If you take the Taipei Metro, you will know that instrumental music is broadcast at stations on different lines, with each line featuring a unique theme. However, passengers taking the Bannan Line (Blue Line) and the Songshan–Xindian Line (Green Line) last Tuesday would have heard the new jingle for Haolai toothpaste as trains neared the platform.
Haolai, formerly known as “Heiren” — meaning “black person” in Chinese — is the most famous toothpaste brand in Taiwan. Its English name was originally “Darkie” but the owners dropped the racially-charged name and replaced it with “Darlie” in 1989. The skin tone of the mascot was also changed from black to white, but the Chinese name for “Darkie” remained unchanged until this March, when “Heiren” officially became “Haolai.”
On May 10, instead of the standard melody, passengers taking the Blue Line heard a new theme song sung by singer William Wei, also known by his stage name WeiBird. The key refrain from the song is: “Heiren toothpaste of the past is now Haolai / fresh and confident / Call me Haolai.”
Photo: CNA 照片：中央社
Taipei Rapid Transit Corporation explained that the idea for a creative advertisement was proposed by Haolai toothpaste and is a first for Taipei Metro. Haolai toothpaste hopes that WeiBird’s song can convey a “fresh and appealing” brand image to the public, an image that Taipei Metro happens to share.
(Translated by Rita Wang, Taipei Times)
台北捷運各線原設有不同列車進站音樂，不過上週二有民眾搭乘時發現，板南線、松山新店線的進站音樂變成好來牙膏主題曲。
好來牙膏前身是家喻戶曉的黑人牙膏，原本英文名稱為Darkie，但因該詞涉及種族歧視，一九八九年時改名為Darlie，並將黑人商標換為白人，中文部分則維持黑人牙膏，直到今年三月才正式更名為好來牙膏。
五月十日當天通勤的民眾發現，板南線列車進站響起的不是往常熟悉旋律，而是歌手韋禮安獻唱的好來牙膏主題曲，「以前的黑人牙膏，就是現在的好來，清新自信，叫我好來」。
台北捷運公司說明，這是由好來牙膏主動提出的創意廣告案，也是北捷前所未有的全新嘗試，希望藉由韋禮安的音樂，傳遞品牌「清新、美好」新氣象，與北捷的形象不謀而合。
（中央社）
A: According to Google, the most searched place in Taiwan is the Dongchi branch of 7-Eleven in Changhua County’s Lugang Township. B: I would have thought it would be Taipei 101. A: Taipei 101 is the 17th most searched destination. Other locations in the top 10 include Taitung County’s Dawu Township, Baishatun Gong Tian Temple in Miaoli County and Nantou County’s Wuling mountain range. B: That’s great. I’ve been meaning to travel to Taitung for ages. A: 根據Google，台灣熱搜地點第一名，是位於彰化縣鹿港鎮的7-Eleven 東崎門市。 B: 我還以為會是台北101。 A: 台北101排在第十七名，其它像台東縣大武鄉、苗栗縣白沙屯拱天宮、南投縣武嶺都是前十名的景點。 B: 太棒了，我一直很想去台東玩。 （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
電價費率審議會登場，全台連續四年凍漲的電費，在全球燃料價格攀升和烏俄戰爭等因素影響下，將調整電價方案。然而剛進入炎熱的夏季，又是用電的高峰時期，要如何節能省電呢？本次就讓我們來看既環保又省荷包的小撇步，還能學會超實用英文喔！ 1. 在夜晚使用家電 Run appliances that produce heat at night — when it’s cooler. We’re talking appliances like your clothes drier, dishwasher, and oven. (Fox29) （在晚上氣溫較涼爽的時候，使用會產生熱氣的家電用品，例如烘衣機、洗碗機和烤箱。） appliance (n)「電器」是多益測驗的高頻字彙，通常出現在採購、製造、房地產等情境，描述microwave oven「微波爐」、dishwasher「洗碗機」等household appliances 或是 home appliances「家電」，經常搭配動詞install「安裝」。廚房的家電中，較為省電電器應該就是微波爐，或許減少使用瓦斯爐、烤箱對省電將有相當的助益。 According to the advertisement, the apartment is equipped with state-of-the-art appliances.（根據廣告，這間公寓備有最先進的家電。） 2. 拉起窗簾降溫 Simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation can reduce heat in your home.（拉起窗簾和百葉窗做為絕緣體，可降低家中的熱氣。） insulate (v)「阻隔；隔離」通常用來描述隔絕噪音或氣溫，例如冬天時適當的insulate「隔絕」冷空氣，可以避免家中溫度太低。許多冬天穿的厚外套經常會有insulation「防風層」可以阻擋冷空氣，達到保暖的效果。 You can bring down the energy use and cost if you properly insulate your home. （房子適當的隔熱可以降低能源使用和費用。） 3. 自動調溫器 Programmable thermostats can be set, so that your air conditioner run less when you’re sleeping or when you’re at work. （設定自動調溫器，讓你在睡覺或工作時使用少一點的冷氣。） programmable「可編程的」來自program一詞，當動詞時解釋為「設定；編寫程式」，當名詞時則有許多不同的意思，例如「程式」、「節目、節目單」或「計畫、方案」，因此程式編寫可以用programming，「程式設計師」就是programmer，但是要注意的是programmer 發音時的重音是在第一音節，不要念錯。 The information regarding the newly launched recycling program is
A: Are there any other “hot” search locations? B: Various train stations across the nation and places that hit the headlines also made it to the list. A: OK then, let’s begin at the No. 1 place on the list: Lugang Township. B: Lugang Old Street is a great place to explore, and there are lots of delicious things to eat. I’ll book the transportation right away! A: 還有哪些熱搜地點呢？ B: 其它像各地的火車站，及重大新聞的發生地點也都榜上有名。 A: 那我們就從榜首鹿港鎮開始吧。 B: 鹿港老街好逛又好吃，我馬上訂車票！ （Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
The US Supreme Court has ruled there is no constitutional right to abortion in the US, upending the landmark Roe v Wade case from nearly 50 years ago in a rare reversal of long-settled law that will fracture reproductive rights in America. Since the US Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion nationwide in 1973, the issue has become one of the defining fault lines in US politics, with Democratic politicians firmly supporting abortion rights and Republican lawmakers lining up in opposition. In 1973 the lines were more blurred. Republican and Democratic voters were equally likely to say abortion should be
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