Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Business. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Industries to Watch
獨領風騷的亮點產業 - .
"it doesn't hurt " - it is an advantage, not bad at all.
Darren doesn't want to quit his job. The pay is good, the location is convenient, and it doesn't hurt that his company sends him to Hawaii every year.
Henry likes his new class. The teacher is great, the classroom is new, and it doesn't hurt that the girl sitting next to him is very cute.
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"And with corporate heavyweights like General Electric, UPS and Staples throwing their support behind the technology- 3-D printing is an industry to watch."
"With (noun 1) like (examples of noun 1) -(subject) + (verb).
With （children-friendly dishes） like （chicken nuggets, and pizza） - （this restaurant) ( is) sure to please young picky eaters.
With (classic songs) such as ( "Amazing Grace" and "Silent Night") - (the choir's performance) this evening will certainly (delight) the audience.
Vocabulary Tips:
equivalent -同样价值或相等的东西。'equi"-有‘相等“之意。
sensor -感应器。 'sens'-“感觉，感应”
manifest -显示，表示，证明，展现。
manifest (adj)-明显的，显而易见的。
suffer from a reputation of something - hurt from being a bad impression.
specialty -特性，特点，特殊项目。
*One of the restaurant's specialties is its mouth-watering appetizers.
specialty travel -个性化的旅游。照某人的要求条件特定的。
specialize -专门从事，专攻。
specialize in -专门从事，专攻于in 某个领域。
*The designer specializes in luxurious evening gowns.
*This chef specializes in French cuisine.
corporate -公司，企业。
*Oliver's team is in change of corporate finances.
*The charity campaign successfully promoted its corporate identify.
corporate -全体的（员工），公司全体的，共同的，共同拥有的。共有的。
*Creating a positive working environment should be our corporate responsibility.
robust -坚固，强壮的。
*The company's products are robust and durable.坚固而耐用。
*Even though Grandpa is already 80, he's still robust and energetic.坚固而活力充沛。
bright spot - many things are bad, but there is some good things.
from something to something to something else.- from one thing to another to something else, from desk computer to Laptop to smart phone.
on the market - things is available to be sold.
something is on the market - something that is for sale.
wearable - put on your body, you carry it.
short-term - a short period of time, a few days, one or two weeks.
long-term - a long period of time, a few month, a half year.
....more ....but....less - the new promotion sold more products but make revenue less than last quarter.
weighted - refer to some big companies that powerful, large, and a lot of influence to people and industries.
quality life - live in full and comfortable life with good health.
Language Tips:
emphasize -加强语气，强调
While news about the economy isn't always good, there are some unmistakable bright spots.
英文要讲的道地，不但要有大量的字，辞彚，正确的发音及文法。还要会活用加强语气词。如"are " 来强调“有”，“还有”。
While news about the economy isn't always good, there are definitely some unmistakable bright spots.
“definitely”- 来强调，“不但有”，还“确定是有的”
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She has an MBA but she wants to be a medical doctor.
定冠词 a / an 的用法：以发音为准，字首发“母音”的，不管字首拼音是子音或母音，都用an 。
an hour -
an MBA - "M" 发‘am"，法母音， 虽是字音拼音，也要用“an“。
定冠词 a / an 的用法：以发音为准，字首发“子音”的，不管字首拼音是子音或母音，都用a 。
a uniform
a university.
Notes taking of Studioclassroom
Friday, January 18, 2013
Getting Started
Things to
think about before starting your own business
創業面面觀 -
Ben and Sandy Johnson have been talking about starting a business. But before they take the plunge, Ben decides to talk to his mentor, Uncle Bob.
Uncle Bob: Hey, Ben, how are things going?
Ben: Pretty well, Uncle Bob. Sandy and I are talking about starting a business, and worthwhile things I've ever done. What do you think?
Uncle Bob: I think that's great! Starting a business is one of the most challenging. What kind of business are you interested in starting?
Ben: Well, I've been thinking about setting up a little company that makes smartphone apps. But we're not sure I really don't know anything about starting a business.
Uncle Bob: It sounds like a business plan world be very advantageous for you.
Ben: But I have a business plan I just told you. I'm going to make apps!
Uncle Bob: No, no, Ben. That's a business idea. A business plan is very different.
Ben: How is a business plan different from a business idea?
Uncle Bob: Well, a business plan is a written document that lays out a lot of specific information about your business.
Ben: You mean like a description of one's products?
Uncle Bob: It includes that, but there's more to it. A business plan should be a strategic outline of what your are going to do, why and how you are going to do it.
Ben: I guess making a business plan would help me think through. I'm more worried about the financial aspects of starting a business, though. It can take a long time to make a business profitable. How will I keep the lights on?
Uncle Bob: Your business plan should help you with that in a couple of ways. First it should predict what your operational costs will be and how many sales you need to make your company profitable.
Ben: That would be a good indicator of how viable my business idea is.
Uncle Bob: Right, you will need a business plan if you are going to attract investors, get business loans or even government grants.
Ben: All right, but how do I go about writing a business plan ?
Uncle Bob: There are plenty of online resources to help you. Most libraries also have books that walk you through.
Ben: So If I write a business plan, what do you think the outlook for my business will be?
Uncle Bob: A good business plan will answer that question far better than I can Ben. Let's get some more coffee.
Ben: That sounds good!
Grammar Gym:
.....how to I go about writing a business plan?
" how to I go about + Ving +object.
If you don't know how to do something in detail, you can use this sentence pattern.
*How do I go about getting information for this report?
*How do I go about applying for this position?
Vocabulary Tips:
worthwhile - worth spending time to do it. while is refer to time, worth- has some value to it.值得做的。值得花费时间或金钱下去。
(It is worthwhile to exercise that very advantageous to you.)
*All the hard work proved worthwhile when we won the case.
worth - cost, value. 值多少价值。
* The watch is worth $2,000 dollars.
advantageous (adj) - advantage, benefit. 有利的，有益的，有帮助的。重音在 "ta"。
( When you travel, the map is very advantageous to you.)
*It is advantageous to do market research before developing a new product.
document - written paper, but more official written info involves. 文件，公文。
* The documents related to this case were categorized as "Classified". 列为机密文件，（档案）。
*Tina sorted all her documents in alphabetical order.
strategic (adj) - a strategy way to play or to do. 策略性的。策略的。战略上的。 重音在 "te"
* The strategic market planning proved to be very efficient.
strategic -战略上的。
* This island's strategic position make it well know around the world. 。。有战略上的位置而闻名全球。
How are things going on ?= What have you up to lately?= How are you doing?
sup = What's up? =What are you going on lately?=How are things going on ?
how is (are) something different from something?
（How is orange different from tangerine?）
lay out - give out.
written plan - write it down what do you want to do or plan to do.
aspect - a part or an ankle where you can view. 角度，方面。aspe 有“看”的意思
* When you design a new car, you always have to consider the safety aspect.考虑安全方面。
* You can look at the painting from different aspects.从不同角度来看这幅画。
viable - may apply可 适用， 可行的，可实施的。.
* The old pay roll system is no longer viable.
viable - 若是要说那方面可行，在viable前面加上副词。
*The health program is no longer financially viable.
think though - think over and over.
profitable -able to have revenue after deducted all costs.
grants (n)- money or fund for aid. 补助金，补助款。
Government grants - a specific fund set aside by Government to help people in special purpose.
*The project receives grants from various foundations.-
grant (v) - to give, to provide, to approve.给与，准许，准予。
* My boss granted my request for an extended leave without pay.
outlook - expectation of future.前景，展望。
* The general outlook for our company is better than our competitors.
*The economic outlook of this country is bleak. 暗淡。
keep the lights on - have to have enough electric for lights to keep on, not end of it. It means "to have money to run the business."
investor (n) /investment (n) /invest (v):
investor- someone who is investing.
investment - money or asset or knowledge or health... that you put time, money, energy to work and expect a better return.
invest -put something to work.
walk through -step by step explain to you, carefully and slowly to help you finish the task.
Language Tips:
take the plunge - 跳入水中。决心一试。（站在海边的峭壁上一跃而下。下定决心，大胆尝试，如婚姻，事业，投资，参加竞选等。）
plunge -由高处向下快速衝跳。
look before you leap - 向下跳之前先做评估。深思熟虑以后再做。
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company /organization/ Association/ corporation....公司行号。都是集合名词对公司行号的称呼。。。
collective nouns -集合名词。
it/they - 代表全体的一个时 it ，用/ 代表整体时用they.
it - (U.S.A.) 美式用法，或是在美国大多是用单数来表示。。
they - (England )英式用法，或是在英国大多是用多数，复数表示
創業面面觀 -
Ben and Sandy Johnson have been talking about starting a business. But before they take the plunge, Ben decides to talk to his mentor, Uncle Bob.
Uncle Bob: Hey, Ben, how are things going?
Ben: Pretty well, Uncle Bob. Sandy and I are talking about starting a business, and worthwhile things I've ever done. What do you think?
Uncle Bob: I think that's great! Starting a business is one of the most challenging. What kind of business are you interested in starting?
Ben: Well, I've been thinking about setting up a little company that makes smartphone apps. But we're not sure I really don't know anything about starting a business.
Uncle Bob: It sounds like a business plan world be very advantageous for you.
Ben: But I have a business plan I just told you. I'm going to make apps!
Uncle Bob: No, no, Ben. That's a business idea. A business plan is very different.
Ben: How is a business plan different from a business idea?
Uncle Bob: Well, a business plan is a written document that lays out a lot of specific information about your business.
Ben: You mean like a description of one's products?
Uncle Bob: It includes that, but there's more to it. A business plan should be a strategic outline of what your are going to do, why and how you are going to do it.
Ben: I guess making a business plan would help me think through. I'm more worried about the financial aspects of starting a business, though. It can take a long time to make a business profitable. How will I keep the lights on?
Uncle Bob: Your business plan should help you with that in a couple of ways. First it should predict what your operational costs will be and how many sales you need to make your company profitable.
Ben: That would be a good indicator of how viable my business idea is.
Uncle Bob: Right, you will need a business plan if you are going to attract investors, get business loans or even government grants.
Ben: All right, but how do I go about writing a business plan ?
Uncle Bob: There are plenty of online resources to help you. Most libraries also have books that walk you through.
Ben: So If I write a business plan, what do you think the outlook for my business will be?
Uncle Bob: A good business plan will answer that question far better than I can Ben. Let's get some more coffee.
Ben: That sounds good!
Grammar Gym:
.....how to I go about writing a business plan?
" how to I go about + Ving +object.
If you don't know how to do something in detail, you can use this sentence pattern.
*How do I go about getting information for this report?
*How do I go about applying for this position?
Vocabulary Tips:
worthwhile - worth spending time to do it. while is refer to time, worth- has some value to it.值得做的。值得花费时间或金钱下去。
(It is worthwhile to exercise that very advantageous to you.)
*All the hard work proved worthwhile when we won the case.
worth - cost, value. 值多少价值。
* The watch is worth $2,000 dollars.
advantageous (adj) - advantage, benefit. 有利的，有益的，有帮助的。重音在 "ta"。
( When you travel, the map is very advantageous to you.)
*It is advantageous to do market research before developing a new product.
document - written paper, but more official written info involves. 文件，公文。
* The documents related to this case were categorized as "Classified". 列为机密文件，（档案）。
*Tina sorted all her documents in alphabetical order.
strategic (adj) - a strategy way to play or to do. 策略性的。策略的。战略上的。 重音在 "te"
* The strategic market planning proved to be very efficient.
strategic -战略上的。
* This island's strategic position make it well know around the world. 。。有战略上的位置而闻名全球。
How are things going on ?= What have you up to lately?= How are you doing?
sup = What's up? =What are you going on lately?=How are things going on ?
how is (are) something different from something?
（How is orange different from tangerine?）
lay out - give out.
written plan - write it down what do you want to do or plan to do.
aspect - a part or an ankle where you can view. 角度，方面。aspe 有“看”的意思
* When you design a new car, you always have to consider the safety aspect.考虑安全方面。
* You can look at the painting from different aspects.从不同角度来看这幅画。
viable - may apply可 适用， 可行的，可实施的。.
* The old pay roll system is no longer viable.
viable - 若是要说那方面可行，在viable前面加上副词。
*The health program is no longer financially viable.
think though - think over and over.
profitable -able to have revenue after deducted all costs.
grants (n)- money or fund for aid. 补助金，补助款。
Government grants - a specific fund set aside by Government to help people in special purpose.
*The project receives grants from various foundations.-
grant (v) - to give, to provide, to approve.给与，准许，准予。
* My boss granted my request for an extended leave without pay.
outlook - expectation of future.前景，展望。
* The general outlook for our company is better than our competitors.
*The economic outlook of this country is bleak. 暗淡。
keep the lights on - have to have enough electric for lights to keep on, not end of it. It means "to have money to run the business."
investor (n) /investment (n) /invest (v):
investor- someone who is investing.
investment - money or asset or knowledge or health... that you put time, money, energy to work and expect a better return.
invest -put something to work.
walk through -step by step explain to you, carefully and slowly to help you finish the task.
Language Tips:
take the plunge - 跳入水中。决心一试。（站在海边的峭壁上一跃而下。下定决心，大胆尝试，如婚姻，事业，投资，参加竞选等。）
plunge -由高处向下快速衝跳。
look before you leap - 向下跳之前先做评估。深思熟虑以后再做。
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
company /organization/ Association/ corporation....公司行号。都是集合名词对公司行号的称呼。。。
collective nouns -集合名词。
it/they - 代表全体的一个时 it ，用/ 代表整体时用they.
it - (U.S.A.) 美式用法，或是在美国大多是用单数来表示。。
they - (England )英式用法，或是在英国大多是用多数，复数表示
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Chirba Chirba: Dumplings on the Go
The latest star of the American food-truck trend
「吃吧、吃吧」: 滿街跑的水餃美食
What a fast, delicious meal? Look no further than the food truck parked on the corner! Recently, food trucks have become a popular source of gourmet food on the go. They serve convenient, high-quality food at low prices.
One of these mobile restaurants, Chirba Chirba started serving food in August 2011. Their truck travels around Durham, North Carolina, and stops at different locations every day. Hungry food-truck fans can find the truck by checking the Internet for a daily schedule and even last minute changes.
Chirba Chirba uses their website, Facebook and Twitter to tell the public the truck's next stop. Chirba Chirba's four partners became friends at the University of North Carolina. They all love Asian street food and decided to start a business. Chirba Chirba, which means "eat, eat" in Mandarin, serves genuine Chinese dumplings and other Chinese dishes.
The owners, who have traveled to China many times, wish to offer American people a taste of traditional Chinese food. They want their name and food to inspire warm feelings. Chirba Chirba Gives Americans a taste of Chinese food and culture.
Grammar Tips:
Want a fast, delicious meal? Look no further than the food truck parked on the corner!
"to look no further " - You don't have to go far, how easy to do something in a formal situation.
*If you're exploring your options for an affordable vacation, look no further than your home, plan a
stay-cation.
*If you want to make the world a better place, look no further than your immediate community.
Vocabulary Tips:
gourmet -(adj) (t)-不发音 - high quality food and very delicious. 美食。
*The restaurant serves gourmet food at reasonable prices.
gourmet (n)- people who has high standard of food taste.美食家。
*The food served here should be able to satisfy most gourmets.
mobile - can be easy to move from one place to another. 可活动的，可移动的。
*mobile home -拖车型可移动的房子。
*mobile phone -移动电话。
*mobile clinic -移动诊所。
*mobile library -移动图书馆。
*Karl bought a car so he can be more mobile. 可行动自如。
fan - people who likes you, support you and follow you around. 粉丝。
last minute - last moment.
warm - lovingly and friendly. good feeling, welcomed. 温暖的，很热情的。
*This weekend, many people went outdoors to enjoy the warm weather.
*My new classmates greeted me warmly.
*The warmth (n) she gave to her students inspired them. 温暖。
warmly (adv.)-很热情的
Chat Room:
"at the last minute " -(idiom ) 到期或截止前的最後一刻。
study at the last minute.
last-minute -最后一刻。
He made a last-minute decision. 最后决定。
last-minute changes.最新的，临时的变动。
the eleventh hour - 时钟上有12小时，已是11个小时，接近12了。表示剩下的时间不多了。来到了最后关键或是接近规定的到期，截止时刻。11 (write in counting way (eleventh), and at the front of eleventh need to add "the".
「吃吧、吃吧」: 滿街跑的水餃美食
What a fast, delicious meal? Look no further than the food truck parked on the corner! Recently, food trucks have become a popular source of gourmet food on the go. They serve convenient, high-quality food at low prices.
One of these mobile restaurants, Chirba Chirba started serving food in August 2011. Their truck travels around Durham, North Carolina, and stops at different locations every day. Hungry food-truck fans can find the truck by checking the Internet for a daily schedule and even last minute changes.
Chirba Chirba uses their website, Facebook and Twitter to tell the public the truck's next stop. Chirba Chirba's four partners became friends at the University of North Carolina. They all love Asian street food and decided to start a business. Chirba Chirba, which means "eat, eat" in Mandarin, serves genuine Chinese dumplings and other Chinese dishes.
The owners, who have traveled to China many times, wish to offer American people a taste of traditional Chinese food. They want their name and food to inspire warm feelings. Chirba Chirba Gives Americans a taste of Chinese food and culture.
Grammar Tips:
Want a fast, delicious meal? Look no further than the food truck parked on the corner!
"to look no further " - You don't have to go far, how easy to do something in a formal situation.
*If you're exploring your options for an affordable vacation, look no further than your home, plan a
stay-cation.
*If you want to make the world a better place, look no further than your immediate community.
Vocabulary Tips:
gourmet -(adj) (t)-不发音 - high quality food and very delicious. 美食。
*The restaurant serves gourmet food at reasonable prices.
gourmet (n)- people who has high standard of food taste.美食家。
*The food served here should be able to satisfy most gourmets.
mobile - can be easy to move from one place to another. 可活动的，可移动的。
*mobile home -拖车型可移动的房子。
*mobile phone -移动电话。
*mobile clinic -移动诊所。
*mobile library -移动图书馆。
*Karl bought a car so he can be more mobile. 可行动自如。
fan - people who likes you, support you and follow you around. 粉丝。
last minute - last moment.
warm - lovingly and friendly. good feeling, welcomed. 温暖的，很热情的。
*This weekend, many people went outdoors to enjoy the warm weather.
*My new classmates greeted me warmly.
*The warmth (n) she gave to her students inspired them. 温暖。
warmly (adv.)-很热情的
Chat Room:
"at the last minute " -(idiom ) 到期或截止前的最後一刻。
study at the last minute.
last-minute -最后一刻。
He made a last-minute decision. 最后决定。
last-minute changes.最新的，临时的变动。
the eleventh hour - 时钟上有12小时，已是11个小时，接近12了。表示剩下的时间不多了。来到了最后关键或是接近规定的到期，截止时刻。11 (write in counting way (eleventh), and at the front of eleventh need to add "the".
Thursday, June 14, 2012
The Do’s and Don’ts of Business Cards
名片的注意事項
impression - what people think about you.
dress something up - make something look pretty.
enhance - to improve the quality of something.
font - a type of letter or a set of letter. 字体
identity - that represent you. 身份。
reputation - the image of you. 形象
"Clip Art" - a website.
diminish - make something less, reduce of something. 缩小，减少,"dimi" 小的意思。
"QR" - Quick Response Code.
snappy - something is memorable, visually believing, attract people's attention that people want to take look at it. Media effect to catch or capture your attention. 原指“快一点，赶快” 延申出“内容简洁易读的”，简洁，明快的， 漂亮时髦的。
sloppy- opposite of " neat", messy, careless, lack of enthusiastic, being lazy.松散无序的。
misspelling - not correct spelling. "mis" - incorrect, wrong.
disorganize - 是搅乱，使混乱，使瓦解。 "dis" -means "negative, not,"有否定“之意。
organize -使有系统，有组织，有安排的。
disorganized (adj)- not being in order.
"It's all in the something" - everything is depends on something. How something is so important that deserved a great attention.
* Making a nice wheat brand it's all in the knitting.
dress down for the beach party.
.
名片的注意事項
impression - what people think about you.
dress something up - make something look pretty.
enhance - to improve the quality of something.
font - a type of letter or a set of letter. 字体
identity - that represent you. 身份。
reputation - the image of you. 形象
"Clip Art" - a website.
diminish - make something less, reduce of something. 缩小，减少,"dimi" 小的意思。
"QR" - Quick Response Code.
snappy - something is memorable, visually believing, attract people's attention that people want to take look at it. Media effect to catch or capture your attention. 原指“快一点，赶快” 延申出“内容简洁易读的”，简洁，明快的， 漂亮时髦的。
sloppy- opposite of " neat", messy, careless, lack of enthusiastic, being lazy.松散无序的。
misspelling - not correct spelling. "mis" - incorrect, wrong.
disorganize - 是搅乱，使混乱，使瓦解。 "dis" -means "negative, not,"有否定“之意。
organize -使有系统，有组织，有安排的。
disorganized (adj)- not being in order.
"It's all in the something" - everything is depends on something. How something is so important that deserved a great attention.
* Making a nice wheat brand it's all in the knitting.
dress down for the beach party.
.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Hunting For "Cool"
“酷”典子的诞生。Creating a cool successful product is not as easy as you might think.
For businesses that want to cash in on the next big trend, figuring out what's cool and what insn't can be a big problem. The fact is that "cool" is constantly changing. Product development takes a lot of time and money, but if new products miss the mark and aren't "cool," they won't sell. The solution, of course, is to predict what the next big trend will be - before it becomes cool -and to design products accordingly.
While predicting future trends isn't easy, a good place to start is with an understanding of how successful products diffuse into the marketplace. Let's say you develop a new product that is better than anything currently on the market. You develop an advertising campaign and introduce the product to the public. No matter how great your product and advertising, chances are your product will not gain momentum immediately. Rather, a few innovative people will give it a try.
If all goes well, they will be followed by "early adopters" - a small group of thoughtful people who have been carefully watching your product's performance. Only after these "early adopters" have accepted your product will the majority jump on the bandwagon.
Unfortunately, creating a trend isn't as simple as designing a quality product and some great advertising. For decades now, people have been exposed to thousands of advertisements each day. In consequence, people - and especially young people - have become stubbornly advertising-resistant and increasingly less likely to respond to traditional advertising. This hardening of customers means that companies are no longer able to manufacture "cool" through well-coordinated advertising campaigns. Instead, they have had to find ways to manipulate trends as they emerge.
To do this successfully, companies need to discover potential trends through focus groups and online research. Alternatively, they can use cool hunters - researchers that seek out innovative people on the cutting edge and report on what they like and do.
Once a company understands what things are becoming cool, it needs to create an association between its product and the trend. This can be accomplished through creative advertising or product placement. The company might, for instance, hire "cool" people to use the product and introduce it to their friends. They might even hire people to throw a party complete with free product giveaways.
For businesses, being "cool" can mean the difference between success and failure.
Writing Tips:
Only after these "early adopters" have accepted your product will the majority jump on the bandwagon.
Only after.............(what happen).. will.........(what happen).
This writing pattern is for writing on the situation that only the situation #1 happen first, then the situation #2 will happen.
Vocabulary Tips:
cash in on something - take advantage and make money of it.
cash- 现金
cash in (on) -利用，靠什么事物赚钱。利用什么事物用“”。
*The company cashed in on the Olympic games by manufacturing authorized merchandise.
*The child star's parents were accused of cashing in on their son's fame.
diffuse- 传播，散播，散布，传导。spread.
*Facebook is a very effective way to diffuse information.
*This innovative music style soon diffused among the teenagers.
*The heater diffuses heat throughout the house.
momentum- 气势，动力，热度。force, power to go forward, become popular.
*The election campaign gradually gained momentum by creating many controversial issues.选举宣传。气势看涨。。创造出许多争议性的议题。
*The Marketing department developed new strategies to keep the momentum of this product. 行销部门。。发展出新策略。。保持。。在市场上的热度。
develop- grow. 发展，开发。
resistant-抗拒某种东西，耐什么东西。 resist-抗拒，抵抗。
*an antibiotic resistant bacteria.－抗药性细菌。
*heat-resistant plastic.－耐高热的朔膠。
resistant- 抵抗力，耐受度，
*These plants are resistant to drought.这些植物具有抗拒干旱的能力。
manipulate-操纵，巧妙运作，掌控。
*Smart entertainers know how to manipulate the media.操纵媒体。
*This politician is good at manipulating his supporters. 巧妙运作，操纵他的支持者。
*Alex is tired of being manipulated by his girlfriend. 被。。。掌控。
cutting edge-最前端，最尖端的。
*The new model is on the cutting edge of Android phone technology. 新款式。。
*Paris is always on the cutting edge of fashion trends.
emerge- 浮出，出现，脱出，显露，现出。
campaign -战役，会战，竞选活动。从事，从事某活动。
alternative- have another choice. 二选一，其他选择，取舍。
Chat Room:
wagon - 车，
jump on the bandwagon.
The iPad is so popular now, everyone is jump on the bandwagon.
on the wagon -戒酒，（ 跳上水车，宁可喝车上不干净的水，也不再喝酒了）
water wagon- 水车。运送水的车子。
fall off the wagon-破戒，从新有碰酒，喝酒。（从戒酒的水车上掉下来，破戒了，戒酒失败）
------------------------------------------
advertisements - “广告”的通称， 又简称 "ad."
commercial - 电视上或电台的广告。
a television commercial.－电视广告。３０－４５秒钟左右。
a radio commercial.－电台的广告。
trailer-预告片， 电影的预告片。
Movie theaters usually show trailers before a movie begins.
infomercial-资讯型的广告，电视购物台的广告节目。时间较长，３０分钟到一小时。
For businesses that want to cash in on the next big trend, figuring out what's cool and what insn't can be a big problem. The fact is that "cool" is constantly changing. Product development takes a lot of time and money, but if new products miss the mark and aren't "cool," they won't sell. The solution, of course, is to predict what the next big trend will be - before it becomes cool -and to design products accordingly.
While predicting future trends isn't easy, a good place to start is with an understanding of how successful products diffuse into the marketplace. Let's say you develop a new product that is better than anything currently on the market. You develop an advertising campaign and introduce the product to the public. No matter how great your product and advertising, chances are your product will not gain momentum immediately. Rather, a few innovative people will give it a try.
If all goes well, they will be followed by "early adopters" - a small group of thoughtful people who have been carefully watching your product's performance. Only after these "early adopters" have accepted your product will the majority jump on the bandwagon.
Unfortunately, creating a trend isn't as simple as designing a quality product and some great advertising. For decades now, people have been exposed to thousands of advertisements each day. In consequence, people - and especially young people - have become stubbornly advertising-resistant and increasingly less likely to respond to traditional advertising. This hardening of customers means that companies are no longer able to manufacture "cool" through well-coordinated advertising campaigns. Instead, they have had to find ways to manipulate trends as they emerge.
To do this successfully, companies need to discover potential trends through focus groups and online research. Alternatively, they can use cool hunters - researchers that seek out innovative people on the cutting edge and report on what they like and do.
Once a company understands what things are becoming cool, it needs to create an association between its product and the trend. This can be accomplished through creative advertising or product placement. The company might, for instance, hire "cool" people to use the product and introduce it to their friends. They might even hire people to throw a party complete with free product giveaways.
For businesses, being "cool" can mean the difference between success and failure.
Writing Tips:
Only after these "early adopters" have accepted your product will the majority jump on the bandwagon.
Only after.............(what happen).. will.........(what happen).
This writing pattern is for writing on the situation that only the situation #1 happen first, then the situation #2 will happen.
Vocabulary Tips:
cash in on something - take advantage and make money of it.
cash- 现金
cash in (on) -利用，靠什么事物赚钱。利用什么事物用“”。
*The company cashed in on the Olympic games by manufacturing authorized merchandise.
*The child star's parents were accused of cashing in on their son's fame.
diffuse- 传播，散播，散布，传导。spread.
*Facebook is a very effective way to diffuse information.
*This innovative music style soon diffused among the teenagers.
*The heater diffuses heat throughout the house.
momentum- 气势，动力，热度。force, power to go forward, become popular.
*The election campaign gradually gained momentum by creating many controversial issues.选举宣传。气势看涨。。创造出许多争议性的议题。
*The Marketing department developed new strategies to keep the momentum of this product. 行销部门。。发展出新策略。。保持。。在市场上的热度。
develop- grow. 发展，开发。
resistant-抗拒某种东西，耐什么东西。 resist-抗拒，抵抗。
*an antibiotic resistant bacteria.－抗药性细菌。
*heat-resistant plastic.－耐高热的朔膠。
resistant- 抵抗力，耐受度，
*These plants are resistant to drought.这些植物具有抗拒干旱的能力。
manipulate-操纵，巧妙运作，掌控。
*Smart entertainers know how to manipulate the media.操纵媒体。
*This politician is good at manipulating his supporters. 巧妙运作，操纵他的支持者。
*Alex is tired of being manipulated by his girlfriend. 被。。。掌控。
cutting edge-最前端，最尖端的。
*The new model is on the cutting edge of Android phone technology. 新款式。。
*Paris is always on the cutting edge of fashion trends.
emerge- 浮出，出现，脱出，显露，现出。
campaign -战役，会战，竞选活动。从事，从事某活动。
alternative- have another choice. 二选一，其他选择，取舍。
Chat Room:
wagon - 车，
jump on the bandwagon.
The iPad is so popular now, everyone is jump on the bandwagon.
on the wagon -戒酒，（ 跳上水车，宁可喝车上不干净的水，也不再喝酒了）
water wagon- 水车。运送水的车子。
fall off the wagon-破戒，从新有碰酒，喝酒。（从戒酒的水车上掉下来，破戒了，戒酒失败）
------------------------------------------
advertisements - “广告”的通称， 又简称 "ad."
commercial - 电视上或电台的广告。
a television commercial.－电视广告。３０－４５秒钟左右。
a radio commercial.－电台的广告。
trailer-预告片， 电影的预告片。
Movie theaters usually show trailers before a movie begins.
infomercial-资讯型的广告，电视购物台的广告节目。时间较长，３０分钟到一小时。
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Friends, Family and Money
Dealing with difficult money situations.
Mixing money and personal relationships can create all kinds of discomfort. On one hand, family and friends can provide crucial support during a financial crisis. On the other hand, relationships can be easily damaged by money -especially when there are different expectations.
Money may make the world go around, but it can bring friendships to a screeching halt.
The Situation:
Your business is doing extremely well - until your friends and family start asking for hug discounts
and special services.
The Solution:
Uncomfortable feelings that arise from doing business with friends and family don't just go one way. You may feel put out by requests for discounts, but friends and family may resent feeling obligated to support your business.
One way to deal with these problems is to establish a clear policy for dealing with friends and family before problems begin. Set terms and discount rates you are comfortable with. Then when Cousin Fred comes looking for a deal, you will be ready. You can explain, for example, that while you offer a discount to friends and family, you must give priority to regular clients. If Fred's project is urgent, he can pay full price or look elsewhere.
The Situation:
An old friend has found a wonderful business opportunity and is looking for a large loan.
The Solution:
Explain that you aren't comfortable lending money to anyone. Alternatively, offer to lend a smaller amount. If you decide to make the loan, create a written agreement to make expectations clear.
You may even set terms that are favorable to you - like charging interest and establishing a repayment schedule. Just make sure you never lend more money than you are willing to lose.
The Situation:
You are asked to be a cosigner an a loan, credit card application or mortgage.
The Solution:
There are many reasons to be a cosigner. Parents often help their children establish credit by cosigning for them. But there are risks.
Limit your risks by talking to the lender. Find out how cosigning will impact your credit rating, and have the lender agree to notify you of any late or missed payments. That way you can deal with problems before they get out of hand. You can even try to limit your liability to the principle and not the interest owed.
Money talks, but make sure it doesn't stop your relatives and friends from talking to you!
Crammer Tips:
You may feel put out by requests for discounts, but friends and family may resent feeling obligate to support your business.
put out - stop,to stop a fire, to put out a fire.
put out - here is refer to "to be upset or irritated".
Sara felt put out by the idea of having the dinner party at her house.
If it's too much trouble for you to help me, please tell me. I don't want you to feel put out by this.
Vocabulary Tips:
bring to a halt- bring (brought)- come to, let something happen.
halt- stop, end of it.
bring to a halt -make things stop or end of.
*A sudden illness brought his career to a halt.
*Traffic was brought to a halt by an accident.
screech-loud, and high voice, very high pitch sound.发出尖锐的声音，尖叫。
*The parrot was screeching while the owner clipped its wings.
*The brakes screeched when I made a sudden stop.
*The baby screeched so loudly that he lost his voice.
obligated-responsibility, have to do it. 有义务的，有责任的，别无旁待的。
*Police are obligated to protect people.
*Claire felt obligated to help her brother, although he's already 30.
discomfort - "dis" -"not".
impulse purchases- buying things without thinking.
We need to learn how to avoid impulse spending/purchases.
alternative -a big fancy way to say that there is another possibility or option. 其他选择，二者选一。alter-其他
*We can go to a movie tonight, or alternatively we can stay home and watch DVDs.
*We can drive to Seattle, or alternatively we can fly there.
repayment- pay back money you owe.偿还 repay-偿还, payment 付款
repayment schedule-偿还欠款时间表。
*Being responsible with your repayment can get you out of debt sooner.
*The bank issued a notification demanding instant repayment.
liability -legally responsible for something. 责任，义务。
*The judge found the defendant exempt from all liabilities from the car accident.免除被告所有的责任。
*The company is now facing heavy liabilities.巨额债务。
cosigner- sign your name on a formal contract with someone else and responsible for it.
out of hand - out of control.
Chat Room:
money makes the world go around.- money make the world move. 金钱使这世界运转。
love makes the world go around. 爱使世界运转
something makes the world go around, something is powerful and very strong that can influence others.
What goes around，comes around. repay by what you do, refer to bad things that you did to others, now it is happened to you.
enough to go around. - enough for every one, enough for the whole event.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
money talks -片语，金钱能使鬼推磨，有钱就是大爷。不是“钱会说话”之意
money is power-金钱万能。
Put your money where your mouth is.-不要说大话，光说不练，不如用实际行动来证明。
.
Mixing money and personal relationships can create all kinds of discomfort. On one hand, family and friends can provide crucial support during a financial crisis. On the other hand, relationships can be easily damaged by money -especially when there are different expectations.
Money may make the world go around, but it can bring friendships to a screeching halt.
The Situation:
Your business is doing extremely well - until your friends and family start asking for hug discounts
and special services.
The Solution:
Uncomfortable feelings that arise from doing business with friends and family don't just go one way. You may feel put out by requests for discounts, but friends and family may resent feeling obligated to support your business.
One way to deal with these problems is to establish a clear policy for dealing with friends and family before problems begin. Set terms and discount rates you are comfortable with. Then when Cousin Fred comes looking for a deal, you will be ready. You can explain, for example, that while you offer a discount to friends and family, you must give priority to regular clients. If Fred's project is urgent, he can pay full price or look elsewhere.
The Situation:
An old friend has found a wonderful business opportunity and is looking for a large loan.
The Solution:
Explain that you aren't comfortable lending money to anyone. Alternatively, offer to lend a smaller amount. If you decide to make the loan, create a written agreement to make expectations clear.
You may even set terms that are favorable to you - like charging interest and establishing a repayment schedule. Just make sure you never lend more money than you are willing to lose.
The Situation:
You are asked to be a cosigner an a loan, credit card application or mortgage.
The Solution:
There are many reasons to be a cosigner. Parents often help their children establish credit by cosigning for them. But there are risks.
Limit your risks by talking to the lender. Find out how cosigning will impact your credit rating, and have the lender agree to notify you of any late or missed payments. That way you can deal with problems before they get out of hand. You can even try to limit your liability to the principle and not the interest owed.
Money talks, but make sure it doesn't stop your relatives and friends from talking to you!
Crammer Tips:
You may feel put out by requests for discounts, but friends and family may resent feeling obligate to support your business.
put out - stop,to stop a fire, to put out a fire.
put out - here is refer to "to be upset or irritated".
Sara felt put out by the idea of having the dinner party at her house.
If it's too much trouble for you to help me, please tell me. I don't want you to feel put out by this.
Vocabulary Tips:
bring to a halt- bring (brought)- come to, let something happen.
halt- stop, end of it.
bring to a halt -make things stop or end of.
*A sudden illness brought his career to a halt.
*Traffic was brought to a halt by an accident.
screech-loud, and high voice, very high pitch sound.发出尖锐的声音，尖叫。
*The parrot was screeching while the owner clipped its wings.
*The brakes screeched when I made a sudden stop.
*The baby screeched so loudly that he lost his voice.
obligated-responsibility, have to do it. 有义务的，有责任的，别无旁待的。
*Police are obligated to protect people.
*Claire felt obligated to help her brother, although he's already 30.
discomfort - "dis" -"not".
impulse purchases- buying things without thinking.
We need to learn how to avoid impulse spending/purchases.
alternative -a big fancy way to say that there is another possibility or option. 其他选择，二者选一。alter-其他
*We can go to a movie tonight, or alternatively we can stay home and watch DVDs.
*We can drive to Seattle, or alternatively we can fly there.
repayment- pay back money you owe.偿还 repay-偿还, payment 付款
repayment schedule-偿还欠款时间表。
*Being responsible with your repayment can get you out of debt sooner.
*The bank issued a notification demanding instant repayment.
liability -legally responsible for something. 责任，义务。
*The judge found the defendant exempt from all liabilities from the car accident.免除被告所有的责任。
*The company is now facing heavy liabilities.巨额债务。
cosigner- sign your name on a formal contract with someone else and responsible for it.
out of hand - out of control.
Chat Room:
money makes the world go around.- money make the world move. 金钱使这世界运转。
love makes the world go around. 爱使世界运转
something makes the world go around, something is powerful and very strong that can influence others.
What goes around，comes around. repay by what you do, refer to bad things that you did to others, now it is happened to you.
enough to go around. - enough for every one, enough for the whole event.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
money talks -片语，金钱能使鬼推磨，有钱就是大爷。不是“钱会说话”之意
money is power-金钱万能。
Put your money where your mouth is.-不要说大话，光说不练，不如用实际行动来证明。
.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Business of BRANDS
How much is a name worth?Look around you. Is there Coke in your refrigerator? Is your computer a Dell or Asus? From toothpaste to electronics, brands and brand-name products are all around us.
It hasn't always been this way. Before the Industrial Revolution and the age of mass media, brands were far less prevalent. But since then, brands have become an increasingly prominent part of our daily lives.
An asset worth protecting
In 2006, a container ship, the Cougar Ace, floundered in the Pacific Ocean. Its cargo included 4,703 brand-new Mazda cars, worth more than US$100 million. None of the cars were damaged, but there was still a problem.
The ship had spent several weeks floating at a 60-degree angle, and nobody knew how that would affect the car's engines, electronics and safety devices. Incredibly, Mazda decided to destroy all of the cars - including the individual parts.
"We couldn't run the risk of damaging the brand name that Mazda worked so hard over the years to develop," explained company spokesperson Jeremy Barnes,
Why would a company go to such great lengths to protect its brand name? The answer is simpler than you might imagine.
Brand benefits
Brands offer benefits to both the consumers that buy them and the companies that make them. They tie the manufacturer's reputation to the product and, as a result, brand-name products are often perceived as being of superior quality.
Brand-name products also tend to have a distinctive look or form. This makes it easier for customers to identify things they are looking for when shopping. It also gives companies a convenient way to get repeat customers and to protect their products through copyright laws.
Thanks to advertising, many brands are associated with certain values, traits and lifestyles. In consequence, the brands we use communicate a message about who we are to others.
The business of brands is huge. Together, the world's 10 biggest brands are valued at more than US$420 billion. And those numbers don't include the value of the companies - that's the value of the brand names alone! That means that for the corporations that own them, brands are more than just product names.
They are valuable assets that need to be maintained and protected against devaluation - even if doing so means losing US$100 million.
Grammar Tips:
Thanks to advertising, many brands are associated with certain values, traits and lifestyles
Thanks to advertising - "thanks is appreciated" but "thank to" means "because of"
Because of advertising, many brands are associated with certain values, traits and lifestyles.
Thank to the nice weather, the park clean-up was a pleasant experience for all the participants.
"thank to" also has another negative meaning when native English speakers say "thank to" , it means not giving credit or is blame someone or something.
Our team lost - thanks to Bobby for losing control of the ball.
Vocabulary Tips:
prevalent-盛行，普遍的
*Addiction to on-line games is prevalent among young people.
*This disease is still prevalent in some countries in Africa.
flounder- (n)比目鱼， (v) 在水（雪中，泥地里越陷越深，挣扎的移动。
*Our car floundered in the mud and it took us hours to get the car driving again.
*The swimmer suddenly had a cramp and floundered in the water.
go to great lengths to do something-尽其所能的，无所顾忌的去做某事，费心尽力的。
*The hostess went to great lengths to make us feel welcome.
*The extreme fans went to great lengths to get the singer's autograph.
distinctive -特殊的，独特的。 distinct-使区别，使与众不同的。
*The distinctive taste of cilantro made the dish more delicious.
*The singer's distinctive voice made her easily recognized on the radio.
trait- 特癥，特色。
*This researcher carefully documented the newly discovered species's traits.
*Bob's most agreeable character trait is his sense of humor.
devaluation -价值的降低。 "de"-有“减少”之意, "val"-价值
*The devaluation of the US dollar impacted global economy.
*The failed merger caused devaluation in both corporations.
Chat Room:
generic-普通的，一般的
generic brand -普通的品牌，非品牌商品。
no-name brand - offset of name brand.
no-name brand or store brand are generic brand.自制的，无名气的。
--------------------------------------------------
repeat (v)-重复，反复。 . (adj.)- more than once，再的，重复的，
repeat offender-贯犯
repeat customers-持续购买的顾客。
the usual - 如往常一样的order the same thing every time when you visit a same store, if the store owner knows you well, you can say " I'll have the usual".
regular customer - visit very often, regularly come and spend money here. 老顾客
.
It hasn't always been this way. Before the Industrial Revolution and the age of mass media, brands were far less prevalent. But since then, brands have become an increasingly prominent part of our daily lives.
An asset worth protecting
In 2006, a container ship, the Cougar Ace, floundered in the Pacific Ocean. Its cargo included 4,703 brand-new Mazda cars, worth more than US$100 million. None of the cars were damaged, but there was still a problem.
The ship had spent several weeks floating at a 60-degree angle, and nobody knew how that would affect the car's engines, electronics and safety devices. Incredibly, Mazda decided to destroy all of the cars - including the individual parts.
"We couldn't run the risk of damaging the brand name that Mazda worked so hard over the years to develop," explained company spokesperson Jeremy Barnes,
Why would a company go to such great lengths to protect its brand name? The answer is simpler than you might imagine.
Brand benefits
Brands offer benefits to both the consumers that buy them and the companies that make them. They tie the manufacturer's reputation to the product and, as a result, brand-name products are often perceived as being of superior quality.
Brand-name products also tend to have a distinctive look or form. This makes it easier for customers to identify things they are looking for when shopping. It also gives companies a convenient way to get repeat customers and to protect their products through copyright laws.
Thanks to advertising, many brands are associated with certain values, traits and lifestyles. In consequence, the brands we use communicate a message about who we are to others.
The business of brands is huge. Together, the world's 10 biggest brands are valued at more than US$420 billion. And those numbers don't include the value of the companies - that's the value of the brand names alone! That means that for the corporations that own them, brands are more than just product names.
They are valuable assets that need to be maintained and protected against devaluation - even if doing so means losing US$100 million.
Grammar Tips:
Thanks to advertising, many brands are associated with certain values, traits and lifestyles
Thanks to advertising - "thanks is appreciated" but "thank to" means "because of"
Because of advertising, many brands are associated with certain values, traits and lifestyles.
Thank to the nice weather, the park clean-up was a pleasant experience for all the participants.
"thank to" also has another negative meaning when native English speakers say "thank to" , it means not giving credit or is blame someone or something.
Our team lost - thanks to Bobby for losing control of the ball.
Vocabulary Tips:
prevalent-盛行，普遍的
*Addiction to on-line games is prevalent among young people.
*This disease is still prevalent in some countries in Africa.
flounder- (n)比目鱼， (v) 在水（雪中，泥地里越陷越深，挣扎的移动。
*Our car floundered in the mud and it took us hours to get the car driving again.
*The swimmer suddenly had a cramp and floundered in the water.
go to great lengths to do something-尽其所能的，无所顾忌的去做某事，费心尽力的。
*The hostess went to great lengths to make us feel welcome.
*The extreme fans went to great lengths to get the singer's autograph.
distinctive -特殊的，独特的。 distinct-使区别，使与众不同的。
*The distinctive taste of cilantro made the dish more delicious.
*The singer's distinctive voice made her easily recognized on the radio.
trait- 特癥，特色。
*This researcher carefully documented the newly discovered species's traits.
*Bob's most agreeable character trait is his sense of humor.
devaluation -价值的降低。 "de"-有“减少”之意, "val"-价值
*The devaluation of the US dollar impacted global economy.
*The failed merger caused devaluation in both corporations.
Chat Room:
generic-普通的，一般的
generic brand -普通的品牌，非品牌商品。
no-name brand - offset of name brand.
no-name brand or store brand are generic brand.自制的，无名气的。
--------------------------------------------------
repeat (v)-重复，反复。 . (adj.)- more than once，再的，重复的，
repeat offender-贯犯
repeat customers-持续购买的顾客。
the usual - 如往常一样的order the same thing every time when you visit a same store, if the store owner knows you well, you can say " I'll have the usual".
regular customer - visit very often, regularly come and spend money here. 老顾客
.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Rally Fighter
賽車鬥士A whole new way of building cars 製造汽車的全新方式by Simon Stopps
Though it might look like an ordinary sports car, the Rally Fighter is anything but average. The US $50, 000 off - road, street - legal racer was designed by an online community, making it the world's first open-source car design to reach production. That makes the Rally Fighter more than just an ingenious idea; it's a whole new way of making cars. And for Local Motors, the company that builds it, the racer is just the beginning.
The Rally Fighter versus the auto industry
Today, most people drive cars produced by large automakers. These companies spend huge amounts of time and money developing vehicles that are suitable for mass production. Theoretically, this process results in safe, well-engineered cars that normal people can afford. Unfortunately, developmental costs also mean automakers can't effectively take customer feedback into account in their designs.
Local Motors is challenging the auto makers' model with a unique developmental process that combines professional engineering with the input of an online community. When moving cars from the drawing board to production. Local Motors takes less time and incurs lower costs than larger companies.
The process
The Local Motors' process begins with members of their open, online community submitting vehicle designs for review by other members. Than the community votes to select the best design. Winning concepts are further developed through co-creation, a process that combines the professional Local Motors' team with the online community. During co-creation, everything from the vehicle's body to its engine and components are chosen. This means the company can focus on producing cars that have already been proven popular by winning a contest.
Development of the Rally Fighter was made more efficient by the use of off-the-shelf parts from companies like BMW, Mazda and Ford. This allows owners to customize their cars, and it makes replacement parts easy to acquire. After a design is finalized, a micro-factory is established to produce the cars one at a time. These factories create local jobs, generate less waste and allow for further customization. Car buyers spend two three-day weekends at the factory helping to build their own cars as part of a "build experience."
The small size of Local Motors doesn't pose a direct challenge to large automakers, but it does give drivers an option.
Grammar Tips:
That makes the Rally Fighter more than just an ingenious idea.
"to make something more than just a _________."
The refrigerator's computer panel makes it more than just another household appliance.
This watch's ability to take pictures makes it more than just a timepiece.
Vocabulary
ingenious- 巧妙的,精巧的,有創造力的.
*This ingenious model of human organs captured the students' attention.精細的人體器官模型吸引了...
*His ingenious design was copied by many other fashion designers.他的原創性設計被..抄襲.
theoretically - 理論上來説 theory (n)-理論
*Theoretically, processing such a large amount of data is possible.
*A cure for this disease is theoretically possible. 在理論上是可行的
incur-產生,使產生,帶來,招致,導致.
*The cost incurred by the surgery will be covered by the patient's health insurance.產生...
*The mayor's careless comments incurred much criticism by the press.導致批評
component- 組成要素，成份，零件。com-有“一起”之意，
*The aircraft components are mostly made in America.
*Vegetables are an important component of a healthy diet.
off - the -shelf : 從置物柜上直接取得的，現成的，買來不需修改即可使用的，非訂制的 shelf-置物柜的板子。
*You can buy all these beautiful accessories off-the-shelf.
*These off-the shelf computer software programs can no longer meet our needs.
option-選擇,選項
*Considering the weather condition, the best option seems to be for us to return home right now.
*There are several options available for people who are willing to work abroad.
* It seems like I have no other option but to say goodbye right now.
Chat Room:
It is the right make but not the right model.
make - 製造 make (n) -company. 厰牌
model -車 型, 款式 a type of car
Toyota is make 公司,厰牌, you can't say 不能說" maker"
Camry is model. 是車型,車款.
automaker-汽車製造商(公司)
vehicle -車, 任何交通工具. anything designed to transport the people we call it "vehicle"
Police use "vehicle" for car on their report, specially, the year, make or model of car unknown.
------------------------------------
body shop- 汽車修理廠,
body-人的身體，也指“汽車的車身”
the body shop - 加定冠詞 "the" 指的是“美体美膚salon”
body shop- for car bodies - a body shop 汽車板金工廠，車身有損傷，可拿去body shop修
the vehicle's body -汽車的車身.
Though it might look like an ordinary sports car, the Rally Fighter is anything but average. The US $50, 000 off - road, street - legal racer was designed by an online community, making it the world's first open-source car design to reach production. That makes the Rally Fighter more than just an ingenious idea; it's a whole new way of making cars. And for Local Motors, the company that builds it, the racer is just the beginning.
The Rally Fighter versus the auto industry
Today, most people drive cars produced by large automakers. These companies spend huge amounts of time and money developing vehicles that are suitable for mass production. Theoretically, this process results in safe, well-engineered cars that normal people can afford. Unfortunately, developmental costs also mean automakers can't effectively take customer feedback into account in their designs.
Local Motors is challenging the auto makers' model with a unique developmental process that combines professional engineering with the input of an online community. When moving cars from the drawing board to production. Local Motors takes less time and incurs lower costs than larger companies.
The process
The Local Motors' process begins with members of their open, online community submitting vehicle designs for review by other members. Than the community votes to select the best design. Winning concepts are further developed through co-creation, a process that combines the professional Local Motors' team with the online community. During co-creation, everything from the vehicle's body to its engine and components are chosen. This means the company can focus on producing cars that have already been proven popular by winning a contest.
Development of the Rally Fighter was made more efficient by the use of off-the-shelf parts from companies like BMW, Mazda and Ford. This allows owners to customize their cars, and it makes replacement parts easy to acquire. After a design is finalized, a micro-factory is established to produce the cars one at a time. These factories create local jobs, generate less waste and allow for further customization. Car buyers spend two three-day weekends at the factory helping to build their own cars as part of a "build experience."
The small size of Local Motors doesn't pose a direct challenge to large automakers, but it does give drivers an option.
Grammar Tips:
That makes the Rally Fighter more than just an ingenious idea.
"to make something more than just a _________."
The refrigerator's computer panel makes it more than just another household appliance.
This watch's ability to take pictures makes it more than just a timepiece.
Vocabulary
ingenious- 巧妙的,精巧的,有創造力的.
*This ingenious model of human organs captured the students' attention.精細的人體器官模型吸引了...
*His ingenious design was copied by many other fashion designers.他的原創性設計被..抄襲.
theoretically - 理論上來説 theory (n)-理論
*Theoretically, processing such a large amount of data is possible.
*A cure for this disease is theoretically possible. 在理論上是可行的
incur-產生,使產生,帶來,招致,導致.
*The cost incurred by the surgery will be covered by the patient's health insurance.產生...
*The mayor's careless comments incurred much criticism by the press.導致批評
component- 組成要素，成份，零件。com-有“一起”之意，
*The aircraft components are mostly made in America.
*Vegetables are an important component of a healthy diet.
off - the -shelf : 從置物柜上直接取得的，現成的，買來不需修改即可使用的，非訂制的 shelf-置物柜的板子。
*You can buy all these beautiful accessories off-the-shelf.
*These off-the shelf computer software programs can no longer meet our needs.
option-選擇,選項
*Considering the weather condition, the best option seems to be for us to return home right now.
*There are several options available for people who are willing to work abroad.
* It seems like I have no other option but to say goodbye right now.
Chat Room:
It is the right make but not the right model.
make - 製造 make (n) -company. 厰牌
model -車 型, 款式 a type of car
Toyota is make 公司,厰牌, you can't say 不能說" maker"
Camry is model. 是車型,車款.
automaker-汽車製造商(公司)
vehicle -車, 任何交通工具. anything designed to transport the people we call it "vehicle"
Police use "vehicle" for car on their report, specially, the year, make or model of car unknown.
------------------------------------
body shop- 汽車修理廠,
body-人的身體，也指“汽車的車身”
the body shop - 加定冠詞 "the" 指的是“美体美膚salon”
body shop- for car bodies - a body shop 汽車板金工廠，車身有損傷，可拿去body shop修
the vehicle's body -汽車的車身.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Spies in Our Midst
間諜就在你身邊Corporate spying – easier than you think 企業間諜活動──比想像中更容易 by Simon Stopps
You hit print and head to the break room. It's been a long week, but your sales report is finally finished. After a quick cup of coffee, you wander down the hall to the printer. But by the time you get there, your report is gone! Is something wrong with the printer? Or have you just been a victim of corporate espionage?
Corporate espionage - businesses spying on competing businesses - is a growing concern for companies of all sizes. In America alone, corporate spying is thought to cost thousands of jobs and billions of dollars a year. These losses make it difficult for companies to justify the cost of innovations that could easily be stolen by their competitors.
At its core, corporate espionage is about gaining an unfair advantage over competitors. This might mean stealing customers or employees, but sometimes it also means more serious things like blackmail and theft. Most corporate spies don't have a lot in common with super spies like James Bond. But like other spies, they do focus on achieving specific goals - they want to find out something about or do something to a competitor. To achieve their goals, corporate spies gather information.
Understanding the importance of information is often the key to foiling corporate espionage. Many companies try to protect themselves by developing expensive electronic security. While there is value in securing online information, companies must recognize the difference between information security and IT security.
For many companies, the best defense is making information less accessible to competitors. But that isn't always as easy as it sounds. Information about companies, products and technologies is easier to acquire now more than ever before. The Internet, press releases and trade shows all provide a wealth of information to anyone who is paying attention.
Other sources of information can also be easily overlooked. Notes from a meeting, a forgotten USB drive or a copy of a report can contain as much information as computer files. And these can be easy for spies to get their hands on. Establishing strategic policies that manage these kinds of information is an important step. More importantly, companies often fail to realize that they are not the only ones who suffer the effects of corporate espionage. Corporate spying also poses a great risk to the livelihoods of employees. Consequently, informed and wary employees are often the best defense money can buy.
Grammar Tips:
And these can be easy for spies to get their hands on.
"to get one's hands on" = "to get something for the purpose of doing harm"
Putting your wallet in your back pocket can make it easy for thieves to get their hands on it.
How her little brother was able to get his hands on her diary is still a mystery to Sarah.
"to lay one's hands on something" is same meaning as" to get one's hands on".
I don't' appreciate Dennis joke, just wait until I lay my hands on him.
If my friend sees a new pair of shoes, I just know she will lay her hands on it. (person likes shoes a lot)
Vocabulary Tips:
corporate espionage-企業間諜活動 corporate-企業，組織, espionage-（從事）間諜活動。
industrial espionage = corporate espionage.
*the company is charged with industrial espionage. 被指控，被起訴。。
military espionage - 軍事間諜活動
core- 水果的核，核心，最重要的部分，a center of fruit or apple, the center, the most important thing or place.
*The core problem is their low budget. 低預算
*The core of the training is building up students' self-confidence.
blackmail-勒索，敲詐勒索，黑函
*Someone is trying to balckmail John with evidence of his receiving a bribe.
blackmail someone into doing something-敲詐勒索某人去做某事。
*The defendant claimed that he was balckmailed into helping the mob. 被告申述。。被人威脅去。。
foil -制止，阻止，防止
*His attempt to cheat on his exam was foiled by his brother. 被。。阻止
*The prisoners' plan to escape was foiled by the warden. 被典獄長所制止。
*The thief's attempt to steal my wallet was foiled, and he ran away.
strategic (adj) 重音在"te"-策略性的，有戰略性的 strategy (n)-策略，計策
*He is in charge of the strategic planning of the marketing department.
*The island is in a strategic position, so all countries nearby want to claim ownership.
livelihood- 生計，營生，賴以爲生的（討生活） the way to make money for living. live-生活
*Many miners may lose their livelihoods because the mine is being shut down. 礦工
*The bakery is Ricky's livelihood. 麵包店是。。賴以爲生的。
Chat Room:
super spy James Bond -超級間諜。。
spy-間諜
spying job-從事間諜工作，spying -偵查，監視暗中調查工作 "on" 。
Stop spying on me -停止監視。。監視調查什麽人或事後面 要加介係詞 "on"，James Bond spy on his enemies.
spy- 也指，“看見”，“發現”
to spy something -看見或發現什麽。
He spied a stranger entering the house. 看見有陌生人進入。。
----------------------------------------
a wealth of information - 豐富的資訊
wealth -財富，丰富，富有。abundant, a lot, many.
wealthy (adj) -豐富的，很多的。
He is a wealthy person in friends. (in talents)
a wealth of information -很豐富的資訊。
He has a wealth of talents-很有才華，有豐富的才能。
a man with a wealth of experience. 這人有很豐富的經驗。
a country wealthy in natural resources. 這國家有豐富的天然資源。
You hit print and head to the break room. It's been a long week, but your sales report is finally finished. After a quick cup of coffee, you wander down the hall to the printer. But by the time you get there, your report is gone! Is something wrong with the printer? Or have you just been a victim of corporate espionage?
Corporate espionage - businesses spying on competing businesses - is a growing concern for companies of all sizes. In America alone, corporate spying is thought to cost thousands of jobs and billions of dollars a year. These losses make it difficult for companies to justify the cost of innovations that could easily be stolen by their competitors.
At its core, corporate espionage is about gaining an unfair advantage over competitors. This might mean stealing customers or employees, but sometimes it also means more serious things like blackmail and theft. Most corporate spies don't have a lot in common with super spies like James Bond. But like other spies, they do focus on achieving specific goals - they want to find out something about or do something to a competitor. To achieve their goals, corporate spies gather information.
Understanding the importance of information is often the key to foiling corporate espionage. Many companies try to protect themselves by developing expensive electronic security. While there is value in securing online information, companies must recognize the difference between information security and IT security.
For many companies, the best defense is making information less accessible to competitors. But that isn't always as easy as it sounds. Information about companies, products and technologies is easier to acquire now more than ever before. The Internet, press releases and trade shows all provide a wealth of information to anyone who is paying attention.
Other sources of information can also be easily overlooked. Notes from a meeting, a forgotten USB drive or a copy of a report can contain as much information as computer files. And these can be easy for spies to get their hands on. Establishing strategic policies that manage these kinds of information is an important step. More importantly, companies often fail to realize that they are not the only ones who suffer the effects of corporate espionage. Corporate spying also poses a great risk to the livelihoods of employees. Consequently, informed and wary employees are often the best defense money can buy.
Grammar Tips:
And these can be easy for spies to get their hands on.
"to get one's hands on" = "to get something for the purpose of doing harm"
Putting your wallet in your back pocket can make it easy for thieves to get their hands on it.
How her little brother was able to get his hands on her diary is still a mystery to Sarah.
"to lay one's hands on something" is same meaning as" to get one's hands on".
I don't' appreciate Dennis joke, just wait until I lay my hands on him.
If my friend sees a new pair of shoes, I just know she will lay her hands on it. (person likes shoes a lot)
Vocabulary Tips:
corporate espionage-企業間諜活動 corporate-企業，組織, espionage-（從事）間諜活動。
industrial espionage = corporate espionage.
*the company is charged with industrial espionage. 被指控，被起訴。。
military espionage - 軍事間諜活動
core- 水果的核，核心，最重要的部分，a center of fruit or apple, the center, the most important thing or place.
*The core problem is their low budget. 低預算
*The core of the training is building up students' self-confidence.
blackmail-勒索，敲詐勒索，黑函
*Someone is trying to balckmail John with evidence of his receiving a bribe.
blackmail someone into doing something-敲詐勒索某人去做某事。
*The defendant claimed that he was balckmailed into helping the mob. 被告申述。。被人威脅去。。
foil -制止，阻止，防止
*His attempt to cheat on his exam was foiled by his brother. 被。。阻止
*The prisoners' plan to escape was foiled by the warden. 被典獄長所制止。
*The thief's attempt to steal my wallet was foiled, and he ran away.
strategic (adj) 重音在"te"-策略性的，有戰略性的 strategy (n)-策略，計策
*He is in charge of the strategic planning of the marketing department.
*The island is in a strategic position, so all countries nearby want to claim ownership.
livelihood- 生計，營生，賴以爲生的（討生活） the way to make money for living. live-生活
*Many miners may lose their livelihoods because the mine is being shut down. 礦工
*The bakery is Ricky's livelihood. 麵包店是。。賴以爲生的。
Chat Room:
super spy James Bond -超級間諜。。
spy-間諜
spying job-從事間諜工作，spying -偵查，監視暗中調查工作 "on" 。
Stop spying on me -停止監視。。監視調查什麽人或事後面 要加介係詞 "on"，James Bond spy on his enemies.
spy- 也指，“看見”，“發現”
to spy something -看見或發現什麽。
He spied a stranger entering the house. 看見有陌生人進入。。
----------------------------------------
a wealth of information - 豐富的資訊
wealth -財富，丰富，富有。abundant, a lot, many.
wealthy (adj) -豐富的，很多的。
He is a wealthy person in friends. (in talents)
a wealth of information -很豐富的資訊。
He has a wealth of talents-很有才華，有豐富的才能。
a man with a wealth of experience. 這人有很豐富的經驗。
a country wealthy in natural resources. 這國家有豐富的天然資源。
Sunday, November 14, 2010
The World of Work
My First Day第一天上班I learned all kinds of things on the first day of my new job by Joan Yu
I was very excited on my first day of working at a Fortune 500 company. All the new hires assembled in the lobby on a Monday morning. I was surprised to see forty something people there. We were taken to a conference room for a two-hour information session held by the HR, security and IT departments. The session was critical for me to learn how to survive in this new foreign land.
At noon all the hiring managers came to pick us up for lunch in the company cafeteria. After lunch my manager took me to my cubicle and introduced me to the team. He also gave me instructions on how to order office supplies.
The first week, all new hires attended all kinds of classes for work. Because I was coming from a small Chinese company, this was a new experience for me, and I felt nervous and insecure at first. Luckily, I had a good mentor to show me around and introduce me to the cross-functional teams. This would make my life a lot easier down the road. It's not about what you know but who you know-this is true no matter if you work for a Chinese or an American company.
Joan talks to her husband after her first day at work.
Charlie: Hi honey, How was your first day at your dream job?
Joan: It was good but really tiring! There's so much to remember! I had meetings with so many different people and departments. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now.
Charlie: Steep learning curve. eh?
Joan: You can say that again. Making the adjustment from a small company to this huge multi-national one is going to take time.
Charlie: But you had a good orientation?
Joan: Yes. I learned a lot, and I asked a lot of questions.
Charlie: Good. That's the best way to learn what's expected of you. Is the same person who is training you going to evaluate your work?
Joan: Yes. That will be my team leader. He is really nice and has given me some helpful hints already.
Charlie: Is he approachable?
Joan: I think so. We hit it off right away, so I think we can work well together.
Charlie: And the rest of your team?
Joan: I met all of them too, and they all seem nice. Hopefully, they'll all be easy to work with.
Charlie: You'll find out soon.
Joan: Not till next week. I have orientation the rest of this week.
Grammar on the go:
I was surprised to see forty something people there.
forty-something-
"something"-do not have exactly the number of the number, but you know about the number range, you may us " something"
I think twenty-something quests are coming to the party.
The winner ate sixty-something hot dogs.
Vocabulary Tips:
assemble-聚集或集合,組合.
*All the trainees need to assemble in the school gym at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
*Josh assembled the difficult puzzle in two hours.
cubicle-把大空間分隔成很多的小立方體,小隔間 cubic-立方體
*Lillian put a small fish tank in her office cubicle.
*There are five shower cubicles in the changing room. 五個淋浴間
mentor-良師益友,導師,
*Coach Johnson has been Eric's mentor since high school. He taught Eric everything he knows about football.
evaluate-衡量，評估
*The company evaluates their employees each quarter.
*We should evaluate the market before we start advertising the new product.
approachable-可接近的,容易親近的approach-靠近
*Wesley doesn't seem very approachable, but he's really a nice person once you get to know him.
hit it off-相處融洽合得來
*Janet didn't hit it off with Marlene at first, but soon they became good friends.
orientation-in and out the classes to learn more about the company and the job.新生訓練 職員新生訓練
steep learning curve- A difficult tast need patience and hard work to overcome it, it's a long process.
Chat Room
The mentor show me around the office.
show-展示
show someone around-帶某人去參觀一個地方.當他的導遊,或是盡地主之誼帶著參觀
show someone the ropes-教導某人工作上的竅門與作法.
learn the ropes-學會工作的竅門或作法
watch, the rope have to have "s", "ropes" when you use idiom of "show me the ropes, or learn the ropes".
show someone the door-wants people to go out. It is a nice way to ask people leave.指著門請人走路,委婉的請人離開
-----------------------------------
You can say that again-- I agreed what you just said or your opinion. 你說的一直點也不錯It means I agree that, but you don't need to repeat it again.
I'll say = I agree with you. I am agreed what you say. Do not say " I will say." You should say "I'll say"贊同
I was very excited on my first day of working at a Fortune 500 company. All the new hires assembled in the lobby on a Monday morning. I was surprised to see forty something people there. We were taken to a conference room for a two-hour information session held by the HR, security and IT departments. The session was critical for me to learn how to survive in this new foreign land.
At noon all the hiring managers came to pick us up for lunch in the company cafeteria. After lunch my manager took me to my cubicle and introduced me to the team. He also gave me instructions on how to order office supplies.
The first week, all new hires attended all kinds of classes for work. Because I was coming from a small Chinese company, this was a new experience for me, and I felt nervous and insecure at first. Luckily, I had a good mentor to show me around and introduce me to the cross-functional teams. This would make my life a lot easier down the road. It's not about what you know but who you know-this is true no matter if you work for a Chinese or an American company.
Joan talks to her husband after her first day at work.
Charlie: Hi honey, How was your first day at your dream job?
Joan: It was good but really tiring! There's so much to remember! I had meetings with so many different people and departments. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now.
Charlie: Steep learning curve. eh?
Joan: You can say that again. Making the adjustment from a small company to this huge multi-national one is going to take time.
Charlie: But you had a good orientation?
Joan: Yes. I learned a lot, and I asked a lot of questions.
Charlie: Good. That's the best way to learn what's expected of you. Is the same person who is training you going to evaluate your work?
Joan: Yes. That will be my team leader. He is really nice and has given me some helpful hints already.
Charlie: Is he approachable?
Joan: I think so. We hit it off right away, so I think we can work well together.
Charlie: And the rest of your team?
Joan: I met all of them too, and they all seem nice. Hopefully, they'll all be easy to work with.
Charlie: You'll find out soon.
Joan: Not till next week. I have orientation the rest of this week.
Grammar on the go:
I was surprised to see forty something people there.
forty-something-
"something"-do not have exactly the number of the number, but you know about the number range, you may us " something"
I think twenty-something quests are coming to the party.
The winner ate sixty-something hot dogs.
Vocabulary Tips:
assemble-聚集或集合,組合.
*All the trainees need to assemble in the school gym at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
*Josh assembled the difficult puzzle in two hours.
cubicle-把大空間分隔成很多的小立方體,小隔間 cubic-立方體
*Lillian put a small fish tank in her office cubicle.
*There are five shower cubicles in the changing room. 五個淋浴間
mentor-良師益友,導師,
*Coach Johnson has been Eric's mentor since high school. He taught Eric everything he knows about football.
evaluate-衡量，評估
*The company evaluates their employees each quarter.
*We should evaluate the market before we start advertising the new product.
approachable-可接近的,容易親近的approach-靠近
*Wesley doesn't seem very approachable, but he's really a nice person once you get to know him.
hit it off-相處融洽合得來
*Janet didn't hit it off with Marlene at first, but soon they became good friends.
orientation-in and out the classes to learn more about the company and the job.新生訓練 職員新生訓練
steep learning curve- A difficult tast need patience and hard work to overcome it, it's a long process.
Chat Room
The mentor show me around the office.
show-展示
show someone around-帶某人去參觀一個地方.當他的導遊,或是盡地主之誼帶著參觀
show someone the ropes-教導某人工作上的竅門與作法.
learn the ropes-學會工作的竅門或作法
watch, the rope have to have "s", "ropes" when you use idiom of "show me the ropes, or learn the ropes".
show someone the door-wants people to go out. It is a nice way to ask people leave.指著門請人走路,委婉的請人離開
-----------------------------------
You can say that again-- I agreed what you just said or your opinion. 你說的一直點也不錯It means I agree that, but you don't need to repeat it again.
I'll say = I agree with you. I am agreed what you say. Do not say " I will say." You should say "I'll say"贊同
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Speak Through Words and Pictures
成功演講祕訣You can deliver a presentation that people will remember. Create presentations that make people take notice. by Lisa Holl Chang
Imagine you're at a presentation. What do you picture? Certainly there is a speaker, projector and slides. The slides were most likely made using PowerPoint. What about the content: Does it hold your attention?
Whether you're studying or working, you've probably seen many presentations. Think about the memorable ones. What made them effective? The answer probably begins with the presentation's story.
Tell a story
Apple CEO Steve Jobs gives amazing presentations. One of Jobs' secrets is that he makes people feel like they are part of a story. He believes Apple products will change the world. His passion makes people love a product, not just want to buy it. When you prepare a presentation, don't start with the slides. Start with the story. Think about your topic: Why is it significant? How can you get your audience to relate to it? What ideas or pictures will help your audience understand it? Communicate these thoughts, and your presentation will interest people.
Deliver an experience
Slides with pictures, illustrations and some words can powerfully communicate your story. But be careful the slides don't harm your presentation. Scientists who study how people learn say people receive information in two ways: word and pictures. As you speck, the audience listens to your words and looks at your pictures. But, if your slides gave too much text, people will read the text and stop listening.
Keep the slides simple. Scientists also say people can only process a limited amount of information at one time.
Use only words or pictures that relate to your speech. Don't bother with fancy clip art or several colors on your slides. These might distract the audience.
Practice, practice, practice
Research indicates that body language communicates 60 to 70 percent of one's meaning. Practice while paying attention to your gestures, eye contact, voice tone and the way you stand. These things are essential to your presentation's success. Now you know. So next time, give a presentation that will be one to remember.
Grammar Tips
How can you get your audience to relate to it?
relate-connected by family
Tony is related to Andy；they are cousins.
to relate to it －－to relate to something
having some kind of a personal connection to something because there is meaning.
to relate to something-
He didn't like the movie because he couldn't relate to it.
Tiffany and Melanie relate to a lot of the same things.
Vocabulary Tips
memorable-難忘的。
*The famous pitcher pitched a memorable game before he announced his retirement.
*My wedding day is one of the most memorable days of my life.
audience-聼眾，觀衆 aud-與“聼”有關
*The talk show hostess always has a large audience.
*The audience watched the circus in amazement.
*The presenter interviewed one of the audience members about the new policy.
communicate-傳達，傳遞。 溝通，交流
*She tried to communicate her ideas but no one seemed to listen to her.
*Because of the Internet, communicating with people around the world is so easy.
process (n)-過程 (v)-處理
*It takes a week to process the application.
*Our computer system cannot process such a large amount of data.
distracted (v)-take attention away from someone. 使分心，使分散注意力。
dis- 使離開tract-拖，拉。
*Josh needs to work in complete silence because he is easily distracted.
*The kids were distracted by the noise coming from the construction site.
gestures- 手勢，姿勢，表示。The movement of your hands, arms or head.
*The speaker loves to use dramatic gestures to attract attention.
*He gave his girlfriend a bouquet of roses as a gesture of apology.
Chat Room
effect / affect－結果／影響
effect (n)-effective. 加定冠詞'the', 'an' 在 "effect"前面。 指 result. 效果，結果
One of the effect is keeping me stay awake whole night.
special effect-特效
effect background-背景效果
affect (v)- to influence ...影響
Coffee affected my sleep.
Smoking affects health.
affect(v)-affected-僞裝，矯揉造作，掩飾，嬌柔作態，矯情。
affected personality-僞裝，虛情假意的個性．（最好不要有）
----------------------------
information overload.-資訊超載。
information-資訊
overload- 超載too much of something
an elevator overload with people.
people can only process a limited amount of information at one time.-避免過多的資訊，乃是要給真正有有用的資訊。
Imagine you're at a presentation. What do you picture? Certainly there is a speaker, projector and slides. The slides were most likely made using PowerPoint. What about the content: Does it hold your attention?
Whether you're studying or working, you've probably seen many presentations. Think about the memorable ones. What made them effective? The answer probably begins with the presentation's story.
Tell a story
Apple CEO Steve Jobs gives amazing presentations. One of Jobs' secrets is that he makes people feel like they are part of a story. He believes Apple products will change the world. His passion makes people love a product, not just want to buy it. When you prepare a presentation, don't start with the slides. Start with the story. Think about your topic: Why is it significant? How can you get your audience to relate to it? What ideas or pictures will help your audience understand it? Communicate these thoughts, and your presentation will interest people.
Deliver an experience
Slides with pictures, illustrations and some words can powerfully communicate your story. But be careful the slides don't harm your presentation. Scientists who study how people learn say people receive information in two ways: word and pictures. As you speck, the audience listens to your words and looks at your pictures. But, if your slides gave too much text, people will read the text and stop listening.
Keep the slides simple. Scientists also say people can only process a limited amount of information at one time.
Use only words or pictures that relate to your speech. Don't bother with fancy clip art or several colors on your slides. These might distract the audience.
Practice, practice, practice
Research indicates that body language communicates 60 to 70 percent of one's meaning. Practice while paying attention to your gestures, eye contact, voice tone and the way you stand. These things are essential to your presentation's success. Now you know. So next time, give a presentation that will be one to remember.
Grammar Tips
How can you get your audience to relate to it?
relate-connected by family
Tony is related to Andy；they are cousins.
to relate to it －－to relate to something
having some kind of a personal connection to something because there is meaning.
to relate to something-
He didn't like the movie because he couldn't relate to it.
Tiffany and Melanie relate to a lot of the same things.
Vocabulary Tips
memorable-難忘的。
*The famous pitcher pitched a memorable game before he announced his retirement.
*My wedding day is one of the most memorable days of my life.
audience-聼眾，觀衆 aud-與“聼”有關
*The talk show hostess always has a large audience.
*The audience watched the circus in amazement.
*The presenter interviewed one of the audience members about the new policy.
communicate-傳達，傳遞。 溝通，交流
*She tried to communicate her ideas but no one seemed to listen to her.
*Because of the Internet, communicating with people around the world is so easy.
process (n)-過程 (v)-處理
*It takes a week to process the application.
*Our computer system cannot process such a large amount of data.
distracted (v)-take attention away from someone. 使分心，使分散注意力。
dis- 使離開tract-拖，拉。
*Josh needs to work in complete silence because he is easily distracted.
*The kids were distracted by the noise coming from the construction site.
gestures- 手勢，姿勢，表示。The movement of your hands, arms or head.
*The speaker loves to use dramatic gestures to attract attention.
*He gave his girlfriend a bouquet of roses as a gesture of apology.
Chat Room
effect / affect－結果／影響
effect (n)-effective. 加定冠詞'the', 'an' 在 "effect"前面。 指 result. 效果，結果
One of the effect is keeping me stay awake whole night.
special effect-特效
effect background-背景效果
affect (v)- to influence ...影響
Coffee affected my sleep.
Smoking affects health.
affect(v)-affected-僞裝，矯揉造作，掩飾，嬌柔作態，矯情。
affected personality-僞裝，虛情假意的個性．（最好不要有）
----------------------------
information overload.-資訊超載。
information-資訊
overload- 超載too much of something
an elevator overload with people.
people can only process a limited amount of information at one time.-避免過多的資訊，乃是要給真正有有用的資訊。
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Co-working
同辦公室，不同老闆！With co-working, working for yourself doesn’t have to be lonely有了共用辦公室，獨立工作者就不會再寂寞了Finding the best of both worlds. by Simon Stopps
Brad Neuberg really liked the freedom of being self-employed. But he missed the social interaction with others in an office. In the Past, people like Neuberg often "got out" by working in coffee shops. But Neuberg wanted more. He wanted the established community of a company without having to work for one.
To solve his problem, Neuberg started San Francisco's first co-working space, Spiral Muse, in 2005. The idea was to have a group of people share a workspace. But unlike employees of a company, the co-workers would continue to work independently. They would share an office but run their own businesses and projects. The idea quickly took off. Today there are co-working groups all over the world. Co-working has proved suitable for people from a wide range of professions. Groups often include large numbers of computer programmers, writers and designers. But the trend has also attracted accountants, lawyers and people who run small businesses.
The idea of sharing workspace is not new. Struggling artists and writers have shared work spaces for years. Most cities also have business centers that offer short-term office rentals to business people. Co-working is unique because the focus is on getting people involved in a community of workers. With this in mind, co-working groups often host social and professional development events. While community is an important part of co-working, there are other benefits too.
Offices are often open 24 hours a day, so members can set their own schedules. Co-working also allows members to use facilities-like conference rooms-that aren't available to people working from home. It is also very affordable. Sharing space and costs helps co-working groups save their members money.
Co-working lets people stop working at a company office without losing the social interaction of the workplace. It gives independent workers the best of both worlds.
Grammar
It gives independent workers the best of both worlds.
the best of both worlds- enjoying or having the benefits from two seemingly opposite choices or situations.
the best of both worlds-
Leann works from home, this allows her to have the best of both worlds since she has bills to pay and a two-year old to take care of.
Janice has signed up for a program that gives her the best of both worlds; she can work and travel at the same time.
Vocabulary Tips
self-employed-被自己雇用，即“自營的”，“個體經營”。 self-自己employ-雇用。
*Susan is a self-employed physical therapist.
*Sometimes you pay fewer taxes if you're self-employed.
interaction-互動 inter-彼此之間 action-行動。
*These ice-breaker activities are designed to increase the interaction between trainees.互動
*The teacher's interaction with parents is getting better.和。。之間的互動
employee-雇員，雇用的人。employ-雇用 "ee"-被如何如何的人。
*The company has over 1000 employees.
employer-雇主，老闆。"er" -專職的人，什麽什麽的人。
*Quincy's former employer wanted him to go back to work for him.
struggling (adj)-奮鬥中的，苦撐的。struggle-奮鬥，努力爭扎。
*Samantha is a struggling actress who also works as a part-time babysitter.
*Young struggling writers love to talk about their ideas at the cafe.
facility-設備，設施，建築，a building inside has a lot of spaces for different purpose let people to use.
*The hospital's facilities are getting old and need to be rebuilt.
*The resort is famous for its top-of-the-line sports facilities.頂級的
affordable -可以買得起的，能負擔得起的 afford-買的起，負擔的起。
*You can find really nice appliances with affordable prices here. 家電
*We're looking for a house with an affordable price.
rent (n)-rental, rent (v) -you pay something to use it, it's belongs to someone, you are not owned it.
schedule-a list of activities you need to do for future days.
Chat Room
co-worker-同事。一起工作的人。用在日常談話聊天的時候。
colleague-同事（演説，正式會議上，較正式的用語）同等職位，職權，職業的人。不一定是同公司的人，但卻是屬同業的人士。share the same profession. 不同大學的物理教授，彼此之間，互稱對方為colleague.
co-worker / colleague （較正式）
doctor/physician（較正式）
lawyer/ attorney （較正式）
----------------------
名詞當動詞用
host (n) -(to) host -主持人。。主持。。。
teacher (n) - teach 老師。。教學
driver (v) - drive 駕駛員。。 開車
writer (v)- write 作家。。寫作
engineer (v)-engineer 工程師。。。設計策劃。。
注意: doctor, police. 當動詞用時，有特殊的意思。
doctor (n)醫生。 doctor (v)- 任意更改，篡改，動手腳 在報告或是文件上。
He doctored the report.- 他篡改了報告。
police (n)-警察。police (v)- to police a place.-維持一個地方的治安，整頓一個地方。
Brad Neuberg really liked the freedom of being self-employed. But he missed the social interaction with others in an office. In the Past, people like Neuberg often "got out" by working in coffee shops. But Neuberg wanted more. He wanted the established community of a company without having to work for one.
To solve his problem, Neuberg started San Francisco's first co-working space, Spiral Muse, in 2005. The idea was to have a group of people share a workspace. But unlike employees of a company, the co-workers would continue to work independently. They would share an office but run their own businesses and projects. The idea quickly took off. Today there are co-working groups all over the world. Co-working has proved suitable for people from a wide range of professions. Groups often include large numbers of computer programmers, writers and designers. But the trend has also attracted accountants, lawyers and people who run small businesses.
The idea of sharing workspace is not new. Struggling artists and writers have shared work spaces for years. Most cities also have business centers that offer short-term office rentals to business people. Co-working is unique because the focus is on getting people involved in a community of workers. With this in mind, co-working groups often host social and professional development events. While community is an important part of co-working, there are other benefits too.
Offices are often open 24 hours a day, so members can set their own schedules. Co-working also allows members to use facilities-like conference rooms-that aren't available to people working from home. It is also very affordable. Sharing space and costs helps co-working groups save their members money.
Co-working lets people stop working at a company office without losing the social interaction of the workplace. It gives independent workers the best of both worlds.
Grammar
It gives independent workers the best of both worlds.
the best of both worlds- enjoying or having the benefits from two seemingly opposite choices or situations.
the best of both worlds-
Leann works from home, this allows her to have the best of both worlds since she has bills to pay and a two-year old to take care of.
Janice has signed up for a program that gives her the best of both worlds; she can work and travel at the same time.
Vocabulary Tips
self-employed-被自己雇用，即“自營的”，“個體經營”。 self-自己employ-雇用。
*Susan is a self-employed physical therapist.
*Sometimes you pay fewer taxes if you're self-employed.
interaction-互動 inter-彼此之間 action-行動。
*These ice-breaker activities are designed to increase the interaction between trainees.互動
*The teacher's interaction with parents is getting better.和。。之間的互動
employee-雇員，雇用的人。employ-雇用 "ee"-被如何如何的人。
*The company has over 1000 employees.
employer-雇主，老闆。"er" -專職的人，什麽什麽的人。
*Quincy's former employer wanted him to go back to work for him.
struggling (adj)-奮鬥中的，苦撐的。struggle-奮鬥，努力爭扎。
*Samantha is a struggling actress who also works as a part-time babysitter.
*Young struggling writers love to talk about their ideas at the cafe.
facility-設備，設施，建築，a building inside has a lot of spaces for different purpose let people to use.
*The hospital's facilities are getting old and need to be rebuilt.
*The resort is famous for its top-of-the-line sports facilities.頂級的
affordable -可以買得起的，能負擔得起的 afford-買的起，負擔的起。
*You can find really nice appliances with affordable prices here. 家電
*We're looking for a house with an affordable price.
rent (n)-rental, rent (v) -you pay something to use it, it's belongs to someone, you are not owned it.
schedule-a list of activities you need to do for future days.
Chat Room
co-worker-同事。一起工作的人。用在日常談話聊天的時候。
colleague-同事（演説，正式會議上，較正式的用語）同等職位，職權，職業的人。不一定是同公司的人，但卻是屬同業的人士。share the same profession. 不同大學的物理教授，彼此之間，互稱對方為colleague.
co-worker / colleague （較正式）
doctor/physician（較正式）
lawyer/ attorney （較正式）
----------------------
名詞當動詞用
host (n) -(to) host -主持人。。主持。。。
teacher (n) - teach 老師。。教學
driver (v) - drive 駕駛員。。 開車
writer (v)- write 作家。。寫作
engineer (v)-engineer 工程師。。。設計策劃。。
注意: doctor, police. 當動詞用時，有特殊的意思。
doctor (n)醫生。 doctor (v)- 任意更改，篡改，動手腳 在報告或是文件上。
He doctored the report.- 他篡改了報告。
police (n)-警察。police (v)- to police a place.-維持一個地方的治安，整頓一個地方。
Monday, April 5, 2010
Manners Matter
新禮貌運動Saying “please” and “thank you” makes a big difference 在職場上，有禮貌能造成巨大差異喔Being polite makes a big difference in the workplace by Ashley Dakin
Do nice guys finish last? Not according to one survey. Ninety-five percent of business executives say manners make a difference in the workplace. Manners can promote future success and even advance people’s careers. Employers like people who take time to practice courtesy and respect. The better people get along, the more work they can get done. On the other hand, when workers are rude and disrespectful, it slows down the team. So how can you mind your manners in the workplace? One way is to treat others as you would like to be treated. Try greeting your colleagues when you arrive at work instead of rushing to check your e-mail. Support your co-workers instead of complaining about them to others.
A positive, caring attitude affects your work performance and motivates others around you. Minding your manners helps make things easier for your boss and fellow co-workers. On top of that, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone!
Grammar
On top of that, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone!
top of something-the highest point of something
on top of- in addition to (very useful idiom, when several things to share, want to put something most you want to share on the last)
On top of that, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone.
*In addition to everything else, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone!
*Penny is so busy. She is a single mother who handles two part-time jobs and takes care of her sick grandmother, and on top of that-goes to class in the evenings.
*I didn't get much sleep last night. The neighbors were noisy, my dog wouldn't stop barking and on top of that, there was a mosquito in my room.
Vocabulary
executive- 主管，经理人，或是当形容词用“经营管理的”
*This project tests Sam's executive ability. 测试。。。经营管理的能力
*After years of hard work, Bob finally became a senior executive.高级主管
courtesy-礼貌，谦恭有礼，以礼相待。
*A good customer-service representative should always treat customers with courtesy.
*She didn't even have the courtesy to call me and say thank-you.
performance-表现。how well about your doing.
*Every employee's performance is evaluated by at least two different executives. 评估
*The circus performance amazed the whole audience.
promote-encourage to develop something.
career-long term job in specific area, which you do to make living.
disrespectfully- not being kind to other people.
mind your manners-be aware of your manners when you treat other people-be polite and show courtesy,
The golden rule: to treat others as you would like to be treated
Chat Room
manners-礼仪，礼貌
东西方对于礼让，有不同观点：东方人以为礼让是美德，等人停下来才表达，且言辞上也较婉转。西方人比较注重个人与独立思考能力的表达。在会议上，礼让会让人以为你没有话说，他们会一直说下去，或跳过你。
Do nice guys finish last? Not according to one survey. Ninety-five percent of business executives say manners make a difference in the workplace. Manners can promote future success and even advance people’s careers. Employers like people who take time to practice courtesy and respect. The better people get along, the more work they can get done. On the other hand, when workers are rude and disrespectful, it slows down the team. So how can you mind your manners in the workplace? One way is to treat others as you would like to be treated. Try greeting your colleagues when you arrive at work instead of rushing to check your e-mail. Support your co-workers instead of complaining about them to others.
A positive, caring attitude affects your work performance and motivates others around you. Minding your manners helps make things easier for your boss and fellow co-workers. On top of that, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone!
Grammar
On top of that, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone!
top of something-the highest point of something
on top of- in addition to (very useful idiom, when several things to share, want to put something most you want to share on the last)
On top of that, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone.
*In addition to everything else, it makes work more enjoyable for everyone!
*Penny is so busy. She is a single mother who handles two part-time jobs and takes care of her sick grandmother, and on top of that-goes to class in the evenings.
*I didn't get much sleep last night. The neighbors were noisy, my dog wouldn't stop barking and on top of that, there was a mosquito in my room.
Vocabulary
executive- 主管，经理人，或是当形容词用“经营管理的”
*This project tests Sam's executive ability. 测试。。。经营管理的能力
*After years of hard work, Bob finally became a senior executive.高级主管
courtesy-礼貌，谦恭有礼，以礼相待。
*A good customer-service representative should always treat customers with courtesy.
*She didn't even have the courtesy to call me and say thank-you.
performance-表现。how well about your doing.
*Every employee's performance is evaluated by at least two different executives. 评估
*The circus performance amazed the whole audience.
promote-encourage to develop something.
career-long term job in specific area, which you do to make living.
disrespectfully- not being kind to other people.
mind your manners-be aware of your manners when you treat other people-be polite and show courtesy,
The golden rule: to treat others as you would like to be treated
Chat Room
manners-礼仪，礼貌
东西方对于礼让，有不同观点：东方人以为礼让是美德，等人停下来才表达，且言辞上也较婉转。西方人比较注重个人与独立思考能力的表达。在会议上，礼让会让人以为你没有话说，他们会一直说下去，或跳过你。
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Big Mac Index
大麥克漢堡裡有密碼？How much do you pay for a hamburger? by Simon Stopps.
In 1986, Pam Woodall, an editor for The Economist magazine, introduced the Big Mac Index as a fun way of demonstrating the theory of purchasing power parity (PPP). By tracking the prices of McDonald’s Big Mac sandwiches around the world, the index has become a handy and frequently cited example of how exchange rates work.
An old concept from international economics, PPP at its core is a method for calculating a “correct” exchange rate between two currencies. The idea is that goods and services should sell at the same prices no matter what country a person is in. Basically, a "correct" exchange rate would be one that makes products the same price when measured in the same currency. The US $3.54 you spend on a Big Mac in America, for example, should buy the same sandwich in Hong Kong for that same US $ 3.54 in Hong Kong currency.
In the real world, however, exchange rates frequently do not reflect the "correct" rate in terms of product price. For example, a Big Mac in Hong Kong actually costs about US$1.72 while the same sandwich in Norway will run you a whopping US$5.79.
Though not intended as a serious economic tool, over the years the Big Mac Index has proven to be both valuable and resilient. PPP is typically calculated by tracking the price of a "basket" of everyday goods in different countries. However, the Big Mac Index only measures the price of one product-the Big Mac. By illustrating cost differences in different countries, the index can also be a handy way of comparing relative living standards around the world. More importantly, with Big Macs should in about 120 countries, the index has a global appeal.
Though not always accurate, some research studies have found the Big Mac Index to be a surprisingly accurate predictor of currency trends. Exchange rates are not the only factor that influences the price of sandwiches Many people. for example don't like or cannot afford to eat Big Macs. As a result, factors like local demand and tastes also play a major role in pricing.
Despite these shortcomings, the index has remained a popular and instructive measure of exchange rates for more than 20 years. It has even spawned spin-off indexes that measure items like iPods and Starbucks' lattes.
More Information
How long do you have to work to pay for a McDonald's Big Mac? Well, that depends on where in the world you live. In the American city of Chicago, you'd have to work about 10-12 minutes. In other cities around the world, like Jakarta and Nairobi, you'd have to work over two hours to pay for your Big Mac! The "Work for a Big Mac", world average is about 37 minutes.
Grammar
.....While the same sandwich in Norway will run you a whopping $5.79 USD.
run-to move quickly on your feet from one place to another.
Please don't run in the hallway.
run-here mean " cost" , usually we use "run" in a informal conversation when we talking about the cost.
The same sandwich in Norway will cost you a whopping $5.79 USD.
Wendy wants to invite all her friends to a party on a cruise ship,but it will run her $150USD per guest.
The flowers for their wedding ran the bride and groom over $1000.
Vocabulary
Index (n)-指数
The Dow Jones Index rose 15 points today.道琼斯指数
The Nikkei Index plunged 200 points yesterday.日经指数
The Consumer Price Index is announced periodically.销费物价指数定期会公布.
What's the current exchange rate between the dollar and the euro?
As an import company, we have to keep an eye on the exchange rates.进口公司,密切注意
whopping-极大的,庞大的. (whopping + numbers表示数目惊人的)
He told a whopping lie and everyone believed it.
The unemployment rate rose by a whopping 1 percent last month.大大的提升了..
resilient-迅速恢复,有弹性的(人,物)return back to original shape through a difficult time.
Pamela is a resilient girl. She won't be down too long.
*The workers used a very resilient material to protect the walls from being scratched.
predictor-预言者,指标,或进行预测的人或仪器.predict-预测,预料
*The rainfall in spring serves as a good predictor of how the harvest of the grapes will be during summer.
spawn(v)-蔓延,延伸,造成, 酿成The director's original film spawned lots of discussion.
*The government's economic policies spawned many new small businesses.
Chat Room
core-核心,中心the central part of something, the most important part of something.
core-the center of an apple苹果核 apple core.
core subject-核心科目
to the core-道地的,道道地地的To the core, She is an American.
rotten to the core-烂透了,坏透了. This person is rotten to the core.
---------------------
handy-useful.
handy- 手头的,离手很近的.
Keep a pen handy. or I always have a pen handy(with reach around)
handy-a handy reference book. ...很容易操作的
handy (adj)-good at doing things with hands. My brother is handy with electronic devices.
handyman (n)-a person who has variety of skill on many small jobs or task.善长于多种手艺的人.很会修修补补家中的小问题.
In 1986, Pam Woodall, an editor for The Economist magazine, introduced the Big Mac Index as a fun way of demonstrating the theory of purchasing power parity (PPP). By tracking the prices of McDonald’s Big Mac sandwiches around the world, the index has become a handy and frequently cited example of how exchange rates work.
An old concept from international economics, PPP at its core is a method for calculating a “correct” exchange rate between two currencies. The idea is that goods and services should sell at the same prices no matter what country a person is in. Basically, a "correct" exchange rate would be one that makes products the same price when measured in the same currency. The US $3.54 you spend on a Big Mac in America, for example, should buy the same sandwich in Hong Kong for that same US $ 3.54 in Hong Kong currency.
In the real world, however, exchange rates frequently do not reflect the "correct" rate in terms of product price. For example, a Big Mac in Hong Kong actually costs about US$1.72 while the same sandwich in Norway will run you a whopping US$5.79.
Though not intended as a serious economic tool, over the years the Big Mac Index has proven to be both valuable and resilient. PPP is typically calculated by tracking the price of a "basket" of everyday goods in different countries. However, the Big Mac Index only measures the price of one product-the Big Mac. By illustrating cost differences in different countries, the index can also be a handy way of comparing relative living standards around the world. More importantly, with Big Macs should in about 120 countries, the index has a global appeal.
Though not always accurate, some research studies have found the Big Mac Index to be a surprisingly accurate predictor of currency trends. Exchange rates are not the only factor that influences the price of sandwiches Many people. for example don't like or cannot afford to eat Big Macs. As a result, factors like local demand and tastes also play a major role in pricing.
Despite these shortcomings, the index has remained a popular and instructive measure of exchange rates for more than 20 years. It has even spawned spin-off indexes that measure items like iPods and Starbucks' lattes.
More Information
How long do you have to work to pay for a McDonald's Big Mac? Well, that depends on where in the world you live. In the American city of Chicago, you'd have to work about 10-12 minutes. In other cities around the world, like Jakarta and Nairobi, you'd have to work over two hours to pay for your Big Mac! The "Work for a Big Mac", world average is about 37 minutes.
Grammar
.....While the same sandwich in Norway will run you a whopping $5.79 USD.
run-to move quickly on your feet from one place to another.
Please don't run in the hallway.
run-here mean " cost" , usually we use "run" in a informal conversation when we talking about the cost.
The same sandwich in Norway will cost you a whopping $5.79 USD.
Wendy wants to invite all her friends to a party on a cruise ship,but it will run her $150USD per guest.
The flowers for their wedding ran the bride and groom over $1000.
Vocabulary
Index (n)-指数
The Dow Jones Index rose 15 points today.道琼斯指数
The Nikkei Index plunged 200 points yesterday.日经指数
The Consumer Price Index is announced periodically.销费物价指数定期会公布.
What's the current exchange rate between the dollar and the euro?
As an import company, we have to keep an eye on the exchange rates.进口公司,密切注意
whopping-极大的,庞大的. (whopping + numbers表示数目惊人的)
He told a whopping lie and everyone believed it.
The unemployment rate rose by a whopping 1 percent last month.大大的提升了..
resilient-迅速恢复,有弹性的(人,物)return back to original shape through a difficult time.
Pamela is a resilient girl. She won't be down too long.
*The workers used a very resilient material to protect the walls from being scratched.
predictor-预言者,指标,或进行预测的人或仪器.predict-预测,预料
*The rainfall in spring serves as a good predictor of how the harvest of the grapes will be during summer.
spawn(v)-蔓延,延伸,造成, 酿成The director's original film spawned lots of discussion.
*The government's economic policies spawned many new small businesses.
Chat Room
core-核心,中心the central part of something, the most important part of something.
core-the center of an apple苹果核 apple core.
core subject-核心科目
to the core-道地的,道道地地的To the core, She is an American.
rotten to the core-烂透了,坏透了. This person is rotten to the core.
---------------------
handy-useful.
handy- 手头的,离手很近的.
Keep a pen handy. or I always have a pen handy(with reach around)
handy-a handy reference book. ...很容易操作的
handy (adj)-good at doing things with hands. My brother is handy with electronic devices.
handyman (n)-a person who has variety of skill on many small jobs or task.善长于多种手艺的人.很会修修补补家中的小问题.
Friday, November 27, 2009
I Bought It From a Vending Machine
我在販賣機裡買到房子Vending machines don’t just sell junk food anymore by Simon Stopps
For years now, vending machines have offered convenience and comfort to rushed travelers, students and business people alike. But at a vending machine in the Mondrian South Beach Hotel in Miami, Florida, guests can get much more than toothbrushes and snack foods.
The Mondrian Semi-Automatic, a $250,000 high-end vending machine, offers 90 items ranging in price from $5 to $1.2 million. Among other things, the Semi-Automatic peddles T-shirts, consumer electronics and dinner cruises. The giant purple and white machine holds rows of shiny, white boxes. The machine also has two small screens that let customers view images and details of each product.
To make a purchase, customers swipe a credit card and make a selection. For larger items, the machine issues cards that can be exchanged for the purchases at the hotel's front desk. The largest items - such as cars and condominiums-require a non-refundable $1,500 deposit. Once the deposit has been paid, staff take customers to view their item before they make the final purchase. So don't be surprised the next time you ask someone where she got her designer dress and she says, " I bought it from a vending machine."
More Info
How old is the vending machine? Believe it or not, the first documented vending machine dates back to about 215 B.C., when the mathematician hero invented a device that accepted bronze coins and dispensed holy water in the temples of Alexandria. Egypt. In A.D. 1076, Chinese inventors developed a pencil vendor. Coin-activated tobacco boxes appeared in English taverns during the 1700s.
Grammar
Among other things, the Semi-Automatic peddles T-shirts, consumer electronics and dinner cruises.
"among other things" -It means many things to talk about but only mention a few. This phrase can be put in the front or in the middle or at the end of the sentence.
The art exhibition was, among other things, a very creative expression of the artist's interpretation of current events.
Janis is responsible for many chores; she needs to do the dishes, mop the floor, and take out the trash, among other things.
Vocabulary
vending machine (n)-販賣機Ted is angry because the vending machine took his money-again.
peddle (v)-兜售 , 叫賣The shops in the market peddle a variety of local foods.
* Vacuum cleaner salesmen peddle from door to door trying to sell their product.
*The drug dealer was arrested last weekend for peddling drugs to an undercover police officer.
swipe (v)-刷卡的動作 swiped, swiping
To get onto the train, passengers swipe their ticket at the entrance gate.
*All you have to do to enter the office building is swipe your ID card.
*The clerk swiped the credit card several times but it was continuously rejected.
non-refundable (adj) - Charlene can return the bottled water to the store, but the fruit is non-refundable.
*The application fee is non-refundable whether you're accepted or not.
refundable (adj)- 可以退還的
The apartment deposit is only refundable for two weeks. After that you can't get your money back.
Chat Room
semi- half or part of , half circle.
semi circle-半圓的
semi sweet-微甜的
semi final-準決賽
semi-automatic-半自動
semi-monthly meeting 一個月二次
"bi"： bi-weekly, every other week, every two weeks.
semi-weekly: two times a week
For years now, vending machines have offered convenience and comfort to rushed travelers, students and business people alike. But at a vending machine in the Mondrian South Beach Hotel in Miami, Florida, guests can get much more than toothbrushes and snack foods.
The Mondrian Semi-Automatic, a $250,000 high-end vending machine, offers 90 items ranging in price from $5 to $1.2 million. Among other things, the Semi-Automatic peddles T-shirts, consumer electronics and dinner cruises. The giant purple and white machine holds rows of shiny, white boxes. The machine also has two small screens that let customers view images and details of each product.
To make a purchase, customers swipe a credit card and make a selection. For larger items, the machine issues cards that can be exchanged for the purchases at the hotel's front desk. The largest items - such as cars and condominiums-require a non-refundable $1,500 deposit. Once the deposit has been paid, staff take customers to view their item before they make the final purchase. So don't be surprised the next time you ask someone where she got her designer dress and she says, " I bought it from a vending machine."
More Info
How old is the vending machine? Believe it or not, the first documented vending machine dates back to about 215 B.C., when the mathematician hero invented a device that accepted bronze coins and dispensed holy water in the temples of Alexandria. Egypt. In A.D. 1076, Chinese inventors developed a pencil vendor. Coin-activated tobacco boxes appeared in English taverns during the 1700s.
Grammar
Among other things, the Semi-Automatic peddles T-shirts, consumer electronics and dinner cruises.
"among other things" -It means many things to talk about but only mention a few. This phrase can be put in the front or in the middle or at the end of the sentence.
The art exhibition was, among other things, a very creative expression of the artist's interpretation of current events.
Janis is responsible for many chores; she needs to do the dishes, mop the floor, and take out the trash, among other things.
Vocabulary
vending machine (n)-販賣機Ted is angry because the vending machine took his money-again.
peddle (v)-兜售 , 叫賣The shops in the market peddle a variety of local foods.
* Vacuum cleaner salesmen peddle from door to door trying to sell their product.
*The drug dealer was arrested last weekend for peddling drugs to an undercover police officer.
swipe (v)-刷卡的動作 swiped, swiping
To get onto the train, passengers swipe their ticket at the entrance gate.
*All you have to do to enter the office building is swipe your ID card.
*The clerk swiped the credit card several times but it was continuously rejected.
non-refundable (adj) - Charlene can return the bottled water to the store, but the fruit is non-refundable.
*The application fee is non-refundable whether you're accepted or not.
refundable (adj)- 可以退還的
The apartment deposit is only refundable for two weeks. After that you can't get your money back.
Chat Room
semi- half or part of , half circle.
semi circle-半圓的
semi sweet-微甜的
semi final-準決賽
semi-automatic-半自動
semi-monthly meeting 一個月二次
"bi"： bi-weekly, every other week, every two weeks.
semi-weekly: two times a week
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