通勤學英語 15Mins Today

每日跟讀#479: End of an Era for world’s most famous fish market

The end of an era has finally come for the world’s oldest, biggest — and arguably most famous — fish market.

On Oct. 6, Japan’s Tsukiji fish market began the move from its current spot near the upmarket Tokyo shopping area of Ginza to a location that used to house a gasworks close to Tokyo Bay, a move that had been under discussion since 2001. The new market opened its doors on Oct. 11.

世界上最古老、最大──且可說是最著名的魚貨市場，終於面臨其時代的終結。

十月六日，日本的築地市場由東京銀座高檔購物區附近的舊址，搬遷到東京灣附近原為瓦斯廠的新址。築地市場的搬遷，早在二○○一年便已開始研議。市場新址已於十月十一日開張。

On a typical day, about 1,628 tons of seafood passed through Tsukiji, with a value of about 1.6 billion yen (US$14 million). The bustling inner-city market carried about 480 types of seafood and 270 types of other produce.

The history of the Tsukiji area could be traced back to 1657, when the government reclaimed land along Tokyo Bay and named it “Tsukiji” — literally translated as “constructed land.” In 1923 the Great Kanto Earthquake destroyed much of central Tokyo, along with the Nihonbashi fish market. In 1935 the market was relocated to its recent site near Ginza, where it transformed the Tsukiji area into a bustling town.

一般來說，築地市場每天經手約一千六百二十八噸、價值約十六億日元（一千四百萬美元）的海產。這個位於市中心的熱鬧市場，販售約四百八十種海產，以及其他兩百七十種產品。

築地地區的歷史可追溯到西元一六五七年，當時政府在東京灣沿岸填海造地，並將之命名為「築地」──字面翻譯為「建造土地」。一九二三年關東大地震摧毀了東京市中心很多地方，包括位於日本橋的魚貨市場。一九三五年，魚市場搬遷到銀座附近的築地，將築地變成了熱鬧的地區。

The market was one of the top tourist destinations in Tokyo, attracting as many as 42,000 visitors a day. Each year the symbolic New Year auction often attracted media attention, as buyers battled to outbid each other. Bidders used hand signals to dictate their price, with the fish usually selling within seconds.

築地市場是東京最熱門的旅遊景點之一，每天吸引多達四萬兩千名遊客。每年最具象徵意義的新年拍賣會上，買家爭相競標的盛況，常引起媒體關注。競標者用手勢來表示所出的價，魚通常在幾秒內就賣出。

Kiyomura Corp., whose owner Kiyoshi Kimura runs the Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain, was frequently the highest bidder. The most expensive tuna sold at the market went to Kiyomura in 2013 for 155.4 million yen (US$1.36 million).

出最高價的人常是木村清，他是喜代村株式會社的老闆，經營「三昧壽司」連鎖餐廳。築地市場所賣出的最高價鮪魚，是在二○一三年以一億五千五百四十萬日元（一百三十六萬美元）的價格，賣給了喜代村株式會社。

In August 2017, a fire broke out at Tsukiji, burning for 15 hours before it was extinguished, according to media reports. Safety concerns were cited as a key reason to push through the move to a new location.

二○一七年八月，築地市場發生了火災，據媒體報導，大火延燒了十五小時才被撲滅。安全問題是促成築地市場搬遷的關鍵原因。

Moving the market proved no easy task. Tokyo Metropolitan Government first decided on the relocation to Tokyo Bay in 2001, but concerns over tainted soil at the new site and the cost of the move led to more than a decade and a half of delays.

事實證明，市場的搬遷並非易事。東京都政府原在二○○一年已決定把魚市場搬遷到東京灣，但對新址土壤汙染和搬遷成本的疑慮，使得搬遷計畫延宕逾十五年。

Tsukiji wasn’t just a place to buy fish. The outer market shops and vendors sold everything from dried foods to kitchenware. Visitors wandered in search of soba and ramen noodle restaurants, and could satisfy a sweet tooth with Japanese confectionery.

築地不僅僅是買魚的地方。場外市場的店鋪和小販所賣的，從乾貨到廚具，應有盡有。遊客漫步其中，可找到蕎麥麵及拉麵餐廳，愛吃甜食的人，也可以買得到日式糖果糕點。

Not everyone was happy about the move to Toyosu. While some shop owners decided to relocate to the new site, others chose to close down.

(Bloomberg)

不是每個人都樂意搬到豐洲。有些店主決定搬遷到新的魚市場，但也有些店家選擇結束營業。

（台北時報林俐凱編譯）

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/10/17/2003702499

 

For more English shadowing practice articles, please visit www.15mins.today

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, has taken the crown as this year’s top style influencer, according to eBay’s annual UK retail report released last month. She outshone Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and had the biggest impact on shopping habits. Princess Charlotte, who was at the top spot last year, came third.

根據eBay上個月發布的年度英國零售業報告，凱特王妃（劍橋公爵夫人）今年奪下冠軍寶座，成為最具時尚影響力的人，超越亞軍的梅根王妃(薩塞克斯公爵夫人)，對大眾的購物習慣影響也最大。第三名則是去年的冠軍——小公主夏綠蒂。

Throughout the year, Kate’s favorite fashion choices such as Alexander McQueen, Jenny Packham and Seraphine saw a 20 percent surge in searches. And unlike Meghan, she was praised for often wearing her old clothes repeatedly in public — including a pair of boots she was wearing 14 years ago when she was in college.

在過去一年，凱特王妃的愛牌像是Alexander McQueen、Jenny Packham、Seraphine等，搜尋量都飆升百分之二十。和梅根王妃不同的是，她還因為經常公開地重複穿著舊衣而受到讚賞——包括一雙她十四年前在大學時代穿的舊靴子。

Kate’s ability to recycle her wardrobe comes in stark contrast to waste in the fashion industry. Not long ago, luxury brand Burberry was condemned for burning 28.6 million pounds (about NT$1.1 billion) worth of unsold clothes and accessories in the past year to “protect its brand.” The British company was forced last month to stop destroying unsold goods and using real fur following the backlash.

(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)

凱特王妃回收舊衣的能力和時尚業浪費的情形可說是鮮明的對比！不久前，奢華精品Burberry才因為在過去一年，燒毀兩千八百多萬英鎊（約十一億新台幣）的未售出衣物和飾品以「維護其品牌」而飽受譴責。在各方強烈反對下，這家英國公司最終在上個月停止銷毀未售出產品，也不再使用真的毛皮。

(台北時報張聖恩)

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/10/11/2003702113

 

For more English shadowing practice articles, please visit www.15mins.today

Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, has taken the crown as this year’s top style influencer, according to eBay’s annual UK retail report released last month. She outshone Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, and had the biggest impact on shopping habits. Princess Charlotte, who was at the top spot last year, came third.

根據eBay上個月發布的年度英國零售業報告，凱特王妃（劍橋公爵夫人）今年奪下冠軍寶座，成為最具時尚影響力的人，超越亞軍的梅根王妃(薩塞克斯公爵夫人)，對大眾的購物習慣影響也最大。第三名則是去年的冠軍——小公主夏綠蒂。

Throughout the year, Kate’s favorite fashion choices such as Alexander McQueen, Jenny Packham and Seraphine saw a 20 percent surge in searches. And unlike Meghan, she was praised for often wearing her old clothes repeatedly in public — including a pair of boots she was wearing 14 years ago when she was in college.

在過去一年，凱特王妃的愛牌像是Alexander McQueen、Jenny Packham、Seraphine等，搜尋量都飆升百分之二十。和梅根王妃不同的是，她還因為經常公開地重複穿著舊衣而受到讚賞——包括一雙她十四年前在大學時代穿的舊靴子。

Kate’s ability to recycle her wardrobe comes in stark contrast to waste in the fashion industry. Not long ago, luxury brand Burberry was condemned for burning 28.6 million pounds (about NT$1.1 billion) worth of unsold clothes and accessories in the past year to “protect its brand.” The British company was forced last month to stop destroying unsold goods and using real fur following the backlash.

(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)

凱特王妃回收舊衣的能力和時尚業浪費的情形可說是鮮明的對比！不久前，奢華精品Burberry才因為在過去一年，燒毀兩千八百多萬英鎊（約十一億新台幣）的未售出衣物和飾品以「維護其品牌」而飽受譴責。在各方強烈反對下，這家英國公司最終在上個月停止銷毀未售出產品，也不再使用真的毛皮。

(台北時報張聖恩)

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/10/11/2003702113

 

For more English shadowing practice articles, please visit www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#477: South Korea bans coffee in schools to curb overconsumption

South Korea will introduce a new law tomorrow banning the sale of coffee in primary and secondary schools to prevent students from consuming too much caffeine. This means that nobody, including teachers, will be able to buy caffeinated drinks on campus. The South Korean government hopes the ban will help promote healthy dietary habits among children.

南韓明日起將推出一項新法令，禁止中小學販售咖啡，以避免學生攝取過多的咖啡因。這意味著包括教師在內所有人，都無法在校園內購買含咖啡因的飲料，韓國政府希望該禁令能幫助學童培養健康的飲食習慣。

According to CNN, students under academic pressure consuming excessive caffeine during exam periods is a common problem in South Korea. Other beverages high in calories or caffeine, such as energy drinks and coffee milk, have already been banned in schools. However, critics say students can easily walk a few minutes from their schools to buy such drinks.

根據有線電視新聞網報導，南韓的學生在面臨課業壓力下，於考試期間攝取過量咖啡因的消息時有所聞。而其它高熱量或咖啡因的飲品，例如能量飲料或咖啡牛奶，早已禁止在校園販售。批評者則指出，學生從學校走幾分鐘，即可輕易買到此類的飲品。

South Korea’s domestic coffee market surpassed 10 trillion won for the first time ever last year, standing at 11.7 trillion won, or almost US$11 billion. Over 26.5 billion cups of coffee were served to South Koreans last year, with an average of 512 cups consumed per person. The figure is much higher than the average of over 100 cups yearly for each Taiwanese.

(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)

南韓國內的咖啡市場去年首度突破十兆韓元，高達十一點七兆韓元，將近一百一十億美元。韓國人去年喝掉兩百六十五億杯咖啡，每人平均就喝掉五百一十二杯！該數字比台灣人的平均一百多杯要高出許多。

（台北時報張聖恩）

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/09/13/2003700293

 

For more English shadowing practice articles, please visit www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#477: South Korea bans coffee in schools to curb overconsumption

South Korea will introduce a new law tomorrow banning the sale of coffee in primary and secondary schools to prevent students from consuming too much caffeine. This means that nobody, including teachers, will be able to buy caffeinated drinks on campus. The South Korean government hopes the ban will help promote healthy dietary habits among children.

南韓明日起將推出一項新法令，禁止中小學販售咖啡，以避免學生攝取過多的咖啡因。這意味著包括教師在內所有人，都無法在校園內購買含咖啡因的飲料，韓國政府希望該禁令能幫助學童培養健康的飲食習慣。

According to CNN, students under academic pressure consuming excessive caffeine during exam periods is a common problem in South Korea. Other beverages high in calories or caffeine, such as energy drinks and coffee milk, have already been banned in schools. However, critics say students can easily walk a few minutes from their schools to buy such drinks.

根據有線電視新聞網報導，南韓的學生在面臨課業壓力下，於考試期間攝取過量咖啡因的消息時有所聞。而其它高熱量或咖啡因的飲品，例如能量飲料或咖啡牛奶，早已禁止在校園販售。批評者則指出，學生從學校走幾分鐘，即可輕易買到此類的飲品。

South Korea’s domestic coffee market surpassed 10 trillion won for the first time ever last year, standing at 11.7 trillion won, or almost US$11 billion. Over 26.5 billion cups of coffee were served to South Koreans last year, with an average of 512 cups consumed per person. The figure is much higher than the average of over 100 cups yearly for each Taiwanese.

(Eddy Chang, Taipei Times)

南韓國內的咖啡市場去年首度突破十兆韓元，高達十一點七兆韓元，將近一百一十億美元。韓國人去年喝掉兩百六十五億杯咖啡，每人平均就喝掉五百一十二杯！該數字比台灣人的平均一百多杯要高出許多。

（台北時報張聖恩）

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/09/13/2003700293

 

For more English shadowing practice articles, please visit www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#476: What is African swine fever and how does it spread?

What is African swine fever?

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral pig disease. The most common symptoms of the virus in its acute form are a high temperature and loss of appetite; other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty with breathing and standing. There is no treatment for the disease, some versions can have a 100 percent mortality rate in certain circumstances. It is not the same as swine flu.

什麼是非洲豬瘟？

非洲豬瘟（ASF）是由病毒引起的一種高度傳染性的豬隻疫病。最常見的急性症狀是發高熱和食慾不振，其他症狀包括嘔吐、腹瀉、呼吸困難和無法站立。此病無藥可醫，有些疾病變體在某些情況下可能有百分之百的死亡率。非洲豬瘟與豬流感並不相同。

How does it spread?

ASF can be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals. Wild boar have been identified by some national governments as one of several possible culprits for the recent spread. It can also spread via insects such as ticks.

But the virus can also survive several months in processed meat, and several years in frozen carcasses, so meat products are a particular concern for cross-border transmission. It is believed that the disease was initially brought from east Africa to Georgia by contaminated pig products. Last month, a packet of sausages confiscated at a Japanese airport from a traveler arriving from China were found to contain the virus. Similar discoveries have been made in South Korea, according to reports.

非洲豬瘟是如何傳播的？

非洲豬瘟可透過與受感染動物的直接接觸傳播，有些國家的政府已檢驗出野豬可能是最近疫情蔓延的罪魁禍首之一，它也可透過壁蝨等昆蟲傳播。

但是，這種病毒在加工肉品中可存活數個月，在冷凍的畜體中更可存活數年，因此病毒的跨境傳播，肉類產品是尤需注意的問題。據信非洲豬瘟最初是隨著受感染的豬肉產品，由東非帶到喬治亞的。上個月，一名旅客由中國抵達日本機場後被沒收的香腸，就被發現含有這種病毒。據報導，韓國也發現有類似情況。

What happens when it is found?

Cases must be reported to the authorities. In most countries, this will trigger quarantine measures and a cull of the affected herd. However, there is anxiety among experts that in some cases farmers — or even whole countries — may cover up or delay reporting the illness. In May, for example, Belarus was accused of covering up ASF among its pigs. The Belarus government denied the claims.

若發現疫情，該怎麼做？

必須向有關當局報告。多數國家會啟動檢疫隔離措施，並撲殺受感染的畜群。然而專家卻擔心，有時養豬戶──甚至整個國家──可能會隱瞞疫情或延遲通報。例如在五月時，白俄羅斯被指控隱瞞其境內豬隻感染非洲豬瘟的疫情。白俄羅斯政府對此說法加以否認。

Can it be caught by humans?

Humans cannot contract ASF. However the head of the Russian epidemiology service, chief state sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko, has warned that pig physiology is close to human physiology, and that future mutations of the virus may therefore become dangerous to human beings too.

人類會被感染嗎？

人類並不會感染非洲豬瘟。然而，俄羅斯國家防疫總醫師甘納迪‧歐尼希成柯警告，豬和人類在生理學上很相近，因此病毒未來的突變也可能會對人類構成危險。

Why are people worrying about it now?

For many years ASF was found mainly in Africa, although there was an outbreak in Europe in the 1950s which took several decades to eradicate. In 2007, however, the virus was detected in Georgia, and despite co-ordinated efforts it has since spread widely, initially through eastern Europe and Russia, and more recently into western Europe, when wild boar in Belgium were found to have the disease. The virus has now jumped to China, home to half the world’s domestic pigs, and appears to be proliferating rapidly. According to one report there have been 41 outbreaks since the first notification in early August.

為何現在人們要擔心呢？

多年來，非洲豬瘟主要是在非洲發現，雖然歐洲在一九五○年代曾爆發過疫情，花了數十年才完全消滅。然而，在二○○七年，該病毒在喬治亞現蹤，儘管各方合力掃蕩，但疫情仍開始擴大，最初透過東歐和俄羅斯，最近進入了西歐──比利時發現有野豬感染非洲豬瘟。這種病毒現已傳到中國──世界上有一半數量的家豬是在中國飼養的，且似乎正迅速擴散。根據一份報告指出，自今年八月初第一次通報以來，已有四十一次疫情爆發。

Are there any vaccines or cures on the horizon?

The Roslin Institute is looking at gene editing to make pigs resistant to ASF. An international coalition of scientists is urgently investigating vaccines.

(The Guardian)

將來會有疫苗或治療方法嗎？

羅斯林研究所正在研究基因編輯，以使豬隻對非洲豬瘟具有抵抗力。一個國際科學家聯盟正進行疫苗的緊急研究。

（台北時報林俐凱編譯）

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/11/28/2003705033/2

 

For more English shadowing practice articles, please visit www.15mins.today

每日跟讀#476: What is African swine fever and how does it spread?

What is African swine fever?

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly contagious viral pig disease. The most common symptoms of the virus in its acute form are a high temperature and loss of appetite; other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and difficulty with breathing and standing. There is no treatment for the disease, some versions can have a 100 percent mortality rate in certain circumstances. It is not the same as swine flu.

什麼是非洲豬瘟？

非洲豬瘟（ASF）是由病毒引起的一種高度傳染性的豬隻疫病。最常見的急性症狀是發高熱和食慾不振，其他症狀包括嘔吐、腹瀉、呼吸困難和無法站立。此病無藥可醫，有些疾病變體在某些情況下可能有百分之百的死亡率。非洲豬瘟與豬流感並不相同。

How does it spread?

ASF can be transmitted through direct contact with infected animals. Wild boar have been identified by some national governments as one of several possible culprits for the recent spread. It can also spread via insects such as ticks.

But the virus can also survive several months in processed meat, and several years in frozen carcasses, so meat products are a particular concern for cross-border transmission. It is believed that the disease was initially brought from east Africa to Georgia by contaminated pig products. Last month, a packet of sausages confiscated at a Japanese airport from a traveler arriving from China were found to contain the virus. Similar discoveries have been made in South Korea, according to reports.

非洲豬瘟是如何傳播的？

非洲豬瘟可透過與受感染動物的直接接觸傳播，有些國家的政府已檢驗出野豬可能是最近疫情蔓延的罪魁禍首之一，它也可透過壁蝨等昆蟲傳播。

但是，這種病毒在加工肉品中可存活數個月，在冷凍的畜體中更可存活數年，因此病毒的跨境傳播，肉類產品是尤需注意的問題。據信非洲豬瘟最初是隨著受感染的豬肉產品，由東非帶到喬治亞的。上個月，一名旅客由中國抵達日本機場後被沒收的香腸，就被發現含有這種病毒。據報導，韓國也發現有類似情況。

What happens when it is found?

Cases must be reported to the authorities. In most countries, this will trigger quarantine measures and a cull of the affected herd. However, there is anxiety among experts that in some cases farmers — or even whole countries — may cover up or delay reporting the illness. In May, for example, Belarus was accused of covering up ASF among its pigs. The Belarus government denied the claims.

若發現疫情，該怎麼做？

必須向有關當局報告。多數國家會啟動檢疫隔離措施，並撲殺受感染的畜群。然而專家卻擔心，有時養豬戶──甚至整個國家──可能會隱瞞疫情或延遲通報。例如在五月時，白俄羅斯被指控隱瞞其境內豬隻感染非洲豬瘟的疫情。白俄羅斯政府對此說法加以否認。

Can it be caught by humans?

Humans cannot contract ASF. However the head of the Russian epidemiology service, chief state sanitary doctor Gennady Onishchenko, has warned that pig physiology is close to human physiology, and that future mutations of the virus may therefore become dangerous to human beings too.

人類會被感染嗎？

人類並不會感染非洲豬瘟。然而，俄羅斯國家防疫總醫師甘納迪‧歐尼希成柯警告，豬和人類在生理學上很相近，因此病毒未來的突變也可能會對人類構成危險。

Why are people worrying about it now?

For many years ASF was found mainly in Africa, although there was an outbreak in Europe in the 1950s which took several decades to eradicate. In 2007, however, the virus was detected in Georgia, and despite co-ordinated efforts it has since spread widely, initially through eastern Europe and Russia, and more recently into western Europe, when wild boar in Belgium were found to have the disease. The virus has now jumped to China, home to half the world’s domestic pigs, and appears to be proliferating rapidly. According to one report there have been 41 outbreaks since the first notification in early August.

為何現在人們要擔心呢？

多年來，非洲豬瘟主要是在非洲發現，雖然歐洲在一九五○年代曾爆發過疫情，花了數十年才完全消滅。然而，在二○○七年，該病毒在喬治亞現蹤，儘管各方合力掃蕩，但疫情仍開始擴大，最初透過東歐和俄羅斯，最近進入了西歐──比利時發現有野豬感染非洲豬瘟。這種病毒現已傳到中國──世界上有一半數量的家豬是在中國飼養的，且似乎正迅速擴散。根據一份報告指出，自今年八月初第一次通報以來，已有四十一次疫情爆發。

Are there any vaccines or cures on the horizon?

The Roslin Institute is looking at gene editing to make pigs resistant to ASF. An international coalition of scientists is urgently investigating vaccines.

(The Guardian)

將來會有疫苗或治療方法嗎？

羅斯林研究所正在研究基因編輯，以使豬隻對非洲豬瘟具有抵抗力。一個國際科學家聯盟正進行疫苗的緊急研究。

（台北時報林俐凱編譯）

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/11/28/2003705033/2

 

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每日跟讀#475: How much a kilogram weighs depends on the ‘Planck constant’

It may not change how you buy bananas, but scientists have voted to redefine the value of a kilogram, in what they called a landmark decision that will boost the accuracy of scientific measurements. Since 1889, a kilogram has been defined by a shiny lump of platinum-iridium kept in a special glass case and known as the International Prototype of the Kilogram. It is housed at the headquarters of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (whose French acronym is BIPM), just outside Paris.

這個改變或許不會影響你買香蕉的方式。不過，在日前一項被譽為有望提升科學測量準確度的劃時代決定中，科學家表決通過對一公斤的數值重新定義。自一八八九年以來，一公斤的重量由一塊鉑銥合金定義，這塊閃閃發光的金屬稱作「國際公斤原器」，被保存在特別的玻璃櫃中，目前存放於巴黎近郊的國際度量衡局（法文首字母縮寫為「BIPM」）總部。

Members of the BIPM, which groups 60 nations, agreed on Nov. 16 after a week-long meeting at the nearby Palace of Versailles to redefine the kilogram in terms of a tiny but unchanging value called the “Planck constant.” They also voted to update definitions for the ampere (electrical current), the kelvin (thermodynamic temperature) and the mole (amount of a substance).

來自大約六十個國家的國際度量衡局會員，日前齊聚鄰近的凡爾賽宮，召開長達一星期的會議，並於十一月十六日做出決議：根據微小卻不會變動的「普朗克常數」數值，重新定義一公斤。會員們也決議更新安培（電流）、克耳文（熱力學溫度）以及莫耳（物質的量）等單位的定義。

All modern mass measurements are derived from the kilogram, whether micrograms of pharmaceutical medicine or gold dust, kilos of fruit or fish, or tonnes of steel. The problem is that the prototype doesn’t always weigh the same. Even inside its three glass bell jars it picks up microparticles of dirt and is affected by the atmosphere. Sometimes it needs cleaning, which can affect its mass.

無論是藥學醫療或是砂金使用的微公克（一公克的百萬分之一）、買水果或是賣魚時使用的公斤，還是鋼鐵的公噸，現代的各種質量測定都衍生自公斤。問題在於，「國際公斤原器」無法一直維持相同的重量。就算保存在三層鐘型玻璃罩裡面，原器還是會沾染灰塵的微粒子，也會受大氣影響。有時原器需要清潔，這又會影響其質量。

That can have profound implications. If the prototype were to lose mass, atoms would in theory weigh more since the base kilogram must by definition always weigh a kilogram. Scientists have been trying for decades to define a constant value for the kilogram that is derived from immutable physics, in the same way they have done for other standard units (SI units) overseen by the BIPM.

這個問題的牽涉層面相當廣泛：如果原器損失質量，理論上原子就會變重，畢竟這個基礎公斤在定義上就是重達一公斤。數十年來，科學家一直試圖藉由恆常不變的物理學，用一個固定的數值定義公斤，這也是他們先前在國際度量衡局監督下為其他標準單位（國際單位制）完成的相同目標。

For example, a meter isn’t 100 centimeters, it’s actually “the length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second.” The “Planck constant,” which derives from quantum physics, can be used along with a Kibble balance, an exquisitely accurate weighing machine, to calculate the mass of an object using a precisely measured electromagnetic force.

舉例而言，一公尺並非一百公分，實際上應為「光在真空中於兩億九千九百七十九萬兩千四百五十八分之一秒內行進的距離」。從量子力學中導出的「普朗克常數」可以和極度精確的秤重儀器「基布爾秤」一起應用，藉由精準測量出的電磁力來計算一個物體的質量。

“The SI redefinition is a landmark moment in scientific progress,” said Martin Milton, director of the BIPM. “Using the fundamental constants we observe in nature as a foundation for important concepts such as mass and time means that we have a stable foundation from which to advance our scientific understanding, develop new technologies and address some of society’s greatest challenges.”

國際度量衡局的局長馬汀‧米爾頓表示：「對於國際單位制的重新定義是科學進展過程中的重大里程碑。」他也進一步指出：「藉由運用我們在自然中觀察到的物理常數，作為質量、時間等重要概念的根基，這意味著我們能夠在穩固的基礎上取得科學知識進展、發展新科技，並且應對社會上最艱困的挑戰。」

Barry Inglis, who heads the committee for weights and measures, said the implications were immense. “We will now no longer be bound by the limitations of objects in our measurement of the world, but have universally accessible units that can pave the way to even greater accuracy, and even accelerate scientific advancement,” he said.

國際度量衡委員會的會長貝瑞‧英格里斯指出，這項決議背後的含義重大：「從今以後，我們對世界的測量將不會受限於物體的侷限性，反而能夠擁有舉世可得的各種單位，為更加精準的測量鋪下坦途，甚至是加速科學發展。」

It is arguably the most significant redefinition of an SI unit since the second was recalculated in 1967, a decision that helped ease communication across the world via technologies like GPS and the Internet. The new definitions agreed by the BIPM will come into force on May 20, next year.(Reuters)

就國際單位制而言，這項決議可以說是自一九六七年重新計算「秒」後，最具意義的重新定義。當年重新計算「秒」的決議，協助了全球定位系統和網路等科技發展，讓全球的通訊系統大獲進展。國際度量衡局此回通過的多項新定義將自明年五月二十日生效。（台北時報章厚明譯）

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/11/25/2003704856/2

 

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每日跟讀#475: How much a kilogram weighs depends on the ‘Planck constant’

It may not change how you buy bananas, but scientists have voted to redefine the value of a kilogram, in what they called a landmark decision that will boost the accuracy of scientific measurements. Since 1889, a kilogram has been defined by a shiny lump of platinum-iridium kept in a special glass case and known as the International Prototype of the Kilogram. It is housed at the headquarters of the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (whose French acronym is BIPM), just outside Paris.

這個改變或許不會影響你買香蕉的方式。不過，在日前一項被譽為有望提升科學測量準確度的劃時代決定中，科學家表決通過對一公斤的數值重新定義。自一八八九年以來，一公斤的重量由一塊鉑銥合金定義，這塊閃閃發光的金屬稱作「國際公斤原器」，被保存在特別的玻璃櫃中，目前存放於巴黎近郊的國際度量衡局（法文首字母縮寫為「BIPM」）總部。

Members of the BIPM, which groups 60 nations, agreed on Nov. 16 after a week-long meeting at the nearby Palace of Versailles to redefine the kilogram in terms of a tiny but unchanging value called the “Planck constant.” They also voted to update definitions for the ampere (electrical current), the kelvin (thermodynamic temperature) and the mole (amount of a substance).

來自大約六十個國家的國際度量衡局會員，日前齊聚鄰近的凡爾賽宮，召開長達一星期的會議，並於十一月十六日做出決議：根據微小卻不會變動的「普朗克常數」數值，重新定義一公斤。會員們也決議更新安培（電流）、克耳文（熱力學溫度）以及莫耳（物質的量）等單位的定義。

All modern mass measurements are derived from the kilogram, whether micrograms of pharmaceutical medicine or gold dust, kilos of fruit or fish, or tonnes of steel. The problem is that the prototype doesn’t always weigh the same. Even inside its three glass bell jars it picks up microparticles of dirt and is affected by the atmosphere. Sometimes it needs cleaning, which can affect its mass.

無論是藥學醫療或是砂金使用的微公克（一公克的百萬分之一）、買水果或是賣魚時使用的公斤，還是鋼鐵的公噸，現代的各種質量測定都衍生自公斤。問題在於，「國際公斤原器」無法一直維持相同的重量。就算保存在三層鐘型玻璃罩裡面，原器還是會沾染灰塵的微粒子，也會受大氣影響。有時原器需要清潔，這又會影響其質量。

That can have profound implications. If the prototype were to lose mass, atoms would in theory weigh more since the base kilogram must by definition always weigh a kilogram. Scientists have been trying for decades to define a constant value for the kilogram that is derived from immutable physics, in the same way they have done for other standard units (SI units) overseen by the BIPM.

這個問題的牽涉層面相當廣泛：如果原器損失質量，理論上原子就會變重，畢竟這個基礎公斤在定義上就是重達一公斤。數十年來，科學家一直試圖藉由恆常不變的物理學，用一個固定的數值定義公斤，這也是他們先前在國際度量衡局監督下為其他標準單位（國際單位制）完成的相同目標。

For example, a meter isn’t 100 centimeters, it’s actually “the length of the path travelled by light in a vacuum during a time interval of 1/299,792,458 of a second.” The “Planck constant,” which derives from quantum physics, can be used along with a Kibble balance, an exquisitely accurate weighing machine, to calculate the mass of an object using a precisely measured electromagnetic force.

舉例而言，一公尺並非一百公分，實際上應為「光在真空中於兩億九千九百七十九萬兩千四百五十八分之一秒內行進的距離」。從量子力學中導出的「普朗克常數」可以和極度精確的秤重儀器「基布爾秤」一起應用，藉由精準測量出的電磁力來計算一個物體的質量。

“The SI redefinition is a landmark moment in scientific progress,” said Martin Milton, director of the BIPM. “Using the fundamental constants we observe in nature as a foundation for important concepts such as mass and time means that we have a stable foundation from which to advance our scientific understanding, develop new technologies and address some of society’s greatest challenges.”

國際度量衡局的局長馬汀‧米爾頓表示：「對於國際單位制的重新定義是科學進展過程中的重大里程碑。」他也進一步指出：「藉由運用我們在自然中觀察到的物理常數，作為質量、時間等重要概念的根基，這意味著我們能夠在穩固的基礎上取得科學知識進展、發展新科技，並且應對社會上最艱困的挑戰。」

Barry Inglis, who heads the committee for weights and measures, said the implications were immense. “We will now no longer be bound by the limitations of objects in our measurement of the world, but have universally accessible units that can pave the way to even greater accuracy, and even accelerate scientific advancement,” he said.

國際度量衡委員會的會長貝瑞‧英格里斯指出，這項決議背後的含義重大：「從今以後，我們對世界的測量將不會受限於物體的侷限性，反而能夠擁有舉世可得的各種單位，為更加精準的測量鋪下坦途，甚至是加速科學發展。」

It is arguably the most significant redefinition of an SI unit since the second was recalculated in 1967, a decision that helped ease communication across the world via technologies like GPS and the Internet. The new definitions agreed by the BIPM will come into force on May 20, next year.(Reuters)

就國際單位制而言，這項決議可以說是自一九六七年重新計算「秒」後，最具意義的重新定義。當年重新計算「秒」的決議，協助了全球定位系統和網路等科技發展，讓全球的通訊系統大獲進展。國際度量衡局此回通過的多項新定義將自明年五月二十日生效。（台北時報章厚明譯）

Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/11/25/2003704856/2

 

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每日跟讀#474: Listen Carefully, Book Lovers: Top Authors Are Skipping Print

 

When Michael Lewis had an idea for his next book, a contemporary political narrative, he decided he would test it out first as a 10,000-word magazine article, as he often does before committing to a yearslong project.

當麥可．路易士有了下一本書的構想，是一個當代政治故事，在投入持續一年的創作計畫前，他決定依照往例，先用一萬字的雜誌文章試水溫。

But this time he made a surprising pivot. Instead of publishing the story in Vanity Fair, where he has been a contributing writer for nearly a decade, he sold it to Audible, the audiobook publisher and retailer.

不過這次他做了一項出人意表的關鍵動作。他沒有把文章交給擔任特約作家近十年的浮華世界雜誌出版，而是賣給有聲書出版及零售商Audible。

“You’re not going to be able to read it, you’re only going to be able to listen to it,” Lewis said. “I’ve become Audible’s first magazine writer.”

路易士說：「你無法閱讀它，你只能夠聽它。我成為Audible的第一個雜誌作家。」

Lewis is part of a growing group of A-list authors bypassing print and releasing audiobook originals, hoping to take advantage of the exploding audiobook market. It’s the latest sign that audiobooks are no longer an appendage of print, but a creative medium in their own right. But the rise of stand-alone audio has also made some traditional publishers nervous, as Audible strikes deals directly with writers, including best-selling authors like historian Robert Caro and novelist Jeffery Deaver.

路易士是跳過紙本書籍、發行原版有聲書的暢銷作家之一，這個成長中的族群希望把握有聲書市場爆發的良機。而這也是個最新的跡象，顯示有聲書不再是紙本書的附屬品，已自成一種創意媒介。而這種獨立有聲書的興起，例如Audible直接和作家簽約，包括歷史學家羅伯特．卡羅和小說家傑佛瑞．狄佛等暢銷書作家，也讓一些傳統出版商感到緊張。

Audible, which is owned by Amazon and the biggest player with more than 425,000 titles in its online store, has an enormous advantage in this increasingly crowded arena. Amazon has been pushing audiobooks on its platform, listing them as “free” with a trial Audible membership, which costs $15 a month, and includes a book each month. (The typical price of a la carte audiobooks ranges from about $15 to $40 depending on the length.)

屬於亞馬遜旗下的Audible是最大的有聲書商，它的線上商店有超過42萬5千冊書，在這日益擁擠的市場中享有巨大優勢。亞馬遜一直在自家平台推動有聲書，在Audible試用會員期間，有聲書是免費的；會員月費15美元，每月贈送一本書。（通常單本有聲書的售價從大約15美元到40美元不等，取決於其長度。）

In the past five years, Hachette has doubled the number of audiobooks it produces; it will release about 700 titles this year. Penguin Random House will put out roughly 1,200 audio titles, up from 652 in 2014, and now has 15 recording studios. Macmillan Audio will release 470 audiobooks this year, a 46 percent increase over 2017. Two of the company’s biggest recent hits are the audiobooks for James Comey’s “A Higher Loyalty,” which has sold more than 167,000 copies, and Michael Wolff’s “Fire and Fury,” which sold about 320,000.

五年來，阿歇特出版的有聲書數量已經翻倍，今年將出版約700冊。比起2014年的652冊，企鵝藍燈書屋今年將出版約1200冊有聲書，目前擁有15座錄音室。麥克米倫公司有聲書部門今年將發行470冊，比2017年多了46%。這家出版社最近最暢銷的書中就有兩本是有聲書，分別是詹姆斯．柯米的「更高的忠誠」，已售出超過16萬7000冊；以及麥可．沃夫的「烈焰與怒火」，約售出32萬冊。

Ellen Archer, president of HMH Trade Publishing, said she expects the audio release will boost print sales, rather than cannibalizing them. “The marketing muscle they’re going to put behind this book is going to drive interest in the print version,” she said.

霍頓．米夫林．哈考特貿易出版集團總裁艾倫．亞徹說，她預期有聲書的發行能提升紙本書銷售，而非吞食紙本。她說：「他們投入有聲書的行銷資源，將帶動對紙本書的興趣。」

Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/330427/web/

文／Alexandra Alter譯／莊蕙嘉

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