Today I had my first Center of English Language Education (CELE, DO NOT PRONOUNCE IT, please!) course. I found it very useful. Unfortunately, that means I have to modify most of my essays, even change them foundamentally.
The marker/reader of your essay will judge your work from such aspects: relevance; understanding of the problem; evidence of reading; critical analysis of reading; awareness of differences of opinion between sources; ability to interpret and synthesis sources; ability to evaluate different views/solutions/etc.; ability to provide support in the form of examples, data, etc.
When doing reading, you should note down the sources, read critically and note your own responses, try to adapt your ideas as you go on.
Before writing, it is very important that you analyse the given question, make sure you know what does the assignment ask you to do. Bear in mind that all that you read should be relevant to the problem.
When writing, first write the body draft, then introduction and conclusion. Again, all the sections should be relevant to the title.
After finished writing, check if all text build towards conclusion; check if the discussion is sufficient; check if you have referred to all the sources; check if you followed the convention of layout. Do a few times of proofread to make sure you have correct content, language and grammar. Focus on one problem in one proofreading session.
2005年10月31日星期一
2005年10月30日星期日
2005年10月29日星期六
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | EU offers to slash farm subsidies
The EU has demolised trade barriers within its boundary. Now, maybe it is also trying to lower trade barrier to the outside world.
The EU offers to cut its subsidiary to agriculture products export by at most 60%. To fair trade advocators, this is very good news. EU spokesman says that farmers from some poor countries are suffering from US and EU cheap agriculture exports. Therefore they want to change this.
French do not like this decision. This is imaginable. They have a very supportive agriculture and farmers are important political force. This policy may also bring economic loss to UK farmers because UK farming is heavily depending on subsidiary. However, from a environmental aspect, this policy can surely cut excessive agriculture production and make more diversified agriculture economy pattern.
The EU offers to cut its subsidiary to agriculture products export by at most 60%. To fair trade advocators, this is very good news. EU spokesman says that farmers from some poor countries are suffering from US and EU cheap agriculture exports. Therefore they want to change this.
French do not like this decision. This is imaginable. They have a very supportive agriculture and farmers are important political force. This policy may also bring economic loss to UK farmers because UK farming is heavily depending on subsidiary. However, from a environmental aspect, this policy can surely cut excessive agriculture production and make more diversified agriculture economy pattern.
2005年10月27日星期四
Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | Wild herds may stampede across Britain under plan for huge reserves
This piece of news can be considered as (1) the sign of a more integrated European conservation framework and (2) a more aggresive step of UK agriculture reform and re-wild of its land.
Most of the land involved in this proposal is land with marginally farming economic value. Therefore it should not pose threat to the country's crop yield. However, there are still people living on the land. The future reserve area will not allow premanent accommodation (the statement here is not clear yet). Therefore some people will need to move. If they choose to continue farming, this could influence other farmers at their immigration destination.
Some new species will be able to enter UK after they extincted in this country due to human activities. Thanks to transbound conservation scheme. However, it remains questioned that whether these species would threat local landscape and species. After all, they have vanished in the wild for up to 800 years, and much of UK landscape is formed in recent 300 years.
Another problem may be the former use of land in the to-be reserves. Is it contaminated? Or too close to human settlements? An EIA should be carried out not only for local farming ecosystem and settlement, but also for the species coming in.
On politics, this proposal will help UK establish a more ecology-active nation image. No doubt that other EU countries will praise and imitate this action. At least this is good for those species which will enter UK.
Most of the land involved in this proposal is land with marginally farming economic value. Therefore it should not pose threat to the country's crop yield. However, there are still people living on the land. The future reserve area will not allow premanent accommodation (the statement here is not clear yet). Therefore some people will need to move. If they choose to continue farming, this could influence other farmers at their immigration destination.
Some new species will be able to enter UK after they extincted in this country due to human activities. Thanks to transbound conservation scheme. However, it remains questioned that whether these species would threat local landscape and species. After all, they have vanished in the wild for up to 800 years, and much of UK landscape is formed in recent 300 years.
Another problem may be the former use of land in the to-be reserves. Is it contaminated? Or too close to human settlements? An EIA should be carried out not only for local farming ecosystem and settlement, but also for the species coming in.
On politics, this proposal will help UK establish a more ecology-active nation image. No doubt that other EU countries will praise and imitate this action. At least this is good for those species which will enter UK.
2005年10月25日星期二
2005年10月24日星期一
[Academic] Sustainability Indicators
In recent case study on Sustainable Indicators, I found Chinese way of implementing Sustainable Development is quite different from that of EU's. In Britain there is already a framework of Sustainability Indicators. But in China, there are only void concepts, reports and proposals. Very little practical work is done. This is disappointing, indeed. The idea of Sustainability Indicators is controversial. It is a reductionist way of assessing complex systems. When simplifying complex relationships between elements some information could be ignored. The interpretation of SIs may also be subjective. However, so far simplication is the best approach we have to assess complex systems. We have enough data for calculating a index indicating the system's state, driver and response. Therefore we can probably just try using simplication, discover problems in using the indicator set, and improve it. I do not think that Chinese policy makers should try to make a perfect framework of SIs, they should get down to work ASAP, set up a initial SI set and see what is its problem.
2005年10月23日星期日
突然觉得自己只是一个人
孙燕姿《相信》的一句歌词。
这种感觉在 field trip 回来之后更加强烈。没有电话留言，没有电子邮件，连信箱里也没有我的信。觉得自己好像被遗忘在这个小岛上了。
当然这也只是自己的一种感觉而已。我相信不一定非要联系一个人才能让他知道自己还惦记着他（她）。不过似乎也是因为我太相信这一点了，所以大概也忽视了许多人被联络的需要吧。
嗯，明天找时间打几个电话。联系一下很久没有联系过的人。
这种感觉在 field trip 回来之后更加强烈。没有电话留言，没有电子邮件，连信箱里也没有我的信。觉得自己好像被遗忘在这个小岛上了。
当然这也只是自己的一种感觉而已。我相信不一定非要联系一个人才能让他知道自己还惦记着他（她）。不过似乎也是因为我太相信这一点了，所以大概也忽视了许多人被联络的需要吧。
嗯，明天找时间打几个电话。联系一下很久没有联系过的人。
Some findings after the field trip
I just come back from a field trip organised by the school of geography. It is not very tiring physically, but you really get a lot of information and much to think about.
It is about conservation. The conservation of the whole landscape, both natural and cultural. You should consider local agencies, farmers, tourists, ecosystems and so on. Perfect conservation satisfying everyone may not exist but one that makes more satisfied may be better.
The Peak District is formed both by nature and human activities. It is representing a different concept of National Park. From very early on, the landscape there is changed and managed by man. Therefore you cannot just put things you think natural there. You must conserve human management style in that area.
The purpose of your conservation should be make the park sustainable in providing interested features and opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment. Human factors should be considered when making plans.
It is about conservation. The conservation of the whole landscape, both natural and cultural. You should consider local agencies, farmers, tourists, ecosystems and so on. Perfect conservation satisfying everyone may not exist but one that makes more satisfied may be better.
The Peak District is formed both by nature and human activities. It is representing a different concept of National Park. From very early on, the landscape there is changed and managed by man. Therefore you cannot just put things you think natural there. You must conserve human management style in that area.
The purpose of your conservation should be make the park sustainable in providing interested features and opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment. Human factors should be considered when making plans.
2005年10月17日星期一
The crisis and trial of free software
Before I never realized that free softwares are in such a hard circumstance. Only after I heard Richard M. Stallman's speech, and had some experience in using GNU/Linux, did I realize that many people just do not understand the meaning of free software, free spirit, free as in freedom.
Many people just mixed free software concept with OpenSource. In fact, they are very different. RMS says that OpenSource does not have enough emphasis on freedom. He is not being paranoid on words. There are software opensource but not free. Redhat Linux, Redflag Linux are just some appropriate examples.
Therefore, a urgent mission for Free Software Foundation is to tell people the real meaning of software freedom. And tell them just opening source is not enough.
Many people just mixed free software concept with OpenSource. In fact, they are very different. RMS says that OpenSource does not have enough emphasis on freedom. He is not being paranoid on words. There are software opensource but not free. Redhat Linux, Redflag Linux are just some appropriate examples.
Therefore, a urgent mission for Free Software Foundation is to tell people the real meaning of software freedom. And tell them just opening source is not enough.
2005年10月15日星期六
北京马拉松
又一年北京国际马拉松赛结束了，今年我身在异国，只有作壁上观。目前看到的我认识的人跑出的最好成绩是 franksky 的 3h06m，非常棒，祝贺！
今年又有一个人猝死，我不知道别的城市的马拉松有没有这样的记录，如果明年再发生这种情况，可能主办方该考虑一下马拉松的定位问题了。
北京马拉松似乎一直都是作为一种群众体育项目而存在，也因此吸引了大量的参与者，这本来应该是一件好事。但是如何让参与者摆正心态仍然是一个问题。很多人 可能还是把马拉松作为一种秀，或者说有一种赌徒心态：今年跑一次，以后就有炫耀的资本。在水木 Runninglife 版上都有许多人说自己没有练过，或者很长时间没有跑，这次跑完应该是很幸运了，但是以后会如何？
所以说猝死事件恐怕不能完全算是意外。伦敦马拉松报名要求 3.5h 之内的成绩，所以参与者至少都是准专业人员，如果出现猝死事件，OK，确实是意外。但像北京这样的马拉松如果让随便什么人都去跑，结果可能是很不好的。
当然我不是说要把北京马拉松办成专业竞技的比赛，实际上中国缺乏的还是群众体育而不是竞技体育。但是组织方式是有改变的必要的。可不可以把现在社会报名的 方式改为通过长跑俱乐部或其他体育组织报名，这些组织都要接受中国田联的资格认证，同时对报名人员的身体素质和训练状况把关。这样可以避免什么准备都没有 就参加的情况。当然这种体制的建立不是一朝一夕的，而且需要大量的投入，但是人命关天，我觉得还是应该朝这个方向努力。
去年马拉松3人猝死之后，在报名和现场医务方面应该已经做了一些应对，就我所知，报名的时候是需要医院体检结果的，但是今年仍然出现了这种情况，如果不是技术问题的话，那就是审核与监督机制的问题，不过这是另一个更宽泛的问题了。
今年又有一个人猝死，我不知道别的城市的马拉松有没有这样的记录，如果明年再发生这种情况，可能主办方该考虑一下马拉松的定位问题了。
北京马拉松似乎一直都是作为一种群众体育项目而存在，也因此吸引了大量的参与者，这本来应该是一件好事。但是如何让参与者摆正心态仍然是一个问题。很多人 可能还是把马拉松作为一种秀，或者说有一种赌徒心态：今年跑一次，以后就有炫耀的资本。在水木 Runninglife 版上都有许多人说自己没有练过，或者很长时间没有跑，这次跑完应该是很幸运了，但是以后会如何？
所以说猝死事件恐怕不能完全算是意外。伦敦马拉松报名要求 3.5h 之内的成绩，所以参与者至少都是准专业人员，如果出现猝死事件，OK，确实是意外。但像北京这样的马拉松如果让随便什么人都去跑，结果可能是很不好的。
当然我不是说要把北京马拉松办成专业竞技的比赛，实际上中国缺乏的还是群众体育而不是竞技体育。但是组织方式是有改变的必要的。可不可以把现在社会报名的 方式改为通过长跑俱乐部或其他体育组织报名，这些组织都要接受中国田联的资格认证，同时对报名人员的身体素质和训练状况把关。这样可以避免什么准备都没有 就参加的情况。当然这种体制的建立不是一朝一夕的，而且需要大量的投入，但是人命关天，我觉得还是应该朝这个方向努力。
去年马拉松3人猝死之后，在报名和现场医务方面应该已经做了一些应对，就我所知，报名的时候是需要医院体检结果的，但是今年仍然出现了这种情况，如果不是技术问题的话，那就是审核与监督机制的问题，不过这是另一个更宽泛的问题了。
2005年10月13日星期四
2005年10月11日星期二
Book Disappointment
I spent most of the time today in reading books on my reading list. Unfortunately, I found two of them really boring. One is "Environmental Ethics", the language in the book is just confusing and very fragged. Or, it maybe because I read that book in the cafe instead of a quieter place. However, I think it is very poorly written.
Another book, written by my school's professor, on my favourite subject -- ecology, is also a miserable work. I didn't know anyone who can write a book on plant ecology in such dull way. What I saw in this book is just lists of Latin names of plants, not a bit of the relationship, interaction or energy/info flow between them and the environment. The way he teaches is not very good, either. Gee, but I think I still need to stick on. For my scientific interest.
Another book, written by my school's professor, on my favourite subject -- ecology, is also a miserable work. I didn't know anyone who can write a book on plant ecology in such dull way. What I saw in this book is just lists of Latin names of plants, not a bit of the relationship, interaction or energy/info flow between them and the environment. The way he teaches is not very good, either. Gee, but I think I still need to stick on. For my scientific interest.
2005年10月3日星期一
[Academic] My perceptions of Environmental Management, so far
The definition of Environmental Management is difficult to
give. Because it is too wide and still evolving. Basically,
it is about discover or forecast environmental problems and
use political, economic or ethic methods as well as
scientific theory and practise to solve them, in order to
avoid environmental impacts brought along by projects or
other human activities and improve human well-being.
EM aspect means stewardship, multidisciplinary, practising.
It is based on broad-view, long term and gap-free (if
possible) monitoring. Because environment and social
continuously changes, EM should be flexible, adaptive and
perceptive.
The means that EM usually uses to modify ethics towards a
more pro-environmental way are:
- Advisory
- Economic or fiscal
- Regulatory
For EM, most of the times there are no enough time waiting
for solid proofs. Modelling, simulation and forecasts are
very often used in EM practise.
Don't forget that the ultimate pursuance of EM is to avoid
environmental impact instead of merely manage a project or
tackle with certain environment problem.
give. Because it is too wide and still evolving. Basically,
it is about discover or forecast environmental problems and
use political, economic or ethic methods as well as
scientific theory and practise to solve them, in order to
avoid environmental impacts brought along by projects or
other human activities and improve human well-being.
EM aspect means stewardship, multidisciplinary, practising.
It is based on broad-view, long term and gap-free (if
possible) monitoring. Because environment and social
continuously changes, EM should be flexible, adaptive and
perceptive.
The means that EM usually uses to modify ethics towards a
more pro-environmental way are:
- Advisory
- Economic or fiscal
- Regulatory
For EM, most of the times there are no enough time waiting
for solid proofs. Modelling, simulation and forecasts are
very often used in EM practise.
Don't forget that the ultimate pursuance of EM is to avoid
environmental impact instead of merely manage a project or
tackle with certain environment problem.
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