"26 Remarkable Places For Solo Travel"--from BuzzFeed Travel

Taipei tops the list!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/laraparker/best-places-for-solo-travel

26 Remarkable Places For Solo Travel

Go find yourself.

posted on February 25, 2014 at 9:23pm EST

Lara Parker

Windows Movie Maker

As English teachers, we can get a lot of online resources to use in the classroom and present real world English to our students. However, we don't have plenty of time to play all the audio or video materials in class. We need to select relevant clips. and that's where sound- or video-editing software comes to play. This morning, I learned to duplicate clips from a movie and save them in my computer. Following the instructions step by step offered by the website listed below, I made it.  Merci beaucoup!

1. How to download Windows Movie Maker

Everything I Do, I Do It for You, Grandniece--台灣版阿信 姑婆幫傭10年助她拿博士

A tear-jerking stroy.

http://udn.com/NEWS/SOCIETY/SOC5/8509032.shtml

台灣版阿信 姑婆幫傭10年助她拿博士
聯合晚報╱記者游婉琪／台北報導

2014.02.25 05:18 pm

What Have We Done for the World?

"As the kids of the 21st century, with our so-called expertise, what on earth have we done for the world?

Audacity--Free Software to Edit Sound Files

This later afternoon, I learned to use Audacity, a free software to edit sound files. The first hours' try was quite frustrating. I tried my best to learn from the written tips online and a YouTube instructional video, only to fail again and again. Then I had no choice but to LINE my young former colleague Regina (鄭卉含) for help. She nicely called me and taught me patiently while she was on the bus from work. But I still couldn't work it out. During the process, however, I came to understand how easy it was to locate the part I want. The blank between the sound waves indicates the pause! This is so obvious! How could I not have had the sense? For this, I thanked Regina profusely! Haha! After hanging up, I kept figuring out where the problem was. Then with a stroke of luck, I made it!

Crying for Joy Seminars in Japan--CNN Video

These seminars in Japan are intended to help people release their stress through crying, which leads them to smile at the end. Quite interesting!

Sochi's Farewell--CNN Video

English Glossary of NHI (National Health Insurance)Terms

How do you say "二代健保" in English? 

App for Listening Practice--英聽特訓班

An Android App for listening practice, intended for 8th-9th graders.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kut.EngListening.base&hl=zh_TW

英文聽力 英聽特訓班

Happy English Club (中華民國快樂英語協會)

Today while I was doing some reading for a mission I'm going to complete in March, I learned about seven English clubs in Taiwan from the Cheers magazine (2013.3.1). Among them I'd only known Toastmaster. Happy English Club is one of the new.

A Touching Story--"Photo of Officer Giving Boots to Barefoot Man Warms Hearts Online"--from New York Times

This morning, after I read an article about this touching story in the UDN, I searched for the story online and found this.

The news story contains only  675 words, so could be finished in 2-3 mintues, depending on your reading speed. Read it and be touched.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/29/nyregion/photo-of-officer-giving-boots-to-barefoot-man-warms-hearts-online.html?_r=1&

Photo of Officer Giving Boots to Barefoot Man Warms Hearts Online

By J. DAVID GOODMAN  Published: November 28, 2012

On a cold November night in Times Square, Officer Lawrence DePrimo was working a counterterrorism post when he encountered an older, barefooted homeless man. The officer disappeared for a moment, then returned with a new pair of boots, and knelt to help the man put them on.

Tips on Learning English--外語系教授 從生活中苦讀出頭

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E5%A4%96%E8%AA%9E%E7%B3%BB%E6%95%99%E6%8E%88-%E5%BE%9E%E7%94%9F%E6%B4%BB%E4%B8%AD%E8%8B%A6%E8%AE%80%E5%87%BA%E9%A0%AD-215030697.html?fb_action_ids=747868321891825&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_ref=facebook_cb&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582

外語系教授 從生活中苦讀出頭

中國時報【林志成╱台北報導】  2014.2.4

實踐大學應用外語系講座教授陳超明，讀建中三年英文考試從未及格過，他靠著死背考上台大外文系，但大一時被老師羞辱「你怎麼有資格讀英文系」。他在困境中尋求突破，現在是國內英語教學的權威教授。

Write "Terrified" Instead of "Very Afraid"

This chart of adjectives is from FB. Useful to English learners, especially in writing.



【‪#‎AssistOn‬ ® 英文小教室】

.S. photographer John Stanmeyer wins World Press Photo of the Year--from CNN

This is the World Press Photo of the Year 2013.

https://www.google.com.tw/search?q=world+press+photo+of+the+year+2013&hl=zh-TW&rlz=1T4GGNI_zh-TWTW490TW490&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=emsDU42gIMyQkwW134FY&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1366&bih=521#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=IBvomN1oJrYyXM%253A%3B0mN3kOgNQKwMUM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimages.indianexpress.com%252F2014%252F02%252Fmobile.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Findianexpress.com%252Fphotos%252Fpicture-gallery-others%252Fthe-best-of-world-press-photo-awards-2013%252F%3B700%3B467

A larger version can be seen on this webpage:

http://www.worldpressphoto.org/

Three Rules to Spark Learning--a TED Talk (6:30)

A TED speech shared by my friend Annie on her FB page. It's about sparking learning.

"Are we born with a moral core? The Baby Lab says 'yes'"--from CNN

An interesting study.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/12/us/baby-lab-morals-ac360/index.html

Are we born with a moral core? The Baby Lab says 'yes'

By Susan Chun, CNN

February 15, 2014 -- Updated 0240 GMT (1040 HKT)

Pope Francis talks language of love with couples on Valentine's Day--from CNN

It's been quite a long time since I last posted a news story on my blog. Well, today let's read one as follows.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/14/world/europe/vatican-pope-valentines-day/index.html

Pope Francis talks language of love with couples on Valentine's Day

By Laura Smith-Spark, CNN

February 14, 2014 -- Updated 1605 GMT (0005 HKT)

A Little Kinder, a Little More Generous, and A Little Warmer--齊邦媛和讀者 激盪出「相逢巨流河」

http://udn.com/NEWS/READING/REA8/8487084.shtml

齊邦媛和讀者 激盪出「相逢巨流河」

【聯合報╱記者陳宛茜／台北報導】

2014.02.15 03:25 am

Don't Forget Your Own Dream--李偉文：父母們，別忘了你的夢

http://www.parenting.com.tw/article/article.action?id=5031636

李偉文：父母們，別忘了你的夢

• 2012-04


• 親子天下雜誌33期    作者：李偉文

我常常覺得現代的父母好辛苦。哦，或許不是所有的父母，但是我相信，現在正在看這一篇文章的家長、老師，大概都屬於我同情的對象。

My comments: Well, I came across this article when I was browsing online for something related to education. I read it because I care about education in general. How I hope that all parents and all children are happy!

Yes, I Can!--神人！去年八百名 今年滿級分

 

This is a piece of news shared by my old colleague and friend Candice Lee (李淑慧老師) on her FB page. Quite inspiring! And I have to agree with my teacher Sue, who I came across at a banquet around two weeks ago, that used properly, Facebook is a good means to spread good things. 

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2014/new/feb/14/today-life8.htm

《學測英雄榜》神人！去年八百名今年滿級分 

2014-2-14 

〔記者蘇孟娟／台中報導〕 

台中一中學生陳建均（見圖，記者蘇孟娟攝）原本成績校排名八百多名，段考英文甚至只考廿八分，努力拚讀一年，竟然拚出學測滿級分，被同學喻為「神人」！

My comments: This doesn't always happen, though. Accumulation is still the royal road.

Happy Valentine's Day and Lantern Festival!

It's a coincidence that Valentne's Day and Lantern Festival fall on the same day this year. I'm wondering how often it happens.

On such a special day, a look at the Nantou Sand-Sculpture Art Festival may ooh and awe you. The photos shared by Annie (詹麗馨老師) on her FB page were taken by her son Mr. Bi.

2014 Lunar New Year Reunion of NHSH Retired Teachers

Today from 10am to 12pm, we NHSH retired teachers had our annual Lunar New Year reunion. A teacher even came from Huwei (虎尾). Quite touching! This is the second time I have attended such reunion. Since Mr. Chen (陳世祿老師) could not join us, I took over his mission as the photographer. Altogether I took around 500 photos and picked about 170 for Ms. Hsu (徐慰筠老師) to upload to the NHSH website. At the reunion, our former principal Mr. Lin (林煇校長) said the three most important things for us now are to be healthy, safe and sound, and happy.  Yes, after contributing more than 25 years to education, all the teachers deserve all these--health, peace, and happiness.

Chinese, English, Math Are Basic Courses--減必修…不學國英數 這是幫弱勢？

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/X1/8479776.shtml

減必修…不學國英數 這是幫弱勢？
【聯合報╱李家同／清大孫運璿榮譽講座教授（新竹市）】2014.02.12 02:29 am

EnglishwithStacy--Good Lessons on Spoken English

While I browse the Net for information about English listening skills, I came across EnglishwithStacy at YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLf5oTI4W3l814L2FkYHcz-2xm-_dKM4r1

It contains 17 video clips on natural spoken English. For those who want to sound more like a native speaker when speaking English and those who want to understand fast English, this series offers insteresting and useful lessons, all taught by Stacy A. Hagen. In each lesson, she explains the rule(s), demonstrates, and provides practice. I suggest starting with the following one, which is about linking with vowels.

"Amazon 100 books to read in a lifetime"--from CNN

Looking for some English books to read? The Amazon book list may help you.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/06/living/amazon-100-best-books/index.html

Amazon 100 books to read in a lifetime

By Dana Sand, Special to CNN

February 7, 2014 -- Updated 2217 GMT (0617 HKT)

(CNN) -- Amazon released its newly curated list of 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime on Tuesday.

My comments: Checking the list, I found I'd read only a few of the books on it.

EnglishCentral, a Website for Sharpening Listening Skills

http://www.englishcentral.com/videos#!/index/all/all/trending/0

EnglishCentral is a website a former NHSH student Ching-wei (黃勁惟) recommended to those who want to improve their English listening skills. It contains videos on different topics at three levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Each video offers four tasks:

Great Banquet, Happy Reunion

 



This evening I was invited to a banquet held by a publishing company for which Annie (詹麗馨老師) and I wrote quite a few listening exercise books for junior high school students. Surely, I saw my dear friend Annie. As usual, she showered me with gifts: a card and books. Such a sweet generous lady.

My Facebook Lookback Video

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=814450125238737&l=2512069991661881182   (My Facebook lookback video)

Yesterday, after I click the words "clicking here" at the end of the second news story in my entry, I got my ready-made FB lookback video. Amazing! However, I've since been wondering how those posts and pictures were picked. Today, in a UDN article about "FB life in 62 seconds," users gave their comments. Besides the favorable ones, here are two suggestions:

"Your Facebook life in 62 seconds"--from CNN

For the past few days, I have seen four clips of my FB friends' "FB life in 62 seconds." These retrospective slideshows are an innovation of this social network.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/04/tech/social-media/facebook-look-back-video/index.html

Your Facebook life in 62 seconds

By Brandon Griggs, CNN

February 6, 2014 -- Updated 1312 GMT (2112 HKT)

Guang-ren, Long Time No See

Guang-ren, a student I taught for one year at Chieh-Show Junior High School around 30 years ago, came to visit me this late afternoon. He is practicing Chinese medicine in Beijing now. When I taught him, he was just in his first year of junior high. And now he is in his 40s.

The Essence of Education--洪蘭／為什麼以前能教出黑蝙蝠、蔡崇輝？

http://udn.com/NEWS/OPINION/OPI4/8464426.shtml

洪蘭／為什麼以前能教出黑蝙蝠、蔡崇輝？

【聯合報╱洪蘭】

2014.02.05 03:23 am

"Inside North Korea's Western-funded university"--from BBC

All the courses in this university are taught in English!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25945931

Inside North Korea's Western-funded university

By Chris Rogers and Marshall Corwin BBC Panorama

3 February 2014 Last updated at 00:59

In the heart of North Korea's dictatorship, a university - largely paid for by the West - is attempting to open the minds of the state's future elite. The BBC's Panorama has been granted unique access.

Ways to Learn English Listening Skills--FB Forum

(Click the photo to enlarge it.)

On January 4 this year, I opened a forum on my FB page to discuss ways to learn English listening skills. Here's a summary list of the responses, followed by photos of what really happened at the forum. Almost all the responses came from my former NHSH students.

Go figure: Lunar New Year 2014 in numbers--from CNN

This interactive CNN webpage is interesting! Just click on the picture, and you'll see a number and a passage about what the number signifies to the Lunar New Year.

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/30/travel/lunar-new-year-interactive/

Go figure: Lunar New Year 2014 in numbers

By Hiufu Wong and Jason Kwok, CNN

January 31, 2014 -- Updated 0416 GMT (1216 HKT)

"Whatever happened to the term New Man?"--from CNN

I never knew the term New Man until I came across this CNN article yesterday evening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25943326

Whatever happened to the term New Man?

By Tom de Castella BBC News Magazine

30 January 2014 Last updated at 10:24

The New Man was once a radical way to describe a male who wholeheartedly accepted equality in domestic life. But 30 years on, what has happened to the term?