________________________________

First Fully Biodegradable Shoe

Ahhh, the beach is so nice.

The sun, the ocean, the shoes….what?? Shoes?

Why are there shoes floating in the water?

海裡怎麼會有鞋子飄著呢？

How can they be floating in the ocean for so long, and still look almost
new??!

鞋子為甚麼能在海上漂這麼久，看起來還這麼新？

It's because they are not biodegradable!

"Biodegradable" means something that turns back into nature after time.

因為它不能被生物分解！生物分解就是東西會隨著時間回歸大自然。

So, wood is biodegradable, many clothes are biodegradable, and even some
kinds of metal are biodegradable.

木頭是會被分解的，有一些衣服也是，甚至有一些金屬也會被分解的。

Things that are not biodegradable can take hundreds and hundreds of years to
break down into tiny pieces, and that's bad for the earth!

過了好幾百年都不會被分解的東西，對環境不好！

But now you can buy a new kind of shoe that is 100% biodegradable!

When you throw them away, they become part of the earth again in just one
year!

但現在你能買得到百分百可以被生物分解的鞋子，他們被丟掉後，一年就會被分解！

We all need to think about what we buy and ask "Is this biodegradable?"

Ok, let me get those shoes out of the ocean.
________________________________

Vocabulary

可以生物分解的鞋子，能減少垃圾量。

1. shoes 鞋子。
I need a pair of sports shoes. 我需要一雙運動鞋。
There's this shoe store that sells biodegradable shoes.
有一家鞋店賣可以生物分解的鞋子.

2. break down 分解。
I've heard about them. 我有聽說過。
But they break down easily, right? 但是它們很容易分解，對嗎?
Yeah, they usually break down in a year. 對，通常一年之內就會分解

3. throw away 扔掉。
You can then just throw them away. 然後你就可以把它扔掉。
But I don't want that to happen when I'm climbing mountains.
但是我可不想在爬山時發生那種事。

4. earth 地球。
Well, look at the bright side. 要看好的一面。
Your shoes will become part of the earth again. 你的鞋子又變回地球的一部份了。

你今天學到哪些英文單字?

shoes鞋子
break down分解
throw away扔掉
earth地球
________________________________

Quiz

1. What is "biodegradable"?
A: Something that becomes part of nature
B: Something that lives for 400 years
C: Something for dogs

2. What can you buy now?
A: 100% biodegradable shoes!
B: Shoes for fish!
C: 100% plastic shoes!

3. When do biodegradable shoes go back to nature?
A: In one year
B: In 500 years
C: In ten years










Answers
1. A
2. A
3. A
 

________________________________

Scientists Zap Clouds with Electricity

Summers in Taiwan can be very hot! When the sun comes out, everyone feels
warm. And sometimes, it's too dry. Isn't there any way to make it rain?!
台灣的夏天很熱，有時候也很乾！有沒有甚麼方法可以讓天空下雨呢？

In the past, we could not change the weather. But scientists have had an
idea. They have found a way to make it rain, using electricity.
現在，科學家發現一種用電讓天空下雨的方法。

We know where rain comes from. It falls from clouds in the sky.
我們知道雨水是從天上的雲落下來。

Clouds are made of water. When the water gets too heavy, the clouds start to
rain.
雲是水構成的，當這些水太重，就會開始下雨。

Sometimes there is not enough rain. That is not good. When the rain is too
little, people have no water to drink, and plants become too dry. So how can
we make it rain more?
如果雨水太少，我們就會沒有水喝，植物也會乾枯。

Recently, scientists did a test. They used a little robot to zap a cloud with
electricity. The electricity made the drops of water stick together.
科學家做了一個實驗，他們電擊一朵雲，讓雲層中的水滴黏在一起。

When the drops of water come together, they get heavier. Then they fall to
earth. So when the cloud is zapped with electricity, it turns into rain.
水結成大水滴之後會變得更重，然後變成雨，落到地面。

What a useful idea. Scientists think it can help people. When the weather is
too hot or dry, people can use this technology to make rain. All it takes is
a cloud and a little electricity!
________________________________

Vocabulary
給雲層通上電，就有可能製造出雨水。

1. cloud 雲
How's the weather? 天氣怎麼樣？
A gray sky with lots of thick clouds. 灰色天空，有很多厚厚的雲。
Uh oh, that doesn't sound good. 糟糕，聽起來很不好。
No. I think it's going to rain very soon. 是不好，我想很快就會下雨。

2. rain 下雨
It rained all day yesterday. 昨天就下了一整天的雨。
But it's better than a hot and dry day. 但是總比又熱又乾好。
I prefer a dry day. 我比較喜歡乾燥的天氣。

3. electricity 電力
What's happening? 怎麼回事？
The light won't come on. 電燈不亮。
Because there's no electricity. 因為停電了。

4. in the past 從前
What should we do? 我們怎麼辦？
In the past we would light candles. 以前我們會點蠟燭。
No, I don't want to stay here. 不了，我不要待在這裡。

一起來讀讀單字吧。
cloud 雲
rain 下雨
electricity 電力
in the past 從前
________________________________

Quiz

1. Where does rain come from?
A: The sun
B: The moon
C: The clouds

2. How can we make clouds rain?
A: Burn them with fire
B: Tell them "more rain please"
C: Zap them with electricity

3. When do clouds become rain?
A: When they get too heavy
B: When they get too light
C: When they get too sad

Answers
1. C
2. C
3. A
 

________________________________

Plastic Pyramid Protests Pollution

Egypt is a country in the north of Africa. It has sandy deserts, a big river
called the Nile, snappy crocodiles, and lots of huge pyramids!
埃及有沙漠、尼羅河、鱷魚，還有超大的金字塔！

Most of their pyramids were made long ago, in ancient times, out of big stone
bricks.
金字塔是古時候的埃及人用大石塊建造的。

But now, a new pyramid has been built in Egypt. One that is quite different…
現在，埃及蓋了一座新的，很特別的金字塔！

The bricks are big, but they're not made of stone. Instead, they're made of
trash! It's taller than a three-story building!
蓋這座金字塔的磚塊很大，但不是石頭，而是由垃圾做成的！高度比三層樓還高！

It weighs 20 tons… that's the same as three elephants!
它有 20 噸重，跟三頭大象差不多！

All the trash used to make these bricks was taken from the river Nile. Sadly,
the Nile is filled with trash. It's very polluted.
這些垃圾都是從尼羅河裡面撿來的。尼羅河現在污染很嚴重。

The pyramid's builders don't just want to clean the Nile, they want to clean
the whole planet…
蓋金字塔的人不只是想要把尼羅河清乾淨，還想要把全世界清乾淨！

They hope to put teams of cleaners all over the world. Their job will be to
clean the earth five days a week, every week, every year, for the next 100
years!
他們希望派清潔隊伍到世界各地，每一個星期花五天，持續一百年清理環境！

A huge pyramid made of trash, and cleaners for 100 years! I wonder if they'll
clean my bedroom for me too…
________________________________

Vocabulary
埃及蓋了寶特瓶金字塔，來提醒世人污染的嚴重。

1. trash 垃圾
I used to swim here. 我以前在這裡游泳。
But look how dirty it is now! 但是你看它現在多髒！
Yeah, it's filled with trash. 對啊，滿滿都是垃圾。

2. clean 清理
I wonder if anyone will come and clean it up. 不知道會不會有人來清理。
I doubt it. 我很懷疑。
Would you clean it? 你會清理嗎？
Me? No! I didn't grow up here. 我？不會。我又不是在這裡長大的。

3. building 建築物
Who built this house? 誰蓋了這棟房子？
I think Norman Foster did. 我想是 Norman Foster 蓋的。
He built many famous buildings. 他蓋了很多有名的建築。

4. made of 用某種材料做。
Is it made of steel? 是用鋼鐵做的嗎？
I believe so. 應該是的。

今天學到哪些單字？
trash 垃圾
clean 清理
building 建築物
made of 用某種材料做
________________________________

Quiz

1. What is Egypt's big river called?
A: The Vile
B: The Nile
C: The Style

2. How much does 20 tons weigh?
A: The same as three elephants
B: The same as three crocodiles
C: The same as three pyramids

3. How long do they want teams cleaning the earth?
A: 100 days
B: 100 months
C: 100 years

Answers
1. B
2. A
3. C
 

________________________________

Dance Floor Turns Body Heat Into Energy

Oh yeah! I love dancing! Feel the beat, woo! Do you like to dance? It's a lot
of fun, but you use a lot of energy, too.
跳舞很好玩，但也是很花體力。

When we dance, our bodies make more heat. If lots of people dance together,
the dance floor will also warm up!
我們跳舞的時候，身體會變熱。如果大家一起跳舞，地板的溫度會升高！

Now, a dance club in Scotland wants to use all that heat. They have invented
a dance floor that turns body heat into energy.
蘇格蘭的一家舞廳發明了一種地板，可以把身體的熱變成能量。

How does it work? Under the dance floor there are pipes to suck up the heat.
Those pipes send the heat deep down into the earth. There, they put the heat
into a battery.
怎麼做到的呢？地板下面會有管子可以吸熱，然後把熱送到地下的電池裡面。

Later, the dance club can use that heat to warm up on a cold day. They can
even use it to heat water.
這個舞廳會用這些熱當作暖氣，或是把水加熱。

This technology helps the dance club save money. They don't need to buy heat,
because they have this battery. What's more, it is good for the environment.
這樣可以幫舞廳省錢！他們就不用去買瓦斯了。而且，這樣對環境很好。

That's great news. It makes me want to dance some more. If we keep dancing,
we can make more heat, and this technology can use that heat energy.

Everybody get onto the dance floor!
________________________________

Vocabulary
跳舞可以發電，你可知道？所以來跳舞吧！

1. dance 跳舞
Listen to that music! 你聽這個音樂！
It just makes me want to stand up and dance. 讓我真想站起來跳舞！

2. heat 加熱
That's a good idea. 好主意。
Dancing can heat up this place. 跳舞可以讓這裡熱起來。
It's so cold here. 這兒好冷。
Now I feel hot! 現在我覺得好熱！
It's a lot of fun, isn't it? 很好玩吧？

3. energy 能源
Scientists can even turn this heat into energy.
科學家甚至可以把這些熱氣變成能源。
Energy that powers our heater? 可以供應我們暖氣機的能源嗎？
I think so. 我想是的。

4. club 俱樂部
Then let's invite more people to dance here. 那我們邀請更多人來跳舞。
We can even turn our house into a club! 我們甚至可以把房子改裝成俱樂部！

今天我們學到哪些單字？
dance 跳舞
heat 加熱
energy 能源
club 俱樂部
________________________________

Quiz

1. What do we call the place where people dance?
A: Dance door
B: Dance floor
C: Dance wall

2. Where in the world is this dance club?
A: Scotland
B: Sweden
C: Singapore

3. How can the dance club use the heat?
A: To sell to other clubs
B: To make people dance more
C: To warm up on a cold day

Answers
1. B
2. A
3. C
 

________________________________

Hong Kong Lights the Sky with Lasers

For many people around the world, tomorrow is the end of the year! So, it's
"Bye Bye, 2022!", and a big "Hello!" to the year 2023!

Tomorrow, December 31st, is called 'New Year's Eve'.

Because it's the last day of the year, there's always a big party! Everyone
counts in the New Year together …

When the New Year begins, so do the fireworks!
明天是12月31號，大家都會一起倒數新年。新年一到，就會開始放煙火。

One of the most famous New Year's Eve fireworks shows in the world is right
here in Taiwan!

At Taipei 101. It's so tall that people for miles around can all watch and
enjoy the fireworks together.
世界最有名的跨年煙火之一就在台灣的台北101！101很高，從很遠的地方也可以看到！

But some countries don't use fireworks for New Year's Eve anymore. In Hong
Kong they haven't had any fireworks for 4 years. Instead, they have lasers!
但是有一些國家跨年不放煙火。香港已經四年沒有放煙火了，他們用雷射光！

This year they plan to have an awesome laser show for a full ten minutes!
As well as a local drumming group, a crazy-cool skipping rope club, and
world-famous pianist Niu Niu!
他們今年會有整整十分鐘的雷射光秀！還會有打擊樂團、跳繩會、跟鋼琴家牛牛的表演！

Maybe you'll be out watching the fireworks in Taipei tomorrow, or the lasers
in Hong Kong, or maybe you'll be at home with your friends and family.

Whatever you do, have fun! See you in 2023!
________________________________________

Vocabulary

明天就是2023年除夕了，世界各大城市都有慶祝活動。

1. fireworks 煙火。
We must go to this fireworks show! 我們一定要去看煙火秀!
I love fireworks. 我愛看放煙火。
When and where? 什麼時候，在哪裡?
It'll begin at 8 PM tonight at Riverside Park. 今晚八點開始，在河濱公園。

2. amazing 很棒的。
Alright, we can make it. 好，我們趕得上。
The sky is so clear today. 今天天空這麼晴朗。
It'll be an amazing show! 煙火秀會很棒的!

3. loud 大聲的。
Wow, it's really loud! 哇，好大聲!
That's because it's right above us. 因為就在我們頭上。

4. together 在一起。
Why are there so many people? 人怎麼這麼多?
They're just like you. 他們跟你一樣。
They like to watch the fireworks show together. 想跟大家一起看煙火。
你明天會去看煙火秀嗎?
fireworks煙火
amazing很棒的
loud大聲的
together在一起
________________________________________

Quiz
1. Where is Taiwan's famous New Year's Eve fireworks show?
A: Taipei Zoo
B: Taroko Gorge
C: Taipei 101

2. How long will Hong Kong's laser show be this year?
A: 20 minutes
B: 10 minutes
C: 2 minutes

3. Which world-famous pianist will play in Hong Kong?
A: Mewtwo
B: Niu Niu
C: Winnie the Pooh

Answers
1. C
2. B
3. B