A: Avatar: The Way of Water is opening this week.
B: Do you mean the sequel of the 2009 blockbuster Avatar?
A: Yeah, the original film grossed nearly US$3 billion worldwide and is the best-selling movie of all time.
Photo: AFP 照片:法新社
B: I remember the sci-fi film was about humans colonizing the moon “Pandora” in the 22nd century.
A: And this time, the sequel also features the lead actress Sigourney Weaver. At the age of 73 now, I wonder if she can still fight the aliens.
A: 電影《阿凡達:水之道》本週已經上映了耶。
B: 你是說2009年強片《阿凡達》續集嗎?
A: 對啊,首集全球狂賣近三十億美元,是影史最賣座電影!
B: 我記得這部科幻片是關於西元二十二世紀中,人類想殖民衛星「潘朵拉」的故事。
A: 女主角雪歌妮薇佛這次也有演出續集,而她已經七十三歲了,真好奇她還能打怪嗎?
(By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
As the priest Antonius Hambroek stood in the dim chamber of Fort Zeelandia, his eldest daughter clung to him, her voice trembling. “Father, don’t go. They’ll kill you, and what will become of Mother and my sisters?” Outside, the sounds of Koxinga’s relentless canon siege boomed through the fortress. The defenders were on the brink of collapse. Starvation gnawed at their resolve, and the air carried the acrid stench of spent gunpowder and rotting flesh. Dutch reinforcements from Batavia had failed to arrive, leaving the garrison isolated and hopeless. Hambroek’s face was calm, though sorrow weighed heavily on his
The Dutch introduced the Indian mango (Mangifera indica) to Taiwan in the 17th century. It is a green-skinned mango with thick fibers that get stuck in the teeth, but it boasts a rich aroma and a unique taste. In 1954, Taiwan’s Council of Agriculture introduced several mango cultivars from Florida, USA, including the Irwin, Haden, and Keitt varieties. After seven years of testing and domestication, the Irwin variety was chosen for promotion. Years later, the sample saplings started to bear fruit. These mangoes were large, with thin, vibrant red peels and golden pulp. The Irwin mangoes were mouth-wateringly sweet and
對話 Dialogue 清清:今天中午我要多吃一點,不然晚上可能會吃不飽。 Qīngqing: Jīntiān zhōngwǔ wǒ yào duō chī yìdiǎn, bùrán wǎnshàng kěnéng huì chībùbǎo. 華華:怎麼了?為什麼會吃不飽? Huáhua: Zěnmele? Wèishénme huì chībùbǎo? 清清:今天大年初七,是「人日節」,傳統上結了婚的女兒要回家給父母送長壽麵,而且最好是素的,我姐姐會回來,只吃素麵,我應該很快就餓了。 Qīngqing: Jīntiān Dànián chūqī, shì “Rénrì jié,” chuántǒng shàng jiéle hūn de nǚ’ér yào huíjiā gěi fùmǔ sòng chángshòumiàn, érqiě zuìhǎo shì sù de, wǒ jiějie huì huílái, zhǐ chī sùmiàn, wǒ yīnggāi hěn kuài jiù èle. 華華:我還是第一次聽說有「人日節」呢!這是怎麼來的啊? Huáhua: Wǒ háishì dì yī cì tīngshuō yǒu “Rénrì jié” ne! Zhè shì zěnme lái de a? 清清:老一輩的人說,女媧是在第七天造出了「人」,所以今天可說是我們每個人的「生日」呢!生日快樂! Qīngqing: Lǎoyíbèi de rén shuō, Nǚwā shì zài dì qī tiān zào chūle “rén,” suǒyǐ jīntiān kěshuōshì wǒmen měi ge rén de “shēngrì” ne! Shēngrì kuàilè! 華華:你也是啊!欸?那前六天女媧都做了什麼呢? Huáhua: Nǐ yěshì a! Éi? Nà
As we bundle up in thick coats to stay warm during the winter, there is a population that has already adapted to extremely low temperatures. These people live in the remote city of Yakutsk, the coldest city on Earth. Yakutsk is situated in the heart of Siberia, which is the capital of the Sakha Republic in Russia. This historic mining city began to flourish in the 19th century following the discovery of gold deposits. Given its construction on permafrost, the average temperature in the city remains below 0°C for over half the year, with winter temperatures dropping to an astonishing -50°C.