We are doing the happy dance!
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Sunday, 26 January 2014
Monday, 11 November 2013
一桿入洞 (A hole in one)
Today we are taking a look at an English joke. This joke is an example of a play on words - meaning that a phrase or word can can be used for more than one meaning to make a joke.
Hole in one- is used in golf when a golfer gets the ball into the hole with just one shot.
Hole in one - in this case the 'hole' means a hole in one pair of trousers.
Singular: A hole in one = a hole-in-one
Singular: A hole in one = a hole-in-one
Plural: Holes in one
E.g. He made/ hit a hole-in-one at St Andrews.
Few golfers make holes in one during their career.
Article quoted from:
http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/cartoon-english-joke-hole-one
Johnny Deep
I know his real name is Johnny Depp, but I still wonder how much deeper Mr. Johnny Deepest could go... 
Head-scratching Chinese Surnames
如今四中國領導最令外國記者頭痛的，是他們的姓現任的兩位，一個是President Who（胡主席），一個是Premier When（溫總理），一個是「誰」，一個是「何時」，外國記者讀得舌頭打轉。但那麼多年了，好不容易也習慣了。
不料，這頭剛習慣了「Who」和「When」，接着來了兩個更拗口的，一個是President She（習主席），一個是Secretary Her（賀國強書記），這一下，挑戰更大了。英語記者如果不把舌頭捋平了，簡直沒法報道新聞：「She said, I mean he said... She said Who told When... He said, oh I mean Her said, oh yeah, I mean not her said, I mean he said... Oh, my God！」
說起姓氏，我們常說的百家姓是hundred family surnames，而複姓是compound surnames。
不料，這頭剛習慣了「Who」和「When」，接着來了兩個更拗口的，一個是President She（習主席），一個是Secretary Her（賀國強書記），這一下，挑戰更大了。英語記者如果不把舌頭捋平了，簡直沒法報道新聞：「She said, I mean he said... She said Who told When... He said, oh I mean Her said, oh yeah, I mean not her said, I mean he said... Oh, my God！」
說起姓氏，我們常說的百家姓是hundred family surnames，而複姓是compound surnames。
記載家族各代成員的是族譜genealogy book，族譜內有錯綜複雜的家族圖 family tree。
族譜揭示了你跟誰有血緣關係 to have a kinship with somebody，以及一個人的出身背景 pedigree。
傳家之寶是family heirloom，會一直pass down for generations through family members。
What...like?/ How...?
What…like?和 How…? 看似簡單，但很多人會將這兩種句型搞亂，合體寫成 How…like?
根據Collins Dictionary，How…? 其實已經有What…like?的意思，所以How…like?即是Like what …like?，實有畫蛇添足之嫌。
請看以下例句︰
What's he like? He’s serious.
How’s he today? He’s a bit tired. (不說How’s he like today?)
這里問的是Character & Health，如果第一句答Handsome! 問的一方可能會覺得你不了解他的意思，而會繼續追問”OK…So what’s he like?”
如果要問樣貌，應使用以下句型︰
How do I look? Fantastic! (不說How do I look like?)
What does she look like?
另可用來談經驗︰
How was your exam? Fine.
What was your exam like? Fine.
What was your exam like? Fine.
問題後可加 「–ing 從句」︰
What's it like, living in Hong Kong? Brilliant.
What's living in Hong Kong like? Brilliant.
What's living in Hong Kong like? Brilliant.
How was it, working for him? Excellent.
有一點要注意的︰如果How…like 後面緊接著名詞，句子就會變成比較 (How...like + noun?)。
這時候How的意思也再不是「怎麼樣」，而是「To what extent」
How is he like his father?
How is it like Florida?
順帶說說另一種How...like+ noun 的用法︰這里的how 雖然是解作「怎麼樣」，但like的意思已經不再是表示人或物件的特質。1. 表示偏好(to prefer): How do you like your coffee?
2. 表示感覺(to feel about)︰How do you like Italy?
參考︰
To see/ watch a movie?
有人說To see a movie 和 To watch a movie 兩種說法也可以，而事實的確如此，但原來這兩個動詞的用法也有細微的分別。To see a movie 一般隱含To go to the cinema and see a movie的意思。而To watch a movie則表示 To watch a movie at home (可能是DVD、電視或電腦)。
去(電影院)看電影也有很多說法︰
To go to the movies (不說To go to a movie或to go to movies，要說a movie則要改成To go to see a movie)
To go to the pictures (不說To go to the films)
To go to the flicks (比較舊的英式用法)
To go to the cinema
根據以上例句，the movies/ the pictures/ the cinema這三個字前面一定有the，因為這是英文的習慣用法。建議大家the movies 看成一個字，如果只說movies 而沒有the，意思就會不同了。
邀請朋友看電影可說︰
How about a movie?
Care to see a movie?
Would you like to go to the movies?
Would you like to go to the movies?
Let's go to the movies!
Why don't we grab a movie?
Fancy a night at the flicks?
另外， to go to的後面一般緊接一個地點，如果沒有特定的場所，則要注意。
To go on a guided walk
To go on a date
To go on a journey
參考文章︰
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