5/26（Tue）Money Actually Can Buy Happiness. Host: Liwen

[Luis Ko]

what money can't buy is really anybody's guess but, you just can't deny money is a medium for you to access the world, so as to get happiness, love, knowledge and experience, then to get your wisdom if you would be able to. just imagine if you lived in a peripheral areas laden with poverty, you might not have money to receive proper education, if not higher education, to lead a life you want. not to mention to have happiness or what later. but then again, the definition of happiness is surely different from individual to individual lo~

[Iris Wu]

Attendees: Carmen, Luis, Steve, James, Sabrina, David Jr., Toshi, Tom, Ryan, Jody, Iris, Kooper, Tina, Rock, Claire, WenHan, Liwen (Host)

I only jogged down some vocabulary/expressions during my group discussion:

簡單的說: We can use, “Simply put”
Example: Simply put, believing in “money can't buy happiness” is a sore loser mindset.

從反面角度來分析問題: Play devil's advocate
Example: I am not against you, but just play devil's advocate to provoke the discussion in the meeting.

相關的, 有關聯的: Relevant (closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand)
Money can/can't buy happiness. Money is relevant/irrelevant to happiness.

社會地位, 身價: (social) status
Some people buy luxury cars to show off or project an image of wealth, so people said, "With cars, you wear your status on the road."

給我記住! : Just remember that!
(Maybe there are some phrases with stronger tone for it? Anyone knows?)

“Satisfactory” vs. “Satisfying”: This is a confusing one.
“Satisfactory”: good enough for a particular purpose, acceptable
“Satisfying”: "satisfying" means that something meets your needs or requirements and has positive associations. It was the case that you enjoyed.
As Free Dictionary said, "You do not use satisfactory to describe something that gives you a feeling of pleasure and fulfilment. The word you use is satisfying."

I found some exercises for the these two words:

• 1. We had (satisfying, satisfactory) trip in Kuala Lumpur. I'm looking forward to visiting the place again.
  2. My mom always asks me to show (satisfying, satisfactory) scores of my examinations. She wants to confirm that I'm doing my best in school.
  3. Lenn is not meticulous in choosing clothes. A (satisfying, satisfactory) dress can make her feel contented.
  4. Ken often ensures (satisfying, satisfactory) service to his customer. He wants to keep them from coming back.
  5. My skills in English are (satisfying, satisfactory). As a result, I enrolled again to another language school.
  6. The cook made such a ((satisfying, satisfactory) sashimi that I promised myself never to eat in the restaurant.
  7. The movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" provided a (satisfying, satisfactory) sequel. It's like I didn't waste money from watching it.
  8. The session I had with my teacher last night was (satisfying, satisfactory). Everything was explained clearly to us.

[Kooper]

• 1. We had (satisfying, satisfactory) trip in Kuala Lumpur. I'm looking forward to visiting the place again.
  2. My mom always asks me to show (satisfying, satisfactory) scores of my examinations. She wants to confirm that I'm doing my best in school.
  3. Lenn is not meticulous in choosing clothes. A (satisfying, satisfactory) dress can make her feel contented.
  4. Ken often ensures (satisfying, satisfactory) service to his customer. He wants to keep them from coming back.
  5. My skills in English are (satisfying, satisfactory). As a result, I enrolled again to another language school.
  6. The cook made such a ((satisfying, satisfactory) sashimi that I promised myself never to eat in the restaurant.
  7. The movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" provided a (satisfying, satisfactory) sequel. It's like I didn't waste money from watching it.
  8. The session I had with my teacher last night was (satisfying, satisfactory). Everything was explained clearly to us.

1. satisfying
2. satisfactory
3. satisfying
4. satisfactory
5. satisfactory
6. satisfying
7. satisfying
8. satisfying

Not sure if I make it right... some sentences seem to work fine with both satisfying and satisfactory.

[Luis Ko]

• 1. We had (satisfying, satisfactory) trip in Kuala Lumpur. I'm looking forward to visiting the place again.
  2. My mom always asks me to show (satisfying, satisfactory) scores of my examinations. She wants to confirm that I'm doing my best in school.
  3. Lenn is not meticulous in choosing clothes. A (satisfying, satisfactory) dress can make her feel contented.
  4. Ken often ensures (satisfying, satisfactory) service to his customer. He wants to keep them from coming back.
  5. My skills in English are (satisfying, satisfactory). As a result, I enrolled again to another language school.
  6. The cook made such a ((satisfying, satisfactory) sashimi that I promised myself never to eat in the restaurant.
  7. The movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" provided a (satisfying, satisfactory) sequel. It's like I didn't waste money from watching it.
  8. The session I had with my teacher last night was (satisfying, satisfactory). Everything was explained clearly to us.

1. satisfying
2. satisfactory
3. satisfying
4. satisfactory
5. satisfactory
6. satisfying
7. satisfying
8. satisfying

Not sure if I make it right... some sentences seem to work fine with both satisfying and satisfactory.

according to BBC people prefer to have "satisfying" experiences to "satisfactory" ones so my answers are,

1. satisfying
2. satisfying
3. satisfactory
4. satisfying
5. satisfactory
6. satisfying
7. satisfying
8. satisfying

[Iris Wu]

I've created a new thread in "Learning Tips" section: "Pairs of Confused Words" ( viewtopic.php?f=32&t=3940 ) to discuss the usage of this type of words.
(This discussion thread has been migrated there.)

Please feel free to add any "confused words" in that thread. Thanks!

[Tina Sun]

I've learnt how to tell and use those two words too.... Let me check my old textbooks or handouts..... hahahaha (shameful~)

[toshi]

• 1. We had (satisfying, satisfactory) trip in Kuala Lumpur. I'm looking forward to visiting the place again.
  2. My mom always asks me to show (satisfying, satisfactory) scores of my examinations. She wants to confirm that I'm doing my best in school.
  3. Lenn is not meticulous in choosing clothes. A (satisfying, satisfactory) dress can make her feel contented.
  4. Ken often ensures (satisfying, satisfactory) service to his customer. He wants to keep them from coming back.
  5. My skills in English are (satisfying, satisfactory). As a result, I enrolled again to another language school.
  6. The cook made such a ((satisfying, satisfactory) sashimi that I promised myself never to eat in the restaurant.
  7. The movie "Pirates of the Caribbean" provided a (satisfying, satisfactory) sequel. It's like I didn't waste money from watching it.
  8. The session I had with my teacher last night was (satisfying, satisfactory). Everything was explained clearly to us.

1. satisfying
2. satisfactory
3. satisfying
4. satisfactory
5. satisfactory
6. satisfying
7. satisfying
8. satisfying

Not sure if I make it right... some sentences seem to work fine with both satisfying and satisfactory.

After I read these questions & answers, an old song just comes up to my mind, " ... 你滿足了，我不滿足！... " (蘇慧倫 "滿足")

[Iris Wu]

After I read these questions & answers, an old song just comes up to my mind, " ... 你滿足了，我不滿足！... " (蘇慧倫 "滿足")

Actually, an old post is even more "vivid":

• 由來只聞新人笑　
  有誰聽到舊人哭
  英語兩個字好辛苦
  是要問一個明白
  還是要裝作糊塗
  知多知少難知足