2025 年 5 月 12 日｜HOT 基礎英文新聞｜EP123
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第一則：新法三讀通過 國定假日增至16天
立法院於5月9日三讀通過《紀念日及節日實施條例》，完備國定假日法制化工程。未來國定假日將增加5天，包括5月1日勞動節、9月28日教師節、10月25日光復節、12月25日行憲紀念日，以及小年夜。新法施行後，國定假日天數將從現行的11天增至16天。
立法院同時要求行政院人事行政總處於政府機關行事曆中註明相關法定紀念日與節日。該條例於公布日開始生效。若行政部門未提出異議，最快今年9月28日教師節，全國將可一致放假，回應了大眾對增加假日的期待。
New Law Passed: National Holidays Increased to 16 Days
On May 9, the Legislative Yuan passed the “Enforcement Act for Memorial Days and Holidays” in its third reading, completing the rules for national holidays. Five new holidays will be added, including Labor Day on May 1, Teachers’ Day on September 28, Taiwan Restoration Day on October 25, Constitution Day on December 25, and Preliminary Eve. With this new law, national holidays will increase from 11 days to 16 days.
The Legislative Yuan also decided that the Directorate-General of Personnel Administration must include these holidays in the government’s official calendar. The law will take effect once announced. If there are no objections, the first new holiday could be Teachers’ Day on September 28 this year, meeting public hopes for more holidays.
第二則：新教宗上任 駐教廷大使看好台梵關係
全球天主教樞機主教於5月8日推選普瑞弗斯特為第267任教宗，成為首位來自美國的教宗。駐教廷大使李世明回憶，過去他向普瑞弗斯特介紹自己來自台灣時，對方立即展現對台灣的了解，並能明確區分民主台灣與共產中國的不同，還特別感謝來自台灣的祝賀。
李世明於5月9日返台卸任，他表示，新任大使賀忠義於此關鍵時刻上任，憑藉其對美國事務的熟悉，想必能在新教宗的領導下進一步深化台梵關係。
New Pope Takes Office, Taiwan's Ambassador to the Vatican Optimistic About Taiwan-Vatican Ties
On May 8, the global Catholic cardinals elected Cardinal Prevorst as the 267th pope, making him the first pope from the United States. Taiwan’s Ambassador to the Vatican, Li Shih-ming, shared that when he introduced himself to Prevorst as being from Taiwan, the new pope showed a clear understanding of Taiwan and could easily tell the difference between democratic Taiwan and communist China. He also thanked Taiwan for its congratulations.
Li returned to Taiwan on May 9 to step down from his role. He said the new ambassador, Ho Chung-yi, taking office at this critical moment, is familiar with U.S. affairs and is expected to further deepen Taiwan-Vatican relations under the leadership of the new pope.
第三則：川普宣布美英達成突破性貿易協議
美國總統川普於5月8日在白宮宣布與英國達成突破性貿易協議，這是英國脫歐後首個與美國簽署的貿易協議。川普表示，該協議將為美國出口產品提供數十億美元的市場准入，特別是在農業領域，包括牛肉、乙醇等產品。
此外，英國承諾降低對美國產品的非關稅壁壘，加快通關速度。協議還規定，英國每年可向美國出口10萬輛汽車，適用10%的關稅，超過配額則課徵25%。川普強調，這項協議是個重大進展，對兩國都非常有利，並將為未來的經貿合作奠定堅實基礎。
Trump Announces Groundbreaking Trade Agreement with the UK
On May 8, U.S. President Donald Trump announced at the White House a major trade deal with the United Kingdom. This is the first trade agreement between the U.S. and the UK since Brexit. Trump said the deal will open up billions of dollars in new market opportunities for U.S. exports, especially in agriculture, including beef and ethanol.
The UK also agreed to lower trade barriers on U.S. products and speed up customs processes. The deal allows the UK to export up to 100,000 cars to the U.S. each year with a 10% tariff, while exports above this limit will face a 25% tariff. Trump said this agreement is an important step forward, bringing big benefits to both countries and building a strong foundation for future trade.
第四則：韓元貶值帶動醫美旅遊熱潮 觀光消費暴增八成
韓國因尹錫悅宣布戒嚴又取消而陷入政治動盪，導致韓元匯率大幅貶值。儘管政局不穩，韓元貶值卻意外吸引大量外國觀光客。據統計，2024年12月至2025年2月，韓國接待了350萬名觀光客，較同期增長19.6%。
其中，醫美旅遊成為最大亮點。外國觀光客醫美消費暴增八成，主要集中在皮膚科診所、整形手術及健康檢查，吸引大量中國、日本及泰國旅客。這波因匯率帶動的旅遊熱潮，意外成為韓國經濟的重要支撐點。
Weaker South Korean Won Brings Aesthetic Medical Tourism Boom, Spending Increases 80%
South Korea faced political problems after Yun Seok-yeol declared and then canceled martial law. This caused the South Korean Won (KRW) to lose value significantly. Despite the political issues, the weaker KRW attracted many foreign tourists. Between December 2024 and February 2025, South Korea welcomed 3.5 million visitors, a 19.6% increase compared to the same time last year.
Aesthetic medical tourism became very popular, with spending on treatments rising 80%. Many visitors came for skin treatments, plastic surgery, and health check-ups, mostly from China, Japan, and Thailand. This unexpected tourism boom gave a big boost to South Korea’s economy.
第五則：IKEA婚姻測試：快速檢驗另一半是否是「對的人」
如何快速確認另一半是否適合共度一生？暢銷書作家布魯姆提出了一個有趣的方法「IKEA婚姻測試」。他建議，在約定終生之前，情侶可以先到IKEA購買家具，一起完成組裝。
布魯姆指出，IKEA家具的組裝過程看似簡單，實際上卻充滿挑戰，特別是說明書多以圖解呈現，缺乏文字說明，容易引發誤解與分歧。如果兩人在這個過程中能夠順利合作、不讓彼此抓狂，那麼這段關係可能已經具備穩定婚姻所需的溝通與解決問題能力。這項測試雖然簡單，但卻能反映伴侶間的互動模式，是檢驗關係的一個有趣方式。
IKEA Marriage Test: A Simple Way to See If Your Partner Is "The One"
How can you tell if your partner is right for a lifelong commitment? Bestselling author Sahil Bloom suggests a fun idea called the “IKEA Marriage Test.” He recommends that couples visit IKEA to buy some furniture, and try assembling it together before tying the knot.
Bloom explains that building IKEA furniture might look easy, but it can actually be tricky. The instructions are mostly pictures with little text, which can lead to confusion and disagreements. If a couple can work together and stay calm during this process, it shows they have good communication and problem-solving skills for a strong marriage.Though simple, this test reflects a couple’s interaction patterns, making it a fun way to assess one’s relationship.
Let’s wrap up today’s episode. We’ve learned about some important events happening around the world.
A new law passed by the Legislative Yuan increases national holidays from 11 to 16 Days, adding five new holidays, with the first new holiday likely to be celebrated on September 28. This decision fulfills public hopes for more holidays.
Cardinal Prevorst, the first American pope, showed he understands Taiwan’s democracy when meeting Taiwan’s ambassador. The outgoing ambassador believes the new pope will help improve Taiwan-Vatican relations as a new ambassador takes over.
President Trump announced a big trade deal with the UK, the first since Brexit. The deal will bring new chances for U.S. exports, especially in farming, while letting the UK export cars to the U.S. with lower tariffs.
South Korea’s weak currency has brought more tourists, even though the country faces political problems. From December 2024 to February 2025, 3.5 million tourists visited, spending 80% more on aesthetic medical treatments like plastic surgery, giving a big boost to the economy.
Author Sahil Bloom suggests couples try building IKEA furniture together to see if they are ready for marriage. The instructions can be confusing, so it’s a good way to test how well they work together and solve problems.
In the next episode, we will together explore the recent hot news with you in the morning. Don’t forget to come back. Have a nice day and hear me next time. Bye!
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