通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日跟讀#592: How Long Can We Live?

 

Since 1900, average life expectancy around the globe has more than doubled, thanks to better public health, sanitation and food supplies. But new study of long-lived Italians indicates that we have yet to reach the upper bound of human longevity.

 

自1900年以來，由於公共衛生、環境衛生和食品供應獲得改善，全球人類的平均壽命增加了一倍有餘。不過，對長壽的義大利人所做的一項新研究指出，人類尚未達到壽命的上限。

 

“If there’s a fixed biological limit, we are not close to it,” said Elisabetta Barbi, a demographer at the University of Rome. Barbi and her colleagues published their research Thursday in the journal Science.

 

羅馬大學人口統計學家伊莉莎貝塔．巴比說：「如果說有固定生物限制的話，我們還未靠近這個上限。」巴比和她的同事周四（七月十二日）於「科學」雜誌發表了他們的研究結果。

 

The current record for the longest human life span was set 21 years ago, when Jeanne Calment, a Frenchwoman, died at the age of 122. No one has grown older since — as far as scientists know.

 

現今人類壽命的最高紀錄出現於21年前，這位法國女性珍妮．卡爾蒙122歲時去世。其後，就科學家所知，沒有人比她更長壽。

 

In 2016, a team of scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx made the bold claim that Calment was even more of an outlier than she seemed. They argued that humans have reached a fixed life span limit, which they estimated to be about 115 years.

 

2016年，紐約市布朗克斯區「阿爾伯特．愛因斯坦醫學院」的一支科學家團隊，大膽宣稱卡爾蒙是個十分異常的特例。他們說，人類已到達固定壽命的上限，估計這個上限約是115歲。

 

A number of critics lambasted that research. “The data set was very poor, and the statistics were profoundly flawed,” said Siegfried Hekimi, a biologist at McGill University.

 

一些批評者對那項研究發出抨擊。 麥吉爾大學的生物學家齊格佛里德．希基米說：「數據集很差，統計數字存在嚴重缺陷。」

 

Anyone who studies the limits of longevity faces two major statistical challenges.

 

任何研究壽命極限的人均面對兩大統計上的挑戰。

 

There aren’t very many people who live to advanced ages, and people that old often lose track of how long they’ve actually lived. “At these ages, the problem is to make sure the age is real,” Barbi said.

 

不是很多人能活到高齡，而那麼長壽的人通常已記不清楚他們真正的歲數。巴比說：「到了這等年歲，最大問題在於確保年齡的真實性。」

 

Barbi and her colleagues combed through Italy’s records to find every citizen who had reached the age of 105 between 2009 and 2015. To validate their ages, the researchers tracked down their birth certificates.

 

巴比和同事爬梳了義大利的紀錄，找出那些在2009到2015年間，年滿105歲的所有公民。為了驗證他們的年齡，研究人員還追查了他們的出生證明。

 

The team ended up with a database of 3,836 elderly Italians. The researchers tracked down death certificates for those who died in the study period and determined the rate at which various age groups were dying.

 

該團隊最終建立了一個由3,836名義大利老人組成的數據庫。這些研究人員追蹤了研究期間去世者的死亡證明，並計算出不同年齡組的死亡速度。

 

It’s long been known that the death rate starts out somewhat high in infancy and falls during the early years of life. It climbs again among people in their 30s, finally skyrocketing among those in their 70s and 80s.

 

人類早已知道，人類的死亡率一開始在嬰兒期是稍高，到了幼年時會下降。30幾歲時死亡率會再攀升，最後在70幾、80幾時暴升。

 

If the death rate kept exponentially climbing in extreme old age, then human life span really would have the sort of limit proposed by the Einstein team in 2016.

 

倘若死亡率在極端高齡者中呈倍數上升，那麼人類壽命可能如愛因斯坦醫學院團隊在2016年所提，真的已來到那種上限。

 

But that’s not what Barbi and her colleagues found. Among extremely old Italians, they discovered, the death rate stops rising — the curve abruptly flattens into a plateau.

 

不過，巴比和她的同事發現情況並非如此。他們發現，在義大利的極端高齡者中，死亡率停止上升，也就是曲線突然變平，變成了高原。

 

The researchers also found that people who were born in later years have a slightly lower mortality rate when they reach 105.

 

研究人員還發現，較晚出生的人，在他們達到105歲後，死亡率略低。

 

“The plateau is sinking over time,” said Kenneth W. Wachter, a demographer at the University of California, Berkeley, who co-authored the new study. “Improvements in mortality extend even to these extreme ages.”

 

柏克萊加州大學的人口統計學家、這項新研究的共同作者肯尼斯．W．華契特說：「高原隨著時間而下降。死亡率的改善甚至延伸到這些極端高齡者。」

 

“We’re not approaching any maximum life span for humans yet,” he added.

 

他補充說：「我們還沒接近人類的任何最高壽命。」

 

Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/329795/web/

 

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每日跟讀#591: Jet Makers May Feel Ripples From Falling Oil Prices

 

Sharply falling oil prices are a boon to airlines, saving billions of dollars in monthly fuel bills for a highly competitive industry that last year eked out an average profit of just $6 a passenger.

 

狂跌的油價對競爭激烈的航空業者很補，去年每名乘客的利潤才六美元，如今每個月可省下數十億美元的燃料費。

 

But what is good news for the airlines raises questions for the world’s largest jet makers, Boeing and Airbus, which have been riding a wave of demand for the latest fuel-efficient jets, driven in large part by the high price of oil.

 

但是航空業者的佳音對全球最大的飛機製造商波音和空中巴士來說，未必是好消息。主要拜高油價所賜，兩巨頭收到一堆新式低油耗客機訂單。

 

The concern is that the drop in oil prices could prompt airlines to delay orders, after nearly a decade in which the aircraft makers have benefited from a boom in orders.

 

歷經接近十年的榮景後，飛機製造商擔心的油價下跌可能促使航空公司延後訂單。

 

“What has propelled the market to record growth are two factors: cheap cash and expensive fuel,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst . “Now something has changed.” If the fall in the price of oil continues, airlines would be motivated to keep their older, fuel-guzzling jets flying for a few more years and delay new orders in hopes of saving money.

 

「推動市場成長創紀錄有兩大因素：低利率和高油價，」航空業分析師李察．阿布拉非亞說：「現在狀況已有所改變。」如果油價續跌，將鼓勵航空公司延後下訂單，讓機齡較久、高油耗的客機多飛幾年以省錢。

 

The total backlog of unfilled orders for Boeing and Airbus stands at more than 12,000 aircraft, valued at close to $2 trillion and enough to keep their assembly lines humming for more than eight years.

 

波音和空巴未交貨的飛機訂單總數超過一萬二千架，總價將近二兆美元，足夠讓生產線忙個八年以上。

 

And orders kept coming in last year. Airbus said recently that it secured purchase contracts for a net 1,456 jets last year, down slightly from 1,503 planes in 2013, and that it delivered 629 in 2014. And Boeing recently reported 1,432 net orders in 2014, up from 1,355 a year earlier, and 723 plane deliveries for the year — an industry record.

 

去年訂單仍源源不斷。空巴日前表示，去年確認的飛機訂單有1,456架，略遜於2013年的1,503架，去年交機629架。波音日前宣稱去年收到1,432架的訂單，優於前一年的1,355架，去年交機723架創下業界紀錄。

 

Boeing and Airbus each control roughly half the market for airliners with more than 100 seats.

 

100座以上飛機的市場，波音和空中巴士大致各占有一半。

 

Gains in fuel efficiency have topped the manufacturers’ lists of selling points for their newest generation of commercial jets. They include recently upgraded versions of short-range workhorses like the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320, as well as lightweight, wide-bodied models made from carbon fiber like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or the Airbus A350 .

 

低油耗成為飛機製造商推銷新一代商用飛機的最大賣點，包括新近升級版的短程主力機型波音737與空中巴士A320，以及用碳纖打造、重量輕的廣體飛機，如波音787夢幻客機和空巴A350。

 

Weaker growth, in addition to the influx of new planes and a flood of new low-cost players in the air travel market, has already translated into a glut of available airline seats in parts of Asia, driving down ticket prices there.

 

成長趨緩，加上新機和廉價航空業者湧入搭機旅行的市場，已讓部分亞洲地區機位供過於求，壓低了票價。

 

“You are beginning to see the effects of overcapacity on airline profitability,” said Nick Cunningham of Agency Partners, a brokerage firm in London. “You can’t keep on adding capacity without bankrupting the industry,” Mr. Cunningham said.

 

倫敦仲介商「經銷夥伴」的尼克．康寧漢說：「各位將開始看見運量過剩對航空公司獲利的影響。容量一直增加，產業不可能不崩盤。」

 

Falling oil prices may exacerbate the overcapacity problem by tempting airlines to lower fares in an effort to increase market share, said Adam M. Pilarski of Avitas, an aviation consulting firm in Virginia. That not only reduces the cash that airlines have available to pay for new planes they have ordered, he said, but also increases the odds that financially shaky carriers will delay or cancel orders — or not survive long enough to take delivery of their jets.

 

美國維吉尼亞州飛航顧問公司Avitas的亞當．皮拉斯基表示，油價下跌恐怕會促使業者削價搶市占率，使容量過剩問題惡化。如此一來，不僅航空公司支付訂購新機貨款的現金會減少，也會讓財務狀況危殆的航空業者延後或取消訂單的風險變高，甚至在交機前就倒閉。

 

“Manufacturers know that when they sell a plane today for delivery in nine years, by then the environment might change,” Mr. Pilarski said. “The airline may change its mind, or it might not even be in business anymore.”

 

「製造商知道今天接的飛機訂單九年後才交貨，屆時情勢可能已變，」皮拉斯基說：「航空業者可能改變心意，甚或已經不存在了。

 

Airbus filed a lawsuit in December against Skymark, a struggling Japanese budget carrier that canceled a $2 billion order for six A380 superjumbo passenger jets in July. Airbus’s claim, filed in a British court, seeks unspecified damages .

 

營運狀況不佳的日本廉航業者天馬航空去年7月取消6架A380超級巨無霸、總價20億美元的訂單後，空巴12月在英國對天馬提告，求償金額不詳。

 

Any prolonged slowdown in the overall replacement rate could put the brakes on Boeing and Airbus delivery rates, analysts said. A study published last year by Ascend, an aviation consultancy , found that about 50 percent of all new jet deliveries over the past five years had been for replacement purposes rather than growth .

 

分析師說，班機整體汰換率減緩現象若延長，恐怕都會使波音和空巴交貨腳步變慢。航空顧問公司「上升」去年發表的研究結果發現，過去五年交付的新機約五成用於汰換，而非新增。

 

Plane makers, though, are showing few signs of concern.

 

然而，飛機製造商似無憂慮的跡象。

 

Darren Hulst of Boeing said airlines will still need new aircraft “to continue to grow and take advantage of the tailwinds in the operating cost environment.”

 

波音的達倫．胡斯特（譯註：市場分析總監）說，航空公司仍然需要新飛機「以便持續成長並在營運成本的環境中搭順風車。」

 

Fabrice Bregier of Airbus said that with oil prices impossible to predict, airlines would be wise to keep buying aircraft with lower fuel consumption. But he also emphasized that Airbus could weather any decline in orders.

 

空中巴士的法布．布里吉（譯註：執行長）表示，油價走向難以逆料，航空公司最好持續購買低油耗飛機。但他也強調空巴可以應付訂單減少。

 

“We have almost 6,400 aircraft in the backlog,” Mr. Bregier said . “So we could, in principle, even sustain no orders for three to four years.”

 

「我們等待交貨的飛機將近6,400架，」布里吉說：「所以，原則上即使沒訂單都能撐個三、四年。」

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/273447/web/

 

更多跟讀練習單元，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing

 

 

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每日跟讀#591: Jet Makers May Feel Ripples From Falling Oil Prices

 

Sharply falling oil prices are a boon to airlines, saving billions of dollars in monthly fuel bills for a highly competitive industry that last year eked out an average profit of just $6 a passenger.

 

狂跌的油價對競爭激烈的航空業者很補，去年每名乘客的利潤才六美元，如今每個月可省下數十億美元的燃料費。

 

But what is good news for the airlines raises questions for the world’s largest jet makers, Boeing and Airbus, which have been riding a wave of demand for the latest fuel-efficient jets, driven in large part by the high price of oil.

 

但是航空業者的佳音對全球最大的飛機製造商波音和空中巴士來說，未必是好消息。主要拜高油價所賜，兩巨頭收到一堆新式低油耗客機訂單。

 

The concern is that the drop in oil prices could prompt airlines to delay orders, after nearly a decade in which the aircraft makers have benefited from a boom in orders.

 

歷經接近十年的榮景後，飛機製造商擔心的油價下跌可能促使航空公司延後訂單。

 

“What has propelled the market to record growth are two factors: cheap cash and expensive fuel,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst . “Now something has changed.” If the fall in the price of oil continues, airlines would be motivated to keep their older, fuel-guzzling jets flying for a few more years and delay new orders in hopes of saving money.

 

「推動市場成長創紀錄有兩大因素：低利率和高油價，」航空業分析師李察．阿布拉非亞說：「現在狀況已有所改變。」如果油價續跌，將鼓勵航空公司延後下訂單，讓機齡較久、高油耗的客機多飛幾年以省錢。

 

The total backlog of unfilled orders for Boeing and Airbus stands at more than 12,000 aircraft, valued at close to $2 trillion and enough to keep their assembly lines humming for more than eight years.

 

波音和空巴未交貨的飛機訂單總數超過一萬二千架，總價將近二兆美元，足夠讓生產線忙個八年以上。

 

And orders kept coming in last year. Airbus said recently that it secured purchase contracts for a net 1,456 jets last year, down slightly from 1,503 planes in 2013, and that it delivered 629 in 2014. And Boeing recently reported 1,432 net orders in 2014, up from 1,355 a year earlier, and 723 plane deliveries for the year — an industry record.

 

去年訂單仍源源不斷。空巴日前表示，去年確認的飛機訂單有1,456架，略遜於2013年的1,503架，去年交機629架。波音日前宣稱去年收到1,432架的訂單，優於前一年的1,355架，去年交機723架創下業界紀錄。

 

Boeing and Airbus each control roughly half the market for airliners with more than 100 seats.

 

100座以上飛機的市場，波音和空中巴士大致各占有一半。

 

Gains in fuel efficiency have topped the manufacturers’ lists of selling points for their newest generation of commercial jets. They include recently upgraded versions of short-range workhorses like the Boeing 737 and the Airbus A320, as well as lightweight, wide-bodied models made from carbon fiber like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner or the Airbus A350 .

 

低油耗成為飛機製造商推銷新一代商用飛機的最大賣點，包括新近升級版的短程主力機型波音737與空中巴士A320，以及用碳纖打造、重量輕的廣體飛機，如波音787夢幻客機和空巴A350。

 

Weaker growth, in addition to the influx of new planes and a flood of new low-cost players in the air travel market, has already translated into a glut of available airline seats in parts of Asia, driving down ticket prices there.

 

成長趨緩，加上新機和廉價航空業者湧入搭機旅行的市場，已讓部分亞洲地區機位供過於求，壓低了票價。

 

“You are beginning to see the effects of overcapacity on airline profitability,” said Nick Cunningham of Agency Partners, a brokerage firm in London. “You can’t keep on adding capacity without bankrupting the industry,” Mr. Cunningham said.

 

倫敦仲介商「經銷夥伴」的尼克．康寧漢說：「各位將開始看見運量過剩對航空公司獲利的影響。容量一直增加，產業不可能不崩盤。」

 

Falling oil prices may exacerbate the overcapacity problem by tempting airlines to lower fares in an effort to increase market share, said Adam M. Pilarski of Avitas, an aviation consulting firm in Virginia. That not only reduces the cash that airlines have available to pay for new planes they have ordered, he said, but also increases the odds that financially shaky carriers will delay or cancel orders — or not survive long enough to take delivery of their jets.

 

美國維吉尼亞州飛航顧問公司Avitas的亞當．皮拉斯基表示，油價下跌恐怕會促使業者削價搶市占率，使容量過剩問題惡化。如此一來，不僅航空公司支付訂購新機貨款的現金會減少，也會讓財務狀況危殆的航空業者延後或取消訂單的風險變高，甚至在交機前就倒閉。

 

“Manufacturers know that when they sell a plane today for delivery in nine years, by then the environment might change,” Mr. Pilarski said. “The airline may change its mind, or it might not even be in business anymore.”

 

「製造商知道今天接的飛機訂單九年後才交貨，屆時情勢可能已變，」皮拉斯基說：「航空業者可能改變心意，甚或已經不存在了。

 

Airbus filed a lawsuit in December against Skymark, a struggling Japanese budget carrier that canceled a $2 billion order for six A380 superjumbo passenger jets in July. Airbus’s claim, filed in a British court, seeks unspecified damages .

 

營運狀況不佳的日本廉航業者天馬航空去年7月取消6架A380超級巨無霸、總價20億美元的訂單後，空巴12月在英國對天馬提告，求償金額不詳。

 

Any prolonged slowdown in the overall replacement rate could put the brakes on Boeing and Airbus delivery rates, analysts said. A study published last year by Ascend, an aviation consultancy , found that about 50 percent of all new jet deliveries over the past five years had been for replacement purposes rather than growth .

 

分析師說，班機整體汰換率減緩現象若延長，恐怕都會使波音和空巴交貨腳步變慢。航空顧問公司「上升」去年發表的研究結果發現，過去五年交付的新機約五成用於汰換，而非新增。

 

Plane makers, though, are showing few signs of concern.

 

然而，飛機製造商似無憂慮的跡象。

 

Darren Hulst of Boeing said airlines will still need new aircraft “to continue to grow and take advantage of the tailwinds in the operating cost environment.”

 

波音的達倫．胡斯特（譯註：市場分析總監）說，航空公司仍然需要新飛機「以便持續成長並在營運成本的環境中搭順風車。」

 

Fabrice Bregier of Airbus said that with oil prices impossible to predict, airlines would be wise to keep buying aircraft with lower fuel consumption. But he also emphasized that Airbus could weather any decline in orders.

 

空中巴士的法布．布里吉（譯註：執行長）表示，油價走向難以逆料，航空公司最好持續購買低油耗飛機。但他也強調空巴可以應付訂單減少。

 

“We have almost 6,400 aircraft in the backlog,” Mr. Bregier said . “So we could, in principle, even sustain no orders for three to four years.”

 

「我們等待交貨的飛機將近6,400架，」布里吉說：「所以，原則上即使沒訂單都能撐個三、四年。」

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/273447/web/

 

更多跟讀練習單元，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing

 

 

用email訂閱就可以收到所有15mins.Today最新節目通知。

每日跟讀#590: Can Taiwan benefit from the US-China trade war?

 

As the US-China trade negotiations enter their final stage, the noises are that China has already given ground on issues including enforced technology transfers, protecting intellectual property and relaxing restrictions on access to China’s market. It is rumored that an agreement could be reached as soon as next month. However, irrespective of the outcome of the negotiations, who wins and who loses is already a foregone conclusion. China has been forced to carry out structural reform to its economy, while foreign companies are one after the other pulling out of the country, and this continues to have a negative effect on its economy. The US’ counter-offensive against China’s economic challenge is already beginning to bear fruit.

 

美中貿易談判進入最後階段，傳出中國在強制技術移轉、保護智慧財產及放寬市場准入等議題上已讓步，最快下個月可望達成協議。然而，不論美中最終談判結果如何，這場貿易戰的勝負早已分曉，中國不僅被迫在經濟上進行結構性改革，外企更因貿易戰而陸續撤離中國，對中國經濟的負面影響持續發酵，美國對抗中國經濟競爭已取得初步成果。

 

Washington began placing import tariffs on Chinese goods on July 6, 2018, which means the US-China trade war has now been “hot” for nine months. Since then, tit-for-tat tariffs have produced economic losses on both sides. However, in contrast to the return of manufacturing to US shores, the “factory of the world” is facing a supply chain exodus and seems unable to stem the tide. This includes Taiwanese companies which, together with other foreign corporations, are one after another heading for the door, either choosing to relocate manufacturing back home or to alternative manufacturing hubs, such as in Southeast Asian countries.

 

自二○一八年七月六日美國開始對中國產品加徵關稅以來，美中貿易戰正式開打已超過九個月；儘管美中互徵關稅造成雙方經濟損失，但相較於美國出現「製造業回流」現象，中國這個「世界工廠」卻面臨「供應鏈撤離」問題，目前仍未見止血跡象；包括台商等外企紛紛加入這波「脫中」行列，將部分生產線移回母國、東南亞等地生產。

 

According to data from the Ministry of Finance, during the first three months of this year, 30 manufacturers have already received approval from the government’s Welcome Overseas Taiwanese Companies to Invest in Taiwan Action Plan and pledged to invest a total of NT$120 billion, which is forecast to create more than 10,000 new job opportunities here. At present, a further 50 companies have also expressed an interest in returning to and investing in Taiwan. A comparable atypical wave of re-shoring to Taiwan hasn’t been seen for two decades.

 

根據經濟部統計，自今年初實施「歡迎台商回台投資行動方案」，短短三個多月已有三十家廠商通過審查，投資金額突破一千兩百億元，估計帶來逾一萬個就業機會，目前還有五十多家廠商有意回台投資，這波台商回流潮可說是二十年來罕見。

 

In fact, if one takes a trip to any industrial area, it will immediately become obvious that a large number of manufacturers have already switched production back to these shores, while others are busy expanding existing facilities or constructing new ones. This shows that the return of Taiwanese companies is not based upon some abstruse analysis of cold statistics: the phenomenon is taking shape before our very eyes.

 

事實上，只要到工業區走走就會發現，不少廠商早就轉單回台生產，有些廠商更忙著擴廠或建廠，台商回流並非「冷冰冰」的數字，而是正在發生的真實現象。

 

As the US-China trade standoff continues to rumble on, while Taiwan is not a main player, it is caught between the two major economies and, due to its over-reliance on China’s economy, contagion from the conflict has spread to Taiwan. Despite this, if the government is able to keep a steady hand on the tiller, capitalize on production orders and manufacturing operations returning to Taiwan, and guide the return of supply chains to these shores, Taiwan will be able to turn a crisis into an opportunity and become one of the trade war’s victor nations.

 

這場美中貿易戰打下來，台灣雖然不是主角，但夾在兩大經濟體之間，也因過度依賴中國而受到波及。不過，台廠及政府若能順勢而為，掌握轉單效應及台商回流趨勢，引導供應鏈移轉回台生產，將有機會把危機化為轉機，成為這場貿易戰的贏家之一。

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/04/23/2003713849/2

 

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每日跟讀#590: Can Taiwan benefit from the US-China trade war?

 

As the US-China trade negotiations enter their final stage, the noises are that China has already given ground on issues including enforced technology transfers, protecting intellectual property and relaxing restrictions on access to China’s market. It is rumored that an agreement could be reached as soon as next month. However, irrespective of the outcome of the negotiations, who wins and who loses is already a foregone conclusion. China has been forced to carry out structural reform to its economy, while foreign companies are one after the other pulling out of the country, and this continues to have a negative effect on its economy. The US’ counter-offensive against China’s economic challenge is already beginning to bear fruit.

 

美中貿易談判進入最後階段，傳出中國在強制技術移轉、保護智慧財產及放寬市場准入等議題上已讓步，最快下個月可望達成協議。然而，不論美中最終談判結果如何，這場貿易戰的勝負早已分曉，中國不僅被迫在經濟上進行結構性改革，外企更因貿易戰而陸續撤離中國，對中國經濟的負面影響持續發酵，美國對抗中國經濟競爭已取得初步成果。

 

Washington began placing import tariffs on Chinese goods on July 6, 2018, which means the US-China trade war has now been “hot” for nine months. Since then, tit-for-tat tariffs have produced economic losses on both sides. However, in contrast to the return of manufacturing to US shores, the “factory of the world” is facing a supply chain exodus and seems unable to stem the tide. This includes Taiwanese companies which, together with other foreign corporations, are one after another heading for the door, either choosing to relocate manufacturing back home or to alternative manufacturing hubs, such as in Southeast Asian countries.

 

自二○一八年七月六日美國開始對中國產品加徵關稅以來，美中貿易戰正式開打已超過九個月；儘管美中互徵關稅造成雙方經濟損失，但相較於美國出現「製造業回流」現象，中國這個「世界工廠」卻面臨「供應鏈撤離」問題，目前仍未見止血跡象；包括台商等外企紛紛加入這波「脫中」行列，將部分生產線移回母國、東南亞等地生產。

 

According to data from the Ministry of Finance, during the first three months of this year, 30 manufacturers have already received approval from the government’s Welcome Overseas Taiwanese Companies to Invest in Taiwan Action Plan and pledged to invest a total of NT$120 billion, which is forecast to create more than 10,000 new job opportunities here. At present, a further 50 companies have also expressed an interest in returning to and investing in Taiwan. A comparable atypical wave of re-shoring to Taiwan hasn’t been seen for two decades.

 

根據經濟部統計，自今年初實施「歡迎台商回台投資行動方案」，短短三個多月已有三十家廠商通過審查，投資金額突破一千兩百億元，估計帶來逾一萬個就業機會，目前還有五十多家廠商有意回台投資，這波台商回流潮可說是二十年來罕見。

 

In fact, if one takes a trip to any industrial area, it will immediately become obvious that a large number of manufacturers have already switched production back to these shores, while others are busy expanding existing facilities or constructing new ones. This shows that the return of Taiwanese companies is not based upon some abstruse analysis of cold statistics: the phenomenon is taking shape before our very eyes.

 

事實上，只要到工業區走走就會發現，不少廠商早就轉單回台生產，有些廠商更忙著擴廠或建廠，台商回流並非「冷冰冰」的數字，而是正在發生的真實現象。

 

As the US-China trade standoff continues to rumble on, while Taiwan is not a main player, it is caught between the two major economies and, due to its over-reliance on China’s economy, contagion from the conflict has spread to Taiwan. Despite this, if the government is able to keep a steady hand on the tiller, capitalize on production orders and manufacturing operations returning to Taiwan, and guide the return of supply chains to these shores, Taiwan will be able to turn a crisis into an opportunity and become one of the trade war’s victor nations.

 

這場美中貿易戰打下來，台灣雖然不是主角，但夾在兩大經濟體之間，也因過度依賴中國而受到波及。不過，台廠及政府若能順勢而為，掌握轉單效應及台商回流趨勢，引導供應鏈移轉回台生產，將有機會把危機化為轉機，成為這場貿易戰的贏家之一。

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/04/23/2003713849/2

 

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每日跟讀#589: Spray and pray: Thais celebrate Songkran

 

Thailand’s traditional New Year, as known as Songkran, is celebrated on April 13 to 15 every year. It is a time when people splash or spray one another with water, to symbolize washing away the old and welcoming the new. The word Songkran derives from the Sanskrit word for “passage” or “cross over,” representing moving into a new year. Songkran is also celebrated in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

 

「宋干」一詞來自梵文，有「通過、跨越」的意思，代表進入新的一年。除了泰國，緬甸、柬埔寨和寮國也都會慶祝宋干節。

 

Known by the Taiwanese as the “splashing festival,” Songkran conjures up images of street water fights, with participants using water pistols or buckets. It originated from a traditional Buddhist ritual, and the water represents purification and blessing.

 

被台灣人稱為「潑水節」的宋干節，最出名的景象就是大家在街上拿水槍或水桶打水仗。潑水的起源是佛教傳統儀式，因為水代表淨化和祝福。

 

Songkran is about more than water fights. Traditionally, Thais also go to Buddhist temples to donate money or goods to the temple or monks during the festival, and the monks sprinkle holy water, symbolizing blessings, on them. People also bathe statues of the Buddha by pouring water over them. Thais will also sprinkle water in the hands of family elders, symbolizing respect and the receipt of the elders’ blessings.

 

不過宋干節可不是只有狂潑水而已。泰國人傳統上會在這幾天到佛寺裡奉獻金錢或物品給寺方或僧

侶，僧侶們再以聖水灑向民眾，象徵祝福之意，民眾也會以水淋佛像，稱為「浴佛」。此外，泰國人也會把水輕灑在家族長輩手中，象徵尊敬並獲得長輩的祝福。

 

Miss Songkran beauty contests are also held throughout Thailand, as a way to preserve traditional Thai costumes.

There are around 700,000 migrant workers in Taiwan. Of these, just over 60,000 are from Thailand.

 

此外，為了要保存傳統的泰式服飾，泰國各地也會舉辦宋干小姐選美比賽。

在台灣，來台的移工人數已達到七十多萬人，其中來自泰國的移工有六萬人。

 

In order to make Thai workers in Taiwan feel at home, Songkran was celebrated on Sunday at the ASEAN Square in Taichung, organized by the Ministry of Labor and the Taichung government. There will be another Songkran celebration held this coming Sunday at City Hall Square in New Taipei City.

 

為了讓在台灣的泰籍移工一解鄉愁，勞動部與地方政府合作舉辦潑水節活動，十四日已於台中東協廣場舉行，二十一日則將在新北市政府市民廣場舉辦。

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/04/17/2003713497

 

更多跟讀練習單元，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing

 

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每日跟讀#589: Spray and pray: Thais celebrate Songkran

 

Thailand’s traditional New Year, as known as Songkran, is celebrated on April 13 to 15 every year. It is a time when people splash or spray one another with water, to symbolize washing away the old and welcoming the new. The word Songkran derives from the Sanskrit word for “passage” or “cross over,” representing moving into a new year. Songkran is also celebrated in Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos.

 

「宋干」一詞來自梵文，有「通過、跨越」的意思，代表進入新的一年。除了泰國，緬甸、柬埔寨和寮國也都會慶祝宋干節。

 

Known by the Taiwanese as the “splashing festival,” Songkran conjures up images of street water fights, with participants using water pistols or buckets. It originated from a traditional Buddhist ritual, and the water represents purification and blessing.

 

被台灣人稱為「潑水節」的宋干節，最出名的景象就是大家在街上拿水槍或水桶打水仗。潑水的起源是佛教傳統儀式，因為水代表淨化和祝福。

 

Songkran is about more than water fights. Traditionally, Thais also go to Buddhist temples to donate money or goods to the temple or monks during the festival, and the monks sprinkle holy water, symbolizing blessings, on them. People also bathe statues of the Buddha by pouring water over them. Thais will also sprinkle water in the hands of family elders, symbolizing respect and the receipt of the elders’ blessings.

 

不過宋干節可不是只有狂潑水而已。泰國人傳統上會在這幾天到佛寺裡奉獻金錢或物品給寺方或僧

侶，僧侶們再以聖水灑向民眾，象徵祝福之意，民眾也會以水淋佛像，稱為「浴佛」。此外，泰國人也會把水輕灑在家族長輩手中，象徵尊敬並獲得長輩的祝福。

 

Miss Songkran beauty contests are also held throughout Thailand, as a way to preserve traditional Thai costumes.

There are around 700,000 migrant workers in Taiwan. Of these, just over 60,000 are from Thailand.

 

此外，為了要保存傳統的泰式服飾，泰國各地也會舉辦宋干小姐選美比賽。

在台灣，來台的移工人數已達到七十多萬人，其中來自泰國的移工有六萬人。

 

In order to make Thai workers in Taiwan feel at home, Songkran was celebrated on Sunday at the ASEAN Square in Taichung, organized by the Ministry of Labor and the Taichung government. There will be another Songkran celebration held this coming Sunday at City Hall Square in New Taipei City.

 

為了讓在台灣的泰籍移工一解鄉愁，勞動部與地方政府合作舉辦潑水節活動，十四日已於台中東協廣場舉行，二十一日則將在新北市政府市民廣場舉辦。

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/04/17/2003713497

 

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每日跟讀#588: The Lure of Technologies Past

For a glimpse of what teenagers are into these days, all you have to do is visit Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. On weekend nights, the half-mile shopping drag is packed with style-conscious kids who traipse past coffee shops, ice cream parlors and boutiques, often while taking selfies.

 

Yet one of the most popular destinations for these teenagers is a white, single-story building with big pink letters on the roof that spell "Vnyl." The store sells vinyl records, and the kids who gather there are often in awe.

 

若要一窺時下青少年最哈的事物，只消造訪洛杉磯威尼斯區的阿伯特金尼大道即可。每逢周末夜，這條半哩長的購物街擠滿了追求風尚的孩子，他們在閒逛經過咖啡店、冰淇淋店以及精品店的同時，經常也沒忘記玩玩自拍。

 

然而，這群青少年最愛去的地點之一，卻是屋頂上寫有大大粉紅色字母「Vnyl」的白色單層建築。這家商店販售黑膠唱片，聚集在那兒的孩子們常常懷著敬畏之意。

 

"I'd say half of the teens who hang out in my store have never seen a record player before," said Nick Alt, the founder of Vnyl. "They will walk up to the turntable, and they have no concept where to put the needle." But once they figure out that the needle goes into the outermost groove, those smartphone-toting teenagers are hooked.

 

As a reporter who has been covering technology for The New York Times for more than a decade,what I've come to realize is that while the new thing gets people excited, the old thing often doesn't go away. And if it does, it takes a very long time to meet its demise.

 

Vnyl創辦人尼克．歐特說：「我敢說在我店內閒逛的青少年，有一半從來沒有見過黑膠唱機。他們會走到唱盤前，不知道該把唱針往哪裡放。」但是，一旦他們發現唱針應該進入最外面的溝槽，這些帶著智慧手機的青少年可就著了迷。

 

身為採訪科技新聞已超過十年的紐約時報記者，我所了解到的是，儘管新的東西讓人們感到興奮，舊的東西往往卻不會就此消失。就算它真會消失，也要到很久以後才會銷聲匿跡。

 

Just look at film cameras. You would think they have been vanquished from the planet, but millions of people still use them. In 2012, more than 35 million rolls of camera film were sold, compared with 20 million the year before.

 

And while Polaroid has filed for bankruptcy (twice) in the age of digital cameras, the company is making a resurgence (again). One of Polaroid's largest growing demographics, surprisingly, is teenagers who want a tangible photo but also don't want to wait.

 

Other types of physical media have also held on.

 

且以膠卷相機為例，你會以為它們已在地球上被淘汰了，事實上卻有數以百萬計的人仍在使用。2012年賣出的相機底片數量超過3500萬卷，而再前一年也賣了2000萬卷。

 

雖然寶麗萊在數位相機時代（兩度）聲請破產保護，該公司卻正（二度）捲土重來 。令人驚訝的是，寶麗萊最大的成長中顧客群之一，竟是想要實體照片卻不想等待的青少年。

 

其他類型的實體媒介也同樣挺住了。

 

More than 571 million print books were sold in the United States in 2014. About 55 million newspapers still land on doorsteps every morning. As for those vinyl records, 13 million LPs were sold in 2014, the highest count in 25 years, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

 

So why does old tech survive and, in some cases, undergo a revival? For some consumers, it's about familiarity (e.g., newspapers and print books), while for others, it's about nostalgia (e.g., record players and film cameras).

 

美國在2014年賣出的印刷書籍超過5.71億本。每天早上仍有約5500萬份報紙送到訂戶門口。至於黑膠唱片，美國唱片業協會指出，2014年賣出1300萬張LP唱片，為25年來最高數量。

 

那麼試問，為什麼舊的科技產品會存活下來，在某些情況下甚至還再度流行？對一些消費者而言，這與孰悉感有關（如：報紙與印刷書籍），而對另一些人來說，則與懷舊有關（如：黑膠唱機與膠卷相機）。

 

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/296624/web/

 

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每日跟讀#588: The Lure of Technologies Past

For a glimpse of what teenagers are into these days, all you have to do is visit Abbot Kinney Boulevard in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. On weekend nights, the half-mile shopping drag is packed with style-conscious kids who traipse past coffee shops, ice cream parlors and boutiques, often while taking selfies.

 

Yet one of the most popular destinations for these teenagers is a white, single-story building with big pink letters on the roof that spell "Vnyl." The store sells vinyl records, and the kids who gather there are often in awe.

 

若要一窺時下青少年最哈的事物，只消造訪洛杉磯威尼斯區的阿伯特金尼大道即可。每逢周末夜，這條半哩長的購物街擠滿了追求風尚的孩子，他們在閒逛經過咖啡店、冰淇淋店以及精品店的同時，經常也沒忘記玩玩自拍。

 

然而，這群青少年最愛去的地點之一，卻是屋頂上寫有大大粉紅色字母「Vnyl」的白色單層建築。這家商店販售黑膠唱片，聚集在那兒的孩子們常常懷著敬畏之意。

 

"I'd say half of the teens who hang out in my store have never seen a record player before," said Nick Alt, the founder of Vnyl. "They will walk up to the turntable, and they have no concept where to put the needle." But once they figure out that the needle goes into the outermost groove, those smartphone-toting teenagers are hooked.

 

As a reporter who has been covering technology for The New York Times for more than a decade,what I've come to realize is that while the new thing gets people excited, the old thing often doesn't go away. And if it does, it takes a very long time to meet its demise.

 

Vnyl創辦人尼克．歐特說：「我敢說在我店內閒逛的青少年，有一半從來沒有見過黑膠唱機。他們會走到唱盤前，不知道該把唱針往哪裡放。」但是，一旦他們發現唱針應該進入最外面的溝槽，這些帶著智慧手機的青少年可就著了迷。

 

身為採訪科技新聞已超過十年的紐約時報記者，我所了解到的是，儘管新的東西讓人們感到興奮，舊的東西往往卻不會就此消失。就算它真會消失，也要到很久以後才會銷聲匿跡。

 

Just look at film cameras. You would think they have been vanquished from the planet, but millions of people still use them. In 2012, more than 35 million rolls of camera film were sold, compared with 20 million the year before.

 

And while Polaroid has filed for bankruptcy (twice) in the age of digital cameras, the company is making a resurgence (again). One of Polaroid's largest growing demographics, surprisingly, is teenagers who want a tangible photo but also don't want to wait.

 

Other types of physical media have also held on.

 

且以膠卷相機為例，你會以為它們已在地球上被淘汰了，事實上卻有數以百萬計的人仍在使用。2012年賣出的相機底片數量超過3500萬卷，而再前一年也賣了2000萬卷。

 

雖然寶麗萊在數位相機時代（兩度）聲請破產保護，該公司卻正（二度）捲土重來 。令人驚訝的是，寶麗萊最大的成長中顧客群之一，竟是想要實體照片卻不想等待的青少年。

 

其他類型的實體媒介也同樣挺住了。

 

More than 571 million print books were sold in the United States in 2014. About 55 million newspapers still land on doorsteps every morning. As for those vinyl records, 13 million LPs were sold in 2014, the highest count in 25 years, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.

 

So why does old tech survive and, in some cases, undergo a revival? For some consumers, it's about familiarity (e.g., newspapers and print books), while for others, it's about nostalgia (e.g., record players and film cameras).

 

美國在2014年賣出的印刷書籍超過5.71億本。每天早上仍有約5500萬份報紙送到訂戶門口。至於黑膠唱片，美國唱片業協會指出，2014年賣出1300萬張LP唱片，為25年來最高數量。

 

那麼試問，為什麼舊的科技產品會存活下來，在某些情況下甚至還再度流行？對一些消費者而言，這與孰悉感有關（如：報紙與印刷書籍），而對另一些人來說，則與懷舊有關（如：黑膠唱機與膠卷相機）。

 

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/296624/web/

 

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Welcome to 15mins.today the home of English Shadowing. I'm your host Gavin and this is InTense Episode 7. In this episode we will be looking at the past, the simple past tense. It is a easy tense to spot. It usually is used to indicate something that is finished. So it's quite easy to use and easy to recognize.

 

The only thing that makes it a bit difficult would be the verb, because usually we add an “ed, walk >walked, I walked yesterday.” There is a list of what we call irregular verbs and that was all the difficult ones. And the most prominent one is “go> went”, because that's probably the most common verb we use that is irregular. So, my advice would be to go onto Google and search for “irregular verbs.” Find a list, there will be many and go through those and find the ones that you would use in your daily usage of English and study those.

 

 

There's no other way, you have to study them, the one that is the most common is go > went I went to the hospital. I went to the doctor. I went here, I went there, I went everywhere.” Okay so without further ado let's start with the questions.

 

 

Did Mary brush her teeth this morning? Yes, she brushed her teeth this morning.

Did Mary brush her teeth this morning? No, she did not brush her teeth this morning.

 

 

Did you brush your teeth yesterday? Yes, I brushed my teeth yesterday.

Did you brush your teeth yesterday? No, I did not brush my teeth yesterday.

 

 

Did you eat lunch on Friday? Yes, I ate lunch on Friday.

Did you eat lunch on Friday? No, I did not eat lunch on Friday.

 

 

Did you eat dinner last week? Yes, I ate dinner last week.

Did you eat dinner last week? No, I did not eat dinner last week.

 

 

Did the population in Taiwan decrease last year?

Yes, the population in Taiwan decreased last year.

Did the population in Taiwan decrease last year?

No, the population in Taiwan did not decrease last year.

 

 

Did sea temperatures rise last month? Yes, sea temperatures rose last month.

Did sea temperatures rise last month? No, sea temperature did not rise last month.

 

 

Did you work late in 2017? Yes, I worked late in 2017.

Did you work late in 2017? No, I did not work late in 2017.

 

 

Did you learn more English last year? Yes, I learned more English last year.

Did you learn more English last year? No, I did not learn more English year.

 

 

Did the dog wag its tail 10 minutes ago? Yes, it wagged its tail 10 minutes ago.

Did the dog wag its tail 10 minutes ago? No, it did not wag its tail 10 minutes ago.

 

 

Did Peter and James go to Japan last year? Yes, they went to Japan last year.

Did Peter and James go to Japan last year? No, they did not go to Japan last year.

 

 

Did John work late yesterday? Yes, he worked late yesterday.

Did John work late yesterday? No, he did not work late yesterday.

 

Thank you guys, don't forget just keep repeating the questions until you get them right. Have a great day and take care, bye!

 

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