The End of Taiwan?

Background

Do people really care about global warming? Do people really care about the environment? Do people really care about the future of the Earth?

According to reports, if humans do not make dramatic changes to the ways we live, to the ways that we consume and use resources, then the Earth is basically doomed.

I'm sure that most of us think that we care. The problem is, what do we do to show that we care? What changes are we prepared to make in our daily lives to help our planet?

In reality, probably not a lot.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, humans are selfish creatures. All we do is take, take, take, and we won't stop taking until there is nothing left.

doomed = heading for a situation that is very, very, very bad; hopeless

Discuss

1. Do you worry about global warming? If no, why not? If yes, what kinds of things do you worry about?
2. Would you agree with the statement, "most people... are not interested in thinking about the future impact of climate change on their country"? Give reasons for your answer.
3. What do you think your country will be like 500 years from now?

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GREEN LIGHT FOR RED LIGHTS

BACKGROUND

A few years ago (if I remember correctly), Chen Shui Bian, Mayor of Taipei at the time, closed down the red light district in Taipei. I can't remember which area it was in. (Wanhua?)

However, this didn't actually put an end to prostitution.

In fact, I don't think it made any noticeable difference at all.

There are still endless "barber shops", "mens clubs" and "massage parlors" all around Taipei, Taipei County and, indeed, around all the major towns and cities in Taiwan (anyone here from Taichung?)

Basically, you really want it, paying for sex is no problem in Taiwan. Indeed, it seems to be a pretty much accepted fact.

Of course, it is nothing like Thailand. Thankfully.

Prostitution is still very much "behind closed doors" in Taiwan and seems to maintain a certain level of "respect", which, in my opinion, is a good thing.

However, prostitution is still illegal. For now, that is.

It seems that some people in the government want to make prostitution legal. Of course, many people are opposed to this. Read the article to find out why...

endless = a lot of; many many

DISCUSS

1. Do you think prostitution should be legal? Why?
2. How would you feel if the government wanted to establish a "red light district" in your area?

READING COMPREHENSION

1. What does the title of this article mean?
2. What is the proposal talked about in the article?
3. When is a decision about the proposal going to be made?
4. Find four arguments in the article that are against the proposal.
5. What do supporters of the proposal say?

READ THE ARTICLE

LANGUAGE

green light = permission (give sb the green light)
red light district = an area where you can pay for sex
proposal = suggestion
vigorously = with a lot of energy and feeling
sex trade = sex industry
sparked = caused
debate = discussion of different points of view
civic groups = groups of people who live in a town or city
preparatory meeting = a meeting to prepare for a meeting
ahead of = before; prior to
committee = a small group of people chosen to make decisions
endorsed = supported
convenes = meets
decriminalization/decriminalize = make something not illegal
a done deal = an agreement
legislative approval = government support
slammed = criticized
joint press conference = a meeting with news reporters
exploiting / exploitation = taking advantage of sb in a bad
prostitutes = women who are paid for sex
numerous = various; many
citing = quoting; refering to
human traffickers = evil people who buy and sell other people
pimp = a prostitutes boss
come up with = think of (for example, an idea)
policies = official ways of doing things
welfare = help for people with problems
the Netherlands = Holland (country in northwest Europe)
shrinking = making smaller
money laundering = illegal money put into legal businesses or banks
regulate = control
outlaw = ban; prohibit; make sth illegal
briefed = gave information (to sb)
attendees = people who join a meeting
assessment report = written judgement about some issue
consensual sex = sex that both people agree to; not forced
at odds on/with = having disagreements
sexual transactions = paying money for sex
detained = kept or stopped from leaving a place
law enforcement authorities = police, judges, etc
correctional institutions = prisons, jails, etc
subject to = forced to do or have sth

Executive Yuan = a branch of Taiwan's government
Ministry of the Interior = a government department

"The Garden of Hope", "Taiwan Women's Link" and "Sex Workers and Supporters Collective" = women's support groups

NEVER TOO OLD TO LEARN

BACKGROUND
When some people get old and retired, they start to wonder about the meaning of their life. In fact, many older people may start to feel depressed; that their lives are no longer useful, which is very sad.

The most important thing, in my opinion, is to find and maintain an interest in something. In other words, find something that you enjoy doing and that gives some continued meaning to your life. I think a good example of this is doing charity work - helping other people who are less fortunate than you.

But your interest could also be golf, learning a language, writing a blog, etc. It doesn't matter what it is. The most important thing is that you are interested in it and it gives your life a sense of meaning.

I have often noticed how politicians often seem to live very long, healthy and active lives. I'm sure the reason for this is that they never lose their passion for politics.

I think that is the key: having a passion in life.

retired = not working any longer, usually because of age
depressed = deeply unhappy
passion = a very strong love for sth

DISCUSS
1. How do you think you will spend your time when you are old and retired?

READING COMPREHENSION
1. Why did the man choose to study calligraphy?
2. Why did the man want to do an MA?
3. What is the man especially proud of?
4. What is the man's secret to long life and good health?

READ THE ARTICLE

LANGUAGE
retire/retirement = stop working, usually because of age
pursue = follow; do
philosophy = study of nature, meaning, truth, good, evil, etc
thirst for knowledge = strong desire to learn
nation = country
awarded = given (sth because of a special achievement)
graduation ceremony = special event when you finish school or university
in recognition of = showing that you appreciate sbs achievements
diligence/diligent = studying or working hard and carefully
calligraphy = the art of beautiful writing with special pens or brushes
the basis for/of = subject; main reason; main idea
script = style of writing
stroke = line (in writing a letter or Chinese character)
decades = tens of years
obsolete = no longer used
thesis = a long piece of writing you do for an MA or Phd
reluctant = not wanting to do sth
commute = travel to work or school (often a long distance)
unassisted = without help
quarrels = arguments
sense of humor = liking to laugh and share jokes
acquire = get or obtain (sth by buying or being given it)

FIGHTING THE FLAB

BACKGROUND
Many people want to lose weight. Perhaps it is for health reasons, or just to look better and feel better.

But how about losing weight to save your mother's or father's life?

This is exactly what a college student is doing. Read the article to find out why.

DISCUSS
1. How much do you weigh?
2. Do you feel you need to lose weight?
3. Think of some effective ways to lose weight.

READING COMPREHENSION
1. Why does the father need a new liver?
2. Why was the son unable to donate his liver?
3. What have doctors done to help the son lose weight?

READ THE ARTICLE

LANGUAGE
flab = fat
fight the flab = try to lose weight
bid = attempt
race against time = do something quickly
donate = give sth for a good reason
transplant = move (a body part from one person to another)
undergo = do; have
diagnosed = find out about an illness
fatty liver = too much fat around your liver
moved = touched (emotionally)
inserted = put into sth
abdomen = the area of the body around our stomach
monitoring = watching; observing
brilliant = excellent, wonderful, really great
indebtedness = debt (owing sth to sb)

POOR KITTEN - EVIL TEACHER!

BACKGROUND
There are "cat people"- people who like cats - and "dog people" people who like dogs.

Most people in Taiwan seem to prefer dogs, especially small "cute" ones. Personally, though, I'm more of a cat person.

However, whether you're a cat person or a dog person, it is never good to be cruel to animals.

So, it wasn't very nice to read in the paper the other day about a teacher who told his students to throw a poor little kitten "into the trash".

I thought teachers were supposed to be role models?

The teacher, of course, denies that he said this. He claims that he was "misinterpreted".

But we all know he is lying!

cruel = mean, nasty
role model = a kind of leader
claims = says
misinterpreted = misunderstood

QUESTIONS
1. Are you a dog person or a cat person? Explain why.
2. Have you ever been cruel to an animal?
3. Do you think the teacher in the story should be punished? If yes, how should he be punished?

READ THE ARTICLE

LANGUAGE
stirs = causes
criticized = shown disapproval
posted = added, created, wrote
instructed = told, ordered
bury = put under the ground
incident = event, situation
adopted = made part of your family
hygiene = cleanliness (clean)
section = part of a department
separate = different
toss = throw
exchange = conversation, discussion
logged onto = signed into

WHY IS READING SO IMPORTANT?

“The best way to improve your knowledge of a foreign language is to go and live among its speakers. The next best way [to learn a foreign language] is to read extensively in it”

(Nuttall, 1996)

extensively = very much

The Best Way to Improve Foreign Language Ability

Most foreign language learners don’t read enough. They often think that the best way to improve their foreign language ability is by either:

(a) spending hours trying to memorize new words, or

(b) attempting to learn increasingly difficult grammar rules

Both of these approaches are wrong.

One of the best ways to improve your language skills - and far, far more interesting - is to simply read a lot in the foreign language.

Studies have shown that students who read a lot improve their foreign language ability significantly more than students who don’t read very much.

“I Don’t Like Reading”

Many language learners have been put-off reading in a foreign language because of painful early experiences, for example, at school. Their earliest experiences of reading texts in a foreign language were often like this:

• the teacher gives the students texts to read that are difficult and uninteresting
• the students spend a long time trying to read and understand the text, stopping every few seconds to check new words in a dictionary
• the students get absolutely no pleasure from the activity and, indeed, often develop a deep suspicion and dislike of reading in a foreign language

Make It Easy!

A common misconception [= wrong idea] among many language learners – and, unfortunately, many language teachers – is this:

“If a text is too easy and doesn’t contain any new words, then you are not really learning anything”

The idea is absolutely not true.

In fact, the very first step to enjoying reading in a foreign language is to read texts that are not too difficult. If you read things that have too much language that you don’t understand, you will very quickly get tired of reading them. This problem has been called "the vicious circle of the weak reader". (Click on the link to see a diagram of this problem).

Make it Interesting!

The second step to enjoying reading in a foreign language is to choose things to read that you are interested in.

If you are interested in business, then you should read articles in the business section of newspapers such as The Taipei Times. If you are interested in “celebrity gossip” (news about the lives of famous people) then you should read articles in magazines like People Magazine.

The key point is this: read things that you are interested in. Don’t choose to read things that you are not interested in.

Unless, of course, you enjoy the challenge of reading difficult texts and are motivated enough to do it every day.

Make the Time!

The third step to reading more in a foreign language is to make time for reading.

This is probably the hardest part for most people – especially if reading feels like “studying” (i.e. reading things that are too difficult and uninteresting).

Making time for reading can require some self-discipline. You may have to “force” yourself to read a little every day, even if you don’t really feel like reading.

However, if you choose to read things that (a) you are interested in, and (b) aren’t too difficult, then making the time to read shouldn’t be too “painful”.

Indeed, once you develop a “reading habit”, you may find that you actually enjoy your reading time, and miss it when you are unable to do it for some reason.

How Much Time?

You should be aiming to read for 20 to 30 minutes per day – more if you enjoy it.

However, in my opinion, even if you spend just 10 or 15 minutes per day, briefly reading two or three short newspaper or magazine articles, this can still be a significant benefit to your foreign language ability.

In the beginning, it might even be better to set yourself a target of 10 to 15 minutes reading a day. That way you are less likely to feel discouraged if you don’t meet your targets.

The most important thing is to be realistic about how much time you can and want to spend reading a day. Don’t set your targets too high.

But of course – the more you read, the more your language ability will improve!

When to Read?

You should choose a time of day to read when you know you are probably less likely to be disturbed. For example, during your lunch break, on the bus to school or work, in the evening before you go to bed, etc. Choose a time that is good for you.

Even reading for 5 or 10 minutes here and there, at different times during the day, is fine, as long as you try to aim for a total of 20 to 30 minutes.

Just remember: the easier and more convenient you make it for yourself to read, the more likely it is that you will want to read.

When Can I Stop Reading?

The simple answer to this is... never.

Unless, of course, you are no longer interested in the language or don’t want to continue improving your knowledge of the language.

It is important not to think of reading and language learning as having some final point. There isn’t really a final point.

Indeed, even if you become advanced and fluent in a language, continuing to read a little every day is the very best way to maintain or keep adding new vocabulary, phrases, expressions, idioms, etc, that you are very likely to start forgetting if you stop reading.

So, in a nutshell, continuing to read a little every day in any of the languages you have learnt or are learning is something that you should try to make a habit for life.

Besides, if you follow the advice I have given above, then hopefully you will actually start to enjoy reading in a foreign language and won’t want to stop doing it.

Good for the Brain

Think about this, too. Studies have shown that reading is good for your brain.

If you keep reading throughout your life, you are more likely to have a healthier brain than people who don’t like to read.

Also, learning a language is good for your brain, too. See here and here.

Learning a language exercises the brain, keeping it strong and healthy in the same way that jogging or doing weights exercises your body, keeping it strong and healthy.

In my opinion, these are two more excellent reasons to maintain a reading habit in a foreign language for life.

"Reading is to the mind what exercising is to the body"

Sir Richard Steele

Make it Easy, Make it Interesting, Make the Time

So, in summary, if you want to start to enjoy reading and significantly improving your ability in a foreign language, remember these three things:

• Make it Easy – don’t read texts that are too difficult
• Make it Interesting – choose things to read that you really are interested in
• Make the Time – keep a convenient time in the day as your daily “reading time”

Follow these three simple steps and I’m sure you will start to enjoy reading in a foreign language in a way that you may not have done before.

Enjoy!

Simon

PS

If you are interested in knowing more about reading theory, take a look at the links in the sidebar about extensive reading and intensive reading.

PPS

Imagine that you are really, really interested in reading, but you don’t have the money to buy a book...

Take a look at this inspirational article, “It Began with Books”.

(Thanks to Greg for providing this link)

SMOKING BAN VIOLATIONS

BACKGROUND

On January 11, a new law was introduced that banned smoking in most “public indoor spaces,” such as offices, restaurants, train stations, etc.

Predictably, some smokers continue to smoke in prohibited areas.

Personally, I agree with the law. Why? Well, for two main reasons:

Firstly, it is not only unhealthy, but also extremely unpleasant for non-smokers to be in an environment where other people are smoking.

Secondly, speaking as an ex-smoker myself, I firmly believe that the more difficult and troublesome it is for a smoker to smoke, the more likely it is that he or she will be motivated to quit smoking.

Predictably - expected to happen [=inevitably]

Prohibited - not allowed [=banned]

Quit - stop

QUESTIONS

1. What is your opinion of the smoking ban? Do you agree with it? Why or why not?

2. Would you report somebody or even take their photo if you saw them breaking the smoking law?

READ THE ARTICLE

“…in the one month since the tobacco ban went into effect, it (the anti-smoking group) had received 142 reports of violations…”

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