通勤學英語 15Mins Today

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同樂會活動如下在哪裡: 臺北市松山區復興北路1號6樓之3-603 (小樹屋)日期時間: 9/12 星期六 14:00-15:30 (可閒聊到16:00)活動人數: 30 人費用: 每人NT250 (含一杯咖啡+甜點)

每日英語跟讀 Ep.922: Finland Has Faith In the Euro

 

Finland is, in many ways, the anti-Greece.

芬蘭，在許多方面，是希臘的反面。

Like Greece, it is geographically far from the core Western European powers of Britain, France and Germany. And like Greece, it uses the euro currency. But unlike Greece, it is a model of sound governance and responsible use of debt.

像希臘的是，芬蘭的地理位置遠離英國、法國、德國等西歐核心強權。不同於希臘的是，芬蘭是穩健治理與負責舉債的模範。

Yet Finland’s economy is also not doing so great, with an 11.8 percent unemployment rate and with contracting gross domestic product in the last three years.

但是芬蘭的經濟不算挺好，失業率11.8%，而且過去三年國民生產毛額萎縮。

A number of American commentators have looked at Finland’s current economic troubles as a clear sign that what ails the eurozone is far deeper than profligate spending by the Greeks. Paul Krugman has made that case at The New York Times, Tim Worstall at Forbes and Matt O’Brien at The Washington Post.

某些美國評論者檢視芬蘭當前的經濟困境，認為這顯示出歐元區的毛病遠比希臘的揮霍更嚴重。保羅．克魯曼，提姆．伍思道和麥特．歐布萊恩分別在《紐約時報》、《華盛頓郵報》和《富比世》雜誌上發表了此一主張。

Alexander Stubb, the Finnish finance minister, thinks they’re wrong. I brought this up with him recently in Espoo, the Helsinki suburb where he lives. His vigorously defense what the euro has done for Finland, and his comments help explain why elite opinion about the euro is so different on the two sides of the Atlantic.

芬蘭財政部長亞歷山大．斯圖布認為他們都錯了。筆者日前在斯圖布位於赫爾辛基郊區埃斯波的住所提出這個話題。他為歐元給芬蘭帶來的好處強力辯護，而他的評論有助於理解何以大西洋兩岸菁英對於歐元的看法如此南轅北轍。

There are three main causes of Finland’s economic weakness. Nokia has gone from the world’s largest mobile phone maker to an afterthought, costing thousands of Finnish jobs and many more when its supply network is counted. Demand for paper, another major export, has fallen. And the economy of neighboring Russia, with which Finland has deep trade ties, has collapsed because of plummeting oil prices and Western sanctions.

芬蘭的經濟疲弱有三個原因。諾基亞從全球最大手機製造商淪為配角，數以千計的芬蘭人因此失業；倘若把供應網一併算進來，失業人數會更多。芬蘭的另一項主要出口項目是紙，需求也下滑。芬蘭與毗鄰的俄羅斯有很密切的貿易往來，而俄國經濟也因為油價重挫和西方的制裁而大壞。

Because Finland has used the euro since its inception, the value of its currency cannot adjust in ways that would cushion the overall Finnish economy from those shocks. If Finland still had its old currency, the markka, it would have fallen in value on international markets. Suddenly other Finnish industries would have had a huge cost advantage over, say, German competitors, and they would have grown and created the jobs to help make up for those lost because of Nokia and the paper industry and Russian trade.

因為芬蘭從歐元一登場就開始使用，所以無法藉由自行調整匯率的方式來降低芬蘭經濟所遭受的衝擊。假如芬蘭現在用的是原本的貨幣芬蘭馬克，在國際市場將會貶值。其他芬蘭產業將突然享有重大的成本優勢，像是對上德國的競爭對手，產業將持續成長，創造職缺，協助彌補因為諾基亞、紙業和俄國經濟走軟而損失的工作機會。

“Rubbish,” Mr. Stubb said. To evaluate the euro, you can’t just look at what he calls a current “rough patch” for the Finnish economy. You have to look at a longer time horizon. In his telling, the integration with Western Europe – of which the euro currency is a crucial element – deepened trade and diplomatic relations, making Finland both more powerful on the world stage and its industries better connected to the rest of the global economy. That made its people richer.

「一派胡言，」斯圖布說。他說，要評價歐元不能光看他所謂芬蘭經濟當前的「黑暗期」。你得從較長的時間範圍著眼。照他的說法，芬蘭與西歐整合歐元是關鍵要素，而這整合深化了貿易與外交關係，讓芬蘭在世界舞台上更有力量，芬蘭的產業與全球經濟也有更好的連結；這使得人民更富裕。

“In the early 1990s in the middle of a Finnish banking crisis and economic depression, we were a top 30 country in the world in per capita G.D.P.,” he said. “Then we opened up; we became members of the E.U. Now we’re always up there in G.D.P. per capita or whatever other measure you look at with Sweden, Denmark, Australia and Canada.”

「在1990年代初期，芬蘭銀行危機和經濟蕭條之際，我們的人均GDP（國內生產毛額）排在全球前30名，」他說。「然後我們開放了，變成歐盟的會員國。現在無論你是用人均GDP或其他衡量標準，芬蘭都和瑞典、丹麥、澳洲與加拿大位在同一個等級。」

As to whether the ability to devalue its currency would help deal with the current economic downturn, Mr. Stubb is similarly skeptical.

至於具備讓貨幣貶值的能力是否有助於處理當前的經濟衰退，他同樣存疑。

“Devaluation is a little like doping in sports,” he said. “It gives you perhaps a short-term boost, but in the long run, it’s not beneficial. Just like anyone else, we need structural reform, structural adjustment; we need to increase our competitiveness, and a little bit of luck.”

「貶值有點像是運動賽事服用禁藥，」他說。「或許能在短期內增進你的表現，但長期而言並沒有好處。跟任何其他人一樣，我們需要結構性的改革，結構性的調整；我們需要增強競爭力，再加上一點點好運道。」

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/283515/web/

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.921: About UK -British Foreign Office cat heads for retirement

 

Palmerston, the cat who has lived at the Foreign Office for four and a half years, will trade in his London residence for retirement in the countryside, where his mouse-catching duties for the diplomats will come to an end.

帕默斯頓，那隻4年半來生活在外交部的貓，將從倫敦的官邸換到鄉下退休，屆時牠替外交官捕鼠的任務將劃下句點。

Writing to the more than 100,000 followers on his Twitter feed, the black and white moggy, who once lived at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, said he wanted to spend more time relaxing away from the limelight.

這隻一度住在「巴特西貓狗之家」的黑白貓在推特上向超過10萬名跟隨者發文說，牠想把更多時間用來放輕鬆，遠離公眾關注。

"I have enjoyed climbing trees and patrolling the fields around my new home in the countryside," he wrote to the Foreign Office’s most senior civil servant, Simon McDonald, signing off with two paw prints.

牠寫給外交部最高階公務員西蒙．麥唐諾：「我喜歡爬樹，在我鄉下新家附近巡邏」，結尾留下兩隻爪印。

"I will miss hearing the footsteps of an Ambassador and sprinting to my hideout to see who it is."

「我會想念聽到大使的腳步聲，以及快快跑到我的藏身處看看是誰。」

There will be no wider reshuffle as Larry the cat remains on Downing Street whilst fellow feline Gladstone retains his post at the finance ministry.

不會有更大幅度改組，貓兒賴瑞繼續待在唐寧街，而貓夥伴格萊斯頓保留財政部的職位。

 

Next Article

 

Man parades down Oxford Street wearing nothing but mask／男子只戴口罩 光溜溜在牛津街巡遊

A man strolled down central London’s most popular shopping street on Friday with only a mask to cover his nudity, leaving passerbys astounded, amused and shocked.

一名男子週五沿著倫敦市中心最受歡迎的購物街漫步，僅用一只口罩覆蓋裸體，讓路人大驚、好笑又震撼。

As the man walked nonchalantly along Oxford Street, naked except for the light blue face mask over his groin, some took pictures on their phones while others simply stared.

當這名男子若無其事沿著牛津街裸體行走時，僅有那只淺藍色口罩蓋在他的腹股溝上，有些人拿手機拍了照，而其他人只行注目禮。

It was unclear what prompted the stunt but masks becam e compulsory on Friday in English shops.

不清楚這花招從何而生，但口罩週五在英國商店變成必戴物品。

A Reuters photographer caught a picture of the man from an office above the street.

路透一名攝影師從那條街上方的一間辦公室拍到這名男子的照片。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1390193 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1393231

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同樂會活動如下在哪裡: 臺北市松山區復興北路1號6樓之3-603 (小樹屋)日期時間: 9/12 星期六 14:00-15:30 (可閒聊到16:00)活動人數: 30 人費用: 每人NT250 (含一杯咖啡+甜點)

每日英語跟讀 Ep.919: About animals - Florida man fights off gator to save dog

 

Trent Tweddale and his dog, Loki, are recovering after a Monday morning walk on their Florida farm turned vicious.

在週一一早於（美國）佛羅里達州自家農場的漫步變得凶險後，特倫特．特威戴爾與愛犬洛奇正在休養生息。

According to Tweddale, a nearly 13-foot gator grabbed his 6-year-old dog and pulled him into the water. Tweddale, a former Army staff sergeant, quickly reacted.

根據特威戴爾的說法，一隻近13呎長的鱷魚攫住他的6歲大愛犬，並將之拉進水裡。前陸軍上士特威戴爾迅速應對。

"I grabbed the dog’s collar to try to pull him back, and I ended up in a tug-of-war match with this gator, and the gator was not letting go," he said. "So I let go of the collar, and I got about knee-deep into the water and started pounding on the gator’s head until he eventually let go."

「我抓住狗項圈想把牠拉回來，結果變成跟這隻鱷魚比賽拔河，那鱷魚就是不肯鬆口，」他說。「所以我放開項圈，下水到深及膝處，然後開始重捶那隻鱷魚的頭，直到牠鬆口。」

With the help of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Tweddale has set a trap for the gator on his property. He said he won’t rest until he catches it.

在佛州魚類與野生動物保護委員會的協助下，特威戴爾在他的土地上設了一個抓鱷魚的陷阱。他說，不抓到那隻鱷魚誓不罷休。

"We love our dog a lot and I’d fight tooth and nail for him."

「我們很愛我們的狗，我願意為了牠拚了老命。」

Next Article

 

Animal baby boom at Palestinian zoo after people disappear 人類不來後 巴勒斯坦動物園爆發動物嬰兒潮

Peacocks, ostriches and baboons joined in an animal baby boom at Palestinian tiny Qalqilya Zoo during the coronavirus closure as they let nature take its course.

巴勒斯坦小型動物園「蓋勒吉利耶」在疫情關閉期間，孔雀、鴕鳥和狒狒都順其自然地迎來一波動物嬰兒潮。

Fifteen animals were born during the two months that it shut its doors to visitors - three times more than usual, zoo officials said.

園方人員說，在不開放遊客的2個月間，15隻動物陸續出生，是平常的3倍。

"The coronavirus spread at the same time that trips were expected at the zoo. They were cancelled and therefore the animals started to give birth," said zoo veterinarian Sami Khader.

動物園獸醫沙米．克哈德說：「新型冠狀病毒流行期間適逢動物園觀光潮，但行程都取消了，動物就開始生產。」

The ostrich that laid eggs in normal years rarely had the chance to incubate them properly. But this year she produced 11 eggs and because there weren’t people around her, she was able to build a nest.

往年，鴕鳥產卵後很少有機會好好孵化，但今年牠不僅產下11顆卵，還能築巢，因為身邊沒有遊客。

In the monkey enclosure, usually bedeviled by miscarriages, one baboon gave birth, although she had little inclination to take care of the baby. "My father had to bring him to our house," said the vet’s daughter, Hind Khader. "I took care of him and gave him milk."

在猴科園區，經常受流產所苦的一隻狒狒順利生產，但牠沒有想要照顧孩子的傾向。獸醫的女兒辛德．克哈德說：「我父親必須把幼狒狒帶回家，由我負責照顧和餵奶。」

 

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1382401 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1380635

 

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Welcome to 15mins.today the home of English Shadowing. I am your host Gavin, and this is InTense Episode 58.

 

Well guys we're on to the next chapter of our grammar section, and today we are starting with verbs. Now verbs are very important, just like nouns. If you do not have a verb in a sentence, it is not a valid sentence. Okay, so what are verbs? They are words that show what is happening, they show actions or state of being so, run they are very easy. Some are not so easy to spot, but anyway, so every sentence, to be a valid sentence, needs a verb. Now there are three basic types: action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs. And we also going to sub divide them into transitive and intransitive verbs. Today we're going to start with the first basic one action verbs, and these are easy: run, eat, write, think. So, there are verbs that show us something we can visibly see like, “I ran from here today.”, you saw the guy running and then they are verbs that you know happen in your head, you can't see it. “I loved the movie.” or “I thought he was beautiful.” Thought is the verb and we can't see it. OK, so today we're going to start with action verbs, and we are just going to start with the basic things again. I will underline the verbs in the transcript, but these will be basic ones and without further ado, let's get cracking.

 

Did Jane write the email? No, she did not write the email.

 

Did Peter eat the cookie? Yes, he ate the cookie.

Did Peter eat the cookie? No, he did not eat the cookie.

 

Will John go home? Yes, he will go home.

Will John go home? No, he will not go home.

 

Are Peter and Candace at the office? Yes, they are at the office.

Are Peter and Candace at the office? No, they are not at the office.

 

Do you think it is beautiful? Yes, I think it is beautiful.

Do you think it is beautiful? No, I don't think it is beautiful.

 

Is Lisa considering the offer? Yes, she is. Considering the offer

Is Lisa considering the offer? No, she is not considering.

 

Did the dog run outside? Yes, it ran outside.

Did the dog run outside? No, it did not run outside.

 

Is it raining today? Yes, it is raining today.

Is it raining today? No, it is not raining today.

 

Will James come to work tomorrow? Yes, he will come to work tomorrow.

Will James come to work tomorrow? No, he will not come to work tomorrow.

 

Do you like Japan? Yes, I like Japan.

Do you like Japan? No, I do not like Japan.

 

Do you need a pencil? Yes, I need a pencil.

Do you need a pencil? No, I do not need a pencil.

 

Did Mary break the vase? Yes, she broke the vase.

Did Marry break the vase? No, she did not break the vase.

 

Did Gavin break the vase? Yes, he broke the vase.

Did Gavin break the vase? No, he did not break the vase.

 

Well there you go guys. Just a quick practise of some verbs. You will notice the last one and two questions I did vase and vase again, British English versus American English. Just a bit different pronunciation but the same word. Okay, so we did the basic beginnings of action verbs and they are all the words that make things happen, so quite important. I hope that was easy. Catch you in the next one and bye bye!

Summary:

Climate change is benefitting South Korean farmers, as increased temperatures enables them to farm bananas, causing a boom in it. The second article discusses how a Soccer club got fined for using sex dolls to fill empty seats in their stadium due to coronavirus.

原討論文章: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-874-about-skorea-more-korean-bananas-to-be-harvested-this-year

 

 

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Agriculture n.: science or practice of farming

Is agriculture the most important industry in the world?

Does Taiwan excel at fruit agriculture?

 

Controversy n.: public discussion about something negative

Did the recall of the mayor of Kaoshong spark controversy?

Is controversy good for a brand?

 

Salacious adj.: too much sexual detail

Was Playboy a salacious magazine?

Did the scandal contain lots of salacious details?

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.918: Living in Hawaii, Aiming for Mars

 

On the way to Mars, Neil Scheibelhut stopped by a store for mouthwash and dental floss. “We’re picking up some last-minute things,” he said via cellphone on a recent afternoon.

前往火星途中，謝貝爾胡特在一家商店買了漱口水和牙線。他最近一個下午透過手機說：「我們利用最後一刻買些東西。」

Mr. Scheibelhut is not actually an astronaut leaving the earth. But three hours later, he and five other people stepped into a domeshaped building on a Hawaiian volcano where they will live for eight months, mimicking a stay on the surface of Mars.

謝貝爾胡特並不是真要離開地球的太空人。然而3小時後他與另5人進入位於夏威夷火山上的一棟圓頂建築，準備在裡面生活8個月，模擬在火星表面停留的狀態。

This is part of a study financed by NASA, the American space agency. The goal of the Hawaii Space Exploration Analog and Simulation, or Hi-Seas for short , is to examine how well people, isolated from civilization, can get along and work together.

這是美國太空總署資助的研究計畫之一，名為夏威夷太空探索類比與模擬（Hi-Seas），探究與文明隔絕時人類能否相處並合作。

When astronauts finally head toward Mars years from now — NASA has tentatively scheduled the 2030s — it will be a long and lonely journey: about six months to Mars, 500 days on the planet, and then six months home.

太空人多年後實際飛向火星時（太空總署暫訂於2030年代），將是段漫長而孤獨的旅程：飛抵火星約需6個月，在火星表面停留500天，回程又是6個月。

“Right now, the psychological risks are still not completely understood and not completely corrected for,” said Kimberly Binsted of the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the principal investigator for the project. (She is not in the dome.) “NASA is not going to go until we solve this.”

計畫首席研究員、馬諾夏威夷大學教授金柏莉．賓斯迪德（她沒有進住圓頂建築）說：「所涉心理風險尚未完全瞭解，也尚未完全修正。在我們解決這個問題前，太空總署不可能貿然行動。」

Isolation can lead to depression. Personality conflicts can escalate over the months.

隔離可能引發抑鬱，個性衝突則可能逐月惡化。

“How do you select and support astronauts for a mission that will last two to three years in a way that will keep them healthy and performing well?” Dr. Binsted said.

賓斯迪德博士說：「你該如何挑選並支援太空人執行長達2到3年的任務，讓他們健康並且稱職？」

Or as Mr. Scheibelhut put it: “I’m so interested to see how I react. ‘I don’t know’ is the short answer. I think it could go a lot of different ways.”

或者如謝貝爾胡特所說：「我很想知道自己會有什麼反應。『我不知道』是簡單的回答。我認為可能會有很多不同的結果。」

Several mock Mars missions have been conducted in recent years. A simulation in Russia in 2010 and 2011 stretched 520 days . Four of the six volunteers developed sleep disorders and became less productive as the experiment progressed. The Mars Society, a nonprofit group that promotes human spaceflight, has run short simulations in the Utah desert since 2001 and is planning a oneyear simulation in the Canadian Arctic beginning in 2015.

模擬火星任務近年已進行多次。2010與2011年在俄羅斯那次模擬持續520天，6名志願者中有4人睡眠失調且生產力遞減。非營利組織火星學會提倡太空飛行，2001年開始在猶他州沙漠進行時間較短的模擬，準備明年在加拿大北極圈內展開為期一年的模擬。

Hi-Seas has conducted two four-month missions, and next year, six more people will reside for one year inside the dome, a two-story building 11 meters in diameter with about 140 square meters of space. It sits in an abandoned quarry at an altitude of 2,440 meters on Mauna Loa.

Hi-Seas已做過兩次各4個月的實驗，明年會有另外6個人住進圓頂建築，為期一年。這棟二層樓建築物直徑11公尺，空間約140平方公尺（42坪）。它座落在莫納洛亞火山一處海拔2440公尺的廢棄露天礦場。

The six crew members in the Hi-Seas dome are largely cut off. Their communications to the world outside the dome are limited to email, and each message is delayed by 20 minutes before being sent, simulating the lag for communications to travel from Mars to Earth and vice versa.

圓頂內6個人大致與外界隔絕，對外聯絡只能靠電子郵件，而且都延遲20分鐘發出，以模擬火星與地球間的通信時間差。

On a real mission, the lag time would be considerably shorter as Mars and Earth moved closer together but, Dr. Binsted said, “We went with the worst case because we’re trying to solve the worstcase situation.”

真正執行任務時，時間差會因火星與地球接近而大幅縮短。不過賓斯迪德說：「我們模擬最嚴重的狀況，因為我們試圖解決最嚴重的狀況」。

The crew members are granted some exceptions. They can check a few websites, like their banking accounts, to ensure that their earth lives do not fall apart while they are away. There is also a cellphone for emergency communications .

參與實驗者享有一些例外。他們可以檢視一些網站，例如自己的銀行帳戶，以確定遠離塵俗期間世間生活不會嚴重走樣。另有一支手機供緊急連絡。

Some 150 people applied to participate. Dr. Binsted said the three men and three women were chosen to have a mix of experience and backgrounds similar to those of NASA astronauts.

約有150人報名。賓斯迪德表示，參與的3男3女經過特別挑選，使他們不同的經驗及背景得以比照太空人。

Mr. Scheibelhut, 38, had worked on the first Hi-Seas mission as part of the support crew. “I thought it would be really cool to be part of what’s going on inside,” he said.

38歲的謝貝爾胡特曾在第一次Hi-Seas任務擔任支援人員。他說：「我當時認為能到裡面去參加實驗會很酷。」

Each crew member is receiving round-trip airfare to Hawaii, a $11,500 stipend, and food and lodging.

每一參與者可獲夏威夷來回機票價款，1.15萬美元津貼，以及食宿。

The goal is to maintain cohesion among the crew members, but that can lead to problems. “They become more independent when they are more cohesive,” Dr. Binsted said, and such a crew could spar with mission control.

目標是維繫參與者間的凝聚力。不過這也可能產生問題。賓斯迪德說：「他們變得更團結時，也會變得更獨立。」這樣一組人會與任務管制中心起爭執。

The researchers will also be looking for signs of “third-quarter syndrome.” At the beginning of the mission, the experience is new and exciting. Then, in the second quarter of the mission, people fall into routines. Near the end, people can look forward to getting out and returning to the real world.

研究人員還會注意「3/4症候群」的徵兆。任務一開始時，新奇的經驗會令人興奮。進入第2個1/4階段時，組員會進入習慣狀態。接近結束時，他們可以期盼離開隔離環境，回到真實世界。

In the middle, there can be a stretch when routines turn into tedium without end. “That third quarter can be a bit of a bummer,” Dr. Binsted said.

進行到一半時，可能出現一段習慣狀態變成無止境的單調乏味的時期。賓斯迪德說：「第3個1/4可能會令人不快。」

Like real astronauts, the Hi- Seas crew will be busy performing a variety of scientific work, including excursions outside the dome in spacesuits.

一如真正的太空人，Hi-Seas組員也會忙著從事多項科學實驗，包括穿著太空裝步出圓頂屋從事短途旅行。

“If you’re going to keep people in a can for eight months, you want to get as much science out of them as possible,” Dr. Binsted said. “It also means NASA gets a lot of bang for their buck.”

賓斯迪德說：「如果你要把幾個人關在狹窄空間裡8個月，一定會想盡量從他們的身上獲得科學新知。這也意味，太空總署錢花的值得。」

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/268839/web/

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.917: About the US - U.S. Military Recruitment On Twitch

 

The United States Army has its own esports team, USArmyEsports, that regularly streams video games like Call of Duty and League of Legends while chatting with viewers about life in the military and providing links to sign up.

美國陸軍有自己的電競隊伍「美軍電競」（USArmyEsports），經常播出諸如「決勝時刻」與「英雄聯盟」的線上遊戲影片，同時與觀眾聊聊有關軍旅生活的話題，並提供（從軍）報名連結。

With the U.S. Navy and Air Force joining the army in creating esports teams earlier this year, the military has turned towards gaming as a way to connect with potential recruits.

在美國海軍與空軍今年初加入陸軍的行列，建立電競隊伍後，軍方已將電玩做為與潛在新兵聯繫的方式。

"Esports is just an avenue to start a conversation," explains Maj. Gen. Frank Muth in an interview with ThinkTech Hawaii. "We have a shared passion for e-sports, and we share that passion with the youth of America."

「電競只是一種開啟對話的途徑」，法蘭克．穆斯少將接受「思想科技夏威夷」（ThinkTech Hawaii）訪問時解釋，「我們都有對電競的熱情，也想與美國年輕人分享這股熱情」。

Despite the intention behind the initiative, having military personnel become Twitch streamers has already caused problems with Twitch. Civil liberties groups have criticized the military’s Twitch channels for banning commenters mentioning U.S. war crimes.

儘管新作法的背後有這種意圖，讓軍事人員變成Twitch實況主也為Twitch帶來問題。公民自由團體批評，軍方的Twitch頻道禁止留言者提到美國的戰爭罪行。

 

Next Article

Dr. Anthony Fauci baseball card breaks Topps sales record 佛奇博士的棒球卡打破Topps的銷售紀錄

 

Dr. Anthony Fauci’s ceremonial first-pitch kicking off the 2020 Major League Baseball season was off target, but a baseball card to commemorate the occasion wound up being a home run with fans.

安東尼．佛奇博士在揭開2020年（美國職棒）大聯盟球季序幕的開球儀式上大暴投，紀念此事的棒球卡卻在球迷間大爆紅。

The Topps NOW baseball card featuring Fauci set an all-time print record for the company, selling 51,512 cards in just 24 hours, Topps said on Monday.

（球員卡公司）Topps週一表示，以佛奇為主角的Topps NOW棒球卡，為該公司締造前所未有的印製紀錄，不過24小時就賣了5萬1512張。

The back of the card described the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases as an "ardent Washington Nationals fan" and described his first-pitch before the Nationals took on the Yankees as "a strong effort."

這張球員卡背面形容這位美國國家過敏與傳染病研究院主任（即佛奇），是「華盛頓國民隊的狂粉」，還說他在國民隊與洋基隊對戰前的開球是「做了很大一番努力」。

The day after his less than stellar opening pitch, Fauci joked during an online event that he had practiced throwing a couple of days before the game but when he went out on the mound it looked like the catcher was 200 feet away.

在他那不怎麼樣的開球隔天，佛奇在一場線上活動期間打趣說，他在球賽前曾練習投球幾天，但當他一上場站上投手丘，捕手看似遠在200英尺外。

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1389989 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1389305

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每日英語跟讀 Ep.916: See That Fridge on the Sidewalk? It’s Full of Free Food

A lonely refrigerator sits on a Bronx sidewalk at 242nd Street and Broadway. It’s not trash.

紐約布朗克斯區242街與百老匯街交口的人行道上，一台冰箱孤零零站在那兒。它可不是棄置物。

Painted in bright yellows, purples, oranges and blues, the fridge has “Free Food” written in bubble letters across its freezer, with the same in Spanish, “Comida Gratis,” on its side.

冰箱漆成亮黃色、紫色、橘色與藍色，冷凍庫上用泡泡字體英文寫著「免費食物」，側面寫有同樣意思的西班牙文。

Selma Raven makes good on that promise. She doesn’t ask prodding questions of those who visit the fridge. She sometimes chats as she disinfects the unit, which is plugged into a socket inside a restaurant, and stocks it with fresh produce and ready-made meals.

塞爾瑪·雷文兌現了這承諾。她不會問光顧冰箱的人刺探性的問題。她有時會邊消毒冰箱邊聊天，並放入新鮮農產品和現成飯菜。冰箱從一家餐廳內的插座取電。

Mothers, home attendants, nursing assistants and the unemployed stop by the fridge to pick up food, Raven said. At first, some residents were skeptical; even cabdrivers told her it wouldn’t work. Now, they’re allies.

雷文說，為人母者、家庭看護、護理助理員及失業者會在冰箱旁停下拿取食物。起初一些居民抱持懷疑態度，連計程車司機都告訴她這行不通，如今他們都成了盟友。

Community-led, free-food refrigerators, sometimes nicknamed “friendly fridges,” have been popping up on city sidewalks since February.

今年2月以來，亦稱「友善冰箱」、由社區主導的免費食物冰箱不斷出現在市街人行道上。

When the coronavirus pandemic and stay-at-home orders halted New York City’s economy, many residents — some suddenly out of work, and others sick with the illness — struggled to fill their own refrigerators.

新冠肺炎全球大流行和居家避疫令讓紐約市經濟停滯，許多居民（有些突然失業，有些患上這疾病）難以填滿自己的冰箱。

At community refrigerators, anyone is welcome to take whatever they want and leave behind food they don’t need, like extra produce. Many volunteers who clean and stock the refrigerators daily ask local restaurants and stores to donate unused or unsold food items instead of throwing them away.

社區冰箱歡迎任何人取走任何東西，留下不需要的食物，像是多餘的農產品。每天清潔和存放食物的許多志工請求在地餐廳跟商家，捐出未用過或未賣出的食物，不要丟棄。

The goals are simple: Reduce food waste and feed the community.

目標很簡單：減少食物浪費，並為社區提供食物。

Food insecurity and waste have plagued both New Yorkers and the environment long before the pandemic. In the city, about 2 million people, or 1 in every 4 New Yorkers, are food insecure.

早在這場全球疫情發生以前，糧食取得缺乏保障與糧食的浪費就開始困擾紐約的居民和環境。這座城市約有200萬人，也就是4分之一的人，處於糧食無保障狀態。

About 30% of the country’s food supply is wasted, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

美國農業部指出，美國有3成左右的糧食供應遭到丟棄。

A network of New Yorkers collaborating with In Our Hearts, an activist group, have set up and maintained at least 14 fridges, which are plugged into local bodegas, restaurants or homes with permission.

一個由紐約人組成、跟社運組織「在我們心中」合作的網絡已設立並維護至少14台冰箱，這些冰箱在當地雜貨店、餐廳或住家的許可下接上電源。

The volunteers who tend to many of the free-food refrigerators in New York communicate with one another on Signal, the encrypted messaging app, to coordinate the distribution of food from organizations like Universe City, an aquaponic farm and work space in Brownsville, Brooklyn.

在紐約照料許多免費食物冰箱的志工，以加密通訊應用程式Signal互相連絡，以協調來自「宇宙城」等組織的食物分配。宇宙城是個位於布魯克林區布朗斯維爾的魚菜共生農場和工作室。

Thadeaus Umpster, an organizer with In Our Hearts, said that people have been giving away refrigerators through Instagram.In February, Umpster set up the group’s first refrigerator in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.

在我們心中的組織者薩迪厄斯．安普斯特說，人們一直透過Instagram捐出冰箱。今年2月，安普斯特在布魯克林區貝德福-史泰維山特設置該組織的第一台冰箱。

As the pandemic worsened in March and April, other people asked to get involved. It also seemed that the more refrigerators New Yorkers saw on social media like Instagram, the more new ones appeared.

隨著疫情在3月與4月惡化，另有些人要求參與，而且似乎紐約人在Instagram等社群媒體上看到的冰箱越多，新冰箱出現的也越多。

In recent weeks, Umpster has been distributing food to other fridges and answering calls from people across the world who want to start similar projects.

近幾周安普斯特一直在向其他冰箱分發食物，並接聽世界各地想要啟動類似計畫者打來的電話。

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/355531/web/

 

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