Today's reading is taken from the annual report of the "Chartwell Senior Housing Real Estate Investment Trust (资深房地产投资信托公司)."

The reading is very short and there are few "new words" to learn. What is important is the way the simple words are deployed to give a concise, yet forceful picture of the company. Also worthy of note is the use of "we/us/our" instead of "the company."

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Chartwell Senior Housing Real Eastate Investment Trust

Report to Unitholders (单位信托证券持有者)

Quality Service 优质服务
   Quality People    优质人员配备
   Quality Residences 优质住宅

Our considerable growth over the past four years has transformed (使...变成) Chartwell into the largest owner and operator of senior housing communities in Canada, and the third largest in North America. Looking ahead, our focus is to capitalize on (我们的着眼点是利用...) the significant increase in our size, scale and critical mass to enhance performance (提高业绩) and build value (营/创造价值) for our unitholders.

Chartwell's Key Success Factor

People
Our top priority (重中之重; 当务之急) is providing the highest level of care and service to our residents. Our peope interact daily with our residents, and truly enjoy working with today's seniors.

Commnities
The majority of our properties are less than ten years old, and continual upgrades and ongoing investments ensure a modern, attractive and high value portfolio.

Management
Our senior management team has decades of experience (数十年经验) in managing seniors communities, as well as marketing, financing, acquisition and development.

Exercise:
(1) Our considerable growth over the past eight years has transformed   Rainlane into a four-board English corner.

(2) Looking ahead, our focus is to capitalize on the steady development in our quality, size and traffic to enhance performance and build value for our Treasure Lsland English Corner.

(3) Our top priority is writing more short articles and posting them onto the Workshop, and having them revised by people whose English are very good.

(4) Our English teacher has decades of experience in creative writing, as well as translation, listening comprehension, and spoken English.

The next two selections (#124 and 125) are from newspaper positions-open ads. They should be of particular interest for people practicing "Business English." Many of the phrases are often the ones people ask for on various "Q & A" forums.

BCBGMAXZRIACANADA (Yes, that's the "real" heading.)
BCBG Max Azria is taking the world by storm. Named from the French phrase "Bon Chic, Bon Genre", a Parisian slang meaning "Good Style, Good Attitude," the BG Max Azria brand encompasses a combination of European sophistication and true American spirit (欧洲人的精明与真实美国精神的结合). BCBG Max Azria invests in its employees (对其雇员以...来投资) by offering: Growth and career development, lucrative (丰厚的) bonus plan and commissions, generous (大额的) employee discount, extended medical and dental coverage.
Now hiring for (现招聘)
General Managers,
Store Managers,
Co-Managers,
Sales Associates.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please visit our stores or contact our Human Resources Department.
Fax:xxx-yyy-abcd Email:hrcanada@bcbg.com
Website: http://www.bcbg.com/

(Note: Positions open are given as a list under "Now hiring for". Method of contact is also by a list. There is no need to say, please call, email us, visit our site...)

Exercise:
(1) Mars travel is taking the world by storm.

(2) Quan Ju De roast duck restaurant encompasses a combination of classical sophistication and true Chinese cuisine spirit. It invests in its employees by offering: lucrative bonus plan and generous employee discount.

Now hiring for
General Managers,
Lobby Managers,
Co-Managers,
Sales Associates.

If you are interested in applying for this position, please visit our restaurant or contact our Human Resources Department.
Fax:xxx-yyy-abcd Email:hrcanada@bcbg.com
Website: http://www.quanjude.com/

#125
The following is an ad by the Cree (Cree Indian) school board for teaching positions open at a remote area: James Bay, near the Arctic Circle. Take note of the way the ad is written: accentuating the positive, but mentioning nothing about the negative (extremely cold weather; middle of nowhere etc.)
Notice the use of "command...in a certain language", and   not "have a certain level" in a language. One of the most frequent mistakes of inexperience translators or writers is to use the word "level" whenever they think of   水平. The two are not always equivalent: as a matter of fact, they seldom are.

Let your spirit of Discovery soar. (让你的探索精神翱翔/展开你的探索翅膀)

Come and discover a unique way (独有方式) of living--a new way of teaching--the natural beauty od James Bay--a place where you'll have an immediate impact (直接影响) and receive so much in return (得到丰厚回报).

   The Cree School Board provides pre-primary through secondary and adult education services in Cree, French and English in nine communities. Join our team (加入我们团队) and make a personal commitment to an experience that will change your life (投身于将改变你未来生活的体验中去).

Teachers
Continuing Education
*English Upgrading (800 Hours) (2 positions)
* French Upgrading (800 hours)

Vocational Training Program
*Secretarial Studies 5712
* Norther Building Management 5702
* Home Care & Family Assitance 5545
* Construction & Electricity 1930
* Firearms Repair 1489
* Cabinet Making 5530
* Carpentry 5819

These positions are available immediately. If you enjoy challenges (如果你勇于挑战), hold a bachelor's degree in Education (if applicable) and have a command of (精通) either French or English, we would like to meet with you! In addition to the standard salary stipulated by (由...规定的) the ministre de l'Education du Loisir du Sport (MELS), you will receive an isolation premium and northern allowance for housing and transportation.

Interviews will be held in Montreal, on July 8and 10, 2008, as well as later in the summer (dates to be confirmed.)

To find out more about our fascinating world and the positions we have to offer, visit our website.

Please send your resume,and a copy of your teaching permit or certificate,and/or trade certifications, quoting the appropriate reference number, to Human Resources Department, Cree School Board, (address...) Fax: (number). E-mail: (address)

The Cree School Board is an equal opportunity employer and invites candidates to signify their belong to groups targeted by the Act repecting equal access to employment in public bodies.

Exercise:
(1) Let your spirit of Discovery soar.

(2) Come and discover a unique way of meditation --a new way of contemplation of spiritual matters --a state you'll have an immediate impact and receive so much in return.
  
(3) Join our team and make a personal commitment to an experience that will change your life.

(4) This opening is available immediately. If you enjoy challenges, hold a bachelor's degree in Education and have a command of either Maya or Latin, we would like to meet with you! In addition to the standard salary stipulated by the Yeti, you will receive an isolation premium and lucrative bonus.

I mentioned it before, and I like to mention it again. One source of "good English" is the promotional material in the inside flap of the jacket of a hardcover book (精装书内封面). There is usually a review and synopsis of the book written to entice you into buying the book. As such, the short article is usually very well written.

Today's reading material is from the front inside flap of the jacket to the book "All that matters" by Wayson Choy (Note: The synopsis is written in present tense narrative, as is often the case with book reviews and synopsis.)

To read more about Wayson Choy, go to http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0009879

Set in the 1930s and 40s, All That Matters continues the story of the Chen family, this time through the eyes of (在...眼中) First Son Kiam-Kim, the only child of his father's beautiful, fragile First Wife. Having left behind the harshness of life in their Toishan village, Kiam-Kim, his principled, tireless father and his indomitable (不屈不挠的) grandmother, Poh- Poh, arrive in Gold Mountain with dreams of a better future (未来更美好的向往). From his earliest years, Kaim-kim is deeply conscious of his responsibilities (深深意识到他的责任) to maintain the family's honour and to set an irreproachable example (无可指责的榜样) for his Canada-born brothers and sisters.

   As he grows up, Kiam-Kim's life is broadened as well as complicated by his burgeoning awareness of the world (对外部世界的逐渐认识) outside Vancouver's Chinatown. In a city divided into neighbourhoods as sharply defined as nation-states, Kiam-kim becomes ever more sensitive to the nuance of belonging and exclusion.

   Across the gulf of (越过...的隔阂) misunderstanding and suspicion, Kiam-kim forges a lasting relationship (建立了持久关系) with Jack O'Conner, son of a volatile Irishman and a pious mother, who must struggle with his own inheritance. And growing up alongside them both is Jenny, lovely daughter of Poh-Poh's mahjong companion, the dramatic Mrs.Chong. As they approach adulthood against the backdrop of rigid expectations (不渝的期望) at home and violent war abroad, these three find themselves inextricably bound (密不可分地) by ties that perhaps none of them fully understand.

   In All that matters Wayson Choy accomplishes the extraordinary (实现这一壮举): blending a haunting evocation of tenacious, ancient tradition with a precise, funny, and very modern coming-of-age story, creating a world that will linger in the memory of (在...的记忆中徘徊) readers long after (很久以后) the last page is turned.

   Wayson Choy's first novel, The Jade Peony, spent 26 weeks on the Globe and Mail's bestseller list and in 1995 he shared the Trillium Award with Margaret Atwood and won the Vancouver Book Award. Begun as a short story in 1997, The Jade Peony went on to be anthologized more than 25 times. His highly acclaimed memoir, Paper Shadows: A Chinatown Childhood (《纸影: 唐人街的童年》), was published in 1999 and won the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-fiction. Wayson Choy lives in Toronto.

Exercise:
(1) In Gone with the Cloud, David seduces his readers with a gentle, lyrical, and witty voice that underscores his unflinching examination of Huaxi village during the most turbulent decades of the nineteenth century.

(2) Can you tell through the eyes of from in the eyes of ?

(3) The indomitable gold digger arrived in Gold Mountain with dreams of a better future. From his earliest years, he is deeply conscious of his responsibilities to maintain the group's honour and to set an irreproachable example for his followers.

(4) As he grows up, Wang's life is broadened as well as complicated by his burgeoning awareness of the world outside Arrow Temple.

(5) Across the gulf of misunderstanding and suspicion, Mary forges a lasting relationship with the investment broker.

(6) As they approach adulthood against the backdrop of rigid expectations at home and violent war abroad, these three find themselves inextricably bound by ties that perhaps none of them fully understand.

(7) In Gone with the Rain David accomplishes the extraordinary: blending a haunting evocation of tenacious, ancient tradition with a precise, funny, and very modern coming-of-age story, creating a world that will linger in the memory of readers long after the last page is turned.