2008年8月27日 星期三

Locavores Like Their Food Close to Home

Locavores Like Their Food Close to Home

 

locavore : someone who eats foods produced locally

honor : something that makes you feel very proud

fence : a structure made of wood, metal etc that surrounds a piece of land

property : a building, a piece of land, or both together

inspection : an offical visit to a building or organization to check that everything is satisfactory and that rules are being obeyed

resident : someone who lives or stays in a particular place

rooster : a male chicken = cock


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2008年8月25日 星期一

[VOA] Working With Clay: A How-to Guide

Working With Clay: A How-to Guide

 

clay : a type of heavy sticky earth that can be used for making pots, bricks etc

pot : a container used for cooking which is round, deep, and usually made of metal

brick : a hard block of baked clay used for building walls, houses etc

potassium : a common soft silver-white metal that usually exists in combination with other substances, used for example in farming. It is a chemical element : symbol K

aluminum : 鋁

potter : someone who makes pots, dishes etc out of clay

stove : a thing used for heating a room ot for cooking, which works by burning wood, coal, oil, or gas

volcano : a mountain with a large hole at the top, through which lava (=very hot liquid rock) is sometimes forced out

minerals : a substance that is formed naturally in the earth, such as coal, salt, stone, or gold. Minerals can be dug out of the ground and used

Celsius : a scale of temperature in which water freezes at 0º and boils at 100º

shiny : smooth and bright


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2008年8月22日 星期五

[人像攝影19招] 蒙娜麗莎與人像攝影

蒙娜麗莎是達文西的名作之一,為什麼它可以讓那麼多人著迷?即使這幅畫已經很久了,名氣依舊不減。我們可以在它身上學到什麼呢?

 

接下來我們將針對蒙娜麗莎做討論,從不同的觀點去指出達文西在畫這幅畫時做了什麼。

 

構圖

當我們觀查它的構圖,會發現它十分均衡且簡單。在當時,這是破天荒的作法,在這之後則在繪畫界引起了風潮。達文西使用的其中一個構圖元素是金字塔型,以雙臂形成最寬的底,雙手在前面形成角,而在頭上集中,將重點集中於雙眼與身體上,再加上她那笑容。

 

姿勢

今天我們看到蒙娜麗莎的姿勢會覺得十分普通,但在當時卻是創新之舉。不同於其他作品,蒙娜麗莎沒有完全放鬆,而是雙臂收縮讓雙手自然交插放在椅子上。當她稍微斜坐,讓群眾瞭解她的坐姿,這吸引了大家的注意力。

 

另一個不尋常點在達文西一反當時常態用人物將畫面填滿,而是讓姿勢只佔了3/4畫面。其他部份則顯示這是在間小房間中去吸引觀眾注意。

 

在姿勢上最後一個觀點是達文西讓蒙娜麗莎的眼睛看來起像是正在相同高度看著觀眾,這在我們看著她的眼睛時帶來了一種親切感(不會感覺是我們從上往下看她或她從上往下看我們)。

 

背景

一個在繪畫上的經常發現的問題是無論前景背景都一樣清楚,然而蒙娜麗莎的背景則有點模糊,這讓背景看起來像是從主角延伸出去。

這在當時是不尋常的做法,但在今天卻是人像拍攝中常用的方式。讓背景較為模糊,讓讀者的注意力集中在主題身上。

還有一點值得注意的是背景的用色十分低調,不搶眼,這樣可以讓觀眾的注意力集中在蒙娜麗莎身上。

 

燈光

達文西利用了光線來吸引觀眾注意,在他希望引人注意的地方用了較高的亮度。並讓臉與手擺放在適當的位置。並使用陰影(或光線較弱)去增加深度與維度,讓畫面產生層次。特別是在脖子與手臂上衣服的皺折。

 

服裝

她的衣服畫的十分詳盡(包含胸前的蕾絲與手臂的衣物),這都可以保持畫面的感覺,一切都是為了強調她的臉。除去了珠寶或其他裝飾品,以免分散觀眾的注意力。

達文西希望能讓蒙娜麗莎本身的媚力來吸引觀眾,而不是靠其他東西。

 

框架


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2008年8月21日 星期四

[VOA] Study Shows Limits in Helping Children Deal With Conflict | Alcohol Abuse and U.S. Troops Back From War

Study Shows Limits in Helping Children Deal With Conflict | Alcohol Abuse and U.S. Troops Back From War

 

violence :  behaviour that is intended to hurt other people physically

mental : relating to the health or state of someone's mind

intervention : the act of becoming involved in an argument, fight, or other difficult situation in order to change what happens

therapy : the treatment of an illness or injury over a fairly long period of time

moderately : fairly, but not very

traumatic : a traumatic experience is so shocking and upsetting that it affects you for a long time

depression : a feeling of sadness that makes you think there is no hope for the future

abnormal : very different from usual in a way that seems strange, worrying, wrong, or dangerous

fear : the feeling you get when you are afraid or worried that something bad is going to happen

commentary : a spoken description of an event, given while the event is happening, especially on the television or radio

chief : highest rank

regret : to feel sorry about something you have done and wish you had not done it

toll : the number of people killed or injured in a particular accident, by a particular illness etc

troop : soldiers in an organized group

combat : fighting, especially during a war

duty : something that you have to do because it is morally or legally right

binge : a short period when you do too much of something, such as eating or drinking

 


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2008年8月19日 星期二

[VOA] Young Voices in the Fight Against AIDS

Young Voices in the Fight Against AIDS

 

represent : to officially speak or take action for another person or group of people

reality : what actually happens or is true, not what is imagined or thought

antiretroviral drug : a type of drug that is used against HIV infection

therapy : the treatment of an illness or injury over a fairly long period of time

condom : a thin rubber bag that a man wear over his penis(=sex organ) during sex, to prevent a woman having a baby or to protect against disease

delegate : someone who has been elected or chosen to speak, vote, or take decisions for a group

foremost : the best or most imprtant

ban : to say that something must not be done, seen, used etc

adequate : enough in quantity or of a good enough quality for a particular purpose

criminialize : to make something illegal, or to say that someone is a criminal because of something they have done

homosexual : if someone, especially a man, is homosexual, they are sexually attracted to people of the same sex

educator : a teacher or someone involved in the process of educating people

stepfather : a man who is married to your mother but who is not your father

empoer : to give someone more control over their own life or situation

pandemic : a disease that affects people over a very large area or the whole world

presence : when someone or something is present in a particular place


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2008年8月13日 星期三

[VOA] When a Stroke Is Silent

When a Stroke Is Silent

 

stroke : if someone has a stroke, an artery in their brain syddenly bursts or becomes blocked, so that they may die or be unable to use some muscles

Ischemic stroke, 標示解釋. 釋義. Dr.Eye. ph. 【醫】缺血性中風. "Ischemic stroke"

hemorrhagic stroke : 出血性腦中風

bleed : the condition of losing blood from your body

clot : if a liquid such as blood or milk clots, or if something clots it, it becomes thicker and more solid

suffer : to experience physical or mental pain

magnetic : concerning or produced by magnetism

magnetism : the physical force that makes two metal objects pull toward each other or push each other apart

resonance : the resonance of a sound is its quality of being deep and loud and continuing for a long time

inspect : to examine something carefully in order to find out more about it or to find out what is wrong with it

tissue : a piece of soft thin paper, used especially for blowing your nose on

cerebral : relating to or affecting your brain

infarction 梗塞

Atrial fibrillation 心房纖維顫動

diabetes : a serious disease in which there is too much sugar in your blood

 


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2008年8月12日 星期二

[VOA] Special Feed for Swine May Help Farmers' Crops, the Environment

Special Feed for Swine May Help Farmers' Crops, the Environment

豬大便

swine : a pig

nutrient : a chemical or food that provides what is needed for plants or animals to live amd grow

nitrogen : a gas that has no colour or smell, and that forms most of the Earth's air. It is a chemical element : symbol N

manure : waste matter from animals that is mixed with soil to improve the soil and help plants grow

phosphorus : a poisonous yellowish chemical substance that starts to burn when it is in the air, and shines in the dark. It is a chemical element : symbol P

phytate. 【生化】肌醇六磷酸鹽, 植酸(存在於全穀類、豆類、核果類及種子中, 能與鐵質結合, 大幅降低鐵質的吸收)

expel : to force air, water, or gas etc out of your body or out of a container

harm : damage, injury, or trouble caused by someone's actions or by an event

slurry : a mixture of water and mud, coal, or animal waste

coal : a piece of wood or coal that is burning

chick : a baby bird

 

 


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2008年8月11日 星期一

[VOA] Farming Techniques That Will Feed a Family

Farming Techniques That Will Feed a Family

 

poverty : the situation or experience of being poor

humanitarian : concerned with improving bad living conditions and preventing unfair treatment of people

harvest : the time when crops are gathered from the fields, or the act of gathering them

fertilizer : a substance that is put on the soil to make plants grow

sorghum : a type of grain that is grown in tropical areas

grain :  the seeds of crops such as corn, wheat, or rice that are gathered for use as food, or these crops themselves

tropical : weather that is tropical is very hot and wet

hectare : a unit for measuring area, equal to 10,000 square metres

 


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2008年8月9日 星期六

[VOA] Former Teach for America Member Says The Program Changed Her Life

Former Teach for America Member Says The Program Changed Her Life

 

federal : relating to the central government of a country such as the US, rather than the government of one of its states

chancellor : the leader of the government or the main government minister of some countries


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2008年8月6日 星期三

[VOA] Raising Goats for Their Hair

Raising Goats for Their Hair

羊毛很重要

 

cashmere : a type of fine soft wool

wool : the soft thick hair that sheep and some goats have on their body

thick : if something is thick, there is a large distance or a larger distance than usual between its two opposite surfaces or sides

angora : a type of goat, rabbit, or cat with very long soft hair or fur

fur : the thick soft hair that covers the bodies of some animals, such as cats, dogs, and rabbits

fiber : a mass of threads used to make rope, cloth etc

mohair : expensive wool made from the hair of the angora goat

scarf : a piece of cloth that you wear around your neck, head, or shoulders, especially to keep warm

rug : a piece of thick cloth or wool that covers part of a floor, used for warmth or as a decoration

carpet : a thick layer of something on the ground

doll : a child's toy that looks like a small person or baby

maturity : the quality of behaving in a sensible way like an adult

cattle : cows and bulls kept on a farm for their meat or milk

warmth : the heat something produces, or when you feel warm

comb : to make hair look tidy using a comb

shearer : someone who cuts the wool off sheep

fence : a structure made of wood, metal etc that surrounds a piece of land

explore : to discuss or think about something carefully

 


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2008年8月4日 星期一

[VOA] The US Housing Rescue Plan: What It Includes

The US Housing Rescue Plan: What It Includes

次貸風暴

 

Congress : the group of people elected to make laws in the US, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives

finance : the management of money by governments, large organizations etc

loan : an amount of money that you borrow from a bank etc

lender : a person or organization that lends money to people on condition that they pay it back

owe : to need to pay someone for something that they have done for you or sold to you, or to need to give someone back money that they have lent you

mortgage : a legal arrangement by which you borrow money from a bank or similar organization in order to buy a house, and pay back the money over a period of years

debt : a sum of money that a person or organization owes

capital : money or property, especially when it is used to start a business or to produce more wealth

invest : to buy shares, property, or goods because you hope that the value will increase and you can make a profit

shareholder : someone who owns shares in a company or business

investor: someone who gives money to a company, business, or bank in order to get a profit

intervene : to become involved in an argument, fight, or other difficult situation in order to change what happens

the Treasury (Department) : a government department that controls the money that the country collects and spends

critics : someone whose job is to make judgments about the good and bad qualities of art, music, films etc

borrowing : when a person, government, company etc borrows money, or the money that they borrow

deplore : to disapprove of something very strongly and criticize it severely, especially publicly

disapprove : to think that someone or their behaviour, ideas etc are bad or wrong

spending : the amount of money spent, especially by a government or organization

campaign : a series of actions intended to achieve a particular result relating to politics or business, or a social improvement

lobby : an attempt to persuade a government to change a law, make a new law etc

supervision : when you supervise someone or something

budget : the money that is available to an organization or person, or a plan of how it will be spent

rescue (noun) : when someone or something is rescued from danger

resure (verb) : to save someone or something from a situation of danger or harm

taxpayer : a person that pays tax

 


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