字神帝國英語天地

這篇配合英九哥哥剛從該國回來~~~
今日主題：Why did Singapore ban gum?
為什麼新加坡禁止嚼口香糖？

派老師推薦：雅思聽力最好的課外教材：BBC
康康精選雅思會考的主題，堅持每天精聽一定會進步的哦!!

建議方法：
1. 先聽兩三遍 (不看文稿)
2. 再一句一句聽寫 (每句都要聽寫數遍，直到寫出85%以上的字)
3. 最後check文稿，看哪聽不出來，單字沒背過，還是發音不熟。
4. 堅持天天聽，就能每天進步哦。

MP3音檔：喜歡的同學，幫忙推或按讚哦~~
http://static.iyuba.com/sounds/minutes/192.mp3

只有音檔怎夠，聽不懂地方，不用怕，康康幫你準備好中英文稿了：

中英文稿：
Hello and welcome to 6 Minute English. I'm Rob...
大家好，歡迎收聽六分鐘英語。我是羅伯。
...and I'm Finn. Hello.
大家好，我是芬恩。
Hello, Finn! Are you chewing gum over there?
你好，芬恩。你是在那嚼口香糖嗎？
Yeah. Oh hang on – I'll just stick it under the desk for now.
哦，是的，等一下。我把它粘在桌子下面。
Yuck – that's revolting! Why don't you go and put it in the bin? Since when did you take up this antisocial habit? Antisocial means annoying to other people, by the way.
啐，那樣很噁心。為什麼不去扔到垃圾桶裡呢？你什麼時候養成了這麼不道德的習慣呢？不道德的，是指讓其他人反感的。
Yeah, well. OK, Rob. Fine. Since I heard that there was evidence that chewing gum can improve your brain.
好吧，羅伯。這是自從我聽說嚼口香糖有利於增強大腦活力開始。
So how does it do that?
嚼口香糖怎麼會增強大腦活力呢？
Well, some experts say that the chewing action can lead to an increase in blood flow to the brain.
一些專家表示咀嚼的動作會增強大腦的血液流動。
Interesting! And guess what, we're taking about chewing gum on today's programme!So here's a question for you, Finn. When did the Singapore government outlaw chewing gum?Was it in...a) 1982?b) 1992?or c) 2002?
很有意思！我們今天的節目就是談論嚼口香糖。要問你一個問題，芬恩。新加坡政府是什麼時候從法律上禁止人們嚼口香糖的？a) 1982年?b) 1992年?還是 c) 2002年?
And just before I answer, to outlaw something means to make it illegal.Well, I think the answer is a) 1982.
回答之前提一句，從法律上禁止意思說使之不合法。我認為答案是a) 1982年。
Well, we'll chew on it for a while, shall we, and find out if you're right at the end of the programme.
好的，我們細想一會，節目的最後再看你回答的是否正確。
So, Rob, what's the history of chewing gum?
羅伯，咀嚼口香糖的歷史是怎麼樣的呢？
Well, people have been chewing gum for thousands of years. The Ancient Greeks chewed gum made from resin – a sticky substance produced by trees.But why do people like chewing gum?
人們嚼口香糖已經有幾千年的歷史了。古希臘人咀嚼用樹脂做的口香糖，樹脂是一種樹木分泌的黏性物質。但是人們為什麼喜歡咀嚼口香糖呢？
Well, for many people it's just something to do. But you know, I like the idea that it's good for my brain.Research has shown that people find gum chewers are also more approachable – that means they're friendlier and easier to talk to.
對許多人來說，喜歡就是喜歡。但是我偏向於咀嚼口香糖對大腦有好處這種說法。調查顯示人們發現喜歡咀嚼口香糖的人比較好接近，意思是他們更加友好，容易交流。
OK. Well, there might be some truth in that. The thing we're here to discuss today, though, is how to dispose – or get rid – of gum responsibly.And you didn't set a very good example earlier in the show, did you, Finn?
這也有一定的道理。我們今天談論的是如何負責任地處理，或扔掉口香糖。節目開頭你可沒有做一個好的示範，不是嗎？
Ah, well. Yeah, no, I didn't. But lots of people dispose of gum irresponsibly – that means not responsibly.It's often found stuck underneath tables, chairs, benches and escalators.And it's really difficult and expensive to remove once it has dried.
好吧，確實沒有。但是很多人都不負責任地處理口香糖，沒有責任感。經常能在桌子、椅子、板凳下和電梯裡發現黏住的口香糖。口香糖一旦幹了，很難除掉，花費也不少。
Right – because gum actually creates a chemical bond – which means when one thing joins firmly to another. For example it bonds with tarmac roads, rubber shoe soles, and concrete paving.
沒錯，因為口香糖會分泌一種化學膠結，把一個物質與另一物質緊密的粘起來。例如口香糖會粘在柏油路上，橡膠鞋底和混凝土路面。
So how do we remove dried gum from roads and pavements? Rob, how would you do it?
我們怎麼把幹掉的口香糖從路面上移除呢？羅伯，你會怎麼做呢？
Well, people do use high-pressure steam cleaners and then they scrape it off. But it's a slow process that's labour-intensive – which means it takes a lot of people to do it.
一般人們會用高壓蒸汽清潔器，把口香糖刮去。但是這是一個緩慢的過程，也是一種勞動密集型的工作，需要很多人來完成。
I'm sure it does.So let's hear someone telling a BBC reporter about why they threw their gum away in the street. Can you hear the reason she gives?
確實如此。我們來聽聽BBC記者對一位路人的採訪，講述為什麼人們會把口香糖扔在路上。她給出了什麼原因呢？
Not that often. I often put it in the bin.
不經常，我通常把口香糖扔到垃圾箱裡。
But you do it sometimes?
但是你有時也會吐在路上是嗎？
Yeah, sometimes.
是的，有時會。
Why do you do it sometimes?
為什麼呢？
I don't know. Because there's no bins around.
我不知道，可能因為附近沒有垃圾箱。
Now, she says she throws her gum in the street when she can't find a bin.
她說她把口香糖扔在路上是因為找不到垃圾桶。
So, why doesn't she put it in her pocket and wait until she finds a bin?
那麼，為什麼她不把口香糖放在口袋裡，直到找到垃圾桶再扔掉呢？
Ah, no. No way, man!That's – that would make her pocket sticky!
當然不會這麼做。這會使她的口袋非常黏。
Oh dear – it sounds like you and her are two of a kind – and that means very similar.OK, well, let's find out what another gum chewer does.
天啊，你和她真是同一類型，指兩個人非常相似。好吧，我們看看其他嚼口香糖的人是怎麼做的。
If you're walking along the street, and you had some other, a packet of crisps, when you'd finished it, would you throw that away?
如果你走在大街上，你有一包薯片，你吃完之後，會隨手扔掉嗎？
Not really.
不會。
So why do you sometimes throw the chewing gum away?What's the difference?
那為什麼有時候你會隨處吐掉口香糖呢？這有什麼區別呢？
It's not like a wrapper.
口香糖就像是一種食物，而不是包裝紙。
So, this guy says gum is like food, so it's OK to drop it on the ground. Do you agree, Rob?
這個人說口香糖類似於一種食物，所以扔到地上沒有問題。你同意嗎，羅伯？
No, I don't.Food, such as a discarded apple core or banana skin, quickly and naturally degrades – or breaks down. And other types of litter, for example, a crisp packet or a sweet wrapper, can be picked up easily.
我不同意。食物，像廢棄的蘋果核、香蕉片，會迅速地自然分解。其他類型的垃圾，像薯片袋、糖紙能輕易得撿起來。
That's right. Whereas chewing gum is a bit like glue once it dries and it's extremely difficult to remove.So, in this way, of course, it can also be environmentally damaging.
沒錯。然而口香糖有點像膠，很難清除。從這個方面來說，這對環境有害。
In 2000 a study of a busy London shopping street showed that a quarter of a million pellets of chewing gum were stuck to the pavement. And a pellet is a small round ball of something that has become hard.
2000年，一項針對倫敦繁華商業街的調查顯示，街道上黏著25萬小團口香糖。小團是指變硬的小圓團。
That's a lot of pellets, isn't it!The amount of discarded gum in Singapore was considered to be such a problem that the government banned the sale and consumption of gum altogether.They said it was because people were sticking their gum in the sliding doors of subway trains, stopping the doors from opening and closing.
黏著的口香糖真多啊。新加坡丟棄的口香糖已經成為政府的困擾，因此新加坡政府禁止銷售以及食用口香糖。他們說人們把口香糖粘在地鐵的滑動門上，影響了門的開閉。
Yes, it's a sticky subject isn't it?
沒錯，這是個棘手的問題，不是嗎？
It is indeed. A sticky situation, Rob.
確實。這個情形很棘手。
And that brings us on to today's quiz question!I asked you earlier: when did the Singapore government outlaw chewing gum? Was it in… a) 1982? b) 1992? or c) 2002?
我們回到節目開頭的問題。我之前問你，新加坡政府是什麼時候從法律上禁止人們嚼口香糖的？a) 1982年?b) 1992年?還是 c) 2002年?
I said a) 1982.
我選的是a) 1982年。
You are wrong, Finn, just for today. The answer is actually b) 1992.
今天你答錯了。正確答案是b) 1992年。
Which means the people of Singapore could chew gum for ten more years than I said.That's good. Now, how about those words again, Rob?
這意味著新加坡人比我認為的多嚼了十年口香糖。不錯。我們再看看今天的單詞？
OK, well, the words we heard today were:
好的，我們今天聽到的單詞有：
Antisocial
違背社會公德的
to outlaw something
宣佈為不合法
Resin
樹脂
Approachable
可接近的
chemical bond
化學膠結
labour-intensive
勞動密集型的
two of a kind
同一類型的
Degrades
分解
pellet
小團