Nostalgic - Vintage music videos - ABBA - Fernando

Two versions of the lyrics:
http://goo.gl/WvAgq
      &
http://goo.gl/IjMp6


This particular song is ABBA's "biggest selling single of all time, selling 6,000,000 copies in 1976 alone." The English version of the song in the above videos "presents a vision of nostalgia for two veterans reminiscing in old age about a lost battle that they participated in during their younger days fighting under Emiliano Zapata in a battle of the Mexican revolution of 1910." (Cited from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_(song) )

Wendy wench (Part 1)

(Anime from http://goo.gl/djN0G)

With a pony tail fluttering behind her head
Reminiscing about the braid she wore yesterday
She mindlessly flushed the tube out with the clear water
Which she had carried down from the hilltop with cypresses

Spider

Becoming less than enamored of its time spent here
It scrambled into another web, fluttering

Wikileaks.org is another undermining cut on news organizations' roles

If a mysterious and tremendously discussed website, Wikileaks.org , can dig out important, enlightening and current information for and present it to the public, what are the values that traditional news outlets bring forth to the society?

And have the values been diminishing for years? You bet.

Wenches tend to be a little sentimental sometimes.

Thought-provoking - Article via web - Raising a Child in Two Worlds

Article: Raising a Child in Two Worlds - NYTimes.com .

Excerpts:

When Nina is ready for real school, the choices in our neighborhood don’t thrill me either. Because of the dominant immigrant population, many have a heavy focus on learning English. While I understand that need, I can’t pretend I don’t worry that my daughter’s education will be slowed while she waits for other kids to learn her native language. Plenty of Caucasian parents in my neighborhood have chosen them, are determined to advocate for better education by keeping their kids there instead of fleeing south. I admire them, truly. But at the end of the day, I’m just not ready to make that leap of faith where my daughter’s concerned. I’m not proud of this, but I’ve accepted it as my parental right.

Motherhood is constantly realizing that so much of her life will be out of my control. So is it so terrible for me to see that one of her cultures maybe edges out the other? Just a teeny, tiny bit? If Latinos ruled the world, maybe I’d push things to go the other way, but political correctness and cultural diversity aside, I want her doing well in life — money, success, respect, opportunities, and, most of all, safety. Not gonna apologize for that, though I wish it could be otherwise. I also wish that there weren’t so many boxes to check — and that the only alternative to choosing one is to write on the blank line “Other.”

Toto washlet (toilet)

The inventions of flush toilet, oscillating sprinkler, and blow dryer are among the best creations by the human kind. On top of them is the Toto washlet (toilet). You can watch this video commercial.

First-rate poems can be lenient.

Deputation

(Image via http://goo.gl/xxQfM)

The deputation manifested their doting on maps
And chided the trade wind around the vessel
While deputing it to hasten the lost fineries
And the freedom never really seen in the world

Impartiality in news reporting

A news organization chooses, observes, and reports tidings. How on earth can it achieve and keep impartiality, if that is not its paramount aim? I for one want to be fed impartial information for the most part.

Actually, I think this is a deeper issue, which demands rumination, than I previously thought, in the presence of the supposed pursuit of advertisement dollars by the news organization.

A tempest in a tea pot (Version C)

Sustenance in a bowl of soup
Maintenance in a rigid book
Staid souls in a barter mall
Unfathomable water in a hall

Appellation of sage

The appellation of sage requires one to be by nature wise, and gentle.

I have become enamored of the Anglo-Saxon language.

Its richness and insights seems to know no bounds. And the cultures breathing it seem to be always powerfully up-to-date and progressive.

Poignant - Vintage music videos - Take That - Babe

Lyrics: http://goo.gl/pvQpv .

A poignant blast from the past.

I did a double take on the band's name, "Take That".

I somewhat flushed with anger at a person's words at douban.com .

The comments were quite distasteful and the person's attitude terrible. There's often someone unpleasant somewhere online. Sigh.

Purport of being

(Image from http://goo.gl/xjdsC)

The unruly system is tepid
Yet cruel and unfeeling
The ruly faces appeared
Trying to depute the thing

A tempest in a tea pot (Version B)

(Image via http://goo.gl/Nb0fR)

The realization came into his mind
And made him tremble there

A gentleman allays his negative feelings.

And that's not in vain.

Picture - When grandma attacked his groin

:-(

(Image via http://goo.gl/CuOoe)

In the name of self defense. :-)


The kicked body part of the young guy was called "groin". Ouch. :-(

Graveyard shift store

After-hours are not off-hours
You stand behind the counter
Passing the stuff to customer
Nigh his girl at Tim Horton's

Times of getting taxed on RRSP and RESP

(This post is only applicable to Canadian residents.)

The principal of a RRSP is only taxed once during its lifespan, upon its payout. On the other hand, the principal of a RESP gets taxed twice during its lifespan, i.e. it's already post-income tax money when the subscriber (parent) contributes it into a RESP account and then is taxed again under the name of the beneficiary (child) when she receives it later on.

I'm ruminating over the reasons why they're designed so by the Canadian government and can't grasp them yet.

Blockbuster emporium

Under the roof the emporium buzzed and bustled
The merchant looked forward to linear prosperity
Society has evolved with unpredictability in vivo
YouTube and Vimeo are full of vim and character

(Note: This piece relates to the going belly up of the Blockbuster video rental company vis-a-vis the emergent successes of Netflix, YouTube, and the likes.)

Keen - Vintage music video - The Cranberries - Twenty One

Lyrics: http://goo.gl/j1FiN.

The Cranberries is yet another great music talent from Ireland. Gee. There are so many. And they, Irish musicians, almost have hold monopoly over my ears for years. Their nation must be quite poetic.

However, in stark contrast to that phenomenon, Ireland's financiers have been so disastrous. Now that prompts me to ask, is that poetic country also very scientific?

For the time being, I suspect the above particular song embodies some classic wounds of the Irish nation.

A tempest in a teapot (Version A)

Ruminating on the temperature of the water
The tea leaves flow low and high meandering
Their qualities preserved for so long a time
Will give out their hints once and for all

Bankers' hours nowadays

The purport of the phrase "bankers' hours" has deviated so much from its root. Nowadays (investment) bankers are so used to working graveyard shifts and day shifts back to back. Gone are the days of easy laboring in the banking industry. On the other hand, ironically, many civil servants in Canada tend to work bankers' hours with long coffee breaks blended in, day in and day out. Well, who doesn't want to be that kind of "servant"?

Levity

Ignorance breeds levity, in my experience.

Eye candy - Music video - The Corrs - Leave Me Alone

The lyrics are at: http://goo.gl/C527x.

The diversity of pretty ladies and eye candy videos knows no limits. The Corrs sisters for sure are one of them, aren't they? And man, can they smile! No wonder they had topped the pop charts worldwide. Their photogenic facial expressions and groovy music definitely could sell.

The Corrs' music

I've been listening to their music on and off. And I admit that it's lovely and lovable and it exceeds my initial expectations, for the most part. And, it's soothing for off-hours relaxing.

Savant (Part 2)

(Image via http://goo.gl/keAIl)

Sustenance in the bowels of the world
People say knowledge is a tepid thing
Yet you die with questions even more
Than even when you started out young

Savant (Part 1)

(Image via http://goo.gl/keAIl)

You know certainly there are many angles and levels
You try to maintain an impartial position all along
The myriad world is minified in your practiced mind
The jaded retinue keep going and going in the heath

Montreal's after-hours retailing market

The opening of Montreal's after-hours retailing market a few years ago has led to fierce competition and emotions nowadays. A for instance is partly manifested along this forum thread at Sinoquebec.com.

Article via web - 内地价管山雨欲来乎？

Here're some excerpts from （2010.11.23）内地价管山雨欲来乎？_张五常_新浪博客:

（二）十月份中国的消费物价指数上升百分之四点四，主要由食品物价带动，后者上升了百分之十点一。可能把温家宝先生吓倒的，是十八种主要蔬菜的平均批发价每公斤人民币三元九角，按年上升了百分之六十二点四！有报道说这急升是游资炒作的效果。炒作会增加市价的波动，但农业的蔬菜类是竞争非常激烈的产品，炒作不会导致这类产品的市价远离没有炒作之价。话虽如此，我认为蔬菜之价将会回落一点，因为农民的反应会转到增加蔬菜的种植。

解释过几次，中国农产品之价上升得比工业产品之价为速是好现象。若要马儿好，让马儿吃草。让农产品的相对价格上升是最可取的帮助贫困农民的方法。这些年那么多的农民转到工、商业去——工作年龄的四个转了三个——农产品的相对价格怎会不大幅上升呢？我认为目前的上升还不足够：长远一点看，蔬菜批发均价人民币三元九角一公斤还是偏低。我的估计，要让农民的生活水平追上城市的中等人家，非农产品之价不变，农产品之价还要上升大约一倍多。说过多次，农民的生活搞不起，中国的经济改革算不上是成功。要帮助农民，天下没有比多花几块钱购买他们的产品更好的方法。

（三）农产品的相对价格上升是好事，而蔬菜之价急升是大好特好。这是因为种植蔬菜每亩所需的劳动力大约是植稻所需的八倍（见拙作《佃农理论》一六七至一六八页）。蔬菜的培植是劳动力密集的玩意，灌溉、施肥频密，而中国人的口味苛求，某些蔬菜他们要吃鲜的，菜农要在天还未亮起床，拔菜清洗应市。因为需要密集的劳动力，蔬菜之价是个重要指数，其急升反映着农民劳动力之价升得好。三年前我对一位同学说，衡量农民的生活改进，不要多管其他数字，重点是看蔬菜的批发价变动。这是经济学。

（四）蔬菜之价急升，市民当然投诉，甚或怨声载道，但受益者是中国的农民。中国的经济改革是为苦了数千年的农民而改的。今天投诉菜价的市民，大部分不到三十年前也是农民。我们知道来自农村的市民的生活还不是很好，但有了大改进，回头帮一下还在种菜的老弱人家是他们应该做的事，怎会学得过桥抽板那样没出息？炎黄子孙的文化不是教道义的吗？没有其他方法能比多付一两块钱买一斤蔬菜更合乎经济发展原则的帮助。

（五）自公元二千年起，中国农民的收入上升大有可观，我在《中国的经济制度》中说是中国经济发展的两大奇迹之一。今年升得特别快，有两个原因。其一是北京两年前推出新劳动法后，月是故乡明，回乡归故里的流动人口多，跟着北京反应快（赞一赞），促成乡镇工业加速发展。其二是泰国的政局出事，加上越南等地乱来，一时间中国沿海一带的接单工业忙得不可开交，工资提升得快。农民的收入于是得到接单工业加薪的协助。

Unwieldy logistics of blogging outside the Chinese wall

(Image via http://goo.gl/Qi1bZ)

Effective blogging requires unwieldy logistics, especially due to the being of the Great Firewall in front of the willing readers of my blog who dwell in China. I did try to ferret out a blogging service which was hosted in China and I really liked, but that produced no result.

Article via web - Language as a Blunt Tool of the Digital Age

English learning has increasingly fallen to be a mainstream after-hours activity in a host of countries worldwide, I guess. Just how big the magnitude of that is, I have no idea yet.

On a different note, for those people who leave for an English-speaking nation from an East Asian one, including China, in their teenage years which deem them premature, we can consider the situation life puts them in, which possibly is that "They end up, as the Indian writer Pavan Varma has called them, “linguistic half-castes,” functional in many tongues, without command of any."(See below for the quote.) Think, and think twice about that, my friend.

There is an article published in January 2010 by The NYT: Currents - Language as a Blunt Tool of the Digital Age. Below go some excerpts:

Globalization, in bringing cultures together, exerts its own pragmatic pressure. With English the escalator of globalized success, the language’s center of gravity is tilting away from English-speaking lands. A stripped-down English of catchphrases and trite idioms, light on richness, is becoming the true global language.

The English-learning boom in developing nations also corrodes their own languages. Their young increasingly learn enough English to do a global-economy job but not so much as to be articulate in it. Yet many give up on mastering their native languages. They end up, as the Indian writer Pavan Varma has called them, “linguistic half-castes,” functional in many tongues, without command of any.

In the language-as-protocol worldview, the best lyrics are the least lyrical, because the greatest number can follow them. The most successful headlines are not those with the freshest word choices but those whose well-worn expressions are frequently Googled. The most effective communication at work is not the bulky memo, but the bullet-riddled PowerPoint presentation, which people from varied nationalities can absorb in very little time.

The real existence of labor unions

In Canada and USA, the real existence of labor unions, sometimes, is the elephant in the room. Have they been becoming increasingly irrelevant? You bet they have and you bet they will.

Vintage music video - The Beatles - Can't Buy Me Love (Live)

Here go the lyrics.

In or not in its own right, most people chase after money, some after fame, and some after love. Well, as the adages go, life's all about choices, and all's well that ends well.

Cenotaph (Part 2)

(Image from http://goo.gl/KhPDa)

Inscribed on his epitaph in a cemetery was
He liked the sounds of birds fluttering
He liked the look of flurries of skirts
But those things he fought for
He liked more

Cenotaph (Part 1)

(Image from http://goo.gl/KhPDa)

Most of them were good citizens
With vim for their home country
Mostly they would fight and fall
In order to keep a land for all

Some Chinese companies seize a technology and wrest it

It seems that some Chinese companies are enterprises which seize a technology and wrest it from a Western or Japanese firm and run with it, appropriating it as its own, to profiteer and leverage unfairly. Some Western companies may be going to remonstrate about that further down the road. Well, legal battles ahead.

Anticipating the real-deal Canadian winter

With an eye toward the real-deal Canadian winter followed by the thawing spring, I would say I for one like flurries but don't favor slush quite much.

Viral video - "He'll never be a real Canadian"

Interesting keywords: Canada-born Asian, racism, identity, racialization, remonstrance.

It can be consuming for an individual to deal with his or her internal struggles with self identity.

Canada is a reading country

As I've realized and discovered over the years, Canada is a reading country. Be it books, newspapers, websites, blogs, Canadians read them all and read, and read. After all, this state is evolving into a knowledge economy. Well, the other day, it turned out there's one more book for Canadian people to peruse. The recent announcement of the Giller Prize winner has wreaked a flurry of media exposure and then a flurry of people's purchasing the winning book "The Sentimentalists". Gee.

Wrestle

(Image via http://goo.gl/aRadv)

In public two nations wrestle
Take a friction and run with it
Their state machines hustle
With pendulous tactics with-it

Invisible power from one another to wrest
Debate, intercept, and ambush with zest
People like to fill themselves with delusion
Serendipity mostly let them find resolution

Twitter and speedier dissemination of information

Twitter wreaked quite a flutter in the Western world. I still haven't truly grasped why it has been so stupendously popular. A little speedier and simpler dissemination of information is what that communication medium essentially offers, in my opinion, but that's not something really huge. However, that's solely my take for the time being.

Bay Street of the U.S.A. (Part 4)

(Image from http://bit.ly/9Bgp7q)

Until some finance insiders blurt out the reality

Prospectuses are my means to solicit and deceit

Later on you will be in the unconscionable know

But sadly you have never truly learned the lesson

Sing, sing for the Bay Street of the U.S.A.

Article via web - 海外华人生活 - 在加拿大学英文的"苦"

回望昨日在异乡那门前

唏嘘的感慨一年年

但日落日出永没变迁

...

在那些开放的路上

踏碎过多少理想

- Beyond乐队

海外华人生活：在加拿大学英文的"苦"

来加拿大之前我的英文程度可说是"零"，除了会说"How old are you"、"What's your name"、"good morning"……等等之外，就真的一窍不通了。


在来的第二年春天我开始上ESL课，就在学期快结束时的某个午休，有一位来自香港的女同学用广东话跟我说："你的英文那么烂，为什么会被分来这班？" 我摇头说："不知道"。结果上课时，老师心血来潮想和我聊天；他才刚说完，那位女同学又跟我说："你不用说，你的英文那么烂，说什么老师也听不懂的。"说完又用英文跟老师说："她的英文那么烂，为什么会来这班？"顿时之间所有的同学都向我望来。


当时我强忍着泪水，只因为我不想让外国同学看我的笑话； 我装着一副听不懂的表情，才平息了这尴尬的场面。在回家的路上边开车边哭，想到母亲常叮咛我的话："同样一件事，如果被人笑一次是那个人没有风度；被笑第 二次是自己没有智能；被笑三次或以上是自取其辱；人要有志气，面子是自己给的，不是别人给的。"再想想："自己的英文确实很烂，也怪不得别人会笑你。"心情也较舒服了些。


学期结束后，在朋友的建议下上了LINC，但我觉得老师教的是中式英文，并不是我想要的道地英文，结果只上了两周就没有上了。后来我自费到Seneca学校上ESL，虽才短短的三个月，却让我培养了对英文的兴趣；但因我嫌他每周只上一天，所以学期结束后就没有上了。


有天得知多伦多大学有密集的英文班，虽学费很贵，但在外子支持的情况下，我上了多大的ESL。经过测验，我的听、说能力是第二级，而读、写则在第三级。就在读、写的第一堂课，老师要我们写一篇"自传"；当时心想："我文法不通、单字又少，这不是在叫四岁的娃儿写作文一样吗？"经过一周绞尽脑汁之下，终于如期的缴了作业。


就在发作业时，我心跳得好快，心想："老师可能会降我级，死就死吧，只要能学好英文就好了。"结果打开作业簿一看，老师不但没降我的级，反而称赞我写的好，还叫我把文章投到学校的校刊。经过老师三次的修改之后，我的文章真的被刊登在多大的校刊上了。


虽然我的读、写进步了，但我始终还是觉得我的英文不好，可是又不知道问题在哪里。就在最后一堂课，我把我的烦恼告诉了老师。她说："学英文最好的方法就是在家多听英文新闻、看英文节目和报章杂志，只要持之以恒一定可以学好英文的。"(Important! So, the ESL teacher working at U. of Toronto said that keeping on reading newspapers and magazines is going to lead to continuous improvement of English. --double_take)学期结束后，我照她的话做。


刚开始很痛苦，时常挣扎地想转回中文台；后来索性把中文台停了，就这样逼自己听和看英文节目。我觉得看英文节目还好些，看报纸才是最痛苦。刚开始光是一个小框框就得花几个小时，不懂就查、查了又忘、忘了再查，查字典真的是查到哭。但我知道，我今天不努力，将来一定会后悔，正所谓："人无远虑，必有近忧。"我不想将来会因我放弃学英文而后悔，("摇落深知宋玉悲。" --double_take)所以每当我查字典查到哭时，我就停下来把眼泪擦干再继续查。


就这样半年之后，我的英文真的进步了！现在我已可以轻松地看英文节目和报纸了。


英文进步后，让我的生活更方便，也让我更有自信。回想起那些留学业者常说的，"学外语，只要到了国外自然就会"，其实并不是如此。


如果你不努力的话，不管你住在国外多久，你还是不会英文的。大家努力吧！


文章来源：中华移民网

- Copied from the web in around 2008
- Recycled in 2010

Vintage music video - "Stranger in Moscow" - Michael Jackson

I especially appreciate the part "Stalin's tomb won't let me be" in the lyrics.

New word: Armageddon.

Slightly updated - "Public Force" vis-a-vis "Government Forces"

(Image from http://bit.ly/c4hb64)

Here is the French notion of Public Force:

In contrast to similar declarations of rights from Anglo-Saxon countries, the emphasis is on the citizen's duty to contribute to the existence of such a force, rather than on the citizen's rights vis-a-vis such a force.

But what if the government, the commander of the public force, becomes or is complicit with corruption or outright incompetence? And what if a serious rupture between the citizens and the state government erupts?


On the other hand, in English, the corresponding idea is called "government forces", in lieu of "public force". Hmm, let's ponder over that.


- Last revised in November 2010
- Initially published on October 14th, 2010

Bay Street of the U.S.A. (Part 3)

(Image from http://bit.ly/9Bgp7q)

Ombudsmen never have actual power over me

Because they must be impartial all the time

And I always design my financial products

Very slyly and preempt any loss on my side

Facebook vs. Google

(Image via http://bit.ly/98AEad)

(Image from http://bit.ly/dbsah6)

It just dawned that Facebook would pretty soon inaugurate its own email services, which particular move could result in Facebook wresting even more users from Google. And strangely, that wreaked a puny flutter of panic in me. I went and ferreted out an old post of mine which advocated against using Facebook too much. From this day forward, I will personally keep tabs on the competition of Facebook versus Google, which is for sure going to unroll splendid showdowns.


Below is my old entry that appeared in June 2008:


***
My position is anti-FaceBook. Period. Twitter is a better alternative. Here goes some excerpt from How to Avoid Wasting Time on Facebook - wikiHow:

Some people love to use Facebook to keep in touch with friends. However, Facebook seems to be set up to try to draw you in and spend (waste) more time there, and to get your friends to spend more time there. If you just want to use it to keep in touch with people, renew contact with old friends, and just maybe do some networking, here are some ways to avoid wasting too much time.

The feeling of words failing me

From time to time, I have the feeling that words fail me. One day when waterfowl fluttered gracefully over a lake, wanting to express that, I lost my words. And one day I spoke with a friend, trying to thoroughly and holistically display my points of view, and my utterance twisted.

Excellent free online film - "Billy Elliot"

This familiar and popular flick is for me a blast from the past. I'd recommend it: YouTube - Billy Elliot Film - Part 1. Enjoy.

Bay Street of the U.S.A. (Part 2)

(Image from http://bit.ly/9Bgp7q)

This is monkey business but you don't know

I am the guaranteed beneficiary all the way

No matter what I promise you in sales pitches

It is my self interest which drives my services

Eye candy - Music video - The Corrs & Bono - When the Stars Go Blue (Live 8)

(Another version of the song, by The Corrs at the Montreux (Switzerland) Jazz Festival, which isn't as fine, for my money.)


The lyrics are: http://bit.ly/8QmCqk

Bay Street of the U.S.A. (Part 1)

(Image from http://bit.ly/9Bgp7q)

Our international financial hearts flutter at

Thousands of transactions per millisecond

The revenue doubles, the net earnings triple

And the employees turnover rate quadruples

The polyglot Switzerland

(Image from http://bit.ly/bVmSLx)

Switzerland is a polyglot nation. For the most part, people in Zurich and Berne speak German, while those in Geneva converse in French. Well, we can approximate the country to be a bilingual one, just like Canada is, can't we?

Nonetheless, pragmatically speaking, there may be a glut of human languages on the earth, given the rabid advancement of this internet age, whose preponderant language of choice is English, for the sake of communication and presentation.

Information via web - 想要学好英语, 最重要的就是使自己成为 "a big reader"

"""
英语界名人、名家论阅读

光学几句干巴巴的英文不行，……不要总是把阅读的目的放在提高英文

上，阅读首先是吸收知识，吸收知识的过程中自然而然就吸收了语言。
——许国璋

用英文思维是许多英语学习者都希望达到的一种境界，因为这是用英语流畅地表达思想的基础。对于一个生活在非英语环境中的中国学生来说，要做到部分或全部用英文来思考确有很大难度，但也不是可望而不可及。从自己学习英语的经历中，我体会到坚持大量阅读是实现这一目标最有效的途径之一。
——何其莘（北京外国语大学副校长 博士生导师）

对于初、中级英语学习者我特别推荐英语简易读物，读的材料要浅易，故事性要强，读的速度尽可能快一些，读得越多越好。这是学英语屡试不爽的好方法。
——胡文仲（北京外国语大学教授）

序言
中国人学英语现状分析

◆英语是语言的帝国

全球60亿人中,有3.8亿人的母语是英语；2.5亿人的第二母语是英语。12.3亿人学习英语,33.6亿人和英语有关。全世界电视节目的75％、E-mail的80％、网络的85％、软件源代码的100％使用英语。40～50年后,全球50％的人精通英语。全球约6000种语言,本世纪末其中的90％将消亡。届时英语作为主导语言的地位将进一步得到提升。

目前中国大约有3亿人在学英语,超过英国和美国的人口总和,这是中国努力与时代接轨、与国际接轨的一个重要标志。大量中国人熟练掌握国际通用语言是中华民族走向繁荣富强的必要保障。

◆英语学习的远期目标

在中国,英语已经远远超出一个学科的范畴,一个人英语水平的高低总是和事业、前途、地位,甚至命运联系在一起。对于个人来讲,英语在人生旅途中具有战略意义,不失时机地在英语上投入时间、投入精力、投入金钱符合与时俱进的潮流,是明智之举。

◆目前存在的问题

尽管在中国学习英语的人很多,但收效却令人担忧,学了这么多年英语,能够运用自如的人实在是凤毛麟角。由于运用能力差,无法品尝到英语学习成功的快乐,很多人不得不承认学英语的目的只是为了考试。

◆来自西方的教育理念

中国人读英语有个缺点,学习缺乏渐进性。他们习惯于读满篇都是生词的文章,以为这样"收获"才最大。结果他们的阅读不断地被查词典打断,一小时只能看两三页,读起来自然索然无味,最后只能作罢。这是中国人学英语的通病!读的文章几乎全部达到了语言学家所说的"frustration level"(使学生感到沮丧的程度)。


我当年的英语老师是美国一位非常优秀的教育家,叫Steven,他在第一次给我们上课时就说：想要学好英语,最重要的就是使自己成为"a big reader"(大量阅读的人,博览群书者)。Read, read, read. 但保证阅读能够顺利进行的关键是阅读材料的难度。生词、难点不能过多,总体水平要低于自己的水平。这样读起来才能津津有味,爱不释手。

西方的语言学家和心理学家对英语学习者的阅读状况进行了大量的研究,结论令人非常吃惊：最适宜阅读的难度比我们长期所处的、我们所习惯的、我们头脑中定位的难度要低得多!只有文中生词量小到足以保证阅读的持续性时,语言吸收的效果才最好,语言水平的提高也最快。举个形象的例子：上山是从峭壁直接艰难攀登还是走平缓的盘山路好?显然,能够从峭壁登顶者寥寥无几!即使其能勉强成功,也远远落后于沿坦途行进者。(Really? I really doubt that it remains true all the way.  --double_take)

◆不可缺少的环节


没有几百万字的输入无法学好英语。语言的习得是一个长期的过程,需要大量的"输入"。一个由汉语武装起来的头脑,没有几百万字英文的输入,即使要达到一般水平也难。绝大多数的英语学习者正是由于缺少了这一环节,所以停留在一个无奈的水平上。("水是眼波横，山是眉峰聚。 欲问行人去那边，眉眼盈盈处"。 --double_take)


◆"圣人"学英语的做法

在学英语的长远目标和考试的压力共同作用下,自然会产生学好英语的强烈愿望,但这一愿望的实现需要有很强的"韧劲(自我约束力)"。春来不是读书天,夏日炎炎正好眠,秋有蚊虫冬又冷,收起书包待明年。随着物质文明的繁荣,总有一些理由使人不能安心学习。这样下去,我们的英语之树永远长不高。古人云：人静而后安,安而能后定,定而能后慧,慧而能后悟,悟而能后得。很有道理。在四川大足佛教石刻艺术中,有一组大型佛雕《牧牛图》,描绘了一个牧童和牛由斗争、对抗到逐渐协调、融合,最后合而为一的故事。佛祖说："人的心魔难伏,就像牛一样,私心杂念太多太多；修行者就要像牧童训练他们,驯服他们,以完美自己的人生。"那些具有很强心力的人,我们姑且称其为"圣人",他们能够驯服那些影响我们学习的大牛、小牛,抵制各种诱惑,集中精力,专心学习,到达成功的彼岸。

◆凡人的困惑

在目前的教育体系中,学好英语是需要坚韧不拔的毅力的。但问题是我们大多数平凡的人无法和圣人相比,所以在学英语的征途上,失败者多,成功者少。客观地讲,即使采用不太高的标准来衡量在中国英语学习的失败率应该在99%以上,有的人说："难道我们不能把大多数的人都变成圣人吗?"这样大多数人就可以学好英语了。我们不得不承认大多数凡夫俗子是不能够成为圣人的。值得我们深思的是,目前的英语学习体系没有给大多数人提供一条平坦的道路。

◆兴趣--英语学习成功的真正源泉

我和大家一样都是凡人,我也曾经遇到过学英语的困惑,干巴巴的课文无论怎样都激不起我的兴趣。幸运的是我有一个在国外生活多年的姐姐,有一次她回国,给我带来很多浅显有趣的读物。我拿起一本一读,觉得很简单,一个星期就读完了。就英语学习而言,一部英文小说其实就是用英语建构的一个"虚拟世界"。那里有人,有人的心灵和人与人之间关系的揭示,有人与自然、与社会的冲突和调和。走进一部英文小说,你实际上就已经"生活"在一个"英语世界"里了,不愁没有东西可学。经典作品要读,写得好的当代通俗小说也要读。我一共读了50本,从此对英语产生了兴趣,英语水平有了很大的提高。还是爱因斯坦说得好："兴趣是最好的老师"。

本套读物的特色：

●情节曲折：本书选材的时候非常注意作品的吸引力。比方说：

《查泰莱夫人的情人》(Lady Chatterley's Lover)：我当年读大学的时候,班上每个同学都买一本看。有的同学甚至熄灯后,打着手电筒躲在被窝里看。

《吸血鬼》(Dracula)：这个故事真吓人,我看完以后好几天没睡好觉。后来我的一个学生说他对英语从来不感兴趣,我就把这本小说推荐给他。后来他对我说："这是我一口气读完的第一本英语书,就是太吓人了。老师,能不能再给我来一本?"

《呼啸山庄》(Wuthering Heights)：讲述的是一个骇人听闻的复仇故事,当初没有想到这本书的作者竟然是一个生活在几乎与世隔绝环境中的女孩。

《飘》(Gone with the Wind)：几乎所有的美国女孩都读过这本书,主人公斯佳丽是美国女孩的偶像,可以说我见过的每个美国女孩都是一个Scarlett。

……

本套丛书收入的都是你在一生中值得去读的作品,读这些作品不但可以提高你的英语水平,而且能够提高你的个人修养。
"""

- Copied from http://www.amazon.cn/detail/product.asp?prodid=zjbk078508&ref=GS&uid=000-0000000-0000000 in around 2008

- Recycled in 2010

I like the sounds of the leaves fluttering

I like the sounds of the palpably many-hued leaves fluttering on their abode trees when the winds meet up with them.

Abyss, or limbo (Part 2)

(Image from http://bit.ly/cb8aPl)

Unaware of the surpassing sublimity
Of the opaque and unfathomable abyss

It turned its little heart and mind

To the habitually comforting limbo

Lifelessness was not what it dreaded

It recoiled at being entirely hopeless

Of precipitating the golden winds

Which fell in its enslaving dreams

Abyss, or limbo (Part 1)

(Image from http://bit.ly/dsBoa6)

It flew into the factual abyss
With glamorous little thoughts
And found itself powerlessly
Lifeless in the unfeeling chasm

It put on its chunky gray glasses
And saw bitterness in its heart
It turned around its eyes toward
A red welcoming but staid limbo

Profound - My notes (Part 1) - "Death of a Salesman"

Here goes some excerpt from the Wikipedia entry:

Death of a Salesman is a 1949 play written by American playwright Arthur Miller. The play ran for 745 performances, winning both the Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The original production was directed by Elia Kazan with Lee J. Cobb starring in the leading role of Willy Loman.

The play attempts to raise a counterexample to Aristotle's characterization of tragedy as the downfall of a great man: though Loman certainly has hamartia, a tragic flaw or error, his downfall is that of an ordinary man. In this sense, Miller's play represents a democratization of the ancient form of tragedy; the play's protagonist is himself obsessed with the question of greatness, and his downfall arises directly from his continued misconception of himself--at age 63--as someone capable of greatness, as well as the unshakable conviction that greatness stems directly from personal charisma or popularity.

And this line of text caught my eye on that web page too:

Sandage, Scott A. (2005). Born Losers: A History of Failure in America. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Human hearts tend to flutter

Human hearts tend to flutter, under the scarcely unfathomable forces and influences in the society. And the fluttering oftentimes leads to regrets or remonstrances.

Paradox of U.S.A.'s seeming lack of cultural depth and its actual cultural sophistication

It seems that I've never ceased to be amazed by the paradox of U.S.A.'s seeming lack of cultural depth and its actual cultural sophistication, or at least the actual cultural sophistication of its myriad cultured individuals.

Proficiency in English Decreases

(Image from http://bit.ly/bEIlf6)

In the non-English speaking nations, including France, which is the originating country of the native Quebecois, the necessity of gaining literary in the Anglo-Saxon language is so palpable that people has become to be crazy about it. Meanwhile, in the English-speaking countries, the ubiquity of highly developed proficiency in the language seems to make immigrants numb about or weary of the urgency of honing their own tongues, for the most part. And that has been my impression.

Here is an article from The NYT in January 2005: Proficiency in English Decreases Over a Decade. And here follows some well put excerpt:

For generations of immigrants to New York, learning English has been the passport to a better life, whether it turned a busboy into a waiter, bridged the distance between an ethnic enclave and the Ivy League, or was just used to persuade the landlord to turn on the heat.

"English literacy supports self-sufficiency, supports the ability to get a raise, to get a promotion, and it fosters children's academic success," said Jeanne B. Mullgrav, commissioner of the city Department of Youth and Community Development, citing research that underscores the importance of parental involvement. "To the extent that parents improve their skills, children succeed."

The ideal social workers should be persevering

They must be persevering, persistent, and gentle.

Life in front of screens and within rooms

In the wake of the unapologetic democratization of personal computing, most city people began to expend the best part of their workday or/and leisure time in front of screens of some sorts, and within the walls of rooms of some sorts, day in and day out.

The Difficulty of English Learning Deserves Its Due

(Image from http://bit.ly/a184ha)

Here goes a brief piece at the NYT - English-Language Teaching Deserves Its Due. And there is a passage in it that hits the spot:

Learning French, Greek or Chinese is considered neither an easy nor basic task even for your exceptional Ivy League student; why should learning English be considered differently?

It has developed that it is rather cumbersome for an individual to cross the dichotomy between the Indo-European languages, English for one thing, and the East Asian languages, including Chinese and Japanese. And that is precisely why it is far easier for an English speaker to acquire Spanish and so on than the Chinese language, and on the other hand, for a Chinese to master the Japanese tongue than the English one.

Enormous difficulties notwithstanding, the imperative to gain fantastic English proficiency is not to be ignored by a speaker of an East Asian language, given the omnipresence of the one and only sucking global economy. The better part of the 21st century will see some intriguing realignment of global resources, especially human capital and cultural capital, along the dimensions of distinct languages families.

Straight from the heart - Music video - "Fifteen" - Taylor Swift & Miley Cyrus

Here go the lyrics: http://bit.ly/I7UKP


Belatedly did come popularity of this fantastic magnitude for a country music star. Taylor Swift has become such a stupendous hit in the world of pop music nowadays.

Her music is typically straight from the heart. By the way, I like Miley Cyrus' singing voice.

FYI: It seems that the young Ms. Taylor Swift writes all her music by herself. Wow, pretty.

Article via web - 今天你学英语了吗？

(Image from http://bit.ly/9bdxJx)

Disclaimer: I am not, in any way, affiliated with the author of the article below. And similarly, I am not associated with the author's company or organization.
--double_take




"
今天你学英语了吗？

在过去三年的教学工作中我看到太多人付出极大的努力提升自己的技术，学习再学习。我所认识的多数本地公司管理者也对中国人的技术水平，敬业精神赞不绝口。为什么还是有这么多中国人找不到自己的位置？为什么还是有这么多同胞在工作几年后仍然得不到提升？

我听到过多种版本的答案，有人说我们对本地文化不熟悉，有人说我们没有很好的平台，有人说我们没有人际网络，甚至有很多人把问题归咎于歧视。

在维多利亚学院的经历让我看到我们当中的太多人以为只要技术好工作和提升不成问题，所以我们孜孜不倦，不惜工本的学习，拿了一个证书还要拿第二个。说实话我真的有点为这些刻苦的同胞惋惜，他们要是拿出这些时间精力来学英语的话可能他们的生活早就不一样了。

英语有多重要？让我们先把文化了解，流利程度，听力好坏这些重要的东西抛开，让我们假设这些都不是问题，就单拿口音一件事来举一个非常简单的例子。假设您是一个本地企业的管理者，某一天您为了招聘一个程序员面试了一个中国移民，此人技术水平无与伦比，敬业精神没的说，但是就一个问题，他说话满嘴"中国饺子味"您会录用他吗？我想大多数人都会。一年后，您需要一个Team leader, 管理3-4个人，您会提升他吗？没问题。又过了一年，一个部门经理的职位空缺，这个经理职位管理上百人并需要和客户经常沟通，您还会用他吗？我想多数人都不会，因为职位越高就越需要沟通，越会被视为公司形象的代表。多数管理者会从实用的角度着想，既然这个人技术好，那就让他多去做不需要，或者只需要少量沟通的技术工作吧（这就是为什么很多人升不上去的真正原因）。如果我们自己都不会提升自己那么又怎么能苛求您的雇主提升您呢？我们又怎么能在那个技术比您差很多的白人同事得到经常的提升的时候把问题归咎于歧视呢？如果说公司歧视中国人，那您又该怎么解释那个在公司里游刃有余的CBC呢？

我看到的这些都是真实发生在我们身边的事情，这就是为什么我早已经不能把"潜能英语"当成是我自己的事情。实际的情况是，在过去的三年里"潜能英语"已经经过实践而慢慢的成熟起来，教学相长，这套系统早就已经是集体智慧的结晶（我在这里要郑重感谢在过去三年中亲临维多利亚的每一位学员，是您的信任和帮助才成就了今天的"潜能英语"）！正是由于这些"感动"和"感谢"，使我不能再把英语教学单纯的当一份职业，这是一种使命，是有关我们整个民族的一份使命。2008年，"潜能英语"理应升华，应该释放出不同以往的更加有力的能量。

在三年的教学过程中我发现比方法更重要的是我们的心态，所以请允许我暂时抛开技术层面的东西而把我在这三年英语教学中发现的"中国人学习的弊端"与大家分享。 其实，中国人在学英语的过程中，首先应该解决的是"思想"上的六大障碍！

障碍1，放弃心理：认为这辈子学不好英语，彻底放弃了学英语。


我们有一个叫Kathy的学员，她在两周前讲过她自己的经历。她先生是我们一年前的学员，每次和她推荐来上我的课，她就一副说辞，"如果花480元我能从Jerry那儿买一粒神奇的药片，让我吃了马上和他的英语一样好，我会立刻去买，但如果让我去学的话，我就一定不会再去了，因为这么多年，我用各种英语学习方法去努力过，但基本没效果，所以，我已经决定不再学英语了，我不是不相信Jerry，我只是不再相信我自己还能学好英语。" Kathy的想法是非常多的中国人学不好英语的最根本原因，也是我每次讲座花最长时间与大家探讨的，那就是一定不能丧失学英语的信心。其实Kathy在无意中走进我们的教室听课到一半的时候就决定报名了。 她说："迄今为止，没有哪一种英语学习方法可以改变人的思想, 但Jerry的潜能英语改变了我根深蒂固的逃避心理，让我相信：中国人的英语是可以学好的！" 感谢您对"潜能英语"的信任和赞许，永远不要忘了，最大的敌人是你自己放弃的心理，在学英语的时候尤其是这样！

障碍2，侥幸心理：认为在加拿大，环境可以让我的英语变好。


我发现很多朋友因为这个想法而使自己的英语突破之路变的很难。我们有一个学员叫宁，在多伦多的医院里做医疗器械的操作员已经7年了，在课上到一半的时候，有一天很高兴的过来跟我说，有一个仪器的名字，每次她说完了，病人都要说"Pardon", 搞得她很尴尬，旁边的西人同事非常好，一次又一次的纠正她，就是不成功，但今天，她用最新学到的发音，很轻易的就让病人听懂了，我觉得她说的非常有道理，"环境会有帮助，但第一，即使本地人愿意教我们，他们也无法一针见血的指出我们的问题，第二，即使别人每天都在你身边讲英语，但如果你没有刻意去学的话，仍然不会有很大提高，这个道理就像一个加拿大人即使在中国待很长时间，如果不去刻意的学中文，也是不可能就自动会说中文一样的浅显。"


宁说的道理和体会应该是非常有代表性的，但可惜的是，大家经常怀有侥幸心理，刚来的时候英语不好没关系，别着急，只要待的时间久了，自然会好，结果是过了几年之后发现英语长进不大的时候开始后悔，为什么没有早一点开始刻苦学英语呢？更有一些人因为在加拿大待了很久但是还没有说好英语就彻底放弃了。请您公正的回答一个问题，不管您在北美生活了多久，您到底花了多少时间去学英语？一个人不会因为住在海边就自然的会游泳，游泳时要花时间精力去学的！

障碍3，得过且过的心理：认为英语不重要，不需要精益求精，只要能交流就行了。


如果您这么想的话，原因只有一个，那就是您对自己要求比较低，这句话可能尖刻了一些，但这是事实，您对自己的要求越高，尤其是职业工作方面，您就越会发现英语的重要。其实，工作给予人有两种享受，除了工资以外，精神上获得的尊重和认可也很重要。可惜的是，我认识一些已经做得很好，甚至年薪很高的人，仍然因为英语无法很好的表达和沟通，使得自己在公司里根本无法获得和工资相对应的地位。很多雇主一直把"有没有主动上过英语课"做为审核员工的标准，这是非常英明的。一个移民对于自己英语水平的要求会直接反映出他的进取心和他对职业生涯的期望值。

障碍4，急于求成的心理：希望很短的时间内马上见效，热火朝天的学一阵，发现没有明显效果，就很容易放弃了。

大部分华人移民和留学生的年龄经超过25岁，而英语作为第二语言对我们来说是挺难的。我们一定要有一个充分的心理准备，应该给自己制定一个至少半年的计划，每天累计半小时到一个小时的英语学习时间，才能有一个比较明显的效果。我知道对于大部分华人来说，每天的工作和生活压力很大，额外拿出半小时到一个小时都不是件很容易的事情。请注意，我说的是"累计"，这也是"潜能英语"非常独特的一点，我们强调使用您的零散时间。实际情况是大多数的学员都可以达到这个时间累积而提高。另外，学习任何一种语言，都不可以脱离文化的土壤，如果您的确是下定决心要学好英语，那么请您马上很认真地要去做一件事，去努力了解和接触北美的文化和习惯，了解一种全新的文化确实是要花力气和时间的。"潜能英语"的很大一个组成部分就是北美文化，所有人都知道文化重要，北美文化就在我们身边但还是有些人了解领悟的快，有些人慢，这个区别是在方法上。我们不能只去努力了解北美文化，更重要的是要掌握方法，了解如何去加快这个文化融入的过程。无论如何，如果您真的坚持有半年的时间很努力的去学，去了解文化，我可以坚定的告诉您，您未来的北美生活之路将会平坦许多！

障碍5：自卑心理：没有语言天赋，年纪大了，不可能学好英语了。我们的承诺是"让您在走出教室之前彻底发出北美的英语纯正发音"。

所以，不管多晚，我都要把在课堂上没有纠正过来发音的学员留下来，直到他们的发音正确才算结束。我纠正过太多自认为没有"天赋"的学员，也看到了太多"天赋"不佳的学员完成英语发音和交流上的飞跃。我清楚的知道自己不是天才，因为当年我为了练好英语会每天用3-6小时苦练，任何人能够做到如此辛苦的付出，都会成为'英语天才'！请您在决定用年龄太大，底子太差，天赋太低，舌头太笨，来加拿大太晚，耳朵太不好用，中气太不足甚至嘴太小等我们听过无数遍的借口给自己下一个我这辈子英语没戏了的定论之前如实的回答自己一个问题，不论您在过去学过多少年的英语，您究竟为了说好英语下过多大精力？花了多少时间？实验了几种方法？您是不是也会觉得一个虽然表面上学了很久，但是从来没有认真系统的练过弹吉它的人在弹出很难听的曲调以后说自己没有吉它天赋是一件很可笑的事？又有哪一个有天赋的吉它大师是不用刻苦练习就变成了大师？

障碍6，不相信学习方法的心理：认为学英语只要学就行了，不用讲究学习的方法和有效性。

学习语言一定要有一个正确的方法，方法对了可以事半功倍。"潜能英语"注重发音，并且力求甚解。从单独的发音开始学习看起来很慢，但是是最有效的方法。很多人看到我们不教语法，不教单词的教学方法与众不同就认为这是一种新方法。其实从语法学习语言才是新方法，语言不是从语法上发展出来的，而是对已经成型的语言做的总结，没有哪一个人是从语法开始学习自己的第一语言的。就好象大学里研究人体结构的教授没有运动员跑的快，中国的大学英语教授没有一个普通加拿大中学生英语说的好一样，语法的好坏和语言能力的好坏没有任何直接关系。我就不去举什么人高分通过了什么英语考试但是还是说不出听不懂的例子了，相信大家身边都不乏这样的实例。

我有时会大言不惭的说我相信我是最棒的英语老师。原因很简单，加拿大英语老师英语说的好，但是他们绝对不了解我们的痛苦，更不知道我们需要的是什么，这就是为什么ESL和LINC对中国人帮助不大。大多数中国英语老师绝对了解我们的痛苦，但是他们中的很多人自己还在痛苦之中。(Important questions and thoughts of mine: Why has Jerry, the author of this article, acquired sufficient capacity to help Chinese immigrants master the English language and culture, if most Chinese teachers of English in China, as well as all the Canadian teachers of ESL in Canada, still haven't, after all these long years? Because he was in the same boat with us Chinese immigrants? And how much would be the probability of his possessing the capacity truly? And he hasn't shown us any real example of his techniques, has he? Nonetheless, his system of English learning techniques should be well worth exploring.    --double_take)只有完全了解中国人英语症结所在并完全解决了这些问题的人才可能帮助我们真正快速提高。我坚信"潜能英语"是最科学的英语学习方法，因为它对症下药，解决的是我们交流最需要解决的问题 (Certainly English communication skills, both oral and written, are quite important. But, overall, the learning of the English language and culture is not all about gaining the fluency of communication in English, actually, on top of that, it should be also about acquiring the contents of the English language and culture along the way.    --double_take)。听着好像是我在做广告了，您怎么看都好，我的建议是，在下决心找到一种好的方法学好英语之前  (为什么一定要找到一种好的方法以后才开始学？为什么不可以一边学一边找？不管有没有找到，先学起来再说。找到了更好的方法，就采用；没找到，就继续用自己多年进化形成的目前这套方法。    --double_take) 仍然是问自己一个问题，我为什么学英语，如果是为了拿分数过考试，那我劝您考虑新东方，他们的课程就是为了拿高分设计的，而且有多年的经验，当然十分有效。 如果您想提高自己的英语交流能力从而提高在北美的生活质量，给自己和自己的家庭一个幸福的北美生活，请您在您身边或者网上找到一些学习过"潜能英语"的同胞，问问他们的意见，同时也真诚的邀请您来维多利亚亲身体验一下。

以上六条是我个人对突破英语障碍所必须解决的"思想问题"的一个小小总结。希望能给大家一些帮助。

"


- Copied from http://www.viccollege.ca/data/2008/0514/article_3112.htm in around 2008


- Recycled in 2010

Asylum

(Image from http://bit.ly/9RO6JY)

A tactless little poem of mine:

Asylum

It is strange a place so cold
Is such a popular asylum
Don't people have apprehension
For coming to a new world

?

Staccato illegal immigrants
Keep arriving ashore
They are young mostly
And want to expend their

Better part of life in this
Foreign and white asylum
After having broken out
Of the familiarized past

.

Reality

(Image from http://bit.ly/c8JnCS)

Muddy boots ongoing
Crummy wheels en route
Cruddy streets close
Mountainous white afar

Indignant birds fly around
Gentle marshals ride along
Belief in truth curtly tips
Approximation of justice seeps

Reality checks and modulates

Azure inspires and balances

Cynicism wreaks encores

Rapture treks up shrubberies

Video - Exciting innovation - Vocaloid Hatsune Miku, the world's virtual diva

(You can toggle the "CC" button on the screen for closed captions in English.)

Exciting stuff is happening. Innovations know no bounds. And Japanese' technological R&D prowess is scarcely fathomable.

English learning - James Patterson's fictions

(Image from http://bit.ly/buBTha)

I came across a revealing article "James Patterson Inc." the other month at The New York Times. Well, we can suppose that most writers who dream to approximate their literary aspirations do invariably fail to achieve that, can't we? Capability of appreciating art and that of creating art are two different things. It seems that only commercial mass market authors succeed plausibly nowadays. And James Patterson is one luminous example of that.

Mr. Patterson created his own unique brass ring and his enormous fan base has unwavering rapport with him. And as an author churning out the likes of detective novels, boy, rabid is he, and rapid is he. What a man!

Personally I did try out a couple of his fictions. And they were mostly good for sheer entertainment, but not for enlightenment, which was what I looked for in books for the most part. So I quit on him.

However, if you are a budding English learner, James Patterson's stories can be suitable ushers, because their language is relatively accessible and the spinning of the yarns fairly gripping.

Interlude

(Image from http://bit.ly/94BX0O)

In the cinema and between flicks
They parted and drifted into the
Ludicrously dull Montreal winter
With tectonic shift happening

Dune

(Image from http://bit.ly/9HIU6P)

Yellow sands crowd into a dead dune
Carrying their unceasing yearning all the way
The silent winds can't bring them here
Without their own red eye for a golden dune

Lands have delicious foods and drinks

(Image from http://bit.ly/b2Eode)

Seven is the approximate number of the countries whose names have a "land" in them.

Scotland has fine atmospheric whiskeys, which taste bracingly delicious on the rocks. England has "Newcastle" brown ale (Admonition: Don't drink too much of it, because beer gut is not an urban myth). And, Netherlands has "Heineken" lager. Thailand Thai cuisine. Switzerland cheeses.

Then what tasty stuff do Finland and Iceland have? I have no idea yet.

From choppy oceans

(Image from http://bit.ly/94Ic5G)

When it was dark

The sea pushed many waves toward the far shoreline

When the daylight arrived

The water mass flowed with only minor wrinkles

And seagulls flew in their ranges

Article via web - 從「韓流」談韓國人學英文

(Image from http://bit.ly/dfsMJX)

Low levels of English proficiency among the citizens are the weak link in the chain of South Korea, as well as China, Japan and the likes. That is a deep pain which has perpetuated in myriad minds of Eastern Asians.


At the same time, the potential side effects of the worldwide sweeping wave of English learning may need to be addressed and mitigated before long. For one thing, the being of many Western young males teaching English overseas with an eye to local girls and a nudge and a wink has wreaked resentment among some nationalists in China and South Korea.

And, this article is approximately the best one that I've ever seen describing the globalization efforts invested by South Korea: 從「韓流」談韓國人學英文. OMG. Below are some excerpts:

台灣對東北亞的關注長久以來是重日而輕韓，對日本人學習英文的經驗，台灣人略有所聞，但對鄰近日本的韓國人英文教育的現況，與我們英文教與學的經驗有何異同，卻十分陌生。然而這種對韓國不甚明瞭的狀態近年來有了轉機，這個轉變是由於韓國「文化觀光部」多元化推廣韓國文化工業，成功地將「文化產品」諸如出版、電影、電視劇、動畫、流行歌曲、電玩業等行銷世界各地，隨著韓國文化大舉輸出，「韓流」一詞逐漸在台灣的報章雜誌流行開來。

　　「韓流」一詞，顧名思義，是描述從韓國傳來鋪天蓋地的文化影響力。1996年以前韓國政府仍採取向內發展的媒體政策，但隨著國家振興經濟的需求，及感受到日本流行文化在亞洲市場行銷成功所帶來的經濟效益，如今他們也逐漸採用全面積極開放的文化政策。1998年台灣首度引進韓國電視劇，韓劇旋即在台灣受到注目與歡迎，而韓國電影近年來在台灣的票房也節節上升，許多偶像明星屢屢在台灣造成轟動，影響所及，韓國生產的汽車、電器用品及手機也成為消費者選用的對象，此外，吃韓國料理、遊韓國山水、穿韓衣、學韓文，甚至留學韓國也逐漸轉為熱門。

因為這股新興勢力有沛然不可禦之勢，媒體上遂出現「韓流」一詞，生動勾勒出這股熱潮，台灣人也因而開始注意韓國文化的一舉一動，例如英文從業人員與出版商也開始關心韓國英語教育的現況。2004年六月初在韓國首都漢城舉辦的世界書展，台灣出版界首度組團參加盛會，許多台灣出版社對韓國出版品題材的多樣與印刷的精美連聲讚嘆，點子新穎的英語教學教材，以及韓人自製描述本國風土人情的英文繪本也吸引台灣同業的眼光，台灣某出版商甚至一舉買下多本韓國英文圖書版權，計畫在台灣發行中文版本。因此可以預期在不久的將來，市面上將出現韓製英語教材，韓「材」台用，這也算是「韓流」威力所及的一部份吧！

...

韓國政府的英語教育政策

與政府全面主導文化工業發展的方向一樣，韓國的英語教育政策也是由政府一手擘畫。打開韓國五十年來的英語教學史，在第一階段（1950年代），韓國中學首度使用英文課本，開始推動英文課程，當時教學重點著重於讓學生瞭解韓文與英文的差異。第二階段中(1963-1973)，英語教育分為聽和說、讀、寫三大部份。第三階段(1973-1981)是加強英文文法訓練。到了第四階段(1981-1987)，則又重新考量英語會話的重要性，將學校課程改為聽、說、讀、寫並重。1982年教育部開放中小學課後英語教學課程，英文課也納入課後輔導。而在第五階段(1987-1992)和第六階段(1992-1999)，教育部為了順應全球化趨勢，於1995年起大舉修訂英文教科書內容，改以「溝通式教學法」為取向，在1997年規定小學生三年級起開始學英文，以期儘速與世界接軌。目前英語教育政策已進入第七階段，仍以延續溝通式教學為主軸。

為了貫徹「溝通式教學法」，韓國教育部於2001年公佈新政策，規定各級學校英語課上課全部得用英語(Teaching English through English)，不過多半韓籍英文老師卻無法達成這項「不可能的任務」，有的大學為了獎勵教授用英語授課，甚至以額外津貼誘之，不過效果不彰[1]。在韓國教育部出版的English Education Curriculum Interpretation手冊中檢討英語教育的成效時，不得不承認理想與實際仍有一段距離："Korea's English education does not teach English words first but has wasted too much time teaching knowledge of the English language through letters from the elementary level. Teachers cannot teach English classes in English because they lack the ability to speak the language."

在美國Florida University任教的韓籍博士班研究生Jimmy Lee於個人網站"Is Teaching English Through English Possible in Korean Public High Schools?"一文中，檢討政府在高中實施這項新政的困難時，歸納出以下三點原因：

一、 韓國家長及學生都不相信現有的英文老師有能力以英語授課，他們認為只有英語為母語的老師能在課堂上以流利的英語授課。 

二、 韓國的英文老師多半是受傳統的「文法翻譯教學法」訓練出身，對用流利英語互動式的教學方法十分陌生，也無能為力。 

三、 高中教育的終極目的在於將每位高中生送進大學，學生期待在課堂上習得英語考試「得高分」的技巧，所以寧願花時間在閱讀能力的增進及文法能力的加強，而不願浪費時間練習會話。 

　厚植全民英文能力本非易事，遭遇困難也在所難免，不過韓國人行事作風向來就憑一股衝勁，學英文也不例外。為了提升韓國人的英文能力，以便早日與世界接軌，政府和民間無不卯足了勁，花下大把銀子。既然要求本國英文老師用英文授課的成效不彰，韓國教育部的權宜之計，即招募「以英語為母語」的老師來韓國教小學生英文，這個計畫後來因為90年代末期韓國的經濟危機而沈寂一時。但從2003年起，其教育部又開始大舉聘用英文為母語的老師加入英語教學行列。除此之外，漢城國立大學教授Lee Sang-eok也建議政府徵召英語系的韓裔美僑歸國，接受短期韓文訓練後立刻披掛上陣，派往各級學校教授英文。不過許多韓裔老師雖說得一口漂亮的英文，卻因外型與韓國人相同，每每遭到與西方人不平等的待遇。有位韓裔老師在網上Korean Job Discussion Forums-Ethnic Koreans not as desirable?大罵祖國公民是「種族主義者」之後，發出不平之鳴"I wish people did realize we speak English with the same proficiency as non-Asians!"。另一位在韓國教了四年英文，也是韓裔美籍的網友則以另一個角度解釋道：「學生家長是希望孩子能在學外語之餘也學習外國文化，他們希望自己的孩子能『看』到外國人，讓孩子知道除了韓國人外，世界上還有其他人種。」 

即使韓裔老師咋有怨言，但因為市場需要，所以韓裔的外籍老師還是絡繹於途。除了積極聘請外籍老師任教外，企業界和政府更攜手在國內廣設英語學習村(English Village)，學生只要進入其中就得說英文。課程則由外籍老師給予學生密集式的英語訓練，以減少每年假期學生短期出國學習英文的外匯支出。另外，更有人建議大學入學除了現有的入學考試門檻外，還應給予通過TOEFL和TOEIC的考生額外加分，不過這個建議韓國政府尚未付諸行動。

民間英語學習熱

　韓國上焉者對全球化時代的來臨嚴陣以待，下焉者也不敢掉以輕心，一般人民花在子女課後學英文的學費上不可小覷，據估計平均一般家庭花在孩子課後的補習費佔家庭總收入的三分之一，許多父母為了不讓孩子輸在起跑點上，早在幼稚園時期就將孩子送往雙語幼稚園，學生放學後上英文補習班(hagwon)或請外籍老師到家授課。更有甚者，根據路透社二○○三年十月十六日的報導，整形風行的韓國，居然有父母將子女送去「整形」舌頭，將舌頭下方的筋切開，割短一厘米，以便孩子發英文的捲舌音「er」[2]。

除了學童外，成人學習英文的風氣也十分鼎盛，主要原因是私人機構要求新聘用的人員皆得通過Test of English for International Communication和Test of English as a Foreign Language兩項英語測驗。一部描寫韓國人瘋狂學英文現象的電影Please Teach Me English《英語完全征服》，在網路上也引起各國網友熱烈地討論。片中描述韓國各行各業都因不同程度的需要，不得不發憤學英文，連在公家機關上班的小職員Na Young-joo也不例外，她因偶然一次面對外國人辦理稅務而不知所云的尷尬場面，不得不報名以外籍老師授課為號召的英文補習班，努力消彌語言能力不足所帶來的挫折感。在課堂上她遇到與她有著同樣困擾的社會人士：有無法與外國乘客交談的計程車司機、有在外商公司因英語不流利而遭排擠的職員、也有想交洋妞的小伙子......等全都集聚一堂，大家跟著一位金髮碧眼的外國老師Cathy學英語會話，可惜這位老師只會說英語而不懂英語教學法，更不瞭解成人學英語易受挫折的心理，因此也鬧出許多學生抗議的笑話。最後電影劇情雖偏離學習英語的主題，但觀眾對韓國人學英語的狂熱，無不印象深刻。