The winter solstice, which falls on December 21-23 in the solar calendar, is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Traditionally in Taiwan, the winter solstice is the time to eat warm glutinous rice balls, but in the North of China, others make up a bowl of wonton and dumplings. The tradition of the winter solstice festival dates back to the Song Dynasty. It was one of the three major public holidays. The "Winter Solstice, New Year's Day and the Qingming Holiday" were held on the 7th. Both the wonton, the dumplings and the glutinous rice balls were separated from the sacrificial rites. 中國傳統二十四節氣之一的冬至，陽曆12月21至23日之間，是生活在北半球的我們一年中白天時間最短的日子。在台灣的傳統，冬至就是要吃湯圓暖身，但在大陸華北地區，冬至也有食補，只不過人家補的是一碗碗的餛飩和餃子。冬至過節的傳統最早能上溯至宋代，是當時民眾與官員的三大假之一，「冬至、年初一和清明得休假7日」，而無論是餛飩、餃子或是湯圓，都與祭神脫離不了關係。
In the past, agricultural societies’ farming and rest rules throughout the year followed the sun. The passing of the winter solstice means that the new year is coming. Society in a state of rest must take this opportunity to cede all things from top to bottom and pray for blessings in the coming year. 在過去的農業社會中，二十四個節氣運行主管著全年的耕作與休息規律，進入冬至後也意味著，新的一年即將來臨。處於休息狀態的社會，從上到下都必須趁此機會巴結上天，祈求保佑來年風調雨順、農產富饒，民眾和百官也藉此時拜訪親故敘舊。
In Taiwan, you often hear elders say to their children that, "Every solstice when you eat the rice ball wonton soup, you grow a year older” hoping they’ll grow up peacefully. However, even if modern society is busy, the Winter Solstice still has its symbolic significance for many people. Whether you are eating glutinous rice balls or wontons, or eating sweet sesame dumplings or Hakka salty dumplings, the Winter Solstice is of the utmost importance to the Chinese community. The deeper meaning is "reunion". While rushing around for more than six months out of the year, at this time rest, enjoy family and friends. 在台灣，最常聽見長輩對孩子們說，「冬節圓仔食落加一歲」（冬至吃湯圓會長一歲），期望晚輩能平安長大。然而，即便現代社會再忙，冬至對許多人而言仍有其象徵意義，無論你吃的是湯圓或是餛飩、或著是吃甜的芝麻湯圓或客家的鹹湯圓，冬至在華人社會最重要的意義是「團聚」，在外奔波了大半年，於此時和家人或跟你身邊的親友團聚，重享天倫之樂。
insipid：形容詞，枯燥乏味的。例句：The creative director disapproved of those insipid proposals. （創意總監不認同那些枯燥乏味的提案。）
tune out：動詞片語，充耳不聞。例句：As soon as my parents argued, I just tuned out.（每當我爸媽吵起來，我就假裝沒聽到。）
It’s the news that Grinches everywhere have been waiting for： overdosing on festive music is officially bad for your mental health. 這是一則鬼靈精們久候的新聞：聽太多節慶音樂對你的心理健康真的有不良影響。
The clangy harmonies and insipid lyrics in a Christmas song make Christmas haters want to say "bah humbug"at every smiling passer-by in a bobble hat. Christmas songs also stop us from being able to focus on anything other than mince pies and mistletoe. 耶誕歌曲中作為和聲的叮噹鈴響，以及枯燥乏味的歌詞，讓痛恨耶誕節的人想對每個戴著絨球帽、一臉笑嘻嘻的行人大呼「騙人的玩意兒」。耶誕歌曲也讓我們無法專注在百果派、槲寄生以外的東西。
According to psychologist Linda Blair, listening to "Santa Claus is coming to town" on repeat could actually have a negative effect on your brain. 心理學家琳達．布萊爾指出，重複聽《耶誕老人進城去》其實對你的大腦有負面影響。
"People working in the shops at Christmas have to tune out Christmas music because if they don’t, it really does stop you from being able to focus on anything else," she told Sky News.她向英國「天空新聞台」表示：「商店人員在耶誕節期間，必須對耶誕音樂充耳不聞，因為如果他們不這麼做，就無法專注在其他事情上面。」
However, research shows that striking a good balance between festive smells and music can positively affect the shopping environment, making customers happier and eager to spend more time in a shop to boost sales. 然而，研究也顯示，只要能在耶誕節的氣味和音樂之間找到平衡點，就能對購物環境起正面作用，讓客人更開心，願意花更多時間走逛，刺激銷售表現。
The idea of Father Christmas, also known as Santa Claus or “Saint Nick,” derives from a historic figure. Saint Nicholas (270 – 343) was Bishop of Myra, a town in what is now Turkey. His legendary generosity and humble compassion led to his reputation as a gift-giver. 聖誕老人，或「聖尼克」，是由一個歷史人物而來。聖尼可拉斯（西元二七○～三四三年）是米拉城（今土耳其境內）主教。據傳他是個極為慷慨謙遜，且富有同情心的人，經常致贈禮物給人們。
The patron saint of sailors, merchants, repentant thieves and children, he is one of the most popular saints in the Greek and Latin churches, and is said to have been represented more frequently than any other saint except Mary by medieval artists. 他是水手、商人、懺悔的小偷和小孩的主保聖人，是東正教和拉丁天主教會最有人氣的聖人，據說他是除了聖母瑪利亞以外，被中世紀藝術家描繪最多的聖人。
One of the more enduring and common stories about his generosity was how he took pity on three girls of a poor family. With the parents unable to afford a dowry, the girls would have remained unmarried. At that time, this would have meant they would have to go into prostitution, or would be assumed to be prostitutes. According to the story, Saint Nicholas went to the house after dark and dropped three purses filled with gold coins through the window. 關於他的慷慨，有個流傳更久、更為人所熟知的故事。相傳他出於同情幫助了一個貧窮人家的三個女孩。女孩的父母因無力負擔嫁妝，導致她們一直未婚。這在當時，意味著她們將不得不去賣淫，或者被認為是妓女。這個故事說，聖尼古拉斯在天黑後到了那一戶人家，由窗口扔進了三個裝滿金幣的錢包。
There are many variants of the story. In one, Nicholas drops the purses down the chimney and they land in a stocking one of the daughters had left out to dry. 這個故事有很多種版本。其中一個是，尼古拉斯把錢包扔到煙囪底下，結果錢包掉在其中一個女兒在煙囪底下晾著的襪子裡。
With the Reformation, the tradition of worshiping saints disappeared in most Protestant countries. In the Netherlands, however, his legend continued as the figure of Sint-Nicolaas, or Sinterklaas, derived from the Dutch pronunciation of Saint Nicholas. This is where the name Santa Claus originates from. 由於宗教改革的緣故，崇拜聖徒的傳統在大多數新教國家都已不復見。然而，在荷蘭，他的傳說則以源自Saint Nicholas的荷蘭文發音的名字Sint-Nicolaas或Sinterklaas延續下來。這也就是聖誕老人（Santa Claus）這個名字的起源。
Saint Nicholas is said to have died on Dec. 6, 343. This date is now celebrated as Saint Nicholas Day. 據說聖尼古拉斯已於西元三四三年十二月六日去世。這一天即為現今的聖尼古拉斯節。（台北時報編譯林俐凱譯）
1. sustained：形容詞，持續的，持久的。例句：We must make a sustained effort to get this task finished this week.（我們必須持續努力，讓工作在本週內完成。）
2. follow-up assessment：學術名詞：跟進評估，追蹤評估。例句：Follow-up assessment is usually considered necessary.（追蹤評估總被視為必要。）
3. migraine：名詞，偏頭痛。例句：I suffer a lot from migraines.（我深受偏頭痛之苦。）
Practicing Tai Chi - an ancient Chinese martial art - can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and may be useful for people who tend to avoid conventional psychiatric treatments, a new study has found. 一項新研究發現，練習太極拳─一項中國古代武術─可以大幅減緩憂鬱症狀，而且可能有益於傾向避免傳統精神病治療的人們。
Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital enrolled 50 Chinese-American participants for the study. All of the volunteers had mild to moderate depression and were not receiving any other forms of treatment. They were placed at random in three groups. The first took part in Tai Chi, the second received educational therapy and the third was a control group. 麻省總醫院的研究人員徵集50名美籍華人參與研究。所有自願者都有輕微至中等的憂鬱，且未接受任何其他形式的治療。他們被隨機分成3組。第一組參與太極拳練習，第二組接受教育療法，第三組則為控制組。
The 12-week assessments showed that all 17 volunteers in the martial art had significantly greater improvement in depression symptoms than the other two groups. Follow-up assessment after six months showed sustained improvement, the report said.
Previous studies have found that Tai Chi could better help patients suffering from five painful conditions - back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and severe headaches and migraine. 先前的研究發現，太極拳可能幫助受5種疼痛症狀所苦的病患─背痛、骨性關節炎、頸部疼痛、纖維肌痛，以及嚴重的頭痛和偏頭痛。
thigh：名詞，大腿。例句：My thighs ached terribly after the climb.（我的大腿在攀爬後疼痛不已。）
sponge：名詞，海綿。例句：That child soaks up new facts like a sponge.（那孩子有如海綿一般吸收新知。）
inhibit：動詞，抑制，阻礙。例句：This drug inhibits the growth of tumors.（這種藥物可抑制腫瘤生長。）
Women who have more fat in their hips and thighs are at a lower risk of heart attacks, strokes and diabetes, a new study had found. Experts suggest that the hips and thighs act like a sponge that soaks up fat and stops it from travelling to the heart and liver. 一項新研究發現，臀部與大腿脂肪較多的女性，罹患心臟病、中風及糖尿病的風險較低。專家指出，臀部與大腿有如海綿般吸收脂肪，阻止它移往心臟與肝臟。
The researchers analyzed data from 981 people to assess their risk of heart attack, stroke and type 2 diabetes. They used magnetic imaging to determine their body fat mass, fat distribution and amount of fat in their liver. 研究人員分析取自981人的資料，評估她們罹患心臟病、中風及2型糖尿病的風險。他們使用磁成像，測定她們的體脂量、脂肪分佈與肝臟脂肪量。
The fat, which is stored on the hips and thighs, is known as subcutaneous fat and differs from visceral fat which is found on the abdomen. The latter releases harmful chemicals that severely inhibit our cardiovascular health. 儲存於臀部與大腿的脂肪為皮下脂肪，有別於腹部發現的內臟脂肪。後者會釋放有毒化學物質，嚴重阻礙我們的心血管健康。
The study suggests that it is better to be pear-shaped rather than apple-shaped. Normal-weight women with pear-shaped bodies like Beyonce and Shakira have a lower risk of heart attack, stroke and diabetes, because bottom and thigh fat is less dangerous. 研究指出，水梨型身材好過蘋果型身材。一個擁有水梨型身材的正常體重女性，例如碧昂絲和夏奇拉，罹患心臟病、中風及糖尿病的機率較低，因為臀部與大腿脂肪的危險性較低。
make good on something：慣用語，兌現承諾；償還債務。例句：The hijackers didn’t make good on their promise to release all the passengers on board after the plane landed.（劫機犯沒有兌現在飛機降落後釋放機上所有乘客的承諾。）
greet someone with something：慣用語，以某物歡迎／接待／迎接某人。例句：The hotel doorman greeted every guest with a smile.（那名飯店門房以微笑接待所有客人。）
An Arizona woman who accidentally texted a stranger an invitation to Thanksgiving dinner made good on her offer, greeting the teen visitor with a hug and an oven full of food after their story swept through social media.在他們的故事流傳於社交媒體後，（美國）亞利桑納州1名無意中發簡訊邀請陌生人出席感恩節晚餐的婦女信守承諾，以擁抱與滿烤箱的食物接待這名青少年訪客。
Wanda Dench prepped two turkeys and set up a long table in the backyard of her suburban Phoenix home Thursday before she and her family headed outside to wait for Jamal Hinton, 17, The Arizona Republic reported.《亞利桑納共和報》報導，汪達．丹契週四準備了2隻火雞，還在她位於鳳凰城市郊的自家後院擺放長桌，然後與家人到外頭去等候17歲的賈莫爾．辛頓。
The mix-up happened after Dench included what she thought was her grandson’s number on a group text last week inviting some relatives to dinner. But he had changed his number and forgot to tell her. 此一烏龍出自丹契上週以內有她以為是她孫子的電話號碼的簡訊群組發簡訊，邀請幾位親人來吃晚餐。但她孫子已經換號碼了，而且忘了告訴她。
Instead, the text went to Hinton. They realized the mistake after the two exchanged pictures, but Hinton asked if he could "still get a plate." Dench responded, "Of course you can. That’s what grandmas do." 結果這簡訊傳給了辛頓。兩人在交換照片後發現搞錯了，但辛頓問說他能否「仍來吃一盤」。丹契回說，「你當然可以。這是阿嬤該做的事。」
woe：名詞，痛苦，悲哀。例句：Mary’s life was full of woe.（瑪麗的生活充滿痛苦。）
susceptible：形容詞，易感染的，易罹患的。例句：Older patients are more susceptible to infections.（年老病患更易受到感染。）
jumpy：形容詞，神經質的，神經過敏的。例句：My mother gets very jumpy when she’s alone in the house.（當我母親一人在家時，她變得非常神經質。）
Intelligent people have double the risk of mental illness compared to their lesser-intelligent peers - and more often suffer anxiety-related physical woes, a new study has found.一項新研究發現，聰明人罹患精神疾病的風險高出兩倍，且更常受苦於焦慮相關的身體痛苦，相對於較不聰明的同輩而言。
Researchers surveyed 3,715 members of MENSA, where having a IQ of above 130 is a requirement. They were asked to report whether they had been diagnoses with mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression and other disorders. 研究人員對3715名智力評鑑機構「門薩國際」會員進行調查，其入會條件是智商130以上。他們被要求報告是否曾被診斷出精神疾病，包括焦慮、憂鬱或其他疾患。
The study found 20 percent of the intelligent group suffered anxiety and depression, compared to 10 percent of the general population. Intriguingly, the participants also seemed more susceptible to asthma, allergies and poor immunity. 研究發現，這個聰明團體中有20%的人受苦於焦慮與憂鬱，相較一般大眾的10%。有趣的是，這些受試者似乎也更易罹患氣喘、過敏且免疫力差。
The study showed that more intelligent people often have what is called a "hyperexcitable brain." This means that a higher IQ leads to a greater awareness of their surroundings and what is going on. This causes the central nervous system to be more reactive, making intelligent people more ’jumpy’. 研究顯示，較聰明的人通常擁有所謂「過度興奮的大腦」。這意味高智商導致他們更留意周遭和正在發生之事物。這造成中樞神經系統更有反應，使得聰明人更為「神經過敏」。
inundated with：遭……淹沒；充斥。例句：Super stars like her are often inundated with fan mails.（像她這樣的巨星們常收到如雪片般飛來的粉絲來信。）
lifelike：形容詞，栩栩如生的。
take something off：脫掉（衣、帽……）。例句：The boys took off their shirts and shoes and swam in the stream.（男孩們脫掉襯衫與鞋子在溪裡游泳）。
A Tennessee sheriff’s office is asking people not to call the agency about a “body” trapped under a closed, blood-stained garage door.美國）田納西州的一個警長辦公室要求民眾不要來電報案說，有一具「屍體」被卡在關起來的染血的車庫門下面。That’s because the scene at a home in Greene County isn’t real; it’s an early Halloween display. 因為這個出現在葛林郡一處民宅的景象不是真的；那是提早佈置的萬聖節裝飾。The Greene County Sheriff’s Department says it has been inundated with so many calls about the lifelike display that it posted a message Wednesday on the agency’s Facebook page to let people know it’s not real.葛林郡警察局說，該局接獲有關此一栩栩如生的裝飾佈置的報案電話接到手軟，為此週三在警局臉書專頁上貼文，讓民眾知道那不是真的。
“Do NOT call 911 reporting a dead body,” says the post, which includes a photo. “Instead, congratulate the homeowner on a great display.”「別打電話報警說有一具屍體，」該貼文說，還附上一張照片。「而是應該就裝飾佈置很棒恭賀屋主。」
Homeowner Joseph Lovergive told WJHL-TV that his family loves Halloween and always decorates early. He said deputies who responded to the first call took the boot off the stuffed clothing to make sure it wasn’t real. （AP）屋主約瑟夫．羅佛吉夫告訴WJHL電視台，他的家人很愛萬聖節，總是七早八早就著手佈置。他說，回應第1通報案電話而前來查看的員警，還脫掉在衣服裡塞東西做成的假屍體腳上的靴子，以確認那真的不是屍體。（美聯社）
People often attribute catching a cold to being exposed to cold temperatures, believing that staying warm can prevent illness. The Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC), however, says there is no scientific basis for this belief.
CDC deputy director-general Philip Lo says this common misconception may be due to the fact that cold sufferers can develop symptoms like feeling chills and shaking, as well as the increase in numbers of cold sufferers in the winter.
According to Lo, a US study divided people into two groups, with one asked to stay in a cold storage room kept at 4 degrees Celsius, and the other in a hot spring. The study found the risks of catching a cold were about the same for both groups, and concluded that changes in temperature are not directly linked to the chances of catching a cold.
Lo says the key factor that leads to colds is the amount of pathogens present. The reason there are more cold sufferers when temperature drops, he said, is that viruses live longer, and are more contagious, in colder weather.
The government is offering free flu vaccines and is urging people eligible for the free service to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Members of the public who develop symptoms such as fever and coughing, which may indicate flu, are advised to wear a mask when going out, or to cover their mouth and nose with their sleeve or handkerchief when coughing or sneezing, to prevent the virus from spreading.
Diwali, or Deepavali, is one of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, celebrated throughout India and in many other countries around the world.
A longstanding tradition dating back to ancient times in India, it is celebrated every year over five days between mid-October and mid-November in the northern hemisphere. This year, it started on Tuesday and wraps up today. The main festivities took place on Thursday, the third day of the festival.
The name diwali derives from the Sanskrit words dipam, meaning “light, lamp” and oli, for “glow of light.” The festival signifies the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil, hope over despair, and of knowledge over ignorance.
The first day, Dhanteras, is all about celebrating wealth. People clean their houses thoroughly in preparation for this day, in order to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, into their homes.
On the main day, the third of the five days, fireworks are set off, and diyas — small clay lamps — and candles are placed around the home. This is what gives diwali the name “the festival of lights.”
expertise：名詞，專門知識；專門技術。例句：Professor Wang’s expertise is chemical engineering. （王教授的專長是化學工程。）
scale：動詞，攀登；到達…的頂點。例句：We used to scale the elephant mountain on weekends. （我們以前週末都去爬象山。）
stay behind：慣用語，留下來；保持下去。
When a deadly avalanche hit Mount Everest a year ago, Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita, one of the few Nepali women with expertise in climbing the world’s highest peaks, headed straight there to help.珠穆朗瑪峰1年前的一場致命雪崩後，少數擁有攀登這座世界最高峰專業技術的尼泊爾女性之一阿琪塔，一馬當先前往救災。
A gifted mountaineer who had summited Everest by the age of 22, she is part of a new generation of Sherpa women who are climbing peaks that have traditionally only been scaled by their men. 她是一名天賦異稟的登山家，22歲時就已成功登上珠峰，是能夠攀登高峰的新一代雪巴族女性。傳統上，能夠攀登高峰的都是該族群的男性。
"People think mountaineering is a man’s job, but I think we need more women in the mountains," the 31-year-old said. 31歲的阿琪塔說：「人們認為登山是男人的事情，但我覺得必須讓更多女人有能力登山。
」
Generations of men from Nepal’s famed Sherpa community have climbed the Himalayas, while their wives and daughters have traditionally kept the home fires burning.尼泊爾的雪巴族名聞遐邇，世代以來都是由男性攀登喜馬拉雅山，他們的妻子和女兒須按照傳統留守家中。
But in a sign of changing times, a string of Sherpa women are now breaking records themselves, not only on 8,848-metre (29,029-foot) high Everest but other dangerous peaks. 然而，隨著時代變遷，一群雪巴族女性現在創造自己的紀錄，不僅登上海拔8848公尺（2萬9029英尺）的珠峰，也登上其他險惡的高峰。
In the year since Nepal’s massive earthquake, which triggered avalanches and landslides that killed almost 9,000 people, they have also led rescue and relief efforts.
TODAY’S WORDS 今日單字 1.Mid-Autumn Festival n. 中秋節 2.full moon n. 月圓、滿月 3.moon cake n. 月餅 4.telescope n. 望遠鏡
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival — a day traditionally celebrated by family reunion, enjoying the full moon and eating moon cakes. However, the Taipei Astronomical Museum (TAM) has pointed out that the moon on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival this year is not really a full moon; the actual full moon will in fact occur two days later on Friday Oct. 6 (Aug. 17 in the lunar calendar) at 2:40am in the morning. As such, the moon that we will see this mid-autumn evening is not a true full moon: Around 2 percent of the moon will be hidden in the dark and not visible. 今天是中秋節，也是全家團圓在一起賞月、吃月餅的日子。但台北市立天文科學教育館指出，今年中秋節不是滿月的日子，真正的月圓時間是在六日（農曆八月十七日），即本週五的凌晨二時四十分，在日期上晚了兩天。因此我們今年中秋夜見到的月亮並不圓，整個月面還有約百分之二仍隱在黑暗中不可見。 The TAM also invites the public to take part in a Mid-Autumn Festival special event that will take place between 7pm and 9pm and will include five activity areas and 22 astronomical telescopes for the public to photograph and enjoy the moon. 天文館也表示，今天晚間七時至九時將舉辦中秋特別活動，共有五大活動區、二十二部天文望遠鏡邀民眾一同拍月、賞月。 There is also an exhibition called “Take me to the moon” on display in the museum’s first floor lobby which will stay open through to Dec. 24. The exhibition includes a brief introduction to the moon, a history of human exploration of the moon, as well as educational games such as the popular “lunar sea fantasy” game and full-moon puzzles for children and adults to explore and enjoy. 天文館即日起至十二月二十四日，也在一樓大廳舉辦「帶我去月球展」，包括月球簡介、人類探索月球計劃，以及小朋友喜愛的月海想像與滿月拼圖小遊戲等，歡迎大小朋友參觀。 （中央社） (CNA, translated by Lin Lee-kai)
DID YOU KNOW?
你知道嗎？ As the matter of fact, the chances of having full moon on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival are not very high. In the 45-year period starting from 1986 and ending in 2030, there will be only 15 instances of a full moon on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival — the odds are only one-in-three. The last time there was a full moon on the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival was Sept. 19, 2013 and the next time will be on Sept. 21, 2021. 中秋節當天是滿月的機率其實並沒有非常高。從一九八六年到二○三○年的四十五年期間，將有十五次中秋適逢滿月，其占比不過是三分之一左右而已。上一次的中秋滿月是二○一三年九月十九日，而下一次的中秋滿月將是二○二一年九月二十一日。
The pomelo, scientific name citrus maxima, is a kind of citrus fruit that has been cultivated to produce a variety of strains. Wendan is a type of pomelo, and other kinds include the honey pomelo, peiyu (citrus grandis Osbeck), pink grapefruit and grapefruit. Wendan comes in varieties with red pulp or lime white pulp, depending on where they are grown. Whatever their origin, they are collectively known as “wendan pomelo.” 柚是柑橘類果樹，其學名為Citrus maxima，經育種後有不同的品種，所以文旦是柚子的一種，其他還有蜜柚、白柚、紅柚及葡萄柚等多樣品種；而文旦又會因環境不同而有紅肉與白肉的果實之分，但不管是在台灣哪個產地，通常柚農們泛稱文旦為「文旦柚」。
We should put aside the idea that “bigger is better” when buying wendan pomelos, which are only available in the season around Mid-Autumn Festival. The following are some tips on how to pick the perfect pomelo: 針對中秋節才吃得到的「文旦柚」，在選購時要屏除以往「水果選越大的越好」的觀念，選購時應掌握以下原則：
Tip 1: Bigger bottom, small in size 第一、下盤要穩重，個子要嬌小
“The tumbler principle”: pick the smaller sized wendan pomelos with pointed tip, short neck, and wider bottom. 「不倒翁原則」：建議依小顆的下手，選擇頭尖、頸短、下盤寬的文旦柚。
Pointed tip and short neck means rich pulp and thin rind, and wider bottom means the fruit is riper. However, avoid pomelos that tilt when placed on a table. 頭尖、頸短代表果肉充足皮又薄，底部寬大代表文旦柚越成熟，如果發現放在桌上文旦柚會歪斜，就應避免選購。
Tip 2: Weighty and wrinkled 第二、重量重且呈現皺紋
Juicy pulp is an important factor for the taste of wendan pomelos: weighty pomelos mean juicy pomelos. In addition, if the peel is wrinkled, it means the moisture of the peel has been fully absorbed by the pulp, in which case the fruit will be juicy and full of taste. 多汁的果肉是文旦柚美味的重要因素，重量重代表內含的水分多。另外，如果外皮呈現皺紋，代表柚皮的水分已經被吸收到果肉裡，此時吃起來的口感就會是多汁又飽滿喔！
Tip 3: Color and peel show the ripeness 第三、顏色、外皮代表熟度
If the pomelo’s peel is yellow, it is ready to eat; if green, it is better to wait until it turns yellow. Next, look out for bumps on the peel: if the peel is smooth and shiny, the fruit is not yet ripe, and it is best to wait before eating it; if the peel is wrinkled and is not very smooth, you know it is ready to eat. 柚子的外觀若是黃色，代表可以直接吃，綠色則是要等一段時間轉為黃色後，口感較佳。再來可以看外皮的顆粒，如果飽滿有光澤，表示尚未成熟，還需久放再吃，若是外皮已經呈現皺褶、沒那麼光滑，就代表可以吃囉！
“I am so happy to learn that my second-grade elementary school teacher is still alive!” says Yang Tusheng, who lives in Taichung’s Wuri District. Two days ago, his classmate Yang Hantsung’s son, Yang Penjung, gave him a letter and pictures sent by their Japanese teacher, Ms Takagi, who is a centenarian. He said with great delight, “My teacher has reached 106 years old. I must personally write a letter to her, telling her what it has been like for us over the past 80 years.” 「真高興，小學二年級的老師還健在！」住在台中烏日區高齡九十歲的楊塗生，前兩天從同學楊漢宗的兒子楊本容手中接到日籍百歲女老師高木波惠的信件和照片，喜不自勝，嚷著說：「老師都一百零六歲了，我一定要親自寫信給老師，報告八十年來的近況。」
Yang Tusheng is already 90 years old, but is still in good shape and has a good memory. “Ms Takagi was our second-grade homeroom teacher in the elementary school. She was a very diligent teacher. Although her father was a police officer, many very senior students would naughtily cut her skirt apart, using scissors.” 楊塗生高齡九十了，但是身體還很硬朗，記憶亦很清晰，「高木波惠是我小學二年級時的導師，教學認真得很。雖然高木老師的父親是警察，但有高好幾屆的學長，竟然還曾調皮地用剪刀剪破高木老師的裙子。」
Yang Tusheng said he has already reached 90 years old and could not believe that 106-year-old Ms Takagi is still alive; he is really happy. Looking at Ms Takagi’s pictures reminds him of his sixth-grade homeroom teacher, Naomi, as well. “I really want to thank the postman for not giving up on searching for clues to find us. Thanks to his hard work, old folks like us can have a chance to read our teacher’s letter.” He smiled and said, “I have not used Japanese for quite a while. Neither have I written letters for a long time. I am afraid that I will not be able to fully convey what I want to say, but in order to express my gratitude for my teacher’s care for us, I will find the time to write to her, telling her how I have been.” 楊塗生說，自己已經九十歲了，沒想到高齡一百零六歲的高木老師還健在，真的很高興。看見高木老師的照片，他還想起六年級的導師叫平林，「感謝郵差不放棄找線索，才讓我們這群老學生能看到老師的來信。」楊塗生笑著說：「我已經很久沒用日文，也已經很久沒有寫信了，真擔心辭不達意，為了感謝老師的關心，我一定會找個時間寫信告訴老師自己的近況。」
(Liberty Times, Translated By Ethan Zhan) （自由時報記者陳建志）
She always says her prayers (= prays) before she goes to sleep. 她睡前總要念禱文。
The International Day of Peace should be one of the most important days of the year. It occurs annually [every year] on September 21st. It is dedicated to peace as well as the absence [不存在；缺乏]of war. This day also serves as a globalceasefire [停火協定] day. Many countries, political groups and military groups observe [obey a custom] it. The day starts when the U.N. rings the “Peace Bell” at its New York headquarters. This bell was a gift from the people of Japan. There is a message on the side of the bell that says: "Long live absolute [total] world peace." The U.N. said: "Peace Day should be devoted tocommemorating [officially respect] and strengthening the ideals[理想；標準極高的原則] of peace [and] that our permanent [長久的；永久的] commitment, above all interests [利益，好處] or differences of any kind, is to peace."
Thousands of Peace Day events take place around the world every year. These include concerts involving rock superstars to football tournaments [錦標賽] for peace and baking cakes for peace. Many organizations hold educational workshops in schools, especially those in war-torn countries. Nobel Peace Prize laureates [諾貝爾獎得獎者] also make speeches to show the world their work has not finished. Anyone can celebratePeace Day. It can be a simple, individual act such as lighting a candle and saying a prayer. For those who want to be more active, it can involve getting the support of friends and colleagues to plan a large event. Hopefully, this day will take off and people will think about peace more seriously.
