week 11-Taiwan, low temperature, snow

Snow around Taiwan wows locals

Taipei, Jan. 24 (CNA) Snow, which is rarely seen in Taiwan, an Asia-Pacific island crossed by the Tropic of Cancer, wowed people around the island Sunday with the appearance of the white stuff, from the capital Taipei in the north to Pingtung County in the south.

Under the influence of a strong cold air mass, many places around Taiwan -- even those located at an altitude of only 400 to 500 meters -- received a covering of snow or soft hail overnight, exciting the locals, who likely have never seen a silver world in real life since they were born.

Despite low temperatures, people were seen swarming to elevated areas, including Jiangziliaoshan (726 meters) in Keelung, Taipei's Yangmingshan, and Linkuo and Pinglin in New Taipei, to appreciate the natural beauty painted by snow.

According to the Central Weather Bureau, 27 weather stations in different parts of Taiwan registered their lowest temperatures Sunday.

The temperature in Taipei, northern Taiwan fell to 4 degrees Celsius, the lowest level ever detected in the capital in 43 years and the second-lowest since 3.2 degrees was recorded in 1972.

It was -3.1 degrees in Anbu in the Yangmingshan area, 5.8 degrees in Sua'o in northeastern Yilan County, and 4.2 degrees in Taoyuan's Xinwu -- all new lows for these places. In New Taipei's Banqiao, it was 3.8 degrees on Sunday morning -- the second-lowest level in the city's history.

The temperature in Taipei was forecast to dip further to 3 degrees Celsius late Sunday and early Monday, and to 4 degrees in central Taiwan and 6 degrees in the south, the bureau forecast.

People wanting to appreciate the snow were advised to do so on Sunday because with the decrease of moisture in the air, the chances for further snowfall will be lower Monday, the bureau said. 

http://focustaiwan.tw/news/asoc/201601240008.aspx

1. Hail冰雹

2. Elevate 提升

3. Bureau 局

week 10-North Korea, hydrogen bomb test

First on CNN: North Korea may have tested components of a hydrogen bomb

The U.S. now believes North Korea might have attempted to test components of a hydrogen bomb on January 6, after further review and analysis of the latest intelligence information.

A U.S. official directly familiar with the latest U.S. assessment said there may have been a partial, failed test of some type of components associated with a hydrogen bomb.

The assessment comes after careful examination of the latest intelligence analysis of the test data. But the official emphasized there is no final conclusion.

Immediately following the test earlier this month, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the initial analysis that have been conducted was "not consistent" with a successful hydrogen bomb test.

The U.S. still does not accept North Korea's claim that it tested a hydrogen bomb, but air sampling conducted after the test has proved inconclusive, the official said. That prompted another look at the seismic data.

That analysis shows the test was conducted more than two times deeper underground than originally assessed -- at a depth consistent with what might be needed for a hydrogen bomb.

However, the size of the seismic event and other intelligence indicates it was not likely a fully functioning device. The official said it's possible the North Koreans believe they conducted a full hydrogen bomb test, but the U.S. believes it was likely only some components, perhaps a detonator, that exploded.

http://edition.cnn.com/2016/01/28/politics/north-korea-hydrogen-bomb-test/

1. Assessment 評定

2. Partial 局部

3. Seismic 地震

4. Detonator 雷管

week 9-Shenzen landslide, disaster

China landslide disaster caused by safety breaches: cabinet website

SHANGHAI A landslide in southern China that killed two people and left more than 70 people missing was caused by breaches of construction safety rules and was not a natural disaster, a government website quoted local authorities as saying.

An investigation by a team in Shenzhen directed by China's cabinet found the Dec. 20 disaster stemmed from waste construction material in a landfill site rather than a natural geological movement, a statement posted late Friday on the cabinet's website said.

"Those held accountable will be seriously punished in accordance with the law," the statement said.

The man-made disaster, which buried 33 buildings in an industrial park, has raised questions about China's industrial safety standards and lack of oversight that has led to fatal accidents, a by-product of the country's rapid growth.

At the Shenzhen industrial park, there is still some risk of more landslides at three separate places and professionals have been brought in to deal with the issue, Xinhua news agency on Friday quoted a Shenzhen official as saying.

"There are also dangerous chemical items that need to be identified and treated," Yang Shengjun, head of the Shenzhen Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau, was quoted as saying.

Yang said no air or water contamination has been detected yet, according to Xinhua.

The company managing the dump site, Shenzhen Yixianglong, was urged to stop work four days before the disaster, an executive with a government-appointed monitoring agency said on Thursday.

Xinhua earlier reported that the dump was being used 10 months after it was supposed to have stopped taking waste, earning Yixianglong some 7.5 million yuan ($1.16 million) in fees.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-landslide-idUSKBN0U901L20151226

1.Breaches 違規

2. Quote 引用

3. Stem 出於

4. Geological 地質

5. Accordance 匹配

week 8-Shenzhen landslide, disaster

Shenzhen landslide man-made event, not natural disaster

Dec 26, 2015

An investigation team has concluded that the landslide in Shenzhen was a safety accident, not a natural hazard, and the local government apologized to victims during a news conference on Friday.

Sunday's landslide buried or damaged 33 buildings in Shenzhen's Guangming New District and led to the bursting of a major gas pipeline in nearby region, cutting off the gas supply to neighboring Hong Kong.

As of Friday morning, 75 people remained missing, only one survivor had been rescued－on Wednesday morning－and four bodies had been found.

"The special investigation team of the State Council has determined that the landslide was the result of the collapse of a mountain of construction waste, not of the mountainside, which means that this was a safety accident instead of a natural disaster," Ma Xingrui, Party chief of Shenzhen said at the news conference.

"On behalf of the city Party committee and the city government, I strongly support the findings of the investigation team, and I promise that we will actively cooperate with further investigations," he said.

Ma said the local government will determine who is responsible and will apologize to all victims.

According to an earlier Global Times report, the construction waste was piled 100 meters high before the accident took place.

The site, operated by the Shenzhen LvWei Property Manage Co, is one of eight temporary construction waste storage sites in Shen-zhen.

According to an Agence France-Presse report, the Guangming New District government had been aware of improper piling of soil at the storage site and had urged action as early as July.

In an announcement dated July 10, officials said work at the site was not being performed according to approved plans, and they ordered the Hongao Construction Waste Dump to "speed up" work to bring its operations into line.

China Daily was unable to reach the company for comment.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2015-12/26/content_22813051.htm

1.pipeline 傳遞途徑

week 7-National Taichung Theater

National Taichung Theater gears up for grand opening

Nov 11, 2014

National Taichung Theater’s Nov. 23 inauguration is set for celebration with a diverse array of headline events, according to Taichung City Government.

Featuring concerts, dance shows, laser displays and theater performances, the inauguration culminates with the premiere of “Cat Man,” a special production by Taiwan opera company Ming Hwa Yuan Arts and Cultural Group.

Susan Yeh, director-general of TCG’s Cultural Affairs Bureau, said Nov. 10 that the events organized by the city government are greatly anticipated. “Over 20,000 visitors have participated in art-related activities around the theater, with more than 5,000 having entered the structure to experience its aesthetics.”

According to Yeh, performance groups will stage free concerts at the NTT’s outdoor square starting Nov. 14, including a National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra extravaganza Nov. 23.

Inside the theater, Paper Windmill Theatre will follow Ming Hwa Yuan with a two-day performance of “Don Quixote” Nov. 27-28, she said. “More acts are set for December, featuring such acclaimed artists as violin maestro Hu Nai-yuan, Taiwan Connection Chamber Orchestra and Ju Percussion Group.”

Designed by Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate Toyo Ito, the theater is the first in the world to comprise an entirely beamless design with irregular curved walls. It boasts a 2,014-seat grand theater, an 800-seat theater and 200-seat black box.

NTT is central Taiwan’s first national-level performing arts venue. Together with National Theater and Concert Hall in Taipei City, as well as Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the Arts in Kaohsiung City, the facility is expected to help usher in a new era for Taiwan’s cultural scene. (YHC-JSM)

http://www.taiwantoday.tw/ct.asp?xItem=223883&ctNode=445

1. Inauguration 就職典禮

2. culminate 高潮

3. premiere 首映

4. aesthetics 美學

5. acclaim 廣受好評

6. venue 會場

7. usher 招待員