2VIP Class Notes (Li)

The Big History + Speaking

Vocabulary

domesticate: to breed or train (animals) to become reliant on humans

domesticate (2): to grow plants for human use

eg. Humans have domesticated dogs/cattle/chickens.

eg. Humans have domesticated corn.

taro: 芋头

millet: a  type of grass that is grown for its seeds

renewable: can be used again

eg. Wind energy is a renewable resource.

surplus:  extras/more than the amount needed

eg. A surplus of food

eg. There is a surplus of workers and not enough needed

window paper-cuts:

Chinese knots:

Spring Festival Couplets: 春联

euphemism: a mild or pleasant word or phrase that is used instead of one that is unpleasant or offensive

eg. “eliminate” as a euphemism for “kill”

Farming started all over the world. The oldest farmers started planting crops at 9000 B.C. They planted cowpeas, taro and sorghum and rice. The domestic animals become less intelligent and harmless and smaller.

Revised: 

Farming started all over the world/around the world/globally. The oldest farmers started planting crops at approximately 9000 B.C. They planted cowpeas, taro and sorghum and rice. Domestic animals became less intelligent, less aggressive and smaller.

I usually spend all my Spring Festival with my homework. My family has dinner together and we watch fireworks and come back. I’ve hold a firecracker in my hand and I thew it at my brother and it goes “bang!” on my brother’s shoulder. My father gave one to my brother and he told him to throw it at me but he threw it at my father. I have some relatives in SH and we will have a good meal. My grandfather will give us his phone to play. I have a cousin, she lives really, really near our home. We can meet once a week or more. She’s more and she sometimes goes to our house and play. I usually get those real money for New Year’s but most of it will be in bank etc.

Revised: 

I usually spend all my/my entire Spring Festival doing/finishing my homework. My family has dinner together and we travel away from the city to watch the fireworks. I’ve held a firecracker in my hand and I thew it at my brother and it went “bang!”/exploded on my brother’s shoulder. My father gave one to my brother and he told him to throw it at me but he threw it at my father. I have some relatives in SH and we would get together for a good meal. My grandfather would give/lend us his phone to play. I have a cousin and she lives extremely near/within close proximity to our home. We usually meet once a week or more than that. She’s small/young and she sometimes goes to our house to play. I usually receive real money/cash for New Year’s but most of it will be put in/deposited in the bank etc.

Pronunciation

evolution – ɛvəˈluːʃən