Hello everyone,
Please bring your HTC Flyers to class tomorrow. We will use them for an activity.
Pete
Monday, November 18, 2013
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Baseball English pt 2
Baseball Idioms
1.
Hit a home run -
Do something well
“Nice presentation. You really hit a
home run.”
2.
A ballpark figure - an estimate
“I don’t need to know the exact amount.
Just give me a ballpark figure.”
3.
Strike out - fail / get turned down for a date
“I tried to get her to go out with me,
but I struck out.”
4.
Bat a thousand - do everything perfectly
“Man, you sold another one?! You’re
really batting a thousand.”
5.
Go to bat for someone - Speak
for someone to help them
“I thought I would get kicked out of
school, but my teacher went to bat for me.”
6.
Throw a curve ball - Surprise or confuse someone
“The date was going well, but she threw
me a curve ball and said she was married.”
7.
Touch base - Talk to someone to check on plans
“Let’s touch base tomorrow about our
plans for the weekend.”
8.
Have two strikes against you - One
more bad action and you’ll be punished
“That’s it, young man! You have two
strikes against you! Don’t do it again!!”
9.
On the ball - Always ready, always doing good work
“Boy, you’re really on the ball today.
How did you know I needed that file?”
10.
A level playing field - fair
and equal
“We are giving scholarships to poor
students to create a level playing field.”
11.
To come out of left field - to
surprise / say something unrelated
“And then, during the meeting, he comes
out of left field and says “Let’s Dance!””
12.
To play the game - to follow rules and go along with
others
“Stop trying to change the system. Just
play the game like everyone else.”
13.
A long shot - not likely
“I know it’s a long shot, but I really
want to try for that job at Google.”
14.
A whole new ballgame - things
have really changed
“Being a teacher isn’t the same job
anymore. It’s a whole new ballgame.”
15.
Bush league - lame, amateur, weak, unprofessional
“You answered your phone during your job
interview?! That’s bush league.”
16.
Cover one’s bases - ensure
safety, be prepared
“I’m applying to more than one company
just to cover my bases.”
17.
Major league - big, high level
“Wow. She is a major league CEO. You
would learn a lot from her.”
18.
Off base - mistaken, disrespectful
“I can’t believe you called me a racist.
That’s off base.”
19.
Take a rain check - take a promise to do something later
“I can’t go out with you this weekend,
but can I take a rain check?”
20.
Right off the bat - without any delay
“It was the first day of school and the
teacher gave us homework right off the bat.”
Baseball English pt 1
Words
/ Phrases
1.Hit a
home run
2.A
ballpark figure
3.Strike
out
4.Batting
a thousand
5.Play
hardball
6.Got
to bat for someone
7.Throw
a curve ball
8.Touch
base
9.To
have two strikes
10.On
the ball
Sam grew up in a very poor family and wanted to go to college, but he already had two strikes against him because he couldn't speak English very well and he had to work to help his family. After striking out as a chef, he hoped he would hit a home run as a car salesman. Sam did some research to get a ball park figure of how much he could earn and learned that if he really played hardball he could make over $100,00.00 a year. He asked his friend Paul, who worked at a car dealership, to go to bat for him and set up an interview with the owner. Paul knew that Sam was really on the ball and would make a great salesman. During the interview, the owner threw Sam a curveball and told him he would have to improve his English. So Sam studied hard for a year.
One year later, Sam started selling cars and batted a thousand on his first day by selling a car to everyone he spoke to. Sam continues to touch base with all of his customers and enjoys the success that comes with being a fluent English speaker.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Hsinchu seniors take to the stage to tell their stories
Hsinchu seniors take to the stage to tell their stories
新竹阿公阿嬤初登台 演自己的故事
Hsinchu City’s first care station for seniors — Jinshan Community Care Station — is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Around 80 seniors and volunteers have been working together over the past decade at the station. The average age of seniors at the station is 80. Two weeks ago they took to the stage for their “Life Stories Theater,” in which each of them play a lead role while acting out personal stories.
Among them, 94-year-old Chin Ting-hua is considered to be the “eldest brother” of the group. Last year he had coronary surgery and suddenly lost 39kg, but now he plays drums, does magic tricks, goes around on tour giving volunteer performances with the group, and even volunteers to take care of his peers at nursing centers.
The Jinshan community is a place where Hoklo, Hakka, residents from military dependents’ villages and people from other areas that work in the tech field all converge, making it a unique community.
Science City Community University president Lee Shih-ying led the seniors from the station during a rehearsal for the long-awaited “Life Stories Theater” show, which is a play full of anecdotes about the decade since founding of the station, and whether it be buying groceries, performing magic tricks, doing calisthenics or drumming and singing, they all gave vivid, natural performances and filled the venue with laughter. After all, these are the tidbits of their life at the care station.
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
其中九十四歲的秦廷華是據點的「老大哥」，去年他因心臟病開刀一度暴瘦三十九公斤，現在不但能打鼓、變魔術，還跟著到處義演，甚至前往安養院服務其他小老弟，生龍活虎模樣，是老人關懷站展現效益的最好見證。
金山社區是一處匯集閩客族群、眷村移民、外來科技人口的特殊社區，市府「眷村藝術季」活動列車兩週前特別開抵這裡，表彰社區關懷據點年年獲得全國評鑑優等的亮麗成績。
在科學城社大校長李世英指導下，金山社區照顧關懷據點的阿公、阿嬤們，上週現場排演了籌劃多時的「生命故事劇場」，這齣話劇的故事內容，說的正是金山據點成立十年來的過程，吆喝買菜、表演魔術、練操健身、打鼓唱歌…，他們演起來生動自然、笑聲滿場，因為這就是他們在關懷站的生活點滴。
「金山社區照顧關懷據點」十年前由金山社區發展協會前理事長段孝芳創辦，目前由她的丈夫李紹唐接棒，夫妻倆出錢又出力，還分別在關懷站擔任魔術課、打擊樂老師，最感謝志工群的奉獻；此外，關懷站也規劃了健身操、量血壓、手語課、唱歌等課程，每週兩次的上課午餐，也都「呷免錢」。
（自由時報記者陳維仁）
Web site set up to help combat contraception ignorance in Taiwan
了解避孕知識別害羞 婦科醫師線上解答
Chen Ching-hui, a doctor in Taipei Medical University Hospital’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is talking about unexpected pregnancies among teenagers in Taiwan. Every year obstetricians and gynecologists in Taiwan prescribe tens of thousands of abortion pills to pregnant teenagers. Sighing with emotion, Chen says that every year on Sept. 26, World Contraception Day is supposed to remind everyone about the importance of contraception.
Chen says that in European countries such as Germany and France more than 50 percent of teenagers are having sex, while that number is only 20 to 30 percent in Taiwan. Despite that, the rate of abortion in Taiwan is seven times that of Germany and France, which shows just how ineffective sex education in Taiwan. Teenagers in Taiwan lack knowledge about contraception and have nowhere to turn. Becoming pregnant unexpectedly without ways to financially support themselves, young mothers have no means to take care of the child and have a difficult time staying in school or getting a job.
Taiwanese teenagers get most of their knowledge about contraception from the Internet, and mistakenly assume that safe period calculation methods or coitus interruptus is sufficient protection, or that taking birth control pills will cause cancer, or make them barren or gain weight. All of these ideas are unsafe, Chen says. The condom-pill method — the male wears condoms and the female takes birth control — is currently considered to be the most effective contraceptive method among doctors, preventing both the transmission of venereal diseases and avoiding pregnancy.
To actively combat this issue and help teenagers answer all their perplexing questions regarding sex and contraception, the Taiwan Association of Obstetrics and Gynecology recently started a Web site specifically aimed at providing counseling online for teenagers seeking information about contraception (www.8181.org.tw). The site provides accurate sex education info and a platform where medical professionals can offer replies to messages, as well as a navigable guide on contraception and useful medical and pharmaceutical organizations.
A printed version of the guide is available at most medical providers, and there is a free 24-hour hotline that provides professional counseling (0800-25-8181).
(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)
台北醫學大學附設醫院婦產科主治醫師陳菁徽表示，青少女經期較不規則，容易忽略自身狀況，意外懷孕的案例很多，台灣婦產科醫師每年開出好幾萬顆墮胎藥。陳菁徽感嘆，婦產科醫師的天職是不該鼓勵人墮胎的，每年的九月二十六日是世界避孕日，就是提醒大家正視意外懷孕這個議題。
陳菁徽指出，歐洲國家如德國、法國，未成年性行為比例超過五成，台灣只有二、三成，但是台灣的墮胎率卻是德、法的七倍，這顯示台灣性教育落實不足，青少年避孕知識不足、求助無門，意外懷孕後，又因沒有經濟能力，導致孩子扶養、小媽媽就學與就業都陷入困境。
台灣青少年的避孕知識大多來自網路，常誤以算安全期、體外射精就可以了，又誤以為吃避孕藥會致癌、不孕、發胖。陳菁徽表示，這些都是不保險，甚至錯誤的觀念和方法。目前醫界認為最有效的避孕方法就是「保避（保庇）」，也就是以男性戴保險套杜絕性病傳染，女性服用避孕藥防止懷孕。
為了主動出擊、協助青少年男女解答心中對於兩性與避孕的疑惑，婦產科醫學會即日啟用「青少女（年）避孕指引諮詢家」網站（www.8181.org.tw），提供正確兩性教育、線上留言有醫師專業回覆，另可查詢避孕指引和醫藥機構。
紙本的「青少女（年）避孕指引」則可在各衛教通路索取，還有二十四小時免付費諮詢電話（0800-25-8181）提供專業諮詢。
（自由時報記者邱宜君）
AIDS now among top-ten causes of death for youth
TAIPEI, Taiwan -- AIDS is now among the top-10 causes of death among young people in 2012 for the first time in the nation's history, according to CNA News World magazine.
The number of HIV/AIDS patients in Taiwan has been steadily rising, with the fastest rates found in the 15-24 age group,
From 1998 to 2012, the 15-24 age group has seen a 180-percent annual increase in HIV/AIDS cases, the latest issue of the magazine reported.
The magazine cited Ministry of Health and Welfare figures as showing that as of the end of 2012, the accumulated number of HIV/AIDS patients in that demographic totaled 4,716, almost one-fifth of all patients (24,239).
Monday, September 30, 2013
Facebook and Our Lives
Here is a link to look at:
Facebook's wikipedia page
And here is a questionnaire:
Facebook's wikipedia page
And here is a questionnaire:
1.
Do you have a Facebook
account?
(1)Yes.
(2)No.
|
If your answer is (1) 'Yes ', please jump to
question 3.
If your answer is (2)'No', please jump to question
2.
|
2.
Why do you not have a
Facebook account?
(1)Do not know about Facebook.
(2)Do not require Facebook to interact.
|
3. How many friends are there in your Facebook
account?
(1)Less
than 50 persons
(2)Between
50~100 persons
(3)Between
100~500 persons
(4)Between
500~1000 persons
(5)More
than 1000 persons
What
is the maximun number of the most friends? _____________
4. How long do you
spent on Facebook?
(1) Less than 30 minutes each time
(2) More than 30 minutes each time
(3) Less than 2 hours per week in average
(4) More than 2 hours per week in average
5. How do you feel about Facebook?
(1) It is very interesting and I like it very much.
(2) It is very nice and I like it .
(3) So-so.
(4) It’s a waste of time and unnecessary.
6. What do you use Facebook for? Please rate the
following 7 activities according to the frequency of usage with 1 being the
most frequent and 7 being the least.
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Habit
|
1
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2
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3
|
4
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5
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6
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7
|
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Find new friends
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Play interactive games
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Play non-interactive games
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Chat (including comments and wall)
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Check out how your friends are doing(photos, walls etc)
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Update your profile
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To pass time
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7. As listed, which statement on Facebook don`t
you like?
8. As listed, which statement on Facebook do
you like?
9. What are the advantages of using Facebook?
10. What are the disadvantages of using Facebook?
11. How does Facebook affect my life ?
~Thanks for your feedback~
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Facebook Makes Us Sadder
An article from the Economist about a recent study:
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21583593-using-social-network-seems-make-people-more-miserable-get-life
Another article about the study (a little easier to read):
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/08/19/213568763/researchers-facebook-makes-us-sadder-and-less-satisfied
And a list of bad habits to fix if you want to be happy (something about facebook in #10)
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10630/21-bad-habits-to-avoid-if-you-want-to-be-happy.html
http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21583593-using-social-network-seems-make-people-more-miserable-get-life
Another article about the study (a little easier to read):
http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2013/08/19/213568763/researchers-facebook-makes-us-sadder-and-less-satisfied
And a list of bad habits to fix if you want to be happy (something about facebook in #10)
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-10630/21-bad-habits-to-avoid-if-you-want-to-be-happy.html
Tainan residents protest land grab, claim Lai lied
Greater Tainan residents affected by a project to move a railway underground yesterday protested a government decision to expropriate their land and houses for the project, accusing Greater Tainan Mayor William Lai (賴清德) of lying when he said that they had changed their minds after talks with the city government.
“I’m an architect, I built my house more than 50 years ago and have lived here most of my life, and now the government wants to tear it down and take my land, despite my objection,” 85-year-old resident Chen Ko (陳割) told a press conference in Taipei. “Mayor Lai claims to be open-minded and willing to listen to the people, but he never came to talk with us before making the decision, and he leaves us with no choice.”
Chen’s wife, Tsai Hsin-mei (蔡信美), agreed.
Tsai said most of the more than 400 households who face forced expropriation support the project to move the railroad underground and are willing to sacrifice their own interests for the public good, but they oppose the Greater Tainan Government’s decision on Monday to permanently expropriate their properties.
“We are willing to make some sacrifices, to have our houses demolished to make way for temporary tracks as the construction is in progress, as long as the city government removes the tracks and returns the land to us after it has been completed,” Tsai said. “Lai lied when he told the [Greater Tainan] City Council on Monday that he has negotiated with us and that we changed our minds and now support the Executive Yuan’s version of the project.”
According to the Executive Yuan’s design, houses on the east side of the current tracks would be demolished to make way for new underground tracks. When the project is completed, the original surface tracks are to be removed to make way for a park and a commercial district.
Wang Wei-min (王偉民), a senior civil engineer, made a presentation at the press conference of an alternative plan that he and his team have proposed that would only “borrow” land from residents during the construction phase.
“What I have done is prove that another option is feasible from a professional’s point of view. I made the same presentation to [Greater Tainan] officials, but they simply ignored it,” Wang said.
Chang Hui-chin (張惠津), another resident affected by the proposal, was worried about what would happen to her after her house has been flattened.
“I am old, I don’t know how to drive it’s convenient for me to live in the center of the city, because I can go to the bank, the post office or the market on foot,” Chang said. “The [Greater Tainan] government said that they will build new apartments for us outside the city and sell them to us at a discounted price — but will I be able to go to the bank, the post office or the market if the new apartments are in the middle of nowhere?”
Resident Wang Chin-luan (王金鑾) said her family has worked hard for decades to pay off the mortgage on the house where they are currently living.
“Now the [Greater Tainan] government wants us to buy a new apartment, which means I would have the burden of debts on new loans,” Wang said.
Tainan residents decry rail plans
Residents of Greater Tainan yesterday protested at the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in Taipei against an underground railway project they said would lead to the loss of about 400 households and called on the government re-evaluate the project’s environmental impact assessment (EIA).
On Tuesday afternoon the same group of people gathered in front of the offices of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) and later marched to the Presidential Office and the legislature.
During the half-day protest in Taipei, the group’s spokesperson, Chen Chih-hsiao (陳致曉), said the planning for the underground railway project had been going on for more than a decade and that the route was originally planned to be built underneath the current railway line.
However, the Executive Yuan approved a renewed plan in 2009 to move the project east, which meant taking 5.1 hectares of private land, Chen said, adding that the plan would result in the loss of about 400 households from the neighborhood.
The association said it doubts the ministry’s reasons, which include protecting the city’s historic railway station and cost reductions. Many residents suspect the change is so that the government can benefit by developing the land.
Chen said that some people believe the residents are only protesting because they were not offered the compensation they demanded.
“In fact, we never discussed monetary compensation — our only demand is to stop the project from moving eastwards,” Chen said
Chen said the railway project should be limited to its original plan to reduce the amount of land that is being expropriated and that the economic and emotional impacts on the local residents, as well as the impact the project will have on the environment, should also be taken into consideration.
The association said the land expropriation in the new project plan is unnecessary and lacks legitimacy because it is forcing residents to sacrifice their homes.
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