A: This evening we will have boiled dumplings, let’s wrap them together.
B: How do you wrap them? Could you give me a demonstration?
A: Smear water around the circumference of the wrapper, fold the opposite ends together then pinch them together. It should look like a traditional gold ingot.
B: You’ve done yours really well. Why does mine look nothing like an ingot?
A: 我們今天晚上吃水餃,一起來包水餃吧。
B: 怎麼包呢?可以示範一下嗎?
A: 在餅皮邊緣抹一點水,然後對折,捏出皺折,做出元寶的樣子。
B: 你捏得真好。我做的怎麼一點也不像元寶啊。
English 英文:
Chinese 中文:
EVERYDAY ENGLISH
As the priest Antonius Hambroek stood in the dim chamber of Fort Zeelandia, his eldest daughter clung to him, her voice trembling. “Father, don’t go. They’ll kill you, and what will become of Mother and my sisters?” Outside, the sounds of Koxinga’s relentless canon siege boomed through the fortress. The defenders were on the brink of collapse. Starvation gnawed at their resolve, and the air carried the acrid stench of spent gunpowder and rotting flesh. Dutch reinforcements from Batavia had failed to arrive, leaving the garrison isolated and hopeless. Hambroek’s face was calm, though sorrow weighed heavily on his
As we bundle up in thick coats to stay warm during the winter, there is a population that has already adapted to extremely low temperatures. These people live in the remote city of Yakutsk, the coldest city on Earth. Yakutsk is situated in the heart of Siberia, which is the capital of the Sakha Republic in Russia. This historic mining city began to flourish in the 19th century following the discovery of gold deposits. Given its construction on permafrost, the average temperature in the city remains below 0°C for over half the year, with winter temperatures dropping to an astonishing -50°C.
A: Happy Year of the Snake! Did you do anything special during the Lunar New Year holiday? B: I went to K-pop girl group Apink’s concert. How about you? A: I just stayed at home. But I’m going to girl group 2NE1’s show on Saturday. B: Wow, I really love their megahit “I Am the Best,” better known by its Korean title “Naega jeil jal naga.” A: I’m so glad that 2NE1 reunited last year, eight years after they disbanded in 2016. A: 蛇年快樂!你春節有做什麼特別活動嗎? B: 我去了南韓女團Apink的演唱會,你呢? A: 我都宅在家裡,不過這週六要去韓流天團2NE1的演唱會。 B: 我愛該團神曲《我最紅》,韓文歌名《Naega jeil jal naga》超洗腦。 A: 她們2016年解散8年後,去年終於合體真令人開心。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei
The Dutch introduced the Indian mango (Mangifera indica) to Taiwan in the 17th century. It is a green-skinned mango with thick fibers that get stuck in the teeth, but it boasts a rich aroma and a unique taste. In 1954, Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture introduced several mango cultivars from Florida, USA, including the Irwin, Haden, and Keitt varieties. After seven years of testing and domestication, the Irwin variety was chosen for promotion. Years later, the sample saplings started to bear fruit. These mangoes were large, with thin, vibrant red peels and golden pulp. The Irwin mangoes were mouth-wateringly sweet and