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May 2020 NO.0078
不小心到處踩雷?職場潛規則大全!

 

 

  

 
 

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News 4U

Jul.

10

4U活用英文-中級

4U 字彙程度:1500~3500字
主要對象:英檢中級;新多益550分

解密!塑膠對海龜的致命吸引力

近期一項研究發現,海龜會受到海洋塑膠的味道所吸引。這是因為水藻生長在漂浮於海中的塑膠上,讓它聞起來像是海龜平常喜愛的食物。

這樣的情況毫無疑問地令人擔憂,因為這表示海龜是主動地試著吃塑膠。海龜受到每年被倒入海中的八百萬噸塑膠威脅。當海龜吃下塑膠袋,牠們的身體會有飽足感,也因此漸漸地挨餓至死,而硬塑膠也可能卡在海龜的喉嚨。更糟糕的是,七種海龜皆已瀕臨絕種。現在我們唯有透過減少塑膠消耗量還有做好回收,才能開始改善這個嚴重的問題。

Why Sea Turtles Eat Plastic in the Ocean

Plastic garbage is everywhere, even in the depths of the ocean, and it hurts animals such as sea turtles. Scientists previously had several ideas of why sea turtles eat ocean plastic. Some thought that the turtles get stuck in plastic bags, or that the bags look like jellyfish. However, a recent study found that turtles are attracted to the smell of ocean plastic. That’s because algae grows on plastic floating in the ocean, making it smell like turtles’ typical food.

There is no doubt that this is troubling, as it means turtles are actively trying to eat plastic. Turtles are threatened by the eight million tons of plastic that are dumped into the ocean every year. When turtles eat plastic bags, their bodies feel full. As a result, the turtles slowly starve to death. Hard plastic can also get caught in their throats. To make matters worse, all seven species of sea turtles are already endangered. It is only by reducing our plastic consumption and by recycling as much as possible that we can begin to solve this serious problem.

克漏字

Jul.

20

4U活用英文-中級

4U 字彙程度:1500~3500字
主要對象:英檢中級;新多益550分

「甜食是另一個胃」有科學根據!?

許多人在晚餐後還是忍不住想吃點甜食。如果你屈服於這種誘惑,那不是你的錯!科學家發現,我們在用餐時,盤子上的食物會逐漸變得不那麼吸引人。在這樣的情況下,大腦會叫我們吃些味道截然不同的東西。

就人體發育而言,這的確有道理。不同類型的食物可提供多種不同的營養素。例如,你正在吃含有蛋白質和礦物質的肉類,當你吃得夠多了,身體就會發出信號提示你要換吃別的食物,它要你吃水果以獲取維生素和纖維,或是麵包以獲取碳水化合物。

如今這種反應對我們反而不利。在現代社會中,我們先是吃了很多東西,接著開始想吃甜點,好讓我們的嘴巴嚐點新鮮的味道。當這股渴望來襲時,最好做正確的事:你的身體真正想要的是一顆蘋果,而不是冰淇淋!

Why Your Stomach Always Has Room for Dessert

It’s a common feeling—you’ve just finished a big meal and you’ve probably eaten too much, but you still crave dessert. It’s a sure way to gain weight. However, many of us just can’t help reaching for that piece of pie after dinner.

If you give in to this temptation, it’s not your fault. Scientists have found that as we eat a meal, the food on the plate becomes gradually less appealing. As this happens, our brains tell us to eat something with an opposite taste.

This makes sense in terms of human development. Eating different types of foods offers a wider variety of nutrients. For example, when you’re eating meat, which contains protein and minerals, your body will signal to switch foods when you’ve had enough. It will want fruit to get vitamins and fiber, or bread for carbohydrates.

This reaction doesn’t serve us well today. In modern society, we eat too much and then turn to sweet desserts to give our mouths a fresh taste. When this craving hits, do the right thing—what your body really wants is an apple, not ice cream!

Animal

Jul.

20

ED實用英文-高級

ED 字彙程度:4000~7000字
主要對象:英檢中級/中高級;新多益750分

你是我的眼─開路天使導盲犬

狗狗可執行多種任務,包括與消防員和警察一起工作。但是,還有另一種更為個人化的任務:成為服務犬!

服務犬與有殘疾的人同住,導盲犬則是專門幫助盲人四處走動。然而,並非任何狗狗都可以成為導盲犬。訓練機構通常會飼養特定品種的狗狗,例如黃金獵犬,牠們往往具有冷靜、沉著的個性。在接受了例如無視分心事物的基本技能訓練後,導盲犬在機構裡被介紹給眼盲的主人互相認識,他們將在機構中一起訓練。

由於人們習慣將狗狗視為寵物,因此可能會忍不住伸手去撫摸一隻可愛的導盲犬。但請記住,這隻狗正在工作,而且牠的主人依靠這隻導盲犬對周圍環境保持警覺,因此,請試著避免觸摸牠。反而請退後一步,遠遠欣賞這隻勤奮工作的狗狗。讓牠執行重要的工作,以使牠的主人可以過著正常的一天!

Dogs on the Job: Guide Dogs for Blind People

When people think about dogs, they usually think of them as pets. People often have their dogs trained so they can behave well around other dogs and their owners, but some dogs are trained to work. There are many kinds of jobs dogs can do, including working with firefighters and police officers. There is another kind of job, though, which is much more personal: being a service dog!

A service dog lives with a person who has a disability, and guide dogs specifically help blind people get around. Not just any dog can become a guide dog, however. Training organizations usually raise puppies of certain breeds of dog, such as golden retrievers, which tend to have calm, steady personalities. After being trained in basic skills, like ignoring distractions, the guide dog is introduced to its blind handler at the facility where they will train together.

Because people are used to seeing dogs as pets, it can be tempting to reach out to pet a cute guide dog. Remember, though, that this dog is at work and that its handler relies on the guide dog staying alert to their surroundings, so try to avoid touching it. Instead, step back and admire this hard-working dog from a distance. Let it do its vital work so its handler can go about their normal day!

Life

Jul.

28

ED實用英文-高級

ED 字彙程度:4000~7000字
主要對象:英檢中級/中高級;新多益750分

食物保存有訣竅 生活智慧要知道

在危機時期,人們儲備糧食是很普遍的。為了儲存足夠的食物度過困難時刻,我們必須了解為什麼食物會變質以及如何防止。

在大多數情況下,微生物是食物變質的原因。這些微小的生物──包括細菌和病毒──在不受限制的生長情況下會毀壞食物。儘管幾乎不可能完全阻止這些微生物的增長,但有一些方法可以減緩增長速度。乾燥食物也許是最有效的保存方法。將食物乾燥並除去水分後,微生物無法把食物適當地吸收進細胞。鹽醃能有效去除微生物內的水分並導致其細胞失常。因此,創造了一種微生物無法生存的環境。

裹糖食品也易於長時間保存,因為精製糖可以阻止微生物的生長。然而,如果加入蛋、堅果、乳製品或其他成分,最終可能會生成酵母菌和黴菌使食物的有效期限會變短。冷凍是另一種防止食物變質的熱門方法,因為很容易做到且大部分的食物都能完全被冷凍。但請務必記住,一旦食物開始解凍,微生物就會活躍起來並再次造成損害。

Foods That Can Help You Survive the Apocalypse

As recent events have shown, the world can become an unpredictable place in the blink of an eye. In times of crisis, it’s common for people to stock up on food—and for good reason. Having an adequate food supply can be the difference between life and death. To store enough food to last us through tough times, we have to understand why foods go bad and how to prevent this.

In most cases, microbes are the reason why foods spoil. These tiny organisms, which include bacteria and viruses, can ruin foods when they grow freely. Although it’s nearly impossible to totally stop their growth, there are ways to slow it down. Drying foods is perhaps the most effective method of preserving them. When a food is dried and its water is removed, microbes can’t properly absorb the food into their cells. Salting foods is another time-tested way to make foods last longer. Salting effectively removes the moisture inside microbes and causes their cells to malfunction. In turn, this creates an environment in which microbes cannot live.

Foods coated in sugar tend to last a long time, too. That’s because refined sugar stops microbial growth dead in its tracks. However, if eggs, nuts, dairy, or other ingredients are present, the food’s lifespan will be lower, as yeasts and molds may eventually develop. Freezing is another popular way to keep foods from spoiling, as it’s simple to do and the majority of foods freeze well. It’s important to remember, though, that freezing only stops microbial growth temporarily. Once the food starts to thaw out, the microbes will become active and begin to cause damage once again.

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