通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日跟讀#717: Indonesia to propose spice trail for UNESCO World Heritage list

 

印尼群島自古以來就以盛產香料名聞全球，像是肉豆蔻、丁香、薑、胡椒及肉桂等，透過海上貿易，各國水手們來到印尼後將香料帶到全世界。

 

The Indonesian archipelago has been known throughout history for spices, from nutmeg, cloves, ginger, pepper to cinnamon, that were introduced to the world by the nation’s sailors in the past.

 

印尼報紙Kompas報導，香料特殊的味道、香氣及對身體的助益等特性，讓印尼教育文化部決定向聯合國教科文組織底下的世界遺產委員會推薦香料之路成為世界級的文化遺產。

 

In regard to the spices that have been sought after worldwide thanks to their distinctive tastes, aromas and health benefits, the Education and Culture Ministry has recommended the great story of the spice trail be recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee (WHC), according to Kompas.

 

上周五，教育文化部的文化遺產與外交署署長向Kompas說道，他們署裡的官員正在籌備繳交至世界遺產委員會的必要文件，讓印尼香料之路列入暫時性名單（TENTATIVE LIST）。

 

Nadjamuddin Ramly, the Education and Culture Ministry’s cultural heritage and diplomacy director general, told Kompas on Friday that his team was preparing the necessary documents for the spice trail’s submission to the WHC’s tentative list.

 

「進入暫時性名單後，香料之路就有可能登記入冊成為世界文化遺產。」署長說道。

 

“After entering the tentative list, the spice trail could possibly be recommended to be inscribed as world cultural heritage,” said Nadjamuddin.

 

印尼媒體The Jakarta Post報導，2003年10月巴黎大會上，印尼也加入上簽署聯合國的《保護非物質文化遺產公約》。

 

In October 2003, Indonesia signed the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage at a meeting in Paris.

 

截至目前，印尼有數個世界文化遺產，文化方面包括婆羅浮屠及普蘭巴南的寺廟群、位於爪哇的斯拉根桑義蘭早期人類遺址及沙瓦倫多奧比林煤礦文化遺產，自然遺產則有科摩多國家公園、洛倫茨國家公園、烏戎庫隆國家公園，還有蘇門答臘的熱帶雨林等。

 

At the time of writing, Indonesia has several sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, including the Borobudur and Prambanan temple compounds, the Sangiran early man site and Ombilin coal mine in the cultural category, as well as Komodo, Lorentz and Ujungkulon national parks and the tropical rainforests of Sumatra in the natural category.

 

暫時性名單上印尼則佔有19席，像是原住民族托拉查人的傳統領域、Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat史前喀斯特石灰岩地形、雅加達舊城區還有Onrust, Kelor, Cipir 及 Bidadari四座離島。

 

Meanwhile, on the tentative list, which is an inventory of sites countries have proposed for consideration, Indonesia has 19 sites including the Tana Toraja traditional settlement, the prehistoric rock art area of Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat Karst and the old town of Jakarta and the four outlying islands of Onrust, Kelor, Cipir and Bidadari.

 

Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20190923-759518

 

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每日跟讀#716: About Malaysia: Eat your rice straws after finishing your drink?

 

馬來西亞媒體The Star報導，上週五在馬來西亞檳城舉辦的2019年國際綠色論壇及會議中，大馬業者Ricestraw向全世界推出了由稻米及木薯粉製作而成的可食環保吸管，引起熱論。

 

Made from rice and tapioca, the environmental-friendly straws are edible but tasteless, said Ricestraws IT director Anddrew Loh on Penang International Green Conference & Exhibition (PIGCE) 2019 held in Malaysia on Sept. 27.

 

業者表示，米吸管可以在浸泡在熱飲中長達2至5小時，冷飲更可以維持10小時，下半部因為浸泡在飲料裡吃起來有點黏糊，但是上半部分是酥脆的口感，就像在吃薯片。另外，業者強調米吸管沒有任何添加物，可以在90天內百分之百分解，甚至可以回收成動物飼料或肥料。

 

“The straws can last for two to five hours in hot water and about five to 10 hours in cold water,” Loh said. “The bottom part when immersed in drinks will taste a bit starchy while the upper section will be crispy like chips.”

Loh added, “The straws, made from natural ingredients, do not contain any additives and will decompose completely in 90 days and can also be turned into animal feed or fertiliser.”

 

業者進一步表示，製作米吸管是幫助生態循環，因為他們利用的是人類不吃的碎米去製作吸管。業者更指出使用紙吸管並不完全環保，因為製作紙吸管代表要砍伐更多樹木。

 

Furthermore, the Malaysian company stressed that by producing rice straws, the company has helped to complete the ecosystem cycle. “We use broken rice which people hardly eaten,” Loh said. “When we use paper straws, we are actually cutting down more trees.”

 

世界趨勢在淘汰一次性使用塑膠吸管，在這波環保浪潮裡，米吸管成為眾多亞洲業者爭相開發的產品。據The Hindu報導，南韓業者Yeonjigonji在政府開始實施限塑政策後，在去年研發推出百分之30木薯粉其他百分之70穀米製作成的可食米吸管。而The Epoch Times報導，越南業者HungHau Foods也在這兩年推出類似的米吸管產品。

 

Asian merchandisers are competing to produce eco-friendly commodities in reflecting this worldwide trend of ditching plastic straws. Malaysia is not the first one who uses rice to make straws. With 30 percent of tapioca and 70 percent of rice, The Hindu reported that company Yeonjigonji from South Korea started to market the edible straws last year after the government imposing relevant policies to reduce plastic use. Vietnam-based HungHau Foods also has had similar products in these two years, The Epoch Times reported.

 

Next Article:

 

馬來西亞蘇丹想要給老婆香吻被嫌棄 | Queen tweets candid pix of king trying to steal kiss during photoshoot

 

馬來西亞最高元首蘇丹阿布都拉的妻子，東姑阿濟茲占阿米娜，週四在推特上發表一系列她自己跟蘇丹的合照，合照中阿布都拉企圖親吻老婆臉頰未果，可愛的互動引起熱議。

 

Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah won the hearts of Malaysians on Twitter Thursday (Oct 3) afternoon with a series of tweets.

The tweets featured photographs of her and Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah.

 

有些推特上的照片應該是來自夫婦倆的御用攝影師。其它照片則是偷拍。

 

Some of the tweets posted on her Twitter account (@cheminahsayang) are believed to be formal photographs with the royal pair in traditional attire, while others contained more candid shots.

 

東姑阿濟茲占的PO文其中有一張阿布都拉想要親吻她的照片，搭配上文字「我的天啊啊啊啊…」。

 

One of the photos was of Sultan Abdullah attempting to kiss Tunku Azizah, with the latter giving a deadpan look, with the caption “fuyuuuuuuuu..”.

 

另一張照片除了有王室夫妻外，還有小孫子亞當，東姑阿濟茲占在這張照片的配文寫道亞當瘋狂用照片「轟炸」她。

 

Another tweet had photographs which feature the Royal couple’s grandson, Adam, with the Tunku Azizah noting that he was “photobombing” her in the tweet.

 

東姑阿濟茲並未在推特說明照片拍攝時間。

 

The tweets did not mention when or where the photographs were taken.

 

照片發布的半小時內就吸引了一萬五千個讚，並被轉發超過兩千次 (現在已經超過一萬一千次轉發)。

 

Within half an hour the tweets received a collective 15,000 Likes, and were retweeted more than 2,000 times.

 

許多人留言道這些照片很甜蜜也很可愛。

 

Many people commented that the photographs taken were sweet and lovely.

 

Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20191004-779620 ; https://chinapost.nownews.com/20191002-777124

 

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每日跟讀#715: About Taiwan - Asus products available at 1st North Korean department store

 

臉書粉專「北韓-朝鮮經貿文化情報」15日表示，台灣品牌華碩進軍位在北韓平壤的高檔百貨公司「大成百貨店」。

 

DPRK Business-culture news announced on Oct. 15 that Taiwan’s very own brand, Asus, is featured in North Korea’s one and only high-end department store in Pyongyang.

 

大成百貨店原先是個大型賣場，後來在金正恩的指導下，轉型為高檔百貨公司。

 

The Pyongyang store was originally a major retail market, but after the insistence of Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un, it was transformed into a department store.

 

除了販賣華碩電腦之外，百貨公司裡還有其他高檔品牌包括Coach、蘭蔻、戴爾電腦。

 

Asus, along with other luxurious brands from the West, such as Coach, Lancome, and computer brand Dell, were among the few chosen to be housed at the new store.

 

華碩電腦位在百貨公司三樓的3C產品區，一台15寸筆記型電腦定價約一萬九千元台幣。

 

Asus is located on the third floor of the department store, featuring a 15-inch laptop priced at around NT$19,000, among other products.

 

臉書PO文一出，許多台灣網友回應：「我也好想去逛噢」、「多謝支持中華民國產品」。

 

Following the announcement, many Taiwanese netizens expressed their surprise at Asus computers being featured in North Korea and also voiced their desire to shop there in the future.

 

 

 

Next Article:

 

Big data uncovers top travel spots in Taiwan

旅遊網站大數據 國內一日遊第一名景點在新北！

 

知名旅遊行程線上平台KKday發佈1至8月的營業銷售數據，國內旅遊票券銷售第一名的是「九份平溪一日遊」；此外，新北觀光局發行的旅遊書－淡蘭古道，也是旅遊書出版銷售排行中第一，讓新北的觀光旅遊價值被更多人看見。

 

According to KKday, an online travel agent, the top travel destination in Taiwan between January and Augsut was the one-day trip to Jiufen Pingxi. Meanwhile, “DanLan Ancient Road,” a travel guide published by the New Taipei City Travel Bureau, was also a bestseller in its category. The two highlights show the value and popularity of New Taipei City’s tourist attractions.

 

依據交通部觀光局107年國人旅遊狀況調查報告，國內旅遊團體的比率為13.6%，個人旅遊86.4%，其中89%的旅客以自行規劃行程方式出遊，參加旅行社套裝旅遊者占1.4%。有此可知客製化活動型態的自由行比例不斷提升中。

 

According to last year’s travel survey published by the Tourism Bureau, the percentage of national travel groups stands at 13.6 percent, while solo travelers account for 86.4 percent. More than 89 percent of tourists plan their own travel itineraries whereas only 1.4 percent of tourists travel with packages designed by travel agencies. Such data, shows that the ratio of customized travel plans is actually on the rise.

 

新北市觀旅局局長張其強表示，新北市除九份與平溪外，北海岸還有諸多熱門景點吸引國內外遊客到訪，尤其「青春山海線」以及「淡蘭古道」；新的特色景點包括夜訪水湳洞13層、漁村船遊漁食、深澳鐵道自行車、河海音樂季等等多種套裝體驗行程。

 

Chang Chi-chiang, director of New Taipei City’s Travel Bureau, said that apart from New Taipei City’s Jiufen and Pingxi, the north coast has many tourist hotspots that attract local and international visitors; in particular, Route 2 Taiwan (青春山海線) and DanLan Ancient Road. New attractions include “Shuinandong Remains of the 13 Levels,” “Fishermen Village”, “Shen’ao Railway Bike Path,” and “HeNan Music Festival.”

 

Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20191015-797808 ; https://chinapost.nownews.com/20191018-804190

 

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每日跟讀#714: About Japan - Lawson becomes ‘awson’ to save birds nesting near L in sign

 

A nature-loving Lawson owner in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture couldn’t bear to disturb a bird’s nest to replace the dead bulb behind the L in the convenience store’s sign.

 

（日本）愛媛縣松山市的一名熱愛大自然的（連鎖超商）勞森的店主，不忍心為了更換該店招牌中壞掉的燈泡，而去打擾一個位於L字母後方的鳥巢。

 

Fans of "awson," as the outlet in this popular hot spring resort area is now commonly known, have heaped praise on Shusaku Yoshimoto for leaving the L alone.

 

這家位於這處知名溫泉區、如今通常被以「奧森」之名廣為周知的超商的粉絲，對（店主）吉本周作不處理L字母燈泡之舉，讚譽有加。

 

A pair of swallows are raising chicks in the nest in a snug space beside the letter.

 

一對燕子在這個字母旁邊的凹槽空間築巢與養育雛鳥。

 

Yoshimoto spotted the nest in May last year, when workers came to fix the sign after all the bulbs burned out.

 

吉本在去年5月、工人來修理這個燈泡全都燒掉的招牌時，發現這個鳥巢。

 

The repairmen said they couldn’t do the job unless they ripped out the nest, so Yoshimoto postponed it until the chicks were ready to take off.

 

維修人員說，不拆掉鳥巢就沒辦法修，於是吉本決定延後修繕，直到雛鳥準備離巢。

 

The birds flew out the very next month. But then Yoshimoto thought, what if they come back? So he decided to let the light for the L remain dark.

 

燕子隔月飛離巢。但吉本想，要是牠們回來呢？所以他決定不換L字母的燈泡。

 

The pair returned this spring.

 

這對燕子今春返巢。

 

"It’s said swallows will bring good luck, and our customers are looking forward to seeing them,"Yoshimoto said.

 

「人家都說燕子會帶來好運，我們的客人都期待能看到牠們。」吉本說。

 

Next Article:

 

Kyoto warns foreign tourists of danger of monkey attacks 京都警告外國遊客有遭猴子攻擊之虞

 

Wild primates are monkeying around in Kyoto, but tourists who have been attacked are not amused.

 

野生的靈長類動物在京都嬉鬧，但被攻擊的遊客可不覺得有趣。

 

According to Kyoto officials, 30 people, most of whom were foreign visitors, have been attacked by monkeys since February, with many being bitten or scratched.

 

 

 

根據京都官員，自2月起已有30人，其中絕大部分是外國觀光客，遭猴子攻擊，許多人被咬或抓傷。

 

According to city officials, a tourist was bit by a monkey at the Fushimi Inari Taisha shrine, renowned for a large number of vermillion torii gates in its grounds, on Feb. 14.

 

根據市府官員，一名觀光客2月14日在以有朱紅色千本鳥居聞名的伏見稻荷大社被猴子咬傷。

 

From then on, until April 18, 30 people have fallen victim to such bad monkey behavior. They were attacked by what is believed to be parent monkeys as they attempted to feed and take pictures of younger monkeys.

 

從那時起到4月18日，有30人淪為這類壞猴子行為的受害者。據信這些人是在企圖餵食與拍攝幼猴的照片時，遭到猴爸猴媽的攻擊。

 

Starting from April, Kyoto city and prefectural police have handed out fliers to tourists and temples and shrines, which warn "Beware of monkeys!" in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.

 

京都市與京都府警方自4月起開始向觀光客、廟宇以及神社發放傳單，上面以日文、英文、中文與韓文警告「小心猴子！」

 

City officials have patrolled the areas where attacks have occurred and driven the monkeys away by shouting when they see one.

 

市府官員已在曾發生猴子攻擊人的區域巡邏，以及在看到猴子時出聲喊叫驅猴。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1311051 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1325507

 

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每日跟讀#713: About USA -Lori Loughlin’s "Full House" character took part in a school scam

 

Life imitates art if you have the life of Lori Loughlin and took part in the artistry that was "Full House."

 

人生如戲，倘若你過的是（美國女星）洛莉．路格林的人生，並曾參與（電視影集）「歡樂滿屋」演出。

 

Loughlin was taken into FBI custody in Los Angeles Wednesday and released on $1 million bond as part of the investigation into a massive college admissions scam. Fans now are making the connection between this real-life scandal and one that Loughlin’s "Full House" character, Aunt Becky, was involved in.

 

路格林週三遭聯邦調查局拘留，後以100萬美元保釋，這是一起大規模大學入學詐騙案調查工作的一環。如今，粉絲們將此一現實生活中的醜聞，與路格林在「歡樂滿屋」中飾演的角色貝琪阿姨所涉及的案子連結起來。

 

In season six of the family sitcom, Aunt Becky and Uncle Jesse, played by John Stamos, worry that their twin boys won’t get into a prestigious preschool. Jesse lies about the twins’ academic abilities to try to get them in. Becky puts an end to the scam, but justifies her husband’s actions - he just wanted what’s best for their twins.

 

在這齣家庭情境喜劇的第6季，貝琪阿姨與由男星約翰．史坦摩斯飾演的傑西叔叔，擔心他們的雙胞胎兒子進不了貴族幼兒園。傑西為了讓兒子們入學而謊報小孩的學術能力，貝琪遏止了這起詐騙，但為老公的行為辯解—（說）他只是想讓雙胞胎兒子得到最好的。

 

The 1993 episode, titled "Be True to Your Pre-School," had a happy ending - neither parent went to jail or faced media scrutiny for just "doing what’s best" for their kids. In real life, Loughlin is facing conspiracy charges and possible prison time if convicted.

 

1993年播出、名為「對幼兒園老實說」的這一集，有一個快樂的結局—這對父母並未因想讓孩子「得到最好的」而坐牢，或遭媒體放大檢視。但現實生活中，路格林面臨陰謀（詐騙入學）指控，若遭定罪恐將入獄。

 

Next Article:

 

Google made thousands of deepfakes to aid detection efforts 谷歌製作數千部「深度偽造」影片 助力辨識造假影像

 

Google has released a data set of thousands of deepfake videos that it produced using paid, consenting actors in order to help researchers in the ongoing work of coming up with detection methods.

 

谷歌已釋出一個內有數千部「深度偽造」影片的資料集，相關影像獲得付費演員同意產出，以協助研究者進行「深偽影片」辨識方法的研究。

 

The data set, available on Github, contains more than 3,000 deepfake videos. To produce the videos, Google used 28 actors, placing pairs of them in quotidian settings：hugging, talking, expressing emotion and the like. To transform their faces, Google used publicly available, state-of-the-art, automatic deepfake algorithms：Deepfakes, Face2Face, FaceSwap and NeuralTextures.

 

這個資料集裡有超過3000部「深度偽造」影片，可透過（軟體開發平台）GitHub取得。為了製作這些影像，谷歌僱用28名演員，兩兩拍攝他們的日常動作：擁抱、交談、表達情緒等。谷歌使用可公開取得、最先進的自動化深偽演算法：「Deepfakes」、「Face2Face」、「FaceSwap」、「NeuralTextures」來改變演員的臉部。

 

Earlier this month, Facebook just announced that it was launching a $10m deepfake detection project.

 

本月初，臉書甫宣布推出一項價值1000萬美元的深偽辨識專案。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1327136 ;https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1326116

Summary:

 

This article explains why autonomous vehicles are not being produced as fast as was thought at first. Pushing back the expected roll-out of this technology.

 

Full article here: https://www.15mins.today/blog/650-despite-high-hopes-self-driving-cars-are-way-in-the-future

 

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

 

Usher in: the beginning of something new

Did semi-conductors usher in the computer age?

Did Ford usher in assembly line production?

 

 

 

Scramble: situation where people compete to do something

Is there a scramble to make private space flights a reality?

Did you scramble to be the first to buy the new iPhone?

 

Exude: some feeling or quality that can be clearly experienced or felt by other people

Did he exude confidence at the meeting?

Did she exude charm at the interview?

每日跟讀#712: About Europe - Sheep take over streets of Madrid for annual migration

 

Sheep replaced traffic on the streets of Madrid on Sunday as shepherds steered their flocks through the heart of the Spanish capital, following ancient migration routes.

 

綿羊週日取代了馬德里街上的車輛，當牧羊人沿著古老遷徙路線，引領羊群穿越西班牙首都心臟地帶。

 

The annual event, which started in 1994, allows shepherds to exercise their right to use traditional routes to migrate their livestock from northern Spain to more southerly pastures for winter grazing.

 

這項始於1994年的年度活動，允許牧羊人使用傳統路線的權利，把羊群從西班牙北部遷到比較南邊的牧場進行冬季放牧。

 

The route would have taken them through undeveloped countryside a few centuries ago, but today it cuts through Madrid’s bustling city center and along some of its most famous streets.

 

這條路線幾世紀前帶牠們通過尚未開發的鄉間，但它今日穿越馬德里繁華熱鬧的市中心，途經一些名氣最響亮的街道。

 

Sheep farmers pay a nominal charge in symbolic acknowledgement of a 1418 agreement with the city council that set a fee of 50 maravedis - medieval coins - per 1,000 sheep brought through the central Sol square and Gran Via street.

 

牧羊人支付了名義上的費用，象徵性地認可1418年與市議會達成的收費協議，每引領千頭綿羊穿越市中心太陽門廣場和格蘭大道，付費50枚馬拉維第—一種中世紀硬幣。

 

The herd includes 2,000 merino sheep and 100 goats.

 

這獸群包括2000頭美麗諾綿羊和100隻山羊。

 

Next Article:

 

Dutch police discover family locked away for years on farm

荷蘭警察發現一家人被關在農場數年

 

Dutch police acting on a tip-off discovered six young adult siblings who had apparently spent years locked away in a secret room in an isolated farmhouse, local broadcasters reported.

 

當地媒體報導，荷蘭警察獲報發現6名正值青年的手足，似乎被關在一個偏僻農舍內的秘密房間多年。

 

The six, aged 16 to 25, lived with their 58-year-old father near Ruinerwold, a village in the northern province of Drenthe, and had no contact with the outside world, RTV Drenthe reported.

 

據「RTV Drenthe」報導，這6人的年齡介於16歲至25歲，他們與58歲的父親一起生活在荷蘭東北部德倫特省的小村莊魯那沃爾德，和外界毫無聯繫。

 

An employee at a local cafe told RTV Drenthe one of the family members, a 25-year-old man, had come in looking scruffy and bewildered with long hair and said he had not been outside for nine years.

 

當地一名咖啡館員工告訴RTV Drenthe，家庭成員之一、外表邋遢的25歲長髮男子，當時一臉困惑地走進咖啡館，並表示他已經9年沒出過門。

 

A police statement on Twitter said officers searched the farm after being tipped off.

 

警方透過「推特」發表聲明表示，警察在獲報後搜索農舍。

 

"The owner of the premises did not want to cooperate so was detained," police spokeswoman Natalie Schubart told broadcaster RTL. She said six family members were being cared for after being found in a "closed-off space".

 

警方發言人娜塔莉．舒伯特告訴「RTL」電視台，「屋主不願配合，所以遭到拘留」。她說，6名家庭成員在一處密閉空間被找到後，已獲得照顧。

 

Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1326574 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1327341

 

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每日跟讀#711: A Race Against the Sun

 

It was a long, hot summer, like most in the San Joaquin Valley. The pistachio trees planted in orderly rows — and the growers who nurture them — are accustomed to harsh conditions. With their deep roots and tough, gnarly branches, pistachio trees are hardy, tolerant of salty soils and brutal heat waves. Some can live for centuries.

 

美國加州聖華金谷這個夏天又熱又長，跟以往大多時候一樣。成排種植的開心果樹和果農都已習慣嚴苛的環境。開心果樹根札得深，枝幹粗壯扭曲，耐得住寒冷、含鹽土壤和逼人的熱浪。有的能活好幾個世紀。

 

But while sweltering summers are the norm in this part of central California, there’s a new, existential threat to these trees, one that scientists warn could spell the end of the pistachio harvest: warmer winters. Many crops are facing similar threats as agricultural regions across the world experience previously unseen extremes in heat, rain and drought.

 

雖然加州中部這塊地方夏天本就悶熱，這些果樹卻面臨一種新的生存威脅，科學家警告說，這種威脅可能意味再也沒有開心果可以收成，那就是冬天變暖。世界各地農業區正經歷前所未見的熱浪、暴雨及乾旱，許多其他作物面臨類似危機。

 

Chilly winters are critical to nut and fruit trees, particularly pistachios. To break their slumber and spread their pollen, pistachios need to spend about 850 hours, or five weeks, at temperatures below 45 degrees.

 

寒冷的冬天對堅果和水果樹十分重要，尤其是開心果。為了打破休眠狀態並散播花粉，開心果必須有850小時，亦即五周左右，處在華氏45度（攝氏7.2度）以下。

 

So as the San Joaquin Valley warms and its cooling fogs retreat, growers have found their orchards out of sync: Many male trees are no longer producing pollen when the females need it.

 

所以當聖華金谷逐步回暖，冷霧消退時，農民發現果園出了狀況：雌樹需要雄樹授粉時，許多雄樹卻不再產生花粉。

 

After suffering a billion-dollar loss from a recent warm winter, California pistachio growers don’t need much convincing that their livelihoods are endangered by climate change. Heeding warnings that the industry may not survive past the middle of the century, they are among the world’s earliest adapters. Scientists are wrangling and crossing genes to breed trees that can survive a warmer world, and growers are hedging their bets by planting experimental trees that need fewer chilly days.

 

加州開心果農因為最近一次暖冬而損失十億美元後，無需勸說也明白生計受到氣候變遷威脅。他們把這個產業可能撐不到本世紀下半的警告聽了進去，成為世上最早開始調整的群體之一。科學家把植物聚合在一起並使之雜交，以培育更能適應高溫的樹種，果農也同時種植需要寒冷天數較少的實驗樹種，藉以避險。

 

“There’s a lot to be said about traditional knowledge. But this is new territory,” said Rebecca Carter of the World Resources Institute, a nonprofit research group that is working with growers around the world to adapt to the threats of climate change, including warmer winters, dried-up aquifers and record-breaking heat waves.

 

非營利組織世界資源研究所的麗貝卡．卡特說：「傳統知識有很多好處，不過這是新領域。」這個研究所與世界各地農民合作，幫助他們應對氣候變遷的威脅，包括冬天變暖、地下蓄水層枯竭與熱浪空前。

 

Scientists in 2013 urged “immediate adaptation” by farmers to ensure that they can feed the 10 billion people expected to inhabit the planet by 2050. They warned in a study that world hunger would worsen as crop yields declined, pests and diseases increased, water demand skyrocketed and highly vulnerable crops vanished. “The whole food system needs to change,” according to the report published in the journal Science.

 

科學家2013年就呼籲農民「立刻調整作法」，以確保料將在2050年前達到100億的地球人口都有得吃。他們在「科學」期刊上發表一篇研究報告示警說，隨著作物產量減少、病蟲害增加、水資源需求高漲和高度脆弱的作物消失，全球飢餓問題將惡化，「整個食物系統都得改變」。

 

Coping, Carter said, would “require fundamental changes in how food is produced, how land is used, who lives where and what economic activities occur in specific areas.”

 

卡特說，處理這個問題「必須在食物生產、土地利用、居住範圍和特定區域的經濟活動等方面徹底改變」。

 

Those changes are already happening worldwide. After growing coffee for generations, farmers in parts of Costa Rica are switching to oranges. Kenyan herders, facing intense droughts, are raising camels instead of cattle. In China’s drought-prone Fujian province, farmers who grew wheat and corn have switched to apples.

 

這些改變已在全球各地發生。哥斯大黎加部分地區的農民在種植咖啡幾個世代後，改種柑橘。肯亞的牧人面對嚴重乾旱，從養牛改為養駱駝。在中國大陸容易發生乾旱的福建省，原本種小麥和玉米的農民改種蘋果。

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/345636/web/#2L-15722568L

 

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每日跟讀#710: Drugs may not be best option to ease dementia agitation

 

Symptoms of aggression and agitation in dementia patients may respond better to non-drug therapies such as massage, touch therapy and outdoor activities, a new study suggests.

 

一份新研究指出，失智症患者的攻擊性行為和躁動等症狀，對按摩、撫觸療法以及戶外活動等非藥物療法的反應可能更好。

 

In a reanalysis of more than 163 studies involving nearly 25,000 patients, Canadian researchers found that multidisciplinary care, massage and touch therapy, and music combined with massage and touch therapy were more effective than patients’ usual care, according to a report in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

 

在這份刊載於《內科醫學年鑑》的研究中，加拿大研究人員日前對超過一百六十三份、將近兩萬五千名患者參與的研究進行分析。他們發現「跨學科照護」、按摩與撫觸療法，以及加入音樂一同進行，比失智症患者通常受到的照護還要來得有效。

 

“Our results suggest that multidisciplinary care and non-medication therapy should be prioritized in treating our patient population and this should be incorporated into evidence-based guidelines,” said lead study author Dr. Jennifer Watt, a geriatrician and scientist at the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute within Unity Health Toronto.

 

該研究的主要作者珍妮佛‧瓦特是老年病學醫師，同時也是一名科學家，隸屬多倫多Unity醫療網絡的李嘉誠知識學院。她指出：「我們的研究結果顯示，跨學科的照護和非藥物療法在我們的病人中應該被視為優先選項，也應該被加入實證的醫學指南中。」

 

Antipsychotic drugs, which are often prescribed to treat these behavioral symptoms, come with some concerning side-effects, such as an increased risk of stroke and death, Watt said. That’s why she suggests caregivers try nonpharmacological treatments first.

 

瓦特表示，經常被用來治療這類行為症狀的抗精神病藥物，都帶有一些令人憂心的副作用，包括增加中風和死亡的風險。這也是為什麼她建議照護者先試試看非藥理學的治療方式。

 

In multidisciplinary therapy, a team of specialists works with patients and caregivers, Watt explained. The team might include nurses trained in geriatrics, a physician who can look at possible medical causes for the behaviors and prescribe appropriate medications, and an occupational therapist who can try to modify the patient’s environment or adapt the patient’s routine to avoid frustration.

 

瓦特解釋，跨學科療法會由一群專家組成的團隊，和病人與照護者一起合作。這組團隊可能包括受過老年病學訓練的護理師、能夠找到行為背後可能的醫學原因，並開立適當藥物的內科醫師，及一位物理治療師，後者可試著改變病人的環境或調整其日常作息，避免讓他們產生挫敗感。

 

For the new study, Watt’s team initially identified nearly 20,000 earlier studies that evaluated the effectiveness of nonpharmacological therapies. They narrowed that down to 163, which included information on 23,143 patients whose average age was 70.

 

 

 

為了這份新研究，瓦特的研究團隊最初檢視了將近兩萬份評估非藥理學療法效果的前行研究。他們後來把研究範圍縮小到一百六十三份，其中包含兩萬三千一百四十三名病人的資訊，平均年齡為七十歲。

 

The researchers found that outdoor activities were more effective than antipsychotic medications for treating physically aggressive patients. When it came to verbal aggression, massage and touch therapy were more effective than the patients’ usual care. Those techniques were also more effective than usual care in treating patient agitation. Watt points to her personal experience teaching caregivers to do hand massage when a patient is getting dialysis. “Massaging the hand can be very calming for them,” she said.

 

研究人員發現，比起抗精神病藥物，戶外活動對於治療身體攻擊行為的病人較為有效。至於言語攻擊行為的病人，按摩和撫觸療法比病人通常獲得的照護還來得有效。這些手法也比治療患者躁動的常見照護方式更有效果。瓦特引述自己的經驗，她曾教照護者對一名正在進行透析的病人做手部按摩。她說：「按摩手部可以讓他們感到非常平靜。」

 

The new results were not surprising to Dr. Milap Nowrangi, an assistant professor in the department of psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins Medical School. But “they are important,” he said, adding that aggression and agitation are the kinds of symptoms “that lead to caregiver burnout and institutionalization of patients.” While the study mostly dealt with patients in assisted living situations or nursing homes, the findings may also be helpful for family members taking care of a loved one at home, Nowrangi said.

 

對於約翰‧霍普金斯醫學院精神病學系的助理教授米拉普‧諾蘭基而言，新的研究結果並不讓人感到驚訝。不過，他表示「這些結果相當重要」，並補充說攻擊性行為和躁動是「會導致照護者過勞，並造成病人被送去照護機構安置」的那類症狀。諾蘭基指出，雖然這份研究的對象主要是住在有人協助的生活環境或是養護之家的病人，但是研究結果可能也會對在家照顧摯愛的家庭成員帶來助益。

 

Because no single therapy can help every patient, he suggests families experiment with a number of options. First and foremost, caregivers should check to see if there is any physical cause for the behaviors, such as hunger, pain or discomfort. If that’s not the problem, caregivers might try “going for a walk or drive; having them do something repetitive, like folding towels or washing dishes; using a scented candle; or brushing the patient’s hair or massaging them,” Nowrangi suggested.

 

諾蘭基表示，沒有任何一種療法可以一體適用於所有病人，所以他建議照護家庭試驗幾種選項。首先，而且最重要的是，照護者應該確認有沒有任何可能導致行為症狀的生理原因，例如飢餓、疼痛或不適。諾蘭基建議，如果這些因素並未構成問題，照護者或許可以試試「走一走或開車載他們兜風；讓他們做一些重複性的事，例如折毛巾或洗碗盤；點薰香蠟燭；又或是幫病人梳頭髮或按摩。」

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/10/20/2003724259/1

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每日跟讀#709: Personality Tests Are the Astrology of the Office

 

On his first day working at the University of Phoenix, Eric Shapiro found out the good news: He had tested red-yellow.

 

夏皮洛到美國亞利桑納州鳳凰城大學上班的第一天，就得知一個好消息：他測出的結果是紅黃色性格。

 

To the layperson this doesn’t mean much. But to those well-versed in the psychology of Taylor Hartman’s “Color Code,” as all employees of the University of Phoenix’s enrollment office were required to be, it was a career-maker.

 

對外行人來說，這沒什麼意義，但對熟知美國心理學家哈特曼「色彩密碼」心理學的人而言，這足以決定職涯發展。鳳凰城大學註冊辦公室所有職員都被要求熟悉這套心理學。

 

Red meant you were a person motivated by power and yellow by fun. This was an ideal combination for someone looking to climb the ranks in an admissions team that demanded the ability to schmooze and then hit recruitment targets: equal parts charisma and competitiveness.

 

紅色表示你會為權力而做事，黃色表示會為樂趣做事，對想在招生團隊中往上爬的人而言，紅黃兩色是理想的組合。招生團隊需要具備交際和達成招生目標的能力，人格魅力和競爭力同等重要。

 

“The dominant people in the office, most of the leadership staff including myself when I got promoted, we were heavy red and yellows,” said Shapiro, 36. “Yellows tend to be really good at working the room. Reds tend to be more type A, like bulls in a china shop. You’re passionate, you’re not sensitive, you get over things quicker.”

 

36歲的夏皮洛說：「這個辦公室的高層，領導階層中絕大多數的人，包括晉升後的我，都是重度的紅黃色性格。黃色性格的人善於透過交際贏得好感，紅色偏向A型人格，直率魯莽、熱情、不敏感，容易挺過不愉快的事。」

 

As Shapiro rose to be a manager, he became fluent in the color-code vocabulary. It helped him diagnose office problems and identify areas for professional growth.

 

夏皮洛晉升為經理時，已牢牢掌握色彩密碼的語彙。這套系統幫助他判斷辦公室的問題在哪，並認清每個人適合朝哪個專業方向發展。

 

The taxonomy didn’t typically have a direct influence on hiring decisions, Shapiro said, but managers knew which color types were most likely to thrive when reviewing applications. (He said a 45-minute assessment was included in the job application process to purportedly identify each subject’s primary behavioral motivator, which he added was later discontinued.)

 

夏皮洛說，這個分類法通常不會直接影響雇用的決定，不過，經理在審視應徵文件時，知道哪一種色彩類別的人最有可能表現傑出。（他說，應徵過程包括45分鐘的性格評估，據說這樣能辨明每個應徵者主要的行為動機，不過他也說，後來就沒做性格評估了。)

 

“We tried to be ethical but it’s tough because we were hiring for what’s actually a sales position, so if you were a blue-white those traits really didn’t line up,” he said (blues are motivated by desire for intimacy and the whites by peace).

 

夏皮洛說：「我們想符合職業規矩，但是很難，因為我們其實是在雇用業務人員，所以如果你是藍白色性格，這樣的特質就不適合。」（藍色性格的做事動機是追求親密感，白色尋求平靜。）

 

The code is just one example of the kinds of psychometric tests now being administered in workplaces. There’s CliftonStrengths, owned by Gallup, which tells you your five best professional qualities; there’s Insights Discovery, which assigns you a color and an associated workplace archetype like coordinator, inspirer or observer.

 

色彩密碼只是當前職場實施的心理測驗的例子之一。市面上還有蓋洛普公司推出的「克利夫頓優勢」，能告訴你你最好的五項職業特質；有「洞見發現」，會讓你知道你的性格色彩和相關的職業原型，如協調者、激勵者或觀察者。

 

The DiSC model, which has been used by the Times, diagnoses a person’s dominance, influence, steadiness and conscientiousness. A new test on the scene, Helen Fisher’s Temperament Inventory, identifies whether you’re a testosterone, dopamine, estrogen or serotonin, purportedly in the name of love.

 

紐約時報採用DiSC模型，測量人的支配性、影響力、穩定性和勤勉責任感。新推出的海倫．費雪「性格量表」，辨認你在愛情的名義下，其實是屬於睪固酮、多巴胺、雌激素或血清素人格。

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/345636/web/#2L-15722568L

 

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