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March 06, 2009

Education reforms for a brighter future

Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

In his recent speech to the US Congress, US President Barack Obama stressed the importance of education and what his government planned to do about it.

Below is the part of the speech dealing with education as published in the education section of the Bangkok Post. Notice that you can listen to Mr Obama speak as well as read what he had to say. Could any of his ideas be applied to Thailand?

Obama speaks on education

WASHINGTON

EDITORIAL NOTE: In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, US President Barack Obama outlined on Feb 24 his plan for America for 2009. His theme was that, ‘‘[America] will rebuild, we will recover and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.’’ What follows is an excerpt from that speech as it relates to education, much of which may be relevant in Thailand.

The third challenge we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education. In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite.

Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. Yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialised nation. Half of the students who begin college never finish.

This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow.

That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education — from the day they are born to the day they begin a career.

Already, we have made an historic investment in education through the economic recovery plan. We have dramatically expanded early childhood education and will continue to improve its quality, because we know that the most formative learning comes in those first years of life. We have made college affordable for nearly seven million more students. And we have provided the resources necessary to prevent painful cuts and teacher layoffs that would set back our children’s progress.

But we know that our schools don’t just need more resources. They need more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for teacher performance, pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We’ll invest in innovative programmes that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps.

It is our responsibility as lawmakers and educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it.

Tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma.

And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country — and this country needs and values the talents of every American.

That is why we will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.

These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them.

In the end, there is no programme or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent/ teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games and read to their child.

I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our children’s education must begin at home.

joint session - การประชุมร่วมกันของสมาชิกจากสองสภา http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_session_of_Congress
recover - to return to a normal state after an unpleasant or unusual experience or a period of difficulty ฟื้น กลับฟื้นคืนสู๋สภาพเดิม
emerge - to survive a difficult situation or experience ผงาด
excerpt - a short piece of writing บทคัดย่อ
relevant - closely connected with สอดคล้องกับ
promise - a statement that tells somebody that you will definitely do or not do something คำสัญญา
pathway เส้นทาง ทางเดิน
prerequisite - precondition; something that must exist or happen before something else can happen or be done เป็นเงื่อนไขที่ต้องมีหรือทำเสร็จก่อน
dropout - a person who leaves school or college before they have finished their studies ผู้ที่ออกจากโรงเรียนกลางคัน
industrialized nation - a nation where industries are developed ประเทศอุตสาหกรรม
prescription - a solution for ทางแก้ปัญหา (prescription หมายถึง ใบสั่งยา)
decline - a continuous decrease in the quality of ความตกต่ำ
out-compete - to try hard to be much more successful
administration - the government รัฐบาลชุดนี้
ensure - to make sure that something happens or is definite ให้ความมั่นใจว่าสิ่งที่ตั้งเป้าหมายไว้จะเกิดขึ้นแน่นอน
dramatically - in great amount อย่างมากมายมหาศาล
comes in- to have a part in มีส่วนในการ
affordable - to have enough money to pay forทีสามามรถจ่ายได้
painful cuts - a reduction in amount, size, supply, etc. that no one wants to do การลดต้นทุนที่ไม่มีผู้ใดอยากให้เกิดขึ้น
layoffs - to stop employing somebody because there is not enough work for them to do การปลดคนงาน
progress - ความก้าวหน้า การพัฒนา
reform - to improve a system by making changes to it การปฏิรูป
incentive - introducing or using new ideas, ways of doing something เครื่องกระตุ้น เครื่องส่งเสริม
pathway for advancement หนทางสู่ความก้าวหน้า
innovative - เกี่ยวกับการปรับปรุงใหม่
close the gap - to reduce or get rid of the differences that exist between two things or groups of people ลดช่องว่าง
commit to - to promise sincerely that you will definitely do something, keep to an agreement or arrangement มีภาระหน้าที่
career training - การฝึกฝีมือ ฝึกอาชีพ
apprenticeship - a period of time working as a trainee for the particular skills needed in a job ช่วงของการฝึกงาน
dropping out - to stop going to school permanently without completing itการออกจากโรงเรียนกลางคัน
quitting on yourself - to give up on yourselfยอมแพ้ ไม่ให้โอกาสกับตนเอง
value the talents - to think that talents are important ให้คุณค่ากับความสามารถของ
open the doors of opportunity - make it possible for ให้โอกาสกับ
substitute for - a person or thing that you use or have instead of the one you normally use or have
ทำหน้าที่แทน

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

February 05, 2009

Why do the busiest students feel lonely?

Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

I have been working with young children and youngsters in their early teenage years for more than 10 years. What I have found that every year those new to my class become more rigid, quieter, and most importantly they tend to lack interpersonal skills. What is more frightening is that they are superkids, they have achieved well academically . What do they do on weekends? They told me with a bored look, that for as long as they can remembers they have had tight schedules. They are definitely exhausted, but they dare not take a break. I always wonder what will the future of these students be ... I mean socially.

Having read 'Combating loneliness' from the Education section, I just realized that what I have been worried about does really cause problems among children worldwide. If you are one of the students, be sure to read the story. And if you are a parent of any school-age child, you must read it and see if the story below applies to your family. The writer provides information not only found in our society but also in the US, too. I hope every one of us tries to find a better way in raising mentally healthy kids.

interpersonal skills - connected with relationships between people ทักษะในการติดต่อสื่อสารกับผู้อื่นในสังคม
achieve - to succeed in reaching a particular goal ประสบความสำเร็จ
raise a child (kid) - to care for a child until he/she is able to take care of himself/herself อบรม เลี้ยงดูเด็ก

Combating loneliness

No student is an island

Roy Krishnan, PHD

A 21st-century human being is supposed to be living in a small, flat world, where distance and time are no barriers to building relationships and engaging in meaningful conversations with people around the world. Nonetheless, a huge number of individuals still feel lonely and left out.

chidlren

Why is it that advancement in communication technology has not helped enhance human relationships? Why is it that instead of bringing people together, global development has taken them farther apart?

Loneliness plague

We fully understand that no man is an island and that humans are social beings. However, statistics indicate that loneliness is rampant in our society today among all levels of the social ladder, especially among students. Loneliness is a feeling that one gets in the absence of meaningful interactions. It is usually accompanied by boredom and aimlessness.

Soon, a lonely individual feels discouraged to carry out his everyday tasks and routines because they lose their meaning and importance. Eventually, the lonely individual blames himself for his weaknesses, finds that others respond to his loneliness with irritation and a lack of empathy, and falls farther into isolation.

Possible cause

Living in a fast-paced world where quality equals efficiency, humans have invented myriad ways to shorten operations and to maximise production. By doing so, we have deprived ourselves of many opportunities to socialise and acculturate with other humans. For example, in an agrarian society, harvesting was a great gettogether time when the whole village came out to help members of the farming families.

Once completed, there were celebrations, sharing, talking, singing, dancing, story-telling, etc. In short, there were lots of meaningful interactions among people. Loneliness would have been an alien term for people in such a society; the opposite is true of our society today.

engage - to become involved with and try to understand something / somebody มีส่วนร่วมใน
meaningful - serious and important ที่มีความหมาย ที่มีค่า
left out - to not include or mention somebody / something in something ถูกปล่อยทิ้งไว้
enhance - to increase or further improve ขยาย ส่งเสริม
plague - an outbreak; any infectious disease that kills a lot of people; epidemic โรคระบาด
indicate - to show the resultบ่งชี้ แสดงผล
rampant - to grow quickly in a way that cannot be controlled เพิ่มขึ้นรวดเร็วและรุนแรง
social ladder - บันไดสังคม
absence - the fact that somebody or something does not exist or not be available การขาดหาย
boredom - ความเบื่อหน่าย
aimlessness - ไร้จุดหมาย
irritation - the state of being annoyed, especially when you do something continuously ความหงุดหงิดรำคาญใจ
fall into - to be able to be divided into something แบ่งแยกออกเป็น
fast-paced - ที่เร่งรีบ
myriad - an extremely large number of something จำนวนมากมายเหลือคณานับ
deprived of - to prevent somebody from having or doing something, especially something important
บาด พร่องซึ่ง
acculturate - to learn to live successfully in a different culture; to help somebody to do this การปรับตัวเข้ากับวัฒนธรรมใหม่
agrarian - connected with farming and the use of land for farming เกี่ยวกับไร่นา การเกษตร
alien - strange; not acceptable แปลก ไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับ

Loneliness in schools

Schools are also characterised as fast-paced. A typical school day starts with a ring of a bell, followed by a tight schedule of teaching and learning of one subject after another, short breaks in between classes, during which children are closely monitored and supervised, and finally, the day ends with a ring of a bell again.

Both teachers and students do not have sufficient time to loosen up and relate to each other as regular humans. They are preoccupied with playing distinct, rigid roles and are constantly anxious about playing their roles well, so as to avoid punishment or other painful outcomes.

Unfortunately, schools have always placed greater value on productivity rather than human relationships. This has ushered chronic cases of loneliness into schools. It is not surprising that many students feel isolated and underperform because they don’t find life particularly meaningful to them. Worldwide, loneliness is also a major cause of suicides among students.

Student advisory

Many progressive schools, especially in the United States, combat loneliness by providing sustainable emotional support to students through student advisory programmes. These schools set aside some time each week for students to meet one-on-one and/or in small groups with advisers (volunteer teachers, who act as mentors) to focus on character and civic development, as well as discuss their personal and academic goals. Students are given sufficient opportunities to talk about their day-to-day issues, define their values, develop trusting relationships with adult advocates, sharpen communication skills, participate in service-learning projects, and explore what it takes to be the best and bring out the best in others.

Deliberately providing meaningful interactions among students or with teachers is the best cure for loneliness in school.

Dr. Edward Roy Krishnan is the assistant to the chairman of the Board at Wells International School of Psychology, Assumption University, and in the Faculty of Education, St Theresa INTI College. He can be contacted at edward@wells-school.com. To access additional articles by him, visit http://www.affectiveteaching.com.

tight - difficult to manage with because there is not enough time ที่แน่นขนัด
monitor - to watch and check something over a period of time in order to see how it develops, so that you can make any necessary changes เฝ้าระวัง
supervise - ดูแล ให้คำปรึกษา
sufficient - to be in charge of somebody/something and make sure that everything is done correctly, safely, etc เพียงพอ
preoccupied - thinking and/or worrying continuously about something so that you do not pay attention to other things ที่มีใจหมกมุ่น
rigid - very strict and difficult to change ไม่ยืดหยุ่น
outcome - the result or effect of an action or event ผลลัพธ์
ushered - to take or show somebody where they should go ได้รับการชี้นำ
underperform - not to be as successful as was expected มีผลการเรียนหรือพฤติกรรมที่แย่กว่าที่คิด
progressive - in favour of new ideas แนวก้าวหน้า
sustainable - involving the use of natural products and energy in a way that does not harm the environment ที่ยั่งยืน ถาวร
set aside - to save time for a particular purpose จัดเวลาเผื่อไว้
issue - an important topic that people are discussing or arguing about ประเด็น
define - to say or explain what the meaning of a word or phrase is ให้คำจำกัดความว่า
advocate - a person who supports or speaks in favour of something or of a public plan or action ผู้ให้การสนับสนุน

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 06:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 21, 2008

Health[y] Tips

lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

Last week I had a false alarm on my health. It started of as allergic-to-all-intake symptoms (the term I defined myself). Then the doctor suspected some malfunction of some internal systems of my body so I was sent for a blood test. Fortunately, it was nothing related to blood or major organ systems. It was just an allergy, a serious one. What happens is I am allergic to any food not freshly cooked. Any kinds of preserved food, chemically processed or with added seasonings cause rashes just after 30 minutes of eating them. That means there are a lot of foods I cannot take, such as diary products. I then need 'food supplements' to stay healthy and physically fit for any regular activity.

Thanks to 'My Life' magazine available every Thursday in the Bangkok Post, there is a variety of contents yo make your life more pleasant. This week My Life offers tips for making your life healthier in case you need some help like me. Let's read what it is there for you.

false alarm - a warning about a danger that does not happen; a belief that something bad is going to happen, when it is not สัญญาณหลอกๆ
symptoms - a change in your body or mind that shows that you are not healthy อาการ
malfunction - fail to work correctly การทำงานผิดปกติ
internal - connected with the inside of something ภายใน
allergy - a medical condition that causes you to react badly or feel ill / sick when you eat or touch a particular substance การแพ้สิ่งต่างๆ
preserved - to be kept in its original state in good condition การถนอม (อาหาร)
processed - to be treated in order to change it, preserve it, etc. การถนอมอาหาร
food supplement - vitamins and other foods eaten in addition to what you usually eat) อาหารเสริม

THE EXTRA HELP

The benefits of food supplements

BOONRAT ONGPHET

Are you facing health problems? Are you so busy that you have no time to eat? Are you always in a rush and have to eat fast food all the time? If your answers are yes, listen to what the experts have to say.

According to Dr Noppadon Pongpisuttinun, a family doctor, there are two kinds of extra food.

First, it is functional food. Functional food is the food we eat, those full of nutrients such as Mediterranean and Asian food. Second, it is food supplements. Food supplement is food that is registered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and sometimes may be able to prevent you from illnesses caused by the lack of nutrients.

In this case, it can't heal you but it does benefit you more or less. Dr Noppadon says that since lifestyles have changed so much, eating habits have changed too.

Many of us are face health problems such as constipation and obesity. The doctor suggests that those who are constipated and dislike eating vegetables, taking fiber pills may be a good supplement. Brown rice, apple, banana and papaya are also good natural choices. They will help your digestive system work more effectively.

Nutritionist Yuthasak Meesisataya says that there have been an increase in the number of intestine cancer cases in Asian countries. The key reason, he cites, is the change in eating habits and lifestyle. People no longer have time to be selective about their meals. So, they sometimes aren't able to choose nutritious food that is good for their health.

Some foods stored in a plastic bag or container are not healthy as they can cause cancer in a long run.

"So, the first thing is to change one's eating habits by consuming more vegetables and fibrous food. Exercising is also a key element in keeping healthy. Exercise everyday for 15 to 30 minutes or even three times a week always helps strengthen the mind and body."

functional food - food that has had substances that are good for your health specially added to it อาหารที่มีประโยชน์ต่อสุขภาพ
register - to record something's name on an official list ขึ้นทะเบียนยา
food and Drug Administration (FDA) - องค์การอาหารและยา
nutrient - สารอาหาร
constipation - the condition of being unable to get rid of waste material from the bowels easily อาการท้องผูก
obesity - โรคอ้วน
fiber - the part of food that helps to keep a person healthy by keeping the bowels working and moving other food quickly through the body , roughage: เส้นใย (ในอาหาร)
digestive system - the series of organs inside the body that digest food ระบบย่อยอาหาร
effectively - in a way that produces the intended result or a successful result อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ
intestine cancer - มะเร็งลำใส้
selective - tending to be careful about what or who you choose เลือกสรรด้วยความระมัดระวัง
store - to keep something in some kind of container กักเก็บ
consume - to eat or drink something บริโภค
key - very important ที่สำคัญ
element - facter องค์ประำกอบ

Recommended food supplements

FOR WOMEN

Women need more nutrition than men. So, sometimes food supplements are necessary. Evening primrose oil and omega 3 are recommended for women who suffer from menstrual cramps.

"However, these supplements normally won't be much help to those having chocolate cyst. One should not overdose on food supplements because you might lose your appetite," said Dr Noppadon.

Women also need vitamin B6, B12 and folic because they lose blood every month. For those with high concerns about aging, vitamin A, E, C and selenium are recommended. Still, you need to consult a doctor or chemist before taking any food supplement. Remember to take the recommended dose only.

Pregnant women or those with congenital diseases should not take food supplements unless recommended by their doctors.

FOR THE ELDERLY

For the elderly, who usually eat less and suffer from loss of appetite, need a lot of omega 3 and proteins. Powdered milk and more functional food is a must, suggests Yuthasak.

For those with brain and nerve problems, a diet rich in vitamin B, folic and calcium is recommended. Vegetables and fruits are a must. In addition, compounded vitamins, vitamin B1, B6 and B12 are also required for the elderly who suffer from diabetes and coronary heart disease.

FOR MEN

Men who are chain smokers and heavy drinkers, eating right is a necessity. Dr Noppadon recommends vitamin A, B1 and zinc.

"Vitamin B1 should be taken twice a day as it helps stimulate nerves," says Dr Noppadon.

OBESITY

For people suffering from obesity, Dr Noppadon suggest supplements such as lemon and basil, which also helps in weight loss. "But, of course they also need to eat right, reduce their meal quantity and exercise.

"Functional foods like wholemeal bread, instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice and fruits instead of desserts or snacks should be eaten," Dr Noppadon adds.

FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS

Children do not need food supplements as long as they eat a balanced diet, which is as chemical-free as possible. Natural foods are the best source of energy for them.

However, teenagers can consume food supplements.

"Particularly those that like to eat instant noodles often. They should take vitamin B or C," the doctor says.

Yuthasak also adds that every health problem has its causes. "If you can't find the causes, the problems will not be solved. Therefore, food supplements will not be of any help. If you eat right and exercise regularly then good health can be achieve, without the help of food supplements."

chocolate cyst - โรคเนื้องอกในมดลูกซึ่งหญิงไทยมีอัตราการเป็นโรคนี้สูงมาก
appetite- physical desire for food ความอยากอาหาร
aging - becoming old ชราภาพ
congenital disease - (of a disease or medical condition) existing since or before birth โรคที่เป็นแต่กำเนิด
compounded - substance formed by a chemical reaction of two or more elements in fixed amounts relative to each othe ที่รวมกัน
chain smoker - someone who smokes cigarettes continuously, lighting the next one from the one you have just smoked คนติดบุหรี่
basil - a plant with shiny green leaves that smell sweet and are used in cooking as a herb ใบโหระพา
instant noodle - บะหมี่กึ่งสำเร็จรูป

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 01:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

November 14, 2008

Paradise on Earth

Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

The Bangkok Post offers its readers a great variety of information. Take the Horizons section, for example. In his book ‘You Can Read the Bangkok Post’, Ajarn Terry describes it this way: “it is a travel section with features on interesting destinations [both home and abroad]. Here you will find a lot of practical ideas and information for trips that you might want to take or just dream about taking. The writing is much less urgent (than news writing). The writers have time and space to develop a topic in more depth."

The only discouraging factor about reading features in this section is their length. They can be quite long. Ajarn Terry suggests that (1) you not give up easily; (2) take advantage of all the help the writer gives you. (3) take a quick look through the story to see how it is organised; and (4) try to find the writer’s focus. There are usually are only one or two aspects of the topic covered in any depth.

The feature I have selected today is ‘Candidate of the week: Moo Ko Similan Marine National Park’. The Bangkok Post, in cooperation with Tourism Authority of Thailand, has organized a web-based contest for the best nine destinations in Thailand at http://www.9destinations.com/en/overview/overview.php.

Similan, is featured today as one of the rare accessible paradises on earth. It is a group of nine islands in the Andaman Sea. Unlike the famous Phi Phi and Surin Islands which offer more activities for those who are not experienced divers, Similan has survived the visits by flocks of ‘eco-tourism’ campaign and remains in pristine condition. So if you are a diver or just an amateur snorkeler, you might consider a visit to this paradise of the Andaman Sea. Even the Maldives cannot be compared to this site. I have tried them all and Similan is still the best ! Why not try it for yourself 

practical – connected with real situations rather than with ideas or theories ใช้งานได้จริง
deck – an important sentence คำโปรย
aspect – a particular part or feature of a situation, an idea, a problem, etc.; a way in which it may be considered ประเด็น แง่มุม
featured – to include a particular person or thing as a special feature ที่ให้ความสำคัญเป็นพิเศษ
accessible – that can be reached, entered, used, seen, etc. เข้าถึงได้

บทความนี้เป็นบทความแนะนำสถานที่ท่องเที่ยวโดยเฉพาะ ดังนั้น ประโยคต่างๆ ที่ใช้ในบทความจึงเต็มไปด้วยคำคุณศัพท์ (adjective) เพื่อสร้างภาพที่เย้ายวน เชิญชวนให้ผู้อ่านเกิดความรู้สึกสนใจและอยากไปสัมผัสด้วยตนเอง ดังนั้น วันนี้ดิฉันอยากให้คุณผู้อ่านทั้งหลายลองหา adjective ที่ใช้บรรยายคุณสมบัติของหมู่เกาะสิมิลัน และนำ adjective เหล่านั้นมาสร้างประโยคของคุณเอง ลองสมมติว่าคุณกำลังเขียนอีเมล์ชวนเพื่อนๆ ไปเที่ยวหมู่เกาะสิมิลันในช่วงเทศกาลปีใหม่นี้ แล้วส่งมาที่ boonbest@hotmail.com หากคุณต้องการให้ตรวจทานงานเขียนของคุณค่ะ Free of charge, of course!
ที่นี้เมื่อจะเริ่มหา adjective คุณต้องรู้จักตำแหน่งของ adjective เสียก่อน
adjective จะถูกนำมาวางไว้หน้านาม หรือหลัง linking verb (กริยาใช้บอกคุณสมบัติของประธาน)
หากว่า adjective เกิดจากการนำคำกริยามาเปลี่ยนรูป หรือ มาเป็นกลุ่มคำพร้อมกับคำบุพบท adjective ก็จะวางไว้หลังนามที่ถูกขยายความนั้นๆ

ตัวอย่าง

Generally considered to be one of the top 10 diving sites on Earth, the Similan archipelago have been described as "the world's most accessible piece of paradise".

Generally considered to be one of the top 10 diving sites on Earth, เป็น adjective phrase ขยาย Similan
of the top 10 diving sites ขยาย one
top 10 diving ขยาย sites
the world's most accessible piece of paradise เป็น adjective ขยาย the paradise

Candidate of the week: Moo Ko Similan Marine National Park

http://www.9destinations.com

similan1

Generally considered to be one of the top 10 diving sites on Earth, the Similan archipelago have been described as "the world's most accessible piece of paradise". Nor are its coral reefs and abundant marine life the only attractions; most visitors rave about the crystal-clear, turquoise-tinted waters of the Andaman Sea, the powdery white sand of the beaches and the plethora of winged and terrestrial creatures, many rare or endangered.

Beginning 70km from the nearest point on the mainland (in Phangnga province), Moo Ko Similan National Park covers an area of 140km2 and when it was declared the Kingdom's 43rd national park back in 1982 it encompassed nine islands, hence its name (similan means "nine" in Yawi, the dialect of Malay spoken in many parts of the far South; sembilan is "nine" in Malay proper).
Two additional islands - Ko Bon and Ko Tachai, geologically and physically quite separate from the rest - were put under the protection of rangers in 1989 and today the park boasts in excess of 100 dive sites - although only 13 are open to the general public.

Leviathans of the sea like the whale shark and manta ray can often be seen here. And those who haven't done a scuba-diving course can always go snorkelling: there are four major points for this off Ko Si (aka Ko Mieng) - which also has bungalows - and Ko Paed (aka Ko Similan), where there's a spot to pitch tents.

similan2

Vegetation on the archipelago ranges from sparse beach cover and shrub to proper evergreen forests with big, tall trees.
Of the approximately 140 types of wildlife found in the park, one of the highlights has to be poo kai (Gecarcoidea lalandii). A large species of land crab, the male is dark purple and the female sports red pincers. It has long legs, short pincers and is nocturnal. If you stay overnight at Ko Si you're almost sure to spot some of these magnificent creatures if you take the trail which cuts through the forest from the beach-front bungalow area on the west coast to Hat Lek on the east. The crabs emerge from their burrows after dark to look for food and if you tread carefully and keep quiet you might hear the peculiar sound that they make; some people have compared it to the call of a chick.

Wake early in the morning to feast your eyes on cha pi nai (the Nicobar pigeon aka Caloenas nicobarica) as they walk around searching for tasty tidbits on the ground. The bird can grow up to 40cm in length, has metallic-green plumage with green and copper hackles on its neck and a very short, white tail. Flying foxes are also plentiful on this island.

Underground sources of fresh water have been tapped on a few islands and closed waste-water systems are used to prevent pollution. To preserve the ecology of the park, rangers limit the number of daytime visitors to 600; a maximum of 120 people are permitted to stay on any one night. The park is open from November 15 to April 30.

If you haven't been already, maybe you should consider a trip. And if you have then you've almost certainly been impressed, so why not visit http://www.9destinations.com and give Moo Ko Similan Marine National Park a vote in our Thailand's Top Destinations campaign?

marine life - sea and the creatures and plants that live there ชีวิตสัตว์ในท้องทะเล
turquoise-tinted - to have a colour of turquoise สีฟ้าน้ำทะเล
plethora - an amount that is greater than is needed or can be used; excess ที่มีมากเกินไป
terrestrial - living on the land or on the ground, rather than in water, in trees or in the air บนบก หรือบนโลก
declared - to say sth officially or publicly ได้รับการประกาศ
encompassed - to include a large number or range of things ล้อมรอบ รวมเข้าไว้ด้วยกัน
rangers - a person whose job is to take care of a park, a forest or an area of countrysid เจ้าหน้าที่อุทธยาน
boasts - to have something that is impressive and that you can be proud of โอ้อวด
leviathans - a very large and powerful thing สัตว์ทะเลขนาดใหญ่เช่นปลาวาฬ,สิ่งใหญ่โตที่มีอำนาจมาก
pitch - to put up กางเต๊นท์
vegetation - plants in general, especially the plants that are found in a particular area or environment พันธุ์ไม้หรือพืชทั้งหลายในบริเวณหนึ่ง
evergreen forests - ป่าไม้ซึ่งมีต้นไม้ที่เขียวชอุ่มตลอดปี
pincer - a sea creature with a hard shell, eight legs and two pincers (= curved and pointed arms for catching and holding things ปูที่มีก้ามใหญ่
nocturnal - active at night ที่ออกหากินในเวลากลางคืน
tidbit - a small special piece of food; morsel อาหารอร่อย
hackles - the hairs on the back of the neck of a dog, cat, etc. that rise when the animal is afraid or angry ขนบริเวณแผงคอของสัตว์
flying fox - a large bat ค้างคาว

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

	Weeklies
Words in the News General News Easy English News Easy Business News Economics and Business Business Words in the News Teaching with the Bangkok Post Feature Focus From the Weeklies Mainly for Fun Hey kids! Weekend Practice Lessons on H.M.the King Focus on Thailand Buddhism Business and Economics Library 60 years ago General Links About Site General suggestions for teachers Building your vocabulary Suggestions for learners Suggestions for parents Who is Acharn Terry? Who is Acharn Jon?	March 06, 2009 Education reforms for a brighter future Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon In his recent speech to the US Congress, US President Barack Obama stressed the importance of education and what his government planned to do about it. Below is the part of the speech dealing with education as published in the education section of the Bangkok Post. Notice that you can listen to Mr Obama speak as well as read what he had to say. Could any of his ideas be applied to Thailand? Obama speaks on education WASHINGTON EDITORIAL NOTE: In his first speech to a joint session of Congress, US President Barack Obama outlined on Feb 24 his plan for America for 2009. His theme was that, ‘‘[America] will rebuild, we will recover and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.’’ What follows is an excerpt from that speech as it relates to education, much of which may be relevant in Thailand. The third challenge we must address is the urgent need to expand the promise of education. In a global economy where the most valuable skill you can sell is your knowledge, a good education is no longer just a pathway to opportunity — it is a prerequisite. Right now, three-quarters of the fastest-growing occupations require more than a high school diploma. Yet, just over half of our citizens have that level of education. We have one of the highest high school dropout rates of any industrialised nation. Half of the students who begin college never finish. This is a prescription for economic decline, because we know the countries that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow. That is why it will be the goal of this administration to ensure that every child has access to a complete and competitive education — from the day they are born to the day they begin a career. Already, we have made an historic investment in education through the economic recovery plan. We have dramatically expanded early childhood education and will continue to improve its quality, because we know that the most formative learning comes in those first years of life. We have made college affordable for nearly seven million more students. And we have provided the resources necessary to prevent painful cuts and teacher layoffs that would set back our children’s progress. But we know that our schools don’t just need more resources. They need more reform. That is why this budget creates new incentives for teacher performance, pathways for advancement, and rewards for success. We’ll invest in innovative programmes that are already helping schools meet high standards and close achievement gaps. It is our responsibility as lawmakers and educators to make this system work. But it is the responsibility of every citizen to participate in it. Tonight, I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. This can be community college or a four-year school; vocational training or an apprenticeship. But whatever the training may be, every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country — and this country needs and values the talents of every American. That is why we will provide the support necessary for you to complete college and meet a new goal: by 2020, America will once again have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world. These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no programme or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent/ teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games and read to their child. I speak to you not just as a President, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our children’s education must begin at home. joint session - การประชุมร่วมกันของสมาชิกจากสองสภา http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_session_of_Congress recover - to return to a normal state after an unpleasant or unusual experience or a period of difficulty ฟื้น กลับฟื้นคืนสู๋สภาพเดิม emerge - to survive a difficult situation or experience ผงาด excerpt - a short piece of writing บทคัดย่อ relevant - closely connected with สอดคล้องกับ promise - a statement that tells somebody that you will definitely do or not do something คำสัญญา pathway เส้นทาง ทางเดิน prerequisite - precondition; something that must exist or happen before something else can happen or be done เป็นเงื่อนไขที่ต้องมีหรือทำเสร็จก่อน dropout - a person who leaves school or college before they have finished their studies ผู้ที่ออกจากโรงเรียนกลางคัน industrialized nation - a nation where industries are developed ประเทศอุตสาหกรรม prescription - a solution for ทางแก้ปัญหา (prescription หมายถึง ใบสั่งยา) decline - a continuous decrease in the quality of ความตกต่ำ out-compete - to try hard to be much more successful administration - the government รัฐบาลชุดนี้ ensure - to make sure that something happens or is definite ให้ความมั่นใจว่าสิ่งที่ตั้งเป้าหมายไว้จะเกิดขึ้นแน่นอน dramatically - in great amount อย่างมากมายมหาศาล comes in- to have a part in มีส่วนในการ affordable - to have enough money to pay forทีสามามรถจ่ายได้ painful cuts - a reduction in amount, size, supply, etc. that no one wants to do การลดต้นทุนที่ไม่มีผู้ใดอยากให้เกิดขึ้น layoffs - to stop employing somebody because there is not enough work for them to do การปลดคนงาน progress - ความก้าวหน้า การพัฒนา reform - to improve a system by making changes to it การปฏิรูป incentive - introducing or using new ideas, ways of doing something เครื่องกระตุ้น เครื่องส่งเสริม pathway for advancement หนทางสู่ความก้าวหน้า innovative - เกี่ยวกับการปรับปรุงใหม่ close the gap - to reduce or get rid of the differences that exist between two things or groups of people ลดช่องว่าง commit to - to promise sincerely that you will definitely do something, keep to an agreement or arrangement มีภาระหน้าที่ career training - การฝึกฝีมือ ฝึกอาชีพ apprenticeship - a period of time working as a trainee for the particular skills needed in a job ช่วงของการฝึกงาน dropping out - to stop going to school permanently without completing itการออกจากโรงเรียนกลางคัน quitting on yourself - to give up on yourselfยอมแพ้ ไม่ให้โอกาสกับตนเอง value the talents - to think that talents are important ให้คุณค่ากับความสามารถของ open the doors of opportunity - make it possible for ให้โอกาสกับ substitute for - a person or thing that you use or have instead of the one you normally use or have ทำหน้าที่แทน Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 11:25 AM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) February 05, 2009 Why do the busiest students feel lonely? Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon I have been working with young children and youngsters in their early teenage years for more than 10 years. What I have found that every year those new to my class become more rigid, quieter, and most importantly they tend to lack interpersonal skills. What is more frightening is that they are superkids, they have achieved well academically . What do they do on weekends? They told me with a bored look, that for as long as they can remembers they have had tight schedules. They are definitely exhausted, but they dare not take a break. I always wonder what will the future of these students be ... I mean socially. Having read 'Combating loneliness' from the Education section, I just realized that what I have been worried about does really cause problems among children worldwide. If you are one of the students, be sure to read the story. And if you are a parent of any school-age child, you must read it and see if the story below applies to your family. The writer provides information not only found in our society but also in the US, too. I hope every one of us tries to find a better way in raising mentally healthy kids. interpersonal skills - connected with relationships between people ทักษะในการติดต่อสื่อสารกับผู้อื่นในสังคม achieve - to succeed in reaching a particular goal ประสบความสำเร็จ raise a child (kid) - to care for a child until he/she is able to take care of himself/herself อบรม เลี้ยงดูเด็ก Combating loneliness No student is an island Roy Krishnan, PHD A 21st-century human being is supposed to be living in a small, flat world, where distance and time are no barriers to building relationships and engaging in meaningful conversations with people around the world. Nonetheless, a huge number of individuals still feel lonely and left out. Why is it that advancement in communication technology has not helped enhance human relationships? Why is it that instead of bringing people together, global development has taken them farther apart? Loneliness plague We fully understand that no man is an island and that humans are social beings. However, statistics indicate that loneliness is rampant in our society today among all levels of the social ladder, especially among students. Loneliness is a feeling that one gets in the absence of meaningful interactions. It is usually accompanied by boredom and aimlessness. Soon, a lonely individual feels discouraged to carry out his everyday tasks and routines because they lose their meaning and importance. Eventually, the lonely individual blames himself for his weaknesses, finds that others respond to his loneliness with irritation and a lack of empathy, and falls farther into isolation. Possible cause Living in a fast-paced world where quality equals efficiency, humans have invented myriad ways to shorten operations and to maximise production. By doing so, we have deprived ourselves of many opportunities to socialise and acculturate with other humans. For example, in an agrarian society, harvesting was a great gettogether time when the whole village came out to help members of the farming families. Once completed, there were celebrations, sharing, talking, singing, dancing, story-telling, etc. In short, there were lots of meaningful interactions among people. Loneliness would have been an alien term for people in such a society; the opposite is true of our society today. engage - to become involved with and try to understand something / somebody มีส่วนร่วมใน meaningful - serious and important ที่มีความหมาย ที่มีค่า left out - to not include or mention somebody / something in something ถูกปล่อยทิ้งไว้ enhance - to increase or further improve ขยาย ส่งเสริม plague - an outbreak; any infectious disease that kills a lot of people; epidemic โรคระบาด indicate - to show the resultบ่งชี้ แสดงผล rampant - to grow quickly in a way that cannot be controlled เพิ่มขึ้นรวดเร็วและรุนแรง social ladder - บันไดสังคม absence - the fact that somebody or something does not exist or not be available การขาดหาย boredom - ความเบื่อหน่าย aimlessness - ไร้จุดหมาย irritation - the state of being annoyed, especially when you do something continuously ความหงุดหงิดรำคาญใจ fall into - to be able to be divided into something แบ่งแยกออกเป็น fast-paced - ที่เร่งรีบ myriad - an extremely large number of something จำนวนมากมายเหลือคณานับ deprived of - to prevent somebody from having or doing something, especially something important บาด พร่องซึ่ง acculturate - to learn to live successfully in a different culture; to help somebody to do this การปรับตัวเข้ากับวัฒนธรรมใหม่ agrarian - connected with farming and the use of land for farming เกี่ยวกับไร่นา การเกษตร alien - strange; not acceptable แปลก ไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับ Loneliness in schools Schools are also characterised as fast-paced. A typical school day starts with a ring of a bell, followed by a tight schedule of teaching and learning of one subject after another, short breaks in between classes, during which children are closely monitored and supervised, and finally, the day ends with a ring of a bell again. Both teachers and students do not have sufficient time to loosen up and relate to each other as regular humans. They are preoccupied with playing distinct, rigid roles and are constantly anxious about playing their roles well, so as to avoid punishment or other painful outcomes. Unfortunately, schools have always placed greater value on productivity rather than human relationships. This has ushered chronic cases of loneliness into schools. It is not surprising that many students feel isolated and underperform because they don’t find life particularly meaningful to them. Worldwide, loneliness is also a major cause of suicides among students. Student advisory Many progressive schools, especially in the United States, combat loneliness by providing sustainable emotional support to students through student advisory programmes. These schools set aside some time each week for students to meet one-on-one and/or in small groups with advisers (volunteer teachers, who act as mentors) to focus on character and civic development, as well as discuss their personal and academic goals. Students are given sufficient opportunities to talk about their day-to-day issues, define their values, develop trusting relationships with adult advocates, sharpen communication skills, participate in service-learning projects, and explore what it takes to be the best and bring out the best in others. Deliberately providing meaningful interactions among students or with teachers is the best cure for loneliness in school. Dr. Edward Roy Krishnan is the assistant to the chairman of the Board at Wells International School of Psychology, Assumption University, and in the Faculty of Education, St Theresa INTI College. He can be contacted at edward@wells-school.com. To access additional articles by him, visit http://www.affectiveteaching.com. tight - difficult to manage with because there is not enough time ที่แน่นขนัด monitor - to watch and check something over a period of time in order to see how it develops, so that you can make any necessary changes เฝ้าระวัง supervise - ดูแล ให้คำปรึกษา sufficient - to be in charge of somebody/something and make sure that everything is done correctly, safely, etc เพียงพอ preoccupied - thinking and/or worrying continuously about something so that you do not pay attention to other things ที่มีใจหมกมุ่น rigid - very strict and difficult to change ไม่ยืดหยุ่น outcome - the result or effect of an action or event ผลลัพธ์ ushered - to take or show somebody where they should go ได้รับการชี้นำ underperform - not to be as successful as was expected มีผลการเรียนหรือพฤติกรรมที่แย่กว่าที่คิด progressive - in favour of new ideas แนวก้าวหน้า sustainable - involving the use of natural products and energy in a way that does not harm the environment ที่ยั่งยืน ถาวร set aside - to save time for a particular purpose จัดเวลาเผื่อไว้ issue - an important topic that people are discussing or arguing about ประเด็น define - to say or explain what the meaning of a word or phrase is ให้คำจำกัดความว่า advocate - a person who supports or speaks in favour of something or of a public plan or action ผู้ให้การสนับสนุน Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 06:05 AM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) November 21, 2008 Health[y] Tips lesson by Boon Boonprayoon Last week I had a false alarm on my health. It started of as allergic-to-all-intake symptoms (the term I defined myself). Then the doctor suspected some malfunction of some internal systems of my body so I was sent for a blood test. Fortunately, it was nothing related to blood or major organ systems. It was just an allergy, a serious one. What happens is I am allergic to any food not freshly cooked. Any kinds of preserved food, chemically processed or with added seasonings cause rashes just after 30 minutes of eating them. That means there are a lot of foods I cannot take, such as diary products. I then need 'food supplements' to stay healthy and physically fit for any regular activity. Thanks to 'My Life' magazine available every Thursday in the Bangkok Post, there is a variety of contents yo make your life more pleasant. This week My Life offers tips for making your life healthier in case you need some help like me. Let's read what it is there for you. false alarm - a warning about a danger that does not happen; a belief that something bad is going to happen, when it is not สัญญาณหลอกๆ symptoms - a change in your body or mind that shows that you are not healthy อาการ malfunction - fail to work correctly การทำงานผิดปกติ internal - connected with the inside of something ภายใน allergy - a medical condition that causes you to react badly or feel ill / sick when you eat or touch a particular substance การแพ้สิ่งต่างๆ preserved - to be kept in its original state in good condition การถนอม (อาหาร) processed - to be treated in order to change it, preserve it, etc. การถนอมอาหาร food supplement - vitamins and other foods eaten in addition to what you usually eat) อาหารเสริม THE EXTRA HELP The benefits of food supplements BOONRAT ONGPHET Are you facing health problems? Are you so busy that you have no time to eat? Are you always in a rush and have to eat fast food all the time? If your answers are yes, listen to what the experts have to say. According to Dr Noppadon Pongpisuttinun, a family doctor, there are two kinds of extra food. First, it is functional food. Functional food is the food we eat, those full of nutrients such as Mediterranean and Asian food. Second, it is food supplements. Food supplement is food that is registered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and sometimes may be able to prevent you from illnesses caused by the lack of nutrients. In this case, it can't heal you but it does benefit you more or less. Dr Noppadon says that since lifestyles have changed so much, eating habits have changed too. Many of us are face health problems such as constipation and obesity. The doctor suggests that those who are constipated and dislike eating vegetables, taking fiber pills may be a good supplement. Brown rice, apple, banana and papaya are also good natural choices. They will help your digestive system work more effectively. Nutritionist Yuthasak Meesisataya says that there have been an increase in the number of intestine cancer cases in Asian countries. The key reason, he cites, is the change in eating habits and lifestyle. People no longer have time to be selective about their meals. So, they sometimes aren't able to choose nutritious food that is good for their health. Some foods stored in a plastic bag or container are not healthy as they can cause cancer in a long run. "So, the first thing is to change one's eating habits by consuming more vegetables and fibrous food. Exercising is also a key element in keeping healthy. Exercise everyday for 15 to 30 minutes or even three times a week always helps strengthen the mind and body." functional food - food that has had substances that are good for your health specially added to it อาหารที่มีประโยชน์ต่อสุขภาพ register - to record something's name on an official list ขึ้นทะเบียนยา food and Drug Administration (FDA) - องค์การอาหารและยา nutrient - สารอาหาร constipation - the condition of being unable to get rid of waste material from the bowels easily อาการท้องผูก obesity - โรคอ้วน fiber - the part of food that helps to keep a person healthy by keeping the bowels working and moving other food quickly through the body , roughage: เส้นใย (ในอาหาร) digestive system - the series of organs inside the body that digest food ระบบย่อยอาหาร effectively - in a way that produces the intended result or a successful result อย่างมีประสิทธิภาพ intestine cancer - มะเร็งลำใส้ selective - tending to be careful about what or who you choose เลือกสรรด้วยความระมัดระวัง store - to keep something in some kind of container กักเก็บ consume - to eat or drink something บริโภค key - very important ที่สำคัญ element - facter องค์ประำกอบ Recommended food supplements FOR WOMEN Women need more nutrition than men. So, sometimes food supplements are necessary. Evening primrose oil and omega 3 are recommended for women who suffer from menstrual cramps. "However, these supplements normally won't be much help to those having chocolate cyst. One should not overdose on food supplements because you might lose your appetite," said Dr Noppadon. Women also need vitamin B6, B12 and folic because they lose blood every month. For those with high concerns about aging, vitamin A, E, C and selenium are recommended. Still, you need to consult a doctor or chemist before taking any food supplement. Remember to take the recommended dose only. Pregnant women or those with congenital diseases should not take food supplements unless recommended by their doctors. FOR THE ELDERLY For the elderly, who usually eat less and suffer from loss of appetite, need a lot of omega 3 and proteins. Powdered milk and more functional food is a must, suggests Yuthasak. For those with brain and nerve problems, a diet rich in vitamin B, folic and calcium is recommended. Vegetables and fruits are a must. In addition, compounded vitamins, vitamin B1, B6 and B12 are also required for the elderly who suffer from diabetes and coronary heart disease. FOR MEN Men who are chain smokers and heavy drinkers, eating right is a necessity. Dr Noppadon recommends vitamin A, B1 and zinc. "Vitamin B1 should be taken twice a day as it helps stimulate nerves," says Dr Noppadon. OBESITY For people suffering from obesity, Dr Noppadon suggest supplements such as lemon and basil, which also helps in weight loss. "But, of course they also need to eat right, reduce their meal quantity and exercise. "Functional foods like wholemeal bread, instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice and fruits instead of desserts or snacks should be eaten," Dr Noppadon adds. FOR CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS Children do not need food supplements as long as they eat a balanced diet, which is as chemical-free as possible. Natural foods are the best source of energy for them. However, teenagers can consume food supplements. "Particularly those that like to eat instant noodles often. They should take vitamin B or C," the doctor says. Yuthasak also adds that every health problem has its causes. "If you can't find the causes, the problems will not be solved. Therefore, food supplements will not be of any help. If you eat right and exercise regularly then good health can be achieve, without the help of food supplements." chocolate cyst - โรคเนื้องอกในมดลูกซึ่งหญิงไทยมีอัตราการเป็นโรคนี้สูงมาก appetite- physical desire for food ความอยากอาหาร aging - becoming old ชราภาพ congenital disease - (of a disease or medical condition) existing since or before birth โรคที่เป็นแต่กำเนิด compounded - substance formed by a chemical reaction of two or more elements in fixed amounts relative to each othe ที่รวมกัน chain smoker - someone who smokes cigarettes continuously, lighting the next one from the one you have just smoked คนติดบุหรี่ basil - a plant with shiny green leaves that smell sweet and are used in cooking as a herb ใบโหระพา instant noodle - บะหมี่กึ่งสำเร็จรูป Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 01:07 PM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) November 14, 2008 Paradise on Earth Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon The Bangkok Post offers its readers a great variety of information. Take the Horizons section, for example. In his book ‘You Can Read the Bangkok Post’, Ajarn Terry describes it this way: “it is a travel section with features on interesting destinations [both home and abroad]. Here you will find a lot of practical ideas and information for trips that you might want to take or just dream about taking. The writing is much less urgent (than news writing). The writers have time and space to develop a topic in more depth." The only discouraging factor about reading features in this section is their length. They can be quite long. Ajarn Terry suggests that (1) you not give up easily; (2) take advantage of all the help the writer gives you. (3) take a quick look through the story to see how it is organised; and (4) try to find the writer’s focus. There are usually are only one or two aspects of the topic covered in any depth. The feature I have selected today is ‘Candidate of the week: Moo Ko Similan Marine National Park’. The Bangkok Post, in cooperation with Tourism Authority of Thailand, has organized a web-based contest for the best nine destinations in Thailand at http://www.9destinations.com/en/overview/overview.php. Similan, is featured today as one of the rare accessible paradises on earth. It is a group of nine islands in the Andaman Sea. Unlike the famous Phi Phi and Surin Islands which offer more activities for those who are not experienced divers, Similan has survived the visits by flocks of ‘eco-tourism’ campaign and remains in pristine condition. So if you are a diver or just an amateur snorkeler, you might consider a visit to this paradise of the Andaman Sea. Even the Maldives cannot be compared to this site. I have tried them all and Similan is still the best ! Why not try it for yourself  practical – connected with real situations rather than with ideas or theories ใช้งานได้จริง deck – an important sentence คำโปรย aspect – a particular part or feature of a situation, an idea, a problem, etc.; a way in which it may be considered ประเด็น แง่มุม featured – to include a particular person or thing as a special feature ที่ให้ความสำคัญเป็นพิเศษ accessible – that can be reached, entered, used, seen, etc. เข้าถึงได้ บทความนี้เป็นบทความแนะนำสถานที่ท่องเที่ยวโดยเฉพาะ ดังนั้น ประโยคต่างๆ ที่ใช้ในบทความจึงเต็มไปด้วยคำคุณศัพท์ (adjective) เพื่อสร้างภาพที่เย้ายวน เชิญชวนให้ผู้อ่านเกิดความรู้สึกสนใจและอยากไปสัมผัสด้วยตนเอง ดังนั้น วันนี้ดิฉันอยากให้คุณผู้อ่านทั้งหลายลองหา adjective ที่ใช้บรรยายคุณสมบัติของหมู่เกาะสิมิลัน และนำ adjective เหล่านั้นมาสร้างประโยคของคุณเอง ลองสมมติว่าคุณกำลังเขียนอีเมล์ชวนเพื่อนๆ ไปเที่ยวหมู่เกาะสิมิลันในช่วงเทศกาลปีใหม่นี้ แล้วส่งมาที่ boonbest@hotmail.com หากคุณต้องการให้ตรวจทานงานเขียนของคุณค่ะ Free of charge, of course! ที่นี้เมื่อจะเริ่มหา adjective คุณต้องรู้จักตำแหน่งของ adjective เสียก่อน adjective จะถูกนำมาวางไว้หน้านาม หรือหลัง linking verb (กริยาใช้บอกคุณสมบัติของประธาน) หากว่า adjective เกิดจากการนำคำกริยามาเปลี่ยนรูป หรือ มาเป็นกลุ่มคำพร้อมกับคำบุพบท adjective ก็จะวางไว้หลังนามที่ถูกขยายความนั้นๆ ตัวอย่าง Generally considered to be one of the top 10 diving sites on Earth, the Similan archipelago have been described as "the world's most accessible piece of paradise". Generally considered to be one of the top 10 diving sites on Earth, เป็น adjective phrase ขยาย Similan of the top 10 diving sites ขยาย one top 10 diving ขยาย sites the world's most accessible piece of paradise เป็น adjective ขยาย the paradise Candidate of the week: Moo Ko Similan Marine National Park http://www.9destinations.com Generally considered to be one of the top 10 diving sites on Earth, the Similan archipelago have been described as "the world's most accessible piece of paradise". Nor are its coral reefs and abundant marine life the only attractions; most visitors rave about the crystal-clear, turquoise-tinted waters of the Andaman Sea, the powdery white sand of the beaches and the plethora of winged and terrestrial creatures, many rare or endangered. Beginning 70km from the nearest point on the mainland (in Phangnga province), Moo Ko Similan National Park covers an area of 140km2 and when it was declared the Kingdom's 43rd national park back in 1982 it encompassed nine islands, hence its name (similan means "nine" in Yawi, the dialect of Malay spoken in many parts of the far South; sembilan is "nine" in Malay proper). Two additional islands - Ko Bon and Ko Tachai, geologically and physically quite separate from the rest - were put under the protection of rangers in 1989 and today the park boasts in excess of 100 dive sites - although only 13 are open to the general public. Leviathans of the sea like the whale shark and manta ray can often be seen here. And those who haven't done a scuba-diving course can always go snorkelling: there are four major points for this off Ko Si (aka Ko Mieng) - which also has bungalows - and Ko Paed (aka Ko Similan), where there's a spot to pitch tents. Vegetation on the archipelago ranges from sparse beach cover and shrub to proper evergreen forests with big, tall trees. Of the approximately 140 types of wildlife found in the park, one of the highlights has to be poo kai (Gecarcoidea lalandii). A large species of land crab, the male is dark purple and the female sports red pincers. It has long legs, short pincers and is nocturnal. If you stay overnight at Ko Si you're almost sure to spot some of these magnificent creatures if you take the trail which cuts through the forest from the beach-front bungalow area on the west coast to Hat Lek on the east. The crabs emerge from their burrows after dark to look for food and if you tread carefully and keep quiet you might hear the peculiar sound that they make; some people have compared it to the call of a chick. Wake early in the morning to feast your eyes on cha pi nai (the Nicobar pigeon aka Caloenas nicobarica) as they walk around searching for tasty tidbits on the ground. The bird can grow up to 40cm in length, has metallic-green plumage with green and copper hackles on its neck and a very short, white tail. Flying foxes are also plentiful on this island. Underground sources of fresh water have been tapped on a few islands and closed waste-water systems are used to prevent pollution. To preserve the ecology of the park, rangers limit the number of daytime visitors to 600; a maximum of 120 people are permitted to stay on any one night. The park is open from November 15 to April 30. If you haven't been already, maybe you should consider a trip. And if you have then you've almost certainly been impressed, so why not visit http://www.9destinations.com and give Moo Ko Similan Marine National Park a vote in our Thailand's Top Destinations campaign? marine life - sea and the creatures and plants that live there ชีวิตสัตว์ในท้องทะเล turquoise-tinted - to have a colour of turquoise สีฟ้าน้ำทะเล plethora - an amount that is greater than is needed or can be used; excess ที่มีมากเกินไป terrestrial - living on the land or on the ground, rather than in water, in trees or in the air บนบก หรือบนโลก declared - to say sth officially or publicly ได้รับการประกาศ encompassed - to include a large number or range of things ล้อมรอบ รวมเข้าไว้ด้วยกัน rangers - a person whose job is to take care of a park, a forest or an area of countrysid เจ้าหน้าที่อุทธยาน boasts - to have something that is impressive and that you can be proud of โอ้อวด leviathans - a very large and powerful thing สัตว์ทะเลขนาดใหญ่เช่นปลาวาฬ,สิ่งใหญ่โตที่มีอำนาจมาก pitch - to put up กางเต๊นท์ vegetation - plants in general, especially the plants that are found in a particular area or environment พันธุ์ไม้หรือพืชทั้งหลายในบริเวณหนึ่ง evergreen forests - ป่าไม้ซึ่งมีต้นไม้ที่เขียวชอุ่มตลอดปี pincer - a sea creature with a hard shell, eight legs and two pincers (= curved and pointed arms for catching and holding things ปูที่มีก้ามใหญ่ nocturnal - active at night ที่ออกหากินในเวลากลางคืน tidbit - a small special piece of food; morsel อาหารอร่อย hackles - the hairs on the back of the neck of a dog, cat, etc. that rise when the animal is afraid or angry ขนบริเวณแผงคอของสัตว์ flying fox - a large bat ค้างคาว Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 12:57 PM \| Permalink \| Comments (0)
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