2021年1月5日 星期二

Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestlé named top plastic polluters for third year in a row

 

Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestlé named top plastic polluters for third year in a row

可口可樂、百事可樂和雀巢連續第3年在塑膠污染排行榜拔頭籌

【摘要2021.1.4.自由】陳成良

Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Nestlé have been accused of "zero progress" on reducing plastic waste, after being named the world’s top plastic polluters for the third year in a row.

可口可樂、百事可樂和雀巢已連續第3年被評為全球最大的塑膠污染者,被指控在減少塑膠廢物方面「零進展」。

Coca-Cola was ranked the world’s No 1 plastic polluter by Break Free From Plastic in its annual audit, after its beverage bottles were the most frequently found discarded on beaches, rivers, parks and other litter sites in 51 of 55 nations surveyed. Last year it was the most frequently littered bottle in 37 countries, out of 51 surveyed.

「擺脫塑縛」組織的年度審計結果顯示,可口可樂是世界最大的塑膠污染源。該組織調查55個國家,在其中51個國家的海灘、河流、公園和其他垃圾場發現最多的垃圾就是可口可樂的廢棄飲料瓶。去年該組織調查51個國家,其中37國最常見的垃圾是可口可樂飲料瓶。

Coca-Cola came under fire from environmental campaigners earlier this year when it announced it would not abandon plastic bottles, saying they were popular with customers. In March, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Nestlé and Unilever were found to be responsible for half a million tonnes of plastic pollution in six developing countries each year, in a survey by NGO Tearfund.

今年稍早,可口可樂因為宣布不會棄用塑膠瓶而遭到了環保人士砲轟。可口可樂的理由是塑膠瓶很受顧客的歡迎。今年3月非政府組織「Tearfund」所做的一項調查發現,每年可口可樂、百事可樂、雀巢和聯合利華在6個開發中國家造成的塑膠污染量達50萬噸。

新聞辭典

in a row:片語,連續。例句:I haven’t had a good meal for three days in a row.(我連著3天沒好好吃一頓了。)

discard:動詞,丟棄、拋棄。例句:I discarded an old pair of shoes.(我扔了一雙舊鞋。)

under fire:慣用片語,遭受嚴厲批評。例句:His discriminatory speaking came under fire fiercely.(他的歧視性談話被狠批。)

 

Ruling party chief to seek pardons for 2 imprisoned former presidents

 

Ruling party chief to seek pardons for 2 imprisoned former presidents

韓執政黨魁尋求特赦兩入獄前總統

【摘要2021.1.3.自由】茅毅

Ruling Democratic Party Chairman Lee Nak-yon said Friday he will ask President Moon Jae-in "at an appropriate time" to grant pardons to two former conservative presidents imprisoned for corruption charges.

南韓執政的「共同民主黨」黨代表(黨魁)李洛淵週五表示,他將請總統文在寅「在適當時機」,給予兩名因被控貪腐而入獄的前保守派總統特赦。

Lee, who served as prime minister under the Moon administration, said the pardons of the two former presidents could be a way to promote reconciliation and overcome the ideological gap between conservatives and liberals.

曾擔任文在寅政府國務總理的李洛淵說,這兩名前總統的特赦,可成為促進和解與克服保守派人士和自由派人士間意識形態隔閡的一個方法。

Former President Lee Myung-bak, who governed the country from 2008-2013, is serving a 17-year prison term after being convicted of corruption, while his successor Park Geun-hye is serving a 20-year prison term after being impeached over a far-reaching corruption and influence-peddling scandal. That sentence has been appealed by the prosecution, however.

2008年至2013年治理該國的前總統李明博,在貪腐罪定讞後,正服17年刑期。其後任的朴槿惠在因廣泛的貪腐及販賣權勢的醜聞而被彈劾後,正服20年刑期。惟朴槿惠的判決已由檢方提起上訴。

新聞辭典

reconciliation:名詞,和解(好)、調停(解)、和諧、一致。例句:It took days of negotiations to bring about a reconciliation between the two sides.(雙方談判了好幾天才達成和解。)

far-reaching:形容詞,涉及廣泛的、影響深遠的。例句:These new laws will have far-reaching benefits for all working parents.(這些新法律影響深遠,將惠及所有在職父母。)

peddle:動詞,兜售、叫賣、散播、宣揚。例句:The old man travels around, peddling his wares.(這老人四處遊走,兜售其貨物。)

 

 

German pilot makes point with syringe in the sky

 

German pilot makes point with syringe in the sky

德國飛行員在空中以注射器表達主張

【摘要2021.1.2.自由】周虹汶

German pilot Samy Kramer has traced a giant syringe in the sky, flying 200 kilometers to remind people about the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Europe.

德國飛行員薩米克拉馬在空中勾勒出一個巨大的注射器,飛行200公里提醒民眾,2019冠狀病毒疾病疫苗接種運動在歐洲起跑。

The 20-year-old pilot mapped out the route he would need to take on a GPS device before taking to the skies near Lake Constance in southern Germany. The syringe-shaped route showed up on internet site flightradar24.

這位20歲的飛行員在德國南部康士坦茲湖附近起飛前,已規劃出需用到全球定位系統裝置的路線。注射器狀的航線出現在「航班雷達24」網站。

"There are still relatively many people opposing the vaccination and my action may be a reminder for them to think about the topic, to get things moving", Kramer told Reuters TV on Sunday.

克拉馬週日告訴路透電視,「仍有相對多的人反對施打疫苗,我的行動可能提醒他們思考這話題、動起來」。

"Perhaps it was also a bit of a sign of joy, because the aviation industry has been hit pretty hard by the pandemic", Kramer said. (Reuters)

克拉馬說,「或許它也算是個令人開心的符號,因為航空業受這場全球大流行病打擊甚深。」(路透)

新聞辭典

make a point:片語,指聲明、提出主張、強調、特意去做。例句:She always makes a point of this.(她常強調這一點。)

trace:動詞,指發現、追查來源、查明起因、描摹;名詞,指痕跡、蹤跡、利用電子儀器追蹤、微量。例句:He speaks English without any trace of an accent.(他講英語完全沒有口音。)

take to:片語,指沉溺於、開始從事、登上、養成。例句:He took to studying French 5 years ago.(他5年前開始學法文。)

 

New Zealand votes to legalize euthanasia for terminally ill patients

New Zealand votes to legalize euthanasia for terminally ill patients

紐西蘭表決通過絕症病患安樂死合法化

【摘要2021.1.1.自由】張沛元

New Zealanders have voted in favor of legalizing euthanasia for people with a terminal illness clearing the way for the controversial proposition to become law in 2021.

紐西蘭人已投票贊成絕症病患安樂死合法化——剷除讓此一具有爭議性的提案在2021年立法的障礙。

More than 65% of voters backed the proposed law, according to preliminary results of a referendum announced by the country’s electoral commission Friday.

根據該國選舉委員會週五宣布的公投初步結果,超過65%的選民支持這項法律議案。

Lawmakers voted 69-51 to approve the End of Life Choice Act 2019 last year before sending the issue to a referendum.

該法案在(紐國)國會議員去年以6951通過「2019終結生命選擇法」後,送交公投。

More than 2.4 million people took part in the poll, which was conducted alongside New Zealand’s general election on October 17.

超過240萬人參加與1017日紐西蘭大選一同舉行的投票。

【新聞辭典】

be in favour of something/doing something:慣用語,贊同,贊同做

clear/pave/open/prepare the way for something):慣用語,為做好準備;清路;排除障礙。例句:The U.K.’s decision to approve AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use will clear the way for tens of millions of Britons to be vaccinated in the coming months.(英國批准阿斯特捷利康的武漢肺炎疫苗可供緊急使用此一決定,將為數千萬英國人在未來數月施打疫苗做好準備。)

take part in:慣用語,參加。例句:He refused to take part in the discussion.(他拒絕參加討論。)

 

 

2021年1月1日 星期五

英研究顯示 1天5杯茶有兩大驚人好處

Carlos Kleiber - Johann Strauss II - Frühlingsstimmen ("Voices of Spring") Op. 410

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8_DdClkhaw

【摘要2020.12.31.中時】據《每日郵報》(Daily Mail)報導,英國紐卡索大學(Newcastle University)所做的新研究顯示,對85歲以上的銀髮族來說,喝茶有助促進腦部功能。研究顯示,1天喝超過5杯茶的人比較專注,也能維持較長時間的注意力

研究證實,喝茶能促進連結腦部和行動間的心理動作技能。在測試中,那些有喝茶習慣的人展現了較精準的動作,還有較快的反應速度。而這些都有助於完成開車、縫紉,或是拼圖等日常活動,事實上,先前的研究已證明,喝茶有益健康,如能降低血壓與膽固醇,甚至有助於減重

不過,紐卡索大學人類營養研究中心(Human Nutrition Research Centre)研究員歐凱洛(Edward Okello)說,有益腦部活動的,可能不只是茶裡的成分,也許泡茶,或是邊喝邊聊天的習慣,都一樣重要。這項研究涵蓋了超過1,000名來自紐卡索,還有北泰因賽德(North Tyneside85歲以上的老人。

 

 

’Infodemic’ risks jeopardising virus vaccines

 

’Infodemic’ risks jeopardising virus vaccines

 「假資訊大流行」有危害新冠病毒疫苗計畫之虞

【摘要2020.12.30.自由】管淑平

As early as February, with the global pandemic spreading fast, the World Health Organization issued a warning about an "infodemic", a wave of fake news and misinformation about the deadly new disease on social media.

在全球大流行病疫情迅速蔓延之際,世界衛生組織早自2月起就警告「假資訊大流行」:社群網路上一波有關這場新的致命疾病的假新聞與不實資訊。

Now with hopes hanging on Covid-19 vaccines, the WHO and experts are warning those same phenomena may jeopardise roll-out of immunisation programmes meant to bring an end to the suffering.

現在隨著希望繫於新型冠狀病毒病疫苗上,世衛和專家正警告,同樣的現象,或許也會危害那些旨在結束這場疫情磨難的免疫計畫的推出。

"The coronavirus disease is the first pandemic in history in which technology and social media are being used on a massive scale to keep people safe, informed, productive and connected," the WHO said.

「新冠病毒疾病是史上第一個大規模利用科技和社群媒體,使人們安全、獲知訊息、維持生產力和彼此聯繫的全球大流行疫情」,世衛說。

"At the same time, the technology we rely on to keep connected and informed is enabling and amplifying an infodemic that continues to undermine the global response and jeopardises measures to control the pandemic."AFP

「同時,我們賴以保持聯繫和獲得資訊的科技,也正使假資訊大肆蔓延和擴大,持續打擊和危害全球回應、控制疫情措施。」(法新社)

新聞辭典

infodemic:名詞,假資訊大流行。例句:The new website aims to combat the “infodemic” online surrounding COVID-19.(這個新網站旨在打擊與新型冠狀病毒病有關的假資訊盛行。)

jeopardise:動詞,危害、破壞。例句:The pandemic has jeopardised economic recovery.(這場疫情已經危害經濟復甦。)

amplify:動詞,擴大、擴充、詳述。例句:Computerized trading programs react to trends in the market and then amplify those trends.(電腦化的交易程式對市場趨勢做出反應,然後放大這些趨勢。)

 

2 pythons weighing 100 pounds collapse ceiling in Australia

 

2 pythons weighing 100 pounds collapse ceiling in Australia

(澳洲2條合計100磅的蟒蛇壓垮天花板)

【摘要2020.12.31.自由】孫宇青

An Australian David Tait entered his home in Laceys Creek in Queensland state and was surprised to find a large chunk of the ceiling lying on his kitchen table. "I knew we hadn’t had rain, so I looked around to find what had caused it," Tait said.

一名澳洲民眾大衛.泰特回到位於昆士蘭州萊西溪市的家時,驚訝地發現一大片天花板躺在廚房餐桌上。泰特說:「我知道沒下雨,所以我四處張望尋找事發原因。」

He soon found two culprits, non-venomous carpet pythons 2.8 meters and 2.5 meters long, that had slithered into a bedroom and living room. The snakes have an estimated combined weight of 45 kilograms.

他很快發現2隻罪魁禍首,各為2.8公尺及2.5公尺的無毒地毯蟒爬進了臥室和客廳。這2隻蟒蛇合計重達45公斤。

Snake catcher Steven Brown was called to remove the two snakes. "I would assume that it was two males fighting over a female that was nearby in the roof," he said. He suspected the female could still be in the ceiling or nearby.

捕蛇專家史蒂芬.布朗被叫來抓2隻蟒蛇。他說:「我想是2隻公蟒為了待在天花板附近的1隻母蟒在打架。」他懷疑,那隻母蟒或許還待在天花板或附近一帶。

The males were returned to the wild, but the suspected third snake hasn’t been found.AP

2隻公蟒被野放,疑似還在屋內的第3隻蟒蛇下落不明。(美聯社)

新聞辭典

chunk:名詞,一(大)部分。例句:A substantial chunk of our profits will be used as the fund for research and development.(我們利潤的一大部分會當作研發基金使用。)

venomous:形容詞,有毒的。例句:Do not attack it while you are encountered with a venomous snake.(遇到毒蛇時不要攻擊牠。)

slither:動詞,滑行;爬行。例句:We slithered down the bank to get near the river.(我們滑下堤岸靠近河流。)