Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

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Kat C
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註冊時間: 週三 9月 08, 2010 10:31 am

Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

Political language is sometimes confusing, if not outright baffling; extensive reading is the only way to tackle it. This article from The Economist uses good terminology in addition to providing a basic outline of the diplomatic history among Taiwan, U.S., and China. It will help you a great deal if you ever find yourself talking to your foreign friends on this topic.

I'll post comments on certain words, phrases, and ideas that I find useful, probably early next week. Please feel free to post questions or comments of your own! :wink:

http://www.economist.com/node/21528256

Kat
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Kat C
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註冊時間: 週三 9月 08, 2010 10:31 am

Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

Here are a few questions for you to consider:

Par. 1:

1) What are the references for the “tempests” in the opening sentence?
2) How do we pronounce the word “row” in this context?
3) Where does the use of “sound and furry” come from?

Can you use the following confidently without trying to translate them into Chinese in your head? :mrgreen:

to oblige
to shift in someone's favor
to stage a strike
to stoke pride
to lean to
to underly
to deter
to sway public opinion
if anything

Kat
Kooper
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註冊時間: 週三 4月 11, 2007 11:40 pm

Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kooper »

Dear Kat,

Thanks for sharing this insightful article with us. Besides the incisive remarks, the author also use plenty of words and expressions that I'm unfamiliar with, including many of the words you mentioned in the questions. I guess I will need quite some time to digest them.
Kat C 寫: 1) What are the references for the “tempests” in the opening sentence?
2) How do we pronounce the word “row” in this context?
3) Where does the use of “sound and furry” come from?
1. They refer to typhoons in Taiwan and China and cyclones in America.
2. It has the same vowel as LOUD in this case.
3. It's taken from Shakespear's Macbeth, but I couldn't see a relationship between the way it is used in this article and that in Macbeth. :what?:

"Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."


Another question I have is why the author mentioned ABCD in the title and alphabet at the end of the article?
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Kat C
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

Hey Kooper,

You got some good answers there! Let me just add a few points:

1. It actually referred to the recent hurricanes that ravaged the East Coast in U.S., especially Irene, the one that caused mandatory evacuation in several states.

3. It's indeed a quote from Shakespeare. "Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing" is saying that there is more noise than substance to justify it. So although China may "show" a lot of fury, the ever-stronger ties between Taiwan and China, and the politics involved in the coming presidential election in Taiwan, limits what China can actually do.

"As easy as ABCD" is a common expression, and the meaning is clear. :wink: "It's not in the alphabet", although not as common, is a clever closing sentence to echo the title.

Hope that helps! :D

Kat
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Kat C
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

Another piece on Taiwan from The Economist. This one is, of course, an "opinion" piece. The politics aside, we can use a lot of its language.

I'll post questions and pointers for discussion over the weekend. :D

http://www.economist.com/node/21530121

Kat
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Kat C
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

The words or phrases that are used well in this article:

1. chorus

2. to justify

3. rock solid

4. Nor…

5. token gesture

6. liability

7. to fret

8. to plumb new lows

9. moderate

10. provocateur

11. pragmatic

12. imperative

13. to run a line of thinking

14. to placate

15. morsel

16. to cede

17. term

18. vacillating

19. appeasement

20. core

21. to bring out the worse in someone

Again, the temptation is to translate them into Chinese for comprehension, but doing so actually hampers it. Think in English and find other examples of using them to aid your comprehension.

Kat :)
joseph
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 joseph »

Dear Kat, are you still in NY?
Kooper
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kooper »

Hi Kat,

"Plumb new lows" seems like "hit a record low" to me. Is my understanding correct?

I made a few sentences with "plumb new lows." Please help check if there is anything wrong or not suitable. Thanks.

1. The company's profit performance plumbed new lows last year.
2. As the show's viewing figures plumbed new lows, the TV station decided to pull the plug this season.
3. My confidence in this project is plumbing new lows after it has been dragged on for months.
4. Amid the stock market crash, prices of many blue chips plumbed new lows.
Kooper
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kooper »

rock-solid:
- Our team won the hard-fought victory through rock-solid defence.
- This project would have gone nowhere if it were not for your rock-solid support.

bring out the worst/worst in someone
:
- Unlike their predecessors, teachers nowadays subscribe to the belief that giving praise cleverly can bring out the best in students.
- A good couch always knows how to motivate and bring out the best in his team.
- Wars destroy humanity and bring out the worst in human beings.

vacillating
:
- The European debt crisis has been deteriorating quickly because of their governments' vacillating attitude towards the issue.
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Kat C
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

Hi Joseph,

How're things? I'm now in Michigan with family. I have writing and teaching gigs here too. Will probably be here for a while.

Hope to spend some time back in NYC next year, at least for the Fringe Festival, for which I used to review shows.

Thanks for asking! :D

Kat
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Kat C
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

Hi Kooper,

You're correct. These two convey pretty much the same meaning, though "hit a record low" is only used for things that are quantifiable.

I changed a few wordings in the following sentences. But you basically got the idea.

2. As the show's ratings plumbed new lows, the TV station decided to pull the plug on it.

3. My confidence in this project is plumbing new lows now that it has been dragged on for months.

This project would have gone nowhere if not for your rock-solid support.

- Unlike their predecessors, teachers nowadays subscribe to the belief that giving out the right praises can bring out the best in students.

The rest are all great!

Kat
Kooper
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kooper »

Hi Kat,

Thank you for your reply and corrections. It's really nice of you to do this. :ssmile:

Here is my questions:

After googling "viewing figures," I found it seemed to be a British term. I guess that's why you changed it into "ratings." Am I right?

Is it because "if it were not for" is too wordy that you repliace it with "if not for"? Do the two share the same meaning?

Why did we add "the" before right praises? Can I just say "giving right praises" in this sentence?
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Kat C
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

Hi Kooper,

You're absolutely right about "viewing figures"! Guess I have certain American blind spots. :mrgreen:

"If it were not for" is more often used to start a sentence. "If not for" is just smoother here.

"The" here for the "praises" indicates that there are particular praises that are more likely do the trick. More emphasis.

Your original sentences are not "wrong" per se. I simply made them more of how they are usually said.

Great questions! :D

Kat
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Kat C
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Re: Kat's Tips 10-The Best of the Web(3)-Taiwan, U.S., and China

文章 Kat C »

A bit of a depressing read, but it's good to hear yet one more perspective.

Kat

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