同性婚姻合法化same sex marriage legalized

Obama ‘Could Not Be Prouder’ Of His Administration’s LGBTQ Legacy

At his final press conference, POTUS seemed faintly optimistic about the future.

Following an administration that delivered on marriage equality and other inclusive strides, the LGBTQ community will face an uncertain future Friday when President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office.

Speaking at his final press conference at the White House on Wednesday, however, President Barack Obama appeared optimistic about the future of LGBTQ rights moving forward, noting that he didn’t think milestones like same-sex marriage would be “reversible” during Trump’s presidency, or beyond.

“American society has changed ― the attitudes of young people in particular have changed,” he said. Pointing to the ongoing struggle for transgender rights in particular, he added, “There’s still going to be some battles that need to take place [but] if you talk to young people ― even if they’re Republicans, even if they’re conservative ― many of them would tell you, ‘I don’t understand how you would discriminate against somebody because of sexual orientation.’ That’s just sort of burned into them in pretty powerful ways.”


While Obama said he “couldn’t be prouder” of the work he’s done on the LGBTQ community’s behalf, he wouldn’t accept full responsibility for it. “The primary heroes in this stage of our growth as a democracy and as a society are all the individual activists and sons and daughters and couples who courageously said, ‘This is who I am, and I’m proud of it,” he said.


It was a final, profound moment from Obama, who leaves behind a monumental legacy as far as LGBTQ rights is concerned, and could very well be the last time a sitting U.S. president speaks so directly to the queer community for a while.



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-lgbtq-rights-legacy_us_587fcb08e4b02c1837e94bde?utm_hp_ref=gay-marriage



Who-Barack Obama
What-said he “couldn’t be prouder” of the work he’s done on the LGBTQ community’s behalf.
When-01/18/2017 04:31 pm ET
Where-America
Why-American society has changed
How-the attitudes of young people in particular have changed.

key words(5-10):

strides (v.)進步
sworn (v.)宣誓
milestones (n.)里程碑
reversible (a.)可逆
Republicans (n.)共和黨人
conservative (n.)保守黨人
orientation (n.)方向
monumental (a.)紀念性的
legacy (n.)遺產
queer (a.)奇怪

勝棋王Alpha Go

Defeated Go champion Lee Sedol wants a rematch against AlphaGo

Lee said: 'If AlphaGo wants a rematch, I'd like to face it again'


Lee Sedol, the South Korean Go champion who lost to a computer earlier this month, has said he would like a rematch.Lee, a top-ranking Go player who has 18 international titles under his belt, lost a five-game match to AlphaGo, a computer program developed by British artificial intelligence company DeepMind.However, Lee is ready to take on the machine once again. Speaking to Yonhap News, he said: "I will have to consider it carefully, but if AlphaGo wants a rematch, I'd like to face it again, on the condition it will take place in the near future."

He also hinted that he may have discovered the program's secrets, saying: "I figured out AlphaGo to some degree during our last meeting."AlphaGo had previously beat human players, but the recent match was notable due to Lee's world-leading ranking.Most AI experts expected Lee to win, believing a program capable of beating players in the true top echelon of the game was at least a decade away from development.


http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/news/lee-sedol-alphago-google-deepmind-go-rematch-a6945831.html

Who-Lee Sedol
What-He lost to a computer
When-11 month ago
Where-not given
Why-not given
How-not given

key words(5-10):

rematch (v.)重新匹配
previously (adv.)先前
notable (a.)值得注意
echelon (n.)梯隊
world-leading (a.)領先全球的

英國脫歐Brexit

Brexit: Was a shock British by-election a sign of UK EU referendum backlash?

ANALYSIS
By Europe correspondent James Glenday
Posted 3 Dec 2016, 3:54am

In a year of global political earthquakes, the Richmond Park by-election is barely more than a blip.
But was it, as some campaigners and commentators claim, the first sign of a significant Brexit backlash?
By any measure the leafy London constituency has stunned the country's political pundits.
Zac Goldsmith — a former Conservative MP and London mayoral candidate — triggered the poll by resigning from his party.
He stood as an independent so he could protest plans to expand the country's biggest airport, Heathrow.
The Conservatives did not run and most pundits predicted Mr Goldsmith, who won last year by 23,000 votes, would hold on.
But what was meant as a referendum on a new runway quickly became framed as a Brexit by-election.
Mr Goldsmith, who wants the UK to leave the EU, found himself pitted against Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney, who does not want to leave.

The result?

He lost — 18,638 votes to 20,510.

The Lib Dems, who shed 49 of their 57 seats at the 2015 general election, claimed the result showed they "are back" — reinvigorated as spokespeople for the "48 per cent" of Brits "unhappy" with Brexit.
European bureaucrats even took the unusual step of welcoming the result.
Guy Verhofstadt, the lead EU negotiator on Brexit, congratulated the party declaring "Europe is watching and we are proud".
But Richmond Park is a strongly pro-EU constituency, where around 70 per cent of people voted to remain in this year's referendum.
The Conservatives and several prominent "Brexiteers" claim the result means nothing.
They argue it has already been over interpreted and ignores the fact most British constituencies voted Leave last year.
So what does it mean?
On its own this by-election is probably just a speed bump for the Government on the long winding road to Brexit.
But it will not want any more similar surprises as it moves towards starting the process of leaving the EU in March next year.
These highly publicised campaigns, which come with rolling media coverage and pages of opinion pieces, can ultimately alter the political mood.



http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-03/was-a-shock-british-by-election-a-sign-of-a-brexit-backlash/8089468


Who-Zac Goldsmith — a former Conservative MP and London mayoral candidate
What-He lost — 18,638 votes to 20,510.
When-not given
Where-Britain
Why-He stood as an independent so he could protest plans to expand the country's biggest airport, Heathrow.
How-not given

key words(5-10):
referendum (n.)全民投票
backlash (v.)反彈
constituency (n.)選區
triggered (v.)觸發
Heathrow 希思羅機場
reinvigorated (v.)恢復活力
bureaucrats (n.)官僚
coverage (v.)覆蓋
ultimately (a.)最終
Pundits (n.)專家

白頭盔White Helmets

WHAT IT TAKES TO SAVE A LIFE

A STORY OF HOPE SHINING FROM ONE OF THE DARKEST CORNERS OF HUMANITY

In the deadliest conflict of our era an unlikely group of heroes has emerged. Former tailors, bakers, teachers and other ordinary Syrians have banded together to save lives from the rubble of bombardment and the violence of war in Syria. Forming the Syria Civil Defence, their distinctive uniform of a white helmet now symbolises hope for millions.

When the bombs rain down, the White Helmets rush in. In a place where public services no longer function these unarmed volunteers risk their lives to help anyone in need, regardless of their religion or politics. These volunteer rescue workers have saved over 73,530 lives.

The White Helmets motto is taken from the Quran: 'to save a life is to save all of humanity'. In a conflict where too many have chosen violence, the White Helmets wake up everyday to save the lives others are trying so hard to take.

Their bravery has inspired people across the planet -- from the children in Syria who play at being rescue workers, to the students in Norway who awarded them their town’s peace prize, and to their nomination now for the Nobel Peace Prize.

https://nobelpeaceprize.whitehelmets.org/en

Who-White Helmets
What-was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
When-not given
Where-Syria
Why-save lives from the rubble of bombardment and the violence of war
How-risk their lives to help anyone in need

key words(5-10):
deadliest (a.)致命的
tailors (n.)裁縫
band (v.)帶
bombardment (n.)轟擊
motto (n.)座右銘
Quran (n.)古蘭經
nomination (n.)提名