[ Journals ] XI - Everyone Says I Love You

In Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You, nearly everyone sings for their paycheck. Drew Barrymore, Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn, Tim Roth, Alan Alda, Edward Norton, Woody himself -- they all interrupt the action to break into popular songs and ballads from the '30s and '40s. The actors use their own voices (okay, except Barrymore, who was dubbed); sometimes they dance, too, or are surrounded by passing characters engaged in flights of fancy choreography. But aside from the dismaying experience of listening to the cellophane-thin voices of Roberts faltering through ''All My Life,'' or Allen attempting ''I'm Thru With Love'' like a man on a respirator, there is nothing shocking or even noteworthy in this experiment. The late Dennis Potter used song and dance far more boldly and brilliantly as a reflection of inner emotional landscape in the BBC's ''Pennies From Heaven'' and ''The Singing Detective,'' where the characters lipsynched to original period recordings.
Take away the tunes and the footwork, then, and what you have is this: melancholia disguised as a romantic fantasia, with the filmmaker's nose once again pressed up against the window of an idealized, classy (i.e., vaguely WASPy or at least de-ethnicized) family. This time the filmmaker plays Joe, an artistic type divorced from his wife (Hawn), living in affluence in Paris, and intent on impressing a young woman (Roberts) he meets in Venice. Joe is the father of DJ (Natasha Lyonne), who lives with her mother and stepfather (Alda) in affluence on Manhattan's Upper East Side along with various full and half siblings. Life is a New Yorker magazine dream: perfect homes, delicious flirtations, and loving relationships among the entire blended family, more privileged a group it would be hard to find outside an Edith Wharton novel (and you know how unhappy those New Yorkers really were).
Styled as a romantic confection, ''Everyone Says I Love You'' is, in fact, steeped in an unacknowledged middle-aged sadness that leaks from the writer-director and saps the energies of his cast. (Roth, as a crudely virile ex-con, and Hawn, in full career reascendancy, are two of the few who defy the pall.) Missing the glow of grounded happiness that lit up ''Hannah and Her Sisters'' -- Allen's most mature family fantasy -- this celebration of love and good fortune doesn't feel very festive at all.


http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,295478,00.html


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I. Summarize

II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
ii. useful / phrases

III. The reason I chose this article

[ Journals ] X - Stereo for the 21th Century

At the market, a housewife wearing white earphones taps her toes to 1970s disco. In a park, teenagers with small white boxes attached to their belts dance to the latest hip hop beats. And at the local college, a professor enjoys his Mozart collection while relaxing between classes. These days, it seems that no matter who or where they are, everyone is jamming out with Apple iPod.
The amazing is the honest new toy on the market these days. It may be the size of the deck of cards, but one iPod can store over ten thousand songs. And with its sleek, rectangular shape and smooth, rounded corners, it’s the coolest stereo ever invented. No wonder it’s the gift every teenager wants!
The iPod success is due to its simplicity and usefulness. Its controls are easy to use. And it has a scroll wheel, so users can look through song menus quickly. The most popular iPod feature is the “shuffle” option. This feature selects songs at random, creating a personal radio station for the listener.
Acquiring songs to fill your iPod’s memory banks is easy. Songs can be downloaded directly from an online music store called iTunes. Other iPod owners trade songs with friends or people they meet over the Internet. The 21st century stereo, however, isn’t limited to music storage.
Recorded books are also found in many people’s iPod collections. Users have also found out that iPods are great for storing digital data. The makers of the Lord of The Rings even used iPods to transport film scenes. And photographers can store their pictures on this handy device.
Powerful, useful, and fashionable, the iPod has touched off a revolution. It is changing the way people listen to music and access different media. Some musicians and pop stars believe iPods will completely the tapes and CDs music lovers once owned. Walkmans and full-size stereos, the ancestors of the iPod, could soon become antiques. Now that the world has discovered the iPod, there’s no going back. This new machine is here to stay.

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I. Summarize

II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
ii. useful / phrases

III. The reason I chose this article

[ Journals ] VIIII - Are We Having Pun Yet?

A pun is a humorous “play on words.” Puns can use words with two meanings, or words that sound similar to, or the same as, other words. One example is, “The musician who was in jail was waiting for his next release.” The word “release” has two meanings: “to set free” and “a new album.” Another example is, “ Some people don’t like food going to waist.” Puns are meant to be funny, but some people find them to be pun-ishment!

I was wondering why the baseball was getting bigger. Then it hit me.

The scientist disconnected his doorbell because he wanted to win the Nobel Prize.

The runner’s shorts were too small, so it was a tight race.

The fisherman always did what his friends did. He said it was pier pressure.


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I. Summarize

II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
ii. useful / phrases

III. The reason I chose this article

[ Journals ] VIII - English Is Child’s Play

Children are amazing! They pick up language so naturally and easily. Have you ever wonder why? It’s not because they have great natural language abilities. In fact, studies show that an adult’s potential to learn language is just as good as a child’s/
So why do children still seem to acquire language more quickly than the rest of us? It’s because of the way they learn. Children learn by simply doing what comes naturally—they listen, copy and communicate. Let’s take a closer look at how children acquire language. Perhaps discover a better, more “natural” way to learn English.

Listen, Listen, Listen
When people talk to children, they often use simple words that children can understand. That’s really important to the children’s language development. In order to learn, children must be able to comprehend what they hear. If they don’t understand it, it’s just meaningless noise.
English students also need to listen frequently to English thy can understand. Tune in to radio or TV programs like Studio Classroom that use English at your level. If you can’t understand every word or sentence, don’t get hung up on it. Just concentrate on what you can understand. And listen as often as you can.

Be a Copycat
Children like to copy what they hear. They mimic their parents, their friends and even the TV. This teaches them how to use and pronounce the language. Mimicking has the same benefits for students of a second language. As you listen to foreigners speak English, repeat what they say as best as you can.

Use English to communicate
Children don’t practice grammar drills, but use language to talk about things that interest them. This helps them learn to express themselves. They don’t worry about inadequate vocabulary or poor grammar. They find ways to express themselves, and they do it successfully.
Students of English should also focus on genuine communication. Look for opportunities to talk with people in English. If you can’t find a foreigner to talk to, talk with other English students, instead. Start an English discussion group and chat about music, movies or whatever interests you. Don’t worry about making mistakes. The objective is to learn how to communicate easily and comfortably. Remember that you can communicate successfully even with a small vocabulary.
Trust your own natural ability to learn English. You’ve got more potential than you probably realize!

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I. Summarize


II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
ii. useful / phrases


III. The reason I chose this article

[ Journals] VII - Manage Your Emotions

You’ve been studying for hours. You feel burned-out and really need a break. You sit down to watch TV. Your mom comes in and yells at you: “You should be studying! Turn off that TV and get to work!” You feel angry and frustrated. So what do you do?

Everyone deals with emotions differently. Do you handle yours in a healthy way? Uncontrolled or suppressed emotions, especially anger, can hurt you—and everyone around you! The following tips will help you control your anger and other strong emotions.

Take a deep breath. Deep breathing will help relax you. It also forces you to slow down and let your mind catch up with your emotions.

Figure it out. Understanding what you’re feeling is the key to dealing with your emotions. Don’t worry about other people’s behavior. Figure out what you can do to help the situation that’s bugging you. Let your emotions motivates you to take positive action.

Get moving. Taking a walk or exercising provides a healthy way to use your emotional energy. It will also help relieve stress.

Laugh about it. No, humor doesn’t make your problems go away, but it can help you regain perspective. Tell jokes, find the funny movie. You’ll feel better and your problems might seem smaller.

Talk about it. Putting your feelings into words helps you trust and tell them what’s bugging you. Just make sure the person you talk to isn’t someone who will encourage your anger. And try to keep things in perspective; don’t just complain.

Take care yourself. Always eat right, exercise and get enough sleep. Emotions are easier to control when you’re well-rested and healthy.

Take responsibility. Emotions aren’t always under your control, but your actions are. So take responsibility for what you do; don’t blame others. That usually just makes the situation worse.

Learn to forgive. Most important, learn to accept and forgive yourself and others. Holding a grudge will hurt you more than anyone. Forgiveness may or may not heal a broken relationship, but it always heals the one who forgives.

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I. Summarize


II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
ii. useful / phrases


III. The reason I chose this article

[ Journals ] VI - Dell Breaks Your Laptop, Sends Replacement Full Of Pubes

Reader K's call to Dell tech support for his laptop resulted in the tech helping him break a different computer, then sending him a replacement laptop full of human pubic hair. After diagnosing a faulty power adapter with K's laptop, the Dell technician asked him to plug the malfunctioning adapter into his other, out-of-warranty Dell to confirm the problem. K was reluctant, but complied, and fried his old laptop in the process. To their credit, Dell offered a replacement; unfortunately, it had a full bush. Full email, with picture, below (photo is NSFL: Not Safe For Lunch).

So I rarely resort to complaints as I think I am an easygoing consumer, but this time Dell went over the line. Maybe I just needed to write this email to vent, but I think it may be worth a post on your site...
Recently my 1 year old Dell laptop stopped charging the battery, so I called technical support (still under 3 year warranty) to try to resolve the issue. The technician recommended trying to plug another Dell power adapter into the laptop to see if this was the problem, and surprisingly it worked - problem solved...send me a new power adapter and I'll be on my way.
Unfortunately here things took bad turn. The technician thought that it would be a good idea to try the faulty power adapter in my other Dell laptop just to confirm that this was the problem. I told him that this laptop was no longer under warranty and that I didn't really want to mess with anything else since we had already resolved the issue. He said that we had to confirm this before he could authorize a new adapter being sent to me. So I plug it in and ZAP! Burning smell, and my old laptop was fried - nothing could revive it. At this point I was worried the technician would hang up, but to their credit they stayed on the line and after about an hour finally agreed to replace my old laptop. At this point, I was rather satisfied despite all of the problems - I was getting a new replacement for my old laptop.
About a week later, I get my "new" Dell laptop. I open the case, and the instruction manual is bent out of shape, and I start to worry. I reach the bottom of the box, pull out the laptop, and first thing I see is the top is covered in scratches. Some people may say that I should be happy since I was getting a newer model laptop to replace an old laptop with no warranty. My old laptop, however, was in great condition. When I opened up the new laptop, I saw the screen was scratched and dirty, and the keyboard was covered in debris. Wait, not debris....what is that? HAIRS!? Not just any hairs - these could only be described as pubes. I hate to be so crude, but pubes are pubes. Not the incidental curly hair, but rather mini-tufts between the keys. My only guess is that Ron Jeremy was the previous owner. At this point, I called Dell back, and I have written this email in between talking to 3 different people and over an hour of hold time. Nobody wants to help, and I'm reached the limits of my tolerance for poor service.

At this point, I'm considering 3 options:

1. Vacuum it, douse it in alcohol, and just try to use it and forget about "the hedgehog"
2. Sell it and buy a new laptop
3. Go to the gym, run 3 miles, trim body hair directly over the keyboard, send laptop back to dell (this is the cleaned up version)

Any other ideas?


Well, although Dell may not be listening to Executive Email Carpet Bombs anymore, it doesn't hurt to try. Here is a bunch of Dell email addresses, here are some more, and here is one more. Include pictures of the fuzz factory in your email, hopefully it will gross someone out enough to get you a replacement.

PHOTO LINK:
http://consumerist.com/374402/photo-dell-breaks-your-laptop-sends-replacement-full-of-pubes

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I. Summarize

II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
ii. useful / phrases

III. The reason I chose this article

[ Journals ] V - The Sweet Taste of Summer

　　During the hot summer months people everywhere count on the sweet and creamy taste of ice cream to cool them down. Whether covered in chocolate, blended into milkshakes, or served in cones, ice cream is always a hit. But where does this poplar dessert come from?
Some say the Roman emperor Nero invented ice cream to satisfy his sweet tooth. He is said to have sent slaves high into the mountains to bring back snow, which chefs would mix with honey and fruit. Apparently, Nero like the frozen sweet so much that he had special cold rooms built in his palace to store snow.
　　Another story says that ice cream was first invented in China, almost four thousand years ago. Italian explorer Marco Polo supposedly brought it back to Europe in 1295 after a long trip to the East.
　　There is a little proof, however, for eight of these explanations. What we do know is that, by the mid-1600s, English king Charles I was enjoying ice cream. Palace records show the dessert was a favorite at palace dinner parties.
　　From the king’s table, it didn’t take long for ice cream to become poplar worldwide. American presidents Thomas Jefferson and George Washington were both big fans of the dessert. In fact, Washington paid almost US$200 (a huge sum in his day!) for a vanilla ice cream recipe.
　　The biggest problem with ice cream was how to serve the sweet treat. Most vendors sold it in tiny glasses called “penny licks.” However, customers often broke or stole the glasses, which cost vendors a lot of money.
　　The invention of ice cream cone solved this problem. Many people believe ice cream cones were invented at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. There, ice cream and waffle vendor combined their products and served ice cream in portable waffle cones. Records show, however, that ice cream was already being served in edible containers as early as 1888.
　　Today, ice cream is eaten from Taipei to Tunisia to Toronto. In most places, chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla are best sellers. In Japan, though, ice cream comes in an amazing range of flavors. Chicken wing, eel, or wasabi ice cream, anyone?

--by Francoise Raunet Landmark English August 2004
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I. Summarize


II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
supposedly adv. 據稱
edible adj. 可食用的
eel

ii. useful / phrases
count on 依靠
blended v. 混合; 調合
sweet tooth n. 甜食癖
recipe n. 食譜
portable

III. The reason I chose this article

　　The hot weather these days made me think the summer is coming! And speak about the summer, the first image jumps into my mind is ice cream! I love the melty, sweet sweat creamy ice very much, and I even can eat it in winter! I think my favorite flavor may be peanuts, macadamia nuts, and so kind of nuts.

　　Talk about the special flvors, I know a store in Hsi-men has it's own special flavors. There are not only chicken wings, but also pork and much more flavors I even don't have the courage to try a lick.

[ Journals ] IV - Que Sera, Sera (What will be, will be.)

Que Sera, Sera - What will be, will be.

When I was just a little girl,
I asked my mother, "What will I be?
Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?"
Here's what she said to me:

Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
The future's not ours to see,
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be.

When I was just a child in school,
I asked my teacher, "What shall I try?
Should I paint pictures?
Should I sing songs?"
This was her wise reply:

Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
The future's not ours to see,
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be.

When I grew up and fell in love,
I asked my lover, "What lies ahead?
Will we have rainbows day after day?"
Here's what my lover said:

Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
The future's not ours to see,
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be.

Now I have children of my own,
They ask their mother, "What will I be?
Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?"
I tell them tenderly:

Que sera, sera,
Whatever will be, will be.
The future's not ours to see,
Que sera, sera,
What will be, will be.

===


"Que Sera Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)" first published in 1956, is a popular song which was written by the Jay Livingston and Ray Evans songwriting team.

The song was featured in Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 film, The Man Who Knew Too Much, with Doris Day and James Stewart in the lead roles. Day's recording of the song for Columbia Records (catalog number 40704) was a hit in both the United States— where it made it to number two on the Billboard charts—and the United Kingdom. From 1968 to 1973, it was the theme song for the situation comedy The Doris Day Show, becoming her signature song.

It reached the Billboard magazine charts in July, 1956. The song received the 1956 Academy Award for Best Original Song with the alternate title "Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera)." It was the third Oscar in this category for Livingston and Evans, who signature won in 1948 and 1950.



http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=R6WDdZ6xaPg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Que_Sera,_Sera_(Whatever_Will_Be,_Will_Be)

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I. Summarize


II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
alternate Adj./V. 交替; 輪流
lies ahead 在前方; 未來等待
signature N. 特徵

ii. useful / phrases
day after day 日復一日
situation comedy 電視連續喜劇


III. The reason I chose this article

[ Journals ] III - Yoshimoto Nara's Artworks

Nara first came to the fore of the art world during Japan’s Pop art movement in the 1990s. The subject matter of his sculptures and paintings is deceptively simple: most works depict one seemingly innocuous subject (often pastel-hued children and animals drawn with confident, cartoonish lines) with little or no background. But these children, who appear at first to be cute and even vulnerable, sometimes brandish weapons like knives and saws. Their wide eyes often hold accusatory looks that could be sleepy-eyed irritation at being awoken from a nap—or that could be undiluted expressions of hate..
Nara, however, does not see his weapon-wielding subjects as aggressors. "Look at them, they [the weapons] are so small, like toys. Do you think they could fight with those?" he says. "I don’t think so. Rather, I kind of see the children among other, bigger, bad people all around them, who are holding bigger knives…"
Nara’s own explanation of his work, then, casts us as the aggressors guilty of betraying and attacking childhood innocence. When cast in that light, Nara incriminates himself as well, for his art is above all based upon the perversion of otherwise innocent subjects.
Lauded by art critics and hipsters alike, Nara’s bizarrely intriguing works have gained him a cult following around the world.

Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshitomo_Nara Wikipedia
http://www.nara-movie.jp/ MOVIE - Traveling with Yositomo Nara
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I. Summarize


II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
deceptively Adv. 迷惑地
depict V. 描畫; 雕出
innocuous Adj. 無害的
pastel-hued 粉蠟筆色調的; 柔和色調的
brandish V. 揮舞
accusatory Adj. 責問的;非難的
undiluted Adj. 純真的
wielding V. 揮舞
aggressor N. 侵略者
incriminate V. 暗示; 控告
hipsters N. 行家
bizarrely Adv. 奇形怪狀地
intriguing V. 激起…的好奇心

ii. useful / phrases
movement N. 活動; 動向
seemingly Adv. 表面上; 似乎是
irritation V. 激怒
light V. 點燃; 照亮
perversion N. 誤用
lauded V. 讚美
cult N. 迷信; 狂熱

III. The reason I chose this article
The first time I saw Nara’s art work was at my third grades of junior high. I like the girl he drew and I think she’s really cute. And I agreed his explanation about the weapons. If you think someone who hold a knife is evil, then you might be hurt by someone who looked like a good person. It’s true, at least I’ve met some.
And I like his painting very much. I haven’t seen the movie about his work, but I think I will buy the DVD as I start a part-time job this summer.

[ Journals ] II - Gothic geeks to teach English to otaku nerds

Wanted: Gothic geeks to teach English to otaku nerds

Geek ghetto Akihabara has become the site of Cosplish, Japan's first English conversation school featuring cosplaying foreigner teachers dressed in wacky costumes, according to Cyzo (April).
Cosplaying teachers are told to teach students how to use simple, "broken" English, while the school also plans to give instructions on "Otaku English," using mostly abbreviations, and "Anime English," which will focus on English instructions of famous lines from cartoons like Gundam.
Founder Akihiro Suzuki figured opposites would attract and started Cosplish.
"Otaku are known for their incredible customer loyalty, while schools are known for their trouble in getting customers to keep on coming back, so I figured a school for cosplayers would achieve the perfect blend," Suzuki tells Cyzo.
Suzuki has a background running maid cafes, another otaku staple. Initially, he considered dressing up foreign women as maids and getting them to give English lessons in a place he dreamed of calling Maid in English. But he decided his vision was too narrow.
"Even though the maid trade within the otaku business seems to be broad-reaching, it's actually quite narrow. It only caters to otaku who have a thing for the image of maids," he says. "I thought I'd go for something broader, which would appeal to a wider audience, which is why I decided on the cosplay idea."
Enrolling in Cosplish is simple, requiring only that students e-mail in a reservation to attend a class, with times listed on the company's official website. The monthly magazine warns that classes are often suddenly cancelled if not enough people book to take them, 20 being the required number of students needed for a class to go ahead.
Cosplish currently employs eight cosplaying teachers, most of them students recruited from universities or Japanese language schools.
"I want to start classes for kids some time in the future," Suzuki tells Cyzo. "And I'll make the teachers get dressed up in Pikachu suits." (By Ryann Connell)


http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/waiwai/news/20080326p2g00m0dm004000c.html

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I. Summarize


II. Vocabulary words and phrases
i. new words/phrases
geek N. 怪胎; 電腦玩家
nerd N. 笨蛋; 討厭的人
ghetto N. 少數民族居住區; 貧民區
Cosplish 角色扮演英語會話學校(日本)
enroll 終幕時的參與者名單

ii. useful / phrases
cosplay (=costume play) 角色扮演
Otaku 「御宅族」對於某事熱衷者, '80年代以後日本人多用來稱呼喜歡動漫的族群
instruction N. 教學; 使用説明
loyalty N. 忠誠; 忠心
staple N. 主樣成分; 主題
currently Adv. 現在; 一般; 流暢地


III. The reason I chose this article
　　Well, the reason I chose this article was quite simple--I'm a person who affected by Japanese Comics and Animations.

[ Journals ] I - China: Poison dumplings 'a crime'

Chinese authorities investigating a food poisoning scare surrounding dumplings sold in Japan have said they believe the dumplings were deliberately contaminated.

Wei Chuanzhong of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said he believed the case was "an isolated deliberate crime" carried out outside of China.

"We believe the Japan 'poison dumpling incident' is not a food safety problem caused by pesticide residues," he told a Beijing press conference.

"The act of contaminating the dumplings was very unlikely to have happened in China."

At least 10 people in Japan suffered pesticide poisoning last month after eating frozen dumplings - known as gyoza in Japan - which originated in a factory outside Beijing.

The dumplings were laced with a pesticide called methamidophos.

Thousands of other Japanese have complained of illness after eating dumplings from China.

The scare is the latest in a series of safety alerts to hit Chinese-made produce, with recalls in recent months hitting products such as toothpaste, car tyres and childr en's toys.

With China's economy heavily-reliant on the export market, the government has been eager to be seen taking a tough line on safety in an effort to shore up consumer confidence.

The poisoned dumpling case has also threatened to strain improving bilateral ties ahead of an expected visit to Japan by Hu Jintao, the Chinese president.

The issue was further complicated last week when meat buns imported to Japan from China contained the same pesticide.

The Chinese findings run counter to claims from Japanese authorities that the contamination of the dumplings, produced by the Tianyang Food plant outside Beijing, likely occurred in China.

"The Japanese side says there is no possibility they were poisoned in Japan. We say there is very little possibility it occurred in China," Yu Xinmin, deputy head of criminal investigation with China's Public Security Bureau, told Thursday's press conference.

Wei added that the findings "do not exclude the possibility of a person from a third country or region illegally purchasing the relevant pesticide and bringing it into Japan," but offered no details.


http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/856E8D7E-D2E4-4BC0-B7F9-2BAEA9B0F147.htm

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I. Summarize
　　Chinese government declared that including their investigating, they found out that the poison dumpling incident was “an isolated deliberate crime” carried out outside of China. And they said that it might be someone from other country to do this crime.
　　The poison dumpling incident as known the name –-Doku Gyoza—in Japan made most of people were afraid to use Chinese-made products, and it would hit the Chinese products.
　　Now Chinese government said the case might not be their responsibility because they just find out that the poisoning might have the possibility committed out side of China. But they didn’t point out who might do this crime.

II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
investigate V. 調查; 研究
deliberately Adv. 慎重地; 故意地
contaminated Adj. 弄髒的; 受毒害的
administration N. 行政; 官員的任期
inspection N. 檢察
quarantine N./V. 隔離; 檢疫
pesticide N. 殺蟲劑
residue N. 殘渣
methamidophos N. 有機磷系農藥
tyres N. 輪胎; 輪箍/ V. 給...上輪箍
reliant Adj. 依賴的; 有信心的
strain V. 拉長/ N. 張力
bilateral Adj. 對稱的; 雙方的
buns N. 人的臀部
deputy N. 代理人
bureau N. 詢問處; 司, 屬
relevant Adj. 恰當的; 關係重大的

ii. useful / phrases
isolated Adj. 被孤立的; 被隔離的
conference N. 協會; 成人補習班
lace V. 裝飾; (+into)抨擊
threatened Adj. 受到威脅的


III. The reason I chose this article
　　Liar!!!
　　I don't like China's saying. It sounds like they have no responsibility to the "poison dumplings incident." No wonder Japanese hate Chinese because they like to lie and don't wanna take responsibilities to anything.

[ Journals ] 10

　　Can trees talk? Yes—but not in words. Scientists have reason to believe that trees do communicate with each other. Not long ago, researchers learned some surprising things. First a willow tree attacked in the woods by caterpillars changed the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste so awful that the caterpillars got disgusted and stopped eating them. Then, even more astonishing, the tree sent out special vapors—an alarm signal stimulating its neighbors to change the chemistry of their own leaves and make them less tasty.
　　Communication, of course, doesn’t need to be in words. We can talk to each other by a smile, a frown, a shrug of our shoulders, a gesture with our hands. We know that birds use a whole vocabulary of songs, sounds, and movements. Bees dance their signals, flying in certain patterns that tell other bees where to find nectar for honey. So, why shouldn’t trees have ways of sending messages.


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I. Summarize

　　Trees can talk—in their ways. For example, scientists learned that a willow tree protected itself by changing the chemistry of its leaves and made them taste awful that caterpillars would stop eating them. And there’s another thing more amazing that the tree sent out special vapors as an alarm signal stimulating its neighbors to change the chemistry of their own leaves and made them less tasty.
　　And there are much more ways to communication between human beings and animals. We can talk to each other by gestures and facial impressions. Animals, like birds, use a whole vocabulary of singing and dancing. So, it doesn’t matter that trees use what kind of way to “talk.”


II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
astonishing adj. 令人驚訝的
vapor noun 水蒸氣
stimulating 有刺激性的
nectar noun 花蜜

ii. useful words / phrases
attack verb 侵害
frown noun 皺眉; 蹙眉
pattern noun 模範; 式樣


III. The reason I chose this article

　　I found this article was interesting so I pick it up. We can see trees and animals talk in the movies and animations, but how can they talk like human beings? The answer is that they actually talks, but not in words, in their own ways!

[ Journals ] 9 An Ancient Disaster

　　For more than six hundred years, Pompeii was an important city in the Roman Empire. Located on the Bay of Naples in southern Italy, Pompeii was a favorite spot for wealthy Romans to build their country villas. The city was busy and prosperous, and the streets were lined with shops, houses, and temples. Citizens had use of an open-air theater and public baths. But this dream city had one flaw. Pompeii sat at the foot of Mount Vesuvius.
　　In A.D. 79, on the morning of August 24, Vesuvius erupted violently. Fire and ash filled the sky and buried the beautiful city. When Vesuvius finally settled down, Pompeii lay buried under pumice nearly ten feet thick. The volcano so changed the area that spot where Pompeii, a port city, once stood either from falling rock and collapsing or from the volcano’s poisonous fumes.
The great city of Pompeii had disappeared.
　　So it was a great surprise when, in the 1700s, a peasant discovered some statues buried in his vineyard. When people began to dig further, they unearthed the houses, food, and even the bodies of some of the citizens of the once-bustling Pompeii. The city had been covered so quickly that everything in it seemed to be frozen in time.


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I. Summarize

　　About six hundred years ago, Pompeii was an important city in the Roman Empire. Pompeii located on the Bay of Naples in southern Italy. The city was busy and prosperous, wealthy Romans like to buid their country villas here. But this dream city sat at the foot of Mount Vesuvius.
　　One day morning, Vesuvius erupted. Fire and ash soon filled the sky and buried the beautiful city. The great city of Pompeii had disappeared. It took a long time before a peasant found something in his vineyard and began to dig futher.


II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
flaw n. 最愛的
erupt v. 爆發
pumice n. 火山岩
peasant n. 農夫
vineyard n. 葡萄園
unearth v. 挖出
bustling adj. 繁忙的

ii. useful words/ phrases
be lined with 佈滿了


III. The reason I chose this article

　　I think most of people have heard about this once-bustling city. Since I am interested in mystery, I've got interested in it. It is fun by seeing some exhibition about Pompeii, and read something about it.

[ Journals ] 8 Another Look at Spider

　　A good many people hate spiders. Few consider that spiders are intelligent, inventive, and good friends to people.
　　Spiders have highly developed nervous systems. Their brains capable of remembering, and they are remarkable engineers. They can be found living anywhere from 22,000 feet above sea level, on Mount Everest, to 2,000 feet below he earth’s surface, in caves.
　　The silk that spiders spin for their webs has a strength superior to most flexible products made by humans. These webs have been known to entangle and hold animals as large as mice. The bola spider, instead of making a web, constructs a globule of sticky silk to the trapeze and casts ot out at passing insects. Any insect that gets stuck to the swinging ball becomes the spider’s next meal.
　　One Eurasian species of spider actually travels underwater by carrying a tiny bubble of air with it. Its home is cozy diving bell.
　　Many scientists feel that without the spider, human life would be in danger. This is because most if a spider’s energies are devoted to catching and eating insects. Without spiders, insects would multiply and cover the earth, destroying the vegetation. One estimate says that each year spiders in England destroy a number of insects equal in weight to the human population of that country!


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I. Summarize

　　So many people hate spiders. Because they don't think spiders are intelligent and inventive creatures, and even good friends to people. In fact, spiders' brains are capable of remembering, and they are remarkable engineers. The silk that spiders spin for their webs has an extremely stretching strength than most flexible products made by humans! These webs entangle living things from insects to animals as large as mice.
　　And many scients feel that human life would be in danger if there's no spiders in the world. One estimate says that each year spiders in England detroy a number og insects equl in weight to the human population of that country! Without spiders, our lifes would be full of insects!


II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
entangle v. 纏繞
a globule of 一小滴

ii. useful words / phrases
a good many 很多
inventive adj. 有創意的
highly developed 完善的

III. The reason I chose this article

　　Many people hate spiders. I don’t like them, either, but I think the shape of them is beautiful. I found it’s surprising that spiders are intelligent and inventive after I read this article. And it sounds horrible if we don't have spiders in the world. But I still don't think they are good friends to me.

[ Journals ] 7 Insects for Dinner

　　Most Americans seem to crave variety in their diets, judging by the popularity of foreign restaurants. But though many people would be willing to sample a curry dish from India, a real Hungarian goulash, or even Japanese sushi, very few would want to indulge in a kind of food that is poplar in many countries: insects.
　　Eating insects actually is eminently sensible. There are certainly enough of them around, and though most are too small to bother with, many grow to a respectable size or live in dense groups that can be easily harvested. They are very nutritious: after all, many birds and mammal ingest diets consisting of nothing but insect. And since insects contain a fair amount of salt, they are already well seasoned. Indeed, in those countries where insects are eaten, they are usually considered great delicious. The goliath beetle is a prize catch in Africa; caterpillars are a popular dish in Mexico, where they are fried and served under the name of “agave worms”; and chocolate covered bees and ants are favorite candies in Switzerland.
　　It is unlikely that canned grasshoppers will become popular in America in the near future, but who knows? Perhaps in years to come people will rid themselves of their prejudice against insects and will find themselves going out to dig for grubs as eagerly as others now go out to gather mushrooms.


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I. Summarize

　　Most Americans seem to crave variety in their diets, judging by the popularity of foreign restaurants. But very few would want to indulge in a kind of food that is poplar in many countries: insects.
　　Actually, eating insects actually is eminently sensible. They are very nutritious, and there are certainly enough of them around. Indeed, in those countries where insects are eaten, they are usually considered great delicious.
　　Though it still can't imagine that eating insects will be popular in the near feture, there are many people and animals eat insects to ingest nutritious.


II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
crave v. 渴望
indulge in 醉心於
eminently adv. 非常、完全地
grasshopper n. 蚱蜢
grub n. 蛆
ingest v. 吃

ii. useful words / phrases
prejudice n. 偏見
sample v. 嘗試
consist of 由…組成
seasoned adv. 調過味的
nutritious adv. 營養的


III. The reason I chose this article

　　I don’t like insects. It’s strange, because when I was little, I used to have fun with insects like grasshoppers and beetles, but when I got older, I didn’t do it anymore. I don’t know why; maybe it’s because that once I played in my grandma’s front yard, but unfortunately, I was bit by a big ant. I can remember that I wore a pair of sandals, not sneakers, and suddenly I was bit by a big black ant. I’m not really sure if I step in a formicary or not. It was so hurt and I got panic. Since then, I seldom walk in grass if I don’t wear a pair of shoes that can wrap my feet.

[ Journals ] 6 Dir En Grey: Marrow Of The Bone

By Mick Stingley, ContributorSunday, February 25, 2007 @ 6:02 AM

　　It's practically impossible to categorize this band as they move effortlessly from song to song; changing styles from brooding rock to screaming metal, high-energy punk, industrial, pop and so on (that they don't have a reggae song is almost a letdown.) One thing that is certain about Dir En Grey: it is a Japanese band.
　　Dir En Grey has been around for ten years and enjoys an incredible cult following: but this crazy five piece hard rock band only played its first show in the United States last year.
　　When Dir En Grey was booked to play the Roxy in LA, the sold out so fast, the promoter moved it to the Wiltern and that show sold out in twenty minutes. Their NYC show at Avalon sold-out in fifteen minutes. These guys didn't have a record deal or distribution in the US at the time.
In 2006, they toured as part of Korn's Family Values package... and in about a year's time, Dir En Grey has put out one full record and one EP. And now, less than a year after its American debut, Dir En Grey has a new album and has been selling out venues on the "Inward Scream" American club tour. Pretty impressive for a band that doesn't even sing in English.
　　Dir En Grey is defiantly Japanese and perhaps this strengthens its appeal, they're certainly unlike most bands out there. It can be quite appealing, though equally frustrating for anyone who hasn't been blown away by the Dir En Grey stage show. Singer Kyo howls and bleats and moans and screams, whispers and talks... and as compelling as the music is, there are more than a few times where one might be inclined to shout, "What the hell is he saying?"
　　But the music is addictive and that's as good a place as any to start with Dir En Grey. Their sound has the density of Slipknot and Hatebreed, but is often layered with guitars and effects which give Dir En Grey a raw, punk/industrial edge. As is their wont, they can't be pigeonholed. (This band is way more than just "the new Loudness.")
　　Among the highlights on Marrow Of The Bone: "Lie Buried With Vengeance," the second song on "Marrow" is a heavy rocker which clips along like Pantera remixed by Nine Inch Nails; "The Fatal Believer" stands out for its killer guitar riff; the excellent "Agitated Screams of Maggots" could be a Dope song if Dope was trying to be Trivium. "Track 9" (the title is in Japanese) has the band displaying its moodier, slow side, and much of the song is warm and melodic, with jangling acoustic guitars and some jazzy drums; and the album closes with three very heavy metallic rockers: "Repetition of Hatred;" "The Deeper Vileness" and "Clever Sleazoid."
　　Dir En Grey has come a long way in its short time here in America; they're crazy, but it's a good kind of crazy. Let's see where that takes them in another year or so...


http://www.myspace.com/officialdirengreywww.direngrey.co.jp


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I. Summarize

　　The Marrow Of A Bone, the sixth album from Dir En grey. Dir En Grey has been around for ten years and enjoys an incredible cult following. This Japanese band but has attracted legions of American fans with their passionate brand of heavy music and their electric live shows. After they started their career in Europe in May 2005, Dir en grey played shows at Rock am Ring and Rock im Park Festival, they played many headliner shows in Europe and toured together with Korn and Deftones through the USA in 2006.
　　It's The band’s lyrics are almost all in their native Japanese, and their music is heavy, yet very emotional and sometimes very melodic. The vocal, Kyo, howls and bleats and moans and screams, whispers and talks during the show you might get confuse and want to ask, "What the hell is he saying?" But the music is addictive and that's as good a place as any to start with Dir En Grey.


II. Vocabulary words and phrases

i. new words/phrases
cult
effortlessly
reggae
incline
compelling

ii. useful words / phrases
appeal
raw


III. The reason I chose this article

　　I introduce this album on another class, and because this is one of my favrorite band and one of my favorite album, so I decided to write something about it. I started to listen their music since I was 15. At first I don't like their music so much, and even think their singer doesn't sing well (and it was ture). But after I went to their concert when I was 16, I started to get addict with them. This year is their 11th year since their band work started. I just want to say congratulations, and I will keep loving their music.