the likelihood of me getting into trouble at night when I am with my friends?
More likely than you think. You know bad things can happen even when you're being good.
And we prefer that you're home when we go to sleep at night. We shouldn't be waiting up for you at night later than 11pm.
Ok. I promise to be home on time, but tomorrow can we sit down and discuss my side of this situation?There are a few thing I would.
Sure, we can do that. Have fun with your friends tonight, and be home at 11 o'clock!
All right, Let's sit down and talk about your views on your curfew. Thanks for getting in by 11:00 last night. Your father and I really appreciate it.
You're welcome. I want to be obedient. And I really do respect your rules. But I just feel like I don't have much time to hang out with my friends. I'm so busy with school and homework during the week.
The weekends are about the only time I have to spend with them.
We have no problem with you going out with your friends on Friday and Saturday nights. Why is it so important to stay out past 11 pm?
I'm 16 now I think I'm old enough to handle the responsibility of staying out later.
You have shown quite a bit of maturity this year. So maybe it's time to give you some added privilege, like staying out later on the weekends.
That's great! How late can I stay out?
We'll let you stay out until midnight Saturday night and we'll see how it goes. But if you're late, there will be consequences.
Thanks! I promise you won't regret it.
Grammar Tips:
Your dad and I feel more at ease knowing that you're safely at home when we want to go to bed at night.
"subj." + feel +adj. + knowing that..... (to describe a person's feeling after knowing someone...
We feel at ease knowing he didn't get hurt after he had an accident.
Vocabulary Tips:
curfews-门禁，宵禁，戒严
*If you break the dorm's midnight curfew, you'll be punished.错过了门禁时间。。
*The government lifted the curfew because the war was over.取消戒严
limitation-限制，局限，限制因素。 limit-限制
*Communicating through the Internet has its limitations; it lacks personal interaction.
*His height is a limitation in his modeling career. He's only 6 feet tall.限制了他从事某特儿职业。
likelihood -（不可数名词）可能性。可能。from "like" + "hood" two words. like-相似。
*The recent conflicts increases the likelihood of war.冲突
*The likelihood is small that Howard will work for other people.可能性很小。
obedient (adj) - obey, follow the rules. 顺从的，听话的，遵守的。
*Being obedient to your superior is the base requirement of a soldier. who to obedient -obedient to whom.
disobedient -不顺从的， "dis" -否定的意思。
*The boy was disobedient to his parents.
maturity -（不可数n）成熟，圆熟。 mature (adj)- 成熟的，
*Working at the customer service department requires a lot of maturity.
*Wesley doesn't have the maturity to deal with parenthood. 还不够成熟去面对如何做“父母”
consequence -后果，结果。 "sequ" -有“尾随”的意思。result.
*People's opposition is the consequence of such a sudden change in policies.
*The consequences of taking bribes are serious.
Chat Room:
hang out-（口语）with friend.与朋友在一起“打发时间。或看电影（视）或闲聊。打发时间。
hang around- 也是打发时间，by yourself alone.只是自己独自儿的闲逛，溜达，无所事事的打发时间。但是若有闲杂的人在你家附近，闲逛，溜达，你就要注意了，最好是报警。
hangout- refer to a place that people hand out in.
hang out -with friends, but not with girl friend or boy friend. Young people like to hand out in malls.
date - 男女朋友相聚约会 date, dating，不能用“hand out".
-------------------------------------------------------------
underage=minor -under the legal age.未成年的
Sara is still a minor.
of age - 成年，购岁数了，到了法定成年的岁数。
Are you of age? 你有到达法定成年的年龄吗？
come of age- 成年了。到达了法定年龄。transition, from childhood to adulthood.
rite of passage - （字面解释）通过仪式。 也是说“伴随着人生跨越到另一个新阶段。如小孩学会骑脚踏车，进入一个人生新阶段。"rite"- 仪式，典礼。
.
Mom, I am going to hang out with my friend tonight.
You won't be home later than 11pm. will you? I don't want you out past then.
Mom! Why are you putting limitations on my time with friends? You know the friends I'll be with tonight. I will be safe. You don't have to worry.
Your dad and I feel more at ease knowing that you're safely at home when we want to go to bed at night.
What's the likelihood of me getting into trouble at night when I am with my friends?
More likely than you think. You know bad things can happen even when you're being good.
And we prefer that you're home when we go to sleep at night. We shouldn't be waiting up for you at night later than 11pm.
Ok. I promise to be home on time, but tomorrow can we sit down and discuss my side of this situation?There are a few thing I would.
Sure, we can do that. Have fun with your friends tonight, and be home at 11 o'clock!
All right, Let's sit down and talk about your views on your curfew. Thanks for getting in by 11:00 last night. Your father and I really appreciate it.
You're welcome. I want to be obedient. And I really do respect your rules. But I just feel like I don't have much time to hang out with my friends. I'm so busy with school and homework during the week.
The weekends are about the only time I have to spend with them.
We have no problem with you going out with your friends on Friday and Saturday nights. Why is it so important to stay out past 11 pm?
I'm 16 now I think I'm old enough to handle the responsibility of staying out later.
You have shown quite a bit of maturity this year. So maybe it's time to give you some added privilege, like staying out later on the weekends.
That's great! How late can I stay out?
We'll let you stay out until midnight Saturday night and we'll see how it goes. But if you're late, there will be consequences.
Thanks! I promise you won't regret it.
Grammar Tips:
Your dad and I feel more at ease knowing that you're safely at home when we want to go to bed at night.
"subj." + feel +adj. + knowing that..... (to describe a person's feeling after knowing someone...
We feel at ease knowing he didn't get hurt after he had an accident.
Vocabulary Tips:
curfews-门禁，宵禁，戒严
*If you break the dorm's midnight curfew, you'll be punished.错过了门禁时间。。
*The government lifted the curfew because the war was over.取消戒严
limitation-限制，局限，限制因素。 limit-限制
*Communicating through the Internet has its limitations; it lacks personal interaction.
*His height is a limitation in his modeling career. He's only 6 feet tall.限制了他从事某特儿职业。
likelihood -（不可数名词）可能性。可能。from "like" + "hood" two words. like-相似。
*The recent conflicts increases the likelihood of war.冲突
*The likelihood is small that Howard will work for other people.可能性很小。
obedient (adj) - obey, follow the rules. 顺从的，听话的，遵守的。
*Being obedient to your superior is the base requirement of a soldier. who to obedient -obedient to whom.
disobedient -不顺从的， "dis" -否定的意思。
*The boy was disobedient to his parents.
maturity -（不可数n）成熟，圆熟。 mature (adj)- 成熟的，
*Working at the customer service department requires a lot of maturity.
*Wesley doesn't have the maturity to deal with parenthood. 还不够成熟去面对如何做“父母”
consequence -后果，结果。 "sequ" -有“尾随”的意思。result.
*People's opposition is the consequence of such a sudden change in policies.
*The consequences of taking bribes are serious.
Chat Room:
hang out-（口语）with friend.与朋友在一起“打发时间。或看电影（视）或闲聊。打发时间。
hang around- 也是打发时间，by yourself alone.只是自己独自儿的闲逛，溜达，无所事事的打发时间。但是若有闲杂的人在你家附近，闲逛，溜达，你就要注意了，最好是报警。
hangout- refer to a place that people hand out in.
hang out -with friends, but not with girl friend or boy friend. Young people like to hand out in malls.
date - 男女朋友相聚约会 date, dating，不能用“hand out".
-------------------------------------------------------------
underage=minor -under the legal age.未成年的
Sara is still a minor.
of age - 成年，购岁数了，到了法定成年的岁数。
Are you of age? 你有到达法定成年的年龄吗？
come of age- 成年了。到达了法定年龄。transition, from childhood to adulthood.
rite of passage - （字面解释）通过仪式。 也是说“伴随着人生跨越到另一个新阶段。如小孩学会骑脚踏车，进入一个人生新阶段。"rite"- 仪式，典礼。
.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Sam Worthington
This actor went from being homeless to Hollywood.
A big break
In 2006 Australian actor Sam Worthington was facing a crisis. He had just turned 30, but he didn't know his purpose in life. Worthington wanted to start over. Taking a leap of faith, he sold his possessions and started living in his car. About a week later, he received a call to audition for a movie. That call changed his life. Worthington auditioned initially without knowing anything about the movie. It came as a surprise when he learned he was auditioning for famous Hollywood director James Cameron. But the most shocking news was yet to come. Cameron wanted to cast him in his new movie. Avatar.
Humble beginnings
Worthington wasn't an international celebrity, but he knew about acting and hard work. Born in England, he moved to western Australia when he was young. At age 17 he was sent by his father to the other side of the country. He was told he had to work and use those earnings to make his way back home.
When he was 19, Worthington was accepted into Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art. After graduating he had moderate success acting in Australian TV shows and movies. But his decision to sell everything prepared him for his next step. When James Cameron asked him to come to America, he went. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
International success
Having a lead role in a film as big as Avatar brought Worthington new opportunities. He worked well with James Cameron, a man with important contacts in the film business. When Cameron recommended Worthington for a role in Terminator Salvation, he got the part. Since then Worthington has played a starring role in Clash of the Titans. This year he'll be in the film's sequel and in Drift, a move about surfing. Of course he is willing to act in any rumored Avatar sequels. From his car to stardom, Worthington has come a long way.
Vocabulary Tips：
leap of faith- 凭信心放手一搏，大胆冒险尝试。"leap"-跳跃 "faith"-信心
*Zoe took a leap of faith and accepted the offer to work in Japan.
*Evan though Mark let us down last time, we took a leap of faith and trusted him again.
audition-试镜，试音（影艺工作）。"audi" -听。
*Helen's audition didn't go too well. She suddenly panicked on the stage.
audition (v)- 参加试镜，参加甄选（影艺工作）。
*Nancy auditioned for the part of Cinderella.
cast -选派角色，派选某人担任某角色。过去式，过去分词都是“cast"
John was cast in the lead role of his school musical.
cast someone as some role-派选某人担任某个特殊角色用“as”
*The director cast Vivian as Queen Mary.
moderate-普通，一般的，平庸。
*The product had only a moderate response in the market. 反应普通
*Kevin is a boy with moderate learning abilities, but he studies extremely hard.
moderate-温和的，适度的。
*There has been a moderate sales growth in the last season.
rumored-谣言，谣传的，传言的。
*The rumored merger of two companies finally took place last month.
*It is rumored that the CEO of the company will be replaced soon.
stardom-名星的身份，名星的地位，名星的光环。星途。
*The young girl didn't know how to handle her sudden stardom.
*Many actors and actresses go to Hollywood to pursue stardom.
Chat Room:
tryout-选拔赛（一班球赛）
audition-文艺（歌唱，戏剧，电影）的甄选， 选拔
screen test -试镜。在试镜时，先有一段独白或表演。
monologue -独白
dialogue-对话，二人对话。
------------------------------------------------
He had nothing to lose.-没什么好损失的。不一定成功，但是也不会有比现在更糟或不好的结果。
Go ahead You have nothing to lose.
lose-丢了，掉了，失去。
lose face-丢脸。
.
A big break
In 2006 Australian actor Sam Worthington was facing a crisis. He had just turned 30, but he didn't know his purpose in life. Worthington wanted to start over. Taking a leap of faith, he sold his possessions and started living in his car. About a week later, he received a call to audition for a movie. That call changed his life. Worthington auditioned initially without knowing anything about the movie. It came as a surprise when he learned he was auditioning for famous Hollywood director James Cameron. But the most shocking news was yet to come. Cameron wanted to cast him in his new movie. Avatar.
Humble beginnings
Worthington wasn't an international celebrity, but he knew about acting and hard work. Born in England, he moved to western Australia when he was young. At age 17 he was sent by his father to the other side of the country. He was told he had to work and use those earnings to make his way back home.
When he was 19, Worthington was accepted into Australia's National Institute of Dramatic Art. After graduating he had moderate success acting in Australian TV shows and movies. But his decision to sell everything prepared him for his next step. When James Cameron asked him to come to America, he went. He had nothing to lose and everything to gain.
International success
Having a lead role in a film as big as Avatar brought Worthington new opportunities. He worked well with James Cameron, a man with important contacts in the film business. When Cameron recommended Worthington for a role in Terminator Salvation, he got the part. Since then Worthington has played a starring role in Clash of the Titans. This year he'll be in the film's sequel and in Drift, a move about surfing. Of course he is willing to act in any rumored Avatar sequels. From his car to stardom, Worthington has come a long way.
Vocabulary Tips：
leap of faith- 凭信心放手一搏，大胆冒险尝试。"leap"-跳跃 "faith"-信心
*Zoe took a leap of faith and accepted the offer to work in Japan.
*Evan though Mark let us down last time, we took a leap of faith and trusted him again.
audition-试镜，试音（影艺工作）。"audi" -听。
*Helen's audition didn't go too well. She suddenly panicked on the stage.
audition (v)- 参加试镜，参加甄选（影艺工作）。
*Nancy auditioned for the part of Cinderella.
cast -选派角色，派选某人担任某角色。过去式，过去分词都是“cast"
John was cast in the lead role of his school musical.
cast someone as some role-派选某人担任某个特殊角色用“as”
*The director cast Vivian as Queen Mary.
moderate-普通，一般的，平庸。
*The product had only a moderate response in the market. 反应普通
*Kevin is a boy with moderate learning abilities, but he studies extremely hard.
moderate-温和的，适度的。
*There has been a moderate sales growth in the last season.
rumored-谣言，谣传的，传言的。
*The rumored merger of two companies finally took place last month.
*It is rumored that the CEO of the company will be replaced soon.
stardom-名星的身份，名星的地位，名星的光环。星途。
*The young girl didn't know how to handle her sudden stardom.
*Many actors and actresses go to Hollywood to pursue stardom.
Chat Room:
tryout-选拔赛（一班球赛）
audition-文艺（歌唱，戏剧，电影）的甄选， 选拔
screen test -试镜。在试镜时，先有一段独白或表演。
monologue -独白
dialogue-对话，二人对话。
------------------------------------------------
He had nothing to lose.-没什么好损失的。不一定成功，但是也不会有比现在更糟或不好的结果。
Go ahead You have nothing to lose.
lose-丢了，掉了，失去。
lose face-丢脸。
.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Adopting Children
One family describes their adoption experience.
This month Studio Classroom talks with Aaron Heidel about adoption. Aaron and his wife, Jean, have written a book about their adoption experiences. They live in Taipei with their four children.
SC: Tell us about your family.
AH: I'm an American and my wife is from Taipei. We have four adopted children. Hannah is 8 and is in second grade. Ellie is 6, Donny is 3, and Andrew is 2. The youngest three spend their time hanging out at home.
SC: Why did you decide to adopt four kids?
AH: We want to have kids and tried everything but couldn't get pregnant. Our friends had adopted two kids, and we were inspired by their example. We applied to adopt, and one year later, we received 11-day-old Hannah. We adopted Elie because it can be lonely being an only child, and we wanted a big family. We thought long and hard about adopting a third child. Eventually we decided we would like a son, so we applied to two orphanages. We got Donny when he was five months old, and nine months later we got Andrew.
SC: How long did it take to adjust to being a family?
AH: At first you feel like a 24-hour babysitter. But within a few days some strong feelings of affection and love begin to develop. Having the other kids be part of adopting their siblings enriches the whole process.
SC: What type of process did you go through before you were able to adopt?
AH: First we had to accept the fact that we couldn't have children. Then we had to convince our families to support us. We also did a lot of research on adoption agencies.
We filled out lots of paperwork and answered some very personal questions. Next come parenting and adoption classes and waiting for what seemed like an eternity. Picking up the new family member is the fun part. But even after that, we had a trial period of three to six months before getting the final acceptance of the adoption.
Once we had approval, we needed to change the kids' last names and update their records.
SC: What was most challenging about adopting?
AH: Parenting in general was and continues to be challenging. It's hard to figure out how to raise healthy kids. The added thing with adoption is getting the kids to understand their adoption. Our policy is to be very open about it, so they don't have to deal with the shock of realization.
SC: What is most rewarding?
AH: Having kids is the rewarding part. Kids are awesome. They change your priorities - usually in a good way.
Vocabulary Tips:
pregnant-怀孕，怀胎
*Natalie and her husband are having a hard time getting pregnant.
pregnant with-怀那一个用"with"。
*Sandy was pregnant with her first child when she got promoted. 怀她第一个孩子
think long and hard -深思熟虑，认真考虑许久。
*Laurence thought long and hard before he decided to change his career.
*I believe you should think long and hard before you get married.认为。
affection -感情，爱慕。 very like, love.
*Bobby is never shy about his affections for his wife.不掩饰对。。爱慕之情
*You can see the strong affection between the nanny and the baby.
inspire-激发 give you an idea want to do something.
enrich- 增添，使丰富， to improve the quality of something.
acceptance-不可数名词，接受，承认，接纳，认可 accept -接受
*His acceptance of the award caused a lot of criticism.
*acceptance -认可
*Her enthusiasm quickly gained acceptance from her co-workers.
realization -领悟，恍然大悟。忽然明白，
*There has been a growing realization of how serious global warming is.
*She was shocked by the sudden realization that she was actually the one hurting others.
reward-给与奖励的现在分词，(adj.) 值得，有回报的，没有白费有价值的。
*Ashley loves to take care of patients. She thinks it's quite rewarding.
*The intense training was rewarding, because we have only lost one game.
challenge and reward.-挑战和回报。
What seems like an eternity- the process take very long time.
Chat Room:
At first you feel like a 24-hour babysitter.
babysitter- 保姆，（不固定，钟点工以钟头计费，请来家看顾，且没受专业。）
nanny -专业全职的保姆。（要提供休假及福利，有的还提供食宿）
baby sister- your younger sister
----------------------------------------------------------
trial period/ grace period- 试用期/宽限期。
trial period - 实验期，试用期，通常“商品”或“杂志”有提供免费试用期。新进 员工试用期
probationary period =trial period -新进员工试用期。
grace period -宽限期，尤惠期。信用卡帐单发出到到最后付款日，这期间叫“宽限期”, grace -慈悲，恩惠。
.
This month Studio Classroom talks with Aaron Heidel about adoption. Aaron and his wife, Jean, have written a book about their adoption experiences. They live in Taipei with their four children.
SC: Tell us about your family.
AH: I'm an American and my wife is from Taipei. We have four adopted children. Hannah is 8 and is in second grade. Ellie is 6, Donny is 3, and Andrew is 2. The youngest three spend their time hanging out at home.
SC: Why did you decide to adopt four kids?
AH: We want to have kids and tried everything but couldn't get pregnant. Our friends had adopted two kids, and we were inspired by their example. We applied to adopt, and one year later, we received 11-day-old Hannah. We adopted Elie because it can be lonely being an only child, and we wanted a big family. We thought long and hard about adopting a third child. Eventually we decided we would like a son, so we applied to two orphanages. We got Donny when he was five months old, and nine months later we got Andrew.
SC: How long did it take to adjust to being a family?
AH: At first you feel like a 24-hour babysitter. But within a few days some strong feelings of affection and love begin to develop. Having the other kids be part of adopting their siblings enriches the whole process.
SC: What type of process did you go through before you were able to adopt?
AH: First we had to accept the fact that we couldn't have children. Then we had to convince our families to support us. We also did a lot of research on adoption agencies.
We filled out lots of paperwork and answered some very personal questions. Next come parenting and adoption classes and waiting for what seemed like an eternity. Picking up the new family member is the fun part. But even after that, we had a trial period of three to six months before getting the final acceptance of the adoption.
Once we had approval, we needed to change the kids' last names and update their records.
SC: What was most challenging about adopting?
AH: Parenting in general was and continues to be challenging. It's hard to figure out how to raise healthy kids. The added thing with adoption is getting the kids to understand their adoption. Our policy is to be very open about it, so they don't have to deal with the shock of realization.
SC: What is most rewarding?
AH: Having kids is the rewarding part. Kids are awesome. They change your priorities - usually in a good way.
Vocabulary Tips:
pregnant-怀孕，怀胎
*Natalie and her husband are having a hard time getting pregnant.
pregnant with-怀那一个用"with"。
*Sandy was pregnant with her first child when she got promoted. 怀她第一个孩子
think long and hard -深思熟虑，认真考虑许久。
*Laurence thought long and hard before he decided to change his career.
*I believe you should think long and hard before you get married.认为。
affection -感情，爱慕。 very like, love.
*Bobby is never shy about his affections for his wife.不掩饰对。。爱慕之情
*You can see the strong affection between the nanny and the baby.
inspire-激发 give you an idea want to do something.
enrich- 增添，使丰富， to improve the quality of something.
acceptance-不可数名词，接受，承认，接纳，认可 accept -接受
*His acceptance of the award caused a lot of criticism.
*acceptance -认可
*Her enthusiasm quickly gained acceptance from her co-workers.
realization -领悟，恍然大悟。忽然明白，
*There has been a growing realization of how serious global warming is.
*She was shocked by the sudden realization that she was actually the one hurting others.
reward-给与奖励的现在分词，(adj.) 值得，有回报的，没有白费有价值的。
*Ashley loves to take care of patients. She thinks it's quite rewarding.
*The intense training was rewarding, because we have only lost one game.
challenge and reward.-挑战和回报。
What seems like an eternity- the process take very long time.
Chat Room:
At first you feel like a 24-hour babysitter.
babysitter- 保姆，（不固定，钟点工以钟头计费，请来家看顾，且没受专业。）
nanny -专业全职的保姆。（要提供休假及福利，有的还提供食宿）
baby sister- your younger sister
----------------------------------------------------------
trial period/ grace period- 试用期/宽限期。
trial period - 实验期，试用期，通常“商品”或“杂志”有提供免费试用期。新进 员工试用期
probationary period =trial period -新进员工试用期。
grace period -宽限期，尤惠期。信用卡帐单发出到到最后付款日，这期间叫“宽限期”, grace -慈悲，恩惠。
.
Friday, March 23, 2012
A Look At Sumo
在日本国技相擈里，体型是关键 Size matter in Japan's national sport
When it comes to sum, bigger is definitely better. Sumo, a Japanese style of wrestling, is a face off between two challengers in a ring measuring about 4.5 meters across. The goal of the match is for one wrestler to knock the other off his feet or push him out of the ring. The bigger the opponent is, the harder he is to defeat.
Sumo wrestling dates back over 1,500 years and has its roots in religious rituals. What started as a rough style of fighting with few rules gradually grew into a sport with rules and regulations.
Throughout the centuries, sumo has been used in royal court ceremonies, in military training and as a form of entertainment for the masses.
Today this battle between lumbering giants in loincloths is Japan's national sport. sumo wrestlers in Japan eat, sleep and breathe sumo. They live together in a complex called a "stable." which is run by a coach, or "stable master." The stable master controls when the wrestlers sleep, what they eat and how they train. Because there are no weight classes or restrictions in sumo, it's important for the wrestlers to become as big as they can.
They achieve this through carefully planned, high-calorie diets and hours of rigorous training - sumo wrestlers are as athletic as they are large!
Grammar Tips:
What started as a rough style of fighting with few rules gradually grew into a sport with rules and regulations.
"What started as...grew into a...."- Start with humble and little as... then became famous and bigger..
What started as a rough style of fighting with few rules gradually grew into a sport with rules and regulations.
Vocabulary Tips:
face - off -对峙，对立，对抗，对争 two people face to face compete, against each other.
*Richard's face-off with his supervisor became more and more intense. 越来越白热化（紧张，紧绷）
*The face-off between these two basketball teams attracted many viewers. 吸引许多观众。
lumber-缓慢吃力的行动，沉重的行走。伐木
*My little sister lumbered along the street because she didn't want to go to school.
*A herd of elephants were lumbering across the field.
*This area was heavily lumbered.大规模，大量的被砍伐。
rigorous -严格的，严厉的。
*Rigorous safety checks are conducted everyday to ensure the safety of all passengers.
*The quality of our products can be guaranteed by our rigorous quality control.
rituals - something conduct in the ceremonies of religious.
masses- refer to "a large group of people."
Chat Room:
ring- 场地。Sumo相擈的场地是圆形的，叫"ring", Boxing拳击的场地虽是方形的，有绳圈起来，也叫"ring". (different sport play in different place不同的运动有不同的场地，英文称呼也不同。)
rink-溜冰和曲棍球的场地叫"rink", level, smooth and big place with ice.
hockey rink曲棍球场。
course-高尔球的场地，循着路线而打球。
court-有网子的，室内球场。
basketball court -蓝球场
tennis ball court-网球场
volleyball court.-排球场。
.
When it comes to sum, bigger is definitely better. Sumo, a Japanese style of wrestling, is a face off between two challengers in a ring measuring about 4.5 meters across. The goal of the match is for one wrestler to knock the other off his feet or push him out of the ring. The bigger the opponent is, the harder he is to defeat.
Sumo wrestling dates back over 1,500 years and has its roots in religious rituals. What started as a rough style of fighting with few rules gradually grew into a sport with rules and regulations.
Throughout the centuries, sumo has been used in royal court ceremonies, in military training and as a form of entertainment for the masses.
Today this battle between lumbering giants in loincloths is Japan's national sport. sumo wrestlers in Japan eat, sleep and breathe sumo. They live together in a complex called a "stable." which is run by a coach, or "stable master." The stable master controls when the wrestlers sleep, what they eat and how they train. Because there are no weight classes or restrictions in sumo, it's important for the wrestlers to become as big as they can.
They achieve this through carefully planned, high-calorie diets and hours of rigorous training - sumo wrestlers are as athletic as they are large!
Grammar Tips:
What started as a rough style of fighting with few rules gradually grew into a sport with rules and regulations.
"What started as...grew into a...."- Start with humble and little as... then became famous and bigger..
What started as a rough style of fighting with few rules gradually grew into a sport with rules and regulations.
Vocabulary Tips:
face - off -对峙，对立，对抗，对争 two people face to face compete, against each other.
*Richard's face-off with his supervisor became more and more intense. 越来越白热化（紧张，紧绷）
*The face-off between these two basketball teams attracted many viewers. 吸引许多观众。
lumber-缓慢吃力的行动，沉重的行走。伐木
*My little sister lumbered along the street because she didn't want to go to school.
*A herd of elephants were lumbering across the field.
*This area was heavily lumbered.大规模，大量的被砍伐。
rigorous -严格的，严厉的。
*Rigorous safety checks are conducted everyday to ensure the safety of all passengers.
*The quality of our products can be guaranteed by our rigorous quality control.
rituals - something conduct in the ceremonies of religious.
masses- refer to "a large group of people."
Chat Room:
ring- 场地。Sumo相擈的场地是圆形的，叫"ring", Boxing拳击的场地虽是方形的，有绳圈起来，也叫"ring". (different sport play in different place不同的运动有不同的场地，英文称呼也不同。)
rink-溜冰和曲棍球的场地叫"rink", level, smooth and big place with ice.
hockey rink曲棍球场。
course-高尔球的场地，循着路线而打球。
court-有网子的，室内球场。
basketball court -蓝球场
tennis ball court-网球场
volleyball court.-排球场。
.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Spring-Cleaning
Six steps to help you spring-clean your mind, body and emotions.
Spring officially arrives tomorrow! After the long, cold winter months, springtime brings a promise of nicer days. The season makes us want to throw open our windows and enjoy some warmth. Springtime also gives many of us the desire to clean things up. This year, though, why stop with just the house? Let's also bring some order to our mind, body and emotions.
Here are some ideas to help get started:
Reconnect-
*** with nature.
Try to spend some time each day in the sunshine. Walk to work or walk your dog. Take a book to the park, sit under a tree, and read. Outdoor activities will provide the healthy vitamin D your body needs after a long winter.
*** with friends and loved ones.
Call a friend you haven't seen for a while and meet for lunch. Take your family on a hike. Plan, prepare, and eat a meal together as a family. Loving relationships refresh our emotions.
Pare down:
*** the clutter because an organized home leads to an organized mind. Go through your clothes, and give away anything you didn't wear last season. Then pledge to give away one clothing item for every new one you buy. Look through your old magazines and newspapers. If they are a month old and you haven't read them, the odds are you never will. Get in the habit of cutting out articles you want to keep. Then throw away the rest of the paper. (Studio Classroom magazine is the exception! You'll want to keep it for future study and review.)
*** your spending. If you don't have a budget, now is a good time to make one. A budget will help you eliminate needless spending. You'll be surprised how much you can save in just a short time.
*** your weight. Replace all your junk food with healthy snacks. Spring is also a great time to begin exercising.
Unplug
***electronic devices and the television. During the winter, it's easy to spend hours each day in front of a screen. But spring's nice weather seems to invite us outside. Why not set aside a few hours, leave all electronic devices at home and go out. You may be surprised how free you'll feel without non stop texts and phone calls.
Clear
***your mind. Treat yourself to a spa. Or create your won spa at home with a warm bath scented candles and soft music. Allow yourself to completely relax, and feel your worries slip away.
Join
***a new group. Sports teams, dance classes, photography clubs, etc. help you meet new people and learn new skills.
Go
***to a museum, play or concert. These events will stretch your mind and feed your soul. Why not welcome spring this year with a freshly cleaned home and a renewed mind and body!
Grammar Tips:
Get in the habit of cutting out articles you want to keep.
"get in the habit of "= "develop the habit of ".
Get in the habit of recycling.
How do I get in the habit of exercising every day?
Becky got in the habit of chewing her nails whenever she felt nervous about her work.
Vocabulary Tips:
warmth (n)-温暖，亲切，热情。 warm (adj)-温暖，
*Surrounded by the warmth of the fireplace, the girl fell asleep.
*We would never forget the warmth of the town's people.
reconnect -重新连结，使再结合。 "connect"连接，连结， -, "re"-再一次
*The electricity will be reconnected in five minutes. 恢复电力供应。
*We have to reconnect with our previous suppliers to get sufficient materials.
refresh - 使振作精神，重新得力，更新，使恢复体力。"re"- “再一次，"fresh"-精力充沛
*I refreshed myself with a walk in the woods.
*A glass of iced tea can refresh you right away.
pare down -削减，减少。reduce, make things less to living only with neccessary things. "pare"-削皮，减掉
*We have to pare down our expenses by 10% then we will be able to pay all the bills.
*The manager pared down the advertising budget.
clutter-杂物，零乱的东西，杂乱的东西。stuff that does not look nice, most are unused.
*Dad spent a whole weekend to clear out the clutter in the garage.
*His dorm room is full of clutter.
odds - 机率，可能性。
*If you begin your business without careful planning, the odds of succeeding are very poor.
*What are the odds our team will win?
*The odds are that this product will be very popular.
unplug - 拔掉电源。"un"-“不”， "plug"-接通电源。
*Sean unplugged all the appliances before leaving the house.
*Dad decided to unplug our TV so we would have more quality time.
set aside-留出来，空出来，拨出，挪出，放在旁边。 save them for something.
*Vince always sets aside one hour everyday to exercise.
*Tanya and her husband set aside some money every month for their children's education.
scented -有香味的，芳香的 scent- 香味good smell.
*The scented tissures are very poplular, especially among femals.
*These scented candles were one of our wedding gifts.
electronic - something use electricity to work.
spa - a place provide people a nice, pretty and calm feeling, people fell relax and enjoy.
renew- make new that can last longer.
pledge-promise.
Chat Room:
spring-春天，春，弹簧，弹跳，跳躍
Spring officially arrives tomorrow!
spring chicken -春鸡，小鸡， 年轻人。通常用在否定句，“不再年轻了” 当年纪大的人不服老，还常和年轻小伙子们打蓝球，体能，行动跟不上年轻人了。可说"You are no spring chicken."
No spring chicken - 不再年轻了
You are no spring chicken.不再年轻了
spring to mind-突然的（跳）出现在脑海中
spring a surprise on you -突然提出某事让你惊讶。
-------------------------------------------------
habit -嗜好，习惯。
have a habit - "have" 养成，有
I have a bad habit.
in the habit -特定的习惯。
I'm in the habit of drinking coffee every morning.
Get in the habit of cutting out articles you want to keep.
break the habit = kick the habit - 改掉习惯。
by force of habit - 出于习惯性的，习惯性的。
You wake up early by force of habit. 习惯性的早起，虽是假日，也自然的因习惯性而早起。
---------------------------------------------------
slip away - 悄悄地溜走。usually use this idiom in a situation that "you don't want to be there"
slip - 轻轻的，悄悄地，没人注意的滑 （溜）走。逃走。
Allow yourself to completely relax and fell your worries slip away.
slip away-逃走，悄悄溜走。
slip away from the police. 坏人从警察面前逃溜走。
slip out 不告而别，神不知，鬼不觉地离开（有心的）。与 slip away 意思相近。机会悄悄地溜走。
.
Spring officially arrives tomorrow! After the long, cold winter months, springtime brings a promise of nicer days. The season makes us want to throw open our windows and enjoy some warmth. Springtime also gives many of us the desire to clean things up. This year, though, why stop with just the house? Let's also bring some order to our mind, body and emotions.
Here are some ideas to help get started:
Reconnect-
*** with nature.
Try to spend some time each day in the sunshine. Walk to work or walk your dog. Take a book to the park, sit under a tree, and read. Outdoor activities will provide the healthy vitamin D your body needs after a long winter.
*** with friends and loved ones.
Call a friend you haven't seen for a while and meet for lunch. Take your family on a hike. Plan, prepare, and eat a meal together as a family. Loving relationships refresh our emotions.
Pare down:
*** the clutter because an organized home leads to an organized mind. Go through your clothes, and give away anything you didn't wear last season. Then pledge to give away one clothing item for every new one you buy. Look through your old magazines and newspapers. If they are a month old and you haven't read them, the odds are you never will. Get in the habit of cutting out articles you want to keep. Then throw away the rest of the paper. (Studio Classroom magazine is the exception! You'll want to keep it for future study and review.)
*** your spending. If you don't have a budget, now is a good time to make one. A budget will help you eliminate needless spending. You'll be surprised how much you can save in just a short time.
*** your weight. Replace all your junk food with healthy snacks. Spring is also a great time to begin exercising.
Unplug
***electronic devices and the television. During the winter, it's easy to spend hours each day in front of a screen. But spring's nice weather seems to invite us outside. Why not set aside a few hours, leave all electronic devices at home and go out. You may be surprised how free you'll feel without non stop texts and phone calls.
Clear
***your mind. Treat yourself to a spa. Or create your won spa at home with a warm bath scented candles and soft music. Allow yourself to completely relax, and feel your worries slip away.
Join
***a new group. Sports teams, dance classes, photography clubs, etc. help you meet new people and learn new skills.
Go
***to a museum, play or concert. These events will stretch your mind and feed your soul. Why not welcome spring this year with a freshly cleaned home and a renewed mind and body!
Grammar Tips:
Get in the habit of cutting out articles you want to keep.
"get in the habit of "= "develop the habit of ".
Get in the habit of recycling.
How do I get in the habit of exercising every day?
Becky got in the habit of chewing her nails whenever she felt nervous about her work.
Vocabulary Tips:
warmth (n)-温暖，亲切，热情。 warm (adj)-温暖，
*Surrounded by the warmth of the fireplace, the girl fell asleep.
*We would never forget the warmth of the town's people.
reconnect -重新连结，使再结合。 "connect"连接，连结， -, "re"-再一次
*The electricity will be reconnected in five minutes. 恢复电力供应。
*We have to reconnect with our previous suppliers to get sufficient materials.
refresh - 使振作精神，重新得力，更新，使恢复体力。"re"- “再一次，"fresh"-精力充沛
*I refreshed myself with a walk in the woods.
*A glass of iced tea can refresh you right away.
pare down -削减，减少。reduce, make things less to living only with neccessary things. "pare"-削皮，减掉
*We have to pare down our expenses by 10% then we will be able to pay all the bills.
*The manager pared down the advertising budget.
clutter-杂物，零乱的东西，杂乱的东西。stuff that does not look nice, most are unused.
*Dad spent a whole weekend to clear out the clutter in the garage.
*His dorm room is full of clutter.
odds - 机率，可能性。
*If you begin your business without careful planning, the odds of succeeding are very poor.
*What are the odds our team will win?
*The odds are that this product will be very popular.
unplug - 拔掉电源。"un"-“不”， "plug"-接通电源。
*Sean unplugged all the appliances before leaving the house.
*Dad decided to unplug our TV so we would have more quality time.
set aside-留出来，空出来，拨出，挪出，放在旁边。 save them for something.
*Vince always sets aside one hour everyday to exercise.
*Tanya and her husband set aside some money every month for their children's education.
scented -有香味的，芳香的 scent- 香味good smell.
*The scented tissures are very poplular, especially among femals.
*These scented candles were one of our wedding gifts.
electronic - something use electricity to work.
spa - a place provide people a nice, pretty and calm feeling, people fell relax and enjoy.
renew- make new that can last longer.
pledge-promise.
Chat Room:
spring-春天，春，弹簧，弹跳，跳躍
Spring officially arrives tomorrow!
spring chicken -春鸡，小鸡， 年轻人。通常用在否定句，“不再年轻了” 当年纪大的人不服老，还常和年轻小伙子们打蓝球，体能，行动跟不上年轻人了。可说"You are no spring chicken."
No spring chicken - 不再年轻了
You are no spring chicken.不再年轻了
spring to mind-突然的（跳）出现在脑海中
spring a surprise on you -突然提出某事让你惊讶。
-------------------------------------------------
habit -嗜好，习惯。
have a habit - "have" 养成，有
I have a bad habit.
in the habit -特定的习惯。
I'm in the habit of drinking coffee every morning.
Get in the habit of cutting out articles you want to keep.
break the habit = kick the habit - 改掉习惯。
by force of habit - 出于习惯性的，习惯性的。
You wake up early by force of habit. 习惯性的早起，虽是假日，也自然的因习惯性而早起。
---------------------------------------------------
slip away - 悄悄地溜走。usually use this idiom in a situation that "you don't want to be there"
slip - 轻轻的，悄悄地，没人注意的滑 （溜）走。逃走。
Allow yourself to completely relax and fell your worries slip away.
slip away-逃走，悄悄溜走。
slip away from the police. 坏人从警察面前逃溜走。
slip out 不告而别，神不知，鬼不觉地离开（有心的）。与 slip away 意思相近。机会悄悄地溜走。
.
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Pennsylvania Dutch Country
Plain living among the rolling hills of Pennsylvania.賓洲绵延起伏山丘间的朴实生活。
Neatly painted white farmhouses and well-kept barns rest among the rolling hills of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. And no power lines ruin the scenic views. This is Amish country, where "Plain People" have lived a simple life for nearly 300 years. Today about 30,000 Old Order Amish live in Lancaster County, driving their horse-drawn black buggiest along the roads. Here, you can glimpse what rural life was like 100 years ago- and thoroughly enjoy it!
City of Lancaster
Start exploring in the small, colorful city of Lancaster founded in 1710. Take the walking tour through the heart of the old city. A guide dressed in costume will share stories form the city's history.
Next visit the Central Market, the oldest continuously operating farmer's market in the country. Join the locals as they shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and baked goods. And you won't want to miss the beautiful Amish handicrafts, like quilts and pillow covers. Be sure to pick up some Pennsylvania Dutch goodies, like the delicious pies. The Amish frequently eat them for breakfast!
From Lancaster, venture out into the small towns that dot the county. But a word of warning - fill your gas tank before leaving Lancaster. You won't find any gas stations along the country roads!
Landis Valley Museum
Just north of Lancaster, stop by the Landis Valley Museum to see what Pennsylvania Dutch life was like around 1900. In the open-air museum, you can visit more than 15 historic buildings and see demonstrations of weaving and pottery making.
An Amish Buggy Ride
Then drive down country roads and watch the Amish labor at home or in the fields. In the town of Bird-in-Hand, take the opportunity to see the world the way the Amish do-from a buggy. At Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides, you can choose from five different routes. All take you through land farmed only with horses or mules. And you'll stop at an Amish farm where you will have the chance to buy homemade cookies or jam.
The buggy ride business is Amish family-owned, and all the drivers are Plain People.
After seeing all those farms, experience one up close and personal. About three-dozen non-Amish farms in Lancaster County take guests.
Unlike many bed-and-breakfasts (B and Bs), these places welcome families with children and encourage them to participate in farm chores. At a farm B and B, you'll learn about sock - and not the kind that gives you ownership in a company. Farm stock, or animals, require daily care.
Ever bottle-fed a calf or collected eggs in a chicken house? You can do those and more as well as enjoy a hearty farm breakfast. Your host can also arrange a meal with an Amish family. You can taste traditional Amish home cooking and learn about the different facets of their lives.
Stop in the charming village of Lititz where stone houses line the tree-shaded streets. At the Sturgis Pretzel House, the first commercial pretzel bakery in the States, make-and eat -your own pretzel. Farms, food and faith- it's all there in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and it's just plain fun!
Grammar Tips:
.... a word of warning - fill your gas tank before leaving Lancaster.
"a word of warning" is a formal way to say "be careful" or "remember", usually use it in the writing or formal speech.
"a word of warning" - "remember", "be careful"
A word of waring - you should come back down the mountain before sunset. (there is no street lamp during the night)
You can take the public bus, but a word of warning-if you miss the 6:00pm bus, you will have to take a taxi. ( 6:00pm is the latest bus.)
Vocabulary Tips:
ruin-毁坏，破坏
*The dish was ruined because the chef used the wrong seasonings.
*Nicky's model car was ruined by his baby brother.
*The mayor's chances of being reelected were ruined by this scandal.丑闻
continuously (adv.) 持续不断地，接连不断地- continuous (adj) -持续的，不断的。
*These workers have been working continuously for six hours.
*Shirley has continuously volunteered in this elementary school for over five years.
handicraft-手工艺品
*The natives' handicrafts are sold in local stores.
handicraft- 手工艺
*Eileen teaches handicraft at the community center.
venture-冒险，探险，尝试，大胆提出。
*Once we set up our tent, we ventured into the woods.
*Larry recently ventured into the real estate profession.
*Victor finally ventured to ask for a raise. 大胆提出
labor-（不及物动词）工作，活动，辛勤工作，努力，尽力，劳苦工作。a high level word for "work", hard work.
*Jason labored five years creating his first album.
*George labored as a fisherman for over 20 years.
labor-努力，尽力work hard.
*The teacher labored to make sure every student understood.
route- "ou"发 "U"的音。路线，途径。"way" or "path", "direction".
*Henry took a different route to school today.
*The shortest route to the market is through the park.
up close and personal-近距离的接触或亲生体验。up right there, gaining an experience that you personally involved it, not just see other people doing or heard it from someone.
*Many fans interacted up close and personal with the singer at the fan club meeting.
*As a reporter, Eric gets a lot of chances to interview celebrities up close and personal.
chores-日常杂事，例行事务。the daily things that you have to do it but not fun, such as do dishes, cleaning, make bed etc.
*Mandy asked her sons to share house chores on weekends.
hearty-丰盛的，营养丰富的。a lot fo something.
*The restaurant is famous for its hearty beef stew.
*Mom's hearty meals really soothed me every time I went home.
"just" - here mean's "very close to something".
valley - an area between the two hills or a flat land.
demonstration - show you how to make things.
Buggy- a cart with wheels, pulled by animals (horse)
tree-shaded street : a street has a lot of full grown tree with heavy leaves, the leaves blocked the sun to come down.
Chat Room:
heart-心脏
Take the walking tour through the heart of the old city.
heart-中心，核心。地方的中心。
the heart of the city = downtown 市中心，最繁荣最热闹，文化，商业的集中的地方。
the inner city -贫民区。 地方脏乱，贫民居住，犯罪率高的地方。
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Bird-in-Hand"-掌中鸟，典故来自于：A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 手中已抓住一支，比一支也没，两支都还在树叢中强得多。
If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.同时追求两件东西，到头来两头空。
**上面两句话，都是指“抓住可以掌握住的机会或东西，胜过紧盯住没有把握， 不能掌握的看似更好，更大的机会或东西”，（不要吃着碗里，看着别碗里，不珍惜眼前所拥有的，追逐那自己没能拥有的，看似好而值得去拥有的， 到头来却是一场空，一无所获）。
----------------------------------------------
bed-and-breakfast (B and B)- 供应夜晚睡觉的床及早餐的旅馆，即“民宿”。
inn-旧式对“旅馆”称呼。 传统二层楼式的， 楼上有提供住宿的客房，楼下是酒馆，也提供餐饮。
motel- word came from "motor 气车hotel旅馆", cheap hotel for the drivers.
.
Neatly painted white farmhouses and well-kept barns rest among the rolling hills of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. And no power lines ruin the scenic views. This is Amish country, where "Plain People" have lived a simple life for nearly 300 years. Today about 30,000 Old Order Amish live in Lancaster County, driving their horse-drawn black buggiest along the roads. Here, you can glimpse what rural life was like 100 years ago- and thoroughly enjoy it!
City of Lancaster
Start exploring in the small, colorful city of Lancaster founded in 1710. Take the walking tour through the heart of the old city. A guide dressed in costume will share stories form the city's history.
Next visit the Central Market, the oldest continuously operating farmer's market in the country. Join the locals as they shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, meats and baked goods. And you won't want to miss the beautiful Amish handicrafts, like quilts and pillow covers. Be sure to pick up some Pennsylvania Dutch goodies, like the delicious pies. The Amish frequently eat them for breakfast!
From Lancaster, venture out into the small towns that dot the county. But a word of warning - fill your gas tank before leaving Lancaster. You won't find any gas stations along the country roads!
Landis Valley Museum
Just north of Lancaster, stop by the Landis Valley Museum to see what Pennsylvania Dutch life was like around 1900. In the open-air museum, you can visit more than 15 historic buildings and see demonstrations of weaving and pottery making.
An Amish Buggy Ride
Then drive down country roads and watch the Amish labor at home or in the fields. In the town of Bird-in-Hand, take the opportunity to see the world the way the Amish do-from a buggy. At Aaron & Jessica's Buggy Rides, you can choose from five different routes. All take you through land farmed only with horses or mules. And you'll stop at an Amish farm where you will have the chance to buy homemade cookies or jam.
The buggy ride business is Amish family-owned, and all the drivers are Plain People.
After seeing all those farms, experience one up close and personal. About three-dozen non-Amish farms in Lancaster County take guests.
Unlike many bed-and-breakfasts (B and Bs), these places welcome families with children and encourage them to participate in farm chores. At a farm B and B, you'll learn about sock - and not the kind that gives you ownership in a company. Farm stock, or animals, require daily care.
Ever bottle-fed a calf or collected eggs in a chicken house? You can do those and more as well as enjoy a hearty farm breakfast. Your host can also arrange a meal with an Amish family. You can taste traditional Amish home cooking and learn about the different facets of their lives.
Stop in the charming village of Lititz where stone houses line the tree-shaded streets. At the Sturgis Pretzel House, the first commercial pretzel bakery in the States, make-and eat -your own pretzel. Farms, food and faith- it's all there in Pennsylvania Dutch Country, and it's just plain fun!
Grammar Tips:
.... a word of warning - fill your gas tank before leaving Lancaster.
"a word of warning" is a formal way to say "be careful" or "remember", usually use it in the writing or formal speech.
"a word of warning" - "remember", "be careful"
A word of waring - you should come back down the mountain before sunset. (there is no street lamp during the night)
You can take the public bus, but a word of warning-if you miss the 6:00pm bus, you will have to take a taxi. ( 6:00pm is the latest bus.)
Vocabulary Tips:
ruin-毁坏，破坏
*The dish was ruined because the chef used the wrong seasonings.
*Nicky's model car was ruined by his baby brother.
*The mayor's chances of being reelected were ruined by this scandal.丑闻
continuously (adv.) 持续不断地，接连不断地- continuous (adj) -持续的，不断的。
*These workers have been working continuously for six hours.
*Shirley has continuously volunteered in this elementary school for over five years.
handicraft-手工艺品
*The natives' handicrafts are sold in local stores.
handicraft- 手工艺
*Eileen teaches handicraft at the community center.
venture-冒险，探险，尝试，大胆提出。
*Once we set up our tent, we ventured into the woods.
*Larry recently ventured into the real estate profession.
*Victor finally ventured to ask for a raise. 大胆提出
labor-（不及物动词）工作，活动，辛勤工作，努力，尽力，劳苦工作。a high level word for "work", hard work.
*Jason labored five years creating his first album.
*George labored as a fisherman for over 20 years.
labor-努力，尽力work hard.
*The teacher labored to make sure every student understood.
route- "ou"发 "U"的音。路线，途径。"way" or "path", "direction".
*Henry took a different route to school today.
*The shortest route to the market is through the park.
up close and personal-近距离的接触或亲生体验。up right there, gaining an experience that you personally involved it, not just see other people doing or heard it from someone.
*Many fans interacted up close and personal with the singer at the fan club meeting.
*As a reporter, Eric gets a lot of chances to interview celebrities up close and personal.
chores-日常杂事，例行事务。the daily things that you have to do it but not fun, such as do dishes, cleaning, make bed etc.
*Mandy asked her sons to share house chores on weekends.
hearty-丰盛的，营养丰富的。a lot fo something.
*The restaurant is famous for its hearty beef stew.
*Mom's hearty meals really soothed me every time I went home.
"just" - here mean's "very close to something".
valley - an area between the two hills or a flat land.
demonstration - show you how to make things.
Buggy- a cart with wheels, pulled by animals (horse)
tree-shaded street : a street has a lot of full grown tree with heavy leaves, the leaves blocked the sun to come down.
Chat Room:
heart-心脏
Take the walking tour through the heart of the old city.
heart-中心，核心。地方的中心。
the heart of the city = downtown 市中心，最繁荣最热闹，文化，商业的集中的地方。
the inner city -贫民区。 地方脏乱，贫民居住，犯罪率高的地方。
-----------------------------------------------------------
"Bird-in-Hand"-掌中鸟，典故来自于：A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. 手中已抓住一支，比一支也没，两支都还在树叢中强得多。
If you chase two rabbits, both will escape.同时追求两件东西，到头来两头空。
**上面两句话，都是指“抓住可以掌握住的机会或东西，胜过紧盯住没有把握， 不能掌握的看似更好，更大的机会或东西”，（不要吃着碗里，看着别碗里，不珍惜眼前所拥有的，追逐那自己没能拥有的，看似好而值得去拥有的， 到头来却是一场空，一无所获）。
----------------------------------------------
bed-and-breakfast (B and B)- 供应夜晚睡觉的床及早餐的旅馆，即“民宿”。
inn-旧式对“旅馆”称呼。 传统二层楼式的， 楼上有提供住宿的客房，楼下是酒馆，也提供餐饮。
motel- word came from "motor 气车hotel旅馆", cheap hotel for the drivers.
.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tongue Twisters
绕口令，动动舌头乐趣多。Tongue exercises can be fun.
People of all ages love to have fun with language. Tongue twisters are one of the most common ways to play with words. So what's a tongue twister? It's a phrase, sentence or short story that is difficult to pronounce. That is because it uses many similar vowels and consonants. Try to say the tongue twister quickly, and your tongue is sure to get tangle up.
The best-known tongue twister in English was first published in a pronunciation book in 1813:
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Author Alvin Schwartz suggests that one of the most difficult tongue twisters in English is Peggy Babcock. Can you say that five times fast? Here are some other "simple" tongue twisters: She sells seashells by the seashore.
Unique New York.
Toy boat.
Real rear wheel.
Good blood, bad blood.
Red leather, yellow leather.
One of the masters of creative word play was Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Many of Dr. Seuss' books contain tongue twisters, especially the classic story Fox in Socks. The book has so many difficult tongue twisters that it begins with a warning: Take it slowly. This book is dangerous! Try to say this selection from the book:
Luke Luck likes lakes.
Luke's duck likes lakes.
Luke Luck licks lakes.
Luke's duck licks lakes.
Duck takes licks in lakes.
Luke luck likes.
Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes.
As Dr. Seuss asks, "now is your tongue numb"? Tongue twisters appear in nearly every language of the world. In Spanish, the word for tongue twisters is trabalenguas. It means an obstacle for the tongue. Tongue twisters can certainly get your tongue tangled up. Still, they're great for practicing pronunciation and improving fluency in a language. So if a tongue twister twists your tongue, untwist your tongue and try again.
Grammar Tips:
One of the masters of creative word play was Theodor Geisel, better know as Dr. Seuss.
"better know as" =" whom most people know as."
One of the masters of creative word play was Theodor Geisel, whom most people know as Dr. Seuss.
"better known as"-
Vocabulary Tips:
vowel - "a", "e", "i" , "o", "u" and sometimes "y" those letters. 母音，母音字母
*There are two vowels in the word "woman".
consonant- any letter besides vowel letters. 字音，字音字母
*He often mixes up the consonants "r" and "l".
pronunciation (n) - the way you say words. 发音（名词）
*There are two types of pronunciations for the word "potato".
pronounce (v) - pronounce a word to improve or practice your pronunciation. 发音（动词）
*Some French words are very difficult to pronounce. 很难发音
leather (n)-皮革，皮的。place "leather" in front of "noun", leather 变成“形容字”
*These boots were made of leather.皮革制造的
*a leather (adj) jacket (n)
*a leather (adj) handbag
*leather (adj) pants
*a leather (adj) sofa.
"simple" means "short", it also means "easy".
*Here are some "simple" tongue twisters- there are some "short one", "look not hard at all" tongue twisters, but they are not easy to say.
numb-麻木，发麻，“b”不发音
*After sitting on my feet for 30 minutes, my feet had gone totally numb.
*Sandra was numb with fear during the earthquake.
obstacle-障碍，阻碍
*Stage fright is Laura's biggest obstacle in her acting career.
*For physically challenged people, there are a lot of obstacles to overcome just to get from place to place. 残障人士
fluency -流利，流畅 fluent (adj)-流利的
*She speaks Spanish with fluency.
*Fluency in English is one of the job's requirements. 在那个语言上用“in”
*The boy is fluent in three languages.
Chat Room:
Tongue twisters are one of the most common ways to play with words.
tongue twisters -饶舌，
play with words - 玩文字游戏。
a play on words /pun - 一个“字”或“词” 有“双关语”的意思。如：
dough -面团，也是“金钱”及“现金”的意思。
Rolling in the Dough （面团）- 在面团里滚。
Rolling in the Dough （金钱，现金）- 在钱堆里翻滚， 意指“很有钱的意思”
Rolling in the Dough is a "play on words"; is also called "pun".
tongue twisters is not a "play on words"不是双关语, is "play with words". 只是在字的发音上找乐子。
----------------------------------------------------------------
twist your tongue-让你的舌头卷绕打结
twist your words-曲解，扭曲某人的话。
I don't like Peter because he tends to twist people's words.
arm-手臂
twist one's arm -把某人手臂扭到背后成不舒服姿态。意即“强破某人做不想做的事。”
.
People of all ages love to have fun with language. Tongue twisters are one of the most common ways to play with words. So what's a tongue twister? It's a phrase, sentence or short story that is difficult to pronounce. That is because it uses many similar vowels and consonants. Try to say the tongue twister quickly, and your tongue is sure to get tangle up.
The best-known tongue twister in English was first published in a pronunciation book in 1813:
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where's the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
Author Alvin Schwartz suggests that one of the most difficult tongue twisters in English is Peggy Babcock. Can you say that five times fast? Here are some other "simple" tongue twisters: She sells seashells by the seashore.
Unique New York.
Toy boat.
Real rear wheel.
Good blood, bad blood.
Red leather, yellow leather.
One of the masters of creative word play was Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Many of Dr. Seuss' books contain tongue twisters, especially the classic story Fox in Socks. The book has so many difficult tongue twisters that it begins with a warning: Take it slowly. This book is dangerous! Try to say this selection from the book:
Luke Luck likes lakes.
Luke's duck likes lakes.
Luke Luck licks lakes.
Luke's duck licks lakes.
Duck takes licks in lakes.
Luke luck likes.
Luke Luck takes licks in lakes duck likes.
As Dr. Seuss asks, "now is your tongue numb"? Tongue twisters appear in nearly every language of the world. In Spanish, the word for tongue twisters is trabalenguas. It means an obstacle for the tongue. Tongue twisters can certainly get your tongue tangled up. Still, they're great for practicing pronunciation and improving fluency in a language. So if a tongue twister twists your tongue, untwist your tongue and try again.
Grammar Tips:
One of the masters of creative word play was Theodor Geisel, better know as Dr. Seuss.
"better know as" =" whom most people know as."
One of the masters of creative word play was Theodor Geisel, whom most people know as Dr. Seuss.
"better known as"-
Vocabulary Tips:
vowel - "a", "e", "i" , "o", "u" and sometimes "y" those letters. 母音，母音字母
*There are two vowels in the word "woman".
consonant- any letter besides vowel letters. 字音，字音字母
*He often mixes up the consonants "r" and "l".
pronunciation (n) - the way you say words. 发音（名词）
*There are two types of pronunciations for the word "potato".
pronounce (v) - pronounce a word to improve or practice your pronunciation. 发音（动词）
*Some French words are very difficult to pronounce. 很难发音
leather (n)-皮革，皮的。place "leather" in front of "noun", leather 变成“形容字”
*These boots were made of leather.皮革制造的
*a leather (adj) jacket (n)
*a leather (adj) handbag
*leather (adj) pants
*a leather (adj) sofa.
"simple" means "short", it also means "easy".
*Here are some "simple" tongue twisters- there are some "short one", "look not hard at all" tongue twisters, but they are not easy to say.
numb-麻木，发麻，“b”不发音
*After sitting on my feet for 30 minutes, my feet had gone totally numb.
*Sandra was numb with fear during the earthquake.
obstacle-障碍，阻碍
*Stage fright is Laura's biggest obstacle in her acting career.
*For physically challenged people, there are a lot of obstacles to overcome just to get from place to place. 残障人士
fluency -流利，流畅 fluent (adj)-流利的
*She speaks Spanish with fluency.
*Fluency in English is one of the job's requirements. 在那个语言上用“in”
*The boy is fluent in three languages.
Chat Room:
Tongue twisters are one of the most common ways to play with words.
tongue twisters -饶舌，
play with words - 玩文字游戏。
a play on words /pun - 一个“字”或“词” 有“双关语”的意思。如：
dough -面团，也是“金钱”及“现金”的意思。
Rolling in the Dough （面团）- 在面团里滚。
Rolling in the Dough （金钱，现金）- 在钱堆里翻滚， 意指“很有钱的意思”
Rolling in the Dough is a "play on words"; is also called "pun".
tongue twisters is not a "play on words"不是双关语, is "play with words". 只是在字的发音上找乐子。
----------------------------------------------------------------
twist your tongue-让你的舌头卷绕打结
twist your words-曲解，扭曲某人的话。
I don't like Peter because he tends to twist people's words.
arm-手臂
twist one's arm -把某人手臂扭到背后成不舒服姿态。意即“强破某人做不想做的事。”
.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Strange Instruments
千奇百怪的乐器。People around the world make music in a wide variety of ways.
Bagpipes
Usually associated with Scotland, bagpipes are used in folk music throughout Europe and even in southwest Asia and northern Africa. The name bagpipe comes from a bag that the player pumps or blows air into and then squeezes to push air out through several pipes. One pipe with finger holes produces the melody, while others produce a sustained drone, which is the harmony.
Hurdy-Gurdy
This medieval European instrument has a crank that makes a wheel inside the instrument spin and rub against a set of strings. Some strings controlled by keys produce a melody, while others make a drone like a bagpipe or a distinctive buzzing sound.
Didgeridoo
Same 2,000-year-old Australian aboriginal cave paintings show people playing this wind instrument, but some claim that it originated 40,000 years ago. Didgeridoos are long wooden tubes made from hollow trees. Players use a technique called circular breathing, inhaling through their noses while they blow into the instrument.
Glass Armonica
American inventor Benjamin Franklin observed that rubbing one's wet fingers over the rims of glasses produced a variety of notes, depending on the glasses' sizes. This observation inspired his "glass armonica," a long tube with wine glasses mounted along it. Pressing a foot pedal spins the tube so that the player can create intricate melodies by touching the glasses.
Grammar Tips:
Usually associated with Scotland, bagpipes are used to folk music throughout Europe and even in southwest Asia and northern Africa.
"usually associated with" Scotland -
Although bagpipes are usually associated with Scotland they are used to folk music throughout Europe and even in Southwest Asia and northern Africa.
Usually associated with teenager girls, anorexia is an eating disorder that affects all ages.
Usually associated with Asian cuisines, tofu is used to a wide variety of cooking from hungers to meat sauces to fruit shakes.
Vocabulary Tips:
sustained -（ 过去分词当用）持久的，持续的。 sustain-持续
*A sustained applause followed the singer's excellent performance.
*The government's sustained effort in helping the poor proved to be effective. 长期努力。。有效的成果
inhale - 吸入，吸气。"in"- 有“进来”之意。breath in
*The patient was hospitalized because she inhaled too much smoke.
exhale -呼出，呼气。 "ex"-有“出去”之意 breath out
*The doctor told me when to exhale during the X-ray exam.
intricate- 复杂而又精细的many small little piece that work together.
*The intricate designs on these Persian carpets are really fascinating.
*The intricate escape plan eventually failed because one of the inmates told the warden.
Chat Room:
Bagpipes are used in folk music. 苏格兰的风笛
folk music - 民俗音乐
classical music -古典音乐。
classical 古典/ classic 经典- 经典的作品，音乐，名著，杰出的事物。
classical music, classical composers - 巴哈，莫扎特都是古典音乐作曲家。
classic -well known, very popular.
classic music-披头四的 "Yesterday" is a classic music.
.
Bagpipes
Usually associated with Scotland, bagpipes are used in folk music throughout Europe and even in southwest Asia and northern Africa. The name bagpipe comes from a bag that the player pumps or blows air into and then squeezes to push air out through several pipes. One pipe with finger holes produces the melody, while others produce a sustained drone, which is the harmony.
Hurdy-Gurdy
This medieval European instrument has a crank that makes a wheel inside the instrument spin and rub against a set of strings. Some strings controlled by keys produce a melody, while others make a drone like a bagpipe or a distinctive buzzing sound.
Didgeridoo
Same 2,000-year-old Australian aboriginal cave paintings show people playing this wind instrument, but some claim that it originated 40,000 years ago. Didgeridoos are long wooden tubes made from hollow trees. Players use a technique called circular breathing, inhaling through their noses while they blow into the instrument.
Glass Armonica
American inventor Benjamin Franklin observed that rubbing one's wet fingers over the rims of glasses produced a variety of notes, depending on the glasses' sizes. This observation inspired his "glass armonica," a long tube with wine glasses mounted along it. Pressing a foot pedal spins the tube so that the player can create intricate melodies by touching the glasses.
Grammar Tips:
Usually associated with Scotland, bagpipes are used to folk music throughout Europe and even in southwest Asia and northern Africa.
"usually associated with" Scotland -
Although bagpipes are usually associated with Scotland they are used to folk music throughout Europe and even in Southwest Asia and northern Africa.
Usually associated with teenager girls, anorexia is an eating disorder that affects all ages.
Usually associated with Asian cuisines, tofu is used to a wide variety of cooking from hungers to meat sauces to fruit shakes.
Vocabulary Tips:
sustained -（ 过去分词当用）持久的，持续的。 sustain-持续
*A sustained applause followed the singer's excellent performance.
*The government's sustained effort in helping the poor proved to be effective. 长期努力。。有效的成果
inhale - 吸入，吸气。"in"- 有“进来”之意。breath in
*The patient was hospitalized because she inhaled too much smoke.
exhale -呼出，呼气。 "ex"-有“出去”之意 breath out
*The doctor told me when to exhale during the X-ray exam.
intricate- 复杂而又精细的many small little piece that work together.
*The intricate designs on these Persian carpets are really fascinating.
*The intricate escape plan eventually failed because one of the inmates told the warden.
Chat Room:
Bagpipes are used in folk music. 苏格兰的风笛
folk music - 民俗音乐
classical music -古典音乐。
classical 古典/ classic 经典- 经典的作品，音乐，名著，杰出的事物。
classical music, classical composers - 巴哈，莫扎特都是古典音乐作曲家。
classic -well known, very popular.
classic music-披头四的 "Yesterday" is a classic music.
.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
New Zealand's Wildfoods Festival
纽西兰的“野味节" People originally came to this town looking for gold, now they come looking for exotic food.
Tomorrow, visitors will arrive at New Zealand's Hokitika Wildfoods Festival with an appetite, and an open mind. It's a good thing, too, since the event features such exotic dishes as scorpions, sheep eyes, worm sushi and more. Thousands of people are expected to attend and sample some of the festival's most unique foods.
Where the wild foods are
The West Coast of New Zealand's South Island has long been considered a wild and rugged area. Rivers, lakes, forests and glaciers define this untamed region. The small coastal town of Hokitika became famous when gold was discovered there in the mid-1800s.
But when the gold disappeared in the late 1860s, so did most of the people. In March 1990, though, local Claire Bryant came up with the idea of a festival to celebrate the region's food and drink. Only 1800 attended the first event, but the festival's popularity grew. Last year 15,000 people traveled to Hokitika far a chance to try some of the weird and wonderful dishes.
A festival favorite
Nearly 65 food stalls offer strange snacks, including sheep tails, worms in Red Bull, fried grasshoppers and more. One of the strangest and most popular snacks each year is a traditional native delicacy - the huhu grub. Rotten pieces of wood are broken apart to find the grubs, which are then eaten alive.
Global recognition
The festival's weird food list has received global recognition and honors. In 1996, the Wildfoods Festival was named the Most Unique Event in New Zealand. It has been a winner in the New Zealand Tourism Awards twice. And Frommer's Travel Guide placed the event on its 300 Unmissable Events and Festivals Around the World.
Something for everyone
No one can deny the food is the festival's star. But plenty of entertainment is available, too, in the form of music, dance and comedy. Those who attend are also encouraged to wear costumes -and the more outrageous, the better!
All the events add up to one fun-filled day for the visitor. More importantly, the festival results in one profitable day for the locals, bringing in around N.Z. $2 million for the community.
Grammar Tips:
All the events add up to one fun-filled day for the visitor.
"add up to" is not the same as "to add to"
to add to - John's medical bills added to his financial stress.
to add up to - The gathering of friends and families, the perfect weather, the beautifully decorated church and a fun reception all add up to a fairytale wedding.
People feel that the governor's political decisions don't add up to any improvement to the state.
Vocabulary Tips:
open mind-开阔的心胸，开明的态度。
*If you want to communicate with teenagers, you have to keep an open mind.
open-minded - 打开心胸，能够去接受
*People are now more open-minded to home-schooling.
untamed -未经过开垦的。未被开发或驯服的。 "un" -有“否定”之意。 " tame"- 开垦，
*The island remains untamed, so the natural beauty attracts a lot of people.
*It takes months to train an untamed dog.未被驯服的
popularity - 广受欢迎，尊敬，流行。popular -受欢迎的
*The popularity of the band grew as they kept touring around the country.
*The popularity of cell phones made communication faster and more efficient.
recognition (n) -认可，认识，表彰，赏识 recognize -认出
*The research team won international recognition after their thesis was published.
*William was awarded in recognition of his contribution to the company.
unmissable - "un" -not， "miss" - miss it 错过, is so good, you can not miss it. 精彩得不能也不可错过的。
*The critics described the movie as "unmissable".
*Don't forget to watch those unmissable musicals while you're in London.
entertainment (n)- 娱乐，消遣。 entertain (v)-使欢乐，娱乐。
*The entertainment business in this country has bloomed in the past decade. 蓬勃发展。
*The cruise ship offers a wide variety of entertainment.
glacier -big junk piece of ice, move slowly.
outrageous - (out-ra-geous) not normal, crazy,
Chat Room:
wild-wild nature field. 野生，野外的。
a wild animal.
wild- 放纵，out of controll, without a rule.
a wild party. -疯狂，放纵的party.
wild -special, unusual. 西稀奇古怪的，
That's a wild plan.
wild foods
a wild storm. 狂暴的，wild weather.
a wild guess. 不着边际的，毫无根据的瞎猜，随便的乱猜。make a guess with no idea, no knowledge of it.
go wild -疯狂，抓狂 go crazy
She goes wild when she sees the movie star
The town went wild with joy over the news.
-----------------------------------------------------
grub- 幼虫，a warm, baby insect.
the huhu grub.
grub - a slan word for "food". 俗称“食物”
Let's get some grub.
grab-抓
grab something to eat.- 随便买点，（弄点，找点）东西吃。
grab a burger-拿个汉堡充饥。
Let's grab a bite.- 随便吃点什么，快速解决一餐。
chow down-大口大口的吃。
chow-也指“食物”。
.
Tomorrow, visitors will arrive at New Zealand's Hokitika Wildfoods Festival with an appetite, and an open mind. It's a good thing, too, since the event features such exotic dishes as scorpions, sheep eyes, worm sushi and more. Thousands of people are expected to attend and sample some of the festival's most unique foods.
Where the wild foods are
The West Coast of New Zealand's South Island has long been considered a wild and rugged area. Rivers, lakes, forests and glaciers define this untamed region. The small coastal town of Hokitika became famous when gold was discovered there in the mid-1800s.
But when the gold disappeared in the late 1860s, so did most of the people. In March 1990, though, local Claire Bryant came up with the idea of a festival to celebrate the region's food and drink. Only 1800 attended the first event, but the festival's popularity grew. Last year 15,000 people traveled to Hokitika far a chance to try some of the weird and wonderful dishes.
A festival favorite
Nearly 65 food stalls offer strange snacks, including sheep tails, worms in Red Bull, fried grasshoppers and more. One of the strangest and most popular snacks each year is a traditional native delicacy - the huhu grub. Rotten pieces of wood are broken apart to find the grubs, which are then eaten alive.
Global recognition
The festival's weird food list has received global recognition and honors. In 1996, the Wildfoods Festival was named the Most Unique Event in New Zealand. It has been a winner in the New Zealand Tourism Awards twice. And Frommer's Travel Guide placed the event on its 300 Unmissable Events and Festivals Around the World.
Something for everyone
No one can deny the food is the festival's star. But plenty of entertainment is available, too, in the form of music, dance and comedy. Those who attend are also encouraged to wear costumes -and the more outrageous, the better!
All the events add up to one fun-filled day for the visitor. More importantly, the festival results in one profitable day for the locals, bringing in around N.Z. $2 million for the community.
Grammar Tips:
All the events add up to one fun-filled day for the visitor.
"add up to" is not the same as "to add to"
to add to - John's medical bills added to his financial stress.
to add up to - The gathering of friends and families, the perfect weather, the beautifully decorated church and a fun reception all add up to a fairytale wedding.
People feel that the governor's political decisions don't add up to any improvement to the state.
Vocabulary Tips:
open mind-开阔的心胸，开明的态度。
*If you want to communicate with teenagers, you have to keep an open mind.
open-minded - 打开心胸，能够去接受
*People are now more open-minded to home-schooling.
untamed -未经过开垦的。未被开发或驯服的。 "un" -有“否定”之意。 " tame"- 开垦，
*The island remains untamed, so the natural beauty attracts a lot of people.
*It takes months to train an untamed dog.未被驯服的
popularity - 广受欢迎，尊敬，流行。popular -受欢迎的
*The popularity of the band grew as they kept touring around the country.
*The popularity of cell phones made communication faster and more efficient.
recognition (n) -认可，认识，表彰，赏识 recognize -认出
*The research team won international recognition after their thesis was published.
*William was awarded in recognition of his contribution to the company.
unmissable - "un" -not， "miss" - miss it 错过, is so good, you can not miss it. 精彩得不能也不可错过的。
*The critics described the movie as "unmissable".
*Don't forget to watch those unmissable musicals while you're in London.
entertainment (n)- 娱乐，消遣。 entertain (v)-使欢乐，娱乐。
*The entertainment business in this country has bloomed in the past decade. 蓬勃发展。
*The cruise ship offers a wide variety of entertainment.
glacier -big junk piece of ice, move slowly.
outrageous - (out-ra-geous) not normal, crazy,
Chat Room:
wild-wild nature field. 野生，野外的。
a wild animal.
wild- 放纵，out of controll, without a rule.
a wild party. -疯狂，放纵的party.
wild -special, unusual. 西稀奇古怪的，
That's a wild plan.
wild foods
a wild storm. 狂暴的，wild weather.
a wild guess. 不着边际的，毫无根据的瞎猜，随便的乱猜。make a guess with no idea, no knowledge of it.
go wild -疯狂，抓狂 go crazy
She goes wild when she sees the movie star
The town went wild with joy over the news.
-----------------------------------------------------
grub- 幼虫，a warm, baby insect.
the huhu grub.
grub - a slan word for "food". 俗称“食物”
Let's get some grub.
grab-抓
grab something to eat.- 随便买点，（弄点，找点）东西吃。
grab a burger-拿个汉堡充饥。
Let's grab a bite.- 随便吃点什么，快速解决一餐。
chow down-大口大口的吃。
chow-也指“食物”。
.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
The Paradigm Project
Improving lives with better stoves
Name one object that can improve a family's health, be an investment for the future of a community and is environmentally sustainable. Give up? According to the founders of The Paradigm Project, the answer is... a stove. Believe it or not, a device called the Rocket Stove can drastically improve the lives of the billions of people who cook over open fires worldwide.
This clean-burning stove produces up to 50 percent less smoke than a traditional cooking fire. Less smoke means family members have less chance of developing respiratory illnesses, which are often the result of exposure to indoor cooking smoke.
Designed to transfer heat to pots quickly, Rocket Stoves are much more efficient than customary cooking fires. By using these stoves, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks, as opposed to two to three days. This results in fewer wood-gathering trips, which often require a full day of walking back and forth in the heat. Less wood gathering means less deforestation in places like Kenya, where more than 100 million trees are cut down annually for fuel.
If The Paradigm Project were like most charities, its members would simply collect donations and pass out free stoves. But the group, launched in 2009, operates with a completely different mentality. Instead of giving stoves away, the group helps to create a local industry that manufactures, sells and distributes the stoves, thereby creating jobs that support the local economy. And, as an added benefit, the locally made stoves sell for about half the price of imported ones. Currently, Paradigm has projects in Kenya, Haiti and Guatemala.
The Paradigm Project wants to create lasting change that's not dependent upon donations. Of course, the money to get this stove-making process running must come from somewhere. That's where The Paradigm Project's creative solution to funding kicks in. Since their stoves cut down on pollution, the group can use their expertise in carbon trading to turn stove sales into carbon credits. These credits carry high value to investors whose companies need help in offsetting their carbon emissions.
The Paradigm Project has set a lofty goal - implementing 5 million stoves in developing countries worldwide by 2020. And thanks to its creative business model, the group just might pull it off.
Grammar Tips:
By using these stove, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks, as opposed to two to three days.
"as opposed to" = in contrast to = instead of. - show a big difference between two things.
By using these stoves, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks instead of just two to three days.
"as opposed to" -
If you want to travel through the mountains, take the new road as opposed to the old road; it will save you more time.
If I have to wait several ours in an airport, I would go shopping as opposed to sitting in the waiting room.
Vocabulary Tips:
paradigm -范例，典范。（"g" 不发音）good example.
*The owner of the company always put the interest of customers first and which set a paradigm for others to follow.
*The educators are worried that entertainments have set a twisted cultural paradigm for teenagers.
sustainable-can stay for long time.永续性的，保持生态的，不衰竭的。 sustain-支撑，承受
*Many countries developing sustainable energy technology.
*The sustainable income from real estate is what creates his wealth.
customary- usual, more common. 习性上的，惯常的，惯用的，习惯的。custom-special,习俗，惯例，
*Dad arrived home with his customary promptness. 准时。
*In Chinese society, it's customary to give lucky money to newly weds. 新婚夫妇。
drastically - done very quickly and noticeable.
deforestation -砍伐树木（指负面的，对生态不好的， 不是为了生态平衡而伐木）
mentality (n)- the way of thinking about things and the way of doing about things.心理，心态，思维方式
*It's hard to understand the mentality of this brutal dictator.
*Steve's no-pain-no-gain mentality helped him excel in his profession.
thereby-as a result, so, therefore.因此，藉此，从而。
*Homeless people often have no permanent address; thereby it's hard for them to find jobs.
*Frank is the head of this team; thereby he should be responsible for the project.
pull off something - 成功， 成功的办到了。reach to the goal. to be success.
*Olivia pulled off a wonderful birthday party for her son even though she was sick that day.
** if the object is "it", "it" instead of "something", then place "it" between "pull" and "off",
pull it off.
*Nobody thought this team would win, but they pulled it off.
funding - where to get money, money come from...
kicks in - (kick in) start it. add in.
expertise- people who are specialty in some area with knowledge and experience.
carbon emissions = carbon pollution.
offset - make both sides even, balencing.
Chat Room:
open fire- 开枪，开战，开火。open (v)-打开，掀起。
open fire-生火煮饭。open (adj.)开放，户外式的 burning firewood, burn outside at open air.
The Rocket Stove -
Billions of people who cook over open fires. 在生了火的炉子上煮东西。
open air-开放式的。
campfire-营火 (one word) go camping, make a campfire, not "comping fire".
cook something over an open fire/campfire.
------------------------------------------------------------
lofty (adj.) -古北欧语：“天空”，非常高的，高耸的(positive way) 崇高的目标。
lofty goals-
The Paradigm Project has set a lofty goal.
lofty (adj)-高傲的 (negative way)
He spoke to us in a lofty manner.
loft (n)-阁楼，顶楼，仓库或厂房的楼上。small room on the top of the house or an attic where use for storage things.
He lives in a small loft in New York.
.
Name one object that can improve a family's health, be an investment for the future of a community and is environmentally sustainable. Give up? According to the founders of The Paradigm Project, the answer is... a stove. Believe it or not, a device called the Rocket Stove can drastically improve the lives of the billions of people who cook over open fires worldwide.
This clean-burning stove produces up to 50 percent less smoke than a traditional cooking fire. Less smoke means family members have less chance of developing respiratory illnesses, which are often the result of exposure to indoor cooking smoke.
Designed to transfer heat to pots quickly, Rocket Stoves are much more efficient than customary cooking fires. By using these stoves, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks, as opposed to two to three days. This results in fewer wood-gathering trips, which often require a full day of walking back and forth in the heat. Less wood gathering means less deforestation in places like Kenya, where more than 100 million trees are cut down annually for fuel.
If The Paradigm Project were like most charities, its members would simply collect donations and pass out free stoves. But the group, launched in 2009, operates with a completely different mentality. Instead of giving stoves away, the group helps to create a local industry that manufactures, sells and distributes the stoves, thereby creating jobs that support the local economy. And, as an added benefit, the locally made stoves sell for about half the price of imported ones. Currently, Paradigm has projects in Kenya, Haiti and Guatemala.
The Paradigm Project wants to create lasting change that's not dependent upon donations. Of course, the money to get this stove-making process running must come from somewhere. That's where The Paradigm Project's creative solution to funding kicks in. Since their stoves cut down on pollution, the group can use their expertise in carbon trading to turn stove sales into carbon credits. These credits carry high value to investors whose companies need help in offsetting their carbon emissions.
The Paradigm Project has set a lofty goal - implementing 5 million stoves in developing countries worldwide by 2020. And thanks to its creative business model, the group just might pull it off.
Grammar Tips:
By using these stove, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks, as opposed to two to three days.
"as opposed to" = in contrast to = instead of. - show a big difference between two things.
By using these stoves, families can make one bundle of firewood last for two to three weeks instead of just two to three days.
"as opposed to" -
If you want to travel through the mountains, take the new road as opposed to the old road; it will save you more time.
If I have to wait several ours in an airport, I would go shopping as opposed to sitting in the waiting room.
Vocabulary Tips:
paradigm -范例，典范。（"g" 不发音）good example.
*The owner of the company always put the interest of customers first and which set a paradigm for others to follow.
*The educators are worried that entertainments have set a twisted cultural paradigm for teenagers.
sustainable-can stay for long time.永续性的，保持生态的，不衰竭的。 sustain-支撑，承受
*Many countries developing sustainable energy technology.
*The sustainable income from real estate is what creates his wealth.
customary- usual, more common. 习性上的，惯常的，惯用的，习惯的。custom-special,习俗，惯例，
*Dad arrived home with his customary promptness. 准时。
*In Chinese society, it's customary to give lucky money to newly weds. 新婚夫妇。
drastically - done very quickly and noticeable.
deforestation -砍伐树木（指负面的，对生态不好的， 不是为了生态平衡而伐木）
mentality (n)- the way of thinking about things and the way of doing about things.心理，心态，思维方式
*It's hard to understand the mentality of this brutal dictator.
*Steve's no-pain-no-gain mentality helped him excel in his profession.
thereby-as a result, so, therefore.因此，藉此，从而。
*Homeless people often have no permanent address; thereby it's hard for them to find jobs.
*Frank is the head of this team; thereby he should be responsible for the project.
pull off something - 成功， 成功的办到了。reach to the goal. to be success.
*Olivia pulled off a wonderful birthday party for her son even though she was sick that day.
** if the object is "it", "it" instead of "something", then place "it" between "pull" and "off",
pull it off.
*Nobody thought this team would win, but they pulled it off.
funding - where to get money, money come from...
kicks in - (kick in) start it. add in.
expertise- people who are specialty in some area with knowledge and experience.
carbon emissions = carbon pollution.
offset - make both sides even, balencing.
Chat Room:
open fire- 开枪，开战，开火。open (v)-打开，掀起。
open fire-生火煮饭。open (adj.)开放，户外式的 burning firewood, burn outside at open air.
The Rocket Stove -
Billions of people who cook over open fires. 在生了火的炉子上煮东西。
open air-开放式的。
campfire-营火 (one word) go camping, make a campfire, not "comping fire".
cook something over an open fire/campfire.
------------------------------------------------------------
lofty (adj.) -古北欧语：“天空”，非常高的，高耸的(positive way) 崇高的目标。
lofty goals-
The Paradigm Project has set a lofty goal.
lofty (adj)-高傲的 (negative way)
He spoke to us in a lofty manner.
loft (n)-阁楼，顶楼，仓库或厂房的楼上。small room on the top of the house or an attic where use for storage things.
He lives in a small loft in New York.
.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Tips for taking great cellphone photos
How to make your memories into works of art. 让回忆变成艺术作品的方法
Now that most cellphones have built-in cameras, taking photos is easy. But to make your cellphone snapshots look really good, try following these tips.
Plan your photo
First, identify your subject-the person or object you're taking the picture of . Place the subject a little bit to one side, not in the center. Surround the subject with contracting colors to make it stand out. Lines from walls, sidewalks or fences can paint to the subject, creating an interesting picture. But make sure the background is not too busy. You don't want the subject to get lost. Check to see if anything is directly behind the subject. You don't want your photo to look like a tree is growing out of your friend's head!
Stay steady
Don't move when taking a photo because cellphone cameras are very sensitive. In fact, try leaning against a solid object to stop your hand from shaking.
Don't zoom in, stand closer
When the subject is far away, most people try zooming in. This looks fine on a phone's small screen. But when the picture is enlarged, it won't look sharp or clear. Instead of zooming in, try stepping closer until the subject almost fills the picture.
Provide enough light
If possible, try to take your photos outside using sunlight. Artificial lights tent to be dim and can sometimes turn objects a strange color. Some, but not all, cellphone cameras have a flash. Even if your phone has a flash, it is probably pretty weak. If you need a flash, move very close to make sure it hits the subject. If your cellphone doesn't have a flash, consider carrying a pocket-sized flashlight.
Experiment
If you see something that you think would make a good photo photograph it! Some great photos don't fallow these rules. Take lots of pictures from different angles. You may be surprised by which ones look best!
Grammar Tips:
"check to see" - take time to look carefully to make sure...
Check to see if all the lights are turned off.
Check to see if our guest is here or not.
Vocabulary Tips:
snapshot -快照，简略的印象 snap- 拍快照
*Eric took snapshots of his daughter playing with a puppy.
*The documentary gave the audience a snapshot of the refugees' condition.
contrasting (adj)- 杰然不同，对比 -contrast -使对比
*Throughout the debate, people had a chance to hear the contrasting political views of both candidates.
*The main character's contrasting personalities made the movie fun to watch.
steady-平稳，稳定，稳靠的
*a steady chair-
*Hold the camera steady when you take the shot. 拍照
*His steady hands made him an excellent surgeon.
*You can see a steady increase in the sales of this product.
zoom in-（动词片语）把要拍的景放大。什么景，对象用“on” （zoom ）v. 调整焦距
*To get a good picture, I had to zoom in on the peacock, because it was very shy.
*the picture of the suspect was enlarged so the features of his face would be clearer.
enlarge - 使放大。"en"-使如何
*The office building was enlarged last year.
experiment (n)- 实验 (v)-做实验，实验。以什么为对象用“on”，用什么工具用“with”。
*Some believe that it's inhumane to experiment on animals.
*I'm experimenting with different media to express this topic.
Chat Room:
stand out-站出来。
stand out-( two words)凸出，对比，瞩目
Surround the subject with contrasting colors to make it stand out.
standout -(one word) 杰出的（人）。
He was a real standout.
He was one of the standout players.
outstanding -杰出的，凸出的，极出色的，优异的。
He's an outstanding student.
You did an outstanding job.
----------------------------------------------------
sharp- 锋利，锐利的。
a sharp knife.
sharp- 清晰，鲜明，锐利。
it won't look sharp or clear.
sharp-精明，聪明，敏锐。反应快 smart, quick in thinking and response.
He's a very sharp child.
sharp wits- wits - 锐利的才智，机智，
sharp-（时间）準，準时。
We arrived at three o'clock sharp.
sharp-装扮时髦，萧洒，流行的，干净利落的 look very good.
You look sharp today. 看来很潇洒，利落。
He's a sharp dresser.时髦的服装师
Now that most cellphones have built-in cameras, taking photos is easy. But to make your cellphone snapshots look really good, try following these tips.
Plan your photo
First, identify your subject-the person or object you're taking the picture of . Place the subject a little bit to one side, not in the center. Surround the subject with contracting colors to make it stand out. Lines from walls, sidewalks or fences can paint to the subject, creating an interesting picture. But make sure the background is not too busy. You don't want the subject to get lost. Check to see if anything is directly behind the subject. You don't want your photo to look like a tree is growing out of your friend's head!
Stay steady
Don't move when taking a photo because cellphone cameras are very sensitive. In fact, try leaning against a solid object to stop your hand from shaking.
Don't zoom in, stand closer
When the subject is far away, most people try zooming in. This looks fine on a phone's small screen. But when the picture is enlarged, it won't look sharp or clear. Instead of zooming in, try stepping closer until the subject almost fills the picture.
Provide enough light
If possible, try to take your photos outside using sunlight. Artificial lights tent to be dim and can sometimes turn objects a strange color. Some, but not all, cellphone cameras have a flash. Even if your phone has a flash, it is probably pretty weak. If you need a flash, move very close to make sure it hits the subject. If your cellphone doesn't have a flash, consider carrying a pocket-sized flashlight.
Experiment
If you see something that you think would make a good photo photograph it! Some great photos don't fallow these rules. Take lots of pictures from different angles. You may be surprised by which ones look best!
Grammar Tips:
"check to see" - take time to look carefully to make sure...
Check to see if all the lights are turned off.
Check to see if our guest is here or not.
Vocabulary Tips:
snapshot -快照，简略的印象 snap- 拍快照
*Eric took snapshots of his daughter playing with a puppy.
*The documentary gave the audience a snapshot of the refugees' condition.
contrasting (adj)- 杰然不同，对比 -contrast -使对比
*Throughout the debate, people had a chance to hear the contrasting political views of both candidates.
*The main character's contrasting personalities made the movie fun to watch.
steady-平稳，稳定，稳靠的
*a steady chair-
*Hold the camera steady when you take the shot. 拍照
*His steady hands made him an excellent surgeon.
*You can see a steady increase in the sales of this product.
zoom in-（动词片语）把要拍的景放大。什么景，对象用“on” （zoom ）v. 调整焦距
*To get a good picture, I had to zoom in on the peacock, because it was very shy.
*the picture of the suspect was enlarged so the features of his face would be clearer.
enlarge - 使放大。"en"-使如何
*The office building was enlarged last year.
experiment (n)- 实验 (v)-做实验，实验。以什么为对象用“on”，用什么工具用“with”。
*Some believe that it's inhumane to experiment on animals.
*I'm experimenting with different media to express this topic.
Chat Room:
stand out-站出来。
stand out-( two words)凸出，对比，瞩目
Surround the subject with contrasting colors to make it stand out.
standout -(one word) 杰出的（人）。
He was a real standout.
He was one of the standout players.
outstanding -杰出的，凸出的，极出色的，优异的。
He's an outstanding student.
You did an outstanding job.
----------------------------------------------------
sharp- 锋利，锐利的。
a sharp knife.
sharp- 清晰，鲜明，锐利。
it won't look sharp or clear.
sharp-精明，聪明，敏锐。反应快 smart, quick in thinking and response.
He's a very sharp child.
sharp wits- wits - 锐利的才智，机智，
sharp-（时间）準，準时。
We arrived at three o'clock sharp.
sharp-装扮时髦，萧洒，流行的，干净利落的 look very good.
You look sharp today. 看来很潇洒，利落。
He's a sharp dresser.时髦的服装师
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit
波特小姐与彼得兔 This story began with a little girl and her rabbit. 故事要从一个小女孩跟她的兔子开始说起。
"Write what you know" is one of the first rules that every writer is given. No matter the setting of the story authors try to stick to this guideline. Famous children's author and illustrator Helen Beatrix Potter made sure to fallow this rule with all of her works. This was quite impressive considering her stories tended to be about talking animals.
Potter had what many would call a lonesome childhood. Instead of attending school, she was taught at home, so other than her brother Bertram, she had few friends; few human friends, that is. Both she and her brother were fond of animals, so much so that they ended up with a number of bizarre pets. Among their collection of critters were frogs, bats and, most importantly, rabbits, including Benjamin and Peter-two characters that Potter would later write about in her books.
It has actually been said that Potter loved Peter so much that she took him everywhere she went. But Potter's passions included more than just animals. Her holidays spent in the Scottish countryside and the Lake District of England ensured her deep admiration for plants as well.
Growing up surrounded by nature and her pets, Potter ended up learning quite a bit about both animals and plant life through sheer observation. During their holidays in the countryside, she and Bertram immersed themselves in the natural world. She put that knowledge to good use.
Potter used her observations of nature to draw detailed pictures of her muses - animals and plants. Her parents were so impressed with her work that they hired a drawing teacher to give her lessons for a number of years. Even at a young age, Potter did more than just draw with a pencil. She once said, "When I was young I already had the itch to write without having any material to write about." And write she did. She was known to have kept a journal that contained a code only she could decipher. Though she had persisted in developing her talents in both writing and drawing from a young age, it was years before she created her famous Peter Rabbit character, and that happened quite by accident.
Unlike most authors, Potter did not create her best-known character with the thought of publishing. The birth of Peter Rabbit came about when Potter was trying to entertain the child of an old governess. It has been said that the boy. Noel Moore, was sick and stuck at home. To cheer him up, Potter wrote him letters and included her drawings of animals. One of those letters contained the first drawing of Peter Rabbit. After seeing how much her letters were enjoyed, Potter decided to make a book for Peter Rabbit.
Potter then began writing her classic tale about the mischievous Peter Rabbit and his adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden. At first, every publisher she submitted her story to refused it. Nonetheless, she never gave up and eventually found the right publishers, who would go on to publish many more of her children's books. Generations of children have grown up with her beloved characters- Squirrel Nutkin, Jemime Puddle-Duck, Benjamin Bunny and others. Her books have been translated into numerous languages as well as braille. Potter's whimsical stories will continue to spread joy to all who read them for many years to come.
Grammar Tips:
And write she did.= And she did write.
"she", "write" - "write (verb)" before "she (subject)", that focus on "what is doing" instead of "subject"
subj. + did + verb =(verb)+subj. +did.
Tiffany was tired of the bad treatment she was getting at her work, so quit she did.
Frank was tired of the mess in his apartment, so clean he did.
Vocabulary Tips:
illustrate -use drawing to explain something.画画，画插画，画图，图表。
*Hank illustrated his points with charts during his presentation.
illustrator- 画插画的人， 插画家
*The book's illustrator's a schoolteacher.
bizarre-something is not common. 奇异的，超乎寻常的。
* The bizarre behaviors of the homeless man intimidated people passing by him.
*The pop singer's bizarre outfit made her the center of attention at the Grammy Awards.
ensure - "en"由为“使如何如何”之意 , "sure" -确保，保证，确认，确定
*A glass of warm milk can ensure you a good night's sleep.
*The trip to New York ensured Peggy's determination to study fashion design.
sheer -only thing she use.纯粹的，全然的，完全的。
*By sheer luck, Timmy won the card at the drawing.
*He got the promotion by sheer hard work.
* Nothing in the world can compete with the sheer joy of helping others.
have the itch to -have an eager heart to do something, strong desire want to or like to do something. 很想要去做某事，渴望着想要去从事某事。"itch" -癢，（令人忍不住）
*I always have had the itch to back-pack across Europe.
*Irene still has itch to learn how to play the piano, even though she's over 40.
decipher-解读，诠释，破解。
*These solders are trying to decipher the enemy's codes.
*Only the boy can decipher his friend's sloppy handwriting.
*It's not easy to decipher the motives for his action.
cheer someone up -使某人开心，帮某人打气。 "sheer"-鼓励，鼓舞
*Rita felt really bad because she didn't pass the exam, so we went to her house to cheer her up.
*The basketball team's victory cheered the whole school up.
mischievous-陶气的，玩皮捣蛋，调皮得，恶作剧，doing something not allowed, but only little or no harm or damage to others.
*The mischievous boy broke his father's laptop and was punished.
*He still remembers the mischievous things he did as a boy.
whimsical －异想天开，天马行空的。
*The whimsical set of the play draws children's attention right away.
*The whimsical style of the cartoonist is very recognizable. 可辨识的。
Chat Room:
countryside -乡下，乡间，农场，乡村地区（不一定是偏远地区，也可是近郊，离城市很近的地方）
the Scottish countryside -苏格兰的田园乡村。
-偏远的地区, a place that is out of city, open to the wild nature, ans far away from city.
He lives out in the sticks.
woods -树林
backwoods - 在树林后面，远离城镇的分明地带，内陆尚未开垦的边垂地带。
------------------------------------------------------
blog - 记录，日誌，实验。"blog" word is came from "web log".
journal - diary 日记，报导文章。
She was known to have kept a journal that contained a code only she could decipher.
-----------------------------------------------------
entertain -娱乐something to do with some kind of performance.
The show kept us entertained.。看的很开心
He entertained us with music.用音乐来助兴
entertain -招呼带领，哄弄，引导，引起孩子们的注意力。
The birth of Peter Rabbit came about when Potter was trying to entertain the child of an old governess.
entertain-招待，款待客人
She entertained twenty guests.
entertain - 考虑
I'm entertaining the idea of taking a long vacation.
"Write what you know" is one of the first rules that every writer is given. No matter the setting of the story authors try to stick to this guideline. Famous children's author and illustrator Helen Beatrix Potter made sure to fallow this rule with all of her works. This was quite impressive considering her stories tended to be about talking animals.
Potter had what many would call a lonesome childhood. Instead of attending school, she was taught at home, so other than her brother Bertram, she had few friends; few human friends, that is. Both she and her brother were fond of animals, so much so that they ended up with a number of bizarre pets. Among their collection of critters were frogs, bats and, most importantly, rabbits, including Benjamin and Peter-two characters that Potter would later write about in her books.
It has actually been said that Potter loved Peter so much that she took him everywhere she went. But Potter's passions included more than just animals. Her holidays spent in the Scottish countryside and the Lake District of England ensured her deep admiration for plants as well.
Growing up surrounded by nature and her pets, Potter ended up learning quite a bit about both animals and plant life through sheer observation. During their holidays in the countryside, she and Bertram immersed themselves in the natural world. She put that knowledge to good use.
Potter used her observations of nature to draw detailed pictures of her muses - animals and plants. Her parents were so impressed with her work that they hired a drawing teacher to give her lessons for a number of years. Even at a young age, Potter did more than just draw with a pencil. She once said, "When I was young I already had the itch to write without having any material to write about." And write she did. She was known to have kept a journal that contained a code only she could decipher. Though she had persisted in developing her talents in both writing and drawing from a young age, it was years before she created her famous Peter Rabbit character, and that happened quite by accident.
Unlike most authors, Potter did not create her best-known character with the thought of publishing. The birth of Peter Rabbit came about when Potter was trying to entertain the child of an old governess. It has been said that the boy. Noel Moore, was sick and stuck at home. To cheer him up, Potter wrote him letters and included her drawings of animals. One of those letters contained the first drawing of Peter Rabbit. After seeing how much her letters were enjoyed, Potter decided to make a book for Peter Rabbit.
Potter then began writing her classic tale about the mischievous Peter Rabbit and his adventure in Mr. McGregor's garden. At first, every publisher she submitted her story to refused it. Nonetheless, she never gave up and eventually found the right publishers, who would go on to publish many more of her children's books. Generations of children have grown up with her beloved characters- Squirrel Nutkin, Jemime Puddle-Duck, Benjamin Bunny and others. Her books have been translated into numerous languages as well as braille. Potter's whimsical stories will continue to spread joy to all who read them for many years to come.
Grammar Tips:
And write she did.= And she did write.
"she", "write" - "write (verb)" before "she (subject)", that focus on "what is doing" instead of "subject"
subj. + did + verb =(verb)+subj. +did.
Tiffany was tired of the bad treatment she was getting at her work, so quit she did.
Frank was tired of the mess in his apartment, so clean he did.
Vocabulary Tips:
illustrate -use drawing to explain something.画画，画插画，画图，图表。
*Hank illustrated his points with charts during his presentation.
illustrator- 画插画的人， 插画家
*The book's illustrator's a schoolteacher.
bizarre-something is not common. 奇异的，超乎寻常的。
* The bizarre behaviors of the homeless man intimidated people passing by him.
*The pop singer's bizarre outfit made her the center of attention at the Grammy Awards.
ensure - "en"由为“使如何如何”之意 , "sure" -确保，保证，确认，确定
*A glass of warm milk can ensure you a good night's sleep.
*The trip to New York ensured Peggy's determination to study fashion design.
sheer -only thing she use.纯粹的，全然的，完全的。
*By sheer luck, Timmy won the card at the drawing.
*He got the promotion by sheer hard work.
* Nothing in the world can compete with the sheer joy of helping others.
have the itch to -have an eager heart to do something, strong desire want to or like to do something. 很想要去做某事，渴望着想要去从事某事。"itch" -癢，（令人忍不住）
*I always have had the itch to back-pack across Europe.
*Irene still has itch to learn how to play the piano, even though she's over 40.
decipher-解读，诠释，破解。
*These solders are trying to decipher the enemy's codes.
*Only the boy can decipher his friend's sloppy handwriting.
*It's not easy to decipher the motives for his action.
cheer someone up -使某人开心，帮某人打气。 "sheer"-鼓励，鼓舞
*Rita felt really bad because she didn't pass the exam, so we went to her house to cheer her up.
*The basketball team's victory cheered the whole school up.
mischievous-陶气的，玩皮捣蛋，调皮得，恶作剧，doing something not allowed, but only little or no harm or damage to others.
*The mischievous boy broke his father's laptop and was punished.
*He still remembers the mischievous things he did as a boy.
whimsical －异想天开，天马行空的。
*The whimsical set of the play draws children's attention right away.
*The whimsical style of the cartoonist is very recognizable. 可辨识的。
Chat Room:
countryside -乡下，乡间，农场，乡村地区（不一定是偏远地区，也可是近郊，离城市很近的地方）
the Scottish countryside -苏格兰的田园乡村。
-偏远的地区, a place that is out of city, open to the wild nature, ans far away from city.
He lives out in the sticks.
woods -树林
backwoods - 在树林后面，远离城镇的分明地带，内陆尚未开垦的边垂地带。
------------------------------------------------------
blog - 记录，日誌，实验。"blog" word is came from "web log".
journal - diary 日记，报导文章。
She was known to have kept a journal that contained a code only she could decipher.
-----------------------------------------------------
entertain -娱乐something to do with some kind of performance.
The show kept us entertained.。看的很开心
He entertained us with music.用音乐来助兴
entertain -招呼带领，哄弄，引导，引起孩子们的注意力。
The birth of Peter Rabbit came about when Potter was trying to entertain the child of an old governess.
entertain-招待，款待客人
She entertained twenty guests.
entertain - 考虑
I'm entertaining the idea of taking a long vacation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)