How to Survive a Mountain Lion Attack

1. Vocabulary: Quizlet

2. Comprehension questions

• What are the terms that are used to refer to mountain lions? (P1-2)
• How did Jessie and Brianna handle the attack of a mountain lion? (P1-2)
• When are mountain lions active? (P3)
• Why is it not suggested that we hike with a dog? (P4)
• What can we prepare for hiking? (P5)
• How do people respond to mountain lions? (P7)
• How can we look big when encountering lions? (P8)
• How can we threaten lions? (P9)
• How can we strike back? (P10)
• What can we do if we are pulled down by a lion? (P11)

3. Phrases

• come across (6)
• make a quiet grunt (9)
• snarl like a dog (11)
• charge at the girls (13)
• spine-chilling experience (16)
• on the rise (21)
• survive a mountain lion attack (27)
• Keep in mind that ... (39)
• mating season (40)
• keep good company (42)
• plan on entering ... (43)
• keep it on a leash (49)
• call for help (52)
• in the event of (53) 
• keep an eye on (58)
• at risk of ... (59)
• respond to (66)
• hold you ground (69)
• put up a fight (74)
• make direct eye contact with (82)
• at the top of your lungs (89)
• stay on the defensive (93)
• strike back (96)
• in the wild (128)
• increase your odds of ... (131)

4. Grammar and usages

• The formidable hunter was just 15 feet away, silently watching them. (7; present participle)
• Once hunted to the point of extinction, mountain lion populations are one the rise. (20; past participle) 
• Ask park ranger ... if there have been any sightings. (34)
• two thirds of mountain lion victims are children (60)
• By running away, people actually prompt lions to chase ... (66)
• keep gazing directly at the mountain lion (115)

The Small House Movement

1. pre-reading

A tiny home tour: living in 89 square feet

2. Vocabulary: Quizlet

3. comprehension questions

• Is there any change to the home size of America? In what way? What is people's opinion about home size? (P1)
• Describe Shafer's house. (P2)
• What is the goal of the Small House Movement? (P3)
• What is the motivation of living in small homes? What is the benefit of the simple design of the houses? (P4)
• How useful were the small houses to Katrina hurricane victims? (P5)
• In what way can living in small houses save the environment? (P6)
• What are the advantages of small houses? (P7)
• What does the Small House Movement represent? (P8)
  

4. phrases

• a growing number of ... (11)
• The group has grown in popularity as ... (36)
• allow for (48)
• fit the needs of ... (51)
• compared to (54)
• prior to (62)
• specialize in (62)
• assist in (72)
• focus on (89)
• make maximum use of (89)
  

5. usages and grammar

• They point out that despite their simplicity, ... (15)
• The group's goal is to help people ... by living ... (34)
• Whereas prices in downtown ..., costs of construction company ... (39)
• Many hurricane victims ... have been able to ... by moving to small houses. (70)
• ... an attractive alternative to keeping hurricane victims ... (74)
• Susanka says the idea to build ... while she was visiting friends. (85)
• By focusing on detail and making maximum use of ..., Susanka says ... (89)
  

Another Earth

 
1. reading comprehension

• What do the author and his/her son believe? (P1)
• How did scientists look for planets in the past? How do they do the same thing now? (P2)
• What is "wobble" technique? (P3)
• What is Kepler project? How difficult is it to observe stars? (P4)
• Tell us something about Gliese 581c? (P5)
• What is a habitable zone? What are qualities to form a habitable zone? Is Gliese 581c in a habitable zone? (P6)
• Is it possible that life survives in the universe? (P7-8)
• What is the author's belief about the planetary system?

2. phrases

• is fascinated by (line 2)
• are decorated with (line 3)
• look through telescopes (line 5)
• dream of (line 6)
• a handful of (line 11)
• to be sure (line 35)
• rely on (line 43)
• in the years to come (line 56)
• habitable zone (line 66)
• along with (line 69)
• meet the ... criteria (line 70)
• sustain life (line 89)
• extraterrestrial life (line 99)
• advance to (line 103)
• make contact with (line 106)

3. usage and grammar

• ..., we have to begin by observing stars. (lines 27-28)
• Despite the complexity of the process, Kepler discovered ... (line 52)
• Gliese 581c is bigger ... by half. (line 63)
• ... but not so close as to boil off water ... (line 73) 
•  The probability ... seems too high to dismiss.
• I find it credible that ... (line 91)
• Maybe in my lifetime, but certainly his, astronomy will have advanced to the point where scientists will be able to ... (line 102)

4. Quizlet

5. News report: 太陽系外發現「超級地球」　可能有生物

6. illustrations

• Kepler project: looking for planets by determining the brightness of a star
  

• Kepler project: Observing a decrease in the brightness of a star is very difficult, just as we see a flea creeping across the headlights of a motorcar.

• wobble technique: If a star wobbles, that means there is a planetary system in which the star is pulled by planets.

Feeding the Children Well

1. comprehension questions

• What is special with the cooks? (P1)
• What are the cooking staffers busy with? For what? (P2)
• What is the difference between the food school children ate in the past and that they are eating in the present?  Compared to the schools in other cities, what is special with the schools in Berkeley? (P4)
• Please make a comparison between the old kitchen and the new kitchen in Berkeley schools. (P6-7)
• What is special with Berkeley's menu?  Particularly, how are the Berkeley schools concerned about food? (P8)
• What are the two things Cooper is concerned about? (P9)
• How can children make a difference in choosing food they eat? (P10)
• What would happen if we didn't feed kids good food? (P11)

2. Phrases

• hit the snooze button (line 6)
• do a whole lot (line 8)
• processed food (line 24)
• from scratch (line 26)
• become dedicated to ... (line 28)
• follow suit (line 31)
• side dishes (line 33)
• salad bars (line 34)
• overhaul its food program (line 36)
• organic food (line 38)
• wide smile (line 43)
• short-trimmed hair (line 43)
• is stocked with (line 58)
• focus on (line 72)
• in charge of (line 82)

3. Usage and grammar

• The heads will go out to ..., while the stems will be made ... (lines 14-16)
• Berkeley schools have spent three years reshaping the menu and becoming dedicated to serving food that is healthy, fresh, local, and delicious. (lines 27-30)
• At the center of this revolution ... is Ann Cooper. (line 40)
• ..., because everything either came in ... or frozen in ... (line 54)
• ..., what we are going to have are kids with a life ... (line 92) 

4. Quizlet

Review

Quizlet

The Biggest Trees on Earth

1. preview vocabulary: Quizlet




2. comprehension questions

•  What are the redwoods called? Why do people view them as ancient survivors? (P1)
• What is the difference between sequoia and the coastal redwood? (P2)
• What is the name of the world's largest tree? How large is it? (P3)
• What is the feature of the coastal redwoods? How tall is this kind of tree? (P4)
• What is the tallest tree called? Who found it? Where is it? (P5)
• What is the crown? How can we reach it? How much do we know about it? (P6)
• How do the tallest tree like Hyperion get water? For how long can water travel from the root to the crown? (P7)
• What would happen if a large branch dies? (P8)
• Is there a tree which is 400 feet tall and has lived for 4,000 years? (P9)

3. phrases

• manage to (line 10)
• in the same forest as ... (line 14)
• adapt to (line 15)
• according to (line 20)
• Named Hyperion after ... (line 30)
• curious about (line 36)
• used to (line 39)

4. usage and grammar

• Ancient survivors in a world in which change can happen suddenly, these tall trees survived the fall of a giant meteor that left a hole that was miles wide in diameter and may have killed the last of the dinosaurs. (line 3)
• The coastal redwoods may not be as large as sequoias overall, ... (line 24)
• ..., their discovery took the title of world's tallest tree from a redwood named The Tall Tree, ... (line 31)
• One of the main scientific questions ... concerns water.

ESL : Listening

Children and Manners

1. Review Chapters 1 and 3

1. preview vocabulary: Quizlet



2. reading comprehension questions

•  Why does raising children become more complicated?
• What is parents' responsibility?
• What kind of children did Dr. Asgari see in her practice?
• What mistake do parents make when they raise their children?
• Is it possible to spoil a child?
• How would children manipulate adults?
• How can we teach children who are angry and behave well at the same time?
• What benefit can we expect when children play hospital with their friends?

3. phrases

• raise children (L3)
• bring up children (L9)
• consideration for others (L39)
• behave badly (L51)
• spoil children (L64)
• call for (L69)
• in pain (L71)
• deal with (L79)
• manipulate adults (L81)
• figure out (L82)
• in exchange for (L88)
• act out (L91)
• express feelings (L94)
• be angry with someone (L106)
• be capable of learning (L111)

4. usage and grammar

• What has changed is that parents are facing new challenges in raising them. (L14)
• ..., we need to actually do it or our words will have no meaning. (L54)
• We also have to stop praising children for ... (L56)
• I would agree if we were discussing babies since you can't spoil a baby? (L65)
• ... when it comes to dealing with things ... (L77)
• What I can do as a parent is show my girls that ... (L98)

Tokyo Farmer

1. Comprehension

• How does Kenji differ from other office workers? (P1)
•  How do modern people view farming? (P2)
•  Why is farming on the roof garden a win-win practice? (P3)
• What can we benefit from growing plants on the roof of city buildings? (P3-5)
• What 's the intention of Pasona 2? (P6)
• What is the political goal of the governor in Tokyo? (P7)
• How does the author interpret urban work? (P8)

2. Phrases

• ride the subway (L2)
• strain one's eyes (L4)
• on his knees (L5)
• fade into (L7)
• a bit of (L13)
• grow tomato plants (L14)
• think of (L15)
• in turn (L20)
• pull weeds (L28)
• cut down on (L43)
• get rid if (L46)
• push a wheelbarrow (L49)
• in the hot sun (L49)
• stare at (L50)
• get tired of (L51)
• gobble up (L55)

3. usage & grammar

• ..., Kenji doesn't spend his day straining his eyes ... (L4)
• If you walked in the building's front doors, you would never imagine that ... (L34-35)

4. Quizlet

listening practice

Please go to the language lab for listening training on the following dates: October 14 and December 9.

Earworms

1. Comprehension

• What did Mark Twain write about in 1882? (P1)
• How does an earworm appear? (P2)
• In what ways earworms may be a product of modern life? / Why is it that people may be subjected to earworms more easily? (P3)
•  How can we make the earworm go away? (P4)
• Why does the brain itch? (P5)
• What causes earworms? In what way can earworms help advertisers? Are all people happy about jingles created for advertisers? (P6)
• Who tend to be more susceptible to earworms? (P7)
• Why will we defend ourselves against music some day? (P8)

2. Phrases

• keep repeating itself (L2)
• get rid of the tune (L3)
• pass ... on to ... (L3)
• catchy tunes (L6)
• known as ... (L6)
• at odd times (L10)
• associate ... with ... (L12)
• be familiar with (L16)
• be subjected to (L20)
• attach itself to (L22)
• sort of (L26)
• scratch the itch (L29)
• on its own (L33)
• has a ... effect on ... (L34)
• relieve stress (L36)
• raise protests (L51)
• become aware of (L60)

3. usage & grammar

• ..., Twain is able to ... by passing it on to ... (L3)
• ... this phenomenon of music stuck in the head is quite common ... (L4)
• The likelihood that an earworm will infect a person is greater ... (L22)
• ... so frequent that the study ... (L24)
• ... he suggests that the person (should) be patient ... (L32)
• speak to (L38)
• ... speak to the deep associations that humans have with musical sounds. (L38-39)
• ..., residents requested that an ice cream truck (should) not play ... (L51)
• They did not like ... even after the truck had left their neighborhood. (L53)

4. Quizlet

Welcome to Jack's class

Ice breaking: Things in Common

• What’s your favorite Taiwanese food? 
• What's your favorite leisure activity?
• What’s your favorite American TV show?
• What’s your favorite international pop star?
• What’s your favorite color? 
• What month were you born in?

Students must first complete these questions and then walk around the classroom to find other students they share some of these things with. They must write the names down. When everyone’s done, each student counts how many people they share things with. The student with the biggest number wins! 

Congrats!

You did a good job on the English exam. Did you find this website helpful to you when you prepared for the exam? You know what, this website hit 350 views yesterday prior to the exam. I have never seen such number of students accessing this website. If it does help, I will continue to use it in the next academic year. Leave your comment saying "YES."

I am so proud of you, happily seeing you off to your next destinations. Congrats!

traffic view on this website

Cholesterol and heart disease

1. pre-reading

• Do you like to eat fast food? Do you do exercise regularly?
• Do you learn of your cholesterol level?

• 7旬翁開車疑心臟病發 衝撞安全島

   

2. reading comprehension questions

• What is the health problem American people are encountering?  What is the cause for this disease? (P2)
• Do cholesterol levels have to do with heart disease? (P3)
• What would affect the amount of cholesterol? What is the hardening of the arteries? (P4)
• Heart disease will not happen to children. True? (P5)
• What is a safe level of cholesterol? (P6)
• How can we lower our cholesterol level? (P7)
• How can we educate people about the danger of cholesterol? (P8)
• How much can we improve our cholesterol level if we do something for it? (P9)
• How can we eat a diet low in cholesterol level? (P10) 
• How can we reduce our anxiety about a new diet? (P11)
• How can restaurant owners make customers feel comfortable about their diet? (P12)

3. collocations

• heart disease (line 5)
• heart attack (line 9)
• ... cholesterol levels are connected with heart disease. (line 15)
• people inherit from their parents (line 21)
• result in (line 46) 
• along with (line 56)
• by thirty or forty percent (line 61)
• by the time (line 63)
• go on a vegetarian diet (line 66)
• get used to (line 77)
• deal with (line 83)
• changes in (line 83)
• attractive to (line 103)
• stare at (line 104)
• the same problem as (line 108)

4. usage and grammar

• ... suffer chest pains that make simple activities ... difficult. (line 12-13)
• One kind of cholesterol sticks fat to the walls of arteries, making the arteries smaller and finally blocking them. (line 21-23)
• doctors can see blood circulating through the heart valves. (lines 25-26)
• By the time ..., he had lowered his arterial blockage ... (line 64) 
• By 2009, sixty percent of the people had theirs checked. (line 100)

5. Quizlet

結業考範圍與題型

考試範圍:

   Reading

Unit 1 Lesson 2: Robert Scott: A Race to the South Pole  (Page 10)

Unit 3 Lesson 1: World Population Growth  (Page 64)

Unit 3 Lesson 3: Women and Change  (Page 84)

Unit 5 Lesson 2: Phobias  (Page 140)

Unit 6 Lesson 3: Sustainable Cities  (Page 178)

Unit 7 Lesson 3: Photovoltaic Cells: Energy Source of the Future  (Page 210)

Unit 8 Lesson 3: Cholesterol and Heart Disease  (Page 244)

 (每課的文章及練習題A. B. C. G 將納入出題範圍)

   Grammar

     I. Unit 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15  (Tense時態)  

II. Unit 39, 40, 41, 42  (Passive Voice被動式)

(每課的講解及練習題1, 2, 3大題將納入出題範圍)

考試題型及配分:

I.     Vocabulary (24%):

A. Definition matching  ( 1分x 10題)

       B. Context matching  ( 2分x 7題,句子從課文中或習題中出)

II. Preposition (10%): Choice  ( 1分x 10題)

III. Error-picking (5%): Choice  ( 1分x 5題)

IV. Sentence-combining (5%): Matching  ( 1分x 5題)

V. Reading Comprehension (24%):

       A. from the reading articles  ( 2分x 8題)

       B. from outside reading passage  ( 2分x 4題)

VI. Grammar (32%): Choice  ( 2分 x 16題)

Question types for the final exam

I. Vocabulary (24%):

A. Definition matching (@2 x 9)

B. Context matching (@2 x 3)


II. Preposition (10%): Choice ( @1 x 10)


III. Error-picking (5%): Choice ( @1 x 5)


IV. Sentence-combining (5%): Matching ( @1 x 5)


V. Reading Comprehension (24%):

A. from the reading articles (@ 2 x 8)

B. from outside reading passage ( @ 2 x 4)


VI. Grammar (32%): Choice ( @2 x 16)

真的「咩」! 馬國學子趣味中文暴紅

 

 

Photovoltaic cells: Energy source of the future

1. pre-reading question 

• How Photovoltaic Solar Cells Work

 

• 
  
  

2. reading comprehension questions

• How can human beings handle energy shortage? What is special with this new energy? (P1)
• What are the applications of photovoltaic cells? (P2)
• What are the two types of semiconductors in the photovoltaic cell? What is special with a semiconductor, compared to general materials like water and metals? (P4)
• What is solid-state cell? Why is it important to protect photovoltaic cell? (P6)
• How do scientists improve the cost of solar energy produced through photovoltaic cells? (P7)
• What is scientists' expectation in terms of producing efficient energy? (P8)
• What are the advantages of solar energy produced through photovoltaic cells? (P9-11)
• Is there another possibility of producing solar power? (P12)
  

3. collocations

• demand for energy (line 2)
• a solution to the problem (line 4)
• electric current (line 30)
• ... is converted directly into electricity. (line 31) 
• ... if it is protected from damage. (line 35)
•  ..., sand is made up mostly of silicon. (line 39)
• at one time, ... (line 40)
• ..., similar to the way ... (line 43)
• ... is converted into electricity (line 48)
• a significant amount of electricity (line 50)
• advantages over fossil fuels (line 55)
• ... were formed from plants and animals (line 56)
• because of the sun (line 58)
• we cannot wait a million years for more fossil fuels (line 59)
• ..., and in a few decades, they will run out. (line 67)
• plenty of (line 70)
• reliance on fossil fuels (line 76)

4. usage and grammar

• ... see it open automatically by itself? (line 11)
• This program could not exist without the energy produced by photovoltaic cells. (lines 17-18)
• Below this is a layer of silicon. (line 20)
• ..., the cell does not work as efficiently as it should. (lines 36-37)
• However, technology is being developed to make the cells more efficient ... (lines 50-51) 

5. Quizlet

Sustainable cities

1. pre-reading: What do we mean by sustainable cities? Watch YouTube.

2.  reading comprehension

•  Do most of us live in comfortable cities? (P1-2)
• Why do people move to cities? What problem are they facing? (P3)
• If we don't do anything with migrants, what will happen in the future cities? (P4)
• What can governments do for city residents? / What is special in the newly-built cities? (P5)
• What do governments need to consider when building new cities? (P6-7)
• How can cities use energy more efficiently? (P8-9)
• How can cities reduce air pollution? (P10-11)
• Exemplify sustainable city ideas. (P12)
• Which country is building cities that will be environmentally friendly? Are there any problems this country is facing? (P13-14)

3. collocations

• in reality (line 5)
• pleasant places (line 6)
• temporary squats (line 14)
• shanty towns (line 14)
• made of (line 15)
• by 2050 (line 17)
• city dwellers (line 24)
• farming lots (line 33)
• cut down on (line 40)
• for this reason (line 49)
• environmentally friendly (line 55)
• decent places (line 64)
• a number of (line 69)
• large quantities of ... (line 85)

4. grammar and usages

• ... by designing buildings ... (line 43) / Cities can also be cooled by having more green spaces ... (line 47)

5. Quizlet

Analysis of website traffic statistics prior to the mid-term exam.

 

Left-Handedness

1. pre-reading

• Are you left-handed?
• Do you get used to working or playing with left-handers?

2. reading comprehension

• What are the functions of right and left hemispheres? (P2)
• How are left-handers related to the brain? (P3)
• In what ways would left handers have an advantage? (P6-7)
• What are the problems for left-handers? (P8-9)
• What is the historical development of writing systems in the world? (P10)
• Why are writing systems of Chinese and Japanese easy for righ-handed people? (P11)
• Is the percentage of left- and right-handed people the same? (P11)
• What is people's belief about "left"? (P12)
• Name some famous people who are left-handed. (P13)
• How can we know if people are left-handed? (P14)

3. collocations

• preference for (line 1)
• divided into (line 6)
• differences in (line 18)
• adjust more easily to seeing underwater (lines 30-31)
• If they lift their hand from the paper, ... (line 46)
• the same as ... (line 76)
• in good company with (line 96)

4. usage and grammar

• There would be even more left-handed people in the world if many people were not forced to use their right hand. (lines 3-4, conditional)
• ... enjoy swimming underwater. (line 29)
• start permitting schoolchildren to write ... (line 66)
• Despite this, many famous people ... (line 82)
• ... one circle in one direction and the other circle in the other direction. (lines 94-95)

 
5. Quizlet

EnglishCentral

EnglishCentral

The best website for English learning ever.

 

Japan - Vast Devastation

Japan - Vast Devastation

We share the same feeling as those people in Japan, wishing they would be safe and sound.

 

Top 10 tips for learning a language

 

What are the top 10 tips? One of them is: Repeat, repeat, and repeat. How can we enhance this practice? You know that, which I have been promoting. What is that?