Ice Volcano

Volcanoes are scary!

They're red hot, have burning rocks and fiery lava!
火山真的很可怕，會有很燙的岩漿

But... have you ever heard about the "ice volcano"? 你有聽過冰的火山嗎?

Wait a minute? Ice volcano? What's an ice volcano?

Well, in a country called Kazakhstan, they have something that looks like an
ice volcano, but it's not really a volcano.
這個冰火山在哈薩克，不過它不是真的火山喔。

In the summer, it's like a fountain… there is an underground spring and
water bubbles up. 在夏天，那是一處地下泉水，還會不斷冒泡泡。

It's a nice place with lots of trees!

Animals go there to drink.

But in the winter, they call it an "ice volcano" because... it gets so
cold... the fountain spring water bubbles up and... turns into ice!
冬天的時候，冒出來的泉水結冰了，看起來就像冰火山。

Kazakhstan is super cold in the winter.

If you throw water into the air, the water can freeze before it hits the
ground. 哈薩克的冬天超級冷，如果你往空中灑水，立刻變成冰。

And that's what this ice fountain is doing.

It looks like a mini volcano but, it doesn't spit out fire, it spits out
water that turns into ice!

Brrrrr… I'm glad winter in Taiwan isn't that cold.

I like winter, but Kazakhstan sounds a little too cold!
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Vocabulary

遊客都喜歡跟這座冰火山合照，同學們可以上網看。

1. Volcano 火山。Some of Taiwan's mountains are volcanoes.
台灣有一些山是火山。 I know Da-tun Mountain is a volcano.
我知道大屯山是火山。So is Green Island. 綠島也是。It's a volcanic island.
它是一個火山島。

2. Air 空氣。Wow, look at the grey sky! 哇，你看灰色的天空! The air must be
really bad! 空氣一定很壞。I wonder where the air pollution is coming from.
我想知道空氣汙染源從哪裡來的。

3. Bubble 冒泡泡。Su-ao has a famous cold spring. 蘇澳有一個著名的冷泉。I
know. I have been there. 我知道，我有去過。You can see water bubble
up.你可以看到泉水冒泡泡。

4. Freeze 冷凍。Let me freeze the orange juice.我來把柳丁汁冷凍起來。So you
want to make orange ice cream? 所以你想做柳丁冰淇淋? Yes! 正是!

Let's repeat the words.

volcano 火山 air 空氣 bubble 冒泡泡 freeze 冷凍
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Quiz

1. Where is the "ice volcano"?
A: In Taipei
B: In Russia
C: In Kazakhstan

2. What is the "ice volcano"?
A: A frozen fountain
B: A movie with Elsa and Anna
C: A volcano in Hawaii

3. Why do people call it an "ice volcano?"
A: Because it looks like a volcano
B: Because it looks like fire
C: Because it looks like an ice cream







Answers
1: C 2: A 3: A
 

Man Floats for 14 Hours

Have you noticed that if you take a long bath or go swimming for a while that
your fingers go wrinkly? 在水裡太久，手指頭是不是會變皺皺的。

It doesn't actually take that much time. About 5 minutes is all it takes. So
I'm sure the person in today's story had really wrinkly fingers, because he
was in water for 14 hours! 在水裡面14個小時， 他的手一定超皺的！

Why? Well, the man is a sailor, and he fell overboard from his ship in the
middle of the night! 這個水手半夜掉進海裡！

No one on the ship noticed. And the man wasn't wearing a lifejacket, so after
a while, he started to get tired trying to stay afloat in the water. Uh-oh!

But then, the man noticed a small black dot. He swam towards it. Luckily, the
black dot was a fishing buoy! 他看到遠方有個小黑點，就朝著它游過去.
好險！那是一個漁業浮筒！

The man held on to the buoy and just floated around in the ocean. Until,
finally, the people on his ship noticed he was missing, turned around, and
picked him up! 他抱著浮筒在海上漂，一直到船上的人發現他不見，轉回來接他。

The man was very tired, but he was safe. So what about the buoy? Did the man
keep it? It did save his life.

Nope, he said he left it in the ocean for the next person that falls
overboard! Let's hope it won't be needed!
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Vocabulary

你能想像獨自在海上漂流嗎？

1. Float 漂浮。My idea of a vacation is sleeping, eating and floating in a
swimming pool. 我心目中的度假就是睡覺，吃東西，漂浮在游泳池裡。That sounds
like a perfect vacation! 聽起來真是完美的假期！

2. Middle 中間，in the middle of the night半夜三更。Please don't call me
again in the middle of the night. 拜託不要再半夜三更打電話給我。It was before
11 last night. 昨晚是十一點之前啊。That was not the middle of the night!
那不是半夜三更。

3. Save 拯救。Hey, where's your seat belt? 你的安全帶呢? It's
broken.斷掉了。You need to fix it right away.你得馬上把它修好。It could save
your life.它能救你一命！

4. Finally 終於。The final exam is next Friday. 下星期五期末考。Finally! I
can't wait. 終於！我都等不及了。

Ok, let's read the words.

float 漂浮 middle 中間 save 拯救 finally 終於
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Quiz

1: What happens to your fingers if you leave them in water?
a. They fall off
b. They go wrinkly
c. They can't move

2: Who fell into the sea?
a. A teacher
b. A sailor
c. A basketball player

3: What saved the person's life?
a. A mermaid
b. A dolphin
c. A fishing buoy







Answers
1: b 2: b 3: c
 

Vaccine Explainer for Kids

I don't like getting a shot. The needle always hurts a little … it's not
super painful … but it's not fun.

But...I know, sometimes getting a shot is good for me. Soon, there will be a
shot for COVID-19. It's called a "vaccine."
打疫苗很重要，因為會保護我們預防傳染病。

A vaccine is pretty cool.

Doctors take a very, very little part of a bad disease like COVID-19 ...and
they put it into your body.

Then...if the real COVID-19 gets into your body...your body can fight it!

COVID-19疫苗包含很少量的病毒，注入人體後會產生抵抗力。

Your body has a little army inside you ... fighting for you.

After you get a vaccine...the army knows what to do.

They see it and say, "Hey! That's COVID-19!! It's time to attack...Ready?
3...2...1...fire!!!"

A long time ago, people would get really, really sick from many things … and
sometimes even die!

But today, after you get a vaccine, your body knows how to kill the disease,
and you won't even get sick!

You are protected!

很多病菌都可以讓人類生病，甚至死掉。但是打了疫苗之後，我們的身體就有保護自己的能力。

A vaccine is like a seat belt...it protects you in case something bad
happens. I'm going to get it as soon as I can!
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Vocabulary

新冠肺炎的疫苗，會先從成人開始施打。

1. Disease疾病。Doctors say I have a stomach flu. 醫生說我得了腸胃型流感。
That's a common disease. 那是很普通的病。Don't worry. You'll get better in a
few days.別擔心，你過幾天就好了。

2. Sick生病的。I feel very sick now. 我現在覺得病得很重。Of course you do.
Just lie down and rest. 當然啦，去躺下來休息吧。

3. Fight對抗。Come on, we have to fight this disease!
來，我們一定要對抗這個疾病。I know. I don't want to give up.
我知道，我也不想放棄。 Don't worry. We'll fight it together.
別擔心，我們一起來對抗它。

4. Bad壞的。I forgot to buy my mom something for Mother's
Day.我忘了在母親節買禮物給媽媽。 Well, that doesn't make you a bad son.
這並不表示你是壞兒子。 But I feel bad! 但是讓我心情很壞!

Would you review the words with me? Disease疾病 sick生病的 fight對抗
bad壞的
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Quiz

1. What is a vaccine?
A: A shot that tells your body how to fight a sickness
B: A fancy kind of dog
C: Something doctors like to eat

2. How does a vaccine work?
A: It teaches your body how to fight!
B: It teaches your friend how to swim
C: It teaches your body to dance

3. What is a vaccine like?
A: A seat belt! It can protect you!
B: A pillow! It helps you sleep!
C: A sofa! It's a nice place to sit!






Answers
1: A 2: A 3: A
 

Endangered Leopard Cat Gives Birth at Taipei Zoo

Aw … that's adorable. Kittens!

Kittens are so cute. 小貓咪超可愛的。I love kittens, with their little noses,
their little eyes, and their little toes!

I especially like newborn kittens! They're so tiny and adorable.

Did you know that a leopard cat at the Taipei Zoo recently gave birth to new
kittens? Three of them! 台北動物園裡的石虎，最近生了三隻小石虎。

This was the first time in 20 years that any animal has had a baby at the
Taipei Zoo.

So this was an extra special event. 這是20年來有動物在動物園裡面生小寶寶.

The leopard cat's name is Ping Ping.

Leopard cats are very special because they're an endangered species in
Taiwan. 石虎在台灣是快要絕種的動物動物。
Endangered means there aren't very many left.

So it's good that this leopard cat gave birth to more kittens!

Now the world has three more leopard cats!

Leopard cats in Taiwan usually live in the forest. 野生石虎生活在森林裡。

They're in danger because there are dangerous things in the environment that
can hurt them.

For example, cars are dangerous to leopard cats because sometimes they get
hit by them. 有時候牠們會碰到一些危險，像是被車子撞到。

So remember to tell your parents to be careful when they're driving!

It's always important to be safe when you're driving, not just for yourself,
but for other people and the animals too!
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Vocabulary

石虎長得像家貓，但牠是瀕臨絕種的動物。

1. Species物種。Black-faced spoonbill is a species that we protect.
黑面琵鷺是受保護的物種。 Is it a pretty bird? 牠是很漂亮的鳥嗎? Oh yes, it's
very special. 對，牠很特別。

2. Dangerous危險的。Hey, a horse is standing right there!
嘿，一匹馬就站在那裏。Wow, it's so dangerous to be there on the road!
哇，站在路上真危險! Yeah, it may be hit by cars. 可能會被車撞。

3. Drive駕駛。What should we do? 我們該怎麼辦? We should tell people to drive
more slowly.我們應該告訴大家開慢一點。

4. Carefully小心的。They should drive more carefully, too.
他們也應該更小心的開車。Okay, let's call the Police Station.
好，我們來打電話給警察吧。

Okay, these are useful words. Species物種 dangerous危險的 drive駕駛
carefully小心的
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Quiz

1. What animal is featured in this story?
a. A leopard cat
b. A house cat
c. A caterpillar

2. What did this animal do?
a. Gave birth to three kittens
b. Made friends with three kittens
c. Ran away from the zoo

3. Where was this animal?
a. The Bronx Zoo
b. The Australia Zoo
c. The Taipei Zoo










Answers
1. A 2. A 3. C
 

Volcano in Iceland Erupts

Oh no, earthquake! Everyone, quickly get to a safe place!

Is everybody all right?

Phew. That was a big earthquake.

Hopefully there won't be any more.

Earthquakes are scary, especially when there are a lot of them.

Did you know that Iceland recorded more than forty-thousand earthquakes over
three weeks? 冰島在三週內有記錄的地震多達四萬多次！

That's a lot of earthquakes in a very short amount of time! I would be so
scared!

And guess what happened after all those earthquakes?

There was a volcanic eruption in Iceland! 地震後冰島的火山就爆發了!

Yep, after all those earthquakes, a giant volcano erupted in Iceland.

The volcano was dormant - or asleep - for 800 years, but it decided to wake
up again on March 19 of this year.

Then lava started coming out of it!
睡了八百年的火山，今年的3月19號就醒來了，然後岩漿也開始流出來！

Thankfully, nobody got hurt.

But a lot of people who lived in Iceland said the sky was glowing red from
all that hot lava leaking out of the volcano.
冰島的居民說因為岩漿的關係天空也都變紅色的。

I hope there aren't any volcanoes in Taiwan that will suddenly wake up!

That would make me even more afraid of earthquakes!
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Vocabulary

冰島是個火山活躍的地方。

1. Iceland冰島。Would you like to visit Iceland someday?
你會想有一天去冰島玩嗎? To see the ice and snow? I'd prefer not to.
去看冰雪嗎? 我比較不想去。

2. Scary讓人害怕的。I don't want to be in an elevator in a
blackout.我可不想停電時困在電梯裡。Yeah, that would be very scary!
對啊，那會讓人好害怕。

3. Asleep睡著的。(嬰兒聲音) Shhh. She's asleep. 她睡著了。Finally! Let's hope
she can stay asleep overnight. 終於! 希望她能睡整夜。

4. Wake up醒來。No, she always wakes up in the middle of the
night.不會，她總是會半夜醒來。That's okay. I'll just feed her when she wakes
up. 沒關係，她醒來我就餵她吃。

Please read after me. Iceland冰島 scary讓人害怕的 asleep睡著的 wake up醒來
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Quiz

1. How many earthquakes happened in Iceland over three weeks?
a. About four
b. About 400
c. About 40,000

2. How long was the volcano dormant in Iceland?
a. Over 800 years
b. Over 8 years
c. Over 8,000 years

3. The lava made the sky what color, according to people in Iceland?
a. Blue
b. Purple
c. Red








Answers
1. C 2. A 3. C