2016年1月30日 星期六
Wonders of Nature_Red Radish...
Late this afternoon around 5, on impulse, George and I went to Yangmingshan for cherry blossoms. We stopped by a vegetable stall and bought some vegetables and tangerines for my mom and mom-in-law. Having never seen red radish, I bought two for them respectively, picturing their surprised look.
Long Time No See...
This morning, when I was cleaning out the inbox of an email account, which had exceeded the storage quota, I came across an old FB message notifying that Spencer mentioned me on his FB page. Going to the page, I found this photo, which was taken at a gathering before Spencer was going to the States for further studies. Along with it is a message by Spencer:
2016年1月29日 星期五
2016年1月28日 星期四
The Revenant, the Movie
This past Sunday, a chilly day, George and I took my mother-in-law to watch the movie The Revenant. It just won this year's multiple Golden Globe awards, including the best drama, best director, and best actor. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/73rd_Golden_Globe_Awards) The movie is about how the protagonist Hugh Glass, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, suffered and endured adversity in severe weather to survive and revenge. What he goes through is almost impossible for ordinary people, which makes the movie inspiring. Whoever has watched it will find their problems or hardship dwarfed by Hugh Glass's if they are going to be confronted by any.
P.S. I covered my eyes with my hands at several brutal scenes.
********
Here is a review by the TIME magazine:
P.S. I covered my eyes with my hands at several brutal scenes.
********
Here is a review by the TIME magazine:
2016年1月27日 星期三
Good 2015 SAT Chinese & English Essays
It occurred to me that I seemed to forget to post good SAT essays for the year 2015. Here they are. There are 14 for Chinese and 15 for English.
http://www.ceec.edu.tw/GoodWritingPieces/104SatGoodWritingPieces/104%E5%AD%B8%E6%B8%AC%E5%9C%8B%E8%8B%B1%E4%BD%B3%E4%BD%9C.htm
The writing task:
二、英文作文(占20分)
說明︰1.依提示在「答案卷」上寫一篇英文作文。
2.文長至少120個單詞(words)。
提示︰下面兩本書是學校建議的暑假閱讀書籍,請依書名想想看該書的內容,並思考你會選擇哪一本書閱讀,為什麼?請在第一段說明你會選哪一本書及你認為該書的內容大概會是什麼,第二段提出你選擇該書的理由。
http://www.ceec.edu.tw/GoodWritingPieces/104SatGoodWritingPieces/104%E5%AD%B8%E6%B8%AC%E5%9C%8B%E8%8B%B1%E4%BD%B3%E4%BD%9C.htm
The writing task:
二、英文作文(占20分)
說明︰1.依提示在「答案卷」上寫一篇英文作文。
2.文長至少120個單詞(words)。
提示︰下面兩本書是學校建議的暑假閱讀書籍,請依書名想想看該書的內容,並思考你會選擇哪一本書閱讀,為什麼?請在第一段說明你會選哪一本書及你認為該書的內容大概會是什麼,第二段提出你選擇該書的理由。
2016年1月26日 星期二
2016 SAT English Test
The test items of this year's SAT:
http://www.ceec.edu.tw/AbilityExam/AbilityExamPaper/105SAT_Paper/105SAT_PaperIndex.htm
This year's SAT English test:
http://www.ceec.edu.tw/AbilityExam/AbilityExamPaper/105SAT_Paper/02-105學測英文科_定稿.pdf
Comments:
http://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201601235005-1.aspx
學測英文閱讀測驗內容冷僻 考生恐卡關
發稿時間:2016/01/23 12:05 最新更新:2016/01/23 13:00
(中央社記者許秩維台北23日電)今天是學測第二天,首節考英文。高中教師認為,今年閱讀測驗內容冷僻,必須注意文章細節,且選項誘答力高,考生應該會在閱讀測驗卡關。
http://www.ceec.edu.tw/AbilityExam/AbilityExamPaper/105SAT_Paper/105SAT_PaperIndex.htm
This year's SAT English test:
http://www.ceec.edu.tw/AbilityExam/AbilityExamPaper/105SAT_Paper/02-105學測英文科_定稿.pdf
Comments:
http://www.cna.com.tw/news/firstnews/201601235005-1.aspx
學測英文閱讀測驗內容冷僻 考生恐卡關
發稿時間:2016/01/23 12:05 最新更新:2016/01/23 13:00
(中央社記者許秩維台北23日電)今天是學測第二天,首節考英文。高中教師認為,今年閱讀測驗內容冷僻,必須注意文章細節,且選項誘答力高,考生應該會在閱讀測驗卡關。
2016年1月25日 星期一
On Admission to High School--"全面免試…為何偏鄉孩子就這麼倒楣?"--from UDN
http://udn.com/news/story/7339/1464369-%E5%85%A8%E9%9D%A2%E5%85%8D%E8%A9%A6%E2%80%A6%E7%82%BA%E4%BD%95%E5%81%8F%E9%84%89%E5%AD%A9%E5%AD%90%E5%B0%B1%E9%80%99%E9%BA%BC%E5%80%92%E6%A5%A3%EF%BC%9F
全面免試…為何偏鄉孩子就這麼倒楣?
2016-01-25 01:59 聯合報 李家同/清華大學榮譽教授(新竹市)
全面免試不是新的口號,很早以前就有人提出這個觀念,而且也得到很多學者的贊同。這些學者最痛恨考試,他們認為考試使得教育變得很僵硬,學生因為準備考試而失去了創造力,所以他們贊成全面免試。可是這種想法其實是絕不不可行的。
My comments: In fact, tests are not that bad. It depends on how they are given. An article I read years ago pointed out that in India, the entrance exam gave essay questions. That's very different from what we have here in Taiwan. Multiple choice questions account for more than three quarters of the test.
全面免試…為何偏鄉孩子就這麼倒楣?
2016-01-25 01:59 聯合報 李家同/清華大學榮譽教授(新竹市)
全面免試不是新的口號,很早以前就有人提出這個觀念,而且也得到很多學者的贊同。這些學者最痛恨考試,他們認為考試使得教育變得很僵硬,學生因為準備考試而失去了創造力,所以他們贊成全面免試。可是這種想法其實是絕不不可行的。
My comments: In fact, tests are not that bad. It depends on how they are given. An article I read years ago pointed out that in India, the entrance exam gave essay questions. That's very different from what we have here in Taiwan. Multiple choice questions account for more than three quarters of the test.
2016年1月24日 星期日
It Is Snowng in the Taipei Area!
2016年1月23日 星期六
"Kind customer leaves mother of autistic son in tears"--from CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/20/us/customer-letter-autistic-son-irpt/index.html
Kind customer leaves mother of autistic son in tears
By Jareen Imam, CNN
Updated 2311 GMT (0711 HKT) January 20, 2016
(CNN) Managing the meltdowns of a 6-year-old was something Lauren Nordberg had down to a science.
She carried headphones around if it got noisy for her son. And she kept an iPad on hand to distract him if there was too much stimuli. But as they settled into their seats in a busy diner filled with people off from work for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, she realized she had none of those things.
Kind customer leaves mother of autistic son in tears
By Jareen Imam, CNN
Updated 2311 GMT (0711 HKT) January 20, 2016
(CNN) Managing the meltdowns of a 6-year-old was something Lauren Nordberg had down to a science.
She carried headphones around if it got noisy for her son. And she kept an iPad on hand to distract him if there was too much stimuli. But as they settled into their seats in a busy diner filled with people off from work for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, she realized she had none of those things.
2016年1月22日 星期五
NTNU Class Reunion
Time: 11:30am~3pm; 3:40pm~5:10pm
Place: Skylark, Taipei; Ting-fang's home
Participants: 李秋霞, 吳碧玲, 彭玉霞 & her husband 陳家榮, 張璧君, 黎文靜, 劉豔雲, 陳允華, 鄭淑華, & me
I went to our first NTNU class reunion in 2016. As usual, we talked and laughed to our hearts' content. It seemed that our gathering could go on and on.
2016年1月21日 星期四
2016年1月20日 星期三
Cool English Video Project Meeting
Time: 2pm, Jan. 20, 2016
Place: NTNU
Attendees: 賴淑麗教授, 楊小慧教授, 盧貞穎老師, 林玉姬老師, 莊玉玫老師, 吳湘妮老師, 何齊心老師, 李欣諭 (研究助理), and me
http://www.coolenglish.edu.tw/moodle/
Please visit the interactive learning video section at the above website, and you know what we are doing. I was recruited last November. This was my second time to attend such meeting and I am going to share some test item writing tasks. What do we do? We watch videos and write comprehension questions and other types of test items.
2016年1月19日 星期二
2016年1月18日 星期一
Chatting with Students from Abroad
Today I spent around four hours chatting with students. One in the morning on the phone from Texas, the other in the evening via Skype from New York State.
Hungren reminded me to explore the world instead of doing the same thing all my life. Brian, with whom I chatted in English for 2 and a half hours, raised a thought-provoking issue. Are we Taiwanese losing our cultural identity? Can you say any Taiwnese proverbs? Can you sing any Taiwanese songs? Can you tell a Taiwnese folktale?
Hungren reminded me to explore the world instead of doing the same thing all my life. Brian, with whom I chatted in English for 2 and a half hours, raised a thought-provoking issue. Are we Taiwanese losing our cultural identity? Can you say any Taiwnese proverbs? Can you sing any Taiwanese songs? Can you tell a Taiwnese folktale?
2016年1月17日 星期日
"Tsai Ing-wen Elected President of Taiwan, First Woman to Hold Office"--from NYT
It's interesting to read the same news reported by different news agencies.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/world/asia/taiwan-elections.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=1
Tsai Ing-wen Elected President of Taiwan, First Woman to Hold Office
By AUSTIN RAMZY
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/world/asia/taiwan-elections.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=1
Tsai Ing-wen Elected President of Taiwan, First Woman to Hold Office
By AUSTIN RAMZY
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Tsai Ing-wen was elected Taiwan’s president on Saturday, becoming the first woman to win the office. Voters gave her Democratic Progressive Party, which is skeptical of closer ties with China, control of Taiwan’s legislature for the first time, giving her broad authority to enact her policies in office.
My comments: For the elected, challenges just began.
Globish Words Explained in English--a Good Website
I posted an entry about Globish on Jan. 4, 2013.
http://june.ettachou.com/2013/01/04/globish-%e5%8f%aa%e8%a6%81%e6%9c%831500%e5%80%8b%e5%96%ae%e5%ad%97-%e5%b0%b1%e8%83%bd%e6%ba%9c%e8%8b%b1%e6%96%87/
Recently, my friend Annie introduced a website "Globish Words Explained in English" in a book we co-wrote for 9th graders.
http://june.ettachou.com/2013/01/04/globish-%e5%8f%aa%e8%a6%81%e6%9c%831500%e5%80%8b%e5%96%ae%e5%ad%97-%e5%b0%b1%e8%83%bd%e6%ba%9c%e8%8b%b1%e6%96%87/
Recently, my friend Annie introduced a website "Globish Words Explained in English" in a book we co-wrote for 9th graders.
2016年1月16日 星期六
"Tsai Ing-wen elected Taiwan's first female president"--from BBC; "Taiwan Nationalist concedes defeat, congratulates Tsai Ing-wen as President"--from CNN
Let's see how the BBC and the CNN reported Taiwan's presidential election result.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35333647
Tsai Ing-wen elected Taiwan's first female president
Tsai Ing-wen has been elected Taiwan's first female president.
Ms Tsai, 59, leads the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that wants independence from China.
In her victory speech, she vowed to preserve the status quo in relations with China, adding Beijing must respect Taiwan's democracy and both sides must ensure there are no provocations.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35333647
Tsai Ing-wen elected Taiwan's first female president
Tsai Ing-wen has been elected Taiwan's first female president.
Ms Tsai, 59, leads the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that wants independence from China.
In her victory speech, she vowed to preserve the status quo in relations with China, adding Beijing must respect Taiwan's democracy and both sides must ensure there are no provocations.
GEPT Learning Website--"全民英檢上線 課程、資料庫免費用"--from UDN
http://udn.com/news/story/6904/1440345-%E5%85%A8%E6%B0%91%E8%8B%B1%E6%AA%A2%E4%B8%8A%E7%B7%9A-%E8%AA%B2%E7%A8%8B%E3%80%81%E8%B3%87%E6%96%99%E5%BA%AB%E5%85%8D%E8%B2%BB%E7%94%A8
全民英檢上線 課程、資料庫免費用
2016-01-14 07:43 聯合報 記者林秀姿、張錦弘/台北報導
因應新世代的數位英語學習趨勢,主辦全民英檢的財團法人語言訓練測驗中心(LTTC),本月起推出3項線上資源,免費提供教師與研究人員免費使用。網址:https://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw/LTTCe-learning.htm
My comments: I don't think it is just for teachers and researchers. It's also for English learners.
語測中心表示,免費線上資源包括「LTTC英檢學苑」線上課程,針對個人學習者設計。還有「LTTC英檢練習平台」,提供初級、中級及中高級(相當於CEFR A2至B2)的模擬考題庫與試題詳解。該平台目前先推出聽讀測驗,預計4月將再增口說及寫作測驗的人工批閱服務。
全民英檢上線 課程、資料庫免費用
2016-01-14 07:43 聯合報 記者林秀姿、張錦弘/台北報導
因應新世代的數位英語學習趨勢,主辦全民英檢的財團法人語言訓練測驗中心(LTTC),本月起推出3項線上資源,免費提供教師與研究人員免費使用。網址:https://www.lttc.ntu.edu.tw/LTTCe-learning.htm
My comments: I don't think it is just for teachers and researchers. It's also for English learners.
語測中心表示,免費線上資源包括「LTTC英檢學苑」線上課程,針對個人學習者設計。還有「LTTC英檢練習平台」,提供初級、中級及中高級(相當於CEFR A2至B2)的模擬考題庫與試題詳解。該平台目前先推出聽讀測驗,預計4月將再增口說及寫作測驗的人工批閱服務。
2016年1月15日 星期五
On Reading--"洪蘭/翻轉偏鄉 不一樣的親子共讀"--from UDN
http://udn.com/news/story/7340/1443225
洪蘭/翻轉偏鄉 不一樣的親子共讀
2016-01-15 02:07 聯合報 洪蘭(中央大學認知神經科學研究所教授)
最近去美國參加了一個閱讀的世界高峰會議,使我對閱讀的推動有了不一樣的看法。
洪蘭/翻轉偏鄉 不一樣的親子共讀
2016-01-15 02:07 聯合報 洪蘭(中央大學認知神經科學研究所教授)
最近去美國參加了一個閱讀的世界高峰會議,使我對閱讀的推動有了不一樣的看法。
2016年1月14日 星期四
Happy Birthday, Our Beloved Teacher Ms. Lee
2016年1月11日 星期一
The most popular TED talks of 2015
TED gave the list of its most popular talks of 2015. The webpage provides information about the titles of the speeches, the speakers, a synopsis of each talk, the time each talk lasts, with the shortest 5'52'' and the longest 19'07", and the number of the comments on each.
http://www.ted.com/playlists/320/the_most_popular_talks_of_2015_1?utm_campaign=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=playlist&utm_term=humanities
The most popular talks of 2015
They are:
http://www.ted.com/playlists/320/the_most_popular_talks_of_2015_1?utm_campaign=social&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_content=playlist&utm_term=humanities
The most popular talks of 2015
They are:
2016年1月10日 星期日
"email結語除了常見的Best regards,面對不同對象,你還可以這麼說..."--from Business Weekly
"Variety is the spice of life." Want to end your email in different ways? Please read on.
http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/KBlogArticle.aspx?ID=12466
email結語除了常見的Best regards,面對不同對象,你還可以這麼說...
撰文者世界公民文化中心
英文email的結尾是收件者對你整封信的最後印象,要怎麼寫最好?網路上大家的意見多得不得了,Best regards好嗎?可以直接說Thank you嗎?這些問題原來連外籍人士也有熱絡的討論,Forbes雜誌的編輯Susan Adams因為切身經驗,所以整理了57個親疏遠近各種不同分寸的結尾,我們為讀者摘要了18個你可能用得上或你可能錯用的結尾,非常值得參考:
1.Best:專家一致認為最中性、最普遍、也最安全的用法。
http://www.businessweekly.com.tw/KBlogArticle.aspx?ID=12466
email結語除了常見的Best regards,面對不同對象,你還可以這麼說...
撰文者世界公民文化中心
英文email的結尾是收件者對你整封信的最後印象,要怎麼寫最好?網路上大家的意見多得不得了,Best regards好嗎?可以直接說Thank you嗎?這些問題原來連外籍人士也有熱絡的討論,Forbes雜誌的編輯Susan Adams因為切身經驗,所以整理了57個親疏遠近各種不同分寸的結尾,我們為讀者摘要了18個你可能用得上或你可能錯用的結尾,非常值得參考:
1.Best:專家一致認為最中性、最普遍、也最安全的用法。
2016年1月9日 星期六
2016年1月8日 星期五
Costume Party
2016年1月7日 星期四
Real-time Communication
Chatting with three students in the USA, Brian, Chun-yuan, and Hung-shen, at different times via FB messenger, I felt grateful to those social media creators. The real-time communication let me know about how they are doing far away.
2016年1月6日 星期三
A Dilemma
The dean of academic affairs at NHSH, my former school, asked me if I could take over two senior classes as a substitute teacher next semester. My heart is going for the request, but my mind is trying hard to hold it back. The reason I retired was to spend more time with my family, including my mother and mother-in-law. Now, my sister-in-law is seriously ill. Though I don't need to take care of her, I help her from time to time. Which is more important, my families or the students I don't know?
2016年1月5日 星期二
"In Defense of the 5-Paragraph Essay"--TESOL Blog
This is an interesting topic. The other day, my nephew happened to ask me about my opinion of the 5-paragraph essay. My response was it was a safe way, but it is not the only way.
http://blog.tesol.org/in-defense-of-the-5-paragraph-essay/#more-7262
In Defense of the 5-Paragraph Essay
Posted on 4 January 2016 by Robert Sheppard
In a recent post over at Talks With Teachers, Brian Sztabnik puts a price on the head of the 5-paragraph essay. Torch it, bury it, at all costs, make it go away. Why this bounty? Well, the gist of the argument is that, of all the great writing we read, virtually none of it is in the form of a 5-paragraph essay. The primary goal of education, says Sztabnik, is “to cultivate young minds to be thoughtful, versatile, and never satiated.” It’s a good post, and even better is the follow-up, which proposes authentic writing as an alternative. In that second post, nine teachers share what authentic writing means to them, along with a favorite authentic writing assignment. There are some fantastic ideas there, and I highly recommend reading both.
http://blog.tesol.org/in-defense-of-the-5-paragraph-essay/#more-7262
In Defense of the 5-Paragraph Essay
Posted on 4 January 2016 by Robert Sheppard
In a recent post over at Talks With Teachers, Brian Sztabnik puts a price on the head of the 5-paragraph essay. Torch it, bury it, at all costs, make it go away. Why this bounty? Well, the gist of the argument is that, of all the great writing we read, virtually none of it is in the form of a 5-paragraph essay. The primary goal of education, says Sztabnik, is “to cultivate young minds to be thoughtful, versatile, and never satiated.” It’s a good post, and even better is the follow-up, which proposes authentic writing as an alternative. In that second post, nine teachers share what authentic writing means to them, along with a favorite authentic writing assignment. There are some fantastic ideas there, and I highly recommend reading both.
2016年1月4日 星期一
"The Word of The Year--Isn't One"--from Teaching Kids News
http://teachingkidsnews.com/2015/11/30/word-year-isnt-one/
The Word of The Year--Isn't One
November 30, 2015 2:32 am
Each year, Oxford Dictionaries chooses a “word of the year.” The word is carefully selected by Oxford staff, who care (and know) a lot about words.
They choose a word that they feel best reflects the mood of the year, as well as what is on the minds of people.
This year, the word of the year isn’t a word at all. It’s a picture. Or, more correctly a pictograph. It’s also known as an emoji.
The Word of The Year--Isn't One
November 30, 2015 2:32 am
Each year, Oxford Dictionaries chooses a “word of the year.” The word is carefully selected by Oxford staff, who care (and know) a lot about words.
They choose a word that they feel best reflects the mood of the year, as well as what is on the minds of people.
This year, the word of the year isn’t a word at all. It’s a picture. Or, more correctly a pictograph. It’s also known as an emoji.
2016年1月3日 星期日
Grammar: Must + V & Must + have V-en
Yesterday my niece had problems with the sentence pattern "must have V-en." Not understanding why "must" is followed by "have V-en," she asked, "Isn't "have V-en" a present perfect?" I told her it has nothing to do with the present perfect tense.
To understand "must + have V-en," one must know the pattern "must + V" first. "Must + V" is used to make a strong deduction about the present.
To understand "must + have V-en," one must know the pattern "must + V" first. "Must + V" is used to make a strong deduction about the present.
2016年1月2日 星期六
"Top 10 Everything of 2015"--from TIME
This is an interesting webpage:
http://time.com/collection/top-10-everything-of-2015/?xid=newsletter-brief
Top 10 Everything of 2015
Take the top 10 best nonfiction books for example. They are
http://time.com/4135245/best-books-2015-nonfiction/
http://time.com/collection/top-10-everything-of-2015/?xid=newsletter-brief
Top 10 Everything of 2015
Take the top 10 best nonfiction books for example. They are
http://time.com/4135245/best-books-2015-nonfiction/
2016年1月1日 星期五
訂閱:
文章 (Atom)