Assignment 4 - Comment on the corpus-based reference tools.

Corpus-based reference tools are quite useful in some ways.It helps learners to see a word within real context, provides collocation and show the frequency of a word.I like to use the concordancer very much, especially the Bilingual online concordancers-TOTALRECALL.It helps me to look for the words that don't have the exact corresponding translation. For example, I would like to know how we say 緣分 in English and the result comes out to be "fate".In that case, I can use it in my article if the frequency of the usage is high enough.

On the other hand, there are some strengths and disadvantges of corpus-based reference tools in comparison with a dictionary.First of all, as mentioned above, corpus-based reference tools can provide learners the collocation and the frequency of vocabulary. Also, some concordancers are bilingual that it's suitable for second language learners to use.Furthermore, corpus-based reference tools give learners more examples in real contexts tha dictionary cannot do.However, unlike dictionary, there are some functions the corpus-based reference tools cannot provides.For example, we can see the pronunciation and some comparison with other similar word in dictionary. Moreover, corpus-based reference tools are sometimes limited. For instance, Brown corpus has not renewed for a long time.But language is always changing through time, so if those tools do not renewed, it's not effective enough for learners to use.

In conclusion, although there are both strengths and disadvantages of corpus-based reference tools and dictionaries. It is still important for language learners and researchers to know how to use the best of these tools.

Weekly Journal 20090316-0322

Dear Diary:

Last week was a nervous week. There are two things making me nervous: First, the result of my preliminary exam of NTUST is going to come out on Thur. Second, I am going to take the exam of my first priority-NTNU on Sat.

Luckily, I got the permission to interview which in on next Sunday (3/29). So I will be "double nervous" again next whole week. God bless me!!!

As for the exam on Saturday... that was exhausting because I could not sleep well the night before the exam which started at 8 in the morning. And I don't have much confidence in what I wrote on the answer sheet. There was a question that almost made me crazy. As following:

Youtube video clipps have been widely used nowadays. They are real people with real language.

It is related with authenticity and corpus. Please define the two terms. (10%) Use the video clipps on Youtube to make a lesson plan that can achieve the goal of authenticity and the integration of four skills. (15%)

Well, well, well, how do I know any useful video on Youtube that is suitable for teaching and

integrating the four skills: L, R, S, W? You know what I wrote down? I use the song clipp "Moon River" from the movie "The Breakfast of Tiffany" as my authentic material to teach. I think it's terrible because it's not authentic at all, is it? Dear Diary, do you have any ideas?

Anyway, I am quite happy that I can go interview next week but I still hope that I can get the

permisson for interview from NTNU. What result will it be? It will wait for at least one month.

Before that, I am going to have fun all day and all night long!!!! hahahahahah

Weekly Juornal 20090309-0315

Dear Diary:

Last week, I went to Hsinchu to take the exam in NCTU(交大) and NTHU(清大). There is only one thing came to my mind - gosh, how can it be so difficult!!!! I did not stop writing until the last minute and I was almost unable to finish my essay. But you know what? There is one essay question asking about CALL!! Let me post the question in the following:

CALL and corpus linguistics are two fast-growing areas in the TESOL field. In your opinion, why should teachers apply the knowledge accumulated in these areas to their daily teaching?(10%) Give one concrete example of applying the knowledge learned from CALL and/or corpus linguistics to language teaching. Situate you discussion in a specific context, for example, teaching non-English majors business communication skills in a Taiwanese university.

See, it's a total integrated question. I didn't know how I finish the essay and make it organized just like I can never figure out the difference between cohesion and coherence. = =+

But I still gave some points that I learned from CALL class. For example, teachers can use corpus and concordancer to facilitate their teaching, such as collocation and vocabulary.

But...what about the concrete example of applying CALL? It came out with no conclusion.

I really wish that I had taken the class last semester!!!!

Anyway...it's all my complaint about the stressful exam. But some thoughts have come to me: If I could enter the TESOL graduate school, why not try to make reasearch on CALL. It will be interesting, isn't it?

p.s. This Saturday, I am going to take the exam of NTNU. That's my NO.1 school!!!

Wish me luck again, heehee. ^____________________^

Assignment 3 - Is there any rule governing the use of "big" and "large"?

Question: Is there any rule governing the use of "big" and "large"? If yes, what is it? Use evidences to explain the major difference between the two words. Please limit your answer to 70 words.

"Big" and "large" can sometimes be antonyms, as in "large classes" and "big classes". However, "large" goes with phrases that describe degree, numbers, or quantity more often, such as "a large amount / number of", "a large extent", "a large scale", etc. On the other hand, "big" is used to describe countable nouns as in big car / change / city / house. Also, “big” collocates with difference very often.

Weekly Journal 20090302-0308

Dear all:

As you can see from the title, I have made up my mind to write journal every week. When I was taking the writing class last year, the teacher asked us to assign journals every week. Unfortunately, since the semester has been over, I stopped writing immediatedly. (hehe)
So, here's my suggestion. Why don't all of us write weekly journals together so as to improve our English ability and also allow other people to get to know us more? I appreciate Donna's sharing about her hometown and the lovely fruits, so I expect myself to do so even if I would probably be too lazy to do what I just suggested. (hahaha)

Here's my last week.

As you know, I am preparing for my graduate school entrance exam. Last week, I had finnished the exam of NTUST(台科) and NCKU(成大). In the test of NTUST, they asked us to write a composition. Here it is:
A job should mean a job for life. Do you agree or disagree? Expain your answer with specific reason and examples.
I made a strong statement that I disagree with it and I proposed three views about what I think a job should be. I think that firstly, a job should mean a job for interest, then a job should mean a job for happiness; finally, a job should mean a job for learning. These three aspects really drive me crazy cause I cannot figure good examples. Thus, I take my friend, my seniors and my mom for example. That's ridiculous, isn't it? Well, if you were me, what would you write about it? Maybe you can "try try see" (haha~Singlish)












**The following event may make you feel sick, ill, and disgusted. Do not take a look if you just finish your meal.











P.S. I had Squid ink spaghetti with Seafood (墨魚麵) last week. That was my first try and I was realy shocked the day after the meal. The next day, the situation of my digestion went really well. After I finished poo-pooing, I stood up and turned around to flush "my dear poo poo". What a horrible look in the stool. "My dear poo poo" looked so dark just like the bamboo charcoal.(竹炭) What happened to my stomach? Am I going to die? That was an unplesant experience and I am not going to eat that spaghetti anymore. Does anyone have the same experience as I do?

Assignment 2 - Dictionary Exercise

I have been trying to get these two words straight, that is, cohesion and coherence.

I know that these two words have always been used on writing, but I Always confuse with them.

So....I tried several on-line dictionaries to look them up, but none of them can provide me a satisfiing answer...until this one - http://dictionary.reference.com/

Firstly, the following is the definition of "cohesion"

noun

1. the act or state of cohering, uniting, or sticking together.

2. [Physics.] the molecular force between particles within a body or substance that acts to unite them. Compare adhesion (def. 4).

3. [Botany.] the congenital union of one part with another.

4. [Linguistics.] the property of unity in a written text or a segment of spoken discourse that stems from links among its surface elements, as when words in one sentence are repeated in another, and esp. from the fact that some words or phrases depend for their interpretation upon material in preceding or following text, as in the sequence Be assured of this. Most people do not want to fight. However, they will do so when provoked, where this refers to the two sentences that follow, they refers back to most people, do so substitutes for the preceding verb fight, and however relates the clause that follows to the preceding sentence. Compare coherence (def. 5).

Then, compare another word "coherence"

noun

1. the act or state of cohering; cohesion.

2. logical interconnection; overall sense or understandability.

3. congruity; consistency.

4. [Physics, Optics.] (of waves) the state of being coherent.

5. [Linguistics.] the property of unity in a written text or a segment of spoken discourse that stems from the links among its underlying ideas and from the logical organization and development of its thematic content. Compare cohesion (def. 4).

See, the comparison under the category [Linguistics] is exactly what I want. This on-line dictionary provides different definitions on each categories, such as Physics, Botany, and Linguistics, etc. Besides, it posts links of the confusing word on it. Isn't it useful?