第二份英文作業/2018.08.30-2019.01.18/邱申晴

2018.09.17~2018.09.21

THE CULTURAL RICHES OF SARAWAK

Sarawak's capital city, Kuching, offers a different experience. It's packed with bistros, bars, and all of the conveniences of most modern cities. Yet Kuching retains its old. world charm because it doesn't suffer from major traffic or pollution problems.

As you travel around Kuching, you're certain to notice numerous cat statues around the city. That's because the city has had a long love affair with their feline friends. In fact, the name of the city, kuching, means 'cat' in Malay. No one knows for certain why the city was named after cats, but there are different theories. Some think that many shorttailed cats were living there when the city was built. Others believe the city got its name due to a miscommunication during the colonial era. In either case, the residents of Kuching embraced the name and their connection to cats.

Affections run so deep that when the city's feline population started declining in the 1950s, residents demanded action. In response, the British Royal Air Force parachuted 14,000 cats into the city to stabilize the population in a mission called Operation Cat Drop.

To learn more about Kuching's history with cats, check out the Kuching Cat Museum. It has more than 4,000 cat-related artifacts on display. This collection includes contemporary paintings, giant replicas, and porcelain figurines. There is even a mummified cat that was imported from Egypt. Before leaving the city, you can spend time with real cats at one of the city's many cat cafés. Petting a happy Kuching cat as you sip a cup of coffee is a great way to end your "purr-fect" vacation.

砂拉越的首都是古晉，它提供了一個不一樣的體驗。那裏充滿了小酒館、酒吧和大多數現代城市的所有便利設備。然而，古晉保留了古老世界的魅力，因為他沒有遭受到從重大交通貨汙染帶來的影響。

當你來古晉旅遊時，你一定會注意到城市周圍有很多貓的雕像。那是因為這城市長期熱愛他們的貓科朋友。事實上，「古晉」這個名字，在馬來語中代表貓。沒有人確定這個城市為甚麼以貓來命名，但它們有不同的理論。一些人認為，當他們在建造這個城市時，有很多短尾貓居住在這。也有人相信，是因為殖民時代的溝通不良，才叫這個名字。不管是何種情況下，古晉的居民都欣然接受這個名字和他們與貓的關係。

居民和貓的感情很深厚，所以這個城市在1950年貓數量開始下降時，居民就要求要採舉行動。為了因應這個狀況，英國皇家空軍就在一個叫投貓行動的任務，空投了14000隻貓到這個城市裡來穩定貓的數量。

想了解更多關於古晉和貓的歷史，就進去古晉貓咪博物館裡參觀吧。那裡有超過四千個跟貓有關的工藝品在展出中。這些收藏品包誇當代的畫、巨大複製品和瓷器小雕像。甚至有從埃及運輸來的貓咪木乃伊。在離開這個城市前，你可以花一些時間到這個城市很多的貓咪咖啡館中的一家和真實的貓咪再一起。一邊撫摸著快樂的古晉貓咪，一邊啜飲著咖啡，是結束這完美假期很好的方式。

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2018.09.21~2018.9.27

Losing Touch with Nature May Make You Sick

For something that’s not actually a recognized medical condition, Nature-Deficit Disorder (NDD) has gotten a lot of attention since it was first coined in 2005. Writer Richard Louv, who acknowledges that NDD is mostly a metaphor for a lifestyle lacking in contact with nature, came up with the term in his book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Louv explained that children who play outside often are less likely to become ill, stressed, or aggressive compared to those who watch a lot of television and spend most of their free time indoors. Indeed, studies appear to back up that claim by noting that children who spend a significant amount of time outdoors tend to have better mental and physical health. Experts believe that problems such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be relieved through contact with nature, whereas they may be worsened by staying inside watching TV, playing video games, or being glued to a smartphone. What’s more, research also suggests that getting a nature fix can help boost the immune system.

According to Louv, the effects of NDD can be lessened or even reversed by making sure parents encourage their kids to enjoy playing outdoors as much as they can. However, mothers and fathers shouldn’t force their kids to go outside or use it as a type of punishment. Rather, they should lead by example, spending time with them in the park, at the beach, camping, and doing other activities, Louv said. He added that children learn many important and practical skills while interacting with nature, like risk-taking, independence, and decision-making. In turn, this aids in the development of confidence and overall good health.

對於還未受到認可的醫學狀況下，大自然缺失症在2005年第一個被創造以來，它得到了很多的關注。作家Richard Louv認為大自然缺失症主要是對缺乏接觸大自然的一種隱喻，在《失去山林的孩子：拯救大自然缺失症兒童》這本書中提到的術語。Louv說明，和那些一直看電視和大部份休閒時間都待在室內的小孩相比，時常在戶外玩的小孩更不容易生病、感到有壓力、個性好鬥。事實上，有研究支持了這個說法，提到小孩長時間在戶外玩心理和生理都會更健康。專家相信像是注意力不集中和過動症，都可以經由和大自然接觸而得到緩和，而在室內看電視、玩電動遊戲和一直看智慧型手機的人會更惡化。此外研究也指出自然就像一劑藥能幫助增強免疫系統。

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