The Sound of Music (2)

 In 1926, Maria Augusta Kutschera was studying to become a nun in Austria. She was assigned to a one-year teaching position in Captain Georg von Trapp's home. In 1927, von Trapp and Maria married. He already had seven children, and the couple had three more of their own.

In 1937, the family began a European singing tour as the Trapp Family Choir. When Germany took over Austria in 1938, George was asked to join Germany's navy. Not wanting to fight for Hitler, he refused. He soon realized that the family would have to leave Austria. 

One morning before dawn, the entire von Trapp family fled on a train to Italy, leaving most of their possessions behind. 

In 1939, the family moved to America where they later bought a 660-acre estate in Vermont. They continued to tour internationally as the Trapp Family Singers for more than 20 years. Later, four of Georg and Maria's great-grandchildren formed a singing group called the von Trapps, touring for 15 years until 2016.

Though the von Trapps have ceased performing, The Sound of Music forever captures the musical legacy of the family. 

Info Cloud
sing a different song/ tune 

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. A lot of people like singing. Today I would like to introduce the expression: to sing a different song or to sing a different tune. 

Uh, that means you want to change the song you are singing? What's there to talk about? 

Well, that is the literal meaning. But this phrase has a figurative meaning also. It means to change one's opinion or position about a certain topic. 

Oh, I see what you're getting at. Let's say it's election time and all of a sudden you change the candidate you are supporting, you can say that you are singing a different song. 

That's correct. Singing a song or making music creates an atmosphere or mood. When you sing a different song, you are changing how you feel. 

That makes me think of another expression: sing the same tune. It has a slightly different meaning, which refers to a group of people having the same opinion or attitude towards a certain topic. 

In order to sing the same tune, sometimes people have to talk with each other to make sure they are saying the same things publicly. We should call a meeting to make sure everyone is singing the same tune. 

很多人都喜歡唱歌，sing a different song 或是 sing a different tune，字面上是唱一首不一樣的歌曲，但是 sing a different song 可以用來形容一個人改變了他的想法和立場，例如，在選舉期間，有人突然改變立場，支持其他的候選人，你可以說: He is singing a different song now. 唱歌可以帶動氣氛，如果你改唱其他的歌曲，你的感受和詮釋也會不同，因此，sing a different song 才會用來形容一個人改變立場。另一方面，sing the same tune 字面上也是唱同一首歌，但也可以用來形容一個團體裡面，每個人都口徑一致，對外都表達相同的主張。

Language Lab
assign v. 分配、指派
to give someone a particular job or duty : to require someone to do a particular task
- The teacher assigned cleaning work to Hilary and Earma.
老師把清潔工作指派給Hilary 跟 Earma。
- The intern was assigned to make copies of the report for the meeting.
實習生被指派去影印會議會用到的報告。
assignment n. 被指派或被交代要完成的工作 (像是功課或是任務) 
a job or duty that is given to someone : a task someone is required to do
- The professor decided not to give his students too many assignments.
教授決定不給他的學生出太多功課。
- My supervisor gave me an interesting assignment and told me to finish it within three days.
我的主管給我一項有趣的任務，並交代我三天內完成。

navy n. 海軍   
the part of a country's military forces that fights at sea using ships, submarines, airplanes, etc.
- After Jeremy graduated from school, he decided to join the navy because he wanted to travel.
Jeremy 畢業後就決定加入海軍，因為他想要遊歷旅行。
- In 480 B.C., the great Persian navy was defeated by a smaller group of ships from Greek City States.
在公元前480年，波斯帝國的龐大海軍，被希臘城邦的船隻打敗。
navy n. 深藍色
navy blue
- Which color do you think I should choose? Turkish blue or navy?
你認為我應該挑選哪一個顏色，土耳其藍還是海軍藍?
naval adj. 跟海軍有關的
of or relating to a country's navy
- Katherine wanted to leave her hometown so she married a naval officer.
Katherine 想離開家鄉，所以嫁給一位海軍軍官。 

possession n. 所擁有的東西或財產   
the condition of having or owning something
- Lewis suddenly decided to sell all of his possessions and travel around the world.
Lewis 突然決定要把所有的財產賣掉，然後去環遊世界。
- When the old lady passed away, she left all her possessions to her personal assistant.
老婦人過世後，她所有的財產都留給了她的私人助理。
possession n. 擁有 
something that is owned or possessed by someone
- Mark’s possessions of two fancy sports cars made his friends curious where he got his money from.
Mark擁有兩輛豪華跑車，因此朋友們都在懷疑他的錢是從哪裡來的。
- It is against the law to be in possession of stolen goods.
佔有被盜物品是違法的。

cease v. 停止    
to stop happening : to end
- Without any raw materials coming in, the factory would cease to operate.
如果沒有原料進來，工廠就會停止運作。
- After many hours of counseling, the fighting between Mr. and Mrs. Nilson gradually ceased.
經過好幾個小時的輔導後，Nilson 夫婦之間的爭吵漸漸地停止了。
cease n. 停住
- The neighbors are always having late night parties with loud music that goes on without cease.
隔壁的鄰居老是在深夜裡開趴，而吵鬧的音樂會不停地放。
ceaseless adj. 不停的、一直不斷的
 /ˈsiːsləs/
seeming to never stop : continuous or constant
- The girl’s ceaseless energy made her parents decide to send her to a gymnastic school.
小女孩精力充沛、停不下來，讓她父母決定把她送進體操學校。

The Sound of Music (1)

“The hills are alive with the sound of music!”
真善美 樂音中 群山充滿生氣！

Imagine fleeing with your seven children over snow-covered mountains in an effort to avoid capture by the Nazis. This memorable scene is from the musical film The Sound of Music, starring Dame Julie Andrews and the distinguished Christopher Plummer.

In 1949, Maria von Trapp wrote The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. Her book inspired the 1959 Broadway hit musical and the 1965 film, both entitled The Sound of Music. The delightful songs were written by the famous writing team of Rodgers and Hammerstein.

The Broadway premiere took place on November 16, 1959. It ran for 1443 performances and tied for the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1960.

The wildly successful movie musical won five Academy Awards, including the one for Best Picture. Like many other movies based on biographies, though, some scenes are from the filmmaker's imagination. The movie reduced the number of von Trapp children from 10 to seven. The filmmaker also changed the details of the family's escape, hoping to make it more dramatic. However, the true story of the von Trapp family, in itself, is quite fascinating. 

Info Cloud
new rich / old rich
old money / new money

Welcome, friends. It's great to have you back with us on Info Cloud. Money is something all of us think about. We use it almost every day. Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be rich, Rex? 

Of course I have. Everyone does at one time or another. Hey, today let's tell our students about how wealthy people can be divided into categories in English. 

Oh, you mean new rich and old rich. 

Exactly. You may also have heard new rich said nouveau riche. It means the same thing. Nouveau riche is a borrowed word from French. 

That's right. So what are the characteristics of someone who is new rich versus someone who is old rich? 

I've heard it said that someone who has recently acquired their wealth "new rich" is more likely to show it off with fancy clothes and expensive cars; someone who has grown up being wealthy, old rich, will more likely hide it. These are just stereotypes, of course. 

Saying old money and new money is another way to say the same thing. Old money has been in the family for generations, and new money has been made by that person in their lifetime. 

金錢是人們在生活中最關注的話題之一，今天要跟大家介紹 new rich 跟 old rich 之間的分別。rich 是有錢人，new rich 是形容那些在短時間內致富的人，這種人喜歡花俏的衣服，或是開名車去炫富，但是old rich就不一樣了，old rich 就是形容生長在富裕家庭當中的人，這種人比較傾向於在生活中低調地隱藏自己的財富，不讓人知道。另一方面，old money 就是一個家庭世世代代傳下來的財富，而 new money 則是一些人白手起家所賺到的金錢。

Language Lab
distinguished adj. 非常傑出的、卓越的、讓人欣賞或尊重 
known by many people because of some quality or achievement;
making someone seem important and worth respect
- The professor has invited a very distinguished writer to give a short talk to the students.
教授邀請一位非常傑出的作家，來給同學們做一個簡短的分享。
- Because the businessman has done a lot for his city, he has received numerous awards for being a distinguished leader.
由於那位商界人士為他的城市做了不少事，因此以傑出領導人之姿獲得許多獎章。distinguished adj. 形容年長者很有品味、水準、氣度 
- As I looked around the coffee shop, I saw a very distinguished gentleman reading a book by a window. 我在咖啡館四處看看時，我有注意到一位氣度非凡的男士在窗邊看書。
- Mr. Andrews always dresses up and looks so distinguished whenever he goes out.
Andrews 先生每次出門都會穿得很得體，並看起來很優雅。 

entitle v. 給某一個作品一個名字或是題目   
to give a title to (something, such as a book) : title
- The writer wrote a story for his child, and it was entitled “The Adventures of Robby the Rabbit.”
作者為他的孩子寫了一篇故事，名為兔子Robby的冒險記。
- It was during his vacation that the musician wrote a song entitled “The Man on the Boat” as a personal gift to a friend.
那位音樂家在度假時，為朋友寫了一首歌，命名為船上的人。
entitle v. 因為符合條件，有權利或是有資格 
to give a right to (someone) — + to
- According to the law, when a husband dies, his widow is entitled to all of his property and possessions.
根據法律，如果丈夫過世，他的遺孀有權利繼承所有的遺產。
- The workers are angry because they believe they are entitled to some compensation after their company closed down.
工人很生氣，因為他們認為公司倒閉後，他們應該有權利獲得一些補償金。 

biography n. 傳記   
the story of a real person's life written by someone other than that person
- If you really want to know about the life of that famous explorer, you should read his biography.
如果你真的想了解那位有名的探險家，你就該讀一讀他的傳記。
- Bianca normally reads novels, but this time she decided to read a biography instead.
Bianca 平常會看小說，但是她這次決定換一本傳記來讀。
biographical adj. 跟傳記有關的 (重音在第三音節)
/ˌbajəˈgræfɪkəl/
relating to or telling the story of a real person's life
- The writer wrote a historical novel about the queen, but it should not be treated as a biographical account. 
那名作者寫的是一本關於那位皇后的歷史小說，而不是皇后的傳記。
biographer n. 寫傳記的作者  
/baɪˈɑːgrəfɚ/
- The biographer did a lot of research before writing about the life of the famous composer.
那位傳記作者做了很多的研究後，才開始寫那名作曲家的傳記。 

fascinating adj. 因為很有趣，甚至會引人注意的
/ˈfæsəˌneɪtɪŋ/
very interesting or appealing
- It is fascinating how a baby horse is able to start walking about two hours after it is born.
很有趣的是，小馬一出生後，大約兩小時就可以開始走動。
- Chad loves listening to his Uncle Donnie tell fascinating stories.
Chad 喜歡跟他的Donnie 叔叔，聽他講有趣的故事。
fascinate v. 吸引人、讓人著迷
to cause (someone) to be very interested in something or someone
- Emily is fascinated by Korean soap opera.
Emily 對韓劇非常地著迷。
- The kittens are fascinated by anything that moves.
小貓們會被任何會動東西吸引住。

Million Dollar Quartet (2)

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Million Dollar Quartet (1)

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

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

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

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

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


Info Cloud
millennial, nostalgic

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

Les Misérables (2)

Valjean keeps his promise to Myriel. He leaves his hate-felled life behind and dedicates himself to helping others. He moves to another town, takes a new name and works to help the town prosper, later becoming their mayor. But in doing so, he breaks parole. This prompts Javert, an angry, vengeful police officer, to pursue Valjean in order to return him to prison.

The novel and the musical
The musical is based on Victor Hugo's 1862 novel Les Miserables. It is set in 19th-century France during a time of major protests. Throughout the story, Valjean assists many individuals, in particular an orphan named Cosette.

He had promised her dying mother he would take care of her child, so Valjean raises Cosette as his daughter. He also rescues the young student rebel Marius, who eventually marries Cosette. Every person Valjean encounters is impacted by his love, including Javert, who can't understand or accept it.

The musical first opened in Paris in 1980 and on Broadway in 1987. As of today, the award-winning musical has been performed in 44 countries and enjoyed in 22 different languages.


Info Cloud
To err is human. 犯錯是人性，或是人都會犯錯。

Welcome back to Info Cloud, friends. Anne Marie, I have something to tell you. During the last break, I accidentally dropped your bag on the floor. I think I heard something break inside.

Oh! Hmm. Well, that's OK, Rex. To err is human. I can forgive you.

Thank you. That's a relief. I really like that quote you just said. It's from a poem by Alexander Pope written in the 18th century.

That's right. "To err is human" is a way to say everyone makes mistakes or we all do wrong things at one point or another.

But that's not the end of this phase. The full quotation goes: To err is human; to forgive, divine. Can you explain that to our students?

Sure. The word divine in the sentence is referring to God. He is the one who can forgive us when we do wrong. This quote is saying when someone does something to hurt you, we should forgive them, just like God.

I see. Well, I'm glad you weren't too upset about your bag. Don't worry, Rex. I believe to err is human, and to forgive, divine.

中國有一句成語「人非聖賢，孰能無過」，英文也有類似的說法: To err is human. 犯錯是人性，或是人都會犯錯。這是由十八世紀英國詩人 Alexander Pope 所寫下的詩詞，人們常常用這句話來安慰犯錯的人。Don’t worry about breaking the glass. To err is human. 別擔心你打破玻璃杯，人都會出錯的。其實這句詩詞比較完整的說法是: To err is human; to forgive, divine. 犯錯是人性，寬恕是神聖的。除了安慰犯錯的人，還鼓勵人們要試著原諒別人，真的是很棒的一句經典名言。


Language Lab
prosper v. 變得很繁榮、發展得很成功(經濟、金錢方面)
/ˈprɑːspɚ/
to become very successful usually by making a lot of money;
to become very active, healthy, or strong
- That state did not prosper under the governor’s economic plan.
那一州沒有因為他們州長的經濟計畫而變得繁榮。
- The land prospered whenever there was enough rain in the winter season.
如果冬季雨水夠多，大地會變得繁榮。
prosperous adj. 繁榮的
having success usually by making a lot of money
- Hundreds of years ago, the ancient city was prosperous and many traders would travel from faraway lands to do business in the city.
好幾百年前，那座古城相當繁榮，有很多商人會從遙遠的地方到城裡做生意。
- The town grew prosperous thanks to the millions of tourists that visit every year.
那座小鎮變得繁榮，因為每年有上萬個人來觀光。

prompt v. 引起、造成
to cause (someone) to do something
- I know you’ve had this problem with Abe for a long time, but what finally prompted you to talk to him?
我知道你跟Abe 之間的問題已經很久了，但是是什麼讓你終於去找他談談呢?
- Most people in the office are afraid to go speak to the manager, but what prompted you to go see him?
辦公室裡大部分的人都不敢跟經理談話，但是是什麼事情促使你找他呢?
prompt adj. 速度快、準時
done or given without delay
- Mr. Johnson’s secretary is always very prompt and organized.
Johnson先生的秘書做事快又有條不紊。
- We have a big meeting tomorrow morning, and I need everyone to be prompt.
我們明天早上有很大的會議要開，我需要大家準時報到。

rebel n. 反抗者、反叛軍
a person who opposes or fights against a government
- The government knew the rebels were hiding in the mountains, but no one knew the exact location. 政府知道反叛軍躲在山裡，但是沒有人知道詳細地點在哪裡。
- The doctor was arrested because he had been helping the rebels.
那位醫生被逮捕，因為他有再支援反叛軍。
rebel n. 叛逆的人
a person who opposes a person or group in authority
- Mrs. Klein is worried about her daughter’s boyfriend because he is a rebel at school.
Klein 女士很擔心她女兒的男朋友，因為她在學校很叛逆。
rebel v. 反抗、反叛
to oppose or fight against a government
- The people in the colonies wanted to rebel against the king.
殖民地的人想要群起反抗國王。

impact v. 對某人或事物有影響到 
to have a strong and often bad effect on (something or someone) : affect
- Maggie never realized her broken marriage would impact the lives of her children and her grandchildren.
Maggie 從未想到她的破碎婚姻會影響到她的孩子及孫子們。
- The company is worried that the increase of cost in manufacturing their products might impact their revenue.
公司再擔心產品製作成本提高，可能會影響到他們的收入。
impact n. 非常大的影響
a powerful or major influence or effect
- Although the plan itself sounds good and is easy to carry out, we need to consider whether it might have a negative impact on the environment.
那個計畫雖然聽起來還不錯，而且不難執行，但是我們必須考慮到它是否會給環境帶來不良影響。
impact  n.衝擊力、撞擊力
the act or force of one thing hitting another
- When the dog jumped on Ron, the impact knocked Ron off his feet.
狗跳到Ron身上的時候，衝擊力大到把Ron給撞倒了。


👀watch video

Les Misérables (1)

A powerful story of love, mercy and forgiveness
悲慘世界 一部充滿慈愛、憐憫、寬恕的經典巨著

"They have me a number and murdered Valjean when they chained me and left me for dead. Just for stealing a mouthful of bread."

The main character, Jean Valjean sings these painful words in the musical Les Miserables. He is describing what he endured during his 19 years in prison for stealing bread and for trying to escape. Upon his release, Valjean is given a document indicating that he is on parole. For this reason, everyone rejects him, making it impossible for him to buy food or find a place to stay.

The first person to show him any kindness is a priest named Myriel. He invites Valjean into his home, feeds him and gives him a warm bed to sleep in. Sadly, Valjean repays the priest by stealing his silver. As Valjean runs away, he's caught and returned to Myriel. The priest then does something incredible! He states that he gave Valjean the silver; no theft was committed. Valjean doesn't understand why Myriel helps him, but it transforms his life forever. Before Valjean leaves, the priest makes him promise to become an honest and upright citizen.


Info Cloud
pay your dues 

Welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. Today I'd like to talk about what it means when someone says that they've paid their dues.

Generally, this means that someone has done a lot of work or gone through a lot of hardship and now deserves the rewards of their work.

Dues are also another word for membership fees. So if you want to be a member of a professional group, for example, you pay your membership.

If the payment is on a regular basis, those payments are called dues. So when you pay your dues, you get the benefits from your membership.

Now let's say you are working your way up in a company. You start at a low level, and you get a lot of boring work that has to be done.

You can also refer to that as paying your dues. You are doing a lot of work you don't enjoy. The benefit is that one day you will get a promotion.

There is one last way we use this phrase. It's for when you make a mistake and you have to pay your dues.

That means that you work hard to make up for what you did wrong.

And if you pay your dues, that also means that you make up for what you did, and now you deserve the benefit of being forgiven.

當我們收到帳單時，第一個看的就是這個月的應繳金額，英文是due，因此 pay your dues 就是支付你的應繳款項，通常是指每個月必須支付的會費，像是俱樂部或是社團等等。

不過，pay your dues也有另外一種意思，那就是一個人在奮鬥過程中，付出的代價。You need to pay your dues to work your way up. 為了一步一步往上爬，你必須努力付出代價。通常是做一些很辛苦的雜事，希望有一天可以看到成果。

pay your dues 也可以用來形容一個人做錯事情，現在正在努力地彌補自己所犯下的錯誤。I was lazy, and now, I am paying my dues. 我之前太懶惰了，現在要努力地補救。


Language Lab
endure v. 忍受
to continue to exist in the same state or condition
- Charles practices his saxophone every day, and his wife has to endure the noise.
Charles 每天都會練習吹薩克斯風，而他的妻子必須忍受噪音。
- We had to endure the heat because the A/C was broken.
我們必須忍受熱，因為冷氣機壞了。
endure v. 持久、保持
a : to experience (pain or suffering) for a long time;
b : to deal with or accept (something unpleasant)
- Dinah started a weight-loss plan in January, and endured until September.
Dinah 一月開始實施瘦身計畫，並維持到九月。
- When the company first started, it did well and was able to endure for several years before it was bought over by a bigger company.
那家公司剛開始做的很好，而且維持了好幾年，直到它被一家大公司買去。

document n. 文件
an official paper that gives information about something or that is used as proof of something
- The secretary keeps all the important documents in this drawer.
秘書把所有的重要文件都放在這個抽屜裡。
- The documents were on the manager’s desk, but now they are gone!
文件本來都在經理的辦公桌上，但是現在不見了。
document v. 記載、記錄
to create a record of (something) through writing, film, photography, etc.
- It was our little boy’s first time seeing a dolphin, and we were able to document the moment with this little video.
我們家小朋友第一次看到海豚的時候，我們能夠錄下小影片來記錄那一刻。
- Many of the town’s past events were documented in these old books, and now the town historian would like these books to be protected.
鎮裡以前所發生的一些事情都有被記載在這些舊書卷裡，而鎮上的歷史家西望這些書卷可以好好被保存。

repay v. 報答
to do or give something in return for (something);
to do something for (someone) in return for what that person has done for you
- After all the wonderful things Edmond has done for you, and this is how you’re repaying him?
Edmond 為你做了那麼多好事，而你竟然是這樣報答他?
- Sara wanted to repay the stranger for his kindness, but the man just walked away.
Sara 想要報答那位陌生人的好心幫忙，但是那個人就走掉了。
repay v. 還錢
to pay back (money that you have borrowed)
- Fiona borrowed some money from Glen, and now she needs to repay him.
Fiona 跟Glen借了一些錢，她現在得還他錢。
- Hilary has finally graduated from college, but now she has to work on repaying her school loan.
Hilary 終於大學畢業了，她現在得開始專心還她的學貸。

transform v. 完全地改變、從裡到外地改變
to change (something) completely and usually in a good way
- After the snow storm, the whole valley was transformed into a world of ice.
暴風雪過後，山谷就變成了冰天雪地。
- My neighbor wants to lose weight and is looking for an easy way to transform herself into a skinny person.
我的鄰居想要減重，而且他再找一個輕鬆可以變苗條的方法。
transformation n. 大改變、很大的變化
a complete or major change in someone's or something's appearance, form, etc.
- Irene used to be very casual, but now she has to dress up all the time for her job, and the transformation is huge!
Irene 以前衣著都很隨便，但是她現在必須為了工作天天打扮，整個人變得完全不一樣。
- In the movie, a scientist transforms a dog into a human being, but the transformation isn’t complete, and the scientist has to fix the problem.
在影片裡，有一位科學家把一隻狗變成一個人，但是改變過程並非完全成功，而那位科學家必須想辦法解決問題。



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Wicked: The Untold Story of Oz (2)

As the story opens, Glinda announces that Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, is dead. She then reflects on their friendship.

When Elphaba first arrived at Shiz University, her fellow students shunned her because she was green. She roomed with the rich, spoiled and beautiful Glinda. They had nothing in common, yet eventually, they developed a deep friendship. And Elphaba and Fiyero, the Captain of the Guard, fell in love.

The wizard's assistant fooled the people into thinking that Elphaba was wicked. They called her "The Wicked Witch of the West" and spread rumors that water would melt her.

Later, an angry crowd came for her. Horrified, Glinda watched Dorothy throw water on Elphaba, causing her to seemingly away.

Glinda finishes her reflections. She then promises to earn the title people have given her - "Glinda, the Good Witch."

After the crowd leaves, Fiyero appears and opens a trapdoor in the floor. Elphaba comes out, and they leave Oz together.

The musical's ending differs greatly from the film. But the musical makes the point that there are two sides to every story.



Info Cloud
alignment system 角色的歸屬系統

Welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. Today we are going to talk about the alignment system.

It's not the way that you straighten something or put it in a straight line.

The alignment system was created to describe how characters from fantasy games act.

Let's take the Jedi from Star Wars, for example. In that story, the Jedi are either with the light side or the dark side of the Force.

It's the traditional story of good versus evil. But even in a story, things aren't always that simple and the alignment system is a bit more complex.

It's more than just a question of good or evil. Do you always follow the rules, or do you believe in the freedom to do what you think is best?

A person who always follows the rules could be described as a lawful person. If you don't believe in order, we say chaotic. In the middle, neutral.

So now we can combine the labels of lawful, chaotic, neutral , good and evil to describe someone's character.

Superman? Easy - lawful good. The Joker, chaotic evil. The Batman? Well, that's a little bit more complicated.

Actually, talking about a character's alignment was really intended for certain kinds of games. But it is fun to discuss the nature of characters from different stories. And now you can join in on the discussion.

今天介紹的這個專業名詞跟奇幻故事的角色類型有關，那就是alignment system 角色的歸屬系統，alignment 是排列，system 是系統。每一個奇幻遊戲裡都有一些基本的角色類型，像是傳統的星際大戰就分 good and evil 正邪兩大類，但是很多故事比較複雜，除了 good 和evil 正邪之外，還有三大類-- lawful 守法的、chaotic 衝突性的、 neutral 中立的，這五大角色類別 good、evil、lawful、chaotic和 neutral 還可以相互搭配，讓角色的張力更大。

像是 Superman 超人是 lawful good 守法正義的，蝙蝠俠裡的Joker 小丑是chaotic evil 內心衝突邪惡的，而 Batman 蝙蝠俠的角色類別就可能比較複雜了。有些人可能會覺得亦邪亦正，這就是奇幻故事裡各類角色的alignment system歸類系統。


Language Lab
announce v. 宣布
to make (something) known in a public or formal way : to officially tell people about (something)
- Adrio and Barbara announced their engagement.
Adrio 和Barbara 宣布他們訂婚了。
- The judges will announce the winner tomorrow morning.
裁判明天早上會宣布贏家。
announce v. 顯示
to say in a formal or official way that something or someone has arrived or is present or ready
- The warm gentle breeze announced the coming of spring.
溫暖的微風顯示著春天的到來。
announcement n. 公告、聲明
a written or spoken statement that tells people about something : public or formal words that announce something
- An important announcement was posted on the wall and a lot of people are trying to read it.
有一份重要的公告貼在牆上，很多人都在看。

spoil v. 寵壞、溺愛
to give (someone, such as a child) everything that he or she wants : to have a bad effect on (someone) by allowing too many things or by not correcting bad behavior
- Jessica was a spoiled child, and always got whatever she wanted.
Jessica 是一位被寵壞的孩子，她想要什麼就有什麼。
- Michael is always spoiling his grandchild.
Michael 經常縱容他的孫子。
spoil v. 糟蹋、破壞
to have a bad effect on (something) : to damage or ruin (something)
- Kevin complained about everything at the party, and completely spoiled the fun.
Kevin 在宴會裡一直在抱怨，並把宴會的歡樂氣氛完全毀了。
spoil v. 食物變壞
to decay or lose freshness especially because of being kept too long
- We need to finish the food in the refrigerator before it spoils.
我們必須把冰箱裡的食物吃完，不然它們會壞掉。

rumor n. 謠言、傳言
information or a story that is passed from person to person but has not been proven to be true
- I heard a rumor that Sally is getting married.
我聽到一個傳言說Sally要嫁人了。
- There are rumors about a strange man walking around in the school at night.
有不少傳言關於學校晚上有奇怪的人再遊蕩。
Rumor has it... 根據傳言
- Rumor has it that the boss plans to increase everyone’s pay next month.
聽人家說老闆下一個月會開始給大家加薪。
- Rumor has it that the chef of that restaurant used to be in prison.
有傳言說那家餐廳的主廚曾經被關過。

reflection n. 深思、沉思
careful thought about something
- Karen enjoys listening to her grandmother’s reflections on life and her home country.
Karen 喜歡聽她祖母對她早期在祖國的日子的沉思。
- The stories in the book are reflection of the author’s childhood years in the refugee camp.
這書裡的故事內容都是作者兒時在難民營生活的深思。
reflection n. 反射、映射
an image that is seen in a mirror or on a shiny surface
- Lelia didn’t realize there was a leaf on her head until she looked at a window and saw her reflection.
Lelia 是因為看到窗戶旁中的倒影才知道她頭上有一片葉子。
reflection n. 顯示、表達
something that shows the effect, existence, or character of something else — often + of
- The team being able to complete the difficult task is a reflection of its leader’s capabilities.
一個團隊能夠完成這麼艱苦的工作顯示出隊長的領導能力。

shun v.
 /ˈʃʌn/
to avoid (someone or something)
- After his divorce he found himself being shunned by many of his former friends.

Wicked: The Untold Story of Oz (1)

A trip back to Oz before Dorothy dropped in 
《女巫前傳》：你不知道的奧茲 桃樂絲來到奧茲國之前，女巫們到底有何恩怨糾葛？

In the movie The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy melts the Wicked Witch of the West. Or does she?

Music writer Stephen Schwartz imagined a different ending for the well-known villain in his 2003 musical, Wicked. It's based on the book, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Most of Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel takes place before Dorothy ever enters Oz. Yet many familiar characters are there, including Glinda, the Good Witch, along with the Wizard.

Maguire creates a friendship between Elphaba, the Wicked Witch, and Glinda. Their friendship allows readers to see the sometimes not-so-perfect side of Glinda. Plus, they discover how Elphaba, who doesn't start out wicked, receives that title.

Schwartz first read Maguire's book while on vacation. He immediately began making plans for a musical version. Maguire's story was seen mostly through Elphaba's eyes. But Schwartz wanted the musical to feature both Elphaba and Glinda and their complicated relationship.

Wicked first appeared on Boradway on October 30, 2003.


Info Cloud
There is more to someone than meets the eye.

Welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. Have you ever started something and then realized that it was more complicated than you thought?

I love it when there is more to something than meets the eye. There are some pieces of music that sounds simple, but they are actually quite complicated.

That's a great example. Now you might be wondering how music which you listen to has something to do with what you can or can't see.

In English, when you say that there is more to something or someone than meets the eye, it means something is not as simple as it appears.

Our new co-worker seemed very young. At first, I was worried that she couldn't handle the demands of working here. But there is more to her than meets the eye.

That's a great example of how we can use that phrase. We don't always use it for people. There's more to this problem than meets the eye.

We use this phrase to mean that something is not as simple as it seems, which can be good or bad. When we use it to describe people, it is most often used in a positive way.

很多事情並不是像表面上看起來那麼簡單，或是很多人的能力是深藏不露的，這個時候你可以說: There is more to something 或是 There is more to someone than meets the eye. 這件事情或是這個人並不像你眼睛看到的樣子。例如，你對一個新同事印象不好，不太信任她的能力，但她卻表現得很好，你可以說: There is more to her than meets the eye. 她比表面上看起來還要有能力。

meets the eye 是眼睛看到的，more to her than meets the eye 就是比眼睛看到的還有更多的內容。當你形容一個問題不像表面上看起來那麼簡單，你可以說: There’s more to the problem than meets the eye.


Language Lab
villain n. 壞人
 /ˈvɪlən/
a person who does bad things
- The people in the town saw the factory owner as a villain and blamed him for all their pollution problems.
鎮裡的人認為工廠老闆是個壞人，並把鎮上所有的汙染問題怪在他身上。
villain n. 反派角色
a character in a story, movie, etc., who does bad things
- I’m surprised to see that actor play the villain in this movie because he normally plays the lead character in other movies.
我很驚訝那位演員在這部影片裡演反派，因為他在別的影片裡都演男主角。
villainous adj.邪惡的、特別壞的
/ˈvɪlənəs/
very bad or evil : wicked
- Many people think Shakespeare’s Lady Macbeth is a very villainous female character.
很多人認為莎士比亞的馬克白夫人是位非常邪惡的人物。

familiar adj. 熟悉的 (重音第二音節)
frequently seen, heard, or experienced
- I am sure this word is very familiar to you all.
我很確定這個字對你來講是熟悉的。
familiarize v. 使熟悉、瞭解
 /fəˈmɪljəˌraɪz/
to give (someone) knowledge about something : to make (someone) familiar with something
- The new assistant is very smart, but she needs time to familiarize herself with the way things are done in this company.
新助理很聰明，但是她需要時間來瞭解這個公司的運作方式。
familiarity n.熟知、熟悉的感覺 (重音第四音節)
 /fəˌmɪliˈerəti/
the state of being familiar with something : the state of having knowledge about something — usually + with
- I had never been to that bookstore before, but when I walked in, there was a sense of familiarity.
我以前從來沒有去過那家書店，但是我一進去就有一種熟悉的感覺。

feature v. 以某人、東西或狀況作為特色; 以某人主演
to have or include (someone or something) as an important part
- The pianist will be having a special performance featuring songs from her favorite movies.
鋼琴家會在她的演奏表演裡特別表演她喜愛影片的歌曲。
- The film features the talented actress as a princess who runs away from the palace.
影片是由這位充滿才華的女星飾演逃離皇宮的公主。
feature n. 特色、特徵
an interesting or important part, quality, ability, etc.
- Garry wants to show her friends the new features on her latest cellphone.
Garry 想要給他的朋友看他新手機有哪些新特色。
feature n. 面貌、面貌的一部分
a part of the face (such as the eyes, nose, or mouth)
- Sharon had no problem getting a job as a fashion model because of her features.
Sharon 因為她的容貌，所以很容易就找到服裝模特兒的工作。

complicated adj. 複雜的; 惡化的
hard to understand, explain, or deal with; having many parts or steps
- Linda didn’t enjoy the movie because the story was too complicated.
Linda 不喜歡那部電影，因為故事劇情太複雜了。
- It’s taking Ralph a very long time to fill out the form because it is very complicated.
Ralph 須要花很多時間來填這份單子，因為它很複雜。
complicate v. 使某件事情變得更複雜
to make (something) more difficult or less simple
- I don’t want you to talk to Martha because it will complicate the situation.
我不要你去跟Martha 講話，因為會讓事情變得更複雜。
- The patient’s mental disorder was complicated by the side effects from the pain medication she was taking.
病患的心理疾病因為她服的止痛藥的副作用，變得更嚴重了。

Beauty and the Beast (1)

People still love this “tale as old as time”
美女與野獸 不朽童話依然是大家的最愛

Beauty and the Beast is considered one of the oldest myths around. The tale is believed to date back to Rome in the second century. Through the ages, many cultures developed their own versions of the story. Tales like Beauty and the Beast can be found in places like China, Africa, Europe and India.

The first printed story appeared in France in 1740. It told of a beautiful girl and a cursed prince. Sixteen years later, another writer changed the story, making it more suitable for children. Shen then released it in England under the title Beauty and the Beast. The story was translated into many languages across Europe. This is the version that most people are familiar with today.

The story was made into a French movie in 1948. the Broadway musical version opened in 1994. Then, in 2017, Disney made it into a movie with live actors. But perhaps none are as beloved as Disney's 1991 animated version of Beauty and the Beast.


Language Lab
beast n.
/ˈbiːst/
an animal
- The king became ill, and his actions looked more like a beast than a normal human.
especially : a wild animal that is large, dangerous, or unusual
- The farmer decided to hunt down the beast because it wall killing all the sheep.
an animal, especially a large or dangerous four-footed one
- Some kind of beast came by in the night, and it left some very large footprints.

cursed adj.
/ˈkɚsəd/
affected by a curse that causes bad things to happen
- A prince who was cursed.
- People were afraid of going into the old castle because it was believed to be cursed.
to curse v.
to say offensive words to (someone)
- The man was so angry that he started cursing at everybody.

motif n. （文學、藝術作品的）主題，中心思想
/moʊˈtiːf/
something (such as an important idea or subject) that is repeated throughout a book, story, etc.

release v.
to allow (a person or animal) to leave a jail, cage, prison, etc. : to set (someone or something) free
- After the war was over, the prisoners were released.
to make (something) available to the public
- The singer will release her new album this summer.
to stop holding (someone or something)
- Press and hold this button, and then, wait for my signal to release it.

animated adj.
full of life and energy
- The teacher is always very animated in order to capture his students' attention.
inanimate adj.
not living : not capable of life
- The magician was able to make inanimate objects suddenly move around on their own.