Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Vročinski rekord leta 2020

Heat record in 2020

Written by Romana Dobnikar Šeruga,  translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Leto 2020 je bilo najtoplejše, odkar redno merijo temperaturo planeta.

The year 2020 was the warmest since the planet’s temperature has been regularly measured.

Po izračunih Nase je lansko leto za manj kot desetinko stopinje Celzija prehitelo dosedanjega rekorderja, leto 2016. V Evropi je bilo lansko leto najtoplejši doslej, kažejo podatki evropskega programa Copernicus.

According to NASA calculations, last year surpassed the previous record by less than a tenth of a degree Celsius, 2016. Last year in Europe was the warmest so far, according to data from the European Copernicus program.

A naj bo leto 2020 novi nosilec tega neslavnega rekorda ali ne, zagotovo si ga bomo zapomnili po visokih temperaturah, močnih orkanih in divjih požarih.

But whether 2020 is the new bearer of this infamous record or not, we will surely remember it for its high temperatures, strong hurricanes and wildfires.

V letu 2020 je bilo veliko gozdnih požarov. Največji so divjali v Avstraliji in Kaliforniji.

In 2020, there were many forest fires. The largest were out of control in Australia and California.

Ledeniki se krčijo, večni led se topi. Če bo šlo tako naprej, bodo polarni medvedi do konca stoletja izumrli.

Glaciers are shrinking, polar ice is melting. If this continues, polar bears will become extinct by the end of the century.

Ti podatki tudi potrjujejo zaskrbljujoče dejstvo, da se naš planet iz leta v leto bolj segreva.

This data also confirms the worrying fact that our planet is warming more and more from year to year.

Po letu 2014 smo imeli sedem rekordnih vročinskih let, deset najtoplejših let pa je bilo v zadnjih 15 letih.

After 2014, we had seven record hot years, and the ten warmest years were in the last 15 years.

V zadnjih sto letih je bila povprečna temperatura na Zemlji zvišala za dve stopinji Celzije.

Over the last hundred years, the average temperature on Earth has risen by two degrees Celsius.

Tudi v Sloveniji je bilo leto 2020 po podatkih meteoroloških služb agencije za okolje (Arso) nadpovprečno toplo. Od najnižje povprečne vrednosti v obdobju 1981–2010 je bila temperatura višja za 1,3 stopinje Celzije, kar je preteklo leto med petimi najtoplejšimi po letu 1961.

According to the meteorological services of the Environment Agency (Arso), 2020 was also above average in Slovenia. From the lowest average value in the period 1981-2010, the temperature was 1.3 degrees Celsius higher, and last year was among the five warmest since 1961.

Vemo, da so krivci za to velikanski izpusti toplogrednih plinov v ozračje. Države podpisnice pariškega sporazuma so tako obvezne, da bodo te izpustile močno.

We know that the huge greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere are to blame for this. The countries that are signatories to the Paris Agreement are thus strongly committed to reducing these.

Evropa naj bi do leta 2050 postala podnebno nevtralna. To pomeni, da bi rastline, oceani in zemlja vsrkali toliko ogljikovega dioksida, kot ga ljudje izpustijo v ozračje. Toda od tega cilja smo zelo oddaljeni.

Europe is set to become climate neutral by 2050. This means that plants, oceans and land would absorb as much carbon dioxide as humans release into the atmosphere. But we are very far from that goal.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Beseda Leta 2020 Je Karantena

Word of the Year 2020 Is Quarantine

Written by Sandra Hanžič,  translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Katera beseda je najbolj zaznamovala leto 2020?

Which word marked 2020 the most?

Tokrat je odgovor na to vprašanje poenoten skoraj po vsem svetu. Snovalci angleških slovarjev so izbrali besede, tako ali drugače povezane s koronavirusom.

This time, the answer to this question is the same almost all over the world. The creators of English dictionaries have chosen words that are somehow related to the coronavirus.

Pri Collinsu so izbrali besedo lockdown (zaprtje), pri Merriam-Websterju pandemijo.

Collins chose the word lockdown, and Merriam-Webster chose pandemic.

Medtem so pri Oxfordu sklenili, da se nenavadnega leta ne da opisati s samo eno besedo. V posebnem poročilu so jih izbrali cel kup, poleg že naštetih tudi gozdni požar, ustavno obtožbo in socialno distanciranje.

Meanwhile at Oxford they concluded that the unusual year could not be described in just one word. In a special report, a whole bunch of them were selected, in addition to those already mentioned, there were bushfire, impeachment and social distancing.

Včeraj smo dobili še slovensko besedo leta, ki so jo petič zapored razglasili pri ZRC SAZU. Med finalistkami izbora, ki jih je izbrala strokovna komisija, je prevladovala ena tema, izražena z mnogo besedami – virus:

Yesterday we received the Slovenian Word of the Year, which was announced for the fifth time in a row at ZRC SAZU. Among the finalists selected by the expert commission, one theme prevailed, expressed in many words - the virus:

14 dni – 14 days

cepivo – vaccine

karantena – quarantine

kolesarjenje – cycling

mehurček – bubble

neleto – non-year

pozitiven – positive

predihovalnik – ventilator

rahljanje – easing

šolotožje – schoolsick

zoom – zoom

Enajsta finalistka je bila beseda cepivo, ki so jo za besedo leta izbrali pri časniku Delo.

The eleventh finalist was the word vaccine, which was chosen as the word of the year by the newspaper Delo.

Glasovalo je rekordnih 5000 ljudi. Zmago je osvojila karantena s približno 1050 glasovi.

A record 5,000 people voted. The victory was won by quarantine with about 1050 votes.

»Idealno jo, da je beseda čim bolj sveža, ilustrira pomembno družbeno spremembo ali pa je pogostost njene rabe občutno zrastla,« je dejala pobudnica akcije asist. dr. Simona Klemenčič.

"Ideally, the word should be as fresh as possible, illustrate an important social change, or the frequency of its use has increased significantly," said the initiator of the activity, Asst. Dr. Simona Klemenčič.

Nova beseda (neologizem) leta je postala wuhobran, kretnja leta – ki jo izbirajo v sodelovanju z Zvezo društev gluhih in naglušnih Slovenija – pa koronavirus.

A 'wuhobran' - photo: covid.si

The new word (neologism) of the year was wuhobran, and the gesture of the year - chosen in cooperation with the Association of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Societies Slovenia - was coronavirus.

Med rekordnimi 70 prejetimi pesmimi, ki morajo vsebovati vse finalistke za besedo leta, so izbrali pesem anonimnega avtorja Naša vojna.

Among the record 70 poems received, which must contain all the finalists for the word of the year, they chose a poem by an anonymous author, Our War.

Odkar pri ZRC SAZU izbirajo besedo leta, so to postale podnebje (2019), čebela (2018), evropski prvaki (2017) in begunec (2016).

Since ZRC SAZU has been choosing a word of the year, it has been climate (2019), bee (2018), European champions (2017) and refugee (2016).

Dobili so že prvi predlog za besedo leta 2021, in sicer vialo, besedo za stekleničko s cepivom.

They have already received the first proposal for the word in 2021, namely the vial, the word for the vaccine bottle.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Biden obtožil Trumpa napada na demokracijo

Biden accused Trump of attacking democracy

Written by Romana Dobnikar Šeruga, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Dva tedna pred zaprisego novega ameriškega predsednika Joeja Bidna se je zgodilo nekaj nezaslišanega: privrženci predsednika Donalda Trumpa so vdrli v Kapitol, simbol ameriške demokracije.

Two weeks before the swearing-in of new US President Joe Biden, something unheard of happened: supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, a symbol of American democracy.

V prostore, kjer je potekala seja kongresa, na kateri naj bi uradno razglasili rezultate novembrskih predsedniških volitev, je vdrlo najprej na stotine, nato na tisoče protestnikov, nekateri so bili oboroženi.

Hundreds, then thousands of protesters, some of them armed, stormed the premises where the congressional session was to officially announce the results of the November presidential election.

Izvoljeni predstavniki ljudstva so se poskrili po pisarnah, policisti in FBI pa so obkrožili poslopje.

Elected representatives of the people hid around the offices, and police and the FBI surrounded the building.

Razmere so se umirile pozno popoldne. V izgredih je umrlo pet ljudi, več deset so jih aretirali.

The situation calmed down late in the afternoon. Five people had died in the riots and dozens were arrested.

Kasneje so se politiki vrnili k delu in ob štirih zjutraj razglasili Bidna za zmagovalca volitev.

Later, politicians returned to work and declared Biden the winner of the election at four in the morning.

Ta je Trumpa obtožil, da je »sprožil popoln napad na demokracijo«.

He accused Trump of "launching a complete attack on democracy."

Mnogi ameriški politiki Trumpa pozivajo, naj prevzame odgovornost, saj je ščuval privržence k napadu na demokracijo. Nekateri celo menijo, da ga je treba predčasno odstraniti s predsedniškega mesta.

Many U.S. politicians are urging Trump to take responsibility, as he has urged supporters to attack democracy. Some even believe he should be removed from the presidency early.

Zaradi podpore izgrednikom so do nadaljnjega blokirali tudi njegova računa na Facebooku in Instagramu.

Due to support for the rioters, his Facebook and Instagram accounts were also blocked until further notice.

Ker je imel Trump blokiran tudi dostop do Twitterja, si je sposodil račun enega od sodelavcev in prek njega kmalu po izgredih obljubil »mirno predajo« oblasti. Takoj zatem pa je dodal, da se »sploh ne strinja z izidom

Because Trump was also blocked from accessing Twitter, he borrowed an account from one of his associates and promised to "peacefully hand over" power soon after the riots. Immediately afterwards, however, he added that he “does not agree with the outcome at all”.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Je cepivo varno?

Is the vaccine safe?

Written by Dora Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Ponavadi razvoj cepiva traja 10 let ali celo več. Kako smo torej lahko dobili cepivo proti novemu koronavirusu v enem letu?

A vaccine usually takes 10 years or more to develop. So how could we get a vaccine against the new coronavirus in one year?

Razlogov je več.

There are several reasons.

Vsa zdravila gredo skozi zahtevne postopke odobritve. Ko se prične razvoj cepiva, znanstveniki najprej preučijo virus in raziščejo, kako bi cepivo sploh delovalo.

All medicines go through demanding approval procedures. When vaccine development begins, scientists first examine the virus and investigate how the vaccine would work at all.

Že ta faza lahko vzame več let. Pri novem koronavirusu so jo močno skrajšali.

This phase alone can take years. In the new coronavirus, it was greatly shortened.

Znanstveniki na začetku teste izvajajo na celičnih kulturah, šele nato na živalih, na primer laboratorijskih miškah. Takrat preverjajo varnost in učinkovitost cepiva.

Scientists initially perform tests on cell cultures, and only then on animals such as laboratory mice. They then check the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

Ker pa človek ni miš, sledijo še klinična testiranja na ljudeh.

However, since humans are not mice, clinical trials in humans follow.

Najprej varnost cepiva preizkusijo na manjši skupini ljudi. Če ne zbolijo, študijo razširijo na večje število prostovoljcev. Pri vsaki fazi testiranja se njihovo število poveča in na koncu znaša okoli 30.000 ljudi.

The safety of the vaccine is first tested on a small group of people. If they do not get sick, they expand the study to a larger number of volunteers. At each stage of testing, their number increases and eventually amounts to about 30,000 people.

Hkrati pričnejo preizkušati učinkovitost cepiva; torej, ali ljudi sploh zaščiti pred okužbo. Obenem ugotavljajo, kakšna doza cepiva je najprimernejša.

At the same time, they begin to test the effectiveness of the vaccine, thus whether it protects people from infection at all. At the same time, they determine what dose of vaccine is most appropriate.

Faze kliničnega testiranja si običajno sledijo druga za drugo, tokrat pa so se med seboj prekrivale. To pomeni, da so hkrati testirali učinkovitost in predvsem varnost cepiva na zelo velikem številu ljudi in tako hitreje izpeljali vse klinične študije.

The phases of clinical testing usually follow one another, but this time they overlapped. This means that they tested the effectiveness and, above all, the safety of the vaccine in a very large number of people, and thus carried out all the clinical studies more quickly.

Prav tako znanstveniki niso imeli težav z iskanjem prostovoljcev.

Moreover, the scientists had no trouble finding volunteers.

»Ponavadi izbiranje prostovoljcev traja tedne ali mesece. V tem primeru pa se je to zgodilo čez noč,« pravi profesor Adam Finn, raziskovalec, ki sodeluje pri razvoju cepiva podjeta AstraZeneca v sodelovanju z univerzo v Oxfordu.

“Usually, selecting volunteers takes weeks or months. In this case, however, it happened overnight,” says Professor Adam Finn, a researcher involved in the development of the AstraZeneca vaccine in collaboration with the University of Oxford.

Financiranje ni bilo ovira, ker so cepiva razvijala večinoma velika podjetja s podporo mnogih držav.

Funding was not a barrier because the vaccines were developed mostly by large companies with the support of many countries.

Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje je prejel eno prijavo neželenega učinka po cepljenju in prijavo smrti, ki je časovno sovpadala s cepljenjem v domu za starejše.

The [Slovenian] National Institutes of Public Health received one report of an adverse reaction after vaccination and a report of a death that coincided in time with the vaccination at a nursing home.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Netopirji v samoizolaciji

Bats in self-isolation

Written by Urša Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Ne samo ljudje, tudi vampirski netopirji se ob slabem počutju samoizolirajo. Tako je pokazala nedavno objavljena raziskava.

Not only people, but also vampire bats self-isolate when they feel unwell. So a recent study showed.

Vampirski netopirji živijo v kolonijah v Srednji in Južni Ameriki. Ponoči priletijo iz svojih prenočišč in s posebnimi čutili iščejo svoj plen.

Vampire bats live in colonies in Central and South America. At night, they fly in from their homes and search for their prey with special senses.

Prehranjujejo se s krvjo krav, prašičev, konjev in ptic, zelo redko ugriznejo človeka. So zelo družabne živali. Če so kakšni netopirji v koloniji lačni, jih drugi nahranijo v zameno za negovanje, so odkrili znanstveniki.

They feed on the blood of cows, pigs, horses and birds, and very rarely bite a human. They are very social animals. If some bats in the colony are hungry, others feed them in exchange for grooming, scientists have discovered.

»V laboratoriju smo pri netopirjih v ujetništvu že pokazali, da bolni netopirji redkeje negujejo druge in izvajajo manj kontaktnih klicev. Zdaj pa nas je zanimalo, kako se obnašajo v naravnem okolju,« je povedal Gerald G. Carter, eden od avtorjev raziskave.

“In the laboratory, we have already shown in captive bats that sick bats are less likely to care for others and make fewer contact calls. Now we were interested in how they behave in the natural environment,” said Gerald G. Carter, one of the authors of the study.

Tokrat so raziskovalci iz enotne kolonije navadnih vampirskih netopirjev, ki živijo na območju države Belize v Srednji Ameriki, vzeli 31 samic.

This time, researchers took 31 females from a single colony of common vampire bats living in the Central American state of Belize.

Šestnajstim so vbrizgali molekulo, ki jim je sprožila slabo počutje. Petnajstim pa so dali placebo, torej so jim dali odmerek brez učinka.

Sixteen were injected with a molecule that made them feel unwell. Fifteen were given a placebo, so they were given an injection with no effect.

Vse so opremili z majčkenimi računalniškimi nahrbtniki, nič večjimi od kovanca za en cent. S senzorji bližine v njih so spremljali stike med njimi.

They were all equipped with tiny computer backpacks no larger than a one-cent coin. The proximity sensors in these monitored the contacts between them.

Nato so jih spustili nazaj v naravo in opazovali, kako se premikajo. Nekaj ur kasneje je cepivo začelo delovati in dobili so občutek, da so zboleli.

They then dropped them back into nature and watched them move. A few hours later, the injection started working and they got the feeling that they were sick.

Občutek bolezni je zelo spremenil njihovo vedenje.

The feeling of illness greatly changed their behaviour.

Slabotni netopirji so manj pogosto prihajali v stik z drugimi v koloniji, držali so se bolj zase ali pa so se družili le z drugimi obolelimi.

Sick bats were less likely to come into contact with others in the colony, kept more to themselves, or socialized only with other sufferers.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Kako se odlepiti od kavča?

How to leave the couch?

Written by Romana Dobnikar Šeruga, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Za tiste, ki vse ljube dni ždijo na kavču, gledajo televizijo in nič ne migajo, so si Angleži izmislili duhovit izraz »couch potato« (couch je kavč, potato pa krompir). In takšni zabušanti, odrasli in otroci, so se v zadnjih tednih spet namnožili po slovenskih kavčih.

For those who spend all day on the couch, watching television and not blinking, the English coined the witty term "couch potato" (couch is kavč, potato is krompir). And such slackers, adults and children, have in recent weeks multiplied again on Slovenian couches.

Že septembra so strokovnjaki za šport opozorili, da so bili otroci med pomladansko epidemijo premalo telesno dejavni in so se posledično zredili. Rezultat drugega vala epidemije verjetno ne bo nič boljši.

As early as September, sports experts warned that children were not physically active enough during the spring epidemic, and had gained weight as a result. The outcome of the second wave of the epidemic is unlikely to be any better.

Primanjkljaj organizirane vadbe se namreč pozna že po nekaj tednih, opozarja dr. Gregor Jurak s Fakultete za šport. Že v nekoronskih časih so med poletnimi počitnicami otrokom upadle telesne zmogljivosti. A ne toliko kot zdaj, v času izolacijskih ukrepov. Otroci ste namreč ostali brez pouka športne vzgoje, brez zunajšolskih športnih programov in s precej omejitvami pri gibanju v domačem okolju.

The lack of organised exercise already has effects after a few weeks, warns Dr. Gregor Jurak from the Faculty of Sports. Already in non-corona times, children's physical performance declined during the summer holidays. But not as much as now, during the isolation measures. Specifically, the children were left without physical education classes, without extracurricular sports programs and with considerable restrictions on movement in the home environment.

Gibati se moramo vsaj dve uri na dan in se pri tem še dobro oznojiti. Vir: FreepikGibati se moramo vsaj dve uri na dan in se pri tem še dobro oznojiti, svetuje dr. Gregor Jurak.

Kaj storiti?

What can we do?

Gibaj se najmanj dve uri na dan, svetuje dr. Jurak. Toda tvoja telovadba mora biti tako zahtevna, da se zadihaš in preznojiš! Tako se potem zagotovo bolje počutiš in imaš manj učnih težav.

Exercise for at least two hours a day, advises Dr. Jurak. But your  workout has to be so demanding that you gasp and sweat! Then you’ll definitely feel better and have fewer learning difficulties.

V času šolanja na daljavo je problem tudi v tem, da šolarji in dijaki preveč časa preživite pred napravami. Jasno je treba določiti čas, ki ga otrok oziroma mladostnik lahko preživi pred zaslonom le za razvedrilo, meni Jurak. In ponudi konkretno »formulo«: samo toliko časa, kolikor si se pred tem preznojil z gibanjem.

During distance learning, a problem is also that schoolchildren and students spend too much time in front of devices. It is necessary to clearly define the time that a child or adolescent can spend in front of the screen just for fun, Jurak believes. And give a concrete “formula” for this: just for as long as you were sweating with movement before.

V marsikateri družini niso samo otroci tisti, ki so ves čas prilepljeni na zaslone. Zato je dobro, da za vse družinske člane določimo v stanovanju prostor za telefone. Telefon nikakor ne sodi za jedilno mizo med obroki in v spalnico, opozarja Gregor Jurak.

In many families, it’s not just children who are glued to screens all the time. Therefore it’s good to reserve a space for phones in the apartment for all family members. The phone does not belong on the dining table during meals and in the bedroom, warns Gregor Jurak.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Praznične luči, prižgite se!

Holiday lights, turn on!

Written by Barbara Petrovčič translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Si že v nizkem štartu za veseli december?

Are you already in a low-key start for Happy December?

Božičnega vzdušja ni brez toplih oblačil, dišečih piškotov, božičnih pesmi, z lučkami obsijanega mesta in božične jelke.

There is no Christmas atmosphere without warm clothes, delicious smelling cookies, Christmas carols, the lights of a bright city and a Christmas tree.

V Ljubljani že nekaj dni krasijo mesto, da bi kljub pandemiji koronavirusa meščanom pričarali božično vzdušje.

In Ljubljana for several days now the city has been getting decorated to conjure up a Christmas atmosphere for people, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Božična smreka na Prešernovem trgu že stoji. Petdeset kilometrov luči je obešenih in danes bodo prvič zasvetile.

The Christmas spruce in Prešeren Square is already standing. Fifty kilometres of lights are hanging and they will light up for the first time today.

A zaradi koronavirusa bo tradicionalen prižig lučk drugačen kot do zdaj. Nobene prireditve ne bo, tudi nagovora župana ne. Na Mestni občini Ljubljana pravijo, da bodo lučke prižgali enkrat sredi dneva in ne v popoldanskih urah kot običajno.

But because of the coronavirus, the traditional turning on of lights will be different than before. There will be no event, not even the mayor's address. The City of Ljubljana says that the lights will be turned on in the middle of the day and not in the afternoon as usual.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ljubljana (@visitljubljana)

»Čeprav zbiranje trenutno ni dovoljeno, bo vseeno lepo. Ljubljančani si bodo okrasitev lahko ogledali na sprehodu in tako začutili malce božičnega vzdušja,« so zatrdili na občini.

“Although gathering is not allowed at the moment, it will still be nice. The people of Ljubljana will be able to see the decoration on a walk and thus feel a bit of the Christmas atmosphere, "said the municipality.

Za letošnjo okrasitev je že drugo leto zapored poskrbel Urban Modic, sin Zmaga Modica, ki je Ljubljano okraševal kar enaindvajset let. Velik del okrasitve ostaja enak kot prejšnja leta, nekaj elementov pa bo novih.

For the second year in a row, this year's decorations were taken care of by Urban Modic, the son of Zmago Modic, who has been decorating Ljubljana for twenty-one years. Much of the decorations remain the same as in previous years, but some elements will be new.

Tema letošnje okrasitve je »ranljivost in trdoživost življenja«.

The theme of this year's decorations is "the vulnerability and durability of life".

Letos so prav tako odpovedani vsi koncerti.

All concerts are also cancelled this year.

Kaj pa silvestrski ognjemet?

What about New Year's Eve fireworks?

Na občini si želijo, da bi se razmere dovolj izboljšale, da bi lahko izpeljali božični sejem in silvestrski ognjemet.

The municipality wants the situation to improve enough to be able to hold a Christmas fair and New Year's Eve fireworks.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ljubljana (@visitljubljana)

Lučke bodo te dni prižgali tudi v drugih mestih po Sloveniji – v Mariboru, Kopru, Novem mestu, Kranju in Celju. Koronavirus pa je povsod preprečil koncerte in druge dogodke, na katerih se je prejšnja leta v prazničnem decembru trlo ljudi.

The lights will also be turned on these days in other cities in Slovenia - in Maribor, Koper, Novo mesto, Kranj and Celje. The coronavirus, however, prevented concerts and other events everywhere, which in previous years were crowded in festive December.

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ljubljana (@visitljubljana)

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Kako pomagati otrokom v času epidemije?

How to help children during an epidemic?

Written by Sonja Merljak Zdovc, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Učitelji in starši se vse pogosteje sprašujejo, kako trenutne razmere doživljate otroci in kaj te pomenijo za njihovo nadaljnje življenje.

Teachers and parents are increasingly wondering how children currently experience the current situation and what it means for their future lives.

Kakšne posledice bodo epidemija in ukrepi za njeno zajezitev pustili na otrocih? Jasnih odgovorov še ni, pravi strokovnjakinja dr. Mojca Juriševič s pedagoške fakultete.

What marks will the epidemic and measures to contain it leave on children? There are no clear answers yet, says expert Dr. Mojca Juriševič from the Faculty of Education.

Vemo pa, da ste mnogi v stiski.

But we know that many of you are in need.

Staršem in učiteljem je svetovala, kako naj pomagajo, da se boste lažje spopadli z negotovimi razmerami.

She advised parents and teachers on how to help cope with the precarious situation.

Za zdrav razvoj otroci potrebujete občutek varnosti, povezanosti in zaupanja pa tudi občutek, da zmorete in da lahko aktivno prispevate, pravi strokovnjakinja.

For healthy development, children need a sense of security, connection and trust, as well as a sense that they can actively contribute, says the expert.

Te občutke in izkušnje pridobivate doma, krepite jih v odnosih s prijatelji in sošolci, a tudi v šoli.

You gain these feelings and experiences at home, strengthen them in relationships with friends and classmates, but also at school.

Šola je namreč okolje, ki prepoznava in spodbuja vaše interese, vabi k usvajanju znanja, uči, kako se spoprijeti z ovirami, in navaja na učenje, delo in sobivanje.

The school is an environment that recognises and promotes your interests, invites you to acquire knowledge, teaches you how to deal with obstacles, and teaches you to learn, work and love together.

»Iz prvega vala epidemije vemo, da so otroci upoštevali ukrepe za preprečevanje širjenja okužbe in se trudili opravljati šolsko delo v izjemnih razmerah. A ko sta se vrtec in šola prenesla na dom, so začeli pogrešati vrstnike, učitelje in šolski vsakdan. Večinoma so se izredni situaciji uspeli prilagoditi; kako dobro, je bilo odvisno od njihovih družin in konkretne podpore šol. Otroci s posebnimi potrebami in tisti iz družin z različnimi težavami pa so v tem času doživljali hude stiske.«

“We know from the first wave of the epidemic that children took measures to prevent the spread of the infection and tried to do their schoolwork in exceptional circumstances. But as kindergarten and school moved into the home, they began to miss peers, teachers, and school every day. For the most part, they managed to adapt to the emergency situation; how well depended on their families and the concrete support of the schools. Children with special needs and those from families with various problems experienced severe hardships during this time. "

Kako lahko odrasli prispevamo k dobremu počutju otrok in mladostnikov v danih razmerah?

How can adults contribute to the well-being of children and adolescents in the given situation?

Nadvse pomembno je, da se pogovarjamo, pravi strokovnjakinja.

It is extremely important that we talk, says the expert.

»Vprašajmo jih, kako se počutijo, o čem razmišljajo, kaj jih skrbi. Odgovarjajmo na vprašanja in skupaj iščimo odgovore, ki so primerni njihovi starosti in stopnji razumevanja.«

“Let’s ask them how they feel, what they think, what worries them. Let's answer the questions and together we look for answers that are appropriate for their age and level of understanding. "

Korona naj ne bo v središču vsakdana, a ne sprenevedajmo se, a obenem se ne pretvarjajmo, da je vse normalno.

Corona should not be at the centre of everyday life, but at the same time we are not pretending that everything is normal.

»Ne stresajmo jeze in nezadovoljstva nad ukrepi pred otroke, delimo z njimi misli, pomisleke, čustva, ne igrajmo vloge superjunaka, ki mu nič ne pride do živega.«

"Let's not shake with anger and dissatisfaction with the restrictions in front of children, we can share thoughts, concerns, emotions with them, let's not play the role of a superhero whom nothing upsets."

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Joe Biden bo novi ameriški predsednik

Joe Biden will be the new US President

Written by Romana Dobnikar Šeruga, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Več kot tri dni je ves svet nestrpno čakal na rezultate ameriških predsedniških volitev. V soboto popoldne po našem času so tri največje ameriške televizijske hiše končno za zmagovalca razglasile demokratskega kandidata Joeja Bidna.

For more than three days, the whole world has been eagerly awaiting the results of the U.S. presidential election. On Saturday afternoon our time, the three largest American television stations finally declared the Democratic candidate Joe Biden the winner.

Donald Trump pa noče priznati poraza. Trdi, da volitve še niso končane. A v resnici ni več mogoče, da bi število nepreštetih glasov še spremenilo rezultat.

Donald Trump, however, refuses to admit defeat. He claims the election is not over yet. But in reality, it is no longer possible for the number of uncounted votes to change the result.

Joe Biden se je takoj po objavi neuradnih rezultatov oglasil s tvitom. »Ponosen sem, da ste me izbrali za to, da vodim našo véliko državo,« je zapisal. »Delo, ki je pred nami, bo težko, toda obljubljam vam tole: bom predsednik vseh Američanov – pa če ste volili zame ali ne. Upravičil bom vaše zaupanje.«

Joe Biden tweeted immediately after the unofficial results were announced. "I am proud that you have chosen me to lead our great country," he wrote. "The work ahead will be difficult, but I promise you this: I will be the president of all Americans - whether you voted for me or not. I will justify your trust. "

Joe Biden se bo v zgodovino zapisal kot najstarejši predsednik doslej – 20. novembra bo dopolnil 78 let.

Joe Biden will go down in history as the oldest president ever - on November 20, he will turn 78.

V zgodovino pa se bodo te volitve zapisale tudi s tem, ker je bila na podpredsedniško mesto prvič izvoljena ženska, in to temnopolta. Petinpetdesetletna Kamala Harris je hči priseljencev, mame Indijke in očeta z Jamajke. Vzgojena je bila v večinsko črnski soseski in se že vse življenje sooča z rasizmom. Biden jo je označil za »bojevnico za malega človeka«.

However, these elections will also go down in history because a black woman was elected vice-president for the first time. Fifty-five-year-old Kamala Harris is the daughter of immigrants, an Indian mother and a Jamaican father. She was raised in a predominantly black neighbourhood and has faced racism all her life. Biden called her a "warrior for the little man."

Na novico o zmagi se je v pogovoru z Bidnom odzvala s svojim značilnim gromkim smehom:

She responded to the news of the victory in a conversation with Biden with her characteristic loud laugh:

We did it, @JoeBiden. pic.twitter.com/oCgeylsjB4

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) November 7, 2020

Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.

Časoris is an online newspaper aimed at children. Each week we’ll take an article and post it here as a Slovene-English dual text.

Ptice so začele peti tiše

The birds began to sing quieter

Written by Urša Adamič, translated by JL Flanner & G Translate

Od sredine marca, ko so povsod po svetu začeli veljati ukrepi zaradi pandemije, je raziskovalna skupina natančno poslušala oglašanje ptic na obali San Francisca in v njegovi okolici.

Since mid-March, when pandemic measures took effect around the world, a research team has been listening intently to bird calls on and around the San Francisco coast.

Prišla je do presenetljivega odkritja: ptice so prepevale tišje kot leta poprej. In ne samo to. Tudi njihovo vedenje se je spremenilo.

it made a surprising discovery: the birds sang quieter than previous years. And not only that. Their behaviour has also changed.

Poslušali so beloglave vrabonade iz družine vrabcev. Na podeželju, kjer je slišati le veter in morske valove, pojejo drugače kot v glasnem mestu.

They listened to the white-crowned sparrow from the sparrow family. In the countryside, where only the wind and sea waves can be heard, they sing differently than in a loud city.

Vozila proizvajajo stalen šum na nizki frekvenci. Slišimo ga kjerkoli v mestu. Zaradi tega mestnega šuma se tudi ptice pevke med seboj slabše slišijo.

Vehicles produce constant noise at low frequency. We hear it everywhere in the city. Due to this city noise, songbirds also hear each other less well.

»To jim povzroča veliko težav. S svojo pesmijo namreč iščejo partnerja, branijo hrano in gnezdo. Številne ptice pevke so razvile prilagoditve, s katerimi preglasijo mestni hrup,« je za Časoris razložila vodja raziskovalne skupine Elizabeth Derryberry.

“It causes them a lot of problems. With their song they’e looking for a partner, defending food and a nest. Many songbirds have developed adaptations to overcome city noise, ”research team leader Elizabeth Derryberry told Časoris.

Da bi ptice preglasile šum iz okolice, so se v mestu začele oglašati glasneje in na višjih frekvencah. V času umiritve javnega življenja zaradi pandemije novega koronavirusa pa se je mestni šum močno zmanjšal in vplival tudi na petje ptic.

In order for the birds to drown out the noise from the surroundings, they began to sing louder and at higher frequencies in the city. At a time when public life was calming down due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, however, city noise was greatly reduced and this also affected bird singing.

»Šum mesta je postal podoben šumu iz časa, ko so v njem odraščali naše babice in dedki. Ko je mesto skoraj utihnilo, se je spremenilo tudi petje ptic. Pele so tišje, na nižjih frekvencah in uporabljale so širši razpon tonov,« je še dodala Elizabeth.

“The noise of the city has become similar to the noise from the time when our grandparents grew up in it. As the city almost fell silent, the birdsong also changed. They sang quieter, at lower frequencies, and used a wider range of tones, ”added Elizabeth.

Njihov napev je postal bolj podoben napevu ptičev na podeželju. Njihovo petje je bilo slišati dvakrat dlje kot ponavadi.

Their song became more like the songs of birds in the countryside. Their singing was heard twice as long as usual.

Tudi njihovo vedenje se je spremenilo. Samci so postali manj bojeviti.

Their behaviour has also changed. Males have become less combative.

Napev samca beloglavega vrabonada

The tune of a male white-crowned sparrow.

 Read more stories and improve your Slovene at Časoris, while all our dual texts can be found here.