每日口說挑戰【CNN10】拜登／NASA／駱駝

＃最近大家留言互動有點少喔，有點小蘇望。Let's chat in English!

【Transcript】本集逐字稿

【President Biden’s First 100 Days in Office】
【拜登上任百日政績】

We're starting with a report on a US milestone known as the first 100 days of a new president. April 30th, 2021 will mark as the 100th day for President Joe Biden in office. So, what has the president done so far? Let’s check them out. Now, by day seven, the new leader had signed dozens of executive orders, new directives from the executive branch. Many of President Biden's orders aimed to unravel the policies made by his predecessor, Donald Trump, and even his old colleague, Barack Obama. On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, which is the 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to the coronavirus pandemic. Another goal that the president had set up was for 100 million Americans to get at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine by his 100th day. However, critics said that the goal wasn't ambitious enough, since the nation was on track to do that anyway. And it happened on President Biden's 58th day in office. But shortly before that, the US Leader announced he'd increase his goal to 200 million doses by his 100th day.

Can he do it? It’s really hard to tell just yet. Maybe we can ask the former US presidents for some advice. Check out today’s CNN10 video to find out the first 100 days of US presidents within 100 years, pretty cool.


【NASA Celebrates 40 Years of Space Shuttle Program】
【NASA太空梭計劃40週年】

Tuesday, April 12, marked exactly 40 years since NASA's Space Shuttle Program got off the ground. Before the last flight landed back in 2011, NASA estimated the total cost of the program was $209 billion. Was it worth the money? Well, there have been countless debates over this topic, but experts all agreed that the program had changed our view of space ever since. The design was perfected in 1981, and on April 12 that year, the world gathered in front of their TVs and tuned in to watch the Colombia launch. Space shuttle Columbia was later joined by Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor. Although the space shuttles were operating at the edge of possibility, it didn't all go to plan. Challenger, and later Columbia, suffered tragic fatal accidents. But together, the shuttle fleet redefined our relationship with space.

One of the shuttles’ most important achievements was building the ISS, International Space Station. The mission of the ISS is to enable long-term exploration of space and provide benefits to human beings on Earth. According to retired astronauts, it took a couple of hundred spacewalks, lots of vehicles, lots of robotic activity to put it all together, and in 2011, after a decade of work and over 30 shuttle launches, the ISS was finally completed. Thanks to the contributions of these space shuttles. To infinity and beyond!


【Traffic Lights for Camels in China】
【駱駝專用紅綠燈】

Walking on the street, we all know that red means stop and green means go. In Dunhuang, Gansu of northern China, there is a camel riding place that’s very popular with tourists but often causes confusion and collisions. That’s why the officials have installed traffic lights just for camels. If you look closely you can see not only a little green man, but also a little green camel to indicate when to stop and when to go. I gotta say, that’s a pretty creative and absolutely lovable design. Camel like~


【Sentence of the day】

On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, a 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to coronavirus.
在他上任的第 51 天，拜登總統簽署了一項新的紓困計劃，這是一項 1.9 兆美元的支出法案，旨在緩解與冠狀病毒有關的金融問題。

【Vocabulary】

1. stimulus
something that causes growth or activity

Ex: Praise is a stimulus for better work.
（讚美，是使人更加進步的催化劑。）

2. package
a related group of things offered together as a single unit

Ex: The aid package for the earthquake-hit area will include emergency food and medical supplies.
（地震災區的救援物品將包括應急食品和醫療用品。）

3. ease
to make or become less severe, difficult or painful

Ex: Aspirin is a type of medicine that eases (soothes, relieves) body pain.
（阿斯匹靈是一種減輕身體疼痛的藥物。）


【Epilogue 結語】

Alright, that’s all the time we have for today.
There seem to be fewer discussions in the comments than before.
Come on guys, share with me what you think after today’s show!
It’s a pity to just leave after recording,
you’ll miss out on the opportunity to discuss and chat in English.
Always remember, one step further is a step closer to success.
Anyways, have fun, and I hope you enjoy the show.
This is Ken Miao and I’ll see you guys again next week.
Bye~

On his 51st day, President Biden signed(/saɪn/簽署v.) a new stimulus(/ˈstɪm.jə.ləs/刺激n.) package(/ˈpæk.ɪdʒ/一套計畫n.), a 1.9-trillion(/ˈtrɪl.jən/兆n.)-dollar spending(/ˈspen.dɪŋ/支出n.) bill(法案n.) intended(v.計畫) to ease(/iːz/減輕v.) the financial(/faɪˈnæn.ʃəl/財政的a.) problems related(/rɪˈleɪ.t̬ɪd/相關的a.) to coronavirus(/kəˈroʊ.nəˌvaɪ.rəs/冠狀病毒).

■ President Biden’s First 100 Days *in Office(任職,執政): We're starting with a report on a US milestone(n.里程碑) known as the first 100 days of a new president. April 30th, 2021 will mark(v.標示) as the 100th day for President Joe Biden in office. So, what has the president done so far? Let’s check them out. Now, by day seven, the new leader had signed dozens of executive(/ɪɡˈzek.jə.t̬ɪv/決策的a.) orders(指令n.), new directives(/daɪˈrek.tɪv/指令n.) from the executive branch(/bræntʃ/分支n.). Many of President Biden's orders aimed(/eɪm/計畫v.) to unravel(/ʌnˈræv.əl/=ravel out解除) the policies made by his predecessor(/ˈpred.ə.ses.ɚ/前任,前輩), Donald Trump, [that’s huge] and even his old colleague(同事n.), Barack Obama. [now I know, that’s best for American people] On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, which is the 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to the coronavirus pandemic(/pænˈdem.ɪk/大流行病n.). Another goal that the president had set up was for 100 million(一億) Americans to get at least one dose(一劑) of coronavirus vaccine by his 100th day. However, critics(評論者) said that the goal wasn't ambitious(/æmˈbɪʃ.əs/野心勃勃的) enough, since the nation(國家n.) was on track(n.軌道) to do that anyway(adv.無論如何). And it happened on President Biden's 58th day in office. But *shortly before that(不久之前), the US Leader announced he'd increase his goal to 200 million(兩億) doses by his 100th day. Can he do it? It’s really hard to tell(v.得知) just yet(仍;現在還). Maybe we can ask the former(/ˈfɔːr.mɚ/先前的a.) US presidents for some advice. Check out today’s CNN10 video to find out the first 100 days of US presidents within 100 years, pretty cool.

■ NASA Celebrates(v.慶祝) 40 Years of Space(太空n.) Shuttle(/ˈʃʌt̬.əl/太空梭) Program: Tuesday, April 12, marked exactly 40 years since NASA's Space Shuttle Program *got off(出發phr.) the ground. Before the last flight landed(land降落v.) back(adv.回到以前) in 2011, NASA estimated(/ˈes.tə.meɪt/估計v.) the total cost of the program was $209 billion(兩兆90億). Was it worth(值得的a.) the money? Well, there have been countless(無數的a.) debates(/dɪˈbeɪt/爭論n.) over this topic, but experts all agreed that the program had changed our view of space *ever since(從那以後一直). The design(n.設計) was perfected(perfect/pərˈfekt/使完美v.) in 1981, and on April 12 that year, the world gathered(v.聚集) in front of their TVs and *tuned in(tune in收看;收聽) to watch the Colombia(/kəˈlʌm.bi.ə/哥倫比亞號) launch(發射v.). Space shuttle Columbia was later joined(加入v.) by Challenger(/ˈtʃæl.ɪn.dʒɚ/挑戰者號), Discovery, Atlantis, and Endeavor(/enˈdev.ɚ/奮進號). Although the space shuttles were operating(操作v.) at the edge(邊緣n.) of possibility(可能性n.), it didn't all go to plan(一切都在掌握中). Challenger, and later Columbia, suffered(v.遭受) tragic(a.悲劇的) fatal(/ˈfeɪ.t̬əl/致命的a.) accidents. But together, the shuttle fleet(/fliːt/隊n.) redefined(重新定義v.) our relationship with space. One of the shuttles’ most important achievements(n.成就) was building the ISS, International Space Station(國際太空站). The mission(n.任務) of the ISS is to enable(v.使能夠) long-term exploration(n.探索) of space and provide benefits to human beings(人類) on Earth. According to retired(退役的a.) astronauts(/ˈæs.trə.nɑːt/太空人), it took a couple of hundred spacewalks(太空漫步), lots of vehicles(交通工具n.), lots of robotic(/roʊˈbɑː.t̬ɪk/機器人的a.) activity to put it all together, and in 2011, after a decade(十年n.) of work and over 30 shuttle launches(n.發射), the ISS was finally completed(v.完成). Thanks to the contributions(/ˌkɑːn.trɪˈbjuː.ʃən/貢獻v.) of these space shuttles. To infinity(/ɪnˈfɪn.ə.t̬i/無限n.) and beyond(/biˈjɑːnd/遠處n.)!

■ Traffic Lights(紅綠燈) for Camels(/ˈkæm.əl/駱駝) in China: Walking on the street, we all know that red means stop and green means go. In Dunhuang, Gansu of northern China, there is a camel riding(n.騎乘) place that’s very popular with tourists but often causes confusion(n.混亂) and collisions(/kəˈlɪʒ.ən/碰撞n.). That’s why the officials(官方n.) have installed(install/ɪnˈstɑːl/安裝v.) traffic lights just for camels. If you look closely you can see not only a little green man, but also a little green camel to indicate(v.指引) when to stop and when to go. I gotta say, that’s a pretty creative and absolutely lovable design. Camel like~

1. stimulus /ˈstɪm.jə.ləs/ n. 刺激（物），激勵（物）；促進因素 (plural) stimuli /ˈstɪm.jʊ.laɪ/ = something that causes growth or activity
Praise(/preɪz/讚美n./v.) is a stimulus for better work.

2. package /ˈpæk.ɪdʒ/ n. （有關聯的）一組事物，一攬子交易（計畫，建議等）= a related group of things offered together as a single unit
The aid(/eɪd/援助n.) package for the earthquake-hit(遭地震影響的) area will include emergency food and medical(a.醫療的) supplies(supply補給n.).

3.1 ease /iːz/ v. 減輕；減低；緩解 = to make or become less severe(/səˈvɪr/嚴重的a.), difficult or painful(a.疼痛的)

Aspirin is a type of medicine(n.藥物) that eases (soothes, relieves) body pain.

3.2 soothe /suːð/ v. 減輕，緩解（疼痛）
+ I had a long, hot bath to soothe my aching muscles.
我洗了個熱水澡，泡了很長時間以紓緩肌肉的疼痛。

3.3 relieve /rɪˈliːv/ v. 緩解，減輕，解除（疼痛或擔憂）；使寬心，使寬慰
+ She was given a shot of morphine to relieve the pain.
醫生給她注射了一針嗎啡來止痛。

epilogue= epilog /ˈep.ə.lɑːɡ/ n. 結語
Alright, that’s all the time we have for today. There seem to be fewer discussions(n.討論) in the comments than before. Come on guys, share with me what you think after today’s show! It’s a pity(可惜n.) to just leave after recording, you’ll miss out(錯過機會) on the opportunity to discuss and chat in English. Always remember, one step further is a step closer to success.

☺On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, a 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to coronavirus.
在他上任的第 51 天，拜登總統簽署了一項新的紓困計劃，這是一項 1.9 兆美元的支出法案，旨在緩解與冠狀病毒有關的金融問題。
【心得】還是不太習慣要等到當天晚上才能錄當天口說的日子(因為白天沒空錄)，這樣確實比較不能和其他VT伙伴互動，很希望電腦版能調整回以前的模式，可以在前一天就先開放隔天的內容，但好像回不去了> <
■stimulus [ˋstɪmjələs] (n.C, 複數形: stimuli [ˋstɪmjʊ.laɪ]) 刺激(物)；促進(物)；促進因素；興奮劑
■package [ˈpækɪdʒ] (n.C) 一(整)套；包(裹)[(+of)]；包裝箱/盒/袋；一組(相關連的)事物；一小包
(vt.)把…打包或裝箱；包裝[(+up)]；打包銷售；對…進行包裝；修飾…的外表
■ease [iz] (vi.&vt.) (使)減輕、減低、緩解、放鬆[(+off)]
(vt.)(使)小心緩慢地移動；(使)緩緩移動；小心地移置；使安心、使舒適
(n.U) 容易、不費力；舒適、安逸、自在；(限制等的)放鬆、緩和

【ease on/out】
-to move slowly and carefully out of something. In this usage, a noun or pronoun can be used between "ease" and "out" or "on."
・I eased out of the parking lot because it was adjacent to a very busy street.

On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, a 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to coronavirus.

# Day 862 2021.04.20 Tuesday
CNN10
On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, a 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to coronavirus.

CNN10
On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, a 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to coronavirus.

Day359

Thank you, Ken. Have a good one, everyone.
.......................

On his 51st day, President Biden signed a new stimulus package, a 1.9-trillion-dollar spending bill intended to ease the financial problems related to coronavirus.
在他上任的第 51 天，拜登總統簽署了一項新的紓困計劃，這是一項 1.9 兆美元的支出法案，旨在緩解與冠狀病毒有關的金融問題。

My brother, P wen, is sneaky. BTW, today's challenge is not that easy.