▍原文 Norway's tourism board has launched a tongue‑in‑cheek toilet campaign to show off the country's most scenic restrooms after US President Donald Trump branded the Nordic nation a “shithouse country." The Norwegian marketing campaign shows photos and footage of some of the glorious facilities, accompanied by captions such as: "Norway makes shithouses great again! These toilets are worth a visit, both when you really have to go — and when you don't." ▍語言點 1. tourism board 旅遊局 · board /bɔːd/ n. 委員會，主管部門 2. launch /lɔːntʃ/ v. 發起，推出（活動、宣傳） 3. tongue‑in‑cheek /ˌtʌŋ ɪn ˈtʃiːk/ adj. 開玩笑式的，戲謔的，帶著諷刺的 4. toilet /ˈtɔɪlət/ n. 廁所 · public toilet 公廁 5. show off 展示，秀出 6. scenic /ˈsiːnɪk/ adj. 風景優美的 7. restroom /ˈrestruːm/ n.（美式英語）公共衛生間 8. brand /brænd/（本文）v. 把……貶稱為，給……貼上負面標簽；n. 品牌 9. shithouse /ˈʃɪthaʊs/ n. （俚語）糟糕不堪的地方；戶外簡易廁所，茅...
▍原文 Norway's tourism board has launched a tongue‑in‑cheek toilet campaign to show off the country's most scenic restrooms after US President Donald Trump branded the Nordic nation a “shithouse country." The Norwegian marketing campaign shows photos and footage of some of the glorious facilities, accompanied by captions such as: "Norway makes shithouses great again! These toilets are worth a visit, both when you really have to go — and when you don't." ▍語言點 1. tourism board 旅遊局 · board /bɔːd/ n. 委員會，主管部門 2. launch /lɔːntʃ/ v. 發起，推出（活動、宣傳） 3. tongue‑in‑cheek /ˌtʌŋ ɪn ˈtʃiːk/ adj. 開玩笑式的，戲謔的，帶著諷刺的 4. toilet /ˈtɔɪlət/ n. 廁所 · public toilet 公廁 5. show off 展示，秀出 6. scenic /ˈsiːnɪk/ adj. 風景優美的 7. restroom /ˈrestruːm/ n.（美式英語）公共衛生間 8. brand /brænd/（本文）v. 把……貶稱為，給……貼上負面標簽；n. 品牌 9. shithouse /ˈʃɪthaʊs/ n. （俚語）糟糕不堪的地方；戶外簡易廁所，茅...
▍原文 Sanrio apologised and scrapped a collaboration with Japanese television drama Vivant after the spy thriller drew criticism in China over its distortion of wartime history. The Japanese company behind Hello Kitty will halt all collaborations with the TV show because it included “expressions inconsistent with Sanrio’s corporate philosophy of fostering harmony among all people”, according to a statement posted on its official Weibo account. Sanrio said it would also strengthen its review procedures for future collaborations. ▍生詞好句 1. scrap /skræp/ v. （計劃、項目等）作廢，取消；把……當廢品扔掉 2. Sanrio /ˈsænrioʊ/ n. 三麗鷗 ·Sanrio 三麗鷗，1960年成立於日本，Hello Kitty 就是它家的招牌，還有美樂蒂、玉桂狗、庫洛米這些常在文具和奶茶杯上露面的形象，也都出自它門下，是一家專門“賣萌”的公司。 3. spy thriller 諜戰劇 4. distortion /dɪˈstɔːrʃn/ n. 歪曲，扭曲 5. halt /hɔːlt/ v. 停止（常用於正式場合） ·近義表達：stop ·halt production 停止生產 ...
▍原文 Sanrio apologised and scrapped a collaboration with Japanese television drama Vivant after the spy thriller drew criticism in China over its distortion of wartime history. The Japanese company behind Hello Kitty will halt all collaborations with the TV show because it included “expressions inconsistent with Sanrio’s corporate philosophy of fostering harmony among all people”, according to a statement posted on its official Weibo account. Sanrio said it would also strengthen its review procedures for future collaborations. ▍生詞好句 1. scrap /skræp/ v. （計劃、項目等）作廢，取消；把……當廢品扔掉 2. Sanrio /ˈsænrioʊ/ n. 三麗鷗 ·Sanrio 三麗鷗，1960年成立於日本，Hello Kitty 就是它家的招牌，還有美樂蒂、玉桂狗、庫洛米這些常在文具和奶茶杯上露面的形象，也都出自它門下，是一家專門“賣萌”的公司。 3. spy thriller 諜戰劇 4. distortion /dɪˈstɔːrʃn/ n. 歪曲，扭曲 5. halt /hɔːlt/ v. 停止（常用於正式場合） ·近義表達：stop ·halt production 停止生產 ...
▍原文 The family of Bowen Wan, a 31-year-old Chinese engineer who died after stopping her epilepsy medication, has sued OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged her to discontinue taking the lifesaving drug. After being laid off by Amazon, Wan reportedly sought advice on reducing her dose to regain her language ability for job interviews. The lawsuit claims that ChatGPT provided a 25-day plan to stop her anti-seizure medication. Despite Wan voicing concerns 158 times, the chatbot brushed them off as her brain being in “low-power mode.” ▍語言點 epilepsy /ˈepɪlepsi/ n. 癲癇 epilepsy medication 抗癲癇藥物 lamotrigine n.（抗癲癇藥物）拉莫三嗪 sue /suː/ v. 起訴、控告 allege /əˈledʒ/ v. 指控，聲稱。 discontinue /ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjuː/ v. 停止、終止 lifesaving drug 救命的、維持生命的藥物 be laid off 遭到裁員 lay off 裁員、解雇 dose /doʊs/ n. 藥物的劑量 anti‑seizure medication 抗癲癇 seizure n. 癲癇發作 voice /vɔɪs/ v. 說出、表達 voice concerns 表達擔...
▍原文 The family of Bowen Wan, a 31-year-old Chinese engineer who died after stopping her epilepsy medication, has sued OpenAI, alleging that ChatGPT encouraged her to discontinue taking the lifesaving drug. After being laid off by Amazon, Wan reportedly sought advice on reducing her dose to regain her language ability for job interviews. The lawsuit claims that ChatGPT provided a 25-day plan to stop her anti-seizure medication. Despite Wan voicing concerns 158 times, the chatbot brushed them off as her brain being in “low-power mode.” ▍語言點 epilepsy /ˈepɪlepsi/ n. 癲癇 epilepsy medication 抗癲癇藥物 lamotrigine n.（抗癲癇藥物）拉莫三嗪 sue /suː/ v. 起訴、控告 allege /əˈledʒ/ v. 指控，聲稱。 discontinue /ˌdɪskənˈtɪnjuː/ v. 停止、終止 lifesaving drug 救命的、維持生命的藥物 be laid off 遭到裁員 lay off 裁員、解雇 dose /doʊs/ n. 藥物的劑量 anti‑seizure medication 抗癲癇 seizure n. 癲癇發作 voice /vɔɪs/ v. 說出、表達 voice concerns 表達擔...
▍原文 Microsoft has offered a buyout plan to about 60,000 employees, or over a quarter of its total workforce. This offer would grant workers the ability to leave with severance pay, with the goal of encouraging some employees to voluntarily quit the company. The buyout plan comes at a time when Microsoft has been facing exponential expense growth due to its increased investments in AI and its goal to triple its current data center capacity. ▍語言點 1. buyout plan 買斷方案 · buy someone out 付錢給某人，買斷其股份、權益、合同或職位，使其退出 · 辨析：layoff表示公司單方面要求員工離職，強制裁員；buyout plan表示公司出錢“買斷”員工的職位，給員工一筆錢，讓員工選擇是否離開。 2. workforce /ˈwɜːkfɔːs/ n. 全體員工 3. grant somebody something 給予某人某物（比give更正式，多指上級賦予下級權利） · grant somebody a scholarship 授予某人獎學金 · grant somebody permission to do something 批準某人做某事 4. severance pay 遣散費，離職補償 · sever v. 分離，斷絕關系 5....
▍原文 Microsoft has offered a buyout plan to about 60,000 employees, or over a quarter of its total workforce. This offer would grant workers the ability to leave with severance pay, with the goal of encouraging some employees to voluntarily quit the company. The buyout plan comes at a time when Microsoft has been facing exponential expense growth due to its increased investments in AI and its goal to triple its current data center capacity. ▍語言點 1. buyout plan 買斷方案 · buy someone out 付錢給某人，買斷其股份、權益、合同或職位，使其退出 · 辨析：layoff表示公司單方面要求員工離職，強制裁員；buyout plan表示公司出錢“買斷”員工的職位，給員工一筆錢，讓員工選擇是否離開。 2. workforce /ˈwɜːkfɔːs/ n. 全體員工 3. grant somebody something 給予某人某物（比give更正式，多指上級賦予下級權利） · grant somebody a scholarship 授予某人獎學金 · grant somebody permission to do something 批準某人做某事 4. severance pay 遣散費，離職補償 · sever v. 分離，斷絕關系 5....
▍原文 A new policy by Starbucks China has taken effect across all its 8,000 stores, making it mandatory for people to purchase items if they want to sit in its cafes. Starbucks China said the move aims to improve the "in-store experience" for customers and is part of its newly launched "Third Place Initiative". Many on Chinese social media welcomed the new policy. The company is facing stiff competition from homegrown brands such as Luckin Coffee. ▍語言點 1. take effect 生效，開始實施 ·The new rules will take effect next month. 新規定下個月生效。 2. across /əˈkrɔːs/ prep. （本文）覆蓋整個範圍，遍及 ；穿過，橫跨 3. mandatory ˈmændətɔːri/ adj. 強制的，必須遵守的 ·mandatory training 必須參加的培訓 ·反義表達：optional adj. 可選擇的，非強制的 ·make it mandatory for somebody to do something 規定某人必須做某件事 4. purchase /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/ v. 購買 ·purchase比buy更正式，常出現在商業報道和規章說明里。 5. the move 此舉 ·move n. 舉措，行動；v. 移動...
▍原文 A new policy by Starbucks China has taken effect across all its 8,000 stores, making it mandatory for people to purchase items if they want to sit in its cafes. Starbucks China said the move aims to improve the "in-store experience" for customers and is part of its newly launched "Third Place Initiative". Many on Chinese social media welcomed the new policy. The company is facing stiff competition from homegrown brands such as Luckin Coffee. ▍語言點 1. take effect 生效，開始實施 ·The new rules will take effect next month. 新規定下個月生效。 2. across /əˈkrɔːs/ prep. （本文）覆蓋整個範圍，遍及 ；穿過，橫跨 3. mandatory ˈmændətɔːri/ adj. 強制的，必須遵守的 ·mandatory training 必須參加的培訓 ·反義表達：optional adj. 可選擇的，非強制的 ·make it mandatory for somebody to do something 規定某人必須做某件事 4. purchase /ˈpɜːrtʃəs/ v. 購買 ·purchase比buy更正式，常出現在商業報道和規章說明里。 5. the move 此舉 ·move n. 舉措，行動；v. 移動...