自強之路

1. astute a. having or showing shrewdness and an ability to notice and understand things clearly : mentally sharp or clever
2. dejected a. low in spirits, downcast
3. dissonant a. discordant
4. habituate v. to make used oto something

just tell me, how many f words below do you know?

· feces n. (used with a pl. v.) = waste matter discharged from the intestines through the rectum, anus; excrement.
a. feces - solid excretory product evacuated from the bowelsfeces - solid excretory product evacuated from the bowels
b. faecal matter, faeces, fecal matter, ordure, BM, dejection, stool

1. parody n. a feeble or rediculous imitation

2. dreary a. feeling listlessness or discouragement

3. spoof vt. to make good-natured fun of

4. takeoff n. an imitation especially in the way of caricature

@ 什麼是 SAT 考試？誰需要準備這個考試？
由美國大學委員會 College Board 所主辦的學術能力評估測試（Scholastic Acessment Test），即一般所稱的SAT測驗。這是知名度僅次於TOEFL托福的考試，也是全球高中生申請美國大學是否能錄取，或可否申請到獎學金的重要參考之一，有點類似「美國高考」的概念。TOEFL系列的測驗目標是同學的英語能力；SAT、ACT (效果與 SAT 差不多)、GRE/GMAT 主要為測驗同學的邏輯分析能力而設計的考試。

@ SAT 考試是考什麼？
SAT 考試主要分成推理測驗 (Reasoning Test，又稱SAT I) 和學科測驗 (Subject Test，又稱SAT II) 兩種；我們常說的 SAT，多指前者而已。

What's the difference between an anteater and an aardvark?
BY CRISTEN CONGER

If you were invited to a potluck dinner hosted by a group of aardvarks, anteaters and armadillos, you could just walk outside, find your nearest anthill and scoop a pile of it into a serving dish. Although preventing the ants from crawling all over the dinner table might be a challenge, your culinary contribution would be readily appreciated. That's because these animals are part of a group of mammals that have a particular palate for ants, as the anteater's name implies. In fact, there are only 22 species of animals described as myrmecophagous, or termite- and ant-eating [source: Redford].

Out of that group of 22, anteaters and aardvarks are often lumped together as assumed relatives. People may even refer to aardvarks as "anteaters." Granted, they share similar facial features like elongated snouts and tongues. The anteater's tongue can extend up to 24 inches (60 centimeters) to probe inside anthills and extract ants by the hundreds. Anteaters can flick their tongues in and out of the hill as fast as 150 times per minute [source: Cohn]. At that rate, they may consume 30,000 ants and termites in one day [source: San Diego Zoo].

Coyote
The coyote (Canis latrans); from Nahuatl pronunciation ) is a canine native to North America. It is smaller than its close relative, the gray wolf, and slightly smaller than the closely related eastern wolf and red wolf. It fills much of the same ecological niche as the golden jackal does in Eurasia, though it is larger and more predatory, and is sometimes called the American jackal by zoologists. The coyote is listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature due to its wide distribution and abundance throughout North America, southwards through Mexico, and into Central America. The species is versatile, able to adapt to and expand into environments modified by humans. It is enlarging its range, with coyotes moving into urban areas in the Eastern U.S., and was sighted in eastern Panama (across the Panama Canal from their home range) for the first time in 2013. As of 2005, 19 coyote subspecies are recognized. The average male weighs 8 to 20 kg (18 to 44 lb) and the average female 7 to 18 kg (15 to 40 lb). Their fur color is predominantly light gray and red or fulvous interspersed with black and white, though it varies somewhat with geography. It is highly flexible in social organization, living either in a family unit or in loosely knit packs of unrelated individuals. It has a varied diet consisting primarily of animal meat, including deer, rabbits, hares, rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates, though it may also eat fruits and vegetables on occasion. Its characteristic vocalization is a howl made by solitary individuals. Humans are the coyote's greatest threat, followed by cougars and gray wolves. In spite of this, coyotes sometimes mate with gray, eastern, or red wolves, producing "coywolf" hybrids. In the northeastern United States and eastern Canada, the eastern coyote (a larger subspecies, though still smaller than wolves) is the result of various historical and recent matings with various types of wolves. Genetic studies show that most North American wolves contain some level of coyote DNA. The coyote is a prominent character in Native American folklore, mainly in the Southwestern United States and Mexico, usually depicted as a trickster that alternately assumes the form of an actual coyote or a man. As with other trickster figures, the coyote uses deception and humor to rebel against social conventions. The animal was especially respected in Mesoamerican cosmology as a symbol of military might. After the European colonization of the Americas, it was reviled in Anglo-American culture as a cowardly and untrustworthy animal. Unlike wolves (gray, eastern, or red), which have undergone an improvement of their public image, attitudes towards the coyote remain largely negative.

Hyena
Hyenas or hyaenas (from Greek ὕαινα hýaina) are any feliform carnivoran mammals of the family Hyaenidae . With only four extant species, it is the fifth-smallest biological family in the Carnivora, and one of the smallest in the class Mammalia. Despite their low diversity, hyenas are unique and vital components of most African ecosystems. Although phylogenetically they are closer to felines and viverrids, hyenas are behaviourally and morphologically similar to canines in several elements of convergent evolution; both hyenas and canines are non-arboreal, cursorial hunters that catch prey with their teeth rather than claws. Both eat food quickly and may store it, and their calloused feet with large, blunt, nonretractable claws are adapted for running and making sharp turns. However, the hyenas' grooming, scent marking, defecating habits, mating and parental behaviour are consistent with the behaviour of other feliforms. Spotted hyenas may kill as many as 95% of the animals they eat, while striped hyenas are largely scavengers. Generally, hyenas are known to drive off larger predators, like lions, from their kills, despite having a reputation in popular culture for being cowardly. Hyenas are primarily nocturnal animals, but sometimes venture from their lairs in the early-morning hours. With the exception of the highly social spotted hyena, hyenas are generally not gregarious animals, though they may live in family groups and congregate at kills. Hyenas first arose in Eurasia during the Miocene period from viverrid-like ancestors, and diversified into two distinct types: lightly built dog-like hyenas and robust bone-crushing hyenas. Although the dog-like hyenas thrived 15 million years ago (with one taxon having colonised North America), they became extinct after a change in climate along with the arrival of canids into Eurasia. Of the dog-like hyena lineage, only the insectivorous aardwolf survived, while the bone-crushing hyenas (including the extant spotted, brown and striped hyenas) became the undisputed top scavengers of Eurasia and Africa. Hyenas feature prominently in the folklore and mythology of human cultures with which they are sympatric. Hyenas are commonly viewed as frightening and worthy of contempt. In some cultures, hyenas are thought to influence people’s spirits, rob graves, and steal livestock and children. Other cultures associate them with witchcraft, using their body parts in traditional African medicine.

On Good Deeds

Maybe you've heard phrases or seen the words printed on a bumper sticker. The saying is a plea for people to do kind things for no particular reasons, with no particular plans. It goes like this: 'Practice random acts of kindness and senseless beauty'. I don't know where it originated or who said it first. But I have seen people putting the idea into practice. Kindness can be catching, just as cruelty can be. When we do something unexpected and nice for another person, who knows where that act of kindness might end? (93)

I've noticed people putting quarters into parking meters so that a stranger's car wouldn't be ticketed. I've heard of someone paying a family's bill in a restaurant, then leaving before the family found out. I once knew one of my classmates who was consistent in not letting a day go by without giving someone a sincere compliment. (57)

On Learning  

學英文那麼久，竟從沒深思過幾個常用的文法術語定義。今天學生問我 '請問語態跟語氣有何不同'？我他媽當場差點被問傻，還好這問題以前就有想過，不過後來因此我自問了一個衍生問題 '那假設語氣與假設語態又有何不同'？這我就沒什麼把握能說得完整了 ㄎㄎ。

查了一下美國的幾個文法網站後 (各位是知道的，文法這種東西向來各說各話、英美莫衷一是)，得到了可以說服我的一個結論，分享在下面；建議不要馬上看，可以自己先想想喔~：

1. 論及整個英文句的架構與狀態，也就是 '句法'，可以粗分為 五大句型 (sentence patterns)、時態 (tense)、語態 (voice + form)、語氣 (mood)、倒裝 (reverse sentence) 等五種。語態又細分為 主被動語態 (voice)、形變語態 (form) 二種。

2. 語態的這二種分類中，後者又屬 '詞法'，為狹義上的形變。

taking a rest is everything to my mom, and she can never be happy if she gets a minute without singing, even when doing house chores. she sometimes wonders if there's anyone who feels reluctant to sing. she loves singing so much that we can often see her sing, a will-be superstar housewife.

and she also reminds me that singing with someone you love is especially important. beside me, mom's best friend is whittie, a cute 5-year-old meagle. to her, there is absolutely no doubt that this small puppy is accompanying her everytime when she sings. so she loves it very much.

however, dad is the person that fancied music least. he often asks mom about the opinion of singing while doing chores. mom says that dad always makes a mountain out of a molehill and simply hates singing. yet mom thinks singing is with no doubt worth doing. they often have a fight about this.

after the quarrel, mom knows more about herself. she will inevitably feel sorry in case she fails to sing anywhere or anytime in the rest of her life. singing, to put it simple, not the very cleaning chores, is the sole incentive for her to being a housewife. (204 字)   

台灣、美國，電影都有分級，如以下所示：

G : general audiences; all ages permitted = 普遍級，適合所有年齡
PG : parental guidance suggested; some material may not be suitable for children = 保護級，父母陪同觀看 (部分內容兒童不宜，須父母陪同解釋)
PG-13 : parents strongly cautioned; some material may be inappropriate for children under 13 = 輔導級，13 歲以下兒童不宜觀看

中文史裡，至少是當今用語中，查不到 '樣態' 這個詞的字典義。就管見所知，這應該是日文裏的 '漢字' 詞彙，用來說明兩種助詞的不同情狀：表示 '樣態' 的用法 'よう' 與 'そう'、還有一種是表示 '傳聞' 的用法 'そう'。日文的 '樣態'，指的是中文的 '樣子、形狀、狀態' 而言。

但於現代中文，'態樣' 一詞多有出現，且 (至少) 被中華民國官方承認。語源應來自於英文 'pattern' 之一部翻譯，意為 '模組、模式、組成可能之一' 等意；例如國家教育研究院、司法院皆正式使用該詞：於國家教研院所編 '雙語詞彙集' 中，即有一詞條稱 '行為態樣 = Behavioral Patterns'，此亦為司法院雙語詞彙所承認並採用 (翻譯者應亦為司法院)。續查教研院與司法院網站，「態樣」 為 「模式」、「組成」 之意，用英文說則是 「pattern」或 「mode, model」，應也可解為「樣式」。然亦有將其翻譯為「樣態」者，如論及該字最早源於德國哲學家康德的《自然科學的形而上學基礎》一書，為推動邏輯學從傳統形式邏輯走向現代辯證邏輯的過程中所提出的全新哲學範疇。有翻譯謂：在康德看來，「樣態」是對事物存在狀態的 「斷定」，用它來描述事物的屬性，包括可能與不可能、存在與不存在、必然與偶然等三組邏輯判斷。我們可以按照這三組邏輯判斷，來剖析新樣態這一概念...。所以樣態、態樣，在中文的語境裡，皆有使用，惟用法有不同；「態樣」乃「類別、模式」，而「樣態」則為「樣子、姿態、情狀」之意。

在此補充一下：今查 「dictpedia」 字典百科中，目前也確實沒有「樣態」這個詞條的出現；然查《澳典》，約略可看到古語有使用 '樣態' 的例子：

Alfa, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo, Foxtrot, Golf,

Hotel, India, Juliett, Kilo, Lima, Mike, November,

Oscar, Papa, Quebec, Romeo, Sierra, Tango,

Uniform, Victor, Whiskey, X-ray, Yankee, Zulu

Foreword
Taking a history from a patient is a skill necessary for examinations and afterwards as a practicing doctor, no matter which area you specialise in. It tests both your communication skills as well as your knowledge about what to ask. Specific questions vary depending on what type of history you are taking but if you follow the general framework below you should gain good marks in these stations. This is also a good way to present your history.

In practice you may sometimes need to gather a collateral history from a relative, friend or carer. This may be with a child or an adult with impaired mental state.

Procedure Steps

Do not Go Gentle into That Good Night
~ Dylan Thomas

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

又一次，成功的征服指考英文作文！哈哈！

There are in total six catagories in the chart which young people in America between 18~29 are highly interested. There is absolutely no doubt that our daily lives are accompanied with environmental issues and natural disasters. It, which cannot be too much emphasized, plays so important a role for all of us that the earlier we could realize it, the more meaningfully and much safer we could ever enjoy our lives.

I sometimes wonder if there is anyone who feels reluctant to protect our earth. I am personally quite in favor of being environmentally friedly while doing damage to our environment is the one that I fancy least. 

A queue of my friends once asked me about my opinions of it. To be frank, it is rather hard for me to conclude a definite answer as many others did. However, I think it is quite necessary to cherish our earth. It can help me with my hometown too. Though I heard many would make a mountain out of a molehill that it is too late to do that, I still think it is worthy doing.

Formulae Unicus (英文作文公式)

A. A Helping Hand (助人為善二小段):

Examples (實例；後同): 

I once knew one of my classmates who was consistent in not letting a day go by without giving someone a sincere compliment. (23)

101 A

hiatus, epitome, resound/ reverberate/ resonate, discursive, rabble-rouser, incendiary, depraved and brutal, beastlike/ bestial, retribution/ karma, forbear, protege, deport/ evict/ exile/     expel/ expatriate/ extradite/ repatriate/ oust/ cast out/ abomish, glee, trepidation, aura/ the aurora australis/ the aurora borealis, fractious, propensity, erudite, ennui, gossamer, brusque, scurrilous, querulous, straitlaced, surly/ surely/ curly, take aback, pernicious, prosaic, disseminate, deleterious, accrue, inimical, pundit, iconoclast, folderal, persona, aficionado, primordial, concord, verdant, largesse, verbiage, flotsam, fecund, murk/ murky, unsightly a., duke/ marquis/ earl/ count/ viscount/ baron, moat, flax/ linen/ linseed/ flaxseed, scrupulous, hatchet, temperance, vehement, prithee, tarry, methinks/ methought, agone = ago/ dost thou = do you/ betwixt = between, peculiar/ peculiarity, bough, attire/ attic/ satire, predispose, gallant/ valiant/ valorous/ plucky/ intrepid/ lionhearted/ stout-hearted/ doughty/ mettlesome/ indomitable/ informalgutsy/ spunky/ ballsy/ have-a-go, wattle/ crest, buildup    

101 B

tamper/ temper/ tempo/ tantrum, rebuke, combustible, practitioner/ intern, confer with, revoke/ irrevocable/ verdict/ conviction, surmount, extricate, interdisciplinary, industrious/ industrial, disparate/ desperate, flagrant/ fragrant, expository, unfounded, rhesus, ferret, proponent/ opponent, dyslexia, thigh/ calf/ shin, spelling bee, ornery, trickness, intricacy, quirk, ungainly, magnate, nudge, staid, flux, frivolous, recourse to, idiosyncrasy, rote, the book proper

102 A

by-catch, obsolete/ obsolescence, affirmative action (平權行動), dividends/ dissent/ dissident, barb/ bard, vulgarian, repair/ irreparable, incandescent, chromosome, womb/ uterus, bring sth to terms, be fraught with, avert, in the making, waver/ waive/ weave, annotate, encampment, enclave, reel/ spoke, moniker/ ephithet, lore, treachery, annihilate/ nihilism, seize/ cease/ seizure/ spasm, ambivalence, kin, pitable/ pitiful, shrunk/ shrunken

102 B

pique, torrent, fortuity/ fortuitous, draught = draft/ drought, insouciant, caustic, nonchalant, flop/ fiasco, dextrous/ ambidextrous, penultimate, repute/ refute, plesiosaur, ludicrous, fandom, periphery, feeble/ feasible, i.e./ e.g., fortnight, consecrate, laud, effable/ affable, commanding/ demanding, rift/ raft, skein, truce, breach/ bleach, phosphorus/ phosphorescent/ sulfur, herbivorous/ carbivorous, meerkat, squad/ squadron, cinematographer/ photographer, glassy/ classy/ classic, intricate, entity

103 A

grating, gripe, harrow, hangar, hiatus, hirsute, hoist, homage, flout, flaunt, flounder, spendthrift, mitigate, millitate, mortify, munificence, recumbent/ incumbent, redoubtable, recondite, rumble/ ramble/ rustle, rankle, hubbub/ hobnob, hoodlum, mope, foundle, to no avail = in vain, turnover (交易額)/ turnout (出席者)/ turncoat/ turn-on (興奮, n.), hands-on (a.), sphinx/ sphynx, wary/ weary, glib, filmsy, hogwash, litmus, annex to, slouch/ slough, pane, be intent on, momentum/ momentary, antagonist/ protagonist, flutter/ flannel

103 B

benevolence/ benign/ berserk, vindictive/ veracious/ voracious, extrapolate, tarnish, relinquish, molest, at odds with, fanfare, in tandem with, bold/ bald, carcinogen, ample/ afluent, crucifix, paralegal/ paramedic, canopy, shack/ shackle, top-notch/ first tier

104 A

egalitarianism, in thrall to , quota, futile, solidarity/ solitude, stoke, contend/ consent/ conceit, allocation, artful, frit/ fret/ misfit, protozoan, dandelion, gastric/ pepsin/ rennin, topdog/ underdog, tunic, casket, aperture, refuse n., cudgel/ staff/ secptor/ cane/ club/ stick/ rod, rentier, meritocracy, configure, remorse, archetype/ prototype, induce/ allure, traverse, opacity/ opaque, get a word in edgeways, gully-hole/ sink-hole/ sump, sewer/ sewage/ feculence/ cesspool, putrefy/ putrescent, hoarse/ coarse, bivouacs, duck/ dodge, 

104 B

impoundment/ impeachment/ reservoir/ repertoire, bifurcation, refurbishment/ furnish, wreak/ wreath/ wrath/ wring, secession/ session/ succession, stomp, stupor, clandestine, procurement, belch, prix fixe, inaugural, Paleolithic Age/ Neolithic Age, genital/ venereal, satchel, miscellaneous, squint, burlap, saunter, meticulous, fastidious, clerk/ clerical, give and take/ give or take