通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K241: Top three must-visit destinations in Yunlin revealed!

身為農業首都的雲林縣，除了是各種營養好吃蔬果的原產地外，更藏有許多低調的美麗秘境呢。大家不妨利用中秋連假到雲林走走，認識這個時常被遺忘的地方，順便品嚐著名的朱丹灣柚子喔！

Yulin County, the so-called “capital of agriculture”, is home to miscellaneous grown products and plenty of off-the-radar travel hotspots.

Haven’t got a plan for the coming Mid Autumn Festival? You might as well pay a visit to the often-overlooked place, Yunlin, and take this chance to get a taste of its famous Yunlin pomelos!

華山小天梯&情人橋 | Huashan Lover’s Bridge

位於古坑的華山被稱為「咖啡的故鄉」，山坡地上滿是咖啡樹，十分壯觀。華山休閒農業區可是當地人最愛的休閒去處，路面平緩，步道難度相當平易近人，適合扶老攜幼一同出遊。近期爆紅的情人橋是由繩索搭建而成，橋面只容下一人行走，橋身也會隨著步伐起伏晃動，十分刺激，場景也猶如置身東南亞熱帶叢林般神秘。

Huashan Village, located in the GuKeng Township, is hailed as “the birthplace of coffee.” As one of the favorite getaway spots for locals, the hills are covered with coffee trees and the trails accommodate people of all ages. The Lover’s Bridge allows only one pedestrian to pass each time and has recently gained traction online for its mysteriously Southeast-Asia-forest-like settings and the thrill of passing the shaky overpass.

成龍濕地 ｜ChengLong Wetlands

雲林縣口湖鄉的成龍村過去曾是一個人口外移嚴重的小村落，無情的天災更是一度釀成遷村危機。所幸經政府輔導，村民在十年間團結不懈地參與社區重建、生態復育，利用生活題材創作成藝術，吸引無數民眾前來，藉此認識生態豐富的濕地，打響成龍村的知名度！

ChengLong Village was once the victim of a heartbreaking rural exodus and a ruthless natural disaster, which nearly led to a relocation crisis. Fortunately, with the support from the government and the participation of villagers, the community has transformed it into an artistic village and has drawn countless tourists to enjoy the beauty of the wetlands which breed a wide range of unique plants and animal species.

台西海園海螺圓環｜Taixi Conch Roundabout

台西海園海螺圓環不僅是台西的著名地標外，也是全台最大的圓形球體裝置藝術，如同童話故事中的神奇海螺，十分繽紛夢幻。這座高達10公尺巨型海螺可是耗費高達50多種、5000多顆的貝殼建造而成，充滿濃厚的海洋氣息。這邊也是當地人最愛觀賞夕陽的地點！

Taixi Conch Roundabout is not only a well-known landmark in Taixi but also the largest round, sphere-like installation art piece in Taiwan. Standing at 10 feet tall, the tremendous conch art piece is made of up to some 5000 conchs of 50 or so different species. The vibrant design along with the use of actual conchs successfully brought the installation to life and bore resemblance to a fairy tale character Magic Conch Shell. This is also a beloved location for the locals to enjoy the sunset. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210919-2774858

Topic: Chinese ready meals have more salt than 11 bags of potato chips

Chinese takeaways and ready meals should carry compulsory health warning labels on menus and packaging to alert consumers to “astonishing and harmful” salt levels, UK health experts have recommended.

英國健康專家建議，外帶餐廳或是超市販售的即食中式料理，應該在菜單中以及包裝上強制加上健康危害警告標語，提醒消費者餐點中的含鹽量達到「令人驚恐而且有害」的程度。

The worst-offending Chinese takeaway dishes in a survey published on March 13 by Action on Salt were found to have as much salt as five McDonald’s Big Macs, while many had more than half an adult’s entire daily allowance.Supermarket Chinese ready meals were also laden with salt, with some containing more than the amount found in two Pizza Express margherita pizzas, the report reveals. Some rice dishes contained more salt than 11 bags of ready salted crisps.

英國組織「抗鹽行動」在三月十三日發布一項調查結果，發現那些對健康造成最嚴重危害的外帶型中式料理，其中鹽分的含量相等於五個麥當勞大麥克堡，還有許多菜餚的含鹽量超過一個成人每日食鹽建議攝取量的一半。這份報告同時揭露出超市的即食中式料理同樣充滿著鹽分，其中一些菜餚含鹽量遠超過連鎖義式餐廳Pizza Express的兩個瑪格麗特披薩。某些米飯類料理所含的鹽分甚至超過十一袋加鹽的洋芋片。

Action on Salt is leading a group of health experts in calling on Public Health England to set tough new salt targets, make front-of-pack labelling mandatory and to follow New York’s lead by requiring chains to put warning labels on high-salt dishes. They are also urging the food industry and restaurants to reduce salt by reformulating takeaways and ready meals.

「抗鹽行動」組織率領一群健康專家，向英國公共衛生部呼籲應制定嚴格的新鹽分標準、強制食物包裝正面必須加上標示，並且仿效紐約之前率先採取的行動，也就是要求連鎖超市或餐廳必須在高鹽分菜餚的包裝上加註警語。他們同時也呼籲食品產業和餐廳重新設計外帶與即食料理的成份，減少其中的鹽分。

Of 141 supermarket Chinese ready meals analysed, nearly half (43 percent) were high in salt — containing more than 1.5g/100g, or 1.8g per portion — which would trigger a red “traffic light” label.

在經過分析的一百四十一種中式即食料理中，有接近半數（百分之四十三）的菜餚含鹽量過高──每一百克的菜餚中就有超過一點五克的鹽，或是一份菜餚中含有一點八克的鹽──可能導致身體中的鹽分攝取亮起紅燈。

“Salt is the forgotten killer as it puts up our blood pressure, leading to tens of thousands of unnecessary strokes, heart failure and heart attacks every year,” said Graham MacGregor, the chairman of Action on Salt and a professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London.“

「抗鹽行動」的理事長葛拉漢‧麥可葛瑞格表示：「食鹽是經常遭到忽略的殺手，它會增加我們的血壓，每年導致好幾萬個可以避免的中風、心臟衰竭，以及急性心臟病等案例」。葛拉漢‧麥可葛瑞格同時也是倫敦瑪麗王后大學心血管醫藥研究部門的教授。

Reducing salt is the most cost-effective measure to reduce the number of people dying or suffering from strokes or heart disease.”Accompanying rice dishes, spring rolls and prawn crackers — and soy sauce — can pile on the salt in a Chinese meal.Dishes from six Chinese restaurants were also analysed, with 97 percent found to contain 2g of salt or more. More than half (58 percent) contained in excess of 3g of salt per dish: Half an adult’s maximum recommended daily intake.

「要減少中風或心臟疾病的死亡人數或罹病者數量，減少鹽分是最有效率又成本最低的措施。」

中式餐點如果搭配米飯類菜餚，或是春捲和蝦餅──再淋上醬油──鹽分就會大幅增加。

這個組織同時也分析了六間中式餐廳的多種料理，有百分之九十七的菜餚含有兩公克或以上的鹽分。超過半數（百分之五十八）的菜餚每份的含鹽量甚至超過三公克──這已經是一位成人每日食鹽建議最大攝取量的一半了。

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/03/25/2003689953

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Topic: ‘Free chips with your bag of air’ is good for you, says FDA

Have you ever felt like you have been conned when you joyfully open a bag of potato chips, only to find a mere handful of chips inside? The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) says that storage in a sealed bag filled with nitrogen is necessary to keep the chips fresh and tasty.

你是否曾經有過滿心歡喜打開洋芋片，卻發現裡面東西只有一點點，感覺像被騙呢？台灣食品藥物管理署表示，為了保持洋芋片的新鮮美味，密封包裝以及氮氣充填保存是必須的。

The TFDA shared a post on its Facebook page and an article on its Web site, in which it said that potato chips are fried at a high temperature during the manufacturing process, and when they come into contact with air they can easily become oxidized, which would tend to make them turn soft and crumble, and can even make them smell and taste rancid.

食藥署在臉書專頁「食用玩家-食藥署」及食藥好文網發文分享，洋芋片的製造過程會經高溫油炸，與空氣接觸後易氧化，導致洋芋片容易變軟、破碎，甚至還會產生油耗味，變得不好吃。

The TFDA explained that a sealed bag can prevent the chips from coming into contact with air, thus reducing oxidation and extending their shelf life. This it done by sealing them inside a plastic bag lined with a compound material such as tin foil or aluminum foil. As well as keeping out contamination by things like air, grease, damp and microbes, it can also help to prevent light exposure and reduce oxidation.

食藥署說明，密封包裝可以避免洋芋片接觸空氣，減少氧化的程度，延長保存期限。目前是運用內層有錫箔或鋁箔等複合性材質的塑膠包裝袋密封，不僅能阻擋空氣、油脂、潮濕、細菌微生物等外在汙染，錫箔或鋁箔的材質還可以輔助避光，減少氧化。

The TFDA says that food manufacturers pump the bags full of nitrogen to prevent the chips from being damaged and broken by knocking or crushing during transportation. Nitrogen is chemically stable and does not easily react with other substances. It is the most plentiful gas in the Earth’s atmosphere, comprising 78.09 percent of its total volume, which makes it easy and cheap to obtain. “Nitrogen flushing” technology can therefore be used to ensure the quality and safety of potato chips, making them look wholesome and taste good as well as keeping them free from contamination by bacteria or other microbes.

食藥署表示，為了避免洋芋片在運送的過程中因碰撞、擠壓而受損碎裂，食品製造業者會在包裝中填充足夠的氮氣量。氮氣的化學性質穩定，不容易與其他物質發生化學反應，也是地球大氣中含量最多的氣體，佔總體積的百分之七十八點零九，方便取得且成本較低，所以透過「氮氣充填」的技術，能確保洋芋片的品質與安全，使洋芋片外觀完整、口味好吃又不受細菌微生物汙染。 Source article:

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/10/12/2003765925

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Topic: Taiwanese cakes take London by storm

近年來，台灣美食小吃席捲不少國家，像是珍奶就成功擄獲外國人的胃。近日，美國網路媒體Insider在官方推特分享台式「車輪餅」製作影片，引起不少外國人好奇關注。

Taiwanese food has taken many countries by storm in recent years, such as boba milk tea. Recently, the U.S. online media Insider shared a video of the making of “Taiwaneses cakes” on its official Twitter account, drawing much attention from social media users.

Insider旗下美食頻道Food Insider於12月26日貼出一則影片，介紹位在英國倫敦的一家「小島車輪餅」，拍攝道地車輪餅的製作過程，並訪問台灣老闆林意庭。

Food Insider, a popular food channel, posted a video on Dec. 26, introducing a shop called “Wheelcake Island” in London.

在影片貼文中，外媒形容「這個最受歡迎的小吃點心就像兩片鬆軟的鬆餅夾內餡，你們想吃哪個口味呢？」

The tweet reads, “The popular street food snack is made by sandwiching a filling between two fluffy pancakes — which one would you like to try?”

影片中，林意庭受訪時向外國記者介紹道，「這是我們在台灣每天都會吃、非常受歡迎的傳統點心。」

In the video, Lin explained: “It’s a very popular traditional street snack we have every day in Taiwan.”

林意庭說，因為他們非常喜歡車輪餅，才決定把這樣美食帶到倫敦。

He added that they decided to bring the snack to London because they love wheelcakes very much.

「小島車輪餅」的吉祥物是一隻青蛙，因為林意庭覺得這隻青蛙符合他們的精神，「放鬆、享受生活，好似牠吃了幾噸重的車輪餅。」

Asked about the reason why they used a frog on their logo, Lin said: ” We feel like we like its spirit very much. Very relaxed and enjoying. Feels like he has eaten tons of wheelcakes.”

車輪餅餡料都是老闆一手包辦，真材實料，共販賣四種口味，分別是經典香草卡士達、牛奶巧克力、抹茶、以及紅豆。

Fillings, which are made from scratch, include four flavors: classic vanilla custard, milk chocolate, green tea, and adzuki beans.

每個車輪餅售價3英鎊 (約新台幣114元)。許多外國網友看到紛紛在影片下留言，「我想要做做看車輪餅」、「看起來好好吃」。

Each cake costs £3 (about NT$114). In response to the video, one social media user commented, “I would love to make them” while another said “Yummy.”

Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20201228-1965725

歡迎通勤家族 週一晚上9pm，在Clubhouse上跟我與Peddy一同閒聊、練習英語！快加入 15Mins 通勤學英語直播室吧~

主題: 英文的數字 Vs. 中文的數字Numbers in English

英文用的數字單位：

10 ten  十

100 a hundred  百

1000  a thousand  千

1,000,000 a million  百萬

1,000,000,000 a billion  十億

1, 000,000,000,000 trillion  兆

中文用的數字單位 (英文裡沒有的):

10,000 ten thousand  萬

10,000,000 ten million 千萬

100,000,000  one hundred million 億

英文數字如何唸?

例如:

150,500 – (150,000 + 500) one hundred fifty thousand (and) five hundred

150,552 – (150,000 + 500 + 52) one hundred fifty thousand, five hundred and fifty-two

小測驗時間：

請嘗試唸出以下數字

兩萬八千九

三十八萬七千九百二十一

五九八零

一百五十萬

八千五百萬

一億五千萬

更多通勤學英語Podcast單元:

每日英語跟讀Podcast，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing

精選詞彙 VOCAB Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/vocab

語音直播 15mins Live Podcast, 就在https://www.15mins.today/15mins-live-podcast

文法練習 In-TENSE Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/in-tense

歡迎到官網用email訂閱我們節目更新通知。

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K240: Vietnam plans border reopening, includes Taiwanese among list of potential travelers

越南因應疫情暫停國際觀光客到訪已逾一年半，慶和省近日研擬重新恢復國際旅遊，並將台灣旅客視為潛在目標族群。越南知名渡假景點芽莊市就位於慶和省。

Taiwan is on the list of potential countries allowed to send travelers to Vietnam as the nation’s Khanh Hoa Province (慶和省) recently released plans to reopen borders for international travelers.

網路媒體越南快訊（VnExpress）引述越南政府網報導，慶和省（Khanh Hoa）政府昨天向越南文化體育旅遊部遞交兩階段的疫苗護照計畫草案，歡迎外國旅客搭乘包機前來旅遊。

According to VnExpress, Khanh Hoa’s local government submitted a draft of a two-stage vaccine passport program to the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (越南文化體育旅遊部) on Oct. 5 hoping to welcome foreign travelers into the region.

第一階段從11月起至年底，外國旅客須搭乘包機抵達，並待在金蘭市（Cam Ranh）的渡假村裡。第二階段則是明年初至明年3月，屆時旅客將能造訪更多景點與芽莊市的渡假村。

The first stage is scheduled to begin near the end of November, and travelers need to take charter flights to the country and stay at the resort at Cam Ranh (金蘭市), the proposal stated.

The second stage is planned to start from January to March 2022, during which visitors will be able to visit more attractions and resorts in Nha Trang (芽莊市).

慶和省將鎖定來自COVID-19（2019冠狀病毒疾病）疫情防範得宜且疫苗施打率高的國家與地區的旅客，例如中國、日本、韓國、台灣、俄羅斯、澳洲、法國、德國以及部分北美國家。

Khanh Hoa Province currently welcomes travelers from countries whose COVID-19 situation has been successfully controlled and have a high vaccination rate for its population.

As of Tuesday, countries that fit both categories according to the local government include China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Russia, Australia, France, Germany, and some areas in North America.

旅客必須要持有完整的疫苗接種證書，且所施打的疫苗廠牌必須獲越南核可。

Travelers need to show vaccination proof and the vaccine manufacturers need to be recognized by the Vietnamese government.

目前越南共計核准8款疫苗緊急使用，包括阿斯特捷利康（AstraZeneca，AZ）、嬌生（Johnson & Johnson）、莫德納（Moderna）、輝瑞BNT（Pfizer-BioNTech）、俄羅斯衛星-V（Sputnik V）、中國國藥（Sinopharm）、Hayat-Vax、阿布達拉（Abdala）。

As of press time, Vietnam has authorized 8 types of vaccines, including AstraZeneca (AZ), Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V, Sinopharm, Hayat-Vax and Abdala. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20211008-2813742

更多通勤學英語Podcast單元:

每日英語跟讀Podcast，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing

精選詞彙 VOCAB Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/vocab

語音直播 15mins Live Podcast, 就在https://www.15mins.today/15mins-live-podcast

文法練習 In-TENSE Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/in-tense

歡迎到官網用email訂閱我們節目更新通知。

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K239: What are deepfakes – and how can you spot them?

Have you seen Barack Obama call Donald Trump a “complete dipshit,” or Mark Zuckerberg brag about having “total control of billions of people’s stolen data”? Answer yes and you’ve seen a deepfake. The 21st century’s answer to photoshopping, deepfakes use a form of artificial intelligence (AI) called deep learning to create images of fake events, hence the name deepfake.

你看過歐巴馬稱川普為「徹頭徹尾的蠢貨」，或是祖克柏吹噓「完全掌控了數十億人被盜的資料」嗎？若你回答是，那麼你已見識過「deepfake」（深偽）。deepfake是二十一世紀對Photoshop影像處理的回應，使用一種稱為「深度學習」的人工智慧來製作影像以偽造事情，因此而得名。

The AI firm Deeptrace found 15,000 deepfake videos online in September 2019, a near doubling over nine months. A staggering 96 percent were pornographic, and 99 percent of those mapped faces from female celebrities onto porn stars.

人工智慧公司Deeptrace二○一九年九月在網路上發現了一萬五千個deepfake影片，在九個月內幾乎翻了一倍。其中高達百分之九十六的比例是色情內容，所顯示的臉孔，百分之九十九是女性，從名人到色情片明星都有。

Is it just about videos? No. Deepfake technology can create convincing but entirely fictional photos from scratch.

deepfake只限於影片嗎？不是的。此技術可做出令人信服，卻是完全虛構的照片。

Audio can be deepfaked too. In March 2019, the chief of a UK subsidiary of a German energy firm paid nearly ￡200,000 into a Hungarian bank account after being phoned by a fraudster who mimicked the German CEO’s voice. Similar scams have reportedly used recorded WhatsApp voice messages.

聲音也可以被深度偽造。二○一九年三月，一家德國能源公司的英國子公司負責人接到一通詐騙電話，騙子的聲音模仿德國的CEO，該負責人便將近二十萬英鎊匯入一個匈牙利的銀行帳戶。據報導，類似的詐騙手法也用於錄製WhatsApp語音訊息。

How do you spot a deepfake? Poor-quality deepfakes are easier to spot. The lip synching might be bad, or the skin tone patchy. However, spotting a deepfake gets harder as the technology improves. In 2018, US researchers discovered that deepfake faces do not blink normally. No surprise there: the majority of images show people with their eyes open, so the algorithms never really learned about blinking. At first it seemed like a silver bullet for the detection problem, but no sooner had the research been published than deepfakes appeared with blinking. Such is the nature of the game: as soon as a weakness is revealed, it is fixed.

要如何辨識deepfake呢？品質差的deepfake較容易被識破──嘴唇可能不太同步，或者膚色不均勻。但隨著技術的進步，辨識deepfake變得越來越難。二○一八年，美國有研究人員發現deepfake的人臉無法正常地眨眼。這不令人意外：大多數影像所顯示的人臉，眼睛都是睜開的，因此演算法從未真正學習到眨眼。起先眨眼似乎是識破深偽的訣竅。但這項研究發表後不久，會眨眼的deepfake就出現了。這就是遊戲的本質：弱點一被發現，就會被修復。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/10/25/2003766696

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K238: About Dementia - Having an ’interesting’ job cuts your risk of dementia, study claims

Having an interesting job in your forties may slash your risk of getting dementia in old age, a study has suggested.

一項研究顯示，40多歲時從事有趣的工作，或可大大降低老年時罹患失智症的風險。

Researchers claim mental stimulation may stave off the onslaught of the memory-robbing condition by around 18 months.

研究人員指出，腦力鍛煉或可將失智症發作的時間推遲約18個月。

Academics examined more than 100,000 participants and tracked them for nearly two decades.

學者在近20年時間內對10萬多名參與者進行追蹤調查。

They spotted a third fewer cases of dementia among people who had engaging jobs which involved demanding tasks and more control — such as solicitors, doctors and chief executives, compared to adults in ’passive’ roles — such as cashiers.

他們發現，與收銀員等被動型職業相比，律師、醫生等要求高、自主性也更強的從業者，患失智症的比例少3分之1。

And those who found their own work interesting also had lower levels of proteins in their blood that have been linked with dementia.

另外，從事有趣工作的人，血液中與失智症相關的蛋白質含量也更低。

Next Article

Sleeping too little or too much can increase risk of getting dementia, study finds 研究：睡太少或太多都會升高失智症風險

Older adults who sleep six hours or fewer a night may have elevated risk for dementia and other cognitive issues, a new study finds.

一項新研究發現，老年人每晚睡眠時間不超過6小時，罹患失智症和其他認知問題的風險可能更高。

Researchers at Stanford University measured seniors’ (ages 65 to 85) dementia risk and cognitive abilities, finding higher risk in those patients who regularly slept six or fewer hours compared to those who slept seven or eight hours.

史丹佛大學大學的研究人員測量了老年人（65至85歲）的失智症風險和認知能力，發現與睡眠7到8小時的患者相比，經常睡6小時或更少的人罹患失智症的風險更高。

Those seniors who slept nine or more hours also had lower cognitive functions and other health issues, but the researchers didn’t find the same high dementia risk in this group.

那些睡9個小時或更多小時的老年人，也有較低的認知功能和其他健康問題，但研究人員沒有發現這一組的失智症風險同樣高。

The findings demonstrate how important it is for adults to maintain a healthy sleep cycle, especially as they get older.

研究結果表明，成年人保持健康的睡眠週期是多麼重要，尤其在步入老年之後。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1476541; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1473843

更多通勤學英語Podcast單元:

每日英語跟讀Podcast，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing

精選詞彙 VOCAB Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/vocab

語音直播 15mins Live Podcast, 就在https://www.15mins.today/15mins-live-podcast

文法練習 In-TENSE Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/in-tense

歡迎到官網用email訂閱我們節目更新通知。

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K237: Here’s why Taiwanese eat pomelos during Mid-Autumn Festival

剛來台灣不久的外籍人士即將於今年九月迎接第一個台式中秋節，然而雖然大部分的人可能有聽說過中秋節的由來和為什麼該吃月餅，當聽到在中秋節期間要吃柚子和讓孩子將柚子皮戴在頭上應該會讓許多人感到匪夷所思。

If you’ve just settled in Taiwan, you’re going to be celebrating your first “Taiwanese Mid-Autumn Festival” in September. Although most of you probably know the origin story behind this festival and the reason why we eat moon cakes, some might be surprised upon hearing of another tradition of eating pomelos, and seeing children don their peels on their heads may bring about some questions.

所以中秋節到底跟柚子有什麼關係呢？統整網上資訊可見，大部分的解釋都和諧音有關。中文字裡，「柚」和保佑的「佑」字有相同的音，而柚子的盛產期又恰巧在中秋節前後，因此台灣人將這水果納入慶祝此節慶的應節食物之一，希望在這個家庭團聚的節日中，可以保佑全家人。

So, what does Mid-Autumn Festival have to do with pomelos? According to various sources, the most common explanations lie in the pronunciation of the fruit in Mandarin.

In the Chinese language, the first character for pomelos sounds like the second character in the Chinese characters for “bless.” Given that pomelos are also in season during the festival, there is little wonder that many have taken to adding the fruit as a “must-eat” this time of year, in the hopes that as family members gather together, they can be “blessed together.”

除此之外，也有人表示「柚子」因為和「遊子」的音雷同，中秋節也正是一個全家團圓節慶，在國外的遊子當然也會回家，因此也成了一個吉祥的代表。

Besides this, many also say that pomelos also sound like the Chinese character for those living or traveling overseas, far away from home. As the Mid-Autumn Festival is a time for families to get together, relatives will usually take the time to journey home and celebrate; thus, pomelos serve as a lucky symbolism for their safe return home.

更有人認為柚子和「有子」的音相近，吃柚子就算是討一個好彩頭，隱含著早生貴子的寓意。

Some also believe that pomelos sound like “having children” in Chinese, which means that when you eat them, it will be seen as good luck and a wish for expecting family members to have a child soon.

至於為什麼要將柚子皮頂在頭上呢？有人認為因為柚子與「佑子」聽起來雷同，將剝完的柚子皮戴在孩子的頭上可以保佑孩童，期許未來都能平平安安，快樂成長。

As for why children wear the pomelo skin (or peels) on their heads? The most common answer lies in the sound of the Chinese characters again. Pomelos are also pronounced similarly to “bless children” in Chinese, which is why adults place the pomelo skins on children’s heads to protect them from evil and wish for their safety and happiness.

然而，專家也提醒，即便看起來可愛，過節期間不應讓家中的毛小孩配戴柚子皮，而若要讓孩子戴柚子帽，也應控制好時間，不應過久。其主要原因為柚子皮中含有柑桔精油和補骨脂素，光只是接觸到，就可能造成毛小孩不適，而柚子皮若接觸到孩子的皮膚恐生成咖啡色班點，釀皮膚發炎。

One thing to note of that tradition is though it looks adorable, experts call on the public every year to ask them not to place pomelo skins on pets while adding that if children are to wear them, it shouldn’t be for too long. The main reason is pomelo skins contain citrus oil and Psoralen. Direct contact with human skin could prove harmful to pets and make them dangerously sick. If pomelo skins are placed for too long on children’s heads, brown spots may appear after extended contact, resulting in skin inflammation. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210919-2770625

歡迎通勤家族 週一晚上9pm，在Clubhouse上跟我與Peddy一同閒聊、練習英語！快加入 15Mins 通勤學英語直播室吧~

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K236: 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」。

更多通勤學英語Podcast單元:

每日英語跟讀Podcast，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing

精選詞彙 VOCAB Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/vocab

語音直播 15mins Live Podcast, 就在https://www.15mins.today/15mins-live-podcast

文法練習 In-TENSE Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/in-tense

歡迎到官網用email訂閱我們節目更新通知。

Topic: In space, at sea: tips on isolation from the pros

With billions of people around the world suddenly adjusting to social distancing measures as part of the battle to slow the spread of COVID-19, some professionals who are used to confinement have some tips. From astronauts to submariners, here are some practical ways to boost your well-being and stave off cabin fever during those weeks stuck at home.

為減緩武漢肺炎的傳播，全世界有數十億人忽然得要適應政府的抗疫措施，以保持社交距離。對此，幾位習於禁足狀態的專業人士提供了一些訣竅。從太空人到潛水艇人員，以下是他們所提供的實用方法，可以讓你待在家這幾週的健康情況改善，並避免幽閉煩躁症。

‘Have a schedule’

Scott Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut, spent nearly a year aboard the International Space Station. He told AFP that mindset was crucial. “People need to have the right expectation, we don’t know when this is gonna be over,” he said. “We could be in this for the long haul so your mindset needs to be: I’m living a similar thing to living in space for a year, I need to have a schedule, I need to get up at a regular time, to go to sleep at a regular time.” He also said exercise was key for both physical and mental well-being while confined. “You need to schedule time for exercise. If you cannot get out if you don’t have a garden, raise the window shade, open the window and stick your head outside, make that part of daily routine.”

「按表操課」

自美國太空總署退休的太空人史考特‧凱利，曾在國際太空站待了將近一年。他告訴法新社說，心態是至關重要的。他說：「我們不知道這情況何時會結束，人們必須有這正確的預期心理」。「我們可能會處於這種狀態很長的時間，因此你的心態應該是這樣：我現在就像是要在太空生活一年，我需要有作息時間表，需要定時起床、定時去睡覺」。他還說，禁足在家時，運動對於身體和心理的健康至關重要。「你需要安排運動的時間。如果你沒有花園、不能出去，那就拉起窗簾、打開窗戶，然後把頭伸到外面，把它排程為每日例行公事之一」。

Find your mission

For Vincent Larnaudie-Eiffel, a former commander of a nuclear submarine, working well in confinement means finding and investing in your own personal “mission.” Just like on board the sub, “stuck in our apartments, we all share a mission and that is to protect others, medical workers, and successfully navigate this ordeal.” He said it was important to establish a daily routine and stick to it. “You can’t give in... you need to do something with this suspended time.” For Larnaudie-Eiffel and his crewmates, this involved building models or growing plants under artificial light during their spare time. “It’s also important that everyone has their own space,” he told AFP. “In a submarine it might be a cramped bed-space. It’s the same in a cramped apartment.”

找到你的使命

對曾任核子潛艇司令官的凡松‧拉諾迪—艾菲爾來說，在居家隔離時把工作做好，意味找到你自己的「使命」並投入其中。如同在潛艇中一樣，「我們困在公寓裡，所有人都有著共同的使命，那就是保護別人、保護醫療人員，並成功度過這嚴酷的考驗」。他說，建立一套每日例行程序並堅持下去，是很重要的。「你不能屈服……你必須用這段停擺的時間來做點事情」。對於拉諾迪—艾菲爾及其潛艇組員來說，這包括在閒暇時組裝模型，或是利用人造光種植物。「每個人都有自己的空間也是很重要的」，他告訴法新社說。「在潛水艇中，此個人空間或許是個狹窄的床位。若是身處狹小的公寓，也是一樣的道理」。

‘Try new things’

Sailor Isabelle Autissier was the first woman to circumnavigate the globe alone. This involved a lot of time to herself. But she said she never felt lonely because “I chose to be alone.” For people stuck at home she recommends using the time “to try new things, reading, listening to different music, write your journal, take photos, start drawing.” Above all it’s important that people don’t look too far ahead. When she was at sea, facing an indeterminate amount of time alone “the first thing is not to count the days,” said Autissier. “You can’t constantly be thinking I’ll get there in three months, in a month, in 10 minutes.”

「嘗試新事物」

航海家伊莎貝‧歐提西耶是第一位獨自環繞地球航行的女性。要完成此舉，她必須孤身一人很長一段時間。但她說她從不覺得孤獨，因為「是我選擇了獨自一人」。對於那些困在家裡的人，她建議可以利用這段時間「嘗試新事物、閱讀、聽不同的音樂、寫日記、拍照、開始畫畫」。最重要的，是不要想得太遠。歐提西耶說，當她在海上時，面對不知將會持續多久的獨處時間，「第一件事就是不要去數日子」。「你不能一直去想說我會在三個月、一個月、十分鐘後抵達那裡」。

‘Morale dips are normal’

Cyprien Verseux, an astrobiologist at Germany’s University of Bremen, once spent over a year in a small pod with five other volunteers simulating conditions in a future mission to Mars. “It’s normal for your morale and productivity to dip,” he said. “That’s not a sign of weakness. Don’t add guilt to your problems.” When in confinement for the experiment, Verseux wasn’t allowed outside and was forbidden from communicating in real time with the outside world. “Even if we don’t all react the same to confinement we can adopt good practise that makes these periods more manageable,” he said.

He recommends choosing one or two activities and practising hard. “Also do your sport, light weights, do yoga, zumba... even if there’s a lack of space there are solutions to stay in shape,” he said.

「士氣低落是正常的」

德國不來梅大學的天體生物學家西普揚‧維索曾與五名志願者一起，在一個小艙裡待了一年多，模擬未來火星探索任務之情境。

他說：「你的士氣和生產力下降是正常的」。「這並不表示你軟弱。不要把罪惡感再加到你的問題上頭」。

維索參與這禁足的實驗時，不能到艙外，也被禁止與外界進行即時溝通。他說：「即便我們對被禁足的反應不同，我們也可以採用一些好的做法，來使這些時間更容易度過」。

他建議選擇一、兩項活動並努力練習。他說：「你也可以做運動、減肥、做瑜伽、跳森巴舞……即使空間不足，也可以找到解決辦法來維持身材」。

Stay in touch

In 2009, astronaut Frank de Winne became the first European to command the International Space Station. He said it was vital to maintain human contact, even if only electronically. “Means of communication are there, you have to make the effort and use them,” he said. The Belgian, now in quarantine on Earth, makes sure to video call his elderly mother at the same time each day. “That allows her to see me. It also creates a bit of structure for her because she knows that I’m going to call her,” he said.

保持聯繫

太空人法蘭克‧德溫勒在二○○九年成為指揮國際太空站的第一位歐洲人。他說，保持人與人之間的聯繫極為重要，即便只是透過電子的方式。「我們已經有了溝通的工具，你必須付諸行動來運用它」。比利時籍的他現正在地球上進行隔離，且每天一定會在同樣的時間跟年邁的母親視訊通話。他說：「這讓她可以看到我。這也給她一個時間框架，因為她知道我會在這時候打電話給她」。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/03/31/2003733674

Next Article

Topic: NASA and Tide team up to do laundry in space

Tide is going to outer space. The Procter & Gamble brand is partnering with NASA to keep astronauts’ spacesuits fresh, even on Mars.

汰漬正在前往外太空。這個寶鹼公司的品牌正與美國航太總署合作，維持太空人太空服的乾淨，即便是在火星。

Company and NASA scientists have created a fully degradable detergent that will clean clothes without wasting water.

該公司與NASA科學家已經創造一款完全可自然分解的洗滌劑，不用浪費水就能潔淨衣物。

Over the next decade, they’ll be testing fabric care products, including Tide pens and wipes, at the International Space Station and on missions to the moon and Mars.

在未來10年中，他們將在國際太空站與登月、登火星的任務中，測試織物照護產品，包括汰漬的筆與濕紙巾。

The months or even years that astronauts spend away from Earth means that their spacesuits and clothes can become smelly and stained. Clothes have to be reworn several times before they are ejected with other waste into the atmosphere or sent back to Earth as trash. A crew member will receive 160 pounds of clothes per year through resupply shipments.

太空人離開地球數月，甚至數年的時間，意味著他們的太空服與衣物會變臭且染色。這些衣物與其他廢物被拋入大氣層或當成垃圾送回地球前，必須重複穿著許多次。1名組員每年將透過補給，拿到160磅重的衣物。

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Topic: Russia wants to return to Venus, build reusable rocket 俄羅斯希望重返金星，打造可重複使用的火箭

The head of Russia’s space agency said Friday that Roscosmos wants to return to Venus and bring back soil samples and build spacecraft that will surpass Elon Musk’s rockets.

俄羅斯太空機構負責人週五說，俄羅斯航太太空活動國有公司（Roscosmos）想重返金星 ，帶回土壤樣本，並打造超越（太空探索科技公司）創辦人穆斯克的火箭的太空船。

"We are making a methane rocket to replace the Soyuz-2," Roscosmos chief Dmitry Rogozin said in an interview with state news agency RIA Novosti.

「我們正在打造一種甲烷火箭取代聯合2號火箭（Soyuz-2）」，俄羅斯航太總裁羅戈辛在接受國營「俄羅斯新聞社」訪問時說。

He said it will be a reusable space complex, noting that it will be possible to use its first stage at least 100 times.

他說，新火箭將是可以重複使用的太空綜合體，並強調第一節將有望重複使用至少100次。

"Of course we are looking at what our American colleagues are doing," said Rogozin. "But our engineers are trying to take a shortcut － not to repeat what our SpaceX colleagues are doing but surpass them."

「我們當然有在關注美國同業的進展」，羅戈辛說。「但我們的工程師正試圖抄近路—不是重複SpaceX在做的事，而是超越他們。」Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1457274; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1395146

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Topic: Chinese rocket’s chaotic fall to Earth highlights problem of space junk

Remnants of China’s biggest rocket landed in the Indian Ocean on May 9, ending days of speculation over where the debris would hit and drawing US criticism over a lack of transparency.

中國最大火箭之殘骸已在五月九日墜落印度洋，讓數天來對殘骸究竟將撞擊何處的猜測告一段落，也引起美國對此事缺乏透明度的批評。

But the fiery fate of a booster rocket, wherever it comes down, speaks to the larger issue of space debris and space sustainability, especially as space becomes a target not just for national space programs but also increasingly the private sector. Under international treaty, private space actors, who are expected to put 45,000 satellites in low Earth orbit over the next several years, are under the legal responsibility of their host nations.

火箭推進器在熊熊烈焰中的宿命，無論它掉在哪裡，都觸及太空垃圾與太空永續性這更大的問題，尤其此時太空不僅成為國家太空計畫之標的，也愈趨成為私有公司之標的。在未來幾年中，經營太空業務的私有公司將把四萬五千顆衛星送入低空地球軌道，而根據國際條約規定，法律責任是由其東道國所承擔。

Add to that an estimated 9,300 tonnes of space junk that is already orbiting the planet and the probability of space collisions and debris pollution is an issue of concern.

此外，據估計，現已有九千三百噸太空垃圾在繞著地球轉，太空中的碰撞與垃圾污染問題令人關注。

Previously, a piece of paint the size of a fingernail struck the windscreen of a space shuttle, piercing two of three layers of glass.

此前，一塊指甲大小的油漆打到一艘太空船的擋風玻璃，刺穿了三層厚玻璃的其中兩層。

The fate of Long March 5B could refocus governments and international bodies on the issue of space sustainability, and that could provide more opportunity to firms like UK-based Astroscale that are preparing to tackle the debris problem with commercial junk-collecting services.

長征五號的命運可能使政府及國際組織重新關注太空的永續性問題，而可能給像英國的Astroscale這樣的公司帶來更多機會，這些公司正準備提供收集垃圾之商業化服務，以解決太空垃圾問題。

Astroscale is currently demonstrating a vehicle called “ELSA-d” in lower Earth orbit to show that space debris clean-up is indeed possible. It is a fiendishly difficult task, especially if the target satellite is spinning and tumbling. The test is using a satellite to capture a test drone with a magnet. In time, larger objects will require a robotic arm.

Astroscale正在地球較低軌道展示一種名為「ELSA-d」的運載工具，以證明清除太空垃圾的確可行。這是一項艱鉅的任務，尤其是目標衛星處於旋轉與翻滾的情況時。該測試透過衛星進行，以磁鐵來捕獲測試用無人機，最後也會需要用到機械臂來抓取較大的物體。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/05/17/2003757510

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