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 American Magazine Center (AMC), Taipei Times readers can improve their language studies while keeping abreast of important issues in Taiwan and abroad. 《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》、《AMC空中美語》……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,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!
對話 Dialogue A:下雨了!你帶沒帶雨傘? A: Xiàyǔle! Nǐ dài méidài yǔsǎn? B:沒有,我騎摩托車來,車箱裡有雨衣。 B: Méiyǒu, wǒ qí mótuōchē lái, chēxiāng lǐ yǒu yǔyī. A:可是雨下得這麼大,你的鞋子一定會濕。 A: Kěshì yǔ xià de zhème dà, nǐ de xiézi yídìng huì shī. B:我的辦公室裡有一雙雨鞋,換一下再回家。 B: Wǒ de bàngōngshì lǐ yǒuyì shuāng yǔxié, huàn yíxià zài huíjiā. A:那就好,小心別感冒了。 A: Nàjiùhǎo, xiǎoxīn bié gǎnmàole. B:嗯!我知道,你也是。 B: En! Wǒ zhīdào, nǐ yěshì. 翻譯 Translation A: It’s raining! Do you have an umbrella with you? B: No, I rode my scooter over, and there is a raincoat in the storage compartment. A: But it’s raining so hard, your shoes will get wet for sure. B: I have a pair of rain boots in my office, I will change into them before I go home. A: That’s good, be careful not to catch a cold. B: Yes, I know. You be careful, too. 生詞 Vocabulary 1. 下雨 (xiàyǔ) to have rain 2. 雨傘 (yǔsǎn) umbrella 3. 車箱 (chēxiāng) trunk, storage compartment 4. 雨衣 (yǔyī) raincoat 5. 濕 (shī) to be wet 6. 辦公室 (bàngōngshì) office 7. 換 (huàn) to change, to exchange 8. 感冒 (gǎnmào) to catch a cold 教材音檔 Audio Files 國立清華大學華語中心提供 By National Tsing Hua University Chinese Language Center: https://clc-cc.vm.nthu.edu.tw/home/
News Digest: Putting the “art” in artificial intelligence 新聞文摘︰藝術界新危機?AI畫作奪得比賽首獎
Controversy was stirred up in the art community last year when the digital painting “Theatre D’opera Spatial” by Jason Allen was awarded first place in the Colorado State Fair’s annual art competition. The striking work features three figures dressed in long robes, standing against a large circular window in an intricately detailed room. Impressive though it is, Allen didn’t use a traditional digital painting program (such as Photoshop or Procreate) to create it. He opted instead to generate the work by using an artificial intelligence (AI) program called Midjourney. With this program, the user need only input a text prompt and the algorithm will output a completely new image, with no drawing or artistic skill required. Accepting his victory unapologetically, Allen stated he “didn’t break any rules” and disclosed his use of the program when submitting his entry. Some might claim that Allen took advantage of the general population’s lack of familiarity with AI programs, as the details of Midjourney as a program were unknown to the judges. However, a statement was released to clarify that the judges would still have awarded Allen first place even if they had been fully aware of the work’s origins. Traditional artists argue that allowing this type of art into competitions undermines their artistic skill and effort. It could also set a dangerous precedent and pose a threat to their livelihoods. In addition, the images used to train the AI’s algorithm are often taken from the Internet without the original artists’ consent, raising concerns regarding ethics and copyright. Certain online art communities have already explicitly banned AI-generated images. Historically, technological advancement has always intimidated people (photography was considered “art’s most mortal enemy” by a critic in the 19th century), but if this cutting-edge technology can be utilized respectfully, AI could bring about untold artistic innovations. 去年,傑森艾倫的數位畫《太空歌劇院》在科羅拉多州博覽會的年度藝術競賽中獲得第一名,引發了藝術界的爭議。這幅引人注目的作品描繪了三個身穿長袍的人物,站在一間錯綜複雜的房間裡,倚靠著一扇大圓窗。雖然這幅畫令人印象深刻,但艾倫並沒有使用傳統的數位繪圖軟體(如Photoshop或Procreate)來創作它。相反地,他選擇使用一項名為Midjourney的「人工智慧」(AI)程式來產出作品。使用這個程式時,用戶只需要輸入一項提示字元,演算法就會輸出一幅全新的圖像,不需要繪畫或藝術技巧。 艾倫毫無歉意地接受了他的勝利,據他表示「沒有違反任何規則」,並在提交他的參賽作品時透露了他是使用這項程式創作。有些人可能會主張艾倫利用了普羅大眾對AI程式不熟悉的情況,就如同評審不知道Midjourney這項AI程式的詳細資訊。然而,有份聲明澄清說,即使評審們完全了解作品的起源,他們仍然會授予艾倫第一名。 傳統藝術家認為,允許這類的藝術參加比賽會破壞他們的藝術技巧與努力。它還可能開創一項危險的先例,並對他們的生計構成威脅。此外,用於訓練AI演算法的圖像通常是在未經原作者授的情況下從網路上獲取,這引發了對道德及版權的擔憂。某些線上藝術社群已經明確禁止AI生成的圖像。
對話 Dialogue 小實:馬克早安,你在看什麼? Xiaoshi: Mǎkè zǎoān, nǐ zài kàn shénme? 馬克:小實早安,我在看我和家人的照片。 Make: Xiǎoshí zǎoān, wǒ zài kàn wǒ hàn jiārén de zhàopiàn. 小實:這張照片很漂亮,他們都是你的家人嗎? Xiaoshi: Zhè zhāng zhàopiàn hěn piàoliàng, tāmen dōu shì nǐ de jiārén ma? 馬克:是啊!我的家有四個人,爸爸、媽媽、哥哥和我。 Make: Shì a! Wǒ de jiā yǒu sì ge rén, bàba, māma, gēge hàn wǒ. 小實:真好,我的家只有我和媽媽。 Xiaoshi: Zhēn hǎo, wǒ de jiā zhǐyǒu wǒ hàn māma. 馬克:你是老師,你的媽媽也是老師嗎? Make: Nǐ shì lǎoshī, nǐ de māma yěshì lǎoshī ma? 小實:不是,我的媽媽是家庭主婦。你呢? Xiaoshi: Búshì, wǒ de māma shì jiātíng zhǔfù. Nǐ ne? 馬克:我的爸爸是醫生,媽媽是廚師,我很想他們。 Make: Wǒ de bàba shì yīshēng, māma shì chúshī, wǒ hěn xiǎng tāmen. 翻譯 Translation Xiaoshi: Good morning, Mark. What are you looking at? Mark: Good morning, Xiaoshi. I’m looking at pictures of me and my family. Xiaoshi: This photo is great. Are they all your family members? Mark: Yeah! There are four people in my family: my father, mother, older brother and me. Xiaoshi: That’s great. In my family, there’s only me and my mother. Mark: You are a teacher; is your mother a teacher too? Xiaoshi: No, my mother is a housewife. What about you? Mark: My dad is a doctor and my mom is a chef. I miss them a lot. 單字片語 Vocabulary 1. 家人 (jiārén) family member 2. 照片 (zhàopiàn) photo 3. 家庭主婦 (jiātíng zhǔfù) housewife 4. 醫生 (yīshēng) doctor 5. 廚師 (chúshī) chef 6. 想 (xiǎng) to miss 教材音檔 Audio Files 教材影片 Video Files: https://www.instagram.com/celc.nou_tw/guide/_/17999106352646292/ 實踐大學華語中心提供 By Shih Chien University Chinese Language Center: https://chineseusc.com/
In the United States and many other countries, the government guarantees a certain amount of each customer’s deposits in the event of a bank failure, to protect both consumers and the broader financial system. With the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank and the US government backstopping all deposits at those firms, here is the state of play of deposit insurance in the United States: WHAT IS THE US DEPOSIT INSURANCE LIMIT? Currently, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) guarantees deposits of up to US$250,000 per person, per bank. That limit was enshrined in law by the 2010 Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act passed following the 2008 financial crisis. WHOSE DEPOSITS ARE NOT INSURED? Generally speaking, accounts exceeding the US$250,000 limit mostly belong to entities that need a lot of cash on hand to make payroll such as small businesses, nonprofits or municipal governments. Many other investments, such as stocks, annuities or mutual funds, are not protected from losses. More than US$9.2 trillion of US bank deposits were uninsured at the end of last year, accounting for more than 40 percent of all deposits, according to US central bank data. WHAT HAPPENED WITH DEPOSITORS AT SILICON VALLEY BANK AND SIGNATURE BANK? The collapse of SVB on March 10 - the largest bank failure since 2008 - sparked concerns over whether small-business clients would be able to pay their staff if the FDIC only protected deposits of up to US$250,000. Some 89 percent of SVB’s US$175 billion in deposits were uninsured as of the end of last year, according to the FDIC. WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF UNINSURED DEPOSITS FOR BANKS? For banks, a high amount of uninsured deposits pose their own risks. FDIC research from 2018 shows that account holders with uninsured funds are more sensitive to bad news and more quickly move funds to protect them.
If you love playing interactive games and solving puzzles, then testing your wits in an “escape room” may be right up your alley. As the name suggests, an escape room is a locked room __1__ you must escape. In order to do so, you are required to find clues and solve a series of puzzles — all in a limited amount of time. Escape rooms typically have a theme, such as solving a murder mystery or executing a successful prison break. While escape rooms __2__ particularly popular in recent years, the concept dates back to the 2000s. A Japanese publishing company called SCRAP is credited with creating the first escape room in Kyoto in 2007. Called Real Escape Game, or REG, it soon became a success in Japan and other Asian countries. In 2012, San Francisco __3__ the first permanent REG on American soil. As of July 2022, there were reportedly close to 2,000 escape rooms run by various companies across the US. However, this figure was slightly lower than in previous years due to COVID-19. The future outlook for the escape room industry seems __4__, according to industry insiders. One reason for this is the development of certain types of technology that are making escape rooms more sophisticated and interesting. Another is the growing tendency for millennials and zoomers to spend their money on new experiences __5__ just material things. You may want to try this unique adventure for yourself. 如果你喜歡玩互動遊戲和解謎,那麼在一個「密室逃脫」裡考驗你的智慧,或許正合你的胃口。顧名思義,密室逃脫就是一間上鎖的房間而你必須從中逃脫。為了逃脫出去,你得找到線索和解開一連串的謎題——全都要在限制的時間內完成。密室逃脫通常有個主題,像是解開一起謀殺謎團,或是執行一場成功的逃獄行動。 雖然密室逃脫在近幾年已變得特別受歡迎,其概念可以追溯至2000年代。一間名為SCRAP的日本出版公司被認為於2007年在京都創立了首間密室逃脫。其被稱為真人密室逃脫(REG),很快就在日本和其他亞洲國家獲得成功。2012 年,舊金山在美國國土上建立了首間永久的真人密室逃脫。截至2022年7月,據說在美國各地,有將近兩千間由不同公司經營的密室逃脫。然而,因為新冠肺炎,這個數字比前幾年稍低。 根據業內知情人士,密室逃脫未來的展望似乎是樂觀的。其中一個原因是特定科技的發展讓密室逃脫變得更精密且有趣。另一個原因是千禧世代和 Z 世代愈來愈傾向於花錢在新的體驗上,而非僅是物質的東西。你可能會想要親自試試這個獨特的冒險。 What Did You Learn? 1. (A) by that (B) for what (C) from which (D) with whom 2. (A) become (B) have become (C) will become (D) are to become 3. (A) invaded (B) associated (C) offended (D) established 4. (A) positive (B) general
履歷是個人經驗的精華摘要,更是企業評斷求職者的第一關卡,為了展現自我,不少求職者會將履歷寫的「文謅謅」甚至「過於繁瑣」。依據人力銀行研究調查,人資平均只花八點八秒看一封履歷,若是履歷中有太多不相關的內容或是文字不夠精準,很容易就被「秒刪」。 根據麻省理工學院職涯輔導專家Lily Zhang在「The Muse」網站裡發表關於履歷表的禁忌用語一文,有五個常見但最好別出現在履歷內的英文字彙。本次就來檢查一下你的履歷表裡有沒有以下單字,這些單字也經常出現在TOEIC測驗中喔。 Utilize使用 utilize的定義為「make practical and effective use of」,意思是這個「使用」可以帶來極大效益。然而,許多人為了讓自己的文章看起來更有模有樣,反而濫用了這個字。其實當use就足以表達的時候,過度使用utilize反而會過於裝模作樣。 Assist協助 這個單字經常用來表達你不是主要的出力者,但有「偶爾幫忙」的意味。許多求職者無意間會在履歷中過度使用這個單字,但其實可以用更有力的單字替代,例如collaborate「合作」、contribute to「貢獻」,代表你也是主力成員,對這個案子貢獻許多。 Collaborated with other senior engineers to assure new software available for customers. (我曾與其他資深的工程師合作,確保顧客能隨時使用新的軟體。) I have contributed to the implementation of the new billing system. (我曾貢獻一己之力,幫助建立新的收費系統 。) Responsible for負責、掌管 這是個較籠統的詞彙,無法確實表達求職者真正的成就,若要清楚說明自身貢獻及能力,建議選用一些強而有力的單字,以確實表達過去的經驗。 Responsible for the proposal and implementation of the new processing procedure. (負責新處理程序的提出和實施。) Proposed and implemented the new processing procedure. (提出並執行了新的處理程序。) 前者的敘述不僅有多此一舉的感覺,而且不夠明確,反觀後者一針見血表達求職者為某新程序的發起者並且同時是執行者。 Worked執行 work也是較為籠統的字彙,若在履歷中使用這個字可能無法引起人資的注意。這時候越有力量的單字越能讓人眼睛一亮,建議嘗試用calculated、facilitated、doubled、launched、reduced等更強而有力的單字,或許會有意想不到的效果! Facilitated meetings for approval, design, and assembly of new polyfilm applicator. (負責籌劃執行新的複合膜器的通過、設計及組合各事項等的會議。) Something-ly 這裡指的是任何字尾是「-ly」的單字,也就是所謂的「副詞」。由於履歷表的空間有限,不建議使用太多副詞去堆疊修飾,因此尋找適合的動詞變成首要工作,如此一來能避免用太多副詞來附加說明。 Investigated psychophysiology, schema and depression in young adolescents. (調查青年的心理生理學、圖示理論以及憂鬱症現象。) investigate為「調查」之意,這裡明確地指出求職者的研究領域以及主題,是履歷中常見的好用句型。 文章由TOEIC Program Taiwan · Chun Shin提供: www.facebook.com/ToeicProgramTaiwan
Here is an interest inventory for junior high school students. 這是一個為國中生設計的興趣量表。 ========== STUDENT INTEREST INVENTORY Class: No: Name: I. What career would you like to have when you grow up? What are your top three? (1) __________ (2) __________ (3) __________ II. Read each question and check the item(s) that you like . 1. Which subject(s) do you like? □ Chinese □ English□ Math □ Science □ PE □Health □ Art □ Technology 2. What kinds of books / videos do you like to read / watch? □ Animals □ Nature □ Science□ Stories □ Design □ Education□ Numbers □Computer 3. What activities do you like to do? □ Volunteer□ Fix a computer□ Do experiments □ Cook□ Watch shows□ Play sports 4. If you could have a day to work with the following people, who would they be? □ Athlete□ Engineer □ Cook □ Doctor □ Artist□ Tour guide□ Lawyer□Boss III. If you were given $10,000, what would you do with it? ========== 必備單字 1. interest n. 興趣(國中基礎1200字) 2. check v. 打勾;檢查(國中基礎1200字) 3. activity n. 活動(國中進階800字) 4. design [d?ˋza?n] n./v. 設計(國中進階800字) 實用字詞 1. experiment 實驗;試用 2. vet 獸醫 閱讀技巧: 將長句分成短字詞,以利閱讀 What career/would you like to have/when you grow up? 什麼職業/你想要擁有/當你長大時? 斷句練習 If you could have a day to work with the following people, who would they be? 解答: If you could have a day/to work with the following people,/who would they be? 假如你可以有一天/跟以下這些人工作, /他們會是誰? 考題練習: TOEIC Bridge測驗 X 國中會考題型 1. Angela likes science the most. Which boxes may she check? (A) Play sports. (B) Volunteer. (C) Do experiments. 2. George wants to be a vet. What kind of book may he like most? (A) Design. (B) Animals. (C) Computer. 3. Jennifer likes talking to people and traveling around the world. Who would she choose to work one day with? (A) An athlete, who plays table tennis. (B) An engineer, who works at a science company. (C) A tour guide, who leads people to different
A: Have you tried the new AI chatbot ChatGPT? B: Yes, I have. It interacts conversationally, and can answer my questions on the spot. A: My school has announced a ban on ChatGPT, to prevent AI-assisted cheating. B: My school hasn’t banned it, but teachers are encouraged to come up with a strict usage policy to avoid disputes. A: Instead of banning it, perhaps we should learn to live with it. A: 你試過新型人工智能聊天機器人ChatGPT嗎? B: 試過啊,它會以對話方式互動,還會立即回答問題呢。 A: 不過我的學校最近宣布禁用ChatGPT,以防止人工智能作弊。 B: 我的學校雖然沒禁用,但是鼓勵老師制定嚴格使用政策以避免爭議。 A: 與其禁用,或許我們應該學習與它共處。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩〉
對話 Dialogue A: 走,我帶你去吃牛排,七分熟的最好吃了! A: Zǒu, wǒ dài nǐ qù chī niúpái, qīfēnshóude zuì hàochīle! B: 對不起,我不能吃牛肉。 B: Duìbùqǐ, wǒ bùnéng chī niúròu. A: 沒關係,那家餐廳也有雞、魚、豬跟海鮮,都很不錯。 A: Méiguānxi, nà jiā cāntīng yěyǒu jī, yú, zhū gēn hǎixiān, dōu hěn búcuò. B: 不好意思,我最近腸胃不好,吃得太油就拉肚子。 B: Bùhǎoyìsi, wǒ zuìjìn chángwèi bù hǎo, chī de tài yóu jiù lādùzi. A: 這樣啊!我看你只能吃素了。沙拉吧吃到飽可以吧? A: Zhèyàng a! Wǒ kàn nǐ zhǐ néng chīsùle. Shālā bà chīdàobǎo kěyǐ ba? B: 可以,我最喜歡吃生菜和水煮蛋了!謝謝你啦。 B: Kěyǐ, wǒ zuì xǐhuān chī shēngcài hàn shuǐzhǔdànle! Xièxie nǐ la. 翻譯 Translation A: Come on, I’ll take you to eat steak, medium-well is the best! B: But, I don’t eat beef. A: That’s fine. That restaurant also has chicken, fish, pork and seafood. They’re all pretty good. B: Sorry, I’ve had a bad stomach recently, and I get the runs if the food is too oily. A: I see... I think the only thing you can do is to go vegetarian. How about the all-you-can-eat salad bar? B: Sure, I love lettuce and boiled eggs! Thank you. 生詞 Vocabulary 1. 吃素 (chīsù) vegetarian 2. 七分熟 (qīfēnshóu) medium-well 3. 海鮮 (hǎixiān) seafood 4. 腸胃 (chángwèi) stomach, stomach and intestine 5. 拉肚子 (lādùzi) diarrhea, get the runs 6. 吃到飽 (chīdàobǎo) all-you-can-eat 7. 生菜 (shēngcài) lettuce 8. 水煮蛋 (shuǐzhǔdàn) boiled egg 教材音檔 Audio Files 國立清華大學華語中心提供 By National Tsing Hua University Chinese Language Center: https://clc-cc.vm.nthu.edu.tw/home/
The Arctic is not known for its abundance. On the contrary, people often think of it with a shiver, not only because of the brutal cold, but also because of the apparent lack of all forms of life. However, for the indigenous people of the area, including the “Inuit,” the Arctic has always been a place that provides for them. Despite conflicts with invaders and governmental persecution, Inuit culture has continued to connect people to the land — but climate change now threatens to undo that. For millennia, Inuit have lived and hunted on the ice in regions that are now Greenland, the US state of Alaska, and the northernmost territories and provinces of Canada. But wherever they were, the continuity of their life on that land was disrupted by the arrival of Europeans. In 1950, the Canadian government even forced Inuit to settle in stationary communities as a way to “civilize” them. This removal from the seasonal cycles of hunting and gathering that had sustained Inuit for generations was devastating. Their traditional knowledge was harder to apply when they were isolated in solitary settlements, but skills like reading the weather remained both viable and valuable. As climate change has become a more urgent problem, and abnormal weather patterns have dominated the news worldwide, even those traditional Inuit methods of reading the weather have become unreliable. In many communities, elders have ceased sharing their wisdom, as they feel it has become useless. As more ice melts, the same thing is happening to skills related to navigating it on land and on the sea. Fortunately, some adolescents are still apprenticing with elders, and some indigenous-led councils are doing their best to record as much of the old knowledge as they can. Without a widespread change in the way we face climate change,
對話 Dialogue 小實:馬克,你在做什麼? Xiaoshi: Mǎkè, nǐ zài zuò shénme? 馬克:我在上網啊!我想找好玩的地方。 Make: Wǒ zài shàngwǎng a! Wǒ xiǎng zhǎo hǎowán de dìfāng. 小實:在學校附近嗎? Xiaoshi: Zài xuéxiào fùjìn ma? 馬克:對啊,聽說美麗華有個很大的摩天輪,你去過嗎? Make: Duì a, tīng shuō Měilìhuá yǒu ge hěn dà de mótiānlún, nǐ qùguò ma? 小實:我去過,美麗華不只有摩天輪,還有電影院、餐廳和商店。 Xiaoshi: Wǒ qùguò, Měilìhuá bù zhǐ yǒu mótiānlún, háiyǒu diànyǐngyuàn, cāntīng hàn shāngdiàn. 馬克:聽起來很不錯!你看,有網友說故宮博物院也很漂亮。 Make: Tīng qǐlái hěn búcuò! Nǐ kàn, yǒu wǎngyǒu shuō Gùgōng bówùyuàn yě hěn piàoliàng. 小實:故宮也在學校附近,要是你喜歡歷史,可以去參觀。 Xiaoshi: Gùgōng yě zài xuéxiào fùjìn, yàoshì nǐ xǐhuān lìshǐ, kěyǐ qù cānguān. 馬克:好,我上午去故宮參觀,下午去美麗華坐摩天輪。 Make: Hǎo, wǒ shàngwǔ qù Gùgōng cānguān, xiàwǔ qù Měilìhuá zuò mótiānlún. 翻譯Translation Xiaoshi: Mark, what are you doing? Mark: I’m surfing the internet! I’m looking for a fun place. Xiaoshi: Is it near the campus? Mark: Yes, It is said that Miramar has a huge Ferris wheel. Have you ever been there? Xiaoshi: Yes, I have been there. Miramar is not only with a Ferris wheel, but also has cinemas, restaurants and shops. Mark: Sounds great! See, some netizens said that the National Palace Museum is also very beautiful. Xiaoshi: The Museum is also near the campus. If you like history, you may visit it. Mark: Okay, I will visit the Palace Museum before noon and ride the Ferris wheel in Miramar in the afternoon. 單字片語Vocabulary 1. 上網(shàngwǎng) go online, to surf the Internet 2. 聽說 (tīng shuō) it is said that 3. 不只 (bùzhǐ) not only 4. 摩天輪 (mótiānlún) Ferris wheel 5. 網友 (wǎngyǒu) netizen 6. 歷史 (lìshǐ) history 7. 參觀 (cānguān) to visit 教材音檔 Audio Files 教材影片 Video Files: https://www.instagram.com/celc.nou_tw/guide/_/17999106352646292/ 實踐大學華語中心提供 By Shih Chien University Chinese Language Center: https://chineseusc.com/
Dick Fosbury, the lanky leaper who revamped the technical discipline of high jump and won an Olympic gold medal with his “Fosbury Flop,” died on Sunday last week. He was 76. Before Fosbury, many high jumpers cleared their heights by running parallel to the bar, then using a straddle kick to leap over before landing with their faces pointed downward. At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Fosbury took off at an angle, leaped backward, bent himself into a “J” shape to catapult his 6-foot-4 frame over the bar, then crashed headfirst into the landing pit. It was a convention-defying move, and with the world watching, Fosbury cleared 2.24 meters to win the gold and set an Olympic record. By the next Olympics, 28 of the 40 jumpers were using Fosbury’s technique. The Montreal Games in 1976 marked the last Olympics in which a high jumper won using a technique other than the Fosbury Flop. Over time, Fosbury’s move became about more than simply high jumping. It is often used by business leaders and university professors as a study in innovation and willingness to take chances and break the mold. “It’s literally genius,” said 2012 Olympic high jump champion Erik Kynard Jr. “And it takes huge courage, obviously. And took huge courage at the time to even consider something so dangerous. Due to the equipment then, it was something that was a little on edge to attempt.” Fosbury started tinkering with a new technique in the early ‘60s, as a teenager at Medford High School in Oregon. Among his discoveries was a need to move his takeoff point farther back for higher jumps, so he could change the apex of the parabola shape of his jump to clear the bar. Most traditional jumpers of that day planted a foot and took off from the same spot
Humanity reached a milestone in November last year, when the global population exceeded eight billion people. Reaching this number means people are living longer, with generally better access to healthcare, food and sanitation than previous generations. Along with passing this milestone, many demographic changes are expected to occur in the coming years. A United Nations report shows that the world’s population will increase to around 9.7 billion people by the year 2050. It is predicted to peak three decades later at approximately 10.4 billion people and stay around this number until the end of the century. What’s interesting to note is that more than half of the population growth up to 2050 will come from just eight countries—the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tanzania. Although the population is increasing, it isn’t climbing as quickly as in the past. The global number has been growing at its slowest rate since the 1950s. In fact, the rate has been below 1% since 2020. Furthermore, fertility rates have been steadily declining over the years. Around two-thirds of humanity lives in countries with fertility rates below 2.1 births per woman, which is the number needed to maintain a population. Meanwhile, the share of the global population aged 65 and above is rapidly rising. It is predicted to rise from 10% last year to 16% in 2050. Countries with aging populations should adapt their policies by establishing or improving universal healthcare and long-term care systems. 2022年11月,人類達成一項里程碑,就在那時全球人口超過八十億。人口達到這一數量表示跟過去幾代的人相比,人們普遍更容易取得醫療、食物和公衛設施資源,因而活得更久。 除了突破這一項里程碑外,預計未來幾年人口統計資料將發生許多變化。一份聯合國報告顯示,到了2050年,世界人口將增加至大約九十七億。再過三十年,預計將達到約一百零四億的巔峰,並維持在這個數字上下直到本世紀結束。值得注意的是,直到2050年,人口增長有一半以上將來自僅僅八個國家——剛果民主共和國、埃及、衣索比亞、印度、奈及利亞、巴基斯坦、菲律賓、坦尚尼亞。 儘管人口正在增加,但並不像過去那樣迅速攀升。自1950年代以來,全球人口數一直以最慢的速度增加。事實上,自2020年以來,人口成長率一直低於百分之一。此外,過去幾年來生育率持續下滑。全球約三分之二的人類生活在生育率低於每名婦女生2.1個小孩的國家中,這是人口持平所需的數量。 同時,全球六十五歲以上人口的比例正迅速攀升。預計這一比例將從2022年的百分之十在2050年增長至百分之十六。人口高齡化的國家應調整政策,建立或改善全民醫療保健和長期照護的體系。 What Did You Learn? 1. According to the passage, when is the global population supposed to reach its peak? (A) 2022. (B) 2050. (C) 2080. (D) 2100. 2. Why is a fertility rate of 2.1 births per woman significant? (A) It is the highest fertility rate ever recorded. (B) It is the
對許多人而言,雞蛋是生活上不可或缺的食物,不論是早餐三明治內的煎蛋、或是晚餐便當中的滷蛋,台灣人對雞蛋的需求量極大,根據統計,台灣人每年吃掉七十幾億顆蛋,是全世界雞蛋消耗量第一的國家。去年冬天開始禽流感侵襲全世界,全台雞蛋也受波及,嚴重缺貨,許多民眾排隊還不一定搶得到雞蛋,不只是大賣場與雜貨店,甚至早餐店都面臨了「缺蛋」的問題。全台面臨「蛋蛋危機」,政府也開始提出更多配套措施來應付目前缺蛋的窘況。本次就讓我們從「蛋荒」的議題來學各種描述社會現象及數據的英文吧! ========== 如何描述蛋荒? 一般講到「短缺」時,最常用shortage來形容,如去年的water shortage「缺水」、electricity/power shortage「缺電」。而現在全台面臨的就是一個egg shortage「蛋荒」。 Taiwan’s daily egg demand is about 24 million, while its daily production capacity during the shortage has been about 22.6 million eggs. (台灣每日的雞蛋需求約2,400萬顆,缺貨期間僅約2,260萬顆雞蛋。) shortage和shortfall的差別在於shortfall指的是「不足的(量)、缺額、短少的量」,簡單來說,fall short of…就是「短缺…」的意思。 Our sales have fallen short of the target set by the department. (我們的銷售額沒有達到部門設定的標準。) insufficient insufficient (adj)「不足,短少」在TOEIC測驗中經常出現,deficit (n)則可以解釋為「赤字、虧損」。 The bank just informed us that there were insufficient funds to make the transfer. (銀行剛通知我們帳戶資金不足以轉帳。) 另一個較難的單字是scarcity (n)「缺乏、不足、稀少」,形容詞為scarce (adj)。 The government decided to import eggs from other countries to address the scarcity. (政府決定從其他國家進口雞蛋來應付短缺的問題。) 「蛋蛋危機」? 造成這次蛋荒的原因究竟為何?根據報導,本次導致「蛋蛋危機」背後的因素相當複雜,從飼料價格上漲、日夜溫差大導致母雞致死率高、到禽流感肆虐等,都是引起缺蛋的主要原因。 The cold weather has been to blame, for some, and for others, the impact of avian influenza, climate instability, and rising international prices for materials. (天氣寒冷、禽流感、氣候不穩定以及國際原物料價格上漲都是罪魁禍首。) instability (n)「不穩定」,相反字為stability (n)、stable(adj)「穩定」,都是多益測驗高頻出現的單字。 Maintaining stability in the Taiwan Strait is important to a lot of countries. (維持台灣海峽的穩定對許多國家來說很重要。) stabilize 如要將stability當動詞使用,加上動詞字尾「-ize」即可,會變成stabilize (v)。 The Executive Yuan announced that the government would waive a 5 percent business tax for importers of soybeans, wheat and corn to stabilize chicken feed prices, the council said. (農委會表示,行政院宣布,政府將對大豆、小麥和玉米進口商免除百分之五的營業稅,以穩定雞飼料的價格。) stabilize prices「穩定物價」,跟價格搭配使用的詞有很多,關於本次蛋荒的新聞,就常看到freeze prices「凍漲」、raise/lift prices「漲價」。 The government decided to give farmers compensation for freezing the prices. (政府決定提供補償給農民凍漲價格的(損失)。) 各種「蛋」片語 希望這次缺蛋的狀況能夠儘快落幕,民眾們也不再需要跑到各賣場找蛋(egg hunt)。最後來看看和蛋相關的英文片語或諺語。 1. 提到找蛋,第一個想到的就是尋找復活節彩蛋(Easter egg),而easter egg也引申為「意想不到的驚喜」,因此許多電影中加入一些刻意安排的巧思,讓影迷能夠在觀影過程中尋找蛛絲馬跡,享受意外發現的樂趣,也就稱為「電影彩蛋」。 Gina made a video talking about hidden Easter eggs in some popular Disney movies. (吉娜拍了一支影片介紹迪士尼電影中的隱藏彩蛋。) 2. to put all your eggs in one basket字面上解釋為「把全部的蛋放在一個籃子裡」,引申為「孤注一擲」的意思。 When it comes to investing, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You need to diversify your portfolio. (投資時,千萬別把雞蛋放在同個籃子,你需要有更多樣化的投資組合。) 【TOEIC模擬試題】 1. We _____ on eggshells since the new sales manager came last month. (A) walk (B) have been walking (C) have walking (D) were walking 2. Oil prices _____ during the outbreak since a lot of people started teleworking. (A) deficient (B) fell short of (C) scarce (D) slumped 【解析】 1. 正解為(B)。句意為「自從上個月新的業務經理來了後,我們一直都很小心翼翼。」本題是要選擇適合空格的時態,句子中判斷時態的關鍵詞是since「自從」,常與完成式一同使用,故(B) 是正確答案。walk on eggshells代表「小心翼翼」的意思。 2. 正解為(D)。句意為「油價在疫情期間 _____ 因為許多人開始遠距工作。」本題為單字文法題,要選擇符合句意的單字和文法。(A)不足的,(B)短少,(C)缺少的,(D)暴跌。故(D)是正確答案。 SOURCE: https://www.englishok.com.tw/toeic/toeic-issue/egg-shortage
James is surfing the Internet for lessons. 詹姆斯正在上網搜尋課程。 必備單字 1. experience v.經歷;n.經驗(國中基本1200字) 2. offer v.提供 (國中挑戰800字) 實用字詞 1. PE (Physical Education) class 體育課 2. voucher 現金券 3. ASAP (as soon as possible) 盡快 閱讀技巧: 將長句分成短字詞,以利閱讀 Become a member/of fUN Learning,/and choose the courses/you like. 成為一個會員/「fUN Learning」的/並且選擇課程/你喜歡。 斷句練習: If you have questions, you can also ask our online teachers. 解答: If you have questions,/you can also/ask our online teachers. 假如你有問題,/你也可以/ 問我們的線上老師。 考題練習: TOEIC Bridge測驗 X 國中會考題型 1. Which is true? (A) fUN Learning is a school. (B) fUN Learning is for students only. (C) You can learn from fUN Learning at midnight. 2. What does “them” in the text refer to? (A) The members. (B) The courses. (C) The questions. 3. James bought three courses on fUN Learning on March 2 this year. What did he get besides the courses? (A) A 30% discount. (B) Two NT$200 vouchers. (C) A 10% discount and a NT$200 voucher. 解答: 1. (C) 2. (B) 3. (C) 文章由TOEIC Program Taiwan · Chun Shin提供: www.facebook.com/ToeicProgramTaiwan
A: South Korean supergroup Blackpink has finally come to Taiwan, and I’m going to one of their Kaohsiung concerts this weekend. I’m over the moon. B: My goodness. However did you manage to get a ticket? I’ve heard that all tickets were snapped up. A: That’s right. They sold 90,000 tickets for the two shows, breaking Coldplay’s record of selling 80,000 tickets for two shows in Taiwan. B: No wonder Blackpink is the world’s top girl group. A: Well, I may be too excited to sleep tonight. A: 南韓女子天團Blackpink終於來台灣啦,而且我週末要去高雄看她們的演唱會,真開心。 B: 天啊,你竟然能搶到門票,聽說所有門票全都被秒殺了。 A: 對啊,這次兩場演唱會賣出九萬張門票,還打破Coldplay兩場賣出八萬張門票的紀錄。 B: 她們真不愧是全球最紅的女團! A: 我今晚可能會興奮到睡不著吧。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
對話 Dialogue A:你怎麼了?看起來不太舒服。 A: Nǐ zěnmele? Kànqǐlái bú tài shūfú. B:我最近非常忙,壓力很大,脖子跟肩膀都痠痛。 B: Wǒ zuìjìn fēicháng máng, yālì hěn dà, bózi gēn jiānbǎng dōu suāntòng. A:要不要去按摩?我覺得對肌肉放鬆很有幫助。 A: Yào búyào qù ànmó? Wǒ juéde duì jīròufàngsōng hěn yǒu bāngzhù. B:那要去哪裡按呢?你能幫我推薦嗎? B: Nà yào qù nǎlǐ àn ne? Nǐ néng bāng wǒ tuījiàn ma? A:我知道一家盲人按摩院,師傅很厲害,按完馬上就輕鬆不少。 A: Wǒ zhīdào yìjiā mángrén ànmó yuàn, shīfù hěn lìhài, ànwán mǎshàng jiù qīngsōng bùshǎo. B:好,請給我他的電話,我現在就預約。 B: Hǎo, qǐng gěi wǒ tā de diànhuà, wǒ xiànzài jiù yùyuē. 翻譯 Translation A: What happened? You don’t look well. B: I’ve been really busy these days and under lots of pressure. My neck and shoulders are really sore. A: Would you like to try a massage? It will relax your tired muscles. B: Where can I get one? Can you recommend a place? A: I know a therapist who is a blind. He is excellent. You’ll feel much better after the massage. B: Great! What’s his phone number? I’ll make an appointment right away. 生詞 Vocabulary 1. 按摩 (ànmó) massage 2. 壓力 (yālì) stress, pressure 3. 肌肉 (jīròu) muscle 4. 放鬆 (fàngsōng) to relax 5. 盲人 (mángrén) a blind 6. 師傅 (shīfù) a person who has a kind of skill as his/her career 7. 厲害 (lìhài) great, excellent 8. 預約 (yùyuē) to make an appointment or reservation 教材音檔 Audio Files 國立清華大學華語中心提供 By National Tsing Hua University Chinese Language Center: https://clc-cc.vm.nthu.edu.tw/home/
Welcome to Brasov — a small town sheltered in the mountains of Romania. While the population is relatively small, the town boasts a surplus of historic curiosities. From the splendid town square to the magnificent peak of Tampa Mountain, there are countless wonders to explore. 1. Council Square: The Council Square, Pia?a Sfatului in Romanian, is the historic center of Brasov. It’s bordered on all sides by red-roofed merchant buildings and ornate churches. In the center of the square sits the Old Town Hall with its large watchtower. This building is now the Brasov History Museum. There, you can see objects from Brasov’s past, such as stone tools and painted ceramics. If all that history has made you hungry, the Council Square is also the best place to sample the local cuisine. 2. The Black Church: The Black Church, built between 1385 and 1477, is a striking example of Gothic-style architecture. The church gets its name from its dark walls, which were blackened by the Great Fire of 1689. The church houses a large collection of antique rugs and tapestries. It is also home to a 4,000-pipe organ that dates back to 1839. Concerts are regularly held in the church to give listeners a chance to hear this impressive instrument. Music lovers will not want to miss this. 3. Tampa Mountain Cable Car and the Brasov Sign: Perhaps the best way to experience Brasov is from a higher viewpoint. Hiking up Tampa Mountain takes about an hour, or, for a few dollars, you can take a leisurely cable car ride to the top. Up on the mountain you can enjoy being surrounded by nature and also appreciate the impressive view of Brasov’s architecture below. Tampa Mountain is also proudly decorated by the iconic Brasov sign, which has given Brasov the nickname “The Hollywood of Eastern Europe.”
Belgium is banning TikTok from government phones over worries about cybersecurity, privacy and misinformation, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said on Friday last week, mirroring recent action by other authorities in Europe and the US. The Chinese-owned video sharing app will be temporarily prohibited from devices owned or paid for by Belgium’s federal government for at least six months, according to a post on de Croo’s Web site. TikTok said it is “disappointed at this suspension, which is based on basic misinformation about our company.” The company said it’s “readily available to meet with officials to address any concerns and set the record straight on misconceptions.” TikTok is owned by China’s ByteDance, which moved its headquarters to Singapore in 2020. The company sought to distance itself from its Chinese roots, saying its parent company is incorporated outside of China and it’s majority owned by global institutional investors. However, the European Union’s three main institutions and Denmark’s defense ministry have already ordered employees to remove the app from devices used for official business. Similar bans have been imposed in Canada and the US. FBI Director Christopher Wray said TikTok could be used to control data and software on millions of devices in the US and drive narratives to divide Americans while even intelligence agencies might miss manipulation by the Chinese-owned video app. Republican Senator Marco Rubio called TikTok “one of the most valuable surveillance tools on the planet.” “They can collect our data, manipulate information, poison the minds and feed garbage into the minds of millions of people,” Rubio said. “This is a substantial national security threat for the country, of a kind that we didn’t face in the past.” The platform has been under a national security review by the US government’s Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, or Cfius, and is set to be