英語學習筆記

    The boy's name Dominic is of Latin origin and its meaning is "belonging to the Lord." Several saints have born this name, including the 13th-century founder of the Dominican order. Name similar to Dominic include Dominique, Domingo, and Nick. Famous people with this name include movie star Dominic West (The Forgotten) and director Dominic Sena (Swordfish).
   
    The girl's name Rachel is of Hebrew origin and means "we, female sheep." Jennifer Aniston's character in the popular TV series "Friends" was named Rachel. Variations of Rachel include Requel, Rae, and Rachael. Celebrities who share this name inlcude actress Rachel Roberts (Simone) and Hollywood star Rachel Weisz (The Mummy).

"The Haight" gained much of its reputation as the center of counterculture and flower power from the famous musicians that lived and wrote about life there.
Jefferson Airplane, the Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin all called Haight-Ashbury home. Hippies flocked there in the 60s culminating in the 1967 summer of Lover. Groovy Baby!

Raquel: What's new?
Nick: I have a piece of good news for a chocoholic like you. According to a story I read in the China Post, chocolate may help lower one's blood pressure. Now you have a good reason to gobble up chocolates!
Raquel: Haha! If that's true, I can feel free to eat as much as chocolate as I want without feeling guilty.

I really want to check out the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) while I'm in SOMA. Even the building itself is a work of art. It's designed around a striking cylindrical skylight finished in zebra-like bands of black and while marble. The museum also has a very extensive collection of art inside the building as well.

Sitting all day long is not good for your health. Want to join a swimming class with me?
Dominique: I'm too lazy to exercise! Besides, I've never been in the habit of exercising regularly. Starting now won't make me healthier all of sudden!
Rae: But it will make you feel fit in the long run. Besides, according to a story I read in the China Post, no matter who you are, adopting a healthy lifestyle can make you healthier within years of changing habits.

I'm so tired, I think I'll take a nap on the tranquil lawns of Washington Square. There's a statue of Benjamin Franklin here, donated by a wealthy teetotaler dentist named Cogswell. He had the odd idea that building enough water fountains in San Francisco would cure the city's thirst for booze. I guess he got that one wrong!

How come every time I see you. You have a cigarette in your hand? You are really a chain smoker!
Domingo: I don't know. When I'm bored, I just feel like smoking.
Rachael: Look, according to a story I read in the China Post, WHO said that one billion people will die of diseases related to tobacco in this century, You could be one of them!

China's Next Aim: Healthy Market
    After several attempts, China's authorities apparently have succeeded in taking some froth out of the country's red-hot stock market. But regulators still have their work cut out for them in building the market into a stable element of the country's economy.
    After a bull run that saw the Shanghai Composite Index quadruple in less than two years, Chinese stocks where throws into a sharp decline last week when the government tripled the stamp duty on share trades, just weeks after the central bank announced a fresh series of tightening measures.

A dominant feature of the Nob Hill skyline is grace cathedral. Modeled after Notre Dame in Paris, it's an impressive example of Gothic architecture. After the earlier church was destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, it took 54 years to build the current one. I hear that it also has some labyrinths. They only have one path through, so I should manage them just fine.

Rachel: What happened? You look so depressed.
Dominic: I feel dragged out from working so much. Besides, my boss is hard on me all the time.
Rachel: I suggest doing some exercise. It can help you release some of the pressure you're feeling.