2020年2月29日 星期六

Spain uncovers underground counterfeit cigarette factory 西班牙破獲地下偽造香菸工廠


【摘要2020.2.27.自由】孫宇青
Spanish police have on Thursday uncovered a counterfeit cigarette factory in a bunker four meters underground in the town of Moran in the southern province of Malaga, and rescued six Ukrainian workers who were trapped inside.
西班牙警方週四(220日)在南部馬拉加省摩蘭鎮,破獲一處位於地下4公尺碉堡的偽造香菸工廠,救出6名困在裡面的烏克蘭工人。
When officers entered the undercover factory, they found six workers inside who were having serious difficulties breathing because the electric generator that was used to pump air into the bunker had run out of gas.
當警方進入這座秘密工廠時,發現6名嚴重呼吸困難的工人,因為用來將空氣打入地堡的發電機已經沒有瓦斯。
Police had arrested 20 people who are suspected of running the operation earlier and none of the suspects told officers that still six Ukrainian workers were still locked inside it, leaving them "abandoned to their fate."
警方稍早逮捕20名疑似經營這筆生意的嫌犯,但沒人坦白還有6名烏克蘭工人被關在裡面,導致這些人「自生自滅」。
They tried to scream and bang on the container blocking the exit, but officers on the surface could not hear their calls for help because the installation was soundproof.
工人試著吼叫、撞擊擋住出口的物品,但由於建物本身隔音,地面上的員工聽不到呼救聲。
Europol suspects the criminal group distributed the cigarettes made there on the European black market.(AFP)
歐洲警政署(Europol)懷疑,這個犯罪組織將該處製造的假菸賣往歐洲黑市。(法新社)
新聞辭典
counterfeit:形容詞或名詞,仿冒(品)。例句:Any counterfeit note is sure to be traced.(任何假鈔絕對會被查出。)
bunker:名詞,地下碉堡。例句:This was a bunker built in Japanese-ruled period.(這是建於日治時期的地下碉堡。)
soundproof:形容詞或動詞,隔音的。例句:We need a fully-soundproofed studio.(我們需要一間完全隔音的工作室。)


FACEAPP:HARMLESS FUN OR SECURITY RISK?變臉應用程式:是無傷大雅的樂子還是安全風險?


【摘要2020.2.27.蘋果】
FaceApp is a photo filtering app that uses artificial intelligence to make realistic changes to photos, usually selfies. The app first became popular in 2017, when it peaked at around 80 million users. In 2019, its popularity jumped again when the FaceApp Challenge became popular.
Public figures uploaded photos using the app’s aging filter. It was fun to see how some of the world’s most recognizable people might look when they become old.
FaceApp 是一款照片濾鏡應用程式,使用人工智慧為照片做出逼真的修圖,且通常是修自拍照。這款應用程式首次變得受到歡迎是在 2017 年,當時它的使用者達到約八千萬人的高峰。2019 年,「變臉挑戰」變流行時,它的人氣也再度高漲。
公眾人物上傳了套用此程式中變老濾鏡的照片。看全球一些最知名的人老後可能會變成什麼樣子很有趣
生活必備字詞
harmless a. 無害的;無惡意的
The joke was harmless. Don’t take it seriously.
peak vi. 達到頂峰,達到最大值
Official figures show that unemployment peaked in September.

2020年2月27日 星期四

Penguins’ speech patterns are similar to humans, a new study finds新研究:企鵝語言模式似人類


【摘要2020.2.26.自由】陳成良
In most human languages, the most frequently used words are short. It turns out the same thing goes for penguins too.
在大多數人類語言中,最常用的字都很短,原來企鵝也是如此。
A team of researchers based in Italy have found "compelling evidence" that African penguins use the same speech patterns as we do the first time this has been found in an animal other than a primate.
義大利一個研究團隊發現「令人信服的證據」,證明非洲企鵝與我們使用相同的語言模式 ,這是首度在靈長類以外的動物身上有此發現。
The team recorded 590 breeding calls known as "ecstatic display songs." They were sung by single birds during the mating season, from 28 adult African penguins in three different colonies in Italian zoos.
研究團隊共錄得590段被稱為「狂喜展示聲」的繁殖叫聲,這是義大利動物園3個不同群聚的28隻成年單身非洲企鵝在求偶季節的鳴叫。
The songs’ sounds are similar to the bray of a donkey, according to the paper which published Tuesday, and are responsible for the flightless birds’ less-than-flattering nicknamethe jackass penguin.
根據週二刊登的研究報告,這些鳴叫聽來很像驢子叫,這種不會飛的鳥類因此得到「公驢企鵝」( jackass penguin)這個令人不敢恭維的暱稱。
The study found that the vocal sequences contained three distinct syllables of different length, with the "words" used most often the shortest, while the longest sequences were made up of shorter syllables.
研究發現,(非洲企鵝)聲音序列包括長度各異的3種不同音節,最常用的「字」最短,最長的序列則以較短的音節構成。
The researchers said this showed the flightless birds shared two traits of human speech that the most frequently used words are shorter, but also the longer the sentenceor for penguinsthe call, the shorter the sounds within it.
研究人員表示,這顯示這種不會飛的鳥擁有兩種與人類一樣的語言特性,也就是最常用的字比較短,以及句子(對企鵝而言是鳴叫聲)越長,其中的音節越短。
新聞辭典
compelling:形容詞,令人信服的。例句:The lawyer made a compelling argument.(律師提出令人信服的論點。)
primate:名詞,靈長類,靈長目。例句:Primates are smart animals.(靈長類是聰明的動物。)
trait︰特徵,特性。例句:Jim’s two most pleasing traits are generosity and energy.(吉姆最討人喜歡的特點是豪爽和充滿活力。)



Family For Hire來充當我的家人一下吧!


【摘要2020.2.26.蘋果】
The family rental business is not just about keeping up appearances, though. Ishii’s actors have filled in for fathers who are no longer around. They have played the parts of mothers who have passed away, and stood in for sons or daughters who, for whatever reason, have abandoned their parents.
In other words, they help ease the pain that can come with loss or grief in the family. Ishii has even staged entire fake weddings for people whose parents really won’t give up pushing them to get married.
不過,家人租賃業務不光是為了維持體面。石井的演員填補了有人父親已不在身邊的空缺。他們扮演已故母親的角色,頂替了由於某些因素遺棄雙親的兒女。
也就是說,這些人有助於紓緩因家庭中所產生的失落或者悲傷所帶來的苦痛。石井裕一甚至為那些被父母不放棄逼婚的人上演了整齣假婚禮。
生活必備字詞
abandon vt. 遺棄,離棄
You shouldn’t abandon your pet just because you are too lazy to take care of it.
grief n. 悲傷
stage vt. 演出,上演

2020年2月26日 星期三

French ski resort uses helicopters to deliver snow for bare slopes法國滑雪場以直升機送雪到裸露的山坡


【摘要2020.2.25.自由】黃靖媗
A ski resort in the Pyrenees arranged for around 50 tonnes of snow to be dropped on its slopes. Taken from higher mountains, the snow was dumped on slopes for beginners and children.
庇里牛斯山的一座滑雪場,將約50噸的雪填到山坡上。這些從更高的山取來的雪,被傾倒在供初學者與兒童使用的山坡上。
Temperatures have risen above 10 ºC across the Pyrenees this week, leaving ski slopes devoid of snow.
庇里牛斯山本週的氣溫已升至攝氏10度以上,導致滑雪斜坡缺雪。
In order to keep the ski resort open, the local council arranged for snow to be sent at a cost of more than 5,000 euros£4,150.
為了讓這座滑雪場維持營運,當地委員會耗費超過5000歐元(約4150英鎊),安排將雪送過去。
The director of the local council said it was a worthwhile investment. The school holidays in February and March are typically the busiest time of year for ski resorts in France.
當地委員會主任表示,這是一筆值得的投資。二月和三月的學校假期,通常是法國滑雪場一年中最忙碌的時候。
However, the delivery of snow has been criticised by environmental groups. The director conceded that moving the snow was not a "particularly ecological" solution but said "we had no choice".
然而,送雪一直遭到環境團體批評。該名主任坦承,移動雪不是一個「特別環保」的作法,但「我們別無選擇」。
新聞辭典
resort:名詞,度假勝地。例句:There are many holiday resorts in Philippines.(菲律賓有許多度假勝地。)
arrange:動詞,安排。例句:Jason arranged for his daughter to join a study group. (傑森安排他的女兒參加讀書會。)
concede:動詞,承認。例句:The candidate conceded that he was involved in a case of corruption.(這名候選人坦承涉及一起貪污案。)



Family For Hire來充當我的家人一下吧!


【摘要2020.2.25.蘋果】
One company that rents out family members for a variety of purposes is called Family Romance. The business began over a decade ago. Back then, a friend of company founder Ishii Yuichi needed a favor.
She was a single mother, and her son was denied entry into a kindergarten because she wasn’t married. So, Ishii went along to the interview, posing as the boy’s father, to give the interviewers the picture of the perfect family. Thus, Family Romance was born.
一家稱為「浪漫家庭」的公司出於各種目的而出租家庭成員。這家公司創辦於十幾年前。當時公司創始人石井裕一有位朋友需要幫忙。
她是一位單親媽媽,而她的兒子由於她沒有結婚,所以幼兒園拒收。因此,石井假扮成男孩的爸爸前往參加入學面談,給了面試官一個完美家庭的形象。就這樣,「浪漫家庭」誕生了。
生活必備字詞
entry n. 進入許可;進入,加入
The country hopes to gain entry into the United Nations.
pose as sb 假扮成冒充成裝成某人
Jimmy was caught posing as a doctor.

2020年2月25日 星期二

靠吃就能降70%癌症風險!教你遠離「3大罹癌關鍵食物」


【早安健康】想預防癌症,可以先從避開「3大罹癌關鍵食物」著手,已有許多研究發現,底下這些食物,可能會提高致癌機率:
罹癌關鍵食物1:高升糖指數食物
餐後血糖和胰島素與幾種癌症罹患有關,包括結腸直腸癌、乳腺癌和子宮內膜癌。高胰島素血症和類胰島素生長因子(IGF-1)與結腸癌的風險有關;高血糖可能會引發體內發炎反應,促進不正常細胞的生長,導致癌症。

簡單實用的肩部按摩


簡單實用的肩部按摩

這些疾病症狀 竟都與頸椎病有關!


【悠活健康網】椎間盤是盤狀軟骨物質,是人體天然的避震器,讓我們能做轉頭、挺腰及扭轉身體等動作。椎間盤中央的核心是髓核(Nucleus pulposus),髓核內含水及膠原纖維(Collagen Fiber),因此柔軟有彈性,可以分擔脊椎承受的壓力及衝擊。椎間盤外圍是強韌的纖維環(Annulus),可維持髓核的穩定性。
長時間在電腦前工作或者開車的人,總保持一個姿勢,缺少運動,肌肉得不到活動。頸椎的協調性是依肌肉來調節的,低頭、仰頭、旋轉是依靠不同肌肉組織共同協調的結果,如果肌肉力量過於薄弱,運動的協調性就會比較差,導致更多不均勻的力量損傷椎間盤。
………………………..

Evolution of circuits for machine learning機器學習電路的進化


【摘要2020.2.24.自由】劉宜庭
Artificial intelligence AI has allowed computers to solve problems that were previously thought to be beyond their capabilities. There is therefore great interest in developing specialized circuits that can complete AI calculations faster and with lower energy consumption than can current devices.
人工智慧(AI)讓電腦能夠解決此前被認為超出計算機能力範圍的問題。人們因此相當關注專門電路的開發,以實現比現有裝置更快速、能源消耗更低的人工智慧計算。
Writing in Nature, Tao Chen et al. demonstrate an unconventional electrical circuit in silicon that can be evolved in situ to carry out basic machine-learning operations.
陳滔(譯音)等人刊登在《自然》的研究,演示一種在矽材料上的非常規電路,它能直接執行基本的機器學習運算。
Previous work by some of the current authors produced isolated charge puddles from a collection of gold nanoparticles that were randomly deposited on a silicon surface, with insulating molecules between them. These puddles are at the heart of Chen and colleagues’ circuit design.
該研究的其中一些作者先前在矽材料的表面隨機堆積奈米黃金顆粒,並用絕緣分子隔開這些電荷坑。金奈米電荷坑是陳博士團隊的電路設計核心。
新聞辭典
circuits:名詞,電路。例句:Those earlier circuits did not perform machine-learning operations.(那些較早期的電路無法執行機器學習運算。)
charge puddles:專有名詞,電荷坑。例句:Such microscopic inhomogeneities, known as ’charge puddles’, limit the mobility of charge carriers.(這種微觀的非均質性被稱作「電荷坑」,會限制電荷載體的流動性。)
nanoparticles:名詞,奈米粒子、奈米顆粒。例句:Nanoparticles are particles that exist on a nanometre scale.(奈米顆粒係指以奈米尺度存在的粒子。)



It’s about Time:Punctuality around the World.各國「遲到」大不同!


【摘要2020.2.24.蘋果】
In contrast, being behind schedule is more acceptable in Malaysia and China. In Malaysia, if someone tells you they’ll be five minutes late, it is normal for that person to actually be one hour late. In China, people arriving within 10 minutes of the scheduled time are often considered on time. Which do you think is better? Should everyone always be on time, or should people be more flexible?
相形之下,比預定時間晚到在馬來西亞與中國比較能被接受。在馬
來西亞,如果有人告訴你他(她)會晚五分鐘到,這個人實際上晚一小時才
到是很正常的。在中國,在預定時間的十分鐘內抵達通常還是會被視為準
時。你認為哪種比較好呢?每個人都應該準時,還是應該有更多彈性呢?
生活必備字詞
on time 準時
Aaron got up early so that he could get to school on time.
flexible a. 有彈性的

2020年2月24日 星期一

No plans to delay new semester韓新學期無延後開學計畫


【摘要2020.2.23.自由】茅毅
The government said Friday it has no plans to order a postponement of the new school semester nationwide despite a surge in confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus.
南韓政府週五表示,並無通令全國新學期延後的計畫,即使新型冠狀病毒確診病例攀升。
The Ministry of Education also set up a task force with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to help foreign students coming from China. The education office in Daegu, which witnessed a sudden spike in confirmed cases this week, has delayed the reopening of 341 kindergartens and 456 elementary and secondary schools in the city.
教育部也和首爾市政府成立一個專案小組,協助從中國來的外籍生。大邱市本週確診案例突然激增,其教育廳已將市內341所幼兒園與456所小學及中學延後開學。
Calls are growing for a delay in the reopening of schools amid health concerns. The Seoul Metropolitan Government will provide shuttle bus services from the airport to schools for returning Chinese students, and open city-run facilities to provide temporary housing, meals and daily necessities for the students.
在對健康的擔憂下,要求延後開學的呼聲愈來愈大。首爾市府將提供返校的中國留學生,從機場到各校的接駁車服務,並開放市營設施,提供這些學生臨時住所、餐點和日常必需品。
新聞辭典
postponement:名詞,延後(緩、期)。Her lawyer requested a postponement of her trial.(她的律師請求延後受審。)
novel:形容詞,新(穎、奇)的;名詞,小說。Lee is full of novel ideas.(李滿腦子都是新奇的點子。)
necessity:名詞,需要、必要、必需品、必然性、貧困。Necessity is the mother of invention.(需要為發明之母);He is in great necessity.(他極度貧困。)

Police ordered to pull their weight as Indonesia fights obesity印尼對抗肥胖問題 警方受命減肥


【摘要2020.2.22.自由】周虹汶
An Indonesian province has put 50 overweight police on a crash program of aerobics, swimming and jogging, telling them they’d better shape up for the job.
印尼一個省把50名超重警察編入一項有氧、游泳和慢跑速成計畫,告訴他們最好為工作改進。
The officers in East Java are being closely monitored on the two-week program and also get guidance from nutritionists and medical experts, said spokesman Frans Barung Mangera.
發言人弗朗斯.巴隆.曼格拉說,在2週計畫中,東爪哇省的警察受密切監控,也得到營養學家和醫學專家的指導。
"We think all the selected personnel don’t have the ideal body weight," said Mangera.
曼格拉說,「我們覺得所有入選人員都沒有理想體重。」
Indonesia has seen a spike in obesity in recent years and the World Health Organization in 2016 estimated that at least 28 percent of Indonesia’s 250 million people were overweight.
印尼近年肥胖人口見高峰,世界衛生組織2016年估計,印尼2.5億人中至少有28%超重。
"Being overweight makes us less agile when we are on duty and we often fall sick," said officer Iwan Sutanto. He claimed to feel healthier after losing 3.5 kg.
警官伊萬.蘇坦托說,「超重使我們在執勤時較不靈活,而且我們常生病。」他聲稱減掉3.5公斤後,感覺健康了些。
Police spokesman Mangera said the program was likely to be extended to the entire province of East Java.
警方發言人曼格拉說,這項計畫可能延伸到整個東爪哇省。
"Body shape determines whether the officer is fit to serve the public," said Mangera. (Reuters)
曼格拉說,「體型決定了一名警官是否適合服務大眾。」(路透)
新聞辭典
pull one’s own weight:片語,指使出自己的那份力氣來做好分內事情。例句:The rest of the team complained that Jane wasn’t pulling her weight.(團隊的其他人抱怨珍未盡本分。)
shape up:片語,指進展、表現變好、形成、準備就緒。例句:The plane is shaping up for the landing at London.(飛機正準備降落倫敦。)
spike:名詞,指尖刺;動詞,指(通常指下跌前)上升到很高的程度、拒絕刊登、將烈酒摻入飲料、使增加風味或趣味、排球的扣球、刺穿。例句:The unemployment rate in January spiked to a five-year high.5月份失業率上升到5年來新高。)