爸媽終於鬆一口氣！
Kevin and Rebecca are coworkers and parents of elementary school children.
凱文和瑞貝卡是同事，也都是國小學生的家長。
Kevin: Hey Rebecca, you got a minute? Did you see the news about schools in New Taipei City?
凱文：嘿瑞貝卡，你有空嗎？你有看到新北市學校的新聞嗎？
Rebecca: No, what’s up? Did they change the winter break schedule again?
瑞貝卡：沒耶，怎麼了？他們又改了寒假的放假時間嗎？
tight schedule很緊湊的行程behind schedule落後進度／on schedule準時、按計畫be scheduled for+時間:安排在某時間
Kevin: Even better. Starting this August, elementary school lunch will be free.
凱文：比那個更好。從今年八月開始，國小的營養午餐免費。
free of charge免費=at no coston the house由店家請客、免費提供
Rebecca: Wait, for real? Free lunch? That’s wonderful! My son actually likes school lunches, so that saves me a lot of money.
瑞貝卡：等等，真的假的？免費午餐？那太棒了！我兒子其實很愛學校的午餐，那真的幫我省了不少錢。
save(v.)節約，節省、保留save the seat保留位子
Kevin: Right? But here is the best part — starting next semester, all kids have to stay and eat lunch at school every day before they can go home.
凱文：對吧？但最棒的部分在後面——從下個學期開始，所有小孩每天都要在學校吃完午餐才能回家。
semester(n.)學期take a semester off休一個學期throughout the semester整個學期期間
Rebecca: Hold on, even first and second graders? Right now, they usually go home around noon.
瑞貝卡：等等，連一、二年級也是？他們現在通常中午就回家耶。
grader(n.)某年級學生grade(n.)年級
Kevin: Yep, everyone. Honestly, it really helps me. My daughter usually goes straight to after-school care and doesn’t eat lunch until about 1 p.m. She gets really hungry and eats too many snacks.
凱文：沒錯，每個人都要。老實說，這真的救了我。我女兒中午通常直接去安親班，結果到快下午一點才吃午餐。她總是餓壞了，然後吃一堆零食塞飽肚子。
straight(adv.)直接地after-school care課後照顧、安親班daycare center托育中心not…until…直到～才～
Rebecca: Oh, I get that. Eating lunch at school sounds much better. It can help kids build a good routine. But will the food taste good?
瑞貝卡：喔，我懂。在學校吃午餐聽起來好多了，也能幫助孩子建立規律作息。不過，學校的餐點會好吃嗎？
routine(n.)例行公事daily routine日常作息exercise routine運動習慣skincare routine保養流程
Kevin: Looks like it. They have nutritionists designing the menus now. They want it to look like a Japanese Teishoku — you know, a proper set meal with a main dish, veggies, milk, and fruit.
凱文：看起來是喔。他們現在有營養師來設計菜單。他們希望看起來像日本的「定食」——你知道的，就是有主菜、蔬菜、牛奶和水果的完整套餐。
have sb. V-ing O.讓某人持續、負責做某事nutrition(n.)營養poor nutrition營養不良nutrition facts營養標示proper(adj.)適當的、得體的
Rebecca: Sounds healthy, but kids are such picky eaters. What happens to all the leftovers?
瑞貝卡：聽起來很健康，但小孩子都很挑食。那所有的剩菜剩飯怎麼辦？
picky(adj.)挑剔的leftovers(n.)剩菜
Kevin: They’re starting a “Clean Your Plate” activity to teach kids not to waste food. Plus, the schools are getting these cool machines to turn leftover food into plant fertilizer.
凱文：他們要發起一個「美食空盤」活動，教小朋友不要浪費食物。而且學校還會引進很酷的機器，把廚餘變成植物的有機肥料。
waste(v.)浪費turn A into B把A轉為Borganic fertilizer有機肥料／chemical fertilizer化學肥料
Rebecca: Wow, super eco-friendly. I’m here for it. But man, the teachers must be stressed. That’s extra work for them.
瑞貝卡：哇，超環保的。這我非常支持。不過，天啊，老師們壓力一定很大，這對他們來說是額外的工作。
I’m here for it我很贊成be stressed out壓力爆炸relieve stress紓壓stressful(adj.)令人有壓力的
Kevin: True, but the city is planning to give teachers extra pay for helping during lunch time.
凱文：沒錯，不過市政府打算給負責午餐時間工作的老師額外津貼。
monthly allowance每月津貼housing allowance住房津貼travel allowance交通津貼
Rebecca: Honestly, this sounds great. No more rushing to make lunch boxes or worrying about after-school meals. Life just got easier.
瑞貝卡：老實說，這真的很棒。不用急著準備便當，也不用擔心安親班的午餐了，生活輕鬆多了。
rush to VR匆忙地做某事
Kevin: Exactly. I’m just happy we don’t have to worry about it anymore.
凱文：真的。我只是很高興我們不用再煩惱這件事了。
not…anymore不再⋯⋯