【Week Three】模仿遊戲

Review & Rating: The Imitation Game

As the film announces at the start, it based on a true story. The essentials are true, and to get so much history into a film things have to be condensed. Unfortunately, unnecessarily inaccurate things were portrayed which didn't save any time.

The film is correct in showing that Turing's genius was using known words from the coded messages to reduce the myriad of possibilities. This idea happened in 1939 and so he started from the outset to design the British "bombes" to use this method, not after they had been running for months.

The performance of Benedict Cumberbatch is exceptional, and the rest of the cast good. Keira Knightley is pretty enough to have turned even Turing, but, despite the lines that told us, she never gave the impression she had a double first in mathematics from Cambridge.

Good film, though it could have been closer to reality without making it longer or more complex.

Excerpted from: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2084970/reviews

Structure of the lead:

What: The Imitation Game

Why: inaccurate things were portrayed

Who: Not given

Where: Not given

When: Not given

How: Not given

Key Words:

essential (n.)要點
condense (v.)濃縮
inaccurate (a.)不準確
portray (v.)描寫
coded (a.)加密的
myriad (a.)無數的

【Week Two】哈德遜河奇蹟

2009: Flight 1549 crew praises smart, calm passengers

Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger says he'll take to the skies again -- as soon as he can shake Flight 1549 out of his head.

"I'll be going back to work as soon as I'm ready," said Sullenberger, who along with First Officer Jeffrey Skiles safely guided US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency landing in the Hudson River last month.

Sullenberger, Skiles and veteran flight attendants Sheila Dail, Doreen Welsh and Donna Dent spoke to CNN's Larry King on Tuesday. The captain and his crew have achieved national fame since their January 15 landing, in which all 155 passengers survived.

Earlier this month, the National Transportation Safety Board said both the plane's engines contained the remains of birds, confirming the pilots' report that the engines shut down after colliding with birds less than 2 minutes after taking off.

Sullenberger told "Larry King Live" that bird strikes are not "terribly uncommon," though they typically have only minor impact on a plane.

"This was very different," Sullenberger said. "There were many large birds that struck all over the airplane, pelted us like hail and severely damaged both engines."

Sullenberger took over the controls from Skiles, who had been piloting the plane, and Skiles tried to restart the engines. Within minutes, Sullenberger decided to land the plane on the Hudson.

Excerpted from:http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/11/us/hudson-landing-archive-crew-reaction/

Structure of the lead:

Who: Chesley Sullenberger

What:  says he'll take to the skies again

Where: in an interview

When: not given

Why: not given

How: as soon as he can shake Flight 1549 out of his head

Key Words:

veteran (n.)老將
remains (n.)殘骸
collide (v.)衝撞
strikes (n.)撞擊
typically (adv.)通常
minor (a.)較小的
pelt (v.)投擲
hail (n.)冰雹

【Week One】美同性婚姻合法

Supreme Court rules in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide

By Ariane de Vogue and Jeremy Diamond, CNN

Updated 1504 GMT (2304 HKT) June 27, 2015

"I just wanted to say congratulations," Obama said as CNN broadcast his warm words to Obergefell over speakerphone. He added: "Your leadership on this has changed the country."

Speaking at the White House later in the morning, Obama said "Americans should be very proud," because small acts of courage "slowly made an entire country realize that love is love."

The decision affirmed growing public support in the U.S. for gay marriage, with about two-thirds of Americans now in favor. And it comes as gay rights groups have seen gay marriage bans fall rapidly in recent years, with the number of states allowing gay marriage swelling most recently to 37 -- that is, until this ruling.

There were two questions before the Court, the first asked whether states could ban same sex marriage, the second asked whether states had to recognize lawful marriages performed out of state.

The relevant cases were argued earlier this year. Attorney John Bursch, serving as Michigan's Special Assistant Attorney General, defended four states' bans on gay marriage before the Court, arguing that the case was not about how to define marriage, but rather about who gets to decide the question.

The case came before the Supreme Court after several lower courts overturned state bans on gay marriage. A federal appeals court had previously ruled in favor of the state bans, with Judge Jeffrey Sutton of the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals writing a majority opinion in line with the rationale that the issue should be decided through the political process, not the courts.

Excerpted from: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/06/26/politics/supreme-court-same-sex-marriage-ruling/index.html

Structure of the lead:

Who: Obama

What: CNN broadcast his warm words

Where: White House

When: June 27, 2015

Why: Same-sex marriage has been legalized

How: Not Given

Key Words:

Supreme Court (n.)最高法院
affirm (v.)確認

swell (v.)膨脹

lawful (a.)合法的
relevant (a.)有關的
attorney (n.)律師
define (v.)定義
overturn (v.)顛覆
rationale (n.)理由

【Week 9】里約奧運

Bach: Rio Olympics showed that sport can unite the world

December 31, 2016 18:18 
By Deutsche Presse-Agentur 

The Rio de Janeiro Olympics have shown that sport can bring people together in "an increasingly fragile world," according to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach.

Bach said in a New Year's message posted on the IOC website Friday that the "unique power of sport to unite all of humanity is one of the most important things that the Olympic Games can give us in our troubled times.

"In a world where mistrust and uncertainty are on the rise, sport isa source of joy and inspiration for so many people, giving us hope that our shared humanity is stronger than the forces that want to divide us.

Bach named the Rio Games "marvellous" and "a rare moment of unity and solidarity for all humankind," highlighted the refugee team there as "a strong signal of hope" and said that half of the world’s population had tuned in to the Games.

The IOC president did not touch on Rio's vast problems to stage the Games amid a recession and shortly before the impeachment of the nation's president Dilma Rousseff.

The Games were also overshadowed by the Russian doping crisis, with the IOC under heavy attack for not imposing a blanket ban on the Russian team.

More details have emerged by now as Bach spoke of "shocking findings" and pledged a thorough investigation after which "the IOC will take all appropriate measures and sanctions.”

Bach again called for "a more efficient, more transparent and more robust anti-doping system.”

Bach concluded that with the success of Rio in mind "we look towards 2017 with a renewed sense of purpose."

Excerpt from: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30303241

Structure of the lead:

Who: Bach

What: said the Olympic Games can give us in our troubled times

Where: on the IOC website

When: New Year

Why: Not given

How: Not given

Key Words:

unite (v.)團結

fragile (a.)脆弱的

humanity (n.)人類

mistrust (n.)懷疑

marvelous (a.)驚人的

solidarity (n.)團結

recession (n.)衰退
impeachment (n.)彈劾
overshadow (v.)蒙上陰影

【Week 8】Pokemon Go

Pokémon Go launches in Japan amid safety warnings

Augmented reality game finally released in country of birth along with flurry of safety tips to keep users safe on the streets

Japan’s National Centre for Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cyber security urged gamers not to play while walking or riding a bicycle, and to ensure that their hunt for monsters does end with them being arrested for trespassing.

Niantic’s chief executive, John Hanke, said: “When you go out to play, keep your head up, look around, enjoy the world around you and be safe,” .

Even the government’s top spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, was moved to comment on the public safety implications of millions of people fixated on their smartphone screens.

In the US, where Pokémon Go saw 10 million downloads in just a few days after its release, some players have walked into obstacles and injuring themselves.

In Ohio, three teenagers reportedly stumbled on to the premises of a nuclear power plant, while in California two men fell off of cliff while hunting for characters.

Japanese railway companies implored passengers not to use the app while waiting for trains at busy stations. “We’ve been repeatedly asking them not to use smartphones while walking on platforms,” said Tatsuo Kijima, president of West Japan Railway.

Excerpt from: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jul/22/pokemon-go-launches-in-japan-amid-safety-warnings

Structure of the lead:

Who: Japan’s National Centre for Incident Readiness and Strategy for Cyber security

What: urged gamers not to play while walking or riding a bicycle
Where: Japan
When: Not given
Why: Not given

How: Not given

Key Words:

amid (prep.)在…之中

Augmented reality (n.)擴增實境
flurry (n.)擔心、慌張

Cyber security (n.)網路安全

trespass (v.)侵入、侵犯
fixate (v.)注視
obstacle (v.)障礙物
stumble (v.)絆倒
implored (v.)懇求

【Week 7】白頭盔

Syria's White Helmets win 'alternative Nobel Prize'

22 September 2016

The Syria Civil Defence, a volunteer rescue service also known as the White Helmets, has won this year's Right Livelihood Award.

The award is worth €315,000 (£271,184) split between four recipients.

The White Helmets were recognized for "outstanding bravery, compassion and humanitarian engagement in rescuing civilians".

The group has almost 3,000 volunteers, and claims to have saved 60,000 lives in the Syrian conflict.

The White Helmets are internationally recognized for their rescue efforts, and have been nominated for the "real" Nobel Peace Prize, which will be announced in October.

In an interview with the APTN (Aboriginal Peoples Television Network) news agency, Mr. Assad asked: "What did they achieve in Syria?

"How unpoliticised is the Nobel Prize? That's the other question," he said.

"I would only give a prize to whoever worked for the peace in Syria first of all by stopping the terrorists from blowing war on Syria, only."

What are the White Helmets?

• started early 2013 as a volunteer workforce
• includes bakers, tailors, carpenters, electricians
• 130 killed out of about 3,000 members
• say they are neutral, have no political affiliation and save people from all sides of conflict
• also do repair works, reconnect electrical cables and secure the buildings
• run by donations, also helped by US Aid and Dutch foreign ministry
  
  

Excerpt from:http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-37442277

 

Structure of the lead:

Who: White Helmets

What: won Right Livelihood Award

When: September 22, 2016

How: Not given

Why: Not given

Where: Not given

Key Words:

Alternative Nobel Prize (n.)諾貝爾替代獎
Right Livelihood Award (n.)正確生活方式獎

recipient (n.)接受者

compassion (n.)同情心
humanitarian (n.)人道主義
nominate (v.)提名

unpoliticised (a.)非政治化

workforce (n.)勞動力

neutral (a.)中立的

【Week 6】美古關係

Obama: My prayers are with the Cuban people

By Sophie Tatum

Updated 1844 GMT (0244 HKT) November 26, 2016

President Barack Obama reacted to the death of Fidel Castro in a statement released by the White House Saturday morning, offering condolences to his family and extending a hand of friendship to the Cuban people.

"During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the past behind us, pursuing a future in which the relationship between our two countries is defined not by our differences but by the many things that we share as neighbors and friends -- bonds of family, culture, commerce, and common humanity," Obama said, highlighting his efforts to mend US-Cuba relations during the course of his presidency.

"We know that this moment fills Cubans -- in Cuba and in the United States- - with powerful emotions, recalling the countless ways in which Fidel Castro altered the course of individual lives, families, and of the Cuban nation." The President added, "Today, we offer condolences to Fidel Castro's family, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Cuban people. In the days ahead, they will recall the past and also look to the future. As they do, the Cuban people must know that they have a friend and partner in the United States of America."

"As our two countries continue to move forward on the process of normalization -- restoring the economic, diplomatic and cultural ties severed by a troubled past -- we do so in a spirit of friendship and with an earnest desire not to ignore history but to write a new and better future for our two peoples," he said. "The United States reaffirms its support for deepening our engagement with the Cuban people now and in coming years."

Excerpt from:http://edition.cnn.com/2016/11/26/politics/president-obama-fidel-castro-death/

Structure of the lead:

Who: President Barack Obama

What: reacted to the death of Fidel Castro

How: in a statement

Why: to offer condolences to his family and extend a hand of friendship to the Cuban people

When: November 26, 2016

Where: Not given

Key Words:

condolence (n.)慰問
presidency (n.)總統任期
mend (v.)改良
normalization (n.)正常化
restore (v.)恢復
diplomatic (n.)外交
earnest (a.)熱切的
reaffirm (v.)重申