Head to the checkout at an Ikea in Stockholm to pay for your new leather corner sofa and with the swipe of a Visa card it is yours. Do not try that in Berlin — that will be 1,699 euros (NT$64,000) up front please.
It is that financial culture — a deep-seated aversion to debt and an emphasis on responsibility — that makes Chancellor Angela Merkel’s hardline approach to solving the European financial crisis so popular in Germany.
The attitude shows up in all walks of life, from the daily trip to the grocery store to putting a roof over your head.
Photo: AFP
照片：法新社
The economy is so reliant on cash for transactions small and big, a way to ensure you do not spend more than you have, that Germany pushed hard for the 500 euro note to replace its popular 1,000 mark bill when it joined the common currency.
Around the world Merkel has been derided as intransigent in her approach to the financial crisis, demanding budget cuts and fiscal austerity from allegedly profligate EU members. But her hardline stand plays well among the people who elected her.
A new poll for Stern magazine shows 64 percent of Germans think the chancellor should stick to her guns, while only 32 percent think she should reconsider her insistence on austerity.
(AP)
到斯德哥爾摩的宜家家居結帳櫃台替你的新角落皮沙發買單，只要刷一下威士卡，沙發就是你的了。在柏林可不能試這招，你得當場掏出一千六百九十九歐元（約新台幣六萬四千元）。
正是這種財務文化，也就是對債務根深柢固的厭惡及對責任的強調，才讓德國總理安潔拉˙梅克爾對解決歐洲金融危機所採取的強硬手段在德國這麼受歡迎。
從到雜貨店進行日常購物，到尋找一個棲身之所，這種態度展現在生活的各個面向中。
由於德國經濟非常仰賴現金來進行大大小小的交易，確保不會超支消費，以致德國在加入歐元區時就極力推動印製面額五百元的歐元紙鈔，來取代原本很受歡迎的千元德國馬克紙鈔。
在全球各地，梅克爾都曾因為在解決歐洲金融危機上採取強硬不妥協立場、要求被指為過度揮霍的歐盟成員國刪減預算並實施財政緊縮政策而遭到譏諷。但她的強硬立場在投票選出她為總理的選民間卻極受歡迎。
根據《Stern》週刊最新民調顯示，有百分之六十四的德國人認為總理應堅守立場，只有百分之三十二的民眾認為她該重新考量堅持撙節政策的做法。
（美聯社/翻譯：俞智敏）
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:
Some 400 kilometers above the Earth’s surface, the “International Space Station” (ISS) operates as both a home and office for astronauts living and working in space. Astronauts typically stay aboard the station for up to six months and engage in groundbreaking research projects in various fields, such as biology, physics and astronomy. These projects help scientists understand life in space and contribute to advancements that benefit people on Earth. The ISS has experienced significant growth since construction began in 1998. The station’s design and assembly represent an extraordinary international collaboration among Canada, the European Union, Japan, Russia and the United States.
A: While hit musical Les Miserables’ concert tour kicks off, South Korean drama Squid Game 3 will be back at the end of this month. B: New Taiwanese dramas The World Between Us 2 and Zero Day Attack have also gained attention. A: I heard that Zero Day Attack is a story about the Chinese Communist Party’s People’s Liberation Army trying to attack Taiwan by force. B: The drama’s subject is so sensitive that it has sparked a lot of controversy in society. A: I just hope that such a horrible story will never happen in
Continued from yesterday（延續自昨日） https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang Living on the ISS is challenging due to the absence of gravity. Astronauts must strap themselves into sleeping bags to prevent floating away while they sleep. They also spend about two hours exercising daily using specialized equipment. Despite this, microgravity can cause muscle loss, bone density reduction and cardiovascular changes. As a result, astronauts require extensive rehabilitation upon their return to Earth. In spite of these difficulties, astronauts often describe their experience on the ISS as life-changing. One of the most awe-inspiring aspects of living aboard the space station is the unparalleled view of Earth. Traveling at
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