________________________________

Zimbabwe's Young Chess Queens

Have you ever played chess? It's a fun game. One person uses black pieces,
and the other uses white pieces. Each person wants to take the other's pieces
and win the game.
你有玩過西洋棋嗎？一個人拿黑棋，另一個拿白棋，兩邊會吃對方的棋子。

We can have a good time playing chess, but it can also improve our lives.
Just ask Grace. She is a ten year old girl from Zimbabwe, and a star chess
player.
Grace 是一個辛巴威的西洋棋棋手，她只有十歲！

At first, Grace did not think she could play chess. Some people said the game
was too hard for young girls.
一開始，Grace 不覺得自己會下棋。有人說西洋棋對年輕女孩來說太難了。

But Grace wanted to try anyway. She said she saw other girls playing chess in
her village, and wanted to take up the challenge!
但她看見村子裡面其他的女生也在玩，所以她也想要挑戰看看！

Now, she has already won many games! She even travels around Africa with her
chess team, who are all young girls from her village. Their team is called
"The Queens".
她現在已經贏過很多場比賽了。她和她的隊友在非洲各地比賽，她們的隊名叫做「皇后」。

When Grace wins a big game, she can earn some money. That can pay for her
school and books.
Grace 只要打贏比賽，就可以賺錢。她就可以繳學費跟買書。

But she doesn't just play for money. Grace is thinking about her future. She
says, "I want to be a nurse and a professional chess player".
Grace 未來想要成為一個護士跟職業西洋棋棋士！

For Grace and her teammates, chess is a great way to learn, grow, and of
course to have fun!
________________________________

Vocabulary
一群十歲左右的非洲小女孩，成為西洋棋的高手。

1. young 年輕的
My son is five years old. 我兒子五歲。
Do you think he's too young for soccer? 你覺得他踢足球會不會太小了？
No, children can begin playing soccer at any age.
不會，小孩什麼年紀都可以開始踢足球。

2. challenge 挑戰
Does he like to win? 他喜歡贏嗎？
Sure, who doesn't? 當然啦，誰會不喜歡？
Then he won't be afraid of the challenge. 那他就不會害怕挑戰。

3. player 選手
Maybe someday he'll become a famous player...
也許有一天他會成為有名的足球員...
And travel around Europe. 在歐洲各地旅行。

4. team 隊伍
So you hope he'll join a team in Europe? 所以你希望他加入一個歐洲球隊？
Not really. I just hope he has fun. 倒也不會。我只希望他開心。

你玩西洋棋或是踢足球嗎? 來讀讀單字。
young 年輕的
challenge 挑戰
player 選手
team 隊伍
________________________________

Quiz

1. Where does Grace come from?
A: USA
B: Zimbabwe
C: India

2. Why did Grace start playing chess?
A: Her teacher told her to
B: She saw other girls playing
C: She wanted to win money

3. What is Grace's goal for the future?
A: To start a family
B: To get rich
C: To be a nurse and a chess player

Answers
1. B
2. B
3. C
 

________________________________

Indian Man Grows Taiwanese Guava

Do you like to eat guava? It's a green fruit that grows on a tree. I'm eating
some right now. Delicious! Guava is popular in Taiwan, but people in India
also eat it.
你喜歡吃芭樂嗎？芭樂不只在台灣很有名，印度人也吃芭樂。

In fact, an Indian farmer named Kapil is thankful for Taiwanese guava. This
fruit has made his farm successful.
有一位叫 Kapil 的印度農夫很感謝台灣的芭樂，因為芭樂讓他的農場大獲成功。

Kapil used to work at a big city bank. When COVID-19 came to India, Kapil
lost his job. He had to go home to his family's village.
Kapil 本來在銀行工作，但是在疫情時丟掉了工作，只好回到家鄉。

He could not find another job, so he decided to grow fruit. Some people said
he couldn't grow fruit, because the weather was too dry. But Kapil wanted to
try anyway.
他找不到工作，所以決定去種水果。有人說那裡的天氣太乾燥了，沒辦法種水果，但是他還是想試試看。

He found a company that sold baby guava trees from Taiwan. He learned this
kind of fruit tree does not need much water, so it can grow in dry places. It
was the perfect choice for Kapil.
他找到一間賣台灣芭樂樹苗的公司。他發現這種水果不需要很多水，很適合乾燥的地方。

He planted the baby trees and watched them grow. Finally, he harvested the
guava. His fruit was super tasty! He sold the fruit and made good money.
他把樹苗種在土裡，看著它們長大。結果他收成的芭樂超級好吃！他賣掉芭樂，賺了很多錢。

These days, Kapil is a successful farmer. His guava fruit are popular in that
part of India. He says Taiwan guavas changed his life.
________________________________

Vocabulary
芭樂是一種美味又營養的水果，在印度也能生長。

1. fruit 水果
I need some green plants in my room. 我房間裡需要一些綠色植物。
Have you tried fruit trees? 你有試過放果樹嗎？

2. grow 種植
No, are they easy to grow? 沒有，它們好種嗎？
Some of them are. 有些很好種。
They can grow well even in dry places. 就算在乾燥的地方也長得很好。

3. successful 成功的
We're in Taipei. It's usually wet. 我們在台北，經常很潮濕。
You're right. 你是對的。
Then you should be successful in growing them. 那你種果樹應該會成功。

4. try 嘗試
Hmmm, what should I grow? 種什麼好呢？
I suggest you try blueberries. 我建議你試試看藍莓。
Because you love them. 因為你喜歡藍莓。
Of course. 當然。

Do you like eating fruit?
fruit 水果
grow 種植
successful 成功的
try 嘗試
________________________________

Quiz

1. Where does Kapil live?
A: Vietnam
B: Taiwan
C: India

2. What caused Kapil to lose his bank job?
A: Dry weather
B: COVID-19
C: His boss

3. Why did Kapil choose to grow Taiwanese guava?
A: They grow faster
B: They are greener
C: They need less water

Answers
1. C
2. B
3. C
 

________________________________

Village Oven Bakes Again

We get most of our heat and light from electricity. The problem is,
electricity can be expensive!
我們的熱能以及光都是靠電力。但是電費很貴喔！

Thousands of years ago, in England, owning an oven was expensive too. Most
people didn't have one in their home.
好幾千年以前，大多數的英國人家裡沒有窯，因為窯太貴了。

Instead of lots of little ovens, most villages had just one that was really
big. They called it the 'village oven'. The baker would use it first. Then,
while the oven was still warm, everyone else could use it too!
當時村莊裡面會有一座共用的窯。烘焙師傅先用，他烤完之後，其他的村民也趁熱去使用。

Last year, a baker in England decided to bring the village oven back! He
wanted to help people pay their electric bills, so he opened up his huge
kitchen for everyone to use, and even offered to cook some things for free!
去年有一個英國的烘焙師傅，他想幫大家省電費，所以恢復了這個傳統。他讓大家用他的廚房，還免費烤東西給大家吃！

They call him Baker Ed. He's helped people in his town lots of times before.
He's held free cookery classes and free kid's clubs. And when it's cold he
lets people use the heat of his oven to keep warm!
大家叫他 Ed
師傅。他以前也常常幫助他的村莊。他會開免費的烘焙課，還有小孩的社團！很冷的時候，他也會讓大家在他的烤箱旁邊取暖！

His neighbors and friends think he is doing an amazing thing, helping people
to eat and keep warm while electricity is so expensive. Bravo Baker Ed!
________________________________________

Vocabulary
英國的麵包師傅，把自己的大烤箱開放給他人使用，暖胃又暖心。

1. cook 烹飪。
It's so cold here! 這裡好冷喔!
You have to cook something, Paz! Anything.
你一定得煮一點兒東西，派絲，什麼都好。

2. oven 烤箱。
Okay, let me bake some cookies and bread in the oven.
好吧，我來用烤箱烤一些餅乾和麵包。
Great idea! 好主意!
Let's fire up the oven now. 我們現在就把烤箱熱起來。

3. kitchen 廚房。
Not so fast.不要這麼快。
I need to prepare the stuff first. 我需要先準備材料。
Would you like to help me in the kitchen? 你可以來廚房幫我嗎?
I'd be happy to. 我很樂意。

4. warm 溫暖的。
Finally, I'm feeling warm! 我終於覺得暖和了。
Can you smell that? It's our bread baking. 你聞得出來嗎?我們的麵包正在烤。
I love warm bread! 我愛熱麵包!

記得多多使用這些單字!

cook烹飪
oven烤箱
kitchen廚房
warm溫暖的
________________________________________

Quiz
1. What can fire not do?
A: Light our homes
B: Keep us tall
C: Cook our food

2. Where did they use village ovens thousands of years ago?
A: England
B: Finland
C: Legoland

3. What do they call the kind baker in this story?
A: Baker Jed
B: Baker Ed
C: Baker Ted

Answers
1. B
2. A
3. B

 

________________________________

Radio for Afghan Girls

Today is Public Radio Broadcasting Day.
今天是世界無線電日！

The radio has many programs: music, news, and education.
收音機會播放音樂、新聞，還有教育節目。

So, let's talk about some radio programs which do an important job in
Afghanistan.
我們來聊聊阿富汗的廣播節目！

Afghanistan is a big country in Asia. Recently, that country got a new law.
The law says girls can't go to school.
最近，阿富汗的新法律規定女孩不能上學。

Girls want to change this law, but for now they must stay home. If they can't
go to school, how can they keep learning?
女孩子們想推翻這項法律，但是現在她們必須待在家裡，但如果不去上學，要怎麼學習呢？

The answer is radio. Some radio stations in Afghanistan now give lessons
every day. Students can listen to the radio at home to learn math, science
and other subjects.
答案是收音機廣播！有一些阿富汗的電台開始每天開課，只要打開收音機就可以學數學、科學等等的科目。

Sometimes they read books out loud, to teach reading skills. Girls can even
call in to the stations to talk about their problems.
有時候會在節目中讀課文，教大家閱讀。這些女孩子們還可以打電話到電台問問題。

The women who run the stations say the future of girls is the future of
Afghanistan.
管理電台的女士們說，想要給女孩子們一個機會，因為她們的未來就是阿富汗的未來。

Today, on Public Radio Broadcasting Day, let's remember that radio can make a
difference.
________________________________

Vocabulary
阿富汗的女子不准上學，還好有一些收音機教學節目，讓她們繼續學習。

1. school 學校
Aren't you going to school today? 你今天不去上學？
No, I'm staying at home. 對，我待在家。

2. math 數學
What about your math lessons? 那你的數學課怎麼辦？
I can learn math myself. 我可以自己學數學。
How? By listening to yourself talk? 怎麼學? 你就自言自語嗎？
No, I listen to the radio. 不，我會聽收音機。

3. program 節目
There's no way you can learn math through radio programs!
你不可能從廣播節目學數學。
Are you kidding? Of course I can. 開玩笑，當然可以。

4. learn 學習
I think it's a bad idea to miss school. 我覺得錯過上學很糟糕。
Don't worry. I can learn anywhere, anytime. 別擔心，我不論何時何地都可以學習。

Let's read today's vocabulary.
school 學校
math 數學
program 節目
learn 學習
________________________________

Quiz

1. What country does not let girls go to school?
A: Australia
B: Argentina
C: Afghanistan

2. What do these radio stations want to give girls?
A: A house
B: An education
C: A rest

3. What day is today?
A: Public Radio Broadcasting Day
B: World Computer Day
C: Valentine's Day

Answers
1. C
2. B
3. A
 

________________________________

Charity Shop Finds Mystery Card

Today is Valentine's Day! A day for love. Some people love chocolate, they
want to eat it all the time! Some people love their pets… but they don't
want to eat them!
愛有很多種，有人愛巧克力，有人愛寵物。

Some people love helping others. A great way to do that is to donate. That
means giving your stuff away for free.
還有人愛幫助別人。這些人會去捐東西。

Charity shops are where you can donate your stuff. They sell it, and use the
money to help good causes.
你可以把東西捐給慈善商店。他們會把東西賣掉，用賺來的錢幫助其他人。

In the UK, someone donated an old bag full of stuff to a charity shop. They
found a mystery Valentine's Day card!
在英國，有一個人捐了滿滿一袋東西給慈善商店，結果他們找到一個神秘的情人節卡片！

In the card was a beautiful poem, and a photo of a woman and her three
children. The end of the poem says: "From the person that loves you more than
anything else in the world". Awwww!
卡片上面有一首詩，還有一個媽媽跟三個小孩的一張照片。詩的結尾寫說：「愛你勝過一切的人敬上」。

The card was written for the woman in the photo, but no-one knows who she is!
這張卡是給照片裡面的媽媽的，但沒有人認識他。

The photo is black and white, so they know the card must be very old. It will
be hard to find the woman, or her family. But it will make her so happy to
see the card again!
因為照片是黑白的，所以一定是很久以前的，要找到人應該很難，但如果她真的收到了，一定會很開心！

The things we do for love…
________________________________

Vocabulary
一張表達深刻愛情的卡片，讓人想追尋它的故事。

1. woman 女子
There's an old woman standing there with a bag in her hand.
有一個老婦人站在那兒，手裡拿著個包包。
Hmmm, do you think she needs help? 你覺得她需要幫忙嗎？

2. donate 捐獻
I don't know. 不知道。
Maybe we can donate some food to her. 也許我們可以捐一點食物給她。
Donating food? 捐食物嗎？
What if she's not hungry? 要是她不餓怎麼辦？

3. give 給予
Then we can give her something else. 那我們就給她別的東西。
Well, you'd better ask her what she needs. 你最好問問她需要什麼。

4. sell 賣
She's just hoping to sell the bag! 她只是想把包包賣掉。
She made many different ones. 她做了很多個不同的包。
Wow, silly us! 哇，我們真傻。

你有捐獻過什麼東西嗎？
woman 女子
donate 捐獻
give 給予
sell 賣
________________________________

Quiz

1. What word means to give your stuff away for free to help people?
A: Donut
B: Donate
C: Debate

2. Where can you go to give away your old stuff?
A: Clarity stops
B: Hilarity pops
C: Charity shops

3. What color was the photo in the card?
A: Black and blue
B: Black and white
C: Blue and white

Answers
1. B
2. C
3. B