Thursday, 6 November 2014
106个愁死人的多音字，一句话总结，果断为孩子留着~
1、单：单（shàn，姓）老师说，单（chán匈奴首领）于只会骑马，不会骑单（dān）车。
2、折：这两批货物都打折（zhé）出售，严重折（shé）本，他再也经不起这样折（zhē）腾。
3、喝：武松大喝（hè）一声：“快拿酒来！我要喝（hē）十二碗。”博得众食客一阵喝（hè）彩。
4、着：你这着（zhāo名词）真绝，让他干着（zháo动词）急，又无法着（zhuó）手应付，心里老是悬着（zhe）。
5、蕃：吐蕃（bō藏族的前身）族在青藏高原生活、蕃（fán茂盛、繁多）衍了几千年。
6、量：有闲心思量（liáng）她，没度量（liàng）宽容她。野外测量（liáng）要量（liàng）力而行。
7、沓：他把纷至沓（tà）来的想法及时写在一沓（dá）纸上，从不见他有疲沓（ta）之色。
8、烊：商店晚上也要开门，打烊（yàng晚上关门）过早不好，糖烊（yáng溶化）了都卖不动了。
9、载：据史书记载（zǎi），王昭君多才多艺，每逢三年五载（zǎi）汉匈首脑聚会，她都要载（zài）歌载（zài）舞。
10、曝：陈涛参加体育锻炼缺乏毅力、一曝（pù）十寒的事情，在校会上被曝（bào）光，他感到十分羞愧。
11、宁：尽管他生活一直没宁（níng）静过，但他宁（nìng）死不屈，也不息事宁（níng）人。
12、和：天气暖和（huo），小和（hé）在家和（huó动词）泥抹墙；他讲原则性，是非面前，从不和（huò）稀泥，也不随声附和（hè动词）别人，更不会在麻将桌上高喊：“我和（hú）了。”
13、省：湖北副省（shěng）长李大强，如能早些省（xǐng）悟，就不致于丢官弃职、气得不省（xǐng）人事了。
14、拗：这首诗写得太拗（ào）口了，但他执拗（niù）不改，气得我把笔杆都拗（ǎo）断了。
15、臭：臭气熏天的臭（chòu）是指气味难闻，无声无臭的臭（xiù）是泛指一般气味。
16、度：度（dù姓）老师宽宏大度（dù名词），一向度（duó动词）德量力，从不以己度（duó动词）人。
17、哄：他那像哄（hǒng）小孩似的话，引得人们哄（hōng）堂大笑，大家听了一哄（hòng）而散。
18、丧：他穿着丧（sāng）服，为丧（sāng）葬费发愁，神情沮丧（sàng）、垂头丧（sàng）气。
19、差：他每次出差（chāi）差（chà）不多都要出点差（chā）错。
20、扎：鱼拼命挣扎（zhá），鱼刺扎（zhā）破了手，他随意包扎（zā）一下。
21、埋：他自己懒散，却总是埋（mán）怨别人埋（mái）头工作。
22、盛：盛（shèng）老师盛（shèng）情邀我去她家做客，并帮我盛（chéng）饭。
23、伧：这个人衣着寒伧（chen），语言伧（cāng）俗。
24、创：勇于创（chuàng）造的人，难免会遭受创（chuāng）伤。
25、伯：我是她的大伯（bó），不是她的大伯（bǎi）子。
26、疟：发疟（yāo）子就是患了疟（nǜe）疾。
27、看：看（kān）守大门的保安，也很喜欢看（kàn）小说。
28、行：银行（háng）发行（xíng）股票，报纸刊登行（háng）情。
29、艾：他在耆艾（ài）之年得了艾（ài）滋病，整天自怨自艾（yì）。
30、把：你把（bǎ）水缸把（bà）摔坏了，以后使用没把（bǎ）柄了。
31、传:《鸿门宴》是汉代传（zhuàn）记，而不是唐代传（chuán）奇。
32、荷：荷（hé）花旁边，站着一位荷（hè）枪实弹的战士。
33、涨：我说她涨（zhǎng）了工资，她就涨（zhàng）红着脸，摇头否认。
34、奇：数学中奇（jī）数，是最奇（qí）妙的。
35、炮：能用打红的炮（pào）筒，炮（bāo）羊肉和炮（páo）制药材吗？
36、给：请把这封信交给（gěi）团长，告诉他，前线的供给（jǐ）一定要有保障。
37、冠：他得了冠（guàn）军后，就有点冠（guān）冕堂皇了。
38、干：穿着干（gān）净的衣服，干（gàn）脏活，真有点不协调。
39、巷：矿下的巷（hàng）道，与北京四合院的小巷（xiàng）有点相似。
40、薄：薄（bò）荷油味不薄（báo），很受欢迎，但要薄（bó）利多销。
41、拓：拓片、拓本的“拓”读（tà），开拓、拓荒的“拓”读（tuò）。
42、恶：这条恶（è）狗，真可恶（wù），满身臭味，让人闻了就恶（ě）心。
43、便：局长大腹便便（pián），行动不便（biàn）。
44、宿：小明在宿（sù）舍说了一宿（xiǚ）有关星宿（xiǜ）的常识。
45、号：受了批评，那几名小号（hào）手都号（háo）啕大哭起来。
46、藏：西藏（zàng）的布达拉宫，是收藏（cáng）大藏（zàng）经的宝藏（zàng）。
47、轧：轧（zhá）钢车间的工人很团结，没有相互倾轧（yà）的现象。
48、卡：这辆藏匿毒品的卡（kǎ）车，在过关卡（qiǎ）时被截住了。
49、调：出现矛盾要先调（diào）查，然后调（tiáo）解。
50、模：这两件瓷器，模（mú）样很相似，像是由一个模（mó）型做出来的。
51、没：驾车违章，证件被交警没（mò）收了，他仍像没（méi）事一样。
52、舍：我真舍（shě）不得离开住了这么多年的宿舍（shè）。
53、殷：老林家境殷（yīn）实，那清一色殷（yān）红的实木家具，令人赞叹不已。
54、还：下课后，我还（hái）要去图书馆还（huán）书。
55、系：你得系（jì）上红领巾，去学校联系（xì）少先队员，来参加活动。
56、假：假（jiǎ）如儿童节，学校不放假（jià），我们怎么办？
57、降：我们有办法，使从空中降（jiàng）落的敌人投降（xiáng）。
58、脯：胸脯（pú）、果脯（fǔ）不是同一个读音。
59、间：他们两人之间（jiān）的友谊，从来没有间（jiàn）断过。
60、石：两石（dàn）石（shí）子，不够装一卡车。
61、劲：球场上遇到劲（jìng）敌，倒使他干劲（jìn）更足了。
62、茄：我不喜欢抽雪茄（jiā）烟，但我喜欢吃番茄（qié）。
63、刨：我刨（bào推刮）平木头，再去刨（páo挖掘）花生。
64、弹：这种弹（dàn）弓，弹（tán）力很强。
65、颤：听到这个噩耗，小刘颤（zhàn）栗，小陈颤（chàn）抖。
66、扒：他扒（bā）下皮鞋，就去追扒（pá）手。
67、散：我收集的材料散（sàn）失了，散（sǎn）文没法写了。
68、数：两岁能数（shǔ）数（shù）的小孩，已数（shuò）见不鲜了。
69、参：人参（shēn）苗长得参（cēn）差不齐，还让人参（cān）观吗。
70、会：今天召开的会（kuài）计工作会（huì）议一会（huì）儿就要结束了。
71、簸：他用簸（bò）箕簸（bǒ）米。
72、吓：敌人的恐吓（hè），吓（xià）不倒他。
73、胖：肥胖（pàng）并不都是因为心宽体胖（pán），而是缺少锻炼。
74、耙：你用梨耙（bà）耙（bà）地，我用钉耙（pá）耙（pá）草。
75、伺：边伺（cì）候他，边窥伺（sì）动静。
76、好：好（hào）逸恶劳、好（hào）为人师的做法，都不好（hǎo）。
77、咳：咳（haī）！你怎么又咳（ké）起来了？
78、处：办事处(chù）正在处（chǔ）理这个问题。
79、囤：大囤（dùn）、小囤（dùn），都囤（tún）满了粮食。
80、缝：这台缝（féng）纫机的台板，有裂缝（fèng）。
81、澄：澄（dèng）清混水易，澄（chéng）清问题难。
82、扇：他拿着扇（shàn）子，却扇（shān）不来风。
83、得：你得（děi必须）把心得（dé）体会写得（de）具体、详细些。
84、屏：他屏（bǐng）气，凝神，躲在屏（píng）风后面。
85、几：这几（jǐ）张茶几（jī），几（jī）乎都要散架了。
86、卷：考卷（juàn）被风卷（juǎn）起，飘落到了地上。
87、乐：音乐（yuè）老师姓乐（yuè），他乐（lè）于助人。
88、了：他了（liào）望半天，对地形早已了（liǎo）如指掌了(le)。
89、吭：小李一声不吭（kēng），小王却引吭（háng）高歌。
90、粘：胶水不粘（nián）了，书页粘（zhān）不紧。
91、畜：畜（xù）牧场里牲畜（chù）多。
92、称：称（chèng同“秤”）杆的名称（chēng）、实物要相称（chèn）
93、弄：别在弄（lòng）堂在玩弄（nòng）小鸟。
94、俩：他兄弟俩（liǎ）耍猴的伎俩（liǎng）不过如此。
23、伧：这个人衣着寒伧（chen），语言伧（cāng）俗。
24、创：勇于创（chuàng）造的人，难免会遭受创（chuāng）伤。
25、伯：我是她的大伯（bó），不是她的大伯（bǎi）子。
26、疟：发疟（yāo）子就是患了疟（nǜe）疾。
27、看：看（kān）守大门的保安，也很喜欢看（kàn）小说。
28、行：银行（háng）发行（xíng）股票，报纸刊登行（háng）情。
29、艾：他在耆艾（ài）之年得了艾（ài）滋病，整天自怨自艾（yì）。
30、把：你把（bǎ）水缸把（bà）摔坏了，以后使用没把（bǎ）柄了。
31、传:《鸿门宴》是汉代传（zhuàn）记，而不是唐代传（chuán）奇。
32、荷：荷（hé）花旁边，站着一位荷（hè）枪实弹的战士。
33、涨：我说她涨（zhǎng）了工资，她就涨（zhàng）红着脸，摇头否认。
34、奇：数学中奇（jī）数，是最奇（qí）妙的。
35、炮：能用打红的炮（pào）筒，炮（bāo）羊肉和炮（páo）制药材吗？
36、给：请把这封信交给（gěi）团长，告诉他，前线的供给（jǐ）一定要有保障。
37、冠：他得了冠（guàn）军后，就有点冠（guān）冕堂皇了。
38、干：穿着干（gān）净的衣服，干（gàn）脏活，真有点不协调。
39、巷：矿下的巷（hàng）道，与北京四合院的小巷（xiàng）有点相似。
40、薄：薄（bò）荷油味不薄（báo），很受欢迎，但要薄（bó）利多销。
41、拓：拓片、拓本的“拓”读（tà），开拓、拓荒的“拓”读（tuò）。
42、恶：这条恶（è）狗，真可恶（wù），满身臭味，让人闻了就恶（ě）心。
43、便：局长大腹便便（pián），行动不便（biàn）。
44、宿：小明在宿（sù）舍说了一宿（xiǚ）有关星宿（xiǜ）的常识。
45、号：受了批评，那几名小号（hào）手都号（háo）啕大哭起来。
46、藏：西藏（zàng）的布达拉宫，是收藏（cáng）大藏（zàng）经的宝藏（zàng）。
47、轧：轧（zhá）钢车间的工人很团结，没有相互倾轧（yà）的现象。
48、卡：这辆藏匿毒品的卡（kǎ）车，在过关卡（qiǎ）时被截住了。
49、调：出现矛盾要先调（diào）查，然后调（tiáo）解。
50、模：这两件瓷器，模（mú）样很相似，像是由一个模（mó）型做出来的。
51、没：驾车违章，证件被交警没（mò）收了，他仍像没（méi）事一样。
52、舍：我真舍（shě）不得离开住了这么多年的宿舍（shè）。
53、殷：老林家境殷（yīn）实，那清一色殷（yān）红的实木家具，令人赞叹不已。
54、还：下课后，我还（hái）要去图书馆还（huán）书。
55、系：你得系（jì）上红领巾，去学校联系（xì）少先队员，来参加活动。
56、假：假（jiǎ）如儿童节，学校不放假（jià），我们怎么办？
57、降：我们有办法，使从空中降（jiàng）落的敌人投降（xiáng）。
58、脯：胸脯（pú）、果脯（fǔ）不是同一个读音。
59、间：他们两人之间（jiān）的友谊，从来没有间（jiàn）断过。
60、石：两石（dàn）石（shí）子，不够装一卡车。
61、劲：球场上遇到劲（jìng）敌，倒使他干劲（jìn）更足了。
62、茄：我不喜欢抽雪茄（jiā）烟，但我喜欢吃番茄（qié）。
63、刨：我刨（bào推刮）平木头，再去刨（páo挖掘）花生。
64、弹：这种弹（dàn）弓，弹（tán）力很强。
65、颤：听到这个噩耗，小刘颤（zhàn）栗，小陈颤（chàn）抖。
66、扒：他扒（bā）下皮鞋，就去追扒（pá）手。
67、散：我收集的材料散（sàn）失了，散（sǎn）文没法写了。
68、数：两岁能数（shǔ）数（shù）的小孩，已数（shuò）见不鲜了。
69、参：人参（shēn）苗长得参（cēn）差不齐，还让人参（cān）观吗。
70、会：今天召开的会（kuài）计工作会（huì）议一会（huì）儿就要结束了。
71、簸：他用簸（bò）箕簸（bǒ）米。
72、吓：敌人的恐吓（hè），吓（xià）不倒他。
73、胖：肥胖（pàng）并不都是因为心宽体胖（pán），而是缺少锻炼。
74、耙：你用梨耙（bà）耙（bà）地，我用钉耙（pá）耙（pá）草。
75、伺：边伺（cì）候他，边窥伺（sì）动静。
76、好：好（hào）逸恶劳、好（hào）为人师的做法，都不好（hǎo）。
77、咳：咳（haī）！你怎么又咳（ké）起来了？
78、处：办事处(chù）正在处（chǔ）理这个问题。
79、囤：大囤（dùn）、小囤（dùn），都囤（tún）满了粮食。
80、缝：这台缝（féng）纫机的台板，有裂缝（fèng）。
81、澄：澄（dèng）清混水易，澄（chéng）清问题难。
82、扇：他拿着扇（shàn）子，却扇（shān）不来风。
83、得：你得（děi必须）把心得（dé）体会写得（de）具体、详细些。
84、屏：他屏（bǐng）气，凝神，躲在屏（píng）风后面。
85、几：这几（jǐ）张茶几（jī），几（jī）乎都要散架了。
86、卷：考卷（juàn）被风卷（juǎn）起，飘落到了地上。
87、乐：音乐（yuè）老师姓乐（yuè），他乐（lè）于助人。
88、了：他了（liào）望半天，对地形早已了（liǎo）如指掌了(le)。
89、吭：小李一声不吭（kēng），小王却引吭（háng）高歌。
90、粘：胶水不粘（nián）了，书页粘（zhān）不紧。
91、畜：畜（xù）牧场里牲畜（chù）多。
92、称：称（chèng同“秤”）杆的名称（chēng）、实物要相称（chèn）
93、弄：别在弄（lòng）堂在玩弄（nòng）小鸟。
94、俩：他兄弟俩（liǎ）耍猴的伎俩（liǎng）不过如此。
95、露：小杨刚一露(lòu)头，就暴露（lù）了目标。
96、重：老师很重(zhòng)视这个问题，请重（chóng）说一遍。
97、率：他办事从不草率（shuài），效率（lǜ）一向很高。
98、空：有空（kòng）闲就好好读书，尽量少说空（kōng）话。
99、泊：小船漂泊（bó）在湖泊（pō）里。
100、朝：我朝（zhāo）气蓬勃朝（cháo）前走。
101、膀：膀（páng）胱炎会使人膀（pāng）肿吗？
102、校：上校（xiào）到校（jiào）场找人校(jiào)对材料。
103、强：小强（qiáng）很倔强（jiàng），做事别勉强（qiǎng）他。
104、塞（sài）外并不闭塞（sè），塞（sāi）子塞（sāi）不住漏洞。
105、辟：随意诬陷人，搞封建复辟（bì）可不行，得辟（pì）谣。
106、倒：瓶子倒（dǎo）了，水倒（dào）了出来。
Source: Hougang-buangkok Hanlanguage Centre Facebook post https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=322159781303059&id=100005271197301
96、重：老师很重(zhòng)视这个问题，请重（chóng）说一遍。
97、率：他办事从不草率（shuài），效率（lǜ）一向很高。
98、空：有空（kòng）闲就好好读书，尽量少说空（kōng）话。
99、泊：小船漂泊（bó）在湖泊（pō）里。
100、朝：我朝（zhāo）气蓬勃朝（cháo）前走。
101、膀：膀（páng）胱炎会使人膀（pāng）肿吗？
102、校：上校（xiào）到校（jiào）场找人校(jiào)对材料。
103、强：小强（qiáng）很倔强（jiàng），做事别勉强（qiǎng）他。
104、塞（sài）外并不闭塞（sè），塞（sāi）子塞（sāi）不住漏洞。
105、辟：随意诬陷人，搞封建复辟（bì）可不行，得辟（pì）谣。
106、倒：瓶子倒（dǎo）了，水倒（dào）了出来。
Source: Hougang-buangkok Hanlanguage Centre Facebook post https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=322159781303059&id=100005271197301
Wednesday, 9 July 2014
地狱之门
土库曼的卡拉库姆沙漠有个巨坑，喷出烈焰43年，它也被称为“地狱之门”。卡拉库姆沙漠占全国面积80%
1971年，地质学家在当地探勘天然气，意外凿穿地下洞穴，设备掉进去。鉴于可能释出有毒气体，科学家决定点燃它，希望燃烧完毕，结果至今未熄，可见坑内蕴藏丰富天然气。
图：法新社
source: 東方日報 OrientalDailyNews
Monday, 26 May 2014
Going Green - The Reader's Digest Version
11 simple answers to 11 common questions
At Home
Should I turn off the lights everytime I leave the room?
Let your bulb answer that. You save energy with the lights off, even for a few seconds. But flicking that switch shortens every lightbulb's life. Incandescent light-bulbs are cheap, so turn them off when you can. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) aren't cheap - about $4 each - but one will save you about $30 in electricity charges throughout its life span over an incandescent. And don't worry, turning on a light bulb doesn't burn a lot of energy. The US Department of Energy's office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says that the amount of electricity needed to turn on a bulb equals a few seconds of its burning brightly.
Reader's Digest Version: Turn off incandescents if you're leaving the room for more than five seconds; CFLs, if you'll be gone at least 15min.
Do I really have to unplug my TV, phone chargers, CD player ... ?
Even when they're not on, electricity curses through the plugs of your electronic gadgets so that they'll jump into action more quickly. This "vampire electricity" sucks up $4 billion a year in energy for things that aren't even on. Your laptop alone, turned off but plugged into the wall, will cost you $9 a year. Mobile phone chargers that aren't connected to a phone cost 14 cents a year. With millions of chargers out there, it adds up.
Reader's Digest Version: Unplug. Even easier, plug everything into power strips with on/off switches.
Cold-water washes are greener, but will they get my clothes clean?
For a hot-water load, about 90 percent of the enery used to wash clothes goes to heat the water, not agitate your clothes. The good news is, washing your clothes in warm or even cold water will get rid of almost anything, except for the worst dirt or oily stains.
Reader's Digest Version: Switch from hot to warm water to cut energy use in half; cold, to cut it even more.
Dirty dishes: by hand or by machine?
By the time you wash a sinkload of dirty dishes by hand, you'll go through 15-19 litres of water. Modern dishwashers use as little as 7.5litres. Sure, dishwashers require electricity, but new ones use 95 percent less electricity than machines built 30 years ago, and they clean well enough that in most cases, there's no need to prerinse.
Reader's Digest Version: Stick to full loads, use the pot-scrubber option only if necessary, and hit the no heat or air-dry option.
Peanut butter jar: a simple rinse or a full-on scour before recycling?
A small amount of food won't gum up the recycling works, so don't waste a lot of water making that peanut butter jar pristine. You should do it mostly to keep pests away. And that lime in your empty beer bottle? leave it.
Reader's Digest Version: Rinse out what you can, then recycle.
Soda bottle tops: on or off before recycling?
It depends on where you live. Some places insist on no tops; others are more laid-back. Leave them off because 1) the caps are not always made from the same plastics as the container, and 2) they can jam the processing equipment.
Reader's Digest Version: Off with their heads!
Out and About
In public restrooms, paper towel or electric hand dryer?
Far less energy is needed to heat and blow air at your hands than to make paper towers and haul them around. One study found that nine trees are cut down to supply an average fast-food restaurant with paper towels over a year; the tossed towels then create 453kilograms of landfill waste.
Reader's Digest Version: If there's a choice, go for the hot air.
Paper or plastic?
A key ingredient in plastic bags is fossil fuel, and making them - from drilling and refining oil t actually manufacturing the bags - is a messy business. Turning timber into paper bags isn't exactly clean either. Paper mills contribute to acid rain, global warming, and respiratory ills. Plus, they demand loads of energy and water. Even bags made from recycled paper are six times as heavy as their plastic cousins, so t rucking them across the country means more gas consumed and more noxious fumes.
But, you cry, paper bags decompose in landfills and plastic doesn't. Wrong, Virtually nothing decomposes in a landfill, where garbage is kept from air and water to prevent bad stuff from leaching into ground-water. And what does biodegrade can take tens, even hundreds, of years and, in the process, releases methane gas, which is link to global warming.
Reader's Digest Version: Paper and plastic are both lousy choices. Take your own reusable canvas bags.
At the Office
Should I turn off the computer when I leave for the day?
According to Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach, only 34 percent of employees power down their computers. In America, that would save $4.3billion in energy costs, and avoid 32 million tons of CO2 emmissions, annually by turning off office computers ang lights. Don't worry about wasting energy powering up your computer. The only extra juice needed is in the first two minutes, and even that's barely more than any other two minutes of use. The real problem: Repeated rebooting is a pain.
Reader's Digest Version: If you won't be using it for 20min, urn off the monitor. If it won't be needed for more than two hours, turn off the computer.
Your Car
Let the car idle or turn it off?
As the California Energy Commission points out, "Idling gets zero miles per gallon," so why waste the fuel?
The old thinking was that starting up the car took more gas than letting it sit and run. Yeah, if you're driving something from the early 1900s, but not so with morden, fuel-injected autos, where ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning on the engine.
Reader's Digest Version: Idle for 30 seconds if you must. Longer than that: Turn it off.
Air conditioner or oepn window: Which costs me more petrol?
One school of thought insists that air conditioners are a drain on the battery and petrol. Another claims that open windows cause aerodynamic drag, forcing the car to gulp more fuel. Yes, while sailing along a highway, the air conditioner does steal power from the car engine, but Consumer Reports found that it amounts to only about 1.6kilometres per litre, worth it on a scorchin day. On the other hand, open windows do cause a drag on the car, making it work harder, but not by much.
Reader's Digest Version: On the highway, do what feels most comfortable. But around town, try to drive with the window down. Your hair will be a mess, but you'll save save some petrol
At Home
Should I turn off the lights everytime I leave the room?
Let your bulb answer that. You save energy with the lights off, even for a few seconds. But flicking that switch shortens every lightbulb's life. Incandescent light-bulbs are cheap, so turn them off when you can. Compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) aren't cheap - about $4 each - but one will save you about $30 in electricity charges throughout its life span over an incandescent. And don't worry, turning on a light bulb doesn't burn a lot of energy. The US Department of Energy's office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy says that the amount of electricity needed to turn on a bulb equals a few seconds of its burning brightly.
Reader's Digest Version: Turn off incandescents if you're leaving the room for more than five seconds; CFLs, if you'll be gone at least 15min.
Do I really have to unplug my TV, phone chargers, CD player ... ?
Even when they're not on, electricity curses through the plugs of your electronic gadgets so that they'll jump into action more quickly. This "vampire electricity" sucks up $4 billion a year in energy for things that aren't even on. Your laptop alone, turned off but plugged into the wall, will cost you $9 a year. Mobile phone chargers that aren't connected to a phone cost 14 cents a year. With millions of chargers out there, it adds up.
Reader's Digest Version: Unplug. Even easier, plug everything into power strips with on/off switches.
Cold-water washes are greener, but will they get my clothes clean?
For a hot-water load, about 90 percent of the enery used to wash clothes goes to heat the water, not agitate your clothes. The good news is, washing your clothes in warm or even cold water will get rid of almost anything, except for the worst dirt or oily stains.
Reader's Digest Version: Switch from hot to warm water to cut energy use in half; cold, to cut it even more.
Dirty dishes: by hand or by machine?
By the time you wash a sinkload of dirty dishes by hand, you'll go through 15-19 litres of water. Modern dishwashers use as little as 7.5litres. Sure, dishwashers require electricity, but new ones use 95 percent less electricity than machines built 30 years ago, and they clean well enough that in most cases, there's no need to prerinse.
Reader's Digest Version: Stick to full loads, use the pot-scrubber option only if necessary, and hit the no heat or air-dry option.
Peanut butter jar: a simple rinse or a full-on scour before recycling?
A small amount of food won't gum up the recycling works, so don't waste a lot of water making that peanut butter jar pristine. You should do it mostly to keep pests away. And that lime in your empty beer bottle? leave it.
Reader's Digest Version: Rinse out what you can, then recycle.
Soda bottle tops: on or off before recycling?
It depends on where you live. Some places insist on no tops; others are more laid-back. Leave them off because 1) the caps are not always made from the same plastics as the container, and 2) they can jam the processing equipment.
Reader's Digest Version: Off with their heads!
Out and About
In public restrooms, paper towel or electric hand dryer?
Far less energy is needed to heat and blow air at your hands than to make paper towers and haul them around. One study found that nine trees are cut down to supply an average fast-food restaurant with paper towels over a year; the tossed towels then create 453kilograms of landfill waste.
Reader's Digest Version: If there's a choice, go for the hot air.
Paper or plastic?
A key ingredient in plastic bags is fossil fuel, and making them - from drilling and refining oil t actually manufacturing the bags - is a messy business. Turning timber into paper bags isn't exactly clean either. Paper mills contribute to acid rain, global warming, and respiratory ills. Plus, they demand loads of energy and water. Even bags made from recycled paper are six times as heavy as their plastic cousins, so t rucking them across the country means more gas consumed and more noxious fumes.
But, you cry, paper bags decompose in landfills and plastic doesn't. Wrong, Virtually nothing decomposes in a landfill, where garbage is kept from air and water to prevent bad stuff from leaching into ground-water. And what does biodegrade can take tens, even hundreds, of years and, in the process, releases methane gas, which is link to global warming.
Reader's Digest Version: Paper and plastic are both lousy choices. Take your own reusable canvas bags.
At the Office
Should I turn off the computer when I leave for the day?
According to Go Green, Live Rich by David Bach, only 34 percent of employees power down their computers. In America, that would save $4.3billion in energy costs, and avoid 32 million tons of CO2 emmissions, annually by turning off office computers ang lights. Don't worry about wasting energy powering up your computer. The only extra juice needed is in the first two minutes, and even that's barely more than any other two minutes of use. The real problem: Repeated rebooting is a pain.
Reader's Digest Version: If you won't be using it for 20min, urn off the monitor. If it won't be needed for more than two hours, turn off the computer.
Your Car
Let the car idle or turn it off?
As the California Energy Commission points out, "Idling gets zero miles per gallon," so why waste the fuel?
The old thinking was that starting up the car took more gas than letting it sit and run. Yeah, if you're driving something from the early 1900s, but not so with morden, fuel-injected autos, where ten seconds of idling can use more fuel than turning on the engine.
Reader's Digest Version: Idle for 30 seconds if you must. Longer than that: Turn it off.
Air conditioner or oepn window: Which costs me more petrol?
One school of thought insists that air conditioners are a drain on the battery and petrol. Another claims that open windows cause aerodynamic drag, forcing the car to gulp more fuel. Yes, while sailing along a highway, the air conditioner does steal power from the car engine, but Consumer Reports found that it amounts to only about 1.6kilometres per litre, worth it on a scorchin day. On the other hand, open windows do cause a drag on the car, making it work harder, but not by much.
Reader's Digest Version: On the highway, do what feels most comfortable. But around town, try to drive with the window down. Your hair will be a mess, but you'll save save some petrol
Word Power (Answer)
Answer to previous questions:
1. anachronism - [C] things misplaced in time. I'm pretty sure that the iPod earbuds Mona Lisa is wearing are an anachronism.
2. concurrent - [B] simultaneous. The soundings of the dinner bell and the fire alarm were concurrent in the house where we grew up.
3. temporise - [A] evade in order to delay. Asked what had happened to the plate of sugar cookies that had been on the counter, Jeremy temporised by telling his mother she looked beautiful.
4. ephemeral - [A] short-lived. The New England spring is as ephemeral as a mayfly.
5. dormancy - [C] state of inactivity. In the middle of the big sales meeting, Stanley emerged from dormancy with a loud snort.
6. incipient - [B] just beginning. Clem slathered on the herbal concoction and then examined his pate for any incipient hairs.
7. equinox - [C] when day and night are the same length. Arlene has the brownest of thumbs, but every spring equinox, she pores over all the nursery catalogues she can find.
8. pro tempore - [C] for the time being. They told me I could have the job pro tempore, until they find someone qualified.
9. juncture - [B] point in time. James realised he had come to an important juncture in his life when he lost his job and won the lottery on the same day.
10. erstwhile- [A] past. Our city's erstwhile mayor now makes his residence in the upstate penitentiary.
11. dilatory - [B] tardy. Stacy apologised for being dilatory in sending thank-you notes but was able to write one for our baby gift now that the baby is in college.
12. moratorium - [B] suspension of activity. My brother-in-law and I are observing a moratorium on political discussions.
13. perpetuate - [C] make everlasting. His self-flattery perpetuates the myth that he's actually competent.
14. horologe - [B] time piece. Obsessed with horologes, my aunt stuffs her house with sundials, hourglasses, and cuckoo clocks.
15. Olympiad - [A] four-year interval. They're a very frugal couple; they eat out once an Olympiad.
16. estivate - [C] pass the summer. I am looking forward to estivating on the seashore.
Word Power (Quiz)
The Time of our Life
There's never enough time, or words to describe it. See how long it takes you to do the quiz. For answer, see next blog.
1. anachronism
a. brief interval
b. grandfather clock
c. thing misplaced in time
a. brief interval
b. grandfather clock
c. thing misplaced in time
2. concurrent
a. occasional
b. simultaneous
c. In the nick of time
a. occasional
b. simultaneous
c. In the nick of time
3. temporise
a. evade in order to delay
b. get up-to-date.
c. put on a schedule
a. evade in order to delay
b. get up-to-date.
c. put on a schedule
4. ephemeral
a. short-lived
b. antique
c. improving with age
a. short-lived
b. antique
c. improving with age
5. dormancy
a. incubation
b. curfew
c. state of inactivity
a. incubation
b. curfew
c. state of inactivity
6. incipient
a. cyclical
b. just beginning
c. out of sync
a. cyclical
b. just beginning
c. out of sync
7. equinox
a. when day is longest
b. when day is shortest
c. when day and night are the same length
a. when day is longest
b. when day is shortest
c. when day and night are the same length
8. protempore
a. In good time
b. ahead of time
c. For the time being
a. In good time
b. ahead of time
c. For the time being
9. juncture
a. mid year
b. point of time
c. gap in the geologic record
a. mid year
b. point of time
c. gap in the geologic record
10. erstwhile
a. past
b. present
c. future
a. past
b. present
c. future
11. dilatory
a. early
b. tardy
c. occurring at ever-widening intervals
a. early
b. tardy
c. occurring at ever-widening intervals
12. moratorium
a. half a century
b. suspension of activity
c. clock tower
a. half a century
b. suspension of activity
c. clock tower
13. perpetuate
a. happen at the wrong moment
b. speed up
c. Make everlasting
a. happen at the wrong moment
b. speed up
c. Make everlasting
14. horologe
a. astronomical calendar
b. timepiece
c. dusk
a. astronomical calendar
b. timepiece
c. dusk
15. Olympiad
a. four-year interval
b. international date line
c. Greek sundial
a. four-year interval
b. international date line
c. Greek sundial
16. estivate
a. speed
b. guess the time
c. pass the summer
a. speed
b. guess the time
c. pass the summer
Time Crunch
- Better late than never.
- Rome wasn't build in a day
- History repeats itself.
- Let bygones be bygones
- Time and tide wait for no man
- To everything there is a season
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