New Material as Strong as Steel but Light as Plastic

Building a house is a lot of work.

There are a lot of materials you need to use.

You need heavy materials like wood, bricks, and steel!

All of these things help make a house sturdy and strong.

But they're so heavy!
蓋房子要用到木頭、磚塊，還有鋼鐵。這些材料可以讓房子更堅固，但是它們很重！

But if these materials were too thin and too light, they probably would not
be very strong.

Then, the house would fall down.
如果材料太薄或太輕，房子就很容易倒。

But hey, did you know that some really smart scientists invented a new
material that is super strong, but also very light?

These scientists say this new material they invented is as strong as steel,
but as light as plastic.

Isn't that amazing?
科學家發明了一種材料，跟鋼鐵一樣堅固，但是像塑膠一樣輕。

It can also be used for a lot of different things.

It can be used in cars, to help make them strong and safe to ride in.

It can also be used to build strong bridges.
它可以用來做車子或是造橋。

I can't believe something as light as plastic could be used to build a strong
and sturdy bridge, but these scientists say it is possible!

In fact, they say this material is so strong, it is actually stronger than
bulletproof glass!
科學家說這種材料比防彈玻璃還要堅固！

Wow, I hope people start using more of this material soon. That would make
building houses so much easier!
______________________________________________________________

Vocabulary

這究竟是什麼新材料，真讓人好奇!

1. Material 材料。I'm going to buy materials for the tree house.
我要去買樹屋的材料。A tree house? That's great! 樹屋? 太棒了! So what will
you get? 所以你要買什麼? Wood and nails. 木頭和釘子。

2. Build 建造。Will you build the house up on the tree? 你要在樹上蓋樹屋嗎?
I'll build part of it on the ground first. 我會先在地上蓋一部分。

3. Steel 鋼鐵。Are all cars made of steel? 汽車都是鋼鐵做的嗎? Yeah, steel is
the most common material in a car. 對，鋼鐵是汽車最普遍的材料。

4. heavy 沉重的。But it's heavy too. 但是它也很重。That's true. 這是真的。But
it's safer for people inside. 不過對坐在車子裡的人來說比較安全。

Let's read today's vocabulary together. Material材料 build建造 steel鋼鐵
heavy沉重的
______________________________________________________________

Quiz

1. What did scientists invent in this story?
a. A new material
b. A new color
c. A new chemical

2. What is special about this material?
a. It is very light but as strong as steel
b. It is very heavy but very weak
c. It is very heavy but it is very strong

3. What can this material be used for?
a. Building bridges
b. Making rope
c. Cleaning the air







Answers
1. A
2. A
3. A
 

Taiwan University Makes 3D-Printed Steak

Do you guys like steak? Lots of people love it. They even love hearing the
sound of steak cooking in a frying pan.
你們喜歡吃牛排嗎？很多人喜歡，他們甚至喜歡煎牛排的聲音。

You know that steak comes from cows, right?

But a university in Taiwan made a steak without a cow. How did they do that?
They used a printer.
台灣的一所大學用印表機做出了牛排。

Well, not that kind of printer. They used a 3D printer. 3D printers are cool.
You can make lots of things with them, like toys and even houses!
他們用的是3D印表機，這種印表機還可做出玩具，甚至是做房子！

A university in Taiwan used a 3D printer to make steaks. They put the eggs
and peas and other ingredients into the 3D printer. Then, the printer made
the steaks.
這所大學把雞蛋、豌豆，還有其他食材放進3D印表機裡面，牛排就做出來了。

So now, no cow was needed at all. That makes the steak vegetarian. I think
that's great.
這種牛排不需要用到牛，它是素的。

The university can also change the steak's texture. They can make the steak
harder. Or, they can make it softer.
牛排的口感也可以改變，讓它更硬或是更軟。

If the texture is hard, it's harder to chew. If the texture is soft, it is
easier to chew. That is good for older people. Some older people have trouble
chewing. They need to chew soft food.
如果牛排很軟，都咬得動，對老人家也比較好。

I'm glad the university in Taiwan made steaks with a 3D printer! What a great
idea! I just hope it tastes as good as the real thing!
________________________________

Vocabulary
用印表機做的牛排，不知道味道如何。

1. Cow 牛。
Beef and milk are from cows. 牛肉和牛奶都來自牛。
Right, so is cheese. 對，起司也是。
Cows are useful animals. 牛是很有用的動物。

2. Ingredient 配料。
What are the ingredients in this cake? 這個蛋糕用了哪些配料？
Eggs, sugar, flour and nuts. 雞蛋，糖，麵粉和堅果。

3. Soft 軟的，softer 更軟。
I prefer softer food. 我喜歡比較柔軟的食物。
Then you'll like the pudding I made. It's soft. 那你會喜歡我做的布丁。它很軟。

4. As good as 一樣好。
Hmmm, this pudding is as good as the restaurant's.
這個布丁跟餐廳裡的一樣好吃！
I'm glad you like it. 我很高興你喜歡。

今天的單字你記住了嗎？
Let's read them together.
cow 牛
ingredient 配料
soft 柔軟的
softer 更軟
as good as 一樣好
________________________________

Quiz

1. What is this story mostly about?
A: The most popular type of steak
B: A steak that was made with no meat
C: The problems with eating beef

2. Which ingredient did the university NOT use to make steaks?
A: A vegetable
B: Cow meat
C: An egg

3. Which texture of food is best for very old people?
A: Soft
B: Medium
C: Hard

Answers
1. B
2. B
3. A
 

Made in Taiwan Electric Buses in Kaohsiung

I'm sure you have seen electric cars and electric scooters on the roads in
Taiwan, right?

There are now lots of different electric vehicles.
現在有各式各樣的電動交通工具。

In Kaohsiung, there are quite a few electric buses.

You can see them in other parts of Taiwan, too … but there are a lot in
Kaohsiung.
高雄的電動巴士有很多台。

The electric buses in Kaohsiung are so quiet… they only make a small humming
sound.

But, those electric buses are not made in Taiwan.
高雄的電動巴士很安靜，但是它們不是台灣製造的。

People at a very big company in Taiwan said, "Hey! We should make electric
buses here!"

And now they have!

Kaohsiung has already bought one… and the city is going to buy many, many
more!
現在，台灣有一家公司推出自製的電動巴士，而且高雄要買很多台！

Now, every time a bus gets too old, Kaohsiung will buy a new electric bus!

And now, these buses will be made in Taiwan!
每一次要汰換舊的公車，高雄就會買一台新的台製的電動巴士取代。

It's not easy to make an electric bus.

They need very big and strong batteries to power such a big vehicle.

But, the made in Taiwan electric bus is super strong!
這種車輛的製造不容易，因為它需要強又有力的電池。

It will take people back and forth from the High-Speed Rail Station in
Zuoying to the new E Sky Land department store.
這些巴士在左營高鐵站和百貨公司之間接送乘客。

Soon, Kaohsiung will buy more electric buses and one day - all the buses in
the city will be electric!!
______________________________________________________________

Vocabulary

高雄的電動巴士越來越多了。

1. Vehicle 交通工具。We now have many different electric vehicles.
我們現在有好多不同的電動交通工具。Let me see… scooters, bikes, cars and
buses. 我看看，有機車，腳踏車，汽車和巴士。

2. Made in Taiwan 台灣製造。Are they all made in Taiwan? 它們都是台灣製的嗎?
Probably not. 可能不是。I know some of them are made in Europe.
我知道有些是歐洲製。

3. Battery 電池。My cell phone doesn't work ! 我的手機都不動! I think your
battery is out. 我想是你的電池沒電了。

4. Department store 百貨公司。Can I buy the battery in a department store?
我可以在百貨公司買到電池嗎? Of course. Just go to a place that sells cell
phones. 當然。你只要去一家賣手機的地方就好。

你有坐過電動車嗎? 一起來讀單字。Vehicle交通工具 made in Taiwan台灣製造
battery電池 department store百貨公司
________________________________________________________

Quiz

1. Where are there a lot of electric buses?
A: Hualien
B: Kenting
C: Kaohsiung


2. What is special about the new electric bus in the story?
A: It is made in Taiwan!
B: It can turn into a boat!
C: It's super tiny!


3. What is the plan in Kaohsiung City?
A: When a bus gets too old, they will buy a new, electric bus
B: When a bus gets too old, they will push it in the Love River
C: When a bus gets too old, they will buy an airplane











Answers

1: C
2: A
3: A
 

Scientists Find Planet with Metal Clouds that Rain Gems

Ok, let's go to outer space!

We're going to a super weird planet that scientists found in 2015. But… it
is really, really far away from earth. Humans will never be able to go there.
Even if we traveled at the speed of light, it would take more than 800 years
to get there!
科學家發現一顆很遠的行星，就算我們用光速，也要800年才能到！

Scientists found the planet with a special telescope. The planet is called
WASP-121b.
他們用天文望遠鏡找到這顆星球，名字叫做WASP-121b。

But… everything on this planet is weird! It's bigger and hotter than
Jupiter… and scientists say it has clouds made out of metal... Metal clouds!
這顆星球比木星更大、也更熱，而且它的雲含有金屬！

And, when it rains on this huge, hot planet… the rain is probably made out
of gems… like rubies and other precious stones!
下雨的時候，掉下來的可能是紅寶石之類的珍貴石頭！

Planet WASP-121b is like our moon in one way... it is "locked" to its sun.
That means that one side always faces its sun and one side always faces
space... So, one side is very hot… but the other side is not.
這顆行星跟我們的月球一樣，有半邊會永遠面對太陽，所以非常熱；另一半完全不會。

What an amazing universe! It's wonderful to discover new planets… like this
one… with metal clouds that rain gems!
________________________________

Vocabulary
這顆距離我們八百多光年的行星，真是有夠奇怪！

1. Speed of light 光速
How fast is the speed of light? 光速有多快？
It's 300,000 kilometers per second. 它一秒鐘跑三十萬公里。
That's fast! 那很快！That's very very fast. 那非常非常快。

2. Space 太空
Can we travel through space at the speed of light?
我們可以用光速在太空旅行嗎？
Scientists say we cannot. 科學家說不行。

3. Planet 行星
Earth is a planet, so is Jupiter. 地球是行星，木星也是。
Yes, there are 8 planets in the solar system. 是的，太陽系有八個行星。

4. Gem 寶石
I want to see gems falling from the sky! 我想看到寶石從天上掉下來！
Maybe in your dreams? 也許在你的夢裡？
That would be a beautiful dream. 那會是個美夢。

Let's read today's vocabulary.
speed of light 光速
space 太空
planet 行星
gem 寶石
________________________________

Quiz

1. How far away from Earth is the planet WASP-121b?
A: 800 light-years away!
B: 500 kilometers away!
C: Just over by that 7-11

2. What are some interesting things about planet WASP-121b?
A: It's made out of candy.
B: It has metal clouds.
C: It has alien dogs.

3. How is WASP-121b like our moon?
A: One side always faces one direction
B: They are both very cold places
C: They are about the same size

Answers
1. A
2. B
3. A
 

Swedish Ice Hotel Celebrates 32 Years

Did you know Sweden has ice hotels?
你聽說過瑞典有冰旅館嗎？

It's now been 32 years since the first one was made.
它已經有32年歷史了。

Of course, what happens to ice in the summer? Umm hmm… it melts. So, every
year… they build a new one.
夏天的時候，旅館會融化，所以他們每一年都會蓋一座新的冰旅館。

The ice hotel idea started after someone in Sweden showed some art in a huge
igloo. That was back in 1989, when your mom and dad were young people.
冰旅館的點子開始在1989年，當時有人在很大的冰屋裡開展覽。

Some people then asked if they could sleep in the igloo. The artist said,
"Um, yeah… but it's going to be cold!" The people said, "No problem! Sounds
like fun!"
後來，有一些不怕冷的人，想要睡在冰屋裡。

And so, that's how they got the idea for an ice hotel.

The ice hotel in Sweden is not cheap. A simple room costs more than $11,000
Taiwan dollars for one night. And a fancy room can cost more than $25,000
Taiwan dollars for one night!
不過這間旅館不便宜，普通的房間一晚要一萬一千塊台幣，高級豪華的房間要兩萬五千塊！

Plus, the rooms are cold, really cold! They never get warmer than minus 5
degrees! You have to snuggle up in special sleeping bags and wear warm
clothes when you sleep.
而且，房間的溫度低於零下五度！你需要穿厚衣服，還要睡在睡袋裡面。

What do you think?

Does an ice hotel sound fun, or would you rather go stay at the beach hotel
in Kenting?
________________________________

Vocabulary
住在零下五度的冰屋裡，恐怕很難入睡呢。

1.Sweden 瑞典
Would you like to visit Sweden some day? 你想不想有一天去瑞典玩？
Sweden? It's in northern Europe. 瑞典? 在歐洲北部。
The weather there must be very cold.那兒的天氣一定很冷。

2) Melt 融化
We can go in spring time. 我們可以春天去。
The snow will have melted. 那時候雪已經融了。
You really want to do it? 你真的要這麼做？

3) Sleeping bag 睡袋
I do. We can take sleeping bags. 真的，我們可以帶睡袋去。
No, I'm staying in a hotel. I'm not going camping.
不了，我要住旅館。我不去露營。

4) Cost 花費
But camping only costs 600 NT a night. 但是露營一個晚上只要六百台幣。
That cheap? Okay. 那麼便宜喔? 好吧。

Would you like to visit Sweden some day?
Sweden 瑞典
melt 融化
sleeping bag 睡袋
cost 花費
________________________________

Quiz

1.Where is the ice hotel in the story?
A: Switzerland
B: Somalia
C: Sweden

2.How much does it cost to stay there for one night?
A: $11,000 - $25,000 NT
B: It's free!
C: $500 - $5000 NT

3.How cold are the rooms at the ice hotel?
A: Not bad… about 25 C.
B: Cold! -5C!
C: A little cold… about 10 degrees.

Answers
1. C
2. A
3. B