B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中)

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Hi there! It's time for another episode of News Bites!

I'm Nancy Sun.

And I'm Paz Bueno.

In today's news:

Staying healthy in all ways, and giving back a piece of history.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit…

We've got something berry funny to share with you. Make sure to stay tuned!

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台大通過「心理健康假」

NTU to Have Mental Health Leave

We all know being healthy is important.

So we know we should try to eat healthy foods, get some exercise, and take care of our bodies.

But we are starting to learn that mental health (心理健康) is important too.

Many things in life can cause mental health problems.

So slowing down and getting rest is very important.

The National Taiwan University's Student Counseling Committee (輔導委員會) is trying something new.

They want to start letting students take "mental health leave".

This mean students can take up to 3 days off school each semester for mental health.

學生每一學期可以請三天的心理健康假。

They can use an online system to apply for this leave.

And the students do not need to show proof that they are sick.

But the second time that students take leave, the system would send a notification (通知) to the university's counseling center (心理諮商中心).

And the center would start taking steps to help the student.

Some other universities in Taiwan also let students take mental health leave.

Experts are reminding (提醒) the schools to keep student information private.

They say students should be able to take the leave online, without telling a teacher.

And the experts point out that it's still hard for high school students to take mental health leave.

High school students have to fill out a form (申請表).

Then they have to give it to the teacher for approval (許可, 批准)

The students also have many classes, which makes it hard for them to have time to visit the counseling office.

And they may be worried about how other people would react (反應) if they found out.

But all the experts agree that student mental health is important, and it should not be neglected (忽略).

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希臘要求歸還大理石雕

Greece Calls for British Museum to Return Parthenon Sculptures

The British Museum is one of the most famous museums in the world.

It houses countless (數不清楚) treasures.

But earlier in August, around 2,000 treasures were stolen from the museum.

Police found that it was an inside job (內賊作案).

And the stealing had been happening for over two decades.

These priceless artifacts were stolen because they were not properly cataloged (編入目錄) by the museum.

After this, many people questioned if the museum could handle taking care of all those artifacts.

Now, Greece is calling for the museum to return the Parthenon Sculptures.

The sculptures were taken from a famous temple in Athens, Greece hundreds of years ago.

被要求歸還的「帕德嫩石雕」，是在19世紀一位英國外交官從希臘「帶出」的文物。

Greece has asked the museum to return the sculptures many times.

But the museum says the sculptures were taken to protect them.

Other countries, like Nigeria and China, are also calling for the museum to return things.

Hundreds of years ago, the British Empire (大英帝國) controlled many parts of the world.

And some experts say many cultural treasures were taken from those places during this time.

They say many things in the British Museum were looted (被掠奪).

Over the years, some museums in Europe and the US have started returning artifacts taken from other countries.

But it remains to be seen (尚不確定) if the British Museum will do the same.

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

The National Taiwan University's Student Counseling Committee wants to start letting students take "mental health leave".

This mean students can take up to 3 days off school each semester for mental health.

Experts agree that student mental health is important, and it should not be neglected.

________________________________

And…

Greece is calling for the British Museum to return the Parthenon Sculptures.

This is after thousands of treasures were stolen from the museum.

Many people questioned if the museum could handle taking care of all those artifacts.

Over the years, some museums in Europe and the US have started returning artifacts taken from other countries.

But it remains to be seen if the British Museum will do the same.

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趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

And before you go, here's a Tasty Tidbit to go with today's News Bites. Get ready…

What do you call a sad strawberry?

A blueberry!

And speaking of berries…

11-year-old Harley from Heping Elementary School has an interesting fact about one!

If you have a fun fact, a joke, or interesting news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

Tune in again next time for an all new episode of News Bites!

B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中)

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Hey there! Let's dive into today's brand-new episode of News Bites!

I'm Paz Bueno…

And I'm Nancy Sun.

In today's news:

A dorm for both boys and girls, and an expensive Bob Ross painting.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit…Words… Words… Words… Words… Words…

Stay tuned to learn more about all that, coming up next!

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台灣首座男女合住宿舍

Taiwan's First Co-Ed Dorm

A dormitory (宿舍), or 'dorm' for short, is a type of housing where students live when they go to university.

Students get their own beds, and share common areas (公共區域) like kitchens, bathrooms, and living rooms.

It's a fun way to make friends and live close to where you study.

In Taiwan, dorms are separated by gender.

宿舍是按性別來分的。

All male students would live in one building…

…and all female students would live in another building.

But there is one university that wants to try something different!

National Cheng-chi University (政治大學), or NCCU for short, has done something super cool.

They've opened a co-ed dorm (男女混合宿舍) where boys and girls can live together!

That's a first in Taiwan.

This new student dorm is in Taipei City's Muzha District, close to the NCCU campus (校園).

It used to be staff housing a long time ago, but it has been given a major makeover.

它以前是員工宿舍，但現在已經大翻新過。

Now, it has everything students need: beds, desks, fridges, and even washing machines.

Groups of students had to apply and then a lucky draw decided who got in (透過抽籤來決定誰能住進去).

Each unit, or house, can fit up to 8 or 10 students, depending on the number of bedrooms.

And it's super affordable!

價格超級合理!

Meanwhile, people in Taiwan seem to like this idea of boys and girls being together.

Not just in dorms, but also in schools.

Many top high schools in Taiwan are boys' schools or girls' schools.

台灣許多頂尖高中是男校或女校。

A big survey says that most Taiwanese people want to end separating boys and girls in high schools.

一項大型調查顯示，大多數台灣人希望高中不要再將男生和女生分開。

People say high school is a crucial time (關鍵時期) for boys and girls to get to know each other.

And they should be able to learn together.

The survey found that 80-percent of people encourage kids to not just stick to old-fashioned ideas about what boys and girls should do.

這項調查發現，有 80% 的人鼓勵孩子不要僅僅遵循關於男生和女生應該做什麼的老派觀念。

In fact, nearly 70-percent agreed that times have changed.

The old way of putting boys first is fading away.

過去重男輕女的舊觀念正在逐漸消失。

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首幅 Bob Ross 畫作要價近 1,000 萬美元

First Bob Ross Painting on Sale for Nearly 10 Million US Dollars

Have you heard of Bob Ross?

He was a super famous painter (畫家) with a TV show called "The Joy of Painting."

He made painting fun and easy for everyone!

But guess what?

The very first painting he did on his show is now up for sale for $9.85 million US dollars.

That's almost $10 million dollars!

So, who's selling this painting?

A guy named Ryan Nelson owns an art gallery (藝術畫廊) in Minneapolis, a city in the United States (美國明尼阿波利斯市).

He calls this painting, "A Walk in the Woods."

It's the first painting Bob Ross ever did for TV.

Nelson isn't in a hurry to sell it.

Nelson 並不急於賣它。

He wants people to see it and get inspired to paint!

他希望人們能看到它並受到畫畫的啟發！

Bob Ross started his show in 1983, and he made it super chill and easy (輕鬆和容易).

He wore a cool beard and a perm.

他留著酷酷的鬍子和燙髮。

And he showed people that anyone could paint, even without going to fancy art schools.

而且他讓大家知道，即使不去高級的藝術學校，任何人都可以畫畫。

His show was a big hit until he passed away in 1995.

Now, you might think $10 million US dollars is a lot for a painting.

And you'd be right!

No Bob Ross painting has ever been sold for that much money.

But Nelson believes this painting is extra special (非常特別) because it's Bob Ross's first.

And it shows what he was all about-making art for regular people (普通人) like you and me.

Would you like to see this expensive painting (昂貴的畫)?

Ryan Nelson hopes to show it in different museums so people can enjoy it.

Even if it's super costly (昂貴), the idea is to make art fun for everyone.

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

National Cheng-chi University has opened a co-ed dorm where boys and girls can live together!

That's a first in Taiwan.

This new co-ed student dorm is in Taipei City's Muzha District, close to the NCCU campus.

________________________________

And,

Bob Ross was a famous painter with a TV show called "The Joy of Painting."

The very first painting he did on his show is now up for sale for $9.85 million US dollars.

The owner, Ryan Nelson, hopes to show it in different museums so people can enjoy it.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

Words… Words… Words… Words… Words…

When you say one word over, and over, and over again, you might feel like the word starts to sound pretty weird.

Even if you know what the word means… if you say it a hundred times, you might feel like it loses meaning, and just becomes a sound.

In fact, researchers have found that after a person says a word just 30 times, they are slower to connect its meaning to other words.

Why does this happen…? Honestly… we still don't really know.

But try saying a word 100 times, and see how it feels!

Words… Words… Words… Words… Words…

If you have a fun fact, a joke, or news you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中)

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Hi everyone! It's time for a new episode of News Bites…

I'm Brody Halverson.

And I'm Paz Bueno.

Today's stories…

A teen becomes Taiwan's Go champion, and two guys break the Great Wall of China.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit…what is time?

Keep on listening to find out the answer!

Let's get into it.

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少女成為台灣圍棋冠軍

Teen Becomes Go Champion of Taiwan

Do you like to play go (圍棋)?

It's a fun board game for two players.

One player has black stones (黑子), and the other player has white stones (白子).

They take turns placing stones on the game board (棋盤)

Each player tries to surround (包圍) the other player's stones to control the board.

Sounds simple, right?

Well, the rules may be simple….

…but the game can be really hard.

Most players need to study for many years before they can play the professionals.

But these days, young players (年輕棋手) are changing the game.

Just ask sixteen-year-old Lin Yi-ting (林怡廷).

Even though she's still in high school….

…she won this year's Synmosa Cup Woman Ace Player Tournament (女子圍棋最強戰).

This tournament in Taipei is the top event for female Go players in Taiwan.

And Lin is the youngest champion in the tournament's history.

林小姐是這項比賽歷史上最年輕的冠軍。

How did she do it?

Lin says she used to spend all her time practicing.

Every day she went to train (訓練) with her coach (教練).

After that, she would go home, and train by herself.

But, Lin was working too hard.

Then, at the beginning of this year, something bad happened.

She lost ten games in a row.

So Lin decided to take a new approach.

林小姐決定採取新的方法。

After training each day, she would go home and focus on other things.

That let her mind relax.

With her new mindset (新的態度), Lin says it became easier to play go.

The game became fun again.

Besides, she has another advantage (優勢).

Lin uses new AI technology to train.

This technology is changing the way people play go.

AI can suggest moves that a human would never think of.

人工智慧想出來的步驟，人類永遠不會想到。

What's more, young players are learning the most from AI.

These advantages helped Lin in the tournament.

When she made it to the championship game (冠軍賽), she didn't feel too much stress.

Plus, she had some new moves she learned from AI.

That let her beat (擊敗) a professional player.

Lin won the game only half a point to become Taiwan's champion.

She took home the trophy (獎杯), and 500,000 NT in prize money (獎金).

Way to go, Lin!

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兩個人在萬里長城挖出一條捷徑

Two Men Dig Shortcut through Great Wall of China

Have you ever been to the Great Wall of China (萬里長城)?

It's the longest wall (城牆) in the world.

The wall is more than 20,000 kilometers long.

It is made of dirt and stone, and many workers spent their lives building it.

For thousands of years, the wall has protected (保護) China.

But recently, someone broke a hole (挖破了一個洞) in the wall.

What? Who broke the Great Wall of China?

Was it Genghis Khan?

是成吉思汗嗎？

Don't be ridiculous.

別搞笑了。

Genghis Khan has been dead for centuries.

Actually, the wall was broken by two local guys (是兩個本地人).

It happened to a part of the wall in Shanxi province (山西省).

Recently, police found a big hole in the wall.

The hole had a new dirt road running through it.

洞裡有一條新的泥巴路穿過去。

Police saw someone had used an excavator (怪手) to make the hole.

Finally, they found the two guys that did it.

The guys said they wanted to make a shortcut (捷徑).

They said it took too much time to travel around the wall.

Unfortunately, those guys did not think about what they were destroying (摧毀).

The part of the wall they knocked down goes back to the Ming dynasty.

他們拆掉的那部分城牆建於明朝。

That means it's more than 400 years old.

What's more, experts (專家) say there is no way to fix the wall.

That part of the wall was important for historians (歷史學家).

Plus, tourists (觀光客) used to visit that wall.

Now, it is destroyed forever.

Fortunately, there are still many other sections of the Great Wall.

Still, this strange story has made people think about how to preserve historical sites (如何保存歷史遺跡).

In the past, the wall protected the people of China.

But these days, people in China need to protect the wall!

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites…

A young student won the top go tournament for women in Taiwan.

To play go, two players put black and white stones on a board.

Sixteen-year-old Lin Yi-ting used a relaxed mindset and AI training to become the champion.

________________________________

And,

Two guys dug a hole in the Great Wall of China.

They wanted to make a shortcut near their home in Shanxi.

But, they destroyed a part of the wall that was more than 400 years old.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

Do you know what time it is? Of course you do! That's because we have clocks, all over the place.

But when was the first clock invented?

Around the year 1300, people made something called an "hourglass". Sand falls slowly from the top of the hourglass to its bottom, to show how much time has passed.

But that's not really a clock.

Even before 1300, we had mechanical clocks, in tall towers that could ring a bell at certain times of day.

That's a little closer…

But thousands of years before all these inventions, humans could take a long stick… and put it in the ground, sticking up to the sky. And as the sun moved, people could know what time it was, by looking at the stick's shadow!

So, yeah… I guess our first clock has always been the sun!

If you have a fun fact or a joke you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

Tune in again next time for an all new episode of News Bites!

B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中)

________________________________

Hi there! It's time for another episode of News Bites!

I'm Nancy Sun.

And I'm Paz Bueno.

In today's news:

Adventure in Taiwan, and a new way to fight drunk driving.

And…

In some ways, you could say our Earth has a "heart of gold". We’ll explain more, coming up in a bit!

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旅遊網站票選"最佳冒險旅遊目的地" 台灣奪冠

Taiwan is a Top Adventure Destination

Do you like traveling in Taiwan?

Most of us live in Taiwan, and we get to enjoy the island all the time.

And for travelers from other countries, Taiwan offers lots of adventures too!

That’s why an American travel website named Taiwan as 2023’s “Favorite Adventure Destination”.

Trazee Travel is a website that has news for travelers who are 25 to 40 years old.

The company recently asked readers to vote on favorite places in the world.

They voted from December last year to May this year.

美國旅遊主流媒體Trazee Travel讀者票選台灣為今年"最喜愛的冒險旅遊目的地"。

Seoul was voted "Favorite Worldwide City" for the second year in a row (連續).

The title of "Favorite Country" went to Greece, for the fourth year in a row.

Taiwan's Tourism Bureau says more people from North America are visiting Taiwan.

The bureau says in the first six months of this year, 270,000 tourists from the US and Canada have visited Taiwan.

Officials say they want to attract more young travelers from North America.

They say they are putting together many types of programs (計劃, 方案) about culture, ecology, food and shopping.

The Tourism Bureau says many visitors from North America like outdoor activities.

Taiwan has beautiful mountains and coastlines.

This makes it a great place for extreme sports, like rock climbing, mountain biking, white water rafting (泛舟), and more.

The Tourism Bureau hopes travelers can find unique experiences when in Taiwan.

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日本防酒駕的新招數

A New Way to Fight Drunk Driving

Drunk driving has caused many fatal (致命的) traffic accidents around the world.

And this happens in Taiwan too.

Many countries have done things to try to stop drunk driving.

But a driving school in Japan is taking an unusual approach (不尋常的方法).

They are encouraging drivers to drink alcohol (喝酒) before driving.

How does this help stop drunk driving?

This was actually a special class at the driving school.

They want people to see how different it is to drive after drinking alcohol.

They hope this will help people understand how dangerous it is to drink and drive (酒後開車).

The school invited 10 people to the class.

These people had to drive a car through a U-turn, an S-bend, and some tight curves (彎道).

First they did this sober (清醒的).

A driving teacher sat in the car, and assessed (評估) how well they drove.

The teacher also assessed the driver's reflexes (反射動作, 本能反應)

Then, the school asked the drivers to drink some alcohol.

They drank enough alcohol to go over the legal limit (酒駕標準值).

And they went through the same U-turn, S-bend, and tight curves.

And the teacher assessed their driving again.

Many of the drivers were very confident (有信心) about their skills.

They were sure they could still drive well, even after drinking alcohol.

But they soon found out that after drinking, they made many mistakes (錯誤) when driving.

Police in Japan say some drivers who drink and drive have not had an accident yet.

This makes them feel like they are invincible (無敵).

And this makes the drivers keep drinking and driving.

日本的警察說有些酒駕慣犯過去喝酒開車時，運氣好而未發生事故，這種狀況讓他們反覆同樣的危險行為。

Some research shows that drunk drivers cause 7 times more fatal accidents (死亡事故) than sober drivers.

Maybe you're not old enough to drive yet.

But when you are, would a class like this make you think twice (三思而後行) about driving after drinking?

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

American travel website Trazee Travel named Taiwan as 2023’s “Favorite Adventure Destination”.

Taiwan's Tourism Bureau says Taiwan's mountains and coastlines make it a great place for extreme sports.

The bureau hopes travelers can find unique experiences when in Taiwan.

________________________________

A driving school in Japan is taking an unusual approach to fight drunk driving.

They are encouraging drivers to drink alcohol before driving for a special class.

They want people to see how different it is to drive after drinking alcohol, and help them understand how dangerous it is to drink and drive.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

And before we go, here's a Tasty Tidbit you can take away from today's News Lunchbox:

Gold is a precious metal, and saying something is precious can mean it is rare. But did you know that there is enough gold inside Earth to cover the entire planet?

And that layer of gold covering the Earth would be knee-high!

So how do we get all that gold? Well right now, that’s pretty much impossible, since the core is almost 3,000 kilometers below our feet. And the temperature in the core can get up to over 5,000 degrees Celsius!

If you have a fun fact or a joke you’d like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

Tune in again next time for an all new episode of News Bites!

B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中)

________________________________

Are you ready for today's new episode of News Bites?

I'm Paz Bueno…

And I'm Nancy Sun.

In today's news:

ChatGPT helps fight crime, and Gaza's first cat cafe.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit…animal artists!

Keep on listening to find out more, coming up next!

________________________________

高雄檢警利用ChatGPT捉住虛擬貨幣詐騙集團

Kaohsiung Authorities Use ChatGPT to Catch Crypto Scammers

Technology has changed our lives.

From smartphones to smart appliances, they have become an integral part of everyday life.

從智能手機到智能家居，它們已經成為日常生活中不可缺的一部分。

This year, AI chatbots are all the rage (超夯的).

And none is more popular or well-known as ChatGPT.

Many people have found different uses (用途) for this helpful tool.

And one of those uses is to help catch bad guys!

In Kaohsiung, prosecutors have turned into technology experts to crack down on cryptocurrency scams.

在高雄，檢警變成了科技達人，專門打擊加密貨幣的詐騙行為。

Using ChatGPT, investigators traced the flow of illegal money (調查人員追?了非法資金的流向).

And guess how much they found?

150 million NT!

These scammers were really clever (聰明).

They pretended to be "cryptocurrency traders" and used the virtual world to hide their tracks.

他們假裝自己是「加密貨幣交易員」，並利用虛擬世界來掩飾自己。

But you can't fool technology (騙不過科技的)!

檢警用新科技ChatGPT追查，成功抓到了主嫌，破獲了高達一億五千萬元的金流。

One of the investigators taught himself coding (自學程式設計) to help catch these fraudsters (詐騙犯).

His technology skills, along with help from ChatGPT, revealed (揭露了) where the money was going and who was behind it.

As it turns out, these so-called traders were living the high life-driving luxury cars, all while their families thought they were tech geniuses.

結果發現，這些所謂的交易員其實過著奢華的生活，開著豪車，而他們的家人還以為他們是科技天才。

Well, not anymore! The truth is out (真相大白)!

It goes to show that ChatGPT can be a useful sidekick in the fight against crime!

這證明了ChatGPT可以成為打擊犯罪的有用助手！

________________________________

加沙地帶首家喵星人咖啡館

Gaza's First 'MEOW Cat Cafe?'

Spending time with cats can make you feel relaxed and happy.

Having a warm drink like tea or coffee can also help people unwind (舒壓).

And if you like both of those things, you can always visit a cat cafe!

The idea started here in Taiwan.

The world's first cat cafe opened in Taipei in 1998.

Since then, it has spread to Japan, Korea, and the US.

已經傳播到日本、韓國和美國。

And now, it has even reached Gaza in the Middle East (中東的加沙)!

Naeema Maabed has opened the first cat cafe in the Gaza Strip.

Naeema says the idea sparked from her childhood passion for cats.

Naeema 說，這個點子源於她兒時對貓的熱愛。

She believes cats are natural mood boosters, calling them a "natural antidepressant."

她相信貓咪是天生的心情提升劑，稱它們為「天然抗憂鬱劑」。

Naeema says many people in Gaza like cats, but they don't know how to keep a pet.

Many apartment buildings don't allow people to keep pets, either.

許多公寓大樓也不允許人們養寵物。

So she decided to make a place for cat lovers to relieve their stress (為愛貓人士打造一個舒壓的地方).

This caf? isn't just any caf?-it's a cat lover's paradise!

是貓奴的天堂！

The 'MEOW Cat Caf?' is home to many kinds of cats.

Most are Persian cats, and there are also Turkish angora and hybrid felines.

大部分是波斯貓，還有土耳其安哥拉貓和混種貓。

Customers can pay a fee (付費) to enter the cat room that's separated from the cafe with a glass partition (玻璃隔間).

Parents can enjoy coffee and see their children play with the cats.

For 14-year-old Hala, who can't convince her parents to get a pet cat, the caf? is a delightful place.

對於14歲的Hala來說，由於她無法說服父母為她養一隻貓，這家咖啡店成了一個令人愉快的地方。

She says it's a nice project (是個不錯的計劃), and she visits often to release stress.

Even though pets aren't common in Gaza, cats have always been around, especially near ports and fish markets (港口和魚市場附近).

And now, thanks to Naeema, they have a home where they're the stars!

So the next time you think about cats and coffee, remember that sometimes, paws and lattes are the perfect blend (貓爪和拿鐵是最完美的組合)!

Wouldn't you love to check this place out?

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

In Kaohsiung, prosecutors have turned into technology experts to crack down on cryptocurrency scams.

An investigator taught himself coding to help catch fraudsters online.

He used ChatGPT to help him reveal the illegal flow of money.

________________________________

And,

Naeema Maabed has opened the first cat cafe in the Gaza Strip.

She believes cats are natural mood boosters, calling them a "natural antidepressant."

She decided to open the cat cafe because many people in Gaza can't keep pets.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

Do you think animals can make art?

Well, some people can teach dogs, cats, or elephants to make pictures with paint.

But that comes from lots of practice, and training… and many people think real art comes from feelings, and creativity.

But did you know there are birds that like to collect shiny things for their nest?

And there are fish that make beautiful circles in the sand, and dolphins that like to blow bubble rings for their friends…

And many animals like dogs, and even elephants, can be seen playing games with each other all the time.

So if animals feel enough to do all of these things… isn't that a kind of art?

It's different from what humans make… but it can still be very creative!

________________________________

If you have a fun fact or a joke you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi there! It's time for another episode of News Bites!

I'm Nancy Sun.

And I'm Paz Bueno.

In today's news:

New paint for old gods, and a hero's greatest fear.

And stay tuned for today's Tasty Tidbits at the end of the episode…

Where our animal jokes will quack you up!

________________________________

新生代匠師為書院古蹟繪門神

Qing Dynasty School to Reopen in 2026

你的學校門口，有門神守護嗎?

An ancient school in northern Taiwan is being restored (修復).

Hsuehhai Academy was built during the Qing Dynasty.

The school in Taipei's Wanhua District was later bought by a local family.

The family used it as a temple.

"學海書院" 是清朝建的書院，日治時期由一個姓高的家族買下建物作為宗祠使用，現在也是台北市唯一的書院建築古蹟。

Two big door gods (門神) are painted on the doors to the building.

Door gods are gods that guard (守護) doors or gates.

They protect people inside from evil.

There are also door gods who bring in good luck and blessings (祝福, 喜事).

Traditionally, most family temples did not have door gods.

But the family that bought the building was a bit different.

One of the family members was a Qing Dynasty official.

高氏宗祠所有權人說，傳統的宗祠比較少有門神彩繪，不過高氏家族先祖是清朝的官，所以宗祠才會有門神彩繪，

Now, the Taipei government hopes the building can reopen for the public by 2026.

The city government asked a traditional artist, Chou Meng-hsun (周孟勳), to paint new door gods.

Chou is 36 years old, and he is a traditional painter certified by the Ministry of Culture.

To paint the door, Chou says he will use the same art style and same type of paint.

But Chou says his door gods will show how artists from different times paint a little differently.

The old original (原本的) doors will be cleaned and put on display.

Chou says this job is very important to him.

In fact, he says that this is "not just a job" for him.

He says "it is a work of art".

________________________________

讓英雄怕怕的秘魯新品種蛇類

New Snake Species Named After Harrison Ford

A hero isn't afraid of anything, right?

This hero has traveled through dangerous jungles.

He's fought evil bad guys (邪惡的壞蛋) and monsters.

And he's even been chased by a giant rolling rock!

He's Indiana Jones, from the famous Hollywood movies.

But this hero has one weakness…he's afraid of snakes!

Indiana Jones is a professor and archaeologist (考古學家) who goes on many adventures.

This movie character is played by American actor Harrison Ford.

And now, Harrison Ford shares his name with a real snake!

Recently, four scientists discovered a new species of snake.

They had to walk through dangerous jungles in Peru (秘魯) to find this snake.

They almost ran into drug traffickers (毒販).

And after a lot of hard work and danger, they found the "Tachymenoides harrisonfordi".

The snake is about 40 centimeters long.

It has bronze and gold scales.

The scientists thought it would be funny to name the snake after the man who played Indiana Jones, who hates snakes.

哈里遜福特曾飾演的電影主角印第安納瓊斯在劇中其實很怕蛇。

And Harrison Ford, who played the character, also works in nonprofit groups (非營利組織) to help protect the environment.

After hearing the news, Ford joked that he and the snake "probably would've been friends in the early '60s."

But seriously, Ford says this reminds all of us that there is still a lot to learn about nature.

He says we must mend (修補) "our broken relationship with nature" and protect living things.

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

Hsuehhai Academy, built during the Qing Dynasty is being restored.

The city government asked a traditional artist, Chou Meng-hsun, to paint new door gods.

The city hopes the building can reopen for the public by 2026.

________________________________

And…

Four scientists discovered a new species of snake, the "Tachymenoides harrisonfordi".

They named the snake after American actor Harrison Ford.

The scientists thought it would be funny to name the snake after the man who played the character of Indiana Jones, who hates snakes.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

And before we go, here's a Tasty Tidbit to go with your News Lunchbox.

You ready?

How do you get a squirrel to like you?

You act like a nut!

Alright, if that doesn't tickle your funny bone…

Here's two more animal jokes from 11-year-old Ray, Heping Experimental Elementary School in Taipei City.

***

That was hilarious Ray!

If you have a fun fact or a joke you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Welcome to another episode of News Bites!

I’m Paz Bueno…

And I’m Nancy Sun!

In today's news:

A traditional Taiwanese snack in Paris, and Peruvian Q-pop!

And in today’s Tasty Tidbit…some fun facts about colors!

Stay tuned to hear more about all that, coming up next.

________________________________

台灣車輪餅風靡法國

Taiwanese Wheel Cakes Roll into France

Have you ever tried a ‘wheel cake’?

你有吃過「車輪餅」吧!

You know, those round snacks you often see at street food stalls?

Wheel cakes evolved from a Japanese pastry (從日本點心演變過來的).

And they are a popular traditional snack in Taiwan.

Wheel cakes can be both sweet and savory.

可以是甜的，也可以是鹹的。

They've got a fluffy texture (口感蓬鬆), kinda like a pancake, and they can be filled with all sorts of goodies.

And they’re becoming popular around the world!

In Vietnam (越南), they are called “Taiwanese UFO Pancakes.”

And even further away in France, people can’t get enough of them!

而在更遠的法國，人們對它們愛不釋手！

Wheel cakes are taking Paris by storm (掀起熱潮)!

Two shops are leading the way in Paris.

First up is "Ciao Roue," opened by Chang Chiao-wei (張巧薇), a Taiwanese woman living in Paris.

She wanted to bring a little piece of Taiwan to France and offer a snack that brings back childhood memories.

她想把台灣的一小部分，也就是這種能喚起童年回憶的點心，帶到法國。

Her wheel cakes made it into the French newspaper ‘Le Monde’.

The other pioneer (先鋒) is Lu Shu-yu (呂叔優).

She opened a shop called "Simplify" and then another one named "Simplify Plus."

And people love it!

People are not just eating these wheel cakes; they’re also talking about them on social media (社群媒體).

Because let’s be honest, they are perfect for photos!

It looks like this Taiwanese snack is here to stay in France.

So the next time you enjoy a wheel cake, just remember, you're not just eating a snack.

下次享用車輪餅時，記住你不是單純吃點心。

You're eating an international sensation!

你是在品嚐轟動國際的美食！

________________________________

秘魯 Q-Pop 的興起

The Rise of Peruvian Q-Pop

You have definitely heard of K-pop.

It’s a music genre (音樂形式) from South Korea that has attracted (吸引了) millions of fans from all over the world.

And in Peru, it has inspired a whole new genre.

在秘魯，南韓 K-pop 激發了全新的音樂類型。

A young musician from Lima, Peru, is creating a whole new sound.

Lenin Tamayo is mixing the beats of K-pop with songs in Quechua, a language that dates back to the Incas.

Lenin Tamayo 把 K-pop 的節奏跟印加語 Quechua 的歌曲混合在一起。

Quechua is spoken by about 10 million people across South America (大約一千萬人使用印加語).

Lenin grew up speaking it, and he wants to use his music to fight discrimination and honor his heritage.

Lenin 從小就說這種語言，他希望用音樂來對抗歧視並且尊重他的傳統。

Lenin got into K-pop when he was in school.

He found it was a way to make friends and deal with bullying.

His love for Korean culture and Quechua language has given birth to Q-pop.

他對韓國文化和 Quechua 語言的熱愛促成了 Q-pop 的誕生。

The Internet is buzzing about it (議論紛紛), and he's even getting a lot of love on TikTok.

His debut album (首張專輯) dropped last month.

Each song is based on Incan myths (印加神話).

And his stage performances include traditional Peruvian instruments like rain sticks and panpipes.

他的舞台表演還包括像雨聲棒和排笛這樣的傳統秘魯樂器。

So if you're interested in a new music genre, check out Q-pop.

Fans say it's a way to honor and learn about the rich history and culture of Peru.

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

Wheel cakes, a traditional Taiwanese snack, are becoming a big hit in France.

Shops in Paris like "Ciao Roue" and "Simplify" are helping to spread the love for this delicious treat.

People are talking about them on social media and posting pictures of the snack.

________________________________

And,

Lenin Tamayo is mixing K-pop with the traditional Quechua language.

He calls it Q-pop, and his songs are based on Incan myths.

He wants to use his music to fight discrimination and honor his heritage.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

You've probably watched the sun set, right?

That beautiful orange glow is something many of us look forward to.

But on Mars, sunsets aren't orange; they're blue!

It's all because of the way Mars' thin atmosphere scatters sunlight.

And speaking of colorful facts, 9-year-old Emma from Li-Sing Elementary School in Taichung City has some interesting tidbits to share!

…

…wow! My eyes are also brown!

If you have a fun fact or a joke you’d like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We’ll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中)

________________________________

Hi there! It's time for another episode of News Bites!

I'm Nancy Sun.

And I'm Hope Ngo.

In today's news:

Bringing fossils back to life, and coffee in your concrete.

And for today's Tasty Tidbits….

What's the smallest mammal you can think of? Are you thinking of a mouse? We've got one smaller. We'll tell you all about it at the end of the episode!

________________________________

台灣的"化石先生"

Taiwan Fossil Preparator Preserves Ancient History

Millions of years ago, dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

They have been extinct for a long time.

But we still find them fascinating (令人著迷).

People of all ages go to museums to see dinosaur skeletons and fossils.

And many are amazed by how real the displays seem to be.

This is the work of those who clean and repair the fossils and bring them back to life.

They are called fossil preparators (化石清修師).

Despite their special skills, many people don't know much about this job.

There aren't many fossil preparators in Taiwan, because of the lack of dinosaur fossils here.

However, one local fossil preparator, Hsiao Yu-fu is helping people learn more about the job.

Hsiao has a nickname, "Mr. Fossil".

He started working as a fossil preparator by accident (意外的).

When he was a teenager, he was deeply fascinated by natural science and fossils.

At the age of 21, he went to Germany to learn more about the field.

Originally, he just wanted to exchange fossils and stones in some trade fairs (交易會).

A friend, who was involved in fossil digging and restoration (復原), introduced him to the career.

Since then, Hsiao has been digging and restoring fossils.

He even set up his own fossil restoration company.

In 2018, Hsiao worked together with a land owner in Montana.

He was asked to excavate (挖掘) and restore a Triceratops (三角龍) skull.

After it was restored, the skull was the most complete Triceratops skull in the world.

It was nicknamed "Big Boss".

Hsiao is also one of the first to find dinosaur eggs in the body of a mother dinosaur.

He then co-authored (共同執筆) a study that answered the mystery of how dinosaurs laid eggs.

Over the years, Hsiao's achievements have made him a leader of the field in Taiwan.

Other than restoring fossils, he also curates (策劃展覽) for museums.

His dream is to open a museum where people can learn about fossils through interactive displays.

He says restoring fossils is like "opening a blind box, you never know what you'll get".

________________________________

強化混凝土用咖啡渣?

Processed Coffee Grounds Make Concrete Stronger

Millions of people around the world start their day with a cup of coffee.

And around 18 million tons of used coffee grounds are produced each year.

Coffee grounds are actually very useful.

It is a good fertilizer (肥料) which can help your plants grow.

Some people use it to get rid of bad smells.

Some even use it to get rid of dead skin cells.

But we still throw away a lot of coffee grounds.

So where do they go?

Just like all garbage, they mostly end up in landfills (垃圾掩埋場).

Most might think that disposing coffee grounds in landfills is harmless, because it's biodegradable.

But when coffee grounds decompose (分解), it releases methane (甲烷).

And all that methane makes global warming worse.

But scientist might have found a way to solve this problem.

They've found a way to use coffee grounds in concrete (混凝土).

The coffee is heated to around 350 degrees Celsius.

This turns it into biochar (生物碳).

Then this biochar is added to concrete.

Researchers found that doing this made the concrete almost 30 percent stronger.

And using biochar means using less sand.

And that means we dig up less sand from the environment.

Researchers are still working on this idea.

But they believe it could be a good solution (解決方案).

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

A Taiwanese fossil preparator, Hsiao Yu-fu is helping people learn more about the job.

He has been digging and restoring fossils from a young age, and even set up his own fossil restoration company.

Hsiao has restored the most complete Triceratops skull in the world.

Hsiao is also one of the first to find dinosaur eggs in the body of a mother dinosaur.

________________________________

And,

Scientist have found a way to use coffee grounds in concrete.

Researchers found that this made the concrete almost 30 percent stronger.

And using coffee grounds to make concrete means we use less sand, protecting the environment.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

Lots of stories and songs talk about things "as tiny as a mouse". But maybe they don't know about the "bumblebee bat"!

The bumblebee bat is the world's smallest mammal. Its body from head to toe is about 3 centimeters long. And it weighs about 2 grams. It easily fits onto the tip of your finger!

The bat is also called Kitti's hog-nosed bat, and to see one, you have to visit special caves in parts of Thailand or Myanmar.

If you have a fun fact or a joke you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

B*News Bites 文字檔 (國中)

________________________________

Hi there, it's time for a new episode of News Bites…

I'm Brody Halverson.

And I'm Paz Bueno.

In today's episode…

Taiwan sends a robot to the North Pole, and Sweden chooses nuclear power.

And in today's Tasty Tidbit…what is the farthest place on Earth?

Let's get into it.

________________________________

台灣無人船訪問北極

Taiwan's Unmanned Boat Visits the Arctic

What's at the North Pole (北極)?

It's a cold place, with lots of ice and polar bears.

But, it's a long way from Taiwan.

That's why many people were surprised to hear that a boat from Taiwan went to study the North Pole.

That's right… a Taiwanese boat went to the Arctic (北極極地).

The Arctic is what we call the area around the North Pole.

A team of scientists from Taiwan wanted to know more about this mysterious region.

台灣的科學家想要多了解這個神秘的地區。

So, they sent a little boat on a 14-day mission (使命) to the Arctic.

The boat didn't have any people on it, only machines.

It was an unmanned boat (無人船).

First, the scientists had to build the boat.

They asked for help from National Penghu University of Science and Technology (國立澎湖科技大學).

The university designed and built all the electronics (電子設備) on the boat.

They made a communication system (通訊系統).

They also made an AI tool, to help the boat stay away from floating ice (遠離浮冰).

When the boat was finished, it weighed 15 kilograms.

The scientists put it on an airplane and sent it North.

It went to Svalbard, an island in the Arctic Ocean.

它去了北冰洋的一個島嶼斯瓦爾巴島。

That's where the little boat started its mission.

It used a special camera to scan the ocean floor (掃描海底).

This scan let scientists make a 3-D model (3D模型) of the sea floor.

What's more, the boat brought a sensor (感測器) to measure earthquakes (測量地震).

It left the sensor in the Arctic, so scientists can continue to study earthquakes there.

Finally, the boat collected ice and soil.

This will help scientists learn how the temperature in the Arctic is changing.

Ice in the Arctic is melting due to climate change.

由於氣候變化，北極的冰正在融化。

The scientists want to know how fast it's melting.

After 14 days, the mission was finished.

The team thinks the mission was a success (成功).

It gave them lots of data (大量數據).

It also showed that the boat could work in very cold weather.

________________________________

瑞典計劃建設 10 座核電廠

Sweden Plans 10 Nuclear Power Plants

Nuclear energy (核能) is useful.

It can generate a lot of power.

它可以產生大量的電力。

Recently, Sweden's government (瑞典政府) said they need to generate twice as much power.

They say it's important for meeting their climate goals (氣候目標).

Along with other EU countries (歐盟國家), Sweden's goal is to be "carbon neutral" (碳中和) by 2050.

So, they need to stop using coal, oil, and gas.

They also need to switch to electric cars.

Their government's plan is to build 10 new nuclear power plants (核電廠).

The government wants to use nuclear power to reduce their carbon emissions and reach their climate goal.

政府希望利用核電來減少碳排放並達成氣候目標。

But, lots of people are against the plan.

That's because nuclear power plants creates nuclear waste (核廢料).

It does not pollute the air like carbon emissions.

However, it is still toxic (有毒).

It's difficult to throw nuclear waste away.

That's because it can pollute the environment (污染環境) and nobody wants to live near it.

Plus, some people feel that nuclear power is dangerous.

If a nuclear power plant has an accident (核能意外事故), it can pollute a big area.

These people think the government should use other kinds of energy, like solar and wind energy.

這些人認為政府應該使用其他類型的能源，例如太陽能和風力發電。

Solar and wind energy are cleaner and safer.

But, they do not generate as much power as nuclear energy.

That's why Sweden has a big choice to make.

For now, it looks like they will go with nuclear energy.

But it's not only Sweden.

All over the world, many countries are facing the same choice.

許多國家都面臨著同樣的選擇。

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites…

Scientists from Taiwan have sent an unmanned boat to the Arctic.

The little boat scanned the ocean floor and collected ice and soil.

The mission lasted 14 days, and scientists say it was a success.

________________________________

And,

Sweden plans to build 10 new nuclear power plants.

Their government says this can help them generate enough power to reach their climate goals.

But other people are against nuclear power, and want to use wind or solar instead.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

How far away is your home from your school, or your work?

Well, one place on Earth is farther away from people than anywhere else.

It's called "Point Nemo".

Point Nemo isn't actually an island, it's just a place in the ocean… but it's 2,600 kilometers away from land, in every direction!

In fact, it's so far away from everyone, that the people closest to it are… astronauts!

As the international space station travels around Earth, it gets closer to Point Nemo than anyone on the planet.

And when satellites get too old to be in space, many countries send them down to crash around Point Nemo, so they won't hit any people.

You can go there if you want… but you'll probably be the only one!

If you have a fun fact or a joke you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!

Hi there! It's time for another episode of News Bites!

I'm Nancy Sun.

And I'm Hope Ngo.

In today's news:

Unbelievable tales from an ancient business, and ways to fight too much screen time.

And for today's Tasty Tidbits….

Think of a country with lots of pyramids. We know which one you're thinking of, but another country has more.

Stay to find out the surprising answer.

________________________________

當鋪的奇聞趣事

Amazing Tales from a Pawnshop

A pawn shop is a business that lends money to people.

People who would like to borrow money must bring in something valuable, and leave it with the shop.

Some people bring in jewelry, or even gold, as collateral (抵押品).

If these people pay back the money within a time limit, they can get their valuable item back.

But if they do not, the shop may sell that item to another person, to make money.

Pawnshops are one of the oldest ways of borrowing money.

典當是人類社會最古老的行業之一。

The history of pawning first started in ancient China over 3000 years ago.

They were operated by Buddhist monks who gave loans to peasants (農民) and small businesses.

Pawnshops first emerged in Taiwan when it was still an agricultural society.

At that time, the economy was still growing and many people needed money.

One pawnshop owner in Taiwan says back in those days, people would pawn almost anything.

That includes pots, pans, quilts, and even clothes.

And the shop owner says today, people pawn electronics, jewelry, cars and houses, even gold teeth.

He also says another shop owner once accepted 6 grenades (手榴彈).

The police came by later and confiscated (沒收) the grenades.

They then returned the grenades, after confirming they were replicas (複製品).

The shop owner says a priest who wanted to pawn bulletproof vests.

But the owner says he did not accept these.

Pawnshop owners check online to see if an item has value, and can be sold legally.

The shop owner says the strangest thing he ever accepted, was a golden retriever (黃金獵犬).

But he says most of the time, he does not accept pets, because then he has to take care of them.

Some people think of pawnshops as places for shopping.

Many objects are not redeemed (贖回) by their original owners.

Sometimes, you can buy watches, cars, even musical instruments at a great deal.

But this ancient way of borrowing money does come with some risks.

________________________________

歐盟對抗青少年手機成癮

The EU Fights Smartphone Addiction in Youth

It is not news that smartphone addiction is a worldwide situation.

And some are especially worried about adolescents (青少年).

Many parents around the world think a lot about their kids' internet use.

There are lots of debates about social media use and teen mental health.

And some countries are taking action to control the potentially harmful use of social media.

China wants to limit screen time to 40 minutes for children under 8.

The U.S. state of Utah imposed a digital curfew (宵禁) for minors.

And the European Union is starting with its Digital Services Act (DSA).

The DSA requires major social platforms to comply (遵守) to new rules.

Their system must be inspected by the European Commission.

This is to make sure that their products aren't harming children.

The platforms also have to make sure that their algorithms (演算法) don't recommend inappropriate videos to teens.

And "autoplay" would be turned off, so young people don't stay hooked watching videos.

The platforms are also not allowed to track children's online activity, and show them personalized ads.

What if these social media platforms don't follow the rules?

They could face a fine of up to 6 percent of their global revenue (收入).

Many are waiting to see if the idea works.

________________________________

So, in today's News Bites:

Pawnshops are one of the oldest ways of borrowing money.

One pawnshop owner in Taiwan says today, people pawn electronics, jewelry, cars and houses, even gold teeth.

But this ancient way of borrowing money does come with some risks.

________________________________

And,

The European Union has created new laws for social media platforms to follow.

This is to make sure that their products aren't harming children.

If these social media platforms don't follow the rules, they could face fines.

Many are waiting to see if the idea works.

________________________________

趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

When people say pyramids, we think of sand, camels, the sun, and probably Egypt. But did you know that the country with the most pyramids in the world…is actually Sudan?

So far, 138 pyramids have been found in Egypt, but there are around 255 in Sudan!

Sudan is a country in Northeast Africa. Many of the pyramids in Sudan were built as tombs for kings and queens. These pyramids look a little different from the pyramids of Egypt. They're a bit steeper and pointier.

If you have a fun fact or a joke you'd like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!