Personality and Success

Do you agree, disagree or not sure about the following questions?

• I can change myself to be the person I want to be.
• People can't change their personality.
  
• If you don't have goals, you'll never accomplish anything.
• God has a plan for my life.
• I would never marry someone my parents didn't approve of.
• You can never predict what life will bring. The important thing is to handle things well as they happen.
• When bad things happen to you, it's not your fault.

Am I the master of my fate?

Sometimes we feel that we know exactly where we are going and what we are doing. At other times we feel lost and confused, and we don't know who is in charge of our lives. Can we really control eveything that happens to us? How much depends on us and how much on our luck? How much on other people? How much on powers we don't understand?

1. Am I like a leaf floating in a river, going where the river takes me?
   
2. Am I the captatin of a powerful boat, using the river to go wherever I want?
3. Am I an arrow, flying from the bow of an archer who knows where I must go?
4. Am I a small part in a large machine, necessary for the machine to work?

英文字彙增 4月達100萬

英文字彙增 4月達100萬

【編譯中心3日電】德州奧斯汀的「全球語言監測」組織(Global Language Monitor)預測今年4月29日前後，英文字彙將達到100萬字。

這個機構利用專有軟體追蹤和分析語言趨勢，尤其是「全球英文」。英文有100萬字似乎並不過分，因為全球有13億5000萬人使用英文，也就是平均每1350人才分到1個字。但是，如何決定什麼是「1個字」，以及如何計算字數，有時並不明確。例如，狗的單數與複數(dog和dogs)算1個或2個字？

「經濟學人」雜誌指出，英文字的來源非常豐富，涵蓋蘇格蘭高地到澳洲和印度等地，例如「shampoo」(洗髮精)就是來自印度的champo。後者最早的紀錄來自1762年，原為動詞，意指頭部按摩，1個世紀後演變成洗頭髮，幾年後成為洗頭髮的肥皂。

如果英文直到1880年代中期還沒有「shampoo」這個字，這是否表示講英文的人沒有這種東西？不錯，不過事實上以前的人是用普通肥皂洗頭髮，因此經常碰到肥皂垢問題，尤其是在水質屬於硬水的地方。也難怪1930年代出現的洗髮精會被視為一大進步。

從外國語文借用的字詞，在納入另一種語文系統時，通常經過改造，以更密切配合後者的型態。外來語有時是根據當事人聽到的外國字的發音轉換成本國文字，而其間可能有出入。這種出入有時大得面目全非，並導致語言學家的「Hobson-Jobson」法則。這個字來自在印度的英軍當年聽到民眾高呼穆罕默德為捍衛信仰而陣亡的兩個兒子的名字「Ya Hasan! Ya Husayn!」，經過英文化後完全看不出原貌。

2009-01-04

About Distance Learning: 100+ Free Online Classes - Special Announcement

--- On Mon, 12/15/08, Jamie Littlefield - About.com Distance Learning Guide <distancelearn.guide@about.com> wrote: From: Jamie Littlefield - About.com Distance Learning Guide <distancelearn.guide@about.com> Subject: About Distance Learning: 100+ Free Online Classes - Special Announcement To: mirsaidz@YAHOO.COM Date: Monday, December 15, 2008, 5:21 AM    Distance Learning In the Spotlight | More Topics |   from Jamie Littlefield Welcome to this week's distance learning newsletter.   In the Spotlight Special Announcement: 100+ Free Online Classes This week, be sure to visit the new free online classes section of the site. You'll find over 100 of the top-rated free online classes available. This new section comes just in time for holiday vacation. Take a free online class to improve your cooking skills, practice a new language for a trip abroad, or prepare for next semester's traditional college courses. There are free online classes in just about every topic available: guitar, French, drawing, HTML, finance, dance, JavaScript, and more. There's also a section focused on free OpenCourseWare classes from prestigious universities such as MIT and UC Berkeley. Be sure to bookmark this section; new classes will be added regularly.              More Topics Choose the School that Fits You Best Accreditation Info Online College Online High School Free Courses Free Online Language Courses Online Law Schools New Profile: Keiser University eCampus Keiser University's eCampus caters to students hoping to quickly parlay their degrees into better positions in the workforce. Nearly two-dozen associate and bachelor's options, plus three graduate degrees, are available online. They're aimed at fields that are often in high demand such as computers, business and health care...   Give Distance Learning a Try with Free Online Classes Many students are interested in distance learning, but not quite ready to risk their tuition money. If you're still on the fence, you may be able to get a feel for virtual studies by taking a free online class...     Sponsored Links   Best Moves in a Bad Economy Save & Invest the Right Way Find out how to beat a bear market, make smart choices, and keep your cool even when the economy is unpredictable. Distance Learning Ads Online University Distance Degree Distance Learning Graduate Degree Distance Education Advertisement     Visit Related About GuideSites: Search About      Sign up for more free newsletters on favorite topics. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Distance Learning newsletter as mirsaidz@YAHOO.COM. If you wish to change or remove your email address, please visit: http://www.about.com/nl/usgs.htm?nl=distancelearn&e=mirsaidz@YAHOO.COM About respects your privacy. Our Privacy Policy. Our Contact Information. 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2008 About, Inc.

肯定語氣

very certain
She couldn't have known the answer.

not certain
She could have known the answer.

very certain
She had to have known the answer.
否定句 She can't / couldn't have known the answer.
而不是 She hadn't to have known the answer.

改善財務狀況

I'm having a hard time making ends meet.
The cost of living is so high these days.
Every month, you should put away / put aside some money.
By the end of next week, I intend to have saved enough money to buy a camera.
Unfortunately, people tend to spend more money than they have on credit cards.
We had a great discussion about the economy.
The article talks about how you can improve your finances.
You should try to cut back on your spending.
It's important to keep track of your expenses.
I need to improve my financial situation.
If you live within your means, you will be able to save some money.
I hope she gets a good job soon.
I hope to get a good job soon.
I expect to get a high-paying job when I graduate from college.
By this time next year, she intends to have moved to Hawaii.

Correct sentence

Circle the correct answer.

I'll probably go to the store this afternoon.
After I meet him, we can discuss the matter further.
I hope she will make the right decision.
I'm lucky to have had the opportunity to study here.
She's dating a 42-year-old man.

Correct the following.

My memory is no good. (not)
or-> I don't have good memory.

After we get marriage, he will live with us. (married)

I with my roommate go to shopping.
-> My roommate and I go shopping.

Since I go here I learn many knowledge.
->Since I've came here, I've learned a lot. (BTW, increase knowledge, not growth knowledge)

I ever tried to find an apartment.
->I've tried to find an apartment.

How will you gonna to do?
->What are you going to do?

Last week I moved the house.
->Last week I moved out.
另外一種情況 Last week I moved into a new place. or Last week I moved in with her.

Reported speech

He said, "I must have read it."
->He said he must have read it.

He said, "I'll read it."
->He said he would read it.

He said, "I may read it."
->He said he might read it.

John said,"I can read it,"
->John said he could read it.

Tom said,"I must read it."
->Tom said he had to read it.

Tim said,"I read it"
->Tim said he had read it.