A: Does Taiwan have any other world No. 1 athletes?
B: Of course! There are badminton ace Tai Tzu-ying, weightlifter “goddess” Kuo Hsing-chun and table tennis duo Lin Yun-ju and Cheng I-ching.
A: Hey, you left someone out.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kung, Liberty Times 照片︰自由時報林正??
B: Oh yeah: Taiwan’s judo “god” Yang Yung-wei became the world No. 1 in the men’s 60kg event at the end of last year.
A: 台灣還有其他世界第一的體育選手嗎?
B: 當然啦,像是羽球球后戴資穎、舉重女神郭婞淳、桌球選手林昀儒/鄭怡靜都是啊。
A: 你還漏了一位。
B: 啊對喔,還有柔道男神楊勇緯去年底也榮登世界第一。
(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
A: Wow, singer Bruno Mars will be visiting Kaohsiung for the first time. B: Really? Where will he be performing? A: He’s going to hold a concert at the National Stadium on Sunday. B: Why do the Taiwanese like to call him the “Martian” in Chinese? A: Because his last name “Mars” is the same word as the planet Mars. A: 哇!火星人布魯諾將首度唱進高雄。 B: 真的嗎?在哪裡? A: 他將於本週日,在國家體育場開唱唷。 B: 但是為什麼台灣人喜歡叫他火星人呢? A: 因為他的姓氏「Mars」這個字剛好是「火星」的意思啊。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A: Bruno Mars is definitely one of today’s most popular singers. B: He has even won 14 Grammy Awards. A: I love all his megahits, like “Just the Way You Are.” B: And his new song with Lady Gaga “Die with a Smile” has a caused worldwide sensation. A: I wonder if we’ll hear the new song at his Kaohsiung concert? A: 火星人布魯諾是近年來最受歡迎的流行歌手。 B: 對啊他還曾榮獲14座葛萊美獎。 A: 他所有的金曲我都愛,像《Just the Way You Are》。 B: 最近他和女神卡卡合唱《Die with a Smile》更造成大轟動! A: 不知道在高雄有沒有機會聽他演唱這首新歌呢? (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
The Lord returned home after a long day of hunting, a deer on his horse and a bow on his back. His apprentice had stayed behind, feeling unwell. He rode slowly through the forest, closed his eyes, and felt the warm sunlight on his face. He opened his eyes to a full moon rising. Time to make offerings and pray for peace, good weather, a bountiful harvest. And a child with his beloved wife. He smiled. As he approached, the house was quiet. Too quiet. He dismounted in the empty courtyard. “Feng Meng?” he called. Silence. He went to his apprentice’s
You can’t help but notice the woman’s blonde hair, blue eyes, and bizarre outfit. She’s in a white dress that reaches below the knee and a Prussian blue jacket highlighted by a brooch on a ribbon at the collar. Together with her leather boots and the brown suitcase in hand, her overall look gives her an air of mystery. This distinctive appearance isn’t merely for style; it’s her way of embracing cosplay. Combining the words “costume” and “play,” cosplay is an art form in which participants dress up as specific characters, usually at anime conventions. It not only involves