Assignment11 OpenCourseWare

I think MIT open course ware is a good site for language learning and academic learning. Because lots of famous professors' courses is worth to watch and we could learn lots of knowledge on the web.

Taiwan's professors just teach the knowledge in the books, they seldom give extracurricular lessons, even Physics, teachers won't make any experience for students. So that, we don't want to learn well because it's boring. MIT's professors' courses are very vivid than Taiwan's professors, that make students want to learn more in the courses, and it also increase their thinking.

I saw that MIT OCW also provides Foreign Languages and Literatures, maybe we could take the English lessons just like we're in U.S.A.! Most of all, I think OCW is helpful for students want to study aboard. It's an useful site for anyone want to learn languages or major.


New Year Photos attached. (I saw it on the 民權大橋)
(I think Fireworks is hard to take pictures)

Bonus - BBC Learning English message boards

I tried to ask a question in BBC learning English message boards,
but I had no inspiration to make a question like phases or sentences to ask.

I decide to ask the question what I have been curious for long time although it's not a high level question.


My Question

Dear teacher,

When I got the letters from foreigners, they wrote "XOXO" in the end of the letters.
I don't know the meaning of "XOXO", could you tell me?

thank you.

Lin
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posted by SCV

It means "hugs and kisses": X is for kisses and O is for hugs.

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I don't know whether the person is a teacher or not.
But he or she helps me the meaning of X and O.
Just young people use this word?
Maybe it's not a good question to test the board...

When I have an English question in the future, I'll try this board again!

Assignment10 New Year Reflections

In 2009, I learned some English speaking skills. After the class presentation, I'm not afraid of speaking English and talking to lots of people! Thank you all!

I tried to speak Japanese in Japan. I had been to Japan many times, I was afraid of talking to foreign people, but I tried my best to communicate with them and I was happy to do it. (But they still spoke English with me...)

Since I got JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) level 2 this year, I still want to finish the top, level 1 next year. Although I don't want to study in English-speaking country, but I would like try to take the exam of TOEIC, the force to learn English well.

I went to some places in Taiwan, like 宜蘭, 碧潭, 陽明山, 野柳, and 中壢, where I seldom went to. I usually stayed in Taipei in my leisure, after I went to lots of places, I would like to travel around Taiwan in my free time.
Also, I went to Tokyo and Yokohama in Japan. Yokohama is the city I like the most, the building, the harbor, the surrounding, and my favorite - Ferris wheel. The travel is the most significant event of the past year.



I'm a transfer student when I was sophomore. I usually get along with other transfer students and I was too shy to talk to other classmates. This year, I also tried to make the relationship with my classmates and make lots of friends. That's what I'm different than last year and I love what I do.

In the end of 2009, I decide to take the master test next year. In fact, I wanted to get a job in last 11 months but I really like to study and want to study in what I really love. Whatever the result is, I want to try my best to do things I think it's correct and what I pursue.

Finally, thanks to my parents, my teachers, my friends, my classmates, who had helped me in 2009. Hope EVERYONE have a wonderful 2010!!







(Nov. 7,2009 The fireworks in 大稻埕)

Christmas Songs for you

I'll introduce some Christmas songs that I love.

First, I'm dreaming of a white Christmas.
In Taiwan, it's only snow in mountain,
so I just imagine how beautiful it is.



White Christmas
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the treetops glisten,
and children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
With every Christmas card I write
May your days be merry and bright
And may all your Christmases be white

Santa Claus Is Coming To TownIt's a joyful song and it plays everywhere when Christmas is coming.




Santa Claus Is Coming To TownYou better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town

He's making a list
And checking it twice
Gonna find out Who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is coming to town

He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!

Oh! You better watch out!
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
Santa Claus is coming to town


Last, I love this song - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
It's a story talking about a reindeer who has no confidence because its red nose,
other reindeers laugh at it.
But one Christmas Eve, Santa Claus came to invite it to guide his sleigh.
After that, everyone loves Rudolph.



Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
had a very shining nose.
And if you ever saw him,
you would even say it grows.

All of the other reindeer,
used to laugh and call him names.
They never let poor Rudolph
join in any reindeer games.

Then one foggy Christmas Eve,
Santa came to say:
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won't you guide my sleigh tonight?"

Then all the reindeer love him
as they shouted out with glee,
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer,
you'll go down in history!

12/17 test

a. Studio classroom (10/22, 10/23, 10/24, 10/26,10/27, 10/12, 10/13)
b. Randal's Cyber Listening Lab (Medial Advice & Taxi Ride)
c. Steve Job's Talk
d. ESL.Com (Negotiating Salary)
e. Rules of pronounciation

Assignment 8: Listen to ESL Podcast 528

ESL Podcast 528 – Negotiating Salary

In this conversation, a man and a woman are negotiating the woman's salary.
The man wants to hire the woman, but they have different thinking about salary.

"I'm happy to hear that." Formally, we use "I'm delighted to hear that."

Salary: Use it for monthly full-time job for the most case.
ex: a monthly salary, a yearly salary

Wage: Use it for hourly paid job, like part time job pays $10 per hour.
ex: an hourly wage, a daily wage

constraint noun
something which controls what you do by keeping you within particular limits
ex: The constraints of politeness wouldn't allow her to say what she really thought about his cooking.

compensation noun
something that makes you feel better when you have suffered something bad
ex: I have to spend three months of the year away from home - but there are compensations like the chance to meet new people.

"I'm looking for..." Formally, we use "I would be looking for..."


Reflection:
After listening to this conversation, I think it's quite useful for me because I'll going to get a job in these months.
First conversation read with a slower speed ,and then explain phrases and expressions. In explanations, teacher explains expressions mean and how to use them.
After that, the conversation read with normal speed.
I think the sequences help us be more concentrate on the conversation because sometimes we listen to a text with normal speed first, we'll have less interesting in the difficult text. In fact, that's not difficult for you but the speed will make you afraid.

In my opinion, ESL's themes are more practical than some materials like Studio Classroom. I think Studio Classroom is helpful to everyone even junior high school students but for university students or members of society, the topic are not helpful enough. I would like to listen to ESL to improve my English.

Assignment 7: Steve Jobs' talk

Expressions：

1. commencement - a ceremony at which students formally receive their degrees

2. deposit - a payment, especially into a bank account
ex: To open an account, you need to make a minimum deposit of $500.

3. entrepreneur- someone who starts their own business, especially when this involves seeing a new opportunity
ex: He was one of the entrepreneurs of the eighties who made their money in property.

4. sedate adjective - avoiding excitement or great activity and usually calm and relaxed
ex: The fight against a chemical storage site has transformed a normally sedate village into a battleground.

5. dogma - a fixed, especially religious, belief or set of beliefs that people are expected to accept without any doubts

6. Polaroid - a camera that takes a picture and prints it after a few seconds, or a photograph taken with this type of camera
ex: Did you take these with a Polaroid?

7. falling - an argument
ex: Rachel and Bill have had a falling-out and they're not speaking to each other.

8. hitchhike - to travel by getting free rides in someone else's vehicle
ex: Women should never hitchhike on their own.



Reflection:

After listening to this speech, I think it's an attractive speech and helpful to every graduate. He provided his three stories in his life and gave graduates some inspirations that most people won't tell them.

I agree with Steve that you should never stop looking for what you love to do, you're going to do it for the rest of your life so you might as well like it at least.

"Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." is a great motto for everyone.
Sometimes we think we're smart enough to do everything, but in fact, we still have lots of things have to learn and we should be more open-minded, even we'are old men.