Have you ever looked down at your clothes or skin and seen an insect like this? Most people think of these little bugs as signs of good luck. Their bright red color, black spots and shiny shells make them many people's favorite bug. In fact, in many parts of the world, people think it is bad luck to kill them.
In the US, this bug is called a ladybug. In the UK and some other English-speaking countries, it's called a ladybird. Scientists have their own name for it: lady beetle. Ladybugs actually are beetles, although many people think of beetles as black and little bit ugly.
The next time a ladybug lands on you, make a wish. Then carefully blow the ladybug away. Do you think your wish will come true?
PHOTO : AP
(Kayleen Hartman, Staff writer)
你可曾低頭看見衣服或皮膚上有過這樣的昆蟲?多數人認為這種小蟲象徵著好運氣,紅底黑點的閃亮外殼,讓牠成為許多人最喜愛的昆蟲。事實上,世上許多國家的人都認為撲殺瓢蟲會帶來厄運。
在美國,這種蟲叫做「ladybug」。在英國和部分其他英語系國家又叫「ladybird」,科學家也自己給牠取名字︰「lady beetle」。瓢蟲其實是甲蟲的一種,只不過許多人認為甲蟲又黑又醜。
下次有瓢蟲飛到你身上,許個願,然後小心吹走牠。你認為你的願望會實現嗎? (翻譯:鄭湘儀)
Huge stretches of coral reef around the world are turning a ghostly white this year amid record warm ocean temperatures. On April 15, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed the world’s fourth mass global bleaching event is underway — with serious consequences for marine life and for the people and economies that rely on reefs. WHAT ARE CORALS? Corals are invertebrates that live in colonies. Their calcium carbonate secretions form hard and protective scaffolding that serves as a home to many colorful species of single-celled algae. The two organisms have evolved over millennia to work together, with corals providing shelter to algae,
Taiwanese cuisine boasts a rich culture of thick soups, with various options available at street vendors or high-end restaurants. In English, this style of dish is typically called “thick soup.” Western cuisine typically uses flour, cream, or mashed vegetables to create a creamy consistency, while in Taiwan, thick soups are made by simply incorporating food starch into the soup and creating a smooth and silky texture. Tutuo fish in thick soup is such a soup with fried tutuo fish chunks, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and wood ears. 台灣羹品飲食文化豐富,無論是巷口小店或是高檔餐廳,都有提供羹料理。羹在英文稱作「濃湯」,西式濃湯是以麵粉、鮮奶油、蔬菜泥等達到濃稠的口感,台灣的羹湯用太白粉即能做出濃稠絲滑的湯頭。土魠魚羹就是在勾芡的羹湯中加入炸土魠魚塊、香菇、竹筍、木耳等食材的料理。 boast (v.) 擁有(令人驕傲的事物) consistency (n.) 濃稠度 chunk (n.) 厚塊,大塊 wood ear (n. ph.) 木耳 The star of this
In Taiwan, a quick stop at a local convenience store allows you to grab a hot dog whenever you want. But have you ever wondered how this popular snack got its unique name and became a leading light of American cuisine? First, the name “hot dog” is actually a combination of different ideas. Vendors called the sausages “red hot” to get customers to buy one fresh off their grills. As for the “dog” part, it’s a playful joke to compare the meat of the sausage to that of a dog—specifically , a dachshund. This small, long dog breed was
A: Also, police seized seven pornographic videos featuring minors that entertainer Mickey Huang purchased in his hard disc. B: That’s just outrageous! A: His ex-girlfriend entertainer Little S and some others are calling for a legal amendment to increase the penalty. B: The buyers and sellers should both be punished heavily. A: But the porn sellers’ Web sites are mostly overseas, so they are hard to catch. A: 此外警方也在黃子佼的硬碟裡,查到7部他買的未成年色情片。 B: 真是令人火大! A: 他的前女友小S等人,還呼籲修法,加重相關的罰則。 B: 購買者和販賣者雙方都該重罰。 A: 不過色情網站大多設在海外要抓也不容易吧。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)