通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K321: With new home for strays, Keelung pushes pet-friendly plans

Keelung City Government has in recent years been promoting animal-friendly city policies. To reduce the number of stray dogs, it has been promoting measures such as pet registration, birth control and vaccinations. Statistics from the end of last year show that the number of registered pets in the city had reached 30,665. According to Director Chen Jui-pin of the Keelung City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office, this shows that the city’s residents are gaining greater awareness about animal protection and that animal owners are becoming more willing to bear the responsibilities of ownership.

基隆市政府近年推動動物友善城市政策，為有效降低流浪犬族群，推動寵物登記、節育、預防針等措施。據去年底統計登記寵物已達到三萬六百六十五隻。動物防疫保護所所長陳瑞濱指出，這代表市民動保意識提升，飼主更願意承擔飼養責任。

Director Huang Chien-feng of Keelung’s Department of Economic Affairs says that in order to promote Keelung as an animal-friendly city, subsidies have been provided through the local Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to encourage local businesses to invest in pet-related business opportunities, thus increasing local production value and creating job opportunities.

Moou Boss, one of the companies selected for the SBIR program last year, has set up a “love pets research and development center” in Keelung. Using Keelung’s locally produced yams, gelidium jelly and spear shrimp as ingredients, during the Lunar New Year period it came up with dishes specially made for pets and sold them through convenience stores so that pets could enjoy different flavors from the usual fare, while spending the festival with their families.

基隆產業發展處長黃健峰表示，為推動動物友善城市，目前已透過地方型「小型企業創新研發計畫」（SBIR）補助，催生在地業者投入寵物商機，增加地方產值創造工作機會；去年獲選SBIR的業者萌老大也在基隆設立寵愛毛孩研發中心，以基隆在地的山藥、石花凍、劍蝦為原料，於過年推出適合寵物食用的專屬年菜，並上架到便利商店通路，讓毛孩過年時也能吃到不一樣的年味，跟著家人們一起圍爐過年。

In order to provide better care facilities for stray animals, the new Pet Bank Animal Shelter will be completed and opened in the middle of this year. The new shelter will be able to accommodate 150 dogs and 50 cats, with each dog’s shelter space greatly increased to 7.5 square meters. As well as putting into practice the idea of adopting instead of buying, the management will connect with schools and community colleges to turn the Pet Bank into a place for “life education.” It will create an environment that combines medical care, life education, human-animal interaction and communication, thus establishing a venue with multiple functions that include care for animal’s lives and cognitive learning.

為了提供流浪動物更好的照顧場所，新的寵物銀行動物收容所將於今年中完工啟用，將可收容一百五十隻狗、五十隻貓，每隻犬隻的收容空間將大幅增加為七點五平方公尺，落實「以領養代替購買」，也將結合學校教育及社會大學，把寵物銀行變成「生命教育」場域，打造出兼具醫療照護、生命教育、人與動物交流環境，建立具有關懷動物生命與認知教育等多功能場所。

Huang said that the city government will have new plans for developing as a pet-friendly city this year. With regard to the pet parks that many city residents have been longing for, a contractor was selected before the Lunar New Year to plan the project. The authorities have decided to find suitable locations to set up two pet parks. There are also plans to link up schools and neighborhoods to organize animal protection activities, and to work with civic groups to encourage communities to get involved in animal protection.

黃健峰指出，今年市府將有新計畫推動寵物友善城市，許多市民期待的寵物公園已在過年前評選出廠商進行規畫，預定將找適當的處所設立兩處寵物公園，也規畫結合學校，鄰里籌畫動保活動，與民間團體一起輔導社區投入動保。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/02/26/2003773772

Topic: Restaurants Have Lavish Setups for Outdoor Winter Dining

A Latin fusion restaurant in Queens will serve crispy arepa cups and ropa vieja at an outdoor dining chalet with rustic wood beams and sparkling chandeliers.

紐約皇后區一間拉丁無國界料理餐廳，將在有鄉村風木梁和閃亮枝形吊燈的戶外用餐木屋裡，提供杯裝的酥脆玉米餅和燉手撕牛肉。

In the Bronx, an Italian place has winter-proofed its back patio with Plexiglas walls and electric heaters, along with festive vines with pink flowers.

在布朗克斯區，一間義大利餐廳在後院築起塑膠玻璃牆並放上電熱器防寒，同時飾以帶有節慶氣氛的粉紅花朵藤蔓。

And a Manhattan bistro is handing out silver space blankets to shivering diners.

曼哈坦區一家餐酒館還發放銀色太空毯，讓冷得發抖的客人保暖。

A pandemic that has upended much of life in New York is now ushering in something the city has never really tried: dining by snow and ice. Or, as some restaurants are telling customers, the new BYOB is bring your own blanket.

新冠肺炎疫情大大顛覆紐約人的生活，如今又把這座城市從未真正試過的東西引了進來，就是在冰天雪地中用餐，或者就像一些餐廳告訴客人的，「請自帶酒水」變成了「請自備毛毯」。

The explosion of outdoor dining has been a savior for more than 10,000 restaurants and bars that have taken over sidewalks, streets and public spaces to try to keep their businesses afloat. It has been so popular that Mayor Bill de Blasio and the City Council are making outdoor dining permanent.

戶外用餐激增，拯救了紐約逾萬家餐廳和酒吧，這些店家占用人行道、大街和公共空間以求生。戶外用餐大受歡迎，以致市長白思豪和市議會決定讓它合法化。

But year-round dining outside is untested in the city’s bone-chilling winters, and has created daunting challenges for an industry fighting to survive.

不過，戶外用餐還沒接受紐約寒冬的考驗，對奮力求存的餐飲業是可怕的挑戰。

“Are we going to have a mild winter or a harsh one?” said Andrew Rigie, executive director of the New York City Hospitality Alliance, an industry group. “It’s a gamble. With so much uncertainty about the weather and diner behavior, it’s a risk.”

同業團體紐約市餐飲業聯合會主席里吉說：「今年冬天會溫和還是很冷？只能賭一賭。關於天氣和客人行為有這麼多不確定性，這是在冒險。」

While a financial imperative for restaurants, enclosing outdoor areas for winter has raised health concerns as coronavirus cases in New York have started to rise again. Protecting patrons from the elements has led some restaurants to create shelters that lack sufficient ventilation, raising the risk of transmission.

餐廳把戶外用餐區圍起來以免客人受寒，雖然對生意非常重要，卻在紐約新冠病例再度激增之際引發公共衛生疑慮。一些餐廳為保護客人不受惡劣天氣影響而圍出通風不良的區域，提高了疫情傳播的風險。

Outdoor heaters — including propane heaters that had been banned in the city but are now permitted as a way to help restaurants — could also pose fire hazards.

戶外暖爐，包括紐約原本禁用、為幫助餐廳經營而暫且開放使用的丙烷暖爐，還可能引起火災。

Still, with restaurants having few options to make money, New York and other cities are forging ahead with winter outdoor dining.Chicago held a design challenge that drew ideas like a Japanese-style heated table and a modular cabin inspired by ice-fishing huts that fits on a parking spot.

不過，由於餐廳賺錢方式非常有限，紐約等城市仍大力發展冬季戶外用餐。芝加哥辦了場戶外用餐設計比賽，吸引的點子包括：日式暖爐桌和模組小屋，以冰釣小屋為靈感，占地相當於一個停車位。

In New York, the multibillion-dollar restaurant industry, one of the city’s most important economic pillars, has been decimated by the pandemic. Indoor dining has resumed, but at only 25% capacity.

營業額數十億美元的餐館業是紐約經濟支柱，受到疫情重創，雖然已恢復內用，但只能開放25%的座位。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/359491/web/

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Topic: A Scary Energy Winter Is Coming. Don’t Blame the Greens.

Every so often the tectonic geopolitical plates that hold up the world economy suddenly shift in ways that can rattle and destabilize everything on the surface. That’s happening right now in the energy sphere.

有時候，承載世界經濟的地緣政治板塊會突然移動，把地表每樣東西搖得嘎嘎作響。這種事現在就在能源領域發生。

Several forces are coming together that could make Vladimir Putin the king of Europe, enable Iran to thumb its nose at America and build an atomic bomb, and disrupt European power markets enough that the upcoming United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, could suffer blackouts owing to too little clean energy.

有幾股勢力正在匯聚，能使俄國總統普亭成為歐洲之王，使伊朗有本錢不把美國放在眼裡，進而造出原子彈，並足以打亂歐洲能源市場，讓即將登場的英國蘇格蘭格拉斯哥聯合國氣候大會可能會因為潔淨能源太少而停電。

Yes, this is a big one.

沒錯，問題很大。

Natural gas and coal prices in Europe and Asia just hit their highest levels on record, oil prices in America hit a seven-year high and U.S. gasoline prices are up $1 a gallon from last year. If this winter is as bad as some experts predict — with some in the poor and middle classes unable to heat their homes — I fear we’ll see a populist backlash to the whole climate/green movement. You can already smell that coming in Britain.

歐亞兩洲的天然氣和煤價剛剛達到史上最高，美國原油價格創七年新高，而汽油價格每加侖比去年上漲1美元。如果今年冬天跟一些專家預測的一樣糟，一些貧窮和中產階級人家負擔不起取暖費用，我擔心會出現針對整個氣候和綠能運動的民粹反彈。在英國已經可以嗅到這個跡象。

How did we get here? In truth, it’s a good-news-bad-news story.

我們怎會走到這一步？其實，這是個好消息壞消息都有的故事。

The good news is that every major economy has signed onto reducing its carbon footprint by phasing out dirtier fuels like coal to heat homes and to power industries. The bad news is that most nations are doing it in totally uncoordinated ways, from the top down, and before the market has produced sufficient clean renewables like wind, solar and hydro.

好消息是，每個主要經濟體都已同意，透過逐步淘汰煤炭這類比較髒的燃料給家庭取暖和給產業供電，減少碳足跡。壞消息則是，多數國家這麼做的時候完全沒有互相協調，由上而下執行，而且市場還沒製造出足夠多的風力、太陽能和水力等清潔能源。

But how did the bad-news side of this story emerge so fast?

這個故事的壞消息面為何這麼快出現？

Blame COVID-19. First, the pandemic erupted and signaled to every major economy that we were headed for a deep recession. This sent prices of all kinds of commodities, including oil and gas, into downward spirals.

要怪新冠肺炎。首先，疫情爆發，對每個重要經濟體而言意味我們正走向深度衰退，使原油、天然氣等各類大宗商品價格走軟。

This, in turn, led banks to choke off investment in new natural gas capacity and crude wells after seven years of already declining investments in these hydrocarbons because of lousy returns.

這進而使銀行停止投資擴充天然氣產能和油井。銀行已減少投資這些碳氫化合物達七年，因為報酬率很差。

As Bill Gates points out in his smart book “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,” the only way to reach our climate targets is to shift production of all the big heavy industries, like steel, cement and automobiles, as well as how we heat our homes and power our cars, to electricity generated from clean energy. Safe and affordable nuclear power has to be part of our mix because, Gates argues, “it is the only carbon-free, scalable energy source that’s available 24 hours a day.”

就像微軟創辦人蓋茲在他那本睿智的書「如何避免氣候災難」指出的，達成氣候目標的唯一方法是，改變所有重工業如鋼鐵、水泥、汽車業等的生產方式，以及我們在家取暖和為愛車提供動力的方式，轉而用潔淨能源發電。蓋茲主張必須接納安全可負擔的核能，因為「這是唯一不產生二氧化碳又能擴增的能源來源，每天24小時供應」。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5820545

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Topic: About Winter - Alaska faces ’Icemageddon’ as temperatures swing wildly

Extreme weather in Alaska that has brought record high temperatures and torrential downpours has left authorities in the far northern US state warning of "Icemageddon".

阿拉斯加出現的極端天氣帶來破紀錄的高溫和豪雨，使這個美國遙遠北方州的政府警告「冰雪末日」。

Hours after thermometers on Kodiak Island in the south reached 19.4 degrees Celsius － the warmest December temperature ever recorded in Alaska － the interior of the state saw 25 millimeters of rain fall in just a few hours, a downpour unseen in decades.

在南部科迪亞克島的溫度計達到攝氏19.4度（阿拉斯加有記錄以來最溫暖的12月溫度）數小時后，該州內部在短短幾個小時內就下了25毫米的降雨，這是幾十年來從未見過的傾盆大雨。

Then when temperatures plummeted again, it all froze. The state’s transportation department has coined the neologism － a play on "Armageddon" － to describe the chilly impasse.

然後，當氣溫再次驟降時，一切都凍結了。該州的交通部門創造了這個新詞 - 一個關於"世界末日"的戲劇 - 來描述寒冷的僵局。

"We’re experiencing an unprecedented series of winter storms," the department tweeted.

"我們正在經歷一系列前所未有的冬季風暴，"該部門在推特上寫道。

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Topic: In Denmark, a snow storm means people overnight in an IKEA 在丹麥，一場暴風雪讓民眾在一間「宜家家居」過夜

In northern Denmark, an IKEA showroom turned into a vast bedroom. Six customers and about two dozen employees were stranded by a snowstorm and spent the night in the store, sleeping in the beds that are usually on show.

在丹麥北部，宜家的陳列室變成了一個巨大的臥室。六名顧客和大約二十多名員工被暴風雪困住，在商店裡過夜，睡在通常展示的床上。

Up to 30 centimeters of snow fell, trapping the customers and employees when the department store in Aalborg closed on Wednesday evening.

週三晚上，奧爾堡的百貨公司關閉時，高達30釐米的積雪困住了顧客和員工。

“We slept in the furniture exhibitions and our showroom on the first floor, where we have beds, mattresses and sofa beds,” store manager Peter Elmose told the Ekstra Bladet tabloid. People could “pick the exact bed they always have wanted to try.”

"我們睡在傢俱展和一樓的陳列室里，那裡有床，床墊和沙發床，"商店經理Peter Elmose告訴Ekstra Bladet小報。人們可以「選擇他們一直想嘗試的確切床」。

Elmose said they spent the evening watching television and eating, adding it went “super well. It’s been a good night. All fun.”

埃爾莫斯說，他們晚上看電視和吃飯，並補充說它「超級順利」。這是一個美好的夜晚。一切都很有趣。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1497858 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1488145

主題: 食物相關慣用語 Food related idioms

1. COOL AS A CUCUMBER 冷靜

Meaning: This is another way to say that someone is calm and composed.

Example: "The exam is next week and I'm as cool as a cucumber."

1. BIG CHEESE 大人物

Meaning: An influential person.

Example: "Tony is the boss of the whole sales and marketing department. He is a big cheese."

1. BRING HOME THE BACON 賺錢回家

Meaning: The person who “brings home the bacon” is someone who is earning the most money.

Example: "Simon took another job so he could bring home the bacon."

1. HARD NUT TO CRACK 很難解決的問題

Meaning: A problem that is difficult to solve is also known as “a hard nut to crack.”

Example: "That grammar question in the test was a hard nut to crack, don't you think?"

1. WITH A PINCH OF SALT 不可盡信

Meaning: Taking something “with a pinch of salt” means that you are listening to a story or an explanation with a sense of doubt or uncertainty.

Example: "You have to take this data with a pinch of salt until the correct data is released."

練習時間: 請選用四個慣用語來造句

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K320: About COVID - COVID-19 creates dire US shortage of teachers, school staff

One desperate California school district is sending flyers home in students’ lunchboxes, telling parents it’s "now hiring." Elsewhere, principals are filling in as crossing guards and schools are moving back to online learning.

一個絕望的加州學區正在學生的便當盒裡寄傳單回家，告訴家長它"現在正在招聘"。在其他地方，校長們正在填補過境警衛，學校正在恢復在線學習。

Now that schools have welcomed students back to classrooms, they face a new challenge: a shortage of teachers and staff the likes of which some districts say they have never seen.

現在學校已經歡迎學生回到教室，他們面臨著一個新的挑戰：教師和工作人員短缺，一些地區說他們從未見過。

Public schools have struggled for years with teacher shortages, particularly in math, science, special education and languages. But the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the problem.

多年來，公立學校一直在努力解決教師短缺的問題，特別是在數學、科學、特殊教育和語言方面。但冠狀病毒大流行加劇了這個問題。

The stress of teaching in the COVID-19 era has triggered a spike in retirements and resignations. Schools also need to hire staffers like tutors and special aides to make up for learning losses and more teachers to run online school for those not ready to return.

COVID-19時代的教學壓力引發了退休和辭職的激增。學校還需要聘請導師和特殊助手等工作人員來彌補學習損失，並聘請更多的教師為那些還沒有準備好返回的人開設在線學校。

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Covid-19 can temporarily diminish male fertility Covid-19 病毒可暫時降低男性生育能力

Getting vaccinated against Covid-19 won’t affect a couple’s chances of getting pregnant, but contracting the coronavirus could impair male fertility.

接種Covid-19疫苗不會影響夫妻懷孕的機會，但感染這種冠狀病毒可能會損害男性的生育能力。

Those are the main conclusions of a study funded by the National Institutes of Health, refuting a common myth about the vaccine and sending a warning to men who avoid it.

這些是由美國國立衛生研究院資助的一項研究的主要結論，該研究駁斥了關於疫苗的常見神話，並向避免接種疫苗的男性發出警告。

Researchers at Boston University studied more than 2,000 couples and found no differences in their chances of conception if either partner was vaccinated compared to unvaccinated couples.

波士頓大學的研究人員研究2000多對夫妻，發現如果任何一方接種疫苗，與未接種疫苗的夫妻相比，他們的受孕機會沒有差異。

But the couples’ chances of conceiving decreased slightly if the male partner had contracted the virus 60 days or less before a menstrual cycle, an indication of diminished male fertility.

波士頓大學的研究人員研究了2000多對夫婦，發現如果任何一方接種疫苗與未接種疫苗的夫婦相比，他們的受孕機會沒有差異。

One possible reason for that, researchers theorised, is the likelihood coronavirus infection would cause a fever, which has been known to reduce sperm count.

但是，如果男性伴侶在月經週期前60天或更短時間內感染了病毒，這對夫婦受孕的機會會略有下降，這表明男性生育能力下降。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1494273 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1499190

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K319: Hollywood Tests the Limit of Marquee Names a Single Film Can Hold

去年12月，Netflix開始播放大預算的"Don't Look Up"。 主演者包括李奧納多迪卡皮歐、珍妮佛勞倫斯、泰勒派瑞、亞莉安娜、喬納希爾、梅莉史翠普、凱特布蘭琪和提摩西夏勒梅。

One star playing Spider-Man? How quaint. “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” has three A-listers in Spidey spandex: Tom Holland, Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire. About 43% of opening-weekend viewers in the United States cited the cast as the reason they bought tickets, according to PostTrak surveys.

一個明星扮演蜘蛛俠？多麼老派。「蜘蛛人：無家日」有三位一線明星：湯姆·霍蘭，安德魯·加菲爾德 和托比·馬奎爾。 約43%的開幕周末觀眾美國引用演員作為他們買票的原因，根據PostTrak調查。

“Someday, someone will decide to make one movie with two Batmans — oh, wait, it’s happening,” Terry Press, one of Hollywood’s top marketers, said with signature dryness. She was referring to “The Flash,” a superhero movie from Warner Bros. that is scheduled for late this year; Ben Affleck’s Batman will appear alongside Michael Keaton’s Batman.

"總有一天，有人會決定用兩個蝙蝠俠拍一部電影—— 哦，等等，它正在發生，「好萊塢頂級之一特裡·普雷斯（Terry Press）營銷人員，用標誌性的乾澀說。她說的是華納兄弟超級英雄電影「閃電俠」，定2022年接近年底時上映，由班艾佛列克飾演的蝙蝠俠將與米高基頓飾演的蝙蝠俠同台。

Taken one film at a time, star amassment is nothing new. “Grand Hotel” (1932), “Thousands Cheer” (1943), and the entire “Ocean’s 11” franchise come to mind, not to mention Marvel’s recent “Avengers” movies.

讓一部電影眾星雲集並非新鮮事，1932年「大飯店」、1943年「千萬喝采」和整個「瞞天過海」系列電影都是，更不用說漫威最近的「復仇者聯盟」電影。

All of a sudden, though, they are everywhere.

然而，突然之間，它們無所不在。

Why?

為什麼？

“Stars matter — always have, always will — and Hollywood retreats to them, leans harder on them, when it gets nervous about a wandering audience,” said Jeanine Basinger, a film scholar and the author of Hollywood histories such as “The Star Machine,” which examines the old studio system.

"明星很重要—— 永遠重要，永遠重要——好萊塢退縮到 他們，更用力地依靠他們，當它對流浪感到緊張時 觀眾，"珍妮·貝辛格（Jeanine Basinger）說，她是電影學者，也是《公約》的作者，如"星際機器"，它考察了舊的工作室系統。

Basinger, who founded Wesleyan University’s film studies department, noted that individual star power has faded. Studios have become fixated on intellectual property — preexisting franchises and characters.

貝辛格，衛斯理大學電影研究系的創始人， 注意到個別明星的力量已經消退。電影工作室已成為專注於智慧財產權 - 預先存在的特許經營權和角色。

“In the old days, movie stars were the brands,” she said. “They reached the whole audience. Not a slice of the audience. Everybody. But that all fell apart. Now, it’s about adding up niches.” And don’t forget Hollywood’s favorite game: Follow the leader. “The Avengers: Endgame,” which packed its cast with Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Chadwick Boseman, Jeremy Renner, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Olsen and a dozen other boldface names, became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time in 2019.

在過去，電影明星是品牌，"她說。"他們覆蓋了整個觀眾。不是一部分觀眾。大家。但這一切都分崩離析了。現在，這是關於增加利基市場。別忘了好萊塢最喜歡的遊戲：跟隨領導者。"該《復仇者聯盟4：終局之戰》（Avengers： Endgame），其中演員陣容中加入了小羅伯特·唐尼（Robert Downey Jr.， Don）。 錢德爾，克裡斯海姆斯沃斯，斯嘉麗詹森，查德威克博斯曼，傑里米 Renner，Paul Rudd，Elizabeth Olsen， 成為2019年有史以來票房最高的電影之一。

“It’s trendy at the moment,” Tim Palen, a producer and former studio marketing chief, said of what he called an “all skate” approach to casting. “Not new but certainly symptomatic of the battle for attention that’s raging.”

"目前很時髦，"製片人兼前工作室蒂姆·帕倫（Tim Palen）說。行銷主管在談到他所謂的"全滑板"方法時說。 鑄造。"不是新的，但肯定是爭奪注意力的癥狀這太肆虐了。 Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6068852

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K318: About Germany - Inmates fined over prison potato mash fight

Two female inmates at a German prison have been served a hefty fine for a brawl that began with a food fight.

德國一所監獄的兩名女囚犯因一場始於食物大戰的鬥毆而被處以巨額罰款。

German news agency dpa reported Wednesday that the cellmates at a prison in Augsburg began throwing potato mash at each other following a disagreement. Then one woman threw her entire plate at the other, who responded in kind.

德國新聞社dpa週三報導說，奧格斯堡一所監獄的獄友在發生分歧后開始互相投擲薯泥。然後一個女人把她的整個盤子扔給另一個女人，後者以同樣的方式回應。

The situation then escalated into a brawl in which both inmates were injured, dpa reported.

據dpa報導，情況隨後升級為鬥毆，兩名囚犯都受傷。

A court in the southern town of Augsburg sentenced one defendant to pay a fine of 2,700 euros while the other received a fine of 1,800 euros. If they fail to pay, the women can spend another 180 or 120 days behind bars, respectively.

南部城鎮奧格斯堡的一家法院判處一名被告支付2700歐元的罰款，而另一名被告則被處以1800歐元的罰款。如果她們不付錢，這些女性可以分別在監獄里再呆180天或120天。

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Dogs help German rail firm sniff out protected species 狗狗協助德國鐵路公司嗅出受保護物種

At the side of a railway track on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Cocker Spaniel Monte is enthusiastically sniffing the ground, his long furry ears flopping around his nose.

在法蘭克福郊區的一條鐵軌邊，可卡犬蒙特（Cocker Spaniel Monte）熱情地嗅著地面，他長長的毛茸茸的耳朵在他的鼻子上翻來覆去。

When he finds what he is looking for, he obediently stops, sits and is delighted to receive a treat from his trainer.

當他找到他想要的東西時，他乖乖地停下來，坐下來，很高興得到他的教練的款待。

Monte is one of six dogs being trained by German rail company Deutsche Bahn to identify the presence of protected species in potential construction sites.

Monte是德國鐵路公司Deutsche Bahn訓練的六隻狗之一，以識別潛在建築工地中是否存在受保護的物種。

The dogs "can take us directly to where the animals are" and can work all year round in any weather conditions, says Jens Bergmann, director of infrastructure projects at Deutsche Bahn’s network subsidiary.

這些狗"可以直接帶我們到動物所在的地方"，並且可以在任何天氣條件下全年工作，德國鐵路網路子公司基礎設施項目總監Jens Bergmann說。

Having them on board reduces the timeframe to less than two months, and is much less invasive.

讓他們加入可以將時間縮短到不到兩個月，並且侵入性要小得多。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1498452 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1488918

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K317: A Global Effort to Bring Rare Books In Rome to an Online Audience

Modern-day church scholars may find the going easier. Some of the texts at the library of the Pontifical Oriental Institute, a graduate school in Rome dedicated to the study of the Eastern branch of Christianity, have just been digitized and will soon be at the fingertips of a global audience.

現代教會學者可能會發現這件事變得更容易。羅馬宗座東方學院（一所致力於研究基督教東方分支的研究生院）圖書館的一些文本剛剛被數位化，很快就會被全球觀眾所接受。

The first digitized versions will be available to the public in mid-2022, the product of a charitable initiative that connected the institute with technology companies in the United States and Germany.

第一批數位化版本將於2022年年中向公眾開放，這是一項慈善活動的產物，該計劃將該研究所與美國和德國的科技公司結合起來。

The companies, said the Rev. David Nazar, the institute’s rector, understood the project's value. Many of the books come from countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, where turmoil put entire collections at risk. Others come from countries where authoritarian censorship was equally threatening.

該研究所的校長大衛·納扎爾（David Nazar）牧師說，這些公司瞭解該項目的價值。許多書來自敘利亞、黎巴嫩和伊拉克等國，那裡的動盪使整個藏品處於危險之中。其他人則來自威權審查制度同樣具有威脅性的國家。

“We’re not a hospital, we’re not in the fields of Syria,” he said, “but we have students that come from there, who study here because our resources haven’t been destroyed by war.”

"我們不是醫院，我們不是在敘利亞的田野裡，"他說，"但我們有來自那裡的學生，他們在這裡學習，因為我們的資源沒有被戰爭摧毀。

Although most of the institute’s titles are not recognizable to the general public, they are precious to scholars. They include volumes such as a Greek first edition of liturgies of John Chrysostom, an early church father, printed in Rome in 1526.

雖然該研究所的大多數頭銜不為公眾所認可，但它們對學者來說卻是珍貴的。它們包括一些卷，例如早期教會父親約翰·克裡斯托姆（John Chrysostom）的希臘語第一版禮儀，於1526年在羅馬印刷。

“The library is unique in the world,” said Gabriel Radle, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who studied at the institute.

曾在該學院研究的聖母大學教授拉德爾說：「這個圖書館在世上獨一無二。」

Its volumes cover the broad gamut that is Eastern Christianity, a term for the traditions and denominations developed in the first centuries of the church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, spreading through Greece, Turkey and Eastern Europe, north to Russia, south to Egypt and Ethiopia, and as far east as India.

它的經典涵蓋了東方基督教的廣泛範圍，東方基督教是耶路撒冷和中東教會最初幾個世紀發展起來的傳統和教派的術語，傳播到希臘，土耳其和東歐，北到俄羅斯，南到埃及和衣索比亞，東到印度。

The first set of books to be digitized were scanned by an eight-member team from a Long Island, New York, company, Seery Systems Group, using scanning technology from SMA of Germany.

第一套數位化的圖書是由紐約長島公司Seery Systems集團一個八人團隊，使用德國SMA公司掃描技術進行掃描。

The digitized books will be managed via ShelterZoom, a New York company. Chao Cheng-Shorland, CEO of ShelterZoom, said she visited the library this past year and got very excited about the project.

數位化書籍將通過紐約公司ShelterZoom進行管理。ShelterZoom首席執行官Chao Cheng-Shorland表示，她去年參觀了圖書館，並對該專案感到非常興奮。

“It’s unique, not just in the technology sense but also in the sense of contributing to such a wonderful piece of history,” she said.

"這是獨一無二的，不僅在技術意義上，而且在為這樣一段美好的歷史做出貢獻的意義上，"她說。 Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6076914

Jeff Bezos offered Tom Hanks a ride to space on his Blue Origin rocket, but it came at a price.

（亞馬遜創辦人）傑夫‧貝佐斯曾邀請（好萊塢男星）湯姆‧漢克搭乘他的「藍源」火箭上太空，但要付出代價。

The actor confirmed that Bezos had asked him during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Tuesday, saying if he accepted the offer he was expected to pay.

這名男星週二現身（電視節目）「吉米金默現場秀」時證實，貝佐斯曾邀約他（上太空），並說若他接受（邀約），應該要付錢。

"Well yeah, provided I pay," Hanks said. "It costs like $28 million or something like that. And I’m doing good, Jimmy — I’m doing good — but I ain’t paying $28 million. You know what, we could simulate the experience of going to space right now."

「是啊，若我付錢（就能上太空），」漢克說。「大概要2800萬美元左右。我算是事業有成，吉米—我混得還不錯—但我才不要付2800萬。你知道嗎，我們現在就可以模擬上太空的經驗。」

Hanks, who appeared to promote his new movie "Finch," mimicked shaking in a rocket while in his chair, saying, "I don’t need to spend 28 million bucks to do that."

上節目宣傳新片「芬奇的旅程」的漢克（語畢）便在椅子上模仿搭火箭（上太空時）身體抖動的模樣，並說「我才不要花2800萬來做這種事。」

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William Shatner says Prince William is ’missing the point’ of space tourism 威廉沙特納說 威廉王子沒搞懂太空旅行的真諦

在（英國）威廉王子出言批評太空觀光後，（男星）威廉‧沙特納反唇相譏，還擊這位未來國王。

Shatner, who blasted into space on one of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ rockets, said the British royal has "got the wrong idea" by saying that solving problems on Earth should be prioritized over tourist trips to space.

搭乘亞馬遜創辦人傑夫‧貝佐斯的一艘火箭上太空的沙特納說，宣稱解決地球上的問題應優先於太空旅行的這位英國王室成員，「搞錯了」。

The 90-year-old "Star Trek" actor said that a power generating base could be constructed 250 miles above the Earth and used to supply homes and businesses below. "The prince is missing the point," he added.

這位90歲「星際爭霸戰」男演員說，距離地表250英里的上空可以蓋一座發電基地，用來供應地面住家與建築（所需）。「王子沒搞懂（太空旅行的真諦），」他補充道。

Without mentioning names, William criticized billionaires focused on space tourism in an interview Thursday with the BBC, saying they should invest more time and money in saving Earth.

威廉週四接受英國廣播公司訪問時，在未指名道姓的情況下批評億萬富豪聚焦太空觀光的現象，指稱富豪們應將更多時間與金錢投資於拯救地球。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1498987 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1499857

Topic: Russia's Villages, and Their Culture, Are 'Melting Away'

With its winding dirt lanes framed by lilacs, quaint wooden houses and graceful onion-domed church, the tiny farming hamlet of Baruta was once a postcard of Russian bucolic bliss.

俄國西北部普斯科夫區域的巴魯塔小農村曾是俄國田園的幸福象徵，蜿蜒的土路旁盡是丁香、古雅的木屋和優美的洋蔥圓頂教堂。

No longer. More people lie in the tightly packed church cemetery than inhabit the village. Agriculture is slowly withering, too.

此景不再。在擁擠不堪的教堂墓地安息的人，比住在村裡的多。農業也逐步衰退。

With Russia's natural population growth entering an extended period of decline, villages like Baruta are disappearing from across the country’s continental expanse.

由於俄國人口的自然增長進入長期衰退期，像巴魯塔這樣的村落正從廣袤的俄國大陸各地消失。

"We have not had a wedding or a baptism for quite some time — we mostly have funerals," said a resident, Alexander Fyodorov, 59, one of just 17 men left in what was a thriving collective of some 500 farmers.

59歲居民費奧多羅夫說：「我們好一段時間沒有婚禮或洗禮了——多半是喪禮。」他曾是一個約有500農民、蓬勃發展的集體農場的一分子，如今農場只剩下17個男人，他是其中之一。

President Vladimir Putin frequently cites hardy population growth as a pillar of restoring Russia's place atop the global order. There is a pronounced gap, however, between the positive terms in which Putin and his advisers habitually discuss demographic trends and the reality of the numbers.

俄國總統普亭常說，強勁的人口成長是讓俄國重居新全球之首的基礎。不過，普亭與顧問們討論人口趨勢時慣常使用的正面詞語，和真實人口數目差距甚大。

Russians are dying faster than they are being born, demographers said. Given the general hostility toward immigration, the question is to what degree the population of 146 million, including annexed Crimea, might shrink.

人口學者說，俄國人死亡的速度比出生快。在俄國人普遍對移民懷有敵意的情況下，俄國總數1億4600萬（包括兼併來的克里米亞）的人口勢將減少，問題只在減幅的大小。

The number of deaths exceeded the number of births in 2016 by a few thousand, and the prognosis for the years ahead is poor. From 2013-2015, extremely modest natural growth peaked in 2015 with just 32,038 more births than deaths.

去年俄國死亡人數超越出生人數幾千人，未來幾年前景也不樂觀。2013到2015年極微小的人口自然增長在2015年達到高峰，出生數只比死亡數多3萬2038人。

"The statistics and the propaganda are very different things," said Natalya V. Zubarevich, an expert in social and political geography at Moscow State University.

莫斯科國立大學社會與政治地理學專家祖巴列維奇說：「統計數字和宣傳大不相同。」

In terms of population loss, Pskov, which borders Latvia and parts of Estonia, is among the worst hit regions in Russia. The population peaked at around 1.8 million in the 1920s, said Andrei Manakov, a demographer at Pskov State University. It is down to 642,000, and projected to drop to about 513,000 by 2033.

普斯科夫與拉脫維亞和愛沙尼亞部分地區接壤，是俄國人口減少最嚴重的區域之一。普斯科夫國立大學人口學者馬納科夫說，1920年代這裡的人口達到高峰，約180萬。現在降到64萬2千人，料將在2033年前降到大約51萬3千人。

Researchers estimate that out of 8,300 area villages in 1910, 2,000 no longer have permanent residents.

研究人員估計，1910年這裡的8300個地區村落中，2000個不再有常住居民。

Under the most optimistic projections by demographers, Russia’s population by 2050 will stay the same, about 146 million, if immigration from Central Asia — which has also been dropping — balances out low birthrates. Less optimistic figures put the population around 130 million by 2050, and the most pessimistic say fewer than 100 million.

人口學者最樂觀的預測是，如果來自中亞的移民（也正在逐漸減少）能彌補俄國的低出生率，2050年俄國人口會跟現在一樣，大約1億4600萬。較不樂觀的數據是2050年人口約為1億3000萬，最悲觀的是不到1億。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/318780/web/

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Topic: Russia reaches out to OPEC as Riyadh opens oil taps

The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in China and its rapid spread has taken its toll on the global economy, driving down demand for oil in the first weeks of 2020.

在中國爆發的武漢肺炎冠狀病毒迅速蔓延，讓全球經濟遭受巨大損失，對石油的需求在二〇二〇年開年數週便降低了。

In response, in the scheduled meeting on March 5-6 in Vienna, Saudi Arabia and other OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) states called for OPEC+ to a make drastic cut of 1.5 million barrels per day to reduce supply by a total of 3.6 million barells per day — insisting on a non-OPEC agreement. However, Russia rejected the plan. When the OPEC+ talks collapsed, the OPEC oil cartel scrapped all output limits. A dispute then broke out.

因應此情況，沙烏地阿拉伯與其他石油輸出國組織（OPEC）國家三月五日至六日在維也納所舉行的例行會議中，便要求OPEC+國家每日大幅減產一百五十萬桶，讓石油每日供應總量減少三百六十萬桶，並堅持非屬OPEC之產油國也須共同遵守此協議。但俄羅斯拒絕了此計畫，談判破裂，OPEC這石油壟斷利益集團便取消了所有產量限制，爭端於焉爆發。

Russian oil companies had opposed such cuts, fearing loss of market share and of competitiveness against US shale production. They had previously in December agreed on a milder production cut of 500,000 barrels in 2020, and Russia wanted this to continue.

俄羅斯的石油公司曾對這種減產措施加以反對，擔心會失去市佔率，也會失去對美國頁岩油的競爭力。他們去年十二月曾同意一項較溫和的減產計畫，將在二〇二〇年減產五十萬桶，俄羅斯希望維持此計畫。

Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest crude exporter, responded on March 8 by announcing unilateral price cuts with its biggest price cut in 20 years in a bid to win market share. This prompted the oil price to plummet and fueled huge drops on stock markets the following day.

三月八日星期日，世界最大的原油出口國沙烏地阿拉伯對此做出回應，單方面宣佈降低油品價格，以贏得市佔率，此為二十年來最大降幅。這使得油價暴跌，並引發了三月九日星期一的股市大跌。

By March 9, oil had fallen to as low as US$31 from about US$66 at the end of 2019 as Riyadh said it would lift production to record highs, their biggest one-day move since the 1991 Gulf War. On March 10, Saudi oil giant Aramco announced a plan to massively increase oil output despite falling demand during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak.

利雅德表示將把產量提升至歷史新高，到了三月九日，油價便從二〇一九年底的六十六美元左右，應聲跌至三十一美元，這是自一九九一年波斯灣戰爭以來的最大單日跌幅。儘管武漢肺炎冠狀病毒爆發造成石油需求下降，沙烏地石油巨頭阿美公司仍在三月十日宣布，要大幅提高石油產量。

“At first glance, this looks like a battle between Russia and Saudi Arabia over oil policy,” said Chris Weafer of Macro Advisory consultancy. “But the context of the relentless rise in US oil production over the past 10 years is also an important factor.”

「乍看之下，這像是俄羅斯與沙烏地阿拉伯在石油政策上的鬥爭」，宏觀諮詢公司的克里斯‧威佛表示。「但是，過去十年來美國石油產量的持續增加，也是重要的背景因素」。

Both Russia and major OPEC producers have been “openly annoyed” with US producers’ refusal to participate in past production cuts, he added.

他補充說，美國生產商一直都拒絕參與減產，俄羅斯和OPEC主要產油國都對此感到「公開地惱火」。

On Monday and Thursday last week, the crash in oil prices and fears over the global economic impact of the virus outbreak prompted a meltdown on stock markets.

油價暴跌，以及擔憂疫情對全球經濟造成影響，導致上週一及週四的股市崩盤，觸動了熔斷機制。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/03/17/2003732810

Next Article

Topic: About Russia: ’They just want to take a selfie’： how TV show changed Chernobyl tourism

The hit TV series "Chernobyl" has attracted a new generation of tourists to the nuclear disaster zone but guides say that many are more interested in taking selfies than learning about the accident.

美國熱門電視影集《核爆家園》吸引一群新世代遊客造訪車諾比核災區，但當地導遊說，比起了解核災意外，很多人只想自拍。

Tourists now are often on the lookout for locations featured in the acclaimed HBO drama and can be surprised to discover that certain sites were fictional.

遊客現在大多是去探訪出現在這部備受讚譽的HBO影集中的地點，但他們可能會驚訝地發現，劇中有些場景是虛構的。

The abandoned site had already become a "dark tourism" destination, even before the eponymous TV show started broadcasting.

早在這個以車諾比為名的影集開播前，這個被遺棄的地方就已成為「黑暗旅遊」的目的地。

Some Ukrainian travel agencies have further adapted their tours to take in locations from the "Chernobyl" series and offer special trips, such as kayaking in rivers around the exclusion zone.

某些烏克蘭旅行社進一步改變行程，加入出現在《核爆家園》的地點，為旅客提供特別之旅，像是在禁制區附近的河流划皮艇。

In July, new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree that aims to develop the site further as a tourist attraction. In 2018, 72,000 people visited Chernobyl and it is expected to jump to 100,000 in 2019.

7月，新任烏克蘭總統佛拉迪米爾‧澤倫斯基簽署一項法令，進一步將車諾比地區打造成觀光景點。2018年，有7萬2000人造訪車諾比，2019年可望增至10萬人。

Next Article:

Topic: Russia joins race to make quantum dreams a reality 俄羅斯加入量子戰局

Russia has launched an effort to build a working quantum computer, in a bid to catch up to other countries in the race for practical quantum technologies.

俄羅斯開始致力建造可投入應用的量子電腦，以期在實作量子技術的競爭中，趕上其他國家。

The government will inject around 50 billion roubles （US$790 million）over the next 5 years into basic and applied quantum research carried out at leading Russian laboratories, the country’s deputy prime minister, Maxim Akimov, announced on 6 December at a technology forum in Sochi.

俄羅斯副總理馬克司米．阿基莫夫12月6日在索契的一場科技論壇宣布，未來5年政府將投入約500億盧布（7.9億美元），推動國家重點實驗室在量子科學的基礎研究及應用。

Quantum technology already receives massive governmental support in a number of countries. The European Union’s €1-billion （US$1.1-billion） Quantum Flagship programme, first announced in 2016. Germany announced a €650-million national quantum initiative in August 2019. The Chinese and US governments are also spending billions on quantum science and technology programmes.

量子技術已獲得多國政府大力支持。歐盟2016年率先宣布一項10億歐元（11億美元）的量子旗艦計畫。德國2019年8月發表一項6.5億歐元的國家量子計畫。中國和美國政府同樣也在量子科學和技術項目投入數十億經費。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1342518; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1344790

英語換句話說單元 – 老舊Old與展新New還可以如何說?

Other ways to say: OLD

Brenda looks after her aged mother.

Ancient 古老，年代久遠的

Look at this ancient book!

Antique 古器，古董的

He has a lot of antique furniture all over his house.

Archaic 原始的，古老的

They have an archaic system of government.

Out-of-date 過時的

We don't use out-of-date technology anymore.

Vintage 復古的

She loves buying vintage clothing.

Dated 有時日的，老舊的

Spy thrillers with plots based on the Cold War look particularly dated nowadays.

Worn 使用過

His clothes were dirty and worn.

Other ways to say: NEW

Modern 現代的

The architecture of the hotel is strikingly modern.

Brand new 完全新的

Her coat looked as if it was brand new.

Contemporary 現代的

She gave a series of lectures last year on contemporary British writers.

Novel 新鮮，新潮的

Keeping a sheep in the garden is a novel way of keeping the grass short!

Fresh 新鮮的

We need a completely fresh approach to the problem.

Current 當期，當下的

Have you seen the current issue of Vogue magazine?

Latest 最新的

Have you seen her latest movie?

Recent 最近的

Is that a recent photo?

練習時間: 請選用四個單字來造句