Today, everybody knows that we have to brush our teeth. But not too long ago, that was a new idea.
The first toothbrushes weren't made of plastic like the toothbrushes today are. Back in the 1800s, they were made of animal bones and hair. As you might imagine, they didn't work very well. In 1938, an American company made the first plastic toothbrush.
People started using floss a long time before they started brushing their teeth. Scientists have found teeth from humans who lived thousands of years ago that show that some of them flossed their teeth.
PHOTO : AP
As for toothpaste, people have made it out of all kinds of different ingredients throughout history. In America in the 1700s, some people made toothpaste out of bread, and in the 1800s they made it out of charcoal! (Marc Langer, staff writer)
現今，人人都知道要刷牙。不過這可是個在不久之前才出現的新點子。
世上第一隻牙刷並非像今日的牙刷一樣是由塑膠製成的。回溯至十九世紀，牙刷是用動物骨骸與毛髮製成的。你可以想像，它們並不是很好用。一九三八年，美國一家公司率先推出世界上第一隻塑膠牙刷。
早在人們開始刷牙前，就已使用牙線。科學家由數千年前人類的牙齒發現，有些人用牙線剔牙。
至於牙膏，縱觀古今歷史，人們曾使用五花八門的材料來製造牙膏。十八世紀時，有些美國人利用麵包來製造牙膏，而在十九世紀，人們則是用木炭來製造牙膏。
（翻譯：賴美君）
Rice is essential to Japanese culture, tradition and politics. People take pride in the oval-shaped sticky Japonica grain, which is still a staple even though total consumption has fallen over the decades. But since last summer, prices have soared as supplies have fallen short of demand. The government has long paid farmers to cut back on rice acreage, and change to other crops to keep rice prices relatively high. To cope with shortfalls this year, the government has released rice reserves. But the grain has been slow to reach supermarket shelves. Anger over that was part of the reason the Agriculture Minister
Step into any corner of Turkiye, and you’ll likely encounter the iconic “Evil Eye,” known as “nazar boncu?u” in Turkish. This striking blue glass ornament is shaped like an eye with concentric circles of dark blue, white, and light blue. While its name in English suggests something threatening, it’s actually a charm designed to ward off misfortune. The origins of the nazar boncu?u can be traced back to ancient Mediterranean and Middle Eastern traditions. The word nazar comes from Arabic, meaning “gaze,” while boncu?u translates to “bead” in Turkish. Central to the nazar boncu?u’s mythology is the idea that
A: Wow, Les Miserables Staged Concert Spectacular is visiting Taiwan for the first time. B: Isn’t Les Miserables often praised as one of the world’s four greatest musicals? A: Yup. Its concert is touring Taipei from tonight to July 6, and Kaohsiung between July 10 and 27. B: The English version of the French musical, based on writer Victor Hugo’s masterpiece, has been a huge success throughout the four decades since its debut in 1985. A: The musical has never toured Taiwan, but going to the concert sounds like fun, too. A: 哇，音樂劇《悲慘世界》紀念版音樂會首度來台巡演！ B: 《悲慘世界》……它不是常被譽為全球四大名劇之一嗎？ A: 對啊音樂會將從今晚到7月6日在台北演出，從7月10日到27日在高雄演出。 B: 這部法文音樂劇的英文版，改編自維克多雨果的同名小說，自1985年首演以來，在過去40年造成轟動。 A:
1. 他體力很弱，不能幹重活。 ˇ As he was weak in health, he could not do heavy work. χ Weak as he was in health, he could not do heavy work. 註：as 作連接詞，表示“因為”時，絕不能倒置，習慣上以 as 引導的 詞序倒置的從屬句是用來強調兩種意義相反的情況。例如： Strong as he was, he could not lift that rock. （儘管他的身體壯，他還是舉不起那塊石頭。） Weak as he was, he lifted that rock easily. （儘管他身體很弱，他還是能不費力地舉起那塊石頭。） 2. 在開發中國家，許多婦女就這樣悲慘地喪命。 ˇ In developing countries there are many women who lost their lives in similar tragic ways. ˇ There are many women in developing countries who lost their lives in similarly tragic ways. χ There are many women who lost their lives similarly tragic ways in developing countries. 註：錯句中把 in developing countries 放在限定性形容詞子句之末，易使人誤解為修飾 lost their lives，因此應放在句首或緊接修飾的對象。 3. 在極權國家，統治者什麼都有，老百姓什麼都沒有。 有。 ˇ In
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