通勤學英語 15Mins Today

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K474: French Strike May Presage a Winter of Discontent Across France, a third of the gas stations are fully or partly dry, victims of a fast-widening strike that has spread to most of the country’s major oil refineries, as well as some nuclear plants and railways, offering a preview of a winter of discontent as inflation and energy shortages threaten to undercut Europe’s stability and its united front against Russia for its war in Ukraine. 在法國各地，三分之一的加油站已經完全或者快要沒油可加，它們是罷工迅速擴大的受害者，罷工已經蔓延到該國大多數主要煉油廠，以及部分核電廠和鐵路。這預示著不滿的冬天即將來臨，通膨與能源短缺將威脅歐洲穩定，以及歐洲在烏克蘭戰爭中反對俄羅斯的統一戰線。 At the very least the strike — pitting refinery workers seeking a greater share of the surging profits against oil giants TotalEnergies and Exxon Mobil — has already emerged as the first major social crisis of Emmanuel Macron’s second term as president, as calls grow for a general strike. 隨著要求舉行大罷工的呼聲日益高漲，這場罷工至少已成為馬克宏第二個總統任期內的首個重大社會危機，煉油廠工人則對上石油巨頭道達爾與埃克森美孚，希望在它們不斷飆升的獲利中爭取更多分潤。 The widening social unrest is just what European leaders fear as inflation hits its highest level in decades, driven in part by snarls in pandemic global supply chains, but also by the mounting impact of the tit-for-tat economic battle between Europe and Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. 隨著通膨達到數十年來最高水準，不斷擴大的社會動盪正讓歐洲領導人擔憂，通膨部分係因疫情導致全球供應鏈陷入混亂，也因為俄羅斯入侵烏克蘭而與歐洲以牙還牙的經濟戰，造成影響愈來愈大。 Economic anxiety is palpable across Europe, driving large protests in Prague, Britain’s biggest railway strike in three decades, as well as walkouts by bus drivers, call center employees and criminal defense lawyers, and causing many governments to introduce relief measures to cushion the blow and ward off still more turbulence. Airline workers in Spain and Germany went on strike recently, demanding wage increases to reflect the rising cost of living. 經濟焦慮在整個歐洲都很明顯，致使布拉格發生大規模抗議活動，英國發生30年來最大規模鐵路罷工，以及公車司機、客服中心員工和刑事辯護律師罷工，多國政府推出救濟措施以緩解衝擊，避免出現更多動盪。西班牙和德國航空公司員工近來也發起罷工，要求加薪來反映生活成本上漲。 Workers at half of France’s eight refineries are continuing to picket for higher wages in line with inflation, as well as a cut of the sky-high profits their companies made over recent months, as the price of gasoline has surged. 法國8家煉油廠中有4家的工人正持續爭取按照通膨率提高工資，並在公司近幾個月來因汽油價格上漲而飆升的獲利中分一杯羹。 Earlier last week, Exxon Mobil announced that it had come to an agreement with two of four unions working at its sites. But the wage increase was 1 percentage point less, and half the bonus, that Confédération Générale du Travail, or CGT, France’s second-largest union, had demanded. 埃克森美孚在上周稍早宣布，已經跟自家工廠四個工會中的兩個達成協議，但加薪幅度比法國第2大工會法國總工會（CGT）要求的少了1個百分點，獎金也少一半。 In its own news release, TotalEnergies said the company continued to aim for “fair compensation for the employees” and to ensure they benefited “from the exceptional results generated” by the company. 道達爾則在自家新聞稿說，公司持續致力於「為員工提供公平的報酬」，並確保他們從公司「創造的卓越業績」中受益。 On Friday, two unions at TotalEnergies announced they had reached a deal for a 7% wage increase and a bonus. But CGT, which has demanded a 10% hike, walked out of the negotiation and said it would continue the strike. 道達爾的兩個工會周五宣布，他們已就加薪7%與獎金達成協議，但要求加薪10%的法國總工會退出談判，並表示將繼續罷工。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6722930

留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments Topic: About space - NASA and Tide team up to do laundry in space Tide is going to outer space. The Procter & Gamble brand is partnering with NASA to keep astronauts’ spacesuits fresh, even on Mars. 汰漬正在前往外太空。這個寶鹼公司的品牌正與美國航太總署合作，維持太空人太空服的乾淨，即便是在火星。 Company and NASA scientists have created a fully degradable detergent that will clean clothes without wasting water. 該公司與NASA科學家已經創造一款完全可自然分解的洗滌劑，不用浪費水就能潔淨衣物。 Over the next decade, they’ll be testing fabric care products, including Tide pens and wipes, at the International Space Station and on missions to the moon and Mars. 在未來10年中，他們將在國際太空站與登月、登火星的任務中，測試織物照護產品，包括汰漬的筆與濕紙巾。 The months or even years that astronauts spend away from Earth means that their spacesuits and clothes can become smelly and stained. Clothes have to be reworn several times before they are ejected with other waste into the atmosphere or sent back to Earth as trash. A crew member will receive 160 pounds of clothes per year through resupply shipments. 太空人離開地球數月，甚至數年的時間，意味著他們的太空服與衣物會變臭且染色。這些衣物與其他廢物被拋入大氣層或當成垃圾送回地球前，必須重複穿著許多次。1名組員每年將透過補給，拿到160磅重的衣物。 Next Article Topic: Russia wants to return to Venus, build reusable rocket 俄羅斯希望重返金星，打造可重複使用的火箭 The head of Russia’s space agency said Friday that Roscosmos wants to return to Venus and bring back soil samples and build spacecraft that will surpass Elon Musk’s rockets. 俄羅斯太空機構負責人週五說，俄羅斯航太太空活動國有公司（Roscosmos）想重返金星 ，帶回土壤樣本，並打造超越（太空探索科技公司）創辦人穆斯克的火箭的太空船。 "We are making a methane rocket to replace the Soyuz-2," Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with state news agency RIA Novosti. 「我們正在打造一種甲烷火箭取代聯合2號火箭（Soyuz-2）」，俄羅斯航太總裁羅戈辛在接受國營「俄羅斯新聞社」訪問時說。 He said it will be a reusable space complex, noting that it will be possible to use its first stage at least 100 times. 他說，新火箭將是可以重複使用的太空綜合體，並強調第一節將有望重複使用至少100次。 "Of course we are looking at what our American colleagues are doing," said Rogozin. "But our engineers are trying to take a shortcut － not to repeat what our SpaceX colleagues are doing but surpass them." 「我們當然有在關注美國同業的進展」，羅戈辛說。「但我們的工程師正試圖抄近路—不是重複SpaceX在做的事，而是超越他們。」Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1457274; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1395146 Next Article Topic: Why Tom Hanks turned down Jeff Bezos’ offer to go to space Jeff Bezos offered Tom Hanks a ride to space on his Blue Origin rocket, but it came at a price. （亞馬遜創辦人）傑夫‧貝佐斯曾邀請（好萊塢男星）湯姆‧漢克搭乘他的「藍源」火箭上太空，但要付出代價。 The actor confirmed that Bezos had asked him during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday, saying if he accepted the offer he was expected to pay. 這名男星週二現身（電視節目）「吉米金默現場秀」時證實，貝佐斯曾邀約他（上太空），並說若他接受（邀約），應該要付錢。 "Well yeah, provided I pay," Hanks said. "It costs like $28 million or something like that. And I’m doing good, Jimmy — I’m doing good — but I ain’t paying $28 million. You know what, we could simulate the experience of going to space right now." 「是啊，若我付錢（就能上太空），」漢克說。「大概要2800萬美元左右。我算是事業有成，吉米—我混得還不錯—但我才不要付2800萬。你知道嗎，我們現在就可以模擬上太空的經驗。」 Hanks, who appeared to promote his new movie "Finch," mimicked shaking in a rocket while in his chair, saying, "I don’t need to spend 28 million bucks to do that." 上節目宣傳新片「芬奇的旅程」的漢克（語畢）便在椅子上模仿搭火箭（上太空時）身體抖動的模樣，並說「我才不要花2800萬來做這種事。」 Next Article Topic: William Shatner says Prince William is ’missing the point’ of space tourism 威廉沙特納說 威廉王子沒搞懂太空旅行的真諦 William Shatner is firing a rhetorical rocket back at Prince William after the future king criticized space tourism. 在（英國）威廉王子出言批評太空觀光後，（男星）威廉‧沙特納反唇相譏，還擊這位未來國王。 Shatner, who blasted into space on one of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ rockets, said the British royal has "got the wrong idea" by saying that solving problems on Earth should be prioritized over tourist trips to space. 搭乘亞馬遜創辦人傑夫‧貝佐斯的一艘火箭上太空的沙特納說，宣稱解決地球上的問題應優先於太空旅行的這位英國王室成員，「搞錯了」。 The 90-year-old "Star Trek" actor said that a power generating base could be constructed 250 miles above the Earth and used to supply homes and businesses below. "The prince is missing the point," he added. 這位90歲「星際爭霸戰」男演員說，距離地表250英里的上空可以蓋一座發電基地，用來供應地面住家與建築（所需）。「王子沒搞懂（太空旅行的真諦），」他補充道。 Without mentioning names, William criticized billionaires focused on space tourism in an interview Thursday with the BBC, saying they should invest more time and money in saving Earth. 威廉週四接受英國廣播公司訪問時，在未指名道姓的情況下批評億萬富豪聚焦太空觀光的現象，指稱富豪們應將更多時間與金錢投資於拯救地球。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1498987 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1499857 Next Article Topic: Ex-official: Space station ‘largely isolated’ from tensions Tensions in eastern Ukraine and heightened Western fears of a Russian invasion should not have a significant impact on the International Space Station or US-Russia cooperation in space, the former head of the National Space Council told The Associated Press. 烏克蘭東部的緊張局勢以及西方對俄羅斯入侵的擔憂加劇，不應該對國際空間站或美俄太空合作產生重大影響，國家太空委員會前負責人告訴美聯社。 That was before Russia launched an invasion of Ukraine on Thursday last week, however. 然而，

留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 主題：笑與懶惰還有什麼其他說法 Other ways to say “Laugh” and “Lazy” Other ways to say: LAUGH (v.) 1. Giggle 痴笑 Stop that giggling in the back row! 2. Roar 爆笑 He threw back his head and roared with laughter. 3. Chuckle 暗笑 She was chuckling as she read the letter. 4. Grin 微笑 What are you grinning about? 5. Snigger 暗笑 They spent half the time sniggering at the clothes people were wearing. Other ways to say: LAZY 1. Bone idle 閒置 He's a very able student, he's just bone idle. 2. Passive 被動 He's very passive in the relationship. 3. Inactive 不主動 It's bad for your health to be physically inactive. 4. Shiftless 無法移動 He thought the whole family was shiftless and dishonest. 5. Workshy (British) 避免工作 Workers are often workshy because of the UK's generous benefit system. 6. Sluggish 慢速 A heavy lunch makes me sluggish in the afternoon. 分享時間:Tell a personal experience related to laugh and lazyPick 4 words and make sentences

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K473: About the US - Texas woman’s Goodwill find turns out to be 2,000-year-old Roman relic A Texas woman got a bang for her buck when her purchase of a $34.99 marble bust from a Goodwill thrift store turned out to be a relic from ancient Rome. （美國）德州1名婦女日前挖到寶，她在Goodwill二手店以34.99美元買下的一樽大理石半身像，竟是古羅馬時代的遺物。 Laura Young, who has been reselling antiques for 11 years, came across a 52lb marble bust in an Austin Goodwill in 2018. 從事古董轉賣生意11年的蘿拉．楊恩2018年在奧斯汀的1家Goodwill二手店，偶然發現這樽52磅重的大理石半身像。 "I was just looking for anything that looked interesting," Young told CNN. She added: "It was a bargain at $35 – there was no reason not to buy it." 「我當時只是在找些看起來有趣的東西，」楊恩告訴美國有線電視新聞網。她補充說，「35塊真的很划算－－沒理由不買。」 After purchasing the bust, Young reached out to various auction houses and experts to find out more about the sculpture. 楊恩買下半身像後聯繫多家拍賣公司與專家，以便更進一步瞭解該雕塑。 Sotheby’s eventually confirmed that the bust was estimated to be about 2,000 years old, and came from ancient Rome. 蘇富比拍賣行最後證實，該半身像估計有2千年歷史，而且來自古羅馬時代。 Next Article Many employers will soon have to advertise salary thanks to two new laws 多虧2項新法 許多雇主很快將得在求才廣告上揭露薪資 Job seekers will start to get a much better grasp on what many employers are willing to pay – and so will a company’s existing employees. （美國的）求職者將開始更清楚知道雇主願意付多少薪水－－該公司現有員工亦然。 While there is already a patchwork of state and local laws aimed at improving pay transparency, many companies still do not advertise what they pay up front. But two new laws that will soon take effect may have the biggest impact yet on employers and job seekers across the country. 儘管現有旨在改善薪資透明度的各種州級與地方法律，許多公司仍不願在徵才廣告上坦率寫出願意支付多少薪水。但即將生效的2項新法，或許會對全美國的雇主與求職者造成迄今最大的影響。 On November 1, New York City will require employers that have four or more people on the payroll – with at least one of them working in the city – to provide a “good faith” pay range listing the minimum and maximum base salary or hourly wage in all job advertisements. 紐約市在11月1日將要求有至少4名支薪員工－－其中至少一人任職於紐約市－－的雇主，在所有求才廣告上提供「真誠」的薪資範疇，列出最低與最高的基礎薪資或時薪。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1545580 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1549517

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K472: About Japan - Asakusa-based gang decides to call it quits after a century An organized crime syndicate in Tokyo with roots dating to around a century ago has finally decided to call it quits, a victim of changing times and social mores, police crackdowns and a membership that is ... well past its prime. 受時代與社會習俗改變、警察鎮壓，以及幫眾人數遠不及全盛時期所苦，東京的一個起源於約一世紀前的組織犯罪集團，終於決定告一段落。 The Anegasaki-kai, based in the old downtown Asakusa district of the capital, survived primarily by scalping tickets for concerts and running stalls at summer festivals, according to investigative sources. 根據調查單位的消息人士，以首都淺草區老街為根據地的姉崎會，其生存之道主要是靠賣演唱會黃牛票以及在夏日祭典擺攤。 It notified other yakuza groups in the capital that it decided to disband on July 25, the sources said. 消息人士說，該幫派通知首都內的其他黑幫，決定在7月25日解散。 Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department said it learned that the notice was sent to the Kyokuto-kai, a designated crime syndicate, and other gangs, and is now trying to verify it. 東京都警視廳表示，已知悉（姉崎會將解散）通知送至指定暴力團極東會與其他幫派，如今正試圖核實。 Next Article Dream job: the Japanese man who gets paid to do nothing夢幻工作：一位日本人藉由無所事事賺錢 Shoji Morimoto has what some would see as a dream job: he gets paid to do pretty much nothing. 森本祥司擁有一個看似夢幻的工作：他以無所事事賺錢。 The 38-year-old Tokyo resident charges 10,000 yen per booking to accompany clients and simply exist as a companion. 這位38歲東京居民每次對預約的客戶收費一萬日圓，僅作為陪伴存在。 "Basically, I rent myself out. My job is to be wherever my clients want me to be and to do nothing in particular," Morimoto told, adding that he had handled some 4,000 sessions in the past four years. 森本說，「基本上，我把自己出租，我的工作是出現在客戶希望我出現的地方，特別是不用做任何事情」。他並補充說明，過去4年已處理4000場次。 His job has taken him to a park with a person who wanted to play on a see-saw. He has also beamed and waved through a train window at a complete stranger who wanted a send-off. 他的工作讓他陪一個想玩蹺蹺板的人去公園。他也透過火車車窗對一個想要被送行、完全不認識的人瞇眼微笑。 Before Morimoto found his true calling, he worked at a publishing company and was often chided for "doing nothing". 森本找到他真正的天職之前，在一間出版社公司工作，時常被訓斥「無所事事」。 "I started wondering what would happen if I provided my ability to ’do nothing’ as a service to clients," he said. 他說，「我開始思考，要是我將『無所事事』的能力作為一項服務提供給客戶，會發生什麼事。」Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1550844 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1549877

Summary: Since Costco introduced soft and tender USDA beef to Taiwan, the Taiwanese shoppers are now after the next best thing - Wagyu beef. Wagyu beef is now making its way to hotpot and bbq restaurants. In this episode, Angel and I talk about how we feel about Wagyu beef and steaks in general. Do you like Wagyu beef? Comment down below! Vocabulary: 1. Cost an arm and a leg idiom. 非常昂貴/近乎賣手賣腳 A5 Wagyu steak will cost you an arm and a leg. A5 和牛的價位非常昂貴。 2. Sizzle adj. 滋滋聲 When cooking steak, Gordon Ramsay always says "Listen to the sizzle". 煮牛排時，Gordon廚神都說要聽到"滋滋聲“。 3. Portion n. 份量 If you are not sure how much steak you can finish, you want to order the smaller portion on the menu. 如果你不確定你可以吃完多少牛排，可以點菜單上比較小的份量。 更多Vocab Podcast節目: https://www.15mins.today/vocab 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : [email protected] 商業合作/贊助來信：[email protected] 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K471: South Africa Details Plans to Fight Corruption South Africa’s president has introduced long-anticipated measures to tackle endemic corruption, subjecting even himself and his Cabinet to closer scrutiny of their personal spending and lifestyles. But some analysts question whether reforms that would help the government regain the trust of a fed-up public will ever be carried out. 南非總統推出各界期待已久的措施，以解決普遍存在的貪腐問題，連他本人跟他的內閣個人支出與生活方式都要接受更仔細的審查。這項改革意在協助政府重新取得受夠一切的大眾信任，但一些分析人士質疑是否能夠落實。 President Cyril Ramaphosa, speaking on national television Sunday evening, said his government would, among other things, establish a permanent anti-corruption unit in the national prosecutor’s office, create transparency in the granting of public contracts and increase protections for whistleblowers. 南非總統拉瑪佛沙周日晚間在國家電視台發表談話時表示，他的政府還將在國家檢察官辦公室設立一個常設的反貪腐部門，在批准公共合約方面創造透明度，並加強對舉報人的保護。 “As a country,” he said, “we are emerging from a dark and difficult period.” 他說：「作為一個國家，我們正在走出一個黑暗和困難的時期。」 But Ramaphosa deferred much of the work to root out corruption to Parliament and other government entities. He also did not say how he would tackle some of the most controversial issues closest to home, including what to do about senior officials within his government who have been accused of corruption. 但拉瑪佛沙將根除貪腐的大部分工作交給國會和其他政府機構。他也沒說自己將如何處置一些最具爭議的問題，包括如何處理他政府內遭指控貪腐的高官。 “It’s so unserious, it’s almost a joke,” William Gumede, a professor of public management at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, said of Ramaphosa’s proposals. If he wanted to show that he was serious about dealing with corruption in his orbit, Gumede added, Ramaphosa should have suspended the ministers accused of corruption. 約翰尼斯堡金山大學公共管理學教授古梅德談到拉瑪佛沙的提議時說，「太不認真了，簡直是個笑話」，並稱拉瑪佛沙若想展現自己認真看待他身邊貪腐問題，應該將遭指控貪腐的部長停職。 Ramaphosa’s proposals came in response to hundreds of recommendations by a judicial commission that spent three years hearing evidence from more than 300 witnesses about how officials had gutted public enterprises to enrich themselves and their friends. The commission, led by South Africa’s chief justice, Raymond Zondo, focused mostly on the nine years that Ramaphosa’s predecessor, Jacob Zuma, led the country. 拉瑪佛沙的提議，是回應一個司法委員會提出的數百項建議。該委員會花了三年聽取300多名證人證詞，他們講述官員如何破壞公共企業來圖利自己跟朋友。委員會由南非首席大法官桑多領導，主要聚焦在拉瑪佛沙前任朱瑪領導南非的9年。 But the current president’s reform efforts also come at a particularly fraught time, with Ramaphosa facing his own corruption scandal. 但這位現任總統的改革行動，是在一個特別令人憂心的時刻進行，因拉瑪佛沙自己也面臨貪腐醜聞。 As the country confronts a breakdown in public life, with frequent blackouts because of an overwhelmed electricity grid and increasing water outages, several investigations are underway into whether the president had sought to cover up the theft of potentially millions of dollars in cash from a game farm he owns. 隨著電網超過負載導致頻繁停電及愈來愈常停水，該國公眾生活面臨崩潰，幾項關於總統的調查也正進行中，以釐清他是否試圖掩蓋從他擁有的狩獵農場竊取數百萬美元現金。 During a news conference last week, Zuma said Ramaphosa, his staunch foe, was corrupt, while another former president, Thabo Mbeki, questioned Ramaphosa’s future as a leader amid the farm theft inquiry. 朱瑪在上周的記者會上說他的死對頭拉瑪佛沙貪腐，另一位前總統姆貝基在農場盜竊案調查中，質疑拉瑪佛沙作為領導人的前途。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6740698

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K469: What makes a nuclear weapon ‘tactical’? From the war in Ukraine to North Korea’s recent missile testing spree, tactical nuclear weapons are being debated and developed in a way not seen since the Cold War. There is no universal definition of such weapons, and analysts note that the use of any type of nuclear device would break the “nuclear taboo” in place since the United States dropped atomic bombs on Japan in 1945, the only time they have been deployed in war. Here are the characteristics of tactical nuclear weapons and why they have drawn so much attention. 從烏克蘭戰爭到北韓最近狂熱試射飛彈，「戰術核子武器」（戰術核武）正以冷戰以來前所未有的方式進行辯論和發展。 此類武器並無一放諸四海皆準的定義，分析人士指出，使用任何類型的核裝置都將打破自一九四五年美國向日本投下原子彈以來的「核禁忌」，這是核武唯一一次用在戰爭中。 以下是戰術核武的特點，及其為何如此受關注。 WHAT IS A TACTICAL NUCLEAR WEAPON? Tactical nuclear weapons are often characterized by their size, their range, or their use for limited military targets. 什麼是「戰術核子武器」？ 戰術核武之特點，通常依其大小、射程，或用於較小的軍事標的來界定。 They are often referred to as “non-strategic weapons,” in contrast with strategic weapons, which the US military defines as designed to target “the enemy’s warmaking capacity and will to make war,” including manufacturing, infrastructure, transportation and communication systems, and other targets. 「戰術核子武器」通常被稱為「非戰略武器」，不同於「戰略武器」。美國軍方將「戰略武器」定義為針對「敵人的戰爭能力與發動戰爭的意願」，包括製造、基礎設施、運輸與通訊系統，以及其他攻擊目標。 Tactical weapons, by contrast, are designed to accomplish more limited and immediate military goals that win a battle. The term is often used to describe weapons with a lower “yield,” or the amount of power released during an explosion. 相較之下，戰術武器目的在攻擊範圍更小、更直接的軍事目標，而贏得一場戰鬥。「戰術武器」這術語通常是描述「威力」較小，或者說爆炸時釋放之能量較低的武器。 They are typically many times larger than conventional bombs, cause radioactive fallout and other deadly effects beyond the explosion itself, and there is no agreed upon size that defines tactical weapons. 戰術武器通常比一般的炸彈大很多倍，會導致放射性落下灰和除了爆炸本身以外的致命影響；對於戰術武器的尺寸，則並無一致的定義。 Tactical weapons are often mounted on as missiles, air-dropped bombs, or even artillery shells that have a relatively short range, far less than the huge intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) designed to travel thousands of kilometers and strike targets across oceans. However, many of these delivery systems can also deliver strategic nuclear weapons 戰術武器通常以導彈、空投炸彈甚至砲彈的形式發動，其射程相對較短，遠不及射程數千公里，旨在跨越海洋打擊目標的大型洲際彈道飛彈（ICBM）。 然而，許多這種運載系統也可以運載戰略核武。 WILL THEY BE USED? President Vladimir Putin, who rules the world’s biggest nuclear power, has repeatedly cautioned the West that any attack on Russia could provoke a nuclear response. 這些武器會被使用嗎？ 統治世界最大核武大國的俄國總統弗拉迪米爾‧普亭一再警告西方，對俄國的任何攻擊都可能引發俄國以核武反擊。 US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday last week he doubted that Putin would use a nuclear weapon, and analysts have said tactical weapons could have limited military use in the vast and dispersed battlefields in Ukraine. 美國總統喬‧拜登上週三表示，他懷疑普亭會使用核武，分析人士表示，在烏克蘭這幅員廣闊而分散的戰場，戰術武器之軍事用途可能有限。 Earlier Biden noted that the use of even small nuclear weapons could spiral out of control. “I don’t think there’s any such thing as the ability to easily (use) a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon,” he said last week. 拜登稍早曾指出，即便是使用小型核武，也可能會失控。「我不認為有可以輕易（使用）戰術核武，而不會導致世界末日這種事」，他上週表示。 North Korea’s pursuit of the weapons, meanwhile, could represent a dangerous change in the way North Korea deploys and plans to use nuclear weapons, analysts say. 分析人士說，與此同時，北韓對核武的追求可能意味北韓部署和計劃使用核武的方式發生了危險的變化。 It has also prompted renewed debate in South Korea over redeploying American tactical nuclear weapons, which were withdrawn from the peninsula in the 1990s, or pursuing its own nuclear program. 這也在南韓引發辯論，重新討論部署在一九九○年代撤出朝鮮半島的美國戰術核武，或是追求自己的核武計畫。 North Korea says its nuclear weapons are for self-defence. 北韓稱，其核子武器是為了自衛。

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments Topic: 5.3 billion cellphones to become waste in 2022 More than 5 billion of the estimated 16 billion mobile phones possessed worldwide will likely be discarded or stashed away in 2022, experts said Thursday last week, calling for more recycling of the often hazardous materials they contain. 專家上週四表示，二〇二二年全球人口所擁有的計160億支手機中，有超過50億支可能會被丟棄或束之高閣，呼籲加強回收這些手機所含的危險物質。 Stacked flat on top of each other, that many disused phones would rise 50,000 kilometers, more than 100 times higher than the International Space Station, the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) research consortium found. 廢電子及電器設備處理指令（WEEE）研究聯盟發現，將這麼多的廢棄手機堆疊起來，會有五萬公里高，比國際太空站離地面的距離還高一百多倍。 Despite containing valuable gold, copper, silver, palladium and other recyclable components, almost all these unwanted devices will be hoarded, dumped or incinerated, causing significant health and environmental harm. 儘管這些不要的設備含有有價值的金、銅、銀、鈀及其他可回收成分，但幾乎全都會被囤積、丟棄或焚化，而對健康和環境造成重大危害。 “Smartphones are one of the electronic products of highest concern for us,” said Pascal Leroy, director-general of the WEEE Forum, a not-for-profit association representing 46 producer responsibility organizations. 「智慧手機是最令我們擔心的電子產品之一」，代表四十六個生產者責任組織的非營利協會 WEEE 論壇總幹事巴斯卡‧李若伊說。 “If we don’t recycle the rare materials they contain, we’ll have to mine them in countries like China or Congo,” Leroy told AFP. 「如果不回收這些手機裡的稀有材料，我們將不得不到中國或剛果等國家去開採」，李若伊對法新社表示。 Defunct cellphones are just the tip of the 44.48 million tonne iceberg of global electronic waste generated annually that is not recycled, according to the 2020 global e-waste monitor. 根據全球電子廢棄物監測機構二〇二〇年的數據，報廢的手機只是全球每年產生的4,448萬噸未回收電子廢棄物的冰山一角。 Many of the 5 billion phones withdrawn from circulation will be hoarded rather than dumped in the trash, according to a survey in six European countries from June to September 2022. 根據二〇二二年六月至九月在六個歐洲國家進行的一項調查，這五十億支不再使用的手機，其中有很多會被囤積起來，而不是丟進垃圾桶。 This happens when households and businesses forget cellphones in drawers, closets, cupboards or garages rather than bringing them in for repair or recycling. 家庭和企業將手機遺忘在抽屜、衣櫥、櫥櫃或車庫，而不是將它們拿去修理或回收，就是這種囤積的情況。 Up to five kilos of e-devices per person are currently hoarded in the average European family, the report found. 該報告發現，目前歐洲一般家庭中每人囤積的電子設備高達五公斤重。 According to the new findings, 46 percent of the 8,775 households surveyed considered potential future use as the main reason for hoarding small electrical and electronic equipment. 根據這項新發現，在接受調查的8,775戶家庭中，46%的家庭之所以囤積小型電器及電子設備，主要是因為覺得未來可能會用到它。 Another 15 percent stockpile their gadgets with the intention of selling them or giving them away, while 13 percent keep them due to “sentimental value”. 另有15%的人囤積他們的小裝置是為了要出售或是送人，而13%的人是因為「情感價值」而保留它。 Next Article Topic: The ‘Right to Repair’ Movement Gains Ground If you buy a product — a car, a smartphone, or even a tractor — and it breaks, should it be easier for you to fix it yourself? 如果你買了一個產品，例如一輛汽車、一部智慧型手機，甚至是一台拖拉機，結果它壞了，是不是應該讓你自己修理起來更容易些呢？ Manufacturers of a wide range of products have made it increasingly difficult over the years to repair things, for instance by limiting availability of parts or by putting prohibitions on who gets to tinker with them. It affects not only game consoles or farm equipment, but cellphones, military gear, refrigerators, automobiles and even hospital ventilators, the lifesaving devices that have proved crucial this year in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. 多年來，許多種產品的製造商都讓維修變得愈來愈困難，比如限制零件的取得，或對何人有權動手維修施加限制。受影響的產品不止於遊戲主機或農用機具，還有手機、軍用設備、冰箱、汽車，甚至包括今年對抗新冠病毒疫情發揮關鍵作用的救生設備—醫院裡的呼吸器。 Now, a movement known as “right to repair” is starting to make progress in pushing for laws that prohibit restrictions like these. 現在，一項名為「維修權」的運動在推動禁止此類限制的立法上，正取得進展。 In August, Democrats introduced a bill in Congress to block manufacturers’ limits on medical devices, spurred by the pandemic. In Europe, the European Commission announced plans in March for new right-to-repair rules that would cover phones, tablets and laptops by 2021. 今年8月，美國民主黨因防疫需要而在國會提出一項法案，旨在阻止製造商對醫療裝置設下限制。在歐洲，歐盟執行委員會3月宣布了新的維修權規定計畫，在2021年以前實施，涵蓋手機、平板電腦和筆記型電腦。 And in more than 20 statehouses nationwide, right-to-repair legislation has been introduced in recent years by both Republicans and Democrats. 近年來，在全美國20多個州的議會裡，共和黨和民主黨都提出了維修權法案。 Over the summer, the House advanced a funding bill that includes a requirement that the Federal Trade Commission complete a report on anti-competitive practices in the repair market and present its findings to Congress and the public. 今年夏天，眾議院推動了一項資助法案，其中責成聯邦貿易委員會做成一份關於維修市場反競爭行為的報告，並向國會和民眾提交調查結果。 The goal of right-to-repair rules, advocates say, is to require companies to make their parts, tools and information available to consumers and repair shops in order to keep devices from ending up in the scrap heap. They argue that the rules restrict people’s use of devices that they own and encourage a throwaway culture by making repairs too difficult. 倡議人士表示，維修權規定的目的是要求企業向消費者和維修商家提供零組件、工具及資訊，以免這些

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 跟讀挑戰 – 故宮文物與台灣KTV前十歌 National Palace Museum artifacts and top 10 KTV songs 摘取文章：https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4706552; https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4701669 National Palace Museum After confirming that three items in its archive had been damaged, the National Palace Museum has released more details about the incidents, including photos of the broken porcelain pieces. 在確認其檔案中的三件物品被損壞後，故宮博物院發布了有關該事件的更多細節，包括破碎瓷片的照片。 In a press conference, Wu said on Feb. 3, 2021 and April 7, 2022, while staff members were organizing artifacts, they discovered upon opening packages that a Ming dynasty (1368-1644) “yellow teacup with two green dragons” and a Qing dynasty (1636–1911) "yellow teacup with dragon pattern” were damaged. Additionally, on May 19, 2022, due to staff mishandling, a Qing dynasty “blue-and-white floral plate” fell and broke. 吳在新聞發布會上說，2021年2月3日和2022年4月7日，工作人員在整理文物時，打開包裝發現一個明朝（1368-1644）“黃茶杯兩青龍”和一個 清代（1636-1911）“龍紋黃茶杯”受損。此外，2022年5月19日，由於工作人員處理不當，一件清代“青花盤”摔碎。 Wu said the broken pieces were classified as “ordinary artifacts” and not “important artifacts” or “national treasure,” which was why the incidents did not warrant public announcements. The museum had been waiting to confirm liabilities before reporting that the “blue-and-white floral plate” had been broken due to mishandling. 吳說，這些碎片被歸類為“普通文物”，而不是“重要文物”或“國寶”，這就是為什麼這些事件不值得公開的原因。 博物館一直在等待確認責任，然後才報告“青花盤”因處理不當而損壞。 Top 10 KTV Mandarin songs in Taiwan While checking the latest list of the top 10 most popular KTV Mandopop songs in Taiwan, a PTT user noticed that an old Jay Chou (周杰倫) song is No. 7 on the list. The song is "Step Aside" (擱淺), which was first released in 2004. The list is based on the 10 most requested songs at Party World KTV clubs in Taiwan for Oct. 25-31. The PTT member also observed that half of the songs are by artists from China. Chinese singer Xiao Ah Qi (小阿七) seized the No. 1 spot with her song "Once upon a time" (從前說)​​​​. In second place was "Red Scarf" (如果可以) by WeiBird (韋禮安), followed by Power Station's (動力火車) "Love me true" (我很好騙), Zhang Yuan's (張遠) "Jia Bin" (嘉賓), Ren Ran's (任然) "Fei Niao He Chan" (飛鳥和蟬) rounding out the top five. In sixth place was Crowd Lu's (盧廣仲) "Your Name Engraved Herein" (刻在我心底的名字), followed by the aforementioned "Step Aside" by Jay Chou, and Jing Long's (井朧) "Bu Shan" (不刪). In ninth place was the rap song "50 Yuan Betel nut" (50元的檳榔) by Taiwanese Indigenous rapper CZ Dogg (潮州土狗), who is of Atayal and Paiwan descent. Taking the 10th spot was A Rong (阿冗) with his song "Yu Wo Wu Guan" (與我無關). 分享時間               What is your go-to song at KTVs?What’s your favorite memory of the National Palace Museum?

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K469: Teenagers Keep Vaping Despite Crackdowns on E-Cigarettes High school students resumed taking the annual National Youth Tobacco Survey in school this year and 14% of them reported using e-cigarettes, underscoring how an upstart industry is dodging regulators’ efforts to spare a generation from nicotine addiction. 在學高中生今年恢復參加一年一度的「全國青少年吸菸行為調查」，其中14%表示曾使用電子煙，這凸顯一個新興的產業，正規避監管機構讓一代人遠離尼古丁上癮的努力。 The number shows a slight change from 11% last year, but researchers cautioned against drawing comparisons to 2021’s survey, which was conducted differently because it took place when many schools were closed during the pandemic. The latest results were released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. 這一數字相較去年的11%略有變化，但研究人員警告勿跟2021年調查比較，那次調查以不同方式進行，因為許多學校在疫情期間關閉。美國疾病防治中心在上周四發表這項最新研究結果。 Although the age-old force of peer pressure may still be encouraging use, the percentage of high school students who reported vaping in the past 30 days was still far lower than record-high levels reached in 2019 of nearly 28%. 儘管存在已久的同儕壓力可能仍鼓勵使用電子煙，但過去30天曾吸電子煙的高中生比率，仍遠低於2019年創下的近28%歷史最高水準。 Overall, the survey found that 2.5 million middle and high school students, or about 9%, used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. That puts their overall rate of use several times higher than that of adults, which is estimated at about 3%. 整體而言，調查發現250萬初中生與高中生過去30天曾使用電子煙，約占9%。這讓他們的總體使用率比成人高出數倍。成人使用率估計約為3%。 The survey, which was conducted from January through May of this year, showed that 85% of adolescent e-cigarette users favored vapes in fruit, dessert and candy flavors. Some mentioned PuffBar, Vuse and Juul as their favorite brand among those on the survey’s list. 這項從今年1月到5月進行的調查顯示，85%青少年電子煙使用者喜歡水果、甜點與糖果口味。一些人在調查清單中提到，PuffBar、Vuse和Juul是他們最喜歡的品牌。 But many said their favored e-cigarette brand was not one of the 13 listed. That finding highlights how nimble the industry has been in stamping an array of brand names on vapes with flavors like strawberry ice cream and fresh vanilla that are largely made in China and shipped from warehouses to corner stores and into e-commerce. 但許多人表示，他們最喜歡的品牌不在名單中列出的13個裡面。這一發現凸顯該行業的靈活程度，在草莓冰淇淋和新鮮香草等口味電子煙上，印上一系列品牌名稱。這些電子煙主要在中國製造，從倉庫運往街角的商店，然後進軍電子商務。 One stark finding was that 1 in 4 of the high school students who were e-cigarette users reported vaping every day. Groups opposed to e-cigarettes and tobacco products were particularly troubled by one other result that reflected the highest frequency-of-use to date: Nearly half of the high school students who were vaping said they were doing so 20 to 30 days a month. 一項令人震驚的發現是，使用電子煙的高中生中，有四分之一天天吸。反對電子煙和菸草產品的組織，對另一個反映迄今最高使用頻率的結果感到特別困擾：近半抽電子煙的高中生表示，他們每個月有20到30天會抽。 “That’s a real signal of addiction and setting up young people for a lifetime of addiction which they don’t want, they didn’t choose and they don’t like,” said Robin Koval, president of the Truth Initiative, a nonprofit organization aimed at eliminating youth tobacco use. 旨在消除青少年菸草使用的非營利組織「真相計畫」會長科瓦說：「這是個真正的成癮訊號，誘騙年輕人終身沉迷於他們不想要、沒有選擇且不喜歡的東西。」 The full results of the survey, which will include levels of other tobacco product use, is expected out later this year. 這項調查的完整結果預計將在今年稍晚公布，將包括其他菸草產品的使用水準。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6687808

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K468: About Philippines - Filipino athlete skips his way to second jump-rope record Filipino athlete Ryan Alonzo has set a second Guinness World Record in the high-intensity activity of jump rope, the organization said in October. 「金氏世界紀錄」組織10月說，菲律賓運動員瑞安．阿朗佐在高強度跳繩活動中，締造了第2個金氏世界紀錄。 Nicknamed "Skipman," the 35-year old completed 3,731 consecutive crossovers, which are done by crossing the arms in and out while skipping over the rope as it goes around the body. The previous record was 2,405 consecutive crossovers. 這個綽號「跳繩人」的35歲男子，完成了3731次連續交叉跳，這些動作係在繩子繞過身體時跳過的同時間完成雙臂交叉進出。先前記錄是2405次連續交叉跳。 Alonzo’s earlier record was set in 2021, when he performed 40,980 double-under skips in 12 hours. That involves the rope passing around the body twice in a single jump. 阿朗佐先前紀錄於2021年創立，當時他在12小時內完成40980次二重跳。那包括了跳1次讓繩子繞身體2圈。 Endurance was a common factor in setting the two records, he said, crediting previous marathon training with helping him prepare both physically and mentally. 他說，耐力是締造這2項紀錄的共同因素，歸功於之前馬拉松訓練幫他做好了身心準備。 Next Article Top Philippine presidential candidates oppose legalising divorce 菲律賓主要總統候選人反對離婚合法化 The Philippines looks likely to remain one of the few countries where divorce is illegal, based on a survey of the four leading presidential candidates on Sunday. 根據週日一項針對排名領先的4名總統候選人進行的調查顯示，菲律賓看起來可能仍是離婚違法的極少數國家之一。 Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe, veteran mayor Rodrigo Duterte and former interior secretary Mar Roxas were asked during a presidential debate to raise their hands if they favoured legalisation of divorce. 副總統畢乃、參議員柏吾、經歷豐富的市長杜特爾特，以及前內政部長羅哈斯，在總統候選人辯論會上被要求，若支持離婚合法化則舉手。 Not one raised a hand in the brief segment. They were not given time to explain their stance. 在這簡短片段中無人舉手，他們也沒獲得時間解釋立場。 The overwhelmingly Catholic Philippines is the only country aside from the Vatican that bans divorce. 絕大多數人口為天主教徒的菲律賓，是梵蒂岡以外唯一禁止離婚的國家。 Strong pressure from the Catholic church has stymied previous attempts to pass a divorce law even though a survey last year showed that about 60 percent of adult Filipinos support such a measure. 來自天主教教會的強大壓力，阻礙了此前試圖通過離婚法的努力，即使去年一項調查顯示，約60％菲律賓成人支持這類措施亦然。 In another portion of the debate, the four candidates were asked who supported restoration of the death penalty. 在辯論會的另一部分，4名候選人被問及誰支持恢復死刑。 Poe and Duterte, who openly boasts about killing criminals, both raised their hands despite the Catholic church’s opposition to capital punishment. 公開讚揚處決罪犯的柏吾與杜特爾特舉起手，儘管天主教會反對死刑。 The death penalty was abolished in the Philippines in 2006, partly due to lobbying by the church. 2006年菲律賓廢除死刑，部分原因在於教會的遊說。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1549693 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/971329

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K467: About animals - Are you kidding? Baby goat wows fans with 22-inch ears Some social media stars win their fame through their looks, others through their jokes. Simba the baby goat has won over the web with his astonishingly long ears - 22 inches (56cm) and growing. 有些社群媒體明星因長相而出名，也有人是因為很會說笑。山羊寶寶辛巴則是以牠驚人的22英吋（56公分）長耳朵，在網路上一炮而紅。 The tawny-coated kid goat has attracted thousands of followers on YouTube and other channels since he was born in Karachi, Pakistan on June 4. 這隻有著黃褐色毛皮的山羊寶寶6月4日在巴基斯坦喀拉蚩出生後，已在YouTube等平台上吸引數千名追蹤者。 When Simba was born, his ears were 48cm long. They have grown another 7 cm in just over a month and are showing no signs of stopping. 辛巴出生時耳朵就有48公分，1個月後又長了7公分，且沒有停止生長的跡象。 His breeder, Mohammad Hassan Narejo, has great plans for Simba to preserve Simba’s semen for artificial insemination. Next Article 狗不會笑 但牠們用其他方式表現開心 Dogs can’t smile or laugh - but they show happiness in other ways Some dogs just look like they’re smiling all the time - but that huge grin on their face may not actually mean they’re happy. Carolyn Menteith, a canine behaviorist, said that "unlike us, dogs don’t usually smile with their mouths." 某些狗狗看起來好像一直在笑，但牠們臉上大大的微笑並不真的表示牠們很開心。犬類行為學家凱洛琳‧曼特斯說：「狗狗和我們不同，不常用嘴巴微笑。」 When a dog smiles, their tail is relaxed but waving (or in some breeds or individuals, wagging crazily), their eyes are soft, their ears relaxed and their body is often wiggling with their happiness. 當狗狗笑時，牠們的尾巴是放鬆且晃動的（有些品種或個體則是會瘋狂搖尾巴），眼神會變得柔和，耳朵會鬆懈下來，身體通常會開心扭動。 Some dogs are noisier than others and so if they get really excited and playful, they might well bark, yip, or even huff - especially in an attempt to get another dog or a person to play - but this isn’t laughter. 有些狗狗比其他隻吵鬧，當牠們真的很興奮、玩興一來時，可能會吠叫、尖叫或噴氣，尤其是試圖邀請其他狗或人一起玩時，但這不是在笑。 Interestingly, dogs do seem to recognize laughter in humans and know that it is positive - and some dogs seem to go out of their way to encourage their owners to laugh. 有趣的是，狗狗似乎能分辨人類的笑聲，知道這是好事，而有些似乎還會想盡辦法把主人逗笑。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1549284 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1548003

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K466: Can E-Bikes Go Mainstream? Growing up in the Netherlands, with its network of pathways, its flat landscape and its bicycle-friendly traffic laws, brothers Ties and Taco Carlier were commuting with their parents on bikes by age 4. Many families in the country didn’t own cars. 在荷蘭長大的台斯與塔可．卡利爾兄弟4歲就跟父母一起騎自行車上下班，當地車道密集、地勢平坦，且交通法規對自行車友善。許多荷蘭家庭沒有汽車。 But traveling to New York and other cities as adults, the Carliers realized that few people commuted on bikes in the same way they did back home, turned off by the sprawl, the hills and the weather. The experience planted the seed for what would become one of the world’s hottest bicycle brands. 但當他們成年後前往紐約和其他城市時，卡利爾兄弟發現，很少人像他們在家鄉那樣騎自行車通勤，因為城市的距離、丘陵地形和天氣讓人卻步。這段經歷為後來世界最熱門自行車品牌之一播下了種子。 In a bike market remade by the pandemic, VanMoof, the Dutch e-bike company started by the brothers, has been among the biggest winners. With a simple and stylish design and clever integration of technology, the company has drawn comparisons to Apple and Tesla and has attracted a loyal and fast-growing customer base among urban professionals in Europe and the United States. 在疫情重塑的自行車市場，這對兄弟創辦的荷蘭電動自行車公司VanMoof是最大贏家之一。憑著簡潔時尚的設計與巧妙的科技整合，該公司被拿來與蘋果和特斯拉相比，並在歐美城市專業人士中吸引了一批快速成長的忠實客戶。 Sales of the battery-powered bikes more than tripled during the pandemic, and the company has raised more than $150 million from venture capitalists who don’t typically bet on bicycles. 這種電池驅動的自行車在疫情期間銷量成長逾2倍，該公司跟向來不看好自行車發展的創投業者籌到超過1.5億美元。 “We wanted to change the bike in the way it functions, but also from a technology perspective,” Ties Carlier said in a video interview from the company’s headquarters in the Netherlands. 台斯．卡利爾在荷蘭公司總部接受視訊專訪時說：「我們想改變自行車的運作方式，但也想從科技角度著手。」 “Amsterdam is very small and flat, but most cities in the rest of the world are very hilly and can be really hot in the summer, and the distances are much further,” he said. “But those limitations really change completely when you have electric bikes.” 他說：「阿姆斯特丹很小，地勢平坦，但世界其他地方的多數城市地勢相當起伏，夏天真的很熱，距離也遠很多，但有了電動自行車，真的能夠完全改變這些限制。」 Once seen by consumers as unreliable, expensive and ugly, battery-powered bikes are now one of the fastest-growing forms of urban transportation. With simplified designs, new corporate and government incentive policies and more awareness about the environmental benefits of cycling versus driving, VanMoof estimates industry sales will hit $46 billion by 2026, double pre-pandemic predictions. 曾遭消費者視為不可靠、昂貴和醜陋的電動自行車，如今是成長最快的城市交通工具之一。根據VanMoof估計，隨著設計簡化、企業與政府的新獎勵政策，以及人們意識到騎車比開車更有益於環境，該產業銷售額在2026年將達460億美元，是疫情前估值的兩倍。 Changes to urban transportation prompted by the coronavirus pandemic can be seen around the world, with commuters having abandoned public transit because of COVID fears. Paris roads are crowded with cyclists taking advantage of new bike lanes and lower automobile speed limits. Berlin is building a cycling “superhighway” across the city. And in New York, home to the largest urban bike network in the nation, ridership soared so much, there was even a problem finding places to park a bicycle. 世界各地都能夠見到新冠病毒大流行所引起的城市交通變化，通勤者因擔心新冠病毒而放棄公共運輸。巴黎的道路上擠滿了騎自行車的人，他們利用新的自行車道與更低的汽車速限。柏林正在修建一條橫貫城市的自行車「超級高速公路」。在擁有全美最大城市自行車網的紐約，騎車的人激增，甚至連找地方停放自行車都成了問題。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6705349

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K465: Why was Truss’ tenure so short - and now what? British Prime Minister Liz Truss took office last month with hopes and promises of reinvigorating the British economy and putting it on the path to long-term success. It did not go to plan. 英國首相莉茲·特拉斯上個月就任，滿懷希望與承諾要重振英國經濟，讓它邁向長久繁榮。事情並未如其所願。 Instead, Truss’ tenure was scarred by turmoil as her economic policies threatened the country’s financial stability, driving the pound to record lows, sparking chaos on bond markets and increasing mortgage costs for millions of people. 相反地，特拉斯任內風波不斷而傷痕累累，因其經濟政策威脅到英國金融的穩定、將英鎊拉至歷史低點、引發債券市場混亂，並讓數百萬人抵押貸款的成本增加。 Though Truss took office amid a cost-of-living crisis, the war in Ukraine and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, her decision to announce ￡105 billion ($US116 billion) of tax cuts and spending increases without providing details on how she would pay for it unnerved investors, who warned of soaring public debt. 特拉斯就任時雖正值物價危機、烏克蘭戰爭和COVID-19疫情揮之不去的影響，但她決定宣布減稅1,050億英鎊（1,160億美元）及增加支出，卻未詳細說明經費來源為何，這讓擔心公共債務飆升的投資人感到不安。 That undermined confidence in the government’s ability to pay its bills and raised questions about the economic credentials of a new prime minister who took office after a deeply divisive contest for leadership of the governing Conservative Party. 這削弱了人們對政府支付帳單能力的信心，並引發了對新首相經濟問題處理能力的質疑。新首相是執政的保守黨經過嚴重分歧的激烈角逐後所產生的黨魁。 The disarray surrounding the economic plan weakened Truss’ authority as prime minister, and ultimately led to her decision to resign on Thursday last week. 經濟計畫方面的混亂削弱了特拉斯作為首相的權威，並最終導致她決定在上週四辭職。 WHAT HAPPENS NOW? The party said it would select a new leader and prime minister by Oct. 28. Truss will remain prime minister until then. 現在情況如何？ 保守黨表示，將在十月二十八日前選出新黨魁，即首相。在此之前特拉斯將繼續擔任首相。 To avoid the need for a lengthy election campaign that could have left the country without an effective government for weeks, party leaders decided that lawmakers would have greater say in the choice and without weeks of hustings around the country. 為了避免需要長時間的競選活動──這可能會讓政府空轉數週──黨的領導人決定立法者在選擇方面擁有更大的決定權，且不會在全國進行數週的造勢。 Under the expedited process, challengers for the leadership had to garner the support of 100 other Conservative lawmakers — out of a total 357 — by Monday afternoon. That meant a maximum field of three for lawmakers to vote on. The last-placed candidate would then be eliminated and the top two candidates will face an online vote of the party membership. 在此快速的程序下，黨魁角逐者必須在週一下午之前，在三百五十七名保守黨議員中獲得一百位的支持。這表示每位議員最多可投票給三個人。排名最後的候選人將被淘汰，前兩名候選人將接受黨員的線上投票。 Conservative leaders are hoping that this lightning contest will produce a consensus candidate who can unite the party behind the tax and spending priorities that Treasury chief Jeremy Hunt has already outlined. 保守黨領導人希望這場閃電競賽將產生一個共識候選人，他可以團結該黨，支持財政大臣傑瑞米‧杭特已概述的稅收與支出優先事項。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/10/25/2003787644

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments Topic: In age-old ritual, Mexican mayor weds alligator to secure abundance A small town Mexican mayor married his alligator bride in a colorful ceremony as traditional music rang out and revelers danced while imploring the indigenous leader to seal the nuptials with a kiss. 墨西哥一個小鎮市長在一場多采多姿的儀式中，迎娶了他的鱷魚新娘，現場演奏傳統音樂、狂歡者翩翩起舞，同時懇求這位原住民領袖用一個吻來為婚禮封印。 San Pedro Huamelula Mayor Victor Hugo Sosa obliged more than once during Thursday’s wedding, bending down to plant his lips on the small alligator’s snout, which had been tied shut presumably to avoid unwanted biting. 在週四的婚禮上，聖．佩德羅．瓦米魯拉的市長維克多．雨果．索薩不只一次答應要求，彎腰把嘴唇湊上這隻小鱷魚的鼻子，而小鱷魚的鼻子被緊緊綁住，大概是為了避免不必要的咬傷。 The ritual marriage likely dates back centuries to pre-Hispanic times among Oaxaca state’s Chontal and Huave indigenous communities, like a prayer pleading for nature’s bounty. 在墨西哥瓦哈卡州Chontal及Huave的原住民社會中，這種婚禮儀式就像是一個祈禱，祈求大自然的恩賜，可能可以追溯好幾個世紀，一直到前西班牙時代。 Oaxaca, located in Mexico’s poor south, is arguably the country’s richest in indigenous culture and home to many groups that have stubbornly maintained their languages and traditions. 瓦哈卡州位在墨西哥貧窮的南部地區，可說是墨國原住民文化最豐富的地區，也是許多堅持維護他們的語言和傳統的群體的家鄉。 Next Article Topic: In Mexico, those searching for missing relatives can vanish too 在墨西哥，尋找失蹤親友的人也會跟著消失 70-years-old Maria Herrera is scraping at the earth on a hill in the town of Huitzuco, in southern Mexico, looking for the mounds that indicate a decaying corpse. 70歲的瑪莉亞．赫雷拉在墨西哥南部威特蘇科鎮的山上四處挖掘，希望找到代表埋有腐爛屍體的土堆。 Digging in the dirt with a group of 100 other activists in the violent state of Guerrero, she wants to find her four missing son. 在暴力事件頻傳的格雷羅州，赫雷拉與100名行動人士一起挖土，想要找到4名失蹤的兒子。 More than 40,000 people are missing in Mexico, which has been swept by a wave of violence since the government declared war on the country’s powerful drug cartels in 2006. 2006年，墨西哥政府向勢力龐大的販毒集團宣戰後，這個國家就被暴力事件肆虐，目前已有逾4萬人失蹤。 At first, Herrera and her husband used the profits gained by selling household goods door to door to launch gold exchange business, which involved traveling the country to buy and sell gold. 起初，赫雷拉和丈夫用挨家挨戶賣居家用品的收入，展開黃金兌換生意，包括全國走透透買賣黃金。 They did not realize a bloody cartel turf war was just breaking out in the state. They believe a local cartel mistook the brothers, Jesus and Raul, for members of a rival group and were captured. Two more brothers started looking for them but disappeared too. 但他們沒料到，一場腥風血雨的毒梟地盤之爭已在國內爆發。他們相信，自家兒子赫塞斯和羅爾，是被一個地方販毒集團誤認為敵營的人，才被俘虜。另外2名兒子開始尋找兩人後，也下落不明。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1539233 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1292410 Next Article Topic: ‘We’re Living in Hell’: Inside Mexico’s Most Terrified City The violence was already terrifying, she said, when grenades exploded outside her church in broad daylight some five years ago. Then children in town were kidnapped, disappearing without a trace. Then the bodies of the executed were dumped in city streets. 她說，大約五年前，光天化日下手榴彈在她的教會外爆炸，這種暴力已經夠嚇人了。接著鎮上的孩子被綁架，消失得無影無蹤。然後他們被處刑的屍體丟棄在城市街道上。 And then came the day last month when armed men burst into her home, dragged her 15-year-old son and two of his friends outside and shot them to death, leaving Guadalupe — who didn’t want her full name published out of fear of the men — too terrified to leave the house. 接下來是上個月的那一天，武裝男子闖進她家，將她的15歲兒子和兒子兩個友人拖出屋外射殺，讓瓜達魯佩太過驚嚇以致於不敢離開家，因為害怕那些男子，她不希望刊出全名。 “I do not want the night to come,” she said, through tears. “Living with fear is no life at all.” 「我不希望黑夜來臨」，她流著淚說，「活在恐懼中完全不是人過的日子」。 For most of the population of Fresnillo, a mining city in central Mexico, a fearful existence is the only one they know; 96% of residents say they feel unsafe, the highest percentage of any city in Mexico, according to a recent survey from Mexico’s national statistics agency. 對於弗雷斯尼約這個墨西哥中部礦城的大多數人而言，他們知道的只有一項可怕現實。根據墨西哥國家統計局最近一項調查，96%居民說他們感覺不安全，是墨西哥所有城市比率最高者。 The economy can boom and bust, presidents and parties and their promises can come and go, but for the city’s 140,000 people, as for many in Mexico, there is a growing sense that no matter what changes, the violence endures. 經濟可以暴起大落，總統和政黨以及他們的承諾來來去去，但對這座城市的14萬人來說，如同墨西哥許多城市，不論有什麼改變，暴力依舊持續，這種意見正在增加。 In 2018, during his run for president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador offered a grand vision to remake Mexico. Instead of arresting and killing traffickers as previous leaders had done, he would focus on the causes of violence: “hugs not bullets,” he called it. He was swept to victory. 2018年總統選戰期間，羅培茲提出重塑墨西哥的遠大願景，他不像歷任領導人所做的逮捕並殺掉壞蛋，而是聚焦暴力的成因，他稱之為「擁抱而非子彈」。他壓倒式勝選。 But three years after his landslide win, and with his Morena party in control of Congress, the drumbeat of death continues, suggesting that López Obrador’s approach has failed, fueling in many a paralyzing helplessness. 但在他壓倒式勝利以及他的國家復興運動黨掌控國會三年後，死亡的鼓聲持續著，暗示羅培茲的方法已經失敗，激起許多人有如麻痹的無助感。 “We’re living in hell,” said Victor Piña, who ran for mayor of Fresnillo in the June elections and watched an aide gunned down beside him during a pre-campai

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 主題: 英語慣用語系列 – 朋友相關的慣用語 Friend / Friendship related Idioms 1. Cross someone’s path This phrase originally implied that such a meeting included opposing a person or otherwise causing him trouble, but in the modern sense it doesn’t necessarily mean this. Example: Ann swore she would scream if a spider crossed her path. 2. Friends in high places This phrase means that one has friends who have important or influential positions. Example: Jim is very rude to other workers just because he has some friends in high places. 3. Be an item This is said about people who are dating, who have a romantic relationship with each other. Example: Kate and Richard began seeing each other and were an item for almost two years. 4. Birds of a feather A well-known expression which refers to people that have something in common, for example, interests, hobbies, or views about life. Example: My friend prefers the same clothes as me. Well, birds of a feather flock together. 5. Like two peas in a pod Two people or things that are very similar to each other, or go very well together. Example: Growing up with a pet dog, we were like two peas in a pod! 6. To hit it off To find yourself immediately and naturally friendly with someone Example: I totally hit it off with Peter after meeting him for the first time. 練習時間: 請使用二到三個慣用語來分享自身小故事 Use two to three idioms to share a personal story about your friendship.

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K464: About Japan - Asahi joins other breweries to stop using ‘image girls’ in beer ads Asahi Breweries Ltd. has joined other major Japanese beer companies in halting their use of so-called “image girls” in their beer sales promotions in the wake of the pandemic and the changing times. 隨著武漢肺炎疫情大流行以及時代變遷，朝日啤酒加入其他日本主要啤酒公司的行列，停止在啤酒促銷活動上使用所謂的「形象女郎」。 “In the past two years, they were unable to do their primary activities," said an Asahi representative. "In the aftermath, we made a comprehensive evaluation and decided to pass on the hiring of (an image girl) starting next year.” 「她們（指宣傳女郎）過去2年來無法從事其主要活動，」朝日啤酒的一名代表說。「我們在這之後做了通盤評估，決定從明年起放棄聘用（宣傳女郎）。」 In the past, major beer companies hired image girls and sent them to travel across the country and participated in events to sell beer products to consumers. 以往，（日本）各大啤酒公司會聘請形象女郎，並將她們派往全國各地參加活動，將啤酒賣給消費者。 The COVID-19 pandemic hindered the image girl’s activities, and Asahi postponed new hires in 2021 and 2022. COVID-19疫情大流行阻礙形象女郎的活動，朝日啤酒在2021年與2022年延後招募新的形象女郎。 Next Article Kiko turns 56, yearns to take a stroll with daughter Mako 滿56歲的紀子妃渴望與女兒一同漫步 Crown Princess Kiko marked her 56th birthday on Sept. 11 by saying she looks forward to the day she can take a stroll with her daughter, the former Princess Mako, now known simply as Mrs. Komuro following her marriage to a commoner. （日本）皇子妃紀子9月11日歡度56歲生日時說，她期待有朝一日與因為下嫁平民、如今僅被稱為小室太太的前真子公主一同漫步。 “I cannot directly meet my daughter right now, but in the meantime I tend to the plants in our garden and want to create banksia rose arches in the hope of sauntering with her here one day,” Kiko said in a written reply to questions submitted by reporters prior to her birthday. 「我現在無法直接跟我女兒見面，但當我在花園裡拾花弄草時，我想打造一座木香花拱門，期盼有朝一日能與她在此溜達，」紀子以書面回覆記者在她壽辰前的提問時如是說。 Mako was obliged to relinquish her imperial title upon her marriage last October to her college sweetheart Kei Komuro. The couple live in New York. 真子去年10月嫁給大學男友小室圭後依規定放棄皇室頭銜。兩人如今定居紐約。 The Banksia rose was Mako’s signature mark when she was a princess and is a favorite flower of her parents, Crown Prince Fumihito and Kiko. 木香花是真子還是公主時的徽印圖案，也是其雙親文仁親王與紀子妃最喜歡的花。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1546872 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1544274

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K463: About science - Cognitive decline linked to ultraprocessed food, study finds Too many daily calories from highly processed foods like lunch meats, frozen dinners, and packaged cookies may speed up cognitive decline, a new study suggests. 一項新的研究表明，每天從午餐肉、冷凍晚餐和包裝餅乾等高度加工食品攝入過多卡路里，可能會加速認知能力下降。 In the study, researchers examined the diets and cognitive function test results of more than 8,000 adults in Brazil. At the start of the study, participants consumed an average of about 2,850 calories a day. About 28 percent of their daily calories came from highly processed foods. 在這項研究中，研究人員檢視巴西8000多名成年人的飲食和認知功能測試結果。在研究開始時，參與者平均每天消耗約2850卡路里的熱量。他們每天有約28％的卡路里來自高度加工食物。 After about nine years of follow-up, cognitive test scores for memory and executive function declined the most for participants who ate the most highly processed foods. 經過約9年追蹤，吃加工食品最多的參與者，其記憶力和執行功能的認知測試分數下降幅度最大。 Ultraprocessed foods are defined as “industrial formulations of food substances (oils, fats, sugars, starch, and protein isolates) that contain little or no whole foods and typically include flavorings, colorings, emulsifiers, and other cosmetic additives,” according to the study. 根據這項研究，超加工食品被定義為「食品物質（油、脂肪、糖、澱粉和蛋白質分離物）的工業配方，含極少或不含全天然食品，通常包括調味劑、色素、乳化劑和其他化妝品添加劑」。 Next Article Study: Cats not bothered one bit if owners are treated badly 研究：貓根本懶得理會飼主是否被欺負 A study in Japan suggests there may be something after all to the old stereotype that pet cats are generally aloof and indifferent toward their owners while dogs are fiercely protective and loyal. 日本的一份研究暗示，（以下）這種老舊的刻板印象可能還是有些道理的：寵物貓通常對飼主漠不關心又冷淡，寵物狗則非常想保護飼主與忠心。 Researchers from Kyoto University and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science wanted to understand how cats behave when their owners are being given a hard time. The same experiments using dogs seven years ago were referenced to gauge behavioral differences between the two species. 京都大學與日本學術振興會的研究人員想要了解貓在其飼主陷於困境時的行為反應，（他們）7年前以狗做過的相同實驗被當作參考，以衡量這兩種生物的行為差異。 Team members concluded that cats do not seem to care how people treat their owners, while dogs keep their distance from those who give their owners the cold shoulder. 研究小組成員得出的結論是，貓看似並不關心人們如何對待其飼主，狗則會與那些冷落怠慢其飼主的人保持距離。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1547451 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1539057

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments Summary: The best way to start a conversation or make a party more interesting is by asking trivia questions. Trivial pursuit is a famous board game for people who love the world of trivia. In this episode, Angel and I talk share a few of the trivia questions we use at parties. Do you have any interesting trivia you use at parties? Comment down below! Vocabulary: 1. Trivia n. 冷知識/不重要的知識 If you don't know how to get a party going, perhaps you should try playing a game of trivia. 如果你不知道如何讓派對熱絡，可以嘗試玩個冷知識遊戲。 2. Hedgehog n. 刺蝟 Hedgehogs are becoming popular pets in Taiwan. 刺蝟現在在台灣是越來越搶手的寵物。 3. Phobia n. 恐懼症 It's best to not bring up reptile trivia if your friends have a phobia for reptiles. 如果你朋友有爬蟲恐懼症就別提爬蟲冷知識。 更多Vocab Podcast節目: https://www.15mins.today/vocab 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : [email protected] 商業合作/贊助來信：[email protected]

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K462: Apple Feels the Sting From an Oscar Slap Apple has a Will Smith problem. 蘋果有個威爾史密斯的麻煩。 Smith is the star of “Emancipation,” a film set during the Civil War era that Apple envisioned as a surefire Oscar contender when it wrapped filming earlier this year. But that was before Smith strode onto the stage at the Academy Awards in March and slapped comedian Chris Rock, who had made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. 史密斯是「解放」（暫譯）的主角，這部設定於南北戰爭期間的電影今年初拍攝殺青時，蘋果視為奧斯卡必勝參賽者，但那是在3月的奧斯卡頒獎典禮前。史密斯在典禮時走上舞台，掌摑喜劇演員克里斯洛克，因為他開了史密斯妻子、潔達蘋姬史密斯的玩笑。 Will Smith, who also won best actor that night, has since surrendered his membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and has been banned from attending any Academy-related events, including the Oscar telecast, for the next decade. 威爾史密斯那晚贏得最佳男主角獎，那之後他退回美國影藝學院會員資格，且被禁止未來十年參加所有學院相關活動，包括奧斯卡獎。 Now Apple finds itself left with a $120 million unreleased awards-style movie featuring a star no longer welcome at the biggest award show of them all and a big question: Can the film, even if it succeeds artistically, overcome the baggage that now accompanies Smith? 現在蘋果發現，它花1.2億美元拍攝這部符合奧斯卡得獎風格的未上映電影，片中明星在這個最大獎項會場卻已不再受歡迎。一個很大問題是：即使在藝術上成功了，這部電影如今能夠克服史密斯帶來的包袱嗎？ According to three people involved with the film who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the company’s planning, there have been discussions inside Apple to release “Emancipation” by the end of the year, which would make it eligible for awards consideration. Variety reported in May, however, that the film’s release would be pushed into 2023. 要求匿名談論蘋果公司計畫的三名參與電影人士說，蘋果內部曾討論在今年底前上映「解放」，好讓電影符合獎項考慮資格。然而，「綜藝」雜誌5月報導，電影上映可能推遲到2023年。 When asked for this article how and when it planned to release “Emancipation,” Apple declined to comment. 當被問到計畫如何及何時上映「解放」時，蘋果拒絕置評。 “Emancipation,” directed by Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”) and with a script by William Collage, is based on the true story of a slave known as “Whipped Peter,”who joined the Union Army while still in the South. 「解放」由「震撼教育」導演安東尼法奎執導，編劇為比爾克爾吉，根據一名叫做「鞭傷彼得」的奴隸，在南方加入聯邦軍的真實故事改編。 Apple set up a general audience test screening of “Emancipation” in Chicago earlier this year, according to three people with knowledge of the event who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to discuss it publicly. They said it generated an overwhelmingly positive reaction, specifically for Smith’s performance, which one of the people called “volcanic.” Audience members, during the after-screening feedback, said they were not turned off by Smith’s recent public behavior. 根據三名知曉活動、但不被允許公開談論此事而匿名的人士表示，蘋果今年初在芝加哥進行一場針對一般大眾的「解放」試映。他們說，電影得到驚人的正面反應，特別是史密斯的演技，有人形容為「有如火山爆發」。在試映結束後的觀眾回饋中，有人說他們不會因為史密斯最近的公開行為而討厭他。 Smith largely disappeared from public view following the Oscars. But in July, he released a video on his YouTube channel in which he said he was “deeply remorseful” for his behavior and apologized directly to Rock and his family. 奧斯卡獎典禮後，史密斯幾乎自公眾目光中消失。但他7月在自己的YouTube頻道上傳一段影片，表示對自己的行為「深感悔恨」，並直接向洛克及其家人道歉。

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K457: 5.3 billion cellphones to become waste in 2022 More than 5 billion of the estimated 16 billion mobile phones possessed worldwide will likely be discarded or stashed away in 2022, experts said Thursday last week, calling for more recycling of the often hazardous materials they contain. 專家上週四表示，二〇二二年全球人口所擁有的計160億支手機中，有超過50億支可能會被丟棄或束之高閣，呼籲加強回收這些手機所含的危險物質。 Stacked flat on top of each other, that many disused phones would rise 50,000 kilometers, more than 100 times higher than the International Space Station, the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) research consortium found. 廢電子及電器設備處理指令（WEEE）研究聯盟發現，將這麼多的廢棄手機堆疊起來，會有五萬公里高，比國際太空站離地面的距離還高一百多倍。 Despite containing valuable gold, copper, silver, palladium and other recyclable components, almost all these unwanted devices will be hoarded, dumped or incinerated, causing significant health and environmental harm. 儘管這些不要的設備含有有價值的金、銅、銀、鈀及其他可回收成分，但幾乎全都會被囤積、丟棄或焚化，而對健康和環境造成重大危害。 “Smartphones are one of the electronic products of highest concern for us,” said Pascal Leroy, director-general of the WEEE Forum, a not-for-profit association representing 46 producer responsibility organizations. 「智慧手機是最令我們擔心的電子產品之一」，代表四十六個生產者責任組織的非營利協會 WEEE 論壇總幹事巴斯卡‧李若伊說。 “If we don’t recycle the rare materials they contain, we’ll have to mine them in countries like China or Congo,” Leroy told AFP. 「如果不回收這些手機裡的稀有材料，我們將不得不到中國或剛果等國家去開採」，李若伊對法新社表示。 Defunct cellphones are just the tip of the 44.48 million tonne iceberg of global electronic waste generated annually that is not recycled, according to the 2020 global e-waste monitor. 根據全球電子廢棄物監測機構二〇二〇年的數據，報廢的手機只是全球每年產生的4,448萬噸未回收電子廢棄物的冰山一角。 Many of the 5 billion phones withdrawn from circulation will be hoarded rather than dumped in the trash, according to a survey in six European countries from June to September 2022. 根據二〇二二年六月至九月在六個歐洲國家進行的一項調查，這五十億支不再使用的手機，其中有很多會被囤積起來，而不是丟進垃圾桶。 This happens when households and businesses forget cellphones in drawers, closets, cupboards or garages rather than bringing them in for repair or recycling. 家庭和企業將手機遺忘在抽屜、衣櫥、櫥櫃或車庫，而不是將它們拿去修理或回收，就是這種囤積的情況。 Up to five kilos of e-devices per person are currently hoarded in the average European family, the report found. 該報告發現，目前歐洲一般家庭中每人囤積的電子設備高達五公斤重。 According to the new findings, 46 percent of the 8,775 households surveyed considered potential future use as the main reason for hoarding small electrical and electronic equipment. 根據這項新發現，在接受調查的8,775戶家庭中，46%的家庭之所以囤積小型電器及電子設備，主要是因為覺得未來可能會用到它。 Another 15 percent stockpile their gadgets with the intention of selling them or giving them away, while 13 percent keep them due to “sentimental value”. 另有15%的人囤積他們的小裝置是為了要出售或是送人，而13%的人是因為「情感價值」而保留它。

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments Topic: UK bakery banned from using sprinkles which are legal in the US The owner of a bakery in northern England has been left with a bitter taste in his mouth after authorities told him he had to stop using banned sprinkles sourced from the US. 在被當局告知必須停止使用來自美國的遭禁糖粉屑後，英格蘭北部的1家烘焙坊的老闆感到不悅。 West Yorkshire Trading Standards said the sprinkles contained an artificial coloring which isn’t approved for use in sprinkles in the UK. 西約克郡貿易標準局說，這些糖粉屑含有1種在英國未獲准可用於糖粉屑的人工色素。 But the owner of the bakery isn’t happy that his most popular product has lost out on its prize topping. 但這家烘焙坊的老闆很不滿，因為這讓他最暢銷的產品少了最完美的配料。 Rich Myers, director and founder of Get Baked bakery in Leeds, told CNN he had been using the sprinkles since opening the business in July. （位於該郡的）里茲市的Get Bake烘焙坊的執行長與創辦人瑞奇˙邁爾斯告訴美國有線電視新聞網，他打從7月開業以來就一直用這種糖粉屑。 Myers said he bought the offending sprinkles from a UK wholesaler, and said he had no idea there was any issue until West Yorkshire Trading Standards visited the business on September 30. 邁爾斯說，他向1名英國批發商買來這些違規的糖粉屑，完全不曉得會有什麼問題，直到9月30日西約克郡貿易標準局找上門來。 "I thought it was a joke at first, I thought it was someone pulling a prank," he said on Thursday. 「我一開始以為這是玩笑，我以為有人在惡搞，」他週四如是說。 Next Article Topic: Researcher defends weight-loss device after it sparks ridicule on social media 研究人員為減重裝置辯護，在它於社群媒體上引起嘲笑後 Otago University and United Kingdom researchers developed the world-first device, which uses magnets to lock the mouth almost shut, to help fight the global obesity epidemic. 奧塔戈大學與英國研究人員研發了世界首款裝置，使用磁鐵鎖住嘴巴至幾乎閉上，幫助對抗全球肥胖流行。 DentalSlim Diet Control is an intra-oral device fitted by a dental professional to the upper and lower back teeth. 「牙科瘦身飲食控制」是一種口內裝置，會由牙科專業人員安裝至上下臼齒。 The device was being widely ridiculed after being shared on social media, with Twitter users calling it "creepy" and "bizarre". 這款裝置被分享至社群媒體後，受到大量嘲笑，推特用戶稱它「令人毛骨悚然」且「怪異」。 But Dunedin researchers who developed the device are defending the invention, saying those panning the weight loss tool have misunderstood its intention. 但開發這款裝置的達尼丁研究員為這項發明辯護，表示斥責這款減重工具的人們誤解了它的本意。 Lead researcher Prof Paul Brunton said it was not intended to be used for general weight loss purposes, but instead for specific cases where there was a clinical need to lose weight quickly. 首席研究員保羅．布倫頓教授表示，它不是為了用於普通的減重目的，而是針對臨床上需要快速減重的特殊案例。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1537773 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1460024 Next Article Topic: BBC apologises for ’Manchester United are rubbish’ headline on ticker The BBC has apologised to viewers after the headline "Manchester United are rubbish" appeared on its ticker during a television news broadcast on Tuesday. 英國廣播公司（BBC）在電視新聞週二播出的新聞跑馬燈上，出現「曼聯隊是垃圾」的標題後，向觀眾道歉。 The headline appeared on the bottom of the screen during a report on the French Open tennis championship. 這個標題是在報導法國網球錦標賽時，出現在螢幕底部。 TV critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan, who works for the BBC, noticed the gaffe and posted a clip on Twitter which immediately went viral. 為BBC工作的電視評論家與播報員史考特．布萊恩注意到這個烏龍，把一個影片片段張貼在推特上，結果立即爆紅。 BBC presenter Annita McVeigh later issued the apology on air and explained that the headline was written when someone was learning how to use the ticker. BBC主播安妮塔．麥克維之後在直播時發表道歉聲明，並解釋該標題是一位正在學習如何使用新聞跑馬燈的人所寫的。 "Some of you may have noticed something pretty unusual on the ticker that runs along the bottom of the screen with news making a comment about Manchester United. I hope that Manchester United fans weren’t offended by it," she said. 她說：「你們當中有些人可能已經注意到，在螢幕下方新聞跑馬燈上出現有關曼聯隊的新聞評論的不尋常狀況。我希望不會冒犯到曼聯隊球迷。」 "Let me just explain what was happening: behind the scenes someone was training to learn how to use the ticker and to put text on the ticker. So they were just writing random things, not in earnest, and that comment appeared. 「讓我解釋一下發生了什麼事：幕後有人正在學習如何使用新聞跑馬燈以及放上文字，所以他們只是隨意寫些東西，並不是認真的，而那則評論出現了。」 Next Article Topic: Amateur Fossil Hunters Make Rare Find in U.K. 業餘化石獵人在英國有了罕見發現 Millions of years before the Cotswolds, in western England, became a popular vacation destination, it was a shallow, warm sea, home to a Jurassic marine ecosystem. 在英格蘭西部科茲窩成為熱門度假勝地的數百萬年前，它是一片淺而溫暖的海域，也是侏羅紀海洋生態系的家鄉。 Over 167 million years later, two amateur paleontologists, Neville and Sally Hollingworth, uncovered fossils in a limestone quarry there, the largest find of Jurassic starfish and their relatives ever to be made in Britain. 在1.67億年後，兩名業餘古生物學家內維爾與莎莉．霍林沃斯，在石灰採石場中挖掘出化石，這是在英國發現的最大一批侏羅紀海星及其親屬。 More than 1,000 scientifically significant specimens were unearthed at an undisclosed location during a three-day excavation in June, London’s Natural History Museum said. 倫敦自然歷史博物館表示，在6月的3天挖掘中，於一處未公開地點，出土了超過1000件具有科學意義的標本。 The find by the Hollingworths, a husband-and-wife team, includes three new species and an entire ecosystem of echinoderms. Fossils of such animals are extremely rare because they have fragile skeletons that are not often preserved. 霍林沃斯夫婦團隊發現3個新物種與1個完整的棘皮動物生態系統。這類動

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k Idioms about being busy 很忙的慣用語 1. Busy as a beaver It shows that you are busy indeed. Example: I am busy as a beaver these days; I couldn’t take out time for lunch. 2. A lot on one’s plate / A lot going on It shows that you have lot of work to do. Example: Today, there are a lot of things in my plate as I am supposed to do an extra work of my colleague who is on leave. 3. Slammed It is used to convey that you are being overloaded with work. Example: Because of yesterday’s pending work, I am slammed with a lot of work today. 4. Swamped This is a slang term used for describing yourself as being overworked. Example: I can’t take more projects as I am already swamped with lot of work. Expressions for saying “No” 說不的短例句 Saying no outright直接說不"Unfortunately, I have/am_________. I can help you another time."" Sorry, I have/am _______. I hope you understand.""No, I have/am_ this week.""Sadly, I cannot help with that. I'm not qualified for that type of work." Saying no politely 有禮貌的說不"I'm flattered by your offer, but no thank you.""That sounds fun, but I have a lot going on at home.""Thank you for thinking of me, but I can’t.""I would love to join you, but I'm feeling a little overwhelmed with work right now." 雙人對話時間Exchange dialogues: Work in pairs. Take turns to offer something and decline the offer.

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K460: About Paris - The Parisian cat hotel that’s feline fairly full Much as they enjoyed their cats’company during two years of coronavirus lockdown, Parisians have enthusiastically taken up travel again if the reservation register at one Paris cat hotel is anything to go by. 如果巴黎一家貓旅館的預定登記本上有可供判斷的事情的話，那就是巴黎人又熱情擁抱旅行了，雖然冠狀病毒疫情封鎖的兩年期間，他們喜愛貓咪的陪伴。 At the Arbre a Chats (Cats’ Tree) hotel, prospective guests need to reserve well ahead, as all its 24 “contemporary and comfortable” cubicles are fully booked — although cats who know one another can double up and share a room. 在貓之樹旅館，想入住的賓客都老早預定，因為旅館所有24間「現代且舒服」的小房間都預定一空，雖然相熟的貓咪可以睡在一起，共享一間房。 “Unlike last year, this year we were fully booked for August from the end of February,” hotel owner Veronica Colson said. 「和去年不一樣的是，今年我們從2月底開始，8月份的預定就已經滿了」，旅館老闆薇蘿妮卡．柯爾森說。 With cats snoozing on couches, sitting high up in the tree-shaped wooden climbing structure in the center, or observing street life from a ledge by the window, the hotel is in full swing as cat owners rediscover the pleasure of travel. 貓咪有的在沙發上打盹，有的坐在中間的樹木形狀的木頭攀爬結構的高處，有的在窗邊的壁架上觀察街頭生活，因為貓主人們重新發現了旅遊的樂趣，這間旅館的生意正如火如荼。 Next Article Paris gets sausages and steaks 24/7 from vending machine 巴黎販賣機全天候販售香腸和牛排 With their beloved baguette already available 24 hours a day, it seems only logical that Parisians can now get the Bayonne ham and Basque pate that goes so well with the bread from the first meat vending machine installed in the French capital. 巴黎人鍾愛的棍子麵包一天24小時都有供應，而現在，和棍子麵包非常搭的巴約納火腿和Basque pate，可在巴黎首台肉品販賣機買得到，似乎也滿合理的。 In a city filled with small shops where long lunches remain a crucial part of the French "art de vivre," the gleaming red machine set up on the lively Rue de Charonne in eastern Paris seems a bit incongruous. 在一個小商店林立、午餐慢慢吃仍是法式「生活藝術」重要環節的城市，這台光鮮亮麗的紅色機器現身巴黎東區生氣勃勃的夏洪尼路，看起來有點不搭軋。 The area has at least two dozen butcher’s shops and no shortage of meat, but that didn’t deter the owners of one of those shops from investing 40,000 euros（$45,000）to set up their project, selling vacuum-packed meat from the refrigerated machine. 這個區域至少有24家肉鋪，沒有肉品短缺的問題，但其中一家店的老闆並未因此卻步，仍投入4萬歐元（約4萬5000美元）擬定計畫，從這台有冷藏功能的機器販售真空包裝肉品。 From their machine, which takes cash or credit cards, customers can also get a large choice of traditional delicatessen including duck confit and beef carpaccio. There are also faux-filet steaks on display, priced at 34 euros per kilogram. 他們的機器收現金也收信用卡，顧客也能買到許多傳統熟食，包括油封鴨和義式生牛肉，還有沙朗牛排，每公斤要價34歐元。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1547057 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/971715

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K459: About Canada - 36,000km in three days $8000 car rental charge shocks Canadian woman Car rental companies have long earned a reputation for gouging customers, penny-pinching on frills and finding new and unscrupulous ways to charge for add-ons. 租車公司長期以來以向顧客敲竹槓、吝於提供額外配備，以及用新的不誠實手法超收費用出名。 But a Canadian woman says she was billed thousands in extra mileage after a rental company claimed she drove a distance nearly the circumference of the Earth over a three-day period. 但是一名加拿大女子說，租車公司聲稱她在3天內行駛幾乎可繞地球1圈的距離，為此向她收取數千元的超額里程費。 Earlier this month, Giovanna Boniface flew from Vancouver to Toronto, where she rented an SUV at the airport. Her rental receipt, posted to Twitter, shows the company levied a charge of 25 cents per kilometre – for 36,000 additional kilometres. 喬凡娜‧邦尼費斯本月稍早從溫哥華搭機到多倫多，在機場租了1輛休旅車。她在「推特」上貼出的租車費收據顯示，租車公司針對3萬6000公里超額里程，收取每公里25美分的費用。 Even if she had travelled from Mexico City to Skagway, Alaska, over the three days, driving nonstop, she would still be nearly 30,000km short of what the company claimed she had travelled – enough to traverse the entire continent of North America three more times. 即使她在那3天內從墨西哥市開到阿拉斯加州的斯卡威，中途都不停，她也會比該公司宣稱的行駛里程數還少將近3萬公里—足以再穿越整個北美大陸3趟。 Next Article In Canada, one woman takes on stereotypes as a drag king挑戰刻板印象，加拿大女性扮「變裝國王」 33-year-old Canadian Melodie Rousseau is an actress by day, but at night, she makes herself up as a virile man － and takes the stage at Montreal’s cabaret halls as a drag king. 33歲的加拿大人梅樂蒂‧盧梭，白天是女演員，晚上卻喬裝成強健的男性，以變裝國王之姿，在蒙特婁的卡巴萊舞廳登台。 Performing in drag is not only a means of artistic expression － it’s a political statement by Rousseau and others looking to step out of the formidable shadow of drag queens. 變裝表演不僅是藝術表達方式之一，對盧梭及渴望踏出變裝皇后巨大陰影的其他人而言，也是一種政治表述。 Rousseau, who performs as Rock Biere, needs two and a half hours for her transformation. She would use a make-up brush to draw the eyebrows and contours that define her alter ego. 以「搖滾比爾」之名表演的盧梭，需花2小時半完成變裝。她會用化妝刷具畫眉毛及臉部輪廓，勾勒出另一個自我。 Little by little, Rock Biere’s more masculine jawline emerges. She straps down her breasts and sticks fake hair on her chest and chin. 漸漸地，「搖滾比爾」顯現出更具男子氣概的下巴輪廓。她束縛胸部，在胸口和下巴黏上假毛及假鬍鬚。 While drag queens have entered the mainstream thanks to shows like "RuPaul’s Drag Race," drag kings are still under the radar. In Quebec province, they can be counted on one hand, according to veteran Canadian drag king Charli Deville. 當變裝皇后拜《魯保羅變裝皇后秀》等節目之賜進入主流市場，變裝國王仍沒沒無聞。加拿大資深變裝國王恰莉‧戴維爾說，魁北克省的變裝國王一隻手就數得完。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1544007 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1336895

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments Summary: 相關文章：https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63363473 Anti-cheating headgear has gone viral in the Philippines and Thailand as students show their creativity in preventing themselves and others from cheating in tests. In this episode, Angel and I talk about cheating in our school days. Have you cheated and gotten caught before? Comment down below! Vocabulary: 1. Cheating n. v. 作弊 Peeking at other people's answers is considered cheating in a test. 偷看別人的答案在考試的時候是作弊。 2. If you can't beat them, join them idiom. 贏不過就一同加入 Your classmates cheated to get high scores. If you can't beat them, join them. 你同學都靠作弊高分，如果你贏不了，就加入他們。 3. Get caught phr. v. 被抓到 It's not cheating if you don't get caught. 沒被抓到作弊就不是作弊。 更多Vocab Podcast節目: https://www.15mins.today/vocab 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : [email protected] 商業合作/贊助來信：[email protected]

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K458: Troops at Front Offering Tanks For Launchers The Ukrainian sergeant slid the captured Russian rocket launcher into the center of a small room. He was pleased. The weapon was practically brand-new. It had been built in 2020, and its thermobaric warhead was deadly against troops and armored vehicles. 這名烏克蘭士官讓這具繳獲的俄羅斯火箭發射器滑進一個小房間中央。他很開心。這武器幾乎全新，在2020年製造，它的溫壓彈頭對軍隊跟裝甲車都是致命的。 But the sergeant, nicknamed Zmei, had no plans to fire it at advancing Russian soldiers or at a tank trying to burst through his unit’s front line in eastern Ukraine. 但這位綽號「茲梅」的士官，並不打算用它向前進的俄羅斯軍人開火，或向一輛試圖突破他所屬部隊在烏克蘭東部防線的戰車開火。 Instead, he was going to use it as a bargaining chip. 相反地，他打算用它當作討價還價的籌碼。 Within the 93rd Mechanized Brigade, Zmei was not just a lowly sergeant. He was the brigade’s point man for a wartime bartering system among Ukrainian forces. Prevalent along the front line, the exchange operates like a kind of shadow economy, soldiers say, in which units acquire weapons or equipment and trade them for supplies they need urgently. 在第93機械化旅，茲梅不只是一名階級低微的士官。他是該旅在烏克蘭軍隊間建立戰時以物易物系統的關鍵人物。軍人說，這種交易在前線普遍存在，就像一種地下經濟，各單位繳獲武器或裝備，然後用它們交換急需的物資。 Most of the bartering involves items captured from Russian troops. Ukrainian soldiers refer to them as “trophies.” 大多數以物易物的交換涉及從俄軍繳獲的物品。烏軍稱它們為「戰利品」。 “Usually, the trades are done really fast,” Zmei said last week during an interview in Ukraine’s mineral-rich Donbas region, where the 93rd is now stationed. “Let’s just call it a simplification of bureaucracy.” 茲梅上星期在烏克蘭礦產資源豐富的頓巴斯地區受訪時說：「通常交易很快就會完成。我們姑且稱之為官僚主義的簡化吧。」第93旅目前駐紮在當地。 Despite the influx of Western weapons and equipment in recent months, the Ukrainian military still relies heavily on arms and vehicles captured from their better-equipped Russian foe for the matériel needed to wage war; much of Ukraine’s aging Soviet-era arsenal is either destroyed, worn down or lacks ammunition. 儘管西方武器和裝備近幾個月大量湧入，但烏克蘭軍方仍極度仰賴從裝備更好的俄羅斯敵人繳獲的武器與車輛，來獲得戰爭所需物資。烏克蘭老舊的蘇聯時代軍備許多已被摧毀、用壞，或是缺乏彈藥。 That has left Ukrainian soldiers scrounging the battlefield for essentials as their own supply lines are strained. And the relatively small numbers of big-ticket foreign weapons, such as the U.S.-made M777 howitzer, are spread thinly on the sprawling 1,500-mile front. 這導致烏軍在戰場上四處尋找軍需品，因為他們的補給線已經吃緊。數量相對較少的高價外國武器，如美國製造的M777榴彈砲，則稀疏分散在綿延1500英里的戰線上。 “We have hopes for Kyiv,” said Fedir, one of the brigade’s supply sergeants and an understudy of Zmei, referring to military commanders in the capital. “But we rely on ourselves. We aren’t trying to just sit and wait like idiots until Kyiv sends us something.” 該旅補給士之一、茲梅的替補費德談到首都的軍事指揮官：「我們對基輔抱有希望，但我們要靠自己。我們不會像傻瓜一樣坐等基輔送東西給我們。」 The 93rd currently only possesses old Soviet-era artillery pieces that have worn out barrels and are low on ammunition. 第93旅目前只有蘇聯時代的舊火砲，砲管已經磨損，彈藥也不夠。 “I have to go and buy everything and trade things, and bring it all here,”a 28-year-old Ukrainian soldier who goes by the name of Michael said. 一個名叫麥可的28歲烏軍說：「我必須去買東西，交換東西，然後把東西都帶到這裡。」 “So what’s going on is a personal initiative,” he said. “You’re taking the risk, it’s criminal. Nobody will thank you. It’s a thankless job.” 他說道：「所以，目前情況是個人行動。你在冒險，這是犯罪。沒人會感謝你。這是吃力不討好的工作。」Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6618643

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K457: What’s behind strained China-Japan relations Japan and China on Thursday last week marked the 50th anniversary of the 1972 normalization of their ties, but there isn’t much of a celebratory mood. Improved ties between Asia’s two biggest economies are considered vital to the region’s stability and prosperity, but they remain at odds over disputed East China Sea islands and China’s growing military and economic assertiveness in the region. Here are the key issues in the often strained relations between these powerhouse neighbors: 日本和中國上週四慶祝一九七二年兩國關係正常化五十週年，但並沒有太多慶祝的氣氛。亞洲最大的兩個經濟體間關係之改善，咸認攸關亞洲的穩定與繁榮，但對於有領土爭端的東海島嶼，以及中國軍事和經濟上在該區域愈趨強勢，兩國的立場仍然分歧。這兩個鄰近的強國經常處於緊張的關係，以下是其中幾個關鍵問題： TERRITORIAL DISPUTES A huge source of contention is an uninhabited group of Tokyo-controlled, Beijing-claimed East China Sea islands called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. Japan insists that the islands, which once hosted a Japanese seafood factory, are part of its territory, both historically and by international law. China says they were stolen by Japan in 1895 and should have been returned at the end of World War II. The disputed islands are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and undersea oil deposits, and Japan accuses China of suddenly making its territorial claims after the undersea resources were found in a 1969 United Nations report. The 1972 normalization communique did not deal with the issue, but the dispute intensified after Japan’s government in 2012 nationalized the Senkaku islands, leading to violent protests across China. Chinese coast guard and fishing boats are regularly found in the area, routinely intruding on Japanese waters. 領土爭端 一個主要的爭論是東京所控制、北京聲稱擁有主權的東海無人島群，在日本稱為尖閣諸島，在中國稱為釣魚島。日本堅稱，日本曾在這些島嶼設有海產工廠，無論就歷史或國際法而言，這些島都是日本領土的一部分。中國說這些島是在一八九五年被日本偷走，日本應該在二戰結束時將其歸還。這些有爭端的島嶼，周圍環繞著富饒的漁場，海底石油儲量豐沛，日本指責中國是在一九六九年聯合國報告發現海底資源後才忽然提出領土主張。一九七二年的兩國關係正常化公報並未處理此問題，但日本政府二○一二年將尖閣諸島國有化後，爭端愈演愈烈，在中國各地引發了暴力抗議。中國海岸警衛隊及漁船常在此區域出現，經常侵犯日本水域。 FEAR OF TAIWAN EMERGENCY Japan, along with its security ally the US, has openly criticized increased Chinese activities in the South China Sea. Tokyo has also pushed for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. China claims Taiwan, a self-governing democracy, and has threatened to annex it by force if necessary. With a US-China trade war and naval tensions on the rise in the area, Japan is increasingly worried about Taiwan emergencies. China’s increased joint military drills with Russia near Japanese coasts have also irked Japan. Tokyo is shifting its military posture toward southwestern Japan, including Okinawa and remote islands just east of Taiwan. China staged major military drills in areas surrounding Taiwan in August in an angry response to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taipei visit, and fired five ballistic missiles into waters near Okinawa. Fear of conflict over Taiwan adds to Japan’s urgent efforts to reinforce its military capabilities and boost its budget. Japan is currently revising its national security strategy, which is expected to call for the possession of preemptive strike capabilities that opponents say would violate the country’s pacifist constitution. With Japan’s westernmost island just east of Taiwan, “It is increasingly difficult to see how a Taiwan military contingency would not affect at a minimum the waters and airspace around Japanese territory,” said Amanda Hsiao, senior analyst for China at the Crisis Group. 對台灣緊急狀況的恐懼 日本及其安全盟友美國公開批評中國在南海的活動增加。東京也推動了台灣海峽的和平及穩定。中國聲稱擁有台灣──一個自治的民主國家──的主權，並威脅在必要時以武力吞併台灣。隨著中美貿易戰及該地區海軍緊張局勢的加劇，日本越來越擔憂台灣出現緊急狀況。中國在日本沿海附近增加與俄國的聯合軍演也激怒了日本。東京正將其軍事布局轉向日本西南部，包括沖繩及台灣以東的偏遠島嶼。八月，中國在台灣周邊舉行大規模軍事演習，做為美國眾議院議長南希．裴洛西訪問台北的憤怒回應，並向沖繩附近海域發射了五枚彈道飛彈。對台灣衝突的恐懼讓日本更急迫地加強其軍事能力及增加預算。日本目前正在修訂國家安全戰略，預計將要求擁有先發制人的攻擊能力，反對者稱這將違反日本的和平憲法。日本最西端的島嶼就在台灣以東，因此「越來越難看出台灣的軍事意外事件如何不會對日本領土周遭的水域及空域造成一丁點影響」，國際危機組織中國問題高級分析師蕭嫣然表示。 WARTIME HISTORY The two countries were at war, starting with clashes in the 1930s, until Japan’s defeat in 1945. Japanese atrocities during the Sino-Japanese war include the Rape of Nanking, the use of chemical and biological weapons and grisly human medical experiments in Manchuria, where Japan’s imperial army had a secret biological weapons unit. Japan also took nearly 40,000 Chinese laborers to Japanese mines and factories, where many died of malnutrition and abuse. In the 1972 communique, China waived the right to war compensation, which some experts say was in exchange for Japan’s apology and recognition of China as the only legal government. Japan, however, has provided official development aid totaling 3.6 trillion yen ($US25 billion) to China over the past four decades. 戰時歷史 從一九三○年代的衝突開始，直到一九四五年日本戰敗，中日兩國是處於戰爭狀態。中日戰爭期間日本的暴行包括南京大屠殺、使用化學及生物武器，以及在滿洲進行駭人的人體醫學實驗。日本帝國陸軍在滿洲有一個秘密的生物武器部隊。日本還將近四萬名中國勞工帶到日本的礦山及工廠，其中許多人死於營養不良和受虐。在一九七二年的公報中，中國放棄了獲得戰爭賠償的權利，一些專家稱這是為了換取日本的道歉及承認中共是唯一合法中國政府。然而，在過去四十年中，日本官方向中國提供了總計三點六兆日元（兩百五十億美元）的發展援助。 YASUKUNI SHRINE China considers Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments Topic: Cambodia to ban elephant rides at Angkor Wat temples 柬埔寨的世界文化遺產吳哥窟每年都吸引數百萬國內外觀光客造訪，其中許多很多遊客會選擇騎大象遊覽園區，這項服務多年來一直招受批評，批評者認為利用動物大賺觀光財是相當殘酷也不人道的。面對一波波討伐聲浪，負責管理園區的吳哥暨暹羅地區保護管理局（Aspar Authority）上週五宣布，將在明年初起全面禁止吳哥窟園區騎大象遊園的服務。 Cambodia will ban elephant rides at Angkor Wat temples by early next year in response to pressure from animal groups, a spokesperson of the Aspar Authority said last week. The Angkor Wat temple complex attracts millions of tourists each year. In 2018 for instance, the number of tourists topped six million, and many of them enjoyed elephant rides around the temples, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP). Against this backdrop, animal rights groups have expressed concerns at the risk of mistreating animals. 美聯社報導，三年前，一頭在吳哥窟工作的母象，因為不堪在酷暑中長時間工作而導致心臟衰竭，最終死亡。母象的死亡在社交媒體上引起輿論撻伐，民眾更在網站change.org聯署請願管理局停止大象騎乘服務。 The death of a female elephant in 2016 of heart failure after working in extremely hot weather triggered outrage on social media. A petition was launched on change.org to ask the Aspar Authority to cease elephant riding in archeological sites, according to Associated Press. 面對群眾壓力，吳哥窟園區也在今年做出回應，承諾讓14頭在吳哥窟服務的大象在2020年全數除役。 Three years after the elephant’s death, Aspar Authority promised to stop the services and release all 14 elephants into their natural habitat by early 2020. 管理局發言人Long Kosal向法新社說道：「利用大象來營利是不適當的。」並強調許多大象都已經相當年邁。 The authority’s spokesperson, Long Kosal, told the AFP that “using elephants for business is not appropriate anymore,” adding that the elephants are already old. Long Kosal指出，14頭在吳哥窟服務的大象中，已經有五頭被轉移到附近的保育森林，「他們會在那裡過著自然的生活」Long Kosal說道，並表示擁有這些大象的公司會持續照養牠們。 Long Kosal said five of the 14 elephants had been transported to nearby community forests. “They will live out their natural lives there,” Long Kosal told the AFP, adding that the company owning these elephants will keep looking after them. 柬埔寨媒體The Phnom Penh Post報導，Long Kosal表示，儘管園區內不會再有大象騎乘服務，遊客仍然可以到附近的保育區與大象近距離接觸並拍照。 Long Kosal added that the Aspar Authority aims to stop elephant riding in the park, but tourists can still visit their protected habitat to get a close look and take a photo with the elephants, according to The Phnom Penh Post. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20191118-859822 Next Article Topic: Dozens of casino workers flee Cambodia by swimming to Vietnam Dozens of Vietnamese casino workers allegedly forced to toil without pay in Cambodia have fled back to their homeland by swimming across a river, authorities in Phnom Penh said Friday. 金邊政府週五表示，數十名據稱被迫在柬埔寨賭場無薪工作的越南員工，游泳渡河逃回家鄉。 About 40 staff with the Golden Phoenix Entertainment Casino in Kandal province － which neighbours Vietnam － fought off security guards to escape, leaving one missing after being swept away by the current, Vietnamese state media reported. 越南國營媒體報導，毗鄰越南的柬國甘丹省金鳳娛樂城賭場約40名員工擊退守衛逃走，1人在渡河時被水流沖走失蹤。 "These people might have been here working illegally," Cambodian Interior Minister Sar Kheng told reporters. 柬國內政部長紹肯向記者說，「這些人或許是在這非法打工」。 "They were promised salaries, but they did not get what they were promised... They crossed back to Vietnam because they could not reach a deal. They fled the place." 「他們獲得承諾有薪水，但實際上沒有拿到…因為無法達成協議，就逃離這裡，渡河回去越南。」 He said Cambodian police had detained a casino manager and were investigating the incident. 他說，柬國警方已經拘押一名賭場經理，正在調查此事。 Next Article Topic: Cambodia to ban elephant rides at Angkor Wat 柬埔寨禁止在吳哥窟騎大象 Following pressure from animal activist groups, Apsara, the management authority for the Angkor Archaeological Park in Siem Reap, Cambodia announced in June 2019 it would ban elephant rides in early 2020. 在許多動物活動組織的施壓下，負責管理吳哥遺址的暹粒地區「阿帕薩拉」保護管理局2019年6月表示，他們將從2020年初起禁止大象騎乘。 Local outlet the Khmer Times reports that on November 15, two of the 14 elephants currently at the park, have been relocated to the nearby Bos Thom community forest. An Apsara press representative told the Khmer Times that the remaining dozen animals would be relocated to the same forest by "early next year." 本地媒體「高棉時報」11月15日報導，該園區的14隻大象中，有2隻被重新安置在附近的「Bos Thom」社區森林。1名「阿帕薩拉」的發言人告訴「高棉時報」，剩下的12隻會在明年初被安置到同座森林。 In 2016, an elephant named Sambo died at Angkor, drawing worldwide attention. Her death was blamed on a combination of heat stroke and exhaustion from ferrying so many human beings around. 2016年，1隻名為珊寶的大象死在吳哥窟，引起了全世界的矚目。牠的死因被歸咎於因為載運了太多人而導致的中暑與過度勞累。 Two years later, the World Wildlife Fund published an in-depth look at the dwindling populations of the Asian elephant, noting that the species’ population had declined by 50% in just three generations. 兩年後，世界自然基金會發布關於亞洲大象數量減少的深入調查，發現該物種現今的數量比3代之前少了50%。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1539968 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1334758

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 換句話說系列 – 最好與危險還有什麼其他說法Other ways to say “Best” and “Dangerous” Other ways to say: BEST Greatest 最大/最好 New Yorkers think they live in the greatest city on earth. Finest 最好/最棒 Hemingway was the finest American writer of his generation. Top (before noun) 頂尖 He is definitely one of the world's top golfers. First-rate/ First class 第一等 The service is first-rate. Second to none 無二 We provide a service that is second to none. Premier 首位 It's the island's premier resort. Top-of-the-range/ Top of the line 旗艦款/最好最貴的 She has top-of-the-range kitchen appliances. Other ways to say: DANGEROUS Harmful 有害的 Smoking is harmful to smokers and non-smokers. Risky 有風險的 I wouldn't do it if I were you - it's too risky. Unsafe 不安全的 The heating systems were unsafe to use. Damaging 有破壞性的 Many chemicals have a damaging effect on the environment. Threatening 有威脅性的 He has a threatening look. Nasty 不好的 Some really nasty people are looking for him. 分享時間:Tell a personal experience related to best and dangerousPick 4 words and make sentences

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K456: About Norway - Ikea Norway offers help with baby names after COVID-19 boom Have you thought about Malm, Kivik or Trotten? 你可曾想過以馬爾姆、奇維克或卓登來命名？ Swedish retailer Ikea is known for the distinctive names of its flat-pack home products. The company’s Norway branch wants to use the experience to help parents. 瑞典家具零售商宜家家居的組合式家具，因擁有特殊名字而出名。挪威分公司希望運用這個經驗幫助天下父母。 Ikea Norway has built "a name bank" with more than 800 listings available on its website. The names are drawn from ones Ikea has given to its furniture since 1948. 挪威宜家家居已創建「名字銀行」網站，收錄超過800組名字，而這些名字都是該公司1948年後為家具產品取的名字。 Ikea usually names its products after Swedish towns, lakes and other geographical features instead of product numbers. 宜家家居經常以瑞典城鎮、湖泊和其他地理特徵為產品命名，而非使用編號。 The branch noted that while retailers saw both a shortage of raw materials and challenges with delivery times during the COVID-19 pandemic, "there is at least no shortage of children" in Norway. 挪威分公司提到，雖然零售業者在新冠肺炎期間遭遇原料短缺和配送時間挑戰，「但在挪威至少沒出現缺少小孩的狀況。」 Norway registered the births of 56,060 babies last year, or 3,081 more than in 2020. 挪威去年增加5萬6060名新生兒，比2020年多3081名。 Next Article Norway tells conscripts to return underwear after service 挪威要士兵服役結束後歸還內衣褲 Conscripts in Norway have been ordered to return their underwear, bras and socks after the end of their military service so that the next group of recruits can use them. 挪威下令義務役人員在役期結束後歸還內衣褲、胸罩和襪子，以便下一梯次可以使用。 The Norwegian military said that it is struggling with dwindling supplies, in part due to the pandemic. 挪威軍方說，他們正苦於庫存減少的狀況，部分原因是疫情造成。 Until recently, the roughly 8,000 young men and women who every year do their military service returned their outer clothing but were allowed to leave barracks with the underwear and socks they were issued. 此前，每年約8000名年輕男、女性在服完兵役後，都被要求歸還外衣，但可以帶著獲配發的內衣褲和襪子離開軍營。 Military service is mandatory for both men and women in Norway and lasts between 12 and 19 months. 挪威的男、女性都有義務當兵，役期介於12至19個月之間。 NATO-member Norway’s national defense magazine, Forsvarets Forum, reported that it was not the first time that the Armed Forces had struggled with such shortcomings, with a spokesman saying it "has been a recurring problem" for years. 挪威是北大西洋公約組織（NATO）成員，其國防期刊Forsvarets Forum報導，這不是挪威軍隊第一次遭遇物品短缺，一名發言人還表示，這是多年來不斷發生的問題。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1541446 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1516836

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K455: About Hong Kong - Hong Kong scraps quarantine measures after economy takes a beating Hong Kong will ditch its stringent hotel quarantine for incoming travellers（譯註：英式拼法） that has eroded the city’s status as a financial hub, hammered its economy and sparked an exodus of residents. 香港將取消針對入境旅客的嚴格的飯店檢疫措施，該措施已損及這座城市作為金融樞紐的地位、重創其經濟，以及引爆居民大舉出走。 The policy, which at one point required visitors and residents to quarantine in a hotel for as long as three weeks, had been in place for two and a half years, effectively cutting the city off from the rest of the world as well as from mainland China. 這項一度要求訪客與居民在飯店內檢疫長達3週的政策已實施2年半，有效斬斷香港與世界其他地方以及與中國大陸的聯繫。 John Lee, the city’s chief executive, said that the quarantine requirement would be eliminated from Monday, but travellers would be subject to testing and monitoring for three days after landing. 香港特區行政長官李家超表示，將自下週一起取消該檢疫要求，但旅客抵港後仍得接受篩檢與3天的醫學監測。 Next Article Hong Kong litterbugs shamed in billboard portraits made using DNA from trash 從垃圾中找出DNA製成肖像公布令香港亂丟垃圾者蒙羞 A campaign that used DNA analysis to give a face to anonymous Hong Kong litterbugs, then posted representations of the faces on billboards across the city, has been a big hit on social media. 一項行動藉由分析去氧核醣核酸，為香港匿名的亂丟垃圾者建立一張面貌，然後將這些面貌圖像張貼在全市公告欄，已成為社群網站熱門話題。 The Face of Litter campaign was launched on Global Earth Day for the Hong Kong Cleanup Initiative, organised by online magazine Ecozine and the Nature Conservancy. It was aimed at raising awareness of the extent of littering in the city by pinpointing those responsible and encouraging people to change their behaviour. 這項「亂丟垃圾的面貌」行動是為網路雜誌「生態誌」和自然保育協會所主辦「清潔香港運動」，在世界地球日啟動，旨在透過點出該負起責任之人，提高民眾注意香港亂丟垃圾程度，鼓勵民眾改變行為。 Last year, NGO Hong Kong Cleanup rallied 418 teams for a six-week challenge that saw 3,894 tonnes of litter from streets, coastlines and country trails, according to co-founder and CEO Lisa Christensen. 根據非政府組織「清潔香港」共同創辦人暨執行長麗莎克里斯汀森說法，去年該組織號召418團隊進行六週挑戰，從街頭、岸邊和鄉村小徑撿了3894噸垃圾。 Marketing communications agency Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong came up with the idea for the billboard campaign and enlisted US-based Parabon Nanolabs. 行銷傳播公司「香港奧美」提出這項公佈欄行動的點子，並且找來設於美國的生物科技公司「帕拉本奈米實驗室」協助。 Christensen says the purpose of the campaign was not to point fingers at specific individuals. 克里斯汀森說，這項行動的目的不是要指責特定個人。 Reed Collins, the Ogilvy chief creative officer who led the campaign, says he is not aware of any other city launching such a campaign to tackle the scourge of littering. 領導這項行動的奧美創意長柯林斯說，就他所知，沒有其他城市展開這樣的行動來處理亂丟垃圾之患。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1542943 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/887382

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K454: About Netherlands - Dutch city becomes world’s first to ban meat adverts in public A Dutch city will become the first in the world to ban meat adverts from public spaces in an effort to reduce consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. 荷蘭的一座城市將在全球率先禁止在公共場所投放肉食廣告，以減少消費和溫室氣體排放。 Haarlem, which lies to the west of Amsterdam and has a population of about 160,000, will enact the prohibition from 2024 after meat was added to a list of products deemed to contribute to the climate crisis. 位於阿姆斯特丹以西、擁有約16萬人口的哈勒姆市，將從2024年開始頒布肉食廣告禁令。此前肉食被加入導致氣候危機的產品清單。 Adverts will not be allowed on Haarlem’s buses, shelters and screens in public spaces, prompting complaints from the meat sector that the municipality is “going too far in telling people what’s best for them”. 哈勒姆市將禁止巴士、候車亭和公共場所的螢幕上出現肉食廣告，引發肉食產業的抱怨，他們聲稱市政府「在告訴人們什麼對他們最有利方面，做得太過份了。」 Recent studies suggest global food production is responsible for one-third of all planet-heating emissions, with the use of animals for meat accounting for twice the pollution of producing plant-based foods. 最近的研究指出，全球3分之1的溫室氣體排放源自世界各地的食品生產，其中養殖肉用家畜造成的污染，是生產植物性食物的2倍。 Next Article Jewel thieves in brazen Dutch art fair heist 珠寶大盜在荷蘭藝品展上大膽行搶 Flat-cap wearing armed robbers staged a brazen daylight raid on an international art fair in the Netherlands Tuesday, smashing a jewellery case with a sledgehammer in front of terrified visitors. 戴著鴨舌帽的武裝搶匪，週二在荷蘭的一場國際藝品展上，當著一群驚恐的參觀者面前，用大榔頭砸破一個珠寶箱，在光天化日下大膽搶劫。 Police said they pulled over a car and arrested two Belgians in their twenties after the four smartly dressed thieves held up the TEFAF (The European Fine Art Fair) in the southern city of Maastricht. 警方說，這4名打扮時髦的竊賊在南部馬斯垂特的歐洲精品藝術展行搶後，警方攔下一輛車，逮捕2名20幾歲的比利時人。 Dramatic social media images showed the robbers threatening people with what appeared to be handguns before running off with an undisclosed amount of what police called "loot". 令人看了驚心動魄的社群媒體影像顯示，這批搶匪用看來是手槍的武器威脅民眾，然後帶著一批警方所稱數量不明的「掠奪品」逃之夭夭。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1540909 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1533450

歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments 每日英語跟讀 Ep.K453: While You’re Up in the Air, Dispatchers May Be Home Two years ago, the Federal Aviation Administration allowed a handful of airlines to let some aircraft dispatchers work remotely to keep travel running smoothly as coronavirus cases ran rampant. Two carriers, Republic Airways and SkyWest Airlines, took the agency up on the offer. But critics say it is long past time to end that practice, arguing that it exposes dispatchers to disruptions and distractions, shields them from oversight and raises concerns about flight safety. 兩年前，美國聯邦航空管理局允許少數航空公司讓一些航機簽派員遠距工作，以便在新冠病例暴增情況下，保持旅行順利進行。共和以及天西兩家航空公司接受了該機構提議。但批評人士說，這種做法早該結束，他們認為這會讓簽派員受到干擾跟分心，讓他們免受監督，並引發對飛行安全的擔憂。 Dispatchers typically work from secure facilities known as airline operations centers. There, they play a crucial role, sharing operational authority over flights with pilots. Dispatchers put together comprehensive flight plans, charting routes, accounting for weather and turbulence, and ensuring that a given plane is ready and safe to fly. If an emergency arises or weather patterns change, they work with pilots to adjust course or address any problems. 簽派員通常在被稱為航空作業中心的安全設施內工作。他們在那裡發揮至關重要作用，與機長分享飛航操作權限。簽派員制定全面的飛行計畫、繪製航線圖、考量天氣和亂流，確保簽派的飛機準備就緒並能安全飛行。若出現緊急情況或天氣模式發生變化，他們會跟機長一同調整航線或解決問題。 Since first allowing dispatchers at some airlines to work remotely in the summer of 2020, the FAA has expanded the policy, permitting as many as 60% of the dispatchers at Republic to do so. SkyWest allows remote work when local coronavirus cases are high or when the airline deems it necessary, the FAA said. United Airlines was also given the option but hasn’t used it. 自2020年夏天首次允許一些航空公司簽派員遠距工作後，美國聯邦航空管理局擴大這一政策，允許共和航空多達60%簽派員遠距工作。美國聯邦航空管理局表示，天西航空也獲准在當地新冠病毒病例增多或航空公司認為有必要時，進行遠距工作。聯合航空也獲得這一選擇，但一直沒有使用。 SkyWest did not say how many dispatchers it employed; Republic said it employs more than 80. The Transport Workers Union, which has fought the FAA on the remote working practice since the beginning, estimated that about eight Republic dispatchers work from home on a typical day, managing about 150 flights. (The SkyWest dispatchers are not unionized.) 天西航空並未透露雇用多少簽派員，共和航空則稱雇用超過80人。從一開始就反對美國聯邦航空管理局遠距工作做法的運輸工人工會估計，共和航空每天約8位簽派員居家上班，管理大約150個航班。（天西航空的簽派員未加入該工會）。 The union and other critics say that while the number of dispatchers working remotely is limited, the practice sets a dangerous precedent. The Airline Dispatchers Federation, a national advocacy group composed of working dispatchers, and many experts say the job should be done only from the secure confines of an operations center. 工會及其他批評人士說，儘管遠距工作的簽派員數量有限，但這種做法開創一個危險先例。由現職簽派員組成的全國性倡議組織航空簽派員協會和許多專家說，這項工作只能在作業中心的安全區域內完成。 Republic and SkyWest defended the practice, saying that safety remains a top priority and that they have worked closely with the FAA to ensure that dispatchers who work remotely are held to high standards. 共和航空跟天西航空則為這一做法辯護，稱安全仍是首要任務，他們與美國聯邦航空管理局密切合作，以確保遠距工作的簽派員遵守高標準。 Both airlines fly typically short routes for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United. SkyWest also flies for Alaska Airlines. Together, they carried nearly 53 million passengers within the United States last year, according to federal data. 這兩家航空公司通常為美國航空、達美航空和聯合航空提供短程航班。天西航空也為阿拉斯加航空公司提供服務。聯邦數據顯示，這些航班去年在美國境內共運送近5300萬名乘客。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/10/11/2003786775

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K452: A quick look at the 2022 Nobel Prizes All the 2022 Nobel Prizes have now been announced. Here’s a look at which prizes have been announced, and what’s next for the winners. 二〇二二年諾貝爾獎所有獎項得主已經宣佈。以下是所公布的獎項，以及獲獎者的下一步。 MEDICINE The medicine or physiology prize is by tradition the first Nobel to be announced. This year’s award went to Swedish scientist Svante Paabo for discoveries about human evolution achieved through analyses of the DNA of Neanderthals and other ancient relatives of modern humans. 醫學獎 按照傳統，醫學或生理學獎是第一個公布的諾貝爾獎。今年的獎項授予瑞典科學家斯萬特‧帕博，以表彰他透過分析尼安德塔人及其他現代人類遠古親屬之DNA，對人類進化所得到的發現。 PHYSICS The Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded Tuesday last week to Frenchman Alain Aspect, American John F. Clauser and Austrian Anton Zeilinger. The trio shared the prize for discovering the way that particles known as photons can be linked, or ``entangled’’ with each other, even when they are separated by large distances. 物理學獎 諾貝爾物理學獎於週二授予法國籍的阿蘭‧阿斯佩、約翰‧克勞澤及奧地利籍的安東‧蔡林格。三人因研究發現看不見的粒子（稱為光子）可以相互連接或互相「糾纏」──即便相距很遠──而共同獲獎。 CHEMISTRY The Nobel Prize in Chemistry was jointly awarded on Wednesday last week to Americans Carolyn R. Bertozzi and K. Barry Sharpless and Danish scientist Morten Meldal for their work on click chemistry, a field of research that can be used to design better medicines. Sharpless is a repeat winner: He won the chemistry prize also in 2001. 化學獎 諾貝爾化學獎於上週三聯合授予美國籍的凱洛琳‧柏托西、卡爾‧巴里‧沙普利斯，以及丹麥科學家莫滕‧莫代爾，以表彰他們在點擊化學方面的研究，點擊化學可用來設計更好的藥物。沙普利斯並非第一次得諾貝爾獎：他在二〇〇一年已獲得諾貝爾化學獎。 LITERATURE The Swedish Academy on Thursday last week gave the Nobel Prize in Literature to French writer Annie Ernaux for “the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory.” Ernaux, 82, has written more than 20 books, most of them very short, chronicling events in her life and the lives of those around her. Her work paints uncompromising portraits of sexual encounters, abortion, illness and the deaths of her parents. 文學獎 瑞典學院上週四將諾貝爾文學獎授予法國作家安妮‧艾諾，以表彰她「以勇氣和手術般的精準，從個人記憶挖掘根源、隔閡與集體壓抑」。八十二歲的艾諾寫了超過二十本書，多數都很短，記錄她及周遭人生命中的事件。她的作品毫不妥協地描繪了性邂逅、墮胎、疾病，以及她父母的死亡。 PEACE This year’s Nobel Peace Prize was shared Friday last week by jailed Belarus rights activist Ales Bialiatski, the Russian group Memorial and the Ukrainian organization Center for Civil Liberties. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the laureates “have made an outstanding effort to document war crimes, human right abuses and the abuse of power. Together they demonstrate the significance of civil society for peace and democracy.” The prize was seen as a strong rebuke to the authoritarian rule of Russian President Vladimir Putin. 和平獎 今年的諾貝爾和平獎得主於上週五公布，由被監禁的白俄羅斯維權人士阿列斯‧畢亞利亞茨基、俄國人權組織「紀念」，以及烏克蘭組織「公民自由中心」共同獲得。挪威諾貝爾委員會表示，獲獎者「在記錄戰爭罪、人權侵犯和權力濫用方面做出了重要的努力。它們共同彰顯了公民社會對和平及民主的重要性」。此獎項被視為對俄國總統弗拉迪米爾‧普亭獨裁統治的強烈譴責。 ECONMICS The final announcement came on Monday with the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, which is not an original Nobel Prize but was established by the Swedish central bank in 1968. Former US Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke, who put his academic expertise on the Great Depression to work reviving the American economy after the 2007-2008 financial crisis, won the Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences along with two other US-based economists, Douglas Diamond and Philip Dybvig, for their research into the fallout from bank failures. 經濟學獎 最後宣布的獎項，是週一公佈的諾貝爾經濟學獎，最初諾貝爾獎並未有此獎項，這是瑞典中央銀行在一九六八年設立的。前美國聯準會主席班‧伯南奇在二〇〇七—二〇〇八年金融危機後，將其在大蕭條方面的學術專長用於重振美國經濟，他與另外兩位美國經濟學家──道格拉斯‧戴蒙和菲利普‧戴柏維格，對銀行倒閉之後果的研究，共同獲得諾貝爾經濟學獎。 WHAT DO THE WINNERS RECEIVE? Nobel Prize laureates are invited to receive their awards at prize ceremonies held on Dec. 10, the anniversary of award founder Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896. The prize includes a diploma, a gold medal and a monetary award of 10 million Swedish kronor (about US$900,000). The Nobel Peace Prize is handed out in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, while the other awards are presented in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, in line with Nobel’s wishes. 諾貝爾獎得主會獲得什麼？ 諾貝爾獎得主受邀出席十二月十日所舉行的頒獎典禮領獎，這是諾獎創辦人阿弗烈‧諾貝爾一八九六年逝世的紀念日。獲獎者會領到一張證書、一枚金牌和獎金一千萬瑞典克朗(約合九十萬美元)。諾貝爾和平獎在挪威首都奧斯陸頒發，其他獎項則是在瑞典首都斯德哥爾摩頒發，這是依據貝爾的意願。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/10/11/2003786775 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

Topic: Modi warns bitcoin could ’spoil’ young Indians Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday warned that bitcoin presents a risk to younger generations, sounding a hawkish tone as his government prepares to introduce legislation to regulate cryptocurrencies. 在他的政府準備立法規範加密貨幣之際，印度總理莫迪週四發出強硬論調，警告比特幣會對較年輕世代帶來風險。 Speaking at an online cybersecurity forum, Modi framed virtual money as a domain that needs to be closely policed. 莫迪在一場網路安全線上論壇發表談話，將虛擬貨幣稱為需要密切監管的領域。 "Take cryptocurrency or bitcoin, for example," he told a forum hosted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "It is important that all democratic nations work together on this and ensure it does not end up in the wrong hands, which can spoil our youths." 「以加密貨幣或比特幣為例」，他告訴「澳洲戰略政策研究所」舉辦的一場論壇，「重要的是，所有民主國家在這方面共同努力，確保加密貨幣不會落入錯誤的人手裡，那樣有可能毀掉我們的年輕人。」 Next Article: An Indian couple is under investigation over a chartered flight linked to their wedding 一對印度夫妻因婚禮包機而遭調查 The authorities in southern India are investigating a couple who are reported to have chartered a plane and performed a marriage ritual in midair in front of scores of guests, a breach of Covid-19 guidelines in a country that is being devastated by a second wave of the coronavirus. 印度南部當局正在調查一對被舉報包下一架飛機並在數十名賓客面前舉行空中婚禮的夫妻，此舉違反這個正飽受第二波疫情襲擊的國家的武漢肺炎防疫指引。 The couple had intended to tie the knot in front of family and friends at a hotel in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, but coronavirus restrictions capped the guest list at 50 people. 這對夫妻原本打算在親友的見證下於南部泰米爾納德邦的一家飯店共結連理，但疫情限制規定賓客人數上限50人。 Instead, according to reports in the Indian news media, the couple chartered a commercial aircraft and boarded the plane on Sunday morning along with about 160 people. 根據印度新聞媒體的報導，這對夫妻因而改包下一架民航機，並於週日一早與大約160名賓客登機。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1491482; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1489242 Next Article Topic: Water-Stressed India Seeks a Tap for Every Home The pipes are laid, the taps installed and the village tank is under construction — all promising signs that, come spring, Girja Ahriwar will get water at her doorstep and finally shed a lifelong burden. 管子鋪好，水龍頭裝好，村子的水槽正在建造。這些充滿希望的跡象顯示，春季來臨時，吉爾嘉．艾里瓦可以在家門口取到水，而且終於解除長期以來的負擔。 “I go out and put the jerrycans in the queue at around 5 a.m. and wait there with the children,” Ahriwar, a mother of three who lives in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, said about her routine of fetching from the village hand pump. “Sometimes it could take five or six hours. I have to stay there because if I leave, someone else moves ahead.” 「我大約在清晨5時出門，把大水桶排進隊伍，然後和孩子們一起等待」，住在印度中部中央邦、三個孩子的媽艾里瓦說，她的例行公事就是從村子的手動泵浦取水，「有時候得花五或六個小時，我必須一直留在這裡，因為如果我離開了，其他人就會搶先往前」。 India, one of the world’s most water-stressed countries, is halfway through an ambitious drive to provide clean tap water by 2024 to all of the roughly 192 million households across its 600,000 villages. About 18,000 government engineers are overseeing the $50 billion undertaking, which includes hundreds of thousands of contractors and laborers who are laying more than 2.5 million miles of pipe. 印度是全世界用水最吃緊的國家之一，在2024年之前提供60萬個村落共約1億9200萬戶乾淨自來水，這項宏大的計畫已進行到一半。約1萬8000名政府工程師監督規模500億美元的工程，包括數十萬名包商和工人，鋪設超過250萬哩的水管。 The project has a powerful champion in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has slashed through India’s notorious red tape and pushed aside thorny political divisions to see it through. His success thus far helps explain his dominance over the country’s political landscape. 這項計畫有個有力的擁護者：總理莫迪，他打破印度惡名昭彰的官僚作風，把棘手的政治分歧暫放一邊，推動計畫。目前為止他的成功也顯示他在這個國家政治版圖的主導力。 Modi has remained popular despite a weak economy and a bungled initial response to the coronavirus that left hundreds of thousands dead. He has increasingly relied on communal politics, continuing to consolidate a Hindu nationalist base he has worked for decades to rally. 即使經濟疲弱，且一開始對新冠病毒的笨拙反應造成數十萬人死亡，莫迪仍舊廣得人心。他日漸依賴宗教團體式政治，持續鞏固印度教國族主義基本盤，他投注數十年整合這些勢力。 But the mission to deliver water to every household combines two of Modi’s political strengths: his grasp of the day-to-day problems of hundreds of millions of India’s poor and his penchant for ambitious solutions. Modi, who grew up in a poor village, has spoken emotionally about his own mother’s hardship in fetching water. 不過，將水送到所有家戶的任務，結合莫迪的兩個政治力量：他對印度數億貧窮人口日常問題的理解，以及喜好採取極具雄心的解決方案。在貧窮村莊長大的莫迪，曾充滿感情的談到母親以前取水的困難。 About one-sixth of India’s households had a clean water tap when the program, called Jal Jeevan Mission, began in 2019. Now, almost half have one. 當這個「水生活任務」2019年開始時，印度家戶有潔淨自來水者約六分之一。現在，幾乎一半。 “You rarely have this drive from the government, the head of state, and it is well funded. Behind the concept, there is budget,” said Nicolas Osbert, who leads the UNICEF water and sanitation unit in India. “All social sectors were impacted by COVID. Not this one. This one was preserved.” 「你很少能從政府或國家領袖獲得這種推動力，而且資金充裕。在這個概念後面，重點是預算」，聯合國兒童基金會印度分部水資源和衛生主管歐斯柏特說，「所有社福單位都遭遇新冠病毒衝擊，但這個沒有，這個計畫保留下來」。 The country’s water problem speaks to the mismatch between its global economic ambitions

即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 主題: 跟讀挑戰 – 雙十煙火與必勝客出怪餅 National Day fireworks and exotic pizza 摘取文章：https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/cate/10 ; https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4676673 National Day fireworks A three-minute pyrotechnic spectacle took place at the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum (NPM) at 7:30 p.m. against the backdrop of music by Wu Bai (伍佰), a rock singer-songwriter born in Chiayi. 晚上 7 點 30 分，在故宮博物院南館舉行了一場三分鐘的煙火表演。 在嘉義出生的搖滾歌手伍佰的音樂背景下。 It has been 18 years since Chiayi last hosted the National Day fireworks display. Also to be featured in the nighttime celebrations on Oct. 10 is a drone show, the first on such an occasion that will beam patterns from a giant Taiwan flag to antiques from the NPM collection. 嘉義上一次舉辦國慶煙花匯演已經18年了。 在 10 月 10 日的夜間慶祝活動中，還有一場無人機表演，這是第一次在這樣的場合展示巨大的台灣國旗到 NPM 收藏的古董的圖案。 Multiple drone spectacles have been held in the run-up to Double Ten Day as warm-up events. The key visual for this year’s National Day celebrations was unveiled earlier this month, a design underscoring “defense” amid heightened cross-strait tensions. 作為熱身活動，在雙十日前舉行了多場無人機盛會。 今年國慶慶典的主視覺圖於本月初揭曉，該設計強調了兩岸緊張局勢加劇的“防禦”。 Pizza Hut Halloween pizza Pizza Hut Taiwan, which has made its name after introducing a series of exotic and peculiar flavors in recent years, on Tuesday (Oct. 4) announced its new Halloween flavor for 2022: tangyuan garlic chicken. 台灣必勝客，因近年推出一系列異域奇特風味而名聲大噪，週二（10月4日）公佈了2022年萬聖節新口味：湯圓蒜香雞。 The pie features ten large tangyuans decorated to look like eyeballs on the pizza crust as well as a ‘spider web’ made of black-colored Caesar sauce on its surface. In a Facebook post, Pizza Hut Taiwan wrote, “Please beware, this party might be so scary that everyone’s eyes pop out.” 餡餅有十個大湯圓，在披薩皮上裝飾得像眼球，還有一個由黑色凱撒醬製成的“蜘蛛網”。 台灣必勝客在臉書上寫道：“請注意，這個派對可能會嚇到所有人的眼睛。” According to the company, the pizza’s ingredients include chicken slowly stewed with fresh clams, garlic from local farmers in Yunlin, as well as sesame tangyuan. From the salt used in the clam chicken soup to the garlic, to the glutenous rice used to make tangyuan, are all used to ward off evil in various cultures. Pizza Hut Taiwan wrote that zombies and ghouls would be willing to risk “ascending” for the taste. 據該公司介紹，披薩的原料包括用新鮮蛤蜊慢燉的雞肉、雲林當地農民的大蒜以及芝麻湯圓。 從蛤蜊雞湯的鹽到大蒜，再到製作湯圓的糯米，在各種文化中都被用來辟邪。 台灣必勝客寫道，殭屍和食屍鬼願意冒險“攀登”以換取口味。 隨堂考 QUIZZHow many years ago did Chiayi last host the National Day fireworks?What is used as eye-balls and spider webs on the pizza?Name a few of the pizza’s ingredients 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K451: About India - Indian barber siblings turn heads into canvasses by giving unusual haircuts In a small salon in a nondescript town in northern India, a haircut is not just a trim or a crew cut but an opportunity to get some art embossed on the back of your head. 在印度北部一處不起眼的小鎮的一間小沙龍裡，理髮不僅僅只是修剪或是剪平頭，而是一個在你後腦杓印上一些浮凸藝術的機會。 Brothers Rajwinder Singh Sidhu and Gurwinder Singh Sidhu in Dabwali town in India’s Punjab state are now famous in their small part of the world for giving haircuts shaped in images of the customer’s choice. 印度旁遮普邦的達布瓦利鎮的拉吉溫德和古爾溫德．辛格．席德胡兄弟在他們的小地方很出名，因為他們用顧客選擇的形象打理出髮型。 From the Taj Mahal, complete with its many turrets and towers, to a lifelike portrait of pop star Michael Jackson, the brothers use a range of trimmers, scissors and pencils, among other tools, to get every minute detail of hairdos correct. 從擁有眾多高樓與塔樓的泰姬瑪哈陵，再到栩栩如生的流行歌星麥克．傑克森的肖像，這對兄弟使用一系列修剪器、剪刀和鉛筆以及許多其他工具，確保髮型的每一個微小細節都不出差錯。 From requests of images of Bollywood stars to popular sportspersons and even an impression of Mickey Mouse, the brothers’ salon is seeing a steady stream of customers who want to draw attention to themselves at social gatherings or events but do not want something lasting, like traditional tattoos. 從寶萊塢明星的照片到受歡迎的運動員，甚至是米老鼠的印象，這對兄弟的沙龍的顧客源源不絕，他們希望在社交場合或活動中吸引人們的注意，卻又不希望像傳統刺青一樣那麼持久。 Next Article Cheetahs make a comeback in India after 70 years 絕跡70年 獵豹重返印度 Eight big cats from Namibia made the long trek Saturday in a chartered cargo flight to the northern Indian city of Gwalior, part of an ambitious and hotly contested plan to reintroduce cheetahs to the South Asian country. 週六，來自納米比亞的8隻大型貓科動物乘坐包機長途跋涉，飛往印度北部城市瓜里爾，這是將獵豹重新引進這個南亞國家的雄心勃勃且備受爭議的計畫之一環。 Then they were moved to their new home: a sprawling national park in the heart of India where scientists hope the world’s fastest land animal will roam again. 隨後牠們被移入新家：位於印度中心一座寬廣的國家公園，科學家希望這種世界上跑最快的陸地動物能再次漫遊此間。 Cheetahs were once widespread in India and became extinct in 1952 from hunting and loss of habitat. They remain the first and only predator to die out since India’s independence in 1947. India hopes importing African cheetahs will aid efforts to conserve the country’s threatened and largely neglected grasslands. 獵豹曾經在印度廣泛分佈，但在1952年因狩獵和棲息地喪失而滅絕。自1947年印度獨立以來，牠們仍然是第一種也是唯一一種滅絕的掠食動物。印度希望輸入非洲獵豹，將有助於保護該國受到威脅且在很大程度上被忽視的草原。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1541845 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1542227   歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K450: About Mexico - In age-old ritual, Mexican mayor weds alligator to secure abundance A small town Mexican mayor married his alligator bride in a colorful ceremony as traditional music rang out and revelers danced while imploring the indigenous leader to seal the nuptials with a kiss. 墨西哥一個小鎮市長在一場多采多姿的儀式中，迎娶了他的鱷魚新娘，現場演奏傳統音樂、狂歡者翩翩起舞，同時懇求這位原住民領袖用一個吻來為婚禮封印。 San Pedro Huamelula Mayor Victor Hugo Sosa obliged more than once during Thursday’s wedding, bending down to plant his lips on the small alligator’s snout, which had been tied shut presumably to avoid unwanted biting. 在週四的婚禮上，聖．佩德羅．瓦米魯拉的市長維克多．雨果．索薩不只一次答應要求，彎腰把嘴唇湊上這隻小鱷魚的鼻子，而小鱷魚的鼻子被緊緊綁住，大概是為了避免不必要的咬傷。 The ritual marriage likely dates back centuries to pre-Hispanic times among Oaxaca state’s Chontal and Huave indigenous communities, like a prayer pleading for nature’s bounty. 在墨西哥瓦哈卡州Chontal及Huave的原住民社會中，這種婚禮儀式就像是一個祈禱，祈求大自然的恩賜，可能可以追溯好幾個世紀，一直到前西班牙時代。 Oaxaca, located in Mexico’s poor south, is arguably the country’s richest in indigenous culture and home to many groups that have stubbornly maintained their languages and traditions. 瓦哈卡州位在墨西哥貧窮的南部地區，可說是墨國原住民文化最豐富的地區，也是許多堅持維護他們的語言和傳統的群體的家鄉。 Next Article In Mexico, those searching for missing relatives can vanish too 在墨西哥，尋找失蹤親友的人也會跟著消失 70-years-old Maria Herrera is scraping at the earth on a hill in the town of Huitzuco, in southern Mexico, looking for the mounds that indicate a decaying corpse. 70歲的瑪莉亞．赫雷拉在墨西哥南部威特蘇科鎮的山上四處挖掘，希望找到代表埋有腐爛屍體的土堆。 Digging in the dirt with a group of 100 other activists in the violent state of Guerrero, she wants to find her four missing son. 在暴力事件頻傳的格雷羅州，赫雷拉與100名行動人士一起挖土，想要找到4名失蹤的兒子。 More than 40,000 people are missing in Mexico, which has been swept by a wave of violence since the government declared war on the country’s powerful drug cartels in 2006. 2006年，墨西哥政府向勢力龐大的販毒集團宣戰後，這個國家就被暴力事件肆虐，目前已有逾4萬人失蹤。 At first, Herrera and her husband used the profits gained by selling household goods door to door to launch gold exchange business, which involved traveling the country to buy and sell gold. 起初，赫雷拉和丈夫用挨家挨戶賣居家用品的收入，展開黃金兌換生意，包括全國走透透買賣黃金。 They did not realize a bloody cartel turf war was just breaking out in the state. They believe a local cartel mistook the brothers, Jesus and Raul, for members of a rival group and were captured. Two more brothers started looking for them but disappeared too. 但他們沒料到，一場腥風血雨的毒梟地盤之爭已在國內爆發。他們相信，自家兒子赫塞斯和羅爾，是被一個地方販毒集團誤認為敵營的人，才被俘虜。另外2名兒子開始尋找兩人後，也下落不明。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1539233 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1292410 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

Summary: 相關文章：https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2022/09/28/2003786058 This year we are seeing a rise in human trafficking scams from Cambodia. According to government data, 250 people returned and another 393 people are stuck in Cambodia. Scammers prey on people's needs and greed. From love scams to job scams, scammers target all walks of life to find the right audience. In this episode, Angel and I talk about the latest job scams from Cambodia and the different businesses they run. Have you received any scam calls before? Comment down below! Vocabulary: 1. Scam n. v. 詐騙 Job scams are the latest way people are scammed. 工作詐騙是現在看到最新詐騙人的方法。 2. Human trafficking ring n. 人蛇集團 Human trafficking rings are now abundant in Southeast Asia. 現在人蛇集團多數都在東南亞。 3. Lure v. 吸引 More and more people are lured to Cambodia by different scams. 越來越多人被不同的詐騙吸引到柬埔寨。 更多Vocab Podcast節目: https://www.15mins.today/vocab 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : [email protected] 商業合作/贊助來信：[email protected] 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K449: Passage of Climate Bill Sparks a Surge in Clean Energy Projects In the weeks since President Joe Biden signed a comprehensive climate bill devised to spur investment in electric cars and clean energy, corporations have announced a series of big-ticket projects to produce the kind of technology the legislation aims to promote. 自從美國總統拜登簽署一項全面性氣候法案，擬定刺激電動車和潔淨能源投資，數周以來企業已宣布一系列大規模計畫，大量研發法案設定要推廣的科技。 Toyota said it would invest an additional $2.5 billion in a factory in North Carolina to produce batteries for electric cars and hybrids. Honda and LG Energy Solution announced a joint venture to build a $4.4 billion battery factory at a location to be named. 豐田說，將在北卡羅來納州一間製造電動車和油電車電池的工廠，追加投資25億美元。本田和愛爾集新能源宣布一項合資案，以44億美元建造電池工廠，地點之後公布。 Piedmont Lithium, a mining company, said it would build a plant in Tennessee to process lithium for batteries, helping to ease America’s dependence on Chinese refineries — a key aim of the Biden administration. First Solar, a big solar panel manufacturer, said it would invest up to $1.2 billion to build its fourth factory in the United States, probably somewhere in the Southeast, largely because of renewable energy incentives in the climate bill. 礦業公司Piedmont Lithium說，將在田納西州建造工廠，加工用於電池的鋰，協助減少美國對中國精煉廠的依賴，這是拜登政府的一項主要目標。大型太陽能板製造商第一太陽能說，將投資高達12億美元，在美國建造第四座工廠，可能將在東南部，主因是氣候法案中的再生能源獎勵措施。 But those projects also illustrate how much work remains to be done. Factories take time to build, and until then electric vehicles are likely to remain scarce and expensive. Toyota’s factory in North Carolina and Honda’s venture with LG will not produce batteries until 2025. 但那些計畫也闡明了有多少工作等待完成。工廠要花時間建造，直到完工前，電動車可能仍然稀少且昂貴。豐田的北卡工廠和本田與愛爾集新能源的合資案，直到2025年才會開始製造電池。 Some of the projects were in the works before the federal legislation passed, and before California added an extra push by banning sales of new gasoline cars by 2035. The big climate bill, the Inflation Reduction Act, is the latest in a series of policy moves and geopolitical developments that have pushed automakers and suppliers to invest in the United States. The trade war with China, disruption of supply chains by the pandemic, changes in free-trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, and the bipartisan infrastructure law last year have all had a powerful impact on where companies decide to build factories. 這些計畫中的一些，早在聯邦法案通過前就已經開始作業了，並且也在加州追加「2035年之前禁止銷售新汽油車」的法令之前。這項巨大的氣候法案「降低通膨法」是一系列政治動作和地緣政治發展的最新舉措，催促汽車製造商和供應商在美國投資。和中國的貿易戰，疫情造成的供應鏈中斷，與加拿大及墨西哥的自由貿易協定更動，以及去年兩黨通過的基礎建設法案，全都對企業決定建造工廠有著強大影響。 At a time of economic uncertainty, the legislation gives companies more confidence that they can earn a return on their bets. The investments serve as affirmation of political leaders’ intent: to further accelerate America’s transition away from fossil fuels and to reduce dependence on foreign suppliers, especially those in China. 在經濟不確定的時期，這項立法讓企業更有信心，認為他們的賭注能有回報。這些投資對於政治領袖的意圖如同一種肯定，更進一步加速美國從化石燃料轉型，並且減少對於外國供應商的依賴，特別是中國。 Investment in renewable energy will total $1.2 trillion by 2035, analysts at Wood Mackenzie estimate, substantially more than would have been the case without the legislation. 伍德麥肯茲公司分析師估計，2035年之前投資再生能源總額將達到1.2兆美元，比沒有這項立法的情況下多很多。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6636221 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K448: What to know about ‘buy now, pay later’ Since the start of the pandemic, the option to “buy now, pay later’” has skyrocketed in popularity, especially among young and low-income consumers who may not have ready access to traditional credit. If you shop online for clothes or furniture, sneakers or concert tickets, you’ve seen the option at checkout to break the cost into smaller installments over time. Companies like Afterpay, Affirm, Klarna, and Paypal all offer the service, with Apple due to enter the market later this year. 自疫情開始以來，「先買後付」的選項變得大受歡迎，尤其對可能無法獲得傳統信貸的年輕及低收入消費者而言更是如此。若上網購買衣服或家具、運動鞋或音樂會門票，會在結帳時看到分期付款的選項。Afterpay、Affirm、Klarna和Paypal等公司都提供這種服務，Apple將於今年稍晚進軍此市場。 But with economic instability rising, so are delinquencies. Here is what you should know: 但隨著經濟不穩定的狀況加劇，拖欠率也在上升。以下是該知道的幾件事： HOW DOES BUY NOW, PAY LATER WORK? 「先買後付」如何運作？ Branded as “interest-free loans,” buy now, pay later services require you to download an app, link a bank account or debit or credit card, and sign up to pay in weekly or monthly installments. Scheduled payments are then automatically deducted from your account or charged to your card. The services generally don’t charge you more than you would have paid up front, meaning there’s technically no interest, so long as you make the payments on time. 被「先買後付」標榜「無息貸款」，要求使用者下載應用程式，綁定銀行帳戶或借記卡，或者信用卡，並註冊以每週或每月分期付款。然後，預定的付款會自動從您的帳戶中扣除或記入您的卡。這些服務通常不會收取比您之前所付款項更多的費用，這表示只要您按時付款，從技術上來講是沒有利息的。 But if you pay late, you may be subject to a flat fee or a fee calculated as a percentage of the total you owe. If you miss multiple payments, you may be shut out from using the service in the future, and the delinquency could hurt your credit score. 但若逾期付款，可能會需要支付一筆金額固定的費用，或是按欠款總額百分比所計算的費用。如果有多筆款項未繳，未來可能無法使用該服務，且拖欠可能有損您的信用評分。 ARE MY PURCHASES PROTECTED? 我的購買有保障嗎？ In the US, buy now, pay later services are not currently covered by the Truth in Lending Act, which regulates credit cards and other types of loans (those paid back in more than four installments). 在美國，「先買後付」服務目前並不在《誠實貸款法》的管轄範圍內，該法所監管的是信用卡和其他類型的貸款（分四期以上還款的借貸）。 That means you could find it more difficult to settle disputes with merchants, return items, or get your money back in cases of fraud. Companies can offer protections, but they don’t have to. 這表示您可能會發現要解決與商家的糾紛、退貨，或遇到詐欺要把錢取回來會更難。公司可以提供保障，但並無此義務。 WHY DO RETAILERS OFFER BUY NOW, PAY LATER? 零售商為何提供「先買後付」？ Retailers accept the backend fees of buy now, pay later services because the products increase cart sizes. When shoppers are given the option to pay off purchases in installments, they’re more likely to buy more goods in one go. 零售商接受先買後付的後端費用，因為先買後付增加了顧客的購物量。若購物者有分期付款的選項，就更可能一次購買更多商品。 WHO SHOULD USE BUY NOW, PAY LATER? 誰該使用「先買後付」？ If you have the ability to make all payments on time, buy now, pay later loans are a relatively healthy, interest-free form of consumer credit. 若您有能力按時支付所有款項，現在購買，以後支付貸款是一種相對健康、免息的消費信貸形式。 But if you’re looking to build your credit score, and you’re able to make payments on time, a credit card is a better choice. The same goes if you want strong legal protections from fraud, and clear, centralized reporting of loans. 但是，如果您希望建立自己的信用評分，且有能力按時付款，那麼信用卡會是更好的選擇；若您想要強有力的法律保障以避免詐欺，以及清楚、集中的借貸報告，也是如此。 If you’re uncertain whether you’ll be able to make payments on time, consider whether the fees charged by buy now, pay later companies will add up to higher charges than the penalties and interest a credit card company or other lender would charge. 如果您不確定是否能按時付款，請考慮先買後付公司所收取的費用是否會比信用卡公司或其他貸方收取的罰款和利息加起來更高。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/09/20/2003785582   歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

Topic: Ukrainian military long on morale but short on weaponry When Russia annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula and threw its support behind separatists in the country’s east more than seven years ago, Kyiv’s underfunded and disorganized armed forces struggled to mount a credible response. 七年多前，當俄羅斯吞併烏克蘭的克里米亞半島並支援該國東部的分離主義分子時，基輔資金不足且組織混亂的武裝部隊努力做出可信的回應。 Now, amid fears that a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine’s border could signal a possible attack, military experts say Moscow would face stronger resistance this time. 現在，由於擔心俄羅斯軍隊在烏克蘭邊境附近的集結可能預示著可能的襲擊，軍事專家表示，莫斯科這次將面臨更強的抵抗。 But they emphasize that Ukraine would be well short of what it needs to counter Russia’s overwhelming superiority. 但他們強調，烏克蘭遠遠達不到對抗俄羅斯壓倒性優勢所需的水準。 Years of fighting the separatists have given Ukrainian veterans like Col. Viacheslav Vlasenko the battlefield experience for such a fight. "We Ukrainians are defending our land, and there is no place for us to retreat,’’ said Vlasenko. 分離主義分子多年的戰鬥為像維亞切斯拉夫·弗拉森科上校這樣的烏克蘭退伍軍人提供了這種戰鬥的戰場經驗。"我們烏克蘭人正在保衛我們的土地，我們沒有地方可以撤退，"弗拉森科說。 Next Article Topic: Russia, US square off at UN over Ukraine crisis 俄美在聯合國就烏克蘭危機展開對決 Russia and the United States face off Monday at the UN Security Council over Moscow’s troop buildup on the Ukrainian border, as Western nations intensify their high-stakes diplomatic push to avert open conflict in Europe. 俄羅斯和美國週一在聯合國安理會就莫斯科在烏克蘭邊境的部隊集結對峙，因為西方國家加強了他們高風險的外交努力，以避免歐洲的公開衝突。 With tensions soaring, the United States has declared itself ready to push back against any "disinformation" Moscow put forward in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched United Nations sessions in years. 隨著緊張局勢的飆升，美國已宣佈準備反擊莫斯科在預計將是多年來最受關注的聯合國會議之一中提出的任何「虛假資訊」。 The US-requested Council meeting, at 1600 GMT, comes as fears grow of an imminent incursion into Ukraine, despite Kremlin denials. 美國要求在格林尼治標準時間1600點召開的安理會會議之際，儘管克裡姆林宮否認，但人們對即將入侵烏克蘭的擔憂日益加劇。 Russia was expected to try to block the 15-member Council from holding the meeting at all － with its envoy to the UN on Monday calling it part of a US bid to whip up "hysteria" over Ukraine. 預計俄羅斯將試圖阻止由15個成員組成的理事會舉行會議 - 其駐聯合國特使週一稱這是美國試圖煽動烏克蘭"歇斯底裡"的一部分。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1494094 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1499125 Next Article Topic: Enemy at the gates: The background to the Ukraine crisis At the core of the Ukraine crisis is a puzzle: Why would Russian President Vladimir Putin push Europe to the brink of war to demand the West not do something that it has no plan to do anyway? Russia says NATO, the American-led alliance that has on its hands the biggest European crisis in decades, must never offer membership to Ukraine, which gained independence as the Soviet Union broke apart about 30 years ago. Ukraine has long aspired to join NATO, but the alliance is not about to offer an invitation, due in part to Ukraine’s official corruption, shortcomings in its defense establishment and lack of control over its international borders. 烏克蘭危機的核心是一個謎：為什麼俄羅斯總統弗拉基米爾·普京（Vladimir Putin）要把歐洲推向戰爭的邊緣，要求西方不要做一些它無論如何都沒有計劃做的事情？俄羅斯表示，北約是美國領導的聯盟，幾十年來最大的歐洲危機，絕不能向烏克蘭提供成員資格，烏克蘭在大約30年前蘇聯解體時獲得了獨立。烏克蘭長期以來一直渴望加入北約，但該聯盟不打算發出邀請，部分原因是烏克蘭官員腐敗，國防機構存在缺陷以及缺乏對其國際邊界的控制。 Putin’s demands go beyond the question of Ukraine’s association with NATO, but that link is central to his complaint that the West has pushed him to the limits of his patience by edging closer to Russian borders. He asserts that NATO expansion years ago has enhanced its security at the expense of Russia’s. 普京的要求超出了烏克蘭與北約的聯繫問題，但這種聯繫是他抱怨西方通過靠近俄羅斯邊境將他推向耐心極限的核心。他斷言，北約多年前的擴張以犧牲俄羅斯為代價加強了其安全。 Why is Putin worried about Ukraine joining NATO? The stated reason is that a further eastward expansion of NATO would pose a security threat to Russia. Washington and its allies deny this is a valid worry, since no NATO country is threatening to use force against Russia. 普京為什麼擔心烏克蘭加入北約？聲明的原因是北約進一步東擴將對俄羅斯構成安全威脅。華盛頓及其盟國否認這是一個合理的擔憂，因為沒有北約國家威脅要對俄羅斯使用武力。 More broadly, Putin wants NATO to pull back its existing military presence in Eastern Europe, which includes a regularly rotating series of exercises in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all former Soviet states. 更廣泛地說，普京希望北約撤回其在東歐的現有軍事存在，其中包括在立陶宛，拉脫維亞和愛沙尼亞等所有前蘇聯省份定期輪換的一系列演習。 Putin also opposes NATO’s missile defense presence in Romania, a former Soviet satellite state, and a similar base under development in Poland, saying they could be converted to offensive weapons capable of threatening Russia. 普京還反對北約在前蘇聯衛星國羅馬尼亞的導彈防禦存在，以及在波蘭正在開發的類似基地，稱它們可以轉化為能夠威脅俄羅斯的進攻性武器。 Ukraine has deep historical and cultural ties to Russia, and Putin has repeatedly asserted that Russians and Ukrainians are “one people.” He has said that large chunks of Ukrainian territory are historical parts of Russia that were arbitrarily granted to Ukraine by communist leaders under the Soviet Union. 烏克蘭與俄羅斯有著深厚的歷史和文化聯繫，普京一再斷言俄羅斯人和烏克蘭人是"一個民族"。他曾說過，烏克蘭的大部分領土是俄羅斯的歷史部分，是蘇聯領導下的共產主義領導人任意授予烏克蘭的。 Putin’s own actions, however, have served to strengthen Ukrainians’ sense of national iden

即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 主題: 英語慣用語系列 – 死亡相關慣用語 Death related Idioms 1. A brush with death  與死神擦肩而過 If someone has a brush with death, they survived a situation where they could have died. Example: Paulo had a brush with death when he drove his car off the road. 2. One foot in the grave 一隻腳在墳墓裡 A less formal way to say that someone’s close to death is to say that they have one foot in the grave. Example: I wasn’t really surprised to hear that our neighbour had passed away; he’d had one foot in the grave for years. 3. Six Feet Under 六尺以下 It is customary to bury a coffin six feet in the ground. So when we say someone is six feet under, it means he/she is dead and buried. Example: Even though Michael Jackson is six feet under, his recordings are still making money. 4. Kick the bucket 翹辮子 From the people standing on buckets to commit suicide – the moment of death. Example: Sam achieved his goal of climbing Mount Everest before he kicked the bucket. 5. On your last legs 奄奄一息 Someone or something that is on its/their last legs is close to dying or failing to work. Example: I thought Granddad was on his last legs but he seems determined to stick around for a while!” 6. Over My Dead Body 除非我死了 It shows resistance in doing/ allowing to do something - under no circumstances. Example: You’re only 17! You’ll go to that party over my dead body! 練習時間: 請使用二到三個慣用語來分享自身小故事 Use two to three idioms to share a personal story about death. 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K447: About Switzerland - Swiss ’zero star hotel’ offers sleepless nights to ponder world’s crises "I couldn’t sleep," and "my room was too noisy," may be complaints hoteliers dread from guests, but for the Riklin brothers that is the entire point of their latest ’zero star hotel’ art installation. 「我睡不著」及「我房間太吵」可能是旅館業者害怕客人提出的抱怨，但對瑞克林兄弟來說，這正是他們的最新裝置藝術「零星級飯店」的重點。 The Swiss concept artists’ hotel room is essentially a double bed on a platform, with two bedside tables and lamps. There are no walls, ceiling or doors to provide any privacy or shelter. 這對瑞士概念藝術家的飯店房間，基本上是在一個平台上擺放一張雙人床，以及兩組床頭櫃和檯燈。房間沒有牆壁、天花板或門，毫無隱私或遮蔽。 The project to set up the zero star suite on a roadside next to a petrol station in the village of Saillon in the southern Swiss has been developed with hotelier Daniel Charbonnier 在瑞士南部薩永一間加油站旁設立這個零星級套房的企劃，是與旅館業者丹尼爾‧夏布尼的合作。 The intention is to make guests think about the problems in the world, like climate change and war, the twin brothers said, and inspire them to act differently. 這對雙胞胎兄弟說，目的是讓房客思考全球性問題，像是氣候變遷和戰爭，並啟發他們採取不同行動。 Next Article Swiss Artist Sculpts Sprawling Model Castle on Dried River Bank瑞士地景藝術家在乾枯河岸雕塑散亂蔓延的城堡模型 Swiss artist Francois Monthoux’s annual project to build clay sculptures on the banks of Switzerland’s Toleure river has sprawled into a captivating castle complex this year as the drought afflicting Europe allows him to extend his dream world. 瑞士藝術家弗蘭索瓦．蒙圖在瑞士托勒爾河畔建造泥土雕塑的年度計畫，今年已經擴展成一座迷人的城堡群，因為折磨歐洲的乾旱使他得以擴張他的夢想世界。 Monthoux began this year’s project with modest ambitions six weeks ago but the drought allowed him to build an entire city of spires. 蒙圖六周前開始今年的計畫，原本野心不大，但是乾旱使他得以建造一整座尖頂城市。 Now he has mixed feelings: he wants it to rain, but is sad at the thought of his dream world disappearing when it does. 現在他的心情是複雜的：他希望能夠下雨，但是一想到他的夢想世界會因此消失就感到難過。 "I imagine the life of the people walking under the arches, under the bridge, looking at the monuments, looking at the city, so I enter a bubble, and I become a dreamer ... I see their world being created under my fingers " said Monthoux. 蒙圖說：「我想像民眾在橋下走過拱門，在橋下，看著紀念碑、看著這個城市的生活，所以我進入一個泡泡然後成為一位夢想家…我看見他們的世界在我的手指下被創造出來」。 Visitors to the sculpture are enjoying it while it lasts. 在這件雕刻還存在時，參觀的訪客都很喜歡它。 "I don’t have words to say what I feel, because it’s ... it’s just sublime," said Heidi Butty, a Vaud resident. 一位沃州居民海蒂．巴提說，她的感受難以言喻，因為它是…它是極美的。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1542772 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1535534   歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K446: About the UK - UK bakery banned from using sprinkles which are legal in the US The owner of a bakery in northern England has been left with a bitter taste in his mouth after authorities told him he had to stop using banned sprinkles sourced from the US. 在被當局告知必須停止使用來自美國的遭禁糖粉屑後，英格蘭北部的1家烘焙坊的老闆感到不悅。 West Yorkshire Trading Standards said the sprinkles contained an artificial coloring which isn’t approved for use in sprinkles in the UK. 西約克郡貿易標準局說，這些糖粉屑含有1種在英國未獲准可用於糖粉屑的人工色素。 But the owner of the bakery isn’t happy that his most popular product has lost out on its prize topping. 但這家烘焙坊的老闆很不滿，因為這讓他最暢銷的產品少了最完美的配料。 Rich Myers, director and founder of Get Baked bakery in Leeds, told CNN he had been using the sprinkles since opening the business in July. （位於該郡的）里茲市的Get Bake烘焙坊的執行長與創辦人瑞奇˙邁爾斯告訴美國有線電視新聞網，他打從7月開業以來就一直用這種糖粉屑。 Myers said he bought the offending sprinkles from a UK wholesaler, and said he had no idea there was any issue until West Yorkshire Trading Standards visited the business on September 30. 邁爾斯說，他向1名英國批發商買來這些違規的糖粉屑，完全不曉得會有什麼問題，直到9月30日西約克郡貿易標準局找上門來。 "I thought it was a joke at first, I thought it was someone pulling a prank," he said on Thursday. 「我一開始以為這是玩笑，我以為有人在惡搞，」他週四如是說。 Next Article Researcher defends weight-loss device after it sparks ridicule on social media 研究人員為減重裝置辯護，在它於社群媒體上引起嘲笑後 Otago University and United Kingdom researchers developed the world-first device, which uses magnets to lock the mouth almost shut, to help fight the global obesity epidemic. 奧塔戈大學與英國研究人員研發了世界首款裝置，使用磁鐵鎖住嘴巴至幾乎閉上，幫助對抗全球肥胖流行。 DentalSlim Diet Control is an intra-oral device fitted by a dental professional to the upper and lower back teeth. 「牙科瘦身飲食控制」是一種口內裝置，會由牙科專業人員安裝至上下臼齒。 The device was being widely ridiculed after being shared on social media, with Twitter users calling it "creepy" and "bizarre". 這款裝置被分享至社群媒體後，受到大量嘲笑，推特用戶稱它「令人毛骨悚然」且「怪異」。 But Dunedin researchers who developed the device are defending the invention, saying those panning the weight loss tool have misunderstood its intention. 但開發這款裝置的達尼丁研究員為這項發明辯護，表示斥責這款減重工具的人們誤解了它的本意。 Lead researcher Prof Paul Brunton said it was not intended to be used for general weight loss purposes, but instead for specific cases where there was a clinical need to lose weight quickly. 首席研究員保羅．布倫頓教授表示，它不是為了用於普通的減重目的，而是針對臨床上需要快速減重的特殊案例。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1537773 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1460024 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

Summary: Every year from September through November, Department stores in Taiwan will have their year-end anniversary sale. These sales offer the biggest deals in the year where all the customers flock together in one place. In this episode, Angel and I talk about the anniversary sales and our previous shopping experience. What are you going to buy during the anniversary sale this year? Comment down below! Vocabulary: 1. Anniversary sale n. 百貨週年慶 Anniversary sale of different department stores run from September through November. 不同百貨的週年慶從九月開始到十一月。 2. Brochure n. 宣傳本 Promotional material like brochures and pamphlets are called DM in Taiwan. 在台灣宣傳冊跟活頁傳單都叫DM。 3. NTx for every X dollar purchased n. 買X送X活動 Shinkong Mitsukoshi is going to offer NT300 cash voucher for every NT5000 purchased. 新光三越今年週年慶會提供買五千送三百活動。 更多Vocab Podcast節目: https://www.15mins.today/vocab 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : [email protected] 商業合作/贊助來信：[email protected] 歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K445: After Big Gains, Ukrainians Face Critical Choices After Ukraine’s stunning offensive in its northeast drove Russian forces into a chaotic retreat and reshaped the battlefield by hundreds of miles, Ukrainian leaders were weighing critical gambles that could determine the near-term course of the war. 在烏克蘭於東北部展開驚人攻擊，讓俄國軍隊混亂撤退數百哩並重新開闢戰場後，烏克蘭領袖正慎重考慮可能決定近期戰爭走向的重大賭注。 Stretching the Ukrainian forces too far could leave the troops vulnerable to attack. Moving too slow, or in the wrong place, could leave an opportunity squandered. And waiting too long could allow the front lines to freeze as winter sets in. 讓烏軍前進太遠，可能讓部隊難以抵禦攻擊。移動太慢或方向錯誤，可能錯失良機。還有待命太久，可能在冬季將臨之際讓前線受凍。 By expelling Russian troops from a large slice of strategic territory in the northeastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces are now positioned to make a move on the Donbas, the industrialized eastern territory that President Vladimir Putin of Russia has made central to his war aims. Just before flooding troops across the border in February, Putin declared the Donbas independent from Ukraine, and he held up the region’s sovereignty as a key justification for the invasion. 在東北部哈爾科夫地區的一大片戰略領土上驅逐俄國部隊後，烏軍現在準備要在東部工業地區的頓巴斯採取行動，此處是俄國總統普亭戰爭目標的中心。就在大批俄國部隊今年2月跨越邊境之前，普亭宣稱頓巴斯從烏克蘭獨立，而且他將這個地區的主權作為正當化侵略行動的一項關鍵。 Russia now has control of nearly 90% of the Donbas, where its military shifted much of its focus after a staggering defeat around the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, in the spring. If Ukraine were to retake even a part of the region, it would be an embarrassing blow to the Kremlin. 俄國目前控制近九成頓巴斯地區，今年春季在烏克蘭首都基輔附近遭遇停滯的挫敗後，俄軍轉移大部分的焦點到此處。如果烏克蘭未來奪回這個地區，即使是一部分，也將是對克里姆林宮的一記難堪重擊。 Western analysts, including at the Pentagon, said that the Ukrainians were overall making gains as quickly as Russian forces were falling back. 包括五角大廈在內的西方分析家說，整體而言，烏克蘭有所斬獲的速度和俄軍節節敗退的速度一樣快。 But Ukraine faces potentially serious pitfalls if it pushes any farther. 但若烏克蘭向前推進，就會面臨潛在的巨大陷阱。 Any future advances would mean that Ukrainian forces would further extend their supply lines, straining convoys of fuel, ammunition and reinforcements as they have to move farther away from their established logistics hubs. 未來任何的推進，意味著烏軍需要進一步延伸他們的補給線，讓運送燃料、彈藥和援軍的車隊更吃力，他們必須從已經建立的後勤據點推進更多。 That could leave Ukrainian units vulnerable, said John Blaxland, a professor of security and intelligence studies at the Australian National University in Canberra. Although he added that a Russian counterattack was “not necessarily going to happen,” in part because the morale of Moscow’s troops appears to be foundering. 坎培拉的澳洲國立大學安全與情報研究教授布雷斯藍說，那可能讓烏克蘭部隊容易遭遇攻擊。他補充說，雖然俄國的反擊「不一定會發生」，部分是因為莫斯科的部隊士氣明顯受挫。 Russian officials face their own hard questions, especially with a growing backlash to their “special military operation” from pro-war voices at home. 俄國官員也面臨自家的艱難問題，特別是在家鄉支持戰爭的言論中，對於「特殊軍事行動」的反彈聲浪逐漸增加。 The current Ukrainian offensive “was a rapid breakthrough designed to take advantage of favorable positions and thinly manned Russian defenses,” said Michael Kofman, the director of Russian studies at CNA, a research institute in Arlington, Virginia. 美國維吉尼亞州阿靈頓的研究機構「海軍分析中心」俄國研究主任考夫曼說，現階段烏克蘭的攻擊「目的是利用有利位置和俄國防衛兵力薄弱，取得快速突破」。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6636218   歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K444: Taiwan set for modest rate hike as growth slows Taiwan’s central bank increased its benchmark interest rate by a modest amount on Thursday last week, the third hike this year, as it tries to battle inflation without further weighing down its slowing economy. 台灣中央銀行上週四小幅調升基準利率，此為今年第三次升息，因央行試圖對抗通貨膨脹，但同時不讓趨緩的經濟雪上加霜。 The central bank raised its policy rate by 12.5 basis points to 1.625 percent, in line with forecasts of most economists surveyed by Bloomberg. The bank also raised its reserve requirement ratios by 0.25 percentage points. 央行將政策利率上調12.5個基本點至百分之1.625，與彭博社所調查大多數經濟學家之預測一致。央行還將存款準備率上調1碼（0.25個百分點）。 The central bank’s decision came hours after the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates by 75 basis points, the fifth increase this year, to tame rampant inflation. Taiwan’s policy makers have been able to be more flexible in their rate hikes, with inflation peaking in the second quarter amid a slowdown in the economy. The central bank raises its rate by a smaller-than-expected 12.5 basis points in June and by 25 basis points in March. 台灣央行做出此決定，是在美國聯準會將利率提高75個基本點──今年以來的第五次升息以抑制猖獗的通貨膨脹──的數小時後。台灣在經濟放緩的情況下，通貨膨脹在第二季達到頂峰；台灣的政策制定者能夠更靈活地升息，央行六月升息12.5個基點，三月升息25個基點，幅度小於預期。 Higher interest rates may help to bolster Taiwan’s dollar, which has slumped this year on the back of a stronger US currency, weaker export demand and rising geopolitical tensions. The local dollar was down 4.8 percent against the greenback in the past month, the third-worst performer among Asian currencies. 由於美元走強、出口需求疲軟與地緣政治緊張局勢加劇，台幣今年已經下跌，利率的調升或能有助提振台幣。過去一個月，台幣兌美元下跌了百分之4.8，在亞洲貨幣中表現第三差。 Taiwanese officials have sought to balance tempering inflation without hurting its economy, which has been weighed down by sluggish demand from China, the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on supply chains, and other global headwinds. The government has already cut its 2022 growth forecast twice this year to 3.76 percent. 台灣官員試圖在不損害其經濟的情況下平衡緩和的通貨膨脹，台灣的經濟受到中國需求低迷、新冠疫情限制對供應鏈之衝擊，以及其他全球不利因素的拖累。台灣政府今年已將二○二二年的成長預測下修兩次，至百分之3.76。 “Taiwan’s economic slowdown is very apparent, with export growth only in the single digits and manufacturing PMI shrinking,” Ma Tieying, an economist at DBS Group Holdings Ltd, said before the rate decision. “The risk of Taiwan’s economic downturn is very high, so from this point of view, increasing by 12.5 basis points is a compromise option and the best option.” 「台灣經濟放緩非常明顯，出口成長只有個位數，製造業採購經理人指數（PMI）萎縮」，星展集團控股有限公司經濟學家馬鐵英在利率決定前表示。「台灣經濟下滑的風險很高，所以從這個角度來看，升息12.5個基點是個折中的選擇，也是最好的選擇」。 Economists surveyed by Bloomberg have also revised down Taiwan’s GDP to 3.2 percent for this year. Those polled also expect that Taiwan will raise interest rates again in the fourth quarter to 1.75 percent. 彭博社所訪問的經濟學家也將台灣今年的GDP下調至百分之3.2。受訪者還預計台灣將在第四季再次升息，至百分之1.75。 Export orders from the island have started to slow, gaining 2 percent in August from a year earlier, with orders from China and Hong Kong falling more than 25 percent. Manufacturing is also coming under pressure, with the purchasing managers index dropping in August to 42.7 — its lowest reading since May 2020. 來自台灣的出口訂單開始放緩，八月份比去年成長百分之2，其中來自中國大陸和香港的訂單減少超過百分之25。製造業也面臨壓力，採購經理人指數八月降至42.7，為二○二○年五月以來最低。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/09/27/2003785961  歡迎留言告訴我們你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/cl81kivnk00dn01wffhwxdg2s/comments