A: It’s funny how old objects carry certain meanings. I passed a junk store in Tainan some time ago. There was a lot of old, random stuff stacked outside.
B: Were they selling it? Are you sure somebody hadn’t just dumped a lot of unwanted possessions on the sidewalk?
A: It was difficult to tell. I remember there was a portrait of an elderly gentleman. That might have meant something to somebody, but it was hardly a work of art. Why would anyone buy a portrait of a stranger?
Photo: Paul Cooper, Taipei Times 照片:台北時報古德謙
B: I think I guessed right. It must have been somebody’s discarded belongings.
A: And there was an old bicycle with flat tires and the chain hanging off. I suppose you could buy that and repair it as a kind of personal project.
A: 老東西有某種特定意義,這好奇妙。我前陣子在台南經過一家舊貨店,裡面堆了好多老舊的、各式各樣的東西。
B: 這是要賣的嗎?你確定不是有人把一大堆不要的東西丟在人行道上?
A: 這很難說。我記得其中有一張老人的畫像。這畫像可能對某人來說有意義,但是幾乎稱不上是藝術。不會有人要買一張陌生人的畫像吧?
B: 我想我猜得沒錯,這一定是人家要丟掉的東西。
A: 那邊還有一輛輪胎沒氣、鉸鏈掉下來的腳踏車。我想你可以把它買下來、修理一下,把它當做 自己的一項工程。
(Paul Cooper, Taipei Times/台北時報林俐凱譯)
English 英文:
Chinese 中文:
A: I want to go to Neihu to see the cherry blossoms. B: Do you want to go by YouBike? A: Well, how much does it cost? B: The Taipei City Government just announced that riders can use the bicycles for free for the first 30 minutes! A: Great! Riding bikes is also more eco-friendly than driving. A: 我想去內湖賞櫻花耶。 B: 那要不要騎YouBike微笑單車去? A: 車費怎麼算? B: 台北市政府最近宣布︰前30分鐘免費! A: 太棒了,而且也比開車更環保。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
One of us is a murderer. The terrifying thought fills your head. There’s a corpse in the next room, and one of your fellow diners put it there. As the evening progresses, you learn disturbing secrets about everyone, and you’re forced to confess to a few yourself. You all have motives for the crime, but who committed it? Fortunately, it’s just a game. Murder mystery games are multiplayer role-playing games designed to be played over the course of an evening. The concept likely originated with “wink murder,” an amusing pastime that became popular in the early 1900s. In this game, a “murderer” kills
A: How does Taipei’s YouBike service charge after the free ride for the first 30 minutes? B: It’s NT$10 every 30 minutes within four hours. A: What a bargain. No wonder Taipei is listed by Britain’s “Time Out” magazine as one of the best 50 cities in the world. B: But I spotted a few English mistakes on YouBike’s Web site. A: I guess that aspect of it still has room for improvement. A: 台北市YouBike前30分鐘免費,之後怎麼算? B: 4小時內每30分鐘10元。 A: 真劃算,難怪台北市會入選英國《Time Out》雜誌全球最佳的50座城市。 B: 不過我在YouBike的網站上看到了好幾個英文錯誤。 A: 看來這個部分還有改善的空間。(By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/ 台北時報張聖恩)
Mullet roe is a highly-priced delicacy typically served during special occasions like wedding banquets or Chinese New Year’s dinners, where families come together in celebration. The mullet roe can be prepared in various ways. It is usually pan-fried but can also be roasted or torched. To cook a pan-fried mullet roe, soak it in liquor or wine and peel off its membrane. Then, it is browned over a low fire and turned several times. Finally, the fried mullet roe is cut diagonally and is ready to be served. This dish is usually served with garlic scapes and daikon slices, but