Everything U wanna know about the English language
Vocabulary
Stake(s) 賭注、賽馬
Jun 23rd
最近忙於改學生考試卷，以至遲遲未能寫新文章，還請見諒。今日想跟大家談談 stake 這個詞語的隱喻意義 (metaphorical meaning) 和用法。
當某人就一場賽馬、一項競爭或一個撲克遊戲進行賭博時，他的 stake 是他進行賭博的賭注，如果他所下注的馬、人或團隊不能取勝，他就會輸錢。stake 及其複數形式 stakes 用作隱喻，談論事物處於危險境地的情況。
Alive, live, living — 英語的兩類形容詞
Jun 3rd
同學生做 proofreading 練習，其中有一題是這樣寫的：
Quick tests for the bird flu virus, conducted on other lively chickens at the farm, turned out negative.
那裡有錯呢？
睇 SCMP 學英文 (二)
May 26th
今日再同大家分享 Peter Kammerer 於 SCMP 寫的，標題為 World City? Rubbish 的文章，繼續解釋一些有用的詞彙和句型，讓大家學習、模仿。時間關係，今日只能同大家分享第二段：
Part of the problem is that I am lazy. The nearest three-colour recycling bins are a 15-minute walk away1. That doesn't account for me being self-conscious [= 很在意] about pushing through [= 擠過去] the often jam-packed [= 擠擁的] pavements near my home with bags full of rubbish, that glass bottles and food scraps [= 剩下的食物] would not be accounted for or that my neighbours are unlikely to follow my lead [= 倣傚我的做法]2. I live in private housing, not one of those public estates where recycling programmes are under way3. If authorities truly cared about the environment, they would give me and all other citizens an edict [= 法令] to sort our rubbish or face a big, fat fine [= 巨額罰款]4.
睇 SCMP 學英文 (一)
May 20th
同大家分享 SCMP 最近 (2010-04-27) 一篇由 Peter Kammerer 所寫的文章，題為 "World City? Rubbish" ，內裡有些有用的詞彙和句型，大家不妨學習、模仿一番。因時間關係，今日只同大家分享第一段：
Thanks to1 the government's plastic bag tax, I've learned to take a backpack (背包) when shopping. Without question2, I would also sort my rubbish into piles to make recycling easier were laws to that effect in place (制定)3. This is what is expected from people in socially and environmentally responsible societies the world over4. Authorities crow5 that Hong Kong is a globally plugged-in (與全球接通的) place and, while I would certainly wish this of the city I have chosen to call my home6, the fact that I feel guilty when I take out the rubbish makes a lie of their claim7.
Even, even though, even now/then, even so?
May 17th
改學生作文，發現以下句子，大家有否留意當中之語法有錯？
I reckon that such law-breaking activities will continue even people may risk being prosecuted.
其實，經常發現學生誤將 even though 寫作 even 。所以這裡，解釋一下兩詞用法上的分別及其他相關詞彙。
More on Possibility
May 15th
幾天前討論過 possibility 一詞的用法，本篇將詳述更多該詞之搭配用法，供讀者參考學習：
[搭配] ADJ.
exciting, interesting
令人興奮的可能性；有趣的可能性
endless, many
無窮的可能性；許多可能性:
The resort offers endless possibilities for entertainment.
度假勝地提供數之不盡的娛樂活動。
further, other
更多的可能；其它可能性
Make, Mean, Cause, Threaten 與句型轉換
May 13th
繼續看 2002 UE Section C ，今次想談動詞句法與句型的問題。
請看以下句子：
The dangers of disease, corruption and civil war __(23)__ Africa an extremely difficult and dangerous continent to travel through.
A. mean
B. cause
C. threaten
D. make
Possibility
May 11th
同學生做2002年UE Section C，其中有一題考學生對 "possibility" 一詞運用之認識，甚為有趣，決定拿來同大家討論。
題目為：
"Then, there's __(26)__ possibility of being attacked by a hippo or crocodile."
A. the very real
B. a present
C. always
D. worrying
劍橋高階英語詞典
朗文當代英語詞典
牛津高階英語詞典