The World at 7 Billion, and Growing 全球人口持續攀升突破七十億 Photo from: VOA news 雖然臺灣被指出為全球嬰兒出生率最低的國家之一，政府也持續推動許多政策來避免未來人力不足的問題，但是全球人口爆炸的問題卻一直在蔓延，在本期宅急便中，大家可以了解全球人口數持續上揚的隱憂為何？  最新消息 ◎ 自學包裹(Self-Study Package)中高級第60期上線了!! 第60期自學包裹簡介 幾乎與蘋果電腦齊名的賈伯斯辭世，為科技產業投下一個震撼彈。有人認為蘋果的未來將充滿變數，產業的龍頭地位為不保，但也有分析師認為賈伯斯已經成功接棒。本次中高級自學包裹以176期英語宅急便內容為本，讓我們透過這個新聞分析來了解賈伯斯辭世對科技產業未來的影響。   本期也把文章中的學術字彙抓出來當成重點字彙練習。AWL字彙表由570個word family(包含一個字的詞類變化與衍生字)組成。經過研究發現，這570個字群是橫跨各領域學術的高頻率單字，已經是目前國際高等教育的英語教學的重要參考資料。同學只要熟練AWL字彙表與其衍生字，就可以用最少的力氣，讀懂各領域的文章，吸收新知。 快來練習自學包裹吧 | 申請帳號和使用說明 ◎ MyET台大外語教學暨資源中心Speaking Proficiency Test競賽 競賽時間：10/17-10/28、11/14-11/25、12/5-12/16 本學期提供口說能力檢測競賽，一共有3個場次，歡迎台大學生來加強英文口說能力，我們提供MyET線上互動英文口語教材。經由專業的線上英文會話機制及分級化教化，協助不同程度的訓練、改善英文發音及腔調，道地說英文。詳情請見網頁 ◎ MyET台大外語教學暨資源中心單字TOEFL&GRE學習競賽 競賽時間：10/11 - 12/5 「先聽說、後讀寫」是學好 一種語言最有效的方法；結合先進科技和專業語言教學法的MyET-MyCT，提供一個以聽說訓練為主的語言學習環境，讓學習者透過「眼看、耳聽、口說」學習模式有效培養聽力、改善發音與腔調，迅速提昇口說能力，終極聾啞英語的弊病。不論您是否已經安排了國外旅遊還是在世界任何角落，都可以透過有網路連線的電腦，每天跟著進度參加比賽喔! 詳情請見網頁 ◎ 100學年台大外語教學暨資源中心 大一英文課 MyET口說競賽 Oral Presentation for Freshman Students 競賽時間：10/13-11/18 為加強英文口說能力，外語教學暨資源中心提供MyET線上互動英文口語教材。經由專業的線上英文會話機制及分級化教化，協助不同程度的訓練、改善英文發音及腔調，道地說英文。「MyET面試英語」、「MyET國際會議演講」、「MyET2008年空中英語教室」、「MyET會議談判交涉」與「MyET正式場合/簡報英語表現」等課程即日起開放線上版本，歡迎台大大一英文課學生一起開口大聲說英文。詳情請見網頁 ◎ 留學申請書信寫作 (100年11月03日至11月24日) 又到了申請學校的季節，計畫出國進修或求學的你，不知道該如何準備你的學校申請文件嗎？受同學詢問度高的『留學申請書信寫作』現在開始招生囉！ 以書信寫作為主，本課程將帶領你學習如何寫申請學校的各項信件，以及準備讀書計畫等申請必須文件。歡迎踴躍參加！<報名方式> http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~avwrite/course/1001w1.htm ↑top  E-Freeway主題介紹 Rachel Maddow Show 台灣選舉年，政治話題不斷，政論節目也隨選舉行情加溫，不管是節目數量或是節目激情指數也都爆增。在民主選舉的先河，美國，各種型態的政論節目也不少。但一個人就可以掌控大局，而且話無冷場的就不多了。MSNBC的Rachel Maddow就是其中一絕，無論是挖苦揭弊都一針見血。話鋒尖銳，有憑有據，有數字、有畫面，配合誇張的臉部表情跟豐富的聲音語言，以極度挖苦的諷刺跟幽默呈現，一個小時看下來，與其說是看政治評論，不如說是一場時政議題的個人脫口秀。Rachel Maddow口語表達有很多諷刺手法，時而明褒暗貶，時而指桑罵槐，訪問來賓時也不拐彎抹角，直指問題核心，常讓來賓毫無招架之力。透過Rachel Maddow show不僅能掌握美國最熱門的政治議題，也可以瞭解美式幽默，進一步豐富語言學習時的文化面向。只是Rachel Maddow講話的速度跟機關槍一樣快，需較長期的收聽才會習慣。  來看介紹 | 直接進入網站 Postgraduates-- Listening and Speaking Postgraduates專區中，"Listening and Speaking"日前上傳了一系列，以動態簡報搭配影音解說的方式，介紹如何利用MIT WORLD網站來訓練學術英文聽力。這個優秀的網站開放讓使用者免費觀看麻省理工學院的各演講活動的錄影，對各位想聽學術演講，學習學術場合中英語聽力的同學們，別錯過囉。 線上文學書房 「線上文學書房」內容包括十本大家耳熟能詳的世界名著；不論是小時候的標準讀物《愛莉絲夢遊仙境》、《格列佛遊記》，或是數度被改編成電影的《傲慢與偏見》，到大家就算沒看過也聽過的《簡愛》、《塊肉餘生錄》，「線上文學書房」都提供各位讀者從內容賞析與英語學習的角度來接觸這些文學作品。內容賞析不用多說，每本書都由周樹華教授邀請外文系各教授講解內容與特色，讓讀者不用到課堂就能聽到老師精闢的解說，對於這些作品有著更進一步的了解，體會其中的文學成就與奧妙。 連上圖書館的Naxos Spoken World Library資料庫，搜尋這些作品(每個故事有不同版本的CD喔)，並下載<線上文學書房>網站上的錄音mp3檔，來賞析這些經典的文學作品吧！ ↑top  館藏介紹 新全民英檢中高級教室-聽/說/讀/寫全測驗 全民英檢考題改版了！要考全民英檢的同學，熟悉新型式的考題是重要的準備工作。外語教學中心新增了許多"新"全民英檢的考試書籍，同學透過按部就班的練習，對通過檢定很有幫助。其中這一套《新全民英檢中高級教室-聽/說/讀/寫全測驗》，作者在取材方面力求多元，在模擬試題中也可體會學英語的樂趣喔。 ↑top  英語宅急便      The World at 7 Billion, and Growing 全球人口持續攀升突破七十億 01 November 2011 The United Nations estimates that the world reached seven billion people on Monday. No one can be sure. The United States Census Bureau does not expect that to happen until March. Populations are growing faster than economies in many poor countries in Africa and some in Asia. At the same time, low fertility rates in Japan and many European nations have raised concerns about labor shortages. Population experts at the United Nations estimated that the world reached six billion in October nineteen ninety-nine. They predict nine billion by twenty-fifty and ten billion by the end of the century. China's population of one and a third billion is currently the world's largest. India is second at 1.2 billion. But India is expected to pass China and reach one and a half billion people around twenty twenty-five. India will also have one of the world's youngest populations. Economists say this is a chance for a so-called demographic dividend. India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations. But economists say current rates of growth, although high, may not create enough jobs. Also, the public education system is failing to meet demand and schooling is often of poor quality. Another concern is health care. Nearly half of India’s children under the age of five are malnourished. Sarah Crowe at the United Nations Children's Fund in New Delhi says these two problems "could keep India back." SARAH CROWE: "That child is unable to really grow to its ability and will remain in a state of stunting and not be able to learn when it goes to school -- when he or she goes to school, and indeed later earn and really pay back and pay into the economy and help the country and the region move forward. We have, you know, out of every two hundred million children who start school, only ten percent complete grade twelve." Michal Rutkowski is the director of human development in South Asia at the World Bank. He says the seven billionth person was likely to be a girl born in rural Uttar Pradesh. Uttar Pradesh is one of India’s poorest and most crowded states, with nearly two hundred million people. He says reaching seven billion people in the world is a good time for a call to action. MICHAL RUTKOWSKI: "I think the bottom line of the story is that the public policy needs to become really, really serious about gender equality and about access to services -- to combat malnutrition, and to provide for access to health services, water, sanitation, schooling."   I. Multiple choices 1. The phrase “fertility rate” is closest in meaning to ____. A) unemployment rate　B) death rate　C) birth rate　D) divorce rate   2. The population in some ____ is expected to ____. A) developed countries; grow　B) under developed countries; grow C) under developed countries; drop　D) developing countries; remain the same   3. Which of the following is TRUE about India and China? A) Both of them are encountering a drop in population. B) The populations in these countries are the highest. C) China will continue his leading position as the country with highest population. D) India’s population will surpass China’s in this year.   4. According to the listening, developed nations, such as Japan and France, are facing some problems of ____. A) food shortage　B) education insufficiency C) aging population　D) educational quality   5. What is NOT suggested in order to overcome the challenges faced by India? A) The fundraising for nourishing Indian children B) The improvement for gender equality C) The access to clean water D) The approach to health care   II. Cloze: Choose the best answer for filling-in the blanks Economists say this is a chance for a so-called demographic dividend. India could gain from the skills of young people in a growing economy at a time when other countries have aging populations. But economists say current rates of growth, although high, may not create enough jobs. 6. A) demography　B) demographic　C) demographics　D) demographer 7. A) gain　B) lose　C) learn　D) be jeopardized 8. A) shrinking　B) unstable　C) peak　D) growing 9. A) in　B) at　C) on　D) within 10. A) although　B) however　C) and　D) moreover   Answer key: C、B、B、C、A、B、A、D、B、A Sorece: http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/world/The-World-at-7-Billion-and-Growing-133039348.html
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