Which one should we get? (4/5) 不知道該買哪一種才好？（四）
A: Look, this smart wristband can measure your heart rate! B: Yes, and it can also measure your stress levels. A: How clever! How does it work? B: Look at my watch, there are green lights flashing on the back. These monitor the blood flow at your wrist, and from this it knows what your heart rate is. A: Is it a problem to have the light on your wrist all the time? B: I think it’s alright, the LED emits low energy, so it won’t irritate your skin, or at least it hasn’t bothered me so far. A: 你看，這個手環還有測量心律的功能耶！ B: 對，還有測量壓力。 A: 好奇妙喔！這是什麼原理啊？ B: 你看我的手錶，背面的LED會發出綠色的光，來偵測通過手腕的血液流量，這樣就可以知道心臟跳動的頻率。 A: 這樣一直有光照著手，不會有問題嗎？ B: 還好吧，LED發出的光能量很低，不會刺激皮膚，至少我到目前都沒事。 (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
Which one should we get? (3/5) 不知道該買哪一種才好？（三）
A: I checked online for the smartwatch you were talking about, or a smart wristband, and I found there were so many different brands, so many different choices. Which one should we get? B: Think about what kind of functions mom would need. A: Look, this one has GPS, so it can also record the route you jog! B: Mom doesn’t jog! You’re the only one in the family that goes jogging regularly. A: But mom goes walking a lot. B: You’re not wrong. A: 我上網查了一下你說的智慧手錶，或說智慧手環，發現有好多牌子、好多種選擇喔。不知道該買哪一種才好？ B: 就想像一下，媽媽大概會需要哪些功能。 A: 你看這支有GPS功能，所以還可以記錄慢跑的路線耶！ B: 媽媽才不會去路跑咧！我們家大概只有你在跑步。 A: 可是媽常去散步啊。 B: 也對。 (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
Which companies in the world are shaping our future? Time magazine released its first ever “Time100 Most Influential Companies” last week, dividing businesses with a global impact into five categories: Pioneers, Leaders, Innovators, Titans and Disruptors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, known in Taiwan as a “sacred mountain protecting the country,” is listed among the Titans. Several entertainment companies, such as Netflix, Spotify and TikTok, also made it to the list. As Time reported, Netflix’s huge success — 203 million subscribers and still counting — has forced the most powerful studios to launch their own at-home offerings, accelerating Hollywood’s realignment. “But one thing is certain: watching movies (and TV series) for the first time on Netflix has become the rule, not the exception,” the magazine added. Also, the Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine was named one of the Pioneers this year. Founded in 2016, the media group celebrates books about women’s stories through Witherspoon’s book club and then adapts them for the screen on Hello Sunshine Channel. (Eddy Chang, Taipei Times) 全球哪些公司將會改變我們的未來呢？《時代雜誌》上週首度公布「百大最具影響力公司」，將最具全球影響力的企業分成五大類︰包括開拓者、領導者、創新者、巨擘、顛覆者。被稱為是台灣「護國神山」的台積電也榜上有名，擠身巨擘之列。 數家娛樂公司這次亦高居榜上，包括網飛、思播及抖音。《時代雜誌》報導︰由於網飛的巨大成功——訂戶超過兩億多且持續增加中——迫使各大電影公司推出自己的影音平台迎戰，加速好萊塢版圖重組。該雜誌並寫道︰「但有件事則是確定的，在網飛觀賞首輪的電影（或影集），已成為主流而非特例。」 奧斯卡影后瑞絲薇斯朋所創立的Hello Sunshine，今年名列開拓者之一。該媒體集團成立於二○一六年，透過薇斯朋的讀書會來宣揚女性故事的書籍，再將故事翻拍成影片，於Hello Sunshine電視頻道播出。 (台北時報張聖恩)
A: That smartwatch you were talking about, how do you know how many steps you have walked? B: See? It displays it on the screen, and you can download an app on your phone that shows you your statistics over a period of time. A: That means that the data on the smartwatch will be sent to your phone, and will be uploaded to god knows where. B: It’s uploaded to the cloud. A: Well, won’t people be able to see all your info? B: I think it’s safe to say that the data are encrypted. Anyway, nobody is going to be interested in seeing how many steps lesser mortals like us walk in a day. A: 你說的智慧型手錶，是要怎麼看步數啊？ B: 你看，它會顯示在螢幕上，而且你可以用手機下載應用程式，這樣就可以看到長時間的統計數據。 A: 這表示手錶上的資料會同步到手機上，而且上傳到……不知道是哪裡嗎？ B: 上傳到雲端啦。 A: 那不就會被大家看光光了？ B: 照理說這些資訊都會加密。而且像我們這種小人物，應該沒人有興趣要看我每天走幾步吧？ (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
As the weather gets warmer, there are more and more incidents of modified vehicles disturbing people by making a loud noise at night. In Tainan, members of the public have reported 339 vehicles so far this year — an average of between three and four vehicles per day. The Tainan City Government Environmental Protection Bureau says that when such reports are accepted, all vehicles that are confirmed to have been retrofitted with non-standard exhaust will be called in for inspection, and the owners of those that are found not to compl y with the standards will be fined between NT$1,800 and NT$3,600. The bureau says a lot of people have recently noticed that instances of noisy vehicles causing nighttime disturbances have been increasing as the weather warms up, and that this problem afflicts downtown areas, suburbs and mountainous areas alike. Statistics show that between January and March this year 484 vehicles were flagged down for inspection, of which 90 were actually inspected and 37 failed to meet the standards. Checkpoint locations include the Wenheng Temple in Longci District, the intersection of Jiankang 3rd Road and Heping Road in Anping District, the road in front of the Jiaba Police Station in Shanhua District, the vicinity of National Tainan Industrial High School in Yongkang District, the Houjia Traffic Circle in East District, the Longhu Temple in Longci District, Haidian Road Sec 2 in Annan District, Yujing Police Precinct’s Lutian Police Station in Nansi Distict, and the Sinying Service Area. The bureau says that, as well as adopting law-enforcement technology, it has also strengthened its joint inspections with the Police Bureau. Districts where technological law enforcement using acoustic cameras has been implemented include Longci, Yongkang, South District, Anping, East District, Sinying, Guanmiao and West Central District, and this year the bureau will purchase additional acoustic camera
A: Next Sunday is Mother’s Day. What shall we give mom for a present? B: I recently bought myself a smartwatch. It’s pretty cool. Do you think mom would be interested in one? A: Are you sure mom would be OK with a smartwatch? Wouldn’t it be too hi-tech for her? B: Hi-tech is the whole point! Look, it can calculate how many steps you take in a day, or how many floors you walk up. If you sit for too long, it will remind you to get up, make yourself a cup of tea and walk around! A: Wow, that does sound good. Everyone knows that doctors advise you to get up and walk around for 10 minutes every half an hour, but that’s easier said than done. Very few people actually remember this and put it into practice. A: 下禮拜天就是母親節了，我們要送媽媽什麼禮物才好？ B: 我前陣子買了這個智慧型手錶，覺得很不錯，說不定媽也會有興趣。你覺得呢？ A: 你確定媽可以接受智慧型手錶嗎？這會不會太高科技了啊？ B: 就是高科技才好啊！你看，這可以計算你一整天走路的步數、爬幾層樓；你坐太久，還會提醒你起來倒杯茶、走一走呢！ A: 哇，這聽起來還蠻不錯的。大家都知道醫生建議坐三十分鐘要起來走動十分鐘，可是知易行難，很少人會記得而且身體力行。（Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
The New Taipei City Council passed the draft New Taipei City self-government ordinance for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices on its third reading on April 29. In addition to stipulating that people under the age of 18 are not allowed to smoke or possess e-cigarettes and heated smoking devices, the ordinance also prohibits the manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes in New Taipei City. This means in effect that e-cigarettes will not be allowed in New Taipei City in future. Offenders will be fined from NT$10,000 up to NT$100,000 and may be fined consecutively per violation or ordered to suspend their business or manufacture. Chen Ran-chou, Commissioner of New Taipei City Government’s Department of Health, said that according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s National Health Agency, the number of young people smoking e-cigarettes has increased. However, the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act only regulates the prohibition of tobacco imports and sales, and there is no law applicable to those who bring in e-cigarettes from abroad for their own use and possession. In addition, the penalty for illegally selling e-cigarettes is only a fine of NT$1,000 to NT$3,000. Moreover, the penalties apply only to cigarette-shaped devices — but electronic cigarettes come in various shapes and forms, so that businesses that sell non-cigarette-shaped e-cigarettes tend to win their appeals after being fined. Now that the New Taipei City self-government ordinance for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices has been passed, it will be processed by the Executive Yuan for approval. After approval, the ordinance will be promulgated and go into force in three months, making New Taipei City the seventh city or county to have such an ordinance regulating e-cigarettes, following Hsinchu City, Taichung, Chiayi County, Yilan County, Kaohsiung and Taoyuan, but New Taipei City’s regulations are by far the
After a nearly 400-day hiatus, Taiwanese are finally able to travel abroad again, and Palau — a country already familiar to Taiwanese travelers — has become the first “travel bubble” destination during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving members of the public a fresh opportunity to reacquaint themselves with an old friend. Located in the Western Pacific and neighboring the Philippines, the combined land mass of Palau’s archipelago of islands and islets totals less than 500km2 — smaller than Taipei City — and it has a population of only 20,000. However, Palau’s abundant maritime resources, pristine environment and commitment to ecological conservation mean that visitors to the islands are treated to dream-like aquatic vistas, with shoals of dazzling tropical fish and sea turtles shuttling through the water. Palau’s underwater wonderland also contains majestic cliffs and dropoffs on the seabed, earning Palau the nickname “secret diver’s paradise.” The first stop on our itinerary was Milky Way lagoon, whose spa waters, according to local legend, possess skin-rejuvenating properties that can knock years off one’s appearance. It is no exaggeration to call it a secret location, since the lagoon is actually a body of water hidden among a labyrinth of small islands. Getting there involves shuttling between numerous uninhabited islands by boat before one is finally able to dip one’s toes in the tranquil turquoise waters. Due to Palau’s exceptionally rich maritime resources, nearly 90 percent of Palauans are employed in the tourism industry. Both Palau’s government and its residents therefore place a great deal of importance on marine ecology, which has ensured that its waters are a paradise on Earth for divers. Our first diving experience was at a stand-alone island reef located on the eastern side of Locke Islands. Beneath the deep blue sea we were welcomed by its famous multi-colored antler coral: some blue,
A: OK, I’ve brought the bowl in for us to send to the restorer. I swept up the pieces and poured them into this bag. B: Hold on. I was expecting a few broken fragments. It’s been smashed to smithereens! This isn’t an antique bowl: it’s a bag of ancient dust! A: Right? I accidentally dropped my laptop on it and crushed it into tiny pieces. B: You can’t restore that with kintsugi! There will be more lacquer and gold dust than pottery. It will be unrecognizable. A: Oh. So you think it’s a lost cause? B: I think the bowl is unrepairable; I think you are a lost cause. A: 我把要寄給修復師的碗帶來了。我把碎片掃起來，倒進這個袋子裡。 B: 等一下，我以為只是幾個破片，可是這根本就是被打得粉碎了！這才不是什麼古董碗，根本就是一袋古董粉末吧！ A: 對吧？我的筆電不小心掉下來，就把它壓得粉碎了。 B: 這根本沒辦法用金繼修復啦！不然漆和金粉到時候會比陶瓷還多，就完全認不出來是這個碗了。 A: 喔，所以你覺得這沒救了嗎？ B: 我覺得這個碗沒救了，你的腦袋也是沒救了！ （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
A: I’ve been thinking about what you said about kintsugi. It’s actually quite a profound and beautiful concept. I will see about finding a restorer who uses the technique. B: I’m glad I talked you around. Just think: it’s like the bowl is a living object. We all get scars, simply by living. Instead of hiding them, we should acknowledge the importance of the experiences that shape us. A: Alright, enough with the philosophizing. I just want to make sure that I get out of this situation alive. B: Why don’t you bring the bowl fragments over this afternoon and I’ll help you box them up carefully and send it off to a reputable restorer. A: 我在想你說的「金繼」，這真的是很深刻、很美的概念。我會來找找看有沒有會這種技術的修復師。 B: 我很高興把你說服了。你想想，這個碗就好像是有生命的。只要是活著，我們都會有些傷疤。與其把它遮掩起來，不如承認這些經驗對形塑我們扮演了重要的角色。 A: 好啦，你大道理也講夠了吧。現在這情況，我只想確定能夠全身而退。 B: 那你今天下午把這碗的碎片帶來，我幫你小心包起來，寄去給一個很有名的修復師。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
A: That’s no good! I don’t want anyone to know the bowl has been broken. What am I going to do? B: You’re missing the point. All things are destined to be broken at one point in their lives. Kintsugi is all about celebrating the history of the object. A: I think I am destined to be broken the minute my grandma finds out that I destroyed the bowl. It was absolutely unique. B: And it still will be. In fact, it will be more unique than ever before. The gold fracture will be testament to the fact that it has lived through hard times and survived. A: 這樣不好啦！我才不要讓別人知道這個碗打破過。我該怎麼辦才好？ B: 你搞錯重點了。所有的東西都註定會壞，金繼就是要強調這件物品的歷史感啊。 A: 我阿嬤發現我打破這個碗的時候，我才註定要完蛋了。那個碗絕對是獨一無二的。 B: 它也還會是獨一無二的呀！而且實際上還會變得更獨特。那個金色的裂痕就會是它歷經考驗而且倖存下來的見證。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
What would happen when a Korean-Italian mafia lawyer clashes with an evil conglomerate in his motherland South Korea? With a unique storyline like this, South Korean mafia-themed TV series “Vincenzo” has swept across Asia since its February premiere, while allowing the audience to take a peek at the mysterious life of a mafia family. Starring Korean actors Song Joong-ki, Ok Taec-yeon and Jeon Yeo-bin, the drama series revolves around mafia lawyer Vincenzo Cassano’s battle with a corrupt company that acts like the mafia. Song has been nominated for the Baeksang Arts Awards for his role as the lawyer. As the show is about to end this weekend, anticipation of the finale has surged. In addition to the K-dramas, Korean films continue to shine on the world stage, as movie “Minari,” which tells the story of a Korean immigrant family, earned six nominations from the Academy Awards this year. The award ceremony took place in Los Angeles on Monday, Taiwan time. (Eddy Chang, Taipei Times) 當一位義大利籍的黑道律師在他的祖國南韓，和邪惡財團爆發衝突，會產生怎樣的故事呢？南韓神劇《黑道律師文森佐》以獨特「黑手黨」題材，自二月開播後即橫掃亞洲地區，讓觀眾們一窺神秘黑手黨家族的面貌。 《黑道律師》由韓星宋仲基、玉澤演、全余贇（全汝彬）所主演，劇情圍繞在黑手黨律師文森佐卡薩諾，和作風與黑道相似的貪腐財團之對抗，宋仲基還因飾演文森佐榮獲百想藝術大獎視帝的提名。隨著該劇本週將落幕，精彩大結局備受期待。 除了韓流影集，南韓電影也在世界舞台上發光。而講述韓國移民家庭故事的《夢想之地》，更入圍今年奧斯卡獎六項大獎！頒獎典禮已於台灣時間本週一在洛杉磯登場。 （台北時報張聖恩）
A: No, I’ve never heard of kintsugi. What’s that? B: It’s a way of repairing important objects, mostly ceramics. A: I take it that superglue is not involved, is it? B: No, they use lacquer to glue the broken shards back together. A: And does it leave a trace? Can you see where the cracks are? B: That’s the clever part. They then decorate the cracks with gold dust, to draw attention to the imperfections. A: 我從來沒聽過「金繼」，那是什麼啊？ B: 那是一種修補貴重物品的方法，主要是修補陶瓷。 A: 我猜這種方法用不到強力膠，對嗎？ B: 嗯，用不到，這是用漆來把破掉的碎片黏起來。 A: 那這樣不會留下痕跡嗎？還可以看得到裂痕嗎？ B: 這就是它高明的地方。他們會用金粉裝飾裂痕，來強調這個瑕疵。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
On April 17, cards containing Anastatus fulloi wasp eggs were hung up in longan orchards in Tainan’s Dongshan District. When the eggs hatch, 160,000 Anastatus fulloi wasps will emerge to suppress destructive litchi stink bugs (Tessaratoma papillosa). This is a win-win method that maintains an ecological balance while safeguarding the litchi, longan and nectar harvests. Tainan is the main region for growing litchis and longans, having more than 900 hectares planted with litchi trees and 3,769 hectares planted with longan trees. After litchi trees flower and are pollinated, they form fruit and enter the small-fruit phase. Longan trees are currently in full bloom and the drought has caused them to flower more densely than in previous years. The Tainan City Government Agriculture Bureau says that litchi and longan trees are resistant to drought, so long periods of rainless drought do not have a significant impact on the size of the harvest, and the biggest headache for fruit growers in recent years has been litchi stink bugs. Dongshan District has 205 hectares planted with litchi trees and 1,387 hectares planted with longan trees — the largest area in Tainan. The Dongshan District Farmers’ Association applied for subsidies for biological control of litchi stink bugs on 10 hectares of land. In the afternoon of April 17, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che went to the Dung Shang Mau Coffee Park in Dongshan District’s Nanshih Borough to inspect local industries and hang some Anastatus fulloi wasp egg cards on litchi trees. Huang said that litchis and longans have in recent years been affected by insect pests that need to be controlled across county and city boundaries. He said that biological control, in particular, should be employed to reduce litchi stink bug infestation, ensure the quantity and quality of production and boost farmers’ income while being as friendly as
A: I’m in real trouble now. I’ve broken my grandma’s favorite bowl. B: Did it hold a lot of sentimental value for her? A: It did, but that’s not the problem. It was a very expensive Japanese tea ceremony bowl: an antique. B: Ouch. It’s not like you can order a new one, is it? A: Do you think I should see if I can superglue it together and pretend nothing had happened? B: I have a better idea. Have you heard of the traditional Japanese restoration technique known as “kintsugi?” A: 我現在麻煩大了，我把我阿嬤最喜歡的碗給打破了。 B: 這對她來說很有紀念價值嗎？ A: 對，可是問題不在這裡。這是日本茶道用的碗，很貴，而且是古董欸！ B: 慘了，所以你沒辦法再去買一個新的，對吧？ A: 你覺得我可以用強力膠把它黏回去，假裝什麼事都沒有發生嗎？ B: 我有更好的辦法。你聽過日本傳統的修復技術「金繼」嗎？ （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
US President Joe Biden called systemic racism a “stain on our nation’s soul” in a televised address to the nation last week after a white former police officer was convicted of murdering a black man during an arrest. Biden spoke out after a jury in the Midwestern city of Minneapolis found Derek Chauvin guilty of intentionally suffocating handcuffed George Floyd as he lay defenseless, with the officer’s knee pressing on his neck for more than nine minutes. The president called for “confronting head on systemic racism and the racial disparities that exist in policing and our criminal justice system” — but pleaded for protesters to steer clear of violence. A jury deliberated less than 11 hours before finding the 45-year-old Chauvin guilty of all three charges against him — second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter. The unanimous verdict came after a racially charged three-week trial that was seen as a pivotal test of police accountability in the US. Appearing alongside Biden, Kamala Harris, America’s first black vice president, spoke first to articulate the “relief” the nation was feeling over justice being served, but acknowledged that the result could not “take away the pain” of Floyd’s murder. She vowed to work with Biden to urge the Senate to pass “long overdue” legislation on police accountability, saying black men had been treated as “less than humans” throughout US history. “Here is the truth about racial injustice: It is not just a Black America problem or a ‘people of color’ problem. It is a problem for every American,” she said. (AFP) 一名白人警察被控在逮捕一名黑人男子時將之謀殺，上週被定罪，美國總統喬‧拜登隨後在電視上發表全國演說，將結構性的種族主義稱為「我們國家精神的污點」。 美國中西部城市明尼亞波里斯之陪審團裁定德瑞克‧蕭文有罪，因擔任警察之蕭文，以膝蓋壓制喬治‧弗洛伊德之頸部超過九分鐘，故意使其窒息，當時弗洛伊德已上手銬、無力抵抗。宣判後，拜登總統發表了演說。 拜登呼籲「正視結構性的種族主義，以及維安與刑事司法系統中，因種族而異的差別對待」，但他懇求抗議民眾避免訴諸暴力。 陪審團經過近十一小時之商議，才判定四十五歲的蕭文被控的三項罪名皆成立──分別為二級謀殺罪、三級謀殺罪，以及非預謀殺人罪。經過為期三週、種族意味濃厚的審理，陪審團做出了一致的裁決。該案之審判被視為對美國警察課責制的關鍵考驗。 美國第一位黑人副總統賀錦麗與拜登共同出席該演說，她先說道，全國上下對司法公正感到「鬆了一口氣」，但她承認此判決並不能夠消除弗洛伊德被謀殺所造成的傷痛。 她誓言與拜登共同敦促參議院通過「老早以前就該完成的」警察課責制之立法，並說在整個美國歷史上，黑人都「不被當人看待」。她說：「這是種族不公的真相：這不僅僅是黑人的問題，或『有色人種』的問題，這是每一個美國人的問題」。 （台北時報林俐凱編譯）
Do you know your Taiwanese pineapple varieties? Whether eaten as fruit, used in cooking or made into a dessert, everyone has been eating their fill of pineapple recently. However, do you know which variety of the prickly fruit you have been eating or which variety tops the charts as Taiwan’s most prized export variety? Taipei Agricultural Products Marketing Co has put together a Facebook post to give the public a quick rundown of the most common varieties of pineapple found on these islands. ‧ Golden Diamond Pineapple (Tainung No. 17) The fruit has a conical appearance and its flesh is golden yellow, sweet and juicy. The optimum time to taste this fruit is between April and May. The Golden Diamond Pineapple is the most widely produced of Taiwan’s pineapple varieties and wears the crown as the nation’s number one export variety. ‧ Sweet Honey Pineapple (Tainung No. 16) This pineapple is cylindrical in shape. Its flesh has delicate fibers and the taste is extremely sweet. The best time of year to eat this archetypal variety of Taiwanese pineapple is between June and August. ‧ Milky Pineapple (Tainung No. 20) Cylindrical in shape, the Milky Pineapple has a thin rind and its flesh is white in color, fine-fibered and extremely sweet. The best time to sample this variety is between July and September. ‧ Watermelon Pineapple Commonly referred to as “baijiezai,” it is also known as the “Hulk” of the pineapple world. The harvest season for this variety is between July and September. Its external appearance is fat and cylindrical with a dark green rind and the flesh is delicate and sweet. The Watermelon Pineapple is extremely hefty: three times the weight of a Golden Diamond Pineapple. ‧ Mango Pineapple (Tainung No. 23) Short and cylindrical in shape, this variety has soft, yellow-colored flesh made of delicate fibers and a unique
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