通勤學英語 15Mins Today

Topic : About India - Indian Bride Shuts Down Wedding After Groom Fails Her Math Test

An Indian bride canceled her wedding after her groom recited the multiplication table of two incorrectly.

一位印度新娘因為新郎背錯2的乘法表，當場取消婚禮。

A bride and groom who wish to remain unidentified were supposed to have the wedding for their arranged marriage on May 1 in the state of Uttar Pradesh in India.

不願透露姓名的新娘和新郎本應於5月1日在印度北方邦舉行婚禮，這是一樁包辦婚姻。

Skeptical of her future husband’s educational background, the bride decided to test his knowledge during the ceremony.

新娘懷疑未來丈夫的教育背景，因此決定在婚禮上測試他的知識。

When he failed to recite the multiplication table of two, the bride left, "saying that she could not marry someone who did not know basic math," reported INQUIRER.net.

據「菲律賓每日問訊者報」網站報導，當他背不出2的乘法表時，新娘轉身離開了，「說她不能嫁給一個連基礎數學都不懂的人。」

The bride’s cousin stated that the groom’s family did not inform them of his lack of education, adding that the bride was "brave" for leaving the wedding venue.

新娘的表妹說，男方家庭沒有告知新郎教育程度低的事實，並補充道，新娘離開婚禮現場的做法「很勇敢」。

The two families came to a compromise which included returning all gifts and jewelry to the appropriate parties.

這兩個家庭達成妥協，包括同意退還所有的禮物和珠寶給對方。

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Topic: India’s ’Angry Brides’ game wages war on dowry 印度「憤怒新娘」遊戲向嫁妝陋習宣戰

An online game in India called "Angry Brides" which seeks to highlight the problem of illegal dowry demands has attracted more than 270,000 fans.

印度一款名為「憤怒新娘」的線上遊戲，旨在凸顯非法索取嫁妝帶來的問題，吸引了逾27萬名粉絲。

The game by online matchmaker shaadi.com – inspired by the hugely popular "Angry Birds" game – sees players attack prospective grooms greedy for dowry with a variety of weapons, from a brick-red stiletto to a broomstick.

這款遊戲由婚友網站「Shaadi.com」推出，靈感來自廣受歡迎的「憤怒鳥」遊戲，玩家可使用從磚紅色細高跟鞋到帚柄等各式武器來攻擊貪求嫁妝的準新郎。

The three grooms – an engineer, a doctor and a pilot – dodge the attacks while demanding dowries starting at 1.5 million rupees. Each time a player hits a groom, he or she wins money towards a virtual anti-dowry fund.

遊戲中的3位新郎分別是工程師、醫生和飛行員。他們一邊索求150萬盧比起跳的嫁妝，一邊躲避著玩家的進攻。玩家每擊中新郎一次，他或她就會贏得一筆虛擬的反嫁妝資金。

The game, available as a free application on Facebook, has already attracted more than 272,000 "likes."

這款遊戲在臉書上是一款免費應用程式，已吸引了超過27萬2000人按「讚」。

Paying and accepting a dowry in India has been illegal since 1961, but the centuries-old tradition of the bride’s parents presenting gifts of cash, clothes, jewellery, even appliances to the groom’s family remains strong.

從1961年至今，收送嫁妝在印度都是違法的，但是新娘的父母向新郎家庭贈送現金、衣服、珠寶甚至器具等禮物的傳統已有幾世紀之久，至今依然盛行。

Demands for dowry often persist well past the wedding ceremonies, and in the worst cases, brides are tortured and even murdered if they or their parents do not comply.

索取嫁妝的情況就算在婚禮後也揮之不去，在最壞的情況下，如果新娘或她們的父母不給嫁妝，新娘就會受到折磨甚至被謀殺。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1451980; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/565200

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Topic: About India - Toxic air in India linked to large number of miscarriages

Toxic air in India and other South Asian countries could be causing large numbers of miscarriages and stillbirths, scientists said.

科學家說，印度和其他南亞國家的有毒性空氣，可能正造成大量的流產和死胎案例。

A study in The Lancet medical journal estimated nearly 350,000 pregnancy losses a year in South Asia were linked to high pollution levels.

「刺胳針」醫學期刊一份研究估計，南亞1年有將近35萬起流產案例與高污染值有關聯。

"Our findings ... (provide) further justification for urgent action to tackle dangerous levels of pollution," lead author Tao Xue of Peking University said in a statement.

報告第一作者北京大學的薛濤在聲明中說，「我們的發現…提供進一步理由，要緊急行動解決達危險程度的污染」。

They calculated that 7.1% of annual pregnancy losses were attributable to pollution above India’s air quality standard of 40 microgrammes per cubic metre (μg/m3), and 29·7% to pollution above the World Health Organization guideline of 10 μg/m3.

他們計算，每年7.1%的流產案例，歸因於高於印度空氣品質標準每立方公尺40微克（μg/m3）的污染，29.7%的案例歸因於高於世界衛生組織指南訂出10 μg/m3標準的污染。

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Topic: Indian inventor revs up corona car to drive home lockdown message 印度發明家設計冠狀病毒車宣導疫情訊息

A giant coronavirus is stalking the streets of southern India － propelled by a 100 cc engine and an inventor trying to drive home the message that Indians should stay indoors as the pandemic sweeps across the world.

一個巨大的冠狀病毒在印度南部街頭出沒—被一具排氣量100立方公分的引擎和一名發明家驅動著，試圖明確傳達在大流行病橫掃全球的此刻，印度人應該好好待在家裡的訊息。

Sudhakar Yadav’s wacky small single-seater car － made of fluorescent-green fibre and complete with the red crown-like spikes of the virus － has been racking up the miles in the tech hub of Hyderabad to remind fellow citizens of the dangers of COVID-19.

雅達夫的古怪單人座小車，是以螢光綠色纖維製成，並加上紅色的病毒冠狀突刺造型，在科技大城海德拉巴行駛了一段時間，提醒市民同胞2019冠狀病毒肺炎的危險。

"People are not scared and are still... on the streets despite the clear danger," the 67-year-old Yadav, who runs a printing business, told AFP.

「儘管明顯有危險，大家還是不害怕，依舊…在街上趴趴走」，經營印刷生意的67歲雅達夫告訴法新社。

"My message through the car art is to make them understand that it is dangerous to be out on the streets and the safest place right now is the home."

「我透過這輛車要傳達的訊息是，希望這些人能夠了解，外出上街是危險的，現在最安全的地方就是家裡」。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1436119 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1372432

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About India - ’Honk more, wait more’： Mumbai tests traffic lights that reward the patient driver

There is a truth universally acknowledged by drivers in India： honk your horn loud enough and the traffic lights will surely change to green.

印度駕駛人都曉得一個道理：只要喇叭按得夠響，交通號誌絕對會變綠燈。

But, fed up with impatient drivers inflicting a deafening roar every time they are forced to stop, police in Mumbai have come up with a new system to punish those who cannot wait at traffic lights in silence.

然而，孟買警方受夠駕駛人每次被迫停車，就會出現震耳欲聾的喇叭聲，因而設計出一套新系統，來懲罰不能安靜等待號誌轉換的駕駛人。

The new system was quite simple： "Honk more, wait more."

新系統相當簡單易懂：「你愈叭，等愈久。」

Mumbai police installed a rigged traffic light system to tackle the problem of "reckless honkers", which resets the red traffic signal every time the sound of car horns goes above 85 decibels. For particularly honk-happy drivers, it could mean a very long wait at the lights.

孟買警方安裝一套經過改造的交通號誌系統，來處理「莽撞喇叭狂」問題；只要偵測到85分貝以上的汽車喇叭聲，紅燈就會從頭開始。對於不按不爽的駕駛人，可能得在交通號誌下等到天荒地老。

Mumbai was ranked as the fourth most congested city in the world, according to the TomTom traffic index, with 65% congestion and drivers spending an average of eight days and 17 hours in traffic each year.

TomTom交通指數報告顯示，孟買被列為全球最壅塞城市第4名，壅塞比率達65％，駕駛人平均每年花費8天17小時塞在路上。

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Topic: India returns alleged bird spy to Pakistan／印度把被指控的鳥間諜交還巴基斯坦

Indian police have released a pigeon belonging to a Pakistani fisherman after a probe found that the bird, which had flown across the contentious border between the nuclear-armed nations, was not a spy, two officials said on Friday.

兩名官員週五說，印度警方把一隻屬於巴基斯坦一名漁夫的鴿子放了，在調查發現這隻飛越兩個核武國爭議邊境的鳥並非間諜以後。

The Pakistani owner of the pigeon had urged India to return his bird, which Indian villagers turned over to police after discovering it.

這隻鴿子的巴基斯坦主人催促印度歸還他的鳥，印度村民先前發現了牠以後交給了警方。

“It’s just an innocent bird,” Habibullah, the owner of the bird, who goes by just one name, told Reuters on Friday.

單名的鴿主哈比布拉週五告訴路透，「牠只是一隻無辜的鳥。」

He rejected allegations that the numbers inscribed on a ring on the pigeon’s leg were codes meant for militant groups operating in the disputed region of Kashmir.

對於鴿子腳環上所刻數字乃是在爭議的喀什米爾地區行動的好戰團體代號的指控，他予以駁斥。

Habibullah, who lives in a village near the Kashmir border, one of the most militarised zones in the world, said the bird had participated in a pigeon racing contest and the digits on the bird’s leg were his mobile phone number.

住在全球最軍事化地區之一的喀什米爾邊境附近一處村莊的哈比布拉說，這隻鳥參加了一場賽鴿大賽，牠腳上的數字是他的行動電話號碼。

In 2016, a pigeon was taken into Indian custody after it was found with a note threatening Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

2016年曾有一隻鴿子被印度扣押，在發現牠有一張威脅印度總理納倫德拉．莫迪的便條以後。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1377877 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1383670

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Topic: Violence in India Threatens Its Global Ambitions

Until recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaign to portray India as a rising power seemed to be ticking along despite troubles at home.

即便在國內遭遇了些問題，總理莫迪將印度描述成崛起大國的行動，直到不久前似乎還一路升溫。

Much of the world remained quiet, or cautious, in recent months as India began locking up hundreds of opposition politicians and activists without charge across the country. Business executives say they are too afraid to speak out about shortcomings in the government’s economic strategy. The press complains of government intimidation.

近幾個月印度開始未經起訴即在全國各地拘禁數百名反對派政治人物與社運人士，世界上許多國家卻依然保持沉默，或審慎以對。企業執行高層表示，他們因為害怕而不敢說出政府經濟策略的缺失。新聞界也抱怨受到政府恫嚇。

Still, there was President Donald Trump last month, embracing Modi in New Delhi, where streets were dotted with posters declaring the “world’s oldest democracy meets the world’s largest democracy.”

儘管如此，上個月還是有川普總統在新德里擁抱莫迪，當地街上到處可見寫著「世界最老牌民主國家，跟世界上最大民主國家相遇」的海報。

But as the leaders celebrated each other in India’s capital, Hindu mobs began going after Muslim protesters in neighborhoods just a few miles away while the police looked on or joined in.

然而，就在兩位領導人在印度首都彼此恭維之際，印度教暴徒們卻開始在數英里外的社區，追打著穆斯林抗議者，警察則袖手旁觀，甚至加入追打者的行列。

Freedom House, a nonpartisan democracy advocacy organization, flagged India as a major concern.

跨黨派民主倡議組織「自由之家」，將印度列為令人高度關切的國家。

“The Indian government has taken its Hindu nationalist agenda to a new level with a succession of policies,” the group said, “threatening the democratic future of a country long seen as a potential bulwark of freedom in Asia and the world.”

該組織說：「印度通過一系列政策，將其印度教民族主義計畫推到一個新水平，威脅到長期被視為亞洲與世界潛在自由堡壘的國家的民主前途。」

In a rare move, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights filed a petition in India’s Supreme Court to challenge a citizenship law that critics say discriminates against Muslims. Some of India’s closest partners have begun criticizing its treatment of Muslims and migrants, with condemnations coming in from Iran, the United States, Bangladesh and elsewhere.

聯合國人權事務署則罕見地向印度最高法院提出請願，挑戰批評人士認為歧視穆斯林的新公民法。一些印度最親密的夥伴國已開始批評印度對待穆斯林與移民的方式，伊朗、美國、孟加拉及一些其他國家陸續發聲譴責。

“If India loses that secular, democratic identity, then it loses what makes it different than other countries in Asia. We are all watching the riots in Delhi and worry they are going down a dangerous road that makes it harder for us to be a strong advocate for India,” said Rep. Ami Bera, a California Democrat who is the longest-serving Indian American in Congress.

美國加州民主黨籍聯邦眾議員貝拉說：「如果印度失去這種世俗的民主身份，就會失去有別於其他亞洲國家的特色。我們都在觀察德里的暴動，並擔心他們正走上危險的道路，這將使得我們很難成為印度的強力支持者。」貝拉是美國國會中最資深的印度裔議員。

One area where international officials believe that India may be particularly hurting itself is in its campaign to be granted a permanent seat at the U.N. Security Council along with other nuclear powers. Speaking on condition of anonymity, several diplomats, including some from countries that have publicly pushed for an Indian seat on the Security Council, say that their governments are now reluctant to push the issue after India’s domestic unrest has laid bare the effects of Hindu nationalism there.

一些外國官員認為，印度使自身受傷最重的一個方面，就是追求與其他核武國家一樣獲得聯合國安理會常任理事國席次的行動。幾位不願透露姓名的外交官（部分來自公開呼籲給予印度安理會席次的國家）表示，在印度國內騷亂暴露出印度教民族主義對當地的影響後，他們的政府現在不願再推動印度入常案。Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/351636/web/

歡迎通勤家族 9/20 週一下午2pm，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~

簡易大綱

1. ‘No’ "不"

Saying ‘no’ outright during an interview gives the impression that you’re not willing to budge.This doesn’t mean you have to say ‘yes’ to questions where ‘no’ is an acceptable answer; it just means that you shouldn’t just end it there.

2. ‘I’ "我"

Although interview is all about showing off your skills and achievements, but there’s a thin, blurry line between knowing when to attribute all the accomplishments of a project to yourself and when to include the assistance, support, and mentorship of others on the said project in conversation.

3. ‘Learn’ "學習"Do not say that you’re taking up the job to ‘learn’ because your hiring manager is looking for someone who has enough experience to give results quickly, not after a particular period of time.

4. ‘Basically’ "基本上"“Basically my job was to…” can make you seem like you don’t think much of the work you’ve done, or that you aren’t taking your accomplishments seriously.

5. Any kind of ultimatum or negatives 任何形式的最後通令或否定You are not in the position to decide how you are going to work in the company without knowing how the company functions. Think of it that way.

Replace the negatives with something that can be negotiated. Using words such as may not, probably, may, and possibility will make you look like you’re willing to change if you’re shown another perspective or if a compromise can be reached.

ROLE-PLAY ACTIVITY 角色扮演

Q: “Do you know how to use XYZ software?”

Q: “Would you be willing to relocate to XYZ location for this role?”

Q: “Can you work weekends/shifts?”

Q: “Give us a brief idea of your previous job description”

Q: “Would you be willing to work the night shift?”

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.K205: About Babies - Boy or girl? It’s in the father’s genes

A Newcastle University study involving thousands of families is helping prospective parents work out whether they are likely to have sons or daughters.

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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.K204: You Can Live to Fight Climate Change

Climate change can seem like such an enormous problem that individual actions would have little impact. Consider Europe’s wide-ranging proposals this week to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, including eliminating sales of new gas- and diesel-powered cars in the next 14 years.

氣候變遷看似是個如此巨大的問題，個人行動幾乎產生不了任何影響力。看看本周歐洲為減少依賴化石燃料提出的廣泛提案，其中包括在14年內停止銷售汽柴油新車。

But people can have an impact, experts say, both by how they spend their money and how they spend their time.

但專家表示，人們可透過花錢與花時間的方式來產生影響。

Mary Weathers Case, for instance, chose to offset the carbon cost of a cross-country plane trip for her family through the site Gold Standard. Case, a psychiatrist who lives in South Salem, New York, with her husband and two children, said she had been reading and watching more news about climate change during the pandemic and had been motivated to do her part after hearing about the searing temperatures in the West.

例如瑪莉．威瑟斯．凱斯就透過「黃金標準網站」，為一家人選擇抵消搭機橫越美國旅行的碳成本。與丈夫和兩個小孩住在紐約南塞勒姆的精神病學家凱斯說，她在疫情期間讀到與看到更多關於氣候變遷的新聞，聽說美國西部酷熱高溫後，她受到激勵想盡一份力。

What surprised her, though, was that after spending $3,000 on plane tickets to Portland, Oregon, she could offset that carbon for $150.

然而，令她吃驚的是，在花了3000美元購買飛往奧勒岡州波特蘭的機票後，她可用150美元來抵銷碳排。

“I was surprised that it was so cheap,” Case said.凱斯說：「我很驚訝竟如此便宜。」

Buying carbon offsets for a plane trip is one way to reduce your environmental impact. But people can allocate their money in other ways, both big and small, that reduce their contribution to climate change. Take how you invest.

為搭機旅行購買碳補償是減少環境影響的一種方法，但人們可透過大大小小的其他方式來分配金錢，減少助長氣候變遷。例如你的投資方式。

With certain investments — namely, those that reduce or remove carbon from the atmosphere — there are defined ways to measure their environmental impact. With others, like water conservation, the metrics are not as clear because there is not an agreed-upon unit to measure.

某些投資有明確的方法來衡量其對環境的影響，也就是能減少或消除大氣中的碳。另一些投資，如水資源保護，衡量標準就不那麼清楚，因為沒有一個商定好的度量單位。

“The improvement in measurement is growing by leaps and bounds,” said Sir Ronald Cohen, an early venture capitalist and the author of the book “Impact: Reshaping Capitalism to Drive Real Change.”

著有《影響：重塑資本主義以推動真正的變革》一書的早期創投家柯恩爵士說：「衡量方面的進步是突飛猛進的。」

He advocates using what are called impact-weighted accounts, an initiative led by Harvard Business School, to evaluate a company’s positive and negative impact on the environment.

他主張使用哈佛商學院帶領提出的影響加權會計帳目計畫，來評估一家公司對環境的正面與負面影響。

Yet he is also open to a less-bad approach. People invested in fossil fuel companies should consider that Exxon Mobil caused $39 billion in environmental damage from its carbon impact, according to Harvard Business School estimates, while BP caused $14 billion in damage. It is like deciding which energy bar is better for you to eat: Those that have less sugar have a better health impact.

不過，他也願意接受一種不太糟的方法。根據哈佛商學院估計，投資化石燃料公司的人應考慮埃克森美孚的碳影響，在環境方面造成390億美元損失，英國石油公司則造成140億美元損失。這就像決定哪種能量棒比較好：糖分較少對健康會有較好影響。

Individuals can make other environmentally conscious choices as well, beyond carbon offsets or investing in cleaner energy.

除了碳補償或投資清潔能源以外，個人還可以做出其他有環保意識的選擇。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5672865

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K203: Line Taiwan warns: Do not click on suspicious links

The MyGoPen fact-checking platform says that a counterfeit version of the official Line Web site that recently appeared on the Internet tricks people into downloading “the latest version of Line for Windows.” As well as having identical Web page design to the original, the site has even placed Google ads to make it look more authentic, while seeking to steal Line users’ account passwords and information and lure people into downloading malware files unawares.

《MyGoPen》查核平台指出，近日網路上出現仿冒的Line官方網站，騙取民眾下載Windows版的最新版本。不但網頁設計與原版一模一樣，更投放Google廣告增加其真實性，並企圖盜取Line用戶帳號密碼和資訊，並誘導民眾下載不明的惡意檔案。

Addressing stories circulating online, Line Taiwan on Monday last week issued an official clarification, saying that Line has always payed close attention to network information security issues, and it recently discovered that an unscrupulous operator had created a fake version of the official Line Web site. Line reminded users not to click on dubious Web addresses or enter their personal account passwords on suspicious Web sites.

針對網路傳言，「Line Taiwan」上週一提供官方聲明澄清，Line長期關注網路資安議題，近期發現有不肖業者偽冒Line官方網站，Line也再次呼籲用戶切勿點選不明網址，或在不明網站上輸入個人帳號密碼。

Line Taiwan added that if users have any other questions, they can communicate them to Line customer service via the problem-reporting function. Additionally, if people come across a suspicious Web address, they can also report it instantly via the reporting function.Line asks users to follow three fraud-prevention steps, namely “do not share, seek verification, report” to safeguard their rights and interests as well as those of other users. The correct Web address for Line’s official Web site is https://line.me. If “line” is followed by letters other than “me,” it may take you to a fake Web site, so do not click on it.

「Line Taiwan」也表示，若使用者有其他疑問，可以透過問題反應表向Line客服反應。另外，如發現可疑網址，亦可透過檢舉功能即時舉報。「Line Taiwan」請用戶以「不分享、求證確認、檢舉」防詐三步驟保障自身及其他用戶的權益。Line的官方網站網址為https://line.me，如果「line」後面有「me」以外的其他字母，可能會導向假冒的網站，民眾切勿點擊。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/08/31/2003763496

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K202: ‘We’re Living in Hell’: Inside Mexico’s Most Terrified City

The violence was already terrifying, she said, when grenades exploded outside her church in broad daylight some five years ago. Then children in town were kidnapped, disappearing without a trace. Then the bodies of the executed were dumped in city streets.

她說，大約五年前，光天化日下手榴彈在她的教會外爆炸，這種暴力已經夠嚇人了。接著鎮上的孩子被綁架，消失得無影無蹤。然後他們被處刑的屍體丟棄在城市街道上。

And then came the day last month when armed men burst into her home, dragged her 15-year-old son and two of his friends outside and shot them to death, leaving Guadalupe — who didn’t want her full name published out of fear of the men — too terrified to leave the house.

接下來是上個月的那一天，武裝男子闖進她家，將她的15歲兒子和兒子兩個友人拖出屋外射殺，讓瓜達魯佩太過驚嚇以致於不敢離開家，因為害怕那些男子，她不希望刊出全名。

“I do not want the night to come,” she said, through tears. “Living with fear is no life at all.”

「我不希望黑夜來臨」，她流著淚說，「活在恐懼中完全不是人過的日子」。

For most of the population of Fresnillo, a mining city in central Mexico, a fearful existence is the only one they know; 96% of residents say they feel unsafe, the highest percentage of any city in Mexico, according to a recent survey from Mexico’s national statistics agency.

對於弗雷斯尼約這個墨西哥中部礦城的大多數人而言，他們知道的只有一項可怕現實。根據墨西哥國家統計局最近一項調查，96%居民說他們感覺不安全，是墨西哥所有城市比率最高者。

The economy can boom and bust, presidents and parties and their promises can come and go, but for the city’s 140,000 people, as for many in Mexico, there is a growing sense that no matter what changes, the violence endures.

經濟可以暴起大落，總統和政黨以及他們的承諾來來去去，但對這座城市的14萬人來說，如同墨西哥許多城市，不論有什麼改變，暴力依舊持續，這種意見正在增加。

In 2018, during his run for president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador offered a grand vision to remake Mexico. Instead of arresting and killing traffickers as previous leaders had done, he would focus on the causes of violence: “hugs not bullets,” he called it. He was swept to victory.

2018年總統選戰期間，羅培茲提出重塑墨西哥的遠大願景，他不像歷任領導人所做的逮捕並殺掉壞蛋，而是聚焦暴力的成因，他稱之為「擁抱而非子彈」。他壓倒式勝選。

But three years after his landslide win, and with his Morena party in control of Congress, the drumbeat of death continues, suggesting that López Obrador’s approach has failed, fueling in many a paralyzing helplessness.

但在他壓倒式勝利以及他的國家復興運動黨掌控國會三年後，死亡的鼓聲持續著，暗示羅培茲的方法已經失敗，激起許多人有如麻痹的無助感。

“We’re living in hell,” said Victor Piña, who ran for mayor of Fresnillo in the June elections and watched an aide gunned down beside him during a pre-campaign event.

「我們活在地獄裡」，今年6月參選弗雷斯尼約市長的維克多．皮納說，他在一場選前活動中看到一名幕僚在他身旁遭槍擊。

Zacatecas, the state Fresnillo is in, has the country’s highest murder rate, with 122 deaths in June, according to the Mexican government. Across Mexico, murders have dropped less than 1% since López Obrador took office, according to the country’s statistics agency. That was enough for the president to claim that there had been an improvement on a problem his administration inherited.

弗雷斯尼約所在的薩卡特卡斯州，謀殺率為全國最高，根據墨西哥政府，6月有122人死亡。根據國家統計局，羅培茲上任以來，墨西哥全國各地謀殺率下降不到1%，這已足夠讓總統宣稱，在他的政府上任後，這個問題已有改善。

Many in Fresnillo disagree.

弗雷斯尼約的許多人不這麼認為。

“‘Hugs not bullets’ doesn’t work,” said Javier Torres Rodríguez, whose brother was shot and killed in 2018. “We’re losing the ability to be shocked.”

「擁抱而非子彈沒有用」，哈維耶．托雷斯．羅里奎茲說，他的兄弟2018年遭槍擊死亡，「我們正失去感到震驚的能力」。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5704988

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.K201: About Animals - Bear cub strolls aisles at Southern California

Shoppers were startled last weekend to see a bear cub browsing the offerings at a Los Angeles supermarket.

洛杉磯一間超市的購物者上週末驚見一隻小熊在瀏覽產品。

Video aired by CBS 2 shows the small bear strolling the aisles on Saturday at the Ralphs store in the Porter Ranch area of the San Fernando Valley.

哥倫比亞廣播公司2台放送的影片顯示，這隻小熊週六在聖費爾南多谷波特牧場地區的「勞爾夫」商店走道漫步。

After sniffing around inside, the bear eventually walked out the front doors.

在裡頭到處聞聞以後，這隻熊最後從前門走了出去。

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife found the 120-pound animal hiding under a trailer at a construction site behind a nearby Walmart.

加州漁業和野生動物局發現這隻120磅的動物躲在附近一間「沃爾瑪」商店後面一處建築工地的拖車底下。

The bear was tranquilized and released into the Angeles National Forest, the department said.

該局說，這隻熊被麻醉後在洛杉磯國家森林裡釋放。

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Elephants in India enjoy fruit feast ahead of World Elephant Day 印度大象在「世界大象日」前享用水果大餐

After an evening walk under overcast skies with rains not far away, elephants rescued from circuses and temples in India are treated to a feast of their favorite fruits and vegetables to celebrate World Elephant Day, which falls on Aug. 12.

在某一個烏雲密布、雨勢逼近的晚上步行之後，從馬戲團和寺廟中獲救的印度大象，被請吃一頓牠們最愛的蔬果大餐，慶祝8月12日的「世界大象日」。

A lavish spread of watermelons, bananas, papayas and pumpkins is laid out for the Asian elephants at a sanctuary near the banks of the Yamuna River.

大量的西瓜、香蕉、木瓜和南瓜被放置在這些亞洲象面前，地點位於靠近亞穆納河河堤的一處庇護所。

Most of the 28 elephants at the center suffer from chronic illness and various ailments ranging from abscesses, cataracts, blindness and joint pain, the result of years of abuse in captivity.

該庇護所的28頭大象中，大部分都有慢性疾病和各種病痛，包括膿瘡、白內障、失明和關節疼痛，那是長年被囚禁的後果。

The number of wild Asiatic elephants, primarily found in India and parts of South and Southeast Asia, has fallen to under 50,000, just 15% of its historic average, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature.

根據世界自然基金會，主要生活在印度、部分南亞和東南亞地區的亞洲象，數量已降至5萬頭以下，僅歷史平均數量的15％。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1466710; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1467645

Topic: About the Internet - First-ever tweet sold for around NT$82.3 million

由推特（Twitter）創辦人杜錫（Jack Dorsey）發出的史上第一條推文，今天被當作「不可替代代幣」（NFT）拍賣出去，得標價飆破290萬美元（約新台幣8230萬元）。

The first-ever tweet by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey was auctioned off on Tuesday as an “non-fungible token” (NFT), with the bid surpassing US$2.9 million (around NT$82.3 million).

拍賣平台Valuables by Cent的一則推文說：「杜錫同意了@sinaEstavi這個帳號所喊出的291萬5835.47美元。」

A tweet from the auction platform “Valuables by Cent” read that “Jack accepted the offer from sinaEstavi for $2915835.47.”

Valuables by Cent表示：「現在這則推文已在區塊鏈（blockchain）上打造好了。」The auction account added that the tweet is now “minted on blockchain.”

得標者的帳號資料顯示，擁有@sinaEstavi帳號的是區塊鏈技術相關的新創公司Bridge Oracle執行長艾斯塔維（Sina Estavi）。

The winner’s account details show that Sina Estavi, CEO of Bridge Oracle, a blockchain technology start-up, owns the @sinaEstavi account.

杜錫表示，他將把這次拍賣所得捐給慈善機構。

Dorsey explained that all proceeds from the auction will be donated to charities.

2006年3月21日，杜錫在鍵盤打下：「剛剛設定好我的推特」（just setting up my twttr）這樣平凡無奇的話，發出後成了史上第一條推文，同時正式啟用推特這個全球通用的平台，後來在公民社會中，成為一股具爭議又占主導地位的力量。

The sold-tweet was first tweeted on March 21, 2006, with Dorsey writing, “just setting up my twttr.”Such a mundane statement became the first tweet ever sent and officially launched Twitter, a global platform that has since become a controversial and dominant force in civil society.

艾斯塔維在推文中說：「我覺得再過幾年，人們會意識到那則推文的真正價值，正如同名畫『蒙娜麗莎』（Mona Lisa）一樣。」“

I think years later people will realize the true value of this tweet, like the Mona Lisa painting,” Estavi tweeted regarding his new purchase.這次杜錫推文的拍賣，凸顯了人們對「不可替代代幣」（non-fungible token, NFT）的興趣激增。

The auction of Dorsey’s tweet also highlights the surge of interest in non-fungible tokens (NFT).

不可替代代幣是在加密貨幣（cryptocurrencies）之後，運用同樣的區塊鏈技術，把物件轉變為虛擬蒐藏家的東西，且無法複製。

Non-fungible tokens uses the same blockchain technology, after cryptocurrencies, to transform objects into virtual collectors’ items that cannot be replicated.

杜錫今天推文感謝@sinaEstavi，並表示，這次拍賣的所得，已經捐給在東非幫助窮人的非營利組織

GiveDirectly。Dorsey tweeted his thanks to Estavi on Tuesday and added that the proceeds from the auction were donated to GiveDirectly, a nonprofit organization that helps the poor in East Africa.

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CNN也報台灣鮭魚之亂！美網友讚：願意改名甜甜圈 | Taiwan’s ‘salmon name-change’ inspires U.S. social media users

知名連鎖壽司店「壽司郎」於17、18日推出優惠活動，只要名字有「鮭魚」兩字的人，可以免費享用整桌的餐點，意外掀起全台鮭魚改名之亂。

Sushi restaurant chain “Sushiro” launched a promotion on March 17 and March 18 by announcing it would give away free sushi to anyone who had “salmon” (鮭魚) in their names, leading to a name-changing frenzy in Taiwan.

而此台灣人瘋鮭魚現象也吸引到外國媒體注意，其中CNN也在19日報導，台灣人為了享有優惠，已有近140位在正式改名，於身分證上大現「鮭魚」兩字。

The phenomenon gradually attracted the attention of international media, with CNN reporting on Thursday that owing to the promotion, around 140 Taiwanese have officially changed their names to include the word “salmon.”

CNN 表示此風潮已引來內政部的不滿，提醒大眾台灣法律規定每人一生中有三次改名機會。CNN added that the situation has led the Ministry of Interior to issue a statement cautioning Taiwanese that they only get three chances to change their names in a lifetime.

繼CNN和BBC等外媒陸續報導後，台人瘋鮭魚事件也引發外國網友的注意，其中有人表示沒想到台灣人也有失去理智的時候，但也有人寫道，身為一個月光族，如果改名可以讓他吃到免費壽司他也願意。

Following media outlets like CNN and BBC’s reports, Taiwaneses’ name-changing craze also reached the ears of U.S. social media users with some commenting they didn’t expect the day Taiwanese would lose their minds.However, others wrote that as a broke millennial, if changing their names would mean getting free sushi, then they were all for it.

更有外國網友開始呼籲美國其他連鎖店開始推類似的活動，並問道自己如果把名字改成「T-Bone」（丁骨牛排）或是「Donut」（甜甜圈），能不能在牛排館和Krispy Kreme獲得免費的餐點。

Some also called on American chain restaurants to try similar promotions, with one volunteering to change their name to “T-bone” while another wanted “Donut” so that they could get freebies from Krispy Kreme.Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210323-2277586 ; https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210319-2222391

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Topic: Uber will ban passengers with low ratingsUber passengers who habitually leave their trash behind and disrespect their drivers may soon get the boot.習慣性留下垃圾以及不尊重駕駛的Uber乘客，很快就會無法再使用Uber。

The ride-hailing company announced Tuesday that riders with ratings that are ’’significantly below average’’ may lose access to the app, part of a rollout of the company’s updated community guidelines, which riders must abide by to continue using the service.

這家叫車公司週二宣布，評分「大幅低於平均值」的乘客，可能會無法存取Uber的app，為該公司的更新版社區守則的一環，乘客若要持續使用該公司的服務，就必須遵守這些守則。

Uber, however, said that bans for bad behavior won’t come as a surprise to offending passengers. Riders will receive several notifications before they lose access to the app, the company said.

不過，Uber也說，不會突然以行為不佳為由禁止叫車以致冒犯到乘客。該公司說，乘客會先接獲數次通知，然後才會無法存取app。

And they also will have opportunities to improve their rating to remain in good standing. Tips to boost a user’s rating include：’’encouraging polite behavior, avoiding leaving trash in the vehicle and avoiding requests for drivers to exceed the speed limit,’’ Uber said.

而且乘客也有機會改善其評分以維持好名聲。提升使用者評分的秘訣包括：「鼓勵禮貌行為，避免在車內留下垃圾，與避免要求司機超速，」Uber說。

Topic: Kakao suspends online comments for entertainment articles Kakao暫停網友對娛樂新聞發表網路留言

South Korea’s internet company Kakao said Friday that it would prevent users from posting malicious comments on its online entertainment news articles next month, pledging also to overhaul its search engine functionalities to address cyberbullying.

南韓的網路公司Kakao週五表示，下個月將禁止使用者對其網路的娛樂新聞報導，張貼惡意留言。該公司也承諾大幅修改其搜尋引擎的功能，以解決網路霸凌。

The measure came after mounting calls for the internet portal website to address cyberbullying targeting celebrities and people in general. The calls intensified after singer-turned-actress Sulli passed away last week in an apparent suicide. While the cause of death was not made public, it was widely believed Sulli had been suffering from depression.

該措施係在要求入口網站解決鎖定名人和一般人的網路霸凌的呼聲愈來愈高後提出。在歌手轉型為演員的雪莉上週過世、死因顯然是自殺後，這樣的呼聲變得更大。儘管尚未公開死因，但外界咸認為雪莉死前受憂鬱症所苦。

Kakao, however, said the decision had not been made because of a single case and that there had been heated debate over the issue for a long time. The company also decided to suspend its “related search words” service for celebrities immediately for its messenger app, Kakao Talk.

然而，Kakao指稱，長久以來就有關於該議題的熱烈論辯，並非因個案而做出實施新措施的決定。該公司亦決定立即暫停其通訊應用程式Kakao Talk針對名人的「相關搜尋字詞」服務。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1327534 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1322297

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Topic: United We Stan: How the Internet Merged Pop Culture and Politics

Whatever persona Elizabeth Warren hopes to project in her presidential campaign, it is probably not that of a child witch. But that is the persona that some of her biggest fans have chosen for her.

雖不知華倫希望在競選總統時以何種形象出現，但大概不會是巫童，然而這正是她的一些鐵粉為她選擇的人物形象。

Images of Hermione Granger, played in the “Harry Potter” films by a young Emma Watson, materialize at Warren’s every move. Warren steps onto the debate stage, and her fans craft tweets where Hermione stands in as her, rolling her eyes at the boys in wizarding class. Warren reads the whole Mueller report, and Hermione smugly wags her wand. In one extremely cursed tweet with zero likes, Warren’s face is transplanted onto Hermione’s frame, posed alongside Beto O’Rourke as Harry and Pete Buttigieg as Ron Weasley.

《哈利波特》電影中由年輕的艾瑪．華森所飾演的妙麗的人物形象，被落實在華倫的一舉一動中。華倫走上辯論會舞台時，她的粉絲們將妙麗對魔法課上男孩翻白眼的照片製作成一則推文，妙麗成了她的化身。華倫展讀穆勒的整份報告時，妙麗得意地搖著魔仗。在一則被罵到翻、沒人按讚的推文中，華倫的臉被安到妙麗的身體上，並跟歐洛克扮演的哈利，以及布塔朱吉扮演的榮恩一起擺姿勢。

What is this strange chimera of presidential campaigning: a candidate’s head on pop culture’s body? It is the product of a great convergence between politics and culture, citizenship and commerce, ideology and aesthetics. Civic participation has been converted seamlessly into consumer practice. It is democracy reimagined as fandom, and it is now a dominant mode of experiencing politics.

候選人的頭配上流行文化的身體，這是總統選戰中什麼樣的奇怪幻象？它是政治與文化、公民與商業、意識形態與美學的巨大融合的產物。公民參與已經無縫接軌轉化為消費行為。它是個被重新想像成粉絲圈的民主，且現在正是體驗政治的一種主流模式。

You can see it in the efforts to sort the candidates into “Harry Potter” houses, converting the election to a personality quiz in a children’s book, and in the mashup video that distills the 2020 candidates into quotes from Michael Scott, the buffoonish boss of “The Office.”

在試圖把候選人分類成《哈利波特》家族人物，將選舉轉化成童書中的人格測驗、以及把2020年候選人發言變成《我們的辦公室》影集滑稽老闆麥可．史考特名言的混搭影片等行動中，都能看出這一點。

A photograph of three congresswomen of color is published and instantly compared to a Whitney Houston GIF, as if women interrogating Michael Cohen are analogous to Houston confronting her cheating boyfriend. Politicos of all stripes are styled as saints and stamped onto novelty devotional prayer candles.

一張三名有色人種國會女議員的照片被公佈後，立即被跟惠妮·休斯頓的照片相提並論，彷彿審問柯恩的女性就如同質問不忠男友的休斯頓，各種政治人物都被描繪成聖徒，印在新奇的祈禱蠟燭上。

Here, political engagement slips easily into the habits of consumption. President Donald Trump’s fans follow him around the country like groupies, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s boosters fetishize her funnel-neck coat as a symbol of the #resistance.

在這一點上，政治參與很容易不知不覺變成消費習慣。川普總統的粉絲們像追星族一樣跟著他走遍全國，眾議院議長波洛西的支持者們則把她的漏斗領外套當作＃抵抗運動的象徵。

Candidates’ supporters now identify as stans — a term derived from the 2000 Eminem song about a fan who becomes so obsessed, he kills.

候選人的支持者現在以stans自居，而這個詞源自阿姆2000年的歌曲，講述一位變得太痴狂、他所害死的粉絲。

Political stanning has a way of remapping the landscape of mainstream politics — maybe even overwriting physical reality itself. Frantic online cultural production swarms around Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg whenever she experiences a health scare, as if memes alone could sustain the octogenarian’s life.

政治上的瘋狂迷戀往往能重繪主流政治的樣貌，甚至可能掩蓋現實世界本身。每當大法官茹絲．貝德．金斯伯格經歷一場健康恐慌時，瘋狂的網路文化產物便群起圍繞著她，彷彿只有迷因才能維持這位八旬老人的生命。

Trump’s fans imbue him with improbable prowess when they edit him into pro-wrestling videos showing him smacking down CNN. But perhaps the most explicit riff on the trend was the infamous Beto O’Rourke sex tweet, which translated his political positions into sexual ones.

當川普粉絲將他編輯進職業摔角影片，顯示他擊倒CNN時，給他注入了不可思議的力量。而歐洛克臭名昭彰的性推文，則可能是對此一趨勢最明顯的嘲諷，因它將他的政治立場轉變成了性別立場。Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/345410/web/

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: 大人的英語 - 酒吧裡用的慣用語 PART II？Alcohol related idioms

Champagne taste on a beer budget  - Someone who likes expensive things but can’t afford it.

香檳的品味，啤酒的預算-  這意味著他們喜歡昂貴的東西， 但他們買不起。

例句: Don’t listen to John. He has champagne taste on a beer budget.

Drink like a fish – To drink like a fish means to drink large quantities of liquid, especially alcohol.

像魚一樣喝酒- 像魚一樣喝酒，就像喝大量的液體，尤其是酒精。

例句: Whenever I go to a bar, I drink like a fish.

Water down – If you water down something, you make it weaker.

水加下去 – 效果變弱，味道變淡

例句: Don’t water down my whiskey with coke. I want to get drunk tonight.

抓得住/不住他的酒 – 能不能喝酒

例句: John can’t hold his liquor. He would pass out before we start drinking.

讓口哨濕潤 – 喝一點酒

例句: You cannot come to a bar and not wet your whistle.

一杯給路上 – 最後一杯就該走了

例句: It’s almost time for me to go home. Let me have one for the road.

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~

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.K200: Daily new COVID-19 cases in Israel approach January peak

New daily novel coronavirus infections in Israel are approaching record levels, despite the country’s largely successful vaccination campaign and the recent rollout of the world’s first widespread booster shot.

以色列的疫苗接種計畫雖然取得很大的成功，且成為第一個廣泛施打加強劑〔即第三劑疫苗〕的國家，但以色列的每日新冠病毒感染人數正逼近最高紀錄。

The spread of the virus has been driven by a surge in the Delta variant — even among the vaccinated. The government recorded 9,831 new cases on Monday last week, the highest single-day figure since Jan. 18, when 10,118 new cases were detected, Israel’s record for the pandemic. In between, Israel led one of the world’s fastest vaccination drives that seemed to turn the tide on the pandemic. A low of a dozen new cases on May 22 kicked off what was expected to be a go-go summer of tourism, concerts and the giddy return of crowds to Israel’s restaurants and outdoor marketplaces.

Delta變種病毒的激增造成了這次病毒散播——即便是已接種疫苗的人也無法倖免。以色列政府上週一記錄到九千八百三十一個新病例，這是自一月十八日一萬零一百一十八例確診以來的最高記錄。在這兩個疫情高峰之間，以色列領導了世界上最快速的疫苗接種行動之一，似乎扭轉了疫情的走向。到了五月二十二日，新增病例只有十幾個，以色列民眾開始了活躍的盛夏，準備迎接重返旅遊、音樂會、餐廳與戶外市集的歡樂人潮。

On June 21, the government registered 125 new cases, more than double the previous day’s count of 49, a snapshot of the spike that has continued since then.

六月二十一日，政府記錄了一百二十五例新增確診，是前一天四十九例的兩倍多，這是此後確診數持續飆升的縮影。

Mandatory masks and green passports, which had been lifted as infections bottomed out in May, are again required to enter public indoor spaces.

五月時由於確診人數達新低，以色列政府取消了強制配戴口罩，以及綠色護照等規定，但現在隨著感染人數觸底反彈，進入公共室內空間又必須再遵循這些規範。

More than 5.9 million of Israel’s 9.3 million people have received at least a single dose of vaccine, and the government’s data show that the shots help people avoid severe illness. A disproportionate number of people hospitalized in serious condition are unvaccinated. Morbidity remains lower than at Israel’s peak. Still, officials have pointed to evidence that the initial round of vaccines become less effective over time.

在以色列九百三十萬的人口中，有超過五百九十萬人接種了至少一劑疫苗；政府數據顯示，疫苗有助於避免重症。染疫後成重症而住院的患者，有很大比例是未接種疫苗者。發病率現仍低於以色列疫情的高峰期。不過，官員們指出，有證據顯示，時間一久，首波疫苗接種後的效果會變得越來越差。

The drive for third jabs comes despite the World Health Organization’s appeal for wealthy countries like Israel to share their vaccines with poor nations that have not yet inoculated their citizens.

儘管世界衛生組織呼籲，像以色列這樣的富裕國家應將疫苗分享給人民尚未接種疫苗的貧窮國家，但施打第三劑的計畫已在進行。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/08/30/2003763442