Sally Liou's English Blog

Take A Break

2010-07-04T22:59:00.000-07:00

Owning to I worked very hard yesterday, my mother gave me the reward 500NT dollars! I was walking on the water!!! By the way, my parents’ store closed on Sundays and holidays. As a result, my family turns on the air condition almost whole day. After us finishing the lunch, my mother suggested to watch the movie, Avatar, so we spent about 162mins to watch it. My mother didn’t watch the whole movie but go to take a nap. It is understandable that the hot weather let people want to sleep or be lazy. I had watched Avatar in the movie theater, so I still remembered the content. Nevertheless, I still intoxicated in the Pandora world.

After I finishing the movie, my mother and I started to clean up my clothes chest. It’s really embarrassing that I found there were two of my father’s jeans in my clothes chest… What’s more, we also found out that my father’s underwaist was in my clothes chest, too. I didn’t know why and how those things were in my clothes chest. My father made fun of this matter, “No wonder my jeans are less and less.”

Oops! The grades will publish tomorrow. I hope I can all pass.

Still Hot, Hot, and Hot

2010-07-03T23:52:00.000-07:00

I also went out to help my parents’ business today. I added the tableware and condiments, I wiped tables, and I picked the Asian basil. Today began with busy, the business was pretty good. We have been on the run all day and I'm exhausted. The weather was y scorching hot; I didn’t want to go out at all, so I stayed at the store all day long. One of the customer told us that the temperature outside was 38℃ even higher. It’s not kidding; the temperature seems to kill me. The weather was too hot to cool down the temperature inside the store. Although my father set the air condition in 22℃, the temperature still kept in 28℃.

My parents’ store has air conditions, so I felt very cool there. What’s more, my mother had prepared watermelon and her friend bought a cup of Java Chip Frappuccino Blended Coffee for cooling down. Wait, let me recall everything I did today. I ate, ate, and ate continuously. Breakfast, watermelon, bowled pastry, lunch, Java Chip Frappuccino Blended Coffee, cookies, Chinese Burrito, dinner, and watermelon again. It seems impossible to lose weight this summer. :(

One of today’s customers bought a famous music instrument in FIFA 2010, Vuvuzela. My mother asked the customer to play it again. Oh my goodness!!! The sound was noisy. No wonder those soccer player said that they don’t like fans to play it because it could influence the soccer players. And my mother also asked the customer how much the Vuvuzela is. It cost 200NT dollars!!! That too expensive! The Vuvuzela was made by plastic; I guessed the prime cost only 50NT dollars or low. Don’t mind, it just is the trend!

Hot, Hot, and Hot...

2010-07-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

It’s damn hot! I didn’t go out to help my parents’ business but stay home today. I woke up because of the hot weather. Clean clothes, put some cool water for my pet birds to play, and study. It’s seems to be a common day. However, I answered a phone, which was called by my mother, and she blamed me that I didn’t answer her phone. She said she had called me for a half hour but I still didn’t the phone, and she has asked my brother to go home at once. I told my mother why I didn’t hear the phone call. I thought that I turn on the air condition and the voice of machine was too loud so that I didn’t hear phone call, and I also didn’t turn on my cell phone. I think my mother was worried about me, but it seems too over. My mother even doubted that I went out when she called me, but it’s impossible! The sun seems to roast me; I would like to stay in the room with air condition rather than go out to be sunned dried. I hope I could not to get sunstroke tomorrow. :(

A Terrible Fish bone

2010-07-01T23:39:00.000-07:00

I went out to help my parents’ business, which is a food stand. It was really busy all day along. Even though, I still took a nap in the afternoon. Everything was fine until I had the dinner… One of my relatives gave my parents a fish soup. My mother let mw eat that fish soup, which come from a famous food stand in Wanhwa. My tribulation began. The fish soup was delicious, but the eel had too many fish bone. I had to pick the bones from the meats. However, there was a 2cm fish bone swallowed accidentally by me. Oh my goodness! I felt the fish bone stabbed my throat. I had tried to swallow the fish bone, but it jammed in my throat. I felt not right, so I rushed to see the otolaryngologist. The doctor painstaking picked out the fish bone from my throat. The doctor said that if the fish bone still couldn’t pick out, I could have to the emergency room. Thanks God. The fish bone scared the hell out of me. :(

Summer Vacation Is Beginning!!!

2010-06-26T02:29:00.000-07:00

Today is June 26; it means the beginning of summer vacation because this semester is finished. After I done the presentation in writing class, my professor T.J. told everyone should keep on writing in the future. I remember that last summer vacation; I also did the journal, but…only two articles. That’s a little bit disgrace. However, this time I’ll try my best to keep on writing because write something in English not only can practice English but also can record of my daily life. I’ll start the diary in July 1.

Stage Fright

2010-06-22T02:18:00.000-07:00

I know that the issue, stage fright, has been discussed several times. However, if the speaker or the writer is a serious stage fright person like me, I think it would be more persuasive because most of the symptom about stage fright I have ever experienced. Such as when I was doing the presentation on the stage, my voice would be tremble, my hands might shake, or I couldn’t do anything instead of keep silence and read the copy. After three years learning English in the college and has done many kinds of presentation, I finally found the reason why I can’t overcome stage fright.

That was a horrible period of my colorful college life. When I was a freshman, I met a severe professor. I got the extremely high pressure in her class. Before I tell you what the professor had done, I have to proclaim that she is undoubtedly a good and diligent teacher. Now, I’m going to talk about how I lose my bravery and couldn’t conquer the stage fright. I remember when I finished the first time to do the presentation, professor said directly, “Does anyone know what she talking about?” Of course, no one answer the question. Then, the professor shake her head and make the note, maybe it was my poor grades.

During the semester, the professor gave us many works to do such as cat walk, cooing, make TV commercial, and so on. Singing English songs is the mid-term exam. All of them are funny and let me learn many things. However, the finally exam is not interesting at all. Professor made the exam to be an interview and students have to dress the formal dressing. Three students are in a group. Professor would ask some questions and student have try to answer questions as soon as possible. The first one would get the higher grades. If you couldn’t answer the question, professor would ignore you at once. When I couldn’t answer the question, I'm depressed, and the attitude of teacher is the second injury to me.

After that, I usually very worried about the attitude of teacher when I speak English. If the teacher is severe, I would be more nervous when I do my presentation so that the more chance that I would make wrong because I would afraid that whether teacher would blame me or not. Even though I didn't have the professor's class after that year, the impression of high pressure still in my mind, and it let me can not overcome the stage fright until now.

A Good Learning Place in School

2010-06-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

Our school's self-access classroom is an excellent language learning place. They provide novels, magazines, and movies in many kinds of languages. Learning language is nothing more than read and listen more, thus I often use free time to see a movie or listen music there. Self-access classroom also have English online mock test, so I can practice and prepare many times before taking the exam. Our school provides such a wonderful place for us to build up language abilities; I should use this valuable resource well during the last year in school.

English in My Part-time Job

2010-05-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

I have a part time job at school’s Computer Center. Sometimes, I can encounter foreigners there. They usually come to ask me that the teacher’s schedule or which classroom is vacant. It is a good chance to practice English conversation. Even though I can’t response fluently, I still try my best to help them. When I was on duty but not very busy, my partner who is my senior would invite me to chat in English. It just like recording tape, we talk school’s life, hobbies, and so on. If I didn’t get this part time job, I think I would study English limited in a small section and lose many chances to attach people outside of my department.

My Internet Live

2010-05-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

I don’t know whether you have deeply memories or closed friends on the Internet or not. Many people would say that it is dangerous to make friends on the Internet. There are lots of news shows us that many bad guys would use the Internet to cheat those people who are deeply believe they find their soul mate. Worst of all, the people who are cheated by those bad guys could cause physical and mental damages. It sounds horrible to make friends on the Internet, but why there still have so many people willing to take this risk? I know because I’m one of the adventures surfing and making friends on the Internet.

Actually, I have played an online game two years ago. At first, I played the online game just want to release my pressure. However, play the game by only me is too lonely. So, I became to play with other players. Playing with the game, I can meet people around Taiwan and even the whole world. Sometimes, I would share my troubles, my feelings, and my secrets about the real life with those online friends who I never see. Occasionally, my online friends would discuss some gossips in the entertainment circle or ask me to give them some advices about their confusions. It seems to get along with real life friends. Having been together for a long time, I have accustomed to live with those online friends.

There are numerous dangers on the Internet; we cannot avoid them. Through the Internet, we usually consider everything we see is true. Perhaps something is real, but we have to understand how to protect ourselves is the most important thing when we are surfing the Internet. Sometimes, it is really embarrassing for us to share the feelings or problems with real life friends. At this moment, the Internet must be a good choice to release pressures and solve troubles. Making friends on the Internet, we can treat it by true heart, but not to indulge in the virtual world. Now, I have a best best friend on the Internet, and we still enjoy chatting with each other. In real life, there are many good classmates and friends around me. I enjoy these two lives.

English Songs Everyday

2010-05-02T23:30:00.000-07:00

Listen English songs is a common way to advance listening ability. Recently, I become to listen English songs every day, and found that it really can strength my listening ability. I am weak in listening test, but after listening English songs, I almost can understand some of the lyric now!

Listening English songs not only build up my capability of listening, but also oral expression and writing. The lyrics are elegant and practical so that I can memorize some sentences and use them in the life.

Happy Birthday to Me!

2010-04-18T23:05:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday! I was quite happy but a little bit sad. I got many whishes and gifts from my friends, families, and so on. They are so sweet and touched my mind. And now, I’m 21 years old. 21!!! It seems that I’m old. Ha ha. I’m not the teenager anymore, so I have to be more steady and resolute. I need to be responsible to myself because I am grown. Oops! I must to make wishes. First, I hope all the people who I met could be healthy. Second, it might be a very old wish. I hope my English could be better and better. And the final one is the secret. :) Happy birthday to myself and thanks all of everybody’s wishes. I’m really happy.

TOEIC Test

2010-04-07T09:57:00.000-07:00

After graduating from senior high school, I still decided to go to cram school to advance my English ability. For reaching the standard of graduation and the insurance of finding a job, I make my mind to take the new TOEIC test. This kind of test has 200 questions, unexpectedly; the part of listening test has 100 questions! I only have two hours to finish all of them. The most important thing is one part of reading comprehension have lots of long long articles! As a result, I have to distribute the time effective. If there are three questions included in an article, I should answer them in three minutes or less than three minutes is much better. It seems to race against time. What’s more, for taking this test, my listening ability and patience are better than before. Now, I sign up to attend the TOEIC test on May 23, 2010. I hope I can get good grades.

Introduce Myself Briefly

2010-03-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

My name is Sally Liou, and I‘m major in English. Owing to my parents always reminds me the importance of English, I cultivate my English ability by reading novels, magazines, news, or listening music in English. The dream I have that from past to now be to live in America and Europe, experience their cultures and native lives. To reach this dream, I usually urge myself to study English hard. Since I entered the college, I found that English oral ability is the most principle. However, it also is my biggest problem in studying English. As a result, I try my best to practice English dialogue with my classmate and make a tape which always talk about our school lives or homework. To tell the truth, taping is a good way to practice speaking because we usually don’t dare to speak in English. Now, I still spend some time to chat with my friend in English, and I hope it can make me speak English more fluently.

Shilin Tempura

2009-12-15T23:10:00.000-08:00

Now, I want to recommend you are a delicious food that is tempura. I believe that all of you have eaten many kinds of tempura in several places. I know that tempura tasted good. However, if you miss this one I recommend you today, I certainly believe that you will be regretful all your lives. And, the tempura is come from a small store where is placed near the Shilin night market. This store’s shop sign seems a little antique because this store has served here for more than 20 years. Rome was not built in a day. Similarly, good reputation was not built in a day, too. During this period, this store’s tempura has attracted numerous people to be their loyal customers. Some customers would come back from other countries just because they want to taste this unforgettable flavor. This store’s tempura is too delicious for customers to accept another store’s. The weather is freezing now. Don’t you want to have a chewy tempura and have a steamed hot soup? Don’t you want to know why Shilin people’s stomachs are captured by this common-looked tempura? Just come here, and you will find that this store’s tempura is not simple as you image.

Bad Cooperative Experience

2009-12-05T21:34:00.000-08:00

I have a course in Research in Education. I have many works to do such as annotated bibliography, literature review report, research proposal and presentation. This class is extremely difficult for us. Actually, when our group did this homework, there is something making us feel unfavorable. One of our groups is senior. At first, she showed us that she was really wanted to join us. However, she usually skipped this class so that she didn’t now how to do the homework. The other member had taught her again and again, but she never did the homework her part correctly.
One time, she not only delayed her work, but also handed me the paper in Chinese!

That’ amazing! I called her and she responded me that no one told her she should do this work in English. That's wildly exaggerated.

Even though it’s a little bit unreasonable, I didn’t cooperate with her anymore. This let me feel more relax now.

Sweet Little Words For My Mood

2009-11-14T23:22:00.000-08:00

Someone who is important to me stood me up last night. I ireful, I sorrowful, I surrender… Why our relationships turned into such unfavorable situation? Ok, this ending is what you choose. That’s all right. I’ll help you accomplish it if you want. Now, let me whisper something in your ears and says, “I wish I knew how to quit you.”

Erin Brockovich

2009-10-28T23:43:00.000-07:00

This movie was based on the true event in 1993. The story started when the leader role Erin finds a job. She told the interviewer that she had no experience and no high education, and she said that she was twice-divorced, a single mother of three children so that she really wanted a job. However, the interviewer rejected her. On her way home, she got into a car accident and sprained her neck. Erin requested the lawyer, Ed Masry, to litigate, but they failed in the end. Erin lost the chance to work; her neighbor would move away so no one could take care of her children. As a result, Erin sunk into difficult position. Then, Erin asked Ed Masry to hire her to work in the legal firm. When Erin found that the local electrical company PG&E caused water pollution, she decided to help the resident and interview them door by door. In the end, her efforts bore fruit and she gained other people’s respect.

After I watched this movie, I really admired what Erin did. She could sacrifice her private time to help other people she didn’t know. What’s more, Erin conscientiously learned what happened in the polluted place, investigated the residents in person and memorized all the details about them. How hard she worked at this task! If I have the same situation as Erin, I’m not sure that I can put in so much time and effort as Erin. From this movie, I learned from Erin; persistence and perseverance. I can’t yield if the matter at stake is wrong and I have to fight for the rights of other people and myself.

The Advices to Freshman - presentation draft

2009-10-13T08:09:00.000-07:00

Good morning every one. It is nice to see you here today. I believe that some of you now are very exciting. I have the same feeling as you when I was a freshman. I remembered my senior high school’s teacher always told me that how colorful the college life he has. Skipping classes to see a movie, eating lunch with classmate on the sword and takes a sun bath, night ride is indispensable, and so forth. I really convinced the dream my teacher described are true. After the nightmarish in the third year of senior high school, I thought my dream will come true. However, all things that my teacher said mostly were fault. I have many classes and reports every day, how do I go night riding with my friends? Skip classes? Don’t be silly. Almost every teacher would call the roll. What’s more, the courses are difficult to understand, I have to concentrate on them more and more. Every one usually thinks they can play four years in college. If you really do it, I have to tell you that you will drop out and say goodbye to your classmate. So, study hard and use your time well is my advice to give you. I’m sorry that I put the cold water on you, but it is the fact. Thank you for your attention and good luck.

A Special Experience

2009-10-11T06:46:00.000-07:00

Last friday, I chatted with the Japanese whose name is Yuki in ClassB. It is a impressed experience for me, even though we talked in Chinese. Yuki said that she was helping Dr. 黃美金 doing the research about aborigine in Taiwan. I looked the screen which was in front of Yuki, oh my dodness! The words were spread all over the screen as ants! Yuki said she exhausted all her power to do this work and that was really killed her.

Later, we did each other's homework. Sometimes, Yuki would ask me how to pronounce the Chinese words. Beyond my expectations, Yuki can read ㄅㄆㄇ! She said she can read ㄅㄆㄇ, but sometimes she still use Roman spelling to memorize Chinese words. I'm quite admire Yuki for her learning ability. She came to Taiwan about only two years, and can speak such fluently Chinese! I study English so many years; however, I still can't speak English very well. Oh...that's a little bit shame....

A Surprised Discovery

2009-09-29T09:50:00.000-07:00

I had a suprised discovery on Monday afternoon. When I listen the class named Research Methodology, I paid much attention on what Dr. Li-Te was talking about. Nevertheless, the content about Research Methodology was too difficult for me to understand very well so that I mind became to go to space for a while. When my mind came back and started to focus on class. Dr. Li-Te stood on the stage and wrote something on the black board, then she turned to face us.

Wow! Dr. Li-Te's pupil is blue!

At first, I thought that she might wore the contact lenses, but Dr. Li-Te has worn the eyeglasses. In that case, Dr. Li-Te might have the gene from foreign family so that her pupil is the same as ours. Above-mentioned just is my supposition. Perhaps, everyone could observe Dr. Li-Te's eyes carefully so that can realize what I said. When you strive to observe Dr. Li-Te's eyes, by the way, don't forget to listen the class concentrated!

My University Life

2009-09-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

Compare university with high school, I prefer the former. In high school, I have to reach school before 7:30 a.m. and listen classes from 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. even to 9:00 p.m. However, I can decide my schedule by myself. Sometimes, I only have one class or no class whole day!

Second, I like university is that all activities should be held by students. It is very different than high school which all work would be held by school and students just have to follow the rules and attend them. In college, all rules and projects are devised by us.

Last but not least, English includes so many kinds. Contrast high school and college, high school only focuses on memorizing vocabularies and grammar, but is the basic skills in college. English is separated into several subjects such as literature, linguistic, and so on. This is the new thing for me.

First time!!!

2009-09-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

This blog is the first time I use in English! I hope that I can write something in English continually in the future. At the end of last semester, one of my teacher expected us to write a summer vacation's diary. I did it, but only one day... As a result, I must to ask myself to do this job by this chance! Trust me. I will try my best to manage this blog and make it be colorful!