Podcasts about vip vip

歡迎訂閱《靜聽冥想C's meditation》VIP方案！享受專屬心靈饗宴專享VIP限定內容，涵蓋情緒療癒、身體對話、人生信念課題等深度療癒冥想。隨時無限次收聽所有系列，讓我們陪伴你找回內心的安定與力量。輕鬆進入療癒： https://fstry.pse.is/7d4hbr —— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 —— 聽力和視力問題是自媒體創作者的職業病啊！ 這次的研究才發現，原來以為的耳鳴，其實是＂腦鳴＂！ 而且照顧聽力的降躁耳機居然也會傷大腦？！ 這到底是怎麼一回事呢？ 聽下去就對啦～ 【調理腦鳴的精油配方】10ml的滾珠瓶精油濃度3%，乳香精油3滴 + 葡萄柚精油3滴 成為我的YouTube頻道的會員，參加每周一晚上7:30的芳療讀書課： / @misatowang 歡迎小額贊助支持本節目，讓我能閱讀更多和芳療有關的書籍和資料，繼續分享更多芳香療法在日常生活裡的運用： https://open.firstory.me/user/cki01nb0vrdpl0821f9exqdd1 想邊聽邊看手作或是練習素描的療癒影片，歡迎到YT頻道收看~ Misato的YouTube頻道 Misato's Select Shop：香知香息 蝦皮選物店 PinKoi Gumleaf Essentials 旗艦館 Email：misatowang@cuddlingaromas.com IG ：misatowang Blog：Cuddilng Aromas 歡迎追蹤訂閱～ Powered by Firstory Hosting

歡迎訂閱《靜聽冥想C's meditation》VIP方案！享受專屬心靈饗宴專享VIP限定內容，涵蓋情緒療癒、身體對話、人生信念課題等深度療癒冥想。隨時無限次收聽所有系列，讓我們陪伴你找回內心的安定與力量。輕鬆進入療癒： https://fstry.pse.is/789wz8 —— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 —— 經文：詩篇三十五篇1~17節 Powered by Firstory Hosting

歡迎訂閱《靜聽冥想C's meditation》VIP方案！享受專屬心靈饗宴專享VIP限定內容，涵蓋情緒療癒、身體對話、人生信念課題等深度療癒冥想。隨時無限次收聽所有系列，讓我們陪伴你找回內心的安定與力量。輕鬆進入療癒： https://fstry.pse.is/789wz8 —— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 —— 經文出處 : 詩篇 46 : 10 Powered by Firstory Hosting

國泰世華已正式公告2024年下半年的CUBE卡「權益分級」方案，到底是對消費者「改優」還是「改惡」？這一次一共分為「Level.1」白板會員、「Level.2」帳戶會員及「Level.3」的財管會員。簡單來說只要有國泰世華帳戶，就是「Level.2」等級，三大權益(趣旅行/玩數位/樂饗購)都可維持原本的3%小樹點無上限；不論是哪一個會員等級，在「集精選」都是統一調降為2%回饋無上限。問題來了，放300萬成為財管VIP，划算嗎？你得考慮這一筆錢放其他地方生利息的機會成本，如果國泰世華VIP帶給你的僅有三大權益再多0.3%，我就覺得你得仔細算一下了，我個人是覺得端出的牛肉尚不夠多，畢竟「國泰世華世界卡」的餐廳2人五折僅10間，說真的輸「美國運通簽帳白金卡」跟「永豐永傳世界卡」太多，頂級卡不夠有力的情況下，不見得會讓人有動力想搬磚放錢。畢竟你的300萬放高利活儲帳戶不管它生的利息都比你放VIP帳戶賺得多了，那又何必搬呢？ 如果你本身持有國泰世華的帳戶(含數位帳戶)，那麼這一次的「權益分級」對你來說並沒有差太多，只要有帳戶 + 登入APP，一樣可以續用此帳戶；如果你本身尚未持有國泰世華的帳戶(含數位帳戶)，對你來說就是改惡，可考慮用其他現金回饋的卡片。但說真的，繼續用「國泰世華CUBE卡」也是無妨，畢竟原生的三大權益也都是3%回饋無上限，對於大額刷卡來說，還是好用。完整權益分析，可參考我的整理文章。 -- 完整權益解析：https://pokem.me/CUBE24H2 立即入手國泰世華CUBE卡：https://lihi1.com/JTkdp -- 小額贊助支持本節目： https://open.firstory.me/user/ckdpsqfmxifcf0862q6efk1qa 留言告訴我你對這一集的想法： https://open.firstory.me/user/ckdpsqfmxifcf0862q6efk1qa/comments Powered by Firstory Hosting

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- This week, Angel is chatting with us from Hong Kong and the conversation started because she just brought her dad to Nagoya on a trip. In this episode, I'll share my childhood travels and how my travel attitude upsetted my parents on the long road trips we took. This discussion will be continued in the next episode, and we will cover the tips for taking your elderly parents on trips. What is your recent travel experience with your elderly parents? Share with me using the comment below and I'll share the good tips with the rest of the 15Mins fam! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: 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 article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5015841 Next Article Topic: 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。 Next Article Topic: Singaporean student plays Pokemon on ingenious ‘Melonboy' 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。 Imagine that you are on the MRT and a young man sitting next to you is playing video games on a watermelon-like console. 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。 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. 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。 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. 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。 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. 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。 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.” 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。 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, loudspeakers are assembled. Cedrick表示，因為買到瑕疵零件，導致製作過程延宕，西瓜GamBoy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。 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. 「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。 “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. 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。 But the best thing about Tan's video is the public's reaction to the watermelon game boy. Cedrick也實驗過將西瓜帶去賣場玩，捕捉到許多人好奇的眼光。 On a visit to the market, he played the game console surrounded by real watermelons, which provoked weird looks from passers-by. 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。 Tan also recalled being quizzed about the device when he brought it into a train station. 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。 A distressed SMRT staff asked him about the strange device, and after hearing his explanation, requested him to show it to her colleagues. 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。 In addition, Tan said he also experienced another unforeseen problem where someone complained that he was carrying a watermelon bomb. 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。 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. 不幸地，Cedrick透露，影片上傳YouTube後過了幾天，西瓜就爛掉了。 Unfortunately, Tan revealed that the watermelon had rotted just a few days after his YouTube video was uploaded. 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」。 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. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20200827-1697494

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 15Mins 名人正念語錄 Inspirations 1. 李小龍 (Bruce Lee) 名言： "Be water,my friend." （似水無形） 生平及事蹟： 李小龍出生於1940年11月27日的美國舊金山，隔年就與父母返回香港並在當地長大。他的父親李海泉為香港粵劇四大名丑之一，而李小龍則被認為是有史以來最有影響力的武打明星之一。李小龍以童星身分出道，並以《龍爭虎鬥》和《精武門》等電影聞名，展示了他的武術才華和人生哲學。除了拍攝電影外，他更創立了自己的武術流派——截拳道。「似水無形」是李小龍此生的哲學，強調人不應被框架束縛，而是有信心地做自己，去適應環境變化。 Bruce Lee was born on November 27, 1940, inSan Francisco, USA. The following year, he returned to Hong Kong with his parents and grew up there. His father, Lee Hoi-chuen, was one of the four great Cantonese opera clowns in Hong Kong, while Bruce Lee is considered one of the most influential martial arts stars of all time. Lee started his career as a child star and became famous for his films such as "Way of the Dragon" and "Fist of Fury," showcasing his martial arts talent and life philosophy. In addition to making movies, he created his own martial arts style—Jeet Kune Do. "Be water, my friend" was Lee's life philosophy, emphasizing that people should not be constrained by frameworks but be confident in being themselves and adapt to environmental changes. 2. 基努·李維 (Keanu Reeves) 名言： "The simpleact of paying attention can take you a long way." （簡單的專注行為可以帶你走很遠。） 生平及事蹟： 1964年9月2日出生於黎巴嫩貝魯特的加拿大動作明星基努李維。知名電影包含《駭客任務》、《捍衛任務》、《康斯坦丁驅魔神探》等。基努李維雖然家喻戶曉的大明星，但生活模式卻相當低調，甚至經常被民眾目擊出現在公園以及地鐵，近期傳出他與交往5年的藝術家女友結婚。上述的名言傳達了基努李維做事的態度，他認為要有一番成就，最基本的事情就是保持專注，正如同他對待自己工作以及生活。 Keanu Reeves, a Canadian action star, wasborn on September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon. His notable films include "The Matrix," "John Wick," and "Constantine." Although Reeves is a well-known superstar, his lifestyle is quite low-key. He is often spotted by the public in parks and on the subway. Recently, it was reported that he married his artist girlfriend of five years. The above quote conveys Reeves' attitude towards doing things. He believes that to achieve something, the most basic thing is to stay focused, just as he treats his work and life. 3. 阿諾·施瓦辛格 (ArnoldSchwarzenegger) 名言： "Strengthdoes not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strengths. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength." （力量不是來自勝利。你的奮鬥發展了你的力量。當你經歷困難並決定不屈服，這就是力量。） 生平及事蹟： 阿諾·施瓦辛格1947年7月30日出生於奧地利的塔爾。他以健美運動員身分起家，七次贏得世界男子健美運動最高殿堂「奧林匹亞先生」的頭銜。後來阿諾轉型成為演員，成為80-90年代偉大的動作明星之一。最經典的角色莫過於魔鬼終結者。除了動作明星，阿諾更進入政壇，在2003年至2011年期間擔任加利福尼亞州州長。阿諾的名言傳達了面對困境的態度，勝利不能使人成長，唯有透過不屈不撓的精神挑戰逆境，才能獲得真正的力量。 Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on July 30,1947, in Thal, Austria. He started as a bodybuilder and won the title of "Mr. Olympia," the highest honor in men's bodybuilding, seven times. Later, Schwarzenegger transitioned into an actor and became one of the great action stars of the 80s and 90s. His most iconic role was the Terminator. In addition to being an action star, Schwarzenegger entered politics and served as the Governor of California from 2003 to 2011. Schwarzenegger's famous quote conveys the attitude of facing adversity. Victory cannot make people grow; only by challenging adversity with an indomitable spirit can one gain true strength.

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- It's been more than half a year since we last talked about Coupang. In their first quarter earnings call, the stats about their growth in Taiwan gives us some insight about when would be the best itme to start shopping on Coupang. Lydia joins me this week to share some interesting stats from Coupang's earning call and cover the terms they often use in the business. If you are also a digital marketer, comment down below and share with us your thoughts of Coupang in Taiwan, and we will give you a shout out in the next episode! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: Russia's Villages, and Their Culture, Are 'Melting Away' With its winding dirt lanes framed by lilacs, quaint wooden houses and graceful onion-domed church, the tiny farming hamlet of Baruta was once a postcard of Russian bucolic bliss. 俄國西北部普斯科夫區域的巴魯塔小農村曾是俄國田園的幸福象徵，蜿蜒的土路旁盡是丁香、古雅的木屋和優美的洋蔥圓頂教堂。 No longer. More people lie in the tightly packed church cemetery than inhabit the village. Agriculture is slowly withering, too. 此景不再。在擁擠不堪的教堂墓地安息的人，比住在村裡的多。農業也逐步衰退。 With Russia's natural population growth entering an extended period of decline, villages like Baruta are disappearing from across the country's continental expanse. 由於俄國人口的自然增長進入長期衰退期，像巴魯塔這樣的村落正從廣袤的俄國大陸各地消失。 "We have not had a wedding or a baptism for quite some time — we mostly have funerals," said a resident, Alexander Fyodorov, 59, one of just 17 men left in what was a thriving collective of some 500 farmers. 59歲居民費奧多羅夫說：「我們好一段時間沒有婚禮或洗禮了——多半是喪禮。」他曾是一個約有500農民、蓬勃發展的集體農場的一分子，如今農場只剩下17個男人，他是其中之一。 President Vladimir Putin frequently cites hardy population growth as a pillar of restoring Russia's place atop the global order. There is a pronounced gap, however, between the positive terms in which Putin and his advisers habitually discuss demographic trends and the reality of the numbers. 俄國總統普亭常說，強勁的人口成長是讓俄國重居新全球之首的基礎。不過，普亭與顧問們討論人口趨勢時慣常使用的正面詞語，和真實人口數目差距甚大。 Russians are dying faster than they are being born, demographers said. Given the general hostility toward immigration, the question is to what degree the population of 146 million, including annexed Crimea, might shrink. 人口學者說，俄國人死亡的速度比出生快。在俄國人普遍對移民懷有敵意的情況下，俄國總數1億4600萬（包括兼併來的克里米亞）的人口勢將減少，問題只在減幅的大小。 The number of deaths exceeded the number of births in 2016 by a few thousand, and the prognosis for the years ahead is poor. From 2013-2015, extremely modest natural growth peaked in 2015 with just 32,038 more births than deaths. 去年俄國死亡人數超越出生人數幾千人，未來幾年前景也不樂觀。2013到2015年極微小的人口自然增長在2015年達到高峰，出生數只比死亡數多3萬2038人。 "The statistics and the propaganda are very different things," said Natalya V. Zubarevich, an expert in social and political geography at Moscow State University. 莫斯科國立大學社會與政治地理學專家祖巴列維奇說：「統計數字和宣傳大不相同。」 In terms of population loss, Pskov, which borders Latvia and parts of Estonia, is among the worst hit regions in Russia. The population peaked at around 1.8 million in the 1920s, said Andrei Manakov, a demographer at Pskov State University. It is down to 642,000, and projected to drop to about 513,000 by 2033. 普斯科夫與拉脫維亞和愛沙尼亞部分地區接壤，是俄國人口減少最嚴重的區域之一。普斯科夫國立大學人口學者馬納科夫說，1920年代這裡的人口達到高峰，約180萬。現在降到64萬2千人，料將在2033年前降到大約51萬3千人。 Researchers estimate that out of 8,300 area villages in 1910, 2,000 no longer have permanent residents. 研究人員估計，1910年這裡的8300個地區村落中，2000個不再有常住居民。 Under the most optimistic projections by demographers, Russia's population by 2050 will stay the same, about 146 million, if immigration from Central Asia — which has also been dropping — balances out low birthrates. Less optimistic figures put the population around 130 million by 2050, and the most pessimistic say fewer than 100 million. 人口學者最樂觀的預測是，如果來自中亞的移民（也正在逐漸減少）能彌補俄國的低出生率，2050年俄國人口會跟現在一樣，大約1億4600萬。較不樂觀的數據是2050年人口約為1億3000萬，最悲觀的是不到1億。Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/318780/web/ Topic: Russia reaches out to OPEC as Riyadh opens oil taps The COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak in China and its rapid spread has taken its toll on the global economy, driving down demand for oil in the first weeks of 2020. 在中國爆發的武漢肺炎冠狀病毒迅速蔓延，讓全球經濟遭受巨大損失，對石油的需求在二〇二〇年開年數週便降低了。 In response, in the scheduled meeting on March 5-6 in Vienna, Saudi Arabia and other OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) states called for OPEC+ to a make drastic cut of 1.5 million barrels per day to reduce supply by a total of 3.6 million barells per day — insisting on a non-OPEC agreement. However, Russia rejected the plan. When the OPEC+ talks collapsed, the OPEC oil cartel scrapped all output limits. A dispute then broke out. 因應此情況，沙烏地阿拉伯與其他石油輸出國組織（OPEC）國家三月五日至六日在維也納所舉行的例行會議中，便要求OPEC+國家每日大幅減產一百五十萬桶，讓石油每日供應總量減少三百六十萬桶，並堅持非屬OPEC之產油國也須共同遵守此協議。但俄羅斯拒絕了此計畫，談判破裂，OPEC這石油壟斷利益集團便取消了所有產量限制，爭端於焉爆發。 Russian oil companies had opposed such cuts, fearing loss of market share and of competitiveness against US shale production. They had previously in December agreed on a milder production cut of 500,000 barrels in 2020, and Russia wanted this to continue. 俄羅斯的石油公司曾對這種減產措施加以反對，擔心會失去市佔率，也會失去對美國頁岩油的競爭力。他們去年十二月曾同意一項較溫和的減產計畫，將在二〇二〇年減產五十萬桶，俄羅斯希望維持此計畫。 Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest crude exporter, responded on March 8 by announcing unilateral price cuts with its biggest price cut in 20 years in a bid to win market share. This prompted the oil price to plummet and fueled huge drops on stock markets the following day. 三月八日星期日，世界最大的原油出口國沙烏地阿拉伯對此做出回應，單方面宣佈降低油品價格，以贏得市佔率，此為二十年來最大降幅。這使得油價暴跌，並引發了三月九日星期一的股市大跌。 By March 9, oil had fallen to as low as US$31 from about US$66 at the end of 2019 as Riyadh said it would lift production to record highs, their biggest one-day move since the 1991 Gulf War. On March 10, Saudi oil giant Aramco announced a plan to massively increase oil output despite falling demand during the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak. 利雅德表示將把產量提升至歷史新高，到了三月九日，油價便從二〇一九年底的六十六美元左右，應聲跌至三十一美元，這是自一九九一年波斯灣戰爭以來的最大單日跌幅。儘管武漢肺炎冠狀病毒爆發造成石油需求下降，沙烏地石油巨頭阿美公司仍在三月十日宣布，要大幅提高石油產量。 “At first glance, this looks like a battle between Russia and Saudi Arabia over oil policy,” said Chris Weafer of Macro Advisory consultancy. “But the context of the relentless rise in US oil production over the past 10 years is also an important factor.” 「乍看之下，這像是俄羅斯與沙烏地阿拉伯在石油政策上的鬥爭」，宏觀諮詢公司的克里斯‧威佛表示。「但是，過去十年來美國石油產量的持續增加，也是重要的背景因素」。 Both Russia and major OPEC producers have been “openly annoyed” with US producers' refusal to participate in past production cuts, he added. 他補充說，美國生產商一直都拒絕參與減產，俄羅斯和OPEC主要產油國都對此感到「公開地惱 火」。 On Monday and Thursday last week, the crash in oil prices and fears over the global economic impact of the virus outbreak prompted a meltdown on stock markets. 油價暴跌，以及擔憂疫情對全球經濟造成影響，導致上週一及週四的股市崩盤，觸動了熔斷機制。 Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2020/03/17/2003732810 Topic: About Russia: 'They just want to take a selfie'： how TV show changed Chernobyl tourism The hit TV series "Chernobyl" has attracted a new generation of tourists to the nuclear disaster zone but guides say that many are more interested in taking selfies than learning about the accident. 美國熱門電視影集《核爆家園》吸引一群新世代遊客造訪車諾比核災區，但當地導遊說，比起了解核災意外，很多人只想自拍。 Tourists now are often on the lookout for locations featured in the acclaimed HBO drama and can be surprised to discover that certain sites were fictional. 遊客現在大多是去探訪出現在這部備受讚譽的HBO影集中的地點，但他們可能會驚訝地發現，劇中有些場景是虛構的。 The abandoned site had already become a "dark tourism" destination, even before the eponymous TV show started broadcasting. 早在這個以車諾比為名的影集開播前，這個被遺棄的地方就已成為「黑暗旅遊」的目的地。 Some Ukrainian travel agencies have further adapted their tours to take in locations from the "Chernobyl" series and offer special trips, such as kayaking in rivers around the exclusion zone. 某些烏克蘭旅行社進一步改變行程，加入出現在《核爆家園》的地點，為旅客提供特別之旅，像是在禁制區附近的河流划皮艇。 In July, new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a decree that aims to develop the site further as a tourist attraction. In 2018, 72,000 people visited Chernobyl and it is expected to jump to 100,000 in 2019. 7月，新任烏克蘭總統佛拉迪米爾‧澤倫斯基簽署一項法令，進一步將車諾比地區打造成觀光景點。2018年，有7萬2000人造訪車諾比，2019年可望增至10萬人。 Next Article: Topic: Russia joins race to make quantum dreams a reality 俄羅斯加入量子戰局 Russia has launched an effort to build a working quantum computer, in a bid to catch up to other countries in the race for practical quantum technologies. 俄羅斯開始致力建造可投入應用的量子電腦，以期在實作量子技術的競爭中，趕上其他國家。 The government will inject around 50 billion roubles （US$790 million）over the next 5 years into basic and applied quantum research carried out at leading Russian laboratories, the country's deputy prime minister, Maxim Akimov, announced on 6 December at a technology forum in Sochi. 俄羅斯副總理馬克司米．阿基莫夫12月6日在索契的一場科技論壇宣布，未來5年政府將投入約500億盧布（7.9億美元），推動國家重點實驗室在量子科學的基礎研究及應用。 Quantum technology already receives massive governmental support in a number of countries. The European Union's €1-billion （US$1.1-billion） Quantum Flagship programme, first announced in 2016. Germany announced a €650-million national quantum initiative in August 2019. The Chinese and US governments are also spending billions on quantum science and technology programmes. 量子技術已獲得多國政府大力支持。歐盟2016年率先宣布一項10億歐元（11億美元）的量子旗艦計畫。德國2019年8月發表一項6.5億歐元的國家量子計畫。中國和美國政府同樣也在量子科學和技術項目投入數十億經費。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1342518; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1344790

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 15Mins Family的大家好，歡迎回到每週六的《Teacher's Lounge幕後教師室》。 本週節目是Angel阿鍵老師和John老師值班，最近John老師買了一台半自動義式機，一邊學習做咖啡的樂趣，一邊也回想到自己學習語言所帶來的樂趣。 任何的興趣都會有他帶來的滿足感，也會有學習過程的挫敗感以及需要改變看法與生活帶來的不便。任何的學習，Output/do/執行後的反饋與學習是最重要的。如果喝一杯完美呈現的咖啡是學習與執行下的反饋，那我們語言應用/使用後的反饋也是無比重要的。單純的Input輸入不容易讓學習過程延伸，久了也無法得到樂趣。反而是督促自己的output輸出，透過一次次的反饋與反思，來達到更強烈的滿足感才能持續鼓勵自己享受這個興趣/學習的過程。你有什麼好的鼓勵自己學習的方法呢？Share your techniques with us! 歡迎加入我們 15Mins.Today 通勤家庭，一起勇敢開口說英語。也歡迎你來信到 ask15mins@gmail.com 與我們分享你的學習心得或提出任何問題， 讓John老師陪你一起加油、一起進步！ 訂閱VIP會員即可獲得更多優質的英語學習資源，還能許願節目主題。心動不如馬上行動，點擊以下連結開啟英語學習的全新篇章： https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Next Monday is another major festival for Taiwan - Dragon Boat Festival! This is the time to celebrate your long weekend with a hot sticky rice dumpling and some egg standing activity. For many, this is a memorable part of their childhood. So, what does your family do on Dragon Boat Festival? Patrick and I will cover some trivia on Dragon Boat Festival, and also boat related idioms that you can use in everyday life. Share with us on how your family usually celebrate Dragon Boat Festival, and we will give you a shout out in the next episode! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) -------------------------------

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) -------------------------------

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 國際時事跟讀 Ep.K787: The Real-Life Inspiration Behind Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer' Speaks Out Highlights 主題摘要：The real-life inspiration for the character Martha in 'Baby Reindeer,' Fiona Harvey, disputes the accuracy of the show's portrayal and threatens legal action.The show's popularity has led to intense online speculation and harassment directed at those believed to be the real-life counterparts of the characters.The controversy raises questions about the responsibility of creators when adapting true stories for entertainment and the impact on those involved. Netflix's new miniseries 'Baby Reindeer' has taken the streaming world by storm, captivating viewers with its gripping tale of a comedian's experience with a stalker. The show, based on the true story of Scottish comedian Richard Gadd, follows the character Donny Dunn as he navigates the relentless harassment from a woman named Martha. However, the real-life inspiration for Martha, Fiona Harvey, has come forward to dispute the accuracy of the show's portrayal and threatens legal action against Gadd and Netflix. Netflix 的新迷你劇集《馴鹿寶貝》（Baby Reindeer）以描述一位喜劇演員遭遇跟蹤狂的故事，席捲串流媒體世界，令觀眾著迷。該劇改編自蘇格蘭喜劇演員李察·蓋德（Richard Gadd）的真實經歷，劇中主角唐尼·鄧恩（Donny Dunn）飽受一名叫瑪莎（Martha）的女子無情騷擾。然而，啟發瑪莎這個角色的真人──菲奧娜·哈維（Fiona Harvey）站出來質疑該劇的描述準確度，並揚言要對蓋德和 Netflix 提出法律訴訟。 In an interview with Piers Morgan, Fiona Harvey, a 58-year-old woman claiming to be the real Martha, expressed her outrage at the show's depiction of her. She called the series "defamatory" and a "work of fiction," denying many of the incidents portrayed in the show, such as offering Gadd a cup of tea, heckles his comedy show, attacking his girlfriend, or contacting his parents. Harvey also disputed the extent of her communication with Gadd, claiming she only sent him a handful of emails, tweeted him about 18 times, and wrote him one letter, contrary to the thousands of messages depicted in the show. 在接受皮爾斯·摩根（Piers Morgan）的專訪時，自稱是真正瑪莎的 58 歲女性菲奧娜·哈維表達了對該劇刻畫她的憤慨。她稱這部影集「誹謗」且「虛構」，否認劇中描繪的許多事件，例如她給蓋德一杯茶、在他的喜劇表演中鬧場、攻擊他的女友，或聯絡他的爸媽。哈維還對自己與蓋德的通訊程度提出質疑，聲稱她只寄給他少量電子郵件，在推特上提到他大約 18 次，並寫了一封信給他，與劇中描繪的數千則訊息不符。 The popularity of 'Baby Reindeer' has led to intense online speculation about the real identities of the characters, particularly Martha and Darrien, a TV comedy writer who sexually assaults Donny in the show. This has resulted in harassment and death threats directed at Harvey, as well as accusations against British actor, writer, and director Sean Foley, who some viewers believe to be the real-life Darrien. The situation has become so severe that Gadd had to post an Instagram story asking fans to stop their unsubstantiated guesswork, while Foley has called upon the police to investigate the threatening posts against him. 《馴鹿寶貝》的超高人氣引發了網路上對劇中角色真實身分的激烈臆測，特別是瑪莎和達瑞恩（Darrien）──一位在劇中性侵唐尼的電視喜劇編劇。這導致哈維遭到騷擾和死亡威脅，而一些觀眾認為是現實生活中達瑞恩的英國演員、編劇和導演西恩·佛利（Sean Foley）也面臨指控。情況變得如此嚴重，以致蓋德不得不在 Instagram 上發文，要求粉絲停止沒有根據的猜測，而佛利也已經請警方調查針對他的威脅貼文。 Despite Gadd's claims that he never viewed his stalker as a villain and felt sorry for her, Harvey strongly disagrees. She believes Gadd is "psychotic" and finds the behavior of those involved in the show "outrageous." As the controversy surrounding 'Baby Reindeer' continues to unfold, it raises important questions about the responsibility of creators when adapting true stories for entertainment and the impact on the lives of those involved. With Harvey's threat of legal action looming, the future of the show and its real-life implications remain uncertain. 儘管蓋德聲稱他從未將跟蹤者視為壞人，還為她感到難過，但哈維強烈反對這種說法。她認為蓋德「精神失常」，並認為參與該劇的人行為「令人髮指」。隨著圍繞《馴鹿寶貝》的爭議持續發酵，這引發了重要的問題，關於創作者改編真實故事為娛樂節目時應負的責任，以及對相關人士生活的影響。在哈維揚言提出法律訴訟的陰影下，該劇的未來及其現實生活中的影響尚未明確。 Keyword Drills 關鍵字：Comedian (Co-me-di-an): The show, based on the true story of Scottish comedian Richard Gadd, follows the character Donny Dunn as he navigates the relentless harassment from a woman named Martha.Defamatory (De-fam-a-to-ry): She called the series "defamatory" and a "work of fiction," denying many of the incidents portrayed in the show, such as offering Gadd a cup of tea, heckles his comedy show, attacking his girlfriend, or contacting his parents.Relentless (Re-lent-less): The show, based on the true story of Scottish comedian Richard Gadd, follows the character Donny Dunn as he navigates the relentless harassment from a woman named Martha.Unsubstantiated (Un-sub-stan-ti-a-ted): The situation has become so severe that Gadd had to post an Instagram story asking fans to stop their unsubstantiated guesswork, while Foley has called upon the police to investigate the threatening posts against him.Psychotic (Psy-chot-ic): She believes Gadd is "psychotic" and finds the behavior of those involved in the show "outrageous." Reference article: 1. https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/baby-reindeer-alleged-martha-speaks-out-piers-morgan-rcna151585 2. https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2024/04/30/the-crazy-true-story-behind-netflixs-baby-reindeer-what-happens-to-martha/?sh=2b3c107a1099

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: About Technology - '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。」 Next Article Topic: New Thoughts on 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, highpitched 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. 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。 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.” 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. 「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。 “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.” 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 article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/269227/web/#2L-5280944L Next Article Topic: 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,” Rebay-Salisbury added. 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 article: http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2019/10/06/2003723440

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 15Mins Family的大家好，歡迎回到每週六的《Teacher's Lounge幕後教師室》。 本週節目是由Angel老師和John老師值班，又帶來一些實用的學習技巧，要協助大家提升英語口說的能力，趕快來收聽今天的分享吧！ 1. 勤加練習,熟能生巧 - 不斷反覆練習講述特定內容,例如機上廣播,直到爐火純青。透過反覆演練,講述時的語調、 發音、語速等細節都能掌握得宜。適時錄音回放檢視自己的表現,找出需要改進的地方。 2. 模擬臨場應變的能力 - 除了熟記慣例說法,也要練習應對突發狀況。多觀摩前輩如何處理棘手問題,自己模擬練習。 透過事先準備,建立臨場應變的能力,面對突發事件也能泰然以對。 3. 身歷其境沉浸其中 - 透過收聽Podcast、觀賞影集等方式,將自己浸潤在英語環境中。 適度利用逐字稿輔助學習,摘取關鍵字詞反覆練習。但也不要過度依賴文字,要敢於開口練習,讓英語成為生活的一部分,久而久之語感自然就培養出來了。 語言的聽說技巧說穿了就是要多聽多說多練習，但也不要給自己太大壓力，用輕鬆愉悅的心情享受學習的過程。只要持之以恆，英語口說能力一定能穩定提升。 歡迎加入我們 15Mins.Today 通勤家庭，一起勇敢開口說英語。也歡迎你來信到 ask15mins@gmail.com 與我們分享你的學習心得或提出任何問題，讓John老師陪你一起加油、一起進步！ 訂閱VIP會員即可獲得更多優質的英語學習資源，還能許願節目主題。心動不如馬上行動，點擊以下連結開啟英語學習的全新篇章： https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: Water-Stressed India Seeks a Tap for Every Home The pipes are laid, the taps installed and the village tank is under construction — all promising signs that, come spring, Girja Ahriwar will get water at her doorstep and finally shed a lifelong burden. 管子鋪好，水龍頭裝好，村子的水槽正在建造。這些充滿希望的跡象顯示，春季來臨時，吉爾嘉．艾里瓦可以在家門口取到水，而且終於解除長期以來的負擔。 “I go out and put the jerrycans in the queue at around 5 a.m. and wait there with the children,” Ahriwar, a mother of three who lives in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, said about her routine of fetching from the village hand pump. “Sometimes it could take five or six hours. I have to stay there because if I leave, someone else moves ahead.” 「我大約在清晨5時出門，把大水桶排進隊伍，然後和孩子們一起等待」，住在印度中部中央邦、三個孩子的媽艾里瓦說，她的例行公事就是從村子的手動泵浦取水，「有時候得花五或六個小時，我必須一直留在這裡，因為如果我離開了，其他人就會搶先往前」。 India, one of the world's most water-stressed countries, is halfway through an ambitious drive to provide clean tap water by 2024 to all of the roughly 192 million households across its 600,000 villages. About 18,000 government engineers are overseeing the $50 billion undertaking, which includes hundreds of thousands of contractors and laborers who are laying more than 2.5 million miles of pipe. 印度是全世界用水最吃緊的國家之一，在2024年之前提供60萬個村落共約1億9200萬戶乾淨自來水，這項宏大的計畫已進行到一半。約1萬8000名政府工程師監督規模500億美元的工程，包括數十萬名包商和工人，鋪設超過250萬哩的水管。 The project has a powerful champion in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has slashed through India's notorious red tape and pushed aside thorny political divisions to see it through. His success thus far helps explain his dominance over the country's political landscape. 這項計畫有個有力的擁護者：總理莫迪，他打破印度惡名昭彰的官僚作風，把棘手的政治分歧暫放一邊，推動計畫。目前為止他的成功也顯示他在這個國家政治版圖的主導力。 Modi has remained popular despite a weak economy and a bungled initial response to the coronavirus that left hundreds of thousands dead. He has increasingly relied on communal politics, continuing to consolidate a Hindu nationalist base he has worked for decades to rally. 即使經濟疲弱，且一開始對新冠病毒的笨拙反應造成數十萬人死亡，莫迪仍舊廣得人心。他日漸依賴宗教團體式政治，持續鞏固印度教國族主義基本盤，他投注數十年整合這些勢力。 But the mission to deliver water to every household combines two of Modi's political strengths: his grasp of the day-to-day problems of hundreds of millions of India's poor and his penchant for ambitious solutions. Modi, who grew up in a poor village, has spoken emotionally about his own mother's hardship in fetching water. 不過，將水送到所有家戶的任務，結合莫迪的兩個政治力量：他對印度數億貧窮人口日常問題的理解，以及喜好採取極具雄心的解決方案。在貧窮村莊長大的莫迪，曾充滿感情的談到母親以前取水的困難。 About one-sixth of India's households had a clean water tap when the program, called Jal Jeevan Mission, began in 2019. Now, almost half have one. 當這個「水生活任務」2019年開始時，印度家戶有潔淨自來水者約六分之一。現在，幾乎一半。 “You rarely have this drive from the government, the head of state, and it is well funded. Behind the concept, there is budget,” said Nicolas Osbert, who leads the UNICEF water and sanitation unit in India. “All social sectors were impacted by COVID. Not this one. This one was preserved.” 「你很少能從政府或國家領袖獲得這種推動力，而且資金充裕。在這個概念後面，重點是預算」，聯合國兒童基金會印度分部水資源和衛生主管歐斯柏特說，「所有社福單位都遭遇新冠病毒衝擊，但這個沒有，這個計畫保留下來」。 The country's water problem speaks to the mismatch between its global economic ambitions and the dire conditions of much of its 1.4 billion population, two-thirds of whom still live in rural areas. 這個國家的用水問題顯示，其全球經濟野心和14億人口中許多人的悲慘情況，頗不相配。印度人口三分之二住在鄉村地區。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6034821 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: Gel-like ice is the lightest form of waterer ever discovered 迄今發現最輕盈的水形態，凝膠般的冰 The frosty cubes we pull from our freezers are just one of 17 possible types of ice, and an 18th type isn't far from being made real. 我們從冰箱裡拿出來的冰塊，只是17種可能出現的冰類型之一，而第18種冰類型的出現，距離也不遠了。 Hexagonal ice, and the occasional cubic ice in our upper atmosphere, are the only two forms that occur naturally on Earth. Other ices might be found on exoplanets or in the atmospheres of the outer planets. 「六角形晶體結構冰」和偶爾出現的「立方體構冰」存在於我們的上層大氣，是唯二能在地球上自然形成的冰類型。其他類型的冰，則可見於系外行星或外行星的大氣層中。 Under atmospheric pressure or higher, water molecules get squeezed and freeze into a solid denser than normal ice. But when the pressure drops below this, water molecules become a less-dense, lightweight crystal that's more air than molecule – like an icy candy floss. So far, we only know of two kinds of low-density ice: space fullerenes and zeolitic ices. But lighter ice structures hadn't been spotted until now. 在一般大氣壓力或更高壓的情況下，被擠壓的水分子凝固成比正常水冰更密集的固體。不過，當大氣壓力降低，水分子會轉變成輕盈、密度較低的晶體，分子內含有更多空氣，就像是冰的棉花糖。目前，我們只知道兩種低密度的冰：「富勒烯冰」和「沸石冰」。更輕盈的冰結構，迄今仍未被辨識。 Masakazu Matsumoto at Okayama University in Japan and his team played molecular Jenga to find this new type of ice, removing and reconfiguring existing zeolitic ice structures to make them lighter. They found more than 300 different nanoscale structures through computer simulations. 日本岡山理科大學的松本正和研究團隊，透過分子疊疊樂，發現這款新類型的冰；他們移除並重新配置既存的「沸石冰」結構，使其更加輕盈。研究團隊透過電腦模擬，找出超過300種不同的奈米尺度結構。Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1161164&day=2017-12-18

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 5/18 Teacher's Lounge 歡迎回到《Teacher's Lounge 幕後教師室》，今天課程開始之前想問問各位，你有在聽國際時事跟讀的時候發現文字和聽到的單字不同的情況嗎？ 沒錯！這是有可能發生的喔～除了真的是念錯極少數情況，大多數不一樣的時候，其實是John老師在讀的時候，腦部自動把字替換成另一個更順更自然的字啦。這除了是我們常說的語感外，也可以說是肌肉記憶，某些字接在一起的時候就是比較通順。所以我們才會一再鼓勵大家跟著唸出來，讓自己習慣講英語的感覺。另外，本集阿鍵老師分享了一個關於腔調（accent）的小故事，John老師則是從實際的觀點來鼓勵大家，其實腔調的功能性，比起腔調本身更重要。 你曾經在意過自己的英語腔調嗎？歡迎收聽本集的幕後教師室，來聽看看不同的觀點，也歡迎你到通勤學英語的FB, IG或是來信ask15mins@gmail.com信箱，跟我們分享你的想法或經驗。 想加強自己的英語力嗎？來訂閱通勤學英語Podcast頻道VIP會員，獲得更多有關英語學習的資源，還可以進行主題許願和第一手的資訊喔！ https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- This week Angel shares with us two recent news about in-flight births. Both of these cases are flight to Taiwan! We believe these babies know Taiwan is a gourmet and foodie country. In this episode, Angel will share some of the training and the SOP for in-flight births and I will share a little bit about what I learnt about breastfeeding from translating the mother and child manual. Have you seen or experienced any in-flight medical emergencies? Share your experience and story with us using the comment link in the description box! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 國際時事跟讀 Ep.K779: The Potential Impact of a US TikTok Ban on Small Businesses Worldwide Highlights 主題摘要：The potential US ban on TikTok has raised concerns among creators and small businesses worldwide, as it has become a significant revenue generator.Entrepreneurs may need to adapt and shift their operations to other online platforms, but reaching the Gen Z audience could prove challenging.Beyond financial impact, TikTok serves as a virtual community space, and losing this could be a significant blow to creators and businesses. The recent decision by the US government to ban TikTok, unless its parent company ByteDance sells the app to non-Chinese owners, has raised concerns among creators and small businesses worldwide. With over 150 million users in the US alone, TikTok has become a significant revenue generator for many entrepreneurs, driving billions of dollars in sales and contributing to the GDP of several countries. The potential ban has left many wondering about the future of their businesses and the impact it may have on their livelihoods. 美國政府最近決定禁止 TikTok，除非其母公司字節跳動將該應用程式出售給非中資擁有者，此舉引起了全球創作者和小型企業的擔憂。僅在美國就有超過 1.5 億用戶，TikTok 已成為許多企業家的重要收入來源，帶動了數十億美元的銷售額，並為多個國家的 GDP 做出貢獻。潛在的禁令讓許多人對其業務的未來以及可能對其生計產生的影響感到疑惑。 For many full-time content creators like Shira and Ileana Justine, TikTok has been a primary source of income through partnerships and sponsored content. The platform has allowed them to grow their audiences and reach a dedicated following, which has been crucial to their success. The ban has left them concerned about the potential loss of jobs and the lack of fallback options for creators who rely solely on TikTok for their income. 對於許多全職內容創作者，如 Shira 和 Ileana Justine 而言，TikTok 一直是通過合作夥伴關係和贊助內容獲得收入的主要來源。該平台讓他們得以增加粉絲，並獲得忠實的追隨者，這對他們的成功至關重要。該禁令讓他們擔心可能失去工作，以及完全依賴 TikTok 獲得收入的創作者缺乏後備選擇。 While the ban may not spell the end for all businesses, experts suggest that entrepreneurs will need to adapt and shift their operations to other online platforms. The digital economy has changed the way consumers collect information and make purchasing decisions, making it challenging for businesses to revert to pre-social media strategies. Although alternatives like Meta exist, reaching the Gen Z audience that drives a significant portion of TikTok spending may prove difficult. The ban also has global implications, with international brands and entrepreneurs potentially losing access to their US audiences, which could be particularly devastating for smaller enterprises. 雖然禁令可能不意味著所有企業的終結，但專家建議企業家需要適應並將業務轉移到其他線上平台。數位經濟已改變了消費者收集資訊和做出購買決策的方式，使企業難以恢復到社交媒體之前的策略。儘管 Meta 等替代方案確實存在，但要觸及推動 TikTok 大部分支出的 Z 世代受眾可能會很困難。該禁令還具有全球影響，國際品牌和企業家可能失去進入美國受眾的機會，這可能對小型企業特別具有破壞性。 Beyond the financial impact, TikTok has also served as a virtual gathering space for communities across generations and countries. Matt McGuckin, known as Dappz Sports on TikTok, has not only built a successful sports trading card business but has also created jobs for people affected by industry strikes. While he may explore alternative platforms to ensure his business's survival, the potential loss of the community he has built on TikTok would be a significant blow. As the legal battle between ByteDance and the US government unfolds, creators and small businesses worldwide anxiously await the outcome, hoping to find ways to adapt and thrive in the face of this challenge. 除了財務影響外，TikTok 還作為跨世代和國家社區的虛擬聚會空間。Matt McGuckin 在 TikTok 上被稱為 Dappz Sports，他不僅建立了一家成功的體育交易卡業務，還為受行業罷工影響的人創造了就業機會。雖然他可能會探索替代平台以確保其業務的生存，但可能失去他在 TikTok 上建立的社區將是一個沉重的打擊。隨著字節跳動與美國政府之間的法律戰開始，全球的創作者和小型企業都在焦急地等待結果，希望能找到適應和在這一挑戰中茁壯成長的方法。 Keyword Drills 關鍵字：Livelihood (Live-li-hood): The potential ban has left many wondering about the future of their businesses and the impact it may have on their livelihoods.Crucial (Cru-cial): The platform has allowed them to grow their audiences and reach a dedicated following, which has been crucial to their success.Alternative (Al-ter-na-tive): Although alternatives like Meta exist, reaching the Gen Z audience that drives a significant portion of TikTok spending may prove difficult.Survival (Sur-viv-al): While he may explore alternative platforms to ensure his business's survival, the potential loss of the community he has built on TikTok would be a significant blow.Anxiously (Anx-ious-ly): As the legal battle between ByteDance and the US government unfolds, creators and small businesses worldwide anxiously await the outcome, hoping to find ways to adapt and thrive in the face of this challenge. Reference article: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20240425-us-tik-tok-ban-small-business-creator-revenue

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: Water-Stressed India Seeks a Tap for Every Home The pipes are laid, the taps installed and the village tank is under construction — all promising signs that, come spring, Girja Ahriwar will get water at her doorstep and finally shed a lifelong burden. 管子鋪好，水龍頭裝好，村子的水槽正在建造。這些充滿希望的跡象顯示，春季來臨時，吉爾嘉．艾里瓦可以在家門口取到水，而且終於解除長期以來的負擔。 “I go out and put the jerrycans in the queue at around 5 a.m. and wait there with the children,” Ahriwar, a mother of three who lives in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, said about her routine of fetching from the village hand pump. “Sometimes it could take five or six hours. I have to stay there because if I leave, someone else moves ahead.” 「我大約在清晨5時出門，把大水桶排進隊伍，然後和孩子們一起等待」，住在印度中部中央邦、三個孩子的媽艾里瓦說，她的例行公事就是從村子的手動泵浦取水，「有時候得花五或六個小時，我必須一直留在這裡，因為如果我離開了，其他人就會搶先往前」。 India, one of the world's most water-stressed countries, is halfway through an ambitious drive to provide clean tap water by 2024 to all of the roughly 192 million households across its 600,000 villages. About 18,000 government engineers are overseeing the $50 billion undertaking, which includes hundreds of thousands of contractors and laborers who are laying more than 2.5 million miles of pipe. 印度是全世界用水最吃緊的國家之一，在2024年之前提供60萬個村落共約1億9200萬戶乾淨自來水，這項宏大的計畫已進行到一半。約1萬8000名政府工程師監督規模500億美元的工程，包括數十萬名包商和工人，鋪設超過250萬哩的水管。 The project has a powerful champion in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has slashed through India's notorious red tape and pushed aside thorny political divisions to see it through. His success thus far helps explain his dominance over the country's political landscape. 這項計畫有個有力的擁護者：總理莫迪，他打破印度惡名昭彰的官僚作風，把棘手的政治分歧暫放一邊，推動計畫。目前為止他的成功也顯示他在這個國家政治版圖的主導力。 Modi has remained popular despite a weak economy and a bungled initial response to the coronavirus that left hundreds of thousands dead. He has increasingly relied on communal politics, continuing to consolidate a Hindu nationalist base he has worked for decades to rally. 即使經濟疲弱，且一開始對新冠病毒的笨拙反應造成數十萬人死亡，莫迪仍舊廣得人心。他日漸依賴宗教團體式政治，持續鞏固印度教國族主義基本盤，他投注數十年整合這些勢力。 But the mission to deliver water to every household combines two of Modi's political strengths: his grasp of the day-to-day problems of hundreds of millions of India's poor and his penchant for ambitious solutions. Modi, who grew up in a poor village, has spoken emotionally about his own mother's hardship in fetching water. 不過，將水送到所有家戶的任務，結合莫迪的兩個政治力量：他對印度數億貧窮人口日常問題的理解，以及喜好採取極具雄心的解決方案。在貧窮村莊長大的莫迪，曾充滿感情的談到母親以前取水的困難。 About one-sixth of India's households had a clean water tap when the program, called Jal Jeevan Mission, began in 2019. Now, almost half have one. 當這個「水生活任務」2019年開始時，印度家戶有潔淨自來水者約六分之一。現在，幾乎一半。 “You rarely have this drive from the government, the head of state, and it is well funded. Behind the concept, there is budget,” said Nicolas Osbert, who leads the UNICEF water and sanitation unit in India. “All social sectors were impacted by COVID. Not this one. This one was preserved.” 「你很少能從政府或國家領袖獲得這種推動力，而且資金充裕。在這個概念後面，重點是預算」，聯合國兒童基金會印度分部水資源和衛生主管歐斯柏特說，「所有社福單位都遭遇新冠病毒衝擊，但這個沒有，這個計畫保留下來」。 The country's water problem speaks to the mismatch between its global economic ambitions and the dire conditions of much of its 1.4 billion population, two-thirds of whom still live in rural areas. 這個國家的用水問題顯示，其全球經濟野心和14億人口中許多人的悲慘情況，頗不相配。印度人口三分之二住在鄉村地區。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6034821 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: Gel-like ice is the lightest form of waterer ever discovered 迄今發現最輕盈的水形態，凝膠般的冰 The frosty cubes we pull from our freezers are just one of 17 possible types of ice, and an 18th type isn't far from being made real. 我們從冰箱裡拿出來的冰塊，只是17種可能出現的冰類型之一，而第18種冰類型的出現，距離也不遠了。 Hexagonal ice, and the occasional cubic ice in our upper atmosphere, are the only two forms that occur naturally on Earth. Other ices might be found on exoplanets or in the atmospheres of the outer planets. 「六角形晶體結構冰」和偶爾出現的「立方體構冰」存在於我們的上層大氣，是唯二能在地球上自然形成的冰類型。其他類型的冰，則可見於系外行星或外行星的大氣層中。 Under atmospheric pressure or higher, water molecules get squeezed and freeze into a solid denser than normal ice. But when the pressure drops below this, water molecules become a less-dense, lightweight crystal that's more air than molecule – like an icy candy floss. So far, we only know of two kinds of low-density ice: space fullerenes and zeolitic ices. But lighter ice structures hadn't been spotted until now. 在一般大氣壓力或更高壓的情況下，被擠壓的水分子凝固成比正常水冰更密集的固體。不過，當大氣壓力降低，水分子會轉變成輕盈、密度較低的晶體，分子內含有更多空氣，就像是冰的棉花糖。目前，我們只知道兩種低密度的冰：「富勒烯冰」和「沸石冰」。更輕盈的冰結構，迄今仍未被辨識。 Masakazu Matsumoto at Okayama University in Japan and his team played molecular Jenga to find this new type of ice, removing and reconfiguring existing zeolitic ice structures to make them lighter. They found more than 300 different nanoscale structures through computer simulations. 日本岡山理科大學的松本正和研究團隊，透過分子疊疊樂，發現這款新類型的冰；他們移除並重新配置既存的「沸石冰」結構，使其更加輕盈。研究團隊透過電腦模擬，找出超過300種不同的奈米尺度結構。Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1161164&day=2017-12-18

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 歡迎回到本週的《Teacher's Lounge 幕後教師室》，明天就是母親節啦！你準備好怎麼慶祝了嗎？ 這週三的英語咖啡館派翠克老師和John老師提到的品牌是美國賀卡公司，我們感謝CharmingShower聽完這集後手繪了一張卡片送給通勤學英語的大家！ 而且不只是數位卡片，還能真的在7-11印出來喔，想要用卡片來表達心意的人，可以到通勤學英語的社群網站看看怎麼使用吧～ https://www.facebook.com/15minsenglishcafe/posts/pfbid0M7wGwnJxcmUpqjbWGgJbyApcqAze6Vw3hRhKSAhP3fQU5s3KwtbQARfqHioTTA6Ml 另外想問問大家收聽上週我們新的單元 15Mins Inspirations 了嗎？其實一直以來我們在週三的筆記電子報都會提供一些激勵人的金句， 久而久之也累積了不少，但又有一些是我們找資料時覺得沒那麼適合放在信中，卻又很想跟大家分享的，於是和派翠克老師討論後就決定來開這個單元啦！ 未來將不定期介紹一些名人的語錄，期待能帶給大家一些靈感或想法囉。 最後要分享本週的一些學習小技巧，也是Ray Dalio美國金融大師的人生智慧， 他在原則：生活和工作（Principles: Life and Work）這本書中提到，只要抓緊這個原則， 你的人生將無往不利，而這是什麼原則呢？Ray Dalio將行動分成五個階段，並且這五個階段將不斷重複，帶領你度過困難邁向高峰： 1. 確立目標 (GOALS) 2. 發現問題/遇到挫折 (PROBLEMS) 3. 分析/診斷/評估 (DIAGNOSIS) 4. 調整/計畫/進步 (DESIGN) 5. 行動 (DOING) 今天的分享如果對你有幫助的話，歡迎把它分享給親朋好友！聽完今天的幕後教師室，如果你有任何想法或經驗，或者是想要分享的名人佳句， 通通歡迎留言給我們！也別忘了追蹤通勤學英語的Instagram帳號，或是訂閱我們15Mins VIP會員方案，來進行許願以及獲得更多有關英語學習的資源：https://www.instagram.com/15mins_today/

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- This week is a special week for all of us. That's right! It's the week that we celebrate our nurturers! Happy Mother's Day to all the senior mothers, mothers-to-be, and those who nurtured anybody younger than them. The company Patrick and I discuss in this episode of 15Mins Cafe, is one of the largest card companies in the world - American Greetings. With its history dating back to the 1900s, this company has helped countless people to say what they couldn't. Do you like to receive or write cards ? Drop us a message if you frequently receive or write cards! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

"The most important customer interaction is the one with the person you are in front of." Key Moments 01:20 Cultivating a Positive Culture in Leadership and Management 02:56 Customer Centric Business Approach 05:08 Personalizing Interactions and Customer Service 09:09 Maintaining Personal Service in Large Organizations Resources Register for Episode 500 The Cockerell Academy About Lee Cockerell Mainstreet Leader Treat People As Individuals The heart of customer service and leadership is the importance of valuing every person as a "Very Individual Person (VIP)". It's the individual attention and personalized service that makes all the difference in both our professional and personal lives. Every interaction in leadership, customer service, or even daily life can be magical when we understand individual needs.  Here are 3 key takeaways from this conversation: - Every Person as a VIP: VIP stands for Very Individual Person. Treating each person according to their unique needs and preferences is what sets exceptional customer service apart from the average. - Observation & Personalization: To really cater to individual needs, we must observe closely, ask the right questions, and personalize our approach. It's about going beyond the generic encounters, learning what matters to your customer, and acting on it. - Consistency & Presence: Whether it's one guest or one team member, the most important interaction is the one you're currently having. Be present, not preoccupied, and give each person the focus they deserve to feel special. Every day, we meet people with diverse needs. Some want public praise, others a quiet note. Knowing each preference and responding to it is not only key in leadership but in creating life-lasting relationships. Individual care makes all the difference.  Join us for the milestone 500th episode – a live virtual party with giveaways, including a rare 1-on-1 coaching call with Lee Cockerell himself!  And if you are about to celebrate your own milestone, make sure you reach out to Magical Vacation Planners. Let them plan your next vacation. You can reach them at 407-442-2694.

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- This week, we will continue with where we ended last week with Angel. After finding out what IKEA can mean to us in the different life stages, we are going to share IKEA's latest seasonal menu. Angel and I went over the new menu items and how we would translate the dishes and compared it with the actual IKEA menu in English. This is an exercise you can do for yourselves and train to think in English. Drop us a message if you frequently read the English menu like us! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 國際時事跟讀 Ep.K771: Microsoft Welcomes Mustafa Suleyman, Bolsters AI Leadership Highlights 主題摘要：Mustafa Suleyman's transition to Microsoft highlights the company's commitment to AI leadership amid Google's recent struggles in the field.Microsoft's strategic investments in AI, including partnerships with OpenAI and Mistral AI, reinforce its position as a key player in AI innovation.The acquisition of Inflection AI and talent like Suleyman underscores Microsoft's focus on bolstering its AI offerings for consumer products, potentially inviting regulatory scrutiny. In the ever-evolving landscape of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Microsoft has made a significant stride by appointing British AI pioneer Mustafa Suleyman to lead its newly-established division, Microsoft AI. Suleyman, renowned for co-founding DeepMind, a leading AI firm acquired by Google in 2014. His transition to Microsoft underscores the tech giant's commitment to AI leadership, particularly against the backdrop of Google's recent struggles in this domain. 在人工智慧（AI）不斷演進的環境中，微軟任命英國 AI 先驅穆斯塔法·蘇萊曼領導其新成立的部門 Microsoft AI，邁出了重要的一步。蘇萊曼以共同創立 DeepMind 而聞名，該公司是 2014 年被 Google 收購的頂尖 AI 公司。他轉任微軟凸顯了這家科技巨頭對 AI 領導地位的承諾，特別是在 Google 近期在這個領域遭遇挫折的背景下。 Suleyman's announcement on X, formerly Twitter, expressed his enthusiasm about joining Microsoft and outlined his pivotal role in leading consumer AI products and research. Platforms such as Copilot chatbot, Bing, and Edge will fall under his purview. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella lauded Suleyman as a visionary, emphasizing the valuable expertise he and his colleagues bring to the company's AI endeavors. 蘇萊曼在前身為 Twitter 的 X 上宣布，表達了他加入微軟的熱忱，並概述他在領導消費者 AI 產品和研究方面的關鍵角色。像是 Copilot 聊天機器人、Bing 和 Edge 等平台都將歸入他管轄。微軟執行長薩提亞·納德拉讚揚蘇萊曼是一位有遠見的人，強調他和他的同事為公司的 AI 努力帶來了寶貴的專業知識。 The trajectory of Suleyman's career, from his foundational role at DeepMind to leading Inflection AI and now transitioning to Microsoft, reflects the dynamic nature of AI innovation. Inflection AI, having attracted substantial investments from Microsoft and Nvidia, emerged as a key player in the realm of generative AI. However, with Suleyman's departure to Microsoft, the focus of Inflection AI is poised to shift towards catering to enterprise customers, signaling a strategic pivot in its operations. 蘇萊曼的職業軌跡，從他在 DeepMind 的創始角色到領導 Inflection AI，現在轉任微軟，反映了 AI 創新的動態特性。Inflection AI 吸引了微軟和 Nvidia 的大量投資，在生成式 AI 領域成為關鍵角色。然而，隨著蘇萊曼離職到微軟，Inflection AI 的焦點有望轉向服務企業客戶，這標誌著其業務的戰略轉變。 Microsoft's strategic investments in AI are further underscored by its collaborations, notably with OpenAI, and recent endeavors such as the partnership with Mistral AI. This stands in contrast to the challenges faced by Google, exemplified by the issues surrounding its AI-powered tool Gemini. Despite Google's formidable resources and infrastructure, it has encountered setbacks, prompting reflections on its AI strategy and operational framework. 微軟在 AI 方面的戰略投資進一步體現在其合作關係，特別是與 OpenAI 的合作，以及最近與 Mistral AI 的合作。這與 Google 面臨的挑戰形成對比，例如其 AI 驅動工具 Gemini 的問題。儘管 Google 擁有強大的資源和基礎設施，但它遇到了挫折，促使人們反思其 AI 戰略和運營框架。 The acquisition of Inflection AI by Microsoft, coupled with the talent transfer of Suleyman and his team, represents a significant development in the AI landscape. Beyond bolstering Microsoft's position in the AI race, the deal raises pertinent questions about potential regulatory scrutiny. As AI continues to permeate various industries, the competition among tech giants intensifies, with each strategic maneuver shaping the trajectory of AI innovation and its societal implications. 微軟收購 Inflection AI，再加上蘇萊曼及其團隊的人才轉移，代表了 AI 格局的重大發展。除了強化微軟在 AI 競賽中的地位外，這筆交易還引發了有關潛在監管審查的相關問題。隨著 AI 不斷滲透各個行業，科技巨頭之間的競爭加劇，每一次戰略舉措都在塑造 AI 創新的軌跡及其社會影響。 Mustafa Suleyman's appointment at Microsoft and the subsequent acquisition of Inflection AI underscore the evolving dynamics within the AI ecosystem. Microsoft's proactive stance in strengthening its AI capabilities highlights the strategic significance of AI in shaping the future of technology. As AI becomes increasingly ubiquitous, the competition among tech titans underscores the need for ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks to ensure responsible AI deployment and mitigate potential risks. 穆斯塔法·蘇萊曼在微軟的任命以及隨後對 Inflection AI 的收購，凸顯了 AI 生態系統內部不斷演變的動態。微軟在加強其 AI 能力方面採取積極立場，突顯了 AI 在塑造技術未來方面的戰略意義。隨著 AI 變得日益普及，科技巨頭之間的競爭凸顯了道德考量和監管框架的必要性，以確保負責任的 AI 部署並減輕潛在風險。 Keyword Drills 關鍵字：Trajectory (Tra-jec-to-ry): The trajectory of Suleyman's career reflects the dynamic nature of AI innovation.Foundational (Foun-da-tion-al): From his foundational role at DeepMind to leading Inflection AI.Exemplified (Ex-em-pli-fied): This stands in contrast to the challenges faced by Google, exemplified by the issues surrounding its AI-powered tool Gemini.Bolstering (Bol-ster-ing): Beyond bolstering Microsoft's position in the AI race, the deal raises pertinent questions about potential regulatory scrutiny.Ubiquitous (u-biq-ui-tous): As AI becomes increasingly ubiquitous, the competition among tech titans underscores the need for ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks. Reference article: 1. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/microsoft-agreed-pay-inflection-650-165547490.html 2. https://ca.style.yahoo.com/british-ai-pioneer-mustafa-suleyman-190521281.html

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb VIP會員文章主題許願表單：https://forms.gle/xyHoPydBr6LLFL9q8 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- This week's episode was again longer than we expected! Angel and I had so much to share and talk about, we just couldn't stop~ We are lucky, because Angel is finally back in Taiwan, and we both wanted to share the one brand that means a lot to us in our period of "independence". IKEA for many people, is just a furniture store. A place where you appreciate and know that you have "grown up". What about for people in the second-half of their lives? How is IKEA staying relevant? In PART I of this episode, we discuss the must-haves and all the things we love about IKEA restaurant. Drop us a message if you are just as crazy about IKEA restaurant as we are! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP會員文章主題許願表單：https://forms.gle/xyHoPydBr6LLFL9q8 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Growing up in Taiwan, children are accustomed to a long, yellow cake that is called the "honey cake". Technically, this cake dates back to the 16th century, and is a cake that came all the way from Portugal. In this episode, Klim is going to give us some background to the most seen cake in Taiwan, the castella cake. If you have a special castella cake that you recommend, drop us a comment and we will give you a shout out in the next episode! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- This week is Songkran in Thailand! We've been having a streak of festivities since Lunar New Year this year and in the April holiday season, people are going to celebrate the Songkran~ Patrick is going to give us some background to the Songkran, and also three, water related idioms that the 15Mins family can use. If you have celebrated Songkran before, drop us a message and we will give you a shout out in the next episode! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: In age-old ritual, Mexican mayor weds alligator to secure abundance A small town Mexican mayor married his alligator bride in a colorful ceremony as traditional music rang out and revelers danced while imploring the indigenous leader to seal the nuptials with a kiss. 墨西哥一個小鎮市長在一場多采多姿的儀式中，迎娶了他的鱷魚新娘，現場演奏傳統音樂、狂歡者翩翩起舞，同時懇求這位原住民領袖用一個吻來為婚禮封印。 San Pedro Huamelula Mayor Victor Hugo Sosa obliged more than once during Thursday's wedding, bending down to plant his lips on the small alligator's snout, which had been tied shut presumably to avoid unwanted biting. 在週四的婚禮上，聖．佩德羅．瓦米魯拉的市長維克多．雨果．索薩不只一次答應要求，彎腰把嘴唇湊上這隻小鱷魚的鼻子，而小鱷魚的鼻子被緊緊綁住，大概是為了避免不必要的咬傷。 The ritual marriage likely dates back centuries to pre-Hispanic times among Oaxaca state's Chontal and Huave indigenous communities, like a prayer pleading for nature's bounty. 在墨西哥瓦哈卡州Chontal及Huave的原住民社會中，這種婚禮儀式就像是一個祈禱，祈求大自然的恩賜，可能可以追溯好幾個世紀，一直到前西班牙時代。 Oaxaca, located in Mexico's poor south, is arguably the country's richest in indigenous culture and home to many groups that have stubbornly maintained their languages and traditions. 瓦哈卡州位在墨西哥貧窮的南部地區，可說是墨國原住民文化最豐富的地區，也是許多堅持維護他們的語言和傳統的群體的家鄉。 Next Article In Mexico, those searching for missing relatives can vanish too 在墨西哥，尋找失蹤親友的人也會跟著消失 70-years-old Maria Herrera is scraping at the earth on a hill in the town of Huitzuco, in southern Mexico, looking for the mounds that indicate a decaying corpse. 70歲的瑪莉亞．赫雷拉在墨西哥南部威特蘇科鎮的山上四處挖掘，希望找到代表埋有腐爛屍體的土堆。 Digging in the dirt with a group of 100 other activists in the violent state of Guerrero, she wants to find her four missing son. 在暴力事件頻傳的格雷羅州，赫雷拉與100名行動人士一起挖土，想要找到4名失蹤的兒子。 More than 40,000 people are missing in Mexico, which has been swept by a wave of violence since the government declared war on the country's powerful drug cartels in 2006. 2006年，墨西哥政府向勢力龐大的販毒集團宣戰後，這個國家就被暴力事件肆虐，目前已有逾4萬人失蹤。 At first, Herrera and her husband used the profits gained by selling household goods door to door to launch gold exchange business, which involved traveling the country to buy and sell gold. 起初，赫雷拉和丈夫用挨家挨戶賣居家用品的收入，展開黃金兌換生意，包括全國走透透買賣黃金。 They did not realize a bloody cartel turf war was just breaking out in the state. They believe a local cartel mistook the brothers, Jesus and Raul, for members of a rival group and were captured. Two more brothers started looking for them but disappeared too. 但他們沒料到，一場腥風血雨的毒梟地盤之爭已在國內爆發。他們相信，自家兒子赫塞斯和羅爾，是被一個地方販毒集團誤認為敵營的人，才被俘虜。另外2名兒子開始尋找兩人後，也下落不明。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1539233 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1292410 Next Article Topic: ‘We're Living in Hell': Inside Mexico's Most Terrified City The violence was already terrifying, she said, when grenades exploded outside her church in broad daylight some five years ago. Then children in town were kidnapped, disappearing without a trace. Then the bodies of the executed were dumped in city streets. 她說，大約五年前，光天化日下手榴彈在她的教會外爆炸，這種暴力已經夠嚇人了。接著鎮上的孩子被綁架，消失得無影無蹤。然後他們被處刑的屍體丟棄在城市街道上。 And then came the day last month when armed men burst into her home, dragged her 15-year-old son and two of his friends outside and shot them to death, leaving Guadalupe — who didn't want her full name published out of fear of the men — too terrified to leave the house. 接下來是上個月的那一天，武裝男子闖進她家，將她的15歲兒子和兒子兩個友人拖出屋外射殺，讓瓜達魯佩太過驚嚇以致於不敢離開家，因為害怕那些男子，她不希望刊出全名。 “I do not want the night to come,” she said, through tears. “Living with fear is no life at all.” 「我不希望黑夜來臨」，她流著淚說，「活在恐懼中完全不是人過的日子」。 For most of the population of Fresnillo, a mining city in central Mexico, a fearful existence is the only one they know; 96% of residents say they feel unsafe, the highest percentage of any city in Mexico, according to a recent survey from Mexico's national statistics agency. 對於弗雷斯尼約這個墨西哥中部礦城的大多數人而言，他們知道的只有一項可怕現實。根據墨西哥國家統計局最近一項調查，96%居民說他們感覺不安全，是墨西哥所有城市比率最高者。 The economy can boom and bust, presidents and parties and their promises can come and go, but for the city's 140,000 people, as for many in Mexico, there is a growing sense that no matter what changes, the violence endures. 經濟可以暴起大落，總統和政黨以及他們的承諾來來去去，但對這座城市的14萬人來說，如同墨西哥許多城市，不論有什麼改變，暴力依舊持續，這種意見正在增加。 In 2018, during his run for president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador offered a grand vision to remake Mexico. Instead of arresting and killing traffickers as previous leaders had done, he would focus on the causes of violence: “hugs not bullets,” he called it. He was swept to victory. 2018年總統選戰期間，羅培茲提出重塑墨西哥的遠大願景，他不像歷任領導人所做的逮捕並殺掉壞蛋，而是聚焦暴力的成因，他稱之為「擁抱而非子彈」。他壓倒式勝選。 But three years after his landslide win, and with his Morena party in control of Congress, the drumbeat of death continues, suggesting that López Obrador's approach has failed, fueling in many a paralyzing helplessness. 但在他壓倒式勝利以及他的國家復興運動黨掌控國會三年後，死亡的鼓聲持續著，暗示羅培茲的方法已經失敗，激起許多人有如麻痹的無助感。 “We're living in hell,” said Victor Piña, who ran for mayor of Fresnillo in the June elections and watched an aide gunned down beside him during a pre-campaign event. 「我們活在地獄裡」，今年6月參選弗雷斯尼約市長的維克多．皮納說，他在一場選前活動中看到一名幕僚在他身旁遭槍擊。 Zacatecas, the state Fresnillo is in, has the country's highest murder rate, with 122 deaths in June, according to the Mexican government. Across Mexico, murders have dropped less than 1% since López Obrador took office, according to the country's statistics agency. That was enough for the president to claim that there had been an improvement on a problem his administration inherited. 弗雷斯尼約所在的薩卡特卡斯州，謀殺率為全國最高，根據墨西哥政府，6月有122人死亡。根據國家統計局，羅培茲上任以來，墨西哥全國各地謀殺率下降不到1%，這已足夠讓總統宣稱，在他的政府上任後，這個問題已有改善。 Many in Fresnillo disagree. 弗雷斯尼約的許多人不這麼認為。 “‘Hugs not bullets' doesn't work,” said Javier Torres Rodríguez, whose brother was shot and killed in 2018. “We're losing the ability to be shocked.” 「擁抱而非子彈沒有用」，哈維耶．托雷斯．羅里奎茲說，他的兄弟2018年遭槍擊死亡，「我們正失去感到震驚的能力」。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5704988

首款多平台開放世界遊戲《原神》 點擊下方資訊欄了解更多 連結：https://fstry.pse.is/5qvvea ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 本週的《幕後教師室》由John老師和Angel老師值班，內容從報復性旅遊（Revenge travel）聊到最近Instagram上的動態。 近期15Mins.Today的Instagram經常在限時動態貼出各種英語小遊戲，其中許多是由Angel老師從各國搜集的圖片製作而成， 歡迎大家每天挑戰練習！想要參與挑戰嗎？立即關注我們的Instagram：https://www.instagram.com/15mins_today/ 這集的《幕後教師室》也分享了一個將生活點滴轉化成英語練習的幾個方式。因為我們都知道，透過口語輸出（output）才是真正提升口語能力的關鍵，單純吸收知識的input對於口語能力的提升效果有限。 將生活所看到的聽到的點滴轉化成英語練習步驟包括： - 透過聯想Association開始 - 換句話說Other words for （找出同義字或反義字 - 聯想的延伸) - 進行描述練習Description Exercise，可以從簡單的描述開始 - 將以上所產生的英語變成Storytelling - 轉述給親朋好友聽 Storytelling的好處： - 對於口語輸出的練習至關重要 - 可以幫助激活大腦，促進腦神經的連接 - 不必在意故事的好壞，重要的是激活腦神經 如果本節目對你有所幫助，歡迎在Facebook或Instagram上留言或私訊給John老師。同時，我們也歡迎你訂閱我們的VIP會員方案，以獲得更多英語學習的資源。

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- The latest "ultra-fast" fashion e-commerce site is taking Tiktok and Instagram by storm. This site not only has the most affordable goods, but also lightning fast design turnaround times. In this episode, Lydia and I discuss the rise of Shein and some of the latest info we dug up about this company about to be listed in the United States. If you are a frequent Shein shopper, let us know what goodies you bought and we will give you a shout out! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 國際時事跟讀 Ep.K755: The Success Story of Daiso: From Humble Beginnings to Global Phenomenon Highlights 主題摘要：Daiso's success stems from its unique ¥100 concept, offering quality products alongside upscale boutiques, catering to diverse clientele.Hirotake Yano's unconventional business approach, rooted in living day by day, has guided Daiso's rapid expansion and global success.Despite nominal prices, Daiso prioritizes quality, debunking perceptions of inferior goods and maintaining customer satisfaction across its extensive product range. Daiso Industries Co., Ltd., renowned for its ¥100 stores, has a captivating story behind its success. Founded by Hirotake Yano, a man of humble demeanor, Daiso has flourished into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise with thousands of stores across Japan and abroad. 株式會社大創産業以其百元商店聞名，而它的成功背後有一個引人入勝的故事。由謙遜的矢野博丈創辦，大創已發展成一家市值數十億元的跨國企業，在日本國內外擁有數千家店鋪。 Yano's journey began modestly, operating out of a nondescript office with minimal staff. Despite its unassuming appearance, Daiso's headquarters serves as the nerve center for a company that boasts an impressive annual turnover of over ¥202 billion. What started as a venture selling goods out of a truck has burgeoned into a retail giant with around 2,000 stores nationwide. 矢野的旅程起初很謙卑，他在一個不起眼的辦公室裡以最少的工作人員運作。儘管看上去平易近人，但大創的總部作為一家年營業額超過2020億日元公司的中樞，其重要性不言而喻。從一輛售貨卡車上開始的冒險，已演變成在全球擁有約2000家店面的零售巨頭。 Daiso's uniqueness lies in its ¥100 concept, distinct from conventional dollar stores found in other countries. Unlike their counterparts, Daiso outlets stand alongside upscale boutiques and department stores, catering to a diverse clientele. Despite the absence of elaborate business plans or forecasting meetings, Daiso continues to expand rapidly, opening an average of 30 stores per month. 大創的獨特之處在於其百元概念不同於其他國家的傳統百元店。與其同行不同，大創商店與高檔精品店和百貨公司並立，迎合多元化的客群。儘管沒有複雜的業務計劃或預測會議，大創仍在快速擴張，每月平均開設30家商店。 Yano's unconventional approach to business is reflected in his philosophy of living day by day. With no fixed projections for store expansions, he entrusts the company's growth to destiny. This laid-back attitude belies a history of perseverance and resilience, stemming from Yano's experiences, including overcoming family bankruptcy and personal setbacks. 矢野另闢蹊徑的業務模式反映在他的日常哲學中。大創沒有對店面擴張的固定企劃，他把公司的增長交給了命運。這種悠閒的態度掩飾了矢野一路以來的堅毅不拔，包括克服家族破產和個人挫折等經歷。 The essence of Daiso's success lies in its commitment to quality and affordability. Despite the nominal price tag, Yano ensures that products meet stringent standards, debunking the myth that low price equates to inferior quality. Daiso's extensive product range, sourced globally, offers customers a diverse array of items, ranging from household essentials to novelty goods, all priced at ¥100. 大創成功的精髓在於其對品質和價格的承諾。儘管標價低廉，但矢野確保產品符合嚴格的標準，打破了便宜等於劣質的迷思。大創廣泛的產品種類來自全球各地，為客戶提供從家庭必需品到新奇好貨等各種各樣的商品，全部售價都是100日元。 In addition to its domestic triumphs, Daiso has embarked on a strategic international expansion, setting up stores in countries like Singapore and Taiwan. Yano's cautious approach to overseas growth reflects his aversion to corporate greed, a principle he upholds steadfastly. As Daiso continues to evolve, it remains a testament to Yano's vision and the enduring appeal of the ¥100 phenomenon. 除了在國內取得的成功之外，大創還開始它戰略性的國際擴張，在新加坡和台灣等國家開設了商店。矢野對海外展店的謹慎反映了他對企業貪婪的厭惡，這也是他堅持的原則。隨著大創的不斷發展，它依然是矢野願景的見證，以及百元現象持久吸引力的象徵。 Keyword Drills 關鍵字：Captivating (Cap-ti-va-ting): Daiso Industries Co., Ltd., renowned for its ¥100 stores, has a captivating story behind its success.Elaborate (E-lab-o-rate): Despite the absence of elaborate business plans or forecasting meetings, Daiso continues to expand rapidly.Unconventional (Un-con-ven-tion-al): Yano's unconventional approach to business is reflected in his philosophy of living day by day.Perseverance (Per-se-ver-ance): This laid-back attitude belies a history of perseverance and resilience, stemming from Yano's experiences.Affordability (Af-ford-a-bil-i-ty): The essence of Daiso's success lies in its commitment to quality and affordability. Reference article: 1. https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/20/business/japan-daiso-founder-hirotake-yano-intl-hnk/index.html 2. https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/news-and-opinion/daiso-the-story-behind-the-%C2%A5100-phenomenon/

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: Water-Stressed India Seeks a Tap for Every Home The pipes are laid, the taps installed and the village tank is under construction — all promising signs that, come spring, Girja Ahriwar will get water at her doorstep and finally shed a lifelong burden. 管子鋪好，水龍頭裝好，村子的水槽正在建造。這些充滿希望的跡象顯示，春季來臨時，吉爾嘉．艾里瓦可以在家門口取到水，而且終於解除長期以來的負擔。 “I go out and put the jerrycans in the queue at around 5 a.m. and wait there with the children,” Ahriwar, a mother of three who lives in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, said about her routine of fetching from the village hand pump. “Sometimes it could take five or six hours. I have to stay there because if I leave, someone else moves ahead.” 「我大約在清晨5時出門，把大水桶排進隊伍，然後和孩子們一起等待」，住在印度中部中央邦、三個孩子的媽艾里瓦說，她的例行公事就是從村子的手動泵浦取水，「有時候得花五或六個小時，我必須一直留在這裡，因為如果我離開了，其他人就會搶先往前」。 India, one of the world's most water-stressed countries, is halfway through an ambitious drive to provide clean tap water by 2024 to all of the roughly 192 million households across its 600,000 villages. About 18,000 government engineers are overseeing the $50 billion undertaking, which includes hundreds of thousands of contractors and laborers who are laying more than 2.5 million miles of pipe. 印度是全世界用水最吃緊的國家之一，在2024年之前提供60萬個村落共約1億9200萬戶乾淨自來水，這項宏大的計畫已進行到一半。約1萬8000名政府工程師監督規模500億美元的工程，包括數十萬名包商和工人，鋪設超過250萬哩的水管。 The project has a powerful champion in Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has slashed through India's notorious red tape and pushed aside thorny political divisions to see it through. His success thus far helps explain his dominance over the country's political landscape. 這項計畫有個有力的擁護者：總理莫迪，他打破印度惡名昭彰的官僚作風，把棘手的政治分歧暫放一邊，推動計畫。目前為止他的成功也顯示他在這個國家政治版圖的主導力。 Modi has remained popular despite a weak economy and a bungled initial response to the coronavirus that left hundreds of thousands dead. He has increasingly relied on communal politics, continuing to consolidate a Hindu nationalist base he has worked for decades to rally. 即使經濟疲弱，且一開始對新冠病毒的笨拙反應造成數十萬人死亡，莫迪仍舊廣得人心。他日漸依賴宗教團體式政治，持續鞏固印度教國族主義基本盤，他投注數十年整合這些勢力。 But the mission to deliver water to every household combines two of Modi's political strengths: his grasp of the day-to-day problems of hundreds of millions of India's poor and his penchant for ambitious solutions. Modi, who grew up in a poor village, has spoken emotionally about his own mother's hardship in fetching water. 不過，將水送到所有家戶的任務，結合莫迪的兩個政治力量：他對印度數億貧窮人口日常問題的理解，以及喜好採取極具雄心的解決方案。在貧窮村莊長大的莫迪，曾充滿感情的談到母親以前取水的困難。 About one-sixth of India's households had a clean water tap when the program, called Jal Jeevan Mission, began in 2019. Now, almost half have one. 當這個「水生活任務」2019年開始時，印度家戶有潔淨自來水者約六分之一。現在，幾乎一半。 “You rarely have this drive from the government, the head of state, and it is well funded. Behind the concept, there is budget,” said Nicolas Osbert, who leads the UNICEF water and sanitation unit in India. “All social sectors were impacted by COVID. Not this one. This one was preserved.” 「你很少能從政府或國家領袖獲得這種推動力，而且資金充裕。在這個概念後面，重點是預算」，聯合國兒童基金會印度分部水資源和衛生主管歐斯柏特說，「所有社福單位都遭遇新冠病毒衝擊，但這個沒有，這個計畫保留下來」。 The country's water problem speaks to the mismatch between its global economic ambitions and the dire conditions of much of its 1.4 billion population, two-thirds of whom still live in rural areas. 這個國家的用水問題顯示，其全球經濟野心和14億人口中許多人的悲慘情況，頗不相配。印度人口三分之二住在鄉村地區。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6034821 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: Gel-like ice is the lightest form of waterer ever discovered 迄今發現最輕盈的水形態，凝膠般的冰 The frosty cubes we pull from our freezers are just one of 17 possible types of ice, and an 18th type isn't far from being made real. 我們從冰箱裡拿出來的冰塊，只是17種可能出現的冰類型之一，而第18種冰類型的出現，距離也不遠了。 Hexagonal ice, and the occasional cubic ice in our upper atmosphere, are the only two forms that occur naturally on Earth. Other ices might be found on exoplanets or in the atmospheres of the outer planets. 「六角形晶體結構冰」和偶爾出現的「立方體構冰」存在於我們的上層大氣，是唯二能在地球上自然形成的冰類型。其他類型的冰，則可見於系外行星或外行星的大氣層中。 Under atmospheric pressure or higher, water molecules get squeezed and freeze into a solid denser than normal ice. But when the pressure drops below this, water molecules become a less-dense, lightweight crystal that's more air than molecule – like an icy candy floss. So far, we only know of two kinds of low-density ice: space fullerenes and zeolitic ices. But lighter ice structures hadn't been spotted until now. 在一般大氣壓力或更高壓的情況下，被擠壓的水分子凝固成比正常水冰更密集的固體。不過，當大氣壓力降低，水分子會轉變成輕盈、密度較低的晶體，分子內含有更多空氣，就像是冰的棉花糖。目前，我們只知道兩種低密度的冰：「富勒烯冰」和「沸石冰」。更輕盈的冰結構，迄今仍未被辨識。 Masakazu Matsumoto at Okayama University in Japan and his team played molecular Jenga to find this new type of ice, removing and reconfiguring existing zeolitic ice structures to make them lighter. They found more than 300 different nanoscale structures through computer simulations. 日本岡山理科大學的松本正和研究團隊，透過分子疊疊樂，發現這款新類型的冰；他們移除並重新配置既存的「沸石冰」結構，使其更加輕盈。研究團隊透過電腦模擬，找出超過300種不同的奈米尺度結構。Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1161164&day=2017-12-18

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 接續上週的幕後教師室，今天的《Teacher's Lounge》John老師和阿鍵老師要來談談怎麼將《高效人士的七個習慣》應用在英語學習啦！ 《高效人士的七個習慣》（The seven habits of highly effective people）是由史蒂芬‧柯維 (Stephen R. Covey) 所撰寫，七個習慣依序是： 1. 積極主動 Be Proactive 2. 以終為始 Begin with the End in Mind 3. 要事第一 Put First Things First 4. 雙贏思維 Think Win/Win 5. 知彼知己 Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood 6. 統合綜效 Synergize 7. 不斷更新 Sharpen the Saw 這七種習慣不管是在人生的各種階段都可以有不同的領悟，熟悉這些心法對你的生活可以說受用無窮， 快來收聽今天的節目，了解該怎麼將它應用在生活上吧！ 另外通勤學英語的IG最近也有很多動作喔，包含每週精選字卡， 限動小遊戲等等，現在就追蹤起來吧：https://www.instagram.com/15mins_today/ 如果今天的內容對你有幫助，歡迎到FB/IG留言或私訊給John老師， 也歡迎訂閱我們的跟讀VIP會員或是學習大禮包方案，獲得更多英語學習的資源。 如果今天的內容對你有幫助，歡迎到FB/IG留言或私訊給John老師，也歡迎訂閱我們的VIP會員方案，獲得更多英語學習的資源。

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Ever experienced romance that made you lost your way? The feeling of wanting something so bad, yet making you so weak? Before the season of Summer, it's the best time to start a romantic pursuit so that it will blossom when Summer holidays arrive. Shimin and I discuss a song that was inspired from an in-flight experience that became a Jazz sensation. Check this song out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkC9bCuahC8 . Want a shout out? Send us your shares and comments using the comment link and we'll give you a shout out in the next episode. Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- In this episode of 15Mins Cafe, Patrick and I talk about the biggest franchise in the world - Subway. We not only covered their slogans, but also discussed our first impressions of Subway. If you are frequent customer of Subway, or you also lost weight thanks to Subwaytell us your customized sub recipe and we will give you a shout out! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Autobahn Speed Limits? Voting With Lead Feet It seemed like a no-brainer: Lower Germany's embarrassingly high carbon emissions at no cost, and save some lives in the process. 這聽起來是個不費腦筋的好主意：不須付出成本，便減低德國高得使人羞愧的碳排放量，還可以順道拯救人命。 But when a government-appointed commission in January dared to float the idea of a speed limit on the autobahn, the country's storied highway network, it almost caused rioting. Irate drivers took to the airwaves. Union leaders menacingly put on their yellow vests, hinting at street protests. And the far-right opposition used the opportunity to rage against the “stranglehold” of the state. 然而，當政府指派的委員會元月大膽提出在德國名聞全球的高速公路上設速限的構想時，卻幾乎引發暴動。 暴怒的開車族在廣播裡抱怨，工會領袖意帶威脅地穿上黃背心，暗示將上街抗議。極右派反對黨趁機對國家的「箝制」大事撻伐。 A highway speed limit was “contrary to every common sense,” the transport minister, Andreas Scheuer, swiftly declared, contradicting his own experts.And that was that. 德國運輸部長安德烈・舒爾很快就宣布，給高速公路設速限「完全違反常情」，立場和自己的專家團隊相牴觸。此事就此打消。 As far as quasi-religious national obsessions go for large portions of a country's population, the German aversion to speed limits on the autobahn is up there with gun control in America, whaling in Japan and sovereignty in Britain. 就一國高比例人口近乎宗教信仰式的執念而言，德國人對高速公路限速的反感之深，一如美國人對於槍枝管制，日本人對於捕鯨，和英國人對於主權。 With few exceptions, like Afghanistan and the Isle of Man, there are highway speed limits essentially everywhere else in the world. 世界上除了阿富汗和英國曼島等極少數例外，其他地方的公路基本上都有速限。 But this is Germany, the self-declared “auto nation,” where Carl Benz built the first automobile and where cars are not only the proudest export item but also a symbol of national identity. 但這可是自詡為「汽車王國」的德國，卡爾·賓士在這裡造出第一輛汽車，汽車不僅是令人驕傲的出口品，還是國家身分的象徵。 It's also the country where, in darker times, Hitler laid the groundwork for a network of multilane highways that in the postwar years came to epitomize economic success — and freedom. 同樣的這個國家，在它較黯淡的時代，希特勒打下多車道高速公路系統的基礎，而這系統在戰後年月裡成為經濟成就和自由的典範。 Call it Germany's Wild West: The autobahn is the one place in a highly regulated society where no rule is the rule — and that place is sacred. 把它想成德國的「大西部」吧：在一個受到高度規制的社會裡，高速公路是唯一沒有規矩就是它的規矩的地方，而此處神聖不可侵犯。 “It's a very emotional topic,” confided Stefan Gerwens, head of transport and mobility at ADAC, an automobile club with 20 million members, which is opposed to any speed limit. So emotional, apparently, that facts and figures count for little. 「這是個高度情緒化的議題。」全德汽車俱樂部的運輸流動主任史帝芬・葛文如此坦承。全德汽車俱樂部是有兩千萬會員的汽車社團，他們徹底反對給高速公路設下速限。這個議題顯然太具情緒性，以致事實和數據都變得無關痛癢。 Germany is woefully behind on meeting its 2020 climate goals, so the government appointed a group of experts to find ways to lower emissions in the transport sector. Cars account for 11 percent of total emissions, and their share is rising. 德國距離達成2020年的氣候目標已大幅落後，因此政府指派了專家團隊以找出減低運輸方面碳排放的方法。車輛的碳排放量佔去總排放量的一成一，而且比例還在增高。 A highway speed limit of 120 kph, or 75 mph, could cover a fifth of the gap to reach the 2020 goals for the transport sector, environmental experts say. 環境專家說，給高速公路設置時速120公里（或75英里）的速限，可以在交通方面填補五分之一的缺口，協助達成2020年的氣候目標。 “Of all the individual measures, it is the one that would be the most impactful — and it costs nothing,” said Dorothee Saar, of Deutsche Umwelthilfe, a nonprofit environmental organization that has lobbied for a speed limit. 「在所有個人可以達成的事項裡，這是最具影響力，也不須花費成本的方法。」非營利環保組織「德國環境救援」的朵樂絲・薩爾說，此組織長年力促給高速公度限速。 “But when it comes to cars,” Saar sighed, “the debate tends to become irrational.” 「可是一談到車，」薩爾嘆息道：「辯論往往就變得不理性了。」 Source article: https://paper.udn.com/udnpaper/POH0067/337656/web/ About cars - Man in Germany drives to driving test A man in Germany has discovered the hard way that it's best to get a driving license first before trying to use it. 德國一名男子從教訓中學到：在試圖使用駕駛執照之前，最好先拿到它。 Police in Bergheim, near Cologne, said Tuesday that the 37-year-old drove himself to his driving test, parking an Opel Zafira outside the test center in front of an astonished examiner. 科隆附近的貝格海姆警方週二說，這名37歲民眾自己開車赴駕駛執照考試，在一名驚訝的監考官面前，把一台歐寶Zafira車款停在考試中心外。 They said he told police officers who were called to the scene on Monday that he had only driven because he wanted to make sure to get to the driving test on time. 他們說，他告訴週一被叫到現場的警官們說，他開車只是因為想要確保及時抵達那場駕駛執照考試。 His test was immediately called off. The man now faces an investigation for driving without a license. Police also opened an investigation of the car's owner. 他的考試立刻被取消。這名男子現在因無照駕駛面臨調查。警方也對車主展開調查。 Next Article Danish police confiscate luxury sports car caught speeding 丹麥警方沒收超速的豪華跑車 Danish police have confiscated a high-performance luxury car after its new owner was caught speeding as he drove it home from Germany to Norway. 丹麥警方沒收了一輛高性能的豪華汽車，在它的新車主超速被逮以後，當時他開著它從德國回挪威家。 The man, an Iraqi citizen resident in Norway who was not identified, was registered Thursday as driving at 236 kph in his Lamborghini Huracán on a stretch of highway where the top speed is 130 kph. 這名男子是個居住於挪威的伊拉克公民，身分未明，週四在一段最高時速130公里的高速公路上，被紀錄到以每小時236公里速度駕著他的藍寶堅尼「颶風」。 Under a new Danish law, police can seize the vehicles of reckless drivers and auction them off, with the money going into Danish coffers. 根據丹麥一項新的法律，警察可沒收魯莽駕駛人的車輛並拍賣它們，錢則進丹麥國庫。 The Nordjyske newspaper said the man had bought the car hours earlier in Germany for 2 million kroner. 《北日德蘭報》說，這名男子幾個小時前在德國以200萬克朗購入這輛車。 The car owner will also be fined for speeding in due course. 車主當理也將因超速被罰。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1486857 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1478842 Truck Makers Face Choice: Go Battery or Hydrogen？ Even before war in Ukraine sent fuel prices through the roof, the trucking industry was under intense pressure to kick its addiction to diesel, a major contributor to climate change and urban air pollution. But it still has to figure out which technology will best do the job. 在烏克蘭戰爭導致燃料價格飆漲之前，卡車運輸業就面臨擺脫柴油成癮的巨大壓力，但它仍須弄清楚哪種技術最能勝任此事。柴油是氣候變遷與城市空汙的主要原因。 Truck makers are divided into two camps. One faction, which includes Traton, Volkswagen's truck unit, is betting on batteries because they are widely regarded as the most efficient option. The other camp, which includes Daimler Truck and Volvo, the two largest truck manufacturers, argues that fuel cells that convert hydrogen into electricity — emitting only water vapor — make more sense because they would allow long-haul trucks to be refueled quickly. 卡車製造商分為兩個陣營，包括福斯卡車部門Traton在內的一派看好電池，因電池被廣泛認為是最有效率的選項。另一個陣營則包括戴姆勒卡車和富豪這兩家最大的卡車製造公司，他們認為將氫轉化為電能僅排放水蒸氣的燃料電池更有意義，因為它們可讓長途卡車快速充電。 The choice companies make could be hugely consequential, helping to determine who dominates trucking in the electric vehicle age and who ends up wasting billions of dollars on the Betamax equivalent of electric truck technology, committing a potentially fatal error. It takes years to design and produce new trucks, so companies will be locked into the decisions they make now for a decade or more. 這些公司做出的選擇可能會帶來重大影響，並且有助於確認在電動車時代，誰將主宰卡車運輸業以及誰最終會在電動卡車版的Betamax技術浪費數十億美元，犯下潛在致命錯誤。設計和生產新的卡車需耗時數年，因此企業在未來10年或更長時間裡，將受制於現在做出的決定。 “It's obviously one of the most important technology decisions we have to make,” said Andreas Gorbach, a member of the management board of Daimler Truck, which owns Freightliner in the United States and is the largest truck maker in the world. 全球卡車製造龍頭戴姆勒卡車的管理層成員哥爾巴赫說：「這顯然是我們必須做出的最重要技術決策之一。」該公司在美國擁有福萊納卡車品牌。 The stakes for the environment and for public health are also high. If many truck makers wager incorrectly, it could take much longer to clean up trucking than scientists say we have to limit the worst effects of climate change. In the United States, medium- and heavy-duty trucks account for 7% of greenhouse gas emissions. 環境和公眾健康面臨的風險也很高。若許多卡車製造商押錯寶，清理卡車運輸業所需的時間，恐比科學家所說人類必須限制氣候變遷最壞影響的時限還要長。在美國，中型與重型卡車占溫室氣體排放量的7%。 Although sales of electric cars are exploding, large truck makers have only begun to mass-produce emission-free vehicles. Daimler Truck, for example, began producing an electric version of its heavy-duty Actros truck, with a maximum range of 240 miles, late last year. Tesla unveiled a design for a battery-powered semitruck in 2017 but has not set a firm production date. 儘管電動車銷量爆炸性成長，但大型卡車製造商才剛開始大規模生產零碳排車輛，例如戴姆勒卡車公司去年底開始生產重型卡車Actros的電動版本，最大行駛里程達240英里。特斯拉在2017年發布一款電池動力的卡車Semi，但具體生產日期未定。 Cost will be a decisive factor. Unlike car buyers, who might splurge on a vehicle because they like the way it looks or the status it conveys, truck buyers carefully calculate how much a rig is going to cost them to buy, maintain and refuel. 價格將會是一項決定性因素。卡車買家會仔細計算整套配備的價格、維護及補充燃料費用，不像汽車買家，可能會因為喜歡車的外觀或者能夠顯示他們的地位而揮霍。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6260402

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 本週的《Teacher's Lounge 幕後教師室》由Angel老師和John老師值班！再度帶來了英語口說的小技巧！ 大家知道我們國際時事跟讀的單元，每集都會請通勤家族的大家一起讀，也會把比較難的詞彙特別拉出來，其實就是讓你可以跟著練習喔！ 跟著讀除了可以掌握重音、速度和音節外，更重要的是養成肌肉記憶，這讓你在把一個一個的字拼湊成整句話的時候可是很關鍵的技巧。還沒試過跟著讀的聽眾朋友，我們在這集裡有提到建議進行"reading out loud"，他有以下的多項好處： 1. 養成口腔肌肉記憶，加強發音準確性 2. 提升口語表達流暢度 3. 掌握韻律感和節奏 其實中英文的發音方式真的差異很大，除了口腔內部的動作外，呼吸和運氣的方法也很不一樣喔，如果對於今天提到的學習技巧有興趣，歡迎到FB/IG留言或私訊給John老師。想要多練習的人，也歡迎訂閱我們的跟讀VIP會員或是學習大禮包方案。 「社會人核心英語」完課榜這裡看：https://www.15mins.today/be-essentials

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Reference article: https://www.qantas.com/travelinsider/en/travel-tips/how-to-survive-a-long-flight.html This week Angel is back in town! A globe-trotter like Angel must know a thing or two about long-haul flights. I grew up having to travel long-haul flights, but no one taught me how to survive it. We all love traveling in this post-pandemic era, but long flights are still a pain. Angel and I discuss how to survive long-haul flights and also some tips for making a good impression with the cabin crew. How do you survive your flights? Write to us and we will give you a shout out in the next episode! Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- About Japan - Asia Welcomes Travelers, but Japan Says, Not Yet In a normal year, this would be peak season for tourism to Japan. But as the cherry blossoms burst into bloom along Kyoto's ancient, temple-lined alleys and boat tours ply the waters of Tokyo's flower-lined rivers, Japanese tourists largely have the spectacular display to themselves. 在正常情況的年份，此時正是日本旅遊旺季。但隨著櫻花盛開於古剎林立的京都巷弄，以及遊覽船往返花卉夾道的東京河川的水域，這些盛況大抵上僅限日本的遊客獨享。 The country sealed its borders to most foreign travelers early in the pandemic and has only recently begun to allow a slow drip of students and business people to return. 該國在武漢肺炎疫情大流行之初就對大多數外國旅客封鎖邊境，直到最近才允許留學生與商務客慢慢回流。 Those hoping to visit Japan for fun, shouldn't hold their breath. Despite the national tourism organization's wishful thinking, Koichi Wada, the head of Japan's tourism agency, told parliament last month that“it's exceedingly difficult to forecast the long-term trends for inbound tourism.” 那些希望能赴日觀光旅遊的人可有得等了。儘管日本國家旅遊局想得很美，日本觀光廳長官和田浩一上個月告訴國會，「很難預測入境觀光的長期趨勢。」 Next Article Topic: Vietnam plans border reopening, includes Taiwanese among list of potential travelers 越南因應疫情暫停國際觀光客到訪已逾一年半，慶和省近日研擬重新恢復國際旅遊，並將台灣旅客視為潛在目標族群。越南知名渡假景點芽莊市就位於慶和省。 Taiwan is on the list of potential countries allowed to send travelers to Vietnam as the nation's Khanh Hoa Province (慶和省) recently released plans to reopen borders for international travelers. 網路媒體越南快訊（VnExpress）引述越南政府網報導，慶和省（Khanh Hoa）政府昨天向越南文化體育旅遊部遞交兩階段的疫苗護照計畫草案，歡迎外國旅客搭乘包機前來旅遊。 According to VnExpress, Khanh Hoa's local government submitted a draft of a two-stage vaccine passport program to the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (越南文化體育旅遊部) on Oct. 5 hoping to welcome foreign travelers into the region. 第一階段從11月起至年底，外國旅客須搭乘包機抵達，並待在金蘭市（Cam Ranh）的渡假村裡。第二階段則是明年初至明年3月，屆時旅客將能造訪更多景點與芽莊市的渡假村。 The first stage is scheduled to begin near the end of November, and travelers need to take charter flights to the country and stay at the resort at Cam Ranh (金蘭市), the proposal stated. The second stage is planned to start from January to March 2022, during which visitors will be able to visit more attractions and resorts in Nha Trang (芽莊市). 慶和省將鎖定來自COVID-19（2019冠狀病毒疾病）疫情防範得宜且疫苗施打率高的國家與地區的旅客，例如中國、日本、韓國、台灣、俄羅斯、澳洲、法國、德國以及部分北美國家。 Khanh Hoa Province currently welcomes travelers from countries whose COVID-19 situation has been successfully controlled and have a high vaccination rate for its population. As of Tuesday, countries that fit both categories according to the local government include China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Russia, Australia, France, Germany, and some areas in North America. 旅客必須要持有完整的疫苗接種證書，且所施打的疫苗廠牌必須獲越南核可。 Travelers need to show vaccination proof and the vaccine manufacturers need to be recognized by the Vietnamese government. 目前越南共計核准8款疫苗緊急使用，包括阿斯特捷利康（AstraZeneca，AZ）、嬌生（Johnson & Johnson）、莫德納（Moderna）、輝瑞BNT（Pfizer-BioNTech）、俄羅斯衛星-V（Sputnik V）、中國國藥（Sinopharm）、Hayat-Vax、阿布達拉（Abdala）。 As of press time, Vietnam has authorized 8 types of vaccines, including AstraZeneca (AZ), Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, Sputnik V, Sinopharm, Hayat-Vax and Abdala. Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20211008-2813742 Next Article Topic: Airlines targeting post-pandemic ‘revenge travel' The blow caused to the airline industry by the COVID-19 pandemic has been especially felt by budget airlines, which mostly operate narrow-bodied passenger jets and have therefore been unable to develop a sideline in air freight during the pandemic. According to one academic's analysis, when the outbreak stabilizes, businesses are targeting a trend in so-called “revenge travel.” However, she also hopes that, rather than the pre-pandemic price wars between budget airlines, the consolidation that has taken place during the pandemic will restore healthy competition in the industry. 疫情衝擊航空界，其中廉航受限於機隊多為窄體客機，無法發展貨運，受疫情衝擊更大。學者分析，業者瞄準疫情穩定後的「報復性出遊」，但也希望疫情前廉航削價競爭的情況，能因疫情重整，回歸良性競爭。 According to associate professor Melody Dai of National Cheng Kung University's Department of Transportation and Communication Management Science, costs per flight have not changed during the pandemic, but if carriers are required to implement social-distancing seating plans, leaving empty seats between passengers, this would eat into airlines' profit margins, causing a fresh headache for the industry. Dai says she hopes that budget airlines will manage to survive, since they help stimulate Taiwan's domestic tourism sector as well as the wider economy. 成大交通管理學系副教授戴佐敏說，每航班成本不變、但座位未來若須採間隔座導致收入減少，確實是疫後的難題，希望廉航仍有生存空間，對促進觀光與經濟有正面幫助。 Dai says that choosing to operate flights during the pandemic is a test of airlines' ability to sustain losses, but the crisis may also prove to be a turnaround for the industry. Dai says there are many variables to the pandemic. She says that once the outbreak stabilizes, if the demand for “revenge travel” exceeds supply, this could resolve the pre-pandemic situation of supply exceeding demand, which led to price wars among budget airlines. The consolidation that the pandemic has triggered within the airline industry could bring about a return to healthy competition, says Dai. 戴佐敏認為，選擇在疫情期間開航，考驗航空公司「虧本」的能力，不過危機也有可能是轉機，疫情仍有變數，疫情穩定後的「報復性出遊」若需求大於供給，疫情前廉航供過於求、削價競爭的情況，這次可能因疫情重整，回歸良性競爭。 One industry insider stated that, despite the lockdowns and reduced number of travelers and flights during the pandemic, the industry is bullish about post-pandemic prospects for both freight and passenger travel in the flourishing Asian region. The insider added that a trend in “revenge travel” could cause short-haul routes to become particularly busy. 業者指出，雖然國境仍然封鎖，疫情期間每週班次不多，旅客也非常少，但看好疫情後亞洲旺盛的物流、人流，預估疫情趨緩後將出現「報復性出遊」，亞洲短程航線將會更繁忙。Source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2021/09/12/2003764205

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 最近天氣詭譎多變，各位通勤家族聽眾朋友們多多保重，小心別像John老師一樣感冒啦！ 本週的《Teacher's Lounge 幕後教師室》首先要恭喜社會人核心英語一二月份完課的五位朋友！ 接著John老師和阿鍵老師聊到了最近收到的消息，問我們學習的材料這麼多種，不確定要怎麼開始。 如果之前一直有聽節目的忠實聽眾，應該知道我們很愛用健身來比喻學習，不過本週吃貨朋友有福啦！我們要拿自助餐Buffet來比喻。 碰到不確定從什麼部分開始學習的人可以想想，如果你去吃到飽的自助餐，你是屬於吃不多但專挑喜歡的食物的人， 或者是你是什麼都想吃一點試試味道的人；而你的胃就像是你能控制的學習時間。 若你吃不多，但求精緻的Fine Dining。那麼你注重的是 Quality over quantity ，在選擇學習題材上就主要挑你喜歡的主題做深入學習即可。 而要是你什麼都想試試看味道，那你要確保自己是個大胃王才能塞得下囉。 換成學習來說就是你要有足夠的時間，而在學習的方式上也比較傾向 skimming & scanning & browse 的廣聽廣讀廣看。 今天這集的時間有限，如果對於以上提到的學習技巧有興趣，歡迎到FB/IG留言或私訊給John老師，我們可以在未來找機會安排解說喔！

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Reference article: https://www.elle.com/tw/life/hot-news/g46048153/2023-google-trend/ This week we look at the top Google searches of 2023 around the world and Taiwan! Lydia and Cariya join us on this episode of 15Mins Cafe to discuss the trending topics of 2023. This episode was recorded before Cariya went on leave, and we wish her all the best! For more digital market and internet related topics, please send in your member's requests and we will work on it for you! Want a shout out? Send us your shares and comments using the comment link and we'll give you a shout out in the next episode. Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 國際時事跟讀 Ep.K735: Berlin's No-Selfie Culture: Embracing Privacy and Liberation Highlights 主題摘要：Berlin's Privacy Culture: Berliners, influenced by a history of surveillance and a vibrant club scene, embrace privacy, avoiding selfies to preserve moments without constant digital documentation.Club Scene Impact: The renowned Berlin club scene, with establishments like Berghain, shapes the city's "no-selfie" culture, fostering an environment for counterculture movements to thrive.Globalization Influence: While globalization pressures professionals for online presence, Berliners maintain an aversion to public selfies, preserving the city's unique blend of privacy and liberation. In Berlin, a city where values of privacy, living in the moment, and counterculture thrive, the act of taking a selfie can be perceived as awkward. Despite the global selfie trend, Berliners tend to shy away from capturing moments with their phone cameras, considering it somewhat self-indulgent. This cultural nuance is deeply rooted in the city's history and its vibrant club scene, creating a unique atmosphere where people cherish the freedom to live in the moment without the need for constant digital documentation. 在柏林這座注重隱私、現場感和反主流文化價值的城市，自拍被視為一種尷尬的行為。儘管全球自拍風潮盛行，柏林人傾向於避免用手機拍攝紀錄，認為這有點自我沉迷。這種文化細微差異深植於城市的歷史和充滿活力的夜店文化，營造出一種獨特的氛圍，讓人們珍惜在當下生活的自由，無需不斷進行數位紀錄。 Berlin's privacy-oriented mindset is not a recent phenomenon. A 2017 study from the University of Hohenheim highlighted that Germans, in general, hold a high regard for personal privacy, disclosing personal information sparingly. This attitude extends to sharing photos on social networks, with only a small percentage finding it useful to do so, particularly among the younger demographic. The former East Germany's experience with state surveillance during the division may contribute to the heightened privacy concerns in the region. 在柏林，這種注重隱私的心態並非最近才出現。2017年一份來自霍恩海姆大學的研究強調，德國人普遍高度重視個人隱私，謹慎披露個人信息。這種態度延伸到在社群網路上分享照片，只有少數人認為這樣做是“有用”的，特別是在年輕人中。前東德在分裂期間對國家監視的經歷可能加劇了該地區對隱私的加重考量。 The city's renowned club scene, epitomized by establishments like Berghain, ://about blank, and Sisyphos, plays a significant role in shaping Berlin's "no-selfie" culture. These clubs discourage photography to maintain an air of secrecy and encourage patrons to revel in the moment, fostering an environment where counterculture movements, including LGBTQI+ communities and sex-positive groups, can thrive without judgment or external repercussions. This attitude extends beyond clubs, as other spaces in Berlin, such as the Badeschiff pool and post-war memorials, also prohibit or discourage photography for the sake of preserving the moment and respecting the space. 柏林著名的夜店文化，以Berghain、://about blank和Sisyphos等場所為代表，在形成柏林的“對自拍說不”文化中扮演了關鍵角色。這些夜店禁止攝影，以保持神秘感，鼓勵顧客沉浸在當下，培養了一種使非主流文化運動：包括LGBTQI+社群和性積極主義團體，能夠在不被評論和外部影響下成長茁壯的環境。這種態度不僅局限於夜店，柏林的其他空間，如Badeschiff游泳池和戰後紀念碑，也為了保留當下和尊重空間而禁止或反對攝影。 As globalization advances and influences seep into Berlin, there is speculation about the potential erosion of the city's distinct values. Privacy concerns within Germany are gradually aligning with global trends, and professionals, such as social influencers, feel the pressure to have an active online presence. However, many Berliners still find taking selfies in public awkward, and the city's unique blend of privacy and liberation remains a defining characteristic. Whether the increasing global influence will impact Berlin's aversion to selfies remains uncertain, but for now, the city continues to embrace its liberating attitude, allowing residents and visitors to enjoy moments without the pressure of constant digital documentation. 隨著全球化的推展和影響滲入柏林，人們猜測該城市的獨特價值觀可能會受到侵蝕。德國的隱私考量逐漸與全球趨勢一致，專業人士，如社群媒體網紅，有在線上活躍（固定）曝光的壓力。然而，許多柏林人仍然覺得在公共場合自拍很尷尬，城市獨特的隱私性和解放性的融合仍然是其鮮明特徵。全球影響力的不斷擴大是否會影響柏林對自拍的反感，這點尚未明確，但目前看來，這座城市仍傾向繼續擁抱自由的態度，讓居民和訪客能享受當下美好時光，沒有需要不斷進行數位紀錄的壓力。 Keyword Drills 關鍵字：Counterculture (coun-ter-cul-ture): In Berlin, a city where values of privacy, living in the moment, and counterculture thrive, the act of taking a selfie can be perceived as awkward.Epitomized (e-pi-to-mized): The city's renowned club scene, epitomized by establishments like Berghain, plays a significant role in shaping Berlin's "no-selfie" culture.Repercussions (re-per-cus-sions): Clubs discourage photography to avoid repercussions, fostering an environment for counterculture movements to thrive without judgment.Globalization (glo-bal-i-za-tion): As globalization advances and influences seep into Berlin, there is speculation about the potential erosion of the city's distinct values.Characteristic (cha-rac-ter-is-tic): Many Berliners still find taking selfies in public awkward, and the city's unique blend of privacy and liberation remains a defining characteristic. Reference article: https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20240115-the-european-city-where-selfies-are-awkward

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 2024年2月21日 · 15Mins英語咖啡館 It just keep getting better! After all the celebrations of the Lunar New Year holidays and Valentine's Day, we are going to celebrate by lighting the night! Patrick and I will discuss all things related to Lantern Festival, the history and trivia. And we will alsoi share three idioms about "light" with you. Want a shout out? Send us your shares and comments using the comment link and we'll give you a shout out in the next episode. Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Topic: A Monster Wind Turbine Is Upending an Industry Twirling above a strip of land at the mouth of Rotterdam's harbor is a wind turbine so large it is difficult to photograph. The turning diameter of its rotor is longer than two American football fields end to end. Later models will be taller than any building on the mainland of Western Europe. 鹿特丹港口一處狹長土地上，有座風力發電機在轉動，規模大到難以近距離拍攝，葉片旋轉直徑比兩座美式足球場接起來還長，日後更新版的風機將比西歐大陸上任何建物都高。 Packed with sensors gathering data on wind speeds, electricity output and stresses on its components, the giant whirling machine in the Netherlands is a test model for a new series of giant offshore wind turbines planned by General Electric. When assembled in arrays, the wind machines have the potential to power cities, supplanting the emissions-spewing coal- or natural gas-fired plants that form the backbones of many electric systems today. 這個位於荷蘭的巨型旋轉機器，是奇異公司所規畫新系列巨型離岸風機的測試模型，配備了收集風速、電力輸出及各零件所受應力數據的感應器。這些風機若以陣列布建，具備為城市供電的潛力，取代大量排放廢氣、組成當今許多發電系統骨幹的燃煤或燃氣發電廠。 GE has yet to install one of these machines in ocean water. As a relative newcomer to the offshore wind business, the company faces questions about how quickly and efficiently it can scale up production to build and install hundreds of the turbines. 奇異公司尚未在海上安裝此類機器。奇異在離岸風電業堪稱新兵，面臨的問題是，能多快、多有效地擴大生產規模，以建造並安裝數百座風機。 But already the giant turbines have turned heads in the industry. A top executive at the world's leading wind farm developer called it a “bit of a leapfrog over the latest technology.” And an analyst said the machine's size and advance sales had “shaken the industry.” 然而這種巨型風機已在業界引起轟動。全球頂尖風場開發商的一位高管稱其為「超越最新技術的一次飛躍」。一位分析師表示，這款機器的尺寸與預售量「撼動了整個產業」。 The prototype is the first of a generation of new machines that are about a third more powerful than the largest already in commercial service. As such, it is changing the business calculations of wind equipment makers, developers and investors. 這是新世代風機的第一個原型機，新世代風機功能比已在商業運轉的最大風機還要強三分之一左右。因此，它正在改變風力設備製造商、開發商與投資人的盤算。 The GE machines will have a generating capacity that would have been almost unimaginable a decade ago. A single one will be able to turn out 13 megawatts of power, enough to light up a town of roughly 12,000 homes. 奇異的風機將具有十年前幾乎無法想像的發電能力，一座就能產生13百萬瓦電力，足夠點亮約有1.2萬戶家庭的小鎮。 The turbine is capable of producing as much thrust as the four engines of a Boeing 747 jet, according to GE, and will be deployed at sea, where developers have learned that they can plant larger and more numerous turbines than on land to capture breezes that are stronger and more reliable. 奇異表示，這種風機能產生相當於波音747飛機四具引擎的推力，將部署在海上，開發商已經知道在海上能安裝比陸上更大也更多的風機，以捕捉更強也更可靠的風。 The race to build bigger turbines has moved faster than many industry figures foresaw. GE's Haliade-X generates almost 30 times more electricity than the first offshore machines installed off Denmark in 1991. 建造更大風機的競賽步調比許多業內人士預測的要快。奇異的Haliade-X風機，發電量幾乎是1991年安裝於丹麥近海的第一座離岸風機的30倍。 In coming years, customers are likely to demand even bigger machines, industry executives say. On the other hand, they predict that turbines will reach a point at which greater size no longer makes economic sense. 業界高層表示，未來幾年顧客很可能要求更大的機器。另一方面，他們預測，風機遲早會來到再大就不合經濟效益的時刻。 Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5180307 Next Article Topic: A Scary Energy Winter Is Coming. Don't Blame the Greens. Every so often the tectonic geopolitical plates that hold up the world economy suddenly shift in ways that can rattle and destabilize everything on the surface. That's happening right now in the energy sphere. 有時候，承載世界經濟的地緣政治板塊會突然移動，把地表每樣東西搖得嘎嘎作響。這種事現在就在能源領域發生。 Several forces are coming together that could make Vladimir Putin the king of Europe, enable Iran to thumb its nose at America and build an atomic bomb, and disrupt European power markets enough that the upcoming United Nations climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland, could suffer blackouts owing to too little clean energy. 有幾股勢力正在匯聚，能使俄國總統普亭成為歐洲之王，使伊朗有本錢不把美國放在眼裡，進而造出原子彈，並足以打亂歐洲能源市場，讓即將登場的英國蘇格蘭格拉斯哥聯合國氣候大會可能會因為潔淨能源太少而停電。 Yes, this is a big one. 沒錯，問題很大。 Natural gas and coal prices in Europe and Asia just hit their highest levels on record, oil prices in America hit a seven-year high and U.S. gasoline prices are up $1 a gallon from last year. If this winter is as bad as some experts predict — with some in the poor and middle classes unable to heat their homes — I fear we'll see a populist backlash to the whole climate/green movement. You can already smell that coming in Britain. 歐亞兩洲的天然氣和煤價剛剛達到史上最高，美國原油價格創七年新高，而汽油價格每加侖比去年上漲1美元。如果今年冬天跟一些專家預測的一樣糟，一些貧窮和中產階級人家負擔不起取暖費用，我擔心會出現針對整個氣候和綠能運動的民粹反彈。在英國已經可以嗅到這個跡象。 How did we get here? In truth, it's a good-news-bad-news story. 我們怎會走到這一步？其實，這是個好消息壞消息都有的故事。 The good news is that every major economy has signed onto reducing its carbon footprint by phasing out dirtier fuels like coal to heat homes and to power industries. The bad news is that most nations are doing it in totally uncoordinated ways, from the top down, and before the market has produced sufficient clean renewables like wind, solar and hydro. 好消息是，每個主要經濟體都已同意，透過逐步淘汰煤炭這類比較髒的燃料給家庭取暖和給產業供電，減少碳足跡。壞消息則是，多數國家這麼做的時候完全沒有互相協調，由上而下執行，而且市場還沒製造出足夠多的風力、太陽能和水力等清潔能源。 But how did the bad-news side of this story emerge so fast? 這個故事的壞消息面為何這麼快出現？ Blame COVID-19. First, the pandemic erupted and signaled to every major economy that we were headed for a deep recession. This sent prices of all kinds of commodities, including oil and gas, into downward spirals. 要怪新冠肺炎。首先，疫情爆發，對每個重要經濟體而言意味我們正走向深度衰退，使原油、天然氣等各類大宗商品價格走軟。 This, in turn, led banks to choke off investment in new natural gas capacity and crude wells after seven years of already declining investments in these hydrocarbons because of lousy returns. 這進而使銀行停止投資擴充天然氣產能和油井。銀行已減少投資這些碳氫化合物達七年，因為報酬率很差。 As Bill Gates points out in his smart book “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,” the only way to reach our climate targets is to shift production of all the big heavy industries, like steel, cement and automobiles, as well as how we heat our homes and power our cars, to electricity generated from clean energy. Safe and affordable nuclear power has to be part of our mix because, Gates argues, “it is the only carbon-free, scalable energy source that's available 24 hours a day.” 就像微軟創辦人蓋茲在他那本睿智的書「如何避免氣候災難」指出的，達成氣候目標的唯一方法是，改變所有重工業如鋼鐵、水泥、汽車業等的生產方式，以及我們在家取暖和為愛車提供動力的方式，轉而用潔淨能源發電。蓋茲主張必須接納安全可負擔的核能，因為「這是唯一不產生二氧化碳又能擴增的能源來源，每天24小時供應」。Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/5820545 Next Article Topic: Londoners are better off returning to the office as bills soar City of London workers looking to save money may want to embrace the office over winter as the cost of working from home soars alongside energy bills. 在家工作的成本隨著能源費用的飆升一起上漲，因此到了冬天，想要省錢的倫敦城上班族可能會希望進辦公室上班。 Those prepared to go into the office every day could save about €50 (US$60) per week in January 2023 if they can walk, run or cycle into their workplace. That's thanks to the money they've saved by not heating a home for the whole day, according to estimates by price comparison site Uswitch. 公室的人若可以走路、跑步或騎自行車到工作地點的話，在二○二三年一月，每週可節省約五十英鎊（六十美元）。根據價格比較網站Uswitch的估計，他們之所以省下這些錢，是因為家裡整天都不開暖氣。 Those working from home in January could expect to pay around €175 a week in energy costs and other incidentals included in Bloomberg's calculations such as buying in your own coffee, a freebie in many offices. The combined cost of energy bills — factoring in the lower consumption expected — and five return trips on the Tube from London's Zone 4 would be about €160 a week in January 2023, a €15 saving. 一月份在家工作的人預計每週要支付大約一百七十五英鎊的能源費用，以及彭博社所計算出的其他雜費，例如自費買咖啡——很多辦公室會免費供應咖啡。二○二三年一月能源帳單的總成本（以預期較低的花費計算），加上由倫敦第四區坐地鐵來上班來回五次，每週將花費約一百六十英鎊，因此跟在家工作相比，到辦公室上班節省了十五英鎊。 For those taking the bus, the total cost is about €140, a €35 weekly saving. In both cases, any rise in the cost of the commute will eat into those savings. 坐公車上班的人，總花費則約為一百四十英鎊，每週可節省三十五英鎊。在坐地鐵和公車這兩種情況下，任何通勤成本的增加都會消耗所省下的錢。 Uswitch estimates that the average monthly energy bill could hit €683 in January for home workers, compared to €492 for those heading to the office. It assumes remote workers use 25 percent more electricity and 75 percent more gas per day including from central heating. Uswitch估計，在家工作的人，一月份的平均能源費用可能會達到六百八十三英鎊，而到辦公室上班的人則為四百九十二英鎊。這是假設遠距上班的人每天多使用百分之二十五的電力，以及多百分之七十五的瓦斯，包括用於中央暖氣。 Coping Mechanism “People are going to be really struggling to heat their own homes and they are going to look for warmth in other places — we know that is a coping mechanism that people use, whether that is going to a public space, such as a library or a church maybe, or whether it's going to work when you usually would work from home” Matt Copeland, policy officer at National Energy Action said. “Those are the options people will consider and people will take to actually find warmth.” 因應機制 「要把自己家裡變暖將是難以負擔的窘境，所以人們會到其他地方取暖——我們知道這是一種因應機制，無論是去公共場所，比如圖書館或教堂，或是在你通常在家工作的時候到辦公室上班」，國家能源行動組織政策主管馬特‧科普蘭表示。「人們會考慮和採用這些選項，而實際上找到暖源」。 The incentive to come into the office is likely to be welcomed by some in the City of London, where finance bosses have been pushing for a return to the office. Right now less than half of workers in the UK's banking sector go into the office on an average day, and just 18 percent of insurance sector employees do so, according to a survey by consultancy Advanced Workplace Associates.準備每天去辦 對於這進辦公室的動機，倫敦城某些人可能會樂見其成。這些金融業老闆一直在推動員工重返辦公室。根據諮詢公司Advanced Workplace Associates的一項調查，目前英國銀行業平均只有不到一半的員工進辦公室上班，而保險業只有百分之十八的員工這麼做。source article: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang/archives/2022/08/23/2003783959

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- It's the last day of the 2024 Lunar New Year holidays and also a day celebrated in the West for lovers! Wish you a loving and memorable Valentine's Day! Today, Shimin will share an interesting song sang by the greats like Frank Sinatra and Rod Stewart. The song is called "My funny valentine". Although the lyrics seemed absurd at first, it is quite a romantic song. Check this song out and listen to what Shimin and I shared about our memorable Valentine's Day. Want a shout out? Send us your shares and comments using the comment link and we'll give you a shout out in the next episode. Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb VIP會員文章主題許願表單：https://forms.gle/xyHoPydBr6LLFL9q8 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- Hi guys, we're back with Lydia hosting this week's 15Mins Cafe. She brought something popular and interesting this week - the MBTI personality test. The MBTI has also caught up with the e-commerce space and online retailers and financial institutions are using the tests to improve relevance in their communication with their target audience. What is your MBTI personality type? Do you know the fullname of MBTI? Send us your comments using the comment link and we'll give you a shout out in the next episode. Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb VIP會員文章主題許願表單：https://forms.gle/xyHoPydBr6LLFL9q8 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 加入VIP訂閱！更多單集、學習筆記與加值內容等著你：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday Do you feel chilled this week? 這週你有感覺放鬆嗎？或是你凍壞了呢？這禮拜碰到寒流，好多地方甚至下雪啦！但John老師卻覺得心中暖暖的。 上週三的《15Mins Cafe 英語咖啡館》John老師和詩詩老師帶來了 Vincent 這首梵谷之歌，節目上有提到樂高Lego的Starry Night，沒想到有好幾位通勤家族的好朋友傳訊息來告訴我們哪裡有特價，甚至最後這盒星夜就這樣出現在家裡啦！這似乎就是我們常聽說的吸引力法則，許願力！ “The Law of Attraction says that you will attract into your life whatever you focus on. Whatever you give your energy and attention to will come back to you.” 吸引力法則說，你把注意力放在哪，就會吸引什麼進入生活。你在哪付出精力，就會帶什麼回到你身邊。所以樂高公司快來找我們（趁機許願）。 本週的《Teacher's Lounge 幕後教師室》還有提到社會人核心英語12月的完課榜，針對我們的VIP訂閱會員，更提供了《社會人核心英語》有聲書課程最新一波的折扣碼，訂閱戶們別錯過email的內容喔。 「社會人核心英語」完課榜這裡看：https://www.15mins.today/be-essentials

------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP加值內容與線上課程 ------------------------------- 通勤學英語VIP訂閱方案：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday VIP訂閱FAQ: https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/5cjptb VIP會員文章主題許願表單：https://forms.gle/xyHoPydBr6LLFL9q8 社會人核心英語有聲書課程連結：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/554esm ------------------------------- 15Mins.Today 相關連結 ------------------------------- 歡迎針對這一集留言你的想法： 留言連結 主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 官方網站：www.15mins.today 加入Clubhouse直播室：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k 訂閱YouTube頻道：https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/3rhuuy 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com ------------------------------- 以下是此單集逐字稿 (播放器有不同字數限制，完整文稿可到官網) ------------------------------- 想要這集的VIP學習筆記 (內含主題討論逐字稿、常用慣用語片語及同義字、聽力小測驗)？ 更多的加值內容就成為VIP會員：https://open.firstory.me/join/15minstoday This week we have a topic requested by one of our VIP members - Yenchen. Patrick and I look back in time and talk about the sportswear we used to love in our childhood. Many of us would get acquainted with sportswear brands in our school years and these brands become a big part of our identities. Brands are not made in a day, and most of them have stories that last forever. What's the story behind Adidas and Puma? Which brand is your favorite growing up? Write your comment down using the comment link and we'll give you a shout out in the next episode. Hope you will enjoy this episode with us as much as we enjoyed producing it! 更多15Mins Cafe節目: www.15mins.today/15mins-cafe 歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com 商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com