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China,中国：

China, Germany sign 19 cooperation documents
中德之间签署19项合作协议

China and Germany inked 19 documents of bilateral cooperation in Beijing Monday, with Premier Wen Jiabao and visiting German Chancellor Angela Merkel attending the signing ceremony.
星期一，中国与德国在北京签署了19项双边合作协议。国家总理温家宝和来访的德国官员Angela Merkel参加了签署仪式。

These documents mainly cover such fields as railway technology, financial cooperation, high tech dialogue, telecommunications, energy, culture and sports. The two sides also signed a memorandum of understanding on the protection of intellectual property in textile industry.

这些文件主要包含了如铁路科技、金融合作、高科技对话、电信业、能源、文化和体育等领域。双方还在纺织业方面签署了一份保护知识产权的谅解备忘录。

Key words,关键词:

Cooperation – 合作项目；bilateral – 双边；

 

One in seven Chinese living on under US$1 daily

每七个中国人中有一个生活在每日收入一美元以下

There are now at least 200 million Chinese living below the United Nations definition of the poverty line. In other words, nearly one in seven Chinese nationals live in extremely reduced circumstances, earning less than US$1 per person daily.

现在至少有两亿中国人生活在联合国定义的贫困线以下。换句话说，每七个中国人中将仅有一人生活在极其简单的环境里，每天每人收入低于一美元。

This figure is ten times worse than the current Chinese official estimate of 20 million people earning subsistence level incomes of below 683 yuan yearly.

这个数据比目前官方估算的约有两亿人每年生活费收入低于683元的补助水平，要糟糕的多。

The current subsistence level income standard is now only 20 per cent of the rural population's average yearly income of 3,255 yuan.

目前的收入补助水平线仅仅是农村人口平均年收入3225元的百分之二十。

Most impoverished people are scattered in regions with largely underdeveloped production capabilities, harsh natural environments, and a low quality labor force. They are economically marginalized and highly vulnerable to any possible misfortune.

多数的贫困人口分散在广大的劳动力低下、自然环境恶劣和劳动人口素质低下的区域。他们被社会经济排挤到了社会的边缘，而对任何灾难都缺乏抵抗力。

Key words,关键词:

Poverty – 贫困；subsistence – 补助；

 

China to set up special fund for poverty reduction
中国将会设立特别基金来降低贫困

China is expected to set up a special industrial fund to boost its poverty reduction efforts, according to sources attending a symposium on the sustained development in the country's poverty-stricken areas.

根据来自在贫困地区进行可持续性发展的研讨会的消息，中国将会建立一个特别的产业基金来大力降低贫困度。

The poverty reduction fund was proposed by the China Association for Poverty Alleviation and Development, but there's no timetable yet as to when it will be launched。

这笔贫困基金是由中国贫困缓解与发展协会提出的，目前还没有明确的启动的时间表。

China has made great achievements in poverty reduction but the biggest obstacle in this endeavor is lack of fund. Between 2001 and 2005, China's central coffer arranged 57.2 billion yuan (7.15 billion U.S. dollars) of poverty relief fund, with an annual increase of 6.45 percent.

中国已在降低贫困方面取得了巨大的进展，但目前该项目的最大的障碍是缺乏资金。2001年至2005年中国央行已经组织了572亿元的扶贫资金，而每年的增长率在百分之6.45。

An industrial fund for poverty reduction purposes would therefore be an effective way to raise funds for the benefits of the poverty-stricken population and the investors alike, as it is expected to yield higher returns.

而一个以降低贫困为目的的产业基金可以成为使贫困人口和投资者都受益的有效方式，因为预计的回报率将会比较高。

Key words,关键词:

Poverty reduction – 减少贫困；industry fund – 产业基金；

 

1 in 136 US residents behind bars

每136个美国人中就有一个在监狱服刑

US prisons and jails added more than 1,000 inmates each week for a year, putting almost 2.2 million people, or one in every 136 US residents, behind bars by last summer.

到去年夏天为止，美国的监狱每周会有超过一千名的入狱者，而每年可以达到将近220万人，或者说，每136人中就有一人。

The total on June 30, 2005, was 56,428 more than at the same time in 2004, the government reported Sunday. That 2.6 percent increase from mid-2004 to mid-2005 translates into a weekly rise of 1,085 inmates.

美国政府星期天发表报告说，2005年六月30日的在狱总数为56428人，比2004年同期来得多。而2005年中期比2004年中期上升百分之2.6的问题，说明美洲的入狱人数上升了1085人。

Beck, the bureau's chief of corrections statistics, said the increase in the number of people in the 3,365 local jails is due partly to their changing role. Jails often hold inmates for state or federal systems, as well as people who have yet to begin serving a sentence.

官方统计主管Beck说，3365所地方监狱的人数增长的部分原因是监狱职能的改变。地方监狱通常为洲及联邦看押犯人，以及关押尚未开始服刑的人。

"The jail population is increasingly unconvicted," Beck said. "Judges are perhaps more reluctant to release people pretrial."

Beck说：“狱中未判刑的人口越来越多了，法官们可能越来越不愿意在审讯前假释犯人了。”

The report by the Justice Department agency found that 62 percent of people in jails have not been convicted, meaning many of them are awaiting trial.

来自法律部门的报告说，百分之六十二的在押人口还未被判决，说明还有很多人在等待审讯。

Overall, 738 people were locked up for every 100,000 residents, compared with a rate of 725 at mid-2004. The states with the highest rates were Louisiana and Georgia, with more than 1 percent of their populations in prison or jail. Rounding out the top five were Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma.

总的来说，每十万个居民中就有738人在狱中，相比之下，2004年中期的比率为725。比率最高的洲是路易斯安娜洲和佐治亚洲，有超过百分之一的人口在狱中。其他入围前五名的还有德克萨斯、密西西比和奥克拉哈马洲。

Men were 10 times to 11 times more likely than women to be in prison or jail, but the number of women behind bars was growing at a faster rate.

比起女人，男人有十倍至十一倍的更高的可能性入狱，但女性入狱的增长率比较高。

The racial makeup of inmates changed little in recent years, Beck said. In the 25-29 age group, an estimated 11.9 percent of black men were in prison or jails, compared with 3.9 percent of Hispanic males and 1.7 percent of white males.

近年来，种族方面的入狱人口构成并没有大的改变。在25岁至29岁的黑人中，约有百分之11.9的人口在狱，相比之下，西班牙裔为百分之三点九，白人为百分之一点七。

 

注：英文原文来源于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

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China,中国：

Yangtze River Delta uses nearly half of China's foreign capital

长三角地区使用了近半数的中国海外资本投资

Urban centers along the Yangtze River Delta, one of China's three major city clusters, has absorbed nearly half of the country's total foreign capital

中国最大的三个城市聚集区之一，滨邻长江三角洲的城市已经吸引了本国近半数的海外资本。

The region has used 47.8 percent of the total foreign capital in China, according to officials and experts at an ongoing forum on economic development along Yangtze River in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province. Statistics show that more than 400 of the world's top 500 companies have established a foothold in the delta.

根据正在中国江苏省省会南京进行的长三角经济发展论坛的官员和专家说，该地区已经使用了中国百分之47.8的海外资本投资。统计数据显示，世界500强的公司中已有超过400家在该三角洲地区建立了立足点。

Experts say the Yangtze River economic belt has become a high-tech base in China, and expect to play a crucial role in the country's development.

专家们说长三角经济带已经成为中国的高科技基地，预计会在中国的发展中扮演至关重要的角色。

Key words,关键词:

Foreign capital – 海外资本；Yangtze River delta – 长江三角洲；high-tech base – 高科技基地

 

China to restrict college enrollments

中国将会限制大学登记入学

 

The Chinese government has agreed proposals to restrict the growth of college enrollments so as to improve teaching conditions and ease graduate employment pressures.

中国政府已经同意限制大学登记入学的增长以改善教学条件，并缓解毕业生就业压力。

Last year, colleges and universities enrolled 5.04 million students, 4.7 times more than in 1998.

去年，专科院校和综合大学的登记入学人数达到504万，是1998年的4.7倍。

However, they still faced problems of out-dated teaching methods, insufficient funding and a surplus number of graduates looking for jobs.

然而，他们仍然面临教学手段落后，资金不足，以及毕业生过剩，难以找到工作的问题。

State councilors agreed it was necessary to control the increase of enrollment so that adequate funds could be allocated, teaching conditions improved, subjects and majors adjusted, and skills training reformed among other measures.

国务院成员同意应该控制入学注册增长的说法，这样资金才能被合理分配，教学条件才能得到改善，科目和专业才能得到调整，技能培训才能参照其他的标准进行改革。

The scale of enrollment should be fixed in accordance with local conditions and controlled at a stable level, while education of high school graduates and occupational training should be strengthened.

登记注册的规模应当根据地方的条件来决定，并控制在稳定的水平。而高中毕业生的教育和职业培训应当得到加强。

In addition, occupational and adult education needed to be boosted to ensure more access to higher education.

另外，需要推进职业教育和成人教育来保障更多的达到高等教育的途径。

China will face serious difficulties during the next two quarters with 60 percent of new graduates facing unemployment, according to a report published by the National Development and Reform Commission.

根据国家发改委发布的一份报告，在未来的两个季度里，中国将会面临百分之六十的毕业生得不到就业的严重困难。

The number of graduates will increase by 22 percent over the previous year to 4.13 million while the job market can only soak up 1.66 million, down 22 percent on the previous year.

毕业生数量将会比去年增加百分之二十二，达到四百一十三万，而就业市场仅能吸纳最多一百六十六万，比去年下降了百分之二十二。

 

Key words,关键词:

Enrollment – 注册、登记入学；employment pressure – 就业压力；higher education – 高等教育；

 

Telecom regulators must do more

电信的规范者应当做得更多
 

China Mobile began formally implementing its new pricing initiative in Beijing yesterday, providing lower-price charging packages for local users.

中国移动于昨天开始正式实施它在北京的新价格措施，为该地区的用户提供更低价格的整体销售计划。

Many people are not satisfied, however, because they can choose only one of the two pricing packages for making and receiving calls. Many also maintain that the reduction is a promotional gimmick rather than a real price cut; if the carrier is sincere to cut the expensive communications fees, they argue, it is better to adopt a one-way charging regime, instead of the current two-way one.

然而，很多人却并不满意，因为他们只能在两个拨打与接受电话的价格销售计划中选择其一。很多人还认为这与其说是一次真正意义上的降价，不如说是一个销售陷阱。他们争辩说，如果执行者真的想降低昂贵的通信费用的话，还不如采取一个单向收费的政策来取代现今的双向政策。

An online survey by Sina.com.cn, one of the nation's top portals, shows nearly 80 per cent of more than 60,000 respondents were not satisfied with the move, and 96 per cent believe there is still room for further adjustment, as of yesterday morning.

昨天上午，来自中国最大的网站之一的新浪网的一份问卷显示，在超过六万名的回应者中，近百分之八十的人表示对这样的举动不满意，百分之九十六的人相信还有进一步调整的空间。

Business,商业：

Exporters face curbs on dumping

出口商在倾销问题上将受到限制

The government plans to use stronger regulation to prevent enterprises from exporting at "unreasonably low prices," in a bid to ensure the growth of export.
China's Ministry of Commerce released yesterday a draft provisional regulation on investigation and penalties of unreasonably low-priced export.

为了保证出口的增长，政府计划采用更有力的政策来防止企业在出口时使用“不合理的低价格”。中国商业部昨天颁布了一份关于调查和处罚不合理低价出口的临时政策草案。

The ministry said the move aimed to "safeguard the normal order of foreign trade, protect the rights of enterprises and avoid the bad practices of unreasonably low-priced export."

商业部说，其目的是为了“维护正常的对外贸易秩序，保护企业的权利和避免不利的不合理低价出口。”

The regulation stipulates that any person, enterprise and association in China could file complaints with the Ministry of Commerce against others for low-priced exports.

该政策规定中国的任何个人、企业和行会都可以通过商业部对他人的低价出口提出备案投诉。

Products will be regarded as "unreasonably low-priced export" if they are sold at prices 2 per cent lower than their average costs during the investigation. The costs refer to the total payout for production, management and sales.

在调查中如发现产品低于其平均成本百分之二销售的将会被认定为“不合理的低价格出口”。该成本指生产、管理和销售的总支出。

An enterprise charged with exporting such goods could be fined up to 30,000 yuan (US$3,750), or prohibited from exporting anything for up to 12 months.

被指控出口类似的产品的企业将被罚最多三万元人民币，或12个月内禁止从事任何出口贸易。

Key words,关键词:

Dumping – 倾销；export—出口；payout – 支出；prohibit—禁止；

 

Police crack down on pyramid selling

警方捣毁传销

Chinese authorities have uncovered more than 1 billion yuan (US$127 million) of illegal pyramid sales in the last 12 months, it was revealed yesterday.

根据昨天的报道，中国官方在过去12个月内，共揭露了超过十亿元的非法传销买卖。

Figures disclosed by the Ministry of Public Security showed that 516 cases have been uncovered involving 1147 direct selling organizations. A total of 3,408 suspects were arrested.

公安部披露的数据显示，有516宗案件涉及到了1147个直销机构，共有3408人被捕。

Gao Feng, deputy director of the Economic Crime Investigation Bureau of the ministry, said that pyramid selling had become "a serious economic crime in China."

经济犯罪调查局副主任高峰说，传销在中国已经成为一种严重的经济犯罪。

He warned that special attention would be paid to pyramid selling on university campuses,

他警告说，对于校园内的传销将特别得到重视。

China issued a blanket ban on all varieties of direct and pyramid selling in 1998 due to widespread pyramid schemes. During the ban, door-to-door sellers were restricted to selling in retail stores.

由于广泛的传销问题，中国于1998年对各式各样的直销与传销实行了统一的禁令。在此期间，上门销售者被限制在了零售店里。

However, the State Council issued a regulation late last year to distinguish direct selling from pyramid selling, which opened the door to legitimate direct selling companies.

然而，去年国务院颁布了一项区分直销与传销的规则，对合法的直销公司开放了大门。

The only company to have acquired a license was Avon China in February.

唯一获得（直销）许可的公司是二月份的雅芳中国。

A pyramid sales organization requires every member to fork out a non-refundable registration fee, and then they have to coax other people to join the multi-level network and earn commission based on the number of new members they entice.

传销公司会要求所有成员缴纳一笔不可退还的登记费用，然后他们就得哄骗其他人加入这样的多层组织，并根据他们诱骗到的新成员数量提成。

Gao reiterated that the public should not believe organizers' deceptive stories about getting rich overnight, and advised that anyone could dial 010-65204333 to report pyramid selling activities.

‘高’一再说，公众不应当相信那些组织者的一夜致富的谎言，并称任何人都可以拨打010-65204333反映传销活动。

Key words,关键词:

Crack down – 捣毁；pyramid selling – 传销；legitimate direct selling – 合法直销；commission – 提成；佣金；

注：英文原文来源于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

看新闻，学英语： 20060509

China,中国：

China vows to close unsafe coal mines

中国誓言关闭不安全的煤矿
 

The Chinese government has vowed to close all small coal mines operating without proper safety standards in the next three years.

中国政府誓言在三年内关闭所有不具备适当的安全标准的小型煤矿。

More than 7,000 small coal mines were to close imminently, Li Yizhong, director of the State Administration of Work Safety, announced at a conference on work safety on Monday.

国家工作安全管理部门主任李益中，在星期一的一次工作安全会议商说，有超过七千家的小型煤矿亟待关闭。

Under the 11th five-year plan, the government plans to cut the number of small mines from around 23,000 to 10,000 by 2010.

在第十一个五年规划中，政府计划到2010年时将小型煤矿的数量从约23000家减少到10000家。

The government is committed to restructuring its coal mining sector, which has been plagued by accidents.

政府决心要重组事故灾难不断的煤矿业。

Local governments have been instructed to close all mines with a production capacity of less than 30,000 tons by the end of 2007.

地方政府被要求于2007年年底前关闭所有的产量低于3万吨的煤矿。

The reform also encourages large mining firms to merge with smaller ones as the government regards larger companies as more safety conscious.

该项改革还将鼓励大煤矿合并小煤矿，因为政府认为大公司的安全意思比较强。

Key words,关键词:

Coal mine – 煤矿；safety standard – 安全标准；restructure – 重建、调整；merge – 合并；

 

Business,商业：

Chinese shares up 36 percent in five months

中国股票在五个月里上升了百分之三十六
 

Chinese share prices have jumped by 36 percent in the past five months, helped by efforts to revitalize its capital market and improved investor confidence at home and abroad.

得益于资金市场的重组，以及国内外上升的投资者信心，在过去的五个月里中国股票的价格跳跃了百分之36。

Stock markets closed about four percent up on Monday with major indices boosted by strong performance of the Hong Kong stock market and foreign bourses over the past week, during which Hong Kong's Hang Seng index reached a five-year high.

星期一，因过去几周香港股市和国外交易所的强势表现，（在此期间香港恒生指数达到了五年来的最高），几大交易指数得到大幅提高，国内股市在结束前上升了百分之四。

The composite stock index on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, which comprises yuan-denominated A shares and foreign-currency B shares, closed at 1,497.1 points, up by 56.8 points, or 3.95 percent, with a total turnover of 29.6 billion yuan (3.7 billion U.S. dollars).

上海证交所的复合股指数，包括人民币业务的A股和外国货币的B股，在结束时达到1497.1点，上升了56.8点，或者说3.95%。总成交量达到296亿元。

 

Telecom operators to slash fees

电信业者将大幅降价

Chinese regulators yesterday made a surprise move by giving the greenlight to telecom operators who want to slash mobile phone charges in Beijing.

中国的政府调节员昨天做出了令人震惊的举动，给想对北京地区的手机费用大幅降价的电信业者开放了绿灯。

This will particularly affect the current system of charging users high fees for both making and receiving calls.

这将尤其影响到向用户呼出和接听都收取高额费用的现有体系。

The move marks a milestone in China's reform of the charging schemes for telecom voice services.

这样的举措成为中国电信声讯服务收费方案改革的里程碑。

Wang Lijian, a spokesman for the Ministry of Information Industry (MII), said the department had approved applications from Beijing Mobile and Beijing Unicom to cut mobile telecom fees in the capital.

信息部发言人王利坚说，该部已经批准了北京移动和北京联通在首都降低手机电信收费的申请。

"The price cuts, which are very significant, will be implemented this month," Wang said yesterday.

‘王’说，这次很大幅度的降价将于本月开始实施。

Pang Wei, a senior official with China Unicom, parent of Beijing Unicom, said the price cuts are a response to consumers' increasing complaints about high fees.

中国联通，北京联通的母公司高级职员庞伟说，这次降价是对不断上升的顾客高费用投诉的回应。

A government-set two-way charging scheme has long been practised in China's telecom sector.

在中国的电信产业，政府制定的双向收费计划已实施了很长时间。

This charges users for both making and receiving calls.

该计划对使用者呼出和接听电话都是收费的。

Over recent years operators have been offering various packages that have lowered fees in most parts of the country.

在近几年的时间里，供应商在全国的多数地区提供了各式各样的包含了较低费用的整套促销服务。

But in Beijing subscribers pay more than anywhere else in the country.

但北京的用户的付费比其他任何地区的都高。

There were a lot of complaints about high fees in the capital from delegates at the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), both held in March, according to Pang.

据‘庞’说，三月份召开的全国人民代表大会和全国人民政治协商会议期间，有很多的代表对首都的高费用进行了抱怨。

In response, the MII then held talks with China Mobile and China Unicom about cutting prices, he said.

作为回应，他说，信息部与中国移动和中国联通进行了会谈。

Subscribers to China Mobile's GoTone service in Beijing typically pay 50 yuan (US$6.25) per month in subscription fees and 0.4 yuan (US$0.05) per minute for both receiving and making calls.

中国移动GoTone的北京用户需要特别支付每月50元的佣金和呼出接听各0.4元每分钟的话费。

This charging scheme has remained largely unchanged for years.

这样的收费几年来都没有什么改变。

According to China Mobile's proposed packages approved by the MII yesterday, the cuts will be very significant.

根据信息部昨天批准的中国移动提出的整套促销服务的内容，这次降价将会很显著。

This is good news for people living in Beijing, who usually express frustration with expensive communications services.

这对于住在北京的那些常对昂贵的通信服务表示苦不堪言的人来说，将是一个好消息。

Key words,关键词:

Charging scheme – 收费方案；significant – 显著的；package – 整套促销服务；subscription fee – 佣金；签约费；

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

看新闻，学英语： 20060504

International,国际：

China, US space partnership welcomed
中美有意建立太空合作伙伴关系

China looks forward to co-operating with the United States in the space field, and expects personnel exchanges between the two sides will become "normal", a senior aerospace executive said yesterday in Beijing.

中国航天一名高级行政人员昨天在北京说，中国希望与美国在太空领域合作，认为未来双边的人员往来会“正常”化。

Asked to comment on the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) chief Michael Griffin's upcoming trip to China, the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp President Zhang Qingwei said China had always welcomed such visits.

再问到关于美国航空航天局首脑Michael Griffin即将来中国的访问时，中国太空科学科技中心主席张清为说，中国一向都是欢迎这样的来访的。

"We welcome them (US visitors) to take a look over here," Zhang told China Daily.

‘张’对中国日报说，“我们欢迎他们（美国访客）到这里看看。”

"But personally, I hope the exchanges will become more reciprocal."

“但我个人而言，我希望这样的人员往来将会变得更互利。”

Zhang was referring to the fact that while China's door has been open to US visitors, Chinese aerospace staff have frequently been denied visas in recent years.

‘张’指的是中国的大门已对美国访客打开了，而近年来中国航空人员却屡遭美国拒签。

NASA chief Griffin was quoted by AFP as saying of his upcoming China visit: "I think the United States has always benefited from discussions, I do not see how it can hurt us."

法新社引用美国航空航天局首脑Griffin对即将到来的中国之行发表的话说，“我认为美国总能从谈话中获益，我不认为它会对我们有什么损害。”

Griffin said that the United States needs both good partners and competitors in space exploration, and sometimes they can be both a competitor and a partner.

Griffin说，美国在太空探索方面既需要好的搭档，也需要竞争者，有时可以同时是竞争者和合作者。

Zhang said as with other countries, China and the United States can co-operate in areas including deep space exploration, commercial satellite launches and manned space flights.

‘张’说，与其他国家一起，中国和美国可以在深太空探索、商业卫星投放和载人航天飞船方面进行合作。

Key words,关键词:

Aeronautic – 太空的；reciprocal – 互惠互利的；space exploration – 太空探索；

 

Life,生活：

Cool ideas to beat the heat
避暑好主意

Summer is just around the corner, and while Beijing is dry and dusty, the reservoirs on the outskirts of the city that make possible your daily showers, offer a cool respite. Below are three reservoirs that are worth a day visit during the holidays:

夏天将至，北京干燥多尘，那些每天为你提供洗澡水的北京郊外的水库成为了凉爽的好去处。下面是假日期间值得花一天旅行的3个水库。

Longqing Ravine

龙清谷

Since it opened in 1984, Longqing Ravine has become a popular scenic spot and is often called a mini Three Gorges.

始于1984年，已成为一个热门的旅游景点，常被称为小三峡。

The big attraction of the ravine is sailing over the emerald waters of the Gucheng Reservoir. The placid waters run 40 metres deep on average and 60 metres deep in some places. Acrobatic stunts atop steel wires high above the water is another attraction. For an adrenaline rush, there is rock climbing and bungee jumping.

该景点的最大的引人之处是在碧绿的古城水库上泛舟。其水一般有40米深，有些最深处有60米深。在水面上的高空杂技表演是另一个引人之处。对于寻找刺激的来说，那里有攀岩和蹦极跳。

The low hills offer a good way to work up a sweat. Visitors should take some warm clothing along as temperatures can be a lot lower than in Beijing.

那里的小山是健身的好地方。访客最好带些厚一点的衣服，因为那里的气温可能比北京低不少。

 

Qinglong Gorge

青龙峡

Located close to a pass of the Great Wall in Huairou District, the Dashuiyu Reservoir opened in 1996.

位于离长城的某个出入口很近的怀柔区，大水域水库始于1996年。

The hills here are less steep than at Longqing Ravine but unique views of the Great Wall add much appeal to the gorge. Water activities are the focus here too. Visitors can either paddle on bamboo rafts and boats in the southern part of the reservoir where the average depth is one metre, or cruise on a boat in the northern part where the waters run 40 to 50 metres deep.

比起龙清谷，这里的山并不深，但由于可以看到长城的景观，使该峡景致倍增。水项目也是这里的焦点。游客可以在水库南部平均水深仅一米的区域以竹筏或小舟戏水，也可在水深达40到50米的北部泛舟。

The apex of the gorge is called Platform of Emperor Jade and offers a bird's eye view of the surrounding areas.

峡谷的最高处称为玉帝坛，能对周围区域进行鸟瞰。

 

Shuanglongxia

双龙峡

This is a newly developed scenic spot to the west of Beijing and is often compared to Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan Province.

这是位于北京西部的新兴景点，常被人们与四川的九寨沟相比。

Shuanglongxia's main attractions are its waterfalls and plantations. There are two big waterfalls, with the waters plunging down 29 metres, and numerous smaller ones. Winding paths lead into a lush forest whose thick canopy reminds one of rainforests. The well-kept villages nearby are also worth a visit. There is even a small train that runs through the forest.

双龙峡的主要景观是它的瀑布和森林，有两处落差达二十九米的瀑布和无数的小瀑布。另有曲径通幽的热带雨林，一个保存完好的村落，甚至还有穿过雨林的小火车。

Besides opportunities for boating and fishing, a special harvest at the end of June makes possible the picking of ripe apricots in nearby Huocun Village.

除了泛舟和垂钓的机会，六月底去，还有可能成为在附近的霍村采摘成熟的杏子的特别收获之旅。

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。 

看新闻，学英语： 20060418

International,国际：

Expert: US must stay out of Beijing-Taipei spat

专家：美国必须回避海峡两岸的争端
 

The United States should renounce military commitments to Taipei to avoid a potentially costly conflict if the island declares independence from China, said the author of book which warns of a possible US-China war within the next decade.

写下了一本警告未来十年美中之间有可能发生战争的书的作者说，美国应该终止对台湾的军事承诺，以避免一旦该岛宣布独立时，所产生的潜在的代价高昂的军事冲突。

Defending Taiwan from the assault, that Beijing threatens to unleash in the event of an independence declaration, is "a bridge too far" for the United States, said Ted Galen Carpenter, vice-president for defense and foreign policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertarian Washington think tank.

Washington think tank的自由言论者，Cato学院的国家防卫与国外政策研究副主任，Ted Galen Carpenter说，北京威胁在出现独立申明时将采取武力解决，而在那时要防御台湾于军事攻击，对美国来说，是“鞭长莫及”的。

His book, "America's Coming War with China: A Collision Course over Taiwan," says the United States stands between two inexorably opposed forces and unfinished Chinese civil war.

在他的“美中即将来临的战争：因台湾而起”一书中，说道，美国正站在两个翻脸的势力之间、卷入了一个未完成的中国内战中。

"There may not be a way to avoid a collision between the two, unless one side or another blinks," Carpenter told Reuters in an interview. "What the United States needs to do is to get out of the middle of that quarrel."

Carpenter在对路透社的采访时说，“除非其中一边先动摇，可能无法避免那两者间的冲突，而美国该做的就是从争论的两方中间走出来。”

A war between the United States and China could erupt by about 2013, the estimated date Beijing would be militarily capable of taking back Taiwan, Carpenter says in the book. An attack on Taiwan could draw in the United States because it has given defense assurances to the island.

Carpenter在书中说道，美中之间的战争可能在2013年爆发，预计在那时中国将会有足够的能力收回台湾，而对台湾的进攻将会因为美国对该岛的防御担保而把美国也卷进战争中去。

"At some point either Taiwan provokes Beijing beyond endurance or Beijing decides the time is right to settle this issue on Chinese terms. Given the trends on Taiwan and the mainland, I think a collision is very likely at some point within the next decade," he said.

他说，“某个程度上讲，要么是台湾激怒北京，并超出其忍受程度，要么就是北京认为以中国的方式解决问题的时候到了。从台湾和北京的趋势来看，我认为未来十年很可能产生军事冲突”。

China says it will use military force if Taiwan declares independence. The United States admits Beijing's "one China" policy -- that Beijing is the sole legitimate government of China, and Taiwan is an integral territorial part of China, but the Taiwan Relations Act approved by the Congress says Washington would provide arms to help defend Taiwan.

中国说如果台湾宣布独立的话，她将会动用军事力量。美国承认北京的“一个中国”的政策 — 也就是说，北京是唯一合法的中国政府，台湾是中国完整领土的一部分，但也在国会通过的“台湾关系法案”中说，华盛顿将为帮助防御台湾提供军火。

Withdrawing the U.S. defense commitment "will be a very hard sell politically," Carpenter acknowledges. But he argues that more arms sales to Taiwan might provide cover for Washington to back away from a pledge of direct involvement.

Carpenter指出，收回美国的防御承诺“在政治上将会很不叫座”，但他同时说，多销售一些军火给台湾将为华盛顿撤出直接介入的承诺提供掩护。

 

China,中国：

China unfairly featured as only polluters: US official

美国官员：中国被不公平的指为唯一制造污染的国家
 

All countries should take their due responsibility for pollution without unfairly characterizing China and India as the only polluters, a senior U.S. official said Thursday.

星期四，美国一名高级官员说，所有国家都应该对污染负起他们应有的责任，而不是不公平的指责仅仅中国和印度为制造污染的国家。

Steven Johnson, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), made the remarks at the U.S. Consulate General in Shanghai, in order to correct a report which misquoted him as blaming China for causing mercury depositions in the United States and exerting a "direct impact on the United States."

美国环境保护局管理人Steven Johnson是在上海的美国总领馆说上述的话的。其目的是为了纠正一份报告中对他的语句的错误引用。该报告称中国导致了美国的汞沉积并‘对美国产生直接影响’。

A report in the Financial Times on April 11 entitled "Toxic Chinese mercury pollution traveling to U.S." quoted Johnson as saying "the EPA had traced high levels of 'mercury deposition' in the U.S. to China and India"and "that is the most direct impact [of China's pollution] on the United States".

以“有毒的中国汞污染物抵达美国”为标题的，发表于4月11日的Financial Times上的一份报告中曾引用Johnson的话说“美国环境保护局侦测到了来自中国和印度的高等级的‘汞沉积物’，而这些[来自中国的污染]是最直接的影响。”

"Unfortunately, I was misquoted and taken out of context, and it's unfair to characterize the pollution coming just from China and India," said Johnson, adding that other countries including the Republic of Korea and the United States all contributed to global air pollution.

“不幸的是，我的话被误用并断章取义了，而说这些污染仅仅来源于中国和印度也是不公平的” Johnson说。他还说其他国家包括韩国和美国也都对全球空气污染负有责任。

Approximately 2,000 tons of mercury were released into the environment globally each year, and the emissions of coal fired power plants in the United States alone amounted to 48 tons, he acknowledged.

他说，每年约有2000吨的汞被释放到世界各地，而仅仅是美国的火力发电设施就向其释放了48吨。

"That's why it's critical that we all work together to address the air pollution issues," he said.

“这就是为什么我们聚在一起讨论空气污染问题是如此的至关重要了”，他说。

Johnson was satisfied with his "productive" China tour, during which a series of agreements and cooperation projects were reached between the environmental protection departments of both countries.

Johnson很满意他的这次“收获颇丰”的中国之行，在此期间，两国的环境保护部门达成了一系列的协议和合作项目。

Key words,关键词:

Global air pollution – 全球空气污染；misquote – 错误引用；cooperation project – 合作项目

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。 

看新闻，学英语： 20060412

Business, 商业：

China won't cap small bank stake buying

中国不会对购买小型银行股份封顶
China will allow investors to purchase controlling stakes in its smaller banks and will only maintain state control in the country's five biggest lenders, a top banking regulator was quoted as saying by Xinhua on Monday.

新华日报星期一引用一位高级银行业管理者的话说，中国将会允许投资者购买小型银行的控制股额，只会对我国的五个最大银行维持国家控制。

Beijing's policy of state control would only apply to Bank of China, Agricultural Bank of China, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, China Construction Bank Corp. and Bank of Communications.

北京的国家控制政策将仅会适用于中国银行、农业银行、工商银行、建设银行和交通银行。

Premier Wen Jiabao said on March 14 the Chinese government must keep control over its state-owned banks to minimise the risk of losses while the financial system was being reformed.

温家宝总理三月14日说，中国政府为了最大限度的降低在金融系统改革时出现的危机的损失，必须保持对国有银行的控制。

The official comments have come after criticism that China is selling stakes in the country's banks too cheaply and ceding too much influence to foreign investors, and so loosening state grip on the levers of power.

以上的官方发言是在出现了相关的批评后产生的，这些批评认为，中国的地方银行的股份出售的太便宜、在国外投资者面前放弃了太多的影响力，以及因此而放松了在该层级的控制权。

In addition to the five major state-owned banks, China now has about a dozen stockholding lenders and more than 100 city commercial banks.

除了五个国有的大银行外，中国现在有约12个上市的银行和超过100个城市商业性银行。

Key words,关键词:

Controlling stakes – 控制股额的股份；state-owned – 国有的；minimize – 最小化；commercial banks – 商业性银行；

China,中国：

State to manage Great Wall

国家将会管理长城

The Beijing authorities' decision to put the Badaling section of the Great Wall back under State management is a distinct possibility.

北京政府关于将八达岭长城收归国家管理的决定将很有可能实现。

Furthermore, all the revenue from entrance tickets at the section will go towards relics protection. This move comes as the municipal government shows an eagerness to protect the pride of Beijing and China.

此外，所有来自此区段的门票收入都将成为古迹保护金。该行动显示出市政府对保护北京和国家的骄傲的热切。

The grand structure, built in stages over 10 dynasties starting from 221 BC, was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. Among its several sections in Beijing, the Badaling Great Wall, which lies 50 miles northwest of the capital, is the best preserved and most popular choice for tourists.

这一巨型建筑，自公元前221年开始，历经十个朝代，逐渐修缮完成，在1987年被列为联合国教科文组织世界文化遗产。在北京的几个区段中，处于该首都西北50英里的八达岭长城是保存最完好的，也是最吸引游人的。

To preserve China's heritage, Beijing has enacted local legislation that prohibits visits to the "wild Great Wall," and has closed sections to the public.

为了保护中国的遗产，北京已经制定了地方法规禁止访问“野长城”，并对公众关闭了部分区段。

By returning the management of the Badaling section back to the State, Beijing is ensuring the Wall for future generations.

将八达岭区段的管理权交还国家，北京意在将长城留给子孙后代。

Key words,关键词:

UNESCO – 联合国教科文组织；World Heritage Site – 世界文化遗产；

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。 

看新闻，学英语： 20060406

International,国际：

Japan rejects President Hu's remarks on ties
日本反对胡主席对僵局的说法

Japan's top government spokesman said on Monday that Tokyo disagrees with Chinese President Hu Jintao's comment that visits to a Tokyo war shrine by Japan's prime minister were solely to blame for chilly ties between the two Asian nations.

星期一，日本的首席政府发言人说，东京不同意中国国家主席胡锦涛的，日本首相参拜某个东京的战争纪念神社的行为是唯一该对这两个亚洲国家的僵局负责的说法。

"We cannot accept his assertion that Japan's leader is totally to blame for the current difficult phase of the Sino-Japanese relations," Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe told reporters on Monday.

内阁大臣Shinzo Abe对记者说，“我们无法接受他的日本领导人该对现今的中日关系困难期负全部责任的主张。”

Sino-Japanese relations are at their lowest ebb in decades, chilled by disputes including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's pilgrimages to Yasukuni Shrine, which Beijing sees as a symbol of Japan's past militarism because it honours convicted war criminals along with the country's war dead.

中日关系步入了几十年来的最低潮。这样的低潮来源于包括日本首相小泉纯一郎参拜靖国神社在内的争论。在中国看来这是日本过去的军国主义的象征，因为在这里，已被判刑的战争犯与其他战争死者一样受到尊敬。

Key words,关键词:

Blame – 指责；assertion – 断言、主张；dispute – 争论；militarism – 军国主义；

China,中国：

EU backs China's gradual yuan moves
欧盟支持中国逐步的进行人民币汇率改革

The European Commission backed China's policy of switching to a more flexible exchange-rate system at its own pace, rebuffing U.S. calls for faster steps to boost the yuan, according to a confidential document.

根据一份机密文件，欧洲委员会支持中国以她自己的步伐来转换到更宽松的汇兑机制。回绝了美国加快步伐来使人民币增值的要求。

The commission, the European Union's Brussels-based economic watchdog, warned that sudden moves to strengthen the Chinese yuan as demanded by some U.S. officials could further weaken the dollar against the euro.

这个委员会是欧盟设在布鲁塞尔的一个经济观察机构，它警告说，如果像一些美国官员所要求的那样立即强化人民币将会进一步削弱美元对欧元的比值。

"China should introduce greater exchange-rate flexibility in a gradual manner," according to a document obtained by Bloomberg News. A gradual move would lessen the risk of the dollar, euro and Japanese yen "overshooting" on the markets.

根据Bloomberg 新闻获得的一份资料说，“中国应该逐渐的推进更宽松的汇兑机制，” 逐步前进将可以降低美元、欧元和日元在市场上“表现过火”的危险。

The U.S. is pushing for a more flexible exchange-rate system to boost American exports and erode the U.S. trade gap with China. U.S. officials complain that China keeps the yuan, a denomination of the renminbi, artificially depressed so Chinese products are cheap in the marketplace.

美国正在推动（中国执行）一个更宽松的汇兑机制，来增强美国的出口，以弥补与中国之间的贸易差距。美国官员抱怨说，中国，人为的贬低人民币的价值，使中国货在市场上便宜。

Key words,关键词:

Flexible exchange rate system – 宽松的汇兑机制；strengthen – 强化；

 

Business, 商业：

GM to sell majority stake in GMAC for $14B
通用公司出售通用信托的多数股份以换取140亿美元

General Motors Corp., which is struggling to turn around its North American automaking operations, announced Monday that it has reached an agreement to sell a 51 percent stake in its profitable finance arm.

正在为了扭转北美汽车市场的运作而挣扎的通用汽车公司，星期一，宣布说它已经达成了一份销售其利润颇丰的金融分支机构的百分之五十一的股份的协议。

The world's biggest automaker expects to receive about $14 billion from the sale of General Motors Acceptance Corp. over the next three years.

这个世界上最大的汽车生产商因出售通用信托，而将在未来三年里得到140亿美元的资金。

The stake is being purchased by a consortium of investors led by Cerberus Capital Management L.P., a private investment firm. The group also includes Citigroup Inc. and Aozora Bank Ltd.

这些股份被Cerberus资产管理集团下属的一家私人投资公司买走。该集团还包括了花旗银行和Aozora银行公司。

GM, which lost $10.6 billion in 2005 and has been rapidly losing U.S. market share to Asian competitors, has been trying to cut its own labor, pension and health care costs. Its problems could multiply if workers at its main supplier, Delphi Corp., go on strike.

通用公司在2005年损失了106亿美元后，面对亚洲竞争者，正急速的失去其美国市场份额。 它已尝试了裁员、减少养老金和医疗费用等办法。如果它的主要供应商Delphi 公司的工人罢工的话，它的问题就会更严重。

Key words,关键词:

Profitable – 有利可图的；stake – 股份；investment firm – 投资公司；market share – 市场份额；strike – 罢工；

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。 

看新闻，学英语： 20060330

看新闻，学英语： 20060330

China,中国：

Major headway made in IPR protection
知识产权保护取得重大进展

Intellectual property right (IPR) violations cannot be eliminated overnight but China will speed up the process, a top copyright official pledged yesterday in Beijing.

一名高级产权官员昨天在北京说：侵犯知识产权的行为不可能一夜之间移除，但中国将会加快步伐。

The government has been resolute, and made headway, in cracking down on infringements and piracy of laser discs and software, said Yan Xiaohong, deputy chief of the National Copyright Administration of China.

中国国家知识产权委员会副主席‘严’说，政府坚决的，并在取缔侵权和盗版光碟和软件方面取得了重大进展。

 

To ensure serious IPR offenders face criminal penalties instead of just administrative fines, China has made it mandatory for law-enforcers to transfer such offences to judicial authorities "timely,"

为了保证严重的知识产权侵犯者受到刑事惩罚而非仅仅是行政罚款，中国已强制要求执法者把那些侵犯行为“及时”移交司法机构。

 

The combination of administrative punishment and criminal penalties has enabled copyright law-enforcement agencies to strike hard at infringers and pirates, Yan said.

‘严’说，行政处罚和刑事惩罚的结合使产权执法机构能够加大力度打击侵权与盗版行为。

Last year, law-enforcers transferred 18 major Internet copyright infringement cases to judicial departments.

去年，执法者移交了18起重大因特网产权侵害案至司法部门。

Key words,关键词:

Intellectual property right – 知识产权；criminal penalty – 刑事处罚；administrative fine – 行政罚款；

 

Business,商业：

Oil price increase sparks mixed reaction
油价上涨激起综合反映

There has been mixed reaction from taxi companies and drivers to the latest oil price rise, which took effect nationwide on Sunday.

星期天起在全国生效的最近一次油价上涨，促使出租车公司和驾驶员产生了综合反映。

In Beijing, retail prices will rise by 460 yuan (US$58) per ton for gasoline and 340 yuan (US$43) per ton for diesel both the highest national price rises compared with an average 250 yuan (US$30.8) and 150 yuan (US$18.5) respectively.

在北京，零售价将上升到汽油每吨460元和柴油每吨340元，相对于（全国）平均的250元和150元都是全国上升的最高的。

Taxi drivers have called for government subsidies to offset losses.

出租车司机要求政府补助以弥补损失。

According to local media reports, a taxi price hearing is imminent on the re-adjustment of taxi charges per kilometre .

根据一份地方媒体的报道，将会有一次关于重新调整出租车里程价的听证会。

But officials from the Beijing Municipal Development and Reform Commission told China Daily that a taxi price hearing is not on their immediate working list.

但来自北京地方发改委的官员对中国日报说，出租车价格听证会并不在他们急待解决的工作日程表上。

Life, 生活：

Saddam is "better" than Tom Cruise

萨达姆比汤姆克鲁斯“好”

Tom Cruise is even less popular than Saddam Hussein. The "Mission Impossible" star was voted the person people would least like to go camping overnight with in a recent poll.

汤姆克鲁斯甚至比萨达姆更不受欢迎。在最近的民意测试中，这位“碟中谍”的影星被选为人们最不愿意在一起夜营的人。

The actor took a massive 41 per cent of the vote in the survey, conducted by Stuff magazine, ahead of the Iraqi dictator.

在 Stuff杂志的这次测试中，这位影星获得了多达百分之41的选票，超过那位伊拉克独裁者。

Cruise - who is engaged to pregnant actress Katie Holmes - was given the unwanted accolade for his embarrassing behavior last year, which included the now infamous "couch jumping" incident on the "Oprah Winfrey Show," proposing to Holmes at the Eiffel Tower and his gushing pregnancy announcement.

与受孕女星凯蒂赫尔莫斯相恋的克鲁斯，是因为他去年哭笑不得的行为而得到这一不雅的头衔的。那些行为包括现已公认口碑不佳的在Oprah Winfrey的演出中的跳沙发事件，在埃菲尔铁塔向赫尔莫斯求婚和他那过激的怀孕宣言。

Unsurprisingly, Cruise did not attend the ceremony to collect his award.

不令人感到意外的是，克鲁斯并未参加该领奖活动。

Key words,关键词:

Survey – (民意)调查；engage – 恋爱、订婚；infamous – 声名狼藉，口碑不佳；

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

看新闻，学英语： 20060326

International,国际：

White House: Bush, Hu to meet April 20
白宫：胡布会定在四月20日

US President George W. Bush will meet with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Washington on April 20 to discuss issue of mutual interest and to make progress on resolving outstanding differences, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said on Wednesday.

星期三，白宫发言人Scott McClellan说，四月20日美国总统乔治.W.布什将在华盛顿会晤中国国家主席胡锦涛，讨论相互间利益问题并争取在明显分歧问题上取得进展。

One key issue point of contention is Washington's continuous demand for Beijing to move more quickly to let its yuan currency trade freely in financial markets.

一个争论的焦点是华盛顿不断的要求北京加快使其人民币在金融市场上自由交易。

 

The spokesman said the discussions on Hu's first U.S. trip as Chinese president would include the full range of regional international issues, including Bush's war on terrorism and nonproliferation questions.

发言人说，‘胡’作为中国国家主席的第一次美国之行的议程将包括全面的区域国际问题，还包括布什的反恐战争和核不扩散问题。

 

Washington sees Beijing as a key partner in halting the nuclear arms ambitions of North Korea, and needs the help of China as a veto-wielding permanent member of the U.N. Security Council to rein in Iran's suspected pursuit of nuclear weapons.

华盛顿把北京看作阻止北朝核武化野心的重要伙伴，还需要中国作为一个具有否决权的联合国安理会永久成员的帮助来控制伊朗获取核武器的可疑行为。

Key words,关键词:

Mutual interest – 共同利益；outstanding difference – 显著差别；ambition – 野心

 

Business,商业：

Consumer tariff shakes market
消费税震荡股市

China's decision to make sweeping changes to the current consumption tax regime, which was announced on Tuesday and will take effect starting April 1, is turning some public companies into investors' darlings, while making life harder for others.

中国星期二公布的针对消费税制度的彻底的改制将在四月一日起实施，将把一部分公共企业转变为投资热门，而其他企业的处境将会因此变得困难。

The consumption tax revision, the largest overhaul since its inception in 1994, shot up shares of companies whose products will likely be affected by the revision, while others dipped on the stock market yesterday in a trend analysts say may herald investors' sentiments in days to come.

消费税制度将迎来自1994年实施以来的最大一次改变。其产品会受到该改制影响的公司的股票出现了大幅上涨，而其他的昨天则出现下滑，分析家认为这样的趋势不久将可能激起投资者的情绪。

According to the tax adjustment, more refined oil products, disposable wooden chopsticks and wooden floor panels will be charged consumption tax, as well as other luxury items such as high-priced watches, yachts and golf balls. Meanwhile, the consumption tariff on some goods such as hard alcohol, motorcycles, small-engine cars will be cut, while tax on skincare products and shampoo will be totally done away with.

根据税收改制，更多的提炼油产品、一次性筷子和木地板条将加收消费税，还有其他的豪华物品如高档手表、游艇和高尔夫球也将加收消费税。同时，其他一些物品的消费税将会减少，如纯酒精、摩托车和小排量汽车。而护肤产品和洗发水的消费税将会彻底免除。

The biggest gainer yesterday was Shanghai Jahwa United Co Ltd, a leading domestic home chemical products maker, which saw shares rise by 6.27 per cent.

昨天最大的赢家是上海联合利华有限公司，一个国内家用化妆品的领先制造者，据说股值上升了百分之6.27。

According to the proposed tax revision, tariffs on hard alcohol will be trimmed from the current 25 per cent to 20 per cent, a reduction that some say is significant enough to help liquor makers' performance.

根据改制的税收，纯酒精的税收将会从百分之25降到百分之20，有人说这样的下降将足以改善酒类产品制造者的表现。

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

看新闻，学英语： 20060323

Business,商业：

Yuan rises to post-revaluation high
人民币比价上升到了再评估后的新高

China's yuan rose to the highest since a peg to the dollar was scrapped in July, as U.S. senators arrived to press the case for a stronger currency.

正当美国参议员抵达并提出“强势货币”的建议之时，中国的人民币在七月份紧盯美元的行动挫败后已经上升到了一个最高点。

"The movements are encouraging," Senator Lindsey Graham said after landing in Beijing. In talks with Chinese officials Tuesday, the Republican from South Carolina said he wants to "find out why now, why not before, what to expect later."

参议员Lindsey Graham在抵达北京后说：“这样的趋势是令人振奋的”。星期二，在与中国官员的会谈中，这位来自加利福尼亚的共和党人说他想知道“为什么是现在，而不是以前，尚有什么可以期待的”。

Graham and Senator Charles Schumer accuse China of keeping the yuan's value low to give its exports a competitive advantage.

Graham 和另一位参议员 Charles Schumer指责中国为了获得出口的竞争优势而将人民币控制在低比价。

The yuan, a denomination of China's currency, the renminbi, climbed 0.09 percent to 8.0241 against the dollar as of 5:30 p.m. in Shanghai, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. It may strengthen beyond 8 to the dollar this month.

根据Bloomberg收集的数据，在上海，以人民币命名的中国货币在下午5:30对美金的比价上升了百分之0.09，达到8.0241元兑换一美元。到本月底它将可能继续增值到低于8比1美元的比例。

Key words,关键词:

Competitive advantage – 竞争优势；

 

International, 国际：

School fires scientist for stem cell fraud
因干细胞欺诈，大学开除科学家

Disgraced cloning scientist Hwang Woo-suk was fired Monday as professor of Seoul National University over his stem cell fraud.

因干细胞欺诈，星期一，不知廉耻的克隆专家黄羽希被索尔国立大学开除了教授的职务。

The university announced the decision after a meeting of its disciplinary committee, saying Hwang and his co-workers dishonored the school.

在一次申戒委员会会议后，该大学作出了这一宣布，宣称‘黄’和他的协作者玷污了这所大学。

Six other professors who worked on Hwang's project were either suspended for months or had their salaries cut, the school said.

该大学说，与‘黄’一起工作的另外六名教授都获得了停职数月或减薪的处罚。

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

看新闻，学英语： 20060321

China,中国：

Gender selection tech mulled
性别选择科技正经历反复考虑

A senior Chinese scientist is mulling over whether to develop technology to select the gender of a child before conception by sorting sperm cells, a technique that he said "would only be used for treating genetic diseases".

一位权威的中国科学家正反复考虑是否该开发一项通过对精液细胞整理的理论来为婴儿进行性别选择的科学项目，据他说，该科学项目将仅被用以治疗遗传性疾病。

Lu Kehuan, President of Guangxi Animal Breeding Research Institute said that a similar genetic gender selection test had proved successful on the buffalo, and "it won't be too difficult to do the human research".

广西动物饲养研究中心主任卢可华说，一个类似的性别遗传选择测试已在水牛身上得到了成功的证实，“对人类的研究也不会太难”。

China is revising its penal law to criminalize gender-selective abortions. Health workers who assist in revealing the gender of unborn babies will also be thrown to jail, according to the revised law.

中国目前正在修正其刑法，将因性别选择而遗弃婴儿的行为列为犯罪。根据修正后的法律，为揭示胎儿性别服务的健康工作者也将被判刑。

But it does not ban gender selection for medical purposes.

但因医学需要而进行的性别选择并不会受到禁止。

"I want to do gender selection on humans in the second half of this year. The techniques have been used in other countries and not much negative impact has been reported," Lu said.

卢说：“我想在今年下半年对人类进行性别选择的实验，该技术已在其他一些国家使用，并未出现很多负面影响的报告。”

Key words,关键词:

Genetic disease – 遗传性疾病；abortion – 遗弃；medical purpose – 医学目的；negative impact – 负面影响；

 

Life,生活：

Energy goals 'help cut global warming'
能源目标‘协助缓解全球变暖问题’

The country's commitment to reduce energy consumption and pollutant emissions was lauded yesterday by world-renowned economists and leading business executives, who said it would be a positive contribution to cut down global warming.

我国对减少能源消耗和减少污染源的承诺，昨天受到世界著名的经济学者和重要的商界人物的好评。他们说，这将为缓解全球变暖问题提供积极的帮助。

They also called for China's global leadership in tackling climate change and other environmental woes as the country pursues sustainable development in the newly-approved 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-10).

他们同时呼吁中国在执行刚通过的第11个五年规划的可持续发展时，在解决气候变化和其他环境灾难中发挥领导作用。

Referring to China's 2010 goal of cutting energy consumption per unit of GDP by a fifth from the 2005 figure, Nobel Laureate in Economics Joseph E. Stiglitz said that "it will be a contribution to the world" as it means less global-warming emissions.

在提到中国将2010年的目标设定为每个GDP的能源消耗比2005年减少五分之一时，诺贝尔经济学获奖者Joseph E. Stiglitz说，因其意味着全球变暖发散物的减少，“这将使对全世界的一个贡献”。

Key words,关键词:

Global warming – 全球变暖；energy consumption – 能源消耗；global leadership – 全球领导地位；sustainable development – 可持续性发展；

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

看新闻，学英语： 20060316

China,中国：

Commercial bribes of top concern

商业贿赂已成为最关注问题
Central government officials have vowed to crack down on commercial bribes one of the main concerns for the ongoing session of the National People's Congress.

中央政府官员誓言要击垮已成为正在进行的全国人代会关注热点之一的商业贿赂问题。

Sun Yongfu, vice-minister of railways, said commercial bribes in business transactions are closely linked with abuse of power by government departments and officials.

铁道部副部长孙永福说，商业活动中的贿赂是与政府部门和官员的滥用职权密切相关的。

He said the most effective way to uproot such practices was to "enhance the education of government officials and relevant personnel."

他说，铲除这种问题的最有效方法是“加强政府官员与相关人员的教育”。

Corruption in large-scale public projects is a daunting obstacle to sustainable development, and areas such as engineering projects, land acquisition, property trading, medicine purchase and government procurement have drawn special attention in China.

大型公共项目中的贿赂问题是持续发展的恼人障碍。而在工程项目、土地购买、产权交易、医药买卖和政府收购中的问题已引起中国的特别关注。

It was quite common for those bidding for business in the country to offer potential customers or partners kickbacks, including cash and luxuries.

我国招标中对潜在的顾客和合作伙伴提供酬金的方式已经十分普遍，这些酬金包括现金和奢侈品。

Many companies believed that the practice was a "tacit rule" of the Chinese market.

很多公司认为这样的行为是中国市场的“潜规则”。

"We need a correct definition such as what is commercial bribery and what is the legitimate commission," Li explained.

李说，“我们需要一个明确的定义，譬如说，什么是商业贿赂，什么是合法的佣金。”

Tackling commercial bribery, especially among government officials, is a major task of China's drive to build a clean and efficient government this year.

解决商业贿赂问题，尤其是政府官员中的这一问题是今年中国促使建立一个阳光的、高效的政府的一个重任。

Key words,关键词:

Bribe – 贿赂；tacit rule – 潜规则；legitimate – 合法的；

Life,生活：

Single-kids too pampered to accept job

娇生惯养的独生子女无法接受工作

Shanghai job hunters, especially youngsters from single-child families, have to learn to stand on their own feet or lose out to job seekers from outside the city, several recruiters said at a tourism job fair over the weekend.

本周末，来自某旅游工作交易会的招聘者说，上海的择业者，尤其是独生子女，要么学会依靠自己，要么就输给外来的择业者。

About 100 local travel agencies and hotels advertised 2,000 openings at the Shanghai Tourism Recruitment Fair on Saturday.

星期六，约有百来家当地旅游公司和饭店在上海旅游招聘会上发布了2000个职位空缺。

Most of the local applicants were accompanied by a parent, which left many recruiters with a very bad impression.

多数的当地择业者在父母的陪伴下前往，给许多招聘者留下了很糟的印象。

Key words,关键词:

Recruitment – 招聘，征兵；job seeker -- 应聘者；applicant – 申请者；recruiter – 招聘人员；

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

看新闻，学英语： 20060314

China,中国：

China reforms death penalty trials in 2006: Top Judge
最高法官：中国在2006年将改革死刑审判

To promote meticulosity in meting out capital punishment, top judge Xiao Yang said Saturday that Chinese courts will start from this year to open court session when hearing death sentence trials in second instance, after taking steps to retrieve the power of death penalty review from provincial courts.

最高法官肖扬星期六说，为了提高死刑判决的严谨性，自从取回地方法院的死刑复核权后，中国从今年起将在涉及到死刑的二审时采取公开法庭的形式。

"As of July 1, 2006, all the second-instance trials of death sentence cases shall be heard in open court,"" Xiao, who is also the president of the Supreme People's Court (SPC) said in his report on the work of the Supreme People's Court.

同时作为最高人民法院主席的‘肖’在他的一份有关最高人民法院的工作报告中说：“从2006年七月一日起，所有的死刑二审都要在公开法庭进行。”

Key words,关键词:

Capital punishment, death sentence – 死刑；

China to follow own reform path for yuan

中国将依自己的方式改革人民币汇率
China will determine the reform path of the yuan according to its own needs and will not follow the dictates of other countries, central bank governor Zhou Xiaochuan said on Saturday.

星期六，中央银行长官周小川说，中国将按自己的需要来决定人民币汇率的改革方式，不会听从他国的指示。

Zhou, governor of the People's Bank of China, told reporters that recent softness in the yuan mainly reflected movements in the dollar against the euro and the yen.

中央银行长官‘周’对记者说，近期人民币的弱势主要是受美元对欧元和日元的比价变动影响而体现出来的。

Speaking on the sidelines of the National People's Congress, Zhou said the yuan would be discussed next month during the International Monetary Fund's Spring meeting, but the talks would be dominated by discussions of global imbalances and not China's growing trade surplus with the United States.

在全国人民代表大会的场外，‘周’说，人民币汇率问题将在下个月的国际货币基金组织春季会议上进行讨论，但会谈的中心内容将是关于国际间不平衡的讨论，而非中国对美国正在增长的贸易顺差问题。

He also said Beijing was studying an injection of capital into Agricultural Bank of China, the weakest of the Big Four state-owned banks.

他还说，北京正在考虑对四个国有银行中最弱的农业银行注入资金。

Key words,关键词:

Dollar –美元； euro – 欧元；yen – 日元；International Monetary Fund – 国际货币基金组织；trade surplus – 贸易顺差

 

Life,生活：

Limits on small-engine cars to lift

对小排量汽车的限制将被解除
Small-engine cars will likely be making a return to Beijing's streets by next month, after a seven-year ban that kept them off many of the city's major roads

对小排量汽车限制进入城市主要交通路段的办法实施七年以来，下个月，它们很可能将回到北京的街上来。

By the end of March, all local cities are required to allow small autos to run freely and lift any bans restricting their use, according to the State Council's deadline.

国务院的最后期限要求，到三月底所有地方城市允许小排量汽车自由的使用，并取消任何限制使用的禁令。

After continuous attempts to remove restrictions in more than 80 cities nationwide, the central government issued the ultimatum last December, which said that "local cities should lift any restrictions on small-engine cars by the end of March" to fulfil the country's campaign of building up resource-saving society.

通过对超过80个城市的取消限制的不懈尝试后，中央政府在去年12月份发出了这一最后通牒，要求“所有地方城市在三月底前取消对小排量汽车的任何使用限制”，以建立一个节能型社会。

"The restriction (on use of small cars) is not in line with the situation that resources become scare and oil prices run up," Xie Fuzhan, vice-president of the State Council Development Research Centre, said at a seminar.

谢夫占，国务院研究与发展中心副主任在一次研讨会上说，“那些（对小汽车使用的）限制是与资源减少和原油价格上涨的外部环境不相称的”。

Small-engine cars are defined in China as those with emission capacity of 1.0 litre or lower.

小排量汽车在中国的定义是排气能力在1.0公升及其以下的车辆。

Key words,关键词:

Deadline -- 最后期限 ；resource-saving society – 节能型社会；

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。

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China,中国：

China to fill strategic oil reserve in '06
中国将会在06年增加其战略石油储备

China expects to start filling its strategic oil reserves at Zhenhai in the eastern province of Zhejiang by the end of this year, the minister who heads the country's economic planning agency said Monday.

星期一，领导国家经济计划署的部长说，中国将从今年年底起开始填补其在浙江镇海的战略石油储备。

Ma Kai, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said construction of the 16-tank Zhenhai facility was finished. Three more strategic oil reserve facilities are due to be completed in 2007 and 2008, he told reporters on the sidelines of China's annual legislative session.

国家发展与改革委员会主席马凯，在中国年度立法会议的场外对记者说，位于镇海的16个储油设施的建设已经完成。另外三个将计划于2007年和2008年完成。

The additional three facilities would be filled "in due course" once their construction is completed, Ma said.

‘马’说，另外三个储油设备将在建成后“根据需要”填补。

The reserve is meant to cushion China against possible interruptions of foreign supplies. Previous reports said Beijing plans to stockpile up to 100 million barrels of petroleum, or the equivalent of almost a month's national consumption.

这些储备是用以中国应付国外可能发生的干扰的缓冲。之前曾有报道说，北京计划储备一亿桶或相当于几乎一个月的国内消耗的石油。

Key words,关键词:

Strategic oil reserve – 战略石油储备；legislation – 立法；stockpile – 储存

 

Life, 生活：

Women favored by TV ads as sex objects

电视广告喜欢以女性为性别目标

Among 931 surveyed advertisements involving gender issues, 88 percent used women to promote produce as sex objects, according to a report released by China's Women Reporter Association Sunday.

星期天，中国女记者协会发表的一份报告中说，在与性别相关的931个受调查的广告中，百分之88使用女性作为性别目标进行产品宣传。

The report reviewed 4,935 advertisements in China's ten TV channels, including the national China Central Television No. 1 channel, Beijing Television No. 1 channel and Shanghai News Entertainment Channel, and picked out 931 gender issues.

该报告调查了中国十个电视频道的4935份广告，其中包括国家级的中央电视一套、北京电视一台、上海新闻娱乐频道，从中找出了931件性别问题。

"Women seemed to be particularly favored by ads," said the report, adding that 70.5 percent of the ads had women as the main characters.

该报告说，“女性似乎特别受到广告的偏爱”，还说其中有百分之70.5的广告以女性为主角。

"Most women are revealed through close-up scenes, highlighting their body features, and many women are described as houseworkers," the report said.

该报告说，“多数女性在特写中出现，强调她们的身体特征，而且许多都被形容为家务从事者”。

"Generally speaking, most ads have gender discrimination problems, though there are also some featuring gender equality," it said.

“尽管有一些广告以性别平等为特点，总的来说，多数广告存在性别歧视的问题。”

Key words,关键词:

Gender issue – 性别问题；close-up scene – 特写镜头；discrimination – 歧视；equality – 平等

注：英文原文来自于China Daily，Starglancier翻译，用以教学辅助以及与同好探讨。有不同意见,欢迎评论。