Natural language processing

A number of research groups around the world have begun to study how the brain acquires and processes language, but we still know comparatively little about it. Many such groups work on very specific, often narrow, problems. This approach is certainly necessary, but a broad perspective can be helpful, if not essential, too. This volume consists of an important collection of papers presented at the Seminar on Language, Evolution, and the Brain (SLEB), hosted by the International Institute for Advanced Studies in Kyoto, Japan, bringing together distinguished researchers with background in cognitive science, anthropology, linguistics, robotics, physics, etc. Major topics discussed here include: Creoles and pidgins, and their implications regarding language evolution. Quantitative analysis and modeling of various aspects of language evolution, including the evolution of lexical items and color terms, the emergence of linguistics categories, and the dynamics of language competition. The ev

Strengthen Management of Petroleum and Natural Gas Market

ESL/EFL Cases: Contexts for Teacher Professional Discussions is designed to provoke conversations on language teaching from multiple perspectives. The format of the presentation of cases allows the reader to gain insights on teaching from the vantage point of the students’ proficiency, the teacher’s perspective, the writers’ questions and suggested answers and finally the critical commentary. Readers are treated as thinking professionals who are capable of analysing the acts of language teaching through the teaching excerpts and the dynamic lesson transcriptions. The questions and critical commentary encourage deeper and more critical processing rather than a superficial interpretation of the teaching act. The cases, derived from authentic teaching contexts, encourage readers to appreciate the rich tapestry of teaching with all its complexities. Designed to promote professional discussions and deeper reflective and more effective practice, this book is a must for the teacher education

Evolution of language has evolved at multiple levels—from changes in the cognitive processes by which language is acquired in the individual, to language change by diffusion of acquired linguistic features across populations of individuals, to the emergence of linguistic features over phylogenetic time scales. Evolution of language at each of these levels interacts with that at each other level. This volume is a collection of essays by noted researchers from diverse fields that deals with a broad spectrum of issues in the study of language evolution. The principle topics addressed here include: the genetic and cognitive bases for the phylogenetic emergence of language; several distinct accounts of the underlying cognitive processes by which children learn to acquire language; a critique of the methods employed by historical linguists in the last century; the modeling of language evolution using mathematical and computational techniques; discussions on the complexity of language.

Prof. William S-Y. Wang, an eminent linguist, has made significant contributions to the field regarding lexical diffusion, experimental phonetic studies, language simulation and modeling, and aging and language. To celebrate his 90th birthday, colleagues and friends worldwide have contributed over 30 articles to a two-volume Festschrift. The English volume includes topics such as Chinese language evolution, the relationship between language and music, and the brain processes involved in language production. This Festschrift is written by and for experienced language researchers and is also suitable for students of Chinese linguistics and those interested in Chinese culture, history, and neurology.

Dr. Tzu Yu Allison Lin achieved her PhD with her study of Virginia Woolf and London narratives at Goldsmiths, University of London. Her research interests are visual and verbal representations, literary criticism and language teaching. She has articles and books published in English, including the most recent, Art and Narrative (2019). She is teaching at Gaziantep University, Turkey.

本書集結六篇論文（第一、三、四、六篇德文，第二篇西班牙文，第五篇義大利文），本書為因應時代變遷下的教育環境及學生職涯挑戰，在教學方法上所提出新的論述及建構。 This book contains essays by various teachers from different universities and departments with the aim of presenting modern teaching methods for the changed learning and study conditions on the basis of theoretical preliminary considerations. Language teachers at Taiwanese universities often encounter similar difficulties in designing lessons: students’ increasing frustration and lack of motivation. Many students experience a high level of frustration and demotivation; they cannot find future prospects in language studies. Confronted with reality of time-consuming internships, part-time jobs and life, many students become painfully aware that a linguistic degree won’t prepare them for later work or provides career opportunities. In addition, they realize their low language skills and life experiences. Aware of that problem, the language departments have to find new teaching methods and create curricula which

Learning Chinese Language and Culture is an intermediate level textbook, which was intended to be used throughout the entire school year and designed mainly for students who have completed introductory courses of Chinese as a foreign language. This book illustrates Chinese language knowledge and introduces Chinese culture in twenty-two lessons, covering a variety of cultural content, including customs and manners, holidays and festivals, poems and idioms, calligraphy and couplets, myths and legends, feng shui and superstitions, and historical relics and sceneries and many others. In every lesson, the authors have strived to maintain a clear topic and a coherent structure. They have also endeavored to keep the contents lively and achieve a fluent writing style while closely controlling the structure and grammar of every lesson.

Learning Chinese Language and Culture is an intermediate level textbook, which was intended to be used throughout the entire school year and designed mainly for students who have completed introductory courses of Chinese as a foreign language. This book illustrates Chinese language knowledge and introduces Chinese culture in twenty-two lessons, covering a variety of cultural content, including customs and manners, holidays and festivals, poems and idioms, calligraphy and couplets, myths and legends, feng shui and superstitions, and historical relics and sceneries and many others. In every lesson, the authors have strived to maintain a clear topic and a coherent structure. They have also endeavored to keep the contents lively and achieve a fluent writing style while closely controlling the structure and grammar of every lesson.

Self-Access Language Learning (SALL) has played a prominent part in language education in universities. Its role is to foster autonomous learning among students. With the wide-spread implementation of SALL and its increasing impacts on students, it is important to understand how SALL is managed in order to meet the learning needs of the users in the most resource-effective way. This book provides readers with an understanding of SALL management by setting the discussion against a wider backdrop and also examining details of current good practice. The authors examine issues of leadership and management in education before turning to look at the roles of a SALL manager, and suggest how these roles are changing and what the future may hold for managing SALL. Case studies are used to illustrate how SALL is managed in different universities as a way of contextualising the issues discussed in the book. The book is of relevance to institutional and departmental managers, classroom-based lan

From the academic perspective, Southern Min is one of the Chinese Language families, a dialect. Specifically, Taiwanese Southern Min(TSM) has resulted from a mixture of Formosan languages, Dutch, Japanese and Mandarin by way of language contact. It has preserved the basic structure, but is quite different from the Southern Min spoken in Mainland China. TSM is the natural result of a mixture of different accents. The author has dedicated his research life to the study of TSM, and the profound result of his study is revealed in this book. 本書從宏觀語言學角度介紹臺灣閩南語的各種問題。首先介紹臺灣閩南語的基本觀念；其次敘述三百多年來閩南語 在臺灣的發展；然後從語音、語法、詞彙角度說明臺灣閩南語的語言特色；再其次詳細介紹臺灣閩南語的語音結構等問題；最後對曾經或目前正在使用的漢字、教羅 等書寫方式，做一簡單的介紹。書後有「研究參考書目、分韻俗諺、音節結構表」三個附錄，相信對閱讀本書正文或深入研究臺灣閩南語，應有一定助益。

Sustaining Landscapes: Governance and Ecology in Chinese Visual Culture, 960–1368 CE examines ecological thought contested amid the rise of the Chinese landscape genre, tracing its intersections with infrastructure governance, natural resource management, and geospatial knowledge. It traces the pre-industrial notion of “sustainability” in policy debates, legal regulations, and arts. Landscape imagery on paintings, maps, as well as mass-produced artifacts such as fans and ceramic pillows documented both appropriate and exploitative use of natural resources, and critiqued on social inequity and political turmoil. This book breaks new ground by bringing together research on visual and material culture with analysis of politics and ecology. Wang argues that the Chinese landscape genre embodied a holistic approach to negotiating debates on human-nature interdependence and people-state relationships. It joins the increasing literature on ecocriticism and offers alternative perspectives to ad

本教材基于Microsoft SQL Server和Neo4j环境，介绍了如何利用SQL(Structure Query Language)和CQL(Cyber Query Language)语言开展对同源库、表和数据对象进行增、删、改、查等数据库管理和应用工作，并综合应用Python下的相关功能库，对SQL数据进行处理，进而利用Neo4j接口将

內容簡介 ˙The learning goals that center on the thematic units are set in accordance with the language proficiency levels, established by the ACTFL ˙To Comply with the pedagogical principle of backward design to establish the teaching/learning goals for the intermediate learner of Chinese ˙Integrates into its thematic contents the ACTFL-defined, three mores of language uses as well the 5C concepts ˙Assist the learner to achieve holistic progress and to cultivate specific linguistic abilities of Chinese ˙The selecting of keywords/phrases in thetextbooks is greatly in line with vocabulary levels defined by the HSK and by the TOCFL. The regional difference in language uses between the two sides of theTaiwan Strait are also meticulously annotated in the textbooks In recent years, the background of learners has become diversified, and the number of self-study students of elementary Chinese is also increasing. On the pedagogical front, however, learning materials, found to be biased towards s

A Sketch of Truth Theory The Truth Theory refers to a natural attribute which all things embody during cosmic movement. And which features the inherent quality of the universe, that is, the attraction between Yin and Yun, the negative cosmic gas and the positive cosmic gas. It is the natural and scientific reality of the universe. The appearance of this theory will completely shatter the barriers that have hindered human understanding of life and all things in the universe for thousands of years. It will put an end to the idealism-materialism dichotomous outlook on the world and completely terminate the theism-atheism dualistic religious concept that people have disputed for thousands of years. It will enable humankind on Earth to see the universe in the true, clear-minded and correct manner for the first time. It will enable humankind to explain mysterious cosmic phenomena with our acquired part of scientific knowledge about the universe in a deep and complete manner for the first

Appropriate for use by students at varying levels of competence, Burmese: A Cultural Approach provides a thorough and systematic introduction to the Burmese writing system in Part One and a series of true-to-life conversations in Part Two. Students with some prior knowledge of the spoken language but little familiarity with the Burmese script can use Part One to solidify their grasp of the Burmese sound system as well as its orthography. Intrepid beginners could also start their study of the language by making use of Part One. Doing so would mean making a slower start at formulating phrases as compared to using a romanization system but learners would gain a firmer foundation for the later—and eventually, faster—development of their speaking and reading skills. The conversations in Part Two are extensively annotated in order to illustrate grammatical patterns, characteristic turns of phrase, and typical habits of social interaction. True to an anthropological approach to language le

Feng Shui practice has become an important reference for the planning and design of buildings, monuments and even entire cities. In fact Feng Shui is an evolved study of the natural and built environment. By utilizing the natural elements and practical environmental changes, we may improve upon our well-being, relationships, prosperity, health and living environment. People in many advanced countries seek to establish a deeper understanding of these relationships between human and natural environment. Architects from around the world also begin to recognize Feng Shui as a broad ecologically and architecturally connected paradigm. To remove the shadow of superstition for Feng Shui practice, it is essential to use a scientific approach in the hope of combining and fusing ancient wisdom with modern knowledge in building science. Scientific Feng Shui has two meanings, namely (1) the verification of Feng Shui principles scientifically and (2) studying Feng Shui logically in a scientific wa

This reader is designed for an intermediate-level Chinese course in which students not only develop proficiency in the Chinese language but also gain some knowledge of Chinese culture. It consists of twenty-two lessons, which are arranged according to their level of difficulty. Each lesson contains a core text and a reading text. The contents of the texts cover a wide variety of topics, including Chinese language structures and characters, Chinese customs, proverbs, holidays, social phenomena, religions, poetry and geography, as well as Chinese folklore. A list of questions for group discussion follows the text in each chapter to help students further explore issues related to Chinese culture and to their own lives. Grammar notes and exercises for relevant grammatical points are introduced after each core text to enhance students’ skills of reading, comprehension and writing. The grammar notes are all explained in English and illustrated through sample sentences in Chinese with Engli

In 2018, authorities in Hong Kong seized a shipment from smugglers that contained 88 dead pangolins. Where did these animals come from, and why were they killed? Where were they going? Who was responsible? In classic true crime fashion, the book examines evidence, suspects, and legal perspectives related to this specific case and, through it, the plight of pangolins globally. The chapters detail the lives and natural history of pangolins across Africa and Asia while exploring clues that may reveal who is responsible for the endangerment of the species. The book also explores speculation surrounding the possible role of pangolins in the emergence of COVID-19 and, more broadly, the relationship between wildlife trade and zoonotic disease. The resulting tale is one of conservation researchers, public health experts, and global organizations across Asia, Africa, North America, and Europe fighting to create a world in which pangolins can thrive again.

In A New Documentary History of Hong Kong, 1945–1997, Florence Mok, Fung Chi Keung Charles, and other contributors analyse newly released archival records from the National Archives in London, the Government Records Service in Hong Kong, and other sources across the world. This documentary collection provides an updated and improved understanding of basic aspects of the city such as governance, economy, society, and culture. It also aims at investigating topics that are under-exploited in previous sourcebooks, such as race and diasporas, gender and familial relations, medicine and healthcare, and environment and natural disasters. Overall, this book offers an innovative and comprehensive long-term perspective of Hong Kong’s colonial history.

数理逻辑中有许多可操作的方法，如真值表方法、形式推理方法等。为配合数理逻辑的学习，本教材将这些方法通过逻辑学习软件LPL（Language,ProofandLogic）展现出来。学习者可以通过在计算机上操作（或者实验）逻辑学习软件LPL，正确理解数理逻辑中的思想，熟练掌握数理逻辑中的方法，也可以配合本教材的慕课“实验逻辑学”进行学习（网址：https:onlineweb.zhihuishu.com）。

This book is a collection of watercolours and sketches by Henrietta Alcock and her husband, the British Consul, Rutherford Alcock, along with the stories behind them. The more than 100 images in this book feature picturesque natural landscapes, traditional Chinese architecture, and scenes of consular life. They bring Henrietta Alcock out of the shadows, providing a unique picture of her as an amateur artist, the wife of a consul and, most importantly, a woman in empire. I is suitable for readers interested in a female artistic perspective on life in the early years of treaty port China.

Can we ever go home again? This question lies at the heart of Homecomings by Wong Yoon Wah, a veteran Singaporean poet and a prominent voice in global Chinese literature. In these poems, Wong delves into his country’s precolonial and colonial history, the natural heritage of the rainforest, his memories of his kampung hometown, his heartbreak at the closure of Nanyang University, and the global traumas of European colonisation and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. He expresses the loneliness and dislocation of the Chinese diaspora, as well as the sorrow of his generation as so many of their cultural touchstones are destroyed in the name of progress. At the same time, he embraces a planetary mode of thinking, sensing rapport with fellow humans from distant cultures and geographies, identifying even with the plants and animals that compose our ecosystem. Filled with nostalgia, bitter irony and strange beauty, Homecomings is a love letter to the past, revisiting its glories, making peace w

Mongolia, a vibrant democracy landlocked between Russia and China, stands on the edge of becoming Asia’s next boom nation—one of the richest countries per capita in the region. Referred to as the “wolf economy” for its vast natural resources—copper, gold, and rare earth metals—today, it is also home to a growing number of cutting-edge tech startups and international lifestyle brands. Its vast steppe landscape lends itself not only to herding and tourism but also renewable energy production and filmmaking. This book is about the individuals who are fighting to strengthen the country’s democracy and diversify its economy. It is about innovators aiming to realize Mongolia’s promise as a hub for green energy, tech and lifestyle entrepreneurs who are shaking up traditional industries, and go-getters who have left high-flying jobs on Wall Street to return to the country they love and play their part in moving it forward. Unlocking a country’s potential is never easy. But if administered w

Make a Choice: Under Turbulence The ten national (natural) parks in Taiwan play a pivotal role in the global conservation network and keep expanding their vision and energy in the world trend. Therefore, in this year, "National Park Quarterly" will focus on "Changing & Challenges", "Conservation & Restoration", "Management" and "Innovation" as topics of four seasons, and cut into the international forward-looking goals and current situations,and share how Taiwan's national parks ride the waves in the waves of the world.

本書以述評形式介紹國外英語語言文學類重點學術刊物2018年度在英美文學研究、比較文學研究、文藝理論研究、認知語言學研究、翻譯學研究以及二語習得等方面的最新學術研究動態與研究成果。述評文章均選自相關領域期刊, 如Journal of Linguistics, Cognitive Linguistics, Studies of Second Language Acquisition, Language Learning, Language Testing, Comparative Literature, Boundary-2, New Literary History, American Literature, ELH, Target, Translation and Literature等。 重在述評，務求及時、準確、全面地把握國外研究界在上述各領域的最新研究動態，以期為國內英語學界搭建一座與當代國外英語語言文學研究前沿接軌的學術橋樑。特色在於以述評為重點，力求通過述評及時、準確、全面把握2018年度國外英語語言文學學界在英美文學、比較文學、文藝理論、認知語言學、翻譯學和二語習得等方面發表的最新研究成果。因此，本書將是國內英語學界的填補空白之作。

English Explained explores the areas of English grammar that are most affected by misinformation and confusion and supplies the learner with the knowledge to finally grasp the workings of this multifaceted language. The fifty sections of English Explained cover the misunderstood, the misleading, and anything that appears to break the standard grammar ‘rules’ we are all taught. The book has been written, in the first instance, for teachers and prospective teachers (TESOL/TEFL) whose first language is not English. A key aim of the book, then, is assisting both students and teachers on a practical level by equipping them with the knowledge and the awareness to answer any challenging questions a teacher or an enquiring student may pose over the course of an English class. It will also prove invaluable to students of all disciplines who seek a better grasp and understanding of English grammar—essential for achieving competency in both writing and reading.

This is a novel, not a text book, although the reader may like to use some of the content of this book for German language teaching or learning. This is a novel that is intended to serve a dual purpose: For reading pleasure and for picking up and/or boosting one’s existing knowledge of German. The book should be read chapter by chapter, starting from Part I all the way to the end of Part II, as the story and the progression of the language instruction and discussion follow a linear thread. As far as the story goes, the reader will find the two main characters, William and Becky from Hong Kong, both college students who have just completed their first year of a degree programme and are now on exchange to University of Freiburg in Germany for a semester – August to December, which eventually turns out to be a bit longer, extending to end of February. This is part of an internationalization programme that they are going through and capitalizing on. On arrival in Germany their first stop

《邊學邊用：粵語聽說教材（二）》是為非華語母語背景的學習者編寫的以粵語作為二語學習的教材。本書課本內容取材自生活場景，提供常用詞彙，並附上活學活用的練習，讓學習者能在日常生活中靈活使用粵語。 “Cantonese in Communication”is a series of textbooks designed for learners learning Cantonese as a second language. It targets to use daily language scenarios, useful vocabulary, lively conversations and exercise in a practical way. It is meant for learners with no Chinese background to use Cantonese in their daily life.

《边学边用：华语听说教材》是针对以普通话为第二语言 / 外语人士的特点和需要编写的系列普通话口语教材。教材取材於普通话母语人士的口语对话，帮助学习者学习普通话，在日常生活或专业领域学以致用。 “Chinese (Putonghua) in Communication” is a series of spoken Putonghua textbooks designed for learners studying Putonghua as a second / foreign language. By drawing all examples and sample conversations from authentic speaking materials collected from native Putonghua speakers, this book series is suitable for learners aiming at learning practical Putonghua to be used in their daily as well as professional lives.

Geotechnical Hazard Mitigations with Experiment, Theory and Practice presents the keynote lectures and general papers presented at the Fifth International ISSMGE Conference on Geotechnical Engineering for Disaster Mitigation and Rehabilitation (5th GEDMAR, Taipei, Taiwan, September 13-14, 2017). The contributions discuss rainstorm and storm surge induced riverine and coastal flooding event, liquefaction, and landslide. The book is divided into the following sections: -Keynote lecture -Combined hazard in river basin -Liquefaction -Landslide -Other natural geo-hazards Geotechnical Hazard Mitigations with Experiment, Theory and Practice will be of interest to researchers, academics, industry practitioners and other professionals involved in earthquake geotechnical engineering and landslide hazards.

The genre of poems that may be read both forward and backward, producing different creations was known as the “flight of wild geese.” These poems were often sent so that a distant lover, like the migrating birds, would return. Its greatest practitioner, and the focus of this critical anthology, is Su Hui, a woman who, in the 4th Century, embroidered a silk for her distant husband using a grid of 840 characters that created perhaps 12,000 ways to read this poem. With examples from the 3rd to the 19th centuries, Michele Metail describes reversible poems as “a singular adventure at the edge of meaning, of language, and of writing.”

Li He is the bad-boy poet of the late Tang Dynasty. A Song dynasty critic once described Li He’s poetry as written in the “language of a demonic immortal” and filled with hallucinatory evocations of goddesses, beautiful courtesans, Buddhist visions, drunken nights, and corruption. As the scholar Anne M. Birrell, writes, “Of all the Tang poets, even of all Chinese poets, he best speaks for our disconcerting times.” Modern critics have compared him to Rimbaud, Baudelaire, and Keats. In the crystalline translations by the noted scholar J. D. Frodsham, the 1983 edition of this book has been out of print for decades.

Nutrition aside, there are other interesting topics worth exploring in the pursuit of health. Can cancer be prevented? Why doesn’t everyone live long, healthy lives? What is the relationship between cardiovascular disease and the immune system? How does the immune system affect overall health? Which is a healthier food option: natural and wholesome plant foods or animal-based foods? How do our lifestyles affect our health? Good health is not a secret. To achieve good health, we must first understand it. By drawing links between diet, health, and the immune system, this book provides fascinating insights into the preventive science of Nutritional Immunology.

Modern architecture has become increasingly concerned about the integration and harmony between the natural and built environments. Terms like environmental protection and management, energy conservation, renewable energy, sustainability and ecology have been pouring into our ears on a daily basis. In fact, all these concepts are not new from an ancient Chinese point of view; Feng Shui or more academically, Kan Yu, is exactly the traditional Chinese wisdom aimed at creating harmony between the environment, buildings and people. Feng Shui is the philosophy which has influenced traditional building design in China for thousands of years. Based on Scientific Feng Shui for the Built Environment: Fundamentals and Case Studies published in 2011, this enhanced new edition has further taken into account the enhancements and new inputs in theories and applications. Emphasis is placed on two themes, sustainability and science. New case studies regarding sustainable design as viewed from a Feng

From his court Jupiter keeps staying away, Missed by fellow gods; Atlas the culprit at large---- ----The Tower of Pisa: A Sequel Since the appearance of POTTY LITTLE MAN SELECTED POEMS OF BAI CHUAN III (《人渺小：白川詩選三》) in its original native language, there has been a demand for a serious attempt to transform its international outlook into an international readership. In response to this, the present English edition offers not a slavish translation. Instead, there is perhaps a true sense of creative effort, to say nothing of the venture itself being a rich and rewarding experience.

This book is for readers who are interested in literature, visual arts and writings about life. Most of the time, life itself, including personal ones and collective ones (such as nation, natural environment and so forth), gives incredible inspirations to the one who is writing. And yet, through more reading and more thinking, the writing self can imagine someone else’s way of living, as if he or she is living through it. This collection of essays brings literature and visual arts together, as their aesthetics come to complete each other. 本書特色 A collection of essays that explores the intricate relationships between literature and art, bringing new insights into famous writers such as Henry James and Virginia Woolfe.

Since the appearance of Roads Range Far: Selected Poems of Bai Chuan (道路遠近：白川詩選) in its original native language, there has been a demand for a serious attempt to transform its international outlook into an international readership. In response to this, the present English edition offers not a slavish translation. Instead, there is perhaps a true sense of creative effort, to say nothing of the venture itself being a rich and rewarding experience.

Professor William S-Y. Wang is among the most influential contemporary linguists. For several decades, he has been leading the development of Chinese Linguistics to a higher level. Professor Wang established the famous theory of lexical diffusion, advocating an evolutionary perspective and interdisciplinary methods for research on language and linguistics. His writings have appeared in handbooks, textbooks, encyclopedias, numerous technical journals, and have been translated into several languages. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, numerous pupils and colleagues of Professor Wang come together for the compilation of the Festschrift to pay tribute to him. The Festschrift has over sixty contributions by scholars from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, East Asia, North America and Europe, partitioned in Chinese and English volumes. Authors are active in areas of various linguistic frontiers, investigating language and linguistics from an interdisciplinary perspective. Most of the con

Financial statements facilitate the communication between corporations and various stakeholders. The integrity, stability and transparency of such communication help preserving Hong Kong as a top global financial centre. To many laypersons, looking through financial statements can be like reading novels in a foreign language, with a sea of jargon obscuring the statements’ true meaning. Financial Analysis in Hong Kong 2nd Edition is a product of experience, feedback and chapter review as well as an update of the changes in practices, guidelines, standards and legislations since its 1st edition in 2008. This 2nd edition provides a clear, concise reference for analysing corporations’ financial statements. Based on the evaluations of published financials, this book is a convenient standalone guide for both novices and financial professionals in the boardroom and beyond.