This Day in History June 10

Artists are known for their masterpieces. Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo sculpted the Statue of David, and Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi created La Sagrada Familia. This was not his only achievement, but it is the one most people remember him for. La Sagrada Familia is a huge Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Spain. It is also one of the area's biggest tourist attractions. Gaudi started building it in 1883. He worked on it diligently until his death on this date in 1926. The pointed towers and detailed walls make it unforgettable. Even though construction has been ongoing, this church won't be fully finished until at least 2026.

歷史上的今天 6月10日…

藝術家們皆以他們的代表作而聞名。李奧納多．達文西畫了《蒙娜麗莎》，米開朗基羅雕刻出《大衛像》，而西班牙 建築師安東尼．高第則建造了聖家堂。聖家堂並非高第唯一的成就，但卻是大多數人因此記得他的作品。聖家堂是位於西班牙巴塞隆納的一座大型羅馬天主堂，也是當地最重要的旅遊景點之一。 高第於1883年開始建造這座教堂。他全心投注在這項工程上，直到他在1926年的今天過世為止。這座教堂的尖塔和精工細琢的牆面使它令人難忘。雖然該教 堂的建築工程仍持續進行中，但至少要到2026年才會全部完工。

知識大補帖

高第畢生的心血都花在聖家堂（圖，資料照片）的設計上，聖家堂的全名為神 聖家族贖罪教堂，是世界上唯一一個尚未完工就被列為世界遺產（World Heritage）的建築物。聖家堂有3個門面，分別是「誕生門面」、「受難門面」和「榮耀門面」。每個門面建有4座鐘塔共計12座，分別代表耶穌的12 個門徒（the twelve apostles）。此外，建築中央另有6座高塔，其中4座代表聖經的4位福音作者（Evangelist）馬太（Matthew）、馬可（Mark）、 路加（Luke）和約翰（John），一座代表聖母瑪利亞（Virgin Mary），一座代表耶穌基督，整座教堂共有18座高塔。

單字片語

◎masterpiece n. 代表作；傑作；名作
◎architect n. 建築師
◎tourist attraction n. 旅遊景點，觀光勝地
例：Taipei 101 is a major tourist attraction in Taiwan.（台北101是台灣主要的觀光景點。）
◎work on… 致力於……
例：The author has spent the last two years working on a book about healthy eating.（該作家過去兩年來都致力於撰寫一本關於健康飲食方面的書。）
◎diligently adv. 勤奮地
例：Hank studied diligently in order to earn the scholarship.（漢克為了拿到獎學金而用功念書。）

Putin chided on environment by Russian schoolboy 普廷在環保上遭俄國學童指責

 ◎魏國金
Russia’s strongman Prime Minister Vladimir Putin found himself targeted by unusual criticism on environmental protection -- by a young schoolboy.
俄羅斯強人總理普廷發現自己在環保 問題上遭到罕見的批評—遭一名學童指責。
The encounter took place as Putin toured the Losiny Ostrov national park outside Moscow on a trip that also saw the animal-loving Russian number one feed wild elk with baby-bottles.
這 場相遇發生在普廷視察莫斯科外的麋島國家公園之際，在這趟行程中，也看到這位熱愛動物的俄羅斯頭號人物以奶瓶餵食野生糜鹿。
"I think that the government should look more strictly at all violations of the law on ecology," piped the boy, who was not named, staring straight into the dark sunglasses of the prime minister.
「我認為政府應更嚴格看待所有違反生 態法的事件，」這位男童高聲說；名字沒被提到的他，逼視著總理的太陽眼鏡後的雙眼。
"It should implement a higher fine if someone litters the street," he added .
「如果有人在街上亂丟 垃圾，應施以更高的罰款，」他補充。
Taking off his shades and looking the boy in the eye, Putin said："I agree completely. " He told the boy to send his proposals to the government. "We will look at them at least at the level of the ministry of natural resources and maybe higher," said Putin.
取下太陽眼鏡，直視著男童，普廷說︰「我完全贊同。」他告訴男孩將他的建議寄給政府。「至少自然資源部或更高層級的單位會看看 它們。」
It was not clear if the encounter had been choreographed in advance or was genuinely accidental. Wildlife has played a major role in creating Putin’s political image and the past months have seen him having close encounters with animals ranging from a tiger, a whale and a polar bear.
不清楚這場會見是否是事先蓄意安排的，或真的出於偶然。野生動物在創造普廷的政治形象上扮演著重要角色，過去幾個 月看過他與老虎、鯨魚與北極熊等動物有近距離接觸。
新聞辭典
chide︰ 動詞，責備、責怪、責罵。例句︰She chided him into apologizing.（她責怪他，使他不得不道歉。）
find oneself︰片語，發現自己處於某種狀態。例句︰How do you find yourself today?（今天你覺得身體如何？）
encounter︰ 可當動詞與名詞，邂逅、相遇、遭遇。例句︰She encountered an old friend in the theatre.（她在戲院裡巧遇一位老友。）

This Day in History June 9… 歷史上的今天 6月9日

Cartoons are adored by kids and adults alike. Most of us even have a favorite character. Some of the most famous cartoon characters in the world have been created by Walt Disney. On this date in 1934, Donald Duck was seen for the first time in the cartoon The Wise Little Hen. As a result, many see today as Donald's birthday. Donald Duck is known for his short temper and having bad luck. In his cartoons, Donald can often be seen getting upset when things don't go his way. Donald Duck's funny behavior and Mickey Mouse's gentle manner made them a great pair.

卡通同時受到小孩和 大人的喜愛。大多數人甚至都有最喜歡的卡通角色。世上一些最有名的卡通人物都是由華特．迪士尼所創造出來的。1934年的今天，唐老鴨在《聰明小母雞》這 部卡通中首次露臉，也因此許多人將這天視為他的生日。唐老鴨以其暴躁脾氣和運氣欠佳著稱。在唐老鴨的卡通裡，當事情一不順心時，我們常常就可以看到他非常 不開心。唐老鴨的滑稽行為和米老鼠的溫和態度使他們成為絕妙的組合。

知識大補帖

唐老鴨（圖，資料照片）的全名為Donald Fauntleroy Duck，是迪士尼裡受歡迎程度僅次於米老鼠的卡通人物。除了他的水手服（sailor shirt）扮相之外，他最著名的特色大概就是他的破鑼嗓子。雖然許多人因前述理由將6月9日當作他的生日，但人物設定上的生日其實為13號星期五 （Friday the 13th），主要用意就是要凸顯他的壞運連連。和他的最佳拍檔米老鼠一樣，唐老鴨也有一位知心的女伴，她一開始叫做Donna Duck，爾後則改名為Daisy Duck。

單字片語

◎adore vt. 非常喜歡
例：Colin only has one granddaughter, so he absolutely adores her.（柯林只有一個孫女兒，因此他非常寵愛她。）
◎As a result, S + V 結果，……
例：Paul got into an argument with his boss last Monday. As a result, he was fired the next day.（保羅上星期一和他老闆起了爭執。結果他隔天就被開除了。）
◎temper n. 脾氣
have a short/bad/quick/hot temper脾氣暴躁／很差
例：Red heads are said to have a short temper, and Linda is no exception.（據說紅頭髮的人脾氣很差，琳達也不例外。）
◎manner n. 態度

Cops： Man makes up robbery for ride home 警方稱男子為了搭車回家而捏造搶案

 ◎羅彥傑
The Charles County sheriff’s office said a man called 911 and made up a story about being robbed so that he could get a ride home.
查爾斯郡警長辦公室表示，一名男子打911電話報案，捏造一則遭搶劫的故 事，以便他可以搭車回家。
Authorities said they were called to Hawthorne Road near Manor Drive in Ripley for a reported armed robbery on Thursday. The man told officers that he had been walking on Route 225 when a car stopped and a someone put a gun to his head and demanded money.
當 局表示，他們接到電話後趕到瑞普里曼諾大道附近的豪松路，因為週四有人報案說遇到持槍搶劫。這名男子告訴警官，他在225號公路行走時，一輛汽車停下來， 某人用槍頂著他的頭要錢。
The man claimed to have complied and the suspects fled.
這名男子宣稱照對方的意思做，嫌犯則逃之夭夭。
But as officers searched the area and noticed inconsistencies in his account, the man admitted fabricating the robbery story because he wanted a ride home.
但是當警 官搜查當地，並注意到他的供詞前後不一時，這名男子才坦承捏造遇搶的故事，因為他想搭車回家。
He said his cell phone was out of minutes and 911 was the only number he could still call.
他說自己的手機通話時間用完了，911報案電話是他唯一仍可以撥的號碼。
Officials say charges against the man are pending.
官員表示，正準備對這名男子提出控罪。
新聞辭典
make up：片語，捏造、虛構。例句：The story was partly true and partly made up.（這個故事的內容，一部分是真的，一部分是杜撰的。）
fabricate： 動詞，捏造、偽造。例句：The criminals fabricated a lot of lies.（這群罪犯捏造許多謊言。）
out of minutes：片語，指電話的通話時間用完了。 例句：This phone card is out of minutes.（這張電話卡的通話時間用完了。）

This Day in History June 8

Not long ago, the United Nations decided that the oceans needed more attention. On this date in 2009, the first World Ocean Day was celebrated. The idea originated from Canada during the Earth Summit in Rio de Janiero. The purpose of this day is to appreciate the oceans and what they give us. Not only do we get food from the oceans, but also medicines, pets, and drinking water. In fact, many things in our life are connected to the oceans, such as the weather. This year, take a moment to think about your life. How do oceans help you? What can you do to help protect the oceans right now?

歷史上的今天 6月8日…

不久前，聯合國決議海洋需要受到更多的關注。2009年的今天是慶祝首次世界海洋日的日子。這個想法是加拿大 在里約熱內盧召開的聯合國地球高峰會議（又稱『聯合國環境與發展會議』）中所提出。這個節日的目的是要對海洋以及海洋帶給我們的一切心存感激。我們從海洋 中獲取的不只有食物，還有藥物、寵物及飲用水。事實上，我們生活中有許多事物都與海洋有關，像是氣候就 是個例子。今年，花點時間想想和你生活有關的事。海洋如何對你有所助益？你現在又可以做些什麼來協助保護海洋？

知識大補帖

聯合國設立世界海洋日的目的是為提昇人們對海洋的認識，使人們了解海洋對人 類的重要性、以及海洋所面臨日益嚴重的威脅。聯合國環境規劃署和海洋保育協會在一份報告中指出，香菸和塑料，尤其是塑膠袋及塑膠瓶，佔了海洋垃圾類型中的 絕大部分。塑料很容易被海洋哺乳動物、鳥類、魚類、海龜等誤認為食物而吞食導致噎死。因此保育協會建議：減少塑料使用，妥善處置化學品，勿將化學品、藥 品、石油、油漆倒入排水溝或廁所。只要多注意日 常生活物品的使用習慣，就能為海洋多盡一份心力。

單字片語

◎celebrate vt.慶祝；過……（節）
例：We should celebrate your promotion at your favorite restaurant tonight.（我們今晚應該去你最喜歡的餐館慶祝你升遷。）
◎originate vi.源自
．originate from/in... 源自／起源於……
例：The Olympics originated in Greece over 2,000 years ago.（奧運起源於兩千多年前的希臘。）
◎summit n.高峰會議
◎purpose n.目的
．for the purpose of... 為了……的目的
◎appreciate vt.感激；賞識
◎protect vt.保護

Piece at last! Pensioner finishes 5000-piece puzzle after SEVEN years 終於拼上最後一片！退休老人花7年完成5000片拼圖

 ◎管淑平
It had cluttered up Jack Harris’s dining table for almost eight years.
它已經散佈傑克．哈里斯的餐桌將近8年了。
Nevertheless, the 86-year-old was determined to finish his five-foot long, 5,000-piece jigsaw, which shows the 19th century oil painting The Return Of The Prodigal Son, by James Tissot.
不過，這名86歲老翁決心要完成他5英尺長、內容是提梭 「浪子回頭」畫的5000片拼圖。
His daughter-in-law Eve Harris gave him the jigsaw as a Christmas present in 2002. She said： "We got him this one as a bit of a joke really, because he always boasted he could get them done so quickly, he’s a bit of a whiz with them."
他的媳婦伊芙．哈里斯2002年送 他這幅拼圖當耶誕禮物。她說：「我們給他這個其實是有點開玩笑，因為他老是吹噓他能多快拼完，有點他是拼圖高手的意思。」
Mr Harris had hoped to finish it in the next spring, but seven years later he was still struggling to finish it.
哈里斯先生原本希望在次年春天拼完，但7年之後他還在努力要 拼完它。
When he thought the painstaking process was complete, only to find a tiny hole in the middle - the final piece was missing. His family feared one of their two dogs may have swallowed it.
當他以為這個艱 辛過程要完成了，才發現拼圖中間有個洞─最後一片拼圖不見了。他家人擔心可能是家中的兩隻狗狗的其中一隻把它吞了。
The puzzle is no longer made but the manufacturer agreed to find the original design and make the one missing piece after reading about Mr. Harris’s plight in the newspapers.
這幅拼圖已經停產，但製造商在報上看到哈里斯先生的困境後，同意找出原始設計圖，製造 那片失蹤的拼圖。
Mr Harris said："I was delighted to be able to finish the puzzle at last after all. It was such a disappointment that there was one piece missing."
哈里斯先生說，「我很高興最後終於能夠完成這幅拼圖。原本少了一塊是如此令人失望。」
新聞辭典：
clutter up：動詞，凌亂地填滿某一空間。例句：The clothes cluttered up her room.（她的房間雜亂地堆滿了衣服。）
a whiz with（at）：名詞（非正式用語），擅長某項技巧、能力。例句：She is a whiz with numbers.（她對數字很擅長。）
plight： 名詞，可憐、悲慘、困難的處境。例句：I was in a miserable plight after losing all my money in the casino.（我在賭場輸掉我所有的錢後，身陷很慘的處境。）

This Day in History June 7… 歷史上的今天 6月7日…

Graceland was home to the King of Rock and Roll, that is, Elvis Presley. Elvis’ mansion has been a favorite place for Elvis fans for years. However, it was not always open to the public. After trying to find ways to save their special home, Elvis’ wife Priscilla decided to allow people to tour through it. This was not an easy decision. In addition, the house needed to be set up for these tours. Changes were made, and on this date in 1982, the first tour group entered Graceland. Only the first floor is open to the tours, but there is still a lot to see, including Elvis’ gold records, famous outfits, cars, and gravesite.

優雅園是搖滾天王─ 貓王艾維斯．普里斯萊的故居。多年來，貓王的豪宅一直是貓王迷最喜愛的地方。不過它不是都一直開放給大眾參觀的。貓王的妻子普莉西拉試圖尋找能夠保留他們 特別家園的方法，於是決定開放給大眾參觀。這並不是個容易的決定。此外，豪宅還需經過一番整頓才能安排遊覽。經過一些改變後，1982年的今日，第一批參 觀團進入優雅園。雖然開放參觀的只有一樓，但還是有許多東西可供民眾參觀，包括貓王的金唱片、他有名的服裝、車子和墓地等。

知識大補帖

貓王艾維斯．普里斯萊是美國知名的搖滾樂手和演員，1935年出生於密西西比州的圖珀洛（Tupelo, Mississippi）。他結合流行音樂（pop ballad）、鄉村（country music）、搖滾(rock and roll)、藍調（blues）和白人福音(gospel)等多元的音樂曲風，受到許多歌迷的喜愛，也深深影響後世樂壇。而貓王首次公開上台演出時，由於 緊張而不自覺的抖腿，沒想到卻引起熱烈的迴響，成為他的註冊商標。

單字片語

◎be home to... 為……的所在地
例：The museum is home to Mona Lisa as well as Venus de Milo.（那間博物館收藏了《蒙娜麗莎的微笑》與《米羅的維納斯》。）
◎mansion n. 宅邸
◎allow sb to V 允許某人從事……（= permit sb to V）
例：The university's administration doesn't allow students to smoke on campus.（這所大學的規定不允許學生在校園裡抽菸。）
◎set up... 安排……；組織……
例：Larry asked his secretary to set up a meeting with his new clients.（賴瑞要他的祕書安排與新客戶開會。）
◎outfit n. 整套服裝
◎gravesite n. 墓地