每日英語跟讀 Ep.K108: About the UK - Coronavirus-free Scottish island up for auction
目前全球多國再陷疫情危機，不少國家陸續實施封城計畫，民眾只能乖乖待在家配合防疫。對此，英國一家拍賣行近日在官網拍賣一座位於蘇格蘭的美麗島嶼，整座島售價8萬英鎊 (約新台幣315萬元)，再加贈一座美麗古堡。
Many countries are struggling with the fourth wave of the coronavirus, with countries implementing lockdown and stay-at-home order.
In response, a British auction house is selling a beautiful island in Scotland for £80,000 (about NT$3.15 million), which comes with a beautiful castle.
根據CNN報導，這座位在蘇格蘭高地的小島占地11英畝，美麗又幽靜的湖泊環繞四周，且由於此處地處偏遠，可以享受「免受病毒侵擾」的優閒生活。
According to CNN, this small island in the Scottish Highlands covers 11 acres is surrounded by beautiful and tranquil lochs.
Also, you can enjoy living on the island with zero chance of intrusion due to the remote location.
刊登此座島嶼競標資訊的英國拍賣公司「Future Property」表示，這座島嶼長達五百年無人居住，且一直以來都是由同一家族所擁有。
Future Property, the British auction house that published the island’s bid information, said the island had been uninhabited for 500 years and had always been owned by the same family.
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衛報再讚台灣抗疫效力 The Guardian praises Taiwan’s triumph over COVID-19 compared to Britain
隨著COVID-19疫苗施打，很多人開始回想起疫情剛爆發時的狀況，不知道生活什麼時候會回歸正常。
With the gradual, worldwide distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, many look back to where it all began, wondering when life will return to normal.
疫情已肆虐超過一年，讓許多國家醫療體系負荷不了，外國媒體開始分析為何如同台灣，也是個島國的英國，未能成功將疫情壓下。
As the virus continues to wreak havoc in its second year around the sun, foreign media reflect on precisely what Britain, an island just like Taiwan, did wrong in its virus-prevention response.
英國媒體《衛報》點出兩國的相似處，包括台灣和英國皆為由民主政府统治，都是島嶼國家，都有大量人口生活在擁擠的城市裡，也都有方便、健全的醫療體系。
According to an article published in The Guardian, the authors first listed various similarities between both countries, including both being ruled by a democratic government, both are islands, both have large populations living in crowded cities with medical care that is accessible.
文章指出，台灣之所以能夠較順利地躲過疫情主要是基於政府的作法。
The article pointed out that Taiwan’s main reason to ride out the pandemic relatively unscathed is primarily rooted in the approach the government took.
文章在比較兩國的對應作法時點出，英國這次錯在以流感方式看待這次的疫情，著重於限制它的蔓延而非將其消滅。
In comparing both countries’ government responses, the article states that Britain made the disastrous decision to treat the pandemic like the flu and limit its spread instead of stamping it out.
另一方面，台灣記取2003年SARS的教訓，立即關閉邊境，有效的減少病例數量。
On the other hand, Taiwan built on its past experience dealing with the 2003 SARS outbreak, and border control was immediately in place, effectively limiting the number of cases.
文章也引用愛丁堡疫情研究專家Jay Patel的言論，表示英國專注在如何防止病例數超過健保的負荷量，而台灣則是專注在徹底消除病毒。
The article quoted Jay Patel, a Covid-19 researcher at Edinburgh, who stated that Britain mainly focused on “preventing the number of cases to exceed what the healthcare capacity could handle,” while Taiwan was focused on “eliminating” the virus entirely.
台灣政府快速的意識到疫情的嚴重性至今仍被許多人讚賞，而衛報也點出即使台灣沒辦法加入世界衛生組織，卻在疫情剛爆發時殷勤的警告各國疫情有可能有人傳人的傳播途徑。
The Taiwanese government’s quick realization of the seriousness of the COVID-19 threat was lauded by many. Though the country was barred from the WHO, the Guardian notes that Taiwan did try to raise the alarm internationally about the possibility of fast transmission between humans.
Source article: https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210322-2267859 ; https://chinapost.nownews.com/20210324-2281263
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