May 24, 25, 28 and 30 entries

The system crashed often recently. However, I didn't fail to keep writing.

May 24, 25, 28 and 30 entries:

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!Bg7HgvOYBRkzGeSay8m92M.mshBOd7IWAF4-/archive?l=a

大學指考英文作文必看：為什麼要寫主題句？ Why topic sentence?

寫英文作文時，每段的主題句是很重要的，最好第一句就是主題句，使讀者一目了然，知道這一段的主旨。不妨比較以下兩個小段落：

Thank you, Etta

Dear Etta,

Thank you for giving me this sentence in response to my blog entry about the crash of this blog service system:

"Whenever you make up your mind, let me assist you."

(see: http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!Bg7HgvOYBRkzGeSay8m92M.mshBOd7IWAF4-/article?mid=13&prev=14&next=12&l=a&fid=1&sc=1#yartcmt)

You've always been so supportive. Thanks a bunch!

A good time with Class 306

This evening, I attended Class 306's party with their homeroom teacher and math teacher. I enjoyed seeing the students having fun. Of course, we teachers had fun, too.

Though they didn't play any games, there was no moment without laughter. What's more, they came over to us teachers group by group to toast to us and express their gratitude. (They drank juice, not alcohol. So I believe they were completely sober.) I was quite moved. Though I taught them for only about 2 months, they treated me as if I had taught them for two years. Thank you, Class 306.

Max's blog entry about NTU

Max wrote in his blog about studying at NTU. If you are interested in what kind of people you'll meet at NTU, you might like to take a look at this entry.

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/mjjr/21463091

.

Thank you, Max. I was really surprised at the academic performance of Mr. Cheng. However, as you said in the last paragraph, academic performance is just part of life. In many aspects, human beings are really created equal.

Photos to download

Two students have asked me to email them some of the photos I took on water balloon war day. For those who want to download photos, I'd like to put the group photos here.

May 24 and 25 entries

My blog crashed again. The May 24 and 25 entries were kept in my another blog.

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!Bg7HgvOYBRkzGeSay8m92M.mshBOd7IWAF4-/archive?l=a

This is what "laugh to one's heart's content" mean

This is a photo taken before the water balloon war. In the photo, the students are laughing to their hearts' content.

2008 NHSH water ballooning -5

Students sitting listening to Po-en singing.

Students cleaning the playground together.

It's a pity that there is no photo of the water balloon war because I was "in war."

In fact, I didn't throw the water balloons at students; instead, I squeezed theballoons over their head to make them burst so that the water wet the students.

2008 NHSH Water Ballooning -4

Students waiting for the water balloon war.

Po-en singing.

2008 NHSH Water ballooning -3

Students showing their excitement before the water balloon war.

2008 NHSH water ballooning -2

Students before the water balloon war.

2008 NHSH Water ballooning--May 22, before the war

Students gathered for the water balloon war.

A website with a variety of articles

Those who want to read more can find something interesting to read at this website (Student Post).

http://www.studentpost.com.tw/commentary/default.asp

英文作文題目 composition topics

For those who'd like to write, here are some topics to write on:

composition topics.doc

分詞構句, plus如何解析英文句子

This is a handout on the participial clause.

分詞構句.doc

In fact, English is not as difficult as it appears. The most important part in a sentence is the verb. What comes before the verb, the so-called subject, is the topic of the sentence. And the part following the subject and beginning with the verb tells something about the topic. Thus, each sentence has only one verb, unless there is a conjuction to connect two clauses, each of which contains its own subject and verb, with the second subject sometimes deleted if it is the same as the first one. So if a simple sentence already has a verb, no other verbs are allowed. We use participles or infinitives.

By the way, to understand a sentence, the most important thing is to find the verb.

語氣助動詞 -2 English modal auxiliary verbs --from Wikipedia

If you are very interested in English modal auxiliary verbs, you can consult this webpage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_modal_auxiliary_verb

Students' common mistakes

The following are the questions for the translation part of the 3rd mock exam:

1. 因為現代人往往過著快步調的生活，所以時間的觀念再怎麼強調也不為過。

2. 換句話說，我們最好要善用時間並且養成守時的習慣。

To Miss Hung

Dear Miss Hung,

Well, if you want to know what's on the Mother Day's card, come to my office and you can read it.

In fact, you missed something more important. Your classmates said something good about you. When I told them how good your class was to turn off the lights right after the fourth class was dismissed in order to save electricity, they gave all the credit to you. They told me that it was you who always remembered to do it. Marvelous! You're going green.

語氣助動詞 Modal Verbs

A brief introduction to modal verbs:

32231-Modal Verbs.doc

Sentences made by students with modal verbs:

sentences made by 213 students for modals 2005.doc

sentence making 203 modals.doc

Mariah Carey singing "Hero"

Here is a video of Mariah Carey singing "Hero."

http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=PWlS8Oerx8o

Source: YouTube

It's a song we can get strength from, right, Classes 314 and 316?

 

Mother's Day Card from students

I received a hand-made heart-shaped Mother's Day card from Class 316. The words on it almost moved me to tears. I'm glad that at least they see something positive in me. BTW, they wrote in near perfect English.

An interesting lesson

In today's class, we discussed Unit 7 "Shopping for Souvenirs in Taiwan." Ben said it was an interesting lesson. Students like to read something which is very related to their life, something they are familiar with, something which is happening here and now.

Among the popular souvenirs sold in Taiwan which the writer suggested are name chops, traditional tea sets, delicate handheld fans, hand-paitned oil-paper umbrella, custom-made banners with Chinese calligraphy on them, CDs of Taiwan's roots music, bamboo products, waterproof hats and raincoats made of grass and bamboo fiber, and anything with Chinese characters on it, such a T-shirt. To my surprise, Taiwanese liquor and traditional Chinese-style clothing are described as improper things to give as souvenirs.

Compositions: Breakfast and I

The following are some compositions written recently by my students in Class 306.

Breakfast and I

1.

Every day before I go to school, my mom has prepared breakfast for me. She is a superb cook. She can always come up with innovative ideas in making breakfast so that I can have delicious food in the morning. Besides, I always enjoy having a good breakfast with my family. While savoring each bite, we chat about something happening around us and watch the latest news on TV.

Breakfast is really important for me. It can make me full of energy all the morning. Thus, I don't sleep in class. What's more, it can let me have a wonderful dream at night. Although I don't know why, it really happens to me. Having breakfast really has a great influence on me. (122 words)

Max's speech

Today Max came to talk to my classes. He talked to Classes 306 and 316 in the 1st session at Lecture Room I and to Class 314 in the 2nd session in their classroom. Without a doubt, he is an eloquent speaker. Not only my students but also I were deeply attracted to him. And he very generously put his PowerPoint on his blog. Here it is.

http://www.wretch.cc/blog/mjjr&article_id=21440842

Here I'd like to list some points in his speech that impressed me most:

假設語氣

This grammar unit can be found at our school's website.

http://english.nhsh.tp.edu.tw/p21-13.htm