How Your Immune System Makes You Impulsive (1)

There may be existing biological systems shifting your priorities and decision-making 

免疫系統讓你大暴走？！ 既存生物機制，很可能掌控 你的優先事項以及決策行為

If you often find yourself facing the consequences of impulsive decisions, you may pin the blame on a number of different factors.

Perhaps you have a hard time regaining self-control. Maybe your willpower is not as strong as it once was.

Knowing how to delay gratification, deny urges and resist cravings can lead to more success in the long run, and reduce guilt and regret. 

And, as Emma Young writes for the British Psychological Society, "being able to forego a reward now in favor of gaining something better later is known to be important in determining all kinds of desirable outcomes in life, including greater educational attainment, social functioning and health."

But what if you make impulsive decisions not because of weak willpower or self-control?  What if the culprit is ... your own immune system?

A new study published in Scientific Reports indicates that there may be existing biological systems shifting your priorities and decision-making. More specifically, the study provides evidence that raised levels of inflammation in your body can actually skew your judgement toward rewards more advantageous in the present. 

Info Cloud

get a taste of his own medicine 就是自食其果

Welcome back to Info Cloud, friends. Rex, you look like you're up to something today. What's going on? 

I have a friend who always pranks me. He calls me and pretends to be someone else. Well, today I did the same thing to him. His reaction was priceless. He finally got a taste of his own medicine. 

Friends, the medicine in this idiom Rex just used isn't something you take, it's behavior. 

Specifically bad behavior such as being mean, rude or inconsiderate to others. I think pranks are pretty inconsiderate. 

Here's another example. Sasha is always too loud in the morning and wakes everyone up. Well, today she got a taste of her own medicine. 

Ooh. It sounds like Sasha wanted to sleep in, but she got woken up. The bad behavior in this example was Sasha being inconsiderate of others in the morning, just like my friend is inconsiderate of me with his pranks. 

Just remember, friends, it's better to respond to others with kindness rather than giving them a taste of their own medicine. 

當一個人經常做一些事情去捉弄別人，後來受到別人同樣的對待，你可以用今天分享的用語: get a taste of his own medicine 來形容他。medicine 是藥物，taste 是品嘗，get a taste of his own medicine 就是自食其果，自己怎麼樣對別人，別人也怎麼樣對他。例如，Sasha 經常大聲說話，吵醒大家，今天她被別人吵醒了，你就可以說: Sasha got a taste of her own medicine. Sasha 終於受到同樣的對待了。

Info Cloud

biological adj. 生物的、跟生物有關的  

of or relating to biology or to life and living things

- When it comes to science, Rudy is most interested in biological science. 

談到科學，Rudy 對生物科學最有興趣。 

- Dr. Fields is currently conducting a major biological research, and it is difficult to schedule a meeting time with him. 

Fields 博士正在進行一項重要的生物研究，要跟他約時間開會是很困難的。 

biological adj. 親生的 

related through birth — used to distinguish the parents who gave birth to a child from the parents who later adopted the child

- Bethany was adopted when she was a baby, but now she wants to meet her biological mother. 

Bethany 從小就被領養，不過現在她想跟她的親生母親見面。 

- Curtis has a better relationship with his stepfather than with his biological father. 

Curtis 跟他繼父的關係，比他跟生父的關係還要好。 

gratification n. 滿足 

 /ˌgrætəfəˈkeɪʃən/

to make (someone) happy or satisfied

- Although David and Edward have been rivals throughout the semester, seeing David getting caught for cheating on an exam gave Edward no gratification.

 David 跟 Edward 一整個學期都在競爭，但是看到David 因為考試作弊被抓到，卻沒有讓Edward 得到滿足。 

- Eating cheese with fine European wine always gives Frederick tremendous gratification. 

吃起司配上歐洲葡萄酒會讓Frederick 有大大的滿足感。 

gratify v.使滿意

to do or give whatever is wanted or demanded by (someone or something)

- Mr. Mathis was a very fussy man, and no restaurant in town was able to produce a dish that could gratify his picky taste.  

Mathis 先生很挑剔，鎮上沒有一家餐廳能夠煮出一道讓他滿意的菜。 

gratifying adj. (某件事情或東西) 讓人感到滿足的 

 /ˈgrætəˌfajɪŋ/

giving pleasure or satisfaction

- Being able to help the children in the slums was the most gratifying summer job Peter ever had. 

能夠幫助貧民窟的兒童 ，是最讓Peter感到最滿足的暑期工作。 

culprit n. 罪魁禍首、一個問題的起源 

/ˈkʌlprət/

- Jasmine is suffering from anxiety, and the stress from her work is the culprit. 

Jasmine 患有焦慮症，而她工作所帶來的壓力是罪魁禍首。 

- Many things can cause our skin to age prematurely, but many believe the greatest culprit is the sun. 

有很多東西會造成我們皮膚提早老化，但是很多人認為太陽是最大的罪魁禍首。 

culprit n. 嫌犯、罪犯、做錯事的人

a person who has committed a crime or done something wrong

- In the movie, someone had stolen a family heirloom and a private detective was hired to find the culprit. 

在電影裡，一個傳家之寶被偷賣，然後一位私家偵探被雇來找出竊賊。 

- I had a plate of cookies here, but now they are gone. Who is the culprit? 

我這裡本來有一盤餅乾，但是現在不見了，是誰偷走了? 

skew v. 造成誤差

 /ˈskjuː/

to change (something) so that it is not true or accurate

- Not including these numbers as part of the data will skew the results of our research. 

不把這些數字加在我們的數據資料中，會讓我們的研究結果有誤差。

- Many crime shows have skewed the audience’s understanding of how criminal investigations are done in real life. 

很多犯罪戲劇讓觀眾對實際生活中，犯罪調查的瞭解有誤差。 

skew adj. 有東西是歪的、有差錯的

not straight; not true or accurate

- Richard sees a painting hanging by the door, and the fact it is skew really bothers him. 

Richard 看到門邊掛了一幅畫，而且畫歪歪的，讓Richard 感到不是很舒服。 

- Is it me or is that book shelf on the wall skew? 

是我看錯呢，還是牆上的書架是歪的?

Escape Rooms are Amazing! (2)

Escape rooms in Taipei are quite elaborate. Inside one, you feel as if you had just stepped into a story. It could be a thriller, a legend or something from sci-fi. Tricks and technology complete the illusion created by the room's theme. And there's always a variety of engaging puzzles.

Different companies offer a number of rooms to try. Some are suitable for just a few friends while others are big and require a large group of people to solve. But be warned: Some escape rooms are extraordinary because they are intense! We learned that the hard way when we invited a large group of friends to one. Some of them had never tried an escape room before. They were a little nervous, but we assured them that escape rooms are relaxing and fun. "They aren't scary or too high pressure," we said. Well, we were wrong. It turns out some are a bit over the top, but we enjoyed that, too! There is nothing like the feeling of solving problem as a team.

Info Cloud

beware, be aware and be warned. 

Hello, and welcome to Info Cloud. Today we are going to talk about the difference between beware, be aware and be warned. 

Have you ever seen a sign that says: Beware of dog? Some people put that sign on the fence around their house. 

We had a neighbor in the U.S. that had that sign. They had a big dog. It was a warning to beware of danger from the dog at their house. 

But if you turn beware into be aware, it means that there is information that you should be aware of, not an immediate danger. 

Please be aware: These chips were made at a factory that processes peanuts. You might find that warning on a bag of chips. It's information that people who are allergic to peanuts might want to know. But the sense of be aware is that you aren't in immediate danger. 

But if you think that people should be more cautious, or if you want to make it clear you are warning someone, you can use: Be warned. 

I read a great article about the new Marvel movies. But be warned it gives away some major plot developments. 

So we just wanted you to be warned: beware and be aware sound very similar, but you can't always use them interchangeably. 

英文有幾種方式來提醒人們要注意一些必須注意的事情，例如，院子裡養了一隻很兇的狗，主人可能會在門外掛一個 Beware of dog. 的標語，也就是注意裡面有狗，可能會有點危險。beware of 可以用來形容人、動物或是某件事情。

如果是 be aware 那就比較溫和，只是告訴你一些重要的資訊，像是 Please be aware the coffee is hot. 你要注意咖啡是熱的。

如果你覺得你必須發出警告，那就要用比較強烈的 Be warned. 例如，Be warned that this area is not safe. 注意這個地區不是很安全，可能治安不好。

Language Lab

elaborate adj. 詳盡的、複雜的  

 /ɪˈlæbərət/

made or done with great care or with much detail : having many parts that are carefully arranged or planned

- The team leader’s plan was too elaborate for the team members to follow, so he had to come up with a whole new plan. 

組長的計畫對組員們來說太複雜，所以得再設計一套全新的計畫。 

- Stephanie won the design contest because her design was the most elaborate one in the competition. 

Stephanie 在設計大賽獲勝，因為她的設計是競賽裡最精心製作的。 

elaborate v. 多加說明/講解 

/ɪˈlæbəˌreɪt/

to give more details about something : to discuss something more fully

- The scientist had mentioned in his presentation that he was about to make an important scientific discovery, but he never elaborated on it. 

這位科學家在演講中提到他即將有重要的科學發現，但是他卻沒有多加說明。 

- The key witness appeared in court and was asked to elaborate what she had seen on the day of the crime. 

這位主要證人在法庭出席，並被要求說明他在案發當天所看到的一切。 

thriller n. 驚悚的故事小說/影片/舞台劇 

 /ˈθrɪlɚ/

a novel, movie, etc., that is very exciting : a story full of exciting action, mystery, adventure, or suspense

- Joanna read a captivating thriller and it kept her up all night. 

Joanna 讀了一本引人入勝的驚悚小說而害她一整晚都沒睡。 

- Kathy didn’t go to the movies with her friends because they all wanted to watch a thriller, but she doesn’t like being nervous and scared. 

Kathy 沒有跟朋友一起去看電影，因為他們都想看驚悚片，而 Kathy 不喜歡那種緊張又害怕的感覺。 

- The stage thriller was adapted from one of Agatha Christie’s famous novels. 

這齣驚悚舞台劇是由一部克里斯蒂的著名小說改編而成的。 

extraordinary adj.非凡的、非常特別的 

very unusual : very different from what is normal or ordinary

- Helen Keller had the most extraordinary teacher to help her learn things. 

海倫凱勒有一位非凡的老師來幫助她學習。 

extraordinary adj. 很驚奇、意想不到的 

extremely good or impressive

- In 1922, Howard Carter made an extraordinary discovery: The tomb of King Tutankhamun. 

在1922年，Howard Carter 有個意想不到的發現，就是埃及法老王圖坦卡門之墓。 

extraordinarily adv. 非常、格外地 

/ɪkˌstroɚdəˈnerəli/

- The designer’s fashion shows are usually very beautiful to watch, but her most recent one was extraordinarily enchanting. 

那位設計師的時裝秀通常都很好看，但是她最新的那一場是格外的令人著迷。

- Have you noticed how the weather has been extraordinarily hot these days? 你有沒有注意到這幾天的天氣特別地熱。 

assure v. 保證一件事，好讓對方感到放心 

to make (something) certain : ensure

- Emily was worried that she would not be able to get to the hospital in time, but her friends assured her the ambulance was on its way. 

Emily 擔心她無法及時趕到醫院，但是她的朋友向她保證救護車馬上會到。 

- Mr. Radcliff assured his investors that their meeting would be in the afternoon. 

Radcliff 先生向他的投資者保證，他們的會議一定會在下午舉行。 

- The airline representative assured the passengers that no flights would be cancelled. 

航空公司的代表向旅客們保證，不會取消任何班機。

Escape Rooms are Amazing! (1)

Escaping a room can be a lot of fun 

密室逃脫大驚奇！ 密室逃脫有多好玩

Have you ever tried an escape room? I first experienced one in Montana, U.S.A., with my wife, Pauline. We went to one to celebrate her father's birthday. Her entire family loves games and puzzles, so trying an escape room was a perfect activity for us. The room's theme was "the missing scientist." We played the role of investigating detectives. We entered the room and discovered we were "trapped." We then had only 60 minutes to escape before the room "exploded."

We had to search every corner of the room for clues in order to get out. As we did, we solved simple calculations, unscrambled codes and found keys to secret boxes. Getting one clue involved running balls through a maze. That took some skill! Together we solved every puzzle and escaped with just a few minutes to spare!

Pauline and I now live in Taipei. We tried our first escape room here over a year ago. It was such an amazing experience that we did two more almost immediately afterward. We have become completely hooked on Taipei's escape room. 

Info Cloud

reality show 真人實鏡秀

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. I know that Rex likes watching TV, so I want to ask him: Do you like reality shows? 

I know that reality shows have become very popular, and we even have a reality show culture now. But I have to say that I don't really like it. 

Well, let me first say that a reality show is a type of TV program that films what happens and how people react when they are placed in real situations. You don't like that? 

It depends on what you mean by reality. When we watch the shows on TV, they are the final products of professional editing and special effects, which is necessary for TV production. 

Oh. So you're saying that the word reality is misleading. 

A little bit. I'm an actor myself, and I know that whenever a camera is on, people act differently. That's just human nature. 

Good point, Rex. I guess we can look at reality shows more as a certain style and type of TV program than a show that reflects reality. 

在電視上，我們經常看到 reality show 真人實鏡秀，這類的電視節目相當受歡迎，在網路上，我們也可以看到一種 reality show culture 真人實境秀的文化，很多人會在網路上自己製作這種影片，reality 代表現實的情境，電視製作單位會將一些人放入某種現實的情境，把他們中間所發生的事情拍攝下來，但是要經過剪接和特效的後製，然後才發表最後的成果。而 reality show 是不是真正的反映出現實生活中發生的情況呢? 還是只能說它是某種電視節目的類型，那就見仁見智了。

Language Lab

theme n. 主題、題目

the particular subject or idea on which the style of something (such as a party or room) is based

- The theme for Alice’s afternoon tea party is rose garden, so there are rose decorations everywhere. 

Alice的下午茶會的主題是玫瑰園，所以到處都是玫瑰花裝飾。 

- The theme for this year’s food and wine conference is South East Asian cuisine. 

今年的飲食大會的主題是東南亞料理。 

- The theme of today’s meeting was about good hygiene: the importance of washing our hands after we use the restroom.  

今天的會議主題是關於好的衛生習慣: 如廁後洗手的重要性。 

theme song n. 主題曲 

a song that is played at the beginning and end of a television show, movie, etc.

- The musician has been asked to write a theme song for the movie. 

這位音樂家受邀，來為這部電影寫一部主題曲。 

investigate v. 調查 

to try to find out the facts about (something, such as a crime or an accident) in order to learn how it happened, who did it, etc

- In the movie, a retired police officer was asked to help investigate a mysterious robbery. 

在電影裡，一位退休的警員被請來幫忙調查一件離奇的搶劫案。 

- The committee was sent to investigate the sanitation standards of all the senior centers in the county. 

委員會被派去調查縣裡所有老人中心的衛生標準。 

investigation n. 調查這個行為或動作

- The detective was in the middle of an important investigation, and was in no mood to receive any phone calls unrelated to the case. 

警探正在做一項重要的調查，沒有心情接聽任何跟案子無關的電話。 

- The mayor was against the investigation because he felt it would be a waste of time and taxpayers’ money. 

市長不支持這件調查，因為他認為會浪費時間跟納稅人的錢。 

maze n. 迷宮 非常複雜或是難搞懂的指示/規則/過程 

a complicated and confusing system of connected passages

- The Hampton Court Palace Maze is a famous maze that attracts a lot of tourists everywhere. 

漢普頓迷宮是一座很有名的迷宮，每年會吸引很多觀光客。

- During the fall, visitors can visit corn fields that have been converted into mazes. 

每年秋天，遊客可以參觀被改造成迷宮的玉米田。 

maze n. 街道穿梭的複雜又容易迷路的一個地方

- Unlike the new district with its grid-like street and boulevard, the historic district is a maze of winding alleys. 

舊城區的巷道繞來繞去的，像一座迷宮，不像新城那邊的街道像格子一樣又直又正。

maze n. 非常複雜或是難搞懂的指示/規則/過程

a confusing collection or mixture of things (such as rules)

- I don’t understand why I need to go through this maze of instructions just to handing an application form. 

我不瞭解只是交一份申請表，為什麼要經過這麼複雜的程序。 

to spare v. 額外的、還有剩的  

If you have money, time, energy, etc., to spare, you have more than enough money, time, energy, etc.

- Sara is very careful with her budget, and she is happy to see at the end of the month that she still has some money to spare. 

Sara 很小心地控制預算，然後很開心地看到，月底還有剩一些錢。 

- Jonathan’s meeting ended early, and since he had some time to spare, he decided to get a bite to eat. 

Jonathan的會議提早結束，既然還有剩一點時間，就決定去吃一點東西。

spare adj. 備用的、多餘的 

kept as something extra that can be used if it is needed

- Because Benjamin forgot his house key, he had to unlock the door with the spare key that he had hidden in his front yard. 

Benjamin 忘了帶鑰匙，所以用他藏在院子裡的備用鑰匙來開門。 

- The homeless man asked the pedestrians for spare change. 

遊民向行人們乞討零錢。

Buddy, Can You Spare Me a Dollar? (2)

Well, if someone tells me he's hungry, I buy him a sandwich or a hamburger. If I have time.

And how frequently does that happen?

Once or twice a year. Maybe. 

I really pity these people. I wish I could do more for them. Many just need someone to give them a helping hand. 

Many of them just need to knuckle down and get a job. 

It isn't easy to get a job when you're down-and-out. 

Maybe they should have thought of that before they made a mess of their lives. 

Please don't be quick to blame all panhandlers. Some of them have serious mental problems. 

If that's the case, they shouldn't be out on the street begging. They should be in a safe place getting proper care. 

I agree 100 percent. But for some reason, that isn't happening like it should. 

And the ones who are capable of working, but don't want to? I say they should get nothing. 

OK, Mel, we need some help at our company. How about hiring one of these guys?

That's taking quite a risk. But maybe you're right. 

Info Cloud

I beg your pardon? 有禮貌的方式來請求對方重複一次說過的話

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. When I was young and still learning the English language, I was very curious about how people use the phrase: I beg your pardon? 

Really? Why is that? 

Well, the literal meaning of the expression is asking for someone's forgiveness. And it's often used to ask someone to repeat what they said, which I find very interesting. 

Oh, I see what you're saying. Well, originally, when someone says, "I beg your pardon," they are really asking for forgiveness, like: I beg your pardon for being late. 

But it seems like nowadays if you say that, it sounds almost too formal or serious. I usually just say: Sorry. 

The expression "I beg your pardon" is just a very polite way to ask people to repeat what they said maybe because the listener wasn't paying attention. However, some people still do use this expression to ask for forgiveness. 

有時候我們會聽到一些人說: I beg your pardon? 然後對方就會再重複說過一次剛剛說過的話。其實，I beg your pardon. 字面上的意思是: 我請求你的原諒，原本是用來道歉的，但似乎比較多人請求對方再說一次，可能是因為沒注意聽，或是沒聽懂，這其實是很有禮貌的方式來請求對方重複一次說過的話。雖然如此，還是有一些人會用 I beg your pardon. 來請求原諒，像是 I beg your pardon for being late. 請你原諒我遲到了。

Language Lab

pity v. 同情 對一件事情感到可惜或遺憾 

to feel pity for (someone or something) : to feel sorry for (someone or something)

- I pity you having to work extra hours on your report. 

我很同情你需要加班趕報告。 

- There is no need to pity Bobby. He got what he deserved. 

沒必要同情Bobby，因為他罪有應得。 

pity n. 同情心

a strong feeling of sadness or sympathy for someone or something

- Victor appreciated everyone’s desire to help him, but he doesn’t want anyone’s pity. 

Victor 很感謝大家願意幫忙，但他不要別人的同情。 

pity n. 對一件事情感到可惜或遺憾 

something that causes sadness or disappointment

- It is a pity no investors wanted to put in money to support such a wonderful life-saving invention. 

很可惜沒有投資者願意為這項可以救人命的發明投資。 

knuckle down [phrasal verb] 開始用功努力 

to begin to work hard

knuckle n.手指頭上的關節

any one of the thick, bony parts (called joints) in your fingers

- Stacey knocked on the door too hard and hurt her knuckles. 

Stacey 敲門的時候太用力，傷到手指的關節。 

- How do you expect to finish this report if you don’t knuckle down and take it seriously. 

你如果不好好開始努力認真地寫報告，要如何把它寫完呢? 

- It wasn’t until the last two weeks of the semester that Sebastian finally knuckled down and got busy for this assignments. 

Sebastian 等到學期倒數兩個禮拜，才終於開始努力寫作業。 

blame v. 責備、責怪  

to say or think that a person or thing is responsible for something bad that has happened

- We cannot blame our team leader for all our problems. 

我們不能把所有的問題都怪在我們的組長頭上。 

- When something goes wrong, Tricia never takes responsibility and always blames it on someone else. 

如果有什麼事情出錯，Tricia從來不會認錯，還會怪到別人頭上。 

blame n, 責備、怪罪 

responsibility for something that fails or is wrong

- How could you put the blame on your brother when it was clearly your fault. 

明明是你的錯，怎麼會怪罪你的弟弟呢? 

- The company lost a lot of money, and manager took the blame. 

公司損失好多錢，而一切的錯都由經理來承擔。 

capable adj. 有能力做的  

able to do something : having the qualities or abilities that are needed to do something — + of

- If Jason is capable of lifting heavy weight in the gym, then he is capable of helping me carry this box. 

Jason 既然在健身房都能夠做重力訓練，那麼他應該能夠幫我拿這個箱子。 

- Since Roger is capable of running five miles in forty five minutes, a walk to the nearest bank should be no problem. 

Roger 既然能夠在四十五分鐘之內跑五英哩，要他走到附近的銀行應該不是問題。 

capable adj. 形容一個人很有能力 

skilled at doing something : able to do something well

- The supervisor needs a very capable assistant to help him with all these different work assignment. 

主管需要一位能力很強的助理，來幫助他處理這些不同工作項目。 

- The intern proved to be a very capable worker in the company and was eventually given a full-time position. 

這個實習生在公司裡證明了他很能幹，也因此獲得了一份全職工作。

Buddy, Can You Spare Me a Dollar? (1)

Should you give money to people on the street?
老兄，你有一塊錢嗎？ 該不該掏錢給在路上跟你討錢的人？

You may have seen people asking strangers for money on the street. In some parts of the world, they are called beggars. In the U.S. and Canada, they are known as panhandlers. Some sit quietly with a hand-written sign asking for help. Others approach people directly. Some are polite, and some are rude. Some may even threaten people who don't give them money. Most of them definitely need money. But should you give it to them when they ask?

Small business partners Mel and Dave just encountered a panhandler on their way to lunch.

(inside coffee shop) I noticed you gave that guy out on the street some money. Do you always give to panhandlers?

No, not always. If I did, I wouldn't have any money for myself. It seems they're everywhere these days.

It sure does. I never give money to any of them.

But that guy said he was hungry. And he sure looked hungry.

Maybe. But he'll probably buy alcohol or drugs with your money instead of food.

We don't know that. He might be getting something to eat right now.


Info Cloud
Beggars can’t be choosers. 別無選擇，一定要接受一件事情的時候

Hello. Welcome to Info Cloud, friends. Rex, I'm so hungry. I know there are some yummy snacks in the break room. I can't wait to eat some.

Sorry, Anne Marie. But the only thing left is a piece of bread, and it's not the kind you like. Oh. Well, I'm so hungry, I'll eat it anyway.

Beggars can't be choosers. 

Beggars can't be choosers. Now that's a good phrase. Let's talk about that today. Can you explain to our friends what a beggar is?

Sure. A beggar is someone homeless or destitute. Beggars sometimes stand on the side of the road and beg for money.

Beggars are poor and can't choose what they are given. When someone decides to donate money or food to them, they take it and are thankful for it.

So when we use the phrase "beggars can't be choosers," it means you don't have a choice, and you will be happy with what you can get. Here's an example.

There haven't been many available shifts to work this weekend. I didn't want to work Saturday night. But beggars can't be choosers, I'll take what I can get.

I'll definitely take what I can get when it comes to snacks. I'm hungry, and beggars can't be choosers.

今天要跟大家分享的這個流行用語相當有趣，那就是 Beggars can’t be choosers. 這句話字面上是乞丐沒得選擇。當你遇到別無選擇，一定要接受一件事情的時候，就可以說:  Beggars can’t be choosers. 例如，你如果餓到受不了了，家裡只剩下泡麵，你只能說: Well, beggars can’t be choosers. 我沒得選，只能吃泡麵了。beggars 這個字有一種迫切感，choosers 就是選擇的人。


Language Lab
approach v. 靠近、接近
to move or become near or nearer to something or someone
- Before the train even approached the station, people were already waiting in line on the platform.
火車還沒有接近火車站，月台上的人都已經排好隊了。
approach v. 為了金錢或商業而聯繫
to start talking to (someone) for some purpose (such as to ask a question or make a request)
- The inventor needed more money to mass-produce his product, so he approached several investors to see if anyone would be interested in investing.
那位發明家需要更多錢來大量生產他的產品，於是他接下幾位投資者，看看誰有興趣投資。
approach n. 方法
a way of dealing with something : a way of doing or thinking about something
- When it comes to problem-solving, Elva always prefers the direct approach.
Elva 處理問題時，喜歡用直接的方法來處理。

threaten v. 威脅、恐嚇
to say that you will harm someone or do something unpleasant or unwanted especially in order to make someone do what you want
- Mr. Thomas threatened his neighbor with an axe, so his neighbor called the police.
Thomas 先生拿著斧頭威脅著他的鄰居，所以鄰居就報警。
threaten v. 可能帶來危害
used to say that something bad or harmful appears likely or possible
- The typhoon threatened the communities along the coast.
颱風可能危害到海岸沿線的社區。
- Before the tsunami hit the island, farmers noticed their animals behaving strangely and knew something bad was threatening the island.
海嘯還沒有襲擊小島前，農夫們注意到動物奇怪的行為，然後就知道有不好的事情即將發生。
threaten v. 當一個人的職位、人格或自信受到威脅
to be something that is likely to cause harm to (someone or something) : to be a threat to (someone or something)
- The Evil Queen wanted to be the most beautiful woman in the kingdom and felt threatened by the beautiful Princess Snow White.
邪惡的皇后想要成為王國裡最美麗的女人，而美麗的白雪公主卻讓她感受到威脅。

encounter v. 遇到 (未經安排的相遇) 
to meet (someone) without expecting or intending to
- When Tiffany came home, she encountered a stranger sticking a flyer onto her front door.
Tiffany 回家時，碰到一位陌生人正在把一張傳單貼在她的大門上。
- There is usually nobody at the park whenever Davis goes for a run, but today he encountered a lovely woman who was there with her dog.
Davis 在公園裡慢跑時，通常都沒有人，但是今天他卻遇到一位正在遛狗的美女。
encounter n.偶然的相遇
a meeting that is not planned or expected
- Debbie met a handsome stranger while she was vacationing in Hawaii, and that encounter became the most memorable part of her trip.
Debbie 在夏威夷度假時，遇到一位英俊的陌生人，而那次相遇成為Debbie 夏威夷之行最難忘的一部分。
- Ryan likes to tell the story of his encounter with a funny old lady at the bus stop. Ryan 喜歡分享他在公車站遇見一位有趣老太太的故事。

alcohol n. 酒、含酒精的飲料 ; 乙醇
a clear liquid that has a strong smell, that is used in some medicines and other products, and that is the substance in liquors (such as beer, wine, or whiskey) that can make a person drunk
drinks containing alcohol
- You should not be driving if you already drank some alcohol.
你既然喝了酒，就不應該開車。
- This cologne contains 80% alcohol.
這瓶古龍水的乙醇濃度有百分之八十。
alcoholic adj. 東西跟酒/酒精有關
of, containing, or caused by alcohol
- This restaurant does not serve any alcoholic drinks.
這一家餐廳不供應含酒精的飲料。
alcoholic n. 酗酒者
a person who frequently drinks too much alcohol and is unable to live a normal and healthy life : a person who is affected with alcoholism
- An alcoholic is someone who feels the need to drink alcohol very often.
一位酗酒者會覺得需要常常喝酒。

panhandle v.
/ˈpænˌhændl̟/
to ask strangers for money in a public place (such as on a sidewalk)
- There is a law against panhandling in the subway.

Water From Air (2)

As an added bonus, once the water is extracted, GENNY emits purified air, which is healthier for people to breathe.

At the 202 Smart Home Mark of Excellence Awards at the Consumer Electronics Show, GENNY was named the Energy Efficient Product of the Year. The award series recognizes the world's top high-tech home products.

As a company, Watergen aspires to provides drinking water to the billions of people who don't have safe drinking water at home. Last year Watergen's large-scale products were donated to authorities in Brazil, Vietnam and India.

Watergen also seeks to help the environment by eliminating waste generated by plastic water bottles. People can put the water from GENNY into reusable bottles so that plastic ones don't get used and thrown away. It also strives for energy efficiency. There are even two versions of GENNY: one that plugs into a standard power supply and another that runs on energy from solar panels. The solar panel version is particularly useful for remote villages or other areas not connected to an electrical grid.

Watergen's technology is sure to help many people around the world as well as help take care of our planet.


Info Cloud
fish out of water

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. Before we start, I have to ask Rex a question. Why were you so quiet in the meeting yesterday? You didn't say a word.

I know. I'm always like that in meetings. I'm not very good at communicating, especially in a very serious meeting, so I feel like a fish out of water.

Oh, I see. I can definitely understand being a fish out of water. Why don't you explain what it means to our students?

OK. We all know that fish belong in the water. When they leave the water, they will literally die. When we describe someone as a fish out the water, it means that the person is extremely uncomfortable in a situation.

When Rex says uncomfortable, he doesn't mean physically. When a person is a fish out of water, the person feels out of place or very awkward in a certain situation, just like Rex being in a meeting.

That's correct. I am an introvert. I like reading, watching TV and being alone.

Well, you can't be alone all the time. Sometimes it's good to challenge yourself by choosing to be in an uncomfortable situation, even if you feel like a fish out of water.

我們有時候會處在一種渾身不自在的場合，你可以用 fish out of water 來形容這種情況。fish out of water 字面上是魚離開了水，而我們知道魚本來就是應該在水裡自由自在地游，因此，你形容一個人是 fish out of water，那就代表這個人在某種場合裡面，感到非常地不舒服或是彆扭。

I felt like a fish out of water in that meeting. 我在會議當中感到很彆扭，那是一個我很不自在的場合，有可能是因為大家在討論的話題是你完全不熟悉的，或者是你在跟一些完全不同類型的人在一起，感覺很奇怪。


Language Lab
extract v. 取出 (靠化學過程或機械方式)
/ɪkˈstrækt/
to remove (something) by pulling it out or cutting it out
- To extract gold from a rock involves the use of cyanide.
要從礦石中提煉出黃金會用到氰化物。
- It seems the government does not have immediate plans to extract the oil from that region of the country.
政府好像沒有計畫要馬上把那一區的石油抽取出來。
extract v. 用力拔出
to get (a substance) from something by the use of a machine or chemicals
- When the dentist told Jimmy he was going to extract his tooth, Jimmy became very nervous.
牙醫跟Jimmy說要拔牙的時候，Jimmy 就變得很緊張。
extract n. 精華 (重音第一音節)
a substance that you get from something by using a machine or chemicals
This cake doesn’t have any flavor because I forgot to add vanilla extract.
這個蛋糕沒什麼味道，因為我忘了加香草精。

purify v. 潔淨、淨化
 /ˈpjɚrəˌfaɪ/
to make (something or someone) pure: such as a : to remove dirty or harmful substances from (something)
- If you really want to purify the water in your house, the basic water filter you have is not good enough.
如果你真的要淨化你們家的水，你現在用的那台基本款的濾水器是不夠的。
- Greta is buying some indoor plants to help purify the air in her apartment.
Greta 要買一些室內盆栽植物來淨化她公寓裡的空氣。
- Rita is trying a new kind of diet and is hoping the food can help purify her skin.
Rita 再試一種新的飲食法，希望可以透過飲食來幫助她淨化肌膚。
purify v. 除掉心靈或道德方面的瑕疵、汙穢
to free (someone) from guilt or evil thoughts
- Damien has always wondered: If good deeds could purify a person’s heart, then how many good deeds should one do?
Damien 常常在想，如果一個人能夠用做善事來潔淨心靈，那麼要做多少善事才夠呢?

version n. 版本 
a story or description that is different in some way from another person's story or description
- Although the newest version of the software looks a lot like last year’s version, there are some major differences.
雖然這個最新版本的軟體看起來跟去年的很像，但是還是有一些重大的差別。
version n.  形式方面的版本
a form of something (such as a product) that is different in some way from other forms
- The movie version of the story is a whole lot better than the cartoon version.
那個故事的電影版比卡通版本好很多。
version n. 翻譯成不同的版本
- I have read the Mandarin version of that story many times, and I will try the English version next.
那個故事的中文版我已經看了好幾次，接下來想試試英文版。
version n. 說法
- You need to hear both Tony’s version of the story as well as Stella’s version of the story if you really want to understand what had happened between them.
你必須同時聽Tony的說法以及 Stella的說法，才能夠了解他們之間是發生了什麼事。

grid n. 格子、方格
a pattern of lines that cross each other to form squares on a piece of paper, a map, etc.
-  The teacher wanted to play a game with her students, so she began by drawing a grid on the board.
老師想跟學生們一起玩個遊戲，她就先在板子上換了方格子。
grid n. 電力網
a network of electrical wires and equipment that supplies electricity to a large area
- I can’t believe Natasha brought a hair dryer on this camping trip, did she not realize we are at a campsite far from any electrical grid?
我無法理解Natasha 為什麼會帶吹風機來露營，難道他不知道我們的營區是離電力網有多遠嗎?
grid n. 格柵
a metal frame with bars running across it that is used to cover an opening
- There was a metal grid over the hole in the middle of the road, but a mouse was still able to crawl through it.
馬路中間的洞口上面有格柵，但是還是有老鼠可以從當中爬出來。
grid n. 地圖上面的座標方格
- It is hard to find the destination on this map without a grid.
這張地圖上沒有座標方格，是很難找到目的地的。

Water From Air (1)

A new technology offers solutions for water shortages 
空氣水？！ 全新應用科技為水資源短缺找到解方

Israeli company Watergen has produced an appliance that generates clean, potable water out of air. The device, called GENNY, is small enough to be used in a home or office but can generate up to 30 liters of water a day. The water that GENNY produces is not only clean enough to drink, it’s also often cleaner than tap water.

GENNY takes air in and passes it through a filter to remove dust and dirt. The filter is powerful enough to work even in areas with high air pollution. The air then passes through a chamber where heating and cooling cause water vapor in the air to condense. This water is then passed through several more filters, and minerals are added to make it healthier and better-tasting. Finally, the water is stored in a tank where it is continually circulated to keep it fresh.

The heating and cooling process, dubbed GENius, is far more energy-efficient than other technologies that generate water from air. It produces four to five times more water per kilowatt-hour. Watergen has other products that use this same technology on a larger scale, the largest of which can produce up to 5000 liters of water per day.



Info Cloud
puzzle

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Info Cloud. Rex, what are you working on?

Oh. I'm trying to figure out this puzzle. It's kind of confusing.

It sounds like that number puzzle is pretty puzzling, huh?

Oh, yeah. I forgot puzzle, the noun, can become an adjective, puzzling. I usually think of a puzzle as a game like with numbers or a picture cut up into pieces.

Well, that is one kind of puzzle. But a puzzle can also be a problem or question that is hard to figure out. We often use the word puzzle with a preposition at the end.

Oh, like to puzzle over something. That means to think long and hard to try to figure out the answer.

Right. Or to puzzle something out. When you puzzle something out, you think about it until you find the answer. It took me a while to puzzle out what Jack meant by what he said to me.

For now, I'm just trying to puzzle out how to solve this puzzling number puzzle.

Don't puzzle over it too long, Rex. We have to finish our lesson.

很多人都知道 puzzle 是拼圖，但其實這個字當作動詞使用，有苦思或是傷腦筋的涵義，有點像拼拼圖的感覺。如果你形容一件事情是 puzzling，那就代表它很令你困惑或傷腦筋，如果是 puzzle over，那就是你正在用力思考怎麼解決一個問題，I’m puzzling over this math problem. 我正在想怎麼解這個數學的考題。另外一個類似的說法是 puzzle something out，這也是想辦法找出問題的答案，I’m trying to puzzle out what he meant. 我在想他到底是什麼意思。


Language Lab
generate v. 產生某種資源或能源
to produce (something) or cause (something) to be produced
- Using solar panels in the desert is a great way to generate energy.
在沙漠裡用太陽能板是一個生產能源的好方法。
- Scientists continued to help farmers find new ways to generate more food.
科學家繼續幫助農民找出新的方法來生產更多食物。
generate v. 引發、造成
to be the cause of or reason for (something, such as interest or excitement)
- The movie was very interesting, and it generated a lot of discussion among my friends.
那部電影非常有意思，引發我朋友當中的很多討論。
- Both Mr. and Mrs. Wilson are working, and now their two oldest kids are also getting part-time jobs to help generate more income for the family.
Wilson 先生及太太都在工作，而現在他們兩個年紀最大的孩子，也要半工半讀，好增加他們家的收入。

filter n. 過濾器、會有過濾效果的東西  慢慢地滲透
a device that is used to remove something unwanted from a liquid or gas that passes through it
- We changed the filter in the drinking fountain every month.
我們每一個月會把飲水機裡的過濾器換新的。
- There is nothing wrong with the vacuum cleaner. You just need to clean out its filter.
吸塵器沒有任何問題，你只要把它裡面的濾塵器清乾淨就好。
filter v.  過濾
to pass (something, such as a gas or liquid) through a filter to remove something unwanted
- Some of the impurities in the water are difficult to filter out.
水裡有一些雜質很難過濾。
filter v. 慢慢地滲透
to move through or into something in small amounts or in a gradual way
As the morning light filter through the curtains and into the room, Julia slowly crawled out of bed.
隨著晨光緩緩地透過窗簾照進房間，Julia 也慢慢地從被窩裡爬出來。

water vapor n. 水氣、水蒸氣
vapor n. 蒸氣
a substance that is in the form of a gas or that consists of very small drops or particles mixed with the air
- The towels don’t dry in the bathroom because there is too much water vapor in there.
毛巾掉在浴室裡都不會乾，因為水氣太多。
- The plants grow really well in the greenhouse because there is water vapor in the air.
溫室裡的植物都長得很好，因為空氣中有水氣。
vaporize v. 蒸發
to change into a vapor or to cause (something) to change into a vapor
- If you don’t cap the bottle tightly, the chemical inside will vaporize.
如果你不把瓶子的瓶口蓋好，裡面的化學品會蒸發掉。

condense v. 讓氣體變成液體或固體、凝結 
to change from a gas into a liquid
- When steam comes into contact with cooler air, it will condense and that’s how we get fog.
當水氣碰到較冷的空氣就會凝結，產生了霧。
condense v. 濃縮
to remove water from (something) to make it thicker
- If you keep cooking the milk, it will slowly begin to condense.
如果你一直煮牛奶，它會慢地開始濃縮。
condense v. 縮短
to make (something) shorter or smaller by removing parts that are less important
- I know you have a lot to say in your report, but you need to condense it because no one has time to read the whole thing.
我知道你有很多東西想放在報告裡，但是你一定要把它縮短，因為沒有人有時間把它讀完。
- In order to squeeze a semester’s worth of lessons into a one-month training, the professor had to condense all his material.
為了把一學期的課程壓縮成一個月的培訓，教授不得不縮短他的教材。

Million Dollar Quartet (2)

While the musicians were singing, Phillips called and asked a newspaper reporter to come over. In an article the following day, the reporter observed, "That quartet could sell a million!" He dubbed the group the "Million Dollar Quartet." The name became the inspiration for a musical by the same name.

In 2006 Million Dollar Quartet opened in regional theaters, breaking box office records. The musical first appeared on Broadway in 2010 with national and international tours following. It received a coveted Tony award in 2010.

As the show begins, each performer takes the stage and sings one of his character's well-known songs. He then freezes in place while Sam Phillips explains to the audience how he first discovered each artist. Throughout the show, there are glimpses into each man's current situation and his future.

Quartet's stars not only act, sing and play the original recording artists' songs. They also have the added challenge of portraying musicians who have well-established looks and sounds.

Million Dollar Quartet convincingly captures one December afternoon when fate brought four musical icons back to the place where they started.



Info Cloud
downstage, upstage, centerstage, stage left, stage right and backstage

Thanks for joining us on Info Cloud. Today I wanted to talk about stage directions.

I perform on stages quite often and understanding stage directions is very helpful.

Very simply, the directions on stage are downstage, upstage, centerstage, stage left, stage right and backstage.

These directions are from the point of view of the person on stage facing the audience. Downstage is toward the audience. Upstage is away from the audience.

So move downstage means move closer to the audience. Go stage left means to go to the left of the stage from the actor's point of view looking out at the audience.

There are a lot of great English sayings that come from stage directions. For example, backstage, upstage, centerstage. Backstage is behind the curtain, the place where the audience can't see.

When things happen backstage, they happen without people being aware of it.

Centerstage, or taking center-stage, is taking the area that draws the most attention right in the middle where everyone can see.

When someone moves upstage, they move away from the audience. In a play, that can draw attention away from actors downstage.

So upstaging someone means to take attention away from other people. But we don't do that on Info Cloud.

No. But we do do a lot of backstage work so that we can keep bringing new, interesting English lessons.

今天要跟大家介紹一些劇場裡走位時候會出現的用語，像是經常聽到的stage left 左舞台，和 stage right 右舞台，也就是面對觀眾在舞台上面的方向。在排練的時候，導演可能會對演員說: Can you go stage right after this line? 說完這句台詞之後，你可不可以往右舞台走。如果導演說 downstage 那就是往舞台前方，比較靠近觀眾。upstage 就是往舞台後方。centerstage 就是舞台的中央，變成所有人的目光焦點。最後還有 backstage，也就是後台的意思。這一些劇場的用語其實可以用在所有類型的舞台上。


Language Lab
dub v.被稱作為、被稱為
to give (someone or something) a name or title
- Lisa did really well in her chemistry class and was soon dubbed “the Chem Goddess.”
Lisa在化學課表現優異，很快就被稱為「化學女神」。
- Dubbed “the Court Magician,” the young basketball player can skillfully maneuver the ball and do amazing tricks with it.
這位年輕的籃球球員，能夠很有技巧地玩球，並展現高超的球技，因此被稱為「球場的魔術師」。
dub v. 配音
to replace the original recorded speech in a movie or television show with speech recorded in another language
- The movie was not well-received by the audience because it was poorly dubbed into their language.
那部電影不受觀眾好評，因為配音配的非常糟糕。
- When I first saw that movie as a kid, it was dubbed into Mandarin and I honestly thought those Hollywood actors were fluent in Mandarin.
我小時候第一次看到那部影片時，是有配音，所以我當時真的以為那些好萊塢演員真的會講中文。

covet v.想要得到或擁有
to want (something that you do not have) very much
- There must be something special about this purse because it is the brand’s most coveted item.
這個皮包一定有什麼特別之處，因為它是那家品牌最讓人想擁有的產品。
- The latest hairstyle that so many female salon patrons are coveting was first sported by an actress in a movie.
這個很多女性髮廊顧客都想要擁有的最新髮型，最早是從電影裡的一位女演員開始的。
covet v. 因為忌妒而想要得到、貪圖
- Although the king’s son is the rightful heir to the throne, the king’s brother coveted the position and started to form an evil plan against his nephew.
國王的兒子雖然是王位的合法繼承人，但是國王的弟弟貪圖王位，並開始暗算他的姪子。
- When Henry saw how his hard-working coworkers were earning commission, he began to covet what they were getting.
當Henry 看到勤勞的同事們拿到傭金時，他就開始貪圖他們所得到的。

portray v.飾演、透過表演來呈現出某一個角色
to play (a character) in a film, play, or television show
- The talented actor will be portraying the famous writer Hemingway in an upcoming movie.
那位很有天賦的演員將在一部即將上映的影片裡飾演名作家海明威。
portray v.形容成
to describe (someone or something) in a particular way
- Although history remembers the queen as a vicious ruler, the writer’s historical novel portrays her as a misunderstood female leader.
雖然歷史記載那位皇后是位凶狠的統治者，但是這位作家的歷史小說，卻把她形容成一位被誤會的女性領導者。
portray v.描述
to show (someone or something) in a painting, book, etc.
- The explorer’s written records portray the kingdom as a utopia.
探險家的紀錄把這個王國描述成一個烏托邦。
portray v. 描繪
- That painter’s most famous painting portrays his neighbor's beautiful daughter.
那名畫家最有名的一幅畫，描繪的是他鄰居的美麗女兒。

convincingly adv.讓人能夠相信地
convince v. 說服
to cause (someone) to believe that something is true
- Terry is trying to convince her parents to let her go to the movies.
Terry 試著說服她的父母，讓她去看電影。
convincing adj. 某人或某事很有說服力
causing someone to believe that something is true or certain
- I didn’t believe Harlod’s words because his actions were not convincing.
我不相信Harlod所說的話，因為他的行為沒有說服力。
convincingly adv.讓人能夠相信地
- All the questions presented by the committee were convincingly answered by the professor.
委員會提出所有的問題都被教授讓人很信服地解答了。

Million Dollar Quartet (1)

Four musicians, one chance encounter and the rest is history 
百萬四重唱 樂壇四大傳奇人物 偶然巧遇創造歷史

One winter day four musicians gathered around a piano to make music and ended up making history. The performers became known as the "Million Dollar Quartet." Their spontaneous recording session inspired and award-winning musical, several books and a TV series.

On December 4, 1956, singer Carl Perkins was recording at Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. He was enjoying newfound fame from his first hit song. A young, not-yet-famous Jerry Lee Lewis was there, playing the piano. Country singer Johnny Cash was also there listening to Perkins record and visiting Sam Philips, the studio owner.

Elvis Presley also casually stopped by to see Phillips. By now, Elvis was a national sensation. Phillips had discovered him. He had recorded Presley's first hits in the tiny Memphis studio - the place where many say rock 'n' roll began. After Elvis arrived that day, the four men began sharing stories. In an act that seemed perfectly natural, they moved to the piano and began singing together.

Someone wisely turned on a recorder. The tape preserved the only time these four future legends of the rock 'n' roll era would ever perform together.


Info Cloud
millennial, nostalgic

Hello, everyone. It's great to have you with us on Info Cloud today. You may have noticed a trend in American popular music and movies recently. New content has been heavily featuring pop culture from the 80s and 90s.

That's really true. One of my favorite current TV shows take place in the 80s. I've heard some songs recently that referenced 90s lyrics, too. I wonder why that is.

I've heard it's due to millennials and their love for nostalgia.

The term millennial refers to the generation that grew up in the 80s and early 90s. Many songwriters, content creators and designers fit into this category. So it makes sense that they would create using references to their childhood.

The definition of nostalgia is a sentimental longing or wistful affection for a period in the past. It's kind of like when you miss something that happened to you a long time ago or remember it in a fond way.

Anne Marie, you are a millennial, aren't you?

It's true, I am. So how do you feel about current trends copying the 80s and the 90s?

I love it. It makes me feel nostalgic and remember my childhood.

對於生長在八零和九零年代的人，我們會稱呼這個世代為 millennials 千禧年世代的族群，很特別的是，有許多 millennials 對於過去某個年代的人事物都感到相當地著迷，我們可以說他們是非常的 nostalgic，也可以稱呼這種懷舊情懷是 nostalgia。Many millennials have nostalgia for the 80s. 很多千禧年族群對於八零年代感到相當著迷，或是他們對那個時期有一種 nostalgia。很多音樂人、設計師或者是文創藝術家都有這種懷舊的情懷。


Language Lab
spontaneous adj. 很自然的發生 (不是特別安排好的)
done or said in a natural and often sudden way and without a lot of thought or planning
- Going to the movies was a spontaneous decision, we weren’t even thinking about going out.
我們去看電影是完全沒有事先計畫好的，甚至連要出個門都沒有想過。
- Peter wants to apologize for what he just said, it was a spontaneous reaction and he said it without thinking.
Peter 想為剛剛說的話道歉，這純粹是自然的反應，而且沒經過大腦。
spontaneously adv. 自發地(而且還很突然地)
- If you want to eat, you need to prepare it yourself because food is not going to spontaneously appear on the table.
想吃東西就要自己準備，因為食物不會自動地從桌上冒出來。
- Where is the book that was on the desk, did it just spontaneously disappear?
剛剛在桌上的那本書在哪裡? 難道它就突然自己消失了?

newfound adj. 新得到的、新發現的
recently discovered, acquired, or achieved : newly found or gotten
- Carl wanted to get to know his newfound friend some more, so he invited her to coffee.
Carl 想多瞭解他剛認識的新朋友，所以邀她去喝咖啡。
- After visiting the art museum, Beatrice has a newfound interest in impressionist artwork.
Beatrice 參觀了美術館後，對印象派的畫作產生新的興趣。
- The dog had been kept in a cage, but now that it is rescued and living in the animal sanctuary, it is enjoying its newfound freedom.
小狗原先一直被關在籠子裡，但被救到動物保護區後，開始享受新得到的自由。

casually adv. 隨便地、不是很慎重地
happening by chance : not planned or expected
- As James was finishing up his phone conference, his daughter casually walks into the office with her snack.
James 才剛結束他的電話會議，他的女兒就帶著點心輕鬆地走到他的辦公室。
- Jamie casually picked up a magazine as she waited for her pizza.
Jamie 在等待Pizza的時候，隨便拿起一本雜誌來翻。
casually adv. 非正式地
not formal
- The meeting didn’t sound like it was an important one, so Leslie dressed rather casually for it.
Leslie 覺得這個會議聽起來不是很重要，所以他就穿的比較隨便地出席。
- Rather than having a formal dinner with the planning committee, the CEO decided to meet casually with them at a coffee shop.
執行長沒有跟規畫委員會吃正式晚宴，反而決定要跟他們輕鬆地一起喝咖啡就好。

sensation n. 轟動地事件
a lot of excitement and interest — usually singular
- When the prince announced he was going to marry a commoner, it created quite the sensation throughout the country.
王子宣佈他將與一位平民結婚時，造成全國的轟動。
- Performing the halftime show at the sporting event made the singer an international sensation.
在體育比賽的中場表演讓那位歌手成為了國際級的風雲人物。
sensation n. 感覺
a particular feeling or effect that your body experiences
- Mary put some cream on her face, and immediately she felt a burning sensation.
Mary 在臉上擦上乳霜，結果馬上就有燒灼的感覺。
sensation n. 整體的感覺、體驗後的感覺
a particular feeling or experience that may not have a real cause
- When Winnie went scuba diving for the first time, it was an amazing sensation.
Winnie 第一次潛水的時候，讓她有驚喜的感覺。

The Fear of Taking Risks May Be Holding You Back (1)

These mental strength exercises will help you conquer your fear
別讓恐懼阻止你向前 有效鍛鍊心智強度 有助克服恐懼冒險

Your brain will try to convince you to play it safe. It will tell you that you can't succeed or that you shouldn't bother trying something new.

But even when these thoughts lack a rational basis, we sometimes allow our anxiety to prevail. Instead of thinking about what could be, we focus on "what if?"

But risks don't have to be reckless.

The problem is that we often base our decisions on emotion rather than logic. We incorrectly assume that there's a direct correlation between our fear level and the risk level.

But more often than not, our emotions are just not rational.

Weather you are afraid to take a leap with your career, or you're terrified to take a small social risk like inviting an acquaintance out for coffee, learning to take healthy risks can improve your life.

Sometimes, you need to take risks, challenge yourself and try harder at things, if you want to grow stronger and become better.

You only want to take the calculated risks that can truly improve your life (not just the risks that feel good now).

If you find yourself fearing to take healthy, calculated risks, there are two strategies that can help.


Info Cloud
adrenaline junkie 腎上腺素上癮的人

Welcome to Info Cloud, friends. Today we want to talk about the phrase, adrenaline junkie.

A junkie is defined as a person with a compulsive habit or obsessive dependency on something. This word is commonly used to describe someone who is addicted to drugs.

However, there are other things you can be addicted to, like if you are a news junkie, you can't get enough of reading or watching the news.

The kind of junkie we want to talk about today is an adrenaline junkie. Adrenaline junkies are obsessed with the feeling of an adrenaline rush.

Adrenaline is a hormone our bodies produce in response to excitement or stress. Do you know that exciting feeling you get when you are high up on a roller coaster and it suddenly drops? That's an adrenaline rush.

An adrenaline junkie is someone who is always seeking out this feeling. They love exciting or even dangerous activities.

Bungee jumping, roller coasters and driving fast vehicles are all activities many adrenaline junkies like. I've heard that some adrenaline junkies are really into horror movies because they like the feeling of feeling scared.

Not me. I don't like horror movies at all, and I'm definitely not an adrenaline junkie.

大部分的人都有 adrenaline rush 腎上腺素高漲的經驗，如果是去高空彈跳、做雲霄飛車，或是開快車，這些都會刺激人的腎上腺素。有些人對於這一種adrenaline rush 幾乎到了上癮的程度，經常喜歡做一些危險刺激的活動，讓自己極度亢奮，你可以稱呼這樣的人是 adrenaline junkie 腎上腺素上癮的人。junkie 是對一件事情極度著迷，迫使自己反覆不斷地做一些事情的人，這個字經常用來形容吸毒上癮的人。Bob is an adrenaline junkie who loves to race cars. Bob是熱愛賽車的腎上腺素上癮者。junkie 也可以用來形容對其他事情上癮的人，像是如果你喜歡看新聞，你就是一個 news junkie。


Language Lab
rational adj. 理智的 
based on facts or reason and not on emotions or feelings
- Peter has always been a rational person, why would he suddenly make such a crazy decision?
Peter 平常都很理智，為什麼會突然做出這麼瘋狂的決定呢?
rational adj. 頭腦清楚的
having the ability to reason or think about things clearly
I don’t think you’re being rational, the things you’ve said just don’t make any sense to me.
我不認為你現在頭腦清楚，我完全無法理解你所說的話。
rationalize v. 合理地解釋
to think about or describe something (such as bad behavior) in a way that explains it and makes it seem proper, more attractive, etc.
- Susie tried to rationalize her decision, but her mother wouldn’t accept it.
Susie 試著為她的決定做出合理的解釋，但是她媽媽就是不肯接受。
- Howard’s parents tried to rationalize Howard’s aggressive behavior by saying it was all because of stress.
Howard的父母試著合理化Howard挑釁的行為，說是因為壓力很大。

prevail v. 戰勝、占優勢
/prɪˈveɪl/
to defeat an opponent especially in a long or difficult contest
- There is a lot of misinformation going around, but I believe the truth will prevail.
錯誤的資訊到處都是，但是我相信真理絕對會得勝。
- Mr. Lawson’s opponents have said many terrible things about him but none of their accusations will prevail.
Lawson先生的對手們對手說了他很多壞話，但是他們的控告不會占優勢。
prevail v. 普遍
to be usual, common, or popular
- That superstition still prevails among the tribes in the jungle.
這個迷信在叢林的部落中還是很普遍。
prevailing adj. (東西、狀況) 很普遍
 /prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/
usual, common, or popular
- According to historical documents, prevailing corruption was one of the reasons why the people rose up against the government.
根據歷史記載，普遍的貪污是導致人們起來反抗政府的原因之一。

leap n. 跳起來的動作
to jump from a surface
- The dog made a leap into the air and caught the Frisbee.
小狗跳到空中，並接到飛盤。
leap n. 大的改變(有增加或增進的關係)
to suddenly increase by a large amount
I don’t think you are ready to take that leap in your relationship.
我不認為你預備好要對你們的關係做一個大改變。
leap v.  跳起來
a long or high jump
- To open the garage door, just push that button on the wall, but you have to leap if you want to reach the button.
要打開車庫門，就只要按牆上的按鈕，但是你得跳得很高，才能碰得到按鈕。
leap v.  動作很快
a great and sudden change, increase, or improvement
- When Edgar saw that his girlfriend had arrived at his house, he leaped to the front door to greet her. 當Edgar 看到他的女朋友剛到她家，她快速地到門口去迎接他。

calculated adj. 計畫好的、蓄意的
calculator n. 計算機
a small electronic device that is used for adding, subtracting, etc.
- I need a calculator to figure out how much everything is going to cost.
我需要計算機來算這一切需要多少錢。
calculate v.計算
to find (a number, answer, etc.) by using mathematical processes
- I think you didn’t calculate correctly, these numbers are not right.
我認為你計算錯了，這些數字都不對。
calculated adj. 計畫好的、蓄意的
carefully planned for a particular and often improper purpose
- The suspect said everything had happened by accident, but in reality, it was a carefully calculated scheme.
嫌犯聲稱所有的事情都是意外的發生，但是實際上這一切都是仔細計畫好的陰謀。
- The wedding coordinator had a very calculated approach to planning her client’s wedding.
婚裡秘書有一個精心計畫的安排，來籌備她客戶的婚禮。

Jungle Cruise (2)

Jungle Cruise is the fourth Disney film for both Johnson and Blunt. Yet they weren't the first choices for their parts in the movie. In 2011, it was announced that Tom Hanks and Tim Allen would star in the film. By 2015 the plans had changed, and Dwayne Johnson was cast in Jungle Cruise. Emily Blunt joined the cast in 2018.

Dwayne Johnson plays Frank, a riverboat captain who knows the river better than anyone else. Emily Blunt's character, Lily, is a scientist. She's in search of a tree that's believed to possess healing powers.

Johnson describes Lily as "the female version of Indiana Jones." Frank is much more relaxed and only cares about his money and his cat. Everything changes when Lily convinces him to take her and her brother on a dangerous mission. As Johnson describes it, the journey is "the adventure of a lifetime!"

I can't wait to experience the adventure of watching Disney's long-awaited Jungle Cruise. Watching it in theaters will bring me back to the excitement of visiting Disneyland as a child.



Info Cloud
Cash is king, cash flow, hard cash

Welcome to Info Cloud. Let's talk about something most of us use every day: money.

There are lots of English words to describe money. But today we're going to talk about the word cash.

You know, some say cash is king.

I've heard that before. It is often used in business to describe cash flow or the money you have coming and going.

If you invest a lot of money in the stock market, for example, the funds may not be easily available to you at any time.

So one piece of advice is to make sure you have money, or cash, set aside to buy things, pay your staff or cover other business expenses.

Does that mean hard cash?

Well, hard cash means physical money that is available to use. But having a cash flow available means you have money in the bank and not tied up in investments or other things.

So if your money is tied up, it can't be withdrawn or used right away, and that affects your cash flow. And that could affect a lot of things in your business. We all know that the economy can change very quickly. So it's important to have access to the money you need, or in other words, cash is king.

今天跟大家介紹幾個跟投資理財有關的用語，第一個是 Cash is king. 意思就是有能夠活用的現金才是王道。如果錢都拿去投資，需要用的時候可能沒那麼快能夠拿回來。因此，有足夠的 cash flow 現金流，讓錢可以進進出出的，是比較理想的狀態。另外，很多人覺得手中握有 hard cash，也就是白花花的鈔票，會比較有安全感，因為他們不喜歡把錢拿去做投資，因為有可能被 tied up 套牢，或是暫時沒有辦法活用的意思。


Language Lab
cast v. 被選來演舞台劇或是電影裡的某一個角色 
a : to assign roles for (a play, movie, etc.) to actors
to assign (an actor or actress) a role in a film, play, etc.
- The director wanted to cast his daughter as the main character in the play.
導演想要選他女兒來演舞台劇的主角。
 cast v. 扔出去
to throw or move (something) in a forceful way
- The fisherman cast his net into the water.
漁夫把漁網扔進水裡。
cast v. 投射光線/影子
- If you want to take a selfie, you should move away from that tree branch because it is casting a shadow on your face.
如果你要自拍，最好離那根樹枝遠一點，因為它會在你臉上投射陰影。
cast n. 一部戲的全體演員
the actors in a play, film, or television show
- The play was an expensive production because it had a huge cast.
那部戲的製作成本很高，因為他的全體演員人數很多。

heal v. 癒合、治療
to become healthy or well again
- The vet said the wound on the dog isn’t serious and that it will take a few days to heal.
獸醫說小狗身上的傷口不嚴重，幾天後就會癒合。
- Dennis isn’t happy because he had seriously injured his leg and will need several months to heal.
Dennis 心情不好，因為他的腿傷的很嚴重，需要好幾個月才會好起來。
heal v. 情感方面或心理方面的癒合
- After Melody’s boyfriend dumped her, Melody wondered if her broken heart would ever heal.
Melody 的男朋友甩了她後，不知道她破碎的心是否能夠癒合。
heal v. 兩者之間原本不好關係的好轉
to make (someone or something) healthy or well again
- The two families have been fighting for years until two of their children married each other, and that began the healing process for both sides.
兩個長年敵對的家族，因為孩子們結了婚，而開始修補雙方之間的關係。

mission n. 任務 
a task or job that someone is given to do
- The spy was on a dangerous mission and he discovered where the secret weapons of the enemy were kept.
這個間諜在進行一項危險的任務，而找到敵方藏秘密武器的所在。
- The fighter jets were sent on a mission to destroy the enemy ships.
戰鬥機的任務是摧毀敵方的船隻。
mission n. 個人的使命或天職
a task that you consider to be a very important duty
- Some people traveled around the world to discover themselves and to find their mission in life.
有些人環遊世界，為了更認識自己，並找到他們的使命。
- Jeremy told Lisa that his mission in life is to make her happy, but then Jeremy met Michelle and he changed his mind.
Jeremy 之前跟Lisa說，他的使命就是要讓她快樂，但是後來Jeremy認識了Michelle，他就改變想法。

journey n. 旅行、旅程
an act of traveling from one place to another : trip
- Since all the the flights were cancelled, our only way to get to our destination was a three-day journey to the mountains by bus.
因為所有的航空班次都被取消，我們唯一抵達目的地的方法就是搭巴士開三天的山路。
- After his long journey, Cranston was happy to get a shower and a nice dinner.
長途旅行後，Cranston 很高興能夠好好沖個澡，又吃一頓大餐。
journey v. 旅行
to go on a journey : travel
- The refugees told the reporters their story of how they had to journey across the border to get away from the war.
難民們告訴記者們他們是如何跋涉越過邊界來逃避戰爭。
- Every spring, traders from the south would journey on camels to the capital city where there are goods to sell.
每年春天，南方的商人們會騎著駱駝帶著貨物，旅行到首都去賣。

Jungle Cruise (1)

A Disney movie that promises fun and adventure 
叢林奇航 迪士尼電影 保證充滿冒險歡樂

Disney parks and movies never fail to capture my imagination! I was a child when I first experienced the Jungle Cruise ride at Disneyland. The boat and the scenery looked so real! I expected danger and excitement around every bend of the river.

The ride was partly based on a series of Disney nature films called True-Life Adventures. Plant specialist Morgan "Bill" Evans completely changed an area of Disneyland into a realistic-looking jungle. Walt Disney had ideas for the ride and initially wanted to include real animals.

But after much discussion, animal experts convinced Disney that mechanical animals would be more reliable. The ride, a fan favorite, can now be found in four of the world's Disney parks.

In the past, many of Disney's amusement park rides were inspired by Disney movies. But, this is not the case for Jungle Cruise. The popular ride has inspired a soon-to-be-released movie with the same name. The film features one of the world's biggest stars, Dwayne Johnson. His co-star is the very talented Emily Blunt.



Info Cloud
Disneyland and Disney World

Hi, everyone. Welcome to Info Cloud. Rex, have you ever been to Disney World?

I've been to Disneyland in Tokyo, but not Disney World. What's the difference?

I'll tell you in a minute. But first, do you know how many Disney theme parks there are around the world?

I believe there are six - Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Paris, California and Florida.

You're right. The oldest park is the Los Angeles location, which is not far from Hollywood where Walt Disney made his movies. It opened in 1955.

And Shanghai is the newest Disneyland opening in 2016.

But do you know which park is the biggest?

I guess it's the original one.

That's a great guess. But, actually, the biggest Disney park is Disney World in Florida. It is over 25,000 acres while the California location is around 500 acres.

So is that why it's called Disney World, because of its size?

You got it. "World" is bigger than land. Disney World houses four theme parks and three water parks within the entertainment complex, which also includes hotels and shopping areas.

That's much more than just an amusement park. Well, if I have a chance, I'd like to visit Disney World.

You should. But there's too much to see in a single day, so you should plan a whole vacation there.

相信很多人都知道或是去過美國的Disneyland 迪士尼樂園，歷史最悠久的就是加州的園區，另外，佛羅里達州、東京、香港、巴黎和上海都有 Disneyland 迪士尼樂園。有些朋友可能不知道，除了Disneyland之外，佛羅里達州的園區其實是叫做 Disney World 迪士尼世界。猜猜看，Disneyland 跟 Disney World 哪一個是比較大的園區呢? 當然就是 Disney World，因為 world 世界 比 land 地區還要大很多。 Disney World 佔地兩萬五千公頃，足足比加州 Disneyland 大了五十倍的面積，裡面包含了四個主題園區，以及三個水上樂園，當然還有飯店和購物中心。基本上，需要計畫整個假期去 Disney World 才有足夠的時間玩得盡興，一個整天是完全不夠用的，這就是 Disney World 跟其他Disneyland的差別。



Language Lab
capture v. 吸引 (讓人感到有興趣或期待)
to get and hold (someone's attention, interest, etc.)
- Although the speaker was a famous scientist, his presentation was not very exciting and failed to capture his audience’s attention.
講員雖然是一位有名的科學家，但是他的演講不是很精彩，沒有吸引住聽眾的注意力。
capture v. 俘虜
to take and hold (someone) as a prisoner especially by using force
- In the movie, a secret agent was captured by terrorists, and a group of soldiers was sent to rescue the agent.
在電影裡，一位特務被恐怖分子俘虜，然後一群士兵被派去救他。
capture v. 獲得、贏得
to win or get (something) through effort
- Our school team was able to capture first place in the tournament.
我們的校隊在比賽裡獲得第一名。
capture v. 拍攝、錄影
to record (something) in a picture, film, etc.
- The embarrassing incident happened in the store and was captured by a security camera.
那件糗事發生在一家店裡，而且有被監視器錄下來。

specialist n. 專家
a person who has special knowledge and skill relating to a particular job, area of study, etc. : expert
- Why do we need to call in a specialist when we already have a department full of experts?
我們已經有一整個部門都是行家，何必再去請一位專家來呢?
- Since we have no experience in this field, we need to hire a specialist to come and help us.
我們因為對這個領域沒有經驗，所以必須聘請一位專家來協助我們。
specialist n. 專科醫生
a doctor who deals with health problems that relate to a specific area of medicine
- Our family doctor suggested that we go see a pain specialist regarding Teddy’s shoulder problem.
我們的家庭醫師建議我們去找一位疼痛專家，來診斷Teddy的肩膀問題。
- An eye specialist will be accompanying the medical team to help the people in the mountain village.
一位眼科專家會跟著醫療團隊去幫助山區村落的人。

mechanical adj. 機械的、跟機械有關的
of or relating to machinery
- Arthur thinks machines are very interesting and wants to be a mechanical engineer when he grows up.
Arthur 覺得機器很有趣，想要長大可以成為一位機械工程師。
- The professor took a look at the student’s robot and was impressed with the mechanical details.
教授看到學生做的機器人，覺得那些機器人上的細節讓他印象深刻。
mechanical adj. 習慣性的 (不需要經過大腦就能夠做到的)
happening or done without thought or without any effort to be different or interesting
of or relating to machinery
- When the front desk receptionist saw a guest walk in, she gave a mechanical greeting.
櫃台接待人員一看到客人走進來，就給了人家一個習慣性的問候。
- After going through the same dance routine every morning, the students knew the steps well enough to perform them in a mechanical way.
學生們每天早上都做同樣的舞蹈練習，所以很熟練舞步，可以習慣性地表演出來。

amusement park n. 遊樂場 = theme park (amusement 娛樂、park 公園)
a place that has many games and rides (such as roller coasters and merry-go-rounds) for entertainment
- The students will be visiting an amusement park during their graduation trip.
學生會在畢業旅行中去遊樂園玩。
- This amusement park is known for its roller coaster rides.
這個遊樂園是以它的雲霄飛車有名的。
- The tickets to some of the famous theme parks in the world can be very expensive.
世界上一些有名的主題樂園的入場券都很貴。


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Camino de Santiago (2)

• Scallop shells, which symbolize the Camino, along with an abundance of signs and arrows point pilgrims in the right direction.
• We walk by many vineyards. It is harvest time.
• We enjoy meeting fellow peregrinos (pilgrims) from all over the world. We wish one another "buen Camino" (good luck and happy traveling).
• We meet a young woman from Belgium and her three boys, aged 4, 6 and 9, traveling with a dog and a donkey. The donkey carries their supplies and camping gear.
• The rolling hills, fields, vast landscape and big open skies are incredible. Our camera cannot capture all that our eyes observe. 
• We are thankful for clean, cool water; good meals; cooling winds; breathtaking scenery; fields of sunflowers; clean air; locals who bless us with their produce and prayers; Spanish hospitality; hot showers and a good night's sleep. 
• A real treat is staying one night in a monastery that has been converted into a hotel.
• Life can be perceived as a pilgrimage, and the Camino pilgrimage is a school for living. 
• We highly recommend the book The Way Is Made By Walking, and the movie The Way, as preparation for walking the Camino. 

Language Lab

go out of your way 

Hello, everyone. Thanks for joining us on Info Cloud today. One of my favorite things about Taipei is all the great tea shops. My favorite shop is too far away, though. It's all the way on the other side of town.

I know which tea shop you're talking about. Hey, during the break, I can go get us some drinks there.

Oh. That's OK, Rex. You don't have to go out of your way to pick it up. I'll just have some next time when I'm in the area.

If you say so. That's a good phrase you used. Let's take a minute to teach it to our students: to go out of your way.

We usually say this when someone offers to do us a favor, like how Rex offered to pick up the tea I like.

When Anne Marie said, "Don't go out of your way," she meant that I shouldn't make a special trip or go there if I wasn't already planning on it.

You could go out of your way to do something or say something nice.

That's right. Like yesterday, my wife went out of her way to pack me a healthy lunch. That was so nice of her.

That is nice. How could you go out of your way to help someone today? 

當有人特別花心思，為你做了一件令你感動的事情，你可以用今天分享的這個用語 go out of your way 來形容。go out of your way 字面上就是「離開你原本在走的路上」，也就是說:有人，不是順便喔，而是特別為你做了一件事情。Thanks for going out of your way to help me. 謝謝你特別做了這件事情來幫助我。如果你事前知道對方可能會這麼做的時候，你也可以說: Don’t go out of your way. 你不需要特別去做這件事情，這樣對你很不方便。雖然會造成一些不方便，但是我們可以想一想每一天要怎麼樣 go out of your way 去幫助別人。

Info Cloud

abundance n. 很大量、非常豐富
a large amount of something : an abundant amount of something
- During the Christmas season, we collected an abundance of toys and distributed them to children in the orphanages.
在聖誕期間，我們蒐集了大量的玩具，然後再分發給育幼院的小朋友。
- When we arrived at the pond, we were surprised to see the abundance of fish in the water.
我們來到池塘後，對那裡的魚有那麼多感到驚奇。
abundant adj.大量的
existing or occurring in large amounts
- With five teenage boys in the family, Mrs. Anderson is always making sure there is an abundant amount of food in the house.
家裡因為有五位青少年，Anderson 太太必須確保家裡的食物量夠多 。
- The animal shelter wants to thank the community for the abundant supply of dog food that was donated yesterday.
流浪動物之家要謝謝社會大眾昨天捐的大量的狗飼料。 

harvest n. 收穫、收割 
the season when crops are gathered from the fields or the activity of gathering crops
- During harvest time, you can see a lot of people working in the fields.
在收穫期可以看到很多人在田地裡忙著。
- With all the rain we have had so far, this year’s harvest is going to be a good one.
到目前的降雨來看，今年的收穫應該會很不錯。
harvest v. 收割 
to gather (a crop)
- The farmer wants his sons to help him harvest the fields.
農夫要他的兒子們來收割稻田。
harvest v. 採集器官
to gather or collect (something) for use
- After the patient was pronounced dead, his organs were immediately harvested.
患者被宣告死亡後，器官就馬上被採集。 

hospitality n. 款待
 /ˌhɑːspəˈtæləti/
generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests : hospitable treatment
- Thank you for your wonderful hospitality.
謝謝你的熱情款待。
- Although Mrs. Henderson’s house was beautifully decorated, her guests were not comfortable because of her cool hospitality.
Henderson太太雖然把房子佈置得很美，但因為她冷漠的招待，客人們都感到不自在。
hospitable adj. (人) 很會招待、很會照顧客人
generous and friendly to guests or visitors
- Although Gina didn’t like her husband’s friends, she was still polite and hospitable when they came for a visit.
Gina 雖然不喜歡她先生的朋友們，但是他們拜訪時，Gina 還是很有禮貌地招待他們。
- Although resources are scarce in the village, the villagers are always very hospitable.
村落裡的資源雖然不多，但是村民們都非常熱情好客。 

perceive v.看待、認為
/pɚˈsiːv/
to think of (someone or something) as being something stated
- I wasn’t offended by Russel because I did not perceive his comment as rude.
我沒有對Russel 生氣，因為我不認為他說的話不禮貌。
- Stuart got a message from his wife, but he didn’t perceive it as urgent, so he didn’t call her immediately.
Stuart 收到他太太的簡訊，但因為他不認為很緊急，所以沒有馬上給她打電話。
perceive v. 注意到
to notice or become aware of (something)
- The secretary perceived a look of annoyance on her boss’s face, so she quickly left his office.
秘書注意到老闆臉上不高興的樣子，所以就快快地離開她的辦公室。
- When Sabrina came home from school, her mother could perceive something was bothering her.
Sabrina 下課回到家後，媽媽有注意到她在為某個事煩惱。

Camino de Santiago (1)

Walking a path that pilgrims have followed for centuries
聖雅各朝聖之路 一起踏上全世界最美的 朝聖古道

For hundreds of years, people have gone on pilgrimages. That is, they have journeyed, usually on foot, to places of spiritual importance. According to some religious traditions, making a pilgrimage brings a blessing or helps take away sins. One such pilgrimage, which has seen a rise in popularity in recent years, is the Camino de Santiago in Spain. This network of walkways leads to Santiago in Spain. This network of walkways leads to Santiago de Compostela, a city that claims to be the burial place of James, an important leader in early Christianity. Four of the main routes, along with the churches, hostels and other pilgrimage infrastructure connected by them, became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993.

My friends Laurence and Elaine spent six weeks walking 800 kilometers on the Camino and lodging along the way. Here are some observations and impressions from their exceptional journey:

• From our first day of walking, the mountain peaks and rolling hills have been breathtaking.
• The route is physically challenging but worth the effort.
• Everywhere we see sheep, cows and horses with bells ringing. 
• We often start our early in the morning as temperatures can reach the mid-20s Celsius by afternoon: much too hot for long-distance walking. 

Info Cloud
ring a bell

Hello, and welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. I have been looking into some travel ideas. Have you ever heard of the Cathedral of Santiago in Spain?

You know, that rings a bell for some reason. I know I've heard that name somewhere before.

Oh, that is a good expression: That rings a bell. In this case, it means that it is familiar or it reminds you of something, but it's not a strong memory.

Yeah. I have the sense that I've heard of the cathedral, but I'm not sure why. It's like hearing a sound you've heard before, it means something, but you're not sure what.

You can also use this expression in the negative. Rex, have you ever heard of Paco de Lucía?

Hmm ... no, that name doesn't ring a bell. Why do you ask?

Oh. He is a Spanish guitarist. I ran across his name on the web.

We also use this expression in the plural with "any" to mean "Do you have any memories at all?" or "Is this at all familiar to you?"

Paco de Lucía is a flamenco guitarist. Does that ring any bells?

Oh, actually, yes. Now that you mentioned it, it does ring a bell. I have a friend who is a flamenco guitarist, and I think she mentioned that name before.

That's great. I might go to Spain in the future, but I want to learn more about Spanish culture first.

當我們突然想起一件事情的時候，你可以用今天介紹的這個用語 ring a bell 來形容，ring a bell 字面上就是敲響鐘聲的意思，在日常生活中，可以用來表示你隱約對一件事情有印象。When you mentioned his name, that rang a bell. 當你提到他的名字，我好像有點印象。當你提到一件事情的時候，你也可以問對方: Does that ring any bells? 你對這件事情有沒有印象?


Language Lab
pilgrimage n.為了朝聖的一種特別旅行
/ˈpɪlgrəmɪʤ/
a journey to a holy place
- During the fall, many people from faraway places would make the pilgrimage to the old church on top of the mountain.
很多人會在秋天時，從遙遠的地方來到山頂上的古老教堂朝聖。
- You will always see the temple packed with people because it is a major pilgrimage site.
你會在那座神殿裡看到大批的人潮，因為那是一個重要的朝聖地點。
pilgrimage n. 去一個對個人而言是非常特別或有特別意義的地方
a journey to a special or unusual place
- Irene loves Korean soap operas, and visiting Seoul was like a pilgrimage to her.
Irene 是一個韓劇迷，所以到首爾去對她來說就像是朝聖之旅。
pilgrim n.朝聖者、香客
/ˈpɪlgrəm/
someone who travels to a holy place
- In the old days, pilgrims would walk up the road to get to the tomb of the saint, but now many choose to drive instead.
早期，朝聖者會徒步而行到聖人的古墓，但現在很多人會選擇開車去。

infrastructure n. 基礎建設
/ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌktʃɚ/
the basic equipment and structures (such as roads and bridges) that are needed for a country, region, or organization to function properly
- After years of civil war, the country is now just starting to rebuild its infrastructure.
經過多年的內戰，那個國家現在才開始重建它的基礎建設。
- The city’s wastewater infrastructure was affected by the lack of funding.
這個都市的廢水處理設施因為欠缺經費而受到影響。
- The political candidate promised to bring solutions to the urban infrastructure problems.
這位政治候選人承諾會給市區的基礎建設問題帶來解決辦法。

lodge v. 借住、寄宿   (n) 在鄉間裡的度假小屋
to provide (someone) with a place to stay for a short period of time
- The idea of lodging at a local church sounded very uncomfortable to Rose.
Rose對要在當地的教堂借宿，感覺很不舒服。
lodge v. 提出抗議、上訴、索賠
to present (something, such as a complaint) to someone so that it can be considered, dealt with, etc. : file
- Are you sure you want to lodge a formal complaint against the company and make the problem more complicated?
你確定要對那家公司提出正式的抗議，然後讓問題變得更複雜嗎?
lodge v. 讓東西卡住
to become stuck or fixed in a specified place or position
- A piece of trash had lodged in the pipe, and it is the reason why the pipe is clogged.
一塊垃圾卡在水管裡，造成水管堵住。
lodge n. 在鄉間裡的度假小屋
a house or hotel in the country or mountains for people who are doing some outdoor activity
- After hiking through the forest for an entire day, Albert and his friends finally arrived at the lodge.
Albert 和他的朋友們在森林裡步行了一整天後，終於到達他們的度假小屋。

exceptional adj. 傑出的、不同反響的 
unusually good : much better than average
- I enjoyed the play very much, the costumes were beautiful and the actors were exceptional.
我喜歡這齣戲，演員的戲服很美，他們的演技也很傑出。
- Thank you for inviting us to dinner, the food was exceptional!
謝謝你們邀請我吃晚餐，食物真的很棒!
exception n. 除外、例外的人事物
someone or something that is different from others : someone or something that is not included;
a case where a rule does not apply
- People often say, “There are exceptions to every rule, including this one.”
人們常說: 「每個規則都有例外，連這個規則也一樣。」
- You need to meet all the academic standards of the school if you want to graduate, and the school makes no exception.
你一定要符合學校所有的學業規定才能夠畢業，校方是絕對不容許有意外。


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Back to the Basics (2)

The clean label movement presents food makers with a challenge. Consumers want great products but with few if any artificial ingredients. It's difficult to meet those demands while controlling factors such as cost and shelf life. Take bread for example. A loaf of homemade bread has simple ingredients such as flour, water, salt and sugar. Since you made it yourself, you have control over your ingredients. The bread will stay fresh because it's usually eaten within a few days. But grocery store bread must stay fresh during long shipping and storage times.

So companies often put a chemical preservative in it. This keeps the bread fresh and prevents mold. While there's no solid evidence that preservatives are bad, many people don't like chemicals in their food. They want it to be natural, but the modern way of life, especially in cities, can make that difficult to achieve.

The clean label movement has convinced many food companies to think twice about how they make their products. And consumers need to compromise when it comes to preservatives because they make food safer to eat.


Info Cloud
pick your poison 兩難之間做出一個選擇。

Welcome to Info Cloud, friends. Anne Marie, you look like you're thinking about something. What's on your mind?

I'm thinking about what I want to do for dinner. Eating out is expensive. But cooking at home takes time. I don't know which to choose.

Sounds like you need to pick your poison.

Ah, that's a great phrase to teach today. Let's talk about it.

Poison is a substance that causes you to be sick or even kills you. Ingesting something poisonous always has a negative consequence.

The poison in this phrase represents two bad choices. Both of the options have a negative consequence.

Picking your poison means that you must choose between two bad options.

Here's an example. I don't like either of the candidates in this election, but I guess I have to pick my poison.

This idiom is also commonly used in the very specific situations of ordering drinks. When you order at a bar or restaurant, you might hear the bartender or waiter offer you options, then tell you to pick your poison.

Right now I'm not thinking about drinks. I'm thinking about dinner. I need to pick my poison and decide if I should eat out or cook.

有時候我們會遇到兩難的情況，像是出去吃飯太貴、在家煮飯太累，那你就必須 pick your poison，兩難之間做出一個選擇。這是一個很特別的流行語，poison是毒藥、pick是選擇，pick your poison 字面上就是選擇你的毒藥，用來形容在兩個不好的選擇當中，要做出一個決定。

I have to pick my poison when I vote this year. 我今年投票要選一個比較不那麼差的候選人，但其實都不好。這個用語也可以在酒吧裡面使用，當你點飲料的時候，調酒師可能會請你 pick your poison 選一杯你要的酒。


Language Lab
demand n.要求 (非常堅持的要求) 
a forceful statement in which you say that something must be done or given to you
- It is not easy working in the customer service department because customers’ demands need to be handled very quickly and delicately.
要在客服部工作很不容易，因為顧客的要求要很迅速又很小心地處理。
- When the king chose to ignore the demands of his people, the people rose up and gathered in front of the royal castle.
當國王選擇不理會人民的要求，人們就起來到皇家城堡前面聚集。
demand n. 需求
a forceful statement in which you say that somethe ability and need or desire to buy goods and serviceshing must be done or given to you
- Since it is not the Christmas season, there is little demand for evergreen trees.
因為現在不是聖誕節的期間，所以長青樹就很少有人要買。
demand v. 強力的要求
to say in a forceful way that something must be done or given to you : to say that you have a right to (something)
- The workers are demanding for a higher pay.
工人強烈要求薪水要調高。

storage n. 儲藏、儲存
space where you put things when they are not being used
- Since there was nothing for the interns to do, they were asked to help clean out the storage room.
實習生既然沒有事情做，就被請去清出儲藏室。
- Marcus needs to stop buying things because he is running out of storage space.
Marcus 不能再買東西了，因為他已經沒有多少儲存空間。
store n. 商店 
a building or room where things are sold
- I bought something at the store.
我在店裡買了東西。
store v. 儲藏、儲存
to put (something that is not being used) in a place where it is available, where it can be kept safely, etc.
- I need to find a place to store all my camping equipment.
我需要找一個地方好儲存我露營要用的裝備。

mold n. (發霉的)霉
a soft substance that grows on the surface of damp or rotting things
- Evelyn picked up an orange and found some mold on it.
Evelyn 拿起一棵柳丁，結果發現上面發霉。
- Don’t leave that piece of bread on the table, put it away or mold will grow on it.
不要把麵包留在桌上，要收好，不然會發霉。
moldy adj.一個東西發了霉
covered with mold
- I know the cake is fine, but the food coloring makes it look moldy.
我知道蛋糕沒問題，但試用的食品色素讓它看起來好像發霉了。
- If you have a moldy piece of fruit, you should just throw the whole thing away.
如果水果有一塊發霉，就乾脆把整顆丟掉。

compromise v. 妥協、讓步 
to give up something that you want in order to reach an agreement : to settle differences by means of a compromise
- Robert is very stubborn and refuses to compromise.
Robert 非常地倔強，完全不肯妥協。
- After arguing for several hours, Mr. and Mrs. Lee finally agreed to compromise.
李先生跟李太太爭吵了好幾個小時後，終於願意妥協。
compromise v. 違背、降低標準
to damage (your reputation, integrity, etc.) by doing something that causes people to lose respect for you
- Business has been hard, but the company refuses to compromise its standards.
生意雖然很難做，但是公司還是堅持不降低它的標準。
compromise n. 和解、妥協
something that combines the qualities of two different things — often + between
- The two countries have been in conflict for a very long time, but they have finally reached a compromise.
這兩國之間的紛爭很久，但是終於達成和解。


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Back to the Basics (1)

Clean label wants to clean up our food 
返璞歸真 純淨食物標示 讓食物回到純淨的原點

High-fructose corn syrup. Artificial flavors and colors. What do these things have in common? They are found in many processed foods. But the clean label movement wants to kick them out of your grocery store! Clean label is a consumer-powered movement that promotes food made with simple, natural ingredients. Removing artificial ingredients can protect consumers from various health problems. High-fructose corn syrup, for example, can cause people to gain a lot of weight. And some studies say artificial food colors can increase attention problems in children.

But finding replacements for artificial ingredients is not easy. When one food company tried to change an ingredient in its salad dressing recipe, it led to big problems. The ingredient switch changed the color and the quality of the product. Changes like that can cause companies to lose business. Customers expect a certain taste and look of a product and complain when they don't get it.

Companies are working hard to provide natural substitutes for artificial products. But when it comes to issues like food preservation, going all-natural isn't as easy it sounds.


Info Cloud
soft drink / coke / pop

Hello, everyone. And welcome to Info Cloud. Anne Marie, I have a question for you. The other day my friend and I were ordering soft drinks at a restaurant, and he called it something other than soda. What's that all about?

Oh. Well, where I'm from in the Midwest, most people call fizzy drinks "pop," like the sound the little bubbles make. Pop is actually short for soda pop.

Yes, pop. That's the word he used. I've also heard that Southerners in the U.S. refer to all carbonated drinks as Coke. So why do some Americans use different words for soft drinks?

It's regional, that is, it depends on where you're from. Are you ready for a history lesson? Let's hear it.

So, the Coca Cola Company originated in the South in the late 1800s. That would explain my people in the South call all carbonated drinks Coke. Sometimes I get confused when I hear people call it that.

I see. Well, how about soda? The first soda fountains were introduced in the state of Connecticut. So that's why most Americans who live on the East Coast call it soda.

Seems confusing to me. But don't worry. Whether you choose to use pop or soda, we'll know what you mean.

很多人都喜歡喝汽水，今天就跟大家介紹幾個形容汽水的名稱，第一個就是 soft drink。soft 有柔軟、舒服的涵義，soft drink 就用來形容喝起來口感很棒的汽水。另外一個名稱是 soda，也就是蘇打，蘇打其實就是一種汽水。在19世紀末，Coca Cola 或是 Coke 可口可樂在美國南方開始生產，美國南方人就稱呼所有類型的汽水為Coke。最後一個亞洲人比較少聽到的是 soda pop 或是簡稱 pop，pop 有爆裂的涵義，跟汽水裡面的氣泡聲有點像，所以汽水也可稱為 pop。


Language Lab
artificial adj. 人工的、人造的
not natural or real : made, produced, or done to seem like something natural
- Christine doesn’t want her children to be eating snacks with artificial colors.
Christine 不希望她的孩子們吃含有人工色素的點心。
- If you want to have artificial grass in your backyard, it will cost you a lot of money.
如果你想要在後院鋪人工草皮，你就得花很多錢。
artificial adj. 做作的、很假的
not happening or existing naturally : created or caused by people
- Donna bought some silk flowers for her living room, but I think they look so artificial. Donna 買了一些人造花來佈置客廳，但是我認為花看起來太假了。
- The singer greeted her audience, but her smile was so artificial.
女歌手向觀眾們打招呼，但是她的笑容很做作。

label n. 標籤
a piece of paper, cloth, or similar material that is attached to something to identify or describe it
- I’m trying to read the list of ingredients on the food label, but the print is so small.
我想要看食品標籤上所寫的成分有哪些，但是字體很小。
- According to the label, you should only wash this shirt in cold water.
根據標籤上面所寫的，這件襯衫只能用冷水洗。
label v. 貼標籤、註明
to put a word or name on something to describe or identify it : to attach a label to (something)
- A package has arrived at the company, but since it was not properly labeled, no one knew which department to send it to.
有一個包裹被送到公司，但因為上面沒有標寫清楚，沒有人知道包裹是要送到哪一個部門。
label v. 給人貼標籤
to name or describe (someone or something) in a specified way : to give a label to (someone or something)
- I don’t want to get involved in other people’s business and be labeled as a “snitch.”
我不想管別人的閒事，然後被貼標籤，成為一個告密者。

substitute n. 代替、代替品 v. 代替
a person or thing that takes the place of someone or something else
- To make this cake, you must use butter, do not use any substitute!
要做這種蛋糕，就一定要用牛油，不能用其它替代品。
- If you do not have any bacon, you can use ham as a substitute.
如果沒有培根的話，可以用火腿來代替。
substitute v. 代替
to put or use (someone or something) in place of someone or something else
- Who is going to substitute for Nikki while she is away on vacation?
當Nikki 去度假時，會由誰代替她呢?
- Since I ran out of blue food coloring, I will use blueberry juice as a substitute.
既然沒有藍色的食品色素，我會用藍莓汁來代替。

preservation n. 保存 
the act of using a particular treatment on a food so that it can be eaten in the future
- In the old days, salt was used for food preservation.
古時候會用鹽巴來保存食物。
preservation n. 保護、維護
the act of keeping something in its original state or in good condition — often + of
- We will form a special committee to focus on the historic site’s preservation work.
我們會組成一個特別的委員會，來從事這個古蹟的維護工作。
preservationist n. 維護 (古蹟、文物、環保方面的)工作的人
someone who works to preserve something (such as a building or an area of land)
- The environmental preservationists are trying to raise more money for the work they’re doing in the forest.
環境保護者為了他們在森林裡的環保工作在募款。
preserve v. 維護、保護、保存
to keep (something) in its original state or in good condition
- This house is one of the last ones built from that historic period, and it is important for us to preserve it!
這棟房屋是那個時代所建僅存的幾棟房屋之一，我們必須維護它。


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