起跑點的迷思

教了一些年的英文，學生從2歲半到77歲都有，雖然沒有到作育英才，也沒有誤人子弟。但卻到了台北才發現，現在的家長和以前爸媽都不太一樣。雙薪家庭比例的增加，大部份的父母都沒有時間陪伴小孩，所以就讓小孩去上安親或才藝班。怕小孩在安親班寫完作業後沒事做，便安排了一連串的才藝課程，一來小朋友不會沒事作，二來還可以多學到不同的才藝。基本的心算，鋼琴，加上跆拳道，舞蹈，美術，小朋友的行程排得比我還滿。有時一天有三到四堂的課，就已經佔掉將近五個小時的時間，加上午餐、點心，一整個就是趕趕趕。從中午放學回到安親班，已經快十二點半. 爸媽希望他們能在回家前就把所有的事情完成。sometimes I think that's really impossible to make it. 如果家長自己來當一天的小孩，他們應該就不會再這樣做了。（離題了）讓我沒辦法了解的是，英文、心算、美術、跆拳、舞蹈等等，都是小朋友自己喜歡、想學的嗎？？ I seriously doubt it. 前些日子，看到一段話 ＂沒有所謂的輸在起跑點，學習就像是一場馬拉松， 也許開始時蠃在起跑點，但未必能一路領先到終點。＂一昧的壓縮小孩的童年，不見得能使他們嬴在起跑點，反而會使他們失去了他們一生中最寶貴的童年。所有的學習，都需要持之以恆的練習。＂持之以恆＂才是重點。學習的量，學的東西的多少，並不代表是不是每樣都專精。學習的質比量重要的多。身為英文老師的我，我女兒的英文其實並不是太好。幼稚園畢業後，他說不繼續學英文，我也沒讓他繼續。到了三年級，他突然想學了，我才讓他去上課。一開始，他有點跟不上，但是因為是他自己選擇的，且他有興趣，靠自己的努力加上我的幫助，也漸漸趕上。現在的他，喜歡上課，自動和我說英文。有著這樣的態度，學習才會持久。但是這一切，我無法和家長說，所以只能在這分享。也許幾年後我會懊惱，但是現在，看到我女兒自發性的學習，對我來說，也就夠了。

Community College - If Clauses

Dear All,
This week, we talked about if clauses and I posted what I recorded on Monday class on Youtube. Please go take a look if you miss something or you wanna review.

Community College - Class on Sep. 28, 2009

Dear All,

Last time, we discussed the questions on "Writing Practice 1"; lots of the usages and sentences were covered.

I.
We talked about how to make "Noun Clause" by using "who, what, where, when, why, how much / how many" and did some practices on combining sentences and translation.

Here are the example used last night.

who -
Can you tell me who you are?
I don't know who my dad is talking to.

what -
Can you tell me what your telephone number is?
I don't understand what you are talking about.

where -
Do you know where he lives?
Can you tell me where the post office is?

when -
I don't know when dad will be home.
Can you tell me when we are leaving?

why -
The teacher wants to know why I didn't hang in homework yesterday.
John wants to know why Jean left early last night.

how much -
Can you tell me how much it costs?
I am not sure how much it will be.

how many -
Can you tell me how many people there are in your family?
I am not sure how many books I have.


II.
After that, we talked about the usages of because / so / so that / so..... that

because -
Sam eats a lot because he is very hungry.

so -
John is hungry so he can eat a lot.

so that -
John is hungry so that he can eat a lot.

so .... that -
Sam is so hungry that he eats a lot.

III.
Then, the usages of neither .. nor / either ... or were discussed.

neither ... nor --> 表示A和B兩個都不行做某件事。要注意的是 neither ... nor 已有否定的意思，所以不形接否定動詞在後面。

Grammar - Answer on p.128

接下來是在文法課本128頁，練習十的答案。 要根據問題寫出自己的答案喔。

用who, who(m)或what 造問句

1. ........ do you like to read?
What do you like to read? / I like to read novels.

2. ........ do you like to spend a lot of time with?
Whom do you like to spend a lot of time with? / I like to spend a lot of time with my family.

3. ........ is your idea of the perfect vacation?
What is your idea of the perfect vacation? / In my perfect vacation, I can do whatever I want without disturbing. I can eat whatever I want and sleep as long as I want. I want to take that vacation in a place without cell phone or Internet.

4. ....... do you like to spend your vacation with?
Who do you like to spend your vacation with? / I like to spend my vacation with the people I love, like my daughter, my family or my friends.

5. ........ are the most important people in your life?
Who are the most important people in your live? / The most important people in my life is surely my parents and my daughter.

6. ........was the most memorable event of your childhood?
What was the most memorable even of your childhood? / The most memorable even of my childhood is the experience falling out of the train on the rail way.

7. ......... stresses you out?
What stresses you out? / There are a lot of things that can stress me out. Things like graduation, or dealing with my daughter's behavior issues.

8. .......do you need that you don't have?
What do you need that you don't have? / I think I have everything I need already.

9. ....... would you most like to invite to dinner?
Who(m) would you most like to invite to dinner? / The one who I most like to invite to dinner is my college teacher.

10. ....... has had the most influence on you in your life?
Who has had the most influence on you in your life? / There are a lot of people who have had influence on me in my life. Among all these people, I think my ex has had the most influence on me, in both good and bad ways.

加油喔

Grammar - 發問

這一陣子我們一直談到問句的種類，及知道會問問題的重要性，是為了把對話繼續。

問句大致可分為兩種。
一是yes/no問句，另一種是訊息問句。 yes/no問句是你的問題要別人回答是或不是。

例如:
"你喜歡看電影嗎?"
Do you like to see movies? / Yes, I do. I like to see movies.

"你的同學都很高嗎?"
Are your classmates all very tall? / No, they are not all very tall. Some of them are shorter than I am.

"外面有在下雨嗎?"
Is it raining outside? / Yes, it is. You'd better take an umbrella when you go out.

"你有看過變形金剛2了嗎?"
Have you seen "Transformers 2"? / Yes, I have. I saw it last weekend. I like it a lot.

yes/no 問句都是以動詞或助動詞開始，且句尾的語調是往上的。

而訊息問句則是以7個常見的"W"開始。
1. who - 問人
Who is that girl? / She is my cousin.
2. what - 問事或物
What are you reading? / I'm reading a novel.
What are you doing? / I'm working on my project.
3. where - 問地方
Where do you live? / I live in Taipei.
Where have you been in Taiwan? / I have been to almost everywhere in Taiwan.
4. when - 問時間
When did you go home last night? / I went home at about 12 mid-night.
When are you going to pick me up today? / I will come at about 6.
5. which - 哪一個
Which movie do you like better? Transformers 2 or Harry Potter 6? / I like Transformers 2 better.
6. why - 問理由
Why didn't you answer the phone when I called you last night? / Because I was taking a shower.
7. how - 問方法和如何
方法 - How do I get to the train station? / You can just take MRT.
如何 - How do you feel today? / I feel much better, thanks.



已上是一些訊息問句的例句，請多練習喔。

Grammar - Possible answer on p. 125

Dear All,
Here go the possible answers on page 125, in the grammar book.

根據課本所給的句子，造出以why為疑問句的問句。

EX: I can't go with you tomorrow.
A: I can't go with you tomorrow.
B: Why not? Why can't you go with me tomorrow?
A: Because I have to study for a test.

1. I ate two breakfasts this morning.
A: I at two breakfasts this morning.
B: Why? Why did you eat two breakfasts this morning?
A: Because I didn't have dinner before I went to bed yesterday, I was starving.

2. I don't like to ride on an airplane.
A: I don't like to ride on an airplane.
B: Why not? Why don't you like to ride on an airplane?
B: Because I am scared of height.

3. I am going to sell my guitar.
A; I'm going to sell my guitar.
B: Why? Why do you want to sell your guitar?
A: Because I need money,

4. I didn't go to bed last night.
A: I didn't go to bed last night?
B: Why didn't you go to bed last night?
A: I studied for the mid-term exam all night.

5. I am happy today.
A: I am happy today.
B: Why are you happy today?
A: Because I am promoted.

6. I had to call the police last night.
A: I had to call the police last night.
B: Why did you have to call the police last night?
A: Because my car was stolen.

7. I can't explain it to you.
A; I can't explain it to you.
B: Why not? Why can't you explain it to me?
A: Because it is way too complicating to talk about.

8. I am not speaking to my cousin.
A: I am not speaking tom y cousin.
B: Why not? Why aren't you speaking to your cousin?
A: Because she is not home yet.


希望大家能夠想到更多的對話喔

Cheers,
Julie

Community College - TOEIC - 2009 - 6 - 23

Dear All,

I am truly sorry about the small accident happened the other day. The audio clips have been saved on the other website and it can be found by clicking HERE.

Thank you for all of your support and I really do hope you enjoy the class and hope my teaching really makes you learn something.

See you all next week.

愛你們喔 ~

動詞片語 - 可分離 - 1

Dear All,

最近趁有時間,把之前說過要post上來的動詞片語post在這,希望可以有幫助

動詞片語 - 可分離 - 1

1. figure out --- find the solution to a problem
2. hand in ----- give homework, papers, etc., to a teacher
3. hand out ---- give something to this person, then to that person, then to another perosn, etc.
4. look up ----- look for information in a dictionary, a telephone directory, an encyclopedia, etc.
5. make up --- invent (a story)
6. pick up ----- lift
7. put down --- stop holding or carrying
8. put off ------ postpone
9. put on ------ place clothes on one's body
10. take off --- remove clothes from one's body
11. throw away / throw out --- put in the trash, discard
12. turn off --- stop a machine or a light
13. turn on --- start a machine or a light
14. wake up -- stop sleeping
15. write down -- write a note on a piece of paper
16. call on ----- ask (someone) to speak in class
17. come from -- originate
18. got over --- recover from an illness or a shock
19. get off --- leave a bus/airplane/train/subway
20. get on -- enter a bus/airplane/train/subway
21. get in --- enter a car/taxi
22. get out of -leave a car/taxi
23. look into --- investigate
24. run into --- meet by chance

I will try to post more when I have free time. Hope this can do a little help.

Community College - Tuesday - Complete the Sentence

Dear All,

These are the 15 sentences we talked last class. I hope you can complete the sentences with your own words. Here goes my answer with the sentences.

1. I'm not very interested in math because I don't like numbers, plus, I feel OK as long as there is a calculator.

2. In school, I was very good at grammar because everything made sense to me, but I was very bad in memorizing vocabularies.

3. When I visited India last year, I was impressed by the way how people are living there.

4. I'm sometimes curious about how people are thinking and why they make some certain decisions.

5. My mother is very proud of of herself; because she has educated her 3 daughters well.

6. The first job I applied was to be an English teacher when I was a sophomore. I was very nervous during the demonstration.

7. When I was a child, I used to be afraid of passing by the family which was holding a funeral. After my grandpa passed away, I realized that they were just like me who lost their beloved family members. I haven't been afraid of that since then.

8. I wish I could be back to 18. If I could go back to the age of 18, I would study harder and learn as much as I can.

9. When I'm feeling depressed, I always talk to my friends, listen to their suggestions or just release my depressions.

10. Teachers should never give up on the students.

11. When I am short of money, I sometimes skip my lunch and dinner.

12. Learning English is difficult for me because there are a lot of words I don't know, a lot of usages I want to learn more. It will never be enough for me.

13. I want to learn English because I want to learn more about this language, including poems, stories, vocabularies, usages and so on.

14. I hate people who think they know everything. (Quote - The only ignorance is to think you know everything.)

15. A friend is someone who knows you well but loves you still. (Thanks to Jan, my beloved mentor, sister and friend.)



I hope that I can receive your comments and tell me what is the difficulty you have when you learn English. Please FEEL FREE to let me know whenever you need help.


Love,
Julie

Community College - GEPT - Questions for Writing 2 - p 31

下面是在課本31段落寫作中可以參考的問題。

1. What kind of day did you have? ( I have a good/bad day.)
2. What happened? (I lost......)
4. Where did you lose it?
5. How did you feel? Why? (I was very.....because ........... )
6. What did you have in it? (I had ___, _____, _____, and ______ in it.)
7. What did you do? (I went to ............)
8. Did you get it back? (Finally, I ........ / Hopefully, I .......... )


第八題可以是肯定的答案或否定的答案

Your paragraph can start with .......
"Today is not my day............................. 或者 I had a very bad day today. .........................."

Have Fun~

Community College - GEPT - 口試問題 - 官方版 2009/6/8

Dear All,

These are the 7 questions we discussed in class today. Hope you can come out some of your own answers next week.

1. Have you ever been to a movie theater alone?

Yes, I have. I've been to a movie theater alone. Actually, I like to go to the movies alone because I don't need to worry about what movies we are going to see.

2. Are you wearing glasses now?

Yes, I'm wearing glasses now. I have nearsightedness, so I need to wear glasses.


3. What's your favorite holiday? Tell me about it.

My favorite holiday is Chinese New Year. I like Chinese New Year because that is the chance for all of the family members to get together. Plus, I can have longer break on Chinese New Year.

4. How do you feel on sunny days?

I like sunny days very much. I can always feel happy when I see the white clouds in the sky. However, sunny days in summer always make me sweat a lot as well. I feel humid on the sunny days in summer.

5. When was the last time you went out with your family? What did you do?

The last time I went out with my family was last week. We went out for dinner. My parents, my sisters, my daughter and I had a great time together.

6. Do you think learning English is fun? Why or why not.

I think learning English is fun because I like English. I had a very cool grammar teacher when I was in college. She let me know that learning English is not only memorizing vocabularies or taking tests but also having fun reading novels or singing.

7. The phone is ringing but you are busy. Ask your family for help.

"Hi, can anybody answer the phone for me please, I'm in the middle of something."



These are the questions we discussed last class. Please write your own answers.
Have Fun!

Community College - GEPT - 口試問題 2

Dear All,


這些問題是我們上星期的作業及可能的答案。

Those questions were given last week as homework. Please study at home if possible.

1. What language do you speak? Which do you speak best?

I can speak Mandarin, Taiwanese and English. I speak Mandarin best since I was born and educated in Taiwan. I can also speak English because I am an English teacher.

2. How long have you been studying English?

I have been studying English since I was in junior high school; so I have been studying it for over 15 years.

3.Where do you live?

I live and work in Taipei during weekdays. On the weekend, I go back home to Taoyuan to take care of my daughter. My parents live in Taoyuan as well. I live with them when I am back home.

4. How did you meet your best friend?

I met my best friend, Jay, when we were in elementary school. We were in the same class. We have known each other for over 20 years. We still keep in touch and talk a lot from time to time.

5. How are you today?

I feel pretty good today. Today is Sunday, so I go back home to stay with my daughter. We have a good time reading and studying together.

6. What did you eat today?

I woke up pretty late today since it is Sunday. I had a bagel and a cup of coffee for brunch. As for dinner, my mom made some noodles, all of my family had dinner together.

7. How is the weather today?

It is a very hot sunny day. Hot weather makes me sweat a lot. I don't really like it.

8. Have you ever been to Ken Ting national park?

Yes, I've been to Ken Ting National Park several times. It's a very big park with a lot of different plants and birds.

9. Where are you from?

I'm from Taoyuan. I've been living in Taoyuan since I was born. I like it there very much.

10. Do you like to live in the city or the country? Why?

I like to live in the city because it is more convenient. I can get the things I want in 5 mins. Whenever I feel hungry, I can always find something to eat. That's why I like to live in the city more.

11. Are you busy tomorrow?

Yes, I am. I have a very hectic working schedule. It's Monday tomorrow, I need to wake up early and drive my daughter to school. After that, I need to get back to TPE to work. I have classes until 10 pm.

12.What is your favorite color?

My favorite color is black. I like black because it makes me feel calm, unpredictable. When I wear black dress or top, it makes me look thinner as well.

13. How many people are there in your family? Who are they?

There are 6 people in my family. They are my parents, my two younger sisters, my daughter and I. We are very close to each other.

14. Which sports do you think the most interested?

Well, personally, I don't really like to play any sports. However, I like swimming a lot. It helps me to strengthen my heart.

15. How much money do you usually spend every month?

That is a very good question for a shopaholic like me. Actually, I haven't really counted how much I usually spend every month. Except for the rent and the bills, I spend a lot of money on books and my daughter's clothing. Basically, I spend "A LOT" every month.

16. How many English dictionaries do you have?

I have 5 or 6 English dictionaries I think. Two pocket dictionaries for me to carry easily. Another 3 to keep at home so that I can check the meaning when I read some difficult words.

17. What do you do?

I'm an English teacher. I've been teaching English for kids and adults for over 12 years. I like my job very much.

18. What are you going to do tonight?

I think I'm going to sleep early tonight since I have to wake up early tomorrow.

Study harder, speak more.

Have Fun!!

Community College - GEPT - 口試問題

Dear All,



這是我們上星期一討論過初級口試可能會出現的問題, 把我的答案post在這裡,但是還是希望大家可以有自己的想法喔. Practice more everyday, you will see the improvement.


1.
What did you do last night?



I went to the night market with my family and we had dinner there. We went home at about 10 pm. I watched a movie on TV then took a shower before I went to bed.


2.
How many sit-ups can you do?



I can't do too many of them. I think it is kind of difficult for me since I don't have the habits to do it. I don't really like doing exercise because it makes me sweat.

OR

I can do 30 sit-ups at once. Actually, I do it everyday. It is pretty easy for me. I like doing sit-ups because it helps me to keep in shape.



3.
Do you work out everyday?



No, I don't work out everyday. I have a very busy schedule. It is always late at night after I go home from work. I am too tired to work out.



4.
Do you keep a diary? Why or why not?


Yes, I keep a diary. I keep a diary because I like to write. I want to write down everything that happens in my daily life. I like to write down how I feel for the things I see everyday, no matter if it is happy or sad. That's why I keep a diary.

5.
Do you like to read poems or novels?


I like to read novels better than poems. I like to read novels because I think reading novels is more interesting. I want to know what will happne to the characters in the story and different personalities each character has. That's why I like to read novels.

6.
Have you ever visited America?


No, I have never visited America. However, I am planning to visit there next year. The first place I want to go is SF. I want to see how people are living there.


7.
Have you ever studied abroad?


No, I have never studied abroad. If I have the chance, I want to study English teaching in the states. I have been teaching English for 12 years; I know about the practical parts since I am doing it everyday, but I want to learn more about theories part; why I do the certain methods. If I can, I will surely go.


8.
What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is beef noodles. I like to eat different kind or flavors of beef noodles. No matter where I go, I will find the resaturants that sell beef noodles and give them a try; see if I like the way it's cooked. So far, my favorite one is a small shop near TPE train station.

9.
Do you have any special talents?

Well, I don't think I have any special talents. I can't play any musical instruments, I can't do any tricks. I can only teach and speak a bit English. So, I don't think I have any special talents.

10.
What did you eat today?

I slept past noon today since it is Sunday. Then, I had lunch at Mos Burger with my daughter in the afternoon. I had a rice burger, French fries, corn soup and a cup of coffee. I don't know what I am going to eat for dinner yet.



11.
Which sports do you think the most interested?

I think I like swimming more than other sports since I don't really like to play sports. I like swimming because it can help me to keep in shape. I usually go swimming once a week during summer but not winter because I am afraid of having cold.



12.
Have you ever been to Ken Ting national park?

Yes, I have been to Ken Ting national park several times. I like the view there. Last time I went there was with my daughter. We had a lot of fun there. The air is very fresh and the view is really nice.



13.
What are you wearing today?

I am wearing what I usually wear everyday. I am wearing a t-shirt, blue jeans and my sneakers today.

14.
Have you ever tried street food?

Yes, I have. Actually, I think some of the street food is pretty tasty. I like stinky tofu, oyster noodles and fried chicken. Those are my favorite ones. I rent a suite alone in TPE so that I can't cook here. I eat out all the time. Buying food from the stands is a pretty good choice.

15.
Can you play chess?

No, I can't play chess. It is too complicating to me. However, I know how to play Chinese chess. I learned it when I was in elementary school. I liked to play it with my classmates when I was a kid; but I don't play it anymore.

16.
Do you make your bed every morning?

Yes, I do. I make my bed every morning. I have a small suite in TPE. I don't want to see a messy room everyday when I go home after work so that I want to make my room and bed look tidy.

17.
Have you read the story of Cinderella?

Yes, I have. I read the story when I was in elementary school. Every student knew the story when I was a kid. It is a very interesting story with a lot of fantacy.

18.
What kind of movies do you like to see?

I like to see action movies. I like action moives because it won't make me fall asleep. Everytime when I see heroes beat bad guys to death, it makes me feel that there are still good people in the world.

19.
Do you like tuna sandwiches?

Yes, I do. I like tuna sandwiches. I can make pretty good tuna sandwiches myself. I usually make it for breakfast for my dauhgter if she wants it. I like to eat that as well.

20.
If you want to buy milk in a supermarket, which section should you go to?

I think I need to go to dairy section which I can also find other milk products there; things like cheese, yogurt and of course milk in the dairy section.

21.
Can you play the guitar?

No, I can't. Actually, I can't play any musical instruments. I would love to learn it if I have the time and the money.

22.
Where do you like to go?

I like to go to the starbucks which is near by the place I live. The atmosphere there is nice and I can do a lot of things there. I can bring my laptop there to do my work, I can also read my books there. The most important thing is that I can do all of the things with my favorite drink, coffee.

23.
Have you ever tried bungee-jumping?

No, I haven't. I don't think I will have the nerve to try that. At least not now. I am not really afraid of height, but jumping over the bridge, it takes a lot of courage to do so. Now, I just don't think I am brave enough to do it.


24.
Do you like to sing karaoke?

Yes, I do. I like to sing karaoke. Actually, I like to sing. No matter sing in KTV or karaoke bar, I enjoy singing. It helps me to relax. I hope it makes other people enjoy as well.



25.
When someone compliments you, what should you say?

I think I should say "Thank you" and compliment back as well. When people compliment others, it usually means they want to be praised as well. So, when I hear people saying nice things to me, I will find the good thing that I can see in them and give my compliments with my heart.

26.
Do you jog?

Actually, I used to go jogging once awhile, a very long while before. Then, I found that I really don't like jogging. It makes me heart beat fast and my legs sore. So, I don't go jogging anymore. I am more into belly dancing now.

27.
Where do you live?

I live and work in TPE during weekdays. On the weekends, I go back home in Taoyuan to take care of my daughter. In TPE, I rent a small suite and live alone. In Taoyuan, I live with my parents in a big house.

28.
Do you take any exercise?

Yes, I do. I go belly dancing class once a week. I enjoy belly dancing. I like to dance. It can make me relax, sweat and keep in shape.

29.
What did you do last Sunday night?

Last Sunday, I went out with my dauhgter. I bought some clothes for her and then we went home. I made curry for dinner and both of us liked it a lot. After that, I helped her with the shower and tugged her in.


Remember, practice makes perfect. Talk to yourselves everyday. Think about what you will speak in English whenever you say something in Chinese. 加油!!

會做人比會做事重要

這幾天我發現了一件讓我非常錯愕的事，原本我不以為意，一直到前兩天老闆找我談話，我才知道這位老師會什麼行事作風是如此了。第一次發覺他在老闆頭一次從美國回來開會時，表現的非常creative，熱切的告訴老闆他有什麼教學idea，教具就放在他車上等等。當時的我只是有點驚訝為什麼我應徵他時他都沒有說。最近因為他接的班一直有些問題，所以他就要打電話給家長。本來也沒˙發覺他總是坐在櫃檯打，當然，主任就在旁邊。後來發現當老闆在學校時，他就會坐在辦公室打電話，而愚笨的我，因為不想打擾到家長的上班時間，所以我都會在下班時，用我自己的電話打。前兩天與老板的談話中，發現老闆注意到他與家長的談話內容，我才知到這位老師這樣做是有理由的。(這一個學期的新班，老闆也是決定由他來帶，因為老闆認為他能夠堅持自己的作法並要求家長配合，如果小朋友受不了一次的作業要寫將近一百個單字，是小朋友抗壓性太低，而這些小朋友就會轉到我的班上。) 當我聽到老板說到這一位老師與家長交談情形的時候，我才發現，我真的是非常不會做人。我的個性比較直接，所以我就告訴他我沒那麼會做人。老闆一時也不知怎麼接話，只好問我覺得由他來接新班好不好。我又開始以客觀的角度分析這件事情給他聽，回到家才覺得我真的是很笨。老板要由誰帶就由誰帶，我再說任何的意見只會讓我變成是我在針對他。今天剛剛回到家時，才又想到三個禮拜前的會，自己也被捅了一刀而不自覺，依然是當著老闆的面對我說，"Julie, 你的畢業典禮要怎麼做啊，你似乎一點都不緊張，我們比你還擔心ㄟ" (我的媽啊，真是太厲害了) 當時我只是告訴他我也已經為了這件事心煩頭痛很久了。(我真是蠢)

話說雖然我是帶畢業班，但是畢業典禮是全校的事，所以這位老師也要負責找東西出來給我，因為我是教務。當然，在老闆面前，他完全沒問題。可是事實上，我沒收過他找的東西。所以，只知道要把事情做好的我，找了他們班要唱的歌，把CD燒給他，歌詞印給他。他只需要變動作就好。夠輕鬆吧! 今天，他一下樓，當主任在旁邊時，他開始說了，"Julie,這首歌真的好難編舞，我為了要找到idea，聽了這首歌兩天，還找我的舞蹈系的學生幫我想動作，但是我們都不知道要怎麼跳。真的好難喔" 我聽了終於忍不住，告訴他說"我要你們找東西給我時，你們什麼東西都沒有。幫你們找好東西，連歌詞都印給你們，才來跟我說這太難" 他聽了，當然沒有回話。因為主任在旁邊。

我朋友也說我真的太蠢，被人推下樓還在怪自己走路不小心。被捅了好幾刀，居然隔這麼久才發現。我只能說，我真的不會勾心鬥角或搞心機，只是不能接受事情的不完美，所以事情都攬到身上自己做。算了。I'm too stupid to do those kind of thing. This is who I am. 只能在這發發牢騷，告訴自己，現在做的都是自己學到的。做的越多，學的越多囉。(唉~~) Plus, 打中文好累啊......

Disappointing ...

I have no idea what is wrong with me, I have been feeling so frustrated and depressed about the school I am working now, probably not the school itself but my boss. Forget about the salary and unfairness things, what I have heard really made me wonder where I am working, a school or a 營利事業單位. Of course, my boss wants to make a big profit from the business he is running, but where there is some certain conflict, he still thinks about money.

Lately, there have been a few kids getting sick because of "Enterovirus" (腸病毒), 2 kids in baby class, 1 or 2 in K1, and 1 in K2. The director thinks the current situation needs to be reported to Public Health Bureau, (衛生局) which I think it is the right thing to do.

2 days ago, when I went back to the office after class, I found my boss sitting in front of the PC, looking for something on line. The director came talk to him about this. His reply let me know what he was looking for; he was looking for the regulation of reporting this kind of disease, like how many students are really infected before we need to report it.

The director asked him if we were still going to have the activity for Mother's Day this weekend since the doctor felt that we should have it canceled ; and he replied, "Sure, it is fine. We still had our graduation when SARS took place." That really made me shocked already. The director then asked him if we should have all the students stay home until everybody is alright. My boss said, "If we really do it, we will be toasted." (Means we will have no money and no students, and the parents will know it.)

Come on, I really don't know what will be worse, letting parents know the real situation and have their kids stay safely at home or making money..... 知道太多真的不是好事,對人更失望罷了...

Grammar - Gerunds and Infinitives

上次我們說到一個句子裡只能有一個動詞，但是當要用到兩個動詞時怎麼辦? 第一個方法就是用"TO"把兩個動詞隔開，(動名詞/infinitives)；另一個方法就是把第二個動詞加上"ing"，(不定詞/gerunds)，這樣他就不是動詞囉。 但是不是高興怎麼用就怎麼用，有些動詞只能用"to"，有些只能加"ing"，有些是兩個都可以。

動名詞
1. enjoy - I enjoy working in my garden.
2. finish - Ann finished studying at midnight.
3. stop - It stopped raining a few minutes ago.
4. quit - David quit smoking.
5. mind - Would you mind opening the window?
6. postpone - I postponed doing my homework.
7. put off - I put off doing my homework.
8. keep (on) - Keep (on) working. Don't stop.
9. consider - I am considering going to Hawaii.
10. think about - I am thinking about going to Hawaii.
11. discuss - They discussed getting a new car.
12. talk about - They talked about getting a new car.

不定詞

1. want - I want to go to Chicago next week.
2. need - Sarah needed to go home early yesterday.
3. would like - She would like to have lunch with him next week.
4. would love - My dad would love to meet you.
5. hope - Sandy hopes to have a good job after she graduates.
6. plan - My sister is planning to have a baby.
7. forget - Tim forgets to bring his grammar book.
8. try - The baby is trying to walk without help.
9.decide - I decided to buy a new car.
10. offer - Tom offered to lend me some money.

動名詞或不定詞都接可以的動詞

begin / start / continue / like / love / hate / can't stand /


"GO + -ING"

GO可以加上動名詞來表示依些常見的活動
EX:
go boating / go bowling / go camping / go dancing / go fishing / go hiking
/ go jogging / go running / go sailing / go (window) shopping / go sightseeing
/ go (ice) skating / go (water) skiing / go skydiving / go swimming /

Belly Dancer - Rachel Brice - Lesson 5 - Reverse Body Roll

Hope you can enjoy belly dancing as well.

Community College - GEPT - Monday Class - April 6

Dear All,

These are the questions you may need when you are doing Writing 1 on our test book.

1. What day is it today?
2. How did you feel in the morning?
3. Why did you feel that way?
4. Did anybody talk to you?
5. What did you do on the day time? Did you just go to work?
6. What happened when you went home?
7. How did you feel when you saw it?


Your paragraph can start with "Today is my birthday. I was very excited when I woke up in the morning."

Community College - GEPT - Monday Class

Dear All,

Sorry for the late posting. Here is the possible answer of Writing 4.

Sandy had a test this morning but she didn't study for it at all. Last night, she watched TV and had a lot of snack all night. Awhile later, her friend called her and they talked on the phone for a long time. She had a lot of fun. She forgot about the test this morning completely. Today, when she got into the classroom, she finally thought about the test. She was very upset because she didn't know how to answer the questions.

Community College - GEPT - Monday Class - March 23rd

Dear All,

Sorry for the late updating. Here are the questions you may want to know when doing the writing.

1. What did Sandy have this morning?
2. Did she study for it?
3. What did she do last night?
4. What did she do after that?
5. How did she feel last night?
6. How did she feel in class this morning?


I will talk about it next Monday.


Have Fun!!

Community College - Monday GEPT - March 9th, 2009

Dear All,

We had a great time discussing the questions and the answers of writing practice 3. Here is the possible answer of the last part of writing test.

I visited my uncle (here you can say your relatives, aunties..etc) in Kaohsiung last Friday. I went there with my parents. We got there at about 3:19 in the afternoon. My uncle picked us up in the train station. I had a great dinner with my family and relatives on the first day. On Saturday, it rained all day so that I decided to stay home and played cards with my cousins. It was fun actually. On Sunday, the sun was out so that we went to the beach. The weather was nice and warm there. We swam in the ocean and played with a beach ball there. We had a lot of fun. It was also the last day we stayed in Kaohsiung. Both my parents and I had a great time with my relatives there.

Please feel free to let me know if you have any questions. And again, if I speak too fast, remind me.

Love,
Julie

Community College - Wednesday Class - March 4th

Dear All,

Have you started your homework yet?? Guess not. - -" Here are some possible answers of the Ice Breaker I gave you last time. If you don't know how to start it, you can take a look. Don't copy it.^^

1. I think I am a good cook. All of my family like what I cook. Curry is my specialty.
2. Well, no, I don't collect anything as a hobby. I think it will take too much of my space.
3. No, I don't read daily newspaper because I can read it from the Internet.
4. Yes, I always go to bed late. It is usually 1 or 2 in the morning when I go to sleep.
5. I don't have a pet. I don't know how to take care of it.
6. Yes, I do. I like to watch TV, and my favorite show is CSI.
7. Yes, I like to read a lot. There isn't any specific author I like acutally.
8. Of course not. If I could change my body, I would have my butt changed. hahaha..
9. I live in a suite. It is not really big. There is only a room with a shower in my suite.
10. Yes, I go shopping every month. I usually buy jeans.


Hope I can see different answers from you next class and I HOPE every one can really enjoy the class as much as I do.

Community College - GEPT - Monday Class - March 2nd

Dear All,

It's good to see all of you guys today. I really do hope that you had a good time there and enjoyed the class as much as I do.

Here are the answers for what we did today. Please check it.

1. What time does she usually go to bed?
2. Tell me why you were late.
3. Sandy forgot to mail the letter.
4. It is not easy to play the piano well.
5. My uncle used to travel a lot when he was young.
6. I helped my mom to clean the house.
7. Mr. Lin's student wrote a letter to him.
8. Kate is too young to go to school.
9. I go to work by bus.
10. His brother told him the bad news as soon as he got home.
11. Jane didn't know what to do.
12. Neither I nor my brother can swim.
13. I am afraid that I can't talk to you now.
14. How many students are there in your class?
15. Mark was so nervous that he couldn't eat.

Here are the questions you can follow if you don't really know how to start writing the composition.

1. Where did you go?
2. When did you go there?
3. Who did you go with?
4. How did you go there?
5. What time was it when you got there?
6. Who picked you up there?
7. What did you do on the first day?
8. Did you have a good time doing it?
9. What did you do on the second day?
10. Where did you go?
11. Who did you go with?
12. Did you have fun there?
13. Would you like to visit them again if possible?


You can start with answering the questions in the beginning. If there is anything you don't understand, you know my number; or you are more than welcome to leave your comments here.


Cheers,
Julie

Trip to India - Day 1

It was still the first day of my trip in India. ^^






This was the vegetables stand on the street. They don't have too many kinds of green vegetables but there are some rhizome like radishes, red onions, carrots, and also some egg plants and others. The vendors just put the basket on the tires.

The fruit stand. I couldn't find any "juicy" fruit........ The apples weren't crunchy. I don't like it.

Taxi in India which is call "rickshaw". This is "auto-rickshaw", means it's automobile. If the one with a man riding in the front is called "rickshaw".

This was the snack stand that sold "water chestnut", 菱角. It was different from what we can see in Taiwan, it has no angle. However, it tasted the same.

The one sold egg omelet. Very salty. I could even taste the salt. Haha... Plus, do you see the newspaper on the left? That was the "plate".

After visiting the small market near the hotel, we went to the very famous site in New Delhi., Indian Gate. It was built to honor the soldiers who were killed in World War i. Actually, India wasn't involved in the war, but being the colony of UK, they were forced to go to the field and fought for England. The United Kindom made a treaty with India govement; if India soldiers fought for UK in the war, the UK govenment would declear that India was an independent country. However, the UK govenment broke the treaty and India didn't become an independent country after the war. TO eased the anger of Indian people, the British built this gate in the year of 1931. In World War i, more than 90,000 soldiers were sent to the field and 10,000 more were killed and their names were carved on the wall.

There was a big park next to the gate and it was the place where Indians like to spend their time after work. It was a very popular snack in India. Of course, we ordered one. It was like... 米香 in Taiwan, but it was not sweet at all but sour, because they put lemon drops in it. It didn't taste good tho.

Then, we went to the night market near by the gate. (Finally, shopping time!!!) It was just like the night market you can see in Taiwan. But there was one thing that crabbed our attention. They hang the clothing they were selling on the tree with strings, and the strings were all connected to the other stand. So, they could easily find the ones customers wanted by just pulling the strings.

There was something about our first dinner I want to talk about except for the curry. It was the appertizer. Some very spicy stuff with small red onions. IT WAS REALLY SPICY!!!!

Belly Dancing - Rachel Brice - Body Roll

She is AMAZING !!! See how her body and belly move. Have fun...

Trip to India - Day 1

I took a trip to India for 12 days in November and I had a lot of fun there, well, most of the time. The first day we got there, the weather was nice for sure.





When we went to the place to get a cab, I was pretty surprised because I didn't expect to see the car that nice. (The black car was the taxi there.)

But, the car was just like a piece of iron that could run. The tour guide was holding the door handle which was easily broken when she was opening the door..

When we were on the way to our hotel, I found that there was something really interesting. Most of their cars don't have rearview mirrors. When they wanted to overtake another car, they just did it. The car in the back should know that. ( If they drive like that in Taiwan, I don't think they can survive for the first day.)

Plus, they didn't really notice how close they were to the car next to them. I can only say that they are REALLY good at driving. And, they honked the horn ALL THE TIME. It was super noisy.








The street that the hotel was. It looked fine in the picture but actually it was not really clean and it made me felt a bit crowded because every house was very close to the next.

The lobby of the hotel. It was small but at least it was pretty clean.

After putting the luggage in the room, I went to the market for some food. That was the stand sold oranges and orange juice. The tin bucket next was to store orange juice which they made it with bare hands. (OMG)

To be continued .....