Hey there! You’re listening to an all-new episode of News Bites.

I’m Jacob Ingram.

And I’m Paz Bueno.

In today’s news:

Unlimited travel, and ultra-processed foods!

And in today’s Tasty Tidbit…

Did you know that the average temperature on the surface of the planet Venus (金星) is as hot as a wood-fired pizza oven?

Keep on listening to learn more about that, coming up next!

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T-Pass將台北的交通減少7.3%

T-Pass Reduces Traffic in Taipei by 7.3%

Have you heard of T-Pass?

你聼說過T-Pass嗎？

Can’t say that I have.

Why don’t you tell me more?

It’s a monthly transport pass for northern Taiwan, granting users (使用者) unlimited travel on buses and the MRT.

It even includes YouBike.

Wait, did you say ‘unlimited travel’ (無限旅行)?

I did indeed!

沒錯!

That means you can take as many journeys as you want, without having to pay extra.

And you only have to top up (加值) once per month.

Gee, that’s pretty handy for getting around.

這對出遊來說非常方便。

You’ll be able to save money on travel fares too.

還可以節省旅行費用。

What’s more, is that since July 2023, over 2 million passes have been sold.

This has resulted in a 7.3 percent reduction in Taipei traffic.

As you may know, it’s very busy in the city, especially during rush hour.

Less traffic not only eases road conditions (不僅可以緩解道路狀況), but also it’s good for the planet.

With fewer vehicles on the road, there's a decrease in air pollution (空氣汙染) and greenhouse gas emissions (溫室氣體排放), contributing to a better living environment.

因交通減少而空氣汙染與溫室氣體排放量降低，藉以營造更為良好的生活環境。

Well, I better go get a T-Pass right away!

那麼我馬上去弄一張T-Pass!

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【超加工食品】是甚麽東西？

What Are Ultra-Processed Foods?

Processed foods are those that have been changed from their natural state.

加工食品是指那些經過自然狀態改變的食品。

This can involve adding artificial ingredients (化學添加).

Artificial ingredients include preservatives, which is stuff to make them last longer, flavor enhancers like MSG (味精), and colorings, to name a few.

化學添加物包括可延長保存期限的防腐劑、味精等增味劑及色素等。

They can be found almost everywhere, in the supermarkets, convenience stores, and in night markets.

Some examples include instant hot pot, dried noodles, convenience store bento boxes, frozen pizzas, instant ramen, and … bubble tea (珍珠奶茶).

Oh man, but I like bubble tea!

Ultra-processed foods, on the other hand, contain ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens”, or stuff that make them “more appealing” (更有吸引力).

For example, dou gan (豆干) contains certain chemicals to improve its texture (口感).

Therefore dou gan is considered an ultra-processed food.

Oh well … I guess I have to say ‘bye bye’ to Dou Gan.

Some other examples include chicken nuggets, soda, French fries, and even some types of yogurt.

Eating too many processed and ultra-processed foods is unhealthy (不健康).

They contain things that aren’t good for our bodies.

That’s why it's always a good idea have a balanced diet (均衡飲食).

Eating a variety of fresh and non-processed foods is important for better health.

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So, in today’s News Bites:

Over 2 million sold T-Passes has resulted in 7.3% less traffic in Taipei.

This eases road conditions, and improves the environment.

With fewer vehicles on the road, there's a decrease in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to a better living environment.

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And …

Processed foods are foods that have been changed a bit from how they're found in nature.

Ultra-processed foods contain ingredients rarely used at home, like chemical agents.

Both types of foods aren’t good for our bodies, so we should try to eat less of them!

Eating a variety of fresh and non-processed foods is important for better health.

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趣味小點

Tasty Tidbit

Venus, often called Earth's twin, is very different from our planet.

And did you know?

The planet is named after the Roman goddess of love and beauty!

It's extremely hot, hot enough to melt lead.

Venus spins in the opposite direction to Earth, and its days are longer than its years.

Long ago, Venus might have had oceans, but now it's dry and rocky.

We study Venus to learn about other planets.

Venus is super-hot because it has lots of carbon dioxide in its atmosphere and it's closer to the Sun, making its surface very, very hot.

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If you have a fun fact or a joke you’d like to share with us, record your message and send us your Tasty Tidbit to [email protected], and you might hear it at the end of an episode!

We’ll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!