Bank sleep to fight tiredness 儲存睡眠來對抗疲憊

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/mar/4/today-int7.htm

 

《中英對照讀新聞》

◎國際新聞中心

As anyone who has unwittingly drifted off at their desk will know-tiredness can really creep up on you when you least need it. But a new study is offering some good news: it claims to prove that we can bank sleep-and store it up in advance of a tiring event.

曾不知不覺在書桌旁打瞌睡的人都會知道,疲倦真的會在你最不需要它的時候悄悄地上身。但是一項新研究帶來些許好消息:它宣稱已證實我們可以儲存睡眠—在疲倦時刻來臨前先儲存睡眠。

Researchers in the US invited a group of volunteers to adjust their sleep patterns so the effect could be monitored.

美國的研究人員邀請一組志願者調整睡眠模式,好監控效果。

For a week, one half of the group were allowed extra sleep, while the others were told to keep their sleeping patterns the same. Then, the following week, they were all sleep-deprived.

一半的人在一周內可以多睡一點,另一半的人則維持原來的睡眠模式。隔週,全部的人都被剝奪睡眠。

"After this week of either extended or habitual sleep per night, all the volunteers came to the lab and they were given three hours of sleep, per night, for a week," explained Tracy Rupp from the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.

華特里德陸軍研究院的路普解釋:「經過這個不管是多睡或是延續睡眠習慣的一周,所有志願者來到實驗室,度過每晚睡三小時的一周。」

They were then given tasks of varying complication, and tests showed that those who had banked the sleep were "more resilient during the sleep restriction".

接著分派志願者來做不同複雜度的工作,測試顯示,儲存睡眠的人,「在睡眠限制時較能迅速恢復精力。」

"They showed less performance deterioration with regards to reaction time and alertness than the group that had been given the habitual prior sleep," said Ms Rupp.

路普說:「就反應時間與警覺性而言,和延續睡眠習慣組的人相比,他們的表現都比較未受影響。」

新聞辭典

bank:動詞,儲存。

drift off:片語,漸漸睡著。例句:I couldn’t help drifting off in the middle of that lecture-it was so boring!(那堂課實在太無聊,我忍不住就睡著了!)

creep:動詞,緩慢前進,匍匐前進。例句:Over the last year, the rate of inflation has crept up to almost 7%.(過去一年,通膨率緩緩上升到近7%。)

Tech group to launch new digital music file format 科技公司擬推出新數位音樂檔案格式

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jan/30/today-int6.htm

◎陳成良

A leading technology company is set to launch a new digital music file format which will embed additional content for fans including lyrics, news updates and images in what could be a successor to the ubiquitous MP3 file.

一家頂尖科技公司計畫推出一種新數位音樂檔案格式,可為樂迷嵌入歌詞、最新資訊及影像等附加內容。該格式或將替代目前非常普遍的MP3檔案。

The new proposal, which is called MusicDNA and has the backing of the original MP3 digital music file inventor, would allow fans to download an MP3 file on to their computer, which would carry with it additional content.

新格式稱為「MusicDNA」,並得到了原MP3數位音樂檔案發明者的支持。這一格式允許樂迷將MP3音樂檔案下載到電腦上,且同時附帶額外內容。

Music labels, bands or retailers could then also send updates to the music file every time they have something new to announce such as the dates of future tours, new interviews or updates to social network pages.

音樂公司、樂團或零售商屆時只要有新內容要公布,例如未來巡演計畫、新專訪或更新社交網頁時,都可傳送更新內容到音樂檔案中。

The user would receive as little or as much of the information as they want, every time they are online. However anyone who downloads the music file illegally would receive only a static file which would not receive any updates.

用戶每次上線時,可根據個人意願來決定接受多少資訊。然而,任何非法下載音樂檔案的用戶只會收到一個靜態檔案,不能接收任何內容更新。

BACH Technology, the group behind the MusicDNA file, says it is looking to partner with retailers, music labels, rights holders and technology companies and is happy to provide its technology for others who could use it under their own brand.

開發MusicDNA音樂檔案的(挪威)巴哈科技集團稱,希望與零售商、唱片公司、版權所有人與科技公司等建立合作關係,且樂意將技術提供給其他人,這些人可用其自有品牌來使用這個技術。

新聞辭典

ubiquitous:形容詞,無所不在的。例句:Bluetooth technology becomes more ubiquitous in markets around the world.(藍芽技術在全球市場上變得更無所不在。)

music label:原意指音樂的標籤,轉化成意指音樂(唱片)公司。全球四大唱片公司或集團一般都稱為「major record labels」。

partner:動詞,與……合作;做……的伙伴。例句:John partnered Mary at the dance.(約翰在舞會上與瑪麗結成舞伴。)

《中英對照讀新聞》The Avatar Effect 阿凡達效應

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jan/24/today-int6.htm

◎俞智敏

Hollywood blockbusters aren’t usually notable for their artistic or political subtlety. And James Cameron’s latest sci-fi hit, "Avatar," would seem to be no exception, going by the lament of some critics that the film’s impressive special effects are undercut by a skimpy story line and flat dialogue.

好萊塢巨片通常並非以其藝術或政治敏銳性著稱。詹姆斯.卡麥隆的最新熱門科幻電影「阿凡達」似乎也不例外,依照某些批評者的說法,此片的故事情節短缺、對話單調,讓片中驚人的特效失色不少。

That, however, is not how many Chinese see the film, which tells the story of rapacious humans trying to evict the blue-skinned natives of the planet Pandora in order to extract some exceedingly valuable mineral. This is standard politically correct fare for a Western audience, conveying a message of racial sensitivity and environmental awareness. In China, however, it has more rebellious undertones.

但許多中國觀眾對此片的看法卻並非如此。這部電影描述貪婪的人類試圖驅逐潘朵拉星球上的藍皮膚原住民,以便採掘某種極為珍貴的礦物。對西方觀眾而言,這是標準的政治正確觀點,傳達出對種族問題的敏感性及環保意識。然而在中國,這部電影卻帶有更反叛的潛在含意。

That’s because Chinese local governments in cahoots with developers have become infamous for forcibly seeking to evict residents from their homes with little compensation and often without their consent. More often, however, they are driven away by paid thugs. Private property is one of the most sensitive issues in the country today, and "Avatar" has given the resisters a shot in the arm.

這是因為中國的地方政府與建商合夥,在只提供極少補償金、甚至常未經過同意,就把居民強制驅離其住家的作法早已惡名遠播。更常見的情況是,居民被收了錢的惡棍強行趕走。私有財產已成為中國目前最敏感的議題之一,而「阿凡達」等於是替反抗者打了一劑強心針。

Even in Hong Kong, the "Avatar" banner has been taken up by antigovernment activists trying to defeat a plan to demolish a village to make way for a new high-speed railway line. One mysterious benefactor reportedly donated movie tickets to the villagers to stoke their enthusiasm for protests.

即使在香港,反政府運動人士也高舉著「阿凡達」旗幟,試圖阻撓政府為興建新的高速鐵路而打算拆除某村莊的計畫。據說一位神秘金主還捐出了電影票給村民,好激起他們對抗議活動的熱情。

新聞辭典

rapacious:形容詞,指貪婪的、強取的,如a rapacious landlord/businessman(貪婪的房東/商人)。

undertone:名詞,指文章、話語或某事件的潛在含意,如I thought her speech had slightly sinister undertones.(我認為她的那番話帶有些許惡意。)

in cahoots with:cahoots為名詞,指合夥、同謀,in cahoots with指與他人合夥圖謀不軌,如It’s reckoned that someone in the government was in cahoots with the assassin.(外界認為政府內部有人與刺客同謀。)

中英對照讀新聞–Gere serves up a haven for vegetarians 李察吉爾為素食者提供庇護所

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jan/17/today-int2.htm

Richard Gere, the Hollywood actor who has spurned red meat for the past 30 years, has thrown his support behind a plan to transform the site of Buddha’s enlightenment into a vegetarian zone to spread the message of peace.

不吃紅肉長達30年的好萊塢明星李察吉爾最近表態支持一項計畫,打算把佛陀悟道之地變成素食區,以傳達和平的訊息。

The activist, who was taking part in a five-day training session with the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan Buddhist leader, in the Indian town of Bodhgaya, took part in a candlelit march highlighting the campaign.

這位運動人士最近在菩提迦耶參加由藏傳佛教領袖達賴喇嘛主持的5天法會,同時也參加了一場宣傳此項計畫的燭光遊行。

"Bodhgaya is a pious place and I want to come here again," he said, after joining around 500 monks and activists who took part in the march. "I am with the people who have launched this campaign."

「菩提迦耶是個虔誠的地方,我還想要再來,」他在與大約500位僧侶及運動人士一起參加這場遊行後表示。「我全力支持發起這項運動的人士。」

According to Buddhist tradition, Bodhgaya, in the state of Bihar, is where Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment around 500BC. Starting in the 19th century, the area gradually become a site of pilgrimage and is now visited by Buddhists from all over the world.

根據佛教傳統,位於印度比哈邦的菩提迦耶城正是釋迦牟尼在公元前500年左右悟道之處。自19世紀起,當地逐漸成為佛教徒朝聖之地,目前來自全球各地的佛教徒都會造訪此處。

新聞辭典

serve (sth) up/out:動詞片語,端上食物或飲料等,上菜。如Come on everyone, I’m ready to serve up.(大家過來吧,我準備要上菜了。)

throw one’s weight/support behind sth/sb:運用某人的力量或影響力來支持某事或某人,如If we could persuade the chairman to throw his weight behind the plan, it would have a much better chance of success.(假如我們能說服董事長鼎力相助,這項計畫成功的機會會更大。)

attain:(正式用語)動詞,指達到、獲得,如India attained independence in 1947, after decades of struggle.(歷經數十年的努力,印度終於在1947年獲得獨立。)

《中英對照讀新聞》Beware, iPod zombie cyclists are on the rise 小心,「iPod殭屍」單車族越來越多

http://www.libertytimes.com.tw/2010/new/jan/9/today-int6.htm

◎陳成良

Watch out for the iPod zombies. Cyclists distracted by music blaring in their ears have become the latest menace on Britain’s roads.

要小心iPod殭屍。因耳中震耳欲聾音樂而分心的單車族,已成英國最新交通大患。

The fashion for cyclists to wear earphones on crowded city streets is being held partly responsible for the recent upsurge in cycling injuries and deaths, as well as collisions with pedestrians.

單車族在擁擠的城市街道中戴耳機的時尚,被認為要為近來騎單車受傷及致死,還有撞到行人的事件急劇上升,負起部份責任。

Road safety groups are alarmed at the practice and this weekend Edmund King, the president of the AA, called on the Department for Transport (DfT) to launch a campaign warning cyclists of the risk.

道路安全團體對這種行為感到擔憂,英國汽車協會主席埃德蒙.金恩本週末呼籲運輸部發起活動向單車族警告這種風險。

The latest DfT figures show that 820 cyclists were killed or seriously injured in the three months to June, a 19% rise on the same period in 2008. It is not known how many of these cases were caused by people listening to music because the DfT and the police do not record the information.

運輸部最新數據顯示,6月為止的3個月裡,英國有820名單車族喪生或重傷,比2008年同期增加19%,不清楚這其中多少是民眾聽音樂造成,因運輸部與警方沒有記錄相關資訊。

There is currently no legislation in place to govern either the use of music players or the wearing of helmets on the road, but cyclists can be prosecuted for dangerous riding — an offence that attracts a maximum penalty of £2,500.

騎車使用音樂播放器或戴耳罩,目前無法可管,但單車族可依危險駕駛罪名起訴,最高可罰2500英鎊。

新聞辭典 Dictionary

watch out for:片語,密切注意、留神。例句:Watch out for the dog! (小心那條狗!)

upsurge:名詞, 急劇上升;飆升;猛增。例句:The upsurge of the oil price is incredible. (油價的高漲讓人咋舌。)

pedestrian:名詞,指行人。pedestrian也可當形容詞用,指平淡無奇或乏味的。例句:Twice I took pedestrian jobs to keep us going.(我有兩次找了份乏味的差事來維持我們的生計。)