To me, there is something quite timeless about this photo. Had I not taken it myself, I could perhaps have been persuaded that it had been taken in the 1950s or 1960s.
Two men are playing chess in the street, surrounded by three onlookers. The relationships between the men are unknown, but they form a tight group, with all attention focused firmly on the chessboard.
The players appear unintimidated by the presence of their audience, but they would probably be used to curious passersby stopping and watching for a while, even if for only part of the game.
Photo: Paul Cooper, Taipei Times
照片：台北時報記者古德謙攝
The player to the left and the onlooker furthest from the camera are similarly dressed, in suit pants and shirts, with formal leather shoes. The second player is more casually dressed, in T-shirt, slacks and loafers. From his body language, you would imagine that it is his turn next. You would imagine these three to be roughly the same age.
The spectator closest to the camera, standing slightly to the side, from his clothing — casual striped top and cargo pants, the shoes being cut off and out of the frame — appears to be much younger. It is impossible to know whether he is related to any of the others. It appears that he is the only one smoking.
There is a fifth onlooker almost entirely obscured by the smoker. You can just about discern his arms, crossed behind his back, to the smoking man’s right.
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
對我而言，這張照片捕捉到一種永恆的感覺。若不是我本人拍攝的，我大慨會以為這張照片是一九五○或一九六○年代拍攝的。
兩名男子在街上對奕，一旁有三人圍觀。兩名下棋者之間的關係無從得知，但他們的棋局集中了眾人的目光，吸引了一團人緊緊圍攏。
兩名下棋者面對觀眾的注視毫不畏懼，應該是習慣了不時有好奇的路人佇足逗留，只為觀戰片刻。
左手邊的下棋者和最遠處的圍觀者穿著相似，都是襯衫和西裝褲，配上正式的皮鞋。另一名下棋者衣著比較隨性，穿的是T恤、寬鬆長褲配休閒鞋。從他的肢體語言可見，接下來應輪到他下棋子。以上三人應該都是差不多的年紀。
離鏡頭最近的圍觀者站得微微靠邊，他穿著休閒的條紋上衣、工作褲，鞋子因出了畫框而被截掉，從打扮看來應該較其他人年輕許多。從畫面裡看不出他和其他人物的關係。他似乎是他們之中唯一一個抽煙的人。
第五個圍觀者完全被抽煙的男子遮住了身子。你只能剛好看到他的一雙手背在背後，就在抽煙的人的右方。
（台北時報編譯涂宇安譯）
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對話 Dialogue 清清：你看到小陳最近發的滑雪照了嗎？看起來真帥氣。 Qīngqing: Nǐ kàndào Xiǎo Chén zuìjìn fā de huáxuě zhào le ma? Kàn qǐlái zhēn shuàiqì. 華華：感覺滑雪很好玩。看了他的照片以後，我在想要不要去學滑雪。 Huáhua: Gǎnjué huáxuě hěn hǎowán. Kàn le tā de zhàopiàn yǐhòu, wǒ zài xiǎng yào bú yào qù xué huáxuě. 清清：我聽說報名滑雪教室的話，會有教練帶你練習。 Qīngqing: Wǒ tīngshuō bàomíng huáxuě jiàoshì de huà, huì yǒu jiàoliàn dài nǐ liànxí. 華華：可是我有點怕摔倒，而且裝備好像不便宜。 Huáhua: Kěshì wǒ yǒudiǎn pà shuāidǎo, érqiě huāngbèi hǎoxiàng bù piányí. 清清：剛開始一定會摔啊，不過可以先上初級課程，比較安全。 Qīngqing: Gāng kāishǐ yídìng huì shuāi a, búguò kěyǐ xiān shàng chūjí kèchéng, bǐjiào ānquán. 華華：說的也是。那你呢？你想不想一起去？ Huáhua: Shuō de yěshì. Nà nǐ ne? Nǐ xiǎng bù xiǎng yìqǐ qù? 清清：我想加一！我們可以先找找看哪裡有教練和適合初學者的課程。 Qīngqing: Wǒ xiǎng jiā yī! Wǒmen kěyǐ xiān zhǎo zhǎo kàn nǎlǐ yǒu jiàoliàn hàn shìhé
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