Vocation
As people make more money, often they think that now is the time to enjoy themself more. Leisure becomes more important in their lives. As their psychological horizons expand beyond just earning an income, they also want to find out more about the world. So they want to travel. One problem, however, is that they don't really know where they want to go or what they want to do when they get there. So they blindly go somewhere, just brcause they think it is fashionable to do so. Often they take some package tour that offers them "10 countries in 7 days." That way, thay collect a lot of stamps in their passports and a lot of predictable photographs, but they don't have much fun or relaxation, and they don't really know very much about where they've been. A much better approach would be to decide where they really want to go, and why, and then plan far enough in advance in order to accomplish those goals. That way the vacation in both more enjoyable and more affordable.
--> psychological horizons = limites of consciousness or attitude.
--> blindly = without duidance or relevant information.
--> package = a plan or an offer made up of several items, each of which must be accepted.
--> affordable = not expensive.
Comprehension
1. Why has travel become more popular?
2. What mistake do people sometimes make?
3. What should they do to make the most of their vacation?
Express Yourself
1. How much paid vacation do you get each year?
2. Where do you most want to go?
3. In the summer, which place do you prefer-the mountains or the sea?
4. What do you think about visiting the seaside in winter?
5. Which do you think is the best season for a vacation?
6. For your vacation trip, will you drive or use public transportation such as trains or buses?
7. Would you say "yes" if your boss asked you to sacrifice your vacation? "Work comes first," doesn't it?
8. Name the countries you want to visit.
9. Are you willing to lose vacation time for better pay?
10. Describe your usual weekend.
--> make the most of = use to greatest advantage.
Opinion Samples
1. It seems to me that most people I know only think about taking a vacation in the summer. But that's a terrible season, since everyone else is rushing to all the same spots at the same time. So instead of a relaxing vacation, they spend their time stuck in traffic or on an overcrowded beach; service is stretched to the limit, and prices are inflated. So they go back home more tired than when they began, glad their time in hell is over and looking forward to going back to work! So I take my sabbatical in the winter. Even the seashore is very pleasant then, although it is too cold to swim or get a tan, because it is very quite. I can calmly reflect on my life, take my time doing what I really enjoy, and charge my batteries back up. So when I return to my job I'm able to work more effectively.
2. The ideal vacation for me is to make a trip alone. I think vacations should be a chance to reflect on myself and think about what I am doing and what I should do with my life. Only traveling alone makes this possible.
--> service is stretched to the limit = the ability to provide accommodation has reached the maximum capacity.
--> sabbatical = a year of release from normal teaching duties granted to a professor for research; a period of leave from one's work.
--> change one's batteries back up = reset or release in order to get back his or her energy.
Useful Expressions
1. My vacations are easy to plan - my boss tells me when, and my wife tells me where.
2. Most people could live with their income if they were as economical all year round as they are right after their vacations.
3. Nothing makes time pass faster than vacation and short-term loan.
4. Vacation is a system whereby people who are merely tired become exhausted.
5. Vacations are a little like love affairs - anticipated with relish, experienced with inconvenience, and remembered with nostalgia.
6. Summer vacations get kids tanned, mothers in pink, and fathers in red.
7. Don't tell the tired-looking person he needs a vacation - the chances are he just had one.
8. One of the common disruptions of marital bliss is the choice of where to spend a vacation. What this country needs is an ocean in the mountains.
9. You are getting old when you're on vacation and your energy runs out before your money does.
10. A vacation makes you feel good enough to return to work - and so poor you have to.
--> relish = great enjoyment; pleasure;zest
--> nostalgia = a desire for past; homesickness
--> in the pink = feeling fit
--> in the red = in debt
2011年9月19日
A Document from MySkylines, Express Yourself - Issue 04
Sleep
It is commonly believed that everybody should get at least eight hours of sleep a day. But a lot of people get by on less, thinking that sleeping is just a waste of thire time. Event some experts claim that it is the quality of sleep that counts rather than the quantity, and that we could live healthy lives with only three or four hours of good sleep. To them , "good sleep" is characterized by REM (Rapid-Eye Movement). It is during this phase of sleep that we dream.
Dream and their interpretation are other interesting phenomena associated with sleeping. Throughout history,seers have tried to use them as a guid to the future. Today, psychologists are apt to see them as the acting out of anxieties and fantasies we cannot express during our wakign hours. For Sigmund Freud, they were symbolic expressions of our sexual desires.
--> seers = a person who can force or foretell events.
--> acting out = performing , behaving as though in a real situation but not actually doing the action..
--> get by = I can't get by on such a small income.
Comprehension
1. How many hours of sleep do we need every day?
2. When do we dream?
3. What purposes do dreams serve in human culture?
Express Yourself
1. How many hours do you sleep?
2. Do you feel okay with three or four hours' sleep?
3. If your spouse were snoring, what would you do?
4. Do you need a alarm clock to get up in the morning?
5. Do you like to sleep in a bed or on the floor?
6. Do you think your dreams have any significant to tell you?
7. How often, and when, do you dream?
8. Do you try to interpret what your dream means?
9. Do you believe that you would be lucky if you saw a pig in your dream? If so, would you buy a lottery ticket?
10. Do you enjoy a nap during the day time?
11. Do you think sleep helps relieve your stress?
12. Do you think it's okay to work at night?
Opinion Samples
1. Whenever I have a dream I try to interpret it in a Freudian manners. Most of my dreams relate to my everyday life, so understanding them helps me know more about myself. Since Freud was a pioneering genius in the field of psychology, any interpretation based on his ideal must be accurate.
2. Three or four hours' sleep! Doing that might save time, but I don't think most people could operate very effectively that way. I have try to get by with less sleep, many times, but I always felt tired and irritable, and would have to take a nap at work just to get me through the day. So now I make it a rule to get at least six hours of sleep, no matter what, and most nights I get seven or eight. So these days I feel refreshed and energetic, and I get a lot more done.
--> in a Freudian manners = by Sigmund Freud's doctrines.
--> pionnering = being the earliest in a field or study, activity,etc.
--> make it a rule = always try.
Useful Expressions
1. When the alarm clock rings, the best part of the day is over.
2. If you want your dream to come true, don't oversleep.
3. Do you realize how many mistakes you'd make if you didn't sleep away a third of your day?
4. The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep.
5. If you sleep in a chair you have nothing to lose, but a nap at the wheel is often a permanent snooze.
6. Most of us spend a lifetime going to sleep when we're not sleepy, and getting up when we are.
7. If you want your life to listen to what you say, talk in your sleep.
8. A real surprise is when the college voy comes home and discovers people sleep at night rather than in the daytime.
9. It's extremely difficult for a babysitter to wake up five or ten minutes before the parents return home.
10. Boasting and sleeping are the forerunners of failure.
--> snooze = a light nap.
--> forerunner = a person or thing that comes or goes before as in time.
It is commonly believed that everybody should get at least eight hours of sleep a day. But a lot of people get by on less, thinking that sleeping is just a waste of thire time. Event some experts claim that it is the quality of sleep that counts rather than the quantity, and that we could live healthy lives with only three or four hours of good sleep. To them , "good sleep" is characterized by REM (Rapid-Eye Movement). It is during this phase of sleep that we dream.
Dream and their interpretation are other interesting phenomena associated with sleeping. Throughout history,seers have tried to use them as a guid to the future. Today, psychologists are apt to see them as the acting out of anxieties and fantasies we cannot express during our wakign hours. For Sigmund Freud, they were symbolic expressions of our sexual desires.
--> seers = a person who can force or foretell events.
--> acting out = performing , behaving as though in a real situation but not actually doing the action..
--> get by = I can't get by on such a small income.
Comprehension
1. How many hours of sleep do we need every day?
2. When do we dream?
3. What purposes do dreams serve in human culture?
Express Yourself
1. How many hours do you sleep?
2. Do you feel okay with three or four hours' sleep?
3. If your spouse were snoring, what would you do?
4. Do you need a alarm clock to get up in the morning?
5. Do you like to sleep in a bed or on the floor?
6. Do you think your dreams have any significant to tell you?
7. How often, and when, do you dream?
8. Do you try to interpret what your dream means?
9. Do you believe that you would be lucky if you saw a pig in your dream? If so, would you buy a lottery ticket?
10. Do you enjoy a nap during the day time?
11. Do you think sleep helps relieve your stress?
12. Do you think it's okay to work at night?
Opinion Samples
1. Whenever I have a dream I try to interpret it in a Freudian manners. Most of my dreams relate to my everyday life, so understanding them helps me know more about myself. Since Freud was a pioneering genius in the field of psychology, any interpretation based on his ideal must be accurate.
2. Three or four hours' sleep! Doing that might save time, but I don't think most people could operate very effectively that way. I have try to get by with less sleep, many times, but I always felt tired and irritable, and would have to take a nap at work just to get me through the day. So now I make it a rule to get at least six hours of sleep, no matter what, and most nights I get seven or eight. So these days I feel refreshed and energetic, and I get a lot more done.
--> in a Freudian manners = by Sigmund Freud's doctrines.
--> pionnering = being the earliest in a field or study, activity,etc.
--> make it a rule = always try.
Useful Expressions
1. When the alarm clock rings, the best part of the day is over.
2. If you want your dream to come true, don't oversleep.
3. Do you realize how many mistakes you'd make if you didn't sleep away a third of your day?
4. The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night's sleep.
5. If you sleep in a chair you have nothing to lose, but a nap at the wheel is often a permanent snooze.
6. Most of us spend a lifetime going to sleep when we're not sleepy, and getting up when we are.
7. If you want your life to listen to what you say, talk in your sleep.
8. A real surprise is when the college voy comes home and discovers people sleep at night rather than in the daytime.
9. It's extremely difficult for a babysitter to wake up five or ten minutes before the parents return home.
10. Boasting and sleeping are the forerunners of failure.
--> snooze = a light nap.
--> forerunner = a person or thing that comes or goes before as in time.
2011年8月9日
A Document from MySkylines, Express Yourself - Issue 03
Meals
Eating is supposed to be one of the most pleasant things in life. Sometimes we are not sure if we eat to live or live to eat. However, these days, many people are being deprived of regular meals. Some folks claim they are too busy to take the time, or they skip a meal they are dieting. The meal that is most often missed is breakfast, so the eater or fixer can stay in bed longer, even though health experts usually insist this is the most important meal of all. In some cases, this phenomenon is because wives are working outside the home, in others because husbands do not insist on breakfast. More convenient Western ideal about breakfast are becoming popular: eggs, cereal, coffee.
Later in the day, lunches are also becoming more problematic, especially for salaried workers. The variety and quality of food seem to be declining, even as the restaurant themselves become crowded and expensive. After work, it is usually an informal meal and drinks, so a family meal at home is out the question for a lot of male workers.
--> deprive = take something from someone, especially somrthing thet need or want
--> out of the question = impossible
--> out of question = possible
Comprehension
1. Which meal is considered the easiest to skip? Breakfast.
2. How many reasons are given for not eating? Some people are too busy to eat breakfast. Some skip a meal because they are dieting. The restaurant themselves become crowded and expensive. There are more and more male workers.
3. What does a Western breakfast consist of? It consist of eggs,cereals and coffee.
Express yourself
1. Do you uasually have breakfast? Yes, I almost eat breakfast every day except I am drunk or too tired.
2. Who prepares breakfast for you in family? My wife prepares for me or I go to breakfast shop to buy my breakfast then I finish it at office.
3. What do you think about having a modest Western-style breakfast? Sometimes eat Western-style breakfast is not bed ideal and choice, but traditional China-style breakfast also is a good choice.
4. What do you uasually eat for lunch? I usually eat food with less oil and salt, and I also eat much vegetable or fruit. Of course I also eat delicious food but not not very healthy such as Ramen (Japan noodles), fried pork with rice.
5. What do you most look for in a lunch outside the home? Recently I love Ramen.
6. What do you think about carrying a lunch box to work? I think it's a very good ideal becaus it made by your fmailly, it would be healthy and rich in nutrients.
7. What is your favorit dessert? I like chocolate Brownie cakes.8. Do you usually volunteer to pay for your fellow worker's lunches?
9. What do you think about Dutch treat?
10. Do you think it's a good ideal to take a nap after lunch?
11. Do you think one hour is enough time for lunch?
12. What is your favorit food?
13. Do you like Western food? If so, which?
14. Do you drink coffee after a meal?
15. How many cups of coffee do you drink a day?
16. Do you try to maintain a balanced diet?
17. Do you usually buy fruit in a department store, or in the market?
18. Are you worried about pesticides when you eat fruit?
19. Do you peel your apples? In the past, I will peel the apples before I eat them, but now I do not peel them anymore sicne I found a natural detergent for fruits and vegetables.
Opinion Samples
1. For too long we have thought that common courtesy demands that one person pay for everyone's meals. Oftentimes this leads to an embarrassing struggle over who will pay. Of course, each person is expected to take turns, but the order is not always clear and this may lead to resentment by the others. Meal costs are also constantly rising, so paying for multiple meals at one time is often inconvenient. We could save ourselves a lot of trouble if we would agree to go Dutch--each pays for his own meal.
2. I'm very concerned about getting poisoned by what I eat. I can never be sure if any fruit is pesticide-free, even after I wash it. So I try to peel it before I eat it. As a result, I shy away from some of my favorit food, like strawberries. My health is more important than my palate.
--> take turns = succeed one another in order
--> resentment = a feeling of displeasure or anger because of an insult or other wrong
--> shy away from = drawback; hesitate to do
--> palate = the sense of taste
Usefull Expressions
1. Don't argue at the dinner table. The one who is not hungry always wins the argument.
2. Children who are reared in homes of poverty have only two mealtime choices - take it or leave it.
3. Exercise doesn't make you nearly as hungry as thinking does - especially thinking about food.
4. The best exercise is to exercise discretion at dinner table.
5. More and more food is coming canned or prepackaged - including food for thought.
6. There is a new diet that will reduce weight like nothing else. It's called high price of food.
7. Most kids think a balanced diet is a hamburger in each hand.
8. Eating plenty of onions and garlic will help you live longer, claim dietary authorities - but you will die very lonely.
9. Table manners must have invented by people who were never hungry.
10. Many people seem to be allergic to food for thought.
--> take it or leave it = accept or refuse without changes or conditions
--> discretion = caution or self-control in one's speech or behavior.
--> food for thought (idioms&phrase)= An ideal or issue to ponder
Eating is supposed to be one of the most pleasant things in life. Sometimes we are not sure if we eat to live or live to eat. However, these days, many people are being deprived of regular meals. Some folks claim they are too busy to take the time, or they skip a meal they are dieting. The meal that is most often missed is breakfast, so the eater or fixer can stay in bed longer, even though health experts usually insist this is the most important meal of all. In some cases, this phenomenon is because wives are working outside the home, in others because husbands do not insist on breakfast. More convenient Western ideal about breakfast are becoming popular: eggs, cereal, coffee.
Later in the day, lunches are also becoming more problematic, especially for salaried workers. The variety and quality of food seem to be declining, even as the restaurant themselves become crowded and expensive. After work, it is usually an informal meal and drinks, so a family meal at home is out the question for a lot of male workers.
--> deprive = take something from someone, especially somrthing thet need or want
--> out of the question = impossible
--> out of question = possible
Comprehension
1. Which meal is considered the easiest to skip? Breakfast.
2. How many reasons are given for not eating? Some people are too busy to eat breakfast. Some skip a meal because they are dieting. The restaurant themselves become crowded and expensive. There are more and more male workers.
3. What does a Western breakfast consist of? It consist of eggs,cereals and coffee.
Express yourself
1. Do you uasually have breakfast? Yes, I almost eat breakfast every day except I am drunk or too tired.
2. Who prepares breakfast for you in family? My wife prepares for me or I go to breakfast shop to buy my breakfast then I finish it at office.
3. What do you think about having a modest Western-style breakfast? Sometimes eat Western-style breakfast is not bed ideal and choice, but traditional China-style breakfast also is a good choice.
4. What do you uasually eat for lunch? I usually eat food with less oil and salt, and I also eat much vegetable or fruit. Of course I also eat delicious food but not not very healthy such as Ramen (Japan noodles), fried pork with rice.
5. What do you most look for in a lunch outside the home? Recently I love Ramen.
6. What do you think about carrying a lunch box to work? I think it's a very good ideal becaus it made by your fmailly, it would be healthy and rich in nutrients.
7. What is your favorit dessert? I like chocolate Brownie cakes.8. Do you usually volunteer to pay for your fellow worker's lunches?
9. What do you think about Dutch treat?
10. Do you think it's a good ideal to take a nap after lunch?
11. Do you think one hour is enough time for lunch?
12. What is your favorit food?
13. Do you like Western food? If so, which?
14. Do you drink coffee after a meal?
15. How many cups of coffee do you drink a day?
16. Do you try to maintain a balanced diet?
17. Do you usually buy fruit in a department store, or in the market?
18. Are you worried about pesticides when you eat fruit?
19. Do you peel your apples? In the past, I will peel the apples before I eat them, but now I do not peel them anymore sicne I found a natural detergent for fruits and vegetables.
Opinion Samples
1. For too long we have thought that common courtesy demands that one person pay for everyone's meals. Oftentimes this leads to an embarrassing struggle over who will pay. Of course, each person is expected to take turns, but the order is not always clear and this may lead to resentment by the others. Meal costs are also constantly rising, so paying for multiple meals at one time is often inconvenient. We could save ourselves a lot of trouble if we would agree to go Dutch--each pays for his own meal.
2. I'm very concerned about getting poisoned by what I eat. I can never be sure if any fruit is pesticide-free, even after I wash it. So I try to peel it before I eat it. As a result, I shy away from some of my favorit food, like strawberries. My health is more important than my palate.
--> take turns = succeed one another in order
--> resentment = a feeling of displeasure or anger because of an insult or other wrong
--> shy away from = drawback; hesitate to do
--> palate = the sense of taste
Usefull Expressions
1. Don't argue at the dinner table. The one who is not hungry always wins the argument.
2. Children who are reared in homes of poverty have only two mealtime choices - take it or leave it.
3. Exercise doesn't make you nearly as hungry as thinking does - especially thinking about food.
4. The best exercise is to exercise discretion at dinner table.
5. More and more food is coming canned or prepackaged - including food for thought.
6. There is a new diet that will reduce weight like nothing else. It's called high price of food.
7. Most kids think a balanced diet is a hamburger in each hand.
8. Eating plenty of onions and garlic will help you live longer, claim dietary authorities - but you will die very lonely.
9. Table manners must have invented by people who were never hungry.
10. Many people seem to be allergic to food for thought.
--> take it or leave it = accept or refuse without changes or conditions
--> discretion = caution or self-control in one's speech or behavior.
--> food for thought (idioms&phrase)= An ideal or issue to ponder
2011年8月7日
A Document from MySkylines, Express Yourself - Issue 02
Traffic & Transportation
In modern societies, cars have become indispensable for most people. They are needed for commuting to work,for shopping, and for leisure purpose. However this widespread use also poses many traffic-related problems. For example, since the roads are congested most of the day, the meaning of "rush hour" is fast disappearing. A lot of drivers complaimed that the police are more interested in "collecting money" from law-breaking commuters than in facilitating the traffic flow. In addition,as more and more "demand presure" is put on gasoline supplies, and as more taxes are added by goverment to regulate usage, prices are rising dramatically.
Worldwide, the automobile is the number-one constributor to the air pollution, and policies designed to protect the environment are expensive. So far, mass transportation such as subway and buses - and electric or other alternatives to internal combustion engines - have proved inadequate for solving the needs of conveniently moving large numbers of people from place to place.
--> congested : to full or crowded because of too many people or vehicles.
--> rush hour : a period of heavy traffic
--> commuter : a person who travels regularly between a home in one community and work or school in another.
--> alternatives : choices, more possibilities from which to choose
--> internal combustion engines : engines which produce energy by burning fuet within themself.
--> inadequate : not adequate : insufficient <inadequate equipment>; also : not capable <was inadequate as a leader>
Comprehension
1. What does "rush hour" mean and why is the expression becoming meaningless?
2. Explain "demand pressure."
3. Why haven't the problem associated with automobile usage been corrected?
Express yourself
1. If you were late for a appointment, would you violate the traffic rules?
2. What traffic rules do you often break?
3. If you were stopped by a police officer for a traffice violation, what do you do?
4. Have you ever tried to bribe a police officer?
5. How do you feel when you get a ticket?
6. if you knew you were only going to be someplace for 10 minutes, would you pay for half an hour of parking or just park illegally?
7. When do you take the subway?
8. When do you take a taxi?
9. When do you talke a bus?
--> associated : connected.
--> bribe : pay money to in change of a faver, especially by doing something dishonest.
Opinion Samples
Yesterday I got my first traffic ticket. I was so angry that I drove away recklessly. Even though I knew this was dangerous behavior, I couldn't help myself. But after nearly(almost) causing an accident, I stopped my car, drank a coffee, and relaxed for a few minutes. I realized that my bad driving was the reason I had the ticket in the first place(first of all), and this helped calm me down. Then I was able to drive the way I know I should.
When I got downtown I never drived. For one thing, it is very dangerous. The roads are crowded with cars all the time, and an accident or some road construction cause me to be delayed an hour or more. So driving never guarantee on-time arrival for appointment. And gas and parking are both expensive. On the other hand, the subway is safe, cheap, and timely.
--> traffic ticket : a notice given to a driver for a traffic violation
--> reckless : lacking care or caution ; careless
Useful Expressions
1. Fewer accidents are caused by traffic jams than by pickled drivers.
2. Traffic tickets are like wives. No one complains about them until he gets one of his own.
3. The way traffic is today, it's easier to star on Broadway than it is to cross it.
4. Fast transportation has made us all neighbor-but, unfortunately, not brothers.
5. People seem to have thought up every solution to the traffic problem except staying at home.
6. Doctors tell us that people are living too fast. Traffic statistics show they are dying the same way.
7. A traffic light is a device for trapping you in the middle of the intersection.
In modern societies, cars have become indispensable for most people. They are needed for commuting to work,for shopping, and for leisure purpose. However this widespread use also poses many traffic-related problems. For example, since the roads are congested most of the day, the meaning of "rush hour" is fast disappearing. A lot of drivers complaimed that the police are more interested in "collecting money" from law-breaking commuters than in facilitating the traffic flow. In addition,as more and more "demand presure" is put on gasoline supplies, and as more taxes are added by goverment to regulate usage, prices are rising dramatically.
Worldwide, the automobile is the number-one constributor to the air pollution, and policies designed to protect the environment are expensive. So far, mass transportation such as subway and buses - and electric or other alternatives to internal combustion engines - have proved inadequate for solving the needs of conveniently moving large numbers of people from place to place.
--> congested : to full or crowded because of too many people or vehicles.
--> rush hour : a period of heavy traffic
--> commuter : a person who travels regularly between a home in one community and work or school in another.
--> alternatives : choices, more possibilities from which to choose
--> internal combustion engines : engines which produce energy by burning fuet within themself.
--> inadequate : not adequate : insufficient <inadequate equipment>; also : not capable <was inadequate as a leader>
Comprehension
1. What does "rush hour" mean and why is the expression becoming meaningless?
2. Explain "demand pressure."
3. Why haven't the problem associated with automobile usage been corrected?
Express yourself
1. If you were late for a appointment, would you violate the traffic rules?
2. What traffic rules do you often break?
3. If you were stopped by a police officer for a traffice violation, what do you do?
4. Have you ever tried to bribe a police officer?
5. How do you feel when you get a ticket?
6. if you knew you were only going to be someplace for 10 minutes, would you pay for half an hour of parking or just park illegally?
7. When do you take the subway?
8. When do you take a taxi?
9. When do you talke a bus?
--> associated : connected.
--> bribe : pay money to in change of a faver, especially by doing something dishonest.
Opinion Samples
Yesterday I got my first traffic ticket. I was so angry that I drove away recklessly. Even though I knew this was dangerous behavior, I couldn't help myself. But after nearly(almost) causing an accident, I stopped my car, drank a coffee, and relaxed for a few minutes. I realized that my bad driving was the reason I had the ticket in the first place(first of all), and this helped calm me down. Then I was able to drive the way I know I should.
When I got downtown I never drived. For one thing, it is very dangerous. The roads are crowded with cars all the time, and an accident or some road construction cause me to be delayed an hour or more. So driving never guarantee on-time arrival for appointment. And gas and parking are both expensive. On the other hand, the subway is safe, cheap, and timely.
--> traffic ticket : a notice given to a driver for a traffic violation
--> reckless : lacking care or caution ; careless
Useful Expressions
1. Fewer accidents are caused by traffic jams than by pickled drivers.
2. Traffic tickets are like wives. No one complains about them until he gets one of his own.
3. The way traffic is today, it's easier to star on Broadway than it is to cross it.
4. Fast transportation has made us all neighbor-but, unfortunately, not brothers.
5. People seem to have thought up every solution to the traffic problem except staying at home.
6. Doctors tell us that people are living too fast. Traffic statistics show they are dying the same way.
7. A traffic light is a device for trapping you in the middle of the intersection.
2011年5月11日
English conversation class notes 20110511
Section one:
Key words:
jury 陪審團 (a body of persons, usually twelve in number, summoned by law and sworn to hear a case in court and render a verdict)
sentense 判決 (The sentence was ten years in prison.)
jail 監獄 (short term sentence)
prison 監獄 (serious crimes , for example, murder)
rape 強暴
shoplift 冒充顧客在商店內偷竊(商品)
manslaughter 過失殺人
mercy killing 安樂死
euthanasia 安樂死
assault 侵犯人身,攻擊
juvenile 青少年
delinquent 青少年罪犯
parole 假釋
probation 緩刑,試用期
Expample sentence:
community service ==> 10 hours of community service
A 5-year suspended sentence.
A 3-year sentence with a chance of parole in 1 year.
A 2-year susoended and 120 hours of community service.
Section two:
Key words:
marijuana 大麻 (pot,grass,mary jane,weed) ==> smoke a joint
ecstasy 搖頭丸
heroin 海洛因
cocaine 古柯鹼
crack
zombie 殭屍
addicted = hooked 上癮的
prescription drugs 處方簽用藥
reformed addict
Key words:
jury 陪審團 (a body of persons, usually twelve in number, summoned by law and sworn to hear a case in court and render a verdict)
sentense 判決 (The sentence was ten years in prison.)
jail 監獄 (short term sentence)
prison 監獄 (serious crimes , for example, murder)
rape 強暴
shoplift 冒充顧客在商店內偷竊(商品)
manslaughter 過失殺人
mercy killing 安樂死
euthanasia 安樂死
assault 侵犯人身,攻擊
juvenile 青少年
delinquent 青少年罪犯
parole 假釋
probation 緩刑,試用期
Expample sentence:
community service ==> 10 hours of community service
A 5-year suspended sentence.
A 3-year sentence with a chance of parole in 1 year.
A 2-year susoended and 120 hours of community service.
Section two:
Key words:
marijuana 大麻 (pot,grass,mary jane,weed) ==> smoke a joint
ecstasy 搖頭丸
heroin 海洛因
cocaine 古柯鹼
crack
zombie 殭屍
addicted = hooked 上癮的
prescription drugs 處方簽用藥
reformed addict
2011年3月21日
12 Ways to Jumpstart Your Life
12 Ways to Jumpstart Your Life
(Download from Dumb Little Man - 12 Ways to Jumpstart Your Life - by Dumb Little Man)
Sometimes we get a little stuck in life -- we set New Year's resolutions[a1] and they peter out[a2] after a month, we want to exercise but can never get our butts in gear[a3] , we want to make positive changes but don't have the time or energy.
If that describes you in any way, don't worry: you're not alone. Not even close[a4] .
In fact, I would say it describes most of us. We're often too tired from a day of chaos[a5] or drudgery[a6] to do everything we want to do. We're often overwhelmed[a7] by all the things on our to-do list or in our in-box. We're swamped[a8] , and exhausted, and can't seem to find traction[a9] .
That's OK. You can get your life in gear, with a little jump start. The four key things are to 1) not beat yourself up about any of your failures or frustrations, 2) begin thinking positive, and know that you can actually change your life, 3) begin to take action, however small, and 4) build on your small successes.
Here are 12 things you can do today to jumpstart your life:
Sometimes we get a little stuck in life -- we set New Year's resolutions[a1] and they peter out[a2] after a month, we want to exercise but can never get our butts in gear[a3] , we want to make positive changes but don't have the time or energy.
If that describes you in any way, don't worry: you're not alone. Not even close[a4] .
In fact, I would say it describes most of us. We're often too tired from a day of chaos[a5] or drudgery[a6] to do everything we want to do. We're often overwhelmed[a7] by all the things on our to-do list or in our in-box. We're swamped[a8] , and exhausted, and can't seem to find traction[a9] .
That's OK. You can get your life in gear, with a little jump start. The four key things are to 1) not beat yourself up about any of your failures or frustrations, 2) begin thinking positive, and know that you can actually change your life, 3) begin to take action, however small, and 4) build on your small successes.
Here are 12 things you can do today to jumpstart your life:
1. Take a break.
If your life is chaotic[a10] , take a day off. You need it. But don't spend that day zoned out in front of the TV -- instead, set that day off for rethinking your life, reviewing what you do every day, revisiting your goals, and revamping[a11] how you do things. Take a sick day or personal leave, and plan a mini-retreat[a12] . On your day off, shower, get dressed, and get out of the house. Go to a place where you can have some quiet -- a park, a coffee shop, a library, a museum. Bring a notebook and pen. Don't connect to the Internet, or you may end up doing nothing all day. Now, make a list of all the commitments in your life, all your relationships, all the things you do each week -- this is your analyzing section. Make a list of goals you'd like to accomplish, etc. Begin the process of revising your life. You need to take a step back[a13] in order to see the way forward.
If your life is chaotic[a10] , take a day off. You need it. But don't spend that day zoned out in front of the TV -- instead, set that day off for rethinking your life, reviewing what you do every day, revisiting your goals, and revamping[a11] how you do things. Take a sick day or personal leave, and plan a mini-retreat[a12] . On your day off, shower, get dressed, and get out of the house. Go to a place where you can have some quiet -- a park, a coffee shop, a library, a museum. Bring a notebook and pen. Don't connect to the Internet, or you may end up doing nothing all day. Now, make a list of all the commitments in your life, all your relationships, all the things you do each week -- this is your analyzing section. Make a list of goals you'd like to accomplish, etc. Begin the process of revising your life. You need to take a step back[a13] in order to see the way forward.
2. Create a personal mantra[a14] .
I'm a fan of Guy Kawasaki's approach -- he advocates[a15] creating a mantra instead of a mission statement. Do that for your life: a simple statement of a couple words that you can repeat, post up on your wall, tattoo on your bicep, that will remind you what you are about and what you're trying to do. This should encapsulate what you want to accomplish in life. If it's more than 2-4 words, simplify and shorten.
I'm a fan of Guy Kawasaki's approach -- he advocates[a15] creating a mantra instead of a mission statement. Do that for your life: a simple statement of a couple words that you can repeat, post up on your wall, tattoo on your bicep, that will remind you what you are about and what you're trying to do. This should encapsulate what you want to accomplish in life. If it's more than 2-4 words, simplify and shorten.
3. Set one goal for this year.
This is a tough one, because we often have tons of goals we'd like to accomplish. I'm sure you could come up with 10 right now. But I can tell you from experience that 10 is too many, and if you try to do all of them, you will never get them done. The key to accomplishing a goal is to have laser-sharp focus, and you can't do that with more than one goal at a time. In the end, you have no focus at all. The solution: choose just one longer-term goal to accomplish this year. Then, take a task that will move the goal forward that you can accomplish this week (or within the next couple of weeks). Make that one task your complete focus. When it's done, choose a second short-term goal to focus on, and so on, until your yearly goal is accomplished. Repeat indefinitely.
This is a tough one, because we often have tons of goals we'd like to accomplish. I'm sure you could come up with 10 right now. But I can tell you from experience that 10 is too many, and if you try to do all of them, you will never get them done. The key to accomplishing a goal is to have laser-sharp focus, and you can't do that with more than one goal at a time. In the end, you have no focus at all. The solution: choose just one longer-term goal to accomplish this year. Then, take a task that will move the goal forward that you can accomplish this week (or within the next couple of weeks). Make that one task your complete focus. When it's done, choose a second short-term goal to focus on, and so on, until your yearly goal is accomplished. Repeat indefinitely.
4. Identify the essentials[a16] .
What things, commitments, people, activities are essential in your life? Make a list, and eliminate[a17] the things that are not incredibly essential. These should be the most important things in your life -- the things you would want around if nothing else were there. The things you'd like to spend more time doing if you could.
What things, commitments, people, activities are essential in your life? Make a list, and eliminate[a17] the things that are not incredibly essential. These should be the most important things in your life -- the things you would want around if nothing else were there. The things you'd like to spend more time doing if you could.
5. Eliminate the rest.
Now identify everything else in your life that doesn't make your short list. And begin to eliminate them as much as possible. Are you stuck doing something you don't like doing? Get out of it, because it's stopping you from spending time on what's important. Some things may be very difficult to eliminate, but trust me -- it's possible. You control your life. You can change it.
Now identify everything else in your life that doesn't make your short list. And begin to eliminate them as much as possible. Are you stuck doing something you don't like doing? Get out of it, because it's stopping you from spending time on what's important. Some things may be very difficult to eliminate, but trust me -- it's possible. You control your life. You can change it.
6. Start small.
The mistake a lot of people make when trying to change their lives is being too ambitious[a18] . I know -- I've been there many times. We think we can do more than we actually can. Instead, start with a really easy and small goal. Something you know you will accomplish. And then achieve it. For example, if you want to get into shape, instead of trying to work out an hour a day, try just 10-15 minutes for the first week. That might sound too easy, but it's best to start small. Then, when you're successful, you can build upon that feeling of success to get more successes. Take baby steps, and you'll get there.
The mistake a lot of people make when trying to change their lives is being too ambitious[a18] . I know -- I've been there many times. We think we can do more than we actually can. Instead, start with a really easy and small goal. Something you know you will accomplish. And then achieve it. For example, if you want to get into shape, instead of trying to work out an hour a day, try just 10-15 minutes for the first week. That might sound too easy, but it's best to start small. Then, when you're successful, you can build upon that feeling of success to get more successes. Take baby steps, and you'll get there.
7. Make a commitment.
The problem often is that we only tell ourselves, or maybe one other person, that we're going to do something. That's no commitment at all, and we are not accountable[a19] to anyone but ourselves. Well, I'm here to tell you that being accountable to ourselves is very difficult -- because we tend to get lax and let ourselves off the hook[a20] -- and then feel guilty about it afterward. Instead, commit yourself big -- tell the world about it. Join an online forum, or send an email to everyone you know, or put it on your blog. Announce your goal (and again, make sure it's achievable or you might fail) and then report in regularly, so you are accountable. Be sure to tell people to ask you about it, so you can't get away with not doing it.
The problem often is that we only tell ourselves, or maybe one other person, that we're going to do something. That's no commitment at all, and we are not accountable[a19] to anyone but ourselves. Well, I'm here to tell you that being accountable to ourselves is very difficult -- because we tend to get lax and let ourselves off the hook[a20] -- and then feel guilty about it afterward. Instead, commit yourself big -- tell the world about it. Join an online forum, or send an email to everyone you know, or put it on your blog. Announce your goal (and again, make sure it's achievable or you might fail) and then report in regularly, so you are accountable. Be sure to tell people to ask you about it, so you can't get away with not doing it.
8. Find inspiration[a21] .
One of the best ways to start positive life changes is to find someone else who's doing it or has done it. You can find great inspiration in people on the Internet, on forums or blogs, in books, in your daily life. Read about them, talk to them if you can, and emulate them. Inspiration can take you a long way.
One of the best ways to start positive life changes is to find someone else who's doing it or has done it. You can find great inspiration in people on the Internet, on forums or blogs, in books, in your daily life. Read about them, talk to them if you can, and emulate them. Inspiration can take you a long way.
9. Try exercise.
Often getting ourselves active can be a great way to get us doing things in other parts of our lives. It makes us feel good, alive, active, productive. It releases stress and gives us time to think. We start to become more fit and confident and happier. To start exercise, again, start small. Try to do a little every day, even if it's just for 10 minutes. If you can do it every day, you will have a habit, and it will lead to better and greater things.
Often getting ourselves active can be a great way to get us doing things in other parts of our lives. It makes us feel good, alive, active, productive. It releases stress and gives us time to think. We start to become more fit and confident and happier. To start exercise, again, start small. Try to do a little every day, even if it's just for 10 minutes. If you can do it every day, you will have a habit, and it will lead to better and greater things.
10. Think positive.
This was perhaps the most important change I made, and it led to many other positive changes -- exercise, eating healthy, organization, productivity, waking early, getting my finances in order. But it all started with learning to think positive. I squash[a22] negative thoughts like a bug, and replace them with positive thoughts. It's trite, I know, but it really works.
This was perhaps the most important change I made, and it led to many other positive changes -- exercise, eating healthy, organization, productivity, waking early, getting my finances in order. But it all started with learning to think positive. I squash[a22] negative thoughts like a bug, and replace them with positive thoughts. It's trite, I know, but it really works.
11. Do it now.
We often tell ourselves that we're going to do something -- but not today. We're going to start exercising, or getting organized -- but not right now. Well, it's now or never. Start changing your life today, even if it's just something small. If you don't start now, you'll keep putting it off. And then get into[a23] the habit of telling yourself, "Do it now!" And then do it now -- whether it's something you've been putting off[a24] , or something you really need to do, just do it now.
We often tell ourselves that we're going to do something -- but not today. We're going to start exercising, or getting organized -- but not right now. Well, it's now or never. Start changing your life today, even if it's just something small. If you don't start now, you'll keep putting it off. And then get into[a23] the habit of telling yourself, "Do it now!" And then do it now -- whether it's something you've been putting off[a24] , or something you really need to do, just do it now.
12. Make time[a25] for yourself.
One of the most important things you can do to start changing your life is to make a regular time that you spend with yourself. An hour a day is ideal. This could be time when you exercise, or read, or meditate[a26] , or write, or just take a quiet walk through nature. Whatever you do, spend it on yourself. Use part of this time to think about your life, and your single goal for this year, and all the progress you've made so far. Celebrate your successes, and learn from your failures.
One of the most important things you can do to start changing your life is to make a regular time that you spend with yourself. An hour a day is ideal. This could be time when you exercise, or read, or meditate[a26] , or write, or just take a quiet walk through nature. Whatever you do, spend it on yourself. Use part of this time to think about your life, and your single goal for this year, and all the progress you've made so far. Celebrate your successes, and learn from your failures.
訂閱：
文章 (Atom)