通勤學英語 15Mins Today

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你聽過 Thermos 嗎？就是那個保溫瓶品牌。但你知道它現在其實是台灣公司嗎？這集幕後教師室，John老師跟阿鍵老師從英語咖啡館最新一集聊起，順手帶出幾個在台北辦公室、捷運上都能馬上用的英文慣用語。不是課本英文，是那種讓你聽起來很上道的那種。

從保溫瓶聊到品牌變動詞
Thermos 本來是個品牌名，現在英文裡直接拿來代替「保溫瓶」這個概念。就像以前大家說「搜尋」，現在說「Google 一下」。John老師說當你的品牌名變成一個動詞，那你就真的紅了。

這種品牌轉動詞的現象，英文裡還有不少。幾年前大家提到 AI，不說 AI，說的是 ChatGPT。那段時間，ChatGPT 差一點也要變動詞了，不過後來其他家追上來，沒有跑成。John老師說他希望以後大家提到 shadowing 跟讀練習，第一個想到的就是 15Mins。野心不小。
說回 Thermos，它的概念店幾年前在台北開過，賣咖啡。John老師說當時疫情前找不到低消的咖啡廳辦公，就跑去那邊用 MacBook 窩著，結果只有他一個人，最後跟店員聊起品牌故事，才知道現在大股東是台灣人。這種 brand trivia，跟 Patrick 老師聊起來就很難踩剎車。

辦公室八卦也能說得很有品
這集阿鍵老師從英語咖啡館 ep.318 抓了幾個他自己覺得很好用的 idioms，學英文不只是背單字，更重要的是知道什麼情境下用。

1. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen。 字面上是廚房的熱受不了就出去，實際上是在說，這份工作/這個壓力你扛不住，那就別待了。John老師說他做企業 one-on-one 顧問，客戶常抱怨 Gen Z 難搞。這時候他就用這句話來 summarize 一下——對方馬上點頭，That's it。

2. Give me the lowdown。 這個是美式口語，意思是「跟我說細節、說內幕」。比直接說 gossip 來得高級，意圖沒那麼明顯。你在台北辦公室茶水間問同事，Clem, give me the gossip，聽起來很瞎；換成 Hey, give me the lowdown，突然有種探員在問案的感覺。阿鍵老師說其實幕後教師室每集都在幫你 give you the lowdown of English Cafe，哈。

3. Get a whiff of something。 這個比較英式，字面是「聞到一點氣味」，引申為「嗅到什麼風聲」。竹科同事突然換辦公室了，Did you get a whiff of what happened to Peter? 比直接說「你知道 Peter 怎麼了嗎」含蓄，也比較不像在造謠。John老師說這句話讓你聽起來像是上個世紀的人，或是受過英式教育的那種。用對場合，有種老派的質感。

偷師才是真正的學英文
這集裡面阿鍵老師分享了他自己「偷師」的方式：聽到一個好用的 idiom，不只是記下來，而是馬上在腦袋裡演練——這週我在哪個情境可以用到？拜訪客戶、開捷運、碰到外國人，哪一個 context 可以插進這句話？

他說這樣做，下次真的遇到的時候，不用想就說出來了。不是在背英文，是在準備一個工具，等時機到就拿出來用。

Speaking of which 也是這集出現的一個短語。阿鍵老師說他之前比較少注意到這個，但聽完之後馬上抓起來。它的意思有點像「說到這個」，用來岔題、換話題，比 By the way 正式一點，比 chime in 有一種英倫紳士的感覺。John老師說美式的就用 By the way，英式的就用 speaking of which，結果是你的英文讓人家猜你是哪個年代、哪種背景的人。

這集如果你想拿走學習筆記、完整逐字稿、idioms 整理加閱讀小測驗，訂閱 VIP 會員就可以下載。過去 300 多集的筆記也可以補回來，搜 Patrick 老師那集也找得到。

挺你所想！與你一起生活的銀行
2026/6/30 前使用中信銀行ATM 完成指定交易就有機會抽中 10,000 點 OPENPOINT。
了解更多> https://fstry.pse.is/8xhc3z
現在把「中信行動銀行 APP」設為桌面小工具 Widget， 出入帳金額不同會顯示不同的插畫圖示，超萌動作或搞怪迷因等你來蒐集！


—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——



Summary:

This article discusses how 2 Korean Airlines posted profit when all other airlines globally lost heavily. They did this by using their jets as cargo planes. A person put money in a washing machine to clean it and lost a lot. They were destroyed. She received $23 000 from the bank. That was less than half of the total!

原文章討論: https://www.15mins.today/blog/ep-925-about-skorea-how-major-south-korean-airlines-made-profits

Vocabulary and Sample Sentences:

Commendable adj.: deserving praise Were his heroic actions commendable? Is supporting charities commendable?

Skeptical adj.: doubting that something is true or will happen Are you skeptical about self-driving cars? Is being skeptical a good trait in politics?

Mutilate v.: to damage something/somebody very badly Was he mutilated in the accident? Did the shredder mutilate the document?

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你聽過一句老話嗎？「人生不如意十之八九」但你有沒有想過，「that's life」這句話，在我們的不同人生階段，20 歲、30 歲、50 歲說出口，感覺是完全不同的喔。

本週的《英語咖啡館》John 老師和 Shimin 老師用 Lady Gaga 翻唱的經典名曲來聊聊人生這件事。這首《That's life》原本是 Frank Sinatra 的老歌，現在搖身一變成了 DC 宇宙 Harley Quinn 的主題曲，歌詞裡的 puppet、pauper、pawn and queen，每一個角色或許都是我們人生某個階段的縮影。

Have you heard the old saying? "Life is full of disappointments" or "Most things in life don't work out." But have you ever thought that "that's life"—when said at different stages of our lives, at 20, 30, or 50—feels completely different?

This week on English Cafe, John and Shimin use Lady Gaga's cover of a classic song to discuss this thing called life. This song "That's Life" was originally Frank Sinatra's old tune, now transformed into the theme song for the DC universe's Harley Quinn. The lyrics' puppet, pauper, pawn and queen—each role is perhaps a reflection of some stage in our lives.

挺你所想！與你一起生活的銀行
2026/6/30 前使用中信銀行ATM 完成指定交易就有機會抽中 10,000 點 OPENPOINT。
了解更多> https://fstry.pse.is/8xhc3z
現在把「中信行動銀行 APP」設為桌面小工具 Widget， 出入帳金額不同會顯示不同的插畫圖示，超萌動作或搞怪迷因等你來蒐集！


—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——



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國際時事跟讀 Ep. L188: Humanity Returns to Lunar Space After 54 Years

Highlights 主題摘要
NASA's Artemis II launched on April 1, marking humanity's first journey beyond low Earth orbit since 1972.
The crew flew 252,756 miles from Earth, breaking the Apollo 13 distance record by over 4,000 miles.
After a 10-day mission covering 694,481 miles, Orion safely splashed down off San Diego's coast.

More than half a century after the last Apollo moonwalkers returned home, humanity has ventured back into deep space. NASA's Space Launch System rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on April 1, 2026, carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft named "Integrity." The crew—Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen—embarked on the first crewed test flight beyond low Earth orbit since Apollo 17. The massive rocket generated 8.8 million pounds of thrust, marking a flawless start to the 10-day journey that would take them farther from Earth than any humans before.

時隔半個多世紀，自最後一批阿波羅太空人返回地球後，人類再次踏入深太空。2026年4月1日，美國國家航空暨太空總署的太空發射系統火箭從甘迺迪太空中心升空，搭載四名太空人乘坐命名為「誠信號」的獵戶座太空船。機組人員包括指揮官里德·懷斯曼、駕駛維克多·格洛弗、任務專家克莉絲汀娜·柯克及加拿大太空人傑瑞米·漢森，展開自阿波羅17號以來首次飛離近地軌道的載人測試飛行。這枚巨型火箭產生880萬磅推力，完美開啟這趟將把他們送往比過去任何人類更遠之處的十天旅程。

The day after launch, Orion's main engine fired for six minutes in a translunar injection burn, breaking free from Earth orbit and accelerating the crew to over 24,000 miles per hour toward the Moon. During their lunar flyby, the spacecraft swooped to within 4,067 miles of the surface, offering unprecedented views of the far side. The astronauts observed ancient impact basins like Orientale and Hertzsprung, witnessed a solar eclipse lasting nearly an hour, and documented meteoroid strikes flashing across the darkened surface. At their farthest point, they reached 252,756 miles from Earth, shattering Apollo 13's distance record. Mission Specialist Hansen marked the moment by proposing to name two unnamed craters after their spacecraft and Commander Wiseman's late wife.

發射隔天，獵戶座主引擎點火六分鐘，執行奔月軌道注入，掙脫地球軌道後將機組人員加速至每小時超過2萬4000英里朝月球前進。在繞月飛行期間，太空船俯衝至距離月表僅4067英里處，呈現月球背面前所未見的景觀。太空人觀測到東方海和赫茨普龍等古老撞擊盆地，目睹持續近一小時的日食，並記錄隕石撞擊在黑暗月表閃現的光芒。在最遠點，他們抵達距地球25萬2756英里處，打破阿波羅13號的距離紀錄。任務專家漢森提議以他們的太空船和懷斯曼指揮官已故妻子的名字，為兩個未命名隕石坑命名，標記這一刻。

After completing their observations, Orion used lunar gravity to swing back on a free-return trajectory toward Earth. The crew prepared for reentry by conducting emergency drills and testing critical systems. Following their 694,481-mile journey, the capsule separated from its service module and plunged into the atmosphere at 25,000 miles per hour. Protected by a heat shield enduring temperatures of 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit, Orion splashed down in the Pacific Ocean just 2.9 miles from its target. Navy teams recovered the astronauts and transported them to the USS John P. Murtha for medical checks. The successful mission validated vital systems for future lunar landings and confirmed that the path to sustained Moon exploration—and eventually Mars—now lies open.

完成觀測後，獵戶座利用月球重力以自由返回軌道擺盪回地球。機組人員進行緊急演習並測試關鍵系統，為重返大氣層做準備。經過69萬4481英里的旅程後，太空艙與服務艙分離，以每小時2萬5000英里衝入大氣層。在承受華氏3000度高溫的隔熱罩保護下，獵戶座號降落於太平洋，距離目標僅2.9英里。海軍團隊救出太空人，並將他們送往約翰·P·穆爾薩號軍艦接受醫療檢查。這次成功任務驗證了未來登月的重要系統，並確認通往持續探索月球，最終前往火星的道路已然敞開。

Keyword Drills 關鍵字
Break free [verb phrase, to escape from a force or constraint]: The spacecraft broke free from Earth's gravity.
Translunar injection [noun phrase, a rocket burn sending a spacecraft toward the Moon]: The translunar injection burn lasted six minutes.
Flyby [noun, a close pass by a celestial body without landing]: The lunar flyby lasted seven hours.
Heat shield [noun, protective barrier against extreme reentry temperatures]: The heat shield endured 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Splashdown [noun, the landing of a spacecraft in water]: The crew's splashdown was right on target.

Reference article:
1. https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-artemis-ii-mission-leaves-earth-orbit-for-flight-around-moon/
2. https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/artemis-ii-live-tracker-day-5
3. https://gizmodo.com/artemis-2-live-updates-countdown-to-the-moon-%F0%9F%94%B4-2000740775
4. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/watch-live-nasa-shares-update-on-artemis-ii-mission-around-the-moon-2-days-after-launch
5. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly148lvyevo

挺你所想！與你一起生活的銀行
2026/6/30 前使用中信銀行ATM 完成指定交易就有機會抽中 10,000 點 OPENPOINT。
了解更多> https://fstry.pse.is/8xhc3z
現在把「中信行動銀行 APP」設為桌面小工具 Widget， 出入帳金額不同會顯示不同的插畫圖示，超萌動作或搞怪迷因等你來蒐集！


—— 以上為 Firstory Podcast 廣告 ——



Hi there!歡迎收聽Look Back Sunday回顧星期天，在這個節目John老師會彙整過去不同國家與主題的熱門跟讀文章，讓你可以在十五分鐘內吸收最精華的世界時事趣聞！我們這週聽聽科學相關的文章，Let's get started! Topic: Eating a big breakfast could double the amount of calories you burn in the day, according to a new study Eating a big breakfast could help you burn double the amount of calories than if you eat a larger meal at dinner. 相較於一頓份量較大的晚餐，吃一頓豐盛的早餐可以幫助你燃燒2倍卡路里。 It could be the key to losing weight while also keeping blood sugar levels steady, researchers at Lübeck University in Germany said. 德國盧貝克大學的研究人員表示，這可能是幫你減肥，同時保持血糖水平穩定的關鍵。 Their study found filling up in the morning boosts a metabolism process known as diet-induced thermogenesis （DIT）. 研究人員發現，早上吃飽可以促進「飲食誘導產熱」（DIT）此一新陳代謝過程。 DIT refers to the number of calories the body expends to heat the body and digest food. It was shown to be twice as high for those who ate more at breakfast than at dinner. 飲食誘導產熱指的是身體為保暖和消化食物而消耗的熱量。研究表明，相較於晚餐吃得多的人，早餐吃得多的人的食物誘導產熱是其2倍。 The study also showed increases in blood sugar and insulin concentrations, caused by eating a meal, was diminished after breakfast, but not so much after dinner. 研究還表明，吃飯時升高的血糖和胰島素濃度在早餐後有所降低，晚餐後則下降沒有那麼明顯。 The results also showed eating a low-calorie breakfast caused sweet cravings with a higher appetite. 該研究結果也顯示，吃低卡路里的早餐會導致對甜食的食慾增加。 This suggests those saving all their calories for the end of the day may face consequences because they snack more. 這表明，把一天中高熱量的食物都留到晚上吃的人會得不償失，因為他們會吃更多零食。 Next Article Topic: Air pollution ’pandemic’ shortens lives by 3 years: study 研究：空污「大爆發」 人類減壽3年 A ’pandemic’ of air pollution shortens lives worldwide by nearly three years on average, and causes 8.8 million premature deaths annually, scientists said Tuesday. 科學家週二表示，空氣污染「大爆發」，使得全球人口的平均餘命縮短近3年，且每年有880萬人因空污問題提早死亡。 Eliminating the toxic cocktail of molecules and lung-clogging particles cast off by burning oil, gas and coal would restore a full year of life expectancy, they reported in the journal Cardiovascular Research. 根據他們在醫學期刊《心血管研究》發表的研究報告，排除因燃燒石油、天然氣和煤炭所釋出的有毒物質，以及會造成肺阻塞的微粒，將可使人類平均餘命增加整整1年。 Compared to other causes of premature death, air pollution kills 19 times more people each year than malaria, nine times more than HIV/AIDS, and three times more than alcohol, the study found. 該研究發現，相較於其他造成提早死亡的原因，空污每年奪走的人命是瘧疾的19倍、愛滋病的9倍，也是酗酒的3倍。 Coronary heart disease and stroke account for almost half of those deaths, with lung diseases and other non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure accounting for most of the rest. Only six percent of mortality stemming from polluted air is due to lung cancer. 冠狀動脈心臟病和中風的人數，約佔全球提早死亡人數的一半，其餘死因則多半與肺病及糖尿病和高血壓等非傳染性疾病有關。而因空污致死的案例中， 死於肺癌者僅佔6%。 The worst-hit region is Asia, where average lifespan is cut 4.1 years in China, 3.9 years in India, and 3.8 years in Pakistan. 亞洲是受空污影響最嚴重的地區。空污使中國人平均餘命減少4.1年，印度人減少3.9年，巴基斯坦人減少3.8年。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1360772 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1358960 Next Article Topic: Chemical found in spinach has the same effect as steroids and should be banned for athletes, scientists say Maybe Popeye was onto something when he ripped open a can of spinach for beating up the bad guys. 當大力水手卜派為了痛毆壞人而打開一罐菠菜時，或許知其所以然。 Scientists in Germany say, ecdysterone, a chemical found in spinach is close to steroids and has a similar effect on humans. Researchers at Freie Universität Berlin ran a 10-week test on nearly 50 athletes and found athletes who took capsules of ecdysterone increased their strength by up to three times. 德國科學家表示，菠菜中發現的化學物質「蛻皮甾酮」（ecdysterone）與類固醇相近，對人體有類似作用。柏林自由大學研究人員對近50名運動員進行歷時10週的測試，發現服用蛻皮甾酮膠囊的運動員，體力最多增加3倍。 The capsules the athletes were given were the equivalent of about nine pounds of spinach but researchers say the capsules could be used as a performance enhancing drug. The study has called on the World Anti-Doping Authority to dig further into ecdysterone and wants the chemical added to the list of banned substances for athletes. 給那些運動員服用的膠囊，約等同於9磅重的蔬菜。但研究人員表示，這些膠囊可能會被用來做為提高成績的藥物。該研究呼籲「世界運動禁藥管制組織」近一步研究蛻皮甾酮，希望將這種化學物質加入運動員禁用物品清單裡。 Next Article: Topic: Genes, yes, but obesity pandemic mostly down to diet：study 研究：基因有影響，但肥胖流行病主因在飲食 A three-fold jump since 1975 in the percentage of adults worldwide who are obese has been driven mainly by a shift in diet and lack of exercise, but genes do play a role as well, according a large-scale study published Thursday. 根據週四發表的一份大型研究，1975年以來全球成年人口中，肥胖者所佔比例大增3倍，主要由飲食習慣改變和缺乏運動造成，但基因確實也有影響。 For people genetically predisposed to a wider girth, these unhealthy lifestyles compounded the problem, resulting in an even higher rate of weight gain, researchers reported in The BMJ, a peer-reviewed medical journal. 研究人員在同儕審查醫學期刊「英國醫學期刊」發表報告指出，對於基因上易胖的人而言，這些不健康的生活方式加重問題，導致體重更大幅度增加。 To tease out the relative impact of environment and genes on obesity, scientists led by Maria Brandkvist at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology combed through data on nearly 120,000 people in Norway whose height and weight were regularly measured between 1963 and 2008. 為了瞭解環境和基因對肥胖的相對影響，挪威科技大學的布朗克韋斯特領導的一群科學家，探究挪威從1963年到2008年間定期測量身高、體重的近12萬人資料。 Adults began tipping the scales at significantly higher weights in the 1980s and 1990s, they found. Those born after 1970 were far more likely to have a substantially higher BMI as young adults than earlier generations. 他們發現，1980和1990年代成年人的體重顯著增加。1970年以後出生的人，更有可能在年輕時就有比前幾世代人高得多的BMI值。 Source article: https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1312177 ; https://features.ltn.com.tw/english/article/paper/1313703 Next Article Topic: Science proves that alcohol increases your ability to speak a second language 科學證實，酒精增進你的第二外語口說能力 A new study published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology has found that a bit of Dutch courage might be the key to boosting your ability to speak a second language. 一項發表於《精神藥理學期刊》的最新研究發現，一點酒後之勇可能是促進你第二外語口說能力的關鍵。 Researchers tested 50 native German speakers who had just learned Dutch. Some were given a low dose of alcohol, and others a control beverage with no alcohol, and then were asked to have a conversation in Dutch. 研究人員測試50名以德語為母語的人士，他們剛學習荷蘭語。部分人士被給予低分量的酒精，其他人士則被給予沒有酒精的控制組飲料，之後他們被要求以荷蘭語對話。 The study showed that those who were slightly intoxicated had better pronunciation than their sober counterparts. Alcohol may impair your memory, making it harder to pay attention and recall facts, but on the other hand, it also boosts your self-confidence. 研究顯示，相較於對應他們的清醒受試者，那些微酣受試者的發音更佳。酒精可能損害你的記憶，使你更難專注及回想事情，但另一方面，酒精也會增進你的自信。 However, participants in this study consumed a low dose of alcohol, and that higher levels of alcohol consumption might not have beneficial effects on the pronunciation of a foreign language. The participants knew what they were drinking, so it’s not clear if their speech improved because of alcohol’s psychological or biological effects. 不過，研究中的受試者只飲用少量酒精，而更多的酒精攝取，可能對外語發音無益。受試者知道自己飲用何物，因此並不清楚他們的口說改善是因為酒精的心理還是生理作用。 Source article: http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=1149846&day=2017-11-07 每日英語跟讀Podcast，就在http://www.15mins.today/daily-shadowing每週Vocab精選詞彙Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/vocab每週In-TENSE文法練習Podcast，就在https://www.15mins.today/in-tense