BBC Question:Happy Birthday v.s Merry Christmas

Message 1 - posted by Vivian (U14277628) **, 11 Hours Ago

Why do we always hear “Merry Christmas”, but I haven’t heard anyone say “Merry New Year” or “Merry Birthday”? Is that ok? Or there is any rule about it.


Message 2 - posted by OldRover_KE (U10528653) , 7 Hours Ago

Hi, Vivian,

There's no rule about it - it's just the way we speak.

'Merry New Year' or 'Merry Birthday' just don't sound right.

Rover
x

Assignment 9:New Year Reflactions and Hope

2009 is an important year to me! I become an adult, finish the exam of entering the university, graduate from the senior high school, and enter the university in this year. The most important thing is that I entered the university, Nation Taiwan University of Science and Technology! I never considered to entering this school before, maybe it’s really fated. But the life in university is not like what I imagine before. I often feel sleepy or chat with others during the lessons, since professors’ ways of teaching don’t suit for me. I think I should change my attitude to lessons next year, or I won’t learn any things in the university! I also hope I can find my goal in the university, because the days I spend in university are meaningfulness. Next semester I’d better study much more hard!
In 2009, I find that I’m different in the aspect of personality. I have been more content, and I feel happy easily. I really like this kind of changing. Hoping I can keep this personality forever.
Someone says that the elements of the university are studies, clubs, love and part-time jobs. I wish I can improve these four “elements” more in 2010!
I also wish that all people I know can keep healthy forever especially my father. In this year, my father gets badly illness and he doesn’t recover from it until now. I really hope he can recover soon!
Being happy every day is the most important thing! Wish all of you happy every day!
Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Assignment 8:ESL Podcast 528

Before I had any contact with the ESL podcast, I’ve always been using the CD player. It’s really heavy and inconvenient. Ever since I started using the ESL podcast, I find it convenient using it. First, we don’t have to carry a CD player or any machine to listen to the program. All we need is a computer and wherever there’s internet. Second, if using the computer and the internet is still too troublesome, we could also download the lessons and save it into a mp3. In that case, we could still study English anytime anywhere.
I really enjoy using the podcast, it saves me time and makes my life more convenient. Apparently, my English ability greatly improved after using the podcast. I also learned how to speak better English and what kind of words I should use in some certain occasion. And I’m looking forward to learning more from the program!

Assignment7: Listen to Steve Job's talk

(a) Write down the expressions you learn from his talk.

1.relent v.緩和: become less severe, harsh, or strict usually from reasons of humanity.
2.stmble into something phr.無意間涉足某事:to become involved in something by chance.
3.calligraphy n.書法:artistic, stylized, or elegant handwriting or lettering
4.typography n.印刷術:letterpress printing
5.serif n.截線:any of the short lines stemming from and at an angle to the upper and lower ends of the strokes of a letter
6.karma n.因果:the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's next existence
7.baton n.指揮棒
8.screw up phr.搞砸:to do something badly or spoil something
9.biopsy n.切片檢查 :the removal and examination of tissue, cells, or fluids from the living body
10.endoscope n.內視鏡
11.intestines n.腸
12.sedate adj.鎮定的:keeping a quiet steady attitude or pace
13.dogma n.信條


(b) Reflect on his thought
After I listen to Steve Job's speech, I think a lot of things. I'm a student who always conform to convention, and dare not do things that may fail or others think wrong. But Steve is not this kind person! I really envy his courage. He said"Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition." I hope someday I also can be the person like Steve and won't change my own ideas just because of others' opinion.
This speech also mentions another point:you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. Before I often confused why I have to learn things which I think I won't use them, such as history, Analects Confucius and so on. Now I realize that I learn these things may be useful in some day!
This speech is really wonderful! I assume that this speech is not only an assignment, it's also a lesson that we con use whole life!

Assignment6:2 audio clips at Randall's ESL Cyber Listening Lab

Day/Date Time：2009/11/17 20:30 to 21:00
Method：Computer
Program/Station/Title：Dinner Time
Level：medium
Topic：cooking
Speakers：man - girl
Length：01:26

．mess up:(1)to make a mistake
(2)make something untidy or cluttered.
- If you take your eyes off that boy, he might mess up your entire house
．stuff:materials, supplies, or equipment used in various activities.
- Oh, this is great stuff.
．non-verbal:(1)being other than verbal
(2) involving minimal use of language
(3) ranking low in verbal skill
- She can tell by his non-verbal expressions.


Day/Date Time：2009/11/17 21:00 to 21:30
Method：Computer
Program/Station/Title：Weekly Activities
Level：medium
Topic：daily activities
Speakers：man and young woman
Length：02:10


．catch up (verb): reach a point where one should be.
- I need to catch up on my sleep. I've been very tired recently.
．geometry (noun): math of lines, points, and shapes.
- My daughter is taking geometry in junior high school now.
．vault (noun): a room or space, often made of steel, for safekeeping valuables like money or important documents.
- The millionaire kept all his valuable coins, paintings, and jewelry in a secret vault in his house.
．spare (verb): give up carefully.
- My son needed money to fix his care, but I could only spare $200 since I didn't have much money either.

assignment 5

Day/Date: 11/10/2009
Time Begin: 16:00
Time ended:16:30
Method: Computer
Program/Station/Title:
Your Notes: Holiday Decorations!

．Knickknack：small decoration, maybe is something makes up paper or plastic.
．grill out：cooking on the grill. 互外燒烤
．Bonfire：burning waste or as part of a celebration.
．DIY：do it yourselfe.
．For most American, they like to do most is eating.(What American do in holidays?)
．What American do in holidays in different season?
Summer: Some people may take a trip, like fishing or living in the cabin.
July is American independence day, they often get together for food. At
night, they go outdoor to watch fireworks.
Fall: It’s time for American football. Many people are outlooking for the team.


Day/Date: 11/10/2009
Time Begin: 20:00
Time ended:20:30
Method: Computer
Program/Station/Title:
Your Notes: Holiday Decorations!

．”Where in the basement? “ implies “Where do you want your decoration to go?”
．What American do in holidays in different season?
Winter: It’s snowing. People go sledding and skiing. Children love to play snowball
fight and make a snowman.
Thanksgiving：In November, people would eat turkey and watch football game after
eating.
Christmas：American family get together all over the country, and celebrate the
birth of Jesus.
．String: Something is long and thin. ( a string of pearls. )
．get into the act：參加
．if you ask me=in my opinion

Assignment 4: Use the concordance tools to answer the following question.

Question: Is there any rule governing the use of "big" and "large"? If yes, what is it? Use evidences to explain the major difference between the two words.

Here are some example sentences which can help us know the difference between "Big"and "Large."

(Big)

But remember also that today's his tory was once big news.
And who will be the big winners in the Chinese search engine market?
Hollywood movies typically end with a big embrace between the man and woman.
The Chinese have a big problem in that their idea of human rights is still very weak.
I have a big inferiority complex.
Taking a little iron and selling it to the indigenous people was a way to make a big profit.

(Large)
The exhibitions attracted large crowds, which reacted with great enthusiasm.
Chang Chin-wen says that a surgeon can only "live parasitically" through a large hospital.
How do you keep the large amount of material you have collected in order?
Compared to these sites, Chengziya is much larger, and many more large artifacts have been discovered.
Who was Chen Lai-chang, and how was he able to obtain exclusive rights to cultivate such a large area?



I use OXFORD Dictionary to find the difference meanings between them.

(Big)
1.large in size, degree, amount, etc.
2.(informal) older.
3.[only before noun] important.
4.(informal) (of a plan) needing a lot of effort, money or time to succeed.
5.(informal) popular with the public; successful.
6.(informal) enthusiastic about sb/sth.
7.doing sth often or to a large degree.
8.of sb (usually ironic) kind or generous.

(Large)
1.big in size or quantity.
2.used to describe one size in a range of sizes of clothes, food, products used in the house, etc.
3.wide in range and involving many things.



I use WebCOLL- Wikipedia Edition to find the collocations about the two words.

(Big)




















(Large)





















After using so many tools to find the differences between the two words, I still have no exactly idea about the answer.In my opinion, I think they are smilier except some aspects.For example,in the collocation"big brother" , you can't use "large" to substitute "big". Generally,they are the same in describing size,amount,quantity and so on. I think in most situations they are equal!

assignment3:Studio Classroom

10/3
filling: n.餡料
This chocolate cake has a cream filling inside it.

cantonese: a.廣州的 n.廣東人
Flavors vary by location,with Cantonese-style cakes being the most popular.

sell like hot cakes: idiom.熱賣
Ice-cream moon cakes are selling like hot cake.

10/7
gadget: n. 小機械
Be carefull not to use one small plung for too many gadgets.

prong: n.叉
Never cut off the third prong and try to fit into a two-hole outlet.

10/16
avatar: n.虛擬化身
Some websites and video games allow players to use avatars for a more personal experience.

assignment2:Olympic Sports

Water polo: ph.水球
a goal game similar to soccer that is played in water by teams of swimmers using a ball resembling a soccer ball a goal game similar to soccer that is played in water by teams of swimmers using a ball resembling a soccer ball.
Archery: n.箭術
the art, practice, or skill of shooting with bow and arrow.
Fencing: n.劍術
the art or practice of attack and defense with the foil, épee, or saber
the art or practice of attack and defense with the foil, épee, or saber.
Wrestling: n.摔角
a sport or contest in which two unarmed individuals struggle hand to hand with each attempting to subdue or unbalance the other.
-->He was on the wrestling team in high school.
Javelin: n.標槍
a light spear thrown as a weapon of war or in hunting
Field hockey: ph.陸上曲棍球
a game played on a turfed field between two teams of 11 players each whose object is to direct a ball into the opponent's goal with a hockey stick
Gymnastics: n.體操
a competitive sport in which individuals perform optional and prescribed acrobatic feats mostly on special apparatus in order to demonstrate strength, balance, and body control
Shot‐put: n.鉛球
a field event in which a shot is heaved for distance.
Equestrian: n.馬術
of, relating to, or featuring horseback riding.
Hurdles: n.跨欄賽跑
an artificial barrier over which racers must leap .

assignment1:self intorduction

My name is Vivian, a freshman wanting to major in Department of Electornic Engineering at the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. I grew up in Changhua whose residents are friendly so I'm friendly, too.
I have been a self-starter. I fell in love with English as a fourth-grader at elementary school at the first sight. I devoted my time to it as much as I can, knowing that I must not stop doing what I love. Due to my perseverance, I took and passed the medium level of the General English Proficiency Test, I hope I can pass high-intermediate level this year.
My favorite sport is basketball, even though I can't play it very well. I like to watch others playing it! I like to watch not only basketball games but also baseball games. Someday, if you want to watch the games, don't forget to invite me!

My blog~~~

This is my first time to built an English blog!
I hope I can built it well!
Welcome everybody here!
I'm glad to see your message,and you can write down anything to me!