Erlun Village in Pingtung County used to be the local township administration center during the Japanese colonial era, but that role was later replaced by Jhutian Village, ending Erlun’s days of glory. Erlun villagers became more and more closed-minded. For years, weeds grew along the walls and corners of the village. People stopped caring about one another and allowed even the most inconsequential things to cause disputes.
Village Warden Li I-jen says that “Erlun,” when pronounced in Hakka, sounds like “argument.” It is quite common for Erlun villagers to have arguments or quarrels with one another over things like the neighbor’s dog barking too loudly, somebody’s car not being parked properly or someone’s weeds not being tidied up regularly. These disputes could even end up in a mediation committee. In his nearly 10 years as village warden, Li’s highest record is settling four disputes in one day.
Since the community development association obtained funds and invited artists to work in the village, 10 walls of various sizes have been redesigned, and the originally bleak corners have also been brightened up with lively colorful paintings.
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者邱芷柔
The murals in Erlun Village mostly depict bustling scenes from the village’s past and life in the countryside. Li said that not only has the village recently seen more tourists visiting, but the villagers also have started helping each other. Mediation cases have been greatly reduced, as if the murals had brought out shared memories that join people together, he says.
(Liberty Times, translated by Ethan Zhan)
Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Liberty Times
照片：自由時報記者邱芷柔
屏東縣二崙村在日治時代前是當地的行政中心，後來行政中心轉往現在的竹田村，二崙村繁榮景象不再，村民越來越封閉，多年來社區牆面、角落都雜草叢生，大家自掃門前雪，連芝麻小事都要計較。
二崙村村長李毅仁說，「二崙」的客家話與「議論」發音相同，而住在二崙村的村民常有議論、紛爭情形，隔壁的狗太吵、車子沒停好、雜草沒整理都能鬧上調解會，他當村長近十年期間，最高紀錄一天就要處理四件調解案。
經過社區發展協會爭取經費，邀請藝術家下鄉後，目前社區有十面大小不一的牆面被換上新裝，原本黯淡的角落也因為生動活潑的彩繪變得明亮。
二崙村內的壁畫，多以描繪二崙村過去繁榮景象與農村生活為主。李毅仁說，最近不僅觀光客變多了，村民也開始互相幫忙，調解案件量大大減少，就像是壁畫牽起大家共同記憶一樣。
(自由時報記者邱芷柔)
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
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
More detailed findings showed that films with sudden, unexpected moments, called jump scares, are particularly __7__ in getting the heart racing. Interestingly, The Shining doesn’t rely on traditional jump scares to keep viewers on edge. Instead, the movie’s slow-building tension __8__ them psychologically. The dread that builds throughout the film leads to a __9__ state of alertness, which increases adrenaline production and results in a high level of calorie burn. While this research gives an interesting look at horror films as a calorie-burning activity, they are not a __10__ for regular physical exercise. Experts also warn that those with
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