Episode 9  09/22/2022

"Ann Kao draws ire with remarks"

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/09/22/2003785742

#plagiarism

P-L-A-G-I-A-R-I-S-M

The practice of using or applying others’ ideas and works as one’s own.

1. Several mayoral candidates were accused of plagiarism on their old doctoral dissertation lately.
2. Plagiarism is now much harder thanks to detecting apps like Turnitin.

#belittle

B-E-L-I-T-T-L-E

To look down upon; to disparage; to depreciate

1. Sizing up and belittling others by their academic records appeals to antagonism.
2. Despite belittled by many, this young man never loses faith in himself.

#elitist

E-L-I-T-I-S-T

Catering or accommodating a few people’s interests or capabilities.

1. Professional sports and theatrical arts are somewhat elitist and center around only talented people.
2. The mayoral candidate’s elitist outlook in academics was exposed and disappointed her supporters.

#credential

C-R-E-D-E-N-T-I-A-L

Proof of certain ability or experience that grants eligibility. 

1. The mayoral candidate’s overemphasis on her distinguished academic credentials makes her look arrogant.
2. A lack of academic credentials turned out making the mayor folksy and approachable to the public.

#alma mater

A-L-M-A   M-A-T-E-R

The school a person once studied in or graduated from.

1. This guy is so proud of his alma mater that he brags his GPA back then at his 40’s.
2. All alums know how fund-thirsty their alma mater is while receiving non-stop emails asking for donations.

Episode 8 09/19/2022

How to find common ground when it seems impossible

https://www.fastcompany.com/90451221/how-to-find-common-ground-when-it-seems-impossible?utm_source=pocket_collection_story

#conflict

C-O-N-F-L-I-C-T

a situation in which people, groups or countries disagree strongly or are involved in a serious argument

1. Conflicts between parents and children become more frequent when the children become teenagers. 
2. A 2019 report from an online education company found that the No. 1 soft skill workers need is conflict management skills.

#intervention

I-N-T-E-R-V-E-N-T-I-O-N

action taken to improve or help a situation 

1. The intervention by UN troops prevented fighting from breaking out. 
2. If you find yourself routinely in conflict, you may need more third-party intervention or ground rules for engaging with the other person.

#alternative

A-L-T-E-R-N-A-T-I-V-E

a thing that you can choose to do or have out of two or more possibilities 

1. People stay because they don’t have alternative opportunities. 
2. When negotiating, it's helpful to understand what you want the outcome to be and what alternatives you have.

#consensus

C-O-N-S-E-N-S-U-S

an opinion that all members of a group agree with 

1. The general consensus in the office is that he can't do his job. 
2. When you’re working toward consensus, it’s best to be calm.

#diffuse

D-I-F-F-U-S-E

to (cause something to) spread in many directions 

1. The drop of red dye diffused slowly in the water. 
2. Having an objective party in the room can help you defuse tension, get your points across, and identify areas of agreement.

Episode 7 09/14/2022

Gallium Nitride (GaN, 氮化鎵)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallium_nitride

#gap

G-A-P

an unfilled space or interval; a break in continuity, in an object or between two objects.

1. When you alight, please mind the gap between the train and the platform edge.
2. We are here to help fill the gap between your current knowledge and what you need to know.

#sensitive

S-E-N-S-I-T-I-V-E

quick to detect or respond to slight changes, signals, or influences.

1. These films are very sensitive to light exposure, handle them only in darkrooms.
2. She has super sensitive ears, even the slightest noise won't escape her detection.

#stability

S-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y

the state of being firmly fixed or unlikely to give way or overturn.

1. Your muscles are constantly making tiny adjustments to compensate for the poor stability when you stand.
2. It is believed that civil service is the job that offers greatest stability.

#promising

P-R-O-M-I-S-I-N-G

1. In order to bring us a promising future, Mom and Dad invested great time and attention in our education.
2. DDT was once considered a promising pesticide, until its side effects became well known to the public.

#candidate

C-A-N-D-I-D-A-T-E

someone or something likely to be chosen for a specific purpose.

1. After the scandal was verified, the once popular candidate decided to withdraw from the mayoral election.
2. This new product suits our needs, let's put it on our list of candidates.

Episode 6. 09/14/2022

‘Absolute moron’: Douglas Murray slams CNN anchor for ‘racist hatred’

https://www.skynews.com.au/opinion/rita-panahi/absolute-moron-douglas-murray-slams-cnn-anchor-for-racist-hatred/video/f2ad415031f95efd331d98c2af5540c1

#slam

S-L-A-M

To criticize; a loud noise; a move with force against a surface.

1. The commentator slammed the elected governor for failing to honor his promise in the election.
2. Don’t slam the door on your way out.

#anchor

A-N-C-H-O-R

A news reporter; a reliable person; a piece of heavy metal that keeps a boat from drifting away.

1. The news anchor is known for her quick wit and improvisation on news scripts.
2. The sailors lowered the anchor and docked their ship.

#grapple

G-R-A-P-P-L-E

To fight; to manage to get something done.

1. Soon upon the billionaire’s death, his sons and daughters have been grappling for his legacy.
2. Inflation caused by this Ukraine-Russia war is a critical issue all governments are grappling with.

#reparations

R-E-P-A-R-A-T-I-O-N-S

Payment for harm or damage, usually paid by a defeated nation to the winning party.

1. The insurance company did its best to wring reparations out of the perpetrators.
2. The defeated country is now deeply in debt, liable for reparations to 3 winning countries.

#ignorance 

I-G-N-O-R-A-N-C-E

A lack of knowledge about something. Stupidity.

1. Public ignorance about the second potential outburst of the pandemic has concerned the Disease Control Bureau.
2. Some activists are manipulated into heated protests out of ignorance or misunderstanding of their own causes.

Episode 5 09/07/2022

The case for job hopping / BBC Worklife/ By Alex Christian

https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20220720-the-case-for-job-hopping?utm_medium=email&utm_source=pocket_hits&utm_campaign=POCKET_HITS-EN-DAILY-RECS-2022_07_30&sponsored=0&position=4&scheduled_corpus_item_id=8ae40549-f282-4591-bd8c-ba706792e460

#successive

S-U-C-C-E-S-S-I-V-E

following immediately one after the other

1. There has been low rainfall for two successive years. 
2. Anna’s successive job moves have meant her salary has grown by 30% in a short space of time.

#opt

O-P-T

to choose to take or not to take a particular course of action 

1. After graduating she opted for a career in music. 
2. Rather than strategically planning her moves, Anna says she’s opted to change jobs whenever a better opportunity has arisen.

#accelerate

A-C-C-E-L-E-R-A-T-E

to happen faster or earlier; to make something happen faster or earlier 

1. Exposure to the sun can accelerate the ageing process. 
2. Many of those who job hop are gaining sizable pay rises and greatly accelerating their career progression.

#tacit

T-A-C-I-T

that is suggested indirectly or understood, rather than said in words 

1. By tacit agreement, the subject was never mentioned again. 
2. For past generations, the tacit contract of work implied that companies would reward loyalty with progression and pay.

#eliminate

E-L-I-M-I-N-A-T-E

to remove or get rid of something 

1. This diet claims to eliminate toxins from the body.
2. More workers began to feel disposable and that their job could be eliminated at any time.

Episode 4 8/31/2022

Hydrogen

https://www.ducksters.com/science/chemistry/hydrogen.php

#characteristic

C-H-A-R-A-C-T-E-R-I-S-T-I-C

a feature or quality that typically belongs to a person, place, or thing and serves to identify

1. Being shiny, flexible and electrically conductive are well known characteristics of metal.
2. Crowded buildings and maze-like streets are characteristic of this district.

#flammable

F-L-A-M-M-A-B-L-E

easy to burn and catch fire.

1. When airborne, colored corn starch and sawdust are both very flammable.
2. Gasoline is extremely flammable, make sure to get rid of static electricity before you refuel the car.

#invisible

I-N-V-I-S-I-B-L-E

cannot be seen, not visible to the eye.

1. Infrared light is invisible to human eyes, but snakes can see it and use it to hunt in the dark.
2. The moon becomes invisible when it is shadowed by Earth.

#byproduct

B-Y-P-R-O-D-U-C-T

an incidental or secondary product made in the manufacture or synthesis of something else.

1. When charcoal burns, a toxic byproduct called carbon monoxide is produced along with carbon dioxide and water.
2. Illness is one of the byproducts of overcrowded housing.

#refine

R-E-F-I-N-E

remove impurities or unwanted elements from a substance, typically as part of an industrial process.

1. During the process of refining crude oil, you can extract asphalt, diesel, gasoline, and a lot more useful substances.
2. Please refine your thought process, and write them down in concise words.

Episode 3  08/31/2022

‘Stray’ cat video game brings some benefits to real cats

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2022/08/05/2003782997

#streaming

S-T-R-E-A-M-I-N-G

Transmitting or receiving data (especially video and audio material) over the Internet

1. Thanks to online fundraising platforms, gamers are playing Stray while streaming live for audiences to raise money for animal shelters and other cat-related charities.

1. The owner’s tears were streaming down her cheeks as she found her long missing kitten.

#resonance

R-E-S-O-N-A-N-C-E

A vibration of amplitude in a mechanical or electrical system; a quality of evoking response.

1. The new game’s live-streaming stirred up predominantly positive resonance in a couple hours.
2. War veterans’ strong resonance to the peace monument was an indictment to wars’ cruelty.

#adventurous

A-D-V-E-N-T-U-R-O-U-S

Willing to take risks or to try out new methods, ideas, or experiences.

1. The cuddly kitten has grown into an elegant but adventurous feline.
2. An influx of adventurous travelers flocked to this newly found land of mystery

#companion

C-O-M-P-A-N-I-O-N

A person or animal with whom one spends a lot of time or with whom one travels.

1. Keeping a pet, a companion is a responsibility.
2. This elderly couple has had a stray cat in the neighborhood as their companion for years.

#gut-wrenching 

G-U-T-W-R-E-N-C-H

Extremely unpleasant or upsetting; emotionally painful.

1. Moments later, a rusty pipe broke, sending the tabby down a gut-wrenching plunge into the darkness.
2. A brutal, gut-wrenching sight has deeply inscribed in the memories of war victims.

Episode 2 08/30/2002

No Michelin stars for the Taiwanese food ‘capital’

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/08/31/2003784475

#unveil  

U-N-V-E-I-L

To remove a veil or covering from, in particular uncover a new monument or work of art publicly.

1. Uncle Logier never unveiled his latest celeb-chef roasting sketch until the very releasing day of the video clip.

1. Michelin yesterday morning unveiled its list for this year of 38 starred restaurants in Taiwan.

#scrutinize

S-C-R-U-T-I-N-I-Z-E

to examine something very carefully in order to discover information

1. To uphold the contest’s rigid standard, the gourmet critic scrutinized all finalists’ artful dishes.

1. A gourmet judge must have taste buds that can scrutinize savory.

#clash

C-L-A-S-H

To fight or argue; to compete heatedly; disagreement; conflict.

1. The tastes of Michelin food inspectors are known to have clashed with those of locals.

1. To run a kitchen, a master chef sometimes has to deal with personality clashes on his team.

#retain

R-E-T-A-I-N

to keep or continue to have something; to hold, to contain.

1. It’s not a surprise that this restaurant failed to retain its own Michelin one-star rating this year.
2. The chef managed to retain his composure as reading some mean critique against his proud menu.

#sustainable

S-U-S-T-A-I-N-A-B-L-E

Able you continue for a long period of time; completely or almost damage-free to the environment.

1. Organic meal-based menus are getting popular among restaurants featuring a sustainable way of business.

1. Three old prestigious restaurants are rewarded with Michelin green stars for their sustainable management.

Episode 1 08/25/2022

“Intelligent Asia opens with focus on automation”

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2022/08/25/2003784096

# automation 

A-U-T-O-M-A-T-I-O-N

The use of machines and computers that can operate without needing human control

1. Prevalence of automation might result in robots taking over a lot of jobs.
2. Automation has reduced the workforce here by half.

#procurement 

P-R-O-C-U-R-E-M-E-N-T

The process of getting supplies; purchasing

1. The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war has cut down Europe’s procurement of natural gas by 40 percent.
2. All buyers report to the Department of Procurement in our company.

#exhibitor

E-X-H-I-B-I-T-O-R

Owners of some products or artworks shown in  an exhibition.

1. Creative Expo Taiwan this year features heavy-weight exhibitors.
2. Our company is among the first-time exhibitors   in this trade show.

#prioritize 

P-R-I-O-R-I-T-I-Z-E

To decide which of a group of things are the most important and have to be dealt with first.

1. It is not easy to prioritize work, life, and family.
2. All masters of time management are good at prioritizing.

#incentive 

I-N-C-E-N-T-I-V-E

Something that encourages a person to take actions; motives

1. The government gave out vouchers to all citizens as incentives for consumption.
2. Year-end bonuses are common incentives for employees in most companies.