Martin Marlin, 66, a middle school science teacher in the US, was driving on the freeway about a month ago when his mobile phone rang. "I picked up and said 'hi,' and somebody on the other end goes, 'Hey, wanna go to Taiwan?' And I said, 'Um, sure. Wait, who is this?'" Marlin told the Taipei Times.
The caller was from King Car Education Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO) promoting education reform in Taiwan. Morgan Sun, the executive director of the Foundation, had heard about Marlin's new teaching techniques on a tour of US schools. So Marlin and first aid instructor Sandy Leach came to Taiwan to share their skills with Taiwanese teachers and students.
Leach demonstrated high-tech, anatomically correct manikin babies that are revolutionizing domestic science curricula in the US. Boasting a digital interface on their backs, the babies are "programmed to cry at different times for different reasons," Leach said, encouraging Sun to hold one.
PHOTO: EPA
"Oh, I grandfather now [sic]!" Sun said while rocking a baby. Before Sun could finish his sentence, however, he accidentally dropped the 4.5kg doll with a resounding thud. The manikin's disturbingly realistic wailing kicked in, leaving the executive director with egg all over his face.
More babies then started crying loudly as members of the local press put down their tape recorders to reach out to them. "At this point, you must insert a key-card in the baby's back," Leach said. " But the trick is knowing which card to insert — there's a diaper-changing key, a feeding key, a burping key, etc. The baby will only stop crying when the key corresponding to its particular need is inserted," Leach added.
Sun said the dolls are ideal teaching tools to promote responsible sexual behavior among the nation's youth, saying that once students understand the level of discipline required to care for a baby, they tend to approach sex with a more mature attitude.
(max hirsch, staff reporter)
約一個月前，六十六歲的美國中學自然教師馬丁．馬林駕駛在高速公路上時手機響起，「我接起電話說『嗨』，電話另一頭的人說『嘿，想要去台灣嗎
？』我就說『嗯，當然，等一等，你是誰？』。」 他對台北時報表示。
致電者是在台灣推廣教育的非政府組織，金車教育基金會的執行長孫慶國，他在美國學校巡迴參觀時，耳聞馬林的新教學方式，於是請馬林和急救教練珊蒂．李區來台灣和師生分享他們的技巧。
李區示範在美國本土帶起一波科學教育革命的高科技擬真娃娃。李區得意地表示，這些娃娃背上的數位介面，設定娃娃「在不同時間因不同理由哭鬧」，他還鼓勵孫慶國抱一個。
孫慶國搖著嬰兒時說︰「哇，我現在是祖父了。」不過他失手讓四點五公斤的娃娃呯地一聲掉落在地，嬰兒娃娃開始發出逼真又惱人的哭嚎聲，弄得孫執行長灰頭土臉。
更多嬰兒開始放聲大哭，此時許多本地記者放下錄音機，伸手要去抱娃娃。李區表示︰「此時你必須在娃娃的背上插入鑰匙。」她補充︰「不過，技巧在於知道插入哪一隻鑰匙，有「換尿布」、「餵奶」和「打嗝」等鑰匙，要插入符合狀況需求的鑰匙，娃娃才會停止哭嚎。」
孫慶國表示，這些電子娃娃是向台灣年輕人推廣負責任性行為的理想工具，因為學生一旦了解照顧嬰兒需要費多大的心力，就會對性行為採取更成熟的態度。
（翻譯︰鄭湘儀）
After the death of Pope Francis on April 21, the Vatican’s papal conclave on May 8 elected a new leader for the Catholic Church. Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost, who chose to be called Leo XIV, became the 267th pope, spiritual leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics. But what exactly does a pope do? Here is a rundown of his main responsibilities. CATHOLIC LEADER The word pope comes from the Greek “pappas,” meaning “father, patriarch,” which is why believers call him the Holy Father. He is considered the successor of St Peter, to whom Jesus Christ is said to have entrusted
If you could nominate any toys for the Toy Hall of Fame, what would they be? Iconic playthings like yo-yos, toy cars, or video games seem like obvious __1__. Classic toys such as jacks, playing cards, and board games like Chess, Monopoly, and Uno have brought endless joy to generations. Overall, there are countless toys that __2__ in the Toy Hall of Fame. The National Toy Hall of Fame was __3__ in 1998 at The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York. The Toy Hall of Fame aims to __4__ items that have been cherished for generations, and several
Have you ever wondered who decides what we see in a museum or how one artwork seamlessly connects to the next? Behind every thoughtfully arranged gallery space stands a curator, a skilled professional who combines art and storytelling to craft meaningful experiences. The term “curator” originates from the Latin word cura, meaning “to care.” Curators were originally caretakers of museum collections, but over time, their role has grown to include a broad range of responsibilities that extend far beyond preservation. Today, curators manage, organize and interpret collections in cultural institutions like museums and libraries. They research, acquire and catalogue
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang However, not every toy has its moment. Some fans were __8__ that simple classics like balloons—a universal symbol of celebrations—haven’t made the cut yet. With their lightweight charms and transformative puffs of air, balloons have __9__ millions for decades and will have to wait at least another year for a chance to be inducted. As the Toy Hall of Fame continues to celebrate toys that __10__ creativity and joy, we can only wonder which treasures will earn a spot next. Will the widely adored balloon finally take its place in 2025? Only time will tell, but one thing is
RSS