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Bus Stops For Bees and Butterflies

Hi students! You guys know that bees are important, right?

They help plants grow. Butterflies also help plants grow. If we didn't have
bees and butterflies, we wouldn't grow as much food. The world would be in
big trouble then.
蝴蝶跟蜜蜂會幫忙授粉，沒有牠們，就種不出足夠的食物。這樣世界就糟糕了！

But there are fewer bees and butterflies now. One reason is that cities are
growing.
但蜜蜂跟蝴蝶越來越少了，其中一個原因是城市變大了。

When cities get bigger, there are fewer places for bees and butterflies to
visit flowers and other plants safely.
城市變大後，越來越少地方可以讓蜜蜂跟蝴蝶安全地授粉。

Now, people are helping these insects by building special bus shelters. They
have little gardens on top of them.
現在，有人蓋了特別的公車亭，上面有一個小花園。

The Netherlands was the first place to have these special bus stops. England
also has them. England wants to have more than 1,000 of them soon. There are
some in France and Belgium also.
荷蘭是第一個有這種公車亭的國家，另外，英國、法國、比利時也有。

These bus shelters need to be stronger than regular bus shelters because the
dirt and water on top of them is heavy.
這種公車亭必須要很堅固，因為上面的泥土跟水都很重。

This is a great idea! Taiwan should build bus stops for bees and butterflies
to visit. Or, maybe I should call them BUZZ-shelters.
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Vocabulary
在公車站的屋頂上種花種草，好吸引蜜蜂蝴蝶。

1. butterfly 蝴蝶
What a beautiful butterfly! 好漂亮的蝴蝶！
Yeah, and it's a big one. 對啊，而且好大一隻。
It's so nice to have butterflies waiting with me! 有蝴蝶跟我一起等車真棒！

2. grow 種植
People should grow more flowers everywhere. 大家應該到處多種一點花。
Right, the city would look so much better. 對啊，城市會好看很多。

3. plant 植物
What plant should I grow indoors? 我在室內應該種什麼植物？
I've heard that devil's vine is the best. 我聽說黃金葛最好了。
It's very eco-friendly. 它對環境很友善。

4. the Netherlands 荷蘭
People in the Netherlands built special bus stops for bees.
荷蘭人建了特別的公車站給蜜蜂。
So the bees there take buses? 所以那裏的蜜蜂會搭公車 ?
No, they fly. 不會，牠們用飛的。

今天學到哪些單字？
butterfly 蝴蝶
grow 種植
plant 植物
the Netherlands 荷蘭
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Quiz

1. Why did people build the bus shelters?
A:So people could see more bees and butterflies
B: So bees and butterflies wouldn't bother people
C: So bees and butterflies could visit more places

2. Why are there fewer bees and butterflies?
A: They have moved away from cities
B: They can't visit as many places
C: They are getting killed by buses

3. Which place first made the special bus shelters?
A: England
B: France
C: The Netherlands

Answers
1. C
2. B
3. C
 

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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.
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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
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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
 

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People in Nairobi Make Small Gardens

At my grandma's house, there is a big garden, where she grows potatoes,
tomatoes and greens.
我奶奶家有一個大菜園，她會種馬鈴薯、番茄，跟蔬菜！

But I live in the city. My house is very small, so I don't have a garden.
What can I do?
但我住在城市，房子很小，家裡沒有菜園怎麼辦？

To solve this problem, let's look to Nairobi, a city in Africa. Every day,
lots of people come from the countryside to live in that city.

There are people everywhere. It's so busy, and there is not enough land to
grow food. What can all of these people eat?
非洲有一個城市叫奈洛比，很多人從鄉下到這個城市生活，但人這麼多，很擁擠、土地很少，不夠種菜，那這些人要吃甚麼呢？

Recently, many people in Nairobi have planted small gardens in their homes!
They might plant some potatoes on the balcony, or grow some tomatoes right by
the kitchen window.
最近，奈洛比很多人在家裡種了小菜園！他們會在陽台種馬鈴薯，或是在廚房窗戶邊種番茄。

These small gardens are very helpful. People say it's convenient, because
they don't have to go to the supermarket. They can save time and money.
這樣他們不用去超市了，很省錢又很方便！

What's more, growing food at home is cleaner. People with home gardens don't
have to worry about harmful chemicals on their vegetables.
而且還不用擔心蔬菜上面有農藥！

Let's take a lesson from Nairobi. We don't need lots of space to make a
garden. We can grow some healthy food right in our own homes.
其實不用很多空間，就可以在家裡種一些植物了。
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Vocabulary
多動動腦筋，自己家也可以有菜園。

1. countryside 鄉下
I hope I can live in the countryside. 我希望能住在鄉下。
You'll have no 7-11 or bookstore. 你會沒有便利商店或是書店。
But I can grow my own food. 但是我可以自己種食物。

2. grow 種植
You're already growing tomatoes in your house! 你已經在自己家種番茄了！
That's not enough. 那不夠。
I want to grow more. 我想要種更多。

3. garden 花園
I'd like to have a big garden. 我想要有個大菜園。
There are vegetable gardens in the city, too. 城市裡也有菜園啊。

4. space 空間
You can rent a space in the garden. 你可以在菜園租一個空間。
It'll be a lot easier than living in the countryside. 那比住在鄉下容易多了。

你喜歡親手種菜嗎? 來讀讀單字。
countryside鄉下
grow種植
garden花園，菜園
space空間
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Quiz

1. Where is the city of Nairobi?
A: Asia
B: Africa
C: Australia

2. Where are people planting small gardens?
A: By the street
B: At the market
C: In their homes

3. Why are small gardens convenient?
A: They can make your house bigger
B: They can help you in school
C: They save time and money

Answers
1. B
2. C
3. C
 

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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!
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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
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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
 

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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…
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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
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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