Topic-Coffee

代用咖啡 ＊網路上有很多待用咖啡的源由，有興趣可以查查看。

Coffee culture is omnipresent. A city without cafes is analogous to a dictionary without verbs. Coffee has become a universal language, and the speakers are from every single corner of the world. Once upon the time, coffee started out as an economical and everyday beverage in the West. But when the pocket is empty, even buying a cup of coffee is beyond one’s means. Nevertheless, in many cities around the world, even someone without cash can enjoy a cup of heartwarming beverage.

The concept of paying for an extra cup of coffee in advance, so the next person in need can enjoy it for free is called suspended coffee (義大利語 caffè sospeso). The charitable act began as an organic, grassroots movement in the working-class cafes of Naples many years ago, and has become a tradition in many nations.

Coming back to present day, Starbucks has also been expressing its generosity. The Starbucks chain in the United Kingdom signed up with an act of goodwill in 2013, and has been offering suspended coffees to the homeless population. The coffee giant’s marketing representative announced that Starbucks will be matching the value of each suspended coffee their customers purchase, and will make a cash donation of the same amount to Oasis, an active worldwide charity organization.

Of course, the Americans are no small potatoes in terms of generosity. The good news has just come this June, when Starbucks announced that it has established an agreement with Arizona State University. The university offers online undergraduate programs, and Starbucks will be paying full or partial tuition for its employees to attend. The collaborated program is called “The Starbucks College Achievement” plan, and 135,000 employees are eligible. Since going to college can easily cost an arm and a leg, the plan is opening up doors for those willing to learn and make progress.

The phenomenon of giving and helping those in need goes from the old country of Italy, to metropolises across the globe. It’s good to know a simple cup of coffee can stretch beyond cafes, and help so many citizens of the world.

1. omniprecent adjective 無所不在的
    ▪  The singer became an omnipresent icon of style and beauty.

2. analogous adjective 類似的
    anology noun
    ▪  He drew an analogy between the brain and a vast computer.
    ▪  The two situations are roughly analogous.

3. beyond one’s means to spend more money than one can afford. 寅吃卯糧
    /入不敷出
    ▪  I keep a budget so that I don't live beyond my means.

4.  suspended adjective 通常suspend都是指停止，暫停的意思。這邊用法比較特殊。

5.  grassroots noun 原文後面有working-class 不難猜是平民百姓
     ▪  We need support at grass-roots level.

6.  amount to 等同(如同); 共計
     ▪  Why, doing this amounts to cheating! 
     ▪  The annual cost of income support to unmarried mothers amounted to £700
         million in that year.

7.  small potatos 小人物(英式英文 small beer)

8.  in terms of (熟悉這片語的用法，作文和文章都很常用。)

9.  partial/impartial adjective 這邊當然是很簡單的指 部分的
     但 partial to 可以指偏心/偏愛 favoring or preferring someone or something.
     ▪  The boys think their teacher is partial to female students.
     ▪  I am partial to vanilla ice cream.

10.  cost an arm and a leg ：to cost a lot of money 就是所費不貲，但我覺得用
       cost an arm and a leg傳神多了
       花去你一隻腳和手臂，那真的是很痛。
       另外可以一起記一下exorbitant adjective 是指某樣東西價格超過合理範圍。
       ▪  exorbitant rent/prices

11. doors open up (to someone) opportunities become available to someone. 
      ▪  Being fluent in three languages has opened up many doors for her in the
      competitive job market.    

Practice: 試著練習寫3-5句摘要。