Assignment #8

News Report - STAR WARS PREMIERE


http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/news-report/ep-151215



Many fans are looking forward to  the movie. The fans of the movie are from different generation.The new Star Wars film includes many actors who performed in the first series of films 30 years ago. 

I'm not a fan of STAR WARS, but the premiere of the movie is exactly a big news in the world. I even read a piece of STAR WARS' news this morning, regarding fans in Taiwan lining up to see the movie.

Assignment #7 The key to success

Comment on Angela's presentation

     Regarding her speech content, I really can't agree more that "GRIT" is the key to success. We do have to preserve when we fail, then the success might be in front of us. For example, students here in senior high may have test everyday. They may fail on test today, but if they preserve on practicing and practicing, they will be success someday.
     On the other hand of her attractive speech, she did really well on any aspect of the skill. She honestly looked everyone's eyes when persuading audience to agree on her viewpoint of success. And the intonation of her speech did make audience concentrate on what she wanted to say. The gestures she made also is one of the keys to her successful presentation.

Assignment #6

Mary did you know

Lyrics

Mary, did you know
that your baby boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?

Did you know,
that your baby boy has come to make you new?
And the child that you delivered, would soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?

Did you know,
that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when you kiss your little baby,
you've kissed the face of God.

Oh Mary, did you know?     

Opinion

This is a song sung by Pentatonix, an acapella group. Lyric was written by Mark Lowry.He encapsulated questions we might each ask Mary, the mother of Jesus.

     Because of the performance from dance studio I joined, I had my first time listen to it. This is the most impressible song that I have ever heard before. Compare with other song about Christmas, "Mary, did you know" convey the origin of the Christmas season.Although I'm not the believer of any religion, the song really touches me. 
The song wants to remind us that Jesus is the reason of the season.

Assignment #5

     Although I was absent because of bad cold, I went on the web posted on teacher's website. I've learned google syntax when I was in senior high, but just a few of them. Especially the "site", it really helps a lot when I'm looking for particular information. 

     By using google syntax, I can spend less time to find the information I want.

Assignment #4 My notes on episode 1150

     Our CALL teacher introduced us another great English learning website, ESL Podcast. ESL Podcast is  run by a team of experienced ESL with 30 years of high school, adult, and university ESL teaching experience. The website provides dialogs and scrips for free. It also provides some learning guides if you pay for the membership.

     About ESL Podcast, I have something to share. Every dialog have their own topic, so before we start to play the conversation, we predict the content first. Second, we click the "Listen" button to start listening. The record is separated to three parts. First part, the host speaks in slowness. He then moves on to explain the content like the definitions of the words, the expressions of the phrases, etc. In the end of the record, he reads the dialog in the fast speed. In my opinion, listeners can print the script and write down the explanations. Just like what our teacher taught us, it really helps.

     Regarding my first time of listening to the episode 1150, here are some words and definitions I learned.

1. avoiding topics in conversation : not talking about certain thing
2. date : referring to romantic relationship  ex : go to a date
3. change the subject : to stop about one thing, and start to talk about another thing
4. not getting any younger : may soon be too old to do something
5. moving on : you want to stop talking on this topic, and move on to talk about another topic
6. settling down : like married, have a house, start family
7. alone : by yourself
8. lonely : feel sad, not physical
9. that reminds me : suddenly thought of something
10. break up : end romantic relationship with someone, indicating to boyfriend and girlfriend. (if it's a broken relationship in marriage, we call it "divorce") 
11. speaking of : introduce topic that is related to another person
12. type : the kind of person to whom you are attracted
13. leg man : informal one, who might be attracted to a woman who has long beautiful legs
14. diet : the kind of food you eat when someone who is losing weight
15. shedding those pounds : lose weight
16. anyway : talk about something different
17. cut out : to stop using it
18. sweets : anything that has a lot of sugar
19. that's none of your business : said in anger, because it's too personal to talk about
20. my sentiments exactly : agree completely with another person

Assignment #3 My thoughts and new findings on ESL Cyber Listening Lab

     This is my first time get to know CALL. It isn't that boring I thought before. Regarding the content of the course, it makes me know much more about how to use internet to improve my English skills.
     The ESL Cyber Listening Lab is really a helpful website. I can choose the applicable degree, then choose the subject of conversation I want. After I finish listening to the conversation I can move on to take a quiz. I think the best place of this kind of assistant website is that the users can replay the conversation till they understand what it's talking about. Although the students afraid of quizzes on the papers, they may feel less pressure to have a try on the website.
     CALL makes me want to learn more in English. It's more interesting and convenient to improve English skills by using computer than read the books or rewrite the vocabulary.

Assignment #2 Words from ESL Cyber Listening Lab

1.  voila
   Definition: used when you are showing or telling someone something surprising
   Example:"voila!" she said, producing a pair of sun glasses.
2. butcher
   Definition:informal to spoil something by working carelessly
   Example:That hairdresser really butchered my hair!
3. prank
   Definition:a trick, especially one which is played on someone to make them look silly
   Example:That's really a childish prank, don't do it again!
4. in charge
   Definition:In control or with overall responsibility 
   Example:He was in charge of civil aviation matters. 
5. decent
   Definition:of a good enough standard or quality 
   Example:Congratulations! You get a decent salary by doing that great job.