▍原文 While thorny issues like Taiwan may surface, the main focus of the September 24 meeting is whether the top leaders of the US and China will signal an extension to a trade truce struck last year, which is set to expire in November. AI cooperation may also be on the agenda. US and Chinese economic officials discussed creating a communication channel for AI concerns at meetings on September 20. ▍語言點 thorny /ˈθɔːrni/ adj.（本文）棘手難辦的；多刺的 a thorny problem 棘手的難題；多刺的 surface /ˈsɜːrfɪs/ v. 出現，浮現（本文指被提及，成為討論議題） the main focus 主要的焦點 signal v. 釋放信號、傳遞意涵 extension n. 延長、延期 truce /truːs/ n. 停戰、休戰 trade truce 貿易休戰 strike /straɪk/ v. 達成（協議、休戰等） strike a deal 達成協議 strike a truce 達成休戰 be set to do 即將、注定要 expire /ɪkˈspaɪə/ v. 到期、期滿 agenda /əˈdʒendə/ n. 議程、待辦事項清單 be on the agenda 在議程上、被提上日程 channel n. 渠道、通道、頻道 concern /kə...
▍原文 While thorny issues like Taiwan may surface, the main focus of the September 24 meeting is whether the top leaders of the US and China will signal an extension to a trade truce struck last year, which is set to expire in November. AI cooperation may also be on the agenda. US and Chinese economic officials discussed creating a communication channel for AI concerns at meetings on September 20. ▍語言點 thorny /ˈθɔːrni/ adj.（本文）棘手難辦的；多刺的 a thorny problem 棘手的難題；多刺的 surface /ˈsɜːrfɪs/ v. 出現，浮現（本文指被提及，成為討論議題） the main focus 主要的焦點 signal v. 釋放信號、傳遞意涵 extension n. 延長、延期 truce /truːs/ n. 停戰、休戰 trade truce 貿易休戰 strike /straɪk/ v. 達成（協議、休戰等） strike a deal 達成協議 strike a truce 達成休戰 be set to do 即將、注定要 expire /ɪkˈspaɪə/ v. 到期、期滿 agenda /əˈdʒendə/ n. 議程、待辦事項清單 be on the agenda 在議程上、被提上日程 channel n. 渠道、通道、頻道 concern /kə...
▍原文 Digital face-licensing platforms are emerging in China, allowing ordinary people to earn money by authorising their likenesses for AI-generated dramas, advertisements and games. Shenzhen-based Yuanxiang Xinsheng lets users set usage restrictions, with authorisation fees ranging from 50 yuan to 99,999 yuan. One bank employee reportedly earned nearly 2,500 yuan after his portrait was purchased seven times in three days. However, lawyers warn that some "face-selling" agreements favour platform operators over users, and that tracking how licensed faces are actually used remains difficult. ▍語言點 1. face-licensing 人臉授權 · license v. 許可，授權 2. emerge /ɪˈmɜːdʒ/ v. 興起，出現 3. authorise /ˈɔːθəraɪz/ v. 授權（美式拚作authorize） 4. likeness /ˈlaɪknəs/ n. 肖像，面部樣貌 5. AI-generated AI生成的 6. set usage restrictions 設置使用用途、使用權限方面的限制 · usage n. 使用方式、用途、使用權限（側重“使用方式”，而非簡單的“使用”動作） · r...
▍原文 Digital face-licensing platforms are emerging in China, allowing ordinary people to earn money by authorising their likenesses for AI-generated dramas, advertisements and games. Shenzhen-based Yuanxiang Xinsheng lets users set usage restrictions, with authorisation fees ranging from 50 yuan to 99,999 yuan. One bank employee reportedly earned nearly 2,500 yuan after his portrait was purchased seven times in three days. However, lawyers warn that some "face-selling" agreements favour platform operators over users, and that tracking how licensed faces are actually used remains difficult. ▍語言點 1. face-licensing 人臉授權 · license v. 許可，授權 2. emerge /ɪˈmɜːdʒ/ v. 興起，出現 3. authorise /ˈɔːθəraɪz/ v. 授權（美式拚作authorize） 4. likeness /ˈlaɪknəs/ n. 肖像，面部樣貌 5. AI-generated AI生成的 6. set usage restrictions 設置使用用途、使用權限方面的限制 · usage n. 使用方式、用途、使用權限（側重“使用方式”，而非簡單的“使用”動作） · r...
▍原文 A happy ending for Shang Zhitao (Sun Qian) and Luan Nian (Jing Boran) on Netflix’s Chinese workplace romance The Early Spring was incredibly hard-won. For Zhitao, Beijing isn’t just a place—it is a symbol of her career ambitions, and the kind of life she aspires to. The Early Spring has done incredibly well on Youku and Netflix, where the C-drama has steadily been in the Global Top Ten list. ▍生詞好句 1. workplace romance 職場愛情劇 ·workplace n. 職場 ·romance n. 愛情；愛情故事、愛情劇 2. hard-won /ˌhɑːrd ˈwʌn/ adj. 來之不易的，艱難贏得的 ·hard-won victory 來之不易的勝利 ·hard-won trust 難得建立的信任 3. a symbol of something 某種東西的象征 ·a symbol of freedom 自由的象征 ·a symbol of hope 希望的象征 4. career ambitions 職業抱負，事業野心 ·dream是夢想，偏感性；ambition是抱負，偏行動。 5. aspire to something 向往，立志追求某樣東西 ·She aspired to a scientific career. 她有志於投身科學事業。 6. incredibly /ɪnˈkredəbli/ adv. 極...
▍原文 A happy ending for Shang Zhitao and Luan Nian on Netflix’s Chinese workplace romance The Early Spring was incredibly hard-won. For Zhitao, Beijing isn’t just a place—it is a symbol of her career ambitions, and the kind of life she aspires to. The Early Spring has done incredibly well on Youku and Netflix, where the C-drama has steadily been in the Global Top Ten list. ▍生詞好句 1. workplace romance 職場愛情劇 ·workplace n. 職場 ·romance n. 愛情；愛情故事、愛情劇 2. hard-won /ˌhɑːrd ˈwʌn/ adj. 來之不易的，艱難贏得的 ·hard-won victory 來之不易的勝利 ·hard-won trust 難得建立的信任 3. a symbol of something 某種東西的象征 ·a symbol of freedom 自由的象征 ·a symbol of hope 希望的象征 4. career ambitions 職業抱負，事業野心 ·dream是夢想，偏感性；ambition是抱負，偏行動。 5. aspire to something 向往，立志追求某樣東西 ·She aspired to a scientific career. 她有志於投身科學事業。 6. incredibly /ɪnˈkredəbli/ adv. 極其，難以置信地（強調程度...
▍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 ...