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教育部96年度技專校院-"歡樂英語列車"開始報名囉!
(免學費、附午餐)
歡樂英語列車將提供學生密集的「全英語學習環境」，運用角色扮演、實境模擬、帶動唱等互動式教學法講授課程，引導學生投入各項教學活動，建立學生英語學習信心及強化其學習動機。 詳細資訊 |
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教育部96年度技專校院「e-camp 英語網路學習營」即將發布報名辦法，請密切注意!!! |
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教育部96年度技專校院「看e書寫e評得一獎」網路競賽活動，即將發布報名辦法，請密切注意!!! |
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TOEFL 報考資訊:2007測驗日期一覽表
每月各考區測驗地點非固定，將視協辦學校配合情形而定。請隨時上網查閱實際開放報名之測驗地點及最新訊息。 詳細資訊 |
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「LTTC 全民英檢 」96年度施測日程表
公告事項如有異動，以新公告為準，請隨時上「LTTC全民英檢」學習網站查閱最新消息。詳細資訊 |
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| Bush Backs Immigration Reform |
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By Scott Stearns
White House
19 May 2007 |
Stearns report - Download 445k
Listen to Stearns report |
In his weekly
radio address, President Bush thanked Republican and Democratic leaders
in the Senate for coming together on legislation that he says includes
all the elements required for comprehensive immigration reform.
Mr. Bush said the legislation will make it easier for employers to verify the immigration status of new workers. It creates a temporary worker program and helps resolve the status of some 12 million illegal immigrants already in the country without what the president calls animosity or amnesty.
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"I realize that
many hold strong convictions on this issue, and reaching an agreement was
not easy," he said. "I appreciate the effort of Senators who
came together to craft this important legislation. This bill brings us
closer
to an immigration system that enforces our laws and upholds the great American
tradition of welcoming those who share our values and our love of freedom."
The president's past efforts to reform U.S. immigration laws were blocked
by members of his own party in the House of Representatives who believe
that offering illegal immigrants a means to regularize their status amounts
to rewarding people who have broken the law. |
President George Bush,
14 May 2007
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The latest plan tries to address those concerns by requiring illegal immigrants to pass a strict background check, pay a fine, hold a job, maintain a clean criminal record, and eventually learn English. If they want to become citizens, they will have to pay an additional fine, pass a citizenship test, and return to their country to apply for a green card.
Beyond opposition from Republicans in the House, the plan
is also dividing the ruling-party's presidential candidates. Arizona Senator
John McCain backs the deal. Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and
most of the other Republican presidential hopefuls do not.
In the Democratic radio address, Connecticut Congresswoman
Rosa DeLauro called on the federal government to spend more money on child
welfare, including funds for after school programs and health care for
children from poor families. (from Voice of America)
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Vocabulary:
- immigration (n)—【美】(總稱)(外來的)移民
- back (v)—支持;援助;贊助
- reform (n) (v)—改革,革新,改良
- comprehensive (adj)—廣泛的;無所不包的;綜合的
- legislation (n)—立法,法律,法規
- Republican (a)—【美】(大寫)共和黨的
- Democratic (a)—【美】(大寫)民主黨的
- Senate (n)—【美】(大寫)參議院
- animosity (n)—仇恨,敵意;憎惡
- amnesty (n)—大赦;特赦
- conviction (n)—確信,信念
- House of Representative (n)—【美】(大寫)眾議院
- the ruling party—執政黨
- call on (片語 phrase)—號召;請求
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| Tongue Twisters 英語繞口令 |
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck,
If a woodchuck could chuck wood?
It would chuck as much wood as a woodchuck could,
If a woodchuck could chuck wood.
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 把自己的聲音錄下來 |
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| Brain
Twisters 腦筋急轉彎 |
| Do you know
the answer? |
What has eyes but cannot see?
(什麼東西有眼睛卻看不見？)
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| 用法說明 |
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| 請作答!! |
》》正確答案《《
(在本期電子報最下方) |
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| Challenging Misconceptions |
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作者：Timothy Henry
Bullins 老師
學歷：M.A. of Gaylord College of Journalism,
University of Oklahoma
現任：文藻外語學院英文系 專案講師 |
My experiences in teaching at Wenzao have helped me grow more as an educator and learn about the intricacies of being a student in Taiwan. Although students in Taiwan and the United States have many things in common, there are many very telling differences. As a teacher, I feel duty-bound to be aware of my students’ concerns and address these in the course of my lectures but I also realize that sometimes students need guidance in areas that they might not be aware of. |
For example, the majority of the students that I have encountered while in Taiwan are unaware of the need to develop critical thinking skills. Most focus their attention on passing the course, a major exam, or some other goal. They fail to see that the journey is just as important, if not more so, than the ultimate goal. This observation is by no means meant as a criticism but it has led me to adjust my teaching methodology as well as my expectations.
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The courses I teach at Wenzao are advanced ones which require more than
just rote memorization. They are also not the last ones most students will
face. Therefore I think my students should leave my classroom at the end
of the semester prepared to face more difficult classes or challenges in
life. I devote a portion of each class to them to critical thinking exercises
and attempt to guide them in using critical thinking throughout the semester.
I firmly believe that an educator is not just responsible for ensuring
that students learn the materials the course is designed to teach but also
that they experience some kind of overall growth in the way they approach
learning.
The purpose of an advanced education is not to get a diploma, find a
better paying job, or any other such short-term goal. It is to challenge
ourselves
to the utmost of our abilities and then a little more. It is to help us
become better citizens in a global community where people share the responsibility
for a planet that is being threatened by not only pollution but a myriad
of terrorist’s factions, irresponsible leaders, and uncaring business tycoons.
When my students leave my classroom, I hope it is not with disappointment
because they did not get an ‘A,’ but with delight that now they see things
in a broader light. I do not attempt to change their thinking so that they
agree with me. That is not my ambition. My goal is to help them form and
support their own opinions by looking at an issue with a critical eye.
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Another area some students have difficulty with
is cultural differences. Their exposure to Western culture has been
an abundance of television dramas which are loaded with misconceptions
and false impression. Although many students express concern that
I sometimes discuss cultural differences within my classes, I feel
it
is necessary to try to dispel some of the damage that mass media
has done. Also it is a fact that languages do not exist in a vacuum.
Languages
develop in and around a culture. A very good example of this is the
term ‘catch-22.’ This is a common phrase used in the United States,
which means basically “a situation in which a desired outcome or
solution is impossible to attain because of a set of inherently illogical
rules
or conditions,” yet many people studying English as a foreign language
are unaware that this comes from the title of a novel written by
Joseph Heller.
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Although knowing where a phrase or bit of slang comes
from is not always necessary for studying a language, it certainly help
a student retain the information a bit longer thereby giving him a chance
to incorporate it into his working vocabulary. Even more important than
this, is the fact that some words and phrases heard by non-native English
speakers while watching movies or listening to audio are not considered
politically correct in many situations and quite offensive is some instances.
Any person wishing to travel abroad to a country where English is an official
language should be aware of these and guard against using them. Pop music
is quite popular in Taiwan but the lyrics in many rap songs are offensive
when repeated to an individual on the streets.
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I believe the
responsibilities of a good educator are to fill in the gaps left in a student’s
education by the inadequate textbooks and living in a different culture.
The majority of textbooks that I use in my classes are woefully sanitized
for the second language learner and although they might reflect one section
of the United States’ population, I think they do not address practical issues
for someone who might be traveling across the country and find himself faced
with the ‘average’ American. My students are shocked when I point out that
the ‘average’ citizen of the United States does not go to the university,
does not travel abroad, and has very little interaction – if any – with someone
from a different country or culture. |
In
conclusion, I have found the students at Wenzao to be extremely motivated
to learn about many new things; however, as with most people, their view
of the world started being shaped when they were very young. Many are resistant
to the truth since it varies from some of their preconceived notions. This
is not a fault nor is it a deficit – it is merely human nature and as they
experience more in life they will grow to understand that television dramas
are not reality. They will travel more and encounter people with different
backgrounds from different countries.
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Vocabulary:
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misconception (n.) 錯誤觀念；誤解
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intricacy (n.) 錯綜複雜難懂之事、物
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telling (a.) 顯著的
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duty-bound (a.) 有責任義務的
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be aware of … 知道、察覺…
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address (v.) 提出
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encounter (v.) 遇見
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ultimate (a.) 最終的
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by no means 絕不是…
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adjust (v.)調整
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devote … to … 奉獻…於….
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ensure (v.) 保證
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diploma (n.) 文憑
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a myriad of … 大量的
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faction (n.) 派系內訌鬥爭
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uncaring (a.) 不在意的
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tycoon (n.) 企業大亨
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an abundance
of … 大量的
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dispel (v.) 驅散、消除
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inherently
(adv.) 固有的
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retain (v.) 記住
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offensive (a.)冒犯的
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inadequate (a.)
不適當的
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woefully (adv.) 令人遺憾地
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sanitize (v.) 消毒
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be resistant to …
抵抗…
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preconceived
(a.) 已有成見的、已先入為主的
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deficit (n.) 不足
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【面臨挑戰的錯誤觀念】
-本文大意-
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來文藻教書，不但讓自己更像一位教育者，也讓自己了解到台灣學生一些錯綜複雜難懂之事。雖然台灣學生和美國學生有很多共通點，但仍有許多明顯差異。身為一位老師，我覺得我有責任了解學生所關心的事物並在課堂中與他們討論，但我也體認到有時學生需要別人的帶領，去認識他們可能不知道的領域。
舉例來說，我在台灣碰到的學生大多不知道培養批判性思考的必要性。大部分學生一心一意只想順利拿到學分、通過考試或達到一些其他目標。他們不能夠看見人生有更重要的目標。這點觀察絕不是批評，但是卻改變了我自己的教學方法和期待。
我在文藻所教授的課程都是一些不能單靠死背的進階課程。因此我認為我的學生在期末時應該就能準備好接受人生更高難度的課程或挑戰。因為課堂中我會花些時間訓練他們批判性思考，並嘗試整學期都帶領他們使用。我堅決相信，一位教育者不是只確保學生學到教科書內容而已，也應讓學生透過學習，經歷其他層面的成長。
高等教育的目的不在於拿文憑、找到更好待遇的工作或為了任何其他短程目標。我們接受高等教育，目的應在於使自己能成為地球村中更優秀的一份子；在當中，大家共同為這個遭受污染、一堆恐怖份子分化、不盡責的領導者、以及默不關心的商業鉅子威脅的星球盡責任。當我的學生離開教室時，我希望他們不會因為得不到好成績而感到沮喪，而是會因為他們現在能以較寬廣角度去看待事物而感到喜悅。我不會為了要他們認同我而嘗試去改變他們想法。我的目標在於幫助他們能夠從批判的角度去看待每一議題，去建立自我想法並支持自我想法。
另一個學生可能會感到難以理解的地方，就是文化差異。學生接觸到的西方文化多半是從佈滿錯誤觀念和假象的電視戲劇而來。雖然許多學生對於我有時在課堂中探討文化差異覺得擔心，但我覺得盡力去消除傳播媒體造成的傷害是有必要的。再說，語言不是無中生有的，它是因文化或圍繞著文化而生的。
雖然知道一個片語或俚語的出處，對學習語言來說，不見得必要，但知道片語或俚語的出處的確可以幫助學生記憶、加深印象，進而讓學生有機會使用。更重要的是，有時外語學習者從看電影或聽音樂學到的用字遣詞，在許多場合是視為不正確，或是被視為有點冒犯他人的意思。任何一位想到以英語為官方語言的國家旅行的人都應該注意這些並謹慎避用之。流行音樂在台灣雖然很受歡迎，但許多饒舌歌曲的歌詞，當被重複用來對著街上某一個人說時，卻是種冒犯行為。
我相信一位好的教育者的職責在於填補那因教科書使用不當或因生活在不同文化背景所造成的不足。我在課堂中所使用的教科書，很遺憾地，大部份都被淨化。
或許這些教科書反映了美國人民的一個面向，但我認為這些書並沒有真實反映美國其他實際面向。當我指出一般美國人並沒有上大學、並不旅行、和來自不同國家或文化背景的人很少互動時，學生都感到很意外。
我發現，雖然文藻學生對於學習新事物都很積極，但是因大部份學生對於這世界的認知都是從小建立，使得他們會排斥接受不同於先前的認知。這樣的反應，不是錯，也不是個缺陷-----它只是人性罷了。當他們有更多的人生經歷，他們會逐漸了解到電視戲劇所呈現的不是真實的。他們日後會到更多國家旅行，會遇到許多來自不同國家、不同文化背景的人的。
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| JAMES MORRISON - Wonderful World |
 歌詞 Lyrics |
本單元圖片來源：環球唱片
線上試聽：You
Tube |
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前陣子廣播裏的新歌介紹，把英國2007全英音樂獎最佳男歌手James Morrison和美國傳奇黑人樂手Louis Armstrong兩人的名字放進同一段宣傳詞之中，還把James Morrison的 Wonderful World說成是Louis Armstrong的名曲What
A Wonderful World的再現。要說兩人有同樣沙啞的嗓音，相似的靈魂樂曲風，如此的類比或許相去不遠；可是，說到上述兩首歌曲的比較，那簡直是南轅北轍，大異其趣了。
Louis Armstrong的名曲What A Wonderful World用舒緩慵懶的旋律和陽光自然的歌詞，充份表現出這位美國爵士巨擘無可救藥的樂觀（可能他的成功到來得早，也持續得久吧！）。James
Morrison則不然，他幼時感染百日咳而差點喪命，雖大難不死但嗓音卻因此沙啞，更慘的是父親在他4歲時棄家出走，留下負債的母親拼命工作撫養子女；長大後，面對破落的家庭，又目睹童年好友淪落為毒蟲，所以要說
James Morrison眼中的世界會像個Wonderful World，那可真是有些牽強了。歌詞一開始便點出主人翁的困境： |
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I've been down so low
我落魄已久
People look at me and they know,
大家一看便知道
They can tell something is wrong
我有些不對勁
Like I don’t belong,
看起來格格不入
Well, staring through a window, standing outside,
人們站在窗外看
They’re just too happy to care tonight
他們今晚只會樂不思蜀
I want to be like them
我也想像他們一樣
But I'll mess it up again
可是恐怕我又會搞砸
I tripped on my way in
我在回來的路上摔了一跤
And got kicked outside, everybody saw...
在外頭又給踢了一腳，大家都看到了…
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如此遭遇也只能讓他在複歌中，悻悻然地唱著：
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And I know that it's a wonderful world
儘管我也知道這世界真美好
But I can’t feel it right now,
可我現在就是感受不到
I thought I was doing well
我才剛覺得自己幹得好
But I just want to cry now,
可是現在卻只想哭嚎
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所幸，身邊仍有親情與愛情的溫暖，才讓他撐過那些困苦歲月，重新燃起對世界的美好想望：
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Well, I know that it’s a wonderful world from the sky down to the sea,
從藍天到大海，我知道這世界真是一片美好
But I can only see when you're here, here with me.
可是只有在你身邊，我才看得到
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| 不管歌詞中的你所指何人，是愛人也好，是親人也好，世界的美好得有人分享才顯得真實；James Morrison憑著他的誠懇熱情，在悲慘的過往生活之後，找到充滿愛意的全新定位，這份由衷的真切才是這首歌的動人之處。 |
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| 【聽歌學英文】 |
在 Wonderful World 的歌詞中，James Morrison
用連接詞 but 將 Louis Armstrong 的 What A Wonderful World 轉變成語帶無奈的句型。連接詞
but 常用來表達轉折甚至相反的語氣，如 I love you but I can’t marry you.（我愛你，但是不能嫁給你。）類似的語氣連接詞還有
and，用來表達相同語氣的延續，如 I love you and I will marry you.（我愛你，而且我要嫁給你。）此外，or
則表達前後句意無法同時存在的事實，如 I love you, or I will leave you. （我愛你，否則我就會離開你。）使用語氣連接詞時，應小心注意前後句的語氣變化，才不致張冠李戴，引起不必要的誤會。
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| 附錄歌詞下載 |
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| Getting English Promptly ＆ Tactfully |
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| Reading |
Who experiences culture shock? Everyone does
in some form or another. But culture shock comes as a surprise to
most people. A lot of the time, the people with the worst culture
shock are the people who never had any difficulties in their own
countries. They were active and successful in their community. They
had hobbies or pastimes
that they enjoyed. When they come to a new country, they do not
have the same established positions or hobbies.
They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity.
They have to build a new self-image.
Culture shock produces a feeling of disorientation. This orientation
may be homesickness, imagined illness, or even paranoia (unreasonable
fear). When people feel the disorientation of culture shock, they
sometimes feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the unfamiliar environment. They want to create
an escape within their room or apartment to give themselves a sense
of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock
for the short term, but it does nothing to familiarize the person
more with the culture. Familiarity and experience are the long-term
solutions to the problem of culture shock.
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| 小試身手 |
- People in a foreign culture feel ___ about themselves and their positions.
(在國外，人們對自己與地位感覺 ＿＿。)
A) differently
B) the same
C) happy
- According to the passage, who are likely the people with the worst culture
shock?
(根據本文，甚麼人可能遭受文化衝擊最為嚴重?)
A) People who have never been abroad. 從未出國的人
B) People who are active. 活躍的人
C) People who never have difficulties in their own country. 在國內毫無困難的人
- In the passage, another word for hobbies is ___.
(文中，和 hobbies意思相同的字是 ___ 。)
A) surprise
B) pastimes
C) self-image
- Which is the following word is not the same in meaning as “established
positions”?
(以下那一個字與established positions意思不同?)
A) hobbies 嗜好
B) role 角色
C) identity 身份
- The author gives ___ examples of the disorientation of culture
shock.
(作者給了 ＿＿ 個受文化衝擊後迷惑的例子。)
A) two
B) three
C) four
- The author thinks that it is ___ idea for people feeling culture
shock to stay in their homes as a long term solution to culture
shock.
(作者認為遭受文化衝擊的人，長期滯留家中來因應，這是 ___ 的主意。)
A) a new
B) a great
C) not a good
- People who feel culture shock stay at home because of
___.
(遭受文化衝擊的人，滯留家中是因為 ___。)
A) the weather 天氣
B) solutions 解決方法
C) insecurity 缺乏安全感
- According to the author, which of the following is
not a true solution to culture shock?
(根據作者，以下何者不是真正解決文化衝擊的方法?)
A) escape 逃避
B) familiarity 熟悉
C) experience 經歷
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Vocabulary:
- form n. 形式
- community n. 社區，社交圈
- produce v. 產生
- disorientation n. 失去方向感，迷惑
- feel like v. 想要
- protect…from… v. 保護…免於…
- security n. 安全
- familiarize v. 使熟悉
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| 》》正確答案《《 |
| 1.(A)
2.(C) 3.(B) 4.(A) 5.(B) 6.(C) 7.(C) 8.(A) |
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腦筋急轉彎答案: A
potato
*eye: (1)眼睛；(2)針孔；(3)馬鈴薯的芽眼。
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