作者: 超凡遠距英語口筆譯

Taiwanese Are Asking for Their Name in the US

Key Words:

1. racial category (n.) 種族分類
2. survey (n.) 調查
3. campaign (n.) 宣傳活動
4. reflection (n.) 反映
5. demographic (adj.) 人口統計的

美國2020人口普查預計在明年四月登場。今年一個台灣團體試著做些改變。因為在普查的種族選項上沒有「台灣人」，所以這個成立於美國的台灣團體發起了一個宣傳運動，鼓勵所有美籍台灣人勾選其他亞洲人的欄位，並在表格寫上「台灣人」，而非直接勾選「中國人」。

根據2010人口普查紀錄，當時有二十一萬五千名台裔住在美國。有了這個數字代表的力量與能量，該團體希望能精確反映人口統計的全貌。

The 2020 US Census is to start in April. This year, a Taiwanese group is trying to make a change. Because there is no racial category of “Taiwanese” on the survey’s race question, this US-based Taiwanese group has launched a campaign to encourage all Taiwanese-Americans to check the box for “Other Asian” and then write in “Taiwanese” on the form, instead of checking the “Chinese” box.

The 2010 Census recorded 215,441 Taiwanese living in the US at that time. The league hopes to give an accurate reflection of the demographic situation with the strength and power in numbers.

Drink More Water!

Key Words

1. priority (n.) 優先選項
2. lubricate (v.) 潤滑
3. cartilage (n.) 軟骨(組織)
4. cushion (v.) 對…起緩衝作用
5. a sense of fullness 飽足感

喝水通常不是我們每天的優先選項，然而每個人都知道水的重要性。下列是三項很少被提到的喝水的好處。

1. 潤滑我們的關節: 關節中的軟骨80%是水。水可以提升關節吸收衝擊的能力。
2. 水在大腦形成緩衝: 水影響大腦結構及功能。缺水使得大腦思考能力產生問題。
3. 減重: 在用餐之前先喝水，能創造一種飽足感，預防暴食現象。

Drinking water is not usually our priority. However, everyone knows its importance.

The following are 3 rarely-mentioned benefits.

1. It lubricates the joints: Cartilage in joints contains around 80 percent of water. It can improve the joints’ shock-absorbing ability.
2. It cushions the brain: Water affects brain structure and function. Water shortage leads to problems with thinking.
3. Weight loss: Drinking water before meals can help prevent overeating by creating a sense of fullness.

Life As a Slasher!

Key Words
1. slasher (n.)斜槓人；slash (n.) 斜線
2. slash (v.)劈砍
3. economic recession 經濟蕭條
4. redundancy (n.)失業；被解僱
5. economic crisis經濟危機

斜槓人越來越多。傳統上，我們被期望要擁有單一職業生涯。然而，經濟蕭條導致許多人需要在社會扮演多個角色。此外，斜槓人比較容易在被裁員的困境中復原。

斜槓人必須要有很多元的技能，這些技能是經由非常嚴格的時間管理及工作組織能力來支撐的。為了我們長期的生存，在經濟危機的時候，為什麼不能暫時性的接受一個不確定工作，並且同時為我們未來的夢想邁進。

Slasher is on the rise. Traditionally we have been expected to have a single career. However, the economic recession has led many individuals to take on multiple roles in the society. Moreover, it may be easier to recover from redundancy as a slasher.

A slasher must have a stronger and wider skillset that is supported by strong time management and organization skills. For our survival, during the current economic crisis, why can’t we both take an immediate job offer we are not sure about as well as working towards our dream job?

What Is the Gig Economy?

Key Words
1. gig economy 零工經濟
2. temporary (a.) 臨時性的
3. commonplace (a.) 普遍的
4. freelancer (n.) 自由工作者
5. undermine (v.) 逐漸瓦解
6. rooted (a.) 根深蒂固的

所謂零工經濟就是臨時性的工作變得極為普遍。一般公司傾向於聘用獨立契約工(商)以及自由工作者，而不是全職員工。零工經濟使得傳統的全職工作逐漸瓦解。

零工經濟的結果就是提供比較低價、比較有效率的服務，例如Uber。一些不喜歡運用網路這種高科技服務的人就比較不會享受到零工經濟所帶來的便利，大城市通常是服務工作發展比較完整的地方，夜市零工經濟涉入較深入的地方。

In a gig economy, temporary jobs are commonplace and companies tend toward hiring independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time employees. A gig economy undermines the traditional economy of full-time.

The result of a gig economy is cheaper, more efficient services, such as Uber. Those who don’t engage in using technological services such as the Internet tend to be left behind by the benefits of the gig economy. Cities tend to have the most highly developed services and are the most rooted in the gig economy.

颱風是如何命名的？

Key Words:

1. announce (v.) 宣告
2. provide (v.) 提供
3. complicated (a.) 複雜的
4. previous  (a.)先前的

世界氣象組織(WMO)位於東北太平洋以及南中國海地區有十四個會員國，每一個國家各提供10個颱風的名稱。每當有颱風形成，WMO位於日本的區域辦公室根據各國提供的140名字統一發布颱風名稱。這140個颱風名字包括人名、動物名、地名、珠寶等等。這些名字非常的複雜，因為這是有不同的國家及文化所提供的。

台灣目前並不是WMO的會員國，換句話說台灣從來不曾為颱風命名。

這些名稱的最新版本如附表。附表顯示出白鹿颱風是中國提供的名稱，前一個影響台灣的颱風利奇馬Lekima是越南提供的名稱，而下一個颱風將會被命名為Podul，是北韓所提供的名稱。

Each of 14 member nations from the Western North Pacific and South China Sea region in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provides 10 typhoon names. Whenever a typhoon is formed, the WMO regional center in Japan is responsible for announcing the typhoon according to the 140 names provided. The set of 140 typhoon names include names of persons, animals, places, jewelry, etc. The names are extremely complicated as they are from different nations and cultures.

Taiwan is currently not a member of WMO. In other words, Taiwan never names any typhoon.

The latest version of the names for typhoons is as shown in Table 1. The table shows that the Typhoon 白鹿 is named by China, the previous typhoon that affected Taiwan was Lekima provided by Vietnam, and the next typhoon will be named Podul, provided by North Korea.

Ghost Festival in Taiwan

Key Words:

1. haunt (v.) 使經常苦惱；經常出沒
2. lunar (a.)月亮的；陰曆的
3. barrier (n.) 藩籬
4. realm (n.) 領域
5. grand (a.) 壯麗的；顯赫的
6. ancestor (n.) 祖先
7. ritual (n.) 儀式
8. deter…from (v.) 阻撓

中元普渡可能是全世界最大的鬼節慶祝活動。根據傳統，鬼魂會在整個農曆七月出沒台灣，而這整個月就稱為鬼月。

在鬼月期間，生者的國度跟往生者的國度之間的那道藩籬被打開了，所以鬼魂就回到了地球。家家戶戶及企業行號準備的盛大的餐宴來迎接這些回來的祖先，人們在儀式上燒香，準備食物，阻擋鬼魂進入人們的家。人們也會燒紙錢作為奉獻。在這個月，人們傳統上會避免動手術、游泳、搬家、結婚、甚至晚上吹口哨。

鬼月結束的時候，這些鬼魂會被引導回到往生者的國度。

The Zhongyuan Festival is likely to be the largest Ghost Festival celebration in the world. Traditionally, it is believed that ghosts haunt Taiwan for the entire seventh lunar month. The month is known as Ghost Month. 

During this time, the barrier between the realms of the living and the dead opens and ghosts return to wander the earth. Families and businesses prepare a grand feast to welcome returning ancestors. People have rituals with incense and food to deter the spirits from visiting homes. Paper money is also burnt as an offering. During the month, people are told to avoid surgery, swimming, moving, marrying, or even whistling at night.

In the end of the month, the spirits are guided back to the realm of the dead.

What is anti-extradition?

Key Words:

1. demonstration (n.) 示威；展示
2. controversial (a.) 爭議的
3. extradition (n.) 引渡，遣返
4. bill ( n.) 法案；帳單；鈔票
5. vulnerable (a.) 易受影響或攻擊的
6. authority ( n.) 權威(機構)，例如警察局
7. autonomous (a.) 自治的

幾個禮拜期間的反政府示威期間，香港警方使用催淚彈及橡皮子彈嚇阻這些針對爭議性的引渡法案的抗議行為。

到底這個法案意義何在？

反對人士認為這個方案將意味著中國警方可以因政治議題或商業犯罪在香港逮捕任何人，人們對於這逮捕行為將毫無抵抗力量。這個法案也將會破壞香港目前的自治系統。

Among weeks of anti-government demonstrations, the Hong Kong police used tear gas and rubber bullets to push back against the protests over a controversial extradition bill.

What could the bill really mean?

Critics fear that he bill will leave anyone in Hong Kong vulnerable to being caught by the Chinese authorities for political reasons or business offenses, and it would damage the city’s autonomous system.

跟五官及表情相關的動詞最能使得表達更豐富，如果我們在這些字上多下一點功夫，我們的表達能力可以瞬間提升。基礎學習者至少要把see, look, watch, stare分清楚。

1. To see 看。這是感官能力，只要睜開眼睛就「看見」了，無論有沒有認真看。
   Every day, we open our eyes and see a lot of colors in the world.
2. To look 認真看。想看清楚是甚麼東西時用的字。
   ⭐通常搭配適當介係詞look at, look for, look into…
   Look at the house. There is a cat on the roof.
3. To watch 注視，觀賞。觀賞時的「看」，看著移動中的事物的「看 」 。
   Nature lovers often go to the mountain and watch different kinds of birds fly over.
4. To stare 盯著看。stare指的是長時間盯著看，通常令人不愉快的看著。
   ⭐通常搭配適當介係詞stare at…
   Don’t stare at people. It is impolite.
5. To glance 迅速掃描。想快速看完所有的內容。
   ⭐通常搭配介係詞glance around, glance through, glance at…
   May walked into the room and glanced around to see who was there.
6. To glimpse 瞥見，迅速地看。 就是我們平常走在路上看東西模式，沒有特定目的。
   ⭐可搭配介係詞，但也可以直接加受詞。
   Dad glimpsed at my new dress and smiled.
   The sailors glimpsed land througth the thick fog.
7. To gaze 凝視，盯著看 ，(因驚奇、羡慕或心不在焉) 長時間凝視。
   ⭐通常搭配介係詞gaze at, gaze over…
   Jack gazed at Jill as if they hadn’t seen each other for years.
8. To squint 瞇起眼看。站在大太陽底下看東西時的狀況。
   The scientist squinted through the telescope.
   Jane squinted her eyes when the light was suddenly turned on.
9. To peek 窺視，偷看。看東西時怕被人發現的那種「看」。
   ⭐通常搭配介係詞peek at, peek over…
   I saw him peeking at the answers on Jane’s test paper.
   The boy peeked at his birthday presents while making a wish.
10. To peep (通常指透過小孔或遮蔽物) 窺視，偷看。Peeping Tom偷窺者。
    Someone was peeping out through the curtains.
    The man peeped through the keyhole to see what was inside.

跟五官及表情相關的動詞最能使得表達更豐富，如果我們在這些字上多下一點功夫，我們的表達能力可以瞬間提升。

1. To sip啜飲。The coffee is very hot, so sip it carefully. 這咖啡很燙，小心點喝。
2. To slurp出聲地喝。Try not to slurp. 喝時盡量別出聲音。
3. To swallow直接吞嚥。He put a grape into his mouth and swallowed it.
   他在嘴巴裡面放入一顆葡萄直接吞下去。
4. To down一口氣喝或吃下。He’d downed four cans of beer before I’d finished one.
   在我喝完一罐啤酒之前他已經灌完4罐。
5. To scoff狼吞虎嚥地吃。The kids scoffed the whole cake in 5 minutes.
   小孩子們5分鐘之內像惡鬼般吃完所有的蛋糕。
6. To nibble小口咬。A mouse has nibbled through the computer cables.
   一隻小老鼠啃掉了電腦線。
7. To chomp大聲咀嚼。May was happily chomping her breakfast there.
   May大聲地咀嚼著蘋果。
8. To crunch嘎吱地咬嚼。She was crunching noisily on an apple. 她嘎吱地咬著蘋果。
9. To munch 大聲咀嚼。He was munching on an apple. 他大聲地啃著蘋果。