Wanted:Workers With Foreign Language Skills

Foreign language skills give you an edge in today’s job market. Proficiency in English and Chinese is an especially desirable combination. English and Chinese are the two most-spoken languages in the world.
Many Western companies continue to expand rapidly into Chinese-speaking regions of Asia. At the same time, Chinese-speaking companies are increasing their presence in the West. As a result, both Western and Asia companies need Chinese-speaking workers who have strong English skills. Some local employers, such as Taiwan-based computer company Acer, have even made English their official company language.
Proficiency in both languages can help workers gain access to the best jobs. Many Chinese-speaking companies require that all managers possess excellent English skills.
But a big income and a high-level position aren’t the only perks. A career that requires two language can create other rewarding opportunities. Workers might be given more opportunities to travel or meet people from other countries.
Workers with skills in both languages also benefit the employer. They can help companies avoid the misunderstandings that often occur when people from different cultures do business. Let’s look at two interesting careers in which English and Chinese speakers are in demand.
Web site translators
After English, Chinese is the second most-used language on the Internet. From October 2004 to July 2005, the number of Chinese-speaking Web surfers increased by 18 million.
English-speaking employers want their Web sites translated into Chinese. But Chinese skills alone are not enough. Employers need Chinese-speaking workers who also have the language skills to understand English Web content. Such people will be sought after by Western companies to fill these translation jobs.
Business and marketing researchers
Many Western companies need employees who can market their products to Chinese-speaking customers. Similarly, Chinese-speaking employers need workers who can make their products desirable to Western buyers. Strong language skills are a must in this type of job. A good business sense and marketing know-how are also essential.
The need for proficiency in more than one language is unlikely to change. Knowing both English and Chinese can open up a world of opportunities. Consider how you can use your language skills in your career.


1.Summarize what the article is talking about:
English and Chinese are now in demand. People who are with English and Chinese skills are in demand for jobs in business and marketing research and Web site translating.


2.Write down any vocabulary words or phrases that you think:

i. Are difficult or you new to you: 1)Proficiency. 2)Perk. 3)In demand. 4)Be sought after.

ii. Are probably useful for you to learn/know: Employers need Chinese-speaking workers who also have the language skills to understand English Web content.


3.Say why you chose this article and how it relates to your life, your experience, you desires, etc:
Learning more than one language can lead to better jobs and opportunities to travel and meet people from other countries. I think that having more than one language is not only for seeking work bot also for myself. Like me, I like English, and I learn it. In the future, I want to study abroad; the environment of foreign countries appeals to me, and I want to improve my English.

The obese may fare better after stroke: study

In the study, researchers analyzed data from 21,884 stroke patients in Denmark who had their body mass index (BMI) determined. BMI is an accepted means of determining how fat or thin a person is.(In second paragraph) According to the researchers, the link between obesity and poor disease outcomes, in general, is usually fueled by the presence of other conditions. Obese individuals who are otherwise healthy may fare just as well as, or perhaps in the case of stroke, better than their lean counterparts, they conclude.(In sixth paragraph)→http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080317/hl_nm/obese_stroke_dc;_ylt=AtNVTAIjoPM.7QKZvbA_MzvVJRIF





1.Summarize what the article is talking about:
The article explains the meaning of BMI.


2.Write down any vocabulary words or phrases that you think:


i. Are difficult or you new to you:1)Denmark. 2)Body mass index (BMI). 3)Outcome. 4)Fuel. 5)Fare. 6)Counterpart.


ii. Are probably useful for you to learn/know: BMI is an accepted means of determining how fat or thin a person is.


3.Say why you chose this article and how it relates to your life, your experience, you desires, etc:
The topic of health is more and more important. BMI shows that you're underweight or overweight; overweight is essentially not good, but underweight isn't healthy, either. Many people now love to lose weight, then they think it can make them look more beautiful or more handsome. Although it is true, keep in the idea weight is good to yourself.

A mental test

Title: what Creation Records band are you? (complete with text and images)

1.Which word is most appealing to you?
○Shine
○Darkness
○Dreams
○Star
●Waves
○Tears

2.What's your favorite of these colours?
○Red
○Gold, Silver and metallic colours
○White, Yellow and lighter colours
○Brown, Green and earthy colours
●Black, Purple and darker colours
○Blue

3.Who do you relate to the most?
○Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones)
●John Lennon (Beatles)
○Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd)
○Lou Reed (Velvet Underground)
○Morrisey (The Smiths)
○Roger McGuinn (The Byrds)

4.Which of these lyrics do you like the most?
○"On the darkside, let the light shine"
○"Everybody is a star no matter who or what they are."
●"It's easy to pretend, It's easy to believe."
○"Need some space to be alone, Need a place to call my own."
○"Nobody ever seems to remember life is a game we play."
○"Im payin' the price of of a drunken night... Im wastin in the twilight zone."

5.Which word is most appealing to you?
○Reclusive
○Moody
●Confident
○Modest
○Mysterious
○Flashy

submit↓





You Are... Oasis.

What you lack in originality you make up for in sheer determination. You have found a nice balance between party time and work time. You have the ability to convince the world of anything you want them to believe and you shamelessly do so. You are a purist who has the tendency to live in the past, which is your biggest downfall. If you could only learn to get with the times there's no telling how big you could be. You are destined to go down in history.

the test→http://tinyurl.com/4kcmv



1.Summarize what the article is talking about:
This title of mental test is "What Creation Records band are you?" There are five questions which can be chosen by yourself, and there will be a result after pushing down "SUBMIT".


2.Write down any vocabulary words or phrases that you think:
i. Are difficult or you new to you: 1)Reclusive. 2)Originality. 3)Sheer. 4)Purist. 5)Downfall.
ii. Are probably useful for you to learn/know:1)What you lack in originality you make up for in sheer determination. 2)You are destined to go down in history.


3.Say why you chose this article and how it relates to your life, your experience, you desires, etc:
I think this test is interesting. First the test asks five matterless questions and each question has the other different items. You have no idea about the result in this test. And I found that the result of mine is funny and, well, true.
First, I indeed lack in originality, and of course I make up for it in sheer determination.
Second, I really can find a nice balance between party time and work time. So I played madly in first semester, but still got an "all-pass".
Third, just like the test told me, "You are a purist who has the tendency to live in the past, which is your biggest downfall." Well, I think it's truest about me.
Sometimes I through a test to ponder what on earth the person I am. I think it can help me learn more about myself.