A village in northern Austria, worried by its shrinking population, is offering free land to all who promise to start a family in a decade, the Kurier newspaper reported.
Plots of 800 and 900 square meters are available at Rappottenstein, near the Czech border, to both singles and married couples who promise to have at least one child in the next 10 years.
Singles also have to get married. Other conditions say that the new owners have to build a house on the plot in three years. If the conditions are not fulfilled, the owners will have to pay 12,000 euros (NT$528,400).
The village is home to only 1,760 people.(STAFF WRITER, WITH AFP)
奧地利《信使報》報導，該國北部一個小村莊憂心村內人口減少，決定免費贈送土地給承諾十年內在當地成家的民眾。
鄰近捷克邊界的雷波登斯坦村允諾，無論是單身人士或已婚夫婦，只要同意未來十年內在當地至少生育一個孩子，就可獲贈八百至九百平方公尺的土地。
單身者必須成婚。另一項條件是新地主三年內必須在獲贈的土地上蓋一棟房子。若未能達成這些條件，他們將得付一萬兩千歐元（新台幣五十二萬八千四百元）。
該村莊人口只有一千七百六十人。
（法新社╱翻譯：袁星塵）
1. shrink v.i./v.t.
縮減 (suo1 jian3)
例: My savings have been shrinking since last year.
(我的存款從去年起就逐漸變少。)
2. decade n.
十年 (shi2 nian2)
例: The fans voted for their favorite song of the decade.
(歌迷票選這十年來他們最愛的歌曲。)
3. condition v.i./v.t.
條件 (tiao2 jian4)
例: We were allowed to borrow the car on condition that we didn't damage it.
(我們可以借車，但書是車子不能有任何損壞。)
4. euro n.
歐元 (ou1 yuan2)
例: The room cost us 10 euros per night.
(我們住的那間房每晚十歐元。)
A: According to Google, the most searched place in Taiwan is the Dongchi branch of 7-Eleven in Changhua County’s Lugang Township. B: I would have thought it would be Taipei 101. A: Taipei 101 is the 17th most searched destination. Other locations in the top 10 include Taitung County’s Dawu Township, Baishatun Gong Tian Temple in Miaoli County and Nantou County’s Wuling mountain range. B: That’s great. I’ve been meaning to travel to Taitung for ages. A: 根據Google，台灣熱搜地點第一名，是位於彰化縣鹿港鎮的7-Eleven 東崎門市。 B: 我還以為會是台北101。 A: 台北101排在第十七名，其它像台東縣大武鄉、苗栗縣白沙屯拱天宮、南投縣武嶺都是前十名的景點。 B: 太棒了，我一直很想去台東玩。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
電價費率審議會登場，全台連續四年凍漲的電費，在全球燃料價格攀升和烏俄戰爭等因素影響下，將調整電價方案。然而剛進入炎熱的夏季，又是用電的高峰時期，要如何節能省電呢？本次就讓我們來看既環保又省荷包的小撇步，還能學會超實用英文喔！ 1. 在夜晚使用家電 Run appliances that produce heat at night — when it’s cooler. We’re talking appliances like your clothes drier, dishwasher, and oven. (Fox29) （在晚上氣溫較涼爽的時候，使用會產生熱氣的家電用品，例如烘衣機、洗碗機和烤箱。） appliance (n)「電器」是多益測驗的高頻字彙，通常出現在採購、製造、房地產等情境，描述microwave oven「微波爐」、dishwasher「洗碗機」等household appliances 或是 home appliances「家電」，經常搭配動詞install「安裝」。廚房的家電中，較為省電電器應該就是微波爐，或許減少使用瓦斯爐、烤箱對省電將有相當的助益。 According to the advertisement, the apartment is equipped with state-of-the-art appliances.（根據廣告，這間公寓備有最先進的家電。） 2. 拉起窗簾降溫 Simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation can reduce heat in your home.（拉起窗簾和百葉窗做為絕緣體，可降低家中的熱氣。） insulate (v)「阻隔；隔離」通常用來描述隔絕噪音或氣溫，例如冬天時適當的insulate「隔絕」冷空氣，可以避免家中溫度太低。許多冬天穿的厚外套經常會有insulation「防風層」可以阻擋冷空氣，達到保暖的效果。 You can bring down the energy use and cost if you properly insulate your home. （房子適當的隔熱可以降低能源使用和費用。） 3. 自動調溫器 Programmable thermostats can be set, so that your air conditioner run less when you’re sleeping or when you’re at work. （設定自動調溫器，讓你在睡覺或工作時使用少一點的冷氣。） programmable「可編程的」來自program一詞，當動詞時解釋為「設定；編寫程式」，當名詞時則有許多不同的意思，例如「程式」、「節目、節目單」或「計畫、方案」，因此程式編寫可以用programming，「程式設計師」就是programmer，但是要注意的是programmer 發音時的重音是在第一音節，不要念錯。 The information regarding the newly launched recycling program is
A: Are there any other “hot” search locations? B: Various train stations across the nation and places that hit the headlines also made it to the list. A: OK then, let’s begin at the No. 1 place on the list: Lugang Township. B: Lugang Old Street is a great place to explore, and there are lots of delicious things to eat. I’ll book the transportation right away! A: 還有哪些熱搜地點呢？ B: 其它像各地的火車站，及重大新聞的發生地點也都榜上有名。 A: 那我們就從榜首鹿港鎮開始吧。 B: 鹿港老街好逛又好吃，我馬上訂車票！ （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
The US Supreme Court has ruled there is no constitutional right to abortion in the US, upending the landmark Roe v Wade case from nearly 50 years ago in a rare reversal of long-settled law that will fracture reproductive rights in America. Since the US Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion nationwide in 1973, the issue has become one of the defining fault lines in US politics, with Democratic politicians firmly supporting abortion rights and Republican lawmakers lining up in opposition. In 1973 the lines were more blurred. Republican and Democratic voters were equally likely to say abortion should be
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