Vacation

Dear students,

I'm going on my trip to Europe today and the daily update for this blog will be suspended. During my leave, if I can have access to Internet, I'll update this blog to tell you things of interest.

Anyway, enjoy your summer vacation.

Regards,

Mr. Fu

A letter to the coming 7AB1 students

Dear students,

You've just received your final academic results. Not many of you actually care too much. You've accepted the fact that it is quite impossible for you to pass your AL subjects. Think about it. What can you do if you get 2 passes in the two languages and nothing else. What can you do? What will happen if you can only get one pass? In an even worse scenario, you'll just get "F" and "U" only. Don't forget why you are at NMC. You told yourself that you were a bit lazy and you will not be the same in AL. Well, after one year, things haven't changed much. You still get the same bad results. Can you give yourself a better explanation?

Maybe I was naive. I thought that I could change you and made you better "NMC" students. But I think I have failed, at least for now. If you want to escape the fate of becoming another "NMC" student, please, please don't waste this summer. DO SOMETHING NOW! I hope I can see a better AB1 after the summer vacation.

Make better use of your vacation.

Mr. Fu

[A+] Legco passes race discrimination bill

The Legislative Council on Thursday passed the Race Discrimination Bill after lawmakers succeeded in striking out a controversial clause exempting language discrimination.

The bill had been controversial -€“ with conservative critics arguing it was unnecessary -€“ but with supporters saying such a law was long overdue to protect minority groups and bring Hong Kong's anti-discrimination laws into line with other countries and United Nations requirements.

A number of minority groups -€“ including Indians, Pakistanis and Filipinos in the past have complained about unfair treatment at work or from government departments. Some mainland Chinese have also claimed to be victims of discrimination.

But Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Stephen Lam Sui-lung stressed on Thursday that different ethnic groups would benefit from the bill.

“We will have a new situation in Hong Kong whereby different ethnic groups will feel that they are being better served,” he said.

He said the new law was needed to make Hong Kong a modern, international city.

“The government has every intention of creating an environment in which both Chinese and other ethnic groups will feel very much that they are part of the international community of Hong Kong -€“ Asia's world city,” he said.

Asked if the outcome was a surprise for the government, Mr Lam said: “The passage marks a major milestone in the provision of services and statutory provisions regarding anti-discrimination protection for ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.”

However, Mr Lam, did not elaborate when asked whether the bill would be passed into law in its current form, local radio reported.

Recent debates on the bill in the Legislative Council have focused on language discrimination. Amendments raised by the Bills Committee chairwoman Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee addressed these concerns — but this week, Ms Ng's amendments were voted down, amid impassioned debate.

But Ms Ng's amendment on language did garnet the support of the unionists. During a debate over an amendment which had aimed to remove an exemption on language discrimination, lawmaker Wong Kwok-hing, of the Federation of Trade Unions, said: “Ensuring ethnic minorities are given fair treatment with regards to their language is a fundamental requirement of a racial discrimination law. I support Ms Ng's amendment.”

While the amendments were rejected, enough legislators voted for the bill without the controversial exemptions allowing the bill to be passed. But Ms Ng was still unhappy that other clauses that allow the government in certain situations not to be sued for discriminatory behaviour, were still going through in the passed bill.

She said it was still an inadequate bill and the government would need to do more to help provide services for people in ethnic minorities. Census figures shows that about 95 per cent of Hong Kong's population is of Chinese descent — the majority of which are Cantonese.

The remaining five per cent is made up of South Asians. This includes Sindhis, Indians, Pakistanis and Nepalese. Some Vietnamese refugees have also become permanent residents.

There are also approximately 140,000 Filipinos working in the territory, mainly as domestic helpers. Some domestic helpers are also from Indonesia.

There are also Europeans, Americans, Australians, Canadians, Japanese, and Koreans working in various sectors, mainly in commerce, finance and education.

SCMP. Jul. 10, 2008.

10 Steps to Becoming Fluent in a Language in 6 months or Less

1. Immerse yourself

It’s almost impossible to learn a new language, or at least to learn it rapidly, unless you begin thinking in that language. But how do you think in a new language you can’t yet speak?

Ingratiate yourself with the community and you’re halfway there!

The answer is to simply immerse yourself in it. Traveling in a foreign country allows you to continuously hear the sounds, rhythms, and inflections of a new language–spoken on the streets, in buses, on television, etc. Your brain will already start to process and interpret a new language.

Even better than simply traveling is being forced to “operate” in a new language by participating in a [2] volunteer program, or working abroad. Best of all is being completely immersed with locals (such as living with a host family) and completely isolated from other native speakers of your language.

Immerse yourself with the locals, their music, culture, media, politics, sports, family, etc. Ingratiate yourself with the community and you’re halfway there!

2. Forget translating: think like a baby!

How do babies learn language? Through imitation, repetition of sounds, and above all, by not being shy or self-conscious.

So what if your pronunciation is a little off, or you can’t remember the proper conjugation? Just start talking, even if it seems like babbling. Resisting the urge to translate everything into your native language can be the single fastest shortcut to fluency.

Rather than walking up to the restaurant or giving your host family a pre-memorized phrase for what you’re going to order, simply listen to how the locals order their food, and then imitate them as best you can. The same goes for greetings, small talk, etc. Watch their facial expressions as they say the words; study how they move their mouths.

Copy these expressions and sounds just like a baby would. Whether you understand what they mean exactly or not, eventually you will begin simply calling upon these sounds / phrases / words in appropriate situations. They’ll appear, as if by magic. This is the gateway to thinking in a new language.

3. How do you say?

Besides common greetings, the one phrase you should memorize and always have at the ready is the phrase is “How do you say that / what is that called?”

By being an inquisitive traveler, one who is always asking questions, you befriend the local people. You’ll find that over time they’ll open up to you, making it easier to initiate conversations. These daily interactions with the locals are your best teachers: set a daily goal for yourself of having X number of conversations each day–asking people about things you’re interested in, but don’t know the words for. Even if you can’t finish the conversation, you’re on the way.

4. Write it

After having conversations, jot down the things you remembered hearing but didn’t quite understand.

After having conversations, jot down the things you remembered hearing but didn’t quite understand. (This can serve double duty if you’re also [4] taking notes for your travel blog).

Then go back and use your dictionary. Look up the words, piece the conversation back together in your mind. Then, next time you have a conversation, use what you learned.

When studying French and Spanish, I also used “grammar sheets” where I wrote down the various verbs to learn their conjugations. Besides helping me focus, they also became handy reference guides.

5. Use cognates and draw links

Ever noticed how some words appear exactly the same across various languages? These are called “cognates.” Unlocking the usage of cognates instantly gives you several hundred more words to your vocabulary. For example, most words ending in “ion” in the Latin languages are the same in English.

For example: information / información, donation / donación

Similarly, words across different languages often share the same root word, so drawing on what you already know will make it easier (e.g.: cheese is fromage in French and fromaggio in Italian). Studies have also shown that when you have mastered a second language, your brain becomes becomes better wired to learn subsequent new languages. Fret not, it gets better!

6. Local TV, movies, musicWatch movies, listen to music, sing songs, and browse newspapers and magazines. It’s fun and helps improve your pronunciation and comprehension.

I often stumble when trying to read Chinese script because I don’t use it enough and there are no phonetic cues in Chinese characters. But by watching Chinese music videos and following the lyrics, I learned many new characters and also began pronouncing words more accurately.

In the same way, I attuned myself to rapid French prattling by watching French movies on DVD without subtitles and improved my Spanish by paying attention during the dubbed action movies on long bus rides in South America.

Salsa classes have also ensured I know my izquierda (left) from my derecha (right)!

7. Non-verbal cues

Beyond words, observe locals when they talk. Be it the Gaelic shrug or a slight tilt of the head, combining body language with a new tongue helps you communicate better.

This is especially important in cultures where language is closely linked to gestures. For instance, appropriate bowing and greeting in Japanese are inseparable, as with the hand gestures and intonation in Thailand. Picking up on non-verbal cues added a new dimension to my interactions with Thais, as I learned the appropriate bowing of the head and a deep enough wai (palms together) to accompany my greetings.

8. Get emotional!Emotive experiences often etch impressions onto our memory. Make full use of embarrassing / funny / angry experiences by linking them to the new language.

I learned, quite unfortunately, the importance of the special “ñ” character in Spanish because saying “Tengo 24 anos” instead of “años” meant I told everyone I had 24 anuses rather than being 24 years old.

Needless to say, the embarrassment helped correct my pronunciation for good! Similarly, negotiating with shady cab drivers or nasty vendors also helps you learn numbers rather quickly so you don’t get ripped off.

9. A world of friends / then going solo.

While individual classes can be highly beneficial for unsurpassed attention, group classes with friends can greatly aid learning. Having a friend to practice with helps you get better, and you can also learn from the different mistakes different people make.

On the other hand, venturing out solo in a foreign country forces you to speak with local people–say the person riding next to you on the bus, or standing in line at the market. It also prevents you relying on a friend with stronger language skills to do the talking for you in key exchanges such as asking for directions or buying food.

10. Practice at every opportunity before and after you travel.

Ever felt really “rusty” and lacking confidence in a language despite having taken classes or used it (or even mastered it) at some other time in your life? Languages are alive and require exercise. Find avenues to practice wherever and whenever you can.

For instance, I don’t get to use French very often in my daily life, so I found a French penpal to exchange emails. I also keep in touch with people I met in France and French travelers I met in the course of my travels. Writing in French on FaceBook ([6] www.facebook.com) walls does wonders and even helps you learn some local slang!

Source: http://matadorstudy.com/10-steps-to-becoming-fluent-in-a-language-in-6-months/

Agree

I am agree, are you agree? (Incorrect)

I agree; do you agree? (Correct)

"Agree" is a verb, not an adjective.

I agree Mr Chan; do you agree what he said? (Incorrect)

I agree with Mr Chan; do you agree with what he said?

You agree with a person or idea and you agree to do something.

First Man on Planet Who'll Get an iPhone 3G

The guy grinning in this photo is called Jonny Gladwell, and he's from Auckland, New Zealand. Why's he grinning? He's first in the queue at the Auckland Vodafone shop. And due to the timings involved, that should make him the first person in the World to buy an iPhone 3G. Lucky bastard. [Image credit: Darryl Carey]

Gizmodo.

Across

I acrossed the road. (Incorrect)

I crossed the road. (Correct)

The verb is "to cross" while "across" is an adverb or preposition, as in:

I went across the road.

Protestor beheads Hitler waxwork

A waxwork model of Adolf Hitler was beheaded by a protester today in Berlin minutes after the controversial exhibit was unveiled.

Just after the opening of the new branch of Madame Tussauds museum in the German capital, a 41-year-old German man pushed aside two security men guarding the exhibit and wrenched the model’s head off.

The protester did not resist arrest when police arrived shortly afterwards and he is being investigated for assault and damaging property.

Critics have attacked the waxwork figure of a glum-looking Adolf Hitler in a mock bunker during the last days of his life as being in bad taste.

It is illegal in Germany to show Nazi symbols and art glorifying Hitler and commentators have said it is inappropriate to display the Nazi dictator alongside celebrities, pop stars, world statesmen and sporting heroes.

Institutions such as the foundation for Germany’s central Holocaust memorial site condemned the idea of the exhibit as tasteless, saying it had been included simply as a commercial stunt. The wax figure is the latest in a gradual breaking down of taboos about Hitler in Germany more than 60 years after the end of the war and the Holocaust in which some six million Jews, and other groups, were killed.

It took around 25 workers four months to make the waxwork, using more than 2,000 pictures and pieces of archive material. They were also guided by a model of the “Fuehrer” in the London branch of Madame Tussauds.

Unobtrusive signs near the exhibit asked visitors to refrain from taking photos or posing with Hitler “out of respect for the millions of people who died during World War Two”.

Camera surveillance and museum officials were meant to stop inappropriate behaviour.

The Times.