At an unusual event, a group of people gather and sit together without interacting or checking their phones. Instead, they concentrate on nothing at all and empty their minds for the Space-Out Competition. Originally proposed by South Korean artist Woopsyang in 2014, this event is a form of performance art. It challenges the social expectation to remain constantly busy in this fast-paced world, offering competitors a pause from their routines.
For 90 minutes, players are scored on how well they “space out” based on artistic and technical aspects, with their heart rates monitored every 15 minutes. Then, the audience votes for the most appealing performance. Among the top ten selected, whoever can keep the most stable heart rate is declared the winner. Since players are forbidden to speak throughout the competition, they must rely on cards of different colors for communication. Using these cards, players can signal needs, emergencies, or the desire to withdraw.
Capturing global interest, the Space-Out Competition has been held in different cities since its inception. In fact, the fifth one took place in Taipei in 2017. In 2023, a student at National Chengchi University hosted a campus version of the event as well. As the competition continues to expand, it promotes the idea that people should learn to enjoy the luxury of idle moments from time to time.
Photo: Freepik 照片：Freepik提供
在一個不同尋常的活動中，一群人聚集在一起，彼此不互動，也不查看手機。他們只是專注於什麼都不做，讓自己的心靈放空，參加發呆大賽。這項活動最初由韓國藝術家Woopsyang於2014年提出，是一種表演藝術。它挑戰了在這個快節奏的世界中人們要時刻保持忙碌的社會期望，讓參賽者能從日常例行公事中暫停片刻。
90分鐘的比賽中，參賽者根據藝術和技術方面的表現被評分，每15分鐘監測一次他們的心率。隨後，觀眾票選出最具吸引力的表演。票選前十名中，誰能保持最穩定的心率，誰就是冠軍。由於比賽過程中禁止說話，參賽者必須依靠不同顏色的卡片來溝通。透過這些卡片，參賽者可以表達需求、緊急情況或希望退出。
發呆大賽自創辦以來，已在多個城市舉辦，吸引了全球的關注。事實上，第五屆比賽就曾在2017年於臺北舉行。2023年，國立政治大學的一名學生在校園內也舉辦了這項活動。隨著比賽的持續擴展，它提倡人們應該學會時不時就來享受一下發呆片刻的奢侈。
MORE INFORMATION
inception n. 起始
KEY VOCABULARY
1. interact vi. 交流；相互作用
During the workshop, participants had the chance to interact and share information about environmental protection.
工作坊期間，參與者有機會能交流並分享關於環保的資訊。
2. constantly adv. 總是；不斷地
Connie constantly checks her phone for updates on the latest news.
康妮不斷地查看手機是否有最新消息更新。
3. pause n. 暫停
After a long pause, Harvey finally answered the difficult question with confidence.
在一陣時間很長的停頓之後，哈維終於自信地回答了這個難題。
4. artistic adj. 藝術的；有藝術天分的
Lewis’ artistic approach to photography captures the essence of everyday moments beautifully.
路易對攝影的藝術表現方式優美地捕捉了日常的精彩片刻。
5. stable adj. 穩定的
The economy showed signs of recovery, indicating a more stable financial future.
經濟有復甦跡象，顯示未來財政趨於穩定。
6. promote vt. 提倡；鼓勵；推廣
The speaker urged everyone to promote the ideas of equality and justice.
講者呼籲大家去提倡平等與正義的理念。
7. idle adj. 無所事事的；空閒的
Jenny will never let an idle moment pass without diving into a good book.
珍妮從不會浪費一刻空閒時間不去讀本好書。
學習音檔: https://magazine.english4u.net/Magdata/menu/vtnnc
《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: Yet another shopping mall has just opened in Taipei. B: Do you mean the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang? A: Yeah, the shopping mall run by Japanese Mitsui & Co. opened last week. B: I hear the mall features about 300 stores, Vieshow Cinemas and Japanese Lopia supermarket. A: With the opening, a war is breaking out between Taipei’s department stores. A: 台北又有新的購物商場可逛啦。 B: 你是說Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport 南港？ A: 對啊這家日本三井集團旗下的商場上週開幕。 B: 聽說商場有威秀影城、樂比亞日系超市，還有多達300家專櫃。 A: 新商場一開幕，看來又要掀起一場百貨大戰啦！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
A: Hey, didn’t you go to the opening of the Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport Nangang last week? B: Yeah, there are about 300 shops, including the first overseas branch of Japan’s Mahou Dokoro — a famous Harry Potter-themed store. A: Wow, I’ve always wanted to get a magic wand. B: There are also a bunch of great restaurants, such as Smart Fish hotpot restaurant. A: I wish I had Harry Potter’s “apparition” and “disapparition” magic, so I could teleport to the mall right now. A: 你上週不是有去LaLaport南港的盛大開幕嗎？有什麼特別的？ B: 那裡有多達300家專櫃，包括魔法之地的海外首店——它可是日本知名的《哈利波特》專賣店。 A: 哇我一直想買根魔杖。 B: 另外還有各式各樣的美食，像是林聰明沙鍋魚頭。 A: 真希望我也有哈利波特的「現影術／消影術」魔法，能瞬間移動到商場去！ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張迪）
When it comes to movies, some people delight in watching spine-chilling horror films. Surprisingly, apart from containing a few scares, horror movies may also offer an unexpected __1__. According to a study, watching 90 minutes of a scary movie can burn an average of 113 calories, which is roughly __2__ to taking a 30-minute walk. Researchers from the University of Westminster carried out an experiment in which they __3__ participants’ oxygen intake, carbon dioxide output, and heart rates while they were watching horror movies without any distractions. The results revealed that physiological responses to fear play a crucial role
Dos & Don’ts — 想想看，這句話英語該怎麼說？ 1. 你覺得這部電影怎樣？ ˇ What do you think of the movie? χ How do you like the movie? χ How do you think of the movie? 註︰What do you think of ＝ What is your opinion of。 think 的受詞是 what，不能用 how。 2. 你認為哪一個歌星唱得最好？ ˇ Which singer do you think is the best? χ Do you think which singer is the best? 註︰英語中 which singer 似乎是 do you think 的受詞，實則 do you think 是插入語，其他例子如下： 你以為他喜歡誰？ Who do you think he likes? 你以為我住在哪裏？ Where do you think I live? 你想我昨天在公園裏碰到了誰？ Whom/Who do you think I met in the park yesterday? 3. 他不論到什麼地方，總是帶著一把雨傘。 ˇ No matter where he goes, he
RSS