分類: 背景知識

AI News Anchor Making Debut in China

AI顯然已經在幫助人類學英文😣，AI也藉此自我學習，但是人類要跟機器不同，人可以做長篇幅的表達，並且在表達的過程當中隨機應變，也能投入更多的情感，這是Beyond Norm全文輸入輸出訓練的目標：帶學英文孩子到演講台🎁。
Beyond Norm全文輸入輸出訓練官網及學習社團，或索取資訊：
(1) 臉書學習社團：https://www.facebook.com/groups/beyondnorm/
(2) 臉書粉絲專頁： https://www.facebook.com/bnenglishschool/

This video shows AI New也s Anchor Making Debut in China

China’s Xinhua News Agency has billed the technology as the “world’s first artificial intelligence (AI) news anchor.

The anchor can learn from live broadcasting videos by himself and can read texts. Critics disagree about whether the technology appears natural. You can decide for yourself here with this male English-speaking anchor.

    It was designed by Xinhua jointly with the Chinese search engine company Sogou.com. The wire service added it wasn’t clear when the technology would actually go into use. Xinhua points to what it sees as certain advantages of an AI anchor, saying it can work 24 hours a day on its official website and various social media platforms, reducing news production costs and improving efficiency.

But some experts are skeptical about the kind of news-watching experience an AI news anchor offers.AI anchor is evidently devoid of decision making and processing skills and cannot offer the emotional element given by a real journalist.

Facing a future full of artificial intelligence, what we should know is never new. That is you must use your creativity and improve the social skills which take time, patience, and natural intelligence to complete.

What is Electronic Cigarette?

Key Word

1. vaporize (v.) 汽化；蒸發
2. solution (n.) 溶液
3. inhale (v.) 吸入
4. sensation (n.) 整體感覺
5. activate (v.) 啟動
6. extract (v.) 提煉；萃取
7. base (n.) 主要成分(基底)

電子菸是能夠釋放出氣化尼古丁或非尼古丁讓使用者吸入的一種產品。電子菸的目的是提供使用者在沒有煙的情況下，有類似吸菸的強烈感覺。自從2004年上市以來，吸電子菸幾經是美國青少年最普遍的抽菸方式。使用電子煙的時候尼古丁的含量介於0到「極高」。

電子菸包含三個主要部分：(一) 電池：提供加熱器電力；(二) 感應器：吸氣能啟動加熱器；(三) 溶劑：又稱為「電子液體」，通常是菸草中萃取出來的尼古丁混合能產生味道的化學物質。

雖然市場上行銷上宣稱電子煙能夠幫助戒菸，只要將尼古丁含量減至最少，我們必須牢記，電子煙仍是以尼古丁為基礎的產品，只要是尼古丁就不安全。

An e-cigarette, or vaping, is a device that emits vaporized nicotine, or non-nicotine solutions, for the user to inhale. It aims to provide a similar sensation to inhaling tobacco smoke, without the smoke. “Vaping" is now the most popular form of tobacco use among teenagers in the U.S. since it first appeared in 2004. The nicotine content varies from zero to “extra-high”.

The device consists of three parts. (1) The battery powers the heating element. (2) The sensor activates the heater when the user sucks on the device. An LED may show when it is activated. (3) The solution, also known as e-liquid or e-juice, is made by extracting nicotine from tobacco and mixing it with a base for flavoring.

Although e-cigarettes have been marketed as a way to cut down on smoking by reducing the amount to the minimum, we must bear in mind that they are a nicotine-based product and no nicotine use is safe.

Siblings Locked by Father Waiting for End of Time

Key Word

1. sibling(s) (n.) 兄弟姊妹；手足
2. scruffy (a.) 邋遢的，不整潔的
3. bewildered (a.) 迷惑的
4. tip…off (v.) 密告…
5. premises (n.) 房屋連同地基
6. detain (v.) 拘留
7. seclude (v.) 使…不與…接觸

荷蘭警方發現有6個成年兄弟姊妹，在過去好幾年的時間，都被關在一個與外界完全隔絕的農場裡的秘密房間裡「等待世界末日來臨」。囚禁他們的人是他們的父親，這六個兄弟姊妹年紀介於16到25歲，跟58歲的父親住在一起，跟外界完全沒有接觸。

他們之所以被發現是因為其中一個成員，也就是年紀最長的25歲長髮男子，衣衫襤褸，走進一家咖啡廳，一臉困惑，說他已經九年沒有到外面。根據咖啡店老闆的說法，很明顯地那位男子對於他身在哪裡或者正在做甚麼完全沒有概念，該男子說他逃出來了，非常需要幫助。

警方接獲密報後搜索農場，農場的主人不配合，目前被拘留當中。這6個該家庭成員在一個密閉空間被找到後，現正受到照護中。這幾個兄弟姊妹顯然生活在隱密地窖中，靠著隱密的農園中的蔬菜及動物維生。

Dutch police discovered six young adult siblings who had spent years being locked away by their father in a secret room in an isolated farmhouse “waiting for the end of time". The siblings, aged 16 to 25, who lived with their 58-year-old father had no contact with the outside world.

They were found when one of the family members, a 25-year-old man with long hair had come into a café, looking scruffy and bewildered. He said he had not been outside for nine years. “You could see he had no idea where he was or what he was doing," according to the cafe owner. “He said he had run away and that he urgently needed help."

Police officers searched the farm after being tipped off. The owner of the farm did not want to cooperate and he was currently detained. The six family members were being cared for after being found in a “closed-off space". The siblings had apparently lived in a hidden cellar and survived on vegetables and animals tended in a secluded garden.

Proud of Taiwan! 2 sites rank among top green destinations

Key Words

1. site (n.) 景點
2. rank (v.) 列名
3. destination (n.) 目的地
4. sustainable (v.) 永續的
5. circulation (n.) 循環
6. generate (v.) 生產
7. revitalize (v.) 獲得新生

兩個台灣景點列名世界100綠景觀，Green Destination 是一個提倡永續觀光的非營利組織，該組織選擇「日月潭」以及「東北角暨宜蘭海岸國家風景區」為綠景觀。

Green Destination 強調日月潭利用水循環來發電， 此外，經由完成電動車系統、電動船及自行車道，可以預期到生態旅遊在這個地區將會持續成長。

而東北角暨宜蘭海岸國家風景區已經連續4年獲選為綠景觀，這個地區是以山海的景觀聞名，並且展現台灣當地文化，草嶺古隧道即為文化景點之一，該隧道在封閉20年之後於2008年重新開放。

2 sites rank among top green destinations

Two sites in Taiwan were named among the world’s top 100 green destinations by Green Destination, a nonprofit organization that promotes sustainable tourism. They are Nantou County’s Sun Moon Lake and the Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area.

Green Destination highlighted Sun Moon Lake’s effort that uses the circulation of water to generate electricity. In addition, by completing a cable car system, electric boats and cycling paths, it is expected that green tourism there will continue to progress

The Northeast and Yilan Coast National Scenic Area, which has made the top 100 green destinations list four years in a row, was noted for offering tourists mountain and ocean views, as well as showcasing Taiwanese culture. One of the cultural attractions is the Old Caoling Tunnel, which was revitalized as a cycle track in 2008 after being sealed for 20 years.

The Movie, Joker！

Key Words
1. arch nemesis勢均力敵的對手
2. villain惡棍
3. inopportune 時機不對的
4. identify with 認同
5. excruciating 極端痛苦的
6. disparage貶低

如果你對待一個貧窮、心理狀況不穩定的孤獨者像垃圾一樣，你會得到甚麼？答案就是小丑。小丑是蝙蝠俠勢均力敵的對手，是超級大壞蛋，是個博取同情、令人毛骨悚然的年輕人，他沒有辦法保護他自己免於欺負。

這部電影的背景是一個非常混亂的年代，有錢人跟社會其他人差距極大的年代。小丑有一種奇怪的疾病，他常在不適當的時機爆笑，然後因此被毒打一頓。看電影的我們忍不住認同小丑這個角色。在電影裡，當他的脫口秀表演失敗，我們跟他一樣遭受極大的痛苦，這是人的本能，我們希望他能夠成功，因為我們所有人都經歷過夢想失敗。

小丑不是超級英雄電影。雖然整個故事貶低仇恨及不良善，但卻也不盡然鼓勵愛及善良。

What do you get when you treat a poor, mentally unstable loner like trash? The answer is Batman’s arch nemesis, the Joker, the super villain, a sympathetic and creepy young man, who is not able to protect himself from others who pick on him.

The movie is set at a chaotic time when the gulf between the rich and the rest of society is enormous. The Joker, Arthur, is suffering from some mysterious medical condition which causes him to erupt into manic laughter at the most inopportune moments to be beat up by thugs. As moviegoers, we cannot help but identify with Arthur. We suffer with him in the excruciating scenes when his comedy routines fall. It is a natural instinct to want him to succeed because we all experience the moment in our life.

Joker is not a super hero movie. Although the story disparages hate and unkindness, it doesn’t exactly promote love and kindness.

bottom line由於字面意義，所以常被誤以為是「底線」的意思，但其實是「重要事情」的意思。中文的底線這個字，通常指的是人們忍耐極限，可用limit這個字來表示，例如Don’t test my limits. 別測試我的底線。I’ve reached my limit for making offers. 這是我提議的最底線了。

1. The bottom line盈虧；最重要的事情
   說明: 財務報表底行的結算數字，因為顯示盈虧，所以用以表示最重要事情。
   How will the transaction exchange loss affect our bottom line?
   該筆匯兌損失對我們的盈虧狀況會有甚麽影響？
2. To get a foot in the door具備開始進行某事的權利或優勢
3. To have a slice of the pie分一杯羹
4. To have a finger in every pie甚麼都要涉及
5. To hold the fort要挺住；堅守立場
   說明: fort堡壘
6. Red tape繁文縟節
   說明: 過去正式文件紙本多由紅色膠帶綑綁。
7. To get the ball rolling開始做某事
8. A ballpark figure大概數字
   說明: If you can’t tell me the exact cost, please give me a ballpark number.
   假如你不能告訴我確切的成本，請給我一個大約的數字。
9. In black and white白紙黑字
10. To blow a deal 搞砸了
11. A cash cow搖錢樹
12. Dog eat dog 現實；不講情面
13. To work flat out 累到趴下去
14. To be snowed under 做不完的事情
    I’m absolutely snowed under with work at the moment.
    眼前我正爲手頭的工作忙得不可開交。
15. Without further ado… 不多說… (開始進行某事)

39 deaths were found in a container in Britain

Key Words:

1. container (n.) 貨櫃
2. investigation (n.) 調查
3. suspicion (n.) 懷疑
4. manslaughter (n.) 殺人
5. traffic/ trafficking (v.) 偷渡
6. circumstance (n.) 情形；條件
7. speculate (n.) 預測
8. coroner’s (n.) 驗屍官

10月23號，英格蘭東部的Essex一輛貨櫃車中發現39具屍體。整個事件正朝向謀殺的方向進行調查。包括司機在內已經有4人被逮捕，這四人除了被懷疑殺害這些人，並且密謀將這些人偷渡至英國。警方正在抽絲剝繭，勾勒出這整個驚人事件過程。

火車上的有一些人是來自於越南，然而警方目前尚無法預測所有人的國籍。根據警方的說法，這些受害者身上的身分證明文件非常少，警方只能夠從這些人身上的刺青、胎記、疤痕已確定可能身分。

這些屍體是由救護車人員所發現，然而尚不知道這些人如何獲得密報。所有的屍體正在經由驗屍官查證死亡原因中，警方會試著確定每個人的身分。 ~待續~

The dead bodies of 39 people were found in a lorry container in Essex in eastern England on 23 October. A murder investigation has been launched. Four people, including the driver, have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and trafficking people. The police are still working to piece together the circumstances of this horrific event.

Some of those on board may have been from Vietnam. However, the police cannot speculate on the nationality at this time. According to the police, there were very few identification papers found among the victims and they can only look for tattoos, marks or scars that could help the identification process.

The bodies were discovered by ambulance staff. However, it is not yet known who gave them the tip-off. All of the dead will undergo a coroner‘s examination to establish the cause of death. The police will then attempt to identify each individual.

~to be continued~

A Political Snapshot

Key Words
1. tycoon 商業巨擘
2. duel決鬥
3. farce 鬧劇
4. face–off 正面對決
5. threshold 門檻

由於富士康集團商業巨擘郭台銘已經決定退出2020總統選戰，所以這場競賽將會是兩個主要政黨之間的決鬥。

郭台銘說明他不想要參與一場政治鬧劇，而且他不能忍受看到他的支持者被霸凌。

郭台銘的退出總統大選已經將這場選舉變成綠營跟藍營之間的正面對決。一般認為，即使前副總統呂秀蓮女士通過連署門檻，她對於整個大選的影響非常有限的。

Now that Foxconn tycoon Terry Gou has dropped out of the 2020 presidential election, the race will be a duel between the two main political parties.

Gou explained that he did not want to participate in a political farce and could not bear to see his supporters bullied.

Gou’s exit from the presidential election has turned it to a face–off between the green camp and the blue camp. It is widely believed that even if former Vice President Annette Lu passes the threshold for signatures, her influence on the election will be very limited.

ESP全文英語說寫輸出訓練就是<專業文章聽說讀寫的訓練>，是練習<連續兩分鐘以上的專業資訊分享>。ESP是English for Specific Purpose的縮寫，也就是以特定領域進行全文輸入輸出訓練，目的是強化個人專業領域的競爭力。學習者可針對財經或科技進行全文輸入輸出訓練。每次訓練可以幫助學員提升三種能力(1)閱讀理解、(2)專業知識、(3)英語競爭力。

以下是一個政治大學大二學員進行財經英文摘要的實例。學員先閱讀下列文章

HE1STC1
Climbing the Income Ladder Takes Generations, Depending on Where You Live

1. Since the 1990s, social mobility in the world’s most developed countries has stalled. The low-income is restraining people’s opportunity to well-being. How should countries make economic growth more inclusive?
2. Most of us, especially in developed nations, expect to grow up to earn more than our parents. But as a new in-depth report by the *OECD shows, this is becoming less likely. In fact, things have been trending this way for decades.
3. Families and communities in many countries are increasingly trapped on the bottom rungs of the social ladder. Children born into low-income families have less chance of moving up in the world. Meanwhile, those at the top of the income ladder are holding on to their wealth.
4. One way of understanding income mobility is to look at how long it would take someone from a poor family to earn the average income in their home country. The answer varies dramatically depending on where that person lives.
5. At the current rate of income mobility in Colombia, for example, it would take 11 generations for someone born into a low-income family to earn an average wage. But in Denmark it would only take two generations, while the average rate is 4.5 generations.
6. Why is Social Mobility important? The lack of social mobility can test the resilience of a society – people can feel trapped in their low income status and worry about the lack of opportunities for their children to progress. This has an impact on social cohesion, as well as on economics and politics.
7. But that’s not all. If people are unable to progress in their career or improve their lifestyle, much potential talent remains underdeveloped. In addition, knowing that you have the opportunity to improve your family living situation has a positive influence on life satisfaction and well-being.
8. In 2018, the World Economic Forum unveiled the *Inclusive Development Index (IDI). The IDI takes measuring income, employment opportunity, economic security and quality of life into account, instead of looking at countries’ performance from a purely economic standpoint.
9. Northern European countries are at the top of the index, with Norway, Iceland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Denmark taking the first five places.

參考單字

1. social mobility 社會流動
2. stall 把…關入畜舍；使動彈不得
3. inclusive 包含的；全部納入的
4. *OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) 經濟合作暨發展組織
5. rung 梯子之橫檔；椅腳之橫木
6. resilience 彈性；恢復力
7. cohesion 凝聚；團結力；附著
8. unveil 除去面紗（或覆蓋物）；揭幕
9. take…into account 把,,,列入考慮
10. standpoint 立場，觀點

訓練中學員的輸出實例