SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

B: I envy your friend. I’d love to work from home. A: He doesn’t mind not being able to meet his colleagues face to face every day. Still, even he occasionally misses the office buzz and ability to socialize. His wife finds the situation more difficult, though. B: Why? She doesn’t like him hanging around the house all day? A: No, she has a job, too, with many international clients, and she’s used to traveling overseas on a regular basis. She’s finding the situation a bit disorientating. B: 我好羨慕你朋友喔，我很想在家工作。 A: 不能每天跟同事見面，他並不介意。可是他偶爾還是會想念辦公室充滿活力的氣氛，可以跟大家社交。可是現在這種情況對他太太來說比較難熬。 B: 為甚麼？他太太不喜歡他一天到晚都在家晃來晃去？ A: 不是，他太太自己也有工作，而且有很多國際客戶，以前常常出國。現在這種情況讓她覺得有點無所適從。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Scooter riders need to keep warm 寒流又接力來襲 機車族小心強風造成體溫流失

Taiwan has recently been hit by a succession of cold spells. The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA) has issued a special reminder for scooter and motorcycle riders to beware of strong winds that could cause their body temperature to drop too fast, and to take precautions against the cold. People should memorize the warning signs of heart disease and stroke, and anyone who suffers from facial drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulties should promptly be taken for medical treatment. All parts of Taiwan have been experiencing cold weather under the influence of a strong continental cold air masses and radiative cooling. With cold currents assaulting Taiwan one after another, HPA Director-General Wang Ying-wei reminded the public to make sure to keep warm. This is especially true for older people and those with the “three highs” (high blood pressure, high blood sugar and high blood cholesterol) or cardiovascular disease, who must take precautions against the cold to protect themselves from suffering acute symptoms of cardiovascular disease brought on by low temperatures and large temperature changes. The impact that low temperatures can have on human health should never be underestimated. As well as saying that older people and those suffering from chronic illnesses should keep warm, the HPA observed that winter is probably the toughest season for those who commute by scooter or motorcycle. Riders have to bear the rigors of low temperatures, plus the cold wind generated by the speed of their vehicles, so the HPA reminded the public that strong winds can cause excessively rapid loss of body heat. It said that they should reduce their speed when riding, and their clothes should keep them warm while also allowing free movement and not influencing riders’ control of their vehicles or their clarity of vision. For the

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

A: I have a friend in Europe. We were talking on the phone yesterday about how he felt getting back to work after the New Year break. B: Did he enjoy going back to the office after a week away? A: He said in previous years he would go back and spend time catching up with colleagues, asking about their Christmas and how they celebrated New Year’s Eve. B: And was it any different this year? A: He just went upstairs to his home office and turned his work computer on for the first time in a week. He’s been working from home for months. A: 我有一個朋友在歐洲。我們昨天通電話，聊到他放完年假回到工作崗位的心情。 B: 放假一個禮拜以後回到辦公室，他應該很高興吧？ A: 他說他前幾年放完年假回去上班，就會跟同事好好聊聊，問他們聖誕節過得如何、跨年夜是怎麼慶祝的。 B: 那今年有什麼不同呢？ A: 他今年開工只是在家走到樓上去，把一個禮拜沒開機的工作用電腦打開。他已經在家工作好幾個月了。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Surging shipping rates pose new headwind for the global economy 海運貨櫃費用飆漲　全球經濟復甦腳步艱難

Shocks to supply chains are engulfing a wider swath of the global economy as the pandemic rages on, threatening to stifle Asia’s trade-led recovery just as soaring freight rates make it harder for businesses to weather another year like 2020. Shortages of consumer goods like paper towels and work-from-home gear early in the COVID-19 crisis have given way to parts shortfalls in one of the most globally integrated of industries: auto manufacturing. Compounding the industrial imbalances are transport woes plaguing consumer and healthcare sectors still dealing with a dearth of available shipping containers to move components and finished products out of China, Taiwan, South Korea and Asia’s other export powers. Nerijus Poskus, vice president for global ocean at San Francisco-based freight forwarder Flexport Inc, reckons the world needs the equivalent of 500,000 more 20-foot containers — roughly enough to fill 25 of the largest ships in operation — to satisfy the current demand. In the meantime, standard container rates on transpacific routes are quadruple what they were a year ago. And that is before equipment surcharges and premiums for guaranteed loading are added. “Anyone paying the freight bills in 2020 though knows the true cost of shipping is much higher than even the recently increased rates,” Poskus said. “We expect that to only increase in 2021.” The unstoppable rise in container shipping costs is borne out by December figures recently announced by Taiwan’s three major shipping companies — Evergreen Marine Corp, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp and Wan Hai Lines Ltd — which saw a record-breaking year-on-year surge of revenue at 58.8 percent, 35.19 percent and 75.71 percent respectively. (Bloomberg, with staff writer) 疫情肆虐，衝擊供應鏈，全球經濟受創幅度加巨；高昂的運費，讓企業更難再熬過如二○二○年般艱難的一年，以貿易為主導之亞洲經濟，復甦之路恐窒礙難行。 武漢肺炎（新型冠狀病毒病，COVID-19）危機初期的紙巾與在家工作用品等消費品之短缺，已轉為汽車製造業的零件短缺──造車業為全球整合程度最高的工業之一。 消費與醫療保健業所面臨之運輸困難，使工業的失衡狀況加劇──由於貨櫃短缺，零組件及製成品很難由中國、台灣、韓國及亞洲其他出口大國運出。 總部設於舊金山的運輸公司「飛協博」全球海洋副總裁奈瑞尤斯‧帕司克斯估計，若要滿足當前需求，全世界需要再增加五十萬個二十呎貨櫃──大約可裝滿二十五艘目前最大的船舶。而且現在跨太平洋航線的標準貨櫃運價是一年前的四倍，這還不包括設備附加費及保證裝載的額外費用。 「雖然在二○二○年支付運費的人都知道，真正的運輸成本甚至比最近上漲的運費還要高」，帕司克斯表示。「我們預計在二○二一年只會繼續上漲」。 貨櫃海運運價一路走高，勢不可擋，台灣貨櫃三雄──長榮、陽明、萬海──近日公布二○二○年十二月營收，分別年增百分之五十八點八、百分之三十五點一九、百分之七十五點七一，皆同步創下歷史新高。 （台北時報林俐凱編譯）

Chilly weather creates breathtaking snow-capped Alishan vista tinged with gold 美極了！阿里山冬季限定 遠眺玉山金粉雪坡

During the recent cold snap, temperatures at the 2,216m-above-sea-level Alishan Forest Recreation Area have plummeted to as low as minus 1 degree Celsius. Former Siang Lin Primary School principal Huang Yuan-ming on Tuesday published several photographs on the “Alishan.fans“ Facebook page . Although there has not yet been any snowfall in the area, due to insufficient atmospheric moisture, there are still red leaves on the maple trees. The red leaves are complemented by a sea of clouds surrounding snow-capped Yushan in the distance, creating a picturesque wintertime vista. During sunrise and sunset, the sun’s golden rays wash over the snow-covered slopes of Yushan, creating a “gold dust” effect. In his Facebook post, Huang writes that the timing of snowfall in the Alishan area varies from year to year, and he draws a distinction between the first snowfall of the season and permanent snow cover. The best time to view the sunrise is when there is a thick blanket of permanent snow cover, writes Huang, but he notes that not much snow has accumulated on Yushan this year, and after a few days of sunshine it will have completely vanished. Huang says that the last time snow fell on Alishan was in late January 2016. He says that when snow does fall it usually happens between late January and the Lunar New Year, when Alishan’s climate is at its coldest and there is more moisture in the air. Although there are no snow scenes at Alishan at present, Huang notes that the weather is good and advises that if people want to catch a glimpse of the “gold dust“ effect on Yushan’s snow-covered slopes, now is the best time to do so. (Liberty Times, translated by Edward Jones) 阿里山森林遊樂區海拔兩千兩百一十六公尺，最近寒流報到，氣溫最低達零下一度。 前阿里山鄉香林國小主任黃源明周二在臉書「漫步在雲端的阿里山」網頁表示，因水氣不足，未能飄雪，然而阿里山還有些許紅楓，搭配雲海、玉山積雪，在日出、日落時分，金黃色陽光灑在玉山積雪上，形成金粉雪坡美景，是阿里山冬季限定景色。 黃源明貼文指出，每年玉山降雪時間不盡相同，初雪是一回事、積雪又是一回事；對阿里山來說，玉山積雪是觀日出的加分賣點。「這次玉山的積雪並不多，在日照之下，沒幾天就會消失殆盡。」 黃源明表示，阿里山上次飄雪是二○一六年一月下旬，通常一月下旬到農曆春節，是阿里山氣候最冷、也較多水氣的時候，雖阿里山現在沒有雪景，但天氣不錯，如要看到玉山金粉雪坡景緻，現在是最佳時刻。 （自由時報王善嬿）

Photo News: US Capitol riot shocks the world 從照片看新聞: 美國國會暴動 舉世震驚

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

The toys we had when we were young (5/5) 我們小時候玩的玩具（五）

A: And then later, when we were teenagers, we put away the toys and played with games consoles instead. B: Ah yes, simplistic game scenarios and block graphics, with low quality audio and visual effects. A: That’s right. And they came on tapes that wore out after a couple of months because we played the games every night after school. B: They’re not a fraction of the quality or sophistication of the current generation of computer games, but I used to love playing those. A: It was just the generation we were in, I guess. B: That’s right. And if you had been born into this generation, you would be staring intently at your mobile phone. Like those two over there. A: 然後我們變成青少年以後，就把玩具丟掉，開始玩遊戲機了。 B: 喔，對呀，那種遊戲場景非常簡單，圖形解析度超低，聲音和視覺效果的品質都很差。 A: 沒錯，而且這些遊戲是用錄音帶輸入，卡帶兩個月就壞了，因為我們放學回家每天晚上都在玩。 B: 它們無論是品質或是精緻度，都遠遠比不上現在的遊戲，可是我那時候好愛玩那些遊戲喔。 A: 我猜這只是因為我們是處在那個世代吧。 B: 沒錯。如果你是生在這個世代，你現在就會聚精會神地看著手機，就像那邊那兩位一樣。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

A: Some toys were cool, some were badly conceived and some were toxic. B: Toxic? What do you mean? A: I had a collection of cartoon figurines. They were part of a promotion from a gas station. It turns out there was lead in the paint used on them. They had to be withdrawn. Lead paint is toxic. B: I remember those. They later reintroduced them with non-toxic paint, didn’t they? And the ones with the safe paint had a little blue spot on the base of the foot to distinguish them from the poisonous ones. A: That’s right. So I built up a second collection. I came home from school one day to find my younger brother had used them to enact a battle scene, and had stained them with red paint to represent blood. That was another set ruined. B: Well, your brother was using his imagination. I thought you just said that was a good thing. A: 有些玩具很酷，有些設計得不好，也有些有毒。 B: 有毒？這是什麼意思？ A: 我收集了一些小的卡通人物模型，這是一家加油站的促銷活動送的。結果後來發現這些模型用的塗料含有鉛，他們只好把這些模型召回。含有鉛的油漆是有毒的。 B: 我記得這件事。後來他們又開始送使用無鉛塗料的玩具，對吧？這些使用安全塗料的玩具底座就有一個藍色的點，用來跟那些有毒的玩具做區別。 A: 沒錯。所以我就收集了第二套。有一天我放學回家，發現我弟用這些模型來扮演戰爭的場面，在上面灑了紅色油漆來代表血。所以我第二套收集也毀了。 B: 嗯，你弟弟是在運用他的想像力啊。你剛剛不是說運用想像力是件好事嗎？ （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

The toys we had when we were young (3/5) 我們小時候玩的玩具（三）

A: My elder brother had a toy soldier called “Man of War.” It had a button on the back of the head. When you slid the button left and right, it would change the direction the soldier was looking. B: We had one of those, too. And I had a monster called “Stretch-o” made of green rubber covering a malleable material: you could stretch its limbs out really far, but they would always slowly return to the original shape and length. A: That sounds cool. I would have liked one of those, too. B: It wasn’t great, to be honest. It was supposed to be a formidable foe, but the material was so malleable the legs couldn’t take the weight of the body. If you stood it up straight, it would gradually slink down to the floor. A: That doesn’t sound very formidable to me. If it ever attacked you in a dark alley, you could just wait for it to fall over. A: 我哥有一個叫做「戰士」的玩具兵，頭的後面有一個開關，把它左右滑動，就可以控制眼睛看的方向。 B: 我也有這類玩具耶。我有一個怪物叫做變形怪，外面是綠色塑膠，裡面包著延展性的材質，所以你可以把它的手腳拉得很長，不過最後都還是會慢慢回復到原來的形狀和長度。 A: 這聽起來還蠻酷的嘛，我也會想要這種玩具。 B: 其實也沒多好啦，它的角色應該是頑強的敵人，可是這個材質可塑性太高了，所以它的腿沒辦法承受身體的重量。你如果讓它站直，它就會慢慢倒下去。 A: 所以這個頑強的敵人也不太可怕嘛！如果它在暗巷裡攻擊你，你大可以就等著它倒下去。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times / 台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Olympics, AI and ‘Friends’ reunion most anticipated in 2021 2021最期待的事︰ 奧運、AI、《六人行》上榜

The world finally says goodbye to 2020. To welcome the new year, CNN recently ran a report titled: “21 things to look forward to in 2021. . . if everything works out.” In the report, some highly-anticipated things worldwide include the Tokyo Olympics, which were delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic but are now rescheduled for July this year. Oct. 1 will mark the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World in Florida. A number of new TV shows and movies are scheduled for this year, such as the long-awaited “Friends” reunion special set to air in March, and the new 007 film “No Time to Die.” The extremely popular Eurovision Song Contest, which was postponed from last year, is likely to stage a comeback. Other highlights include: NASA’s “Perseverance” will land on Mars, widespread COVID-19 immunity, new climate policies and action, 6G technology, artificial intelligence and drone delivery. And, last but not least: hugs. Hopefully, people can start hugging each other again this year when the pandemic fades. (Eddy Chang, Taipei Times) 世界終於向去年道別！為了迎接新年，CNN近日刊出一則報導︰《二○二一年期待的二十一件事……如果一切都順利的話》。報導中，全球最值得期待的事包括因武漢肺炎（新冠病毒，COVID-19）延期的東京奧運，重新安排在七月登場。 美國佛羅里達州的迪士尼世界，十月一日將歡慶開幕五十週年。今年也將會有不少新的電視或電影強片上映，例如等待多時將在三月播出的《六人行》大團圓特別節目，和最新的007系列電影《生死交戰》。超熱門的歐洲歌唱大賽去年因疫情被迫延期，可望在今年捲土重來。 其它亮點包括︰美國太空總署「毅力號」終於將登上火星、新冠病毒的免疫力將更為普遍、新的氣候政策與行動、6G科技、人工智慧、無人機運送。排在最後但同等重要的是——擁抱，疫情在今年消散以後，期待人們能再次開始擁抱彼此。 （台北時報張聖恩）

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

B: What kind of toys did you have when you were young, then? A: I remember one year I got a ventriloquist’s dummy for my birthday. It had a grotesque face and a shock of red hair, with bushy eyebrows and googly eyes. B: I think that face would have given me nightmares. My sister had a doll with eyes that opened when she sat up and closed when you put her down to sleep. It spoke, too, saying things like, “Mom, I’m hungry.” A: My sister had one of those, too. When the doll got old, the eyes would flicker in the halfway position, neither open nor closed. It used to freak me out. Especially when it stared at you with those flickering eyes and told you it was hungry. B: 那你小時候是玩什麼玩具啊？ A: 我記得有一年生日我收到用來表演腹語的玩偶。那個玩偶有很詭異的臉和紅色的爆炸頭，眉毛很濃，眼睛還凸出來。 B: 我如果看到這張臉，會做惡夢耶。 我姊有一個洋娃娃，坐著的時候眼睛會張開，讓它躺著，眼睛就會閉起來。它也會講話喔！會說「媽，我餓了」之類的。 A: 我妹也有這種娃娃。那個娃娃後來舊了，眼睛就變成半開半閉，眼皮卡在中間抖個不停，把我嚇壞了，尤其是那個娃娃用半開半閉、不停顫動的眼睛看著你，跟你說它餓了的時候。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Kaohsiung’s talking bus stops announce bus arrivals 高市「聽見」公車候車亭 視障乘客不再錯過班次

Some key bus stops in Kaohsiung now let people waiting for a ride not just see their bus coming, but also “hear” it arriving. To make it easier for visually impaired people to travel by bus, Kaohsiung City Government’s Transportation Bureau said on Monday last week that it had finished installing 10 bus arrival audio announcement devices that can help city residents keep better track of their bus-waiting time and hail and board buses in good time, so that they can avoid missing the bus. The Transportation Bureau has installed 10 bus arrival time audio announcement devices at certain bus shelters where a large number of people pass through or where visually impaired people frequently board buses, namely Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Fongshan Bus Transfer Station, Kaohsiung Station, Fongshan Administration Center and the Kaoshiung Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Company. Transportation Bureau Director-General Chang Shu-chuan said that these 10 bus arrival time audio announcement devices have been installed since September last year. When a bus is about to arrive, the devices automatically announce the name of the bus route and provide prompt and accurate information about its location and expected arrival time, so that people can ride the bus with no worries. A visually impaired man surnamed Tsai said that when waiting for a bus in the past, he had to call the Transportation Bureau to ask for real-time information, but now that there are spoken announcements at bus stops, he knows when a bus on a particular route is approaching. In addition, to make it convenient for visually impaired people to use the Kaohsiung iBus mobile app, in October last year the bureau invited the Kaohsiung Chi-Ming Association, the Association of Blind Taiwan and delegates from the group for safeguarding and promoting the rights of people with disabilities to jointly evaluate the app. The

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

A: I might sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but look at that mother with her child on the seat over there. B: With both of them staring intently at their mobile phones? A: That’s right. I can’t help thinking that the child is not getting much mental stimulation, and that the parent should be trying to engage him somehow. B: How do you know the child isn’t reading something intellectually stimulating, or studying? A: You do think I’m old-fashioned. I get it. I just think the toys we had when we were young expanded our imagination and gave us the chance to run around outside. A: 我知道我可能聽起來像個老古板啦，不過你看看坐在那邊的媽媽和小孩。 B: 你是說他們兩個都聚精會神地看手機嗎？ A: 沒錯。我忍不住去想，那個小孩在心智上沒有得到足夠的刺激，他媽媽應該要想辦法讓他做點別的事。 B: 你怎麼知道那個小孩不是在看一些很燒腦的東西，或是在讀書？ A: 你真的覺得我是老古板，我知道了。我只是覺得我們小時候玩的玩具可以激發想像力，而且讓我們有機會到外面跑來跑去。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:

Matsu Pilgrimage by air 媽祖遶境 「空中版」將啟航

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many airlines have been getting very creative and have launched various kinds of simulated overseas trips to keep the money flowing. Business owners say that the pandemic has been with us for a year, but its impact on the aviation tourism industry is no less severe, so the tourism market is still expected to focus mainly on domestic travel this year. The Matsu pilgrimage craze in March is Taiwan’s grand annual religious event, attracting tens of thousands of believers every year. One travel agency that is aiming at business opportunities for simulated overseas flights plans to cooperate with Tigerair Taiwan and create a new in-flight attraction by launching an “airborne version” of the Matsu pilgrimage. Chung Hsing Travel Service chairman Lee Chi-yueh said that, having by chance become director-general of Taipei’s Shengxing Tianhou Temple, he came up with the fancy idea of collaborating with Tigerair Taiwan to launch Taiwan’s first aerial Matsu pil-grimage. He said the flight is due to launch in March as a warm-up for the grand event of Matsu pilgrimages around the island. According to the plan, the flight will take about two hours. A Taoist priest will be invited to pray at the airport before departure. Three statues — Matsu, her attendants Qianliyan (lit. eyes that see a thousand leagues) and Shunfenger (lit. ears that hear the wind) will be carried on the plane. Departing from Taipei, the flight will follow a route around eastern Taiwan to the islands of Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu before flying above Japan’s Miyako Island. Blessings and chanting ceremonies will be held in the air, linking with Taiwan’s unique religious events and praying for the pandemic to disappear. (Translated by Lin Lee-kai, Taipei Times) 疫情期間各家航空公司大搞創意，推出各式類出國行程，創造金流；業者透露，疫情海嘯已屆滿週年，但對航空旅遊業的衝擊不減，預估今 年旅遊市場還是以國旅為主。 三月瘋媽祖是台灣年度宗教盛事，每年都吸引成千上萬信徒跟隨，有旅遊業者瞄準類出國航班商機，規劃攜手台灣虎航推出「空中版」媽祖繞境，盼為類出國創造新噱頭。 創新旅行社董事長李奇嶽表示，自己因緣際會接下台北聖興天后宮總幹事一職，突發奇想找上台灣虎航希望推出全台首個空中媽祖繞境航班。他表示，空中媽祖繞境航班規劃今年三月啟航，為國內媽祖繞境活動提前暖身。 據規劃，該航班航程約兩小時，出發前會請道長在機場進行祈福儀式，並請媽祖、千里眼及順風耳三尊神像上機，從台北出發繞東台灣再飛往澎湖、金門、馬祖，接著飛往日本宮古島上方，空中將舉辦祈福、誦經儀式，結合台灣獨有的宗教盛事，祈求疫情退散。 （自由時報記者蕭玗欣）

Cold snap devastates fish farms in Yunlin County 寒害重創 雲林虱目魚凍死傷逾十九萬尾

Despite the temperature rising to a high of 23 degrees Celsius on Jan. 3, the cold snap continues to inflict heavy losses on Yunlin County’s milkfish farming industry. As of Jan. 3, the bitter weather had frozen to death or inflicted frostbite on more than 190,000 milkfish on the county’s fish farms, which accounts for 50 percent of the farms’ milkfish population. Yunlin County Agriculture Department Deputy Director Tsai Keng-yu said that, as of 4pm on Jan. 3, cold-damage data provided by the relevant public bodies showed that Taisi Township was the worst affected, with 700 hectares of farm affected and 140,000 fish dead or injured, or approximately 60 percent of fish population lost. About 300 hectares of fish farms in Sihhu, Kouhu and Mailiao townships had been damaged, which equates to about 50,000 fish, or 30 percent of the local farms’ fish stocks. The entire county had lost 190,000 fish, but the death toll could rise further as some fish farmers had not yet finished dredging their ponds. A fish farmer surnamed Ting from Taisi Township said he was breeding approximately 1,500 milkfish on his fish farm and had been raising them for over one year. Ting said the cold snap had almost completely wiped out his fish. Furthermore, because milkfish are “working fish” reared within a clam pond polyculture, and are therefore not the fish farms’ primary breed species, it will be difficult to quantify the extent of the losses. However, what is certain is that without the assistance of the milkfish chomping through algae and other surface growth, farm owners would have to regularly carry out manual dredging of their ponds. As well as significantly increasing their workload, this could also result in a reduction of the water quality, which might kill the clams and cause more than NT$1

Photo News: A-mei rocks eastern Taiwan 從照片看新聞: 阿妹東台灣火熱開唱

SPEAK UP ! 雙語會話

Let’s get a bucket and a mop and clean up (5/5) 我們一起帶水桶和拖把去幫她打掃 (五)

A: Do you want to hoover or mop? B: You get ready with the vacuum cleaner, I’m going to dust the shelves, window sills and all the surfaces first. When you’ve vacuumed, I’ll mop the floor. A: Grand. Fill the bucket with warm water. I think grandmama keeps the floor cleaning liquid in the cupboard under the stairs. Give it a quick mop and we’re done. B: We’re just about finished, but what are you going to do now? Your grandmother obviously cannot cope living here by herself. She’s allowed her apartment get in a real state. A: I’ll talk to the rest of the family. We’ll have to think about paying for a cleaner to come around every week. B: Good, because I’m not helping you next time. It was exhausting. A: 你要用吸塵器還是拖把？ B: 你把吸塵器準備好，我先把架子、窗臺，和所有東西表面上的的灰塵擦掉。你用吸塵器吸過以後，我再來拖地。 A: 讚。把水桶用溫水裝滿。奶奶好像是把地板清潔劑放在樓梯下面的櫃子裡。把地板快速地拖一下，就大功告成了。 B: 我們快做完了。那你以後要怎麼辦？很明顯你奶奶沒辦法自己一個人住在這裡。她讓自己的公寓變得一團糟。 A: 我會跟其他家人討論。我們得考慮請清潔工每個禮拜來打掃。 B: 很好。因為我下次不會幫你了。這累得要命。 (Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯) English 英文: Chinese 中文: