An Australian who trained with kangaroos instead of reindeer has won this year's Santa Claus world championships. They were held in the Swedish town of Gallivare.
"Three years in training to be a Santa, and now it's all paid off," Dave Downey said.
The international field of 30 Santas showed off their skills in chimney climbing, reindeer racing, sled racing, porridge eating and planning for Christmas Eve.
PHOTO: EPA
Downey said his training included "kangaroos, sheep, porridge eating and, of course, the usual Santa activities. It's just a bit harder in the heat, that's all."
Competition official Elisabeth Landby said Downey took part last year and in 2005. This year he finally won.
"He was in third place during most of the time during the competition, but ... the judges [thought he was good] during the chimney climbing and [he] jumped to first place," Landby said. "The children thought he was a good Santa." (DPA)
一名澳州人以袋鼠替代馴鹿一起訓練，在今年的世界耶誕老人錦標賽奪得了冠軍。這次的錦標賽在瑞典的耶利瓦勒鎮舉行。
「三年來為了當耶誕老人而接受的訓練，現在終於都得到回報了，」戴夫．唐尼說。
在這場國際賽事中，三十名耶誕老公公各自展現他們的絕活，如爬煙囪、賽馴鹿、駕雪橇、吃粥和計畫耶誕夜活動等。
唐尼說，他的訓練包括了「袋鼠、綿羊、吃粥練習，當然還有耶誕老人的例行活動。只是大熱天下，接受這些訓練比較辛苦而已。」
大會人員伊麗莎白．藍碧說，唐尼去年和前年都曾與賽，今年他總算贏了。
「他在大部分項目都是排名第三，但是…評審們對他在爬煙囪項目的表現感到很滿意，他因此躍居第一名，」藍碧說：「小孩們都覺得他是個稱職的耶誕老公公。」
（德通社／翻譯﹔楊鴻泰）
Many consumers are guilty of filling drawers or closets with old laptops, cellphones, fitness trackers and other electronic devices once they are no longer needed. It’s hard to know where to recycle such items, or it seems costly and inconvenient to do so. The world generates millions of tons of electronic waste — also called e-waste — each year. According to the UN’s most recent estimate, people worldwide produced 62 million metric tons of e-waste in 2022, and only about 22 percent of it was properly recycled. The US’ Environmental Protection Agency estimates that less than a quarter of e-waste is
You’re sitting in class when a classmate asks to borrow a pencil. It seems like a small favor, so you agree without hesitation. The following week, the same classmate asks to share your notes. Later, they request help with a group project. You agree each time — after all, you helped out the first time — but before you know it, it has become automatic. This scenario demonstrates the “foot-in-the-door technique,” a psychological concept that shows how agreeing to small, acceptable demands makes it easier to accept larger ones later on. The name for this strategy comes from door-to-door
A: The four-day Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend begins Friday and will run until Monday. Are you going to sweep your ancestors’ tombs? B: I did in advance last weekend, so I can go to Kaohsiung to see the musical “The Phantom of the Opera.” A: Wow, is “Phantom” touring Taiwan again? It debuted in 1986, so this year marks the 40th anniversary of the show. B: And it’s not just touring Kaohsiung starting March 31, but also Taipei starting April 21 and Taichung starting May 26. A: “Phantom” is one of the world’s Four Major Musicals. I’ve seen all of them, except “Les
Dos & Don’ts — 想想看，這句話英語該怎麼說？ 1. 我們很早到達電影院。 ˇ We arrived at the theater very early. χ We arrived the theater very early. 註︰arrive 為不及物動詞，後面如果有受詞要用 at 或 in。例如：They arrived in Taipei yesterday.。一般大地方，如國家、省、大城市等前面用 in，凡小地方城鎮、學校等則用 at。 2. 開車半小時以後，我們到達了海灘。 ˇ After half an hour’s drive, we got to the beach. χ After half an hour’s drive, we got the beach. 註︰come, go, get（來、去、到達）某地時，在表示地點的名詞前面應該用 to，如 go to school, go to Taipei, come to Shanghai 等。如果這些動詞後面所跟的是 here, there, home 等副詞，則不用 to。 3. 明天我會回辦公室。 ˇ I will be back in the office tomorrow. χ I will be back to office tomorrow. 註︰to be back 一語裡的 back 是副詞，不是介詞，所以後面要用 at (the market) 或 in (the office)。 假如假期結束，要回學校上課了則可說： ? Kids will be back
RSS