Hello everyone! Are you ready for today's episode of News Bites?
I'm Paz Bueno…
And I'm Nancy Sun.
In today's news:
Upcycled life jackets, old school collectibles, and video calls between parrot friends.
We'll tell you more about these stories, right after this!
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時尚救生衣 重返潮流
Life Jackets' Fashionable Comeback
China Airlines (中華航空) has come up with a fun and eco-friendly idea!
China Airlines had a bunch of old life jackets (救生衣) from their planes.
Instead of throwing them away, they decided to upcycle (回收再升級) them into stylish bags.
These bags are not just fashionable (時尚), but they're also super practical (實用).
They are sturdy (堅固) and waterproof (防水).
That means they can be used in any weather, even when it's raining cats and dogs!
There are three types of bags: the pineapple bag, the small messenger bag, and the shopping bag.
有三種類型的包包：鳳梨包、小郵差包和日用長包。
Each bag is unique (獨一無二) because they are made from different parts of the life jackets.
The pineapple bag is great for those who love outdoor activities (戶外活動).
The small messenger bag is perfect for city life (城市生活).
And the shopping bag is just right for everyday needs (日常需求).
The best part is, by using old life jackets to make these bags, China Airlines is helping the environment.
So, not only do they look great, but they're also good for the planet!
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錄音卡帶成為復古收藏品
Cassette Tapes Become Retro Collectibles
Collecting (收藏) is a fun hobby where people gather things they like.
They might collect (收集) stamps, coins, toys, or even rocks!
Collectors (收藏家) enjoy finding new things to add to their collection.
And young people nowadays are enjoying a retro collectible: cassette tapes!
現在的年輕人也喜歡一種復古收藏品：錄音卡帶！
Cassette sales (銷量) have hit their highest since 2003.
Cassette tapes are small rectangles that play music, and they were super popular a long time ago.
But in 2022, more than 195,000 cassette tapes were sold (已售出).
Famous artists like Harry Styles and Florence + the Machine have released (發行) their new music on cassette tapes, and people love it!
Mark Burgess, who owns a music store in London, says cassette sales have shot up (激增) since the pandemic.
He thinks young people like collecting "old school" (老派) cassettes because they're small and easy to store.
And the listener gets to enjoy the entire album as the artist intended.
而且聽眾可以按照歌手的原意欣賞整張專輯。
That's because it's not easy to move back and forward to skip songs (跳過歌曲).
Have you ever listened to a cassette tape?
Maybe you can ask your parents if they have any cassettes lying around for you to check out!
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鸚鵡視訊 讓自己不孤單！
Parrots Video Call Friends to Feel Less Lonely!
When people feel lonely (孤獨), it's a good idea to call a friend to have a chat.
And just like people, pet parrots (寵物鸚鵡) can sometimes feel lonely, too.
That's because in the wild (在野外), parrots live in big groups.
But pet parrots often live alone or with just a few others.
So, scientists wanted to see if video calls (視訊通話) could help pet parrots feel less lonely.
The researchers gave 18 parrots a special tablet (平板電腦) to make video calls with other parrots.
The parrots learned to use the tablet with help from their owners.
鸚鵡在主人的幫助下學會了使用平板電腦。
They could even choose which parrot friend to call on the tablet.
During the study, the parrots made 147 calls to each other!
Their behavior (行為) was just like meeting parrots in real life.
The study found that parrots who made video calls became happier.
They played, sang, and took care of their feathers (羽毛) more often.
Scientists believe the video calls can give parrots some of the social benefits (社交好處) they would have in a big group.
All the parrot owners were happy, and said they will continue using video calls with their parrots in the future.
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So, in today's News Bites:
China Airlines decided to upcycle a bunch of old life jackets from their planes.
Instead of throwing them away, they turned them into stylish bags.
These bags are not just fashionable, but they're also super practical.
________________________________
And,
Young people nowadays are enjoying a retro collectible: cassette tapes!
Cassette sales have hit their highest since 2003.
More than 195,000 cassette tapes were sold in 2022.
________________________________
And,
Scientists wanted to see if video calls could help pet parrots feel less lonely.
The researchers gave 18 parrots a special tablet to make video calls with other parrots.
The study found that parrots who made video calls became happier.
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And that's today's episode of News Bites!