通勤學英語 15Mins Today

「挺你所想，與你一起生活的銀行」

回饋加碼賺~好康別錯過！ 

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—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

你有沒有那種感覺？明明睡了七八個小時，隔天還是昏昏沉沉。背了好幾遍的英文單字，過兩天又全忘光。問題不一定是你不夠努力——很可能是你的大腦，已經在默默過載了。這集幕後教師室，John老師跟阿鍵老師來聊一本由澳洲腦神經科學家寫的書：Future Brain（中文版叫《啟動未來大腦》），不是教你怎麼更拼，而是教你怎麼讓腦袋用得更久、更好。

你的大腦不是機器，但它也會過熱

現代人的腦其實承受著大量看不見的刺激。台股開盤、LINE群組通知、客戶email、下班前還要趕一份報告——你可能沒有特別焦慮，但這些東西全都在消耗你的認知資源，你根本不知道。

這本書的作者 Dr. Jenny Brockis 就是活生生的例子。他本身是腦神經科學家，結果有一天因為用腦過度，直接昏倒了。昏過去才開始認真研究：到底要怎麼保養大腦？

好消息是，你的大腦天生有「神經可塑性」。就算年紀到了，只要持續給它適當的刺激，神經迴路是可以維持、甚至繼續建立連結的。這跟上次講的 Jim Kwik 有點像，差別在於 Kwik 是腦部曾受傷後需要重建，而 Dr. Jenny 的重點是：不要讓它退化。

Learning 就是一種 stimulation。阿鍵老師說，就算只是把英文 podcast 放著聽——像我們的 Daily Shadowing——光是讓耳朵接觸那個頻率，對大腦就已經是一種低強度的刺激。不一定要每個字都聽懂，維持這個習慣本身就有意義。在台北捷運上通勤學英文，不用強迫自己每天坐在書桌前硬K，效果也能慢慢累積。

為什麼一邊寫報告一邊接電話，兩件事都做不好

Dr. Jenny Brockis 第二個重點講的是「認知頻寬」。你的大腦在同一時間能認真處理的事情是有限的——這個上限，他叫做 Cognitive Bandwidth。

想像一下竹科的工程師，上午要 code review，中午還沒吃完飯要回 Slack，下午開會前還要填一張請假單。這幾件事用到的腦的部位根本不一樣，一直切換，其實非常耗電。John老師說他自己早就有這個自我保護機制：打電話就把今天所有要打的電話一起打完，key 資料就把今天的表單一次處理完，雷同的事情集中做，這樣情緒才不會變得煩躁雜亂。

Dr. Jenny 的建議很直接：single tasking。不要再幻想 multitasking 很厲害了，那只是在快速消耗你的頻寬。阿鍵老師說，番茄鐘就是一個很實際的做法——固定一段時間只做一件事，然後換。把手機螢幕朝下放，給自己半小時不被 TikTok 打斷，專注力才有機會找回來。這其實也和英文學習有關：你如果學習時一直在切換、分心，那個東西根本進不去腦袋。

睡覺不是浪費時間，是你腦袋的 defrag

最後一點，也是 John老師說他個人最喜歡的一點：睡眠。

Dr. Jenny 說得很清楚，睡覺的時候你的大腦不是在休息，它在工作——在整理記憶、清除白天累積的毒素、把短期記憶轉存成長期記憶。阿鍵老師打了個比喻，就像以前電腦 HDD 時代要定期跑 defrag，睡眠就是這個過程。你白天塞進去的東西，要靠睡覺才能真的存進去。

所以如果你常常覺得背單字背了又忘、怎麼樣就是記不住，很可能不是你記憶力差，而是你睡不夠，或是睡眠品質太差，短期記憶根本來不及轉檔。

John老師還提到 Shohei Ohtani——一個連睡覺溫度都要管控到精準的人，homerun 打得比誰都多。反過來說，在台北加班到十一點、回家又滑手機看美股夜盤，然後說自己學英文學不進去？大腦沒睡飽，再努力也是白搭。

這集最後，兩位老師給了一個睡前小挑戰：睡前從今天的 Café 或 Daily Shadowing 挑一句喜歡的 idiom 或 phrase，念個兩遍，然後蓋起來去睡覺。隔天看看還記不記得。有點像讓大腦自己去跑 defrag，看看早上開機有沒有把那個檔案存進來。

試過的人歡迎分享！

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你有經歷過入住飯店的負面體驗嗎？本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Angel 老師要來聊聊旅行中那些讓人當場腿軟、隔天還心有餘悸的飯店奇遇，更誇張的是：這些可都是掛著四星、五星招牌的飯店！
出門在外，飯店就是你的家。但如果這個「家」讓你覺得毛骨悚然，甚至遇上了不想見到的東西，你知道該怎麼辦嗎？這集兩位老師不只分享親身經歷，更教你面對突發狀況時，如何用英文冷靜、有力地和飯店交涉，讓自己不吃虧。
Have you ever had a negative experience staying at a hotel? This week on English Cafe, John and Angel discuss those spine-chilling hotel encounters during travels that leave you shaken on the spot and haunted the next day—and the crazier part is: these are all supposedly four-star and five-star hotels!
When you're away from home, the hotel becomes your temporary home. But what do you do if this "home" gives you the creeps or you encounter something you'd rather not see? In this episode, the two hosts not only share their personal experiences but also teach you how to calmly and assertively negotiate with hotel staff in English when facing unexpected situations, so you don't end up at a disadvantage.

「挺你所想，與你一起生活的銀行」

回饋加碼賺~好康別錯過！ 

即日起至2026/8/31完成註冊網路投保會員、預約網路投保提醒並登錄可獲OPENPOINT點數；完成線上投保可抽旅遊金。 

透過APP可一次查看保險資訊，線上快速投保。

了解更多活動訊息 https://fstry.pse.is/95shpr

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L212: Taiwan's Literary Breakthrough on the World Stage
Highlights 主題摘要

On the evening of May 19, in the Turbine Hall at London's Tate Modern, Taiwan's literary world claimed a milestone it had long been working toward. Yáng Shuāng-zǐ's Taiwan Travelogue, translated into English by Lin King, was awarded the 2026 International Booker Prize — the first Mandarin Chinese novel ever to win the honour, and the first victory for Taiwanese and Taiwanese-American writers in the award's ten-year history. Jury chair Natasha Brown described the book as "captivating, slyly sophisticated," praising its ability to succeed as both a romance and an incisive postcolonial novel. The £50,000 prize was split equally between author and translator.
5月19日夜晚，在倫敦泰特現代美術館渦輪大廳，臺灣文學迎來期盼已久的歷史時刻。由金翎翻譯的楊双子小說《臺灣漫遊錄》英譯本，榮獲2026年國際布克獎，成為首部獲此殊榮的華語小說，楊双子與金翎也成為該獎創立十年來首位獲獎的臺灣與臺裔美國人。評審團主席娜塔夏．布朗盛讚這部作品「迷人且暗藏機鋒」，直言它同時是一部動人的愛情故事，也是一部犀利的後殖民小說。五萬英鎊獎金由作者與譯者平分。
Taiwan Travelogue is structured as a fictional Mandarin translation of a rediscovered 1938 Japanese travel memoir, layering colonialism, language politics, and culinary desire into a single narrative. Set in Japanese-controlled Taiwan, the novel follows a Japanese writer and her Taiwanese interpreter as their relationship deepens over an island-wide food tour. This intricate metafictional conceit — a novel about translation, itself requiring translation — placed extraordinary demands on Lin King. Rather than adopting the conventional ideal of an "invisible" translator, King took a maximalist approach to visibility: the English edition includes translator footnotes, a preface, an afterword, and three distinct romanisation systems for the same written Chinese characters, deliberately refusing to simplify Taiwan's multilingual colonial reality.
《臺灣漫遊錄》以偽託1938年日文遊記的形式寫成，將殖民歷史、語言政治與飲食慾望交織於同一敘事之中。故事以日治時期的臺灣為背景，描繪一位日本女作家與她的臺灣女通譯在環島美食之旅中逐漸加深的情誼。這部後設小說本身即是一部關於翻譯的作品，卻同樣需要翻譯（才能推往國際），對英譯者金翎而言挑戰格外艱鉅。她一反「譯者隱形」的慣例，選擇以極繁主義的方式讓譯者現身：英譯本設有譯者注腳、序言與後記，並為相同的漢字保留三套不同的羅馬拼音系統，刻意拒絕將臺灣多語言、多族群的殖民現實簡化處理。

The path to publication was itself a story of calculated risk-taking by outsider institutions. The American edition was released in 2024 by Graywolf Press, a Minnesota-based non-profit literary publisher, edited by Japanese-American editor Yuka Igarashi, who worked closely with King on the English edition's complex footnote apparatus. The UK edition, released in March 2026 by Sheffield-based And Other Stories — a subscription-funded social enterprise — came after an earlier UK publisher refused to place the translator's name on the cover. Since winning the prize, the English edition has sold over 10,000 copies in the UK alone, while the original Mandarin edition has sold out across Taiwan and gone into emergency reprints.
出版之路本身也是一場以小博大的冒險。美國版由明尼蘇達州非營利文學出版社 Graywolf Press 於2024年出版，日裔美國編輯 Yuka Igarashi 與金翎密切合作，共同完善英譯本複雜的注腳體系。英國版由謝菲爾德的社會企業出版社 And Other Stories 於2026年3月出版，此前另一家英國出版社因拒絕將譯者姓名列於封面，金翎便轉而尋求他處合作。獲獎後，英國版銷量已突破一萬冊，臺灣原著則迅速售罄，出版社緊急加印。

The prize has reverberated well beyond Britain. The Japanese translation had already shattered records for Taiwanese literature in Japan, selling over 23,000 copies, and briefly topped Amazon Japan's literary rankings following the announcement. Rights enquiries have since arrived from Sweden, Hungary, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Telugu-speaking market in India, with German and Italian editions scheduled for 2027. In her acceptance speech, Lin King framed the win in explicitly political terms, pledging to translate only Taiwanese works until the island's sovereignty is no longer treated as "a provocation or a joke" in the English-speaking world. Yáng, in turn, declared that literature, however quiet and slow, never abandons its conviction — and never stops reaching across borders.
這座獎項的震盪遠不止於英國。日文版早已刷新臺灣文學在日本的銷售紀錄，發行量逾2.3萬冊，獲獎消息傳出後更一度登上日本亞馬遜文學類榜首。瑞典、匈牙利、印尼、越南及印度泰盧固語等版本的版權洽談相繼展開，德文版與義大利文版預定2027年出版。金翎在致詞中明確表態，她將持續只翻譯臺灣作品，直到臺灣主權在英語世界不再被當作「挑釁或笑話」。楊双子則說，文學看似緩慢，卻始終堅定前行，從未放棄信念，也從未停止跨越邊界。
Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Postcolonial [adjective, relating to the cultural, political, or social legacy of former colonial rule]: The author took a postcolonial view of her country's history.Metafictional [adjective, describing fiction that self-consciously draws attention to its own nature as a constructed narrative]: The metafictional novel reminded readers they were reading a story.Maximalist [adjective, using elaborate, complex, or layered detail as a deliberate artistic choice]: The maximalist design packed every inch with colour and texture.Reverberate [verb, to have a lasting or wide-reaching effect]: The election result reverberated across the entire region.Rights enquiries [noun phrase, formal expressions of interest from publishers seeking to acquire permission to publish a work in a new language or territory]: Rights enquiries flooded in after the award was announced.

Reference article:
1. https://www.twreporter.org/a/taiwan-travelogue-from-taiwan-to-the-world
2. https://www.moc.gov.tw/News_Content.aspx?n=105&s=255699

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Hi there! 歡迎收聽 Look Back Sunday 回顧星期天，在這個節目 John 老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽英國相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic 1: Subway bread isn't bread, Irish court says

Ireland's Supreme Court has ruled that bread sold by the fast food chain Subway contains so much sugar that it cannot be legally defined as bread. 愛爾蘭最高法院裁定，速食連鎖店「賽百味」的麵包含有太多糖，不符合法律上麵包的定義。

The ruling came in a tax dispute brought by Bookfinders Ltd., an Irish Subway franchisee, which argued that some of its takeaway products — including teas, coffees and heated sandwiches — were not liable for value-added tax. 愛爾蘭的賽百味加盟商 Bookfinders 因稅務爭端提出訴訟後，最高法院做出此一裁決。該公司主張，他們部分外帶產品—包含茶飲、咖啡和加熱三明治—不該被徵收加值型營業稅。

A panel of judges rejected the appeal, ruling that the bread sold by Subway contains too much sugar to be categorized as a "staple food," which is not taxed. 合議庭拒絕上訴主張，裁定賽百味販售的麵包含糖量太高，不得被歸類為不用課稅的「主食」。
"There is no dispute that the bread supplied by Subway in its heated sandwiches has a sugar content of 10% of the weight of the flour included in the dough, and thus exceeds the 2% specified," the judgement read. 判決書指出：「賽百味在加熱三明治中提供的麵包，含糖量是麵糰中麵粉重量的 10%，超過規定的 2%，這點沒有爭議。」

Topic 2: British inventor wins $1m prize for revolutionary wheelchair design｜英國發明家以創新的輪椅設計贏得 100 萬獎金

Andrew Slorance, 51, has won a $1m prize to help him continue to develop a revolutionary ultra-light, stable carbon fibre wheelchair. 51 歲的安德魯．斯洛蘭司贏得 100 萬美元的獎金，幫助他繼續研發一款創新、超輕、穩定的碳纖維輪椅。

He was aware of how tipping over backwards was the primary cause of accidents for wheelchair users. One way to deal with this is by having the axle to the back of the wheelchair and putting the user's weight to the front of it — but this brings new challenges. 他發現向後傾斜是輪椅使用者發生意外的主因。一種解決此問題的方法是，將輪軸放在輪椅後方，並將使用者的重量置於前方，但這種方法也帶來新的挑戰。

When the weight is carried by the small front wheels, this adds drag, making pushing and turning much more difficult, and introducing uncomfortable vibrations that can cause pain and muscle spasms. 當重量由小的前輪支撐時，會增加阻力，讓推動與轉動變得更困難，並且造成不舒服的震動，可能會引起疼痛與抽筋。

Wheelchair designs have previously had to make a trade-off between agility and stability, but Mr Slorance's new design allows the wheelchair to automatically change the weight distribution itself, keeping users balanced while also ensuring they're as agile as possible. 輪椅設計過去已在靈活與穩定性間做出妥協，但斯洛蘭司的新設計讓輪椅可以自動改變自身重量分配，讓使用者維持平衡，也確保他們盡可能地靈活。

Topic 3: UK company sells 'bottles of air' for homesick people

The recent outbreak of new variants of the coronavirus in the U.K. has led to more than 40 countries imposing a travel ban on the nation, resulting in many British nationals being unable to return home. 英國國際行李搬家服務公司 My Baggage 近日推出「空氣罐」，讓英國人透過呼吸家鄉空氣，一解鄉愁。近期英國出現 2019 冠狀病毒疾病新變種病毒，超過 40 國對英國祭出交通禁令，導致目前許多英國人無法返回家鄉。

In light of this observation, My Baggage, a relocation company based in the U.K., has recently launched the "bottled air" which allows customers to relieve their nostalgia by breathing in the air of their home country. 根據 CNN 報導，My Baggage 推出新產品，販賣「真正」來自英國、蘇格蘭、威爾斯和北愛爾蘭的空氣，讓身在海外的英國人能聞到家鄉的味道。

According to CNN, My Baggage is currently selling "authentic" air from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to provide Brits overseas to enjoy the scent of home. 空氣罐要價不斐，每瓶 500 毫升定價 25 英鎊（約新台幣 942 元）。購買空氣瓶的買家會收到附贈的軟木塞，方便隨時可開啟，慢慢享受家鄉的氣味。

Each 500 ml air bottle is priced at £25 (about NT$942). A bottle will come with a cork stopper so that people can enjoy the scent of home at any time. 除了英國之外，這家搬運公司還有提供客製化服務，顧客可提出地點，公司會前往指定地點裝滿空氣瓶再送到顧客手中。
What's more? The company also offers a customized service that people can request a location and the company will go to the specified location to fill the bottles and deliver them to you. My Baggage 表示，他們曾經遇到一位來自威爾斯的顧客，指定要位在北威爾斯史諾多尼亞山區的空氣。

Also, special limited edition bottles featuring air taken from the London Underground or a fish and chip shop in Norfolk are also available. 此外，這系列產品還有推出限量版空氣，包括裝有倫敦地鐵、以及一間位於諾福克炸魚薯條店的空氣罐。

Topic 4: Scotland is making tampons and pads free

Scotland has become the first country to allow free and universal access to menstrual products, including tampons and pads, in public facilities, a landmark victory for the global movement against period poverty. 蘇格蘭成為世界首個在公共設施免費向所有人供應衛生棉條和衛生護墊等生理期用品的國家，這是全球對抗月經貧困運動的一次里程碑式勝利。

The Scottish Parliament voted unanimously in favor of the Period Products bill on Tuesday, months after lawmakers had initially signaled their support. 在國會議員初步表示支持之後數月，蘇格蘭議會週二一致投票通過月經用品法案。
It means period products will be available to access in public buildings including schools and universities across Scotland.
According to the new rules, it will be up to local authorities and education providers to ensure the products are available free of charge. 這意味著蘇格蘭各地包括中小學和大學在內的公共場所將會免費提供月經用品。根據新法規，地方政府部門和教育機構將確保免費供應月經用品。

The bill's accompanying financial memorandum estimates it could cost around £8.7 million a year by 2022, depending on the number of women who will take advantage of the free products. 該法案附帶的財務備忘錄估計，到 2022 年，該免費項目每年將耗資約 870 萬英鎊（約 3.3 億台幣），具體數目取決於領用免費月經用品的女性數量。

Topic 5: BBC announces probe into 1995 Diana interview｜BBC 宣布調查 1995 年黛妃專訪

The BBC announced Wednesday the immediate start of an investigation into how it obtained an explosive 1995 interview with Princess Diana that lifted the lid on her troubled marriage to Prince Charles. 英國廣播公司（BBC）週三宣布，將立即就該公司如何在 1995 年讓黛安娜王妃同意接受驚世專訪、揭露她與王儲查爾斯的婚姻問題重重一事，展開調查。

The late princess' brother, Charles Spencer, has alleged that the flagship "Panorama" programme reporter who conducted the interview, Martin Bashir, showed him faked documents to persuade his sister to take part. 這位已故王妃的胞弟查爾斯．史賓塞宣稱，專訪黛妃的 BBC 招牌節目「萬象」的記者馬丁．巴席爾，曾向他展示造假檔案以說服他胞姊受訪。

New reports have surfaced alleging that Bashir used underhand methods to persuade Diana to talk, including by claiming her own staff members were being paid to spy on her. 新出現的報導指稱，巴席爾以不入流的手段說服黛妃受訪，包括宣稱她的幕僚收錢監視她。
In the November 1995 interview, which was watched by a record 22.8 million people, Diana detailed her collapsing marriage to the heir to the throne. 在 1995 年 11 月這段有破紀錄的 2280 萬人觀看的專訪中，黛妃詳述她與王儲之間瀕臨瓦解的婚姻。

Topic 6: How American Guns Are Fueling U.K. Crime

Josh Bains was 28 when he was killed after an argument over a drug debt of about $50 just a few miles from the English village where he grew up — with a gun that had traveled thousands of miles from America. 貝恩斯因為欠下約 50 美元買毒債與人起爭執後遇害，年僅 28 歲，遇害處離他成長的英格蘭村落只有幾哩，奪命的槍枝卻遠從數千哩外的美國而來。

His was one of a rising number of gun deaths in recent years that have British authorities worried about an expanding smuggling pipeline from the United States. The gun used to kill Bains in October 2018 — a Taurus Model 85 — is banned outright in Britain. 英國近年來像貝恩斯這樣的槍擊案死者愈來愈多，令當局對英美之間走私網日漸擴大感到憂慮。2018 年 10 月用來殺害貝恩斯的這支金牛座 M85 左輪手槍，在英國完全禁用。

"I think Americans wouldn't believe that something that they produce could affect people like us," said Clare Bains, who was Bains' stepmother. "If there weren't all these guns, they wouldn't be seeping out of America all over the world." 貝恩斯的繼母克萊兒說：「美國人不會相信，他們製造的東西竟會影響到我們這樣的人。要是沒有這麼多槍，就不會流出美國，跑到世界各地。」

Gun deaths remain extremely rare in Britain, and very few people, even police officers, carry firearms. But the growing presence of U.S. weapons on the streets, which has not previously been widely reported, comes as serious violent crime, like murders and stabbings, has risen sharply. 英國死於槍擊案者極少，而且少有人攜帶槍械，包括警察，不過美國武器在英國街頭愈來愈常見，這種現象先前未獲廣泛報導，同時，謀殺和持刀傷人等嚴重暴力罪案亦遽增。

Most illegal firearms in Britain still come from Europe. But investigators seized hundreds of smuggled U.S. guns last year, a small figure by international standards, though experts say the number that police do not discover is likely to be far higher. 英國非法槍枝多數仍來自歐陸，不過去年調查人員查扣數以百計走私入境的美國槍枝，以國際標準而言算少，但專家指出未查獲的可能遠多於此。

British police have traced some of the smuggled U.S. guns back to loosely regulated gun fairs in states like Florida. Investigators have also seized U.S. weapons being smuggled on a container ship and hidden in car engines. 英國警方查出，走私的美國槍枝部分來自佛州等地管理鬆散的槍械展，調查人員還沒收了藉貨櫃船走私和藏在汽車引擎中的美國武器。

Now authorities fear that after Brexit, when borders with the European Union will be more tightly regulated, the illegal gun trade from the United States could accelerate, especially given the Trump administration's broad support for the gun industry. 現在英國當局擔心，英國脫離歐盟導致英歐邊界管制收緊之後，來自美國的私槍會大增，在川普政府力挺槍枝產業的背景下，尤其如此。

"A major Trump administration goal is to globalize the firearms trade and facilitate exports, and if you're facilitating legal exports, it's almost inevitable that there will be an illegal diversion of weapons into criminal markets in other countries," said Aaron Karp, a senior consultant for the Small Arms Survey in Geneva and a lecturer at Old Dominion University in Virginia. 瑞士日內瓦「小型武器調查」研究計畫高級顧問、美國維吉尼亞州老道明大學講師卡普說：「川普政府一大目標是，使槍枝貿易全球化並促進槍枝出口，而如果美國推動合法槍枝出口，難免會有部分非法武器流入他國的犯罪市場。」

The United States is one of the biggest legal exporters of firearms in the world, but hundreds of thousands of guns also illegally leak out of the country and fuel homicides, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean. 美國是最大合法槍枝出口國之一，卻有數以十萬計槍枝非法流出並助長殺人案，尤其在拉丁美洲和加勒比海地區。

In Britain, criminal groups primarily use knives for acts of violence. Knife crime reached a record high last year, accounting for around 2 out of every 5 killings. By comparison, only 33 people were killed with a gun. 在英國，犯罪團體主要持刀行凶，去年持刀所犯刑案創新高，約占殺人案五分之二，相較之下，只有 33 人死於槍擊。

But the number of illegal guns in circulation is growing. In the last year alone, gun seizures by Britain's national policing body, the National Crime Agency, more than doubled, and firearm offenses have soared by 38% since 2015. 然而，流通的非法槍枝不斷增加。單是這一年來，英國國家治安機關「國家刑事局」查扣的槍枝就比先前多出一倍以上，而且從 2015 年以來，槍枝犯罪激增了 38%。

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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你有沒有遇過那種尷尬——早上進公司，電梯裡剛好跟主管兩個人，沉默了三十秒，最後他先問「吃早餐了嗎？」然後你說「有」，然後就沒有然後了。這集 John老師跟阿鍵老師整理了五則國際新聞，每一則都可以直接拿去茶水間開話題，包括川習會、台灣在 WHO 場外辦展、台積電走勢、無人機改寫戰爭、日本牙齒再生藥、還有台灣人在 Britain's Got Talent 拿下 Golden Buzzer。
聊新聞不是要你變名嘴，是要你「有話說」
在辦公室待久了，你會發現那種什麼都懂、什麼都能聊兩句的同事，不一定是最認真看新聞的人。他們只是掌握了一個技巧：找一個切入點，然後讓對方說話。
John老師說，川習會這種大題目，一般人聊起來很容易陷入「然後呢、然後呢」的僵局。他的做法是反過來，不聊他們討論了什麼，而是聊他們沒說的。黃仁勳去了北京，出現在峰會現場，但整場會議裡，AI 這個字幾乎沒被正式提起。這件事本身就值得聊——一個大陸已經封鎖美國 AI 的時間點，偏偏帶著全球 AI 最重要的人去，然後什麼都不說。你把這個問題丟出去，對話就不會冷場了。
台灣人做事的方式，就是這樣
WHO 年度大會每年五月都讓台灣人很不爽。今年也是一樣，台灣又沒拿到入場資格。但台灣官方這次的反應很有意思——直接在日內瓦附近的飯店租場地，辦了一場醫療科技展，把台灣最新的東西全擺出來。
開大會開到一半的各國代表，散場之後剛好可以過來逛。阿鍵老師說，新聞報導那邊人氣蠻旺的，大家逛得很開心。這種事情用英文怎麼跟外國同事聊？很簡單，就說 Taiwan wasn't invited, so they set up their own show next door. 對方通常都會笑，然後話題就開了。
幾則新聞，各有各的切入點
無人機那篇，阿鍵老師說他在查資料的時候查到頭昏，論文一篇接一篇，結論就是無人機在烏俄戰爭裡的角色已經不只是輔助武器，而是整個改寫了作戰邏輯。這個話題如果有在注意台灣軍購新聞的人，聊起來特別有感。而且 John老師還補了一句「有在做投資的人可以自己查一下」，然後馬上說「這不是投資建議」，全場笑翻。
牙齒再生藥的那篇，日本已經進到第三期臨床試驗了。John老師說他牙齒很爛，非常需要這個藥。但他示範的 conversation opener 很好用：You know you can grow your tooth back now? 對方一定會說「真的假的」，話題就接上了。不用準備一大堆背景知識，一句話就夠。
然後是台灣之光的部分。一位台灣女生帶著 fire wheel 上了 Britain's Got Talent，用腳在耍火，評審直接按下 Golden Buzzer，直送決賽。這種 viral video，拿出手機播給同事看就好，什麼話都不用多說。
Water Cooler Talk 的精髓
這集其實有一個很核心的概念——Water Cooler Talk 不是在考你的知識量，是在練你「開頭」的能力。第一句話說出去，對方有反應，接下來就是對話，不是報告。
John老師說他平常都這樣：找一個奇怪的小細節，或一個讓人意外的事實，把它丟出去，然後問對方怎麼看。不需要有結論，不需要有立場，只要讓對話繼續就好。台北捷運通勤時間聽完這集，下車剛好夠你準備今天茶水間的開場白。

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你有發現嗎？好像最近大家都在聊錢的話題？台股屢創新高，身邊的人要不是在談投資就是在說賺了多少，「賺大錢」好像變成了這個時代僅次於AI的熱門關鍵字。本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Shimin 老師要透過一首歌，跟你一起來思考「錢」這件事。

今天要介紹的這首歌是 Jon Batiste 的《Big Money》。歌詞裡有一句話讓人印象深刻：「你可以買一棟房子，但買不到一個家。」對你來說，要有什麼東西才算是個家呢？另外，Shimin 老師也分享了一個讓人哭笑不得的親身經歷，保證聽了會心有戚戚焉！

Have you noticed? It seems like everyone's been talking about money lately? Taiwan's stock market keeps hitting new highs, people around you are either discussing investments or talking about how much they've made. "Making big money" seems to have become this era's hot keyword, second only to AI. This week on English Cafe, John and Shimin use a song to help you reflect on the topic of "money."

Today's featured song is "Big Money" by Jon Batiste. There's a memorable line in the lyrics: "You can buy a house, but you can't buy a home." What does it take for you to consider something a home? Additionally, Shimin shares a personal experience that's both funny and sad, guaranteed to resonate with listeners!

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L208: TSMC's Three-Front Strategy

Highlights 主題摘要

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co is extending its reach beyond data centres into the physical world. The chipmaker has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Sony Semiconductor Solutions to establish a joint venture focused on next-generation image sensors, targeting physical AI applications in automotive systems and robotics. Sony will serve as majority and controlling shareholder, with development and production lines housed at its newly constructed fab in Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Investments are structured in phases, contingent on market demand, and are expected to receive Japanese government support.

台積電正將觸角從資料中心延伸至實體世界。這家晶片巨頭與索尼半導體製造公司簽署非約束性合作備忘錄，計畫合組新公司開發次世代影像感測器，目標市場鎖定車用系統與機器人等實體 AI 應用。索尼將擔任合資公司的多數股東並握有控制權，研發與生產線設於其在日本熊本縣合志市的新廠。投資計畫將視市場需求分階段實施，並以取得日本政府支持為前提。

The arrangement reflects a deliberate strategic calculus: by anchoring the venture in Japan and ceding majority control to Sony, TSMC secures a foothold in the image sensor market while navigating the geopolitical pressures that increasingly dictate where advanced chips are made. Back in Taiwan, that same logic is driving an equally aggressive domestic push. Fab 15A in Central Taiwan Science Park, originally designed for 28nm and 22nm processes, is being overhauled to support 4nm production, with legacy equipment relocated to its Dresden facility in Germany for automotive and industrial use, at a total investment expected to exceed NT$100 billion.

這次的合作安排背後有清晰的戰略考量：將合資公司落腳日本、並將多數控制權讓予索尼，讓台積電得以在地緣政治日益主導先進晶片生產版圖的當下，悄然布局影像感測器市場。在台灣本土，同樣的邏輯也驅動著一場同等積極的擴產攻勢。位於中部科學園區的 Fab 15A 原以 28 奈米至 22 奈米成熟製程為主，目前正全面改建以支援 4 奈米生產，舊有設備移往德國德勒斯登廠，供應車用與工業市場，總投資預計超過新台幣千億元。

Separately, construction of a 1.4nm fab at the Phase 2 Central Taiwan site is running ahead of schedule, with trial production potentially beginning in the third quarter of 2027 and mass production targeted for the second half of 2028. Once all fabs at the complex are fully operational, the site is positioned to become the world's largest production base for AI and high-performance computing chips.

另一方面，台中二期園區 1.4 奈米新廠的建設進度超前，最快可望於 2027 年第三季展開試產，並以 2028 年下半年量產為目標。待園區各廠全數投入運作後，這座園區有望成為全球規模最大的 AI 與高效能運算晶片生產基地。

These moves come as TSMC reported April revenue of NT$410.7 billion, up 17.5 percent year-on-year — the company's slowest monthly gain since October. Analysts, however, expect second-quarter growth to accelerate to around 35 percent. The broader spending climate supports that optimism: Alphabet, Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have collectively committed US$725 billion to AI investment this year, well above earlier forecasts. TSMC has responded by raising its full-year sales guidance and signalling capital expenditure toward the upper end of a range reaching as high as US$56 billion. The message across all three fronts is consistent — the company is not letting up.

上述布局恰逢台積電公布四月份營收新台幣 4,107 億元，年增 17.5%，但增速為近六個月來最低。分析師預估第二季成長率將加速至約 35%。大環境同樣提供了樂觀的支撐：Alphabet、Amazon、Meta 與微軟今年合計承諾投入 7,250 億美元於 AI 建設，遠高於先前預期。台積電也隨之上調全年營收展望，並表示資本支出將趨向最高達 560 億美元預測區間的上緣。三條戰線傳遞的訊號一致，台積電並無放緩的打算。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Contingent on [adjective phrase, dependent on a specific condition being met]: The deal is contingent on regulatory approval.Strategic calculus [noun phrase, a careful weighing of risks and benefits behind a major decision]: Every expansion involves a strategic calculus about long-term gains.Overhauled [verb, past tense, to completely rebuild or restructure a facility or system]: The aging plant was overhauled to meet new standards.Ahead of schedule [adverb phrase, progressing faster than originally planned]: Construction is ahead of schedule and may finish early.Let up [verb phrase, to reduce effort or slow down]: Despite headwinds, the company refused to let up.

Reference article:
1. https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2026/05/09/2003857002
2. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-05-08/tsmc-sales-grow-17-5-on-extended-ai-buildout-boom
3. https://www.trendforce.com/news/2026/05/06/news-tsmc-reportedly-upgrades-central-taiwan-2822nm-fab-to-4nm-phase-2-1-4nm-trial-production-may-begin-in-3q27/

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Hi there! 歡迎收聽 Look Back Sunday 回顧星期天，在這個節目 John 老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽火車相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic 1: Sightseeing train turns 'problem' Kyoto line into talk of the town

A railway here in Miyazu, Kyoto Prefecture once on the verge of being defunct has a new lease on life with its slow-moving sightseeing train featuring a cafe-like interior. （日本）京都府宮津一條曾瀕臨廢線的鐵路，憑藉內部裝潢有如咖啡館的觀光慢車，得以續命綿延。

The Tango Aka-Matsu is operated by Kyoto Tango Railway (Tantetsu), whose lines were famously dubbed the symbol of unprofitable train routes in the Heisei Era, which started in 1989. 京都丹後鐵道（簡稱丹鐵）負責營運的「丹後赤松號」觀光列車所行駛的路線，被稱為是始於 1989 年平成時代的知名不賺錢路線的象徵。

The train, which connects Nishi-Maizuru and Amanohashidate stations, runs at reduced speeds offering scenic views. 這列連接西舞鶴站與天橋立站的觀光列車，以較慢速度行駛，好讓乘客能夠欣賞美景。

Passengers let out cries of delight on a weekend in December as the fully occupied 33-seat train approached Yuragawa Kyoryo bridge over the Yuragawa river. 去年 12 月的某個週末，當 33 個座位都坐滿的觀光列車駛向跨越由良川的由良川橋時，車上乘客一陣驚呼。
"It's amazing. It's like we are on the sea," one passenger said. 「太棒了。我們好像在海上，」一名乘客如是說。

The 550-meter-long bridge is only a few meters above the river, making passengers feel as if the train is traveling on the water. 這座 550 公尺長的鐵道橋，只比河面高幾公尺，讓乘客覺得火車彷彿行駛在水面上。

Topic 2: Emergency bathroom run lands Japanese "bullet train" driver in hot water

The famed high-speed "bullet train" in Japan got some unwanted attention from regulators last month after the driver briefly abandoned his controls to take a bathroom break — leaving the train and its 160 passengers to hurtle along the tracks at 93 miles-per-hour. 日本知名的高速「子彈列車」上月因一名司機員暫離駕駛室去上廁所而被監管人員盯上——（他）讓列車與車上 160 名乘客以 93 英里的時速奔馳於鐵軌上。

The train departed Tokyo Station at 7:33 a.m., bound for Shin-Osaka station. At 8:14, outside the city of Odawara southwest of Tokyo, the driver suffered a bout of abdominal distress. 這班前往新大阪站的列車在早上 7 時 33 分從東京站出發。8 時 14 分來到東京西南方的小田原市外圍時，司機員感到一陣腹痛。

Instead of stopping the train to run to the bathroom, he called in the conductor to occupy the control room for three minutes, until he was able to scramble back to his post. 與其停車以便跑去上廁所，他反而找來車掌在駕駛室待 3 分鐘，直到他趕回與重返駕駛崗位。
"Many of our conductors are licensed to take the controls," Central Japan Railway public relations representative Ryumon Hashimoto said. "But this one wasn't." 「我們的許多車掌有（列車）駕駛執照，」JR 東海公關部的橋本龍門（譯音）說。「但這位沒有。」

Topic 3: Aesthetic makeover: TRA launches new tour train

When the plans for the Taiwan Railway Administration's (TRA) NT$79 million (US$2.6 million) 29 "Formosa Express" passenger tour carriages were revealed earlier this year, the designs were met with an avalanche of criticism. In response, TRA director Chang Cheng-yuan announced in April that the company would hold consultations on the design, and that the most vehement detractors would be invited to contribute. 台鐵局今年耗資新台幣七千九百萬元，打造二十九輛環島之星觀光列車，曝光後設計卻遭批評。台鐵局長張政源在今年四月宣布，成立台鐵美學設計諮詢審議小組，「把罵台鐵最凶的統統找來」。由設計師吳漢中為代表，齊聚各界專家，把二十九輛當中尚未施作完工的十三輛列車，邀請在國內外得過許多設計大獎的台灣設計團隊「柏成設計」，導入美學概念重新改造。

Headed by designer Han Wu, the team of consultants brought together experts from various fields, and the award-winning Taiwanese design firm J. C. Architecture was invited to undertake an aesthetic makeover, designing the 13 cars yet to be converted. Unveiled on Friday, the newly designed TRA Tour Train sports a black and orange exterior, imparting an air of gravitas to its new look. Redundant signs distracting from the minimalist interior design were removed, and soft lighting was introduced to create a comfortable, relaxing ambience, to give passengers the impression of being in a hotel. 新設計的台鐵觀光列車上週五亮相，外觀改用尊榮感十足的黑、橘色，內裝採減法設計，去掉多餘的指標，燈光使用溫和的色溫，讓旅客有如進到飯店的舒適氛圍。

The curtains in the carriages are based on the works of Yuma Taru, an aboriginal craftswoman, employing geometric shapes suggestive of mountains, while the upholstery utilizes blues and grays, a reference to Taiwan's oceans, rocks and mountains. The overall effect goes beyond that of a simple means of transportation, and now has more of an emotional impact. 車廂中的窗簾，是參考原住民工藝家尤瑪．達陸的作品，以幾何圖形堆疊出山脈造型；座椅顏色為藍、灰色，象徵台灣的海洋、石頭與山，讓火車不再只是生硬的交通工具，同時也富有情感。

Commenting on why black and orange were chosen for the exterior, Nora Wang, co-founder of J. C. Architecture, says that black imparts a sense of mystery and sobriety, and that old photos of TRA train carriages show that black was widely used for train exteriors in the past. The orange, meanwhile, is a reference to the Chu Kuang Express train designs. The tour train's black and orange theme is therefore a link to railway history, reinvented from and recombining older design elements. 列車外觀使用黑、橘二色，柏成設計合夥創辦人王菱檥表示，黑色具有神秘的尊榮感，尤其觀察過往台鐵車體照片時，發現有一段時期大量採用黑色設計，因此激盪出新的想法。經典橘色則是延續莒光號原有的橘，保有車輛的歷史，將舊元素重新組合，迸出新的設計火花。

Wang's favorite design is the bar counter area, reminiscent of a hotel reception, featuring a small lamp on the dining table, giving boarding passengers the impression they are entering a hotel. Passengers get to experience the hotel-like service, too, reclining in the train's parlor car accompanied by friends and family, leisurely sipping coffee. The windows offer magnificent ocean views to the east and vistas of rice paddies and mountains to the west. 有如飯店接待大廳的吧台區是王菱檥最喜愛的設計，餐桌台上放了一盞小燈，當旅客踏上這輛觀光列車時，感覺就像是踏進飯店一樣。跟親朋好友坐在客廳車，悠閒喝著咖啡，從觀景窗往外望，東邊有海岸線壯闊海景，西邊則有稻穗、山脈，帶給大家有如旅館式的服務體驗。

Wang says, "The TRA train is not just a means of transportation, it is a starting point for a journey." She hopes that the TRA Tour Train will help promote rail travel in Taiwan. Tour trains in countries such as Japan and Italy attract visitors from all over the world every year, and Wang believes Taiwan has the potential to be like this. "Taiwan's landscape is so beautiful," she says, and "some scenery can only be seen from the train." 王菱檥說：「台鐵不只是交通工具，而是旅遊的起始點。」她希望未來可帶動民眾搭乘火車在島內旅遊的風氣，放眼各國的觀光列車如日本、義大利等，每年吸引全球民眾到訪，「相信台灣有這方面的潛力，台灣景觀太美了，有些景色只有坐火車才看得到」。

Topic 4: The hydrogen, or hydrail, train is set to run in Lower Saxony starting in December 2017.

氫動力火車，或稱「hydrail」，2017 年 12 月將在德國西北部的下薩克森邦上路。
The train — called the "Coradia iLint" — has been developed over the past two years by French company Alstom. 這種火車稱為「柯納狄亞」，由法國「阿斯頓」公司耗時 2 年開發。

The hydrogen train operates using a hydrogen fuel tank, stored on the roof of the train, that in turn powers a fuel cell to produce electrical energy. This technology provides a new environmentally friendly alternative to the diesel trains that are still used across much of Germany. 這種氫動力火車的動力來自位於車頂的氫氣箱，可驅動燃料電池產生電力。這項技術為德國許多地區仍在使用的柴油火車提供新的環保替代選擇。

Engineers have been developing 'hydrail' technology for the last 15 years, but mostly with freight trains. 工程師研發氫動力火車技術已有 15 年之久，但主要用途多限於貨運。

The new Alstom train will be the first hydrogen passenger train to regularly operate on long-distance journeys. 阿斯頓公司的新火車將是第一種固定長途行駛的氫動力客運火車。

With a full tank, the new locomotive will be able to travel 600 to 800 kilometers. 一旦氫氣箱滿載，這種新式火車頭將可行駛 600 至 800 公里。

Because of its much larger fuel capacity, the train does not have to confront the same problems that hydro-cars face with refueling. Another advantage is its quietness: even at its top speed of 140 km/h, the only noise is that produced by the motion of the wheels and air resistance. 由於具備更大燃料儲載，氫動力火車可免於以往氫氣車輛必須經常充電的老問題。另外一個優點則是安靜：即便是以每小時 140 公里的極速行駛，也只有車輪運動與空氣阻力產生的噪音。

「挺你所想，與你一起生活的銀行」

回饋加碼賺~好康別錯過！ 

即日起至2026/8/31完成註冊網路投保會員、預約網路投保提醒並登錄可獲OPENPOINT點數；完成線上投保可抽旅遊金。 

透過APP可一次查看保險資訊，線上快速投保。

了解更多活動訊息 https://fstry.pse.is/95shpr

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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讀了一堆自我成長的書，每本講的都不一樣，看完反而更迷茫？選A也對、選B也對，結果什麼都沒選，就這樣耗著。這集阿鍵老師帶來一本書——Michael Hyatt 的《Free to Focus》，裡面有個概念叫 Freedom Compass，一個羅盤，直接幫你搞清楚你的時間和精力到底該往哪個方向去。
四個方向，你現在站在哪一格？
想像一下，你每天在竹科開車上班，路上塞著，ICRT 開著，但你根本不知道剛才播了什麼。聽是有聽，心思早就飄走了。這就是問題所在。
Freedom Compass 把你的所有活動分成四個象限，一個軸是你的熱情（有沒有興趣），另一個軸是你的能力（做不做得來）。
最理想的當然是兩個都高——叫做 Desire Zone。你有興趣、你做得到，你每天就會愈做愈想做。聽起來很廢話，可是大部分的人根本搞不清楚自己到底對什麼有感。John老師分享說他有一段時間突然迷上研究電動磨豆機，每晚睡前一定要看一段 YouTube，從完全看不懂零件名稱，到最後搞懂整台構造，那個過程其實就是 Desire Zone，學到爽為止。
那個讓你覺得很安全但其實沒在進步的區域
台北上班族最常待的地方，其實是 Distraction Zone。高能力、低熱情。你做起來很順手、很不費力，但沒什麼成就感，就是那種薪水小偷的 autopilot 狀態。
用學英文來說，就是你現在還在背單字。考試型英文背了二十年，很熟，但對你現在要用英文開會、做簡報、跟外國客戶 small talk，其實幫助有限。繼續做同樣的事，邊際效應越來越薄，你以為自己在學，其實只是讓自己感覺有在學。
然後還有一格最慘——Disinterest Zone。你沒有熱情，也沒有能力，完全不想碰、可是又被逼著要做。像是公司要你考一張根本不知道有什麼用的英文證照，或是老闆說年底前要用英文做一份報告，完全找不到動力那種感覺。John老師說，這一格就只有消耗，消耗你的時間、你的熱情、你對學習這件事的信心。能不待就不要待。
「成長」不一定要很痛，但要有點挑戰
最值得聊的是第四格——Disruption Zone。你有興趣，但能力還跟不上，有點challenge、有點吃力，但是那個成就感很真實。
阿鍵老師說他每週在準備 English Café 的筆記，必須先自己消化才能整理，那個過程對他來說就是 Disruption Zone。John老師也說，有時候看美劇看到一句長句子，翻譯翻得不好，他會倒帶、自己重新理解一遍，然後發現自己懂了——那個瞬間你就升到 Desire Zone 了，因為你喜歡這個解謎的過程。
重點不是你今天是哪一格，因為這個羅盤是動態的，你的狀態一直在變。但如果你每次通勤都把 podcast 當背景音樂在聽，嗯，可能要好好想一下，你是在學英文，還是在讓自己覺得有在學英文。

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary 
About 20 years ago, a landmark study found that toddlers before the age of 3 in low-income families would hear 30million less words than the more affluent families, putting them at disadvantage before they start school. Now, a growing number of researches has found that it’s the quality of communication between children, parents, and caregivers that is more important than the number of words children hear. According to research observations, the frequent use of parentese — the slow, high-pitched voice commonly used for talking to babies — were reliable predictors of language ability at age 2. Professor Anne Fernald of Stanford suggests that increased quantity of language inevitably leads to better quality. When you learn to talk more, you tend to speak in more diverse ways and elaborate more, and that helps the child’s cognitive development.

原討論文章: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-938-new-thoughts-on-math-of-effective-baby-talk  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Affluent adj. having a great deal of money The affluent families were previously thought to have an advantage in children’s development. Affluent communities tend to have more educational resources available for children   

Correlation n. mutual relationship or connection to two or more things The total number of words heard by a child has no correlation to the child’s future ability. Research has found high correlation between oil prices and the American dollar.   

Proficiency n. high degree of competence or skill Toastmasters club is a great place to improve your English proficiency. Language proficiency comes with practice and long-term use.   

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台股衝破歷史新高 40,000 點！這個消息最近是不是也在你的 Line 群組裡炸鍋了？本週《英語咖啡館》John 老師和剛結束蜜月旅行回歸的 Patrick 老師，要來聊聊這波台股熱潮背後的市場心理、投資觀念，以及不可不學的財經英文（還是我們通勤家族早就都會了？）

兩位老師不僅討論了 TSMC 的市場狂熱(frenzy)、FOMO 錯失恐懼心理，還有 ETF、EPS、本益比等投資新手必知關鍵字。節目中也分享了各自的投資啟蒙故事，以及東西方在「談錢」這件事上很不一樣的文化態度，原來在西方，公開聊投資可能會被認為是在炫耀！？

Taiwan's stock market broke the historic high of 40,000 points! Has this news been blowing up your Line group chats recently too? This week on English Cafe, John and Patrick, who just returned from his honeymoon, discuss the market psychology behind this Taiwan stock market surge, investment concepts, and essential financial English vocabulary (or do our 15Mins family already know it all?)

The two hosts not only discuss TSMC's market frenzy, FOMO (fear of missing out), but also key terms for investment beginners like ETF, EPS, and P/E ratio. The show also shares their own investment origin stories and the very different cultural attitudes between East and West when it comes to "talking about money"—turns out in the West, openly discussing investments might be seen as bragging!?

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

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跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L204: The Absent Party at the Trump-Xi Summit

Highlights 主題摘要

Xi called Taiwan the "most important issue" in US-China relations, warning that mishandling it could trigger conflict between the two powers.The White House made no mention of Taiwan in its post-summit statements, and Trump deflected reporters' questions on the subject while in Beijing.Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te responded firmly, stating the island will never be "sacrificed or traded away."

When Donald Trump arrived in Beijing on May 14 for a two-day state visit, the pageantry was unmistakable: an honour guard, children waving flags, a state banquet in the Great Hall of the People, and a public invitation for Xi to visit the US in September. Yet beneath the ceremony, a stark divergence emerged. Washington framed the summit around trade — Boeing purchases, agricultural deals, and expanded market access. Beijing had other priorities. Xi Jinping placed Taiwan at the centre of the table, calling it "the most important issue in China-US relations" and warning that mishandling it could put the entire bilateral relationship "in great jeopardy."

2026年5月14日，川普抵達北京展開為期兩天的國是訪問，排場極為盛大：儀仗隊、揮舞旗幟的孩童、人民大會堂國宴，川普更公開邀請習近平9月訪美。然而在風光表象下，雙方的核心議題卻南轅北轍。白宮將峰會成果定位在貿易層面，包括波音採購、農產品及擴大市場開放；北京的算盤則截然不同。習近平將台灣直接攤上談判桌，稱其為「中美關係最重要的問題」，並警告若處理不當，將使雙邊關係整體陷入「高度危險」的境地。

The gap was most visible in what each side omitted. The White House readouts made no mention of Taiwan, and Trump chose to deflect when reporters pressed him on the island while he was still on Chinese soil. The equivocation continued on Air Force One: he acknowledged that Xi "feels very strongly" about opposing Taiwanese independence, yet maintained he had "made no commitment either way." He also revealed that a congressional-approved $11 billion arms package for Taiwan remained unsigned, offering only: "I may do it. I may not do it."

這道鴻溝，在雙方各自略去的內容中表露無遺。白宮峰會後聲明對台灣隻字未提；川普在北京期間被記者直接追問時，也刻意迴避。返回空軍一號後，他的態度依然含糊其辭：一方面承認習近平「對反對台灣獨立的立場非常堅定」，另一方面卻強調自己「沒有做出任何承諾」。他同時透露，一筆已獲國會通過的110億美元對台軍售案至今未予簽署，態度曖昧地說「我可能批，也可能不批」。

Beijing's post-summit statements, for their part, confirmed none of Trump's claimed trade wins. Boeing orders and other announced agreements remain publicly unverified by either China or the companies involved, underscoring how much of the summit's substance is still in dispute.

至於北京方面，峰會後的聲明對川普所稱的任何貿易成果隻字未提。無論是波音訂單或其他對外宣稱的協議，均未獲中方或相關企業公開確認，充分顯示這場峰會究竟談成多少，至今仍是羅生門。

Taiwan's government responded on multiple fronts. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed the island is "sovereign and independent," committed to preserving the cross-strait status quo, and defended arms sales as a legal obligation under the Taiwan Relations Act. President Lai Ching-te went further in a Sunday Facebook post, declaring Taiwan "will never be sacrificed or traded away." He outlined the people's core consensus — that Taiwan and China are not subordinate to each other, that sovereignty cannot be infringed, and that the island's future belongs to its people alone. Lai warned that destabilisation of the Taiwan Strait would reverberate through global supply chains and the world economy. Washington has not publicly responded.

台灣政府則從多條戰線同步回應。外交部重申台灣「主權獨立」，表明將維持兩岸現狀，並為軍售立場強力辯護，強調依據《台灣關係法》，對台軍售是美方的法定義務。賴清德總統則在週日的臉書貼文中態度更為強硬，宣示台灣「絕不會被犧牲，也不會被出賣」，並羅列他所稱的台灣人民最大共識：兩岸互不隸屬、主權不容侵犯、台灣前途由台灣人民自決。賴清德也警告，任何破壞台海穩定的行動，都將衝擊全球供應鏈與世界經濟。截至目前，華盛頓對台北方面的聲明尚未作出公開回應。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Pageantry [noun, an elaborate public ceremony, often implying style over substance]: The summit had great pageantry but few confirmed deals.Deflect [verb, to avoid answering a question directly]: He deflected every question about the new policy.Equivocation [noun, deliberately vague language used to avoid taking a clear position]: His equivocation on the issue left both sides uncertain.Status quo [noun phrase, the existing state of affairs in a political situation]: Both sides say they want to preserve the status quo.Reverberate [verb, to have lasting and wide-reaching effects]: The decision will reverberate through markets for months.

Reference article:
1. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/15/trump-xi-summit-china-us-disagree-on-what-they-agreed-on
2. https://www.npr.org/2026/05/14/nx-s1-5822168/trump-xi-summit
3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/5/16/in-response-to-trump-taiwan-says-it-is-sovereign-and-independent
4. https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202605170014

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Hi there! 歡迎收聽 Look Back Sunday 回顧星期天，在這個節目 John 老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽食物相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic 1: Junk food habit affects sleep quality

French fries and hamburgers are popular with teenagers. Everyone knows that these high-calorie foods can lead to chronic illnesses such as heart disease and high blood pressure, but, according to a report published by Medical Xpress, a study led by the University of Queensland in Australia has found that eating too much junk food can also have an impact on teenagers' sleep quality. 薯條、漢堡等速食及飲料很受青少年喜愛。眾所皆知這些高熱量食物會導致慢性疾病，如心臟病和高血壓等。不過，「醫療快訊」報導，澳洲昆士蘭大學帶領的一項研究發現，吃過多的垃圾食品還會影響青少年的睡眠品質。

According to the research results, teenagers who drink more than three soft drinks per day were 55 percent more likely to report sleep disturbance than those who only drink one cup per day. Males who ate fast foods on more than four days per week were 55 percent more likely to report sleep disturbance than those who ate them only once a week, while females were 49 percent more likely to do so. 根據研究結果，每天喝三杯以上飲料的青少年自稱有睡眠障礙的機率，比每天只喝一杯軟飲料的青少年高百分之五十五。每週吃四天以上速食的男性自稱有睡眠障礙的機率，比那些每週只吃一次速食的男性高百分之五十五，而女性的機率高出百分之四十九。

This global study examined unhealthy diets and stress-related sleep disturbance in high school students from 64 countries. The study found that 7.5 percent of adolescents reported having stress-related sleep disturbance, which was more common among females than males and increased with more frequent consumption of carbonated soft drinks, as did the occurrence of sleep problems. Because carbonated drinks often contain caffeine and large amounts of sugar, while fast foods are high in energy but poor in nutrients, long-term consumption can cause nutritional imbalances. 這是一項針對全球不健康飲食和與壓力有關的睡眠障礙研究，涉及來自六十四個國家的高中生。研究表明，百分之七點五的青少年自稱有壓力相關的睡眠障礙，其中女性比男性更常見，且隨著碳酸飲料的頻繁飲用而增加，睡眠障礙的比率也愈高。因為碳酸飲料通常含有咖啡因和高糖分，而快餐食品高熱量但較缺乏營養，長期攝取會營養不均衡。

These data were collected from global health surveys conducted by the WHO between 2009 and 2016, which included about 170,000 students aged 12 to 15 years from 64 low, middle and high-income countries in Southeast Asia, Africa, South America and the eastern Mediterranean. 這些數據收集自二○○九年至二○一六年世界衛生組織的全球健康調查，其中包括來自東南亞、非洲、南美部分地區和地中海東部地區的六十四個低、中、高收入國家的約十七萬名十二至十五歲的學生。

The research team said that frequent intake of soft drinks and eating of fast foods is closely associated with sleep problems in teenagers, and that this phenomenon is particularly clear in high-income countries. The research team said that these findings are worrying because poor-quality sleep has an adverse impact on adolescent health and cognitive development. They suggested that policies should be formulated that target these unhealthy behaviors. 研究團隊表示，青少年經常喝飲料、吃速食與睡眠障礙之間關聯密切，這現象尤其在高收入國家特別明顯。研究團隊指出，這些發現令人擔憂，因為睡眠品質差會對青少年的健康和認知發展產生不利影響。他們建議應針對這些不健康的行為制定相關政策，使青少年能健康成長。

Topic 2: KFC drops Finger Lickin' Good slogan

Global fast food giant KFC says it is halting its "Finger Lickin' Good" slogan given the current hygiene advice because of the coronavirus pandemic. 國際速食巨擘肯德基表示，它正停用「吮指美味」標語，考量現在因為武漢肺炎大流行而制定的衛生建議。

"We find ourselves in a unique situation — having an iconic slogan that doesn't quite fit in the current environment," the company said. 「我們發現自己在一個獨特的狀況中，有個不太符合現在環境的標誌性標語」，該公司表示。

The company revealed its new look through a YouTube video, showing the slogan pixelated on posters and its food "buckets", saying: "That thing we always say? Ignore it. For now." 該公司透過 YouTube 影片公開它的新包裝，印製在海報與「食物桶」上的標語說，「我們總是說的話？忽略它。現在」。

Some people commented on social media the slogan was not a health hazard as you were already eating with your own hands. 有些人在社群媒體上評論，認為在你已經用自己的雙手進食的時候，這個標語不算是健康危害。

In March, the Advertising Standards Authority received 163 complaints about a KFC TV advert which featured people licking their fingers. 3 月間，廣告標準局就接到 163 封投訴，針對肯德基以人們吸吮他們的手指為特色的電視廣告。

Topic 3: McDonald's to debut plant-based meat alternatives from 2021｜麥當勞將於 2021 年首度推出植物性肉類替代品

McDonald's will debut its line of plant-based meat alternatives — the McPlant — in 2021. 麥當勞將於 2021 年首度推出它的植物性肉類替代品品牌「McPlant」。

"Beyond Meat and McDonald's co-created the plant-based patty which will be available as part of their McPlant platform," a Beyond Meat spokesperson said. 「超越肉類與麥當勞共同創造了植物性漢堡肉排，將以 McPlant 平台的一部分供應」，超越肉類的發言人表示。
"Plant-based products are an ongoing consumer trend. It's not a matter of if McDonald's will get into plant-based, it's a matter of when," McDonald's chief executive officer Chris Kempczinski said. 「植物性產品是目前的消費趨勢，問題不是麥當勞是否會進軍植物性產品，而是何時進軍」，麥當勞的執行長肯普欽斯基說。

McDonald's competition — other brands including Burger King, White Castle and Dunkin' Brands Group Inc — also offer vegan alternatives. 麥當勞的競爭對手，漢堡王、白城堡，與 Dunkin' 品牌集團等品牌都有提供素食替代品。
This move from McDonald's is expected to place the plant-based meat movement at the forefront in mainstream American society. 麥當勞此舉有望將植物性肉類運動，置於美國社會主流的最前線。

Topic 4: Do your bit for farmers and eat more fries, Belgians urged

With potato farmers and processors struggling, Belgians are being urged to eat more fries to offset a slump in demand during the coronavirus pandemic. 隨著馬鈴薯農人和加工者努力求生存，比利時人正被敦促要多吃一點薯條，來彌補這波冠狀病毒全球大流行期間暴跌的需求。

Belgium is the world's largest exporter of fries and other frozen potato products, its processors converting 5.3 million tonnes of potatoes into fries, mash and crisps per year and sending them to customers in more than 160 countries. 比利時是薯條和其他馬鈴薯冷凍製品的世界最大出口國，加工人員每年把 530 萬公噸的馬鈴薯變成薯條、薯泥和洋芋片，送到逾 160 國顧客手中。

Restrictions to halt the spread of the coronavirus have forced the closure of cafes and restaurants, the industry's prime customers for fries, and processing firms have seen demand fall by as much as 80%. 制止冠狀病毒傳播的禁令，迫使身為該產業薯條主要顧客的咖啡廳和餐廳關閉，加工企業的需求量下降多達 8 成。

"We know Belgians like their fries, it's intangible heritage our frying culture, so we ask Belgians to consume an extra portion of fries to allow us to process more potatoes and to avoid food waste," Romain Cools, secretary-general of industry group Belgapom, told Reuters TV. 產業團體貝勒哈彭秘書長羅曼．庫斯告訴路透電視，「我們知道比利時人喜歡薯條，那是我們油炸文化的無形遺產，所以我們要求比利時人多吃一份薯條，讓我們得以加工更多馬鈴薯及避免食物浪費。」

Topic 5: A pastry chef in Germany offers edible sales receipts｜德國一名點心師傅提供可食用收據

Since 1 January 2020, German law demands from retailers that they print a receipt for every purchase. However, the regulation has triggered not only anger but also artistic action among some of the affected businesses. 自 2020 年 1 月 1 日起，德國法律要求零售業者印出每筆消費的收據。然而，這項規定不只點燃了憤怒，還激起了受影響業者的藝術行動。

A French pastry chef in Bavaria decided to protest in an original way against this new law, by adding an edible receipt made of sugar on some of his pastries. 一名巴伐利亞的法式點心師傅決定用一種原始的方式抗議新法，為他的部分糕點加上一張用糖做成的可食用收據。
"At the moment, many bakers are protesting against these receipts and we thought we could also protest — in our own way. In France, we usually go out into the street, but this time we preferred to make a receipt that can be eaten, people can take it with them and that is, I think, also a nice form of protest," Ludovic Gerboin, Master baker said. 「當時，許多烘焙師都為了收據抗議，而我們認為可以用我們自己的方式抗議。在法國，我們通常會走上街頭，但這次我們選擇製作一張可以吃的收據，人們可以攜帶它在身邊，我想這也是一種好的抗議方式」，專業烘焙師魯多維奇．格博因說。

The promotions are well received by customers, even though normal receipts are still required in addition to their edible counterparts. 這項活動大獲顧客好評，雖然他們還是得額外開出正常的收據。

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

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你有沒有那種朋友，出國之後傳訊息回來說「我跟外國人聊天了！」然後你問他聊什麼，他說「對方叫我幫忙拍照，我就幫他拍了。」就這樣。這集靈感來自John老師的朋友們，一群被外派到捷克的台灣工程師，週末參加跑步團，遇到搭話機會，結果幫人拍完照就默默走掉。
John老師聽完當場崩潰。

你不是不會英文，你只是不知道怎麼開口
說穿了，很多台灣人的英文會話問題不在英文，是在「第一句話從哪裡來」。

我們從小被教的英文對話是：Hello! How are you? Fine, thanks, and you? 然後就卡死在那裡。出社會之後，那種教科書式的英文會話根本派不上用場。你站在跑步團旁邊，腦袋裡找不到一個自然的起點，所以乾脆什麼都不說。

台北捷運上大家滑手機，不說話很正常。但你今天在捷克的河邊跑步，旁邊就是活生生的外國人，這種機會在台灣哪裡找？John老師說，出都出去了，臉皮不放下來是要怎麼做國民外交。

三個地雷，先避掉

John老師跟阿鍵老師先講了什麼不能做，因為很多人以為自己在破冰，其實是在嚇人。
第一，不要變成面試官。一上來就問對方 What's your name? How old are you? Where are you from? 連續三個問句，對方會覺得在接受問卷調查，不是在聊天。
第二，不要第一句話就報公司名稱和職位。Hi, I'm from CTI Europe, we sell cables. 這在 networking 酒會可能還行，在跑步團就有點尷尬，對方只想跑完回家洗澡。
第三，就是那種過度熱情的 eager beaver。一直黏著對方，話接話，問完又問，人家戴著耳機你還在旁邊嗚嗚嗚。John老師說得很殘酷：耳機沒拿下來，就是暗示你該閃了。

真正能用的公式：Notice → Comment → Follow up
這才是重點。John老師說，觀察一下你媽去菜市場買菜，她怎麼跟完全不認識的攤販聊成朋友的？不是因為她外向，是因為她們都在同一個場景裡，有共同 notice 到的東西。

跑步也一樣。今天路面濕滑，就說 The ground is really slippery today。這一句話有什麼厲害的？你們兩個都在跑，都感受到同樣的狀況，對方很自然就會接 Yeah, I think it rained this morning，話題就開了。這叫 Notice。

然後你加上你的 Comment：Maybe we should shorten the jog today。對方可能同意，可能補充，可能分享他自己的想法。這時候你才 Follow up，問一句 Do you come here often? 然後順手說 By the way, I'm John。名字放在這裡介紹，比一開始就握手自我介紹自然很多。

阿鍵老師也提到，如果你真的是新手，直接說就好。I'm a beginner, do you mind if I jog with you guys? 承認自己不熟，反而讓對方更願意帶你、跟你聊。沒有人在跑步團裡 care 你是不是主管、你公司多大，他們只是想跑得開心。

Pick-up line 就算了吧

阿鍵老師還順帶示範了一個超級不推薦的開場白：Do you have a map? Because I keep getting lost in your eyes.
John老師的反應是：你們都已經結婚了，不要去騙小妹妹，她男朋友很大隻。

說真的，那種在網路上查到的 conversational starters，很多其實是搭訕話術，硬用在跑步團只會讓人覺得怪。公式不完美，但至少不會讓人想逃跑。

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:

Before Ms. Kim became a sensation on Youtube, she was an avid gamer. She would play online role playing games till 3 in the morning in 2003. Later her grown children steered her towards making cooking videos on Youtube in 2007 as a better form of expressing herself online. On Youtube, Ms. Kim continued using her online handle as Maangchi and is also now 5m subscriber channel. Now, based in New York, she practices the slow and ancient art of fermenting, making gochujang (chili paste) and doenjang (soybean paste), an umami-rich flavor element pervasive in Korean cooking. The recipe calls for an electric blanket, about four liters of salt and hay; it takes almost a year to complete.

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-937-real-korean-flavor-for-a-youtube-table-youtube  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Avatar n. an icon or figure representing a person in video games My online avatar in World of Warcraft is an Orc with two horns. With all online Role-playing games, you start by creating your avatar first.  

Lighthearted adj. amusing and entertaining Although Ms. Kim presents herself as lighthearted, she is actually a strict cooking teacher. From young, I have always been better at handling myself in lighthearted situations.  

Recipe n. instructions for preparing a dish My grandmother’s secret recipe was her love. A cookbook contains many recipes.  

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AI內容盛行，2026年的社群媒體世界變得比以前更複雜！本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Cariya 老師要來聊聊最新值得關注的社群媒體趨勢，從世代行為差異、AI 內容大爆發，到品牌如何重新找回真實感等最新趨勢。

你有聽過這個新詞嗎：「fastvertising」？品牌利用 AI 快速大量產出廣告，結果反而讓消費者感到疲乏和疏離，本來想要廣告，卻好心辦壞事造成了消費者反感。而且現在越來越多品牌捨棄大明星代言，改用員工或內部創作者來說口碑故事，其實都是基於相同的原因：真實感，而這也是在新時代趨勢中，能夠打動人心的關鍵點。

With AI content prevailing, the social media world of 2026 has become more complex than before! This week on English Cafe, John and Cariya discuss the latest social media trends worth watching, from generational behavioral differences, the explosion of AI content, to how brands are reclaiming authenticity.

Have you heard this new term: "fastvertising"? Brands use AI to rapidly mass-produce ads, which instead causes consumer fatigue and alienation—what was meant to be advertising ends up backfiring and creating consumer resentment. Moreover, more and more brands are abandoning celebrity endorsements in favor of using employees or internal creators to tell word-of-mouth stories, all based on the same reason: authenticity. And this is the key to touching hearts in this new era.

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L200: Taiwan Blows Past Canada to Rank Sixth in Global Markets

Highlights 主題摘要

For much of this decade, Canada's oil sands, banks, and mining giants have defined the upper tier of global equity rankings. That era is now giving way to silicon and algorithms. On April 28, Taiwan's stock market surpassed Canada's to claim the title of the world's sixth-largest by market capitalisation — a milestone that underscores just how decisively the AI era is reshaping the geography of global capital.

過去十年，加拿大的油砂、銀行與礦業龍頭始終穩坐全球股市排名前段班。如今，這個時代正逐漸讓位給矽晶片與演算法。4月28日，台灣股市市值超越加拿大，正式躍居全球第六大市場，清楚說明AI時代正在如何深刻重塑全球資本版圖。

The numbers tell a sharp story. Bloomberg data show Taiwan-listed companies have surged more than 35% in value this year, lifting total market capitalisation to US$4.47 trillion. Canada, by contrast, managed a modest 5% gain to US$4.44 trillion — its resource-heavy, financials-weighted index ill-equipped to ride the wave sweeping through technology markets. The divergence reflects a broader structural shift: in an age of AI infrastructure build-out, market value gravitates toward firms that manufacture intelligence, not merely extract commodities from the ground.

數字說明了一切。彭博資訊數據顯示，台灣上市公司今年市值飆升逾35%，總市值達4.47兆美元；反觀加拿大，僅小幅增長約5%至4.44兆美元。以資源與金融股為重心的加拿大股市，本就難以搭上這波科技市場的浪潮。兩者之間的落差，反映出一個更深層的結構性轉變：在AI基礎建設大規模擴張的當下，資本正加速流向製造尖端晶片的企業，而非傳統的原物料開採者。

No single factor explains Taiwan's ascent more than Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. TSMC, which commands nearly 45% of Taiwan's benchmark index, has watched its market value swell to US$1.8 trillion as customers from Apple to Nvidia scramble for advanced chips that only it can reliably supply at scale. The company's first-quarter 2026 results — net income up 58% year-on-year to US$18 billion, revenue climbing 35% — beat analyst estimates and marked a fourth consecutive quarter of record profits. CEO Che-Chia Wei described AI demand as "extremely robust" and warned that supply, not desire, remains the binding constraint holding back further growth.

台灣此番崛起，台積電居功至偉。台積電佔台灣基準指數近45%，市值已膨脹至1.8兆美元，蘋果、輝達等客戶無不搶購其先進晶片，而目前能穩定大規模供應這類晶片的，也只有台積電。今年首季財報顯示，台積電淨利年增58%至180億美元，營收成長35%，雙雙超越市場預期，創下連續第四季獲利刷新紀錄的佳績。執行長魏哲家形容AI需求「極為強勁」，並指出制約成長的瓶頸在於供給，而非需求。

Taiwan's rise has also been aided by a timely domestic regulatory change. The island's financial watchdog recently eased concentration rules, allowing equity funds to allocate up to 25% of assets to any single stock weighted above 10% on the exchange — a move widely interpreted as clearing the path for greater institutional exposure to TSMC. Back in January, Taiwan Stock Exchange chairman Sherman Lin had already set sights on Canada, citing a gap of roughly NT$15 trillion. That gap has since closed. The question, for observers of global capital markets, is who comes next.

台灣的躍升，也得益於國內適時的法規鬆綁。金融主管機關近期放寬持股集中度規定，允許國內股票型基金與主動管理ETF，將最多25%的資產配置於單一權重逾10%的上市公司，市場普遍認為此舉為法人機構加碼台積電掃除了障礙。今年1月，台灣證交所董事長林修銘便已將超越加拿大列為目標，當時兩國市值差距約達新台幣15兆元。如今，這道差距已正式消弭。對全球資本市場的觀察者而言，真正的問題是：下一個被超越的，又將是誰？

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Ill-equipped [adjective, lacking the necessary tools, structure, or skills to handle something]: The legacy airline was ill-equipped to compete with low-cost rivals.Structural shift [noun phrase, a deep and lasting change in how a system or market operates]: Remote work has triggered a structural shift in commercial real estate.Gravitates toward [verb phrase, to be naturally drawn or attracted to something]: Capital gravitates toward markets with strong tech growth.At scale [adverb phrase, at a large and commercially viable level of volume]: Few firms can produce advanced semiconductors at scale.Clearing the path [idiom, removing obstacles so that progress becomes easier]: The policy change is clearing the path for more institutional investment.

Reference article:
1. https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2026/01/09/2003850286
2. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/taiwan-overtakes-canada-to-become-6th-largest-stock-market-as-ai-demand-lifts-tsmc-m-cap-to-1-8-trillion/articleshow/130596363.cms
3. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/04/16/tsmc-q1-profit-58-percent-ai-chip-demand-record.html

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回饋加碼賺~好康別錯過！ 

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—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Hi there! 歡迎收聽 Look Back Sunday 回顧星期天，在這個節目 John 老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽墨西哥相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic 1: Oldest and largest ancient Maya structure found in Mexico

Scientists using an aerial remote-sensing method have discovered the largest and oldest-known structure built by the ancient Maya civilization — a colossal rectangular elevated platform built between 1,000 and 800 BC in Mexico's Tabasco state. 科學家日前利用空中遙測技術，發現馬雅古文明迄今所知最大規模、最古老的建築結構。該遺址是一座巨大的長方形高台，位在墨西哥的塔巴斯戈州，建造於西元前一千年到前八百年間。

The structure, unlike the soaring Maya pyramids at cities like Tikal in Guatemala and Palenque in Mexico erected some 1,500 years later, was not built of stone but rather of clay and earth, and likely was used for mass rituals, researchers said on June 3. 研究人員六月三日表示，該遺址迥異於馬雅文明一千五百多年後於瓜地馬拉的提卡爾和墨西哥的帕倫克等城市建造的高聳金字塔，並非由巨石堆砌而成，而是用黏土和泥土建成，可能是用來舉行大型祭祀活動。

Located at a site called Aguada Fenix near the Guatemalan border, the structure measured nearly 400m wide and 1,400m long and stood 10m to 15m high. In total volume, it exceeded ancient Egypt's Great Pyramid of Giza built 1,500 years earlier. 此建築座落於一處稱為「阿瓜達芬尼克斯」的遺址，靠近瓜地馬拉的邊界，長一千四百公尺、寬幾乎達四百公尺，高度約為十到十五公尺。從總體積來看，此結構超過古埃及早一千五百年（即西元前兩千五百年）建造的吉薩大金字塔。

There were no signs of sculptures depicting high-status individuals, suggesting Maya culture at this early stage was more communal and only later developed social inequality and a hierarchical society led by royalty, the researchers said. "Because it is so large horizontally, if you walk on it, it just looks like natural landscape," said University of Arizona archaeologist Takeshi Inomata, who led the research published in the journal Nature. "But its form comes out nicely in lidar." 研究人員指出，這處遺址並未出現刻畫身居高位的個人雕塑，意味著馬雅文化在這個早期階段較為偏向「共治」，直到稍晚才發展出社會不平等的現象，以及由王室主導的階級制社會。美國亞利桑那大學的考古學家豬俁健是研究主持人，他表示：「因為這個結構和地面平行，規模又如此巨大，當人走在上面時，感覺就像是走在自然形成的地理景觀上。」豬俁健進一步補充說：「不過，透過光學雷達，遺址的結構就清楚地展現出來。」這份研究日前刊登於《自然》期刊。

Lidar, short for Light Detection and Ranging, is a remote-sensing technique that employs a pulsed laser and other data obtained flying over a site to generate three-dimensional information about the shape of surface characteristics. Nine large causeways and a series of reservoirs were linked to the structure. Some parts of the rural Aguada Fenix site today are covered with cattle ranches. Other parts are wooded. 「光達」是「光線檢測與測距」的簡稱，是一種運用脈衝雷射的遙測技術，配合受測地點上空獲得的其它資料，產生地貌特徵的 3D 資訊。這次發現的大型結構，與九條大型堤道和一系列蓄水設施相連。地處鄉間的阿瓜達芬尼克斯遺址，今日部分地區被養牛的牧場覆蓋，其它部分則被繁茂的樹林遮蔽。

"It is probable that many people from surrounding areas gathered for special occasions, possibly tied to calendrical cycles," Inomata said. "The rituals probably involved processions along the causeways and within the rectangular plaza. The people also deposited symbolic objects such as jade axes in the center of the plateau." 豬俁健表示：「許多來自周圍地區的人，可能會在特殊場合在此聚會，或許和曆法的週期有關。」他進一步推測：「這些儀式可能包括沿著堤道、在矩形廣場內列隊遊行。這些人也會在高台中央放置玉斧這類具有象徵性的物品。」

Topic 2: Doggy ice cream has tails wagging in Mexico City

Dogs with a sweet tooth can finally satisfy their ice cream cravings — at the Don Paletto parlor in Mexico City. 愛吃甜食的狗狗們，終於可以滿足牠們對冰淇淋的渴望了─在墨西哥市冰淇淋店「倍樂托先生」的接待廳。

Owners can satisfy their pets' sweet cravings at the shop in the Mexican capital, which offers a variety of frozen cone and lollipop treats especially made for the animals. 飼主可以滿足他們寵物的甜點魂，在這間位於墨西哥首都的商店裡，它提供各式各樣特別為動物製作的甜筒與棒棒糖點心。

Made of natural yogurt and lactobacilli bacteria, it can help digestion while normal ice cream can cause pain and diarrhea in dogs, according to shop owner Mauricio Montoya, who said the food is also safe for humans. 根據商店老闆毛里奇奧．蒙托亞的說法，這食物對人類也安全，由天然優格與乳酸菌製成，它能幫助消化，一般冰淇淋則可導致狗兒疼痛與腹瀉。

Flavors such as "Gentleman" and "Lucky Lucky" are advertised on the shop's board, where the pets lick the treats off a stick, a cone or out of a bowl. 諸如「紳士」和「幸運幸運」口味，被該店看板拿來打廣告，寵物們就在那裡把棍上、甜筒或碗裡點心舔掉。

"To eat the same food every day must be pretty boring for them," customer Liliana said, holding an ice cream lollipop for her dog. "I come (here) to pamper him a bit." 「每天吃一樣的食物，對牠們而言一定是相當無趣」，幫她的狗狗拿著一根冰淇淋棒棒糖的顧客莉莉安娜說。「我來（這裡）小小縱容牠。」

Topic 3: Near Mexico City, Cable Car Lets Commuters Glide Over Traffic

Coasting above Mexico City's infernal congestion is normally a prerogative of the well-heeled, who take helicopters or pay to use the upper deck of two-tier highways to avoid the chaos below. In October, however, thousands of residents of this ragged industrial suburb began getting to work or school in brightly colored pods that glide along the city's first commuter cable-car route. 從墨西哥市地獄般壅塞交通的上方越過，通常是有錢人的特權，他們乘坐直升機或付費使用雙層高速公路的上層，避開下方的混亂世界。然而，去年 10 月，這破敗工業郊區的數千居民，開始可以坐在色彩亮麗的車廂內，沿該市一條通勤纜車線滑動，去上班上學。

The Mexicable, a seven-stop line that runs just over three miles through a furrow of poor hillside neighborhoods, is part of a growing constellation of cable cars around Latin America that links marginalized communities to their cities' metropolitan hearts. In Ecatepec, the largest and most dangerous municipality in the 21 million-strong expanse of greater Mexico City, the Mexicable has brought new visitors, shorter commutes, a burst of street art and a new sense of inclusion in city life, residents said. 「墨西哥纜車線」是條有 7 個站、穿越一片貧窮山坡社區的路線，全長僅略多於三哩，是拉丁美洲日益星羅棋布的纜車線之一，用以銜接邊緣社區與城市的都會心臟。整個大墨西哥市人口逾 2100 萬，埃卡堤佩是這廣大區域中最大最危險的市區，居民說，墨西哥纜車線帶來新遊客，縮短通勤時間，街頭藝術蓬勃發展，還予人一種融入城市生活的新歸屬感。

"It's great," said Marco Antonio Gonzalez, who used to spend an hour in a cramped bus to get from his home in San Andres de la Canada, the Mexicable's final stop, to his job at a warehouse in the center of Ecatepec. He now has a smooth, 17-minute cable ride over dun-colored rooftops, half-bald soccer pitches and narrow streets strung with glittery bunting. The new transport system has made him proud. "People never build something as impressive as this in a neighborhood like ours," he said. 馬可．安東尼奧．龔薩雷茲說：「這真的很棒。」以往，他必須花 1 小時擠公車從他在聖安德列斯德拉加拿達的家，也是墨西哥纜車線的終點站，前往埃卡堤佩市中心的一座倉庫工作。現在他可以搭纜車，順暢地花 17 分鐘，穿越過一個個暗褐色的屋頂、半禿的足球場，以及掛著閃亮彩旗的狹窄街道。新的運輸系統令他引以為傲。他說：「人們從沒有在我們這樣的社區，建造過這麼令人感動的東西。」

Ecatepec stretches north from the tip of the capital's subway network into steep hills where square cinder-block houses are stacked like Lego pieces. Many who use the cable car also catch a bus and then a subway to reach jobs — at restaurants, homes, offices or construction sites — in more affluent parts of town. Nancy Montoya, a housekeeper who lives in Esperanza, near the sixth Mexicable stop, said she saved about two hours per day using the new system — time she spends doing homework with her children or buying groceries. Over the past 12 years, gondola systems have been built in cities that include Cali and Medellin in Colombia; Caracas, Venezuela; La Paz, Bolivia; and Rio de Janeiro. There are plans to build systems in half a dozen other Latin American cities, according to the Gondola Project, which tracks cable car programs worldwide. 埃卡堤佩從首都墨西哥市地鐵網的頂端向北延伸到陡峭的山丘地區，在那裡，正方形的煤渣塊房子如樂高積木般堆疊。許多纜車使用者得再搭一段公車並再換一次地鐵，才能抵達位在墨西哥市較富裕地區的工作地點，如餐館、住家、辦公室或建築工地。南西．蒙托亞是名管家，家住靠近墨西哥纜車線第六站的艾斯佩蘭沙。她說使用新系統每天約可節省 2 小時，她拿這些時間陪子女做功課或購買雜貨。過去 12 年，建造纜車系統的城市包括哥倫比亞的卡利和美德殷，委內瑞拉首都卡拉卡斯，玻利維亞首都拉巴斯，巴西里約熱內盧。據追蹤全球纜車計畫的「纜車計畫」，另有 6 個拉丁美洲城市欲興建纜車系統。

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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你是不是也有這種尷尬：茶水間遇到外國同事，腦袋一片空白，只能擠出一句 "How's your weekend?"——然後就沒了。這集 John老師跟阿鍵老師要帶你用最近的國際時事，學怎麼開話頭、怎麼讓對話繼續，不冷場、不變考試、不失禮。

時事這麼嚴肅，怎麼拿來small talk？

國際新聞聽起來都是大事，癌症疫苗、太空任務、半導體股價——感覺在茶水間講這種東西，好像在開研討會。但問題不是話題本身，是你開口的方式。

阿鍵老師說，最容易翻車的是把 small talk 變成問答題。Did you see that? Did you read this? 問一問對方覺得自己在被考試，氣氛立刻尷尬。真正有效的商用英文會話是讓對方有空間回應——說個你的想法，留個缺口，邀請對方進來。

這集示範了幾個場景，聽完你會發現其實不難。

VIP文章大補帖：這週哪些時事值得聊
這集順便幫大家整理了最近幾篇VIP國際時事跟讀的重點，讓你即使沒時間每篇都看，也能抓到可以聊的方向。

Apple換執行長—Tim Cook正式交棒給 John Turnus。聊法是：Wow, I didn't expect Apple to change leadership so soon. Did you see the news? 不需要很懂苹果内部，光是 leadership change 這個話題，就可以帶出你們公司的八卦、你老闆的 leadership style，哈拉個十分鐘沒問題。

Michael Jackson傳記電影—上映第一週票房冠軍，Apple Music 同步六首歌衝上百大。這種 entertainment 話題是最安全的破冰，而且年齡跨度大，從阿公輩的 Jackson 5 時代到現在的年輕人都能接。聊法就更輕鬆了：It's interesting how people are still into Michael Jackson after all these years. 然後問對方最愛哪首，對話自己就走了。

Intel可能要回來了—股價、財報、跟Elon Musk的新合作，2026年第一季財報直接漲20%。這個話題對台灣的竹科工程師來說根本不是 small talk，是 must talk。開法是：Intel looks like it might actually be turning things around. What do you think? 點個話頭，讓對方發表意見，自己聽就好。

台裔太空人 Kjell Lindgren——Artemis II 登月任務，第一位有台灣血統的太空人。這個本來就是台灣人的驕傲，拿去跟外國同事聊也有梗：Did you know the first Taiwanese-American astronaut just went to the moon? Pretty cool, right?

聊天是有技術的，不是見人說人話
John老師最後講了一件很重要的事：台灣人聊股票是日常，你在辦公室問同事「最近有沒有買台積電」沒人覺得奇怪，但拿這句話問外國同事，對方可能直接愣住。

文化敏感度是真實存在的。聊股票可以，但不能直接問「你有沒有投資Intel」——太直接。可以換個說法：Themarket is going crazy over Intel right now. Feels like a comeback, right? 這樣是在分享觀點、邀請討論，不是在打探別人的財務狀況。

安全牌依序是：sports、天氣、電影、音樂。時事可以聊，但要看對象——對方是主管級或IT業的，可以深聊；對方是初階同事，就 keep it light。這種彈性，才是真正的辦公室英文會話能力。

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:

Senator Kamala Harris was nominated as the as the vice-presidential candidate, running alongside ex-Vice President Joe Biden. Many people suddenly realized that she has a Chinese name. So where did she get her Chinese name? The story goes that Kamala has a Taiwanese-American friend Su Jung-Li who helped her come up with a Chinese name when she asked for advice on how to win over a Chinese-dominated population. According to reports, Kamala didn’t like the word “Li” meaning beauty initially, because she wanted people to associate with her intelligence and not her beauty.

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-931-kamala-harris-unveils-meaning-story-behind  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Ethnicity n. belonging to a social group that has a common cultural tradition Senator Kamala Harris was the first black woman with Asian ethnicity to be nominated as vice presidential candidate. Maria wanted to research the roots of her ethnicity. 

Candidate n. a person who is applying for a job or is nominated for election We are going to interview two candidates for the design position that is open. Joe Biden nominated Kamala Harris as his vice-presidential candidate. 

Nominate v. propose or enter as candidate in an election John Wick was nominated for best action movie. I never nominate any friends to be class captain. 

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你上一次去熱炒店是什麼時候？那個紅色塑膠椅、歡鬧的氣氛、還有空氣中飄著的九層塔和蒜香⋯⋯光是想像就讓人肚子餓了！本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Klim 老師要帶大家聊聊這個超有台灣味的飲食文化。

從怎麼辨認一間正宗熱炒店開始，到酒促小姐文化，再到兩位老師各自的必點菜單，當然，也少不了那些讓人又愛又怕的「挑戰級」料理：龍珠、九轉肥腸、蒸臭豆腐⋯⋯你敢吃這些菜嗎？

When was the last time you went to a re chao (Taiwanese stir-fry) restaurant? Those red plastic chairs, the lively atmosphere, and the smell of Thai basil and garlic wafting through the air... just imagining it makes you hungry! This week on English Cafe, John and Klim take everyone to discuss this quintessentially Taiwanese late night dining culture.

Starting with how to identify an authentic re chao restaurant, to the beer promotion girl culture, to each teacher's must-order menu items, and of course, those "challenge-level" dishes that people both love and fear: dragon balls, braised intestine, steamed stinky tofu... Would you dare to eat these dishes?

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L196: 麥可傳記電影破影史紀錄 Michael Jackson Biopic Moonwalks Into History

Highlights 主題摘要

Lionsgate's Michael did not merely open — it moonwalked into box office history. Antoine Fuqua's big-budget biopic of the King of Pop grossed $97.2 million in North America and $218.8 million globally across its debut weekend, setting an all-time record for the genre. The domestic figure alone surpassed Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer, which had held the biopic crown with an $80 million opening, while the global haul eclipsed Bohemian Rhapsody to claim the top worldwide launch for any music biopic in history.

麥可傑克森的傳記電影《麥可》首映週末在全球颳起一陣旋風。這部由獅門影業製作的大卡司傳記片，北美票房達9,720萬美元，全球累計2.188億美元，成為影史上票房最高的傳記電影首映週末。北美成績超越克里斯多福．諾蘭的《奧本海默》（8,000萬美元），全球表現則超越《波希米亞狂想曲》，寫下音樂傳記電影的全球首映新紀錄。

The film's staggering performance caught even its own producers off guard. Lionsgate had projected a domestic opening of around $70 million heading into the weekend, with bullish tracking peaking at roughly that figure. That estimate was blown apart by nearly $30 million. The appeal cut across demographic lines — Latino and white audiences each accounted for 26% of ticket buyers, while Black moviegoers made up 38%. Crucially, the film drew both older fans who grew up with Jackson's music and younger audiences discovering it anew, with those aged 18–34 representing up to 50% of opening-weekend attendance.

這個數字連製片方都始料未及。獅門影業上映前預估北美票房約7,000萬美元，實際結果超出近3,000萬。觀影族群涵蓋各族裔與年齡層：拉丁裔與白人觀眾各佔26%，黑人觀眾佔38%。值得注意的是，電影同時吸引了從小聽麥可長大的老影迷，以及重新認識他音樂的年輕族群，18至34歲觀眾佔首映週末票房的50%。

The triumph arrived despite a profound critics-versus-audiences divide. Michael holds a 40% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes — reviewers largely objecting to its sanitised treatment of the abuse allegations that shadowed Jackson's later career — yet it earned a 97% audience score on the same platform, the best ever for the genre, alongside a CinemaScore grade of A-. The film's $200 million budget, partly inflated by a costly third-act overhaul to remove those depictions, looks increasingly justified. The commercial logic is already clear: Lionsgate is widely expected to greenlight at least one sequel covering the later chapters of Jackson's life.

這場勝利的背後，伴隨著罕見的評論與口碑落差。《麥可》在爛番茄的影評人評分只有40%，多數評論批評電影刻意迴避傑克森晚年的性醜聞指控；觀眾評分卻高達97%，創下音樂傳記電影紀錄，CinemaScore也拿到A-。電影製作費達2億美元，其中包括重寫第三幕、刪除相關情節的大筆開銷，如今看來物有所值。獅門影業預計將至少再推出一部續集，繼續講述傑克森的後半段人生。

Off-screen, the film's release set off a parallel surge in Jackson's music catalog. U.S. streams jumped 95% over the opening weekend, reaching 31.7 million plays on Friday and Saturday alone, according to industry analytics firm Luminate. The Jackson 5's catalog also benefited, climbing 85% over the same period. On Apple Music, Jackson placed eight songs on the Global Daily Top 100, with "Billie Jean" leading at No. 11 — a reminder that, even 17 years after his death, the King of Pop's reach remains without parallel.

電影帶動的效應也延伸到串流平台。根據音樂數據公司Luminate統計，首映週末美國境內麥可傑克森的串流量暴增95%，光週五、週六兩天就累計3,170萬次。傑克森五人組（英語：The Jackson 5，前名傑克森兄弟）的作品同樣跟著沾光，串流量成長85%。Apple Music上，他有八首歌進入全球每日百大，〈Billie Jean〉排名第11。距離他辭世已17年，流行音樂之王的號召力仍然無可比肩。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Eclipsed [verb, to surpass something previously dominant]: The newcomer eclipsed every rival within two seasons.Blown apart [verb phrase, to far exceed a prediction or expectation]: The results blew apart every forecast analysts had made.Demographic [adjective, relating to the statistical characteristics of a population]: The campaign was designed to cut across demographic lines.Sanitised [adjective, made less controversial by removing uncomfortable elements]: The report felt sanitised and avoided the hardest questions.Greenlight [verb, to give official approval for a project to proceed]: The studio plans to greenlight a sequel before year's end.

Reference article:
1. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/music/music-news/michael-jackson-record-box-office-biopic-opening-1236577460/
2. https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/michael-box-office-opening-weekend-record-1236730805/
3. https://apnews.com/article/michael-jackson-michael-streaming-movie-biopic-92af09f94a1ca6c30a2061d4642bd995

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Hi there! 歡迎收聽 Look Back Sunday 回顧星期天，在這個節目 John 老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽汽車產業相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic 1: California Is Trying to Jump-Start the Hydrogen Economy

Since President George W. Bush fueled a minivan with hydrogen 15 years ago, the promise of cars and trucks powered by the fuel has come up mostly empty. 15 年前，時任美國總統的小布希為一輛廂型休旅車加上氫燃料，發展氫能小客車和貨車的美好期盼迄今卻大抵落空。

That hydrogen pump, in Washington, closed long ago. But in California, the beginnings of a hydrogen economy may finally be dawning after many fits and starts. 華府的那座加氫站早已停用，然而在加州，氫經濟在幾經周折之後，可能真的要起步了。
Dozens of hydrogen buses are lumbering down city streets, while more and larger fueling stations are appearing from San Diego to San Francisco, financed by the state and the federal government. With the costs of producing and shipping hydrogen coming down, California is setting ambitious goals to phase out vehicles that run on fossil fuels in favor of batteries and hydrogen. 在州政府和聯邦出資之下，從聖地牙哥到舊金山，數十輛氫動力公車緩緩行駛於城市街道，更多且更大的加氫站也一一出現。由於氫製造和運輸的成本下降，加州立定遠大目標，要逐步淘汰化石燃料車，轉向電動車和氫能車。

Some energy executives said they expect investment in hydrogen to accelerate under President-elect Joe Biden, who made climate change a big part of his campaign and proposed a $2 trillion plan to tackle the problem. 一些能源業高管預期，對氫能的投資會在總統當選人拜登上台後加速成長。拜登以遏制氣候變遷為重要政見，並提出一項 2 兆美元的因應計畫。

A recent McKinsey & Co. study estimated that the hydrogen economy could generate $140 billion in annual revenue by 2030 and support 700,000 jobs. The study projected that hydrogen could meet 14% of total American energy demand by 2050. 管理顧問公司麥肯錫最近在一份研究中估計，到 2030 年時，氫經濟每年能創造 1400 億美元營收，支撐 70 萬個工作機會。這份研究預測，到 2050 年，氫將能滿足全美 14% 的能源需求。

The use of hydrogen, the lightest and most abundant substance in the universe, is still in its infancy, and California is determined to be its cradle in the United States. The state now has roughly 40 fueling stations, with dozens more under construction. While those numbers are tiny compared with the 10,000 gasoline stations across the state, officials have high hopes. 氫是宇宙中最輕且最豐富的物質，人類利用氫能還在初始階段，而加州決心成為美國氫能利用的搖籃。加州目前約有 40 個加氫站，還有數十個在興建中。雖然加氫站數量與全加州一萬個加油站相比微不足道，但官員仍滿懷希望。

With about 7,500 hydrogen vehicles on the road, an aggressive state program of incentives and subsidies from cap-and-trade dollars envisions 50,000 hydrogen light-duty vehicles by mid-decade and a network of 1,000 hydrogen stations by 2030. 目前加州約有 7500 輛氫能車上路，州政府積極利用取自「總量管制與排放交易」的財源來進行補貼和獎勵，希望達到 2025 年左右有 5 萬輛輕型氫能車上路，2030 年有 1000 個加氫站的目標。

Hydrogen-powered vehicles are similar to electric cars. But unlike electric cars, which have large batteries, these cars have hydrogen tanks and fuel cells that turn the gas into electricity. The cars refuel and accelerate quickly, and they can go for several hundred miles on a full tank. They emit only water vapor, which makes them appealing to California cities that are trying to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. 氫能車類似電動車，不同的是，電動車的電池很大，氫能車則有氫氣儲存槽和把氫氣轉換成電力的燃料電池。氫能車補充燃料和加速都很快，氫氣槽加滿後能跑幾百哩。氫能車只會釋出蒸氣，對於努力減少汙染和溫室氣體排放量的加州很有吸引力。

"Almost any objective analysis for getting to zero emissions includes hydrogen," said Jack Brouwer, director of the National Fuel Cell Research Center at the University of California, Irvine. 爾灣加州大學國家燃料電池研究中心主任傑克‧布勞爾說：「幾乎所有關於如何達到零排放的客觀分析都會提到氫。」

Topic 2: Wheels falling off China's 'deep fake' car manufacturer

Chinese automobile manufacturer Zotye Auto is a household name in China. The company is famous for manufacturing copies of car models by luxury international brands including Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini. After a long delay, on June 22, Zotye Auto finally released its 2019 year end financial results. The report revealed that last year, the automaker suffered losses of 11.2 billion yuan (approximately NT$46.6 billion), or an average of 30 million yuan per day. The company's market value also shrank from 30 billion yuan to a mere 3.6 billion yuan. Even worse, because the company is unable to guarantee the authenticity, accuracy and completeness of its financial report, Zotye Auto has been issued with a "risk of delisting warning" by Shenzhen Stock Exchange. 以模仿奧迪、保時捷、蘭寶堅尼等高級進口車，在中國家喻戶曉的車商眾泰汽車，六月二十二日終於發布二○一九年財報，顯示全年慘虧一百十二億元人民幣（以下同），約新台幣四百六十六億，相當於每天平均虧損三千萬，市值也由逾三百億縮水至僅剩三十六億元；更慘的是，該公司因為無法保證年報的真實性、準確性和完整性，已被深圳證券交易所實施「退市風險警示」。

Seemingly without a care for the outside world, Zotye Auto has been audaciously building slavish copies of imported luxury car models. The company became a household name in China after producing facsimile versions of the Audi Q3 (Zotye SR7), Porsche Macan (Zotye SR9) and Lamborghini Urus (Zotye Concept S). Due to Zotye Auto's uncanny ability to produce lookalike cars, there is a joke currently doing the rounds in China: "If you want to get behind the wheel of a Lamborghini, pay a visit to Zotye Auto." 眾泰汽車因為不顧外界觀瞻，大膽模仿進口名車，而在中國家喻戶曉，該公司推出的眾泰 SR7 模仿奧迪 Q3，眾泰 SR9 模仿保時捷 Macan，眾泰
Concept S 模仿蘭寶堅尼 Urus。由於模仿能力出眾，中國坊間甚至流傳著一句調侃話：「這輩子能不能開蘭寶堅尼，就看眾泰了！」

However, having relied on imitating the work of others, the company lacks home-grown innovation, while the quality of its vehicles has not kept pace with the sophistication of its copycat designs. Annual sales have been steadily falling too: in 2016, the company sold 330,000 vehicles. This fell to 310,000 in 2017 and only 230,000 in 2018. Zotye Auto initially set a sales target of 480,000 vehicles per year, yet in 2018 it failed to reach even half that figure. Last year, sales declined at an even steeper rate with the company only managing to shift 116,600 vehicles. 但靠著山寨別人，缺乏自主創新，且品質也未同步提升的營運模式畢竟無法持久。眾泰汽車二○一六年、二○一七年的年銷量還分別有三十三萬輛、三十一萬輛，但此後每況愈下，二○一八年僅剩二十三萬輛，為四十八萬輛的目標的一半不到，二○一九年進一步跌至十一點六六萬輛。

To make matters even worse, Zotye Auto chief executive Lou Guohai has stated that he cannot guarantee the authenticity, accuracy and completeness of his company's year end financial report, citing various reasons including uncertainty over the company's ability to continue operating, multiple lawsuits and outstanding obligations. 雪上加霜的是，眾泰汽車董事婁國海表示，無法保證該公司年報內容的真實性、準確性和完整性，理由包括：公司的持續經營能力存在較大不確定性，公司面臨眾多訴訟及擔保事項等。

Topic 3: Despite High Hopes, Self-Driving Cars Are 'Way in the Future'

A year ago, Detroit and Silicon Valley had visions of putting thousands of self-driving taxis on the road in 2019, ushering in an age of driverless cars. 一年前，底特律和矽谷曾有 2019 年讓數千輛自動駕駛計程車上路的願景，要開啟無人駕駛車的時代。
Most of those cars have yet to arrive — and it is likely to be years before they do. Several carmakers and technology companies have concluded that making autonomous vehicles is going to be harder, slower and costlier than they thought. 這些車大多數還沒上路－而且很可能還要等好多年才會上路。數家汽車製造商和科技公司已作出如下結論：製造自動駕駛車將比他們以為的更困難、更緩慢且更花錢。

"We overestimated the arrival of autonomous vehicles," Ford's chief executive, Jim Hackett, said at the Detroit Economic Club in April. 「我們對自駕車問世的評估過於樂觀。」福特汽車執行長吉姆．哈克特今年 4 月在底特律經濟俱樂部這麼說。

In the most recent sign of the scramble to regroup, Ford and Volkswagen said Friday that they were teaming up to tackle the self-driving challenge. 福特和福斯周五宣布要合組團隊以迎接自駕車的挑戰。這也是業界忙著重新組合、再次出發的最新跡象。

The two automakers plan to use autonomous-vehicle technology from a Pittsburgh startup, Argo AI, in ride-sharing services in a few urban zones as early as 2021. But Argo's chief executive, Bryan Salesky, said the industry's bigger promise of creating driverless cars that could go anywhere was "way in the future." 這兩家汽車製造商計畫使用匹茲堡新創公司「亞果人工智慧」的自駕車技術，最快於 2021 年在一些都會區提供共乘服務。但是亞果的執行長布萊恩．薩勒斯基說，這個產業更大的承諾，也就是創造可去到任何地方的自駕車，「還在遙遠的未來」。

He and others attribute the delay to something as obvious as it is stubborn: human behavior. 他和另一些人將這個延誤歸咎於顯而易見且難以應付的一項因素：人類行為。

Researchers at Argo say the cars they are testing in Pittsburgh and Miami have to navigate unexpected situations every day. Recently, one of the company's cars encountered a bicyclist riding the wrong way down a busy street between other vehicles. 亞果研究人員說，他們在匹茲堡和邁阿密測試的車輛，每天都須經歷無法預期的狀況。最近，這家公司一輛車遇到一名自行車騎士，在一條車多的街道上逆向行駛在車輛間。

Another Argo test car came across a street sweeper that suddenly turned a giant circle in an intersection, touching all four corners and crossing lanes of traffic that had the green light. 另一輛亞果的測試車遇到一輛掃街車，在一個十字路口突如其來大轉彎，碰到四個街角，而且橫越已經轉為綠燈的車道。

"You see all kinds of crazy things on the road, and it turns out they're not all that infrequent, but you have to be able to handle all of them," Salesky said. "With radar and high-resolution cameras and all the computing power we have, we can detect and identify the objects on a street. The hard part is anticipating what they're going to do next." 「你在路上見到所有瘋狂的事，而且發現它們並非那麼不常見，但你必須有能力處理所有狀況。」薩勒斯基說。「我們擁有雷達、高解析度鏡頭和所有電算能力，可偵測並識別街道上的物體。困難的部分是預測它們下一步會做什麼。」

Salesky said Argo and many competitors had developed about 80% of the technology needed to put self-driving cars into routine use — the radar, cameras and other sensors that can identify objects far down roads and highways. 薩勒斯基說，自駕車進入日常使用所需技術，亞果和許多競爭對手約已開發成功 80%－雷達、攝影鏡頭及其他可在一般道路和高速公路識別遠方物體的感應器。

But the remaining 20%, including developing software that can reliably anticipate what other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are going to do, will be much more difficult, he said. 但是剩下的 20%，包括開發能夠可靠預測其他駕駛人、行人和自行車騎士下一步行動的軟體，會難得多。

A year ago, many industry executives exuded much greater certainty. They thought that their engineers had solved the most vexing technical problems and promised that self-driving cars would be shuttling people around town in at least several cities by sometime this year. 一年前，許多業界高管還展現出遠比當下更有把握的態度。當時他們認為，他們的工程師已解決最困難的技術問題，且承諾自駕車今年之內，至少可在幾個城市輸運民眾。

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

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📜 單集逐字稿 & 內容摘要（播放器字數有限，完整逐字稿請到官網查看）
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你有沒有遇過那種英文?字面上每個字都看得懂，合在一起卻完全不知道它在說什麼。Well oiled machine—上好油的機器？這跟機械廠有什麼關係？這集從一瓶南非進口橄欖油開始，聊到一個你明天就能在辦公室用上的英文慣用語。

從新竹到開普敦，橄欖油搭上了線

這集有個亮點。節目老鐵粉 Allen哥—新竹在地人，同時也是台灣百大青農——寄來了他們家自產的南非開普省橄欖油。沒錯，同一塊地，隔壁就是世界百大酒莊。

John老師說，其實開普省能種葡萄的地方就能種橄欖，地中海型氣候嘛。意大利、西班牙的橄欖油都快被我們喝光了，下一站就是南非了。那瓶 extra virgin 寄到錄音間，兩個老師討論了半天要不要拿來炒菜——不是不行，但拿 extra virgin 炒菜，有點像拿精品保養品擦腳底。
重點是：Allen哥不只是老鐵粉，他還在考慮把事業延伸到南非，先把小孩送去開普敦大學這樣。把小孩當先遣部隊，聽起來很熟悉，不就是我們台灣人最常見的那種家族事業佈局。

Wait What 系列：那些讓人慢半拍的英文慣用語

如果你在捷運上滑過我們的 IG，可能有看過 Wait What 系列。就是那種你一看到英文、腦袋當機兩秒才反應過來的 idiom，我們做成圖卡讓你一秒懂。

最近幾個做出來的——break the ice、cold turkey、butter someone up——你可能聽過，但你知道在辦公室情境裡怎麼用嗎？在台北的茶水間想跟外國主管拉近關係，光靠「天氣不錯」是不夠的。這些英文慣用語才是讓你顯得自然、不像在背課文的關鍵。

這週的新 idiom 是 Well Oiled Machine。

Well Oiled Machine，不是在說你是個零件
聽到「上好油的機器」別緊張，不是在說你可以被取代。這個說法是在誇一個系統、一個團隊、甚至一個家，所有事情順到像抹了油一樣，不卡、不拖、沒有摩擦。

My family is a well oiled machine. 就是說我們家大小事都協調得很好，小孩準時上學、長輩身體健康、週末不用搶遙控器。放到工作場景就更實用了——向上管理的時候跟老闆說 Ourteam runs like a well oiled machine，是在說分工明確、效率高、不需要你一直盯著。
更進階一點：My investment portfolio is a well oiled machine. 竹科的工程師聽到這句，大概秒懂什麼叫「錢自己在賺錢」。

這種英文慣用語學起來不難，難的是在對的時機自然地說出來。

一週一個，一年就累積快六十個，明天直接拿去茶水間用，比硬背單字有效多了。
John老師在節目裡說，其實每集 café 的 VIP 學習筆記裡，光是 idioms 就可能有二三十個，跟 Angel老師合作那集更是直接衝到三十個。看到這個數字很多人會想：我要怎麼全部背起來？

不用全部背。真的不用。阿鍵老師說得很直接：常用的學起來，不常用的聽過知道意思就好。在捷運上通勤學英文，不是去準備英文考試，是讓這些字在你腦袋裡有個印象，哪天聽到或看到，你不會當機。

每週一兩個，扎實地用出去，比拿著單字本背了一整頁卻一個都想不起來有意義太多了。

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:

The story of Ms. Beshara, the founder of Ninjavideo in 2010 was busted by the federal agents for illegally streaming and distributing pirated tv shows on her website. At the time, her site has 2.6m visits a day and 60,000 registered members. File-sharing online amounts to about a quarter of all consumer traffic. In 2012, Megaupload was seized and shutdown with Kim Dotcom arrested in New Zealand, but not extradited. 

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-927-in-culture-of-access-a-frustrating-pursuit-of-bootleggers  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentence 

Piracy n. the practice of robbing ships at sea. Many movies were pirated and made available online before its actual release. Online piracy hinders the development of the movie and music industries. 

Indict v. accuse or charge with a serious crime Kim Dotcom was indicted by the US on charges related to copyright infringement. He was indicted by the prosecutor for theft. 

Confiscate v. take or seize someone’s property with authority The FBI confiscated Ms. Beshara’s computer hardware. The school teacher confiscated the student’s smartphone when he was caught using it in class. 

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你有沒有覺得隨著年齡增長，自己的腦袋卻越來越不靈光？明明是日常小事，卻老是忘東忘西？這週《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Angel 老師要來聊聊，我們平常那些「理所當然」的習慣，到底是在保護大腦，還是在偷偷讓它退化？

我們看到的報導說「深夜追劇讓你變笨」？但是John老師強烈反對這個說法，甚至說這會讓你更聰明？Angel老師則坦承自己過度依賴手機和 AI，已經開始影響自己獨立思考的能力。除此之外，我們還有講到一些新時代的網路習慣，像是五分鐘電影recap、doom scrolling無腦滑抖音、以及為什麼多喝水可能比你想的更重要。

Have you noticed that as you age, your brain seems less sharp? You keep forgetting things even though they're just everyday matters? This week on "English Cafe," John and Angel discuss whether those habits we take for granted are actually protecting our brains or secretly causing them to deteriorate.

We've seen reports claiming "late-night binge-watching makes you dumb"? But John strongly disagrees with this claim, even saying it can make you smarter? Angel admits that her over-reliance on phones and AI has already started affecting her ability to think independently. Beyond that, we also discuss some new-age internet habits, like five-minute movie recaps, doom scrolling mindlessly through TikTok, and why drinking more water might be more important than you think.

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L192: Japan Ends Its Postwar Ban on Lethal Arms Exports

Highlights 主題摘要

Japan spent eight decades defined by restraint. The postwar constitution that followed Hiroshima and Nagasaki built pacifism into the country's legal and moral architecture, and strict arms export controls became one of its most visible expressions. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet voted to dismantle that framework, approving guidelines that will, in principle, allow Japan to export any category of defense equipment to approved partner nations.

日本在克制原則下走過了八十年。廣島與長崎之後誕生的戰後憲法，將和平主義深植於國家的法律與道德根基，嚴格的武器出口管制正是其中最鮮明的體現。週二，首相高市早苗的內閣投票通過廢除這套框架，批准新版指導方針，原則上允許日本向核准夥伴國出口任何類別的國防設備。

The rules being replaced dated to 1967 and were formally enacted in 1976, limiting permissible exports to five non-lethal categories: rescue, transport, surveillance, warning and minesweeping equipment. Decades of incremental adjustments had chipped away at the edges — a 2014 opening for non-lethal military supplies, a 2023 revision allowing licensed weapons to be sold back to originating countries such as the United States — but the core prohibition on lethal weapons remained intact. The new guidelines scrap those category restrictions entirely and allow exports of fighter jets, missiles and destroyers, subject to National Security Council approval and post-transfer monitoring.

被廢除的舊規範可追溯至1967年，於1976年正式施行，將許可出口項目限定於五類非致命性裝備：救援、運輸、偵察、預警與掃雷器材。數十年來歷經多次局部調整，逐步鬆動邊界，包括2014年開放非致命性軍事物資，以及2023年允許將授權生產的武器賣回原始授權國（如美國），但對致命性武器的核心禁令始終未鬆動。新版指導方針全面取消這些類別限制，允許出口戰鬥機、飛彈與驅逐艦，並須經國安會議核准，出口後亦受政府持續監管。

Takaichi has framed the overhaul in twin terms: security necessity and economic strategy. Her government lists defense as one of 17 strategic growth sectors, and manufacturers including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are already expanding their workforce in shipbuilding and missile production in anticipation of new contracts. At least 17 countries that have signed bilateral defense agreements with Japan are immediately eligible to purchase; that list may grow. Australia last week signed for three Mogami-class frigates with eight more to be jointly built in Australia, and New Zealand, the Philippines and Indonesia have also signaled interest.

高市早苗將這次改革定位為安全需求與經濟戰略的雙重考量。日本政府已將國防列為17項戰略成長產業之一，三菱重工等製造商也已擴編造船與飛彈生產部門，提前布局新訂單商機。目前至少17個與日本簽署雙邊國防協議的國家可立即採購，名單未來可能持續擴充。澳洲上週正式簽約，確認採購三艘最上級巡防艦，另外八艘將在澳洲境內合作建造；紐西蘭、菲律賓與印尼也相繼表達採購意願。

The reaction from Beijing was swift and sharply worded. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said China would firmly resist what it called Japan's reckless new-style militarization, pledging that the international community would remain highly vigilant. Critics inside Japan echo those concerns, arguing the shift erodes the constitutional commitment to pacifism and risks drawing the country into conflicts beyond its borders. The government maintains that weapons will not be exported to countries currently at war, though exemptions are permitted under special circumstances where national security interests apply.

北京的反應迅速而強硬。外交部發言人郭嘉昆表示，中方將強力抵制所謂日本「輕率的新型軍事化」，並強調國際社會將保持高度警覺。日本國內批評者也有同樣的憂慮，認為此舉侵蝕了憲法確立的和平主義承諾，可能使日本捲入境外衝突。對此，日本政府重申不會向交戰國出口武器，但在涉及國家安全利益的「特殊情形」下可予以豁免。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Pacifism [noun, the belief that war and violence are never justified]: The constitution was rooted in pacifism after the war.Dismantle [verb, to completely abolish or take apart an existing system]: The new law will dismantle years of trade restrictions.Chipped away at [verb phrase, to gradually weaken or reduce something over time]: Budget cuts have chipped away at the programme.Bilateral [adjective, involving two countries or parties]: The two nations signed a bilateral defense agreement.Militarization [noun, the process of building up military power and capabilities]: Rapid militarization in the region has raised tensions.

Reference article:
1. https://www.npr.org/2026/04/21/g-s1-118178/japan-ban-lethal-weapons-exports
2. https://www.dw.com/en/japan-loosens-long-standing-curbs-on-arms-exports/a-76874734
3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/4/21/japan-lifts-ban-on-lethal-weapons-exports-in-major-shift-of-pacifist-policy

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Hi there! 歡迎收聽 Look Back Sunday 回顧星期天，在這個節目 John 老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽紐西蘭相關的文章，Let's get started!

Topic 1: Mittens the cat could become New Zealander of the Year

Mittens, a famous feline from Wellington, is in the running to be voted New Zealander of the Year, going up against Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield. 來自威靈頓的知名母貓「米坦斯」，正在角逐紐西蘭年度人物票選，對上紐西蘭總理賈欣達．阿爾登與衛生部衛生事務首長艾希莉．布魯斐德博士。

The feline joins a host of nominees for the annual Kiwibank award, including figures from sectors such as politics, media, health, music and design. 這隻母貓獲得年度奇異鳥銀行獎的多項提名，該獎項包括政治界、媒體界、衛生界、音樂界與設計界的年度人物。
Other nominees for New Zealander of the Year include microbiologist Siouxsie Wiles and lawmaker Chloe Swarbrick. 其他紐西蘭年度人物的被提名人，還有微生物學家蘇西．威爾斯，與國會議員克羅伊．史瓦布里克。

The Wellington Museum has also dedicated a mini exhibition to Mittens and his adventures, named "Floofy and Famous." And in May the mayor of Wellington, Andy Foster, gave Mittens the key to the city, an honor previously granted to "The Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson. 威靈頓博物館也已經為米坦斯與牠的冒險辦了一場迷你展覽，名為「蓬鬆而知名」。5 月時，威靈頓市市長安迪．佛斯特也給米坦斯這座城市的鑰匙，一項以前曾授予「魔戒」導演彼得．傑克森的榮譽。

Topic 2: New Zealand votes to legalize euthanasia for terminally ill patients｜紐西蘭表決通過絕症病患安樂死合法化

New Zealanders have voted in favor of legalizing euthanasia for people with a terminal illness — clearing the way for the controversial proposition to become law in 2021. 紐西蘭人已投票贊成絕症病患安樂死合法化——剷除讓此一具有爭議性的提案在 2021 年立法的障礙。

More than 65% of voters backed the proposed law, according to preliminary results of a referendum announced by the country's electoral commission Friday. 根據該國選舉委員會週五宣布的公投初步結果，超過 65% 的選民支持這項法律議案。
Lawmakers voted 69-51 to approve the End of Life Choice Act 2019 last year before sending the issue to a referendum. 該法案在（紐國）國會議員去年以 69 比 51 通過「2019 終結生命選擇法」後，送交公投。

More than 2.4 million people took part in the poll, which was conducted alongside New Zealand's general election on October 17. 超過 240 萬人參加與 10 月 17 日紐西蘭大選一同舉行的投票。

Topic 3: Sheep Farmers in New Zealand Adapt to Changing Tastes

ST. ANDREWS, New Zealand — About three decades ago, when Andrew Fraser began raising sheep, wool was among the star exports of this nation. Its other sheep products — lamb and mutton — were supporting actors. 約 30 年前傅瑞澤開始養羊時，羊毛是紐西蘭的明星出口品，其他綿羊產品如羔羊肉和羊肉只是配角。

Today, the situation is reversed. New Zealand's sheep meat exports are up, while wool faces intensifying competition from synthetic fibers. Although sheep farming is still enmeshed in the fabric of New Zealand's cultural identity, it is another economic activity that this nation is retooling for a globalized world. 如今情勢逆轉，紐西蘭羊肉出口增加，羊毛卻面臨人造纖維日益激烈的競爭。雖然養羊這種經濟活動仍與紐西蘭的文化認同緊密交織，但紐西蘭正在調整它，以適應全球化的世界。

"Wool has traditionally been — and still is — a very good product," Mr. Fraser said. "The trouble is that now, a similar product can be manufactured out of used Coke bottles and all sorts of stuff." 傅瑞澤說：「羊毛一向是，也仍然是很棒的產品，問題是現在可用廢可樂罐和各種東西做出類似產品。」

From 1982 to 2011, New Zealand's sheep population declined to 31.1 million from 70.2 million, according to government data, as many sheep pastures were converted to dairy farms or other uses. The roughly 17,000 sheep farmers who remain still earn money from selling the fleece of their animals. But on many sheep farms, meat has replaced wool as the primary profit maker. 官方資料顯示 1982 到 2011 年紐西蘭綿羊從 7020 萬隻降到 3110 萬，許多牧羊場轉養乳牛或改作他途。現在大概還有 1.7 萬羊農，雖仍賣羊毛賺錢，許多養羊場羊肉卻已取代羊毛成為最大財源。

Since 1990, the value of New Zealand's annual exports of raw wool and manufactured wool products has declined to about $700 million from $1.2 billion, according to government data. By contrast, lamb and mutton exports have increased almost threefold to $2.3 billion. And dairy exports, worth $1.9 billion in 1992, have soared to $14.1 billion. 官方資料顯示，1990 年以來每年羊毛和羊毛製品的出口額，從 12 億美元減為 7 億美元；羔羊肉和羊肉年出口額卻增為 23 億美元，幾乎是原來的三倍，乳製品出口額也從 1992 年的 19 億美元大增為 141 億。

New Zealand, with 4.4 million people, is the world's third-largest wool producer behind Australia and China, according to Beef and Lamb New Zealand, a farmer-owned industry group. It supplies 45 percent of all carpet wool globally, the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group said in a report last year. 紐西蘭牛羊肉協會（牛羊農同業組織）資料顯示，人口 440 萬的紐西蘭是全球第三大羊毛生產國，僅次於澳洲和中國大陸。去年澳盛銀行發布報告顯示，紐西蘭供應全球四成五的地毯用羊毛。

Yet more than 90 percent of New Zealand's wool is exported in raw form, rather than in finished products like carpets or upholstery, leaving it vulnerable to swings in commodity markets. 不過，紐西蘭羊毛逾九成以未加工形態出口，而非做成地毯、椅套等成品，易受原物料市場價格波動影響。

Farmers said the wool industry would benefit from having a unified voice to promote New Zealand wool abroad as a high-end fiber that, in their view, beats synthetic alternatives in several categories, including overall quality and environmental sustainability. Having a single voice could help the industry reach beyond China, its primary export market by far, into relatively untapped markets like the United States. 許多羊農希望羊毛業團結起來，向海外宣傳紐西蘭羊毛是高檔纖維，在整體品質與促進環境永續發展等好幾個方面，（他們認為）都勝過人造纖維，這樣一定有幫助。一旦有統一的聲音，羊毛業就能在目前最大出口市場中國大陸以外，打入美國等相對未開發的市場。

But New Zealand's wool industry is viewed as highly fragmented. There were 35 wool exporters operating across the country last year, "a huge level of decentralization" given the industry's relatively modest export earnings, the Banking Group reported. 外界卻認為紐西蘭羊毛業分散得厲害。澳盛銀行指出，去年紐西蘭全國有 35 個羊毛出口業者，由於出口獲利相當微薄，這個產業可說是「極度分散」。

"Everyone's sort of undercutting each other," said Ross Andrews, a South Island farmer who earns around $3 a kilogram for his carpet-grade wool. 南島羊農安德魯斯出售地毯級羊毛，每公斤約賺 3 美元，他說：「每個人多少都在削價競爭。」
Wool growers long assumed that their industry would somehow look after itself, but there is now a clear need to promote wool over synthetic fibers, said Sandra Faulkner, an industry advocate. According to an industry group, Beef and Lamb New Zealand, wool accounts for 1.3 percent of global fiber production and synthetics 61.4 percent. 行銷紐西蘭羊毛的桑德拉．福克納說，羊農一直以為羊毛業終究會挺過難關，不過現在真的有必要宣傳羊毛比人造纖維好。紐西蘭牛羊肉協會資料顯示，羊毛只占全球纖維產量 1.3%，人造纖維卻占 61.4%。

"It's about identifying ourselves in the luxury marketplace, which is where we've always belonged," Ms. Faulkner said. 福克納說：「我們要立足於精品市場，我們本來就屬於那裡。」

Peter Lyon, the supervisor of a South Island shearing team, said farmers' views on how the wool industry should evolve typically depend on factors like whether they have reliable export contractors, the quality of wool they produce and their level of debt. 南島剪羊毛團隊督導里昂說，羊農對於羊毛業何去何從的看法，常取決於某些因素，如他們有沒有可靠的出口貿易公司、生產羊毛的品質和債務的多寡。

In the mid-20th century, wool growers were often "asset-rich and cash-poor," Mr. Lyon said. "But you can't afford to be cash-poor today or you'll get thrown out." 里昂說，20 世紀中期羊農經常「資產多，現金少」，「但在這個時代，你不能沒現金，否則很難生存」。

Topic 4: Got a Hangover? New Zealand's 'morning maids' help clean up post-party mess｜宿醉纏身？紐西蘭「晨光女僕」幫你收拾派對殘局

A New Zealand maid service cleaning up the homes of hung-over party-hosts has been inundated with requests for their services, from home and abroad. 紐西蘭一家專門協助舉辦完派對卻宿醉纏身者打掃房子的女僕服務公司，接獲來自國內外源源不絕的訂單。

Flatmates Rebecca and Catherine launched their cleaning service in Auckland. The service picks up the pieces from parties — cleaning up revellers' debris (including vomit at NZ$10), cooking or buying breakfast for hung-over hosts — even doing coffee and painkiller runs. 住在同一間公寓的芮貝卡和凱瑟琳，是在奧克蘭市展開這項清潔事業。她們的服務是收拾派對結束後的殘局，包括清理尋歡作樂者留下的垃圾（有嘔吐物再加 10 紐幣），為宿醉的派對主人打理早餐，甚至還可以跑腿買咖啡或止痛藥。

Since launching on Facebook in early May, Rebecca and Catherine have been receiving requests from around the country, as well as calls from people in the US and Canada interested in franchising the startup. 芮貝卡和凱瑟琳 5 月初開始在「臉書」上接受預約，此後收到來自全國各地的訂單，也有美國和加拿大民眾表示，有興趣加盟這項新興事業。

Rebecca and Catherine are both in full-time employment, and squeeze their business into their nights and weekends. 芮貝卡和凱瑟琳都有全職工作，因此都是擠出夜晚和週末時間來做這項生意。

"When people answer the door they are usually really apologetic about the state of their house. But we've both been in our 20s and partied so it's nothing we haven't seen before," laughs Catherine. 凱瑟琳笑說：「當人們來開門時，通常都是一副對家裡的狀況感到十分抱歉的模樣。但我們倆都是廿來歲，也都參加過派對，還有什麼慘況沒見識過。」

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—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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你聽過 Thermos 嗎？就是那個保溫瓶品牌。但你知道它現在其實是台灣公司嗎？這集幕後教師室，John老師跟阿鍵老師從英語咖啡館最新一集聊起，順手帶出幾個在台北辦公室、捷運上都能馬上用的英文慣用語。不是課本英文，是那種讓你聽起來很上道的那種。

從保溫瓶聊到品牌變動詞
Thermos 本來是個品牌名，現在英文裡直接拿來代替「保溫瓶」這個概念。就像以前大家說「搜尋」，現在說「Google 一下」。John老師說當你的品牌名變成一個動詞，那你就真的紅了。

這種品牌轉動詞的現象，英文裡還有不少。幾年前大家提到 AI，不說 AI，說的是 ChatGPT。那段時間，ChatGPT 差一點也要變動詞了，不過後來其他家追上來，沒有跑成。John老師說他希望以後大家提到 shadowing 跟讀練習，第一個想到的就是 15Mins。野心不小。
說回 Thermos，它的概念店幾年前在台北開過，賣咖啡。John老師說當時疫情前找不到低消的咖啡廳辦公，就跑去那邊用 MacBook 窩著，結果只有他一個人，最後跟店員聊起品牌故事，才知道現在大股東是台灣人。這種 brand trivia，跟 Patrick 老師聊起來就很難踩剎車。

辦公室八卦也能說得很有品
這集阿鍵老師從英語咖啡館 ep.318 抓了幾個他自己覺得很好用的 idioms，學英文不只是背單字，更重要的是知道什麼情境下用。

1. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen。 字面上是廚房的熱受不了就出去，實際上是在說，這份工作/這個壓力你扛不住，那就別待了。John老師說他做企業 one-on-one 顧問，客戶常抱怨 Gen Z 難搞。這時候他就用這句話來 summarize 一下——對方馬上點頭，That's it。

2. Give me the lowdown。這個是美式口語，意思是「跟我說細節、說內幕」。比直接說 gossip 來得高級，意圖沒那麼明顯。你在台北辦公室茶水間問同事，Clem, give me the gossip，聽起來很瞎；換成 Hey, give me the lowdown，突然有種探員在問案的感覺。阿鍵老師說其實幕後教師室每集都在幫你 give you the lowdown of English Cafe，哈。

3. Get a whiff of something。這個比較英式，字面是「聞到一點氣味」，引申為「嗅到什麼風聲」。竹科同事突然換辦公室了，Did you get a whiff of what happened to Peter? 比直接說「你知道 Peter 怎麼了嗎」含蓄，也比較不像在造謠。John老師說這句話讓你聽起來像是上個世紀的人，或是受過英式教育的那種。用對場合，有種老派的質感。

偷師才是真正的學英文
這集裡面阿鍵老師分享了他自己「偷師」的方式：聽到一個好用的 idiom，不只是記下來，而是馬上在腦袋裡演練——這週我在哪個情境可以用到？拜訪客戶、開捷運、碰到外國人，哪一個 context 可以插進這句話？

他說這樣做，下次真的遇到的時候，不用想就說出來了。不是在背英文，是在準備一個工具，等時機到就拿出來用。

Speaking of which也是這集出現的一個短語。阿鍵老師說他之前比較少注意到這個，但聽完之後馬上抓起來。它的意思有點像「說到這個」，用來岔題、換話題，比 By the way 正式一點，比 chime in 有一種英倫紳士的感覺。John老師說美式的就用 By the way，英式的就用 speaking of which，結果是你的英文讓人家猜你是哪個年代、哪種背景的人。

這集如果你想拿走學習筆記、完整逐字稿、idioms 整理加閱讀小測驗，訂閱 VIP 會員就可以下載。過去 300 多集的筆記也可以補回來，搜 Patrick 老師那集也找得到。

「挺你所想，與你一起生活的銀行」

回饋加碼賺~好康別錯過！ 

即日起至2026/8/31完成註冊網路投保會員、預約網路投保提醒並登錄可獲OPENPOINT點數；完成線上投保可抽旅遊金。 

透過APP可一次查看保險資訊，線上快速投保。

了解更多活動訊息 https://fstry.pse.is/95shpr

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:

This article discusses how 2 Korean Airlines posted profit when all other airlines globally lost heavily. They did this by using their jets as cargo planes. A person put money in a washing machine to clean it and lost a lot. They were destroyed. She received $23 000 from the bank. That was less than half of the total!

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-925-about-skorea-how-major-south-korean-airlines-made-profits  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:  

Commendable adj.: deserving praise Were his heroic actions commendable? Is supporting charities commendable?  

Skeptical adj.: doubting that something is true or will happen Are you skeptical about self-driving cars? Is being skeptical a good trait in politics?  

Mutilate v.: to damage something/somebody very badly Was he mutilated in the accident? Did the shredder mutilate the document? 

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你聽過一句老話嗎？「人生不如意十之八九」但你有沒有想過，「that's life」這句話，在我們的不同人生階段，20 歲、30 歲、50 歲說出口，感覺是完全不同的喔。

本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Shimin 老師用 Lady Gaga 翻唱的經典名曲來聊聊人生這件事。這首《That's life》原本是 Frank Sinatra 的老歌，現在搖身一變成了 DC 宇宙 Harley Quinn 的主題曲，歌詞裡的 puppet、pauper、pawn and queen，每一個角色或許都是我們人生某個階段的縮影。

Have you heard the old saying? "Life is full of disappointments" or "Most things in life don't work out." But have you ever thought that "that's life"—when said at different stages of our lives, at 20, 30, or 50—feels completely different?

This week on English Cafe, John and Shimin use Lady Gaga's cover of a classic song to discuss this thing called life. This song "That's Life" was originally Frank Sinatra's old tune, now transformed into the theme song for the DC universe's Harley Quinn. The lyrics' puppet, pauper, pawn and queen—each role is perhaps a reflection of some stage in our lives.

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L188: Humanity Returns to Lunar Space After 54 Years

Highlights 主題摘要

More than half a century after the last Apollo moonwalkers returned home, humanity has ventured back into deep space. NASA's Space Launch System rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026, carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft named "Integrity." The crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—embarked on the first crewed test flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17. The massive rocket generated 8.8 million pounds of thrust, marking a flawless start to the 10-day journey that would take them farther from Earth than any humans before.

時隔半個多世紀，自最後一批阿波羅太空人返回地球後，人類再次踏入深太空。2026年4月1日，美國國家航空暨太空總署的太空發射系統火箭從甘迺迪太空中心升空，搭載四名太空人乘坐命名為「誠信號」的獵戶座太空船。機組人員包括指揮官里德·懷斯曼、駕駛維克多·格洛弗、任務專家克莉絲汀娜·柯克及加拿大太空人傑瑞米·漢森，展開自阿波羅17號以來首次飛離近地軌道的載人測試飛行。這枚巨型火箭產生880萬磅推力，完美開啟這趟將把他們送往比過去任何人類更遠之處的十天旅程。

The day after launch, Orion's main engine fired for six minutes in a translunar injection burn, breaking free from Earth orbit and accelerating the crew to over 24,000 miles per hour toward the Moon. During their lunar flyby, the spacecraft swooped to within 4,067 miles of the surface, offering unprecedented views of the far side. The astronauts observed ancient impact basins like Orientale and Hertzsprung, witnessed a solar eclipse lasting nearly an hour, and documented meteoroid strikes flashing across the darkened surface. At their farthest point, they reached 252,756 miles from Earth, shattering Apollo 13's distance record. Mission Specialist Hansen marked the moment by proposing to name two unnamed craters after their spacecraft and Commander Wiseman's late wife.

發射隔天，獵戶座主引擎點火六分鐘，執行奔月軌道注入，掙脫地球軌道後將機組人員加速至每小時超過2萬4000英里朝月球前進。在繞月飛行期間，太空船俯衝至距離月表僅4067英里處，呈現月球背面前所未見的景觀。太空人觀測到東方海和赫茨普龍等古老撞擊盆地，目睹持續近一小時的日食，並記錄隕石撞擊在黑暗月表閃現的光芒。在最遠點，他們抵達距地球25萬2756英里處，打破阿波羅13號的距離紀錄。任務專家漢森提議以他們的太空船和懷斯曼指揮官已故妻子的名字，為兩個未命名隕石坑命名，標記這一刻。

After completing their observations, Orion used lunar gravity to swing back on a free-return trajectory toward Earth. The crew prepared for reentry by conducting emergency drills and testing critical systems. Following their 694,481-mile journey, the capsule separated from its service module and plunged into the atmosphere at 25,000 miles per hour. Protected by a heat shield enduring temperatures of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean just 2.9 miles from its target. Navy teams recovered the astronauts and transported them to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks. The successful mission validated vital systems for future lunar landings and confirmed that the path to sustained Moon exploration—and eventually Mars—now lies open.

完成觀測後，獵戶座利用月球重力以自由返回軌道擺盪回地球。機組人員進行緊急演習並測試關鍵系統，為重返大氣層做準備。經過69萬4481英里的旅程後，太空艙與服務艙分離，以每小時2萬5000英里衝入大氣層。在承受華氏3000度高溫的隔熱罩保護下，獵戶座號降落於太平洋，距離目標僅2.9英里。海軍團隊救出太空人，並將他們送往約翰·P·穆爾薩號軍艦接受醫療檢查。這次成功任務驗證了未來登月的重要系統，並確認通往持續探索月球，最終前往火星的道路已然敞開。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Break free [verb phrase, to escape from a force or constraint]: The spacecraft broke free from Earth's gravity.Translunar injection [noun phrase, a rocket burn sending a spacecraft toward the Moon]: The translunar injection burn lasted six minutes.Flyby [noun, a close pass by a celestial body without landing]: The lunar flyby lasted seven hours.Heat shield [noun, protective barrier against extreme reentry temperatures]: The heat shield endured 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.Splashdown [noun, the landing of a spacecraft in water]: The crew's splashdown was right on target.

Reference article:
1. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-artemis-ii-mission-leaves-earth-orbit-for-flight-around-moon/
2. https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/artemis-ii-live-tracker-day-5
3. https://gizmodo.com/artemis-2-live-updates-countdown-to-the-moon-%F0%9F%94%B4-2000740775
4. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/watch-live-nasa-shares-update-on-artemis-ii-mission-around-the-moon-2-days-after-launch
5. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly148lvyevo

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Hi there!歡迎收聽Look Back Sunday回顧星期天，在這個節目John老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽科學相關的文章，Let's get started! Topic: Eating a big breakfast could double the amount of calories you burn in the day, according to a new study Eating a big breakfast could help you burn double the amount of calories than if you eat a larger meal at dinner. 相較於一頓份量較大的晚餐，吃一頓豐盛的早餐可以幫助你燃燒2倍卡路里。 It could be the key to losing weight while also keeping blood sugar levels steady, researchers at Lübeck University in Germany said. 德國盧貝克大學的研究人員表示，這可能是幫你減肥，同時保持血糖水平穩定的關鍵。 Their study found filling up in the morning boosts a metabolism process known as diet-induced thermogenesis （DIT）. 研究人員發現，早上吃飽可以促進「飲食誘導產熱」（DIT）此一新陳代謝過程。 DIT refers to the number of calories the body expends to heat the body and digest food. It was shown to be twice as high for those who ate more at breakfast than at dinner. 飲食誘導產熱指的是身體為保暖和消化食物而消耗的熱量。研究表明，相較於晚餐吃得多的人，早餐吃得多的人的食物誘導產熱是其2倍。 The study also showed increases in blood sugar and insulin concentrations, caused by eating a meal, was diminished after breakfast, but not so much after dinner. 研究還表明，吃飯時升高的血糖和胰島素濃度在早餐後有所降低，晚餐後則下降沒有那麼明顯。 The results also showed eating a low-calorie breakfast caused sweet cravings with a higher appetite. 該研究結果也顯示，吃低卡路里的早餐會導致對甜食的食慾增加。 This suggests those saving all their calories for the end of the day may face consequences because they snack more. 這表明，把一天中高熱量的食物都留到晚上吃的人會得不償失，因為他們會吃更多零食。 Next Article Topic: Air pollution ’pandemic’ shortens lives by 3 years: study 研究：空污「大爆發」 人類減壽3年 A ’pandemic’ of air pollution shortens lives worldwide by nearly three years on average, and causes 8.8 million premature deaths annually, scientists said Tuesday. 科學家週二表示，空氣污染「大爆發」，使得全球人口的平均餘命縮短近3年，且每年有880萬人因空污問題提早死亡。 Eliminating the toxic cocktail of molecules and lung-clogging particles cast off by burning oil, gas and coal would restore a full year of life expectancy, they reported in the journal Cardiovascular Research. 根據他們在醫學期刊《心血管研究》發表的研究報告，排除因燃燒石油、天然氣和煤炭所釋出的有毒物質，以及會造成肺阻塞的微粒，將可使人類平均餘命增加整整1年。 Compared to other causes of premature death, air pollution kills 19 times more people each year than malaria, nine times more than HIV/AIDS, and three times more than alcohol, the study found. 該研究發現，相較於其他造成提早死亡的原因，空污每年奪走的人命是瘧疾的19倍、愛滋病的9倍，也是酗酒的3倍。 Coronary heart disease and stroke account for almost half of those deaths, with lung diseases and other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure accounting for most of the rest. Only six percent of mortality stemming from polluted air is due to lung cancer. 冠狀動脈心臟病和中風的人數，約佔全球提早死亡人數的一半，其餘死因則多半與肺病及糖尿病和高血壓等非傳染性疾病有關。而因空污致死的案例中， 死於肺癌者僅佔6%。 The worst-hit region is Asia, where average lifespan is cut 4.1 years in China, 3.9 years in India, and 3.8 years in Pakistan. 亞洲是受空污影響最嚴重的地區。空污使中國人平均餘命減少4.1年，印度人減少3.9年，巴基斯坦人減少3.8年。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1360772 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1358960 Next Article Topic: Chemical found in spinach has the same effect as steroids and should be banned for athletes, scientists say Maybe Popeye was onto something when he ripped open a can of spinach for beating up the bad guys. 當大力水手卜派為了痛毆壞人而打開一罐菠菜時，或許知其所以然。 Scientists in Germany say, ecdysterone, a chemical found in spinach is close to steroids and has a similar effect on humans. Researchers at Freie Universität Berlin ran a 10-week test on nearly 50 athletes and found athletes who took capsules of ecdysterone increased their strength by up to three times. 德國科學家表示，菠菜中發現的化學物質「蛻皮甾酮」（ecdysterone）與類固醇相近，對人體有類似作用。柏林自由大學研究人員對近50名運動員進行歷時10週的測試，發現服用蛻皮甾酮膠囊的運動員，體力最多增加3倍。 The capsules the athletes were given were the equivalent of about nine pounds of spinach but researchers say the capsules could be used as a performance enhancing drug. The study has called on the World Anti-Doping Authority to dig further into ecdysterone and wants the chemical added to the list of banned substances for athletes. 給那些運動員服用的膠囊，約等同於9磅重的蔬菜。但研究人員表示，這些膠囊可能會被用來做為提高成績的藥物。該研究呼籲「世界運動禁藥管制組織」近一步研究蛻皮甾酮，希望將這種化學物質加入運動員禁用物品清單裡。 Next Article: Topic: Genes, yes, but obesity pandemic mostly down to diet：study 研究：基因有影響，但肥胖流行病主因在飲食 A three-fold jump since 1975 in the percentage of adults worldwide who are obese has been driven mainly by a shift in diet and lack of exercise, but genes do play a role as well, according a large-scale study published Thursday. 根據週四發表的一份大型研究，1975年以來全球成年人口中，肥胖者所佔比例大增3倍，主要由飲食習慣改變和缺乏運動造成，但基因確實也有影響。 For people genetically predisposed to a wider girth, these unhealthy lifestyles compounded the problem, resulting in an even higher rate of weight gain, researchers reported in The BMJ, a peer-reviewed medical journal. 研究人員在同儕審查醫學期刊「英國醫學期刊」發表報告指出，對於基因上易胖的人而言，這些不健康的生活方式加重問題，導致體重更大幅度增加。 To tease out the relative impact of environment and genes on obesity, scientists led by Maria Brandkvist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology combed through data on nearly 120,000 people in Norway whose height and weight were regularly measured between 1963 and 2008. 為了瞭解環境和基因對肥胖的相對影響，挪威科技大學的布朗克韋斯特領導的一群科學家，探究挪威從1963年到2008年間定期測量身高、體重的近12萬人資料。 Adults began tipping the scales at significantly higher weights in the 1980s and 1990s, they found. Those born after 1970 were far more likely to have a substantially higher BMI as young adults than earlier generations. 他們發現，1980和1990年代成年人的體重顯著增加。1970年以後出生的人，更有可能在年輕時就有比前幾世代人高得多的BMI值。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1312177 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1313703 Next Article Topic: Science proves that alcohol increases your ability to speak a second language 科學證實，酒精增進你的第二外語口說能力 A new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology has found that a bit of Dutch courage might be the key to boosting your ability to speak a second language. 一項發表於《精神藥理學期刊》的最新研究發現，一點酒後之勇可能是促進你第二外語口說能力的關鍵。 Researchers tested 50 native German speakers who had just learned Dutch. Some were given a low dose of alcohol, and others a control beverage with no alcohol, and then were asked to have a conversation in Dutch. 研究人員測試50名以德語為母語的人士，他們剛學習荷蘭語。部分人士被給予低分量的酒精，其他人士則被給予沒有酒精的控制組飲料，之後他們被要求以荷蘭語對話。 The study showed that those who were slightly intoxicated had better pronunciation than their sober counterparts. Alcohol may impair your memory, making it harder to pay attention and recall facts, but on the other hand, it also boosts your self-confidence. 研究顯示，相較於對應他們的清醒受試者，那些微酣受試者的發音更佳。酒精可能損害你的記憶，使你更難專注及回想事情，但另一方面，酒精也會增進你的自信。 However, participants in this study consumed a low dose of alcohol, and that higher levels of alcohol consumption might not have beneficial effects on the pronunciation of a foreign language. The participants knew what they were drinking, so it’s not clear if their speech improved because of alcohol’s psychological or biological effects. 不過，研究中的受試者只飲用少量酒精，而更多的酒精攝取，可能對外語發音無益。受試者知道自己飲用何物，因此並不清楚他們的口說改善是因為酒精的心理還是生理作用。 Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1149846&day=2017-11-07 每日英語跟讀Podcast，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing每週Vocab精選詞彙Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/vocab每週In-TENSE文法練習Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/in-tense

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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「我老了,記憶力不行了,學不進去了。」聽起來很熟悉?這句話可能是你說服自己不用努力的最大謊言。這集John老師跟阿鍵老師聊的不是什麼英文技巧,是你腦袋裡那個一直在偷偷搞破壞的聲音。

你在騙誰?

John老師一開口就說他老了、動力差、不想學了。聽起來很誠實,但阿鍵老師馬上戳破:這不是事實,這是lie,你在騙自己。
大腦不是手機,不會用久就變慢然後強制更新。神經科學告訴我們,大腦的可塑性強到什麼程度?有人車禍後腦袋壞掉一半,另一半還能慢慢補回功能。你只是因為下班塞在國道上滑了兩小時抖音就覺得自己「老化」?不一樣的事。
問題不是你老了。是你很久沒有認真學過任何新東西了。上班族的日子就是捷運、辦公室、茶水間、外送晚餐,然後週末睡到中午。你的大腦這塊肌肉,根本沒在練。

這本書的作者,腦袋真的壞過

今天聊的書叫《Limitless》,作者Jim Kwik。名字就叫Kwik,很可愛。他不是什麼沒受過挫折的天才,他小時候腦部受過嚴重外傷,連字母都認不得。後來跟對了老師,學會怎麼用腦,才變成到處幫Google、Nike、SpaceX、哈佛大學做培訓的學習教練。
酒病變良醫。他知道大腦壞掉是什麼感覺,所以他教的東西不是理論,是真的有用過的方法。
他提出一個3M框架——Mindset、Motivation、Method。聽起來很buzzword,但拆開來還蠻實在的。

先破掉腦袋裡的謊言

第一個M是Mindset。你告訴自己的那些話,有多少是真的,有多少只是你懶得動的藉口?
「我太老了」——lie。「我沒有語言天分」——可能也是lie。「我竹科上班這麼累,回家哪有力氣學英文」——這個是事實,但你從來沒試過在開車塞車的路上聽podcast吧?
John老師說,你說出口的話是有力量的。你一直告訴自己我老了學不會,你的大腦就真的照辦了。不要說出來。就算真的很累,也把那句話換成「我還可以做什麼」。0.1%的可能也是可能。
找到讓你肚子餓的那根胡蘿蔔

第二個M是Motivation。很多人說想學英文,但說不出來學了要幹嘛。「想要進步」這個why太遠了,遠到你看不見,自然就沒動力。
Jim Kwik說要找強烈的why。不是那種高大上的「想要成為更好的自己」,是更接近本能的那種。想交外國男女朋友?想看懂巴菲特的股東信原文不用等中文翻譯?想進外商讓台北辦公室的主管刮目相看?這些才會讓你肚子餓。
而且目標太遠的話要切小。不是「我要英文流利」,是「這個月我要聽懂一集英文podcast不用倒帶」。可以達到的目標才會讓你踏出那一步。
FAST學習法,不是叫你衝

第三個M是Method, Jim Kwik給了一個FAST的縮寫。
F是Forget——先把腦袋裡「我學不會」的雜念歸零。A是Active——不要只是被動收聽,要動手做筆記、跟讀、輸出。S是State——管理自己的狀態,累到不行的時候硬逼自己學,學進去的機率是零。T是Teach——學了以後去教別人,才會真的變成你的東西。
這其實就是Feynman Technique的概念。你以為你懂, 直到你試著解釋給別人聽才知道自己哪裡有洞。把你學到的英文用法分享給朋友, 這也算teaching。

「挺你所想，與你一起生活的銀行」

回饋加碼賺~好康別錯過！ 

即日起至2026/8/31完成註冊網路投保會員、預約網路投保提醒並登錄可獲OPENPOINT點數；完成線上投保可抽旅遊金。 

透過APP可一次查看保險資訊，線上快速投保。

了解更多活動訊息 https://fstry.pse.is/95shpr

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:
This article discusses the negative saving rate in Japan and how a lack of increases has led to this shift. People are not able to save and live from hand to mouth monthly. This is a huge shift in the culture and poses a huge problem for the government. They need spending, but also saving for when people retire.

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-920-saving-is-out-of-style-in-japan 

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Budge v.: to move slightly, change an opinion Did the stock price budge after the scandal? Did his opinion of the movie budge after he read its review?  

Hoard v.: to collect and keep large amounts of something Did she hoard lots of toilet paper? Would you like to hoard some cash?  

Void n.: large empty space Do children fill a void in people’s lives? Is there a void of savings in Japan at present?  

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你有用保溫杯嗎？一個、兩個？還是多到數不清？在本集的英語時光機裡 John 和 Patrick 兩位老師從一個超級日常的問題聊起：「保溫瓶」的英文怎麼說？咦～沒想到這些大牌子的英文本身就包含了溫度的意思！

另外 Patrick 老師也帶來了一段關於 Thermos 品牌的身世背景，而 John 老師也提到了現在的膳魔師，居然跟台灣的關係意外的緊密喔。

Do you use insulated water bottles? One, two? Or too many to count? In this episode of English Cafe, John and Patrick start with a super everyday question: "How do you say 'insulated bottle' in English?" Wow~ turns out these brand names themselves contain the meaning of temperature!

Additionally, Patrick shares the background story of the Thermos brand, while John mentions that the current Thermos actually has an unexpectedly close relationship with Taiwan.

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L182: China's OpenClaw "Lobster" Frenzy: Hype Meets Alarm

Highlights 主題摘要

At a recent seminar hosted by AI startup Zhipu, retirees, office workers, and curious parents gathered to learn how to train their own "lobster" — the affectionate nickname Chinese users have given to AI agents built on OpenClaw, an open-source platform whose red crustacean logo has swept Chinese tech circles. Far from being the preserve of early adopters, the technology has captivated an improbably broad audience, from primary school children pestering their parents for a digital pet to retirees hoping to monetise their industry knowledge. "OpenClaw can actually help you accomplish many practical things," one attendee said.

在AI新創公司智譜近期舉辦的研討會上，退休人士、上班族與好奇的家長紛紛湧入，學習如何訓練自己的「龍蝦」。這是中國用戶給OpenClaw AI代理取的暱稱，這款開源平台以紅色龍蝦為標誌，如今已在中國科技圈掀起熱潮。這項技術早已不再是科技達人的專利，從纏著父母討龍蝦養的小學生，到希望將專業知識變現的退休族，吸引的族群出乎意料地廣泛。「OpenClaw確實能幫你完成很多實際的事，」一名與會者說。

Released in November by Austrian developer Peter Steinberger, OpenClaw has since become one of the fastest-growing projects in GitHub's history. Unlike conventional chatbots, which respond passively to queries, OpenClaw operates more like a human assistant: it can browse the web, manage files, send emails, and execute complex multi-step tasks with minimal intervention. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has called it "the next ChatGPT," a comparison that sent Chinese technology shares surging by as much as 22% as Baidu, Tencent, and other giants rushed to release localised versions.

OpenClaw由奧地利開發者彼得‧斯坦伯格於去年11月推出，迅速躋身GitHub史上成長最快的專案之列。與被動回覆問題的傳統聊天機器人不同，OpenClaw更像一位真正的人類助理，能瀏覽網頁、管理檔案、發送電子郵件，並在幾乎不需人工介入的情況下完成複雜的多步驟任務。輝達執行長黃仁勳將其稱為「下一個ChatGPT」，此言一出，中國科技股應聲大漲，漲幅最高達22%，百度、騰訊等業者也紛紛跟進，推出各自的本地化版本。

The frenzy has spilled well beyond tech circles. Local governments are offering subsidies of up to 20 million yuan — roughly $2.8 million — annually to qualifying one-person companies that deploy AI agents. At Baidu's "Lobster Market" events, engineers offer free cloud-based installation; Tencent drew queues of nearly a thousand people at a Shenzhen venue. Yet the enthusiasm has unsettled Chinese authorities: state-owned People's Daily urged officials to maintain the "safety bottom line," while government agencies, brokerages, and universities have banned staff from installing the software.

這股風潮早已遠遠超出科技圈的範疇。地方政府開始向符合資格的「一人公司」提供補貼，每年最高可達2,000萬人民幣（約新台幣1.28億元）。百度舉辦「龍蝦市集」，由工程師現場協助用戶免費安裝雲端版本；騰訊在深圳的活動則吸引近千人排隊等候。然而，這股熱潮也引起中國當局高度警戒，黨媒《人民日報》呼籲官員「守住安全底線」，各地政府機關、券商與高校也陸續禁止員工安裝OpenClaw。

Security risks have proved real. Malicious GitHub repositories distributed Vidar infostealer and GhostSocks proxy malware to users searching for OpenClaw installers, while Chinese cybersecurity authorities have documented cases of photos, payment credentials, and API keys being stolen. Token costs are also mounting: Zhipu raised prices on its OpenClaw-optimised model by 20%, and frustrated users have begun paying to have the software removed. With Steinberger announcing plans to join OpenAI and the project's long-term stewardship to be transferred to a foundation, OpenClaw's future remains as unsettled as the frenzy it ignited.

安全風險已不再是紙上談兵。有人在GitHub上架設偽造程式庫，針對搜尋OpenClaw安裝程式的用戶散播Vidar資訊竊取程式及GhostSocks代理惡意軟體；中國網路安全當局也記錄到多起照片、支付憑證與API金鑰遭竊的案例。代幣費用同樣持續上漲，智譜已將旗下OpenClaw最佳化模型的收費調漲20%，不少用戶更開始花錢請人「除蝦」。斯坦伯格宣布將加入OpenAI，並計畫將專案移交基金會管理，OpenClaw未來何去何從，至今仍充滿未知。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Affectionate [adjective, showing warmth or fondness toward someone or something]: Fans gave the app an affectionate nickname right away.Early adopter [noun phrase, someone who uses a new technology before most others do]: Early adopters often shape how a product evolves.Spill beyond [verb phrase, to spread past original or expected limits]: The story spilled beyond tech news into mainstream headlines.Infostealer [noun, malware that secretly collects and transmits sensitive personal data]: The infostealer grabbed passwords without the user noticing.Stewardship [noun, responsible management of something entrusted to one's care]: He handed over stewardship of the project to a foundation.

Reference article:
1. https://www.openclaw.org.tw/
2. https://www.reuters.com/technology/openclaw-enthusiasm-grips-china-schoolkids-retirees-alike-raise-lobsters-2026-03-19/
3. https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/hackers-exploit-openclaw-to-spread-malware-via-github-and-a-little-help-from-bing
4. https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/articles/c93wvdn91kxo/simp

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

The 'Right to Repair' Movement Gains Ground

If you buy a product — a car, a smartphone, or even a tractor — and it breaks, should it be easier for you to fix it yourself?
如果你買了一個產品，例如一輛汽車、一部智慧型手機，甚至是一台拖拉機，結果它壞了，是不是應該讓你自己修理起來更容易些呢？

Manufacturers of a wide range of products have made it increasingly difficult over the years to repair things, for instance by limiting availability of parts or by putting prohibitions on who gets to tinker with them. It affects not only game consoles or farm equipment, but cellphones, military gear, refrigerators, automobiles and even hospital ventilators, the lifesaving devices that have proved crucial this year in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.
多年來，許多種產品的製造商都讓維修變得愈來愈困難，比如限制零件的取得，或對何人有權動手維修施加限制。受影響的產品不止於遊戲主機或農用機具，還有手機、軍用設備、冰箱、汽車，甚至包括今年對抗新冠病毒疫情發揮關鍵作用的救生設備—醫院裡的呼吸器。

Now, a movement known as "right to repair" is starting to make progress in pushing for laws that prohibit restrictions like these.
現在，一項名為「維修權」的運動在推動禁止此類限制的立法上，正取得進展。

In August, Democrats introduced a bill in Congress to block manufacturers' limits on medical devices, spurred by the pandemic. In Europe, the European Commission announced plans in March for new right-to-repair rules that would cover phones, tablets and laptops by 2021.
今年8月，美國民主黨因防疫需要而在國會提出一項法案，旨在阻止製造商對醫療裝置設下限制。在歐洲，歐盟執行委員會3月宣布了新的維修權規定計畫，在2021年以前實施，涵蓋手機、平板電腦和筆記型電腦。

And in more than 20 statehouses nationwide, right-to-repair legislation has been introduced in recent years by both Republicans and Democrats.
近年來，在全美國20多個州的議會裡，共和黨和民主黨都提出了維修權法案。

Over the summer, the House advanced a funding bill that includes a requirement that the Federal Trade Commission complete a report on anti-competitive practices in the repair market and present its findings to Congress and the public.
今年夏天，眾議院推動了一項資助法案，其中責成聯邦貿易委員會做成一份關於維修市場反競爭行為的報告，並向國會和民眾提交調查結果。

The goal of right-to-repair rules, advocates say, is to require companies to make their parts, tools and information available to consumers and repair shops in order to keep devices from ending up in the scrap heap. They argue that the rules restrict people's use of devices that they own and encourage a throwaway culture by making repairs too difficult.
倡議人士表示，維修權規定的目的是要求企業向消費者和維修商家提供零組件、工具及資訊，以免這些裝置最終被扔進垃圾堆。他們主張，目前的慣例對人們使用自己的裝置設下限制，並透過讓維修變得太過困難的方式，助長了一種用完即丟的文化。

They also argue that it's part of a culture of planned obsolescence — the idea that products are designed to be short-lived in order to encourage people to buy more stuff. That contributes to wasted natural resources and energy use at a time when climate change requires movement in the opposite direction to rein in planet-warming emissions.
他們還認為，這是一種計畫性淘汰文化的一部分，即為了鼓勵人們購買更多東西，產品被設計成短命的。在氣候變遷需要採取反向行動來控制溫室氣體排放的此際，這助長了自然資源的浪費以及能源的使用。

Manufacturing a new device or appliance is still largely reliant on polluting sources of energy — electricity generated from burning fossil fuels, for instance — and constitutes the largest environmental impact for most products.
製造一種新設備或裝置在很大程度上，仍仰賴會造成汙染的能源，例如燃燒化石燃料產生的電力，對大多數產品而言，這正是構成最大環境影響的因素。
Source: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5015841

UK Gamers and Politicians Take Aim at Console 'Scalpers'

Furious British gamers and lawmakers are training their sights on "scalpers" who are buying up coveted PS5 and Xbox consoles and selling them online at vastly inflated prices.
氣沖沖的英國玩家和議員將焦點指向「黃牛」，這些黃牛買光搶手的PS5、Xbox電玩主機，然後在網路上以大幅灌水的價格出售。

The popular consoles have also been hard to come by in other parts of the world, but in Britain anger has boiled over to the point where some lawmakers want to ban the practice of reselling them online at higher prices.
這些熱門電玩主機在世界其他地方也一機難求，但是在英國掀起的怒火已沸騰，一些議員為此打算禁止網路高價轉售的作法。

While a PS5 normally costs between £360 and £450 depending on the model, its median resale price on sites like eBay is £650-£750, according to US researcher Michael Driscoll.
根據美國研究員麥可．德里斯考的說法，通常一部PS5依版本差異，售價在360英鎊到450英鎊之間，但在諸如「電子海灣」的網站上轉售價中位數為650到750英鎊不等。

Singaporean Student Plays Pokémon on Ingenious 'Melonboy'

Imagine that you are on the MRT and a young man sitting next to you is playing video games on a watermelon-like console.
想像你搭捷運時突然有個年輕男子拿著一顆鑲有小螢幕的西瓜淡定的坐到你旁邊，開始認真的玩。

That's the unusual sight some people recently experienced in Singapore when a teenager was seen playing "Pokemon Go" on a self-built console made of a watermelon, a screen and some buttons.
近期，就有新加坡民眾在捷運上目睹這奇葩的一幕。一位星國少年自製了一台「西瓜Game Boy」，上面不僅有螢幕和實體的按鈕，裡面還裝載了近期最流行的寶可夢遊戲軟體。

Cedrick Tan, a student from the Singapore Management University, has been tinkering with the project on YouTube which has led to him building his own version of Pokemon Emerald inside a fruit. An avid creator, Tan's long list of projects include turning a map into a blank canvas for augmented reality, finding a way to send messages to Telegram using Microsoft Excel, and building a playable Game Boy Advance inside a melon.
就讀新加坡管理大學的Cedrick Tan，近日在YouTube上分享了自製的水果寶可夢GameBoy，揭露製作過程和最後實驗結果。一向天馬行空的他其實已經有無數的作品，包括將一個地圖放進虛擬實境和利用微軟Excel發送訊息至通訊軟體Telegram。如今他又再次突破自己，將遊戲機成功的裝進蔬果內。

When asked about his project, Tan said: "When it came down to actually making the Melonboy, it happened to be really convenient seeing as the melon was very spacious on the inside allowing me to wire everything up with ease."
當被問起做這個作品的過程時，Cedrick表示其實非常簡單，因為西瓜內部空間非常足夠，電路的連接也非常方便。

The Game Boy emulator can then be loaded and run with the same software as the original game. Inside the scooped-out melon, a power bank, buttons, a 1.8-inch screen and loudspeakers are assembled.
遊戲機目前可以成功的開啟，使用的軟體也和原版相符，而挖空的西瓜塞進了一個電池、數個實體按鍵、一個1.8寸的螢幕和小喇叭音響。

According to Tan, the construction took about a month; though he blamed the time-length on a faulty device integral to the game boy. Without the problem, the watermelon-based console could have been finished in less than a week, he said.
Cedrick表示，因為買到瑕疵零件，導致製作過程延宕，西瓜GameBoy花了他將近一個月才完成。若沒有遇到這些問題的話，大概一週以內就能完成，他自信滿滿地說。

"As an information systems student, I have no background in electrical engineering, so learning that from scratch took some time," Tan recalled. The result is a working game console, complete with a Game Boy Advance emulator and a game controller.
「身為一個資管系的學生，我對於電機其實一知半解，所以一切從零開始學，花了一點時間。」Cedrick說。然而，他對於自己的成果表示滿意，成功的製作出一個有著完整介面的「攜帶式」遊戲機。

But the best thing about Tan's video is the public's reaction to the watermelon game boy. On a visit to the market, he played the game console surrounded by real watermelons, which provoked weird looks from passers-by.
吸睛的西瓜GameBoy影片獲得廣大民眾迴響，這大概也是Cedrick最大的收穫。Cedrick也實驗過將西瓜帶去賣場玩，捕捉到許多人好奇的眼光。

Tan also recalled being quizzed about the device when he brought it into a train station. A distressed SMRT staff asked him about the strange device, and after hearing his explanation, requested him to show it to her colleagues.
Cedrick憶起他曾帶著西瓜進火車站，當時還被站務員攔截，詢問他手上的大西瓜是怎麼回事。一位緊張的員工甚至跑到他身邊詢問奇形怪狀的西瓜用途，聽完他的解釋後，員工還非常興奮地將他拉回辦公室要他將作品展現給其他同事看。

In addition, Tan said he also experienced another unforeseen problem where someone complained that he was carrying a watermelon bomb.
此外，Cedrick坦言他曾經被誤認為西瓜炸彈客，而他從沒想過帶著西瓜會碰上這樣的麻煩。

Tan also posted on Reddit about his clumsy contraption, where he received plenty of praise, inspiring him to build different versions in the future, including avocados and coconuts.
Cedrick也將自己的作品分享到美版PTT Reddit上面，不僅獲得外國網友的讚賞，還有許多人鼓勵他之後利用酪梨和椰子製作遊戲機。

Unfortunately, Tan revealed that the watermelon had rotted just a few days after his YouTube video was uploaded. However, Tan vowed to continue making his creations and could take on the challenge of turning the durian into a game that could be called StinkyBoy's Pain Game.
不幸地，Cedrick透露，影片上傳YouTube後過了幾天，西瓜就爛掉了。然而，Cedrick表示將會繼續創作，未來也規劃以榴槤製作遊戲，將其命名為「臭Boy痛苦遊戲」。
Source: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20200827-1697494

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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辦公室茶水間最尷尬的事：外國同事站在你旁邊，你腦袋空空，只剩「How are you」。這集 John老師跟阿鍵老師 recap 了最近幾則國際時事，重點不是叫你把新聞背起來，而是教你怎麼把這些話題變成你跟外國同事打成一片的工具。

1. 19歲就拿 F1 冠軍，我們那時候在幹嘛
最近 F1 出了一個 19 歲的新人 Antonelli，在開賽前兩站都拿下 pole position 又抱走冠軍。接的還是 Lewis Hamilton 在 Mercedes 留下來的位置。John老師說連他老婆看到都問「他哪個車隊的」，可見話題熱度。
重點是，F1 這種運動話題在外商公司超好用。你不需要每週跟盯，只要抓一個亮點就夠了。
茶水間版本的聊法：Did you see the 19-year-old that just made F1 history? That was seriously impressive. 對方如果有在追，馬上就接起來了；如果他沒有看，你反而可以問他 Which team do you support? 就變成你在帶話題的人。

体育話題的妙處就是這樣——不懂的人可以問，懂的人會講不停，兩邊都不尷尬。

2. 麥當勞 CEO 吃漢堡，吃出一個 PR 危機

這則是最近在 TikTok 和 Threads 上流傳的影片：McDonald's CEO 親自吃自家漢堡，結果表情看起來很嫌棄，被網友笑翻。John老師說人家可能是因為心血管問題只能小心咬，但畫面確實沒什麼說服力。
Burger King 看到機會，馬上推出自家經理人大口吃漢堡的影片，吃得津津有味。行銷教科書等級的反差。

茶水間版本的聊法：Do you think the video would have gone more viral if it was Ronald McDonald eating the burger instead of the CEO? 這樣問比直接評論 CEO 失誤安全多了，也比較有梗。阿鍵老師補了一句——如果你跟同事都有 PR 或 advertising 背景，你還可以問 Do you think having CEOs represent their own brand is ever a good idea? 這樣一杯咖啡可以聊很久。

3. 日圓又貶了，你還沒訂機票嗎
日圓對美元破 160，創近年新低。對台灣人來說這根本是強制出遊的訊號。John老師說這話題在外商辦公室好用的原因，是你可以從匯率聊到旅遊計畫，完全不沉重。

茶水間版本的聊法：Hey, the yen is getting really weak again. Are you planning a trip to Japan anytime soon? 這樣開場幾乎沒有人會不接。如果對方不常去日本，你就問他 Where would you go if you did? 如果他很常去，那就說 You basically have to go this year, right?
當然阿鍵老師也示範了一下怎麼當個「掃興同事」——人家在說要去玩，他說日本通膨其實也跟著漲，換多但花更多。John老師說這種 water cooler 話題千萬別聊太深，Don't take it too seriously，輕輕帶過就好。

4. Elon Musk 又在整合他的帝國了
這集還聊了 Musk 把 xAI 跟 SpaceX 合併，同步推出 X Money——一張金屬質感的白色信用卡，目前美國部分州已經在試用，Silicon Valley 已經有人拿到實體卡了。

John老師跟阿鍵老師順帶解釋了一下 merge 跟 converge 的差別：merge 是正式商業語境，兩家公司股權合一；converge 或 connect 比較口語，適合聊 Musk 自己幾家子公司整合在一起的感覺。

茶水間聊法分兩種。如果你同事是炒股型的，問他 Why do you think SpaceX needs to be in the mix? 他可以講半小時。如果對方比較一般，就問 Are you going to apply for X Money? 就算台灣還不能用，光是「你想申請嗎」這個問題就夠聊了。
John老師最後說，這些新聞不是要你記起來交報告，而是幫你跟同事建立「我們在同一個頻道」的感覺。你看同樣的新聞、聊同樣的話題，比 I like your shoes 有效太多了。通勤時間聽完，進辦公室馬上能用。

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary

A study funded by NASA is putting people in a domeshaped building on a Hawaii volcano for eight months that mimicks a stay on the surface of Mars. This simulation is to examine how well people can work and live together, entirely separated from civilization. The 2030 Mars mission with astronauts will consist of a six-month journey to Mars, then 500 days of stay, and another six-month return trip. NASA does not intend to put people on this mission without understanding the psychological consequences. A mock Mars mission of 520 days showed the people developed sleep disorders and became less productive. The six crew members selected are able to email with a 20minute delay, check their bank accounts, and browse limited websites. Crew members will perform a variety of work that mimics astronauts, including excursions in spacesuits. 

原文討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-918-living-in-hawaii-aiming-for-mars  

Vocabulary and sample sentences: 

Last-minute adj. – last possible time before the event The crew members picked up last-minute things before entering the dome. Please wait for me at the restaurant, I am busy with a last-minute customer at the moment.  

Escalate v. – become more intense or increase rapidly Personal conflicts that can escalate over months could be bad for the Mars mission. BLM escalated after the death of George Floyd.  

Worst-case adj. – the worst possible outcome NASA is creating a mock environment that simulates the worst-cast scenario. The worst-case scenario of a computer crash is the loss of data. 

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你喜歡傳統市場嗎？上一次去是什麼時候呢？是熟門熟路地跟老闆娘殺價，還是像個觀光客一樣站在攤位前完全不知道該買多少？本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Klim 老師要來聊聊一個台灣人再熟悉不過、但外國人卻有些頭痛的地方：傳統市場！

這集從「超市派 vs. 市場派」的激辯開始，兩位老師各有喜好、聽起來難分軒輊互不相讓！再來是傳統市場的議價文化和計量單位等眉角，Klim 老師還透露了他在市場裡買過最「猛」的食材，而 John 老師每次逛市場一定要吃的那樣東西居然是這個？

Do you like traditional markets? When was the last time you went? Do you know your way around and haggle with the vendors, or do you stand in front of stalls like a tourist completely unsure how much to buy? This week on English Cafe, John and Klim talk about a place that's all too familiar to Taiwanese people but can give foreigners a headache: traditional markets!

This episode starts with a heated debate of "Team Supermarket vs. Team Market," with each teacher having their own preferences—it's neck and neck with neither backing down! Then there's the haggling culture and measurement units of traditional markets and their intricacies. Klim even reveals the most "intense" ingredient he's ever bought at the market, and the thing John must eat every time he visits the market is actually this?!

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L178: 日圓重貶，日銀騎虎難下 Yen Slides to 160, BOJ Signals It Is Watching

Highlights 主題摘要

For Japan, the currency market has become the fulcrum of economic debate. On March 30, Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda told parliament that foreign exchange movements have a "huge impact" on the country's economy and prices — the clearest signal yet that yen weakness is no longer a peripheral concern but a primary driver of monetary policy. The yen briefly touched 160.27 to the dollar on March 28, its weakest since July 2024, when authorities had previously intervened to arrest the currency's slide. Tokyo's Vice Finance Minister Atsushi Mimura warned of growing speculative activity, while Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama stated the government stood ready to take "bold actions."

日圓匯率問題，已成為日本當前經濟辯論的核心議題。3月30日，日銀行長植田和男在國會表示，外匯市場的波動對日本的經濟與物價走勢有「巨大影響」，這是迄今最直接的信號，顯示日圓疲軟已不再是次要問題，而是貨幣政策的主要考量。日圓在3月28日一度觸及1美元兌160.27日圓，創下2024年7月以來新低，當年當局曾進場干預，壓制日圓跌勢。財務省副大臣三村淳表示對外匯市場投機交易升溫的憂慮，財務大臣片山皋月則聲明政府已準備好採取「大膽行動」。

The structural cause remains a stubbornly wide interest rate differential. After ending its negative interest rate regime in March 2024, the BOJ raised borrowing costs cautiously, taking a gradualist path to 0.75%. But with the US Federal Reserve keeping rates elevated, the gap remains vast. Investors routinely borrow cheaply in yen and deploy capital into higher-yielding assets elsewhere — the carry trade — putting the yen under persistent selling pressure.

日圓長期走軟的結構性根源，在於日本與其他主要經濟體之間長期懸殊的利差。日銀於2024年3月結束負利率政策後，已逐步將利率調升至0.75%，但美國聯準會為壓制通膨而維持高利率，兩者之間的利差依然顯著。投資人持續以低廉成本借入日圓，將資金配置到海外收益率更高的資產，形成所謂的套利交易，持續壓低市場對日圓的需求。

Urgency sharpened in 2026 as surging oil prices, driven by the Middle East conflict, compounded the inflationary effect on import costs. At the March meeting, at least one BOJ board member called for rate hikes "without hesitation." Ueda told parliament the bank would "guide policy appropriately" by scrutinising how currency moves affect its forecasts. Markets now price a two-in-three chance of a hike to 1% as soon as May — the first aggressive tightening cycle Japan has seen in decades.

進入2026年後，局勢明顯更加緊迫。中東衝突帶動油價飆升，進一步放大日圓貶值對進口成本的推升效應。在3月政策會議上，至少一位委員主張，只要經濟情勢未見明顯惡化，就應「毫不猶豫」升息。植田和男在國會答詢時表示，日銀將評估匯率波動對成長與物價預測的影響，「適當引導政策方向」。市場目前預估，日銀最快在5月升息至1%的機率約達三分之二，若成真，將是日本數十年來首次連續緊縮的升息週期。

For ordinary households, the toll is concrete. Overseas travel by Japanese citizens recovered to only 13 million departures in 2024 — still roughly a third below 2019's 20.1 million — as the weak currency renders foreign trips prohibitively expensive. Food and utility bills are climbing five to seven percent year-on-year. A depreciating yen, it turns out, is anything but abstract: it erodes purchasing power with every paycheck and every trip to the supermarket.

對一般家庭而言，日圓貶值的代價早已不是紙上數字。2024年日本出境旅遊人次僅回升至約1,300萬，較2019年的2,010萬仍少了約三分之一，疲軟的日圓讓海外旅行對許多人來說愈來愈難以負擔。食品與電費支出年增幅更達5至7%。日圓持續貶值，說到底就是每個月領薪水、每次去超市採購時，默默縮水的購買力。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Gradualist [adjective, describing a slow, step-by-step approach to policy change]: The BOJ's gradualist approach has drawn criticism from market watchers.Carry trade [noun phrase, borrowing in a low-interest currency to invest in higher-yielding assets elsewhere]: Low rates make the yen a popular carry trade funding currency.Selling pressure [noun phrase, sustained market demand to sell an asset, driving its price lower]: The yen has been under constant selling pressure for months.Inflationary [adjective, causing or related to a general rise in prices]: Surging oil costs have had a clear inflationary effect on household bills.Tightening cycle [noun phrase, a period in which a central bank raises interest rates consecutively to curb inflation]: Markets are bracing for Japan's first tightening cycle in decades.

Reference article:
1. https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/boj-watching-fx-movement-factor-affecting-economy-governor-ueda-says-2026-03-30/
2. https://tw.stock.yahoo.com/share/5e3c1e6b-ddb1-3244-9979-1bc5f8c68e22
3. https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/03/economy/japan-declining-yen-shortcake-travel-intl-hnk

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Smart Crib' Aims to Help Rockabye Baby

As every new parent knows, sleep can go out the window after the arrival of a newborn.
如每對剛生孩子的爸媽所知，新生兒到來後，再也沒有夜夜好眠。

That was certainly the case for parents Radhika and Bharath Patil, who seeking relief for their own disrupted sleep patterns, put their electronic engineering backgrounds together to create a "smart crib."
這確實就是拉德西卡和巴拉特‧帕蒂爾的狀況，這對父母正在補救自身混亂的睡眠模式，結合他們的電子工程背景，創造了一個「智慧嬰兒床」。

Their crib, powered by artificial intelligence, combines a baby monitor, rocker, bassinet and crib in one.
他們把一台嬰兒監視器、弧形搖桿、搖籃和嬰兒床合而為一，由人工智慧來驅動嬰兒床。

"It's not the amount of work around the baby that tires the parents, it's the lack of sleep," Radhika Patil, Cradlewise chief executive, told Reuters in an interview.
「智慧搖籃」執行長拉德西卡‧帕蒂爾在訪問中告訴路透，「並非圍繞著嬰兒的工作量累到父母，而是睡眠不足。」

Early detection is key, she said, adding that the sooner parents can detect the baby waking up, the easier it is to get the child to fall back asleep.
她說，早期偵測是關鍵，並補充指出，父母越早發現嬰兒醒來，就越容易讓他們的孩子再度入睡。

"Once you put the baby in, the crib takes care of everything. That's the aim," Bharath Patil said.
巴拉特‧帕蒂爾說，「只要把嬰兒放進去，嬰兒床就顧好每件事。這就是目的。」

New Thoughts on the Math of Effective Baby Talk

It has been nearly 20 years since a landmark education study found that, by age 3, children from low-income families have heard 30 million fewer words than more affluent children, putting them at an educational disadvantage before they have begun school.
將近20年前，一項具有里程碑意義的教育研究發現，低收入戶兒童到了3歲時，已比家庭較富裕的兒童少聽到3000萬個字彙，以致就學前即已處於教育上的劣勢。

Now, a growing body of research is challenging the notion that merely exposing poor children to more language is enough to overcome the deficits they face. The quality of the communication between children and their parents and caregivers, the researchers say, is of much greater importance than the number of words a child hears.
如今，越來越多的研究向此一觀念提出挑戰，不認為光是讓貧窮兒童暴露於更多語言，就能克服他們所面對的不足。這些研究人員指出，兒童與父母及看顧者之間的溝通品質，遠比兒童聽到多少字彙來得重要。

A study presented last month at a White House conference on "bridging the word gap" found that among 2-year-olds from low-income families, quality interactions involving words — the use of shared symbols ("Look, a dog!"); rituals ("Want a bottle after your bath?"); and conversational fluency ("Yes, that is a bus!") — were a far better predictor of language skills at age 3 than any other factor.
上月在白宮「縮小字彙差距」會議中發表的一項研究結果發現，對2歲的低收入戶兒童而言，和字彙相關的優質互動，例如使用共通的符號（「看哪，一隻狗！」）；固定程序（「洗完澡想喝瓶奶？」）；流暢的對話（「是的，這是一輛公車！」），在預測3歲兒童語言技巧方面，是遠勝於其他因素的更好指標。

"It's not just about shoving words in," said Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek, a professor of psychology at Temple University in Philadelphia and lead author of the study. "It's about having these fluid conversations around shared rituals and objects, like pretending to have morning coffee together or using the banana as a phone."
費城天普大學心理學教授、該研究報告主要作者凱瑟琳．赫許─巴塞克說：「它不光是塞進字彙而已，它與圍繞著共有的固定程序和物件的流暢對話有關，例如佯裝一起喝晨間咖啡，或是拿香蕉當電話打。」

In a related finding, published in April, researchers who observed 11- and 14-month-old children in their homes found that the prevalence of one-on-one interactions and frequent use of parentese — the slow, high-pitched voice commonly used for talking to babies — were reliable predictors of language ability at age 2. The total number of words had no correlation with future ability.
四月發表的一項相關研究中，研究人員觀察11個月和14個月大孩子在家中的生活情形，發現經常一對一互動，以及頻繁使用「父母語」，也就是父母常用的，對嬰兒說話的那種緩慢、高音調聲音，是2歲兒童語言能力的可靠預測指標。字彙的總數量與兒童的未來能力無關。

Even the 1995 study that introduced the notion of the 30-million-word gap, conducted by the University of Kansas psychologists Betty Hart and Todd R. Risley, found that parental tone, responsiveness and use of symbols affected a child's I.Q. and vocabulary.
引進3000萬字彙差距概念的那項研究發表於1995年，由堪薩斯大學心理學家貝蒂．哈特和陶德．Ｒ．里斯利所完成，即使那項研究也發現，父母的語氣、反應和符號的使用，對兒童的智商高低和詞彙多寡均有影響。

But this year's studies are the first time researchers have compared the impact of word quantity with quality of communication.
不過，今年的研究，是研究人員首次將字彙數量和溝通品質的影響作比較。

For the new study, Dr. Hirsh-Pasek and colleagues selected 60 low-income 3-year-olds with varying degrees of language proficiency from a long-term study of 1,300 children from birth to age 15.
在新研究中，赫許─巴塞克和同事，在參與一項從出生到15歲長期研究的1300名兒童中，挑選出60名3歲的低收入戶兒童，語言能力程度各不相同。

The quality of communication accounted for 27 percent of variation in expressive language skills one year later, Dr. Hirsh-Pasek said.
赫許─巴塞克說，1年後，優質溝通占表達語言技巧差異的27％。

But those who urge parents to talk to their children more say increased quantity of language inevitably leads to better quality. Anne Fernald, a developmental psychologist at Stanford University in California, said, "When you learn to talk more, you tend to speak in more diverse ways and elaborate more, and that helps the child's cognitive development."
但是，那些呼籲家長多跟自己孩子說話的專家表示，提高語言數量，定會帶來更高的品質。加州史丹福大學發展心理學家安妮．費納德說：「當你學會說得更多時，你會以更多樣、更複雜的方式說話，這有助兒童的認知發展。」

Still, Ann O'Leary, director of Too Small to Fail, a joint effort of the nonprofit Next Generation and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation that focuses on closing the word gap, acknowledged that messages to parents could do more to emphasize quality. "When we're doing these campaigns to close the word gap, they do capture the imagination, they do get people understanding that we do need to do a lot more talking," she said. "But we also need to be more mindful that part of what we need to do is model what that talking looks like."
「小到不能失敗」計畫負責人安．奧利里說，在提供給家長的訊息上，確實可多強調質。「小到不能失敗」由非營利組織「下一代」和「比爾、希拉蕊、雀兒喜．柯林頓基金會」共同設置，致力於縮小兒童字彙差距。她說：「當我們從事縮小兒童字彙差距努力時，它確實引起我們注意，它也讓人們理解，我們確實需要多說點話。但我們同時需要更注意的是，在我們必須從事的工作中，有一部分是提供那種談話的模範，那種談話中該有的東西。」
Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/269227/web/#2L-5280944L

Scientists Identify Ancient Baby Bottles — and Some Are Really Cute

Ceramic vessels, sometimes fashioned in whimsical animal forms, were used thousands of years ago as baby bottles to feed infants animal milk, according to scientists, offering an intriguing look at how and what infants were fed in prehistoric times.
科學家指出，數千年前的人類有時會把陶製容器塑造成異想天開的動物形狀，將它們作為奶瓶使用，餵嬰兒喝動物的乳汁。這項發現提供一個有趣的觀點，讓人一窺史前時代人類如何、又是用什麼來餵食嬰兒。

Archaeologists said on Sept. 25 they confirmed the function of these ceramic objects by finding chemical traces of milk belonging to animals such as cows, sheep and goats in three such items found buried in child graves in Germany.
考古學家在九月二十五日表示，他們在埋入德國兒童墳墓裡面的三個同類型物件中，發現殘留動物乳汁的化學痕跡──包括母牛、綿羊、山羊等──因此確認了這些陶製物品的用途。

The oldest of the three vessels described in the study was made between 2,800 and 3,200 years ago during the Bronze Age. Other similar objects dating back as far as about 7,000 years ago during Neolithic times have been found in various other locations, the researchers said.
在研究描述的三個容器中，年代最早的製造於兩千八百年前到三千兩百年前的青銅器時代。研究人員指出，其他許多地點都曾經發現類似的物件，最遠可追溯到大約七千年前的新石器時期。

"I think this has provided us the first direct evidence of what foods babies were eating or being weaned on in prehistory," said biomolecular archaeologist Julie Dunne of the University of Bristol in the UK and lead author of the study, published in the journal Nature. "I think this shows us the love and care these prehistoric people had for their babies."
該篇研究發表於期刊《自然》，主要作者為英國布里斯托大學的生物分子考古學家茱莉‧鄧恩，她表示：「我認為這項發現提供第一手直接證據，顯示史前時代的小寶寶吃什麼食物，或是用什麼食物斷奶。」她也指出：「我想，這項發現也向我們展現這些史前時代人類對小嬰兒的愛與關懷。」

These objects, little enough to fit into a baby's hands, served as vessels for milk, with a narrow spout for the baby to suckle liquid. While the three objects examined for the study were somewhat plain, others boasted lively shapes including animal heads with long ears or horns and human-looking feet.
這些物件小到能夠放進嬰兒的小手中，是用來盛裝奶水的容器，瓶身上附有一個狹長的壺嘴，讓小寶寶能夠從中吸吮液體。雖然研究檢驗用的三個物件外觀稍嫌平淡無奇，但其他同類陶器形狀卻相當生動，有著動物的頭，附著長長的耳朵或是犄角，以及像人類的腳。

"I find them incredibly cute. And prehistoric people may have thought so, too — they would certainly have a dual function of entertaining the children just like modern stuffed animals," said archaeologist Katharina Rebay-Salisbury of the Austrian Academy of Sciences' Institute for Oriental and European Archaeology, and a co-author of the study. "They testify to the creativity and playfulness we often forget to attribute to our ancestors."
研究的共同作者、奧地利科學院東方與歐洲考古研究所的考古學家凱瑟琳娜‧雷貝─索爾斯伯里表示：「我覺得這些陶器難以置信地可愛。而且搞不好史前的人們也是這樣覺得──這些陶器很可能還具備另一項娛樂小孩的雙重功能，就像是現代的填充玩具。」她補充說：「這些陶器證實老祖先們具備的創意和愛開玩笑的個性，那都是我們經常忘記的。」

Life at the time was not easy, Rebay-Salisbury added, with many people living in unhygienic conditions, experiencing famine and disease and facing low life expectancy. During the Bronze Age and subsequent Iron Age in Europe, perhaps about a third of all newborns died before their first birthday and only about half of children reached adulthood, Rebay-Salisbury said.
雷貝─索爾斯伯里還指出，當時的生活並不容易，原因在於許多人都居住在不衛生的環境中、遭受饑荒與疾病，還要面臨很短的預期壽命。她表示，在青銅器時代以及接下來的鐵器時代，歐洲地區可能有大約三分之一的新生兒在一歲之前死亡，而且大概只有一半的小孩能夠順利長大成人。

These feeding vessels may have made life easier for mothers, as animal milk could substitute for breastfeeding, the researchers said. "Duties of mothering — amongst which feeding is an important one — can also be undertaken by other members of the community when children are fed with feeding vessels," Rebay-Salisbury said.
研究人員表示，這些餵食用的容器會讓母親們的生活輕鬆一些，因為動物的乳汁可以代替親餵母乳。雷貝─索爾斯伯里指出：「當小孩可以用器具餵食的時候，為人母的諸多責任──其中，最重要的一項是餵食嬰兒──也就可以由部落的其他成員接手幫忙。」
Source: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/10/06/2003723440

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男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

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學英文一定要很痛苦才有效?小時候老師說「不努力就不會進步」,長大後變成「不加班老闆會覺得我不認真」。結果每天逼自己念英文念到舌頭打結,反而越學越抗拒。

這集要聊一本打破這個迷思的書:《Effortless》。作者是哈佛MBA的Greg McKeown,他說重點不是不努力,是用對力氣。就像在台北捷運上通勤學英文,不用坐在書桌前硬K兩小時,15分鐘聽podcast照樣有效。

John老師現在煮咖啡煮到不用想就自動完成,而且還很好喝。這就是effortless state。學英文也可以這樣。

你中了幾個?
在台灣職場待久了,這些想法是不是很熟悉?
加班到九點才敢離開辦公室,因為怕主管覺得你不認真。週末還在回工作訊息,不然好像沒盡責。學英文也一樣,逼自己每天念一小時,念到很煩還是硬撐,因為覺得「沒有痛苦就沒有收穫」。
阿鍵老師說他從小就被教:「有價值的事情要花很多力氣去完成,搞得自己很累才對。」長大後變成「我一定要加班,老闆才會覺得我認真。」
但活得這麼辛苦,真的有意思嗎?

問題出在哪?
John老師點出盲點:「你覺得pain要到100分,gain才會100分。問題是你在處理pain就已經消耗掉很多能量,能量根本沒有放在gain上面。」
就像你在竹科上班已經很累了,晚上回家還逼自己念英文念到很痛苦。結果能量都在對抗「好煩不想念」這個情緒,根本沒力氣吸收東西。
John老師說:「你覺得學英語的時候像是在被處罰,這就很明顯不對了。」
這本書要說的不是不努力,是不要蠻幹。用對力氣。

Effortless的三個層次
怎麼做到輕鬆學英文?三個層次

先搞定你的狀態
運動員說的「進入zone」、藝術家說的「心流狀態」,其實學英文也需要。不是每天硬逼自己,是先把情緒垃圾清掉。
在台北捷運上通勤,擠得要死心情很煩,這時候硬要聽英文podcast效果不好。但如果你坐著剛好有位子,窗外風景不錯,這時候聽就很順。狀態對了,吸收就快。

跟讀不用硬撐
John老師建議:「如果我一開始只習慣念兩行,念了兩行就覺得有點吃力,那我就停了。不要硬撐說要念十行,把自己逼到嘴巴舌頭都累了。」
健身教練會說「肌肉痠痛再來一組」,但學英文不是這樣。舌頭已經快咬到了就停,何必呢?
關鍵是知道自己什麼時候累
有些上班族覺得「我沒壓力啊」,結果頭髮一直掉。壓力禿。你的身體還是感受到壓力的。
跟讀文章這麼多,今天這篇地緣政治你不喜歡,下次動物主題你比較喜歡,可能就可以多念一點。不用拼今天要全部念完。

真正進入狀態是什麼感覺?
John老師和Angel老師錄Café的時候就尬聊,聊到忘記時間。「我一個小時了,本來只要錄30分鐘。」這就是進入effortless state,in the zone。
每次上場都in the zone,你就是Kobe Bryant!

別想太多,做就對了
有些事情你想了反而做不了。「等一下要安排時間,然後跟小孩坐下來,好好來聊這個idiom,然後要練習三遍...」光想就累了。
Just do it。

從最小的開始
早上起床真的太難?那就先坐起來,或先把被子拿開。先做一個簡單的動作,剩下的就會自然跟上來。
學英文也一樣。讀完Café拿到學習筆記,老師這週給了十幾個idioms,覺得很多怎麼辦?
一天一個就好。"I can do one a day, I cannot do ten a day。"把它拆開來,action有做到,但不會覺得很effort。
或者這週十幾個,挑兩個你最喜歡的記下來。這兩個就是你的了。

不要被自己卡住
John老師和阿鍵老師都常被自己的thinking卡住。腦筋一直在想:「我要安排什麼時間?要準備什麼?要練習幾遍?」OS就已經消耗一堆能量了。
不去想這個effort,反而更容易去做那個action。
通勤時打開手機聽podcast,不用想「我今天要學什麼」「我進度到哪了」。上車按play就對了。竹科工程師開車上班那段路,塞車剛好聽完一集。

建立自己的自動化系統
最高境界是什麼都不用想就完成了,而且成果還不錯。就像《原子習慣》講的,system越簡單,越容易一直做下去。
通勤學英文就是最好的例子
老通勤家族跟著15Mins三四年下來,已經變成習慣了。早上開車上班就打開podcast,聽完覺得有趣的就跟著念幾句,晚上回家有空就做個shadowing。
不用每天提醒自己「我今天要學英文」,就是自然而然在做。
很多人給feedback說:「現在跟外國人講話好順,自信心特別好。」不是文法多厲害或單字量多大,是溝通對方聽得懂。出去工作、出國旅遊就很夠用了。

John老師煮咖啡的境界
「早上做咖啡的時候,自動開機、自動燒開水、自動鋪濾杯。我煮完咖啡才發現,咦我剛煮完一杯咖啡?」
以前還會想這杯要準備什麼、溫度幾度,壓力很大。現在進入effortless state就是:怎麼咖啡煮好了?我好像不記得剛剛怎麼沖的。
然後阿鍵老師喝了說好喝。這就是effortless result。
學英文也可以到這個境界。五月報稅季很煩,但通勤時間還是照樣聽podcast,不用額外安排時間。捷運兩站剛好聽完一集,下車就開始一天工作。英文在不知不覺中進步。

跟其他學習方法有什麼不同?
John老師發現很多哈佛、史丹佛的人都在講類似概念:《原子習慣》講系統、《心流》講狀態、《刻意練習》講方法。
阿鍵老師說:「很多learning tips都互通,同一個概念。要不然就是motivation,要不然就是讓你學得更輕鬆,要不然就是幫你做系統化。只是每一本切入的角度不太一樣。」

這本書特別的地方
John老師認為這本書比《原子習慣》更進一步:「我們很少去care那個state。我們太care那個system。這本書我蠻喜歡那個state的部分,就是care yourself跟love yourself。多注意自己的狀態,這個其實蠻重要的。」
不只學英文,工作、生活都適用。找到自己最順手的方式、最順的狀態,去做你想做的事。
不要在生氣七七的時候練英文
何必呢?力氣要用在對的地方。

那你的輕鬆時刻是什麼時候?
有些人做菜的時候很開心,進入心流。阿鍵老師就覺得「又要做一件事好累」。

歡迎留言分享:

你什麼時候會進入effortless state?

書籍推薦: 《Effortless: Make It Easy to Do What Matters》by Greg McKeown (哈佛MBA作者)

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:
Once the king of film, Kodak has struggled over the years to find their footing in the digital era. In 2013, the company emerged from bankruptcy and till today is looking to find business model to sustain itself. What used to be 200 buildings of Eastman Kodak’s business park, is now left with a few buildings, with the rest either demolished or sold off. The article mentions the story of Mr. Taber, a Kodak employee of 34 years, together with 300 other scientists and engineers are working through their legacy innovations in optics and chemistry can be turned into new business ventures. In July this year, Trump administration made a $765 million loan to the Eastman Kodak Co. for its launch of a business making pharmaceutical ingredients in the US. 

原文討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-912-kodak-struggles-to-envision-a-viable-future-after-film  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences: 

Capitalize v. – chance to gain advantage from / convert into capital. Kodak has packaging sensor technology that they did not capitalize. Entrepreneurs are constantly looking to capitalize on any market opportunities.  

Complacent adj. – showing smug / self-satisfaction with one’s achievement The cash Kodak made from film made them complacent. Having too much luxuries in life would make you complacent.  

IP – Intellectual Property (patent, copyright, trademark) CEO of Kodak believes that they will not be able to capitalize on their IP through Kodak-branded sales. Filing patents is a way to protect a company’s intellectual property. 

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你有沒有想過，你的英文名字在外國人耳裡是什麼感覺？在台灣，很多人的英文名字是國中老師取的、或是從喜歡的明星那裡借來的，甚至有人每換一個工作就用一個新名字。但你知道嗎？有些名字在西方文化裡，可以算是社交地雷喔！

本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Angel 老師要來談談英文名字的 "faux pas"(如果你不認識這個字，趕快打開本集節目！)。命名的禁忌往往不是因為名字本身不好，而是像 COVID 時代崛起的 Karen 迷因，或是健身房的 Chad 文化，這些網路文化、迷因、甚至成人娛樂業讓名字和特定情境做了連結啦！

Have you ever wondered what your English name sounds like to foreigners? In Taiwan, many people's English names were given by their junior high school teachers, borrowed from favorite celebrities, or even changed with each new job. But did you know? Some names can be social landmines in Western culture!

This week on English Cafe, John and Angel discuss English name "faux pas" (if you don't know this word, quickly tune into this episode!). Naming taboos often aren't because the names themselves are bad, but rather due to internet culture like the Karen meme that rose during the COVID era, or gym bro Chad culture. These internet trends, memes, and even the adult entertainment industry have created associations between names and specific contexts!

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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💡 想要更自然的提升英語力？加入VIP會員，獲得專屬內容與優惠！

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📜 單集逐字稿 & 內容摘要（播放器字數有限，完整逐字稿請到官網查看）
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跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

-----------------------------------
🎧 通勤學英語 VIP 專區 &🚀 線上課程 
-----------------------------------
💡 想要更自然的提升英語力？加入VIP會員，獲得專屬內容與優惠！

🔥 社會人核心英語有聲書課程→https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm

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🌎 15Mins.Today 相關連結
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💬 你的想法很重要！留言分享 → 留言連結

Web：www.15mins.today
YouTube：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy
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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L176: No 2027 Taiwan Invasion, U.S. Intel Says

Highlights 主題摘要

For years, 2027 has loomed over strategic planning rooms from Washington to Tokyo — the unofficial deadline by which China's People's Liberation Army was expected to be capable of seizing Taiwan by force. On Wednesday, the U.S. intelligence community offered a carefully calibrated reassessment. According to the 2026 Annual Threat Assessment released by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Chinese leaders "do not currently plan to execute an invasion of Taiwan in 2027, nor do they have a fixed timeline for achieving unification." The finding does not erase the threat — it reframes it.

長年以來，「2027年」盤旋於華盛頓到東京各地的戰略研判室，被普遍視為中國人民解放軍具備武力奪台能力的非官方期限。週三，美國情報界就此提出了措辭審慎的重新評估。根據美國國家情報總監辦公室（ODNI）發布的《2026年美國情報界年度威脅評估》，中國領導人「目前不計畫在2027年對台灣發動入侵，亦無實現統一的固定時間表。」這份評估並未消弭威脅，而是重新定義了威脅的框架。

The PLA has been making what the report describes as "steady but uneven" progress on capabilities required for a potential Taiwan operation, including efforts to deter U.S. military intervention. Beijing has never renounced the use of force, and the report acknowledges that China continues to refine contingency plans for doing so. Yet it concludes that Chinese leadership — weighing PLA readiness, Taiwan's political posture, and the probability of U.S. intervention — currently prefers coercive pressure over outright conflict. Anti-corruption purges that have swept out roughly 100 senior officers since 2022 may have further constrained operational readiness.

解放軍在強化潛在台海行動所需能力方面，持續取得報告所稱「穩定但不均衡」的進展，其中包括嚇阻美軍介入的相關部署。北京從未放棄以武力達成統一，報告也承認中國持續精進各項應變計畫。然而報告指出，中國領導層在綜合評估解放軍戰備狀況、台灣的政治走向以及美國介入的可能性後，目前仍傾向以施壓手段取代全面武裝衝突。自2022年起的反腐整肅已拔除逾百名解放軍高階將領，此一動盪或已進一步削弱整體作戰準備度。

The assessment lands at a diplomatically charged moment. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is scheduled to visit the White House the day after the report's release, and the document describes her statement that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan as a "significant shift" — framing likely to unsettle Tokyo. U.S. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, has repeatedly downplayed the threat of Chinese military action, citing Xi Jinping's personal assurances, even as his administration approved a record $11 billion arms package for Taiwan in December.

這份報告的出爐時機外交意涵格外敏感。日本首相高市早苗預計於報告發布隔日赴白宮訪問，而報告將她去年所稱中國攻台將對日本構成「存亡威脅」的言論，定性為日本領導人立場的「重大轉變」，此一定性極可能令東京方面感到不滿。與此同時，川普多次援引習近平的個人保證，屢屢淡化北京的對台軍事威脅，但其政府卻在去年十二月批准了規模創紀錄、總值110億美元的對台軍售案。

The economic stakes make any conflict scenario deeply unappealing. Taiwan dominates global semiconductor production, and roughly one-fifth of world trade transits the Taiwan Strait annually. A protracted confrontation would shatter critical tech supply chains and inflict costs on the U.S., Chinese, and global economies alike — even without Washington's direct involvement. Some analysts now regard the 2030s as the more consequential window of risk, with military capability rather than political intent driving the calculus. China's 2049 deadline, the centenary of the People's Republic, remains the overarching horizon.

任何衝突情境背後，都潛藏著沉重的經濟代價。台灣是全球半導體生產的核心重鎮，全球約五分之一的貿易往來途經台灣海峽。一旦爆發曠日持久的對抗，關鍵科技供應鏈將面臨重創，美國、中國乃至全球經濟都難以倖免，即便華盛頓選擇不直接出兵亦然。部分分析人士已將2030後視為更值得警戒的風險時間，驅動這項判斷的是軍事能力的發展，而非政治意圖。中國所設定的2049年統一期限，也就是中華人民共和國建國百年，始終是更長遠的戰略目標。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Contingency plans [noun phrase, prepared strategies for dealing with possible future emergencies]: Every airline has contingency plans for bad weather.Downplayed [verb, to make something seem less serious or threatening than it is]: The manager downplayed the risk to keep the team calm.Unsettle [verb, to make someone feel anxious or off-balance]: The sudden announcement unsettled investors.Protracted [adjective, lasting far longer than expected or desired]: The protracted dispute cost both sides dearly.Overarching [adjective, covering everything; most important overall]: The overarching goal is long-term stability.

Reference article:
1. https://focustaiwan.tw/politics/202603190004
2. https://www.reuters.com/world/china/us-assesses-china-is-not-currently-planning-invade-taiwan-2027-2026-03-18/
3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/19/us-intelligence-agencies-not-expecting-china-to-invade-taiwan-in-2027
4. https://www.nbcnews.com/world/asia/us-assesses-china-not-planning-invade-taiwan-2027-rcna264239
5. https://www.wsj.com/world/china/china-isnt-planning-to-invade-taiwan-in-2027-u-s-concludes-1fbedcbd

「挺你所想，與你一起生活的銀行」

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—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Here are the three articles properly titled and paragraphed:

Traditional Toys May Beat Gadgets in Language Development
Baby laptops, baby cellphones, talking farms — these are the whirring, whiz-bang toys of the moment, many of them marketed as tools to encourage babies' language skills.
嬰兒筆電，嬰兒手機，交談農場，這些都是當前推出快速又先進的玩具，許多被當成激發嬰兒語言技能的工具行銷。

But a new study raises questions about whether such electronic playthings make it less likely that babies will engage in the verbal give-and-take with their parents that is so crucial to cognitive development.
不過，新研究報告質疑這類電子玩具是否會使嬰兒跟父母的口頭交流減少，這種交流對認知發展極其重要。

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, found that when babies and parents played with electronic toys that are specifically advertised as language-promoters, parents spoke less and responded less to baby babbling than when they played with traditional toys like blocks or read board books. Babies also vocalized less when playing with electronic toys.
發表於「美國醫學會小兒科學期刊」的該研究報告發現，嬰兒與父母玩廣告中特別宣傳能促進語言發展的電子玩具時，父母說話及對嬰兒發聲的回應，要比玩傳統玩具如積木或閱讀硬頁書時來得少。嬰兒玩電子玩具時發聲也較少。

"My hunch is that they were letting the baby interact with the toy and they were on the sidelines," said Anna V. Sosa, an associate professor of communications science and disorders at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, who led the study.
帶領研究的弗拉格斯塔夫北亞利桑納大學傳播科學與溝通障礙副教授安娜．索沙說：「我的直覺是，他們讓嬰兒跟玩具互動，自己退居一邊。」

The study builds on a growing body of research suggesting that electronic toys and e-books can make parents less likely to have the most meaningful kinds of verbal exchanges with their children. "When you put the gadgets and gizmos in, the parents stop talking," said Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a professor of psychology at Temple University who was not involved in the new study, but who has found similar effects with e-books and electronic shape-sorters. "What you get is more behavioral regulation stuff, like 'don't touch that' or 'do this,' or nothing because the books and toys take it over for you."
這項研究建立在日漸增多的一些研究結果之上，既有結果顯示電子玩具和電子書可能使父母較少與小孩進行最有意義類型的口語交流。天普大學心理學教授凱西．赫許帕塞克說：「當使用這類工具與裝置時，父母們就會閉口。你做的是更多行為規範，像是『別碰那』或『做這個』，甚至啥也不做，因為電子書與玩具已代勞了。」赫許帕塞克未參加上述研究，但此前對電子書跟電子形狀分類盒的研究有類似發現。

She added, "A toy should be 10 percent toy and 90 percent child, and with a lot of these electronic toys the toy takes over 90 percent and the child just fills in the blank."
她並補充道：「玩玩具應是玩具只占10%，90％由小孩做主，許多這些電子玩具卻是玩具占了90%以上，小孩只能補白。」

Sosa said she was surprised by the results. She had expected some parent-baby pairs would talk more with one type of toy, while others would talk more with another. But the results were consistent almost across the board. When electronic toys were being used, parents said about 40 words per minute, on average, compared with 56 words per minute for traditional toys and 67 words per minute with books.
索沙說，她對結果感到驚訝。她原本預期一些父母嬰兒組玩某種玩具時說話較多，而其他組則是在玩另種玩具時說較多話。然而，結果卻幾乎一致。玩電子玩具時父母平均每分鐘說40字，少於玩傳統玩具的56字，及讀書時的67字。

The study was small — 26 families — and most were white and educated. So the researchers say the results might be different with a larger and more diverse group. But the study is notable because it sought to capture real world parent-child playtime in their homes without researchers watching.
這是個小型研究，共26個家庭參與，多為受過良好教育的白人家庭。因此研究人員說，若以更大、更多樣化的群體為研究對象，結果可能不同，但這個研究仍值得注意，因為它盡力捕捉現實世界中無研究人員觀看下的居家親子遊戲時間。
Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/292769/web/

"Boffin Barbie": Toy Creator Honors Vaccine Co-Creator

Toy giant Mattel said Wednesday last week it hoped to "inspire the next generation" after creating a model of its iconic Barbie doll in honor of Sarah Gilbert, co-creator of the Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.
玩具大廠美泰兒公司上週三表示，為表彰牛津／阿斯捷利康冠狀病毒疫苗之共同發明人莎拉‧吉伯特，該公司為其著名產品芭比娃娃開發了新款，希望能「鼓舞下一代」。

Gilbert said she found the news "very strange" but hoped "children who see my Barbie will realize how vital careers in science are to help the world around us." "My wish is that my doll will show children careers they may not be aware of, like a vaccinologist."
吉伯特聽聞此消息，說她覺得「挺怪的」，但希望「看到我的芭比娃娃的孩子們會了解，科學職業對幫助我們周遭的世界是多麼重要」。「希望我的玩偶會向孩子們展示他們可能不知道的職業，比如說疫苗學家」。

The toy company created models in honor of five other women in the sciences: US healthcare workers Amy O'Sullivan and Audrey Cruz, Canadian campaigner Chika Stacy Oriuwa, Brazilian researcher Jaqueline Goes de Jesus and Australian medic Kirby White.
這家玩具公司也設計了其他款式，來表彰五位科學界的女性：美國醫護人員艾米‧奧沙利文及奧黛莉‧克魯茲、加拿大活動人士奇卡‧史岱西‧奧里瓦、巴西研究人員賈克琳‧戈耶思‧德‧杰索斯，以及澳洲醫師克兒比‧懷特。

"Barbie recognizes that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened," said Lisa McKnight, senior vice president of Barbie and dolls at Mattel. "To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories and leveraging Barbie's platform to inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back. Our hope is to nurture and ignite the imaginations of children playing out their own storyline as heroes."
美泰兒公司芭比娃娃及玩偶部門高級副總裁麗莎‧麥克奈特表示：「芭比肯定所有前線工作人員，在面對疫情大流行及加劇的挑戰時，都做出了巨大犧牲」。「為彰顯其努力，我們分享他們的故事，並利用芭比娃娃這平台，來激勵下一代追隨這些英雄並做出回饋」。「我們希望培養及點燃孩子的想像力，讓他們在遊戲扮演角色時，有自己的英雄故事」。
Source: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/08/09/2003762257

Giant Japanese Robot Spurs Hopes for Tourism After Virus Hit
受病毒衝擊後 巨大的日本機器人為觀光業燃起希望

An 18-metre "Gundam" robot that can walk and move its arms was unveiled in Japan on Monday amid hopes that it will help invigorate tourism hit by COVID-19.
一個18公尺、可以走動及移動手臂的「鋼彈」機器人週一在日本亮相，希望它能幫忙振興受到2019冠狀病毒疾病衝擊的觀光業。

The robot is modelled after a figure in "Mobile Suit Gundam", a Japanese cartoon first launched in the late 1970s about enormous battle robots piloted by humans. The series spawned multiple spin-offs and toys and gained a worldwide following.
這個機器人仿照「機動戰士鋼彈」其中一款打造，這部日本卡通於1970年代晚期首度發表，描述了由人類操控之大型戰鬥機器人。一系列漫畫催生出多項衍生產品與玩具，並獲得全球關注。

It will be the centrepiece of the Gundam Factory Yokohama, a tourist attraction that opens on Dec. 19 in the port city.
它將是12月19日於橫濱這個港市開張的觀光景點「橫濱鋼彈工廠」最引人入勝的核心。

"I hope this will lead to stimulating tourism demand and revitalising local areas," Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a news conference.
內閣官房長官加藤勝信在記者會說，「我希望這會帶動刺激觀光需求並振興當地。」
Source: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1417730

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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感謝推薦: ItschihaOK在Threads上推薦
15Mins四月壽星: 生日快樂!可以在IG留言或email給我們

聽過Wait What嗎?就是那種讓你聽完要慢半拍才懂的英文慣用語。15Mins在IG推出新系列,專門收集這些讓人黑人問號的idioms,配上視覺圖讓你印象更深刻。

這集還聊到蘋果三月發表會的MacBook Neo(沒錯,就是駭客任務那個Neo),教你用英文在辦公室茶水間聊科技產品。最讓John老師困惑的是Gen Z流行的Admin Night——約朋友來家裡一起報稅、對發票、整理帳單。這什麼新型社交方式?

Wait What系列:英文慣用語學習新方法
阿鍵老師在15Mins IG推出新系列,專門收集那些「蛤?怎麼會這樣講?」的英文慣用語。這些idioms其實都在English Café出現過,但現在配上視覺圖,學英文變得更容易記住。
阿鍵老師說圖都改了兩三次才放上去:「不想被說是AI垃圾,所以還要送去Canva調整。」看到成品,真的會讓人Wait What一下。
如果你熟悉某個idiom或英文俚語,歡迎在IG分享你怎麼用、跟誰用過!

MacBook Neo:辦公室英文會話實用技巧
三月初蘋果發表會推出M5系列處理器,新機叫Neo——沒錯,就是駭客任務那個救世主Neo。John老師和阿鍵老師都在等這波降價換新電腦。
為什麼?因為M系列晶片真的改變了一切。John老師說以前筆電做翻譯或回email,一小時就要找插座,現在一整天都不用充電。阿鍵老師被John老師「污染」後,現在也離不開Apple生態系——耳機自動切換、傳檔案點一下就飛過去。
兩個人已經自稱「Apple Citizen」,被養套殺逃不了了。

辦公室英文閒聊必學句型:

這種話題在茶水間超好聊,不管對方是不是蘋果迷都能接上話。學這些英文對話句型,就能輕鬆開啟small talk。

Admin Night:Gen Z社交英文新詞彙
John老師看到這篇新聞時黑人問號:「我看了好幾次,真的不太懂!」

Admin Night就是約朋友來家裡一起做行政瑣事——對發票、報稅、整理醫院資料、規劃旅行、買保險。聽起來很無聊對吧?但Gen Z和Gen Alpha覺得這樣比單純吃飯聚餐更有togetherness。

概念有點像以前的study group。暑假作業最後一週找同學一起趕工,考試前臨時抱佛腳做筆記。現在成年了,換成一起處理大人的responsibility。這也是學習英文時事用語的好機會。

阿鍵老師找到優點:「我買機票訂旅館不在行,約的人可能常旅遊,我就能問他怎麼優化。我會寫帳單,他的帳單就能交給我。」
但也可能變成災難:一群拖延症患者約好做admin,結果拿出來後就跑去看電視,躺平躺得更平,回家時東西還是放在那邊。
重點是:做不娛樂的事,但一起做就沒那麼無聊。這種新型社交方式的英文表達方式,值得通勤族學起來。

不算Admin Night的:
John老師和阿鍵老師的remote working不算,「那叫Overtime Night,聽起來好難過!」

試過Admin Night的人, 用comment link分享你們都做了什麼!

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary: This article covers 2 topics. The storm in a teacup over how a lady made fried rice on the BBC. And the second talks about Dua Lipa’s love for bubble milk tea ice cream from Taiwan.

原文章討論：https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-909-about-uk-bbc-bbc-host  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Controversial adj.: causing public anger and disagreement
Was the decision to close the water park controversial? Does social media cause lots of controversies? 

Trigger v.: to cause people to get upset Are people triggered by animal cruelty? Do people get triggered by social media? 

Troll v.: creating discord on the Internet by starting quarrels or upsetting people by posting inflammatory or off-topic messages in an online community Does getting trolled trigger people? Have you been trolled on Facebook?

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你上次使用 Google Maps 是什麼時候呢？本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Cariya 老師要來聊聊這個我們每天都在用、卻從來沒有好好了解過的 app——以及它剛推出的全新 AI 功能，保證讓你刮目相看，更加的認識它！

原來 Google Maps 每秒都在更新資料、每天處理高達 2 億筆用戶資訊，甚至曾經把相機裝在綿羊身上去拍攝農村街景！？除了這些冷知識，本集最大亮點是全新的 AI「Ask Maps」功能——你可以直接用自然語言跟地圖「說話」，不管是找符合個人口味的餐廳、還是同時滿足多位外國訪客的用餐需求，通通交給它搞定。John 老師更大膽預測，Google Maps 正在往「超級 App」的方向進化，未來搞不好連 Google 搜尋都會被它取代！

When was the last time you used Google Maps? This week on English Cafe, John and Cariya talk about this app we use every day but have never really understood—along with its newly launched AI features that will definitely impress you and help you get to know it better!

Turns out Google Maps updates data every second, processes up to 200 million user data points daily, and even once mounted cameras on sheep to photograph rural street views!? Beyond these fun facts, this episode's biggest highlight is the brand-new AI "Ask Maps" feature—you can directly "talk" to the map using natural language, whether finding restaurants that match your personal taste or simultaneously meeting the dining needs of multiple foreign visitors, it handles it all. John boldly predicts that Google Maps is evolving toward becoming a "super app," and in the future it might even replace Google Search!

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L172: Iran War Sends Oil Past $100, ECB Holds

Highlights 主題摘要

When the European Central Bank gathered in Frankfurt on Thursday, energy markets were already in turmoil. Oil had briefly touched $119 a barrel, European gas prices had surged 35 per cent in a single morning, and traders were scrambling to reprice a global economy suddenly exposed to the full force of a Middle Eastern conflict. Against that backdrop, Lagarde delivered a widely expected decision — but one whose implications are still unfolding.

歐洲中央銀行週四齊聚法蘭克福召開決策會議，此時能源市場早已陷入動盪。油價一度觸及每桶119美元，歐洲天然氣價格單日暴漲35%，交易員競相重新評估這場中東衝突對全球經濟的衝擊幅度。在此背景下，拉加德宣布了一項市場早有預期的決定，但其後續影響至今仍在持續發酵。

The ECB held its benchmark rate at 2 per cent for the sixth consecutive meeting — a stance unchanged since June 2025. Though the decision was unanimous, the accompanying forecasts were sharply revised: Eurozone inflation is now projected to reach 2.6 per cent this year, up from December's estimate of 1.9 per cent, the entire revision attributable to the energy shock. GDP growth was cut to 0.9 per cent from 1.2 per cent, as higher energy costs began registering across the bloc.

ECB連續第六次將基準利率維持在2%，自2025年6月起未曾變動。決議雖獲一致通過，隨附的經濟預測卻大幅上修：歐元區今年通膨率預計攀升至2.6%，遠高於去年12月估算的1.9%，升幅完全肇因於此波能源衝擊。與此同時，GDP成長率預測從1.2%下修至0.9%，能源成本的攀升已開始在歐元區各地留下印記。

In its most extreme modelled scenario, a 60 per cent disruption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz could send oil to $150 a barrel and push inflation to 4.8 per cent in 2027. Lagarde acknowledged the situation differed from the 2022 shock — the Eurozone labour market is less overheated today — but warned that memories of that inflationary episode risk complicating the task of keeping longer-term expectations anchored. Before Thursday's decision, traders had already priced in two quarter-point rate increases by October, a complete reversal of earlier bets that borrowing costs would stay unchanged.

在ECB最極端的情境推演中，若荷姆茲海峽的石油與天然氣過境量遭受60%阻斷，油價恐將衝至每桶150美元，並推升2027年通膨率至4.8%。拉加德坦承，此次情況與2022年的能源衝擊有所不同，當前歐元區勞動市場並未像四年前那般過熱，但她也提醒，民眾對上一波通膨飆升記憶猶新，恐將增加穩定長期通膨預期的難度。週四決策公布前，交易員已預期ECB最快今夏將啟動升息，並在10月前累計升息兩碼，與年初認為全年利率將按兵不動的主流押注完全相反。

The volatility extended into Monday, when crude briefly topped $113 before dropping sharply after Trump announced "productive conversations" with Iran and postponed threatened strikes for five days. Wall Street surged, with the S&P 500 gaining nearly 2 per cent, while European bourses reversed their losses. Asia had already absorbed the blow: Japan's Nikkei fell 3.5 per cent, Taiwan's Taiex shed 2.5 per cent, and South Korea's Kospi tumbled 6.5 per cent. The International Energy Agency warned that the conflict posed a "major, major threat" to the global economy, with at least 40 energy assets across nine countries already damaged. For now, diplomacy has offered a brief reprieve — but the Gulf remains a live wire.

這股震盪延續至週一。布蘭特原油盤中一度突破每桶113美元，隨後在川普宣布美伊已進行「富有成效的對話」、並將軍事打擊威脅暫緩五天後
急速回落。美股聞訊反彈，標普500指數上漲近2%，歐洲各大指數也由跌翻漲。亞洲市場則已提前承受這波衝擊：日本日經225指數重跌3.5%、台灣加權指數下挫2.5%、南韓綜合股價指數大跌6.5%。國際能源總署警告，此次衝突對全球經濟構成「極為重大的威脅」，九個國家共計至少40座能源設施已遭破壞。外交斡旋暫為市場帶來喘息空間，但波斯灣情勢依舊暗潮洶湧。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

In turmoil [adjective phrase, in a state of chaos or severe disruption]: Financial markets were in turmoil after the surprise news.Overheated [adjective, describing an economy growing too fast, fuelling inflation]: The central bank raised rates to cool an overheated market.Anchored [adjective, kept stable and prevented from drifting, used especially of inflation expectations]: Long-term expectations remained anchored despite the shock.Absorbed the blow [verb phrase, to endure the negative impact of something]: Asian markets absorbed the blow before Wall Street even opened.Reprieve [noun, a temporary relief from a difficult or threatening situation]: The announcement offered nervous markets a brief reprieve.

Reference article:
1. https://www.ft.com/content/5757febc-d888-4d34-af83-4a6b0f7a11dd
2. https://www.euronews.com/business/2026/03/23/markets-tumble-as-oil-prices-climb-over-100-on-middle-east-conflict-fears

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Dark Hair Was Common Among Vikings, Genetic Study Confirms

They may have had a reputation for trade, braids and fearsome raids, but the Vikings were far from a single group of flaxen-haired, sea-faring Scandinavians. A genetic study of Viking-age human remains has not only confirmed that Vikings from different parts of Scandinavia set sail for different parts of the world, but has revealed that dark hair was more common among Vikings than Danes today.
維京人或許以貿易、髮辮，以及讓人聞風喪膽的燒殺擄掠聞名，但是他們並非全部來自單一群體，不只是一群亞麻色頭髮、經年航海的斯堪地那維亞人。近日一項維京時代人類遺骸的基因研究，證實維京人從斯堪地那維亞半島的不同地區揚帆航向世界各地，更透露維京人頭髮多為深色，跟今日的丹麥人相比更為普遍。

What's more, while some were born Vikings, others adopted the culture — or perhaps had it thrust upon them. "Vikings were not restricted to blond Scandinavians," said Eske Willerslev, a co-author of the research from the University of Cambridge and the University of Copenhagen.
更重要的是，儘管有些北歐人天生就是維京人，其他族群也會吸收維京文化──或是可能被迫接受。該研究由英國劍橋大學和丹麥哥本哈根大學合作，共同作者之一艾斯克‧威勒斯列夫指出：「維京人並非僅限於金髮碧眼的斯堪地那維亞人。」

Writing in the journal Nature, Willerslev and colleagues report how they sequenced the genomes of 442 humans who lived across Europe between about 2,400BC and 1,600AD, with the majority from the Viking age — a period that stretched from around 750AD to 1050AD. The study also drew on existing data from more than 1,000 ancient individuals from non-Viking times, and 3,855 people living today.
在這篇刊登於《自然》期刊的研究中，威勒斯列夫和他的同事闡述他們如何定序四百四十二人的基因體。這些研究對象來自歐洲各地，大約生活在西元前兩千四百年到西元一千六百年間，其中大多數人屬於維京時代──也就是橫跨西元七百五十年到一千零五十年之間的時期。該研究也運用現有的基因資料，其中包括超過一千名並非生活在維京時代的古老人類，以及三千八百五十五名現代人。

Among their results the team found that from the iron age, southern European genes entered Denmark and then spread north, while — to a lesser extent — genes from Asia entered Sweden. "Vikings are, genetically, not purely Scandinavian," said Willerslev. However, the team found Viking age Scandinavians were not a uniform population, but clustered into three main groups — a finding that suggests Vikings from different parts of Scandinavia did not mix very much.
在他們的研究結果中，團隊發現南歐的基因在鐵器時代進入丹麥，而後往北傳播，也有少部分來自亞洲的基因進入瑞典。威勒斯列夫指出：「維京人，從基因上來說，並非純然是斯堪地那維亞人。」另外，團隊發現維京時代的斯堪地那維亞人並非種族齊一的人口，而是由三個主要族群組成──這項發現顯示：來自斯堪地那維亞不同地區的維京人並未充分融合。

The team found these groups roughly map on to present-day Scandinavian countries, although Vikings from south-west Sweden were genetically similar to their peers in Denmark. Genetic diversity was greatest in coastal regions. Further analysis confirmed the long-standing view that most Vikings in England came from Denmark, as reflected in place names and historical records, while the Baltic region was dominated by Swedish Vikings, and Vikings from Norway ventured to Ireland, Iceland, Greenland and the Isle of Man.
團隊表示，這些族群的分布範圍大約和今日的北歐三國疆界疊合，不過瑞典西南部的維京人在基因上和丹麥維京人較為相近。基因多樣性則在沿岸地區最為顯著。進一步的分析更證實一項存在已久的學界看法：英國大多數的維京人來自丹麥，正如同地名和歷史紀錄反映出的情況，而巴爾幹地區是由瑞典維京人統治，至於挪威的維京人則冒險前往愛爾蘭、冰島、格陵蘭以及今日的英屬曼島。

However, the team says remains from Russia revealed some Vikings from Denmark also travelled east. The study also revealed raids were likely a local affair: the team found four brothers and another relative died in Salme, Estonia, in about 750AD, in what is thought could have been a raid, with others in the party likely to have been from the same part of Sweden.
不過，團隊指出，來自俄國的遺骸顯示，丹麥的維京人也曾往東方旅行。研究也透露維京人的劫掠可能只是「地方事件」：團隊發現，有四名兄弟和一名親戚，大約在西元七百五十年死於愛沙尼亞的薩爾梅，看起來是一場劫掠的結果，其他參與者可能也來自瑞典的同一個地區。

In addition, the team found two individuals from Orkney, who were buried with Viking swords, had no Scandinavian genetic ancestry. "[Being a Viking] is not a pure ethnic phenomenon, it is a lifestyle that you can adopt whether you are non-Scandinavian or Scandinavian," said Willerslev, adding that genetic influences from abroad both before and during the Viking age might help explain why genetic variants for dark hair were relatively common among Vikings.
此外，團隊還發現兩名奧克尼群島的個體，遺骸旁有維京劍陪葬，但是這兩人沒有斯堪地那維亞的基因世系。「（身為維京人）並不是單純的人種學現象，無論你是不是斯堪地那維亞人，都可以採取這種生活方式，」威勒斯列夫補充表示，來自國外、在維京時代之前，以及該時代期間的基因影響，也許可以解釋為什麼深色頭髮的基因變異在維京人當中相對普遍。

Steve Ashby, an expert in Viking-age archaeology from the University of York, said the study confirmed what had been suspected about movement and trade in the Viking age, but also brought fresh detail. "The evidence for gene flow with southern Europe and Asia is striking, and sits well with recent research that argues for large-scale connectivity in this period," he said. "[The study] also provides new information about levels of contact and isolation within Scandinavia itself, and offers an interesting insight into the composition of raiding parties."
英國約克大學的維京時代考古學專家史蒂夫‧阿什比指出，這項研究證實了先前科學家對於維京時代遷徙和貿易活動的猜測，並且帶來新的細節。「（維京人與）南歐以及亞洲基因流動的證據相當驚人，也吻合近年研究主張這段時期大規模的人類交流情況。」阿什比表示：「（這項研究）傳達新的資訊，透露斯堪地那維亞半島內部交流和隔離的程度，並且提供有趣的見解，讓我們一窺強盜集團的組成。」
Source: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/09/27/2003744127

Finland Has Faith in the Euro

Finland is, in many ways, the anti-Greece.
芬蘭，在許多方面，是希臘的反面。

Like Greece, it is geographically far from the core Western European powers of Britain, France and Germany. And like Greece, it uses the euro currency. But unlike Greece, it is a model of sound governance and responsible use of debt.
像希臘的是，芬蘭的地理位置遠離英國、法國、德國等西歐核心強權。不同於希臘的是，芬蘭是穩健治理與負責舉債的模範。

Yet Finland's economy is also not doing so great, with an 11.8 percent unemployment rate and with contracting gross domestic product in the last three years.
但是芬蘭的經濟不算挺好，失業率11.8%，而且過去三年國民生產毛額萎縮。

A number of American commentators have looked at Finland's current economic troubles as a clear sign that what ails the eurozone is far deeper than profligate spending by the Greeks. Paul Krugman has made that case at The New York Times, Tim Worstall at Forbes and Matt O'Brien at The Washington Post.
某些美國評論者檢視芬蘭當前的經濟困境，認為這顯示出歐元區的毛病遠比希臘的揮霍更嚴重。保羅．克魯曼，提姆．伍思道和麥特．歐布萊恩分別在《紐約時報》、《華盛頓郵報》和《富比世》雜誌上發表了此一主張。

Alexander Stubb, the Finnish finance minister, thinks they're wrong. I brought this up with him recently in Espoo, the Helsinki suburb where he lives. His vigorous defense of what the euro has done for Finland, and his comments help explain why elite opinion about the euro is so different on the two sides of the Atlantic.
芬蘭財政部長亞歷山大．斯圖布認為他們都錯了。筆者日前在斯圖布位於赫爾辛基郊區埃斯波的住所提出這個話題。他為歐元給芬蘭帶來的好處強力辯護，而他的評論有助於理解何以大西洋兩岸菁英對於歐元的看法如此南轅北轍。

There are three main causes of Finland's economic weakness. Nokia has gone from the world's largest mobile phone maker to an afterthought, costing thousands of Finnish jobs and many more when its supply network is counted. Demand for paper, another major export, has fallen. And the economy of neighboring Russia, with which Finland has deep trade ties, has collapsed because of plummeting oil prices and Western sanctions.
芬蘭的經濟疲弱有三個原因。諾基亞從全球最大手機製造商淪為配角，數以千計的芬蘭人因此失業；倘若把供應網一併算進來，失業人數會更多。芬蘭的另一項主要出口項目是紙，需求也下滑。芬蘭與毗鄰的俄羅斯有很密切的貿易往來，而俄國經濟也因為油價重挫和西方的制裁而大壞。

Because Finland has used the euro since its inception, the value of its currency cannot adjust in ways that would cushion the overall Finnish economy from those shocks. If Finland still had its old currency, the markka, it would have fallen in value on international markets. Suddenly other Finnish industries would have had a huge cost advantage over, say, German competitors, and they would have grown and created the jobs to help make up for those lost because of Nokia and the paper industry and Russian trade.
因為芬蘭從歐元一登場就開始使用，所以無法藉由自行調整匯率的方式來降低芬蘭經濟所遭受的衝擊。假如芬蘭現在用的是原本的貨幣芬蘭馬克，在國際市場將會貶值。其他芬蘭產業將突然享有重大的成本優勢，像是對上德國的競爭對手，產業將持續成長，創造職缺，協助彌補因為諾基亞、紙業和俄國經濟走軟而損失的工作機會。

"Rubbish," Mr. Stubb said. To evaluate the euro, you can't just look at what he calls a current "rough patch" for the Finnish economy. You have to look at a longer time horizon. In his telling, the integration with Western Europe — of which the euro currency is a crucial element — deepened trade and diplomatic relations, making Finland both more powerful on the world stage and its industries better connected to the rest of the global economy. That made its people richer.
「一派胡言，」斯圖布說。他說，要評價歐元不能光看他所謂芬蘭經濟當前的「黑暗期」。你得從較長的時間範圍著眼。照他的說法，芬蘭與西歐整合歐元是關鍵要素，而這整合深化了貿易與外交關係，讓芬蘭在世界舞台上更有力量，芬蘭的產業與全球經濟也有更好的連結；這使得人民更富裕。

"In the early 1990s in the middle of a Finnish banking crisis and economic depression, we were a top 30 country in the world in per capita G.D.P.," he said. "Then we opened up; we became members of the E.U. Now we're always up there in G.D.P. per capita or whatever other measure you look at with Sweden, Denmark, Australia and Canada."
「在1990年代初期，芬蘭銀行危機和經濟蕭條之際，我們的人均GDP（國內生產毛額）排在全球前30名，」他說。「然後我們開放了，變成歐盟的會員國。現在無論你是用人均GDP或其他衡量標準，芬蘭都和瑞典、丹麥、澳洲與加拿大位在同一個等級。」

As to whether the ability to devalue its currency would help deal with the current economic downturn, Mr. Stubb is similarly skeptical. "Devaluation is a little like doping in sports," he said. "It gives you perhaps a short-term boost, but in the long run, it's not beneficial. Just like anyone else, we need structural reform, structural adjustment; we need to increase our competitiveness, and a little bit of luck."
至於具備讓貨幣貶值的能力是否有助於處理當前的經濟衰退，他同樣存疑。「貶值有點像是運動賽事服用禁藥，」他說。「或許能在短期內增進你的表現，但長期而言並沒有好處。跟任何其他人一樣，我們需要結構性的改革，結構性的調整；我們需要增強競爭力，再加上一點點好運道。」
Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/283515/web/

In Sweden, Happiness from a Shorter Workday Can't Overcome the Cost

A controversial experiment with a six-hour workday in one of Sweden's largest cities wrapped up this week with a cheerful conclusion: shorter working hours make for happier, healthier and more productive employees. There's just one catch. The practice is too expensive and unwieldy to become widespread in Sweden anytime soon.
把工時減為6小時的一項爭議性實驗，上個月在瑞典最大城市之一結束，得到了愉悅的結論：較短的工時使員工更快樂、更健康，也更有生產力。只有一個但書。這種作法太昂貴也太不方便，短時間內難以拓展到瑞典全國。

The two-year trial, which took place in the southern city of Gothenburg, centered on a municipal retirement home where workers were switched to a six-hour day, from eight hours, with no pay cut. Seventeen new nursing positions were created to make up for the loss of time, at a cost of around 700,000 euros, or $738,000, a year. Although it was small, the experiment stoked a widespread discussion about the future of work, namely whether investing in a better work-life balance for employees, and treating workers well rather than squeezing them, benefits the bottom line for companies and economies.
這項為期兩年的試驗在瑞典南部哥特堡市一處市立養老院進行，員工從每天上班8小時變成6小時，薪水不變。養老院增加了17個養護職缺以填補工時減少導致的人力缺口，每年支出約增加70萬歐元，合73.8萬美元。這項實驗雖然規模不大，卻引發對未來工作的廣泛討論，亦即是否投資於改善員工工作與生活的平衡，善待員工而非壓榨他們，會給企業和經濟帶來根本的好處。

"The trial showed that there are many benefits of a shorter working day," said Daniel Bernmar, the leader of the Left party on Gothenburg's City Council, which had pushed for the experiment. "They include healthier staff, a better work environment and lower unemployment." But the high price tag, and political skepticism about the practicality of a shorter workday, was likely to discourage widespread support for taking the concept nationwide. "The government is avoiding talking about the issue," Mr. Bernmar said. "They're not interested in looking at the bigger picture."
大力推動這項實驗的哥特堡市市議會左派黨領袖貝恩馬說：「這項試驗顯示較短工時有許多好處，包括更健康的員工、更好的工作環境、更低的失業率。」然而由於成本太高，政界又對短工時的實用性抱持懷疑態度，很可能使這項實驗推廣到全境遭受阻力。貝恩馬說：「政府避談這個議題。他們也無意放大眼界來看這件事。」

While a growing number of countries and companies are studying the concept of employee happiness, the idea of improving it through shorter work hours has by no means gained broad traction. In Gothenburg, the City Council's conservative opposition parties derided the experiment as a utopian folly and sought to kill it, citing high costs for taxpayers and arguments that the government should not intrude in the workplace. The current government is also not backing a shorter workweek. Even the handful of progressive political groups aligned with Mr. Bernmar's Left party have not made a six-hour workday in Sweden a priority in their platforms. Nor have large Swedish companies, including multinationals active around the world, embraced the idea. Other Swedish towns that previously conducted limited experiments with a shorter public-sector workweek eventually abandoned the concept, citing high costs and flawed implementation.
儘管研究員工幸福這個概念的國家和企業愈來愈多，透過縮減工時來加以改善的點子卻尚未獲得廣泛迴響。在哥特堡市，市議會保守派反對黨嘲笑這項實驗是烏托邦式的愚行並試圖扼殺它，理由是納稅人負擔太重，以及政府不應干預職場。瑞典政府也不支持縮短每周工作時數。就連與貝恩馬的左派黨結盟的數個進步政治團體，也未將6小時工時列為最重要黨綱。瑞典各大企業，包括活躍於全球的跨國公司，也不熱中於這個點子。另有一些瑞典城鎮曾在公部門實施縮短每周工時的實驗，但最後都放棄這種做法，因為成本太高且執行上也有問題。
Source: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/310747/web/

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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⏰ 一週168小時,你的時間都去哪了?Laura Vanderkam教你audit自己、找出馬賽克時間!
這集John老師和阿鍵老師分享《168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think》這本書的核心概念。為什麼很多人說「我好忙」卻講不出忙什麼?為什麼通勤、折衣服、刷牙時間都能拿來學英語?關鍵在於:審查自己的時間分配,找出混合時間(Mosaic Time)!

📚 《168 Hours》核心概念
作者: Laura Vanderkam (TED講者)
168小時 = 24小時 × 7天 = 一週的總時間
Level 1: Audit Yourself - 審查你的時間
記錄72小時(至少三天),以30分鐘為單位:
半小時通勤

阿鍵老師:「就像記帳一樣!我們常覺得花在吃東西比較多,但其實可能花在追星比較多!」
John老師:「我們對time和money有overconfidence(過分自信)!都覺得『我沒花什麼錢,我的錢應該要很多才對』『我努力上班,時間應該夠用』,但實際記錄下來就會發現盲點!」
時間盲點:
花在喜歡的事情上會覺得時間不夠,所以算少了

「我的Elden Ring打170個小時、Monster Hunter 350個小時...都很扎實地玩!這就是為什麼要audit自己——I feel ashamed(我很慚愧),但你不能等別人來audit你,那更痛苦!」
「自己audit自己只是有點尴尬、丟面子;別人來audit你——你媽媽來audit你的錢、你的另一半來audit你的時間——哇塞,會起衝突、會糾紛!」

📊 Level 2: 重新分配 - Fixed vs Variable Time
就像money有fixed cost和variable cost:
Fixed Time(固定時間):
必須花的時間(睡覺、吃飯、照顧小孩...)

有彈性,但也不能太誇張

先把想做的事情記錄下來

再把它排進去把這些事情當做「必須要用的時間」之後就不會亂花了🎨 關鍵突破:Mosaic Time(馬賽克時間/混合時間)

什麼是Mosaic Time?
可以同時做多件事的時間:
只需要用耳朵的事

John老師:「為什麼一邊通勤一邊學英語?以前通勤應該眼睛閉著好好睡覺,但當通勤時間變長,你會思考how do I better use my time,你就發現通勤其實是你生產力的一環!」
Mosaic Time實例:
John老師的實踐:
拖地時聽podcast

早上起床刷牙時放來聽

🎯 核心訊息
不是你沒有時間,是你沒有在做分配!
John老師:「不要說『我這輩子life就routine到這個程度,I have no time』!其實不是!是你沒有認真audit你所可以用的時間跟不可以用的時間,沒有在做分配!」
You are in control! 記住:你可以掌控時間!

📝 行動步驟
記錄72小時(至少三天),30分鐘為單位
Audit yourself - 審查時間花去哪裡
找出Fixed Time和Variable Time
1. 辨識Mosaic Time - 哪些時間可以混合利用
2. 重新分配 - 把想做的事排進去

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:
This article discusses the thorny issue of having a national airline named after another country. What to do and what will the cost be?

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-907-rebranding-is-beneficial-to-china-airlines  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Prohibitive adj.: when a price is so high it causes people to not buy something
Was the cost of renovating the building prohibitive? Is the La Ferrari prohibitively expensive? 

Polarize v.: separate people into 2 camps with opposing opinions
Did the new passport design polarize the public? Is politics very polarizing? 

Rebrand v.: change the name of a product / company or how it is advertised
Can rebranding be effective in changing people’s opinions?
Is rebranding a guarantee for success?

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你在尾牙或春酒中過大獎嗎？或是你總是看著別人歡呼呢？本週《英語咖啡館—人生系列》John 老師和 Patrick 老師要來聊聊各自最難忘的尾牙故事——包括一頭烤全豬、猜歌遊戲連勝三關，還有13歲就被老爸推去跟廠商談判的「童工陰影」！

台灣的尾牙文化和西方的年終派對有什麼不同呢？從砸重金請明星的大企業尾牙，到部門自辦的主題派對，原來「慶祝年終」在不同文化下的想像天差地遠。

Have you ever won a major prize at a year-end banquet or spring banquet? Or are you always watching others cheer? This week on English Cafe - The Life Series, John and Patrick share their most unforgettable year-end banquet stories—including a whole roasted pig, winning three consecutive rounds in a song-guessing game, and the "child labor trauma" of being pushed by dad to negotiate with vendors at age 13!

What are the differences between Taiwan's year-end banquet culture and Western year-end parties? From big corporations spending heavily to invite celebrities for their banquets, to departments hosting their own themed parties—it turns out that "celebrating year-end" varies drastically in different cultures.

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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💡 想要更自然的提升英語力？加入VIP會員，獲得專屬內容與優惠！

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L168: AI Giant Rejects Pentagon Contract

Highlights 主題摘要

In an unprecedented move that has sent shockwaves throughout the technology industry, leading artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has officially rejected a major partnership offer from the United States Department of Defense. This highly lucrative contract, which was specifically designed to integrate cutting-edge machine learning models into national security infrastructure, was turned down due to profound ethical reservations. The decision highlights a growing and complex tension between private technological innovation and government military objectives. Anthropic, which has consistently branded itself as an organization deeply committed to the safe and responsible development of artificial general intelligence, stated that military applications fundamentally contradict its core corporate mission.

頂尖人工智慧新創公司 Anthropic 破天荒地正式拒絕了美國國防部一項重大的合作提案，此舉在整個科技界引發了震撼。這份利潤極為豐厚的合約原本專門為了將尖端機器學習模型整合至國家安全基礎設施之中，最終卻因深層的道德疑慮而遭到回絕。這項決定凸顯了私人科技創新與政府軍事目標之間，正日益加劇且更趨複雜的緊張關係。Anthropic 一向將自己定位為致力於安全且負責任地發展通用人工智慧的組織，其發出了聲明指出軍事應用從根本上牴觸了其核心企業使命。

The ambitious proposal was strongly championed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has recently accelerated the Pentagon's aggressive push to modernize its combat capabilities through advanced algorithmic systems. Hegseth has repeatedly emphasized that collaborating with top-tier Silicon Valley firms is absolutely crucial for the United States to maintain its strategic global dominance and effectively counter emerging digital threats from foreign adversaries. The military establishment believes that leveraging commercially available artificial intelligence can drastically improve battlefield logistics, intelligence gathering, and predictive threat analysis. However, this aggressive procurement strategy frequently clashes with the deeply rooted pacifist ideologies held by many prominent tech executives.

這項極具野心的提案由美國國防部長皮特赫格塞思強力主導。他近期正加速推進五角大廈的積極布局，期望透過先進的演算法系統來實現軍事作戰能力的現代化。赫格塞思一再強調，與矽谷頂尖企業結盟，是美國維持全球戰略主導地位，並有效反制外國敵對勢力新興數位威脅的絕對關鍵。軍方高層深信，導入商用人工智慧將能大幅提升戰場後勤、情報蒐集以及預測性威脅分析的效能。然而，這種激進的採購策略，卻時常與許多知名科技業高層根深蒂固的和平主義理念產生衝突。

Explaining the controversial refusal, Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei issued a comprehensive statement outlining the terrifying risks associated with weaponizing next-generation neural networks. Amodei warned that deploying autonomous intelligence in active combat zones could rapidly escalate conflicts beyond human control, potentially leading to catastrophic global consequences. He emphasized that current AI models are prone to unpredictable hallucinations and operational errors, making them fundamentally unsuited for high-stakes military environments where a single miscalculation could trigger unprecedented collateral damage. The company's rigorous safety framework strictly prohibits its sophisticated technology from being utilized in scenarios that involve lethal force or automated weapons.

針對這項引發熱議的拒絕舉動，Anthropic 執行長達里歐．阿莫戴發布了一份詳盡的聲明，具體點出將次世代神經網路武器化所伴隨的駭人風險。阿莫戴警告，在交戰區部署具備自主能力的 AI，恐使衝突迅速升溫至人類無法預期及控制的局面，進而可能引發災難性的全球後果。他強調，目前的 AI 模型仍容易出現無法預測的幻覺與操作失誤，使得它們根本不適合投入高風險的軍事環境；在戰場上，哪怕只是一次運算錯誤，都可能引發史無前例的附帶損害。該公司嚴格的安全規範明文禁止將其精密技術應用於涉及致命武力或自動化武器的任何場景。

This landmark confrontation sets a critical precedent for the rapidly evolving tech sector, potentially inspiring other prominent artificial intelligence developers to carefully reevaluate their own lucrative government defense contracts in the near future.

這場具指標性意義的交鋒，為日新月異的科技產業立下了關鍵先例，未來極有可能促使其他知名的人工智慧開發商，去審慎重新評估他們自己手中那些利潤豐厚的政府國防合約。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Contradict [verb, to be in conflict with or state the opposite of]: Military applications fundamentally contradict the company's core corporate mission.Algorithmic [adjective, relating to a set of mathematical rules or processes used by a computer]: The Pentagon pushes to modernize combat capabilities through advanced algorithmic systems.Procurement [noun, the process of purchasing or obtaining supplies, especially for a government]: This aggressive procurement strategy frequently clashes with deeply rooted pacifist ideologies.Weaponizing [verb, adapting or using something as a weapon]: The CEO outlined the terrifying risks associated with weaponizing next-generation neural networks.Collateral [adjective, secondary or unintended, usually referring to damage or casualties in a military operation]: A single miscalculation could trigger unprecedented collateral damage.

Reference article:
1. https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/27/defense-anthropic-ai-war-risks-hegseth-amodei.html
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn5g3z3xe65o
3. https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/26/tech/anthropic-rejects-pentagon-offer

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Fox-Style News Network Rides Wave of Discontent in France

It's the news network that claims it tells viewers what the "woke" mainstream media won't. It says it fights for endangered freedom of expression, even as it has been fined by the government's broadcast regulator for inciting racial hatred.
這家新聞台聲稱，能告訴觀眾那些「警醒」的主流媒體不會說的事。它說它為瀕危的言論自由而戰，即便已因為煽動種族仇恨而遭政府廣播監管機構罰款。

It is CNews — which in four short years became France's No. 1 news network for the first time in May by giving a bullhorn to far-right politicians, opponents of fighting climate change and a high-profile proponent of the discredited idea of using the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a cure for COVID-19.
它就是CNews，短短四年，於今年5月首次成為法國第一名的新聞台。他們提供發聲管道給極右翼政治人物、反對應對氣候變遷人士，以及高調支持使用抗瘧疾藥物羥氯奎寧治療新冠的人，儘管這想法不被採信。

The model is Fox News — including the clashing talking heads and incendiary cultural topics — and it has worked. Owned by French billionaire Vincent Bolloré, former chairman of the media group Vivendi, CNews increasingly helps shape the national debate, especially on hot-button issues like crime, immigration and Islam's place in France that are expected to sway next year's presidential election.
福斯新聞是其榜樣，手法包括衝突性訪問內容與煽動性文化話題，且已收到成效。法國億萬富豪、媒體集團威望迪前董事長博洛黑擁有的CNews，愈來愈會塑造全國性辯論話題，尤其是犯罪、移民、伊斯蘭教在法國地位等料將影響明年總統選舉的熱門議題。

In a country where trust in the media is very low, CNews emerged at a time of particular discontent — in the aftermath of the Yellow Vest protests of 2018, which, like the U.S. election of Donald Trump, prompted much soul-searching among journalists.
在一個對媒體信任度非常低的國家，CNews的出現，正值2018年黃背心抗議後民眾特別不滿之時，就像川普當選美國總統一樣，這引起很多記者深刻反思。

"People were sick and tired of the politically correct, and, in France, for the past 30, 40 years, news was in the hands of newspapers, television and dailies that all said the same thing," said Serge Nedjar, the head of CNews, explaining how his channel positioned itself in a nation with four all-news networks.
CNews負責人內德賈解釋自家頻道在一個擁有四家新聞台國家的定位時說：「人們對政治正確感到厭煩，在法國，過去30年、40年，掌握新聞的報紙、電視與日報說的都是同樣的事。」

Unlike its competitors, CNews focused on "analyses and debates" of topics that Nedjar said mattered most to the French but had been ignored or insufficiently covered by the media: "crime, lack of safety, immigration."
不同於對手，CNews專注於「分析和辯論」內德賈所說對法國人最重要卻被忽視或報導不足的事：「犯罪、缺乏安全、移民」。

He added: "We created this network by telling ourselves we talk about everything, including topics that are explosive."
他還說：「我們成立電視台時告訴自己，我們無話不談，包括爆炸性話題。」

Nedjar said that he was unfamiliar with Fox News when CNews was created and waved away comparisons. "There's the word 'news,' and all the better if it works like Fox News," he said, referring to his network's name. "Fox News works really well over there, I hear."
內德賈說，CNews成立時他對福斯新聞台不熟悉，也拒絕做比較。他提及他的電視台名字時說：「有『新聞』這個字，若它能像福斯新聞那樣運作就更好了。我聽說福斯新聞在那邊作得很不錯。」

But critics say the problem is not with CNews' choice of topics but with the way it treats them. They say it emphasizes on opinion, often backed up with little reporting or fact-checking, propagates popular biases and deepens cleavages in a polarized society.
但批評者說，問題不在於CNews的話題選擇，而是它對待話題的方式。他們說，它強調觀點，很少以報導或查核事實來支持，這助長了偏見，加深兩極分化社會的裂痕。
Source: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5769927


Why France Sparks Anger in the Muslim World: Secularism Explained

Many countries, especially in the democratic West, champion freedom of expression and allow publications that lampoon Islam's prophet. So why is France singled out for protests and calls for boycotts across the Muslim world, and so often the target of deadly violence from the extremist margins? Its brutal colonial past, staunch secular policies and tough-talking president, who is seen as insensitive toward the Muslim faith, all play a role.
許多國家──尤其是民主的西方國家──擁護言論自由，並允許嘲弄伊斯蘭教先知的出版品。那麼，為什麼法國會特別被針對，讓整個穆斯林世界抗議和呼籲抵制，且往往成為極端主義死亡攻擊的目標呢？它殘酷的殖民史、堅定的世俗﹝去宗教化﹞政策，以及言詞強硬的總統（他被認為對穆斯林信仰不敏感）都是原因。

While French officials often say their country is targeted because of its reputation as the cradle of human rights and a rampart of global democracy, what distinguishes France most is its unusual attachment to secularism (or laïcité).
雖然法國官員常說，法國之所以成為攻擊的目標，是因為法國是人權的搖籃及全球民主的堡壘；但法國與他國不同的最獨特處，在其牢牢固守著世俗主義。

The often-misunderstood concept of French secularism is inscribed in the country's constitution. It was born in a 1905 law after anti-clerical struggles with the Catholic Church. Separating church and state, the law was meant to allow the peaceful coexistence of all religions under a neutral state, instead of a government answering to powerful Roman Catholic clerics. Crucifixes were at one point torn from classroom walls in France amid painful public debate.
世俗主義明訂於法國憲法中，其概念常被人誤解。一九○五年，經過與天主教會的反神職人員鬥爭後，世俗主義成為法律。該法律將教會和國家分開，旨在使所有宗教在中立的國家之下和平共處，而不是政府向手握強權的羅馬天主教神職人員稟報。公眾經歷艱難的辯論，教室牆上的耶穌受難像一度被拆除。

A century later, polls suggest France is among the least religious countries in the world, with a minority attending services regularly. Secularism is broadly supported by those on both left and right. State secularism is central to France's national identity and demands the separation of religion and public life.
一個世紀後，民意調查顯示法國是世界上最不宗教化的國家之一，固定參加宗教儀式的人只有少數。世俗主義得到左右兩派的廣泛支持。國家世俗主義是法國民族認同的核心，它要求宗教與公共生活必須區分開來。

Schools have historically instilled the Republic's values in its citizens — a task some teachers say becomes ever harder as a minority of French Muslims and adherents of other faiths seek to express their religious identity.
學校歷來向公民灌輸共和國的價值觀──一些教師表示，少數法國穆斯林及其他信仰的信徒試圖表達自己的宗教認同，使得這項教學任務變得愈發困難。

As the number of Muslims in France grew, the state imposed secular rules on their practices. A 2004 ban on Muslim headscarves and other ostentatious religious symbols in schools remains divisive, if not shocking to many outside France. A 2011 law banning face veils made Muslims feel stigmatized anew. In recent decades, the desire among some French Muslims to express their religious identity has dominated the debate around balancing religious and secular needs.
隨著法國穆斯林人數的增加，法國政府在施政也強加上世俗化、非宗教的規範。法國在二○○四年禁止在學校穿戴穆斯林頭巾及其他炫示的宗教符號──若法國以外的許多人不感到震驚的話，對此禁令的看法也仍然分歧。二○一一年所頒布的禁蒙面法，又再讓穆斯林覺得被污名化。一些法國穆斯林希望能夠表達自己的宗教認同，對於如何平衡宗教與世俗非宗教之需求，此議題已占據近數十年來相關辯論的主要部分。
Source: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/11/09/2003746587


France to Ban Mink Farms and Use of Wild Animals in Circuses and Marine Parks

France's environment minister has announced a gradual ban on using wild animals in traveling circuses, on keeping dolphins and killer whales in captivity in marine parks and on raising mink on fur farms.
法國環境部長宣布，將逐步禁止巡迴馬戲團以野生動物進行表演、在海洋公園內圈養海豚和虎鯨，以及在皮草養殖場飼養水貂。

Barbara Pompili, France's minister of ecological transition, said in a news conference on Tuesday last week that bears, tigers, lions, elephants and other wild animals will no longer be allowed in traveling circuses "in the coming years." In addition, she said that starting immediately, France's three marine parks will no longer be able to bring in or breed dolphins and killer whales.
法國生態轉型部部長巴巴拉‧彭皮里上週二在記者會中表示，「未來數年後」馬戲團將不能再有熊、老虎、獅子、大象及其他野生動物。此外，自即日起，法國的三個海洋公園不能再引進或繁殖海豚及虎鯨。

"It is time to open a new era in our relationship with these (wild) animals," she said, arguing that animal welfare is a priority.
她說：「現在該是為我們與這些（野生）動物的關係開啟新時代的時候了」，她說，動物福利應優先考慮。

Pompili said the measures will also bring an end to mink farming, in which animals are raised for their fur, within the next five years. The ban does not apply to wild animals in other permanent shows and in zoos.
彭皮里說，這些措施還包括在未來五年內禁絕水貂養殖──這種養殖場的目的是取貂皮。該禁令並不適用其他常態演出及動物園中之野生動物。

The French government will provide an aid package of more than 8 million euros (US$9.36 million) to help animal shows transition to a new business model.
法國政府將提供逾八百萬歐元（合九百三十六萬美元）的支援計劃，以幫助動物表演轉型為新的商業模式。

Around 20 European countries have already banned or limited the presence of wild animals in circuses. In France, many cities already do not allow circuses with wild animal shows to pitch their tents.
歐洲約有二十個國家已禁止或限制野生動物在馬戲團出場。在法國，許多城市已不准有野生動物表演的馬戲團前來搭篷。
Source: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/10/05/2003744594

AMD最新Helios AI平台，一個專為進階AI工作設計的超級系統！專為訓練兆級參數的AI模型而生，不僅提供最大頻寬，還兼顧能源效率。開放的ROCm軟體，部署更簡單，為您帶來可擴充且創新的AI解決方案。 https://fstry.pse.is/95rppd 點選連結到AMD 官網了解更多

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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幕後揭秘!15Mins怎麼選新聞?從Epstein陰謀論到可愛小猴,從寶可夢狂潮到油價危機!

John老師和阿鍵老師這集帶大家看幕後作業:為什麼最近世界局勢加速得有點快?為什麼新聞多到追不完?15Mins如何選題、製作、回應VIP許願?還有本週重點新聞速報,從陰暗面到療癒系通通有!

世界局勢加速中!
阿鍵老師:「從過年之後,世界局勢加速有點快!之前覺得AI進展快,最近覺得每天都有新的regional development(區域發展),但都在同一個region!」
「去年抱怨都沒新聞可以update,最近是新聞多到怎麼追都追不完!這禮拜寫了新聞,結果又有新的發展了!」

15Mins選題原則
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「可能我們不是跟得那麼緊,但當我們做這件事情時,regional conflict速度都很快——一下子講核武、一下子講飛彈,但起始原因都有不同trigger!」
阿鍵老師:「前面有因果關係,所以後面才跟著來!我們比較希望告一段落後整理成一篇,但局勢變化真的太多了,所以不得不分成多幾則!」

除了時事,還有網路梗!
「會是網路議題,大家可能在辦公室watercooler(茶水間)可以聊的!非常可愛的事情也有、regionalconflict也有、大條事情也有、finance也有!」

💬 VIP會員可以許願選題!

許願表單在哪裡?
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也在每個VIP單集底下的資訊欄! 點開後所有連結都在裡面:留言、許願連結通通都有!

本週ShoutOut: Wilson!
「恭喜Wilson!他非常關注體育,從自己練習柔道,到WBC也覺得要跟大家分享!」
John老師:「我們也在製作這一塊,思考要什麼angle講WBC!主要有一個跟我們算好朋友的國家——捷克,有相關資料想分享!」
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VIP會員優惠持續中!
月訂閱和年訂閱都非常優惠!

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訂閱後你會發現:
非常廣大的選題

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

Summary:

This article talks about recent developments in the USA. In particular the removal and defacing of statues of historical figures who did terrible things, in the minds of some people. 

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-906-reconsidering-the-past-one-statue-at-a-time  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences: 

Deface v.: damage the appearance of something
Did the protesters deface the building?
Are walls in Taipei defaced with graffiti? 

Indigenous adj: belonging to a particular place
Are the indigenous people of Taiwan represented in government?
Does Taiwan have indigenous animals? 

Inflection n.: turning, bending / change in the form of a word especially regarding grammar / change in the pitch of your voice Does the inflection of adding and “s” in English make it more difficult to learn? 
Are lectures with no inflection boring?

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你有過這種經驗嗎？原本只是好朋友，某天卻突然萌生「好像可以約會看看」的念頭！結果赴約前一刻又緊張到想落跑，內心小劇場狂飆，懷疑自己是不是瘋了。今天我們要聊的，就是這種讓人又愛又怕、神魂顛倒的「暈船」時刻！

本週的《英語咖啡館》，John 老師和 Shimin 老師要帶大家聽聽剛再度拿下葛萊美獎的爵士歌手 Laufey（林冰），這首將戀愛腦描寫得淋漓盡致的浪漫...或瘋狂歌曲《Clockwork》。我們除了解析歌詞裡那些生動的約會恐慌（像是想落跑的 fight or flight 反應），還聊到了東西方對於「純友誼」的觀點：英文裡的 "friend-zoned" 和我們台灣常說的「被發好人卡」，在心境上有什麼巧妙的不同？

Have you ever had this experience? You're just good friends, but one day you suddenly develop the thought "maybe we could try dating!" Then right before the date you get so nervous you want to run away, your internal monologue goes wild, and you wonder if you've lost your mind. Today we're talking about these moments of being "lovesick" that make you both excited and terrified, completely head over heels!

This week on English Cafe, John and Shimin take everyone to listen to jazz singer Laufey (Lin Bing), who just won another Grammy Award, and her romantic...or crazy song "Clockwork" that vividly depicts the lovestruck brain. Besides analyzing the lyrics' vivid dating panic (like the fight-or-flight response of wanting to run away), we also discuss Eastern and Western perspectives on "pure friendship": What subtle differences exist in mindset between the English term "friend-zoned" and what we in Taiwan commonly call "being given a good person card"?

跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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跟另一伴攜手走下去前，不只是甜言蜜語、浪漫送禮，這件事做好準備更重要！預防 HPV 是對彼此「愛情」最基本的尊重和承諾。別讓對健康的傷害變成愛情的阻礙，為彼此主動做好HPV預防才能說是「真愛」。

立即諮詢醫師，展現你對愛的承諾。

男女1+1 主動防禦HPV(人類乳突病毒)

https://fstry.pse.is/95rp64

—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L164: Global Chokepoint Cut: Oil Prices Skyrocket

Highlights 主題摘要

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has declared complete control over the Strait of Hormuz, issuing severe warnings to any vessels attempting to navigate this route. This dramatic escalation follows recent military clashes, effectively halting operations in one of the world's most critical maritime chokepoints. Currently, maritime traffic has plummeted by eighty percent, leaving hundreds of oil tankers dropping their anchors. The immediate suspension has sparked widespread anxiety across major financial markets worldwide.

伊朗伊斯蘭革命衛隊已宣布全面控制荷莫茲海峽，並對任何企圖航經該路線的船隻發出嚴厲警告。在近期的軍事衝突後，局勢急遽升溫，導致這個全球最關鍵的海上咽喉之一形同停擺。目前，當地海上交通量已暴跌八成，迫使數百艘油輪下錨滯留。這場突如其來的封鎖，已在全球各大金融市場引發廣泛恐慌。

To understand the gravity of this crisis, one must recognize the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz. Roughly twenty million barrels of oil transit through this narrow waterway daily, representing approximately one-fifth of global oil consumption. Furthermore, the passage accommodates up to one-third of the world's supply of liquefied natural gas. Much of this energy is exported to major Asian markets, making them particularly vulnerable. Because most volumes have no alternative pipeline routes, energy dependency relies entirely on this corridor.

要了解這場危機的嚴重性，必須先認知荷莫茲海峽的戰略地位。每天約有兩千萬桶石油穿越這條狹窄的水道，約占全球每日石油消耗量的五分之一。此外，全球高達三分之一的液化天然氣供應也仰賴此航道。這些能源大多出口至亞洲主要市場，使其處境顯得格外脆弱。由於多數貨運量缺乏替代的管線，能源需求幾乎完全受制於這條走廊。

The situation has rapidly deteriorated into chaos, with maritime insurers withdrawing coverage and reports emerging of tankers being struck by explosions. Further complicating regional stability, United States military actions have reportedly expanded into international waters, significantly escalating the confrontation. Officials indicated that naval forces would be deployed to escort commercial oil tankers if absolutely necessary. As military presence intensifies on both sides, the entire shipping industry is desperately seeking safe alternatives while navigating an increasingly unpredictable and highly volatile geopolitical landscape.

隨著海運保險業者紛紛撤回承保，加上油輪遇襲爆炸的通報頻傳，局勢已迅速惡化至失控邊緣。更讓區域穩定雪上加霜的是，據報美軍的行動已擴大至國際水域，大幅激化了雙方的對峙局面。美方官員指出，若有絕對必要，將部署海軍艦隊為商用油輪護航。在雙方軍力持續集結下，整個航運業正拼命尋求安全的替代方案，在日益難以預測且動盪不安的地緣政治局勢中夾縫求生。

Industry experts are now sounding the alarm about the profound long-term consequences of this unprecedented disruption. Analysts warn that a full closure of the strait lasting a month or longer would push crude oil prices well into triple digits, severely impacting consumers worldwide. This would simultaneously drive European natural gas prices back toward extreme crisis levels. Ultimately, the ongoing standoff highlights the fragile nature of global energy security. International leaders must urgently pursue diplomatic solutions to restore commercial operations, or the global economy could face a crippling recession triggered by skyrocketing inflation and severe energy shortages.

業界專家現已對這場史無前例的動盪可能帶來的深遠影響發出強烈警告。分析師示警，若海峽全面封鎖長達一個月以上，原油價格恐將飆破三位數大關，重創全球消費者。這也將同時推升歐洲天然氣價格，使其重返極度危機時的高點。歸根究柢，這場持續的僵局凸顯了全球能源安全不堪一擊的脆弱本質。各國領袖必須緊急尋求外交解方以恢復商業運作，否則全球經濟恐將面臨由通膨狂飆及嚴重能源短缺所引發的毀滅性衰退。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Chokepoint [noun, a point of congestion or blockage]: Halting operations in a critical maritime chokepoint.Liquefied [adjective, turned into a liquid state]: The passage accommodates one-third of the world's liquefied natural gas.Deteriorated [verb, to become progressively worse]: The situation has rapidly deteriorated into chaos.Confrontation [noun, a hostile or argumentative situation between opposing parties]: Military actions have significantly escalated the confrontation.Crippling [adjective, causing a severe and almost insuperable problem]: The global economy could face a crippling recession.

Reference article:
1. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/iran-strait-of-hormuz-attacks-oil-gas-b2932373.html
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78n6p09pzno

Topic: About Christmas: Make your own Christmas tree with these money-saving hacks

相信大家都知道，節慶的裝飾品並不便宜，尤其是在亞洲地區。因此，也難怪有越來越多人決定自己DIY製作裝飾品打造出屬於自己的夢幻聖誕節。
Most people agree that decorating for the holidays isn’t cheap, especially in Asia. There is, therefore, little wonder that an increasing number of people have decided to make this Christmas season extra special by doing a lot of crafts on their own.

能夠把一樣東西化腐朽為神奇總是讓人著迷，而展示自己創意成品的最佳方式就是把它掛到聖誕樹上。
There’s something magical about turning something ordinary into something special, and there’s no better way to display your creations than on your Christmas tree.

許多人在網路上分享交流各自創意手作點子，在臉書上還能找到像是「低成本手作」等教你省錢做裝飾品的社團。裡面的成員不吝於分享用花串、燈泡和木框等簡易材料製作聖誕樹的秘訣。
Many ideas are shared online and through money-saving Facebook groups such as “On a Budget.” The members show people how to create a Christmas tree out of just garlands, lights and a wooden frame.

他們放上手作過程的圖片讓人一目瞭然，像是示範如何將常綠樹狀裝飾花串纏繞在三角木框上。
There are many photos that show some crafty methods of creating a tree by simply wrapping the green evergreen-like garland around the triangle-shaped wood frame.

最後，一棵固定在牆上、形狀完美的精美手作聖誕樹令網友驚艷，網友們紛紛留言讚嘆：「這個點子太棒了！看起來好美」、「很適合住在小房間的人用來佈置」。
The end result is a stunning, perfectly shaped wall-mounted Christmas tree. “What a great idea this looks fantastic,” one person wrote. Another said: “Great for anyone who has a small room.”

這些手作教學除了能吸引房間不夠擺不下一棵正規大小聖誕樹的人以外，對於那些不想花大錢買短期聖誕裝飾品的人而言，這些教學也相當實用。
In addition to appealing to people who may not have room for an actual tree, the hack is also useful for those who do not want to spend money on Christmas decor that is only good for a few weeks.

有網友留言稱讚：「手作DIY告訴我們只要善用創意與想像力，不用花大錢也能做很多事。」另外也有熱心的人分享自己的手作技巧，既簡單又能充滿節慶氣氛。
“Shows what you can do with imagination and a small budget,” one person wrote. Others shared their own versions of the hack, showing just how festive and easy it can be.

Next Article

Topic: Chimei Museum to hold pre-Christmas celebrations on weekends 超浪漫！奇美博物館超大聖誕樹成熱門打卡地

進入一年的尾聲也代表浪漫聖誕節即將來臨，各大百貨商場開始佈置聖誕裝飾並擺出超大聖誕樹吸引民眾目光。住在台南的你有福了！奇美博物館在繆思廣場擺放一棵13公尺高的「幸福耶誕樹」，每日下午五點半至十點半點燈，浪漫的燈光下搭配奇美博物館西洋建築外觀，絕對是聖誕節熱門打卡景點！

Christmas is around the corner and local department stores have already installed their Christmas decorations and set up large Christmas trees to attract the attention of shoppers. If you are living in Tainan, you should know that The Chimei Museum has also installed a 13-meter-high Christmas tree on its Muse Plaza. The tree lights up from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. The installation is the perfect match to the western architecture of the museum which has become one of the top destinations for celebrating Christmas in southern Taiwan.

另外還有集結多達70攤的皇家聖誕市集於十二月十四、十五日、二十一日和二十二日兩個週末中午十二點至晚上十點展開，販賣各式美食飲料，還有皇家貴族最愛糕點。

In addition, the Royal Christmas Market boasts 70 specialty stalls on the weekends on Dec. 14-15 and 21-22nd from noon to 10 p.m.,
selling various delights, drinks and Royal family’s favorite pastry.

活動期間還有精緻音樂饗宴，邀請多位奇美藝術獎得主在館內大廳演奏弦樂、管樂、爵士樂等聖誕主題音樂。

What’s more? There will also be music feasts over the weekends. Some award-winning musicians are invited to play Christmas-themed jazz and orchestra music during the celebrations.
Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20191209-894509 ; https://chinapost.nownews.com/20191127-873777

Topic: Dihua Street’s Lunar New Year market

Every year, in the two-week run up to the Lunar New Year break, businesses along Taipei’s Dihua Street hold a special Lunar New Year specialties market.
每年春節假期前兩週左右，台北迪化街的商家都會辦理年貨市集。

The store-lined roads, with outside stalls laden with New Year dried fruits, candies, spiced drinks and meat jerkies, are packed with people anxious to stock up for the holiday.
商店林立的年貨大街擠滿趕辦年貨的人，店鋪前擺出的攤子滿是蜜餞、糖果、薑茶和肉乾等年貨。

The weather was cold on Wednesday, but mercifully sunny to take the bite from the cold, and the air was full of anticipation and festive spirit.
週三天氣很冷，但幸好出了太陽，驅走了一些寒意，空氣中充滿著年節的味道與對過年的期盼。

The sellers themselves, wearing matching Lunar New Year jackets and tops in each individual stall, were all in a jovial mood, smiling and joking with the customers as they handed out free samples and took their money.
每攤的售貨員都穿著自家店統一的春節外套及上衣，喜氣洋洋，發試吃品和收錢的時候，都跟顧客有說有笑。

The shoppers were dressed up warm, some in casual clothes, some in their best suits for the occasion; there were monks and foreigners and photographers and mothers bringing their children, as well as pet owners, carrying their dogs on their shoulders or pushing them along in pet pushchairs. There was one guy walking his pet pig — he’d had it for five months, he said — which had its snout pressed to the ground, hoovering the tarmac for fallen sweets, treats or dried meats.
採買的顧客穿著保暖的衣服，有些只是居家服，也有人穿得很慎重。人群中有僧侶、外國人、攝影師、帶著孩子的母親，以及把狗扛在肩上或用寵物推車推著的飼主。還有一個人牽著寵物豬──他說他已經養了五個月──那隻豬把鼻子貼在地上，把掉在路面上的糖果、零食或肉乾吸起來吃。
Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/01/18/2003729416

Topic: EPA steps up checks for carcinogenic industrial dye in Mid-Autumn mooncakes

With the Mid-Autumn Festival nearly upon us, bakery shelves are heaving with a vast array of appetizing mooncakes in a mind-boggling variety of shapes, sizes and flavors. For many Taiwanese gourmands, the venerable egg yolk pastry is a special favorite. However, in the past some unscrupulous businesses were discovered to have added the harmful industrial dye Sudan Red G to their egg yolk pastries to give the salty egg yolks a rosy-red luster. Sudan Red G was classified as a toxic chemical by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) in July 2018. The administration says it has been carrying out inspections since the ban but has not discovered any illegal use of Sudan Red G. However, with increased demand for egg yolk pastries during the festive season, the administration says it will intensify inspection work during the period.

中秋佳節即將到來，市面上開始出現各式各樣可口的月餅，尤其蛋黃酥最受歡迎。然而過去曾發生有不肖業者為了使鹹蛋黃色澤紅潤，而添加對人體有害的工業用染料「蘇丹紅」。環保署表示，蘇丹紅色素已於二○一八年六月公告為「毒性化學物質」，近年來稽查沒有再發現業者違法使用蘇丹紅，不過考量中秋節將近，鹹蛋黃需求增加，環保署將加強稽查。

In the past, some egg farms would add the carcinogenic substance to duck feed in order to give their salted duck eggs a deep color and luster. In 2017, the illegal use of Sudan Red G was detected in an online retailer’s salted egg yolk mooncakes. The poultry farm which supplied the egg yolks was required to cull its duck population and destroy its stock of duck eggs. Fraud charges were also brought against the farm. The following year, the EPA classified Sudan Red G as a category 4 toxic chemical.

過去有業者為了讓鹹鴨蛋看起來色澤飽滿，在鴨隻飼料中添加有致癌風險的蘇丹紅，二○一七年曾發生網購名店月餅原料鹹蛋黃被驗出違法添加蘇丹紅，供貨畜牧場鴨隻撲殺、鴨蛋銷毀，業者被依詐欺取財罪嫌起訴，環保署則在隔年將蘇丹紅色素列為第四類毒性化學物質。

Sudan Red G is in fact an umbrella term for a series of related chemical dyes that sound similar but have different molecular structures, chiefly Sudan Red I, II, III and IV, and Sudan Red 7B and G. Because the molecular structure of the Sudan Red G dye is easily soluble in oils, it is often used in industrial settings such as colorant in furniture paint, shoe polish, floor wax, car wax and oils to give products a rich color and luster.

蘇丹紅其實是幾種相似但不同的分子之統稱，這幾種化學物質常作為染料，主要包括：蘇丹紅I、蘇丹紅II、蘇丹紅III、蘇丹紅IV、蘇丹紅7B、蘇丹紅G，由於蘇丹紅色素的分子結構易溶於油脂，在工業上常用於家具漆、鞋油、地板蠟、汽車蠟和油脂著色，使色澤飽滿鮮豔。

Sudan Red G’s unique properties — inexpensive, easy-to-obtain, stable, and color-fade resistant — mean that it often crops up in food safety incidents. In addition to salted egg yolks, outside of Taiwan Sudan Red G has been found to have been added to chilli sauce and chilli powder; however, the group of dyes with which Sudan Red G shares a common molecular structure are listed as category 3 carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

由於蘇丹紅便宜易取得、穩定又不易褪色的特性，因此常在食安事件中佔有「一席之地」，除了鹹蛋黃，國外也曾在辣椒醬、辣椒粉中發現添加蘇丹紅；不過這類色素的分子都被國際癌症研究機構列為第三類致癌物。

EPA Toxic and Chemical Substances Bureau Director-General Hsieh Yein-rui advises consumers not to choose food products that appear overly vivid and bright, or that look unnatural. Hsieh adds that the nutritional value of egg yolks is the same whether they are yellow or red in color, and warns that customers who select egg-containing products on the basis of their bright luster may well be consuming adulterated egg yolks.

環保署毒物及化學物質局長謝燕儒呼籲，消費者不要挑選顏色過於鮮豔、看起來不自然的食品，且蛋黃不論是黃色或紅色營養價值都一樣，過度在意色澤，反而可能吃進「加料」的蛋黃。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/09/19/2003764584

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⏰ 5-4-3-2-1,轉念就是這麼簡單!Mel Robbins的無秒法則,讓你從猶豫到行動!

📚 為什麼選Mel Robbins?

John老師:「很多生產力提升的書,讀完方法論就像讀完PhD,手冊太厚、要follow的事情太多,你就覺得成功離你太遠!但Mel Robbins很friendly,就像隔壁家阿姨,戴著粗框眼鏡,平易近人,用的詞彙不會很深!」

她用的比喻超簡單:

AI時代的閱讀方式:

阿鍵老師:「現在有AI輔助,我們看得很快、過濾也很快!以前可能花半天一天看一本書,現在一個下午20幾本書,一直過濾過濾!」
「比較多是在篩選上面協助我們!」

The 5 Second Rule:五秒法則
核心概念:5-4-3-2-1

當你沒有辦法take action時,當你心中很多雜念、無法專注時:在心裡默念或直接念出來「5-4-3-2-1」
在這幾秒鐘裡,你就很容易轉念!

阿鍵老師:「這五秒鐘不要去想你待會要幹嘛,你就是倒數!在這五秒鐘會幫你把思緒集中到接下來要做的事情上面,這是一個很神奇的心理運作過程!」
背後原理:啟動「蜥蜴腦」

蜥蜴腦(Lizard Brain):
管理我們求生、比較原始的能力

John老師:「小時候媽媽說『我數到三,一二三八樓!』是在幫我們啟動蜥蜴腦——你跟媽媽打架,要不然就逃跑!」
「如果我媽媽倒數,我應該很慘!但想一想,Mel Robbins講得也沒錯:你在倒數時,尤其是自己替自己倒數,更容易摒除雜念、啟動理性作業、理清當下!」**

💡 Two Uses:兩種使用情境

情境1:猶豫不決時
John老師:「When you are undecisive,沒辦法決定一件事情時:5-4-3-2-1,你更能回歸本心、看清楚本心本意是什麼!」
阿鍵老師舉例:「內向的人問路時會想很多,到底要不要找這個人?但其實5-4-3-2-1,直接上了,問路是大家都會的!」
John老師補充:「你猶豫的是要找帥哥還是美女?5-4-3-2-1,結果不是找美女也不是找帥哥,找那個老伯伯——回到本位了!」

情境2:拖延、動力不足時
「我今天應該要做學習、我已經plan要做這件事,但為什麼行動帶不起來?這時候你需要5 second rule!」
阿鍵老師:「倒數完就是幫你解決掉理由、把藉口給殺掉了!」

John老師:「甚至讓你可以觀察到你的猶豫!當你觀察到它以後,它就不存在了!你會問:Why am I hesitating?為什麼我不做?立場就switch了——本來是被理由綁住,現在變成一個主動、active的人!」

🎯 需要刻意練習!
Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't
John老師:「這需要刻意練習!就像任何運動員一樣,不是天生來就有辦法,有些人有天賦5-4-3-2-1就啟動了,但別人要花刻意練習的能力才能啟動!」

刻意練習久了:

每次倒數5-4-3-2-1後,那些雜念、心裡的反抗、蜥蜴腦的voice就會消失

起床爬不起來:5-4-3-2-1

John老師:「心理學裡有一個部分是自覺感。If you become more self-aware,很多問題其實就不見了,它自己會不見!但你越沒有self-awareness、沒有自覺感,你就不知道它存在!」

Prioritize你的注意力:

阿鍵老師:「你注意的著重點是什麼,它就會變成重要的!只要注意點一直都是『我好緊張我好焦慮』或『我不會』,那它就變成重要的。但如果把注意點放在『我要去進行了』,那些不會、焦慮就變得沒那麼重要了!」

💪 信心來自行動!
Mel Robbins的核心觀念:
阿鍵老師:「我們的信心來自於行動,不是因為有信心之後才去做行動!我們行為做久了之後,才能夠建立信心!」

John老師:「肯定是這樣!刻意練習久了,在更多情境應用時,你肯定會對自己更有信心!為什麼?Because you are in control!那些蜥蜴腦的voices就不會來control你!」

跟英語學習的關聯:
「你的英語只要有用,那一定有用!進不進步這件事,很多人都會進入完美主義心態『我要進步、分數要得高』。但你有沒有用?有用,信心就會大增!」

「常聽而已、單向input絕對沒辦法幫助信心!但當你跟外國人開口、在meeting大膽用字、大膽享受full English environment時,你的信心倍增!你才會發現:這個東西才是我的,我控制它,而不是它控制我!」

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Summary:

Tesla’s overtook Toyota as the world’s most valuable carmaker recently as a sign that investors are believing more and more in an energy transition away from fossil fuels. On the day that Tesla exceeded Toyota in market value, Tesla shares rose 3.5% in intraday trading, giving it a market capitalization of US207.2billion (Toyota’s were USD201.9billion). Tesla made 103,000 vehicles in the last quarter, only about 4% of the 2.4 million made by Toyota. So, by 2025, we should be able to see electric vehicle account for 10% of all global passenger vehicles.

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-896-tesla-overtakes-toyota-and-exxon-s-market-value-in-symbolic 

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Surpass v. – exceed
Tesla surpassed Toyota in market value last week.
Investor enthusiasm surpassed the forecast of market analysts. 

Doubled v. - two times
Shares of Tesla doubled in a few months.
Peter doubled his pay by working overtime every day. 

High-profile adj. – well known  
Toyota is making high-profile investments in electric vehicles and self-driving cars.
Terry Kuo is a high-profile entrepreneur in the tech industry.

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齋戒月（Ramadan）來了！你身邊有穆斯林朋友嗎？或者你自己正在台灣旅遊、尋找 Halal 餐廳？本週《英語咖啡館》特別為齋戒月獻上一集「台灣清真美食地圖」，John 老師和 Klim 老師要告訴你，為什麼台灣是全球穆斯林旅客越來越愛來的美食天堂！

這集 Klim 老師親自出馬，帶大家從台北、台中、高雄一路吃到花蓮，精選四間風格截然不同的 Halal 友善餐廳，有70年老字號、土耳其料理、印尼小吃，還有跨越印度、尼泊爾、巴基斯坦風味的咖哩館。每一間都有讓人意想不到的亮點，其中有一道菜的中文名稱讓 John 老師當場傻眼——到底是什麼菜這麼特別？聽了就知道！

Ramadan is here! Do you have Muslim friends around you? Or are you traveling in Taiwan and looking for Halal restaurants? This week on English Cafe, we're dedicating a special episode to Ramadan: "Taiwan's Halal Food Map." John and Klim will tell you why Taiwan is becoming an increasingly beloved food paradise for Muslim travelers worldwide!

In this episode, Klim personally takes everyone on a culinary journey from Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung all the way to Hualien, featuring four distinctly styled Halal-friendly restaurants. There's a 70-year-old establishment, Turkish cuisine, Indonesian snacks, and a curry house spanning Indian, Nepalese, and Pakistani flavors. Each one has unexpected highlights, and one dish's Chinese name left John completely dumbfounded on the spot—what dish could be so special? Listen to find out!

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L160: Epstein Files Unleash Political Conspiracies

Highlights 主題摘要

The release of the Jeffrey Epstein files has reignited a firestorm of political controversy and wild conspiracy theories across the United States. In early 2026, millions of recently declassified documents were made public, exposing extensive networks of powerful figures. Rather than providing clear answers, the document dump has fueled rampant speculation. Names of high-profile politicians, including former President Bill Clinton and current President Donald Trump, appear frequently in the logs. While the files confirm both men socialized with Epstein decades ago, no concrete evidence of criminal wrongdoing by either leader has officially emerged.

艾普斯坦檔案的發布，在全美再度引爆了政治爭議與各種荒誕的陰謀論。二〇二六年初，數百萬頁近期解密的檔案被公開，揭露了龐大的權貴交友網絡。這批外洩文件非但沒有提供明確解答，反而助長了猖獗的臆測。前總統比爾・柯林頓與現任總統唐納・川普等知名政客的名字頻繁出現在這些紀錄中。儘管檔案證實兩人幾十年前都曾與艾普斯坦有過往來，但目前官方尚未提出任何關於兩位領導人涉嫌犯罪的具體證據。

Adding fuel to the fire, the chaotic release has severely damaged public trust. The Department of Justice faced intense backlash after catastrophic redaction failures exposed the identities of numerous victims. Online sleuths quickly discovered that blacked-out text could easily be recovered, revealing sensitive information. This staggering incompetence has led to widespread allegations that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the FBI are deliberately manipulating the narrative. Critics argue that the selective exposure of names proves deep-state operatives are orchestrating a massive, coordinated disinformation campaign.

讓情況雪上加霜的是，這次混亂的文件發布過程已嚴重損害了民眾的信任。美國司法部因災難性的文件塗黑疏失，意外暴露了眾多受害者的身分，進而面臨強烈的輿論反彈。網路鄉民很快就發現，只需簡單操作就能還原被遮蔽的文字，輕易揭開敏感資訊。這種令人錯愕的嚴重失職，導致外界普遍質疑中央情報局和聯邦調查局正刻意在背後帶風向。批評者認為，這種選擇性地揭露部分名字的做法，證明了深層政府的幕後黑手正在策劃一場大規模、有組織的假訊息戰。

President Trump recently addressed the unfolding situation during a highly tense White House press briefing, aggressively pushing back against the mainstream media. When repeatedly pressed by a CNN reporter about the sensitive documents, the president visibly lost his temper. He angrily dismissed the ongoing inquiries as a fabricated witch hunt orchestrated by political enemies, bluntly stating that it was time for the country to move on. Meanwhile, the House Oversight Committee has urgently requested the Clintons to testify regarding past associations, guaranteeing more political theater.

川普總統最近在一場氣氛緊繃的白宮新聞記者會上，針對這個不斷延燒的局面做出回應，並強烈反擊主流媒體的報導。當一名 CNN 記者不斷追問這些敏感文件時，總統明顯情緒失控。他憤怒地將這些持續進行的調查斥為政敵策劃的捏造獵巫行動，並直言不諱地表示國家是時候該向前看了。與此同時，眾議院監督委員會已緊急要求柯林頓夫婦就過去的交往關係作證，這無疑保證了未來將有更多的政治大戲上演。

The unrelenting obsession with these highly classified files highlights a profound sickness within the modern American political landscape. As toxic conspiracy theories continue to mutate and spread unchecked across digital platforms, the actual victims of these horrific crimes are repeatedly traumatized and completely forgotten. Until an independent commission can thoroughly investigate without political interference, the truth will remain buried beneath layers of political spin, leaving society vulnerable.

外界對這些極度機密文件的無休止迷戀，凸顯了現代美國政壇中一種深層的病態。隨著有毒的陰謀論在數位平台上持續變異並肆無忌憚地散播，這些駭人聽聞犯罪事件的真正受害者卻不斷受到二度傷害，甚至徹底被遺忘。除非有一個獨立委員會能夠在不受政治干預的情況下徹底展開調查，否則真相將永遠被埋藏在層層的政治話術之下，讓社會繼續處於脆弱的危險之中。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Declassified [adjective, having had security classification removed]: Millions of recently declassified documents were made public.Redaction [noun, the process of removing sensitive information from a document before publication]: Catastrophic redaction failures exposed the identities of numerous victims.Fabricated [adjective, invented or produced in order to deceive]: He dismissed the ongoing inquiries as a fabricated witch hunt.Unrelenting [adjective, not yielding in strength, severity, or determination]: The unrelenting obsession with these highly classified files highlights a profound sickness.Interference [noun, the action of getting involved in a situation where you are not wanted]: An independent commission must investigate without political interference.

Reference article: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/02/21/politics/epstein-files-conspiracy-theories-trump-clinton-cia-analysis

Topic: Hurricane, tropical storm or super typhoon? Here is what to know about Asia’s most dangerous weather systems
颱風是一個具有破壞性的風暴。大西洋另一端稱之為「颶風」的颱風，在亞太地區最常於七月到十月間侵襲台灣。

A typhoon is a storm of damaging proportions. Also known as hurricanes across the Atlantic Ocean, the most dangerous weather systems in the Asia-Pacific region are most likely to hit Taiwan from July to October.
然而，熱帶性低氣壓和超級颱風的差別到底是什麼？

But, what’s the difference between tropical depressions and super typhoons?
亞太地區有四種類型的的破壞性暴風。它們與地震不同在於它們一定程度的可預測性。

There are four types of destructive storms in the Asia-Pacific region which, unlike earthquakes, are somewhat predictable.
風速每小時29英理(46公里)以下的稱之為「熱帶性低氣壓」；風速在每小時29英里（46公里）和每小時55.5英里（89公里）之間的稱之為「熱帶風暴」或「熱帶氣旋」。而又稱之為颶風的颱風則是風速在每小時55.5英里（89公里）和每小時114.5英里（183公里）之間的風暴。

The tropical depressions — wind speeds of 29 mph (46 kph) or less; the tropical storms — wind speeds between 29 mph (46 kph) and 55.5 mph (89 kph); and, the typhoons, also known as hurricanes — wind speeds between 55.5 mph (89 kph) and 114.5 mph (183 kph).
超級颱風，相當於第五類風暴，因為其風速超過114.5英里/小時（183公里/小時）。

Super Typhoons, which are equivalent to a category 5 storm, have wind speeds greater than 114.5 mph (183 kph).
除了帶來破壞力強大的巨風外，颱風還能降下難以置信的雨量。由於台灣島的山脈縱貫全島，這些風暴的降雨量有時會在數個月中超過常規降雨量。

In addition to bringing damaging winds, typhoons can drop incredible amounts of rain. Owing to the mountains running the length of the island, these storms can sometimes drop rain in excess months of regular precipitations.

應該準備什麼？｜What should you prepare?
颱風來襲，你應該在家中準備好一個緊急災難包，裡面應當有急救箱和基本藥物。
In case of a typhoon, you should prepare a disaster supplies kit for home, including a first aid kit and essential medications.

台灣災難醫療隊建議民眾備好足夠維持至少一天的食物量、水、電池和其他應急用品。
Disaster preparedness officials recommend that you have enough food, water, batteries, and other emergency supplies to last at least 1 day.

在斷水的情况下，可以考慮到附近的便利商店買可飲用的水和一些泡麵。
In case of water cuts, think of rushing to a convenience store next door to buy some drinkable water and some instant noodles.

還剩下什麼呢？｜What’s more?
記得將電器產品充飽電，多儲備可飲用水和電池，同時也別忘記為車子加好油(以防萬一)。同時，你也可以將家裡的浴缸先裝滿水以備不時之需。
Remember to charge up electronics, secure extra water and batteries, and fill up your car ahead of the weekend. You can also run a bathtub full of water for a large supply of emergency water, in case the water supply is interrupted.

颱風很危險不只因為它們可以造成身體傷害和財產損失；強風還可能擊倒電線和中斷水的供應。
Typhoons are dangerous not only because they can cause bodily injury and damage to property, but strong winds can also knock down power lines and disrupt the water supply. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210911-2762480

Next Article

Topic: Typhoonless year brings water shortage in fall/winter

Most years, Taiwan is hit by typhoons during the summer and fall, but we have yet to see a typhoon this year. This unusual situation has put pressure on water supply levels in reservoirs around Taiwan.
台灣每年夏、秋兩季颱風頻繁，但詭異的是，今年截至目前為止，竟無任何一個颱風登陸台灣，造成水庫缺水問題。

Due to global warming, the typhoons generated in the Pacific Ocean this year have all moved northward, bypassing Taiwan. Although successive fronts and afternoon showers have brought rainfall, it was only fragmented, covering limited areas and did little to replenish reservoirs. As a result, the reservoir storage this year is lower than in previous years.
這是因為全球暖化之影響，今年大平洋生成的颱風往北移，導致沒有任何一個颱風進來台灣，雖然陸續有鋒面及午後陣雨帶來雨量，但下雨範圍多為局部地區，導致水庫蓄水量較往年低。

According to the Water Resource Agency, as of 2pm yesterday, the Shihmen Reservoir’s water storage was 44 percent of capacity, the Feicuei Reservoir’s was 62.3 percent and the Zengwen Reservoir’s was 31.3 percent. Two of the three major water reservoirs have less than 50 percent of their water storage capacity.
水利署資料顯示，截至昨日下午二時為止，石門水庫蓄水量為百分之四十四，翡翠水庫蓄水量百分之六十二點三，曾文水庫蓄水率百分之三十一點三，三大水庫中有兩座儲水量低於五成。

In order to prepare for demand for water next year, the government has decided to implement three measures to control water usage. Firstly, starting from last Wednesday, night water pressure in the Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli areas was to be lowered from 11pm through to 5am the following day. Secondly, the irrigation of some areas of Taoyuan, Hsinchu and Miaoli was to be suspended, and farmers affected by the measures will receive government compensation. Thirdly, the Ministry of Economic Affairs is setting up a central drought response center to better respond to the crisis and to distribute water resources according to needs. Taiwanese are advised to take water-saving measures.
為審慎因應明年用水需求，政府實施三項因應措施。第一，桃竹苗中自上週三起，每天晚上十一點至隔日清晨五點實施減壓供水；第二，桃竹苗部分地區的農田，將停止供灌，政府也會給予補償，維持農民生活；第三，經濟部將成立抗旱中央應變中心，拉高應變層級，做好調度節水，更請全民配合省水。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/10/19/2003745390

Next Article

Topic: Wax apples price rise expected due to premature drop caused by weather

Wax apples are popular gifts during the Spring Festival season in Taiwan. The fruit’s major producing area is the coastal townships in Pingtung County such as Donggang, Fangliao and Nanjhou. However, since 2016, wax apple production has been affected by adverse weather, including the strongest cold stream for 10 years and the effect of typhoons in 2016. This year’s anticipated bumper harvest never arrived, hampered by the unexpected low temperatures brought by the cold stream early this month. Prices for the popular Spring Festival gift are expected to have increased by the time of the holiday.

蓮霧是春節時令熱門的伴手禮，其主要產地為屏東沿海的東港、枋寮、南州等鄉鎮。但近年蓮霧產量連續受到二○一六年的霸王寒流，及去年因二○一六年颱風的後續影響而減少。原以為今年能豐收，但豈料日前寒流的低溫出乎意料，春節伴手禮恐面臨漲價。

This year’s first cold stream hit Taiwan in early January. It was initially hoped that wax apples would not be overly affected, but temperatures turned out to be as low as 5 degrees Celsius, as measured by a farmer in Pingtung’s Nanjhou Township. The delayed chilling injury is now in play, resulting in a sharp decrease in production. Even the fruit that survived have blackened spots on their skin, due to the effects of frostbite. The estimated output has dropped by at least 50 percent.

今年首波寒流一月初侵台，原預期蓮霧不會產生太大農害，不過卻傳出南州鄉有農友在園中測到攝氏五度低溫。現在遲發性寒害發酵，產量大減，部分僅存的蓮霧，卻也出現表皮瘀黑的凍傷，預估產量至少下滑五成。

The affected batch of wax apples was originally due to be ready to ship in about 1-2 weeks. However, the recent cold stream sent the temperature in southern Taiwan plunging to 9 degrees, and then back up to 27 to 28 degrees when the sun came out. The considerable temperature difference caused serious premature drop in wax apples, by an estimated 30 percent. To prevent further loss, farmers have harvested wax apples and put them on the market, explaining why prices have yet to increase. However, by the time of the Spring Festival, when the supply of wax apples will have fallen dramatically, it is estimated that their price will rise 20-30 percent, making them cost NT$700-800 per kg. This is still less expensive than last year’s price of over NT$1,000 per kg, the result of the strongest cold stream in 10 years.

這批受害的蓮霧大約再一到二週後就能熟成出貨，而這一波寒流南部低溫來到九度，天氣回溫後陽光直曬溫度又達二十七、八度，溫差過大的情況造成蓮霧熟前落果的情況嚴重，預估落果可能達到三成；為避免進一步損失，農民紛紛採收上市，因此蓮霧目前的價格因為產量多，仍維持平盤；但到農曆春節時，將因產量大幅減少，上品蓮霧相當搶市，因此價格預估將上漲二～三成，每公斤價格可能達到七百～八百元，但是應不至於像去年霸王級寒流來時，每公斤一千元以上還買不到蓮霧的情形。
Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2018/01/24/2003686300

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💼 228連假後,該收心了!一個年沒練習,嘴巴舌頭都卡卡?這集教你找出Speaking盲點!
農曆年後第二週,John老師和阿鍵老師要帶大家做輕量級收心操!過年吃太多、錢包變瘦、體重飆升,嘴巴也生疏了?這集從最直達心脏的tips開始:台灣人Speaking常犯的5大錯誤,自覺了才知道怎麼修正!

🎯 成功秘訣:刪掉失誤就成功!
John老師:「You can learn fast by knowing how not to fail, you succeed faster!找到失誤的點,把失誤都eliminate掉,我們就成功了!成功的方法有好幾百種,但刪掉失誤永遠不敗!」
阿鍵老師:「做起來沒那麼容易!大家多少都意識到這些問題,只是不見得有心力去調整。」
關鍵:必須先自覺!先自覺才知道what to fix, what is the problem, then we will deal with how to fix it!

❌錯誤1:Lazy Tongue - 尾音全部不見!
最常見的問題:最後一個音節不發音
經典例子:
Help→ Hel (沒有p) = Hell(去地獄吧!)
Work→ Wor (沒有k)
Life→ Lif (沒有F音)
Live→ Li (沒有V音)
Please→ Plea (沒有Z音)
John老師:「一個是『幫幫我』,一個是『去地獄吧』!差很多!」

為什麼會這樣?
阿鍵老師:「尾音對華語使用者來說不是中文會用到的講法,我們比較不在意。」
日本人 vs 台灣人:
日本人:補足音節 → Work變成「Wa-ku」(加ku)

解決方法:Shadowing時把它念完整!
John老師:「只有read out loud、經歷shadowing exercise時,才會發現『啊!John老師的有V,我的沒有V!我的沒有T,沒有D!』」

❌ 錯誤2:過去式全部消失 - 沒有ED!
台灣人習慣:全部都是現在式,沒有過去式!
沒有Wanted,只有Want

John老師解釋:「中文語法影響我們!昨天做的、今天做的、明天做的,我們都會加『昨天』『今天』『明天』,所以習慣性就是『I work yesterday』『I will work tomorrow』,work就是always work!」
阿鍵老師:「我們以前國高中真的會變這樣!」
ED發音有時是eat、有時是id: 所以大家覺得「我懶得think,那我就全部現在式,反正大家聽得懂!」

❌ 錯誤3:Will vs Going to - 承諾的差異
阿鍵老師問:「日常生活中聽外國人比較少用will,比較常用going to(gonna),這有什麼關係嗎?」
John老師解析:Commitment的差異
I will go to Japan this year:
一個commitment、一個promise

不知道什麼時候

「現在的人不喜歡做太多承諾,不喜歡把話講死!所以用going to就是『反正今年去一下』,沒有那麼committed的感覺!」

❌ 錯誤4:過度補償 - 把尾音發得超級重!
另一個極端:為了提醒自己發音,把它發得超級重!
經典例子:
Work:
正常:Work(k很輕)

Street:
正常:Street(三個子音str連在一起)

Spring:
正常:Spring(spr是同一個音的輔音)

Ask:
國外:Ask(K是輕音)

為什麼會這樣?
John老師:「當老師提醒要念出來時,不是叫你把那個音加重,而是『Remember the syllable, don't skip it!』但華語小朋友(大人也會)為了補足,就做過頭了!」
兩個極端都不好:
都沒有(omit)

全部加重我們要取中間值!

阿鍵老師:「這些連音、子音沒有母音輔助,真的需要靠shadowing多練習,習慣它怎麼發!」

❌ 錯誤5:S的混亂 - 單複數、第三人稱
兩種S常常搞錯:
1. 第三人稱動詞的S:
He work at Google ❌

2. 複數名詞的S:
Singular and Plural

完全不加S(加S會錯,那我乾脆不加!)

「是不是我常態都過分加S?或過分都不加S?Singular and plural分不清楚?Countable and uncountable nouns搞不懂?」
但是...Who Cares?
John老師安慰:「外國人也常講錯!但如果你能意識到這個,聽的人會覺得你講話還蠻好聽的、有水準!」
阿鍵老師:「You care about communication more than the grammar!」

💡 學習心態:一次進步一個錯誤
John老師:「We eliminate one mistake at a time!你去自覺一個,慢慢去消除它。如果真的有錯,who cares!先從溝通開始,有更多應用,再從中eliminate錯誤,這就是學習的過程!」
阿鍵老師:「學習就是先做了,然後再把錯誤調掉,一步一步進化!」

🔥 2026火馬年目標
今年從自覺開始:
做Reading Out Loud時identify自己的common mistakes

透過Shadowing練習修正一次改善一個問題不要怕錯,溝通最重要有需要幫忙?

歡迎留言在幕後教師室!John老師和阿鍵老師會想更多方式鼓勵你、幫助你!

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Summary:

Climate change is benefitting South Korean farmers, as increased temperatures enables them to farm bananas, causing a boom in it. The second article discusses how a Soccer club got fined for using sex dolls to fill empty seats in their stadium due to coronavirus.

原討論文章: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-874-about-skorea-more-korean-bananas-to-be-harvested-this-year  

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Agriculture n.: science or practice of farming
Is agriculture the most important industry in the world?
Does Taiwan excel at fruit agriculture? 

Controversy n.: public discussion about something negative
Did the recall of the mayor of Kaoshong spark controversy?
Is controversy good for a brand? 

Salacious adj.: too much sexual detail
Was Playboy a salacious magazine?
Did the scandal contain lots of salacious details?

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在這 MBTI 當道的年代，你偶而是否也懷念起以前翻雜誌追「每週運勢」的日子呢？本週《英語咖啡館》John 老師與 Angel 老師決定帶大家重溫經典話題，讓我們暫時把 E 人 I 人擺一邊，一起來聊聊歷久彌新的星座話題！

你有發現星座的英文發音特別難嗎？原來這些詞彙的起源大有來頭！你知道最近很紅的 AI 模型 "Gemini" 其實大部份的人都唸錯了嗎？還有 "Pisces" 千萬別唸成 "Pieces"！除了帶大家破解這些發音陷阱，我們也大膽揭露了心中「最神隊友」與「最難溝通」的星座。想知道你的星座有沒有上榜嗎？快戴上耳機，答案就在節目中！

In this era dominated by MBTI, do you sometimes miss the days of flipping through magazines to check your "weekly horoscope"? This week on English Cafe, John and Angel have decided to take everyone back to revisit a classic topic—let's put aside the E-types and I-types for a moment and talk about the timeless subject of zodiac signs!

Have you noticed that the English pronunciations of zodiac signs are particularly difficult? It turns out these words have quite the origins! Did you know that most people mispronounce the recently popular AI model "Gemini"? And "Pisces" should never be pronounced as "Pieces"! Besides helping everyone crack these pronunciation traps, we also boldly reveal which zodiac signs we consider the "best teammates" and "hardest to communicate with." Want to know if your sign made the list? Put on your headphones—the answer is in the show!

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L156: Trump's Ultimate Legal Battle Over Global Tariffs

Highlights 主題摘要

Shortly after the Supreme Court definitively struck down his flagship trade policy, President Donald Trump aggressively retaliated by pivoting to a new legal strategy, announcing a sweeping fifteen percent tariff on global imports. The high court ruled that Trump unconstitutionally bypassed Congress when he previously imposed border taxes using an unprecedented emergency mandate. Infuriated by this legal defeat, the president utilized a different statutory framework to introduce a blanket ten percent levy on Friday, which he suddenly escalated to fifteen percent over the weekend.

就在美國最高法院正式推翻其具指標性的貿易政策後不久，總統川普隨即採取強硬姿態報復，轉向新的法律策略，宣布對全球進口商品徵收高達百分之十五的全面性關稅。最高法院裁定，川普先前利用史無前例的緊急授權來實施邊境稅，已屬違憲繞過國會的行為。面對這場法律挫敗，川普大為震怒，於週五改採一套截然不同的法源依據，祭出百分之十的全面性關稅，隨後更在週末突襲式地將稅率調升至百分之十五。

To circumvent the recent judicial restriction, the administration formally invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. This rarely utilized provision explicitly permits the president to unilaterally implement import restrictions, including tariffs up to fifteen percent, specifically to combat severe national trade deficits. However, this statutory executive authority is strictly limited to one hundred and fifty days unless Congress officially approves an extension. Trump confidently argued this legally tested maneuver provides the executive branch with sufficient power to act decisively.

為了規避近期的司法限制，美國政府正式動用《一九七四年貿易法》的第一二二條。這項罕見的法律條文明文允許總統為對抗嚴重的國家貿易逆差，單方面實施包含高達百分之十五關稅在內的進口限制。然而，這項法定的行政權力有嚴格的時間限制，除非獲得國會正式批准展延，否則僅能實施一百五十天。川普充滿信心地主張，這項經過法律考驗的策略，能為行政部門提供果斷行事的充分權限。

The core of this escalating dispute centers entirely on the constitutional separation of powers regarding taxation. Following the Supreme Court ruling, numerous organizations immediately filed massive lawsuits demanding billions of dollars in refunds for the previously collected exorbitant and unlawful tariffs. Legal scholars emphasize that the US Constitution explicitly grants Congress the exclusive power to lay and collect taxes. By continually seeking obscure statutory loopholes to impose these controversial unilateral duties, the current administration is aggressively challenging the established boundaries of presidential authority and legislative oversight.

這場不斷升溫的爭端，其核心完全圍繞在憲法對課稅權的「權力分立」原則。在最高法院做出裁決後，許多機構立即提起大規模的集體訴訟，要求當局退還先前違法徵收、高達數十億美元的高昂關稅。法界學者強調，《美國憲法》明定國會擁有制定與徵收稅款的專屬權力。現任政府不斷尋找冷僻的法規漏洞以實施這些具爭議的單方面關稅，此舉正積極挑戰總統職權與立法監督的既有界線。

As the administration vigorously defends its tariff agenda in federal courts, the long-term implications for constitutional law remain highly uncertain. The central legal question is whether the president can continuously repurpose emergency powers and outdated trade statutes to bypass legislative approval. With the statutory deadline rapidly approaching, this intense legal showdown is essentially guaranteeing a historic constitutional crisis and unparalleled economic turbulence. Ultimately, this relentless regulatory warfare highlights a profound institutional struggle over the fundamental limits of executive power in modern American governance.

隨著當局在聯邦法院極力捍衛其關稅政策，這項舉動對憲政法理的長期影響仍充滿高度不確定性。核心的法律爭議在於：總統是否能不斷重新挪用緊急權力與過時的貿易法規，藉此繞過立法機關的批准。隨著法定期限（一百五十天）迅速逼近，這場激烈的法律攻防幾乎注定將引發一場歷史性的憲政危機，以及史無前例的經濟動盪。歸根究柢，這場無休止的法規戰，凸顯了現代美國政府體制中，關於行政權基本界限的深刻制度性角力。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Retaliate [verb, to perform an action in return for a perceived injury or wrong]: President Donald Trump aggressively retaliated by announcing a sweeping tariff.Circumvent [verb, to find a way around an obstacle or legal restriction]: The administration invoked the act to circumvent the recent judicial restriction.Unilaterally [adverb, in a way that involves doing something without the agreement of others]: This legal provision explicitly permits the president to unilaterally implement import restrictions.Exorbitant [adjective, describing a price or amount that is unreasonably high]: Economists warn that these exorbitant import costs will simply be passed down to everyday citizens.Turbulence [noun, a state of confusion, violence, or disorder]: Global markets eagerly brace for unparalleled economic turbulence.

Reference article:
1. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/2/22/trump-to-raise-us-global-tariff-from-ten-to-fifteen-percent-after-supreme-court-ruling
2. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8r1e327z46o

Topic: More ’Korean bananas’ to be harvested this year amid climate change

Jeju Island was long considered the only warm-enough region in Korea for commercial banana farming, but climate change is now turning the mainland into a producer of the tropical fruit.

濟州島長久以來被認為是韓國唯一一個夠溫暖的地區，適合香蕉商業化種植。但氣候變遷現在正使韓國本土，變成這種熱帶水果的產地。

According to the agricultural technology center in North Chungcheong Province, the number of people investing in banana farming has surged in recent years.

根據忠清北道農業技術中心，投資香蕉種植的人數近年來已急遽增加。

About 99.7 percent of all bananas consumed here are imported, mainly from the Philippines, and most of the rest is produced on Jeju. But with more farmers exploring the field, this soon could change.

南韓吃掉的所有香蕉中，約99.7%為進口，主要來自菲律賓，其餘大多數產自濟州島。惟隨著更多農民探索這片領域，這種情形不久就可能有所改變。

Next Article

Topic: Climate change exposes future generations to life-long health harm

A child born today faces multiple and life-long health harms from climate change, growing up in a warmer world with risks of food shortages, infectious diseases, floods and extreme heat, a major global study has found.

一項大型全球研究發現，今日出生的孩童，面臨著氣候變遷帶來多項終生的健康危害──他們在暖化的世界長大，伴隨著糧食短缺、傳染性疾病、洪水，以及極端高溫等風險。

Climate change is already harming people’s health by increasing the number of extreme weather events and exacerbating air pollution, according to the study published in The Lancetmedical journal. And if nothing is done to mitigate it, its impacts could burden an entire generation with disease and illness throughout their lives.

根據這份發表於醫學期刊《刺胳針》的研究指出，氣候變遷造成極端天氣事件不斷增加，空氣汙染持續惡化，早已開始傷害人類健康。而且，如果不採取任何行動來緩和情況，氣候變遷的影響將帶來疾病和病痛，加重一整個世代終生的負擔。

“Children are particularly vulnerable to the health risks of a changing climate. Their bodies and immune systems are still developing, leaving them more susceptible to disease and environmental pollutants,” said Nick Watts, who co-led the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change study. He warned that health damage in early childhood is “persistent and pervasive,” and carries lifelong consequences. “Without immediate action from all countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions, gains in wellbeing and life expectancy will be compromised, and climate change will come to define the health of an entire generation,” he told a London briefing.

《刺胳針健康與氣候變遷倒數計時》的研究共同主持人尼克‧沃茲指出：「孩童面對變遷氣候的健康風險特別脆弱。小孩的身體和免疫系統仍然在發展階段，使得他們更容易受到疾病和環境污染物影響。」

Yet introducing policies to limit emissions and cap global warming would see a different outcome, the research teams said. In that scenario, a child born today, would see an end to coal use in Britain, for example, by their sixth birthday, and the world reaching net-zero emissions by the time they were 31.

The Lancet study is a collaboration by 120 experts from 35 institutions including the WHO, the World Bank, University College London and China’s Tsinghua University.

不過，研究團隊表示，推出政策限制氣體排放，並控制全球暖化程度，則會出現不同的結果。在那樣的情況下，舉例而言，今天出生的孩童會在六歲生日那天看到英國停止使用燃煤，並在三十一歲時看到全球達成淨零碳排放的目標。《刺胳針》這項研究是一百二十位專家的合作成果，他們來自三十五個機構，其中包括世界衛生組織、世界銀行、倫敦大學學院，以及中國的清華大學。

On a “business-as-usual” pathway, with little action to limit climate change, it found that amid rising temperatures and extreme weather events, children would be vulnerable to malnutrition and rising food prices, and the most likely to suffer from warmer waters and climates accelerating the spread of infectious diseases such as dengue fever and cholera.

研究發現，如果照著「一切照常進行」的路徑發展，只採取少許行動限制氣候變遷，除了持續攀升的氣溫和極端天氣事件之外，孩童容易受到營養不良以及食物價格上漲的影響，也最可能面臨暖化的水源和氣候，加速登革熱和霍亂等傳染性疾病的傳播。

Among the most immediate and long-lasting health threats from climate change is air pollution, the researchers said. They called for urgent action to reduce outdoor and indoor pollution through the introduction of cleaner fuels and vehicles, and policies to encourage safe and active transport such as walking and cycling.

研究人員表示，氣候變遷帶來最立即且持續最久的健康威脅就是空氣汙染。他們呼籲各國政府採取緊急行動，藉由引進較乾淨的燃料和交通工具，以減少室外和室內的污染，並推出政策鼓勵大眾採取安全且自主性較高的通勤方式，包括步行和騎腳踏車。

The WHO says that globally in 2016, seven million deaths were due to the effects of household and ambient air pollution. The vast majority of these were in low and middle-income countries. “If we want to protect our children, we need to make sure the air they breathe isn’t toxic,” said Sonja Ayeb-Karlsson, a global health specialist at Britain’s Sussex University who worked on the Lancet study.

世界衛生組織表示，二○一六年全球有七百萬人的死亡原因來自於家庭和周遭環境中的空氣汙染。這些人絕大多數都居住於中低收入國家。英國薩塞克斯大學的全球健康專家索妮雅‧阿耶布─卡爾森參與了這份研究，她表示：「如果想要保護我們的孩子，就必須確定他們呼吸的空氣是無毒的。」
Source article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/11/17/2003725971/2

Next Article

Topic: Physics Nobel rewards work on climate change, other forces

Three scientists won the Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday last week for work that found order in seeming disorder, helping to explain and predict complex forces of nature, including expanding our understanding of climate change.

致力於在看似無序中找到秩序的三位科學家，上週二獲得了諾貝爾物理學獎。他們的研究有助於解釋及預測複雜的自然力量，包括增進我們對氣候變化的理解。

Syukuro Manabe, originally from Japan, and Klaus Hasselmann of Germany were cited for their work in developing forecast models of Earth’s climate and “reliably predicting global warming.” The second half of the prize went to Giorgio Parisi of Italy for explaining disorder in physical systems, ranging from those as small as the insides of atoms to the planet-sized.

原籍日本的真鍋淑郎與德國的克勞斯‧哈斯曼，因研發地球氣候預測模型，以及「可靠地預測全球暖化」而獲獎。獎金的另一半，則是授予義大利籍的喬吉歐‧帕里西，因他解釋了物理系統──小至原子內部，大至行星大小──其中的無序。

Hasselmann told the Associated Press that he “would rather have no global warming and no Nobel Prize.” Calling climate change “a major crisis,” Manabe said that figuring out the physics behind climate change was “1,000 times” easier than getting the world to do something about it.

哈斯曼對美聯社表示，他「寧願沒有全球暖化，也沒有諾貝爾獎」。真鍋稱氣候變化為「一場重大危機」，並說弄清楚氣候變化背後的物理學，要比促世界採取行動容易「一千倍」。

All three scientists work on what are known as “complex systems,” of which climate is just one example. But the prize went to two fields of study that are opposite in many ways, though they share the goal of making sense of what seems random and chaotic so that it can be predicted.

這三位科學家都在研究所謂的「複雜系統」，氣候只是其中一個例子。獲獎的兩個研究領域，在許多方面都大相逕庭，雖然其共同目標皆為理解看似隨機與混亂的事物，以便能夠預測。

The research of Parisi, of Sapienza University of Rome, largely centers around subatomic particles, predicting how they move in seemingly chaotic ways and explaining why. It is somewhat esoteric, while the work by Manabe and Hasselmann is about large-scale global forces that shape our daily lives.

羅馬大學的帕里西，其研究主要圍繞次原子粒子，探究它們如何以及為何以看似混亂的方式運動，並加以預測。帕里西的研究有時深奧難解，而真鍋及哈斯曼的研究，則是有關型塑我們日常生活的大規模全球力量。

Parisi “built a deep physical and mathematical model” that made it possible to understand complex systems in fields as different as mathematics, biology, neuroscience and machine learning.
帕里西「建立了一個深刻的物理及數學模型」，使得理解數學、生物學、神經科學和機器學習等不同領域的複雜系統成為可能。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/10/11/2003765868

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Happy Horse Year!這是2026年農曆年後的第一集幕後教師室!John老師和阿鍵老師要帶大家回顧過年期間的重要新聞:從AI三雄的最新動態、台灣關稅終於settle down的好消息,到日本高市早苗引發的Sanamania狂潮,還有Super Bowl上的壞兔兔Bad Bunny!
開工了,讓我們start this year with a bang,把台灣再次make great again! 🔥

🐎 Fire Horse Year是什麼?
阿鍵老師科普:「你知道為什麼是Fire Horse嗎?它是天干地支的『丙午年』,丙和午都是屬火,所以是double fire horse!」
John老師的理解:「我沒有follow,但我覺得華人文化喜歡red——red envelope、Ferrari red!所以我覺得Fire horse就是Ferrari horse、Ferrari stallion!」
火屬性旺盛的影響:

📝 15Mins有專文解析Fire Horse,非常適合想對外國人解釋的人!
✈️ 過年去哪了?
阿鍵老師:「過年期間我有用到英文!出國了!但對方沒有回我英文,因為我去韓國了!」 😂
John老師:「去韓國玩,看K-pop看韓劇都會了!」

🤖 AI三雄最新動態:OpenAI、Anthropic、Gemini
這三家在去年第四季到今年第一季都推出新功能,有的試水溫,有的已經做得不錯。特別是Gemini,已經搶走至少兩成的GPT使用者!
John老師:「GPT現在有點在struggle了!」

重點不是三雄在做什麼,而是Read Between the Lines:

Security awareness越來越高

三家畫出不同護城河

未來趨勢:像Apple vs Microsoft、iOS vs Android一樣分派系!
John老師預測:「以後慢慢就會有分類了!有的人穿Claude T-shirt『I love Claude』,有的人穿GPT T-shirt!交友軟體會問『我猜你是用OpenAI的?你的代理人是哪間的?』」

理性建議:
「不要過分FOMO!AI一定會進步,時不時catch up就好。除非有特殊update或劃時代功能,否則就久久一次整理。不是我們不愛AI,是實際上追得很緊,用到的越來越少,差不多就是這些『牙膏式更新』!」

💰 台灣關稅終於Settle Down:15%

過年前的好消息!
John老師:「Finally我們台灣的tariff settle down了!過年前就讓我們finalize,好過個年!非常謝謝阿川哥,讓大家可以知道年後要往哪裡去fight!」

關稅數字:15%
「他給台灣算是最優的比例!雖然最好還是0%,但最優的部分不是在15%,而是在其他額外的優惠規範上!」

重點:250 Billion的投資條件

阿鍵老師的比喻:
「這聽起來跟我去韓國玩有點像!我參加的是購物團,所以團費很低,但他要求我在那邊買東西!」
John老師接:「就像Freemium遊戲!玩遊戲是free,裡面的皮膚全部都要錢,或給我看廣告,或買寶石才能level up!羊毛出在羊身上!」

為什麼Settle Down是好事?
「不管我們認為是好的還是不好的tariff,至少settle down了!我們就知道往哪裡努力、處理business model、做哪些生意投資。我們需要certainty!不能說還在談,每次談都心驚膽跳,可能明天就30%,太可怕了!」
John老師:「我個人認為至少今年過得還蠻順利的,知道15% and that's what I'm facing and I'm good!」

💎 貴金屬暴跌:川普新Fed主席上任

Tariff settle down之後,川普派了新的Fed主席,結果貴金屬直接砍半!
John老師:「愛炒黃金的人要哭哭!突然就變成麻吉大哥了!一瞬間變成麻吉大哥!麻吉大哥玩虛擬貨幣更厲害!」
麻吉大哥的Jinx傳說:
「最近比較local的internet news,大家拿他的梗『純一隻』(輸到脫內褲)!他不只這個輸得很慘,他所有投資的國片都很慘!他是jinx!投資的每一個國片都很慘!」
「不過他現在好像還有留一個以太幣,看看之後會不會有專題新聞!他可能是2026年的『8自1自1』——反指標!If you know, you know!」

🎌 日本高市早苗狂潮:Sanamania!
日本首相高市早苗宣布解散國會重新選,造成非常大量曝光,帶動年輕人把她當偶像追!
什麼都搶翻:

像誰?Margaret Thatcher!
John老師:「大家認為她的感覺像以前的British Margaret Thatcher,那種『She takes no nonsense』、『She's a straight shooter』!結果大家莫名其妙把她變成偶像!」
她改革了很多東西(She did a lot of damage),所以有個Sanamania風潮!

台灣人的觀點:
「日本的anything我們都喜歡!你可能不見得追高市作為role model,但她用的產品你可能都在用!她最近提到在弄瘦小臉的醫美、棒棒糖之類的!」
John老師:「如果我們15Mins Family去日本,maybe you've already got a couple of her merch!藥妝店就已經把它擺出來寫『Sanai在用的』!大家沒有把她當political leader,把她當成生活上的KOL!」

🐰 Bad Bunny得葛萊美:Latino文化來襲!
西方Entertainment Industry一定要知道的人:Bad Bunny(壞兔兔),今年得了葛萊美大獎!

為什麼台灣不紅?
John老師:「因為我們都聽K-pop!但Bad Bunny是Latino Pop,他是Latino的Rapper!我們沒有那麼大的Latino group。」
「Bad Bunny在西方世界的英語pop music裡很紅,因為他做很多collaboration,rap的部分都是Latino,是我們比較不熟悉的風格!」
Super Bowl表演震撼全場!
「除了Grammys,最大的是Super Bowl!點進去,哇,載歌載舞!Jessica Alba都出現了,名人都在台上跳舞!一個字都聽不懂!」
「他面子很大,請到知名藝人!我看到有一段他shout out所有countries——Puerto Rico、Venezuela...你如果不認真聽,以為他只是在rap唱歌,其實他在shout out這些國家名字!」
拉丁文化在北美很普遍:
「你的隔壁classmate、neighbor都是!但在台灣比較沒這個感覺。」
今年葛萊美延續金球獎感覺:持續反川普政府
「當然就是要造聲量,有色人種被壓迫,所以幫忙講講話!」
學Latino更難!
John老師:「你覺得英文很難?Guess again!Latino的卷舌、快嘴、打舌音、R的部分都不容易!它那個flow更明顯,intonation、tone要很Latino,人家才聽得懂你在講什麼!」
「我們在台灣還在在意English accent什麼的,這個過時了好不好!人家更在意的是你的Latino accent有沒有到位!」

📢 VIP Membership推廣
John老師:「這些新聞都是要推廣我們的VIP Membership!If you haven't subscribed, go and subscribe right now!
Why?
Because we will get you up to date with all the interesting news around the world!
透過國際時事新聞創造英語空間,讓你在聽跟讀上面更上一層樓!
今年不要掉隊!Come and subscribe right now!

想要加入這個充滿學習熱忱的VIP社群嗎？
通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday

Summary
Few years ago, delivery apps such as UberEats, GrubHub, FoodPanda, Deliveroo were the disruptive technology that gave way to a closer link between the gig economy and restaurants. Thanks to these apps, restaurants are able to make deliveries and reach more customers. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurants that have turned to rely solely on these apps for business are feeling the pain- the pain of higher costs. With most of the delivery apps charging 40% of the order taken, restaurants are now losing money.

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-890-as-diners-flock-to-delivery-apps-restaurants-fear-for-their

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences

Delivery apps（Food-delivery apps） n.
- 外送平台 Delivery apps deliver restaurant food and groceries. Foodpanda and UberEats are the most well
-known food-delivery apps in Taiwan. 

Hostage n.
- 被綁架的人 The tourists were taken hostage by the gunman. 
Wine growers have been held hostage to the interests of the cereal and soybean farmers. 

Deceptive adj. - 虛偽的，詐欺的
Appearances can be deceptive.
The firm is indicted for deceptive business practices.

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你還記得上次聊過 Nano Banana 嗎？短短幾個月內，它已經在職場、學校甚至學術圈被大家瘋狂使用了！本週的《英語咖啡館》John 和 Cariya 老師要來帶大家一窺幾個 2026 年最具話題性的科技大趨勢。

據傳聞，接下來我們可能會看到要價 2,000 美元、展開後將近 7 吋且擁有四顆鏡頭的折疊 iPhone！除了硬體設備，AI 助理也迎來了全新突破，像是能幫你整晚自動寫程式的「Clawdbot」，甚至讓 Mac Mini 一度賣到缺貨！？另外，兩位老師也聊到了即將在世界各國擴大測試的自動駕駛計程車 (Robo-taxi) 以及走入家庭的「人形機器人」。如果是你，會願意花高價買單 AR 智慧眼鏡嗎？能安心接受機器人幫忙做家事嗎？

Do you remember when we talked about Nano Banana? In just a few months, it's already being used like crazy in workplaces, schools, and even academic circles! This week on English Cafe, John and Cariya explore several of 2026's most talked-about tech trends.

According to rumors, we might soon see a foldable iPhone priced at $2,000 USD, unfolding to nearly 7 inches with four cameras! Beyond hardware, AI assistants have also achieved new breakthroughs, like "Clawdbot" that can automatically write code for you all night, even causing the Mac Mini to sell out at one point!? Additionally, the two teachers discuss robo-taxis that will soon expand testing worldwide and "humanoid robots" entering households. If it were you, would you be willing to pay top dollar for AR smart glasses? Could you comfortably accept robots helping with household chores?

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L152: Sana-mania: Iron Lady Becomes Japan's Pop Idol

Highlights 主題摘要

Japanese politics has traditionally been the dull, predictable domain of elderly men in gray suits making obscure backroom deals, but Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has thoroughly shattered this exhausting mold. As the nation's first female leader, she has ignited a cultural wildfire dubbed "Sana-mania," transforming the typically staid election season into a vibrant, high-energy spectacle rivaling major pop star fandoms. This unprecedented shift has turned political apathy into feverish excitement, capturing the imagination of the electorate and drawing global attention to a democratic process that was once considered sleep-inducing.

日本政壇向來是身著灰西裝的高齡男性與晦澀密室協商的代名詞，既沈悶且乏味；然而，首相高市早苗已徹底粉碎了這令人疲乏的既定印象。作為日本首位女性領袖，她點燃了一股被稱為「早苗狂熱」的文化野火，將向來死氣沈沈的選舉季，轉變為一場熱度堪比流行巨星崇拜的政治奇觀。這種前所未見的轉變，將原本的政治冷感轉化為狂熱的興奮，不僅抓住了選民的想像力，更讓全球目光聚焦於這個曾經被視為令人昏昏欲睡的民主進程。

This viral phenomenon, locally known as "Sanakatsu," is continuously fueled by a youth-led obsession with her meticulously curated style and savvy digital presence. Fans avidly clamor to purchase the specific pink pens she wields in parliament and dissect her luxury handbags, while her X account commands millions of loyal followers. By showcasing heavy metal drumming skills and projecting an approachable, "commoner" persona, she has successfully re-engaged a younger demographic that had previously felt deeply alienated by the rigid stiffness and perceived irrelevance of traditional political discourse.

這股在日本當地被稱為「早苗活」的病毒式現象，源於年輕世代對其精心經營的個人風格與精湛數位操作的狂熱追逐。粉絲們爭相搶購她在國會使用的特定款粉紅鋼筆，熱烈剖析她的名牌手提包款式，而她的 X（前推特）帳號更坐擁數百萬名忠實追隨者。透過展現重金屬爵士鼓的才華並投射出親民的「庶民」人設，她成功重新連結了那些過去因傳統政治論述僵化、且認為政治與己無關而深感疏離的年輕族群。

However, strictly beneath the viral hashtags and fashionable accessories lies a steely political operator frequently compared to Britain’s "Iron Lady," Margaret Thatcher. Takaichi is an unapologetic ultra-conservative who champions drastically increased defense spending to counter regional threats and maintains fiercely hardline stances on both immigration and relations with China. Her signature "Sanaenomics" policy promises bold fiscal stimulus, skillfully blending populist economic relief with distinct nationalism designed to restore national pride and consolidate her power base across varied demographics.

然而，在病毒式傳播的主題標籤與時尚配件之下，隱藏的卻是一位常被比作英國「鐵娘子」柴契爾夫人的鐵腕政治操盤手。高市是一位毫不掩飾的極端保守派，她極力主張大幅增加國防預算以抗衡區域威脅，並在移民改革與對中關係上維持極度強硬的立場。她招牌的「早苗經濟學」承諾推行大膽的財政刺激政策，巧妙地將民粹主義式的經濟救濟與鮮明的民族主義結合，旨在重振國家榮耀並鞏固其跨越不同人口結構的權力基礎。

This hybrid strategy has proven devastatingly effective, securing her Liberal Democratic Party a historic supermajority of 316 seats in the lower house. This stunning landslide victory provides Takaichi with a clear, unshakeable mandate to aggressively reshape Japan’s constitution and economy without the usual fear of opposition interference. By successfully merging celebrity allure with iron-fisted governance, Takaichi has not only dominated the election but fundamentally rewritten the rules of Japanese political engagement for the modern era, proving that style can indeed be substance.

這種混合戰略已證明成效斐然，確保了她所領導的自民黨在眾議院奪下 316 席的歷史性絕對多數。這場令人震驚的壓倒性大勝，賦予高市早苗明確且不可動搖的授權，讓她能在無懼在野勢力干擾的情況下，大刀闊斧地推動修憲與經濟重塑。透過完美融合名人魅力與鐵腕治理，高市不僅主宰了這場大選，更從根本上為現代領導時代改寫了日本政治參與的遊戲規則，證明了「風格」本身即是強大的「實質」力量。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Spectacle [noun, a visually striking performance or event]: She transformed the election into a vibrant pop spectacle, drawing global attention to the process.Obsession [noun, the state of being obsessed with someone or something]: The phenomenon is fueled by a youth-led obsession with her curated style and digital presence.Alienated [adjective, feeling that you do not belong to a particular group]: She re-engaged a younger demographic that had previously felt alienated by traditional politics.Unapologetic [adjective, not acknowledging or expressing regret]: Takaichi is an unapologetic ultra-conservative who champions increased defense spending.Landslide [noun, an overwhelming majority of votes for one party in an election]: This stunning landslide victory provides Takaichi with a clear mandate to reshape Japan.

Reference article:
1. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/06/sana-mania-grips-japan-as-ultra-conservative-takaichi-expected-to-secure-election-landslide
2. https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-02-04/handbags-and-hashtags-japans-takaichi-rides-youth-led-craze-into-election

Topic: Maybe This Time, the Bikes Won’t End Up in the River

In 2013, Rome pulled the plug on its bike share program after it ran out of money and cars kept double-parking in front of its bike racks. Last year, a Hong Kong company gave up after many of its green bicycles ended up in the Tiber river. Months later, a Singapore company bailed after Romans stole the yellow bikes and broke them down for parts.

2013年，由於經費用盡，加上老有汽車並排停在單車架前，羅馬終止了單車共享計畫。去年，在旗下許多綠色自行車落得葬身台伯河的下場後，一家香港公司打了退堂鼓。數月後，一家新加坡公司在羅馬人偷走其黃色單車並拆解拿走零件後，也離開了。

Rome has been a bike share wasteland, but Uber says things will be different for the shiny new red bikes it has introduced all over the city.

羅馬一直是單車共享難以生存的荒原，但優步宣稱，它在全市推出的閃亮紅色新單車會讓情況改觀。

“We’ve tested ours on Rome’s cobblestones,” said Michele Biggi, manager of Uber’s Jump electric-bike program in southwestern Europe, who added that previous competitors’ bikes weren’t up to the city’s demands and “could have fallen down with just a gust of wind.”

優步南歐地區Jump電單車計畫經理米歇爾．畢吉說：「我們已在羅馬的鵝卵石街道上做過測試」，並指以前競爭對手的單車未達到城市的要求，「可能光是一陣風吹過就倒下了」。

He has big plans for the Uber bikes, he said, which “will change Rome and give the city a new lifeblood.”

他說，他為優步單車制定宏偉計畫，這「將改變羅馬且給這座城市注入新的生命力」。

Uber and its competitors have already introduced similar pedal-assisted bikes and electric scooters in Paris; London; Lisbon, Portugal; Brussels and other cities that in several cases are overrun with rolling menaces. (Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, has decried “the scooter anarchy.”) But Rome, the first Italian city to get Uber’s electric-bicycle service, is not any other European city.

優步及其競爭對手已在巴黎、倫敦、里斯本、布魯塞爾及其他城市推出類似的助力單車和電動滑板車，而其中有些城市狀況連連。（巴黎市長安妮．伊達戈曾譴責「滑板車無政府狀態」）。然而，第一個獲得優步電動自行車服務的義大利城市羅馬，可不是任何其他歐洲城市。

Rome could be a bike-share dream in one respect: There is no shortage of demand. The city has only two finished subway lines (a third is perennially under construction), and buses come late, fail to show up and occasionally explode.

從某方面來說，羅馬可以成為共享單車的夢幻國度：不乏需求。該市只有兩條完工的地鐵線路（第三條一直在興建中），而公車則會晚點、不出現，偶爾還會爆炸。

Driving on the city’s notoriously clogged streets is a nightmare. Parking is worse.

在這個城市塞到爆的街道上開車有如噩夢一場，找地方停車更會要了老命。

But the obstacles to a bike share program are daunting: Rome’s infamous potholes, its mounds of uncollected trash, double-parked cars, a strong vandal spirit in place since the actual Vandals sacked Rome, and a local resistance to change and physical exertion.
Rome’s embattled mayor, Virginia Raggi, urged Romans to show that the city is civilized after all.

但單車共享計畫遇到的阻礙也令人生畏：羅馬惡名昭彰的路面坑窪、成堆待收的垃圾、並排停放的汽車、自真正的汪達爾人洗劫羅馬以來就一直存在的強烈破壞精神，以及當地人對改變和體力消耗的抗拒。陷入困境的羅馬市長拉吉敦促羅馬市民，以行動證明這座城市畢竟是文明的。

“If we don’t want these bikes to be badly treated, guess who it is up to?” Raggi said at the Uber bikes’ unveiling Oct. 21. “Romans themselves are the first defense against degradation.”

拉吉10月21日在優步單車發布會上說：「如果我們不希望這些單車受到虐待，猜猜要靠誰呢？羅馬人自己是抵禦毀壞的第一道防線。」
The company is introducing a fleet of 2,800 bicycles that can be left practically anywhere, and they seem to be everywhere.

該公司正推出總數2800輛的自行車隊，使用後幾乎隨處皆可停放，而它們也似乎無所不在。
But not all Romans are fans. “Rome Is Gross” a well-known social media feed decrying the city’s degradation, has posted complaints about the high price of the Uber bikes, which cost 50 cents to unlock and then 20 cents for every minute of use. That is about the rate charged by car-sharing services.

但並非所有羅馬人都很喜歡。譴責城市退化的著名社交媒體消息「羅馬讓人噁心」抱怨優步單車收費高昂，解鎖價格為50美分，每用一分鐘收費20美分，這跟汽車共享服務費率差不多。
Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/347676/web/#2L-16028705L

Next Article

Topic : Bike-promoting Belgian minister finds own cycle stolen

A Belgian minister arrived by bike to a news conference to promote cycling on Tuesday, only to find it had been stolen when he left half an hour later.
週二，比利時一位部長為了推廣騎自行車，騎單車至新聞發佈會現場，半小時後離開，卻發現自己的單車被偷了。

Ben Weyts, minister of mobility for the Dutch-speaking region of Flanders, unveiled a plan to invest 300 million euros （$320 million） in cycle lanes until 2019, as part of a wider program to promote alternative modes of transport.
班．維茨，荷語法蘭德斯區的交通部長，推出一項斥資3億歐元（3億2000萬美元）在2019年前興建自行車專用道的計畫，作為範圍更廣泛的推廣替代性交通模式的一部分。

"We left the bike in racks at the station and locked it," a spokesman for the minister said. "When we got back half an hour later, it was gone."
「我們把單車停在停車架上，還上了鎖，」該位部長的發言人說。「當我們半小時後回來，車就沒了。」

While Belgium is a country obsessed with cycling as a sport, cars are the main method of commuting to work, leading to some of the worst road congestion in Europe.
比利時仍堅信騎自行車是一種運動，汽車還是通勤上班的主要工具，使得比國的交通壅塞情況在歐洲數一數二。

The minister had to call his driver to pick him up from the station in Halle, just south of Brussels, the spokesman said, and hoped police would discover the bicycle thief with the help of security camera footage.
發言人說，部長只好打電話給他的司機，要司機到位於布魯塞爾南部的哈勒自行車站接人，自行車只能指望警方透過監視器影像的協助找出小偷。
Source article: http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1079689

Next Article

Topic: Bicycle helmets can prevent injury and death

While riding a bicycle in New Taipei City’s Tamsui District on Oct. 15, author Chen Ro-jinn was hit from behind by a scooter courier. Chen was alive when paramedics arrived but she was unconscious and had a fractured skull. After being taken to hospital, she died of her injuries on Monday last week at the age of 57.

作家陳柔縉十月十五日在新北市淡水區騎腳踏車時，遭後方騎機車的外送員追撞。救護人員抵達時，陳柔縉仍有生命跡象，但意識不清、頭部骨折，送醫急救後仍於上週一傷重不治，享年五十七歲。

At present, Taiwan has no legal requirement for bicyclists to wear helmets, but the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Health Promotion Administration (HPA) has in the past called, as well as mandatory wearing of helmets by motorcycle and scooter riders, for cyclists to also take safety seriously and put on a cycle helmet when riding on the road.

目前國內法規並未要求騎自行車須戴安全帽，但衛生福利部國民健康署過去即曾呼籲，除了機車族強制戴安全帽外，單車族更應重視安全，配戴單車專用安全帽才上路。

The HPA says people often wrongly believe that because bicycles are human-powered they must be safer than motor vehicles. What they fail to consider is that bicycles and motorized vehicles do not have separate lanes, and bicycles lack protective structures, making cyclists prone to physical injury in the event of a crash, especially during rush hour.

國健署強調，一般人常誤認自行車是人力車，要比機動車輛來得安全；殊不知自行車與機動車未分道行駛，及缺乏保護裝置，導致自行車騎士在車禍時，易發生身體創傷，尤以上下班尖峰時間最為常見。

According to a 2016 study by Taipei Medical University, the number of bicycle accidents in Taiwan grew from 7,213 in 2005 to 14,874 in 2013, and the proportion of bicycle accident deaths among all traffic accident deaths grew from 3.55 percent to 6.74 percent. The likelihood of an accident resulting in death, coma or disability was 2.4 times higher for those who did not wear a helmet while cycling than for those who did. 20.7 percent of those who did not wear helmets were in moderate to severe condition when they were admitted to hospital, compared to 2.3 percent of those who wore helmets. Those wore helmets stayed for fewer days in hospital than those who did not.

根據台北醫學大學二○一六年的研究發現，二○○五年至二○一三年，台灣腳踏車事故從七千二百一十三件成長到一萬四千八百七十四件，腳踏車事故死亡佔交通事故死亡率也從百分之三點五五提升到百分之六點七四。而騎乘腳踏車未戴安全帽者預後結果為死亡、植物人、殘障狀態為有戴安全帽者二點四倍。未戴安全帽者有百分之二十點七入院時嚴重度為中重度，戴安全帽者為百分之二點三。配戴安全帽者住院天數也比未配戴安全帽者短。

There are geographical and age differences in bicycle accidents. In urban areas, more accidents occur during commuting periods, whereas in rural areas the accident rate is higher in the afternoon. The number of bicycle accident patients with moderate to severe head trauma is about 3.2 times higher among those aged 65 years or older than those under 18 years old.

腳踏車意外事故也有地域性及年齡差異，都市較多是在上下班通勤時段發生事故，鄉鎮則是下午時段較高；腳踏車事故頭部外傷病人年齡六十五歲以上，嚴重程度為中重度的人數，高於十八歲以下病人約三點二倍。

The HPA says that the number of deaths due to head trauma in motorcycle accidents in Taiwan fell sharply after the 1997 passage of a law mandating wearing a helmet when riding motorcycles and scooters. In contrast, in recent years, with the trend of saving energy and reducing carbon emissions, more and more people are riding bicycles, but most of them have not gotten into the habit of wearing helmets, so when an accident happens it can easily cause irreparable damage and regret.
國健署指出，自一九九七年立法強制騎乘機車須戴安全帽之後，國內因機車肇事頭部外傷死亡人數急遽減少；反而近年來在節能減碳的風潮下，騎自行車的人越來越多，卻大多未養成戴安全帽的習慣；一旦發生事故，容易造成無可彌補的遺憾。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/10/26/2003766749

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🎙️ 特別來賓:克寧老師!聊聊Podcast剪接時最想刪掉的Filler Words!
這集非常榮幸請到克寧老師來喝咖啡!讓阿鍵老師休息一下,換個口味!John老師和克寧老師要聊聊Podcaster剪接時的秘密:那些「嗯」「啊」「那個」「you know」「I mean」到底要不要剪?剪太多會不會太像念稿?保留多少才natural?
從Podcaster的角度到英語學習者的實戰技巧,這集要告訴你filler words的存在意義,以及如何聰明使用、有效練習!

👋 開場:克寧老師很難Book!
John老師:「非常榮幸,因為時間喬不上!克寧老師的時間很難book,而且最主要是——這個單元不需要我吧!」
克寧老師:「這個單元不需要你!」
John老師:「所以15Mins Family如果想在Teacher's Lounge多聽到克寧老師的聲音,用comment link給克寧老師一個shout out!要不然會覺得沒有存在感!」
**今天的話題來源:**之前John老師跟阿鍵老師聊到podcast剪接,私底下又發想了一個主題:Podcast剪接時最想刪掉哪幾個字?

🎬 Podcaster的剪接哲學
克寧老師的做法:盡量保留來賓特色
「我其實蠻喜歡的是,最近做比較多人物訪談,我喜歡讓大家聽得到來賓本來的特色!只要不會太不順、不會造成『替他提心吊膽』或『你對這個東西是不是很有自信』的感覺,我通常都會盡量保留!」

但有些真的要剪:

John老師的觀察:看波形就知道!
「我現在只要看波形,我就可以知道這一段是他在講『那個』,這段可以直接拉掉;他在講『對』,這個也可以拉掉!」
克寧老師:「我已經可以看波形看出來了!」

💬 中英文常見的Filler Words
英文Filler Words:
克寧老師最常講:

「因為那時候我可能用中文在思考,腦袋還在想怎麼轉化成英語,我就會怕對方尴尬,想辦法用一些詞去填!」
John老師 x Angel老師的互相影響:
「我跟Angel老師很常互相影響!如果那次聊天我用了很多you know,他就會開始使用大量的you know;他用like的時候,就會影響我一直用like!」
為什麼會這樣?
「聊開以後會不自覺開始用同樣的頻率或用詞,達成和諧——讓對方覺得『我get你在做什麼』的樣子!」
John老師 x Gavin老師的特殊Pattern:
「我跟Gavin老師最常的是——I mean(換句話說)!」
「我們兩個都很喜歡講完一件事情,進入那種老師狀態,怕對方聽不懂:I mean, 換句話說... 然後再重新summarize一遍!」
「我跟Angel沒有這個問題!」
克寧老師:「我今天自己節目也很常會有!他講完某個話題怕我聽不懂,就再解釋一遍。通常這個地方我就把它剪掉!」
跟不同人就有不同Filler Words:
John老師分析:「跟Patrick老師比較少,因為Patrick會很stick to the outline,他很precise!我跟Angel老師、Gavin老師幾乎沒有在follow outline,outline拿來參考用!」
「我們沒有熟到那種尬聊、完全忘記前面是麥克風、忘記我們在錄podcast!」

🎭 Filler Words的存在意義

好處1:聽起來更Natural
克寧老師:「我會猶豫到底要不要剪,而且Podcast應該很real!剪太多就很像在念稿!」
John老師:「變成一個預錄節目,顯得很生硬,可能有距離感!我們就是要表現很real,尤其Café一開始設定的目標就是最模擬的狀態——咖啡廳裡隔壁桌兩個人在尬聊!」

好處2:大腦還在組織
克寧老師:「很多filler的存在好像有幾個原因:第一個就是你的腦子還在動、嘴巴還在組織,所以你會想說我要講什麼;第二個是你可能跟人家聊天,對方還在思考沒有講話,你會很怕那個silence,覺得很尴尬!」
John老師補充第三個原因:「你不自覺的!比如說在家裡沒有演練、沒做rehearsal,然後去做presentation,你很容易回歸到原本的狀態——跟朋友聊天的狀態。Filler word就會再次使用,但那個場合可能需要你很formal!」

🎯 如何練習改善Filler Words?
克寧老師的方法:聽自己錄音
「對我來講最有用的方法是——我以前真的會有很多『對啊所以然後』,但我覺得可能因為自己有在做podcast,就會被迫去聽自己講話的習慣。你就會覺得『原來我常常有這些語詞』,我就會想辦法有意識地去修正它!」
John老師:「聽自己錄音很好!等你聽到那個filler word,你才會自覺『我還蠻常用這個字的』!」

Angel老師的練習法:自己對自己講話
克寧老師問:「所以John老師你鼓勵平常沒事的時候要自己多對自己講話嗎?」
John老師:「這個其實Angel老師當年就是這樣練習的!聽起來像配音員課程的感覺!」

Angel老師的成功案例:

「如果你喜歡Scarlett Johansson講話的語氣,大量吸收她的interview,去模仿的話,你就變成台版的Scarlett Johansson——雲端情人!模仿久了就變你的!」

📝 進階技巧:用更好的Filler Words取代
❌ 不好的Filler Words(可以刪掉):

克寧老師:「那個就拜拜!Delete those!」
✅ 好用的Filler Words(可以保留):

🎯 升級版的Filler Words(更專業):
Instead of "I mean":

Buy time的技巧(Presentation必學):

克寧老師:「先贊同對方,然後賺時間!其實意思跟well、you know沒差太多,只是換一個比較長、真的是句子的講法!」

Summary: 
For higher education students, standardized college exams in the US have been upended during the pandemic. In-person SAT exams have been canceled and a number of selective schools have made the exams test optional, at least temporarily. A group of high school students sued the College Entrance Examination Board, claiming its advanced placement tests are unfair to teens trapped at home by the coronavirus pandemic without adequate computers or Internet connections. Students take the AP exams often with the hopes of earning college credit. As many as 20 percent of students were unable to submit their responses through the testing platform in the first three days of the exam. 

原討論文章：https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-869-college-tests-called-unfair-to-homebound-tech-poor-students 

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences: 
Discriminate v. discrimination – make an unjust distinction in the treatment of different categories of people to things
- It would be considered discrimination if the online tests do not allow students with low internet bandwidth to participate.
- The AP test discriminated against students who were in remote areas and lack in resources. 

Unrealistic adj.
– not realistic- It is unrealistic to think all students have good internet connectivity
- One cannot have unrealistic expectations about Advanced Placement Tests. 

Upend v.
– set or turned upside down
- College exams are upended by the pandemic
- Kelly upended her lego box, trying to find that one lego figure. 

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你喜歡喝手搖飲嗎？台灣的 Boba Tea 現在可是紅遍全球，但當年John老師剛回台灣時，站在飲料店櫃檯前可是經歷了一場震撼教育！本週的《英語咖啡館》，John老師和克寧老師要來聊聊這個讓外國人感到文化衝擊，令人又愛又困惑的台灣之光。

對習慣英文邏輯的人來說，台灣獨有的「冰塊甜度」客製化就像是在解謎！為什麼「正常」甜聽起來一點都不正常？在這集節目中，John老師要回到當年，用外國人的視角來解釋為什麼客製化流程會嚇到他們，克寧老師則是帶大家回顧珍奶從 30 元銅板價到現在精緻化的進化史，大家也可以學學怎麼跟外國朋友介紹我們的國民飲料。

Do you like drinking hand-shaken beverages? Taiwan's Boba Tea is now popular worldwide, but when Teacher John first returned to Taiwan, standing at the drink shop counter was quite the educational shock! This week on English Cafe, John and Klim talk about this Taiwan pride that gives foreigners culture shock and leaves them both loving and confused.

For people accustomed to English logic, Taiwan's unique "ice level and sweetness" customization is like solving a puzzle! Why does "normal" sweetness sound not normal at all? In this episode, Teacher John goes back to that time and uses a foreigner's perspective to explain why the customization process scared them, while Teacher Klim takes everyone through the evolution of bubble tea from a NT$30 coin price to today's premium versions. Everyone can also learn how to introduce our national beverage to foreign friends.

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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L148: AI Giants War: Age Checks & Security

Highlights 主題摘要

The global AI arena exploded into action this week as three industry titans launched major updates simultaneously. Moving beyond simple text generation, the battle has aggressively shifted toward user safety, rigorous developer security, and streamlined enterprise efficiency. This strategic divergence indicates a maturing market where companies are no longer just showing off speed, but are fiercely competing to integrate their models into the fabric of daily life while balancing rapid innovation with strict regulation.

近期全球人工智慧戰場烽火連天，三大科技巨頭不約而同地發布了重量級更新。這場戰役已超越了單純的文字生成，轉而積極搶攻用戶安全、嚴密的開發者資安以及企業運作效率。這種策略上的分歧，顯示出市場正邁向成熟：各家公司不再僅止於炫耀運算速度，而是激烈競逐將自家模型融入日常生活的運作架構中，力求在快速創新與嚴格監管之間取得平衡。

OpenAI is tackling digital safety head-on by rolling out a controversial age-prediction system for ChatGPT. This new mechanism utilizes advanced algorithms to analyze usage patterns, aiming to identify and strictly block users under thirteen while protecting teenagers. While privacy advocates voice concerns, OpenAI insists that automatically filtering inappropriate content is non-negotiable. By enforcing these checks, the company aims to preempt regulatory crackdowns and ensure its platform remains a responsible educational tool rather than a liability.

OpenAI 選擇正面迎擊數位安全議題，為 ChatGPT 導入了一套備受爭議的年齡預測系統。這項新機制運用先進演算法分析使用者的行為模式，旨在精準識別並嚴格封鎖 13 歲以下的用戶，同時強化對青少年的保護。儘管隱私權倡議團體對此表達憂心，但 OpenAI 堅持，自動過濾不當內容是不可妥協的底線。透過強制執行這些查核，該公司試圖搶先防範潛在的監管打壓，確保其平台能維持負責任教育工具的定位，而非淪為安全漏洞。

In parallel, Google officially unveiled Gemini 3, featuring the specialized "AntiGravity" hub to revolutionize development security. This launch directly addresses past vulnerabilities by prioritizing architectural integrity alongside raw processing power. Developers can now build complex applications with the confidence that their infrastructure is shielded against external threats and internal leaks. This move signals Google’s commitment to raising the standard for secure software engineering in an increasingly hostile digital environment.

與此同時，Google 正式揭曉了 Gemini 3，並主打名為「AntiGravity」的專屬中心，誓言徹底革新開發安全性。此次發布將架構的完整性置於與原始運算效能同等的地位，直接回應了過去的安全漏洞問題。開發者現在能更有信心地建構複雜的應用程式，確信其底層基礎設施能有效抵禦外部威脅與內部資料外洩。此舉宣示了 Google 在日益險惡的數位環境中，致力於提升安全軟體工程標準的決心。

Finally, Anthropic is targeting the corporate sector with "Claude Cowork," a feature designed for seamless team collaboration. Unlike its rivals focusing on consumer safety or backend code, Anthropic is doubling down on office productivity, allowing users to analyze documents together in real time. This transforms the chatbot into a dynamic colleague capable of managing heavy workflows. As these distinct paths emerge, users now face a diverse ecosystem where AI serves as a specialized utility for safety, security, and professional success.

最後，Anthropic 透過推出「Claude Cowork」鎖定企業端市場，這是一項專為無縫團隊協作所打造的功能。不同於競爭對手聚焦於消費者安全或後端程式碼，Anthropic 選擇在商務生產力上加碼押注，允許使用者即時共同分析文件。這項功能成功將聊天機器人轉型為能駕馭繁重工作流程的動態協作夥伴。隨著這三條截然不同的發展路徑浮現，使用者如今面對的是一個多元蓬勃的生態系，在此之中，AI 已演化為能滿足安全、資安防護與專業成就的專門工具。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字

Simultaneously [adverb, at the same time]: The global AI arena exploded into action as three industry titans launched major updates simultaneously.Divergence [noun, a difference in opinions, interests, or directions]: This strategic divergence indicates a maturing market where companies are competing to integrate models into daily life.Controversial [adjective, causing a lot of disagreement or argument]: OpenAI is tackling digital safety by rolling out a controversial age-prediction system for ChatGPT.Preempt [verb, to take action in order to prevent something from happening]: By enforcing these checks, the company aims to preempt regulatory crackdowns and ensure its platform remains responsible.Architectural [adjective, relating to the design and structure of a building or system]: This launch addresses past vulnerabilities by prioritizing architectural integrity alongside raw processing power.

Reference article:
1. https://www.indiatvnews.com/technology/news/chatgpt-starts-detecting-under-18-users-new-safety-system-age-verification-explained-2026-01-21-1026855
2. https://www.reuters.com/technology/openai-rolls-out-age-prediction-chatgpt-2026-01-20/
3. https://au.lifehacker.com/ai/117292/news/chatgpt-is-getting-on-the-ai-age-verification-bandwagon
4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2025/11/26/google-antigravity-ai-hacked/
5. https://tw.news.yahoo.com/google-officially-unveiled-gemini-3-a-culmination-of-its-development-featuring-google-antigravity-as-a-new-hub-for-ai-development-173909893.html
6. https://www.aol.com/finance/anthropic-launches-claude-cowork-file-140500284.html

Topic: Why the Philippines Is a Hoops Haven

Go to any street corner in the Philippines. Any village. Any beach. Even a church. You’re likely to see a basketball jersey.
在菲律賓隨便去到哪個街角，哪個村落，哪個海灘，甚至哪個教堂，你應該都會看到籃球衣。

“It’s often described as a religion,” Carlo Roy Singson, managing director of NBA Philippines, said in an interview.
美國國家籃球協會（NBA）菲律賓分會總監辛松受訪時說：「大家常說，籃球就是菲律賓人的宗教。」

Indeed, basketball is ingrained in Filipino culture and has been for more than a century.
The sport’s permeation of a country of about 105 million began in the late 1800s, when Spain ceded the Philippines to the United States in 1898 after the Spanish-American War.
的確，籃球在菲律賓文化扎根已超過一個世紀。 籃球於19世紀末傳入這個目前有一億零五百萬人口的國家，終至遍布每個角落。1898年西班牙在美西戰爭中戰敗，把菲律賓割讓給美國。

A large facet of the introduction of the fledgling game was Christian missionaries, who were part of the YMCA, or Young Men’s Christian Association. The game’s inventor, Dr. James Naismith, conceived of the sport at what was then known as the International YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.
籃球這個新興運動傳入菲律賓，很大一部分是靠基督教傳教士，這些傳教士是基督教國際社會服務團體「基督教青年會」（YMCA）的成員。籃球發明人奈史密斯博士就是在美國麻州春田市當時名為「國際YMCA訓練學校」的地方，想出籃球這種運動。

To take a round object and throw it into a peach hoop, as Naismith pictured it, could be a character-building endeavor. Soon after he invented it, missionaries began spreading it around the world, particularly in the Far East and the Philippines, in U.S.-controlled areas — a kind of sports imperialism.
奈史密斯設想，拿起一個球形物並將它丟進一個桃木筐，這種努力過程可以培養品格。在他發明籃球後不久，傳教士開始把這種運動傳布到世界各地，尤其是美國控制的遠東地區和菲律賓，算是一種運動殖民。

The NBA and its players, recognizing the sport’s popularity in the Philippines, have invested time there in recent years. In 2013, the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers played a preseason game there. According to a spokesman for the league, the NBA’s Facebook page has 7.3 million followers from the Philippines, the largest of any country outside of the United States.
NBA及其運動員認識到籃球在菲律賓大受歡迎，近年在菲律賓投入許多時間。2013年，休士頓火箭隊和印第安納溜馬隊在菲律賓打了場季前賽。根據NBA發言人的說法，NBA臉書專頁有730萬名粉絲來自菲律賓，菲律賓是美國之外最大的粉絲來源國。

This all began in the early 1900s, when basketball was introduced into schools in the Philippines. In 1913, the first Far Eastern Championship Games — an early version of what is now known as the Asian Games — took place in Manila, featuring several East Asian countries taking part in Olympics-style competitions, including basketball.
這一切全始於20世紀初，當時籃球傳入菲律賓各級學校。1913年，亞洲運動會前身、第一屆遠東運動會在馬尼拉舉行，幾個東亞國家參與奧運式的競賽，包括籃球。

It was the first of 10 biennial events, before disagreements between the countries disbanded the games. The Philippines won gold in nine of them.
遠東運動會兩年一次，總共辦過十次，後來因為各國意見不合而停辦。菲律賓在其中九次贏得籃球金牌。

The country’s population took to the sport en masse. In 1936, its national team made the Olympics and finished fifth. At the 1954 FIBA World Championship, the Philippines won a bronze medal, the best finish for an Asian country.
菲律賓舉國上下都愛上籃球。1936年，菲律賓國家隊打進奧運並拿下第五名。在1954年世界杯男籃錦標賽中，菲律賓贏得銅牌，寫下亞洲國家最佳成績。

Two decades later, in 1975, the Philippine Basketball Association, Asia’s first basketball league, was created. These games kept the sport at the forefront of Filipino culture and helped grow interest throughout the 20th century.
20年後，1975年，菲律賓職業籃球聯賽開打，是亞洲第一個職業籃球聯賽。這些比賽讓籃球處在菲律賓文化的重要位置，並在整個20世紀激發菲律賓人對籃球的興趣。Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/341713/web/#2L-15029994L

Next Article

Topic: About Philippines - Sinking feeling: Philippine cities facing ’slow-motion disaster’

When Mary Ann San Jose moved to Sitio Pariahan more than two decades ago, she could walk to the local chapel. Today, reaching it requires a swim.
當瑪莉．安．聖荷西20多年前搬到西堤歐帕里翰時，她還能走路到當地的禮拜堂，如今卻得游泳才能到達。

The main culprit is catastrophic subsidence caused by groundwater being pumped out from below, often via unregulated wells for homes, factories, and farms catering to a booming population and growing economy.
主因是抽取地下水造成的災難性地層下陷，通常是經由未受管制的家庭、工廠和農田水井抽取，目的是應付人口暴增及經濟成長所需。

The steady sinking of coastal towns in the northern Philippines has caused Manila Bay’s water to pour inland and displace thousands, posing a greater threat than rising sea levels due to climate change.
菲國北部沿海城鎮持續下陷，讓馬尼拉灣的海水湧向內陸，造成數千人無家可歸，威脅更甚於氣候變遷所引發的海平面上升。

The provinces of Pampanga and Bulacan have sunk between four and six centimeters annually since 2003, according to satellite monitoring. By comparison, the UN estimates average sea level rise globally is about three millimeters per year.
衛星觀測顯示，從2003年起，班巴加省和布拉坎省每年地層下陷達4到6公分。相較之下，聯合國估測，全球海平面平均每年上升約3公釐。

Next Article:

Topic: Philippines’ Duterte pestered again as gecko stalls speech 菲律賓杜特蒂又被糾纏 因壁虎打斷演說

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte just keeps getting bugged during his public speeches.
菲律賓總統羅德里戈．杜特蒂公開演講時，一直被打擾。

A noisy gecko was the latest wildlife contributor to an address by Duterte, interrupting the leader on Thursday evening just as he launched another tirade at human rights groups critical of his bloody war on drugs.
一隻喋喋不休的壁虎，是供稿給杜特蒂演講的最新野生生物，週四晚間就在他發表另一段長篇大論斥責批評他嗜血反毒戰的人權團體時，打斷這名領袖。

The reptile’s persistence caused laughter in the crowd of mostly soldiers, causing Duterte stop mid-sentence, turn to his left and pause for a while to see what the off-camera commotion was.
這隻爬行動物的堅持不懈，引發以軍人為主的群眾大笑，導致杜特蒂話說一半停了下來，向左轉暫停片刻，看看是什麼造成鏡頭外騷動。

"You brought a gecko here?" he asked an official sitting behind him, drawing laughs.
他問一名坐在他後面的官員，「你把一隻壁虎帶來這邊？」引來笑聲。

While activists accuse Duterte of cowing his opponents into silence, reptiles and insects have no qualms about pestering him during his often hours-long, televised addresses.
雖然社會運動人士指控杜特蒂恐嚇反對者噤聲，但爬行動物和昆蟲對在他往往長達數小時的電視演說加以糾纏一事，毫無不安之意。

A big cockroach crawled up his shoulder and down his shirt during a speech in May when he was lambasting an opposition party ahead of a national election. He joked the cockroach was its supporter.
在5月一場全國大選前的演說上，當他正在痛批一個反對黨時，一隻大蟑螂爬上他的肩膀再爬下襯衫。他打趣說，這隻蟑螂是對方的支持者。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1321064 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1313926

Next Article

Topic: Philippines store rolls out ingenious face masks for bubble tea lovers

珍珠奶茶在國際舞台上幾乎與台灣劃上等號，在台灣時常能看到人手一杯手搖飲。然而礙於疫情，戴著口罩要喝飲料變得麻煩許多，一間菲律賓飲料店為了解決這個問題，最近推出了一款讓人無需脫口罩就能吸到珍奶的超神口罩。
In recent years, bubble tea has become synonymous with Taiwan among members and friends of the foreign community, and many locals can often be seen drinking hand-shaken beverages wherever they go.

With the COVID-19 outbreak and the subsequent requirements of wearing face masks in crowded areas, however, drinking soft drinks has become a bit of a hassle.
To solve this problem, a beverage store in the Philippines recently released a new line of face masks that you won’t need to take off to enjoy a sip from your favorite drink.

此店Gallontea將口罩命名為「吸吸罩」(Sippy Mask) ，表面看起來與一般布口罩差不多，但是口罩的嘴巴邊卻有一個小開口，上面附著一個蓋子讓喜愛喝珍奶的人可以邊喝邊防疫。

The “Sippy Mask” released by Gallontea looks like an ordinary cloth face mask, but if you look closely, you’ll find that there is a small opening near the mouth, with a small-cap for bubble-tea lovers to enjoy a safe drink.

店家也特別在官網上表示，只要消費有達1,000披索（約新台幣605.56元）就會贈送此口罩。而雖然口罩預購期已於昨日截止，目前也只在菲律賓販售，然而因為銷量不賴，期望未來有機會進軍台灣；不過大家需特別注意，喝完飲料要再將開口關上，才不會白帶口罩。

On their official Instagram page, Gallontea announced that customers can receive a free face mask with a minimum purchase of 1,000 pesos (US$20.59).
Although the pre-order time was only till Aug. 18 and the masks are currently only being sold in the Philippines, with the way it’s selling out, many people have expressed hope that customers will see this ingenious invention on Taiwan racks very soon.
However, users of the face masks should be mindful of closing the opening once they’ve taken a sip from the drinks or else the act of wearing face masks would be rendered useless. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20200819-1696789

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🧧 農曆新年到了!「恭喜發財」、「馬到成功」用英文怎麼說?為什麼硬翻會變成笑話?
過年要到了!John老師和阿鍵老師這集要聊聊中英文新年祝福語的差異。從廣東版的「Gong Hei Fat Choy」到現代的「Happy Lunar New Year」,從家庭祝福到職場吉祥話,還有那些讓外國人一頭霧水的諧音梗——為什麼鳳梨不能帶去醫院?為什麼馬到成功翻成「Horse Come You Good」會被笑?

💰 過年的兩種心情:小孩 vs 大人
John老師感嘆:「小時候過年是等著拿bonus、收income,現在這個年紀是害怕——破財!」
最可怕的:

John老師:「過年趕快安排出去,不要跟家人見面!『Really? Oh I'd love to see you but I'm sorry I'm going to Kaohsiung this afternoon!』旅行盾、尿盾什麼都來!」
阿鍵老師也說:「Budget會比較緊一點!」

🏮 Chinese New Year vs Lunar New Year
阿鍵老師:「英文的New Year wishes在農曆新年也有講一些吉祥話,但比較多是在元旦1月1號。」
名稱演變:

為什麼改變?
John老師解釋:「有些人不覺得自己是Chinese,但也celebrate這個節日。像越南算一個很大有在慶祝農曆年的國家。很多follow農曆的國家和人,所以漸漸變成Lunar New Year。」

🎊 廣東版 vs 國語版祝福語
經典廣東版:Gong Hei Fat Choy(恭喜發財)
阿鍵老師:「我在英國的時候他們都講這句,但這兩年好像慢慢變成國語版的『恭喜發財』越來越多人講!」
John老師:「因為最早開唐人街的都是廣東裔,他們最早移民、最早接觸海外,所以有這種influence。」
外國人的困惑:
「外國人不懂為什麼『恭喜發財』是a thing, something you say很重要。他們可能用別的表達方式。還有『恭喜恭喜』,他們也不太懂恭喜什麼東西?因為恭喜我們就講congratulations!」
阿鍵老師:「其實應該是well-being的感覺,但well-being好難翻譯!」

🎯 現代英文祝福語:不要硬翻!
老派硬翻(別這樣用):

John老師:「外國人就顯得比較囉嗦!『恭喜發財』四個字,結果要『Wishing you prosperity and success in the year ahead』,那為什麼不能prosperity only呢?」
正確的家庭祝福:

🐴 生肖祝福語:文化差異大挑戰
今年是馬年,一定會講「馬到成功」!
John老師:「英文怎麼翻?沒得翻!真的不知道怎麼講!Horse come you good!」
「你去跟外國人講馬到成功,他會想:是他沒有馬嗎?他家沒有坐騎嗎?」😂

其他諧音梗的困境:
大吉大利(橘子): 阿鍵老師:「我們會用橘子(Orange or Tangerine)來當代表,但他們不懂為什麼。Good orange good life?」
旺來(鳳梨): John老師提到去年爬英音樂節拜鳳梨,Alex看到就問:「Why is the pineapple an offering?」
「而且還不是所有occasion都可以用!在醫院裡面不能用pineapple,會被打死!」
結論:很多諧音梗非常不適合被翻譯!

💼 職場祝福語:安全第一原則
阿鍵老師問:「有沒有什麼比較適合職場上用來祝福的?工作順利、事事順心之類的?」
❌ 不能用的:
John老師:「Wish you a good bonus!這個超級實際!但不行!外國人對salary package和bonus是very private的topic,it's private!有點尷尬!」
「We should get a big bonus this year也沒有這種wish。人家賺不賺錢管你屁事!有點觸犯隱私,要有點邊界感!」

✅ 可以用的正向關鍵字:
John老師建議:「祝福他需要的東西!」
安全正向的關鍵字: