Residents Gasp for Breath as

Toxic Smog Chokes New Delhi New Delhi’s severe air pollution has become extremely harmful to the health and safety of its

residents.

by Jason Grenier, special correspondent

New Delhi’s air quality index (AQI) has

reached a severely polluted level of 451, and it

contains a dangerously high level of PM 2.5

pollutants. Breathing in New Delhi is equivalent

to smoking 50 cigarettes a day. The air may be strong

irritation and can impact the respiratory system of

healthy people. India’s medical organizations have

declared a public health emergency.

The thick blanket of smog—made up of smoke,

gases, and chemicals—is suffocating residents in New Delhi. Recently, the smog made visibility so poor that

24 vehicles were involved in a massive pile-up on a major city roadway. Unable to see the brake lights of

stopped cars in front of them, drivers kept slamming into each other in the chain-reaction crash.

What is causing the severe pollution? Farmers burn the crop stubble after the harvest in north India

during this time of the year. This traditional practice is common despite the ban. The pollution from diesel

engines, coal-fired power plants and industrial emissions is also one of the factors. What’s worse, only the

wealthy can afford air purifiers. The price for filter masks has soared due to the high demand, and the city's

countless poor and homeless can only use handkerchiefs.

“The moment I stepped out of my home I started coughing and there was a burning sensation in my

eyes,” said Naresh Yadav, a bank employee who worked in central Delhi, “The government can’t solve this

problem alone, people need to pitch in and help the government to protect the environment.”

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and translation.

This month in history

Italian composer Giacomo Puccini was born

on December 22, 1858. His famous works

include Madama Butterfly and La Boheme.

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017 vol. 264

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Sanmin News Messenger

Reading Comprehension

( ) 1. What is the passage mainly about?

(A) How to prevent respiratory system diseases.

(B) The high inflation rate in India.

(C) The severe air pollution in New Delhi.

(D) The most beautiful cites to visit in India.

( ) 2. According to the passage, the chain-reaction crash happened because ____.

(A) the thick smog made it difficult for drivers to see clearly

(B) the cars couldn’t brake on slippery road in the heavy rain

(C) there was a drunk driver who was going over the speed limit

(D) a tree was suddenly blown down and it smashed several cars

( ) 3. Which of the following is NOT a cause of the toxic smog?

(A) Burning crop stubble. (B) Diesel engines.

(C) Industrial emissions. (D) Overpopulation.

Vocabulary and Phrases

1. gasp [Γ8σπ] vi. 喘氣，喘息

2. toxic [τΑκσΙκ] adj. 有毒的

3. smog [σµΑΓ] n. [U] (尤指城市中的)煙霧

4. choke [τΣοκ] vt. 使窒息，使呼吸困難

5. severe [σ1ϖΙρ] adj. 非常嚴重的

severely [σ1ϖΙρλΙ] adv. 嚴重地

6. extremely [ΙκστριµλΙ] adv. 非常，極其

7. pollutant [π1λυτ1ντ] n. [C] 污染物

8. equivalent [ΙκωΙϖ1λ1ντ] adj. 相等的，等同的

9. irritation [&Ιρ1τεΣ1ν] n. [C] 刺激(物)

10. respiratory [ρΙσπαΙρ1&τορΙ] adj. 呼吸的

11. suffocate [σ⊥φ1&κετ] vt. 使窒息，使悶死

12. visibility [&ϖΙζ1βΙλ1τΙ] n. [U] 能見度

13. massive [µ8σΙϖ] adj.大規模的

14. roadway [ροδ&ωε] n. [C] 車行道

15. brake [βρεκ] n. [C] 刹車

16. slam [σλ8µ] vi. 大力地撞擊

17. despite [δΙσπαΙτ] prep. 儘管

18. filter [φΙλτ2] n. [C] 過濾(材料)

19. soar [σορ] vi. 猛增，驟升

20. sensation [σΕνσεΣ1ν] n. [C] 感覺

Words for Recognition

1. New Delhi 新德里(印度首都)

2. air quality index (AQI) 空氣品質指數

3. chain-reaction crash 連鎖反應撞擊

4. stubble [στ⊥βΛ] n. [U] (作物收割後的)殘梗

5. coal-fired power plant n. [C] 燃煤電廠

2｜News Messenger

Wands at the Ready: New Harry

Potter Game is on the Way! The creator of Pokémon Go has announced its plan to bring the magic of Harry Potter to the real

world next year.

by Jason Grenier, special correspondent

Fans of the Harry Potter series have a new

reason to be thrilled. Mobile phone game developer

Niantic has just announced its plans to release a new

augmented reality (AR) game __1__ on J.K.

Rowling’s best-selling fantasy novels. The new

Harry Potter smartphone game is to be called

Wizards Unite, and Potterheads can expect to wave

their wands using state-of-the-art AR technology

next year.

The new Harry Potter game will share some __2__ with another hugely popular Niantic creation:

Pokémon Go. AR mobile games use the smartphone camera to combine computer graphics with real-world

environment. Players of Wizards Unite can immerse themselves in the magical world of Harry Potter and

embark on an adventure of searching for mythical beasts, __3__ mysterious artifacts, casting powerful spells,

and meeting iconic wizards. Devoted fans now have the chance to become distinguished witches or wizards

in the game. The company is also promising a gaming __4__ beyond anything Pokémon Go has offered until

now. Experts predicted that the AR experience in the new game will be more robust than Pokémon Go, which

will make the game more engaging and dynamic.

The video game rights to the Harry Potter series belong to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

“With this game, we are allowing the passionate, worldwide fan base to explore J.K. Rowling’s deeply powerful

and imaginative __5__ in a new, truly immersive way,” said David Haddad, president of Warner Bros.

Interactive Entertainment. Fans around the world will be waiting for their Hogwarts acceptance letter from

Niantic in the near future.

Fill in the Blanks

(A) features (B) universe (C) based (D) discovering (E) experience

(1)__________ (2)__________ (3)__________ (4)__________ (5)__________

News Messenger｜3

Hanging mistletoe and kissing someone underneath it has been

an old Christmas tradition. Have you ever wondered where did this

tradition come from? The resilient plant and its snow-white berries

captivated our superstitious ancestors, and it symbolizes love, peace,

and fertility in many ancient mythologies around the world. Scan the

photo with COCOAR2 or visit https://youtu.be/QtJqBiF6EF0 to

find out more.

Did You Know?

Vocabulary and Phrases

1. thrilled [ΤρΙλδ] adj. 極愉快的

2. best-selling [βΕστσΕλΙ9] adj. 暢銷的

3. fantasy [φ8ντ1σΙ] n. [C][U] 奇幻，幻想

4. wizard [ωΙζ2δ] n. [C] 巫師

5. creation [κρΙεΣ1ν] n. [C] 創造，作品

6. graphic [Γρ8φΙκ] n. [C] (電腦的)圖像

7. embark [ΙµβΑρκ] vi. 從事，著手

8. artifact [∋ΑρτΙ&φ8κτ] n. [C] 工藝品

9. devoted [δΙϖοτΙδ] adj. 全心全意的

10. distinguished [δΙστΙ9ΓωΙΣτ] adj. 傑出的

11. robust [ροβ⊥στ] adj. 健全的

12. engaging [ΙνΓεδΖΙ9] adj. 引人入勝的

13. dynamic [δαΙν8µΙκ] adv. 生動的

14. passionate [π8Σ1νΙτ] adj. [C] 熱情的

15. imaginative [Ιµ8δΖ1&νετΙϖ] adj. 想像力豐

富的

16. acceptance [1κσΕπτ1νσ] n. [C] 認可，接納

Words for Recognition

1. wand [ωΑνδ] n. [C] 魔杖

2. Pokémon GO n. (手遊)精靈寶可夢 GO

3. Niantic n. (軟體開發公司)尼安蒂克

4. augmented reality (AR) [ΟγµΕντΙδ ρΙ8λ1τΙ]

n. 擴增實境

5. J.K. Rowling J·K·羅琳

6. Potterhead n. 哈利波特迷

7. state-of-the-art adj. 最先進的

8. immerse [Ιµ3σ] vt. 使沉浸於

immersive [Ιµ3σΙϖ] adj. 身歷其境的

9. mythical [µΙΤΙκΛ] adj. 神話的

10. iconic [αΙκΑνΙκ] vt. 偶像的

11. Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment n.

華納兄弟互動娛樂

12. Hogwarts n. 霍格華茲魔法與巫術學院

閱讀測驗解答：1. C 2. A 3. D

文意選填解答：1. C 2. A 3. D 4. E 5. B

4｜News Messenger

Translation

有毒霧霾籠罩新德⾥，居⺠費⼒喘息呼吸

新德⾥的嚴重空污已經對居⺠的健康和安全造成嚴重危害。

新德里空氣品質指數已升至嚴重污染程度 451，其中還包含了濃度高得危險的 PM2.5細懸浮微

粒。在新德里呼吸相當於一天抽 50根香菸。空氣可能讓人很不舒服，並且影響健康民眾的呼吸系

統。印度的醫療組織已發布公共緊急健康預警。

那層厚重的霧霾——由煙霧、氣體和化學物質組成——正使新德里居民呼吸困難。最近，霧霾

讓可見度變得很糟，以致於 24輛車在市區主幹道上發生大追撞。看不到前車的煞車燈，使得駕駛

在這場連環車禍中不斷撞上來。

是什麼導致如此嚴重的污染呢？每年此時，北印度地區農民會在收割後焚燒作物殘梗。這個傳

統雖被禁止卻仍然普遍。來自柴油引擎、火力發電廠和工業排放的汙染，也是原因之一。更糟的是，

只有有錢人才買得起空氣清淨機。而過濾口罩的價格因為需求走高，已經飆漲，城市裡數不盡的窮

人和流浪漢只能用手帕掩面。

在德里市中心工作的銀行職員納瑞許亞達夫說：「我一走出家門就開始咳嗽，而且眼睛還有灼

熱感。政府無法獨力解決問題，大家必須一起出力，幫政府保護環境。」

魔杖準備好：新款哈利波特手遊即將上市！

《精靈寶可夢 GO》的開發者宣布計劃，將於明年把哈利波特的魔法帶進真實世界。

哈利波特系列小說的粉絲有興奮的新理由了。手機遊戲開發商 Niantic最近宣布，將推出改編

自 J.K. 羅琳暢銷奇幻小說的新款擴增實境遊戲。新的哈利波特手遊將取名為《巫師聯盟》，哈利

波特迷明年可望運用先進的擴增實境技術，揮動他們的魔杖。

新款哈利波特遊戲將和 Niantic另一超人氣作品《精靈寶可夢 GO》有一些共同特色。擴增實

境手遊使用智慧型手機的相機，將電腦圖像和真實環境結合在一起。《巫師聯盟》的玩家可以充

分沉浸在哈利波特的魔法世界裡，展開探險行程，尋找奇幻怪獸、挖掘神秘文物、施展強大的魔

咒，並與偶像巫師見面。忠實粉絲現在有機會在遊戲裡成為出色的女巫或巫師。公司也承諾將提

供比《精靈寶可夢 GO》至今為止所給予提供的更佳遊戲體驗。專家預測，新遊戲裡的擴增實境

體驗，將比《精靈寶可夢 GO》更為健全，讓這款遊戲更引人入勝與活潑。

哈利波特系列的電玩遊戲版權屬於華納兄弟互動娛樂公司。華納兄弟互動娛樂公司董事長大

衛·哈達德說：「有了這個遊戲，我們讓全球熱情粉絲得以用全新的、真正身臨其境的方式，探索

J.K. 羅琳極其強大且富有想像力的宇宙。」不久的將來，全球粉絲都將引頸期盼來自霍格華茲魔

法學校的入學通知。

News Messenger｜5

三民東大學習網 www.grandeast.com.tw/English/