通勤學英語 15Mins Today

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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Summary:

 

This article discusses the interruption of patients in hospital, when they should be recovering and should be left to sleep and rest. It suggests that a better system should be put in place to make sure that patients are left alone to rest as much as possible to aid in their recovery.

Full article here: https://www.15mins.today/blog/551-revelers-across-europe-get-into-the-carnival-spirit

 

Vocabulary and sentences:

 

disruption n. : a form of the word “disrupt” which means to make something difficult to continue in a normal way

Is bad traffic a disruption in big cities?

Are car alarms a major disruption at night?

 

 

acute adj. : very serious or severe

 Is there an acute shortage of bananas?

 Are the world's environmental problems acute?

 

 

addiction n. : the condition of being addicted to something

Are you addicted to coffee John?

Is internet addiction a big problem?

 

更多跟讀練習單元，就在http://www.15mins.today

 

用email訂閱就可以收到所有15mins.Today最新節目通知。

Summary:

 

This article discusses the interruption of patients in hospital, when they should be recovering and should be left to sleep and rest. It suggests that a better system should be put in place to make sure that patients are left alone to rest as much as possible to aid in their recovery.

Full article here: https://www.15mins.today/blog/551-revelers-across-europe-get-into-the-carnival-spirit

 

Vocabulary and sentences:

 

disruption n. : a form of the word “disrupt” which means to make something difficult to continue in a normal way

Is bad traffic a disruption in big cities?

Are car alarms a major disruption at night?

 

 

acute adj. : very serious or severe

 Is there an acute shortage of bananas?

 Are the world's environmental problems acute?

 

 

addiction n. : the condition of being addicted to something

Are you addicted to coffee John?

Is internet addiction a big problem?

 

更多跟讀練習單元，就在http://www.15mins.today

 

用email訂閱就可以收到所有15mins.Today最新節目通知。

每日跟讀#587: International Women’s Day marked across the world

 

Protests and celebrations were staged across the world to mark International Women’s Day on March 8 as issues of gender equality and gender violence were highlighted in myriad ways.

 

在三月八日國際婦女節當天，世界各地都發起了示威遊行與慶祝活動，以各式各樣的呈現方式凸顯出性別平等和性別暴力等議題。

 

In Spain, an estimated six million — reportedly including nuns — took part in a mass two-hour walkout to demand equal pay and rights for women, according to UGT, one of the country’s largest unions.

 

在西班牙，當天有多達六百萬名民眾──據報導，其中亦包括修女──參加了一場兩小時的大規模聯合罷工行動，呼籲社會給予女性相同的薪酬與權利。這份數據來自西班牙勞動者總工會，是該國最大的工會之一。

 

Thousands of women flooded the streets and squares of Madrid carrying placards saying, “Liberty, Equality, Friendship” and “The way I dress does not change the respect I deserve.”

 

數千名女性湧入馬德里的街道和廣場上，拿著標語牌，上面寫著：「自由、平等、友愛」，以及「我的穿著方式並不會影響我應得的尊重。」

 

Flags were flown at half-mast on government buildings in Portugal, where a day of mourning was observed for women killed by domestic violence.

 

葡萄牙的政府部門建築全部降半旗，在這一天哀悼那些遭家庭暴力事件殺害的女性。

 

India’s capital, New Delhi, and the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, were among cities to witness marches demanding an end to domestic violence, sexual attacks and discrimination in jobs.

 

印度首都新德里和印尼首都雅加達，就像許多城市一樣，在當天見證了遊行隊伍，參與者疾呼終結家庭暴力、性侵害，以及工作上的性別歧視。

 

There were debates, including a global conference in Rwanda on family planning. And there were public holidays, including in Uganda, where the National Young Women’s Dialogue was held in the capital, Kampala.

Sessions training men and women from rural villages on child marriage were organized in Tanzania.

 

當天也有辯論性活動，包括一場在盧安達舉行、聚焦於家庭計畫的國際研討會。這天同時還是某些國家的國定假日，例如烏干達，其首都康培拉則舉辦了全國年輕女性對話論壇。

坦尚尼亞則籌畫多場訓練課程，向農村地區的男性女性進行童婚議題的教育。

 

In the UK, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, joined the singer Annie Lennox, Australia’s former prime minister Julia Gillard, and the model Adwoa Aboah in a panel discussion at King’s College London about issues affecting women, hosted by the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

 

在英國，薩塞克斯公爵夫人梅根王妃偕同歌手安妮‧藍妮克絲、澳洲前總理茱莉亞‧吉拉德，以及模特兒阿德沃‧阿波阿，出席一場由女王大英國協信託基金會主辦於倫敦國王學院的座談會，談論和女性切身相關的議題。

 

But there was implied criticism of the prime minister, Theresa May, after she took just one question from a female journalist following her Brexit speech in Grimsby, compared with five from male journalists.

“Only one question from a woman reporter?” a female TV journalist shouted. May replied: “You’ve had answers from a woman prime minister.”

 

這天同時也出現了隱含批評的聲浪，矛頭對準英國首相梅伊。就在她於格林斯比進行脫歐演說後，梅伊只接受一名女性記者提出的一個問題，相較之下卻回答了五項來自男性記者的提問。

一名女性電視記者大喊：「只接受一名女性記者提出一個問題嗎？」梅伊則回應：「你已經從一名女性首相那邊獲得答案了。」

 

Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/03/16/2003711552

 

 

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#587: International Women’s Day marked across the world

 

Protests and celebrations were staged across the world to mark International Women’s Day on March 8 as issues of gender equality and gender violence were highlighted in myriad ways.

 

在三月八日國際婦女節當天，世界各地都發起了示威遊行與慶祝活動，以各式各樣的呈現方式凸顯出性別平等和性別暴力等議題。

 

In Spain, an estimated six million — reportedly including nuns — took part in a mass two-hour walkout to demand equal pay and rights for women, according to UGT, one of the country’s largest unions.

 

在西班牙，當天有多達六百萬名民眾──據報導，其中亦包括修女──參加了一場兩小時的大規模聯合罷工行動，呼籲社會給予女性相同的薪酬與權利。這份數據來自西班牙勞動者總工會，是該國最大的工會之一。

 

Thousands of women flooded the streets and squares of Madrid carrying placards saying, “Liberty, Equality, Friendship” and “The way I dress does not change the respect I deserve.”

 

數千名女性湧入馬德里的街道和廣場上，拿著標語牌，上面寫著：「自由、平等、友愛」，以及「我的穿著方式並不會影響我應得的尊重。」

 

Flags were flown at half-mast on government buildings in Portugal, where a day of mourning was observed for women killed by domestic violence.

 

葡萄牙的政府部門建築全部降半旗，在這一天哀悼那些遭家庭暴力事件殺害的女性。

 

India’s capital, New Delhi, and the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, were among cities to witness marches demanding an end to domestic violence, sexual attacks and discrimination in jobs.

 

印度首都新德里和印尼首都雅加達，就像許多城市一樣，在當天見證了遊行隊伍，參與者疾呼終結家庭暴力、性侵害，以及工作上的性別歧視。

 

There were debates, including a global conference in Rwanda on family planning. And there were public holidays, including in Uganda, where the National Young Women’s Dialogue was held in the capital, Kampala.

Sessions training men and women from rural villages on child marriage were organized in Tanzania.

 

當天也有辯論性活動，包括一場在盧安達舉行、聚焦於家庭計畫的國際研討會。這天同時還是某些國家的國定假日，例如烏干達，其首都康培拉則舉辦了全國年輕女性對話論壇。

坦尚尼亞則籌畫多場訓練課程，向農村地區的男性女性進行童婚議題的教育。

 

In the UK, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, joined the singer Annie Lennox, Australia’s former prime minister Julia Gillard, and the model Adwoa Aboah in a panel discussion at King’s College London about issues affecting women, hosted by the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust.

 

在英國，薩塞克斯公爵夫人梅根王妃偕同歌手安妮‧藍妮克絲、澳洲前總理茱莉亞‧吉拉德，以及模特兒阿德沃‧阿波阿，出席一場由女王大英國協信託基金會主辦於倫敦國王學院的座談會，談論和女性切身相關的議題。

 

But there was implied criticism of the prime minister, Theresa May, after she took just one question from a female journalist following her Brexit speech in Grimsby, compared with five from male journalists.

“Only one question from a woman reporter?” a female TV journalist shouted. May replied: “You’ve had answers from a woman prime minister.”

 

這天同時也出現了隱含批評的聲浪，矛頭對準英國首相梅伊。就在她於格林斯比進行脫歐演說後，梅伊只接受一名女性記者提出的一個問題，相較之下卻回答了五項來自男性記者的提問。

一名女性電視記者大喊：「只接受一名女性記者提出一個問題嗎？」梅伊則回應：「你已經從一名女性首相那邊獲得答案了。」

 

Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/03/16/2003711552

 

 

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#586: Scientists solve mystery of pristine weapons of China’s Terracotta Warriors

 

For decades, scientists have been perplexed by the marvelous preservation of bronze weapons associated with China’s famed Terracotta Warriors, retaining shiny, almost pristine surfaces and sharp blades after being buried for more than two millennia. Research by an international team of scientists published on April 4 may solve the mystery while putting to rest an intriguing hypothesis: that ancient Chinese artisans employed an unexpectedly advanced preservation method using the metal chromium.

 

數十年來，科學家一直對於中國著名的兵馬俑深感困惑，難以解釋其青銅兵器不可思議的良好保存狀況，竟然在深埋地底超過兩千年後，表面仍然近似全新、閃閃發光，還保有銳利的刀鋒。一組國際科學家團隊於四月四日發表的研究或能解開這個謎團，並且讓一項吸引人的假說安心入土──該假說認為，古代中國工匠藉由運用鉻金屬，進行某種出人意料的先進保存方式。

 

The fine preservation of weapons including swords, lances and halberds was due to serendipity — factors such as the bronze’s high tin content and favorable soil composition — the scientists decided after examining 464 bronze weapons and parts. Chromium found on the bronze surfaces, they determined, was simply contamination from chromium-rich lacquer applied by the artisans to the terracotta figures and weapons parts. Chromium played no role in their preservation.

 

在檢驗四百六十四件青銅器武器和部分物件後，科學家做出結論，指出包括劍、矛和戟等兵器保存狀態良好，其實是因為「一場美麗的意外」──例如青銅的高度錫含量，以及有利的土壤成份都是保存的要素。至於在青銅表面上發現的鉻，科學家則認定單純是富含鉻的亮光漆，因為工匠塗抹在赤陶人俑和武器上所造成的污染。對保存而言，鉻未起任何作用。

 

The Terracotta Army consists of thousands of life-sized ceramic warriors and horses alongside bronze chariots and weapons, part of the vast 3rd century BC mausoleum near the city of Xian for Qin Shi Huang, first emperor of a unified China. Found in 1974, it represents one of the 20th century’s greatest archaeological discoveries. Scientific analyses almost four decades ago detected chromium on the surface of some of the weapons, spurring the hypothesis that the weapon-makers used a chromium-based treatment to prevent corrosion.

 

兵馬俑由數千個真人大小的陶瓷兵士和戰馬組成，配有青銅製的戰車和武器，是西安市近郊一處西元前三世紀大型陵墓的一部分，屬於首位統一中國的皇帝秦始皇。兵馬俑在一九七四年被發現，成為二十世紀最重大的考古發現之一。將近四十年前，科學分析在其中一些兵器的表面上偵測到鉻，引發假設，認為製造武器的工匠使用一種鉻為基底的保護膜來防止腐蝕。

 

Chromium-conversion coating, a technology discovered in the early 20th century, is used to treat metals to render them more corrosion resistant. It involves dipping metal in a solution containing chromium salts. A chromium oxide layer is deposited on the metal’s surface, providing a barrier against rust.

 

鉻酸鹽轉化塗層是一項二十世紀早期發現的技術，被運用在金屬製品上，使其更能夠抗腐蝕。在製程中，會把金屬浸泡在內含鉻酸鹽的溶劑中，金屬表面就會附著一層氧化鉻，形成一道防止生鏽的護網。

 

“The lacquer was applied to the Terracotta Army as a primer before they were painted with colors, and we think it’s quite likely it was also applied to the now-decayed wooden parts such as handles and shafts,” said University of Cambridge archaeological scientist Marcos Martinon-Torres, who led the study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

 

這篇研究發表於期刊《科學報告》，由劍橋大學的考古科學家馬可斯‧馬提儂-托瑞主持，他表示：「亮光漆被塗在兵馬俑上作為底漆，之後再漆上不同顏色，而我們認為，亮光漆很有可能也被塗在今已腐朽的木造部位，例如握把或是箭桿上。」

 

Ancient bronzes often have poor states of preservation, with porous, pitted surfaces showing green or dark colors. “In essence, we show that, yes, the Terracotta Army weapons generally show a very good state of preservation, but there is currently no indication that this is anything other than the result of chance,” added Martinon-Torres, who participated in the research while at University College London and in collaboration with the Terracotta Army Museum.

 

遠古青銅器經常會有保存狀態不佳的情況，表面會變得多孔且凹凸不平，呈現綠色或其他暗色。馬提儂-托瑞目前於倫敦大學學院參與這項和秦始皇帝陵博物院合作的研究計畫，他補充表示：「總歸而言，我們證明出，沒錯，兵馬俑的兵器基本上呈現非常好的保存狀態，但目前沒有任何徵兆顯示這個現象可歸因於機運以外的其他可能性」。

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/04/14/2003713345/2

 

 

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

 

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每日跟讀#586: Scientists solve mystery of pristine weapons of China’s Terracotta Warriors

 

For decades, scientists have been perplexed by the marvelous preservation of bronze weapons associated with China’s famed Terracotta Warriors, retaining shiny, almost pristine surfaces and sharp blades after being buried for more than two millennia. Research by an international team of scientists published on April 4 may solve the mystery while putting to rest an intriguing hypothesis: that ancient Chinese artisans employed an unexpectedly advanced preservation method using the metal chromium.

 

數十年來，科學家一直對於中國著名的兵馬俑深感困惑，難以解釋其青銅兵器不可思議的良好保存狀況，竟然在深埋地底超過兩千年後，表面仍然近似全新、閃閃發光，還保有銳利的刀鋒。一組國際科學家團隊於四月四日發表的研究或能解開這個謎團，並且讓一項吸引人的假說安心入土──該假說認為，古代中國工匠藉由運用鉻金屬，進行某種出人意料的先進保存方式。

 

The fine preservation of weapons including swords, lances and halberds was due to serendipity — factors such as the bronze’s high tin content and favorable soil composition — the scientists decided after examining 464 bronze weapons and parts. Chromium found on the bronze surfaces, they determined, was simply contamination from chromium-rich lacquer applied by the artisans to the terracotta figures and weapons parts. Chromium played no role in their preservation.

 

在檢驗四百六十四件青銅器武器和部分物件後，科學家做出結論，指出包括劍、矛和戟等兵器保存狀態良好，其實是因為「一場美麗的意外」──例如青銅的高度錫含量，以及有利的土壤成份都是保存的要素。至於在青銅表面上發現的鉻，科學家則認定單純是富含鉻的亮光漆，因為工匠塗抹在赤陶人俑和武器上所造成的污染。對保存而言，鉻未起任何作用。

 

The Terracotta Army consists of thousands of life-sized ceramic warriors and horses alongside bronze chariots and weapons, part of the vast 3rd century BC mausoleum near the city of Xian for Qin Shi Huang, first emperor of a unified China. Found in 1974, it represents one of the 20th century’s greatest archaeological discoveries. Scientific analyses almost four decades ago detected chromium on the surface of some of the weapons, spurring the hypothesis that the weapon-makers used a chromium-based treatment to prevent corrosion.

 

兵馬俑由數千個真人大小的陶瓷兵士和戰馬組成，配有青銅製的戰車和武器，是西安市近郊一處西元前三世紀大型陵墓的一部分，屬於首位統一中國的皇帝秦始皇。兵馬俑在一九七四年被發現，成為二十世紀最重大的考古發現之一。將近四十年前，科學分析在其中一些兵器的表面上偵測到鉻，引發假設，認為製造武器的工匠使用一種鉻為基底的保護膜來防止腐蝕。

 

Chromium-conversion coating, a technology discovered in the early 20th century, is used to treat metals to render them more corrosion resistant. It involves dipping metal in a solution containing chromium salts. A chromium oxide layer is deposited on the metal’s surface, providing a barrier against rust.

 

鉻酸鹽轉化塗層是一項二十世紀早期發現的技術，被運用在金屬製品上，使其更能夠抗腐蝕。在製程中，會把金屬浸泡在內含鉻酸鹽的溶劑中，金屬表面就會附著一層氧化鉻，形成一道防止生鏽的護網。

 

“The lacquer was applied to the Terracotta Army as a primer before they were painted with colors, and we think it’s quite likely it was also applied to the now-decayed wooden parts such as handles and shafts,” said University of Cambridge archaeological scientist Marcos Martinon-Torres, who led the study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

 

這篇研究發表於期刊《科學報告》，由劍橋大學的考古科學家馬可斯‧馬提儂-托瑞主持，他表示：「亮光漆被塗在兵馬俑上作為底漆，之後再漆上不同顏色，而我們認為，亮光漆很有可能也被塗在今已腐朽的木造部位，例如握把或是箭桿上。」

 

Ancient bronzes often have poor states of preservation, with porous, pitted surfaces showing green or dark colors. “In essence, we show that, yes, the Terracotta Army weapons generally show a very good state of preservation, but there is currently no indication that this is anything other than the result of chance,” added Martinon-Torres, who participated in the research while at University College London and in collaboration with the Terracotta Army Museum.

 

遠古青銅器經常會有保存狀態不佳的情況，表面會變得多孔且凹凸不平，呈現綠色或其他暗色。馬提儂-托瑞目前於倫敦大學學院參與這項和秦始皇帝陵博物院合作的研究計畫，他補充表示：「總歸而言，我們證明出，沒錯，兵馬俑的兵器基本上呈現非常好的保存狀態，但目前沒有任何徵兆顯示這個現象可歸因於機運以外的其他可能性」。

 

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/04/14/2003713345/2

 

 

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每日跟讀#585: Fast-Fashion Brands Outpace U.S. Stores

 

At 8:50 on a Wednesday morning, more than 20 shoppers hovered in front of H&M’s new global flagship store in Manhattan, eager to get inside.

 

某個周三早上的八點五十分，二十多名顧客徘徊在H&M位於紐約曼哈坦的全球最新旗艦店門前，渴望進店。

 

Directly across the street, a Gap store was also preparing to open. A lone woman stood in front, handing out fliers for a Cuban restaurant.

 

街道正對面，Gap的一家門市也在準備開門。但只有一個女人站在店門前，發放一家古巴餐廳的廣告傳單。

 

One by one, Gap, J. Crew, American Apparel and Abercrombie & Fitch have reported slumping sales, while chic and cheap foreign fast-fashion brands like H&M, Uniqlo and Zara are opening bustling stores.

 

一家接一家，Gap、J. Crew、American Apparel以及Abercrombie &Fitch分別傳出銷售下滑，而H&M、優衣庫和Zara這些時髦又平價的外國快時尚品牌卻紛紛展店，而且門庭若市。

 

American midmarket fashion has lost its way. Gap – once so cool that the actress Sharon Stone wore one of its turtlenecks, with a Valentino skirt, to the 1996 Oscars – is closing a quarter of its 675 North American stores over the next few years. “We had our moments of glory, but they’re not followed with consistent moments of glory,” Art Peck, Gap’s chief executive, told investors.

 

美國中端（中等價位）時尚市場已經迷失了方向。Gap曾經很時髦，連莎朗史東都穿Gap的高領毛衣，搭配范倫鐵諾的裙子，出席1996年的奧斯卡金像獎頒獎典禮；如今卻落得未來幾年將關閉北美675家門市中的四分之一。Gap執行長亞特．佩克告訴投資人：「我們有過風光的歲月，只是無法持續下去。」

 

Once the master of casual clothing, the company is finding that its American customer base has splintered. Luxury is booming; at the other end of the market, discount retailers like T. J. Maxx and Burlington Stores are seeing robust gains. Gap, Abercrombie and their peers are stuck in the middle.

 

Gap曾是休閒服飾的霸主，如今卻發現美國客戶基本盤已經支離破碎。精品業欣欣向榮；而在市場的另一端，T.J. Maxx和Burlington stores這樣的折扣零售店獲利也很豐厚。Gap、Abercrombie及同等級的品牌反而進退兩難。

 

The legions of teenagers and young adults now turn to juggernauts like H&M, based in Sweden, and Zara, owned by the Spanish company Inditex, which turn out cheaper versions of runway trends in weeks. H&M’s 368 stores in the United States, set to grow by 65 this year, get a fresh shipment of styles daily. Uniqlo, owned by the Japanese giant Fast Retailing, markets basics at low price points, in tens of colors in high-tech fabrics, and offers midprice collections by designers and celebrities.

 

許多青少年及年輕人如今轉向H&M和Zara這些巨頭，前者總部在瑞典，而後者歸西班牙公司Inditex所有，幾個星期時間就能推出伸展台流行款式的平價版。H&M在美國有368家門市，今年計畫再增加65家，而且每天都有新款到店。日本巨頭迅銷公司（Fast Retailing）旗下的優衣庫，以低價位行銷基本款，還有幾十種顏色的高科技織物，並提供中等價位的設計師和名人系列。

 

“Back in the ’80s and ’90s, there wasn’t real access to higher-level fashion,” said Kate Davidson Hudson, chief executive of Editorialist, an online fashion magazine. “It was the heyday of business casual, and stores did well selling core staples. But now, everybody sees what’s on the runways on social media and on blogs, and everybody’s a critic, and shoppers want it as soon as they see it. Brands like Gap just feel very dated.”

 

「1980和1990年代，確實沒有管道能夠接觸到更高端的時尚，」線上時尚雜誌Editorialist執行長凱特．大衛森．哈德森說：「那時候是商務便服的黃金時代，店家主打的基本款都賣得很好。但是現在，所有人都能透過社群媒體和部落格看到伸展台上有些什麼，人人都是評論家，顧客都希望看到之後馬上就能擁有。Gap這樣的品牌感覺就是非常過時。」

 

Sales at Gap stores open for at least a year have fallen for 13 straight months. The Gap’s upmarket brand, Banana Republic, has also stumbled, though Gap’s cheaper Old Navy label has done well. At Abercrombie & Fitch, comparable sales have fallen for three straight years and the brand is in the midst of an overhaul

 

營運至少一年的Gap門市銷售額連續13個月下滑。Gap的高端品牌「香蕉共和國」同樣受挫，不過Gap廉價品牌「老海軍」表現出色。而Abercrombie & Fitch的「可比較店舖銷售額」（譯註：零售集團扣掉新增門市外的「真實」營運情況）已經連續三年下滑，品牌正進行全面整頓。

 

American brands are also saddled with the remnants of a shopping mall culture that is vanishing. Many of Gap’s coming store closures are expected to be at malls that have suffered from declining foot traffic. By contrast, overseas retailers, from the start, are used to operating all of their locations as high-traffic, high-grossing flagship stores.

 

美國品牌同時背負消失中的購物商場文化遺風。Gap將關閉的門市，許多都位於深受人潮減少之苦的購物商場。相比之下，海外零售業者一開始就習慣把所有門市當作人流量高、營業額高的旗艦店來經營。

 

“The mall doesn’t really exist abroad as it does here,” said William Susman, managing director at Threadstone Partners, a New York consumer and retail advisory firm.

 

紐約消費者及零售顧問公司Threadstone Partners董事總經理威廉．蘇斯曼說：「海外其實並沒有像美國這樣規模的購物商場」。

 

A shopper at a Uniqlo in Manhattan, Dhushyanthy Tharan, said she found the selection better than at the Gap. “I love their materials, the cotton and linen, and their style,” she said.

 

在曼哈坦優衣庫門市的德西安瑟．塔蘭說，她發現這裡的服裝系列優於Gap。她說：「我喜歡他們的純棉和亞麻材質，還有風格。」

 

Mr. Peck and his team seemed to suggest to investors that Gap’s brands will be trying to get new styles into stores more quickly. But it will be difficult for Gap and other American brands to catch up to the likes of Zara and other fast-fashion retailers, some of whom have been coming under scrutiny lately for their heavy reliance on low-wage factory workers working in grueling conditions, as well as for the environmental toll of throwaway fashion.

 

佩克和他的團隊似乎向投資人暗示，Gap及旗下品牌將加快新款上架的步調。但Gap和其他美國品牌很難趕上Zara與其他快時尚品牌，儘管某些快時尚零售商最近也遭到嚴格檢視，因為它們非常仰賴在嚴酷作業環境工作的低薪工廠工人，另一個原因是可棄式時尚對環境造成的傷害。

 

Most pressing for declining American brands, retail specialists say, is bringing inspiration to their clothing lines.

 

零售專家說，衰退中的美國品牌最緊迫的任務，是將感染力帶進服飾品牌。

 

“There’s no creative direction, there’s no creative identity, and the shopper can perceive that,” Ms. Davidson Hudson said.

 

「創意沒有方向，沒有特性，這些購物者看得出來，」大衛森．哈德森表示。

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/281681/web/

 

 

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每日跟讀#585: Fast-Fashion Brands Outpace U.S. Stores

 

At 8:50 on a Wednesday morning, more than 20 shoppers hovered in front of H&M’s new global flagship store in Manhattan, eager to get inside.

 

某個周三早上的八點五十分，二十多名顧客徘徊在H&M位於紐約曼哈坦的全球最新旗艦店門前，渴望進店。

 

Directly across the street, a Gap store was also preparing to open. A lone woman stood in front, handing out fliers for a Cuban restaurant.

 

街道正對面，Gap的一家門市也在準備開門。但只有一個女人站在店門前，發放一家古巴餐廳的廣告傳單。

 

One by one, Gap, J. Crew, American Apparel and Abercrombie & Fitch have reported slumping sales, while chic and cheap foreign fast-fashion brands like H&M, Uniqlo and Zara are opening bustling stores.

 

一家接一家，Gap、J. Crew、American Apparel以及Abercrombie &Fitch分別傳出銷售下滑，而H&M、優衣庫和Zara這些時髦又平價的外國快時尚品牌卻紛紛展店，而且門庭若市。

 

American midmarket fashion has lost its way. Gap – once so cool that the actress Sharon Stone wore one of its turtlenecks, with a Valentino skirt, to the 1996 Oscars – is closing a quarter of its 675 North American stores over the next few years. “We had our moments of glory, but they’re not followed with consistent moments of glory,” Art Peck, Gap’s chief executive, told investors.

 

美國中端（中等價位）時尚市場已經迷失了方向。Gap曾經很時髦，連莎朗史東都穿Gap的高領毛衣，搭配范倫鐵諾的裙子，出席1996年的奧斯卡金像獎頒獎典禮；如今卻落得未來幾年將關閉北美675家門市中的四分之一。Gap執行長亞特．佩克告訴投資人：「我們有過風光的歲月，只是無法持續下去。」

 

Once the master of casual clothing, the company is finding that its American customer base has splintered. Luxury is booming; at the other end of the market, discount retailers like T. J. Maxx and Burlington Stores are seeing robust gains. Gap, Abercrombie and their peers are stuck in the middle.

 

Gap曾是休閒服飾的霸主，如今卻發現美國客戶基本盤已經支離破碎。精品業欣欣向榮；而在市場的另一端，T.J. Maxx和Burlington stores這樣的折扣零售店獲利也很豐厚。Gap、Abercrombie及同等級的品牌反而進退兩難。

 

The legions of teenagers and young adults now turn to juggernauts like H&M, based in Sweden, and Zara, owned by the Spanish company Inditex, which turn out cheaper versions of runway trends in weeks. H&M’s 368 stores in the United States, set to grow by 65 this year, get a fresh shipment of styles daily. Uniqlo, owned by the Japanese giant Fast Retailing, markets basics at low price points, in tens of colors in high-tech fabrics, and offers midprice collections by designers and celebrities.

 

許多青少年及年輕人如今轉向H&M和Zara這些巨頭，前者總部在瑞典，而後者歸西班牙公司Inditex所有，幾個星期時間就能推出伸展台流行款式的平價版。H&M在美國有368家門市，今年計畫再增加65家，而且每天都有新款到店。日本巨頭迅銷公司（Fast Retailing）旗下的優衣庫，以低價位行銷基本款，還有幾十種顏色的高科技織物，並提供中等價位的設計師和名人系列。

 

“Back in the ’80s and ’90s, there wasn’t real access to higher-level fashion,” said Kate Davidson Hudson, chief executive of Editorialist, an online fashion magazine. “It was the heyday of business casual, and stores did well selling core staples. But now, everybody sees what’s on the runways on social media and on blogs, and everybody’s a critic, and shoppers want it as soon as they see it. Brands like Gap just feel very dated.”

 

「1980和1990年代，確實沒有管道能夠接觸到更高端的時尚，」線上時尚雜誌Editorialist執行長凱特．大衛森．哈德森說：「那時候是商務便服的黃金時代，店家主打的基本款都賣得很好。但是現在，所有人都能透過社群媒體和部落格看到伸展台上有些什麼，人人都是評論家，顧客都希望看到之後馬上就能擁有。Gap這樣的品牌感覺就是非常過時。」

 

Sales at Gap stores open for at least a year have fallen for 13 straight months. The Gap’s upmarket brand, Banana Republic, has also stumbled, though Gap’s cheaper Old Navy label has done well. At Abercrombie & Fitch, comparable sales have fallen for three straight years and the brand is in the midst of an overhaul

 

營運至少一年的Gap門市銷售額連續13個月下滑。Gap的高端品牌「香蕉共和國」同樣受挫，不過Gap廉價品牌「老海軍」表現出色。而Abercrombie & Fitch的「可比較店舖銷售額」（譯註：零售集團扣掉新增門市外的「真實」營運情況）已經連續三年下滑，品牌正進行全面整頓。

 

American brands are also saddled with the remnants of a shopping mall culture that is vanishing. Many of Gap’s coming store closures are expected to be at malls that have suffered from declining foot traffic. By contrast, overseas retailers, from the start, are used to operating all of their locations as high-traffic, high-grossing flagship stores.

 

美國品牌同時背負消失中的購物商場文化遺風。Gap將關閉的門市，許多都位於深受人潮減少之苦的購物商場。相比之下，海外零售業者一開始就習慣把所有門市當作人流量高、營業額高的旗艦店來經營。

 

“The mall doesn’t really exist abroad as it does here,” said William Susman, managing director at Threadstone Partners, a New York consumer and retail advisory firm.

 

紐約消費者及零售顧問公司Threadstone Partners董事總經理威廉．蘇斯曼說：「海外其實並沒有像美國這樣規模的購物商場」。

 

A shopper at a Uniqlo in Manhattan, Dhushyanthy Tharan, said she found the selection better than at the Gap. “I love their materials, the cotton and linen, and their style,” she said.

 

在曼哈坦優衣庫門市的德西安瑟．塔蘭說，她發現這裡的服裝系列優於Gap。她說：「我喜歡他們的純棉和亞麻材質，還有風格。」

 

Mr. Peck and his team seemed to suggest to investors that Gap’s brands will be trying to get new styles into stores more quickly. But it will be difficult for Gap and other American brands to catch up to the likes of Zara and other fast-fashion retailers, some of whom have been coming under scrutiny lately for their heavy reliance on low-wage factory workers working in grueling conditions, as well as for the environmental toll of throwaway fashion.

 

佩克和他的團隊似乎向投資人暗示，Gap及旗下品牌將加快新款上架的步調。但Gap和其他美國品牌很難趕上Zara與其他快時尚品牌，儘管某些快時尚零售商最近也遭到嚴格檢視，因為它們非常仰賴在嚴酷作業環境工作的低薪工廠工人，另一個原因是可棄式時尚對環境造成的傷害。

 

Most pressing for declining American brands, retail specialists say, is bringing inspiration to their clothing lines.

 

零售專家說，衰退中的美國品牌最緊迫的任務，是將感染力帶進服飾品牌。

 

“There’s no creative direction, there’s no creative identity, and the shopper can perceive that,” Ms. Davidson Hudson said.

 

「創意沒有方向，沒有特性，這些購物者看得出來，」大衛森．哈德森表示。

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/281681/web/

 

 

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每日跟讀#583: Businesses can deliver everything on demand, from dinner to dry cleaning. Now, entrepreneurs are exploring a growing niche: heal

 

企業界可依照需求提供從晚餐到乾洗等各種隨選服務。現在，創業家正在探索一個不斷成長的利基點：醫療保健。

 

Startups are offering access to doctors, prescription drugs and wellness programs as fast and easy as hailing an Uber driver. Experts say this is the early stages of a movement that could disrupt the health services industry, which critics have long contended suffers from soaring costs and reduced access to care.

 

透過新創公司取得醫生的服務、處方藥與保健方案，就像呼叫優步司機一樣既快又容易。專家說，一項新運動目前正處於起步階段，而這項運動可能會使醫療服務業大受震撼。批評者長期以來認為醫療服務業價格不斷飆升，提供的服務卻在減少。

 

“Health care delivery is so broken that we need to explore new channels — new conduits — and this represents one of them,” said Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist and author of “The Patient Will See You Now.”

 

心臟病學家暨《未來醫療》一書作者艾瑞克．托普博士說：「醫療保健服務的提供已失靈到我們需要探索新管道的地步，而這正是其中之一。」

 

The on-demand economy, which offers consumers immediate access to goods and services, surged 58 percent in 2017 from the previous year to an estimated $75.7 billion, according to a study by Rockbridge Associates, a market research firm.

 

根據市場研究公司Rockbridge Associates的調查，讓消費者能立刻獲得商品與服務的隨選經濟，2017年規模較前一年成長58%，約達757億美元。

 

As the industry swells, dozens of health and wellness companies are tapping the trend.

 

隨著產業蓬勃發展，數十家醫療和保健公司正在利用此一趨勢。

 

Heal, DispatchHealth, MedZed, Dose Healthcare and Pager will send a doctor or a nurse practitioner to a person’s home or workplace to treat nonemergency problems like strep throat or a sprained ankle. The I.V. Doc offers intravenous treatments for conditions like jet lag, hangovers and food poisoning. And Capsule will deliver prescriptions to a person’s doorstep.

 

新創公司Heal、MedZed、DispatchHealth、Dose Healthcare及Pager會派一名醫生或執業護理師到一個人的家裡或工作場所，以處理鏈球菌咽喉炎或腳踝扭傷等不須急救的問題，IV Doc則為時差、宿醉與食物中毒等情況提供靜脈注射治療，而Capsule會將處方藥送到你家門口。

 

Some startups — especially on-demand medical companies, like Heal and DispatchHealth — needed substantial cash to hire doctors, lease vehicles and bring in administrative staff to handle insurance claims.

 

一些新創公司，尤其像是Heal跟DispatchHealth這樣的隨選醫療公司，需要大量現金以聘請醫生、租賃車輛，並雇用行政人員來處理保險請領。

 

Cue the investors.

 

提醒投資人們。

 

Samir M. Patel, a principal and co-founder of IRA Capital, was so impressed with Heal after using it for at-home visits and an annual physical in his office that he became an investor.

 

薩米．帕特爾是IRA資本公司負責人兼共同創辦人，在使用到府服務，並在自己辦公室做年度體檢後，對Heal醫療公司印象極佳，也因此成了投資人。

 

But the potential to be the next “unicorn” — a startup valued at $1 billion or more — has created a crowded field.

 

由於參與者有望成為下一個「獨角獸」，也就是市值10億美元以上的新創公司，這個領域已經頗為擁擠。

 

The popularity of the I.V. Doc prompted a flurry of smaller companies, like IVDrips, Drip Hydration and the Hangover Club/NutriDrip, to offer similar services — sometimes at cheaper prices. To fend off competition, the I.V. Doc recently expanded to offer injectable drugs, like Botox and Restylane, as well as postoperative care for plastic surgery.

 

IV Doc大受歡迎，促使一些較小的公司如IVDrips，Drip Hydration與Hangover Club或NutriDrip提供類似服務，有時候收費更低。為了擺脫競爭，IV Doc近來擴大服務範圍，開始提供注射藥物如保妥適肉毒桿菌素與瑞絲朗玻尿酸，以及整形手術的術後照護。

 

Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/338427/web/#2L-14466052L

 

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