A closer look 說古論今
Turkmens have always been nomads. Each group of nomads has its own dialect, clothing and religious beliefs. They are famous for the rugs that they make, which for some people provide a large portion of the family income. Like the customs of the nomadic groups, the rugs vary depending on which group made them. Perhaps one of the few common traits among all the people of Turkmenistan is that although the official language is Turkmen, almost everyone speaks Russian, even people far removed from the cities. Russian is useful for communication between groups that speak different dialects.
Life in Turkmenistan can be difficult. The people have traditionally lived in the country's deserts, and have been reluctant to move to the cities. Turkmenistan has large natural gas and oil resources, but during the 1990s it was forced to concentrate on exporting cotton because Russia would not help export the gas. Today, 50 percent of the land that can be used for farming in Turkmenistan is planted with cotton.
PHOTO: AFP
Life outside the cities was made even harder in February of 2005 when Turkmenistan's president, Saparmurat Niyazov, decided to close all the hospitals in the country outside of the capital, Ashgabat. He said that if anybody became sick, he or she could just come to the capital. He also ordered that all public libraries outside of the cities be closed, saying that people in rural areas don't read. In 1999, he was named president for life. (Taipei Times)
土庫曼人向來是遊牧民族。每一個遊牧族群都有自己的方言、衣著服飾與宗教信仰。他們的手工地毯聞名遐邇，是某些家庭收入的主要來源。如同遊牧族群的風俗各異，這些地毯的風格也依據各族群各異。土庫曼人少數共通點之一就是，雖然官方語言為土庫曼語，但幾乎所有人都講俄語，即便是遠從城市移居而來的人也如此。不同方言的各族群溝通時，俄語就派上用場。
在土庫曼生活艱難。土庫曼人傳統生活於沙漠地帶，一直不願移居到城市。土庫曼人擁有大量的天然氣與石油資源，不過一九九○年代由於俄羅斯不願協助其出口天然氣，被迫將重心放在棉花出口上。目前土庫曼有五成的農業用地種植棉花。
二○○五年二月，土庫曼總統尼亞佐夫決定關閉首都阿什哈巴特以外的所有醫院，讓城市外的生活更加困難。他表示，假如有人生病，只要到首都就醫即可。他認為鄉村地區的人民並不閱讀，下令城市以外的公立圖書館關門。一九九九年，尼亞佐夫被任命為終身職的總統。 （翻譯：賴美君）
When it comes to movies, some people delight in watching spine-chilling horror films. Surprisingly, apart from containing a few scares, horror movies may also offer an unexpected __1__. According to a study, watching 90 minutes of a scary movie can burn an average of 113 calories, which is roughly __2__ to taking a 30-minute walk. Researchers from the University of Westminster carried out an experiment in which they __3__ participants’ oxygen intake, carbon dioxide output, and heart rates while they were watching horror movies without any distractions. The results revealed that physiological responses to fear play a crucial role
Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 Echo pulled out a worn and tattered shoe box under father’s large oak desk. “Mariko, what should we do with these family photos?” Mariko stared at the old box with a slightly hurt expression, and then blankly at the photos. “Throw them in the garbage pile. . . along with that old, ratty box,” she murmured. She resented that her father had not cared enough to find a nicer home for the family photos. “Father never really cared about me anyway.” Echo’s emotion sensor detected sorrow. ”Mariko, that is
In the vast landscapes of Australia, a unique and charming creature roams — the “wombat.” These round, adorable animals possess surprising abilities and fascinating traits that never fail to amaze. Let’s explore the world of this remarkable creature. Wombats are marsupials native to Australia, measuring around one meter in length and weighing between 20 and 35kg. Their fur varies in color, ranging from brown to gray to black. As herbivores, they primarily feed on grass, bark and roots. To adapt to Australia’s weather conditions, wombats have developed a slow metabolism and a leisurely pace. However, despite their bulky appearance,
Dos & Don’ts — 想想看，這句話英語該怎麼說？ 1. 你覺得這部電影怎樣？ ˇ What do you think of the movie? χ How do you like the movie? χ How do you think of the movie? 註︰What do you think of ＝ What is your opinion of。 think 的受詞是 what，不能用 how。 2. 你認為哪一個歌星唱得最好？ ˇ Which singer do you think is the best? χ Do you think which singer is the best? 註︰英語中 which singer 似乎是 do you think 的受詞，實則 do you think 是插入語，其他例子如下： 你以為他喜歡誰？ Who do you think he likes? 你以為我住在哪裏？ Where do you think I live? 你想我昨天在公園裏碰到了誰？ Whom/Who do you think I met in the park yesterday? 3. 他不論到什麼地方，總是帶著一把雨傘。 ˇ No matter where he goes, he
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