通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K024: Taiwanese cakes take London by storm

近年來，台灣美食小吃席捲不少國家，像是珍奶就成功擄獲外國人的胃。近日，美國網路媒體Insider在官方推特分享台式「車輪餅」製作影片，引起不少外國人好奇關注。

Taiwanese food has taken many countries by storm in recent years, such as boba milk tea. Recently, the U.S. online media Insider shared a video of the making of “Taiwanese cakes” on its official Twitter account, drawing much attention from social media users.

Insider旗下美食頻道Food Insider於12月26日貼出一則影片，介紹位在英國倫敦的一家「小島車輪餅」，拍攝道地車輪餅的製作過程，並訪問台灣老闆林意庭。

Food Insider, a popular food channel, posted a video on Dec. 26, introducing a shop called “Wheelcake Island” in London.

在影片貼文中，外媒形容「這個最受歡迎的小吃點心就像兩片鬆軟的鬆餅夾內餡，你們想吃哪個口味呢？」

The tweet reads, “The popular street food snack is made by sandwiching a filling between two fluffy pancakes — which one would you like to try?”

影片中，林意庭受訪時向外國記者介紹道，「這是我們在台灣每天都會吃、非常受歡迎的傳統點心。」

In the video, Lin explained: “It’s a very popular traditional street snack we have every day in Taiwan.”

林意庭說，因為他們非常喜歡車輪餅，才決定把這樣美食帶到倫敦。

He added that they decided to bring the snack to London because they love wheelcakes very much.

「小島車輪餅」的吉祥物是一隻青蛙，因為林意庭覺得這隻青蛙符合他們的精神，「放鬆、享受生活，好似牠吃了幾噸重的車輪餅。」

Asked about the reason why they used a frog on their logo, Lin said: ” We feel like we like its spirit very much. Very relaxed and enjoying. Feels like he has eaten tons of wheelcakes.”

車輪餅餡料都是老闆一手包辦，真材實料，共販賣四種口味，分別是經典香草卡士達、牛奶巧克力、抹茶、以及紅豆。

Fillings, which are made from scratch, include four flavors: classic vanilla custard, milk chocolate, green tea, and adzuki beans.

每個車輪餅售價3英鎊 (約新台幣114元)。許多外國網友看到紛紛在影片下留言，「我想要做做看車輪餅」、「看起來好好吃」。

Each cake costs £3 (about NT$114). In response to the video, one social media user commented, “I would love to make them” while another said “Yummy.”

Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20201228-1965725

Hello 通勤家族，歡迎收聽Look Back Sunday回顧星期天，John老師在這個節目會彙整過去一年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2020年最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們先從台灣的趣聞開始，Let's get right to it!

Topic: Original icon font promotes beauty of Taiwan

日本設計師Holoko和英國工程師Rob攜手創作出100個代表台灣的文字圖標（Taiwan Icon Font)，提供免費下載，期望透過台味十足的圖標，讓世界知道台灣的魅力，吸引更多人來台觀光旅遊。

Holoko and Rob, a Japanese designer and a British programmer, recently joined hands to design a hundred Taiwan-themed icon fonts in hopes of introducing local tourism attractions and attracting more tourists to Taiwan.

文字圖標是什麼呢？使用者只要打入對應代碼，便能產生小圖示，也可以像文字一樣改變圖示大小、顏色。

But, what’s an icon font? Icon fonts are fonts that contain symbols and glyphs instead of letters and numbers. Internet users can style them with CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) to create original designs in a variety of colors and shapes.

圖標種類分為四大類，分別是觀光景點、產品、交通、其他。除了全台從南到北和離島的觀光景點之外，還有珍珠奶茶、台灣鐵路、YouBike等等代表台灣的事物都變成超可愛迷你圖示。

The aforesaid icon font is organized into four types, including sights, products, traffic and more. In addition to famous Taiwan attractions and offshore islands, various cultural features such as pearl milk tea, Taiwan Railways Administration, and YouBike have been converted into cute mini icons.

Taiwan Icon Font官網寫道，創作者的發想理念緣起於2019年8月陸客來台禁令生效，對台灣觀光業造成衝擊，然而，設計師認為來台灣的不只有中國人，台灣的美足以吸引來自世界各地的人，盼能藉由小圖示宣傳台灣之美。

In 2019, China imposed a travel ban that froze individual tourists’ permits to Taiwan, which caused a significant impact on Taiwan’s tourism. Against this backdrop, Holoko and Rob launched this project with the hopes of bringing more people from around the world to discover the beauty of Taiwan, according to the designers’ official website.

文內自介寫道，「我們支持台灣，因為台灣有好大的吸引力，而且台灣就是我們的好朋友！」熱愛台灣的設計師不僅被台灣景致吸引，對他們來說，台灣更像是好朋友。舉例來說，珍珠奶茶在日本掀起的熱潮、每年增加的旅台日人、台灣2011年傾囊相助日本東北地震賑災，可見台灣與日本友好關係。

In addition, they stressed how “we support Taiwan not only because Taiwan is attractive but also is our friends.” Among other highlights, they remarked that Taiwan-Japan ties have been blooming ties in recent years which can be seen in the pearl milk tea craze in Japan, an increase of Japanese tourists to Taiwan and donations to the Japan earthquake in 2011.

「WE STAND BY TAIWAN」是計畫口號，呼應整體概念。設計師支持台灣自由、尊嚴而開始了這個計畫。目前已經出了第一版，而設計師們也會持續更新改善，讓世界認識台灣。

“We Stand By Taiwan” the slogan of the project, reflects such design concepts. The two foreign creators launched this project with the aim of supporting freedom in Taiwan. So far, the first version has already been released and they will continue to improve their original font to let more people know about Taiwan.

Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20200114-931025

Next Article

Topic: Legendary singer/actress Barbra Streisand lauds Taiwan’s virus control

In a tweet on April 5, legendary singer and actress Barbra Streisand praised Taiwan for its handling of the COVID-19 outbreak. “Taiwan, despite being just 100 miles from mainland China with regular flights to and from Wuhan, has successfully staved off the worst of the coronavirus pandemic,” the superstar tweeted.

在四月五日的推特中，傳奇歌手、演員芭芭拉史翠珊大讚台灣對於武漢肺炎的爆發處理得宜。這位超級巨星推文說：「儘管台灣距離中國大陸僅約一百英里，與武漢間還有例行往返的班機，但已成功擊退新冠病毒流行病最嚴峻的挑戰。」

She pointed out that Taiwan had only five deaths at the time, and that most schools and businesses remained open. Later that day, President Tsai Ing-wen retweeted Streisand’s post, saying that it is encouraging to have one of the world’s most distinctive voices speak up in support of Taiwan’s proactive approach against the outbreak.

她指出台灣至當天為止只有五例病死，大多數學校與商家仍正常運作。蔡英文總統隨後在當天亦轉推這則推文並說，世界上最特別的聲音，能發聲力挺台灣主動對抗疫情的方法，這真是令人大受鼓舞。

“We are more than willing to share our experiences with friends around the world as well,” the president wrote, followed by hashtag #TaiwanCanHelp — a slogan signifying Taiwan’s willingness to contribute to the world during the pandemic. Fans have suggested that Streisand stage a concert in Taiwan after the crisis, so she can see this beautiful land in person.

蔡總統並說：「台灣很樂意與世界各地的朋友分享我們的經驗。」在文末並附上「台灣能夠幫忙」（#TaiwanCanHelp）的標籤——藉此口號表示台灣願為全球防疫盡一己之力。還有歌迷建議史翠珊在疫情平息後來台開唱，親自看看這片美麗的土地。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/04/17/2003734741

Topic: Taiwan’s culinary innovations cause a stir in the world of pizza

Forget your pepperoni or other pizza toppings: Pizza Hut Taiwan has teamed up with Menya Musashi, a popular Japanese ramen restaurant chain, to serve up the world’s first ramen pizza, and it has attracted global interest after a CNN report about the new mashup was published on the front-page of its Japanese version.

忘掉你愛的臘腸或其它配料吧。台灣必勝客近日與熱門日本拉麵連鎖店麵屋武藏合作，共同推出全球首創的「拉麵披薩」！美國有線電視新聞網（CNN）對此混搭的相關報導，還衝上該媒體日本版網站首頁，並進而引發全球關注。

The new pizza has the toppings of a Japanese-style barbecue pork ramen — complete with thick noodles, barbecue pork slices, fresh chilies and white sesame, as well as a half-boiled egg sitting in the middle. It is also garnished with green onions and bamboo shoots on the side.

基本上，這款新口味披薩上有著日式叉燒拉麵的配料——包括粗麵條、叉燒肉片、一些辣椒末和白芝麻，中間還擺著一顆半熟的糖心蛋，旁邊則裝飾著一些青蔥及筍片。

Pizza Hut Taiwan told CNN that its creative pizzas are just a way to introduce some fun into the customer experience. “Taiwanese consumers live a high-pressure life with long working hours and a high cost of living. The food scene has become an exciting and creative escape,” said Lily Chou, the company’s marketing director, adding that it is definitely the first ramen to be served as a slice.

台灣必勝客告訴CNN，它的各種創意披薩其實是想為顧客們帶來一些樂趣。行銷總監周佳麗指出︰「台灣消費者過著高工時、高生活成本的高壓生活，而令人興奮的創意美食已成為逃離壓力的出口，」她還說這絕對是第一款用手吃的拉麵。

The Taiwanese are known for their creativity in making special food and drinks: some of their previous mashups have included matcha green tea pizza, durian pizza, stinky tofu pizza, and even bubble tea pizza. Also known as “boba tea” or “pearl milk tea,” the famous tea of Taiwanese origin mixed with milk and small tapioca balls has become a global sensation in recent years. Domino’s Taiwan even caused a pizza war by launching its “bubble tea pizza” late last year.

台灣人向來以製作新奇飲食的創造力而聞名，之前推出的混搭還包括抹茶披薩、榴槤披薩、臭豆腐披薩，甚至珍珠奶茶披薩等。珍奶在英文中又被稱作波霸奶茶或泡沫奶茶，這種知名茶飲一般混合著牛奶，及樹薯粉製成的粉圓，近年逐漸在世界各地造成轟動。台灣達美樂去年底就因為推出黑糖珍珠披薩，而掀起一場披薩大戰。

“It might be the ultimate meeting of eastern and western cuisine — Taiwan’s famous bubble tea as a topping on a Domino’s pizza,” CNN reported. Domino’s Taiwan originally planned to offer the dessert pizza covered in brown sugar pearls, cheese and honey for a month, but the popularity of the bubble tea pizza secured its spot on the regular menu, and rivals have been trying to join this trend. “In Taiwan everyone loves the texture ‘Q,’ which means chewy or bouncy in the way boba is, and this pizza was indeed very ‘Q,’” Lev Nachman, a US PhD candidate conducting research in Taiwan, told CNN.

CNN稍早報導說︰「台灣著名的珍奶化身達美樂披薩配料——這或許是東方和西方飲食的終極交會。」最初台灣達美樂僅計劃推出這款覆蓋著黑糖珍珠、起司、蜂蜜的甜點披薩一個月，不過因產品大受歡迎，最後被加入正式菜單，其它對手亦開始追逐這股風潮。

在台灣做研究的美籍博士候選人南樂對CNN說：「在台灣，每個人都愛『Q』、也就是有嚼勁、會彈牙的口感，就像珍珠粉圓，而這款珍奶披薩口感的確很『Q』。」

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/07/06/2003739406

Next Article:

Topic: Taiwan to stop, not block, local sales for Chinese TV streaming services

Taiwan plans to stop local sales for Chinese Internet television streaming services operated by the likes of iQiyi and Tencent Holdings, according to regulations released this week, but does not plan on blocking the services.

根據本週發布的規範，台灣將禁止中國的網路電視串流服務在境內進行銷售活動，受到限制的對象包括愛奇藝與騰訊控股等業者，但是串流服務並不會遭到封鎖。

Democratic Taiwan, claimed by China as its sovereign territory, has long been suspicious of Chinese attempts to sway its population, including by use of fake news spread online and efforts to influence Taiwanese media.

被中國聲稱為其主權領土的民主台灣，長久以來相當懷疑中國潛移默化台灣人民的企圖，包括利用網路上散布的假新聞，以及各種影響台灣媒體的手法。

The Ministry of Economic Affairs said late Tuesday that the rules barring Taiwanese companies from selling or operating as sales agents for Chinese Internet streaming services will take effect Sept. 3. The service iQiyi applied in 2016 to set up a Taiwanese subsidiary, but was rejected because Chinese companies cannot operate online streaming services there, the ministry said.

經濟部於週二晚間宣布，台灣公司禁止經銷或代理中國網路串流服務的規定，將於九月三日正式上路。經濟部表示，愛奇藝曾於二○一六年申請成立台灣子公司，但是遭到拒絕，因為中國公司不得在台灣從事網路串流服務等業務活動。

However, Taiwan is not blocking or banning them, the National Communications Commission said. “People can still watch and pay for overseas subscriptions,” commission deputy chief Wong Po-Tsung told Reuters, adding that officials would ensure that subscribers’ rights are not affected.

不過，國家通訊傳播委員會表示，台灣並不會封鎖或是禁止這些平台。通傳會副主委翁柏宗向路透表示：「觀眾仍然可以收看，並且付費海外訂閱。」他補充說，政府官員會確保訂閱者的權益不受影響。

The commission ruled in May, after months of debate, that Chinese online television service providers would not advertise their services in Taiwan.

經過數個月的爭論後，通傳會在五月做出決定，中國的網路電視服務提供業者不得在台灣廣告和促銷其服務。

Baidu-backed, Netflix-like iQiyi said in a statement issued by unit iQiyi International that it was paying close attention to the situation and that it believed it should “not become the specific target of legislation.” “We wish to see the Taiwanese government departments involved recognize the benefits of an open market economy,” it added. Tencent, which runs Tencent Video, declined to comment.

由百度持有股份、類似Netflix的串流平台愛奇藝，在一份由愛奇藝國際發布的聲明中表示，該公司正在密切注意情況，並且認為公司「不應該成為立法的特定對象。」該公告補充表示：「我們希望看到台灣政府的相關部門認知到開放市場經濟的益處。」經營「騰訊視頻」（在台灣以「WeTV」上架）的騰訊則是拒絕發表評論。

Taiwan has a free Internet, unlike China, which blocks sites such as Google, Facebook and Twitter. Taiwan also does not ban access to popular Chinese apps like WeChat or sites like Baidu. China does not permit Taiwanese firms to offer Internet television streaming services.

台灣擁有自由的網路，不像中國封鎖包括Google、Facebook、Twitter等網站。台灣也沒有禁止使用WeChat等受歡迎的中國手機應用程式，或是封鎖百度等網站。中國則是不允許台灣公司在當地提供網路電視串流服務。

Chinese Internet giants have come under pressure internationally, led by the US, where President Donald Trump ordered ByteDance last week to divest video-sharing app TikTok’s US operations within 90 days, the latest effort to ramp up pressure on the Chinese company over concerns about data security.

近來，中國的網路巨頭在國際間受到不少壓力，首先是美國總統川普簽署行政命令，要求「字節跳動」必須在九十天內出售或分拆旗下影音分享手機應用程式「抖音」的美國業務。這是川普政府因為資訊安全顧慮，而對該中國公司增加壓力採取的最新動作。

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating iQiyi after a short seller accused it of inflating user numbers and prices, it said last week.

上星期，愛奇藝則表示美國證券交易委員會正在調查該公司，原因是受到一間美國放空機構指控造假，誇大訂閱戶數量和營收。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/08/23/2003742111

Summary:

This article contains two stories of how technology is used to inspire and solve problems in everyday life. First, parents to a newborn, Radhika and Bharath Patil, just like other parents with babies have faced disruptions in their sleep patterns. So, to find a solution to sooth their baby, and get better rest, they put their electrical engineering background to good use and built a smartcrib. The smartcrib is said to combine a baby monitor, rocker, bassinet and crib in one. Next story is about how Amazon is developing non-contact payment systems that could help retailers in these times where social distancing is required. Amazon is testing a palm-based detection system. Security level is similar to fingerprint scans, but palm scanning at a distance is more practical.

原討論文章: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-983-about-technology-smart-crib-aims-to-help-rockabye-baby

Vocabulary and Sample sentences:

Sth fly/go out the window ph. – something does not exist or disappeared

• Once you have a baby, your good night’s rest will go out the window.

Pattern n. – a repeated decorative design or an arrangement/ sequence

• The palm scanning system of Amazon is based on capturing the vein patterns of the palm.

Practical adj. - something that can be done or likely to be feasible

• Instead of fingerprint identification, palm scanning at a distance is more practical.

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K020: Warming Alters Arctic Food Chain From the Bottom Up

The Arctic Ocean may seem remote and forbidding, but to birds, whales and other animals, it’s a top-notch dining destination.

“It’s a great place to get food in the summertime, so animals are flying or swimming thousands of miles to get there,” said Kevin R. Arrigo, a biological oceanographer at Stanford University.

北極海或許顯得遙遠又難以親近，但對鳥類、鯨魚和一些其他動物來說，可是頂級的用餐地點。

史丹福大學生物海洋學家凱文．阿里戈說：「北極海是夏天捕食很棒的地方，因此，各種動物從幾千英里外飛來或游來。」

But the menu is changing. Confirming earlier research, scientists reported Wednesday that global warming is altering the ecology of the Arctic Ocean on a huge scale.

The annual production of algae, the base of the food web, increased an estimated 47 percent between 1997 and 2015, and the ocean is greening up much earlier each year.

但菜單正在改變。科學家周三提出的報告證實了先前研究的結論，全球暖化正極大規模的改變北極海的生態。

藻類是食物網的基底，在1997年到2015年之間每年產量大約增加了47%，而北極海的綠化也每一年都比前一年提早許多。

These changes are likely to have a profound impact for animals further up the food chain, such as birds, seals, polar bears and whales. But scientists still don’t know enough about the biology of the Arctic Ocean to predict what the ecosystem will look like in decades to come.

While global warming has affected the whole planet in recent decades, nowhere has been hit harder than the Arctic. Last month, temperatures in the high Arctic were as much as 36 degrees above average, according to records kept by the Danish Meteorological Institute.

這些改變可能對食物鏈更上層的動物有更深遠的影響，例如鳥類、海豹、北極熊和鯨魚。然而，科學家對北極海生物學的知識仍不足以預測未來幾十年當地生態系統的樣貌。

全球暖化近幾十年已影響整個地球，然而沒有一個地方比北極所受影響更大。根據丹麥氣象研究所的紀錄，上個月，高北極的氣溫最高時要比平均溫度高出華氏36度。

In October, the extent of sea ice was 28.5 percent below average — the lowest for the month since scientists began keeping records in 1979. The area of missing ice is the size of Alaska and Texas put together.

Since the mid-2000s, researchers like Arrigo have been trying to assess the effects of retreating ice on the Arctic ecosystem.

10月間，海冰的範圍比平均值縮小了28.5%，是自1979年科學家開始記錄以來海冰面積最小的10月。減少的海冰面積相當於阿拉斯加州和德州的總和。

自2000年代中葉以來，阿里戈之屬研究人員一直試圖評估海冰消退對北極生態的影響。

The sun returns to the Arctic each spring and melts some of the ice that formed in winter. Algae in the open water quickly spring to life and start growing.

These algae are the base of the food chain in the Arctic Ocean, grazed by krill and other invertebrates that in turn support bigger fish, mammals and birds.

每年春天太陽回到北極，使得一部分冬天形成的冰融化。開放水域的藻類緊跟著恢復生機，開始生長。

這些藻類是北極海食物鏈的最底層，磷蝦和其他無脊椎動物以它為食物，而這些動物又成為更大的魚、哺乳動物和鳥類的食物。

Arrigo and his colleagues visited the Arctic in research ships to examine algae in the water and to determine how it affected the water’s color. They then reviewed satellite images of the Arctic Ocean, relying on the color of the water to estimate how much algae was growing — what scientists call the ocean’s productivity.

The sea’s productivity was rapidly increasing, Arrigo found. Last year he and his colleagues published their latest update, estimating that the productivity of the Arctic rose 30 percent between 1998 and 2012.

阿里戈和他的同事搭乘研究船造訪北極，研究海中的藻類，並判定藻類如何影響海水的顏色。然後他們再檢視北極海的衛星畫面，根據海水的顏色估計藻類生長的量──科學家稱之為北極海的生產力。

阿里戈發現，北極海的生產力快速增加。去年他和他的同事發表他們最新的更新報告，估計北極海的生產力在1998年到2012年間提高30%。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/307254/web/

John與Gavin老師今年製作超過三百集的通勤學英語節目，

帶著通勤家族們一起度過了每日一次將零碎時間善加利用的習慣，

強化與提升英語應用的掌握與信心~

通勤學英語今年也榮獲2020年Apple Podcast十大熱門節目獎 (Biggest Shows of 2020)，

與Himalaya Awards 人氣播客冠軍 (Best Podcast Award)!

通勤學英語15min Today Podcast現在已經在網路各大Podcast(播客)平台收聽的到，台灣區以外的通勤家族們也慢慢擴大中。 不論你是 Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Himalaya, Castbox, Mixerbox, SoundOn, 或Firstory都可以收聽到我們的節目。

在教學的部分，我們也產出了第一個線上有聲課程- 社會人核心英語 Business English Essentials，

總共六小時的課，15堂課程導讀，搭配著15堂純聽力練習檔。

感謝有通勤家族不時的來信支持與鼓勵，還有口耳相傳的分享，讓我們在做Podcast路上不寂寞，能量滿滿的做好英語教學內容~ 

新的一年即將到來，祝通勤家族2021年事事圓滿 幸福快樂！Happy New Year! 

P.S. 每日跟讀節目在新的一年會以K開頭做Ep編號~

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

官網: www.15mins.today

商業合作／粉絲來信: [email protected]

每日英語跟讀 Ep.1019: Mount Everest higher than thought, say Nepal and China

Mount Everest is higher than previously thought, Nepal and China said on Tuesday, settling a long-running conflict over the height of the world’s tallest peak that straddles their shared border.

尼泊爾與中國上週二表示，跨越兩國邊界的聖母峰，其高度比原先所認為的還要高，解決了兩國長久以來對這世界最高峰高度的歧見。

Kathmandu and Beijing had differed over its exact height but after each sent an expedition of surveyors to the summit they have agreed that the official height is 8,848.86m, a bit more than their previous calculations.

加德滿都及北京對聖母峰的實際高度有不同的說法，但在各自派出勘測考察隊到峰頂後，他們同意，聖母峰的正式高度為八千八百四十八點八六公尺，比之前的計算還要高一些。

Nepal had never previously measured the height of Mount Everest on its own but had used the 8,848 meters estimate made by the Survey of India in 1954 that includes snow.

尼泊爾過去從未自行測量過聖母峰的高度，但過去是引用一九五四年印度測量局所估計的八千八百四十八公尺，這是將積雪的高度也計算在內。

A Chinese measurement in 2005 determined that the rock height of the summit was 8,844.43m, about 3.7m less than the 1954 estimate.

中國在二○○五年測定，峰頂的岩石高度為八千八百四十四點四三公尺，比一九五四年的估計少了約三點七公尺。

Mountaineers had suggested a 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2015 which killed nearly 9,000 people in Nepal may have altered the height of Everest.

Nepal, which is home to another seven of the world’s 14 highest peaks, sent its first team of surveyors in May last year to measure Everest.

世界上最高的十四座山峰，有七座是位於尼泊爾境內。尼泊爾去年五月首次派遣了一批勘測員來測量聖母峰。

Damodar Dhakal, spokesman for Nepal’s Department of Survey, said the Nepali surveyors had used the Global Navigation Satellite System to get “the precise height” of the giant peak.

尼泊爾測量部發言人達莫達爾‧達卡爾表示，尼泊爾勘測員使用了衛星導航系統，來測得這巨大山峰的「精確高度」。

Many Western climbers use the slightly greater height of 8,850m determined in 1999 by the National Geographic Society and Boston’s Museum of Science, in a survey that used satellite-based technology to measure the peak.

許多西方登山者所引用的高度較高，為八千八百五十公尺，此高度為一九九九年國家地理學會及波士頓科學博物館以衛星相關技術所測定。

Everest has been climbed 10,184 times by 5,789 people from both sides since it was first scaled by New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, according to the Himalayan Database, which maintains records on climbs. At least 311 people have died on its slopes.

喜馬拉雅資料庫記載攀登的資料，其數據顯示，自一九五三年紐西蘭人艾德蒙‧希拉里爵士及雪巴人丹增‧諾蓋首次登頂以來，已有五千七百八十九人借道中國或尼泊爾，攀登聖母峰共一萬零一百八十四次。至少有三百一十一人死於通往聖母峰頂的山坡上。

Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/12/14/2003748655

每日英語跟讀 Ep.1018: ‘Africa Rising’? ‘Africa Reeling’ May Be More Fitting Now

For decades Africa was eager for a new narrative, and in recent years it got a snappy one.

The Economist published a cover story titled “Africa Rising.” A Texas business school professor published a book called “Africa Rising.” And in 2011, The Wall Street Journal ran a series of articles about economic growth on the continent, and guess what that series was called?

“Africa Rising.”

數十年來非洲一直渴盼得到對於它的新描述，而近年，它得到了這麼個朝氣蓬勃的描述。

經濟學人雜誌刊登了一篇封面故事，題為「非洲崛起」。美國德州一位商學院教授寫了本書，名叫「非洲崛起」。2011年，華爾街日報刊出一系列有關非洲大陸經濟成長的文章，猜猜題目是什麼？「非洲崛起」。

The rise seemed obvious: You could simply stroll around Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, or many other African capitals, and behold new shopping malls, new hotels, new solar-powered streetlights, sometimes even new Domino’s pizzerias, all buoyed by what appeared to be high economic growth rates sweeping the continent.

For so long Africa had been associated with despair and doom, and now the quality of life for many Africans was improving. Hundreds of thousands of Rwandans were getting clean water for the first time. In Kenya, enrollment in public universities more than doubled from 2007 to 2012. In many countries, life expectancy was increasing, infant mortality decreasing.

這崛起似乎顯而易見：只消在肯亞首都奈洛比或非洲許多其他國家的首都閒逛即可，看看新的購物中心、嶄新的飯店、新設的太陽能路燈、有時甚至會看到新開的達美樂披薩店，這些全都拜整個非洲大陸經濟成長快速所賜。

長久以來非洲一直與絕望和厄運畫上等號，如今許多非洲人的生活品質正在提升。數十萬盧安達人首次能取得乾淨的用水。在肯亞，公立大學註冊率從2007到2012年增加了一倍以上。在許多國家，平均餘命增加，嬰兒死亡率下降。

But in recent months, as turmoil has spread across the continent, and the red-hot economic growth has cooled, this optimistic narrative has taken a hit. Some analysts are now questioning how profound the growth actually was.

“Nothing has changed on the governance front, nothing has changed structurally,” said Grieve Chelwa, a Zambian economist who is a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard.

“Africa rising was really good for some crackpot dictators,” he added. “But in some ways, it was a myth.”

不過最近數月，隨著混亂情勢蔓延到整片大陸，以及火熱的經濟成長降了溫，這樂觀的描述受到打擊。一些分析家現在質疑非洲的成長究竟有多深入。

契爾瓦是尚比亞的經濟學家，也是哈佛大學博士後研究員，他說：「在政府治理方面一成不變，在結構上也一成不變。」

他說：「非洲崛起對某些性情古怪的獨裁者來說真的很好，但從某些方面來說卻是個迷思。」

No place exposes the cracks in the “Africa rising” narrative better than Ethiopia, which had been one of the fastest risers.

Ethiopia is now in flames. Hundreds have been killed during protests that have convulsed the country.

It seems the continent as a whole is heading into a tough period. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, faces its gravest economic crisis in years because of low oil prices. At the same time, it is trying to fight off Boko Haram, one of the most bloodthirsty insurgent groups on the planet.

沒有什麼地方比衣索比亞更能暴露「非洲崛起」說的弱點。它是非洲崛起最快的國家之一。

衣索比亞現在情勢失控，數百人在使國家癱瘓的抗議潮中被殺害。

看來非洲大陸整體而言正步入艱困時期。非洲人口最多的奈及利亞因為油價低，面臨近年最大的經濟危機，同時奈及利亞也力圖擊敗「博科聖地」，這是地球上最嗜殺的游擊組織之一。

South Africa, the continent’s most developed nation, has been wracked by waves of unrest. Troops with assault rifles stomp around college campuses, trying to quell student protests. The country’s currency, the rand, hovers near a record low.

South Sudan, which topped The Economist’s list in 2013 of the world’s fastest-growing economies, is now a killing field, the site of one of Africa’s worst civil wars.

非洲最發達的國家南非則遭幾波騷動破壞，配備攻擊步槍的部隊踐踏校園，試圖壓制學生抗議。南非幣蘭德的幣值則在歷史低點附近盤桓。

南蘇丹曾是經濟學人2013年「世界成長最快經濟體」排行榜的榜首，現在卻成了殺戮戰場，上演著非洲最慘烈的內戰之一。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/305550/web/

每日英語跟讀 Ep.1017: The Actor Behind the Ape

The leader of the troops walks slowly through the ranks of soldiers, who part respectfully, as he looks at them with an expression that combines anger, pain and grim intent. But this isn’t a human commander. It’s Caesar, the ape who is the principal figure in 20th Century Fox’s “Planet of the Apes” franchise. The scene comes from the latest in the series, “War for the Planet of the Apes,” which opens in the United States on July 14, and has generated laudatory reviews.

帶領部隊的長官慢慢走進士兵的隊伍中，士兵們尊敬地讓開，他仔細檢視他們，臉上的表情夾雜著憤怒、痛苦和不屈服的決心。但這位長官不是人類的指揮官。牠是「凱撒」，這頭猩猩是20世紀福斯公司「猩球崛起」系列電影的主角。這一幕出自此系列的新片「猩球崛起：終極決戰」，7月14日在美國上映，已經佳評如潮。

In “War,” the fragile truce between humans and apes has given way, and we discover the sinister Colonel (played by Woody Harrelson), whose early actions set in motion a series of devastating events for both populations.

在「終極決戰」片中，人類和猩猩之間脆弱的停火已維持不下去，而我們發現這位陰險的上校（伍迪哈里森飾演），他的初步行動開啟了一連串對人類和猩猩的毀滅事件。

Caesar, the ape whose expressions we are watching via digital transformation as he reacts to the Colonel’s murderous deeds and musters his forces, is played by British actor Andy Serkis. In BoxOfficeMojo.com’s ranking of actors by their ticket sales, Serkis is in the top 30, outflanking Brad Pitt and Daniel Radcliffe, among other far more famous names. His films average $125 million at the box office, more (by some distance) than those of Samuel L. Jackson or Tom Hanks. He has been acting professionally for nearly 30 years and has starred in numerous movies, some of them blockbusters like “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, the 2005 “King Kong,” “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” and the “Apes” reboot.

凱撒，我們正透過數位轉換看著牠的表情的這頭猩猩，牠在對「上校」的凶狠行徑做出反應並召集牠的部隊，牠是由英國演員安迪席克斯飾演。在票房網站BoxOfficeMojo.com的男演員票房排行，安迪席克斯排在前30名，勝過布萊德彼特和丹尼爾雷德克里夫，還有其他名氣大得多的演員。他的電影平均票房1.25億美元，比山繆傑克森、湯姆漢克還多（差距不小）。他從事專業演出近30年，主演過許多電影，其中不乏大賣片，像是「魔戒」三部曲、2005年的「金剛」、「星際大戰7：原力覺醒」和「猩球崛起」的重拍電影。

Yet, for most moviegoers, Serkis, 53, is probably neither a household name nor face, since he has specialized for more than a decade in creating roles through performance capture — a complex technology that records the movement and facial expressions of human actors and then painstakingly renders them digitally to create fantastical characters, like Caesar, Gollum and King Kong.

然而，對大多數電影觀眾來說，53歲的席克斯大概不是家喻互曉的名字或臉孔，因為他十多年來專精於透過動態捕捉科技創造角色─這是一種複雜的科技，記錄人類演員的動作和表情，再費力地數位化，創造出想像的角色，像是凱撒、咕嚕和金剛。

Caesar, wrote A.O. Scott of The New York Times in a review of “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” is “a role that continues to redefine screen acting in the digital age. His facial expressions and body language are so evocatively and precisely rendered that it is impossible to say where his art ends and the exquisite artifice of Weta Digital, the special-effects company, begins.”

紐時影評人A.O.史考特在「猩球崛起：黎明的進擊」的評論寫道，凱撒是「數位時代繼續重新定義大銀幕表演的角色。他的臉部表情和身體語言如此生動和精準演出，不可能說他的演藝止於何處，特效公司Weta數位公司的精良技術又自何處開始。」

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/315730/web/#top

每日英語跟讀 Ep.1016: Evidence That Robots Are Winning the Race for American Jobs

Who is winning the race for jobs between robots and humans? Last year, two leading economists described a future in which humans come out ahead. But now they’ve declared a different winner: the robots.

機器人與人類競逐工作機會，究竟誰是贏家？去年，兩位知名經濟學家描繪了一個人類領先的未來，但現在他們宣布了不同的贏家：機器人。

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, according to a new paper by the economists, Daron Acemoglu of MIT and Pascual Restrepo of Boston University. It appears to be the first study to quantify large, direct, negative effects of robots.

受自動化影響最大的行業是製造業。根據兩位經濟學家，麻省理工學院的達倫．艾斯摩格魯與波士頓大學的帕斯庫爾．雷斯特雷波所完成的一份新報告，每千名工人配備1個機器人，最多會使6名工人失業，薪資也會下跌0.75%。這似乎是把機器人既大又直接且負面的影響加以量化的第一份研究報告。

The paper is all the more significant because the researchers, whose work is highly regarded in their field, had been more sanguine about the effect of technology on jobs. In a paper last year, they said it was likely that increased automation would create new, better jobs, so employment and wages would eventually return to their previous levels. Just as cranes replaced dockworkers but created related jobs for engineers and financiers, the theory goes, new technology has created new jobs for software developers and data analysts.

這份報告所以顯得特別重要，主要是因為原先這兩位研究人員對科技對就業的影響始終較為樂觀，而兩人的專業表現在他們的領域深受重視。去年兩人在一份報告中說，自動化程度提高很可能會創造新的、更好的就業機會，所以就業和工資最終將恢復到先前的水平。正如同起重機取代了碼頭工人，同時也為工程師和金融家創造了相關的就業機會，他們的理論指出，新技術已為軟體開發人員和數據分析師創造新的就業機會。

But that paper was a conceptual exercise. The new one uses real-world data — and suggests a more pessimistic future. The researchers said they were surprised to see very little employment increase in other occupations to offset the job losses in manufacturing. That increase could still happen, they said, but for now there are large numbers of people out of work, with no clear path forward — especially blue-collar men without college degrees.

不過，那份報告僅是一個概念練習。新的報告使用了現實世界的數據，並得出一個較悲觀的未來。這兩位學者表示，他們驚訝地發現其他職業的就業機會增加極少，無法抵消製造業的就業機會損失。他們表示，前述就業機會增加還是可能發生，不過，就眼前而言，失業者人數眾多，且前方沒有明確道路可行，特別是沒有大學學歷的藍領階級。

“The conclusion is that even if overall employment and wages recover, there will be losers in the process, and it’s going to take a very long time for these communities to recover,” Acemoglu said.

艾斯摩格魯說：「結論是：即使整體就業情況和工資恢復，過程中仍有輸家出現，且這些群體需很長時間才能復元。」

“If you’ve worked in Detroit for 10 years, you don’t have the skills to go into health care,” he said. “The market economy is not going to create the jobs by itself for these workers who are bearing the brunt of the change.”

他說：「若你在底特律工作10年，你不會有能進入醫療保健領域工作的技能。市場經濟本身不會為這些在變革中首當其衝的工人創造就業機會。」

The paper’s evidence of job displacement from technology contrasts with a comment from Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, who said at an Axios event that artificial intelligence’s displacement of human jobs was “not even on our radar screen,” and “50 to 100 more years” away.

這份報告提供了科技取代人類就業機會的證據，但它與美國財政部長米努勤發表的談話大相逕庭。米努勤在美國新媒體Axios的一項活動中說，人工智慧取代人類工作，「甚至不在我們雷達螢幕上」，是「50或100年後的事」。

The study analyzed the effect of industrial robots in local labor markets in the United States. Robots are to blame for up to 670,000 lost manufacturing jobs between 1990 and 2007, it concluded, and that number will rise because industrial robots are expected to quadruple.

上述研究分析了工業機器人對美國當地勞動力市場的影響。研究結論是，1990年至2007年期間，機器人是製造業減少67萬個就業機會的元凶，這一數字還會上升，因為工業機器人的數量預計將增至四倍。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/311786/web/#2L-9739951L

Summary:

According to the National Academy of Sciences, money can buy you some happiness. Their findings suggest that spending money to save time may reduce stress about the limited time in the day, thereby improving happiness. The study found that people who outsource or pay to get their disliked tasks done has better overall life satisfaction.

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Outsource v. obtain goods/services from an outside supplier

• I often outsource my dog-walking chores to my neighbours.

Errand n. short journey to collect or deliver something

• Every Sunday my mom asks me to run errands for her

Stress n. mental or emotional strain from demanding circumstances

• Studies show that if you outsource disliked chores, you can reduce time-related stress