每日口說挑戰【CNN10】美國油價通膨雙漲 / VR競技健身房 / 巨型氣球操偶師

[Transcript]

Soaring Gas Prices and Inflation Rate in the U.S.

California, which has the largest population of any American state, also has the highest gas prices in the country. Average gasoline prices in northern California's Humboldt County come to $5 per gallon, and $4.68 per gallon in the Golden State, while the US national average is $3.41 per gallon. Drivers of midsize sedans in California are paying over $21 more every time they fill their tanks than they paid last year, when demand for gas and the cost of it were far lower. In addition to the rising demand for gas, powerful rainstorms in northern California have also reduced the state's ability to refine the fuel, that’s why record prices are set there but not nationwide.

What’s more frustrating than soaring gas prices right before Thanksgiving? Get ready for the most expensive grocery prices along with the high inflation rate. The rise in prices of goods and services⏤these are two of the big reasons why. It's having a negative impact on consumer sentiment; the way people feel about the US economy and their own personal finances.

This brings us to Atlanta, the state that has the overall highest inflation rate in the country. Its inflation rate, 7.9% compared to the national average at 6.2%. The southern city has that inflation rate due to big factors like housing, gas prices, and the cost of groceries as well. The demand for housing in the Atlanta metro area is outpacing supply, resulting in higher rents and home prices.

Now, with all the rising costs, whether it be gas prices, groceries or housing, it's no surprise that new statistics released by the University of Michigan shows that consumer sentiment is at a 10-year low. Tough times!

Black Box VR Gym

New digital technology is changing the way people perceive sports that have been strictly analog for centuries. At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller where real-world exercises become flashy attacks in a virtual battleground.

Each member will be assigned to a private booth, and by simply putting on a VR headset, you’re instantly immersed in the vast, epic and futuristic sporting arena where you will be cheered by crowds. Just like any regular gym, you can perform various compound movements such as chest press, shoulder press, and back row. But as you're doing those movements, you're actually shooting a fire beam or an ice shard and creating dashing attacks against your opponent.

According to Preston Lewis, the co-founder of Black Box VR, fitness should be all fun and games. The interactive games have been created by some of the world's best behavioral psychologists, giving it the perfect little timing, the perfect little dopamine drips of an achievement or a reward that makes a 30 minute workout feel like 10. Workout gamification is truly awesome, but membership at Black Box VR costs $200 a single month, I guess I’ll stick to Ringfit on Nintendo Switch for now.

Speaking of fun and games, check out today’s CNN10 video for a glimpse of the upcoming Thanksgiving parade in New York City and how hundreds of volunteers took part in testing the giant balloons.

[Sentence of the day]

At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller where real-world exercises become flashy attacks in a virtual battleground.

[Vocabulary words]

1. transform
To change completely into another state or something else

E.g. Name a movie where cars transform into robots.
說出一部由汽車變身成機器人的電影。

2. virtual
Something that’s almost real, but not 100% real

E.g. Do we actually live in a virtual reality?
我們是否真實活在虛擬實境中?

3. battleground (battlefield)
a place where a battle is being fought or has been fought in the past

E.g. We visited the Normandy battlegrounds and paid our respects to the brave souls.
我們參訪了諾曼第戰場，並向逝去的英靈致敬。



Alright, that’s all we have time for today.
Folks, do you workout?
I love doing planks that make me sweat like a pig.
I wonder what that’s gonna be like in the VR world.
What’s your favorite and least favorite exercise?
Share it with me in the comment section down below.

This is Ken Miao and I’ll see you guys again next time.

#月費200美元的虛擬健身房、通膨導致每次加油要多付21美元，一個世界，兩樣情。
At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms(/trænsˈfɔːrm/變化v.) into a controller(控制器) and real-world(真實世界的) exercises are flashy(一瞬間的) attacks(攻擊n.) in a virtual(/ˈvɝː.tʃu.əl/虛擬的) battleground(/ˈbæt̬.əl.ɡraʊnd/戰場).
在 2019 年開幕的 Black Box 虛擬實境健身房裡，你的身體變成了控制器，而現實世界的動作成了虛擬戰場的快打招式。

【Soaring(驟升的) Gas Prices and Inflation(通貨膨漲) Rate in the U.S.】California, which has the largest population(人口) of any American state, also has the highest gas prices in the country. Average(平均的) gasoline prices in northern California's Humboldt County come to $5 per gallon, and $4.68 per gallon in the Golden State(加州), while the US national average is $3.41 per gallon. Drivers of midsize(中型的) sedans(/səˈdæn/轎車) in California are paying over $21 more every time they fill their tanks(油箱) than they paid last year, when demand(需求量) for gas and the cost of it were far lower. In addition to the rising demand for gas, powerful rainstorms in northern California have also reduced the state's ability to refine(提煉v.) the fuel, that’s why record prices are set there but not nationwide. What’s more frustrating than soaring gas prices right before Thanksgiving? Get ready for the most expensive grocery(雜貨) prices along with the high inflation rate. The rise in prices of goods and services(服務費)⏤these are two of the big reasons why. It's having a negative impact on consumer(消費者) sentiment(/ˈsen.t̬ə.mənt/看法); the way people feel about the US economy and their own personal finances(經濟). This brings us to Atlanta, the state that has the overall(全面的) highest inflation rate in the country. Its inflation rate, 7.9% compared to the national average at 6.2%. The southern city has that inflation rate due to big factors like housing(住房), gas prices, and the cost of groceries as well. The demand for housing in the Atlanta metro(大都市的) area is outpacing(outpace/ˌaʊtˈpeɪs/超過) supply, resulting in higher rents(租金) and home prices. Now, with all the rising costs, whether it be gas prices, groceries or housing, it's no surprise that new statistics(統計n.) released by the University of Michigan shows that consumer sentiment is at a 10-year low. Tough times!

【Black Box VR Gym】New digital(數位的) technology is changing the way people perceive(看待v.) sports that have been strictly(全然地) analog(/ˈæn.ə.lɑːɡ/類似物) for centuries. At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller where real-world exercises become flashy attacks in a virtual battleground. Each member will be assigned(assign/əˈsaɪn/分配v.) to a private booth(藍芽), and by simply putting on a VR headset(頭戴裝置), you’re instantly(立即) immersed(immerse/ɪˈmɝːs/沉浸v.) in the vast(廣大的), epic(壯麗的) and futuristic(/ˌfjuː.tʃəˈrɪs.tɪk/超前新奇的) sporting arena(競技場) where you will be cheered by crowds. Just like any regular gym, you can perform various(各種的) compound(複合的) movements such as *chest press(胸推), *shoulder press(肩推), and *back row(背部鍛煉). But as you're doing those movements, you're actually shooting a fire beam(束n.) or an ice shard(/ʃɑːrd/碎片) and creating dashing(衝勁足的) attacks against your opponent. According to Preston Lewis, the co-founder of Black Box VR, fitness should be all fun and games. The interactive games have been created by some of the world's best behavioral(/bɪˈheɪ.vjɚ.əl/行為的) psychologists(心理學家), giving it the perfect little timing, the perfect little dopamine(/ˈdoʊ.pəˌmiːn/多巴胺) drips(滴液 n.) of an achievement or a reward that makes a 30 minute workout feel like 10. Workout gamification(/ˌɡeɪm.ɪ.fɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/遊戲化) is truly awesome, but membership(會員資格) at Black Box VR costs $200 a single month, I guess I’ll stick to Ringfit(健身環) on Nintendo Switch for now. Speaking of fun and games, check out today’s CNN10 video for a glimpse of the upcoming(即將到來的) Thanksgiving parade(遊行) in New York City and how hundreds of volunteers *took part in(參加) testing the giant balloons.

Thanks Ken Miao for sharing news with us!!
I learned a lot of new words from the video.

At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller and real-world exercises are flashy attacks in a virtual battleground.
在 2019 年開幕的 Black Box 虛擬實境健身房裡，你的身體變成了控制器，而現實世界的健身動作成了虛擬戰場的快打招式。

元宇宙健身 (๑•ี_เ•ี๑)
雖然我對標題的油價通膨比較有興趣，
冷知識：有人知道天然氣價格現在也飆漲ㄇ

At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller and real-world exercises are flashy attacks in a virtual battleground.

☺At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller and real-world exercises are flashy attacks in a virtual battleground.
在 2019 年開幕的 Black Box 虛擬實境健身房裡，你的身體變成了控制器，而現實世界的健身動作成了虛擬戰場的快打招式。
【心得】會不會身體變強壯了，但視力卻越變越差了?!
■transform [trænsˋfɔrm] (vt.&vi.) (使)改變；(使)改觀；(使)變換、轉換
(vt.)改造；改革；改善；{生物}使轉化；使(電流)變壓、變換(電流)
■virtual [ˋvɝtʃʊəl] (adj.) {電腦}虛擬的；事實上的、實際上的、實質上的；幾乎…的；虛的
■battleground [ˈbætlˌɡraʊnd] (n.C)=battlefield 戰場；鬥爭的舞台

At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller and real-world exercises are flashy attacks in a virtual battleground.

At black box VR, opened in 2019. Your body transforms into * controller and real-world exercises are flashy * in * virtual battleground.

At Black Box VR, opened in 2019, your body transforms into a controller and real-world exercises are flashy attacks in a virtual battleground.