Health officials want to turn the scantily clad women who sell betel nuts at stands along Taiwan's roadways into anti-AIDS campaigners.
Betel nuts, chewed as a mild stimulant, are popular among truck and taxi drivers — and vendors often compete by staffing roadside sales booths with young women in bikinis, translucent blouses or nurses' uniforms with miniskirts.
The government plans to have the women give their customers boxes containing condoms and an AIDS warning, Yang Shih-yang, an official at the Center for Disease Control, said on Apr. 7.
PHOTO: LIN ZHI-QING, TAIPEI TIMES
"Research done from Africa to Himalayan countries has proved one thing: The AIDS virus is spread along the highways," Yang said.
He was apparently referring to truckers and cab drivers engaging in prostitution or sex with multiple partners.
However, Yang said the plan is still under study because authorities do not want the act to accidentally promote the sale and chewing of betel nuts — which many physicians say could cause cancer.
In recent years, the provocatively dressed roadside saleswomen called "betel nut beauties" have become part of Taiwanese culture.
Several of the saleswomen, interviewed recently by Sanli Cable News, dismissed the anti-AIDS proposal as too sexually suggestive, and said it could expose them to risk of assault.
The plan "might give people wild thoughts," said one, whose name was not given.
Officials say AIDS cases have been rising by about 3,000 a year in Taiwan.
In an attempt to contain the spread of the HIV virus, authorities recently began a program under which convenience stores distribute free needles for drug addicts. (AP)
衛生官員希望能讓台灣路邊檳榔攤穿著清涼的檳榔西施，化身反愛滋人士。
嚼起來有如興奮劑的檳榔，廣受卡車與計程車司機歡迎，商家往往在路邊檳榔攤雇用年輕女性員工，讓她們穿著比基尼、若隱若現的罩衫或裙子超短的護士服來搶生意。
疾病管制局組長楊世仰四月七日表示，政府計畫請這些女性發給顧客內附保險套並印上愛滋警語的檳榔盒。
楊世仰說︰「從非洲到喜馬拉雅山的國外研究都發現︰愛滋病毒沿著公路蔓延。」
他顯然是暗指嫖妓或有多重性伴侶的卡車與計程車司機。
不過，楊世仰說由於政府不希望這項行動意外促銷檳榔與嚼檳榔，計畫仍在研究階段。許多醫師指出檳榔會致癌。
穿著清涼養眼、在路邊賣檳榔的女性銷售員近幾年來被稱為「檳榔西施」，已成為台灣文化之一。
最近接受三立新聞採訪的幾位賣檳榔女性，都認為這項反愛滋計畫有過多的性暗示，可能會讓自己冒上性侵害風險。
其中一位匿名者表示，這項計畫「可能讓人產生瘋狂聯想」。
官員表示，台灣一年已增加三千個愛滋病例。
為了抑制愛滋病毒傳播，官員最近已展開便利商店免費發放針頭，供毒癮者使用的計畫。
（美聯社／翻譯：賴美君）
SAY WHAT? 說說看
under study 研究中
If a plan is under study, then it is being reviewed and does not have final approval. Phrases with a similar meaning include under review and under consideration. You can also say something is being studied, is being reviewed or is being considered. "We really like your proposal for a new park in this neighborhood, but there are lots of complicated issues involved. At this time, your plan is still under review, but we'll tell you as soon as we have made a decision."
An understudy is an actor who prepares as backup in case another actor can't perform.
假如一項計畫正「under study」，即指正在研究中，尚未獲得最後批准。類似的片語還有「under review」與「under consideration」。你也可以說某件事「is being studied」、「is being reviewed」或「is being considered」。例如︰「我們真的很喜歡你在社區打造新公園的計畫，但還牽涉到許多複雜問題。目前你的計畫仍在評估中，但我們決議後會儘快通知你」。
一個「understudy」就是替角演員，以免另一名演員無法登台表演。
OUT LOUD 對話練習
Peggy: Hey! On my way over here, I passed a betel nut stand.
Kristen: See anything unusual?
Peggy: Well, I noticed the vendors are handing out condoms and an AIDS warning.
Kristen: That's news to me. I'd also say it sounds like a good plan.
Peggy: Yeah, it complements the needle distribution program too.
佩姬︰嘿！我來這裡的路上經過一處檳榔攤。
克莉絲坦︰有什麼不尋常的嗎？
佩姬︰我注意到小販在發送保險套與愛滋標語。
克莉絲坦︰挺新鮮的。我認為聽起來是個好主意。
佩姬︰是啊，它還配合發送針頭的計畫。
news to someone 挺新鮮的，沒聽說過
If something is news to you, than you didn't know it before. "Sarah is getting married?! That's news to me! When's the wedding?"
假如有事情「news to you」，你從未聽過這種事。例如︰「莎拉要結婚了！我居然不知道！婚禮是什麼時候？」
A: Hey, didn’t you go to the opening of the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang last week? B: Yeah, there are about 300 shops, including the first overseas branch of Japan’s Mahou Dokoro — a famous Harry Potter-themed store. A: Wow, I’ve always wanted to get a magic wand. B: There are also a bunch of great restaurants, such as Smart Fish hotpot restaurant. A: I wish I had Harry Potter’s “apparition” and “disapparition” magic, so I could teleport to the mall right now. A: 你上週不是有去LaLaport南港的盛大開幕嗎？有什麼特別的？ B: 那裡有多達300家專櫃，包括魔法之地的海外首店——它可是日本知名的《哈利波特》專賣店。 A: 哇我一直想買根魔杖。 B: 另外還有各式各樣的美食，像是林聰明沙鍋魚頭。 A: 真希望我也有哈利波特的「現影術／消影術」魔法，能瞬間移動到商場去！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
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
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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