Confusing Phrases

Learning English can be tricky
英文片語不NG 學英文真的有那麼困難嗎？

Let's look at some phrases that are confusing for English learners. 

Have my hair cut

Think about the last time you had your hair cut. Did people notice your new look? If so, what did they say? Maybe they said, "You cut your hair!" But it's unlikely they meant that you cut your hair yourself. They know that someone else probably did the cutting. They should say, "You had your hair cut" instead.

When you say, "I cut my hair," you mean that you did it yourself. "I had my hair cut," means someone else did the cutting. 

Turn off the lights

How do you ask someone to make a room dark? You might want to say, "Close the light." People might understand what you mean, but they may look at you in a peculiar way. The most common phrase is, "Turn off the light." It has nothing to do with turning because you flip a switch to make the light go off. But in English, people generally use "turn off" when they shut off a device. 

Info Cloud

confuse about 對一件事情的理解相當混亂

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. Today I want to talk about different ways to use the word "confuse." 

The word "confuse" means to make something hard to understand. When a person is confused about something, it implies that they are having a difficult time understanding what's going on. 

For example, I'm confused about the issue of inflation. That means I don't understand what inflation is and what kind of effect it brings to us. 

Or another example would be: I'm confused about the point this politician is trying to make. He is not being clear about what he's trying to say sometimes on purpose, and I have no idea what he's talking about. 

On the other hand, to confuse someone with another person means to identify a person as someone else. 

When there are two people who look alike, especially twins, people will often confuse one with the other. The teacher is confusing me with my twin brother. 

Whatever the case, the word confuse usually implies some kind of mistake or being unclear about something. 

相信很多人都聽過 confuse 這個字，意思就是混淆。當你聽到 confuse about， 那就是對一件事情的理解相當混亂。I am confused about the issue of inflation. 我對通貨膨脹這個議題的理解完全是混亂的。另一方面，confuse someone with someone else 就代表把一個人誤認成另外一個長得很像的人。The teacher is confusing me with my twin brother.  老師把我誤認為我的雙胞胎哥哥。

Language Lab

confuse v. 搞糊塗、讓人感到困惑  
to make (someone) uncertain or unable to understand something
- The supervisor’s instructions confused everybody because he did not explain things very well.
主管的吩咐把大家都搞混了，因為他沒有把話解釋清楚。
- Because the road signs were not clear, we got confused.
因為路標不清楚，把我們搞糊塗了。
confuse v.  誤以為兩個人、東西或是狀況是同一個 
to mistakenly think that one person or thing is another person or thing : to mistake (one person or thing) for another
- Nadin often confuses that British actress with an Australian one.
Nadin 常常把那位英籍女演員，當成另外一位來自澳洲的女演員。
- Many students confuse the word ‘there’ with ‘their’.
很多學生會把英文字 there 當成另外一個英文字 their。

instead adv. 反而、替代
used to say that one thing is done or that one thing or person is chosen when another is not chosen, cannot be done, etc.
- Drinking too much juice is not very healthy. How about eating some fruit instead?
喝太多果汁不是很健康，多吃水果吧。
- Instead of doing homework at home, Reggie went to the beach.
Reggie 沒有在家做功課，反而去了海邊。
- I know you want to take a nap, but why don’t you go out for a walk instead?
我知道你很想睡個午覺，但是你何不出去走一走呢? 

peculiar adj. 奇怪的 
/pɪˈkjuːljɚ/
not usual or normal : strange
- The child saw something peculiar in the alley.
小朋友在巷子裡看到一個奇怪的東西。
- Alice called the police after she heard some peculiar noises in the middle of the night.
Alice 深夜裡聽到奇怪的聲音，所以報警。
peculiar adj. 歸某人或某族群所專屬的 
of, relating to, or found in (only one person, thing, or place)
- The use of blue dye in the fabric is peculiar to that people group in the desert.
在布料裡用藍色的染色，是那個沙漠族群的專屬特色。
- That type of doorway is peculiar to this region of the country.
那種型式的門道是這一帶地區的特質。 

switch n. 開關   
a small device that starts or stops the flow of electricity to something (such as a lamp or a machine) when it is pressed or moved up and down
- Please tell your children not to play with the switch.
請告訴你的孩子不要玩開關。
switch v. 開(switch on) 或關 (switch off) 
to make a change from one thing to another by turning or pushing a button or moving a switch, lever, etc.
- Please switch on the light.
請把燈打開。
- Please switch off the computer.
請關電腦。
switch n. 改變、調換
a sudden change from one thing to another — usually singular
- Things were going well, so I don’t understand why a switch was necessary.
事情當時都很順，所以我不瞭解為何需要來個大調動。
switch v. 調動、更換 
to change or replace (something) with another thing
- May I switch seats with you?
我可以跟你換位子嗎?

Tongariro National Park, New Zealand (2)

Of the three distinct cones, Ruapehu stands highest at over 2600 meters. Permanent snow and  ice fields cover its top. Driving upwards on Ruapehu, we come to a building that looks slightly out of place. This is the Chateau Tongariro,  opened in 1929. Its design was inspired by a Canadian mountain hotel. Further up, we find a ski village. Guests can ski from their front doors, right onto the slopes. Even in the late New Zealand spring, visitors are still enjoying snow sports. 

Unlike most mountain villages, this one is built on volcanic land. Huge boulders and rock fields govern where houses can be built and where roads may pass. It's a little frightening to know that Ruapehu still erupts sometimes. And it's apt that it appears in the Mount Doom scenes in the Lord of the Rings movies. 

Tongariro's three volcanoes rise from a plain that surrounds them on all sides. As we descend Ruapehu and skirt this plain, these mountains are always in view and always magnificent."

Don't visit New Zealand without seeing this outstanding volcanic wonder!

Info Cloud

skirt around 不直接碰觸或談論一件事情

Welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. Do you know what it means when someone skirts around an issue? 

Very simply, it means to avoid answering or talking about something directly. What makes you think of that expression, Anne Marie? 

Well, I talked to one of my friends often. She lives back in the U.S., but has always been very supportive of us living in Taiwan. 

Anne Marie, it sounds like you are trying to tell me something, but I'm not sure exactly what. Rex is right. Actually, I am skirting around the issue myself. I've noticed lately that the subject of returning to the U.S. is coming up with her more and more. 

Do you think that your friend wants you to move back to the United States? 

Well, she does seem to work in ways to ask if I thought about moving back more and more often. 

Now it is fairly common for politicians to skirt questions. That means that they find ways to avoid direct answers to a question. 

When you skirt around something, it basically means the same thing , but it doesn't always involve answering a question. 

So, Anne Marie, what do you tell your friend when she asked about moving back to the U.S.? 

I just remind her that our move was permanent. I try not to skirt around the issue with giving her that response. 

當你聽到有人避重就輕地迴避一些話題，你可以說: He is skirting around the issue. skirt 除了裙子之外，當作動詞有「沿著邊緣走」的涵義，skirt around 就代表不直接碰觸或談論一件事情。政客們碰到一些敏感的話題，通常會 skirt around，避免不必要的麻煩。不過這個用語也可以用在日常生活中，任何你不想直接回答的話題，像是「什麼時候要結婚啊?」、「 你以後要上什麼大學?」之類的問題。

Language Lab

permanent adj. 永久的、長久的 
lasting or continuing for a very long time or forever : not temporary or changing
- Trina did really well during her internship and was offered a permanent job.
Trina 實習的時候表現良好，因此獲得一份固定的工作。
- The teacher accidentally used a permanent marker on the white board.
老師不小心用永久性馬克筆寫在白板上。
- Roselyn is moving to the city for her new job, but she hasn’t found a permanent place to stay yet.
Roselyn 為了新工作搬到城市裡，但是她目前還沒有找到一個固定的地方住。
permanent n. 燙頭髮 [簡稱 perm]
a process in which someone's hair is curled and treated with chemicals so that it remains curly for a long time
- Mrs. Crenshaw is going to the hair salon to get a permanent.
Crenshaw 太太要到美髮院燙頭髮。

upwards adv. 向上
from a lower place or level to a higher place or level
- The worker wanted to look at the crack in the ceiling, so he shined his flashlight upwards.
工人為了能夠好好看一下天花板的裂痕，所以把手電筒往上照。
- The boy wanted to be high up in the tree, so he kept climbing upwards.
小男孩想要到樹頂上，所以就繼續往上爬。
downwards adv. 向下
from a higher place or level to a lower place or level
- I thought we were going up the mountain, so why is this trail going downwards?
我以為我們是要往山上走，怎麼這條山路是一直往下呢?
- The magician showed me three cards on the table; they were all facing downwards.
魔術師讓我看桌上三張面朝下的牌。 

apt adj. 適合的、適當的
appropriate or suitable
- Because the boss was angry and demanded an explanation, Robbie gave an apt reply.
因為老闆很生氣，並要求Robbie給一個解釋，Robbie 就給他一個恰當的回答。
apt adj. 容易造成、容易引起
likely to do something : having a tendency to do something — followed by to + verb
- During the summer, flies and mosquitoes are apt to appear in the house.
在夏天，蒼蠅、蚊子很容易出現在屋內。
apt adj. 形容一個人很有天分、很聰明 
quick to learn
- Just because you didn’t do well on that test doesn’t mean you are not an apt student.
你在那次測驗裡表現不好，不等於你沒有天分。
 [某些地址上會寫 apt，但是在這種情況下，apt是公寓 apartment 的縮寫。] 

outstanding adj. 非常棒、優秀
extremely good or excellent
- The children’s choir did an outstanding job.
兒童合唱團演唱得非常棒。
- Jimmy’s work is outstanding because he always does his best.
Jimmy做的工作非常優秀，因為他都會盡力而為。
- The circus show was outstanding, and the tickets sold out within a few days.
那場馬戲團表演非常好看，所以所有的票在短短幾天都賣完了。

Tongariro National Park, New Zealand (1)

 You’ve seen it in the movies; now see it in real life!
紐西蘭湯加里羅國家公園 親訪《魔戒》末日火山的壯闊美景

Most UNESCO World Heritage sites have either natural or cultural status. Only a few have double status. New Zealand's Tongariro National Park belongs to that special group. Tongariro's natural status was recognized in 1990. The park, located in the central North Island, is a natural treasure. It encloses three active volcanic mountains, along with plains, rivers and lakes. In winter, snow turns the mountain peaks a brilliant white. Tongariro's cultural status was recognized in 1993. That was because its mountains are, for the native Maori people, scared areas with deep spiritual importance. 

In 2018, my brother Steve and his wife Carol Ann visited New Zealand and spent time in Tongariro. Here is some of what they saw and felt:

"Tongariro lies about a two-hour drive from the town of Taupo. Driving south, we soon see the snow-capped volcanoes. The effects of past eruptions start to appear even though the volcanoes are still a long way off. The forest turns into low brush and grassland. The road rises slowly, and the snow caps look steep and distant. Before long, however, we are at the base of the mountains.

Info Cloud
double duty 同時完成兩件事情或是同時扮演兩個角色

Hello, everyone. And welcome to Info Cloud. Can you do two things at once? If you do, you might just be doing double duty. 

Actually, when something does double duty, it can mean two things. You can even say that the expression itself does double duty. 

Rex is making a joke about this expression doing two different things at the same time. But people do end up doing double duty all the time. 

I do double duty here as an English teacher and a vocal performer. I fill two positions here at the same company. 

I do double duty all the time as a writer and a teacher. I'm always trying to be a good writer for Info Cloud and for the classes that I teach and a good teacher to students. 

So here Anne Marie really is doing two things or filling two duties at the same time. 

The other way we use this is to describe when a thing can serve more than one purpose, but not necessarily at the same time. 

I have a room in my house that serves double duty - it is my home recording studio, but it also does double duty as a guest room. 

Sometimes when I write for Info Cloud, I look for topics that can do double duty- things I know my classroom students and my virtual students need to learn. 

當你做一件事情，可以達到兩種效果，你可以說: 那是 double duty，duty 是職責，double duty 就是同時完成兩件事情或是同時扮演兩個角色。Anne Marie does double duty as a writer and teacher. Anne Marie扮演了作家和老師的雙重角色。This room serves double duty as office and guest room. 這個房間有辦公室和客房的雙重功能。

Language Lab
enclose v. 包圍著、圍繞著   
to surround (something)
- It is hard to see the castle because a dense forest encloses it.
因為有一座茂密的森林包圍，所以很難看到那座城堡。
- Because the queen loved roses, a tomb is enclosed by rose bushes.
由於皇后很愛玫瑰花，她的墓穴有玫瑰花叢圍繞著。
enclose v. 附上
to include (something) with a letter or in a package
- If you are mailing your visa application, remember to enclose two photos of yourself.
要寄出你的簽證申請表的時候，要記得附上兩張大頭照。
- Rita sent a birthday card to her nephew, and enclosed a gift certificate.
Rita 寄給她的姪子一張生日賀卡，並附上一張禮卷。 

sacred adj. 神聖的  
/ˈseɪkrəd/
worthy of religious worship : very holy
- This lake was once considered sacred by the people who were living here.
這湖泊以前被當地人看為神聖的。
- Because the temple is considered sacred, ordinary people are now allowed to enter.
因為這座廟被視為神聖的，一般人是不准許進入的。
sacred adj. 跟宗教有關的
relating to religion
- The museum has a fine collection of ancient sacred scrolls.
這間博物館收藏不少古代宗教所有的書卷。
sacred adj. 東西珍貴又重要 (不能隨便亂碰) 
highly valued and important : deserving great respect
- No one can touch Theo’s coin collection because the coins are sacred to him.
沒有人可以隨便摸Theo收藏的硬幣，因為那些硬幣對他來說是很珍貴的。 

volcano n. 火山   
a mountain with a hole in the top or side that sometimes sends out rocks, ash, lava, etc., in a sudden explosion (called an eruption)
- I would be nervous to live in the village close to a volcano.
要我住在一個靠近火山的村落裡，會讓我很緊張。
- Mount Fuji is not only the highest mountain in Japan, but it is also a volcano.
富士山不僅是日本最高的山，而且也是一座火山。
volcanic adj. 東西或狀況跟火山有關的
- The boys played in the stream, and found a volcanic rock.
男孩們在溪水裡玩耍的時候，找到一顆火山石。
volcanic adj. 形容一個人的脾氣突然爆發  
- With a volcanic temper like that, it is no wonder Pete lost his job.
像Pete那樣脾氣會突然爆發，難怪他無法保住工作。 

eruption n. 爆發    erupt v. to send out rocks, ash, lava, etc., in a sudden explosion
to send out rocks, ash, lava, etc., in a sudden explosion
- The villagers near the volcano were able to move to a safe location before the volcanic eruption.
火山附近的村民們在火山爆發前，已搬到一個安全的地方。
eruption n. 情感突然爆發
to begin doing something (such as shouting or applauding) suddenly — usually + in, into, or with
- When news reached the school that the school team had won the championship, loud cheers erupted from the classrooms.
當學校接到他們校隊榮獲第一名的消息時，每個班爆發出歡呼的聲音。
eruption n. 皮膚上層突然冒出的泡疹
to appear suddenly on the skin
- The eruption of all those bumps on Sabrina’s arms and legs made her rush to the emergency room.
Sabrina手上跟腳上突然爆發出疹子，讓他趕緊去急診室。

Perfectionism (1)

How to overcome perfectionism without lowering your standards
完美主義 簡單步驟 讓你戰勝完美主義

Pursuing perfection in your work may seem noble. After all, many would attribute part of Steve Jobs' legacy to his refusal to accept anything short of perfection. But for the average professional, an unrelenting drive for perfection can create significant inefficiencies.

Perfectionism causes you to spend time on work that has little impact, particularly in three parts of your workflow:

1. Getting started on work

2. Reviewing and advancing others' work

3. Finishing work

To overcome these sinkholes of inefficiency, adopt some new practical tools:

Avoid empty-handed thinking

If you have a desire for perfection, you probably don't share your opinion until [it's] fully formulated. 

To avoid getting stuck, avoid empty-handed thinking. Adopt some system for capturing what you're thinking at all times whether that be a notebook or a voice recorder. To overcome the psychological resistance to allowing ideas out of your mind, don't expect too much of your thoughts in their earliest forms.

Give feedback based on best practices, not preferences

If you have perfectionist tendencies, your team likely finds it frustrating for you to review their work. When giving feedback to your team, you may struggle to articulate what was wrong because your changes are driven more by a feeling than a clear gap between their work and expectations. 

Info Cloud

Practice makes perfect. 苦練可以帶來完美

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. Rex, have you ever heard the expression: Practice makes perfect? 

Oh, yeah, I heard it all the time from my music teacher since I was really young. But I don't really believe it because nothing is perfect. 

Well, "Practice makes perfect" is a saying that is used to encourage people to work hard at practicing some kind of skill. It's unusually said when someone is learning something new. 

This expression implies that if you practice a lot, you will become really, really good at what you do. People say that all the time. It's nice to hear... 

Rex, since you don't really believe in it, what do you believe? 

I believe that practice makes permanent. It means that whatever you practice, either right or wrong thing, it will become a habit or you will get used to doing it all the time. 

I see what you're saying. Sometimes we practice the wrong things, such as playing the piano the wrong way. Then you get used to it, and it gets really hard to correct later on. 

Exactly. You know, this applies to learning a new language, too. 

Oh, good point. Practice may not make perfect. But remember, students, keep working on your English because practice makes permanent. 

今天要跟大家分享一個用語是西方人經常用到的 Practice makes perfect. 苦練可以帶來完美。這一句話通常是用來鼓勵年輕人在學習某種技能的時候，要勤奮練習，最後一定可以帶來很棒的成果。雖然這一句話不一定完全正確，因為沒有什麼事情是完美的。但 Practice makes perfect. 卻是一句非常正面積極的精神喊話。我自己是相信 Practice makes permanent. 練習會帶來長久的習慣，不管好或不好。例如，用錯誤的方法練鋼琴，也會帶來某種彈奏的習慣。

Language Lab

attribute v.認為是某人事物造成的；歸因於  
 /əˈtrɪˌbjuːt/
to say that (something) is because of (someone or something)
- Annette’s stomach bug was attributed to the street food she had eaten earlier.
Annette的腸胃不舒服歸因於她之前所吃的路邊小吃。
- The sales team’s failure to reach their goal was attributed to the team members’ lack of teamwork.
業務團隊沒有達標，歸因於隊員們沒有團體合作。
attribute  v.. 歸功於、承認某作品的創造者
to think of (something) as being made or created by (someone)
- No one knew where the painting came from, but it was attributed to Picasso by some people.
沒有人知道那幅畫從哪來，但是有些人認為它是畢卡索的傑作。
attribute  n. 屬性、特質 
/ˈætrəˌbjuːt/
The office assistant doesn’t always do a perfect job, but his coworkers do appreciate his many attributes. 辦公室助理也許不一定做事完美，但是他的同事們很欣賞他的許多特質。

inefficiency n. 低效率、沒有效率  
the lack of ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy : the quality or state of being inefficient
- The inefficiency of the customer service department drove a lot of customers crazy.
客服部的低效率讓很多顧客抓狂。
- One of the first things the new manager wants to figure out is the cause of his department’s inefficiency.
新經理想了解的其中一個首要事項，就是他的部門為何效率那麼低。
efficiency n. 效率
the ability to do something or produce something without wasting materials, time, or energy : the quality or degree of being efficient
- The boss praised his workers for their efficiency.
老闆稱讚他的員工的效率。
- That sales team is always number one in the company because of their efficiency.
那個業務團隊在公司裡一直是第一名，因為他們的效率高。

preference n. 偏好  
something that is liked or wanted more than another thing : something that is preferred
- Our dinner choices are Italian, French, or Japanese; do you have a preference?
我們的晚餐可以選義大利料理、法式料理或是日本料理，你喜愛哪一個呢?
- I don’t know Valerie very well, so I wouldn’t know her preferences.
我不太認識Valerie，所以我不太清楚她個人的愛好。
prefer v. 比較喜歡、偏愛於...
to like (someone or something) better than someone or something else
- Delores prefers to stay at home on weekends.
Delores 比較喜歡在家裡度過周末。
- Most of the committee members prefer having the meeting at the beginning of the month.
委員會裡大部分的成員比較喜歡在月初開會。

articulate v. 表達清楚、清楚說明  
 /ɑɚˈtɪkjələt/
able to express ideas clearly and effectively in speech or writing
- Matthew was very interested in Sabrina, but he didn’t know how to articulate his feelings.
Matthew 對Sabrina很有興趣，但是他不知道如何對她表達他的感情。
articulate v. 咬字清楚、字正腔圓
clearly expressed and easily understood
- You need to articulate when you make an announcement over the intercom.
你透過內部通話設備宣布事情時，必須字正腔圓。
articulate adj. 很有口才、表達得很清楚  
to express (something, such as an idea) in words
- The speaker was very articulate, and his information was very interesting.
演說家的口才非常好，他分享的內容也很有意思。

The Failure Toy (2)

The Failure Toy follows Ben-Ari's first product, the Empathy Toy. This toy began as a way to help blind students and those who could see communicate and be responsive to each other. 

Ben-Ari herself learned about failure as she was in the process of designing the Failure Toy. She had to cancel her initial launch because the toy wasn't ready. She didn't want to settle for releasing a product that wasn't finished. On the contrary, she was looking to produce something high- quality.

After her third attempt to finish the Failure Toy, Ben-Ari took a break from the project for a year. Then a company called asking if she could hold a workshop to instruct them on how to use the Failure Toy. Ben-Ari agreed and got to work on the project. This time she and her team had grown, and she met the deadline. The Failure Toy was a success!

Designing the Failure Toy took a lot of effort and, yes, failure, but it was all worthwhile. The toy is sure to teach players a lot about themselves and about failure.

Info Cloud
to toy with something 在玩一個東西，或是對一件事情用比較輕鬆、玩樂的態度對待

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. Recently, I have been toying with the idea of immigrating to Italy with my whole family because I love the country so much. 

Well, you still have to teach English here at Studio Classroom, and all of your friends and relatives are here in Asia. I know. I'm just toying with the idea. It doesn't mean I'm really going to do it. 

The expression "to toy with something" usually means to consider or think about an idea that you have. 

The word "toy" has a playful connotation, so when someone is toying with an idea, it's usually a casual thought, nothing serious. 

You can also toy with an object, which means to play with something, like a cat toying with a ball. 

On the other hand, if a person is toying with someone, it's not a very nice thing to do. 

Right. It means that person is teasing another person or manipulating their feelings, and we should all avoid doing that to someone.

有的時候，創意在你玩耍的時候會突然出現，今天要跟大家分享 toy with something 這個用語。toy 是玩具，當成動詞就有玩耍的涵義，當你 toy with something 就代表你在玩一個東西，或是對一件事情用比較輕鬆、玩樂的態度對待。I’m toying with the idea of immigrating to Italy. 我腦子裡有移民去義大利這個想法。不過你說 toy with 通常不是太認真，只是亂想。另一方面，toy with someone 就有捉弄另外一個人的意思。Be careful! That man is toying with you. 小心點，那個男人在捉弄你，或是在操弄你的感情。

Language Lab

responsive adj. 有回應的、有反應的 
 /rɪˈspɑːnsɪv/
quick to react or respond
reacting in a desired or positive way
- The substitute teacher had a hard time teaching the class because the students were not very responsive.
代課老師很辛苦地教那堂課，因為學生沒有什麼反應。
- Nina doesn’t talk much but she is responsive.
Nina 雖然話不多，但是她至少會回應。
responsive adj. 反應很積極的
- The puppy was very responsive and paid close attention to its trainer.
小狗的反應非常積極，而且一直在注意牠的訓練師。
- The sensor is too responsive and beeps at every little thing that moves in the room.
偵測器反應太靈敏，會對室內任何會動的東西發出逼逼聲。 

on the contrary ph. 針對剛剛所提的，表示相反態度
— used to state that the opposite of what was said before is true
- Joe didn’t make any money from his business; on the contrary, he lost his entire savings.
Joe 沒有因為他的生意而賺到錢，相反地，他還賠了全部的積蓄。
- Most energy bars aren’t that nutritious; on the contrary, they are full of sugar.
很多能量棒其實沒有那麼有營養，相反地，裡面滿是糖分。
- You are not the only one in this room with that belief; on the contrary, you’ll find many people here who support your ideas.
在會議室裡，不只有你一個人支持這個看法，相反地，你會發覺這裡有很多人支持你的信念。 

instruct v. 教導  
to teach (someone) a subject, skill, etc. — usually + in or on
- Sarah travels to remote villages to instruct the women there on how to use a sewing machine.
Sarah 會到偏遠的村落去教導那裡的婦女如何使用縫紉機。
- The factory workers don’t know how to operate the new equipment and they need to be instructed.
工廠裡的員工不知如何操作新器材，他們需要被教導。
instruct v. 吩咐
to give (someone) an order or command
- The boss has instructed everyone not to say anything to the reporters about the company scandal.
老闆有吩咐大家不可以跟記者說任何關於公司醜聞的事。
- Mrs. Richardson has instructed her maid to prepare the guestroom.
Richardson 太太有吩咐她的幫傭去把客房準備好。 

worthwhile adj. 值得的; 值得花力氣或精力; 值得花時間做
worth doing or getting : good enough, important enough, etc., to be worth spending time, effort, or money on
- Brad is wondering if his tropical garden is a worthwhile hobby.
Brad 懷疑他的熱帶花園是否值得維持下去。
- Helping the villagers dig a well was tiring but definitely worthwhile.
幫助村民挖井真的很累，但是很值得。
- Trent spends long hours helping kids in the slums, and he thinks it’s a worthwhile thing to do.
Trent 花了很多時間幫助貧民窟裡的孩童，他認為這是一個值得做的事。

The Failure Toy (1)

A game that teaches how to use mistakes to your advantage
失敗玩具 比成功學到更多

How do you respond to failure? Most of us avoid it and consider it a sign that we're not smart enough or didn't work hard enough. But Ilana Ben-Ari, the founder of the company Twenty One Toys, wants to teach the world to view failure differently. She wants people to see failure not as a problem but as a learning experience. 

The Failure Toy asks players in five-person teams to build structures on an unstable game wheel. The game involves competition for points, which team members gain by building balanced structures. But whenever the game pieces fall, the teams lose points. The game takes place in a series of 5-minute rounds. After each round, the players change teams. This means that after the first round, teams consist of players with different point totals.

At the end, each player fills out a card saying who they think won. This might not be the person with the most points. It has more to do with who best supported their team's success. This leads to discussion about players' behaviors and emotions, and the consequences of these behaviors and emotions. 

Info Cloud
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! 繼續努力的意思

Hello. Welcome back to Info Cloud, friends. Recently, I've been trying out some new recipes. But it turns out I'm a pretty terrible cook. 

Well, you know what they say: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. 

That's an encouraging phrase. It's been around for a long time. It was first printed in Thomas Palmer's Teacher's Manual in 1840. 

Though the whole phrase is longer, these days, people just say the shortened version. 

That's right. You know, friends, success doesn't always come immediately. And just because you don't get it right the first time doesn't necessarily mean that you're a failure. 

It reminds me of how we learn a new language. When we learn new words or grammar, it's easy to make mistakes and use words incorrectly. 

Good point. Some people may think of mistakes as failure. But that's not the case. Mistakes are just a tool on the road to success. If you don't say it right the first time, try again. 

If you mispronounce something, try again. 

Don't be discouraged, students. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!

我們常用失敗為成功之母或不要放棄之類的話，來鼓勵正在奮鬥的人。英文有一句名言，If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! 如果一開始你沒有成功，嘗試再嘗試，也就是繼續努力的意思。這句名言原本出自於1840年出版的一本教師手冊，用來鼓勵正在學習或是奮鬥的人。在追求目標的過程中，難免會經歷一次又一次的失敗，但那些都是通往成功的必經之路，因此，If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again! 這句話就用來鼓勵人們要不斷地嘗試，不要害怕失敗。

Language Lab

founder n.創辦人   
a person who creates or establishes something that is meant to last for a long time (such as a business or school) : a person who founds something
- The school’s founder believes a good education can make a big difference in the lives of her students.
這間學校的創辦人深信，良好的教育會對學生日後的生活品質有良好的影響。
- The founder of the toy company was once a car mechanic.
這家玩具公司的創辦人以前是一位修車技術員。
founder v. 沉下去、垮下去 
of a boat or ship : to fill with water and sink
- The boat was not well-built, and quickly founder off the coast.
那一艘船沒有建好，在海岸邊很快就沉沒了。
founder v. 失敗
to experience failure : to be unsuccessful : fail
- That project foundered because no one wanted to be responsible for it.
那項任務會失敗，因為沒有人願意負責。

unstable adj. 不穩固、不堅牢 [un- 沒有、否定] [stable 穩固] 
instability n. 某個東西或某個情形狀況不穩固或不穩定
- Melody didn’t want her child to climb up the slide because it looked unstable.
Melody 不要她的孩子爬上溜滑梯，因為它看起來不堅固。
- Watching all those people stand on that unstable platform is making me nervous.
看著那麼多人站在不堅固的平台上，讓我感到很緊張。 
instability n. 不穩固
the quality or state of being unstable: such as
- Tera is unable to continue her work at that company because of her emotional instability.
Tera 無法繼續在那家公司上班，因為她的情緒不穩。 

consist v. 包含、由某些東西組成的
to have (something) as an essential or main part
- Tonight’s program consists of three performances-- a song from a choir, a dance from the women’s group and a magic show.
今晚的節目包含三個不同的演出-- 合唱團的一首歌、婦女會的舞蹈表演以及一場魔術秀。
- The food given to these dogs consist mainly of dried dog food mixed with a bit of cooked chicken.
這些狗吃的食物主要包含乾飼料加上一點煮熟的雞肉。
- To play this game, we need two teams that consist of five players.
要玩這個遊戲需要兩個隊，每一隊由五個組成。

consequence n. 後果、結果 
something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions
- It’s one thing to make a decision; it’s another thing to face the consequence of that decision.
要做個決定是一回事，要面對那個決定所帶來的後果，是另外一回事。
- The consequence of his action haunted him for the rest of his life.
他的行為所帶來的後果，成為他下半身的苦惱。
- If you choose to be irresponsible with your money, be ready to deal with the consequences.
如果你堅持不為你的用錢習慣負責任，你要準備面對後果。
consequent adj. 之後所引起的 
/ˈkɑːnsəkwənt/
happening as a result of a particular action or set of conditions
- The town residents are seeing a growing number of houses being built and the consequent increase in population.
鎮民注意到有越來越多房子被蓋起來，以及隨之而來的人口增加。

Digital Health (1)

The doctor will Skype you now
數位健康 遠距醫療讓醫師透過Skype看診

Our health care technology developed by leaps and bounds in the last century. We have developed many tools to help doctors diagnose illnesses. As we continue to develop better methods for understanding, detecting and treating disease, we can enjoy healthier, longer lives. But good health care depends on access to good information, which our digital devices easily provide. Digital health could be the next big development in how we approach health care. 

Digital health might sound like it's intended to keep your digital devices healthy. Instead, it is a term that describes the system of interconnected devices that can monitor and report important health information. Doctors can then use that information to ensure that your treatment is tailor-made to your situation. 

To really appreciate digital health's potential, you need only look at how digital devices have already changed your lives. Take travelling as an example. Before smartphones, online translators, GPS and the internet, travel in unfamiliar areas was difficult. You either had to use a map, find a guide, or constantly ask people to help you get from one place to another. Now, all the information you need can be carried with you in your pocket. 

Info Cloud
Change is the only constant in life. 改變是生命中唯一不變的現象

Welcome to Info Cloud. I have a quote to share with you today. 

I enjoy hearing a good quote. What is it? 

Change is the only constant in life. It was first said by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus over 2500 years ago. 

Wow! That is deep. But I think it is still true today. Can you explain it more? 

I'd love to. 

If something is constant, that means it stays the same or it's steady and reliable over time. 

So what are things in our lives that never change? 

That's a hard question to answer. We grow up. We learn new things. Life is always changing. 

Yes. Even things we think will always be the same can change without warning. 

But one thing that is always true is that things always change. 

Oh, I see. The only constant is change. 

We might use this phrase to comment on an unpredictable situation. It means we expect things to change even though we don't know how. 

When things are good, we might hope they never change. And when we face difficulties, we may lose hope that anything will change. 

But we can be encouraged when we have a healthy attitude towards change since it's going to happen whether we like it or not. 

近年來，我們常常聽到一句相當流行的名言，唯一不變的就是改變，或者改變就是唯一不會變的道理，英文也有相同的一句話，Change is the only constant in life. 改變是生命中唯一不變的現象。constant 是不變的事物，Change is the only constant in life. 是用來形容人生中的大小事物，持續不斷地改變是常態，例如，生老病死，或是一些我們沒有辦法預料的事情。聽起來很哲學，沒錯，這其實是希臘哲學家Heraclitus 赫拉克里特在兩千五百年前就說過的一句話，一直流傳到今天。

Language Lab
by leaps and bounds ph. 非常快速的
very quickly and greatly
- Benjamin started out at the bottom of the class, but he has improved by leaps and bounds.
Benjamin 一開始在班裡排倒數第一名，但是他現在的進步是很神速的。
- Because the sales team has worked very hard, their sales are increasing by leaps and bounds.
由於業務團隊很努力地工作，業務很神速地增加。
- In recent years, the use of fitness watches has grown by leaps and bounds.
近幾年來，健身手錶的使用度迅速地增加。 

diagnose v. 診斷 
to recognize (a disease, illness, etc.) by examining someone
- David has not been feeling well for a while, but no doctor has been able to diagnose the problem.
David 身體不舒服已經有一段時間了，但是沒有醫生能夠診斷出他的問題所在。
- The specialist was able to diagnose Edward’s condition and provide the proper treatment.
專科醫師能夠診斷Edward的病狀，並能夠提供適當的療法。
diagnose v. 查出一個系統裡面的問題的起因
to find the cause of (a problem)
- Henry didn’t need a plumber to diagnose the problem with his water pipes.
Henry 不需要水電師傅來幫他查出水管的問題在哪裡。
diagnosis n. 醫師的診斷
/ˌdajəgˈnoʊsəs/
the act of identifying a disease, illness, or problem by examining someone or something
- The doctor took a quick look at the patient and made a diagnosis.
醫生快速地看了一下病人，然後做出診斷。 

interconnect v. 互相連接 (‘inter’ 互相) (connect 連接)
to connect (two or more things) with each other
- The data banks from the two research facilities are now interconnected.
兩個研究中心的資料庫是互相連接的。
- If these two buildings were interconnected, it will be easier for the people inside to move around.
如果這兩棟建築物可以連在一起，就會讓裡面的人可以比較方便走動。
- The counselor is trying to help the couple understand that their problems are interconnected.
諮詢師試著讓那對夫妻暸解他們之間的問題都是互相連接的。 

tailor-made adj. 裁縫師做的 → 量身訂做的、特製的 (tailor 裁縫師) (made 做的)
made by a tailor;
made or seeming to have been made for a particular person or purpose
- Urma would like to wear a tailor-made dress to the ceremony.
Urma 想穿一件特製的禮服區參加典禮。
- Kelly likes to go to that beauty salon for its tailor-made beauty treatments.
Kelly 喜歡去那家美容沙龍，享受他們的特別美容療程。
- The training school offers tailor-made programs for working professional.
那所訓練中心為上班族提供客製化的訓練課程。

SNUBA? (2)

SNUBA divers breathe air through a regulator that's joined to a very long air hose. The hose connects the diver to air tanks. The hose connects the diver to air tanks. These heavy thanks rest in a raft that floats on the water. The long hose gives swimmers the ability to dive up to six meters below the surface. 

Before my SNUBA adventure began, our instructor, "Big John," gave us a 15-minute safety lesson. He patiently taught us how to use the equipment and some underwater hand signs.   

After we had mastered these skills, John led us down into the crystal-clear depths. By the time our tour ended, SNUBA had become my new favorite water sport. If you decide to try it, go with an official SNUBA dive company. I chose Oasis Divers in Grand Turk. They've been voted one of the top dive operations in the world. Oasis Divers has a favorite saying: "We're in the amazing business!" They were right. I was amazed by the entire experience, above and below the water! 

Info Cloud
scratch the surface 避重就輕、流於形式

Hello, everyone. And welcome to Info Cloud. I love learning about new things, don't you? 

I do, too. What was your favorite class in college? 

I really liked philosophy. But I soon realized that the class I took only scratched the surface. 

That's a great phrase to learn. If you scratch the surface of a topic, that means you just learn a little bit. Your knowledge is still very superficial. 

We often use modifiers like only, barely or hardly before this phrase. 

This travel article barely scratches the surface of all there is to see and do in Bali. 

We can also use this phrase to talk about something that is just beginning. 

Like when there's a huge problem that needs to be solved. 

The government bailout checks only scratch the surface of the larger economic problems they'll need to deal with. 

Good example. This phrase may come from farming. Before you plant a seed, you need to dig deep enough to prepare the soil. 

If you only scratch the surface, you may have a hard time planting seeds. 

So, you need to dig deeper. That's important with learning new things, too. Well, I hope we have more than scratched the surface with telling you about this English phrase. 

當你想要表達一件事情只是避重就輕、流於形式，或許可以用今天分享的用語 scratch the surface 來形容。scratch the surface 字面上是抓了一下表面，並沒有相當深入，This travel article barely scratches the surface about visiting Bali. 這篇旅遊報導很表面地介紹峇里島的旅遊資訊。我們可以用副詞 only, barely 或 hardly 來搭配scratch the surface。例如一件事情 only scratches the surface, barely scratches the surface 還有 hardly scratches the surface。

Language Lab
hose n. 橡皮管、軟管、水龍帶  
a long, usually rubber tube that liquids or gases can flow through
- Patrick used a hose to wash off the mud on his car.
Patrick用水龍帶引水，向他車子上面的泥巴洗掉。
- Rachel is having trouble watering her garden because her hose is cracked.
Rachel 在花園裡澆水有一點困難，因為水龍帶裂了。
hose v. 透過橡皮管把水引到某個地方 
to spray or wash (something) with water from a hose — usually + down or off
- My boots are very dirty, so I’m going to go hose them down.
我的靴子很髒，所以我要用水龍帶來把靴子沖一下。
hose n. 絲襪、褲襪
clothes (such as stockings, socks, and pantyhose) that are worn on the legs and feet
- All the women in the company are required to wear their uniforms with black hoses and black shoes.
公司所有女性員工，必須穿制服搭配黑色絲襪及黑色鞋子。

instructor n. 老師、教練; 大學講師
instructor 跟 teacher 很像，但是instructor 通常是被用來指教導技術方面的老師 
a person who teaches a subject or skill : someone who instructs people
- Teresa really likes her dancing instructor.
Teresa 很喜歡她的舞蹈老師。
- Vicky’s parents hired a driving instructor to help her prepare for her driving test.
Vicky的父母請了一位駕駛教練來幫助她準備路考。
- The history instructor is very popular, and his classes are always full.
那位歷史講師很受歡迎，他的課都經常爆滿。 

master v. 掌握、精通
to learn (something) completely : to get the knowledge and skill that allows you to do, use, or understand (something) very well
- Is it possible to master French in less than two years?
有沒有可能在兩年內的時間，學好法文?
- William is a successful businessman because he has mastered the art of negotiation.
William 是一位成功的生意人，因為他掌控了談判生意的技巧。 
master v. 征服、控制住
to succeed in controlling (something, such as an emotion)
- It is easy for Roger to get angry, but he must learn to master his feelings.
Roger 很容易生氣，但是他必須學習控制他的情緒。
- Abel was able to master his emotions, and no one could tell he was not happy.
Abel 能夠控制他的情緒，而別人都看不出他其實很不快樂。 

operation n. 企業  
a usually small business or organization
- Many small business operations suffered greatly during the economic depression.
經濟蕭條的時候，很多小型企業受到很多苦。
operation n. 運作、工作
the state of functioning or being used — used with in or into
- After being closed for a week, the factory is back in operation.
休息了一個禮拜後，工廠又恢復運作。
operation n. 活動 
a set of planned actions for a particular purpose
- If you’re hosting a convention, you need someone experienced in organizing large-scale operations.
如果要舉辦大會，你就會需要一位有經驗統籌大型活動的人。
operation n. 手術
a process in which a doctor cuts into someone's body in order to repair or remove a damaged or diseased part
- Besty is having a small operation today and won’t be back until next week.
Besty 今天要開一個小手術，下禮拜才會回來。

Great Expectations (2)

In London, Pip meets new friends and disdains his family and former friends. Later his sister dies, and he attends her funeral, feeling bad for the way he treated her. A few years pass, and on night someone forces his way into Pip's room. It is the convict Magwitch. He announces, to Pip's disbelief, that he is the source of Pip's fortune, not Miss Havisham. He tells Pip he was so moved by Pip's kindness that he wanted to make Pip a gentleman. It's why Magwitch worked to make a fortune as a sheep farmer in Australia. Still considered a criminal, Magwitch is on the run and needs to escape London. 

Pip tries to secretly take Magwitch down the river in a small boat to escape. But the police catch them. Magwitch is sentenced to death; Pip loses his fortune, and Magwitch dies in prison. 

Pip goes abroad to work as a trader. Years later he returns and finds Estella in the ruined garden at Satis House. Her husband has died and her coldness has turned into sad kindness. Pip and Estella leave the garden hand in hand.

Info Cloud
It’s your funeral. 來警告別人不要做這件事情

Welcome to Info Cloud. Anne Marie, I need your advice. 

Hey, Rex, what's up? 

My wedding anniversary is coming next month, but I just realized that I have a ticket to a concert on the same day. I must have forgotten when I bought the ticket. 

So just take your wife to the concert. 

She hates that kind of music. But I paid a lot for the ticket. What should I do? You think my wife would mind celebrating our anniversary on a different day? 

You can ask her, but it's your funeral. 

What do you mean? 

Well, this is a phrase we use to say we think someone's decision will lead to something bad. 

Oh... like death? 

Exactly. The statement is exaggerated. So someone saying this doesn't really think you will die, but they're expecting bad results. 

For example, if your boss is in a bad mood, and one of your coworkers insists on bothering them with something unimportant, you might say: It's your funeral if you go in there. 

Yes. They must take responsibility for the consequences of their choices. 

Well, after all this talk about funerals, I think I know what I should do. 

Skip the concert and spend your anniversary with your wife. Otherwise, it's your funeral. 

當你預先知道一件事情會帶來不好的結果，你可以用今天分享的這個相當有趣的用語: It’s your funeral. 來警告別人不要做這件事情。funeral 是喪禮，It’s your funeral. 就是用來形容如果你做了這件事情，你的死期就到了。It’s your funeral if you forget your wedding anniversary. 如果你忘記你的結婚周年，你就死定了，因為你的另外一半可能會很生氣。It’s your funeral. 雖然是比較誇張的表達方式，不過也很容易達到提醒或警告的效果。

Language Lab
disdain v. 鄙視、藐視 
/dɪsˈdeɪn/
to strongly dislike or disapprove of (someone or something)
- Although the movie was disdained by critics, it did very well in the box office.
那部電影雖然被影評鄙視，但是它在票房的表現卻是非常好。
- The chef disdained the use of food processors and preferred cooking the traditional way.
那位廚師看不起料理機，而情願用傳統方式做菜。
disdain v. 因為覺得不值得做而拒絕
to refuse to do (something) because of feelings of dislike or disapproval
- The politician disdained to answer the reporters’ questions.
政客不屑於回答記者們所發問的問題。
- Wendy is always so gracious and disdains to speak ill of others.
Wendy 一直很有風度，也不屑於說人家的不好。 

disbelief n. 不相信  [dis- 否定 / belief n. 相信、信念]
a feeling that you do not or cannot believe or accept that something is true or real
- When Xander heard the bad news, he walked away in disbelief.
Xander 聽到壞消息後，無法相信地離開。
- Although Yvette didn’t say anything, the look on her face showed disbelief.
Yvette 雖然沒有說話，但是她的表情呈現出她的不信。
disbelief n. 懷疑
- After being lied to so many times, Zoe responded with disbelief.
Zoe 因為被騙過好幾次，所以她的反應充滿懷疑。 

on the run ph. 逃跑   
running away from someone in order to avoid being captured
- The wanted suspect is now on the run.
那個通緝犯現在正在逃跑中。
- The thief has been on the run for the last fifteen years.
那名竊賊十五年來一直在躲警察。 
on the run ph. 繁忙趕路中
while going somewhere or while doing something else
- Victor’s job requires him to be on the run every day.
Victor的工作需要天天趕路。
- Because we didn’t have time to eat lunch, we were forced to eat a snack on the run.
由於我們沒有時間好好吃我的飯，只能在趕路中間簡單吃個點心。 

ruin v. 毀掉、糟蹋 
to damage (something) so badly that it is no longer useful, valuable, enjoyable, etc. : to spoil or destroy (something) Moths ruined the sweater.
- A herd of goats suddenly made its way into our vegetable garden and ruined everything.
一群羊就突然跑進我們的菜園裡，然後把所有的東西毀掉。
ruin v. 毀壞名聲
to cause (someone) to lose money, social status, etc.
-  The scandal completely ruined the movie star’s reputation.
那件醜聞完全毀了那位影星的名聲。
ruin n. 破壞
a state of complete destruction : a state of being ruined
- The singer’s drug addiction led to her ruin.
那位歌手的毒癮使她身敗名裂。
ruin n. 廢墟 
the remaining pieces of something that was destroyed
- After the fire, the factory was a complete ruin.
大火災後，工廠完全變成一片廢墟。

Great Expectations (1)

An orphan boy’s unexpected life
遠大前程 一個孤兒的 意外人生

Pip, an orphan boy, lives with his sister and her husband Joe, a blacksmith. His life changes when he meets a convict who scares him near the graves of his parents. Pip helps the convict named Magwithc, but he is eventually captured and returned to prison. Pip thinks no more about the meeting. 

One day, Pip;s uncle takes him to Satis House to play. There he meets Miss Havisham, who is extremely eccentric. She always wears an old wedding dress and keeps the clocks in her house stopped at the same time. 

Pip is introduced to her adopted daughter Estella, who treats him with contempt because he is a common boy. Yet Pip still falls in love with her. He dreams of becoming a gentleman to be worthy of her. Instead he becomes an apprentice to his brother-in-law the blacksmith.

One day a lawyer arrives with the news that Pip has been gifted a large fortune. He is to go to London immediately and learn to be a gentleman. Pip is sure that Miss Havisham is behind his good fortune and hopes he can marry Estella. 

Info Cloud
roll over in your grave 形容一些意料之外的事情，或是某些重大改變

Hello, everyone. And welcome to Info Cloud. I heard someone use a phrase the other day, and I thought it would be a good one to talk about here on Info Cloud. 

Well, tell us about it. It's: roll over in your grave. A grave is the place where someone is buried after they die. To roll over means to move from one side to the other while you're laying down. 

Something that would make a dead person roll around after being buried would have to be pretty shocking. 

That's exactly how we use it. It's used to show that a situation would shock someone who has already died. 

James's grandfather always expected him to take over the family business. If he knew his grandson had decided to become a YouTuber, he would roll over in his grave. 

If our grandparents could see the state of the planet now, they would roll over in their graves. 

It sounds like this phrase also describes a change like something that previous generations weren't expecting. That's exactly right. 

I wonder what things in the future have in store that would make our generation roll over in our graves.

傳統的華人社會有一種祭祖的觀念，後代子孫如果做了不名譽的事情，那就會被指責愧對列祖列宗，英文有一個類似用語 roll over in someone’s grave 在墳墓裡翻身。我們都知道，這個躺在墳墓裡面的人是不可能動的，這個用語是形容一件事情令人震驚，連死人都會嚇一跳。例如，James 的爺爺生前一直希望他能夠接掌家族企業，但他卻成為一名YouTuber，這個時候你可以說: James’s grandfather would roll over in his grave. James的爺爺知道之後，會氣得從墳墓裡翻過來。當然這是比較誇張的表達方式，用來形容一些意料之外的事情，或是某些重大改變。

Language Lab
convict n. 罪犯; 囚犯 
/ˈkɑːnˌvɪkt/
a person who has been found guilty of a crime and sent to prison : prisoner
- The convict was sentenced to thirty years in prison.
這名罪犯被判了三十年的徒刑。
- The pastor visits the convicts every week and prays for them.
牧師每個禮拜會到監獄探訪囚犯，並為他們禱告。
convict  v. 判決、宣判有罪 
/kənˈvɪkt/ 
to prove that someone is guilty of a crime in a court of law
- The man was convicted in court and sent to prison.
那個人在法庭裡被判決，然後被送進監獄裡。
convict  v. 自己做了錯事的認知
- Carol spoke to David, and her words convicted him of his selfishness.
Carol跟 David 談了一下，而她的話讓他為他的自私行為感到內疚。

extremely adv. 非常地  
very great in degree
- Our homework assignment today is extremely difficult.
我們今天的功課非常難。
- Everett is an extremely talented young man.
Everett 是一位非常有才華的年經人。
extreme adj. 極度的 
very great in degree
- Frank enjoys going to the mountains, but for his kids, it means extreme boredom.
Frank 喜歡登山，但是對他的孩子來說是極度的無聊。
extreme n. 極端
an amount or degree that is far beyond what is normal or reasonable
- Gayle would go to such extremes to keep her house clean.
Gayle 會讓他家裡保持乾淨到極端的地步。

eccentric adj.
/ɪkˈsɛntrɪk/
tending to act in strange or unusual ways

contempt n. 輕視他人的態度 
 /kənˈtɛmpt/  
a feeling that someone or something is not worthy of any respect or approval
- Nobody likes to chat with my neighbor because he shows a lot of contempt.
沒有人喜歡跟我的鄰居聊天，因為他會輕視人。
- I know you don’t like that person, but there’s no reason to speak to him with contempt.
我知道你不喜歡那個人，但是你沒有必要那樣不尊重對方。
- You’re complaining that he is disrespectful towards you, but you treat him with contempt.
你抱怨他對你不尊重，但是你卻藐視人家。
contempt of court 就是藐視法庭。
speech or behavior that does not show proper respect to a court or judge
- The defendant's behavior was disrespectful, and he was charged with contempt of court.
被告在法庭裡因行為不尊重，而被判藐視法庭罪。 

worthy adj. 值得 (尊敬、支持)  
good and deserving respect, praise, or attention
- The arrogant man feels no one is worthy of his respect.
那傲慢的人認為沒有人可以配得他的尊敬。
- The children’s home helps so many children every year, and is worthy of our support.
兒童之家每年幫助許多孩童，是值得我們支持的。
trustworthy adj. 值得信任的 
able to be relied on to do or provide what is needed or right : deserving of trust
- Henry has shown that he is a trustworthy sales representative.
Henry 展現出他是一位值得信任的業務代表。
newsworthy adj. 值得播報的 
interesting or important enough to report as news
- I don’t understand why this is in the news; it’s not even newsworthy.
我不懂為什麼會出現在今天的新聞裡，這根本不值得播報。

Giving Gift Cards – Smart or Lazy? (2)

I can tell you what she would like. She would like a gift that says, "I care for you. I want to make you happy. I searched with diligence until I found the perfect birthday gift for you." 

Doesn't a gift card say that? 

Ha, ha! Listen to yourself! No, Chad, a gift card says, "I know I need to give you a birthday gift. But finding something you like was too much trouble. So here. Go find it for yourself." 

Maybe that's what a gift card says to you. But this is what it will say to Judy: "Judy, I care for you. I want to give you something you'll really like for your birthday. The ideal way to do that is to let you choose what you want. So, here's a one hundred dollar gift card to use at your favorite store." 

Chad, I'm sure you could have found a nice gift if you tried. Perfume, for example. Did you try at all?

No. I don't like shopping. 

Well, if it's OK to give Judy a gift card, why not just give her $100? Then she can spend it anywhere, for anything. 

Because that would be rude and impersonal. 

You're impossible!

Info Cloud
isn’t in the cards 勸人樂觀接受無法預料的事情

Hi. Welcome to Info Cloud. Anne Marie, I remember you mentioned to me last month that you were going to Japan this winter. How is the planning for the trip going? 

You know, I'm afraid that going on a trip just isn't in the cards this year. Maybe we'll be able to visit Japan next year. 

Oh, that's too bad. Students, when something isn't in the cards, it means that something just wasn't meant to be. 

It's an expression that refers to playing card games. If the cards you need are at the top of the pile, then you will win the game. 

But if the cards aren't there, then winning isn't meant to be. And we can talk about just about anything that wasn't meant to be. 

This expression is also a good way to say that the result wasn't anyone's fault, like not getting a job that you apply for. 

If you are qualified for a position and you have a good interview, but you don't get the job, maybe getting that job just wasn't in the cards. 

It's like our family vacation to Japan. So many things happened this year that were out of our control. And that means a vacation in Japan just isn't in the cards this year. 

當一件事情並没有按照原定計劃進行的時候，或許可以用今天介紹的用語 isn’t in the cards 來形容，所謂 in the cards 就是你手中握的牌，當你說一件事情 isn’t in the cards，就代表它不在你的掌控範圍內，你手中没有可以出的牌，所以這件事情没有辦法照你期待的進行，A vacation in Japan just isn’t in the cards this year. 今年去日本渡假註定没有辦法成行了。當你說一件事情 isn’t in the cards，基本上就是在勸人樂觀接受無法預料的事情，因為你没有辦法掌控，所以不是你的責任。

Language Lab
diligence n. 努力、勤勞   
/ˈdɪləʤəns/
careful hard work : continued effort
- Because of Irene’s hard work and diligence, her boss gave her a bonus.
由於Irene很努力工作，因此她的老闆給她一筆獎金。 
diligence n. 用功
- Due to James’ lack of diligence, he is not doing well in school.
由於James不用功，所以學業成績不好。 
diligent adj. 形容一個人很用功、做事很勤奮
careful hard work : continued effort
- Because Mr. Kendell’s last secretary wasn’t diligent enough, she lost her job.
Kendell先生之前的秘書不夠勤奮，所以被辭退了。 

here adv. 讓對方知道有東西要交給他們了  
used when you are giving something to someone
- Here, this is the essay I was telling you about.
給你，這就是之前我跟你提的那篇文章。
- Here, please have some coffee. 
給你，咖啡請慢用。
here adv. 現在這個時候
appearing or happening now
- Team A has done a good job with this project, and Team B will take over the project from here.
團隊A把這項任務做得很好，現在任務由團隊B來接手。

ideal adj. 理想的
exactly right for a particular purpose, situation, or person : perfect
idea n. 主意 
a thought, plan, or suggestion about what to do
- That’s a good idea. 
那是個好主意。
- For Lana, an ideal vacation means staying home and watching Korean soap operas all day.
對Lana來說，完美的度假就是整天能夠宅在家裡看韓劇。
- I know the plan we have is not ideal, but it is the only plan we have.
我知道我們的計劃不是很完美，但這是我們目前唯一有的計劃。
- We finally found the ideal person for the job, but then, she decided not to take our offer.
我們終於找到一位理想的人來接這項工作，但是對方卻選擇不接受我們的延攬。

impersonal adj. 冷淡的、没有人情味的  
having or showing no interest in individual people or their feelings : lacking emotional warmth
- Because an email seems so impersonal, you should send a handwritten card instead.
因為電子郵件感覺很冷淡，你應該寄一張手寫的卡片。
- The store is very efficient in how it runs its business but shopping there can feel impersonal.
那家店經營的模式很有效率，但是在店裡消費感覺没有人情味。
- That café is designed to look very trendy, but I think the colors make it look so impersonal.
那家咖啡館的設計很潮，但是我覺得顏色方面給人一種冷漠的感覺。
impersonal adj. 客觀、跟人無關的 
not relating to or influenced by personal feelings
- Mr. Marshall’s secretary gets things done quickly because she has an impersonal way of dealing with things.
Marshall先生的秘書辦事速度快，因為她做事都保持客觀。

Giving Gift Cards – Smart or Lazy? (1)

Giving Gift Cards – Smart or Lazy? Do gift cards say what we want them to say?
贈送禮品卡──聰明或敷衍？ 禮品卡真的能如實傳達我們的心意嗎？

Buying gifts for birthdays and other occasions can be hard. It eats up time and adds pressure to our busy lives. So what could be easier than giving a gift card instead of a gift? More and more stores sell gift cards, making them easy to buy. There's a wide and growing choice of gift cards to suit different people and occasions. Gift cards are one of the great inventions of the electronic age. But how do people feel about receiving gift cards instead of gifts? Does giving someone a gift card say "I care about you"? Or does it say, "You aren't worth the time it takes to shop for a gift"? 

Chad's girlfriend, Judy, has a birthday in two weeks. Chad talks with his sister, Gloria, about what he plans to give Judy. 

I got Judy a gift card for her birthday. 

Are you serious?

That isn't very thoughtful.

Sure it is. I thought about it for a week before I bought it.

Why didn't you take a week to find a real gift instead?

A gift card is a real gift. I paid 100 real dollars for it! Besides, shopping for Judy is hard. I don't know what she would like. 

Info Cloud
cringey / cringe / cringeworthy 尷尬

Hello, everyone. Welcome to Info Cloud. Rex, did you see this video, it's a bunch of celebrities who saying different parts of the same songs and then put it all together.

Oh, yeah. I saw that video when it came out earlier this year. As a singer, I can say I didn't like it. It's so super cringey. 

I agree. Let's share with our students what you mean by cringe. 

Cringe is what you do with your body when you move away from something because you are afraid of it or you don't want to get hurt.

Now, just like many modern slang words, the word cringe came from another word. That word was cringeworthy.

When something is cringeworthy, it means that it is embarrassing. So word or action that make sure  body have a reaction.

During lunch yesterday, Beth spilled her drink all over the teacher. It was cringeworthy to watch.

Over time, this word has been shorten to cringey or just cringe. Did you hear Peyton's presentation in speech class this morning. It was so cringey.

Following the slang meaning of cringe, someone could also be cringe. 

Anthony's ant likes to wear clothe that are meant for young people, she's so cringe. 

Yakiees, that's a pretty harsh thing to say. Telling someone they are definitely not a compliment.

Language Lab
occasion n. 時機, 特殊場合或特殊活動
a special event or time
- Bert will only wear a suit and tie on special occasions.
occasion n. 機會, 理由
a chance or opportunity : a situation that allows something to happen — usually followed by to + verb
- It's rare for the whole office to be asked to meet in the meeting room; what is the occasion?occasion n. 一件事發生的那個時候
a particular time when something happens
- The security guard has noticed a mysterious woman walking around outside the bank on several occasions.

pressure n. 壓力, 日常生活會面對的壓力
a feeling of stress or anxiety because you have too much to do or because people are depending on you for something
- Because Celine has a lot of responsibilities, she feels a lot of pressure. 
blood pressure n. 
the force with which blood moves through a person's body
- My grandfather needs to watch his blood pressure. 
water pressure n. 水壓
- This toilet won't flush because there isn't enough water pressure. 
pressure n. 用力按下去
the weight or force that is produced when something presses or pushes against something else
- After you put glue on the two pieces of glass, hold them together but don't put too much pressure. 
pressure v.  給人施加壓力
to use pressure to force or try to force (someone) to do something
- Dana is being pressured by her friends to join the dance club.

serious adj. 嚴肅
not joking or funny
- Edgar is a very serious person and doesn't like jokes. 
serious adj. 認真的
involving or deserving a lot of thought, attention, or work
- Were you serious when you said you wanted to quit your job and travel the world?
serious adj. 嚴重的
having an important or dangerous possible result
- Mr. Foreman is rushing back to his office because something serious just happened there. 

thoughtful adj. 貼心, 善解人意
showing concern for the needs or feelings of other people : considerate
- Amy is a very thoughtful person; she brought me breakfast in bed when I was sick.
thoughtful adj. 很周到, 很完善
done or made after careful thinking
- If George wants to get good results from his experiment, he needs to be more thoughtful.
thoughtful adj. 一個人在想事情而變得很安靜
serious and quiet because you are thinking
- Did you notice how Hattie was sitting all by herself looking very thoughtful?

One in Five People Want More of This Perk Than More Pay (2)

Industry breakdowns

Of the 11 industries that were included in Celebrity Cruise's survey, nine offered their workers an average of 14 or 15 paid vacation days per year. Hotel, food services and hospitality offered the fewest number of days at 11, while arts, entertainment and recreation employees were given an average of 12.

Some industries offered generous PTO packages, but employees felt compelled to work extra hours to make up for vacation time.

Overall, 62 percent admit to working extra hours the week before their travels, and this takes a toll on women the most. 

Although the finance, technology and medical industries all offered at least 14 days of PTO, employees in these fields were the most likely to work overtime before vacation.

Benefits and burnout

Along with women, Gen Xers and baby boomers in particular said they experienced a spike in stress levels before a vacation. Mostly because of the work that would be waiting for them upon their return or worries about work being mishandled while they were away.

As burnout continues to be an issue in the workforce, vacations have become increasingly necessary. It's up to employees to take advantage of benefits while employers should understand when employees need time off. 

Info Cloud
Which generation are you from? 

Hello, friends. And welcome to Info Cloud. Today I want to talk about the names we use for the different generations in the USA. 

Now it's hard to pin down exactly where one generation starts and another stops, so we're going to use approximate dates today. Let's start in the 1920s with the Silent Generation. 

This generation was born between the 1920s and 1940s. They're called the Silent Generation because they were born during war and economic depression. 

Baby Boomers came next. They're called Baby Boomers because they were born during the baby boom that happened after World War II, from the 1940s to the 1960s. 

Next comes Generation X, born in the late 60s till the 80s. Then come Millennials. Millennials are also known as Generation Y. They were born in the 80s and early 90s. 

Generation Z, or Gen Z for short, were born in the mid-90s until around the mid-2010s. The current generation is known as Generation Alpha. 

You now, different areas of the world have different basis for determining where one generation starts and another stops. It usually has to do with what was going on in the area at that time. 

It's interesting to see how history and culture affects the way different generations view the world. How about you, friends? Which generation are you from? 

今天要跟大家介紹美國過去一百年來所經歷的不同世代，首先是1920年到1940年的Silent Generation沉默年代，這是一個經濟大蕭條和戰亂的年代，接下來是1940年到1960年的Baby Boomers 嬰兒潮，因為二戰過後大批的嬰兒陸續出生，60年代末到80年代是Generation X (X世代)，然後80年代到90年代出生的人就是 Millennials 千禧年世代，或是 Generation Y (Y世代)，90年代中期到2010年中期出生的就是Generation Z (Z世代)，最近這幾年出生的人就是Generation Alpha (Alpha世代)。

Language Lab
breakdown n. 分類、細目 
the process or result of showing the different parts of something in order to understand it more clearly
- During the company meeting, the manager showed everyone the breakdown of last month’s expenses.
在公司的會議中，經理向大家報告上個月的開支細目分類。 
breakdown n. 分解
the process or result of separating a substance into simpler parts
- Our body’s digestive system involves the breakdown of food so that nutrients can be absorbed.
我們身體的消化系統分解食物，好讓營養成份能夠被吸收。 

breakdown n. 故障、出問題
a failure of a machine to function : an occurrence in which a machine (such as a car) stops working
- Things became worse between the two brothers after they had a breakdown in their communication.
兩位兄弟之間的溝通失敗後，雙方的關係變得更惡劣。
breakdown n. 崩潰 (尤其是精神或心理方面的)
a sudden failure of mental or physical health that makes someone unable to live normally
- Because the singer had a nervous breakdown, she had to cancel all of her concerts.
這位歌手因為精神崩潰而必須取消她所有的演唱會。 

toll n. 損偒、傷害
the number of people who are killed or injured in an accident, disaster, war, etc. — usually singular
- The huge fire happened two days ago, and the death toll is now over a hundred.
大火災是兩天前發生的，而目前死亡人數已超過一百。
toll n. 通行費
an amount of money that you are required to pay for the use of a road or bridge
- On weekdays, drivers must pay a toll to cross the bridge.
要在周間開車過橋，就得付過橋費。
toll n. 通話費
an amount of money paid for a long-distance telephone call
- This number is toll free if you are calling from somewhere within the U.S..
如果在美國，撥打這個電話號碼是免費通話的。 

spike n. 突然上升的數量(如: 價格方面的)  
a sudden, rapid increase in something
- During the famine, there was not enough food and people had to deal with price spikes.
飢荒的時候，食物不夠而且人民還得面對價錢上漲。
- Mr. Grant was so stressed that he had a spike in his blood pressure.
Grant先生壓力太大，血壓突然升高。
spike n. 又細又尖的東西 (如: 一隻大釘子) 
a long, thin rod that ends in a point and is often made of metal
- When we tried to put up our tent, we realized we had forgotten the metal spikes.
我們在搭帳篷的時候發覺，我們忘了帶要固定帳篷的鐵釘。
spiky adj. 形容一個東西的形狀是尖細的
having sharp points : formed into points  
- Howie used a lot of hair wax to make his hair look spiky.
Howie 用了很多髮蠟好讓頭髮能夠抓得尖尖的。 

mishandle v. 處理不當 ; 弄亂  (mis- “不當的”、“不對的”) handle v. 處理
to deal with or manage (something) badly or incorrectly
- The sales representative is in deep trouble for mishandling his client’s case.
這個銷售員現在麻煩大了，因為她把客戶的案件處理的不妥。
- Since Ivan had mishandled the project, his supervisor reassigned the project to Jennifer.
Ivan 因為没有把工作處理好，她的主管就把工作重新分給Jennifer。
- Originally, the present was beautifully wrapped, but then some kids mishandled it, and now it looks ugly. 禮物原本包得美美的，但是被小朋友弄亂，所以現在才變得這麼難看。

One in Five People Want More of This Perk Than More Pay (1)

Many companies don’t even offer this type of employee benefit
比加薪更受歡迎的事這種員工福利可不是每家公司都有

Being focused on work and having grit and determination to get the job done at all cost can be rewarding. But when work affects your health and well-being, it begs the question: are you guilty of overworking?

Aside from salary and benefits, the amount of paid time off we enjoy every year is one of the most important elements of employment. Ensuring we take a break from non-stop productivity is crucial for our health, performance and to minimize work burnout.

Celebrity Cruises recently surveyed over 1200 Americans to see if they're taking advantage of their PTO, how they use their time off and which industries are providing the most PTO. 

The truth about PTO

Many companies don't offer PTO while others offer sick days, personal days and vacation time under one umbrella. Understanding the needs of your employees will not only create trust but also lessen fatigue and be beneficial for the company.

From the survey:

• Nearly one in five respondents said they would rather add five more vacation days than receive a 10 percent raise. 
• 21 percent of respondents said they had a vacation request denied in the past year.
• Nearly half of employees left paid vacation time unused. 
  
  

Info Cloud
taking some time off

Welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. Today we want to talk about taking some time off. 

If you have a job that offers vacation pay, you might take some vacation days. Or if you are sick, you might take a sick day. 

But you can also take a personal day. That means that you are taking a day off work for personal reasons. 

Now sometimes when people say that they are taking a personal day, they mean that they are going to use a day's worth of vacation pay. 

But they might not be taking a vacation or even going anywhere special, just taking a day for rest or to get things done. 

I once needed to take a personal day to pack up my things for a move. But if you need to take a personal day just to rest, we have another term for that. 

We call that a mental health day. That means that you are taking a personal day to take a break from stress and to relax a bit. 

And if you are having a hard time learning English, it's OK to take a personal day every once in a while. 

不管是學生或上班族，我們對放假這件事情應該相當在乎。今天跟大家介紹幾個請假的用語，像是 take a sick day 就是請病假，take some vacation days 就是請年假去一些地方旅遊度假，take a personal day 就是請私人假，意思就是你因為一些私人因素要請假。比較特別的是 take a mental health day，mental health是精神或心理健康，mental health day 有可能是因為要紓解工作壓力，必須花一點時間放鬆心情所請的假，其實也是一種 personal day。

Language Lab
grit n. 毅力、勇氣  
mental toughness and courage
- It takes a lot of grit to start your own small business in that part of town.
在城市的那一區裡，開自己的小店是需要相當大的勇氣。
- We need someone with enough grit and ambition to handle this difficult task.
我們需要一個有毅力和志氣的人來處理這項艱難的任務。
grit n. 砂礫
very small pieces of sand or stone
- Before you put your shoes on, be sure to shake out the grit.
在你把鞋子穿上之前，你要記得把鞋內的砂礫抖出來。
grit v. 因為要忍住或是很生氣而咬著牙齒 
to press or rub your teeth together
- Billy began to grit his teeth as the nurse approached him to give him his shot.
當護士走過來，準備給Billy打針時，Billy就開始咬著牙。 

crucial adj. 非常重要、有關鍵性的  
extremely important
- The scientist’s discovery of the chemical compound was crucial to the development of the new medicine.
科學家所發現的化學物，對於新藥物的發展有關鍵性。
- The police were able to solve the case after someone found a crucial piece of evidence.
警察能夠破案，歸功於有人找到一樣很重要的證據。
crucially adv. 有重要性、有關鍵性地
- Charlie’s understanding of Morse code became crucially important during that time of emergency.
Charlie對於摩斯密碼的瞭解，在那緊急的狀況下變得非常重要。 

fatigue n. 疲憊、極度地累 
 /fəˈtiːg/  
the state of being very tired : extreme weariness
- Working eighty hours a week and going to school in the evenings is causing Dennis to suffer from fatigue.
每周工作八十小時加上還要上夜校，讓Dennis非常疲憊。
fatigue v. 讓人感到非常疲勞 
to make (someone) tired — usually used as (be) fatigued
- An entire weekend of physical training fatigued the students.
整個周末鍛鍊體力，讓學生們非常疲憊。
fatigue n. 迷彩服(軍人會穿的那一種)   
the uniform that soldiers wear when they are doing physical work 
- The little boys wanted to dress up as soldiers for Halloween so they wore army fatigues.
小男孩們想在萬聖節打扮成軍人，所以穿上迷彩服。 

respondent n.回覆者、回答者 (如回答問卷的人) 
 /rɪˈspɑːndənt/
a person who gives a response or answer to a question that is asked especially as part of a survey
respond v. 回答、回覆
to say or write something as an answer to a question or request : reply
- Emily sent out a survey, and most of the respondents’ answers were rather surprising.
Emily 做了問卷調查，而大部分的回覆者的答案讓他很驚訝。
- Less than half of the respondents were over fifty years old.
不到一半的回答者超過五十歲以上。
respondent 在法庭裡，尤其在離婚案件裡，是指被告者。  
- The woman described all the problems she had to face as a result of being with the respondents.
那位女士形容她跟被告在一起時，所產生的總總問題。

Lionel Messi, Soccer’s Little Superstar (2)

FC Barcelona, like most professional sports teams, runs a system of farm teams. These junior teams, which play in their own leagues, allow promising young players to prove their worth. Only the best juniors ever qualify for advancement to play with the senior team. Messi did this very quickly, joining Barca's first team before his 18th birthday. In his very first game, he started making soccer history. He scored a goal, becoming the youngest Barca player to do so in a major league match. 

Messi now has a lengthy list of records set and awards won. He received the FIFA Ballon d'or (Gold Ball), which acknowledges the world's best male player, six times. He was twice named MVP in the final match of a FIFA Club World Cup competition. He holds the world record for the most goals scored in one year. He is now a veteran player, who has led his teams (FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team) to win over 30 trophies, including an Olympic gold medal. This year, watch for Messi to overtake the great Pele's record of 643 goals scored for a single club. If he does, it will be just one more huge achievement for soccer's little superstar. 

Info Cloud
farm team 這是用來訓練球員所組成的球隊

Hello, everyone. Welcome back to Info Cloud. Anne Marie, you don't really watch sports too much, do you? 

No, not really. But growing up, I really loved watching hockey with my dad. 

Which team did you follow? 

The Detroit Red Wings. I never got to see them play in person. But a few years ago while I was in the States, I got to go see the Grand Rapids Griffins play. 

Oh, they are farm team for the Red Wings, aren't they? 

That's right. A farm team is a sports team that trains players to be good enough for higher-level teams. Sometimes the teams are in a different league completely. 

A sports league is a group of teams in one sport that compete together. Usually leagues are based on the skill level of the teams or the areas they are from. 

That reminds me of little league. A little league team is a sports team for kids. 

So let's review, a farm team is a team to train players. A sports league is a group of teams that compete. And a little league team is a kids' sports team. 

You got it. Students, what kind of sports do you like to watch? 

很多人都喜歡看美國的一些職業運動聯盟所舉辦的賽事，今天要跟大家介紹幾個相關的用語，像是: farm team 這是用來訓練球員所組成的球隊，球員在farm team 磨練出實力之後，或許可以進入職業聯盟開始比賽。sports league就是運動聯盟，像是美國職棒大聯盟或是小聯盟，都是 sports league。另外，在美國有一些相當受歡迎的 little league 少年運動聯盟，像是︰little league baseball 就是少棒聯盟或是少棒小聯盟。

Language Lab

qualify v.  有資格或擁有合格的條件  
to give (someone) the necessary skill or knowledge to do a particular job or activity
- Priscilla would love to work for that company, but she knows she is not qualified.
Priscilla 很想在那家公司上班，但她知道她資格不夠。
- Because he has worked hard for the company for over fifteen years, Robert is more than qualified for that promotion.
Robert 已經為公司效勞15年了，他當然有資格升遷。
qualification n. 資格或條件
a special skill or type of experience or knowledge that makes someone suitable to do a particular job or activity — usually plural
- When you are preparing for a job interview, be sure to list your qualifications in your resume.
當你要準備面試之前，要確認履歷表裡有列出你的資歷。
- I know your cousin is friendly, but he doesn’t have the qualifications for this job.
我知道你的表弟人很好，但是他没有符合這個工作的條件。 

lengthy adj. 很長的、時間或過程之漫長
lasting for a long time
length n.長度
the distance from one end of something to the other end : a measurement of how long something is
- The table is two meters long, so I want to find a tablecloth that is at least three meters in length.
這張桌子的長度是兩米，所以我要找一條至少有三米長的桌布。
- Mr. Sullivan does not have the patience nor the time to read such a lengthy report.
Mr. Sullivan 没有耐性也没有時間讀那麼長的一份報告。
- Every year, Thomas must fly on a lengthy flight from Singapore to New York.
每一年，Thomas 必須從新加坡飛到紐約，一個漫長的飛行。
- Only certain students are qualifies for that scholarship, and the application process is a lengthy one.
只有某些學生才有資格申請那個獎學金，而且申請程序非常漫長。 

veteran n. 經驗老手 
someone who has a lot of experience in a particular activity, job, etc.
- In celebration of Women’s Day, the journalist decided to interview a famous veteran of women’s rights campaigns.
為了慶祝婦女節，記者決定採訪一位資深的女權運動人士。
- It was a surprise to everyone that the veteran politician lost the election.
這位資深的政客選舉失敗讓大家感到驚訝。
veteran n. 退伍的軍人、老兵
someone who fought in a war as a soldier, sailor, etc.
- This store offers discounts to senior citizens and veterans.
這家店會給老年人與退伍的軍人特別的優惠。
- The social worker has met a lot of homeless Vietnam veterans.
那位社會工作者遇到許多没有家的越戰老兵。 

trophy n. 獎、獎盃
an object (such as a large cup or sculpture) that is given as a prize for winning a competition
- The young athlete was really excited when he received a trophy.
這個年輕的運動員興奮地領取獎盃。
- Elva is very proud of her grandson’s achievements and happily showed us all of his trophies.
Elva 對她孫子的成就感到驕傲並且很樂意讓我們看他所獲得的獎盃。
trophy n. 戰利品、狩獵時從動物身上所獲得的戰利品像是頭或標本 
something that you keep or take to show that you were successful in hunting, war, etc.
- Victor’s grandfather had fought in World War II, and Victor has seen some of the trophies his grandfather had collected.
Victor 的祖父有參與二次大戰，因為Victor有看過他祖父所收集的一些戰利品。
- The rich man went on a hunting trip in Africa and came home with a lot of trophies.
富翁到非洲打獵，回來時帶了很多他所獵到的戰利品。

Lionel Messi, Soccer’s Little Superstar (1)

Meet one of the world’s smallest yet greatest soccer players
梅西──嬌小的足球巨星 身體的限制也阻擋不了 足球天王創造歷史

To master a sport, as with a foreign language or a musical instrument, nothing beats starting young. That was undoubtedly the case with Lionel Andres Messi, one of the world's greatest soccer players. "Leo" Messi, born in Rosario, Argentina in 1987, grew up playing soccer with his older brothers. Controlling and kicking the ball became as natural and easy as breathing. At the age of 4, Leo joined a local team coached by his father. Starting at age 6, he played for six years with an older boys' team, scoring almost 500 goals. Around the age of 10, he was found to have a growth hormone deficiency. 

Because of this condition, his height would never exceed 170 cm. But little Leo never stopped sharpening his soccer skills or scoring goals. 

In 2000, at the age of 13, Leo went to Barcelona, Spain. His relatives arranged for a tryout with Futbol Club Barcelona (Barca), one of the great European teams. Barca was impressed with his skills for such a young player. After some hesitation because of Messi's age, Barcelona offered him a contract. Messi was so quiet at first some of his new teammates thought he was unable to speak. 

Info Cloud
eat, sleep and breathe

Hello, everyone. And welcome to Info Cloud. Have you ever been so interested in something that you didn't want to do anything else? 

My love of the opera started when I was a little boy. I was fascinated by all the great tenors. But it wasn't like I used to eat, sleep and breathe opera. 

You know, somehow I don't know if I believe Rex. When we say that we eat, sleep and breathe something, it means we do that and almost nothing else. 

Some kids eat, sleep and breathe soccer. Some eat, sleep and breathe video games. It means that they focus on doing that and nothing else. 

But it can also mean that you are going to choose to focus on something for a period of time. 

This weekend I'm going to work on my YouTube channel, so I will be eating, sleeping and breathing video editing all weekend long. 

I didn't even know that Rex had a YouTube channel. But I do believe that he will be super focused on working on that all weekend long. 

當一個人將所有的時間和精力都投入到某一個活動上面，我們有時候會用廢寢忘食來形容這個人，英文可以用: eat, sleep and breathe 來形容。eat, sleep and breathe 就是吃東西、睡覺和呼吸。當你 eat, sleep and breathe 一件事情，那就代表你吃飯、睡覺甚至呼吸，都在想這件事情。Those kids eat, sleep and breathe soccer. 那些孩子完全投入在足球的世界裡。eat, sleep and breathe 可以用在任何活動或是主題上面，代表一個人是非常專注與投入在那件事情上面。

Language Lab
undoubtedly adv. 無疑地、肯定地 (‘un’沒有)
definitely true or existing : not doubted
doubt n. 疑慮、懷疑
a feeling of being uncertain or unsure about something
- Alice was so sure about marrying Benjamin, but now she is having doubts.
Alice 起初很堅定地要嫁給Benjamin，但是她現在開始有疑慮了。
- With all of Debra’s perfect exam scores, she is undoubtedly the top student of her class.
Debra的考試分數都滿分，無疑是班上的第一名。
- Mi Casa is undoubtedly the best Mexican restaurant in our town because of their food, service and prices.
Mi Casa 肯定是我們鎮裡最好的墨西哥餐廳，因為他們的菜好吃、服務周到、價錢合理。
- That vendor was undoubtedly trying to trick us into buying something from him.
那小販肯定再騙我們跟他買東西。

deficiency n. 缺少、不足 
 /dɪˈfɪʃənsi/
a lack of something that is needed : the state of not having enough of something necessary
- Drinking too much coffee during the day is the main reason why Elaine is suffering from sleep deficiency.
白天喝太多咖啡是Elaine 睡不足的主要原因。
- The deficiency of rain this year has become a big problem to the local farmers.
今年的雨水不足成為當地農民的一個大問題。
deficient adj. 某狀況或東西不夠的
not having enough of something that is important or necessary
- This learning program aims to help educationally deficient adults complete their education.
這個學習計畫是為了幫助教育程度不足的成人來完成他們的學業。
deficient adj. 缺乏的 
not good enough : not as good as others
- The children in the villages are getting sick because their diet is deficient in nutrients.
村裡的小朋友都生病，因為他們的飲食缺乏營養。

sharpen v. 讓一個東西變尖或變尖銳  
to make (something) sharp or sharper
sharp adj. 尖銳的
having a thin edge that is able to cut things or a fine point that is able to make a hole in things
- Please be careful with that knife, it is very sharp!
小心那把刀，那很尖銳。
sharpen v. 讓一個東西變尖或變尖銳
- Helen likes to sharpen her pencils before she sits down to do her homework.
Helen 喜歡坐下來寫功課前，先把她的鉛筆都削好。
sharpen v. 提升、成為更敏銳  
having or showing a quick ability to notice and understand things
- Jessica has taken a lot of math courses, but they have done nothing to sharpen her math skills.
Jessica 上了很多數學課程，但是那些課程都沒有提升她的數學能力。
- Kathleen spent a whole summer in Mexico to sharpen her Spanish skills.
Kathleen 花了一整個夏天的時間，在墨西哥磨練西班牙文。 

tryout n. 試驗 (看戲劇方面或體育方面的人才是否合格)  
a test of someone's ability to do something that is used to see if he or she should join a team, perform in a play, etc.
try out v. 試試看
to do or use (something) in order to find out if you like it;
to compete for a position on an athletic team or a part in a play
- Leslie wanted to try out every beauty treatment at the salon, but she didn’t bring enough money.
Leslie 很想試試沙龍裡的每一套美容服務，但是她身上的錢不夠。
- Before you can join the cheerleading team, you must first pass the tryouts.
加入啦啦隊之前，你得先通過試驗。
- Michelle hopes to get a part in the play, but she is very nervous about the tryout.
Michelle 希望她能夠在該劇中擔任一個角色，但是她對試演感到非常緊張。
- If Nathan passes the tryout, he will join the school team and possibly get a scholarship.
如果 Nathan 有通過試驗，他不但可以加入校隊，而且可能還有獎學金可以拿喔。

Travel Safe! (2)

After you arrive in the Alishan area and check into your hotel, look around. Locate the emergency exits. You may never need them, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Check your hotel room, too. Make sure the doors and windows close and lock. Even if your room seems safe, don't leave your valuables there. Take them with you or leave them in the hotel safe. 

There are many delicious restaurants around Alishan. Enjoy your food, but protect yourself from food poisoning. Always wash your hands with soap before eating. Eat well-cooked, hot food.

As you visit the famous sites of Alishan, keep an eye on your things. You don't want to set them down someplace and forget them.

On your trip, you'll likely see things you want to buy. Shop wisely. Compare prices and bargain if you can. Do not buy any counterfeit goods or illegal wildlife porducts. 

If you follow these smart travel tips, you will enjoy the beauty of Alishan and return home safely with many wonderful memories. 

Info Cloud

stay woke 呼籲人們要警醒

Welcome back to Info Cloud, friends. Over the past few years , "stay woke" has begun to find its way into English slang. You may have seen this phrase used as a hashtag on a Tweet or social media post. 

Today we want to talk with you about what this phrase means. Woke is used in this phrase to mean awake. When you're awake, you're aware of your surroundings, you don't miss anything, and you know what is going on. 

Awake, or woke when used in stay woke, refers to a different kind of awake. 

To stay woke in this context means to stay aware, especially when it comes to social activism, political justice or staying vigilant. 

It can also mean to become self-aware, be a call to action to stand up for what you believe or to realize the difference between what is fake and what is reality in the world. 

It's kind of like warning someone to keep their eyes open and make sure they are aware of what's really going on. 

Sometimes stay woke is used in a lighter tone or in a joking way as well. 

How about if someone is woke? Well, that would mean that that person is with the times or that they get it. 

近年來，woke 這個字成為人們常用的俚語，woke 是 wake 的過去式，代表醒過來。如果有人說 stay woke，那就是在呼籲人們要警醒，尤其是對一些社會運動和政治公益的議題，要特別關注。

When it comes to politics, we need to stay woke. 我們要特別警覺政治上發生的事情。stay woke 也是呼籲人們要分辨真相，不要被蒙蔽，你也可以說: Keep your eyes open. 眼睛睜大一點，跟 stay woke 有相同的意思。如果單用 woke 來形容一個人，那就代表他與時俱進，非常跟得上時代潮流。

Language Lab

emergency n. 緊急狀況 

an unexpected and usually dangerous situation that calls for immediate action

- Henry felt really sick in the middle of the night and had to go to the hospital emergency room. 

Henry 昨晚身體非常的不舒服，必須去醫院急診室一趟。

- When Jacqueline flies, she likes to sit in the emergency exit row because there is more leg room. 

Jacqueline 搭飛機的時候，喜歡坐在緊急逃生門的那一排的位子，因為腳的空間比較大。

-  The manager is having a phone conference in his office and does not want to be disturbed unless it is an emergency. 

經理在他辦公室裡開電話會議，他不要被打擾，除非是有什麼緊急狀況。 

valuables n. 貴重物品

small things that you own (such as items of jewelry, watches, etc.) that are worth a lot of money

valuable adj. 珍貴的 

very useful or helpful

- It is hard to believe that this little old painting is actually a valuable work of art. 

很難相信這幅小小的畫，竟會是很珍貴的藝術作品。 

- Please be careful when you pick up that vase, it is very valuable! 

你拿起那支花瓶的時候，請小心一點，因為那是很珍貴的。 

- The gym has asked its gym members not to leave their valuables in the gym lockers. 

健身房有請會員們不要把他們貴重物品留在更衣室裡的儲物櫃裡。

- Karen could tell someone had been in her office while she was away, but fortunately, no valuables were taken. 

Karen 看的出來有人在他不在的時候闖入他的辦公室，不過幸好沒有任何貴重物品被拿走。 

site n. 地點 sight n.視力、視線 

the place where something (such as a building) is, was, or will be located

- The workers don’t have a lot of respect for their manager because he is never at the job site. 

工人們對他們的經理沒有特別的尊重，因為他從來沒有在工作地點出現過。 

- You can tell this is a famous tourist site because there are a lot of vendors selling souvenirs. 

你可以看出這個觀光景點很有名，因為到處都有小販在賣紀念品。 

- For safety reasons, no visitors are allowed in the construction site. 

為了安全，工程地點是不允許訪客進入。 

- Take a look at this site, it has all the information we want about that national park. 

site n. 網站 =website

看一下致個網站，他有我們想知道關於那個國家公園的所有資訊。 

illegal adj.不合法的 

not allowed by the law : not legal

- It is illegal to smoke inside public places. 

在室內公共場所抽菸是違法的。 

- Mitch quit his job when he found out his company was involved in some illegal businesses. 

Mitch 一知道公司有參與一些非法的生意就辭職了。

legal adj. 合法的 

allowed by the law or by the rules in a game

- In California, at most stop lights, it is legal to make a right turn at a red light. 

在美國加州，大部分號誌燈的地方紅燈時，右轉都是合法的。 

legal adj. 跟法律有關的 

of or relating to the law

- Sarah never thought that running a little store would bring her so many legal headaches. 

Sarah 從來沒想過開一家小店會給他帶來這麼多法律方面的困擾。

Travel Safe! (1)

Take care to be safe when you travel 

旅遊安全 旅遊之際 確保安全

You've always wanted to go to Alishan. The Alishan National Scenic Area has so many marvelous places to explore. Now you're finally going to take that trip! But don't get so excited about your trip that you forget to plan carefully. If you choose to work with a travel agency, choose a legitimate one. Check online reviews of it. Ask or talk to people who have traveled with them. Once you choose one and have a trip itinerary, read it carefully. 

Note what is included in the trip and what is not. If you are not sure, ask questions. Make sure everything is clear before you agree to the trip and pay your money. When you purchase your trip, also buy travel insurance. You want to be protected if something unexpected happens and you can't travel.

If you are arranging your own lodging, book a safe and legal hotel. For your own safety, choose one that meets the standards of the Tourism Bureau.

Info Cloud

done deal / close the deal

Hi, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. Rex, have you ever watched the game show Let's Make a Deal? 

I have. That program has been on the air for decades. What about it? 

Well, I was watching it the other day, and it reminded me of a phrase we use in English: a done deal. 

That seems like the opposite of what is done on that show. People are always trying to upgrade their prizes, so they never seem to close the deal. 

Good point. A deal is an agreement between two people that benefits them both. When I was young, I used to make deals with my brother. If I wanted a favor from him, I would promise to do his chores. 

A done deal is an agreement that is finalized and can't be changed. It was too late to return the car because all the paperwork was already signed. It was a done deal. 

Matt's parents promised to buy him a new cellphone if he got all A's this semester. His report card showed his hard work. Getting that new cellphone is already a done deal. 

How about to close the deal? Think about a salesperson. When they are selling something, the moment they close the deal is the moment the customer pays for the item. 

我們在生活中，難免要別人做一些交易，尤其是商業人士談生意，或者是跟商家討價還價，如果雙方達成協議，你就可以用 done deal 來形容這個已經確定的交易。不過 done deal 並不只限於商業方面的交易，只要兩方達成協議，就可以說是 done deal。Mom’s buying me a new phone, and it’s a done deal! 媽媽要買一隻手機給我，這是已經確定的事情了。

另外，close the deal 就代表買方已經付錢，確定成交，這個 case 已經結束了。The sales rep closed the deal yesterday. 那個業務昨天已經成交了。

Language Lab

marvelous adj. 非常好的 

extremely good or enjoyable : wonderful

- When the little boy visited an amusement park for the very first time, he thought it was the most marvelous place on earth. 

當小男孩第一次到主題樂園玩，他覺得那裡是世界上最奇妙的地方。 

- Everyone did a wonderful job performing in the musical, and the entire show was marvelous. 

音樂劇裡的演員都表現得非常好，整個表演真的太棒了。 

- Initially, I thought having the birthday party at Zander’s house would be terrible, but everything turned out marvelous. 

原本我以為在Zander家開生日派對會非常糟糕，結果一切都非常好。 

agency n. 代理機構  

a business that provides a particular service

travel agency n. 旅行社  

a business that helps to make arrangements for people who want to travel

- I got my tickets from a travel agency. 

我是透過旅行社買到票。 

employment agency n. 職業介紹所

a company whose business is to find jobs for people

- Brandon went to an employment agency to look for a job. 

Brandon 到一家職業介紹所來找工作。 

advertising agency = ad agency 廣告代理商

- The store owner is trying to find a good ad agency to help him promote his business. 

商店老闆在找一家廣告代理商來幫他促銷生意。 

agency n 政府機構 : 某局、某部、某處 

a government department that is responsible for a particular activity, area, etc.

- The people in the town are tired of the factory polluting their land and want to contact the Environmental Protection Agency. 

這裡的人受夠了附近工廠汙染環境，所以想要聯絡環保局。 

insurance n.保險    

an agreement in which a person makes regular payments to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to the value of something (such as a house or car) if it is damaged, lost, or stolen

travel insurance 旅遊保險

- Cynthia is buying travel insurance because she is worried that something might happen during her upcoming trip. 

Cynthia 打算買旅遊保險，因為她擔心自己的旅遊行程會發生事情。 

medical insurance 醫療保險

- Although Evelyn is feeling sick, she does not want to see a doctor because she does not have medical insurance. 

Evelyn 雖然覺得身體不舒服，但是她不想去看醫生，因為她沒有醫療保險。 

auto insurance = car insurance 汽車保險

- If you buy a car, you will need to get car insurance. 

如果買車，你也需要買汽車保險。

life insurance 人壽保險

- The police have discovered that the suspect had murdered his wife so he could collect money from her life insurance. 

警察查到兇嫌殺害她的妻子，就為了要拿到妻子的人壽保險理賠。 

unexpected adj. 沒有想到、沒有預料到

not expected 

- While we were enjoying our family dinner, an unexpected guest showed up. 

我們全家在享用晚餐時，突然來了一位不速之客。 

- Dalia’s husband gave her an unexpected gift that put a smile on her face. 

Dalia’s 的丈夫給她一個出乎意料的禮物，讓她高興不已。 

expect v. 預料、期待 

to think that something will probably or certainly happen

- I expect Gayle to be here soon because she never misses a meeting. 

我預料Gayle 應該很快就會到，因為她從來不會缺席會議。

- Business is expected to improve once the summer months begin. 

大家預期夏天一到，生意就會好轉。