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Clean Cookstoves are on the Way 干净炉具拯救全球环境

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Clean Cookstoves are on the Way  干净炉具拯救全球环境

In a quest to save the environment, many groups are focused on reducing the amount of waste that’s produced by corporations. However, one of the leading causes of air pollution and global warming is often overlooked. Primitive indoor cooking stoves, used mainly in the developing world, release tons of hazardous chemicals into the atmosphere. Nearly 1.9 million people die each year as a result of heart disease, low birth weights, and lung cancer that are caused by the smoke these stoves emit. Hillary Clinton has stepped up to lead a project called the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves which aims to tackle this problem. By 2020, the goal is to provide 100 million clean-burning stoves to villagers in South America, Asia, and Africa. The plan calls for the US government to provide $50 million in aid. Several other groups have also agreed to raise an additional $10 million for the cause. This should simultaneously clean up the environment and improve people’s health.

为了寻求拯救环境的方法，很多团体都致力于降低公司行号产生的废弃物量。然而，空气污染以及地球暖化的其中一个最主要的原因却常常被忽略。开发中国家的人民大多在室内使用较落后的炉具，这些炉具释放了好几吨的危险化学物质至大气层中。这些炉具释放出的烟导致每年将近190万人死于心脏病，新生儿体重过低以及肺癌。希拉里．柯林顿挺身而出主导「全球干净炉具联盟」计划，旨在解决此问题。在2020年之前，此计划的目标是提供一亿个有效燃烧的炉具给南美、亚洲以及非洲的村庄居民。此计划请求美国提供5000万元支持此计划，另外还有很多的团体也同意为此再多募得1000万元。此项计划应该能在净化环境的同时也改善人类的健康。

Taiwan Hopes for Healthy Vitamin Prices  维他命将改列为食品

With over 55 percent of Taiwanese adults taking some sort of vitamins, these supplements are certainly a hot item. But for years, people have complained that the cost is too high because the government classifies them as medicine. As a result, vitamins are nearly four times more expensive in Taiwan than they are in the US. When people heard that the Department of Health announced it was reclassifying vitamins as food items in June of 2012, they were pleased. However, those who are expecting prices to drop drastically as a result if the new legislation may be sadly mistaken. Early reports indicate that the DOH plans to slap on a new 30% tariff when the category change becomes official. In the end, prices could end up increasing. The ordeal has left many frustrated consumers hoping that the government will do something to bring vitamin prices to a reasonable level.

超过百分之55的台湾成人都有服用某类维他命的习惯，此种补给物很明显地是个热门商品。但多年以来，人们总抱怨维他命的费用太高，因为政府将它们归为药物。因此台湾的维他命比美国的维他命的价格贵了四倍。当人们听闻健保局宣布2012年6月时维他命将被重新划分为食品类，大家都十分高兴。但是那些期待维他命价格会因为这条新法规而大大降低的人们却彻底地误解了。初期的报告指出健保局将维他命换类别后计划会再加上三成的关税，所以最终价格可能会上涨。这样的困境，让很多沮丧的消费者希望政府可以有所作为，将维他命的价格合理化。

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Vocabulary

单词发音

on the way 在途中，接近

corporation [͵kɔrpəˋreʃən] n. 大型公司; 大企业; 企业集团

primitive [ˋprɪmətɪv] adj. 粗糙的；简单的

atmosphere [ˋætməs͵fɪr] n. 大气

aid [ed] n. 帮助，救助

simultaneously [saɪməlˋtenɪəslɪ] adv. 同时地

vitamin [ˋvaɪtəmɪn] n. 维他命，维生素

supplement [ˋsʌpləmənt] n. 补给品

legislation [͵lɛdʒɪsˋleʃən] n. 法律，法规

indicate [ˋɪndə͵ket] v. 指示；指出

ordeal [ɔrˋdiəl] n. 严峻考验；苦难

frustrated [ˋfrʌstretɪd] adj. 沮丧的

More Information

单词发音

quest [kwɛst] n. 寻找；追求；探索

overlook [͵ovɚˋlʊk] v. 忽略

hazardous [ˋhæzɚdəs] adj. 有危险的；冒险的

step up 走上前来 to come forward

cookstove [ˋkʊk͵stov] n. 烹调用炉

call for 要求, 号召 to require; demand

classify [ˋklæsə͵faɪ] v. 将……分类

drastically [ˋdræstɪk!ɪ] adv. 大大地；彻底地

slap on【口】在某物原价上加(额外的价); 课征（税，罚金等）apply, put on

tariff [ˋtærɪf] n. 关税

Secretary Clinton Announces the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves