A Class Conducted by Keyboard

Because of my sore throat, I didn't talk in school today. How did I teach? Well, I taught both Class 314 and Class 309 by keyboard.

Make the Language Part of Your Life--看NHK、日劇 她高一獲日檢最高級

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=309787

看NHK、日劇 她高一獲日檢最高級

【聯合報╱記者劉星君／屏東報導】 2011/03/30

A Letter to the Minister of Education from a High School Student

The following is a letter to the Minister of Education written by a student in Class 309. She was assigned to write on this topic last Thursday and did a very good job. Really loving some points she mentioned, I encouraged her to send it to our Minister of Education.

Writing task: 對於台灣的教育，身為青少年的你，一定有許多體會和想法。請以A Letter to the Minister of Education為題，提出你的建言，讓教育更貼切學生的需求。

A Joke from RD

Here is a joke I read yesterday in the February issue of Reader's Digest, American edition (p.94):

Welcome, New Partners!

Expose Yourself to as Much English as Possible

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=309281

一中黃昶瑋 多益考滿分 國文有點菜

【聯合報╱記者喻文玟╱台中報導】2011/03/27

Interesting and Lovely New Entries in OED

http://udn.com/NEWS/WORLD/WOR4/6235647.shtml

心形符號 牛津辭典列英語單字

【聯合報╱編譯組／報導】

2011.03.26 02:11 am

Lead-in Activity for Unit 7 "The Era for Lohas"

Yesterday and today, I started Unit 7 in Classes 309 and 314 respectively. First I asked them to read the title of the unit and wrote it on the blackboard. When asked if they knew this term, they said "Yes" and gave me the Chinese equivalent--樂活. Then I asked them to guess what the acronym stands for. A class guessed it was "Lifestyle of Happy Attitude Style," which is quite close to the Chinese term, and the other class said it was "Life on Health and Sustainability." I was amazed that Vicky knew the word "sustainability."

Tips on Interview--面試黃金守則 走趟學校探「敵情」

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=308774

面試黃金守則 走趟學校探「敵情」

【聯合晚報╱記者王彩鸝╱台北報導】2011/03/24

Tips on Interview--面試黃金守則 走趟學校探「敵情」

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=308774

面試黃金守則 走趟學校探「敵情」

【聯合晚報╱記者王彩鸝╱台北報導】2011/03/24

"-tant" or "-tent"?

On the first mid-term, many students misspelled the word "persistent." Instead of "ent," they ended the word with "ant."

The following is a chart listing adjectives ending with "tant" and "tent." Can you figure out the rules?

When Nature is In Fury...--Cover Story of TIME

This is the cover of the latest issue of TIME. When nature is in fury, human beings are humbled.

Visit the webpage and read the cover story.

Three Things These Celebrities Would Bring with Them If a Disaster Happens--災難一剎那，余光中、陳菊等名人帶什麼走？

http://mag.udn.com/mag/life/storypage.jsp?f_MAIN_ID=210&f_SUB_ID=1788&f_ART_ID=307865

災難一剎那，余光中、陳菊等名人帶什麼走？

【元氣周報／蔡菁怡、王筱君、王汝聰／整理】2011/03/21

College Application Interview

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=307870

推甄面試大忌：資料制式、亂辯論

【聯合報╱記者陳智華／台北報導】2011/03/20

This Year's SAT Chinese and English Writing Samples

The CEEC posted this year's good SAT writing pieces by the examinees, ten for Chinese and English respectively, with some comments for each piece. Click the URL and you can read them.  These essays can serve as a benchmark of what good writing is like. 

The Song "Heal the World"

Yesterday I taught Class 309 the song "Heal the World," which was written by Michael Jackson. The lyrics hold so much meaning that I didn't need to say much. It is a song to promote world peace and brotherhood. A very beautiful song, a little calmer than "We Are the World." Both are among my favorite songs.

Here I posted a different video from what I showed to the students yesterday because there is only one mistake in the lyrics in this one. The phrase in the middle of the song "crucify it's soul" should be "crucify its soul."

I also taught my special student the song. Asked which he liked better, "Heal the World" or "We are the World," a song we sang last semester, he said both.

You may like to print out the handout.

Keys to Far East Vocabulary Exercises

The following are the keys to Far East vocabulary exercises.

FE Vocab Level 5 key.doc

FE Vocab Level 6 key.doc

Earthquake Kit--地震時的救命工具 --- 地震包

The other day when browsing some blogs at LifeType, I found a useful and informative article which lists the items to be included in an earthquake kit. This article has been introduced by many bloggers online. Hopefully, we won't need the kit. However, to be on the safe side, every family or even everyone should be equipped with such a kit. You might like to guess what the kit should contain before checking the list.

I'd like to thank Principal Ming-fang for posting this article in his blog.

http://www.tiec.tp.edu.tw/lifetype/post/636/38086

Words of Consolation from Japan's Emperor to His People

Today Japan's emperor made rare appearance and sent words of consolation to his people. This reminds me of the solemn speech made by George VI to his peoples before WWII. Here again I post related reports from 5 different media sources. 

1. CNN 

Japan's emperor in historic speech: 'Never give up hope'

Tokyo (CNN) -- In an extraordinarily rare appearance, Japan's emperor told citizens Wednesday to not give up hope as the country grapples with an epic earthquake, a devastating tsunami and growing fears of a nuclear catastrophe.

Forget about Grammar for a While--說英文「卡卡的」 別從文法出發

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_MAIN_ID=381&f_SUB_ID=2705&f_ART_ID=306556

說英文「卡卡的」 別從文法出發

【聯合報╱記者陳智華／台北報導】2011/03/13

Another Problem Caused by the Earthquake--the Nuclear Emergency in Japan

To put oil on the fire, a Japan's nuclear plant is under threat--the explosion, the failure of the cooling system and the exposure of the fuel rods. The following are parts of related reports from different media sources.

1. CNN

Cooling system fails in another reactor at Japanese nuclear plant

Tokyo (CNN) -- Another reactor at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant lost its cooling capabilities Monday, a government official said.

The problem was detected in the plant's No. 2 reactor Monday afternoon after an explosion rocked the building containing the plant's No. 3 reactor, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told reporters.

Civilized People, Chivalrous Media--平實報導 來自人民素養

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/6207528.shtml

平實報導 來自人民素養

2011.03.13 03:04 am

【聯合報╱倪銘均／媒體工作者（台北市）】

Learn from Mistakes--學測滿級分 曹維綱繁星上陽明醫學系

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=306406

學測滿級分 曹維綱繁星上陽明醫學系

【聯合報╱記者蔡維斌／雲林縣報導】2011/03/12

Earthquake Strikes Japan This Afternoon

This afternoon, a devastating earthquake hit Japan. The following are the first (few) paragraphs of news reports from different media sources on this topic. You might like to read and compare them.

1. CNN

Widespread destruction from Japan earthquake, tsunamis

Tokyo (CNN) -- The most powerful earthquake to hit Japan in at least 100 years unleashed walls of water Friday that swept across rice fields, engulfing towns, dragging houses onto highways and tossing cars and boats like toys, apparently killing hundreds and forcing the evaucations of tens of thousands.

Meng-yin, a Special Guest

Read!--張愷文多益985分 錄取美兩大學

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=305683

張愷文多益985分 錄取美兩大學

【聯合報╱記者蔡佳妤／烏日報導】2011/03/09

Speak!--獲多益獎學金 英語只管開口說

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=305802

獲多益獎學金 英語只管開口說

【中央社╱中央社記者夏念慈高雄9 日電】2010/03/09

For Those Who Are Applying to College--選我！選我！第二階段手口並用

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=305295

選我！選我！第二階段手口並用

【聯合報╱記者王維玲／專題報導】2011/03/05

For Those Who Want to Study in the States--台灣首創美國留學教育線上諮詢

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=305247

新訊》台灣首創美國留學教育線上諮詢

【聯合線上企劃╱HOBSONS線上美國留遊學教育展提供】 2011/03/07

The King's Speech

This afternoon I went to watch the movie "The King's Speech." It was the Oscar best motion picture this year, also awarded the best director, the best leading actor, and the best original screeplay. It deserves all these titles. When it came to the scene where George VI delivered the declaration of war speech to his peoples, I was all tears, moved by his persistence in overcoming his stammer with the help of his speech therapist Lionel Logue. The following is the transcript of the speech, followed by the recorded speech by Geroge VI found at YouTube.

Words of Wisdom

(You can enlarge the photo by clicking on it twice.)

On Writing: Say What You Mean--廖玉蕙：說自己的話

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/6186778.shtml

廖玉蕙：說自己的話

【聯合報╱廖玉蕙】

2011.03.03 02:32 am

Teaching That-clause--Yesterday's Entry

20110303 Blog Entry

My net connection has some problem this evening, so I can’t write my entry in my blog. However, I can still write on a Microsoft word sheet. 

In today’s class, I discuss with Class 309 nominal that-clause as the appositive of a noun preceding it. The following is an example sentence I gave:

"Learn a Little, Use a Lot."--Advice from Dvid Wible, Dean of the Colleage of Arts at National Central University

http://mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f_ART_ID=304283

中央大學文學院院長 是老外！

【聯合報╱記者陳智華／台北報導】 2011/03/02

Will Being Online Too Long Make One Stupid?--王正方：上網太久會變笨嗎？

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/6174863.shtml

王正方：上網太久會變笨嗎？

【聯合報╱王正方】

2011.02.25 03:29 am