通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K029: How Did Marriage Become a Mark of Privilege?

Marriage, which used to be the default way to form a family in the United States, regardless of income or education, has become yet another part of American life reserved for those who are most privileged.

Fewer Americans are marrying overall, and whether they do so is more tied to socioeconomic status than ever before. In recent years, marriage has sharply declined among people without college degrees, while staying steady among college graduates with higher incomes.

結婚曾經是美國人組織家庭想當然的方法，與個人收入多寡或教育程度無關，如今卻已成為美國人生活中保留給享有最大優勢者的另一個部分。

整體而言，結婚的美國人變少了，而且是否結婚也比以往任何時候，更與社會經濟地位息息相關。近幾年，沒有大學學位者結婚率銳減，收入較高的大學畢業生結婚率則維持穩定。

Currently, 26 percent of poor adults, 39 percent of working-class adults and 56 percent of middle- and upper-class adults are married, according to a research brief published from two think tanks, the American Enterprise Institute and Opportunity America.

In 1990, more than half of adults were married, with much less difference based on class and education: 51 percent of poor adults, 57 percent of working-class adults and 65 percent of middle- and upper-class adults were married.

根據兩家智庫「美國企業研究所」和「機會美國」公布的研究報告摘要，現今，26％的貧窮成人，39％的工人階級成人，以及56％的中產與上層階級成人屬於已婚族。

1990年，成人中已婚者超過半數，而且階級和教育造成的差異也小得多：51％的窮人，57％的工人階級和65％的中產和上層階級成人已婚。

A big reason for the decline: Unemployed men are less likely to be seen as marriage material.

“Women don’t want to take a risk on somebody who’s not going to be able to provide anything,” said Sharon Sassler, a sociologist at Cornell who published “Cohabitation Nation: Gender, Class, and the Remaking of Relationships” with Amanda Jayne Miller last month.

結婚率下降的一大原因：失業男性較不可能被看待成結婚的對象。

康乃爾大學社會學家雪倫．沙斯勒說：「女性不想在無法提供任何東西的男人身上冒險。」上個月，沙斯勒和亞曼達．珍．米勒共同出版了《同居國度：性別、階級，與關係重塑》一書。

As marriage has declined, though, childbearing has not, which means that more children are living in families without two parents and the resources they bring.

“The sharpest distinction in American family life is between people with a bachelor’s or not,” said Andrew Cherlin, a sociologist at Johns Hopkins and author of “Labor’s Love Lost: The Rise and Fall of the Working-Class Family in America.”

儘管如此，在結婚率降低之際，生育率卻未見下降，意謂有更多的兒童是在非雙親，也沒有他們所帶來的資源的家庭中生活。

約翰霍普金斯大學社會學家安德魯．契林說：「造成美國家庭生活最大差距的，是人們是否擁有大學學歷。」契林著有《勞工失去的愛：美國工人階級家庭的興衰》一書。

Just over half of adolescents in poor and working-class homes live with both their biological parents, compared with 77 percent in middle- and upper-class homes, according to the research brief, by W. Bradford Wilcox and Wendy Wang of the Institute for Family Studies. Thirty-six percent of children born to a working-class mother are born out of wedlock, versus 13 percent of those born to middle- and upper-class mothers.

The research brief defined “working class” as adults with an adjusted family income between the 20th and 50th percentiles, with high school diplomas but not bachelor’s degrees. Poor is defined as those below the 20th percentile or without high school diplomas, and the middle and upper class as those above the 50th percentile or with college degrees.

據「家庭研究中心」Ｗ．布萊德福．威爾科克斯與溫蒂．王所做的研究摘要，與生身父母共同生活的青少年，在貧窮工人階級中略超過50%，中產與上層階級有77%。工人階級母親所生的孩子，有36%非婚生，中產、上層階級則為13%。

研究摘要的「工人階級」定義為調整後家庭收入介於第20到第50百分位之間，有高中文憑但無大學學歷的成人，中產和上層階級的定義則是高於第50百分位，或有大學學歷的成人。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/319374/web/

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K028: Welcome to the World's Coolest Kindergarten

It was late Tuesday afternoon at the Pestalozzi Foundation kindergarten, and a few dozen children and their parents were hanging around past the normal pickup hour.

There was no rush to get home, really. They were enjoying the view from the kindergarten’s rear veranda: the inside of Millerntor-Stadion, the 29,546-seat stadium that is home to FC St. Pauli, as it hurriedly filled up for a midweek soccer game.

Staying after class has never been this fun.

星期二向晚時分，德國漢堡市裴斯泰洛齊基金會幼兒園接孩子的正常時間已過，卻有幾十個兒童和家長徘徊不去。

他們真的不急著回家，而是在幼兒園後走廊享受望出去的景觀：米勒門球場內部，這個體育場有2萬9546個座位，是聖保利足球俱樂部的主場，很快就坐滿了，大家準備觀看一場在一星期中段舉行的足球賽。

放學後留校從來沒這麼好玩。

Since 2010, the Pestalozzi Foundation has operated from inside the stadium, offering families perks that are most likely unique in the world of early childhood education.

The kindergarten borrows the stadium’s field, tunnels and roof for group activities. Players from the team come by to read to the children. Teachers use the arena’s main stand as a sort of giant break room. And on match days, parents clamor to reserve a spot to watch from the prime vantage point of the kindergarten’s deck, within shouting distance of the rowdy southern stands.

2010年起，裴斯泰洛齊基金會就在球場內經營幼兒園，讓幼兒家庭享受一些附帶的好處，而這些好處很可能在幼教世界中獨一無二。

這家幼兒園跟球場借了運動場、地道和屋頂供團體活動之用。聖保利足球隊的球員會來朗讀給孩子聽。老師把球場主看台當作超大休息室來用。在比賽日，家長會大聲要求預留空間，才能在幼兒園外木造平台上最好的位置觀戰，平台離鬧哄哄的南看台很近。

Kindergarten in Germany is closer in concept to preschool in the United States, existing outside the formal school system as it serves children ages 3 to 6. The German word Kindertagesstatte, which is often shortened to Kita, denotes a day care center for children of any age. Since Pestalozzi accepts children 8 months to 6 years old, people referring to it use the words kindergarten and Kita interchangeably.

The kindergarten was conceptualized eight years ago, when FC St. Pauli was renovating the stadium. There was space for a building in the southwest corner, between two large rebuilt stands. The decision to use it as a child care center made sense perhaps only in the unconventional world of the socially conscious club and its neighborhood.

德國的幼兒園類似美國幼兒園，收3到6歲兒童，獨立於正式學校體系之外。德文Kindertagesstatte通常簡寫為Kita，是指各年齡兒童的日間托育中心。由於裴斯泰洛齊收的兒童介於8個月大到6歲之間，人們會交替地說裴斯泰洛齊是幼兒園或Kita。

這家幼兒園從8年前聖保利俱樂部整修球場時開始發想。球場西南角位在兩個重建的大看台間，有空間可蓋房子。把這個空間撥給幼兒園使用的決定，也許只對非傳統且深具社會責任感的聖保利俱樂部及其周邊鄰居有意義。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/314555/web/

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K027: 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

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.K026: Prepare for Change by Expecting the Unimagined

Self-driving vehicles could upend the transportation sector and eliminate a million or more jobs. Algorithms that decode MRIs put a whole medical subfield at risk. And the list of professions and sectors soon to be obsolete grows steadily by the day.

自駕車可能顛覆運輸部門，消滅一百萬個、甚至更多的就業機會。可為核磁共振攝影解碼的演算法，可能讓醫學的一整個區塊岌岌可危。不久即會過時的職業與部門，則在逐日穩定增加。

New technologies are rattling the economy on all fronts. While the predictions are specific and dire, bigger changes are surely coming. Clearly, we need to adjust for the turbulence ahead.

新科技正為經濟的各個領域帶來動盪不安。儘管這些預測明確又可怕，更大的改變仍然篤定會來臨。顯而易見，我們必須作好調整，以順應前方的湍流。

But we may be preparing in the wrong way.

不過，我們的準備可能錯了。

Both history and psychology tell us that our capacity to predict the future is limited, while our capacity to believe in such predictions is unlimited. We have always been surprised.

歷史和心理學兩者都告訴我們，人類預測未來的能力是有限的，然而人類相信這種預測的能力卻是無限的。一切總是出乎我們意料之外。

Rather than planning for the specific changes we imagine, it is better to prepare for the unimagined — for change itself.

與其為我們想像的特定改變預作計畫，不如為無法想像的作好準備，也就是為改變本身作好準備。

Preparing for the unknown is not as hard as it may seem, though it implies fundamental shifts in our policies on education, employment and social insurance.

為未知的變化預作準備，不如表面看來那般困難，儘管這意謂我們的教育、就業、社會保險政策必須作出根本的改變。

Take education. Were we to plan for specific changes, we would start revamping curriculums to include skills we thought would be rewarded in the future. For example, computer programming might become even more of a staple in high schools than it already is. Maybe that will prove to be wise and we will have a more productive workforce.

以教育為例。如果我們要為特定的變遷擬定計畫，就必須開始改革課程，將我們認為會在未來獲得回報的技術納入。舉例說，電腦程式設計在中學課程中可能成為比現今分量更重的主科。日後這可能會證明是明智之舉，而且我們會擁有生產力更高的勞動力。

But perhaps technology evolves quickly enough that in a few decades we talk to, rather than program, computers. In that case, millions of people would have invested in a skill as outdated as precise penmanship.

不過，科技演進的速度也可能快到幾十年內我們便可直接跟電腦說話，而不必再透過程式設計。果真如此，形同有數以百萬計的人投資在和精確書寫一樣過時的一項技巧上。

Instead, rather than changing what we teach, we could change when we teach.

此外，與其改變我們教導的「內容」，不如改變教導的「時間點」。

Currently, all the formal education most people will receive comes early in life. Specific skills may be learned on the job, but the fundamentals are acquired in school when we are young. This sequence — learn early, benefit for a lifetime — makes sense only in a world where the useful skills stay constant.

目前多數人是在年輕時接受所有的正規教育。特定技能可能就業後再從工作中學習，但是基礎教育都是年輕時在學校取得。早年學習，一輩子受惠的這種順序，唯有在有用的技能一成不變的世界才言之成理。

But in a rapidly changing world, the fundamentals that were useful decades ago may be obsolete now; more important, new essential skills may have arisen. Anyone helping a grandparent navigate a computer has experienced this problem.

在瞬息萬變的世界中，數十年前有用的基礎教育現在可能已過時；更重要的是，新的基本功可能已經出現。協助祖父母操作電腦的每個人都體會過這種問題。

Once we recognize that human capital, like technology, needs refreshing, we have to restructure our institutions so people acquire education later in life. We don’t merely need training programs for niche populations or circumstances, expensive and short executive-education programs or brief excursions like TED talks. Instead we need the kind of in-depth education and training people receive routinely at age 13.

一旦認清我們的人力資源和科技一樣需要更新，我們就必須重建機制，讓人們得以在年紀較大時受到教育。我們不僅須為利基族群與環境提供訓練計畫，昂貴和短期的高管教育計畫以及類似TED大會演講的簡短瀏覽。我們還需要人們照例會在13歲時接受的那種深度教育和訓練。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/318780/web/

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。」

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

Next Article

Topic: France to ban mink farms and use of wild animals in circuses, marine parks

France’s environment minister has announced a gradual ban on using wild animals in traveling circuses, on keeping dolphins and killer whales in captivity in marine parks and on raising mink on fur farms.

法國環境部長宣布，將逐步禁止巡迴馬戲團以野生動物進行表演、在海洋公園內圈養海豚和虎鯨，以及在皮草養殖場飼養水貂。

Barbara Pompili, France’s minister of ecological transition, said in a news conference on Tuesday last week that bears, tigers, lions, elephants and other wild animals will no longer be allowed in traveling circuses “in the coming years.” In addition, she said that starting immediately, France’s three marine parks will no longer be able to bring in or breed dolphins and killer whales.

法國生態轉型部部長巴巴拉‧彭皮里上週二在記者會中表示，「未來數年後」馬戲團將不能再有熊、老虎、獅子、大象及其他野生動物。此外，自即日起，法國的三個海洋公園不能再引進或繁殖海豚及虎鯨。

“It is time to open a new era in our relationship with these (wild) animals,” she said, arguing that animal welfare is a priority.

她說：「現在該是為我們與這些（野生）動物的關係開啟新時代的時候了」，她說，動物福利應優先考慮。

Pompili said the measures will also bring an end to mink farming, in which animals are raised for their fur, within the next five years. The ban does not apply to wild animals in other permanent shows and in zoos.

彭皮里說，這些措施還包括在未來五年內禁絕水貂養殖──這種養殖場的目的是取貂皮。該禁令並不適用其他常態演出及動物園中之野生動物。

The French government will provide an aid package of more than 8 million euros (US$9.36 million) to help animal shows transition to a new business model.

法國政府將提供逾八百萬歐元（合九百三十六萬美元）的支援計劃，以幫助動物表演轉型為新的商業模式。

Around 20 European countries have already banned or limited the presence of wild animals in circuses. In France, many cities already do not allow circuses with wild animal shows to pitch their tents.

歐洲約有二十個國家已禁止或限制野生動物在馬戲團出場。在法國，許多城市已不准有野生動物表演的馬戲團前來搭篷。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/10/05/2003744594

Next Article

Topic: Young and Jobless in Europe:‘It’s Been Desperate’

Like millions of young people across Europe, Rebecca Lee, 25, has suddenly found herself shut out of the labor market as the economic toll of the pandemic intensifies.Her job as a personal assistant at a London architecture firm was eliminated in September.

隨著疫情造成的經濟災情加劇，25歲的蕾貝卡‧李伊跟歐洲數百萬青年一樣，突然發現自己被勞動市場拒於門外。她在倫敦一家建築師事務所的個人助理工作，在9月被裁撤了。

Lee, who has a degree in illustration from the University of Westminster, sent out nearly 100 job applications. After scores of rejections, she finally landed a two-month contract at a family-aid charity that pays 10 pounds (about $13) an hour.

具有西敏寺大學插畫學位的李伊送出近百份工作申請。在遭到數十次拒絕後，終於跟一個家庭援助慈善機構簽下為期兩個月的合約，時薪10英鎊（約13美元）。

“At the moment I will take anything I can get,” Lee said. “It’s been desperate.”

李伊說：「現在什麼工作我都肯幹。我已經走投無路了。」

The coronavirus pandemic is rapidly fueling a new youth unemployment crisis in Europe. Young people are being disproportionately hit, economically and socially, by lockdown restrictions, forcing many to make painful adjustments and leaving policymakers grasping for solutions.

新冠病毒大流行正在歐洲迅速引發新的青年失業危機。封鎖限制措施對年輕人在經濟與社會上造成超出比例的打擊，迫使許多人做出痛苦的調整，也讓決策者急於尋求解方。

Years of job growth has eroded in a matter of months, leaving more than twice as many young people than other adults out of work. The jobless rate for people 25 and under jumped from 14.7% in January to 17.6% in August, its highest level since 2017.

數年來的就業成長在短短幾個月內消失了，失業的年輕人是其他成年人的兩倍多。25歲及以下族群失業率從1月的14.7%躍升至8月的17.6%，來到2017年來最高水準。

Europe is not the only place where younger workers face a jobs crunch. Young Americans are especially vulnerable to the downturn. But in Europe, the pandemic’s economic impact puts an entire generation at risk, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

歐洲並非年輕勞工面臨就業危機的唯一地方。美國的年輕人尤其容易受到經濟衰退影響，但根據經濟合作發展組織的數據，這場疫情在歐洲造成的經濟影響，卻讓一整個世代面臨風險。

Young people are overrepresented in sectors where jobs are disappearing, including travel, retail and hospitality. Graduates are facing unprecedented competition for even entry-level positions from a tsunami of newly laid-off workers.

在就業機會正在消失的產業裡年輕人比例過高，這些產業包括旅遊、零售與餐館飯店業。畢業生即便謀求基層職位，也得與一海票剛遭解雇的勞工進行空前激烈的競爭。

The scarring effects may linger. “If you’re unemployed earlier on in your career, you’re more likely to experience joblessness in the future,” said Neal Kilbane, a senior economist at Oxford Economics.

牛津經濟研究院資深經濟學家尼爾‧基爾班表示，這種疤痕效應可能會持續下去。「若在個人職涯早期就失業，未來失業的可能性就更大。」

The European Union is trying to cushion the blow by encouraging businesses to recruit young people. But such programs may have little impact as Europe confronts its worst recession since World War II.

歐盟正嘗試透過鼓勵企業招聘年輕人來緩解這一衝擊，但在歐洲面對二戰以來最嚴重經濟衰退之際，這類計畫只恐成效甚微。

Europeans coming of age in the pandemic are lowering their expectations of the jobs and careers they can get. Many are resorting to internships, living with parents or returning to school to ride out the storm. Young workers without higher education risk sliding even further.

在疫情期間成年的那些歐洲人，已壓低自身對於可獲得工作與職涯的期望。許多人利用實習、與父母同住或者重回學校來度過危機。未受過高等教育的年輕勞工，前景更不容樂觀。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/359091/web/

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Topic: 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/1353148 ;

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

用email訂閱就可以收到通勤學英語節目更新通知。

Summary:

This article is a piece from a few years ago when the UK government began charging for plastic bags with the aims of reducing pollution and waste. Many shoppers were confused with the new 5pence plastic bag policy that came with exemptions for buying pet fish; raw fish, meat or poultry; unwrapped blades (including axes, knives and razor blades); takeout food; or loose seeds and flowers. Many other countries have also banned giving away free plastic bags at supermarkets and retail outlets such as the US, Bangladesh, Rwanda. Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to decompose.

原跟讀文章: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-987-plastic-bag-charge-in-england-prompts-applause-anger-and

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Proceeds n. – money obtained from an event or activity

• The proceeds from the bad charge will be used for charitable causes.

Regulate v. – to control or maintain the speed

• Governments around the world are regulating the use of plastic bags to reduce pollution.

Reusable adj. able to reuse again

• We should use reusable shopping bags when we go buy groceries.

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

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K025: Mask price lowered, minimum wage raised: Seven measures from New Year

明年元旦起不少新制將上路，嘉惠民眾，行政院於上週四公布了以下七項措施：

Several new measures will be in place from the coming New Year’s Day to benefit the public, with the Executive Yuan announcing on Thursday the following seven new measures:

勞工基本工資調漲，月薪由兩萬三千八百元調整至兩萬四千元，時薪由一百五十八元調整至一百六十元，約兩百零八萬名勞工受惠。

The minimum monthly wage will be increased from NT$23,800 to NT$24,000, and the hourly wage will increase from the current NT$158 to NT$160, a change that will affect about 2.08 million workers.

農民退休儲金上路，農民每月提繳一定金額，政府提繳相同金額共同存於農民退休儲金個人專戶，繳納四十年，每月約可領四點五萬元。

The farmers’ pensions system will also be launched, in which the government will match the amount farmers pay into their monthly pension payments, to be deposited directly into the farmers’ personal pension account. Farmers paying into their pensions for a total of 40 years will be entitled to receive up to NT$45,000 per month.

農業保險法及其補助辦法上路，將天災、疫病、市場風險納入，持續提供三分之一至二分之一的保費補助，並成立農險基金逐年編至一百億元，穩定農民收入。

The Agricultural Insurance Act and its subsidy program will also take effect. The Act covers natural disasters, epidemics and market risks, and continues to provide one-third to one-half of premium subsidies. An agricultural insurance fund will also be established, with an annual budget of NT$10 billion to stabilize farmers’ income.

國中小營養午餐加碼補助，學校營養午餐全面使用國產可溯源食材，補助每餐從原本三點五元提高到六元。

The subsidies for school lunch for elementary and middle schools will be increased to NT$6 from NT$3.5 per meal. All meals will use only ingredients produced in Taiwan, with their places of origin traceable.

基本生活費調增，每人基本生活費調整為十八點二萬元，較前一年增加七千元，明年五月報稅時適用，約有兩百零五萬戶受惠。

Basic living expenses will rise to NT$18,200, an increase of NT$7,000, a change that is expected to benefit 2.05 million households when they file taxes in May.

圖書出版品免徵營業稅，經營圖書出版品之出版或進口事務者，得申請免徵營業稅，一一○年一月起受理申請。

Publishers involved in import/export of books will be eligible to apply for business tax exemptions. Applications will be opened from Jan. 1 next year.

口罩實名制增量降價，由原本十四天可買九片、四十五元，調整為可買十片、四十元，多一片少五元。

Finally, masks bought under the government’s fortnightly mask rationing program will be available at a cheaper rate, from NT$45 for nine masks to NT$40 for 10, thus reducing the cost by NT$5, and adding one mask.

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/12/28/2003749489

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K023: About Japan -Japan to fund AI matchmaking to boost birth rate

Japan plans to boost its tumbling birth rate by funding artificial intelligence matchmaking schemes to help residents find love.

日本計畫透過資助人工智慧配對相親計畫，幫助國民尋找愛情，以提高該國不斷下降的出生率。

From next year it will subsidize local governments already running or starting projects that use AI to pair people up.

從明年開始，日本政府將提供補貼，資助地方政府已經在運行以及新啟動的人工智慧配對相親項目。

Last year the number of babies born in Japan fell below 865,000 - a record low.

去年，日本新生嬰兒數跌破86.5萬，創下歷史新低。

The fast-greying nation has long been searching for ways to reverse one of the world’s lowest fertility rates.

日本的生育率為全世界最低的國家之一，這個快速高齡化的國家長期以來一直在尋找扭轉局面的方法。

Boosting the use of AI tech is one of its latest efforts.

加強人工智慧技術的運用，是其最新舉措之一。

Next year the government plans to allocate local authorities 2bn yen to boost the birth rate, reported AFP news agency.

據法新社報導，日本政府計畫明年撥款20億日圓給地方政府，以提高出生率。

Many already offer human-run matchmaking services and some have introduced AI systems in the hope they will perform a more sophisticated analysis of the standardised forms where people submit their details.

許多企業已經提供了人工婚介服務，一些已經引入AI系統，希望能夠對民眾提交的標準化表格進行更精密的分析。

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Japan set to target zero emissions by 2050 in policy shift 日本政策轉變準備2050年達到零碳排

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is set to bind Japan to a target for carbon neutrality by 2050, a shift in stance that will bring the country in line with the European Union and more than 60 other nations in efforts to combat climate change.

首相菅義偉要訂出日本須在2050年前達到零碳排的目標，此立場轉移將使該國在力抗氣候變遷上，與歐盟和其他60多國一致。

Japan previously said it would aim to reduce emissions by 80% by 2050 and achieve net-zero emissions sometime in the latter half of the century.

之前日本說會設定2050年達到削減碳排量80%的目標，並且在本世紀後半葉某個時間點做到淨零碳排。

Japan is the world’s fifth-biggest emitter of carbon dioxide. Under pressure from many business sectors, moves are also afoot to increase the use of renewable energy as the government starts forcing the shutdown of older, dirtier coal plants.

日本目前是全球第五大二氧化碳排放國。在許多產業界的壓力下，政府著手強制老舊火力發電廠關閉的同時，也正增加採用可再生能源等措施。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1416436 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1421876

To combat concerns about fine dust, especially during the winter, the city government of Seoul has toughened regulations on high-polluting vehicles and construction sites in the December-to-March period.

為打消外界對微細粉塵的擔憂，尤其在冬季期間，首爾市政府於12月至明年3月間，已加強對高污染車輛和建築工地的規範。

The measure is designed to ease the intensity and frequency of fine dust through tougher regulations. The city aims to reduce 120 tons of fine dust emissions during the four months.

該措施旨在藉由更嚴格的規定，降低微細粉塵的濃度與發生率。首爾市目標是在這4個月內減少120公噸的微細粉塵排放。

Aging and high-polluting vehicles without devices to reduce emissions are restricted in the city from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. Violators are charged a fine of 100,000 won per day.

老舊及未加裝降低排放設備的高污染車輛，平日早上6點到晚間9點限制在市內行駛。違者每日可處以10萬韓元罰鍰。

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More Koreans giving up looking for jobs 更多南韓民眾放棄謀職

According to a survey on the working age population － those aged 15 or over － by Statistics Korea, the number of discouraged workers stood at 534,000 in December 2019, the month before the novel coronavirus first arrived in Korea.

根據南韓統計廳一項對工作年齡人口的調查，在新型冠狀病毒最早到達南韓前的2019年12月，15歲或以上的沮喪勞工（或稱失望勞工）人數為53萬4000人。

Since the first case was reported here on Jan. 20, the tally of discouraged workers has showed a general increase, though there were some ups and downs from month to month. Compared to December 2019, the tally for November 2020 grew 97,000 to reach 631,000.

自南韓1月20日通報首起確診病例後，沮喪勞工的人數就已呈現普遍上升，儘管按月仍有若干波動。相較於2019年12月，2020年11月的人數增加9萬7000人，達63萬1000人

Some research analysts say that the climbing number of discouraged workers cannot wholly be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

部分的研究分析師表示，沮喪勞工人數的攀升，無法完全歸咎於2019冠狀病毒病大流行。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1421683 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1420219

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K021: The Not-So-Glossy Future of Magazines

One evening in mid-September, a gaggle of writers and bon vivant editors gathered by the outdoor fireplace and ivy-covered trellis of a West Village tavern. Steak was served, and the toasts lasted late into the night, the revelry trickling out to the nearby sidewalk.

九月中旬的一個夜晚，在西村的一家小酒館，一群作家和喜歡享受生活的編輯們聚集在一個室外壁爐和常春藤覆蓋的格狀架子旁。牛排上桌後，眾人杯觥交錯直到深夜，歡鬧聲流瀉到鄰近的人行道上。

It could have been a scene from the Jazz Age heyday of the Manhattan magazine set — or even the 1990s, when glossy monthlies still soaked up millions of dollars in advertising revenue, and editors in chauffeured town cars told the nation what to wear, what to watch and who to read.

這幕場景可能來自爵士時代曼哈坦雜誌業全盛時期，甚至是90年代，以亮光紙印刷的月刊還是廣告收入淹腳目，編輯們坐在司機駕駛的豪華轎車內，告訴全國該穿些什麼、欣賞什麼、閱讀什麼人的年頭。

This night, however, had an elegiac tinge. The staff of Vanity Fair was saluting the magazine’s longtime editor, Graydon Carter, who had announced that he was departing after a 25-year run. In the back garden of Carter’s restaurant, the Waverly Inn, star writers like James Wolcott and Marie Brenner spoke of their gratitude and grief.

不過，這一晚透著一種悲傷的況味。《浮華世界》的員工正向雜誌的長期總編輯葛雷登．卡特致敬。卡特在任職25年後，宣布即將離職。在卡特自家餐廳「韋佛利餐廳」的後花園中，一些明星作家如詹姆士．沃科特、瑪麗．布倫納都表達了他們的謝意和感傷。

Carter has always had a knack for trends. Within two weeks, three other prominent editors — from Time, Elle and Glamour — announced that they, too, would be stepping down. Another titan of the industry, Jann S. Wenner, said he planned to sell his controlling stake in Rolling Stone after a half-century.

卡特一向走在趨勢前端。不出兩星期，又有3位知名雜誌總編，分別是《時代》、《ELLE她》、《魅力》的總編也宣布準備下台。另一個業界巨頭，《滾石》創刊人詹恩．溫納則表示，打算出售他在《滾石》已保有半個世紀的控制性持股。

Suddenly, it seemed, long-standing predictions about the collapse of magazines had come to pass.

突然之間，長久來有關雜誌業終將崩潰的預言，似乎成真了。

Magazines have sputtered for years, their monopoly on readers and advertising erased by Facebook, Google and more nimble online competitors. But editors and executives said the abrupt churn in the senior leadership ranks signaled that the romance of the business was now yielding to financial realities.

雜誌業步履蹣跚已有多年，雜誌對讀者和廣告的壟斷遭到臉書、谷歌和更靈活的網路競爭對手侵奪。編輯和高管表示，高階領導階層的突然異動，說明這一行業的羅曼史正向財務現實低頭。

As publishers grasp for new revenue streams, a “try-anything” approach has taken hold. Time Inc. has a new streaming TV show, “Paws & Claws,” that features viral videos of animals. Hearst started a magazine with the online rental service Airbnb. Increasingly, the longtime core of the business — the print product — is an afterthought, overshadowed by investments in live events, podcasts, video, and partnerships with outside brands.

隨著發行人尋找新的收入來源，「無所不試」的作法開始出現。時代公司因此有了新的串流電視節目《寵物》，主要播出網路瘋傳的動物影片。赫斯特集團與網路出租服務公司Airbnb合辦了一份雜誌。但是雜誌業長久以來的核心─紙本產品卻越來越像後來才添加的產品，對於現場直播、播客、影片的投資，以及和外面品牌的合作關係，都讓紙本產品黯然失色。

The changes represent one of the most fundamental shifts in decades for a business that long relied on a simple formula: glossy volumes thick with high-priced ads.

這些變化代表這一行出現了數十年來最根本的轉變，而這個行業一向仰賴一個簡單公式存活，光鮮亮麗的書冊和滿滿的高價廣告。

“Sentimentality is probably the biggest enemy for the magazine business,” David Carey, president of Hearst Magazines, said in an interview. “You have to embrace the future."

赫斯特雜誌集團總裁大衛．凱里受訪時說：「多愁善感恐怕是雜誌業最大的敵人。你必須迎向未來。」

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/319070/web/