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South Koreans Change Their Age

Birthdays are great! I can't wait until my birthday, when I will turn one
year older.

My birthday is in August. What month is your birthday? On that special day,
you can add one year to your age.
每過一次生日，我們又大一歲了！我的生日在八月，你的呢？

Actually, there's one place where everybody gets older on the same day. That
place is South Korea. How can this be?
In South Korea, there is an old way to count a person's age. On January 1st,
every person adds one year to their age.
在南韓傳統中，每個人在新年那天都會長一歲！

That means no matter what day their birthday is, they get one year older on
New Year's Day.
所以不管他們生日在甚麼時候，每過一次新年就會大一歲。

Many South Koreans don't like this old way. For one thing, it's hard for the
rest of the world to understand. South Koreans don't want to spend too much
time explaining their age.
很多南韓人不喜歡他們的計算方式，而且因為其他國家的人不太懂，很多南韓人不想花太多時間解釋。

What's more, the old way makes South Koreans feel too old. They want to get
older on their own birthday, not on New Year's Day. After all, everybody
loves to celebrate their special birthday!
而且這樣感覺比較老！他們想要到自己生日那天才長一歲，而不是新年的那一天。這樣才可以慶祝生日！

Starting this year, the old way will change. From now on, South Koreans will
get older on their birthday, just like the rest of the world. Plus, this new
way will make everybody feel a little younger.
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Vocabulary
南韓人傳統上一過新年就長一歲，但是他們現在改成過完生日才增加一歲。

1. old 老的
My birthday is next week. 我下星期生日。
And you'll still be 25. 而你仍然是25歲。
Yes, I'll stay 25 years old for 10 years. 對，未來十年我都是25歲。

2. count 數數目
I'd say you can't count. 我說你不會數數目。
I'm perfectly able to count. 我完全會數數目。
I just don't want to get older. 我只是不想變老。

3. younger 比較年輕的
You are getting older whether you want to or not. 你會變老，不管你想不想。
I know that! I also know that I'm not getting any younger.
我知道，我也知道我不會變年輕。

4. age 年齡
Then why do you want to stay at the age of 25? 那你為什麼要停留在25歲？
So that I can remain young at heart. 這樣我才能保持內心年輕。

這些是很常用的單字。
old 老的
count 數數目
younger 比較年輕的
age 年齡
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Quiz

1. What happens on your birthday?
A: You get older
B: You get younger
C: You get hungry

2. In the past, when did South Koreans get older?
A: New Year's Day
B: Christmas Day
C: Saturday

3. How did the old way make South Koreans feel?
A: Too cold
B: Too bold
C: Too old

Answers
1. A
2. A
3. C
 

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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.
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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
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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
 

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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

 

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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.
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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
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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
 

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Boston's Brand New Bronze Statue

Have you ever seen a statue? It can be made of stone, or metal, or all kinds
of things!
你看過雕像嗎？你可以用各種材料製作雕像。

Yesterday, In Boston, Massachusetts, they got a brand new very special
statue. It's 20 feet tall and 40 feet wide. And it's made of a beautiful
shiny metal called bronze.
昨天，有一座新雕像在波士頓落成了。這座雕像是用青銅做的，高 20 呎，寬 40 呎！

It was made for a famous person from history, called Martin Luther King Jr.
In fact, today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day! He believed it was wrong to
treat someone differently because of how they looked, or what they believed,
or where they came from.
這座雕像為了紀念馬丁路德金恩博士而製作。其實，今天正好是馬丁路德金恩日！金恩博士認為人們因為外表、信仰，或是生長地而遭到歧視，是錯誤的。

Lots of people agreed with King. One time, 250,000 people marched with him
all the way to Washington D.C., the USA's capital city. There, he gave a very
famous speech, called "I Have a Dream".
很多人贊同金恩博士的看法。有一次在美國首都華府，總共有25萬人跟他一起遊行。當天金恩博士發表了知名的演說，叫做「我有一個夢」。

The next year, King was given the "Nobel Peace Prize" for helping so many
people. 60 years later, people still celebrate him!
隔年，金恩博士獲得了諾貝爾和平獎。60年之後，大家還在紀念他。
________________________________

Vocabulary
波士頓有一座新的銅像，紀念美國民權運動的領袖金恩博士。

1. famous 著名的
Michelangelo's David is the most famous statue in the world.
米蓋朗基羅的大衛像是全世界最有名的雕像。
Really? I thought it's the Statue of Liberty. 真的嗎？我以為是自由女神像。

2. metal 金屬
They are different. 它們不一樣。
David is made of stone. 大衛像是石頭做的。
And the Statue of Liberty? 自由女神像呢？
It's made of metal. 它是金屬做的。

3. agree 同意
I think David is more beautiful. 我覺得大衛像比較美。
I agree. 我同意。
It looks very much like a real man. 它看起來很像真人。

4. history 歷史
And it has a long history of 500 years. 而且它有五百年的歷史了。
A 500-year-old man? Still very handsome. 五百歲的人？還是很帥呢！

我們來讀讀單字。
famous 著名的
metal 金屬
agree 同意
history 歷史

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Quiz

1. Where is Martin Luther King Jr.'s new statue?
A: Boston, Massachusetts
B: Boston, Ontario
C: Boston, Lincolnshire

2. How big is the new statue?
A: 30 feet tall, 20 feet wide
B: 20 feet tall, 40 feet wide
C: 40 feet tall, 30 feet wide

3. How many people marched with King to Washington DC?
A: 250,000
B: 10,050
C: 50,200

Answers
1. A
2. B
3. A