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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K436: About movies - 獨行俠超越鐵達尼號票房與綠野仙蹤

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K436: About movies - Top Gun: Maverick Flies Past Titanic as Paramount’s Highest-Grossing Movie at Domestic Box Office
 
Top Gun: Maverick has officially become Paramount Pictures’ highest-grossing movie in the United States and Canada, surpassing Titanic.
「捍衛戰士：獨行俠」，正式成為派拉蒙影業在美加地區最高票房電影，超過「鐵達尼號」。
While the 1997 romance-disaster epic technically racked up close to $660 million at the domestic box office including both its original run and several subsequent re-releases, it earned $600.8 million on its first run — a number that has now been surpassed by Maverick.
儘管這部1997年的浪漫災難鉅作包括首輪上映和之後幾次重新發行，在國內的實際票房累計達到接近6億6000萬美元，但該片首輪上映賺進6億零80萬美元—這個數字現在被「獨行俠」超越了。
The sequel to 1986’s Top Gun has raked in $601.9 million domestically to date since its May 27 release, according to Box Office Mojo.
根據票房統計網站「票房魔酒」，這部1986年電影「捍衛戰士」的續集，自5月27日上映至今，國內票房累積達6億零190萬美元。
Internationally, the action flick has earned $587.9 million, for a global total of $1.19 billion.
在國際市場，這部動作片已賺進5億8790萬美元，全球總票房為11億9000萬美元。
 
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’The Wizard of Oz’ Is the Most Influential Movie of All Time－《綠野仙蹤》是史上最具影響力電影
 
The Wizard of Oz is the most influential film of all time, followed by Star Wars, Psycho and King Kong, according to a study.
一項研究顯示，《綠野仙蹤》是史上最具影響力的電影，其次是《星際大戰》、《驚魂記》及《金剛》。
Researchers at the University of Turin in Italy calculated an influence score for 47,000 films listed in the internet movie database (IMDb). The results showed that the top 20 most influential films were all produced before 1980, mostly in the US.
義大利都靈大學研究人員計算4萬7000部電影的影響力評分，這些作品列於網路電影資料庫（IMDb）。結果顯示，最具影響力的20部電影，都是在1980年前製作，主要集中在美國。
The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland and premiered in 1939, topped the list. It has been referenced in almost 3000 other movies, including its iconic songs like Over The Rainbow, and its most famous line ’I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.’
1939年首映由茱蒂‧嘉蘭主演的《綠野仙蹤》高居榜首。該片在近3000部其他電影中被引用，包括〈彩虹之上〉等經典歌曲，以及最著名的台詞「我有預感，我們已經不在堪薩斯州了。」
Applying the same algorithm to actors, it found that Samuel Jackson, Clint Eastwood and Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Wayne made up the top five.
這項研究對演員應用相同的演算法，發現山繆傑克森、克林伊斯威特、湯姆克魯斯、阿諾史瓦辛格及約翰韋恩為最具影響力的五大演員。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1537363 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1256544

精選詞彙播客 Vocab Ep.136: 花生不是堅果？食物與名字毫無相關的冷知識 Peanut is not a nut - Food that has nothing to do with its name

Summary:
Around the world, there are many foods that has nothing to do with their names. Some are based on place, and some are based on the food paired. In this episode, Angel and I chat about food trivia and go through the foods that have nothing to do with their names. Do you know of any foods like that Comment down below!
 
Vocabulary:
Trivia n. 不重要的知識/冷知識
Food trivia can be used as an interesting conversation starter. 食物相關冷知識可以當作開啟話題的有趣議題。
Filling n. 內餡/填充物
Sun cake does not come from the sun and has no sun as its filling. 太陽餅不是從太陽來的，也不是把太陽當內餡。
Pomme frites n. 炸薯條(比利時)
Pomme frites are just plain fries with a Belgian origin. Pomme frites是緣起比利時的炸薯條。
 
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每日英語跟讀 Ep.K434: 疫後明星重返舞台 觀眾仍未回座

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K434: Stars Return to Fill the Stage, But Gaze at Many Empty Seats
 
Patti LuPone, Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig came back to Broadway. Dancers filled stages, symphonies reverberated in concert halls and international theater companies returned to American stages.
佩蒂盧彭、休傑克曼、丹尼爾克雷格回到百老匯。舞者登上舞台，交響樂在音樂廳內迴盪，國際劇團重返美國舞台。
The resumption of live performance after the long pandemic shutdown brought plenty to cheer about over the past year. But from regional theaters to Broadway, and from local orchestras to grand opera houses, performing arts organizations are reporting persistent drops in attendance.
經歷長時間疫情封鎖後，現場演出得以恢復，這在過去一年裡帶來很多歡呼，但從地方劇院到百老匯，從地方管弦樂隊到大型歌劇院，演藝組織均報告說，觀眾人數持續下滑。
Many presenters anticipate that the softer box office will extend into the upcoming season and perhaps beyond. And some fear that the virus is accelerating long-term trends that have troubled arts organizations for years, including softer ticket sales for many classical music events, the decline of the subscription model for selling tickets at many performing arts organizations, and the increasing tendency among consumers to purchase tickets at the last minute.
許多出品人預期，疲弱票房將延續到下一季，甚至更久。一些人擔心，病毒正讓困擾藝術機構多年的長期趨勢加速，包括許多古典音樂活動門票銷售疲軟，許多演藝團體銷售門票的訂閱模式正逐步下滑，以及消費者愈來愈傾向於最後一刻購票。
The concert industry, which attracts younger patrons than many other performing arts sectors, has been a real bright spot. Live Nation, the global concert giant, recently reported that it had sold 100 million tickets for the full year, more than in 2019.
與其他表演藝術領域相比，吸引更年輕顧客的演唱會產業一直是個真正亮點。全球演唱會產業龍頭Live Nation近來公布財報表示，該公司全年賣出1億張門票，比2019年多。
But scattered hits and crowded concerts can distract from the reality that, for most classical and theatrical institutions and shows, attendance is down, ticket prices are depressed, productions are fewer, and memberships or subscriptions have fallen.
然而，零星的叫座演出和擁擠的演唱會，可能會分散人們對現實的注意力。對大多數古典和戲劇單位及秀場來說，觀眾數下跌、票價下降、製作減少、會員或訂閱人數下滑。
Broadway offers the most obvious (and stark) evidence of diminished attendance and its economic consequences. During the 2021-22 season, which started slow and late as the industry gradually reopened, there were 6,860 performances seen by 6.7 million people, grossing $845 million. By contrast, during the 2018-19 season, the last full season before the pandemic, there were 13,590 performances seen by 14.8 million people, grossing $1.8 billion.
百老匯提供了最明顯（且赤裸裸）的證據，證明觀眾減少及其造成的經濟後果。由於這個產業緩步重啟，2021至22演出季較慢且較晚開始，這一季有6860場演出，670萬人觀看，票房收入8.45億美元。相較之下，2018至19年，也就是疫情爆發前最後一個完整演出季，共有1萬3590場演出，1480萬人觀看，票房收入18億美元。
Even far from Broadway, numbers are mostly down.
即便在遠離百老匯的地方，數字也大多是下滑的。
“I’d be a liar if I said I was happy,” said Brian Kelsey, managing director of Peninsula Players Theatre in Door County, Wisconsin. “I don’t know if people are out of the habit or unaware or if the clientele that had come is now more interested in outdoor beer gardens, I just know that we’re definitely seeing a downturn.”
威斯康辛州多爾郡半島演員劇院總經理布萊恩．凱爾西表示：「如果我說我很高興，那我就是在說謊。我不知道人們是出於習慣還是沒意識到，還是曾來過的客人現在對戶外啤酒花園更感興趣，我只知道我們絕對見證了景氣低迷。」Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6584988

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K433: 加州最後一座核電廠前途未卜

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K433: The Future of California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant
 
At a gathering of nuclear professionals and enthusiasts in Anaheim, California, a couple of months ago, the tenor of the conversations about the Diablo Canyon Power Plant — California’s last operating nuclear reactor — turned inconceivably hopeful.
數月前，在加州安那罕一場核專業人士與愛好者的聚會上，關於加州最後一座正在運行的核電廠魔鬼谷電廠的討論基調，變得不可思議地充滿希望。
The American Nuclear Society’s convention, held for four days in the shadow of Mickey Mouse, could not have picked a better venue to uplift spirits. And no one flashed a bigger grin than Gene Nelson, a standout not just for his towering height but also for his signature headbands and his yearslong campaign to keep Diablo Canyon running beyond a planned shutdown by the end of 2025.
這場在米老鼠陰影下舉行4天的美國核子學會大會，沒有比這更好的地方來振奮精神。沒有人比吉恩．尼爾森笑得更開心了。他引人注目，不只因為高大的身材，還有他的招牌髮帶，以及他多年來一直努力，希望讓預計2025年底關閉的魔鬼谷電廠能持續運轉。
“I thought our chances were zero,” Nelson, a government liaison for Californians for Green Nuclear Power, told the conference attendees about the effort to maintain nuclear power in the state. “What has happened since then, it’s been like a snowball.”
尼爾森是「加州人挺綠色核能」組織的政府聯絡員，他向與會者報告加州維持核能的行動說：「我還以為我們沒機會了，從那之後發生的事情就像滾雪球一樣。」
Pushing that snowball is Gov. Gavin Newsom. Although it seemed improbable that Diablo Canyon’s supporters could overcome the numerous challenges to maintain the plant’s operations, a lot has changed and those hurdles appear to be getting swallowed up in the growing clean energy movement.
推動這個雪球的是州長紐森。儘管魔鬼谷的支持者似乎不太可能克服眾多挑戰來維持電廠運作，但很多事情已發生變化，而且那些障礙顯然正被日益增長的清潔能源運動消除。
Last month, Newsom proposed a measure that would provide a forgivable loan of $1.4 billion to the plant’s owner to help resolve permitting, licensing and cost issues. The California Assembly would need to pass the legislation and have it signed in September to make the whole idea possible.
上個月，紐森提出一項措施，將向電廠擁有者提供14億美元可免除貸款，幫忙解決許可、發照及成本問題。加州議會將必須透過這項立法，並於9月簽署，才能讓整個想法成為可能。
In addition, the U.S. Energy Department made $6 billion available to nuclear plant owners to help keep existing facilities operating.
此外，美國能源部向核電廠擁有者提供60億美元，協助維持現有設施運作。
Gunda presented during a public conversation last month about the prospect of continuing the operations at Diablo, which produces about 9% of the state’s electricity.
上月一次公開談話中，加州能源委員會成員之一席瓦．岡達談及魔鬼谷繼續運作的前景。魔鬼谷發電量約占該州發電量的9%。
Even authors of a Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology report supporting the extension of Diablo Canyon noted that one of the two units had to be taken offline in 2020, the last time California experienced rolling blackouts. That has prompted some to urge caution.
就連史丹福大學和麻省理工學院一份支持魔鬼谷延役報告的作者也指出，兩座機組其中之一在2020年必須停機時，就是加州最近一次經歷輪流停電之時。這促使一些人呼籲要謹慎行事。
“I was a little bit heartbroken by the governor’s proposal,” said Najmedin Meshkati, an engineering professor at the University of Southern California who has inspected many nuclear plants throughout the world. “The word safety is only mentioned once in passing. They really need to bend over backward and go the extra mile to ensure the safety and reliability issues.”
曾赴世界許多核電廠視察的南加大工程學教授納吉米丁．梅許卡蒂說：「州長的提議讓我有點心碎。安全這個字只順便提到一次。他們真的必須盡力且付出更多努力，來確保安全性和可靠性的問題。」Source article: https://udn.com/news/story/6904/6584967

回顧星期天LBS - 能源相關時事趣聞 All about energy

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
 
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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
 
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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

15Mins Live Podcast - 英語慣用語系列 – 上學相關慣用語 School and Studying related Idioms

即刻加入15Mins通勤學英語直播室，每週一9pm等你來說英文 : https://15minsengcafe.pse.is/46hm8k
 
PUT / GET YOUR THINKING CAP ON 認真思考To engage your mind and think in a serious manner.
We need to figure out how we’re going to solve this problem. So, let’s put our thinking caps on!
DRAW A BLANK ㄧ無所獲，毫無回應To fail to get an answer or result / to fail to remember something.
He asked me for my phone number and I drew a blank - I just couldn't remember it.
COVER A LOT OF GROUND涉及面廣When a lot of work needs to be completed. If there is a lot of research to be done, or material to get through.
Our team have done so well over the past two weeks, we’ve managed to cover so much ground that I feel this programme may be ready by the end of this month!
We have to complete our research within the next month. We still have a lot of ground to cover, and I fear we may not get everything done in time.
 
LEARN (SOMETHING) BY HEART / OFF BY HEART背起來To memorise something so well, that it can be written or recited without thinking.
I can’t believe you learnt the whole Macbeth play by heart! Well done!
She learnt all the compositions by Beethoven off by heart!
 
SCHOOL SOMEONE IN SOMETHING 教育某人某事To train, discipline or coach someone in something.
She schooled her brother in patience.
 
CUT CLASS / PLAY HOOKY / SKIP CLASS 翹課When someone does not go to their lessons.
David has been cutting class again; I haven’t seen him in any of our French lessons for the past week!
They played hooky at college so they could be first in line for the concert tickets.
The teacher told his parents that he’d been skipping classes! He’s not allowed to go out with us now.
 
練習時間:
請使用二到三個慣用語來分享自身校園/學習體驗
Use two to three idioms to share a story about your schooling or studies.

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K432: About SKorea - 貓引發多起住宅火災與銀髮海嘯

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K432: About SKorea - Cats caused more than 100 house fires in the past 3 years, South Korea officials say
 
Pet owners in South Korea have been warned to stay on their guard after more than 100 fires were started by cats over the past three years, according to fire officials in the capital Seoul.
南韓首都首爾的消防官員表示，貓在過去3年引發超過100起火災，警告寵物飼主保持警覺。
A statement Thursday from the Seoul Metropolitan Fire and Disaster Department said cats caused a total of 107 house fires between January 2019 and November 2021.
首爾大都會消防與災難部門週四發表的一份聲明說，從2019年1月到2021年11月，貓總共引發107起住宅火災。
The cats are believed to have started the fires by switching on electric stoves, the department said. Cats can turn electric stoves on by jumping on touch-sensitive buttons – and once overheated, the appliances can catch fire.
該部門說，據信是貓打開電爐開關而引發火災。貓能夠藉由跳上觸動感應式按鈕而打開電爐──而電爐一旦過熱，就會起火。
Four people were injured in the fires, just over half of which started while pet owners were out, the statement added.
該聲明補充說，這些火災中有4人受傷，其中過半數火災發生於飼主不在家之際。
 
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’Silver tsunami’ threatens to wipe out S. Korean rural communities 「銀色海嘯」恐令南韓偏鄉社區滅村
 
By 2030, a quarter of all South Koreans will be over 65 years old, and the overall population is expected to peak at around 52 million the same year before entering a period of steady decline.
2030年前，南韓總人口的4分之1，年齡將逾65歲，在進入穩定減少期前，總人口預計同年達高峰，約5200萬人。
Nestled among mountains and known for its mushrooms and apples, Gunwi county boasted a population of more than 70,000 in the 1980s. That number now stands at 24,000 with nearly 40 percent over 65 years old － one of the highest ratios in South Korea.
（慶尚北道）軍威郡坐落在群山間，以蘑菇和蘋果聞名，1980年代曾擁有7萬多名人口。目前人口為2萬4000，近4成人口逾65歲，係全南韓比例最高的地方之一。
Childbirth has become so rare that there isn’t a single obstetrician or maternity ward in the entire county, and more than 20 elementary, middle and high schools have closed since the 1990s. South Korea has a fertility rate of 1.19 births per woman － the lowest among OECD member nations.
因出生率太低，導致整個軍威郡沒有任何婦產科醫師或產房，且自1990年代以來，20幾間小學、中學及高中已廢校。南韓每名婦女的生育率為1.19個孩子，在經濟合作暨發展組織（OECD）會員國中墊底。
Gunwi officials have done what they can to rejuvenate the county, offering free school lunches and cash incentives for couples having a third child. The central government has launched similar schemes across the country, pumping more than 80 trillion won since 2006 into programmes aimed at encouraging people to marry young and have larger families, according to health ministry data.
為讓軍威郡年輕化，當地官員已盡其所能，提供免費的學校營養午餐和發放現金獎勵予生第三胎的夫妻。根據南韓保健福祉部數據，中央政府已在全國實施類似方案，自2006年以來對該計畫挹注逾80兆韓元，旨在鼓勵民眾早點結婚，並組織較大的家庭。Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1535135 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1014153

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K431: About the Philippines - 美人魚次文化與速食店玩具收藏家

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K431: About the Philippines - Growing ‘mermaiding’ subculture makes a splash
 
There was a pivotal moment in Queen Pangke Tabora’s life that eclipsed all others: It was the moment, she says, when she first slid her legs into a mermaid tail.
在潘奇．塔波拉皇后的生命中，有一個關鍵時刻令其它時刻都黯然失色：她說，就是當她第一次把雙腳滑進一個美人魚尾巴的時刻。
For the transgender Filipina woman approaching middle age, seeing her legs encased in vibrant, scaly-looking neoprene three years ago was the realization of a childhood dream. And it marked the beginning of her immersion into a watery world where she would find acceptance.
對這位即將步入中年的菲律賓跨性別女性來說，三年前看到她的雙腿被包覆在充滿活力、鱗片狀的紐普韌橡膠中，是兒時夢想的實現。代表著她開始沉浸在一個自己能夠獲得接受的水世界。
The former insurance company worker described the experience of gliding under water, half-human and half-fish, as “meditation in motion.”“The feeling was mermai-zing,”Tabora said one recent morning while lounging in a fiery red tail on a rocky beach south of Manila, where she now teaches mermaiding and freediving full-time.
這位保險公司前員工把在水下滑行、半人半魚的經驗描述成「運動中的冥想」。最近一個早晨在馬尼拉南方一處礁石海灘休息時，身著火紅魚尾服的塔波拉說，「這種美人魚的感覺太驚人了」，她在這裡全職教授如何像美人魚般游泳和自由潛水。
In recent years, a growing number have gleefully flocked to mermaid conventions and competitions, formed local groups called“pods,” launched mermaid magazines and poured their savings into a multimillion-dollar mermaid tail industry.
在最近幾年，越來越多人歡喜地湧向美人魚大會和競賽，形成各個叫做「pods」的地方團體，發行美人魚雜誌，把他們的積蓄投入這個價值數百萬美元的美人魚尾巴行業。
 
Next Article
 
Philippine collector amasses super-sized collection of fast-food restaurant toys 菲律賓收藏家蒐集極大量速食餐廳玩具
 
From the age of 5, Filipino graphic artist Percival Lugue has had a passion for collecting toys from fast-food restaurant chains like McDonald’s, Burger King and home-country favorite Jollibee.
菲律賓平面設計師帕西瓦爾‧魯格，從5歲開始就滿腔熱血地蒐集麥當勞、漢堡王及當地人最愛的快樂蜂等速食連鎖餐廳的玩具。
Now, the 50-year-old has about 20,000 toys packed from floor to ceiling in his home and holds a Guinness World Record from 2014, when his collection reached more than 10,000 items.
現在，50歲的魯格擁有約2萬組玩具，在家裡從地板堆到天花板，且2014年起持續保持金氏世界紀錄，當時他收藏的玩具已超過1萬組。
Lugue built his home especially to house his collection. He likens the excitement that getting new toys gives him to Christmas morning. "The toy is like a storyteller in itself."
魯格蓋了自己的房子就是為了放藏品，他把得到新玩具的興奮感比擬成耶誕節早晨，「玩具本身就像個說故事的人。」
While most of his toys were obtained through personal purchases, some were donated by friends and family.
儘管大部分玩具都是他自己花錢買的，但也有朋友和家人送的。
His dream now is to eventually put his collection on display for the public or even open a museum to "give others a chance to revisit their own childhood memories."
他現在的夢想是，最終可以向大眾展示他的藏品，甚至開一間博物館，「讓其他人有機會重溫自己的童年記憶。」Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1529024 ; https://news.ltn.com.tw/news/world/paper/1464916

精選詞彙播客 Vocab Ep.135: 社群媒體與選舉 Elections and social media

Pubu飽讀電子書 通勤家族獨家優惠：點此享有訂閱優惠
Pubu 「飽讀電子書方案」，英語學習雜誌的Netflix！只要每日不到3塊錢就可以讓你把書店裡的熱門英文雜誌像CNN互動英文、空中美語、長春藤、LiveABC等都讀到飽！無限暢讀，把你的學習一站隨身帶著走～
Pubu平台重點特色：
熱門雜誌、暢銷書籍應有盡有
書籍類別保括英語學習、財經、新聞、時尚、親子
語音功能能將電子書變成有聲書
一個帳號可以登入七個裝置
馬上把學習一站隨身帶著走：點此享有通勤學英語 X Pubu飽讀優惠
 
即日起到2022/09/30 申辦半年或年方案，Pubu會加碼送:
福利1: 送購書金$50，購書即可立享折扣!!
福利2: 申辦年方案， 可以再抽五台P47 耳罩式藍牙耳機。
 
Summary:
Election season is around the corner in Taiwan. This time, we would have to elect our mayors and city councilman. The US, with the mid-terms coming up, is bracing for the social media hype. Social media platforms, since the last election, is now cracking down on misinformation and regulating political advertising. In this episode, Angel and I chat about what the platforms are doing to regulate political ads. Have you seen any political ads and campaign information on your social media platform? Comment down below!
 
Vocabulary:
Municipal election 直轄市長選舉
The municipal election and local election will take place on November 22nd this year. 直轄市與地方選舉會在11月22日舉行。
Sponsored ads / Paid ads 贊助商廣告/付費廣告
Social media platforms are required to mark politically sponsored ads. 社群媒體平台必須標示有政治贊助的廣告。
Clickbait n. 釣魚文
Content farms often use clickbait headlines to get more clicks. 內容農場常常使用釣魚文標題來增加更多點擊。
 
更多Vocab Podcast節目: https://www.15mins.today/vocab
歡迎主題投稿/意見回覆 : ask15mins@gmail.com
商業合作/贊助來信：15minstoday@gmail.com

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K430: 恐龍時代可能在春天結束

每日英語跟讀 Ep.K430: The Dinosaur Age May Have Ended in Springtime
 
The dinosaur-killing meteor hit in spring.
殺死恐龍的流星是在春天撞擊地球。
That is the conclusion of scientists who examined the bones of fish that died on that day when a 6-mile-wide asteroid collided with Earth.
這是科學家們研究一顆6英里寬小行星撞上地球當天死亡的魚骨，得出的結論。
“These fishes died in spring,” said Melanie During, a graduate student at Uppsala University in Sweden and lead author of a paper published in the journal Nature. “The reign of dinosaurs ended in spring.”
一篇發表於《自然》期刊論文的主作者、瑞典烏普薩拉大學研究生梅勒妮．杜林說：「這些魚在春天死亡，恐龍的統治在春天結束。」
Scientists have known when the meteor hit — just over 66 million years ago, give or take 11,000 years — and where it hit, off the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico. That ended the Cretaceous period of Earth’s geological history, but even though three-quarters or more of the species of plants and animals disappeared in the mass extinction that followed, it has been hard to pinpoint fossils of anything directly killed by the meteor.
科學家們已經知道這顆流星撞擊時間，大約在6600萬年前，誤差頂多11,000年，撞擊地點則在墨西哥猶加敦半島。這起事件結束了地球地質史的白堊紀時期，但儘管四分之三或更多動植物物種在隨後的大滅絕中消失，卻很難精確找到被流星直接殺死的化石。
But in 2019, paleontologists published the discovery in southwestern North Dakota of what appeared to be a mass graveyard of creatures that died hours or days after the impact. Although North Dakota was about 2,000 miles from where the meteor hit, the seismic waves of what was the equivalent of an earthquake with a magnitude of 10 or 11 sloshed water out of the lakes and rivers and killed the fish. Tektites — small glass beads propelled into the air by the impact — rained from the skies.
但在2019年，古生物學家公布一項在北達科他州西南部的發現，當地似乎是一個在撞擊幾小時或幾天後的生物集體墓地。雖然北達科他州離隕石撞擊地約2000英里，但相當於規模10或11的地震波，讓湖水和河水濺出，殺死了魚類。被沖擊拋至空中的小玻璃珠狀玻璃隕石從天而降。
The researchers spent years exploring the site, known as Tanis, which is in the fossil-rich Hell Creek formation that stretches across four states.
研究人員花了數年時間探索這個被稱為塔尼斯的遺址，當地位在橫跨4個州、富含化石的地獄溪地層中。
With the new science results, the fossils now provide insight into the cataclysm that was previously impossible to discern.
有了新的科學成果，這些化石如今讓我們了解到以前無法辨識出的大災難資訊。
“It’s amazing that we can take an event, a single moment that happened 66 million years ago — literally a rock falling down and in an instant striking the Earth — and we can pinpoint that event to a particular time of the year,” said Stephen L. Brusatte, a paleontologist at the University of Edinburgh who was not involved in the research. “I think it’s a detective story of the highest caliber.”
未參與研究的愛丁堡大學古生物學家布魯塞特說：「太棒了，我們可將一個發生在6600萬年前某個時刻的事件，即岩石墜落與瞬間撞擊，確認是在一年中的某個特定時間。我認為這是一部最高水準的偵探小說。」
Animals in the Northern Hemisphere — some emerging from hibernation or giving birth to young — might have been more vulnerable to extinction. “If it was spring, then it was not very likely for many organisms to be in hibernation,” During said.
北半球動物有些剛從冬眠中甦醒或剛生下後代，可能更容易滅絕。杜林說：「如果是春天，那麼很多生物不太可能處於冬眠狀態。」