SIGN LANGUAGE (2)

Deaf people and hearing people have many strong opinions about sign language. Some contend that deaf people should learn to read lips instead of signing. They argue that deaf people who only sign are isolated and cut off from the rest of society. Many people disagree, claiming that ASL is simply their natural language. Educators debate whether American deaf people should use ASL or one of the other varieties of signed English. 

Whether you're deaf or hearing, learning sign language can be an enriching experience. It can help you make new friends. If you're hearing, perhaps you'll want to become an interpreter for the Deaf. You can help them understand talks or deal with medical or legal situations. 

Maybe you could become a teacher of the Deaf yourself. If you ever have a deaf child, you will be able to use sign language as a tool of communication. 

Don't worry that sign language is too hard to learn. It really can be as easy as ABC.

Info Cloud

A sign of the times 時代特徵
- It's a sign of the times that more people are working from home.

a short sign 
- Her diamond ring is a sure sign that she's engaged.

Language Lab
contend v. 聲稱 主張
to argue or state (something) in a strong and definite way
- Around 2500 to 3000 years ago, people contended that the Earth was flat.
contend v. 
to compete with someone or for something
- Athletes from around the world traveled to Tokyo this last summer to contend for gold medals in their various sports. 
contend with [phrasal verb] 應付
contend with (something) : to deal with (something difficult or unpleasant)
- Every summer it seems farmers have to contend with too much or too little rain. 

isolate v.
to put or keep (someone or something) in a place or situation that is separate from others
- Two of the skiers were isolated from their group by an unexpected snowstorm in the mountains.   
- To prevent the spread of Covid, people were isolated for two weeks if they had been exposed to someone who had it or had traveled abroad.
- It is very easy for immigrants to feel isolated.                                                                                              
enrich v. 使豐富 使充實
to improve the quality of (something) : to make (something) better
- Rob feels his mind was enriched when he went to college because he was exposed to information he had never heard before.
- Milk is often enriched with vitamin D to make sure people get enough of this vitamin.
- Financial advisors attract new clients with the promise of enriching their financial status.

interpreter n.
a person who translates the words that someone is speaking into a different language
- Sonia is a Russian interpreter at the United Nations in New York.
- When Marigold first moved to Spain, she communicated through an interpreter.
interpret v.
to explain the meaning of (something)
- Leah's refusal to work overtime was interpreted as a lack of commitment to her job, but in reality, she had a young child at home to care for. 

NATURAL SWEETENERS FOR GOOD HEALTH (2)

Healthier ways to sweeten your food
天然甜滋味──健康零負擔 用更健康的方式滿足想吃甜食的慾望

Monk fruit powder

For centuries people have used monk fruit for health purposes, making it a very popular Chinese medicine. Today the native Chinese fruit is also used as a natural sweetener in its powdered form. The powder boasts zero calories, and you only need a small amount to add sweetness. It's more than 150 times sweeter than regular sugar. The powder is a great choice for those with diabetes because it doesn't raise blood sugar levels.

Stevia

Stevia is another sweetener that comes in a powder. It comes from the small stevia bush and can help with weight loss.

Maple syrup

One of the most used natural sweeteners is a syrup that comes from ample trees. Pure maple syrup boasts a great number of health benefits. It has even been studied for its ability to slow the growth of cancer cells.

The next time your sweet tooth demands something sweet, feel free to give in. Just be sure to keep it natural. 

Info Cloud

Topic: maple syrup 楓糖

Welcome to Info Cloud. Now as a Canadian, I am a huge fan of maple syrup. Rex, do you enjoy maple syrup? 

I absolutely do, and other maple treats like maple cookies, maple candy, maple doughnuts... 

OK, Rex... I think you need to stop. You are making me homesick. Now when you think of maple syrup, do you ever think of a sugar bush or a sugar shack? 

Uh, actually, no. How do those things connect to maple syrup? 

Well, let's talk about that. A sugar bush is a forest of maple trees, mostly black maple and sugar maple trees. 

Uh. So you get the maple syrup from the... sugar bush? No, no. You tap the maple trees to collect the sap. That's the sweet stuff that comes from the tree. 

So the sap is not maple syrup? 

Not yet. The sap is taken to the sugar shack. A sugar shack is a small house or cabin. The sugar shack is usually not too far from the sugar bush. Now the collected sap from the maple trees is boiled in the sugar shack to make maple syrup. 

Wow. This is so sweet and interesting. 

So, friends, next time you enjoy some maple syrup, maybe you can think about these new words, "sugar bush" and "sugar shack," and think about the roles that they play in making maple syrup.

很多人都喜歡加拿大的楓糖餅乾或是楓糖甜甜圈等產品，因為加拿大是盛產 maple syrup 楓糖的國家，maple syrup 的特色就是美味可口又營養豐富，加拿大有很多長滿楓樹的森林，人們稱它為 sugar bush，字面上是充滿糖的灌木叢，是不是相當貼切? 在 sugar bush 當中，人們會從楓樹上蒐集製造楓糖的汁液，叫做 sap，然後把蒐集到的 sap 帶到 sugar shack 楓糖屋裡面，提煉出大家使用的 maple syrup楓糖。

Language Lab

native adj. 原生的、本土的
born in a particular place
belonging to a person since birth or childhood
produced, living, or existing naturally in a particular region
- This particular flower is native to the island.
這個特定品種的花，是這個島的原生種。
- What is your native language?
你的母語是什麼?
- After graduate school, Agnes returned to her native country, Greece.
Agnes 從研究所畢業後，就回到祖國希臘去了。

boast v. 以擁有...而自豪
to have (something that is impressive)
- Italy boasts some of the greatest museums in the world.
義大利以擁有世界上數一數二的博物館而自豪。
boast v. 吹噓、誇耀
to express too much pride in yourself or in something you have, have done, or are connected to in some way
- Parents are usually proud of their kids and boast about their achievement.
父母們常常以自己的孩子而自豪，並且誇耀他們的成就。
- Never boast about how much money you’ve made or you won’t have any true friends.
永遠不要誇耀自己賺多少錢，否則你不會有真正的朋友。

pure adj. 不參雜的、純粹的
not mixed with anything else
- The dress Lydia wore to the formal dinner was made of pure silk.
Lydia 穿去正式晚宴的這件洋裝是純蠶絲製成的。
- It was by pure chance that I ran into the governor on his morning walk.
我遇見正在早晨散步的州長，純屬巧合。
- It is very difficult to find a supply of pure water in this area.
在這個地區裡，要找到純水的資源是非常困難的事。

give in [phrasal verb] 勉強同意或屈服
to stop trying to fight or resist something : to agree to do or accept something that you have been resisting or opposing
- Even though she was trying to lose weight, Janice gave in and bought some strawberry ice cream when she went to the store.
雖然Janice 要減重，但是她去商店買東西時，還是忍不住買了一些草莓冰淇淋。
- The old house’s roof finally gave in during the storm.
這棟老房子的屋頂在暴風雨中，最終還是堅持不住 (換句話說，就是倒塌了)。
- Oliver’s mother finally gave in to his pleas to go swimming with his friends.
Oliver的母親最後禁不起Oliver一再的請求，還是讓他跟朋友去游泳了。