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Time：第 63 次例會，2006年7月8日（週六）下午2:30~5:00
Place: viewtopic.php?t=15
14:30~15:30 gossiping and chatting
15:30~15:45 Ice Breaker session
15:45~16:00 intermission
16:00~17:00 topic discussion
Host: Cathy Lin
Assistant Host: James Shi
Topic：A turn of the Deck
( Source: http://www.ivy.com.tw/main )
Surrounded by mystery and magic, tarot cards have an unclear history that is the cause of much debate. Some say the tradition of tarot stems from ancient China, India, and Egypt. Others claim these theories are pure nonsense. What we do know begins in 15th century Italy, in the court of Ferrara. Like playing cards of the time, the first tarot deck included number and face cards in four suits. The new deck added a set of queens as well as 22 special trump cards.
Although used as entertainment, the cards themselves are quite interesting. Each of the special cards contains a unique and thought-provoking image. The Magician represents the conscious mind. The man on the card is using various tools to tinker with reality. The Justice card depicts a figure holding a balance, showing us that every action has an effect and that we must undo wrong actions of the past. The Hanged Man dangles upside down, reminding us that situations can always be turned around and everything isn't always as it appears to be.
Due to their symbolic nature, tarot cards have more recently been used for fortune-telling purposes. Tarot readers will spread out the cards and find a certain meaning in the way different cards are placed together. They use these patterns to predict the future. Though the true meaning of tarot cards will continue to be debated, people will continue to look beneath the surface and attempt to unfold the mystery that lies within.
Vocabulary and phrase:
1. deck n. 一副牌；船的甲板 2. mystery n. 神祕（的事物）
3. tarot cards n. 塔羅牌 4. nonsense n. 無稽之談
5. suit n. 同花色的一組紙牌 6. trump n.（紙牌的）王牌
7. thought-provoking a. 引人深思的 8. depict vt. 描述
9. balance n. 天秤 10. pattern n. 模式
* A as well as B A 以及 B
* spread out... 攤開……
* attempt to V 企圖做……
Questions:
1.) Have you ever sought for tarot cards readers or fortune-teller to give you suggestions about your work, heath, love or something else? Do you believe in them?
2.) Do you believe in fate? Why and why not?
3.) If tarot cards showed that something bad might happen to you in the future such as losing money in investment or separating from your lover, what would you do?
4.) Why would people go to temples or churches for blessing or asking to realize their dreams? Do you believe that God can help you with solving the problems?
5.) Do you think that tarot cards, fortune-teller or praying to God is a sort of mental therapy?
例會須知 參與例會，請自行列印當週的討論文章並帶至現場，圖示如下：
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台北，每週六 (2005年6月起)
Taipei, Saturday, Weekly
from June, 2005
Place：
viewtopic.php?t=15
高雄，每月最後一個週日 (2007年4月起)
Kaohsiung, Final Sunday, Monthly
from April, 2007
Place：
viewtopic.php?t=15
