A reliable source of information indicates that the marriage rate has been going down down on a annual basis, which has been accompanied by a low birth rate as well. The increasing population of the elderly is causing an aging society.
reliable 可靠的
indicate 指出
on a annual basis 每年地
accompany 伴隨
increasing 增加的
population 人口
the elderly 老人
aging 老化的
The more developed the society is, the higher standard has been required by those who look for a spouce. On the other hand, more of those self-determined minds have led to the choice of being single.
developed 發展的
standard 標準
require 要求
spouce 配偶
on the other hand 另一方面
self-determined 自主的
lead to 導致
Marriage is accomplished by a couple wishing to form a family, and a firm economic basis is the essence of it. However, due to the economy which has been in a sorry state for a long while, many people still choose to hold off getting married.
form 形成
firm 穩固的
economic basis 經濟基礎
essence 必要性
due to 由於
in a sorry-state 糟糕的狀態
hold off 停止
It isn't an easy job to increase both the marriage and the birth rate. Before doing that, the authority should first consider how to save people from the problems of the recession.
authority 當局
consider 考慮
recession 不景氣
Maintaining a family in harmony is the key to a happy marriage. Therefore, choosing the right companion other is an important step.
maintain 維持
in harmony 和諧地
optimum 最適合的
companion 伴侶
As far as the high divorce rate and the low marriage rate are concerned, not only the government but also every citizen should tax their strength to solve this social problem, shouldn't we?
as far as ....is concerned 至於
divorce 離婚
not only... but also 不僅...也
citizen 公民
tax their strength 花他們的力量
solve 解決
social problem 社會問題
June 21, 2007
Spiritual or Material?
An improved life has little to do with materials but more with spirit
improved 被提昇的，改進的
material 物質的
spirit 心靈的
For the average people like you and me, the foremost concerns for how to live better lives in this material world seem to involve buying more luxurious houses, posher set of wheels and outfits, higher position at work, more relations in sex, and just to name a few. Therefore, making more money to fulfill our needs in this material world has become the only solution to the pursuit of better life. We can't criticize those for what they are doing. Neither can we tell them what is the right nor wrong thing to do. After all, I still think what people wish to do is by their own will.
average people 普通人
foremost 最重要的，首先的
concern 關心
involve 牽涉，有關
luxurious 奢侈的，豪華的
posh 流行的，第一流的
set of wheels 車子
outfit 服裝
position 職位
relation 肉體關係
fulfill 滿足，成就，實踐
solution 解決方法
pursuit 追求
criticize 批評
neither 也不
Nevertheless, here I would like to refer to the ground of a spiritually improved life, which is by all means against the material. A spiritual life means simplicity by nature, and you will decrease the desire of concerning with money and possessions once you know what is more important for you. You will learn to cherish everything around you, to love your family, friends and colleagues, and to help those who are in need of help. As a result, being more affluent means little to you, and that is the improvement of a spiritual life.
nevertheless 但是
refer to 提到
ground 主題
by all means 當然
against 反對，不同於
simplicity 簡樸，單純
by nature 本質上
decrease 減少
desire 欲求
possession 擁有物
cherish 珍惜
colleague 同事
as a result 結果
affluent 富裕的
improvement 改良，改進
The evidence shows that people seem not to get happier once they become materially richer. The materialistic value is apparently not the remedy for unhappiness. The two things are just on the opposite side of the scale. Which one do you prefer to be heavier, my friend?
evidence 證據
materialistic value 物質化的價值
apparently 明顯地
remedy 治療
opposite 相反的
scale 天平
prefer to 寧可
heavier 較重的
improved 被提昇的，改進的
material 物質的
spirit 心靈的
For the average people like you and me, the foremost concerns for how to live better lives in this material world seem to involve buying more luxurious houses, posher set of wheels and outfits, higher position at work, more relations in sex, and just to name a few. Therefore, making more money to fulfill our needs in this material world has become the only solution to the pursuit of better life. We can't criticize those for what they are doing. Neither can we tell them what is the right nor wrong thing to do. After all, I still think what people wish to do is by their own will.
average people 普通人
foremost 最重要的，首先的
concern 關心
involve 牽涉，有關
luxurious 奢侈的，豪華的
posh 流行的，第一流的
set of wheels 車子
outfit 服裝
position 職位
relation 肉體關係
fulfill 滿足，成就，實踐
solution 解決方法
pursuit 追求
criticize 批評
neither 也不
Nevertheless, here I would like to refer to the ground of a spiritually improved life, which is by all means against the material. A spiritual life means simplicity by nature, and you will decrease the desire of concerning with money and possessions once you know what is more important for you. You will learn to cherish everything around you, to love your family, friends and colleagues, and to help those who are in need of help. As a result, being more affluent means little to you, and that is the improvement of a spiritual life.
nevertheless 但是
refer to 提到
ground 主題
by all means 當然
against 反對，不同於
simplicity 簡樸，單純
by nature 本質上
decrease 減少
desire 欲求
possession 擁有物
cherish 珍惜
colleague 同事
as a result 結果
affluent 富裕的
improvement 改良，改進
The evidence shows that people seem not to get happier once they become materially richer. The materialistic value is apparently not the remedy for unhappiness. The two things are just on the opposite side of the scale. Which one do you prefer to be heavier, my friend?
evidence 證據
materialistic value 物質化的價值
apparently 明顯地
remedy 治療
opposite 相反的
scale 天平
prefer to 寧可
heavier 較重的
June 01, 2007
In-calss writing
I got a chance to be a subsitute teacher for a writing class last night. The topic of the night was "Writing Descriptions". During the class, I asked each of the students to work on a translation practice. They all seemed to pretty enjoy themselves while working on that. Here is the original text in Chinese following an English translated sample:
昨天下午3點30分左右，市中心第一聯邦銀行發生一宗搶案。兩名搶匪闖入偷走了300萬元台幣。根據警方的調查，兩名搶匪戴著太陽眼鏡，面罩及頭盔。他們大約相同的高度，大約175公分。其中一名有黑色直髮然而另一名有不尋常的染金捲髮。兩個人都穿黑色夾克而且他們的褲子都是藍色的。看起來豐滿的這個搶匪穿著白色球鞋，瘦的這個則是穿涼鞋。搶完銀行之後，他們騎摩托車逃走並且30秒內在街角消失。幸運地是這個事件中沒有人受傷。這是今年城市警局所報出的第二件搶案。
Around 3:30 pm yesterday afternoon, a robbery occurred at the downtown First Federal Bank. Two robbers raided it and stole 3 million NT dollars. According to the police investigation, both robbers wore sunglasses, face masks and helmets. They were about the same height, around 175 centimeters tall. One of them had black straight hair while the other one had unusual dyed blond curly hair. Both of them had black jackets on and their pants were blue. The plump-looking robber wore a pair of white sneakers, and the sandals were worn by the skinny one. After robbing the bank, they made their escape on their motorcycle and disappeared round corner within 30 seconds. Fortunately no one was hurt in this incident. This is the second robbery case reported this year by the city police.
昨天下午3點30分左右，市中心第一聯邦銀行發生一宗搶案。兩名搶匪闖入偷走了300萬元台幣。根據警方的調查，兩名搶匪戴著太陽眼鏡，面罩及頭盔。他們大約相同的高度，大約175公分。其中一名有黑色直髮然而另一名有不尋常的染金捲髮。兩個人都穿黑色夾克而且他們的褲子都是藍色的。看起來豐滿的這個搶匪穿著白色球鞋，瘦的這個則是穿涼鞋。搶完銀行之後，他們騎摩托車逃走並且30秒內在街角消失。幸運地是這個事件中沒有人受傷。這是今年城市警局所報出的第二件搶案。
Around 3:30 pm yesterday afternoon, a robbery occurred at the downtown First Federal Bank. Two robbers raided it and stole 3 million NT dollars. According to the police investigation, both robbers wore sunglasses, face masks and helmets. They were about the same height, around 175 centimeters tall. One of them had black straight hair while the other one had unusual dyed blond curly hair. Both of them had black jackets on and their pants were blue. The plump-looking robber wore a pair of white sneakers, and the sandals were worn by the skinny one. After robbing the bank, they made their escape on their motorcycle and disappeared round corner within 30 seconds. Fortunately no one was hurt in this incident. This is the second robbery case reported this year by the city police.
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