A WARNING FROM SCIENCE (1)

You think your phone will relieve your boredom, but science shows it’s more likely to increase it
來自科學的「警告」 倚靠手機解悶 小心適得其反

When you're bored of some mind-numbing task, what do you do? If you're like many, the answer is a no brainer: You reach for your phone. Five minutes of Facebook or kitten pictures can seem like the perfect break. 

If that sounds familiar, a new unpublished study has bad news. Reaching for your phone is likely to leave you feeling more bored. 

The boredom machine

The problem isn't taking a break. Previous studies show that we get more done overall if we take regular, short breaks. The problem is your phone. Dutch research shows most of us carry around a boredom- boosting machine in our pockets.

To figure out the relationship between phones and boredom, [a Dutch] research team installed an app on the phones of 83 volunteers to track how often they used their devices. They also asked these volunteers to keep diaries for three days, recording their level of fatigue and boredom every hour. 

The researchers' first discovery was no shocker. "Phone breaks were frequent: In the 20 minutes following each questionnaire, participants picked up their phones 52 percent of the time. [They spent] an average of around 90 seconds on it each time," reports the findings on the British Psychological Society Research Digest blog. 

Info Cloud

decision fatigue 決策疲乏

Welcome to Info Cloud. Do you ever struggle with willpower? 

I know I do. Sometimes I plan to exercise after work. But when the day is over, I'd rather sit on the couch. That happens a lot. 

When thinking about changing your clothes or choosing a route, you might start to suffer from decision fatigue. 

Decision fatigue. I think that describes it very well. Fatigue is a word we use to talk about being extremely tired. 

And we make a lot of decisions or choices in a day. Before we start work, we've already decided what to wear, eat, watch and more. 

It's no wonder we don't have much energy left for healthy decisions later on. 

There are ways to fight decision fatigue, though. I can plan something in advance like if I set out my exercise equipment ahead of time. 

Yes. Setting up routines reduces the number of new decisions you need to make. 

That reminds me of how Steve Jobs would always wear the same outfit. 

Exactly. The black turtleneck became like a uniform for him. 

And not thinking about what to wear means he had brainpower left for creative decisions he needed to make when running his company, so he avoided decision fatigue. 

很多人不喜歡做決定，因為必須深思熟慮，做錯決定又要承擔後果，今天要跟大家介紹 decision fatigue 決策疲乏，也就是做決定所帶來的疲乏，例如，今天要穿什麼衣服，晚餐要準備什麼食物，要選什麼禮物等等，這些選擇都很令人傷腦筋，為了要避免 decision fatigue，很多人會選擇簡化自己的生活，像是以前的賈伯斯，每次出現都會穿相同的衣服，有些人可能每天早上都會吃一樣的早餐，這樣就不用想了，要把腦子留給更重要的事情做出更重要的決定。

Language Lab

boredom n. 無聊的感覺或狀態
 /ˈboɚdəm/
the state of being bored
- Bobby was not happy about his trip because it was full of boredom.
Bobby 的那趟旅行很不開心，因為實在是太無聊了。
- The children really need to get out of the house: they’re suffering from boredom.
小朋友們需要到戶外去玩，他們現在非常無聊沒事做。
- When Mark complained about boredom, his dad told him to go clean the backyard.
Mark 抱怨說他很無聊，他爸爸就叫他去整理後院。 

mind-numbing adj. 極其乏味、非常枯燥的  
very dull or boring
mind n. 腦子
- My heart says “yes” to the decision, but my mind says “no”.
對於那個決定，我的心裡是贊同，但是我的腦子卻不同意。
numbing adj. 變麻木
unable to feel anything in a particular part of your body because of cold, injury, etc.
- I could feel the ice-cold water numbing my feet.
我可以感受到冰水讓我的雙腳都麻了。
- Ricky quit his job because he was tired of the mind-numbing assignments. 
Ricky 辭職，因為他受不了那些極其無聊的差事。
- That TV show is so boring; I’m not watching another mind-numbing episode.
那個電視節目有夠無聊，我不會再看超級無聊的另一集了。 

boost v.  增強、提高  
to increase the force, power, or amount of (something)
- William is careful with his diet because he wants to boost his immune system.
William 很重視他的飲食，因為他想增強免疫力。
- Having a nice letter of recommendation might boost my chances of getting the job.
擁有好的推薦函，也許可以增加我拿到那份工作的勝算。
boost n. 增強、提高、推動 
an increase in amount; help or encouragement; a push upward
- Parker was afraid of failing and his confidence really needed a boost.
Parker 很擔心會失敗，他的自信心真的很需要被提高。
- The company needs a big boost in their sales.
公司需要大量地提升他們的銷售量。

questionnaire n. 問卷 question n. 問題 
a written set of questions that are given to people in order to collect facts or opinions about something
- The company will ask all its customers to fill out a questionnaire.
公司會請他們所有的顧客來填一份問卷調查表。
- After you turn in your questionnaire, you will receive a free gift.
當你把問卷交回去，會收到一份贈品。
- The questionnaire was hard to fill out because the questions were strange.
問卷很難填寫，因為問的問題都很奇怪。

EATING WITH A CAMERA (2)

I started watching mukbang because I was curious about it. Then I watched a story-time mukbanger who was a little awkward and a little funny. She was telling a true crime story while eating five tacos. The story was about a girl who couldn't age and who had five identities. I was hooked. 

There is something social and comforting about mukbang. Now that single-person households are growing, eating alone is more common. Watching mukbang can be a way to have someone to eat with. It allows people to connect with others even though they are home alone. 

There is a dark side to mukbang, however. The way people eat food in most of these videos isn't healthy. Some mukbangers eat enough food to make their audience's stomachs hurt. This could encourage bad habits that might lead to serious eating problems. Good or bad, mukbang isn't for everyone. But I do like a good story with a good meal. 

Info Cloud

pig out 狼吞虎嚥地吃

Welcome back to Info Cloud, friends. Anne Marie, recently you were telling me that in America you lived in the countryside. I was wondering, did you grow up on a farm? 

I personally didn't live on a farm, but there were many farms near my home. 

Were there pig farms? Have you ever been to one of those? 

I sure have. And pigs can get huge. They eat a lot of food. This is a perfect time to introduce our phrase for today: pig out. 

Ah, yes, to pig out. When pigs eat, they really go at it. They eat quickly and greedily. 

If someone is pigging out, it means they are doing exactly that - eating too fast and too much. 

This phrase is commonly used paired with the word on. You can put what you ate after. Every Friday night my family likes to watch movies and pig out on pizza. 

You can also use this word in the past tense. Last night before I went to bed, I really pigged out on potato chips. Not very healthy, I know. 

Hey, it happens. When I'm tired or stressed, I like to pig out on snacks, too. 

How about you, students? What have you pigged out on lately? 

當你看到有人正在狼吞虎嚥地吃某種食物，你可以用 pig out 來形容他。pig是豬的意思，pig out 就是像豬一樣吃得又快又急又大量，但是跟中文有點不一樣地方在於，這個字並沒有任何貶低的涵義，反而有點幽默感在裡面。We like to watch movies and pig out on pizza. 我們喜歡一邊看電影，一邊吃很多披薩。不過要提醒大家的是，pig out 並不是一種很健康的飲食習慣，大家在吃東西的時候，還是要細嚼慢嚥，適量就好。

Language Lab

awkward adj. 不靈活的、難看的、不自然的  
not graceful : clumsy
- I think it’s awkward to have a plant in this corner; maybe you should move it to the balcony.
我覺得盆栽放在這個角落不好看，也許你應該要把它移到陽台去。
- Most people think Mona’s outfits are a little awkward, but she thinks they are fashionable.
大部分的人會覺得Mona的衣著有點奇怪，但是她卻認為她服裝很時尚。
awkward adj. 尷尬的
not socially graceful or confident : uneasy or uncomfortable
- Teresa felt somewhat awkward when she ran into her former boss.
當Teresa 碰到她以前的老闆時，感到有一點尷尬。
awkward adj. 一個狀況不容易處理或是很難應付 
difficult to use or handle
- These large boxes aren’t heavy but they are awkward to carry up the stairs.
這些大箱子不重，但是要搬上樓梯還是有點麻煩。 

comforting adj. 讓人感到安慰的
comfort v. 安慰
to cause (someone) to feel less worried, upset, frightened, etc. : to give comfort to (someone)
- When Kelly’s dog died, Kelly’s friends tried to comfort her.
Kelly的小狗死了後，她的朋友試著安慰她。
- It is comforting to know my friends will always support me.
知道我的朋友會永遠支持我，讓我感到欣慰。
- The actress loves getting letters from her fans because it is comforting to her. 
女藝人很喜歡收到她粉絲的信件，因為會帶給她許多安慰。 

encourage v. 鼓勵 
to make (someone) more determined, hopeful, or confident
- The teacher always tries to encourage her students.
那位老師常常會鼓勵她的學生們。
encouraging adj. 令人鼓舞的、振奮人心的
causing a hopeful feeling
- The government is encouraging people to use public transportation.
政府鼓勵民眾多利用大眾運輸。
- I’m tired of hearing all these negative reports, it’s time for some encouraging news.
一直聽到負面消息讓我感到很厭煩，該是時候來一點讓人振奮的新聞了。
encouragement n. 鼓勵的話、行為 
the act of making something more appealing or more likely to happen
- It’s easy for Carol to feel discouraged; she really needs a lot of encouragement.
Carol 很容易感到沮喪，她真的需要很多鼓勵。 

stomach n. 肚子、胃 
the organ in your body where food goes and begins to be digested after you swallow it
- Richard’s stomach wouldn’t stop growling because he was so hungry.
Richard的肚子一直咕嚕咕嚕叫，因為他實在很餓。
stomach n. 腹部 [=belly]
the part of your body that contains the stomach
- Something is bothering Ben’s stomach, but he doesn’t know what is causing the discomfort.
Ben的腹部不舒服，但是他不知道是什麼引起的。
stomach  v. 忍受、容忍 [=tolerate]
to accept or experience (something unpleasant) without becoming sick, upset, etc.
- It was hard for the young reporter to stomach the violence he had seen.
年輕的記者很難容忍他所見到的暴力。
- Marianne could not stomach the thought of having to kill an animal for food.
宰殺動物來吃是一件讓Marianne無法忍受的事。

EATING WITH A CAMERA (1)

Mukbangers share their meals and leave audiences hungry for more
「吃播」魅力無法擋 為什麼在電腦前看別人吃喝那麼療癒？

I have a secret to confess. I like to watch people eat on camera, and I'm not the only one. Millions of people log onto YouTube to watch something called mukbang. These online videos show people eating and sometimes talking to their audience. It might seem strange, but these videos are surprisingly satisfying to watch. 

Mukbang started in South Korea in the late 2000s. South Korea is a country known for its pop stars' carefully created images. But mukbang shows the exact opposite in many ways. Mukbangers, those that make mukband videos, can be dirty, noisy and even rude. 

Today people all over the world are streaming their eating habits as mukbang. Some mukbangers eat with just their hands as sauces run down their fingers. They wipe their mouths on their sleeves and stress every chew, slurp and swallow. These mukbangers aim to give you those ASMR tingles that some people enjoy. 

Info Cloud

showboats 

Welcome to Info Cloud, friends. Anne Marie has told us many times that she doesn't enjoy watching sports. I'm curious about the reason why. 

Hmm. Well, there are several reasons. One of them is that I don't enjoy all of the showboating that goes on. 

Showboating is when someone does something for attention or specifically to impress others. 

Have you ever seen an athlete do a dance after they score a touchdown or hit a home run? That's an example of showboating. 

Anne Marie, I think our students understand what it means. But where did this term come from? 

Well, showboats were a cultural phenomenon in mid-19th century America. 

A showboat was a large riverboat that usually traveled along the Mississippi River in the American Midwest. 

Oh. I've seen photos of those showboats before. They were decorated with bright colors and were very gaudy. 

Exactly. Well, the showboats would travel along the Mississippi River and stop at different towns along the way. 

At each stop, they would do a performance and bring entertainment to the people there. Like a traveling stage or a traveling theater. 

And that explains why we call showing off or giving a performance for attention showboating. 

當你看到一些人很愛現，或者是很喜歡炫耀，你可以用 showboating 來形容他們。Football players often showboat after making a touchdown. 美式足球員經常在得分之後，賣弄肢體動作、炫耀自己。showboat 其實是19世紀在美國密西西比河的沿線，巡迴演出的演藝船，這些 showboats 的外觀被裝飾地光彩奪目，每次停靠在一個地點，都會吸引很多人去看表演，像是一個行動的劇場一樣。因此，showboating 在今天可以用來形容炫耀的行為。

Language Lab

confess v. 承認、坦白地說  
to talk about or admit something that makes you embarrassed, ashamed, etc.
- I must confess I haven’t done one single house chore all day.
我必須承認我今天一整天一樣家務事都沒做。
- Alan was on a diet, but then he confessed to eating a whole box of donuts.
Alan 在節食，但是他承認他把整盒甜甜圈都吃掉了。
confess v.  認罪
to admit that you did something wrong or illegal
- The thief finally confessed to stealing the motorcycle.
小偷終於供認他偷了摩托車。
confess v. 為了宗教信仰或心靈方面的需求而懺悔
to tell (your sins) to God or to a priest
- James felt peaceful after he had confessed his sins.
James為他的罪過懺悔後，感到心裡平安。

opposite n. 相反 
someone or something that is completely different from someone or something else
- We were hoping to enjoy a nice quiet dinner, but what we experienced was the exact opposite. 我們原本希望能夠享用一頓寧靜的晚餐，結果碰到的卻是完全相反。
- Trina always prefers the opposite of what her siblings like.
Trina 老是選擇和他兄弟姊妹不同喜好的東西。
opposite adj. 完全相反
completely different
- Mr. Cranshaw had trouble working with his business partner because they had opposite ideas.
Cranshaw 先生很難跟他的商業夥伴合作，因為他們的想法是完全相反的。
opposite adj. 對面、另一邊
located at the other end, side, or corner of something : located across from something
- Josephine wants to sit on the opposite side of the table because she wants to look out the window.
Josephine 想坐在桌子的另一邊，因為她想看窗戶外面。

wipe v. 擦  
to clean or dry (something) by using a towel, your hand, etc.
- Please use this towel to wipe your hands.
請用這條毛巾來擦手。
- After we finish dinner, mom always asks us to wipe the table.
我們吃完晚飯後，媽媽都會叫我們擦桌子。
wipe v. 擦掉
to remove (something) by rubbing
- There is water on this chair, please wipe it off.
椅子上有水，請把它擦掉。
wipe n. 擦東西的那個動作
an act of cleaning or drying something by using a towel, your hand, etc.
- The furniture is very dusty, someone needs to give them a good wipe.
家具上灰塵很多，有人需要把它們好好地擦一擦。 

slurp n. 一大口 
- Ned was given a big tall glass of iced tea, and he took a nice big slurp.
有人給Ned一大杯的冰紅茶，然後他就好好地喝了一大口。
slurp v. 吃喝東西的時候，很大聲地把飲料或是食物吸進嘴巴裡 
to eat or drink (something) noisily or with a sucking sound
- In some cultures, it is very rude to slurp when you eat.
有些文化會認為吃東西出聲音是很沒禮貌的。
- The children like to slurp their noodles because they like making funny sounds.
小朋友喜歡大聲地吃麵條，因為他們喜歡發出奇怪的聲音。

MOBILE TRANSLATORS (2)

British science fiction author Arthur C. Clark once said, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Since even the best translators can still fail terribly, they are hardly magic. But consider what's happening underneath the app's surface. You might not appreciate how advanced modern translation systems are!

Translators use machine learning to compare millions of examples of human translated texts. That information helps the program reproduce more natural sounding translations based on real-world examples. People can flag incorrect or unhelpful translations and suggest better ones. This input is then used to make future translations better. 

With programs like Google Translate, it can be hard to get good translations for single words because most words have multiple meanings. It's better to try short sentences that provide context instead. But make the sentence straightforward. Anything too complicated or idiomatic will likely produce unusual results. For example, "I am very hungry" will get better results than "I am dying of hunger." 

As people continue to use translation services, translations will improve. One day you might not have to worry about a poor translation causing an embarrassing misunderstanding. But used wisely, they are still excellent aids for exploring and understanding the world around you. 

Info Cloud

stranger than fiction 很神奇或是很耐人尋味的事情

Welcome to Info Cloud, friends. Do you like reading science-fiction novels? 

I enjoy a science-fiction story from time to time. The writers have great imaginations. 

They really do. A lot of our modern inventions come from science fiction, including the cellphone, the credit card and earbuds. 

So we could say that reality is stranger than fiction. Indeed. This is a common phrase that we can use to comment on something that is unusual, amazing or seemingly magical. 

Oh, like that video I saw online about a dog and a lion that became best friends. 

Ha... that is stranger than fiction. 

This phrase appears in writing by American author Mark Twain who said "Truth is stranger than fiction" in 1897. 

It means that we can imagine certain things, but many things may happen that are even beyond what we can imagine. 

Science fiction writer Jules Verne imagined machines that could dive under the water or fly in the air back in the late 1800s. 

But he didn't imagine that he would inspire engineers to create the submarine and the helicopter. However, those were directly inspired by his stories. Truth really is stranger than fiction. 

當我們看到一些很神奇或是很耐人尋味的事情，你可以用 stranger than fiction來形容。fiction是杜撰的小說，stranger than fiction 就是比小說裡面的情節還要神奇或是奇怪，像是有一個網路影片紀錄一隻狗和獅子成為好朋友，你就可以說: That is stranger than fiction. 這真的是比小說還要神奇。其實美國作家 Mark Twain 就曾經在1897年說過: Truth is stranger than fiction. 真相是比小說的情節還要神奇的，例如，人類會發明潛水艇和直升機都是因為小說家 Jules Verne 早在19世紀就曾經提出過的靈感，我們只能說這個世界真的是無奇不有。

Language Lab

underneath preposition. 底下、東西的下面  
below or beneath (something) : under
- The house might look beautiful, but you should pay attention to its foundation underneath.
房子也許外表漂亮，但你應該注意它底下的根基。
- The child likes to hide underneath the table and pretend he is a bear in a cave.
那個小朋友喜歡躲在桌子底下，假裝他是一隻洞穴裡的熊。
underneath n. 底下部分
the bottom surface of something : underside
- If you want to know the price of the bottle, check the underneath.
如果你想知道那個瓶子多少錢，要看瓶子底下。
- To tell if this chair is an antique or not, take a look at the underneath.
要辨認這張椅子是否是個骨董，就要看它的下面。 

input n. 資訊的輸入
information that is put into a computer
- The old computer Mary uses for data input needs to be upgraded.
那台Mary用來輸入資料的舊電腦需要被升級。
input n. 意見、想法 
advice or opinions that help someone make a decision  
- The supervisor is not going to make a decision until he gets more input from everybody.
主管要等到他收到更多人的意見後，才會做決定。
- I hope you’ll speak to the boss about this problem because he values your input.
我希望你會跟老闆提出這個問題，因為他很看重你的想法。
input n. 資源、能源的輸入
something (such as power or energy) that is put into a machine or system
- With the input of all that water, the plants on the farm began to grow.
因為灌入了那麼多水，農場的植物開始成長。
input v. 輸入
to enter (information) into a computer
- No wonder the final calculation was incorrect; we inputted the wrong numbers.
難怪最後的統計不正確，因為我們輸入的數字是錯的。 

straightforward adj.  簡單容易懂 
easy to do or understand : not complicated
- The instructions need to be straightforward; otherwise people will get confused.
指令要簡單清楚，不然人家會被搞糊塗。
- If you ask Howard a question, he’ll give you a straightforward answer.
如果問Howard 一個問題，他會很簡單地回答你。
straightforward adj.  一個人很直率
honest and open
- Trent is a straightforward guy, and his friends appreciate his honesty.
Trent 為人直率，他的朋友們都欣賞他的坦承。 

idiomatic adj. 跟成語有關的、包含著慣用語的 
an expression/phrase that is an idiom
idiom n. 成語
a form of a language that is spoken in a particular area and that uses some of its own words, grammar, and pronunciations : dialect
- It’s hard for me to translate this article directly because it is full of idiomatic phrases.
要我直接翻譯這篇文章困難，因為裡面有很多慣用語。
- The tour guide used a lot of idiomatic expressions that were hard for his foreign guests to understand.
導遊用了很多國外客人聽不懂的慣用語。
idiomatic adj. 語言的表達很自然
sound natural or correct
- The princess was educated overseas and speaks idiomatic English.
公主是在國外受教育，她的英文講的非常道地。

MOBILE TRANSLATORS (1)

Science fiction to fact
隨身即時翻譯 昔日科幻小說 今日真實世界

Not that long ago, portable translation devices were only commonplace in works of science fiction. Travelers headed to foreign countries took bilingual dictionaries or phrasebooks with them. But now people can access instant translation services almost anywhere they go. 

Online translations are free, and when you use translation apps like Google Translate or iTranslate, sometimes you don't even have to look things up! Just point your phone's camera at some text, and a translation instantly appears. If you want to translate something being said aloud, just turn on your phone's microphone. Some apps even have a conversation mode where you take turns speaking with someone in a different language. Apps can even produce audio translations, just like C3PO from Star Wars. 

Translation apps make foreign travel much easier than before. They are invaluable when it comes to communicating with taxi drivers or hotel staff who don't speak your language. But these apps are far from perfect. Sometimes a translation makes no sense, and you can only guess at the gist of what it means. Other times, you might not know that the translation has failed until you try it on a native speaker. 

Info Cloud

lost in translation 在翻譯中流失

Welcome to Info Cloud, everyone. Anne Marie, do you speak any other languages? 

Yes, I speak a little Spanish, but I've forgotten most of it. Why? 

Well, I was wondering if you've ever had the experience of something being lost in translation. 

Oh, you mean when something has been translated, it becomes impossible to understand. 

Yes. That often happens with jokes. When a word or phrase is translated from one language to another, some of its deeper meaning might be lost. 

An idea that might come from one culture may be different or not even exist in another culture. 

So something might get lost in translation. I can give you an example in Chinese. We have a word “辛苦了!”. In English, we might say "Good job!" or "Thanks for your effort" to someone. But in the Chinese, there is an acknowledgement of the hard work someone has done and not just a simple praise or encouragement. 

That is a great example. Rex, is there any other way to use this phrase? 

We might use it when something is presented in a new way, for example, when they make a book into a movie. Some things get lost in translation in the movie version since not everything can be shown on screen. 

當我們聽到或是看到一些中文翻譯，有的時候會覺得怪怪的，那是因為翻譯並沒有辦法百分之百的呈現原汁原味，你可以用 lost in translation 來形容這種狀況。lost in translation 就是在翻譯中流失的意思，舉例來說，很多美國笑話翻譯成中文，是完全行不通的，這是因為文化上的差別，或是在中文，我們常說「辛苦了」，翻成英文可能就是"Good job!" 做得好，或是"Thanks for your effort" 謝謝你的付出，但是「辛苦了」這句話裡面，代表說話的人看到一個人在勞力上所承擔的某些痛苦，這部分翻譯成英文就會變成 lost in translation 在翻譯中流失。

Language Lab

commonplace adj. 普通、普遍的 (因為常常會發生或常常看得到)
happening or appearing in many places and not unusual : very common or ordinary
- It seems rather commonplace to hear about professional athletes getting ankle injuries.
聽到職業運動員傷到腳踝的新聞，感覺很普遍又常見。
- Nothing in the bazaar attracted Trina because everything looked rather commonplace.
市場裡沒有一樣東西吸引Trina，因為她覺得所有的東西看起來都很普通。
- To John, the second-hand store was full of commonplace things, but to Cindy it was a pile of treasures.
對John而言，二手店裡的貨物都是很普通的東西，但對Cindy而言，卻是一堆寶物。

mode n. 模式  
the state in which a machine does a particular function
- When I was on the plane, I put my tablet on airplane mode.
我搭飛機時，會把我的平板轉到飛航模式。
- Dereck always puts his phone on silent mode before he goes to sleep.
Dereck 睡覺前會把手機轉到靜音模式。
mode n. 方式
a particular form or type of something (such as transportation or behavior)
- We have a lot of food for the disaster victims but we need to figure out our mode of transport.
我們有很多糧食要送給災民，但是我們要想出最佳的運輸方式。
- The new manager finds the company's mode of operation to be very inefficient.
新的經理認為公司的運作方式非常沒有效率。

staff n. 工作人員
a group of people who work for an organization or business
- The boss has an important announcement and wants to speak to the entire staff.
老闆有一件重要的事情要宣布，所以要跟全體員工見面。
- The restaurant isn’t very big and there are only five people on the staff.
餐廳不大，員工就只有五位。
staff n. 一根很長的手杖或棍棒 
a long stick that you carry in your hand for support while walking
- A man with a shepherd’s staff walked by with several sheep.
一位拿著牧羊杖的人跟著幾隻羊，就這樣子經過。
staff v. 提供人員 
to supply (an organization or business) with workers
- The factory had to shut down because it was completely staffed with illegal immigrants.
工廠必須關閉，因為他們的工作人員通通都是非法移民。 

gist n. 要點、大意
/ˈʤɪst/
the general or basic meaning of something said or written — usually + of
- Betty didn't know French but she watched the street performer’s body language and got the gist of what he was saying.
Betty 雖然不懂法文，但是她光看街頭藝人的肢體語言就大概知道他的意思。
- I didn't pay attention to the entire speech but I think I got the gist.
我沒有注意聽整個演講，但是我大概知道演講的大意。
- We don't have time to hear the entire report so please just give us the gist.
我們沒有時間聽整篇報告，只要跟我們說報告的大意就好了。

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUDWIG! (2)

Why the spectacular celebration for Beethoven's birthday? This remarkable composer's works continue to capture the imagination of millions even 250 years later. His pieces are played more often than those of any other composer. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony influenced music listening in the 20th century. The playing time for a CD was set at 74 minutes because it would fit the longest recordings of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. This allowed people to enjoy the musical masterpiece in its entirety on one CD. An instrumental version of the theme from the last movement even became the anthem of the European Union. 

Beethoven's Sixth Symphony has become the rallying music of environmental activists because the work expresses a love of nature. Last November a concert was held in an elephant park in Thailand, where a pianist played passages from the work. The concert was part of the Beethoven Pastoral Project. The United Nations and others planned it to help promote climate protection. 

Who knows how Beethoven's music will be used in the next 250 years? But there is not doubt it will be enjoyed!

Info Cloud

Variation on the theme of 一樣東西的不同版本

Hello, and welcome to info Cloud. I heard the funniest comedy routine on YouTube the other day. It's about working as a waiter in a Mexican restaurant. 

Oh, I know that joke. Customers ask about what's in different dishes but each is just a variation on the theme of the exact same ingredients put together. 

Exactly. What's a taco, tortilla, cheese and meat or veggies, a burrito or a chimichanga, tortilla cheese and meat or veggies. 

Let's talk more about the expression variation on the theme of something. Basically it means doing something different with something familiar. 

Right. This is a common concept in music. You repeat a part of a song over and over but you make small changes and that makes all the difference. 

Usually, when we say something is a variation on the theme of something else, it means it’s a different way of doing something familiar. 

I just finished a great book. It was a collection of stories that were all variations on the theme of boy-meets-girl but none of the stories were romance stories. 

You know, Mexican food in a way it's like music - it's all about fantastic variations on a theme. 

今天要介紹的這個用語相當特別，在亞洲比較少聽到，那就是 Variation on the theme of，意思就是一樣東西的不同版本。例如，男孩遇見女孩的主題可以在不同的小說當中出現不同版本的故事，你可以說: This novel is a variation on the theme of boy-meets-girl. 這部小說就是一種男孩遇見女孩的故事。還有一個例子是，肉絲和青菜可以做出很多菜色，你可以說: They are the variations on the theme of meat and vegetables. 這一些菜都是肉絲和青菜的不同組合。

Language Lab

spectacular adj. 非常壯觀的、讓人感到驚嘆的 
causing wonder and admiration : very impressive
- That was a spectacular circus performance.
那場馬戲團表演真的實在令人讚嘆。
- The view from the top of the mountain was spectacular.
從山頂看到的景觀真的是太壯觀了。
- We watched the New Year’s fireworks display, but it wasn’t as spectacular as last year’s.
我們去看跨年煙火秀，但是感覺沒有像去年的那麼令人驚嘆。
spectacularly adv. (某個動作或舉動) 讓人感到驚奇或是印象深刻地 
- The young gymnast was able to perform her routines spectacularly.
那位年經的體操選手能夠把動作表演地讓人感到驚嘆。 

remarkable adj. 會引人注意的 (因為非常優秀、特別或驚奇的)
unusual or surprising : likely to be noticed
- The young child’s piano performance was absolutely remarkable.
那位小朋友的鋼琴表演實在是太讓人驚奇了。
- It was remarkable to see a mother cat taking care of a baby squirrel.
看到一隻母貓照顧松鼠寶寶真的很特別又驚奇。
- The student might get good grades on his tests but there is nothing remarkable about his essays.
那位同學的考試成績也許很好，但是他的作文沒有讓人有特別的印象。 

rally v. 為了一個共同目標或意象團結或聚集在一起  
to meet publicly to support or oppose something : to come together for a rally
- The townsmen rallied together to protest against the pollution caused by the local factory.
鎮裡的人們聚集在一起，抗議當地工廠所製造的汙染。
- The general rallied the soldiers and promised them the victory.
將軍把士兵們聚集在一起，並承諾他們會戰勝。
rally n. 大型的集會 
a public meeting to support or oppose someone or something
- During the week, right before the election, there were political rallies everywhere.
在選舉的前一個禮拜當中，到處都在舉行競選大會。
- After Margaret attended her first student rally, she became more interested in social movements. 
Margaret 自從參加了她的首場學生集會後，就開始對社會運動有興趣。 

passage n. 一首曲子裡的樂段  
a usually short section of a piece of music
- The musician played a passage on the piano and asked us to guess the name of the song.
音樂家在鋼琴上彈了一個樂段，然後要我們猜猜曲名。
passage n. 文章裡的段落
a usually short section of a book, poem, speech, etc.
- The teacher asked one of his students to read a passage from the book.
老師請了一位學生來唸出書裡的一個段落。
passage n. 走道、走廊 
a long, narrow space that connects one place to another
- The children explored the old castle and found a dark and narrow passage.
小朋友在古堡裡探險時，找到一個又暗又窄的走廊。
passage n. 身體裡面的通道 
a narrow space that people or things can move through
- The man has trouble breathing because there is something wrong with his nasal passage.
這個人呼吸有困難，因為他鼻道有問題。

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUDWIG! (1)

Celebrate the 250th birthday of one of the world’s great composers
路德維希，生日快樂！ 歡慶「樂聖」貝多芬兩百五十歲誕辰

Most people enjoy a birthday celebration on one particular day. But one exceptional person's birthday is being celebrated for an entire year! Who might that be? Da-Da-Da-DUM... Beethoven! His birthday festivities began on Dec. 16, 2019, and they will continue until Dec. 17, 2020. Why? Because Ludwig van Beethoven was baptized on Dec. 17, 1770; his actual birthday is unknown. 

Where can you celebrate the life of this musical genius? One place is the city of Bonn, Germany, the composer's birthplace. Each year the city holds the Bonn Beethovenfest, where famous international artists play his music. 

An International Choir Festival is also planned for this fall. Choirs will attend workshops and perform together as well as join a choir flash mob. Concerts are also scheduled in Dresden, Prague and Vienna. In Dresden, a talented pianist plans to perform all of Beethoven's piano concertos. And from Vienna, where Beethoven spent most of his life, a cruise down the Danube River has been organized. The trip features concerts at landmarks along the way and a special concert onboard the ship.

Info Cloud

milestone birthdays 生日里程碑

Hello, and welcome to Info Cloud friends. Today I want to talk about getting older. 

Do we have to talk about age again? That’s an embarrassing topic for me. 

Don't worry. I thought we could discuss milestone birthdays and the traditions that accompany them. 

Well, in that case, let's get to it. Let's start with sweet sixteen. This refers to the parties some girls have when they turn 16 years old. Can you talk about turning 18, Anne Marie? 

Sure. In the USA, when you turn 18, you're considered an adult. At this age, you're allowed to vote, get married, voluntarily join the military or open your own bank account. 

How about 21? That’s a milestone birthday too, isn't it? Well, that's the legal age you're allowed to drink alcohol in the US. 

If you are over the hill, it means you're older than 40. Since that is about half the average lifespan, people sometimes say that once you're over the hill, you're finished with the first half of your life. 

Before we go, I want to introduce a phrase about getting older -- aging gracefully. That means we accept that we are getting older and embrace it. 

No matter how old you are, aging gracefully is something we all can do. 

大部分的人每年都會過生日，但有些生日是有特別的意義的，像是16歲生日在美國代表小孩慢慢長大成熟，18歲生日代表你可以投票、合法結婚、加入軍隊，或是自己到銀行開戶，美國人統稱這一些特別的生日為 milestone birthdays 生日里程碑，或是有里程碑意義的生日。當然還有21歲，在美國代表可以喝酒了，這也是一個 milestone birthday。另外，當你用 over the hill 越過山丘 來形容一個人，那就代表他已經超過40歲了。當一個人的年齡越來越大，你可以用 aging gracefully 來形容這個人。aging gracefully 的意思就是非常優雅地增長年齡。

Language Lab

particular adj. 特定的  
used to indicate that one specific person or thing is being referred to and no others
- Is there a particular place that you would like me to take these packages to?
你有沒有要我把這些包裹送到哪個指定的地方呢?
- Robert just bought some flowers for a particular person. 
Robert 剛剛為某個特別的人買了一些花。
particular adj. 挑剔、非常講究的
having very definite opinions about what is good or acceptable
- When it comes to grilling steak, Jerry is very particular. 
Jerry 對烤牛排可是非常講究的。
- It’s very hard to eat out with Lana because she is always so particular. 
要跟Lana出去吃飯很麻煩，因為她是非常挑剔的。 

festivity n. 歡慶 
/ˈfɛˈstɪvəti/
celebration and enjoyment
festivities [plural] : enjoyable activities at the time of a holiday or other special occasion : festive activities 節慶當中的慶祝活動或是活動內容
festival n. 節慶 
a special time or event when people gather to celebrate something
- The Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon; do you have any special plans?
中秋節快到了，你有沒有什麼特別的計畫?
- The students put up a few balloons around the classroom to create a feeling of festivity.
學生們用幾個氣球來布置教室，製造一點歡慶的氣氛。
- Martha was so busy planning the festivities that she wasn’t able to enjoy the festival itself.
Martha 忙著籌備慶祝活動的細節，而無法享受節慶的歡樂。
- During the holiday weekend, thousands of visitors participated in the festivities.
佳節的周末時，好幾千名遊客來參加節慶活動。 

workshop n. 工作坊、廠房(機械產業、手工方面的工作環境)   
a place where things are made or repaired
- There are many machines in the workshop, so please be careful when you enter.
廠房裡有很多機器，進去時請注意安全。
- Paul uses his garage as a small workshop and keeps all his tools there.
Paul 把他的車庫當成一個小型工作室，他所有的工具都收在那裏。
workshop n. 專題討論會、研討會
a class or series of classes in which a small group of people learn the methods and skills used in doing something
- For those interested in taking pictures, there will be a photography workshop this weekend.
這個周末會舉辦一場攝影研討會，給對拍照有興趣的人參加。
- The students’ acting skills improved after they attended the drama workshop.
學生們參加了戲劇培訓會後，演技有進步。 

landmark n. 地標 
an object or structure on land that is easy to see and recognize
- The Statue of Liberty in New Work City is a famous landmark you must go see.
自由女神像在紐約是一個必看的著名地標。
- The Taj Mahal is a well-known landmark in India.
泰姬瑪哈陵是印度有名的地標。
landmark n. 一個發展過程中的重要點; 一件事情有重大意義 
a very important event or achievement
- Neil Armstrong walking on the moon was a landmark in modern history.
阿姆斯壯踏上月球是現代歷史重要的里程碑。
- The king made the landmark decision to free all the slaves in his kingdom.
國王做了重大的決定，要釋放他王國裡所有的奴隸。

WHY DO WE SAY IT?

Stories behind the words we use
詞彙濫觴 一些尋常字詞背後的源起故事

We often use popular brand names when referring to general things. We often say "Google" when we mean "search" or "PowerPoint" instead of "slides."

Here are two toy brand names that have become general words:

Hula-Hoop

Many kids grew up spinning toy hoops around their waists. Wham-O, an American toy company, introduced a toy hoop as the Hula-Hoop in 1958. Users moved like hula dancers as they spun one around their waists. Other companies sold the same toy using different names, but Wham-O's was the most successful. After 62 years, people still call this kind of toy a Hula-Hoop. 

Frisbee

Wham-O also presented another toy: Frisbee! The toy looked like an empty pie tin, which reminded some people of the Frisbie Pie Company. College students liked throwing their empty pie tins at each other. Wham-O took notice of this trend and released a toy called the Frisbee. The flying disk led to the invention of the sports Ultimate Frisbee and Frisbee golf. They remain popular today. 

Info Cloud

Kleenex, Q-Tip, Band-Aid

Hello, and welcome to Info Cloud. (Sneezing). 

Are you OK, Anne Marie? Do you have a cold? 

No. Just allergies. Do you have any Kleenex? 

Well, I have some tissue, but I don't think there’s a Kleenex brand. Is that OK? 

Oh, of course. 

When I asked for Kleenex, I was referring to a generic item. I didn't mean that I needed that specific brand. 

Right. Kleenex has been around for a long time. It's a very recognized brand. So much so that its name has become a synonym for all facial tissue. 

Is this good for a company? Some say it points to the popularity of a specific brand. But others are worried about copyright issues. 

Oh, so that's why sometimes when these words are seen in writing, there might be a small circle with an R inside. 

Yes. The R means registered trademark. This is very useful for people from other countries who might not be familiar with these brands. Can you think of any other examples? 

Sure. Q-Tips are cotton buds, and Band-Aids are bandages. Those are things we use often. 

Yes. Just like Kleenex, you will hear Americans use these words a lot, even if they're using a generic brand of these items. 

我們到美國旅遊時，很容易發現他們那邊的用語，跟平常時學的不太一樣，像是衛生紙 tissue，你會聽到他們統稱為Kleenex，因為Kleenex是老牌衛生紙品牌，在美國人心裡面，幾乎變成衛生紙的同義字了。另外，如果你要找棉花棒 cotton bud，通常美國人會說Q-Tip，這也是一個棉花棒的經典品牌，還有受傷的時候會需要用到的OK蹦 bandage，美國人統稱Band-Aid，這當然也是OK蹦的品牌。為了要解決品牌的版權問題，通常你會看到這些名稱的上方會出現一個小圈圈，裡面有一個R的字樣，意思就是註冊商標，不過這是為了正式發表的文字，如果日常對話就不需要擔心這些了。 

Language Lab

refer v. 簡短地提起或談起  
to talk about or write about (someone or something) especially briefly : to mention (someone or something) in speech or in writing
- I know you were talking about one of your teammates, but who exactly were you referring to?
我知道你在講你隊友中其中的一個人，但是你到底是在講哪一位阿?
refer v. 意思是
to have a direct connection or relationship to (something)
- If you hear my grandma say ‘that kid,’ she is referring to her neighbor’s little boy.
如果你聽到我祖母說"那個頑童"，她是指她鄰居的小男孩。
refer v. 介紹
to send (someone or something) to a particular person or place for treatment, help, advice, etc.
- When I had a bad headache, I went to see a doctor, but he referred me to a specialist.
我的頭很痛，所以去看醫生，但是他介紹我去看專科醫師。 

spin v. 旋轉  
to turn or cause someone or something to turn around repeatedly
- The boy likes to spin, and make himself dizzy.
小男孩喜歡一直轉圈圈，直到他感到頭暈。
- If you open the music box, you will see a little ballet dancer spinning inside.
你把音樂盒打開，就會看到一個小小的芭蕾舞者在裡面轉圈。
spin v. 紡織、紡紗
to draw out and twist fibers of cotton, wool, silk, etc., into yarn or thread
- Women in this village used to spin their own yarn, but now they just buy it at the store.
以前這個村裡的婦女們會自己紡紗，但是現在他們就直接到店裡去買。
spin v. 蜘蛛結網
of insects : to form (something) by producing a fluid that quickly hardens into a thread
- It's amazing that spiders are able to spin such huge webs.
蜘蛛能結巨大的網，真的很神奇。 

empty adj. 空的 
containing nothing
- Scott drank all the water, and now his bottle is completely empty.
Scott 把水都喝完了，他的瓶子現在是空的。
empty adj. 沒有人
not having any people : not occupied
- The restaurant is usually busy at lunchtime, but today it is empty.
那間餐廳午餐時間通常都很忙碌，但今天空蕩蕩的。
empty adj.  沒誠意
having no effect : not sincere or meaningful
- Vanessa is breaking up with her boyfriend, because she is tired of his empty promises.
Vanessa 要跟她的男朋友分手，因為她對他沒誠意的承諾感到厭倦。
empty adj. 無意義 
having no real purpose or value
- Even though William has a good job and a nice family, his life still feels empty.
William 雖然有好的工作，以及美滿的家庭，但是他還是感到生活空虛。 

trend n. 趨勢；傾向  
a general direction of change : a way of behaving, proceeding, etc., that is developing and becoming more common
- There is a growing trend of people working after the age of 65.
人過六十五歲還在繼續工作的趨勢在增加當中。
trend v. 社群網站上的流行主題的熱門分享 
- The marketing team is always discussing what is trending on social media.
企劃團隊常常在討論社群媒體裡的流行主題裡的熱門分享。
trend n. 時尚
something that is currently popular or fashionable
- If you want to know about the latest trends, talk to Sabrina.
如果你想要知道現在最新的時尚，就去問Sabrina。
- The latest trends can go out of style very quickly.
現在最時尚的款式很快就會退流行。