________________________________

These Kids Take the School Boat

How do you go to school? Do you take the bus? Do you go by scooter or car?
你每天怎麼上學?你是搭公車、機車還是汽車?

What happens when it rains very hard? Maybe you put on a raincoat. You open
your umbrella. Then you go to school. When the rain stops, everything's fine.
But some kids' lives are changed by rain.
如果下大雨，你會穿雨衣、撐雨傘去上學，雨停了就沒事了。但是有一些地方的小朋友，生活受到大雨的影響。

Last October, it rained very, very hard for two days in Scotland. In one
town, roads and bridges broke. Going to school became very tough for the kids
there. Now they ride a boat to school early in the morning!
去年十月蘇格蘭連續下了兩天大雨，造成一個小鎮的道路跟橋樑都受到破壞，小朋友必須一早搭船上學。

The kids are waiting for work on the roads and bridges to finish. Then they
won't need to ride a boat to school!
小朋友都在等路跟橋修好，才可以不用坐船去學校。

Scotland got too much rain because of climate change. Climate change makes
the weather very strange. Storms get bigger. Hot times get hotter. Cold times
get colder.
因為氣候變遷，蘇格蘭下了太多雨。天氣也變得很奇怪，暴風雨越來越強，夏天越來越熱、冬天越來越冷。

The kids in the town know climate change is real. It's making a big change in
their lives every day. Everybody needs to take care of the Earth. Then we can
be safe and happy!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vocabulary
氣候變遷的影響無遠弗屆，連上學方式都可能要改變。

1. wait for 等待
Hey, are you waiting for the bus? 你在等公車嗎?
Yeah, why else would I be standing here? 是，要不然我怎麼會站在這裡?

2. take 搭乘
But why are you taking a bus? 但是你為什麼要搭公車?
Riding a bike is much faster. 騎腳踏車快多了。
No, it's too cold now. 不要，現在太冷。

3. rain 下雨
Also, it could rain anytime. 而且隨時都可能下雨。
You may be right. 你可能講對了。
I want to get back home in time. 我要及時趕回家。

4. weather 天氣
Yeah, before the weather gets you. 對啊，在壞天氣追上你之前。
Oh, here's your bus.你的公車來了。
I'll see you tomorrow. 明天見。
Yeah, bye bye! 拜拜!

你已經記住今天的單字了嗎?
wait for等待
take搭乘
rain下雨
weather天氣
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quiz

1. Where did it rain very hard for two days in October?
a. The USA
b. Germany
c. Scotland

2. What is making kids in the town ride a boat to school?
a. Broken roads
b. No umbrellas
c. Tough school

3. What makes the weather very strange?
a. The Earth
b. Climate change
c. Storms

Answers:
1. c
2. a
3. b

 

________________________________

These Superhero Fish Lizards Need Our Help!

Do you know what axolotls are? They're fishy lizards with cute little faces.
They have big eyes. And their smiles are funny!
你知道什麼是住在水裡的蠑螈嗎? 他們有一些像蜥蜴，長得很可愛，有著大大的眼睛。

Some say axolotls are "water monsters"! Why?! It's because they stay in the
water all the time. Axolotls have superhero superpowers. When they lose an
arm or tail, they can grow it back!
有人說牠們是「水怪」!
因為牠們都待在水裡，還有再生能力。手臂或是尾巴斷掉了，可以再長回來。

One kind of axolotl lives in waterways in Mexico City. Sadly, the waterways
are dirty from icky, yucky pollution. The pollution makes axolotls sick.
There are fewer and fewer axolotls.
有一種水棲蠑螈住在墨西哥市的水道裡面，但是這些水道遭到汙染，讓這種蠑螈越來越少。

Scientists are trying to help these axolotls. They say people can help too!
But how?
科學家想要幫助這些小動物，他們說大家也可以來幫忙，那怎麼幫呢?

The scientists say people can "adopt" the axolotls. When people adopt a pet,
they take it home. But people don't take these axolotls home!
科學家說大家可以「領養」蠑螈，但不是真的要帶牠們回家。

People give the scientists a little money. This helps the scientists take
care of the axolotls. They give the axolotls food. And they keep the
axolotls' home safe!
科學家希望大眾捐錢，讓科學家有資源照顧蠑螈，也可以保護蠑螈的棲息地。

The scientists tell people about their axolotl online. That way, people know
how their axolotl is doing!
科學家會在網頁上告訴大家，他們收養的小傢伙狀況如何、在做什麼。

These superhero fish lizards need our help! Can we save them?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vocabulary
水棲蠑螈因為居住的地方遭到破壞，數目越來越少。

1. waterway 水道
Look what I've found.你看我找到的。
Tadpoles! 蝌蚪!
I haven't seen tadpoles in years! 我好多年沒看到蝌蚪了。
Where did you find them? 在哪裡找到的?
In the waterways under the bridge.橋下面的水道。

2. dirty 骯髒的
Yuck! Isn't the water dirty? 好噁喔，那水不是很髒嗎?
No, if there are tadpoles, it's not dirty. 不，有蝌蚪水就不髒。

3. adopt 收養
Now what are you going to do with them? 你要拿牠們怎麼辦?
I'll adopt them. 我要收養牠們。
You're kidding, right? 你在開玩笑吧?
No, I'll help them grow. 不是，我要幫牠們長大。

4. food 食物
They will grow on their own! 牠們會自己長大!
And you don't know what food to feed them! 而且你不知道要餵牠們什麼!
Fish food. 魚飼料。

你有養過蝌蚪嗎?
waterway水道
dirty骯髒的
adopt收養
food食物
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quiz

1. What can axolotls grow?
a. A new face
b. A new arm
c. A new eye

2. What makes the axolotls sick?
a. Pollution
b. Scientists
c. Water monsters

3. How can people help scientists save axolotls?
a. Check online
b. Adopt axolotls
c. Take one home













Answers:
1. b
2. a
3. b
 

________________________________

New Zealand's Wacky Bird of the Century

New Zealand's Bird of the Century is famous around the world. Do you know
what kind of bird it is? No? The Bird of the Century is the puteketeke! It's
a beautiful bird that looks and acts wacky.
你知道紐西蘭票選的「世紀鳥」是什麼鳥嗎? 是冠鷿鵜喔!
牠是一種外表跟行為都很奇怪的一種鳥。

The puteketeke's head has black feathers on top. They stand up! Orange
feathers and black feathers circle its face. Imagine a hair dryer at the back
of its head. It's blowing these feathers up and out! That's the wacky
puteketeke!
牠頭上有黑色的羽毛，臉部周圍長滿橘色跟黑色的羽毛。

The puteketeke gives water weeds to the bird it likes. Then the two
p?teketekes do chest bumps.
牠會咬著雜草求偶，再跟伴侶互相撞擊胸部。

The puteketeke carries its chicks on its back in the water. And... it eats
its own feathers! The feathers make everything in its stomach come back up!
Yep, it throws up! This gets rid of sharp fish bones and parasites.
牠還會吃自己的羽毛，接著把胃裡的東西全吐出來，用這個辦法吐出魚骨頭跟寄生蟲。

The puteketeke is the "Bird of the Century." A century is one hundred years.
New Zealand has about one thousand p?teketekes. That's not many! Will
p?teketekes be here a century from now?
一個世紀是100年，冠??被票選為世紀鳥，紐西蘭目前只剩下大約1000隻。

Maybe being the Bird of the Century will save the wacky puteketeke!
________________________________________

Vocabulary
美麗而特別的冠鷿鵜，深受紐西蘭人的喜愛。

1. face 臉
I went bird watching on Sunday. 我星期天跑去賞鳥。
Did you see anything special? 有看到什麼特別的嗎?
Yeah, I saw this bird with a narrow face and purple feathers.
有，看到一隻臉窄窄的，紫色羽毛的鳥。

2. stand 站立
It was absolutely beautiful! 漂亮極了!
What's its name? 名字叫什麼?
Purple heron.紫鷺。
It was just standing there in the water. 牠就站在水裡。

3. fish 魚
Trying to catch fish? 想要抓魚嗎?
I believe so.我相信是。
Anyway, it's a rare bird. 不管怎樣，牠是稀有鳥類。

4. here 這裡
Some of them come here from Siberia in winter. 有的是冬天從西伯利亞來到這裡。
Do they go back? 會回去嗎?
Some do. 有的會。

今天的單字都很短。
face臉
stand站立
fish魚
here這裡
________________________________________

Quiz
1. What does the puteketeke carry its chicks on?
a. Its wings
b. Its beak
c. Its back

2. Why does the puteketeke eat its feathers?
a. To make a nest
b. To get rid of parasites
c. To do chest bumps

3. How many puteketekes are there in New Zealand?
a. 100
b. 1,000
c. 10,000

Answers:
1. c
2. b
3. b

 

________________________________

Clean-Air Heroes on Wheels

Narrator: Around the world, millions of buses make lots of smoke. The smoke
makes air pollution. Countries are trying to make their air cleaner. How is
China fighting air pollution?
世界各地的公車排放很多廢氣。很多國家想要更乾淨的空氣，中國是如何對抗空氣污染呢?

China's cities are using many electric buses, or e-buses. E-buses don't make
smoke! They charge their batteries at their bus garage. Then they all drive
to their bus stops. They drive about two hundred kilometers a day!
中國用很多電動公車。他們先充電，再前往各個車站，每天大約行駛200公里。

China has the most e-buses in the world.

Voices: REALLY?!

Narrator: Shenzhen, a big city there, is the first city in the world to have
all e-buses!
中國有全世界最多的電動公車。深圳是第一個全面使用電動公車的城市。

E-buses are easy to use in China. They are everywhere! And in L?li?ng, a
small city, e-bus rides are free!
中國到處都是電動公車。在呂梁市還可以免費搭乘。

But e-buses also have problems. Making batteries and buses also makes
pollution. And batteries don't work well in cold weather.
但是電動公車也有缺點。製造電池跟公車會造成汙染。天氣冷的時候，電池也沒辦法運作。

China is working on these problems. Other countries are watching and learning.
中國正在改善這些問題，其他的國家都很注意，同時也在學習。

Here in Taiwan, all buses will be electric by 2030. Will Taiwan be the first
country to have all e-buses?
2030年所有本地公車都會變成電動，這會不會讓台灣成為世上第一個完全使用電動公車的國家?

Electric buses help us fight air pollution. Let's ride these clean-air heroes
on wheels!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vocabulary
越來越多城市，打算擴大使用電動公車。

1. electric 電動的
Oh, my, I can hardly breathe! 天啊，我幾乎沒辦法呼吸!
Yeah, it really smells bad. 對啊，好難聞喔。
They should switch to electric buses. 他們應該換成電動公車。

2. air 空氣
I agree. 我同意。
It would be so much quieter.會安靜好多。
And much cleaner air. 空氣也乾淨得多。

3. smoke 煙霧
Nowadays I don't take the bus any more.現在我都不搭公車了。
Because of the smoke from traffic? 因為汽車排出來的煙霧嗎?
Exactly! 正是!

4. drive 駕駛
Also because I've learned to drive. 也是因為我學會了開車。
Oh no, more pollution. 糟糕，更多污染了。

請跟我讀單字。
electric電動的
air空氣
smoke煙霧
drive駕駛
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quiz
1. Why is China using e-buses?
a. For more smoke
b. For free rides
c. For cleaner air

2. Where do the e-buses charge?
a. Any charging place
b. Their bus garage
c. A big city park

3. When will Taiwan have all e-buses?
a. 2030
b. 2040
c. 2050

Answers:
1. c
2. b
3. a

 

________________________________

Christmas Leftovers at the Zoo

There's exciting news at the zoo! Guess what happened after Christmas! The
holiday fun didn't end! In Germany, the Berlin Zoo had a special treat for
their animals. The treat was... Christmas trees!
聖誕節過後，德國柏林動物園有特別的禮物要給園區的動物，那就是聖誕樹!

The elephants stepped on the trees. Then they pulled off the tree branches
with their long trunks. They enjoyed munching on the branches. They ate their
trees quickly.
大象會踏在樹幹上，用牠們長長的象鼻把樹枝扯下來，吃得津津有味。

The bison used the trees for fluffy pillows. Then they ate the trees.
Reindeer, Santa Claus' special pets, used the trees for massages and body
scrubs.
野牛會把樹當作枕頭，然後把它吃掉。馴鹿則是用樹幹來抓癢跟按摩。

The animals were very happy with their Christmas tree snacks and toys! But
here's the surprise. Not all trees are good for the animals. The zookeepers
only used fresh trees. They got them from Christmas tree sellers. These trees
weren't sold. They were leftovers!
但不是所有的樹都適合動物，只能是新的樹。保育員從聖誕樹商店取得剩下的聖誕樹，送給動物。

The zookeepers never use trees from people's homes. These trees might not be
clean for the animals to eat.
保育員從來不拿家裡用過的聖誕樹當作動物的食物，因為可能不衛生。

Every year, after Christmas Day, the zoo gives these special trees to their
animals. This turns leftover Christmas trees into tasty treats and toys for
cute zoo animals.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Vocabulary
柏林動物園把沒有用過的聖誕樹，當成送給動物的禮物。

1. zookeeper 保育員
I took my son to the zoo on the weekend. 我周末帶我兒子去動物園。
Did you have lots of fun? 玩得開心嗎?
Oh yes, the zookeeper let him pet a pony。開心，保育員讓他拍小馬。

2. enjoy 喜歡
He couldn't stop talking about it. 他一直講這件事，停不下來。
I guess he enjoyed it a lot! 我猜他很喜歡。

3. quickly 快速地
Yeah, so I quickly bought a stuffed toy horse for him.
所以我趕快去買了一個玩具馬給他。
And he loved that too! 他也很喜歡那個玩具。

4. cute 可愛的
My favorite animal in the zoo is the elephant. 我最喜歡的動物園動物是大象。
It's big, but very cute. 牠很大，但是很可愛。

What's your favorite animal in the zoo? 來一起讀單字。
zookeeper保育員
enjoy喜歡
quickly快速地
cute可愛的

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quiz

1. What did the reindeer do with the Christmas trees?
a. Scrub their bodies
b. Sleep on them
c. Step on them

2. Where did the zoo get Christmas trees?
a. Christmas tree sellers
b. People's houses
c. Forests

3. What do leftover Christmas trees turn into at this zoo?
a. Special days
b. Bison
c. Tasty treats

Answers:
1. a
2. a
3. c