英語學習筆記

City Hall
This has to be one of the most impressive buildings in the city. The dome is the 5th largest in the world and rises 301 feet above the street, higher than the capitol in Washington D.C. It is built in the Beaux Arts style (French for 'Fine Arts') and was inspired by the gilded dome and spire of Les Invalides in Paris. They sure don't build them like they used to!

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Cable Car Museum
Cable cars are so much fun. San Francisco was the first city to use cable cars and it's the only one that still does. Almost 10 million people take a ride on them each year. There was such an uproar over a 1947 proposal to replace them with buses, that the city's constitution now forbids discontinuing the service. Long live the constitution!

William: Last night I went swimming with my brother. The water was freezing!
Victoria: Freezing? That was no big deal compared to this: According to a news report I read in The China Post, a British adventurer is planning to become the first person to swim at the North Pole!
William: Whoa! He must be insane!

煎餅(Pancake)、鬆餅(Waffle)、司康(Scone)、比司吉(Biscuit)和瑪芬(Muffin)，這些大受歡迎的美味點心，其實在英文通稱為「Quick Bread」
以上資料來源: 朱雀文化

  The name "Nicholas" is of Greek origin and means "victorious people." It is the 64th most common male name in the USA (Wikipedia). The variations of this name include Nick, Cole, and Collin. Celebrities who have the name include movie start Nicholas Cage and HK singer Nicholas Tse.

  The name "Anna" derives from the Hebrew name "Channah" which means "grace / charm" or "mercy." The name is popular in many countries and in many different forms. The variations of the name include Ann, Ana, and Anne. Famous people who share this name include tennis player Anna Kournikova and fashion designer Anna Sui.

Collin: Have you ever heard of the "little mermaid statue" in Denmark?
Anne: Sure. It's a famous landmark in Copenhagen. I also know the statue was sculpted to commemorate the works of Hans Christian Andersen. Why do you ask?
Collin: I read a news report in The China Post that said last week, the mermaid was found draped in a Muslim dress and head scarf.

Cole: What's new?
Ana: Check this out. I read a story on the Web site that said a 9-year-old German girl was seen crying in a window, holding a sign up saying "Help! Please call the police!"
Cole: That's terrible! Someone had to have helped her.

Ann: Hey Nick. You look like a panda with those black circles under your eyes! How was your Europe trip?
Nick: It was awesome. I had a hard time dealing with my jet lag, though.
Ann: I bet you drank a lot of coffee. I saw a story yesterday that will make your eyes pop out of your head.

Nicholas: The price of gasoline is soaring! Filling up my car's tank is eating into my money.
Anna: Yeah. I saw a news report in The China Post that said gasoline prices hit a record hight for the second week in a row. In my opinion, it's not completely a bad thing though.
Nicholas: How come?

  The name "Michael" is of Hebrew origin and means "he who resembles God." In the Bible, Michael and Gabriel are the only two archangels who have personal names. It is also one of the top 50 most popular boy's names in England(Wikipedia). Many saints, emperors and kings share this name. Variants of this name include Mickey, Mike, and Mitchell. Famous people who share this name include star singer Michael Jackson and legendary NBA player Michael Jordan.

  The girl name "Sophia" as Greek origins and means "wisdom." Sophia's history can be traced back to ancient times. Some consider "Sofia" the mother goddess of the Middle East. Variants of this name include Sofia, Sonia and Sophie, the French form of Sophia. Celebrities who have this name include French movie star Sophie Marceau and American singer Sophie Tucker.