通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K394: Of Red Clay and French Existentialism

The most prominent feature of the French Open is that this Grand Slam tournament takes place on the rusty red clay of Roland Garros, a beloved detail that is as much a part of local culture and tradition as the bouquinistes that sell art and used books along the Seine.

法國網球公開賽最突出的特點，就是這項大滿貫賽事在羅蘭蓋洛球場鏽紅色的紅土上舉行。如同塞納河畔販賣藝術品與二手書的舊書攤一樣，這是一個令人喜愛的細節，也是當地文化與傳統的一部分。

And yet, as it so often is in the country that claims Albert Camus and Simone de Beauvoir, the relationship between France and its “terre bateau” is a little more complicated.

然而，就像這個擁有卡繆和西蒙波娃的國家過去經常發生的那樣，法國與自家「紅土球場」之間的關係有點複雜。

This red clay that comes from a small brick factory in Oise, north of Paris, elicits so much love.

來自巴黎北方瓦茲一家小型磚廠的這種紅土深受眾人喜愛。

But the clay has also become a symbol of deep frustration. A Frenchwoman has not won the singles championship that this country so treasures, the one that requires more grit but also more thought than any other, since Mary Pierce in 2000. A Frenchman has not won it in 39 years, since Yannick Noah in 1983.

但這種紅土也成為深刻挫折的象徵。自2000年的瑪麗．皮爾絲以來，還沒有一位法國女子贏得這個國家如此珍視的單打冠軍，這個冠軍需要更多的意志力，也需要更多思考。自1983年的諾亞之後，法國男人已有39年未獲男單冠軍。

Why?

為什麼？

The answer likely has a lot to do with a central contradiction in the home of red clay’s biggest stage. Just 11.5% of the tennis courts in France are made of the traditional red clay and most of those are in private clubs. Another 16.5% of courts are made of an imitation clay surface that is similar to the terre bateau but plays harder and faster than the softer traditional clay.

答案跟這個紅土賽事最高舞台主場的重要矛盾可能有很大關係。法國只有11.5%網球場使用傳統紅土，且大多數都是私人俱樂部的網球場，另有16.5%的球場表面由仿紅土製成，雖跟紅土球場類似，但比較軟的傳統紅土打起來更硬且更快。

Winning on clay requires a Ph.D. in what coaches and players call point construction, which is shorthand for playing tennis like chess, thinking not only about this next shot but three shots down the line. Learning that to the point where it is instinctual can take years, and like most things, the earlier one starts training the brain to think that way, the better.

想在紅土賽場上取勝，必須精通教練和球員所稱點的建構，這是像下棋一樣打網球的簡單表達，不僅是想著下一次擊球，還要考慮接下來的三次擊球。將此學習到如同直覺恐需數年時間，而且就像大多數事情一樣，越早開始訓練大腦以這種方式思考越好。

“On clay, the fight really goes on and on,” said Aurelio Di Zazzo, a coach at the Tennis Club of Paris. “The longer the effort, the more you have to use your mind.”

巴黎網球俱樂部教練迪扎佐這麼說：「在紅土球場，比賽真的是沒完沒了。努力的時間愈久，就愈需要動腦筋。」

The club, which is less than 1 mile from Roland Garros, tries to carry red clay’s torch as best it can. That torch is not cheap. Maintaining the courts requires four full-time employees, and new clay costs more than $2,000 a year for each court. Each court must be entirely dug up and redone every 15 years, costing more than $30,000 per court.

這家距離羅蘭蓋洛球場不到一英里的俱樂部，盡其所能地傳承著紅土比賽的火炬。這個火炬可不便宜。維護球場需要四名全職員工，每個球場每年鋪新紅土的費用超過2,000美元。每隔15年，每個球場都必須徹底挖掉重鋪一次，每個球場花費超過30,000美元。

Levy said it is worth it.

勒維表示，這是值得的。

“This clay is a part of France,” he said.

他說：「紅土球場是法國的一部分。」Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6379673

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K393: Ageless beauty the French way: five best lifestyle tips from French women

Regardless of age, French women are always spontaneous, elegant, dazzling and candid. Their charisma and charm are always turning heads on the street. Such charm has even earned them the title “the most beautiful people in the world.” However, to exude a classic French style from head to toe takes some learning. The following five points teach you how to become a chic French lady.

法國女人不論幾歲都隨興優雅，瀟灑且率性，卻總能散發個人特質，讓人頻頻回頭欣賞，甚至被譽為「全世界最美麗的人種」。從內到外的法式風情，可不容易輕易模仿，以下便歸納法國女子五大風格重點。

1. Minimalist skin care with natural formula treatments

There is a saying that the essence of French women’s skin care is moisturizer. For them, skin care is a daily routine. Building a minimalist skin care regimen, French women use top-quality formula treatments to achieve gorgeous glowing skin.

1. 極簡保養注重天然配方

有一句話說法國女人的保養，就是「保濕」。對她們來說保養是一種生活習慣，選擇簡單程序卻擁有高質量的成分配方，達到真正的有效保養。

1. Using scent to exude personality

Coco Chanel once quoted the French poet Paul Valery: “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.” A woman can always tell her own personal story with her signature scent.

1. 用香味述說個人特質

香奈兒女士也曾引述法國詩人保羅‧瓦勒里的一句話：「不擦香水的女人沒有未來」不妨試試用香氣說話、用香味述說你的故事。

1. Exuding personality with lipstick

French women always have a lipstick in their handbags. Whether it is bright red, wine red or characteristic purple, they can always pick the best color for themselves.

1. 紅唇講述我的態度

法國女人的包包裡永遠有一支代表她們的唇膏，不管是鮮紅色、復古酒紅色，又或是充滿個性的紫紅色，都能駕馭的很好。

1. Accepting imperfection and embracing beauty

French women have always led an enviable, spontaneous life. The most important tip is to be true to oneself.

1. 接納不完美，擁抱愛情美麗

法國女性活出的態度總讓人羨慕，率性又灑脫，不妨學學法式女子忠於自己的態度吧。

1. Enjoy reading with an aroma diffuser

Filled with character and depth, books are the best treatment for the mind. While sinking into a reverie, French women love a bit of scent to go with their sacred and relaxing moment of reading.

1. 點燃薰香享受閱讀時光

充滿魅力的性格與深度的特質，書籍就是心靈最好的保養。神聖又放鬆的閱讀時刻，法國女子喜歡點著薰香，沉澱思緒。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/06/14/2003779832

Topic: LeBron James Laughs at Your ‘Old’ Lakers Memes. After His Nap.

LeBron James has seen the memes and read the punch lines.

詹姆斯看過那些迷因且讀了笑哏。

“The narrative about our age,” he said, “I kind of laugh at it. I actually do really laugh. I’m not just saying that.”

「這些內容都在嘴我們的年齡」，他說，「我有點發噱。事實上我真的有笑，我不是說說而已。」

The Los Angeles Lakers are old. They are the NBA’s Traveling Wilburys, an aging rock star collective hoping to produce one more chart-topping album. Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan have more mileage between them than a 2003 Honda Civic. Carmelo Anthony, 37, recalled first getting to know James, 36, when they were high school standouts — way back in the previous millennium. At 32, Russell Westbrook is comparatively spry.

洛杉磯湖人隊老了。他們是美國職籃NBA的「漂泊合唱團」，一個老邁搖滾明星的組合，期望再出一張排行榜冠軍專輯。霍華德和德安德魯喬丹的哩程數比一輛2003年本田喜美還多。37歲的安東尼回想初識現年36歲詹姆斯時，兩人是高中球星，而那已是上一個千禧年的往事。相較之下，32歲的衛斯布魯克有活力多了。

“I don’t think it’s going to be like peanut butter and jelly to start the season,” James told reporters ahead of training camp. “But that’s all part of the process.”

「我不認為開季會一帆風順。」詹姆斯在訓練營開始前告訴記者，「不過這都是過程的一部分。」

In his own small way, James reinvented himself, too, by slightly slimming down at this august stage of his career.

詹姆斯也以他的小方法改造自己，在他職業生涯年高德劭的階段瘦一點。

“He’s made the decision to come back a little bit leaner,” Rob Pelinka, the team’s general manager, said. “And I think that’s going to translate in his explosiveness and his quickness.”

「他決定以苗條一點點的狀態回來」，湖人隊總經理佩林卡說，「我認為這將轉化在他的爆發力和速度上面」。

Westbrook, a former league MVP, spent last season with the Washington Wizards before he was traded to the Lakers in August. Westbrook called it a “blessing” to be playing in Los Angeles, where he grew up.

得過最有價值球員的衛斯布魯克，上個球季為華盛頓巫師隊效力，今年8月被交易至湖人。衛斯布魯克說，能在他長大的洛杉磯打球是種「賜福」。

“I think it’s because we both understand and know what it takes in order to win, and obviously LeBron knows what it takes to get to that next level,” Westbrook said.

「我認為，因為我們兩個都知道並了解贏球需要什麼，顯然詹姆斯也清楚更上一層樓需要什麼。」衛斯布魯克說。

But the aging process is undefeated, and there are obvious concerns about the Lakers’ durability. James, so indestructible for much of his career, has been hampered by injuries in recent years, and Davis limped through the team’s abridged playoff appearance last season. For his part, Pelinka sought to downplay the suggestion that the Lakers were brittle by citing the example of Tom Brady, who, at 44, is still quarterbacking football teams to Super Bowls.

但老化的過程難以克服，外界對湖人的續航力也有顯而易見的憂慮。生涯大部分時間都堅不可摧的詹姆斯，近幾年傷痛纏身，戴維斯上個賽季也因傷在季後賽出場時間大減。佩林卡以44歲的美式足球四分衛布雷迪仍能帶隊拿下超級盃冠軍為例，企圖淡化湖人戰力脆弱的聯想。

Amid the doubts and the questions about the Lakers, Anthony can make out a path that leads to a championship ring, which would be his first. There were moments in his career, he said, when he considered the possibility of teaming up with James, one of his closest friends. The opportunity never materialized. Perhaps neither player was ready for that to happen, Anthony said.

在有關湖人的懷疑和疑問中，安東尼有能耐闖出一條通往冠軍戒之路，也將是他的第一枚。他說，生涯中數度考慮和密友詹姆斯同隊的可能性，但從未實現。安東尼說，也許兩人都沒做好準備。

“But here we are now,” he said. “Timing is everything.”

「不過我們現在是隊友了。」他說，「時機比什麼都重要」。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5820559

Next Article

Topic: Tom Daley knits away in between dives at Tokyo Olympics

Tom Daley’s way of relaxing between dives off the 10-meter tower at the Olympics keeps him in stitches. Not the laughing kind, but the knitting and crocheting kind.

湯姆．戴利在奧運每場10公尺跳台跳水比賽之間的放鬆方式，讓他笑個不停。這裡說的不是笑，而是埋首針線中。

The 27-year-old Brit took up the hobbies just before the coronavirus pandemic began in March 2020. During lockdown, he had plenty of time to perfect his skills.

這名27歲的英國人在2020年3月新型冠狀病毒疫情爆發前不久，開始有了這個嗜好。在防疫封鎖期間，有的是時間精進他的技巧。

Daley knits only during the preliminaries of competitions, when there are long stretches between dives, as a way to switch off his mind.

戴利只有在每場比賽間隔時間都很久的初賽階段，藉由織毛線放空。

’’If you stay all the way up here with your energy levels and thinking about the dives,’’ he said, ’’it ends up becoming quite draining by the end of it.’’

「如果你在這裡一直全神貫注想著跳水的事」，他說，「結果會讓人比到最後相當疲憊。」

Next Article

Topic: Hungarians grab their partners in nation’s wife-carrying contest 匈牙利人在該國背老婆大賽中抓住另一半

Some 40 Hungarian husbands, with their wives on their backs, clambered over rough terrain on Saturday in the nation’s second wife-carrying contest.

近40位匈牙利老公週六在該國第二屆背老婆大賽中，把他們的老婆扛在背上，攀越崎嶇地形。

A previous race in October attracted only a dozen couples.

前一場辦在10月的比賽，只吸引到12對伴侶。

"We have just emerged from a difficult period due to the coronavirus and we need to go and have fun in the open air," Gergely Guraly, who organised the race, told Reuters.

組織這場競賽的格格利．古拉雷告訴路透，「我們才剛擺脫起於冠狀病毒的一段困難時期，我們需要到戶外開心玩。」

Guraly began preparations in January for the contest, which is said to have origins dating back to the Viking age.

古拉雷1月開始為這場據說起源可追溯到維京時代的比賽做準備。

In modern times, the tradition is particularly established in Finland, where it has taken place since the 1990s.

在現代，這項傳統在芬蘭尤其確立，當地從1990年代開始舉辦。

Estonian races have lent their name to the Estonian style of wife-carrying, with the wife upside down and her feet over her husband’s shoulders, rather than a classic piggyback.

愛沙尼亞競賽的名字源自這種愛沙尼亞扛太太的招式，讓太太頭下腳上並把雙腳放在丈夫肩膀上，而非經典的後背式。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1471563; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1473455

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Topic: Shohei Ohtani makes history in MLB All-Star Game

Japanese player Shohei Ohtani achieved another milestone in the Major League Baseball’s (MLB) near-century history, being selected as both a hitter and a pitcher for the All-Star Game. The Los Angeles Angels’ “two-way” sensation was among the starting pitchers for the Denver showcase today Taiwan time.

日本選手大谷翔平近日又創下另一項里程碑，成為美國職棒大聯盟（MLB）近百年歷史上，唯一一位同時入選明星賽投手及打者的球員！這位洛杉磯天使隊能投又能打的「二刀流」球星，和其他幾位先發投手一起入選了在丹佛舉行的明星賽，比賽預計在台灣時間今日登場。

Ohtani is currently leading the MLB in home runs, and had already been voted by fans to start as a designated hitter for the game. Early this month, he made history by hitting his 30th homer of the season to break the record by legendary Babe Ruth, who hit 29 homers as a two-way player during the 1919 season.

同時大谷在MLB本季全壘打數保持領先，稍早也已被球迷票選為這次明星賽指定打者。本月初他更刷新歷史，擊出本季個人第三十支全壘打，打破傳奇球星貝比魯斯的紀錄。魯斯曾於一九一九年以「二刀流」的身份，轟出二十九支全壘打。

On July 5, Ohtani hit his 31st homer of the season on his 27th birthday to tie Hideki Matsui’s record for most homers in an MLB season by a Japanese-born player. “It makes me happy that I’ve matched a player I’ve looked up to since I was little,” Ohtani said. The once-in-a-century player later broke the record with 33 homers, and is ready to dash more records in baseball.

而在七月五日、他二十七歲生日當天，大谷擊出本季個人第三十一轟，追平了由前輩松井秀喜所創下，日籍球員在MLB擊出單季最多支全壘打的紀錄。大谷說︰「能追上我從小到大景仰的選手，這讓我很開心。」這位百年一見的奇才隨後以三十三轟超越前輩的成就，本季勢必將打爆更多棒球紀錄。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/07/14/2003760791

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Topic: Choo Shin-soo becomes latest Korean big leaguer to come home 秋信守成為最新一位回國發展的韓籍大聯盟球員

Choo Shin-soo, a former All-Star outfielder for the Texas Rangers, signed a 2.7 billion contract to play for the SK Wyverns, which will soon be taken over by the retailer Shinsegae Group.

前德州遊騎兵隊全明星外野手秋信守，簽下一紙為SK飛龍隊出戰的27億韓元合約。該隊很快就要被（南韓）零售商「新世界集團」接手。

Following a 16-year big league career, Choo immediately becomes the highest-paid player in Korea Baseball Organization history. The 38-year-old also joins a long list of former Korean major leaguers who began their professional careers outside the country but chose to end them on home soil.

在16年（美國職棒）大聯盟生涯後，秋信守立即成為（南韓職棒）「韓國棒球委員會」史上最高薪球員。這名38歲的老將，亦加入在海外展開其職業生涯，但選擇在家鄉土地上將其畫下句點的一長串前韓籍大聯盟球員名單行列。

But few of those players could match Choo’s Major League Baseball credentials. With 218 home runs, 782 RBIs, 157 steals and a .275/.377/.447 slash line over 1,652 games, Choo isn’t just the greatest Korean position player in MLB. He is also one of the very best to come from Asia.

但該名單中的那些球員，幾乎都比不上秋信守的大聯盟資歷。出賽1652場累計218發全壘打、782分打點、157次盜壘和打擊率2成75、上壘率3成77、長打率4成47的「打擊三圍」。秋信守不僅是大聯盟最偉大的韓籍「非投手球員」，他也是大聯盟最佳的亞洲球員之一。Source article: https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1433988

主題: 職場系列 – 7大Zoom會議用詞 7 Powerful Zoom Meeting Phrases

原文章連結: https://www.gtntechnicalstaffing.com/zoom-meeting-phrases/

“Thanks for being here.” 謝謝你的參與

Zoom fatigue has proven very real. All of us are more than ready to be done with isolation. And while we understand that virtual work meetings are necessary until the world gets back to in-person work, that doesn’t mean we are thrilled to be once again staring at boxes full of faces. If you are the host of a Zoom meeting, be sure to express your understanding of these feelings and your appreciation to everyone for showing up and participating.

“Tell me more about that.” 請跟我們多分享一點

If you want to show interest in what someone is saying, there’s no better way to do so than asking them to say more. An open-ended invitation to keep on sharing will make others feel valued and important.

“My apologies for interrupting. Please continue.” 不好意思打斷你，請繼續

One of the more frustrating elements of conference calls and Zoom meetings is people’s tendency to talk over each other, even when they have no intention of interrupting. When that happens, you can show others respect by apologizing for any such missteps and inviting them to keep speaking.

“You did a great job on ____.” 上次做的真不錯

Everyone likes and appreciates a compliment. Positive reinforcement and recognition of achievement always generate good feelings about the person dispensing the praise.

“Why don’t you go ahead and take this one.” 我們為何不從你開始

Even if you are the font of wisdom or the focus of a meeting, throwing a question directed to you over to one of your colleagues shows that you trust them and want to give them their moment to shine.

“I appreciate that.” 感謝你的資訊/參與

When people do or say something nice for a colleague, they may do so for altruistic and selfless reasons. But that doesn’t mean they don’t expect acknowledgement or appreciation for their efforts. Be sure to express your thanks for what others have done for you or your organization.

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K392: About Australia - World’s biggest plant discovered off Australian coast

The largest known plant on Earth - a seagrass roughly three times the size of Manhattan - has been discovered off the coast of Australia.

地球上已知的最大植物－大約是曼哈頓面積3倍大的一種海草－已在澳洲海岸外被發現。

Using genetic testing, scientists have determined a large underwater meadow in Western Australia is in fact one plant.

使用基因測定，科學家已判定在西澳洲的一片大型水下草甸其實是一棵植物。

It is believed to have spread from a single seed over at least 4,500 years. The seagrass covers about 200 sq km , researchers from the University of Western Australia said.

據信這片草甸從一顆種子擴散而成，歷時至少4500年。西澳洲大學的研究人員說，這棵海草覆蓋的面積約200平方公里。

The team stumbled upon the discovery by accident at Shark Bay, about 800km north of Perth. They had set out to understand the genetic diversity of the species - also known as ribbon weed - which is commonly found along parts of Australia’s coast.

研究團隊在伯斯北方約800公里的鯊魚灣意外找到這發現。他們先是著手了解這些常在澳洲部份海岸被發現的物種－也被稱為絲帶海草－的基因多樣性。

Researchers collected shoots from across the bay and examined 18,000 genetic markers to create a "fingerprint" from each sample. They had aimed to discover how many plants made up the meadow.

研究人員從整個鯊魚灣蒐集幼芽，並且檢視了1萬8000個基因標記來為每個樣本製造「指紋」。他們原本目標是要找出有多少棵植物構成這片草甸。

"The answer blew us away - there was just one!" said Jane Edgeloe, the study’s lead author.

該研究主要作者珍．艾吉羅說：「這個答案讓我們大吃一驚，居然只有一棵！」

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Not a square to spare: Australian shops ration toilet paper amid coronavirus panic 一張都不分：澳洲商店在冠狀病毒恐慌中限購衛生紙

Australia’s major grocers put strict limits on purchases of toilet paper on Wednesday, after shoppers stripped shelves in a rush of panic buying spurred by fears over a coronavirus.

在購物者因冠狀病毒掀起的恐慌而倉皇大肆搶購，將貨架上商品一掃而空後，澳洲大型零售商店週三對購買衛生紙祭出嚴格限制。

The demand for toilet paper, in particular, has sparked the trending hashtags #toiletpapergate and #toiletpapercrisis on Twitter, along with photographs of overloaded shopping trolleys, and calls for calm from baffled officials.

尤其，對衛生紙的需求已經在「推特」掀起「衛生紙門」和「衛生紙危機」熱門話題標籤，以及一張張堆到爆滿的購物車照片，和對此難以理解的官員喊話呼籲冷靜。

The biggest grocery chain, Woolworths Group Ltd, limited sales to four packs a shopper, to keep up stock levels while suppliers ramp up production.

在供應商加速生產的同時，最大連鎖零售商Woolworths集團為了維持存貨量，限制每人最多購買4袋。

Shoppers have swooped on other products also. Costco has put limits on purchases of milk, eggs, rice, disinfectants and soap.

購物者也搶購其他商品。好市多限制牛奶、雞蛋、米、消毒殺菌品和肥皂的購買量。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1523717 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1361291?fbclid=IwAR3kVmMFa5gdommS4R4Ftm8HzoQ7DeQzQ5yjoI0jTvkQDeAtMfTFjDfgQCI

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K391: About Italy - Italian coffee shop fined $1,050 for failing to display price of espresso

An Italian coffee shop owner is in hot water after being fined $1,050 for failing to display the cost of a $2.12 espresso.

義大利一家咖啡店老闆因為未標示一杯2.12美元的濃縮咖啡價格而惹上麻煩，被罰款1050美元。

The owner of the Ditta Artigianale cafe in Florence has been punished by police after a customer reported him at the end of April for not advertising his prices as legally required.

4月底一名顧客檢舉佛羅倫斯Ditta Artigianale咖啡店沒有依照法律要求標示價目後，該店老闆遭警方處罰。

Inspector Leonardo Magnolfi, of Florence local police, told CNN Thursday that a male customer reported the cafe for not displaying the price of the coffee behind the counter － as law dictates.

佛羅倫斯當地警方督察梅諾菲週四向美國有線電視新聞網（CNN）說，一名男性顧客檢舉這家咖啡店，沒有按照法律規定，在櫃台後方公布咖啡的價格。

Police followed up the complaint and fined the shop $1,050 after verifying that the price was indeed absent.

警方針對這起投訴採取行動，在確認店家確實沒有出示價目表後，對這家商店開罰1050美元。

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Thieves use mechanical diggers to tear open Italian security van 盜賊用機械挖土機把義大利運鈔車大卸八塊

Thieves used mechanical diggers on Wednesday to prise open an armored van on a highway in southern Italy and made off with more than 2 million euros in cash, police said.

警方說，小偷週三利用機械挖土機，在義大利南部公路上撬開一輛運鈔車，帶著超過200萬歐元現金逃離。

The blue security van had left the city of Bari and was carrying pensions to be distributed in post offices in nearby Matera when it was blocked on the road by two lorries.

這輛藍色運鈔車從巴里市出發，在路上被兩輛貨車圍堵時，運著附近馬泰拉市各郵局有待發放的退休金。

Two diggers then tore open the vehicle, using their mechanical arms like can openers to gain access to the cash.

兩台挖土機接著用它們宛如開罐器的機器手臂，把那輛車大卸八塊，以拿取那些現金。

The lorries were then set ablaze as the hooded thieves escaped with their loot in a waiting car. The three guards in the van were unharmed.

蒙面盜賊對貨車縱火後，帶著掠奪的物品搭上接應車潛逃。那台運鈔車的3名保全並未受傷。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1524281 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1259107

Summary:

Summer is all about travel. With current travel policies, most people would opt to travel domestically and stay away from the crowds. What are the real secluded places in Taiwan that's good for a holiday? Where would you like to go this summer? Let us know in the comments below !

Vocabulary:

1. Secluded adj. 偏僻/隱密

Chang-bin is a selcuded township in Taidong that is great for a holiday. 長濱是個適合渡假的偏僻台東鄉鎮。

1. Quarantine policy n. 隔離政策

All arrivals in Taiwan must follow the new 3+4 quarantine policy. 台灣入境人士必須遵守隔離政策。

1. Omakase n. 無菜單/主廚配的料理 (日)

While on vacation, Angel would order omakase to enjoy local cuisine. 當Angel度假時，她都點Omakase來享受當地美食。

更多Vocab Podcast節目: https://www.15mins.today/vocab

歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : [email protected]

商業合作/贊助來信：[email protected]

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K390: Hollywood’s Last Real Movie Star

The helicopter had the star’s name painted on it, the letters coming into focus as it landed on the retired aircraft carrier, which was adorned for the occasion with an expansive red carpet and a smattering of fighter jets. Tom Cruise. Top Gun. Maverick.

直升機上漆有這位明星的名字，當它降落在舖有寬闊紅地毯及數架戰機停放的退役航空母艦上時，湯姆克魯斯。捍衛戰士。獨行俠。幾個大字映入眼簾。

It couldn’t have been anyone else.

就是他，不作第二人想。

Decked out in a slim-fitting suit, his hair a little shaggier and his face a little craggier than when he first played Lt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell more than three decades ago, Cruise took the stage on the USS Midway while Harold Faltermeyer’s iconic theme music played in the background.

比起30多年前首次扮演彼得「獨行俠」米契爾上尉，阿湯哥的頭髮更厚長，臉上皺紋也更多。在哈洛德．佛特邁爾的經典音樂中，穿著合身西裝的阿湯哥登上航空母艦「中途島」號的舞台。

Gesturing to the spectacle around him, including the crowd of fans and media members, Cruise said: “This moment right here, to see everybody at this time, no masks. Everyone. This is, this is pretty epic.”

阿湯哥指著周圍的盛大場面，包括大群粉絲和媒體記者說：「此時此刻，在這看到所有人都沒戴口罩。每個人。這真是太好了。」

It also felt like a time capsule. The three-hour promotional escapade — which included a batch of F-18 fighter jets executing a flyover to the sound of a Lady Gaga song from the film — harkened back to the halcyon days of Hollywood glamour. Days when Disney didn’t think twice about shuttling an aircraft carrier from San Diego to Hawaii for the premiere of Michael Bay’s “Pearl Harbor” in 2001. That kind of extravagance seems almost unthinkable today, when the streaming algorithm and its accompanying digital marketing efforts have replaced the old-fashioned boots-on-the-ground publicity tour with stars circumnavigating the globe, and studios spending millions to turn movie openings into cultural events.

這也讓人感覺像是個時間膠囊。這場長達3小時的宣傳活動，包括一批F-18戰機伴著電影中「女神卡卡」唱的歌曲飛越上空，讓人回想起好萊塢的美好輝煌歲月。2001年，為了麥可貝的《珍珠港》首映會，迪士尼毫不猶豫地從聖地牙哥安排一艘航空母艦前往夏威夷。這種大手筆在今天看來幾乎無法想像，串流媒體演算法及其隨之而來的數位行銷活動，已取代了老式的明星周遊列國親身宣傳，以及製片公司花數百萬美元將電影首映變成文化活動。

Making these events go were the film’s megastars. They are the kind of stars who no longer really exist. Now, it’s the characters that count. Three actors have portrayed Spider-Man and six have donned the Batman cowl for the big screen. Audiences have shown up for all of them. The Avengers may unite to huge box office returns but how much does it matter who’s wearing the tights?

促成這些活動的是主演電影的天王巨星，不復存在的巨星。現在，重要的是角色。演過蜘蛛人的有三人，六名演員曾在大銀幕上披上蝙蝠俠的蒙頭斗篷。觀眾為了他們進電影院。《復仇者聯盟》也許合力帶來巨大的票房營收，但穿上緊身衣的是誰又有多大的差別呢？

Yet there is Cruise, trundling along as if the world hasn’t changed at all. He’s the last remaining global star who still only makes movies for movie theaters. He hasn’t ventured into streaming.

然而，阿湯哥還在，緩緩走來，彷彿世界一點都沒有改變。他是專為電影院拍攝電影，碩果僅存，尚未涉足串流媒體的國際巨星。

There is a moment in “Top Gun: Maverick” where Ed Harris, playing Maverick’s superior, tells him, “The end is inevitable. Your kind is headed to extinction.”

《捍衛戰士：獨行俠》中有一幕，扮演獨行俠上司的艾德哈里斯告訴他：「結局無可避免。你們這類飛官遲早會被淘汰。」

And Cruise, still holding on to that brash self-confidence that made him a movie star four decades ago, grins at him and replies, “Maybe so, sir. But not today.”

依然保持40年前讓自己成為電影明星那種傲慢自信的阿湯哥，露齒而笑：「也許是，長官，但不是今天。」

There are plenty of people in the movie industry who hope he’s right.

電影業有很多人希望他是對的。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6346289

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K389: Google has more pressing AI problems than ‘sentient’ bots

A Google software engineer was suspended after going public with his claims of encountering “sentient” artificial intelligence on the company’s servers — spurring a debate about how and whether AI can achieve consciousness. Researchers say it’s an unfortunate distraction from more pressing issues in the industry.

谷歌一名軟體工程師遭停職主要是因為聲稱他在公司伺服器上遇到「有感情」的人工智慧──這引起了熱議，到底人工智慧如何及是否能夠有意識。研究人員說，很不幸這分散了對人工智慧中更迫切問題的注意。

The engineer, Blake Lemoine, said he believed that Google’s AI chatbot was capable of expressing human emotion, and that the company would need to address the resulting ethical ramifications. Google put him on leave for sharing confidential information and said his concerns had no basis in fact — a view widely held in the AI community. What’s more important, researchers say, is addressing issues like whether AI can engender real-world harm and prejudice, whether actual humans are exploited in the training of AI, and how the major technology companies act as gatekeepers of the development of the tech.

工程師布萊克‧勒莫因説，他相信谷歌的人工智慧聊天機器人能夠表達人類的情感，谷歌需要解決由此產生的道德後果。谷歌命令布萊克休假，理由是他分享了機密資訊，並表示他的擔憂其實並無根，是現在人工智慧業界之普遍觀點。研究人員說，更重要的是解決人工智慧是否會在現實世界中造成傷害與偏見、訓練人工智慧時是否有真人被剝削，以及大型科技公司如何作為技術發展的守門人等問題。

Lemoine’s stance may also make it easier for tech companies to abdicate responsibility for AI-driven decisions, said Emily Bender, a professor of computational linguistics at the University of Washington. “Lots of effort has been put into this sideshow,” she said. “The problem is, the more this technology gets sold as artificial intelligence — let alone something sentient — the more people are willing to go along with AI systems” that can cause real-world harm.

華盛頓大學電腦語言學教授艾蜜莉‧班德說到，勒莫因的立場也可能讓科技公司對人工智慧所做的決策更容易卸責。她說：「這個枝節問題花了大家很多力氣」。「問題是，這項技術被當做人工智慧出售得越多──更不用說是有感情的東西──就有越多人願意接受（這可對現實世界造成傷害的）人工智慧系統」。

Bender pointed to examples in job hiring and grading students, which can carry embedded prejudice depending on what data sets were used to train the AI. If the focus is on the system’s apparent sentience, Bender said, it creates a distance from the AI creators’ direct responsibility for any flaws or biases in the programs.

班德以徵才及學生評分為例，說明這可能帶有嵌入的偏見，要看用於訓練人工智慧的資料集為何。班德說，如果把焦點集中在系統有明顯的感知力，它就會讓人工智慧創建者與程式中任何缺陷或偏見所需負的直接責任脫鉤。

The debate over sentience in robots has been carried out alongside science fiction portrayal in popular culture, in stories and movies with AI romantic partners or AI villains. So the debate had an easy path to the mainstream. “Instead of discussing the harms of these companies,” such as sexism, racism and centralization of power created by these AI systems, everyone “spent the whole weekend discussing sentience,” Timnit Gebru, formerly co-lead of Google’s ethical AI group, said on Twitter. “Derailing mission accomplished.”

關於機器人感知能力的爭論，與流行文化中的科幻小說、故事及電影對AI情人或AI惡棍的描繪並行。因而論辨很容易成為主流 ，「而沒有討論這些公司的危害」，例如這些人工智慧系統所造成的性別歧視、種族主義和權力集中，每個人「整個週末都在討論感知」，前谷歌人工智慧倫理小組聯合負責人蒂姆尼特‧蓋布魯在推特上說道，「轉移注意力的任務完成」。

Putting an emphasis on AI sentience would have given Google the leeway to blame the issue on the intelligent AI making such a decision, Bender said. “The company could say, ‘Oh, the software made a mistake,’” she said. “Well no, your company created that software. You are accountable for that mistake. And the discourse about sentience muddies that in bad ways.”

班德說，將重點放在 AI 感知上會讓谷歌有迴旋餘地，將問題歸咎於智慧AI做出此決定。「公司可能會說，『喔，是軟體出錯了』」，她說。「嗯，不對，你的公司創建了那個軟體。你要為這個錯誤負責。但關於感知的討論很糟糕地讓這一點模糊掉了」。

Topic: In Race for Tuition-Free College, New Mexico Stakes a Claim

As universities across the United States face steep enrollment declines, New Mexico’s government is embarking on a pioneering experiment to fight that trend: tuition-free higher education for all state residents.

隨著美國各地大學入學人數急劇下滑，新墨西哥州政府正著手進行一項開創性實驗來應對這一趨勢：為全州居民提供免學費高等教育。

After President Joe Biden’s plan for universal free community college failed to gain traction in Congress, New Mexico, one of the nation’s poorest states, has emerged with perhaps the most ambitious plans as states scramble to come up with their own initiatives.

在美國總統拜登的全民免費社區大學計畫未能獲得國會支持後，美國最窮的州之一新墨西哥州提出的計畫，可能是各州爭相提出行動倡議中最具雄心的一個。

A new state law approved in a rare show of bipartisanship allocates almost 1% of the state’s budget toward covering tuition and fees at public colleges and universities, community colleges and tribal colleges. All state residents from new high school graduates to adults enrolling part-time will be eligible regardless of family income. The program is also open to immigrants regardless of their immigration status.

一項新的州法在兩黨罕見合作下通過，將州預算的1%用於支付公立大學、社區大學與部落學院的學費。所有州民，從剛畢業的高中生到參加兼職教育的成人都有資格參加，無論家庭收入。該計畫也向移民開放，無論他們的移民身分如何。

Some legislators and other critics question whether there should have been income caps and whether the state, newly flush with oil and gas revenue, can secure long-term funding to support the program beyond its first year. The legislation, which seeks to treat college as a public resource similar to primary and secondary education, takes effect in July.

一些議員和其他批評人士質疑是否應設所得限制，以及剛獲大量石油與天然氣收入的該州是否能在計畫實施第一年後，獲得長期資金支持。這項立法將於7月生效，旨在將大學視為與中小學教育類似的公共資源。

Although nearly half the states have embraced similar initiatives that seek to cover at least some tuition expenses for some students, New Mexico’s law goes further by covering tuition and fees before other scholarships and sources of financial aid are applied, enabling students to use those other funds for expenses such as lodging, food or child care.

儘管近半的州已採取類似舉措，想幫一些學生支付至少部分學費和雜費，新墨西哥州法律更進一步，在申請其他獎學金和學費補助前，先支付學雜費，讓學生能使用其他資金，支付如住宿、食物或兒童照顧等費用。

“The New Mexico program is very close to ideal,” said Michael Dannenberg, vice president of strategic initiatives and higher education policy at the nonprofit advocacy group Education Reform Now. Considering the state’s income levels and available resources, he added that New Mexico’s program is among the most generous in the country.

非營利倡議組織Education Reform Now策略倡議暨高教政策副總裁丹能貝格說：「新墨西哥的計畫非常貼近理想。」他表示，考量收入水準與可用資源，新墨西哥州的計畫是全美最慷慨的。

Dannenberg emphasized that New Mexico is going beyond what larger, more prosperous states like Washington and Tennessee have already done. Programs in other states often limit tuition assistance to community colleges, exclude some residents because of family income or impose conditions requiring students to work part time.

丹能貝格強調，新墨西哥州正超越華盛頓和田納西這些更大、更繁榮的州所做的事。其他州通常限制對社區大學的學費補助，因家庭收入排除一些州民，或要求學生兼職。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6329103

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Topic: Colleges Slash Budgets in the Pandemic,With ‘Nothing Off-Limits’

Ohio Wesleyan University is eliminating 18 majors. The University of Florida’s trustees last month took the first steps toward letting the school furlough faculty. The University of California, Berkeley, has paused admissions to its doctoral programs in anthropology, sociology and art history.

美國俄亥俄衛斯理大學取消了18個科系。佛州大學董事會9月採取初步措施，目標是讓校方有權放教師無薪假。柏克萊加州大學則暫停招收人類學、社會學和藝術史的博士班學生。

As it resurges across the country, the coronavirus is forcing universities large and small to make deep and possibly lasting cuts to close widening budget shortfalls. By one estimate, the pandemic has cost colleges at least $120 billion, with even Harvard University, despite its $41.9 billion endowment, reporting a $10 million deficit that has prompted belt tightening.

由於全美各地新冠肺炎疫情再度惡化，美國各大學不論規模大小，都被迫大砍支出，以彌補逐漸擴大的預算缺口，刪減的支出可能長期都不會恢復。有人估計，疫情至少使美國各大學合計損失1200億美元，就連坐擁419億美元辦學基金的哈佛大學也出現1000萬美元預算赤字，被迫勒緊褲帶。

The persistence of the economic downturn is taking a devastating financial toll, pushing many to lay off or furlough employees, delay graduate admissions and even cut or consolidate core programs like liberal arts departments.

經濟持續疲軟造成極其嚴重的財務災情，迫使許多大學裁員或放無薪假，推遲研究所學生入學，甚至取消或合併文科等核心學程。

The University of South Florida announced last month that its College of Education would become a graduate school only, phasing out undergraduate education degrees to help close a $6.8 million budget gap. In Ohio, the University of Akron, citing the coronavirus, successfully invoked a clause in its collective-bargaining agreement in September to supersede tenure rules and lay off 97 unionized faculty members.

南佛州大學上個月宣布，其教育學院將只留下研究所，分階段取消大學部，以彌補680萬美元的預算缺口。在俄亥俄州，艾克朗大學以疫情為由，在9月成功援用團體協約一項條款取代任期規則，裁掉97名加入工會的教師。

“We haven’t seen a budget crisis like this in a generation,” said Robert Kelchen, a Seton Hall University associate professor of higher education who has been tracking the administrative response to the pandemic. “There’s nothing off-limits at this point.”

西東大學高等教育副教授柯爾欽一直在關注校方對疫情的反應，他說：「這是一個世代以來從未見過的預算危機，在這種關頭，沒有什麼不能碰。」

Even before the pandemic, colleges and universities were grappling with a growing financial crisis, brought on by years of shrinking state support, declining enrollment, and student concerns with skyrocketing tuition and burdensome debt. Now the coronavirus has amplified the financial trouble systemwide, though elite, well-endowed colleges seem sure to weather it with far less pain.

早在疫情爆發前，美國大專院校就為日益嚴重的財務危機而掙扎，原因是州政府補助日漸減少，學生註冊數下滑而且介意學費高漲和學貸負擔沉重，如今，疫情擴大了整個高教體系財務問題，不過，辦學基金厚實的菁英大學似乎可度過難關，且承受的痛苦會少得多。

“We have been in aggressive recession management for 12 years — probably more than 12 years,” Daniel Greenstein, chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, told his board of governors as they voted to forge ahead with a proposal to merge a half-dozen small schools into two academic entities.

賓州高等教育體系董事會表決通過，大力推動將6個小規模學院併為兩個學術單位，當時總校長葛林斯坦對董事會說：「我們積極從事於衰退問題管理已有12年，應該還不止12年。」Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/359091/web/

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Topic: Remember the MOOCs? After Near-Death, They’re Booming

Sandeep Gupta, a technology manager in California, sees the economic storm caused by the coronavirus as a time “to try to future-proof your working life.” So he is taking an online course in artificial intelligence.

美國加州科技業經理古普塔認為，新冠肺炎引發的經濟風暴是「防止職業生涯被未來淘汰」的時機，所以修讀了一門關於人工智慧的線上課程。

Dr. Robert Davidson, an emergency-room physician in Michigan, says the pandemic has cast “a glaring light on the shortcomings of our public health infrastructure.” So he is pursuing an online master’s degree in public health.

密西根州急診室醫師戴維森說，疫情「使我們公衛基礎設施的弱點顯而易見」，所以他在修讀線上公衛碩士學位。

Children and college students aren’t the only ones turning to online education during the coronavirus pandemic. Millions of adults have signed up for online classes in the past two months, too — a jolt that could signal a renaissance for big online learning networks that had struggled for years.

在新冠肺炎大流行期間轉而接受線上教育者，不限於兒童和大學生。過去兩個月，數以百萬計的成人也註冊參加線上課程，這令人驚訝的事實可能意味苦撐多年的大型線上學習網路即將再起。

Coursera, in which Gupta and Davidson enrolled, added 10 million new users from mid-March to mid-May, seven times the pace of new sign-ups in the previous year. Enrollments at edX and Udacity, two smaller education sites, have jumped by similar multiples.

古普塔與戴維森註冊的Coursera，從3月中旬到5月中旬增加1000萬新用戶，是去年同期新增註冊人數的七倍。edX與Udacity這兩個規模較小的教育網站，新註冊人數也以類似倍數暴增。

“Crises lead to accelerations, and this is best chance ever for online learning,” said Sebastian Thrun, a co-founder and chairman of Udacity.

Udacity共同創辦人兼董事長史朗說：「危機導致改變加速發生，這是線上學習業未曾遇過的最佳良機。」

Coursera, Udacity and edX sprang up nearly a decade ago as high-profile university experiments known as MOOCs, for massive open online courses. They were portrayed as tech-fueled insurgents destined to disrupt the antiquated ways of traditional higher education. But few people completed courses, grappling with the same challenges now facing students forced into distance learning because of the pandemic. Screen fatigue sets in, and attention strays.

Coursera、Udacity和edX近十年前出現，嘗試與大學合作推出線上課程而備受矚目，這類課程名為「大規模開放線上課程」，簡稱「磨課師」。這種課程被描述為獲得科技支持的反叛者，意在顛覆傳統高等教育過時的授課方式。不過，很少有人能修完課程，這些人窮於應付的挑戰，與目前因為疫情被迫遠距學習的學生一樣。長時間盯著螢幕造成疲勞，而且注意力難以集中。

But the online ventures adapted through trial and error, gathering lessons that could provide a road map for school districts and universities pushed online. The instructional ingredients of success, the sites found, include short videos of six minutes or less, interspersed with interactive drills and tests; online forums where students share problems and suggestions; and online mentoring and tutoring.

不過這些線上企業透過反覆試驗來調整，並且積聚了可供被迫線上授課的學區和大學參考的知識和經驗。這些網站發現，線上授課成功的要素包括：短片時間不超過6分鐘，穿插互動練習和測驗；設立線上論壇，讓學生提出問題和建議；並提供線上指導和輔導。

A few top-tier universities, such as the University of Michigan and the Georgia Institute of Technology, offer some full degree programs through the online platforms.

有幾所頂尖大學，如密西根大學和喬治亞理工學院，透過這些線上平台提供一些正式學位學程。

While those academic programs are available, the online schools have tilted toward skills-focused courses that match student demand and hiring trends.

這些線上學校雖提供學術性學程，卻更傾向開設符合學生需要和雇用趨勢的技能課程。

The COVID-19 effect on online learning could broaden the range of popular subjects, education experts say. But so far, training for the tech economy is where the digital-learning money lies. With more of work and everyday life moving online — some of it permanently — that will probably not change.

教育專家指出，新冠肺炎可能會使線上課程熱門科目範圍變得更廣。不過到目前為止，針對科技經濟提供的訓練課程，才是數位教學業的金雞母。隨著更多的工作和日常生活轉移到線上進行，有些是永遠轉到線上，這種情況大概不會改變。Source articles: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/354879/web/