《學英文 懂新聞》藉由閱讀第一手的新聞資訊,不僅能學到正統道地的新聞英文,更能培養慎思明辨的能力。
Taiwan Semiconductor Magnate Donates US$100 Million for Defense to Help Thwart China Aggression
The chair of the world’s second-largest microchip maker announced a US$100 million donation to the Taiwan government for defense against China on Aug. 5, after Beijing initiated massive military drills around the island.
“US$100 million is not much money to buy weapons,” Robert Tsao, founder of chipmaker United Microelectronics Corp (UMC) who now lives in Singapore, said at a press conference in Taipei. “I hope it can awaken Taiwanese people from being greedy for money and fearful of death, and can fight to defend freedom, democracy, and human rights.”
【譯文】臺灣半導體巨擘捐贈國防一億美元對抗中共侵略北京在臺灣島周圍發起大規模的軍事演習後,8月5日,世界第二大晶片製造商主席旋即宣布捐贈臺灣政府國防一億美元對抗中共。
現居新加坡、晶片製造商聯電(UMC)創辦人曹興誠在臺北的新聞記者會上說,「一億美元買不了多少武器」。 「我希望此舉能喚醒臺灣人民,不貪財、不怕死,為捍衛自由、民主、人權而戰」。
【單字/詞解析】
thwart,動詞 /θwɔːrt/ 阻止
自然發音:th-wart
英解:to stop something from happening
例句:Nothing could thwart my plans.(沒有什麼能阻止我的計劃進行。)
initiate,動詞 /ɪˈnɪʃieɪt/ 啟動自然發音:i-NI-ti-ate 英解:to make something start
例句:We shall initiate urgent discussions with our European partners.(我們將與歐洲夥伴展開緊急會談。)
awaken,動詞 /əˈweɪkən/ 喚醒自然發音:a-WA-ken
英解:to make someone experience a feeling or emotion
例句:The leader attempted to awaken us to the dangers we are facing.(領導者試圖喚醒我們正面臨的危險。)
defend,動詞 /dɪˈfend/ 捍衛自然發音:de-FE-nd
英解:to protect someone or something against attack
例句:They are fighting to defend their beliefs.(他們正為捍衛自己的信仰而戰。)
【慎思明辨】您可以針對以下議題進行論述,甚至寫一篇英文短文,練習英文寫作或口語表達。
*常聽人說「商人無祖國」、「在商言商」或者「有奶便是娘」,您有何看法?
*聯電創辦人曹興誠說,「喚醒臺灣人不貪財、不怕死,為捍衛自由、民主、人權而戰」。那麼,身處各個年齡的我們能做些什麼?◇