________________________________

Farm Plays Jazz to Cows

Narrator: There is a dairy farm in the UK. It has many cows. The farmers want
a lot of milk. Most goes into bottles. Some is used to make butter, yogurt,
and ice cream!
英國一所畜牧場養了許多乳牛。生產出來的鮮奶會裝進容器裡面出售，或是做成奶油，優格，跟冰淇淋!

One day, the farmers read that cows like jazz. They read that jazz makes cows
make more milk!
牧場主人有一天看到報導，乳牛聽爵士樂會生產更多牛奶!

The farmers made a video. They brought a big speaker to a field. They played
jazz. Their cows came to listen.
他於是做了一段影片，把擴音機搬進牧場，開始放爵士樂影片。乳牛都靠過來聽!

Then the farmers moved the speaker. The cows followed it! The farmers moved
it again. The cows followed it again! The farmers put the video online. It is
very cute! It has over three hundred thousand views!
牧場主人把擴音機搬個地方，牛群都跟了過來。他再換個地方，牛群又跟著來!
農夫把這段可愛的影片放上網，有三十多萬人點閱!

Farmer: Oh! I got an idea!

Narrator: Then the farmers brought a jazz band to the farm. The cows liked
the jazz band! A cow licked a trumpet with her big wet tongue!
農夫決定邀請一整個爵士樂團來牧場表演，大受牛群歡迎!
有一頭母牛還伸出舌頭舔小喇叭！

Does jazz make cows make more milk? No one knows. But now, farmers around the
world are playing jazz for their cows! And people around the world are
watching their videos!
沒有人知道爵士樂是不是真的讓乳牛增加產量，但現在，農夫繼續給牛聽爵士樂，而人們繼續看他們的影片!

Thanks for the milk and thanks for the "mooo-sic"!
________________________________________
Vocabulary

據說乳牛愛聽爵士樂，牧場主人實驗的結果，好像真有其事。

1. milk 牛奶。
Have you heard that happy cows give more milk?
你有聽過快樂乳牛會生產更多牛奶嗎?
No, but it makes sense. 沒有，不過有道理。

2) butter 奶油。
However, I can't say I like milk. 但是我不喜歡牛奶。
How about butter, cheese or yoghurt? 那麼奶油，起司或優格呢?
I love butter on my crispy toast! 我很喜歡在脆脆的吐司上塗奶油。

3) lick 舔。
I try not to eat too much ice cream. 我努力不要吃太多冰淇淋。
That's fine. You can just lick it and give me the rest.
沒關係，你可以舔一舔，剩下都的給我。
Ew….!

4) farm 農場。
We should visit a dairy farm someday. 我們應該哪天去牧場逛逛。
Okay, I like cows. 好啊，我喜歡牛。

牛奶很營養喔，來一起讀單字。milk牛奶 butter奶油 lick舔 farm農場
________________________________________
Quiz

1. What do the farmers want a lot of?
a. Beef
b. Milk
c. Cheese

2. What do cows like to listen to?
a. Dairy farms
b. Videos
c. Jazz

3. What did one of the cows lick?
a. A trumpet
b. A farmer
c. Ice cream


Answers
1. b
2. c
3. a

 

________________________________

Hi, and welcome back to another episode of News Bites.

I'm Jacob Ingram.

And I'm Jeffrey Mo.

Coming up today: President Lai plans to raise the minimum wage, and we'll
share simple ways to read more in 2026.

And for News Flash, we have the word 'Analysis'.

Stay tuned to learn more!
________________________________

台灣最低工資可望調升至三萬元
Taiwan's Minimum Wage Might Rise to NT$30,000

Good news for workers in Taiwan.

President Lai Ching-te says the minimum wage might go up to 30,000 NT a month.

He said this in a recent speech about Taiwan's economy (經濟) and its future
(未來).

The speech was given at an event for the Junior Chamber International
(國際青年商會).

In fact, the minimum wage already went up this year.

On January 1st, it increased to 29,500 NT.

This was the tenth year in a row (連續第十年) that the minimum wage increased.

President Lai also talked about helping small and medium-sized businesses
(中小企業).

The government plans to spend 93 billion NT to do this.
政府計畫投入 930 億元。

It says this will help protect jobs during uncertain times.
政府也指出，這將有助於在局勢不明朗時保障就業。

Next, President Lai talked about Taiwan and the global economy.

He said talks with the United States about tariffs (關稅) are almost finished.

He said the talks are going well.
他表示相關談判進展順利。

Looking to the future, President Lai talked about technology (科技).

He said Taiwan must get ready for the AI era (人工智慧時代).

The government plans to build a national data center (國家資料中心).

It will also train people with AI skills.
並提供人工智慧技能培訓。

The goal is to train 500,000 workers by the year 2040.

President Lai hopes Taiwan will become a world leader in AI.

He believes this will help Taiwan's businesses grow ... and create more jobs
for young people.
________________________________

少滑手機，多讀書
Less Scrolling, More Reading

Do you like reading books?

If your answer is 'not really', don't worry - you are not alone.

A recent analysis (分析) of a report shows that in the United States, only
16% of people read for fun each day in 2023.
最近一份報告分析顯示，到 2023 年，美國每天只有 16% 的人會為了娛樂而閱讀。

That number was 28% in 2004.

This shows people are reading less and less.

That is, if you don't count in all that scrolling!
這還不包括整天滑手機的時間呢。

Why are people reading less nowadays?

Many stop reading because they are busy or tired.

Or they spend too much time scrolling on their phones (滑手機).

But here is the good news.

It is never too late to start reading again.

Reading has lots of benefits, or as the saying goes in Chinese: 開卷有益!

Reading can reduce stress (減少壓力), and increase creativity (加強創造力).

It can also help us understand other people better, which is called empathy
(同理心).

So, how can you build a reading habit (閱讀習慣)?

First, choose the right book.

Experts suggest not to start with a very long or difficult book.

Your first book should be fun and make you feel joyful.

Don't know where to start?

Ask friends what they like to read.

You can also think about your favorite movie or TV show.

Then, look for books with similar stories or themes (主題).

Next, make reading part of your day.

You can read a few pages during lunch.

You can also read before bed.

Small steps are OK.

You don't always have to read a lot in one sitting.
不必總是一次讀很多書。

If you read a paper book, it's a good idea put your phone somewhere you can't
see it.

For example, inside a drawer (抽屜裡).

This can help you avoid distractions (避開分心).

Just be careful not to lose it!

You can also try different formats (形式).

For example, E-readers (電子書閱讀器) are easy to carry.

They can also store lots and lots of e-books!

Audiobooks are great when you do chores (家事).

They are also useful when you travel to school.

Reading does not have to be lonely either!

Some people join silent book clubs (安靜讀書會).

In these clubs, everyone reads their own book together.

They often meet in cafes or libraries.

Finally, remember this...

If a book feels boring or too slow, it's OK to stop.

In other words-just 'DNF' it!

That's online slang (網路俚語) for 'did not finish'.

There are so many great stories out there, so don't be afraid to move on to a
better one!

Reading should not feel like a burden (負擔).

Instead, it should help you feel relaxed.

The key is to enjoy the story.

So, in 2026, why not 'turn the page', and make reading a part of your routine.
________________________________

So in today's New Bites...

President Lai says Taiwan's minimum wage might rise to 30,000 NT.

The government will support businesses and protect jobs.

Taiwan is preparing for the AI era.
________________________________

And...

Many adults in the U.S. are reading less.

Reading can reduce stress and increase happiness.

Start with a fun book and read a little each day.

If a book feels boring, it's okay to 'DNF' it.
________________________________

Our News Flash word today is: Analysis.

An analysis is a careful study of information (資訊) to understand what it
means.

In the news, experts give an analysis to explain reports, data, or events.

It helps people understand the situation more clearly.
________________________________

If you have a fun fact, a joke or interesting news story you'd like to share
with us, record your message and send us your Bite-Sized Break to
newsbites@icrt.com.tw, and you might hear it in an episode.

We'll see you next time for an exciting new episode of News Bites!