Two petitions recently posted on the Public Policy Online Participation Network Platform calling for a four-day workweek and shorter weekly working hours have both passed the requiredsignature threshold for a government response.

近期公共政策網路參與平台上所發布的要求每週工作四天以及縮短工時的兩份請願書皆已超過政府作出回應的連署簽名門檻，並要求政府作出回應。

the Public Policy Online Participation Network Platform：公共政策網路參與平台，是由中華民國國家發展委員會所建置之政府與民間互動溝通的單一討論平臺。
petition：（n.）請願；請願書
threshold：（n.）門檻；閥
call for：呼籲

The first petitioncalls onthe government to "make Taiwan the first country in Asia to have a three-day weekend"and it has gained 5,736 signatures, surpassing the minimum 5,000 mark needed for a government response by June 26.

第一份請願書呼籲政府「讓台灣成為亞洲第一個週休三日的國家」，且已獲得5,736個連署簽名，超過了政府於6月26日之前做出回應所需的最低5,000個簽名。

call on：請求；號召
surpass：（v.）超過；大於；優於；勝於
surpass的本意是「超越」，用來指「大大超越限度」，不僅指數量、範圍，更用於指事物、性質，比如優點、道德、技能等。常引申作為「凌駕」的意思，用來正面地談論某個成就或基準得到了提高。
minimum：（n.）最低限度；最小值
minimum的相反詞是maximum，最大限度；最大值

The second petition appeals to revise Article 30 of the Labor Standards Act to lower the number of daily working hours to six or seven and cut work hours down to 30-35per week. It has garnered 5,140 signatures and now requires a government response by July 2.

appeal to：訴請；尤指向公眾的呼籲
revise：（v.）修訂
the Labor Standards Act：（n.）勞動基準法

第二份請願書要求修改《勞動基準法》第30條，將每日工作時間減少至6-7小時，並將每週工作時間減少至30-35小時。請願書已獲得5,140個簽名，現在需要政府在7月2日之前做出回應。

One private company in Taiwan, the publishing firm Booklife, has adopted the four-day workweek on its own since 2013. The companysays that results aregood andthat productivity stays the same after the switch as well.

台灣民間企業，圓神出版社早在2013年就已經實施周休三日，而且該公司自認成效良好，在改變制度後運作效率也很正常。

adopt：（v.）採取
productivity：（n.）生產力
switch：（n.）轉變

Vice Premier Cheng Wen-tsan said that presently no country in Asia has promoted a policy of a three-day weekend. The president of Soochow University says he supports the four-day workweek and would be glad to implement itif relevant regulations were amended.

行政院副院長鄭文燦表示目前亞洲還沒有國家推行週休三日政策。東吳大學校長潘維大表示支持每週四日工作制，若相關法令鬆綁，將十分樂意配合執行。

promote：（v.）推行
support：（v.）支持
implement：（v.）實行
relevant：（adj.）相關的
regulation：（n.）法規
amend：（v.）修正

A four-day workweek scheme would not only impact workers but also schools, public sector, andmilitary, said Huang Wei-chen (黃維琛), director of the Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment under the MOL on May 15.He said, the discussions will be held to evaluate the proposal,anddetermine which ministries would be affected, and present a government response to the petition before June 16.

勞動部（MOL）勞動條件及就業平等司司長Huang Wei-chen（黃維琛）於五月十五日表示，為期四天的工作週計畫不僅影響勞工，也將影響學校、公共部門和軍隊。他同時表示，將舉行討論以評估該提案以確定將會有哪些部門受到影響，並於六月十六日前對請願書做出回應。

impact：（v.）影響；衝擊
public sector：（n.）公部門
the Department of Labor Standards and Equal Employment：勞動條件及就業平等司MOL：勞動部the Ministry of Labor的頭字語縮寫
scheme：（n.）方案
evaluate：（v.）評估
proposal：（n.）提案