________________________________

Christmas Shopping is Good For You

Christmas is almost here! For many people, it is the best time of year. It's
a bit like Chinese New Year in Taiwan. Christmas in Western countries is a
time to visit with your family and friends.
聖誕節要到囉！西方國家在聖誕節的時候，會跟家人還有朋友團聚，有一點像台灣的過年。

You also get to eat tasty food - like roast turkey, and lots of great
desserts!

And, of course, there are presents! Everyone loves getting presents, right?
It makes you feel good.
還會有烤火雞跟很多好吃的甜點！當然還有禮物！

Do you know what else makes people feel good? Buying presents for other
people.
收禮物的感覺很好，但是買禮物給別人，感覺也很棒！

Experts have done some research, and found that buying Christmas presents is
really good for your health. That's because it makes you feel happy.
有專家做了研究，發現買聖誕禮物給別人對健康很好，因為它讓你很開心。

You feel happy when you get a good deal. When you get a good deal, you feel
like you've won something. I love winning!
買到很划算的東西也會覺得很開心，好像贏了比賽一樣。

When people feel happier, they are healthier.
一個人心情好，就會更健康。

Shopping for Christmas presents helps people in other ways, too. It can make
them forget about their problems. And seeing someone enjoying your gift feels
great!
買聖誕禮物也會讓人忘記煩惱，而且看別人開心，我們也會開心！

Some experts say that going Christmas shopping is like taking a vacation!
有的專家說，去大採購一番，就像是去度假一樣！

So, if you want to feel good, and be healthy, go Christmas shopping. I think
I'd better go now, too. I still have to buy some Christmas presents for
people! Yay!
________________________________

Vocabulary
現在我們有更好的理由去買禮物，因為可以促進身心健康。

1. gift 禮物
What gifts are you planning to give your daughter? 你打算送妳女兒什麼禮物？
For Christmas? 為了耶誕節嗎？
She's 12, so maybe a pair of sunglasses.
她十二歲了，所以也許送她一副太陽眼鏡。
That's cool. 很酷。

2. happy 高興的
How about you? 你呢？
Hmmm, I'll just give my son a simple set of tools.
我就給我兒子一套簡單的工具。
Oh, he will be very happy about that! 他會很開心的。

3. family 家人
Isn't it great to buy gifts for family? 給家人買禮物很棒吧？
It's great, but it also takes a lot of time. 是很棒，不過也很花時間。

4. deal 交易
There are a lot of good deals online. 網站上有很多好東西。
I know. But they often sell out fast. 我知道，不過它們經常很快賣完。

你想好要送家人什麼禮物了嗎？
gift 禮物
happy 高興的
family 家人
deal 交易
________________________________

Quiz

1. What "tasty food" can you eat at Christmas?
A: Oolong tea
B: Beef jerky
C: Roast turkey

2. Why is Christmas shopping good for your health?
A: It makes you happy
B: It gets you friends
C: It gives you exercise

3. What is a "good deal"?
A: A great present
B: A healthy feeling
C: A low price

Answers
1. C
2. A
3. C
 

________________________________

An Irish School's Cracking Christmas

Only two days left till Christmas!! Are you ready? 再兩天就是耶誕節了！

In Europe, some people like to open Christmas crackers while eating Christmas
dinner.
在歐洲，有一些人會在吃聖誕大餐的時候玩 Christmas crackers!

Huh?! What's a Christmas cracker?!

Christmas crackers are colorful gift boxes. Inside there's always three
things: a toy, a paper hat, and a joke!
Christmas Cracker
就是耶誕拉炮，是小小的耶誕禮物盒，裡面會有一個玩具、一頂紙帽子，跟一則笑話！

Two people hold a cracker, and pull as hard as they can, then, it rips open
with a loud "BANG"! Whoever gets the bigger half wins!
開禮炮是兩個人會一人一邊，用力拉，拉炮會「碰」一聲爆開，拿到比較大的那邊的人就贏了！

There's a school in Ireland where they really, REALLY love Christmas
crackers! Last month, they pulled open 1703 crackers all at once!
愛爾蘭有一間學校在上個月，同時一起拉開 1703 個耶誕拉炮！

The students wanted to break the record for the most crackers pulled at the
same time in one line.
他們想要破一次同時拉開最多拉炮的紀錄。

And guess what... they did it!

The students made the all crackers by themselves! They worked hard for half
an hour every morning, for two weeks! They said it was really fun, and it
made everyone very excited for Christmas!
這些拉炮都是學生自己做的，他們連續兩個禮拜，每一天早上都花半個小時來製作！

Now I'm all excited for Christmas too! Have a cracking Christmas everybody!
________________________________

Vocabulary
好玩的拉炮可以製造熱鬧氣氛，愛爾蘭一所學校更創了新紀錄。

1. Ireland 愛爾蘭
Have you ever been to Ireland? 你有去過愛爾蘭嗎？
No, I hope to visit someday. 沒有，我希望有一天能去。
Irish people seem to love having lots of fun. 愛爾蘭人看起來很喜歡玩耍。

2. break 打破
I also heard that they like beer a lot. 我聽說他們很喜歡啤酒。
They've tried to break the world record for drinking beer.
他們有試過打破喝啤酒的世界紀錄。

3. hold 拿著
Could you hold this bottle for me? 你可以幫我握著瓶子嗎？
I want to pull the cork out. 我要把軟木塞拔起來。

4. excited 興奮的
What is it? 這是什麼？
It's a very expensive wine. 是很貴的酒。
I won it at a party. 我在派對上贏的。
You must be very excited to try it! 你一定很興奮想喝。
I am. 確實是。

你今天學了哪幾個單字？
Ireland 愛爾蘭
break 打破
hold 拿著
excited 興奮的
________________________________

Quiz

1. How many days are left till Christmas?
A: 1
B: 2
C: 3

2. What are Christmas crackers?
A: Cheesy biscuits
B: Colourful gift boxes
C: Roasted chestnuts

3. Where in the world is this cracker-crazy school?
A: Greenland
B: Iceland
C: Ireland

Answers
1. B
2. B
3. C
 

________________________________

The Oldest Meal Ever

Do you like to eat leftovers? 你喜歡吃剩菜嗎？

Maybe your dad made dinner yesterday and put it in the fridge. Or maybe you
have eaten a meal from two days ago, or even three days ago.
你可能吃過冰箱裡面昨天的晚餐，甚至兩三天前的飯菜。

What about a meal from seventy thousand years ago?
但你吃過七萬年前的飯菜嗎？

In fact, scientists recently found a meal like that. They discovered it in a
cave in Iraq, and they say it's the oldest cooked meal they've ever found.
科學家最近在伊拉克的洞穴裡面找到全世界最古老的餐食。

The scientists studied the meal, to learn what food people cooked so long
ago. They found the meal was made of seeds.
他們研究了這頓飯，發現是用植物的種子做的。

How was it cooked? The people who made it used rocks to mash the seeds. Then,
they boiled the seeds in water to make a pancake.
怎麼做的呢？古人用石頭把種子碾碎，再拿去煮，做成煎餅。

Was that pancake good? To find out, the scientists tried to make the same
meal. They took seeds from near the cave and used the same recipe.
那個煎餅好吃嗎？科學家用洞穴附近的種子做了一樣的料理。

In the end, their meal was delicious! It tasted like nuts. The only problem?
It was hard to chew!
結果很好吃！味道像是堅果，但是很難咬！

Before this discovery, we had no idea the art of cooking was so old.

Now that we've found the oldest meal ever, we have to ask... what else did
people know seventy thousand years ago?
________________________________

Vocabulary
七萬年前的人吃什麼？科學家發現，他們已經知道吃熟食。


1. dinner 晚餐
What's for dinner? 晚飯吃什麼？
Uh, I don't feel like cooking tonight. 我今晚不想煮飯。
I'll just have yogurt with nuts. 我就吃優格配堅果。
Yuck! I can't eat that. 真難吃，我不能吃那些。

2. leftover 剩下的
There's some leftover pizza in the fridge. 冰箱裡還有剩下的披薩。
Pizza is good. Pizza could make a nice meal with a salad.
披薩好，加上沙拉就是很好的一餐。
I'm sure there's no salad. 我確定沒有沙拉。

3. pancake 煎餅，鬆餅
Let me check. 我來看看。
Here's a pancake! 這裡有個鬆餅！
Yeah, I forgot the pancake. 對耶，我都忘了有鬆餅。

4. recipe 食譜
And you promised to give me the recipe. 你還答應要給我食譜的。
I did, didn't I? 可不是嗎？

你今晚吃什麼呢？
dinner 晚餐
leftover 剩下的，剩菜
pancake 煎餅，鬆餅
recipe 食譜
________________________________

Quiz

1. What was the oldest meal ever?
A: a salad
B: a sandwich
C: a pancake

2. How old was that meal?
A: 700 years
B: 70,000 years
C: 7,000,000 years

3. Where did scientists find that meal?
A: Iraq
B: China
C: India

Answers
1. C
2. B
3. A
 

________________________________

Huge Goldfish Found in France

Hi, students. Today, I want to talk about a special goldfish in France.
What's so special about this goldfish? It's really, really big!
法國有一條金魚，體積超級大！

Usually, goldfish weigh about half a kilogram or less. They are pretty,
small, and cute. Sometimes you see them in little fish bowls swimming around.
But not this goldfish named Carrot.

Carrot weighs 30 kilograms!
一般的金魚最多只有半公斤重，可以在小魚缸游來游去。但是有一條名叫胡蘿蔔的金魚，重達
30 公斤！
The fish was small when it was first put into a lake 20 years ago as a baby.

In those 20 years, it grew and grew. A man named Andy Hackett caught the
fish. I bet it was hard to catch! 這條金魚 20
年前被放進湖裡，然後就一直長大。後來被 Andy Hackett 抓到。

What did Andy do with the fish after he caught it? Did he chop Carrot up and
give some to his friends.

Did he put it on a big barbeque and eat it? Did he put Carrot in a zoo? Andy
怎麼處理這條魚？分給朋友吃嗎？烤來吃嗎？還是送進動物園？

No, he didn't do any of these things. So, what did Andy do with the giant
fish? He put Carrot back in the lake. He just caught the fish for fun.
都不是。Andy把 Carrot放回湖裡，他抓魚只是為了好玩。

I wonder how big Carrot will be the next time someone catches it?
________________________________________

Vocabulary
特大號的金魚，已經活了二十年。

1. bowl 碗。
I'm going to get a fishbowl. 我要買個金魚缸。
Finally! I thought you'll use the bathtub forever. 終於!
我以為你會永遠用澡缸。

2. swim 游泳。
I do like seeing them swimming around in the
bathtub.我是很喜歡看牠們在澡缸裡游來游去。
But I'm tired of taking a bath in the kitchen. 但是我厭煩了在廚房裡洗澡。

3. catch 捕捉。
How do you plan to catch all the fish? 你準備怎麼抓那些魚?
I'm not sure. 我不確定。
I caught one yesterday but put it back. 我昨天抓到一隻，但是放回去了。

4. special 特別的。
Maybe you can use a special fishing net. 也許你可以用特別的漁網。
Is there such a thing? 有這種東西嗎?
Yeah, you can find it in any fishing store. 有啊，任何一家釣魚店都有。
我們來讀讀今天的單字。

bowl碗

swim游泳

catch捕捉

special特別的
________________________________________
Quiz
1. What was the name of the big fish?
A: Goldie
B: Carrot
C: Orange

2. How old was the fish?
A: 10 years old
B: 20 years old
C: 30 years old

3. What did the man do after he caught the fish?
A: He had a barbeque.
B: He put it back in the lake.
C: He gave it to a zoo.

Answers

1. B
2. B
3. B
 

________________________________

Zimbabwe's Young Chess Queens

Have you ever played chess? It's a fun game. One person uses black pieces,
and the other uses white pieces. Each person wants to take the other's pieces
and win the game.
你有玩過西洋棋嗎？一個人拿黑棋，另一個拿白棋，兩邊會吃對方的棋子。

We can have a good time playing chess, but it can also improve our lives.
Just ask Grace. She is a ten year old girl from Zimbabwe, and a star chess
player.
Grace 是一個辛巴威的西洋棋棋手，她只有十歲！

At first, Grace did not think she could play chess. Some people said the game
was too hard for young girls.
一開始，Grace 不覺得自己會下棋。有人說西洋棋對年輕女孩來說太難了。

But Grace wanted to try anyway. She said she saw other girls playing chess in
her village, and wanted to take up the challenge!
但她看見村子裡面其他的女生也在玩，所以她也想要挑戰看看！

Now, she has already won many games! She even travels around Africa with her
chess team, who are all young girls from her village. Their team is called
"The Queens".
她現在已經贏過很多場比賽了。她和她的隊友在非洲各地比賽，她們的隊名叫做「皇后」。

When Grace wins a big game, she can earn some money. That can pay for her
school and books.
Grace 只要打贏比賽，就可以賺錢。她就可以繳學費跟買書。

But she doesn't just play for money. Grace is thinking about her future. She
says, "I want to be a nurse and a professional chess player".
Grace 未來想要成為一個護士跟職業西洋棋棋士！

For Grace and her teammates, chess is a great way to learn, grow, and of
course to have fun!
________________________________

Vocabulary
一群十歲左右的非洲小女孩，成為西洋棋的高手。

1. young 年輕的
My son is five years old. 我兒子五歲。
Do you think he's too young for soccer? 你覺得他踢足球會不會太小了？
No, children can begin playing soccer at any age.
不會，小孩什麼年紀都可以開始踢足球。

2. challenge 挑戰
Does he like to win? 他喜歡贏嗎？
Sure, who doesn't? 當然啦，誰會不喜歡？
Then he won't be afraid of the challenge. 那他就不會害怕挑戰。

3. player 選手
Maybe someday he'll become a famous player...
也許有一天他會成為有名的足球員...
And travel around Europe. 在歐洲各地旅行。

4. team 隊伍
So you hope he'll join a team in Europe? 所以你希望他加入一個歐洲球隊？
Not really. I just hope he has fun. 倒也不會。我只希望他開心。

你玩西洋棋或是踢足球嗎? 來讀讀單字。
young 年輕的
challenge 挑戰
player 選手
team 隊伍
________________________________

Quiz

1. Where does Grace come from?
A: USA
B: Zimbabwe
C: India

2. Why did Grace start playing chess?
A: Her teacher told her to
B: She saw other girls playing
C: She wanted to win money

3. What is Grace's goal for the future?
A: To start a family
B: To get rich
C: To be a nurse and a chess player

Answers
1. B
2. B
3. C