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臺大外語教學暨資源中心英語學習報第 423 期  發行日期 2022-01-01
臺大外語教學暨資源中心

 

  臺大外語教學暨資源中心英語學習報自 111 年 1 月起,改採月刊發行方式。將於每月 1 日出刊,並於每月15日更新本中心最新活動消息與活動花絮集錦。每期除介紹本中心最新活動訊息、E-freeway 軟體與館藏資訊外,亦提供英語學習資源與新聞時事練習,內容十分豐富多元,歡迎免費線上訂閱

 

本期焦點More

  Bleached staghorn coralRead more on VOA.

Biden Extends Pause on Student Loan Repayments 90 Days

拜登延長就學貸款付款期限 90 天

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that his administration will extend the pause on student loan repayment in the United States until May 1, 2022, in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

拜登(Joe Biden)總統於週三(編按:2021 年 12 月 22 日)宣布,為應對 COVID-19 大流行的影響,當局將把美國學生貸款償還的暫停期延長至 2022 年 5 月 1 日。

 

 

◎ 『臺大外語教學暨資源中心英語學習報』調整發刊頻率

臺大外語教學暨資源中心英語學習報自 111 年 1 月起,改採月刊發行方式。將於每月 1 日出刊,並於每月 15 日更新本中心最新活動消息與活動花絮集錦。每期除介紹本中心最 新活動訊息、E-freeway 軟體與館藏資訊外,亦提供英語學習資源與新聞時事練習,內容十分豐富多元,歡迎免費線上訂閱。

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◎ 中心活動集錦

感謝王麗蘭老師 12 月 22 日為我們帶來精彩的演講:「那些看不見的:談印尼的鬼怪與神話」,王老師由印尼當地三個主要鬼怪傳說的角度切入,帶我們更深看見印尼草根性的文化,我們不但看見鬼怪與當地生活的結合,例如疫情間揶揄的搞笑影片、令人會心一笑的 Line 貼圖、當地常用的電影題材等,也了解某些鬼怪傳說背後的歷史緣由,例如國家族群的衝突碰撞、資本主義的侵略對當地造成的剝削等。

此外,由葬禮文化,也認識到當地民族對祖先的追思、對生死的敬畏。由於講座時間有限,僅能就幾個鬼怪主題來介紹,
期待下次王老師再為我們帶來更多精彩的演講。

 

 

 

   

 

 
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Active Reading

Active Reading

Active Reading 的出發點是呈現出切題且活潑的文章!主題範圍從節食廣告、 無線遊戲的網路文章及生態保育。文章類型包含報章雜誌、小冊子、電子信箱、詩、食譜、故事和新聞稿。因此有大量的文章和主題呈現給學習者。

 

Feature of the Week

 

Freeway to the World

iSLCollective

在這充滿喜樂氣氛的季節,祝各位粉絲大大聖誕快樂,這次就來推薦大家 iSLCollective教學網站,上面提供各國老師所製作的精美教案、投影片以及影片,重點是完全免費!!!獻給正在備課的老師或自修的同學們。

Apps for Learning English

 

Freeway to the World

BBC Sounds

沒錯! 英語學習者的好朋友— BBC,又推出新的 APP了。 這次的 BBC Sounds 整合了旗下所有的聲音資源,包含 BBC radio、podcast、和流行音樂,只要 1 個 APP,全都聽得到!

English Learning Video

 

History Buffs : Bohemian Rhapsody

Learn English with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

哈利波特是全世界最受歡迎的小說之一,用來學英文也是很好的素材。 今天要學習的影片片是『阿茲卡班的逃犯』 這部電影和前兩集比較,主角們的個性都更加成熟穩重。 跟者影片來學習如何聽懂母與人士快速的語句,讓你也不需要看字幕。 也不會錯過任何笑話!

 
周樹華老師英語學習 Q&A

英國聖誕大餐 Christmas Dinner 吃甚麼呢? 用英語與人聊聖誕節需要甚麼呢?

用英語與人溝通常常感覺到無話可說,我們直接的反應是因為沒有說英語的環境,沒有花錢跟不存在的「母語人士」對話。這個看法是不正確的。真正需要的是對他國文化的認知,才有辦法對話。了解英國人聖誕節的習俗,就很容意有話說。本次貼文正好趕上一年一度的聖誕節,跟讀者們分享看得到吃不到的聖誕大餐。看了這個英國有名的大廚 Dominic Chapman 烹飪的 Christmas Dinner 的網頁: GREAT BRITISH CHEFS 更重要的是下拉網頁,您就可以閱讀每道菜的食譜及烹飪技巧,因此讀者們不但學到英語食譜的正確描述,也快速的增加了很多字彙量 (永遠不需要花錢買紙本的字彙大全)。

 

 

 

Step by Step情境圖解 英語聽力大突破

PLUS!高劑量簡報英文:不簡單的英文簡報 

您是否在做英文簡報時總是會出現「頭昏腦脹」或是「結巴、支吾」的症狀嗎? 或是總是覺得自己一定能再報告得更好,但卻苦無解決方法呢?如有以上症狀,請閱讀本書。

 
 

 

Biden Extends Pause on Student Loan Repayments 90 Days
VOA News|USA
December 22, 2021 2:57 (source)

Biden Extends Pause on Student Loan Repayments 90 Days

拜登延長就學貸款付款期限 90天

December 22, 2021 2:57

VOA News

  VOA News 搶先看 

在新的變種病毒來襲之際,美國總統喬‧拜登(Joe Biden)宣布原已延至一月底的就學貸款期限將再次延至五月一日。此舉目的為給予經濟受創的民眾更多喘息空間與機會申請教育部援助的補助方案。近 4100 萬借款人將受益於應計利息的凍結,自暫停開始以來,也約有 2700 萬借款人暫時無需支付每月賬單。但即使如此拜登還是拒絕支持民主黨取消貸款來縮減美國貧富的差距的提案。

President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that his administration will extend the pause on student loan repayment in the United States until May 1, 2022, in response to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a statement from the president released by the White House, pausing loan repayments is part of the country's economic recovery.

"Today my administration is extending the pause on federal student loan repayments for an additional 90 days — through May 1, 2022 — as we manage the ongoing pandemic and further strengthen our economic recovery," Biden said in a statement.

The Department of Education will continue working with borrowers to ensure they are adequately supported to "transition smoothly back into repayment and advance economic stability for their own households and for our nation," Biden said.

In the statement, Biden urged borrowers to take advantage of the department's resources, such as options to lower payments through income-based repayment plans and public service loan forgiveness.

This is not the first time the Biden administration has extended the loan repayment pause. In August, it was extended through January 31.

The forbearance has benefited millions across the country. According to Reuters, nearly 41 million borrowers benefited from the freeze on interest accruals, and about 27 million borrowers have not had to pay their monthly bills since the pause began.

The administration's decision has been welcomed by Democratic lawmakers. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren issued a joint statement applauding the announcement but also urging the president to cancel up to ,000 in student loan debt.

"We continue to call on President Biden to take executive action to cancel ,000 in student debt, which will help close the racial wealth gap for borrowers and accelerate our economic recovery," they said.

The president, however, has made it clear several times he does not support such an initiative. During a town hall with CNN in February, in response to other Democrats' idea to cancel ,000 in student debt per borrower, he said, "I will not make that happen."

The extension in the loan repayment pause comes as the U.S. addresses the surge in COVID-19 cases spurring from the spread of the omicron variant. With the holidays nearing, anxieties over the virus have increased and more Americans are getting tested daily ahead of family gatherings and celebrations.

Despite worries over what the omicron variant means for the nation, President Biden assured Americans in a nationwide address Tuesday that a complete shutdown like that of March 2020 is not imminent.
 

Language Notes

註 1: loan 為名詞,意指貸款,借款

註 2: adequately 為副詞,意指足夠的;合格的;合乎需要的

註 3: forbearance 為名詞,意指耐心;寬容;克制

註 4: accruals 為名詞,意指(錢的)累積,增加,增多

註 5: applauding 為動詞,意指鼓掌

註 6: spurring 為動詞,意指激勵,鞭策;促進,加速
 

BACK TO CONTENT

Check your comprehension!

Choose the BEST answer to each of the questions below. After you finish, highlight the parentheses to reveal the hidden answers.

1. ( D )  What is the main idea of the article?
            (A) The ever-worsening of the omicron variant causes another lockdown.
            (B) The proposal by the federal government to cancel all students' loans.
            (C) The mental strugglings people face in pandemic due to crippling depression.
            (D) The US government is pushing back the deadline for student loan payments.                   
2. ( B ) Which of the following statement about US student loans is TRUE?
            (A) The majority of Americans had already paid their student loans in full.   
            (B) The pausing of student loan payments is motivated by the pandemic.
            (C) The proposal of canceling student loans is back by President Joe Biden.
            (D) The extension is the first time the student loan deadline has been delayed.
3. ( C ) The word imminent in the last paragraph can be replaced with …
            (A) likely
            (B) possible
            (C) immediate
            (D) impossible

 

編譯:外語教學暨資源中心 編輯小組

 

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