通勤學英語 15Mins Today

Many countries, especially in the democratic West, champion freedom of expression and allow publications that lampoon Islam’s prophet. So why is France singled out for protests and calls for boycotts across the Muslim world, and so often the target of deadly violence from the extremist margins? Its brutal colonial past, staunch secular policies and tough-talking president, who is seen as insensitive toward the Muslim faith, all play a role.

許多國家──尤其是民主的西方國家──擁護言論自由，並允許嘲弄伊斯蘭教先知的出版品。那麼，為什麼法國會特別被針對，讓整個穆斯林世界抗議和呼籲抵制，且往往成為極端主義死亡攻擊的目標呢？它殘酷的殖民史、堅定的世俗﹝去宗教化﹞政策，以及言詞強硬的總統（他被認為對穆斯林信仰不敏感）都是原因。

While French officials often say their country is targeted because of its reputation as the cradle of human rights and a rampart of global democracy, what distinguishes France most is its unusual attachment to secularism (or laicite).

雖然法國官員常說，法國之所以成為攻擊的目標，是因為法國是人權的搖籃及全球民主的堡壘；但法國與他國不同的最獨特處，在其牢牢固守著世俗主義。

The often-misunderstood concept of French secularism is inscribed in the country’s constitution. It was born in a 1905 law after anti-clerical struggles with the Catholic Church. Separating church and state, the law was meant to allow the peaceful coexistence of all religions under a neutral state, instead of a government answering to powerful Roman Catholic clerics. Crucifixes were at one point torn from classroom walls in France amid painful public debate.

世俗主義明訂於法國憲法中，其概念常被人誤解。一九○五年，經過與天主教會的反神職人員鬥爭後，世俗主義成為法律。該法律將教會和國家分開，旨在使所有宗教在中立的國家之下和平共處，而不是政府向手握強權的羅馬天主教神職人員稟報。公眾經歷艱難的辯論，教室牆上的耶穌受難像一度被拆除。

A century later, polls suggest France is among the least religious countries in the world, with a minority attending services regularly. Secularism is broadly supported by those on both left and right. State secularism is central to France’s national identity and demands the separation of religion and public life.

一個世紀後，民意調查顯示法國是世界上最不宗教化的國家之一，固定參加宗教儀式的人只有少數。世俗主義得到左右兩派的廣泛支持。國家世俗主義是法國民族認同的核心，它要求宗教與公共生活必須區分開來。

Schools have historically instilled the Republic’s values in its citizens — a task some teachers say becomes ever harder as a minority of French Muslims and adherents of other faiths seek to express their religious identity.

學校歷來向公民灌輸共和國的價值觀──一些教師表示，少數法國穆斯林及其他信仰的信徒試圖表達自己的宗教認同，使得這項教學任務變得愈發困難。

As the number of Muslims in France grew, the state imposed secular rules on their practices. A 2004 ban on Muslim headscarves and other ostentatious religious symbols in schools remains divisive, if not shocking to many outside France. A 2011 law banning face veils made Muslims feel stigmatized anew. In recent decades, the desire among some French Muslims to express their religious identity has dominated the debate around balancing religious and secular needs.

隨著法國穆斯林人數的增加，法國政府在施政也強加上世俗化、非宗教的規範。法國在二○○四年禁止在學校穿戴穆斯林頭巾及其他炫示的宗教符號──若法國以外的許多人不感到震驚的話，對此禁令的看法也仍然分歧。二○一一年所頒布的禁蒙面法，又再讓穆斯林覺得被污名化。一些法國穆斯林希望能夠表達自己的宗教認同，對於如何平衡宗教與世俗非宗教之需求，此議題已占據近數十年來相關辯論的主要部分。

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Taro Matsumoto campaigned in the mayoral race in Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima Prefecture, on a pledge to institute an entrance tax for visitors to Miyajima island, home to Itsukushimajinja shrine, a World Heritage site.

松本太郎在（日本）廣島縣廿日市市的市長選舉競選期間，誓言（當選後）要開始對造訪世界遺產嚴島神社所在地宮島的遊客，徵收入島稅。

Matsumoto, who took office on Nov. 3, 2019, is determined to fulfill his campaign promise.

2019年11月3日就任的松本，打定主意要落實他的競選承諾。

Matsumoto told reporters a day after the election that he aims to introduce the tax in 2021 to fund infrastructure improvements to the increasingly popular tourist attraction.

松本在選後隔天告訴記者，他的目標是在2021年導入徵稅制度，以籌措經費來改善此一人氣漸增的觀光景點的基礎建設。

"The island needs maintenance and repair work, including placing power lines underground and repairing roads," he said. "I’m focused on introducing the tax as a stable source of income."

「這座島需要維護與修繕，包括電線地下化與修路，」他說。「我會專注於導入充作穩定收入來源的（入島）稅。」

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Criticism over the sexist remarks uttered by Tokyo Olympic organizing committee chief Yoshiro Mori spread in the Cabinet and overseas after his apology fell flat and he rejected calls to resign.

就在日本東京奧運組織委員會主席森喜朗的道歉未獲預期效果以及他拒絕應外界要求下台後，針對他的性別歧視發言的批評，已在內閣與海外蔓延開來。

Cabinet ministers were in unison on Feb. 5 in blasting Mori’s contention that having a large number of women on sports associations’ committees would lead to prolonged meetings because they tend to talk too much.

日本閣員2月5日齊聲砲轟森喜朗的論點，即宣稱運動協會的委員會中若有太多女性委員，將會拉長會議時間，因為女性易於說個沒完。

Justice Minister Yoko Kamikawa, one of two women in Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s Cabinet, expressed concern that Mori’s remarks would set back the government’s plans to have women take up 30 percent of leadership positions in Japan.

（日本）首相菅義偉內閣中唯二女閣員之一的法務大臣上川陽子擔心，森喜朗的發言會導致政府的讓女性位居3成日本領導地位的計畫受挫。

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Last spring, as the pandemic engulfed New York City, people dealt with shortages of basic goods like toilet paper, paper towels and hand sanitizer. But a surge in car sales — propelled in part by people leery of public transit — has created a new pandemic-induced shortage: parking spaces.

去年春天新冠肺炎席捲紐約市時，市民必須應付基本物資如衛生紙、紙巾和洗手乳短缺的問題，而由於民眾不放心搭乘公共運輸等原因，汽車銷量卻暴增，也從而出現一種由疫情引發的新形態短缺：缺停車位。

Across New York, drivers complain that free street parking has become increasingly scarce after people who drove away for the summer returned, outdoor dining took over roughly 10,000 parking spaces, and car ownership soared.

紐約各地駕駛人抱怨，由於夏季開車度假的民眾回來了，餐廳戶外用餐區占用約1萬個車位，加上擁車者大增，免費的路邊車位愈來愈難找。

The alternative is often to take up an illegal spot — and risk getting a ticket that can amount to roughly $100 — or use a private garage, which is equally costly. Garage fees in Manhattan can run $400 a month or much more.

解決方法往往是冒著吃下可高達約100美元（約台幣2800元）罰單的風險違停，或是租用私人車位，而後者同樣不便宜。曼哈坦私人車位月租可能要400美元（約台幣1萬1000元），甚至高上許多。

Advocacy groups for mass transit and bicyclists don’t offer much sympathy. They say the pandemic has underscored the need to shift priorities over who has claim to the streetscape.

提倡大眾運輸和自行車的團體並不怎麼同情駕駛人處境。這些團體說，疫情凸顯出有必要更改「誰享有街道空間使用權」的優先順序。

In Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx, the number of vehicles registered between August and October jumped 37% compared with the same period the previous year, according to data from the state Department of Motor Vehicles. The spike was starkest in Manhattan, where registrations rose by 76%, and in Brooklyn, where they increased by 45%.

根據紐約州監理廳的資料，紐約市曼哈坦、布魯克林、皇后與布朗克斯區去年8到10月新車掛牌數比前一年同期激增37%，以曼哈坦增幅最高，達76%，其次是布魯克林的45%。

The fight over parking spaces reflects what in recent years has become a contentious debate over how to allocate New York’s 6,000 miles of city streets and its millions of free parking spots in a crowded urban setting where bikers and pedestrians are demanding more space.

車位之爭反映出近年來引起熱議的一個問題，也就是如何在擁擠的紐約市區環境中，自行車騎士和行人爭取更多空間之際，分配總長6000哩（9600公里）的街道和數百萬個免費路邊車位。

That competition has become even more fierce as the pandemic ushered in a re-imagining of the city’s landscape, with restaurant tables occupying pavements and streets closed off entirely to cars on weekends to allow outdoor life to flourish.

這場競爭因疫情重塑紐約市風貌而益形激烈：餐館桌子占用人行道，還有一些街道每周末嚴禁汽車駛入，好讓民眾安心享受戶外生活。

於是駕駛人表示，在住宅區停車變得很難，就像一場輸贏關係重大的搶椅子遊戲，由來已久、心照不宣的規矩已被摒棄，予人法紀蕩然之感。

53歲的布魯克林居民佛契說：「搶車位搶到像要開戰。」佛契開車主要是為了載送13歲的兒子和他的幾大袋裝備到皇后區長島市練習冰球。

停車位一向就不好找，而這幾個月來更變得幾乎根本找不著，使得鄰居之間關係緊張。

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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。」

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.

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。

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Hello 通勤家族，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！我們這週聽聽德國的趣聞，Let's get right to it!

Topic: About Germany - Big cats’ droppings help German circus weather coronavirus crisis

One creature’s droppings can be another’s treasure, as Germany’s Krone Circus is finding out during the new coronavirus pandemic.

一個生物的糞便，可能是另一個生物的寶藏，正如德國王冠馬戲團在新型冠狀病毒大流行期間所發現。

Home to 26 lions and tigers, the circus has found an unusual side income and raised money despite coronavirus-related restrictions：selling jars of big cats’ droppings.

儘管受到冠狀病毒相關的限制，這個養了26隻獅子和老虎的馬戲團發現了一種不尋常的外快並攢了錢：販售裝有大貓糞便的瓶罐。

Customers have told lion tamer Martin Lacey they swear by the stuff.顧客告訴馴獅人馬丁．拉西，他們相信這玩意兒有用。

"I am told it keeps cats away from the garden, and since then we have learned that also it keeps the animals away from the car, where they eat all the electric cables," Lacey said.

拉西說，「我聽說這讓貓遠離花園，從此我們知道，它也能讓這些動物遠離車輛，牠們之前把裡頭所有電纜都吃掉。」

The jars sell for 5 euros each, with some of the money going towards a charity to improve the living conditions of captive animals.

每罐賣5歐元，有些錢用在慈善機構，以改善圈養動物的生活條件。

And if you don’t have a garden pest problem but find your neighbours pesky? – "Put some in the garden, and the neighbours will go away," Lacey chuckles.

而若你沒有花園動物蟲害問題，但覺得你的鄰居很討厭？—拉西竊笑表示，「放一點在花園裡，然後那些鄰居就會走開。」

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Topic: Berlin brothels reopen after lockdown, but no sex allowed 柏林妓院歷經封鎖後恢復營業，但是不准性愛

Berlin’s brothels were allowed to reopen last week after months of closure due to coronavirus restrictions － but full-on sex is still off-limits.

柏林妓院因為新冠病毒防疫限制而關閉數月後，上週獲准恢復營業，但是仍然禁止全套性服務。

Instead, clients looking for sexual healing in the German capital will have to make do with erotic massages until regulations are further relaxed in September.

顧客想在這座德國首都找性愛療癒，將得先將就情趣按摩，直到9月防疫規定進一步放寬為止。

At the brothel where longtime sex worker Jana plies her trade, beds have been made, animal-print pillows fluffed and fresh flowers placed in vases.

資深性工作者雅納工作的妓院，床舖準備好了，印著動物圖紋的枕頭蓬鬆柔軟，花瓶裡也插上了鮮花。

But Jana, 49, is looking forward to next month when she can offer the full service again.但是49歲的雅納在期待下個月恢復提供全套服務。

Sex work had been banned in Berlin since mid-March as part of efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus.

柏林自3月中起禁止性工作業，做為控制新冠病毒蔓延的一部分措施。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1394745 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1395609

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Topic: About Europe - Sausage vending machines booming in Germany

Hungry Germans craving a sausage in the dead of night are increasingly turning to vending machines for their bratwurst, bockwurst, and so on. The machines are booming outside German cities where shops are less likely to stay open for long hours, according to a survey by the German Press Agency.

在深夜裡飢腸轆轆、想吃香腸的德國人，愈來愈常利用自動販賣機購買巴雷特煎腸、博克香腸等食品。德新社調查顯示，這類自動販賣機在德國城市以外的地區大幅增加，因為當地商店的營業時間沒那麼長。

Some butchers’ vending machines sell three or four types of sausages, and punnets of accompanying potato salad – so customers can buy all they need for a traditional hearty German feast anytime.

某些肉商設置的自動販賣機提供3到4種香腸，還搭配一小盒馬鈴薯沙拉，讓顧客隨時都能買到一頓豐盛的德國傳統餐點。

There are over 570,000 vending machines in Germany, but despite their popularity they are expected to complement, rather than replace traditional shops.

德國目前有逾57萬台自動販賣機，儘管廣受歡迎，人們仍認為這些販賣機只是為傳統商店增色，而非取而代之。

"Vending machines will play a complementary role in brick-and-mortar retailing," Wolfgang Kampmeier of the Berlin-Brandenburg trade association told the Berliner Zeitung newspaper.

「柏林布蘭登堡貿易協會」的沃夫岡．坎普邁耶向《柏林日報》表示：「自動販賣機將在實體商店零售業務中扮演互補角色。」

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1354230

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Topic: Slow music: Chord change in Germany of 639-year organ piece

Hundreds of fans attended a special kind of musical happening on Sept. 5 at a church in Germany: a chord change in an organ piece that is supposed to last for an entirety of 639 years. The performance of the ORGAN2/ASLSP, or As Slow As Possible, composition began in September 2001 at the St. Burchardi Church in the eastern town of Halberstadt and is supposed to end in 2640 if all goes well.

數百名樂迷在九月五日齊聚德國一間教堂，參加一場特別的音樂活動：預計持續演奏整整六百三十九年的一首管風琴作品，在當天改變了和弦。這首名為《ORGAN2/ASLSP》，又名《愈慢愈好》的作品，從二○○一年九月開始在德國東部小鎮哈柏斯塔的聖布爾夏迪教堂演奏。如果一切順利，演奏將會於二六四○年結束。

The music piece by the American composer John Cage is played on a special organ inside the medieval church. The last sound has been the same one for the last six years and 11 months, and therefore the chord change on Saturday last week was a big event among fans of the John Cage Organ Project.

這首樂曲是由美國作曲家約翰‧凱吉所作，在這座中世紀教堂內由一台特製管風琴演奏。在過去六年又十一個月之間，這首樂曲一直持續著相同的聲音，也因此上週六轉換和弦，對「約翰‧凱吉管風琴計畫」的樂迷而言堪稱一大盛事。

A chord change means that the sound of the organ pipes changes either because new sounds are added or existing sounds end. On Sept. 5, two new organ pipes were added. Organizers say the performance is “one of the slowest realizations of an organ musical piece.”

轉換和弦意味著管風琴音管的聲音改變，變化來自於新聲音加入，或是原本持續的聲音停止。在九月五號當天，管風琴裝上了兩根新的音管。主辦單位則表示，這場演出是「實現一部最慢的管風琴音樂作品。」

A compressor in the basement creates energy to blow air into the organ to create a continuous sound. When a chord change happens, it’s done manually. On Sept. 5, soprano singer Johanna Vargas and organist Julian Lembke changed the chord. The new sound reminded some listeners of the metallic buzz inside a big ship’s engine room.

教堂地下室有一台壓縮機製造出動能，將氣體吹入管風琴，創造出持續不斷的聲音。當和弦改變時，這個任務則是以手動完成。當天，女高音喬安娜‧瓦加斯以及管風琴演奏家朱利安‧藍布克一起改變和弦。新的聲音讓某些聽眾聯想到大船引擎室裡帶有金屬感的嗡嗡聲。

The next chord change is planned for Feb. 5, 2022, the German news agency DPA reported. When the piece officially started on Sept. 5, 2001, it began without any sound. It was only on Feb. 5, 2003, the day of the first chord change, that the first organ pipe chords could actually be heard inside the church.

根據德國新聞媒體《德新社》報導，下一次的和弦改變預計於二○二二年二月五日進行。這首樂曲最初在二○○一年九月五日正式開演，開始時沒有聲音。一直到二○○三年二月五日，也就是第一次改變和弦那天，第一個管風琴和弦才真正能在教堂中聽到。

Cage was born in Los Angeles in 1912 and died in New York in 1992. He’s known not only as a composer, but also as a music theorist, artist and philosopher.

約翰‧凱吉於一九一二年生於洛杉磯，一九九二年於紐約逝世。他不只是以作曲家的身分聞名，同時也是一位音樂理論家、藝術家和哲學家。

The St. Burchardi church has a long, checkered history. It was built around 1050, and was used for more than 600 years as a Cistercian monastery. It was partially destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, later rebuilt, at some point secularized and over the centuries also served as a barn, a distillery and a pigsty, the John Cage Organ Project said on its website.

聖布爾夏迪教堂有著悠久而興衰無常的歷史。教堂大約是在一○五○年間建造，六百多年來被用作天主教熙篤會的修道院。根據「約翰‧凱吉管風琴計畫」網站的介紹，該教堂在三十年戰爭期間部分遭到摧毀，後來經過重建，從某個時間點開始作為世俗用途。好幾個世紀以來，建築被用來作為穀倉、釀酒廠、豬舍。

Chord changes usually draw several thousand visitors to Halberstadt, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of guests allowed into the church was limited this year.

和弦改變通常會吸引數千名觀眾前往哈柏斯塔朝聖，然而因為武漢肺炎（新冠病毒，COVID-19）全球大流行，今年獲准進入教堂躬逢其盛的觀眾人數受到限制。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/09/13/2003743299

通勤學英語15mins.Today榮獲

Apple Podcast 2020年十大熱門節目

KKBox 2020年十大Podcast風雲榜 (唯一語言學習Podcast)

Himalaya 人氣票選播客總冠軍

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

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Summary:

According to a new paper by the economists, the industry most affected by automation is manufacturing. For every robot per thousand workers, up to six workers lost their jobs and wages fell by as much as three-fourths of a percent. Economists say blue-collar men without college degrees will be the biggest hit.

原跟讀文章: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-1016-evidence-that-robots-are-winning-the-race-for-american

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Come out ahead – end up with profit, benefit or advantage

• In the race of industrial automation, the robots will come out ahead.

Automation n. (automate v.) the use of automatic equipment in manufacturing or production process

• TSMC has the world’s most advanced foundry automation technology in the world.

On/ off sb’s radar – whether sb was aware or not aware of the issue

• According to the US Treasury Secretary, AI’s displacement of human jobs was not on his radar.

通勤學英語15mins.Today榮獲

• Apple Podcast 2020年十大熱門節目

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K060: Floating Cities, No Longer Science Fiction, Begin to Take Shape

It is an idea at once audacious and simplistic, a seeming impossibility that is now technologically within reach: cities floating in international waters — independent, self-sustaining nation-states at sea.

這是個大膽創新又將複雜事物過分簡單化，看似不可能，現在科技卻有望實現的概念：漂浮在公海上的城市—獨立且自給自足的海上民族國家。

Long the stuff of science fiction, “seasteading” has in recent years matured from pure fantasy into something approaching reality, and there are now companies, academics, architects and even a government working together on a prototype by 2020.

「海上家園」向來是科幻小說的題材，近年已從純粹的空想發展為即將成真的事物，目前有企業、學者、建築師和甚至一個政府通力合作，要在2020年前建立原型。

At the center of the effort is the Seasteading Institute, a nonprofit organization based in San Francisco. Founded in 2008, the group has spent about a decade trying to convince the public that seasteading is not an entirely crazy idea.

在這場努力中位居關鍵的是海洋家園研究所，這是總部設在美國舊金山的非營利組織，創立於2008年，已經花了十年左右說服大眾，住在海上不是全然瘋狂的主意。

That has not always been easy. At times, the story of the seasteading movement seems to lapse into self parody. Burning Man gatherings in the Nevada desert are an inspiration, while references to the Kevin Costner film “Waterworld” are inevitable. The project is being partially funded by an initial coin offering, a new concept sweeping Silicon Valley and Wall Street in which money can be raised by creating and selling virtual currency.

這一路可並不平順。有時，提倡海上家園的故事似乎陷入自我搞笑。美國內華達州沙漠的「火人祭」聚會是個啟發，而與凱文科斯納主演的電影「水世界」的聯結也無以避免。計畫的資金部分來自「首次代幣發行」，這是橫掃矽谷和華爾街的新概念：錢能藉由創造和販售虛擬貨幣而募得。

And yet in 2017, with sea levels rising because of climate change and established political orders around the world teetering under the strains of populism, seasteading can seem not just practical, but downright appealing.

不過在2017年，當海平面因氣候變遷而上升，世界各地老牌的政治體系都在民粹壓力下搖搖欲墜時，住在海上看來就不僅可行，且真能吸引人。

Earlier this year, the government of French Polynesia agreed to let the Seasteading Institute begin testing in its waters. Construction could begin soon, and the first floating buildings — the nucleus of a city — might be inhabitable in just a few years.

今年稍早，法屬玻里尼西亞政府同意讓海洋家園研究所開始在轄下水域試驗。建築工程可能很快就會展開，第一批海上建物，也就是城市核心，也許在幾年內就能入住。

“If you could have a floating city, it would essentially be a startup country,” said Joe Quirk, president of the Seasteading Institute. “We can create a huge diversity of governments for a huge diversity of people.”

海上家園研究所所長奎爾克說：「如果你有一座海上城市，它將形同一個新創國家，我們可為各式各樣的人創造各式各樣的政府。」

The term seasteading has been around since at least 1981, when avid sailor Ken Neumeyer wrote a book, “Sailing the Farm,” that discussed living sustainably aboard a sailboat. Two decades later, the idea attracted the attention of Patri Friedman, grandson of economist Milton Friedman, who seized on the notion.

海上家園一詞至少早自1981年即已出現，當時酷愛航海的水手諾伊邁爾寫了一本書「駕著海上農場出航」，討論持久住在帆船上的生活。20年後，經濟學家米爾頓．傅利曼的孫子派特瑞．傅利曼受到這個點子吸引，並予以發揚光大。

Friedman, a freethinker who had founded “intentional communities” while in college, was living in Silicon Valley at the time and was inspired to think big. So in 2008 he quit his job at Google and co-founded the Seasteading Institute with seed funding from Peter Thiel, the libertarian billionaire. In a 2009 essay, Thiel described seasteading as a long shot, but one worth taking. “Between cyberspace and outer space lies the possibility of settling the oceans,” he wrote.

傅利曼是自由思想家，讀大學時創辦「理念型社區」，而得知這個點子時他住在矽谷，受到鼓勵要勇於逐夢。所以他在2008年辭去Google的工作，在自由派億萬富豪泰爾的種子基金挹注下，與人合創海洋家園研究所。泰爾在2009年撰文說，海上家園成功希望不大，但值得一試，「在網路和外太空之間，存在著住在海上的可能性」。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/321267/web/

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

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K059: About Australia - Australia changes national anthem to reflect Indigenous history

The anthem, "Advance Australia Fair," has been tweaked to recognize the country’s Indigenous history and communities, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced.

澳洲總理莫里森宣布，國歌「前進澳洲美之國」已經被些微修正，承認該國原住民歷史與社群。

The first line, "Australians all let us rejoice, for we are young and free," will now end with "one and free."

第一句「澳洲人，讓我們歡笑吧，因為我們年輕又自由」，將改為以「團結又自由」結束。

The anthem has become controversial in recent years, amid growing conversation about Indigenous representation, systemic inequality, and racial injustice. In particular, many have pushed back against the phrase "for we are young and free", a nod to when Britain’s First Fleet landed in Australia in 1788.

這首國歌在近幾年變得備受爭議，在愈來愈多關於原住民形象、系統性不平等，與種族不正義的對話中。許多人尤其反對「因為我們年輕又自由」這句（歌詞），贊同英國第一艦隊1788年登陸澳洲的歷史。

The government has a history of changing the song to be more inclusive － when Peter Dodds McCormick’s original 1878 composition was declared the official national anthem in 1984, replacing "God Save the Queen," two instances of "sons" were switched with gender-neutral phrasing.

政府過去也曾改動這首歌，以更具包容性。當彼得．多滋．麥考米克1878年譜寫的原曲，於1984年取代「天佑女王」被定為國歌時。曾將歌詞兩處的「兒子」改為性別中立的詞語。

Next Article

Inspired by the natural, twisting patterns of a lobster shell, Australian researchers say they have found a way, using 3D printing technology, to improve the strength of concrete for use in complex architecture.

受到龍蝦殼自然、扭曲的圖案啟發，澳洲研究人員說，他們發現了一個方法，使用3D列印技術來改進用於構造複雜的建築混凝土強度。

Reinforced with steel fibres, the concrete becomes more durable when set in a pattern that copies a lobster shell, according to a new study from Melbourne’s RMIT University.

根據墨爾本皇家理工大學一項新研究，用鋼纖增強的混凝土，製成仿龍蝦殼的圖案時，變得更耐用。

Rather than use a mould, the process involves depositing layers of concrete one on top of the other, directed from a computer program using 3D printing technology.

這個過程不用模具，而是在使用3D列印技術的電腦程式指導之下，把混凝土一層層沉積在上面。

“The lobster shell is always something that still amazes me by its very interesting shapes and architectures, and especially (as) the lobster shell is really amazingly very stiff,” lead researcher Jonathan Tran told Reuters.

首席研究員喬納森．特蘭告訴路透，「龍蝦殼一直以其非常有趣的形狀與架構讓我驚豔，特別是龍蝦殼真的硬到讓人訝異。」

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1429554 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1428933

通勤學英語15mins.Today榮獲

• Apple Podcast 2020年十大熱門節目

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

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K058: About SKorea - Chip shortage hitting Korean carmakers

The continued automotive semiconductor shortage is hitting Korean carmakers, with General Motors Korea announcing plans to halve its vehicle production at its plant here.

隨著「韓國通用汽車」宣布旗下車廠減半其汽車產量的計畫，車用半導體持續短缺，正衝擊南韓車商。

GMK said Thursday it decided to halve production at its Bupyeong 2 plant for February. The plant has a daily production capacity of 480 vehicles ― the cut will lead it to monthly production of around 5,000.

韓國通用汽車週四決定其（仁川）「富平2廠」的產量減半。該廠每日產能480輛─此一減產將致使其每月產量為約5000輛。

Analysts say it is tough to say exactly how long the automotive chip shortage could last, while UBS investment bank said it was expecting the supply-demand mismatch will improve sometime in the third quarter.

分析師說，很難講車用晶片荒究竟可能會延續多久。瑞銀投資銀行則表示，其預計供需失衡的情況將在第三季某個時刻得到改善。

Next Article

Biden’s focus on rebuilding allies to impact Korea-US relations 拜登聚焦重建與盟邦關係 將影響韓美關係

President Joe Biden’s attention to "repairing alliances" has raised hopes that things between South Korea and U.S. will be different under the new U.S. leader.

（美國）總統拜登關注「修補同盟」，已提高韓美間的情況將在這位美國新領袖下有所不同的希望。

"This will involve reaching an agreement on Special Measures Agreement negotiations fairly quickly, taking South Korea’s views on North Korea into consideration even if Seoul’s and Washington’s positions are different, cooperation in multilateral issues such as climate change or trade, and trying to get the Moon Jae-in government on board his administration’s position on China," Ramon Pacheco Pardo, who serves as associate professor of international relations at King’s College London.

倫敦國王學院國際關係副教授拉蒙‧巴奇可‧帕爾多說，「這將包括很快會就（分攤駐韓美軍經費的）『特別措施協定』達成協議。即使首爾與華府的立場不同，仍將南韓對北韓的看法納入考量。在氣候變遷或貿易之類的多邊議題上合作。還有試著使（南韓總統）文在寅政府加入拜登政府對中國的立場」。

"I would also expect Biden to support South Korea becoming part of an expanded G7 or similar forum, and supporting a more vocal Seoul in international relations," added Pardo.

帕爾多還說，「我也預料拜登將支持南韓躋身一個擴大的『七大工業國』或類似論壇的成員，並支持一個在國際關係上更勇於發聲的首爾」。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1430611 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1422097

通勤學英語15mins.Today榮獲

 Apple Podcast 2020年十大熱門節目

KKBox 2020年十大Podcast風雲榜 (唯一語言學習Podcast)

Himalaya 人氣票選播客總冠軍

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

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

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

用email訂閱就可以收到通勤學英語節目更新通知。

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K057: The world is dependent on Taiwan for semiconductors

As China pushes the world to avoid official dealings with Taiwan, leaders across the globe are realizing just how dependent they have become on the island democracy.

中國迫使世界斷絕與台灣的正式往來，此時全球的領導人卻了解到，他們對這民主島國的依賴程度已如此之深。

Taiwan is being courted for its capacity to make leading-edge computer chips. That is mostly down to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (TSMC), the world’s largest foundry and go-to producer of chips for Apple Inc smartphones, artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.

台灣以其製造先進電腦晶片的能力而備受青睞。這主要歸功於台灣積體電路製造公司﹝簡稱台積電﹞。台積電是全球最大的晶圓代工廠，也是蘋果公司智慧型手機、人工智慧及高效能運算晶片的首選製造商。

Taiwan’s role in the world economy largely existed below the radar until it came to recent prominence as the auto industry suffered shortfalls in chips used for everything from parking sensors to reducing emissions. With carmakers including Germany’s Volkswagen AG, Ford Motor Co of the US and Japan’s Toyota Motor Corp forced to halt production and idle plants, Taiwan’s importance has suddenly become too big to ignore.

台灣在世界經濟中的角色大多不為人所注意，直到最近由於汽車工業的晶片短缺（由倒車雷達至減少排放等皆須用到晶片），台灣才成為全世界眾所矚目之地。包括德國福斯汽車、美國福特汽車及日本豐田汽車在內的汽車製造商被迫停止生產、將工廠閒置，台灣的重要性因此也突然變得不可忽視。

That is not to say Taiwan is the only player in the semiconductor supply chain. The US still holds dominant positions, notably in chip design and electronic software tools; ASML Holding NV of the Netherlands has a monopoly on the machines needed to fabricate the best chips; Japan is a key supplier of equipment, chemicals and wafers.

這並不是說台灣是半導體供應鏈中的唯一角色。美國仍居主導地位，特別是在晶片設計和電子軟體工具方面；製造最佳晶片所需之機器是由荷蘭的艾司摩爾所壟斷；日本則是設備、化學品和晶圓的主要供應國。

However, as the emphasis shifts to ever smaller, more powerful chips that require less energy, TSMC is increasingly in a field of its own. It has also helped Taiwan form a comprehensive ecosystem around it: ASE Technology Holding is the world’s top chip assembler, while MediaTek has become the largest smartphone chipset vendor.

但是，隨著重點轉移到體積更小、功能更強大且用電更少的晶片上，台積電便愈發自成體系。台積電也幫助台灣建構了一個全面的生態系統，以台積電為中心：日月光是世界頂尖的晶片封測廠，而聯發科技已成為智慧型手機晶片組最大的供應商。

A big worry is that TSMC’s chip factories could become collateral damage if China were to make good on threats to invade Taiwan if it moves toward independence.

一大隱憂是，若台灣邁向獨立、中國果真入侵台灣，則台積電晶片廠恐受牽連，成為附帶損害。

“Taiwan is the center of gravity of Chinese security policy,” said Mathieu Duchatel, director of the Asia program at the Institut Montaigne in Paris. Preserving the world’s most advanced fabs “is in the interests of everyone.”

「台灣是中國安全政策的重中之重」，巴黎蒙田研究所亞洲計畫主任杜懋之表示；保護世界上最先進的晶圓廠「符合所有人的利益」。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/02/01/2003751534

通勤學英語15mins.Today榮獲

Apple Podcast 2020年十大熱門節目

KKBox 2020年十大Podcast風雲榜 (唯一語言學習Podcast)

Himalaya 人氣票選播客總冠軍 

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

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

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

用email訂閱就可以收到通勤學英語節目更新通知。