Sun, Nov 27, 2022
FALLING SHORT: A proposal to lower the voting age to 18 failed as 5,647,102 people cast their ballot for a constitutional amendment that required at least 9,619,697 ‘yes’ votes A proposed constitutional amendment to lower the voting age to 18 from 20 did not pass yesterday after it failed to garner the minimum number of votes required. The referendum, which asked voters if they agree to amend the Additional Articles of the Constitution to grant Taiwanese aged 18 years or older the right to vote and the right to run for public office, was held concurrently with local government elections. The referendum needed 9,619,697 “yes” votes, or half the number of eligible voters, to pass. The Central Election Commission data showed that 5,647,102 voted “yes,” while 5,016,427voted against the proposal. To amend the Constitution, a draft amendment must first pass the legislature with three-quarters of legislators present and three-quarters of those present voting for it. The amendment must then be endorsed in a national referendum. The 113-seat legislature on March 25 voted 109-0 in favor of lowering the voting age, sending a message of cross-party support for the measure and sending it to a national referendum. A plebiscite on a proposed constitutional amendment is different from referendums seeking to change a government policy or law. The election commission has said that referendums on constitutional amendments are not subject to the Referendum Act (公民投票法), which allows citizens aged 18 or older to vote and prohibits holding referendums on the same day as national elections. The commission also cited the Constitution as saying that only citizens aged 20 or older are eligible to vote in referendums on constitutional amendments. In addition, referendums on constitutional amendments requires twice the number of “yes” votes to pass, while other referendums only require 25 percent of eligible votes to cast a ballot and a majority to support the proposed policy or law. This story has been updated since it was first published.
‘TURNING THE SCREWS’: The Chinese firms affected would not be able to introduce new products and merchants might find they are stuck with gear that is illegal to sell Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp were banned from selling electronics in the US by regulators who say the firms pose a security risk, continuing a years-long effort to limit the reach of Chinese telecommunications companies into US networks. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC), in an order released on Friday, also named connected-camera providers Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Co and Dahua Technology Co, as well as two-way radio maker Hytera Communications Corp. “The FCC is committed to protecting our national security by ensuring that untrustworthy communications equipment is not authorized for use within our borders, and we are continuing that work here,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a news release. “These new rules are an important part of our ongoing actions to protect the American people from national security threats involving telecommunications.” In a statement after the 4-0 vote, the FCC said that the products pose a risk to data security. Past efforts to curb Chinese access include export controls to cut off key, sophisticated equipment and software. Recently US officials have weighed restrictions on TikTok over fears that Chinese authorities could access US user data via the video sharing app. “This is a culminating action,” said Klon Kitchen, a senior fellow at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute, a public-policy think tank. “Things that began under [former US president Donald] Trump are now being carried out. The [US President Joe] Biden administration is continuing to turn the screws on these companies because the threat isn’t changing.” In an e-mailed response, Hikvision said that its video security products “present no security threat to the United States, and there is no technical or legal justification for the Federal Communications Commission’s decision.” The company said that the ruling would “make it more harmful and more expensive for US small businesses, local authorities, school districts and individual consumers to protect
A deadly fire in China’s northwest Xinjiang region has spurred an outpouring of anger at the country’s “zero COVID-19” policy, as Beijing fights growing public fatigue over its approach to containing the virus. Ten people were killed and nine injured when the blaze ripped through a residential building in the regional capital of Urumqi on Thursday, Xinhua news agency reported. Online posts circulating on Chinese and overseas social media platforms since Friday have said that lengthy COVID-19 lockdowns in the city hampered rescue attempts. Some videos appeared to show crowds of people taking to the streets of Urumqi to protest against the measures. The action comes against a backdrop of mounting public frustration over the Chinese government’s zero-tolerance approach to the COVID-19 pandemic and follows sporadic protests in other cities. China is the last major economy wedded to a “zero COVID-19” strategy, with authorities wielding snap lockdowns, lengthy quarantines and mass testing in response to new outbreaks. Footage showed hundreds of people massing outside the Urumqi City Government offices during the night, chanting: “Lift lockdowns.” In another clip, dozens of people are seen marching through a neighborhood in the east of the city, shouting the same slogan before facing off with a line of officials wearing hazmat suits. Journalists verified the videos by geolocating local landmarks, but were unable to specify when exactly the protests occurred. A wave of anger simmered on social media on Friday amid claims that parked electric vehicles left without power during lengthy lockdowns blocked fire engines from entering a narrow road to the burning building. “I’m also the one throwing myself off the roof, trapped in an overturned [quarantine] bus, breaking out of isolation at the Foxconn [Technology Group, 富士康科技集團] factory,” read one comment referencing several recent incidents blamed on “zero COVID-19” rules. Chinese authorities censor online content deemed politically sensitive and appeared to have scrubbed
Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) has told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that Beijing was willing to work with Pyongyang for world peace, North Korean state media said yesterday. The message from Xi came days after North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in one of its most powerful tests yet, declaring it would meet perceived US nuclear threats with nukes of its own. North Korea has over the past few weeks conducted a record-breaking blitz of missile launches, and fears have grown that it is building up to a seventh nuclear test, its first since 2017. In his message to Kim, Xi said Beijing was ready to work with North Korea for “peace, stability, development and prosperity of the region and the world,” the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported. Xi said he was willing to collaborate with Pyongyang as “changes in the world, times and history are taking place in unprecedented ways,” KCNA said, quoting from the message it said Kim received in response to congratulations he sent to Beijing after a Chinese Communist Party congress last month handed Xi a third term. Days before North Korea’s ICBM launch, Xi met on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, with US President Joe Biden, who voiced confidence that Beijing does not want to see a further escalation by Pyongyang. Washington has said it wants China, Pyongyang’s most important ally and economic benefactor, to use its influence to help rein in North Korea. The missile launched on Friday last week appeared to be Pyongyang’s newest ICBM with the potential range to hit the US mainland. The UN Security Council convened an open meeting over the launch, with the UU, the UK, France and India among 14 nations to “strongly condemn” Pyongyang’s actions. However, a Western diplomat told Agence France-Presse that China and Russia had chosen
SECURITY OVERHAUL: The draft act includes NT$300,000 fines for flying civilian drones and comes after increased incursions suspected to have come from China A draft act to overhaul military base security and ban the use of drones near their premises cleared the first reading at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday. Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators Wang Ting-yu (王定宇) and Michelle Lin (林楚茵) said they proposed the legislation because security standards at military bases and during military drills are based on administrative orders. Such orders are widely considered a weak legal basis and would be overruled if they are found to conflict with other laws, they said. The draft act defines patrol methods, safety measures and bans practices that might compromise military base security, including the use of civilian drones. The proposed legislation comes amid reports of increased civilian drone intrusions near military facilities on outlying islands, with the activity suspected to come from China. The draft is next to be discussed by the National Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee. The draft seeks to provide a legislative basis for patrols, guard duty, safety measures, restrictions, bans, contingency measures, reparations and punitive measures, Wang and Lin said. The draft would also apply to security measures at the Presidential Office Building and the National Security Bureau, they added. Under the draft act, people entering military bases without authorization could be fined NT$40,000 to NT$200,000 after a first warning and ordered to leave the base immediately. Those who fail to comply with such orders would be fined NT$60,000 to NT$300,000 and could be fined repeatedly. Flying drones would be banned over military drill areas, training areas or military bases, and contravention would lead to fines of NT$60,000 to NT$300,000, with repeated fines possible. The draft also defines eight circumstances in which base commanders, on-duty military units, noncommissioned officers, guards and sentries are authorized to use weapons. Guards and sentries must take necessary precautions and should only use weapons under the orders of a base commander,
Candidates for local office yesterday held rallies and canvassed the streets to garner last-minute support ahead of today’s nine-in-one local elections. On the ballot are more than 22,000 seats for local government posts, including city mayors, county commissioners, city and county councilors, township mayors and borough and village wardens. A referendum to amend the Constitution to lower the voting age from 20 to 18 is also to be voted on, requiring a majority of eligible voters — or 9.65 million people — to pass. About 19.13 million people — or more than 82 percent of the population — are eligible to participate in the elections, while 19.24 million are eligible to vote in the referendum. About 760,000 are for the first time eligible to cast their ballots. Polling stations are open from 8am to 4pm, with the Central Election Commission saying it hopes to count all votes by the evening. Local election results are to be counted before the referendum. The hottest contests are in northern Taiwan, with top party figures rallying last night in Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Keelung and Hsinchu. The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is hoping to eke out a win in Taipei with mayoral candidate Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), who led the nation’s COVID-19 response as minister of health and welfare, and maintain control of the top roles in Taoyuan, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Keelung, Hsinchu, Pingtung County and Chiayi County. Meanwhile, the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is looking to hold on to its 14 mayoral seats and flip those in Taoyuan and Taipei, where its candidate is Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安). The Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) was focusing on mayoral races in Hsinchu and Taipei, where its leadership endorsed independent candidate Vivian Huang (黃珊珊). President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) lent her presence on stage to consolidate pan-green camp supporters for party candidates Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) in New Taipei
VOTERS’ CHOICE: The DPP’s Chen and independent candidate Huang conceded defeat before 7:20pm, with Chiang pledging to remain humble and do his best Legislator Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) yesterday won the Taipei mayoral election, with the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate defeating the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) pick, former minister of health and welfare Chen Shih-chung (陳時中), and former Taipei deputy mayor Vivian Huang (黃珊珊), an independent. After polling stations closed at 4pm, the Taipei Election Commission issued a preliminary estimate that voter turnout in the city was about 64 percent, slightly lower than in 2018. Chiang, 43, is to be the youngest Taipei mayor ever, with the KMT regaining the capital after eight years. Chen had an exceptionally high national approval rating when he was head of the Central Epidemic Command Center during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he failed to counter critics throughout his campaign involving local COVID-19 outbreaks and vaccine issues. At about 7pm, Chen conceded defeat to Chiang and apologized to his supporters for disappointing them, repeatedly thanking them for their backing. “Whenever I see everyone looking at me with eyes full of expectation, how I wish I could realize our collective dreams and set this city on a new path toward change, but Taipei residents have chosen another future mayor, so I hope everyone can join me in sincerely congratulating Chiang Wan-an,” he said. He said he had called Chiang to congratulate him and hopes everyone can come together, irrespective of their political preferences, to support Chiang in doing a good job of governing Taipei. Chen said he hoped criticism of Taiwan’s COVID-19 prevention efforts would stop after the elections, as the city and the nation must move forward. He also urged his supporters to continue supporting President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) to maintain a steady pace in the face of post-pandemic economic challenges. At about 7:20pm, Huang also conceded defeat and thanked her supporters for “fighting a good fight” with her. Although the result was below
‘SMART PLANS’: The former premier vowed to put in place a development plan for the city, including a vision to make Taoyuan into an ‘Asian tech capital’ Former premier Simon Chang (張善政) last night declared victory in the Taoyuan mayoral race after the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) candidate received about a 52 percent share of the votes in one of the most scrutinized races in the nine-in-one elections. “First, I want to thank voters in Taoyuan for giving me this responsibility to develop Taoyuan,” Chang said in his victory speech. “You have seen the development plan that I have laid out for the city and you have given me the power to move forward. I promise to stand with all of you and reward your trust in me with a good performance in the next eight years.” Chang thanked Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) for his accomplishments in the city over the past eight years, adding that Cheng had assured him there would be a “seamless” transition to the new administration. He vowed to make the city a new Asian capital for smart technology. Legislator Cheng Yun-peng (鄭運鵬), the DPP’s candidate, conceded the election. “We humbly accept the choice of the voters in Taoyuan,” Cheng Yun-peng told supporters. “I take full responsibility for losing the election.” The Taoyuan race was closely watched in Taiwan due to Cheng Wen-tsan’s high approval rating, which hovered at about 70 percent as the end of his time in office drew nearer. The DPP’s performance in the city’s mayoral election is considered a bellwether for presidential elections. However, the apparent DPP advantage in Taoyuan was offset by a last-minute change of its candidate. Former Hsinchu mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅), the DPP’s initial candidate, in August withdrew from the race after his master’s degree was revoked because of plagiarism, a scandal that was the first in a long line of academic integrity issues in mayoral elections nationwide. On Aug. 27, former DPP legislator Cheng Pao-ching (鄭寶清) left
New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) yesterday won a second term after gaining a decisive lead over former Taichung mayor Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍), the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) candidate. Hou declared victory before the Central Election Commission had finished counting the votes. In his victory speech, Hou thanked the city’s 4 million residents for their tolerance, care and patriotism, saying that solidarity in Taiwan had improved as a result. He and Lin had remained friends throughout the campaign, and the two had talked earlier in the evening to share ideas about the city, Hou said. His administration would consider good policy proposals from Lin’s camp and implement them within reason, he said. “Democratic elections are ephemeral, and the important thing is that a democratic attitude has been maintained throughout the process,” he said. Hou won the mayoral post for the first time in 2018 after securing 1,165,130 votes, or about 57.2 percent of the ballots cast. Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌), Hou’s challenger at the time, won 873,692 votes, or about 42.9 percent. Last night, Hou improved his margin of victory amid a sharply lower voter turnout for the DPP. In his concession speech, Lin said he had called Hou to congratulate him and express the hope that he would take good care of the city’s residents. Lin thanked his supporters for their trust and apologized for falling short of their expectations. The DPP did not encourage its support base to go to polling stations amid flagging voter enthusiasm, and the record-low turnout in New Taipei City is a warning to the party, he said. “The people have expressed their will via the result of this election,” he said. “We should deeply examine ourselves in order to go forward.”
KMT MAYOR HOLDS SEAT: Lu united opposing factions of the party to ensure that the DPP would not take the KMT stronghold, a former city council speaker said Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) last night was granted a second term by voters as she held off a challenge by Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌). Lu’s victory adds to the KMT’s successes in central Taiwan regions, especially as Taichung in July this year grew to overtake Kaohsiung as the nation’s second-largest city, with a population of nearly 2.8 million. Lu is the first mayor to win a second term since Taichung city and county merged to form a special municipality in 2010. As of press time, Lu was leading Tsai with nearly 60 percent of the vote with 73 percent of polling stations reporting when Tsai conceded defeat at about 7pm. “In life when we fall down, then must get up and go forward. We must find out why we stumbled this time,” Tsai said. “It seems we did not work hard enough to earn the confidence of Taichung voters.” “We must not lose hope from this defeat. We must put in more diligent efforts in the coming years,” he added. With his home in Taichung’s Cingshuei District (清水), Tsai promised to continue working to help the city progress. He did not rule out another run for mayor in the next local elections. Lu took the stage at about 7:20pm to address supporters. “This is a victory for all Taichung residents, and I will strive to be a great mayor to repay my gratitude,” she said. “Voters have spoken to keep this city on the side of righteousness and morality, and turned their backs on negative campaigning.” Tsai and DPP officials attributed the defeat to Lu being able to unify pan-blue forces, with influential Taichung politicians joining as campaign managers and top officials, including former KMT chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), Legislator Yang Chiung-ying (楊瓊瓔) and party powerbroker Yen Kuang-heng
GAINING GROUND: Kao’s victory gives the three-year-old party a major win in its first year of local campaigning, in a city the DPP held for two terms Ann Kao (高虹安) of the Taiwan People’s Party (TPP) was yesterday elected mayor of Hsinchu, defeating the Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) Shen Hui-hung (沈慧虹) and the Chinese Nationalist Party’s (KMT) Lin Ken-jeng (林耕仁). Kao, 38, declared victory at about 7:30pm. She is to become the first female mayor of Hsinchu and the youngest mayor or county commissioner ever elected in Taiwan. Shen, who trailed Kao by 10,000 votes, conceded defeat before the final results were confirmed and congratulated Kao on her win. Although the race was expected to be close, Lin lagged behind the other two candidates by a large margin as results began coming in after 4pm and conceded defeat. In her victory speech, Kao thanked her parents, relatives, friends, supporters, campaign team and volunteers, as well as her opponents, who she said “proposed many good political platforms during the campaign and showed good sportsmanship.” Calling her win “a victory for all Hsinchu residents and democracy,” she vowed to form a team based on merit and not political ideology, and to build Hsinchu into a city that makes people “feel happy and proud.” She also said she would consider her opponents policy proposals and ask for their advice after taking office to ensure Hsinchu residents are prioritized under her leadership, she said. Kao’s victory put the TPP in charge of a city that was governed by the KMT from 2005 to 2014 before the DPP took power, holding the office under former Hsinchu mayor Lin Chih-chien (林智堅), who resigned in July to contest the Taoyuan mayoral election. Lin Chih-chien withdrew from that race after National Taiwan University revoked his master’s degree over charges of plagiarism in August. Lin Chih-chien defeated his KMT opponent, former Hsinchu mayor Hsu Ming-tsai (許明財), in 2014 and won re-election in 2018 by a large margin over the same opponent, by 49.57 percent of
FAMILY BACKGROUND: Chiang was effective in running a cautious campaign to avoid making mistakes, waiting for other candidates to slip up, an analyst said Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Taipei Mayor-elect Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) stood out among his rivals due to his energy, his die-hard supporters and his relative openness to discuss issues such as same-sex marriage, a political analyst said yesterday. Chiang’s campaign was also aided by his family’s background in politics, which helped him garner greater support in Taipei where there is a large KMT base, said the analyst, who chose to remain anonymous. “Chiang is also not a typical KMT member when it comes to certain issues, such as gay marriage, and his more open stance widened his support base — particularly among young voters,” the analyst said. Democratic Progressive Party Taipei mayoral candidate Chen Shih-chung’s (陳時中) image was hurt by the methods of his campaign team, which were not in line with the honest image of the former health minister that the DPP had been pushing, they said. Chiang’s platform was comparatively narrow, focusing on COVID-19-related issues such as vaccine procurement, they said. “There was a perception that his campaign team was cautious on other issues, but its strategy was to avoid making mistakes and simply wait for the other candidates to slip up — and that proved effective,” the analyst said. During her concession speech yesterday, independent Taipei mayoral candidate Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) said she hopes Chiang fulfills his campaign promises, retains reforms made during her tenure as deputy mayor and “allow Taipei to continue to progress.” “I feel like I’ve already won, having gone up against two major parties,” she said, adding that Taipei residents were still wary of independent candidates. Political commentators yesterday evening said that President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文), who is also DPP chairperson, would face a tougher time leading the nation given that her party lost 13 of 22 cities and counties in the elections. Chinese National Federation of Industries chairman Matthew Miao (苗豐強) urged
Seventy incidents involving 72 individuals allegedly contravening the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act (公職人員選舉罷免法) occurred during yesterday’s local elections, the National Police Agency said. The incidents included 37 counts of destroying ballots and 24 counts of bringing mobile phones into voting booths, the agency said, citing nationwide information compiled as of 4pm, when polls closed. Also among the alleged contraventions were six people campaigning on election day, two being disruptive within 30m of polling stations and one who refused to leave a polling station after being asked. Also among the reported incidents was a man surnamed Hsu (許) in Tainan’s Anding District (安定) who tore up his ballots for mayor and city councilor as he walked out of the polling station, saying he only wished to vote for the borough warden. In Yunlin County, a woman surnamed Huang (黃) said she discovered after arriving at the polling site that someone had already taken her ballot and persuaded the monitors to give her another set of ballots so she could vote. The Central Election Commission said, after investigation, that the incident was an error on the electoral personnel’s part, as they had stamped Huang’s name by accident before she obtained her ballots. Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) was accused of contravening the election and recall act for wearing a jacket with the party’s acronym printed on the back. Article 65 of the Civil Servants Election and Recall Act forbids wearing or exhibiting flags, emblems, items or clothing that feature the logos of political parties or groups on election day, and that individuals failing to heed orders to leave a polling station after being asked to could face criminal prosecution. People could be fined NT$5,000 to NT$50,000 under Article 44 of the Referendum Act (公民投票法) for inserting anything other than a official ballot into a ballot
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) lost ground across Taiwan, with its biggest hopes dashed in Taipei, where the party hoped to reclaim the mayor’s seat for the first time since 1998, losing to the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Hsinchu ousting a DPP mayor in favor of the upstart Taiwan People’s Party and Taichung voters re-electing a KMT mayor helped sour what President Tsai Ing-wen said would be a referendum on her leadership.
Legislator Tsai Shih-ying, center, the Democratic Progressive Party’s mayoral candidate for Keelung, stands in a vehicle next to his wife as they tour the city to thank supporters after he conceded defeat to former legislator Hsieh Kuo-liang of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). Tsai said that he hoped Keelung would continue to improve under Hsieh’s leadership.
When Shefali Khatun separated from her husband, her biggest worry was how she would support her young son and cover all the expenses for their home in central Bangladesh — without a job. Then she heard about a program run by a Bangladeshi green energy initiative that teaches women to build and fix solar-power systems. She signed up, despite having no engineering background or experience in the renewable energy sector. Five years on, Khatun makes solar equipment and earns about 10,000 Bangladeshi takas (US$98.25) per month, enough to meet her family’s needs and send her son to school. “This work changed my fortune and helped me become self-reliant,” she said from her home in Mymensingh. “I discovered women, also, can be self-dependent and able to support their families.” Bangladesh’s fledgling clean energy industry, which the country says is crucial for increasing access to renewable power and curbing its already low greenhouse gas emissions, is creating thousands of new jobs and, with them, opportunities for more women to join the workforce, industry experts say. More and more Bangladeshi women are reaching for those opportunities. A report finalized by the EU last week said that the share of female students enrolled in a master’s program on renewable energy at the University of Dhaka’s Institute of Energy rose from 17 to 27 percent between 2019 and last year. Some climate campaigners and gender experts say Bangladesh’s clean energy transition is still leaving women behind, with the government and companies not doing enough to allow women to benefit from the push to cut carbon emissions, even as they are the hardest hit by the effects of climate change. Bright Green Energy Foundation, the non-governmental organization that trained Khatun, has helped more than 5,000 female workers acquire skills in manufacturing and repairing equipment for solar home systems over the past decade, chairman Dipal
The start-up behind India’s first private space launch plans to put a satellite into orbit next year, and expects to be able to do so at half of the cost of established launch companies, the founders of Skyroot Aerospace said. The Hyderabad-based company, backed by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC, said the US$68 million it has raised would fund its next two launches, adding that it has been in contact with more than 400 potential customers. Thousands of small satellite launches are planned in coming years as companies build out networks to deliver broadband services such as SpaceX’s Starlink and to power applications like tracking supply chains or monitoring offshore oil rigs. Skyroot faces established and up-and-coming rocket launch rivals that also promise to bring down costs. In China, start-up Galactic Energy put five satellites into orbit last week in its fourth successful launch. In Japan, Space One, backed by Canon Electronics and IHI Corp, plans to launch 20 small rockets per year by the middle of the decade. Skyroot, which launched a test rocket last week, expects to cut the cost of a launch by 50 percent compared with current pricing for established competitors such as Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit and California-based Rocket Lab USA Inc. Pawan Chandana, one of Skyroot’s two cofounders, said he expected a surge in demand for the company’s launch services if it proves itself with launches set for next year. “Most of these customers have been building constellations and will be launching them in the next five years,” he said. A push by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration to increase India’s share of the global space launch market from just 1 percent has given investors confidence that Skyroot and other start-ups have government backing for their efforts, Skyroot said. “Three or four months back when we were talking to investors, one of
With hammer and saw, Nour al-Janabi builds her latest creation, a candy-pink sofa, in the carpentry workshop she runs in male-dominated and conservative Iraq. “At the start, relatives criticized me,” said the 29-year-old carpenter and furniture-maker, who is also a mother of four. “They would say: ‘But you’re a woman... You’re an amateur... It’s a men’s trade.’” Covered in velvet or imitation leather, the sofas and armchairs that she designs, makes and mends in her south Baghdad workshop go from rustic style to Louis XV. Her order book is full, with new lounges starting at a cool 700,000 dinars (US$479.29). Al-Janabi has been making furniture for several years, and launched her business, Nour Carpentry, a few months ago. She recently moved operations from her home to a house turned workshop, where she has four employees — one of whom is her retired husband. “But it’s not right to say it like that,” she said with an embarrassed smile, her hijab covering her hair. In oil-rich Iraq, women make up just 13.3 percent of the labor force, World Bank data showed, while the World Economic Forum ranked the country 154 out of 156 in its latest Global Gender Gap Report. A study published last year by two UN agencies said that while most Iraqis consider tertiary education equally important for men and women, “attitudes toward equal rights in employment are discriminatory against women.” Al-Janabi attributes her success largely to do-it-yourself tutorials that she first posted on Facebook to share her passion for carpentry and furniture-making. She uploads videos — about everything from how to re-stuff an old sofa to using a sander — to TikTok and Instagram, where she has more than 94,000 followers. “I am the first Iraqi woman to do this trade and break the barrier in this field,” she said, in a country still largely dominated by conservative
Tuan Tuan (團團), a widely loved 18-year-old male giant panda at Taipei Zoo, died on Saturday afternoon last week, and his death has sparked discussion surrounding political ideology, and life and death education. The panda began having seizures from a brain lesion in August and was moved into palliative care last month, but after a series of seizures in the early hours of Saturday last week, he was given a deep anesthetic for a computerized tomography scan, the results of which led the medical team to believe his condition was irreversible and he could no longer live without struggle. The zoo therefore let Tuan Tuan “continue to sleep.” China gifted Tuan Tuan and a female panda named Yuan Yuan (圓圓) — whose names together mean “reunion” in Chinese — in 2008 to mark increasingly close relations to Taiwan, shortly after Beijing-friendly Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) became president. Many Taiwanese objected, saying that “the gift” implied that Taiwan is part of China, and that the pandas represented a “domestic transfer” — China stopped its “panda diplomacy” in 1984 and has since rented its pandas to international zoos at high prices. With two cubs born in 2013 and 2020, the panda family of four won the hearts of Taiwanese young and old with their cute and cuddly appearances, making them a star attraction of the zoo. Tuan Tuan’s death was therefore mourned by many. However, a few individuals used the incident for political means. Broadcasting Corp of China chairman Jaw Shaw-kong (趙少康) on Sunday last week called President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) “cold-blooded,” and “pathetic and terrifying,” saying that she was “drowning humanity in ideology” because she did not publicly mourn Tuan Tuan’s death, whereas she had tweeted her condolences to US President Joe Biden when his dog Champ died last year. Ma on Monday said the panda couple had
It is quite the irony when former British prime minister Boris Johnson — a buffoon who for far too long was taken seriously — is branded a buffoon for saying something deadly serious. Following Johnson’s withering criticism of China at a business forum in Singapore on Wednesday last week, the event’s organizer, Michael Bloomberg, apologized to attendees, saying that Johnson was “trying to be amusing rather than informative and serious.” However, Johnson’s characterization of China as a “coercive autocracy” that had showed “a candid disregard for the rule of international law” was spot-on. His comments evoked the wisdom of the Austrian-British philosopher Karl Popper — the favorite thinker of one of Johnson’s predecessors, Margaret Thatcher. In a recent social media meme, Popper’s solution to the paradox runs thus: As intolerant ideologies undermine tolerance in unrestrictedly tolerant societies, they cannot be tolerated. Popper is more cautious than this. He limits potential suppression to ideologies that forbid their adherents to engage in rational debate. This encapsulates Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ideology under Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平). By exploiting tolerance in Western democracies, the CCP exports its brand of intolerance to them. Forbidding tolerance domestically as a threat to stability, the party manipulates the idea to destabilize the societies of its opponents. Moreover, CCP dogma brooks neither dissent nor recourse to reason. Feeble responses to China’s transnational encroachment have encouraged ever-more brazen conduct. Last month, Chinese diplomats assaulted protestors at the Chinese Consulate-General in Manchester. The British House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (FAC) called for the expulsion of the offenders. Nothing has been done. An investigation by a Spain-based non-governmental organization exposed dozens of Chinese “police stations” operating across 33 countries — mainly in Europe. Again, the FAC demanded action on shutting down the UK locations. Again, hot air was the extent of the reaction. Universities
The Criminal Investigation Bureau recently released data showing that from July 27 to Nov. 16, it probed 35 cases of employment abductions, home invasions and human trafficking in cities and counties across Taiwan, with 150 victims rescued. The local elections took the spotlight away from these cases and robbed them of the attention they deserved. Undoubtedly, this is a blow to the government and its international image. The criminals involved in employment scams and international organ harvesting are despicable, but it is possible that some of the victims might have intended to gain from the fraudsters — without expecting that they would become prey. It seems necessary to amend the law to prevent get-rich-quick schemes, and generally prevent deeper abuses. The Legislative Yuan amended the Criminal Code in 2014 by adding Article 339-4 to increase penalties for fraud, which were previously governed by Article 5 of the code, covering crimes committed outside the country. In 2017, the Organized Crime Prevention Act (組織犯罪防制條例) was extensively amended to redefine a criminal organization as “a structured, permanent or profit-seeking organization” involved in certain offenses. At that time, apart from penalties, offenders had to perform “compulsory labor” for three years prior to sentencing. Statistics show that the amendments effectively lowered such crimes. To protect human rights, the then-Council of Grand Justices in 2019 issued Constitutional Interpretation No. 775 to declare that Article 47 of the Criminal Code was unconstitutional for stating “the principal punishment for a recidivist shall be increased up to one half.” In several landmark rulings, the Supreme Court has said that the definition of “recidivist” does not conform with progress made in modern criminal law reform and should be abolished. Moreover, the Constitutional Court on Dec. 10 issued Constitutional Interpretation No. 812, declaring that the compulsory labor penalties in the Criminal Code and various “special criminal laws”
VOCAL FANS: England’s Gareth Southgate said that he was very happy with the way his team handled ‘a really tough opponent,’ despite being booed by supporters Host nation Qatar on Friday crashed out of the World Cup after a second straight defeat before an uninspired England missed their chance to wrap up qualification for the last 16 following a 0-0 draw with the US. Qatar lost 3-1 to Senegal and became the first team to be knocked out of the World Cup after the Netherlands and Ecuador drew 1-1 in the other Group A game. Asian champions Qatar had high hopes coming into the tournament, but become only the second home team to crash out in the group stage, after South Africa in 2010. Goals from Boulaye Dia, Famara Diedhiou and Bamba Dieng were enough to give African champions Senegal the win. Mohammed Muntari scored Qatar’s only World Cup goal so far in a deeply disappointing debut on soccer’s biggest stage — it is the first time a World Cup host nation has gone out after just two games. “We would like to say we’re very sorry to the supporters, to the country,” said Qatar defender Tarek Salman, who was a second-half substitute. “We have made them feel bad about losing two games in a row in the World Cup.” The Netherlands took an early lead against Ecuador through Cody Gakpo — his second goal of the tournament — but Ecuador leveled through captain Enner Valencia’s tournament-leading third goal. Louis van Gaal’s Netherlands, who have four points, can qualify for the last 16 with a draw against Qatar in their final match. Senegal must beat Ecuador to advance to the knockout phase. After thumping Iran 6-2 in their opening match, an unimaginative England produced a limp display against the US. England fans at the Al-Bayt Stadium made their feelings known as a vociferous blast of jeers echoed around the stands at the final whistle. However, manager Gareth Southgate said his stars must ignore the criticism, because
During Spain’s 7-0 demolition of Costa Rica in their FIFA World Cup opener it was explicitly clear that Luis Enrique’s players know where on the pitch they should be and what they need to do, at all times. The coach is set on positional play and retaining possession, and has been innovative in his use of technology and outside-the-box thinking to get his players to operate within his set structure. When Spain train, at home in Las Rozas on the outskirts of Madrid and at the University of Qatar in Doha, Luis Enrique sometimes stands on a scaffold tower, which he asked to be constructed. It is a tactic he has been using since coaching Celta Vigo in 2013. From above he has a better view of the players’ positions and, using microphones on the back of their training vests, he can instruct them via walkie-talkie. “Today, for example, I decided that the strikers will wear them and we have had much calmer communication,” Luis Enrique said on his Twitch channel last week. Livestreaming is just another example of his technology use at the tournament. “I don’t talk to them when the play is in motion, because they don’t need to think that I’m running after them, but when the move is over, if there’s something to correct, I’ll correct it,” he said. It saves the coach having to shout and facilitates easy communication without players having to leave their positions before running an exercise again. “Where we see technology being applied most in training is in the national team,” Spain defender Eric Garcia said in September. “Technology is advancing, and is being implemented in football bit by bit,” Garcia said. “These things are effective, with walkie-talkies the coach is correcting us from a distance.” Back in Madrid, there is a giant screen at Spain’s training ground for Luis
The Boston Bruins on Friday set the NHL record for most home victories to start a season with their 12th straight win, topping the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime with a power-play goal from David Pastrnak. The Bruins broke the mark of 11 that was set by the 1963-1964 Chicago Blackhawks and equaled by the Florida Panthers last season. “That felt awesome,” Bruins first-year coach Jim Montgomery said. “We talked about it after the second [period] going into the third. There’s been a lot of great teams in this league and you’re able to set a precedent, break a record. It’s pretty special and it doesn’t happen if those guys don’t believe in themselves like they do.” Boston, which trailed 2-0 late in the second period, tied it with 9 minutes, 33 seconds left in regulation when David Krejci scored his second of the game on a shot from the right point. “It’s never fun being down going into the third, you’re sitting in here [in the locker room] trying to figure it out,” Krejci said. “You want to come out and do the job, something special on the line. It’s hard to win in this league. To get 12 in a row at home is pretty special.” In overtime, Carolina were playing shorthanded after being called for too many men on the ice when Pastrnak one-timed a pass from Brad Marchand inside the far post from above the left circle. “It was a big win for us, obviously, coming from behind,” Pastrnak said. Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Stefan Noesen each scored a power-play goal for Carolina, and Pyotr Kochetkov made 38 saves. The Hurricanes lost their fifth straight game. In a rematch of last spring’s opening-round playoff series that the Hurricanes won in seven games, Carolina shutout the NHL’s highest scoring team for nearly two periods and jumped
Kelly Oubre Jr scored 28 points on Friday night, and the Charlotte Hornets stopped the Minnesota Timberwolves’ five-game win streak with a 110-108 victory over Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. Terry Rozier had 22 points and eight assists, helping the Hornets (6-14) win back-to-back games for the first time this season. P.J. Washington scored 16 points, and reserve Theo Maledon finished with 14 points and seven rebounds. “It’s a great mood booster for sure,” Oubre said of getting two wins in three nights. “We have to continue to learn from our losses and mistakes and learn how to win. The more you win the more you can do the same things you did in the game before.” Edwards scored 25 points for the Timberwolves (10-9), who shot 22 percent from three-point range. D’Angelo Russell had 20 points and 10 assists, and Rudy Gobert finished with 17 points and 17 rebounds. The Timberwolves bolted to a 62-52 halftime lead as Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 30 points, but Charlotte battled back to take a 91-83 lead after outscoring the Timberwolves 39-21 in the third quarter behind 11 points from Oubre and 10 from Rozier. Charlotte carried that momentum into the fourth. Nick Richards rejected Gobert at the rim, setting up a high-flying dunk by Kai Jones off a feed from Rozier that brought the crowd to its feet and helped push the lead to 14. The Timberwolves had a chance to tie the game in the final seconds after Rozier missed a floater, but they were unable to corral the rebound. That forced them to foul Washington, who made one of two throws with 4.7 seconds left to help close it out.
A tiny southern emu wren, which conservationists fear is under threat from rocket launches in Australia, could be listed as endangered within days. Planned rocket launches on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia state pose an extinction-level threat to the wren, one of Australia’s smallest birds, conservationists said. The subspecies of southern emu wren at the site is listed as endangered under state law, but as vulnerable nationally. Australian Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek is considering lifting the national status to endangered, which would affect project approvals and funding decisions. Southern Launch’s rocket facility is on the tip of the Eyre Peninsula at Whalers Way, which is “habitat critical to the survival of the species.” Southern Launch said that its feral animal eradication programs would have a positive effect on the bird’s habitat. Meanwhile Plibersek is considering the overall approval of the rocket launch site under the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The state government would also need to approve it. The Nature Conservation Society of South Australia said that land clearance, disturbance by humans including noise, vibrations and traffic, as well as an increased risk of bushfires, put the bird at extreme risk. The society’s Julia Peacock said it was an environmentally sensitive spot for a range of reasons, particularly the wren. “It’s a beautiful little bird, difficult to see, it makes a beautiful trilling, like a tinkling of glass,” Peacock said. “There are so few of these left. At best 1,000 across previously known sites. It could be as few as 500. The Whalers Way estimate [which is rubbery] is possibly 100 pairs, 200 birds.” “We’re talking about a subspecies that’s really threatened,” she said. “What it needs is its habitat to be protected.” Populations of the wren, which have bodies about 6cm long, had previously been lost in bushfires, Peacock said, adding that the
TREATMENT OF WOMEN: The experts said confining women to their homes was like imprisonment and may add to domestic violence and mental health problems The Taliban’s treatment of Afghan women and girls, including their exclusion from parks and gyms as well as schools and universities, might amount to a crime against humanity, a group of UN experts said on Friday. The assessment by UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan Richard Bennett and nine other UN experts says the treatment of women and girls might amount to “gender persecution” under the Rome Statute to which Afghanistan is a party. Responding to the assessment, Abdul Qahar Balkhi, a spokesman for the Taliban’s ministry of foreign affairs, said: “The current collective punishment of innocent Afghans by the UN sanctions regime all in the name of women rights and equality amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.” The experts said in a statement that women’s confinement to their homes was “tantamount to imprisonment,” adding that it was likely to lead to increased levels of domestic violence and mental health problems. The experts cited the arrest this month of female activist Zarifa Yaqobi and four male colleagues. They remain in detention, the experts said. The Taliban took over from a Western-backed government in August last year. Its leaders say that it respects women’s rights in accordance with Islamic law. Western governments have said that the Taliban needs to reverse its course on women’s rights, including its U-turn on signals that it would open girls’ high schools, for any path toward formal recognition of the Taliban government. Separately, Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the UN’s human rights office, called for the Taliban authorities to immediately halt the use of public floggings in Afghanistan. Shamdasani said that the office had documented numerous such incidents this month, including a woman and a man lashed 39 times each for spending time alone together outside of marriage. “Corporal punishment is a human rights violation under international law,” Shamdasani said. “We are also concerned that arrests,
French Minister of the Armed Forces Sebastien Lecornu on Friday lauded the close ties between the two countries following an US$8 billion fighter jet deal signed earlier this year. “There is a powerful strategic intimacy that is being born with Indonesia and France,” Lecornu told reporters after his meeting with Indonesian Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta. Indonesia placed an order for 42 of France’s Rafale fighter jets in an US$8.1 billion deal agreed to in February. The two countries are also in talks over the purchase of two French Scorpene-class attack submarines. Lecornu met with Subianto as Indonesia prepares to take over the ASEAN rotating presidency. France has been accepted as an observer state in ADMM-Plus, ASEAN’s defense platform, Lecornu wrote on Twitter yesterday, joining countries including the US and China. “This is recognition of our investment in regional security and stability,” Lecornu wrote. France wants to bolster its ties in Southeast Asia “to be in a position to fight against escalation, to rearm and to be in a situation to have credible diplomacy,” Lecornu told reporters. France also needed to remain engaged “politically” in the area, he said, adding that Paris wanted to play a multilateral role in the region.
Nov. 28 to Dec. 4 Samuel Noordhoff was in the final year of his medical residency when his colleague showed him a life-changing letter from a faraway land. Clarence Holleman, then-director of Taipei’s Mackay Memorial Hospital, was looking for a medical missionary to join him in Taiwan. Although Samuel and his wife Lucy were devout Christians, they never considered overseas mission work, writes Liang Yu-fang (梁玉芳) in Noordhoff’s 2000 biography. The family had been living frugally for years as Noordhoff completed his training, and was looking forward to a more comfortable life. Holleman was already 70 years old, and was hoping to return to the US because his wife found Taipei’s humid weather disagreeable. “His letter was so well-written that it was hard to turn him down,” Noordhoff recalls, having no idea that Holleman planned to have him take over the hospital, which was in dire financial straits. The two exchanged letters for a few months before one day, the Noordhoffs finally felt a sign from God that they should accept the task. The couple ended up lugging seven iron barrels of bedsheets, clothes, pots, bowls, forks and knives — they heard these items weren’t available in Taiwan — as well as religious and medical tomes, plus two young children, from Michigan to San Francisco onto an Asia-bound ship. Landing in September 1959, the Noordhoffs made Taiwan their home for the next 40 years. Samuel revived the hospital with the help of his close friend and associate Chang Chin-wen (張錦文), establishing numerous medical “firsts,” including the nation’s first intensive care unit (ICU), cleft lip and palate center, as well as suicide prevention center and hotline. Noordhoff died on Dec. 3, 2018. FIRST IMPRESSIONS Noordhoff was surprised that the church had them travel by sea instead of flying, but that
In London, Wong Wai-yi misses the taste of home. A year ago, the 31-year-old musician was in Hong Kong, earning a good living composing for TV and movies and teaching piano. Today, she makes about half as much in London working part-time as a server alongside her musical pursuits. She chose the job in part because staff meals allow her to save money on food. It’s a difficult adjustment. And Wong, who left Hong Kong with her boyfriend in January, has turned to a beloved hometown staple to keep her grounded: milk tea. She brings the beverage to parties with Hong Kong friends and gives bottles to co-workers as gifts. “It’s like reminding myself I am a Hong Konger. It will be fine as long as we are willing to endure the hardships and work hard,” said Wong, who left as part of an exodus that began after Beijing passed a law in 2020 that curtailed civil liberties. HOMETOWN FLAVOR As tens of thousands leave Hong Kong for new lives abroad, many are craving a flavor from childhood that’s become a symbol of the city’s culture: the sweet, heavy tea with evaporated milk that’s served both hot and cold at diner-like restaurants called cha chaan tengs. Workshops are popping up to teach professionals to brew tea like short-order cooks, and milk tea businesses are expanding beyond Chinatowns in Britain. In Hong Kong, milk tea is an unassuming beverage, something you use to wash down sweet French toast off a plastic plate. It’s so beloved that members of Hong Kong’s protest movement have called themselves part of a “Milk Tea Alliance” with activists from Taiwan, Thailand and Myanmar, who drink similar beverages. Following a law that silenced or jailed most political opposition, over 133,000 residents have secured a special visa that allows them to live and work in
Delegates at a global summit on trade in endangered species will decide Thursday whether to approve a proposal to protect sharks, a move that could drastically reduce the lucrative and often cruel shark fin trade. The proposal would place dozens of species of the requiem shark and the hammerhead shark families on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The appendix lists species that may not yet be threatened with extinction but may become so unless trade in them is closely controlled. If Thursday’s plenary meeting — expected to go late into the evening — gives the green light, “it would be a historic decision,” Panamanian delegate Shirley Binder said. “For the first time CITES would be handling a very large number of shark species, which would be approximately 90 percent of the market,” she said. Spurring the trade is the insatiable Asian appetite for shark fins, which make their way onto dinner tables in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. Despite being described as almost tasteless and gelatinous, shark fin soup is viewed as a delicacy and is enjoyed by the very wealthy, often at weddings and expensive banquets. Shark fins, representing a market of about US$500 million per year, can sell for about US$1,000 a kilogram. FROM VILLAIN TO CONSERVATION DARLING Sharks have long been seen as the villain of the seas they have occupied for more than 400 million years, drawing horror with their depiction in films such as Jaws, and occasional attacks on humans. However, these ancient predators have undergone an image makeover in recent years as conservationists have highlighted the crucial role they play in regulating the ocean ecosystem. According to the Pew Environment Group, between 63 million and 273 million sharks are killed every year, mainly for their fins and other parts. With many shark species taking more than 10
The Taipei Times bilingual pages are having a makeover, with professionally curated content for both English and Chinese learners of all levels. With our new partners Ivy English, English OK and others, Taipei Times readers can improve their language studies while keeping abreast of important issues in Taiwan and abroad. A new departure for us is the addition of a Chinese-language learning module, with content provided by the National Taiwan Normal University “Mandarin Training Center.” 《台北時報》雙語版最優質的中英文內容，多年來一向受到讀者們的喜愛。近日起版面全新升級！每週和《常春藤解析英語》、《English OK中學英閱誌》……等專業英語機構合作，提供豐富多元且實用的英語學習內容，不但適合各種程度學生及上班族自修，老師、家長用它當教材也超便利。原先頗受歡迎的雙語新聞則予以保留，持續帶領大家了解國內外之重要議題。 而此次改版除了英語學習以外，本報特別和台灣師範大學「國語教學中心」聯手，為外國讀者們推出華語學習單元，打造最強全方位中英文雙語版，精彩內容在網站上也看的到唷！
近年來全世界的發展概念都圍繞在「永續」的議題上，不論是業界或學界都喊出ESG與SDGs的目標，但這兩個字到底代表什麼？今天我們就來從「永續」這個主題，認識ESG與SDGs，以及TOEIC測驗常出現的英文吧！ 什麼是ESG？ ESG是聯合國全球契約（UN Global Compact）於2004年所提出的概念，三個字母分別代表「Environment環境」、「Social社會責任」、與「Governance公司治理」。作為評估企業對社會的貢獻，以及投資人檢視企業能否長期經營的投資指標。 1. environment表示「生態環境」，因此environmental protection就解釋為「環保」。在TOEIC測驗中，代表「環境、情況」的單字還有circumstances與surroundings，但circumstances中有字根「circum」（環狀），surrounding中的「round」是「圓形」的意思，所以這兩者指的都是「周圍的環境」，但前者更用於處境，後者則更用於實體。 Plastics and nanoplastics are doing great damage to the marine environment. （塑膠與微粒塑膠正對海洋環境產生巨大傷害。） There are a lot of professional basketball players in the surrounding neighborhoods. （在周圍的社區中有很多職業籃球選手。） 2. social原指「社會的」意思，但在此解釋為「企業社會責任」，英文是Corporate Social Responsibility（CSR）。TOEIC測驗中的其中一個情境就是corporate development「企業發展」。corporate的意思是「公司的」，company是「公司」，enterprise則是「企業」。 TSMC’s Corporate Headquarters are located in Hsinchu. （台積電公司總部座落於新竹。） 3. governance「治理」來自於動詞govern，常見的衍生字有government「政府」與governor「統治者、州長」。 SDGs有哪些目標？ SDGs是聯合國所推行的永續發展目標（Sustainable Development Goals）的簡寫。共有十七項目標︰1: No Poverty、2: Zero Hunger、3: Good Health and Well-being、4: Quality Education、5: Gender Equality、6: Clean Water and Sanitation、7: Affordable and Clean Energy、8: Decent Work and Economic Growth、9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure、10: Reduced Inequality、11: Sustainable Cities and Communities、12: Responsible Consumption and Production、13: Climate Action、14: Life Below Water、15: Life on Land、16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions、17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal。以下針對幾項特別做介紹： GOAL 4: Quality Education「優質教育」 quality是「品質」的意思，當作形容詞時則表示「優質的」，例如quality time就代表「美好時光」。而在TOEIC測驗中，注意不要與quantity「數量」搞混。 Quality content is often the winning factor in the printed or digital publishing business. （優質內容通常是印刷或數位出版事業中的致勝要素。） When reading books, choose quality over quantity. （閱讀書籍時，務必重質不重量。） GOAL 5: Gender Equality「性別平權」 equality「平等」來自形容詞equal，字根「equa-」的意思就是「均等」，所以equator是「赤道」，而equation代表「等式、方程式」。 Gender equality is often an issue in the technology industry. （性別平權在是個科技產業常見的議題。） GOAL 7: Affordable & Clean Energy「可負擔的潔淨能源」 affordable來自於動詞afford「負擔」，是TOEIC測驗高頻字，在職場中也經常出現。 We can’t afford to drop this ball. （ 我們承擔不起這個錯誤。） The team can’t afford to lose Tim. （團隊無法承受失去提姆。） GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure「工業化、創新、及基礎建設」 innovation代表「創新」，而與其相似的單字renovation因為加上字首「re-」，意思是「翻修」。 The lobby will be under renovation for three weeks in June. （大堂將在六月進行為期三週的翻新。） GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption & Production「責任消費及生產」 consumption是「消費」的意思，與其經常出現的單字有consumer、customer、client，雖然三者都是「客戶」的意思，但是consumer代表「消費者」；customer通常是指「（單次或短期的）顧客」；client則是「（長期的）客戶」。 We strive to meet our clients’ expectations. （我們竭力滿足客戶的期望。） John is a regular customer at Jim’s Bar. （約翰是吉姆酒吧的常客。） ESG與SDGs的興起不是意外或偶然，而是人類希望可以與地球長期共存的反思結果。不管在哪個產業，為了地球環境的長存，讓我們一起以永續的觀點來守護這個世界吧。 多益模擬試題 1. If we ________ sustainable measures, the future would suffer great harm. (A) did not take (B) had not taken (C) takes (D) take 2. ________ the ESG certificate, Zoe will hold a sharing session on this trendy issue. (A) Having earned (B) Earned (C) Earn (D) Earns 解析 1. 正解為(A)。語意為「若我們此刻不採取永續的作為，未來將會承受重大傷害。」假設句主要字句使用should／would／could／might，加上原型動詞表示現在假設，條件子句應使用過去式，故(A)為正確答案。 2. 正解為(A)。語意為「獲得ESG證照後，柔伊將會舉辦一場分享會聊聊這個趨勢話題。」本題為分詞構句，獲得ESG證照是主動獲得，因此要使用現在分詞，故(A)為正確答案。 SOURCE: https://www.toeic.com.tw/info/article/toeic-power/news/ESG-SDGs 文章由 English OK 授權使用: www.englishok.com.tw
Ms Kung put up a notice on the bulletin board of Classroom 901 龔老師在901教室的佈告欄上貼了一則告示。 You’re invited to the Christmas Party Date: Friday, Dec. 23 Place: Classroom 901 Notice: I will write each of your names on a piece of paper and put them in a box. Two weeks before the party, you will pick a name out of the box. Don’t tell anyone the name you drew. What you have to do is observe secretly what he/she likes. In other words, you will be his/her “Secret Santa,” and prepare a gift for him/her. At the party, you will …… 1. Put what you prepared on the big table. 2. Watch the video of our gift exchange at the Christmas party last year. 3. Open the gift from your “Secret Santa,” and thank him/her. 4. Enjoy the food and drinks. 必備單字 1. notice n. 告示（國中基礎1200字） 2. prepare ] v. 準備（國中基礎1200字） 實用字詞 1. in other words 換句話說 2. gift exchange 交換禮物 閱讀技巧： 將長句分成短字詞，以利閱讀 Two weeks／before the party,／you will pick a name／out of the box. 兩週／派對之前，／你要抽一個名字／從這個盒子裡。 斷句練習 I will write each of your names on a piece of paper, and put them in a box. 解答: I will／write each of your names／on a piece of paper,／and put them／in a box. 我將會／寫你們每個人的名字／在一張紙上，／並且把它放在／一個盒子裡。 考題練習： TOEIC Bridge測驗 X 國中會考題型 1. Who will go to the party? (A) Santa Claus. (B) Ms Kung’s friends. (C) The students of 901. 2. According to the reading, which is true? (A) It’s the first time the students have celebrated Christmas. (B) The teacher has 14 days to play the role of “Secret Santa.” (C) Those who go to the party will bring a gift on Dec. 23. 3. What does “observe” mean in this reading? (A) To make a gift. (B) To watch him/her carefully. (C) To draw a picture of him/her. 解答: 1. (C) 2. (C) 3. (B) 文章由 English OK 授權使用: www.englishok.com.tw
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| Hsinchu County | 21-22 | 0% | |
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