China Woos Africa — And Not Just For Its Resources (重要句子和單字解析)

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1934868,00.html

重要句子和單字解析

China woos Africa.   ‘Woo’ 的意思來自於動物在晚上求愛的鬼叫聲，這裡是中國向非洲示好的意思。 

While much of the world still views Africa as a basket-case continent, Beijing is thinking ahead and busy establishing a foothold in Africa's potentially large consumer markets.  ‘Basket case’ 是指已經沒有的事物，這裡是指西方人對非洲的印象，而中共視非洲為一個充滿商機的地方。 

Our common impression of Africa owes more to Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness than we would like to let on: Africa is inscrutable, wild, primitive and decades away from genuine modernization.   約瑟夫·康拉德（Joseph Conrad）是英國小說家，他的 ‘黑暗之心’ 是英國近代文學重要作品之一，內容在於剛果河叢林的神秘和人心的險惡。這本書讓西方人對非洲產生負面印象。’let on’ 是吐露秘密的意思，這裡的意思是說西人對非洲的印象來自約瑟夫·康拉德的 ‘黑暗之心，非洲的其他方面就不再多去想’。 ’Scrutinize’ 是細察的意思，所以‘Inscrutable’ 是不可捉摸、不可理解的意思。’prim-’ 這個字根是首要，最初的意思，所以 ‘Primitive’ 是原始的意思。 

These African aspirants drink Coca-Cola, want mobile phones and yearn to own a car or motorcycle.    ‘Aspire’ 是動詞，來自於字首 ‘ad-‘ (to) 和字根 ‘spir’ (呼吸，靈魂)，這個字的意思是 ‘渴望，報負的意思。‘Aspiranst’ 是指那些因為能力和經濟許可而對生活有更多需求的人。

In return for so-called "no-strings-attached" aid and cheap loans to African countries, Beijing expects privileged access to oil and resources, political support in institutions like the U.N., and African governments — be they good, bad or despotic. ‘no strings attached’: ‘string’ 是細繩子，引申像是和什麼連結上的感覺，’attach’ 是附上的意思，這個片語是 ‘沒有附帶條件’ 的意思。 ‘despotic’: 暴政的，暴君的，算是個難字。

Corruption is serious, institutions are weak and political risk in various African countries remains high, meaning the possibility of social and economic breakdown is real.   這個句子寫得好，告訴我們如果要發展企業的話，非洲還是一個不穏定的地方。 ‘Corruption’: 是貪污的意思。字根rupt有break，破壞的含義。 ‘institution’ 是制度的意思，其中字根stit 有fixed 固定的含義。在此指整個社會結構的不穏定。

字字字英文教室的同學們,

在近期TED的演說中, 有一篇關於經濟行為與生活相關的文章, 內容隱含了哲學及大我的思想. 作者的用字及語法, 挺值得學生們去習慣使用. 以下舉10個例子:

1. remotely: 遙遠地。通常用這個 “遠” 的概念來表示關係很微弱的，影響小的，希望渺茫的。

2. relentless: relent 是對某件事的態度變軟化，所以 relentless 是永往直前，不停止、放棄的。

3. dilemma: dilemma 是一種進退兩難的困境，所它是一個重要的字，因為任何人在人生，事業，課業等都會碰到不知下一步該怎麼走的處境。

l            單字的意義線索:  di 是 “二” 的意思; lemma 是前提的意思。

4. plummet: 這個字是 “筆直掉落” 的意思。當名詞則是 “墜子”。

l            它和 plumb (鉛)，plunge (掉落) 有關

5. perverse: 是極度反常現象。

l            per: 完全; verse, vert: 轉變。通常性變態的慣用詞是 pervert 

6. consign: 交付; 委託。

l            con: 一同; sign: 記號，作記號

7. anomaly: anomaly 是一個讀了很多次，查了很多次都記不起來的一個字。它不是常出現的單字。常常好不容易對其意義有一點印象時，下次它再出現時，又忘了。但是可以依靠的是上下文: 似乎這個字出現時總是給人一種負面的感覺。它的構成主要是 “an” 是 “否定、非” 的意思 + “homo” 是 “相同、一致” 的意思，組合起來 anomaly 是指反常現象。

8. altruist: 利他主義者，利他主義的。

l            意義的線索來自 altr, alter: 其他，另外的意思。
 相關字如 alternative (另外的選擇), alien (外來的), alibi (不在場證明，在其他地方)

9. hedonistic: 享樂主義的。這是一個少用的單字，除非你周邊這樣的人很多。 

10. self-regarding: 只顧自己的。

l            regard 是看，考慮的意思。

11. the crux of the matter: 問題的重心所在, crux 是兩個直線的交叉點。

字字字的同學們， 

 周六的午後，陽光乾爽愜意地浮現在每一個角落，學生們踏進教室時的輕鬆神情，似乎仍賴在正午後的日光下，完全看不出即將上課的緊張及壓力。還好，Bruce老師挑選的幾則演說皆帶點幽默、新點子、個人主義及不妥協，挺適合當時的狀態。具體來說，學生們有點像在教室中觀賞短篇系列影集，故事的目的在使學生密集地使用『聽』的感官知覺來吸引新知，用『聽』來改變口說的方式，用『聽』來理解事物。

『聽』力己被埋沒在影像世界或平面刊物中而大大地荒廢了，重新使用『聽』力來刺激腦細胞，確實需要一點動機及自我挑戰。謝謝學生們加入我們改革的行列－TED英文試聽會。

大家熟知的Bruce老師，向來擅長於單篇深入解說，未來針對「TED英文聽力、發音及朗讀課程」，每次課程仍採1~2篇演說內容，深度地建立學生的能力及自信。若有興趣繼續加入我們，請與我們聯繫。

再次謝謝你的參與及鼓勵

Bruce: 093...     weijen.lin@gmail.com

Maxine: 098...     maxine_newsroom@hotmail.com

字字字英文教室

Press Conference-Case Study
記者會的真相-個案討論 (學生寫作)

A press conference is to deliver messages to the public in a formal way. There are so many kinds of press conferences we have seen via TV channels, newspapers, or other media carriers, such as new product launch, new album release, and corporation image strengthening. Today, I am going to talk about a real case of press conference aimed to promote premium brand image. However, the message wasn’t effectively delivered to the public. As a result, the company didn’t benefit from it.

There were two problems: (a) a serious hard issue that was unfocused; therefore, (b) the media publish things that weren’t the company’s original goals. As a result, this conference ended up a circus show.

Let me describe this press conference from the beginning of planning to give you the background. The press conference was held at the end of Aug this year. The purpose of it is to solidify premium brand position in the intensively competitive dairy market. The host is a leading dairy product supplier recently facing threats from cheaper products with of course lower quality. To make the host itself stand out from the competition, it attempted to use this media conference to call users’ attentions in the upcoming world cup pastry competition in spring 2011 and to lift Taiwan’s bakery products to the International market. The message was to stress that chefs can’t compromise flavor and taste for prices. To achieve this goal, the host invested a great amount of money and time to invite a master chef, a past world cup pastry winner, to demonstrate the most novel, sophisticated pasty techniques and sugar works during the press conference. In addition, the host also invited beautiful models to wear sugar pieces of jewelry. Originally, the press conference was planned to be informing, educating, and entertaining.

PR company was responsible for putting all these elements together and deliver messages clearly to the media. Logically, the more media coverage we gain, the more consumers we can reach. The PR company guaranteed that there will be at least 30 pieces of media coverage. Though the PR company didn’t explain how this could be done, its strong confidence won the host’s nod. Unfortunely, the host fell into the PR company’s trap.

To gain as much media coverage and SNG broadcast as possible, the PR company directed the media to the fancy model show instead of the theme. The media were encouraged to stay to the end to shoot the photos of models. The main course, including the master chef’s demonstration and delicate desserts, became secondary. The media paid only a little attention to them. In other words, the event failed to meet its goals. It turned out that the beautiful models stood out on the media channels, overshadowing brand image and packaged messages. Besides, the guaranteed 30 pieces of media coverage counted repeated broadcastings from the same channel.

Through this case study, we can understand that messages we have received from the media every day might mislead or be misinterpreted. We need to be suspicious or think more about what is the real. Hope you enjoy this story and gain benefit from it.   

TED英文演說課程
Listening, Pronouncing and Speaking 
試聽先修課
 

師資介紹： 
Bruce Lin 專攻語言學、特別擅長於中高級英語能力養成教育、教學內容為全民英檢中高級、Time時代雜誌英文閱讀精解、TED英文演說課程(聽力、發音、口說)及單字字庫全面匯整課程等。

試聽先修課程介紹：
TED (Technology, Entertainment, and Design) 自1984年至今，為美國最具權威及影響力的知性節目，曾登上TED舞台的演說家，來自世界各地及各個領域，包括：政治人物(Al Gore, Bill Clinton), 知名導演(James Cameron), 搖滾樂手(Bono), 網際網路引領者(Tin Berners-Lee, Bill Gates), 動物學家(Dr. Jane Goodall), 教育家(Ken Robinson)等等，演說內容極具啟發性及探討意義。

課程特點摘要:
ü  透過TED的演說內容來刺激學生「聽」的能力，

ü  採英語授課，並以現實社會中常用的單字及用語來補充說明TED的內容，

ü   針對加強及糾正「發音」來提高學生聽及說的能力，

ü   再以簡短「口說」練習給予學生現學現用的機會。                                                 

試聽時間及地點：
時間：2010/10/16 (週六)，14:00~17:00
地點：字字字英文教室，松江路204巷11號 (近松江民生路口)

預約報名：

即日起接受預約試聽報名，小班制以12人為限，額滿即不再受理報名。
欲試聽者請填妥以下報名表後email 至weijen.lin@gmail.com   

適合對象：
具中級或以上程度，且主動學習態度者

教室聯絡方式：
Bruce Lin
Tel: (02)2537-6169; Mobile: 0932 006 987; 
Blog: http://learnby.pixnet.net/blog  Email: weijen.lin@gmail.com

這篇文章是有關蔣夫人的介紹。文章的內容實在難以令人想像，尤其是過去我所知道的蔣夫人是個有天賦、具傳統婦德且正直的人。在我印象中的畫面，蔣夫人經常在蔣總統身旁作畫。然而，此篇文章的作者，Jonathan Fenby，是個認真的記者，且佐證資料具可信度。(原文: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/nov/05/china.jonathanfenby )。 這篇文章記載的內容比教課書更精采。

This article is about Madame Chiang Kai-shek. It’s unthinkable to read an article like this when my knowledge of Madame Chiang was someone gifted, chaste, and righteous – my image of her is a woman doing her traditional Chinese painting with Chiang Kai-shek by her side. Yet the author of the article, Jonathan Fenby, is a serous Journalist and the sources he cited are credible.

Read on. It is history, and more interesting than the stuff in your history textbooks.

字字字英文教室的同學們，

 我們最近戀上了一種特殊的植物，屬於鳳梨的一種，由於不需栽植於土壤中，因此它被命名為空氣鳳梨。這種植物沒有根，無法附著於任何一種生命體上，或從中取得養分；然而，單單是空氣及水氣即能使這個有機體繁衍，它變動地很慢，但生命力卻很強。

字字字英文教室的存在如同這個不尋常的植物，灌溉語言其實顯得多餘而不自在，回到一個最不引人注意的概念 ( Back to the Basic)，語言不是能力而是本能，不是記憶而是行為。林老師總是說，不管學生程度如何，學生們只要能夠學習透過閱讀來用英文拍電影---眼前的英文字母在腦子裡形成各式人物、畫面、故事等，文法和單字就像是一幕幕的背景和道具---語言能力自然就會形成。

字字字英文教室的單字及閱讀課往往沒有界線，但考慮到學生們來自不同領域，因此課程內容將涵蓋商業行銷、網路科技、管理及人文等主題，讓學生們的想像空間加大。

字字字英文教室將要開學囉!
9月7 日正式開課，即日起接受報名，8月31日截止報名，上課人數以15人為上限，詳細報名表下載如左，

如有任何課程問題，請隨時與我們聯繫。

點心女孩的生活雜記 Trivia of Life (寫作及批改範例)

我是一個甜點愛好者，幾乎吃遍了台北大街小巷的點心，只要是美食節目或雜誌有介紹的，我絕不會錯過。我因為喜愛甜食而不經意地結交一些甜點同好，朋友間會彼此介紹哪裡有好吃的點心, 哪裡的點心特別精緻，或哪裡的點心經濟實惠等等。最特別的是，我的這些朋友不僅喜歡吃， 也吃出品味及心得，有幾個甚至成為網路部落客。還記得當我還是甜點初學者時，有個朋友交我如何品嚐提拉米蘇，由上而下一層一層的品嚐，享受表面特殊的酒香，到提拉米蘇的精華，感到馬斯卡邦乳酪的綿密口感及乳香，最後一定要大口地品嚐，體驗味覺的整體搭配性。一想到這，我就開始留口水了。當我越用心品嚐甜點，我就越能感受到師傅的用心，慢慢地我竟然開始珍貴食材及大自然的可貴。不能再說了，這種有感觸通常是老化的象徵。最後，我想說的是，到貴婦百貨買一小片價值180元的甜點不算奢侈，奢侈的是不懂地慢慢享受甜點的美。

I am a dessert lover. I have been visited all dessert shops at every corner in Taipei city. Especially, I have never ignored the desserts which were introduced on TV cuisine program and on the cuisine magazine. Due to this special interest, surprisingly I have made several good friends who are also dessert lovers. We will share the information of where we can buy the best tasty desserts, and where we can buy the best refined desserts, and where we can buy the most economic desserts. Some of them have even become professional bloggers who are specialized in promoting good desserts via the Internet in a subtle way. As I remembered, one of my friends who taught me how to taste Tiramisu, from the top layer to the middle and then to the bottom layer. Enjoy the special flavor of wine on the top and feel the best part of Tiramisu, the texture of Mascarpone cheese and its milk flavor. After these, the final part is to have a big bite of the dessert to feel the overall taste. Speak to here, I am starting to swallow. When I delicate myself more in finding good things of desserts, I can sense more the dedication from chefs. And I become more cherish the food and natural resource. I will stop here of speaking my feeling. Often, this feeling is happened to people who are gradually turning old. At the end, I want to say that it is not too luxury to get a small piece of desserts from a high-end shopping mall. However, it is too luxury to eat the dessert with empty feeling forward the desserts.

(寫作及批改範例)

(1)   I am a dessert lover.

(2)   I have been visited all dessert shops at every corner in Taipei city.

I have visited all dessert shops at every corner in the Taipei city.

(3)   Especially, I have never ignored the desserts which were introduced on TV cuisine program and on the cuisine magazine.

Especially, I have tried not to miss the desserts (which were) introduced on TV cuisine programs and in the cuisine magazines.

(4)   Due to this special interest, surprisingly I have made several good friends who are also dessert lovers.

(5)   We will share the information of where we can buy the best tasty desserts, and where we can buy the best refined desserts, and where we can buy the most economic desserts.

We will share the information of where to buy the tastiest and most refined desserts with ecomomic prices.

(6)   Some of them have even become professional bloggers who are specialized in promoting good desserts via the Internet in a subtle way.

Some of them even turn into hired professional bloggers for commercial companies acting as if they were just ordinary people blogging.

(7)   As I remembered, one of my friends who taught me how to taste Tiramisu, from the top layer to the middle and then to the bottom layer.

I remember one of my friends taught me how to taste Tiramisu – from the top layer, the middle and then down to the bottom.

(8)   Enjoy the special flavor of wine on the top and feel the best part of Tiramisu, the texture of Mascarpone cheese and its milk flavor.

On the top, first saver the special flavor of wine. Then feel the best part of Tiramisu, the texture of Mascarpone cheese and its milky flavor.

(9)   After these, the final part is to have a big bite of the dessert to feel the overall taste.

After these, the final part is to have a big bite of it to feel the overall taste.

(10)  Speak to here, I am starting to swallow.

My mouh is watering thinking about it.

(11)  When I delicate myself more in finding good things of desserts, I can sense more the dedication from chefs.

I also find that the more I put myself into a kind of dessert, the more I understand the chefs’ efforts – the enticing looks, the taste.

(12)  And I become more cherish the food and natural resource.

And I further cherish more about the ingredients of foods and natural resources.

(13)  I will stop here of speaking my feeling. Often, this feeling is happened to people who are gradually turning old.

I will stop here talking about my feeling. Often, this feeling happens to people who are gradually getting old.

(14)  At the end, I want to say that it is not too luxury to get a small piece of desserts from a high-end shopping mall. However, it is too luxury to eat the dessert with empty feeling forward the desserts.

In the end, I want to say that it is not too luxurious to get a small piece of dessert from a high-end shopping mall. However, it is indeed a waste to eat a piece of delicate dessert with empty feeling.

French Dessert in Taiwan (寫作及批改範例)

French Dessert has rapidly become famous in Taiwan. It has been perceived as a piece of art and a trend setter of the dessert world. The factors of this success are worth for us to study and to benefit from it to better promote Taiwanese dessert to the international market. French dessert is one of the global leading brands, carrying strong French image, life style and the level of people’s competency toward art literature. As a soft power, French dessert hugely influences people’s understanding toward French.

French dessert has rapidly become popular in Taiwan. It has been perceived as art and a trendsetter in the dessert world. The factors of this trend are worthy for us to study and to benefit from it to better promote Taiwanese dessert to the international market. French dessert is now like one of the global leading brands, carrying strong French image, lifestyle and the level of people’s competency toward art literature. As a soft power, it also hugely shapes people’s understanding of French.

French dessert is often priced high as luxury jewel. The luxury dessert market size has expanded 100% within 2 years. It is the result from the intensive marketing activities, promoted by ingredient suppliers, channel managers, and of course, media. Efforts from each of them are like free tools to French government to lift the image of nation and its dessert.

French dessert is often priced high the same way French cosmetic brands are. The luxury dessert market size has expanded 100% within 2 years. It is the result of intensive marketing activities, promoted by ingredient suppliers, channel managers, and of course, the media. Efforts from each of them are like free facilitators to the French government, lifting the image of the nation and its dessert.

Even thought the variety of marketing tactics help drive the French dessert market, we can’t neglect the unique and sophisticated features of the desserts. They often have very refined decoration, and have many inside layers. These inner layers, in particular, appear inimitable color combination. And, the deco of the outer is like a magic which is well designed and turning the dessert to a special kind to fulfill customers’ emotional needs. The desserts are not simply covered a bunch of fruits or chocolate whipping cream. The beauty of the dessert is the value and the whole.

Even so, we can’t neglect the unique and sophisticated features of it. They often come with very refined decoration, and have multiple inside layers with delicate textures. In particular, the color combination of the layers are so subtle that it defy others’ imitation. And, the deco of the outer is such a magic that it turns the dessert to fulfill customers’ emotional needs. (very, very, very vague) The desserts are not simply covered with a bunch of fruits or chocolate whipping cream. They together are the master’s pigments and canvas.

From the French dessert, we can somehow smell the cultural influence and educational strengths on art. Chefs’ ability of imagination and creativity is related to the surrounding environments and how they had been raised up. The way how the society thinks of them and how they think of themselves are also essential elements to make French Dessert’s achievement. 

From the French dessert, we can somehow smell the cultural influence and educational strengths of art. The dessert reflects the Chefs’ imagination and creativity, which are related to the surrounding environments in which they were raised up. It also shows how highly they are valued by the society and how excellent they expect themselves to be. 

In Taiwan, we have several popular desserts such as pineapple pastry cake. Our government has been made lots of efforts to market this cake. The Taipei City government has held the pineapple pastry cake competition every year sine 2007. As the result, this traditional cake has become the best seller and the must-buy item to the tourists from China and Japan. As a Taiwan citizen, I feel very proud of this success. As a butter supplier, I very thank the government, media and other marketers’ contributions. However, to promote this cake to be as French dessert in the world will need a bigger plan. Marketing is only a tool, not everything.

In Taiwan, we have several popular desserts such as pineapple pastry cake. Our government has made lots of efforts to market it. The Taipei City Government has held the pineapple pastry cake competition every year since 2007. As a result, this traditional food has become the best seller and the must-buy item to the tourists from China and Japan. As a Taiwan citizen, I feel very proud of this success. As a butter supplier, I appreciate very much the contributions of the government, the media and other marketers. However, to promote this cake to be as French dessert in the world will need a bigger plan. Marketing is only a one side of it, not everything.

In short, French dessert is not only a style of desserts, but also a metaphor, using to portrait very refine and luxury desserts. The definition of it is blur, but its influence on people’s view toward French is huge, from the field of French ideology, diplomacy, business of tourism, cultivation of art, to lifestyle. In Taiwan, dessert business is classified as a traditional industry. The government plans to develop this traditional business, they will need different strategies from promoting hi-tech business.

In short, French dessert is not only a food, but also a metaphor, used to define the Frenchmen’s working ethics. In reality, the definition of French dessert is difficult – similar to the way we do with a piece of fine art – but its influence on people’s view toward French is huge, from the fields of French ideology, diplomacy, business of tourism, cultivation of art, to lifestyle. In Taiwan, the dessert business sector is classified as a traditional industry. The government plans to go beyond that; they will need strategies that are different from the way we promote hi-tech business.

英文試聽會 

適合中高程度，對於英語學習有強列興趣者， 教學深入淺出，課程內容多為國際時事，特別適合經常使用商用英文及新聞英文者。

師資：由通過全民英檢高級資格的留美英文名師Bruce親自主持

日期：6/19, Saturday

時間：14:30-17:30

地點：台北市松江路204巷11號1F (近松江民生路口)

預約專線：(02) 2537 6169

電子郵件: weijen.lin@gmail.com

課程介紹及上課時間：

「字根密碼大爆料」英文單字課程 14:30~16:00

培養學生搞定英文單字的能力！不用死記單字卡，靈活認識新單字
從字首字根的角度切入，以邏輯性和有趣的故事幫助學生輕鬆理解字義，進而更有層次及深度地運用單字。(詳細課程介紹，請參考blog) 

縱觀天下事：新聞英文「悅」讀課程介紹 16:00~17:30

「學」英文最有效率的方法就是「用」英文。 教你如何從「用」英文中得到快樂、得到知識、得到成就感！
課程多取材自時代雜誌、紐約時報及華爾街日報等。透過國際新聞閱讀來學習單字和文法，並享受即時掌握時事與新知的樂趣。(詳細課程介紹，請參考blog)