通勤學英語 15Mins Today

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K173: Self-Promotion, From Head to Toe

We tend to think of public relations as a modern invention, but the desire for self-promotion is hardly new. In the days before the news release and the photo call, the most effective means of image control was the painted portrait.In the early 16th century, a format of portraiture developed that was stunning in its impact, showing subjects life-size, full-length and standing. The scale was unprecedented in secular art, being previously reserved for depictions of God and the saints. It was also the most expensive form of self-promotion that money could buy. Such a portrait conferred instant status.

我們常以為搞公共關係是現代的發明，實則自我宣傳的欲望難謂新鮮。在記者會和「媒體拍照時間」尚未出現的年代，最有效的形象控管工具就是肖像畫。16世紀初，一種肖像畫的形式發展起來，衝擊力驚人，呈現的人像與真人同大、全身入畫，而且人是站著的。這種呈現比例在世俗藝術中前所未有，先前專門用來描繪上帝與聖徒。這種肖像畫也是金錢能買到最昂貴的自我宣傳形式，讓畫中人立馬顯得地位不俗。

Originally the preserve of monarchy and of the high nobility, the full-length portrait was later adopted by those a little lower down the social scale. But they all used the format to communicate who they were — or who they would like to be.In the exhibition “High Society,” running through June 3, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam has gathered almost 40 magnificent full-length portraits from the 16th to the 20th centuries by the leading artists of their day. The paintings offer a fascinating insight into the messages that the great and the good sought to convey about themselves.

全身肖像畫原本專屬於王室和高階貴族，後來被社會地位稍低者採用。不過，這些人全都用這種形式來表達他們是誰，或者想要是誰。荷蘭阿姆斯特丹國家博物館在「上流社會」展覽中，展示了16到20世紀近40幅壯麗的全身肖像畫，畫家都是當時的一時之選，展期到6月3日止。這些畫提供了有趣的洞見，讓人一窺這些大人物想傳達自己的哪些面向。

The Habsburg emperor Charles V popularized the full-length portrait for the Europe’s ruling elites in the 16th century. Fully aware of its religious origins, he was effectively declaring himself God’s representative on Earth. He had five such portraits made during the 1530s to be hung in palaces across his vast territories, which included the Holy Roman Empire in Europe and the Spanish Empire that stretched to Asia and the Americas. He was evidently eager to make sure his subjects absorbed the powerful message.“It was all about propaganda and PR,” said Jonathan Bikker, the curator of the Rijksmuseum exhibition. “I think that’s why the monarchy and the high nobility had such a strong hold on that format. They made it associated with them and them alone.”

哈布斯堡家族的皇帝查理五世讓全身肖像畫在16世紀歐洲統治菁英間風行。他完全明白這種肖像畫的宗教起源，形同宣告自己是上帝在人間的代表。他總共有五幅這種肖像畫，都繪於1530年代，懸掛在他廣闊領土上的各個宮殿裡，領土包括歐洲的神聖羅馬帝國，和一直延伸到亞洲和美洲的西班牙帝國。他顯然很想確保他的臣民充分領會畫中強而有力的訊息。國家博物館這場展覽的策展人畢克說：「全身肖像畫完全就是宣傳和公關，我想這就是皇室和高階貴族牢牢掌控這種形式的原因，他們讓全身肖像畫跟他們有關，而且只跟他們有關。」

The nobility would often use the full-length portrait to celebrate the union of two influential families. Such was the case with Henry IV, duke of Saxony, and his bride, Catherine of Mecklenburg, whose 1514 portraits by German artist Lucas Cranach the Elder were opulently adorned in the colors of their coats of arms. The continuation of a powerful dynasty could also be emphasized by the inclusion of children.The association of the nobility attracted the Dutch bourgeoisie to the format in the 17th century. Having gained wealth and power, they used their portraits to claim a comparable importance.

貴族常用全身肖像畫慶祝兩個勢力龐大家族的聯姻。薩克森公爵亨利四世與梅克倫堡的凱瑟琳結婚即為一例，1514年，他倆的肖像畫出自德國畫家盧卡斯．克拉納赫一世之手，畫中大量使用兩個家族紋章的顏色來裝飾。若要強調強大的王朝得以延續，通常是在畫中加入小孩。全身肖像畫跟貴族的關係，吸引了17世紀荷蘭資本家階級採用這種形式。他們得到了財富和權力，便用肖像來表達自己跟貴族同等重要。Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/326405/web/

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.K176: About South Korea - South Korean ’phone maniac’ won’t give up his LG smartphones

South Korean Ryu Hyun-soo describes himself as an ’’LG phone maniac’’ and says he won’t give up his LG smartphones even though the company is getting out of the business.

南韓人柳賢秀形容自己是「LG手機狂人」，還說即使這家公司準備停止手機業務，他也不會棄用。

LG Electronics Inc. said in April it would wind down its smartphone division by the end of July because of a prolonged sales slump.

LG電子4月宣布，由於長期銷售委靡，將在7月底前逐步關閉手機部門。

Ryu, 53, who has collected nearly 90 devices over 23 years, said the audio quality made him fall in love with them. At his house in Anyang, Ryu has a room dedicated to the devices and the parts and tools to fix them.

23年來蒐集近90支LG手機的53歲柳男說，音質使他鍾情於此。在他位於安養市的家中，有一個房間專門放LG手機和修理用的相關零件和工具。

He’ll use the LG phones "forever" as long as the parts are still being supplied.

只要零件仍持續供應，他將「永遠」使用LG手機。

"A Samsung phone is like a smart friend and an Apple phone is like a girlfriend to me. Then a LG phone is like a friend whom I’ve shared the ups and downs of life together with. It is sad to see the friend leaving. It is very sad," Ryu said.

柳男說：「對我來說，三星手機就像聰明的朋友，蘋果手機就像女朋友，而LG手機就像與我一起度過人生高低潮的朋友。看著這位朋友離開很難過，真的很難過。」

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Drenched in purple, South Korean islands draw tourists 沉浸在紫色中 南韓島嶼吸引遊客造訪

On the Banwol and Bakji Islands in southwest South Korea, residents inspired by their native balloon flower have painted their houses, roads and bridges in purple, and planted purple flowers such as lavender and asters to transform their town into a tourist attraction - the ’Purple Islands’.

在南韓西南方（全羅南道新安郡）的半月島和朴只島，居民受到當地原生植物桔梗啟發，將房屋、道路、橋樑都繪成紫色，並栽種薰衣草、紫苑等紫色花卉，把小鎮改造成觀光景點「紫色小島」。

Restaurants offer purple rice and serve food on purple plates. "Every morning I dress up in purple from head to toe, even including my underwear and shoes, and that makes me happy," said 88-year-old resident Jung Soon-shim, sitting in a purple gazebo.

餐廳提供紫色的米飯，用紫色餐盤上菜。88歲居民鄭純信（譯音）坐在紫色露台上說：「每天早上，我把自己從頭到腳打扮成紫色，甚至包括內衣褲和鞋子，這讓我很開心。」

There are also benches on the islands decorated with the ’I purple you’ slogan made popular by K-pop band BTS member Kim Tae-hyung, which means ’I trust, love and support you.’

島上也有漆上「紫愛你」口號的長椅，該口號因南韓流行樂團「防彈少年團」成員金泰亨而爆紅，意指「我信任、愛護且支持你」。

Those wearing purple are even allowed free entry to the islands.

身穿紫色服飾的遊客還獲准免費登島。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1462184; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1458028

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！我們這週聽聽食物相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic: Junk food habit affects sleep quality

French fries and hamburgers are popular with teenagers. Everyone knows that these high-calorie foods can lead to chronic illnesses such as heart disease and high blood pressure, but, according to a report published by Medical Xpress, a study led by the University of Queensland in Australia has found that eating too much junk food can also have an impact on teenagers’ sleep quality.

薯條、漢堡等速食及飲料很受青少年喜愛。眾所皆知這些高熱量食物會導致慢性疾病，如心臟病和高血壓等。不過，「醫療快訊」報導，澳洲昆士蘭大學帶領的一項研究發現，吃過多的垃圾食品還會影響青少年的睡眠品質。

According to the research results, teenagers who drink more than three soft drinks per day were 55 percent more likely to report sleep disturbance than those who only drink one cup per day. Males who ate fast foods on more than four days per week were 55 percent more likely to report sleep disturbance than those who ate them only once a week, while females were 49 percent more likely to do so.

根據研究結果，每天喝三杯以上飲料的青少年自稱有睡眠障礙的機率，比每天只喝一杯軟飲料的青少年高百分之五十五。每週吃四天以上速食的男性自稱有睡眠障礙的機率，比那些每週只吃一次速食的男性高百分之五十五，而女性的機率高出百分之四十九。

This global study examined unhealthy diets and stress-related sleep disturbance in high school students from 64 countries. The study found that 7.5 percent of adolescents reported having stress-related sleep disturbance, which was more common among females than males and increased with more frequent consumption of carbonated soft drinks, as did the occurrence of sleep problems. Because carbonated drinks often contain caffeine and large amounts of sugar, while fast foods are high in energy but poor in nutrients, long-term consumption can cause nutritional imbalances.

這是一項針對全球不健康飲食和與壓力有關的睡眠障礙研究，涉及來自六十四個國家的高中生。研究表明，百分之七點五的青少年自稱有壓力相關的睡眠障礙，其中女性比男性更常見，且隨著碳酸飲料的頻繁飲用而增加，睡眠障礙的比率也愈高。因為碳酸飲料通常含有咖啡因和高糖分，而快餐食品高熱量但較缺乏營養，長期攝取會營養不均衡。

These data were collected from global health surveys conducted by the WHO between 2009 and 2016, which included about 170,000 students aged 12 to 15 years from 64 low, middle and high-income countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, South America and the eastern Mediterranean.

這些數據收集自二○○九年至二○一六年世界衛生組織的全球健康調查，其中包括來自東南亞、非洲、南美部分地區和地中東海東部地區的六十四個低、中、高收入國家的約十七萬名十二至十五歲的學生。

The research team said that frequent intake of soft drinks and eating of fast foods is closely associated with sleep problems in teenagers, and that this phenomenon is particularly clear in high-income countries. The research team said that these findings are worrying because poor-quality sleep has an adverse impact on adolescent health and cognitive development. They suggested that policies should be formulated that target these unhealthy behaviors.

研究團隊表示，青少年經常喝飲料、吃速食與睡眠障礙之間關聯密切，這現象尤其在高收入國家特別明顯。研究團隊指出，這些發現令人擔憂，因為睡眠品質差會對青少年的健康和認知發展產生不利影響。他們建議應針對這些不健康的行為制定相關政策，使青少年能健康成長。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/01/05/2003749938

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Topic: KFC drops Finger Lickin’ Good slogan

Global fast food giant KFC says it is halting its "Finger Lickin’ Good" slogan given the current hygiene advice because of the coronavirus pandemic.

國際速食巨擘肯德基表示，它正停用「吮指美味」標語，考量現在因為武漢肺炎大流行而制定的衛生建議。

"We find ourselves in a unique situation - having an iconic slogan that doesn’t quite fit in the current environment," the company said.

「我們發現自己在一個獨特的狀況中，有個不太符合現在環境的標誌性標語」，該公司表示。

The company revealed its new look through a YouTube video, showing the slogan pixelated on posters and its food "buckets", saying： "That thing we always say? Ignore it. For now."

該公司透過YouTube影片公開它的新包裝，印製在海報與「食物桶」上的標語說，「我們總是說的話？忽略它。現在」。

Some people commented on social media the slogan was not a health hazard as you were already eating with your own hands.

有些人在社群媒體上評論，認為在你已經用自己的雙手進食的時候，這個標語不算是健康危害。

In March, the Advertising Standards Authority received 163 complaints about a KFC TV advert which featured people licking their fingers.

3月間，廣告標準局就接到163封投訴，針對肯德基以人們吸吮他們的手指為特色的電視廣告。

Topic: McDonald’s to debut plant-based meat alternatives from 2021 麥當勞將於2021年首度推出植物性肉類替代品

McDonald’s will debut its line of plant-based meat alternatives - the McPlant - in 2021.

麥當勞將於2021年首度推出它的植物性肉類替代品品牌「McPlant」。

"Beyond Meat and McDonald’s co-created the plant-based patty which will be available as part of their McPlant platform," a Beyond Meat spokesperson said.

「超越肉類與麥當勞共同創造了植物性漢堡肉排，將以McPlant平台的一部分供應」，超越肉類的發言人表示。

"Plant-based products are an ongoing consumer trend. It’s not a matter of if McDonald’s will get into plant-based, it’s a matter of when," McDonald’s chief executive officer Chris Kempczinski said.

「植物性產品是目前的消費趨勢，問題不是麥當勞是否會進軍植物性產品，而是何時進軍」，麥當勞的執行長肯普欽斯基說。

McDonald’s competition - other brands including Burger King, White Castle and Dunkin’ Brands Group Inc - also offer vegan alternatives.

麥當勞的競爭對手，漢堡王、白城堡，與Dunkin’品牌集團等品牌都有提供素食替代品。

This move from McDonald’s is expected to place the plant-based meat movement at the forefront in mainstream American society.

麥當勞此舉有望將植物性肉類運動，置於美國社會主流的最前線。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1413235 ;https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1398350

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Topic: Do your bit for farmers and eat more fries, Belgians urged

With potato farmers and processors struggling, Belgians are being urged to eat more fries to offset a slump in demand during the coronavirus pandemic.

隨著馬鈴薯農人和加工者努力求生存，比利時人正被敦促要多吃一點薯條，來彌補這波冠狀病毒全球大流行期間暴跌的需求。

Belgium is the world’s largest exporter of fries and other frozen potato products, its processors converting 5.3 million tonnes of potatoes into fries, mash and crisps per year and sending them to customers in more than 160 countries.

比利時是薯條和其他馬鈴薯冷凍製品的世界最大出口國，加工人員每年把530萬公噸的馬鈴薯變成薯條、薯泥和洋芋片，送到逾160國顧客手中。

Restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus have forced the closure of cafes and restaurants, the industry’s prime customers for fries, and processing firms have seen demand fall by as much as 80%.

制止冠狀病毒傳播的禁令，迫使身為該產業薯條主要顧客的咖啡廳和餐廳關閉，加工企業的需求量下降多達8成。

“We know Belgians like their fries, it’s intangible heritage our frying culture, so we ask Belgians to consume an extra portion of fries to allow us to process more potatoes and to avoid food waste,” Romain Cools, secretary-general of industry group Belgapom, told Reuters TV.

產業團體貝勒哈彭（譯按：比利時馬鈴薯貿易和加工業協會）秘書長羅曼．庫斯告訴路透電視，「我們知道比利時人喜歡薯條，那是我們油炸文化的無形遺產，所以我們要求比利時人多吃一份薯條，讓我們得以加工更多馬鈴薯及避免食物浪費。」

Next Article:

Topic: A pastry chef in Germany offers edible sales receipts 德國一名點心師傅提供可食用收據

Since 1 January 2020, German law demands from retailers that they print a receipt for every purchase. However, the regulation has triggered not only anger but also artistic action among some of the affected businesses.

自2020年1月1日起，德國法律要求零售業者印出每筆消費的收據。然而，這項規定不只點燃了憤怒，還激起了受影響業者的藝術行動。

A French pastry chef in Bavaria decided to protest in an original way against this new law, by adding an edible receipt made of sugar on some of his pastries.

一名巴伐利亞的法式點心師傅決定用一種原始的方式抗議新法，為他的部分糕點加上一張用糖做成的可食用收據。

"At the moment, many bakers are protesting against these receipts and we thought we could also protest - in our own way. In France, we usually go out into the street, but this time we preferred to make a receipt that can be eaten, people can take it with them and that is, I think, also a nice form of protest," Ludovic Gerboin, Master baker said.

「當時，許多烘焙師都為了收據抗議，而我們認為可以用我們自己的方式抗議。在法國，我們通常會走上街頭，但這次我們選擇製作一張可以吃的收據，人們可以攜帶它在身邊，我想這也是一種好的抗議方式」，專業烘焙師魯多維奇．格博因說。

The promotions are well received by customers, even though normal receipts are still required in addition to their edible counterparts.

這項活動大獲顧客好評，雖然他們還是得額外開出正常的收據。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1350979 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1369914

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1. A piece of cake

Sample sentence例句: 

• Unclogging the sink was a piece of cake for Carlita. She’s a plumber.

Story故事:

The idea of cake being “easy” originated in the 1870's when cakes were given out as prizes for winning competitions. In particular, there was a tradition in the US slavery states where slaves would circle around a cake at a gathering. The most “graceful” pair would win the cake the in middle.

Sample sentences例句: 

• I hope the performance goes well, Peter.Break a leg!

Story故事: 

Another comes from ancient Greece, where the audience didn’t clap but instead stomped their feet to show appreciation. If the audience stomped long enough, they would break a leg. Some say the term originated during Elizabethan times when, instead of applause, the audience would bang their chairs on the ground — and if they liked it enough, the leg of the chair would break.

Sample sentences例句: 

• Kevin was feeling under the weather, so he took half day off.

Story故事: 

The term under the weather is a nautical term from the days of old sailing ships. Any sailor who was feeling ill would be sent below deck to protect him from the weather. (Being below deck, the sailor would literally be under the weather.)

Sample sentences例句: 

• I wish Jack would stop beating around the bush and tell me what he really thinks of the new Sony camera.

Story故事: 

The origin of this phrase lies in medieval hunting. During bird hunts, some participants would rouse the birds by beating the bushes so that the others could hunt them.

Sample Sentences例句: 

• Peter stole my thunder when he told the boss about my idea.

Story故事:

The idiom comes from the peevish dramatist John Dennis early in the 18th century, after he had conceived a novel idea for a thunder machine for his unsuccessful 1709 play Appius and Virginia and later found it used at a performance of Macbeth.

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K175: Populist Leaders in Eastern Europe Run Into a Little Problem: Unpopularity

A right-wing populist wave in Eastern Europe, lifted by Donald Trump’s surprise victory in 2016, has not crashed as a result of his defeat last November. But it has collided with a serious obstacle: Its leaders are not very popular.

川普2016年的驚奇勝選在東歐掀起一波右翼民粹浪潮，雖未因他去年11月敗選而潰散，但遭遇一項重大阻礙：這些國家的領導人不是非常受歡迎。

After winning elections by railing against widely disliked elites, right-wing populists on Europe’s formerly communist eastern flank, it turns out, are themselves not much liked. That is due in large part to unpopular coronavirus lockdowns, and, like other leaders no matter their political complexion, their stumbling responses to the health crisis.

藉由挑戰普遍不受喜愛的菁英而贏得選舉後，這些東歐前共黨地區的右翼民粹分子，事實上自己也不怎麼討人喜歡。這大部分肇因於令人厭惡的新冠病毒封城措施，以及他們對這次公衛危機的錯誤處置，就像其他犯錯的領導人一樣，無論其政治色彩為何。

In Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orban is being countered by an uncharacteristically united opposition. In Poland, the deeply conservative government has made an abrupt shift to the left in economic policy to win back support. And in Slovenia, the hard-right governing party of the Trump-loving prime minister is slumping disastrously in the polls.

在匈牙利，總理奧班遭遇反對派非比尋常的聯合挑戰。在波蘭，極度保守的政府在經濟政策上向左急轉以贏回支持。在斯洛維尼亞，喜愛川普的總理領導的強硬右翼執政黨，民調暴跌。

Slovenia’s leader, Janez Jansa, who made international headlines by congratulating Trump on his “victory” in November and is a self-declared scourge of liberal, or what he calls communist, elites, is perhaps the most at risk of the region’s unpopular populists.

斯洛維尼亞領導人楊薩，去年11月因恭賀川普「勝選」而成為國際頭條，他自稱會痛擊自由派或他口中的共產黨及菁英，如今或許他才是區域內不受歡迎的民粹主義者中處境最危險的人。

Propelled by nationalist promises to bar asylum-seekers from the Middle East and “ensure the survival of the Slovenian nation,” Jansa’s Slovenian Democratic Party won the most votes in a 2018 election. Last year, a new coalition government led by the party had an approval rating of 65%.

楊薩的斯洛維尼亞民主黨提出一些國族主義承諾，包括阻絕來自中東尋求庇護者，並「確保斯洛維尼亞國家生存」，促使該黨在2018年選舉贏得最多票數。去年由該黨領導的新聯合政府，支持度達65%。

This has since plunged to 26% and Jansa is so unpopular that allies are jumping ship. Street protests against him have attracted as many as tens of thousands of people, huge turnouts in a normally placid Alpine nation with a population of just 2 million.

如今支持度卻暴跌至26%，由於楊薩太不受歡迎，盟友紛紛跳船。反對他的街頭抗議吸引多達數萬人，在這個人口不過200萬的阿爾卑斯山脈寧靜國家算很多人。

Jansa has staggered on, narrowly surviving a no-confidence vote in parliament and a recent impeachment attempt by opposition legislators and defectors from his coalition.

楊薩勉強保住位子，以微幅差距挺過國會不信任投票，還有最近一次反對派議員及從聯合政府出走者發動的彈劾。

But he has been so weakened “he does not have the power to do anything” other than curse foes on Twitter, said Ziga Turk, a professor and Cabinet minister in an earlier government headed by Jansa.

曾在楊薩領導的政府擔任內閣部長的特克教授說，楊薩實在太弱勢，「無力做任何事」，只能在推特上詛咒對手。

An admirer of Hungary’s Orban, Jansa has sought to bring the news media to heel, as nationalist governments in Hungary and Poland have largely succeeded in doing, at least with television.

身為奧班仰慕者，楊薩試圖讓媒體聽話。匈牙利和波蘭的國族主義政府大致都做到，至少在電視是如此。

But the only television station that consistently supports him, has less than 1% of the television audience on most days — that it does not even figure in ratings charts.

但是持續支持他的唯一一家電視台，多數日子只有不到1%電視觀眾收看，甚至上不了收視率排行榜。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5607238

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

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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.K174: About Nature - Southern Ocean officially recognized by National Geographic

Anyone who thought the world had four oceans will now have to think again, after the National Geographic Society announced it would recognize a new Southern Ocean in Antarctica, bringing the global total to five.

認為世界上有四大洋的如今要再想想了。（美國）國家地理學會宣布，它將承認在南極洲的新「南大洋」，這樣一來，全球共有五大洋了。

The National Geographic, a non-profit scientific and educational organization whose mapping standards are referenced by many atlases and cartographers, said the Southern Ocean consists of the waters surrounding Antarctica, out to 60-degrees south latitude.

國家地理學會稱，南大洋由南極洲周圍的水域組成，向外延伸至南緯60度。國家地理學會是一個非營利科學與教育組織，許多地圖集和製圖師都參考該組織的製圖標準。

National Geographic Society geographer Alex Tait said scientists have long known that the waters surrounding Antarctica form a"distinct ecological region defined, by ocean currents and temperatures".

國家地理學會的地理學家亞歷克斯．泰特稱，科學家很早以前就知道南極洲周邊水域形成一個「由洋流和溫度界定的獨特生態區域」。

Tait told the Washington Post that the span of water is yet to be officially recognized as an ocean by the relevant international body: "But we thought it was important at this point to officially recognize it."

泰特告訴《華盛頓郵報》，相關國際機構尚未正式承認這片水域為海洋，「但我們認為此時正式承認它很重要。」

Next Article

Australia’s largest dinosaur identified as new species 澳洲最大的恐龍被認定為新品種

A gigantic dinosaur discovered in Australia’s outback has been identified as a new species and recognised as one of the largest to ever roam the Earth, according to palaeontologists.

據古生物學家表示，在澳洲內陸發現的一種巨型恐龍已被認定為新物種，是曾在地球上出沒的體型最大恐龍之一。

The Australotitan cooperensis, part of the titanosaur family that lived about 100 million years ago, has finally been named and described 15 years after its bones were first uncovered.

「Australotitan Cooperensis」屬於泰坦巨龍家族，生活在距今約1億年前，距其骨骼首度被發現15年之後，終於得到正名及描述。

It is estimated to have stood at 5-6.5 metres high and measured 25-30 metres in length － which would make it Australia’s biggest dinosaur.

據推估，牠站立時身高可達5至6.5公尺，身長則為25至30公尺，是澳洲體型最大的恐龍。

"Based on the preserved limb size comparisons, this new titanosaur is estimated to be in the top five largest in the world," said Robyn Mackenzie, a director of the Eromanga Natural History Museum.

「根據存留下來的肢骨大小來推估，這種新的泰坦巨龍據估計是地球上體型最大的5種恐龍之一」，伊羅曼加自然歷史博物館主任瑪肯西說。

The fossilised bones were found on Mackenzie’s family farm in 2006 about 1,000 kilometres west of Brisbane in the Eromanga Basin.

2006年，在布里斯班以西約1000公里伊羅曼加盆地的瑪肯西家族農場中，發現這些骨骼化石。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1456079; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1457443

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K173: Taiwan to participate in 18 sports at Tokyo Olympics

Delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tokyo Olympics is finally taking place between this Friday and Aug. 8. The 68-member Taiwan team is set to take part in 18 sports, including archery, badminton, boxing, canoeing, cycling, dressage, golf, gymnastics, judo, karate, rowing, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, track and field and weightlifting.

因武漢肺炎（新冠病毒，COVID-19）而延期的東京奧運，終於將在本週五開幕，比賽至八月八日閉幕。本屆台灣代表隊將派出六十 八名選手，參加十八種體育競賽，包括射箭、羽球、拳擊、輕艇、自由車、馬術、高爾夫、體操、柔道、空手道、划船、射擊、游泳、桌球、跆拳道、網球、田徑、舉重。

Taiwan only won one gold and two bronze medals at the Rio Olympics. Although a forecast of medals is difficult since the pandemic has disrupted qualifying events and training, Taiwan is expected to get five to 10 medals. Some top athletes — such as weightlifter Kuo Hsing-chun, gymnast Lee Chih-kai and badminton player Tai Tzu-ying — are all strong contenders for golds.

台灣隊在上一屆的里約奧運只奪下一金二銅，因疫情打亂了資格賽和選手訓練活動，這一屆的獎牌估算變得較困難，不過台灣仍有希望取得五至十面獎牌。幾位頂尖好手——像是舉重女神郭婞淳、鞍馬王子李智凱、羽球球后戴資穎——都是奪金的熱門人選。

Over 11,000 athletes from 206 nations and territories will attend the Tokyo Olympics. According to AP, the pressure to hold the Olympic Games during the pandemic is largely financial for the International Olympic Committee (IOC): cancellation could cost the IOC about US$3 to US$4 billion (NT$84 to NT$112 billion) in broadcast rights income.

來自全球二○六個國家或地區、超過一萬一千名選手，將參與這次東奧盛會。據美聯社報導，國際奧委會（IOC）主要因財務壓力而決定在疫情下辦奧運，如果東奧停辦，IOC將損失約三十至四十億美元（約八百至一千一百二十億台幣）的轉播權利金。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/07/21/2003761178

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K172: Facebook users said no to tracking. Now advertisers are panicking

When users get asked on iPhone devices if they’d like to be tracked, the vast majority say no. That’s worrying Facebook Inc.’s advertisers, who are losing access to some of their most valuable targeting data and have already seen a decrease in effectiveness of their ads.

當iPhone問使用者是否願意被追蹤時，絕大多數的人說不。這令臉書的廣告商憂心，因為他們對一些最有價值的目標式廣告數據正失去掌握，並已見到他們的廣告效果降低。

The new prompt from Apple Inc., which arrived in an iOS software update to iPhones in early June, explicitly asks users of each app whether they are willing to be tracked across their Internet activity. According to Branch, which analyzes mobile app growth, people are giving apps permission to track their behavior just 25 percent of the time, severing a data pipeline that has powered the targeted advertising industry for years.

這個新提示是蘋果公司六月初所發布的iPhone作業系統iOS軟體更新中加入的，在每個應用程式都明確詢問用戶是否願意讓該程式追蹤其網路活動。分析手機應用程式成長的Branch公司表示，人們允許應用程式追蹤其行為的時間只有百分之二十五，切斷了多年來提供數據、讓目標廣告產業賴以生存的管道。

Facebook advertisers in particular have noticed an impact in the last month. Media buyers who run Facebook ad campaigns on behalf of clients said Facebook is no longer able to reliably see how many sales its clients are making, so it’s harder to figure out which Facebook ads are working. It also makes it more difficult to “re-target” people with ads that show users items they have looked at online, but may not have purchased.

這對臉書的廣告商而言尤其如此，他們在上個月已注意到此衝擊。代表客戶經營臉書廣告活動的媒體購買者表示，臉書不再能夠確實了解其客戶的銷售額，因此更難估算出哪些臉書廣告是有效的。這也使得「再行銷」──向用戶展示他們在網路上看過，但可能並未購買之商品的廣告──變得更加困難。

Apple has made privacy a foundation of the company’s latest marketing effort around the iPhone. The privacy changes apply to all app developers on the iPhone, not just Facebook.

蘋果公司以隱私為基礎，將之作為行銷iPhone的最新賣點。對於隱私之更動，適用所有的iPhone應用程式開發者，而不只是臉書。

But the social network has been protesting the loudest, arguing for months that Apple’s new privacy features would hurt small businesses that rely on targeted advertising — and make up the bulk of the company’s sales.

但臉書這社群網站的抗議之聲一直最響亮，數月來不斷主張，蘋果新的隱私功能會傷害依賴目標式廣告的小型企業——這也是臉書營收大部分的來源。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/07/19/2003761069

更多通勤學英語Podcast單元:

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更多通勤學英語Podcast單元:

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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.K171: From China to Germany, floods expose climate vulnerability

Deadly floods that have upended life in both China and Germany have sent a stark reminder that climate change is making weather more extreme across the globe.

在中國和德國造成死亡、讓人流離失所的洪水，透露出赤裸裸的訊息，提醒人們氣候變化正讓全球的天氣變得更加極端。

At least 56 people in the central Chinese province of Henan died on Tuesday last week, including a dozen trapped in a city subway as waters tore through the regional capital of Zhengzhou after days of torrential rain.

中國中部的河南省在連續幾天的暴雨後，上週二大水沖過首府鄭州，造成至少五十六人死亡，其中十多人是被困在鄭州市地鐵中無法逃生。

Coming after floods killed at least 180 people in Germany and another 31 in Belgium two weeks ago, the disaster has reinforced the message that significant changes will have to be made to prepare for similar events in future.

洪水兩週前才在德國造成至少一百八十人死亡，在比利時造成三十一人死亡，鄭州的這場災難強化了一個訊息──必須做出重大改變，才能夠為以後的類似情況做好準備。

“Governments should first realize that the infrastructure they have built in the past or even recent ones are vulnerable to these extreme weather events,” said Eduardo Araral, associate professor and co-director, Institute of Water Policy, at Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

新加坡李光耀公共政策學院水資源政策研究所副教授兼聯席主任艾德表示：「政府應首先了解，他們過去甚至最近所建造的基礎設施，很容易受這些極端天氣事件衝擊」。

In Europe, climate change is likely to increase the number of large, slow-moving storms that can linger longer in one area and deliver deluges of the kind seen in Germany and Belgium, according to a study published on June 30 in the journal Geophysical Research Letters entitled “Quasi-Stationary Intense Rainstorms Spread Across Europe Under Climate Change.”

根據六月三十日發表在期刊《地球物理研究通訊》的一項研究──「氣候變化下席捲歐洲之準穩態激烈暴雨」，在歐洲，氣候變化可能會讓大型、緩慢移動之風暴的數量增加，這種風暴能在一個地方停留更長的時間，並帶來德國和比利時所見的那種暴雨及洪水。

As the atmosphere warms with climate change, it also holds more moisture, which means that when rainclouds break, more rain is released. By the end of the century, such storms could be 14 times more frequent, the researchers found in the study using computer simulations.

由於氣候變化，大氣變暖，而含納了更多水分，這表示當雨雲破裂降雨時，會釋放出更多的雨水。研究人員以電腦模擬所做出的研究發現，到了本世紀末，此類風暴的發生頻率可能會增加十四倍。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/07/26/2003761443

Topic: Inside Italy’s Shadow Economy

In a second-floor apartment in the southern Italian town of Santeramo in Colle, a middle-aged woman sat in a black-padded chair this summer, hard at work at her kitchen table. She carefully stitched a sophisticated woolen coat, the sort of style that will sell for 800 to 2,000 euros ($935 to $2,340) when it arrives in stores this month as part of the fall and winter collection of MaxMara, the Italian luxury fashion brand.

在義大利南部城鎮聖埃拉莫因科萊一棟公寓的二樓，一名中年婦女今年夏天坐在黑色軟墊的椅子上，在廚房用桌前辛勤地工作著。她以針線細心縫製一件精緻的羊毛外套，這個款式本月送進商店時，標價800至2,000歐元（935至2,340美元）不等，是義大利奢侈品牌MaxMara秋冬系列的一部分。

But the woman, who asked not to be named for fear that she could lose her livelihood, receives just 1 euro from the factory that employs her for each meter of fabric she completes.

不過，擔心可能因此失去生計而不願透露姓名的這名女性，每完成1公尺面料，只能從雇用她的工廠那裡拿到1歐元。

“It takes me about one hour to sew one meter, so about four to five hours to complete an entire coat,” said the woman, who works without a contract, or insurance, and is paid in cash on a monthly basis. “I try to do two coats per day.”

這名女性說：「我大概1小時縫1公尺，大約4到5小時完成一整件外套。我試著每天做兩件大衣。」 她的工作沒有聘雇合約，也不提供保險，僅按月支領現金。

The unregulated work she completes in her apartment is outsourced to her from a local factory that also manufactures outerwear for some of the best-known names in the luxury business, including Louis Vuitton and Fendi. The most she has ever earned, she said, was 24 euros ($28) for an entire coat.

她在公寓內完成，未受任何規範的這份工作，是當地一家工廠外包給她的，該廠還替奢侈品界另一些知名品牌製造外套，包括路易威登和芬迪。她說，她所獲得的最高收入，是一整件外套24歐元（合28美元）。

Homework — working from home or a small workshop as opposed to in a factory — is a cornerstone of the fast-fashion supply chain. It is particularly prevalent in countries such as India, Bangladesh, Vietnam and China, where millions of low-paid and predominantly female homeworkers are some of the most unprotected in the industry, because of their irregular employment status, isolation and lack of legal recourse.

家庭代工─ 在家中或小型工作室而非工廠工作─已成為快速時尚供應鏈的基石。在印度、孟加拉、越南和中國這些國家，家庭代工尤其普遍，數以百萬計，且主要是女性的家庭代工從業人員 ，因就業狀況不穩定，孤立和欠缺法律追索權，屬於該行業中最缺乏保護的一群。

That similar conditions exist in Italy, however, and facilitate the production of some of the most expensive wardrobe items money can buy, may shock those who see the “Made in Italy” label as a byword for sophisticated craftsmanship.

然而，類似狀況同樣存在於義大利，而且幫忙生產錢能買到的一些最昂貴衣物，卻可能讓視「義大利製造」標籤為精緻工藝代名詞的人震驚。

Increased pressure from globalization and growing competition at all levels of the market mean that the assumption implicit in the luxury promise — that part of the value of such a good is that it is made in the best conditions, by highly skilled workers, who are paid fairly — is at times put under threat.

全球化帶來更大壓力，市場各層面競爭亦日益激烈，意味奢侈品的承諾之一，這種商品部分價值來自它在最佳狀態下，由高技術、拿合理報酬的工人製造的這項隱含的假設，不時受到威脅。

Although they are not exposed to what most people would consider sweatshop conditions, the homeworkers are allotted what might seem close to sweatshop wages. Italy does not have a national minimum wage, but roughly 5 to 7 euros per hour is considered an appropriate standard by many unions and consulting firms. In extremely rare cases, a highly skilled worker can earn as much as 8 to 10 euros an hour. But the homeworkers earn significantly less, regardless of whether they are involved in leatherwork, embroidery or another artisanal task.

儘管他們的處境還不到大多數人會認為是血汗工廠的境地，但家庭代工的工資似已接近血汗工廠。義大利沒有設定全國最低工資，但許多工會和顧問公司認為每小時5-7歐元是適當標準。在極少數情況下，高技術工人每小時可賺取8-10歐元。但是家庭代工的收入低了許多，無論他們從事的是皮革製品，刺繡或其他手工藝工作。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/332436/web/

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Topic: White truffles fetch 75,000 euros at Italian auction 義大利拍賣會 白松露七萬五千歐元高價拍出

Alba, a small town in the northwestern region of Piemonte, is known as Italy’s white truffle capital.

阿爾巴是位於義大利西北部皮埃蒙特的一個小鎮，被稱為義大利白松露之都。

It has hosted Italy’s most famous white truffle market, during which the auction is held, for close to 90 years.

義大利最著名的白松露市集在此舉辦已近九十年，松露拍賣會則在此間舉行。

Every year at this time it hosts the famous International Alba White Truffle Fair, which attracts around 100,000 visitors from all over the world who come to buy, sell and smell the tasty tuber.

每年此時，阿爾巴舉辦著名的國際阿爾巴白松露會展，吸引了來自世界各地的大約十萬名訪客前來，來買賣和嗅聞這些美味的蕈類。

Dry weather and changing climate patterns have hit production and sent prices soaring. Over the past 25 years, there has been a 30 percent decrease in truffle production. In some places, they are disappearing altogether.

乾燥的天氣和不斷變化的氣候模式已重創松露的產量，並使其價格飛漲。在過去的二十五年間，松露產量已下降了百分之三十。在某一些地方，松露正徹底消失。

Truffle hunter Marilena Tarable says with this week’s much needed rain the truffles have started growing a little bigger and a bit rounder because the earth has softened.

松露獵人馬利雷娜‧塔拉布雷表示，本週降下了及時雨，因此松露已開始變大、變圓了一點，因為泥土變軟了。

“But up until now, with the very hard earth, it’s really hard to extract them,” she says.

「但是到目前為止，因為泥土很硬，要拔起松露真的很難。」她說道。

A highlight of the fair is the truffle auction, now in its eighteenth year, with proceeds going to charitable causes. This Sunday it took place in Grinzane Cavour Castle with live satellite links to Hong Kong and Dubai. The winning bidder for the biggest truffle at this year’s auction, from Hong Kong, paid 75,000 euros for a well-rounded truffle weighing 850 grams.

會展的一大亮點是松露拍賣，今年是第十八年舉辦，所得款項將捐助慈善事業。拍賣會上週日在格林贊‧卡烏城堡舉行，現場並有衛星連線至香港和杜拜。

今年拍賣會上最大松露的得標者來自香港，花了七萬五千歐元買下了一枚重達八五○公克、形狀飽滿的松露。

Isabelle Gianicolo of the National Truffle Study Centre noted that the auction price was “symbolic” and did not necessarily reflect the true market price, since the proceeds were donated to charitable causes.

全國松露研究中心的伊莎貝‧加尼可洛指出，拍賣價格是「象徵性的」，並不一定反映實際的市場價格，因為拍賣的收益要捐贈給慈善事業的。

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2017/11/18/2003682450

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Fresh pizza vending machine prompts curiosity and horror in Rome

Raffaele Esposito, the 19th century Neapolitan credited with inventing Italy’s most famous type of pizza, may be turning in his grave：Rome has a new vending machine which slides out freshly cooked pizzas in just three minutes.

義大利人克勞狄歐．贊皮加嘗試羅馬的披薩自動販賣機製作的披薩。 （路透檔案照）

被譽為義大利最有名披薩發明人的19世紀拿波里人拉斐爾．艾斯波西多，或許會死不瞑目：羅馬現在有一種新的販賣機，可在短短3分鐘內送出新鮮烤出爐的披薩。

Buyers using the flaming red "Mr. Go Pizza" machine can choose from four different kinds of pizzas costing from 4.50 to 6 euros. The machine kneads and tops the dough and customers can watch the pizza cook behind a small glass window.

顧客可在這台火紅色的「披薩隨來先生」販賣機上，從4種不同的披薩中選擇，售價介於4.5到6歐元不等。機器會揉麵團、在麵團上加配料，顧客可隔著一扇小玻璃窗觀看製作過程。

"It looks good but it is much smaller than in a restaurant and there is less topping," said Claudio Zampiga, a pensioner.

退休人士克勞狄歐．贊皮加說，「看起來不錯，但是比在餐廳的小一點，而且料少了點。」

Gina, a pensioner who declined to give her surname, rejected the concept outright. "Terrible. Pizza really needs to be eaten hot, immediately. This doesn’t work for me," she said.

拒絕透露姓氏的退休女子吉娜完全拒絕這個概念。「糟糕。披薩真的需要趁熱吃，對我來說，這不行。」

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Topic: Italy says arrivederci to cafe culture 義大利向咖啡文化說再見

Like pizza and ice cream parlours, the coffee bar is sacred in Italy. But the tradition of going for a cappuccino or an espresso is under threat from a new menace - the coffee machine. Thanks to aggressive marketing by manufacturers, who are practically giving them away free in offices, factories, universities and even train stations, self-service coffee is invading Italy and putting in peril the livelihood of many baristas.

就像披薩和冰淇淋店一樣，咖啡吧在義大利具有神聖不可侵犯的地位。但義大利人到咖啡吧喝杯卡布奇諾或濃縮咖啡的傳統現在受到新對手的威脅 - 咖啡機。在咖啡機製造商祭出強勢促銷手段，在辦公室、工廠、大學、甚至火車站裡幾乎免費奉送咖啡之後，自助式咖啡正大舉入侵義大利，許多咖啡師傅的生計也岌岌可危。

New figures show half a million automatic coffee machines have been installed in the past year in public places, serving an estimated two million 'portions' of coffee.

根據最新統計數字，過去一年間義大利的公共場所內已裝設了五十萬台自動咖啡機，估計可提供兩百萬份咖啡。

One of the reasons for the change is that Italians are struggling to deal with a faster pace of life, under pressure to do more, earn more and not waste time.

造成這項改變的原因之一，是義大利人正努力適應更快的生活步調，應付必須做更多事、賺更多錢、不要浪費時間的壓力。

The depersonalisation of the coffee rite is sneaking into Italian homes as well. Sales of automatic machines were recently declared in a brides' magazine to be the most sought-after gift of young couples.

這種去除人性色彩的喝咖啡儀式也正偷偷潛入義大利的家庭中。一本新娘雜誌最近就宣稱，自動咖啡機是年輕新人最想要的結婚禮物。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1453710; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/39829