This is the 8-Minute English Podcast series on the Learn English Podcast channel.

這是學習英語播客頻道的 8 分鐘英語播客系列。

I'm your host, Nathan, and I'm thrilled to have you joining us once again.

我是主持人 Nathan，很高興你能再次加入我們。

In this episode, we're going to explore a topic that often sparks a lot of discussion: Is alcohol good or bad?

在本期節目中，我們將探討一個經常引發熱議的話題：酒精到底是好是壞？

From social events to personal health, alcohol is important in many cultures around the world.

從社交活動到個人健康，酒精在世界各地的許多文化中都非常重要。

But is it truly a friend or an enemy?

但它究竟是朋友還是敵人？

Today, we will hear from two friends sharing their thoughts on how alcohol affects our daily lives.

今天，我們將聆聽兩位朋友分享他們對酒精如何影響我們日常生活的看法。

Bonus alert!

額外提醒！

We've also prepared a free PDF packed with vocabulary and helpful tips for this episode to enhance your learning.

我們還為本集準備了一份免費的 PDF 文件，其中包含大量詞彙和有用的提示，以幫助你更好地學習。

Make sure you don't miss it.

請務必不要錯過。

Are you ready for the discussion? Let's tune in.

準備好參加討論了嗎？讓我們收聽吧。

Cheers, Joe. So, red wine again next Saturday?

乾杯，Joe。下週六還喝紅酒嗎？

You know it! Studies say it's good for the heart, right?

你知道，研究說這對心臟有好處，對嗎？

Right. Some studies say that moderate drinking, like a glass of wine, can help lower the risk of heart disease.

對，一些研究表明，適量飲酒（如一杯葡萄酒）有助於降低患心臟病的風險。

But too much alcohol can be bad news. - True.

但酒喝多了也不好。- 沒錯。

I wouldn't want to deal with another hangover like last week's.

我可不想再承受像上週那樣的宿醉。

Yeah, those are rough. But it's not just hangovers.

是啊，那可真難熬。但這不僅僅是宿醉的問題。

Drinking too much can lead to serious health problems, like liver damage and risks of certain cancers.

飲酒過量會導致嚴重的健康問題，如肝損傷和某些癌症的風險。

It's truly important to find the right balance when it comes to alcohol.

在飲酒問題上，找到正確的平衡點真的很重要。

Definitely, moderation seems to be key.

當然，適度似乎是關鍵。

Speaking of hangovers, remember that time at Sarah's after-work drinks?

說到宿醉，還記得 Sarah 下班後喝酒的那次嗎？

It was the worst hangover.

那是最糟糕的宿醉。

I felt so much better being sober the next day.

第二天，我感覺清醒了許多。

But you know what?

但你知道嗎？

In the moment, it was a blast.

那一刻，我覺得很開心。

We were all having a great time, cracking jokes and just having fun.

我們都很開心，開著玩笑，玩得不亦樂乎。

It's like alcohol has the power to make everything more fun and exciting.

就好像酒精能讓一切變得更有趣、更刺激。

It's like a way to start conversations, you know?

這就像一種開啟聊天的方式，你知道嗎？

Yeah, it can be a nice way to start talking and feel more relaxed with others.

是啊，這可以是一種很好的開始交談的方式，讓人感覺更放鬆。

But like everything, too much can have the opposite effect.

但就像任何事物一樣，攝取過量也會產生相反的效果。

Things can get a little messy when there's too much alcohol involved.

酒喝多了，事情就會變得一團糟。

Yeah, like when people get into fights or say things they regret when they're drunk.

是啊，比如人們打架鬥毆，或者醉酒後說出後悔的話。

People like those should be more careful about their actions when they drink.

像他們這樣的人在喝酒時應該更加注意自己的行為。

On a different note, have you ever noticed how some cultures seem much more relaxed about drinking than others?

從另一個角度看，你有沒有注意到有些文化對喝酒似乎比其他文化更放鬆？

I do notice the difference.

我確實注意到了這種差異。

In places like Italy or France, wine is almost like a normal part of meals.

在意大利或法國等地，葡萄酒幾乎成了飯菜中必不可少的一部分。

But then there are cultures where drinking is more restricted, like in many Muslim countries.

但也有一些文化對飲酒有更嚴格的限制，比如在許多穆斯林國家。

I see. It's all about the cultural norm and value that shape how people think about alcohol.

原來。這一切都與文化規範和價值觀有關，它們塑造了人們對酒精的看法。

And speaking of alcohol, have you ever thought about how it affects our mental health?

說到酒，你有沒有想過它會影響我們的心理健康？

Oh, for sure.

哦，當然想過。

I mean, a couple of drinks can help you relax and unwind after a long day, right?

喝幾杯酒能讓你在忙碌一天後放鬆放鬆，對吧？

Yeah, that's true. It can feel like a temporary escape from stress or anxiety.

是的，沒錯。這可能會讓人感覺是對壓力或焦慮的暫時逃避。

But on the flip side, too much drinking can make mental health problems worse, like depression or anxiety.

但反過來說，過量飲酒會使憂鬱或焦慮等心理健康問題更加嚴重。

It's truly a double-edged sword.

這真是一把雙刃劍。

It's good to have some rules about drinking alcohol.

喝酒還是要講規矩的好。

Speaking of rules, what about alcohol and the law?

說到規矩，那麼酒和法律呢？

There are rules in place to make sure drinking is done responsibly, right?

有規定確保喝酒是負責任的行為，對嗎？

Absolutely. There are legal rules about how alcohol is used.

當然。關於如何使用酒精，有相關的法律規定。

These include the legal age for drinking and laws against driving under the influence of alcohol.

其中包括飲酒的法定年齡和禁止酒後駕車的法律。

Absolutely no excuse for that.

絕對不能有任何藉口。

It puts everyone on the road at risk.

它讓道路上的每個人都處於危險之中。

But beyond the legal stuff, I think it all comes down to personal responsibility.

但除了法律問題，我認為這一切都歸結於個人責任。

Yeah, we can't mess with alcohol like personal treat.

是啊，我們不能像對待個人一樣對待酒精。

Absolutely.

當然可以。

We should always know our limits and make responsible choices.

我們應該時刻了解自己的底線，做出負責任的選擇。

Chloe and Joe's conversation has provided a lot of useful information on alcohol, right?

Chloe 和 Joe 的談話提供了很多關於酒精的有用資訊，對嗎？

Now, let's move on to the next part.

現在，讓我們進入下一部分。

Let's talk about some important words related to alcohol.

讓我們來談談與酒有關的幾個重要詞。

The first word is hangover.

第一個詞是「宿醉」。

A hangover is when you feel bad after drinking too much alcohol.

宿醉是指飲酒過量後感覺難受。

Hangovers happen because you drank too much.

宿醉是因為你喝得太多了。

The next word is damage.

下一個詞是「損害」。

The word damage means harm or injury that makes something less useful or valuable.

損害一詞的意思是傷害或損傷，使某物的作用或價值降低。

For example, if you drop your phone and the screen breaks, the phone has damage.

例如，如果你的手機掉在地上，螢幕碎了，手機就損壞了。

It's not as good as before because of the harm.

因為有傷害，所以沒有以前好了。

Next, we have sober.

接下來是「清醒」。

Being sober means you are not drunk.

清醒意味著你沒有喝醉。

People are sober when they haven't had alcohol for a while.

當人們有一段時間沒喝酒的時候，他們是清醒的。

Now, let's talk about moderation.

現在我們來談談「適量」。

Moderation means drinking alcohol but not too much.

適量意味著飲酒，但不能過量。

Drinking a little like a glass of red wine at dinner can be good for your heart.

晚餐時喝一點紅酒對心臟有好處。

The phrase a double-edged sword means something that has both good and bad effects.

「雙刃劍」的意思是既有好處也有壞處。

Imagine a sword that can cut from both sides.

想象一下，一把劍可以用兩邊過來。

While it might be more useful in a fight because it can cut in two ways, it's also more dangerous to the person using it because they can easily hurt themselves.

雖然它在戰鬥中可能更有用，因為它可以雙向切割，但對使用它的人來說也更危險，因為他們很容易傷到自己。

So when something is a double-edged sword, it can help but also cause problems.

所以，當一件事是一把雙刃劍時，它既能帶來幫助，也會帶來問題。

Let's listen to Joe and Chloe's conversation again, and this time, try to identify these words.

讓我們再聽一遍 Joe 和 Chloe 的對話，這次試著找出這些詞。

Let's look at two important questions about our topic.

讓我們來看看關於我們話題的兩個重要問題。

The first question: should alcohol be completely banned or should people have the freedom to drink it responsibly?

第一個問題：應該完全禁酒，還是應該讓人們有負責任地飲酒的自由？

For me, banning alcohol completely seems too strict.

對我來說，完全禁酒似乎過於嚴格。

People who can handle it responsibly should be allowed to enjoy it in moderation.

應該允許能夠負責任地飲酒的人適量飲酒。

The second question: how can we have fun at parties with alcohol but still drink responsibly?

第二個問題：我們怎樣才能在有酒的聚會上盡情歡樂，但又能負責任地飲酒？

I think the answer is to know your limits and have other drink options.

我認為答案就是了解自己的極限，並有其他飲料可供選擇。

Having tasty non-alcoholic drinks or sparkling water available keeps the fun going in a safe way.Ω

提供可口的無酒精飲料或氣泡水可以讓大家在安全的情況下盡情歡樂。

Let's share your thoughts on these questions.

來分享你對這些問題的看法吧。

Please leave your comments below and let's talk about it.

請在下方留言，我們一起討論。

Before wrapping up today's episode, let's explore some of the fun facts about alcohol.

在結束今天的節目之前，讓我們來探討一些關於酒精的趣事。

In Russia, vodka is their national drink, and there's a practical reason for that.

在俄羅斯，伏特加是他們的國酒，這是有實際原因的。

Vodka can withstand freezing cold temperatures without turning into an ice cube.

伏特加能抵禦嚴寒而不會變成冰塊。

Perfect for those long snowy nights.

非常適合漫長的雪夜。

The next one is for beer lovers.

下一個是為啤酒愛好者準備的。

Believe it or not, beer is actually one of the most popular drinks in the world, right alongside water and tea.

信不信由你，啤酒其實是世界上最受歡迎的飲料之一，與水和茶齊名。

Now, this one might seem obvious, but it's worth mentioning.

這個可能挺明顯的，但還是值得一提。

While some people might have a drink to cope with negative experiences, alcohol is actually a depressant.

雖然有些人可能會喝酒來應對負面經歷，但酒精實際上是一種抑制劑。

So, if you're feeling down, maybe stick to tea. It won't bring you down further.

所以，如果你心情不好，還是喝茶吧。它不會讓你更墮落。

Now, all these fun facts aside, it's important to remember that alcohol is a substance that needs to be treated with caution.

拋開這些有趣的事實不談，重要的是要記住，酒精是一種需要謹慎對待的物質。

Always drink responsibly, know your limits, and pace yourself.

喝酒一定要負責任，知道自己的底線，把握好自己的節奏。

And that's the end of our episode for today.

今天的節目到此結束。

Goodbye and see you again.

再見。