Rainy days can be annoying to the Taiwanese public, but in the eyes of the Saudis, whose country usually experiences a year-round drought, a bit of drizzle is tantamount to heaven. The Tourism Bureau teamed up with the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as Cathay Pacific’s Saudi branch, to invite for the first time 10 of the country’s top travel agencies to visit Taiwan. Apart from being amazed by Taiwan’s exquisite beauty, the tour operators were also elated when they were “fortunate” enough to run into rain and fog during their Taiwan trip. They proclaimed that they were in heaven.
This five-day-long journey was the first time the tour operators had set foot in Taiwan. Everything in Taiwan was engrossing to them. Apart from a visit to Taipei 101, they also traveled to Yangmingshan’s Xiaoyoukeng, Yeliou, Taroko Gorge and more. In addition to eating Halal-friendly Taiwanese cuisine, they also ate mango shaved ice, a famous Taiwanese dessert.
Mazen Kabbout, marketing manager at Cathay Airways’ Riyadh branch, was captivated by Taiwan’s scenery, saying that he had never seen anything like it before. When he set foot in Hualien for the first time, the boundless view of the Pacific ocean intrigued him enormously. The Taroko Gorge, replete with marble, was incredible, said Kabbout. What was most enthralling for all the Saudi visitors was the cloudy and misty Xiaoyoukeng in Yangmingshan. Not long after they had arrived, it so happened that light drizzle started to fall. None of the visitors could bear to hold umbrellas or wear raincoats, as it was a very rare weather phenomenon for the Saudis — almost heavenly. The Saudi visitors excitedly began checking-in to the location on social networks to share their magical moment of rainfall in Taiwan.
Photo: Chu Pei-hsiung, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者朱沛雄
(Liberty Times, translated by Ethan Zhan)
陰雨綿綿的天氣常讓台灣民眾覺得惱人，不過看在經年乾燥無雨的沙烏地阿拉伯國人眼中，細雨飄落簡直就像來到天堂。觀光局與駐沙烏地阿拉伯王國臺北經濟文化代表處及國泰航空駐沙國分公司合作，首度邀請沙國前十大旅遊業者來台觀光，業者除驚嘆台灣的美景外，更因這幾天來台旅遊時「幸逢」下雨、起霧，讓他們開心極了，直呼好像來到天堂！
這五天四夜的台灣之旅是這些業者首次踏上寶島台灣，台灣的一切對他們來說都相當新奇。行程規劃除參觀台北一○ 一外，更到訪陽明山小油坑、野柳、太魯閣等，旅途中除品嚐台灣已通過清真認證的美食外，更大啖台灣知名甜品芒果冰。
國泰航空利雅德分公司行銷經理Mazen Kabbout讚歎說台灣的美景是他們前所未見。首次踏上花蓮，面對一望無際的太平洋讓他印象深刻，整座山頭都是大理石的太魯閣更讓他覺得不可思議。而最令所有沙國業者興奮的，就屬陽明山小油坑上的雲霧繚繞，到訪時剛巧碰上細雨，讓所有人都捨不得撐傘、穿雨衣，因為這對沙國人來說是非常罕見的天氣現象，簡直就像仙境，團員們還興奮地打卡與親友分享在台灣碰上淋雨的美好時刻。
（自由時報甘芝萁）
1. be tantamount to
v. phr.
簡直就像；感覺就像 (jian3 zhi2 jiu4 xiang4; gan3 jue2 jiu4 xiang4)
例: Seeing you chatting with him is tantamount to receiving a punch in the belly.
(看見你跟他聊天感覺就像肚子被揍了一拳一樣。)
2. proclaim v.
直呼；宣稱 (zhi2 hu1; xuan1 cheng1)
例: The magazine proclaimed her to be the best singer in Asia.
(這本雜誌宣稱她是全亞洲最好的歌手。)
3. heavenly adj.
就像仙境；像天堂 (jiu4 xiang4 xian1 jing4; xiang4 tian1 tang2)
例: There is no place more heavenly on earth than Taroko Gorge.
(世界上沒有任何一個地方比太魯閣更像天堂。)
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
RSS