She Says/He Says(U1B1) reading she says: Boys are so different from girls! They never show their emotions

This morning when we ate breakfast together, I was aware that you weren't speaking clearly. I forced you to open your mouth and saw that your tongue had been pierced. Last month, you dyed your hair, and we had an argument about that. Yet, I've gradually accepted this because I know I should trust your judgment. However, I was really shocked this time by your tongue piercing. I shouted at you in anger, but I got so mad only because you might have caught a disease from this piercing. I was worried, for example, that the place where you had gotten your tongue piercing might not be clean or professional.

Later this afternoon, when you got back from school, you started to play online games. You spent a lot of time sitting there, staring at the computer screen. Consequently, I made you do some schoolwork instead. It might seem I was trying to spoil your fun, but I did this because I care about you. You should spend less time on online games and more time on sports and studies. Both are much better for your health and your future.

Then, this evening, you came to my room while I was reading a book. I looked up as you waited in the doorway, and you were as quiet as a mouse. You walked toward me and gave me a note. Then, without a word, you ran upstairs to your room in a flash.

As I read the note, a wave of regret swept over me. I suddenly saw how poorly I had been treating you. I was expecting you to behave as well as I did at your age. Then, I started to look back on my own teenage years. I remembered that I had also followed the latest fashions of the time and my parents hadn't approved of them, either. In fact, after reading your note, I realized how similar we really are. This is the only thing that matters to me tonight, son. I've come here, while you're sleeping, to say sorry.

I know this isn't enough, so, tomorrow, I'll make up for everything by being a more thoughtful dad. Even if we fight, I want you to remember one thing: No matter what you do, I will always love you.

In the 1980s, the staff working for Nike had a problem. They were struggling against their main competitor, Reebok, and they needed a new advertisement to attract more customers. One day in a meeting, one of their advertising agency employees was telling the Nike managers how much he admired their company. "You Nike guys, you just do it," he said. Suddenly, all the managers and other employees stopped talking and looked at one another. They had just found the perfect advertising slogan!

This new slogan, "Just Do It," helped make Nike a big international company, and it has been used by Nike ever since. It is a slogan which is full of determination and passion. It means that anyone can be active and play sports. Because of this slogan, Nike sold more sneakers and increased its market share within a year.

Good slogans can remain in people's memories for decades. Some are creative. Others are persuasive. Still others are funny. One example of a very successful slogan is "Finger lickin' good." Naturally, it doesn't mean that people should put their fingers in their mouths. Instead, it reminds people that this fried chicken is so good that they will want to lick their fingers after they have eaten it. Next example of an advertising slogan was created by a cosmetics and beauty company. Its slogan says, "Because you're worth it." This not only means that women should treat themselves well but also implies that the company's beauty products can make women look younger and more attractive. Another persuasive slogan is "Be the first to know" from an advertisement for a news network. This slogan shows that the news network always gives the latest news to its audience. One more example of the slogans that have stood the test of time is from a chain of florists; it goes, "Say it with flowers." People have flowers sent for many reasons, but no matter what the message might be, this slogan says that flowers are an ideal way to express something from the heart.

Slogans help sell products, so it pays companies to create good slogans. A funny slogan for a telephone book, for instance, says, "Let your fingers do the walking." On the surface, this makes no sense because our fingers do not walk! However, in reality, this is a creative slogan that has an important message about its product. Do you know what it is trying to say?

I. Reading for the Main Idea—Skimming

Skim the reading and choose the best answer to the question.

( )

What is the main idea of the reading? (A) Slogans help sell products, so it pays companies to invent good slogans. (B) The slogan "Just Do It" helped Nike increase its market share within a year. (C) "Say it with flowers" is a slogan that has stood the test of time. (D) There are many creative and persuasive slogans.

II. Reading for Details—Scanning

A. Scan the reading and complete the chart below.

Slogans	Companies/Products
1. "Just Do It"
2. "Finger lickin' good"
3. "Because you're worth it"
4. "Be the first to know"
5. "Say it with flowers"
6. "Let your fingers do the walking"

B. Scan the reading and choose the best answer to each of the following questions or statements.

( )	1.	In the 1980s, _____ said, "You Nike guys, you just do it," and this sentence later became the famous Nike slogan. (A) a manager working for Nike (B) a customer wearing Nike sneakers (C) one of the staff working for Nike (D) an employee of Nike's advertising agency
( )	2.	According to the reading, what does the slogan "Finger lickin' good" mean? (A) It reminds people of the great taste of fried chicken. (B) It advises people to lick their fingers when they feel hungry. (C) It suggests that people put their fingers in their mouths more often.(D) It makes no sense at all.
( )	3.	According to the reading, "Because you're worth it" _____. (A) means that women don't have to take better care of themselves (B) suggests that women treat themselves well (C) is a slogan for a chain of florists(D) is a slogan for a news network
( )	4.	"Be the first to know" is NOT a slogan which _____. (A) helps advertise a news network (B) wants the audience to buy newspapers more often (C) means that the news network always has the latest news (D) tells the audience that they can be the first to receive news
( )	5.	According to the reading, which of the following is true? (A) "Say it with flowers" is a slogan asking people to plant flowers. (B) "Say it with flowers" is an unpopular slogan. (C) Good slogans should be creative, persuasive, or funny. (D) Good slogans should make no sense.

No Escape from the Web(U1B4)

READING

Have you ever run into trouble when you needed to contact a friend you had lost touch with? In the past, people didn’t have any effective solutions to this problem. Asking mutual friends about this friend was the only thing that most people could do, and it would often take ages to find a long-lost friend. However, today, we don’t need to worry about this problem any longer. We can simply go online, upload a picture of the friend, and provide some information about his or her background. Then, we will soon be able to find that friend. How could this be possible? Today, the Internet plays a crucial part in this kind of search process, and so do various online communities.

Nowadays, many people are involved in online communities. Some people have even become known as netizens. These people share their opinions online, upload and download pictures and videos, and make friends on the Internet. Some netizens spend a lot of time doing these online activities, and a few even have difficulty walking away from their computers once they have entered this virtual world. Interestingly, the “footprints” that Internet users leave online become clues when other people use human flesh search engines. Because of this type of search process, Internet users have been able to find out about anything or anyone that they are interested in.

An example of this occurred in Taiwan when a man treated a dog cruelly. The whole thing was recorded and uploaded online. This 17-second video then quickly caused public anger. Using human flesh search engines, some netizens, especially dog lovers, were able to track down this man. In just 18 hours, they had collected a lot of information about this man and reported him to Animal Rescue Team Taiwan. In the end, he apologized for his behavior and promised that this would never happen again.

Another time, in South Korea, a college student who refused to clean up after her dog on the subway was recorded on video. As soon as the video was shared online, this student was identified by many netizens. In order to punish her, some of these netizens even revealed her personal information on the Web. Because the student was widely blamed for her behavior, she ended up dropping out of college. However, this event stirred up a debate about whether a witch-hunt like this had gone too far.

Sometimes, when netizens are trying to discover the truth about something, some may violate other Internet users’ privacy. Even worse, a few netizens may even become violent, taking advantage of their freedom of speech to get their own justice. Clearly, we should try to avoid doing these things so that everyone can enjoy the convenience the Internet provides. After all, the Internet should bring people together rather than separate them.

Examples:

1. “In just 18 hours, netizens had collected a lot of information about this man who had cruelly treated a dog and reported him to Animal Rescue Team Taiwan.”

→ This is a fact because it was an event that happened in real life, and people can easily find out whether it is true or not.

2. “Sometimes, when netizens are trying to discover the truth about something, some may violate other Internet users’ privacy.”

→ This is an opinion because this sentence expresses how the writer feels about this type of search process. Some netizens, however, might not consider their actions a violation of other people’s privacy, and they may even think that they have the right to do so.

Exercise:

Read the following sentences from the reading. Write “F” in the blank if it is a fact, or “O” if it is an opinion.

_____	1.	In South Korea, a college student who refused to clean up after her dog on the subway was recorded on video.
_____	2.	As soon as the video was shared online, this student was identified by many netizens.
_____	3.	After all, the Internet should bring people together rather than separate them.
_____	4.	Using human flesh search engines, some netizens, especially dog lovers, were able to track down this man.
_____	5.	Asking mutual friends about this friend was the only thing that most people could do, and it would often take ages to find a long-lost friend.

A New Look at American English(U2B4)

READING

As a student learning English in Taiwan, I had always been confident of my ability to speak English. When I traveled abroad to the United States one summer, though, I quickly discovered that I had plenty left to learn, especially regarding the informal English often used there. That is, I found out that the English spoken in the United States can be quite different from the English that I had learned in textbooks in Taiwan.

Right off the bat, I was tripped up by a common American greeting. In Taiwan, I had been taught to ask “How are you?” and then to reply “Fine, thanks. And you?” when greeting others. So, I was very surprised when an American teenager asked me, “What’s up?”

At first, I didn’t know how to respond. Should I say the sky? The clouds? He didn’t want me to look up above him, did he? So, I just went with my standard reply: “Fine, thanks. And you?”

This young American teen seemed amazed by my answer because it made no sense. I was fortunate, however, since he was patient enough to explain that this was just another way to ask “What’s going on?” and that most people answered “Nothing.” or “Not much.”

During the rest of my summer in the United States, I realized that there can be a big difference between the literal and the actual meanings of many colloquial phrases. For example, I had learned in Taiwan that “Shut up!” was a forceful way to tell someone to stop talking. I also knew that this command was considered very impolite and even rude. So, I was stunned when an American girl said this to me.

“I eat mangoes every day in Taiwan during the summer,” I had been telling her.

“Shut up!” she said.

I blushed with embarrassment and immediately stopped talking. Had I been bragging? Had I offended her?

She then asked me, “What’s wrong? Why did you become silent out of the blue?”

“You told me to shut up,” I said, on the verge of tears, “so I did.”

The American girl chuckled, “You didn’t actually think that I meant for you to shut up, did you?” She went on to tell me how “Shut up!” is used by young Americans today and how it has become a phrase used to express surprise. “It is similar to ‘No way!’,” she explained, “or the phrase ‘Get out of here!’”

Though it had been confusing at times, my summer in the United States taught me a lot. I learned to see the humor in many American colloquial expressions and to appreciate their deeper meanings. I discovered that this language could be a lot of fun, too. So, when I got off the airport bus to catch my flight back to Taiwan and the bus driver said to me, “Have a good one!”, I didn’t attempt to clarify if “a good one” meant a good day, a good trip, or even a good life. I just smiled back and said, “You, too!”