A: Once you’ve finished writing the research paper for the graduation project, the presentation should be a piece of cake, right?
B: Wrong: the presentation is even harder. My teacher has required that each group delivers its presentation in English. I’m almost a nervous wreck already.
A: As the saying goes: “Practice makes perfect!” Practice a few more times and you’ll be fine.
Photo: Eddy Chang, Taipei Times 照片︰台北時報張聖恩
B: I’ve been using my mobile phone to record the rehearsals to see which areas I still need to improve on. A pretty good idea, don’t you think?
A: 你寫完畢業專題的研究報告後,報告發表應該不難吧?
B: 報告發表更難,我的教授要求每組要用全英文來發表,我快緊張死了。
A: 所謂「熟能生巧」!你多練習幾次就好啦。
B: 我在排練時還會用手機錄下來,再看看有沒有需要改進的地方。這主意不錯吧?
(Translated by Edward Jones, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Audio recordings for Speak Up! dialogues will be suspended until further notice due to the pandemic.
A: What are the highlights of the 2024 Paris Olympics? B: The biggest highlight might be the opening ceremony, which took place at the romantic River Seine. A: Wow, that’s pretty cool. What else? B: The Paris Olympics promotes carbon reduction: no new sports venues have been built for it. A: I’ve heard that there is not even air conditioning at the Olympic Village, so the Taiwan team has brought about 50 mobile air conditioners with it. A: 2024巴黎奧運,有哪些特別的亮點? B: 最大的亮點是︰開幕式在浪漫的塞納河舉行唷。 A: 蠻酷的!還有呢? B: 巴黎推廣「減碳」,也不增建場館。 A: 聽說選手村都沒冷氣,所以台灣隊還自備50台移動式冷氣呢。 (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A: Affordable tickets seem to be another highlight of the 2024 Paris Olympics. B: Yeah, more than half of the 2.8 million tickets are priced at 25 euros (NT$888) or less. A: Any other highlights? B: The Paris Olympics values gender parity: it is featuring more medal events for female athletes. A: I think the top athletes from around the world are the true highlight of the games. A: 票價親民應該也是2024巴黎奧運的特色。 B: 對啊,280萬張門票有半數為25歐元(888台幣)以下。 A: 還有什麼亮點? B: 本屆重視「性別平等」,並提供更多獎牌項目給女運動員。 A: 我覺得全球的頂尖運動員們就是最大的亮點! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Roast duck is a dish that reflects Taiwan’s diverse culinary style, shaped by its rich immigrant background. Originally brought to Taiwan by Chinese immigrants, roast duck has become an essential delicacy in Taiwanese cuisine. Restaurants specializing in roast duck are often packed at meal times. However, since these restaurants have only a limited number of roast ducks each day, reservations are necessary to ensure availability. Preparing a delicious roast duck is no easy feat, as it is a time-consuming process requiring half a day to cook to ensure the perfect taste. 台灣的移民背景造就豐富的飲食文化,烤鴨就是其中之一。烤鴨傳入台灣是由外省人引進的,隨著時間的紮根,成為了台灣不可或缺的美食。用餐時間的烤鴨店總是高朋滿座,但因每天限量供應,想吃還要提早訂,因為製作美味的烤鴨至少得花上半天,才能色香味俱全。 immigrant (n.) 移民 reservation (n.)
The Perseids meteor shower is expected to peak on Monday next week, with the up to 100 meteors per hour, with the number expected to reach more than 30 one or two days before and after, which will surely be a treat for stargazers. The Perseids are named after the Greek hero Perseus, as the meteor shower appears to come from the eponymous constellation. According to myth, Perseus slew the gorgon Medusa by cutting off her snake-covered head while viewing her reflection in his shield. While the meteors are active from mid-July, the best time to see them is next Monday with the