Awards usually only go to the best. Only the highest quality books, the most
outstanding music, and the finest movies get all of the attention. Maybe the reason why people try so hard to be the best in their field is that they want to be
praised, to receive awards, and to have their pictures taken. Sometimes, though, you have to wonder: what about all of the people who are not the best and the ones who come up with art, music, or ideas that are not so great? In fact, what about those who are really, truly terrible?
Well, you don't have to worry. There are various ways that the not-so-great, the bad, and the
awful get attention these days. The most famous is an award show called the Golden Raspberry1 Awards, better known as the Razzies. The Razzies are the
opposite of the famous Academy2 Awards, or the Oscars. They are given to the worst of Hollywood, such as the worst films and the worst actors. Everyone knows that Hollywood does produce some truly terrible films every year, so the Razzies have an important job.
Surprisingly,
a good number of Razzies winners almost seem to be proud of their achievement. Many have actually attended the ceremony and given funny acceptance3 speeches. And the name? It has nothing to do with the delicious berry4 in this case. Raspberry is also a name for
sticking out your tongue and making a pthhhh sound, which usually means, "This is terrible!"
Presidents must be able to meet with numerous people every day. This means going to different cities or countries all in one day. Sometimes, they may even have to come back the same night. The only way for a president to do this is to have a handy means of transportation2 when he or she needs it. For US President Barack Obama, Inauguration3 Day on January 20, 2009 was the first day he got to officially ride on Air Force4 One.
We all know one or two places that are said to be haunted1. They might be an old house that no one lives in or a dark cemetery2. It could even be a famous building or a classroom in your school. However, when it comes to the scariest places in the world, two names keep appearing—the Catacombs3 of Paris and New Orleans, Louisiana. Both have long histories and are favorite places for ghost hunters and people who love mysteries4.
Game shows have been entertaining people for years and years.
Dialogue A
In 2006, Matthew Jones decided to donate his kidney1 to anyone who needed it—even a total stranger. He turned to a special computer program to help him find someone to save. The revolutionary new software paired Jones with a woman from Arizona. The woman's husband had originally wanted to give her his kidney, but their blood types weren't compatible2. Jones gave his kidney instead, and the husband used the software to donate his kidney to another stranger in need.
No matter where you go in Taiwan, there are lots of things to buy and look at, but you should be most curious about the items specially made in Taiwan. Many of these crafts have long histories. Some are traditions brought here by immigrants1 while others started locally. Taiwan's crafts show off the skills of its people and how unique this island is.
