Luis國際資訊事務所

　　One of the most shocking deformities a newborn can have is a massive cleft. Clefts occur when certain body structures do not connect during the development of the fetus. This usually leaves a wide gap _(1)_ the lip and the palate. Children born with clefts are oftentimes thought of as retarded, teased and ostracized by society, abandoned, or even killed by their own parents.
　　A cleft is the primary birth defect in the US and many other nations. _(2)_, there is a simple, 45-minute operation that can change the lives of children with clefts forever. Smile Train, a global cleft charity _(3)_ in 1999 by Brian Mullaney and Charles Wang, provides these procedures in developing countries for free. The mission of Smile Train is to provide cleft surgery for millions of poor children and to train local doctors and medical professionals to _(4)_ this surgery. With training, these doctors learn how to use groundbreaking technology _(5)_ waiting for Western doctors to volunteer their time. This maximizes the efficiency and the number of operations that can be done.
　　Having sponsored nearly half a million operations over the last decade, Smile Train is definitely _(6)_ a difference. However, they are far from the 4.6 million cases it would take to _(7)_ clefts worldwide. US$250 can sponsor one child and donating to Smile Train is transparent, says Mullaney. He also hopes to continue his work by using the Smile Train model to help the poor with other medical conditions such as club foot or congenital heart defects.

1. (A) into　　　　(B) among　　(C) between　　　(D) within
2. (A) Previously　(B) Eventually　 (C) Recently　　　(D) Fortunately
3. (A) found　 (B) founded　　(C) finding　　　(D) to find
4. (A) apply　 (B) perform　　(C) observe　　　(D) supply

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. However, this is not the case with some of the biggest structures in the world today. This month, National Geographic Channel takes you into the world of giant airplanes and architectural1 domes2. In "Big Bigger Biggest 2: Aircraft," NGC goes over the development of six revolutionary3 airplanes. Then, NGC explains how they all influenced the Antonov 124, the world's largest cargo4 plane.

　　The Antonov 124 is bigger than big. It is as tall as a seven-story5 building, and its wingspan6 is long enough to park eight buses end to end with room to spare. What's more, it has enough cargo space for 50 family-sized cars, which is nothing in comparison to what it has already carried. These planes have transported tanks, trains, other aircrafts, and even an elephant from Moscow to Taiwan. However, the Antonov 124 could not have done this without the major technological developments that have allowed engineers7 to build bigger and better cargo planes. So book a flight with NGC's "Big Bigger Biggest 2: Aircraft" and fly with the big boys.

　　物品愈大，跌得愈重。但對於現今世界裡一些最大的建築物來說，情形卻並非如此。本月份，國家地理頻道將帶您進入巨大飛機和圓頂建築的世界裡。在《超大 建築狂想曲２：巨無霸運輸機》的節目中，國家地理頻道將一探六架革命性飛機的發展史。接著國家地理頻道將解釋這些飛機如何影響了世上最大貨機—— Antonov 124的建造。

　　用大來形容Antonov 124還略顯不足。它和一棟七層樓的建築等高，其翼幅的寬度停入八輛頭尾相接的巴士都還綽綽有餘。此外，它有足夠的貨運空間來容納五十台家庭房車，但這跟 它所載運過的貨物相比之下根本就不算什麼。這種貨機曾運送過坦克車、火車和其它飛機，甚至還從莫斯科將大象運載來台灣。然而要是沒有重大的科技發展使工程 師得以建造出更大更優的貨機，Antonov 124也不會有現在這樣的成就。所以趕快訂好機位，隨著國家地理頻道的《超大建築狂想曲２：巨無霸運輸機》一同和這些空中悍將遨遊天際吧。

本文節錄自《台灣光華雜誌》
九十八年九月第三十四卷第九期
錄影中請微笑——無所不在的監視器

　Portugal, with its miles of coastline and historic cities, is fast becoming a top tourist destination in Europe. The capital, Lisbon, is the largest tourist city in Portugal. The combination of beautiful seaside cliffs1, splendid old castles, and quiet villages appeal to millions of tourists who visit the country every year. The biggest attraction is perhaps Portugal's beaches, which face the Atlantic Ocean. There, tourists and locals alike enjoy popular activities like surfing, kite flying, and scuba diving.

　　Portugal has also developed a reputation for great golf vacations with more than 10 Portuguese courses ranked in Europe's Top 100 Golf Courses. What's more, Portugal is perhaps best known for having the best deep-sea fishing in the world. Although visitors can experience exciting big game fishing along the coast of the Portuguese mainland2, the best fishing is found off the islands of Azores and Madeira. Far in the Atlantic Ocean, both islands offer visitors access to blue marlin3, yellowfin tuna, and shark. With its classic cities, beautiful coastline, and fantastic waters, Portugal brings out the best in Europe in one perfect package.

　　擁有綿延百哩的海岸線以及歷史古城的葡萄牙，正迅速成為歐洲的頂尖旅遊勝地。首都里斯本是葡萄牙最大的觀光城市。該國境內的壯麗濱海懸崖、雄偉古堡及 恬靜村莊等種種景色的絕妙組合，每年都吸引了上百萬名觀光客到此一遊。葡萄牙最引人入勝之處大概就是濱臨大西洋的眾多海灘。在這些海灘上，觀光客和當地民 眾皆一同享受著諸如衝浪、放風箏及潛水等熱門活動。

　　葡萄牙境內座落著十幾個名列歐洲百大的高爾夫球場，也因此打響了該國擁有優質高球假期的名聲。此外，葡萄牙最為享譽國際的大概就是其深海釣魚了。雖然 遊客可以在葡萄牙本土沿岸體驗到放長線釣大魚的刺激感，但最棒的釣點其實是在亞述群島及馬德拉群島的外海處。遠在大西洋上的這兩座島嶼讓遊客得以更容易捕 到藍馬林魚、黃鰭鮪魚及鯊魚。集典雅城市風貌、瑰麗海岸景色與壯觀浪潮於一身的葡萄牙，完美地呈現出歐洲精彩絕倫的一面。

　　More than 2,000 years after it was built, the Pantheon has stood the test of time. Its un-reinforced concrete dome has been influential to designers since its completion. In Italy 1,000 years after the Pantheon was finished, workers spent a century building the most magnificent cathedral they could, but there was one main problem: there was no roof and no one knew how to build one. The designer drew inspiration from the Pantheon, but there was no mixture of concrete at the time. Instead, bricks were the only material available to him. Eventually, the designer came up with an ingenious feat without using any scaffolding, and the dome of the Florence Cathedral still stands today as a testament to this engineering.
　　A more recently built dome is the Houston Astrodome, which was renowned as an architectural triumph in 1965. The main reasons for its praise were its lightweight roof and Astroturf—a new term for artificial grass. Nearly 30 years later, engineers were very concerned about public safety when it came to fires in crowded places. The Georgia Dome included an advanced ventilation system that could suck smoke out in case of an emergency when it became the home of the Atlanta Falcons in 1992. But what do all these domes have in common? They have all greatly influenced the Oita Dome in Japan.
　　The Oita Dome is the pinnacle of structural engineering as the largest freestanding dome in the world. It has taken bits and pieces of each structure mentioned and combined them to make the dome of the future. The roof spans 274 meters, and the stadium can seat 43,000 fans. If the weather changes, one click of a switch and the dome closes so that the sporting event and its spectators won't be affected. This month, the National Geographic Channel goes inside the Oita Dome and learns the incredible story behind it with Big Bigger Biggest 2: Dome.

Man's best friends are smarter and more like humans than we ever thought. A leading dog researcher and professor, Stanley Coren of the University of British Columbia, did a study. It showed that the average dog has the mental abilities of a two-year-old child. These smart dogs can count to five and do simple math. They can also understand about 165 words, including signs, signals, and gestures. Moreover, they can show basic emotions like happiness, anger, and fear.
　　Psychologists1 used tests that were designed for young children to see if dogs had certain mental abilities. The results show that the smartest dogs, which Coren calls super breeds2, can recognize up to 250 words. Of course, not all dogs are created equal. Different breeds of dogs have different levels of intelligence. At the top of the list is the Border collie. Poodles, German shepherds, golden retrievers, and Doberman pinschers make up the rest of the top five. The breed that scored the lowest is the Afghan hound. Although dogs are not Einstein, they should be treated and trained as smart and sensitive individuals3 by their human owners.

Move over, Big Apple. Here comes The Mother City.
紐約大蘋果讓一讓。母城開普敦來了。

Good Hope in Cape Town.jpg

　　Made famous by "Moby Dick," "There she blows!" is heard all over the seas. Was the main character right when he hunted the whale in sight? Since around AD 800, whales have been hunted for their oil, meat, and bones. In fact, whales were killed without limits for many centuries in the past. Many species were near extinction until the passing of an international law in 1946. The goal of this law was to balance the conservation1 of whales with the development of the industry. However, things have gotten more complicated since the International Whaling2 Commission3 decided to ban all commercial hunting in 1986.

Internet funerals are growing in popularity.線上喪禮的形式愈來愈普遍。

by Rebecca A. Fratzke
This eco-friendly weeding method is a win-win for everyone.
這項環保的除草方案對大家而言都是雙贏的局面。

by Joshua Samuel Brown
Though Israel's Dead Sea is a place for relaxation, holes around it threaten to sink tourism.
以色列的死海是放鬆的好去處，但它沿岸的孔穴恐將使其觀光業一蹶不振。

by Marcus Maurice
Pearl milk tea has become a true Taiwanese treasure over the past 20-plus years.
珍珠奶茶歷經 20 多年，早已成為正港的台灣之光了。

　　Sometimes the most ordinary household items have a fascinating history. Clothespins1 have been used for many years to pin laundry to clotheslines2 so they can dry in the sun. Most clothespins today are two pieces of wood or plastic that are joined together by a spring3. The inventor of this design was an American named David M. Smith. He was from Vermont and patented4 the first clothespin in 1853.

by Matthew Brown
A controversial new idea says that the best diet for you might depend on what blood type you have.
一個備具爭議的新概念指出，依據血型，才能找到最適合自己的飲食方式。