Nudging - Helping Decision Making Process

What is nudging?
Nudge is an approach to changing behaviour in a predictable way that works by shaping ‘choice architecture’. It is also the practice of guiding people's choices on a subconscious level without threatening punishment.

The book entitled Nudge: Improving Decisions About Wealth, Wealth, and Happiness was written by two US professors Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein.

Why do people like nudge?

• It’s a form of ‘libertarian paternalism’
• It doesn’t take away free choice
• But it can shape people’s behaviour tobring about beneficial outcomes
• It’s supposed to be politically neutral
• It’s cheap

One of the most famous examples comes from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. In 2003, the city's airport had a problem: the men's bathrooms were in need of constant cleaning because men were not aiming for the urinal bowel.

Instead of imposing a fine for such behaviour, airport officials decided to try a different tactic. tiny images of flies were etched into the urinal bowls. With something for men to aim at when they urinated, spillage and cleaning costs were reduced by 80 percent.

Nudging examples can also be seen in Hong Kong. In some school cafeterias in Hong Kong, healthy food such as fruit and yoghurt is placed before junk food in the lunch line. Studies have shown that students will more frequently reach for the healthy food if it's the first thing they see.

Other examples include:

• Hand-washing in Ghana after going to the toilet was improved by 41% by presenting message in terms of disgust
• Towel recycling in hotels was improved by message ‘the person who last stayed in this room reused their towels’
• 'Clean' smells (such as flowers) make people tidier

More examples can be tracked at http://nudges.wordprss.com/
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Think of more examples that it may help you study more effectively by using the nudging technique in your daily life:

• build a habit of planning your study and never procasinate; make sure you you will work on the checklist as often as you can
  
• use flash cards to jot your notes so you can refer when you need; make sure you must use your flash cards at least once a day until you fully master the learning notes
  
• memorise by reading again and again hoping everything will enter your brain until you are confident that you've master the learning materials
  
• study when your brain is highly active and study at the same time and place; never leave your chair until you achieve your sessional goal/s.
• incoporate feedback mechanism in your studying plan; always ask yourself what you've actually attained from your learning: a qualification or a technique

For more information regarding the nudging concept in Chinese - Nudging 自動化的推力, click and read the article on my blog:

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/ecterri/article?mid=73&prev=74&next=68

Love

The word, "love" can be used as a noun, a verb, an adjective, or even a metaphor隱喻 in English. Watch and see how you can use them in your writing and your life.

As Nouns

True love
Young love
Crazy love
Tough love 艱難/難受的愛
Faded love褪色的愛
Free love
Pure love

As Verbs
I love chocolate badly.
I love New York very much.
I love my wife dearly.
I love freedom crazily.
Love yourself gracefully.
Love one another gracefully.
Love your neighbor happily.
Love your brother happily.
Love your enemy politely.

As Adjectives
Love letter 情信
Love story 愛情故事
Love song
Love machine
Love connection 愛的聯結
Love hurts 愛的傷痕

As metaphor
God is love.

Most importantly, don't move your love. Life becomes meaningless if there is no love.

The Use of Ing-form Verbs and Gerunds

Recently I was asked a number of questions regarding the usages of ing-verbs and gerunds in writing sentences. I've found the you-tube video can help clarify them.

The video was produced and uploaded by the http://www.businessenglishpod.com/

Enjoy and learn!



Adjective-ing
1. I saw an interesting movie.
The other film was not exciting.

Compound noun
2. My swimming pool is near a parking lot.

Verb tense (pefect continuous tense)
3. I have been living here for ten years.

Gerund (looks like a verb but acts like a noun).
4. Skiing is fun, but I enjoy snowboarding too.
Snowboarding is fun.
I enjoy skiing.
I'm looking forward to going up to the ski hill.

Reduced-relative phrase
5. Do you see that man running accross the road?

Verb of perception/ sense verb
6. Yes, I see him running. (Be careful, see can also be followed by the infinitive without to, e.g. I see him run.)
I love exercising.
I like swimming.
Kate loves cooking.
Tom enjoys singing.
I prefer running to hiking. (for specific preference, we use a to-infinitive, e.g. I would prefer to run rather than to hike )

Participle Phrase
7. I became quite tired watching the movie.
Having already seen the TV moive, I changed the channel.
What 's the use of writing with pens when you can use the computer?

Greensleeves

Greensleeves





"Greensleeves" is a traditional English folk song and tune, a ground of the form called a romanesca.

A broadside ballad by this name was registered at the London Stationer's Company in 1580[1] as "A New Northern Dittye of the Lady Greene Sleeves". It then appears in the surviving A Handful of Pleasant Delights (1584) as "A New Courtly Sonnet of the Lady Green Sleeves. To the new tune of Green sleeves."

The tune is found in several late 16th century and early 17th century sources, such as Ballet's MS Lute Book and Het Luitboek van Thysius, as well as various manuscripts preserved in the Cambridge University libraries.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anger

Anger is one of the most common and destructive emotion that attacks our mind. Anger is created in our mind, and it harms both yourselves and others. Anger or hostility is a wronged mind that focuses on something or someone, feels it to be unattractive, exaggerates its bad qualities, and wishes to harm it.

For example, when we are angry with our family member, at that moment he or she appears to us as unattractive or unpleasant. We then exaggerate his bad qualities by focusing only on those aspects that irritate us and ignoring all his good qualities and kindness, until we have built up a mental image of an intrinsically faulty person.

We then wish to harm him in some way, probably by criticizing or disparaging him.

Because it is based on an exaggeration, anger is sometimes an unrealistic mind; the intrinsically faulty person or thing that it focuses on does not in fact exist.

Anger is also an extremely destructive mind that serves no useful purpose whatsoever. Hostility shows itself in many ways: a negative, critical attitude, nagging, sarcasm, gossip, resentment, hatred, slamming doors, shouting, taking it out on the children, kicking the cat, aggressive driving, childish " I'm hurt!" crying, rebellion, deviant behavior, putting people down, constantly running late, passivity, withdrawal, rage, and even criminality. The list is endless.

How then do you resolve anger?

First, be honest and admit how you are feeling.

Second, accept yourself as a normal human being who sometimes has angry feelings.

Third, determine to resolve your feelings the same day.

Fourth, express your feeling creatively? Perhaps, talk to a friend first or to an "imaginary" substitute, and where necessary, to the person at whom you are angry. This is not an excuse to lash out at others. The goal should always be to "speak the truth in love."6

When expressing anger we need to verbalize the emotion. Talking about the anger doesn't resolve it. The emotion needs to be released? Try not be as an attack or as blame, but as a confession and expression of our feeling as our problem. When this is done, the anger dissipates.

It is neither true nor helpful to say, "You make me mad." This is blaming the other person for your reaction and puts him or her on the defensive. It is more helpful to say, "I need to talk to you about such and such. I feel very angry about this. I know my anger is my problem and I may be overreacting, but I need to talk to you about this matter." That is, use "I" messages, not "you" messages.

Anger can also be expressed in writing, as David did in Psalms.7 I have done this many times, after which I have torn up the piece of paper. Where necessary I have re-written those feelings and personally shared them with the other person or people involved.

Resolving relationships is very important. Christ reminds us that if we have any conflict with another person, we are to put things right before bringing our gifts to God.

Fifth, before expressing anger, check to see if you are feeling afraid or threatened, because anger is often used as a defense against feeling afraid. If fear is the problem, talk about that.

Last, when you have shared your anger, forgive. For physical, emotional and spiritual health we need to be in touch with all our feelings (positive and negative), and use and express them in creative ways. This, too, is the way of love, for unresolved anger turns into resentment and builds barriers between friends, loved ones and even God, and blocks out love.

Extracted from http://youth-ministry.info/articles.php5?type=2&cat=190&art_id=56

Beethoven Symphony No.5

Beethoven Symphony No. 5 (貝多芬第五交響曲)

The coversheet to Beethoven's 5th Symphony

The dedication to Prince J. F. M. Lobkowitz and Count Rasumovsky is visible 可看得見的樂章.

The Symphony No. 5 in C minor 小調, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and well-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies.

It comprises four movements: an opening sonata奏鳴曲 allegro快板, an andante行板, and a fast scherzo諧謔曲 which leads attacca不停 to the finale. First performed in Vienna's Theater an der Wien in 1808, the work achieved its prodigious reputation soon afterwards. E. T. A. Hoffmann described the symphony as "one of the most important works of the time".

It begins by stating a distinctive four-note "short-short-short-long" motif twice: The symphony交響樂, and the four-note opening motif主題 in particular, are well known worldwide, with the motif appearing frequently in popular culture, from disco to rock and roll, to appearances in film and television.

During World War II, the BBC used the four-note motif to introduce its radio news broadcasts because its rhythm節奏 is the Morse code letter "V" (· · · —, "victory").

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Ludwig van Beethoven (English pronunciation: /ˈlʊdvɪɡ væn ˈbeɪtoʊvɨn/ (US), /ˈlʊdvɪɡ væn ˈbeɪthoʊvɨn/ (UK) was a German composer and pianist. He was a crucial figure in the transitional period between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western classical music, and remains one of the most acclaimed and influential composers of all time.

Born in Bonn, of the Electorate of Cologne and a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in present-day Germany, he moved to Vienna in his early twenties and settled there, studying with Joseph Haydn and quickly gaining a reputation as a virtuoso pianist. His hearing began to deteriorate in the late 1790s, yet he continued to compose, conduct, and perform, even after becoming completely deaf.

A New Way of Reading

Try to answer the following three questions that will give you ideas regarding your style of reading.

• Are you reading as a passive consumer of information? 閱讀為了獲取資料/作為一資訊的消費者?
• Do you read with a writer mind or a reader mind?你會以作者或是讀者身份進行閱讀?
• Do you read to engage yourself in learning or creating knowledge? 你的閱讀是一項專注的學習活動嗎還是建構知識的活動?

The culture of reading in the age of the Internet is quite different from the non-digital age. Reading can be a highly interactive process. You read not only to consume knowledge and information but also to contribute your ideas and opinions and generate or make knowledge.

You read in such a way that you become a part of what has been written. In other words, it is important that you read to understand, to get ideas, to find strength and weakness in the argument or point, and to contribute your thoughts. You read to get the gist of what's being said, and quickly find the theme, the thesis, main points, and conclusions. You will then add your comments to remind yourself what you've learnt and to add to some new information and the missing points you know of.

You may start enhancing such reading skills by adding comments to the blog message! I've been waaaaaaaaaaaaaiting for it!

Terri

SELBL - Society for English Learning Through Bibical Literature看聖經學英語

I'd like to introduce a website that will help you learn English and know more about Biblical literature.

Enjoy it!

Terri

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SELBL - Society for English Learning Through Bibical Literature:

"The Bible is arguably the most influential text in all of Western culture. English professors from different universities overwhelmingly agree that “an educated person needs to know about the Bible”. The Bible is the source of inspiration for numerous writers, including Shakespeare. It is also a major source of English idioms. If you “go the extra mile” to help your friend, “eat, drink and be merry” during happy hours, you are quoting from the Bible.

This website is your perfect companion for looking up idioms and names originated from the Bible. You can sort it by alphabetical order or by the book in the Bible. It contains a wealth of learning resources for learners and teachers of English. We hope that this website can inspire you with a new way of learning English more effectively, more engagingly and more fun!"

Professors and scholars from various disciplines do not just read the Bible, they recommend us to read and use it in schools if you are English teachers.

Prof. Barbara Newman, Northwestern University: “The Bible has been the most influential text in all of Western culture. It’s difficult to understand medieval or early modern or much of modern literature without knowing it…This is true for teaching Chaucer, but it’s also true for teaching Toni Morrison as much. And obviously a knowledge of the Bible is indispensable.” *

Prof. Ulrich Knoefplmacher, Princeton University, “In English tradition and also for an American tradition begun by Puritan writers, a knowledge of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament is even more crucial than classical references. For students not to have that is almost crippling in their ability to be sophisticated readers.” *

Prof. Robert Kiely, Harvard University, “I can only say that if a student doesn’t know any Bible literature, he or she will simply not understand whole elements of Shakespeare, Sidney, Spenser, Milton, Pope, Wordsworth.” *

Prof. Gerald L. Bruns, University of Notre Dame, “You can’t really study Western literature intelligently or coherently without starting with the Bible.” *

Prof. Steven Goldsmith, University of California at Berkeley, “It’s not that it’s impossible to read some writers without a Biblical background, but that you would miss a whole dimension to their work. When people meet William Blake without a background in the Bible, he seems eccentric, merely visionary author, quite obscure…If you have a Biblical background, you can begin to see how his thinking and how his imagination is grounded in some of this entrance of literature and it gives you a much more solid framework for understanding where he comes from culturally, and not just reading him as idiosyncratic.” *

Prof. Roland M. Frye, the late Schelling Professor Emeritus of English Literature, University of Pennsylvania, “a familiar understanding of Christian doctrine in historical perspective thus contributes to a fuller appreciation of Shakespeare’s art, but Shakespeare’s art is not devoted to theologizing the theatre.” **

http://www.selbl.org/

Gratitude 感恩

Find the synonyms of the word, "thank-you" from the following passage:

Just now I read a quotation by Plato柏拉圖, "A grateful mind 感激心is a great mind which eventually最終 attracts to itself great things."

The quotation reminds us that developing a grateful mindset can help us achieve great things and attract some great things to us. Gratitude感謝 is what we can do to turn our negative emotion into positive. It also help us release from stress in our life.

Think about why and what you should be grateful of while reading the following gratitude quotes:

• "At times our own light goes out and is rekindled再振作 by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude感謝 of those who have lighted the flame within us." -Albert Schweitzer
• "Go to foreign countries and you will get to know the good things one possesses at home." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
• "Life without thankfulness感謝 is devoid 沒有of love and passion. Hope without thankfulness is lacking in fine perception觀念. Faith without thankfulness lacks strength and fortitude. Every virtue divorced from thankfulness is maimed and limps along the spiritual road." -John Henry Jowett
• “For each new morning with its light, For rest and shelter of the night, For health and food, for love and friends, For everything Thy goodness sends.”-Ralph Waldo Emerso
• "God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you感謝?" -William A. Ward
• "No one is as capable of gratitude感謝 as one who has emerged from the kingdom of night." -Elie Wiesel
• "Gratitude感謝 is a vaccine疫苗, an antitoxin抗毒素, and an antiseptic抗菌的"- John Henry Jowett
• "If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness感謝. It will change your life mightily." - Gerald Good
• “Saying thank you感謝 is more than good manners. It is good spirituality.” - Alfred Painter
• "Feeling grateful or appreciative 感謝of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate感謝 and value into your life." -Christiane Northrup
• “Appreciation感謝 can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” -Margaret Cousins
• "Develop an attitude of gratitude感謝, and give thanks感謝 for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation."-Brian Tracy
• “The hardest arithmetic to master is that which enables us to count our blessings.”-Eric Hoffer
• “Feeling gratitude感謝 and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” -William Arthur Ward
• “To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude感謝 means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude感謝.” -Albert Schweitzer
• “Let's be grateful for those who give us happiness; they are the charming gardeners who make our soul bloom.” - Marcel Proust
• "As we express our gratitude感謝, we must never forget that the highest appreciation感謝 is not to utter表達 words, but to live by them." - John F. Kennedy
• "If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you感謝," that would suffice." - Meister Eckhart
• "Gratitude感謝 is merely the secret hope of further favors." - François Duc de La Rochefoucauld
• "I would maintain that thanks 感謝are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude感謝 is happiness doubled by wonder." - G.K. Chesterton
• "If a fellow isn't thankful感謝 for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful 感謝 for what he's going to get." - Frank A. Clark
• “Saying thank you感謝 is more than good manners. It is good spirituality靈性.” - Alfred Painter
• "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving感謝, let your requests be made known to God."-The Bible Phil 4:6 NKJV
• "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks感謝 and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" - The Bible Revelation 7:12 NIV 頌 讚 、 榮 耀 、 智 慧 、 感 謝 、 尊 貴 、 權 柄 、 大 力 都 歸 與 我 們 的 神 ， 直 到 永 永 遠 遠 。 阿 們 ！

Laziness

We are all occassionally lazy. But it shouldn't be too normalized in our life. Laziness can be a serious problem if we indulge縱容 ourselves in it, especially for an extensive period of time. Here are some teachings regarding the issue of idleness閒散.

Watch out! There are 20 disadvantages in being lazy.

Woooow! Tweeeeenty!

Read and do something to get rid of your laziness!

Terri
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Bernard Meltzer
'Hard work is often the easy work you did not do at the proper time.'



Larry Ray Hafley
The Bible has a lot to say about laziness, slothfulness怠惰, and idleness, and none of it is complimentary 不獲贊賞的(Prov. 15:19; 19:24; 22:13; 26:13-16). God has said, "If any would not work, neither should he eat" (2 Thess. 3:10). One who is too lazy to work or who otherwise refuses to provide for his family "hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel無宗教信仰的人" (1 Tim. 5:8).


LAZINESS: SIN NOT LIFESTYLE
by Dr. Ken Matto

One of the most worldly forms of existence is the life of laziness. Lazy people believe they are entitled to all the benefits the world has to offer yet they contribute貢獻 nothing.

What does the Bible have to say about laziness? Do we as Christians have the right to sit around and pick the pockets of hard working people? Of course, I am not targeting those who are physically handicapped and are unable to procure實現 outside employment. I am targeting those who can work but do not desire to. In scanning the Scriptures, I would like to discuss 21 Scriptures which deal with laziness. They apply to believers and unbelievers. Scriptures taken are from the King James Bible.
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1. (Prov 6:9-11 KJV) How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man. 懶 惰 人 哪 ， 你 要 睡 到 幾 時 呢 ？ 你 何 時 睡 醒 呢 ？ 再 睡 片 時 ， 打 盹 片 時 ， 抱 著 手 躺 臥 片 時 ， 你 的 貧 窮 就 必 如 強 盜 速 來 ， 你 的 缺 乏 彷 彿 拿 兵 器 的 人 來 到 。
   
   Both the robber and the armed man come upon their victim in a flash. The victim does not know what is happening until they are in the middle of it. The victim of a robbery may lose their life. The lazy person is doomed to poverty and this poverty will come in an instant and they will be unprepared to deal with it. They will refuse to work or seek a solution to their problem because this will interrupt their lazy lifestyle. When struck with reality現實, some lazy people lose their most prized possession, their lazy lifestyle.
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2. (Prov 10:5 KJV) He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame.
   ⁵ 夏 天 聚 斂 的 ， 是 智 慧 之 子 ； 收 割 時 沉 睡 的 ， 是 貽 羞 之 子 。
   A person who seeks opportunity to be a diligent servant is a wise person, for they will not lack in lean貧乏的 times. The lazy person refuses opportunity, because it will interrupt their TV time, are a shame and a discredit to their family. A lazy Christian is a disgrace to the family of God.
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3. (Prov 10:26 KJV) As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. ²⁶ 懶 惰 人 叫 差 他 的 人 如 醋 倒 牙 ， 如 煙 薰 目 。
   Vinegar and smoke are both repulsive irritants to the body. When a lazy person is sent to do a job, they normally seek to cut as many corners as possible to get the task done, even if it is done incorrectly. The diligent person and the lazy person have different views on commitment and responsibility. The lazy person angers the one who dispatched him to do the job. In a body of diligent workers the lazy person is an odious可憎的 irritant刺激物.
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4. (Prov 12:24 KJV) The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful shall be under tribute.
   ²⁴ 殷 勤 人 的 手 必 掌 權 ； 懶 惰 的 人 必 服 苦 。
   Those who work diligently will have a reward of promotion. Lazy people never succeed because of their attitude. They will be made to do physical labor whenever involved with a project or job. Their laziness will keep them at the bottom. The biblical process of success always begins with prayer and intense application of one’s talents, abilities, and spiritual gifts.
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5. (Prov 12:27 KJV) The slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the substance of a diligent man is precious.
   ²⁷ 懶 惰 的 人 不 烤 打 獵 所 得 的 ； 殷 勤 的 人 卻 得 寶 貴 的 財 物 。
   The lazy man goes hunting but never enjoys his catch because he is too lazy to clean his catch. They always want someone else to do the work while they enjoy fruits of someone else’s labor. Perseverance堅持不懈 and determination決心 are more valuable than gold and silver. Lazy people have only one major trai特點t, to leave when the work starts.
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6. (Prov 13:4 KJV) The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
   ⁴ 懶 惰 人 羨 慕 ， 卻 無 所 得 ； 殷 勤 人 必 得 豐 裕 。
   The lazy man desires but never possesses because he is too lazy to pursue a goal and persevere in reaching that goal. He cries poverty貧窮, but will not seek a job. Those who persist in tough times while seeking a goal will normally achieve it, and will profit from it both spiritually and physically. (Prov 15:19 KJV) The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns刺圍住: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
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7. (Prov 15:19 KJV) The way of the slothful man is as an hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
   ¹⁹ 懶 惰 人 的 道 像 荊 棘 的 籬 笆 ； 正 直 人 的 路 是 平 坦 的 大 道 。
   The lazy person is like a thorny hedge. Whoever comes in contact with a thorn will bleed. The excuses of a lazy man are like hedges without flowers. They are just thorns. Their ways are as useful as thorns to the human touch. You can do without them. The lazy man’s ways must be avoided, for they are as thorns. The upright person’s way is smooth as a six lane highway, which has no hindrances to movement.
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8. (Prov 18:9 KJV) He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
   ⁹做 工 懈 怠 的 ， 與 浪 費 人 為 弟 兄 。
   A lazy person attempts to get his ideas accepted by others. If he is successful both work and projects fail. Laziness breeds孵 destruction, to both the lazy person and the one who incorporates his ideas into their life. He is poison 污染to God’s people.
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9. Prov 19:15 KJV) Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.
   ¹⁵ 懶 惰 使 人 沉 睡 ； 懈 怠 的 人 必 受 飢 餓 。
   Laziness stupefies 麻木 one to the world around him, especially concerning the lost souls of our generation. Idleness is laziness under a different name. These people will also be hungry for the things of the world. They will crave渴望 and never be satisfied. They will not even bring pen and paper to Bible study, just their physical appetites食慾.
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10. (Prov 19:24 KJV) A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again.
    ²⁴ 懶 惰 人 放 手 在 盤 子 裡 ， 就 是 向 口 撤 回 ， 他 也 不 肯 。
    This is the ultimate in laziness. The lazy man has before him the physical provisions of life but he is so lazy he does not even want to lift his hand to his mouth to put the food in. It is the same with those who shower once a week (or less) that have the shower available to them each day. Those who do not want to shower are just plain lazy. This is compared to the Christian who have the Bible but will not open it to get the truths of God into their mind.
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11. (Prov 20:4 KJV) The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing.
    ⁴ 懶 惰 人 因 冬 寒 不 肯 耕 種 ， 到 收 割 的 時 候 ， 他 必 討 飯 而 無 所 得 。
    Here the lazy man will refuse to work and his excuse will be that it is too cold outside. This act of laziness will cause him to beg, but he will receive nothing. The lazy man has many excuses which he believes are valid to make his case. He sincerely believes that others will sympathize 諒解with his lame,瘸的 excuses.
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12. (Prov 20:13 KJV) Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread. ¹³ 不 要 貪 睡 ， 免 致 貧 窮 ； 眼 要 睜 開 ， 你 就 吃 飽 。
    Do not be comatose昏睡狀態的 to the physical and spiritual world around you as the lazy man is. Life and opportunity pass the lazy man by and since he is self-centered, despair絕望 and poverty will come upon him. God warns us to stay awake, become involved, focus on others and you will be blessed. We are not to have a love affair with laziness.
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13. (Prov 21:25-26 KJV) The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour. {26} He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not. ²⁵ 懶 惰 人 的 心 願 將 他 殺 害 ， 因 為 他 手 不 肯 做 工 。 ²⁶ 有 終 日 貪 得 無 饜 的 ； 義 人 施 捨 而 不 吝 惜 。The covetousness貪求 of the lazy person eats him from the inside like a cancer. He is jealous of others who are prosperous富足的 but refuses to work to earn a living. These emotions of envy and greed, when allowed to intensify增強 over the years will cause physical problems and affect vital organs重要器官 and could lead to death. The righteous realize that all they own belongs to God. They give liberally without apprehension 憂慮but the covetous, lazy man lusts after more of the world’s goods. The lottery was tailor made for him.
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14. (Prov 22:13 KJV) The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets.
    ¹³ 懶 惰 人 說 ： 外 頭 有 獅 子 ； 我 在 街 上 就 必 被 殺 。
    The lazy man lives on excuses of why he cannot do this or that. In reality he is just too lazy to do anything and cares not if he is needed by someone else. It is not that he cannot do something, he will not. It is like the person who says they cannot get up for Sunday School, they are just too lazy.
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15. (Prov 23:21 KJV) For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
    ²¹ 因 為 好 酒 貪 食 的 ， 必 致 貧 窮 ； 好 睡 覺 的 ， 必 穿 破 爛 衣 服 。
    The same reward awaits the drunkard, glutton貪吃的人, and lazy man. They will be brought down to a base level of life. Apparently, God views laziness as a sin equal with drunkenness and gluttony. Drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Cor. 6:9-10) This may also be a warning to those who are drunk on the self-centered life.
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16. (Prov 24:30-34 KJV) I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; {31} And, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. {32} Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. {33} Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: {34} So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth; and thy want as an armed man. ³⁰ 我 經 過 懶 惰 人 的 田 地 、 無 知 人 的 葡 萄 園 ， ³¹ 荊 棘 長 滿 了 地 皮 ， 刺 草 遮 蓋 了 田 面 ， 石 牆 也 坍 塌 了 。 ³² 我 看 見 就 留 心 思 想 ； 我 看 著 就 領 了 訓 誨 。 ³³ 再 睡 片 時 ， 打 盹 片 時 ， 抱 著 手 躺 臥 片 時 ， ³⁴ 你 的 貧 窮 就 必 如 強 盜 速 來 ， 你 的 缺 乏 彷 彿 拿 兵 器 的 人 來 到 。
    The lazy man is a lesson to the believer, that laziness will bring a person to ruin毀滅. The lazy man’s work is vain徒然的, because they are carelessly attended to. Lazy people lack understanding in situations where they are not the beneficiarie受益人s. When you see a lazy person, learn from him and if you see any of his habits cropping up in your life, you will be able to halt the drifting and return to a disciplined遵守紀律的 life. The lazy man’s ways will eventually mushroom 雨後春筍般地湧現till his destruction will come like a thief in the night. Fast and furious!
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17. (Prov 26:13-16 KJV) The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. {14} As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. {15} The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. {16} The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. ¹³ 懶 惰 人 說 ： 道 上 有 猛 獅 ， 街 上 有 壯 獅 。 ¹⁴ 門 在 樞 紐 轉 動 ， 懶 惰 人 在 床 上 也 是 如 此 。 ¹⁵ 懶 惰 人 放 手 在 盤 子 裡 ， 就 是 向 口 撤 回 也 以 為 勞 乏 。 ¹⁶ 懶 惰 人 看 自 己 比 七 個 善 於 應 對 的 人 更 有 智 慧 。
    The lazy man does not live his life from faith to faith, but excuse to excuse. A door turns on its hinges 樞紐 but it never moves from the place it is attached to. The lazy man turns on his bed, but does not get out of it. When he is out of it, he wishes he was back in it. The same attitude prevails in the people that sleep till 11:00 and still are too lazy to get up. He sleeps half the day, he gets up and puts the TV on to waste the rest of the day. He is too lazy to nourish 滋養himself so he waits for someone to feed him. If you say he is living a wrong lifestyle, he will laugh, because in his mind, you are the one void of understanding. In reality, the lazy man is the one Satan has bewitched被施蠱惑術. Proverbs 26:12 says: "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him."
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18. (Mat 25:26 KJV) His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
    ²⁶ 主 人 回 答 說 ： 你 這 又 惡 又 懶 的 僕 人 ， 你 既 知 道 我 沒 有 種 的 地 方 要 收 割 ， 沒 有 散 的 地 方 要 聚 斂 ， ²⁷ 就 當 把 我 的 銀 子 放 給 兌 換 銀 錢 的 人 ， 到 我 來 的 時 候 ， 可 以 連 本 帶 利 收 回 Here is a parable of a servant who was given a talent by his master when he took a journey. The master expected the servant to deal wisely and gain more talents but this servant decided to bury it. The lazy servant did not understand the desires of his master and didn’t bother to find out either. When the master returned, the servant’s punishment was to be cast into outer darkness. Lazy Christians believe because they have not been zapped震擊 by God that everything is fine. Remember Proverbs 26:12 which spoke about a man that was wise in his own eyes. Today we have the Bible in its completed form and we can know what God requires of us. The lazy believer better wake up because God deals with His people as well as the unbeliever. We will not escape the chastisement責罰 of God because we are saved! (Rom 13:11-12 KJV) And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. {12} The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
    With each day we are closer to the return of Christ and yet many continue to sleep. We have a mandate命令 to reach the lost of our generation. (Acts 13:36) Yet many choose to remain spiritually dormant冬眠. Laziness is a work of darkness and must be shunned迴避. These works must be cast off.
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19. (1 Th 5:6 KJV) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
    ⁶ 所 以 我 們 不 要 睡 覺 像 別 人 一 樣 ， 總 要 儆 醒 謹 守 。We must be watchmen in our generation and involved. The salvation of souls is our top priority, not our own desires. We must not live for ourselves but for Christ who bought us. Laziness concerns itself only with fulfilling its own lusts慾望.
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20. (2 Th 3:10 KJV) For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. ¹⁰ 我 們 在 你 們 那 裡 的 時 候 ， 曾 吩 咐 你 們 說 ， 若 有 人 不 肯 做 工 ， 就 不 可 吃 飯 。
    The final admonition勸告 is that lazy people are not to be tolerated容忍. If they choose not to work, neither should they be fed freely or given handouts. Handouts only confirm their reasoning that they are right and you are wrong.
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Laziness is a heinous sin and must be dealt with as one deals with drunkenness and gluttony暴食. Lazy people are dangerous and can pollute敗壞 entire groups with their schemes陰謀. Lazy Christians must be considered sinning brethren and dealt with accordingly for their own good. If we continue to coddle嬌養 lazy people, they can manipulate操縱 us into believing we are the bad guys if we don’t give them a handout. If you want to break the laziness-excuse cycle then exchange your easy chair for some type of work. Volunteer at the church, library, first aid squad小隊, et al. The more you work, the more you become acclimated 適應to a work day, and the laziness will soon depart.

IELTS - A Long Writing Task

Write at least 250 words about the following topic:

Some vegetarians say it is selfish and unnecessary for people to eat meat in a world where food resources are becoming increasingly scarce.

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

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According to some vegetarian groups, eating animal meat is cruel, selfish and unnecessary especially in the world where food resources are limited. I strongly disagreed with the argument due to the following reasons.

First of all, although there are studies and research regarding the benefits of consuming vegetarian diets, there is also evident that human benefit more by consuming animal meat than eating vegetarian foods. For instance, one serve of steak contains three times more iron and protein than a serve of potato bake. Thus, having meat in one’s diet is an act of self caring rather than self indulging.

Secondly, the natural disasters, like flood and drought are affecting the food supply in the whole world. Therefore, the increasing scarcity of food resources affects not only the supply of meats but also fruits and vegetables. If eating meat is a selfish act, consuming fruits and vegetables should also be seen as an unfavorable action.

Thirdly, some vegetarians claim that eating meat is an act of cruelty because it involves the act of killing living animals. However, they forget that fruits and vegetables are also living things.

Lastly, the scarcity of food supply has nothing to do with meat eating. It is mainly due to people's greed and their food wastage. People often purchase and store more food than they can consume. This worsening situation is the culprit of the inadequate food supply.

To conclude, I believe that eating meat should not be considered as a selfish or cruel act. It is only a matter of eating style and preferences. You would agree that we need a balance diet with both meat and vegetables. Nevertheless, individuals must also be responsible for their own choice and do not waste any food resources. So there will always be enough food for all the people in the world.

(Contributed by Annie Sung and edited by Terri)

IELTS - A Short Writing Task

You bought an iron at a local shop yesterday. When you got it home you found it did not heat properly, so you cannot use it. Furthermore, the water container in the iron leaks.

Write a letter to the shop manager. In your letter

• Introduce yourself and explain why you are writing
• Explain what solution you would like
• Include a mild threat or warning

You should write at least 150 words and spend about 20 minutes on this task.
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Dear Sir


I am writing to complain about the faulty DG iron, CA 666 that I bought at your store on 1 November, 2009.

I used the steam iron yesterday and found that it did not generate water vapor evenly. Most of the heat was accumulated at the base, so it did not help to straighten the wrinkled collar of my shirt. Also I found that there was water dripping from the water container of the iron when it was in use. It was a potential risk to my life as the dripped water could cause an electric shock.

I reckon that it is necessary to address the problem instantly before anyone will suffer from the related electric shocks. In addition, I wonder if you can replace my faulty iron with a new one. I would also like to suggest adding the safety precautions for using the iron into the user manual.

Your immediate attention to this matter is required and will be appreciated.

Yours Faithfully

Annie

(167 words)

(Contributed by Annie Sung and edited by Terri)

Whole Brain Teaching 左右腦學習法

I've found the following website really helpful to teachers who experience difficulties dealing with classroom management 課堂管理and effective teaching有效學習.

In general, whole-brain teaching is defined as an instructional approach教學法 derived from neuro-linguistic大腦和語言 descriptions of the functions of the brain’s left and right hemispheres左右腦並用.

The Whole Brain Teaching is defined by the website as a method that integrates an effective classroom management system with learning approaches that tap the way human brain learns best. They claim that the approach is amazingly effective, and fun for both you the teacher, and the students.

Read and follow the link. I promise you'll find some useful ideas and information regarding learning and teaching.

Terri
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Whole Brain Teachers of America is one of the fastest growing education reform movements in the United States美國教育改革運動.

It is a grass roots, education reform movement begun in 1999 by three Yucaipa, California teachers: Chris Biffle (college), Jay Vanderfin (elementary school) and Chris Rekstad (elementary school). Since then they have been joined by a dedicated group of K-12 educators who form our Board of Directors.

In the last 10 years they have given seminars講座 to over 6,000 educators representing over 300,000 students. Though they are centered in Southern California, they've been contacted by teachers from across the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa. Typically, their free seminars, offered three times a year at Crafton Hills College, attract over 400 instructors. Their websites receive over 2,000 hits per day. Whole Brain Teaching is one of the fastest growing, education reform movements in America.

Whole Brain Teaching rests upon the principle that teachers at every level share the same difficulties: students lack缺乏 discipline紀律, background knowledge知識 and fundamental problem solving skills解決問題技巧. From kindergarten to college, teachers face students who have difficulty with reading and writing. Nonetheless, students respond to challenges挑戰, enjoy well-designed learning games, and can make, in the proper setting, astonishing educational progress學習上有驚喜進步.

Their goal is to create peaceful classrooms full of orderly fun有秩序且有趣味課堂. Thousands of teachers believe they're on the right track.

At the root of Whole Brain Teaching is a large amount of highly structured, educational tomfoolery有教育意義但看似無聊之事. Students learn the most when they are having fun. Whole Brain Teaching classrooms are full of task-focused laughter. Humor幽默 and games are used to increase the number of times students repeat core information重要的資料 and practice basic skills. Their classes are highly disciplined and tightly organized because students have more fun following our rules, than ignoring them.

All of their seminars and downloads are free. Whole Brain Teaching is a movement, not a business.

To see Whole Brain Teaching in action, click on the button to the right, Whole Brain Teaching; access their free downloads by logging in or registering. If you provide them your email address when registering, they'll send you ongoing announcements about their free seminars and online materials.