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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K191: Record number of school leavers in UK snap up university places

Students in the UK found out their advanced level (A-level) exam results on Aug. 10. Nearly 45 percent of A-level entries across the UK have been awarded top grades in their exam results, a record-breaking return for students after more than a year of disruption and school closures during the pandemic.

英國高等考試A-level〔類似台灣的學測，可用來申請大學〕之成績於八月十日公佈，有近百分之四十五的學生得到最優等，比例之高創下紀錄，此前學校因疫情之影響，已關閉了一年多。

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson canceled national exams in England in January as a further lockdown closed schools to most students. Instead, grades are being awarded by teacher assessment, overseen by examination boards, and are expected to show a further acceleration in the proportion of higher grades being awarded.

教育部長蓋文‧威廉森在一月取消了英格蘭的A-level全國考試，因封城持續，學校關閉，大多數學生無法到校上學。考試之成績改由教師評量給分，並由考試委員會監督，預期會有更高比例的學生得到高分。

Last year, the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) attempted to award qualifications in England using an algorithm that allocated grades to each school based on past results, but that was abandoned shortly after A-levels were published, following an uproar.

去年，英國政府「資歷及考試規例局」試圖在英格蘭運用一種演算法來授與學業能力證明，該演算法依據各校過去的成績表現來分配成績，但在A-level成績公布後引起一片嘩然，此做法隨之被捨棄。

This year, grading has been left in the hands of schools without restrictions, but Ofqual and Williamson have defended teachers from accusations of causing grade inflation.

今年，評分已完全掌握在學校手中，但對於教師遭指讓學生的成績虛胖，資歷及考試規例局和威廉森皆為教師辯護。

“Teachers know what their students can do and, in the absence of formal exams, there is no person or system better placed to fairly judge young people’s abilities,” Williamson said.

「教師了解其學生之能耐，而且在沒有正式考試的情況下，沒有人或系統更能公平判斷這些年輕人的能力」，威廉森表示。

According to admissions experts, record numbers of A-level students achieved the grades required to take up the offer from their top-choice university, leaving few spaces available in clearing for the most popular courses, so competition for places is expected to be fierce.

根據招生專家之說法，有史上最多的學生人數，其A-level成績達到大學入學要求，並被其第一志願大學錄取，使得一些最受歡迎課程的補錄取名額所剩無幾。對這些名額的競爭將非常激烈。 Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/08/16/2003762656

Hi there!歡迎收聽Look Back Sunday回顧星期天，在這個節目John老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽英國相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic: About UK - Subway bread isn’t bread, Irish court says

Ireland’s Supreme Court has ruled that bread sold by the fast food chain Subway contains so much sugar that it cannot be legally defined as bread.

愛爾蘭最高法院裁定，速食連鎖店「賽百味」的麵包含有太多糖，不符合法律上麵包的定義。

The ruling came in a tax dispute brought by Bookfinders Ltd., an Irish Subway franchisee, which argued that some of its takeaway products - including teas, coffees and heated sandwiches - were not liable for value-added tax.

愛爾蘭的賽百味加盟商Bookfinders因稅務爭端提出訴訟後，最高法院做出此一裁決。該公司主張，他們部分外帶產品—包含茶飲、咖啡和加熱三明治—不該被徵收加值型營業稅。

A panel of judges rejected the appeal, ruling that the bread sold by Subway contains too much sugar to be categorized as a "staple food," which is not taxed.

合議庭拒絕上訴主張，裁定賽百味販售的麵包含糖量太高，不得被歸類為不用課稅的「主食」。

"There is no dispute that the bread supplied by Subway in its heated sandwiches has a sugar content of 10% of the weight of the flour included in the dough, and thus exceeds the 2% specified," the judgement read.

判決書指出：「賽百味在加熱三明治中提供的麵包，含糖量是麵糰中麵粉重量的10%，超過規定的2%，這點沒有爭議。」

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Topic: British inventor wins $1m prize for revolutionary wheelchair design 英國發明家以創新的輪椅設計 贏得100萬獎金

Andrew Slorance, 51, has won a $1m prize to help him continue to develop a revolutionary ultra-light, stable carbon fibre wheelchair.

51歲的安德魯．斯洛蘭司贏得100萬美元的獎金，幫助他繼續研發一款創新、超輕、穩定的碳纖維輪椅。

He was aware of how tipping over backwards was the primary cause of accidents for wheelchair users. One way to deal with this is by having the axle to the back of the wheelchair and putting the user’s weight to the front of it - but this brings new challenges.

他發現向後傾斜是輪椅使用者發生意外的主因。一種解決此問題的方法是，將輪軸放在輪椅後方，並將使用者的重量置於前方，但這種方法也帶來新的挑戰。

When the weight is carried by the small front wheels, this adds drag, making pushing and turning much more difficult, and introducing uncomfortable vibrations that can cause pain and muscle spasms.

當重量由小的前輪支撐時，會增加阻力，讓推動與轉動便得更困難，並且造成不舒服的震動，可能會引起疼痛與抽筋。

Wheelchair designs have previously had to make a trade-off between agility and stability, but Mr Slorance’s new design allows the wheelchair to automatically change the weight distribution itself, keeping users balanced while also ensuring they’re as agile as possible.

輪椅設計過去已在靈活與穩定性間做出妥協，但斯洛蘭司的新設計讓輪椅可以自動改變自身重量分配，讓使用者維持平衡，也確保他們盡可能地靈活。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1423530 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1429985

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Topic: UK company sells ‘bottles of air’ for homesick people

新冠肺炎爆發後，全球各地都深受疫情影響，近期英國出現2019冠狀病毒疾病新變種病毒，超過40國對英國祭出交通禁令，導致目前許多英國人無法返回家鄉。

The recent outbreak of new variants of the coronavirus in the U.K. has led to more than 40 countries imposing a travel ban on the nation, resulting in many British nationals being unable to return home.

英國國際行李搬家服務公司My Baggage近日推出「空氣罐」，讓英國人透過呼吸家鄉空氣，一解鄉愁。

In light of this observation, My Baggage, a relocation company based in the U.K., has recently launched the “bottled air” which allows customers to relieve their nostalgia by breathing in the air of their home country.

根據CNN報導，My Baggage推出新產品，販賣「真正」來自英國、蘇格蘭、威爾斯和北愛爾蘭的空氣，讓身在海外的英國人能聞到家鄉的味道。

According to CNN, My Baggage is currently selling “authentic” air from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to provide Brits overseas to enjoy the scent of home.

空氣罐要價不斐，每瓶500毫升定價25英鎊（約新台幣942元）。購買空氣瓶的買家會收到附贈的軟木塞，方便隨時可開啟，慢慢享受家鄉的氣味。

Each 500 ml air bottle is priced at £25 (about NT$942). A bottle will come with a cork stopper so that people can enjoy the scent of home at any time.

除了英國之外，這家搬運公司還有提供客製化服務，顧客可提出地點，公司會前往指定地點裝滿空氣瓶再送到顧客手中。

What’s more? The company also offers a customized service that people can request a location and the company will go to the specified location to fill the bottles and deliver them to you.

My Baggage表示，他們曾經遇到一位來自威爾斯的顧客，指定要位在北威爾斯史諾多尼亞山區的空氣。

My Baggage said that they once met a customer from Wales who requested a sample of air from the mountainous region of Snowdonia Mountains in northern Wales.

此外，這系列產品還有推出限量版空氣，包括裝有倫敦地鐵、以及一間位於諾福克炸魚薯條店的空氣罐。

Also, special limited edition bottles featuring air taken from the London Underground or a fish and chip shop in Norfolk are also available.

Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20201223-1950634

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Topic: Scotland is making tampons and pads free

Scotland has become the first country to allow free and universal access to menstrual products, including tampons and pads, in public facilities, a landmark victory for the global movement against period poverty.

蘇格蘭成為世界首個在公共設施免費向所有人供應衛生棉條和衛生護墊等生理期用品的國家，這是全球對抗月經貧困運動的一次里程碑式勝利。

The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favor of the Period Products bill on Tuesday, months after lawmakers had initially signaled their support.

在國會議員初步表示支持之後數月，蘇格蘭議會週二一致投票通過月經用品法案。

It means period products will be available to access in public buildings including schools and universities across Scotland. According to the new rules, it will be up to local authorities and education providers to ensure the products are available free of charge.

這意味著蘇格蘭各地包括中小學和大學在內的公共場所將會免費提供月經用品。根據新法規，地方政府部門和教育機構將確保免費供應月經用品。

The bill’s accompanying financial memorandum estimates it could cost around £8.7 million a year by 2022, depending on the number of women who will take advantage of the free products.

該法案附帶的財務備忘錄估計，到2022年，該免費項目每年將耗資約870萬英鎊（約3.3億台幣），具體數目取決於領用免費月經用品的女性數量。

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BBC announces probe into 1995 Diana interview BBC宣布調查1995年黛妃專訪

The BBC announced Wednesday the immediate start of an investigation into how it obtained an explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana that lifted the lid on her troubled marriage to Prince Charles.

英國廣播公司（BBC）週三宣布，將立即就該公司如何在1995年讓黛安娜王妃同意接受驚世專訪、揭露她與王儲查爾斯的婚姻問題重重一事，展開調查。

The late princess’ brother, Charles Spencer, has alleged that the flagship "Panorama" programme reporter who conducted the interview, Martin Bashir, showed him faked documents to persuade his sister to take part.

這位已故王妃的胞弟查爾斯．史賓塞宣稱，專訪黛妃的BBC招牌節目「萬象」的記者馬丁．巴席爾，曾向他展示造假檔案以說服他胞姊受訪。

New reports have surfaced alleging that Bashir used underhand methods to persuade Diana to talk, including by claiming her own staff members were being paid to spy on her.

新出現的報導指稱，巴席爾以不入流的手段說服黛妃受訪，包括宣稱她的幕僚收錢監視她。

In the November 1995 interview, which was watched by a record 22.8 million people, Diana detailed her collapsing marriage to the heir to the throne.

在1995年11月這段有破紀錄的2280萬人觀看的專訪中，黛妃詳述她與王儲之間瀕臨瓦解的婚姻。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1418379 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1417500

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Topic: How American Guns Are Fueling U.K. Crime

Josh Bains was 28 when he was killed after an argument over a drug debt of about $50 just a few miles from the English village where he grew up — with a gun that had traveled thousands of miles from America.

貝恩斯因為欠下約50美元買毒債與人起爭執後遇害，年僅28歲，遇害處離他成長的英格蘭村落只有幾哩，奪命的槍枝卻遠從數千哩外的美國而來。

His was one of a rising number of gun deaths in recent years that have British authorities worried about an expanding smuggling pipeline from the United States. The gun used to kill Bains in October 2018 — a Taurus Model 85 — is banned outright in Britain.

英國近年來像貝恩斯這樣的槍擊案死者愈來愈多，令當局對英美之間走私網日漸擴大感到憂慮。2018年10月用來殺害貝恩斯的這支金牛座M85左輪手槍，在英國完全禁用。

“I think Americans wouldn’t believe that something that they produce could affect people like us,” said Clare Bains, who was Bains’ stepmother. “If there weren’t all these guns, they wouldn’t be seeping out of America all over the world.”

貝恩斯的繼母克萊兒說：「美國人不會相信，他們製造的東西竟會影響到我們這樣的人。要是沒有這麼多槍，就不會流出美國，跑到世界各地。」

Gun deaths remain extremely rare in Britain, and very few people, even police officers, carry firearms. But the growing presence of U.S. weapons on the streets, which has not previously been widely reported, comes as serious violent crime, like murders and stabbings, has risen sharply.

英國死於槍擊案者極少，而且少有人攜帶槍械，包括警察，不過美國武器在英國街頭愈來愈常見，這種現象先前未獲廣泛報導，同時，謀殺和持刀傷人等嚴重暴力罪案亦遽增。

Most illegal firearms in Britain still come from Europe. But investigators seized hundreds of smuggled U.S. guns last year, a small figure by international standards, though experts say the number that police do not discover is likely to be far higher.

英國非法槍枝多數仍來自歐陸，不過去年調查人員查扣數以百計走私入境的美國槍枝，以國際標準而言算少，但專家指出未查獲的可能遠多於此。

British police have traced some of the smuggled U.S. guns back to loosely regulated gun fairs in states like Florida. Investigators have also seized U.S. weapons being smuggled on a container ship and hidden in car engines.

英國警方查出，走私的美國槍枝部分來自佛州等地管理鬆散的槍械展，調查人員還沒收了藉貨櫃船走私和藏在汽車引擎中的美國武器。

Now authorities fear that after Brexit, when borders with the European Union will be more tightly regulated, the illegal gun trade from the United States could accelerate, especially given the Trump administration’s broad support for the gun industry.

現在英國當局擔心，英國脫離歐盟導致英歐邊界管制收緊之後，來自美國的私槍會大增，在川普政府力挺槍枝產業的背景下，尤其如此。

“A major Trump administration goal is to globalize the firearms trade and facilitate exports, and if you’re facilitating legal exports, it’s almost inevitable that there will be an illegal diversion of weapons into criminal markets in other countries,” said Aaron Karp, a senior consultant for the Small Arms Survey in Geneva and a lecturer at Old Dominion University in Virginia.

瑞士日內瓦「小型武器調查」研究計畫高級顧問、美國維吉尼亞州老道明大學講師卡普說：「川普政府一大目標是，使槍枝貿易全球化並促進槍枝出口，而如果美國推動合法槍枝出口，難免會有部分非法武器流入他國的犯罪市場。」

The United States is one of the biggest legal exporters of firearms in the world, but hundreds of thousands of guns also illegally leak out of the country and fuel homicides, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean.

美國是最大合法槍枝出口國之一，卻有數以十萬計槍枝非法流出並助長殺人案，尤其在拉丁美洲和加勒比海地區。

In Britain, criminal groups primarily use knives for acts of violence. Knife crime reached a record high last year, accounting for around 2 out of every 5 killings. By comparison, only 33 people were killed with a gun.

在英國，犯罪團體主要持刀行凶，去年持刀所犯刑案創新高，約占殺人案五分之二，相較之下，只有33人死於槍擊。

But the number of illegal guns in circulation is growing. In the last year alone, gun seizures by Britain’s national policing body, the National Crime Agency, more than doubled, and firearm offenses have soared by 38% since 2015.

然而，流通的非法槍枝不斷增加。單是這一年來，英國國家治安機關「國家刑事局」查扣的槍枝就比先前多出一倍以上，而且從2015年以來，槍枝犯罪激增了38%。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/356788/web/

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Slang for beer and liquor 酒的俚語:

1. Would you like a brew? (一杯釀的 - 啤酒)

Slang to describe someone who is drunk 喝醉的俚語:

1. He’s bombed. (被炸掉了)

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.K190: About US - Biden’s right-to-repair order is good news for people who always break their phones

After years of petitions and proposals, momentum is building in government to give consumers broader rights to repair products they own ranging from farm tractors to mobile phones.

在多年的請願與提案後，政府正在推動給予消費者更大的權利去維修他們擁有的產品，範疇從農場的曳引機到手機。

The right-to-repair issue has brought farmers in league with electronic and computer enthusiasts, who for years have groused at the thought that they merely licensed software, didn’t own it, and weren’t able to modify it to their liking.

維修權問題讓農民與電子產品及電腦的愛好者結盟，他們多年來一直抱怨自己只獲授權使用軟體，並未擁有它，也無法根據自身喜好調整它。

In a press briefing yesterday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden will issue an executive order directing the US Department of Agriculture to issue rules that "give farmers the right to repair their own equipment how they like."

在昨天的新聞發布會中，白宮新聞秘書珍．莎琪表示，拜登總統將發布一項行政命令，指示美國農業部發布規定，「賦予農民權利，隨他們的喜好修復自己擁有的設備」。

Biden will urge the Federal Trade Commission to press computer and electronics manufacturers and defense contractors to offer additional leeway in how their devices are repaired.

拜登還將敦促聯邦貿易委員會施壓電腦、電子產品製造商與國防承包商，在如何修復他們的裝置上提供更多餘地。

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One in five young adults is neither working nor studying in US 美國5名年輕成人就有1人沒在工作，也沒就學

Almost one in five young adults in the U.S. was neither working nor studying in the first quarter as Black and Hispanic youth remain idle at disproportionate rates.

今年第1季美國幾乎每5名年輕成年人中，就有1人沒在工作也沒在就學，非裔與西裔年輕人賦閒率更是不成比例。

In the first three months of the year, about 3.8 million Americans age 20 to 24 were not in employment, education or training, known as the NEET rate, the Center for Economic Policy and Research said in a report. That’s up by 740,000, or 24%, from a year earlier.

「經濟政策與研究中心」在一份報告中說，今年前3個月，約380萬名20歲到24歲的人處於非就業、就學或接受培訓，即所謂「尼特」率，比一年前多出74萬人，或者24％。

Inactive youth is a worrying sign for the future of the economy. Further, high NEET rates may foster environments that are fertile for social unrest.

年輕人閒閒沒事做，是經濟前景一個令人擔心的徵兆。而且，高「啃老」率或許助長醞釀社會不安的環境。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1461413; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1464726

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K189: How Public Letters Became Companies’ Favorite Form of Activism

Over the past few years, CEOs have taken a stance on a variety of issues that previous generations of business leaders might have avoided altogether. Some have pledged money or reassessed their firm’s political giving. Mostly, though, they have written and signed countless public letters.

過去幾年，美國許多企業執行長針對前幾代商界領袖根本不碰的各類議題表達立場。有人承諾捐款，有的許諾重新評估該公司政治獻金，不過多數是撰寫和簽署大量公開信。

Anti-LGBTQ legislation, police brutality against Black Americans, violence against Asian Americans and the recent efforts to restrict voting access have all prompted strongly worded statements from some of the nation’s most prominent business figures. In one case, hundreds of them signed a letter together.

立法反對女同性戀、男同性戀、雙性戀、變性人及非異性戀人士，警察殘暴對待非裔，亞裔遭暴力攻擊，以及最近許多州推動增加投票難度的法案，都激起美國一些最知名商界人物發出措辭強烈的聲明，其中一次是數以百計要角共同簽署公開信。

It can be easy to dismiss the significance of a letter as a tool of change. A signed statement is, quite literally, all talk, and it doesn’t guarantee any further action. But these letters also mark a shift in the relationship between companies and their employees and customers, and in the scope of the role that CEOs are expected to play in the social and political landscape.

公開信促進改變的重要性，很容易被貶低。署名公開信確實是空口說白話，不表示一定會有進一步行動。不過，公開信也意味企業和員工與顧客之間關係轉變，以及社會與政治層面期望執行長們扮演的角色範疇有所改變。

“The tipping point really was the 2016 election,” said Meike Eilert, who researches company and consumer behavior, most recently at the University of Kentucky.

最近在美國肯塔基大學研究企業與顧客行為的美克．艾勒特說：「臨界點就是2016年總統大選。」

As politics were becoming more divisive, Gen Z was entering the workforce and gaining power as consumers. “Digitally native generations, but especially Gen Z, put a lot of pressure on companies to stand up and demonstrate their values,” she said.

政治變得更對立之際，Z世代進入勞動市場並成為有力的消費者。艾勒特說：「數位原生世代，尤其Z世代，對企業施加很大壓力，要企業挺身表達價值。」

The nature of the issues at the core of these conversations has also changed. Recent CEO letters against voting legislation, for example, are a case not of demanding change but of speaking up for democratic rights enshrined in law decades ago.

這些對話核心議題的本質也有改變，例如，最近幾封反對增加投票難度法案的執行長公開信，不是在要求變革，而是在強調數十年前就受法律保護的民主權利。

“What you’re seeing is CEOs holding the center,” said Michael Toffel, a professor at Harvard Business School who studies CEO activism. Ten years ago, securing voting rights would not have been considered a “liberal” thing, he said, adding: “It would have been kind of an American thing.”

哈佛商學院教授塔佛研究執行長如何參與社會運動，他說，「執行長們在力守中道」，十年前，捍衛投票權不會被認為是「自由派」的事，「這應該是美國人都認同的事」。

So why turn to an open letter? Companies want to balance the shift in consumer and employee expectations with pressure from investors, who have historically tended to frown on any efforts that could divert resources from shareholder value. Writing a letter is a relatively safe way to do that, suggested a paper in the Journal of Marketing last year. Signing a group letter is even safer.

那為什麼要寫公開信？企業想在消費者與員工期望和投資人壓力之間求取平衡，而投資人過往傾向反對用股東價值資源做其他事。去年在行銷期刊發表的一篇研究顯示，寫封公開信是求取平衡相對安全的作法，與他人聯名發表公開信更安全。

Consumers and employees “do not accept silence as neutrality anymore,” Nooshin Warren, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Arizona said.

亞利桑那大學行銷助理教授努欣．華倫說，消費者和員工「不再接受沉默是中道」。 Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5639841

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K188: Boffin Barbie: toy creator honors vaccine co-creator

Toy giant Mattel said Wednesday last week it hoped to “inspire the next generation” after creating a model of its iconic Barbie doll in honor of Sarah Gilbert, co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.

玩具大廠美泰兒公司上週三表示，為表彰牛津／阿斯捷利康冠狀病毒疫苗之共同發明人莎拉‧吉伯特，該公司為其著名產品芭比娃娃開發了新款，希望能「鼓舞下一代」。

Gilbert said she found the news “very strange” but hoped “children who see my Barbie will realize how vital careers in science are to help the world around us.”

吉伯特聽聞此消息，說她覺得「挺怪的」，但希望「看到我的芭比娃娃的孩子們會了解，科學職業對幫助我們周遭的世界是多麼重要」。

“My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a vaccinologist.”

The toy company created models in honor of five other women in the sciences: US healthcare workers Amy O’Sullivan and Audrey Cruz, Canadian campaigner Chika Stacy Oriuwa, Brazilian researcher Jaqueline Goes de Jesus and Australian medic Kirby White.

「希望我的玩偶會向孩子們展示他們可能不知道的職業，比如說疫苗學家」。

這家玩具公司也設計了其他款式，來表彰五位科學界的女性：美國醫護人員艾米‧奧沙利文及奧黛莉‧克魯茲、加拿大活動人士奇卡‧史岱西‧奧里瓦、巴西研究人員賈克琳‧戈耶思‧德‧杰索斯，以及澳洲醫師克兒比‧懷特。

“Barbie recognizes that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened,” said Lisa McKnight, senior vice president of Barbie and dolls at Mattel.

美泰兒公司芭比娃娃及玩偶部門高級副總裁麗莎‧麥克奈特表示：「芭比肯定所有前線工作人員，在面對疫情大流行及加劇的挑戰時，都做出了巨大犧牲」。

“To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories and leveraging Barbie’s platform to inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back.”

“Our hope is to nurture and ignite the imaginations of children playing out their own storyline as heroes.”

「為彰顯其努力，我們分享他們的故事，並利用芭比娃娃這平台，來激勵下一代追隨這些英雄並做出回饋」。「我們希望培養及點燃孩子的想像力，讓他們在遊戲扮演角色時，有自己的英雄故事」。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/08/09/2003762257

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K187: About space - 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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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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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K186: ‘Black Widow’ Gives a Taste of How Theaters and Streaming Can Coexist

There has been a lot of hand-wringing about the demise of movie theaters over the past year and a half, and for good reason. Most were closed for at least a few months during the height of the pandemic. Companies like the Walt Disney+ Co., NBCUniversal, WarnerMedia and Viacom have started to prioritize streaming for their films, in part to bolster subscriber interest in their own Netflix-style platforms.

過去一年半，許多人擔心電影院走入歷史，而且這樣想有充分理由。在新冠肺炎疫情高峰期，多數戲院關了至少幾個月。迪士尼、NBC環球、華納媒體與維亞康姆等公司開始讓影片優先在類似Netflix的自家影音串流平台上架，部分是為了衝高訂閱數。

Over the weekend came evidence that, at least for the biggest franchise films and with a carefully calibrated pricing strategy, theatrical distribution and streaming can coexist.

上個周末的事實證明，在定價策略精準的情況下，院線發行和串流可以共存，至少對最知名的幾個系列電影是如此。

At least for now.

至少現在如此。

“Black Widow,” a long-delayed Marvel movie, collected about $80 million in the U.S. and Canada from Thursday night to Sunday for Disney. Overseas, the superhero movie sold an additional $78 million in tickets. That means that, in total, roughly 17 million people went to see the movie in a theater, according to Rich Greenfield, a founder of the LightShed Partners research firm.

延後多時才上映的漫威電影「黑寡婦」，周四晚間至周日在美國與加拿大為迪士尼賺進約8000萬美元票房收入。在海外，這部超級英雄電影票房收入7800萬美元。研究機構LightShed Partners創辦人葛林菲德指出，這意味共有約1700萬人到戲院看電影。

Disney also made “Black Widow” available on its Disney+ streaming service, which has more than 100 million subscribers worldwide. Subscribers could instantly watch the film (and have permanent access to it) for a $30 surcharge. Disney said Sunday that Disney+ generated about $60 million from “Black Widow” orders over the weekend. Greenfield said that figure equated to about 2 million transactions and about $48 million in revenue for Disney after streaming partners had taken their cut.

迪士尼也讓黑寡婦在全球訂戶超過一億的自家串流平台Disney+上架，訂戶額外付30美元，就能立刻並永久收看。迪士尼周日表示，黑寡婦上個周末讓Disney+進帳約6000萬美元。葛林菲德說，這個數字相當於200萬筆交易，扣除串流夥伴分得的收入，迪士尼可得到約4800萬美元。

There are several takeaways. “Imagine being a theater owner and realizing studios need you less and less everyday,” Greenfield wrote on Twitter. “Leverage is shifting rapidly in the streaming era toward the studios.”

從這件事能汲取一些要點。葛林菲德在推特上寫道：「想像你是電影院老闆，你會發現製片廠愈來愈不需要你。在串流時代，權力正快速轉移到製片廠手上。」

On the other hand, the fact that 17 million people decided to leave their bubbles and go sit with strangers in a theater — amid rising coronavirus infections, the result of the delta variant — when they could just push a button in their living rooms is nothing to sneeze at. For now, theatrical distribution remains a major revenue generator and cannot be ignored if studios want to make money on big-budget spectacles.

另一方面，新冠病毒Delta變異株肆虐引發病例增加之際，人們明明可以在自家客廳按鈕收看，卻有1700萬人決定放棄與世隔絕，到電影院跟陌生人坐在一起，這不是小數目。目前如果製片廠想在高成本大片賺錢，院線發行仍是不能忽視的主要收入來源。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5623457

Topic: Sightseeing train turns ’problem’ Kyoto line into talk of the town

A railway here in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture once on the verge of being defunct has a new lease on life with its slow-moving sightseeing train featuring a cafe-like interior.

（日本）京都府宮津一條曾瀕臨廢線的鐵路，憑藉內部裝潢有如咖啡館的觀光慢車，得以續命綿延。

The Tango Aka-Matsu is operated by Kyoto Tango Railway （Tantetsu）, whose lines were famously dubbed the symbol of unprofitable train routes in the Heisei Era, which started in 1989.

京都丹後鐵道（簡稱丹鐵）負責營運的「丹後赤松號」觀光列車所行駛的路線，被稱為是始於1989年平成時代的知名不賺錢路線的象徵。

The train, which connects Nishi-Maizuru and Amanohashidate stations, runs at reduced speeds offering scenic views.

這列連接西舞鶴站與天橋立站的觀光列車，以較慢速度行駛，好讓乘客能夠欣賞美景。

Passengers let out cries of delight on a weekend in December as the fully occupied 33-seat train approached Yuragawa Kyoryo bridge over the Yuragawa river.

去年12月的某個週末，當33個座位都坐滿的觀光列車駛向跨越由良川的由良川橋時，車上乘客一陣驚呼。

"It’s amazing. It’s like we are on the sea," one passenger said.

「太棒了。我們好像在海上，」一名乘客如是說。

The 550-meter-long bridge is only a few meters above the river, making passengers feel as if the train is traveling on the water.

這座550公尺長的鐵道橋，只比河面高幾公尺，讓乘客覺得火車彷彿行駛在水面上。

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Topic: Emergency bathroom run lands Japanese "bullet train" driver in hot water 煩

The famed high-speed "bullet train" in Japan got some unwanted attention from regulators last month after the driver briefly abandoned his controls to take a bathroom break — leaving the train and its 160 passengers to hurtle along the tracks at 93 miles-per-hour.

日本知名的高速「子彈列車」上月因一名司機員暫離駕駛室去上廁所而被監管人員盯上——（他）讓列車與車上160名乘客以93英里的時速奔馳於鐵軌上。

The train departed Tokyo Station at 7:33 a.m., bound for Shin-Osaka station. At 8:14, outside the city of Odawara southwest of Tokyo, the driver suffered a bout of abdominal distress.

這班前往新大阪站的列車在早上7時33分從東京站出發。8時14分來到東京西南方的小田原市外圍時，司機員感到一陣腹痛。

Instead of stopping the train to run to the bathroom, he called in the conductor to occupy the control room for three minutes, until he was able to scramble back to his post.

與其停車以便跑去上廁所，他反而找來車掌在駕駛室待3分鐘，直到他趕回與重返駕駛崗位。

"Many of our conductors are licensed to take the controls," Central Japan Railway public relations representative Ryumon Hashimoto said. "But this one wasn’t."

「我們的許多車掌有（列車）駕駛執照，」JR東海公關部的橋本龍門（譯音）說。「但這位沒有。」

Next Article

Topic: Aesthetic makeover: TRA launches new tour train

When the plans for the Taiwan Railway Administration’s (TRA) NT$79 million (US$2.6 million) 29 “Formosa Express” passenger tour carriages were revealed earlier this year, the designs were met with an avalanche of criticism. In response, TRA director Chang Cheng-yuan announced in April that the company would hold consultations on the design, and that the most vehement detractors would be invited to contribute.

台鐵局今年耗資新台幣七千九百萬元，打造二十九輛環島之星觀光列車，曝光後設計卻遭批評。台鐵局長張政源在今年四月宣布，成立台鐵美學設計諮詢審議小組，「把罵台鐵最凶的統統找來」。由設計師吳漢中為代表，齊聚各界專家，把二十九輛當中尚未施作完工的十三輛列車，邀請在國內外得過許多設計大獎的台灣設計團隊「柏成設計」，導入美學概念重新改造。

Headed by designer Han Wu, the team of consultants brought together experts from various fields, and the award-winning Taiwanese design firm J. C. Architecture was invited to undertake an aesthetic makeover, designing the 13 cars yet to be converted.

Unveiled on Friday, the newly designed TRA Tour Train sports a black and orange exterior, imparting an air of gravitas to its new look. Redundant signs distracting from the minimalist interior design were removed, and soft lighting was introduced to create a comfortable, relaxing ambience, to give passengers the impression of being in a hotel.

新設計的台鐵觀光列車上週五亮相，外觀改用尊榮感十足的黑、橘色，內裝採減法設計，去掉多餘的指標，燈光使用溫和的色溫，讓旅客有如進到飯店的舒適氛圍。

The curtains in the carriages are based on the works of Yuma Taru, an aboriginal craftswoman, employing geometric shapes suggestive of mountains, while the upholstery utilizes blues and grays, a reference to Taiwan’s oceans, rocks and mountains. The overall effect goes beyond that of a simple means of transportation, and now has more of an emotional impact.

車廂中的窗簾，是參考原住民工藝家尤瑪．達陸的作品，以幾何圖形堆疊出山脈造型；座椅顏色為藍、灰色，象徵台灣的海洋、石頭與山，讓火車不再只是生硬的交通工具，同時也富有情感。

Commenting on why black and orange were chosen for the exterior, Nora Wang, co-founder of J. C. Architecture, says that black imparts a sense of mystery and sobriety, and that old photos of TRA train carriages show that black was widely used for train exteriors in the past. The orange, meanwhile, is a reference to the Chu Kuang Express train designs. The tour train’s black and orange theme is therefore a link to railway history, reinvented from and recombining older design elements.

列車外觀使用黑、橘二色，柏成設計合夥創辦人王菱檥表示，黑色具有神秘的尊榮感，尤其觀察過往台鐵車體照片時，發現有一段時期大量採用黑色設計，因此激盪出新的想法。經典橘色則是延續莒光號原有的橘，保有車輛的歷史，將舊元素重新組合，迸出新的設計火花。

Wang’s favorite design is the bar counter area, reminiscent of a hotel reception, featuring a small lamp on the dining table, giving boarding passengers the impression they are entering a hotel. Passengers get to experience the hotel-like service, too, reclining in the train’s parlor car accompanied by friends and family, leisurely sipping coffee. The windows offer magnificent ocean views to the east and vistas of rice paddies and mountains to the west.

有如飯店接待大廳的吧台區是王菱檥最喜愛的設計，餐桌台上放了一盞小燈，當旅客踏上這輛觀光列車時，感覺就像是踏進飯店一樣。跟親朋好友坐在客廳車，悠閒喝著咖啡，從觀景窗往外望，東邊有海岸線壯闊海景，西邊則有稻穗、山脈，帶給大家有如旅館式的服務體驗。

Wang says, “The TRA train is not just a means of transportation, it is a starting point for a journey.” She hopes that the TRA Tour Train will help promote rail travel in Taiwan. Tour trains in countries such as Japan and Italy attract visitors from all over the world every year, and Wang believes Taiwan has the potential to be like this. “Taiwan’s landscape is so beautiful,” she says, and “some scenery can only be seen from the train.”

王菱檥說：「台鐵不只是交通工具，而是旅遊的起始點。」她希望未來可帶動民眾搭乘火車在島內旅遊的風氣，放眼各國的觀光列車如日本、義大利等，每年吸引全球民眾到訪，「相信台灣有這方面的潛力，台灣景觀太美了，有些景色只有坐火車才看得到」。

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/12/17/2003727649/2

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Topic: The hydrogen, or hydrail, train is set to run in Lower Saxony starting in December 2017.

氫動力火車，或稱「hydrail」，2017年12月將在德國西北部的下薩克森邦上路。

The train - called the "Coradia iLint" - has been developed over the past two years by French company Alstom.

這種火車稱為「柯納狄亞」，由法國「阿斯頓」公司耗時2年開發。

The hydrogen train operates using a hydrogen fuel tank, stored on the roof of the train, that in turn powers a fuel cell to produce electrical energy. This technology provides a new environmentally friendly alternative to the diesel trains that are still used across much of Germany.

這種氫動力火車的動力來自位於車頂的氫氣箱，可驅動燃料電池產生電力。這項技術為德國許多地區仍在使用的柴油火車提供新的環保替代選擇。

Engineers have been developing ‘hydrail’ technology for the last 15 years, but mostly with freight trains.

工程師研發氫動力火車技術已有15年之久，但主要用途多限於貨運。

The new Alstom train will be the first hydrogen passenger train to regularly operate on long-distance journeys.

阿斯頓公司的新火車將是第一種固定長途行駛的氫動力客運火車。

With a full tank, the new locomotive will be able to travel 600 to 800 kilometers.

一旦氫氣箱滿載，這種新式火車頭將可行駛600至800公里。

Because of its much larger fuel capacity, the train does not have to confront the same problems that hydro-cars face with refueling. Another advantage is its quietness： even at its top speed of 140 km/h, the only noise is that produced by the motion of the wheels and air resistance.

由於具備更大燃料儲載，氫動力火車可免於以往氫氣車輛必須經常充電的老問題。另外一個優點則是安靜：即便是以每小時140公里的極速行駛，也只有車輪運動與空氣阻力產生的噪音。

Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1038108&day=2016-10-03 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1322516 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1452760;

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Very hot

同義字：Heated, burning, scorching; scalding, boiling;

Original sentences:

I would not survive in this very hot weather.

Why don’t you turn on the air-conditioner? It is very hot outside.

Please turn the fan my way. It is a very hot day.

Ah! This is the perfect drink for a very hot day.

Very cold

同義字：Frozen/freezing, ice-cold, piercing, numbing, biting

Original sentences:

According to the weather forecast, this winter is going to be a very cold winter.

Please don’t make me go outside. It is very cold outside!

Why are you sitting here on this very cold day?! Come inside before you freeze to death.

This very cold day is perfect for a hot chocolate.