Want to live like a cowboy? Try Wyoming 想活得像個牛仔嗎？試試懷俄明州

 ◎張沛元
Whether you want to live like a rock star or a cowboy, or become an urban gardener or just opt for the simple life, there is a town in America to suit everyone’s taste.
無論你是想過得像個搖滾明星還是牛仔，抑或是成為都市園丁或只想選擇過簡單的生活，人人都能 在美國找到一座適合其喜好的小鎮。
Wannabe cowboys should head to Casper, Wyoming. Urbanites with a green thumb and a desire to start an organic garden should settle down in Red Hook, in the mid-Hudson Valley in New York.
想 成為牛仔的人應該前往懷俄明州的卡斯柏。擁有一身好園藝功夫而且想打造有機花園的都市人，應該在位於紐約州哈德遜河谷中段的瑞德胡克安頓下來。
Fairfax, California is the place to pursue the suburban ideal and Nashville is the city for aspiring music stars, according to the magazine Men’s Journal.
根據「男性期刊」雜誌，加州的菲爾法克斯是追求郊區理想生活的寶地，至於納許維爾則是胸懷音樂明星夢想者的（應該前往的） 城市。
But if you want to keep a boat near New York City, look no further than Red Bank, New Jersey, and head to Reno for outdoor pursuits far from the madding crowd.
倘若你想在紐約市附近擁有一艘船，就不要住在超過新澤西州瑞德班克的地方，以及 在從事休閒活動時前往雷諾，以遠離令人抓狂的人群。
"We ran with the notion that when somebody makes a big move it is for a specific reason, so we threw out about 28 specific reasons why one might pick up and head elsewhere," said Will Cockrell, the editor of the magazine.
「我們刊登（此文）的想法是，某人為了 一種特定的理由而搬家，所以我們丟出大約28個也許應該打包搬到某處的特定理由，」該雜誌編輯威爾．卡克瑞爾說。
新聞辭典
opt for something，俚語，挑選某一特定選項。例句：I opt for not saying anything at all.（我選擇什麼話也不說。）
green thumb/green fingers：名詞，綠手指，指擅長園藝、具有讓植物長得好之能力的人。
settle down：俚語，安頓下來；結婚進而過著穩定生活。例句：They decide to settle down and start a family.（他們倆決定共結連理組織一個家庭。）

This Day in History Apri 30… 歷史上的今天 4月30日

He was one of the most famous people in history. Everyone knows his name and what he did. Even today, we are scared and amazed by his power. Adolf Hitler was born in Austria and became the leader of Germany. During World War II, he was responsible for the killing of millions of people. On this date in 1945, he committed suicide just before Germany surrendered to the Allied forces. His body was found by German troops, so they burned and buried it. However, there had been many rumors that Hitler was still around. Although this is very unlikely, some people have claimed to have found information that shows Hitler is still alive and kicking today.

他是歷史上最著名的人物之ㄧ。每個人都知道他的 名字，也知道他做了什麼事。即使到了今日，他的霸權仍使人膽顫心驚。阿道夫．希特勒生於奧地利，爾後成了德國的領袖。在二次大戰期間，有數百萬人因他而遭 到殺害。在1945年的今日，他在德國向盟軍投降的前夕自殺身亡。他的遺體被德軍發現，所以他們便將屍體焚毀後掩埋。然而在當時，關於希特勒依然健在的謠 傳甚囂塵上。雖然這點不太可能屬實，但是仍有一些人宣稱他們找到資料，顯示希特勒至今仍在世上活地好好的。

知識大補帖

根據官方說法，希特勒（左圖，資料照片）是在他位於柏林市區住所內的一個 地下掩體（bunker）中服毒並舉槍自盡。希特勒的黨衛軍（Schutzstaffel，此為德文，常簡稱為SS）隨從雖試圖將他的遺體焚化並掩埋，但 事後所留下的遺體遭當時攻入柏林蘇聯紅軍發現並帶走，在蘇聯情報組織接手後埋葬於秘密地點，以免其葬身處成為納粹（Nazi）支持者朝拜的聖地。但是由於 當時資訊的不完整，以及多位目擊者的說法不一，導致許多陰謀論者宣稱希特勒仍活在世上。

單字片語

◎responsible a.負責的
be responsible for...
對…… （罪行、錯誤等）負有責任；為……負責
例：The drunk driver was responsible for the car accident.（那名酒醉駕駛要為這場車禍負責。）
◎suicide n.自殺
commit suicide　　自殺
例：A young girl committed suicide in that deserted house last month.（上個月有位年輕女孩在那間廢棄的房子裡自殺。）
◎the Allied forces 盟軍
◎bury vt.埋葬；埋藏
例：Hank’s dog likes to bury bones in the backyard.（漢克的狗喜歡把骨頭埋在後院裡。）

Winter babies prone to allergies 冬天寶寶易過敏

 ◎國際新聞中心
Babies born in autumn or winter are more likely to develop a food allergy than those born in spring or summer, US researchers have found. The Boston scientists believe the trend may be explained by a lack of the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D.
美國研究發現，秋冬出生的寶寶，比出生在春夏的小孩容易食物過敏。波士頓的科學家認為，這個趨勢或許能以他們缺乏陽光 維他命，也就是維他命D來解釋。
Vitamin D from natural sun exposure is needed for the healthy development of a child’s immune system, experts believe. And winter babies tend to get less sun, they explain in the journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
專家認為，接觸天然陽光取得的維他命D，是孩子 免疫系統健康發育所必需，而寶寶在冬天曬的陽光通常比較少，他們在《過敏、氣喘與免疫學年報》中解釋。
The doctors from Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston reviewed all of 1,002 patients with food allergies who had been seen in three local hospital emergency departments over a period of six years. They then compared the months of birth in patients with food allergy with those of patients visiting the emergency rooms for reasons other than food allergy.
波士頓麻州綜合醫院 的醫生，評估當地3個急診室6年間的1002名食物過敏病患，接著比較食物過敏病患，以及因食物過敏之外原因掛急診的病患的出生月份。
From this a trend emerged - allergies appeared to be linked with season of birth, but only in the patients who were aged five or younger. Of the children treated for allergy aged under five, 41% were born in spring or summer compared with 59% in autumn or winter.
從比較發現一種趨勢：過敏與出生季節有 關，但只有在5歲以下病患發現這樣的關聯。在因為過敏接受治療的5歲以下孩童之中，41%出生在春夏，59%出生在秋冬。
The researchers acknowledge that other factors, such as infections, family history of allergies, maternal and infant dietary patterns, and exposure to indoor pollutants, may contribute to food allergies.
But they believe that vitamin D deficiency, and hence month of birth, "is a significant potential risk factor" in the development of food allergies.
研 究人員坦承其他如感染、家庭過敏病史、母親與嬰兒的飲食模式、接觸戶外汙染物等原因，或許會造成食物過敏，但他們相信，缺乏維他命Ｄ以及出生的月份，是食 物過敏「最顯著的潛在危險因子」。
新聞辭典
prone：形 容詞，有…傾向的。例句：She’s prone to exaggerate, that’s for sure.（她很常誇大，那是肯定的。）
maternal： 形容詞，母親的，母系的。例句：Her maternal grandmother is still alive.（她的外婆還健在。）
deficiency： 名詞，缺乏。例句：Pregnant women often suffer from iron deficiency.（孕婦常常有缺鐵問題。）

This Day in History April 29…歷史上的今天 4月29日…

On this day in 1992, people in Los Angeles, California started rioting. They were angry about the verdict in the Rodney King trial. In the case, four white police officers badly beat up an African-American man. The jury acquitted the police officers of breaking the law. However, thousands of people felt the police officers did something very wrong. They took to the streets and began robbing and looting before the military was called in to help control the situation. Things quieted down after six days, but even now, people are still upset about the court case.

在1992年的今天，加州洛杉磯的人民開始暴動。他們對於羅德尼．金恩事件的審判裁決結果相當憤怒。在這個 案件裡，4個白人警察痛打一名非洲裔美國男子。陪審團宣告這些警察並無犯法，將其無罪釋放。然而，數以千計民眾認為這些警察的行為非常不當。他們走上街 頭，開始豪搶掠奪，軍方還因此被召來幫忙控制場面。事件在6天後平息，但時至今日，人們對於這個法庭案件仍深感不滿。

知識大補帖

此案件源自羅德尼．金恩在公路上超速（exceed the speed limit）拒捕。據警方表示，當時巡邏警力與羅德尼．金恩在公路上發生追逐，並且連闖多個紅綠燈。而羅德尼．金恩表示，由於他剛假釋出獄（on parole），擔心因遭逮捕而被取消假釋資格，故試圖逃逸，但被警員逮捕後卻遭毆打，警員甚至使用電擊槍（electric stun gun）電擊他，整起事件被附近的居民拍攝下來，而該影帶被公布後，隨即引起美國各界關注，強烈指摘警察濫用權力。案件裁定後，民眾走上街頭抗議，引發長 達數日的暴動，造成53人死亡，財產損失約8至10億美元。

單字片語

◎riot
vi. & n. 暴動
例：It took 200 police officers to stop the riot.（此次暴動動用了200名警力才鎮壓下來。）
◎verdict
n.（陪審團的）裁 決
例：After hours of discussion, the jury finally reached a unanimous verdict in the murder case.（歷經數小時的討論後，陪審團對該謀殺案終於達成一致的裁決。）
◎beat up……╱beat……up
痛打……
例：Roger beat Alex up for spreading rumors about him.（羅傑因亞歷克斯散播有關他的謠言而把他狠狠揍了一頓。）
◎take to the streets
走上街頭（抗議或遊行等）
例：The union members took to the streets when their demands weren't met.（那些工會會員因需求未獲得滿足而走上街頭。）
◎quiet down
平息，安靜下來
例：The class quieted down after the teacher walked in the classroom.（老師走進教室後，全班安靜了下來。）

Google fined for 'pedophile' libel against priest ／ Google因對教士的「戀童癖者」誹謗而被罰款

 ◎魏國金
Google has been fined 8,500 dollars in Brazil after an anonymous Internet user posted defamatory messages on one of its sites against a priest, calling him a "pedophile," media reported Sunday.
媒體週日報導，Google在巴西因一名身分不詳的網路使用者， 在它的一個網站上發表對一名教士的誹謗訊息，稱他是「戀童癖者」，而被罰以8500美元。
A court in the state of Minas Gerais ruled in favor of the 54-year-old priest after rejecting Google’s argument that it was not responsible for what users posted on its Orkut social networking site.
美納斯傑瑞斯州的法院，在否決Google聲稱對使用者在它的「我 酷」（Orkut）社交網站上發表的言論不具責任的主張後，做出支持這位54歲教士的判決。
The verdict upheld a lower court’s judgement made after the priest sued for defamation in 2008 over the post, which called him "the pedophile... the thief who has a lover," according to the O Globo daily.
該裁決維持了下級法院的判決，這名教士針對稱他是 「戀童癖者……擁有愛人的竊賊」的貼文而在2008年提出誹謗告訴，環球日報指出。
"By making space available on virtual networking sites, in which users can post any type of message without any checks beforehand, with offensive and injurious content, and, in many cases, of unknown origin, （Google）assumes the risk of causing damage" to other people, judge Alvimar de Avila said.
「藉 著在虛擬的社交網站上創造可利用的空間，使用者在此空間內無須任何事先的檢查，就可發表任何型態的訊息，以及帶有冒犯、中傷人的內容，而且在許多案例中， 出處不明，（Google）承擔造成他人損害的風險，」法官艾維拉說。
Google’s Orkut is a hugely popular networking site in Brazil, although a Portuguese-language version of Facebook is now making serious inroads into its dominance.
Goolge 的「我酷」在巴西是非常受歡迎的社交網站，雖然葡語版的臉書現在正嚴重打擊其優勢。
新聞辭典
libel︰名詞，（以圖或文進 行的）誹謗。例句︰The book is a libel on human nature.（這本書是對人性的污衊。）
assume︰ 動詞，承擔（責任）、擔任，例如︰assume the premiership（任總理職）；也有取得（權力）之意，例句︰Hitler assumed power in 1934.（希特勒在1934年取得政權。）
make inroads︰片語，侵犯、損害。例句︰The new law will make serious inroads into personal freedom of speech.（這條新法將嚴重侵犯個人的言論自由。）

This Day in History April 28

If you had millions of US dollars, how would you spend it? Would you buy lots of things, like cars, boats, or houses? One millionaire became famous when he decided to take the ultimate vacation. Today in 2001, Dennis Tito became the first space tourist. He paid US$20 million for his trip, but it wasn't easily done. At first, the Russian space program didn't want him to go up. Eventually, Tito was allowed and spent eight days in space. He even did some experiments for his business in space. Maybe money can't buy happiness, but it can sure buy some exciting adventures.

歷史上的今天 4月28日…

如果你有數百萬美金，你會怎麼花？你會不會買一堆東西，像 是車子、船還是房子？有個百萬富翁因為決定來趟終極假期而出名。2001年的今日，丹尼斯．狄托成為第一位太空旅行的觀光客。他為這趟旅程花了兩千萬美元，但這可不是件簡單的事。首先，俄國太 空組織並不想讓他上去。不過最後狄托還是被准許升空，在外太空待了8天。他甚至還在太空中為自己的生意做了些實驗。或許金錢買不到快樂，但絕對買得到一些 刺激的冒險體驗。

知識大補帖

太空觀光（space tourism）讓許多人相當憧憬，而英國富豪理察．布蘭森（Richard Branson）領軍的維京集團（Virgin Group），旗下的「維京銀河」（Virgin Galactic）（圖，資料照片）積極開發私人太空飛行（private spaceflight）的商業服務。在今年台灣國內有旅行業者代理這項太空旅行團的服 務，目前有3對夫妻完成報名，一趟兩個多小時的旅程就要價近7百萬台幣。

單字片語

◎millionaire
n.百萬富翁
˙billionaire n.億萬富翁
◎ultimate
a.極限的；最後的
˙ultimately adv.最終，終究
例：The website lists several ultimate vacation destinations.（這個網站列了幾個終極假期景點。）
◎eventually
adv.最後，終於
例：I hope both of you will eventually work out your problems.（我希望你們之間的問題最後能解決。）
◎experiment
n. & vi.實驗
˙do an experiment with...
用……做實驗（對象通常為事物）
˙do an experiment on...
對……做實驗（對象通常為動物或人）
例：We did an experiment with several different chemicals.（我們用了幾種不同的化學物質做實驗。）
◎adventure
n. 冒險（活動或經驗）
˙adventurous a.喜歡冒險的

Schoolgirl arrested for writing on desk 女學童因在書桌上寫字被捕

 ◎羅彥傑
A schoolgirl in New York is suing the police after she was arrested for writing on her desk.
紐 約市一名女學童因為在自己的書桌上寫字而被捕，現在她正控告警方。
Alexa Gonzalez, 12, was spotted penning a message to her friends in green, erasable marker on her table during a Spanish lesson, BBC News reports.
12歲的艾莉莎．龔薩蕾姿，被人看到在上西班牙語 期間，用綠色的可擦式彩色筆寫一則訊息在桌上給她的朋友，BBC新聞報導說。
Gonzalez, who had written "I love my friends Abby and Faith", was "dragged" to the dean’s office and the police were called. She was later taken out of Junior High School 190 in Queens in handcuffs and was held at a local school precinct for hours.
寫下「我愛我的朋友艾比與費斯」的龔薩蕾姿，「被拖到」教務長辦公室，警方據報抵達現場。她後來戴上手銬，被帶離開皇后區的 「190初中」，並留置在當地學校管區內達數小時。
Gonzalez and her mother are now pursuing legal action against the police and education departments in New York City for excessive use of force and violation of her rights.
龔薩蕾姿及 其母親目前正對紐約市警方與教育部門採取法律行動，理由是過度使用強制力及侵犯她的權利。
Speaking to the New York Daily News, Gonzalez revealed that she started crying after being put in handcuffs and added： "I made two little doodles... It could be easily erased. To put handcuffs on me is unnecessary."
龔薩蕾姿在對著《紐約每 日新聞報》陳述時透露，她在被戴上手銬後開始大哭，並強調：「我隨便畫了兩個東西…很容易就能擦掉。沒有必要給我戴上手銬。」
New York officials have agreed that the arrest was a mistake and admitted that officers should have made a better judgment.
紐約官員同意逮捕是一項錯誤，坦承 員警的判斷應可以做得更好些。
新聞辭典
spot：動詞，發 現、認出。例句：We spotted her easily in the crowd.（我們很輕易就從人群中認出她。）
pen：名詞 指筆，動詞則指撰寫或起草，譬如to pen a letter指寫一封信。
handcuff：名詞，常用多數，指手銬。例句：The man was arrested and put in handcuffs.（那名男子被逮並銬上手銬。）

This Day in History April 27歷史上的今天 4月27日

In many countries, people take their freedom for granted. They have always had it, so they can never imagine life without it. In South Africa not long ago, things were a lot different from what they are today. This date in history is special because in 1994, South Africa held its first general election. That was the first time adults of all races were allowed to vote. This date is now South Africa's National Day called Freedom Day. It celebrates the major changes that took place in South Africa around this time. It will also help future generations of South Africans remember apartheid.

…

知識大補帖

南非曾經在1948年至1994年間實行種族隔離政策，將人民分為4類： 白人、有色人種、印度人與黑人，其中有色人種為早年白人移民與黑人結合所生的混血子女的後代；印度人則包括所有來自印度的印度教徒、錫克教徒、和回教徒 等。1989年戴克拉克（Frederik Willem de Klerk）擔任總統後，釋放因反對種族隔離政策而入獄的曼德拉（Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela）（圖，資料照片），1991年更宣布廢除種族隔離政策。1993年，戴克拉克因對南非的民主貢獻，與曼德拉一同獲頒諾貝爾和平獎。

單字片語

◎take...for granted
視……為理所當然
˙take it for granted + that 子句 將……視為理所當然
例： Kelly took what her parents had done for her for granted.（凱莉把她父母為她所做的一切視為理所當然。）
例： We shouldn’t take it for granted that our parents will always be around to take care of us.（我們不該認為我們的父母理當會永遠在我們身邊照顧我們。）
◎imagine
vt.想像
例：Can you imagine what it would be like if there were no wars?（你能想像世界上沒有戰爭的景象嗎？）
◎election
n. 選舉
˙general election 普選
例：Our party scored an overwhelming victory in the election.（本黨在這次的選舉中獲得壓倒性的勝利。）
◎be allowed to V
被允許（做）……
例：Students are not allowed to leave the school for lunch.（學生不准離校外出吃午餐。）
◎vote
vi. 投票
◎generation
n.世代
˙for generations to come 在未來的世代
◎apartheid
n. （南非的）種族隔離政策

All ash, No cash 只有灰，沒有現金

 ◎管淑平
Economic implosion, then volcanic explosion： not since the 18th century has Iceland been associated with so much tumult in Europe.
經濟內爆，接著火山爆發：18世紀以來，冰島從來沒 和歐洲騷動這麼有關係。
There are only 317,000 people on this barren north-Atlantic island and until recently they’d barely caught the outside world’s attention. But now Iceland is famous -- infamous, even.
這 個貧瘠的北大西洋島國人口僅31萬7000人，近日以前一直很少受到外部世界注意。但現在冰島出名了─不光彩得出名了。
The ash cloud is the second storm from this once quiet corner in the near past.
這 次的火山灰雲是這個一度寧靜的角落，最近爆發的第二場風暴。
During the 2008 world economic crisis Iceland’s main banks collapsed, taking with them the savings of 340,000 people in Britain and the Netherlands. But when the British and Dutch governments demanded 3.9 billion dollars compensation, furious voters in Iceland used a referendum to tell their powerful neighbors to get lost unless they came back with a fairer deal.
在2008年世界經濟危機期間，冰島主要銀行倒閉， 讓英國、荷蘭34萬人的存款也跟著血本無歸。但當英國和荷蘭政府要求補償39億美元時，憤怒的冰島人用公投要他們的強大鄰國閃開，除非它們有更公平的條 件。
A joke gleefully repeated since the volcano erupted relates that Britain "wanted cash, but because the Icelandic alphabet contains no letter C, they got only ash."
自從火山爆發以來，幸災樂禍地流傳著一個笑話說，英國「要現金 （cash），但因為冰島文的字母中沒有c，他們只得到火山灰（ash）。」
Another quip goes like this： "When Iceland’s economy died, its final wish was that its ashes would be spread across Europe."
另一個笑話是這麼說的：「當冰島經濟死掉時，最後遺願是希望把骨灰（ashes）灑遍全歐 洲。」
One joke perfectly catches the absurdity of tiny Iceland, which doesn’t even have a standing army, going out to bully the world.
蕞 爾島國冰島連常備軍隊都沒有，卻能對外威脅全世界，一個笑話完美地詮釋了這種荒謬。
"You mess with Iceland?" goes the gag, in full Mafioso mode： "We shut down all your airports."
「你 敢惹冰島？」這個笑話用黑幫式的口吻說，「我們關掉你們所有的機場！」
新聞辭典：
get lost：動詞片語（俚語），不客氣地要人走開、別來打擾之意。例句： Get lost! Just leave me alone.（滾開，別煩我。）
gleefully：副詞，幸災樂禍地。例句：She gave me a gleeful laugh.（她露出幸災樂禍的笑容。）
gag：名詞，笑話、笑料。例句：She made a gag about his baldness.（她說了一個關於他禿頭的笑話。）

This Day in History April 26 歷史上的今天 4月26日…

Nuclear power was created as a new source of energy. It didn't create the same kind of pollution that other energy sources did. However, it was more dangerous in some ways. On this date in 1986, there was an accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near the town of Pripyat in Ukraine. Part of the plant was totally destroyed and nuclear radiation was released into the atmosphere. People had to leave the areas closest to the plant. Also, large parts of Europe were affected. This is still the worst nuclear power plant disaster that has ever happened.

核能的製造是作為新能源之用，它並不會產生跟其它能源一樣的污 染。然而它在某些方面卻較為危險。在1986年的今天，鄰近烏克蘭普里皮亞特鎮的車諾比核電廠發生了一起意外。該發電廠的部分區域被完全摧毀，核子輻射也 外漏到大氣中。民眾必須離開最靠近發電廠的周遭地區。此外，歐洲有廣大地區也受到影響。這起事故仍是史上最嚴重的一場核電廠災難。

知識大補帖

1986年4月26日凌晨1點23分，車諾比核電廠因設計不良加上人員不當操作等因素，引發蒸氣 爆炸，使得第4號反應爐（reactor）完全炸毀，造成多名人員及消防人員死亡。此外，這起事故也因大量的放射性（radioactive）物質逸散而 使烏克蘭、白俄羅斯及俄羅斯境內均受到嚴重核污染，成千上萬居民被迫撤離，而受輻射塵污染的雲層還隨風飄往其它地區，像是瑞典北部和芬蘭部分地區。事故發 生後，引起眾人對前蘇聯（Soviet Union）核能發電工業在安全上的顧慮，而暫緩一系列核能工程發展。

單字片語

◎nuclear a.核能的，核子的
．nuclear power 核能，核電
◎pollution n.污染
例 Evidence suggests a link between asthma and air pollution.
（證 據顯示氣喘與空氣污染有關。）
◎totally adv.完全地，徹底地
例 The curtain totally blocked out the sunshine.
（這塊窗簾完全擋住陽光。）
．block out.../block...out 擋住……
◎radiation n.輻射；輻射能
◎release vt.釋放
例The factory released poisonous gases into the air.
（這家工廠釋放了有毒氣體到空氣中。）
◎atmosphere n.大氣；大氣層
◎affect vt.影響
例 What my father told me affected me deeply.
（我爸爸對我說過的話深深影響了 我。）

Third man of British politics scores in TV debate 英國政壇第三人在電視辯論會中表現出色

◎俞智敏

The leader of Britain’s third party the Liberal Democrats scored a surprise boost after coming top in the first-ever pre-election TV debate between the main contenders.

英 國第三政黨自由民主黨的黨魁近來意外人氣大增，因為他在英國首度舉辦的主要政黨選前電視辯論會中表現最為優異。

Nick Clegg emerged ahead of both Prime Minister Gordon Brown of Labour and Conservative leader David Cameron in the US-style televised clash.

在 這場美式電視辯論中，克雷格的表現領先工黨首相布朗及保守黨黨魁卡麥隆。

Clegg’s centrist party, the second opposition force behind the Conservatives, typically secures under 20 percent support in opinion polls and he has little chance of becoming Britain’s next prime minister.

克雷格所領導的中間派政黨是排名在保守黨之後的第二在野 勢力，在民調中的支持率通常不到20％，因此他幾乎不可能成為英國的下任首相。

But the 43-year-old former European lawmaker could find himself holding the balance of power if Britain has a hung parliament after the May 6 election, as polls suggest is possible.

但假如英國如民調所顯示，可能在5月6日的大選後出現無政黨取得多數席次的國會，那麼這位43歲的前歐洲議員就 可能掌控左右英國政壇均勢的地位。

The leaders appeared nervous as the first debate of its kind in British electoral history got under way -- but it quickly descended into political scrapping. Clegg, though, distanced himself from the main parties and sought to offer an alternative to voters.

3 位政黨黨魁在這場英國選舉史上首見的辯論會中都顯得相當緊張，但辯論隨即淪落為政治惡鬥。然而克雷格與主要政黨保持距離，試圖向選民提出另一選擇。

"Don’t let them tell you that the only choice is between two old parties who have been playing pass-the-parcel with your government for 65 years," he said.

「別讓他們告訴你只能在這兩個老政黨中間做出選擇，這兩黨過去65年來一直把政權當成傳包裹遊戲不斷換手。」

新聞辭典

hung parliament：片語，（尤指英國）沒有政黨掌握多數席次的議會，hung 在此處做形容詞，指無法達成決定或判決，如The general election in Britain was expected to result in a hung parliament.（英國此次國會大選預料將無任一政黨掌握多數席次的局面）。a hung jury則指（因陪審團員意見不一致而）無法做出裁定的陪審團。

descend into sth：動詞片語，較正式用法，指情況衰敗、墮落、每下愈況，如The demonstrations in the capital rapidly descended into anarchy.（首都的示威活動迅速演變為無政府的混亂狀態。）

pass-the-parcel：名詞， 原指一種兒童遊戲，把包有多層包裝紙的包裹在眾人間互傳，音樂停下時拿到包裹的人要拿掉一層包裝紙，拿到最裡層包裝紙的人就是贏家。後來又用來引申為指某 事物的所有權經常轉手，在本文中則指英國政權。

This Day in History April 25… 歷史上的今天 4月25日…

Looking deep into space has been the dream of astronomers for years. On this date in 1990, such dreams were about to come true as the Hubble Space Telescope was put into orbit. The idea for Hubble first began in the 1940s. In the 1970s it was finally designed, and then in the 1980s it was built. Unfortunately, a problem with the telescope's lens was discovered not long after it was launched into space. However, after repairs were made by astronauts on a space walk, the Hubble Space Telescope began sending some of the most amazing pictures of the universe back to Earth.

深入探索太空一直是 天文學家多年的夢想。1990年的今日，這個夢想即將成真，因為哈伯太空望遠鏡（圖，資料照片）正式進入軌道。使用哈伯太空望眼鏡的構想起於40年代，而 終於在70年代設計規劃，接著在80年代建造。不幸的是， 哈伯太空望遠鏡發射進太空後不久就被發現鏡片有問題。不過在經過太空人以太空漫步的方式修復後，哈伯太空望遠鏡開始傳送一些令人驚嘆的宇宙影像回地球。

單字片語

astronomer n.天文學家
be about to V 即將／正要（做）……
例：I was about to have dinner. Would you like to join me?（我正要去吃晚餐，你要不要和我一起去？）
telescope n.（單筒的）望遠鏡
launch vt.發射（火箭、飛彈等）
例：The space shuttle exploded soon after it was launched.（那艘太空梭發射後不久便爆炸了。）
repair n. &vt.修理，修補
例：The old house is greatly in need of repair. （這棟老房子需要好好整修一番。）
astronaut n.太空人
space walk 太空漫步

Music ’is replacing religion’ says academic 學者稱「音樂正取代宗教」

 ◎陳成良
Music and DVDs are replacing religion as the focus for public devotion, a leading academic has said.
音 樂及DVD正取代宗教，成為大眾虔誠的重心，一位頂尖學者表示。
Listening to music, regular film watching and “devoted” viewing of DVD box sets are becoming the “spiritual disciplines” of the day, according to Dr. Clive Marsh of the University of Leicester.
聽音樂、常看影片，以及「專心」欣賞DVD套裝影集，正成為當今的「靈性操練」，據萊 斯特大學的克里夫．馬許博士指出。
Internet fan sites are used as a form of worship, while people use music to explore the philosophical and ethical issues of the modern world, he said.
網際網路上的狂熱愛好者網站被當成一種崇拜形式，而人們利用音樂來探索當代 世界的哲學及道德議題，他說。
An online survey designed by Dr. Marsh has been completed by 200 people so far across Britain and the USA. The findings will be published later this year.
馬許博士設計的一份線上調查，目前已由英國及美國各地的兩百人作 答完畢，結果將於今年稍後公布。
Dr. Marsh began the study by examining the way fans of U2 interact with the Irish rock band and their music.
馬許博 士透過檢視U2樂迷與該愛爾蘭搖滾樂團及其音樂的互動方式，展開了這項研究。
He believes that online fan communities form “not just to talk about music, TV or film, but to reflect on how their listening and viewing habits inform their living and help them develop their philosophical, religious, political or ethical commitments.”
他相信，線上樂迷社群的形成「不只要談論音樂、電視或電影，也要反映他們的收聽與收視習慣如 何使其生活充滿活力，並幫助他們發展哲學、宗教、政治或道德信念。」
新聞辭典
academic： 名詞，學者；大學教師。它的複數academics有兩個意思，一為「學者；教師」，另一為「學科；學術課程」。當形容詞用的academic比名詞要來 得常用許多，意為「大學的，學院的；學術的，學術性的；善於學習的」。例句：This school is the largest academic institution in Taiwan.（這所學校是台灣最大的學術機構。）
inform：動詞，賦與（生氣等）；使有活力。用法 如：inform sb with new life （給某人新的生命力）。

This Day in History April 24… 歷史上的今天 4月24日

Singer, actress, and filmmaker, Barbra Streisand knows how to do it all. But what is really impressive is how she has been able to capture the hearts of so many people for so long. Streisand was born to a Jewish family on this date in 1942. From a young age, she was interested in singing and acting. She got her first singing job while still a teenager. She soon went on to act in plays, appear on TV shows, and perform in movies. Since the 1960s, Streisand has recorded over 60 albums and is one of the top-selling female artists of all time. She has also won all the top awards, including Grammys, Emmys, and Oscars.

不管是歌手，演員還 是製片人，芭芭拉．史翠珊全都得心應手。但真正令人印象深刻的是她如何能夠長久以來擄獲這麼多人的心。1942年的今天，史翠珊出生於一個猶太家庭。她從 小就對歌唱和表演有興趣。她在少女時期便獲得第一份歌唱工作。不久後，她接著從事戲劇表演，並在電視節目和電影裡嶄露頭角。自1960年代以來，史翠珊錄 製了超過60張的專輯，是史上最暢銷的女歌手之ㄧ。她也贏過所有大獎，包括葛萊美獎、艾美獎及奧斯卡獎。

知識大補帖

許多人開始認識芭芭拉．史翠珊是從《往日情懷》（The Way We Were）這首膾炙人口的歌曲開始，這首歌其實是一部同名電影的主題曲，由巨星芭芭拉．史翠珊和勞勃．瑞福擔綱演出。劇中主角凱蒂和賀伯兩人的個性、成長 背景和人生觀南轅北轍，卻也因為相異的特質彼此吸引，進而相愛結婚。但雙方迥異的價值觀導致兩人分手。而《往日情懷》這首主題曲在美國告示牌「百大暢銷金 曲」排行榜（Billboard Hot 100）上長達23周，並榮獲1973年最佳電影主題曲和最佳配樂兩項奧斯卡大獎。

單字片語

◎impressive a.令人印象深刻的
例：John's presentation was very impressive, and our clients seemed quite satisfied.（約翰的簡報令人印象深刻，我們的客戶似乎相當滿意。）
◎capture vt.捕獲；引起（注意）
capture one's heart 贏得某人的好感
例：Adam's guitar playing captured Emma's heart, and she finally agreed to marry him.（亞當的吉他演奏擄獲了艾瑪的芳心，使她終於同意嫁給他。）
◎be born to/into... 出生於……（家庭背景）
例：Nancy was born into a rich family.（南西生於富裕之家。）
◎teenager n.青少年
◎go on to V 接著從事……
例：After cleaning the table, the boy went on to do the dishes.（那男孩清理桌子後，接著洗碗筷。）

Chicken plays chicken with drivers on busy street雞在繁忙的街道上跟駕駛人玩比大膽

 ◎張沛元
Chicken plays chicken with drivers on busy street
雞在繁忙的街道上跟駕駛人玩比大膽
A chicken playing chicken? That’s what’s happening on a busy Glendale street where a black hen has been dodging cars, captors and coyotes for two months.
雞玩 兩車對衝比大膽的遊戲？這是在葛蘭戴爾的一條繁忙街道上所發生的事，一隻黑母雞已在此閃避車輛、捕雞人以及美洲土狼達兩個月。
Officials say the bird has been darting into traffic outside Glendale Community College since it was first reported Nov. 20. The chicken has drawn a growing crowd of photographers and journalists as animal control officers struggle to catch it.
官員表示，打從去年11月20日首度獲報起，這隻母雞就一直飛奔衝入葛蘭戴 爾社區大學外的車陣。當動物管制人員想辦法捕捉牠時，這隻母雞也已吸引愈來愈多攝影師與記者的注意。
A spokeswoman for the Pasadena Humane Society, which handles animal control in Glendale, said the bird either runs onto the street or flies into a tree when officers approach. Hillary Gatlin said a humane trap has not worked because the chicken doesn’t weigh enough to trigger it or she isn’t interested in the feed used as bait.
負責處理葛蘭戴爾動物管制事務的帕薩迪納人道學會的一名女發言 人表示，每當官員靠近時，這隻母雞不是跑上街，就是飛到樹上。希拉蕊．蓋特林說，人道陷阱也不管用，因為這隻母雞的重量不足以啟動陷阱裝置，或者牠對陷阱 裡用來當誘餌的飼料沒興趣。
Gatlin said the standoff could continue awhile.
蓋 特林說，此一對峙還將繼續一陣子。
新聞辭典
play chicken：一種比大膽的遊戲，兩人分別駕駛兩車朝對方高速衝去，誰先轉向以免迎頭撞上就是沒膽的輸家。chicken，形容詞（俚語），膽小的。例 句：Don’t play chicken with him, you’ll end up totalling your car.（別跟他玩開車對衝比大膽，到頭來你只會讓你的車淪成一堆破銅爛鐵。）
humane trap：誘捕動物的人道陷阱，目的在於誘捕動物時不會造成動物受傷或死亡；基本上是門戶洞開的鐵籠，籠內的機關板上放有供誘捕用的食物。待動物受到食物 引誘進籠並踩踏到機關板時，就會啟動裝置讓籠門落下把動物困在籠內。
feed：動詞，餵養；名詞，飼料。for chicken feed/for peanuts，慣用語，幾乎沒有；極少量的錢。例句：I don’t work for chicken feed.（我才不幹這種錢少的差事。）

This Day in History April 23… 歷史上的今天 4月23日

There are many things in life worth celebrating and giving our attention to. On this date in 1920, International Children's Day began to take shape in Turkey. The event was again promoted at the World Conference for the Well-Being of Children in Geneva, Switzerland. Now, International Children's Day is held annually on June 1. Another holiday, Universal Children's Day, was inspired by International Children's Day. Universal Children's Day was promoted by the United Nations, and events take place on November 20. Both holidays focus on actions that benefit and improve the welfare of children around the world.

生活中有許多事情值得我們慶祝和關注。 1920年的今天，國際兒童節在土耳其開始成形。於瑞士日內瓦所召開的「兒童福利國際大會」中，這項活動再次被倡導。現在，國際兒童節在每年的 6月1日舉行。這個節日也啟發另個世界兒童節，該節日由聯合國推動，並於11月20日舉行。這兩個節日都專注於讓全球兒童受惠及增進兒童福祉的活動上。

單字片語

●attention n. 注意
pay attention to……　注意……
例：Please pay attention to the speed limit. You don't want to get a ticket.（請注意時速限制。你不會想吃罰單的。）
●take shape 逐漸成形
例：Our plans will take shape once we have decided on our target audience.（只要決定鎖定的觀眾群，我們這個計劃就能成形了。）
●promote vt. 促進，提倡
例：They launched a campaign to promote the prevention of child abuse.（他們發起一場活動旨在促進防止兒童受虐。）
●well-being n. 幸福；福祉
例：The good mayor made the well-being of his citizens his first concern.（這位善良的市長把市民的福祉當作第一要務。）
●inspire vt. 鼓舞，啟發

知識大補帖

國際兒童節和世界兒童節制定的目的皆以兒童的福祉為出發點，而世界各國也有屬於自己的兒童節，像台灣是4月 4日，而日本與兒童相關的節日又分為3月3日的「女童節」（Girl’s Day）和5月5號的「男童節」（Boy’s Day）。而在冷戰（Cold War）期間，東、西德尚未統一時，兩邊兒童節的日期也不相同，分別為6月1日和9月20日。

Magnets can modify our morality 磁鐵會改變我們的道德

◎國際新聞中心
Scientists have shown they can change people’s moral judgements by disrupting a specific area of the brain with magnetic pulses.
科學家表示，他們可以以磁脈衝干擾腦部特定區域，改變人的道德判斷。
They identified a region of the brain just above and behind the right ear which appears to control morality. And by using magnetic pulses to block cell activity they impaired volunteers’ notion of right and wrong.
他 們辨認出在右耳後上方的一個大腦區塊，似乎控制道德感，而他們藉著使用磁脈衝封鎖細胞活動，損害了志願者的對錯觀念。
Lead researcher Dr Liane Young said："You think of morality as being a really high-level behaviour. To be able to apply a magnetic field to a specific brain region and change people’s moral judgments is really astonishing."
首席研究人員楊博士表示：「你認為道德是很高層次的行為，可以對大腦特定區塊施加磁場、改變人的道德判斷，真的 很讓人意外。」
The key area of the brain is a knot of nerve cells known as the right temporo-parietal junction （RTPJ）.
大腦此一關鍵區域是被稱為「右顳頂接點」 的神經細胞結。
The researchers subjected 20 volunteers to a number of tests designed to assess their notions of right and wrong. In one scenario participants were asked how acceptable it was for a man to let his girlfriend walk across a bridge he knew to be unsafe.
研究人員讓20名 志願者接受一連串測試，評量他們的對錯觀念。 在其中一個情況，參與者被問到，一個男人讓女朋友走過一條他知道不安全的橋，是否可接受。
After receiving a 500 millisecond magnetic pulse to the scalp, the volunteers delivered verdicts based on outcome rather than moral principle.
志 願者的頭皮接受500毫秒的磁脈衝之後，根據結果而非道德原則發表看法。
If the girlfriend made it across the bridge safely, her boyfriend was not seen as having done anything wrong. In effect, they were unable to make moral judgments that require an understanding of other people’s intentions.
如果這個女朋 友安全過橋，他們不認為她的男友有錯。實際上，他們不能做需要了解他人意向的道德判斷。
新 聞辭典
impair：動詞，削弱，減少。例句：A recurring knee injury may have impaired his chances of winning the tournament.（不斷復發的膝傷降低了他贏得此次比賽的機會。）
astonishing： 形容詞，讓人驚訝的。例句：She did astonishingly well in her exams.（她的考試成績出奇的好。）
subject： 動詞，使遭受。例句：In recent years, she has been subject to attacks of depression.（最近這幾年，她罹患憂鬱症。）

This Day in History April 22… 歷史上的今天 4月22日

We all know that the environment is important and that we're all connected on Earth. Many of us also understand that we need to take action to help protect the environment. Forty years ago on this date, the hard work of a group of truly dedicated people finally paid off when the first Earth Day was held. It was organized by Senator Gaylord Nelson and his staff, who publicly invited everyone to join them on April 22 to focus on environmental issues. Now, more than 170 countries celebrate Earth Day by cleaning up parks, holding educational events, and volunteering to help better the environment.

我們都知道環境的重 要，以及我們在地球上休戚與共的事實。我們之中有許多人也了解我們必須採取行動來協助環保。40年前的今天，地球日首次舉行，讓一群真誠奉獻的人們所做的 努力有了回報。這個提議是由美國參議員蓋洛德．尼爾森和他的幕僚發起的，他們公開邀請每個人於4月22日這天加入關心環境議題的行列。現在，有170幾個 國家以打掃公園、舉辦教育活動，以及自願參與改善環境的方式慶祝地球日。

單字片語

●connect vt.連結；使有關聯
be connected with... 與……有關聯
例：James said that he was not at all connected with the bank robbery.（詹姆士說他和這起銀行搶案毫無關聯。）
●take action to V 採取行動（做）……
例：The government is taking action to boost the economy.（政府正採取行動振興經濟。）
●pay off 成功，有收穫
例：I am sure that your efforts will pay off.（我確信你的努力一定會有所收穫的。）
●senator n.參議員
●staff n.幕僚人員；職員（集合名詞，不可數）
a staff of 30 30位幕僚人員／職員
（= 30 staff members）
●clean up... 打掃……，清理……
例：If you don't clean up your room in the next five minutes, you're going to be in big trouble.（如果你待會沒在5分鐘內把房間收拾乾淨的話，你就麻煩大了。）
●volunteer vt.自願從事
volunteer to V 自願從事……

知識大補帖

1969年美國民主黨（The Democratic Party）參議員蓋洛德．尼爾森原本策劃在隔年的4月22日組織以反越戰（Anti-Vietnam War）為主題的校園活動，但在西雅圖召開的籌備會上，哈佛大學法學院學生丹尼斯．海斯（Dennis Hayes）提出將運動定位為以環保為主題的運動。1970年4月22日，共有兩千萬人參與環保運動，之後年年舉辦，而1970年活動的組織者丹尼斯．海 斯也被人們稱為地球日之父。

Two Chinese singers fined for lip-synching兩名中國歌手因對嘴假唱而受罰

 ◎魏國金
Two Chinese singers have become the first people in the country to fall foul of new rules banning lip-synching nearly two years after widespread criticism of miming at the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony.
在北京奧運開幕典禮的對嘴假唱引發廣泛抨擊近兩年後，兩 名中國歌手成為這個國家觸犯假唱新禁令的第一批人。
The two young female singers were spotted lip-synching during a concert in Chengdu city last year, the official Xinhua news agency said.
這兩名年輕女歌手在去年成都市的一場演唱會上被發現對嘴，官方媒體新華社指出。
"No signals were received from their microphones while the show was on," it said. The two have been fined 50,000 yuan each.
「在表演進行時，沒有收到從她們的 麥克風發出的訊號，」報導說。這兩人各別罰款5萬人民幣。
Lip-synching, known as "fake singing" in Chinese, burst into the open during 2008’s Beijing Olympics. China’s Olympic organizers were lambasted by Internet users and in the media after they admitted a nine-year-old girl lip-synched during the opening ceremony, in place of the real singer who was rejected because of her appearance.
對嘴，中文意為「假唱」，在2008年北京奧運期間突然被揭露。中國奧運主辦單位在承認一名9歲女孩 在開幕典禮中對嘴假唱，以取代因外表而遭拒的真正歌者後 ，引發網友與媒體大加撻伐。
The Culture Ministry then issued an edict formally banning lip-synching and threatened to revoke the performance licenses of repeat offenders.
接著中國文化部發布一項官方命令，正式禁止 對嘴假唱，並揚言將撤銷累犯的表演證。
新聞辭典
lip-synching︰對嘴。sync等同synchronize，指同 時、同步發生。
fall foul of︰冒犯。例句︰If you drive after drinking you would fall foul of the traffic law.（如果你酒後駕車，你將觸犯交通法規。）
lambaste︰鞭抽、嚴責。例句 ︰Our army lambasted the invaders on the border.（我軍在邊界痛擊入侵者。）

This Day in History April 21… 歷史上的今天 4月21日

In the world of sports, history can be made within seconds. On this date in 1985, one of the best drivers in Formula One history raced to victory for the first time. The legendary racer, 25-year-old Ayrton Senna, was victorious during the Portuguese Grand Prix, which was held in Estoril, Portugal. Senna was born in Brazil in 1960 and died in a crash during the San Marino Grand Prix in Italy in 1994. During his 10-year-long Formula One career, Senna achieved tons of success. In fact, he is considered to be one of the best Formula One race car drivers ever.

在運動界裡，歷史在 轉瞬間就能締造。在1895年的今天，一級方程式賽車史上最好的一位車手駛向了他首次的勝利。這位傳奇性的賽車手艾爾頓．冼拿，在他年屆25歲時，於一場 在葡萄牙伊什托里爾舉辦的葡萄牙大獎賽中奪得勝利。冼拿在1960年生於巴西，在1994年卒於義大利聖瑪利諾大獎賽的一場撞車中。在他長達10年的一級 方程式車手生涯裡，冼拿創下了諸多功蹟。事實上，他被認為是史上最棒的一級方程式賽車手之一。

單字片語

●within seconds 轉瞬間，立刻
例：If we don't get out of here within seconds, we may die from the dense smoke.（如果我們不馬上離開這裡，我們很可能會因為濃煙而喪命。）
●victory n.勝利
victorious a.得勝的
例：We threw a party to celebrate our victory.
（我們辦了場派對來慶祝我們的勝利。）
●legendary a.傳奇性的
●crash n.撞毀，墜毀& vi.碰撞，撞擊
a plane crash 飛機失事
crash into... 撞上……
例： At least 200 people were killed in the plane crash.（這場空難中至少有兩百人罹難。）
●achieve vt.達到；取得
例：Nicole achieved fame after starring in that movie.（妮可主演那部電影後一舉成名。）

知識大補帖

艾爾頓．冼拿被譽為一級方程式賽車（Formula One，常簡稱F1）史上最偉大的車手之一。F1是由國際汽車聯盟（FIA）所舉辦之最高等級的場地賽車比賽，除了是全世界最昂貴的體育競賽，同時也被公認為賽車界中最重要的賽 事，其賽車莫不採用汽車界中各種最先進的技術。
F1每年會舉辦一系列的分站賽事（例如今年有19站的比賽），而本文中提到冼拿所獲得的首次勝利就 是1985年葡萄牙大獎賽（Portuguese Grand Prix）的分站冠軍。近年來，每年約有10支車隊參賽，經過16至20站的比賽來競爭年度的車手及車隊總冠軍，而洗拿個人則1988、1990及 1991年三度奪下F1的車手總冠軍。

Bank ’held up’ ... by the police? 銀行遭警察「搶劫」？

 ◎羅彥傑
When gunmen burst into Gaza’s Palestine Bank on Monday and demanded a quarter of a million dollars the branch manager had to give in - he couldn’t say no to the police.
當 持槍者週一衝進加薩的巴勒斯坦銀行並要求25萬美元時，分行經理必須屈服—因為他無法對警察說不。
The incident in Gaza City took place when police run by the Islamist Hamas movement went to impose a court order unfreezing the assets of a health charity at the heart of a bitter factional dispute.
加薩市的這起案件，發生於伊斯蘭「哈瑪斯」組織管理的 警方執行法院命令，解凍身處派系傾軋核心的某醫療慈善機構資產。
When the Friends of the Patient Society, which operates a small hospital in the impoverished territory, was taken over by Hamas earlier this year the Palestinian Authority in the occupied West Bank blocked the assets.
今年初，在這塊貧困土地經營一間小醫院的「病友 社」被哈瑪斯接管時，約旦河西岸佔領區的巴勒斯坦自治政府凍結其資產。
A Gaza court run by Hamas then ordered the assets unfrozen and police were dispatched Monday to enforce it, putting them in the odd position of barging into a bank and asking it to hand over the dough.
後來由哈瑪斯管理的加薩法院下令資產解凍，警方也在週一獲派執行這道命令，導致他們 陷入闖入銀行並要求對方交錢的窘境。
"Police carried out a court order today in favour of the Friends of the Patient Society," police spokesperson Ayman al-Batniji said.
「警方今天執行有利於『病友社』的法院命令，」警方發言人艾曼．阿巴尼吉說。
"In the beginning there were some problems, but then the branch manager cooperated and implemented the order," he added.
「一開始有一些狀況，但後來分行經理 合作與履行命令，」他補充說。
新聞辭典
hold up：片語，持槍搶劫。例句：Several masked men held up a bank.（數名蒙面歹徒持槍搶劫銀行。）
barge into：片語，闖入、衝進。例句：The children barged into a room.（孩子們衝進房間。）
give in：片語，投降、屈服。例句：I gave in to my fate.（我向命運屈服。）

This Day in History April 20… 歷史上的今天 4月20日

Ninety-eight years ago on this date, Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts opened its doors to the public for the first time. It is home to the Boston Red Sox and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium that is still in use. Fenway Park has hosted more than just baseball games during its long history. The New England Patriots, Boston's professional football team, has also played games there. Additionally, there have been hockey games, concerts, and political campaign events. With so much history, who knows what the future of Fenway Park will hold?

在98年前的今天， 位於麻薩諸塞州波士頓的芬威球場首度對大眾開放。這座球場是波士頓紅襪隊的主場，同時也是大聯盟至今仍在使用的球場中最老的一座。在其悠久的歷史中，於芬 威球場所舉辦的賽事並非只有棒球賽而已。波士頓的職業美式足球隊─新英格蘭愛國者隊，也曾在那裡進行比賽。除此之外，該球場也舉辦過曲棍球賽事、演唱會以 及政治活動。芬威球場的過去有著這麼豐富的歷史，誰知道它的未來會有何等榮景？

知識大補帖

芬威球場座落於波士頓的市中心，因此其設計也受到諸多限制。除了球場左右外野的形狀非常不對稱，為了彌補左 外野方向的全壘打距離太短，因此建了一座將近有12公尺高的左外野全壘打牆，造就了「綠色怪物」（The Green Monster）這個球場奇觀。同時為了彰顯這堵牆，紅襪隊的吉祥物（mascot）更被設計成一隻名為Wally the Green Monster的毛茸茸綠怪。

單字片語

◎地方 + open its doors to the public 某地對大眾開放
例：After four years of construction, the museum finally opened its doors to the public.（經過4年的建造工程後，這座博物館終於對外開放。）
◎be home to... 是……的所在地／棲息地／發源地等
例：This forest is home to nearly 20 species of butterflies.（這座森林是將近20種蝴蝶的棲息地。）
◎be in use 在使用中
例：All of the washing machines in this laundromat are currently in use.（這家自助洗衣店的所有洗衣機目前都有人在使用。）
◎host vt.主辦；主持
◎professional a.職業的；專業的
amateur　 n.業餘的，非職業的
◎additionally adv.此外，也
例：I received a big bonus last year. Additionally, I won a big prize at the year-end party.（我去年得到一筆優渥的獎金。此外，我還在尾牙上贏了一項大獎。）

Former NY governor’s call girl strips down for Playboy前紐約州長的應召女為花花公子寬衣解帶

◎管淑平
Former NY governor’s call girl strips down for Playboy
前紐約州長的應召女為花花公子寬衣解帶
Ashley Dupre has gone from call girl to cover girl. The former NY governor Eliot Spitzer’s one- time call girl graces the cover of the May issue of Playboy magazine.
艾希莉．杜普蕾已從應召女變成封面女郎。這位曾被紐約州長史皮澤光顧的應召女，登上5月號「花花公 子」封面。
"I had a lot of fun doing these pictures," Dupre said of her photoshoot. "You’re naked and you’re in front of a bunch of guys-good-looking guys, too, manly men."
「拍這些照片很有趣」，杜普蕾說到她的照片拍攝工作， 「你一絲不掛，在一群人面前，一群又帥又有男人味的男人面前。」
The steamy 8-page pictorial features Dupre in her birthday suit - but also offers an exclusive glimpse into her early days as an escort and life post-Spitzer sex scandal.
這份8頁的鹹濕照片專輯賣點就是杜普蕾的全裸照，但也獨家一窺她初入應召業和經歷史皮澤性醜聞事件後的生活。
"Some people call me the girl who brought down the governor of New York, but in reality he brought me down," she said. "I was an escort. As much as I wish I could make that go away, I can’t."
「有些人稱我是搞垮紐約州長的女子，但其實是他害 了我」，她說，「我當過應召女郎，我多希望我能擺脫它，但我沒辦法。」
Dupre, 24, has since recovered from the 2008 scandal and has launched a music career and a new pop culture and relationship blog, stilletosuicide.com. Dupre also landed a gig as a relationship advice columnist for the New York Post.
現年24 歲的杜普蕾已從2008年的醜聞中走出來，並開展音樂事業、成立一個新的流行文化和人際關係部落格，還為紐約郵報寫人際關係諮詢專欄。
After all, who better to give advice on a sticky sex situation than Dupre?
畢 竟，有誰比杜普蕾更能對棘手性問題提供建議？
◎新聞辭典：
steamy： 俚語，形容詞，淫蕩、充滿情慾刺激的。例句：The city is renown for its steamy nightlife.（這座城市以其有時充滿情色的夜生活聞名。）
birthday suit：俚語，名詞，全裸的委婉說法。例句：He’s so drunk that he ran around on street in his birthday suit.（他醉到脫光光在街上跑來跑去。）
gig：俚語，名詞，工作（尤指表演性、娛樂性的表演）、過失。例句：He has a gig next week in New York.（他下週在紐約有一場演出。）

This Day in History April 19歷史上的今天

Captain James Cook was an English explorer for the British Royal Navy. He sailed to many places that people from Europe had not yet discovered. He also made maps of the places he visited. One of the new areas he traveled around was the Pacific Ocean. On this date in 1770, Captain Cook caught sight of a new land. What he saw then is now known as Australia. Cook was also the first person on record to sail around New Zealand.

詹姆 士．庫克船長是一位隸屬英國皇家海軍的英國籍探險家。他曾航行到許多歐洲人在當時從未發現的地方。他也會將他所遊歷過的地方製成地圖。其中一處他曾環遊的 新地方就是太平洋。在1770年的今天，庫克船長看到一片新陸地。當時他所看到的就是如今稱為「澳大利亞」的大陸。庫克同時也是歷史紀錄中首位在紐西蘭周 圍航行的人。

知識大補帖

庫克船長曾3度遠征太平洋，在這3次的航行中對太平洋群島、澳洲和紐西蘭各方面做了詳細的記錄，也促成了英 國對這些地區的殖民歷史。在今日，澳洲與紐西蘭的很多地方仍可看出他們對庫克船長的懷念，像墨爾本有棟庫克船長小屋（Captain Cook's Cottage）、紐西蘭北島和南島中間的海峽叫庫克海峽（Cook Strait），以及紐西蘭最高峰亦命名為庫克山（Mt. Cook）。

單字片語

◎captain
n.船長；隊長，領隊
◎explorer
n.探險家
例
Christopher Columbus is regarded as one of the world's most important explorers.（哥倫布被視為世界上最重要的探險家之一。）
◎royal
a.皇室的，王家的
◎navy
n.海軍
army n.陸軍
air force n.空軍
◎sail
vi.航行&vt.駕駛
例
The boat sailed to a tiny island off the coast.（那艘船航向外海的一座小島。）
◎discover
vt.發現
例
Marie Curie discovered two radioactive elements, polonium and radium.（居禮夫人發現兩種放射性元素，釙和鐳。）
◎catch sight of……
看見……
例
Adam caught sight of his fat stomach in the mirror and decided to go on a diet.（看見鏡子中自己的水桶肚，亞當決定開始節食。）
on record
◎紀錄上
例
Last year's earthquake was the most destructive on record.（去年發生的那場地震是有記載以來最具破壞力的一次。）

This Day in History 歷史上的今天 4月18日

On this date in 1906, the people of San Francisco, California were woken up at 5:12 AM. Homes and buildings were shaken like toys as a massive earthquake hit the city. The earthquake was so big, in fact, that it could be felt from the state of Oregon in the north all the way to the city of Los Angeles in the south. Because of the destruction and fires that broke out afterwards, nearly 3,000 people were killed. The 1906 San Francisco earthquake is still considered one of the worst natural disasters ever to hit the US.

1906年的今天， 加州舊金山的民眾在清晨5時12分驚醒。當劇烈的地震襲擊這座城市時，住家和大樓就像玩具般被晃得東倒西歪。事實上，那場地震強烈到從北邊的奧瑞岡州一直 到南邊的洛杉磯市都可以感受到。由於地震造成的破壞和之後爆發的火災，造成近3千人喪生。1906年的舊金山大地震仍被視為美國至今最慘重的天災之一。

單字片語

◎wake sb up/wake up sb 將某人喚醒
例：Every morning, my dog wakes me up by licking my face.（每天早上，我的狗狗舔我的臉把我喚醒。）
◎massive a.大規模的；巨大的
例：Because of the castle's massive walls, the enemy army failed to bring it down.（這座城堡巨大的城牆讓敵軍無法將它攻下。）
◎all the way to + 地方 一路到……
例：After my car ran out of gas on the highway, I had to walk all the way to the nearest gas station.（我的車子在公路上沒油後，我只得一路走到最近的加油站。）
◎break out （災害、疾病或戰爭等）爆發，突然發生
例：A fire broke out in my neighborhood last night.（昨晚我家附近發生火災。）
◎be considered (to be) + N/adj. 被視為……

Mourning means brisk business after Polish leader’s death 波蘭總統去世舉國哀悼，小販大發利市

 ◎俞智敏
From flags to candles and tulips to tacky badges, business is brisk for those looking to make a fast buck in the wake of the air-crash death in Russia of Polish president Lech Kaczynski.
從國旗到蠟燭、鬱金香和俗氣的徽章，對那些想趁波蘭總統卡辛斯基在俄羅斯空難中喪生 而大發橫財的人來說，生意可是興隆得很。
Hawkers have flocked to the capital Warsaw following the crowds of tens of thousands who are queuing for hours to honour Kaczynski and his wife Maria as they lie in state, and mourn the other 94 victims of this disaster.
卡辛斯基及夫人瑪麗亞的遺體已運回首都華沙供民眾瞻仰，在成千上 萬民眾排隊數小時以向總統伉儷致意，同時追悼其他94位罹難者之際，小販們也紛紛湧進華沙。
"The best business was on Sunday night. The candles were selling in their thousands," said Mikolaj Krupa, who come from a small town around 50 kilometres north of Warsaw. "Only those who had some in stock already could take advantage, because everything was closed. So they could sell them for a top price," he said.
「生意最好的時候是週日晚上。蠟燭是以數以千計的數量賣出，」據來自華沙北方50公里小城的商人克魯巴表示。「只有手 上有現貨的人才佔得到便宜，因為所有商店都關門了，他們可以用最高價來賣東西。」
Since Saturday, the pavements in the centre of the capital have been piled high with pallets of candles, with the vendors dotted every few metres. Small candles were selling for around five to seven zloty, compared to the normal price tag of around two to three zloty.
自週六起，首都市中心區的人行道上就堆滿了一層層的 蠟燭，每隔幾公尺就有賣蠟燭的小販。小蠟燭現在要價約波蘭幣5至7元，相較於原本的2至3元。
Most have been buying a candle or tulips in the red and white colours of the Polish banner. The stands also sell little flags, and red and white ribbons to be worn in a sign of mourning.
多數民眾都會買小蠟燭，或象徵波蘭國旗顏色的紅白鬱金香。路邊攤還會賣小國旗，以及紅白兩 色的絲帶，讓人別在身上象徵哀悼。
新聞辭典
brisk：形 容詞，指活潑的、生氣勃勃的，文中則指興旺的、繁榮的，如Pawnshops are doing brisk business during recession.（經濟衰退期間，當鋪的生意卻十分興旺。）
fast buck／dollar：俚語，指容易賺的錢、（不擇手段）快速得來的錢，如They are traders out to make a fast buck.（他們是想趁機海撈一筆的商人。）
lie in state：片語，指名人遺體在下葬前供公眾瞻仰，如The President’s body lay in state in the Capitol for three days and thousands walked by his coffin to pay their respects.（總統的遺體在國會山莊停放三天供人瞻仰，數千位民眾到棺木前向他致意。）

Nannied boys ’likely to be womanisers’ 有保母的男童「可能成為花心男」

 ◎陳成良
Baby boys who are looked after by nannies are more likely to womanise, a psychiatrist has claimed.
有 保母照料的男嬰未來較可能沉迷於女色，一位精神病學家宣稱。
Dr. Dennis Freidman, author of The Unsolicited Gift, said that the practice introduces young boys to the concept of ’The Other Woman’, equipping them with life-long double standards concerning the opposite sex.
《主動餽贈的禮品》一書作者丹尼斯．佛里曼醫生說，請保母 照料的作法讓男嬰得知「另一個女人」的概念，使他們終身對異性抱持雙重標準。
This means that even though he could go on to be married he will always have the feeling that another women could cater for all his basic needs.
這意味，即使往後可能結婚，他也 將總是覺得別的女人可迎合他所有基本需求。
Baby girls are also not immune, Dr. Freidman claims. If they have a nanny or au pair they are filled with a "vacuum of need" inside them which they fill in a variety of ways such as drink, drugs, sex or money.
女嬰也無法倖免，佛里曼醫生宣稱。 如果她們有保母或工讀專案安親天使照顧，心中就會充滿「需求的空虛」，而她們會用各種方式，諸如喝酒、吸毒、性愛或金錢來填補。
He said that his comments would not be popular with women who feel they have a right to have a career and social life while bringing up their baby. But that the baby has a right too, he said - the right to have a relationship with a mother who is "100 per cent connected".
他表示，那 些認為有權在養育孩子的同時，擁有事業及社交生活的女性，會對他的評論不以為然。不過他說，嬰兒也擁有一項權利，那就是與母親的關係「百分百相繫」。
He said the solution was not to employ a nanny or au pair until after the baby’s first birthday.
他說，解決之道是在嬰兒一歲生日之前，不要聘請保母或工讀專案安親天使。
新聞辭典：
womaniser：名詞，好色之徒。 意指某種男人同時喜歡上多個異性，並且與她們發生短暫的性關係。 例句： Give up on him. He is just a womanizer. （放棄他吧，他只是個花花公子。）
au pair：美國的工讀專案安親天使。為了使年滿18歲到26歲的世界各國女性，能有機會到美國來體驗美國文化、學習語文並增進彼此間的友誼，美國政府特別 准許家有小孩的美國家庭，可以申請接待一位可能來自世界各國的au pair。au pair源自於法文「互助、互惠」的意思。
bring up：片語，養育，帶大。例句：She was brought up by her grandmother.（她是祖母帶大的。）

This Day in History April 17… 歷史上的今天 4月17日

The 1930s was a time for new cartoon characters. These interesting faces were known as screwballs because they were always doing something unpredictable. On this day in 1937, Warner Bros. introduced Daffy Duck, who would soon become one of the cartoon world's biggest legends. When his cartoon first came out, audiences didn't know how to feel about this crazy character. In fact, he and his partner Porky Pig were the talk of the town for quite a while. Petunia Pig, Porky's girlfriend, was also introduced at this time. Unfortunately though, she has only shown up in a few of Warner Bros.' Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons.

1930年代新的卡 通角色輩出。這些有趣的面孔因為總是做出一些讓人意想不到的事而被稱為「怪咖」。在1937年的今天，華納兄弟影業公司推出「達菲鴨」，不久就成為卡通界 最大咖的傳奇角色之一。他的卡通剛推出的時候，觀眾對這個瘋狂角色感到一頭霧水。事實上，他和夥伴「豬小弟」有一段時間成為街頭巷尾談論的話題。豬小弟的 女友「豬小妹」也在這段期間推出，可惜的是她只在華納兄弟的《樂一通》和《快樂旋律》的卡通系列中露過幾次面而已。

單字片語

●be known as+稱號╱身分
是眾所皆知的……，以……稱號╱身分聞名
例：Mr. Li is known as a great scientist.（李先生是一位知名的偉大科學家。）
●screwball n.怪人
●unpredictable a.出乎意料的，難以預測的
例：My sister has an unpredictable temper.（我姊姊的脾氣難以預測。）
●come out 上映；出版；發行
例：The rock band's new album is coming out in December.（該搖滾樂團的新專輯將於 12 月發行。）
●porky a.像豬的；肥胖的
●be the talk of the town 是街談巷議的熱門話題
例：The actress has become the talk of the town ever since she was reported to be pregnant.（自從傳出她懷孕的消息後，那位女演員就成為街頭巷尾談論的話題。）
●show up 出現；出席（= turn up）
●Tune n.旋律；歌曲

知識大補帖

達菲鴨與唐老鴨（Donald Duck）並稱卡通史上的2大名鴨。達菲鴨於1937年的《豬小弟獵鴨記》（Porky’s Duck Hunt）中首次登上螢幕，他活蹦亂跳的樣子立即贏得觀眾的喜愛。起初，達菲鴨是《樂一通》卡通系列的大明星，但後來兔寶寶（Bugs Bunny）逐漸取代了他的地位。所以他在現代的卡通中，常扮演自私、愛出風頭和經常闖禍的角色，和兔寶寶之間的關係更是差到極點。

Our cheesy photo with president... er, who?咱們跟總統的刻意合照……呃，誰啊？

◎張沛元
Our cheesy photo with president... er, who?
咱們跟總統的刻意合照……呃，誰啊？
Many would have grabbed him for a cheesy photo, but when South African President Jacob Zuma and his entourage swept into a London supermarket, one elderly couple completely ignored him.
許多人會抓住他來張刻意合照，但當南非總統雅各．祖瑪及其隨扈大搖大擺地蒞 臨倫敦一家超市時，一對上了年紀的老夫妻卻對他視若無睹。
Local shoppers John and Catherine Przeslawski -- 92 and 86 respectively -- were so engrossed at the cheese counter they had no idea that one of the world’s most powerful leaders was standing right behind them.
分別是92歲與86歲的當地購物客約翰與凱薩琳．普雷斯羅斯基，在起司櫃 檯前是如此地全神貫注，以致於完全不曉得全球最有權勢的領導人之一，就站在他們倆身旁。
Zuma, who is staying with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on his state visit to Britain, was fresh from talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street.
前往英國進行國是訪問、與英國女王伊莉莎白二世一起下榻白金漢宮的祖瑪，剛結束在唐寧街10號與英國首相戈 登．布朗的會談。
But the Przeslawskis were oblivious to his presence in the country, let alone his presence right behind them in their local Sainsbury’s.
但普雷斯羅斯基夫婦完全沒注意到他（祖瑪）蒞臨英國，遑論總統閣下蒞臨當地Sainsbury超市時，就站在他們 倆身旁。
Asked later if they had noticed President Zuma at all, the couple replied： "Who?"
稍後被問到他們到底有沒有注意到祖瑪總統時，這對老夫婦反問：「誰啊？」
新聞辭典
cheesy：形容詞，非正式用法，意指做得太過刻意用力、不夠細緻與不真 實，特別指在吸引觀眾的特定反應上做得太粗糙與刻意。
fresh from something：俚語，剛結束某事。fresh from somewhere，剛從某處抵達（此地）。例句：The president, fresh from a key election victory, is set to begin a trip to Europe.（剛在一場重要選舉中獲勝的總統準備展開訪歐之行。）
oblivious： 形容詞，健忘的；不以為意的。

This Day in History April 16… 歷史上的今天 4月16日

You probably don't know his name, but there is no doubt you have seen a clip from one of his movies at least once in your lifetime. He is the guy with the little mustache who carries a cane, wears a bowler hat, and ends up in every ridiculous situation imaginable. On this date in 1889, Charlie Chaplin was born in London, England. He was the most creative and influential person of the silent-film era because he was an actor, writer, composer, and film producer. Most importantly, Chaplin knew how to touch people through the magic of the big screen.

你可能不知道他的名 字，但你一生中絕對至少看過一次他電影裡的一小片段。他是那個蓄著小鬍子、手持拐杖、頭戴圓禮帽的男子，而且每每都以各種你所能想像得到的荒唐情境收場。 在1889年的今日，查理．卓別林於英國倫敦誕生。他是默片時代最具創意且最有影響力的人物，因為他身兼演員、 作家、作曲家，以及電影製片。而最重要的是，卓別林知道如何透過大銀幕的魔力來感動人心。

單字片語

●There is no doubt + that子句 毫無疑問╱無疑……
例：There is no doubt that drinking too much wine is bad for your health.
（喝太多酒對健康有害是無庸置疑的。）
●clip n.（電影中的）一小片段
●mustache n.小鬍子
●cane n.柺杖，手杖
●bowler hat n.（男用）硬圓頂禮帽
●ridiculousa. 荒唐的，可笑的
例：Nicholas looks ridiculous in those green pants.（尼可拉斯穿著那件綠色褲子顯得很可笑。）
●imaginablea.可想像得到的（常用來作強調用）
every + N + imaginable 各種能想像得到的……
例：My school offers courses in every subject imaginable.（我的學校提供各種你能想像得到的課程。）
●influential a.有影響力的
例：The elders in this tribe are very influential.（這個部落的長老們有很大的影響力。）
●touch vt.使感動
例：The audience was all touched by the movie.（觀眾們都被這部電影所感動。）

知識大補帖

查理˙卓別林從小就嚮往當一名演員，於是苦心學習各家戲法，融合各項精要形成獨有的默劇風格。他的藝術生涯 中共拍攝了80多部電影，而他的喜劇不僅妙趣橫生，也很能發人省思，就連著名的科學家愛因斯坦（Albert Einstein）也非常推崇他的電影。他在給卓別林的信中寫道：「你的電影《摩登時代》，世界上每一個人都能看得懂，你一定能成為偉人。」而卓別林也詼 諧地回信說：「我更加欽佩你。你的相對論世界上沒有人能弄懂，但你已經是一個偉人。」

Working mums’ children less fit 有工作的母親孩子會比較不健康

◎國際新聞中心

Children whose mothers work are less likely to lead healthy lives than those with "stay at home" mums, a study says. The Institute of Child Health study of more than 12,500 five-year-olds found those with working mothers less active and more likely to eat unhealthy food.

研究顯示，媽媽有工作的孩子，可能不比媽媽「待在家」的小孩健康。 孩童健康研究所觀察1萬2500名5歲孩童發現，媽媽上班的小孩比較不活潑，也比較會吃不健康的食物。

The study is in the Journal of Epidemiology and Child Health.

這份研究刊登在流行病學與孩童健康期刊。

About 60% of mothers with children aged up to five are estimated to be in work. The mothers were asked about the hours they worked and their children’s diet, exercise levels and sedentary activities. A third of the mothers had not worked since the birth of their child, but the mothers who were employed were spending an average of 21 hours a week at work.

孩子在5歲以下的母親，約有6成上班。這些母親被詢問工作時數與孩童的飲食、運動程度與久坐的活動。3分之1的母親從小孩出生 後就沒上班，但仍上班的母親，平均每週工作時數21小時。

They took into account factors likely to influence the results, such as the mothers’ level of education and socioeconomic circumstances. They found that five-year-olds whose mothers worked part-time or full-time were more likely to primarily consume sweetened drinks between meals.

他們將可能影響結果的因素列入考量，例如母親的教育程 度、社經情況等，最後發現母親有全職或兼職工作的5歲孩童，三餐之間比較會攝取含糖飲料。

They used their computers or watched television for at least two hours a day compared to the children of "stay at home" mums who spent less than two hours on these activities.

他們每天用電腦或是看電視至少2小時，媽媽待在家的孩子，在這些活動上花的時數低於2小時。

新聞辭典

sedentary：形容詞，久坐的。例句： My doctor says I should start playing sport because my lifestyle is too sedentary.（我的醫生說，我應該開始做運動，因為我太常坐著了。）

take sth into account：片語，把…列入考量。例句：I hope my teacher will take into account the fact that I was ill just before the exams when she marks my paper.（希望老師改考卷的時候，會把我考試前剛好不舒服的情況考慮進去。）

consume：動詞，吃喝，攝取。例句：He consumes vast quantities of chips with every meal.（他每餐都吃很多薯條。）

This Day in History April 15… 歷史上的今天 4月15日

For over 50 years, baseball was segregated. But on this date in 1947, one man changed all of that. The moment Jackie Robinson stepped onto Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York, the color barrier was broken. Before Robinson, no other African American had played in Major League Baseball. Exactly 50 years after this special day, another first took place. Jackie Robinson's uniform number, 42, was officially retired from all teams in the league in a touching ceremony. This is just one example of how a single person can change the world for the better.

棒壇有超過50年的 時間存在著種族隔離的現象。但在1947年的今天，有個人徹底改變了這種情形。當傑基．羅賓森踏上位於紐約布魯克林的艾伯特球場的同時，膚色的藩籬也就此 打破。在羅賓森之前，沒有任何一位非裔美國人曾在美國職棒大聯盟裡打過球。而在這特別日子50年後，另項創舉再度上演。在一場感人的典禮中，傑基．羅賓森 的球衣背號42號正式從大聯盟的所有球隊中退休（意即之後沒有任何球隊的球員，能再使用這個背號）。這個例子恰恰證明了一個人是何以能改變這個世界。

單字片語

◎segregate vt.實行種族隔離
例：For a long period of time, blacks were segregated from whites in many parts of America and South Africa.（有很長一段時間，黑人在美國和南非許多地方都和白人隔離開來。）
◎color barrier 種族藩籬，膚色藩籬
◎officially adv.正式地，官方地
例：Gina officially announced to her co-workers that she was getting married.（吉娜正式向她的同事宣布她要結婚了。）
◎retire vt.使退休& vi.退休
例：Both of my parents have retired and are living in Florida now.（我的父母都已退休，目前住在佛羅里達。）
◎touching a. 感人的
例：例：The touching story of the little girl and her dog moved everyone to tears.（那個小女孩和小狗的感人故事讓每個人都感動落淚。）

知識大補帖

傑基．羅賓森受後人推崇的原因不僅因為他是大聯盟的首位黑人球員，他的精湛球技也使他入選棒球名人堂 （Baseball Hall of Fame）。雖然他的職業生涯只有短短的9年，不過仍然獲得許多殊榮，包括1947年的年度新人王（1947 Rookie of the Year）、1949年的國家聯盟最有價值球員（1949 National League MVP）等。

Man rams car into parked plane 男子駕車衝撞停機坪上的飛機

 ◎魏國金
A man who claimed to have been sent by Jesus to punish sinners rammed his car into a parked plane at an airport in southeastern Nigeria, an aviation spokesman said Thursday.
一 名宣稱奉耶穌差派來懲罰罪人的男子，駕車衝撞停在奈及利亞東南部一座機場的飛機，一名航空發言人說。
No one was hurt in the incident and the spokesman said Nigeria had no problem with security.
沒有人在這起事件中受傷，而這名發言人表示，奈國沒有安全上的問題。
The United States put Nigeria on a list of countries needing to improve security after Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was arrested on suspicion of trying to blow up a U.S.-bound airliner in December using explosives hidden in his underwear.
美國在奈國男子阿布都穆塔拉布涉嫌於去年12月，利用私藏在內褲的爆裂物，企圖炸毀一架飛往美國的班機而被捕 後，將奈國列入必須加強維安之國的名單中。
"There is no problem at all at our airports, no cause for alarm, as we have the necessary security on the ground," said Akin Olukunle, spokesman for the Federal Airport Authority.
「我 們的機場完全沒問題，沒有理由恐慌，因為現場我們有必要的安全措施。」聯邦機場管理機構發言人歐魯昆勒說。
He said the driver had broken through two security gates at Calabar international airport and rammed his car into the Arik Air plane before soldiers arrested him.
他表示，駕駛人突破卡拉巴國際機場的兩道安全門，同時在士兵逮捕他前，駕車衝撞一架阿里克航空的飛機。
The crew of the plane were not injured and no passengers were on board at the time. "Our men rushed to the scene and evacuated crew members on board," Olukunle said. "We have beefed up security."
機組人員無人受傷，當時機 上也沒有旅客。「我們的人趕到現場，並疏散機上機組人員，」歐魯昆勒說，「我們已加強安全防衛。」
新聞辭典
ram︰動詞，衝撞、強使……通過、迫使接受。例句︰The measure was rammed into law by Congress over the President’s veto.（國會不顧總統的否決，強行制定該議案為法律。）
on the ground︰當場、在現場。on （the） ground（s） of 則指根據……，以……為理由，例如，on grounds of ill-health（以健康不佳為理由。）
beef up︰片語，加強、充實。例句︰He beefed up his speech with more facts.（他舉出更多事實來強化他的演說。）

This Day in History April 14… 歷史上的今天 4月14日

It was at 11:40 PM on this date in 1912 when one of the most famous events in history took place. In the dark waters of the North Atlantic, a loud call broke the silence─"Iceberg, right ahead!" Soon after, the RMS Titanic hit an iceberg during its first and only trip across the ocean. It was designed by experienced engineers and had all the latest technology at that time. However, nothing could be done to stop the RMS Titanic from sinking. Over 1,500 people died in the incident, most of them freezing to death in the cold water.

在1912年這一天 晚上的11點40分，史上最有名的事件之一發生了。在黑暗的北大西洋海域，一聲響亮的叫喊劃破了寂靜：「冰山，就在前面！」不久後，皇家郵輪鐵達尼號在其 首度也是唯一一次的跨海航途中撞上了冰山。這艘郵輪是由經驗豐富的工程師所設計，並配有當時所有最新進的技術。然而，沒有什麼能阻止皇家郵輪鐵達尼號的沉 沒。超過1500人在這起事件中喪生，其中多數都是在寒冷的海水裡凍死的。

單字片語

◎take place 發生
例：There were no witnesses when the accident took place, so the police don't know exactly what happened.（這場意外發生時沒有目擊者，所以警方不知道到底發生了什麼事。）
◎break the silence 打破寂靜；打破沉默
例：Gina decided to break the silence by telling the police what she knew about the murder.（吉娜決定打破沉默告訴警方她所知道關於該謀殺案的一切。）
◎Soon after, S + V 不久後，……
例：Karen met David at her sister's wedding. Soon after, they began dating.（凱倫在她姊姊的婚禮上認識大衛。不久後，他們就開始交往。）
◎stop sb/sth from + V-ing 阻止某人／某事物做……
例：Bruce tried to stop his son from driving too fast, but his son never listened.（布魯斯試圖阻止他兒子開快車，但他兒子總是充耳不聞。）

知識大補帖

正如許多歷史災難一樣，鐵達尼號（圖，資料照片）的沉沒也充滿許多傳說， 其中一項出現在船難發生的14年前，美國一位小說家摩根．羅伯遜（Morgan Robertson）在他的小說《徒勞無功》（Futility）中預言了船難的發生。小說中所有細節幾乎與「鐵達尼號事件」一模一樣，例如，小說中的船 名叫Titan，而真船的名字為Titanic。因此1912年船難發生後，該小說立即被譽為令人驚異的預言小說，但作者後來卻在家中舉槍自盡，自殺原因 不明，更為這起事故增添懸疑色彩。

New Jersey restaurant burglar cooks chicken and flees 新澤西州餐廳竊賊烹煮雞肉後逃之夭夭

 ◎羅彥傑
A burglar in New Jersey whipped up a chicken and rice dish after breaking into a restaurant in the town of Hillsdale.
新澤西州一名竊賊闖入希爾斯達鎮的一間餐廳後，迅速做出一盤雞肉飯。
The hungry thief then did a runner, leaving his dirty dishes behind him.
這 名飢腸轆轆的竊賊之後撇下自己的髒碗盤，逃之夭夭。
According to police, he had forced his way into the Matsu Sushi Grill - just north-west of New York City - through an exhaust fan in the outlet’s back wall.
根據警方的說法，他強行進入位於紐 約市西北方的「松壽司燒烤」店，穿過這間門市後牆的抽油煙風扇。
There were a couple of hundred dollars in the cash register, apparently, but the culinary crook was interested in swag of an altogether more tasty variety.
收銀機裡明顯有好幾張 百元鈔票，但這位老饕賊感興趣的是基本上更美味可口的贓物。
He got some chicken from the restaurant freezer and cooked it with rice in a frying pan in scenes reminiscent of the Pennsylvania burglar who broke into a house, had a shower, cut his hair and similarly rustled up a plate of fried chicken.
他 從餐廳冷凍庫中拿出一些雞肉，然後拌著米在煎鍋裡烹煮，這些場景令人想起闖入民宅內淋浴、剪髮及類似匆忙做出一盤炸雞的賓州竊賊。
新聞辭典
whip up：片語，匆忙做出，意思與rustle up接近。例句：I will whip up a meal in no time.（我不用一會兒工夫就能把飯菜煮好。）
break into：片語，非法闖入。例句：The thief broke in through the bedroom window.（竊賊打破臥室窗戶而入。）
reminiscent of：片語，令人想起。例句：Some of the things happening now may seem reminiscent of the cold war.（眼下發生的一些事情可能令人想起冷戰。）

This Day in History April 13… 歷史上的今天 4月13日

On a stretch of road known as the Museum Mile in New York City, you can find more than 10 museums as well as other cultural sights. One of the most famous attractions is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which was founded on this date in 1870. As one of the world's largest art galleries, the Met has a permanent collection of more than two million works of art. Its pieces come from the four corners of the world. However, not all of them are on display at the main branch of the museum. The Met has a second location in Upper Manhattan that focuses on medieval art.

紐約市有一條路叫作 「博物館大道」，在那裡你可以找到超過10間博物館以及其他文化景點。其中最著名的景點之一為大都會藝術博物館，它於1870年的今日成立。大都會藝術博 物館是全球最大的美術館之一，館內的永久藝術館藏超過兩百萬件。這些作品是從世界各地蒐集而來。然而，不是所有館藏都在主館展覽。大都會藝術博物館在曼哈 頓上城區還有另一個分館，主要展示中古世紀的藝術品。

單字片語

●stretch n.（土地）綿亙；（時間）延續
●attraction n.吸引人的地方，吸引物；吸引力
a tourist attraction觀光景點
例：Wealth and fame hold no attraction for Tom.（名利對湯姆毫無吸引力。）
●metropolitan a.大都會的
●permanent a.常在的；永久的
temporary a.臨時的，暫時的
例：The accident has left Sally with permanent damage to her left eye.
（這場意外對莎莉的左眼造成永久的傷害。）
●a work of art 一件藝術作品
例：The interesting work of art in the lobby is made entirely of recycled materials.
（大廳裡那件有趣的藝術作品完全是用回收物品做成的。）
●the four corners of the world/Earth 四面八方，世界各地
例：People came from the four corners of the world to participate in the Olympics.
（人們從世界各地前來參加奧運比 賽。）
●on display 展覽中，展出中

知識大補帖

紐約的大都會藝術博物館可說是藝術愛好者的朝聖地之一，裡頭的永久館藏豐富，有近20個館部 （curatorial department），除了有美國藝術品以及現代藝術外（modern art），還有像是著名的埃及藝術品（Egyptian art）、古代近東藝術品（Ancient Near Eastern art）、出色的亞洲藝術（Asian art）典藏等，想完整參觀完所有的作品，可不是短短幾個小時就可辦到的。

Are cosmic rays really causing Toyota's woes? 宇宙射線真的造成豐田的麻煩？

◎管淑平
It may sound far-fetched, but federal regulators are studying whether sudden acceleration in Toyotas is linked to cosmic rays.
這聽來或許牽強，但聯邦主管機關正在了解，豐田汽車暴衝是否與宇宙射線有關。
It shows how deep regulators and automakers may have to dig to solve the mysteries of sudden acceleration. Toyota says it is fixing mechanical problems -- floor mats and sticky pedals -- that explain sudden acceleration in 13 models and 5.6 million vehicles.
這顯示主管機關和車廠可能得多 深入探索，以解開暴衝謎團。豐田說正在修復機械性問題：地毯和踏板卡住，這是該公司13款560萬輛車暴衝的原因。
Electronics makers have known for decades about "single event upsets," computer errors from radiation created when cosmic rays strike the atmosphere. And the Radiation from space long has know for affecting airplanes and spacecraft, but has received scant attention in the auto industry.
電 子元件製造商早已知道「單一事件擾亂」現象，即宇宙射線打到大氣層時產生的輻射所導致的電腦錯誤。這種來自太空的輻射線也早已知會影響飛機和太空飛行器， 但在汽車工業一直沒受到太多關注。
An anonymous tipster whose complaint prompted regulators to look at the issue said the design of Toyota’s microprocessors, memory chips and software could make them more vulnerable than those of other automakers. And several researchers say single event upsets deserve a close look.
一名匿名投訴者的投訴內容引起主管機關探究這個問 題，他說，豐田的微處理器、記憶晶片和軟體的設計，可能使他們的車子比其他車廠的車子還容易出問題。幾位研究人員說，單一事件擾亂的因素值得一探究竟。
新聞辭典
woes：名詞，災難、麻煩（常用複數形）。例句：The president is facing increased pressure to step down in midst of economic and political woes. （總統在經濟與政治困難中面臨越來越大的下台壓力。）
far-fetched：形容詞，牽強附 會的。例句：I’m not convinced by your far-fetched excuse.（我不會被你牽強的理由說服。）
scant： 形容詞，微小的、欠缺的。例句：We are scant of breath after 2-hour non-stop climbing.（連續不停的爬了兩小時後，我們都喘不過氣。）

This Day in History April 12

The magical world of Walt Disney is loved all over the globe. On this date in 1992, Disneyland Paris opened up in Marne-la-Vallee, a suburb of Paris, France. It was the second Disney resort to open outside of the US. The first was in Tokyo. Disneyland Paris includes two theme parks—Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park. The former was modeled after the parks in California and Florida. The latter features the magical world of Disney's cartoons and movies. There are also seven hotels and various places to shop and dine.

歷史上的今天 4月12日

充滿魔力的的華特．迪士尼世界深受全球人的喜愛。在1992年的今天，巴黎迪士尼度假區在法國巴黎近郊的馬恩 河谷對外開放。這是第二座位於美國境外的迪士尼度假區。第一座則位於東京。巴黎迪士尼度假區擁有兩個主題公園──迪士尼樂園和迪士尼影城。前者是模仿加州 和佛州的迪士尼樂園打造而成，後者則以迪士尼卡通和動畫的魔幻世界為號召。度假區裡尚有7座飯店和各種供人逛街和用餐的地方。

知識大補帖

全球目前共有5座迪士尼度假區。位於美國加州安納海姆（Anaheim） 的迪士尼度假區（Disneyland Resort）於1955年開幕，是全球首座迪士尼度假區，也是最經典的一座。第二座則是位於美國佛州奧蘭多（Orlando）的華特迪士尼世界度假區 （Walt Disney World Resort），同時也是全球最大的迪士尼度假區。位於日本的東京迪士尼度假區（Tokyo Disney Resort）（圖，資料照片）則是全球第三個迪士尼度假區，而本文所提的巴黎迪士尼度假區（Disneyland Paris）則是第四座；最新的一座是香港迪士尼度假區（Hong Kong Disneyland Resort）。

單字片語

◎magical
a.有魔力的，神奇的
例：The lighting effects during the show were really magical.（這場表演的燈光效果真是神奇。）
◎open up
開放
例：Jill has always longed to open up her own flower shop.（吉兒一直希望自己開一家花店。）
◎suburb
n. 郊區
例：Hundreds of thousands of people live in the suburbs of Los Angeles.（有好幾十萬人住在洛杉磯的郊區。）
◎the former...the latter...
前者……後者……
◎be modeled after...
以……為範本（而設計／製作）
◎feature
vt.以……為號召；以……為特色

Labour scores own goal with new campaign poster 工黨推出競選新海報反被倒將一軍

 ◎俞智敏
Labour’s recent attempt to ridicule David Cameron as an Eighties TV detective backfired spectacularly, after the Tories turned it into a vote-winner for their leader.
英國工黨最近把保守黨黨魁卡麥隆嘲諷為八○年代電視影集偵探的企圖產生了嚴重反效果，因為保守黨反過來把海報轉為替卡麥隆吸 票的工具。
The Conservatives were so delighted by Labour posters portraying Mr Cameron as Gene Hunt, from the BBC’s Ashes To Ashes, that they immediately hijacked the image for their own campaign.
保守黨對工黨 這張把卡麥隆描寫為BBC影集Ashes To Ashes主角金恩杭特的海報感到十分滿意，甚至立刻把影像挪用在自家的競選海報上。
Labour’s poster accused Mr Cameron of wanting to return Britain to the Thatcher era. But just four hours after it was unveiled, the Tories had produced their own version, adapting Hunt’s catchphrase to say： "Fire up the Quattro. It’s time for change."
工黨的海報指控卡麥隆打算把英國帶回到柴契爾時代，但在這張海報揭幕短 短四小時後，保守黨也推出了自己的版本，只是把杭特的名言改成了「發動Quattro跑車。改革的時候到了。」
The fiasco sparked a revolt among Labour supporters, who said it was ’madness’ to make Mr Cameron look ’rakishly attractive’ by depicting him perched on the bonnet of the Audi Quattro, wearing an open-necked shirt and snakeskin boots.
這次宣傳戰的慘敗在工黨支持者間引發反彈，支持者認為讓卡麥隆坐在奧迪跑車引擎蓋上，穿著開領襯衫及蛇皮 靴子，看起來「瀟灑帥氣」，簡直是「瘋狂之舉」。
Labour activists said the slogan -Don’t let him take Britain back to the 1980s’ - was rendered irrelevant by comparing Cameron to attractive DCI Hunt.
工黨運動人士表示，在把卡麥隆比擬為萬人迷杭特探長 後，相形之下海報上的標語，「別讓他把英國帶回八○年代」，根本就變成文不對題。
新聞辭典
own goal：名詞，原指在運動比賽中替對手隊得分、射進烏龍球，非正式用語則引申為無意間造成對己方不利、損失或受窘的錯誤，如Our team lost when we scored an own goal late in the second half.（本隊因為在下半場射進一記烏龍球而飲恨敗北。）
backfire：動詞，指產生和預期情況完全相反的結果，事與願違，如His plans to make her jealous backfired on him when she went off with his best friend.（他原本想讓她吃醋卻造成反效果，她反跟他的好友跑了。）
catchphrase：名詞，指名言、流行辭令，如 Actor Michael Douglas dumped his "greed is good" catchphrase and pulled out of the stock market after losing almost half his fortune.（名演員麥可．道格拉斯在損失近半數財富後，決定放棄他的名言「貪婪是好事」，退出股市。）

This Day in History April 11

Today in 1970, with an explosion of fire and smoke, Apollo 13 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center. Its mission was to land on the moon and collect samples to bring back to Earth. However, only two days later, an actual explosion took place on board. It not only caused a loss of power, but it also caused both oxygen tanks to stop working. They radioed Mission Control right away and declared, "Houston, we've had a problem here." With limited oxygen, no heat, and little water, the crew knew they had to make a new plan quickly. Luckily, on April 17, all of the crew members landed safely back on Earth.

歷史上的今天 4月11日

在1970年的今天，阿波羅13號在一團火光及煙霧的爆發下從甘迺迪太空中心發射升空。它的任務是登陸月球並 採集樣本帶回地球。然而在短短兩天之後，太空船上卻發生了真正的爆炸。這不僅造成船上失去電力，還導致兩桶氧氣罐都無法運作。他們立即透過無線電向任務中 心宣布：『休士頓，我們這裡出問題了。』由於氧氣有限、沒有暖氣，且飲用水不足，機組人員知道他們必須趕快擬出新的計畫。所幸在4月17日，所有組員都平 安返回地球。

單字片語

◎explosion n.爆炸
例：The gas leak led to an explosion.
（瓦斯外洩引發了一場爆炸。）
◎launch vt.發射（太空船或飛彈等）
例：The satellite was successfully launched yesterday.（那顆人造衛星在昨天順利地發射升空。）
◎mission n.任務
◎declare vt.宣布；聲稱
◎crew n.全體機組人員（集合名詞，不可數）
a crew member 一名機組人員
a crew of 12 members 12名組員
= 12 crew members

Man acquitted of raping daughter due to 'sexsomnia' 「睡眠性交症」 男子強暴女兒脫罪

 ◎陳成良
In a judgment condemned as ’the summit of perversity’ and ’an open door for paedophiles’, a Belgian man was acquitted of charges he raped his four-year-old daughter because he did it in his sleep, Belgian media reported on Tuesday.
一 名比利時男子被控強暴4歲女兒的罪名不成立，因為他是在睡夢中做了這件事，這項判決被譴責是「性變態的極致」、「為戀童狂大開方便之門」，比利時媒體週二 報導。
The ’Het Laatste Nieuws’（HLN）newspaper reported that the 30-year-old man, who was only identified as F. L., admitted to raping his daughter but claimed he was not aware of his acts. He said he is suffering from sexsomnia, which causes people to engage in sexual acts such as masturbation, fondling and rape while they are asleep.
「最新 消息報」報導，這名只知名字縮寫為「F. L.」的30歲男子，坦承蹂躪他女兒，但聲稱對自己的行為無意識。他說自己罹患睡眠性交症，這種疾病會導致病患睡著時從事手淫、愛撫及強暴等性行為。
The man told a court in Mons： ’This is a sexual version of sleepwalking. I was deeply ashamed when I found out what was happening.’
這名男子在蒙斯市的 法庭上說：「這是性愛版的夢遊症，當我察覺發生什麼事時，深感羞愧。」
Experts don’t rule out the possibility of sexsomnia and say he does not appear to be a paedophile, the newspaper reported. The mother and the prosecutor’s office are appealing the court decision.
「最新消息報」報導，專家不排除睡眠性交症的可能性，並表示，他不像戀童狂。 女童的母親及檢察官辦公室正對法庭的判決提起上訴。
新聞辭典 Dictionary
perversity：名詞，乖僻；剛 愎；性變態。例句：This is very strange. It is strange to the point of perversity. （這實在是非常奇怪，而且奇怪到變態的地步。）pervert則是指「性變態者」。
acquit of：片語，宣告無罪、無罪獲釋。例句︰The jury acquitted her of all charges.（陪審團宣判她的所有指控皆無罪。）
ashamed︰形容詞，慚愧的、害臊的。I’m ashamed for you.（我為你感到慚愧。）

This Day in History April 10歷史上的今天 4月10日…

The Beatles created some of the best-loved songs of all time. These songs are featured in hundreds of TV shows, movies, and books. The Beatles hold music industry records and have influenced many of today's top musicians, but nothing lasts forever. On this date in 1970, Paul McCartney announced that The Beatles were breaking up. After 10 years together, the four musicians decided to go their separate ways. There were earlier rumors that the group would break up, but it wasn't until McCartney's interview on this day that the news was made official.

披頭四樂團創作出一些史上最受歡迎的歌曲。這些歌傳遍 上百個電視節目、電影，也在書裡出現。披頭四在唱片界保有許多項紀錄，對現今許多頂尖音樂家有很深影響，但天下無不散的筵席，在1970年的今天，保羅? 麥卡尼宣布披頭四解散。組團10年後，這4位樂手決定分道揚鑣。在這之前早有該團要解散的傳聞，但直到麥卡尼在4月10日接受訪問時，才正式宣布這項消 息。

知識大補帖

披頭四樂團（圖，資料照片）由約翰‧藍儂（John Lennon）所創，他與團員之一的保羅．麥卡尼是該團詞曲創作上絕佳拍檔。後來因共同投資失利、樂風上的歧見，以及藍儂讓第二任 妻子小野洋子干涉歌曲創作等故，樂團開始陷入分裂，埋下日後解散的種子。1969年12月20日，藍儂向其他團員宣告離團，但因他們共同投資所引起的法律 糾紛尚未解決，所以暫時不公布，遲自1970年4月10日，麥卡尼公開宣布離團，披頭四解散傳聞才得到證實。但團員們單飛後，在音樂創作上仍會合作。

單字片語

◎of all time
有史以來（常與有最高級形容詞修飾的名詞並用）
◎influence
vt. 影響
例：Sean's parents influence his study habits.（尚恩的讀書習慣受到父母的影響。）
◎break up
解散；分手
˙break up with sb 與某人分手
◎separate
a.個別的；分開的 & vt.使分開
˙go our/your/their separate ways 各走各的路，分道揚鏢
例：We went our separate ways when the partnership ended.（合夥關係結束後我們就各走各的路。）
◎rumor
n. 謠言 & vt.謠傳
˙Rumor has it + that 子句 謠傳……
（= It is rumored + that 子句）
例：Rumor has it that the CEO is finally retiring next month.（謠傳那位執行長下個月終於要退休了。）
◎official
a. 正式的

This Day in History April 9… 歷史上的今天 4月9日

On this day in 1859, a 23-year-old youth named Samuel Langhorne Clemens received his steamboat pilot's license. Two years before this, he was a pilot's apprentice. Clemens was supposed to write a series of humorous travel letters for a newspaper. However, after writing only five, he decided he would rather be a steamboat pilot. You are probably wondering why we are discussing this young man because his name doesn't sound familiar. However, Clemens eventually went back to writing, changed his name to Mark Twain, and became one of history's greatest writers. Without him, excellent characters like Tom Sawyer or Huckleberry Fin would not exist today.

單字片語

1859年 的今天，一位名叫薩繆爾．朗賀恩．克萊門斯的23歲年輕人取得了他的汽船駕駛員執照。兩年前，他是位駕駛員的學徒。克萊門斯本來應該要為一家報社撰寫一系 列旅遊的軼聞趣事，但寫了僅僅5篇後，他便決定寧願當個汽船駕駛員。你可能正納悶為什麼我們要談論這個年輕人，因為他的名字聽起來並不耳熟。不過話說回 來，克萊門斯最後還是回過頭來從事寫作，將自己名字改為馬克．吐溫，並成了史上最偉大作家之ㄧ。如果沒有他，像是湯姆．索耶和哈克伯理．芬等出色的人物如 今便不會存在。

◎steamboat n.（主要用於內河的）汽船
◎license n.執照，許可証
．a driver's license汽車駕照
例：Although Andy drives skillfully, he doesn't have a driver's license.（雖然安迪很會開車，不過他卻沒有駕照。）
◎apprentice n.學徒
would rather V (than V)
寧願……（而不願……）
例：Mary would rather be single for the rest of her life than marry Dave.（瑪麗寧願下半輩子單身也不願嫁給大衛。）
◎wonder + 疑問詞引導的名詞子句 納悶／想知道……
例：I wonder what my boyfriend got me for my birthday.（我很想知道我男友買了什麼生日禮物送我。）
◎familiar a.熟悉的
．sound/look familiar聽起來耳熟／看起來眼熟
◎eventually adv.最後，終於

知識大補帖

馬克．吐溫擁有「幽默作家」之稱，一生從事過許多工作：工人、記者（journalist）、汽船駕駛 （steamboat pilot）、編輯、演說家等，這些經歷讓他日後擁有源源不絕的寫作題材，許多出自他的言詞都為後代奉為名言而廣為流傳。例如電影《班傑明的奇幻旅 程》（The Curious Case of Benjamin Button），其原著小說的作者史考特．費茲傑羅（F. Scott Fitzgerald）靈感便出自馬克．吐溫的話：「如果我們能夠出生的時候80歲，逐漸接近18歲，人生一定更美好。」 （Life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.）。

Acupuncture ’stops’ dental phobia 針灸終止看牙恐懼

◎國際新聞中心
People terrified of visiting the dentist can overcome their fear with acupuncture, researchers have claimed. The findings, in the journal Acupuncture in Medicine, may offer some comfort to the one in five people thought to have dental phobia.
研究人員宣稱，害怕看牙醫的人可以藉著針灸克服恐懼。1/5的人有看牙恐懼，這項刊登在針灸醫學期 刊的研究或許能為他們帶來一些安慰。
Five minutes of treatment with needles placed at two specific acupuncture points on the top of the head allowed all 20 patients to conquer their fear. Dr Palle Rosted, who led the research carried out by eight UK dentists, said the findings were extremely promising.
用針在頭頂兩個特殊穴位治療5分鐘，讓20名病患戰勝恐懼。這份研究由英國8名牙醫師進行，領導研究的羅斯提德博士 說，研究結果很有前景。
"Although it’s a small number of patients that we’ve looked at, all of the patients benefited. These were patients who would have previously run screaming out of the door or would had to have been held down by a dental assistant to have their teeth checked."
「雖 然我們觀察的只有一小部分病患，但所有病患都會受益。這些是過去會尖叫著狂奔出門，或是要被牙醫助理按住才能檢查牙齒的病患。」
All of the patients were in their 40s and had been suffering from dental phobia for between two and 30 years. Many had, unsuccessfully, tried other ways to conquer their fears, including hypnosis and relaxation techniques.
這些病患大概都在40歲左右，有2到30年怕看牙醫的歷史。許多人曾經嘗試其他方法來克服恐懼，包括催眠或是放鬆技 巧，但都沒有成功。
新聞辭典
hold（sb）down：片 語，讓某人維持某個姿勢不動。例句：He was struggling so much it took three police officers to hold him down.（他一直使勁掙扎，得要3名警員才制得住他。）
phobia：名詞，恐懼。例句：I’ve got a phobia about/of worms.（我對蟲有恐懼。）
overcome：動詞，戰勝、克服。例句：Eventually she managed to overcome her shyness in class.（她最終克服了在課堂上的膽怯。）

This Day in History April 8... 歷史上的今天 4月8日

One major intersection in Manhattan has been the site of many changes and big events over the years. It is not just the corner of Broadway and Seventh Avenue—it is much more. On this date in 1904, Longacre Square became Times Square. It was renamed after the newspaper, The New York Times. The publisher moved the newspaper to a new skyscraper there. Today, Times Square is the area that most people think about when someone mentions New York City. Its shops and high-tech advertising make for the perfect picture of modern life in The Big Apple.

多年來，位於曼哈頓 的一個主要十字路口歷經許多改變，同時也是許多重要事件發生的地方。這個十字路口值得一提的不僅僅只限於它是百老匯大道和第七大道交會的街角。1904年 的今日，長畝廣場因《紐約時報》這家報社而被重新命名為時報廣場。當時出版商把報社遷到該區一棟新建的摩天大樓內。如今，當有人提到紐約市時，大多數人都 會想到時報廣場。該區的店家和高科技廣告看板構成紐約市這個大蘋果中最佳的現代生活寫照。

單字片語

●intersection n.十字路口
= crossroads 　 n.（單複數同形）
●avenue n.大道，大街
●square n.廣場；正方形 & a.正方形的
●rename vt.重新命名
rename/name A after B以B為 A（重新）命名
例：Remember to rename the file after you finish the report.（報告完成後記得將檔案重新命名。）
●skyscraper n.摩天大樓
●high-tech a.高科技的
例： My mother can never figure out how to use the high-tech device in her car.（我媽媽永遠搞不清楚怎麼使用她車上的高科技裝置。）
●advertising n.廣告（不可數）
例：That company spends millions of dollars on advertising every year.（那間公司每年花數百萬元在廣告上。）

知識大補帖

有人將Times Square譯作「時代廣場」（圖，資料照片），是出於誤認Times為Time之故。在1930年美國大蕭條時期（Great Depression），時報廣場充斥各式色情商業活動（adult business），被大眾視為危險地帶。
直到1990年代中期，市長朱利 安尼進行掃蕩後，時報廣場成為安全且適合觀光的景點。每年的跨年活動總是吸引來自各國的民眾前往狂歡，而富盛名的降球儀式（New Year’s Eve ball drop）始於1907年，自此之後便成為必備的跨年倒數活動之ㄧ。

Sherpa to carry Hillary’s ashes to Everest summit 雪巴將攜帶希拉瑞的骨灰攻聖母峰頂

◎魏國金

More than half a century after Edmund Hillary first stood on the top of Mount Everest, the ashes of the world-famous mountaineer are to be carried to the summit by a Nepalese Sherpa.

在艾德蒙．希拉瑞首度登上聖母峰頂逾半世紀後，這位全球知名的登山家的骨灰，可望由一名尼泊爾雪巴帶上峰 頂。

Apa Sherpa, who has scaled the world’s highest peak a record 19 times, said he will carry Hillary’s ashes with him when he attempts his 20th ascent this year.

已創下19次攀登這座全球最高峰頂紀錄的雪巴阿帕說，今年他在嘗試第20次攻頂時，將帶著 希拉瑞的骨灰。

Most of Hillary’s ashes were scattered in the sea off Auckland in his native New Zealand after his death in 2008 aged 88, but Apa said some had been kept in a Buddhist monastery in the Himalayan village of Kunde in eastern Nepal.

希拉瑞於2008年以88歲高壽過世後，大部分的骨灰灑在故鄉紐西 蘭奧克蘭的外海，不過阿帕說，其部分骨灰保留在尼泊爾東部喜馬拉雅村莊坤德的一間佛教僧院裡。

Hillary and Sherpa Norgay Tenzing made history on May 29, 1953, when they became the first men to stand on the summit of the 8,848-metre peak.

希拉瑞與雪巴諾蓋．坦林在 1953年5月29日創造歷史，成為登上8848米聖母峰頂的第一批人。

Hillary later opened a foundation that built schools and clinics in the Solokhumbu region at the base of Everest, and Apa, 50, said he wanted to honour Hillary ’s contribution to the Sherpa community.

希拉瑞後來成立一個基金會，在聖母峰山腳下的索羅坤布地區興 建學校與診所。50歲的阿帕說，他想對希拉瑞給予雪巴社區的貢獻致敬。

Apa is leading an expedition to clean up Everest, which activists say is littered with the detritus of past expeditions, including human waste and mountaineers’ corpses, which do not decompose because of the extreme cold. The 17-member Eco Everest Expedition team will set off on April 6 and hopes to bring seven tonnes of rubbish down to Base Camp.

阿帕將率領一個淨山遠征隊，行動人士說，聖母峰充斥著過去登 山隊留下的廢棄物，其中包括人類排泄物與登山客的遺體，由於酷冷，這些遺骸不會分解。17名成員的生態聖母峰遠征隊將於4月6日啟程，希望將7公噸的垃圾 帶下基地營。

新聞辭典

make history︰創造歷史、名留青史。例句︰Barack Obama made history when he became the first black president of the United States. （巴拉克．歐巴馬在成為美國首位黑人總統時，名留青史。）

be littered with︰充滿。例句︰Women’s history is littered with oppression and discrimination.（婦女的歷史充滿壓迫與歧視。）

set off︰啟程、開始、引發。例句︰Once she sets off talking she never stops.（她一旦打開話匣子就沒完沒了。）

This Day in History April 7…歷史上的今天 4月7日…

In AD 79, after Mount Vesuvius erupted, its lava and ash covered cities and killed between 10,000 and 25,000 people. Unfortunately for the people of Naples, Italy, Mount Vesuvius wasn't finished causing trouble. On this date in 1906, Mount Vesuvius erupted with great power once more. Tons of hot lava poured out of the volcano. In fact, it set a record for the most lava to ever come out of Mount Vesuvius. Another major eruption in 1944 reminded everyone how dangerous this volcano can be. When will the next great eruption be? No one knows. We can only hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

西元79年維蘇威火山爆發，噴出的熔漿和火山灰覆蓋了數個城市，造成的死亡人數從1萬到2萬5千人不等。很不 幸的是，對義大利那不勒斯一帶的人來說，維蘇威火山所帶來的麻煩尚未結束。1906年的今天，維蘇威火山再度爆發，威力十分驚人。大量岩漿從火山流出。事 實上，這次維蘇威火山所噴出的岩漿創下紀錄，是有史以來最多的一次。另一次大規模的噴發在1944年，在在提醒了民眾這座火山有多危險。下次大規模噴發會 是哪時候呢？沒有人知道。我們只能抱最好的希望，但做最壞的打算。

知識大補帖

維蘇威火山（圖，資料照片）是義大利西南方的一座活火山（an active volcano），位於義大利南部那不勒斯灣的東海岸，其形成是非洲板塊和歐亞板塊相互碰撞的結果。這座火山於西元79年曾猛烈噴發，摧毀了當時擁有兩萬 多人口的龐貝城（Pompeii），其他幾個濱海城市也遭到波及。龐貝城因此被埋在6公尺深的火山灰下，她的名字和位置慢慢被人遺忘，直到1599年，才 被一位建築師發現了她的遺跡，但150多年後，人們才開始挖掘這座古城。1997年，龐貝城考古區被列為世界文化遺產（world culture heritage）。

單字片語

◎erupt
vi.爆發；噴出
˙eruptionn.爆發；噴出
例：The volcano erupted at midnight, burying the entire town in a thick layer of ash.（火山在半夜爆發，把整座城鎮埋在一層厚厚的灰燼裡。）
◎lava
n.熔岩，岩漿
◎ash
n.灰燼
◎be finished + V-ing
˙be finished with sth做完某事
例：After I'm finished doing the laundry, I can go out with you.（我把衣服洗完後，就可以跟你外出了。）
◎pour
vi. 湧出 & vt. 倒，灌
例：Will you pour me a glass of water?（請幫我倒杯水好嗎？）
◎volcano
n. 火山