[時事英文] Alzheimer’s Prediction May Be Found in Writing Tests

沒想到英文寫作可以用來預測阿爾茨海默症。

受試者當中應該沒有第二語言學習者吧。

音檔: https://bit.ly/3lcBTxr

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Alzheimer’s Prediction May Be Found in Writing Tests
阿爾茨海默症可以預測嗎？寫作測試也許提供了答案

Is it possible to predict who will develop Alzheimer’s disease simply by looking at writing patterns years before there are symptoms? According to a new study by IBM researchers, the answer is yes. And, they and others say that Alzheimer’s is just the beginning. People with a wide variety of neurological illnesses have distinctive language patterns that, investigators suspect, may serve as early warning signs of their diseases.

• Alzheimer’s disease 阿爾茨海默症
• symptoms 癥狀、症狀
• according to a new study 根據一個新研究
• a wide variety of 多種～的
• neurological illnesses 神經系統疾病
• distinctive language patterns 獨特的語言模式
• an early warning sign of ～的早期預警訊號

有沒有可能在出現癥狀之前的幾年裡，僅僅通過觀察書寫模式來預測誰會患上阿爾茨海默症？ 根據IBM研究人員的一項新研究，答案是肯定的。而且，他們和其他一些研究人員表示，阿爾茨海默症的預測只是開始。研究人員懷疑，患有多種神經系統疾病的人都有著獨特的語言模式，可能是他們疾病的早期預警信號。

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The researchers examined the subjects’ word usage with an artificial intelligence program that looked for subtle differences in language. It identified one group of subjects who were more repetitive in their word usage at that earlier time when all of them were cognitively normal. These subjects also made errors, such as spelling words wrongly or inappropriately capitalizing them, and they used telegraphic language, meaning language that has a simple grammatical structure and is missing subjects and words like “the,” “is” and “are.”

• word usage 詞彙使用情況
• subtle differences 細微差別
• artificial intelligence 人工智慧
• repetitive 重複的
• telegraphic language* 電報式語言
• simple grammatical structure 簡單的語法結構

研究人員利用一個人工智慧程序，檢查受試者的詞彙使用情況，尋找語言上的細微差別。他們鑒定出一組受試者，在早期所有人的認知能力都正常的情況下，他們的用詞重複情況更為嚴重。這些測試對象還會犯一些錯誤，比如拼寫錯誤或者大寫使用不當，而且會使用電報式語言——語法結構簡單，漏掉主語以及「the」、「is」和「are」這樣的詞。

*telegraphic language is speech during the two-word stage of language acquisition in children, which is laconic and efficient but lack of function words, tense and plural endings on nouns.

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The members of that group turned out to be the people who developed Alzheimer’s disease. The A.I. program predicted, with 75 percent accuracy, who would get Alzheimer’s disease, according to results published recently in The Lancet journal EClinicalMedicine. “We had no prior assumption that word usage would show anything,” said Ajay Royyuru, vice president of health care and life sciences research at IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, N.Y., where the A.I. analysis was done.

• develop a disease 患上疾病
• with % accuracy 準確率達～％
• no prior assumption 沒有先想到、先假設到
• usage （詞語或語言的）用法
• A.I. analysis 人工智慧分析

這群人後來都患上了阿爾茨海默症。根據《柳葉刀》(The Lancet)子刊《臨床醫學》(EClinicalMedicine)最近發表的研究結果，該人工智慧能夠預測誰將患上阿爾茨海默症，準確率達75%。「我們之前沒有想到用詞情況還有這個用途，」紐約州約克敦高地的IBM托馬斯·沃森研究中心(IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center)醫療保健和生命科學研究副總裁阿賈伊·羅伊尤魯(Ajay Royyuru)說。人工智慧分析就是在該中心進行的。

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文章來自《紐約時報》: https://nyti.ms/3pXsI5l

圖片來源: http://bit.ly/3qsX3sb

Taiwan Can Achieve More,
But It Takes Bilingualism
台灣可成就更高 但需要「雙語國力」

《作者從事與雙語教育相關的工作已斷斷續續30餘年。雙語已成國策，那就身體力行，開始用雙語發表意見吧。歡迎讀者對此形式提供您的意見及指教》

Among all sustaining forces, what Taiwan lacks most is the force of language. When people talk about a country’s competitiveness, most likely the main benchmarks are the military force, wealth force, technology force or even cultural force. The concept of“Force of Language”rarely came into mind. But in fact, linguistic capability is one of the key factors that can make or break a country in the long run , if not in the short.

在所有的可持續力量中，台灣最缺的就是語言的力量。當人們談論國家的競爭力時，通常主要的標竿都是軍事力量、財富力量、技術力量，甚至文化力量，而想都想不到「語言力量」這回事。但事實上，語言表達的能力，遲早也將是國家成敗的關鍵要素之一。

Examples are plenty. Take the tiny country of Singapore as a sample. Its existence and survival rests upon its capacity in applying and managing multi-lingual resources. Without that force of language, it can’t possibly thrive in a geographical setting as complex as this – with Malaysia on the north, Indonesia on the South-West, India to the West, and, particularly, the landmass of China up north. Geography is both a blessing and a curse to the country of Singapore, but its multi-linguistic capacity is a pure blessing. Without it, Singapore would still have been a trading center in that region and there is no way for it to have become one of the worldwide financial centers as today.

例子不勝枚舉，小小的新加坡就是一個樣本。它的生存，基於它運用、管理多重語言資源的氣度和能力。若缺少了這種「語言國力」，新加坡不可能在如此複雜的地理環境下茁壯 – 北有馬來西亞，西南有印度尼西亞，西有印度，尤其遠遠的北方還有中國這樣一塊大陸。地緣對新加坡這個國家既是祝福也是詛咒，但其多語能量則是百分之百的祝福。若非掌握語言國力，新加坡或許還能成為區域的貿易中心，但沒有可能變成今日的世界金融中心之一。

Hong Kong, in the past tense, also benefited tremendously from its bilingualism. By comparison, the mighty city of Shanghai in China will never replace the economic role Hong Kong used to play for China. I remember a sharp comment made by the past Premier of Singapore, Mr. Lee Kuan Yew. Many years ago when visiting Taiwan, he was asked this question by a reporter : “Can you foresee Shanghai replacing Hong Kong one day“? “Never!”was Lee’s reply. “Why?” Here comes the issue of the force of language, “Because I simply can’t see that the Shanghainese can speak better English than the Hong Kong people”. End of discussion.

香港在過去，也大大得利於它的雙語能力。相較之下，中國上海這個巨型城市，永遠也無法取代過去香港對中國的經濟角色。我猶記得新加坡前總理李光耀的一針見血評論。多年前在造訪台灣時，記者問他：「你能預見上海有一天取代香港嗎」？「絕不可能！」李光耀回答。「為什麼呢」？這裡就看出語言的力量了，「因為我根本看不到上海人的英文能力有超過香港人的一天」。討論就此結束。

Taiwan is good at technology as well as in many other aspects. It produces over 50% of the high-end semiconductor chips for the world’s high-end industrial and military uses, and it also designs at least 25% of the chips for world’s daily electronic devices. Which means, should Taiwan’s economic activities be disrupted by a hostile party , or even worse, should the island country fall under a hostile party’s control, as a consequence, the entire world would be affected severely, even to the point of functionally inoperative.

台灣在科技上很行，其他方面也不錯。在世界的高端工業及軍事應用中，台灣生產的高端半導體晶片佔比超過50%。在日常生活的電子設備上，台灣設計的晶片也至少佔比25%。這意味著，若台灣的經濟活動被某個敵意方擾亂，或在更糟情況下台灣這個島嶼國家落入敵意方的控制，後果將嚴重波及整個世界，甚至導致世界在功能上無法運作。

On top of that, Taiwan is ingenious in meeting unconventional demands for outlandish components. The most apparent case would be that of the birth of Tesla. When Elon Musk couldn’t get designers and factories from other parts of the world to risk making his non-heard-of components, he came to Taiwan and found willing and capable suppliers. Without the ingenuity of Taiwan’s able engineers, Tesla’s EV could have been delayed for many more years and might even have missed its first-to-market timing.

此外，台灣在非傳統、奇思妙想的零組件領域也很高明。最顯著的例子就是特斯拉的誕生。當伊隆馬斯克在世界其他地方碰壁、沒有工廠和設計師願意為他冒險製造那些聽都沒聽過的零組件的時候，他來到台灣找到了出路和供應商。沒有台灣的這份高明和工程師，特斯拉的電動車可能延誤多年，甚至失去市場首發的時機。

In the political arena, Taiwan has been firmly placed in the first tier among countries of democracy. To be fair, Taiwanese citizens still stand eager for eliminating the residual, inherited authoritarian elements in its political system; however, from a global standpoint, the mere presence of this remaining endeavor, by itself, proves that Taiwan has already passed the point of no return of an evolving democratic country.

在政治競技場，台灣已經被牢牢放在了民主國家的前列。但還是得公平地說，台灣公民還在熱切得期待把自己政治體制中那些殘留的、繼承來的威權成份加以剷除。然而從全球眼光來看，這種熱切現象的本身，就足以證明台灣作為一個民主還在演化的國家，在道路上已經沒有回頭餘地了。

In any aspect, Taiwan should have received a much higher level of acknowledgement from the international community than what it gets now. It makes people wonder why it didn’t.

無論哪個角度，台灣都應該得到比現在更高的國際認可和關注。這讓人感到奇怪，為什麼不是這樣呢？

Sure, one can blame the “Cut-Taiwan-off-the-World” program that the neighboring CCP (Chinese Communist Party) exercised. But blaming is not productive, not in everyday life nor in politics. We need self-assertive solutions much more than airing complaints.

當然，我們可以歸咎於中共的「切斷台灣的世界聯繫」招數。但是，歸咎往往是不起積極作用的，在生活中如此，在政治上也一樣。自我斷然提出解決方案，遠比時時抱怨要重要的多。

Citizens in Taiwan need to be able to speak out for Taiwan, not waiting for others to speak for it. To speak out to the world, you need languages! Presently, over 90% of the citizens on this island write and speak in just one language : the written Mandarin Character and the spoken Mandarin plus dialects.

台灣公民有必要自己為台灣發聲，而不是只等待第三方替台灣發聲。既然要自己對世界發聲，那就需要語言（國力）！當前，90%的台灣公民只會用單一的語種書寫和表達：書面的華文系方塊字，和華語加上數種方言。

This causes consequences in two-folds. On the political side, when Taiwan citizens shout in Mandarin, only people who understand Mandarin in other parts of the world can know what Taiwan is shouting for. Sadly, 96% of those who understand are under the firewall enclosure in China. Furthermore, Taiwanese messages are being censored, twisted and manipulated by the CCP in order to prevent its subjects from hearing it.

這造成了雙重後果。在政治面，當台灣公民用華語呼喊時，世界上只有聽得懂華語的人知道台灣在呼喊什麼。遺憾的是，96%聽得懂華語的人被鎖在中國的防火牆內。更糟的是，中共為了防止其控制的人民聽懂，持續不斷得堵絕、扭曲、操弄來自台灣的訊息。

On the economy side, although the top-layer of the academics, businessmen and technical elites are all quite proficient with a second language, mostly English or Japanese, the majority of the able engineers and middle managers in Taiwan cannot communicate efficiently enough to bring out their personal or organizational potentials.

在經濟面，雖然頂端的學術工作者、企業家、技術精英都有不錯的外語能力，例如英文或日文，但是大多數的能幹工程師和中層管理者，還無法有效的通過外語溝通以展示他們自身或組織的真實潛力。

It’s such an obvious yet ignored national issue : Taiwan needs bilingualism for its political sustainability and economic prosperity. A thriving bilingualism in Taiwan can be achieved by flipping its mentality towards education, or by changing its attitudes towards “outsiders” and installing a more open-minded immigration policy.

如此明顯的國家級議題卻遭到忽視：台灣的政治可持續及經濟的繁榮，非需要「雙語國力」不可。若想如火如荼的推動雙語國力，有兩條路可走，一是翻轉其對教育之心態，或改變對「外來者」的態度、建立一套更開放的移民政策。

Either way, Taiwan must implement a bold and innovative approach to this “force of language” challenge. And that approach can start today. Are you ready? Yes, I meant YOU！

不論採哪一種方式，台灣對這「語言國力」的挑戰，必須實施一種既大膽又創新的路數。今天就可以開始，你準備好了嗎？沒錯，說的就是你！

* 更多有關台灣之未來，請往 《范疇 前哨預策網》InsightFan.com
* 註冊為免費會員，瀏覽部份熱點議題電子書、觀點及預先的對策
* 註冊為追蹤會員，支持一個永遠獨立、終身不受任何政治體制管
束、推動台灣世界地位、思考人類文明未來的園地

【 簡單 4 步驟，累積英文寫作資本！ 】
大家晚安，這兩天天氣回暖，沒有藉口不想學習囉
今天要來分享一個來自 Sonny老師的翻譯&教學札記
簡單卻超有用的 #英文寫作資本學習法🔥

Step 1：上網找一篇英文新聞
（推薦 CNN、WSJ、The Economist）
最好和你的專業領域／最近想了解的主題相關

Step 2：讀每一個句子時，想像一下
如果自己要用英文，
描述同樣的事實或現象，會怎麼寫？

Step 3：把你的句子寫下來
和英文原文兩相比較

Step 4：找出英文原文中
更簡潔、生動、自己不會想到的用法
做筆記整理起來

-

我們拿 1 月 4 日的 CNN Newsletter 為例：

1.

英文原文：It’s going to be a critical week in politics.
你的句子：It will be an important week in politics.

你可以學：
用 be going to 表示「對未來的預測」
用 critical 表示「關鍵；危急」

2.

英文原文：India has approved two coronavirus vaccines and is now setting off on one of the most ambitious immunization programs ever.
你的句子：India has approved two coronavirus vaccines and is now starting one of the largest immunization programs.

你可以學：
用 set off 表示「著手進行」
用 ambitious 表示「目標遠大」
用 ever 強調「有史以來」

3.

英文原文：The US and Iran are ratcheting up tensions in the Persian Gulf around the anniversary of the death of Iranian Gen.
你的句子：The US and Iran are in tense relations in the Persian Gulf about a year after the death of Iranian General.

你可以學：
ratchet up 逐漸提升
anniversary 週年
Gen 將軍（美式用法）

-

這樣的練習方式
不但能檢視自己英文寫作上的弱點
更能有效吸收生動俐落的用法
只要累積一定的練習量
就能感受到明顯的進步！

想學更多英語寫作學習法？
Sonny 老師今年 3 月要開新課囉！
教大家《職場考場都必用的全方位寫作術》
讓你英文寫作不再苦手
來填老師的早鳥 8 折問卷：https://bit.ly/3i4j0td

歡迎標註你的英文學習好捧友，一起累積寫作能量💪

#每週Sonny老師好文 #留言練習起來

Grandma Tuesday以後逢星期二都會同大家講下英文文法，各位孫仔孫女記得留意喇～
你地有無其他表達過去的方法呢？喺樓下留言話俾Grandma Tuesday知到啦！

Please also follow our new IG: @pleasedontsayitwrong

這集不只教英文
還教了肢體語言🦑

我有進步
❌I have improvement.
⭕️ I’ve improved.
進步通常不用「擁有」have來表現
這也是許多人在學英文的一大挑戰
我們容易直接把中文的觀念帶入
英文的「有進步」多半是用tense時態去表達！也就是用have/has improved去呈現它的意義🐒🦍🚶🏻‍♂️

在這集我還講了
⚠️I’m improved.
⚠️I got improved.
他們文法都是正確的，但哪裡可以更好？
-
#英文 #倉庫的女人Claire #文法 #時態 #完成式 #過去分詞 #被動態

▍成人英語再起步 課程

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上課日期：
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課程內容：

【文法篇之一、初階文法】
重新掌握英文文法框架 The basic framework of English grammar
• 3個基本單位：words 字詞 , phrases 片語, clauses 子句
• 5個結構方塊：subject 主語, verb 動詞部分, object 受詞, adverbial 副詞部分, complement 補語
• 8大句型：SV, SVO, SVC, SVA, SVOO, SVOC, SVOA, SVCA
• 及物動詞 transitive verb 與 不及物動詞 intransitive verb

【文法篇之二、中階文法】
• 句子類別 Types of sentences
• 限定動詞和非限定動詞 Finite and non-finite verbs
• 時態組成 Tense formation
• Voice 語態
• 時態運用 Tense usage
• 三種非限定動詞：不定式 infinitive、動名詞 gerund 、動形容詞 verbal adjective

【文法篇之三、高階文法】
• 分詞片語 Participle phrases
• 倒裝句 Inversion
• 名詞子句 Noun clauses
• 形容詞子句 Adjectival clauses
• 情態助動詞 Modal verbs
• 語氣 Mood

▍初中、高小英文班

簡介 video ► https://youtu.be/Ug2zWrbWpeI

詳情 及 預約試堂表格 ► https://forms.gle/3mABQFBrFpqawRTQ8

▍高小數學班

簡介 video ► https://youtu.be/jHq1CwBjSXM

預約試堂表格 ► https://forms.gle/vsSjwFKH2iZLGEv48

==============

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