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Looking for Gold in New Taipei

Ugh! There's so much sand! My hands are tired. And I'm so cold. Maybe there
isn't any … Wait! I see a shiny rock. It looks like gold! Woohoo!!
吼！好多沙子，挖得我手好酸，這裡怎麼可能會有...
等等！這閃亮亮的石頭，該不會是黃金！

People are hurrying to a river in New Taipei. Many people think there's gold
there. So they are trying to find it.
很多人都趕到新北市一條河流尋寶，因為他們相信那裡有黃金。

Why is there gold in the river? Well, people say it came down from the
mountains.
為什麼河流會有黃金呢？因為河流從山上流下來，山上可能有黃金。

The price of gold is going up and up. People at the river think they can find
gold. Then they want to sell it. But it's not easy to find. Many shiny rocks
are not gold! 黃金價格越來越高，誰能找到就能賺一大筆錢。但是黃金可不好找！

Looking for gold is a lot of work. People dig up sand. They put the sand in a
pan. They shake it. Maybe there's a little gold. Maybe there isn't!
人們會挖起沙子，放進平底鍋裡搖ㄧ搖，看看有沒有黃金小顆粒，但他們可能會失望。

Looking for gold is also dangerous. The river is fast and strong. The water
is very cold. Lots of dirt and rocks can come down the mountains. And floods
can happen very fast.
找黃金其實也很危險，因為河水又快又急，可能會有洪水，很多石頭也會隨著河水滾下來。

Do you want to find gold? Well, don't think about it! It's dangerous! Do
something safe!
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Vocabulary
颱風過後，在大水沖刷之下，河流裡有可能浮現黃金。

1. river 河流。
Wow, people have found gold in a small river! 哇，有人在小河裡找到黃金。
Where? I want to see it.在哪裡?我想要看。

2. dig 挖掘。
You just want to see the gold,你只想看黃金，
or you want to dig it up yourself? 還是想自己去挖?
Can I do both? 我可以兩個都要嗎?

3. shake 搖晃。
But it takes a lot of work. 不過需要做很多事。
You have to do a lot of shaking to get the gold from the
sand。你得用力搖，從泥沙裡淘金。

4. pan 盆子。
What do I need? 我需要什麼呢?
Let me get my pan.我去拿我的盆子。
That's so nice of you! 你人真好!
No problem. Just share the money with me. 沒問題，只要跟我分錢就好。

來一起讀單字。
river河流 dig挖掘 shake搖晃 pan盆子
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Quiz

1. Where are people digging for gold?
a. A river
b. A beach
c. An ocean

2. What is happening with the price of gold?
a. It's going up.
b. It's staying the same.
c. It's going down.

3. Why is the river dangerous for looking for gold?
a. It's warm.
b. It's fast.
c. It's safe.

Answers:
1. a
2. a
3. b
 

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Stand on Both Sides of Escalator Steps

Escalators are moving steps. They help people go up or down easily. They are
in busy places. On most escalators, two people can stand or walk on one step.
手扶梯是一種移動式的樓梯，讓人們很容易地上下樓，手扶梯會在繁忙的地方，一般來說，可以讓兩個人同時站在左右兩側。

But in Taiwan, most people stand on the right side. People who are in a hurry
walk up the left side.
但是台灣人習慣站在右側，左側會留給趕時間的人走。

The MRT in Taipei wants two people to stand on each step. More people can use
the escalator this way. Everyone will move faster! When everyone stands on
the right, everyone moves more slowly.
台北捷運希望大家能站在左右兩邊，這樣更多人能同時用手扶梯，也會更快抵達！

But most people in Taipei keep standing on the right side. People say it's
hard to change. Some people want to walk up the escalators.
不過改變很困難，大部分台灣人還是站在右邊，讓左邊的人快速通過。

Many people use big MRT stations. The escalators have signs about standing
safely. But there are no signs about standing on both sides. When there's a
big event, MRT workers hold up signs about this. There may be signs by
escalators soon.
在比較多人使用的捷運站，以後會有告示牌，建議大家站在左右兩側。

Standing on both sides helps people move faster. There are no long lines at
busy times.
大家站在兩側，就不需要大排長龍等手扶梯，你下次會想試試站在左側嗎？

What do you think? Will you stand on the left side next time?
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Vocabulary
捷運站的電動扶梯，兩邊都可以站立。

1. stand 站立。
Nancy, why are you just standing there? 南西，你怎麼站在那裏?
We need to go up the escalator. 我們得上手扶梯。
I don't trust escalators. 我不信任手扶梯。

2. walk 走路。
Can't we just walk up the stairs? 我們不能走樓梯嗎?
They don't move and it feels safer. 樓梯不會動，感覺比較安全。
The escalator is safe! 手扶梯很安全啊!

3. move 移動。
What if it moves too fast? 要是它動得太快呢?
It moves up or down, not "too fast". 它會往上或是往下，就是不會太快。

4. next time 下一次。
Now come on, we have a train to catch.來吧，我們要趕火車呢。
Okay, but next time let's take the stairs. 好啦，不過下次要走樓梯。

今天的單字每天都用得到。
stand站立 walk走路 move移動 next time下一次
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Quiz

1. Where does the MRT want people to stand on escalators?
a. The right side
b. Both sides
c. The middle

2. What happens when people stand the way the MRT wants?
a. They're safer.
b. They're faster.
c. They're slower.

3. What may the MRT do to help people change?
a. Make escalators faster
b. Have more escalators
c. Put signs by escalators

Answers
1. b
2. b
3. c
 

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New Worlds in the Earth

Did you know there are worlds underground? They are in caves. Caves are
spaces in the Earth. Some are very big. Some are small. And some people love
to go into them.
你知道地底下有另外一種世界嗎？地底下有很多大大小小的洞穴，很多人喜歡去探險。

Caves have surprises. Some have rivers! Others have strange animals. They
don't live anywhere else. Some very big caves have their own weather!
洞穴裡有很多驚喜哦！有河流，有只住在地底的奇怪動物，還有洞穴特有的天氣現象。

Going into caves is like going to the moon. Each step goes to a new place. No
one has seen these places before!
走進洞穴裡，每一步就像在月球探險一樣，會發現從來沒有看過的新世界！

Caves tell us about the Earth's past. They can also tell us about climate
change. And caves can show how things keep living when it's hard to live.
我們也能從洞穴知道地球的歷史，還有氣候的變化，還能觀察動植物怎麼在困難的環境下生活。

Caves can also help us understand life on other planets. Some caves have
plants that can grow with almost no light!
洞穴有很多珍貴的知識，有一些植物甚至能在黑暗中生長！

Going deep into caves isn't easy. People walk on their hands and knees in
some places. They go in very small spaces. They dive. There are dangers like
earthquakes. But finding something new is very exciting!
洞穴探險很不容易，要跪在地上爬行、鑽進狹小的地方或是潛水，還可能遇到地震，不過發現新事物還是很讓人興奮！

There are caves in Taiwan. Maybe one day you'll see how exciting they are!
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Vocabulary
洞穴是非常特殊的地形，讓很多人想去探險。

1. deep 很深的。
This is the most amazing cave I've ever seen! 這是我見過最驚人的洞穴! How
deep underground do you think we are? 你覺得我們在地下多深?
I have no idea. 我不知道。

2. world 世界。
At least 100 meters, I guess. 我猜至少一百公尺。
This is one of the deepest caves in the world, you know.
這裡是世界上最深的洞穴之一。

3. place 地方。
Look at that! That's a little plant! 你看那兒! 那是一棵小植物!
Can you imagine living in a place like this? 你能想像在這種地方生活嗎?

4. light 光線。
No sun, no moon and no light. 沒有太陽，月亮和光線。
Well, at least there's air and water. 至少有空氣和水。

今天你學到哪些單字?
deep很深的 world世界 place地方 light光線
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Quiz

1. Why is going into a cave like going to the moon?
a. It's dark.
b. It has new places.
c. It has strange animals.

2. What do some caves show about plants?
a. They can grow with almost no light.
b. They need a lot of sunlight.
c. They can't grow underground.

3. What do some very big caves have?
a. Climate change
b. Their own weather
c. Big trees

Answers
1. b
2. a
3. b
 

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The Famous Baby Hippo

A baby hippo is famous. People love her cute face and playful moves.
有一隻活潑可愛的小河馬，廣受大家歡迎。

Moo Deng is a pygmy hippo. Pygmy hippos are a small kind of hippo. They live
in forests. But Moo Deng lives in a zoo.
Moo Deng是侏儒河馬，這種小型河馬都在森林中生活，Moo Deng 則是住在動物園裡。

Moo Deng's zoo is in Thailand. Her zoo made videos of her. People saw the
videos online. Everyone loved her. She became a star!
Moo
Deng的動物園在泰國，園方幫牠拍了影片放在網路上，每個人看了都喜歡，小河馬成了明星!

Like many babies, Moo Deng bounces around. Her name means "bouncy pig" in
Thai. That's a great name for this little hippo!
Moo Deng泰國語的意思是彈跳豬，因為牠喜歡蹦蹦跳跳。

People share funny pictures and stories about her online. And people from all
over Thailand go to her zoo. They want to see her!
很多人喜歡分享Moo Deng 的照片和故事，遊客從全泰國各地跑來看這隻著名的小河馬。

The zoo sells Moo Deng t-shirts and other Moo Deng things. The money helps
save pygmy hippos. Saving pygmy hippos is important. There are only about
3,000 of them in the world. Oh no!
動物園有賣跟Moo
Deng相關的商品，例如T恤和別的紀念品，而這些錢是用來保護侏儒河馬，這種河馬全球只剩下三千隻。

What? You can't go to the zoo? That's okay! You can see Moo Deng live online!
蛤?你沒辦法去動物園?沒關係，你可以在網路上看Moo Deng。

Moo Deng is cute and bouncy. This baby pygmy hippo is making people all over
the world smile!
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Vocabulary
泰國可愛的侏儒河馬，是大家喜歡的網紅。

1. love 喜愛。
I haven't been to Taipei Zoo for a long time. 我好久沒去台北動物園了。
Would you like to go with me this weekend? 你這周末想跟我一起去嗎?
Sure, I love zoos! 當然，我喜歡動物園。

2. playful 活潑的。
Do you want to see any specific animals? 有什麼動物你特別想看?
I prefer playful and cute ones. 我比較想看活潑可愛的。
Not elephants or turtles.不要大象或是烏龜。

3. cute 可愛的。
Hey, I think turtles are cute! 我覺得烏龜很可愛!
Anyway, you may like penguins. 你可能會喜歡企鵝。
Or pygmy hippos! 或是侏儒河馬!

4. small 小的。
Hippos are scary. 河馬很可怕。
No, not the big ones. 不是那種大的。
Pygmy hippos are small. 侏儒河馬小小的。

Do you like visiting the zoo? 來複習一下單字
love喜愛 playful活潑的 cute可愛的 small 小的
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Quiz

1. What is a pygmy hippo?
a. A baby hippo
b. A small kind of hippo
c. A big kind of pig

2. What does Moo Deng's name mean in Thai?
a. Baby Hippo
b. Happy Hippo
c. Bouncy Pig

3. How many pygmy hippos are there in the world?
a. About 1,000
b. About 3,000
c. About 10,000

Answers
1. b
2. c
3. b