AI STYLISTS (1)

Styling advice doesn’t have to come from a human
穿什麼好呢？問AI吧！ 造型建議不見得都得向「人」請教

Imagine looking through 3.7 million outfits online in search of just the right fit. sounds like an impossible task, doesn't it? Not anymore - artificial intelligence (AI) stylists make such a task possible. An AI stylist is a computer algorithm that can put together outfits. It works by scouring the internet in a very similar way to the Google search engine. The program searches for clothing images on fashion blogs, online stores and social media, collecting thousands of outfits created by human stylists. 

The program can also "read" text and pick out important details about each article of clothing. Both the images and text are stored in a data set from which the AI stylist makes fashion suggestions for people based on their personal preferences. An AI stylist can assemble tens of thousands of outfits to display to millions of shoppers online. This data set of outfits is constantly updated and controlled by a team of people. The team helps the computer improve the algorithms which in turn helps the AI stylist put together better outfits for a customer. 

Info Cloud

Topic:  roll up your sleeves 蓄勢待發

The article talks about AI stylists, computer algorithms that can help you put together outfits.

Hi friends, welcome to Info Cloud. Rex, you look exhausted. How are you doing?

It’s been intense. I’ve ROLLED UP MY SLEEVES as we’ll start touring multiple cities for our new stage play soon.

You can do it! Praying for a good tour. Now, let’s talk more about the term ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES.

To ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES means to prepare or get ready to work hard. In the past, most people wore long-sleeved shirts to work, so it was common to physically ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES before starting a big task.

Yes. We can say, “We need to record one month’s worth of Info Cloud videos today, so let’s ROLL UP OUR SLEEVES and start filming right away.”

Good example. We can also use ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES when talking about preparing for work done as a group.

We can say, “After the typhoon, the company’s staff all ROLLED UP THEIR SLEEVES to clean out the flooded basement.”

Yes, Studio Classroom staff literally did that back in 2001 after Typhoon Nari.

Well, that’s all for today, friends. Remember to ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES and mentally prepare yourself before starting a challenging task.


Language Lab

..(to) put together [phrasal verb]
to create (something) by joining or gathering parts together
- All teachers have to put together their course outlines and give them to the head of the department by Monday. 
- I would never have put that color of shirt together with that color of pants, but they look surprisingly good together. 
..(to) put together [phrasal verb]
used to say that someone or something is greater than the total of all the other people or things mentioned
- Marlene always looks so put together no matter what she is doing. 

(to) scour v.
/ˈskawɚ/ 
to search (something) carefully and thoroughly
- Charlie scoured the western part of the city looking for a suitable house to buy. 
- Be sure to scour your rental lease to make sure you understand all of the conditions. 
(to) scour v.
to clean (something) by rubbing it hard with a rough object
- This pan is really dirty and needs to be scoured to get it clean.

algorithm n.
a set of steps that are followed in order to solve a mathematical problem or to complete a computer process

preference n.
a feeling of liking or wanting one person or thing more than another person or thing
- The amount of cream and sugar you add to your coffee is your personal preference. 
- Alan has a strong preference regarding which university he wants to attend next year. 
- Do you have a preference for which candidate wins the election?

(to) update v.
to change (something) by including the most recent information
- You need to update your phone.
update n.
a report that includes the most recent information about something
- I need an update on what has been happening in the office since I've been gone for two weeks. 
- The doctor's update on Leon's condition is very positive.

SIT TO REST, AND STAND TO FEEL BETTER! (2)

The more you move, the healthier both your mind and body will likely be. Sitting, of course, is not always bad. Sitting is one of our bodies' modes of rest, like lying down. Sitting for short periods of time isn't a cause for concern. The problems come when you sit for hours on end. So how can you avoid sitting for extended periods of time?

There are many ways to break up your sitting time. If you can, get up and move every 30 minutes, or stand rather than sit. 

Walk around whenever possible. When you go places in your building, take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you have a job where you sit at a desk, consider getting a standing desk. When you are chatting on the phone, stand or walk around while talking. If you spend all day sitting at school, leave your classroom and stretch between classes. The more you move, the better you will probably feel. So why are you still sitting? Get up and move! 

Info Cloud

Topic: sit still, sit through

Welcome to Info Cloud! Rex, as a dad are there certain phrases that you say again and again to your kids?

Oh, yes. Phrases like "Use your manners”, "Finish your food", and "Get ready to go!"

Now those are important phrases. Another one I often hear parents use is SIT STILL.

Ah, that's a good one to talk about. When you SIT STILL you sit without moving a lot. It's hard to expect younger kids to sit still for a long time.

You are right. It can be hard for adults, too. Kids might hear their teachers say SIT STILL in class. Sometimes I have to tell myself these words - just to find a moment to rest. So sometimes it’s a good thing.

That's true. It's good to sit still and rest. It can help you reflect and then move ahead with the rest of your day.

Another phrase with SIT is SIT THROUGH.

When you SIT THROUGH something like a meeting or a long class, you stay until the end - even if it is hard to do that.

You can say Sara sat through a three hour meeting and finally got to share her part at the very end.

Or Leo had to sit through four speeches until it was the speakers turn who he really wanted to hear.

Well friends, thank you for sitting through Info Cloud today! We hope it wasn't hard. Now don't sit still - go and practice these phrase with a friend!

Language Lab

concern n.
a feeling of worry usually shared by many people
- Tommy's behavior was the cause of his parents' concern when he was little, but now he is a polite young man.
- The decline in the number of bees in the world is causing a lot of concern for scientists. 
- Sharon turned her concern for the lost boy into action, and she finally located his parents.

(to) break up [phrasal verb]
to separate into parts or pieces or cause (something) to separate into parts or pieces
- When I want to break up my work, I go for a short walk and drink a cup of coffee. 
- I can't hear you because your voice is breaking up, so I'll call you back.
break up : to end a romantic relationship, marriage, etc.
- Everyone was shocked when Brady and Jasmine broke up.

to + (v) + for hours on end

(to) chat v.
to talk with someone in a casual way
- Whenever Grace and Lily get together, they chat for hours.
- Mary always chats with her mother as they cook dinner together. 
chat n.
to talk with someone in a casual way
- Bob and I had a long chat last night and caught up on what's been happening the past few months.

probably adv.
very likely : almost certainly
- If you would get some exercise, you would probably feel better.
- Arthur and his friends will probably go to Sweden this summer.
- "Lord of the Rings" is probably the best movie I've ever seen.

to pace v.
to walk back and forth across the same space again and again especially because you are nervous
- He paced the floor/room.

sedentary lifestyle 
/ˈsɛdn̩ˌteri/
doing or involving a lot of sitting : not doing or involving much physical activity
- Editing the dictionary is a sedentary job.
- The work is very sedentary.
- Their health problems were caused by their sedentary lifestyles/lives.

SIT TO REST, AND STAND TO FEEL BETTER! (1)

If you are sitting, you might want to think about standing
別久坐，站起來！ 如果能站著，那就不要坐著

If I asked you to guess how long you sit each day, what would you say? Three hours? Maybe four? More? Would it take you by surprise to know that the average adult sits about 6.5 hours daily? The average teenager sits for eight hours a day. Does that seem disturbing? Now think about that first question again.

Would your answer be greater than you said at first? Does that make you uneasy? It should. 

You likely spend a lot of time sitting down during the day. That should disturb you because sitting appears to be directly connected to several health problems. Sitting for long periods of time can result in high blood pressure and weight gain. 

Sitting for too long can also affect your mental health. People who spend most of their day sitting are likely to be depressed. They are also more likely to have problems with anxiety. Luckily, there is a way to avoid the negative effects of long-term sitting. The solution is movement. 

Info Cloud

Topic: sit tight, sit on the fence 坐著不動/左右為難

Welcome to Info Cloud Friends! I hope you’re sitting down for this lesson!

Why Andrea? Are you going to give us some bad news?

No! But we are going to share a few idioms using the verb “sit”.

Before we do, let’s talk about what you just said, I hope you’re sitting down.

If someone is going to say something shocking, they might be afraid the other person could faint. So they will suggest sitting down first.

Nowadays we might use this phrase to prepare someone to hear a surprise, but we probably don’t really expect them to fall over!

What if we ask someone to SIT TIGHT?

That just means remain in one place, or don’t move.

For example, a waiter might say, I’ll be right back with your change, sit tight.

I’ve also heard of someone SITTING ON THE FENCE. That sounds uncomfortable!

If someone is sitting on the fence that means they’re having trouble deciding between two things. Maybe they want to delay making their choice.

Riley was accepted by two universities, so now she’s sitting on the fence about which one to attend.

We hope you’re not sitting on the fence when it comes to learning more English! Sometimes it’s hard, but just sit tight and keep practicing!

Language Lab

average adj.
ordinary or usual
- The average first grader in America spends 10 minutes a day on homework.
- This winter is colder than average.
- Bill is about 25 and of average height and weight. 

(to) disturb v.
to worry or upset (someone)
disturbing adj.
- Many parents find it disturbing to see how much time their kids spend playing video games. 
disturb v.
to stop (someone) from working, sleeping, etc. : to interrupt or bother (someone or something)
- Brett disturbs anyone who sits near him in class by continually talking to them. 
- The dogs outside Melanie's window were so noisy that they disturbed her sleep.

depressed adj.
feeling sad
- Eva was depressed for days after she failed her biology test, but then she determined to study harder. 
depressed adj.
having little economic activity and few jobs : suffering from economic depression
- The northern part of the state is a very depressed area with a lot of poverty and lack of opportunity. 
depressed adj.
凹陷的
- This depressed area of the Earth is full of hot rocks.

anxiety n.
/æŋˈzajəti/
fear or nervousness about what might happen
- Many children experience a lot of anxiety at the start of a school year. 
- Dylan's anxiety was so severe that his doctor put him on medication. 
social anxiety n. 
- Social anxiety is becoming more common in some societies. 

THE NEW SPACE RACE (1)

Space tourism is no longer just science fiction
新太空競賽 太空旅行不再只是科幻小說 by Beren Tofino

On Christmas Eve in 1968, astronauts orbiting the moon photographed Earth. That picture, "Earthrise," is considered one of the most important photographs of all time and provided a brand-new perspective on the world. 

Back then you'd rarely encounter words like "spaceport" outside of science fiction. But these days spaceport routinely appears in mainstream news reports because private companies have started building them and flying tourists into space. 

The original Space Race was a 20th century competition between global superpowers. But now there's a new space race that is less political and more commercial. 

It's a rivalry between billionaire entrepreneurs who have entered the space industry with competing companies. 

With goals that include building industrial bases in space and colonies on Mars, their ambitions are bigger than their bank accounts. So they are competing for contracts to build the next lunar lander and lease rocket launch sites as well as signing up passengers.

Almost anyone can buy a ticket to visit space as a tourist if they have enough money! Unfortunately, space tourism currently is a luxury experience for the superrich because the cost is as high as the destination - astronomical. But still, imagine taking a vacation selfie with Earth in the background!

Info Cloud
Topic: launch into something, launch out on something 開始談論/投入新事物

Welcome to Info Cloud! Rex, I have to say, I'm so excited about today. I think we should just launch into our time together!

Let's do that! Let's launch into today's topic!

And friends, today we are talking about LAUNCH INTO SOMETHING!

When you launch into something you start saying something with a lot of energy.

You can say, "The teacher launched into many words of encouragement for her students. She praised them for doing such a great job over the past week."

Or  Kevin caught a big fish while fishing over the weekend. He launched into the story of the big catch as soon as he got home.

Now we can use this phrase when we share something with enthusiasm, but it can also be used if you are angry or have a lot of emotion about a topic.

You can say Dad launched into a speech about his son's lack of discipline in school when he saw his test scores.

Or the customer launched into complaining about the service at the restaurant while waiting for their order.

Now you can also LAUNCH OUT ON SOMETHING. When you launch out on something, you begin doing something that is new and different.

You can say Jenn is launching out on a new career. She was a teacher and now she is launching into a medical career. So friends, can you launch into practicing these phrases today? Or maybe you are going to launch out on something new that you want to share!

Language Lab

perspective adj. 思考問題的角度或觀點
- Elaine feels that parents should pay for their kids to go on the class trip, while Pete’s perspective is that each kid should earn their own money to go.
- When thinking about wars, it is good to have a historical perspective of countries’ relationships.
- A woman’s perspective is completely different from a man’s when it comes to harassment.

mainstream adj. 主流的
- The company my brother works for holds beliefs that are considered mainstream in our society.
- Mainstream media really supports that presidential candidate this year.
- Even though some kids are deaf or have learning challenges, they are included in mainstream education in some countries.

rivalry n. 相互較勁 
- There is an intense rivalry between the two schools in sports and debate. |
- Ethnic rivalries were the cause of war in Eastern Europe in the 90s.
rival n. 競爭對手
- When Edith became unhappy with her job, she quit and went to work for a rival company.

lease v. 租借或租用
- My friend prefers to lease a car instead of buying one.
- Nate needs to find an apartment to lease before he moves to New York City.
lease n.租約或租契
- Shirley just signed a two-year lease on an apartment in an eastern suburb of the city.

orbit n.

the curved path that something (such as a moon or satellite) follows as it goes around something else (such as a planet)

rotate v.
to move or turn in a circle

stranger than fiction