通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K235: The Masked Professor vs. the Unmasked Student

Matthew Boedy, an associate professor of rhetoric and composition, sent out a raw emotional appeal to his students at the University of North Georgia just before classes began: The COVID-19 delta variant was rampaging through the state, filling up hospital beds. He would teach class in the equivalent of full body armor — vaccinated and masked.

修辭與寫作副教授波迪開學前向北喬治亞大學學生發出一份帶有強烈情感的呼籲：新冠病毒delta變異株正肆虐該州，醫院病床已滿。他將打完疫苗戴上口罩，形同全副武裝上課。

So he was stunned in late August when more than two-thirds of the first-year students in his writing class did not take the hint and showed up unmasked.

因此，8月下旬他的寫作課有超過三分之二大一學生不了解這一暗示，未戴口罩來上課，他相當驚訝。

It was impossible to tell who was vaccinated and who was not. “It isn’t a visual hellscape, like hospitals; it’s more of an emotional hellscape,” Boedy said.

要區分誰接種過疫苗誰沒接種，根本不可能。波迪說：「它不像醫院那樣屬於視覺上的地獄景觀，比較像是情感上的地獄景觀。」

North Georgia is not requiring its students to be vaccinated or masked this fall. And as in-person classes return at almost every university in the country, after almost 1 1/2 years of emergency pivoting to online learning, many professors are finding teaching a nerve-racking experience.

北喬治亞大學今年秋天並未要求學生接種疫苗或配戴口罩。在緊急轉為線上學習近一年半後，美國幾乎所有大學都恢復了面對面授課，許多教授如今發現教學是個讓人神經緊張的經驗。

The American College Health Association recommends vaccination requirements for all on-campus higher education students for the fall semester. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends face coverings, regardless of vaccine status, for indoor public spaces in areas where the rate of infection is high.

美國大學健康協會建議，秋季學期所有高等教育的在校生一律接種疫苗。美國疾病防治中心建議，無論疫苗接種情況如何，在感染率高的室內公共場所都要配戴口罩。

But this is not how it has worked out on more than a few campuses.

但在很多校園情況卻不是如此。

More than 1,000 colleges and universities have adopted vaccination requirements for at least some students and staff. In an indication of how political vaccination has become, the schools tend to be clustered in states that voted for President Joe Biden in the last election.

超過1000所學院與大學已對至少一部分學生及教職員工採行疫苗接種規定。這些學校往往集中於上次大選投票給拜登總統的州，顯示疫苗接種已變得相當政治化。

But at some campuses, particularly in Republican-led states with high rates of contagion — like the state systems in Georgia, Texas and Florida — vaccination is optional and mask wearing, while recommended, cannot be enforced.

但在一些校園裡，尤其是共和黨執政且傳染率偏高的州，如喬治亞州、德州與佛羅里達州，接種疫苗是選擇性的，雖建議配戴口罩但不得強制實施。

A smattering of faculty members have resigned in protest over optional mask policies. Most, like Boedy, are soldiering on. But the level of fear is so high that even at universities that do require vaccination and masks, like Cornell University and the University of Michigan, professors have signed petitions asking for the choice to return to online teaching.

一些教職員工已辭職抗議選擇性口罩政策，多數人像波迪一樣還在堅持。但恐懼程度高漲，即使在康乃爾大學與密西根大學等規定必須接種疫苗和配戴口罩的大學，教授們也簽署請願書，要求能選擇恢復線上授課。

“Morale is at an all-time low,” warns a petition at the University of Iowa.

愛荷華大學一份請願書警告說：「士氣空前低落。」

Universities are caught between the demands of their faculty for greater safety precautions, and the fear of losing students, and the revenue they bring, if schools return to another year of online education.

許多大學陷入兩難局面，教師要求更多安全防範措施，校方則擔心若再恢復一年的線上教學，恐失去學生及其帶來的收入。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5786889

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K234: Physics Nobel rewards work on climate change, other forces

Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday last week for work that found order in seeming disorder, helping to explain and predict complex forces of nature, including expanding our understanding of climate change.

致力於在看似無序中找到秩序的三位科學家，上週二獲得了諾貝爾物理學獎。他們的研究有助於解釋及預測複雜的自然力量，包括增進我們對氣候變化的理解。

Syukuro Manabe, originally from Japan, and Klaus Hasselmann of Germany were cited for their work in developing forecast models of Earth’s climate and “reliably predicting global warming.” The second half of the prize went to Giorgio Parisi of Italy for explaining disorder in physical systems, ranging from those as small as the insides of atoms to the planet-sized.

原籍日本的真鍋淑郎與德國的克勞斯‧哈斯曼，因研發地球氣候預測模型，以及「可靠地預測全球暖化」而獲獎。獎金的另一半，則是授予義大利籍的喬吉歐‧帕里西，因他解釋了物理系統──小至原子內部，大至行星大小──其中的無序。

Hasselmann told the Associated Press that he “would rather have no global warming and no Nobel Prize.” Calling climate change “a major crisis,” Manabe said that figuring out the physics behind climate change was “1,000 times” easier than getting the world to do something about it.

哈斯曼對美聯社表示，他「寧願沒有全球暖化，也沒有諾貝爾獎」。真鍋稱氣候變化為「一場重大危機」，並說弄清楚氣候變化背後的物理學，要比促世界採取行動容易「一千倍」。

All three scientists work on what are known as “complex systems,” of which climate is just one example. But the prize went to two fields of study that are opposite in many ways, though they share the goal of making sense of what seems random and chaotic so that it can be predicted.

這三位科學家都在研究所謂的「複雜系統」，氣候只是其中一個例子。獲獎的兩個研究領域，在許多方面都大相逕庭，雖然其共同目標皆為理解看似隨機與混亂的事物，以便能夠預測。

The research of Parisi, of Sapienza University of Rome, largely centers around subatomic particles, predicting how they move in seemingly chaotic ways and explaining why. It is somewhat esoteric, while the work by Manabe and Hasselmann is about large-scale global forces that shape our daily lives.

羅馬大學的帕里西，其研究主要圍繞次原子粒子，探究它們如何以及為何以看似混亂的方式運動，並加以預測。帕里西的研究有時深奧難解，而真鍋及哈斯曼的研究，則是有關型塑我們日常生活的大規模全球力量。

Parisi “built a deep physical and mathematical model” that made it possible to understand complex systems in fields as different as mathematics, biology, neuroscience and machine learning.

帕里西「建立了一個深刻的物理及數學模型」，使得理解數學、生物學、神經科學和機器學習等不同領域的複雜系統成為可能。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/10/11/2003765868

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K233: The Winners of Remote Work

Who wins and who loses when companies can hire from anywhere?

當企業能從任何地方雇用人才時，誰是贏家，誰又是輸家？

Some employees and freelancers who can work remotely will have vastly expanded opportunities and the possibility of significant increases in pay, but remote workers in general figure to face more competition and have a higher dependence on luck.

部分能遠距工作的雇員和自由職業者將享有更加廣泛的機會，而且收入可能大增，不過，通常遠距工作者會面臨更多競爭，而且將更依賴運氣。

One thing that seems unavoidable, research suggests, is an intensification of inequality.

研究顯示，有件事似乎無可避免，就是不平等會更嚴重。

In his 1981 paper, “The Economics of Superstars,” Sherwin Rosen described the impact of recording and broadcasting on the incomes of athletes and entertainers. As technology enabled individuals with specialized skills to reach a giant market — one hour of work in a single location could suddenly reach many people across the country — fewer stars captured more of the rewards.

美國勞動經濟學家羅森在1981年的論文「超級巨星經濟學」中，描述錄音和廣播對運動員和藝人收入的影響。當科技讓具備專門技能的個人得以觸及巨大市場，亦即在單一地點製作的一小時工作成果能突然被全國各地許多人收到，就會有更少的明星獲得更多收入。

Rosen expected that over time many other professions would follow a similar pattern. A teacher’s income, for example, was traditionally limited by the number of students who could fit into one classroom. But today on Udemy, an online learning platform, teachers like Chris Haroun have earned millions from courses they created, especially after COVID-19 lockdown pushed enrollments on the platform up by 425%. The vast majority of teachers on Udemy don’t come close to Haroun’s earnings, however, resulting in an extremely unequal distribution of income between superstar teachers and everybody else.

羅森預期，隨著時間推移，會有更多職業出現類似模式，例如一名教師的收入傳統上受限於一間教室容納的學生數，不過，如今在線上學習平台Udemy，哈羅恩這類老師從自己開設的課程賺到數百萬美元，尤其在新冠肺炎防疫封鎖措施使平台註冊人數增加425%之後，賺得更多，只是Udemy絕大多數老師收入遠不如哈羅恩，以致超級巨星老師和其他老師的收入分配極度不平等。

A meaningful shift in the distribution of income can also be seen in platforms where remote instruction is more similar to traditional teaching. On Outschool, an online marketplace for virtual classes for children, hundreds of teachers earn more than $100,000 a year, and dozens earn over $230,000. But most Outschool teachers earn far less, partly because they treat online teaching as a hobby or side hustle, and partly because they haven’t yet figured out how to attract students.

在遠距教學比較像傳統教學的平台上，收入分配也出現有意義的轉變。在兒童線上課程交易網站Outschool，有數百名老師年收入超過10萬美元，數十名年收入超過23萬美元，但絕大部分老師收入少得多，部分原因是他們把線上教學當成業餘愛好或兼職，部分原因是他們還沒有找到能吸引學生的方法。

The adoption of remote work is also affecting more traditional institutions. Scott Galloway, a professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, told me in April, “Because all my classes are remote now, the school asked me, ‘Can you go from 160 — dictated by the size of Stern’s largest classroom — to 280?’ That’s 120 fewer seats for the other marketing professors to fight over.”

遠距工作也影響到更多傳統機構。紐約大學史登商學院教授蓋洛威4月告訴我：「因為我現在所有課程都改為線上，學院問我，『你可以從一次教160人（史登商學院最大教室座位數）升級到一次教280人嗎？』那還比其他行銷學教授爭取的學生數少120人。」Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5786890

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

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K232: About TV and film: Netflix’s popular ‘Squid Game’ sparks concerns

Hit Netflix series “Squid Game” from South Korea has gone viral across the world by turning childhood playground games into deadly survival challenges. The horror series has generated much talk since its debut on Sept. 17, becoming the first drama series to top the charts in all 83 countries where Netflix streams.

影音平台網飛推出的熱門南韓影集《魷魚遊戲》，將童年大地遊戲改造為致命生存挑戰，近日在全球一夕爆紅。這部恐怖影集九月十七日開播，隨即掀起熱議，更創下在有網飛服務的所有八十三國登上排行榜冠軍之紀錄。

In the show, the 456 cash-strapped contestants must compete with one another for a prize of 45.6 billion won (about US$38.66 million) in six games. In the “Red Light, Green Light” episode, for example, players are shot for failing to stand still at the red light call. According to the company’s co-chief executive Ted Sarandos, the nine-episode series is expected to become Netflix’s most popular show ever.

在這部影集中，共有四百五十六名窮困潦倒的參賽者，將參加一場六項遊戲的生死鬥，爭奪四百五十六億韓元（約三千八百多萬美元）的獎金。例如在「一二三木頭人」的遊戲中，該靜止不動時沒站穩的玩家們就會遭到射殺。網飛共同執行長薩蘭多斯表示，此劇可望成為該平台有史以來最受歡迎節目。

Following the success of season one, season two of the show is already in the works. However, due to the extremely violent scenes in the show, some elementary schools have urged parents not to let children watch “Squid Game,” worrying that kids may copy the dangerous playground games.

由於第一季大獲成功，第二季據報導已開拍。然而因劇中不少場景太過殘暴，有些小學力勸家長不要讓小孩觀賞《魷魚遊戲》，並擔心孩子可能會模仿那些危險的大地遊戲。

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Daniel Craig’s last Bond film to open this week 丹尼爾克雷格最終章 《007：生死交戰》本週上映

After being delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the world premiere of “No Time to Die,” the 25th in the James Bond franchise, was held in London on Tuesday, UK time. In addition to actor Daniel Craig, who plays the role of the legendary 007 agent for the last time, members of the British royal family were also joined by medical workers and military personnel.

因疫情而數次延期後，第二十五部詹姆士龐德系列電影《007：生死交戰》，世界首映會終於在英國時間週二於倫敦登場。除了最後一次演出「007」探員的男主角丹尼爾克雷格以外，英國皇室成員亦加入醫護及軍方人員，共同參與盛會。

Craig has been praised for his performance in the previous four Bond films — including “Casino Royale” (2006), “Quantum of Solace” (2008), “Skyfall” (2012) and “Spectre” (2015). Co-producer Barbara Broccoli said they chose Craig because he would redefine Bond. “Daniel has given Bond an inner life. His Bond is allowed to be vulnerable,” she told the Guardian.

《007首部曲：皇家夜總會》（二○○六年）、《007：量子危機》（二○○八年）、《007：空降危機》（二○一二年）、《007：惡魔四伏》（二○一五年）。共同製作人芭芭拉布洛柯里說，他們當初會選克雷格，因為他能重新定義龐德的角色。她還對《衛報》說：「丹尼爾賦予了龐德內在的生命，容許該角色展現出脆弱的一面。」

As Craig calls for “better parts for women and actors of color” in the Bond series, actress Lashana Lynch, who takes the role of “Nomi” in the film, becomes the first female agent with the “00” status. The movie is set to open in Taiwan tomorrow.

克雷格在前四部龐德電影中的表現大獲好評— –包括而在克雷格大力呼籲龐德電影，提供更好的角色給女性與黑人演員後，在新片中飾演「諾咪」的女星拉莎納林區，成為史上首位最高「00」等級的女性探員，《007：生死交戰》預計明日在台上映。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/10/13/2003765978 ; https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/09/29/2003765168

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.K231: Young couple trapped on mountain road after blindly following GPS navigation system

In yet another case of reliance on satellite navigation leading to trouble, a 28-year-old man surnamed Lai from Miaoli County drove his girlfriend to the Lushan hot spring resort area in Nantou County’s Renai Township during the Mid-Autumn Festival long weekend. On Tuesday the couple decided to drive to Hehuanshan’s Wuling area to watch the sunrise.

又是一間導航出包惹禍！苗栗縣二十八歲賴姓男子，中秋連假開車載女友到南投縣仁愛鄉廬山溫泉遊玩，週二清晨兩人想到合歡山武嶺看日出。

According to the police, the couple started out by taking the normal route of Provincial Highway 14 in the direction of Chunyang and Wushe, then turning onto Provincial Highway 14A and passing Cingjing Farm toward Hehuanshan. However, Lai was hooked up to a GPS navigation system and it directed him on a different route: toward a remote mountainous area populated by local village communities. The couple ended up driving onto the Tunyuan industrial road on the border between Jingying and Duda villages. The long winding road was covered with weeds and was only wide enough to take a single sedan car, making it impossible for Lai to turn around. As Lai continued driving on, the road became increasingly narrow and eventually the car sank into boggy ground. Unable to move the car, the couple became alarmed and called the police for assistance.

警方指出，賴男與女友按正常行駛路線應由台十四線往春陽、霧社方向行駛，再接台十四甲線經清境農場至合歡山，賴男使用的導航，卻將人車導引往部落山區方向行駛，結果一路開到精英村與都達村交界的屯原山區產業道路，路面長滿雜草，僅容一部轎車通過，無法迴轉，且道路愈來愈窄，最後車輪陷入泥沼，進退不得，兩人嚇得報警求助。

Pingjing Police Station Chief Chang Chien-feng and police officer Liang Ti-wei responded to the call for help and were able to ascertain the precise location of the stranded car. A tow truck arrived but was unable to operate due to the narrowness of the track. The police finally called for assistance from Jingying community members, who used a four-wheel drive vehicle to extract the stricken car, bringing the couple’s nightmarish ordeal to a close.

平靜派出所長張建豐、廬山派出所警員梁玓瑋前往處理，發現轎車受困地點即便拖吊車進入也無法執行拖吊作業，因此協請精英部落居民駕駛四輪傳動車輛幫忙脫困，結束一場驚魂記。

Renai Township Police Precinct reminds members of the public that satellite navigation is for reference only, and advises them to quickly turn around, ask a local for directions or call the police for guidance as soon as it becomes apparent that the road you are on is starting to narrow or is taking you into a remote or mountainous area. If you do become lost on a mountain road, the police advise quoting the serial number of the nearest electricity pylon or any other obvious landmark or distinctive feature when calling for help, so that the police can locate your whereabouts and provide timely assistance.

仁愛分局表示，民眾開車使用導航路線最好僅供參考，一旦發現路越走越狹窄，且一直往偏僻山區，應儘快折返原路，詢問附近居民或報請警方協助指引方向，如果真的在山間迷路，可以將電線桿號碼或附近其他明顯特徵告知警方，方便救援。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/09/26/2003764997

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

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Topic: A Fresh Take on a 1934 ‘Murder’

A gruesome murder has been committed on a train in the middle of the night. Only 13 occupants of the carriage could have committed the dastardly deed. Was it a) the Russian princess; b) the American widow; c) the English governess; or d) the Hungarian count? Or any of the nine other multinational posh people and their servants rubbing shoulders on the luxury locomotive, snowbound in the middle of Eastern Europe, with a brilliant Belgian detective inconveniently in their midst?

一宗可怕的謀殺案在夜半的火車上發生。只有13名旅客可能犯下這惡行。是ａ）俄羅斯公主；ｂ）美國寡婦；ｃ）英國女家教；或ｄ）匈牙利伯爵呢？抑或是其他9位來自各國的紳士淑女和他們的僕人，眾人在受困東歐中部大雪的豪華火車車廂裡摩肩擦踵，這其中還碰巧有個厲害的比利時偵探？

Chances are this sounds familiar. It’s the setup for one of the most famous detective stories in the world: Agatha Christie’s 1934 novel “Murder on the Orient Express,” which has sold millions of copies. It was made into a sumptuous 1974 movie, directed by Sidney Lumet with the starriest of casts (Lauren Bacall, Sean Connery, Ingrid Bergman!). It has been adapted for television, stage and radio. There is a Japanese television version and a computer game.

這聽起來或許耳熟能詳。這是全球最著名偵探小說之一的場景：阿嘉莎．克莉絲蒂1934年的小說「東方快車謀殺案」，銷售數以百萬本計。導演薛尼·盧梅1974年翻拍成豪華版電影，有最耀眼的明星陣容（洛琳·白考兒、史恩·康納萊、英格麗·褒曼！），另並改編成電視劇、舞台劇和廣播劇，且有日本電視劇版本和一款電玩遊戲。

All this meant that Kenneth Branagh, the director and star of the new film version, which opened in the United States on Friday with the starriest of casts (Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench!), had his own mystery to solve. How do you reinvent one of the world’s best-loved whodunits for a new era? Branagh’s solution was to modify, and sometimes entirely change, character and plot details in ways that may dismay purists but that he felt would give the piece a more contemporary resonance.

這意味最新版本電影的導演兼主角肯尼斯·布萊納必須拿出一套解開謎團的獨到功夫，新片11月11日在美國上映，仍然有最耀眼的卡司（強尼·戴普、蜜雪兒·菲佛、潘妮洛普·克魯茲、茱蒂·丹契！）你要如何在新的世代詮釋最受世人喜愛的偵探小說呢？布萊納的方法是把角色與劇情細節進行修飾，時而甚至完全予以改變，這麼做或許會令純粹主義者沮喪，他卻覺得更能讓作品引起當代人的共鳴。

“There is always the thorny issue of who will know the plot and how can we divert them,” Branagh said in a telephone interview. “We knew we had to get people’s attention for a recalibrated character in Poirot,” Christie’s idiosyncratic Belgian detective.

布萊納接受電話訪問時說：「總會碰到有些人已經知道劇情，你該如何轉移他們的注意力，讓他們覺得有趣的棘手問題。我們知道，我們必須吸引人們注意經過修改的角色白羅（克莉絲蒂創造的怪異的比利時偵探）。」

To that end, Branagh and the scriptwriter, Michael Green, begin the movie with a showdown at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, as the detective solves another mystery. “I wanted to embrace the exotic and worldly side of Christie, to come into the big, hot open skies and find a new Poirot, our ticket for an exotic adventure,” Branagh said.

為達此目的，布萊納與編劇麥可·格林以偵探在耶路撒冷西牆解開一個對決謎團的方式，揭開電影序幕。布萊納說：「我想擁抱克莉絲蒂奇異與入世的一面，進入那既大又熱的開放天空，找到一個新的白羅，這是我們奇異冒險的門票。」

With an opening that has Poirot tripping up an escaping villain in a positively James Bond-esque manner, Branagh immediately established the detective as a far more dashing man of action than the novel’s small hero “muffled up to the ears of whom nothing was visible but a pink-tipped nose and the two points of an upward curled mustache.”

這個開場讓白羅以絕對詹姆士·龐德的方式逼逃犯露出馬腳，布萊納也立刻將這位偵探塑造成遠比原著中小號英雄瀟灑的行動派男子漢；原著中的小號英雄「衣服直蓋到耳朵，除了一個粉紅鼻子，以及上捲的兩綹髭鬚，什麼都看不見」。Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/320990/web/

Next Article

Topic: The Actor Behind the Ape

The leader of the troops walks slowly through the ranks of soldiers, who part respectfully, as he looks at them with an expression that combines anger, pain and grim intent. But this isn’t a human commander. It’s Caesar, the ape who is the principal figure in 20th Century Fox’s “Planet of the Apes” franchise. The scene comes from the latest in the series, “War for the Planet of the Apes,” which opens in the United States on July 14, and has generated laudatory reviews.

帶領部隊的長官慢慢走進士兵的隊伍中，士兵們尊敬地讓開，他仔細檢視他們，臉上的表情夾雜著憤怒、痛苦和不屈服的決心。但這位長官不是人類的指揮官。牠是「凱撒」，這頭猩猩是20世紀福斯公司「猩球崛起」系列電影的主角。這一幕出自此系列的新片「猩球崛起：終極決戰」，7月14日在美國上映，已經佳評如潮。

In “War,” the fragile truce between humans and apes has given way, and we discover the sinister Colonel (played by Woody Harrelson), whose early actions set in motion a series of devastating events for both populations.

在「終極決戰」片中，人類和猩猩之間脆弱的停火已維持不下去，而我們發現這位陰險的上校（伍迪哈里森飾演），他的初步行動開啟了一連串對人類和猩猩的毀滅事件。

Caesar, the ape whose expressions we are watching via digital transformation as he reacts to the Colonel’s murderous deeds and musters his forces, is played by British actor Andy Serkis. In BoxOfficeMojo.com’s ranking of actors by their ticket sales, Serkis is in the top 30, outflanking Brad Pitt and Daniel Radcliffe, among other far more famous names. His films average $125 million at the box office, more (by some distance) than those of Samuel L. Jackson or Tom Hanks. He has been acting professionally for nearly 30 years and has starred in numerous movies, some of them blockbusters like “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the 2005 “King Kong,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and the “Apes” reboot.

凱撒，我們正透過數位轉換看著牠的表情的這頭猩猩，牠在對「上校」的凶狠行徑做出反應並召集牠的部隊，牠是由英國演員安迪席克斯飾演。在票房網站BoxOfficeMojo.com的男演員票房排行，安迪席克斯排在前30名，勝過布萊德彼特和丹尼爾雷德克里夫，還有其他名氣大得多的演員。他的電影平均票房1.25億美元，比山繆傑克森、湯姆漢克還多（差距不小）。他從事專業演出近30年，主演過許多電影，其中不乏大賣片，像是「魔戒」三部曲、2005年的「金剛」、「星際大戰7：原力覺醒」和「猩球崛起」的重拍電影。

Yet, for most moviegoers, Serkis, 53, is probably neither a household name nor face, since he has specialized for more than a decade in creating roles through performance capture — a complex technology that records the movement and facial expressions of human actors and then painstakingly renders them digitally to create fantastical characters, like Caesar, Gollum and King Kong.

然而，對大多數電影觀眾來說，53歲的席克斯大概不是家喻互曉的名字或臉孔，因為他十多年來專精於透過動態捕捉科技創造角色─這是一種複雜的科技，記錄人類演員的動作和表情，再費力地數位化，創造出想像的角色，像是凱撒、咕嚕和金剛。

Caesar, wrote A.O. Scott of The New York Times in a review of “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” is “a role that continues to redefine screen acting in the digital age. His facial expressions and body language are so evocatively and precisely rendered that it is impossible to say where his art ends and the exquisite artifice of Weta Digital, the special-effects company, begins.”

紐時影評人A.O.史考特在「猩球崛起：黎明的進擊」的評論寫道，凱撒是「數位時代繼續重新定義大銀幕表演的角色。他的臉部表情和身體語言如此生動和精準演出，不可能說他的演藝止於何處，特效公司Weta數位公司的精良技術又自何處開始。」Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/315730/web/#top

Next Article

Topic: Berlin Film Festival to make acting prizes gender neutral

The organizers of the Berlin International Film Festival (aka Berlinale) said last Monday that they will stop awarding separate acting prizes to women and men beginning next year, and the performance awards will be defined in a gender-neutral way at next year’s festival, for which a physical event is planned.

柏林國際影展主辦單位上週一表示，自明年起，他們不再分別頒發男女演員獎項。明年的影展將會以性別中立的方式來定義表演獎項，並將舉行實體典禮。

The festival awards a Golden Bear for the best film and a series of Silver Bears, which until this year included best actor and best actress honors. Organizers said those prizes will be replaced with a Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance and a Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance.

柏林影展頒發金熊獎給最佳影片，以及銀熊獎給一系列項目，截至今年，銀熊獎均包括最佳男主角及最佳女主角獎。主辦單位表示，這些獎項將以最佳主角銀熊獎，及最佳配角銀熊獎兩獎項取代。

In a statement, the co-heads of the festival, Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, said “not separating the awards in the acting field according to gender comprises a signal for a more gender-sensitive awareness in the film industry.”

柏林影展兩位總監瑪麗耶特‧里森貝克及卡洛‧夏堤安在一份聲明中表示：「不以性別來區分表演類獎項，所包含的信號是電影界對性別有更加敏銳的意識」。

The festival’s Golden Bear is one of the most prestigious awards in Europe, together with the Palme d’Or of the Cannes festival in France and the Golden Lion award of the Venice Film Festival. Cannes still singles out a best actor and actress, while Venice awards a Volpi cup to actors of each sex.

德國柏林影展的金熊獎為歐洲地位最高的電影獎之一，與法國坎城影展的金棕櫚獎，以及義大利威尼斯電影節的金獅獎齊名。坎城影展及威尼斯影展仍分別頒發男、女演員獎。

At the same time, the Alfred Bauer Prize, which is named after the festival’s founding director, will be permanently retired. The prize was suspended this year due to revelations about Bauer’s role in the Nazis’ moviemaking bureaucracy.

此外，以柏林影展創辦人命名的阿爾弗雷德‧鮑爾獎將永不再頒發。鮑爾被踢爆曾為納粹政府電影機構工作，因此今年該獎停頒。

Commenting on the decision to hold a physical event next year, despite uncertainties due to the coronavirus pandemic, the two directors stressed the need for a “lively relationship with the audience.” “In times of the corona pandemic, it has become even clearer that we still require analogue experience spaces in the cultural realm,” they said, noting that other festivals have also resumed holding physical rather than virtual events. The 2021 festival is scheduled for Feb. 11-21.

縱有冠狀病毒疫情所造成之不確定性，對於明年柏林影展舉行實體典禮的決定，兩位總監強調「與觀眾保持活生生關係」之必要性。「冠狀病毒疫情中愈發清楚顯示，在文化場域中，我們仍需要能提供類比經驗的空間」，他們表示，其他影展也已恢復舉行實體典禮。二○二一年之柏林影展訂於二月十一日至二十一日舉行。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/08/31/2003742547

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~

原哈佛商業評論文章: https://hbr.org/2017/10/7-tricky-work-situations-and-how-to-respond-to-them

Situation #1: Someone takes credit for your idea. 有人搶走你的功勞(想法)。

What you should say: “Thanks for spotlighting my point.”

Situation #2: You’re asked to stay late when you’re about to leave the office for a personal obligation. 當你為了私事要離開辦公室時， 你被要求加班

What you should say: “Excuse me, I have another commitment.”

Situation #3: In a pivotal situation, a trusted colleague snaps at you. 在關鍵時刻，一個值得信賴的同事突然向你語言攻擊

What you should say: “This isn’t about what you do for me. It is about what you did to me.”

Situation #4: You have to give negative or awkward feedback to someone you’re close with. 你必須給你親近的人負面或尷尬的反饋

What you should say: “I’m here to be for you what someone once was for me.”

Situation #7: You need to escalate a serious issue. 你需要向上呈報一件嚴重的事情

What you should say: “Your response gives me cause to take this further.”

挑戰時間:

How would you respond in the following tricky situation 以下尷尬狀況你會如何回應？

A. Someone inappropriately asks you out in front of colleagues

B. Someone took your idea

C. A colleague always talks about how much he/she has done for you

D. Your boss asks you to work overtime just before you are about to leave the office

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

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商業合作洽詢: [email protected]

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K230: Who Created the Renewable-Energy Miracle ?

As terrible as many things in the world are, climate is unique in posing an existential threat to civilization. And it’s horrifying that so many political figures are dead set against any serious action to address that threat.

氣候變遷跟世上許多事物一樣可怕，卻因為能威脅文明存續而更特別，令人震驚的是，有這麼多政治人物堅決反對所有因應這種威脅的認真行動。

Despite that, there’s still a chance that we’ll do enough to avoid catastrophe — not because we’ve grown wiser but because we’ve been lucky. We used to believe that achieving big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions would be difficult and expensive. Over the past dozen years or so, however, we’ve experienced a technological miracle. The costs of solar and wind power have plunged to the point that quite modest incentives could lead to a rapid reduction in use of fossil fuels.

話雖如此，我們仍有機會做得夠多而避開大災難，不是因為我們變聰明，而是因為幸運。我們一直相信，大幅削減溫室氣體排放，不但困難且所費不貲。不過，過去12年左右，我們經驗到技術奇蹟，太陽能和風力發電成本驟降，以致些許誘因就能促使人們快速削減化石燃料用量。

But was it really luck? Did this miracle — actually two miracles, since generating electricity from the sun and from the wind involve completely different technologies — just happen to arrive in our moment of need? Or was it a consequence of good policy decisions?

不過，這真的純屬幸運嗎？這個奇蹟——其實是兩個奇蹟，因為用陽光和風力發電涉及的技術完全不同——只是湊巧在我們需要時發生，還是優質政策的結果？

The answer is that there’s a pretty good case that policy — the Obama administration’s investments in green energy and European subsidies, especially for offshore wind — played a central role.

答案是，有相當充分的證據顯示，美國前總統歐巴馬政府投資綠能和歐洲補貼綠能的政策，尤其是離岸風力發電，扮演重要角色。

What’s the justification for that conclusion? Start with the fact that neither wind nor solar power was a fundamentally new technology. Windmills have been in widespread use at least since the 11th century. Photovoltaic solar power was developed in the 1950s.

怎麼說呢？風力和太陽能發電都不是全新技術，風車至少從11世紀就盛行了，光伏太陽能則在1950年代就研發出來。

What we’re looking at, instead, appears to be a situation in which growing use of renewable energy is itself driving cost reductions. Renewables appear to be subject to learning curves, in which costs fall with cumulative production.

我們看到的似乎是，再生能源用量逐步增加使成本降低。再生能源產業似乎可以用學習曲線來類比，經年累月的生產，會使成本愈來愈低。

And here’s the thing: When an industry has a steep learning curve, government support can have huge positive effects. Subsidize such an industry for a few years, and its costs will fall with experience, and eventually it will reach a tipping point where its growth becomes self-sustaining and the subsidies are no longer needed.

重點是，當一個產業經過長年累月生產就能拉低成本時，政府補貼便能產生巨大的正面效果。補貼這種產業幾年，產業成本會隨著經驗增加而降低，最終會達到臨界點，產業能靠自己的力量持續成長，不再需要補貼。

That’s arguably what has happened, or is on the verge of happening, for renewable energy.

可以說，這就是再生能源已經發生或將要發生的事。

In short, there’s a really good case to be made that government support for renewable energy created a cost miracle that might not have happened otherwise — and this cost miracle may be the key to saving us from utter climate catastrophe.

簡言之，有充分的理由說明，政府補貼再生能源締造了成本奇蹟，否則奇蹟不會發生，而這項奇蹟或許是拯救我們免於極端氣候災難的關鍵。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5754427

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K229: What is the mu variant of the coronavirus?

What is the mu variant?

這是今年1月在哥倫比亞最初發現的一種新冠肺炎變異毒株，已經在南美洲、歐洲和美國分別造成獨立疫情。

It’s a version of the coronavirus that was first identified in Colombia in January and has since caused isolated outbreaks in South America, Europe and the United States.

世界衛生組織擔心此毒株將降低疫苗和療法的有效性，於上個月將Mu變種病毒列為「觀察變異毒株」，儘管目前仍需要更多證據。

The World Health Organization last month listed it as a “variant of interest” because of concerns it may make vaccines and treatments less effective, though more evidence is needed.

科學家基於可疑的基因變異監測新出現的COVID-19變異毒株，並蒐集證據以決定新毒株是否更具傳染性或將造成更嚴重的症狀。由於病毒持續在變化，很多新毒株也經常消逝。

Scientists monitor emerging COVID-19 variants based on suspicious genetic changes and then look for evidence to determine whether the new version is more infectious or causes more severe illness. Viruses evolve constantly and many new variants often fade away.

目前看來，Mu變異毒株傳播得並不快，其所造成的染疫案件僅佔不到全球案例的1%。在哥倫比亞則有約39%的確診案例由此毒株引起。大部分國家仍對傳染性高的Delta變異毒株相當擔憂，它在已經入侵的174國之中幾乎都成為主要感染來源。

So far, the mu variant doesn’t seem to be spreading quickly: It accounts for fewer than 1% of COVID-19 cases globally. In Colombia, it may be responsible for about 39% of cases. Most countries remain concerned about the highly contagious delta variant; it is the dominant variant in almost all of the 174 countries where it’s been detected.

Mu變異毒株在10多個國家中已經出現，歐洲官員們也正在尋找此病毒在歐洲的傳播途徑。法國衛生部近期表示，Mu變異毒株在歐洲「最近似乎沒有增加」。

Officials have been tracking the mu variant in Europe, where it has been seen in about a dozen countries. The French Ministry of Health recently said the mu variant “does not seem to have increased recently” across Europe.

英國公衛機構上個月發表的一份報告指出，mu變異毒株可能與令人擔心的南非Beta病毒一樣，對疫苗具有抗性，但表示需要更多現實數據。

A report from England’s public health agency last month suggested the mu variant might be as resistant to vaccines as the worrisome beta variant first seen in South Africa, but said more real-world data was needed.

世衛官員指出，Mu變異毒株似乎正在南美洲部分國家崛起，但Delta病毒傳染性仍較高。WHO officials said the Mu variant appears to be rising in some countries in South America, but that the Delta variant still spreads far more easily.

世衛新冠疫情技術負責人瑪麗亞·克爾霍夫（Maria Van Kerkhove）表示：「Mu變異毒株對我們來說值得關注，理由是它的變異組合」，但也表示「它看起來並不流行」。

The Mu variant “is of interest to us because of the combination of mutations it has,” said WHO’s Maria Van Kerkhove. “But it doesn’t seem to be circulating.” Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210910-2762003

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。

商業合作洽詢: [email protected]

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K228: Hurricane, tropical storm or super typhoon? Here is what to know about Asia’s most dangerous weather systems

颱風是一個具有破壞性的風暴。大西洋另一端稱之為「颶風」的颱風，在亞太地區最常於七月到十月間侵襲台灣。

A typhoon is a storm of damaging proportions. Also known as hurricanes across the Atlantic Ocean, the most dangerous weather systems in the Asia-Pacific region are most likely to hit Taiwan from July to October.

然而，熱帶性低氣壓和超級颱風的差別到底是什麼？

But, what’s the difference between tropical depressions and super typhoons?

亞太地區有四種類型的的破壞性暴風。它們與地震不同在於它們一定程度的可預測性。

There are four types of destructive storms in the Asia-Pacific region which, unlike earthquakes, are somewhat predictable.

風速每小時29英理(46公里)以下的稱之為「熱帶性低氣壓」；風速在每小時29英里（46公里）和每小時55.5英里（89公里）之間的稱之為「熱帶風暴」或「熱帶氣旋」。而又稱之為颶風的颱風則是風速在每小時55.5英里（89公里）和每小時114.5英里（183公里）之間的風暴。

The tropical depressions — wind speeds of 29 mph (46 kph) or less; the tropical storms — wind speeds between 29 mph (46 kph) and 55.5 mph (89 kph); and, the typhoons, also known as hurricanes — wind speeds between 55.5 mph (89 kph) and 114.5 mph (183 kph).

超級颱風，相當於第五類風暴，因為其風速超過114.5英里/小時（183公里/小時）。

Super Typhoons, which are equivalent to a category 5 storm, have wind speeds greater than 114.5 mph (183 kph).

除了帶來破壞力強大的巨風外，颱風還能降下難以置信的雨量。由於台灣島的山脈縱貫全島，這些風暴的降雨量有時會在數個月中超過常規降雨量。

In addition to bringing damaging winds, typhoons can drop incredible amounts of rain. Owing to the mountains running the length of the island, these storms can sometimes drop rain in excess months of regular precipitations.

應該準備什麼？｜What should you prepare?

颱風來襲，你應該在家中準備好一個緊急災難包，裡面應當有急救箱和基本藥物。

In case of a typhoon, you should prepare a disaster supplies kit for home, including a first aid kit and essential medications.

台灣災難醫療隊建議民眾備好足夠維持至少一天的食物量、水、電池和其他應急用品。

Disaster preparedness officials recommend that you have enough food, water, batteries, and other emergency supplies to last at least 1 day.

在斷水的情况下，可以考慮到附近的便利商店買可飲用的水和一些泡麵。

In case of water cuts, think of rushing to a convenience store next door to buy some drinkable water and some instant noodles.

還剩下什麼呢？｜What’s more?

記得將電器產品充飽電，多儲備可飲用水和電池，同時也別忘記為車子加好油(以防萬一)。同時，你也可以將家裡的浴缸先裝滿水以備不時之需。

Remember to charge up electronics, secure extra water and batteries, and fill up your car ahead of the weekend. You can also run a bathtub full of water for a large supply of emergency water, in case the water supply is interrupted.

颱風很危險不只因為它們可以造成身體傷害和財產損失；強風還可能擊倒電線和中斷水的供應。

Typhoons are dangerous not only because they can cause bodily injury and damage to property, but strong winds can also knock down power lines and disrupt the water supply. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210911-2762480