ResQMe

救援霸A simple device can save your life. by Ryan Batdorf

Picture yourself driving home late at night on a deserted street. Smoke starts pouring from your engine, and suddenly you see flames. Then your car dies. Leaving you trapped inside. You have to get out as soon as possible, but your seat belt is stuck, and everything has automatically locked. You grab your ResQMe, which is attached to your key ring, and use it to cut your seat belt and break your window. As you emerge from your car, you realize "ResQMe really did just that -rescue me."

What is ResQMe?
Designed to help you escape from your car in an emergency. ResQMe is a product of nov(safety). It attaches easily to your key ring and weighs next to nothing. Can't get your seat belt off fast enough? Cut it with ResQMe's sharp blade. Need to break your car window to escape? Push the black head against the window and watch the glass shatter. Are there several people in your car? Pass the same ResQMe around to rescue them too. Very reasonably priced, worthwhile investment. It's always better to be safe than sorry.

Grammar on the go:

It attaches easily to your key ring and weighs next to nothing.

next to nothing = almost nothing.

*Res QMe attaches easily to a key ring and weighs almost nothing.

next to nothing-

I bought a stereo system for next to nothing.

I'm not qualified because I know next to nothing about leading a team.

I was so sick that I got next to nothing done.

Vocabulary Tips:
attach-裝上，貼上，使附著，附著在什麽上用“to”
*Please attache a Xeroxed copy of your ID to your application form.
*There's a card attached to the bouquet of roses.
*I attached the printer to my PC with this cable.
escape-逃脫，逃走。從那兒逃脫用“from”
*The hostages escaped from the bank robbery unharmed.
*The refugees escaped from Vietnam and fled to Hong Kong.
worthwhile-有價值的。或是值得花時間，金錢，筋力的。
*Every participant thought the seminar was quite worthwhile.
*Molly considers volunteering a worthwhile things to do.

Chat Room:
desert (adj)-有“被抛棄”之意。指“荒蕪，荒廢，不毛之地。發音與“dessert” 餐后甜點同音。
desert (n)-沙漠。
Picture yourself driving home late at night on a deserted street.
deserted street-荒涼空蕩蕩的街道。
a desert island-荒島，不是沙漠島，而是蔓草叢生的荒島。
dessert-餐后甜點 "ss" instead of "s" in the middle. 記住因爲好吃，所以甜點比沙漠多個“s” :)

A Century of Liquid Fire – Neon’s Bright History

液態火問世百年──霓虹的閃亮歷史This unique form of lighting made its debut 100 years ago.霓虹這種獨特的照明形式在一百年前問世. by Bryan Hagerla

French inventor Georges Claude displayed a new kind of lamp at the 1910 Paris Motor Show. When Claude connected two, 12-meter-long glass tubes filled with colorless neon gas to electricity, they glowed with a reddish-orange color. Onlookers praised Claude's invention, but they weren't excited about lighting their homes with his fiery light.

Claude's breakthrough came after he bent his tubes into the shapes of letters and learned how to produce other colors. In 1912, the world's first neon sign was displayed outside a Paris barbershop, and neon's role in advertising was born.

Americans first encountered neon in 1923 when the Packard Moter Car Company in Los Angeles displayed two of Claude's signs. Drivers stopped to gaze at the signs lit by "liquid fire." By the 1930s, American companies were producing their own signs and pushing the limits of neon. In 1936, for example, the Wrigley Company erected a huge aquaium scene in Times Square that featured animated, bubble-blowing fish and used over 1,000 feet of neon tubes.

Neon's golden age, however, didn't arrive until the 1950s when businesses from restaurants to movie theaters were all using neon signs to lure customers. Although neon's use has dipped since that golden age, neon districts like Las Vegas and Osaka continue to draw big crowds to this day.

More Information:
Two of the more famous Neon Districts around the world include:
Las Vegas: One neon "hot spot" features several restored neon signs from the golden years of Vegas - including Vegas Vic, 1 16-meter-tall neon cowboy created for the Pioneer casino.
Hong Kong: Every night the city puts on its "Symphony of Lights" show, a spectacle of light and sound dubbed the "World's Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show" by the Guinness World Record.

Grammar on the go:

By the 1930s, American companies were producing their own signs and pushing the limits of neon.

"pushing the limits of neon"-go beyond the limits

the limits of a city

"to push the limits"-

Cancer research continues to push the limits of microbiology.

The invention of cell phones pushed the limits of wireless communication.

"to push the limits"-

The training program was designed to push the limits of the athlete's physical endurance.

The baby's nonstop crying pushed the limits of the babysitter's patience.

Vocabulary Tips:

neon lights-霓虹燈

*The owner of the store used neon lights to light up the windows.

*One of the hotel sign's neon letters is burned out.

erected-建立,豎立,竪起來.

*A monument was erected to memorize what the brave warriors did for their country.

* The Empire State Building in New York City was erected in 1931.

*My father and I spent 2 hours erecting the tent.

golden age-黃金年代,全盛時期.

*The golden age of typewriters ended when the word processor was invented.

*The actor looked back on his forties and fifties as his golden age in the industry.

gaze- take time to look at something.注視

Chat Room

fiery-與"火"有関的.

fire, fiery, fir -all for "fiery",19 世紀,有不同拼音,直到新聞印刷出現,才統一用"fiery"

fiery (adj)- 也用來形容"人火爆的脾氣,個性上的衝動"

Charles Dickens: A Tale of Two Lives

雙面狄更斯 This famous author saw both hard times and good times.名作家查爾斯?狄更斯曾歷經艱辛，卻也曾體驗美好時光 by Chelsea Ewald

For English author Charles Dickens (1812-1870), life included the best of times and the worst of times. Although he became successful as an adult, his childhood was full of hardship.

Dickens's difficulties began when he was a young boy. Even though his father had a steady job, he didn't handle money well. When Dickens was just 12, his father was put in prison for debt. This experience deeply affected the young Dickens.

While his mother and seven siblings lived with his father in prison, Dickens was forced to work instead of attending school. He put labels on black shoe polish bottles in a factory for three months. Conditions in the factory were harsh, and Dickens found himself feeling lonely and hopeless. Later that year. Dickens' father was released from prison, and young Dickens returned to school. His days spent slaving away in the factory, however, haunted him for life. They also influenced his writing.

By 1832, 20-year-old Dickens was employed as a newspaper reporter. As his writing skills developed, he began composing stories of his own. He even adopted a pseudonym and started writing under the name Boz. After he had some success with his early writing, Dickens pursued a career as a novelist. Around the same time, he also married Catherine Hogarth, his editor's daughter.

Many of Dickens' most well-known novels first appeared as monthly installments in magazines. Oliver Twist was one such story, running form 1837 to 1839. As many of Dickens' writings did. Oliver Twist exposed the evils of society. Years later, David Copperfield (1849-1850) and Great Expectations (1860-1861) also ran as magazine series. Both of these famous works are said to be largely autobiographical. Dickens' bad childhood memories of working in a factory come to life in these stories. Dickens' life had its share of difficult times. But in the end, those experiences brought him great success as an author.

More Information:
A Christmas Carol is one of Dickens' most loved works. It tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, who hates Christmas. however after meeting three Christmas spirits, he learns an important lesson. Scrooge becomes a caring and generous man.
The story has been made into several movie versions over the years. The latest version was released in 2009 and starred Jim Carrey.

Grammar on the go:
Dickens' life had its share of difficult times.
"to have it share of" ="to have a large amount" - a person have more experience than others.
"to have one's share of"
Justin has had his share of good luck this month.
Ellen has had her share of headaches recently.

Vocabulary Tips:
polish (n)-擦亮劑，polish (v) 擦
shoe polish-
furniture polish-家具用的擦亮劑
silver polish-
*Tim polishes his shoes every morning before going to work.
slave away- 像奴隸般努力的辛苦工作 slave-奴隸
*Rita has been slaving away all day at her proposal and hasn't even had time to eat.
*Mom slaved away in the kitchen all afternoon to prepare for tonight's big feast.
haunt-縈繞在心理，纏繞不去的，久久揮之不去。something stay with you , not going away.
*Even though years have passed, the terrible accident scene still haunts the driver.
*Irene was haunted by the harsh words of her best friend.
tale-story
hardship-very difficult time.
steady-stable.
installment-分期或連載的部分。也指“分期付款”
*I can't wait to read the next installment of the author's sci-fi novel series. 下一次連載部分
in installments-用“分期付款”的方式付款用“in”
*Eric bought his stereo system in installments.
expose-曝露，揭發 ex-有“向外”之意。
*The newspaper exposed the widespread exploitation of sweatshops. 曝露血汗工廠的剝削。
*The bribery scandal surrounding the police officer was exposed by a reporter. 賄賂醜聞
autobiographical-自傳式的 auto -refers "self"自己指, bio - refers "living live" 指“生活”
autobiography-自己寫自己的一生。written by that person about himself.
biography-為別人寫傳記，寫別人的一生。written for someone that not ourselves, is something about that person's.
*The autobiographical movie based on the pop star's life was last summers' biggest blockbuster.
*Linda is writing an autobiographical novel about her childhood.
compose-to put things together.
pseudonym- the name is not real name, fake name. pseudo- fake, not real "nym" refer to name.
T.V company airs the T.V program, the newspaper runs the novel installments.

Chat Room:
included the best of times and the worst of times.
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." is "paradox"
paradox-一种相互矛盾的說法。彼此互相矛盾。同時存在二個相對的情形。
For example: "Nobody goes to that restaurant, it's too crowded".
-----------------------------
bad childhood memories.
hood-時期，階段，狀態，
childhood- 童年時代
adulthood-成人階段
fatherhood- 父親的身份
motherhood-母親的身份
sisterhood- 姐妹關係，也指“婦女團體”或“姐妹淘”
brotherhood-兄弟関係，也指“志同道合者”
the old saying "girlhood" and "boyhood", now replaced by "childhood" or "sisterhood", "brotherhood".

Mark Twain: “The Father of American Literature”

美國文學之父：馬克?吐溫One hundred years after Twain’s death, his memorable characters live on. by Pamela Osment

In 1835, the return of Halley's comet caused great excitement in the world. That same year in another historic event, the baby who would become the "Father of American Literature" was born.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens - Known later as Mark Twain - began life on November 30, 1835, in Florida, Mo. When Clemens was around 4, his family moved to Hannibal, Mo., a river town situated on the Mississippi River. His new home provided him with lots of excitement and adventure as steamboats from New Orleans and St. Louis stopped there regularly. The new environment also proved to be fertile ground for a boy with an active imagination and a gift for storytelling.

Discovering his talent
When Clemens was only 11, his father died, leaving the family in financial difficulty. At 13, the boy had to quit school and find a job, working first for a printer. Next he worked for his brother, a newspaper publisher, and it was then that Clemens discovered how much he enjoyed writing . in his free time, he began writing and submitting humorous pieces to his brother's newspaper.

Realizing a dream
Though Clemens liked writing he had always dreamed of piloting steamboats on the mighty Mississippi River. While in his 20x, he decided to do it, training and then working as a riverboat captain for three years.
His experiences left a lasting impression on him and even provided the pen name Mark Twain, which he would later use.

Finding fame
In 1863, Clemens began publishing regularly as Mark Twain, but fame eluded him. Then in 1865 he found success with his short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." However, it was his books about two boys growing up along the Mississippi River that would bring him lasting prominence. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn introduced readers to a child's world of delightful adventures.

Living on
Twain published over 60 works during his lifetime. Then, as he himself had predicted, he died the same year Halley's comet returned - in 1910. One hundred years ago, the world lost a literary giant. But his words still live on in the lives of America's favorite fictional boys, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn.

More Information:
A Few Mark Twain Facts:
1. Halley's comet could be seen at the night Mark Twain was born and the night he passed away.
2. In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn the fictional town of St. Petersberg was based on Twain's hometown of Hannibal, Mo.
3. As a riverboat pilot Twain earned from $150 to $250 a month.
4. Roughing it describes Twain's journey out West with his brother Orion.

Grammar on the go:
.....in 1865 he found success with his short story....
"to found success with.."= to become successful in...
" to find success with something "-
After trying numerous different diets to lose weight, Katherine finally found success with her current exercise program.
Although Joseph didn't do well in his studies, he did find success with the school's drama club.

Vocabulary Tips:
literature-複數名詞“文學”
*The professor specializes in modern English literature.專精於。現代英國文學。
*In this author's latest work of literature, you can find a shift from pessimism to optimism. 從。。由悲觀轉變成樂觀。
fertile ground for something-某件事的沃土，意即“培養某件事的最環境. fertile-肥沃，
*Touring with his mother's band offered fertile ground for the talented little boy.
submit-呈交，繳交，提交 submitted/submitting。
*The proposal will be submitted next week.
eluded-1. 閃避，逃避，躲避. 2. 想不起來，難倒某個對象，（看不懂，找不到答案，搞不清楚）escaped, avoid, confused.
*The deer successfully eluded the tiger and ran into the forest. 閃躲掉。
*the details of our contract eluded me. 難倒了我，弄不清楚。
*A cure for this disease still eludes scientists.找不到答案
prominence-有聲望，有名聲的。聲望，名聲。fame, well known, noticeable and important.
*A researcher of prominence will visit our lab today.
*The actor gained prominence when he was nominated for an Oscar. 提名
predicted-預報，預測，預言。pre-在。。之先。
*The hurricane was predicted to influence the entire coastal area of Florida.
*Many professional analysts predicted that another financial crisis would happen this year.

Chat Room
humor -幽默，可笑，滑稽。
a sense of humor-幽默感
see its humor-看到它的幽默。
humor=mood- 心情，情緒，興致。
In a good humor,-有個好心情，好興致。
In a bad humor-有個坏心情， 心情不好。
I'm in no humor to do something. 我沒心情去做某事。
Humor is "noun" can not be a "adjective", humor's adjective is "humorous"
humorous (adj)-很 幽默的。
humorous pieces-很幽默的文章，作品
----------
His experiences left a lasting impression on him
impression-印象
lasting impression-深刻的印象。
first impression-初次的印象，第一印象。
get the wrong impression-得到錯誤的印象，誤解，誤會。

Today’s Technology Trends

當今的科技趨勢A closer look at where technology is and where it is going by Simon Stopps

SC: What is the difference between computer science, computer engineering and management information systems (MIS)?
EC: In general, computer science tends to deal with theory, methods and processes. In computer engineering, the emphasis is on applying those theories to real-world situations. In contrast, Management Information Systems goes a step further and focuses on applying various technologies in business situations.

SC: What areas of computer technology are growing in importance?
EC: There are a lot of exciting things happening with technology right now. Currently, there is a lot of emphasis on mobile technologies-like cell phones. There is also a lot of interest in search technology, especially with regard to searching for things like images and videos.

SC: What area of computing are becoming less important?
EC: We are currently seeing a shift away from computer science and toward engineering and MIS. I don't know that it's because computer science is becoming less important. It's just that theory has developed so quickly that businesses need a chance to catch up with applications.

SC: What technological changes should we expect over the next little while?
EC: Basically, we are going to continue to see smaller, faster and more powerful devices. We are also moving toward more integrated technologies. In smart homes, for example, every thing is integrated. You can open windows and doors or turn on lights and appliances remotely.

SC: What impact are mobile technologies having?
EC: Originally, cell phones just made phone calls. Next, they sent text messages and then came images and video calls. Now we're seeing cell phones that make extensive use of extremely varied applications. Eventually, these applications should let us control the other integrated technologies in our lives, while we're on the move.

SC: What challenges will need to be faced as technology moves forward?
EC: In most cases, the technology is ready, but the need is not great enough to justify teh expense. The exception to this is in the area of surveillance. We also need to ensure dependable cell phone coverage as people move around, especially by plane or high-speed rail.

Grammar on the go:
What areas of computer technology are growing in important?
"growing in importance" =" becoming more important."
Having clean water to drink is a subject growing in importance.
"growing in"
"growing in popularity"
Ever since the bakery started selling their special cakes, the bakery has grow in popularity.
"growing in confidence"
Timothy's unique internship position has allowed him to grow in confidence.

Vocabulary Tips:
emphasis (n)- 強調重點 emphases (v)-
* The main emphasis of the program is to help foreign students to adjust more easily to the university.
* We should put more emphasis on the quality of our products instead of our marketing strategies.
shift-轉移,轉變change to
*The politician's drastic shift from supporting the Republican Party to the Democratic Party is a big risk.
*The poll is designed to collect information regarding the shift in consumers' demands.
application-應用,運用
*The applications from this research are mostly used in the field of medicine.
*Engineers are still working on developing a practical application of the theory.
justify-成爲某事的正當理由. give a good reason for something. it comes from " just"-公正的
*I find it very difficult to justify your frequent tardiness. 。。。為你的屢次遲到找到正當理由。
*Being offended doesn't justify your behavior. 被冒犯並不能成爲你行爲的正當理由。
dependable-可靠的，可信靠的。靠得住的
*You have to find a dependable accountant to manage your money.
*The car might not look very fancy, but it's quite dependable. 不很豪華但是很可靠。
coverage (n)- 含概的範圍。cover(v)-覆蓋
*The dictionary gives very good vocabulary coverage. 字典含概相當多的單字。
*People without any form of health coverage always get rejected by the hospital. 任何保險
impact-effect
integrate- technology all come together.
smart homes- it means the house build with many technology involved that make people's living much convenience

Chat Room
the Chair of the Computer Science Department
chair-椅子,.
chair係主任=chairman(男的)- chairwoman(女的), chairperson(中性)
chair (v)-主持
chair a meeting-主持一個會議
---------------------------------------
The exception to this is the area of surveillance.
exception- come from "except" -no exception, excluded.
There are no exceptions to the rule-每人都要遵守規則，每人可以例外。
except-（介係詞）除。。。之外。
Everyone is going to the party except me
except-（連接詞）但是，只是。however
I would go to the party, except I have a lot of work to do. 我很想。。。只是（但是）我有。。
accept- to receive, to agree, to take in. 接受， 接納。

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

梅西百貨感恩節大遊行America starts Thanksgiving in style 美國民眾別具風格地慶祝感恩節by Ryan Batdorf

Today in America, most families are gathering together for a feast. In addition, they will play games or watch football together. However, for many, the holiday doesn't seem complete without viewing this large parade in New York City.

How it started
Back in 1924, many of Macy's Department Store employees were European immigrants. Wanting to celebrate American holidays as they did in Europe, they staged a parade. The parade consisted of three floats, four bands and many animals from the Central Park Zoo. Man Macy's employees dressed up and marched in this parade too. And Santa Claus appeared at the parade's end-still a tradition 86 years later!

Today's celebration
Some aspects of this parade have changed over the years. Floats, marching bands and Santa are still a part of the parade, but animals aren't. Those watching today will see numerous giant balloons shaped like animals or famous cartoon characters. Ten thousand people now take part in this parade. More than 3.5 million watch from the sidewalks, and the expected TV audience is 50 million. Many Americans just can't imagine a Thanksgiving without the magical Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Grammar on the go:
Many Americans just can't imagine a Thanksgiving without the magical Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Subject + can't imagine a + something + without + something.
Many Chinese just can't imagine a Lunar New Year celebration without firecrackers.
Jeff is always online, so he can't imagine living in a place with no Internet access.

Vocabulary Tips:
parade-(n),(v)-遊行,
*Many townspeople gathered at the plaza to watch the parade.
*People wear green outfits to attend the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
*Firemen and paramedics paraded through the streets.
immigrant-從囯外移民進來的移民 "im"-"進來"的意思, "migr"-字根有"遷移"的意思.
*Leo's father was an Italian immigrant.
*Illegal immigrants will be sent back immediately.
emigrant-遷移到外國的，"em"- “向外”，emigrant -遷移到國外的移民
float-(v)- 飃浮，(n)-花車。
*The float was decorated with carnations and roses.
*The dancers on the floats dressed like characters in fairy tales. 童話故事
magical- doing something with magic, but here means " wonderful, very exciting."
athletic-運動
* Figure skating has become more and more athletic over the last ten years.
*Melody is an athletic girl. She's good at many sport.
determined-決定， 取決於，立志，立定志向。
*When Nancy left her hometown, she was determined to return one day as a successful business person.
*Your health is determined by your lifestyle and your diet.
break into-進入，潛入
*Samuel broke into the world of computer programing design when he was only 12.
*Entering beauty contests is one of the ways to break into show business.

Chat Room
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
parade-遊行， 行列，炫耀。
a parade of people-行列，人一個接一個出現。
a parade of books-接連不斷的書
parade around the neighborhood in his new car. 繞來繞去在街上炫耀他的新車。

I'm impressed.

Break Dancing

霹靂舞An amazing dance style is back 令人嘆為觀止的舞蹈形式又捲土重來了by Chelsea Ewald

Break dancing is a style of dance like no other. The moves are jaw-dropping, and watching dancers performing them will make your head spin. Break dancing takes skill, strength and rhythm. The style combines acrobatics, Kung Fu-like moves and dance to create a totally unique art from. Although its roots are American, today its popularity has spread around the globe.

Break dancing breaks new ground
Unlike many styles of dance, break dancing is fairly new. In fact, its history only dates back a few decades. It all began in 1969 with music superstar James Brown. While singing his hit song "Get on the Good Foot" Brown did a high-energy dance. his "Good Foot" dance caught on and soon this style of dance became known as B-boy. Identified by its quick footwork, B-boy hit the streets of New York City. There, dancers would gather to hold "dance battles." These battles often helped settle disputes between people without using violence.

As B-boy spread throughout the 1970s and 1980s, its style changed. It became more athletic. At this time, the general public began to call it break dancing. Since dancers danced when a song took a break from worlds and played only music, the name fit. The focus of the dance grew to include more than just fancy footwork.

Break dancers, also known as b-boys and b-girls, were now doing head-spins, back spins, hand spins and flips.

Break dancing today
Break dancing became less popular from the late 1980s and into the a990s. It was still around but no longer in the spotlight. Today, however, break dancing is back and stronger than ever. The competitions take place all over the world. These modern-day dance battles no longer settle disputes. Instead, they are used to determine the most talented b-boy and b-girls. These dancers' skill and moves are more impressive than ever! People can now be seen breaking into break dancing all over the world.

More Information:
Power moves in Break Dancing.
1. The Windmill: a move where the dancer spins from his back to his chest while twirling his legs in the air.
2. Head-spins: the dancer spins on his head while lifting his hands in the air.
3. Flare: an incredibly difficult move borrowed from men's gymnastics.
4. Jackhammer: when a dancer balances on one hand while spinning and bouncing up and down.

Grammar on the go:
Unlike many styles of dance, break dancing is fairly new. In fact, its history only dates back a few decades.
unlike many styles of dance.
"unlike many"- to bring up something that is very unique from something else.
Unlike most cats, the Turkish Van likes to swim.
Unlike most companies, this company allows its workers to bring their children and pets to work.

Vocabulary Tips:
make one's head spin-暈頭轉向 頭昏眼花, 使人傷腦筋 spin-旋轉
*The roller coaster ride really made our heads spin.
*All of my new work responsibilities really made my head spin.
break new ground- 新天地 新局面 創新ground-地面
*The scientist finally broke new ground in biochemistry after years of hard work 新發現 .
dispute -爭執 爭論 爭吵
*The dispute over the import policy became more and more severe between the two parties.越來越激烈
*The couple's best friend finally helped them resolve their long-lasing dispute.

Chat Room:
hit- 打, 到達, 抵達, 前往, 擊中, 命中目標
B-boy hit the streets of New York City. - "hit" - arrive, appear.
hit the market-在市場上推出 (抵達)
Let's hit the beach-前往海灘
hit the jackpot-中頭獎
a hit- "hit" (n)- 成功而風行一時的事物