Assignment #8

1. Unit 3 Session 2 (Upper-Intermediate)

The Business of Star Wars

I think the vocabulary learned from this news review are very useful and helpful because it is crucial to understand it in the world of business. We need to know what is the difference between merchandise and merchandising. Merchandise is a product connected to a big movie or singer or events, like poster and clothing. Merchandising is the business process of selling merchandise(products connected to a popular film or performer or event). Cash cow is a new expression for me, so it is added up to my "dictionary". Cash cow is product or service that continually makes a lot of money. Why do they compare with cow? Because it keeps producing money, like a cow keeps producing milk. Moreover, they talk about how to change not quite standard grammar into standard grammar. From "truly wonderful, the mind of child is", changes into "a child's mind is truly wonderful".

2. Jamaica Inn Part 2 - A Cold and Lonely Place

At first, I don't expect too much from Jamaica Inn. After listening to Jamaica Inn part 1, I also don't have the feeling to continue listening to other parts, but I try to continue to know whether Jamaica Inn is good or not. "First part maybe is not "something" because it is just the introduction part", I think. "Okay, let's seek for interesting parts or conflicts of Jamaica Inn in part 2! If there is none, I will stop listening". Moreover, after listening to Jamaica Inn part 2, I start to have interest and curiosity about the next part. What will happen next? What is the secret behind that? So many questions come to my head.

Reference: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish

Assignment #7 The Key to Success

I totally agree with Angela Lee Duckworth's opinion because I have observed my friends. When I was senior high school, I heard that actually top rankings are not very smart, they just worked harder than everybody else. My friends who may be smarter than top rankings or have higher IQ didn't do too well because they only depended on their ability to learn quickly and easily, so they acted like underestimating the subjects. People who have talent may study a certain subject easily, but when they face subject they can't, they tend to give up because they never face any difficulties before. Talented people never recognize the feelings to be unable doing something, so they will give an excuse "I can't because I don't have any talent".

Assignment #6 One of My Favorite Songs : Clarity

I really love this song because how lyrics of the song best describes the situation really suits one of my personal experiences when I was senior high school. The interesting part is how does a beat song can have such a deep sad lyrics. Enjoy the song while singing along and reading the lyrics!

High dive into frozen waves where the past comes back to lifeFight fear for the selfish pain, it was worth it every timeHold still right before we crash 'cause we both know how this endsA clock ticks 'til it breaks your glass and I drown in you again

'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't needChasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why

If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?

(Hey-ay, hey-ay-ay. Hey-ay, hey-ay-ay. Hey-ay, hey-ay-ay. Hey-ay, hey)

If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?

Walk on through a red parade and refuse to make amendsIt cuts deep through our ground and makes us forget all common senseDon't speak as I try to leave 'cause we both know what we'll chooseIf you pull then I'll push too deep and I'll fall right back to you

'Cause you are the piece of me I wish I didn't needChasing relentlessly, still fight and I don't know why

If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?

(Hey-ay, hey-ay-ay. Hey-ay, hey-ay-ay. Hey-ay, hey-ay-ay. Hey-ay, hey)

Why are you my clarity?Why are you my remedy?Why are you my clarity?Why are you my remedy?
If our love is tragedy, why are you my remedy?If our love's insanity, why are you my clarity?

Assignment #5

When I was in junior high school, I learned about Google syntax. I only remember about the + operator which Google has eliminated. It is so helpful for searching exact words. Google sometimes bothers me because it searches words separately, so I need to use this operator. This + operator usage is changed by quotation marks (" ").

This week, I was taught about using *(an asterisk character) which is known as a wildcard, to match one or more words in a phrase. Each * represents just one or more words. Google treats the * as a placeholder for a word or more than one word. For example, [ “Google * my life“ ] tells Google to find pages containing [..] which word changes *. This is beneficial when I don't know or I forgot about matching words inside a sentence.

Furthermore, Google syntax, such as:

• site: restrict results to a certain website or domain
• related: find similar or related pages
• filetype: find only specific files

For example, you can search about President Obama in CNN, so you can type

"President Obama" site:cnn.com

In my opinion, this Google syntax help me to find easily and exactly what I hope for. 

Assignment #4 My notes on episode 1150

- date (noun)

• involve in a romantic relationship but not yet married or to have a boyfriend or girlfriend
• romantic appointment with someone who you are romantically interested in

- go out with someone

• to be dating someone 
• go out on a date with someone

- change the subject

• to stop talking about one thing and begin talking something else, especially when you don't want to talk about the topic

- you're not getting any younger (expression)

• an expression means he/she may soon too old to do something

- moving on

• a phrase indicates you want to change the subject

- settle down (phrasal verb)

• to get married or find a home and start a family

- go through

• to live the rest of someone's life

- alone (adjective)

• to be by yourself without anyone else

- lonely (adjective)

• to feel sad because you are by yourself or don't have any close personal relationship

- that reminds me

• a phrase in an attempt to suddenly change the conversation
• literally means thought something that you want to tell another person

- break up with someone

• to end romantic relationship with someone (usually when ending boyfriend-girlfriend relationship, not a marriage)
• ending a marriage = getting divorce or separated

- speaking of (expression)

• expression is used to introduce a topic which relates to other person's said but it is exactly the same

- type (noun)

• kind of person whom you are romantically attracted with

- leg man (expression)

• (informal) a man who might be attracted to women who have long beautiful legs

- and now for something completely different

• a phrase to change the topic of conversation, but perhaps to make a little joke

- diet (noun)

• kind of food you eat, normally when someone is trying to lose weight. 

- shedding those pounds

• to lose weight

- anyway

• a word to change the topic or talk about something new

- cut out

• to stop using it or stop eating it

- sweets (noun)

• anything with a lot of sugars, like candy

- that's none of your business (expression)

• this expression indicates in anger when someone is asking you about something that doesn't concern them or that you think too personal to talk about

- my sentiments exactly (expression)

• a phrase used to show that you agree completely with other person has said

Assignment #3 My thoughts on ESL Cyber Listening Lab

This week's class was interesting. I just learned that there are ways to reduce accent, so that I can speak more like native speaker. I was amazed. I thought that accent is something which can't be helped. There were only two conclusions in my mind to people who can speak like native speaker. First, they are blessed with linguistic gift. Second, they have lived in America or England for a quite long time. However, I may insert another notion. Third, people train diligently their speaking ability.

There are some websites I can use, such as :
1. ESL Cyber Listening Lab

• Audio files : Inside the conversation, you may learn how native speakers talk and train your listening ability. You can repeat the conversation over and over again.
• Script : Written conversation is called script, so you can check what you listen from audio files. There is also a text completion, so you can train what you listen by filling in the blanks from the script.
• Quiz : This questions are exercise to know how deep your understanding towards the conversation.
• You also can deepen your vocabulary from the text by doing exercises. You also may study new vocabulary and enrich your vocabulary.
• What makes this website is recommended because it is classified by three levels, such as easy, medium and hard, so you can slowly walk towards your goal.

2. Linking

• Linking Consonant to Vowel : When a word ends in a consonant sound, we often move the consonant sound to the beginning of the next word if it starts with a vowel sound.
• Linking Vowel to Vowel : When one word ends with a vowel sound and the next word begins with a vowel sound, we link the words with a sort of Y or W sound. It depends on the shape of our mouth at the end of the first word.
• There are instructions to follow and audio files as an example of the how to do it correctly. If you don't really understand the instructions, you can listen to the audio tapes as your guidance. 
• Linking does matter. As you train this as a habit, you will find that your accent doesn't really appear in your speaking. Linking is like magic which can cover your trail from being known where you come from.

3. Accent reductions

• This source is like putting English accent into our accent. It's cool, right? This focuses more on sounds created by word reductions, specifically with the schwa sound (ə) that affects stress and rhythm.There are a helpful table of words that use the schwa sound that you'll encounter in day-to-day conversations.
• You will know how native speakers speak words with their accent. Linking and Accent reductions are solutions to improve speaking ability. It's not a dream anymore to speak like native speakers.

Finally, it's up to your decision, whether you want to make a change to yourself or not. Only YOU can create a difference on your own. If you can't, no one can. Change starts from you.

Assignment #2 Words from ESL Cyber Listening Lab

1. decent (adjective)

• (obsolete) Appropriate; suitable for the circumstances
• (of a person) Having a suitable conformity to basic moral standards; showing integrity, fairness, or other characteristics associated with moral uprightness
• Sufficiently clothed or dressed to be seen
• Fair; good enough; okay
• Significant; substantial
• (obsolete) Comely; shapely; well-formed

Example : He's a decent saxophonist, but probably not good enough to make a career of it.

2. in charge (adjective)

• Having the responsibility of leading or overseeing
• Having the power of command or control

Example : He left his daughter in charge of watching her younger sisters.

3. butcher (verb) 

• (transitive) To slaughter (animals) and prepare (meat) for market
• (transitive) To kill brutally
• (transitive) To ruin (something), often to the point of defamation

Example : The band at the bar really butchered "Hotel California".

4. lean back (verb)

•  Move the upper body backwards and down

Example : Her back was as straight as a board, and never did she lean back in her seat.

5. adjustment (noun)

• The action of adjusting something
• The result of adjusting something; a small change; a minor correction; a modification or alteration
• The setting or balancing of a financial account
• The behavioral process of balancing conflicting needs, or needs against obstacles in the environment
• The assessment by an insurance company, of a claim; the settlement of such a claim

Example : The credit card company made an adjustment to my account to waive the late fee.

6. massage (noun)

• the action of rubbing, kneading, or hitting someone's body, to help the person relax, prepare for muscular action (as in contact sports) or to relieve aches

Example : Having a massage can have many beneficial effects.