Afghan all-female robotics team designs low-cost ventilator for coronavirus patients 自製呼吸器的阿富汗少女

In the eastern Afghan city of Herat, 18-year-old high school student Somaya Faruqi adjusts a suction cap as she puts the finishing touches before unveiling a low-cost, lightweight ventilator created by her and six other young women. The all-female Afghan Robotics Team, which has won international awards for its robots, started work in March on an open-source, low-cost ventilator as the coronavirus pandemic hit the war-torn nation. It took the team almost four months to finalize the ventilator, which is partly based on a Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) design, and they received guidance from experts at Harvard University. The device is easy to carry, can run on battery power for 10 hours and costs around US$700 (approx. NT$21,000) to produce, compared with the US$20,000 price of a traditional ventilator. Although the ventilator still has to undergo final testing from health authorities before it can be used, officials welcome it in a country with only 800 ventilators, to treat the fast-growing number of coronavirus cases in a health system damaged by decades of war. Health Ministry spokesman Akmal Samsor said once the ventilators were approved they would be rolled out in Afghan hospitals and the design shared with the World Health Organization. Afghanistan has recorded 36,710 COVID-19 cases and 1,283 deaths, though experts warn that the true count is probably far higher due to low testing rates. (Reuters) 在阿富汗東部的城市赫拉特，十八歲的高中生索瑪亞‧法路琪調整了吸盤，在這款低成本、輕便的呼吸器發表前，做最後的修飾。這呼吸器是由法路琪和其他六位年輕女性一起創作出來的。 阿富汗機器人團隊全由女子組成，所設計的機器人曾獲得國際獎項。冠狀病毒疫情重創已飽經戰火摧殘的阿富汗，因此小組成員自三月起，便開始研發開源、低成本的呼吸器。 該團隊花了近四個月的時間完成呼吸器，它部分是基於美國麻省理工學院的設計，團隊也受到哈佛大學專家的指導。 這套裝置便於攜帶，可用電池供電，續航力有十小時；其成本約為七百美元（約為台幣兩萬一千元），傳統的呼吸器則要價兩萬美元。 雖然這套呼吸器還必須經過衛生主管機關的最後測試才能夠派上用場，但在這僅有八百套呼吸器、染疫民眾暴增、醫療系統已被數十年戰亂毀壞的國家，政府官員對此呼吸器的研發樂見其成。 阿富汗衛生部發言人阿克馬‧山穆索表示，這些呼吸器一經核准，便將推廣至國內各醫院使用，其設計也將與世界衛生組織共享。 阿富汗已有三萬六千七百一十人確診武漢肺炎（冠狀病毒病，COVID-19），其中一千二百八十三人死亡，但專家表示，由於檢測率低，實際的數字可能還要高得多。 (台北時報林俐凱編譯)

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

A: Wow, the current Power Lottery jackpot is a record breaking NT$3.12 billion due to 47 consecutive rollovers without a winner. B: Are you serious? NT$3.12 billion! You could buy a small island with that. When does the draw take place? A: Let me check. . . It’s this evening! B: We’ve still got one hour before ticket sales close. This opportunity’s just too good to miss. Quick, put your shoes on and grab your wallet. There’s a lottery store not far from here. A: Go go go! (Edward Jones, Taipei Times) A: 哇，這期的威力彩，頭獎三十一點二億打破紀錄。已經連續累積四十七期都沒人中獎。 B: 真的嗎？三十一點二億！那些錢都可以買下一座小島了。什麼時候開獎？ A: 讓我來查一下……就是今晚。 B: 在彩券截止販售前我們還有一小時，這麼好的機會千萬不可錯過。快點，穿上鞋子、帶上皮夾， 離這裡不遠就有一家彩券行。 A: 快出發吧！ （台北時報張聖恩譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Woolly mammoth skeleton found in lake in Russia’s Arctic 俄羅斯北極圈 發現古代猛瑪象骸骨

Russian scientists are poring over the stunningly well-preserved bones of an adult woolly mammoth that roamed the Earth at least 10,000 years ago, after local inhabitants discovered its remains in the shallows of a north Siberian lake. Part of its skull, several ribs and foreleg bones, some with soft tissue still attached to them, were retrieved from Russia’s remote Yamal peninsula above the Arctic Circle on July 23. Scientists are still searching the site for other bones. Similar finds in Russia’s vast Siberian region have happened with increasing regularity as climate change warming the Arctic at a faster pace than the rest of the world has thawed the ground in some areas long locked in permafrost. Scientists circulated images in December of a prehistoric puppy, thought to be 18,000 years old, that was found in the permafrost region of Russia’s Far East in 2018. The mammoth remains are at least 10,000 years old, although researchers don’t yet know exactly when it walked the earth or how old it was when it died, said Dmitry Frolov, director of the Scientific Centre for Arctic studies. Researchers have found mammoth fossils dating from up to 30,000 years ago in Russia, he said. Yevgeniya Khozyainova, a scientist from a local museum, said it was unusual to find so many bones belonging to a single species and to know where they came from. “Of course, we’d like to find the remaining parts, to understand how complete a find it is. Whenever there is soft tissue left behind, it is valuable material to study,” she said. (Reuters) 俄國科學家近日埋首挖掘一頭真猛瑪象的成象骸骨，其保存狀況良好得讓人吃驚。遠在一萬年前，這頭真猛瑪象曾經漫步於地球上，而這次出土的骨骸是當地居民在西伯利亞北部一座湖邊的淺灘所發現。 這隻真猛瑪象的部分頭蓋骨、數根肋骨和前腿骨，在七月二十三日出土於俄羅斯位於北極圈內偏遠的亞馬爾半島，其中一些骸骨仍有軟組織附著在上面。科學家目前仍然在該地持續搜尋其他骸骨。 在俄羅斯廣闊的西伯利亞地區，類似的考古發現愈趨頻繁，這是因為氣候變遷暖化北極圈的速度，比世界其他地方還來得快。某些長久以來鎖在永凍土層的地區，地面已經解凍。 去年十二月，科學家間流傳著一隻史前時代幼犬的照片，是二○一八年在俄羅斯遠東地區的永凍土區域發現的，推測年代為一萬八千年前。 俄羅斯北極研究中心主任狄米崔‧伏羅洛夫表示，雖然研究人員還不知道這隻猛瑪象漫步在地球上的確切時代，或是牠過世的年紀，但是這具遺骸起碼有一萬年的歷史。他說，研究人員曾經在俄羅斯發現過可追溯到三萬年前的猛瑪象化石。 當地博物館的科學家葉芙金妮雅‧霍奇艾諾娃指出，能夠發現許多同屬於單一物種的骨頭是相當少見的，也不容易知道它們來自何處。她說：「當然，我們希望能找到剩下的部位，想要了解這次發現的完整程度。只要有軟組織殘留下來，都會是珍貴的研究材料。」 （台北時報章厚明譯）

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

A: Wow, this teahouse is amazing. I feel like I’ve been transported to Kyoto. Hey, don’t sip your tea yet. I want to take a photo first. B: But I’m absolutely parched. A: One second, I just need to adjust the camera’s exposure setting. Arrrgh, that didn’t work. Hmmm, maybe I need to turn this dial. B: Wake me up when you’ve finished... A: 哇，這間茶屋真棒，我覺得好像被傳送到京都了。嘿，先不要啜飲你的茶。我要先來拍照。 B: 但是我快渴死了。 A : 一秒鐘就好，我只需要調整相機的曝光設定。啊，這沒有用。嗯，也許我應該來轉這個鈕。 B : 我先睡一覺，你弄完再叫醒我。 English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Photo News: The annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage in the time of COVID-19 從照片看新聞: 武漢肺炎時期的穆斯林朝覲

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

A: Any other ideas for where to visit in Tainan? B: After we visit the rice mill, how about we go to a famous Japanese-style tea house that makes authentic matcha tea. A: You know me too well: I love matcha tea and the vibrant green color of the tea should make for some great photos. B: You’re turning into a photo obsessive. A : 你還有想去台南的什麼地方嗎？ B : 我們參觀完碾米場後，去一家很有名的日式茶屋如何？那裡有正統的抹茶。 A : 你真是太了解我了。我喜歡抹茶，而且茶湯充滿豐富綠意的顏色一定可以拍出很多好照片。 B : 你快要變成攝影魔人了。 English 英文: Chinese 中文:

New animated film ‘Vic the Viking’ hits screens today 《北海小英雄》今日上映 雷神索爾助陣

The beloved boy Viking character is back! Animated film Vic the Viking — The Magic Sword is hitting the screens in Taiwan today. This time around, Vic’s father, village chief Halvar, steals a magic sword from pirates that turns Vic’s mother into gold, and the clever hero ventures to a dangerous land to find the cure. Based on children’s book Vicke Viking, the Viking boy first gained global fame when animated TV series Vicky the Viking was released in the 1970s. The show relates the adventures of a boy who uses his wits to help the people in his village. It was perhaps one of the most popular cartoons for Taiwan’s sixth and seventh graders, born in the 1970s and 1980s. The series inspired numerous pirate animations, including One Piece. The new movie is based on animated TV series Vic the Viking aired in 2013-14, introducing the Norse thunder god Thor into the plot to add more excitement to the journey. (Eddy Chang, Taipei Times) 大家最喜愛的維京男孩回來啦！動畫電影《北海小英雄—魔劍傳奇》今日在台上映。這一次，小威的村長爸爸哈瓦從海盜們那裡偷來一把神奇寶劍，但寶劍卻將他媽媽變成了黃金。於是聰明的小威冒險前往危險國度尋找解藥。 《北海小英雄》電視版本改編自童書《維京人小威》，一九七○年代推出後，使得這位維京男孩在全世界聲名遠播。該卡通是小威運用機智幫助村民的冒險故事，是七○、八○年代出生的台灣六、七年級生最愛看的卡通之一。該系列更啟發了《海賊王》等無數海盜主題動畫。 而這次的電影，以二○一三至一四年推出的新版同名電視卡通為基礎。劇情甚至加入北歐神話中的「雷神」索爾，讓小威這次的旅程更令人興奮。 （台北時報張聖恩〉

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

A: I still think it sounds a bit boring. Anyway, I’m not that into rice, I’m more of a noodles person. B: You’re missing the point: Yichang Rice Mill is 90 years old. The building itself is beautiful and the vintage machinery is made from Taiwanese cypress. It’s a must-see cultural gem. A: Alright, alright. You persuaded me. I’m putting it on the list. A: 我還是覺得那裡聽起來有一點無聊。反正，我對米飯沒什麼興趣，我個人比較喜歡麵食。 B: 你還是沒搞懂：義昌碾米廠已經九十歲了。建築物本身很美麗，裡面的碾米機還是用台灣檜木製成的。是絕對不能錯過的文化珍寶。 A: 好啦好啦，你說服我了。我把它加進旅遊清單裡。 English 英文: Chinese 中文:

English Etymologies: The origins of ‘plagiarist’ 英語字源學:「文抄公」的起源

The Latin word plaga means a snare or a hunting net, and is thought to derive from the Proto Indo-European root *plak, meaning “to weave.” From this came the Latin noun plagium, meaning the act of “kidnapping” and “the netting of game.” The perpetrator of the act was called a plagiarius, that is, a kidnapper (a person who steals a human regarded at the time as “belonging” to another, for example a child or somebody else’s slave). By extension, plagiarius also came to mean a seducer or, after the Roman poet Martial complained of another poet “kidnapping his verses” in the 1st century AD, somebody who commits literary theft by attempting to pass off others’ artistic designs, ideas or writing as their own. In the 17th and early 18th century the Latin for “kidnapper” and “kidnapping” were adopted into English as “plagiary” and “plagium,” respectively. Martial’s sense of the plagiarius as the committer of literary theft was also adopted into English: over time, the word “plagiary” evolved into “plagiarist,” the modern word for the perpetrator of literary theft, while the modern word for the act changed from “plagium” to “plagiarism.” (Paul Cooper, Taipei Times) 拉丁文「plaga」意為陷阱，或捕鳥獸之網，據信由原始印歐語字根「*plak」（意為「編織」）演變而來。由此字根衍生出之拉丁文名詞「plagium」，意為「綁架」的行動，以及「為狩獵結網」。犯下綁架罪的人則稱為「plagiarius」，亦即綁架者（偷取當時被認為是他人「財產」的人，例如兒童或別人的奴隸）。「plagiarius」的衍伸義還有「誘惑者」，以及犯下文學偷竊罪的人，因其試圖將別人的藝術構思、見解或文字假冒為自己的，其典故來自西元一世紀的羅馬詩人馬提亞爾，他抱怨另一位詩人「綁架了他的詩句」。 在十七世紀與十八世紀早期，「綁架者」及「綁架」的拉丁文被英文吸收，分別成為「plagiary」（剽竊）及「plagium」這兩個字。馬提亞爾所說的「plagiarius」——犯下文學偷竊罪的人，也被英文吸收：久而久之，「plagiary」演變為現今「plagiarist」（抄襲者、剽竊者、文抄公）一字，而抄襲的行為則由「plagium」變成現代的拼法「plagiarism」。 （台北時報林俐凱譯）

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

A : Have you got any ideas where to go in Tainan? Somewhere I can test out my new camera. B : Well, there is one place I’d really like to visit. A rice mill. A : A what? That sounds so dull. B : Hear me out, it actually sounds really interesting. It’s a historic Japanese-era mill that’s just opened to the public following restoration. A : 你有想去台南哪裡嗎？最好是我可以測試新相機的地方。 B : 嗯，有一個地方我真的很想去。一間碾米廠。 A : 一間什麼？聽起來好無聊。 B : 你仔細聽我說，其實那邊聽起來真的很有趣。那是一座歷史悠久的日治時代碾米廠，最近修復完成後才對一般大眾開放。 English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Tainan’s latest photo fetish an accident waiting to happen 擅闖恐變亡美！台南「綠巨人浩克的家」是危樓 　地主急掛布條勸阻

In Jiaokeng Borough in Tainan’s Sinhua District, an abandoned shell of a building, its walls overgrown with dense climbing vines, has become a popular photo op for users of Instagram and Facebook. Nicknamed “The Hulk’s House,” the 43-year-old building is perilous due to a lack of hand rails and other safety features. Despite this, tourists continue to ignore repeated warnings and to enter the building without permission. Officials from Sinhua District Office scrambled to contact the landowner, surnamed Lin, who has now strung up a red banner emblazoned with a warning, appealing to members of the public not to trespass in the interests of their own safety. “The Hulk’s House” is situated on local highway 172. Its walls, blanketed in Boston ivy, give the structure a unique feel and has captured the attention of the public. After a netizen dubbed it “maple tree ruins,” tourists attracted by the building’s beguiling appearance began to search it out. However, as well as standing outside the building, tourists have taken pictures from every corner of the building, including group photos, and even ventured inside in search of novel locations to snap the perfect social media “selfie.” The visitors’ cavalier attitude to safety has caused concern among locals. Sinhua District Administrator Wu chin-hsi says that construction of the building was never finished and so it has no safety fixtures. Wu adds that a previous earthquake has also caused the building to subside. The building’s age and state of disrepair means that the internal structure has become extremely fragile, Wu says, and a lack of resources to maintain the building means that it is a disaster waiting to happen. Wu even cautions against visitors standing close to the building.(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times) 台南新化區礁坑里有一處荒棄的連棟透天厝，因外牆爬滿蔓藤植物，被戲稱是「綠巨人浩克的家」，照片上傳IG與FB，成為熱門的網美景點；由於屋齡長達四十三年，建築結構老舊，且沒有欄杆，相當危險，遊客卻屢勸不聽，仍會私自進入，區公所緊急聯繫後，林姓地主已掛起警示的紅布條，呼籲民眾切勿擅闖，以策安全。 綠巨人浩克的家位於南一七二線上，壁面長滿了「爬牆虎」，成為另類的特色建築，引起矚目，也有網友以「廢墟風樹屋」稱之，遊客慕名尋訪，不僅站在外頭，以各角度取鏡、合影，甚至擅自闖入，搶拍新奇網美照，罔顧安全的舉動，令地方民眾擔心。 新化區長吳金喜表示，該連棟透天厝當時並未完工，無任何安全防護設施，之前的地震，曾造成下陷，年久失修，屋內結構脆弱，且乏人管理，真的有潛藏危機，最好連靠近都不要。 (自由時報記者吳俊鋒)

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

A : Yep, that’s the one. After photos appeared on social media, netizens named it “The Hulk’s House.” It’s an amazing photo op and the perfect opportunity to road test my new DSLR camera. B : I read about it in the news the other day. The building is apparently quite dangerous and could collapse at any moment. Officials have warned people not to go inside. A : What a pity. OK, I’ll strike it off the list. A : 沒錯，就是那裡。照片開始出現在社群媒體後，網友就為建築取了「綠巨人浩克的家」的暱稱。那是一個很棒的攝影景點，而且也是測試我新買的數位單眼相機的絕佳機會。 B : 我前幾天有看到新聞報導。那座建築很明顯是非常危險的，隨時都有可能崩塌。官員已經警告民眾不要擅自闖入了。 A : 真可惜。好吧，我把它從清單上劃掉。 English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Drones to robots: Pandemic fuels US autonomous delivery 從無人機到機器人：自動投遞商機大爆發

Cough medicine, snacks, baking ingredients: Kelly Passek has shopping delivered weekly to her yard in Christiansburg, Virginia — by a drone. The flying vehicle comes with little fuss, hovering briefly over her yard and letting down its package. “It’s very fast — even the noise you hear is no more than 30 seconds,” she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The service is a pilot project by Google parent Alphabet Inc’s drone delivery business Wing, which is operating similar projects in Finland and Australia. In Christiansburg, residents who sign up can get drone delivery from a locally owned business, a national pharmacy and FedEx. RISING DEMAND As with other autonomous delivery services, both airborne and terrestrial, Wing has seen a major uptick in interest amid the coronavirus pandemic, as emergency regulations keep people at home and complicate many of the simplest tasks. “For a while, they (Wing) were the only one with toilet paper. It turned from being a novelty to being a service that’s used because it’s necessary,” said Passek, whose first drone delivery was in October. The pandemic-era rise in focus on autonomous delivery is also prompting local officials and others to think about how these services use public space in their cities. “Cities aren’t necessarily built for robots roaming around,” said Christopher Bruno, economic development director with Fairfax City, Virginia, which recently helped start a robot delivery service. “That’s something we’re monitoring.” ECONOMIC LIFELINE Wing was formed in 2012, and last year it became the first drone company to be approved as an air carrier by the federal government. Within its 4.8km-radius Christiansburg delivery area, residents can sign up for the service and get deliveries within about 10 minutes. They also brought in more local businesses, providing an economic lifeline for some: about a quarter of sales at a local cafe now come from drone delivery, while a coffee shop

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

A: I just finished reading an article about a cool abandoned building in Tainan. B: Oh? What’s so special about it? A: It’s basically just a concrete shell because the building was never finished. Over the years, climbing ivy has grown up all over the building and carpeted the outside in dense foliage. B: Hang on, is that the placed called “The Hulk’s House”? A: 我剛剛讀完一篇報導，說台南有一座很酷的廢棄建築。 B: 哦？有什麼特別的嗎？ A: 其實那只是一個水泥粗胚，因為整棟建築從未完成。幾年下來，藤蔓植物爬滿了建築，濃密的綠葉垂掛在外牆。 B: 等等，你是說那個「綠巨人浩克的家」嗎？ English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Artist picks up brush after 60 years to depict scenes of rustic Taiwan 隔六十多年再拿畫筆　藝術家畫出台灣味

When he was still only 11 years old, watercolor artist Lin Ying-che, born in Chiayi County’s Puzih City, was taught by Wu Mei-lin, an established artist at the time. Lin would later have to put his dreams of being a painter on hold as he had to turn his attention to looking after his family. Even his wife had no idea that he was able to paint, and it wasn’t until after he retired at the age of 75 that Lin picked up the brush again, after a gap of over 60 years. Over the following decade, he has been painting scenes of farming villages as he remembers them, as well as temples around Taiwan. He has exhibited his work in Taiwan and overseas, and was once selected for a national landscape painting award in Japan. One elderly Taiwanese living in Japan back then was even moved to tears when viewing his painting, as they were reminded of the Taiwan of their childhood. This year, Lin returned to his hometown to visit the Tian Gong Tan temple in Puzih City and paint the temple architecture. On Thursday last week, he donated the finished painting to the Tian Gong Tan, which was received by temple chairman Lin Po-wen. At the event, Puzih City Mayor Wu Pin-jui awarded Lin honorary citizenship of Puzih City. A smiling Lin, who is now 86, says that when he was a young boy, the artist Wu Mei-lin showed him how to sketch from nature, and tried to persuade him not to give up painting. When Lin left National Chiayi Industrial Vocational High School, however, he had to go out and earn a living to contribute to the family keep, since he was the eldest son. After he started working he was too busy, and being an artist was

EVERYDAY ENGLISH

A: I’m planning a trip down south, want to join? B: Sure, but where are you thinking of going? A: Tainan. It’s been several years since I visited the city. B: Me too. OK, I’m in — but won’t it be super hot this time of year? Actually, scrub that: Tainan’s always hot! A: 我正在計畫去南部旅行，想要加入嗎？ B: 當然，不過你想去哪裡呢？ A: 台南。我上一次去台南已經是好幾年前的事了。 B: 我也是。好，那就加我一個──不過，現在去台南不是超熱嗎？算了，當我沒說：台南一直都很熱！ English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Most polar bears to disappear by 2100, study predicts 科學家預測 北極熊將在八十年內瀕臨絕種

Scientists have predicted for the first time when, where and how polar bears are likely to disappear, warning that if greenhouse gas emissions stay on their current trajectory all but a few polar bear populations in the Arctic will probably be gone by 2100. By as early as 2040, it is very likely that many polar bears will begin to experience reproductive failure, leading to local extinctions, according to a study published in Nature Climate Change. The study examines how the bears will be affected under two different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. The researchers found that under a business-as-usual emissions scenario, polar bears will likely only remain in the Queen Elizabeth Islands — the northernmost cluster in Canada’s Arctic archipelago — at the end of the century. And even if greenhouse gases are moderately mitigated, it is still likely that the majority of polar bear populations in the Arctic will experience reproductive failure by 2080. Scientists estimate that there are fewer than 26,000 polar bears left, spread out across 19 different subpopulations that range from the icescapes of Svalbard, Norway, to Hudson Bay in Canada to the Chukchi Sea between Alaska and Siberia. Polar bears are unable to find enough sustenance on land and rely on sea ice from which to hunt. They often stake out seal breathing holes in the ice, waiting hours for a blubbery meal to break the surface. But as that sea ice declines because of climate change, so, too, will the polar bears. “It’s been clear for some time that polar bears are going to suffer under climate change,” said Peter Molnar, a biologist at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and lead author of the study. “But what was not fully clear was when we would expect major declines in the survival and reproduction of polar bears that