Just get the landlord around to take a look at it (5/5) 請房東過來看就好了（五）
A: When we first looked at the new apartment, I thought it was really spacious. Now we have moved in, all the rooms seem much smaller. B: It’s funny how we misremember some things. Our memories can be very unreliable. A: It’s not that, it’s just that I had no idea how much stuff I have accumulated over the years. I don’t have anywhere to put my things. B: Yeah, you’ve always been a hoarder. You can’t bear to throw things away. A: I think I’m going to have to get creative with how I store things away. B: Can’t you just buy more furniture to store everything in? A: That just means accumulating more stuff. I think I need to go minimalist. A: 我們第一次去看那間房的時候，我覺得它空間還蠻寬敞的。可是現在我們搬進去了，所有的房間看起來都小多了。 B: 記錯事情這種情況還蠻有趣的，我們的記憶有時候很不可靠。 A: 才不是因為我記錯咧！我只是沒想到日積月累，我的東西越來越多，已經沒有地方可以放了。 B: 對呀，你是很會囤積物品的人，你就是沒辦法丟東西。 A: 我應該要來發揮一下創意，想辦法把我的東西都收納進去。 B: 你不能多買幾件家具，把這些東西都收納起來嗎？ A: 這樣只是在累積更多東西，我應該要一切從簡。 (Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
A: The third issue is that we wanted to put an oven in the kitchen. B: What’s stopping you? Isn’t there enough space for it? A: There’s plenty of space, but it needs a special cable. It runs on 220 volts, not 110 volts like most appliances. B: That’s just a small thing. Get in touch with the landlord and ask him to send an electrician around. If these are all the issues you’ve found with the new apartment, then you’re doing pretty well. A: I know, I know. There is one last problem, but it’s not really the fault of the apartment. A: 第三個問題是，我們希望在廚房裝個烤箱。 B: 那為什麼不裝？空間不是很夠嗎？ A: 空間是夠啦，可是需要用特別的電線。因為它要用兩百二十伏特的電，而不是像大部分電器用的一百一十伏特。 B: 這只是小事一樁啦。連絡房東，請他派電工來就好了啊。如果你們搬到新家遇到的問題只有這些，那算不錯了！ A: 哎呀我知道啦。不過最後還有一個問題，可是這不是房子本身的問題。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
A: We also have problems with the washing machine and the extractor fan in the bathroom. B: What’s wrong with the washing machine? A: We need to change the drain cover for the outlet pipe. The drain hole has bars going across it. I can’t get the pipe in, and if it isn’t a snug fit, it will flood the floor. B: And how about the extractor fan? What’s wrong with that? A: It doesn’t exist. A: 我們的洗衣機和浴室抽風機也有問題。 B: 洗衣機怎麼了？ A: 出水管用的排水孔，上面的蓋子必須換掉，因為排水孔的蓋子有金屬橫條，所以沒辦法把洗衣機排水管裝進去，如果沒有安裝密實，地板就會淹水。 B: 那抽風機是怎樣？是哪裡有問題？ A: 問題是沒有抽風機。 （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
Despite anonymous accusations and attacks online, the Rising Star Rhythmic Gymnastics Association, founded last year by Ukraine-born Taiwanese entertainer Larisa Bakurova, has won acclaim internationally. On May 2, Bakurova announced that athletes from her association won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at this year’s Gym Kids Eastern Cup. Bakurova, who is a former rhythmic gymnast, obtained her National ID Card to become a “new Taiwanese resident” in 2019. She said her association would continue to work hard, while expressing her appreciation for the public’s support while she faced the mud-slinging. Late last month, a netizen attacked her anonymously by accusing her of trying to “steal the credit” from other rhythmic gym associations. However, many athletes and parents stood up to defend her. Taoyuan Mayor Cheng Wen-tsan also squashed the rumor, saying that the association did not monopolize government subdisues, and that the Taoyuan City Government had awarded funds to Wuhan Junior High School, where Bakurova offers rhythmic gymnastics classes, to upgrade facilities at the student center. (Eddy Chang, Taipei Times) 不畏網路上的暱名指控與攻擊，來自烏克蘭的藝人瑞莎去年創立了「瑞星韻律體操協會」，近日在國際大放異彩。瑞莎五月二日宣布該協會的韻律體操選手，在今年的Gym Kids Eastern Cup國際賽事，創下一金、一銀、二銅佳績。 瑞莎也曾是一名韻律體操選手，她在前年正式拿到國民身分證，而成為台灣的「新住民」。她表示將會繼續努力，在面對抹黑時，亦感謝外界給予支持。上月底，曾有網友暱名攻擊她，指她試圖和其它體操協會「搶功」。 然而選手和家長們紛紛出面力挺瑞莎，桃園市長鄭文燦還親自澄清網路謠言，指該協會絕未壟斷市政府補助，強調瑞莎指導學生的場所武漢國中獲得補助，是為了更新該校學生活動中心的設備。 (台北時報張聖恩)
A: The first night, after we had moved and got all the boxes in place, we crashed out, hoping to get some rest. B: From the way you said that, I assume things didn’t go exactly as planned. A: The air conditioner was making a strange noise, and there was a constant dripping sound. When we woke, there was a large puddle under the unit. It had been leaking all night. B: I’m sure that will be a simple fix. Just get the landlord around to take a look at it. But you mentioned teething problems, in the plural… A: 我們搬進去的第一天晚上，把箱子搬到定位以後，就睡倒下去，想說可以好好休息。 B: 你這樣說，我猜事情並不如預期。 A: 冷氣機發出怪聲，而且一直有滴水的聲音。我們醒來以後，發現冷氣機底下有好大一灘水，原來一整個晚上它都在漏水。 B: 這個要修一定很簡單啦！請房東過來看就好了。可是你說有「一些」問題，所以問題好像不只一個…… （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
Tainan’s first fitness club for seniors had its unveiling ceremony on April 30 at the Daen Borough Activity Center in South District. Seniors can try the facilities out free of charge until the end of June. The seniors’ fitness club is a joint creation of Tainan City Government and Tainan Municipal Hospital, with a subsidy from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. The club is mostly focused on muscular strength training, whereas the majority of older people who exercise on their own do mostly light or aerobic exercises. The club’s target community is seniors aged 50 and above. It is equipped with 11 exercise machines for cardiopulmonary (aerobic), arm, leg and core (abdominal) training. A qualified coach certified to medium level is on hand to offer guidance, and during certain periods the coach will work with Tainan Municipal Hospital personnel specialized in nursing, rehabilitation and nutrition. Through initial assessment by specialized instructors, the club can tailor exercise programs to the needs of older individuals, including guided strength and stamina training, supplemented by enjoyable group exercise classes. The unveiling ceremony was presided over by Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che, Ministry of Health and Welfare Department of Long-Term Care Deputy Director-General Chou Tao-chun and Tainan City Government Social Affairs Bureau Director-General Chen jung-chih. Huang said that Taiwan is set to become a super-aged society in the year 2025, when one person in five will be aged 65 or older. He said that everyone grows old, but not everyone will have a long and healthy life, and no one wants to become a burden on the next generation. Huang said he hoped that by promoting senior citizens’ fitness activities, the club can help older people get into the exercise habit early on, so that they can stay healthy, keep their faculties and enjoy a better quality of
B: You look like you could sleep for 1,000 years. A: Tell me about it. I’m exhausted. I’ve finally moved to the new apartment. Had I known it was going to be this much mental and physical effort… B: Well, it’s done now. You can sit back and relax in your new home. A: We still haven’t unpacked everything, the apartment looks like a bomb hit it, and we’re having a few teething problems. The whole thing is really testing my patience. B: You’re just tired. Your nerves are frayed. What kind of teething problems are you having? B: 你的樣子，看起來好像一躺下去就可以睡到天荒地老。 A: 一點都沒錯。我累壞了。我終於搬到新公寓了。沒想到搬家在身體和心理上要花那麼大的勁。 B: 嗯，反正已經搬好家了，你就可以在新家好好放鬆一下了。 A: 我們有些東西還在箱子裡，屋裡像被炸彈炸到，而且我們還有一些搬到新家會遇到的問題。這整件事真的都在考驗我的耐心。 B: 呀，你只是累了啦，你神經快崩潰了。你說的搬到新家會遇到的問題，是什麼啊？ （Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱譯） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
A black kite (Milvus migrans, commonly known as an “eagle”) named “Little Eggplant,” which is Taiwan’s first confirmed migratory black kite, has been tracked by satellite for just over a year and recently went on another surprising journey. Lin Hui-shan, leader of National Pingtung University of Science and Technology’s (NPUST) Black Kite Conservation Research Project, which is subsidized by the Forestry Bureau, said that “Little Eggplant” spent the winter on the coast of China’s Guangdong Province, from where it set off northward on April 3. On April 15, after a 13-day journey of about 1,800 kilometers, it arrived back in Shandong Province, where it had spent summer last year. After a few days of not receiving any signal, the team received data again out of the blue, showing that the bird had long been out of Shandong. It had taken only six hours to cross the Bohai Sea at an average speed of 65 kilometers per hour, crossing North Korea into Russia in just two days. The bird’s new journey was once again cause for amazement. Lin said that because “Little Eggplant” is still very young (estimated to be three years old) and the first migratory black kite to be tracked in East Asia, it is not yet certain whether such exploration is normal for migratory black kites, and it is difficult to determine where “Little Eggplant” originally hatched. “Little Eggplant” was first found by a farmer in an eggplant field last year while wintering in Taiwan. Because the bird had been poisoned by rat poison, it was rushed to NPUST’s Wildlife Conservation Center, where it recovered under the tender care of the center’s veterinarians. After being released into the wild, “Little Eggplant” was confirmed to be a migratory bird based on the data emitted by the satellite tracking device that it carries. (Translated
Hsinchu boasts the highest salaries of any city in Taiwan, thanks to the large concentration of technology talent clustered in the city. A woman who works at the Hsinchu Science Park published a revealing post on Monday in the WomenTalk chatroom on Professional Technology Temple (PTT), the nation’s largest online bulletin board. The post’s author wrote that six months ago she changed career and began working for a technology company at the park. During a recent conversation with a 30-something colleague who is 20 weeks pregnant, the colleague mentioned that she had intended to join a fairly well-known mothers’ group called “Hsinchu Science Park Mothers.” However, she discovered that she was ineligible to join because the group vets the employment and education history of aspiring members to “prevent low-class people from joining” and “create a high-quality group.” The post went into detail about the group’s stringent requirements: at least one parent must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from one of the four best universities or a masters’ degree from another top university, have been employed at a publicly listed company for at least five years or be a medical doctor, lawyer or civil servant. If neither parent has a glittering academic record, not to worry, so long as one of the parents has an entrepreneurial background and can provide proof that they own at least three real-estate properties. The author of the post went on to write that the mothers often form sub-groups to provide English lessons, swimming classes and music tuition, an “integrated curriculum,” “whole-brain development” and even horse-riding lessons for their precious darlings, adding that the fees are eye-watering. Furthermore, the mothers also form sub-groups to enrich their lives, such as flower arranging, baking and yoga: “As a conservative estimate, a month’s fees covering classes for both the
A: These smartwatches are very capable, but the price differences are huge. B: Yep. This aviator smartwatch is cool, but it’s quite pricey, and I don’t think we’ll be on a plane anytime soon. A: Some models have too many functions, and this just drains the battery, so you’ll need to charge it every day. B: My friend has one that never needs charging, and the battery lasts for a year! But it’s quite basic. A: With some you can have different watch straps, too, with plenty of colors and materials. They all have something special, I can’t decide which one to get. B: How about we print off some of the better options and get mom to choose for herself? A: 這些智慧型手錶的功能都很不錯，可是價錢差別蠻大的。 B: 對呀，這支有航空功能的好酷，不過一方面太貴，一方面我們最近根本就不會去搭飛機。 A: 而且有的型號功能太多，反而變得很耗電，要每天充電才行。 B: 我朋友戴的不需要充電，電池續航力一年耶！不過功能很陽春。 A: 有些還可以搭配不同的錶帶，有好多顏色跟材質喔！各有特色，真的讓我有選擇障礙。 B: 不然我們把幾個不錯的選項印出來，請媽媽自己選好了。 (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
A: Look, this smart wristband can measure your heart rate! B: Yes, and it can also measure your stress levels. A: How clever! How does it work? B: Look at my watch, there are green lights flashing on the back. These monitor the blood flow at your wrist, and from this it knows what your heart rate is. A: Is it a problem to have the light on your wrist all the time? B: I think it’s alright, the LED emits low energy, so it won’t irritate your skin, or at least it hasn’t bothered me so far. A: 你看，這個手環還有測量心律的功能耶！ B: 對，還有測量壓力。 A: 好奇妙喔！這是什麼原理啊？ B: 你看我的手錶，背面的LED會發出綠色的光，來偵測通過手腕的血液流量，這樣就可以知道心臟跳動的頻率。 A: 這樣一直有光照著手，不會有問題嗎？ B: 還好吧，LED發出的光能量很低，不會刺激皮膚，至少我到目前都沒事。 (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
A: I checked online for the smartwatch you were talking about, or a smart wristband, and I found there were so many different brands, so many different choices. Which one should we get? B: Think about what kind of functions mom would need. A: Look, this one has GPS, so it can also record the route you jog! B: Mom doesn’t jog! You’re the only one in the family that goes jogging regularly. A: But mom goes walking a lot. B: You’re not wrong. A: 我上網查了一下你說的智慧手錶，或說智慧手環，發現有好多牌子、好多種選擇喔。不知道該買哪一種才好？ B: 就想像一下，媽媽大概會需要哪些功能。 A: 你看這支有GPS功能，所以還可以記錄慢跑的路線耶！ B: 媽媽才不會去路跑咧！我們家大概只有你在跑步。 A: 可是媽常去散步啊。 B: 也對。 (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
Which companies in the world are shaping our future? Time magazine released its first ever “Time100 Most Influential Companies” last week, dividing businesses with a global impact into five categories: Pioneers, Leaders, Innovators, Titans and Disruptors. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, known in Taiwan as a “sacred mountain protecting the country,” is listed among the Titans. Several entertainment companies, such as Netflix, Spotify and TikTok, also made it to the list. As Time reported, Netflix’s huge success — 203 million subscribers and still counting — has forced the most powerful studios to launch their own at-home offerings, accelerating Hollywood’s realignment. “But one thing is certain: watching movies (and TV series) for the first time on Netflix has become the rule, not the exception,” the magazine added. Also, the Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine was named one of the Pioneers this year. Founded in 2016, the media group celebrates books about women’s stories through Witherspoon’s book club and then adapts them for the screen on Hello Sunshine Channel. (Eddy Chang, Taipei Times) 全球哪些公司將會改變我們的未來呢？《時代雜誌》上週首度公布「百大最具影響力公司」，將最具全球影響力的企業分成五大類︰包括開拓者、領導者、創新者、巨擘、顛覆者。被稱為是台灣「護國神山」的台積電也榜上有名，擠身巨擘之列。 數家娛樂公司這次亦高居榜上，包括網飛、思播及抖音。《時代雜誌》報導︰由於網飛的巨大成功——訂戶超過兩億多且持續增加中——迫使各大電影公司推出自己的影音平台迎戰，加速好萊塢版圖重組。該雜誌並寫道︰「但有件事則是確定的，在網飛觀賞首輪的電影（或影集），已成為主流而非特例。」 奧斯卡影后瑞絲薇斯朋所創立的Hello Sunshine，今年名列開拓者之一。該媒體集團成立於二○一六年，透過薇斯朋的讀書會來宣揚女性故事的書籍，再將故事翻拍成影片，於Hello Sunshine電視頻道播出。 (台北時報張聖恩)
A: That smartwatch you were talking about, how do you know how many steps you have walked? B: See? It displays it on the screen, and you can download an app on your phone that shows you your statistics over a period of time. A: That means that the data on the smartwatch will be sent to your phone, and will be uploaded to god knows where. B: It’s uploaded to the cloud. A: Well, won’t people be able to see all your info? B: I think it’s safe to say that the data are encrypted. Anyway, nobody is going to be interested in seeing how many steps lesser mortals like us walk in a day. A: 你說的智慧型手錶，是要怎麼看步數啊？ B: 你看，它會顯示在螢幕上，而且你可以用手機下載應用程式，這樣就可以看到長時間的統計數據。 A: 這表示手錶上的資料會同步到手機上，而且上傳到……不知道是哪裡嗎？ B: 上傳到雲端啦。 A: 那不就會被大家看光光了？ B: 照理說這些資訊都會加密。而且像我們這種小人物，應該沒人有興趣要看我每天走幾步吧？ (Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱) English 英文: Chinese 中文:
As the weather gets warmer, there are more and more incidents of modified vehicles disturbing people by making a loud noise at night. In Tainan, members of the public have reported 339 vehicles so far this year — an average of between three and four vehicles per day. The Tainan City Government Environmental Protection Bureau says that when such reports are accepted, all vehicles that are confirmed to have been retrofitted with non-standard exhaust will be called in for inspection, and the owners of those that are found not to compl y with the standards will be fined between NT$1,800 and NT$3,600. The bureau says a lot of people have recently noticed that instances of noisy vehicles causing nighttime disturbances have been increasing as the weather warms up, and that this problem afflicts downtown areas, suburbs and mountainous areas alike. Statistics show that between January and March this year 484 vehicles were flagged down for inspection, of which 90 were actually inspected and 37 failed to meet the standards. Checkpoint locations include the Wenheng Temple in Longci District, the intersection of Jiankang 3rd Road and Heping Road in Anping District, the road in front of the Jiaba Police Station in Shanhua District, the vicinity of National Tainan Industrial High School in Yongkang District, the Houjia Traffic Circle in East District, the Longhu Temple in Longci District, Haidian Road Sec 2 in Annan District, Yujing Police Precinct’s Lutian Police Station in Nansi Distict, and the Sinying Service Area. The bureau says that, as well as adopting law-enforcement technology, it has also strengthened its joint inspections with the Police Bureau. Districts where technological law enforcement using acoustic cameras has been implemented include Longci, Yongkang, South District, Anping, East District, Sinying, Guanmiao and West Central District, and this year the bureau will purchase additional acoustic camera
A: Next Sunday is Mother’s Day. What shall we give mom for a present? B: I recently bought myself a smartwatch. It’s pretty cool. Do you think mom would be interested in one? A: Are you sure mom would be OK with a smartwatch? Wouldn’t it be too hi-tech for her? B: Hi-tech is the whole point! Look, it can calculate how many steps you take in a day, or how many floors you walk up. If you sit for too long, it will remind you to get up, make yourself a cup of tea and walk around! A: Wow, that does sound good. Everyone knows that doctors advise you to get up and walk around for 10 minutes every half an hour, but that’s easier said than done. Very few people actually remember this and put it into practice. A: 下禮拜天就是母親節了，我們要送媽媽什麼禮物才好？ B: 我前陣子買了這個智慧型手錶，覺得很不錯，說不定媽也會有興趣。你覺得呢？ A: 你確定媽可以接受智慧型手錶嗎？這會不會太高科技了啊？ B: 就是高科技才好啊！你看，這可以計算你一整天走路的步數、爬幾層樓；你坐太久，還會提醒你起來倒杯茶、走一走呢！ A: 哇，這聽起來還蠻不錯的。大家都知道醫生建議坐三十分鐘要起來走動十分鐘，可是知易行難，很少人會記得而且身體力行。 （Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times／台北時報林俐凱） English 英文: Chinese 中文:
The New Taipei City Council passed the draft New Taipei City self-government ordinance for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices on its third reading on April 29. In addition to stipulating that people under the age of 18 are not allowed to smoke or possess e-cigarettes and heated smoking devices, the ordinance also prohibits the manufacture and sale of e-cigarettes in New Taipei City. This means in effect that e-cigarettes will not be allowed in New Taipei City in future. Offenders will be fined from NT$10,000 up to NT$100,000 and may be fined consecutively per violation or ordered to suspend their business or manufacture. Chen Ran-chou, Commissioner of New Taipei City Government’s Department of Health, said that according to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s National Health Agency, the number of young people smoking e-cigarettes has increased. However, the Tobacco Hazards Prevention Act only regulates the prohibition of tobacco imports and sales, and there is no law applicable to those who bring in e-cigarettes from abroad for their own use and possession. In addition, the penalty for illegally selling e-cigarettes is only a fine of NT$1,000 to NT$3,000. Moreover, the penalties apply only to cigarette-shaped devices — but electronic cigarettes come in various shapes and forms, so that businesses that sell non-cigarette-shaped e-cigarettes tend to win their appeals after being fined. Now that the New Taipei City self-government ordinance for e-cigarettes and heated tobacco devices has been passed, it will be processed by the Executive Yuan for approval. After approval, the ordinance will be promulgated and go into force in three months, making New Taipei City the seventh city or county to have such an ordinance regulating e-cigarettes, following Hsinchu City, Taichung, Chiayi County, Yilan County, Kaohsiung and Taoyuan, but New Taipei City’s regulations are by far the
RSS