MAKING GOOD DECISIONS (2)

Define the problem
First, you need to define the problem you are facing. For example, let's say you are deciding what to study in college. There are so many choices! So you have to decide which major is the best one for you.

Brainstorm
The next step is to think carefully about the decision and brainstorm your choices. You should research information about different majors and their career opportunities. It might be helpful for you to get out a paper and pen to organize your thoughts. 

Choose what to do
There are risks with every decision. There is no perfect choice. In the end, you have to be the one to determine what is right for you.

Act on your decision as soon as possible
If you postpone taking action, you will be tempted to change your mind. But if you act right away, you can move forward with purpose. It's time to take a leap of faith!

Info Cloud

Hi, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. I took a quick survey in our office today and found eight out of 10 people I surveyed procrastinate. Manya, do you procrastinate? 

Let me explain what procrastinate is first. The verb procrastinate means to delay or put off doing something often because it's boring or unpleasant. We can say Sam procrastinated on filing his taxes, and now his taxes are overdue. He will need to pay a fine. To answer Rex's question - "Do I procrastinate or not?" - as a kid, I sometimes procrastinated on homework assignments I didn't like. Then my mom would nag me. She'd keep on reminding me and telling me to do my homework. This was a bad cycle, and I didn't like the nagging. As I got older, I decided to plan ahead and do the things I wanted to put off early. Then I could have peace of mind and not have to stay up late or stress out because of a looming deadline. So, friends, the habit of procrastinating can be broken. If you plan ahead, stick to your plan and don't put off unpleasant tasks, you will have less stress and be happier. 

西方人對於人們做事情拖延的問題，其實是很敏感的，英文叫做 procrastinate，在亞洲我們頂多會抱怨個兩句說這個人做事情拖拖拉拉的，但是西方人卻會把做事情會 procrastinate 當作一個課題來研究。在很多的書籍還有課程裡面，都在探討如何解決拖延的問題，Sam procrastinated on filing his taxes, and now they are overdue. Sam延遲報稅，現在已經過了報稅的期限。如果你有習慣做事情會 procrastinate，可以事前做好工作計畫，按部就班地進行，完成你的工作。

Language Lab

define v. 下定義、界定 
- Carter asked his supervisor to clearly define what her expectations of him were.
Carter 請主管明確說明她對他的期望。
- That line of trees over there defines the east side of Jackson’s property line.
那排樹是Jackson土地東側的界線。
define v. 是....的特色
- Those ducks are defined by their green and brown markings and distinct sound.
綠色和棕色的花紋和獨特的叫聲，是那些鴨子的特色。

opportunity n. 機會 
- Haley had an opportunity to work on a project with her professor, but she decided not to.
Haley 原本有機會跟教授合作一個方案，但是她決定不要。
- At the end of his speech, the president gave the reporters an opportunity to ask questions.
總統演講完後，給記者們提問的機會。
opportunity n.  時機
- Scott was asked to contact the tax department at his earliest opportunity.
Scott被通知要盡快地跟稅務部門聯絡。

postpone  v. 延後、延緩
- Many couples postponed their weddings during the Covid-19 outbreak.
很多新人在新冠肺炎爆發期間，都把婚禮延後了。
- Wesley and Sandy had to postpone their trip indefinitely because their daughter became ill.
Wesley 和 Sandy不得不把旅行無限期延後，因為他們的女兒生病了。
- Ryan postponed letting anyone go until his company lost nearly all of its money.
Ryan 等到他的公司幾乎破產時，才解雇員工。

tempt v. 想要、誘惑 
- Eric knew Irene was on a diet, but he tempted her with a piece of carrot cake anyway.
Eric 知道 Irene 在節食，但是還是拿一片紅蘿蔔蛋糕去誘惑她。
- The thought of going to the movies with his friends tempted Pete, but in the end, he finished his project that was due the following day.
跟朋友去看電影這個想法誘惑了 Pete，還好他最後也把隔天要繳的專題作業完成了。
temptation n.
- It is such a temptation to eat pasta for lunch even though I always get tired in the afternoon if I do.
我午餐好想吃義大利麵，就算我吃了下午總是會覺得疲倦。

MAKING GOOD DECISIONS (1)

How to make good decisions and avoid bad ones
你也能成為決策大師 如何避免錯誤決定 且做出正確決策？

One of the best skills you can learn in life is how to make good decisions. Why? Because bad decisions lead to disappointment and pain. Good decisions, on the other hand, make you feel happy and successful. 

So what factors go into making a good decision?  There are three to consider. First, you need to realize that every action has a consequence. You shouldn't make a big decision quickly. Second, talk to others, especially those who are older and wiser than you. They can give you helpful counsel. And finally, check your conscience. Be sure that you can feel proud of the decision you are going to make. 

When it coms to decisions, many people hesitate to make them. They may be scared of making a mistake. They may be afraid of what other people will think of their choice. Or they could even hesitate because they don't know all the facts. If you need help making a decision, use the following four steps. 

Info Cloud

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. Someone asked me recently: What is your secret to success? I was surprised because I don't consider myself successful, but I said I believe hard work is the secret to any level of success. What do you think, Manya? I certainly believe so as well. We're all successful in our own little ways. Hard work is a part of the formula that many successful people use and believe in. I also know that many people believe that the secret to success is smart work, which involves finding the most efficient and effective ways to complete something. Smart work may bring great results in a shorter amount of time in comparison to only hard work. Unfortunately, I've known people who are always trying to cut corners instead of putting in the hard work to accomplish or learn something. So, for me, I believe that the secret to success is smart work, plus hard work. They go hand-in-hand, and that is certainly true when you're learning English.

很多人都想要知道一些成功人士的 secret to success，也就是成功的秘密，在傳統上很多人都會覺得不管做什麼，hard work 努力才是成功的不二法門。也有一些人認為，比起沒有方向的努力，smart work 才是他們的 secret to success。

smart work 翻譯成中文就是聰明的工作，也就是用最聰明、最有效率的方法做事，才是成功的祕訣。不過有很多人信奉 smart work 的人，他們都不太願意一步一腳印的付出努力，只想要走成功的捷徑，最後也可能沒有打好基礎而失敗。不管怎麼說，我們相信 secret to success 是 smart work 加上 hard work，缺一不可。

Language Lab

disappointment n. 失望 
- It was a huge disappointment for Sue when she found out that she wasn’t getting the raise she had been expecting.
當Sue 發現她所期待的加薪不會實現時，她大失所望。
- Robert was a disappointment to his family when he lost his job and then just sat around at home.
失業後，卻只能閒在家裡，讓家人對他大失所望。
disappoint v.
- Joanne didn’t want to disappoint her team, so she spent the entire night researching how they might improve their products.
Joanne 不想讓她的團隊失望，所以花了整個晚上研究如何改善產品。

consequence n. 不好的結果或後果 
- The teacher asked the class what they thought the consequence of cheating should be.
老師問班上的同學，作弊的人該接受什麼樣的懲罰。
- One consequence of Ron’s misbehavior is that he is grounded for two weeks.
- Ron行為不良的懲罰之一是禁足兩週。
of consequence adj. ph 重要的
- Everyone who attended the meeting was a person of consequence.
每位出席會議的人，都是重要人物。

conscience n.  良心、良知
- Matt’s conscience told him it was wrong, but he stole the apple anyway because he was so hungry.
Matt 的良知告訴他偷蘋果是不對的，但他還是偷了，因為他好餓。
- Your decision is a matter of conscience, so no one can tell you what you should do.
你的決定跟良心有關，沒有人能告訴你該怎麼做。
- Shirley can always tell when Timothy has a guilty conscience because it shows on his face.
Shirley 每次都看得出Timothy 的愧疚，因為他臉上都會顯示出來。

hesitate v. 猶豫
- Because Natalie hadn’t been feeling well, she hesitated before she started up the four flights of stairs.
Natalie 身體不舒服，所以要開始爬四段樓梯的時候，她猶豫了。
- There are so many people at the Wang house that if you hesitate to take some food during dinner, you’ll end up with nothing.
王家屋裡有好多人，你如果吃晚餐時，猶豫要吃什麼，最後就會什麼也吃不到。
- When Ethan asked Shelly to marry him, she hesitated slightly before saying yes.
當Ethan 跟Shelly 求婚時，她猶豫了一下才答應。

PALAU (2)

Natural beauty abounds on these islands and in the ocean around them
人間天堂──帛琉 海洋仙境 處處美景

Visitors can canoe through the beautiful turquoise water of Palau's bays and lagoons. When they are near land, the boats can glide through mangrove forests, where tress grow out of shallow seawater. 

On land, hikers should visit Babeldaob, the largest island in Palau. As they explore its mountains, jungles and lakes they may stumble upon ancient archaeological sites or objects from World War II. 

Many birdwatchers find Palau a great place to observe a variety of bird species, both common and endangered. They can wander the trails of the Ngermeskang Bird Sanctuary, which is one of a network of areas where wildlife is protected. 

Visitors to Palau can also take helicopter rides and see the shapes of the islands. From the air it's also possible to see marine lakes. Some of these bodies of seawater have been separated from the ocean by land. 

Palau is a paradise for plants and animals, both on land and underwater. It's like nowhere else on earth. Nature-loving tourists can explore this beautiful chain of islands in numerous ways to their heart's content. 

Info Cloud

It's a small world after all. Hi, friends. And welcome to Info Cloud. Today we are learning about a phrase in this song, "It's a Small World." Manya is going to tell us more about the phrase and the song. 

The song "It's a Small World" was written in 1964 for the World Fair in New York City. Now it is a popular boat ride created by Walt Disney. It shows dolls wearing clothes from all around the world, and the tune itself is very memorable. In fact, it is the most publicly performed song of all time. It plays around 1,200 times every day in Disney Parks. But let's talk about the meaning of that first line. When you learn more about the world, you feel more connected to others even if they are far away. The phrase "It's a small world" or just "small world" is much older than the song. It is used when a surprising coincidence happens like maybe I meet someone at the gym who is related to one of my co-workers, or maybe you are traveling and you meet someone from your hometown. These unexpected connections make us feel closer to each other and make this world seem smaller. 

如果你去過迪士尼樂園，一定聽過這首世界知名的主題歌 It’s a Small World. 小小世界。這首歌曲原本是為了1964年在紐約舉辦的世界博覽會所寫的，現在是全球迪士尼樂園每天會播放上千次的主題歌，園區內的同名遊樂設施也是遊客們會玩的經典項目，It’s a Small World. 所要表達的概念是，我們和世界各國是有某種程度上的連結，我們的距離其實並沒有那麼遠，在現在這個網路時代更是如此。下次到了迪士樂園，別忘了玩一下 It’s a Small World.

Language Lab

glide v. 滑行
to fly without engine power 
- Chris and Dylan glided along the lake in their canoe. 
glide v. 悄悄地走
to move in a smooth way
- No one heard the thief as he glided from room to room in the museum. 
glide v.
（時間等）悄悄地消逝
- Theo and Marge's summer days at the beach glided by very quickly.  

stumble upon [=found] 偶然發現
- The hikers stumbled upon a little cabin deep in the forest.
- The researchers stumbled upon a new treatment for kidney disease when trying to find a cure for cancer.  
stumble v.
to begin to have problems after a time of success
- Megan stumbled her way through the song because she hadn't learned the words very well. 

helicopter n.
an aircraft that can stay in the air without moving forward and that has metal blades that turn around on its top
- The helicopter ride down into the Grand Canyon was terrifying. 
- The team used helicopters to search for the boat lost off the East Coast. 
helicopter vt. 用直升機載送
- They helicoptered the wounded from the battlefield to the hospital. 

numerous n.
existing in large numbers
- Numerous students want to take Professor Armand's class because he is so interesting. 
- Patrick made numerous attempts to take Pauline out on a date, but he was never successful.
- After numerous meetings with the insurance company, Liz finally got them to agree to pay her claim. 

turquoise n.
 /ˈtɚˌkoɪz/
a bluish-green color

PALAU (1)

Natural beauty abounds on these islands and in the ocean around them
人間天堂──帛琉 海洋仙境 處處美景

The western Pacific nation of Palau offers visitors a chance to explore the best nature has to offer. A huge coral reef surrounds most of the chain of islands, providing great opportunities for snorkeling and diving. 

Palau's waters have more species of sea creatures than any area of similar size in the world. The wide variety of amazing plants and creatures dazzles divers. 

For example, the coral reefs of Rock Islands Southern Lagoon are composed of 385 different species of coral. And the area's clear water makes it easy to see them.

In addition to coral reefs, divers can explore underwater caves, especially Blue Holes, which may be Palau's most scenic dive. Ghostly remains of ships and planes that were wrecked during World War II also call to divers.

Palau's Rock Islands Southern Lagoon has been named a World Heritage site. Its coral reefs, along with its 445 mushroom-shaped islands, sustain a great variety of animals. It also contains the remains of small island communities that have existed for 3000 years. 

Info Cloud

Welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. Today I'm coming to you from my man cave. OK, not really. It's just this studio. But Manya and I are going to tell you about this phrase. 

Well, if Rex has his man cave, then I have a she shed. But before I explain that, let's look at a little history. The term "man cave" started being used in the 1990s because of a popular book. It referred to a space inside the home or near the house where a husband could get away from other people. It might have a TV, some tools or other things a man might want to use. And best of all, no one would nag him to keep it clean. Now it might not seem fair that a man gets a man cave, so the term "she shed" started being used, too. A shed is a small building that's often outside the home. Similar to a man cave, a she shed would be a space for a woman to enjoy her hobbies away from the rest of her family. If you live in a small apartment, it would be difficult to have either a man cave or a she shed, but most people would like a space to call their own.

很多人都喜歡擁有自己的小空間，無拘無束，沒有另外一個人打擾，對男生來說他可以稱這個私人空間為 man cave

cave 是洞穴或山洞，man cave 字面上就是男人的山洞，他可以躲在裡面，享受獨處的時光，在這個 man cave 裡面，可能會有電視、電腦、網路等等的用品，讓他可以娛樂。既然男人有 man cave，女人也可以有自己的空間，可以稱它為 she shed，shed 是小屋，she shed 就是女性的小空間。

Language Lab

abound v.大量存在、充滿
- A large number of birds and ducks abound in the preserve behind our house.
我家後面的動物保護區裡有大量的飛鳥和鴨子。
- Rumors abounded regarding the reason Alex and Maidson called off their engagement.
Alex 和 Maidson取消婚約的謠言四起。
- Several friends go fishing in Canada every summer because the lakes there abound with fish.
一些朋友每年夏天都會去加拿大釣魚，因為那邊的湖泊裡有很多魚。 

dazzle v. 使人感到驚艷或讚嘆不已
- The skaters at the Olympic Games dazzled the judges.
奧運比賽的滑冰選手，讓裁判們驚豔。
- The opera singer’s performance not only dazzled her audience, but also afforded her many opportunities to perform throughout Europe.
這位歌劇演唱家的表演，不僅令觀眾驚嘆不已，還因此得到許多去歐洲各地表演的機會。
- Everyone was dazzled by Cora’s beauty and charm.
每個人都被Cora的美貌和魅力所傾倒。

compose v. be composed of  ph. 由...組成/構成
- History class is partially composed of stories of wars between countries trying to get more territory.
歷史課部分地是由國與國之間為了爭奪領土的故事所組成的。
- Cheryl’s English class is composed of students from nine countries.
Cheryl的英文課有來自九個國家的學生。
- What is water composed of?
水是由什麼組成的?

wreck v. 破壞、毀壞 wreck n. 嚴重損毀的交通工具
- Henry wrecked his new car when he went around a corner too fast and hit a tree.
Henry在轉彎時開太快，撞到一棵樹，結果把他的新車撞毀了。
- Amy and Ellen used to be good friends, but a disagreement wrecked their friendship.
Amy 和 Ellen 本來是好朋友，但因一次意見不合，而毀掉了友情。
- It is hard to believe that Henry walked away from his car wreck without any injuries.
Henry 竟然毫髮無傷的從嚴重損毀的汽車裡走出來，真是令人難以置信。

LET’S WATCH A MOVIE! (1)

Should you watch a movie in a theater or at home?
來去看電影吧！ 應該在家裡看， 還是去電影院好？

Mason and Jennifer have both been busy at work all week. Now it's Friday night, and they have decided to relax and watch a movie. But they can't decide where to see one. Jennifer wants to stay home and stream one while Mason wants to go to a theater. 

I have really been looking forward to seeing Marvel's new movie: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. 

We'd have to go to a theater to see it, right? I know the critics gave it good reviews, but I was hoping to watch a movie at home. How about just streaming a different Marvel movie tonight?

What? No. I want to see the most current one. And we need to get out of the house. 

I'd like to stay home tonight. We've been out of the house all week. 

But that was just to go to work. 

Well, it still counts as getting out of the house! 

I've heard the special effects in the Shang-Chi film are great. And to really get the full effect, you have to see the film on the silver screen. 

But it's more relaxing at home, and I can lie down while I watch something. I'm kind of exhausted,  you know. 

Once we get to the theater, you'll perk up. 

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Language Lab

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