BINDI IRWIN, A NATURAL TALENT (2)

Bindi continued to make TV appearances. At the age of 10, she won an Emmy Award for her outstanding performance in a children's series. She also appeared in a number of movies for children.

In 2015, Bindi competed on the popular American TV show Dancing With the Stars. Her high energy, precise footwork and beautiful smile wowed the audience. She and her partner dazzled the judges and won the competition!

More than just a celebrity or performer, Bindi works hard to help wildlife. She supports Wildlife Warriors, which protects animals that are in danger. In 2014, the Australian Geographic Society named her Young Conservationist of the Year. 

In March of 2020, Bindi married American Chandler Powell. The two met in 2015 at the Australia Zoo, the huge wildlife reserve founded by Bindi's grandfather. Very appropriately, the wedding took place at the zoo. However, only family attended because of the coronavirus. Afterward Bindi wrote, "Right now we're encouraging the world to hold onto hope and love, which will carry us forward during this profound time in history."

Info Cloud

Write your own story 鼓勵人們要努力活出燦爛的人生

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. I'd like to start off today's lesson by asking Rex an interesting question. Have you ever been told to write your own story? 

Yeah, but not from another person. I told myself all the time to write my own story as I was growing up. 

Really? Why is that? 

Well, my father was a very successful businessman. I was always compared with my dad growing up. But I did not want to follow my dad's footsteps. I decided to become a professional singer instead. 

I'm glad you made that decision. When someone writes their own story, it means that they are not trying to be someone else or imitate another's lifestyle. Instead, they are trying to live out a life that's unique, not following the path that others have walked on. 

Since every person is different, we're all living an unique life whether we know it or not. When someone says, "Write your own story," it serves as an encouragement for you to work hard and live your life to the fullest. 

每個人的生命故事都不太一樣，今天要分享一句相當勵志的流行用語 Write your own story 寫下你專屬的人生故事，意思就是要鼓勵人們不要盲目地跟從別人的腳步，要走出一條屬於自己的人生道路。例如，很多人活在家人的期待中，或是企圖去模仿自己很崇拜的人，這個時候很可能會聽到有人說: Write your own story，其實每個人的生活一定會不一樣，這句話的目的是在鼓勵人們要努力活出燦爛的人生，讓自己的潛能盡量發揮出來。

Language Lab

number n. 數字、數目  
a word or symbol (such as “five” or “16”) that represents a specific amount or quantity
number n. 幾個
the total amount of people or things
- I don’t have time to go see a movie; there are a number of things I must do today.
我沒有時間去看電影，我今天要辦幾件事情。
- Beatrice went to the store and bought a number of things.
Beatrice 到店裡買了幾樣東西。
number  v. 編號碼 
to give a number to (someone or something in a series) : to label or identify (people or things in a series) with a number
- The secretary spent about an hour numbering all the files.
秘書花了大約一個小時給所有的檔案編號。
number  v. 數量共計有多少
used to indicate a total amount
- The survivors of the Titanic numbered 706.
鐵達尼號的生還者共計有706位。 

dazzle v. 讓人感到刺眼 (因為看到閃亮亮的東西或是發光的東西)
of a bright light : to cause (someone) to be unable to see for a short time
- We were dazzled by the light reflecting off the surface of the water.
從水面反射的光讓我們感到刺眼。
dazzle v. 讓人非常欣賞、讓人傾倒
to greatly impress or surprise (someone) by being very attractive or exciting 
- The beautiful movie star dazzled everyone when she stepped onto the red carpet.
美麗的影星一踏上紅毯時，就讓眾人為之傾倒。
dazzling adj. 很炫的  
The concert was very cool, but the dazzling lights gave me a headache.
演唱會是很酷，但是炫目的燈光看了讓我頭很痛。
dazzling adj. 非常迷人的 
We often see actors with dazzling smiles on toothpaste commercials.
- 我們常常在牙膏廣告裡看到有燦爛笑容的演員。 

warrior n. 武士
a person who fights in battles and is known for having courage and skill
- These swords were carried by warriors a long time ago.
這把劍在好久以前是由武士們配戴。
- The chief sent out the warriors to go fight against their enemies.
酋長派出他們的武士們去攻打他們的敵人。
warrior n. 勇士、在辛苦的狀況中奮發圖強的人
- The coach called his players warriors because they had worked very hard to win the tournament.
教練稱每位球員為勇士，因為他們勇於爭奪比賽冠軍。
- Gilbert is preparing for a triathlon; he is quite the warrior when he is in training.
Gilbert 要準備參加鐵人三項，他在訓練體能時，像一位勇士一樣。 

profound adj. 深遠的、廣大的 
having or showing great knowledge or understanding
- No one could have predicted the scientist’s invention would have such a profound effect on society.
沒有人預料到那位科學家的發明，會給社會帶來這麼深遠的影響。
profound adj. 很深、極度的
very great
- Ivan lost his mother when he was very young, and he experienced profound sadness.
Ivan 很小的時候就失去母親，他為此感受到極度的憂傷。
profound adj. 深奧的 
difficult to understand : requiring deep thought or wisdom
- It’s interesting to chat with Pinky; she always has very profound things to say.
跟 Pinky 聊天很有意思，他都會說一些很深奧的話。

BINDI IRWIN, A NATURAL TALENT (1)

She loves nature, and people love her
賓蒂．厄文──稟賦天成 她繼承父親衣缽 她熱愛野生自然

Some children of well-known people never emerge from their parents’ shadow. Bindi Irwin, daughter of world-famous “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, doesn’t have that problem. Although she was gifted with her father’s name and legacy, this talented young woman has earned her own place in the spotlight.

Born in Queensland, Australia, in 1998, Bindi began appearing on TV with her father at the age of 2. By 2006 she was hosting a TV wildlife show for kids, Bindi the Jungle Girl. In September of that year, her father died in an encounter with a stingray. At his funeral, Bindi gave a speech she wrote herself. The 5,000 attendees gave her a standing ovation. Hundreds of millions of TV viewers, many seeing her for the first time, fell in love.

Overcoming her loss, Bindi soon began pressing ahead in her father’s footsteps. In 2007, she hosted a TV show about him called My Daddy the Crocodile Hunter. This was followed by appearances on popular American talk shows. The same year she was named a tourism ambassador for Australia.

Info Cloud

a chip off the old block 形容一個人的外型和個性很像自己的父親

Welcome, friends. It's great to have you with us on Info Cloud today. Rex, I have a question for you. Would you say you are like your parents in any way? 

Hmm... great question. Well, I commonly get told that I look a lot like my dad. Some people have said that I'm just a chip off the old block. 

Oh. That means you look just like him. A chip off the old block is a phrase we say to mean that the son or daughter seems like they were made from the same material as their parent. 

In most cases, the old block is the father. This phase can be used to describe the resemblance with either looks or personality. 

Speaking of fathers, I heard that Rex's son recently got a great grade for a project in school. He must be really smart. 

That's right, he's a chip off the old block. Hey, I've heard another phrase to describe looking or acting like your parents, too. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. 

Oh. That's a good one. Apples come from apple trees. And children come from their parents. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree means that you look or are acting just like one of your parents. 

當我們看到一個人在某方面跟他的父母很像，我們會說: 喔~那是遺傳。美國人有一句經典諺語 a chip off the old block，用來形容一個人的外型和個性很像自己的父親，chip 是碎片，old block 是老舊的木塊，a chip off the old block 就是從舊的木塊上掉下來的碎片，它的材料和本質都是跟木塊一樣。通常 a chip off the old block 是形容一個人很像他的父親，因為老舊的木塊用來比喻父親，好像比母親還要適合。另外一個幾乎是一模一樣的諺語，就是: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. 蘋果掉下來，不會離樹太遠，因為那棵樹就是生產那顆蘋果的地方。這句諺語可以用來同時形容一個人很像自己的父親或是母親。

Language Lab

gift n. 禮物   
something that is given to another person or to a group or organization
- I love receiving gifts, thank you very much!
我很喜歡收到禮物，謝謝你。
gift n. 天生就擁有的
a special ability
- Mary was gifted with blond curls, and her sister was envious.
Mary 天生就有金色捲髮，而她妹妹非常羨慕她。
- You need to be patient when you’re coaching kids; not everyone is gifted with athletic abilities.
當小朋友的運動教練需要有耐心，不是每一位小朋友天生就是運動員。
gift v. 贈送
to present (someone) with a gift
- Mr. Anderson is gifting each of his grandkids a smartphone.
Anderson 先生贈送給他每個孫子一支智慧型手機。 

spotlight n. 聚光燈 
a device that directs a narrow, bright beam of light on a small area
in the spotlight ph. 備受矚目
the spotlight : public attention or notice
- At the beginning of the play, there was nothing on the stage except for one actor under a spotlight.
戲劇一開始，舞台上什麼都沒有，除了一位站在聚光燈下的演員。
- Although the actress is very popular, she doesn’t enjoy being in the spotlight.
雖然這位女明星非常受歡迎，但是她很不喜歡備受矚目。
- The scandal quickly came in the spotlight.
那件醜聞很快就成為眾所矚目的焦點。
spotlight v. 用聚光燈直接照亮 
to shine a spotlight on (someone or something)
- The director wants to spotlight the door.
導演要聚光燈直接照亮大門。
spotlight v. 把焦點放在某人事物上
to give special attention to (something)
- There is no reason to spotlight local gossip.
沒必要把焦點放在當地的八卦上面。 

standing ovation n. 起立鼓掌  
an occurrence in which the people at a play, speech, sporting event, etc., stand up and applaud to show enthusiastic approval or appreciation
ovation n. 熱烈鼓掌; 熱烈的歡迎
an occurrence in which a group of people at a play, speech, sporting event, etc., show enthusiastic approval or appreciation by clapping their hands together over and over
- The hospital workers received quite the ovation for all their hard work.
人們為醫院人員的辛勞熱烈鼓掌。
- The visitors were surprised to receive such a warm ovation from the villagers.
村民熱烈的歡迎，讓客人感到驚訝。
- When the director won the Best Director of the Year Award, the audience gave him a standing ovation.
當那位導演贏得年度最佳導演獎時，觀眾起立為他熱烈鼓掌。
- The people gave the brave firefighter a standing ovation.
民眾為那位英勇的消防隊員起立鼓掌。

overcome v. 克服、戰勝  
to defeat (someone or something);
to successfully deal with or gain control of (something difficult)
- Because Jacob was determined to reach his goal, he overcame every obstacle along the way.
由於Jacob 下定決心要達到目標，他克服了過程中的每一個障礙。
- Paul was able to overcome the challenges because he had support from his friends and family.
Paul 因為有親朋好友的支持，能夠克服所有的挑戰。
overcome v. 被極度地影響到、承受不了
to affect (someone) very strongly or severely — usually used as (be) overcome
- Allie was overcome with grief and could not go to work.
Allie 因為悲痛到不行，而無法去上班。
- Thomas didn’t say anything because he was overcome by fear.
Thomas 一句話都沒說，因為他完全被嚇壞了。

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。

Naruhito, Emperor of Japan (2)

Upon returning to Japan, Naruhito earned a master's degree in history. In 1986 he met a young lady named Masako Owada at a royal tea party. He fell for her immediately. Although the Imperial Household Agency did not approve of Masako, the prince pursued her anyway. He had to wait for her to complete her own studies at Oxford before they could marry. At their wedding in 1993, guests included heads of state and members of European royal families.

Actually, Naruhito has very little to do with running his country as the emperor. Almost all of his official work is ceremonial. Before World War II, Japanese emperors played a very important role in directing their country. They represented the hopes and ambitions - including destructive military ambitions - of the nation. After the war, Japan's constitution was changed. No longer would the emperor exercise authority or be a symbol of Japanese power. And that is perfectly fine with Naruhito. He is happy to play a peaceful, passive role in a tranquil, modern Japan.


Info Cloud
poster child

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. We know that my partner Rex is a singer. I'm just curious, Rex, who is your favorite singer of all time?

My favorite singer is an incredible tenor from Peru named Juan Diego Flórez. He is one of the greatest singers of our time, a poster child of the Italian bel canto singing.

Wow. I should give him a listen. Let's introduce the expression "poster child" to our students. What is a poster child, Rex?

Well, when we see someone's face on a big poster, usually that person is representing some kind of value or cause. A poster child is a representative or classic example of something.

Let's take Elon Musk as an example. We can say that Elon Musk is the poster child of space travel. Here's another one. Muhammad Ali was the poster child of boxing.

Originally, charity organizations use children who have certain type of disease or look on the poster to raise awareness and support. It can be a poster boy or a poster girl.

Now a poster child is used to describe someone who is a great example of pretty much any field or anything you want to talk about.

美國的慈善機構經常會將某些疾病兒童的照片放在海報上，試圖讓大家以行動支持，對抗疾病的公益活動，這些海報上的病童稱為 poster child，也就是這些疾病的代表性人物。不過在日常生活中，poster child 就用來代表某些領域的模範型人物，例如: Elon Musk is the poster child of space travel. Elon Musk 馬思克是太空旅行的代表人物，看到他你就會想到人類以後可能上太空旅行。除了 poster child，如果這個人是女生，你可以說她是poster girl，男生可以用 poster boy 來稱呼他。



Language Lab
imperial adj. 跟帝國或皇帝有關的
 /ɪmˈpirijəl/
of or relating to an empire or an emperor
- Imperial guards were posted at every entrance of the palace.
皇宮的每一個出口都有皇帝的侍衛站崗。
- During the war, members of the imperial family fled to different countries.
戰爭時期，皇家成員們逃到其他不同國家去。
imperialism n. 帝國主義、帝國統治
a policy or practice by which a country increases its power by gaining control over other areas of the world
- Spanish imperialism grew strong from the wealth and riches of its colonies.
西班牙的帝國統治因為他們殖民地的富裕而變得強大。
imperialist n. 擁護/支持帝國主義的人
a person who practices or supports imperialism
- The imperialist general was able to recapture the city from the hands of the rebels.
這位支持帝國制度的將軍很順利地從叛軍首領奪回那座城。

pursue v. 追求某人
to follow and try to catch or capture (someone or something) for usually a long distance or time
- George tried to pursue Holly, but then he gave up.
George 試著追求Holly，但是他最後還是放棄了。
- If you like her, why don’t you pursue her?
既然你對她有好感，那麼你為什麼不追求她呢?
pursue v. 追趕
to follow and try to catch or capture (someone or something) for usually a long distance or time
- The police were pursuing the robbers.
警察正在追著強盜。
pursue v. 追查
to make an effort to find out more about (something)
- Mr. Irving is a very busy man, and he has decided not to pursue the matter because he has more important things to do.
Irving 先生很忙，他決定不追究這件事，因為他有其他更重要的事要處理。

authority n.權力 
the power to give orders or make decisions : the power or right to direct or control someone or something
- We wanted to ask the people to leave the park, but we had no authority.
我們很想要叫那些人離開公園，但是我們沒有那個權力。
- Johnson has the authority from his boss to tell the factory workers what to do.
Johnson 有從老闆那邊來的權力，來管工廠裡的工人。
authority n.官方、當局
authorities [plural] : people who have power to make decisions and enforce rules and laws
- The health authority is encouraging people to get vaccinated.
衛生當局鼓勵民眾去接種疫苗。
authority n. 專家、權威人士
a person who is an expert on a subject — usually + on
- Mr. Kendall knows a lot about plants, but that doesn’t make him an authority.
Kendall 先生對植物有很多瞭解，但是那不等於他是一位專家。

passive adj. 被動的、順從的
 /ˈpæsɪv/
used to describe someone who allows things to happen or who accepts what other people do or decide without trying to change anything His passive acceptance of the decision surprised us. In her books, women are often portrayed in passive roles.
- We will have some guests visiting our laboratory today, but they will only be passive observers.
我們的實驗室今天會有貴賓來參訪，但是他們純粹只是來觀摩的。
- Lyle is the youngest in the family, and with five older sisters with strong personalities, it is no wonder that Lyle is so passive.
Lyle 是家裡的老么，又有五位個性強悍的姊姊，難怪Lyle 的個性那麼被動。
passive adj. 消極的 (重音在第一音節)
- Instead of being so passive, why don’t you try to take control and be more responsible?
與其那麼消極，為什麼不試著掌握情形、負起責任來。
passivity n. 被動的狀態  (重音在第二音節)
- Isaac chose to stay quiet about the problem, and it was viewed as passivity by the rest of the family.
Isaac 選擇對這件問題保持沉默，但是他的家人認為他的沉默就是被動。



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Naruhito, Emperor of Japan (1)

A prince becomes an emperor 
日本德仁天皇 皇太子終繼位 開啟令和年代

A little over a year ago, on May 1, 2019, Prince Naruhito became His Majesty the Emperor of Japan. The day before, Naruhito's father, Akihito, had abdicated. He was the first living Japanese emperor in two centuries to leave the throne. While Akihito's resignation had been planned for several years, Naruhito had spent his whole life preparing for that day in May.

Naruhito, born on February 23, 1960, enjoyed a happy, active childhood. He grew up playing sports and music - and, of course, training to be Japan's monarch. At the age of 14, he spent time living with an English-speaking family in Australia.

Indeed, he learned English well enough that in 1983 he was able to begin studying at Oxford University in England. During his three years European countries and met many royal families. He later wrote a book about his experiences away from home. Much of the book is based on the English diaries he kept while at Oxford. There is no doubt that he enjoyed his time overseas.


Info Cloud
resign to your fate 就是放棄掙扎，接受一項事實或是命運的安排。

Hello, friends. Welcome back to Info Cloud. Have you ever felt like you didn't have any options and had to just accept things as they were? Well, today we want to talk about the word resigned.

The verb resign means to give up something. When you are resigned to something, however, it means that you accept or tolerate something even though you don't want to.

This phrase also conveys the idea that this something cannot be changed.

Here's an example. Eddy's test scores weren't good enough to get into the university he wanted. He resigned himself to his fate of getting a job instead of going to school.

Eddy's test can't be retaken, and there's no way for him to get into his desired school. Getting a job is his only option. Being resigned to his fate means that he has accepted this fact and will go on with that plan.

What other things can you resign yourself to?

You could resign yourself to a fact. That means you come to terms with something you didn't want to accept at first.

Amanda has resigned herself to the fact that she isn't going to grow any taller. And I resigned myself to the fact that our time is up for today.

很多人相信命運，也有一些人不喜歡被命運擺佈。今天要跟大家分享的用語是 resign to your fate，fate 就是命運，resign有辭職或是放棄的涵義。resign to your fate 就是放棄掙扎，接受一項事實或是命運的安排。Eddie’s resigned to his fate of needing to get a job. Eddie 接受必須開始出社會工作的事實。通常 resign to your fate 是用來表達你不得不接受或是承諾一件你不喜歡或是討厭的事情。


Language Lab
majesty n. 陛下 (尊稱 Majesty )
Majesty [count] — used as a title for a king, queen, emperor, or empress — used with his, her, your, or their
- Their Majesties the King and Queen will be present at the ceremony.
國王與皇后陛下將會出席典禮。
majesty n. 雄偉、氣勢 
a great and impressively beautiful quality
- I want to take a picture of the beautiful mountains, but it is impossible to completely capture their majesty.
我想拍下這幾座美麗的山，但是要完全抓住它們的氣勢是不可能的。
majestic adj. 雄偉的、壯麗的
large and impressively beautiful
- We were rushing to dinner, but then we saw the majestic sunset and had to stop and admire it.
我們趕著去吃晚餐，但是一看到壯麗的夕陽就停下來觀賞。

resign v. 辭掉工作、辭職
to give up (a job or position) in a formal or official way
- Anna resigned from the company in order to have more time with her family.
Anna 辭掉她的工作，為了能夠多陪她的家人。
resignation n. 辭職 
 /ˌrɛzɪgˈneɪʃən/
an act of giving up a job or position in a formal or official way
- Everyone just heard about the manager’s resignation.
大家才剛剛聽到經理的辭職。
- People in the town are demanding for the mayor’s resignation after news of his scandal broke out.
在鎮長醜聞的新聞爆發後，鎮民們要求鎮長辭職。
resignation n. 不情願地接受一件事情
Bianca accepted the low paying job with resignation.
Bianca 很不情願地接受那薪資很低的工作。

monarch n. 君主 (國王、帝王、皇后)
 /ˈmɑːˌnɑɚk/
a person (such as a king or queen) who rules a kingdom or empire
- The young monarch was greatly controlled by his uncle and could not make any decisions without his uncle’s approval.
年輕的國王完全被他的叔叔控制，做任何決定都需要他叔叔的准許。
- The 68-year old monarch came out and waved to his people.
這位68歲的國王出來，向他們的臣民揮手。
monarchy n. 君主制度
 /ˈmɑnɚki/
a country that is ruled by a monarch (such as a king or queen)
- The people revolted and overthrew the monarchy.
人們起來反抗推翻了君主統治制度。
monarchist n.支持/擁護君主制度的人
 /ˈmɑnɚkɪst/
a person who believes that a country should have a monarch (such as a king or queen) : a person who supports a monarch or monarchy
- The people in favor of establishing a republic soon found themselves in a heated argument with the monarchists.
支持共和體制的人們很快就跟擁護君主制度的人們吵起來。

abroad adv. 在國外地
in or to a foreign country
- Cheryl is studying abroad this semester, and she won’t return home until her final exams are over.
Cheryl 這學期在國外讀書，要等到期末考考完才會回家。
- Donnie is working abroad right now and he finds the whole experience both difficult and rewarding.
Donnie 正在國外工作，他覺得整個經驗不容易，收穫也不少。
abroad adv. 到國外
away from your home
- When Enzo found out he had a few extra free days, he decided to make a quick trip abroad.
當Enzo 知道他有多幾天的假期，他就決定來一趟短期的出國旅遊。
- Franklin didn’t like the idea of having to go abroad to purchase supplies for his company.
Franklin 對需要出國為公司購買材料感到不開心。

abdicate v. leave the throne
/ˈæbdɪˌkeɪt/
to leave the position of being a king or queen



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John Legend (2)

After college Stephens worked as a business consultant during the day. At night he played music, meeting many big-name musicians along the way. When he met and began writing music with Kanye West in 2001, a music career suddenly possible. During this same time period, someone told Stephens that he sang "like one of the [musical] legends." Shortly afterward, he adopted the performing name "John Legend."

In 2004 he released his first album and won his first Grammy Award! Since then he has collected nine more.

In 2018 Legend became one of the youngest people - and the first African-American man - to complete an EGOT.

Legend has used his fame to help those in need and to promote school reform. Today he is involved in a large number of charitable organizations.

Despite all of Legend's accomplishments, he seems to have remained humble. On his album, Darkness and Light, he sang, "Legend is just a name; I know better than to be so proud." In reality, though, the accomplished musician has lived up to his name and become a legend in his own time.


Info Cloud
bragging rights 自誇的權利

Hello, friends. Welcome to Info Cloud. Today we want to teach the phrase, bragging rights.

To brag means to be so proud of something that you tell others about it. Bragging is seen in a negative light.

A person can even be called a brag if they are usually going around bragging about things they have or stuff they've done.

However, when someone has bragging rights, it means they have informal permission to be proud of an accomplishment. They're free to feel good about it or even brag about it.

For example, Susie has been training for that marathon all year. She won the race fair and square. She gets bragging rights until the next one.

Here's another one. Simon's essay was selected to be printed in the newspaper. Now he has the bragging rights of being the only one from our class to have their work in print.

Winning first prize, being the best at something or working hard to achieve your goals are all reasons someone could have bragging rights.

我們對喜歡自誇自擂的人，都有一種負面的印象，但是如果這個人有了 bragging rights 自誇的權利，那就不一樣了。雖然我們不喜歡聽到有人炫耀，但是一個人如果有 bragging rights，那就代表他曾經做出一些努力，讓他有權利驕傲一下。Susie worked hard, and she has bragging rights for her success. Susie 很努力，她有權利誇耀一下自己的成功。雖然 bragging 自誇有種負面的涵義，但是如果說一個人有 bragging rights，其實有種肯定他的意味。


Language Lab
consultant n. 顧問
a person who gives professional advice or services to companies for a fee
- The company hired a financial consultant to help them with their money problems.
公司請來了一位財政顧問，來幫忙處理他們的財務問題。
- Mr. Franklin not only teaches English at the university but is also the English consultant for a local company.
Franklin 先生不但在大學裡教英文，也是當地的一家公司的英文顧問。
consult v. 請教、詢問
to go to (someone, such as a doctor or lawyer) for advice : to ask for the professional opinion of (someone)
- Please consult your doctor before you start taking these vitamins.
在你開始服用這些維他命之前，請詢問你的醫生。
consultation n. 協商、諮詢
a meeting in which someone (such as a doctor or lawyer) talks to a person about a problem, question, etc.
- After Greg’s consultation with his lawyers, he has a better understanding of his rights.
Greg跟律師協商後，就比較瞭解他的權利範圍。

big-name adj. 有名的 (較不正式)
a very famous person
- Even though Harvey’s brothers all went to big-name universities, Harvey chose to go to a small college instead.
Harvey的哥哥們都去讀有名的大學，但是Harvey 卻選擇去讀一所小學院。
- Ian hopes a big-name company will be interested in his invention.
Ian 希望會有一家有名的大公司對他所發明的東西有興趣。
big name n ph. 重量級人物或名人
- If there are no big names at the party, then Jason won’t go.
如果宴會沒有名人參加，那麼Jason 就會不想去。
- This event is supported by several big names in the fashion industry.
這場活動有幾位時裝業名人的支持。

reform n. 一個系統的改進或改革
the improvement of something by removing or correcting faults, problems, etc.
- The governor’s promise of reform brought hope to the people.
州長承諾會改革，讓人們感到有希望。
- Although the king tried to bring social reform, he did not have the support of his officials.
國王雖然試著帶來社會改革，但是他卻沒有官員們的支持。
reform v. 一個系統的改進或改革
to improve (someone or something) by removing or correcting faults, problems, etc.
- The boss has hired a new manager to reform the structure of the company.
老闆請了一位新的經理，來改進公司的制度。
- Although the principal had big plans to change the academy, she failed to reform its academic structure.
校長雖然有計畫要大大地改變學院，但是他終究還是無法改進學院的學制。

accomplished adj. 非常熟練的、技術高超的
very skillful : having or showing the skill of an expert
- Everyone in the company was surprised to find out that their boss was actually an accomplished pianist.
公司所有的員工得知他們的老闆，是一位非常有才藝的鋼琴師的時候，都感到很驚訝。
- It is our honor to have such an accomplished scientist come and give us a presentation this morning.
今早能夠有這麼傑出的科學家來到我們這裡做演講，是我們的榮幸。
accomplish v. 完成
to succeed in doing (something)
- Kendra is frustrated because she has accomplished nothing today.
Kendra 感到氣餒，因為她今天沒有完成任何一件事。
accomplishment n. 成就
something done, achieved, or accomplished successfully
- The university gave the professor a special award for all his accomplishments.
那所大學因為教授的種種成就而頒贈他一個特別的獎項。



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John Legend (1)

His amazing success has enabled him to help those in need
約翰?傳奇 斐然成就使他得以幫助貧困的人

From child prodigy to entertainment all-star, award-winning singer-songwriter John Legend makes success look easy. His background provides plenty of reasons for his musical abilities.

He was born John Stephens on December 28, 1978, into a very musical family, all active participants in the church. John's grandmother played the organ, his mother directed the church choir and his father and brother played the drums.

During John's boyhood, his dad worked in a factory, and John's mother taught him at home for a few years. His grandmother discovered the child's musical genius when he was 4 and began to give him piano lessons. By age 6, he was singing in the church choir. According to John, "I knew from a pretty early age that I wanted to keep [making music]."

In addition to his love of music, he had a tremendous desire to learn. He excelled at school, skipped two grades and entered high school at age 12. And at the age of 16, he graduated second in his class. Stephens received offers from Harvard and scholarships from Georgetown University. But he chose to study English at the University of Pennsylvania.


Info Cloud
preach to the choir: phrase. If you say that someone is preaching to the choir, you mean that they are presenting an argument or opinion to people who already agree with it.

Hello, everyone. And welcome to Info Cloud. Have you ever been inside a church?

Going to church on Sundays is a big part of American culture. And we have several English idioms that come from this experience.

I know one. It's preaching to the choir. That means you're sharing an opinion with people who already agree with you.

Let's talk about some of the words in this phrase. First of all, in church, there is a lot of singing.

Many churches have a choir or a group that sings during the worship service. They often stand on stage and may even wear matching robes.

Have you ever sung in a choir before, Rex? Yes, I have. Another important word in the phrase "preaching to the choir" is preach.

Usually a pastor in a church will share a message about the Bible called a sermon. The verb we use with this is preach, to preached a sermon.

We can use this word to describe someone speaking about something they are passionate about.

Maybe you are trying to convince others to follow your ideas.

But if you are trying to convince people who already agree with you, you are preaching to the choir.

Since the choir is already in the church listening to the sermon, they probably already agree with the message.

美國社會受到基督教信仰的影響，有許多流行用語都是跟教會有關，像是 preach to the choir，字面上的意思是: 對教會的詩班講一篇道。由於詩班是配合牧師，每個星期天在教會裡面幫忙唱詩歌，因此他們對牧師要講的信息已經聽過無數遍了。

因此，日常對話中 preach to the choir，指的是你對一群已經同意你立場的觀眾，鼓吹自己的主張，根本是多此一舉。We already know it’s important to wash your hands. You’re preaching to the choir.  我們已經知道洗手的重要性了，你不必再說了，我們都知道了。


Language Lab
participant n. 參與者
a person who is involved in an activity or event : a person who participates in an activity or event — often + in
- The tournament was a success, and many of the participants did really well.
錦標賽辦得很成功，很多參與者表現非常優異。
- The professor did an experiment, and most of the participants in the experiment were university students.
教授做了一個實驗，而參與實驗的人大部分都是大學學生。
participate v. 參與
to be involved with others in doing something : to take part in an activity or event with others
- Although Vince was sitting in the meeting room with all his coworkers, he didn’t want to participate in the discussion.
Vince雖然跟同事們一起坐在會議室裡，但是他卻不想參與討論。
participation n. 參與或參加的動作
The political candidate thanked his supporters’ participation at the political event.
那位候選人感謝他的支持者，在政治活動裡的參與。

choir n. 合唱團、在教堂裡的詩班
/ˈkwajɚ/
a group of singers especially in a church
- The children’s choir will be singing a special song on Mother’s Day.
兒童詩班將會在母親節當天表演一首特別的歌曲。
- Wendy has been busy with school work this semester and hasn’t had time to practice with the women’s choir.
Wendy 這個學期課業很重，所以沒有時間跟婦女合唱團練歌。
choirmaster n. 指揮合唱團
the director of a choir
- Adam is the choirmaster at his church, and he practices with the choir every Wednesday evening.
Adam 是他的教會詩班指揮，每個星期三傍晚會跟詩班一起練習。
- If you’re interested in joining the choir, you can talk to the choirmaster.
如果你有興趣加入合唱團，可以跟合唱團指揮談一下。

genius n. 天賦 
a very smart or talented person : a person who has a level of talent or intelligence that is very rare or remarkable
- When Billy started showing signs of artistic genius, his parents sent him to an art academy.
Billy 開始展現藝術天賦時，他的父母就把他送進一所藝術學院。
- Charles may not have any talent or genius, but he does have a good learning attitude.
Charles 也許沒有任何才藝或者是天賦，但是他有很好的學習態度。
genius n. 天才
great natural ability : remarkable talent or intelligence
- This invention is amazing and is definitely the work of a genius.
這個發明太神奇了，而且絕對是一位天才的傑作。
- David might seem like a quiet ordinary guy, but he is an absolute genius if you let him work with math.
David 也許看起來只是一個安靜的普通人，但是如果讓他做數學計算，他可是一位天才。

tremendous adj. 巨大的、極大的 
very large or great
- The tremendous anger of the people led to the protest in front of the city hall.
人們極大的憤怒引發了市政府前的示威。
- After exercising at the gym, Eddie had a tremendous appetite and ate five hamburgers.
Eddie 在健身房運動完之後，胃口大開，吃了五個漢堡。
tremendous adj. 特別好的 (用於讚美)
/trɪˈmɛndəs/
very good or excellent : wonderful
- The new secretary did a tremendous job organizing all the files.
新的秘書把檔案整理得特別好。
- Everyone was happy when they heard the tremendous news.
大家一聽到那個好消息就變得非常高興。

prodigy n.
/ˈprɑːdəʤi/
a young person who is unusually talented in some way
- child prodigies


👀watch video

Nalini Nadkarni (2)

Dr. Nadkarni is now a renowned pioneer of canopy studies. Her work has resulted in major discoveries, including the importance of canopy soil. Rainforests had long posed an interesting puzzle. An incredible biodiversity exists there, but rainforest soils frequently lack nutrients. Canopy soil is created as mosses and other plants that live on tree branches decompose. The soil is nutrient-rich, and entire ecosystems depend on it. Even the trees themselves grow roots out of their branches to take advantage of the nutrients there!

Not satisfied to be just a pioneer, Dr. Nadkarni is also an innovator. For example, she developed a method to use a slingshot and a fishing pole to fit climbing roped onto unreachable branches. But to create greater interest in canopy studies, she really got creative. In the early 2000s, she began using a popular toy to inspire a new generation of forest scientists. She bought secondhand Barbie dolls and outfitted them with climbing gear and an educational booklet on forest ecology. Finally, Mattel, the company behind Barbie, used Dr. Nadkarni's input to crate a line of dolls in 2019 to make science interesting to children everywhere. Now, Dr. Nadkarni can truly consider her childhood promise well kept.


Info Cloud
Barbie dolls 

Hi, friends. Welcome back to Info Cloud. Anne Marie, did you play with Barbie dolls when you were young?

Sure. They were popular when I was young and are still popular now.

Did you know that Barbie is more than 60 years old? She looks great for her age then.

Very funny. The first Barbie doll was created by a company called Mattel in 1959.

Her full name is Barbie Millicent Roberts, but she is known to the world as just Barbie.

The first Barbie dolls sold for only $3 at the time.

But now would be worth over $25,000.

There are people who collect Barbie dolls today.

And for a good reason. There are a lot of special edition Barbie dolls. Some are designed to encourage girls to enter different careers.

Yes. There's a doctor Barbie, engineer Barbie and even an astronaut.

So Barbie is more than just a fashion symbol. But to be honest, my favorite thing to do with my Barbie dolls when I was a girl was put them in different outfits.

許多女生小時候都玩過 Barbie 芭比娃娃，因為它看起來美麗大方、身材苗條，是女生們追求的理想外型。很多人不知道Barbie 已經超過六十歲了。第一個Barbie是美國Mattel 公司在1959年生產的，當時每個售價三塊美元，現在第一批Barbie已經價值兩萬五千美元了。除了經典款之外，現在還有醫生Barbie、工程師Barbie、甚至太空人Barbie，當然這跟時代背景和流行文化有點關係。


Language Lab
renowned adj. 有名的、著名的 
known and admired by many people for some special quality or achievement
- The students are excited about seeing the renowned scientists give a presentation at their school.
學生們很期待看到那位著名的科學家到他們的學校演講。
- The valley is renowned for its flower fields, and many tourists visit there every year.
那山谷裡的花田很有名，每年都有很多觀光客會去觀賞。
renown n. 名聲、聲望
great fame and respect
- Everyone is surprised to see the special guest at the dinner party because she is an actress of great renown.
大家一看到餐會的特別來賓都感到很驚訝，因為是一位很有聲望的女演員。
- Michael never thought his magic shows would bring him international renown.
Michael 從未想過他的魔術表演會帶給他國際名聲。

nutrient n. 營養物、養分
/ˈnuːtrijənt/
a substance that plants, animals, and people need to live and grow
- The plant isn’t growing well because there aren’t enough nutrients in the soil.
植物無法好好生長，因為土壤裡的養分不夠。
- Instead of worrying about calories, maybe you should think more about getting the right nutrients.
也許你應該要多想想如何攝取營養，而不要擔心卡路里。
nutritious adj.
having substances that a person or animal needs to be healthy and grow properly : promoting good health and growth
- Jeannette is always preparing nutritious meals for her family.
Jeannette 常常為家人準備營養的餐點。
- The food on the table wan’t fancy but it was at least very nutritious.
桌上的食物也許不是什麼豪華大餐，但至少是很有營養的。

innovator n. 創新者、改革者
to do something in a new way : to have new ideas about how something can be done
- Marcus was an innovator and was always asking questions and wondering how things could be improved.
Marcus 是一位改革者，他常常會問問題，並且會去思考事情要如何做得更好。
innovate v. 改革、創新
 /ˈɪnəˌveɪt/
to do something in a new way : to have new ideas about how something can be done
- The company is enjoying great financial success because it is always innovating.
這間公司的生意做的很成功，因為它時時創新。
innovation n. 新方法、新方法的創造
a new idea, device, or method
- The science expo is a great place to see the latest technological innovations.
在科學展覽會可以看到很多創新的科技。

outfit n. 服裝  (v) 為某人或是東西提供服裝或是配備
a set of clothes that are worn together
- I really like her outfit.
我很喜歡她的服裝。
outfit v.為某人或是東西提供服裝或是配備
to provide (someone or something) with equipment or clothes especially for a special purpose
- Brian had a horrible time walking through the jungle because he did not outfit himself with the right kind of clothes.
Brian 因為穿著不當而造成他在叢林裡走路時的不方便。
- Long ago, travelers would stop at this town to get outfitted before they started their journey across the desert.
在很久以前，旅者會在他們跨越沙漠前來到這座小鎮做好裝備。

pioneer n.
/ˌpajəˈniɚ/
a person who helps create or develop new ideas, methods, etc. — often + in

slingshot n.
 /ˈslɪŋˌʃɑːt/
a Y-shaped stick with an elastic band attached to it that is used for shooting small stones

Nalini Nadkarni (1)

Science from the treetops that inspires everyone
跟著納莉妮 認識樹冠層 啟發大眾的樹冠科學

Every child who grows up in a busy household needs a little peace and quiet sometimes. As a little girl, Nalini Nadkarni discovered one place she could always find refuge. She would climb up into the maple trees around the suburban American home that she shared with her brothers and sisters. There, high in the trees, she made herself a promise. One day, she would become someone who used her love of trees to help protect them.

As she grew, her interest was drawn toward rainforest ecology. Pursuing her studies in graduate school, she ended up at a research station in Costa Rica.

Looking up into the jungle cnaopy, Nalini wanted to climb high into the branches. Surely there were things to be learned in the treetops. She was told, however, that the science was on the ground, and that there was nothing worthwhile to learn high above her head. Fortunately, that didn't stop her. Instead, she used her rock climbing skills to safely explore the jungle treetops. There, she discovered an entire network of species unique to the canopy. It was a whole ecosystem that needed to be studied so scientists could gain a deeper understanding of the rainforest.


Info Cloud
grove, woods, forest, rainforest, jungle

Hello, everyone. And welcome to Info Cloud. Anne Marie, have you ever taken a walk in a forest?

Sure. There are some woods near my parents' house in Ohio.

What is the difference between the forest and woods?

That's a great question. Both are areas of land that are covered with trees and have animals living in them. Usually woods are smaller and less dense, meaning they have fewer trees or are easier to walk through.

That's interesting. What about a grove?

A grove is an even smaller area with trees. It could be intentionally planted by someone.

OK. So in size, we have grove then woods then forests.

Exactly. And what about a rainforest?

Right. Woods or forests are usually found in cooler, drier regions like North America, while rainforests are topical, and as the name suggests, have a lot more moisture.

So is a rainforest like a jungle?

Yes. Jungle is thought to be a more general word and includes large rainforests and smaller jungles.

Jungles have different kinds of plants and animals than forests. They are found in tropical areas. And besides trees, they have a lot of vines.

And snakes. I'd rather take a walk through the woods than the jungle.

不曉得各位朋友們知不知道樹林、森林、叢林和雨林之間的分別，首先，woods是樹林，woods 跟 forest 森林 有什麼不一樣呢? woods的樹木沒有 forest那樣茂盛，面積也比較小，因此我們走路比較好穿越過去。另外還有比woods還要小的 grove樹叢，通常是人工種植打造的。另一方面，如果是 rainforest 那就是面積龐大的雨林，跟 forest 和 woods不一樣的是，rainforest 只會出現在潮濕的熱帶地區，forest 和woods 則是在乾燥涼爽的地方才會有。

最後，大大小小的rainforest 通常可以統稱為 jungle叢林。複習一下: grove是樹叢、woods是樹林、 forest是森林、rainforest是雨林、還有jungle是叢林。


Language Lab
refuge n. 庇護、避難所、藏身處
/ˈrɛˌfjuːʤ/
a place that provides shelter or protection
shelter or protection from danger or trouble
- James found refuge in a small coffee shop when it started to rain heavily.
一開始下大雨，James就跑到一家咖啡館避雨。
- We saw several endangered animals and birds at the animal refuge.
我們在動物保護區裡看到些許瀕臨絕種的動物及飛鳥。
refugee n.尋求庇護的難民
someone who has been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or political reasons
- The government will provide more food and supplies to help the refugees.
政府會提供更多糧食及補給品來幫助難民。

suburban adj. 市郊的、近郊住宅區的
 /səˈbɚbən/
living in or relating to a suburb or to suburbs in general
- Tim does like his new house in the suburban area, but he hates his long drive to the city every morning.
Tim 很喜歡他在近郊住宅區的新房子，但是他很不喜歡每天早上必須開很久的車進城。
suburb n. 市郊、近郊住宅區
 /ˈsʌˌbɚb/
a town or other area where people live in houses near a larger city
- Angela wants to move to the suburbs because it is too expensive for her to live in the city. Angela 想搬到郊區去住，因為住在城內的費用太高。
suburbanite n. 住在郊區的、住在近郊住宅區的人
/səˈbɚbəˌnaɪt/
a person who lives in a suburb
- Although most of the suburbanites want an additional road to make it easier for them to travel to the city, environmental groups are against the idea.
雖然大部分的郊區居民都希望有多一條路好方便他們進城，但是環保團體不贊同。

canopy n. 罩棚、罩蓋
/ˈkænəpi/
a piece of cloth that hangs over a bed, throne, etc., as a decoration or shelter
- Brenda has a canopy in her backyard for people to sit under when the sun gets hot.
Brenda 後院有搭罩棚，好讓人可以躲太陽。
- Lynn took a mosquito net and made it into a nice canopy over her bed.
Lynn把蚊帳整理成一個漂亮的床上罩棚。
the highest layer of branches in a forest or on a tree  樹冠層、樣子像是罩棚的樹陰
- Although it was a bright and sunny day, it was dark under the jungle canopy.
雖然天氣晴朗、太陽很大，但是在叢林的樹陰下還是很暗。
- The jungle canopy is where we can find all kinds of parrots.
我們在叢林樹冠層可以看到很多種鸚鵡。

ecosystem n. 生態系統  (‘eco’ 生態 / system 系統)
everything that exists in a particular environment
- Building a factory right on the coast is a threat to the ecosystem.
在海岸設立工廠會嚴重影響生態系統。
- This kind of vine is a problem to the ecosystem because it grows very fast and keeps other kinds of plants from growing.
這種藤本植物對生態系統是個問題，因為它長得很快，而且會讓其他種類的植物無法生長。
- The toads were brought in to control the pest population, but the toads became pests themselves and a threat to the ecosystem.
蟾蜍原本引進是為了要控制害蟲的數量，結果蟾蜍卻反而變成生態系統的禍害。

Social Media’s Superman (2)

During his senior year in high school, Zuckerberg developed new music-playing software he named Synapse. Users liked Synapse so much that two big tech companies, Microsoft and AOL, each offered Mark $1 million dollars for the program. He refused both offers and enrolled in Harvard University. There, he kept developing software. He created Facemash, a system for identifying the most attractive person on campus. It was so popular that it slowed down Harvard's entire computer network. It also offended many female students, so Zuckerberg apologized and closed the program.

At Harvard, Zuckerberg also began to develop Facebook. With an initial investment of just $2000 dollars, he launched it in February 2004. By 2007 Facebook was estimated to be worth $15 billion! In 2012 Mark married his college girlfriend, pediatrician Priscilla Chan. They have two children, Maxima and August.

Facebook has a huge influence on society, the economy, culture and politics. So Zuckerberg often finds himself in the glare of media and government attention. Defending himself and his world-changing creation, he says, "By giving people the power to share, we're making the world more transparent."


Language Lab
identify v.
to know and say who someone is or what something is
- The witness saw a man in the parking lot, but she couldn't identify him.
to find out who someone is or what something is
- The teacher asked Charlie to identify and write down three personal goals.
to identify with somebody [phrasal verb]
identify with (someone or something) : to think of yourself as having the same problems and feelings as someone
- Michael really liked the movie because he could identify with the main character.

apologize v.
/əˈpɑːləˌʤaɪz/
to express regret for doing or saying something wrong : to give or make an apology
- If I didn't do anything wrong, why should I apologize?
- You need to go and apologize to your brother because you broke his bike.
apology n.
/əˈpɑːləʤi/
- Randall sent over a large bouquet to show his apology.
apologetic adj.
/əˌpɑːləˈʤɛtɪk/
feeling or showing regret : expressing an apology
- Karen made a very small mistake, but she is very apologetic.

initial adj.
occurring at the beginning of something
- The film production is still in its initial stage, but the team is very hopeful.
- The initial reports did not provide accurate information.
initial n.
to mark (something) with your initials
- Anna's full name is Anna Helena Wilson, so her initials are A.H.W.

glare n.
/ˈgleɚ/
— sometimes used figuratively to suggest the idea of a very bright light shining on someone who is being given a lot of public attention
- Marilee was worried when reporters began to contact her because she did not want the glare of public attention
a harsh, bright light
- You will need to wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the sun's glare.
v. to shine with a harsh, bright light
- We need to turn that light off because it is really glaring.
to look directly at someone in an angry way
- When James saw his wife glaring at him, he knew he was in trouble.

Social Media’s Superman (1)

Like him or not, Mark Zuckerberg has amazing creative powers
馬克˙祖克柏：社群媒體超人
不管你喜不喜歡馬克?祖克柏，他的創造力都確實超凡

People have differing opinions about Mark Zuckerburg, founder and CEO of Facebook. Some admire him and want to work for him or to copy his success. He has more than 100 million followers on his own Facebook account! But some polls have also shown that a significant percentage of people don't like him very much at all. The reason for that may not be the nature of the man himself, but of the social media empire he has created. Facebook is a company many people love to hate, and that rubs off on its founder.

Zuckerberg was born in 1984, just as the personal computing revolution was ramping up. That was the year the Apple Macintosh computer was introduced. Like many boys of his generation, young Mark had a deep interest in computers. He began writing computer programs in middle school. In a very smart move, his father, a dentist, hired a software developer to give Mark private lessons. The boy soon produced a computer network for his family to use. He also adapted popular board games to play on computers.


Language Lab
percentage n.
/pɚˈsɛntɪʤ/
a number or rate that is expressed as a certain number of parts of something divided into 100 parts
- Most of the employees like the new plan, but we don't know the actual percentage.
percent
a part of a whole : portion
- Twenty percent of the students in this school live with both parents.
percentile n.
one of 100 equal parts that a group of people can be divided into in order to rank them
/pɚˈsɛnˌtajəl/
- All the students scored in the 90th percentile.

rub off [phrasal verb]
to come off of a surface and often stick to another surface when the surfaces touch each other
to rub
- Don't rob your eyes.
- Jake is trying to rub off the old paint.
rub off on 影響
- Busy Billy is spending too much time with Lazy Lisa, and her laziness is rubbing off on him.
- Edmond is always cheerful, and it's rubbing off on me.

ramp up [phrasal verb]
ramp up or ramp up (something) or ramp (something) up : to increase or to cause (something) to increase in speed, size, etc.
- There were no ramps in front of the small airport, so it was difficult to bring the large suitcases in.
- After the robbery last week, the jewelry store is going to ramp up security.
- The company is making plans to ramp up production.
ramp-up n.
- The ramp-up of production means the workers will have more work to do.

adapt v.
to change (a movie, book, play, etc.) so that it can be presented in another form
- Mary made a dish that was adapted from her grandmother's recipe.
- I heard that the children's play was adapted from a mystery novel.
to change your behavior so that it is easier to live in a particular place or situation
- Gina has moved overseas and is still learning to adapt to the local culture.

Tanitoluwa Adewumi: Chess Champion (2)

• Grand master
• Good fortune

Tani was diligent in studying chess, and his skill increased rapidly. He practiced every evening on his father's laptop and attended three-hour practices every Saturday.

In March of 2019, Tani won the New York State chess championship, completing the whole competition without losing a match. He dreams of becoming the youngest chess grand master.

A New York Times columnist wrote an article about Tani, and many readers wanted to help his family. Several people offered them housing, and lawyers offered to help with their immigration hearings for free.

A week later, over US$200,000 had been raised to help them. Within a week, Tani was running through his family's apartment exclaiming, "I have a home!"

But Tani's family doesn't plan to keep their good fortune to themselves. They are giving ten percent of the money raised to their church, which had helped them when they were struggling. The rest of the money will go to other African immigrants who need help. "God has already blessed me," Tani's father said. "I want to release my blessing to others."


Language Lab
laptop n. (=notebook)
- I checked my email inbox on my laptop, but your email hasn't come in yet.
- Samuel spends hours writing music on his laptop every day.
desktop n.
- Many still prefer desktops because they're easier on eyes and elbows.

columnist n.
a person who writes a newspaper or magazine column
- The columnist is well-respected for his objective political views.
column n.
an article in a newspaper or magazine that appears regularly and that is written by a particular writer or deals with a particular subject
- After the bill was passed, several major columnists addressed the issue in the next day's newspaper.
- Teresa writes a gourmet column for a local newspaper.
gourmet n.
/ˈguɚˌmeɪ/
a person who enjoys and knows a lot about good food and wine
- a gourmet meal [=a meal of very high quality; a meal that appeals to gourmets]

exclaim n.
/ɪkˈskleɪm/
to say (something) in an enthusiastic or forceful way
- "Stop it!" she exclaimed as the bully continued to push her toward the door.
- Daniel exclaimed in disbelief when he heard the girl's story.
exclamation n.
/ˌɛkskləˈmeɪʃən/
a sharp or sudden cry : a word, phrase, or sound that expresses a strong emotion
- The girl jumped up and down with an exclamation of surprise when she saw the new bike.

blessing n.
something that helps you or brings happiness
- My mom always says: "Count your blessings!" when I complain.
- It's a blessing that none of the passengers were injured in the accident.
bless v.
to make (something or someone) holy by saying a special prayer
- We're very blessed to have two lovely kids.


Info Cloud
Topic: check /checkmate

Welcome to info cloud. Chess is a game played around the world and has some common English expressions that is produced.

You’re right about that. Two terms that come to mind are the words, check and checkmate.

Check is said near the end of a chess match, it indicates that the opponent’s king is being attacked and if nothing is done, they’ll lose the game.

In casual conversation, someone might say “check,” to express that they have done something to bring them closer to success.

But we more often hear someone used the term, checkmate, a player says this at the very end of a match to say that their opponent has lost.

We can also use this word in casual conversation to indicate that we have achieved victory.

One other chess term used in daily life is the word, pawn.

The pawn is the least valuable piece in chess and it’s often sacrificed to protect more important pieces or advanced their player’s strategy.

And because of this, we often describe someone being used by another person or entity as a pawn.

Then it isn’t the real person making decisions, he’s just a pawn.

The game of a chess offers us a good way to sharpen our thinking skills as well as some phrases to make our English even more colorful.

Tanitoluwa Adewumi: Chess Champion (1)

• Refugees

This once-homeless 8-year-old worked his way to victory

Tanitoluwa Adewumi, who goes by Tani, isn't a typical 8-year-old. Last March, Tani won the New York State chess championship for kindergarten to third-grade players. Most young chess champions come from wealthy families and have private chess tutors. But Tani trained for the competition while his family lived in a homeless shelter. When he won, Tani had only been playing chess for about a year.

Tani's family moved to America from Nigeria in 2017. They were refugees, fleeing their country because they feared that terrorists would target them for being Christians. But life in America wasn't easy for them. They found themselves in New York City without a home.

Tani began attending a local public elementary school where a teacher taught him how to play chess. Tani enjoyed the game so much that he asked his mom if he could join the chess club. But his family could not afford the membership fee. So his mother wrote the school a letter that persuaded the head of the chess club to waive the fee.


Language Lab
champion n.
someone or something (such as a team or an animal) that has won a contest or competition especially in sports
- The beauty pageant champion will win a $100,000 prize.
- The movie Rocky tells the story of a boxer who fought hard to become a champion.
championship n.
an important competition that decides which player or team is the best in a particular sport, game, etc.
- The team didn't win the championship by pure luck, but by hard work and determination.
- The tennis player successfully retained her championship this year.

shelter n.
a structure that covers or protects people or things
- The school gym was turned into a temporary shelter after the earthquake.
- Diane lives in a shelter for abused women after she ran away from her husband.
- We took shelter in a cave from the rainstorm.
- The trees gave the passersby shelter from the sun.

refugee n.
someone who has been forced to leave a country because of war or for religious or political reasons
- The conditions in the refugee shelter are terrible. It is overly crowded and people are getting sick.
refuge
/ˈrɛˌfjuːʤ/
shelter or protection from danger or trouble
- We took refuge in a basement when the tornado hit.

waive v.
/ˈweɪv/
to officially say that you will not use or require something that you are allowed to have or that is usually required
- The school board decided to waive the tuition fee of these disadvantaged students.
- The maintenance fee of the checking account will be waived if you open a savings account.
waive
- The daughter waived all her rights to her parent's estate because she's very rich already.


Info Cloud
topic: uphill battle 非常堅難的戰役

Hello friends, welcome to info cloud. For many people who are experiencing financial difficulties, life can be an uphill battle,because they have to face a lot of difficult situations and challenges.

Just like the word uphill suggests an uphill battle implies that you have to exert more effort or work harder to get where you want to go.

And also the word battle just means a fight, which implies there are struggles, pains and hardships in the situation because it’s just like you are fighting the enemy while moving up the hill.

As you could imagine, an uphill battle is not a fun experience, it is indeed very serious and painful. The entrepreneur’s road to success could be an uphill battle.

Uphill battle can be used to describe any situation that is very serious, very challenging in the odds of success are stacked against the person in that situation.

For example, the defense team faces an uphill battle in court.From the sentence, we can tell that they will have to do a lot to prove their client’s innocence.

Goals, Guts and Glory (1)

An interview with badminton star Chou Tien-Chen (周天成)

Meet badminton superstar Chou Tien-Chen. He has been dreaming of becoming an Olympic champion ever since he was first introduced to the sport as a 5-year-old. That's a lofty goal for any kid. To even come close to reaching that goal would take years of practice and training. Chou is up to the challenge. [= ready for the challenge]

Aim high 
In the early stages of his career as a professional athlete, Chou found himself stuck in a losing streak. He's lost 10 consecutive matches. But that didn't stop Chou from continuing to aim high. He didn't lose heart. [He didn't give up.]

In 2016, Chou qualified to compete in the Olympic Games and finished in fifth place. Today, he's ranked third in the world, and he's setting his sights on winning Olympic gold in 2020.

Stay focused
In an interview, Chou explained his focus. He said, "There is no plan B." For Chou, quitting is not an option, and he continues to work hard to hone his skills. His focus and determination seem to be guiding his career.

Language Lab
guts n.
guts [plural] informal : courage
- It takes a lot of guts for William to start a career at his age.
- The girl had the guts to fight against the unfair treatment she received at her workplace.
- The boy has the guts and brains to become an entrepreneur in the future.

streak n.
/ˈstriːk/
a period of repeated success or failure
- The team seems to be on a lucky streak now; they've won game after game lately.
- The football team's fans are hoping the team's losing streak will end soon.
- The baseball team's winning streak seems to be continuing after 10 wins.

qualify v.
to have the right to do, have, or be a part of something
- You have to be over 18 years old to qualify for the draft.
to have the skills that are required or do the things that are required to become a member of a team or to be allowed in a competition
- This certificate qualifies you to be a kindergarten teacher.
qualification n.
- Good English ability is one of the qualifications for this job.

hone v.
to make (something, such as a skill) better or more effective
- Mark became one of the top sales reps after honing his communication skills.
- This summer camp was designed to hone students' life skills.
to sharpen (something, such as a knife) with a stone
- The craftsman honed his knife blade with a whetstone.


Info Cloud
Hello friends welcome to Info Cloud. Today, we would like to talk about what happens when your plan doesn't work out.

When there is a problem with your original plan, you need a new one. We often refer to this plan as plan B.

It's not uncommon to hear people use letters when planning advance projects or trips. The original plan is always plan A.

The truth is it's not unusual for plan A to not work out which is why most people come out with plan B, just in case.

So, Rex. Exactly, how many letters can be added to the word plan.

I guess you could go all the way to z, if you had to, but plan A and plan B are the most common ones you'll hear.

Another way to talk about this kind of plan is to use the phrase backup plan.

Much like plan B, a backup plan is the plan you prepare in case things don't work out. There is a chance of rain tomorrow, we may need a backup plan.

We hope all of your plans work out, but it's always good to have a plan B or backup plan, just in case.

• Plan B
  - There's a problem with the original plan.
  - We are going with plan B now.
• backup plan

Doctor Miracle (2)

Year after year, Mukwege puts his life on the line to help injured women. In 2012, Mukwege's devotion to this cause was tested after experiencing an assassination attempt and having his daughters briefly held hostage. He and his family fled to safety in Sweden and then to Belgium. However, thanks to a campaign by local Congolese women who raised the funds for a return ticket, the doctor was able to go home.

Although Mukwege once again resides in the DRC, he is forced to live inside the hospital under protection of UN peacekeepers.

Last year while operating in the hospital, Mukwege heard the news that he, along with Nadia Murad, had been awarded the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize. The prize centers on acknowledging "their efforts to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war."

He a doctor, and she an Iraqi human rights activist who suffered in the same way that so many of Mukwege's patients have, should inspire everyone to take a stand for peace. For Mukwege, "When I see how strong women are, all my inspiration comes from them." Winning the Peace Prize could be the first step toward an end to violence against women.


Language Lab
on the line 處于危險中
in danger of being lost or harmed : at risk
- These fire fighters put their lives on the line going into the burning building to save the people trapped inside.
- Michael put his job on the line when he told his boss she was wrong.

assassination n.
/əˈsæsəˌneɪt/
to kill (someone, such as a famous or important person) usually for political reasons
- Even after so many years, the assassination of J.F. Kennedy remains a mystery.
assassin n.
/əˈsæsn̩/
a person who kills someone (such as a famous or important person) usually for political reasons or for money : a person who assassinates someone
- The assassin was in disguise and successfully escaped from the crime scene.
assassinate v.
/əˈsæsəˌneɪt/
- The man was arrested for attempting to assassinate the ambassador.

activist n. 激進主義分子，行動主義者
a person who uses or supports strong actions (such as public protests) to help make changes in politics or society
- Patricia has been an animal rights activist since college.
- Many green activists devoted their time and money to promoting people's awareness of global warming.
active adj.
- Molly has been active in politics every since she was young.

inspire v. 鼓舞，激勵，驅使
to make (someone) want to do something : to give (someone) an idea about what to do or create
- Jacob was inspired by his literature professor and became a novelist.
inspiration v.
/ˌɪnspəˈreɪʃən/
something that makes someone want to do something or that gives someone an idea about what to do or create : a force or influence that inspires someone
- This girl overcame her disabilities and completed the marathon. Her story is an inspiration for many people.


Info Cloud

• immigrant
• migrant
• refugee
• asylum-seeker

Hello friends and welcome to Info Cloud. Today, we want to share about a topic we often hear about in the news - immigration. 

If you read an article about immigration issues, you'll see terms like "immigrant", "migrant", "refugee" and "asylum-seeker." 

The term immigrant emphasizes that an individual desires to permanently reside in another country and may seek citizenship. They may have left their country for any number of reasons.

On the other hand, a migrant is someone who leaves their country and goes to another for a short period of time for work or education. In recent years, this term has taken on a negative conatentation*. 

Now, a refugee is someone flew an area facing on conflict or persaucution*. They are unable to return to their home until the situation changes. Refugees also have special international protections. 

But a asylum-seeker is someone who flews their country and it's not yet consider a refugee. When they reach a country's border, they can apply for protection in that  country.

The country then has a obligation to consider the silent request. Not every asylum-seeker will be recoganize* a refugee. 

Immigration is a complicated topic, but we hope that today's Info Cloud helps you to understand a little more the important issue. 

Doctor Miracle (1)

Nobel Peace Prize winner – Dr. Denis Mukwege – is helping heal his nation’s deepest wounds

Denis Mukwege never intended to become Dr. Miracle, an award-winning gynecologist. He grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as a preacher's kid. In fact, it was visiting the sick with his father that inspired him to become a doctor in the first place.

The country has endured more than two decades of conflict, and Congolese women have suffered worst. Warring for control of the country's gold and precious mineral deposits, rebel groups are brutally attacking the region's women. During the last decade, the DRC has actually been described as "the rape capital of the world." One study found that 48 women are raped every hour in the country.

One man stands strong against this trauma, and has done so for more than 20 years. He first set up the Panzi hospital - originally made of tents - in 1998. After losing the hospital the same year in the crossfire of the Second Congo War, Mukwege rebuilt the following year. Since then, Panzi hospital has grown to become a major health facility. There, Mukwege reportedly cares for more than 3500 women a year, sometimes performing as many as 10 operations a day.

Language Lab
gynecologist n.
/ˌgaɪnəˈkɑːləʤɪst/
- Diane went to see her gynecologist for a pregnancy test.
gynecology n. 婦科
a branch of medicine that deals with the diseases and routine physical care of the reproductive system of women
- After her internship, Jane decided to work in the field of gynecology.
- If you want to go to obstetrics, be prepared for late night deliveries.
obstetrics n. 產科
/əbˈstɛtrɪks/
a branch of medicine that deals with the birth of children and with the care of women before, during, and after they give birth to children — compare gynecology
- If you want to go to obstetrics, be prepared for late night deliveries.

in the first place
— used at the end of a sentence to indicate what was true or what should have been done at the beginning of a situation

brutally adv. 殘忍地，野蠻地
extremely cruel or harsh
- The old man was brutally beaten by the robbers because he refused to give them his wallet.
brutally adv. 直言了當的
very direct and accurate in a way that is harsh or unpleasant
- The play brutally described the dark side of human nature.
brutal adj.
/ˈbruːtl̟/
- The brutal murder shook the whole town.

trauma n. 精神創傷
a very difficult or unpleasant experience that causes someone to have mental or emotional problems usually for a long time
- Several years ago, Matthew experienced the trauma of getting a divorce and losing his job at the same time.
- For years, the victim of the kidnapping suffered physical and emotional trauma.
traumatic adj.
/trəˈmætɪk/
- The car accident was a traumatic experience for everyone involved.

reportedly adv. 據傳聞；據報導
according to what has been said — used to indicate what has been said or reported
- The player reportedly signed a $10,000,000 contract with the Lakers.
- Over 1000 civilians have reportedly been killed in the civil war.
reported adj.
- There are over 20 reported cases of malaria in this village alone.


Info Cloud

• pick your battles
  - Joe chooses to pick his battles with his wife.
  - He tried to pick a fight with the opposing team on the court.