通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K285: About France - French balloonist breaks world record for standing on hot-air balloon at altitude

A 28-year-old Frenchman broke the world record Wednesday for standing on a hot-air balloon at altitude. Rémi Ouvrard stood on top of a hot-air balloon for France’s Telethon at an altitude of more than 3,637 meters over Chatellerault, western France.

一名28歲法國人週三打破站在高空熱氣球上的世界紀錄，黑彌．巫伏哈為了法國的電視馬拉松節目，站在法國西部城市沙泰勒羅上空高度超過3637公尺的熱氣球頂部。

The balloon was piloted by Ouvrard’s father, Jean-Daniel Ouvrard, a seasoned pilot. The altitude was not random: It matches the phone number digits of the Telethon campaign, 36-37, an annual event that raises money for research and advocacy related to rare neuromuscular diseases. The hot-air balloon reached a peak altitude of 4,016 meters.

這具熱氣球由巫伏哈的父親、經驗豐富的飛行員炯－丹尼耶勒．巫伏哈所操駕。此一高度並非選意選擇：它符合了這個電視馬拉松運動的電話號碼數字36-37，這是為罕見神經肌肉疾病的研究和宣傳而募款的年度活動。這具熱氣球最高高度達到4016公尺。

Once he landed after his feat Wednesday, he told local reporters he experienced “a feeling of ‘zenitude’ mixed with the excitement of the performance.”

週三當他結束壯舉落地後，告訴當地記者他經歷到「一種『禪意』與表演的興奮相混合的感覺」。

“When we passed the 3,500 meters, I knew that we could get the 4,000. We had to beat the iron when it was still hot,” he said.

當我通過3500公尺時，我知道我們可以升到4000公尺。他說：「我們得打鐵趁熱。」

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Room without a view - French war bunker reborn as guesthouse無景之房：法國戰時地堡重生為旅館

A bunker built by German troops in Saint-Pabu in northern France during World War Two has been restored and refitted as an underground guesthouse.

納粹德國軍隊第二次世界大戰期間在法國北部聖帕比建造的一座地下碉堡已重見天日，並被改造成地下旅館。

Serge Colliou bought up a plot of land there and spent 18 months digging out and renovating the 400-square-meter structure, turning it into rental for up to eight people, complete with bar and living room.

薩傑．科里奧在當地買下一塊土地後，花費18個月挖掘並整修此一佔地400平方公尺的建築，改造成最高可容納8人的出租空間，內部還附設酒吧和客廳。

"We adapted (the bunker) while preserving a certain feel," Colliou said. "We wanted to give the building a second life, so we are not going to live in the past forever. We saved some aspects, you know where you are, there are historic cues, but this isn’t a museum either."

科里奧說：「我們改建（地堡）之際，也保留某種風情。我們想要賦予這個建築第二生命，而不是永遠活在過去。我們保存某部分外觀，你會知道自己身在何處，可以看到歷史線索，但這裡不會是博物館。」

War-time touches in Bunker L479 include helmets, reproduction guns and signs on the walls. Both German and French guests have stayed there since it opened a year ago, Colliou said. Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1484491; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1491650

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K284: About India - Modi warns bitcoin could ’spoil’ young Indians

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday warned that bitcoin presents a risk to younger generations, sounding a hawkish tone as his government prepares to introduce legislation to regulate cryptocurrencies.

在他的政府準備立法規範加密貨幣之際，印度總理莫迪週四發出強硬論調，警告比特幣會對較年輕世代帶來風險。

Speaking at an online cybersecurity forum, Modi framed virtual money as a domain that needs to be closely policed.

莫迪在一場網路安全線上論壇發表談話，將虛擬貨幣稱為需要密切監管的領域。

"Take cryptocurrency or bitcoin, for example," he told a forum hosted by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. "It is important that all democratic nations work together on this and ensure it does not end up in the wrong hands, which can spoil our youths."

「以加密貨幣或比特幣為例」，他告訴「澳洲戰略政策研究所」舉辦的一場論壇，「重要的是，所有民主國家在這方面共同努力，確保加密貨幣不會落入錯誤的人手裡，那樣有可能毀掉我們的年輕人。」

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An Indian couple is under investigation over a chartered flight linked to their wedding 一對印度夫妻因婚禮包機而遭調查

The authorities in southern India are investigating a couple who are reported to have chartered a plane and performed a marriage ritual in midair in front of scores of guests, a breach of Covid-19 guidelines in a country that is being devastated by a second wave of the coronavirus.

印度南部當局正在調查一對被舉報包下一架飛機並在數十名賓客面前舉行空中婚禮的夫妻，此舉違反這個正飽受第二波疫情襲擊的國家的武漢肺炎防疫指引。

The couple had intended to tie the knot in front of family and friends at a hotel in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, but coronavirus restrictions capped the guest list at 50 people.

這對夫妻原本打算在親友的見證下於南部泰米爾納德邦的一家飯店共結連理，但疫情限制規定賓客人數上限50人。

Instead, according to reports in the Indian news media, the couple chartered a commercial aircraft and boarded the plane on Sunday morning along with about 160 people.

根據印度新聞媒體的報導，這對夫妻因而改包下一架民航機，並於週日一早與大約160名賓客登機。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1491482; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1489242

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K283: Bike box silhouettes must wear helmets

Many people have noticed that the motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones on roads have recently taken on a very different appearance. They used to only have a motorcyclist symbol painted on them, but recently there are both motorcyclist and bicyclist symbols. The most special thing about them is that the bicyclist symbol is clearly wearing a cycle helmet. This has inspired many road users to say approvingly that even stop zones are teaching traffic safety lessons by reminding everyone that they should still obey traffic regulations and wear safety helmets when riding a bicycle.

不少民眾都發現，馬路上的「機慢車停等區」最近長得大不同，以往只會畫上機車騎士，但最近都是同時畫上機車騎士與自行車騎士，最特別的是自行車騎士的圖案，很明顯就可以看到戴上自行車的專用安全帽，讓用路人大讚說，連停等區都在上交通安全課，提醒大家騎自行車也要遵守交通規則，還要戴上安全帽。

However, some people wonder why the bicyclist symbol drawn in the motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones is wearing a helmet, whereas the motorbike rider seems not to be wearing a helmet and appears to be bare-headed. Others disagree, however, because, they ask, if the motorcyclist is wearing a full-face helmet, what is wrong with drawing it as a white circle?

不過，也有民眾好奇指出，「機慢車停等區」所畫的自行車騎士圖案有戴安全帽，那為何所畫的機車騎士，好像沒戴安全帽，看起來只是光溜溜的頭；但也有人不以為然，因為當機車騎士戴上全罩式安全帽，用白色圓形來示意，何錯之有？

Director-General Lin Han-pin of the Changhua County Government Department of Public Works says that the Ministry of Transportation and Communications has published its latest Regulations for Road Traffic Signs, Markings, and Signals, so when any county highway managed by the county government is resurfaced and has its lines repainted, the job will be done in accordance with the new version of the regulations.

彰化縣工務處長林漢斌表示，因為交通部有公布最新的「道路交通標誌標線號誌設置規則」，因此，只要是縣府所管理的縣道在重新鋪過、重新劃設標線，就會採取新版的規定來辦理。

Lin says that, according to the latest regulations, motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones must be delineated behind the stop line on all roads with a speed limit below 60 kilometers per hour where there are intersections with traffic control signals. Motorcyclist and bicyclist symbols must be painted within the motorcycle and slow vehicle stop zones, and the bicyclist symbol in the new version of the regulations is wearing a helmet.

林漢斌強調，根據最新規定，「機慢車停等區線」必須設置在行車速限每小時六十公里以下的道路，且設有行車管制號誌路口之停止線後方，並需要於「機慢車停等區」內繪設機車、自行車圖案，新版規定當中的自行車圖案，就有戴上安全帽。

Lin says that previous motorcyclist symbols painted on roads all used a solid white circle to represent the rider wearing a helmet, but the motorcyclist symbol in the new regulations looks like a front view of the rider wearing a full-face helmet, and the symbol clearly shows the helmet’s visor, which makes it more realistic than the original symbol. From now on, contractors will be required to paint all markings and symbols in full accordance with the new version of the regulations.

林漢斌說，以前馬路上的機車圖案，都用白色實心圓形代表機車騎士戴上安全帽，而新規定的機車圖案，看起來就像是機車騎士戴著全罩安全帽的正面，圖案可以明顯看到安全帽的面罩，比原有圖案更逼真，未來也將要求廠商全部依照新版規定來劃設標線與圖案。 Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/12/11/2003769366

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K282: The Disconnect Between Biden’s Popular Policies and His Unpopularity

Over the past few years, many Democrats argued that there was a simple secret to electoral success: enact popular legislation.

過去幾年，許多民主黨人認為想要選舉成功有一個簡單的秘訣，即制定受歡迎的法案。

President Joe Biden tried to make that theory a reality. He enacted a big stimulus plan, a bipartisan infrastructure bill and has made progress toward pushing through an ambitious $2 trillion spending bill that has finally passed the House.

美國總統拜登試圖讓這一理論成為現實。他制定一項大規模經濟刺激計畫，一項兩黨都支持的基礎設施法案，並在推動一項雄心勃勃2兆美元支出法案上取得了進展，該法案最終在眾議院通過。

But so far, popular policies haven’t made for a popular president. His approval ratings have slipped into the mid-40s, even though virtually all of his legislation commands majority support in the same surveys. In poll after poll, voters seem to give Biden no credit for his agenda. They say he hasn’t accomplished much. They even say he hasn’t helped them personally, even though he sent direct stimulus payments to most households and even more to parents.

但到目前為止，受歡迎的政策還未造就受歡迎的總統。他的支持率已下滑至四十多趴，即便他的所有立法在同樣調查中幾乎都獲得多數支持。在一次又一次的民調中，選民似乎沒有因拜登的政策而給他功勞。他們說他沒有取得多大成就，甚至說他沒有親自幫助他們，即便他向大多數家庭甚至是更多父母直接發放了經濟振興紓困金。

If anything, voters say he’s made things worse.

其實，還有選民說他讓事情變更糟。

The disconnect between Biden’s popular policies and his personal unpopularity is a little hard to understand. After all, voters do care about the issues. They’ve proved it by gradually sorting into ideologically divided parties over the past two decades. And it’s clear that presidents can be punished for advancing an unpopular agenda. Just ask Barack Obama about the period after the Affordable Care Act was passed.

拜登受歡迎的政策和個人不受歡迎之間的脫節，有點讓人難理解。畢竟，選民確實關心這些問題。過去20年，他們逐漸劃分意識形態分裂的政黨，就證明這一點。很明顯，總統可能會因為推動不受歡迎的政策而遭懲罰。只要問問歐巴馬有關「可負擔健保法」通過後那段時期的情況就知道了。

But if voters often punish a president for pushing unpopular policies, they rarely seem to reward a president for enacting legislation. Instead, voters seem to reward presidents for presiding over peace and prosperity — in a word, normalcy.

如果選民經常懲罰一個推動不受歡迎政策的總統，他們似乎很少會因為總統制定法案而予以獎勵。相對的，選民似乎會獎勵總統帶來和平與繁榮，換句話說，帶來常態。

Today, Biden is not seen as presiding over the long-promised return to normalcy. Maybe that will change in the months ahead. But Biden’s policy agenda is not expected to do much to help his approval rating so long as Americans do not believe that agenda responds to the most immediate issues facing the country.

目前，人們認為拜登並未帶領大家重返承諾已久的常態。也許情況在未來幾個月會改變。但是，只要美國人不認為拜登政策回應了國家面臨的最急迫問題，他的政策就不會對他的支持率有太大幫助。

The predominance of the economy in American public opinion is one of those basic and seemingly obvious findings of political science that is still somewhat hard to fully internalize. That’s partly because it’s at odds with how most individual voters — and especially politically engaged voters — think about politics. Most people back their party through the worst economic times; even the fastest economic growth wouldn’t persuade them to back the president of the other party.

經濟在美國公眾輿論的主宰地位，是政治科學中基本且看似明顯的發現之一，但仍然有點難以讓人完全接納，部分是因為這跟多數個別選民對政治的看法不一致，尤其是積極參與政治的選民。大多數人在經濟最糟糕時期仍支持他們的政黨，即便是最快速的經濟成長，也無法說服他們支持另一個黨的總統。Source Article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5953373

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K281: IKEA goes circular to make the things we love last longer

當你丟棄物品時你會感到愧疚嗎?或許你想要維修、回收或再利用，但是缺乏時間、知識或是精力去做嗎？不用再煩惱了。宜家家居可以幫忙。

Do you feel bad about throwing things away? Maybe you want to repair, reuse or recycle, but lack the time, knowledge or energy to do so. Well, IKEA can help.

這間始於瑞典，落足荷蘭的企業集團正在探索循環經濟，也就是消除廢棄物及資源再利用，一個對消費者來說更方便且適切的方法。

The Swedish-origin Dutch-headquartered multinational conglomerate is exploring new ways to make circularity – the elimination of waste and continual use of resources – more convenient and relevant for you.

舉例來說，宜家正在測試更多循環的可能性，像是家具租借服務、收回與回購計畫、幫助顧客維修、回收再利用老舊家具，或者透過轉賣來讓家具重獲新生。

For instance, IKEA is testing the potential for more circular solutions, such as furniture leasing, take-back and buy-back schemes, and helping customers repair, reuse and recycle old furniture or give it a second life through reselling.

「這意味著我們不應該拿走資源，」牛奶零售集團宜家家居北亞區商務總監艾斯本告訴The China Post，「而是應該嘗試回饋社群和地球更多的資源。」

“This means that we should not actually take away resources,” Hugo Asplund, Commercial Director at DFI IKEA North Asia (牛奶零售集團宜家家居北亞區商務總監艾斯本) told The China Post. “We should actually try to seek ways to give back more resources to the communities and the planet.”

身為全球最大的家具零售商，艾斯本認為宜家家居有很大的責任，必須去限制其對氣候的衝擊，這也與宜家長久以來的方針相呼應，那就是「對資源做最好的利用」。

As the biggest global home furnishing retailer, Asplund argues that IKEA has a big “responsibility to limit its impact on the climate,” which is consistent with IKEA’s long policy of making the best use of resources.

「最知名的一個例子便是我們的『扁平包裝』，指的是我們把家具放在小盒子裡，這樣你就可以很輕鬆有效的運送它們，」他繼續補充「而隨著時間演進，我們必須採取更多手段，我們必須把企業的成長與資源利用的曲線脫鉤。」

“One of the most known examples is our “flat pack,” where we kind of put our furniture into small boxes, so you can easily transport them in a very efficient way,” he continued. “And going forward, we need to take more steps, we need to decouple our growth with the material use.”

你知道嗎？有高達六成的宜家產品來自可再生的原料，像是木頭與棉花，而超過一成的產品包含回收再利用的原料。

Did you know? More than 60 percent of the IKEA product range is based on renewable materials, like wood and cotton, and more than 10 percent contains recycled materials.

推動循環理念的公司，會以「零汙染」的概念來選擇材料、如何設計、製造、運輸、販賣以及產品生命週期結束時的後續處理。

This “zero waste mindset” is the way to go for the company which has pushed forward with “circular concepts” in how they choose materials, and how they design, produce, transport, sell them and what happens to their products at the end of their life cycle.

具艾斯本所述，宜家長久以來都在尋找可再生以及可回收資源的使用新方法，並且會不斷重新設計既有產品的製程，來確保這些家具更符合永續性。

According to Asplund, IKEA is always looking to find new ways to use renewed and recycled resources as materials, and continuously re-design the production of existing products to make it more sustainable.

目前宜家已經著手計畫，目標是在2030年時讓公司的產品可以被消費者再利用、維修、再組裝和回收。宜家也不斷強調會在營運期間盡可能的節省能源消耗。

The company has already undertaken to make products that can be reused, repaired, reassembled and recycled by its customers by 2030. IKEA also repeatedly aims to save as much energy as possible in its operations.

宜家近期有個令人興奮的新服務－「家具租賃」，因為事實上有百分之四的碳足跡是來自產品生命週期的結束，這個數字也與運送貨物所產生的碳足跡相近。

One thing that IKEA Taiwan is very excited about is its new service connected to leasing, because actually 4% of the total (carbon) footprint actually comes from the end of life, which is actually similar to the transportation of the goods.

「藉由推動循環租賃，我們現在能夠拿回家具，重新整修它們後再次銷售，或著最糟糕的情況就是回收它們。」艾斯本解釋道。

“By introducing this circular leasing, we are now being able to actually take back articles, and we can then either refurbish them, resell them, or in the worst case even recycle them,” Asplund explained.

「我們在台灣正處在一個精彩的旅程中，不論是透過線上或實體的方式，我們發覺可以利用許多新的方式與樣態來觸及城市中的人們。」他補充。

“We are in a very exciting journey here in Taiwan, and both online but also physically, we see that there’s a lot of room for us to come in new shapes and formats, (drawing us) closer to the many people in the cities where we’re not currently present,” he added.

透過這些做法，宜家可以朝著永續的目標持續拓展。

And in doing that, IKEA is poised to further expand in a sustainable way.

這就是為什麼宜家選擇加入歐洲在台商務協會的「低碳倡議」，並與夥伴合作找出新的解決方法。

That’s the reason why IKEA is looking into new solutions and working together with partners such as the “Low Carbon Initiative” run by the European Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan (ECCT).

艾斯本總結，歐洲在台商務協會幫宜家找到合適的夥伴，協助他們進一步用可持續且可負擔的方式拉近與消費者的距離，讓更多人能在台灣負擔得起一個美麗且功能強大的家。

The ECCT has helped IKEA find the right partners that can help them to come closer to the many people in a sustainable and affordable way, and to make more people afford a beautiful and functional home here in Taiwan, he concluded. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20211213-2972068

Topic: What can employers do if workers avoid COVID-19 vaccines?

若員工不想打疫苗，雇主可以採取哪些措施應對？

What can employers do if workers avoid COVID-19 vaccines?

美國企業雇主可以要求全體員工打疫苗並開除那些不願意配合的人，或是取消公司福利、加收健康保險金等。

They can require vaccination and fire employees who don’t comply or take other actions such as withholding company perks or charging extra for health insurance.

企業在過去數個月以來一直鼓勵員工打疫苗，有時更會祭出休假、發放禮卡等獎勵措施。不過，現在有更多企業採取強硬的立場要求還沒施打的員工完成接種，這種做法在輝瑞疫苗獲得美國食藥署（FDA）核准通過後變得更加普遍。

Businesses for months have been encouraging workers to get vaccinated, in some cases offering incentives like time off or gift cards. But more are taking a harder stance and requiring vaccinations for any remaining holdouts, a push that has gained momentum since Pfizer’s vaccine recently received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

美世諮詢公司（Mercer）的合夥人西蒙斯（Wade Symons）表示，「雇主認為除非公司採取重大的措施，否則這些員工不會去施打疫苗」。

Employers “feel like they’ve sort of hit that point where the unvaccinated are not going to do it unless there’s something significant making them do it,” said Wade Symons, a partner with Mercer, a benefits consultant.

目前，雇主要求員工打疫苗在美國是合法的，他們也有權開除不願意配合的員工。在一些企業裡，未接種疫苗的員工會被要求戴口罩並定期接受篩檢，有的公司則考慮提高未接種者的健康保險金額。

It’s legal for businesses to require the shots, and they could fire employees who don’t comply. In other cases, workers might be required to wear masks or get regular tests for the virus. Some companies also are considering making the unvaccinated pay more for their health insurance.

在達美航空，公司的健康計畫則針對未接種疫苗的員工加收一個月200美金的費用，以分擔未來可能染疫住院所需的開銷。

At Delta Air Lines, unvaccinated employees on the company health plan will be charged $200 a month to help cover costs for possible COVID-19 hospital stays.

西蒙斯表示，其他公司則多會從員工每個月的薪水中小額扣款20-25美金費用(約等同於新台幣600元至750元)，並在員工接種完疫苗後將款項退還。

Symons said other employers will more likely add smaller charges of $20 or $25 per paycheck that might be refunded once the employee is vaccinated.

雇主也可能限制公司的公共空間使用權，只允許打過疫苗的員工上公司健身房運動，或進行商務旅行。在拉斯維加斯，美高梅國際酒店集團（MGM Resorts International）則規定未接種疫苗的員工若被確診出染疫，公司將不會在其隔離期間給薪。

Employers might also restrict the use of office space, company gyms or business travel only for the vaccinated. In Las Vegas, MGM Resorts International has said unvaccinated employees will not be paid for time off to quarantine if they test positive for the virus.

西蒙斯也指出，這類強制員工打疫苗的規定大多來自需要員工在辦公室工作的企業。

Vaccine requirements will mainly come from businesses that need workers on a job site, Symons said.

不過，針對一些因醫療或宗教因素不打疫苗的員工，雇主必須提出豁免或調解方案。

Employers have to offer exemptions or accommodations from vaccine requirements for some who don’t get the shots for medical or religious reasons.

迪士尼和俄亥俄州立大學（The Ohio State University）是強制員工打疫苗的機構中規模較大的集團，他們表示輝瑞疫苗已經得到食藥署的完整批准，因此將強制要求員工施打。美國國防部長奧斯丁（Lloyd Austin）也表示，軍人必須立刻開始接種疫苗。

Walt Disney World and Ohio State University are among the large employers that said they’ll make vaccination mandatory since Pfizer’s shot was given the FDA’s full approval. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also has said that military troops must immediately begin to get the vaccine. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210903-2749357

Next Article

Topic: Covid ’vaccination persuasion’ teams reap rewards in Turkey

A coronavirus "vaccination persuasion" initiative is gearing up to be rolled out across Turkey after proving a resounding success in a district in the country’s south-east.

一項新冠病毒「接種疫苗勸說」倡議在土耳其東南部一個地區證明成效卓著後，正加緊在全國各地推出。

Since February, doctors and healthcare workers in the mainly Kurdish city of Adıyaman have been calling people in age groups already eligible for the vaccine to ask why they have not come to clinics for appointments.

醫師和醫護人員2月起在以庫德族為主的阿德亞曼市，打電話給符合接種年齡資格的族群，詢問他們為什麼沒有到診所預約接種。

Then, equipped with cooler boxes full of vaccine vials, they fan out across the rural area to visit patients who are still reluctant.

然後，他們帶著裝滿疫苗針劑的保冷箱，在這個鄉村地區四處拜訪仍不願去接種疫苗的患者。

It is working, boosting the vaccine take-up rate among the 250,000 strong population scattered across the province’s central district by nearly 30%.

此舉確實發揮作用，將散佈該省中心地區約25萬人口的疫苗接種率，提高了將近30%。

Next Article

Topic: Vax and scratch - NY offers $5M lottery for newly vaccinated 接種疫苗刮刮樂：紐約提供500萬美元彩券給最近接種者

Anyone who gets vaccinated at select state-run vaccination sites in New York next week will receive a lottery scratch ticket with prizes potentially worth millions, as Gov. Andrew Cuomo tries to boost slowing vaccination rates.

由於紐約州長古莫試圖提高趨緩的疫苗接種率，下週在該州選定的州設疫苗接種站施打疫苗者，將會拿到一張可能包含價值高達數百萬美元獎金的刮刮樂彩券。

The pilot program will offer prizes from $20 up to $5 million and run from Monday, May 24 to Friday, May 28 at 10 state-run sites.

這項試行計畫將提供從20美元到上看500萬美元的獎金，從5月24日週一到5月28日週五，在10個州設站點執行。

The governor said there’s a one in nine chance of winning a scratch ticket prize in New York, which is joining other states, including Ohio, with similar lottery incentives. Only residents 18 and older are eligible.

包括俄亥俄等其他州也提供類似的彩券誘因，這位州長說，紐約刮刮樂中獎機率為9分之1。僅18歲及以上居民有資格。

New York also plans to set up pop-up vaccination sites at seven airports across the state for U.S. residents, including airport workers.

紐約州也打算在該州境內7處機場為包含機場工作人員在內的美國居民設立臨時接種站。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1452359;https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1451604

Next Article

Topic: Britons working at home spend more time on job in COVID-19 crisis

People working from home during lockdown spend more time at their jobs and are less likely to be promoted or take time off sick, but are paid above average wages, according to an official study in the UK.

英國一項官方研究顯示，封城期間在家上班的人花在工作上的時間更多，而獲晉升或請病假的可能性較小，但他們的薪水高於平均工資。

Documenting the shift to remote work during the pandemic, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people who did some work at home in 2020 rose by 9.4 percentage points from a year earlier to 35.9 percent of the workforce — representing more than 11 million employees.

英國國家統計局記錄了疫情期間轉為遠距工作的情況，並表示，二○二○年在家做部份工作的人數，佔勞動力的百分之三十五點九，比前一年增加了九點四個百分點，亦即逾一千一百萬名員工。

However, there were substantial variations between occupations and parts of the country, reflecting the differing experiences of the pandemic for workers as some were hit harder by the crisis than others.

但是，此情況因職業及國內各區域之不同而有很大的差異，反映出勞工在疫情中的不同經歷，因為有的人在此危機中所受到的衝擊更大。

Although suggesting that the majority of people continued to travel to work during the pandemic, the figures reveal a divergent impact on home workers. According to the research, those using office studies, converted bedroom workplaces and kitchen tables did two-thirds more unpaid overtime in 2020 and were more likely to work after 6pm.

儘管這些數據表示多數人在疫情期間仍繼續通勤上班，但它顯示居家辦公者所受到的影響不同。根據此研究，那些平常在辦公室上班，而將臥室及餐桌轉為辦公空間的人，在二○二○年的無薪加班時間增加了三分之二，且晚上六點後仍在工作的可能性更高。

However, they were generally higher qualified and better paid, took longer and more frequent breaks, and started work later in the day.

但是，他們通常學經歷較高，薪水也較高，休息時間更長、更頻繁，每天開始工作的時間較晚。

Staff based at home took less than half the amount of sick leave, with two days compared with four for other employees, reflecting the reduced risk of catching an infection. The ONS said people might also feel well enough to work from home while sick if they did not have to travel.

在家工作的員工請病假的時間不到一半，只有兩天，而其他員工則為四天，反映出在家工作降低了感染疾病的風險。英國國家統計局表示，員工生病的時候，若不必出門去上班，待在家也可能會覺得舒服一點，身體狀況足以勝任工作。

However, while there is no daily commute and apparent greater flexibility, the research found that those who work consistently from home are less likely to be promoted, in a sign that they could be overlooked due to reduced face-to-face interaction with colleagues and managers.

在家工作雖然不用每日通勤，且更有彈性，但研究發現，一直在家工作的人很少獲得晉升，表示員工與上司面對面的互動減少後，可能會被忽視。

The study comes as companies across advanced economies adapt to new ways of working, accelerated by the pandemic and facilitated by technological advances, Zoom and video conferencing, and consider making more permanent changes to where staff are based after lockdown.

此研究之進行，正值經濟發達國家之企業尋求適應新的工作方式之際。這種轉變因疫情而加速進行，並有科技進展、視訊軟體Zoom及視訊會議等為助力。這些企業考慮在封城結束後，對員工的上班地點做更永久性的變更。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/05/31/2003758310

主題: 年終到了，日子的回顧 Dates and days in English

Days of the week in English

⦿ Monday

⦿ Tuesday

⦿ Wednesday

⦿ Thursday

⦿ Friday

⦿ Saturday

⦿ Sunday

Here are some examples:

– I work from Monday to Friday. I’m free on Saturday and Sunday.

– Our next lesson is on Wednesday.

– Saturday is his favorite day of the week because he plays football.

– The meeting is on Thursday at 10:30.

– We’ve got an appointment on Tuesday morning.

As you can see, we often use ‘on’ before the days of the week.

Months in English

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

For example:

– February is the shortest month of the year, with only 28 days.

– They’re going away on holiday in May.

– The weather is very hot here in July.

– It’s very cold in December.

– Halloween is in October.

Dates in English

When we say the date in English we normally use ordinal numbers (first, second, third, etc) instead of cardinal numbers (one, two, three, etc). Let’s look at these ordinal numbers:

1st – first

2nd – second

3rd – third

4th – fourth

5th – fifth

6th – sixth

7th – seventh

8th – eighth

9th – ninth

10th – tenth

The numbers from 11-19 follow the same pattern of adding -th to the number:

11th – eleventh

12th – twelfth (the letter v changes to f)

13th – thirteenth

14th – fourteenth

15th – fifteenth

16th – sixteenth

17th – seventeenth

18th – eighteenth

19th – nineteenth

The numbers ending in -ty, like 20 and 30, change the -y to -i and add -eth. For example:

20 – twentieth

30 – thirtieth

21st – twenty-first

22nd – twenty-second

23rd – twenty-third

24th – twenty-fourth

25th – twenty-fifth

26th – twenty-sixth

27th – twenty-seventh

28th – twenty-eighth

29th – twenty-ninth

30th – thirtieth

31st – thirty-first

Here are some examples:

– Paolo’s birthday is on June 3rd. (pronounced ‘on June the third’)

– New Year’s Day is on 1st January. (pronounced ‘on the first of January’)

– We’re flying back home on Tuesday, April 10th. (pronounced ‘on Tuesday, April the tenth’)

– They’re having a party on 16th November. (pronounced on the sixteenth of November.)

– Our Wedding Anniversary is on August 11th. (pronounced ‘on August the eleventh’.)

Years in English

In English, most years are separated into two numbers. For example:

1750 – seventeen fifty

1826 – eighteen twenty-six

1984 – nineteen eighty-four

2017 – twenty seventeen

The first year of each century is pronounced like this:

1400 – fourteen hundred

1700 – seventeen hundred

2000 – two thousand

The first nine years of a century are pronounced like this:

1401 – fourteen oh one

1701 – seventeen oh one

2001 – two thousand and one

We can refer to a decade (a period of ten years) in this way:

1960-1969 – The ‘60s – pronounced ‘the sixties’

1980-1989 – The ‘80s – pronounced ‘the eighties’.

2000 – 2009 – The 2000s – pronounced ‘the two thousands’

For example:

– The Beatles were famous in the sixties.

– My parents got married in the seventies.

– Maradona played for Napoli in the eighties.

– Where were you living in the nineties?

– The internet became popular worldwide in the two thousands.

分享練習時間:

1. When is your birthday? Month/Date/Day

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K280: We Should All Know Less About Each Other

In 2017, after the shock of Brexit and then Donald Trump’s election, Christopher Bail, a professor of sociology and public policy at Duke University, set out to study what would happen if you forced people out of their social media echo chambers.

2017年，經歷過英國脫離歐盟與川普當選美國總統的震撼之後，美國杜克大學社會學與公共政策教授貝爾開始研究，逼迫人們脫離社群媒體同溫層會發生什麼事。

Bail is the director of The Polarization Lab, a team of social scientists, computer scientists and statisticians who study how technology amplifies political divisions. He and his colleagues recruited 1,220 Twitter users who identified as either Democrats or Republicans, offering to pay them $11 to follow a particular Twitter account for a month. Although the participants didn’t know it, the Democrats were assigned to follow a bot account that retweeted messages from prominent Republican politicians and thinkers. The Republicans, in turn, followed a bot account that retweeted Democrats.

貝爾是「兩極化實驗室」主任，這個實驗室是社會科學家、電腦科學家和統計學家組成的團隊，研究科技如何擴大政治分歧。他和同事招募1220名自認是民主黨人或共和黨人的推特網友，要求每人關注一個特定推特帳號一個月，並各發11美元酬勞。受試者並不知道規則，但實際上，民主黨人會被指派關注一個轉發知名共和黨政治人物和意見領袖推文的機器人帳號，共和黨人則關注轉發民主黨意見領袖推文的機器人帳號。

At the time, a lot of concern about the internet’s role in political polarization revolved around what digital activist Eli Pariser once called filter bubbles, a term for the way an increasingly personalized internet traps people in self-reinforcing information silos.

當時關於網路激化政治對立的作用，關注焦點集中在數位社會活動家帕里瑟曾說的「過濾泡泡」，這個詞描述日益個人化的網路內容會把人困在不斷自我增強的資訊孤島。

“The echo chamber idea was reaching its kind of apex in terms of its public influence,” Bail told me. “It nicely explained how Trump had won, how Brexit had happened.” Bail’s team wanted to see if getting people to engage with ideas they wouldn’t otherwise encounter might moderate their views.

貝爾告訴我：「同溫層這個概念對公眾的影響力已達頂峰，能很好地解釋為何川普當選，為何英國脫歐。」貝爾團隊想探究，讓人們接觸平常不會接觸的觀念，能否使他們的觀念變得溫和。

The opposite happened. “Nobody became more moderate,” Bail said. “Republicans in particular became much more conservative when they followed the Democratic bot, and Democrats became a little bit more liberal.”

結果適得其反。貝爾說：「沒有人變溫和，尤其是共和黨人，關注民主黨機器人帳號後變得保守許多，民主黨人則變得有點更偏向自由派。」

Social media platforms have long justified themselves with the idea that connecting people would make the world more open and humane. In offline life, after all, meeting lots of different kinds of people tends to broaden the mind, turning caricatures into complicated individuals. It’s understandable that many once believed the same would be true on the internet.

社群媒體平台一直為自己辯護，他們的說法是連結人們能讓世界變得更開放仁慈。畢竟在離線世界，與形形色色的人相遇通常會讓心胸更開闊，會使原本心目中的荒謬人物變成複雜的個體。可以理解，許多人一度以為在線上也一樣。

But it turns out there’s nothing intrinsically good about connection, especially online.

但結果是，連結本質上沒什麼好的，尤其在線上。

On the internet, exposure to people unlike us often makes us hate them, and that hatred increasingly structures our politics.

在網上，接觸不像我們的人往往會使我們恨他們，而這種恨意日益成為我們政治的結構。

The social corrosion caused by Facebook and other platforms isn’t a side effect of bad management and design decisions. It’s baked into social media itself.

臉書等平台引發的社會團結被侵蝕現象，並非管理不當和設計決策失誤引起的出乎意料後果，而是與社群媒體本身密不可分。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5919797

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K278: Fed will tighten credit faster and sees 3 rate hikes in 2022

The Federal Reserve (Fed) will quicken the pace at which it’s pulling back its support for the economy as inflation surges, and it expects to raise interest rates three times next year. In a sharp policy shift, Fed Chair Jerome Powell announced Wednesday last week that it will shrink its monthly bond purchases at twice the pace it previously announced, likely ending them altogether in March.

隨著通貨膨脹加劇，美國聯邦準備理事會﹝聯準會﹞將讓刺激經濟之措施加速退場，並預計明年將升息三次。聯準會主席傑洛姆‧鮑爾上週三宣布的政策大轉彎，將大幅縮減每月購債規模，縮減幅度為之前宣布的兩倍，並可能在明年三月完全停止購債。

The accelerated timetable puts the Fed on a path to start raising rates in the first half of next year. The Fed’s new forecast that it will raise its benchmark short-term rate three times next year is up from just one rate hike it had projected in September. The Fed’s key rate, now pinned near zero, influences many consumer and business loans, including for mortgages, credit cards and auto loans.

加快的時程，讓聯準會朝明年上半年開始升息的方向行進。聯準會原本在九月做的預測為明年將升高基準短期利率一次，但現在最新預測為三次。聯準會此關鍵利率影響著許多消費者及商業貸款，包括抵押貸款、信用卡和汽車貸款，此利率現在接近於零。

The shift reflects Powell’s acknowledgement that with inflation pressures rising, the Fed needed to begin tightening credit for consumers and businesses faster than he had thought just a few weeks earlier. The Fed had earlier characterized the inflation spike as mainly a “transitory” problem that would fade as supply bottlenecks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic were resolved.

隨著通膨壓力上升，鮑爾承認聯準會必須更快開始收緊對消費者和企業的信貸，比他幾週前所設想的速度要更快，此即反映在政策之轉變上。聯準會先前表示通膨飆升的問題多為「暫時性」的，會在COVID-19疫情所造成的供應瓶頸解決後逐漸消失。

The run-up in prices has persisted longer than the Fed expected and has spread from goods like food, energy and autos to services like apartment rents, restaurant meals and hotel rooms. It has weighed heavily on consumers, especially lower-income households and particularly for everyday necessities, and negated the higher wages many workers have received.

但物價上漲持續的時間比聯準會預期的還要長，並已從食品、能源和汽車等商品擴及房租、餐廳用餐與旅館住房等服務。它對消費者，尤其是低收入家庭造成了沉重的壓力，特別是在日常必需品的消費方面，並讓許多勞工所得到的更高工資折損了。

He acknowledged the possibility that inflation won’t decline as expected next year. As a result, the Fed is shifting its attention away from reducing unemployment, which has fallen quickly to a healthy 4.2 percent, down from 4.8 percent at its last meeting, and toward reining in higher prices. Consumer prices soared 6.8 percent in November compared with a year earlier, the US government said last week, the fastest pace in nearly four decades.

鮑爾承認明年通膨可能不會像預期的一樣下降。因此，聯準會正將注意力由降低失業率轉移到控制物價上漲（美國的失業率已從上次聯準會決策會議時的百分之四點八，迅速下降至健康的百分之四點二）。美國政府上週表示，十一月份的消費者物價與去年相比，上漲了百分之六點八，上漲速度為近四十年來最快。

The Fed’s policy change does carry risks. Raising borrowing costs too fast could stifle consumer and business spending. That, in turn, would weaken the economy and likely raise unemployment. Yet if the Fed waits too long to raise rates, inflation could surge out of control. It might then have to act aggressively to tighten credit and potentially trigger another recession.

聯準會的政策改變確實存在風險。過快提高借貸成本可能會扼殺消費者與企業的支出，因而削弱經濟，並可能使失業率攀升。但若聯準會遲遲不升息，通貨膨脹便可能失控；然後聯準會也許就不得不採取嚴厲措施緊縮信貸，而這可能又會再引發一場經濟衰退。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/12/21/2003769913

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K279: Scholz takes over as German chancellor, ending Merkel era

German lawmakers elected Social Democrat Olaf Scholz as chancellor on Wednesday last week, ending 16 years of conservative rule under Angela Merkel. Merkel, 67, Germany’s first woman chancellor, retired from politics after four consecutive terms, is Germany’s first post-war leader to step aside of her own accord.

德國議員上週三選出社會民主黨的奧拉夫‧蕭茲為總理，結束了安格拉‧梅克爾長達十六年的保守執政。六十七歲的梅克爾是德國首位女總理，在連續四屆任期結束後從政壇退休。她是德國戰後第一位主動辭職的領導人。

Merkel belongs to the center-right Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), while the Social Democratic Party (SPD), to which Scholz belongs, is center-left in the political spectrum. In the past four years, Scholz served as vice chancellor and finance minister in coalition with Merkel.

梅克爾屬於中間偏右的基督教民主黨（CDU），蕭茲所屬的社會民主黨（SPD），其政治光譜為中間偏左。在過去四年中，蕭茲為梅克爾政府之副總理兼財政部長。

Former mayor of Hamburg and Germany’s labor minister during the global financial crisis, Scholz, 63, who turned emulating Merkel in style and substance into a winning strategy, forged a “traffic light” coalition — a name deriving from the respective parties’ colors — with the pro-spending, environmentalist Greens and the fiscally more conservative, libertarian Free Democrats (FDP).

現年六十三歲的蕭茲曾任漢堡市長，並曾在全球金融危機期間擔任德國勞工部長。蕭茲在風格及實質上對梅克爾的仿效，成為他勝選的戰略。社民黨的他與擁護支出、關心環保的綠黨，以及財政上較保守的、自由派的自由民主黨（FDP），組成了「紅綠燈」聯盟，以這三個政黨的顏色（紅、綠、黃）命名。

This is Germany’s first national three-way ruling coalition, bringing together unlikely political bedfellows. The alliance aims to slash carbon emissions, overhaul decrepit digital infrastructure, modernize citizenship laws, lift the minimum wage and have Germany join a handful of countries worldwide in legalizing marijuana.

這是德國史上第一個三方執政聯盟，將過去不太可能是政治夥伴的三個政黨聯合在一起。該聯盟之政策目標為減少碳排放、翻新老舊的數位基礎設施、將公民法現代化、提高最低工資，以及合法化大麻，讓德國加入全球少數幾個大麻合法化國家之行列。

Scholz leads a 17-member Cabinet, with one more minister than Merkel’s. This is Germany’s first gender-balanced Cabinet, with women making up half the number (excluding the chancellor himself).

蕭茲領導的內閣有十七位成員，比梅克爾內閣多一位部長。這也是德國第一個性別平衡的內閣，除了總理蕭茲，內閣有一半的成員為女性。

Annalena Baerbock, Greens co-leader and the new foreign minister, has promised to put human rights back at the center of German diplomacy, and pledged a tougher line with authoritarian states such as Russia and China after the business-driven pragmatism of the Merkel years.

新任的外交部長安娜萊娜‧貝爾伯克為綠黨聯合領導人，她承諾將人權重新置於德國外交的中心，對俄羅斯和中國等威權國家採取更強硬的立場，一反過去梅克爾時代以商業為導向的實用主義。

蕭茲及其團隊承諾維持穩定，在法國準備迎接明年激烈的總統大選，歐洲正努力克服英國脫歐後續的餘震之際。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/12/14/2003769533