▍原文 A lawsuit filed by a man in Zhejiang against an AI chatbot has sparked widespread discussion on Chinese social media. When he asked the chatbot Doubao to pick an auspicious day for his late mother’s burial, Doubao recommended April 19, but later contradicted itself by calling the day unlucky. Since relatives had already been notified, the funeral proceeded. Soon afterward, a family member was severely injured in a car crash. Relatives blamed the accident on the allegedly inauspicious date, prompting the man to sue. ▍語言點 1. file a lawsuit 提起訴訟 lawsuit n. 訴訟，官司 2. chatbot /ˈtʃætbɒt/ n. 聊天機器人 3. spark widespread discussion 引發了廣泛熱議 spark v. 點燃、引發 widespread adj. 廣泛的 4. auspicious day 黃道吉日 auspicious adj. 吉利的、吉祥的 5. late /leɪt/ adj. 已故的、去世的 6. burial /ˈberiəl/ n. 埋葬、下葬 7. contradict /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/ v. 與…… 相抵觸、反駁 contradict itself 自相矛盾 8. proceed /proʊˈsiːd/ v. 繼續進行、照...
▍原文 A lawsuit filed by a man in Zhejiang against an AI chatbot has sparked widespread discussion on Chinese social media. When he asked the chatbot Doubao to pick an auspicious day for his late mother’s burial, Doubao recommended April 19, but later contradicted itself by calling the day unlucky. Since relatives had already been notified, the funeral proceeded. Soon afterward, a family member was severely injured in a car crash. Relatives blamed the accident on the allegedly inauspicious date, prompting the man to sue. ▍語言點 1. file a lawsuit 提起訴訟 lawsuit n. 訴訟，官司 2. chatbot /ˈtʃætbɒt/ n. 聊天機器人 3. spark widespread discussion 引發了廣泛熱議 spark v. 點燃、引發 widespread adj. 廣泛的 4. auspicious day 黃道吉日 auspicious adj. 吉利的、吉祥的 5. late /leɪt/ adj. 已故的、去世的 6. burial /ˈberiəl/ n. 埋葬、下葬 7. contradict /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkt/ v. 與…… 相抵觸、反駁 contradict itself 自相矛盾 8. proceed /proʊˈsiːd/ v. 繼續進行、照...
▍原文 Singapore is paying its citizens to pick up a book for at least 15 minutes a day in an effort to fight the rise of doomscrolling and brain rot. Under the scheme, readers accrue points that can be redeemed for a few cents. People will have to log 50 daily reading sessions on a government website to earn S$1. Only one session can be logged per day. ▍語言點 1. pick up 開始做某事，重新拾起某事 2. in an effort to do something 為了做某事，力圖做某事 · 比簡單的to do sth更強調“主動采取行動去應對某個問題” 3. doomscrolling /ˈduːmˌskrəʊlɪŋ/ n. 末日刷屏（專門形容那種刷負面新聞或社交媒體停不下來的狀態） · doom n. 厄運，毀滅 · scrolling n. 滾動屏幕 4. brain rot 腦腐（《牛津詞典》2024 年度詞彙，指過度消費淺層網絡內容導致的精神和智力衰退，比如刷短視頻刷到腦子轉不動、深度思考能力下降，就是典型的brain rot） 5. under the scheme 按照這個計劃 · scheme n. 計劃，方案（program） 6. accrue /əˈkruː/ v. 累積，積攢 · She accrued valuable experience during the ...
▍原文 Singapore is paying its citizens to pick up a book for at least 15 minutes a day in an effort to fight the rise of doomscrolling and brain rot. Under the scheme, readers accrue points that can be redeemed for a few cents. People will have to log 50 daily reading sessions on a government website to earn S$1. Only one session can be logged per day. ▍語言點 1. pick up 開始做某事，重新拾起某事 2. in an effort to do something 為了做某事，力圖做某事 · 比簡單的to do sth更強調“主動采取行動去應對某個問題” 3. doomscrolling /ˈduːmˌskrəʊlɪŋ/ n. 末日刷屏（專門形容那種刷負面新聞或社交媒體停不下來的狀態） · doom n. 厄運，毀滅 · scrolling n. 滾動屏幕 4. brain rot 腦腐（《牛津詞典》2024 年度詞彙，指過度消費淺層網絡內容導致的精神和智力衰退，比如刷短視頻刷到腦子轉不動、深度思考能力下降，就是典型的brain rot） 5. under the scheme 按照這個計劃 · scheme n. 計劃，方案（program） 6. accrue /əˈkruː/ v. 累積，積攢 · She accrued valuable experience during the ...
▍原文 Organisers of the global indoor fitness competition Hyrox have apologised and pledged immediate rule changes after an Australian athlete was allowed to finish and win an event in Beijing despite soiling herself mid-race. Footage showing world record holder Joanna Wietrzyk using communal equipment with faecal matter visibly running down her legs went viral on social media, triggering intense debate about Hyrox’s health and safety standards, athlete responsibility, and why Wietrzyk was allowed to finish the race. ▍語言點 1. fitness /ˈfɪtnəs/ n. 健康，健身 ·improve one’s fitness 增進健康 ·fitness competition 健身比賽 2. pledge /pledʒ/ v. 承諾，保證 ·pledge 比 promise 更正式、更有分量，帶有一種公開的、有約束力的意味，常用於官方聲明中。 3. soil oneself 失禁；弄臟了自己 ·soil （本文）v. 弄臟 4. mid-race /ˌmɪd ˈreɪs/ adv. 在比賽中途 5. footage /ˈfʊtɪdʒ/ n. 影像資料，視頻片段（不可數） ·a piece of footage/some footage 一段影像資料 6. communa...
▍原文 Organisers of the global indoor fitness competition Hyrox have apologised and pledged immediate rule changes after an Australian athlete was allowed to finish and win an event in Beijing despite soiling herself mid-race. Footage showing world record holder Joanna Wietrzyk using communal equipment with faecal matter visibly running down her legs went viral on social media, triggering intense debate about Hyrox’s health and safety standards, athlete responsibility, and why Wietrzyk was allowed to finish the race. ▍語言點 1. fitness /ˈfɪtnəs/ n. 健康，健身 ·improve one’s fitness 增進健康 ·fitness competition 健身比賽 2. pledge /pledʒ/ v. 承諾，保證 ·pledge 比 promise 更正式、更有分量，帶有一種公開的、有約束力的意味，常用於官方聲明中。 3. soil oneself 失禁；弄臟了自己 ·soil （本文）v. 弄臟 4. mid-race /ˌmɪd ˈreɪs/ adv. 在比賽中途 5. footage /ˈfʊtɪdʒ/ n. 影像資料，視頻片段（不可數） ·a piece of footage/some footage 一段影像資料 6. communa...
▍原文 Thai police have arrested a Buddhist monk on suspicion of embezzling 100 million baht from his monastery, along with a suspected female accomplice he was filmed having sex with. The case is the latest scandal to hit the clergy in the Buddhist‑majority country. Phra Wachirayan Wi, the 66‑year‑old abbot of the 14th‑century temple Wat Phutthaisawan in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, was well known for making amulets, with the Thai prime minister reported to be among those who wore his creations. ▍語言點 suspicion /səˈspɪʃn/ n. 嫌疑，懷疑 on suspicion of... 涉嫌…… embezzle /ɪmˈbezl/ v. 挪用，侵吞（款項） baht /bɑːt/ n. 泰銖（泰國貨幣單位） monastery /ˈmɑːnəsteri/ n. 寺院，修道院 suspected /səˈspektɪd/ adj. 有嫌疑的，涉嫌的 accomplice /əˈkɑːmplɪs/ n. 共犯，同夥 scandal /ˈskændl/ n. 醜聞 clergy /ˈklɜːrdʒi/ n. 神職人員，僧侶群體（集合名詞） Buddhist-majority /ˌbʊdɪst məˈdʒɔːrəti/adj. 以佛教徒占人口大多數的 abbot /ˈæbət/ n. ...
▍原文 Thai police have arrested a Buddhist monk on suspicion of embezzling 100 million baht from his monastery, along with a suspected female accomplice he was filmed having sex with. The case is the latest scandal to hit the clergy in the Buddhist‑majority country. Phra Wachirayan Wi, the 66‑year‑old abbot of the 14th‑century temple Wat Phutthaisawan in the ancient capital of Ayutthaya, was well known for making amulets, with the Thai prime minister reported to be among those who wore his creations. ▍語言點 suspicion /səˈspɪʃn/ n. 嫌疑，懷疑 on suspicion of... 涉嫌…… embezzle /ɪmˈbezl/ v. 挪用，侵吞（款項） baht /bɑːt/ n. 泰銖（泰國貨幣單位） monastery /ˈmɑːnəsteri/ n. 寺院，修道院 suspected /səˈspektɪd/ adj. 有嫌疑的，涉嫌的 accomplice /əˈkɑːmplɪs/ n. 共犯，同夥 scandal /ˈskændl/ n. 醜聞 clergy /ˈklɜːrdʒi/ n. 神職人員，僧侶群體（集合名詞） Buddhist-majority /ˌbʊdɪst məˈdʒɔːrəti/adj. 以佛教徒占人口大多數的 abbot...
▍原文 A 20-something man in Changsha who failed China's civil-service exam four times has spent about $3,000 traveling through six countries and 17 cities. What turned a personal detour into a national talking point was his mother: "I'll carry the load while you see the world." His story has struck a nerve among millions of young Chinese stuck in the exam-gauntlet economy—and divided commenters over whether it is an inspiring reset or a form of opting out. ▍語言點 1. 20-something 二十多歲 2. civil-service exam 公務員考試 3. spend ... doing something 花……做某事 4. detour /ˈdiːtʊr/ n. 繞道，繞行 5. talking point 話題，談資 6. carry the load 扛起這副擔子 · load n. 負荷，重擔 7. strike a nerve 戳中神經，切中要害 8. stuck in 困在……里，動彈不得 9. exam-gauntlet economy 考公經濟生態 · gauntlet n. 鐵手套；夾道刑罰 · throw down the gauntlet 下戰書 · run the gauntlet 經受一連串嚴酷的考驗 · economy n.（本文）經濟生態；經濟 10. divided commenters over .....
▍原文 A 20-something man in Changsha who failed China's civil-service exam four times has spent about $3,000 traveling through six countries and 17 cities. What turned a personal detour into a national talking point was his mother: "I'll carry the load while you see the world." His story has struck a nerve among millions of young Chinese stuck in the exam-gauntlet economy—and divided commenters over whether it is an inspiring reset or a form of opting out. ▍語言點 1. 20-something 二十多歲 2. civil-service exam 公務員考試 3. spend ... doing something 花……做某事 4. detour /ˈdiːtʊr/ n. 繞道，繞行 5. talking point 話題，談資 6. carry the load 扛起這副擔子 · load n. 負荷，重擔 7. strike a nerve 戳中神經，切中要害 8. stuck in 困在……里，動彈不得 9. exam-gauntlet economy 考公經濟生態 · gauntlet n. 鐵手套；夾道刑罰 · throw down the gauntlet 下戰書 · run the gauntlet 經受一連串嚴酷的考驗 · economy n.（本文）經濟生態；經濟 10. divided commenters over .....