8月31日午间双语播报：东京推出透明公共厕所？

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A German university is offering "idleness grants" to applicants who are seriously committed to doing sweet nothing. The University of Fine Arts in Hamburg advertised three €1,600 scholarship places to applicants from across Germany. The applicants can submit their anonymous pitches until Sept 15 and will have to convince a jury that their chosen area of "active inactivity" is particularly impressive or relevant. 
德国一所大学正在向致力于无所事事的申请者提供"闲人奖学金"。位于汉堡的美术大学近日宣布向德国各地的申请者提供三个1600欧元(约合人民币1.3万元)的奖学金名额。申请者可以在9月15日前提交匿名自荐书，他们将必须说服评委会自己选择的"积极的不作为"领域让人印象特别深刻或特别有意义。

The application form consists of only four questions: What do you not want to do? For how long do you not want to do it? Why is it important not to do this thing in particular? Why are you the right person not to do it? The idea behind the project arose from a discussion about the seeming contradiction of a society that promotes sustainability while simultaneously valuing success, said Friedrich von Borries, a design theorist who came up with the program. 
申请表上只有四个问题：你打算不做什么？你打算多长时间不做这件事？不做这件事为什么很重要？为什么你是不做这件事的合适人选？提出这个项目的设计理论家弗里德里希·冯·博里斯说，这一项目的想法源自一次关于社会倡导可持续发展同时又重视成功这一矛盾的讨论。

"This scholarship program is not a joke but an experiment with serious intentions – how can you turn a society that is structured around achievements and accomplishments on its head?"
"这个奖学金项目不是玩笑，而是有着严肃意图的一个实验。你怎样能颠覆一个围绕着成果和成就构建起来的社会？"

重点词汇
1、idleness
英 /ˈaɪdlnəs/  美 /ˈaɪdlnəs/ 
n. 懒惰；闲散；失业

2、contradiction 
英 /ˌkɒntrəˈdɪkʃn/  美 /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪkʃn/ 
n. 矛盾；否认；反驳

Transparent public toilets
东京推出透明公共厕所

One of Tokyo's most popular districts has recently added some unusual new attractions: Transparent public toilets. Designed by Shigeru Ban Architects, the two new sets of see-through restrooms have been installed in Shibuya, the bustling city center famous for its busy pedestrian crossing. Though the restrooms sound risqué, they're actually part of an innovative project aimed at changing people's perceptions of public toilets. 
东京最受欢迎的地区最近增添了一道与众不同的新风景：透明公厕。坂茂建筑事务所设计的这两组透明公厕安装在以人行横道拥挤闻名的繁华市中心涩谷区。尽管这种公厕听起来有伤风化，但实际上它们是一个创新项目的一部分，该项目旨在改变人们对公厕的认知。

"There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom," says a statement on the project's official website. "The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside." Shigeru Ban Architects' design tackles these two concerns by offering a toilet with glass walls that - at first - allows the public to see through from the outside. But once a user enters the toilet and locks the door, the walls turn opaque to provide privacy.
该项目官网上的一则声明称："人们进入公厕时，会担心两件事：第一件是清洁问题，第二件是里面是否有人。"坂茂建筑事务所的设计解决了这两点担忧，通过厕所的玻璃墙让公众可以事先从外面看到里面的情况。一旦用户进入厕所锁上门，墙壁就会变得不透明以保护隐私。

重点词汇
1、see-through
英 /ˈsiː θruː/  美 /ˈsiː θruː/ 
adj. 透明的；穿透的

2、bustling
英 /ˈbʌslɪŋ/  美 /ˈbʌslɪŋ/ 
adj. 熙熙攘攘的；忙乱的

3、risqué
 /ˈrɪskeɪ/
粗俗下流的; 有伤风化的

4、opaque
英 /əʊˈpeɪk/  美 /oʊˈpeɪk/ 
adj. 不透明的；不传热的；迟钝的
n. 不透明物
vt. 使不透明；使不反光

Performers could sing or play softly
音量大小决定病毒传播

Sing softly and don't shout to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, new research suggests, offering a ray of hope for musicians who have been restricted from performing in public. Music makers have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with singing, as well as playing of woodwind and brass instruments, deemed to be a potential high risk for spreading the disease – a concern fueled by outbreaks in choirs. 
新研究指出，轻声歌唱、不喊叫可以降低新冠病毒传播风险，这给那些被限制在公共场合表演的音乐家带来了一丝希望。音乐家受疫情打击很严重，因为演唱以及吹奏木管和铜管乐器被视为传播新冠肺炎的潜在高危因素，合唱团暴发的聚集性病例加剧了这一担忧。

But the research offers hope to performers keen to get back on stage as soon as possible. "It is not about the vocalization – whether it's singing or speaking – it is about the volume," said Jonathan Reid, a professor of physical chemistry at the University of Bristol and a co-author of the research. "Just by singing a little bit more softly you really reduce the risk. The volume of the activity is the main factor in governing the aerosol mass that is generated," Reid said.
但是这项研究为那些想尽快回到舞台的表演者带来了希望。该研究的合著者、布里斯托大学物理化学系教授乔纳森·里德说："病毒传播风险与发声方式无关，无论是唱歌还是说话，而是与音量有关。唱歌时稍微轻柔一些就能降低传播风险。音量才是决定产生的气溶胶总量的主要因素。"

重点词汇
1、woodwind
英 /ˈwʊdwɪnd/  美 /ˈwʊdwɪnd/ 
n. 木管乐器

2、brass
英 /brɑːs/  美 /bræs/ 
n. 黄铜；黄铜制品；铜管乐器；厚脸皮

3、fuel
英 /ˈfjuːəl/  美 /ˈfjuːəl/ 
n. 燃料；刺激因素；（为身体提供能量的）食物
vt. 给……提供燃料；刺激，煽动；推动
vi. 得到燃料

4、choir
英 /ˈkwaɪə(r)/  美 /ˈkwaɪər/ 
n. 唱诗班；合唱队；舞蹈队
vt. 合唱
vi. 合唱

5、vocalization
英 /ˌvəʊkəlaɪˈzeɪʃn/  美 /ˌvoʊkələˈzeɪʃn/ 
n. 发声，发音；发声法

Dog walking rule in Germany

德国规定一天遛狗两次?

A new rule forcing Germans to take their dog for a walk twice a day has unleashed a debate on whether the state can decide what is best for the country's 9.4 million pet canines. Agriculture Minister Julia Kloeckner announced she had taken expert advice and was introducing a law to ensure dogs go for a walk or run in the garden at least one hour twice a day. "Pets are not cuddly toys - their needs have to be considered," said Kloeckner, adding pets must get sufficient exercise and not be left alone for too long. 
德国计划出台新规，要求养狗的人们每天必须遛狗两次。这项新规引发争论，即政府是否有权决定应该怎样照顾该国约940万只宠物狗。德国农业部长茱莉亚·克洛克纳近日宣布，她已经听取了专家的建议，并将推行一项新的立法，以确保宠物狗每天至少在花园里跑动撒欢两次，每次一小时。她说："宠物不是可爱的玩具，主人们要考虑它们的需要。"她补充道，动物们必须得到足够的锻炼，不能单独待太久。

"Compulsory Walkies for Dog Owners? Rubbish!" wrote the top-selling Bild newspaper in an opinion piece on the new decree. "One rule for all dogs is probably well-meant but unrealistic," said Udo Kopernik, a spokesman for the VDH German Dog Association. Dog trainer Anja Striegel said the amount of exercise a dog needs depended on the health, age and breed of dog.
德国最畅销的《图片报》在一篇评论文章中怒批新规："强迫狗主人带狗散步？荒唐至极！"德国狗类协会VDH的发言人乌多·科佩尔尼克说："给所有的狗制定一条规定可能是出于好意，但不现实。"驯狗师安雅·斯特里格尔说，狗狗需要的运动量取决于其健康状况、年龄和品种。

重点词汇
1、unleash
英 /ʌnˈliːʃ/  美 /ʌnˈliːʃ/ 
v. 发泄；（使）爆发；放开，解除束缚

2、cuddly

英 /ˈkʌdli/  美 /ˈkʌdli/ 
adj. 令人想拥抱的；喜欢搂搂抱抱的；逗人喜爱的

3、decree
英 /dɪˈkriː/  美 /dɪˈkriː/
n. 法令；判决
vt. 命令；颁布；注定；判决
vi. 注定；发布命令

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Hi everyone, here are words you should know from today's news.
No.1 idleness
A German university is offering "idleness grants" to applicants who are seriously committed to doing sweet nothing. 

No.2 contradiction
The idea behind the project arose from a discussion about the seeming contradiction of a society that promotes sustainability while simultaneously valuing success, said Friedrich von Borries, a design theorist who came up with the program. 

No.3 see-through
Designed by Shigeru Ban Architects, the two new sets of see-through restrooms have been installed in Shibuya, the bustling city center famous for its busy pedestrian crossing.

No.4 vocalization
 "It is not about the vocalization – whether it's singing or speaking – it is about the volume," said Jonathan Reid, a professor of physical chemistry at the University of Bristol and a co-author of the research. 

No.5 cuddly
"Pets are not cuddly toys - their needs have to be considered," said Kloeckner, adding pets must get sufficient exercise and not be left alone for too long. 

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