2007年12月31日 星期一

The Man, The Bug, The Legend
甲蟲.作家.卡夫卡 
by Levi King

Imagine going to bed one night as usual and waking up the next morning as a giant insect. Your family is frightened and embarrassed, and you are unable to speak or live a normal life. This is the premise of Franz Kafka''s short novel The Metamorphosis. First published in German in 1915, The Metamorphosis has become one of the most famous stories of the last century and an icon of modern literature. The main character, Gregor Samsa, wakes one morning to find he has been transformed into an insect one meter tall. Horrified, Gregor wants to explain the situation to his family, but is unable to speak. Gregor''s parents and sister have relied on him to support the family. Since he can no longer work, they are forced to find jobs. Gregor spends his time in his bedroom, and the isolation wears down his mind and health. In addition, his family soon becomes resentful of their burden. In a moment of anger, Gregor''s father throws an apple and hits Gregor on the back. The apple gets stuck in his cracked shell and slowly rots, eventually killing the broken-hearted Gregor. Gregor''s metamorphosis has been interpreted countless ways. However, most scholars agree that it symbolizes the loneliness and alienation of the modern world. There is even debate about Gregor''s form because the author never tells readers what kind of insect he is. Gregor is commonly depicted as a giant cockroach, but Kafka''s own descriptions make this unlikely. In fact, Kafka demanded that publishers not add illustrations of the insect, leaving Gregor''s appearance to each reader''s imagination.
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1.This artical is about an author who writes the book is very famous. And the writting is debated by a lot of people.
2.
a.
metamorphosis n. 變形;蛻變
rot vi. 腐壞
alienation n. 疏離
b.
get stuck in...  陷在……之中
leave...to one''s imagination 將……留給某人自己去想像
wear down...   削弱(人的志氣或健康);使……磨薄
3.
I choose this artical because his writting is attracting me very much. When I first saw his writting was translated to the cartoon on the bus. Different bus had different parts.So that days I very like to take bus.And it gave me a lot of creations. If I was the writter , I cannot write it. Because I didn't have the inspiration. This book is very good for me.
Owls

貓頭鷹 
by Jerri Graham
As Harry Potter's beloved pet, Hedwig, a Snowy owl, is probably the most famous bird in the world. Snowy owls are just one of the more than 200 species of owls. Owls vary size and can be as little as the 31-gram Elf owl and as large as the Blakiston's Fish Owl, which can weigh almost five kilograms. Owls are actually very different from other birds. Owls are nocturnal animals, which means that they sleep during the day and hunt at night. They are known both for their unique call, or hoot, and their extremely good sight. They use these features to navigate and hunt in the dark. They are far-sighted and use this vision to track and target their prey from a distance. while pigeons and sparrows can exist on seeds and grains, this would not satisfy most owls. Instead, they prefer to eat small mammals such as moles, mice, and rabbits. In addition tothese warm-blooded creatures, they will also feed on insects and other birds when hunger strikes. Like other birds of prey, owls have sharp beaks and claws that they use to tear their food to pieces before eating it. Sometimes they do swallow larger chunks of bone, feathers, and other things that are indigestible. What their bodies don't digest is thrown up in the form of owl pellets. These lumps of bone and other bits are collected because they are invaluable for studying the habits and diet of owls. Owls serve man by eliminating some of the pests that would make life unbearable. Protecting their habitat is, in a sense, a way of protecting our own.

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1.This artical is about owls. The owls's habits and what it eat.
2.
a.
nocturnal a. 夜行性的
hoot n. 貓頭鷹的叫聲
pest n. 害蟲
strike vi. 來襲 & vt. 侵襲
b.
be different from...  與……不同
throw up...  嘔吐∕吐出……
in a sense  就某種意義來說
3.I choose this artical because when I first saw the owls in the harry potter , I think that it was very cute. They are very beautiful. But my mom was afraid of the owls. She though that the owls were devil and their squeal was very terrible. Although it was terrible, I still love it. When I was a child, I saw it in the mountain. They were very small so not really terrible. Now I don't see the owls again. They were just disappear. If I want to see the owls , i have to go to the zoo.

2007年12月30日 星期日

The Sinful Centaur 神話中的人馬

It is speculated that in ancient Greece, before horses became common, invaders from the north rode on horseback and attacked villages. To the Greeks, these horsemen looked like monstrous half-men and half-animals. It seemed as if the horse and the man were both one creature. The Aztecs in the Americas felt the same way when they first Over time, many stories developed about these beasts with the head, body, and arms of a man but the legs, back, and tail of a horse. They were said to be lustful, drunken creatures that savagely interrupted life wherever they turned up. According to legend, the centaurs were the grandsons of Ixion, the king of Thessaly. When Ixion died, King Pirithous inherited part of Thessaly. The centaurs then claimed Thessaly as their birthright. The centaurs fought Pirithous, but eventually peace was secured. The centaurs were invited to Pirithous'' wedding as a gesture of goodwill. Unfortunately, they got drunk and tried to carry off Pirithous'' bride and the other women. Naturally, Pirithous wouldn''t stand for this, and a battle ensued. The centaurs lost the fight and were exiled. This famous battle is depicted on earthenware in museums across the globe. History has forever judged them as drunken, violent, lustful monsters without honor. But there is a constellation in the heavens that tells a different tale, and the Harry Potter books cast them in a better light, too.

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1.This artical is about The Sinful Centaur . Introducing the centaur how them become drunken creatures that savagely interrupted life wherever they turned up.

2.
a.
sinful a. 有罪過的
cavalryman n. 騎兵
savagely adv. 野蠻地
over time  隨著時間流逝
b.
carry off...  劫持……
cast...in a...light  從……的角度詮釋……
aggression n. 侵略
constellation n. 星座
3.I choose this artical because I love to read about the constellations. I think the constellation is very charming. And I still don't know a lot of stars. When I found other stars I feel that I learn more things about the cosmos. That is very delicious for me.
Out with the Old, In with the New Year
除舊佈新迎新年 
by Levi King

 
"Three, two, one, Happy New Year!" Most people are familiar with the dropping of the ball of lights in New York City, along with the famous fireworks displays in Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, and Taipei. But here are a few lesser-known New Year''s Day traditions from around the globe. In Japan, people send postcards to friends and family. They also fly kites, play games, and read poetry. Some traditions related to Chinese New Year are banging gongs to drive away bad luck and spirits and giving money to children on January In Spanish-speaking countries around the world, wearing red underwear on New Year''s Day is thought to bring good luck in love. In Ecuador, people burn dummies stuffed with paper and firecrackers to symbolize the death of the old year. In Spain and Mexico, people eat 12 grapes to ensure 12 lucky months. In Scotland, home of the famous New Year song, "Auld Lang Syne," people bring gifts to neighbors just after midnight. In Denmark, people smash old plates to attract new friends. Dutch people believe that doughnuts are good luck because their ring shape symbolizes a complete year. Around the world, it''s common practice to give a loved one a kiss at midnight on New Year''s Day. People of many countries also make resolutions, believing that the new year is a good time to leave bad habits behind. Common resolutions include dieting, exercising, or quitting smoking. Throw a party, watch some fireworks, eat a special food, or make a resolution. No matter where you are, there are plenty of great ways to welcome the New Year.


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1.This artical is about different country how to greet the new year. Someplace singing the song or fling the kites etc. It was really different from Taiwan.

2.
a.
lesser-known a. 較不為人知的
dummy n. 假人
Auld Lang Syne n. 驪歌
smash vt. 砸碎
b.
make a resolution  下決心
throw a party  舉行派對

3.I choose this atical because the chinese new year is coming soon. i am really happy to welcome this day cause my friends and I decide to cerebrate the chinese new year together. I thing this will be a good momery to me. And I also make a resolution like studing harder and going on a diet without break.The best is that my parents will give me
red package. I am so expectant.