Continued from yesterday(延續自昨日)
https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/lang
Adult call ducks are rather small compared to other ducks. They have round heads, button-like dark eyes, short bills and necks and plump bodies. They may have white, gray or black feathers. Despite their small stature, they fly well and will take off if threatened or scared.
Photo: Shutterstock 照片:Shutterstock
Today, call ducks are more likely to be kept as ornamental animals rather than for hunting. If you’re considering raising call ducks at home, here are some helpful tips:
● Shelter: Provide an enclosed space in your garden with access to clean water for swimming and drinking.
● Feeding: Feed them a balanced diet that includes grains and vegetables. Avoid giving them bread, which lacks essential nutrients.
● Companionship: Call ducks are social animals that need company, so consider keeping several around to ensure they remain happy.
The call duck is a friendly and lovable breed. Plus, their cute appearance allows them to stand out and become beloved pets.
成年柯爾鴨與其他鴨子相比相對較小隻。牠們有著圓頭、鈕扣般的深色眼睛、短喙短脖以及豐滿的身軀。牠們的羽毛可能是白色、灰色或黑色。儘管身材矮小,牠們卻很會飛,而且遭遇威脅或受到驚嚇時會飛起來。
如今,柯爾鴨比較有可能被當作觀賞動物飼養,而不是用於狩獵。如果你正在考慮在家養柯爾鴨,這裡有一些有用的建議:
● 遮蔽處:在你的庭院裡提供一個封閉的空間,要有可以游泳和飲用的乾淨水源。
● 餵食:餵牠們吃均衡的飲食,包含穀物和蔬菜。不要給牠們麵包,麵包缺乏必須的養分。
● 陪伴:柯爾鴨是需要陪伴的群居動物,所以可以考慮多養幾隻鴨子以確保牠們保持開心。
柯爾鴨是友善且可愛的一個品種。此外,牠們的可愛外表還讓牠們脫穎而出成為備受喜愛的寵物。
(*標題的big personalities原是形容一個人特別突出、讓人留下深刻印象,此處用於強調柯爾鴨的與眾不同。)
What Did You Learn?
1. Why were call ducks used for hunting?
(A) They could locate prey with good hearing.
(B) The sounds they made drew prey into traps.
(C) The smell they produced was appealing to wild birds.
(D) They were small enough to enter areas unreachable for humans.
2. Which of the following is NOT recommended when one keeps call ducks as a pet?
(A) Give them space to swim.
(B) Feed them a lot of bread.
(C) Let them stay with their kind.
(D) Allow them to drink clean water whenever they want.
3. What can we learn about call ducks from the passage?
(A) They stay underwater to avoid threats.
(B) They fly well only when they feel scared.
(C) They quack loudly when they see other ducks.
(D) They are now raised as pets instead of being helpers for hunters.
參考答案
1. B 2. B 3. D
Words in Use
4. trap vt. 設陷阱捕捉 & n. 陷阱;捕捉器
The man finally trapped the mouse that was sneaking around his house.
該男子終於捉到在他屋內溜來溜去的那隻老鼠。
Jacob found a rabbit caught in a trap in the forest and released it.
雅各發現森林裡有隻小兔子被捕獸夾捉到,便放了牠。
5. incredible a. 驚人的
The incredible discovery of the ancient city excited the archeologists.
那座古城的驚人發現讓考古學家們感到興奮。
6. feather n. 羽毛
The feathers on the ground indicate some birds have nests in this tree.
地上的羽毛顯示,這棵樹上有鳥築巢。
Practical Phrases
4. stand out 突出,出眾
Emma’s red gown made her stand out at the ceremony.
艾瑪的紅色禮服讓她在該典禮中特別出眾。
5. be appealing to... 對……有吸引力
The job’s pay is appealing to job seekers, but very few
people meet the requirements.
那工作的薪資對求職者有吸引力,但很少人符合要求。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
Street lights are often taken for granted until a power outage plunges the world into darkness. When that happens, the value of these lighting installations becomes evident as the world turns into a more dangerous place for pedestrians and motorists alike. The Chinese could claim to be the first to have constructed a crude type of street light. Around 500 BC, residents of Beijing employed a type of street lamp that used hollow bamboo pipes and natural gas vents to create burning torches. Later, ancient Romans adopted lamps fueled by vegetable oil, which relied on slaves to light and
A: Who else is on Billboard’s list: “The 25 greatest pop stars of the 21st Century?” B: No. 15 to 6 are: Miley Cyrus, Justin Timberlake, Nicki Minaj, Eminem, Usher, Adele, Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Kanye West and Britney Spears. A: I can’t believe that Adele’s only at No. 10. B: No. 5 to 1 are: Lady Gaga, Drake, Rihanna, Taylor Swift and Beyonce. A: Well, they surely deserve the honor. A: 《告示牌》雜誌的「21世紀最偉大的25位流行歌手」,還有誰上榜啊? B: 第15至6名是:麥莉希拉、大賈斯汀、妮姬米娜、阿姆、亞瑟小子、愛黛兒、亞莉安娜、小賈斯汀、肯伊威斯特、小甜甜布蘭妮。 A: 真不敢相信愛黛兒只排第10名。 B: 第5至1名是:女神卡卡、德瑞克、蕾哈娜、泰勒絲、碧昂絲。 A: 這幾位真是實至名歸! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
A: The 21st Century is now entering its 25th year. B: So Billboard has released a list: “The 25 greatest pop stars of the 21st Century.” A: Who are the greatest pop singers? B: No. 25 to 16 are: Katy Perry, Ed Sheeran, Bad Bunny, One Direction, Lil Wayne, Bruno Mars, BTS, The Weeknd, Shakira and Jay-Z. A: Wow, my favorite K-pop supergroup BTS has made it to the list. A: 21世紀正在邁入第25個年頭了。 B: 《告示牌》雜誌特別公布:「21世紀最偉大的25位流行歌手」。 A: 最偉大的歌手有哪些? B: 第25至16名是:凱蒂佩芮、紅髮艾德、壞痞兔、1世代、小韋恩、火星人布魯諾、防彈少年團(BTS)、威肯、夏奇拉、Jay-Z。 A: 哇,我最愛的韓流天團BTS也上榜了! (By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times/台北時報張聖恩)
Spoiler alert and shift blame 破梗&甩鍋 在新冠疫情期間,無論是因為封城 (lockdown) 還是居家隔離 (self-isolation at home),人們關在家中使用網路的時間大增。這也讓一些原本只存在於網路論壇的用語廣為普及。我們來談一下破梗 (spoiler alert) 與甩鍋 (shift blame) 這兩個用語。 有位古典文學教授 Joel Christensen 針對領導統御與疫情控制寫了一篇以古喻今、相當深入的文章:“Plagues follow bad leadership in ancient Greek tales”,文中出現一些講法,可用來翻譯上述的流行語: In the 5th century B.C., the playwright Sophocles begins Oedipus Tyrannos with the title character struggling to identify the cause of a plague striking his city, Thebes. (Spoiler alert: It’s his own bad leadership.) (Joel Christensen, “Plagues follow bad leadership in ancient Greek tales,” The Conversation, March 12, 2020) 作者提到 Oedipus(伊底帕斯)想找出瘟疫何以降臨他的城邦的緣由,加了一句:Spoiler alert: It’s his own bad leadership.(破梗:領導無方)。Spoiler alert 就是「破梗」,如果用在有人洩漏電影劇情的情境中,也可以翻作「小心爆雷」或「劇透警告」。疫情之下,在家看影集、電影成了很多人的娛樂,但要小心劇透 (spoilers),很多 YouTube 上的影評在開頭也都會說 Spoiler alert!,警告還沒看過電影的觀眾小心爆雷、劇透。 至於「甩鍋」,源自大陸網民用語,通常意指某人犯了錯之後想推卸責任、轉移焦點、甚至讓別人背黑鍋的做法。疫情爆發後,相關網路資訊量爆增,許多中國網民也想找人為這場疫情負責,紛紛呼籲地方政府首長、地方黨書記不要「甩鍋」。 其實,在古代文學《奧德賽》中,就有「將自己的責任怪罪眾神」的說法,試用時下流行的「甩鍋」來重新翻譯: Humans are always blaming the gods for their suffering, but they experience