Work 的可數與不可數用法

work 不可數
I have a lot of work to do.
要用複數工作可用task, project

可數
work 藝術文學作品
the works of Shakespeare

public works 政府的公共建設工程(道路自來水管學校等)

in the works(still working) 還在籌備或開發中
The project is still in the works.

the works 全部的 所有的
a pizza with the works.(加所有的料)

get off work 下班

Other Fathers

非爸爸的 Father

創始者
the father of modern art/medicine

國父(發起者; 開國元勳)
founding father

城鎮
town fathers 市議會的元老，資深議員
city fathers

Different Leagues

League的不同意思和用法


out of league --> 超過某人的能力範圍，高攀不上

in the league of one's own 表示獨一無二，沒人比得上

A While vs. Awhile

A while 與 Awhile 的差別
一會兒
===================================
a while
前面可有介係詞

for a while

in a while

=================================
awhile (副詞) We chat awhile.

Hiking vs. Mountain Climbing(爬山大不同)

mountain climbing 登山( 有全套裝備 去個好多天)

一般人則是hiking or climb a mountain

How is “Route” Pronounced?

Route 和其他雙母音的發音變化

美國每個地方口音問題
rou [ru] 東部比較多人講
rou [rao] 西部比較多人講
但是意思相同

bow [baʊ] 鞠躬
bow [bo] 領結，弓

row[ro] 划船
row[raʊ] 吵架爭吵

Street-smart 與 Book-smart 的意思

Street-smart 有生存技能，世俗的智慧 like common sense

Book-smart 有學術的智慧

Money Idioms

Money doesn't grow on trees. 賺錢不易

burn hole on their pocket 錢在口袋裡，留不住

A fool and his money are soon apart. 勸人不要亂花錢

Go All Out and Splurge

stay put 留在原處不動

staycation 宅渡假
(stay-at-home vacation，意為「在家度假，宅度假」)

go all out 用最大決心做所有事

splurge 揮霍金錢，揮金如土

Rhetorical Questions

Rhetorical Questions 修辭疑問句

Rhetorical 重音在第二音節

不須回答的問題

ex: Why me?

Rhetoric 修辭學(有負面意思)

rhetoric 重音在第一音節

Chinese Wedding Banquets vs. American Wedding Receptions

Chinese Wedding Banquets vs. American Wedding Receptions 中西喜宴之差別

shark fin soup 魚翅湯
美國人不吃魚翅

美國人也很少會舉辦Wedding Banquets，台式婚宴比較正式

而會用 wedding reception ，像茶會、自助式的、輕食或只有甜食

How to Congratulate Someone

如何恭賀他人

1. with flying colors : 勝利成功

2. nice going 做得好(各種狀況都可)

3. I take my head off to you 敬佩 ， 我向你脫帽致敬
My head is off to you

Sweet Taste and Bad Taste

沒有味道的 Taste



the sweet taste of success

leave a bad taste in your mouth

Kung Fu, Karate and Tai Chi

不同的武術名稱

kung fu : 功夫 Chinese Kung Fu

martial art 武術 include : Karate, Tai Chi

Different Kinds of Keepers

不同種的 Keeper

zoo keeper 動物園管理員
shop keeper
goal keeper 守門員
peace keeper
book keeper


finders keeper 誰找到就歸誰

Western 的不同涵義

1. western culture/civilization

2. western 西部的

3. Western(n) ---> ((常大寫)美國西部片)

4. western 西部蛋捲三明治(omelet)

A Warm Person to Warm Up To

Warm 的不同用法

用在人身上-->發熱

熱心活潑友善

(動詞)
warm up 把東西加熱，運動前暖身

warm up to someone 對某人有好感

The New Face of Something 代言人

the new face of something

new face 新面孔

用在廣告上
代言人

Obama was the new face of the American politics.

用在公司推出的產品也可以

Give Back vs. Give It Back

Give Back vs. Give It Back 是「回饋」還是「還給我」？

give back : 回饋
give back your community

give it back : 還給我 往往是命令句
或
give me back my pen 把筆還給我

How Does a Breadwinner Earn His Keep?

Teaching Topic: How Does a Breadwinner Earn His Keep?
教學主題： 養家活口的人

make a living 謀生
earn one's living 謀生

earn one's keep (生計)

bread (廣義的生計) --> bread winner 家中負擔家計的人

Relive 和 Relieve 的差異

relive (live again) : 再體驗,再感受

relieve 緩和.減輕

想像
imagine(v) = have a image in your mind
image(n)

Vacation 和 Holiday 的區分

渡假

vacation : personal leave

go on vacation 渡假 美式用法

as a verb
i want to vacation.
vacation in Hawaii

=============================


go on holiday 渡假的英式用法(或其他英語系國家)

holiday : (美)政府定的假日
美國人認為holiday 是節日、國定假日

=====

去購物
I'm going to go shopping on my vacation.
go shopping

Asparagus Stalks and Spears

Asparagus 蘆筍

Stalks 植物的莖

Spears 芽

Pay Off 的多重涵義與用法

pay off (v.)
1.償清 : It took three years to pay off the debts.
2.有報償 : Hard work pays off.

payoff (n.) 重音在前面
ex : Improving English can bring you a payoff.

pay up 全部付清
ex: Pay up! ( 命令句，要求對方還錢)

冠詞與樂器名稱 Playing What Piano?

I played a piano. 我彈某一台鋼琴

我會彈鋼琴
I play the piano. 英國人會加the
I play piano. 美國人省略the

Affect 和 Effect 的差別

affect(v.) 影響。動詞
ex: Smoking can affect health.
ex: The crowd doesn't affect her.


effect(n.) 結果。多用在名詞
前面加冠詞 an effect, the effect
前面加形容詞 positive effect,special effect

Toward 需要加 S 嗎？

介係詞
toward 美式用法
towards 英式用法

afterward 之後, 以後, 後來
afterwards

backward 向後的, 反向的, 返回的
backwards

forward 向前
forwards

foreword 序, 前言
afterword 後記

Learn 的不同定義

learn (=find out) 發現

learn 得知

learn of = learn about

learn about 深入了解認識
You can learn karate. 學習空手道
You can learn about karate. 研究了解空手道

learn 記下背下
An actor need to learn a line.


hear of = hear about

Craving

Craving 渴望

crave for

ache for something

http://www.studioclassroom.com/sc/sc_chat_play.php?day=2011-05-12

Going Without Moving

go : 處於某種狀態,變成某狀態

go meatless 維持不吃肉的狀態

go bare foot at home

go bald

go crazy = go balistic(過度疲勞的或失去理智的)


go south --> 往下， 價格下跌

Perks and Dibs

perk : 工資以外的津貼外快；一份工作給的特權或特殊待遇 (French benefit)(employee benefit)

dibs 保留權

跟 Fish 相關的片語

like a fish out of water 像離開水的魚-->在某環境場合尷尬，不自在

have bigger fish to fry 還有其他更重要的事情要做-->委婉地拒絕

fish for compliment 引誘別人讚美自己

Whetting Someone’s Appetite

whet(v.) 刺激, 促進; 增強(食欲、慾望等)

appetite
1. 食慾, 胃口
2. 慾望; 愛好

whet someone's appetite 引以某人興趣胃口

姓氏的三種說法

Family Name = Surname

Last Name 姓 (西方人才這麼說)

Avoiding the D-word 委婉語

委婉說法 (euphemism)

pass away , pass on (=die)

pass out 昏倒

Youth or Youths?

youth 可當可數也可以當不可數

可數名詞 -->強調數字

16個青少年 --> 16 youths

不可數名詞

the youth of our country 國家的青年

youth 也可以指年輕的時候
the good friends of my youth 我年輕時的朋友

childhood 是比 youth 更早的童年

青年

To Outdo Something

out (v) 超越超過,勝過

out run someone

out perform

out live

out spend

Outreach 接觸群眾的活動

outreach(v) 拓廣; 延伸；打破傳統範圍

outreach 重音在第一音節

reach out 伸出手

Different Fragrances

perfume 女用香水

cologne 男用香水

toilet water 花露水

toiletries 化妝的過程

fragrance; scent 香味

wear(v) 擦香水
What kind of perfume are you wearing ?

Outdoors vs. the Great Outdoors

兩種不同的「戶外」

run outdoors(adv.)
I like to run outdoors.

outdoor (adj)
outdoor clothes
outdoor coffee
outdoor air pollution

the outdoors(n) 戶外 != the Great Outdoors 大自然

Candidates 和 Applicants 的差別

Candidates : 候選人



Applicants : 申請人

Wrong As a Verb

to wrong someone 虧待某人重傷某人

wrong 當動詞，通常用被動

being wronged(v.) 被無禮地對待

加害者:a wrong doer
----> a wrong person (錯誤說法)

in the wrong 錯之在他
ex : He admitted that he was in the wrong.

Disinterested 和 Uninterested 的差別

disinterested 無私的; 公正的
ex: A judge should be disinterested.


uninterested 不感興趣的; 不關心的
ex: uninterested in gardening/marriage

Flick 與 Flack 的差別

Flick

sci-fi flicks = science fiction movie

chick flick 女生愛看的電影
chick 【俚】少女; 少婦; 小妞;年輕的女生
flick【俚】電影


flick (v)


Flack

【口】嚴厲的批評，譴責
Don't give me any flack. 不要跟我過不去

Data 與 Datum

data(用多了，
也當作當單數名詞了) , datum (data的單數)

raw data (生的資料即"原始"資料) --> cooked data(煮熟的資料即"處理過"的資料)
(raw data also called primary data)

um--> a
bacteria --> 細菌複數
bacterium --> 單數

media --> medium的複數
medium --> 單數

curricula --> curriculum的複數
curriculum --> 單數

Marriage Idioms 與結婚相關的片語

a match mate in heaven 天作之合

the perfect couple 天生一對

tie a knot 打結 引申為"結婚"

get hitched (hitched 套住綁住)
ex: They are going to get hitched soon. 他們準備不久就結婚。


take the plunge 冒險嘗試 -> 結婚

Coach 的多重定義

coach

1.【美】巴士, 公車; 【英】長途公車.; 經濟艙
2.(運動隊的)教練; (協助應付考試的)家庭教師
3.(舊時的)四輪大馬車, 公共馬車

flying coach 搭經濟艙

a glass coach 玻璃馬車

coachman 馬車夫

Whoa & Other Exclamations

whoa 咳! [hwo] (叫馬停住或慢走)

Whoa, slow down.

cool

crazy
That's crazy. 不可置信

right on 正確，的確(打靶中)

ya,right. 有質疑(跟真的一樣鬼才相信)

天才與天份

genius 特殊的才能，天性；天才的人物
He has a genius for music.

a stroke of genius 天才的表現，神來一筆

Einstein 天才
He is an Einstein for fashion.
He is smart, but he is no Einstein.


brain【口】聰明人, 智者

bathtub 浴缸

Site, Sight and Cite

site(n.) 地點, 場所
a building site
a site for a new school

sight(n.) 視力視覺；景色, 景象
lose your sight

cite(v.) 引用; 引...為證; 舉出
cite an example

Rites 與 Rituals 的差別

Rites (n) 祭典； 儀式; 慣例
rite of marriage


Rituals 儀式, 典禮 (跟宗教有關)；慣例，例行公事(如每晚喝牛奶)

Specially 與 Especially 的差別

Specially(ad) : 專門為了某種用途，目的
ex: specially-designed

Especially : 尤其地，強調
ex: She is especially kind to me.

fury(n) [ˋfjʊrɪ] 暴怒
furious(adj)

bury [ˋbɛrɪ] 埋葬

fatty food 高脂食物

fat free 低脂

lean meat 無脂肪的肉

chew the fat 閒聊

fat chance 機會很少 發生機會很低

Friendly as a Suffix / Friendly 作字尾

funk

friendly

user friendly

family friendly

Different Overlooks

look over 從頭看到尾仔細檢查

overlook
1.ignore 忽略

2.俯瞰 The restaurant overlooks the city.

3.瞭望台 lookout point / a lookout

Firsthand and Secondhand

firsthand (a) 第一手的, 直接的
firsthand information 第一手資料

firsthand(ad) 親身地切身地

new
secondhand 二手的
secondhand clothes store

第二手，間接的
secondhand information
=========

形容車子時，可以用new car or secondhand car
不說firsthand car

Native to America 和 Native American 的差別

native 本國本土的

native English speaker 以英文為母語的人

native to America : 在美國出生,土生土長的人
a native American : 美國原住民(印地安人)

native English speaker

mother-tone : 母語，小時候學習的語言(first language, native language)

bilingual 雙語(爸媽說不同語言)
The child grows bilingual.

Who’s Surely?

誰是 Surely 啊？

Surely, you're joking. 你一定是在開玩笑
Surely 一定必定
He will surely succeed.

Surely, you jest. (jest 開玩笑 :正式的說法)

Out of Shape

Out of Shape 和身材無關
Shape : condition

out of shape : 身體狀況不佳，體能不好


in no shape to do something 身體狀況太差
You're in no sharp to work today.

也可以形容財務經濟狀況
ex : I think we are in good sharp financially.
ex : in poor shape financially.

Pronouncing Tear

兩個發音

tear [tɛr] 撕開, 撕裂

tear [tɪr] 眼淚
in tears (片語)流著淚哭泣著

Different Gangs

CSI gang(歹徒)

(口語)gang : 一幫人。一隊人, 一組人, 一夥人
Where is the rest of the gang?

Beatlemania

mania : 灶狂症，狂熱，瘋狂

Beatlemania : 披頭四狂熱


maniac 瘋子

egomaniac 自大狂

Endangered Species

endangered (a) 瀕臨絕種
endangered species 瀕臨絕種的生物

extinct (a)
1.絕種; 2.已經熄滅的
(口語)絕種，可用 die out
ex: The dinosaur died out millions of years ago.

2. an extinct volcano 死火山

extinguish(v) 熄滅
ex: Please extinguish your cigarette.

Nature vs. Natural

nature 大自然(N)

natural 自然的(A)
natural 可形容, 食物是自然的,女孩子的化妝(natural look)

natural 天生好手(N)
He is a natural at raising kids.

Gifted Children and Prodigies

prodigy 奇才, 天才 ; 奇蹟

He is a child prodigy.

Gifted : 有天賦才能的

knack 技巧竅門; 本領; 熟練技巧

A Professional Degree vs. A Doctorate

associate degree 副學士學位(在社區大學可以拿的學位)

master's degree 碩士學位

doctoral degree 博士學位

professional degree : 法律、醫學、建築、商學

Double Comparative

cheap

cheaper

more cheaper (錯誤用法，雙重比較)

much cheaper (OK)
much bigger
much faster

produce(n) 名詞重音在前

Blends

blend : 兩個字結合成的字 ex:brunch

coin (v) 創造, 杜撰(新詞等)

a newly coined word : 新創造的字
or
coined phase

Two Different Speakers

speaker 演講者

loud speaker 揚聲器

Teeth Idioms

pulling teeth 拔牙,某件事情像拔牙，表示很難的一件事

ex: Getting bill to clean his room is like pulling teeth.

kicking the teeth 粗暴地對待侮辱；背叛

sinking your teeth : 興沖沖迫不及待去做

Nature vs. Nurture

love on someone (口語講法) : 將愛給予某人，父母給子女關愛
通常用love someone



nurture 養育:後天 ->環境

nature 大自然:先天 -> 遺傳

Parent Figure

parent figure : 父母親的化身，可以提供像爸媽一樣照顧的長輩



guardian 監護人

Two Pronunciations of "Uses"

uses [juz] v.

use [jus] n.

多用途 多才多藝
versatile [ˋvə:sətail] 英式念法
versatile [ˋvɝsət!] 美式念法

Applying to College

pick a major 選擇主修

declare a major 正式聲明主修

sophomore 大二時 declare a major

apply a school 美國大學士用申請的
rejection letter 拒絕通知書
acceptance letter 接受入學通知書

Different Meanings of Personality

Personality
1.個性人格

2.人物名人
He is a well-known sports personality.
TV personality
radio personality

3.場所特質
The room has a lot of personality.
很有特色室內設計的房間

How is Green the New Black?

Green is the new black.
環保的綠色是新的主流

40 is the new 30. 40歲的人看起來跟30歲一樣年輕

Staff, Faculty, Employees

staff : 不可數名詞集合名詞，組織全體職員
不用說 某人是staff, 必須要用staff member

on the staff 在職，屬於一個組織的員工

faculty : 不可數集合名詞，學校全體教職員

employee : 可數名詞

A Few Things About Flowers

sunflowers 向日葵

每個月都有生日花 birth flower
三月是水仙花 daffodil ---> rebirth

florist 花卉栽培家花商

corsage 女性用來別胸前或手腕上的小花束
boutonniere 男性用來別在鈕扣孔上的小花束
都是正式場合才會用的

Productive and Conducive

Productive [prəˋdʌktɪv] 重音在第二音節 : 有生產力的，多產的；形容人很有工作效率的

I am productive when I study at library.

Conducive : 有助的, 有益的(對什麼有益的，形容某行為,地方,東西)
ex: It that conducive to your health?
ex: Smoking is never conducive to one's health.


distraction 分心

HBWM, SAHM and Housewife

HBWM : home based working mother

SAHM : stay at home mom

housewife

Color Idioms

go green
green life
green 環保

look blue 憂鬱

black sheep 黑羊-->害群之馬

yellow-bellied 懦弱膽小



see through rose color glasses 過份樂觀看事情

Killing Something Nonliving

kill 破壞消滅終止

kill creativity = destroy creativity

kill time 消耗時間

kill the engine

Spare Time

spare time = extra time, not busy, no plan to do something

閒暇時間

Show Business

Show Business 演藝界
There is no business like show business. 沒有什麼比得上演藝事業

musical (n) 歌舞劇; 音樂片
I'm going to see a musical tonight.

musical(a) success 音樂上的成功

Draw Out vs. Withdraw

life guard 救生員

draw out : 抽出引出;吸引;鼓勵某人說話
attract


withdraw 撤退;退出;提款
take something back
take away
remove

Affair and a Fare

affair : 工作事情事務事件
financial affair
public affair
private affair
family affair

a fare : (交通工具的)票價
train fare
taxi fare

What Are Long Hours?

long hours : work later than usual
很長的工作或讀書時間
ex: I often work long hours these days.

small hours(=wee hours) : early , 1-5 in the morning
凌晨

What is PA?

PA = Pennsylvania 賓州的縮寫
CA,NY,TX

PA =public address 對大眾講話, 指公共場所的廣播
PA system 擴音系統

Contend 和 Content 的差別

contend(v) : 競爭(重音在第二音節)
contend for sth 為了某東西爭奪
contend for your business
contend for the price


content(v,a) : 滿足(重音在第二音節)
He is not content with his job.


content(n) : 內容(重音在第一音節)

conventional vs traditional

conventional : present 現在的 常見的

traditional : from the past 多指過去

hog 【俚】又重又大的摩托車

2011.01.04

label conscious

feline

ignite

chock-full

don

sensation

sprint

hatred

feverishly