Weird Butterfly Ceremony

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Speak up

Speak loudly and clearly enough that people don’t have to strain to hear you. If you don’t know what to say, ask questions. Most people enjoy talking about themselves.

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Does meeting new people make you nervous? If so, you’re not alone. But making a good first impression isn’t as hard as you might think. It just involves a few simple choices.

Look your best

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Sasha：Telling my parents a different name doesn’t seem like a white lie to me. That just sounds like a lie.

Jack：Well, maybe Linda could accompany us. Then we wouldn’t be lying. It’s just a little adjustment of the truth.

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Jack and Sasha are chatting between classes at school.

Jack：Hey, Sasha. I want to ask you something.

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A break from heels

Believe it or not, it’s time to give your feet a break. Sneakers are taking the place of high heels. So wear sneakers to make a fashion statement. It’s even acceptable to wear them with a skirt or dress.

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Autumn is finally here! The hot summer weather is finally a little bit cooler. It’s time to put away your summer clothes and bring out the fall fashions. What is popular this fall?

Popular styles

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Nintendo’s most popular ventures

Amidst the video-game popularity of the 70s, Nintendo introduced their first arcade game in 1975, EVR Race. Nintendo’s next two games, Donkey Kong in 1981 and Super Mario Brothers in 1985, became legendary. Super Mario Brothers used the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), a home video-game system of which nearly 62 million units were sold worldwide. Success struck again in 1989 with another Yokoi creation, Game Boy, which still ranks as the all-time best-selling portable game system.

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Many people think the Nintendo Company originated around 1983, the same year the Mario Brothers made their debut and began fighting New York sewer creatures. But actually, the Japanese company started in 1889. Back then, computers and computer games were a long way off; nonetheless, the company’s first product, handmade playing cards, was very popular.

originate：發源、來自、產生、引起

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They came to an abrupt stop as the taxi ran into the side of a police car. Before Leo could take a deep breath, his door was pulled open, and he was forced out by the sheriff. “You’re under arrest,” said the sheriff as he aimed his gun at Leo’s heart. With his hands above his head, Leo was thrown to the ground. He could barely see Erica on the other side of the police car.

“Hey, where are you taking her?” cried Leo.

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As the taxi rumbled down the road, Leo became increasingly aware of his surroundings. It felt like time was slowing down, and the road seemed to stretch before his eyes. He repeatedly checked his rearview mirror to see how many police cars were still in pursuit. He didn’t see as many as he got farther away. Pressing the gas pedal harder, he hoped to squeeze a little more speed out of the engine. Freedom was just over the ridge – if only he could reach it in time. “Almost there,” he kept repeating to himself. He could sense Erica’s nervous energy as they got closer to the ridge.

rumble：轆轆地行駛、隆隆作響

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The artist’s style

Taking Yang’s advice, Chang simplified his style, turning from realistic pieces to stylized ones. With wood as his medium of choice, Chang focused on creating landscape-themed sculptures, finding inspiration in the marble canyons of Taroko National Park. His treks to the park resulted in a series of carvings that captured the rugged beauty of Taroko’s canyon walls, waterfalls and rapids.

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For the first half of his life, Chang Ching kept his artistic pursuits in the background. He spent his days working as an optometrist in Dounan Township while restricting his bonsai-related activities to his leisure time. On weekends and in spare moments, Chang searched through the mountains and valleys of Taiwan for miniature trees and rocks. Little did he know those mountain landscapes would play a key role in the second half of his life.

keep … in the background：隱蔽於不易注意到之處

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At about 16, Thomas had to make a decision. Did he really want to devote his life to acting? Many people in the public “aren’t quite letting you be you because they see you as something special,” he says. Also, bonds make during filming were often broken soon after the project finished. Despite these things, he found enough joy and satisfaction in the work to continue.

devote to：將…奉獻（給）

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Thomas Brodie-Sangster’s cars and action figures weren’t just toys. “They would always be characters, and I would always put on stupid voices,” says Thomas. For him, acting was just a matter of moving childhood games to a set.

action figures：手臂腿部可以移動的玩偶（= action doll）

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Some Fears

Some critics fear that the IoT could end up being a fad that people lost interest in over time. Having Twitter feeds on refrigerator doors may sound cool at first, but the attraction could fade as quickly as the excitement over last year’s smartphone! Other critics are doubtful that companies making Internet-connected appliances will provide long-term software updates. If that happens, a refrigerator or washing machine that should last 10 years or more could last two or three due to software that’s outdated.

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The Internet of Things (IoT) aims to get everything and everyone talking. Attaching sensors to “things,” such as cows, cars, and refrigerators, and then assigning them unique IP addresses allow them to “talk” to the Internet. Of course the IoT will involve much more than a handful of sensors. Networking company Cisco estimates that 50 billion Internet-connected devices and objects will be transmitting data by 2020.

aim to：致力、意欲、旨在

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The pair established The Tuk Tuk Educational Trust, a U.K. registered charity.

The team elected to travel around the world in a tuk-tuk. They did this to take advantage of its slow-paced, open and friendly nature. They could explore and unlock different cultures and communities, learning about and from their values, struggles, inspirations and ambitions. The vehicle itself is eye-catching and engaging. No one has ever succeeded in traveling around the world in a tuk-tuk before.

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The pair are now back on the road and aiming for their next goal. They want to cover the circumference of the earth and become the first people to drive a tuk-tuk around the world. They plan to pass that milestone in Northern Chile.

Along their journey they have had to tackle deserts and jungles. They have also survived close encounters with elephants in Uganda and Botswana and an accident in Malaysia. The greatest toll on the tuk-tuk has been the mountain ranges lying in their path, including the Alps, the Himalayas and the Andes.

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Two British teachers have broken the world record for the longest journey in a tuk-tuk after pulling their failing vehicle the last 43 miles. Richard Sears and Nick Gough have traveled 37,500 kilometers around the world and passed through 37 countries. They did this to support grassroots education projects in Africa, Asia and South America.

On reaching Chile, they will become the first people to drive a tuk-tuk around the world.

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Once upon a time, 10 suns appeared in the sky, threatening to burn up Earth. The brave warrior Hou Yi shot nine of the 10 suns with arrows and became a hero.

Because of his great success, the queen of heaven gave Hou Yi an elixir of life. Whoever drank this potion would receive eternal life. However, instead of drinking it right away, Hou Yi gave the potion to his wife Chang E to keep for him.