China has 1.3 billion people, more than any other country in the world. To keep the number of people from growing too fast, the Chinese government limits couples in cities to one child and those in the countryside to two.
But this one-child policy is becoming a problem because more boys are being born than girls. In 2005, 118 boys were born for every 100 girls in China.
Traditionally, Chinese couples hoped to have a son who would be able to take care of them in their old age.
PHOTO: AP
The Chinese government said that if too many young men can't find wives, they may become troublemakers or even try to buy a wife.
But the government says the policy is still working and doesn't need to be changed. They point out that parents can spend more money on one child, giving them better education and more attention. (Jason Cox, Staff writer with AP)
中國有十三億人口,居全球之冠。為了讓人口別成長太快,中國政府限制城市夫妻只能生一胎,鄉村地區的夫妻則最多生兩胎。
不過,由於出生的男孩數比女孩數少,一胎化政策成為問題。二○○五年中國出生的男女比例為118比100。
傳統上,中國夫妻都希望能養兒防老。
中國政府表示,假如太多年輕男子找不到老婆,他們可能會變成麻煩製造者,甚至去花錢買妻。
但中國也說,一胎化政策仍照常執行,無須變革。他們指出,父母可以花更多錢在一個小孩身上,讓小孩受到更好的教育與照顧。 (翻譯:賴美君)
A: From Logy and MUME to JL Studio, winners on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list are all high-end fine dining restaurants. B: Really? I wonder how a meal costs there? A: I once dined at RAW, which used to be on the list: the meal cost NT$6,888 each plus 10 percent service charge. B: But fine dining establishments usually offer better food, decor and service, so they are more pricey. A: Let’s start saving money now, so we can go once a year. A: 獲選為2024「亞洲50最佳餐廳」的Logy、MUME、JL Studio,都是高檔的「精緻餐飲」。 B: 真的嗎?不知道吃一餐多少錢? A: 我去吃過曾上榜的RAW,每個人就要6,888加一成。 B: 不過精緻飲食餐廳的食物、環境、服務都比較好,自然也不便宜。 A: 我們來存錢吧,每年去吃一次。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Food shortages have been experienced by people across the world throughout the centuries, but these challenges have driven people to cope, like the Taiwanese, who have found creative culinary uses for all parts of their animals, including blood. Pig’s blood cake, or rice blood cake, consists of sticky rice mixed with animal blood. After being steamed, the cakes are often cut into rectangles and skewered onto bamboo skewers so people can enjoy them while walking. It can also be braised or cooked in soup. 糧食不足是各國多少世紀以來的難題,但面對困境,台灣人學會善加利用牲畜的每個部位,包含血液。豬血糕又稱做米血糕,在糯米中混入豬血後,蒸熟後切成長方形,插上竹籤方便邊走邊吃,還可以滷豬血糕或煮湯。 shortage (n.) 缺少,匱乏 rectangle (n.) 長方形 There are regional variations in how pig’s blood cake is eaten. In northern Taiwan, people
Japan has long been a popular tourist destination for people worldwide. Travelers love to experience the country’s unique culture, stunning sites, and delicious cuisine. Springtime is a particularly popular period to visit. Cherry blossoms, or sakura, are in full bloom, and tourists and locals alike can take part in hanami. __1__ The word hanami literally translates to “flower viewing.” While hanami can be as simple as taking a stroll through a park with blooming cherry trees, the activity is typically much more elaborate. __2__ They can spend the entire day eating food, chatting with their companions, and of
US health officials are putting more than US$100 million toward ramping up surveillance of bird flu in cattle and people amid rising concerns that the outbreak has spread more widely than reported. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will use the funding to detect and track the virus, called H5N1, that’s been spreading in wild birds, poultry and domestic cows, according to a statement Friday last week. Scrutiny of the CDC’s response to health crises has risen after widespread criticism for inadequate early testing for emerging health threats such as COVID