A: The weather’s so hot that I’d really like to have some iced coffee.
B: Let’s go to Starbucks’ new Blackpink-themed coffee shop. It’s near the MRT Shandao Temple Station.
A: Great! The news says you’ll get their sticker for buying a Blackpink-themed frappuccino.
Photo taken from Blackpink’s IG 照片:翻攝自Blackpink IG
B: But the news also says member Lisa of the girl group may not renew her contract, and I’m really worried about that.
A: The group is celebrating its 7th anniversary this week. I hope the four of them never disband.
A: 天氣真熱,好想來一杯冰咖啡。
B: 那去星巴克的Blackpink主題門市吧,就在善導寺站附近。
A: 好啊!新聞說買Blackpink主題星冰樂還送她們的小貼紙。
B: 但新聞也說團員Lisa可能不續約,害我好擔心唷。
A: 她們本週正在慶祝成團七週年,希望四位團員們永遠不要解散。
(By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩〉
Have you ever felt a sudden pang of discomfort after handing over cash? That sensation is known as the pain of paying, the emotional sting that __1__ when money leaves your hands. Neuroscientific studies suggest that this pain activates the insula, an area in the brain associated with physical pain and negative emotions. This pain comes about because making a purchase forces people to __2__ the loss of financial resources, making the act of buying feel like a sacrifice. The pain intensifies under certain conditions. The more __3__ people are of the payment—its timing, amount, and method—the stronger the
It often starts with a text message asking if you are available on weekends, looking for a part-time job or you get a simple “hello” from an unknown number. Halfway across the world, a laborer is usually pulling in 12-16 hour days, sending non-stop messages, hoping someone will take the bait. The ultimate goal is always to take your money — victims have lost tens of billions to scams and hundreds of thousands of people are in forced labor to keep the schemes going. These workers are often housed in massive complexes scattered across Southeast Asia, where the industry has flourished. Here
Small talk is a lighthearted form of communication meant to facilitate interaction between strangers. These brief exchanges often serve as a gateway to a more significant conversation. Frequent topics include the weather, sports, and the latest TV shows. However, many people are __1__ small talk, and the thought of having to engage in it fills them with anxiety over how to respond. While it may seem a waste of time to some, there are benefits to participating in this social ritual. Research has shown that friendly exchanges with strangers can __2__ and decrease feelings of isolation. This is especially
1. 她把畫掛在書房牆上。 ˇ She hung the picture on her study wall. χ She hanged the picture on her study wall. 註:hanged 是 hang(吊死,絞死)的過去式。hang 作「掛」解時過去式是 hung,過去分詞也是 hung。 2. 他失去平衡,跌倒在地。 ˇ He lost his balance and fell down. χ He lost his balance and felled down. 註:felled 是動詞 fell 的過去式,作「砍倒」解,是及物動詞。這裡作「跌倒」解是 fall,過去式是 fell,過去分詞是 fallen。 3. 我剛才把照相機放在桌上。 ˇ I laid the camera on the table a moment ago. χ I lay the camera on the table a moment ago. 註:從句義可以看出動詞須用過去式「將…放、置」,動詞現在式是 lay,過去式和過去分詞都是 laid:lay, laid, laid;但 lay 也是 lie 的過去式,作「躺」解:lie, lay, lain,是不及物動詞。 注意:兩個形同義不同的 lay,不要用錯。 4. 他去過韓國。 ˇ He has been to Korea. ˇ He visited Korea some time ago. χ He has gone to Korea. 註:He has gone to Korea. 是「他已經到韓國去了」,指目前人已在韓國或在赴韓國的途中。表示「過去曾去過某處」,應用 have/has been,或用動詞的過去式和表示過去時間的副詞來表達。 5.