In Taiwan, we students are greeted daily by the distinctive melodic chime of school bells, a familiar sound that, for many, characterizes the school experience. Surprisingly, this melody’s origin can be traced back to the quarter-hour chimes of the clock at the Palace of Westminster in London. I was astonished to learn that this tune is connected to a place so distant from us.
I recently discovered that this quintessentially British melody made its way to Taiwan via Japan. Before modern broadcasting equipment, school bells in Japan were actual bells or chimes. Following World War II, both school bells and air-raid sirens utilized bells, causing confusion and panic whenever they rang. Consequently, a hobbyist inventor in Hiroshima Prefecture created an alternative timekeeping device to replace the school bell. In 1954, he completed a clock with four metal rods that could strike four distinct pitches. These were inspired by the Westminster Chimes he had heard on BBC radio broadcasts. Little did he know that his personal preference would profoundly impact not only Japan but also Taiwan and South Korea, making the Westminster Chimes a ubiquitous sound for students across East Asia.
The presence of the Westminster Chimes in both Taiwan and Japan is rooted in historical circumstances, but its significance extends beyond that. The chimes have become an integral part of our daily lives, setting the pace of our routines and reminding us of the bonds and shared experiences shaping our education. Who would have thought such an ordinary sound could have such a fascinating history behind it?
Photo: Unsplash / 照片：Unsplash 提供
在臺灣，每天迎接我們學生的是學校鐘聲的獨特旋律，對許多人來說，這是一種熟悉的聲音，是校園體驗的特徵。令人驚訝的是，這段旋律的起源可以追溯到倫敦西敏宮時鐘的一刻鐘報時。我驚訝地發現這段旋律原來與一個距離我們如此遙遠的地方有關。
我最近發現，這段極其典型的英式旋律是透過日本傳到臺灣的。在現代廣播設備出現之前，日本的學校鐘聲是用真正的鐘或是搖鈴。第二次世界大戰後，學校鐘聲和空襲警報都使用了鈴鐘，一旦響起就會引起混亂和恐慌。因此，廣島縣的一位業餘發明家創造出了一種替代計時裝置來取代學校的鈴鐘。西元1954年，他完成了一個帶有四根金屬桿的時鐘，可以敲出四個不同的音高。這些音高的靈感是來自於他以前在BBC廣播中聽過的西敏宮鐘聲旋律。而他不知道的是，他的個人喜好不僅會深刻影響日本，還會影響臺灣和韓國，使西敏鐘聲成為對於東亞各地學生而言是無所不在的一種聲音。
西敏鐘聲在臺灣和日本的存在源於歷史情況，但其意義並不止於此。這段鐘聲已經成了我們日常生活中不可或缺的一部分，定下我們日常生活的節奏，並提醒我們塑造出我們教育樣貌的聯繫和共同體驗。誰當初會想得到，如此普通的聲音背後竟有一段如此引人入勝的歷史？
MORE INFORMATION
chime n. 鐘聲；鐘響
melodic adj. 旋律優美的
quintessentially adv. 典型地；具代表性地
siren n. 警報器；汽笛
hobbyist n. 愛好者；業餘者
Hiroshima Prefecture 廣島縣
ubiquitous adj. 無所不在的；普遍存在的
integral adj. 不可或缺的；必需的
KEY VOCABULARY
1. distinctive adj. 獨特的；與眾不同的
Ryan has a distinctive hairstyle that makes him stand out in a crowd.
萊恩有獨特的髮型，讓他在人群中顯得很醒目。
2. characterize vt. 為……的特色；描述……的特性
The culture of the city is characterized by its diversity and inclusivity.
這座城市的文化以其多元性和包容性為特色。
3. raid n. 襲擊；搜查／air raid n. 空襲
The soldiers went on a raid to destroy the enemy’s supply lines. 那群士兵們發動一場突襲，以破壞敵軍的補給線。
4. confusion n. 困惑；混淆
The teacher noticed the confusion on the student’s face and explained the concept again.
那位老師注意到學生臉上的困惑並再次解釋這個觀念。
5. rod n. 棒子；桿子
The curtain rod keeps falling down because it’s not properly fixed. 那根窗簾桿因為沒被固定好，一直掉下來。
6. profoundly adv. 深刻地；極度地
The teacher’s words profoundly influenced Robbie’s decision to pursue a career in science.
那位老師的話深深地影響羅比要去從事科學事業的決定。
7. impact vt. 影響；衝擊
The invention of the Internet has greatly impacted people’s daily lives.
網路的發明已大大地影響了人們的日常生活。
8. circumstance n. 情況；環境
Due to circumstances beyond its control, the company had to cancel several deliveries.
由於無法控制的情況，該公司不得不取消了幾次交貨。
9. pace n. 步調；速度
Wesley ate his meal at such a quick pace that his stomach started hurting.
衛斯理以如此快的速度吃飯，以至於他的肚子開始痛了起來。
學習音檔: https://magazine.english4u.net/Magdata/menu/vvppq
《空中美語》雜誌APP免費下載: https://www.english4u.net/apps/index.aspx
免費收聽當月《空中美語》雜誌課文朗讀及解析 !
文章由AMC空中美語授權使用: https://www.english4u.net
A: I love December. There are always so many concerts to attend at the end of the year. B: I just went to Bigbang member Tae-yang’s Taipei concert last weekend, and it was awesome. A: And I went to the weekend concerts at Christmasland in New Taipei City, featuring Tae-yang’s wife Hyo-lyn and various artists. B: Taiwanese superstars A-mei, Mayday, and Hong Kong superstar Aaron Kwok will also stage shows starting this week. A: It’s so hard to decide. Which one do you want to go to? A: 我好喜歡12月，因為每到年底總有許多演唱會！ B: 我上週才剛去過BigBang太陽的台北演唱會，超精彩。 A: 我也剛去過新北歡樂耶誕城的演唱會，太陽的老婆孝琳還有來表演唷。 B: 台灣天后阿妹、天團五月天、香港天王郭富城等巨星的演唱會從本週起也將陸續開唱。 A: 真難決定，你想去哪一場？ （By Eddy Chang,
If you’ve ever seen detailed photographs of Paris’s Notre Dame cathedral, you may have noticed a striking feature of the building: large, circular windows divided by intricately arranged stonework radiating out from a central point like flower petals. The stonework encases colorful stained-glass windowpanes full of Catholic icons and symbolism. Called a “rose window,” this adornment can be found in cathedrals across Europe, although the style was most popular in France. The rose window is a key element of “Gothic architecture,” a highly ornate style of architecture popular from Europe’s High Middle Ages to the Late Middle Ages, roughly
A: Among all the concerts, I’m in highest anticipation of A-mei’s. B: Me too, as she will become the first female singer to hold concerts at the venue. A: And she will stage five shows total, on Dec. 21, 22, 28 and 29, as well as the 31st, New Year’s Eve. B: We were so lucky to get the tickets for her New Year’s Eve show. A: Yeah! It’ll be super exciting to count down to the New Year with A-mei. A: 在這麼多演唱會中，我最期待阿妹的大巨蛋首唱。 B: 我也是，她可是首位在大巨蛋舉辦演唱會的女歌手呢。 A: 而且她將會嗨唱5場︰12月21、22、28、29日，跨年夜31日。 B: 幸好我們有搶到跨年夜的門票。 A: 對啊，能和阿妹一起倒數太興奮啦！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
US president-elect Donald Trump has said he plans to end birthright citizenship as part of his promised crackdown on immigration when he becomes president on Jan. 20. Below is a look at US birthright citizenship and Trump’s legal authority to restrict it. WHAT IS BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP? Anyone born in the United States is considered a citizen at birth, which derives from the Citizenship Clause of the 14th Amendment, which was added to the Constitution in 1868. The amendment states: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the
RSS